JP4775531B2 - Book binding machine - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a binding apparatus for bookbinding.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventionally, bookbinding sheets and cover sheets are transported to predetermined positions on separate transport paths, and a melted hot melt adhesive is applied to the back of the bookbinding sheets in the middle of transporting the bookbinding sheets. A pressure is applied to bond the cover to the back of the bookbinding paper, and the back of the cover is bent according to the thickness of the bookbinding paper for bookbinding.
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
By the way, it is preferable to always maintain the amount of the molten hot melt adhesive in the housing within a certain range, and it is always the minimum amount necessary to minimize the generation of smoke and off-flavor from the molten hot melt adhesive. However, no solution to this problem has been proposed yet.
[0004]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
Therefore, the present invention eliminates the disadvantages of each of the above-described conventional techniques, and particularly provides a control means for maintaining the housing capacity in the housing to the minimum necessary for suppressing smoke and off-flavor from the molten hot melt adhesive. An object is to provide a gluing device provided.
[0005]
In order to achieve this object, it is claimed in claim 1. The present invention Is a sheet roller for winding a long belt-shaped hot melt sheet, a sheet feed roller for transporting a hot melt sheet unwound from the sheet roller along a predetermined transport path, and a hot melt sheet above its melting temperature. A heat roller that is heated to melt, a housing that contains the hot melt adhesive melted by contact with the heat roller, and a rotation drive mechanism that rotates the heat roller in a predetermined direction, and the melt hot melt in the housing In the gluing device configured to apply the adhesive to the back of the bookbinding paper via the heat roller, the first detecting unit detects whether or not the molten hot melt adhesive in the housing has reached a first predetermined level. A sensor means; Second sensor means for detecting whether the molten hot melt adhesive in the housing has reached a second predetermined level that is higher than the first predetermined level; When the first sensor means detects that the molten hot melt adhesive in the housing is below a predetermined level, the sheet feeding roller is driven to unwind the hot melt sheet from the sheet roller, and the leading end of the hot melt sheet is heated to the heat roller. The molten hot melt adhesive in the housing is replenished with the first sensor means, and the molten hot melt adhesive in the housing is First Drive control of the sheet feed roller to stop the sheet feed roller when it is detected that it is above a predetermined level In addition, the apparatus is stopped when the second sensor means detects that the molten hot melt adhesive in the housing is above a second predetermined level. And a control means.
[0006]
Claim 2 is the gluing device for bookbinding according to claim 1, A plurality of grooves are formed at intervals on the peripheral surface of the heat roller. It is characterized by that.
[0007]
A third aspect of the present invention provides the binding apparatus for bookbinding according to the first or second aspect, An adhesive coating amount control blade disposed at a predetermined interval between the upper end of the housing and the peripheral surface of the heat roller, and a pair of fixings protruding toward the heat roller from the adhesive coating amount control blade A blade, a projecting position provided at a predetermined position in the pair of fixed blades and projecting from the adhesive application amount control blade toward the heat roller, and a retreat position retreating from the adhesive application amount control blade An adhesion amount control means comprising one or a plurality of movable blades movable between the pair of fixed blades, or between one of the fixed blades and the movable blade at the protruding position. By scraping off the molten hot melt adhesive adhering to the paper, the molten hot melt adhesive is applied with a coating width corresponding to the size of the bookbinding paper. It is characterized by that.
[0008]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a bookbinding apparatus to which the present invention can be applied. A text supply means 1 including a text thickness detection means 2, a gluing means 3, a text transfer means 4, and a cover cutting means. 6 and a cover supply means 5 including a cover positioning means 7, a cover adhesive means 8, a cover molding means 9, a booklet discharge means 10, and a chip discharge means 11.
[0009]
The body supply means 1 has a pasting position (first predetermined position) in a state where the body to be bound is clamped from both sides. )Until Supply. The body thickness detection unit 2 detects the body thickness in the clamped state by the body supply unit 1. The pasting means 3 applies a hot melt adhesive to the back part of the text supplied to the pasting position by the text supplying means 1. The body transport means 4 transports the body text with the hot melt adhesive applied to the back by the pasting means 3 from the pasting position to the cover sheet molding position (second predetermined position).
[0010]
The cover sheet supply means 5 supplies the cover sheet to the cover sheet forming position, more specifically, to the lower part of the hot melt adhesive coating back portion of the main body transferred to the cover sheet forming position by the main body transfer means 4 at the same position. Upon receiving the detection result (text thickness detection value) by the detection means 2, the cover cutting means 6 cuts the cover according to the thickness of the text, and the center of the cut cover is the thickness of the text at the cover molding position. The cover is positioned by the cover positioning means 7 so as to coincide with the center, and the cover is fed to the cover forming position. The cover scraps cut by the cover cutting means 6 are discharged by the chip discharge means 11 through a chip discharge path different from the cover sheet passing path by the cover sheet supply means 5.
[0011]
At the cover forming position, the cover bonding means 8 presses and adheres the center of the cover supplied by the cover supply means 5 to the hot melt adhesive application back portion of the main text. The cover molding means 9 binds the cover bonded by the cover bonding means 8 along the both side edges of the hot melt adhesive application back portion of the text and binds the book. The cover sheet adhering means 8 and the cover sheet forming means 9 may be configured to simultaneously realize both functions with a single means, as in the embodiments described later. The booklet with a cover thus bound is discharged from the series of bookbinding lines by the booklet discharge means 10 and is conveyed to a predetermined place.
