Device for automatically binding booklets of variable thickness, comprising at least two feed means
AssigneeCEM Corporation
InventorFrancesco Valentinis
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A device for automatically binding booklets (5) each presenting a variable number of sheets (4), comprising assembler means (40) for grouping the sheets of each booklet and presenting at least two separate means (80, 81) for feeding the sheets of each booklet towards a common gathering station (82), means (89, 41) for moving each booklet from said station to said binding means (33), and means (3) for measuring the thickness of each booklet (5) to be automatically bound, the binding means (33) forming for each booklet, on the basis of the measured thickness of the booklet to be bound, a personalized covering element for at least part of the visible faces and for an outer edge of the booklet.
Claims27
A device for automatically binding booklets (5) each presenting a variable number of sheets (4), comprising assembler means (40) for grouping the sheets of each booklet, means (3) for measuring the thickness of each booklet (5) to be automatically bound, binding means (33) for forming for each booklet, on the basis of the measured thickness of the booklet to be bound, a personalized covering element for at least part of the visible faces and for an outer edge of the booklet;
- characterised in that the assembler means (40) present at least two separate means (80, 81) for feeding the sheets of each booklet towards a common gathering station (82), and means (89, 41) for moving each booklet from said station to said binding means (33).
A device as claimed in one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the binding line (33) comprises a feed station (7) for the covering elements (8), a creasing station (9) and a trimming station (13) for each of said covering elements (8), a station (22) for feeding the booklet (5) to be bound onto the previously crease-lined and/or trimmed covering element, and/or a station (23) for stapling together the booklet and a portion (21B) of the covering element, and/or a gluing station (25) arranged to spread an adhesive substance onto those portions (21A-C) of the covering element which are to be associated with each other and/or with the edge (34) of the booklet and with the portions (28) of the first and last sheet of the booklet, and/or onto said edge (34) and portions of the booklet, and/or a station (27) for rotating those parts (21A, B, C) of the covering element (8) on which an adhesive substance has been previously spread to make them adhere to each other and/or to the edge (34) of the booklet and to its upper portion (28), and/or a station (30) for pressing at least the covering element (8) and that part of the booklet wrapped by said element.
A device as claimed in one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the movable creasing element (65B) and the movable cutting element (66) comprise common mover, guide and support means, so as to be simultaneously moved perpendicular to the direction (Z) of advancement of the covering elements (62), while always maintaining the same distance between them.
A device as claimed in one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the exit station (40A) of the assembler means (40), the entry station (A) of the adhesive-binding means (42) and the means (41) for moving the booklets between said two stations are in series with each other and disposed along a rectilinear path, with the mover means being provided between said two stations.
A device as claimed in one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the assembler means (40), the adhesive-binding means (42) and the mover means (41) are distinct and are separate from each other.
A device as claimed in one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the binding line comprises means (40) for assembling the booklets to be bound, adhesive-binding means (42) for said booklets, means (41) for transferring the booklets from said assembler means to said adhesive-binding means, means (49) for measuring the thickness of each booklet to be bound, and means (60) for generating, for each booklet, on the basis of the relative measured thickness, a covering element (75) of suitable dimensions, in which all said means are connected to and controlled by a common control unit.
A device as claimed in one of the preceding claims, characterised by comprising guide members (78A, B) for the movement of the covering elements (8, 75) generated for each booklet on the basis of the measured thickness of the booklet, said guide members comprising at least one guide element (78B) movable in such a manner as to be able to adapt to the different dimensions of said covering elements, for said movable guide element there being provided automatic mover means (79), controlled in relation to said measured thickness.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.