Image forming system

Abstract

This image forming system comprises: an image forming unit that forms an image on a sheet; a perforation processing unit that performs perforation on the sheet on which the image has been formed by the image forming unit; a bookbinding processing unit that performs bookbinding processing including binding and folding on a plurality of sheets including the sheet on which the perforation processing has been performed by the perforation processing unit; a corner back processing unit that performs corner back processing for forming a corner back part on a back of a booklet bound by the bookbinding processing unit; and an adjustment unit that adjusts a position of the perforation by the perforation processing unit on the basis of an execution instruction of the corner back processing by the corner back processing unit.

Description

Image forming system

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an image forming system including a sheet processing device that sequentially processes an image-formed sheet to create a booklet.

[0002] In an image forming system, usually, a plurality of post-processing devices are connected downstream of an image forming device (printer), enabling a plurality of types of post-processing (inline processing).

[0003] One of the above post-processing devices performs staple processing and folding on a bundle of sheets for sheet bundle processing (bookbinding processing).

[0004] Also, there is a product that performs perforation processing on the sheets to be bookbound so that a part of the page can be cut by hand (see Patent Document 1). Such products have a need to be used as coupons, cards, tickets, etc. by cutting a part of the booklet page along the perforations.

[0005] Furthermore, in the commercial printing market, there is a post-processing called corner-back processing that creates a corner back on the spine of a bookbound booklet to prevent it from accidentally opening when a booklet composed of multiple sheets is placed. (See Patent Document 2). In particular, since a plurality of booklets may collapse when stacked on a tray, there is a demand for a booklet that is prevented from accidentally opening by performing corner-back processing.

[0006] Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2015 - 168234, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2025 - 34235

[0007] The device disclosed in Patent Document 1 can obtain a booklet with perforation processing. There is a market demand to further perform corner-back processing as disclosed in Patent Document 2 on such a processed booklet, and it is required to meet this demand.

[0008] One aspect of the present disclosure is an image forming system comprising: an image forming unit that forms an image on a sheet; a perforation processing unit that applies perforations to the sheet on which the image has been formed by the image forming unit; a bookbinding processing unit that applies a bookbinding process including binding and folding to a plurality of sheets, including the sheet on which the perforation processing unit has been applied; a spine processing unit that applies a spine processing to form a spine on the spine of a book bound by the bookbinding processing unit; and an adjustment unit that adjusts the position of the perforations made by the perforation processing unit based on an instruction to perform the spine processing by the spine processing unit.

[0009] One aspect of the present disclosure is an image forming system comprising: an image forming unit that forms an image on a sheet; a perforation unit that perforates the sheet on which the image has been formed by the image forming unit; a bookbinding unit that performs bookbinding processes, including binding and folding, on a plurality of sheets, including the sheet that has been perforated by the perforation unit; a spine processing unit that performs a spine processing to form a spine on the spine of a book bound by the bookbinding unit; and an adjustment unit that adjusts the position of the perforations made by the perforation unit based on an instruction to perform the spine processing by the spine processing unit.

[0010] One aspect of the present disclosure is an image forming system comprising: an image forming unit that forms an image on a sheet; a crease processing unit that applies a crease to the sheet on which the image has been formed by the image forming unit; a bookbinding processing unit that applies a bookbinding process including binding and folding to a plurality of sheets, including the sheet on which the crease processing unit has been applied; a spine processing unit that applies a spine processing to form a spine on the spine of a book bound by the bookbinding processing unit; and an adjustment unit that adjusts the position of the crease applied by the crease processing unit based on an instruction to perform the spine processing by the spine processing unit.

[0011] This disclosure provides a booklet that has been processed with perforations and other features, as well as corner finishing.

[0012] Other features and advantages of this disclosure will become apparent from the following description with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the accompanying drawings, the same or similar components are given the same reference numeral.

[0013] A cross-sectional view of an image forming apparatus equipped with a perforating device is shown. A system block diagram of the image forming apparatus is shown. A cross-sectional view of the perforating device is shown. A block diagram of the perforating device is shown. An example of a perforating unit is also shown. A diagram showing the perforation position for the first sheet (with correction of the perforation hole position). A diagram showing the perforation position for the Nth sheet (with correction of the perforation hole position). A diagram showing the perforations in a perforated booklet (without correction of the perforation hole position). A diagram showing the perforations in a folded booklet (without correction of the perforation hole position). A diagram showing the perforations in a perforated booklet (with correction of the perforation hole position). A diagram showing the perforations in a folded booklet (with correction of the perforation hole position). A cross-sectional view of the finisher is shown. A perspective view of a folded booklet is shown. A block diagram of the finisher is shown. A perspective view of the corner spine processing unit is shown. A side view of a folded booklet is shown. A side view of a folded booklet is shown. A cross-sectional view of a folded booklet and a corner spine processed booklet is shown. A cross-sectional view of the corner spine processing unit is shown. This shows the stopping position (Example 1) when performing the corner spine processing. This diagram shows the state in which the corner spine has been formed by the corner spine processing. This shows the stopping position (Example 2) when performing the corner spine processing. This diagram shows the state in which the corner spine has been formed by the corner spine processing. This shows the control flowchart of this disclosure. This shows the flowchart of the corner spine implementation feasibility determination process of this disclosure. This shows the setting screen for saddle stitching. This shows a perspective view of a booklet that has been perforated and folded in half. This shows a side view of a booklet that has been perforated and folded in half. This shows a side view of a booklet that has been perforated, folded in half, and given a corner spine (without correction of the perforation position). This shows a flowchart of the perforation position adjustment (1st time) of this disclosure. This shows a flowchart of the perforation position adjustment (2nd time) of this disclosure. This shows a flowchart of the binding settings. This shows the screen display when the binding settings are made. This shows the screen display when the binding settings are made. This shows a flowchart of the binding settings. This shows the screen display during binding settings. This shows the flowchart for binding settings. This shows a sheet with creasing. This shows a sheet with punching. This shows a sheet with perforation. This shows another form of the screen display during binding settings. This shows a diagram explaining the length from the fold to the perforation position during binding. This shows a diagram explaining the shift in the perforation position due to changing from binding to corner spine binding.

[0014] Preferred embodiments of this disclosure will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. However, the dimensions, materials, shapes, and relative arrangements of the components described in the following embodiments should be modified as appropriate depending on the configuration and various conditions of the apparatus to which this disclosure applies. Therefore, unless otherwise specifically stated, the scope of this disclosure is not intended to be limited to those embodiments.

[0015] <Image Forming Apparatus> Figure 1 is a configuration diagram of the image forming system 1 according to this embodiment. As shown in Figure 1, the image forming system 1 includes an image forming apparatus 600 that performs black and white / color image forming, and a perforating device 200 and a finisher 100 connected thereto as sheet processing devices. Therefore, sheets discharged from the image forming apparatus 600, which is the image forming unit that forms images on sheets, can be processed by the perforating device 200 and the finisher 100 which are connected online. The image forming apparatus 600 can also be used independently without connecting the finisher 100 to the discharge port. In addition, the image forming apparatus 600 may integrate the perforating device 200 and the finisher 100 as a single sheet discharge device. Here, the position from which the user faces the operation screen 601, which serves as a display unit for making various inputs / settings to the image forming apparatus 600, is referred to as the front side of the image forming apparatus (hereinafter referred to as the front side), and the rear side of the apparatus is referred to as the back side. Figure 1 shows the configuration of the image forming apparatus as seen from the front side of the apparatus. The perforating device 200 and the finisher 100 are connected to the side of the image forming apparatus 600.

