US-12623882-B2 - Booklet making apparatus and image forming apparatus

Abstract

A booklet making apparatus includes a heat-and-pressure bonding portion including a pressurizing member, a receiving member, a moving portion configured to move the pressurizing member, and a heating portion configured to heat the pressurizing member. The booklet making apparatus is configured to nip, heat, and pressurize, between the pressurizing member and the receiving member, a plurality of sheets on at least one of which an adhesive layer is formed, and thus make a booklet. The booklet making apparatus further includes an elastic member. A deformation amount of the elastic member is constant while the moving portion moves from a first position to a second position. In a case where the moving portion moves from the second position to a third position, the deformation amount of the elastic member increases in accordance with a movement amount the moving portion.

Inventors

• Koji Kawamura
• Yasuhiro Nakahara
• Atsushi Kawarago
• Kazushi Nishikata

Assignees

• CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA

Dates

Publication Date

20260512

Application Date

20240315

Priority Date

20230320

Claims (20)

1. 1 . A booklet making apparatus comprising: a heat-and-pressure bonding portion configured to heat and pressurize a sheet, the heat-and-pressure bonding portion including: a pressurizing member configured to come into contact with and pressurize the sheet, a receiving member configured to oppose the pressurizing member, a moving portion configured to move the pressurizing member such that the pressurizing member and the receiving member nip and pressurize the sheet, and a heating portion configured to heat the pressurizing member, wherein the booklet making apparatus is configured to nip, heat, and pressurize, between the pressurizing member and the receiving member, a plurality of sheets on at least one of which an adhesive layer is formed, and thus make a booklet in which the plurality of sheets are bonded to each other via the adhesive layer, wherein the booklet making apparatus further comprises: an elastic member configured to generate an urging force for applying a pressure between the pressurizing member and the receiving member, and wherein in a case where a first position is a position of the moving portion in a case of retracting the pressurizing member from the plurality of sheets, a second position is a position of the moving portion when the pressurizing member comes into contact with the plurality of sheets in a case where the pressurizing member is moved from a position retracted from the plurality of sheets toward the receiving member, and a third position is a position of the moving portion while the pressurizing member and the receiving member are pressurizing the plurality of sheets, (i) a deformation amount of the elastic member is constant while the moving portion moves from the first position to the second position, and (ii) in a case where the moving portion moves from the second position to the third position, the deformation amount of the elastic member increases in accordance with a movement amount of the moving portion from the second position.
2. 2 . The booklet making apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising: a drive source configured to drive the moving portion; a detection portion configured to detect contact of the pressurizing member with a sheet; and a controller configured to control a driving amount of the drive source on a basis of a detection result of the detection portion.
3. 3 . The booklet making apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein a driving amount of the drive source between (i) detection of contact of the pressurizing member with a sheet bundle, in which the plurality of sheets are stacked, by the detection portion and (ii) stoppage of the drive source is the same for a case where a thickness of the sheet bundle is a first thickness and a case where the thickness of the sheet bundle is a second thickness larger than the first thickness.
4. 4 . The booklet making apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the heat-and-pressure bonding portion includes a pressurizing unit that includes the pressurizing member and that is configured to be moved by the moving portion, wherein the elastic member is provided between the pressurizing unit and the moving portion, and wherein the detection portion is configured to detect change in a positional relationship between the pressurizing unit and the moving portion.
5. 5 . The booklet making apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the detection portion is a sensor provided in one of the pressurizing unit and the moving portion, and is configured to detect, by using light, a detected portion provided in another of the pressurizing unit and the moving portion.
6. 6 . The booklet making apparatus according to claim 4 , further comprising: a guide shaft configured to guide the moving portion and the pressurizing unit such that the moving portion and the pressurizing unit move in a pressurizing direction of the plurality of sheets, wherein the elastic member is a compression spring disposed around the guide shaft.
7. 7 . The booklet making apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising: a drive source configured to drive the moving portion; an estimating portion configured to estimate a timing at which the pressurizing member comes into contact with the plurality of sheets; and a controller configured to control a driving amount of the drive source on a basis of an estimation result of the estimating portion.
8. 8 . The booklet making apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the estimating portion is configured to estimate a thickness of the plurality of sheets on a basis of the number of sheets included in the plurality of sheets.
