Book block forming apparatus

Abstract

A first press unit 2 presses each of a plurality of signatures S along a fold f, the signatures being supplied one at a time with the fold facing forward. The unit is arranged a signature conveyance unit 3 that conveys each signature received from the first press unit while controlling the attitude to make the fold orthogonal to the conveyance direction. The unit is arranged a gluing unit 4 that applies glue to both lateral edges of a top surface of each signature received from the signature conveyance unit. The unit is arranged an accumulation unit 5 that sequentially stacks the signatures received from the gluing unit on one another while jogging the stacked signatures to form a book block B. The unit is arranged a second press unit 6 that discharges the book block received from the accumulation unit after pressing the same along the folds.

Claims

1. A book block forming apparatus comprising: a frame having an entrance and an exit; a first press unit attached to the entrance of the frame to press each of signatures along a fold line thereof, the signatures being supplied one by one into the first press unit from the fold line as a leading edge of the signature; a signature conveyance unit attached to the frame and arranged downstream of the first press unit to convey the signatures received from the first press unit while controlling attitudes of the signatures in a manner such that the fold lines are perpendicular to the conveying direction; a glue application unit attached to the frame and arranged downstream of the signature conveyance unit to apply glue to both sides of the top face of each of the signatures received by the signature conveyance unit; an accumulation unit attached to the frame and arranged downstream of the glue application unit to form a book block by stacking the signatures received from the glue application unit while jogging the stack of signatures; and a second press unit attached to the frame and arranged downstream of the accumulation unit to receive and vertically press the book block fed from the accumulation unit and discharge the pressed book block from the exit of the frame.

2. The book block forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the glue application unit comprises: a first conveyer belt attached to the frame to convey the signatures received from the signature conveyance unit; one or more slide guides attached to the frame and arranged above the first conveyer belt so as to be extended perpendicularly across the first conveyer belt; a pair of glue injection heads slidably mounted on the slide guides and having one or more glue injection nozzles to spray glue in both sides of upper surfaces of the signatures being conveyed by the first conveyer belt; a first drive mechanism attached to the frame to slide the pair of glue injection heads; and one or more first sensors arranged upstream of the pair of glue injection heads to detect passage of front ends of the signatures, wherein the pair of glue injection heads is activated by detection signals outputted from the first sensors.

3. The book block forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the first drive mechanism of the glue application unit comprises: a pair of ball screws arranged above both sides of the first conveyer belt, each of the ball screws extending parallel with the slide guides and supported by the frame so as to be rotatable about an axis thereof; a pair of motors attached to the frame and arranged at both sides of the first conveyer belt to rotate the associated ball screws; and a nut member engaged with each of the ball screws, the glue injection heads being attached to the associated nut members.

4. The book block forming apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the accumulation unit comprises: a vertically movable shelf arranged downstream of a downstream end of the first conveyer belt of the glue application unit, the signatures discharged from the first conveyer belt being stacked on the shelf; a second drive mechanism attached to the frame to move the shelf up and down; a height detection sensor attached to the frame to detect a height of the stack of signatures on the shelf, the shelf being lowered by a predetermined distance based on detection signals of the height detection sensor every time the height of the stack of signatures is increased to the predetermined distance; a first jogging mechanism jogging front and back surfaces of the stack of signatures on the shelf; and a second jogging mechanism jogging side surfaces of the stack of signatures on the shelf, wherein the first jogging mechanism comprises: a back alignment plate attached to the frame and arranged at an upstream end of the shelf so as to be extended vertically to the shelf and perpendicularly to the conveying direction; a front alignment plate arranged at downstream of and parallel with the back alignment plate to jog the front and back surfaces of an upper portion of the stack of signatures in cooperation with the back alignment plate; and a third drive mechanism attached to the frame to reciprocate the front alignment plate in the conveying direction, wherein the second jogging mechanism comprises: a pair of side alignment plates arranged at both sides of the shelf so as to be extended vertically to the shelf and in the conveying direction to jog the side surfaces of the upper portion of the stack of signatures; and a fourth drive mechanism attached to the frame to reciprocate one of the side alignment plates perpendicular to the conveying direction while maintaining a predetermined distance between the side alignment plates, wherein the accumulation unit further comprises a pushing mechanism pushing the book block from the shelf lowered at the lowest position to the second press unit.