[0016] The sheets S supplied from cassettes 909a and 909b within the image forming apparatus 600 have four-color toner images transferred onto them by the yellow, magenta, cyan, and black photosensitive drums 914a to 914d, which constitute the image forming section. The sheets S with the transferred toner images are then transported to the fuser 904, where the toner images are fixed. In single-sided image forming mode, the sheets are then discharged from the discharge roller pair 907 to the outside of the apparatus. In double-sided image forming mode, the sheets S are transferred from the fuser 904 to the reversal roller 905. When the rear end of the sheet in the transport direction passes the reversal switching section P, the reversal roller 905 is reversed to reverse the transport direction, and the sheets are transported in the direction of the double-sided transport rollers 906a to 906f. The four-color toner images are then transferred to the back side of the sheet again by the yellow, magenta, cyan, and black photosensitive drums 914a to 914d, etc. The sheet S, on which the image has been transferred to the reverse side, is transported again to the fuser 904 to fix the toner image, and is then discharged outside the main body of the device from the discharge roller pair 907.

[0017] Figure 2 is a block diagram of the image forming apparatus control unit that controls the image forming apparatus. As shown in Figure 2, the CPU circuit unit 630 has a CPU 629, a ROM 631, and a RAM 655. The CPU circuit unit 630 controls the document feeder control unit 632, the image reader control unit 633, the image signal control unit 634, the printer control unit 635, the finisher control unit 636, the perforation device control unit 638, and the external interface 637. The CPU circuit unit 630 controls these control units according to the program stored in the ROM 631 and the settings of the operation screen 601 (display unit). The document feeder control unit 632 controls the document feeder 650. The image reader control unit 633 controls the image reader. The printer control unit 635 controls the image forming apparatus 600. The perforation device control unit 638 controls the perforation device 200. The finisher control unit 636 controls the finisher 100. In this embodiment, a configuration in which the perforation device control unit 638 is mounted on the perforation device 200 and the finisher control unit 636 is mounted on the finisher 100 will be described. However, this disclosure is not limited thereto, and the perforation device 200 and the finisher 100 may be provided integrally with the CPU circuit unit 630 in the image forming apparatus 600, so that the perforation device 200 and the finisher 100 are controlled from the image forming apparatus 600 side. Alternatively, the finisher 100 may be controlled by the control unit on the perforation device 200 side, or the perforation device 200 may be controlled by the control unit on the finisher 100 side.

[0018] RAM 655 is used as a temporary storage area for control data and as a workspace for calculations associated with control. The external interface 637 is an interface from the computer (PC) 620, which expands the print data into an image and outputs it to the image signal control unit 634. The image read by the image sensor is output from the image reader control unit 633 to the image signal control unit 634, and the image output from the image signal control unit 634 to the printer control unit 635 is input to the exposure control unit.

[0019] The drilling device control unit 638 is mounted on the drilling device 200 and controls the drive of the entire drilling device by exchanging information with the CPU circuit unit 630 of the image forming apparatus. The finisher control unit 636 is mounted on the finisher 100 and controls the drive of the entire finisher by exchanging information with the CPU circuit unit 630 of the image forming apparatus. The drilling device control unit 638 and the finisher control unit 636 control various motors and sensors.

[0020] Furthermore, the operation screen 601 (display unit) allows the user to input and configure various settings, such as print job information. For example, the operation screen 601 (display unit) displays the saddle-stitch binding settings as shown in Figure 20, and the user can individually select whether or not to perform the saddle-stitching process NS, the perforation process SS, and the spine processing KS. Details of the saddle-stitching process, perforation process, and spine processing will be described later.

[0021] In this embodiment, the operation screen 601 (display unit) is described as an operation panel (touch panel) provided on the main body of the image forming apparatus, which is composed of a liquid crystal panel display screen and integrated operation buttons. However, the display screen and the operation unit such as buttons may be provided separately. Alternatively, it may be composed of a detachable tablet or the like. Furthermore, the display unit also includes a CPU circuit unit 630 that outputs information to be displayed on the operation screen 601 (display unit), and may output information to be displayed on the screen of a computer (PC) 620, for example, via an external interface 637.

[0022] Although the above embodiment described the display screen as being of the liquid crystal type, it is not limited to the liquid crystal type. For example, it may be of the organic EL type or other type.

[0023] Furthermore, although this embodiment describes an example in which an image is formed on a sheet using an electrophotographic method as the image forming apparatus, it is not limited to this. For example, an inkjet method may also be used. However, the electrophotographic method is preferred because it minimizes deformation of the sheet after image formation.

[0024] <Perforation Device> Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the perforation device 200, which functions as a perforation processing unit. As shown in Figure 3, the perforation device 200 is equipped with a perforation path B that sequentially takes in sheets discharged from the image forming apparatus 600 and performs perforation processing on the taken sheets, and a bypass A that passes the sheets to the downstream finisher 100 without processing. These paths are switched by a switching member 217.

[0025] The sheet processing in the perforation device 200 operates according to user settings on the operation screen 601 (display unit) provided on the image forming apparatus 600. While the operation screen 601 (display unit) uses the user interface of the image forming apparatus, a computer connected to the image forming system may also be used.

[0026] The sheet discharged from the image forming apparatus 600 is then passed to the inlet roller pair 202 of the perforating apparatus 200. At this time, the timing of the sheet transfer is also detected by the inlet sensor 201.

[0027] If the sheet is not perforated, the switching member 217 switches to bypass A, and the sheet is conveyed by the transport roller pairs 203, 204, 205 and the discharge roller pair 206, and handed over to the downstream finisher 100.

[0028] When perforating the sheet, the switching member 217 switches to perforation path B, and the sheet is transported to the processing area by transport roller pairs 208, 211, and 252, and the sheet edge detection sensor 213 detects the sheet edge. After stopping the sheet at a predetermined position in the transport direction, the perforation unit 220 is operated to perforate the sheet. The perforated sheet is then transported again by transport roller pairs 209, 210, 214, 215, and 216 and discharge roller pair 206, and handed over to the downstream finisher 100.

[0029] Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of the perforation unit 220 as seen from downstream in the sheet conveying direction. The die plate 305 has a perforation groove 306. Shaft guides 307a and 307b are erected on the die plate 305 and slidably support the movable plate 301 and the perforation blade holder 303. The perforation blade 304 is installed in the perforation blade holder 303 and engages with the perforation groove 306 to perforate the sheet. Compression springs 302a, 302b, and 302c are installed between the movable plate 301 and the perforation blade holder 303. When the drive motor M1 pushes down the movable plate 301, the compression springs 302a, 302b, and 302c push down the perforation blade holder 303, causing the perforation blade 304 to engage with the perforation groove 306. The release springs 308a and 308b are springs that push up the compressed perforating blade holder 303. The top dead center of the perforating blade holder 303 is the position where it abuts against the stoppers 309a and 309b, and the top dead center of the movable plate 301 is the position where it abuts against the stoppers 310a and 310b. The perforating blade 304 can be replaced with any hole shape, and the size of the hole punch can be changed or the perforation process can be changed.