9. 9 . The booklet making apparatus according to claim 7 , further comprising: a thickness detection portion configured to detect information about a thickness per sheet, wherein the estimating portion is configured to estimate a thickness of the plurality of sheets on a basis of the number of sheets included in the plurality of sheets and a detection result of the thickness detection portion.
10. 10 . The booklet making apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising: a drive source configured to drive the moving portion; and a controller configured to move the moving portion from the second position to the third position by driving the drive source by a preset driving amount after allowing the moving portion to move from the first position to the second position by a weight of the pressurizing member.
11. 11 . The booklet making apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising: a drive source configured to drive the moving portion; a load detection portion configured to detect a load applied to the pressurizing member or the receiving member; and a controller configured to control the drive source such that the load detected by the load detection portion is a preset target value.
12. 12 . The booklet making apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising: a plate member connected with the pressurizing member, wherein one end of the elastic member is connected with the moving portion, and another end of the elastic member is connected with the plate member.
13. 13 . The booklet making apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein one end of the elastic member is connected with the receiving member, and another end of the elastic member is connected with a member fixed to a frame body of the booklet making apparatus.
14. 14 . A booklet making apparatus comprising: a heat-and-pressure bonding portion configured to heat and pressurize a sheet, the heat-and-pressure bonding portion including: a pressurizing member configured to come into contact with and pressurize the sheet, a receiving member configured to oppose the pressurizing member, a moving portion configured to move the pressurizing member such that the pressurizing member and the receiving member nip and pressurize the sheet, and a heating portion configured to heat the pressurizing member, wherein the booklet making apparatus is configured to nip, heat, and pressurize, between the pressurizing member and the receiving member, a plurality of sheets on at least one of which an adhesive layer is formed, and thus make a booklet in which the plurality of sheets are bonded to each other via the adhesive layer, wherein the booklet making apparatus further comprises: an elastic member configured to generate an urging force for applying a pressure between the pressurizing member and the receiving member; a drive source configured to drive the moving portion; a detection portion configured to detect contact of the pressurizing member with the plurality of sheets; and a controller configured to control a driving amount of the drive source on a basis of a detection result of the detection portion, wherein the controller is configured to adjust a driving amount of the drive source between (i) detection of contact of the pressurizing member with the plurality of sheets by the detection portion and (ii) stoppage of the drive source, wherein the heat-and-pressure bonding portion includes a pressurizing unit that includes the pressurizing member and that is configured to be moved by the moving portion, wherein the elastic member is provided between the pressurizing unit and the moving portion, and wherein the detection portion is configured to detect change in a positional relationship between the pressurizing unit and the moving portion.
15. 15 . The booklet making apparatus according to claim 14 , wherein the detection portion is a sensor provided in one of the pressurizing unit and the moving portion, and is configured to detect, by using light, a detected portion provided in another of the pressurizing unit and the moving portion.
16. 16 . The booklet making apparatus according to claim 14 , further comprising: a guide shaft configured to guide the moving portion and the pressurizing unit such that the moving portion and the pressurizing unit move in a pressurizing direction of the plurality of sheets, wherein the elastic member is a compression spring disposed around the guide shaft.
17. 17 . The booklet making apparatus according to claim 14 , further comprising: an estimating portion configured to estimate a timing at which the pressurizing member comes into contact with the plurality of sheets, wherein the controller is configured to control the driving amount of the drive source on a basis of an estimation result of the estimating portion.
18. 18 . The booklet making apparatus according to claim 17 , wherein the estimating portion is configured to estimate a thickness of the plurality of sheets on a basis of the number of sheets included in the plurality of sheets.
19. 19 . The booklet making apparatus according to claim 17 , further comprising: a thickness detection portion configured to detect information about a thickness per sheet, wherein the estimating portion is configured to estimate a thickness of the plurality of sheets on a basis of the number of sheets included in the plurality of sheets and a detection result of the thickness detection portion.
