JP7707524B2 - Manufacturing method for staple-free binding - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a stapleless binding section that binds stacks of paper together without using staples.

The following patent documents 1-3 disclose technologies related to a stapleless stapler, a staple-less stapler that staples bundled papers or the like without using staples.

Patent Document 1 (JP 2017-185785 A) describes a binding unit (50) that sandwiches and binds paper between upper teeth (540) and lower teeth (550) that mesh with each other. The convex portions (541, 551) of each tooth (540, 550) in Patent Document 1 are formed in a shape having a flat top surface (541a, 551a) along the surface of the paper, a sloping side surface (541b, 551b), a first side surface (542b, 552b) extending in the thickness direction of the paper, and a bottom surface (542a, 552a) along the surface of the paper. Also described is a configuration in which the top surface (541a, 551a) and the sloping side surface (541b, 551b) are formed in a convex curved shape. In Patent Document 1, all the convex portions (541, 551) are formed in the same shape.

Patent document 2 (JP 2018-158796 A) describes a binding unit (51) that sandwiches and binds paper between an upper pressing member (83A) and a lower pressing member (83B), in which the shape of the teeth of the lower pressing member (83B) is a configuration in which teeth made up of five protrusions (91) with pointed tips are arranged with teeth made up of trapezoidal protrusions (92) with their tips cut off at both ends. Patent document 2 also describes a configuration in which an intermediate protrusion (95) is arranged between the protrusions (91) and the trapezoidal protrusions (92), the protrusion amount of which is smaller than that of the protrusions (91) and larger than that of the trapezoidal protrusions (92).

Patent document 3 (JP 2018-158807 A) describes a binding unit (51) that sandwiches and binds paper between an upper pressing member (83A) and a lower pressing member (83B), in which the shape of the teeth of the lower pressing member (83B) is composed of high protruding portions (42B) that have sharp tips and a large amount of protrusion, and low protruding portions (42A) that have sharp tips and a small amount of protrusion on both ends of the teeth.

JP 2017-185785 A ("0036"-"0043", "0057"-"0062", Figs. 5, 6, 10) JP 2018-158796 A ("0025"-"0032", "0056"-"0063", Figures 4, 6, and 9) JP 2018-158807 A ("0034"-"0038", FIG. 5)

The technical objective of the present invention is to improve the binding force compared to when the overall positions of the binding protrusions are all random.

In order to solve the above technical problem, the manufacturing method of the stapleless binding part of the invention described in claim 1 is as follows:
A method for manufacturing a stapleless binding section, comprising: a first binding section having a plurality of projections and recesses; and a second binding section disposed opposite the first binding section and having projections and recesses that fit with the projections and recesses of the first binding section, wherein the first binding section and the second binding section sandwich a medium in a thickness direction of the medium to bind the medium together, the method comprising the steps of:
a die forming step of forming each of the binding portions with a die;
a first adjustment step of pushing the convex portions of the binding portions that have been subjected to the mold forming step and released from the mold to adjust the positions of the convex portions in an arrangement direction in which the concaves and convexes are arranged side by side;
a second adjustment step of adjusting an outer shape of the convex portion, the position of which has been adjusted in the first adjustment step, by pressing a part of the convex portion with a contact area smaller than that of the first adjustment step;
In addition to carrying out the above,
The method is characterized in that after the mold forming step and before the first adjustment step, a step is carried out in which the area opposite the uneven area in the central area in the arrangement direction of the multiple unevennesses in each binding portion is pressed to warp the uneven area .

The invention described in claim 2 is the method for manufacturing the stapleless bound portion described in claim 1 ,
a process for processing the opposite side portion so as to be flat, after the warping process and before the first adjustment process;
The present invention is characterized by carrying out the following steps.

In order to solve the above technical problem, the manufacturing method of the stapleless binding portion of the invention described in claim 3 is as follows:
A method for manufacturing a stapleless binding section, comprising: a first binding section having a plurality of projections and recesses; and a second binding section disposed opposite the first binding section and having projections and recesses that fit with the projections and recesses of the first binding section, wherein the first binding section and the second binding section sandwich a medium in a thickness direction of the medium to bind the medium together, the method comprising the steps of:
a die forming step of forming each of the binding portions with a die;
a first adjustment step of pushing the convex portions of the binding portions that have been subjected to the mold forming step and released from the mold to adjust the positions of the convex portions in an arrangement direction in which the concaves and convexes are arranged side by side;
a second adjustment step of adjusting an outer shape of the convex portion, the position of which has been adjusted in the first adjustment step, by pressing a part of the convex portion with a contact area smaller than that of the first adjustment step;
In addition to carrying out the above,
The method is characterized in that a forming step is carried out in which a concave mold is used so that a central convex portion in the arrangement direction of the multiple concaves and convexes is most protruding, and each of the binding portions is formed with the concave mold.