[0030] In other words, in this embodiment, the punching device 200 is a workpiece forming unit that forms a workpiece on the sheet along a predetermined direction (for example, the direction in which the spine of the booklet is formed, or in this embodiment, the direction of the short side of the sheet), and is a punching unit that can be changed to either a perforation unit or a hole punching unit depending on the shape of the punching blade 304. For example, when the punching device 200 functions as a perforation unit, perforations P3 as workpieces are formed on the sheet as shown in Figure 33C. Also, when the punching device 200 functions as a punching unit, punch holes P2 as workpieces are formed on the sheet as shown in Figure 33B. Furthermore, the punching device 200 as a workpiece forming unit can also become a creasing device (crease processing unit) that creasing (creasing) the sheet by changing the punching blade 304 to a crease die. In this case, for example, a crease P1 as workpieces is formed on the sheet as shown in Figure 33A.

[0031] As shown in Figure 4, the perforation device control unit 638 includes a microcontroller (CPU) 701, RAM 702, ROM 703, input / output unit (I / O) 705, communication interface 706, and network interface 704. The transport control unit 707 controls the solenoid SL1 that drives the switching member 217, the transport drive motors M5, M6, M7, the sheet edge detection sensor 213, and the fan motor that drives the fan. The perforation drive control unit 708 controls the perforation drive motor M1. Various sensor signals are input to the input port of the I / O 705. The output ports of the I / O 705 are connected to various drive systems connected via control blocks (not shown) and various drivers (not shown).

[0032] In this embodiment, the perforation unit 220 is configured to change the perforation position relative to the midpoint of the sheet in the longitudinal direction, and the perforation unit 220 is configured, for example, to make the perforation position different for each sheet in one set of perforations.

[0033] In the perforating device 200 configured as described above, as shown in Figures 6A and 6B, when the leading edge of the sheet S is detected by the sheet edge detection sensor 213, the sheet edge detection signal from the sheet edge detection sensor 213 is used as a trigger to transport the sheet S by a length (l-A) according to the sheet size, and the sheet S is stopped so that the perforation blade 304 is at a position a predetermined amount A in front of the leading edge, which is the midpoint of the sheet S in the longitudinal direction, and the perforation process (first time) is performed to make a hole in the sheet S.

[0034] After the first perforation is completed, the sheet S is transported again, and after traveling a length (2A) of the sheet S, it is stopped again, and the second perforation is performed to create holes in the sheet S. After the second perforation is completed, the sheet S is transported again.

[0035] Here, the perforating device 200 is configured to change the feed amount for each sheet S when perforating. For example, if the sheet S is plain paper, its thickness is approximately 0.1 mm. For the second sheet S, after the leading edge of the sheet S is detected by the sheet edge detection sensor 213, the sheet S is stopped after traveling a length of (l-A-0.1) and the perforating process (first time) is performed. After the perforating process (first time) is completed, the transport of the sheet S is resumed, and the sheet S is stopped again after traveling a length of (2A+0.2) and the perforating process (second time) is performed to create a hole in the sheet S.

[0036] Expressed as an equation, the amount of sheets transported up to the first perforation process X1 is given by X1 = (l - A - 0.1 * (N - 1)) if the number of sheets S is the Nth sheet, and the amount of sheets transported from the end of the first perforation process to the second perforation process X2 is given by X2 = 2(A + 0.1 * (N - 1)). Note that if the sheet S is cardboard, setting the coefficient of (N - 1) in the above equation to around 0.2 instead of 0.1 will allow for control according to the thickness.

[0037] As a result, when a bundle of sheets S that have been perforated by the perforating device 200 is subjected to saddle stitching or other processes as necessary, and then folded, the perforation positions of the bundle of sheets S that have been folded in half or the like will be approximately in a straight line when the sheet S is folded, as shown in Figures 8A and 8B, making it possible to perform the perforation process with high precision (see also Figures 7A and 7B).

[0038] In the above embodiments, the perforation device functioning as a perforation processing unit was described using a perforation-forming blade and die, but it is not limited to this. For example, a method using a rotary blade for perforation may also be used. However, the method using a perforation-forming blade and die is more preferable because it is superior in terms of production efficiency.

[0039] <Description of the Finisher> The finisher 100 takes in sheets from the image forming apparatus 600 that have been transported via the perforating device 200 and processes the taken sheets. For example, it performs sheet processing such as aligning multiple taken sheets and bundling them into a single sheet bundle, stapling the rear end of the sheet bundle, sorting, unsorting, and saddle stitching to create a booklet.

[0040] As shown in Figure 9, the finisher 100 has a transport path 520 for taking sheets conveyed via the perforating device 200 into the device, and the transport path 520 is provided with a plurality of transport roller pairs.

[0041] A switching member 513, located at the end of the transport path 520, switches the route to the upper paper discharge path 521 and the lower paper discharge path 522, which are connected downstream. The upper paper discharge path 521 discharges paper to the upper stack tray 592. On the other hand, the lower paper discharge path 522 discharges paper to the processing tray 550. The sheets discharged to the processing tray 550 are sequentially aligned in the transport direction by the return paddle 552 and return belt 553, which abut the rear end of the sheet against the rear end reference wall 561, and aligned in the width direction by an alignment plate (not shown), and then stored in a bundle. The bundled sheets (sheet bundles) are then sorted and stapled according to the settings from the operation screen 601 (display unit), and then discharged to the stack trays 591 and 592 by the bundle paper discharge roller pair 551.

[0042] The stapling process described above is performed by a stapler 560, which is movable in the width direction perpendicular to the transport direction and can staple at any position on the sheet. The stack trays 591 and 592 are configured to move in the vertical direction, with the upper stack tray 592 receiving sheets from the upper paper output path 521 and the processing tray 550, and the lower stack tray 591 receiving sheets from the processing tray 550. In this way, a large number of sheets can be loaded onto the stack trays 591 and 592, and the loaded sheets are aligned by being restricted at their rear ends by a rear end guide 593 that extends in the vertical direction.

[0043] Next, the configuration of the saddle-stitching unit 800, which functions as a bookbinding processing unit, will be described. Sheets whose transport path has been switched to the right by a switching member 514 provided in the middle of the lower paper discharge path 522 pass through the saddle paper discharge path 523 and are sent to the saddle-stitching unit 800. The sheets are handed over to the saddle inlet roller pair 801, and the inlet is selected by a switching member 802 operated by a solenoid according to the size, and the sheets are loaded into the storage guide 803 of the saddle-stitching unit 800. The loaded sheets are transported by the sliding roller 804 until the leading edge contacts the movable sheet positioning member 805. The saddle inlet roller pair 801 and the sliding roller 804 are driven by a motor M21 (see Figure 11). In addition, a stapler 820 is provided at an intermediate position in the storage guide 803, facing the storage guide 803. This stapler 820 functions as a saddle-stitching unit that performs the binding process of saddle-stitching a sheet bundle consisting of multiple sheets. The stapler 820 is divided into a driver 820a that pushes out the staples and an anvil 820b that bends the pushed-out staples. If there are pages with perforations or the like formed in the booklet to be bound, the sheets constituting the sheet bundle include sheets with perforations or the like formed by the punching device 200. The sheet positioning member 805 stops when the sheet is being fed in at a position where the midpoint of the sheet in the longitudinal direction becomes the binding position of the stapler. The sheet positioning member 805 is movable under the drive of the motor M22 (see Figure 11) and changes its position according to the sheet size.