[0012]
The cover printing unit 12 performs arbitrary printing at an arbitrary position according to the cutting size of the cover cut by the cover cutting unit 6. As described above, the cover cutting means 6 receives the text thickness detection value detected by the text thickness detection means 2 and cuts the cover to a predetermined size. At this time, the cover center position of the booklet after bookbinding is determined. I know it. Accordingly, the cover printing unit 12 can receive print data such as characters and images to be printed on the cover, and can print the print data in consideration of the cover center position of the booklet after bookbinding. Can be printed without causing any problem, and is particularly effective in the case of full-scale printing. In addition, there is no need to perform pre-printing before bookbinding as in the prior art, and there is an advantage that cover printing can be performed in a series of bookbinding steps by incorporating a printing mechanism into the bookbinding apparatus. The printing mechanism used for the cover printing means 12 may be any conventionally known printing mechanism, such as an inkjet printing mechanism.
[0013]
In FIG. 1, the text thickness detection value detected by the text thickness detection means 2 is shown to be input to the cover cutting means 6, the cover positioning means 7 and the cover printing means 12. In response to the detected body thickness detection value, the cover cutting means 6, the cover positioning means 7 and the cover printing means 12 are each controlled to operate as described above.
[0014]
FIG. 2 is a front view showing an overall configuration of an automatic bookbinding apparatus in which a gluing means 3 (FIG. 1) as an embodiment of the present invention is incorporated, and includes a mechanism corresponding to each means shown in FIG. However, the cover printing means is omitted in this embodiment.
[0015]
In FIG. 2, the text supply means 1 (FIG. 1) is mainly composed of a sub-clamp 20, and a thickness sensor 21 attached to the sub-clamp 20 constitutes the text thickness detection means 2 (FIG. 1).
[0016]
The sub-clamp 20 can be reciprocally swung around the support shaft 23 by the rotation mechanism 22, and by a control means (not shown), the text supply position indicated by a solid line in FIG. It is controlled to take three positions: a jog position that is rotated to the position of the main body and a text delivery position that is a position rotated about 30 degrees in the same direction from the jog position.
[0017]
The sub-clamp 20 includes a table 24 on which the text A to be bound is placed and accommodated, a clamp plate 25 for pressing the text A placed and accommodated on the table 24 from above, and the clamp plate 25 of the text A. And a moving mechanism for clamping the text A on the table 24 by moving in the thickness direction. FIG. 3 shows an example of the moving mechanism. The rotation of the motor 33 is transmitted to the eccentric cam 36 via the worm gear 34 and the worm wheel 35, and the eccentric cam 36 is rotated so that one end of the shaft 38 is rotated. The provided cam follower 37 is moved, and thereby the shaft 38 is moved, and the clamp plate 25 connected to the other end of the shaft is moved in a direction approaching or separating from the table 24. A coil spring 39 is wound around the shaft 38 between the table 24 and the cam follower 37, and this spring force causes a required amount of text A sandwiched between the table 24 and the clamp plate 25. A clamping force is applied.
[0018]
The front ends of the table 24 and the clamp plate 25 have a comb-like shape, and protruding claws 24a and 25a and recesses 24b and 25b are alternately provided at predetermined intervals (FIG. 4).
[0019]
On the front end side of the table 24 (left side in FIG. 2), stoppers 28 for locking the front end of the text A input on the table 24 are rotatably provided, and both sides of the text A on the table 24 in the width direction. A fixed guide 29 and a movable guide 30 for regulating the position of the edge are provided. Further, the sub clamp 20 is rotatably provided with a pressing plate 31 for pressing the rear end of the text A placed and accommodated on the table 24 (FIGS. 3 and 5). The movable guide 30 is spring-biased so as to rotate counterclockwise in FIG. 6 about the support shaft 30a, and cooperates with the fixed guide 29 in response to the width variation of the text A placed on the table 24. It works to regulate the left and right positions. The holding plate 31 is biased by the torsion coil spring 32 so as to rotate counterclockwise in FIG. The pressing plate 31 constitutes a part of the text supply means 1 (FIG. 1) and at the same time constitutes a part of the jog unit 40 as described later.
[0020]
Although not shown, the sub-clamp 20 is provided with a body size sensor for detecting the size (A4, B5, etc.) of the body A supplied on the table 24.
[0021]
When the sub-clamp 20 is moved from the retracted position to the jog position by the rotating mechanism 22 described above, the jog unit 40 detects the text A clamped between the table 24 and the clamp plate 25 of the sub-clamp 20 at this position. The alignment is performed by applying a predetermined vibration.
[0022]
This jog unit 40 has a base 42 that reciprocally swings between a retracted position (indicated by a two-dot chain line in FIG. 2) and an operating position (indicated by a solid line in FIG. 2) by a rotating mechanism 41, and a base 42. A substantially L-shaped vertical swing plate 43 that is mounted so as to be movable up and down via a slide rail (not shown), and a text lower end positioning plate 44 that is mounted at right angles to the lower end of the base 42 (in this embodiment, the base 42). Are attached at intervals in the width direction (see FIG. 11), and the vertical swing plate 43 is parallel to the surface of the base 42 (direction parallel to the paper surface of the text A). A reciprocating vibration mechanism 45, the above-described pressing plate 31 that presses the body A supported by the sub-clamp 20 from above, a left / right swing plate 46, and a left / right swing plate 46. Text A And a vibration mechanism 47 that intermittently collides with the left side edge (FIG. 6) (FIGS. 5, 6, 10, and 11).
[0023]
In this embodiment, the vibration mechanism 45 includes a motor 45a, an eccentric cam 45b that is rotationally driven by the motor, and an engagement hole 45c provided in the vertical swing plate 43 to engage with the eccentric cam. Configured. The vibration mechanism 47 has substantially the same configuration, and includes a motor 47a, an eccentric cam 47b that is rotationally driven by the motor, and an engagement hole 47c provided in the left and right rocking plate 43 to be engaged with the eccentric cam. It is configured.
