JP4569482B2 - Image forming apparatus and image forming system - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus and an image forming system.

  2. Description of the Related Art An image forming system having a case binding function that forms a booklet by wrapping a bundle of body papers, which are the contents of a booklet on which an image is formed, on a sheet of paper on which a front cover, a back cover, and a back cover are printed. (For example, refer to Patent Document 1).

  The system described in Patent Literature 1 includes an image processing terminal, a controller, and an image forming apparatus having a bookbinding function. The image processing terminal creates image data of the front cover, the back cover, the back cover, and the body and transmits them to the controller. The controller creates the cover image data with the back cover by synthesizing the image data of the cover, back cover and back cover from the image data of the cover, back cover, back cover and body received from the image processing terminal. The back cover image data with the back cover is transmitted to the image forming apparatus together with the body image data. The image forming apparatus performs case binding after performing image formation on each of the cover sheet and the body sheet based on the cover image data with the back cover and the body image data received from the controller.

  In the image forming apparatus of Patent Document 2, the front cover image data, the back cover image data, and the back cover image data are read independently, arranged at a required position in the image memory, and the cover image data is generated to perform image formation. Is going.

On the other hand, the image forming apparatus of Patent Document 3 includes a hard disk for storing image data, stores image data when image formation is performed on the hard disk, and re-images using the image data stored on the hard disk. Forming.
JP 2002-361967 A JP 2000-332987 A Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-180005

  In the system described in Patent Document 1, the cover image data with a back cover obtained by combining the image data of the cover, the back cover, and the back cover is input to the image forming apparatus.

  At this time, if the image forming apparatus has a storage function and a re-image forming function as in Patent Document 3, the cover image data with the back cover is stored on the hard disk, and the cover image data with the back cover stored on the hard disk is stored. It is possible to re-image and use case binding.

  However, there is a case where it is desired to output in another bookbinding form (for example, side stitching). When output is changed to flat binding, for example, the front cover and the back cover are separate sheets and the back cover is not printed, but the image data stored in the image forming apparatus is the cover page, back cover, and so on. There is a problem that re-image formation cannot be performed as it is because it is the cover image data with the back cover in which the image data of the front cover and the back cover is synthesized.

  In the image forming apparatus described in Patent Document 2, since the front cover image data, the back cover image data, and the back cover image data are read independently, if the back cover image data is deleted and the image data is edited, the case binding is started. Although it is possible to change to flat stitching and perform re-image formation, no specific image data editing method has been proposed.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and is an image that can be easily switched between a binding mode that requires spine image data and an unnecessary binding mode that does not require spine image data. An object of the present invention is to provide a forming apparatus and an image forming system.

  An image forming apparatus according to the present invention includes a back cover image binding mode for performing image formation by assigning final image data of a series of image data to spine cover image data, and image formation without assigning a series of image data to spine cover image data. A binding mode setting means capable of setting a back cover image without performing image processing, image data acquisition means for acquiring a series of image data in association with the binding mode set by the binding mode setting means, and the binding mode Acquired by the image data acquisition unit when the binding mode switching unit switches the binding mode set by the setting unit, and the binding mode switching unit switches from the binding mode with the spine cover image to the binding mode without the spine cover image. Image data editing means for deleting final image data in the series of image data It is characterized in that.

  The image forming apparatus according to the present invention also includes a binding mode with a back cover image that assigns final image data of a series of image data to spine image data and performs image formation, and does not assign a series of image data to spine image data. A binding mode setting means capable of setting a back cover image without image formation; an image data acquisition means for acquiring a series of image data in association with the binding mode set by the binding mode setting means; A binding mode switching unit that switches the binding mode set by the binding mode setting unit, and the image data acquisition unit when the binding mode switching unit switches from the binding mode without the back cover image to the binding mode with the back cover image. The image that becomes the spine cover image following the final image data in the series of image data acquired by It is characterized by having an image data editing means for adding data.

  An image forming system according to the present invention includes any one of the image forming apparatuses according to the present invention described above, and an image data input device that transmits a series of image data whose final image data is spine image data to the image forming apparatus. It is characterized by having.

  According to the present invention, since the back cover image data is arranged at the end of the image data arrangement, when switching from the binding mode for the back cover image data to the unnecessary binding mode for the back cover image data. Simply deletes the back cover image data, which is the last image data, and when switching from the unnecessary binding mode of the back cover image data to the required binding mode of the back cover image data, the final image data Subsequently, the binding mode can be easily switched by simply adding the back cover image data.