[0044] On the downstream side of the stapler 820 where the driver 820a and the anvil 820b are arranged to face each other with the storage guide 803 interposed therebetween, a pair of folding rollers 810a and 810b that constitute a folding portion are provided, and a protruding member 830 is provided at the opposing position of the pair of folding rollers 810a and 810b. This protruding member 830 has a home position at a position retracted from the storage guide 803. The protruding member 830 protrudes toward the sheet bundle stored by the drive of the motor M23 (see FIG. 11), and folds the sheet bundle while pushing it into the nip of the pair of folding rollers 810a and 810b. The protruding member 830 then returns to the home position again. A sufficient pressure F1 for creasing the bundle is applied by a spring (not shown) between the pair of folding rollers 810a and 810b. The pair of folding rollers 810a and 810b and the protruding member 830 constitute a folding portion that performs a folding process of folding the sheet bundle in half.

[0045] The creased sheet bundle is discharged to the folded bundle discharge tray 850 via the first folding conveyance roller pair 811a and 811b and the second folding conveyance roller pair 812a and 812b that constitute the angled back processing portion 814. Sufficient pressures F2 and F3 for conveying and stopping the creased sheet bundle are also applied to the first folding conveyance roller pair 811a and 811b and the second folding conveyance roller pair (pressure roller pair) 812a and 812b. The shutter 816 moves in a direction parallel to the storage guide 803 to a position where the leading end of the sheet does not contact the pair of folding rollers 810a and 810b when the sheet is carried into the storage guide 803, and to a position where a path toward the pair of folding rollers 810a and 810b is opened when the protruding member 830 protrudes the sheet bundle. This moving operation is performed by the drive of the motor M26 (see FIG. 11).

[0046] The pair of folding rollers 810a and 810b, the first folding conveyance roller pair 811a and 811b, and the second folding conveyance roller pair 812a and 812b rotate at a constant speed by the same motor M24 (see FIG. 11).

[0047] Also, when folding a stack of sheets stapled together by a stapler 820 disposed opposite with a storage guide 803 interposed therebetween, after the stapling process is completed, the sheet positioning member 805 is lowered by a predetermined length from the position during the stapling process so that the stapled position of the stack of sheets comes to the nip position of the folding roller pair 810a and 810b. As a result, the stack of sheets can be folded with the position where the stapling process was performed as the fold (the intermediate position in the longitudinal direction).

[0048] Also, the alignment plate pair 815 is configured to surround the outer peripheral surfaces of the folding roller pair 810a and 810b and has a surface protruding from the storage guide 803, and serves as an alignment plate pair for aligning the sheets stored in the storage guide 803. The alignment plate pair 815 is driven by a motor M25 (see FIG. 11) and moves in the clamping direction with respect to the sheet to perform positioning in the width direction of the sheet.

[0049] With the in - binding production unit 800 having such a configuration, as shown in FIG. 10, the intermediate position in the sheet longitudinal direction (the fold) is in - bound, and a booklet St which is a stack of sheets folded in half at the in - bound position is created.

[0050] When the stack of sheets is thick and the folding is loose, the created booklet St will be a booklet with a bulging folded part Sa as shown in FIG. 13. On the contrary, when the stack of sheets is thin and can be folded firmly, the created booklet may have cracks in the folded part (the spine) Sb. Especially when the sheet used for the cover is thick paper, this cracking becomes prominent. In order to reduce this, grooving may be performed on the folded part by a grooving unit.

[0051] In the above embodiment of the bookbinding processing unit, the in - binding that performs the binding process for in - binding the stack of sheets has been described. However, the in - binding position may be slightly deviated from the center of the sheet. Also, regarding the folding process of folding the stack of sheets in half, the middle - folding position may be slightly deviated from the center of the sheet, as long as it is within the range recognized by the user as a booklet. Furthermore, although it is preferable that the folding position and the binding position coincide, they may be slightly deviated.

[0052] Next, the corner back processing unit 814, which functions as a corner back processing unit, will be described. The corner back processing unit 814 is located downstream in the sheet transport direction of the folding roller pair 810a, 810b and the protruding member 830 that constitute the folding section, and after stopping the leading edge (back) of the folded sheet bundle at a predetermined position, it performs corner back processing on the back of the sheet bundle. In this embodiment, the corner back processing unit 814 is incorporated into the finisher 100 as part of the saddle stitching unit 800, but it may also be a separate device located downstream of the saddle stitching unit.

[0053] Figure 12 is a perspective view of the corner spine processing unit 814. The corner spine processing unit 814 includes a pair of second folding conveying rollers (pressure roller pair) 812a, 812b that grip and pressurize the booklet St from the thickness direction of the booklet, a spine flattening roller 813 that flattens the spine of the booklet from a direction perpendicular to the thickness, and a frame 817 into which these second folding conveying rollers (pressure roller pair) 812a, 812b and spine flattening roller 813 are incorporated. The frame 817 is movably supported by a guide part (not shown) that guides it to move parallel to the spine of the booklet, and is driven by a drive part (not shown). As the corner spine processing unit 814 moves, the folded part of the booklet is pressed by the second folding conveying rollers (pressure roller pair) 812a, 812b while being flattened by the spine flattening roller 813, thereby making it possible to create a booklet with a flat, non-bulging spine as shown in Figure 14.

[0054] Figure 15 is a cross-sectional view of the corner back processing section 814 as seen from the side. As mentioned above, the pressure required for corner back processing to flatten the fold on the back of a folded sheet bundle varies depending on the basis weight and number of sheets forming the folded sheet bundle. In this embodiment, however, it is determined by the stopping position of the folded sheet bundle when corner back processing is performed, more specifically, by how far the leading edge (back) of the folded sheet bundle protrudes from the second folding conveyor roller pair 812a and 812b. In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 15, the distance from the ends of the second folding conveyor roller pair 812a and 812b to the back crushing roller 813 is assumed to be 1.0 mm.

[0055] In corner backing, the more sheets forming the folded sheet bundle and the heavier the basis weight of the sheets, the stronger the pressure required. For example, Figures 16A and 16B show the stopping position when corner backing is applied to a folded sheet bundle consisting of five sheets with a basis weight of 52 gsm. In this embodiment, the bundle is stopped when the leading edge (back) of the folded sheet bundle protrudes 1.49 mm from the second folding conveyor roller pair 812a and 812b. In other words, in this case, the corner backing will crush (flatten) the back of the folded sheet bundle by (1.49 - 1.0) = 0.49 mm. Furthermore, Figures 17A and 17B show the stopping position when corner backing is applied to a folded sheet bundle consisting of 30 sheets with a basis weight of 105 gsm. In this embodiment, the bundle is stopped when the leading edge (back) of the folded sheet bundle protrudes 4.96 mm from the second folding conveyor roller pair 812a and 812b. In other words, in this case, the corner backing will crush (flatten) the back of the folded sheet bundle by (4.96 - 1.0) = 3.96 mm. Thus, if stronger pressure is required, the amount the leading edge (back) of the folded sheet bundle protrudes from the second folding conveyor roller pair 812a and 812b can be increased, thereby optimizing the pressure required for corner backing.

