Crimper Liquid Applier Binding Load Feedback

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Solution Overview

Problem

Crimp binding technologies face challenges in maintaining strong binding and stability due to increased sheet bundles, where the binding teeth struggle to effectively engage and hold the sheets, leading to potential peeling issues.

Innovation Solution

A medium processing apparatus incorporating a crimper, a liquid applier, and a binding load detector, where the liquid applier adjusts the amount of liquid applied based on the detected binding load to enhance the engagement of the binding teeth with the sheet bundle, ensuring stronger binding.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If the sheet bundle size is increased, then the productivity is improved, but the binding strength deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesheet bundle sizeVSAvoidbinding strength

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The liquid applier applies liquid to the sheet bundle before the crimper performs binding. This preliminary action softens the sheets and enhances the binding teeth's ability to engage with the sheet bundle, allowing effective binding even when the sheet bundle size is large and would otherwise hamper the binding teeth.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

Liquid serves as an intermediary substance that facilitates the binding process. By applying liquid to the sheet bundle, it creates a medium that enables the binding teeth to effectively engage with the sheets, bridging the gap between the binding mechanism and the sheet bundle regardless of size.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Productivity

If the sheet bundle size is increased, then the productivity is improved, but the reliability of binding state deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesheet bundle sizeVSAvoidbinding state stability

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The liquid applier applies liquid to the sheet bundle before binding. This preliminary action ensures that the sheets are softened and prepared in advance, which prevents peeling and maintains binding state stability even when the sheet bundle size is large and would otherwise cause sheets to peel off.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The binding load detector detects the load of the crimper during binding and provides feedback to the liquid applier. The liquid applier then adjusts the amount of liquid applied based on this feedback, ensuring optimal binding conditions are maintained throughout the process, which enhances the reliability of the binding state.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Strength

If liquid is applied to enhance binding, then the binding strength is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebinding strengthVSAvoiddevice complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The liquid applier and crimper are integrated into a single medium processing apparatus. This merging of functions allows the liquid application and binding operations to be performed in a coordinated manner within one device, reducing overall system complexity compared to having separate machines.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The binding load detector automatically monitors the binding process and provides feedback to the liquid applier, which then self-adjusts the liquid application amount. This self-service mechanism eliminates the need for manual intervention or complex external control systems, reducing device complexity while maintaining binding strength.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The solution improves the binding strength and stability of the sheet bundle by dynamically adjusting the liquid application in response to the binding load, preventing peeling and enhancing the overall binding process.

Implementation Method 1

a liquid applier that applies liquid to a position on the media at which binding is to be performed by the crimper

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectLiquid application:

Implementation Method 2

The crimper presses and deforms a part of a medium bundle, which is a plurality of sheet-shaped media bundled, to bind the medium bundle

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCompression: Compression

Implementation Method 3

a binding load detector that detects a load of the crimper during the binding

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectLoad detection:

Data Source

PatentUS12005675B2Medium processing apparatus and image forming system incorporating same

Publication Date: 2024.06.11 RICOH CO LTD

AI summary

A medium processing apparatus includes a crimper, a liquid applier, a driving source, and a binding load detector. The crimper presses and deforms a part of a medium bundle, which is a plurality of sheet-shaped media bundled, to bind the medium bundle. The liquid applier applies liquid to a position on the media at which binding is to be performed by the crimper. The driving source operates the crimper. The binding load detector detects a load of the crimper during the binding. The liquid applier adjusts an amount of the liquid to be applied to the media in accordance with a magnitude of the load during the binding detected by the binding load detector.