Bookbinding system and bookbinding apparatus

Abstract

The adhesive applied to the spine of the booklet is cooled sufficiently, and the transport distance of the transport device that carries the booklet from the binding machine to the cutting machine is shortened. [Solution] The bookbinding apparatus 100 includes a first transport unit that transports booklet B along a first transport path, a gluing unit that glues the spine of booklet B transported along the first transport path, a cover attachment unit that attaches a cover to the spine of glued booklet B, a second transport unit 20 that transports booklet B with the cover attached along a second transport path F2 and discharges it to a transport device, a booklet supply unit that supplies booklet B with the cover attached from the first transport path to the second transport path F2, and a housing that houses the first transport unit, the gluing unit, the cover attachment unit, the second transport unit 20, and the booklet supply unit, wherein the second transport path F2 is longer than the straight-line distance L1 connecting the supply position Po1 where booklet B is supplied from the booklet supply unit to the second transport path F2 and the discharge position Po2 where booklet B is discharged from the second transport path F2 to the transport device.

Description

Technical Field

[0004] , ,

[0001] The present invention relates to a bookbinding system and a bookbinding apparatus.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, there is known a bookbinding system in which glue is applied to the spine of a booklet by a perfect binding apparatus, a cover is attached, the booklet perfect-bound by the perfect binding apparatus is conveyed by a conveyor, and a cutting process is performed on the booklet conveyed by the conveyor using a cutting device (see, for example, Patent Document 1). The bookbinding system disclosed in Patent Document 1 accumulates the bound products conveyed from the bookbinding apparatus in an accumulating device and conveys the bound products from the accumulating device to the cutting device via a cooling conveyor device.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In the bookbinding system disclosed in Patent Document 1, in order to sufficiently cool the glue applied to the spine of the bound product during conveyance by the cooling conveyor device that conveys the bound product from the perfect binding apparatus to the cutting device, it is necessary to secure a sufficient length as the conveyance distance of the cooling conveyor device. However, as the conveyance distance of the cooling conveyor device becomes longer, the installation area of the entire bookbinding system becomes wider, and miniaturization of the bookbinding system cannot be achieved.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object thereof is to provide a bookbinding system and a bookbinding apparatus capable of sufficiently cooling the glue applied to the spine of a booklet and shortening the conveyance distance of a conveyance device that conveys the booklet from the bookbinding apparatus to the cutting device to achieve miniaturization.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] A bookbinding system according to one aspect of the present invention comprises a bookbinding device, a cutting device for cutting booklets bound by the bookbinding device, and a transport device for transporting the booklets discharged from the bookbinding device to the cutting device, wherein the bookbinding device includes a first transport unit for transporting booklets containing a plurality of sheets of paper along a first transport path, a gluing unit for gluing the spine of the booklets transported along the first transport path, an attachment unit for attaching an additional member to the spine of the booklets that have been glued by the gluing unit, and an attachment unit for attaching the additional member to the spine of the booklets that have been glued by the attachment unit. The device comprises a second transport unit that transports the attached booklet along a second transport path and discharges the booklet to the transport device, a booklet supply unit that supplies the booklet with the attached additional member from the first transport path to the second transport path, and a housing that houses the first transport unit, the gluing unit, the attaching unit, the second transport unit, and the booklet supply unit, wherein the second transport path is longer than the straight-line distance between the supply position where the booklet is supplied from the booklet supply unit to the second transport path and the discharge position where the booklet is discharged from the second transport path to the transport device.

[0007] According to one aspect of the present invention, when the first transport unit transports a booklet along the first transport path, the gluing unit applies glue to the spine of the booklet, and the attachment unit attaches an additional member to the spine of the booklet. The booklet with the attached additional member is supplied from the first transport path to the second transport path by the booklet supply unit, transported along the second transport path by the second transport unit, and discharged to the transport device.

[0008] The first and second transport units are housed together with the gluing unit, adhesive unit, and booklet supply unit within the same enclosure. Furthermore, the second transport path is longer than the straight-line distance between the supply position and the discharge position. As a result, the transport distance of the second transport path is appropriately ensured, allowing the glue on the spine of the booklet to be sufficiently cooled before it is discharged from the enclosure to the transport device. This shortens the transport distance of the transport device that carries the booklet from the bookbinding device to the cutting device, thereby enabling miniaturization of the bookbinding system.

[0009] In a bookbinding system according to one aspect of the present invention, the first transport path may be configured to transport the booklet by reversing the direction of transport from a first direction to a second direction opposite to the first direction, and the second transport path may be configured to transport the booklet by reversing the direction of transport from the second direction to the first direction.

[0010] This bookbinding system, by using both a first transport path that folds the booklet from a first direction to a second direction and a second transport path that folds the booklet from a second direction to a first direction, allows for a smaller bookbinding device while ensuring sufficient distance for booklet transport within the device's casing, thereby adequately cooling the glue on the spine of the booklet.

[0011] In a bookbinding system according to one aspect of the present invention, the first transport path and the second transport path may be arranged such that at least a portion of their areas overlap when the housing is viewed from above.

[0012] With this bookbinding system configuration, at least a portion of the areas of the first and second transport paths overlap when the housing is viewed from above. This allows for sufficient distance for transporting booklets within the housing of the bookbinding device while reducing the installation area of ​​the bookbinding device.