[0056] The angular spine processing described in the above embodiment is not limited to any method that makes the spine of the sheet angular, as long as it creates a spine and suppresses the unfolding of the bifold booklet. For example, it may be configured as a clamping mechanism that holds the spine of the booklet in place with the spine protruding from 812a and 812b as shown in Figures 15 to 17B, and an independently movable spine-crushing roller 813 can be used to crush the protruding spine and create an angular spine shape.

[0057] As shown in Figure 11, the finisher control unit includes a microcontroller (CPU) 741, RAM 742, ROM 743, input / output unit (I / O) 745, communication interface 746, and network interface 744. The transport control unit 747 performs the transport process. In the intermediate processing tray control unit 748, the operation of the front and rear alignment plates of the processing tray 550, the rotation of the return paddle, and the rotation of the bundle discharge roller are controlled by a home position detection sensor and a drive motor, respectively. In the binding control unit 749, the clinching and movement of the stapler 820 are controlled by a home position detection sensor and a movement motor, respectively. In the saddle stitch binding control unit 750, the operation of the alignment plate, the rotation of the folding transport roller, the operation of the protruding member, the sheet positioning operation, the stapler clinching operation, and the operation of the additional folding unit are controlled by a home position detection sensor and a movement motor. Various sensor signals are input to the input port of I / O 745. The output ports of the I / O745 are connected to various drive systems via control blocks (not shown) and various drivers (not shown).

[0058] However, when a folded sheet bundle with perforations near the spine is subjected to a square spine treatment to flatten the fold of the spine, there is a problem in that, if the amount of compression of the spine of the sheet bundle due to the square spine treatment is not taken into account, the perforation position of the folded sheet bundle (a booklet with saddle stitching) will be shifted from the expected perforation position by the amount of compression of the spine of the sheet bundle due to the square spine treatment.

[0059] The situation in which the problem occurs will be explained with reference to Figures 35A and 35B. Figure 35A is an explanatory diagram showing the state in which a perforation process is performed on a booklet St at a position M at a predetermined length A away from the fold L that occurs when the booklet St is bound. Figure 35B is a diagram showing the state in which the booklet St has been bound and then given a corner spine treatment. At this time, if the predetermined length A is set to the same length and the perforation position M is set, the edge portion K of the corner spine becomes the starting point for opening the booklet, so the perforation position becomes A', which is shorter than A.

[0060] Therefore, in this disclosure, when applying corner back processing to a folded sheet bundle, the above-mentioned problem is solved by applying multiple perforations to one of the sheets constituting the sheet bundle at a position approximately symmetrical with respect to the midpoint of the sheet in the longitudinal direction, and correcting for the amount of compression of the back of the sheet bundle due to the corner back processing. Figures 18, 19, 25, and 26 are flowcharts for explaining this disclosure. Unless otherwise specified, the following operations are performed by the CPU 701 (hereinafter referred to as CPU 701) provided in the perforation device control unit 638, or the CPU 741 (hereinafter referred to as CPU 741) provided in the finisher control unit 636.

[0061] When the printing process is executed, CPUs 701 and 741 acquire print job information notified by the CPU circuit section 630 of the image forming apparatus control unit (S101).

[0062] Next, when the sheet is discharged from the image forming apparatus 600 to the perforating apparatus 200, the CPU 701 receives the sheet and transports it into the perforating apparatus 200 (S102).

[0063] The CPU 701 determines whether or not to perform a perforation process on the sheet to be transported based on the job information acquired in S101 (S103). If it is determined that no perforation process should be performed (S103:N), the process proceeds to S105. If it is determined that perforation should be performed (S103:Y), the CPU 701 stops the sheet at a predetermined position in the perforation path B in S104, and then performs the perforation process on the stopped sheet using the perforation drive motor M1. Details of this perforation process will be described later.

[0064] Subsequently, in S105, CPUs 701 and 741 determine whether the destination for the sheet is the saddle tray 850. If it is determined that the destination is not the saddle tray 850 (S105: N), then in S107, they further determine whether the destination is the upper stack tray 592. If it is determined that the destination is the upper stack tray 592 (S107: Y), CPUs 701 and 741 re-transport the stopped sheet and discharge it into the upper stack tray 592 (S108) to terminate the process. Also, in S107, if it is determined that the destination is the lower stack tray 591 (S107: N), CPUs 701 and 741 re-transport the stopped sheet and discharge it into the lower stack tray 591 (S109) to terminate the process.

[0065] On the other hand, if it is determined in S105 that the destination for the sheets is the saddle tray 850 (S105: Y), the stopped sheets are transported again and accumulated in the saddle processing tray (S106) to form a sheet bundle. Furthermore, the CPU 741 determines in S110 whether or not the accumulated sheets are the final sheets.

[0066] In S110, if it is determined that the accumulated sheet is not the final sheet of the unit (S110:N), the process is terminated. If it is determined that the sheet is the final sheet of the unit (S110:Y), the process is then determined to determine whether or not to perform a binding process on the formed sheet bundle (S111).

[0067] If it is determined in S111 to perform a binding process (S111: Y), the CPU 741 performs a binding process on the sheet bundle using a stapler (S112) and proceeds to S113. On the other hand, if it is determined in S111 not to perform a binding process (S111: N), the CPU 701 proceeds to S113 without performing a binding process on the sheet bundle.

[0068] Subsequently, the CPU 741 performs a thrusting process on the sheet bundle in S113 and a folding process in S114 to form a folded sheet bundle.

[0069] Next, the CPU 741 determines from the job information acquired in S101 whether or not to perform corner back processing on the folded sheet bundle (S115). If it is determined that corner back processing should not be performed on the folded sheet bundle (S115: N), the CPU 741 does not perform corner back processing and terminates the process by discharging the folded sheet bundle into the saddle tray 850 in S117. On the other hand, if it is determined that corner back processing should be performed (S115: Y), the CPU 741 performs corner back processing in S116, and then terminates the process by discharging the folded sheet bundle into the saddle tray 850 in S117.

[0070] Next, the perforation process, such as perforation and punching, in this disclosure will be explained using the flowcharts in Figures 19, 25, and 26.

[0071] For booklets and catalogs with many pages, high-quality deliverables with the aforementioned corner-edge finishing are required. For such deliverables, it is desirable to add perforations to the pages so that tickets or cards can be torn out at the user's desired location, or to add punch holes for ring binding so that the book can be filed at the user's desired location (see, for example, Figure 21).

[0072] Another similar process is creasing, which causes pages to fold at the user's desired position.

[0073] Perforation is a process that makes it easier for users to tear off pages by hand. Therefore, it is necessary to leave the intended length so that the remaining portion (the spine of the booklet) can be held down by hand after tearing along the perforations. In addition, with hole punching, if the positioning is too far off, it may become impossible to file the pages. With crease punching, pages may turn in positions other than intended, resulting in a decrease in the quality of the finished product.