The invention described in claim 4 is a method for manufacturing a stapleless bound portion according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
the protruding portion formed in the mold forming step has a first inclined surface and a second inclined surface located on the base end side of the first inclined surface,
In the first adjustment step, a first adjustment mold for adjusting a position of the convex portion is brought into contact with the first inclined surface and the second inclined surface of the convex portion formed in the mold forming step,
In the second adjustment step, the convex portion that contacts the first mold among the convex portions after the first adjustment step is characterized in that the first inclined surface contacts a second mold for adjustment that adjusts the external shape of the convex portion, and the second mold does not contact the second inclined surface.

The invention described in claim 5 is the method for manufacturing a stapleless bound portion described in claim 4,
The first and second inclined surfaces of the convex portion formed in the mold forming process are continuous, and the first mold comes into contact with the inflection area where the first inclined surface changes to the second inclined surface in the first adjustment process.

The invention described in claim 6 is a method for manufacturing a stapleless bound portion according to any one of claims 1 to 5,
a second adjustment step of adjusting the outer shape of a first inclined surface on the tip side of the convex portion whose position has been adjusted in the first adjustment step, thereby adjusting the outer shape of a portion to which force is applied during binding in the convex portion of the binding portion after adjustment in the second adjustment step;
The present invention is characterized by carrying out the following steps.

The invention described in claim 7 is the method for manufacturing a stapleless bound portion described in claim 6,
The binding portion is characterized in that a second inclined surface on the base end side has a steeper inclination than a first inclined surface on the tip end side of the protruding portion.

The invention described in claim 8 is a method for manufacturing a stapleless bound portion according to any one of claims 1 to 7,
In the first and second adjustment steps, the adjustment die comes into contact with the inclined surface of the convex portion.
It is characterized by:

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the binding force can be improved compared to a case in which the binding protrusions are all randomly positioned.
According to the second aspect of the present invention , adjustments in each adjustment step can be made easier than when the substrate is not processed to be flat.
According to the third aspect of the present invention, the binding force can be improved compared to a case in which the binding protrusions are all randomly positioned.
According to the invention described in claim 4, in the first adjustment step, the position of the convex portion can be adjusted by pressing the first inclined surface and the second inclined surface, while in the second adjustment step, the position of the convex portion can be adjusted without contacting the second inclined surface.

According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, the inflection region between the first inclined surface and the second inclined surface can be adjusted in the first adjustment step.
According to the sixth aspect of the present invention, the base end portion that exerts a force on the media during binding can be adjusted with higher accuracy than in the case where the outer shape of the base end portion of the convex portion is not adjusted.
According to the seventh aspect of the present invention, the outer shape of the base end portion, which is steeply inclined and acts on the media when stapling, can be adjusted.
According to the invention described in claim 8, deformation of the tip, such as crushing, due to the pressure caused by the adjustment is suppressed, compared to when the mold used in the first adjustment process or the second adjustment process comes into contact with the tip of the convex portion.

FIG. 1 is an overall explanatory diagram of an image forming apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is an overall explanatory diagram of the stapleless binding portion of the first embodiment. FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of the teeth portion of the stapleless binding portion of Example 1, FIG. 3A is an overall explanatory diagram, and FIG. 3B is an enlarged view of the protruding portion. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of the manufacturing method of the binding member of Example 1, where FIG. 4A is an explanatory diagram of the forming process, FIG. 4B is an explanatory diagram of the warping process, FIG. 4C is an explanatory diagram of the cutting process, FIG. 4D is an explanatory diagram of the first adjustment process, FIG. 4E is an explanatory diagram of the second adjustment process, and FIG. 4F is an explanatory diagram of the interlocking process. 5A and 5B are enlarged views of a main portion of the first adjustment step of the first embodiment, in which FIG. 5A is an explanatory view of the state before adjustment, and FIG. 5B is an explanatory view of the state after adjustment. FIG. 6 is an enlarged view of a main part of the second adjustment step of the first embodiment. FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram of when a stack of papers is stapled using a conventional configuration, FIG. 7A is an explanatory diagram of the state in which the tip of the convex part of the stapleless binding part comes into contact with the surface of the stack of papers, and FIG. 7B is an explanatory diagram of the state in which the binding material is pushed in from the state shown in FIG. 7A. 8A is an explanatory diagram of the state in which the tip of the convex portion in the center of the stapleless binding portion comes into contact with the surface of the stack of papers, FIG. 8B is an explanatory diagram of the state in which the binding material is pushed in from the state shown in FIG. 8A, and FIG. 8C is an explanatory diagram of the state in which the binding material is pushed further in from the state shown in FIG. 8B.