[0013] In a bookbinding system according to one aspect of the present invention, the first transport path and the second transport path may be configured such that the second transport path surrounds the first transport path when the housing is viewed from above.

[0014] With this bookbinding system configuration, the second transport path is arranged to surround the first transport path when the enclosure is viewed from above. This allows for sufficient distance for transporting booklets within the enclosure of the bookbinding device while maintaining a low height for the bookbinding device.

[0015] In a bookbinding system according to one aspect of the present invention, the booklet supply unit may be configured to have a moving mechanism (92) that moves the booklet from the first transport path to the second transport path along the height direction.

[0016] According to this bookbinding system configuration, the moving mechanism of the booklet supply device can appropriately supply booklets from a first transport path to a second transport path, which are located at different positions in the height direction.

[0017] In a bookbinding system according to one aspect of the present invention, the bookbinding apparatus may be configured to include a cooling unit for cooling the booklets being transported along the second transport path.

[0018] With this bookbinding system configuration, the glue on the spine of the book can be sufficiently solidified by cooling the booklets as they are transported along the second transport path using a cooling unit.

[0019] In a bookbinding system according to one aspect of the present invention, the bookbinding apparatus has a discharge section from which the booklets are discharged from the second transport section, and the second transport section may be configured to discharge the booklets to either the transport apparatus or the discharge section.

[0020] With this bookbinding system configuration, the booklets being transported in the second transport unit can be selectively discharged to either the transport device or the discharge unit.

[0021] A bookbinding apparatus according to one aspect of the present invention comprises: a first transport unit that transports a booklet containing a plurality of sheets of paper along a first transport path; a gluing unit that glues the spine of the booklet being transported along the first transport path; an attachment unit that attaches an additional member to the spine of the booklet that has been glued by the gluing unit; a second transport unit that transports the booklet to which the additional member has been attached along a second transport path and discharges the booklet; a booklet supply unit that supplies the booklet to which the additional member has been attached from the first transport path to the second transport path; and a housing that houses the first transport unit, the gluing unit, the attachment unit, the second transport unit, and the booklet supply unit, wherein the second transport path is longer than the straight-line distance between the supply position from which the booklet is supplied from the booklet supply unit to the second transport path and the discharge position from which the booklet is discharged from the second transport path.

[0022] According to the bookbinding apparatus according to one aspect of the present invention, when the first conveyance unit conveys a booklet along the first conveyance path, the booklet is glued to the spine by the gluing unit, and an additional member is attached to the spine of the booklet by the attaching unit. The booklet to which the additional member is attached is supplied from the first conveyance path to the second conveyance path by the booklet supply unit, and is conveyed along the second conveyance path by the second conveyance unit and discharged to the outside.

[0023] The first conveyance unit and the second conveyance unit are housed inside the same housing together with the gluing unit, the attaching unit, and the booklet supply unit. Also, the second conveyance path is longer than the straight-line distance connecting the supply position and the discharge position. Therefore, the conveyance distance of the second conveyance path is appropriately ensured, and the glue on the spine of the booklet can be sufficiently cooled before the booklet is discharged from the housing to the conveying apparatus. As a result, the conveyance distance of the conveying apparatus that conveys the booklet from the bookbinding apparatus to the cutting apparatus can be shortened.

[0024] A cutting apparatus according to one aspect of the present invention is a bookbinding system including a bookbinding apparatus, a cutting apparatus that performs a cutting process on a booklet bound by the bookbinding apparatus, and a conveying apparatus that conveys the booklet discharged from the bookbinding apparatus to the cutting apparatus. The cutting apparatus includes a first conveyance unit that conveys the booklet supplied from the conveying apparatus along a first conveyance path, a second conveyance unit that conveys the booklet along a second conveyance path, a cutting unit that performs a cutting process on the booklet conveyed by the second conveyance unit, a booklet supply unit that supplies the booklet from the first conveyance path to the second conveyance path, and a housing that houses the first conveyance unit, the second conveyance unit, the cutting unit, and the booklet supply unit inside. The first conveyance path is longer than the straight-line distance connecting the supply position where the booklet is supplied from the conveying apparatus to the first conveyance path and the delivery position where the booklet is delivered from the first conveyance path to the booklet supply unit.

[0025] According to the bookbinding system according to one aspect of the present invention, the first conveyance unit and the second conveyance unit are housed inside the same housing together with the cutting unit and the booklet supply unit. Further, the first conveyance path is longer than the straight-line distance connecting the supply position and the delivery position. Therefore, the conveyance distance of the first conveyance path is appropriately secured, and the glue on the spine of the booklet can be sufficiently cooled before the booklet is cut by the cutting unit. As a result, it is possible to shorten the conveyance distance of the conveyance device that conveys the booklet from the bookbinding device to the cutting device and realize miniaturization of the bookbinding system.