[0074] In the perforation process described herein, the CPU 701 first detects the leading edge of the sheet with the sheet edge detection sensor 213 (S201), and then in S202 performs a perforation position adjustment (first time) and calculates the sheet transport length X1' (stop position) from the sheet edge detection sensor 213 for performing the perforation process (first time).

[0075] In the first perforation position adjustment, the CPU 701 first calculates the sheet transport length X1 after detecting the leading edge of the sheet with the sheet edge detection sensor 213 in S301, similar to the conventional technology. The amount of sheets transported up to the first perforation process X1 at this time is expressed as X1 = (l - A - 0.1 * (N - 1)) if the sheet S is the Nth sheet, as described above. For example, if the sheet is cardboard instead of ordinary paper, setting the coefficient of (N - 1) in the above formula to around 0.2 instead of 0.1 will enable control according to the thickness.

[0076] Next, in S302, the CPU 701 determines whether or not to perform corner back processing on the folded sheet bundle. If it is determined that corner back processing should not be performed (S302: N), the sheet transport length X1' (stopping position) from the sheet edge detection sensor 213 for performing the first perforation process is determined as the final sheet transport length X1' (stopping position) without any special correction processing, using the sheet transport length X1 calculated above (S304).

[0077] On the other hand, if it is determined in S302 to perform corner back processing (S302: Y), the CPU 701 corrects the length of the back of the folded sheet bundle that will be crushed by the corner back processing (crushing amount O) from the job information acquired in S101, and determines the sheet transport length X1' (stop position) from the sheet edge detection sensor 213 for performing the first perforation process (the sheet transport length X1' at this time is expressed as X1' = X1 - crushing amount O). Furthermore, as described above, the crushing amount O is 0.49 mm in the case of applying corner back processing to a folded sheet bundle consisting of 5 sheets with a basis weight of 52 gsm, and 3.96 mm in the case of applying corner back processing to a folded sheet bundle consisting of 30 sheets with a basis weight of 105 gsm. In this embodiment, the sheet transport length X1' is corrected by the amount of this crushing amount O.

[0078] In S202, once the sheet transport length X1' is determined, the CPU 701 transports the sheet for the sheet transport length X1' in S203, then stops the sheet, and in S204, performs a perforation process (first time) on the stopped sheet.

[0079] In S204, once the sheet has undergone the first perforation process, the CPU 701 starts transporting the sheet again in S205, and then in S206 calculates the sheet transport length X2' (stopping position) for the second perforation process.

[0080] In the second perforation position adjustment, the CPU 701 first calculates the sheet transport length X2 after the first perforation in S401, in the same way as in the conventional technology. The transport amount X2 up to the second perforation is expressed as X2 = 2(A + 0.1 * (N-1)) when the sheet S is the Nth sheet, as described above. For example, if the sheet is cardboard instead of ordinary paper, setting the coefficient of (N-1) in the above formula to around 0.2 instead of 0.1 will enable control according to the thickness.

[0081] Next, in S402, the CPU 701 determines whether or not to perform corner back processing on the folded sheet bundle. If it is determined that corner back processing should not be performed (S402: N), the sheet transport length X2' (stopping position) for performing the perforation process (second time) is determined as the sheet transport length X2 calculated above, without any special correction processing (S404).

[0082] On the other hand, if it is determined in S402 to perform corner back processing (S402: Y), the CPU 701 corrects the length of the back of the folded sheet bundle that will be crushed by the corner back processing (crushing amount O) from the job information acquired in S101, and determines the sheet transport length X2' (stop position) for performing the perforation process (second time) (the sheet transport length X2' at this time is expressed as X2' = X2 + crushing amount O). Furthermore, as described above, the crushing amount O is 0.49 mm in the case of applying corner back processing to a folded sheet bundle consisting of 5 sheets with a basis weight of 52 gsm, and 3.96 mm in the case of applying corner back processing to a folded sheet bundle consisting of 30 sheets with a basis weight of 105 gsm, and in this embodiment, the sheet transport length X2' is corrected by the amount of this crushing amount O.

[0083] In S206, once the sheet transport length X2' is determined, the CPU 701 transports the sheet for the sheet transport length X2' in S207, then stops the sheet, and in S208 performs a second perforation on the stopped sheet. Then, in S209, the sheet is transported again, and the perforation process is completed.

[0084] As described above, in this disclosure, when applying corner spine processing to a folded sheet bundle, by performing multiple perforations at positions approximately symmetrical to the midpoint of the longitudinal direction of the sheet, and by correcting for the amount of compression of the spine of the sheet bundle due to the corner spine processing, it is possible to prevent the perforation positions of the folded sheet bundle (booklet with saddle stitching processing) from being misaligned, as shown in Figures 21 to 24.

[0085] A more preferred embodiment for setting the perforation position when performing corner spine processing will be described in detail. This will be explained with reference to the flowchart in Figure 27. Figure 27 shows the sequence of display of saddle-stitch binding settings on the operation screen, including corner spine processing and perforation processing (screen display flow).

[0086] Once the user has configured the system to perform saddle binding, also known as saddle stitching and folding, they then select whether or not to perform corner spine processing (St401).

[0087] Next, it is set whether or not to perform perforation processing such as the aforementioned hole punching or perforation (St402). In this embodiment, perforation processing refers to the process of making it easier to tear the sheet by intermittently cutting from one end of the sheet to the other, and the intervals between cuts and the length of the cuts themselves may be uneven. Furthermore, the objective of making it easier to tear can also be achieved by fine punching instead of cutting, so these processes are also included in perforation processing.

[0088] Next, a drilling position input screen is displayed on the operation screen, but this drilling position input screen differs depending on whether corner back processing is performed (St403) or not (St404).

[0089] First, let's explain the display of the operation screen when the corner back processing shown in Figure 28 is not performed. When corner back processing is not performed, the punching position is set to start from the fold line L of the center fold, and the user inputs how many millimeters away from the starting position the punch should be. In this embodiment, the position a where the punch hole or perforation M is formed is set to 10 mm, and the operation screen is displayed in a way that makes it clear that the length from the center fold line to the perforation should be set.

[0090] Next, we will explain the display of the operation screen when performing the corner spine processing shown in Figure 29. When both corner spine processing and perforation processing such as perforation are performed, if the input screen remains as shown in Figure 28, showing the distance from the folding position during bookbinding to the position of perforation processing such as perforation, it becomes difficult for the operator to understand whether or not to set the perforation position considering the dimensions of the corner spine created by the corner spine processing. Therefore, in this embodiment, when both corner spine processing and perforation processing such as perforation are performed, the display of the screen is changed to prompt the operator to input the length a from the edge portion K of the corner spine to the position of perforation processing, using the edge portion K as the starting position.