Next, examples of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the following examples.
In order to make the following explanation easier to understand, in the drawings, the front-to-rear direction is defined as the X-axis direction, the left-to-right direction is defined as the Y-axis direction, and the up-down direction is defined as the Z-axis direction, and the directions or sides indicated by arrows X, -X, Y, -Y, Z, and -Z are defined as the front, rear, right side, left side, upper side, and lower side, or the front side, rear side, right side, left side, upper side, and lower side, respectively.
In addition, in the figures, a "・" inside a "○" means an arrow going from the back to the front of the page, and an "X" inside a "○" means an arrow going from the front to the back of the page.
In the following description using the drawings, illustrations of components other than those necessary for the description are omitted as appropriate to facilitate understanding.

(Explanation of Overall Configuration of Printer U of First Embodiment)
FIG. 1 is an overall explanatory diagram of an image forming apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention.
In FIG. 1, a printer U as an example of an image forming apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention has a printer main body U1, a feeder unit U2 as an example of a supply device that supplies media to the printer main body U1, an operation unit UI that is operated by a user, and a finisher U3 as an example of a post-processing device that performs post-processing of media discharged from the printer main body U1.

(Description of Marking Configuration in Example 1)
1, the main body U1 of the printer includes a control unit (an example of a control means) C that controls the printer U, a communication unit (not shown) that receives image information transmitted from a print image server COM (an example of an information transmitting device) connected to the outside of the printer U via a dedicated cable (not shown), a marking unit U1a (an example of a recording means) that records an image on a medium, etc. A personal computer PC (an example of an image transmitting device) is connected to the print image server COM via a line such as a cable or a LAN (Local Area Network) and transmits information of an image to be printed by the printer U.
The marking unit U1a has photoconductors Py, Pm, Pc, and Pk for each color, Y: yellow, M: magenta, C: cyan, and K: black, as an example of an image holding means, and a photoconductor Po for making an image glossy when printing a photographic image, etc. The photoconductors Py to Po have surfaces made of a photosensitive dielectric material.

In FIG. 1, around the black photoconductor Pk, arranged in the direction of rotation of the photoconductor Pk are a charger CCk as an example of a charging means, an exposure device ROSk as an example of a latent image forming means, a developer Gk as an example of a developing means, a primary transfer roll T1k as an example of a primary transfer means, and a photoconductor cleaner CLk as an example of a cleaning means for an image holding means.
Similarly, around the other photoconductors Py, Pm, Pc, Po, there are arranged chargers CCy, CCm, CCc, CCo, exposure devices ROSy, ROSm, ROSc, ROSo, developing devices Gy, Gm, Gc, Go, primary transfer rolls T1y, T1m, T1c, T1o, and photoconductor cleaners CLy, CLm, CLc, CLo.
Toner cartridges Ky, Km, Kc, Kk, and Ko, which are an example of a developer storage means, are detachably supported on the upper portion of the marking portion U1a. The toner cartridges Ky to Ko store developers to be replenished to the developing units Gy to Go.

An intermediate transfer belt B, which is an example of intermediate transfer means and an example of image holding means, is disposed below each of the photoconductors Py to Po. The intermediate transfer belt B is sandwiched between the photoconductors Py to Po and the primary transfer rolls T1y to T1o. The back surface of the intermediate transfer belt B is supported by a drive roll Rd, which is an example of drive means, a tension roll Rt, which is an example of tension applying means, a walking roll Rw, which is an example of meandering prevention means, a plurality of idler rolls Rf, which are an example of driven means, a backup roll T2a, which is an example of opposing means for secondary transfer, a plurality of retract rolls R1, which are an example of movable means, and the primary transfer roll T1.
Supported by y to T1o.
On the surface of the intermediate transfer belt B, a belt cleaner CLB as an example of a cleaning means for the intermediate transfer means is disposed near the drive roll Rd.

A secondary transfer roll T2b, which is an example of a secondary transfer member, is disposed opposite the backup roll T2a with the intermediate transfer belt B sandwiched therebetween. A contact roll T2c, which is an example of a contact means, is in contact with the backup roll T2a in order to apply a voltage of a polarity opposite to the charging polarity of the developer to the backup roll T2a.
The backup roll T2a, the secondary transfer roll T2b, and the contact roll T2c constitute a secondary transfer device T2 as an example of a secondary transfer means of Example 1, and the primary transfer rolls T1y to T1o, the intermediate transfer belt B, the secondary transfer device T2, etc. constitute transfer devices T1, B, and T2 as an example of a transfer means of Example 1.