Effects of the Invention

[0026] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a bookbinding system and a bookbinding device capable of sufficiently cooling the glue applied to the spine of a booklet and realizing miniaturization by shortening the conveyance distance of the conveyance device that conveys the booklet from the bookbinding device to the cutting device.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0027] [Figure 1] It is a perspective view showing a bookbinding system according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] It is a plan view showing a bookbinding system according to a first embodiment of the present invention, and is a view showing a first conveyance path of the bookbinding device. [Figure 3] It is a plan view showing a bookbinding system according to a first embodiment of the present invention, and is a view showing a second conveyance path of the bookbinding device. [Figure 4] It is a perspective view schematically showing the overall configuration of the bookbinding device. [[ID=二十五]] [[ID=二十六]] [Figure 5] It is a perspective view showing the operation of the booklet supply unit, and shows a state where the booklet is arranged on the first conveyance path. [Figure 6] It is a perspective view showing the operation of the booklet supply unit, and shows a state where the booklet is supplied to the second conveyance path. [Figure 7] It is a perspective view showing the operation of the booklet supply unit, and shows a state where the booklet is conveyed by the second conveyance unit. [Figure 8] It is a perspective view showing a bookbinding system according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9]This is a plan view showing a bookbinding system according to a second embodiment of the present invention, and is a diagram showing the second transport path of the bookbinding apparatus. [Figure 10] This is a plan view showing a bookbinding system according to a third embodiment of the present invention, and is a diagram showing the second transport path of the bookbinding apparatus. [Figure 11] This is a plan view showing a bookbinding system according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention, and shows a portion of the first and second transport paths of the bookbinding apparatus. [Figure 12] This is a plan view showing a bookbinding system according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention, and shows a portion of the first and second transport paths of the bookbinding apparatus. [Figure 13] This is a plan view showing a bookbinding system according to the sixth embodiment of the present invention, and is a diagram showing the second transport path of the bookbinding apparatus. [Figure 14] This is a plan view showing a bookbinding system according to the seventh embodiment of the present invention, and is a diagram showing the first transport path of the cutting device. [Figure 15] This is a plan view showing a bookbinding system according to the seventh embodiment of the present invention, and is a diagram showing the second transport path of the cutting device. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0028] [First Embodiment] Hereinafter, a bookbinding system 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the bookbinding system according to the first embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 is a plan view showing the bookbinding system 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention, and is a diagram showing the first transport path F1 of the bookbinding device 100. Figure 3 is a plan view showing the bookbinding system 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention, and is a diagram showing the second transport path F2 of the bookbinding device 100. Figure 4 is a perspective view schematically showing the overall configuration of the bookbinding device.

[0029] Figure 2 shows the vicinity of the first transport path F1 inside the housing 95, with the upper portion of the housing 95 shown in Figure 1 omitted. Figure 3 shows the vicinity of the second transport path F2 inside the housing 95, with the upper portion of the housing 95 shown in Figure 1 omitted. The internal space of the housing 95 shown in Figure 2 is located higher than the internal space of the housing 95 shown in Figure 3.

[0030] As shown in Figures 1 to 3, the bookbinding system 1 according to this embodiment includes a bookbinding device (perfect binding device) 100, a cutting device 200 that performs cutting on booklets B that have been perfectly bound by the bookbinding device 100, and a transport device 300 that transports the booklets B discharged from the bookbinding device 100 to the cutting device 200.

[0031] As shown in Figures 1 to 4, the bookbinding apparatus 100 includes a first transport unit 10, a second transport unit 20, a booklet insertion unit 30, a milling unit 40, a gluing unit 50, a cover feeding unit 60, a cover attaching unit 70, a nipping unit 80, a booklet supply unit 90, and a housing 95.

[0032] The first transport unit 10 is a device that transports a booklet B containing multiple sheets of paper P along a first transport path F1. The first transport unit 10 has one or more (nine in this embodiment as shown in Figure 2) clampers 11 that hold the booklet B in an upright position, and a transport mechanism 12 that moves the clampers 11 along the first transport path F1. The clampers 11 have a pair of clamping plates 11a and 11b.

[0033] As shown in Figures 2 and 4, the first transport path F1 is a loop composed of straight paths F1a and F1b, which are spaced apart from each other in a vertical plane and extend horizontally, and arc-shaped paths F1c and F1d that connect the ends of the straight paths F1a and F1b. Although not shown in the figures, guides are provided along the first transport path F1. The clamper 11 is slidably mounted to these guides and moves along the first transport path F1 while being guided by the guides.

[0034] The first transport unit 10 moves the booklet B along the first transport path F1 in one direction (counterclockwise in Figures 2 and 4) by driving the clamper 11 with the transport mechanism 12. The first transport path F1 transports the booklet B by turning 180 degrees from the first direction DR1 on the straight path F1a to the second direction DR2 on the straight path F1b. The second direction DR2 is the direction opposite to the first direction DR1 by 180 degrees.

[0035] The second transport unit 20 is a device that transports the booklet B, on which the cover C has been attached by the cover attachment unit 70, along the second transport path F2 and discharges the booklet B to the transport device 300. The second transport unit 20 has a conveyor belt 21 and a transport mechanism 22.

[0036] As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the second transport path F2 is U-shaped and consists of straight paths F2a and F2b, which are spaced apart from each other in a vertical plane and extend horizontally, and an arc-shaped path F2c that connects the ends of the straight paths F2a and F2b. As shown in Figure 3, the second transport path F2 is longer than the straight-line distance L1 connecting the supply position Po1, where booklets B are supplied from the booklet supply unit 90 to the second transport path F2, and the discharge position Po2, where booklets B are discharged from the second transport path F2 to the transport device 300.

[0037] The second transport unit 20 moves the booklet B along the second transport path F2 in one direction (counterclockwise in Figures 3 and 4) by driving the conveyor belt 21 with the transport mechanism 22. The second transport path F2 transports the booklet B by turning 180 degrees from the second direction DR2 on the straight path F2a to the first direction DR1 on the straight path F2b.