5. The book block forming apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the first press unit comprises: a pair of horizontal press rollers arranged one above the other so as to be extended perpendicular across the conveying direction and supported by the frame to be rotatable about axes thereof; and a fifth drive mechanism attached to the frame to rotate the horizontal press rollers.

6. The book block forming apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the second press unit comprises: a second horizontal conveyer belt conveying the book block discharged from the accumulation unit by the pushing mechanism to the exit of the frame, a press station being provided on a medium portion of a conveyance surface of the second conveyer belt; a pair of vertically movable press plates arranged above the press station and parallel with each other in a width direction of the second conveyer belt, each of the press plates extending in the conveying direction; a sixth drive mechanism arranged for concurrently moving the press plates up and down in a manner such that the press plates can be moved between a standby position in which the press plates separate upwardly from the book block on the second conveyer belt and a press position in which the press plates press both sides of a upper surface of the book block downwardly; and a second sensor for detecting when the book block arrives at the press station, wherein the second conveyer belt is temporally stopped when a detection signal is outputted from the second sensor, and during the temporal stopping of the second conveyer belt, the pair of press plates is moved down from the standby position to the press position and moved up from the press position to the standby position.

7. The book block forming apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the signature conveyance unit comprises: a third horizontal conveyer belt attached to the frame and arranged at an angle with respect to the conveying direction to convey the signatures from the first press unit to the first conveyer belt; an alignment ruler extending in the conveying direction on the conveyance surface of the third conveyer belt; and a seventh drive mechanism attached to the frame to support the alignment ruler and move the alignment ruler in a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a book block forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

(2) FIG. 2A is a perspective view showing a connection of a signature conveyance unit and a glue application unit of the book block forming apparatus.

(3) FIG. 2B is a plan view of a signature passing through a sensor of the glue application unit.

(4) FIG. 3A is a perspective view of the glue application unit of the book block forming apparatus.

(5) FIG. 3B is a side view of the glue application unit.

(6) FIG. 3C is a plan view of a signature to which glue is applied by the glue application unit.

(7) FIG. 4A is a perspective view of an accumulation unit of the book block forming apparatus.

(8) FIG. 4B is a plan view illustrating movement of a jogging mechanism of the accumulation unit.

(9) FIG. 5A is a side view of a book block formed by the book block forming apparatus of the present invention.

(10) FIG. 5B is a side view of a book block formed by a conventional book block forming apparatus.

(11) FIG. 5C is a side view of the book block formed by the conventional book block forming apparatus when a cover is attached to the book block.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

(12) A preferred embodiment of the present invention will be explained below with reference to accompanying drawings.

(13) FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a book block forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

(14) Referring to FIG. 1, the book block forming apparatus of the present invention comprises a frame 1 which has an entrance 1a and an exit 1b, a first press unit 2 which is attached to the entrance 1a of the frame 1 to press each of signatures S along a fold line f thereof, the signatures S being supplied one by one to the first press unit 2 with the fold line f in the head thereof, and a signature conveyance unit 3 which is attached to the frame 1 and arranged downstream of the first-press unit 2 to convey the signatures S received from the first press unit 2 while controlling attitudes of the signatures S in a manner such that the fold lines f are perpendicular to the conveying direction of the signatures S (indicated by an arrow A).

(15) Here, when a signature S is formed by multiple folding of a sheet, a fold line f of the signature S means a fold line formed by the last folding (the same applies hereinafter).

(16) The book block forming apparatus further comprises a glue application unit 4 which is attached to the frame 1 and arranged downstream of the signature, conveyance unit 3 to apply glue G to both sides of the top face of each of the signatures S received by the signature conveyance unit, an accumulation unit 5 which is attached to the frame 1 and arranged downstream of the glue application unit 4 to form a book block B by stacking the signatures S received from the glue application unit 4 while jogging the stack of signatures S, and a second press unit 6 which is attached to the frame 1 and arranged downstream of the accumulation unit 5 to receive and vertically press the book block B fed from the accumulation unit 5 and discharge the pressed book block B from the exit 1b of the frame 1.

