Sheet Stack Tongue Binding Mechanism

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional document binding methods rely on staples or adhesives, which can be inconvenient and may not provide a secure or aesthetically pleasing solution for binding sheets without leaving visible marks.

Innovation Solution

A post-processing device with a binding unit that forms a cut in a sheet stack, creating a tongue portion which is then bent and inserted into the cut to bind the sheets without staples or adhesives, ensuring the tongue portion's root is on the downstream side during transport to prevent catching or damage.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If a tongue portion is formed and inserted into a cut to bind sheets, then the binding strength is improved and no visible fasteners are left, but the tongue portion may be caught or damaged during transport if oriented incorrectly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebinding strengthVSAvoidtransport reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The tongue portion is designed with an asymmetric structure where one end (the root) is wider and stronger than the other end. This asymmetric design ensures that when the tongue is inserted into the cut, the wider root end naturally positions itself on the downstream side, preventing it from being caught or damaged during transport while maintaining strong binding capability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #4Asymmetry

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of having the narrow end of the tongue portion lead during transport, the invention inverts the conventional approach by positioning the wide root end on the downstream side. This inversion ensures that the stronger part of the tongue is protected from damage during handling and transport, while still achieving secure binding

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

2Ease of manufacture

If conventional binding methods using staples or adhesives are used, then the binding process is simple, but visible marks are left on the documents and the aesthetic appearance deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebinding process simplicityVSAvoidaesthetic appearance

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSShape

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts the visible fastening elements (staples or adhesives) from the binding process and replaces them with a tongue portion that is inserted into a cut. This extraction eliminates visible marks on the document surfaces while maintaining the binding function, achieving both simplicity and aesthetic appearance

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The tongue portion acts as an intermediary element that provides binding functionality without direct contact with the visible surfaces of the documents. By inserting the tongue into a cut rather than attaching it to the surface, the binding mechanism remains hidden while still providing secure attachment

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS8936237B2Post-processing device and image forming apparatus

Publication Date: 2015.01.20 FUJIFILM BUSINESS INNOVATION CORP

AI summary

The post-processing device includes: a binding unit that forms a cut in a sheet stack and cuts a part of the sheet stack into a predetermined shape to form a tongue portion in the sheet stack, the tongue portion having a part where one end part of the tongue portion is not separated from the sheet stack, and binds the sheet stack by bending the tongue portion and inserting the other end part of the tongue portion into the cut; and a sheet stack transport unit that transports the sheet stack in an orientation such that the one end part of the tongue portion in the sheet stack bound by the binding unit is on a downstream side of the other end part of the tongue portion in the sheet stack transport direction.