[0038] As shown in Figures 2 to 4, the first transport path F1 and the second transport path F2 are arranged such that at least a portion of their areas overlap when the housing 95 is viewed from above. Within the internal space of the housing 95, the first transport path F1 is positioned above the second transport path F2 in the height direction HD. Thus, the first transport path F1 and the second transport path F2 are positioned at different height directions HD within the housing 95.

[0039] The booklet insertion unit 30 is a device that inserts booklets B supplied from an external source into the clampers 11. The booklet insertion unit 30 inserts one booklet B into each of the multiple clampers 11 that are transported along the first transport path F1. The clampers 11 hold the booklets B inserted by the booklet insertion unit 30 with a pair of clamping plates 11a and 11b. In this embodiment, the bookbinding apparatus 100 allows an operator to manually insert booklets B into the clampers 11.

[0040] The milling unit 40 is a device that cuts and trims the spine of booklet B. When the spine of booklet B is cut and trimmed, the glue penetrates the cut and trimmed areas, improving the adhesive properties of the spine of booklet B. The first transport unit 10 transports the booklet B processed by the milling unit 40 to the gluing unit 50.

[0041] The gluing unit 50 is a device that heats the glue with a heater (not shown) and applies the glue to the spine of the booklet B using a roller. The first transport unit 10 transports the booklet B processed in the gluing unit 50 from a straight path F1a through an arc-shaped path F1c to the cover attachment unit 70 on a straight path F1b.

[0042] The cover feeding unit 60 is a device that transports multiple pre-prepared covers C one by one and supplies them to the cover attaching unit 70. The cover attachment unit 70 is a device that attaches a cover C, fed from the cover paper feeding unit 60, to the spine of the glued booklet B, thereby creating a booklet B with a cover. The first transport unit 10 transports the booklet B with the cover C attached along the first transport path F1 to the nipping unit 80. The bookbinding apparatus 100 in this embodiment is equipped with a cover attachment unit 70 that attaches the cover C to the spine of the glued booklet B, but other configurations are also possible. For example, the bookbinding apparatus 100 may be equipped with an additional member attachment unit that attaches an additional member such as cheesecloth to the spine of the glued booklet B.

[0043] The nipping unit 80 is a device that presses the spine of booklet B from the spine side and both ends in a direction perpendicular to the second direction DR2 in order to improve the adhesion between booklet B and cover C. The first transport unit 10 transports booklet B, whose spine has been pressed by the nipping unit 80, to the booklet supply unit 90.

[0044] The booklet supply unit 90 is a device that supplies booklets B with the cover C attached from the first transport path F1 to the second transport path F2. The booklet supply unit 90 moves the booklets B received from the clamper 11 in the first transport path F1 from top to bottom along the height direction HD and supplies them to the second transport path F2.

[0045] Here, the booklet supply unit 90 will be described with reference to Figures 5 to 7. Figures 5 to 7 are perspective views showing the operation of the booklet supply unit 90. Figure 5 shows the state in which booklet B is placed on the first transport path F1. Figure 6 shows the state in which booklet B has been supplied to the second transport path F2. Figure 7 shows the state in which booklet B is being transported by the second transport unit 20.

[0046] As shown in Figures 5 to 7, the booklet supply unit 90 includes a first loading unit 91, a moving mechanism 92 for moving the first loading unit 91 along the height direction HD, a second loading unit 93, and a rotating mechanism 94 for rotating the second loading unit 93 around a straight line parallel to the straight path F2a. The moving mechanism 92 moves the position of the first loading unit 91 in the height direction HD from the position shown in Figure 5 to the position shown in Figure 6, thereby moving the booklet B from the first transport path F1 to the second transport path F2 along the height direction HD.

[0047] As shown in Figure 6, when the slewing mechanism 94 receives the booklet B loaded on the first loading section 91 into the second loading section 93, it positions the second loading section 93 such that the opening 93a capable of receiving the booklet B is located above the height HD in the second loading section 93. After receiving the booklet B in the second loading section 93, the slewing mechanism 94 rotates the second loading section 93 to the state shown in Figure 7.

[0048] The second conveying unit 20 is supported by a plurality of conveying rollers 23 driven by the conveying mechanism 22, as shown in Figure 7. The second conveying unit 20 conveys the booklets B loaded on the second loading unit 93 along the second direction DR2 to the conveyor belt 21 by driving the plurality of conveying rollers 23 with the conveying mechanism 22. The conveyor belt 21 driven by the conveying mechanism 22 conveys the booklets B along the second conveying path F2 and supplies them to the conveying device 300.

[0049] The housing 95 is a component that houses the first transport section 10, the second transport section 20, the booklet insertion section 30, the milling section 40, the gluing section 50, the cover feeding section 60, the cover attaching section 70, the nipping section 80, and the booklet supply section 90. The housing 95 is positioned to cover the entire area above the first transport section 10 and the entire area above the second transport section 20.

[0050] The functions and effects of the bookbinding system 1 of this embodiment, as described above, will now be explained. According to the bookbinding system 1 of this embodiment, when the first transport unit 10 transports the booklet B along the first transport path F1, the gluing unit 50 glues the spine of the booklet B, and the cover attachment unit 70 attaches the cover C to the spine of the booklet B. The booklet B with the cover C attached is supplied from the first transport path F1 to the second transport path F2 by the booklet supply unit 90, transported along the second transport path F2 by the second transport unit 20, and discharged to the transport device 300.