(Device configuration)
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the image forming apparatus according to the present embodiment.

  The image forming apparatus 10 is centered on a CPU 11 that executes various controls of the image forming apparatus 10 according to a program. 20, the display part 21, and the communication part 22 are mutually connected.

  The ROM 13 stores various programs and data, and the CPU 11 executes control of the image forming apparatus 10 using these programs and data.

  The RAM 14 is used as a work area by the CPU 11 and temporarily stores programs and data required when the CPU 11 executes control.

  The document reading unit 15 reads the document and generates image data. The generated image data is output to the image forming unit 17.

  The paper supply unit 16 stores a cover sheet and a body sheet, and feeds the cover sheet or the body sheet toward the image forming unit 17.

  The image forming unit 17 forms an image on the body sheet or cover sheet fed from the sheet feeding unit 16 based on the image data input from the document reading unit 15 or the communication unit 22.

  The bookbinding unit 18 receives the cover sheet and the body sheet conveyed from the image forming unit 17 and performs bookbinding such as case binding and side binding. The case binding is not limited as long as it binds a bundle of body sheets, which are the contents of the booklet, in a U-shape with a cover sheet. For example, a bundle of body sheets and a cover sheet are applied to the back of the bundle of body sheets. It may be fixed with an adhesive or may be fixed with staples. For flat binding, for example, a front cover paper and a back cover paper of the same size as the body paper are used, and a sheet bundle is formed by stacking the front cover paper, the body paper, and the back cover paper in this order, and one side is bound by staples or the like. I do.

  The hard disk 19 stores and stores image data input from the document reading unit 15 or the communication unit 22.

  The operation unit 20 is operated by a user and inputs a case binding mode, a side binding mode selection, an image formation instruction, and the like.

  The display unit 21 displays various operation screens, setting screens, and the like. The display unit 21 may be configured by a touch panel and may also serve as the operation unit 20.

  The communication unit 22 is connected to an external device such as a personal computer, and receives image data transmitted from the external device.

(Outline of binding mode switching control)
FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an outline of image data editing when performing side binding using image data input at the time of case binding. As an example, a case where image formation is performed on both sides of a cover is shown. The upper part of the figure shows a schematic diagram of the bookbinding form in case binding and the arrangement of input image data, and the lower part of the figure shows the schematic view of the bookbinding form in flat binding and arrangement of input image data.

  Input image data in case binding is in the order of front cover front image data FF, front cover back image data FR, body image data H1 to Hn, back cover front image data BF, back cover back image data BB, and back cover image data S. The front cover image data FF, front cover back image data FR, back cover front image data BF, back cover back image data BB, and back cover image data S are shown on the cover sheet k based on the arrangement of the data. The body image data H1 to Hn are formed on the body paper h.

  On the other hand, the input image data in side stitching is arranged in the order of front cover image data FF, front cover image back image data FR, body image data H1 to Hn, back cover image data BF, and back cover image data BB. Based on the arrangement of the data, the front cover front image data FF, the front cover back image data FR, the back cover front image data BF, and the back cover back image data BB are formed at the positions shown in the figure of the cover sheet k, and the body image Data H1 to Hn are formed on the body paper h.

  When image data input at the time of case binding is stored in the hard disk 19 and re-image formation is performed by flat binding using the image data, the input image data must be edited for side binding. I must.

  In the present embodiment, the back cover image data S that is not necessary for side stitching is arranged at the end of the sequence of input image data for case binding, so that the input image for side stitching from the case binding input image data. When generating the data, it is possible to easily generate the input image data for flat binding by simply deleting the spine cover image data S which is the final image data for case binding.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an outline of editing image data when performing case binding using image data input at the time of side binding. As an example, a case where image formation is performed on both sides of a cover is shown. The upper part of the figure shows a schematic diagram of the bookbinding form and the input image data in flat binding, and the lower part of the figure shows the schematic view of the bookbinding form in case binding and the order of the input image data. The schematic diagram of the bookbinding form and the arrangement of the input image data in the flat binding and the case binding are the same as those described in FIG.

  When image data input at the time of flat binding is stored in the hard disk 19 and re-image formation is performed by case binding using the image data, the input image data must be edited for case binding. I must.

  In the present embodiment, the back cover image data S that is not necessary for flat binding is arranged at the end as an array of input image data for case binding. When the input image data is generated, the input image data for case binding is easily generated by simply adding the back cover image data S used in case binding that follows the final image data for side binding. be able to.

