# US 10,481,543 B2 · Sheet processing device and image forming system

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- Number: US 10,481,543 B2
- Document ID: US10481543B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/597,803
- Filed: 2017-05-17
- Published: 2018-01-18
- Granted: 2019-11-19
- Earliest claimed: 2016-07-14
- Assignees: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Yutaka Nobe; Satoshi Kurihara
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10481543B2

## CPC

- G03G 15/6541: {Binding sets of sheets, e.g. by stapling, glueing}
- 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 2301/51616: involving simultaneous deformation of parts of the material to be bound
- B65H 2403/511: involving cylindrical cam, i.e. cylinder with helical groove at its periphery
- B65H 2801/27: Devices located downstream of office-type machines
- G03G: ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY
- B65H: HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES

## Abstract

A sheet processing device includes a first pressing unit that presses sheets with a first force, and a second pressing unit that presses the sheets with a second force larger than the first force after the sheets are pressed with the first force. The sheets are bound by the second force.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A sheet processing device comprising:
a first pressing device configured to press sheets with a first force;
a second pressing device configured to press the sheets with a second force larger than the first force only after the sheets are pressed with the first force;
a binding device configured to bind the sheets by a force by clamping the sheets; and
a first member and a second member that clamps and binds the sheets with the first member
a restricting device that does not decrease the distance between the first member and the second member at the binding position when a force larger than or equal to a preset force is applied in a direction opposite from a direction in which the binding device clamps the sheets while the first force is applied to the binding device,
wherein the sheets are bound by the second force,
wherein the first pressing device applies the first force, with which the binding device clamps the sheets, to the binding device,
wherein the second pressing device applies the second force larger than the first force to the binding device after the first force is applied to the binding device,
wherein the binding device binds the sheets by the second force,
wherein the first pressing device moves the first member and the second member close to each other by the first force at a binding position where the first member and the second member bind the sheets,
wherein the second pressing device moves the first member and the second member closer to each other by the second force at the binding position than when the first force is applied so that the sheets are bound by the first member and the second member, and
wherein the second pressing device applies the second force to the binding device when a distance between the first member and the second member at the binding position is less than or equal to a preset threshold value.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The sheet processing device according to claim 1, wherein the first force moves the binding device from a retreated position to a processing position where the binding device clamps and binds the sheets.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The sheet processing device according to claim 1, wherein the second pressing device does not apply the second force to the binding device when a force larger than or equal to a preset force is applied in a direction opposite from a direction in which the binding device clamps the sheets while the first force is applied to the binding device.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The sheet processing device according to claim 1, further comprising:
a transmission member configured to transmit the second force to the first member or the second member when the distance between the first member and the second member at the binding position is less than or equal to the preset threshold value and does not transmit the second force to the first member or the second member when the distance between the first member and the second member at the binding position is more than the preset threshold value.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The sheet processing device according to claim 4,
wherein the transmission member is a cam that transmits the second force from a motor to the first member or the second member through an intermediate member by contact with the intermediate member, and
wherein the cam comes into contact with the intermediate member when the distance between the first member and the second member at the binding position is less than or equal to the preset threshold value, and the cam does not come into contact with the intermediate member when the distance between the first member and the second member at the binding position is more than the preset threshold value.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The sheet processing device according to claim 5,
wherein the cam is a member that is rotated by operation of the motor,
wherein the intermediate member is located out of an orbit of a turning motion of the cam when the distance between the first member and the second member at the binding position is more than the preset threshold value, and
wherein the intermediate member is located in the orbit of the turning motion of the cam when the distance between the first member and the second member at the binding position is less than or equal to the preset threshold value.

### Claim 7 (depends on 5)

The sheet processing device according to claim 5, wherein the second force is a force based on a turning amount of the cam.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The sheet processing device according to claim 7, wherein the second force to be transmitted increases as the turning amount of the cam increases.

### Claim 9 (depends on 7)

The sheet processing device according to claim 7, further comprising:
a controller that controls the turning amount of the cam according to a thickness of the sheets.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The sheet processing device according to claim 1,
wherein the first force is a force of a spring, and
wherein the second force is a force of a turning motion of a cam.

### Claim 11

An image forming system comprising:
an image forming apparatus that forms an image on at least one sheet, the at least one sheet including a plurality of sheets; and
a sheet processing device that conducts a preset processing on the plurality of sheets on which the image is formed,
wherein the sheet processing device includes
a first pressing device that presses the sheets with a first force; and
a second pressing device that presses the sheets with a second force larger than the first force only after the sheets are pressed with the first force,
a binding device configured to bind the sheets by a force by clamping the sheets; and
a first member and a second member that clamps and binds the sheets with the first member
a restricting device that does not decrease the distance between the first member and the second member at the binding position when a force larger than or equal to a preset force is applied in a direction opposite from a direction in which the binding device clamps the sheets while the first force is applied to the binding device,
wherein the sheets are bound by the second force,
wherein the first pressing device applies the first force, with which the binding device clamps the sheets, to the binding device,
wherein the second pressing device applies the second force larger than the first force to the binding device after the first force is applied to the binding device,
wherein the binding device binds the sheets by the second force,
wherein the first pressing device moves the first member and the second member close to each other by the first force at a binding position where the first member and the second member bind the sheets,
wherein the second pressing device moves the first member and the second member closer to each other by the second force at the binding position than when the first force is applied so that the sheets are bound by the first member and the second member, and
wherein the second pressing device applies the second force to the binding device when a distance between the first member and the second member at the binding position is less than or equal to a preset threshold value.