[0024]
The text alignment by the jog unit 40 is performed while the upper and lower alignments are held by pressing the upper end with the pressing plate 31 with respect to the text A which is free after the sub-clamp 20 is moved to the jog position. The lower end of the swing plate 43 is aligned by a minute vertical movement, and the left and right alignment is performed by pressing the left end of the left and right swing plate 46 while the right end of the text A is fixed by the fixed guide 29. Do by aligning. Since the pressing plate 31 can be rotated clockwise (FIG. 5) against the urging force of the coil spring 32, the vibration of the text A accompanying the minute vertical movement of the vertical swing plate 43 is allowed. Also, always on the left edge of the text A Movable guide 30 Are elastically engaged, so that the right and left rocking plate 46 is prevented from rebounding when it is separated from the text A during the jog operation.
[0025]
Note that the upper surface of the text lower end positioning plate 44 attached perpendicularly to the lower end of the base 42 has a height between the highest position and the lowest position that the text lower end support surface 43a can take in the vertical reciprocation of the vertical swing plate 43. Is in position. Accordingly, during the minute vertical movement of the vertical swing plate 43, the lower end of the text A collides with the positioning plate 44 while the lower end support surface 43a of the text descends from the highest position to the lowest position, and the lower end support face 43a of the text is lowest. In the middle of ascending from the position to the highest position, it engages with the lower end of the text A and raises it. By repeating this, the vertical alignment is performed more effectively.
[0026]
The main clamp 50 constitutes the body transfer means 4 (FIG. 1). In FIG. 2, the right movable clamp plate 51, the left fixed clamp plate 52, and the movable clamp plate 51 are moved relative to the fixed clamp plate 52. Thus, a clamp opening / closing mechanism 53 that opens and closes the main clamp and a moving mechanism 54 that horizontally moves the entire main clamp 50 are provided. As the clamp opening / closing mechanism 53, for example, a mechanism similar to the moving mechanism (FIG. 3) exemplified for the sub-clamp 20 can be employed.
[0027]
The main clamp 50 that is moved horizontally by the moving mechanism 54 is a main clamp 50 in which the body A in a state of being pressed and clamped between the table 24 and the clamp plate 25 when the sub-clamp 20 reaches the body delivery position will be described later. Control is performed so as to take three positions: a text receiving position to be transferred to 50, a gluing position, and a cover forming position. In FIG. 2, the main clamp at the text receiving position is indicated by a solid line, and the main clamp at the cover forming position is indicated by a dotted line. Although the pasting position is not shown in the figure, the thickness center of the text A which is slightly moved to the left in the figure from the text delivery position and clamped between the clamp plates 51 and 52 is on the center line of the heat roller 64 (described later). It is a position aligned with.
[0028]
The distal end portions (upper end portions) of the clamp plates 51 and 52 are comb-like like the table 24 and the distal end portions of the clamp plate 25 of the sub clamp 20, and the protruding claws 51a and 52a and the recessed portions 51b and 52b are formed. Tables that are alternately provided at predetermined intervals, but the arrangement relationship between the claw and the recess in the main clamp and the sub clamp is reversed, and when the sub clamp 20 reaches the text delivery position, the table that clamps the text A 24, the claws 24a, 25a of the clamp plate 25 enter the recesses 51b, 52b of the clamp plates 51, 52 of the main clamp 50 waiting at the text receiving position, and the claws 51a, 52a of the clamp plates 51, 52 24 enters the recesses 24b and 25b of the clamp plate 25 (FIG. 4).
[0029]
The gluing means 3 (FIG. 1) in FIG. 2 is shown as a heater unit 60, and a sheet roller 62 for winding a long hot melt sheet 61 and a hot melt sheet 61 unwound from the sheet roller 62. The sheet feed roller 63 that conveys the toner along the predetermined conveyance path, the heat roller 64 that heats the hot melt sheet 61 fed from the sheet feed roller 63 to a temperature higher than its melting temperature, and the contact between the heat roller 64 A housing 65 that accommodates the hot melt adhesive 61 ′ melted by the above, a rotation drive mechanism 66 that rotates the heat roller 64 in a predetermined direction (clockwise in FIGS. 2 and 7), and a lift drive that moves the heat roller 64 up and down. And a mechanism 67. The hot melt adhesive 61 ′ melted by the contact with the heat roller 64 is accumulated at the bottom of the housing 65 having an arcuate cross section and adheres to the peripheral surface of the heat roller 64 and moves from the text receiving position to the gluing position. Application of Molten Hot Melt Adhesive 61 'to the Back of Text A Clamped to Main Clamp 50 (In the Gluing Position, the Center of Thickness is Located Directly Above the Center Line of Heat Roller 64) I do.
[0030]
The housing 65 is provided with temperature sensors 68 and 69 at two locations on the upper and lower sides (FIG. 7). The temperature sensor 68 provided at the lower level is for detecting the presence of the molten hot melt adhesive 61 ′ at this level. The temperature sensor 68 has a temperature higher than the melting temperature of the hot melt sheet 61, for example, a temperature of about 180 degrees. Turns ON when detected. When the temperature sensor 68 is turned off, it indicates that the amount of the molten hot melt adhesive 61 ′ in the housing 65 is insufficient, so that the sheet feeding roller 63 is driven to remove the hot melt sheet 61 from the sheet roller 62. Unwinding and melting the tip by bringing it into contact with the heat roller 64 to replenish the molten hot melt adhesive 61 ′ in the housing 65. Thus, when the temperature sensor 68 is turned on, it indicates that a predetermined amount or more of the molten hot melt adhesive 61 ′ has been accommodated in the housing 65, so the sheet feeding roller 63 is stopped. By repeatedly performing the above control, a predetermined amount or more of the molten hot melt adhesive 61 ′ can always be accommodated in the housing 65.
[0031]
Note that if the amount of the molten hot melt adhesive 61 ′ in the housing 65 is large, the working environment is deteriorated due to generation of smoke and odor, so the amount of the molten hot melt adhesive 61 ′ in the housing 65 is minimized. It is preferable to set the installation position of the temperature sensor 68 and the detected temperature so that the temperature is suppressed. As will be described later with reference to FIG. 18, by forming the annular groove 107 on the peripheral surface of the heat roller 64, the bookbinding operation can be performed even when the amount of the molten hot melt adhesive 61 ′ in the housing 65 is relatively small. A sufficient amount of molten hot melt adhesive 61 'can be applied to the back of text A.