Below the secondary transfer device T2, a paper feed tray TR1 is provided as an example of a storage unit. Recording sheets S as an example of a medium are stored in the paper feed tray TR1. A pickup roll Rp as an example of a take-out unit and a handling roll Rs as an example of a handling unit are disposed diagonally above the right of the paper feed tray TR1. A transport path SH along which the recording sheets S are transported extends from the handling roll Rs. A plurality of transport rolls Ra as an example of a transport unit that transports the recording sheets S downstream are disposed along the transport path SH.
A deburring device Bt, which is an example of a means for removing unnecessary parts, is disposed downstream of the separation roll Rs. The deburring device Bt pinches the recording sheet S with a preset pressure and conveys it downstream to remove unnecessary parts from the edge of the recording sheet S, i.e., removes burrs.

A double feed detector Jk is disposed downstream of the deburring device Bt. The double feed detector Jk measures the thickness of the recording sheets S passing through and detects a state in which multiple recording sheets S are overlapped, i.e., a double feed.
A correction roll Rc, which is an example of a position correction means, is disposed downstream of the double feed detection device Jk. The correction roll Rc corrects the inclination of the recording sheet S with respect to the transport direction, that is, the skew.
A registration roll Rr is disposed downstream of the correction roll Rc as an example of an adjustment unit that adjusts the timing of conveying the recording sheet S to the secondary transfer unit T2. Also, a sheet guide SG1 is disposed downstream of the registration roll Rr as an example of a medium guiding unit.
The feeder unit U2 also has paper feed trays TR2 and TR3 configured in the same manner as the paper feed tray TR1, pickup roll Rp, handling roll Rs, and transport roll Ra, and the transport path SH from the paper feed trays TR2 and TR3 merges with the transport path SH of the printer main body U1 upstream of the double feed detection device Jk.

A plurality of transport belts HB, which are an example of a medium transport means, are disposed downstream of the secondary transfer roller T2b in the transport direction of the recording sheet S.
A fixing device F, which is an example of a fixing means, is disposed downstream of the conveying belt HB in the conveying direction of the recording sheet S.
A compile tray U3a as an example of a stacking unit is disposed in the finisher U3 downstream of the fixing device F. A stapler U3b as an example of a binding unit is disposed in the compile tray U3a.
A stacker tray U3c, which is an example of a second stacking means, is disposed outside the compile tray U3a.

A reversing path SH2, which is an example of a transport path branching off from the transport path SH, is formed downstream of the fixing device F. A first gate GT1, which is an example of a transport direction switching unit, is disposed at the branch point between the transport path SH and the reversing path SH2.
A plurality of switchback rolls Rb, which are an example of a forward and reverse rotatable transport means, are disposed on the reversing path SH2. A connection path SH3, which is an example of a transport path, is formed on the upstream side of the switchback rolls Rb, branching off from the upstream part of the reversing path SH2 and joining the transport path SH downstream of the branching point with the reversing path SH2. A second gate GT2, which is an example of a transport direction switching means, is disposed at the branching point between the reversing path SH2 and the connection path SH3.

A turn-back path SH4 for reversing, or switching back, the conveying direction of the recording sheet S is disposed downstream of the reversing path SH2 and below the fixing device F. A switch-back roll Rb, which is an example of a conveying means capable of rotating forward and backward, is disposed on the turn-back path SH4. A third gate GT3, which is an example of a conveying direction switching means, is disposed at the entrance of the turn-back path SH4.
The transport path SH downstream of the turn-back path SH4 merges with the transport path SH for the paper feed tray TR1.

(Marking Operation)
When the printer U receives image information transmitted from the personal computer PC via the print image server COM, a job, which is an image forming operation, is started. When the job is started, the photoconductors Py to Po, the intermediate transfer belt B, etc. rotate.
The photoconductors Py to Po are rotated by a drive source (not shown).
A preset voltage is applied to the chargers CCy to CCo, which charge the surfaces of the photoconductors Py to Po.
In response to a control signal from the control unit C, the exposure devices ROSy to ROSo output laser light Ly, Lm, Lc, Lk, and Lo as an example of light for writing a latent image, and write an electrostatic latent image on the charged surfaces of the photoconductors Py to Po.
The developing units Gy to Go develop the electrostatic latent images on the surfaces of the photoconductors Py to Po into visible images.
The toner cartridges Ky to Ko replenish the developer consumed in the development in the developing units Gy to Go.

