Booklet manufacturing apparatus

Abstract

To provide a booklet manufacturing apparatus that creates booklets with stronger adhesive strength in the center of an adhesive area to prevent sheets from accidentally peeling off when the user turns the pages of the booklet.SOLUTION: In an area of an adhesive layer, the pressure on the center of a sheet is greater than the pressure on the edge of the sheet perpendicular to one edge.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a booklet manufacturing apparatus that manufactures a booklet by adhering sheets to each other with toner formed on the sheets.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses an apparatus that manufactures a booklet by adhering a plurality of sheets on which images are formed in an image forming unit to each other using toner.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In the apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 1, a mechanism for heating and pressing the sheets against each other to adhere them is configured with a simple structure. There is a concern that the adhesive force may become weak on the central side of the booklet due to component errors in the mechanism. When the user flips through the booklet, stress concentrates on the central side of the sheet in the adhesive area. If the adhesive force is weak on the central side of the sheet, there is a concern that the sheet may peel off unintentionally.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object thereof is to provide a booklet manufacturing apparatus that manufactures a booklet in which the adhesive force becomes strong on the central side of the sheet in the adhesive area in order to suppress the unintentional peeling of the sheet when the user flips through the booklet.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The present invention relates to a heating and pressing unit for heating and pressing an adhesive layer in a state where a plurality of sheets with an adhesive layer formed thereon are stacked, comprising: a pressing plate that contacts and presses the sheets; a heating body that heats the pressing plate; a receiving member facing the pressing plate; and a pressing mechanism that applies pressure to the sheets sandwiched between the pressing plate and the receiving member. A booklet manufacturing apparatus that manufactures a booklet by sandwiching a plurality of sheets having an adhesive layer formed along one side thereof between the pressing plate and the receiving member and heating and pressing the adhesive layer formed on the sheets, wherein within the region of the adhesive layer, in a direction perpendicular to the one side, the pressure is greater on the central side of the sheet than on the one side of the sheet.

Advantages of the Invention

[0007] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a booklet manufacturing apparatus that manufactures a booklet in which the adhesive force is stronger on the central side of the sheet in the adhesive region in order to prevent the sheet from being inadvertently peeled off when the user turns the booklet.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0008]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

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Figure 7

Figure 8

Figure 9

Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0009] Hereinafter, with reference to the drawings, a sheet support device and an image forming apparatus according to the present disclosure will be described. Note that the image forming apparatus includes devices such as printers, copiers, and scanners, as well as multifunction devices having these functions. Further, the sheet support device includes a device that supports a sheet discharged from a device main body such as an image forming apparatus (discharge device), a device that supports a sheet supplied to the device main body (feeding device), and a device that temporarily supports a sheet transferred from one device to another device.

[0010] <Example 1> [Image Forming Apparatus] First, an image forming apparatus and a booklet manufacturing apparatus according to a first embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 1. The image forming apparatus 100 is a monochrome digital printer that forms an image on a sheet S based on image information input from an external device such as a personal computer. However, the sheet S refers to a thin-layer recording medium such as paper including paper and envelopes, plastic films such as overhead projector sheets (OHT), and cloth. Above the printer main body 100B which is the main body of the image forming apparatus 100, a booklet manufacturing apparatus 200 that processes the sheet S output from the printer main body 100B is attached.

[0011] The image forming apparatus 100 forms an image on the sheet S by an electrophotographic image forming unit 101 including a photosensitive drum 102. The image forming unit 101 is an example of an image forming means for forming an image on the sheet S. The photosensitive drum 102 is a cylindrical photoreceptor and is rotatable along the conveyance direction of the sheet S (upward in the figure). Around the photosensitive drum 102, a charging roller 103, a developing device 105, and a transfer roller 106 are arranged along the rotation direction of the drum.

[0012] In the image forming unit 101, a toner image is formed through the following image forming process. First, the surface of the photosensitive drum 102 is uniformly charged by the charging roller 103. The charged photosensitive drum 102 is exposed by the scanning light irradiated from the exposure device 104, and an electrostatic latent image based on the image information is drawn. The developing device 105 supplies charged toner to the photosensitive drum 102 to develop the electrostatic latent image into a toner image. The toner image carried on the photosensitive drum 102 is transferred to the sheet S by the bias voltage applied to the transfer roller 106.