[0051] The first transport unit 10 and the second transport unit 20 are housed together with the gluing unit 50, the cover attachment unit 70, and the booklet supply unit 90 inside the same housing 95. Furthermore, the second transport path F2 is longer than the straight-line distance L1 connecting the supply position Po1 and the discharge position Po2. As a result, the transport distance of the second transport path F2 is appropriately ensured, and the glue on the spine of the booklet B can be sufficiently cooled before the booklet B is discharged from the housing 95 to the transport device 300. This shortens the transport distance of the transport device 300 that transports the booklet B from the bookbinding device 100 to the cutting device 200, thereby enabling miniaturization of the bookbinding system 1.

[0052] According to the bookbinding system 1 of this embodiment, by using both a first transport path F1 that transports the booklet B by folding back from a first direction DR1 to a second direction DR2, and a second transport path F2 that transports the booklet by folding back from a second direction DR2 to a first direction DR1, the size of the bookbinding device 100 can be reduced while ensuring a sufficient transport distance for the booklet B inside the housing 95 of the bookbinding device 100, thereby allowing sufficient cooling of the glue on the spine of the booklet B.

[0053] According to the bookbinding system 1 of this embodiment, when the housing 95 is viewed from above, at least a portion of the areas of the first transport path F1 and the second transport path F2 overlap, so that the installation area of ​​the bookbinding device 100 can be reduced while ensuring a sufficient transport distance for the booklet B within the housing 95 of the bookbinding device 100.

[0054] According to the bookbinding system 1 of this embodiment, the moving mechanism 92 of the booklet supply unit 90 can appropriately supply booklets B from the first transport path F1 to the second transport path F2, which are located at different positions in the height direction HD.

[0055] [Second Embodiment] Next, a bookbinding system 1A according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. This embodiment is a modification of the first embodiment and is the same as the first embodiment unless otherwise specifically described below, so the following description will be omitted.

[0056] In the first embodiment of the bookbinding system 1, the first transport path F1 and the second transport path F2 are arranged such that at least a portion of their areas overlap when the housing 95 is viewed from above. In contrast, in the bookbinding system 1A of this embodiment, the first transport path F1 and the second transport path F2 are arranged such that when the housing 95 is viewed from above, the second transport path F2 surrounds the first transport path F1.

[0057] Figure 8 is a perspective view showing a bookbinding system 1A according to a second embodiment of the present invention. Figure 9 is a plan view showing a bookbinding system 1A according to a second embodiment of the present invention, and is a diagram showing the second transport path F2 of the bookbinding device 100.

[0058] As shown in Figure 8, the housing 95 of the bookbinding system 1A in this embodiment has a first housing 95A and a second housing 95B. The first housing 95A is a housing that houses the first transport unit 10, the booklet insertion unit 30, the milling unit 40, the gluing unit 50, the cover paper feeding unit 60, the cover pasting unit 70, the nipping unit 80, and the booklet supply unit 90. The second housing 95B is a housing that houses the second transport unit 20.

[0059] As shown in Figure 9, in the bookbinding system 1A of this embodiment, the first transport path F1 and the second transport path F2 are arranged such that, when the housing 95 is viewed from above, the second transport path F2 surrounds the first transport path F1. As shown in Figure 9, the second transport path F2 is longer than the straight-line distance L1 connecting the supply position Po1, where booklets B are supplied from the booklet supply unit 90 to the second transport path F2, and the discharge position Po2, where booklets B are discharged from the second transport path F2 to the transport device 300.

[0060] According to the bookbinding system 1A of this embodiment, when the housing 95 is viewed from above, the second transport path F2 is arranged to surround the first transport path F1, so that the height of the bookbinding device 100 can be kept low while ensuring a sufficient transport distance for the booklet B within the housing 95 of the bookbinding device 100.

[0061] [Third Embodiment] Next, a bookbinding system 1B according to a third embodiment of the present invention will be described. This embodiment is a modification of the first embodiment and is the same as the first embodiment unless otherwise specifically described below, so the following description will be omitted.

[0062] In the first embodiment, the second transport path F2 was U-shaped, consisting of straight paths F2a and F2b, which are spaced apart from each other in a vertical plane and extend horizontally, and an arc-shaped path F2c that connects the ends of the straight paths F2a and F2b. In contrast, the second transport path F2 in this embodiment consists of a horizontally extending straight path F2a and an S-shaped arc-shaped path F2c that connects the ends of the straight path F2a and the straight path 310 of the transport device 300.

[0063] Figure 10 is a plan view showing a bookbinding system 1B according to a third embodiment of the present invention, and is a diagram showing the second transport path F2 of the bookbinding device 100. As shown in Figure 10, the second transport path F2 is composed of a horizontally extending straight path F2a and an arc-shaped path F2c that connects the ends of the straight path F2a and the straight path 310 of the transport device 300. As shown in Figure 10, the second transport path F2 is longer than the straight-line distance L1 connecting the supply position Po1 where booklets B are supplied from the booklet supply unit 90 to the second transport path F2 and the discharge position Po2 where booklets B are discharged from the second transport path F2 to the transport device 300.

