Sheet processing apparatus and image forming apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9259894-B2
Application number	US-201414280354-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 16, 2014
Priority date	May 20, 2013
Publication date	Feb 16, 2016
Grant date	Feb 16, 2016

Abstract

A sheet processing apparatus includes: a binding unit that sandwiches and binds a plurality of sheets by using a convex portion and a concave portion; a moving unit that moves at least one of the convex portion and the concave portion; a drive unit that drives the moving unit; and a control unit that controls the drive unit so that a state in which the binding unit sandwiches the plurality of sheets at a predetermined pressing force by using a driving force from the drive unit is retained for a predetermined time period, and so that the one of the convex portion and the concave portion is moved in a direction away from the another of the convex portion and the concave portion after the predetermined time period has elapsed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A sheet processing apparatus comprising:
a pair of portions that sandwiches a plurality of sheets between the pair of portions to bind the plurality of sheets without a staple;
a motor that generates a driving torque corresponding to a value of a current flowing through the motor, the driving torque being applied to one portion of the pair of portions to sandwich the plurality of sheets by the pair of portions; and
an adjustment unit that adjusts the value of the current flowing through the motor so that
in a state in which the pair of portions sandwiches the plurality of sheets, a current of a predetermined value is flowed through the motor for a predetermined time period.

2. The sheet processing apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the motor is capable of normally rotating and reversely rotating, and
wherein the motor normally rotates so as to move the one of the pair of portions in such a direction that the plurality of sheets are sandwiched between the pair of portions and then the motor reversely rotates so as to move the one of the pair of portions in the direction away from the another of the pair of portions.

3. The sheet processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the predetermined time period is determined in accordance with a physical property of a sheet.

4. The sheet processing apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the physical property of the sheet includes at least one of a thickness, a Young's modulus, and a moisture content.

5. The sheet processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the predetermined time period is determined in accordance with at least one of temperature and humidity.

6. The sheet processing apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a cam configured to be rotated by the motor and to move one of the pair of portions.

7. The sheet processing apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising
a detection unit that detects a value of a current flowing through the motor,
wherein, if the plurality of sheets have been sandwiched by the pair of portions and then the detection unit detects that the value of the current flowing through the motor has reached the predetermined value, the adjustment unit makes an adjustment so that a current of the predetermined value is flowed through the motor for the predetermined time period.

8. The sheet processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein one of the pair of portions includes a convex surface and another of the pair of portions includes a concave surface, the plurality of sheets are sandwiched between the convex surface and the concave surface.

9. The sheet processing apparatus according to claim 8 , further comprising:
a detection unit that detects a value of a current flowing through the motor,
wherein, when the plurality of sheets have been sandwiched between the convex surface and the concave surface and then the detection unit detects that the value of the current flowing through the motor has reached the predetermined value, the adjustment unit adjusts the current flowing through the motor so that a current of the predetermined value is flowed through the motor for the predetermined time period.

10. The sheet processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein each of the pair of portions is a member having teeth.

11. A sheet processing apparatus comprising:
a binding unit that includes a convex portion and a concave portion, and sandwiches and binds a plurality of sheets by using the convex portion and the concave portion;
a cam that moves at least one of the convex portion and the concave portion with respect to another of the convex portion and the concave portion;
a motor capable of rotating the cam;
a power source that drives the motor;
an adjustment unit that adjusts a value of a current flowing through the motor from the power source in accordance with a magnitude of a driving torque to be generated by the motor so that the binding unit sandwiches the plurality of sheets;
a detection unit that detects a value of a current flowing through the motor; and
if the plurality of sheets have been sandwiched between the convex portion and the concave portion by the cam moving the one of the convex portion and the concave portion and then the detection unit detects that the value of the current flowing through the motor has reached a predetermined value, a control unit that controls the adjustment unit so that a current of the predetermined value is flowed through the motor for a predetermined time period.

12. The sheet processing apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein the control unit rotates the motor reversely so as to move the one of the convex portion and the concave portion in a direction away from the another of the convex portion and the concave portion after the predetermined time period has elapsed.

13. The sheet processing apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein the predetermined time period is determined in accordance with a physical property of a sheet.

14. The sheet processing apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein the physical property of the sheet includes at least one of a thickness, a Young's modulus, and a moisture content.

15. The sheet processing apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein the predetermined time period is determined in accordance with at least one of temperature and humidity.

16. An image forming apparatus comprising:
an image forming unit configured to form an image; and
a pair of portions that sandwiches a plurality of sheets having a image formed by the image forming unit between the pair of portions to bind the plurality of sheets without a staple;
a motor that generates a driving torque corresponding to an amount of a current flowing through the motor, the driving torque being applied to one portion of the pair of portions to sandwich the plurality of sheets by the pair of portions; and
an adjustment unit that adjusts the value of the current flowing through the motor so that in a state in which the pair of portions sandwiches the plurality of sheets, a current of a predetermined value is flowed through the motor for a predetermined time period.

Assignees

• Canon Kk

Inventors

• Abe Hideto
• Obuchi Yusuke
• Yamazaki Yoshitaka

Classifications

• B31F2201/0779

  Control · CPC title

• B42B5/00 Primary

  Permanently attaching together sheets, quires or signatures otherwise than by stitching (by deformation thereof B31F; by adhesive peculiar to bookbinding B42C9/00) · CPC title

• G03G2215/00852

  Temporary binding · CPC title

• B65H2301/51616

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

• B41F17/00

  Printing apparatus or machines of special types or for particular purposes, not otherwise provided for · CPC title