[0013] In the printer main body 100B, a sheet feeding unit 111 for feeding the sheet S and a fixing unit 121 for fixing the toner image on the sheet S are arranged. The sheet feeding unit 111 has a feeding cassette 112 as a storage unit for storing the sheet S and a feeding roller 113 as a feeding means, and feeds the sheet S stored in the feeding cassette 112 one by one toward the image forming unit 101. The sheet S fed from the sheet feeding unit 111 is corrected for skew by the registration roller pair 115, and then fed into the transfer nip portion between the photosensitive drum 102 and the transfer roller 106 to form a toner image.

[0014] The sheet S on which an unfixed image is formed after passing through the transfer nip portion is pressed and heated by being sandwiched between the fixing roller 122 and the pressure roller 123 of the fixing unit 121, and the toner melts and adheres to be fixed on the sheet S. When double-sided printing is performed, the sheet S on which the fixed image is obtained is conveyed to the reverse roller pair 133 through the path selected by the double-sided switching member 131. After being switched back by the reverse roller pair 133, it is conveyed again to the image forming unit 101 via the double-sided conveyance roller pair 136, and an image is formed on the back side.

[0015] When post-processing is not performed on the sheet S, the sheet S on which single-sided or double-sided image output is completed is sent to the discharge roller pair 134 through the path selected by the discharge switching member 132 and discharged to the discharge portion 135 formed at the upper part of the printer main body 100B. When post-processing is performed on the sheet S, it is sent to the booklet making device 200.

[0016] In the processing apparatus main body 200B of the booklet manufacturing apparatus 200, an entrance roller pair 201, a heating and pressurizing unit 203, and a discharge roller pair 204 are arranged. Further, the booklet manufacturing apparatus 200 includes a discharge tray 205 that is movably supported by the processing apparatus main body 200B. The entrance roller pair 201 receives the sheet S discharged from the printer main body 100B and conveys it toward the heating and pressurizing unit 203. The heating and pressurizing unit 203 has a processing stage 211 that supports the sheet S and a processing stage roller 202 that discharges the sheet S to the processing stage 211, and performs a bonding process on the sheet S placed on the processing stage 211. The processed sheet S is discharged to the discharge tray 205 by the discharge roller pair 204.

[0017] [Heating and Pressurizing Unit] FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the heating and pressurizing unit 203. The heating and pressurizing unit 203 has a 1.0 mm thick ceramic heater (heating element) 301 with a built-in heating element as a heat source, and a 1.0 mm thick aluminum pressure plate 302 is arranged thereon. The ceramic heater 301 is temperature-controlled to a target temperature of 240° C. by temperature detection means and power application means (not shown) supported by a heater support 303, thereby controlling the surface temperature of the pressure plate 302 to 200° C. Further, the ceramic heater 301 is supported by a resin heater support 303. The pressure lever 304 obtains power from a drive source (not shown) to push down the ceramic heater 301 and the pressure plate 302 in the -Z direction (downward) to apply a pressure to the sheet bundle. The pressure of the pressure lever 304 is applied so that the average surface pressure becomes 0.2 MPa with respect to the sheet S through the pressure plate 302. The receiving member 306 is a 2.0 mm thick silicon rubber plate, is supported by a resin receiving member support 307, is provided opposite to the pressure plate 302, and is a member for receiving the pressure applied by the pressure plate 302. Further, since the pressure plate 302 may directly heat and pressurize the adhesive layer on the sheet S, its surface may have a release layer in order to suppress surface contamination and the like.

