EP0602710A1

EP0602710A1 - Device for binding bundles of sheets

Info

Publication number: EP0602710A1
Application number: EP93203410A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Guido Peleman
Original assignee: Sisam SA
Current assignee: Sisam SA
Priority date: 1992-12-14
Filing date: 1993-12-04
Publication date: 1994-06-22
Also published as: KR940013877A; CA2111249A1; CN1089550A; JPH07164780A; AU5236593A

Abstract

Device for binding bundles of sheets, whereby the sheets (3) are attached to the back (5) of a binding element (4) by means of an adhesive (6), characterized in that the device (1) is provided with automatic pressing means for pushing the sheets (3) in the adhesive (6).

Description

This invention relates to a device for binding bundles of sheets.
It is known that sheets can be bound to a bundle by inserting these sheets in a binding element, the back of which is at the inside provided with an adhesive. It is also known that such adhesive can consist of a glue which melts at a certain temperature. Hereby, the glue is heated during the binding, and the sheets are placed against the glue, so that they intrude in the glue, due to their own weight, and remain fixated after the hardening of the glue.
With the above-mentioned technique, it often occurs that not all sheets come in contact with the glue. In order to remedy this, the sheets can be tapped against the back of the binding element. The binding of the sheets therefore requires a manual intervention. Moreover, in order to obtain a good result, some handiness is needed.
When binding relatively thick bundles, it also often happens that deformations occur, because it is difficult to provide in a steady pressing force. More specifically, it often happens that the back is not located perpendicularly to the sheets. This causes a deformation which persists after the hardening of the glue.
The present invention relates to a device for binding bundles of sheets whereby one or more of the above-mentioned disadvantages are excluded.
To this end, the invention relates to a device for binding bundles of sheets, whereby the sheets are attached to the back of a binding element by means of an adhesive, characterized in that the device is provided with automatic pressing means for pushing the sheets in the adhesive.
According to the invention, said pressing means are preferably conceived in such a way that they allow that with a stroke a force is exercised on the back of the binding element. To this end, the pressing means consist for instance of a mechanism allowing that the bundle of sheets moves together with the binding element, to be subsequently slowed down against the back, so that the sheets intrude in the adhesive.
According to a variant, the pressing means can also consist of a supporting element for a bound bundle and a movable pressing element which can be moved upto the back of the bound bundle.
According to an other variant, these pressing means consist of a vibrating mechanism, which can cooperate with the bundle and the binding element. This allows that said bundles can be bound in an equal way, regardless of their thickness.
Besides that, the device is preferably provided with a heating element to heat the adhesive. Hereby, the device is then primarily destined for the bundling in binding elements which are provided with a layer of thermo-activatable glue, in other words an adhesive which melts at a certain temperature. It is clear that the heating takes place at the temperature which is usual therefor.
In the preferred embodiment, the device is also provided with a control, for instance a time control, which assures that first a heating takes place and subsequently, while the glue of the binding element is still liquid and/of soft, a vibration cycle is provided.
In order to better show the characteristics of the invention, some preferred embodiments are described hereafter, as examples without any limitative character, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

figure 1 represents a device according to the invention;
figure 2 represents the device of figure 1 for a different position;
figures 3, 4 and 5 represent three other embodiments of devices according to the invention;
figure 6 represents the device of figure 5 for a different position;
figure 7 represents another device according to the invention;
figure 8 represents another variant of the invention.