A primary transfer voltage having a polarity opposite to the charge polarity of the developer is applied to the primary transfer rolls T1y to T1o, and the primary transfer rolls transfer the visible images on the surfaces of the photoconductors Py to Po onto the surface of the intermediate transfer belt B.
The photoconductor cleaners CLy to CLo remove and clean the developer remaining on the surfaces of the photoconductors Py to Po after the primary transfer.
When passing through the primary transfer area facing the photoconductors Py to Po, the intermediate transfer belt B has images transferred and stacked in the order of O, Y, M, C, and K, and passes through the secondary transfer area Q4 facing the secondary transfer device T2. In the case of a monochrome image, an image of only one color is transferred and sent to the secondary transfer area Q4.

The pickup roll Rp feeds out the recording sheet S from the paper feed trays TR1 to TR3 from which the recording sheet S is supplied, depending on the size of the received image information, the designation of the recording sheet S, and the size and type of the stored recording sheet S.
The separation roll Rs separates and separates the recording sheets S sent out from the pickup roll Rp one by one.
The deburring device Bt applies a preset pressure to the recording sheet S passing therethrough to remove burrs.
The double feed detection device Jk detects double feed of the recording sheets S by detecting the thickness of the recording sheets S passing through.
The correction roll Rc corrects the skew of the passing recording sheet S by bringing it into contact with a wall surface (not shown).

The registration roll Rr feeds the recording sheet S in time with the image on the surface of the intermediate transfer belt B being sent to the secondary transfer area Q4.
The sheet guide SG1 guides the recording sheet S sent out by the registration roll Rr to the secondary transfer area Q4.
In the secondary transfer device T2, a secondary transfer voltage having the same polarity as the charging polarity of the developer that has been preset is applied to the backup roll T2a via the contact roll T2c, and the image of the intermediate transfer belt B is transferred onto the recording sheet S.
The belt cleaner CLB removes and cleans the developer remaining on the surface of the intermediate transfer belt B after the image has been transferred in the secondary transfer area Q4.
The conveyor belt HB conveys the recording sheet S, onto which an image has been transferred by the secondary transfer device T2, downstream while holding the recording sheet S on its surface.

The fixing device F has a heating roll Fh as an example of a heating means, and a pressure roll Fp as an example of a pressure means. A heater h as an example of a heat source is housed inside the heating roll Fh. The fixing device F heats and presses the recording sheet S passing through a fixing area Q5 where the heating roll Fh and the pressure roll Fp come into contact, fixing an unfixed image on the surface of the recording sheet S. The heating roll Fh and the pressure roll Fp constitute the fixing means Fp, Fh of the first embodiment.

When double-sided printing is performed, the recording sheet S that has passed through the fixing device F is conveyed to a reversing path SH2 by the operation of a first gate GT1. The recording sheet S that has been conveyed to the reversing path SH2 is reversed in the conveying direction at a return path SH4, that is, switched back. The switched back recording sheet S is sent again to the registration roller Rr through the conveying path SH, and printing is performed on the second side.
When the recording sheet S is discharged onto the stacker tray U3c with the side on which the image is recorded facing up, i.e., face-up discharge, the recording sheet S is transported along the transport path SH and discharged onto the stacker tray U3c via the compile tray U3a.

On the other hand, when the recording sheet S is discharged with the side on which the image is recorded facing downwards (face-down discharge), the recording sheet S is once conveyed from the transport path SH to the reversing path SH2. Then, after the trailing end of the recording sheet S in the transport direction passes through the second gate GT2, the forward rotation of the switchback roll Rb is stopped. Then, the second gate GT2 switches, the switchback roll Rb rotates in the reverse direction, and the recording sheet S is transported along the connecting path SH3 toward the stacker tray U3c.
When a stack of recording sheets S is to be stapled, the recording sheets S are stacked on the compile tray U3a and aligned by an aligning means (not shown). The aligned recording sheets S are stapled by a stapler U3b. The stapled stack of recording sheets S is discharged to a stacker tray U3c.