[0018] As shown in FIG. 3, an adhesive layer P1 is formed at the corner of the sheet S (inside the portion pressed by the pressing plate 302 of the heating and pressing unit 203). The pressing range of the pressing plate 302 with respect to the sheet S is a substantially triangular shape with 13 mm in the X direction (horizontal direction) and 25 mm in the Y direction (vertical direction). A plurality of sheets S with the adhesive layer P1 formed between the pressing plate 302 heated by the ceramic heater 301 and the receiving member 306 are stacked and clamped. Then, by pressing the pressing plate 302 against the receiving member 306 by the pressing mechanism 31, the adhesive layer P1 is heated and pressed, and the sheets S are adhered to each other to produce a booklet.

[0019] FIG. 4(a) is a schematic diagram showing the positional relationship between the pressing plate 302 and the receiving member 306 as viewed from the pressing direction (Z direction) of the sheet S, and FIG. 4(b) is a schematic diagram showing the positional relationship between the pressing plate 302 and the receiving member 306 as viewed from the direction of the arrow in FIG. 4(a). As shown in FIGS. 4(a) and 4(b), the receiving member 306 is supported by the receiving member support 307 so as to incline toward the hypotenuse H of the triangular shape that becomes the spreading portion on the printing area side. More specifically, it is supported so as to incline by 1 to 15 degrees with respect to the angle A formed by the support surface i of the receiving member support 307 with respect to the horizontal plane j. Thereby, the relative angle between the first surface of the pressing plate 302 in contact with the sheet S and the second surface of the receiving member 306 in contact with the sheet S is 1 to 15 degrees. Further, the second surface of the receiving member 306 in contact with the sheet S is inclined by 1 to 15 degrees with respect to the surface perpendicular to the direction in which the pressing mechanism 31 moves the pressing plate 302 toward the receiving member 306. Incidentally, both the first surface and the second surface may be inclined with respect to the surface perpendicular to the direction in which the pressing mechanism 31 moves the pressing plate 302 toward the receiving member 306, as long as the relative angle between the first surface and the second surface is 1 to 15 degrees.

[0020] By doing so, when pressing the sheet bundle with the pressing plate 302, it becomes possible to increase the pressing force (surface pressure) on the hypotenuse H side. That is, within the region of the adhesive layer P1, in the diagonal direction of the sheet, the pressing force is greater on the central side of the sheet than on the corner side of the sheet. As a result, since the hypotenuse H side of the pressing plate 302 is positively pressed against the sheet bundle, the pressing force on the hypotenuse side can be increased, and it is possible to suppress pressure leakage on the hypotenuse side which is the split side. Therefore, the adhesion between the sheets can be ensured, and it becomes possible to ensure stable adhesion in the split portion. Note that when the inclination of the pressing plate in the printing area direction is less than 1 degree, the effect of the desired pressing force may not be obtained and pressure leakage may occur. Also, when it is set to be greater than 15 degrees, it becomes difficult to secure the contact area required for the triangular shape, which is not preferable.

[0021] FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the result of measuring the pressure distribution in the state where the pressing plate 302 is pressed in the heating and pressing unit 203 of the present embodiment. As a comparative example, the result in the case where the receiving member support 307 is arranged without being tilted is also shown. The measurement of the pressure distribution was performed using the pressure distribution measurement system "I-SCAN" manufactured by Nitta Corporation, and the pressure of the line d portion was extracted from the pressure distribution measurement data of the contact area (triangular portion) of the pressing plate 302 shown in FIG. 5(a). As can be seen from FIG. 5(b), in the comparative example, the pressing force of the hypotenuse H (= d2) is the same as that of the other parts, whereas in the case of the present embodiment, it can be seen that the pressing force of the hypotenuse H (= d2) which is the split side is greater than that of the other parts.

[0022] (Measurement of Adhesion Strength by Tensile Testing Machine) The adhesion strength of the obtained sheet bundles was measured using a tensile testing machine (Tensilon testing machine RTG-1225) manufactured by A&D Company, Limited. In the tension-strain curve obtained at room temperature (23°C) under the condition of a test speed of 50 mm / min, the gradient of the initial rising part and the maximum tensile force were compared and evaluated as the adhesion strength. That is, as shown in Figure 6, two-sheet bundle test samples with a predetermined width (10 mm width) were prepared and subjected to a tensile test using a tensile testing machine. The evaluation was carried out by creating 5 sets of sample bundles and comparing their maximum tensile forces. In this test, if the tensile force per unit length was 1.0 N / mm or more, it was determined that sufficient adhesion strength was obtained. Table 1 shows the results of measuring the adhesion strength using a tensile testing machine.

