Binding device and image forming apparatus for binding sheet bundle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9610795-B2
Application number	US-201514691626-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 21, 2015
Priority date	Jul 9, 2014
Publication date	Apr 4, 2017
Grant date	Apr 4, 2017

Abstract

A binding device includes a sheet-bundle forming unit; a binding unit that executes a series of operation including inserting a wire into a sheet bundle and bending the wire; a power supply unit; a detector that detects a first timing for transitioning from bending operation to recovery operation; a first timekeeper that measures time from a start point of the series of operation to a first time point, which is an end of a scheduled first-timing detection period; a unit-of-processing manager; and a supply power controller. When the first time point is reached before detection of the first timing, the controller causes the power supply unit to adjust the electric power before the first timing is reached, such that the first timing is detected before the first time point in the series of operation for a second bundle belonging to the same unit of processing as a first bundle.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A binding device comprising:
a sheet-bundle forming unit configured to form a sheet bundle by receiving and stacking a plurality of sheets;
a binding unit that includes a motor and that is configured to execute a series of operations including inserting opposite ends of a substantially U-shaped bent wire into the sheet bundle by utilizing a driving force from the motor, and bending the opposite ends;
a power supply unit configured to adjust electric power and supply the adjusted electric power to the motor;
a detector configured to detect, based on a rotational amount of the motor, a first timing for transitioning from a bending operation for bending the opposite ends of the wire that have pierced the sheet bundle to a recovery operation for recovering to an initial position upon completion of the bending operation;
a first timekeeper configured to measure time from a start point of the series of operations to a first time point, which is an end of a scheduled period for detecting the first timing;
a second timekeeper configured to measure time from the start point of the series of operations to a second time point, which is a start point of the schedule period and is reached prior to the first time point;
a unit-of-processing manager configured to manage a unit of processing; and
a supply power controller configured to, in response to the first timing being detected by the detector before the second time point measured by the second timekeeper is reached, cause the power supply unit to adjust the electric power supplied to the motor before the first timing is reached, such that the first timing is detected by the detector when or after the second time point measured by the second timekeeper is reached in the series of operations for a second sheet bundle that is to undergo a subsequent series of operations belonging to the same unit of processing as a first sheet bundle undergoing a current series of operations, and
wherein the supply power controller is configured to cause the power supply unit to increase the electric power supplied to the motor in response to the first time point measured by the first timekeeper being reached before the first timing is detected by the detector.

2. The binding device according to Claim 1 ,
wherein the motor is a direct-current motor,
wherein the power supply unit is configured to interrupt the electric power supplied to the direct-current motor such that a connection-time ratio when the electric power is interrupted is adjustable, and
wherein the supply power controller is configured to cause the power supply unit to change the ratio of the electric power supplied to the direct-current motor.

3. An image forming apparatus comprising:
the binding device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the image forming apparatus is configured to form images onto sheets and transport the sheets to the binding device, and
wherein the binding device is configured to form a bundle of the transported sheets and bind the bundle by performing the series of operations.

4. A binding device comprising:
a sheet-bundle forming unit configured to form a sheet bundle by receiving and stacking a plurality of sheets:
a binding unit that includes a motor and that is configured to execute a series of operations including inserting opposite ends of a substantially U-shaped bent wire into the sheet bundle by utilizing a driving force from the motor, and bending the opposite ends;
a power supply unit configured to adjust electric power and supply the adjusted electric power to the motor;
a detector configured to detect, based on a rotational amount of the motor, a first timing for transitioning from a bending operation for bending the opposite ends of the wire that have pierced the sheet bundle to a recovery operation for recovering to an initial position upon completion of the bending operation;
a first timekeeper configured to measure time from a start point of the series of operations to a first time point, which is an end point of a scheduled period for detecting the first timing
a unit-of-processing manager configured to manage a unit of processing; and
a supply power controller configured to, in response to the first time point measured by the first timekeeper being reached before the first timing is detected by the detector, cause the power supply unit to adjust the electric power supplied to the motor before the first timing is reached, such that the first timing is detected by the detector prior to reaching of the first time point measured by the first timekeeper in the series of operations for a second sheet bundle that is to undergo a subsequent series of operations belonging to the same unit of processing as a first sheet bundle undergoing a current series of operations,
wherein the supply power controller is configured to cause the power supply unit to increase the electric power supplied to the motor in response to the first time point measured by the first timekeeper being reached before the first timing is detected by the detector,
wherein the binding device further comprises:
a second timekeeper configured to measure time from the start point of the series of operations to a second time point that is reached prior to the first time point, and
wherein the supply power controller is configured to, in response to the first timing being detected by the detector before the second time point measured by the second timekeeper is reached, cause the power supply unit to adjust the electric power supplied to the motor before the first timing is reached, such that the first timing is detected by the detector when or after the second time point measured by the second timekeeper is reached in the series of operations for a second sheet bundle that is to undergo a subsequent series of operations belonging to the same unit of processing as a first sheet bundle undergoing a current series of operations.

5. A binding device comprising:
a sheet-bundle forming unit configured to form a sheet bundle by receiving and stacking a plurality of sheets;
a binding unit that includes a motor and that is configured to execute a series of operations including inserting opposite ends of a substantially U-shaped bent wire into the sheet bundle by utilizing a driving force from the motor, and bending the opposite ends;
a power supply unit configured to adjust electric power and supply the adjusted electric power to the motor;
a detector configured to detect, based on a rotational amount of the motor, a first timing for transitioning from a bending operation for bending the opposite ends of the wire that have pierced the sheet bundle to a recovery operation for recovering to an initial position upon completion of the bending operation;
a first timekeeper configured to measure time from a start point of the series of operations to a first time point, which is an end point of a scheduled period for detecting the first timing;
a unit of processing manager configured to manage a unit of processing; and
a supply power controller configured to, in response to the first time point measured by the first timekeeper being reached before the first timing is detected by the detector, cause the power supply unit to adjust the electric power supplied to the motor before the first timing is reached, such that the first timing is detected by the detector prior to reaching of the first time point measured by the first timekeeper in the series of operations for a second sheet bundle that is to undergo a subsequent series of operations belonging to the same unit of processing as a first sheet bundle undergoing a current series of operations,
wherein the supply power controller is configured to cause the power supply unit to increase the electric power supplied to the motor in response to the first ti

Assignees

• Fuji Xerox Co Ltd

Inventors

• Sato Ryuichi

Classifications

• B27F7/21

  with means for forming the staples in the machine · CPC title

• G03G15/6544

  Details about the binding means or procedure · CPC title

• B27F7/36

  operated by electric power · CPC title

• G03G15/5004

  Power supply control, e.g. power-saving mode, automatic power turn-off · CPC title

• B65H2408/122

  movable stapler · CPC title