[0064] According to the bookbinding system 1B of this embodiment, the transport distance of the second transport path F2, which has a straight path F2a and an arc-shaped path F2c, is appropriately secured, and the glue on the spine of the booklet B can be sufficiently cooled before the booklet B is discharged from the housing 95 to the transport device 300. As a result, the transport distance of the transport device 300 that transports the booklet B from the bookbinding device 100 to the cutting device 200 can be shortened, thereby enabling miniaturization of the bookbinding system 1.

[0065] [Fourth Embodiment] Next, a bookbinding system 1C according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described. This embodiment is a modification of the first embodiment and is the same as the first embodiment unless otherwise specifically described below, so the following description will be omitted.

[0066] In the first embodiment, the housing 95 that houses the second transport unit 20 was positioned to cover the entire area above the first transport unit 10 and the entire area above the second transport unit 20. In contrast, the housing 95 of this embodiment is positioned to leave a portion of the area above the second transport unit 20 open and cover the remaining area.

[0067] Figure 11 is a plan view showing a bookbinding system 1C according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention, and shows a portion of the first transport path F1 and the second transport path F2 of the bookbinding apparatus 100. As shown in Figure 11, the housing 95 of this embodiment has an opening 95a that leaves open a portion of the area above the second transport section 20. The housing 95 is arranged to cover the other area above the second transport section 20, excluding the opening 95a.

[0068] [Fifth Embodiment] Next, a bookbinding system 1D according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention will be described. This embodiment is a modification of the first embodiment and is the same as the first embodiment unless otherwise specifically described below, so the following description will be omitted.

[0069] In the first embodiment, the housing 95 that houses the second transport unit 20 was positioned to cover the entire area above the first transport unit 10 and the entire area above the second transport unit 20. In contrast, the housing 95 of this embodiment is positioned to leave a portion of the area above the second transport unit 20 open and cover the remaining area.

[0070] Figure 12 is a plan view showing a bookbinding system 1D according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention, and shows a portion of the first transport path F1 and the second transport path F2 of the bookbinding device 100. As shown in Figure 12, the housing 95 of this embodiment is exposed to the outside without covering a portion of the area above the second transport section 20. The housing 95 is positioned to cover the other area above the second transport section 20, excluding the portion exposed to the outside. After the second transport section 20 discharges the booklet B to the outside of the housing 95, it pulls the booklet B back into the housing 95 and supplies it to the transport device 300.

[0071] [Sixth Embodiment] Next, a bookbinding system 1B according to the sixth embodiment of the present invention will be described. This embodiment is a modification of the first embodiment and is the same as the first embodiment unless otherwise specifically described below, so the following description will be omitted.

[0072] In the first embodiment, the second transport path F2 supplied all of the booklets B supplied from the first transport path F1 to the transport device 300. In contrast, in this embodiment, the second transport path F2 supplies the booklets B supplied from the first transport path F1 to either the transport device 300 or the discharge unit 400.

[0073] Figure 13 is a plan view showing a bookbinding system 1E according to the sixth embodiment of the present invention, and is a diagram showing the second transport path F2 of the bookbinding system 1E. As shown in Figure 13, the second transport path F2 consists of a straight path F2a and a straight path F2b, which are spaced apart from each other in a vertical plane and extend horizontally, an arc-shaped path F2c that connects the ends of the straight paths F2a and F2b, and a straight path F2d that branches off from the straight path F2b near the discharge position Po2.

[0074] As shown in Figure 13, the second transport unit 20 of this embodiment includes a transport direction switching unit 24. The transport direction switching unit 24 switches, based on instructions from a control unit (not shown) of the bookbinding device 100, whether to transport the booklet B along a first direction DR1 that supplies it to the transport device 300, or along a third direction DR3 that discharges the booklet B to the discharge unit 400 of the bookbinding device 100. When the transport direction switching unit 24 transports the booklet B along the first direction DR1, the booklet B is supplied to the transport device 300. When the transport direction switching unit 24 transports the booklet B along the third direction DR3, the booklet B is supplied to the discharge unit 400.

[0075] [Seventh Embodiment] Next, a bookbinding system 1F according to the seventh embodiment of the present invention will be described. This embodiment is a modification of the first embodiment and is the same as the first embodiment unless otherwise specifically described below, so the following description will be omitted.

[0076] In the first embodiment, the second transport path F2 of the bookbinding device 100 was made longer than the straight-line distance L1 connecting the supply position Po1 and the discharge position Po2, so that the glue on the spine of the booklet B was sufficiently cooled before the booklet B was discharged from the housing 95 to the transport device 300. In contrast, in this embodiment, the first transport path F3 of the cutting device 200 is made longer than the straight-line distance L2 connecting the supply position Po3 where the booklet B is supplied from the transport device 300 to the first transport path F3 and the delivery position Po4 where the booklet B is handed over from the first transport path F3 to the booklet supply unit 290, so that the glue on the spine of the booklet B was sufficiently cooled before the cutting process.

[0077] Figure 14 is a plan view showing the bookbinding system 1F according to the seventh embodiment of the present invention, and shows the first transport path F3 of the cutting device 200. Figure 15 is a plan view showing the bookbinding system 1F according to the seventh embodiment of the present invention, and shows the second transport path F4 of the cutting device 200.