[0023]

Table 1

[0024] As shown in Table 1, in the comparative example, the tensile force may be 1.0 or less, and sufficient adhesion cannot be ensured. In contrast, in the case of this example, the tensile force is 1.0 (N / mm) or more, and sufficient adhesion is obtained. In this example, an example of pressing the sheet S with a constant pressing force is shown. However, for example, the pressing force may be made variable to obtain a desired adhesion force. Also in this case, since the hypotenuse part H is actively pressed with a predetermined pressure, the adhesion of the opening side H can be ensured, and it is possible to stably obtain the desired adhesion strength. In this example, the receiving member 306 is inclined toward the hypotenuse part H on the opening side. However, the same effect can be obtained by adopting a configuration in which the pressing plate 302 is inclined in the same manner to increase the pressing force (surface pressure) on the hypotenuse part H side.

[0025] <Example 2> FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram of Example 2. Also, FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram of a modified example of Example 2. This example is an example in which the shape of the pressure plate is changed so that the pressing force on the bevel side becomes large. Note that descriptions regarding the same content described in Example 1 are omitted. As shown in FIG. 7(a), in this example, a pressure plate 402 is used instead of the pressure plate 302 shown in Example 1, and the receiving member support 407 is arranged horizontally. The pressure plate 402 is an aluminum pressure plate, and as shown in FIG. 7(b), the thickness is adjusted toward the hypotenuse H so that the angle A2 formed by the heating and pressing surface i2 with respect to the horizontal plane j2 is inclined by 1° to 15°. Thereby, the relative angle between the first surface of the pressure plate 402 in contact with the sheet S and the second surface of the receiving member 306 in contact with the sheet S is 1° to 15°. Also, the first surface of the pressure plate 402 in contact with the sheet S is inclined by 1° to 15° with respect to a plane perpendicular to the direction in which the pressing mechanism 31 moves the pressure plate 402 toward the receiving member 306. Note that both the first surface and the second surface may be inclined with respect to a plane perpendicular to the direction in which the pressing mechanism 31 moves the pressure plate 402 toward the receiving member 306, as long as the relative angle between the first surface and the second surface is 1° to 15°. Here, when the relative angle is less than 1°, it becomes difficult to obtain the effect of increasing the pressing force, and when the relative angle is greater than 15°, there are problems such as positional accuracy as a method of supporting the pressure plate, which is not preferable.

[0026] Also, as shown in FIGS. 8(a) and 8(b), as a modified example of Example 2, instead of the pressure plate 402, a pressure plate 412 is used, and a protruding portion E corresponding to the hypotenuse H is made to protrude 0.05 to 1.0 mm more than the other portions. Note that when the height of the protruding portion E is, for example, 0.05 mm or less, it becomes difficult to obtain the effect of increasing the pressing force, and when it is 1.0 mm or more, pressure leakage is likely to occur at the stepped portion, which is not preferable. By doing so as in this example, the pressing force on the hypotenuse H, which is the bevel side, can be increased, and the adhesion of the beveled portion can be ensured, so that a stable adhesive force of the beveled portion can be obtained.

[0027] Also in this example, test samples were created in the same manner as in Example 1, and the adhesive strength was evaluated by a tensile test. As a result, good adhesiveness was obtained.

[0028] <Example 3> FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram showing Example 3. In this example, with respect to the pressure plate of Example 1, the shape of the contact area of the heating and pressing surface is changed from a triangular shape to a rectangular shape. Note that descriptions of the same content as described in Example 1 are omitted. As shown in FIG. 9(a), the pressure plate 312 is arranged such that the long side of the rectangular heating surface follows the splitting direction K of the sheet S. Also, as shown in FIG. 9(b), in this example, in the same manner as in Example 1, the receiving member 306 is supported by the receiving member support 317 so as to be inclined obliquely toward the splitting portion K in the height direction. Thereby, it is possible to increase the pressing force of the splitting portion K, ensure the adhesion of the splitting portion K, and obtain a stable adhesive strength. Further, by making the pressure plate rectangular, the manufacturing restrictions of the pressure plate can be reduced, so that the pressure plate can be molded by a method cheaper than, for example, an extrusion manufacturing method.