[0091] The operation screen shown in Figure 29 aims to clearly indicate to the operator that the length they are entering is the length from the edge of the spine created by the corner spine processing to the perforation position. For this reason, the operation screen shown in Figure 29 displays an input section for entering the dimension of how many millimeters the spine (corner spine) will be created by the corner spine processing, and an input section for entering the distance from the edge of the spine created by the corner spine processing to the processing position. In addition to the above input sections, the operation screen shown in Figure 29 also displays a drawing of the booklet, a drawing of the corner spine, a drawing of the perforation, and a drawing showing the range corresponding to the length from the edge of the corner spine to the position of the perforation. The dimensions of the spine portion b may be simply displayed without specific dimensions, for example, by assuming that a square spine portion of X mm will be generated uniformly when a square spine treatment is performed. Alternatively, an information table may be provided in ROM 631 that stores the dimensions of the square spine portion according to the sheet type information, such as the basis weight, and the number of sheets forming the sheet bundle. The dimensions of the square spine portion may then be retrieved from the information table (ROM 631) based on the set sheet type information, such as the basis weight, and the number of sheets, and the specific dimensions may be displayed. Note that the length of the square spine increases as the basis weight increases, and decreases as the basis weight increases. Also, the spine length tends to increase as the number of sheets in the booklet increases. Furthermore, if the sheet type information is a coated paper or synthetic paper made of resin, the thickness increases as the basis weight increases, and the rigidity increases, so the length of the square spine tends to increase.

[0092] As shown in Figure 29, the edge portion K of the cornered back is used as the starting point, allowing the user to input the length from the starting point to the perforation position. This clearly indicates that the length entered by the operator is the length from the edge of the back created by the cornered back processing to the perforation position. This makes it possible to easily set and input the perforation processing position, such as perforations, without having to manually consider the back portion. Furthermore, if the presence or absence of cornered back processing changes during the setting of the perforation processing position, it is preferable to change the display screen each time, making it easier for the operator to recognize that the dimensions to be entered have changed due to the presence or absence of cornered back processing.

[0093] Furthermore, it is sufficient to achieve the function of clearly indicating that the length entered by the operator is the length from the edge of the spine created by the corner spine processing to the perforation position, and various display methods can be used. For example, when performing corner spine processing, it is effective to simply display the text information that "the input is the length from the edge of the corner spine to the perforation position" within the display for setting the perforation processing position (see Figure 34). To make it even easier to understand, it is even better to display a drawing of the booklet, displaying the corner spine and the position of the perforation processing on sheet S, and when the execution of corner spine processing is decided, drawing the corner spine and erasing the display of the folding position by the folding part, or using dotted lines, solid lines, and virtual lines to display it (see Figure 34), or clearly indicating the position of the corner spine by changing the color, or displaying the booklet in a folded state rather than an open state (see Figure 35B) to indicate the presence or absence of a corner spine and that the input is the length from the corner spine, and various other display methods are possible.

[0094] The flowchart in Figure 30 and Figure 31 show different operation screens when performing corner back processing. In this screen, the amount of mm of spine created by corner back processing is displayed, and the starting position for inputting the drilling position is displayed as a center fold line L, just as when corner back processing is not performed (St501). In this case, the user sets the length of the drilling position after recognizing the dimension b of the spine created by corner back processing. Since the effect of the spine length can be visually recognized without changing the operation depending on whether corner back processing is performed or not, the user may be allowed to select a display format that is easy for them to understand.

[0095] Another embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart in Figure 32. In this embodiment, regardless of whether or not corner spine processing is performed on the sheet bundle to be perforated, the user only needs to input the length from the fold of the booklet during the bookbinding process to the perforation process such as the perforation, and the system automatically adjusts for the shift in the position of the perforation process such as the perforation due to the dimensions of the corner spine caused by the corner spine processing. In this embodiment, the display of the length to the position where the perforation process such as the perforation is performed shows a screen calculated from the fold position of the conventional bookbinding process. Note that if the length for the corner spine processing is automatically adjusted, this fact may be displayed as text information. This mode allows even operators who are unaware that corner spine processing causes a shift in the position of the perforation to be performed to be able to provide a product with the perforation process such as the perforation at the desired position.

[0096] If the user selects saddle stitching and folding, the perforation position setting is initiated (St601 (display unit)). If it is decided that perforation will be performed, the user inputs the desired perforation position (e.g., 10 mm) on the operation screen, for example, Figure 28, and the perforation position information is acquired (St602). Next, the presence or absence of corner spine processing is checked (St603), and if corner spine processing is performed, the starting position is changed to the corner spine position (St604), and the spine dimensions are acquired from an information table (ROM631) stored in the CPU circuit unit 630 that stores in advance what the dimensions of the corner spine will be in mm according to the basis weight and number of sheets forming the sheet bundle (St605). Subsequently, half of the spine dimension information is added to the perforation position information to update the information (St606), and the perforation is performed accordingly. After this, the bound and corner-spine processed booklets are discharged from the machine, and the user can obtain a finished product with the desired position, that is, a length of 10 mm from the edge of the corner spine to the perforation position such as the perforation, without having to consider the effect of the corner-spine processing on the perforation position. In other words, in this embodiment, the CPU circuit 630 adjusts the perforation position (e.g., the position of the perforation) in the perforation process (e.g., perforation) based on the instruction to perform corner-spine processing by the corner-spine processing means.

[0097] For example, when binding a predetermined number of sheets of a predetermined type, if the first mode is when perforation is applied to the outermost sheet of the booklet and corner spine processing is applied to the bound booklet, and the second mode is when binding a predetermined number of sheets of a predetermined type is when perforation is applied to the outermost sheet of the booklet and the corner spine processing is not applied to the bound booklet, the CPU circuit unit 630, acting as an adjustment unit, adjusts the position of the perforations by the perforation part so that the length from the folding position to the perforation position of the outermost sheet of the booklet in the first mode is longer than the length from the folding position to the perforation position of the outermost sheet of the booklet in the second mode. The CPU circuit unit 630 also controls the punching unit 200 in the same way to adjust the position of the punches in punching processes other than perforation, such as punching. Furthermore, even when crease processing is performed, the CPU circuit 630 similarly controls the crease processing unit 200 to adjust the position of the crease.

[0098] In this embodiment, the user only needs to set the length from the end of the sheet bundle, and the device automatically calculates the deviation due to the spine dimensions based on the information regarding whether or not corner spine processing is performed, so the processing details can be entered with simple operation. Note that as the basis weight increases, the dimensions of the corner spine become longer, so the length to the perforation processing position also needs to be increased. As the basis weight decreases, the dimensions of the corner spine become shorter, so the length to the perforation processing position needs to be shortened. Also, as the number of sheets in the booklet increases, the dimensions of the corner spine become longer, so the length to the perforation processing position also needs to be increased. As the number of sheets in the booklet decreases, the dimensions of the corner spine become shorter, so the length to the perforation processing position also needs to be shortened. Even when the length from the corner spine to the perforation processing position is shortened, it will not be shorter than the length to the perforation processing position when corner spine processing is not performed.

[0099] In another embodiment, instead of obtaining the dimensions of the corner spine from an information table, if the setting is to have corner spine processing enabled, a certain effect can be obtained even if the position of the perforation processing is shifted by a fixed length regardless of the number of sheets. Alternatively, calculation processing may be performed from sheet type information, including information such as the basis weight of the sheet, and the number of sheets. For example, the larger the basis weight, the longer the corner spine becomes, and the smaller the basis weight, the shorter it becomes. Also, the spine tends to get longer as the number of sheets in the booklet increases. Furthermore, if the sheet type information is a sheet that has been processed such as coated paper or synthetic paper made of resin, the thickness increases as the basis weight increases, and the rigidity increases, so the corner spine tends to get longer.

