US 10,093,071 B2 · Recording-medium binding device and recording-medium post processing apparatus

Abstract

A recording-medium binding device includes a first tooth row that includes teeth arranged in a tooth arrangement direction and a second tooth row that includes teeth, that is to be engaged with the first tooth row, and that cooperates with the first tooth row to bind recording media by pinching a batch of the recording media. In the tooth arrangement direction, the first and the second tooth rows have first and second ranges. In the first range, an engaging height is a first engaging height, and a width of an effective tooth top is a first effective tooth top width. In the second range, the engaging height is a second engaging height that is smaller than the first engaging height, and a width of an effective tooth top is a second effective tooth top width that is larger than the first effective tooth top width.

Drawings

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Drawings

Claims12

Dependent claims

A recording-medium binding device comprising:

a first tooth row that includes a plurality of teeth arranged in a tooth arrangement direction;
and
a second tooth row that includes a plurality of teeth, that is to be engaged with the first tooth row, and that cooperates with the first tooth row to bind recording media by pinching a batch of the recording media,
wherein, in the tooth arrangement direction, one of the first tooth row and the second tooth row has at least one first range and at least one second range,
wherein, in the at least one first range, an engaging height by which at least one tooth of the plurality of teeth of the first tooth row and at least one tooth of the plurality of teeth of the second tooth row are engaged with each other is a first engaging height, and a width of an effective tooth top is a first effective tooth top width, and
wherein, in the at least one second range, the engaging height is a second engaging height that is smaller than the first engaging height, and a width of an effective tooth top is a second effective tooth top width that is larger than the first effective tooth top width,
wherein the at least one first range includes a plurality of first ranges disposed at both ends in the tooth arrangement direction.

4 more elements

A recording-medium binding device comprising:

a first tooth row that includes a plurality of teeth arranged in a tooth arrangement direction;
and
a second tooth row that includes a plurality of teeth, that is to be engaged with the first tooth row, and that cooperates with the first tooth row to bind recording media by pinching a batch of the recording media,
wherein, in the tooth arrangement direction, one of the first tooth row and the second tooth row has at least one first range and at least one second range,
wherein, in the at least one first range, an engaging height by which at least one tooth of the plurality of teeth of the first tooth row and at least one tooth of the plurality of teeth of the second tooth row are engaged with each other is a first engaging height, and a width of an effective tooth top is a first effective tooth top width, and
wherein, in the at least one second range, the engaging height is a second engaging height that is smaller than the first engaging height, and a width of an effective tooth top is a second effective tooth top width that is larger than the first effective tooth top width,
wherein each of the plurality of teeth of the first tooth row has a tooth top, a top end portion, and a tooth bottom, and each of the plurality of teeth of the second tooth row has a tooth top, a top end portion, and a tooth bottom, and
wherein, in each of the plurality of teeth of the first tooth row, at least the top end portion has a trapezoidal shape a width of which increases from a tooth top side toward a tooth bottom side when seen in the tooth arrangement direction, and in each of the plurality of teeth of the second tooth row, at least the top end portion has a trapezoidal shape a width of which increases from a tooth top side toward a tooth bottom side when seen in the tooth arrangement direction,
wherein the at least one first range includes a plurality of first ranges disposed at both ends in the tooth arrangement direction,
wherein each of the plurality of teeth of the first tooth row has two inclined sides of the trapezoidal shape, and each of the plurality of teeth of the second tooth row has two inclined sides of the trapezoidal shape,
wherein the first tooth row and the second tooth row have respective first side surfaces disposed on an identical side and respective second side surfaces disposed on an opposite side to the first side surfaces,
wherein, in the first tooth row and the second tooth row, when seen in the tooth arrangement direction, one of the two inclined sides of the trapezoidal shape of the at least one tooth of the plurality of teeth in the at least one second range is superposed on one of the two inclined sides of the trapezoidal shape of the at least one tooth of the plurality of teeth in each of the plurality of the first ranges, and
wherein, regarding the second side surfaces of the plurality of first tooth rows and the at least one second tooth row, when seen in the tooth arrangement direction, another inclined side of the trapezoidal shape of the at least one tooth of the plurality of teeth in the at least one second range is positioned outside another inclined side of the trapezoidal shape of the at least one tooth of the plurality of teeth in each of the plurality of first ranges in at least one of the first tooth row and the second tooth row.

10 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Description6,077 words

Summary484 words

#This application is based on and claims priority under 35 USC 119 from Japanese Patent Application Nos. 2016-066533 filed Mar. 29, 2016 and 2016-206524 filed Oct. 21, 2016.