As represented in figure 1, the invention relates to an invention 1 for binding a bundle 2, consisting of a pack of sheets 3, by means of a binding element 4, for instance a file, which is provided at the inside of its back 5 with an adhesive 6, for instance a glue layer which melts at a certain temperature.
The particularity of the invention exists in that the device 1 is provided with automatic pressing means to obtain that the sheets 3 of the bundle 2 are pushed in the adhesive 6. As represented in figure 1 and as is further explained in detail hereafter, said pressing means preferably consist of a mechanism 7 which is formed by a receiving element 8 and a movable supporting element 9 to support the bundle 2 together with the binding element 4, whereby the movable supporting element 9 allows, due to its movement, that a bundle 2 placed in the binding element 4 lands with its back on the receiving element 8.
In the embodiment of figure 1, use is made of a supporting element 9 which provides in a controlled falling motion of the bundle 2 placed in the binding element 4. The supporting element 9 therefore is part of an elevator 10, which is in this case composed of two endless elements 11 and 12, which are mounted vertically next to each other, which are revolving in opposite direction with respect to one another, and which are to this end led over the necessary bending elements 13. The supporting element 9 is preferably attached to one endless element 12, while at the second endless element 11 a stop 14 is provided to support the supporting element 9 at its free extremity at the moment a bundle 2 is present thereon. It is clear that the more than one supporting element 9 can be attached to the endless element 12.
The endless elements 11 and 12 are preferably coupled to a drive 15, which cooperates for instance with a number of bending elements 13. The drive 15 can hereby consist of an electric motor which can be controlled by means of a control 16.
Said receiving element 8 consists of a horizontal element which can be brought into and out of the trajectory of a bundle 2 by means of a drive 17.
In case the device is destined for the thermal binding of of sheets 3 in a binding element 4, in other words whereby use is made of a binding element 4 with a thermally meltable glue layer, the device is also provided with a heating element 18. As represented in figure 1, this heating element 18 can be brought into and out of the trajectory of a bundle 2 placed on a supporting element 9 by means of a drive 19. The drives 17 and 19 are controlled by means of said control 16.
Furthermore, the device 1 can be provided with a receiving magazine 20 to receive the bound bundles 2 and to allow the adhesive 6 to harden.
The functioning and the use of the device 1 can easily be deduced from figures 1 and 2.
As represented in position A in figure 1, first the heating element 18 is extended and the respective supporting element 9 is positioned at the height of this heating element. The bundle 2 is inserted in the binding element 4 and the whole is placed on the heating element 18, with its back facing downwards.
By switching the heating element 18 on, the adhesive 6 will melt after a certain time, or at least become viscous, whereby the sheets 3 already intrude partially in the adhesive 6, due to their own weight.
According to the invention, the heating element 18 is then retracted, and the bundle 2 is moved downwards by the drive of the supporting element 9, which is represented in dashed line by means of a position B. Meanwhile, it is assured that the receiving element 8 is located beneath the bundle 2.
As the supporting element 9 moves beyond the receiving element 8, the bundle 2 hits the receiving element 8 with a well determined speed, whereby, as represented in position C of figure 2, the sheets 3 intrude deeper in the adhesive 6, due to the stroke occuring thereby, so that after hardening of the adhesive 6 a better adhesion will be obtained.
By subsequently retracting the receiving element 8, the bound bundle 2 falls further down and is received in the receiving magazine 20, where the cooling of the adhesive 6 can take place.
It is clear that the control 16 provides in that all movable parts are driven according to said cycle.
It is also clear that guides 21 can be provided to guide the concerned bundle 2. In case the endless elements 11 and 12 are placed close enough to each other, these can also act as guides.
In figure 3 a device 1 is represented whereby several mechanisms 7 are present, so as to bind several bundles 2 in binding elements 4.