(17) In this embodiment, the first press unit 2 comprises a pair of horizontal press rollers 7a, 7b which are arranged one above the other so as to be extended perpendicular across the conveying direction and supported by the frame 1 so as to be rotatable about axes thereof, a pair of auxiliary press rollers 8a, 8b which are arranged one above the other and parallel to the press roller pair 7a, 7b and supported by the frame 1 so as to be rotatable about axes thereof, and a roller drive mechanism (not shown) attached to the frame to rotate the press roller pair 7a, 7b and the auxiliary press roller pair 8a, 8b.

(18) The pair of auxiliary press rollers 8a, 8b is provided as necessary.

(19) A signature feed unit 9 is connected to the entrance 1a of the frame 1 to supply the signatures S, which are discharged from a sheet folding apparatus (not shown) arranged upstream of the book block forming apparatus, one by one between the pair of auxiliary press rollers 8a, 8b.

(20) In this embodiment, the signature feed unit 9 comprises of a pair of horizontal conveyer belts 9a, 9b arranged one above the other, and the signatures S are conveyed between the pair of conveyer belts 9a, 9b.

(21) Thus each of the signatures S supplied from the signature feed unit 9 is pressed along the fold line f thereof while passing through the auxiliary press roller pair 8a, 8b and press roller pair 7a, 7b of the first press unit 2 with the fold line f in the head thereof.

(22) FIG. 2A is a perspective view showing a connection of the signature conveyance unit, and the glue application unit, of the book block forming apparatus, and FIG. 2B is a plan view of a signature passing through a sensor of the glue application unit.

(23) Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2A, in this embodiment, the signature conveyance unit 3 comprises a horizontal upstream conveyer belt 10 attached to the frame 1 so as to be extended from an exit of the first press unit 2 in the conveying direction of the signatures S (arrow A), a downstream conveyer belt 11 attached to the frame 1 so as to be extended from an output end of the upstream conveyer belt 10 at an angle with respect to the conveying direction (arrow A), an alignment ruler 12 extending in the conveying direction on the conveyance surface of the downstream conveyer belt 11, and a ruler drive mechanism (not shown) attached to the frame 1 to support the alignment ruler 12 and move the alignment ruler 12 in a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction (arrow A).

(24) The alignment ruler 12 is moved to a predetermined position by the ruler drive mechanism and fixed in the position during setting of the book block forming apparatus before the start of operation.

(25) Thus each of the signatures S discharged from the first press unit 2 is conveyed on the upstream conveyer belt 10 of the signature conveyance unit 2 and further conveyed to the glue application unit 3 by the downstream conveyer belt 11 while bringing one side thereof into contact with the alignment ruler 12, and thereby, the attitudes of the signatures S are controlled in a manner such that the fold lines f of the signatures S are perpendicular to the conveying direction (arrow A).

(26) FIG. 3A is a perspective view of the glue application unit of the book block forming apparatus, FIG. 3B is a side view of the glue application unit, and FIG. 3C is a plan view of the signature to which glue is applied by the glue application unit.

(27) Referring to FIGS. 2A, 3A and 3B, the glue application unit 4 comprises a conveyer belt 13 attached to the frame 1 to convey the signatures S received from the conveyer belt 11 of the signature conveyance unit 3. Above the conveyer belt 13, slide guides 14 are attached to the frame 1 so as to be extended perpendicularly across the conveyer belt 13.

(28) A pair of glue injection heads 15, 16 slidably mounted on the slide guides 14. The glue injection heads 15, 16 have one or more glue injection nozzles 15a, 15a to spray glue G in both sides of upper surf aces of the signatures S being conveyed on the conveyer belt 13.

(29) The pair of glue injection heads 15, 16 is slid by a head drive mechanism 17 attached to the frame 1.

(30) The head drive mechanism 17 comprises a pair of ball screws 18a, 18b arranged above both sides of the conveyer belt 13. Each of the ball screws 18a, 18b extends parallel with the slide guides 14 and is supported by the frame 1 so as to be rotatable about an axis thereof.

(31) The head drive mechanism 17 further comprises a pair of motors 19a, 19b attached to the frame 1 and arranged at both sides of the conveyer belt 13 to rotate the associated ball screws 18a, 18b, and a nut member 20a, 20b engaged with each of the ball screws 18a, 13b.

(32) The glue injection heads 15, 16 are attached to the associated nut members 20a, 20b so as to be slid along the slide guides 14 by forward and reverse rotations of the motors 19a, 19b.

