A book binding assembly in the form of a stack of hardcovers for making hardcover books, with the hardcovers having pressure sensitive adhesives on both sides for securing a cover wrap onto the hardcovers. Liner sheets are disposed over the upper hardcover and intermediate the hardcovers of the stack to protect the various adhesive elements. In addition, the liner sheets possess attributes which enable an end user to accurately apply a cover wrap to the hardcover on which the liner sheet is disposed.

Techniques for creasing a cover of a case are described herein. In an example, a creasing tool includes a first plate portion and a second plate portion substantially parallel to the first plate portion such that the first plate portion and the second plate portion define a slot between the first plate portion and the second plate portion for creasing a cover of a case.

An image forming apparatus determines whether crease processing at a plurality of portions set on the sheet includes crease processing on two, front and back surfaces of the sheet; determines, if it is determined that crease processing includes crease processing on the two surfaces of the sheet, whether a connected post-processing apparatus that performs crease processing on a sheet can perform crease processing on the two, front and back surfaces of the sheet by one feeding; and controls, if it is determined that the connected post-processing apparatus cannot perform crease processing on the two surfaces by one feeding, to change, to one of the front and back surfaces of the sheet based on attribute information of the sheet, a surface to be processed in crease processing at the plurality of portions.

An assembly for realizing in continuous covering jackets of book elements of different dimensions starting from a film wrapped up in a coil. The assembly includes a mechanism for cutting the film unrolling from the coil for realizing pieces of the film; a first folding device of a first end of the pieces; a second folding device of a second end of the pieces; a control and command unit and a longitudinal welder suitable for both superiorly and inferiorly closing folded pockets and for regulating the height of the cover itself by trimming the parts in excess.

An assembly for realizing in continuous covering jackets of book elements of different dimensions starting from a film wrapped up in a coil. The assembly includes a mechanism for cutting the film unrolling from the coil for realizing pieces of the film; a first folding device of a first end of the pieces; a second folding device of a second end of the pieces; a control and command unit and a longitudinal welder suitable for both superiorly and inferiorly closing folded pockets and for regulating the height of the cover itself by trimming the parts in excess.

An automatic plasticizing equipment (17) for image sheets (26) comprises a first plasticizing device (27) and an electronic control unit (22) for the plasticizing device and in which the first plasticizing device employs a first plasticizer film (28) unwinding from a first film spool (29). The plasticizing equipment (17) processes image sheets (26) with associated enhanced sheet codes (ESC), readable by machine, having dimension and finishing information associated to said image sheets (26). The equipment (17) further comprises a second plasticizing device (41), downstream of the first plasticizing device (27) for a second plasticizer film (42) of different typologies unwinding from a second film spool (43) for pre-forming plasticized image sheets (31, 44) of different typologies; and the electronic control unit (22) responds to the dimension and finishing information from the enhanced sheet codes (ESC) for selectively activating the first plasticizing device (27) or the second plasticizing device (41) or to leave the plasticizing devices deactivated so as to obtain plasticized image sheets (31, 44) of different typologies of plasticization or non-plasticized image sheets (46).

An automatic plasticizing equipment (17) for image sheets (26) comprises a first plasticizing device (27) and an electronic control unit (22) for the plasticizing device and in which the first plasticizing device employs a first plasticizer film (28) unwinding from a first film spool (29). The plasticizing equipment (17) processes image sheets (26) with associated enhanced sheet codes (ESC), readable by machine, having dimension and finishing information associated to said image sheets (26). The equipment (17) further comprises a second plasticizing device (41), downstream of the first plasticizing device (27) for a second plasticizer film (42) of different typologies unwinding from a second film spool (43) for pre-forming plasticized image sheets (31, 44) of different typologies; and the electronic control unit (22) responds to the dimension and finishing information from the enhanced sheet codes (ESC) for selectively activating the first plasticizing device (27) or the second plasticizing device (41) or to leave the plasticizing devices deactivated so as to obtain plasticized image sheets (31, 44) of different typologies of plasticization or non-plasticized image sheets (46).

A creasing device includes a frame with a substantially horizontal support surface for supporting an article to be creased; a movable tool; and a stationary tool, the latter comprising a stationary member and at least one displaceable member whose height relative to the stationary member can be adjusted. A first actuator moves the movable tool toward the stationary tool and interacts with opposite faces of the article, and a second actuator translates the displaceable member between a first end position in which interacts with the movable tool and a second end position in which it cannot interact with the movable tool. Guide means associated with the stationary tool guides the displaceable member between the first end position and the second end position. The guide means are have a curvilinear path contained in a plane substantially perpendicular to the support surface.

A bookbinding machine (100) is proposed. The bookbinding machine (100) comprises a driving system (225) for driving transport elements (210a-210c) of book blocks (215a-215c) in succession across at least one engagement processing station 5 (205d) and one or more disengagement processing stations (205a,205e) which process the book blocks while stationary therein. Control means (120) stop the driving system (225) when each of the transport elements (210b) is at the engagement processing station (205d) engaged with the driving system (225) and other transport elements (210a,210c) are at the disengagement processing stations (205a,205e) disengaged from the driving system (225). A bookbinding plant comprising one or more of these bookbinding machines (100) is also proposed. Moreover, a corresponding method for operating a bookbinding machine (100), a computer program and a computer program product for implementing the method are proposed.

A machine for applying support members to opposing sides of opposing edges of a sheet material includes a support tab applicator assembly that applies a first portion of a support tab along a longitudinal edge of a first side of the sheet material, a support tab finisher assembly that applies a second portion of the support tab disposed opposite the first portion to a second side of the sheet material disposed opposite the first side, and a hole punch assembly that cuts a hole through the sheet material. The machine also may include a strengthening film applicator assembly that applies a strengthening film along a longitudinal length of the first side of the sheet material and/or across the support tab.