Method for binding sheet media
AssigneeHewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
InventorRoland Boss
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method and apparatus for binding documents by individually binding each media sheet to previously bound media sheets using imaging material as the binding material.
Claims19
A method for binding together a plurality of media sheets, comprising:
- applying imaging material to a binding region on a single media sheet and activating the imaging material;
- collecting the sheet together with previously collected sheets in a stack;
- heating the imaging material applied to the binding region of the sheet;
- cooling the imaging material applied to the binding region of the sheet;
- and
- repeating the acts of applying, collecting, heating and cooling for each sheet in the plurality of sheets.
A method for binding together a plurality of media sheets, comprising:
- applying imaging material to a binding region on a single media sheet and activating the imaging material;
- collecting the sheet together with previously collected sheets in a stack;
- pressing a heating element against the binding region of the sheet;
- withdrawing the heating element from the sheet;
- pressing a cooling element against the binding region of the sheet;
- withdrawing the cooling element from the sheet;
- and
- repeating the acts of applying, collecting, pressing, withdrawing, pressing and withdrawing for each sheet in the plurality of sheets.
An apparatus for binding media sheets having a region of imaging material applied thereto for binding, comprising:
- a tray for collecting a plurality of media sheets;
- and
- heating and cooling elements movable for each sheet output to the tray between a first position in which a sheet in the tray is heated and a second position in which the sheet is cooled.
An apparatus for binding media sheets having a region of imaging material applied thereto for binding, comprising:
- a tray for collecting a plurality of media sheets;
- a heating element movable between a first position in which the heating element is separated from the media sheets and a second position in which the heating element contacts a media sheet;
- a cooling element movable between a first position in which the cooling element is separated from the media sheets and a second position in which the cooling element contacts a media sheet;
- and
- a press coupled to the heating element and the cooling element, the press operative for each sheet output to the tray to alternately press the heating and cooling elements against the binding region of the sheet.
A system for producing a bound document from a plurality of media sheets, comprising:
- an image forming device configured to apply imaging material in the pattern of a desired print image to each media sheet, to apply imaging material to selected binding regions on each media sheet, and to activate the imaging material;
- and
- a binding device comprising a tray for collecting a plurality of media sheets and heating and cooling elements movable for each sheet output to the tray between a first position in which a sheet in the tray is heated and a second position in which the sheet is cooled.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.