(Binding mode switching control flow)
As an example, when image data input in the case binding mode or the side binding mode is stored (image data storage processing), and the re-image formation is performed by switching to another mode using the stored image data (binding mode switching processing). Will be described. It is an example and it is not limited to this.

<Image data storage processing>
FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing control of image data storage processing according to the present embodiment. It is an example and it is not limited to this. This process is performed by the CPU 11 executing a process based on a program stored in the ROM 13. Here, the input image data is input via the document reading unit 15, but may be input via an external device such as a personal computer via the communication unit 22.

  First, when the side binding mode or the case binding mode is selected by the operation unit 20, the selected binding mode information is input to the CPU 11 (step S11).

  Next, when a document is set on the document reading unit 15 and a print start instruction is given by the operation unit 20, the CPU 11 drives the document reading unit 15 to input a document image. As a result, the image data is input to the CPU 11 in the reading order (step S12). When the case binding mode is selected by the user, the original set on the original reading unit 15 is set on the original reading unit 15 in the order of the front cover original, the body original, the back cover original, and the back cover original. When the binding mode is selected, the front cover document, the body document, and the back cover document are set in the document reading unit 15 in this order. When inputting from an external device such as a personal computer, the image data is transmitted in the order of cover image data, body image data, back cover image data, and back cover image data on the external device side.

  Next, the CPU 11 stores the input image data in the hard disk 19 in association with the binding mode information input in step S11 (step S13), and then the flow ends.

  The image data storage process is out of the image data storage process, but as indicated by a broken line in the figure, each of the image data input in step S12 is based on the binding mode information input in step S11 by the CPU 11. Then, it assigns to each cover image data or body image data (step S14). For example, if the input binding mode information is the case binding mode, as shown in FIG. 2, the CPU 11 sets the first image data as the front cover image data FF, the second as the front cover image data FR, 3 The (N-3) th is the body image data H1 to Hn, the (N-2) th is the back cover front image data BF, the (N-1) th is the back cover back image data BB, and the Nth as the final image data. Is assigned to the spine image data S.

  Next, the CPU 11 feeds the binding mode cover sheet k and the body sheet h input from the sheet feeding unit 16, and the cover sheet k is covered by the image forming unit 17 on the cover sheet k. Data FR, back cover front image data BF, back cover back image data BB, and back cover image data S are image-formed, and the body image data H1 to Hn are formed on the body paper h. Thereafter, the CPU 11 causes the bookbinding to be performed in the binding mode input by the bookbinding unit 18 (step S15).

<Binding mode switching process>
FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing control of image data switching processing according to this embodiment. This process is performed by the CPU 11 executing a process based on a program stored in the ROM 13.

  First, when the user designates image data for desired image formation through the operation unit 20, image data designation information is input to the CPU 11 (step S21).

  Next, the CPU 11 reads image data corresponding to the designation information from the hard disk 19 based on the designation information of the input image data (step S22).

  Next, the CPU 11 displays the binding mode associated with the read image data on the display unit 21 (step S23).

  Next, when the user inputs switching of the binding mode through the operation unit 20, binding mode switching information is input to the CPU 11 (step S24).

  Next, the CPU 11 determines whether or not the case binding mode has been switched to the side binding mode (step S25). If it is determined that the case binding mode has been switched to the side binding mode (step S25; Yes), the CPU 11 selects the final image data (the back cover image data S in the case binding mode) from the image data read in step S22. Delete (step S26). If it is determined that the case binding mode has not been switched to the side binding mode (step S25; No), the CPU 11 determines that the case binding mode has been switched to the case binding mode, and the display unit 21 inputs the spine cover image data S. To display. Based on this, the user sets a spine cover original on the original reading unit 15, and the spine cover original is read by the original reading unit 15, whereby the spine cover image data S is input to the CPU 11 (step S27). Here, the input image data is input via the document reading unit 15, but may be input via an external device such as a personal computer via the communication unit 22.

  In step S <b> 28, the CPU 11 assigns each of the image data from which the final image data has been deleted in step S <b> 26 to each cover image data or body image data in the flat binding mode. As shown in the sequence of the image data in the side stitching mode of FIG. 2, the first image data is the front cover image data FF, the second is the front cover image data FR, and the third (N-3) th is the body image data. H1 to Hn, (N-2) th is assigned to the back cover front image data BF, and (N-1) th which is the final image data is assigned to the back cover back image data BB.