[0078] As shown in Figures 14 and 15, the cutting device 200 includes a first transport unit 210, a second transport unit 220, a small edge cutting unit 230, a top and bottom cutting unit 240, a booklet discharge unit 250, a booklet supply unit 290, and a housing 295.

[0079] The first conveying unit 210 is a device that conveys the booklet B supplied from the conveying device 300 along the first conveying path F3 and also supplies the booklet B to the booklet supply unit 290. The first conveying unit 210 has a conveyor belt 211 and a conveying mechanism 212.

[0080] As shown in Figure 14, the first conveying unit 210 drives the conveyor belt 211 by the conveying mechanism 212 to convey the booklet B in one direction (clockwise in Figure 14) along the first conveying path F3. The first conveying path F3 is U-shaped and consists of straight paths F3a and F3b, which are spaced apart from each other in a vertical plane and extend horizontally, and an arc-shaped path F3c that connects the ends of the straight paths F3a and F3b.

[0081] As shown in Figure 14, the first transport path F3 is longer than the straight-line distance L2 connecting the supply position Po3, where booklet B is supplied from the transport device 300 to the first transport path F3, and the transfer position Po4, where booklet B is handed over from the first transport path F3 to the booklet supply unit 290. The first transport path F3 transports booklet B by making a 180-degree turn in the direction of transport of booklet B, from the fourth direction DR4 in the straight-line path F3a to the fifth direction DR5 in the straight-line path F3b.

[0082] As shown in Figure 15, the second transport unit 220 is a device that transports the booklet B supplied from the first transport path F3 to the second transport path F4 by the booklet supply unit 290 along the second transport path F4. When the cutting device 200 is viewed from above in plan view, the second transport unit 220 is positioned above the first transport unit 210 so as to overlap with the first transport unit 210.

[0083] The edge trimming unit 230 is a device that trims the edges of booklet B, which is transported from the booklet supply unit 290 by the second transport unit 220. The second transport unit 220 transports the booklet B, whose edges have been trimmed in the edge trimming unit 230, to the top and bottom trimming unit 240.

[0084] The top and bottom trimming unit 240 is a device that trims the top and bottom of booklet B, which is transported from the edge trimming unit 230 by the second transport unit 220. The second transport unit 220 transports booklet B, whose top and bottom have been trimmed by the top and bottom trimming unit 240, to the booklet discharge unit 250.

[0085] The booklet discharge unit 250 is a device that discharges booklet B, which has been trimmed on three sides except for the spine, to the discharge tray 260.

[0086] The booklet supply unit 290 is a device that supplies booklet B from the first transport path F3 to the second transport path F4. The booklet supply unit 290 moves booklet B, which has been received from the first transport unit 210 in the first transport path F3, from bottom to top along the height direction and supplies it to the second transport path F4.

[0087] The housing 295 is a component that houses the first transport unit 210, the second transport unit 220, the edge trimming unit 230, the top and bottom trimming unit 240, the booklet discharge unit 250, and the booklet supply unit 290. The housing 295 is positioned to cover the entire area above the first transport unit 210 and the entire area above the second transport unit 220.

[0088] In the bookbinding system 1F of this embodiment, the first transport unit 210 and the second transport unit 220 are housed together with the edge trimming unit 230, the top and bottom trimming unit 240, and the booklet supply unit 290 inside the same housing 295. Furthermore, the first transport path F3 is longer than the straight-line distance L2 connecting the supply position Po3 and the handover position Po4. Therefore, the transport distance of the first transport path F3 is appropriately ensured, and the glue on the spine of the booklet B can be sufficiently cooled before the booklet B is trimmed by the edge trimming unit 230 and the top and bottom trimming unit 240. This makes it possible to shorten the transport distance of the transport device 300 that transports the booklet B from the bookbinding device 100 to the trimming device 200, thereby enabling miniaturization of the bookbinding system 1F.

[0089] [Other embodiments] In the first to sixth embodiments described above, the first transport path F1 is positioned above the second transport path F2 in the height direction HD within the internal space of the housing 95, but other embodiments are also possible. For example, the first transport path F1 may be positioned below the second transport path F2 in the height direction HD.

[0090] In the first to sixth embodiments described above, the bookbinding apparatus 100 may have a cooling unit for cooling the booklets B that are transported along the second transport path F2. For example, a blower that blows air toward the booklets B can be used as the cooling unit. Alternatively, a heat sink may be placed in the space where the second transport path F2 is located to dissipate heat.

[0091] In the first to sixth embodiments described above, the second transport path F2 is U-shaped, consisting of a straight path F2a, a straight path F2b, and an arc-shaped path F2c connecting the ends of the straight paths F2a and F2b. However, other configurations are also possible. For example, it may be a combination of multiple straight paths. It may also include a spiral path. Furthermore, it may be a configuration in which the booklet B is circulated for at least one or more turns before being discharged to the transport device 300.

[0092] In the first to sixth embodiments described above, the second transport unit 20 transports the booklet B using a conveyor belt 21 and transport rollers 23, but other configurations are also possible. For example, a system that moves the booklet by rotating multiple balls in any direction, or a system that changes the orientation of the booklet B by rotating a disc, may be employed. Alternatively, the booklet B may be transported by a carrier that moves along a rail, or by a shuttle that moves while levitating by magnetism.

