Medium processing apparatus and image forming system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2025388428-A1
Application number	US-202519217728-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 23, 2025
Priority date	Jun 24, 2024
Publication date	Dec 25, 2025
Grant date	—

Abstract

A medium processing apparatus includes a tray to stack multiple media including a medium, a crimp binder to crimp and bind the multiple media on the tray, and a crease former to form a crease on each of the multiple media on the tray before the crimp binder crimps and binds the multiple media.

First claim

1 . A medium processing apparatus comprising:
a tray to stack multiple media including a medium; a crimp binder to crimp and bind the multiple media on the tray; and a crease former to form a crease on each of the multiple media on the tray before the crimp binder crimps and binds the multiple media.

2 . The medium processing apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a conveyor to convey the medium to the crease former in a conveyance direction, wherein the crease former is movable between: a first posture in which the crease former forms the crease orthogonal to the conveyance direction on the medium; and a second posture in which the crease former forms the crease inclined with respect to the conveyance direction on the medium.

3 . The medium processing apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the crease former includes a blade extending linearly along a surface of the medium supported on the tray, and the blade is separably contactable with the medium.

4 . The medium processing apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the crease former further includes: a disk having a blade portion continuous on an outer circumferential surface of the disk in a circumferential direction; and a moving mechanism ( 192 ) having a rotary shaft, around which the disk is rotatable, the rotary shaft is arranged orthogonal to a thickness direction of the multiple media, and the moving mechanism moves the disk along a surface of the medium.

5 . The medium processing apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a liquid applier to apply liquid to the medium of the multiple media on the tray,
wherein the liquid applier supports the crease former to form the crease on the medium of the multiple media while the liquid applier applies the liquid to the medium of the multiple media, and the crimp binder crimps and binds the multiple media including the media applied with the liquid by the liquid applier and having the crease formed by the crease former.

6 . The medium processing apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the crease former forms a crease in a first area of the multiple media on the tray, the crimp crimps and binds the multiple media in a second area different from the first area of the multiple media on the tray.

7 . An image forming system comprising:
an image forming apparatus to form an image on a medium; and the medium processing apparatus according to claim 1 .

8 . The image forming system according to claim 7 ,
wherein the crimp binder presses and binds an area on a surface of the multiple media opposite an area in which an image is formed by an image forming apparatus across the crease formed by the crease former.

9 . The medium processing apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the crease former forms the crease on a first position of the multiple media for each of the multiple media, and the crimp binder binds the multiple media at a second position exterior of the first position of the multiple media after the crease former forms the crease on each of the multiple media.

Assignees

• Kawasaki Masaaki
• Ricoh Co Ltd

Inventors

• Kawasaki Masaaki

Classifications

• B65H2301/5142

  Moistening · CPC title

• B65H2301/4212

  of articles substantially horizontal · CPC title

• B65H37/04 Primary

  for securing together articles or webs, e.g. by adhesive, stitching or stapling (adhering replacement to expiring web during change of web roll B65H19/18) · CPC title

• G03G15/6544

  Details about the binding means or procedure · CPC title

• B65H2301/51616

  involving simultaneous deformation of parts of the material to be bound · CPC title