(Explanation of staple-less stapler)
FIG. 2 is an overall explanatory diagram of the stapleless binding portion of the first embodiment.
2, the stapler U3b of the first embodiment is configured as a binding section that binds without using staples, that is, a so-called stapleless stapler. The stapleless stapler U3b has an upper binding member 1 as an example of a first binding section, and a lower binding member 2 as an example of a second binding section. The upper binding member 1 and the lower binding member 2 are supported by a drive device including a motor, gears, etc. (not shown) so as to be movable in directions approaching and separating from each other.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of the teeth portion of the stapleless binding portion of Example 1, FIG. 3A is an overall explanatory diagram, and FIG. 3B is an enlarged view of the protruding portion.
2 and 3, an upper tooth portion 11 is formed on the lower surface of the upper binding member 1. The upper tooth portion 11 has a plurality of protrusions 12, and the protrusions 12 are arranged in a line along an arrangement direction 13. Therefore, the upper tooth portion 11 has a configuration having a plurality of protrusions and recesses.
In FIG. 3, the convex portion 12 of the first embodiment has a top surface 12a of the tip portion formed in a curved shape. A tip slope 12b, which is an example of a first slope and an example of a tip portion, continues to both ends of the top surface 12a. A base end slope 12c, which is an example of a second slope and an example of a base end portion, continues to the base side of the tip slope 12b. A bottom surface 12d extending parallel to the arrangement direction 13 is disposed on the base side of the base end slope 12c. In the first embodiment, the angle θ2 of the base end slope 12c with respect to the direction of gravity is smaller than the angle θ1 of the tip slope 12b with respect to the direction (gravity direction) in which the binding members 1 and 2 approach and separate from each other. That is, the base end slope 12c is formed as a steeper inclined surface than the tip slope 12b. As an example, in the embodiment, θ1=35° and θ2=27° are set. Further, ten teeth (protruding portions 12 ) are arranged in an arrangement direction 13 .

3, in the upper tooth portion 11 of the first embodiment, among the multiple protrusions 12, the protrusions 12 (12A) of the two central teeth, which are the central teeth in the present embodiment in the arrangement direction 13 of the protrusions 12, have a more protruding tip than the protrusions 12 (12B) arranged at a position different from the central portion. Specifically, each of the protrusions 12 in the first embodiment is formed to the same size, but the base end of each of the protrusions 12 is such that the protrusions 12 (12A) at the center of the arrangement direction 13 protrudes further toward the tip side than the protrusions 12 (12B) at both ends of the arrangement direction 13. In other words, the multiple protrusions 12 have different protrusion amounts between the protrusions 12A at the center of the arrangement direction 13, the protrusions 12B at the ends, and the protrusions 12C at the intermediate portions between the center and the ends, and the multiple protrusions 12 protrude in the convex direction as they move from the ends of the arrangement direction 13 to the center. In Example 1, as shown by the dashed line in Figure 3, the straight line 16 connecting the base ends is formed in an arch shape that protrudes toward the center. That is, the position of the base end of each protrusion 12 protrudes in the convex direction from the end in the arrangement direction 13 toward the center. In this example, the teeth in the center are two teeth in the center, but one tooth in the center may be sufficient, or conversely, about six teeth may be in the center. In addition, in the case of multiple teeth such as six teeth, the average height of the teeth may be used.

The lower binding member 2 is formed in a shape that is vertically symmetrical to the upper binding member 1, and has a lower tooth portion 21 and a convex portion 22 that are configured similarly to the upper tooth portion 11 and the convex portion 12. The upper tooth portion 11 and the lower tooth portion 21 are arranged at positions offset from the arrangement direction 13 so that the top surface 12a of the convex portion 12 of the upper tooth portion 11 faces the bottom surface 12d of the convex portion 22 of the lower tooth portion 21, and when the upper binding member 1 and the lower binding member 2 approach each other, the upper tooth portion 11 and the lower tooth portion 21 are in a state of meshing with each other.

(Description of Manufacturing Method)
FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of the manufacturing method of the binding member of Example 1, where FIG. 4A is an explanatory diagram of the forming process, FIG. 4B is an explanatory diagram of the warping process, FIG. 4C is an explanatory diagram of the cutting process, FIG. 4D is an explanatory diagram of the first adjustment process, FIG. 4E is an explanatory diagram of the second adjustment process, and FIG. 4F is an explanatory diagram of the interlocking process.
Next, a method for manufacturing the binding members 1 and 2 of the first embodiment will be described.
(Formation process)
In Fig. 4A, in the forming process, each binding member 1, 2 is formed using a molding die. A die in which the arrangement of the convex portions 12 is in a straight line along the arrangement direction 13 is used. Each binding member 1, 2 in the first embodiment is made of metal as an example, and can be formed by a metal injection method as an example of a baking method. Note that the method is not limited to metal injection, and can be formed by any method such as precision casting, die casting, cutting processing, pressing processing, or a combination of these.