A particular characteristic of the device of figure 3 exists in that each mechanism 7 mainly consists of a movable supporting element 22 for the concerned bundle 2 and elements 23 which can suddenly interrupt the movement of the supporting element 22. The movable supporting element 22 consists for instance of an elevator which can move up and down by means of the necessary guides 24. Said elements 23 preferably consist of stops or the like, which are in this case formed by the bottom of the device 1, on which the supporting elements 22 can be lowered. The elevator can be conceived in such a way that the supporting element is automatically lowered under the influence of the weight of the bundle 4. According to a variant, the elevator can also be provided with a drive, which is not represented, for moving the supporting element 22 down as well as back to the upper position.
Above the supporting elements 22, an additional removable support 25 can be provided, allowing that the different bundles 2 with the corresponding binding elements 4 can be placed in the device 1 in compartments 26 provided to that end, and said adhesives 6 can be heated by means of a heating element 27 before the bundles 2 are placed on said supporting elements 22.
The support 25 can consist of a belt 28, for instance of polytetrafluorethylene, which is stretched between two elements 29 and 30, and bent over guides 31, and which can be pulled sideways from underneath the bundles 2 by means of a suitable drive 32. It is clear that also the necessary means are provided for returning the belt to its starting position, which can for instance take place by means of a spring 33.
The heating element 27 is preferably located at the end of the belt 28.
The elevators of the different mechanisms 27 are preferably located in a part 34 which acts as a receiving magazine and cooling space.
It is clear that the device of figure 3 can also be realized with only one single mechanism 7.
The functioning of the device 1 of figure 3 can easily be deduced from this figure. At the start, it is assured that the support 25 extends under all compartments 26. the heating element 27 is then located at the extreme right. Subsequently, bundles 2 of sheets 3 which are inserted in binding elements, can be placed in the different compartments 26. The heating element 27 is then moved to the left by means of the drive 32, whereby each movement, from compartment to compartment, only takes place after the adhesive 6 of the binding element 4 located on the heating element 27 has melted. Due to the movement of the support 25 and the heating element 27, the bundles 2 inserted in the binding elements 4 fall in the part 34. Due to the presence of an elevator in the part 34, a controlled fall is provoked. Indeed, the bundle 2 is supported during the fall by the corresponding supporting element 22 and the guides 24. Each supporting element 22 is suddenly braked in the bottom position, with as a consequence that the sheets 3 intrude deeper into the adhesive 6.
In figure 4, a device 1 is represented which substantially functions in the same way as the device of figure 3. The only difference consists in that the capacity per time unit is doubled by using two heating elements 27, which can each cooperate with one of said compartments 26. The movement of the supports 25 and the heating elements 27 can be obtained by means of a mutual drive 32, in such a way that the heating elements 27 are moved from the centre outwards.
In figures 5 and 6 another device 1 is represented, which is characterized in that use is made of a supporting element 35 which can be moved away from a bound bundle, in such a way that the concerned bundle 2 together with the binding element 4 end up on a receiving element 36 after the pulling away of the supporting element 35, by means of a free fall.
As represented in these figures, the device can be realized plurally, whereby for applying the bundles on the supporting element 35 as well as for receiving the bundles falling off the supporting element 35, use can be made of separate compartments 26 and 37.
The compartments 26 can be formed by supports 38 which allow a positioning of the bundles 2. These supports preferably consist of vertical plates which allow that the bundles 2, due to the lateral movement of the supporting element 35, are pulled against the supports 38, so that they are positioned vertically and eventually will also fall down vertically after the supporting element 35 has been pulled away, with as a consequence that the bundles fall horizontally down with their back facing downwards.
The supporting element 35 is similar to the support 25 of figures 3 and 4, and is also provided with a belt 28 which can be moved by means of a drive. The supporting element 35 is provided with a heating element 39.