[0093] In the first embodiment, the second transport path F2 of the bookbinding device 100 was made longer than the straight-line distance L1 connecting the supply position Po1 and the discharge position Po2. In the seventh embodiment, the first transport path F3 of the cutting device 200 was made longer than the straight-line distance L2 connecting the supply position Po3, where the booklet B is supplied from the transport device 300 to the first transport path F3, and the delivery position Po4, where the booklet B is handed over from the first transport path F3 to the booklet supply unit 290.

[0094] Furthermore, other embodiments combining the first and seventh embodiments described above may also be used. Specifically, the second transport path F2 of the bookbinding device 100 may be made longer than the straight-line distance L1 connecting the supply position Po1 and the discharge position Po2, and the first transport path F3 of the cutting device 200 may be made longer than the straight-line distance L2 connecting the supply position Po3 where the booklet B is supplied from the transport device 300 to the first transport path F3 and the delivery position Po4 where the booklet B is handed over from the first transport path F3 to the booklet supply unit 290. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0095] 1.1A Bookbinding System 10. First Conveyor Unit 11 Clamper 11a, 11b Clamp plate 12 Conveying mechanism 20 Second Conveyor Unit 21 Conveyor belt 22 Conveying mechanism 23 Conveyor rollers 30 Booklet insertion section 40 Milling section 50 Adhesive part 60 Cover paper feed section 70 Cover attachment area 80 Nipping section 90 books Children's Fee Department 91 First Loading Section 92 Moving mechanism 93 Second Loading Section 93a opening 94 Swivel mechanism 95 cabinets 95A First enclosure 95B Second cabinet 100 bookbinding machines 200 Cutting Machine 300 Conveyor System B Booklet C Cover DR1 1st direction DR2 2nd direction F1 First transport path F2 Second transport path HD Height Direction P Paper

Claims

1. Bookbinding equipment and A cutting device that performs cutting on booklets bound by the aforementioned bookbinding device, A bookbinding system comprising a conveying device for transporting the booklets discharged from the bookbinding device to the cutting device, The aforementioned bookbinding apparatus is A first transport unit that transports the booklet containing multiple sheets of paper along a first transport path, A gluing section for gluing the spine of the booklet being transported along the first transport path, An adhesive section for attaching an additional member to the spine of the booklet that has been glued by the adhesive section, A second transport unit transports the booklet to which the additional member has been attached by the aforementioned attachment unit along a second transport path and discharges the booklet to the transport device, A booklet supply unit that supplies the booklet to which the attached member is attached from the first transport path to the second transport path, It comprises a housing that houses the first transport unit, the gluing unit, the adhesive unit, the second transport unit, and the booklet supply unit, A bookbinding system in which the second transport path is longer than the straight-line distance between the supply position where the booklet is supplied from the booklet supply unit to the second transport path and the discharge position where the booklet is discharged from the second transport path to the transport device.

2. The first transport path transports the booklet by reversing the direction of transport from the first direction to the second direction opposite to the first direction. The bookbinding system according to claim 1, wherein the second transport path transports the booklet by reversing the direction of transport from the second direction to the first direction.

3. The bookbinding system according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the first transport path and the second transport path are arranged such that at least a portion of their areas overlap when the housing is viewed from above.

4. The bookbinding system according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the first transport path and the second transport path are arranged such that the second transport path surrounds the first transport path when the housing is viewed from above.

5. The booklet supply unit has a moving mechanism for moving the booklet from the first transport path to the second transport path along the height direction, as described in claim 1 or claim 2.

6. The bookbinding system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the bookbinding apparatus has a cooling unit for cooling the booklets being transported along the second transport path.

7. The bookbinding apparatus has a discharge section from which the booklet is discharged from the second transport section. The bookbinding system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the second transport unit discharges the booklet to either the transport device or the discharge unit.

8. A first transport unit that transports a booklet containing multiple sheets of paper along a first transport path, A gluing section for gluing the spine of the booklet being transported along the first transport path, An adhesive section for attaching an additional member to the spine of the booklet that has been glued by the adhesive section, A second transport unit transports the booklet to which the additional member has been attached by the aforementioned attachment unit along a second transport path and discharges the booklet, A booklet supply unit that supplies the booklet to which the attached member is attached from the first transport path to the second transport path, The system comprises a housing that houses the first transport unit, the gluing unit, the adhesive unit, the second transport unit, and the booklet supply unit, The bookbinding apparatus wherein the second transport path is longer than the straight-line distance between the supply position where the booklet is supplied from the booklet supply unit to the second transport path and the discharge position where the booklet is discharged from the second transport path.

9. Bookbinding equipment and A cutting device that performs cutting on booklets bound by the aforementioned bookbinding device, A bookbinding system comprising a conveying device for transporting the booklets discharged from the bookbinding device to the cutting device, The aforementioned editing device is A first transport unit that transports the booklet supplied from the transport device along a first transport path, A second transport unit that transports the aforementioned booklet along a second transport path, A cutting unit that performs cutting on the booklet being transported by the second transport unit, A booklet supply unit that supplies the booklet from the first transport path to the second transport path, It comprises a housing that houses the first transport unit, the second transport unit, the cutting unit, and the booklet supply unit, A bookbinding system in which the first transport path is longer than the straight-line distance between the supply position where the booklet is supplied from the transport device to the first transport path and the delivery position where the booklet is handed over from the first transport path to the booklet supply unit.

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