[0032]
On the other hand, the temperature sensor 69 provided at the upper level is a safeguard for a case where a hot melt sheet 61 is fed more than necessary due to some trouble and a large amount of molten hot melt adhesive 61 ′ is accommodated in the housing 65, When a temperature equal to or higher than the melting temperature of the hot melt sheet 61, for example, a temperature of about 180 degrees is detected, the output is turned ON, and the automatic bookbinding machine is stopped for safety.
[0033]
The rotation drive mechanism 66 always rotates the heat roller 64 in a predetermined direction at a constant speed, but when gluing the back part of the text A, it rotates forward and backward within a minute angle range (for example, about ± 5 degrees). The molten hot melt adhesive 61 ′ is applied not only to the back portion of A but also to both side portions in the vicinity thereof. The gluing operation will be described in detail in S203 to S205 of the flowchart of FIG.
[0034]
The operation of each part in the heater unit 60 described above, for example, the output of the temperature sensors 68 and 69 is received to drive / stop the sheet feeding roller 63, and the heat roller 64 is rotated / stopped / reversed in a predetermined direction by the rotation drive mechanism 66. The movement of the heat roller 64 by the rotation and the lift drive mechanism 67 is controlled by a control device such as a computer (not shown).
[0035]
FIG. 17 shows an embodiment of a heater unit provided with means for controlling the amount of adhesion of the molten hot melt adhesive 61 ′, and the upper end of the housing 65 (positioned in front of the text A in the direction in which the heat roller 64 always rotates). A pair of fixed blades 101, 102, an adhesive application amount control blade 103, and a plurality of movable blades 104, 105, 106 provided between the fixed blades 101, 102 in accordance with the size of the text A. Have. A predetermined gap is provided between the tip of the adhesive coating amount control blade 103 and the peripheral surface of the heat roller 64 (see FIG. 1A). The amount of adhesive 61 'applied is controlled.
[0036]
In this embodiment, the size of the text A that can be bound is set to A5 to A4W, and when the text is pasted on the text of A4W width, the movable blades 104 to 106 are not used using the fixed blades 101 and 102, and the text of A4 width is used. When gluing to the body, move the movable blade 104 to the other side edge with one side edge in contact with the fixed blade 101. Similarly, when gluing to the text of B5 width and A5 The movable blades 105 and 106 are moved to the other side edge while the one side edge is in contact with the fixed blade 101 for use.
[0037]
In the pasting position, the body A is positioned in the width direction with the one side edge as a reference regardless of the size, and the position of the other side edge varies depending on the size (see FIG. 17B). At the time of gluing, the melted hot melt adhesive 61 'is scraped off by the fixed blade 101 for one side edge serving as a reference, and the fixed blade 102 (in the case of A4W size) or movable for the other side edge that varies depending on the body size. Any one of the blades 104 to 106 is moved until it comes into contact with the peripheral surface of the heat roller 64 to scrape the molten hot melt adhesive 61 ′, and the amount controlled by the adhesive coating amount control blade 103 between them. The molten hot melt adhesive 61 'is applied to the back of the text A. As described above, since the application width of the melted hot melt adhesive 61 ′ is controlled according to the size of the text, the adhesive protruding from both sides of the text A is not cured and does not impair the appearance of bookbinding.
[0038]
FIG. 18 shows a preferred embodiment of the heat roller 64, and a large number of annular grooves 107 are provided on the circumferential surface at predetermined intervals in the axial direction. For this reason, the melt hot melt adhesive 61 ′ for the film thickness T controlled by the adhesive application amount control blade 103 adheres to the peripheral surface of the heat roller 64 and melts so as to fill each annular groove 107. Since the hot melt adhesive 61 ′ adheres (see FIG. 5B), the amount of the hot melt adhesive 61 ′ can be increased.
[0039]
The cover sheet supply means 5 (FIG. 1) in FIG. 2 is shown as a paper feed unit 70, and a cover sheet 71 for storing a cover sheet (hereinafter simply referred to as a cover sheet) B, and a cover sheet B stored in the cover cassette 71 are predetermined. And a series of transport roller groups 73 for transporting the cover sheet B fed by the sheet feed roller 72 along a predetermined sheet passing path. The last transport roller is provided as a cover positioning roller 81 described later. The cover cassette 71 can accommodate a plurality of predetermined types of cover B according to the bookbinding size (A4, B5, etc.). Although not shown, the cover cassette 71 is provided with a cover size sensor that detects the size of the cover B stored in the cover cassette 71. In addition to the cut position sensor 74 described below, a plurality of sensors 82 to 84 are provided as sensors for detecting that the paper B is being conveyed along a predetermined paper passing path.
[0040]
A cover cutting means 6 (FIG. 1) is provided in the middle of the paper path of the cover B defined by the transport roller group 73. In the embodiment of FIG. 2, this is provided with a cut position sensor 74 and a cutter blade 75a. The cutter 75 is configured (FIGS. 8 and 9). The cutter blade 75a is driven by a motor (not shown).
[0041]
The cover sheet B ′ cut to a predetermined size corresponding to the thickness of the text A by the cutter 75 is further transported along a predetermined sheet passing path by the sheet passing chute 80 and the transport roller 73, and the cover sheet positioning means 7 (described later) 1), the sheet is positioned at a predetermined position and sent to the cover sheet forming position. On the other hand, the cut cover scraps are discharged by a chip discharge means 11 (FIG. 1) through a chip discharge path different from the paper passing path. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the chip discharging means includes a movable plate (path switching means) 77 that is controlled to be switched in synchronization with the operation of the cutter 75, and the movable plate 77 at the dotted line position (FIGS. 2 and 9). A chip discharge chute 78 provided adjacent to the paper feeding chute 80 is provided to feed the cover scraps cut by the cutter 75 to the chip tray 79 at a certain time.