#(i) Technical Field

#The present invention relates to a recording-medium binding device and a recording-medium post processing apparatus.

Brief description of the drawings13 figures

#Exemplary embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail based on the following figures, wherein:

#FIG. 1 schematically illustrates the structure of an image forming system;

#FIGS. 2A and 2B are respectively perspective views of an upper tooth row and a lower tooth row of a recording-medium binding device according to an exemplary embodiment;

Detailed description5,370 words

#An exemplary embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of the structure of an image forming system 12 that includes a recording-medium binding device 10 according to the present exemplary embodiment. The image forming system 12 includes an image forming apparatus 14 and a recording-medium post processing apparatus 16. The image forming apparatus 14 has functions such as, for example, electrophotographic printing and copying functions. The recording-medium post processing apparatus 16 performs post processes such as, for example, punching and binding on recording media on which images have been formed by the image forming apparatus 14. The recording-medium binding device 10 according to the present exemplary embodiment is mountable in the recording-medium post processing apparatus 16.

#The image forming apparatus 14 includes an image forming section 18 that forms toner images in accordance with obtained document information. The document information may be obtained by reading a document with a document reader 20 included in the image forming apparatus 14 or obtained from an external device. The image forming apparatus 14 further includes a recording-medium feeding mechanism 22. The recording media to be fed are sheet-shaped recording media having been cut into rectangular shapes made of, for example, paper. The recording-medium feeding mechanism 22 includes feed trays 24 and a transport path 28. The feed trays 24 hold the recording media stacked thereon. The transport path 28 allows the recording media to be fed therethrough from the feed trays 24 to an output opening 26. The toner images having been formed by the image forming section 18 is received by and fixed onto the recording media while the recording media are transported through the transport path 28. The recording media having been output through the output opening 26 are received by the recording-medium post processing apparatus 16.

#The recording media received by the recording-medium post processing apparatus 16 are accumulated on an accumulation tray 30 according to need so as to form a batch of recording media. In the case where the accumulation is not required, the recording media are fed to an output tray 32. When a predetermined number of recording media are accumulated on the accumulation tray 30, the recording media are bound by the recording-medium binding device 10. The recording-medium binding device 10 includes two tooth rows 34 and 36 that are paired with each other. Each of the tooth rows 34 and 36 includes plural teeth arranged thereon. For convenience of distinguishing between two tooth rows, the tooth rows illustrated on the upper and lower sides of FIG. 1 are respectively referred to as the upper tooth row 34 and the lower tooth row 36. It is sufficient that two tooth rows 34 and 36 face each other with the recording media to be bound pinched therebetween. For example, the tooth rows 34 and 36 are respectively arranged on the left and right, or the upper tooth row 34 and the lower tooth row 36 are respectively disposed on the lower and upper sides.

Facts

Application

15/469,650Filed 27 Mar 2017

Priority

JP 2016-06653329 Mar 2016

Published

US 2017/0283207 A15 Oct 2017

Granted

9 Oct 2018

Term ends

27 Mar 2037

Estimated · how

20 years from earliest known nonprovisional domestic filing plus recorded patent term adjustment. Maintenance-fee lapses, terminal disclaimers and statutory extensions have not been checked. The continuity chain may be incomplete; this is not an enforceability determination.

Classification13 codes

B31F 5/02
Attaching together sheets, strips or webs; Reinforcing edges: by crimping or slotting or perforating
B42B 5/00
Permanently attaching together sheets, quires or signatures otherwise than by stitching
B65H 37/04
Article or web delivery apparatus incorporating devices for performing specified auxiliary operations: for securing together articles or webs,…
G03G 15/6544
Binding sets of sheets, e.g. by stapling, glueing: details about the binding means or procedure

Timeline

29 Mar 2016Priority claimedJP 2016-066533
27 Mar 2017Application filedUS 15/469,650
27 Mar 2017Assigned to Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.assignment of assignor's interest
5 Oct 2017PublishedUS 2017/0283207 A1
9 Oct 2018GrantedUS 10,093,071 B2
12 Aug 2021Assigned to Fujifilm Business Innovation Corp.change of name
12 Oct 2026TodayWithin its term
27 Mar 2037Term endsEstimated

Recording-medium binding device and recording-medium post processing apparatus

Life of this patent

Recording-medium binding device and recording-medium post processing apparatus

Life of this patent

Life of this patent

Abstract

Drawings

Drawings

Claims12

Description6,077 words

Classification13 codes

Life of this patent

Drawings

Description6,077 words