(Warping process)
4B, in the warping process, the binding members 1 and 2 created in the forming process are warped. In the warping process of Example 1, in a state in which both ends of the binding members 1 and 2 in the arrangement direction 13 are supported by a jig 31, the surfaces (rear surfaces 17) at the center of the arrangement direction 13 and opposite to the tooth portions 11 and 21 are pressed by a press machine 32 to warp the center portions of the binding members 1 and 2. Therefore, the tooth portions 11 and 21 of the binding members 1 and 2 are processed into a bow shape so that the center portions of the base ends in the arrangement direction 13 protrude.

(Cutting process)
4C, in the cutting process, the back surface 17 of the binding members 1 and 2 that have been through the warping process is cut so as to be flat. That is, the back surface 17 is cut so as to be flat in response to the back surface 17 becoming bowed after the warping process or the back surface 17 becoming wavy due to variations during molding. This makes it easier to apply pressure to the back surface 17 when pressing the back surface 17 to apply pressure to bind the media when the binding device is incorporated.

5A and 5B are enlarged views of a main portion of the first adjustment step of the first embodiment, in which FIG. 5A is an explanatory view of the state before adjustment, and FIG. 5B is an explanatory view of the state after adjustment.
(Sizing 1: First Adjustment Step)
In FIG. 4D, in the first adjustment step, the central positions of the convex portions 12 and 22 are adjusted. In FIG. 5A, when the binding members 1 and 2 are pressed by the press machine 32 in the warping step, the tips and central positions 41 of the convex portions 12 and 22 tend to be misaligned as they open outward toward the outside in the arrangement direction 13. In the first adjustment step of the first embodiment, the first die 42 is pressed against each of the convex portions 12 and 22 to adjust the central positions 41 of each of the convex portions 12 and 22 to a predetermined position as shown in FIG. 5B. That is, the convex portions 12 and 22 are pressed to adjust the positions so that the central positions 41 are arranged at a predetermined interval. In the first embodiment, the central positions 41 are set to the positions of the apexes (tip ends) of each of the convex portions 12 and 22.
The first die 42 in the first embodiment contacts the tip slope 12b and the base slope 12c to press the convex portions 12, 22 to adjust the center position 41. In other words, the adjustment is performed by pressing the entire convex portions 12, 22. When pressing the first die 42, it is necessary to press the back surface 17 side, but in the first embodiment, the back surface 17 is flattened in the cutting process, making it easy to press the first die 42 and perform the adjustment.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged view of a main part of the second adjustment step of the first embodiment.
(Sizing 2: Second Adjustment Step)
In FIG. 4E, in the second adjustment step, the outer shape of the convex parts 12 and 22 is adjusted. In the first adjustment step, the convex parts 12 and 22 are pressed against the first die 42 to be processed, and the outer shape of the convex parts 12 and 22 may be disturbed. In particular, in an adjustment such as adjusting the center position, a large load is applied to each tooth, and the outer diameter is likely to be disturbed. In addition, corrections that have a large area of contact with the die also tend to apply a load to the teeth. In FIG. 6, in the second adjustment step of the first embodiment, the second die 51 is pressed against each of the convex parts 12 and 22 to adjust the outer shape of each of the convex parts 12 and 22 to the outer shape shown in FIG. 3. The second die 51 of the first embodiment contacts the tip slopes 12b and 22b to press the convex parts 12 and 22 to adjust the outer shape. In other words, the adjustment is performed by pressing a part of the convex parts 12 and 22. Therefore, in the second adjustment step, the portions of the protrusions 12 and 22 that are pressed are smaller than in the first adjustment step.

(Pairing: the process of fitting together)
In FIG. 4F, in the interlocking step, the binding members 1 and 2 that have undergone the second adjustment step are interlocked with each other to check whether they interlock so as to bind a stack of papers.

(Function of Example 1)
In the printer U of the first embodiment having the above-described configuration, a stack of recording sheets S loaded on the compile tray U3a is sandwiched and stapled between the upper binding member 1 and the lower binding member 2 of the staple-less stapler U3b.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram of when a stack of papers is stapled using a conventional configuration, FIG. 7A is an explanatory diagram of the state in which the tip of the convex part of the stapleless binding part comes into contact with the surface of the stack of papers, and FIG. 7B is an explanatory diagram of the state in which the binding material is pushed in from the state shown in FIG. 7A.
In FIG. 7A, in the conventional configuration in which the height of the teeth is uniform, the height of the teeth changes slightly in the actual product. This is because the cost of each tooth mold is high when it is made by cutting, so it is generally manufactured by applying heat such as sintering or metal injection. In that case, the area of the tooth mold is larger than that of the back side, so it cools first, and a phenomenon called sink occurs. Therefore, when it is made by baking, the tooth mold is finished with an overall concave shape, with the center being more or less concave than the shape of the mold and both ends protruding. This tendency is more pronounced as the size of the teeth increases, because the difference in surface area increases. In other words, if the tooth tip is designed to be straight and it is simply molded with a straight mold shape, the finished product will not be straight, and as a result, it will have an overall concave shape.