[0029] <Example 4> As Example 4, a booklet may be produced using a sheet having an adhesive layer formed along one side of the sheet. In this case, within the region of the adhesive layer, in the direction perpendicular to one side, the pressing force is made greater on the central side of the sheet than on one side of the sheet. In order to realize that the pressing force is greater on the central side of the sheet, the configuration of the heating and pressing unit may be the same as that of Examples 1 to 3. As an effect of the invention, it is possible to suppress the punching out on the splitting side in the same manner as in Examples 1 to 3.

[0030] [Appendix] The above examples disclose at least the following booklet manufacturing apparatus.

[0031] (Item 1) A heating and pressing unit that heats and presses an adhesive layer in a state where a plurality of sheets with an adhesive layer formed thereon are stacked, the heating and pressing unit having a pressing plate that presses in contact with the sheet, a heating body that heats the pressing plate, a receiving member that faces the pressing plate, and a pressing mechanism that applies pressure to the sheet sandwiched between the pressing plate and the receiving member. A booklet manufacturing apparatus that sandwiches a plurality of sheets with an adhesive layer formed along one side of the sheet between the pressing plate and the receiving member and heats and presses the adhesive layer formed on the sheet to manufacture a booklet. A booklet manufacturing apparatus characterized in that, within the region of the adhesive layer, in a direction perpendicular to the one side, the pressure is greater on the central side of the sheet than on the one side of the sheet.

[0032] (Item 2) The booklet manufacturing apparatus according to Item 1, characterized in that the sheet is heated and pressed in a state where the second surface of the receiving member in contact with the sheet has an angle with respect to the first surface of the pressing plate in contact with the sheet so that the pressure is greater on the central side of the sheet than on the one side of the sheet.

[0033] (Item 3) The booklet manufacturing apparatus according to Item 2, characterized in that the first surface has an angle with respect to a plane perpendicular to the direction in which the pressing mechanism moves the pressing plate toward the receiving member.

[0034] (Item 4) The booklet manufacturing apparatus according to Item 2 or 3, characterized in that the second surface has an angle with respect to a plane perpendicular to the direction in which the pressing mechanism moves the pressing plate toward the receiving member.

[0035] (Item 5) The booklet manufacturing apparatus according to Item 1, The booklet manufacturing apparatus is characterized in that the pressing plate has a protruding portion protruding toward the sheet on the central side of the sheet on the surface in contact with the sheet, and the pressure applied to the sheet at the position of the protruding portion is increased.

[0036] (Item 6) A heating and pressing unit that heats and presses an adhesive layer in a state where a plurality of sheets with an adhesive layer formed thereon are stacked, the heating and pressing unit having a pressing plate that contacts and presses the sheet, a heating body that heats the pressing plate, a receiving member that faces the pressing plate, and a pressing mechanism that applies pressure to the sheet sandwiched between the pressing plate and the receiving member. A booklet manufacturing apparatus that manufactures a booklet by sandwiching a plurality of sheets with an adhesive layer formed at the corners of the sheet between the pressing plate and the receiving member and heating and pressing the adhesive layer formed on the sheet. A booklet manufacturing apparatus characterized in that within the region of the adhesive layer, in the diagonal direction of the sheet, the pressure is greater on the central side of the sheet than on the corner side of the sheet.

[0037] (Item 7) The booklet manufacturing apparatus according to Item 6, characterized in that the sheet is heated and pressed in a state where the second surface of the receiving member in contact with the sheet has an angle with respect to the first surface of the pressing plate in contact with the sheet so that the pressure is greater on the central side of the sheet than on the corner side of the sheet.

[0038] (Item 8) The booklet manufacturing apparatus according to Item 7, characterized in that the first surface has an angle with respect to a plane perpendicular to the direction in which the pressing mechanism moves the pressing plate toward the receiving member.