20. 20 . A booklet making apparatus comprising: a heat-and-pressure bonding portion configured to heat and pressurize a sheet, the heat-and-pressure bonding portion including: a pressurizing member configured to come into contact with and pressurize the sheet, a receiving member configured to oppose the pressurizing member, a moving portion configured to move the pressurizing member such that the pressurizing member and the receiving member nip and pressurize the sheet, a heating portion configured to heat the pressurizing member, and wherein the booklet making apparatus is configured to nip, heat, and pressurize, between the pressurizing member and the receiving member, a plurality of sheets on at least one of which an adhesive layer is formed, and thus make a booklet in which the plurality of sheets are bonded to each other via the adhesive layer, wherein the booklet making apparatus further comprises: an elastic member configured to generate an urging force for applying a pressure between the pressurizing member and the receiving member; a drive source configured to drive the moving portion; a detection portion configured to detect contact of the pressurizing member with the plurality of sheets; a controller configured to control a driving amount of the drive source on a basis of a detection result of the detection portion; and a plate member connected with the pressurizing member, wherein the controller is configured to adjust a driving amount of the drive source between (i) detection of contact of the pressurizing member with the plurality of sheets by the detection portion and (ii) stoppage of the drive source, and wherein one end of the elastic member is connected with the moving portion, and another end of the elastic member is connected with the plate member.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a booklet making apparatus that makes a booklet by bonding sheets together, and an image forming apparatus that forms an image on a sheet. Description of the Related Art Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-255881 discloses a configuration in which a toner image for bonding is formed on a binding margin portion of each sheet by an image forming apparatus body, then sheets are stacked in a post-processing apparatus, and then the sheet bundle is heated and pressurized by a heater plate to bond the sheets together to create a booklet. However, in this case, there is a possibility that the deformation amount at the time of bonding of a coupling spring or a return spring that applies force to the heater plate changes in accordance with the thickness of the sheet bundle to be bonded, and thus the pressurizing force applied by the heater plate to the sheets does not become a desired value. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention can provide a booklet making apparatus and an image forming apparatus capable of adjusting a pressurizing force for bonding sheets together to a desired value. According to an aspect of the invention, a booklet making apparatus includes a heat-and-pressure bonding portion configured to heat and pressurize a sheet, the heat-and-pressure bonding portion including a pressurizing member configured to come into contact with and pressurize the sheet, a receiving member configured to oppose the pressurizing member, a moving portion configured to move the pressurizing member such that the pressurizing member and the receiving member nip and pressurize the sheet, and a heating portion configured to heat the pressurizing member, wherein the booklet making apparatus is configured to nip, heat, and pressurize, between the pressurizing member and the receiving member, a plurality of sheets on at least one of which an adhesive layer is formed, and thus make a booklet in which the plurality of sheets are bonded to each other via the adhesive layer, wherein the booklet making apparatus further includes an elastic member configured to generate an urging force for applying a pressure between the pressurizing member and the receiving member, and wherein in a case where a first position is a position of the moving portion in a case of retracting the pressurizing member from the plurality of sheets, a second position is a position of the moving portion when the pressurizing member comes into contact with the plurality of sheets in a case where the pressurizing member is moved from a position retracted from the plurality of sheets toward the receiving member, and a third position is a position of the moving portion while the pressurizing member and the receiving member are pressurizing the plurality of sheets, (i) a deformation amount of the elastic member is constant while the moving portion moves from the first position to the second position, and (ii) in a case where the moving portion moves from the second position to the third position, the deformation amount of the elastic member increases in accordance with a movement amount of the moving portion from the second position. According to another aspect of the invention, a booklet making apparatus includes a heat-and-pressure bonding portion configured to heat and pressurize a sheet, the heat-and-pressure bonding portion including a pressurizing member configured to come into contact with and pressurize the sheet, a receiving member configured to oppose the pressurizing member, a moving portion configured to move the pressurizing member such that the pressurizing member and the receiving member nip and pressurize the sheet, a heating portion configured to heat the pressurizing member, and a drive source configured to drive the moving portion, wherein the booklet making apparatus is configured to nip, heat, and pressurize, between the pressurizing member and the receiving member, a plurality of sheets on at least one of which an adhesive layer is formed, and thus make a booklet in which the plurality of sheets are bonded to each other via the adhesive layer, and wherein the booklet making apparatus further includes a controller configured to control an output of the drive source such that a pressurizing force of the pressurizing member and the receiving member pressurizing the plurality of sheets is a preset value. According to another aspect of the invention, a booklet making apparatus includes a heat-and-pressure bonding portion configured to heat and pressurize a sheet, the heat-and-pressure bonding portion including a pressurizing member configured to come into contact with and pressurize the sheet, a receiving member configured to oppose the pressurizing member, a moving portion configured to move the pressurizing member such that the pressurizing member and the receiving member nip and pressurize the sheet, a heating portion configured to heat the pressu