# US 10,372,076 B2 · Sheet processing apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,372,076 B2 - Document ID: US10372076B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/951,307 - Filed: 2018-04-12 - Published: 2018-10-18 - Granted: 2019-08-06 - Earliest claimed: 2017-04-17 - Assignees: Canon Finetech Nisca Inc. - Applicants: Canon Finetech Nisca Inc. - Inventors: Tatsuya Takahashi - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10372076B2 ## CPC - G03G 15/6544: {Details about the binding means or procedure} - B31F 5/02: by crimping or slotting {or perforating} - B42B 4/00: Permanently attaching together sheets, quires or signatures by discontinuous stitching with filamentary material, e.g. wire {(by stapling B25C5/00; staples F16B15/00)} - B42B 5/00: Permanently attaching together sheets, quires or signatures otherwise than by stitching (by deformation thereof B31F; by adhesive peculiar to bookbinding B42C9/00) - B42C 1/12: Machines for both collating or gathering and permanently attaching together the sheets or signatures - B42C 1/125: {Sheet sorters combined with binding devices} - B65H 37/04: for securing together articles or webs, e.g. by adhesive, stitching or stapling (adhering replacement to expiring web during change of web roll B65H19/18) - B65H 43/06: detecting, or responding to, completion of pile (B65H43/08 takes precedence) - B31F 2201/07: Embossing - B31F 2201/0758: Characteristics of the embossed product - B31F 2201/0779: Control - B65H 2301/43828: involving simultaneous deformation of at least a part of the articles to be bound - B65H 2301/51616: involving simultaneous deformation of parts of the material to be bound - B65H 2408/1222: movable transversely to direction of transport - B65H 2801/27: Devices located downstream of office-type machines - G03G 2215/00827: Stapler - G03G: ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY - B31F: MECHANICAL WORKING OR DEFORMATION OF PAPER, CARDBOARD OR MATERIAL WORKED IN A MANNER ANALOGOUS TO PAPER (making layered products not composed wholly of paper or cardboard B32B) - B42B: PERMANENTLY ATTACHING TOGETHER SHEETS, QUIRES OR SIGNATURES OR PERMANENTLY ATTACHING OBJECTS THERETO (nailing or stapling in general B25C, B27F; machines for both collating or gathering and permanently attaching together sheets or signatures B42C1/12; temporarily attaching sheets together B42F) - B42C: BOOKBINDING (cutting or perforating machines, devices or tools B26; folding sheets or webs B31F; ornamenting books B44) - B65H: HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES ## Abstract There is provided a sheet post-processing apparatus capable of performing eco-stapling processing to prevent a decrease in binding force by the thickness of a sheet with a simple arrangement by changing a stapling count depending on the grammage and size of a sheet and the number of sheets in consideration of the change in binding force caused by the sheet size. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A sheet processing apparatus comprising: a binding unit configured to perform binding processing for a sheet bundle without using a staple; an obtaining unit configured to obtain information about grammage values of sheets forming the sheet bundle; and a control unit configured to control the binding unit to allow a change in a count of the binding processing by the binding unit in accordance with information about the grammage values of outermost sheets of the sheet bundle, the information being obtained by the obtaining unit, if the obtaining unit obtains information indicating that the sheet bundle is made of sheets having a plurality of different grammage values. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit controls the binding unit to allow a change between binding processing performed once by the binding unit and binding processing performed at an overlapping position a plurality of times by the binding unit in accordance with information about the grammage values of the outermost sheets of the sheet bundle, the information being obtained by the obtaining unit, if the obtaining unit obtains the information indicating that the sheet bundle is made of sheets having the plurality of different grammage values. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit controls the binding unit to allow a change in the count of binding processing at an overlapping position in accordance with information about the grammage values of the outermost sheets of the sheet bundle, the information being obtained by the obtaining unit, if the obtaining unit obtains the information indicating that the sheet bundle is made of sheets having the plurality of different grammage values. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the binding unit includes: an upper tooth having a first concave portion and a first convex portion and configured to press a sheet by the first convex portion from above; and a lower tooth having a second concave portion and a second convex portion and configured to press a sheet by the second convex portion from below, the second concave portion and the second convex portion being formed such that the second convex portion is inserted into the first concave portion and the first convex portion is inserted into the second concave portion when the lower tooth meshes with the upper tooth. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the outermost sheets of the sheet bundle include a sheet closest to the upper tooth and a sheet closest to the lower tooth out of the sheets forming the sheet bundle. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit changes the count of binding processing when the obtaining unit obtains information indicating that the grammage values of the outermost sheets of the sheet bundle are not less than a predetermined grammage value from a first count of binding processing to a second count of binding processing which is larger than the first count and obtained when the obtaining unit obtains information indicating that the outermost sheets of the sheet bundle include a sheet having a grammage value less than a predetermined grammage value. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a selection unit configured to select one of a first binding strength and a second binding strength higher than the first binding strength to perform binding processing of the stapling unit, wherein if binding processing with the second binding strength is selected, the control unit changes the count of the binding processing to a count larger than one in accordance with the obtained grammage values of the outermost sheets of the sheet bundle. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein if binding processing with the first binding strength is selected, the control unit allows binding processing of the sheet bundle using the count of the binding processing as one. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising a stapling unit configured to perform stapling processing for a sheet using the staple, wherein the selection unit can select one of the binding unit and the stapling unit to perform binding processing. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein when the selection unit selects the stapling unit, the control unit allows stapling processing of the sheet using a stapling count of the stapling unit as one.