[0039] (Item 9) The booklet manufacturing apparatus according to Item 7 or 8, characterized in that the second surface has an angle with respect to a plane perpendicular to the direction in which the pressing mechanism moves the pressing plate toward the receiving member.

[0040] (Item 10) The booklet manufacturing apparatus according to Item 6, wherein the pressing plate has a protruding portion that protrudes toward the sheet on the central side of the sheet on the surface in contact with the sheet, and the pressure applied to the sheet at the position of the protruding portion is increased. A booklet manufacturing apparatus characterized by this.

Explanation of Signs

[0041] 31 Pressing mechanism 200 Booklet manufacturing apparatus 203 Heating and pressing unit 301 Ceramic heater (heating element) 302, 312, 402 Pressing plates 306 Receiving member

Claims

1. A heating and pressing unit for heating and pressing an adhesive layer in a state where a plurality of sheets with an adhesive layer formed thereon are stacked, comprising: a pressing plate that contacts and presses the sheet; a heating element that heats the pressing plate; a receiving member that faces the pressing plate; and a pressing mechanism that applies pressure to the sheet sandwiched between the pressing plate and the receiving member. The heating and pressing unit has a heating and pressing unit, A booklet manufacturing apparatus for manufacturing a booklet by sandwiching a plurality of sheets having an adhesive layer formed along one side of the sheet between the pressing plate and the receiving member and heating and pressing the adhesive layer formed on the sheet, A booklet manufacturing apparatus characterized in that, within the region of the adhesive layer, in a direction perpendicular to the one side, the pressure is greater on the central side of the sheet than on the one side of the sheet.

2. The booklet manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second surface of the receiving member in contact with the sheet has an angle with respect to the first surface of the pressing plate in contact with the sheet so that the pressure is greater on the central side of the sheet than on the one side of the sheet, and the sheet is heated and pressed.

3. The booklet manufacturing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the first surface has an angle with respect to a plane perpendicular to the direction in which the pressing mechanism moves the pressing plate toward the receiving member.

4. The booklet manufacturing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the second surface has an angle with respect to a plane perpendicular to the direction in which the pressing mechanism moves the pressing plate toward the receiving member.

5. The booklet manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the pressing plate has a protruding portion that protrudes toward the sheet on the central side of the sheet in the surface in contact with the sheet, and the pressure applied to the sheet at the position of the protruding portion is increased.

6. A heating and pressing unit for heating and pressing an adhesive layer in a state where a plurality of sheets with an adhesive layer formed thereon are stacked, comprising: a pressing plate that contacts and presses the sheet; a heating element that heats the pressing plate; a receiving member that faces the pressing plate; and a pressing mechanism that applies pressure to the sheet sandwiched between the pressing plate and the receiving member. The heating and pressing unit has a heating and pressing unit, A booklet manufacturing apparatus for manufacturing a booklet by sandwiching a plurality of sheets having an adhesive layer formed at the corners of the sheet between the pressing plate and the receiving member and heating and pressing the adhesive layer formed on the sheet, A booklet manufacturing apparatus characterized in that, within the area of the adhesive layer, the pressure is greater on the central side of the sheet than on the corner side of the sheet in the direction of the diagonal line of the sheet. **Claim 7** The booklet manufacturing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the sheet is heated and pressed in a state where the second surface of the receiving member in contact with the sheet has an angle with respect to the first surface of the pressing plate in contact with the sheet such that the pressure is greater on the central side of the sheet than on the corner side of the sheet. **Claim 8** The booklet manufacturing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the first surface has an angle with respect to a plane perpendicular to the direction in which the pressing mechanism moves the pressing plate toward the receiving member. **Claim 9** The booklet manufacturing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the second surface has an angle with respect to a plane perpendicular to the direction in which the pressing mechanism moves the pressing plate toward the receiving member. **Claim 10** The booklet manufacturing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the pressing plate has a protruding portion that protrudes toward the sheet on the central side of the sheet in the surface in contact with the sheet, and the pressure applied to the sheet at the position of the protruding portion is increased.

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