Medium processing apparatus and image forming system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2025382151-A1
Application number	US-202519230508-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 6, 2025
Priority date	Jun 12, 2024
Publication date	Dec 18, 2025
Grant date	—

Abstract

A medium processing apparatus includes a liquid applier to apply liquid to a part of a medium to perform liquid application, a post-processing device to perform desired processing on a bundle of media including the medium subjected to the liquid application, a first liquid storage to store the liquid for the liquid application, a second liquid storage to store the liquid supplied to the first liquid storage, a liquid supplier to supply the liquid from the second liquid storage to the first liquid storage, a liquid detector to detect a liquid level of the liquid in the first liquid storage, and processing circuitry to control operations of the post-processing device and the liquid supplier. The circuitry changes a liquid level at which liquid supply is stopped in a liquid supply operation executed by the liquid supplier, according to a remaining amount of the liquid in the first liquid storage.

First claim

1 . A medium processing apparatus, comprising:
a liquid applier to apply liquid to a part of a medium to perform a liquid application; a post-processing device to perform desired processing on a bundle of media including the medium subjected to the liquid application; a first liquid storage to store the liquid used for the liquid application by the liquid applier; a second liquid storage to store the liquid to be supplied to the first liquid storage; a liquid supplier to supply the liquid from the second liquid storage to the first liquid storage; a liquid detector to detect a liquid level of the liquid in the first liquid storage; and processing circuitry configured to control operations of the post-processing device and the liquid supplier, wherein the processing circuitry changes a liquid level at which supply of the liquid is stopped in a liquid supply operation executed by the liquid supplier, according to a remaining amount of the liquid in the first liquid storage.

2 . The medium processing apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the processing circuitry causes the liquid supplier to perform a specified-level supply operation of supplying the liquid up to a first specified liquid level of the first liquid storage, when the liquid detector detects the liquid level in a time shorter than a predetermined time from a start of the liquid supply operation.

3 . The medium processing apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the processing circuitry causes the liquid supplier to perform a specified-level supply operation of supplying the liquid up to a second specified liquid level of the first liquid storage, when the liquid detector detects the liquid level in a time longer than a predetermined time from a start of the liquid supply operation.

4 . The medium processing apparatus according to claim 3 ,
wherein the processing circuitry causes the liquid supplier to perform the specified-level supply operation of supplying the liquid up to the second specified liquid level of the first liquid storage and then discharge the liquid for a predetermined time in the first liquid storage.

5 . The medium processing apparatus according to claim 3 ,
wherein the processing circuitry causes the liquid supplier to perform the specified-level supply operation of supplying the liquid up to the second specified liquid level of the first liquid storage and then discharge the liquid in the first liquid storage after an elapse of a predetermined time.

6 . The medium processing apparatus according to claim 3 ,
wherein the processing circuitry changes a height of the second specified liquid level of the first liquid storage according to a use period.

7 . An image forming system, comprising:
an image forming apparatus to form an image on a plurality of media constituting the bundle of media; and the medium processing apparatus according to claim 1 to perform the desired processing on the bundle of media on which the image is formed by the image forming apparatus.

Assignees

• Yanai Yuta
• Sasaki Kei
• Sugiyama Keisuke
• Saito Shohei
• Ricoh Co Ltd

Inventors

• Yanai Yuta
• Sasaki Kei
• Sugiyama Keisuke
• Saito Shohei

Classifications

• B65H2301/5142

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