(33) Positions of the glue injection heads 15, 16 are set depending on an overall width of the signature S and a width of each margin of the both sides of the signature S during setting of the book block forming apparatus before the start of operation.

(34) As shown in FIG. 2A, a pair of sensors 21a, 21b is arranged at an entrance of the glue application unit 4 to detect passage of front ends of the signatures S. The sensors 21a, 21b are spaced from each other in a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction (arrow A). Then the pair of glue injection heads 15, 16 is activated by detection signals outputted from the sensors 21a, 21b so that the glue is sprayed to the signatures S.

(35) As shown in FIG. 2B, in this embodiment, a skew of the signature S is detected based on deviation of the detection time between the sensors 21a, 21b. Thus when the deviation of the detection time exceeds a predetermined threshold, it is determined that the signature S skews, and the book block B having such signature S is removed at the time of discharge of book blocks B from the book block forming apparatus.

(36) The skew detection of the signatures provides the following effects.

(37) Even though glue is applied to a skewed signature S by the glue application unit 4, there is no difference in appearance between a book block B having such signature S and a book block B composed of only signatures 8 to which glue is applied correctly because the signatures S are jogged during stacking the signatures S in the accumulation unit 5. Therefore, without detecting the skew of the signatures S, it is impossible to remove the signature S with glue application error before a checking of the manufactured book. Thus waste of a book binding process can be eliminated by detecting the skew of the signatures S.

(38) FIG. 4A is a perspective view of an accumulation unit of the book block forming apparatus and FIG. 4B is a plan view illustrating movement of a jogging mechanism of the accumulation unit.

(39) Referring to FIGS. 1 and 4A, the accumulation unit 5 comprises a vertically movable shelf 22 arranged downstream of a downstream end of the conveyer belt 13 of the glue application unit 4, and the signatures S discharged from the conveyer belt 13 are stacked on the shelf 22. The accumulation unit 5 also comprises a shelf drive mechanism (not shown) attached to the frame 1 to move the shelf 22 up and down, and a height detection sensor (not shown) attached to the frame 1 to detect a height of the stack of signatures S on the shelf 22.

(40) The shelf 22 is lowered by a predetermined distance based on detection signals outputted from the height detection sensor every time the height of the stack of signatures S is increased to the predetermined distance. The shelf 22 is lowered to the lowest position thereof when the signatures S of one book block are stacked on the shelf 22.

(41) In this embodiment, a signature detection sensor (not shown) and an image sensor (not shown) are arranged at appropriate positions upstream of the accumulation unit 5. Then when the number of the signatures S counted by the signature detection sensor reaches a predetermined value or a mark printed on a margin of a last signature S is detected by the image sensor, it is determined that the signatures S of one book block are stacked.

(42) As shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B, the accumulation unit 5 further comprises a first jogging mechanism jogging front and back surfaces of the stack P of the signatures S on the shelf 22 and a second jogging mechanism jogging side surfaces of the stack P on the shelf 22.

(43) A first jogging mechanism comprises a back alignment plate 23 attached to the frame 1 and arranged at an upstream end of the shelf 22 so as to be extended vertically to the shelf 22 and perpendicularly to the conveying direction (arrow A), a front alignment plate 24 arranged at downstream of and parallel with the back alignment plate 23 to jog the front and back surfaces of an upper portion of the stack P in cooperation with the back alignment plate 23, and a first alignment plate drive mechanism 25 attached to the frame 1 to reciprocate the front alignment plate 24 in the conveying direction (arrow A).

(44) The second jogging mechanism comprises a pair of side alignment plates 26 arranged at both sides of the shelf 22 so as to be extended vertically to the shelf 22 and in the conveying direction (arrow A) to jog the side surfaces of the upper portion of the stack B and a second alignment plate drive mechanism 27 attached to the frame 1 to reciprocate one of the side alignment plates 26 perpendicular to the conveying direction (arrow A) while maintaining a predetermined distance between the side alignment plates 26.

(45) The accumulation unit 5 further comprises a pushing mechanism (not shown) pushing the book block B from the shelf 22 lowered at the lowest position to the second press unit 6.

(46) Referring to FIG. 1 again, the second press unit 6 comprises a horizontal conveyer belt 28 conveying the book block B discharged from the accumulation unit 5 by the pushing mechanism (not shown) to the exit 1b of the frame 1. A press station is provided on a medium portion of a conveyance surface of the conveyer belt 28.

