Selective Creasing Mechanism for Saddle-Stitch Booklet Production
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional saddle-stitch and fold machines suffer from 'toner crack' on outer sheets and 'swell' along the fold line, which affect the quality of booklets produced, especially when using toner colorant.
Innovation Solution
A saddle-stitch and fold machine equipped with a creaser that selectively forms creases on sheets based on operator input, using a movable project part to avoid toner crack and swell issues, featuring a conveyer, detector, saddle-stitcher, folder, controller, and input device to control the creasing process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a creaser forms a crease on all sheets printed by a printer using toner colorant, then toner crack on outer sheets is prevented, but toner crack on inner sheets occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The creaser is designed to apply different treatments to different sheets in the stack. Specifically, it forms creases on center sheets but intentionally avoids forming creases on outer sheets (first and last sheets) of the booklet. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction by preventing toner crack on inner sheets through selective creasing while avoiding the harmful effect on outer sheets.
2Manufacturing precision
If a creaser forms a crease on all sheets, then swell along the fold line is prevented, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The creaser incorporates a movable creasing member that can dynamically adjust its position and action based on the sheet being processed. The creasing member is positioned to contact only the center sheets during the creasing operation, while outer sheets pass through without crease formation. This dynamic adjustment allows the system to maintain simple overall structure while achieving selective creasing to prevent swell on fold lines.
3Reliability
If the project part is always at the crease position to prevent toner crack, then toner crack is prevented, but productivity decreases due to unnecessary creasing
Solution Approach 1:
The creaser applies creasing action only to the extent necessary - specifically, only to center sheets that require it. The creasing member is positioned and controlled to contact only the necessary portions of the sheet stack (center sheets) while leaving outer sheets unaffected. This partial action approach maintains reliability for preventing toner crack where needed while avoiding excessive creasing that would reduce productivity.
Data Source
AI summary
The creaser 2 includes a project part 21 for forming the crease 120 on the sheet 101 and a receive part 22 for receiving the project part 21. The project part 21 is moved between a crease position and a standby potion, the project part 21 being at the crease position so as to form the crease 120 on the sheet 101, the project part 21 being away from the sheet 101 at the standby position so as not to form the crease 120 on the sheet 101. The input device 6 includes a selector 60 for selecting the sheet 101 to be creased by the creaser 2 from among the sheets 101 fed from the conveyer 1, the input device 6 sending the information of the selection to the controller 5.