[0042]
The sheet passing path of the cut cover B ′ is a substantially horizontal plane immediately before the cover forming position (FIG. 1), and a pair of upper and lower cover sheets constituting the cover positioning means 7 (FIG. 1) is within this horizontal sheet passing area. A positioning roller 81 and a cover alignment pin 85 are provided (FIG. 12). The cover positioning roller 81 is always kept in pressure contact with the facing roller 86, but can be retracted from the facing roller 86 by the elevating mechanism 87, and the cut cover B 'is a predetermined for cover bonding and cover molding. Ascends immediately before reaching the position and retracts from the opposing roller 86. The cover sheet alignment pin 85 can be moved up and down between the raised position and the lower standby position shown in FIG. 12 and can be moved in the cover sheet conveyance direction (horizontal direction) while the cover sheet positioning roller 81 is retracted. In addition, the position of the cover B ′ that has been raised from the standby position until then to the raised position and advanced in the horizontal direction, and fed into the vicinity of the molding position in cooperation with a fixing guide 88 (FIG. 16) described later. Make minor corrections. Thereafter, the cover sheet positioning roller 81 is driven again to feed the cover sheet B ′ to a predetermined molding position.
[0043]
In FIG. 2, the cover cover bonding means 8 (FIG. 1) and the cover cover forming means 9 (FIG. 1) are shared by a single cover cover forming unit 90, and a pair of forming plates 91, 91 and plates for opening and closing these forming plates The entire opening / closing mechanism 92, the moving plate 93 provided immediately below the molding plate, the moving mechanism 94 for moving the moving plate 93 in the horizontal direction, and the cover sheet molding unit 90 of the molding plate are all in a standby position (shown by a solid line in FIG. 2). And an elevating mechanism 95 that moves up and down between a molding position (shown by a dotted line in FIG. 2). The molding plates 91 and 91 are symmetrical with respect to the thickness center of the text A supported vertically by the main clamp 50 at the cover molding position. A symmetrical relationship with respect to the thickness center is maintained.
[0044]
The moving plate 93 has a booklet insertion hole 93a having a width equal to or larger than an allowable maximum thickness (for example, 20 mm) that can be bound by the automatic bookbinding apparatus of this embodiment and allowing the booklet C after bookbinding to be inserted. 2, when in the position shown in FIG. 2 (solid line position and dotted line position = shutter closing position), the text insertion hole 93a is an opening between the molding plates 91, 91 (both plates when the plates are opened by the plate opening / closing mechanism 92). 2), when the plate is moved to the right in FIG. 2 by the moving mechanism 94 (shutter opening position), the molding plates 91 and 91 are opened by the plate opening / closing mechanism 92. Sometimes the position is controlled to align with the opening formed between the plates.
[0045]
A booklet discharge means 10 (FIG. 1) for discharging the bound booklet C is provided below the cover forming unit 90. In the embodiment of FIG. 2, a movable plate that can be aligned with the opening between the forming plates 91 and 91 is provided. 93 booklet insertion hole 93a, a guide 96 provided below this, and a belt conveyor 97 on which the booklet C dropped from the guide 96 is placed and transported in the direction perpendicular to the paper surface.
[0046]
The operation of each part of the automatic bookbinding apparatus described above is controlled by a control device such as a computer (not shown), which will be described below with reference to the flowcharts of FIGS.
[0047]
The flowchart of FIG. 13 shows an operation flow from the start of bookbinding work to the completion of delivery to the main clamp after the text A is supplied by the sub-clamp 20 and the jog unit 40 performs alignment in the supply process. .
[0048]
First, in S101, it is confirmed whether all initial start conditions are satisfied. The initial start condition includes, for example, that the sub-clamp 20 is in the above-described text supply position and the jog unit 40 is in the above-described retracted position, that the text A is set on the table 24 of the sub-clamp 20, The cover 71 of the size corresponding to the size of the text A on the table 24 is accommodated in the cassette 71 of the paper unit 70 (determined based on the detection values by the text size sensor and the cover size sensor described above), the heater unit 60, that a predetermined amount of hot melt adhesive 61 ′ is already contained in the housing, the start switch is turned on, and the like.
[0049]
After confirming that all initial start conditions are satisfied in S101, the clamp plate 25 of the sub-clamp 20 is moved (lowered) in the direction of approaching the table 24, and the text A is clamped between them ( S102), the thickness of the text A is detected by the sensor 21 in this clamped state (S103). Note that the automatic bookbinding apparatus of the embodiment of FIG. 2 can bind a text having a thickness of 1.5 mm or more and 20 mm or less. Here, it is assumed that the detection value by the sensor 21 is within this allowable range. When it is outside, the sub clamp 20 is opened and an error is displayed to wait for reset.
[0050]
Next, the sub clamp 20 is moved to the jog position, and the stopper 28 holding the front end of the text A is retracted to the dotted line position in FIG. 2 (S104), and then the jog unit 40 is retracted by the rotating mechanism 41. While moving from the position to the operating position (solid line position in FIG. 2), the clamp plate 25 is slightly opened to release the clamp for the text A (S105), and the jog unit 40 performs alignment for a predetermined time (S106). The alignment operation by the jog unit 40 is as already described in detail with reference to FIGS. 5, 6, 10, and 11. During the alignment by the jog unit 40, the main clamp 50 that has finished the cover bonding and cover molding at the cover molding position is moving toward the text receiving position or has already returned to the text receiving position. Further, the cover B for the next bookbinding operation is fed from the cover cassette 71 of the paper feed unit 70 or is being conveyed.
[0051]
After the jog unit 40 finishes aligning for a predetermined time, the clamp plate 25 is moved again to the table 24 to clamp the text A (S107), and the jog unit 40 is moved to the retracted position (the two-dot chain line position in FIG. 2). Evacuate (S108).