(47) The second press unit 6 further comprises a pair of vertically movable press plates 29a, 29b arranged, above the press station and parallel with each other in a width direction of the conveyer belt 28. Each of the press plates 29a, 29b extends in the conveying direction (arrow A) and a pair of plate drive mechanisms 30a, 30b arranged for concurrently moving the press plates 29a, 29b up and down.

(48) Further, at the press station, a pair of vertical guide plates 31a, 31b are arranged at both sides of the book block B on the conveyer belt 28 so as to be extended in the conveying direction (arrow A).

(49) The pair of press plates 29a, 29b can be moved between a standby position in which the press plates 29a, 29b separate upwardly from the book block B on the conveyer belt 28 and a press position in which the press plates 29a, 23b press both sides of a upper surface of the book block B downwardly.

(50) Although not shown in the drawings, the pair of press plates 29a, 29b, the pair of plate drive mechanisms 30a, 30b, and the pair of guide plates 31a, 31b are supported by an appropriate support mechanism to move in a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction (arrow A), respectively.

(51) The second press unit 6 further comprises a sensor (not shown) for detecting when the book block B arrives at the press station. The conveyer belt 28 is temporally stopped when a detection signal is outputted from this sensor, and during the temporal stopping of the conveyer belt 28, the pair of press plates 29a, 29b is moved down from the standby position to the press position and moved up from the press position to the standby position.

(52) Thus the book block B is pressed vertically by the conveyer belt 28 and the pair of press plates 29a, 29b so that adhesion between the signatures of the book block B is stabilized.

(53) Referring to FIG. 1 again, a front surface B1 (fold line side end faces of the signatures), a rear surface B2 (the opposite end faces of the signatures) and side surfaces B3, B4 of the book block B forms a spine, a fore edge and top and bottom edges of the book block B, respectively, and in the subsequent process, cutting of the spine B1 of the book block B, glue application and cover attachment to the cut spine B1 are sequentially performed and thereafter, the book block B with the cover is trimmed by the three side trimmer at the fore edge B2 and top and bottom edges B3 and B4 thereof so as to be shaped into a book.

(54) Consequently, as shown in FIG. 3C, glue joints (glue G) formed between signatures during formation of the book block are cut off by three side trimming (an area drawn by hatched lines in FIG. 3C) so that the book does not have the glue joints between the signatures. Thus the book can be smoothly opened.

(55) Furthermore, according to the present invention, the signatures S are stacked after each of the signatures S is pressed along the fold line f thereof by the first press unit 2 and thereby, as shown in FIG. 5A, warpage of the front surface (spine) B1 of the book block B is controlled. Consequently, even though a book block B is composed of a number of signatures S, book binding errors such as the occurrence of wrinkles in the signatures S can be prevented.

(56) The pressing by the first press unit 2 is particularly effective in case of making a book block B of signatures S which are formed by multiple folding of a sheet in directions perpendicular to each other, for example, by folding a sheet in half in a width direction after folding the sheet in half in a length direction.

DESCRIPTION OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

(57) 1 Frame 1a Entrance 1b Exit 2 First press unit 3 Signature conveyance unit 4 Glue application unit 5 Accumulation unit 6 Second press unit 7a, 7b Press roller 8a, 8b Auxiliary press roller 9 Signature feed unit 9a, 9b Conveyer belt 10 Upstream conveyer belt 11 Downstream conveyer belt 12 Alignment ruler 13 Conveyer belt 14 Slide guide 15, 16 Glue injection head 15a, 16a Glue injection nozzle 17 Head drive mechanism 18a, 18b Ball screw 19a, 19b Motor 20a, 20b Nut member 21a, 21b Sensor 22 Shelf 23 Back alignment plate 24 Front alignment plate 25 First alignment plate drive mechanism 26 Side alignment plate 27 Second alignment plate drive mechanism 28 Conveyer belt 29a, 29b Press plate 30a, 30b Plate drive mechanism A Conveying Direction of signatures B Book block B1 Spine B2 Fore edge B3, B4 Top and bottom edges f Fold line G Glue K Book block K1, K2 Side surface M Signature n Fold line P Stack of signatures S Signature V Cover w Glue joint