The functioning of the device of figures 5 and 6 can easily be deduced from the figures. Figure 5 represents the position when applying the different bundles 2, in the binding elements 4, on the supporting element 35. Figure 6 represents the positioning of the bundles 2 against said supports 38. During the binding, the heating element 39 is brought under the backs 5 of the binding elements 4, one after the other, each time long enough to allow the adhesive 6 to melt. Hereby, the sheets 3 already intrude partially in the adhesive 6. Each time the heating element 39 is moved to a next compartment 26, the preceding bundle 2 falls down in the corresponding compartment 37. Due to the stroke upon impact on the receiving element 36, the sheets 3 intrude deeper in the adhesive 6 which is still liquid or viscous.
According to the embodiment of figure 7, the pressing means at least consist of a vibrating mechanism 40 which can cooperate with the concerned bundle 2 and the concerned binding element 4.
As it will become apparent from the further description, the vibrating mechanism 40 is preferably conceived in such a way that the vibrations at least work in a direction perpendicular to the back 5 of the bundles 2 to be bound. More specifically, use is made of a vibrating element 41 which executes a vibrating movement T as is represented in figure 7, namely vertically.
The vibrating mechanism 40 is preferably of such a nature that it provides in beating movements, in other words movements whereby the binding element 4 and the bundle 2 come loose from the supporting surface underneath, to subsequently return thereon with a stroke.
The vibrating element 41 preferably cooperates with the back 5. More specifically, it is preferred that the vibrating element 41 is provided with a supporting surface 42 on which the bundle 2 can be placed upright, so that it rests on the vibrating element 41 due to its own weight.
The vibrating mechanism 40 can be of different nature. As represented in figure 7, it can consist of said vibrating element 41, an eccentric 43 to cause the vibrating movement T and a motor 44 to power the eccentric 43.
As is further represented in figure 7, the device 1 can be provided with a magazine 45 which allows several bundles 2 with corresponding binding elements 4 to be applied in the device 1. The bundles 2 can hereby be vibrated one after another. In order to realize this, the device 1 is provided with transport means 46 which provide in a mutual movement between the bundles 2 in the magazine 45 and the vibrating mechanism 40. In the represented example, these transport, means 46 consist of an endless belt 47, which extends horizontally under the magazine 45, to which the vibrating mechanism 40 is attached, in such a way that the different bundles 2 rest in their binding elements 4 on the belt 47 and the vibrating mechanism 40 can be brought under the bundles 2, one after the other.
The belt 47 can hereby be moved stepwise or continuously, for instance by means of a motor 48. At the end of the cycle, the belt 47 can either be turned through, or turned back, until the vibrating mechanism 40 is back in the starting position.
The magazine 45 can consist of a number of compartments 49 which are formed by parallel vertical partitions 50.
Preferably, the device 1 is in this case also provided with a heating element 51 which provides in the heating and melting of the adhesive 6, prior to the vibrating.
The functioning of the device of figure 7 can easily be deduced from this figure. The bundles 2 to be bound are inserted in binding elements 4 in the compartments 49. In the starting position, the heating element 51 is located under the extreme right compartment 49 and provides in the heating of the adhesive 6 of the binding element 4 which is present therein. After the adhesive 6 has melted, the heating element 51 is brought under the next binding element 4, by turning the belt 47, and the vibrating mechanism 40 is located under the extreme right compartment 49. Due to the vibrating movement T the sheets 3 sink to the bottom or almost to the bottom of the adhesive 6, and an equal binding is obtained. By further moving the belt 4, this process is repeated for all other bundles 2 to be bound.
As represented in figure 8, the heating element 51 can also be incorporated in the vibrating element 41. Hereby, the heating element 51 is switched on first, and after a certain time the vibrating mechanism 40. During the vibration, the heating element 51 may remain turned on or not.
It is clear that according to the invention the words "pushing the sheets" can mean any action which contributes to the fact that the sheets intrude in the glue, regardless whether the vibrating force is exercised on the sheets 3, on the back 5 of the binding element 4 or on both.
The present invention is in no way limited to the embodiments described as examples and represented in the drawings, but such device for binding bundles of sheets can be realized in different forms and dimensions without leaving the scope of the invention, as comprised in the following claims.