[0052]
Next, after confirming that the main clamp 50 has completed a series of operations related to cover bonding and cover molding, which will be described later, and has returned to the text receiving position (S109), the text A after the end of alignment is clamped. The sub-clamp 20 is moved to the text delivery position by the rotation mechanism 22 (S110). At this time, the main clamp 50 is in an open state (FIG. 4A). As described above, the claws 24a and 25a at the front end of the sub clamp enter the recesses 51b and 52b of the main clamp, and the claws 51a and 52a enters the recesses 24b and 25b at the front end of the sub clamp (FIG. 4 (b)), and the main clamp is closed (S111) and the sub clamp 20 is opened (S112). The text A can be transferred from the sub clamp 20 to the main clamp 50 without shifting (FIG. 4 (c)).
[0053]
The opened sub-clamp 20 returns to the text supply position and waits for text supply for the next bookbinding (S113). Further, a signal indicating that the main clamp 50 that has received the text A from the sub-clamp 20 in S111 and S112 is movable from the text receiving position toward the gluing position is output (S114). Then, it is confirmed whether or not the next start condition is satisfied (S115), and the process returns to S102 described above. The next start condition includes, for example, that the text A is set on the table 24 of the sub clamp 20 and that the start switch is turned on. If the next start condition is not satisfied even after a predetermined time has elapsed, it is determined that the bookbinding operation has been completed, and the apparatus is stopped.
[0054]
The flowchart of FIG. 14 shows an operation flow from the gluing process to cover bonding and cover molding. First, after confirming that a main clamp movement enable signal has been output (FIG. 13: S114) (S201), The clamp 50 is moved from the text receiving position to the gluing position (S202). As described above, the main clamp 50 when receiving the text A from the sub-clamp 20 is at a position slightly shifted to the right in FIG. 2 from the central axis of the heat roller 64 of the heater unit 60. Referring to FIG. 13 (detected in S103), the main clamp 50 is received so that the thickness center of the main body A clamped upright on the main clamp 50 is positioned on the center axis of the heat roller 64. The position is moved from the position (solid line position in FIG. 2) to the pasting position.
[0055]
Next, the heat roller 64 is raised by the lift drive mechanism 67 (S203). The heat roller 64 is normally rotated in a predetermined direction by a rotation drive mechanism 66, and a predetermined amount of molten hot melt adhesive 61 ′ is adhered to the peripheral surface thereof. At the time of ascent (S203), the rotation is stopped, and the heat roller 64 is raised and is brought into pressure contact with the back portion of the main body A clamped upright on the main clamp 50 at the glued position with a predetermined pressure contact force. Then, it is rotated forward and backward within a minute angle range (for example, about ± 5 degrees) (S204). As a result, the molten hot melt adhesive 61 ′ is applied not only to the back portion of the main text A but also to both side portions near the back portion, and then the heat roller 64 is lowered to the standby position (S205). The pasting operation by the heater unit 60 is thus completed.
[0056]
Next, after confirming whether or not the cover (cover B ′ cut to a predetermined size) has already been sent to a predetermined position on the molding plates 91 and 91 of the cover molding unit 90 (S206), the main clamp 50 is further moved. In FIG. 2, it is moved to the left to the cover forming position (S207). In addition, at the cover molding position of the main clamp 50, the thickness center of the text A in which the hot melt adhesive 61 ′ is applied to the back portion and the vicinity thereof is located on the center line of the molding plates 91 and 91. Similarly, the center of the width of the cover B ′ is located on the center line of the molding plates 91 and 91. The operation for positioning the cover will be described later with reference to the flowchart of FIG.
[0057]
Then, the molding plates 91 and 91 that have been closed are opened by the plate opening / closing mechanism 92 (S208), and the cover sheet molding unit 90 that has been in the standby position (solid line position in FIG. 2) is moved to the molding position by the lifting mechanism 95 (FIG. 2). The position is raised to the dotted line position (S209). When the movable plate 93 is raised while the molding plates 91 and 91 are open, the cover is pressed against the back of the upright body A clamped by the main clamp 50 at the cover molding position, and has already been applied. The back part of the text A is bonded to the center of the cover through the hot melt adhesive 61 ′.
[0058]
Next, the molding plates 91 and 91 are closed (S210). Since it has already been confirmed in S206 that the text A and the cover B 'are arranged between the molding plates 91 and 91, the molding plates 91 and 91 are closed here so that the side edges of the back of the text A The cover can be folded along the cover to form a cover. In addition, since the hot melt adhesive 61 ′ is applied to both side regions close to the back portion of the text A by the pasting step (so-called side glue), the molding plates 91, 91 are closed to close the side. The cover sheet B ′ can be bonded to both side areas close to the back of the text A via glue. That is, in step S210, cover bonding and cover molding are performed simultaneously. The molding pressure at this time is detected in S211, and the molding is terminated when a predetermined time (for example, 2 seconds) has elapsed since the molding was started at a predetermined pressure value (S212: Yes).
[0059]
After completion of molding, the moving plate 93 is moved by the moving mechanism 94 to the position where the booklet insertion hole 93a of the moving plate 93 is directly below the central axis of the forming plates 91, 91 (shutter opening position) (S213), and then the forming plate 91 and 91 are opened by the plate opening / closing mechanism 92 (S214), and the main clamp 50 is opened (S215). By releasing from the clamp by the main clamp 50, the bound booklet C passes through the gap between the open molding plates 91 and 91 and the booklet insertion hole 93a and is guided by the guide 96 and dropped onto the belt conveyor 97. Then, it is conveyed to a predetermined place. A discharge sensor (not shown) is provided in the discharge path of the booklet C by the belt conveyor 97. After the discharge sensor detects that the booklet C is discharged (S216: Yes), the cover sheet forming unit 90 is formed. The position is lowered from the position to the standby position (S217), and the moving plate 93 is returned to the shutter closing position (S218). Then, the main clamp 50 is returned to the text receiving position (solid line position in FIG. 2) (S219).