  Next, the CPU 11 feeds the front binding cover sheet k and the main body sheet h from the sheet feeding unit 16, and the cover sheet k is applied to the cover sheet k by the image forming unit 17. The back cover front image data BF and the back cover back image data BB are image formed, and the body image data H1 to Hn are formed on the body paper h. Thereafter, the CPU 11 causes the bookbinding unit 18 to perform side stitch binding (step S29).

  In step S30, the CPU 11 assigns each of the image data added with the spine image data S in step S27 to each cover image data or body image data in the case binding mode. As shown in the sequence of the image data in the case binding mode in FIG. 3, the first image data is the front cover image data FF, the second is the front cover image data FR, and the third (N-2) th is the body image data. H1 to Hn, (N-1) th is assigned to the back cover image data BF, Nth is assigned to the back cover image BB, and (N + 1) th which is the final image data is assigned to the back cover image data S.

  Next, the CPU 11 feeds the case binding front cover paper k and the body paper h from the paper supply unit 16, and the front cover front image data FF, front cover back image data FR, The back cover front image data BF, the back cover back image data BB, and the back cover image data S are image-formed, and the body image data H1 to Hn are formed on the body paper h. Thereafter, the CPU 11 causes the bookbinding unit 18 to perform case binding (step S31).

  In this embodiment, the present invention is applied to the case where re-image formation is performed by switching the binding mode.However, the present invention is not limited to re-image formation. Any changeable image forming apparatus can be applied to normal image formation.

  In this embodiment, switching to the mode between the case binding and the side binding has been described. However, the mode switching is not limited thereto, and the mode is switched between the binding mode with the back cover image and the binding mode without the back cover image. If so, the binding form may be anything. Other examples of the binding mode without a back cover image include a saddle stitch mode, a case binding mode without a back cover image, and the like.

  In this embodiment, the cover image is formed on both sides of the cover sheet, but the cover image may be formed only on one side of the cover sheet.

  In the present embodiment, the bookbinding unit 18 is provided inside the image forming apparatus 10, but may be connected to the outside of the image forming apparatus 10 as a case binding apparatus.

  In this embodiment, only control when mode switching is performed between case binding and flat binding is described, but when mode switching is not performed, image formation is performed based on input image data. Needless to say, it is not necessary to delete the final image data or input the spine image data.

1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of an image forming apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment. It is a figure which shows the outline | summary of the edit of the image data in the case of performing plain binding using the image data input in the case of case binding. It is a figure which shows the outline | summary of the edit of the image data in the case of performing a case binding using the image data input in the case of plain binding. It is a flowchart which shows control of the image data preservation | save process which concerns on this embodiment. It is a flowchart which shows control of the image data switching process which concerns on this embodiment.

Explanation of symbols

10 Image forming apparatus 11 CPU
13 ROM
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 15 Document reading part 17 Image formation part 18 Bookbinding part 20 Operation part 22 Communication part

Claims (6)

A binding mode with a back cover image that performs image formation by assigning the final image data of a series of image data to the back cover image data, and a binding mode without a back cover image that forms an image without assigning a series of image data to the back cover image data And a binding mode setting means capable of setting;
Image data acquisition means for acquiring a series of image data in association with the binding mode set by the binding mode setting means;
Binding mode switching means for switching the binding mode set by the binding mode setting means;
Image data editing that deletes the final image data in the series of image data acquired by the image data acquisition unit when the binding mode switching unit switches from the binding mode with the back cover image to the binding mode without the back cover image Means,
An image forming apparatus comprising: A binding mode with a back cover image that performs image formation by assigning the final image data of a series of image data to the back cover image data, and a binding mode without a back cover image that forms an image without assigning a series of image data to the back cover image data And a binding mode setting means capable of setting;
Image data acquisition means for acquiring a series of image data in association with the binding mode set by the binding mode setting means;
Binding mode switching means for switching the binding mode set by the binding mode setting means;
When the binding mode switching unit switches the binding mode without the back cover image from the binding mode with the back cover image, the spine cover follows the final image data in the series of image data acquired by the image data acquisition unit. Image data editing means for adding image data to be an image;
An image forming apparatus comprising: The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the binding mode with a back cover image is a case binding mode with a back cover image. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the back cover image-less binding mode is a flat binding mode. An image forming apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
An image data input device for transmitting a series of image data whose final image data is spine image data to the image forming device;
An image forming system comprising: The image data input device transmits the series of image data to the image forming device in the order of front cover image data, body image data, back cover image data, and back cover image data. Image forming system.

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