Claims

Device for binding bundles of sheets, whereby the sheets (3) are attached to the back (5) of a binding element (4) by means of an adhesive (6), characterized in that the device (1) is provided with automatic pressing means for pushing the sheets (3) in the adhesive (6).
Device according to claim 1, characterized in that it is provided with a heating element (18, 51) which can provide in the heating of the back of the bundle (2) placed in the binding element (4), prior to the pressing.
Device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that it is provided with pressing means which allow that with a stroke a force is exercised on the back (5) of the binding element (4).
Device according to claim 3, characterized in that the pressing means consist of a mechanism (7) which allows that a bundle of sheets (3) placed in the binding element (4) is moved, to be subsequently braked against the back (5), so that the sheets (3) intrude in the adhesive (6).
Device according to claim 4, characterized in that said mechanism (7) consists of a receiving element (8, 36) and a movable supporting element (9, 35) to support the bound bundle (2), whereby this supporting element (9, 35), due to its movement, allows that the bound bundle (4) lands with its back (5) on the receiving element (8, 36).
Device according to claim 5, characterized in that it is provided with a supporting element (9) which follows the falling movement of the bound bundle (2) in order to provide in a controlled fall.
Device according to claim 5, characterized in that it is provided with a supporting element (35) which can be moved away from the bound bundle (2) in such a way that the bundle (2) falls on the receiving element (36) by a free fall.
Device according to claim 7, characterized in that it is provided with positioning means which mainly consist of a vertical support (38) and a drive which can provide in the vertical movement of the supporting element (35), in such a way that the bundle (2) placed in the binding element (4) is positioned against the vertical support (38) due to the movement of the supporting element (35).
Device according to claim 4, characterized in that said mechanism (7) mainly consists of a movable supporting element (22) for a bundle (2) placed in a binding element (4), and elements (23) which suddenly interrupt the movement.
Device according to claim 7, 8 or 9, characterized in that it is conceived plurally, whereby it presents several compartments (26, 37) for the treatment of several bundles (2), and that it is provided with a support (25, 35), which consists of a belt (28) which is movable by means of a drive, which can support the bundles (2) in the different compartments (26) and allows, due to its movement, that the bundles (2) can fall successively on a receiving element (36).
Device according to claim 3, characterized in that the pressing means consist of a supporting element for a bundle (2) inserted in a binding element (4) and a movable pressing element which can be moved against the back of the binding element (4).
Device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the pressing means at least consist of a vibrating mechanism (40).
Device according to claim 12, characterized in that it is conceived in such a way that the vibrations of the vibrating mechanism (40) at least work in the direction perpendicular to the back (5) of the binding element (4).
Device according to claim 13, characterized in that it is conceived in such a way that the vibrations of the vibrating mechanism (40) work in the vertical direction.
Device according to any one of claims 12 to 14, characterized in that the vibrating mechanism (40) provides in a beating movement.
Device according to any one of claims 12 to 15, characterized in that the vibrating mechanism (40) is provided with a vibrating element (41) which cooperates with the back (5) of the binding element (4), and which allows that the concerned binding element (4) with the sheets (3) inserted therein rests with its back (5) on the vibrating element (41) during the binding.
Device according to any one of claims 12 to 16, characterized in that it is provided with a magazine (45) in which several binding elements (4) with bundles of sheets (3) to be bound can be applied and transport means (46) which provide in a mutual movement between the magazine (45) and the vibrating mechanism (40), so that the vibrating mechanism (40) can cooperate consecutively with the back (5) of each binding element (4).
Device according to claim 17, characterized in that the transport means (46) consist of an endless belt (47) to which the vibrating mechanism (40) is attached.
Device according to claim 18, characterized in that it is provided with a heating element (51) which is attached to the belt (47) in front of the vibrating mechanism (40), so that the heating element (51) and the vibrating mechanism (40) can cooperate simultaneously with a binding element applied in the magazine (45), whereby the movement of the transport means provides in that, upon moving the heating element (51) to a next binding element (4), the vibrating mechanism (40) is presented to the previously heated binding element (4).
Device according to any one of claims 12 to 19, characterized in that the vibrating mechanism (40) is composed of a vibrating element (41), an eccentric (43) to supply the vibrating movement (T) and a motor (44) to power the eccentric (43).