[0060]
The series of operations from gluing to bookbinding as described above are executed each time the main clamp movement enable signal is output in FIG. 13: S114, and the bookbinding operation is repeated.
[0061]
Next, cover sheet supply by the sheet feeding unit 70 and operations related to cover sheet cutting, chip discharge, and cover positioning will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.
[0062]
FIG. 12: After confirming that the next start condition is satisfied in S115, it is confirmed that at least one cover is stored in the cover cassette 71 (S301), and the paper feed roller 72 is driven by a motor. Then, the feeding of only one cover sheet B in the cassette 71 is started along the sheet passing path (S302). The cut position sensor 74 provided immediately before the cutter 75 is turned on when the front end of the cover B is passed. When this is confirmed in S303, the paper feed roller 72 is temporarily stopped (S304), and the cover is covered by a predetermined amount (L1). A small amount of the feed roller 72 is driven to convey B (S305) and then stopped again (S306). As a result, assuming that the sheet passing path length from the sensor 74 to the cutting position by the cutter blade 75a is (L2), the front end of the cover sheet B protrudes below the position of the cutter blade 75a by (L1-L2). Here, the cutter blade 75a is moved in a direction substantially orthogonal to the paper path by driving the motor to cut the front end of the paper B (S307).
[0063]
The cover B stored in the cover cassette 71 has a predetermined size according to the size of the text A to be bound, the width of the text A is (WA), and the cutting allowance by the cutter blade 75a is (V ), And a margin for (α) on one side as the amount of gluing in the heater unit 60 and the molding allowance (bending allowance) in the cover sheet forming unit 90, and the maximum possible bookbinding by this automatic bookbinding apparatus Assuming that the allowable thickness is (Tmax, 20 mm in this embodiment), a cover B having a width (WB) represented by the following equation is prepared in advance and is stored in the cover cassette 71.
WB = (WA + α) × 2 + Tmax + V
[0064]
If the body thickness measured by the body thickness sensor 21 is (TA), the difference from the maximum allowable thickness, that is, (Tmax−TA) is the cover cut amount, and this is the cover cover protrusion amount (L1−L2). Therefore, the cover sheet conveyance amount (L1) in S305 may be set so as to satisfy the following equation.
L1 = Tmax−TA + L2
[0065]
The cover width (WB ′) after being cut in S307 is expressed by the following equation.
WB ′ = (WA + α) × 2 + TA
[0066]
Next, the feed roller 72 is driven by a motor to resume feeding the cut cover B ′ (S308), and the sensor 83 detects the passage of the rear end of the cover B ′ and waits for turning on (S309). . When the sensor 83 is turned on (S309: Yes), the paper feed roller 72 is stopped (S310), the cover positioning roller 81 is raised and retracted from the opposing roller 86 (S311), and then the cover alignment pin 85 is moved. Cover alignment is performed (S312). The cover alignment pin 35 is provided at a position that can be engaged with one side edge of the cover sheet B ′ fed near the molding position, and fixed guides 88 are provided on the other side edge (FIG. 16). . The movement of the cover aligning pin 35 in S312 is ascended from a state where it has been waiting at a lower position where it does not engage with the cover B ′ so far, engages with one side edge of the cover B ′, and further rises to cover the cover. The other side edge of the cover sheet B ′ is engaged with the fixed guides 88 and 88 by tilting B ′ and moving it by a small amount in the cover sheet transport direction at a low speed by a stepping motor (not shown). This corrects the positional deviation of the cover sheet B ′ particularly in the direction orthogonal to the transport direction.
[0067]
When the cover alignment is completed in S312, the cover alignment pin 35 is lowered to the lower standby position, and then the cover positioning roller 81 is lowered and pressed against the opposing roller 86 (S313), and this is driven to resume paper feeding. (S314) When the sensor 84 detects the passage of the rear end of the cover sheet B ′ and is turned on (S315: Yes), the cover sheet positioning roller 81 is stopped (S316). As a result, the cover sheet B ′ is fed to the reference position on the molding plate 91, but at this time, it is not yet positioned at a predetermined position corresponding to the body thickness (TA). The position control at this time is arbitrary. For example, when the bookbinding allowable minimum thickness by this automatic bookbinding apparatus is (Tmin, 1.5 mm in this embodiment), the cover B stopped in S316 when TA = Tmin. The position of the center of 'is controlled so as to align with the thickness center of the text A when the main clamp 50 moves to the molding position (FIG. 14: S207). In the case of this position control, when it stops at S316, it is shifted from the center of the body thickness at the molding position by half of the difference between the actual body thickness and the bookbinding allowable minimum thickness, that is, (TA-Tmin) / 2. It will be.
[0068]
In response to this calculation result, the cover positioning roller 81 is driven in S317 to convey the cover B 'by the predetermined amount to complete the positioning. In S318, the molding process is completed and the cover is supplied to the cover shown in FIG. End the associated flow.
[0069]
【The invention's effect】
According to the binding apparatus for bookbinding of the present invention, the first sensor means for detecting whether or not the molten hot melt adhesive in the housing has reached the first predetermined level is provided, and the long hot melt A means for controlling the sheet feed roller for feeding the sheet from the sheet roller is provided, and the sheet feed roller is driven when the first sensor means detects that the molten hot melt adhesive in the housing is below a predetermined level. The hot melt sheet is unwound from the sheet roller, the tip of the hot melt sheet is brought into contact with the heat roller, and the molten hot melt adhesive is replenished in the housing. When it is detected that the above is true, the sheet feed roller is controlled so as to stop the sheet feed roller. Since it has to always predetermined amount of the molten hot melt adhesive is contained within the housing. Therefore, it is possible to minimize the generation of smoke and off-flavor from the molten hot melt adhesive by accommodating the minimum amount of the molten hot melt adhesive in the housing.