[0100] Furthermore, the automatic adjustment of the perforation position based on the information on the implementation of corner spine processing can be confirmed by observing that the distance from the fold resulting from the binding process to the perforation position on the sheet located furthest to the cover (outermost) when a predetermined number of sheets (e.g., 20 sheets) of a predetermined type of paper (e.g., plain paper) are bound is longer than the distance from the fold resulting from the binding process to the perforation position on the sheet located furthest to the cover (outermost) when a predetermined number of sheets (e.g., 20 sheets) of a predetermined type of paper (e.g., plain paper) are bound and then corner spine processing is applied.

[0101] In another embodiment, instead of obtaining the dimensions of the spine by the corner spine processing, the punching position may be adjusted based on the length by which the spine of the booklet protrudes from the second folding conveyor roller pair 812a and 812b when the corner spine processing is performed.

[0102] In the examples described so far, we have explained cases where perforation processes such as punching holes or making perforations are applied to the sheet, but the same applies when the process applied to the sheet is creasing. In this case, the crease is applied at a position different from the spine at the corner position, with the effect of making it easier to turn the cover and pages of the booklet.

[0103] In the case of crease processing, by performing the same control as when performing the perforation processing described above, if it is desired to apply crease processing to a position different from the corner spine position of the booklet to be processed, the operator can recognize that the input is for the length from the edge portion K of the corner spine to the crease position by displaying the corner spine and indicating that the input is for the length from the edge portion K of the corner spine to the crease position, and then input the length.

[0104] This disclosure can also be implemented by supplying a program that implements one or more of the functions of the above-described embodiments to a system or device via a network or storage medium, and by having one or more processors in the computer of that system or device read and execute the program. It can also be implemented by a circuit (e.g., ASIC) that implements one or more functions.

[0105] This disclosure can be used in an image forming system for creating booklets.

[0106] The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications and variations are possible without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the following claims are attached to make the scope of the invention public.

[0107] This application claims priority based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2024-196049, filed on 8 November 2024, and Japanese Patent Application No. 2025-187799, filed on 6 November 2025, and all of the contents of those applications are incorporated herein by reference.

[0108] S Sheet Sb Folded section (spine) St Double-folded sheet bundle (booklet) 1 Image forming system 100 Finisher (component of post-processing device) 200 Perforating device 217 Switching member 220 Perforating unit (perforation processing section, perforation processing section, crease processing section) 600 Image forming device (image forming section) 601 Operation screen (display section) 630 CPU circuit section (adjustment section) 631 ROM (information table) 635 Printer control section 636 Finisher control section 638 Perforating device control section 800 Saddle stitching section (bookbinding section) 810a, 810b Folding roller pair 811a, 811b First folding transport roller pair 812a, 812b Second folding transport roller pair 813 Spine crushing roller 814 Corner spine processing section 815 Alignment plate pair 820 Stapler 830 Protruding part A Length to perforation processing position L Fold position for bookbinding K Edge portion for corner spine processing M Perforation / perforation processing position

Claims

1. An image forming system comprising: an image forming unit for forming an image on a sheet; a perforation processing unit for applying perforations to the sheet on which the image has been formed by the image forming unit; a bookbinding processing unit for performing bookbinding processes, including binding and folding, on a plurality of sheets, including the sheet on which the perforation processing unit has been applied; a spine processing unit for applying a spine processing to form a spine on the spine of a book bound by the bookbinding processing unit; and an adjustment unit for adjusting the position of the perforations made by the perforation processing unit based on an instruction to perform the spine processing by the spine processing unit.

2. The image forming system according to claim 1, wherein the adjustment unit adjusts the position of the perforations made by the perforation processing unit according to the type and number of sheets constituting the booklet.

3. The image forming system according to claim 1, wherein, when a binding process is performed on a predetermined number of sheets of a predetermined type, the first mode is when the perforation process is performed on the outermost sheet of the booklet and the corner spine processing is performed on the bound booklet, and the second mode is when a binding process is performed on a predetermined number of sheets of a predetermined type, the perforation process is performed on the outermost sheet of the booklet and the corner spine processing is not performed on the bound booklet, the adjustment unit adjusts the position of the perforations by the perforation processing unit so that the length from the folding position to the perforation position of the outermost sheet of the booklet in the first mode is longer than the length from the folding position to the perforation position of the outermost sheet of the booklet in the second mode.

4. An image forming system comprising: an image forming unit for forming an image on a sheet; a perforation unit for perforating the sheet on which the image has been formed by the image forming unit; a bookbinding unit for performing bookbinding processes, including binding and folding, on a plurality of sheets, including the sheet perforated by the perforation unit; a spine processing unit for performing a spine processing to form a spine on the spine of a book bound by the bookbinding unit; and an adjustment unit for adjusting the position of perforations made by the perforation unit based on instructions to perform the spine processing by the spine processing unit.

5. The image forming system according to claim 4, wherein the adjustment unit adjusts the position of the perforations made by the perforation processing unit according to the type and number of sheets constituting the booklet.

6. The image forming system according to claim 4, wherein, when a binding process is performed on a predetermined number of sheets of a predetermined type, the first mode is when the perforation process is performed on the outermost sheet of the booklet and the corner spine processing is performed on the bound booklet, and the second mode is when a binding process is performed on a predetermined number of sheets of a predetermined type, the perforation process is performed on the outermost sheet of the booklet and the corner spine processing is not performed on the bound booklet, the adjustment unit adjusts the position of the perforation by the perforation processing unit so that the length from the folding position to the perforation position of the outermost sheet of the booklet in the first mode is longer than the length from the folding position to the perforation position of the outermost sheet of the booklet in the second mode.

7. An image forming system comprising: an image forming unit for forming an image on a sheet; a crease processing unit for applying a crease to the sheet on which the image has been formed by the image forming unit; a bookbinding processing unit for performing bookbinding processes, including binding and folding, on a plurality of sheets, including the sheet on which the crease processing unit has been applied; a spine processing unit for forming a spine on the spine of a book bound by the bookbinding processing unit; and an adjustment unit for adjusting the position of the crease applied by the crease processing unit based on an instruction to perform the spine processing by the spine processing unit.

8. The image forming system according to claim 7, wherein the adjustment unit adjusts the position of the crease made by the crease processing unit according to the type and number of sheets constituting the booklet.

9. The image forming system according to claim 7, wherein, when a binding process is performed on a predetermined number of sheets of a predetermined type, the first mode is when the crease processing is performed on the outermost sheet of the booklet and the corner spine processing is performed on the bound booklet, and the second mode is when a binding process is performed on a predetermined number of sheets of a predetermined type, the crease processing is performed on the outermost sheet of the booklet and the corner spine processing is not performed on the bound booklet, the adjustment unit adjusts the position of the crease by the crease processing unit so that the length from the folding position to the crease position of the outermost sheet of the booklet in the first mode is longer than the length from the folding position to the crease position of the outermost sheet of the booklet in the second mode.

Images