[0070]
Further, when the second sensor means detects that the molten hot melt adhesive in the housing is higher than the second predetermined level higher than the first predetermined level, the apparatus is stopped. Safety is ensured.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of a bookbinding apparatus to which the present invention is applicable.
FIG. 2 is a front view showing an overall configuration of an automatic bookbinding apparatus in which a gluing device (heater unit) as one embodiment of the present invention is incorporated.
3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing a configuration related to a sub clamp in the automatic bookbinding apparatus of FIG. 2;
FIG. 4 is an explanatory view showing the shape of the tip of the sub clamp and the main clamp in this automatic bookbinding apparatus and the point of delivery of the text from the sub clamp to the main clamp.
FIG. 5 is a plan view showing a configuration related to a sub clamp and a jog unit in the automatic bookbinding apparatus.
FIG. 6 is an enlarged plan view showing a configuration related to a sub clamp in the automatic bookbinding apparatus.
FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing a configuration of a heater cassette section in this automatic bookbinding apparatus.
FIG. 8 is a front view showing a configuration related to a cover cutting means (cutter) in the automatic bookbinding apparatus.
FIG. 9 is a front view showing a configuration related to the chip discharging means in the automatic bookbinding apparatus.
FIG. 10 is a side view showing a configuration related to a jog unit in the automatic bookbinding apparatus.
FIG. 11 is a front view showing a configuration related to a jog unit in the automatic bookbinding apparatus.
FIG. 12 is a front view showing a configuration related to a cover positioning means in the automatic bookbinding apparatus.
FIG. 13 shows an operation flow from the start of bookbinding operation to the main clamp after the main body is supplied by the sub-clamp 20 and the jog unit performs alignment in the supply process. It is a flowchart which shows.
FIG. 14 is a flowchart illustrating an operation flow from gluing processing to cover bonding and cover molding in the automatic bookbinding apparatus.
FIG. 15 is a flowchart showing each operation flow of cover sheet supply by the sheet feeding unit and cover sheet cutting, chip discharge and cover sheet positioning related to the automatic bookbinding apparatus.
FIG. 16 is an explanatory diagram showing a positioning operation of a cover sheet in the left-right direction in the automatic bookbinding apparatus.
FIGS. 17A and 17B are a cross-sectional view and a plan view showing an embodiment of a heater unit provided with means for controlling the amount of molten hot-melt adhesive applied.
18A is a cross-sectional view showing a preferable shape of a heat roller in a heater unit, and FIG. 18B is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view showing a state in which a molten hot-melt adhesive is attached to the peripheral surface of the heat roller.
[Explanation of symbols]
1 Text supply means
2 Body thickness detection means
3 Gluing means
4 Body transportation means
5 Cover supply means
6 Cover cutting means
7 Cover positioning means
8 Cover bonding means
9 Cover molding means
10 Booklet discharge means
11 Chip discharging means
12 Cover printing means
A Booklet
B Cover
B 'Cover after cutting
C bound booklet
20 Sub clamp (clamp)
22 Rotating mechanism
24 tables
25 Clamp plate
40 Jog unit
50 Main clamp
53 Clamp opening / closing mechanism
54 Movement mechanism
60 Heater unit
61 Hot melt sheet
61 'Melt hot melt adhesive
62 Sheet roller
63 Sheet feed roller
64 heat roller
65 housing
66 Rotation drive mechanism
67 Lifting drive mechanism
68,69 Temperature sensor
70 Paper feed unit
90 Cover molding unit
101,102 fixed blade
103 Adhesive coating amount control blade
104-106 movable blade
107 annular groove

Claims (3)

A sheet roller for winding a long belt-shaped hot melt sheet, a sheet feed roller for transporting the hot melt sheet unwound from the sheet roller along a predetermined transport path, and heating the hot melt sheet above its melting temperature A heat roller that melts by heating, a housing that contains the hot melt adhesive melted by contact with the heat roller, and a rotation drive mechanism that rotates the heat roller in a predetermined direction, and the molten hot melt adhesive in the housing In the gluing device configured to apply the adhesive to the back of the bookbinding paper via the heat roller, the first detecting whether or not the molten hot melt adhesive in the housing has reached a first predetermined level. and sensor means, reaches the second predetermined level molten hot melt adhesive is higher than the first predetermined level in the housing A second sensor means for detecting whether or not Luke, hot molten hot melt adhesive in the housing by the first sensor means to drive the sheet feed roller when it is detected a predetermined level or less melt sheet was unrolled from the sheet roller, together with by contacting the tip to heat roller to replenish molten hot melt adhesive in the housing, the molten hot melt adhesive in the housing by the first sensor means a first predetermined When it is detected that the level is higher than the level, the sheet feeding roller is driven and controlled to stop the sheet feeding roller , and the second sensor means causes the molten hot melt adhesive in the housing to exceed the second predetermined level. characterized in that a control means for stopping the apparatus when it is detected that is, with the bookbinding glue Location. 2. The bookbinding gluing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of grooves are formed at intervals on a peripheral surface of the heat roller. An adhesive coating amount control blade disposed at a predetermined interval between the upper end of the housing and the peripheral surface of the heat roller, and a pair of fixings protruding toward the heat roller from the adhesive coating amount control blade A blade, a projecting position provided at a predetermined position in the pair of fixed blades and projecting from the adhesive application amount control blade toward the heat roller, and a retreat position retreating from the adhesive application amount control blade An adhesion amount control means comprising one or a plurality of movable blades movable between the pair of fixed blades, or between one of the fixed blades and the movable blade at the protruding position. The molten hot melt adhesive is applied with a coating width corresponding to the size of bookbinding paper by scraping off the molten hot melt adhesive adhering to the paper. Bookbinding glue application apparatus 1 or 2, wherein.

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