In the conventional configuration, when the recording sheets 01 are bound, it is assumed that the top surfaces 02a and 03a, which are the tips of the convex portions 02 and 03 in the center of the arrangement direction, come into contact with the recording sheets 01 first. However, if the binding members 04 and 05 are generally concave, the two ends may come into contact first, rather than the center of the arrangement direction, resulting in a problem that the recording sheets 01 do not come into contact with the top surfaces 02a and 03a as expected.
When the binding members 04 and 05 move in the direction approaching each other when the recording sheets 01 are bound, the recording sheets 01 are pushed and deformed to fit the shapes of the convex portions 02 and 03, as shown in Fig. 7B. In the state of Fig. 7A, the length L1 of the recording sheets 01 between the top surface 02a of the upper convex portion 02 and the top surface 03a of the adjacent lower convex portion 03 is equal to the length L2 of the recording sheets 01 at the same portion, and in the state of Fig. 7B, L1<L2. Therefore, if the recording sheets 01 do not stretch due to the fibers of the recording sheets 01 being stretched, the recording sheets 01 cannot be bound and will break.

Here, when the top faces 02a, 03a of the teeth 02B, 03B at both ends in the arrangement direction 06 come into contact with the recording sheet 01 before the teeth 02A, 03A at the center come into contact with the recording sheet 01, both ends of the recording sheet 01 are restrained by the top faces 02a, 03a of the teeth 02B, 03B at both ends. Therefore, the recording sheet 01 on the inside of the top faces 02a, 03a of the teeth 02B, 03B at both ends needs to stretch in length from L1 to L2 due to the elongation of the recording sheet 01 itself. Therefore, there is a problem that the recording sheet 01 is easily broken depending on the type of recording sheet 01.
In addition, the binding force when the recording sheets 01 are bound is determined in large part by the shape of the teeth (protruding portions 02, 03) and the binding area (the width in the arrangement direction 13 of the binding members 1, 2). Since the binding area needs to be limited to a certain size, all teeth need to contribute to the binding force within the limited binding area. If the teeth on both ends are made small as in the conventional techniques described in Patent Documents 2 and 3, there will be teeth that cannot contribute to the binding force, which will cause problems such as unevenness and variation in the binding.

8A is an explanatory diagram of the state in which the tip of the convex portion in the center of the stapleless binding portion comes into contact with the surface of the stack of papers, FIG. 8B is an explanatory diagram of the state in which the binding material is pushed in from the state shown in FIG. 8A, and FIG. 8C is an explanatory diagram of the state in which the binding material is pushed further in from the state shown in FIG. 8B.
In FIG. 8, in the first embodiment, the convex portions 12A and 22A at the center of the arrangement direction 13 protrude more than the convex portions 12B and 22B at both ends, and as shown in FIG. 8A, the convex portions 12A and 22A at the center contact the medium before the other convex portions 12B and 22B. Specifically, when binding, the convex portions 12A and 22A at the center contact the recording sheets S first. Therefore, the recording sheets S are not yet constrained outside the arrangement direction 13 except at the center. Then, when the recording sheets S start to be pushed in at the convex portions 12A and 22A at the center, the recording sheets S can move from the outside of the arrangement direction 13 to the inside as shown in FIG. 8B. Therefore, even if the length of the recording sheets S does not change from L1 to L2 only due to the stretching of the recording sheets S themselves, it is sufficient that the length is L2 including the portion entering from the outside. Therefore, even if the type of the recording sheets S is a type that does not stretch easily, the recording sheets S can be bound without breaking.

In particular, in the stapler U3b of the first embodiment, the convex parts 12A and 22A in the center are configured to protrude the most, and the protrusion amount decreases toward the outside. Therefore, as the binding members 1 and 2 are pushed in, they tend to flow in order from the outside to the inside in the arrangement direction 13, and are less likely to break over the entire binding area.
In addition, the stapler U3b of Example 1 protrudes the central convex parts 12A and 22A in the warping process. Therefore, the binding members 1 and 2 themselves can be of a conventional configuration in which the center does not protrude, and there is no need to change the forming device itself. In addition, the binding members 1 and 2 have different material thicknesses at the tip and base ends of the convex parts 12 and 22, and when the material hardens in the forming process, the degree of thermal expansion and thermal contraction may not be uniform, causing distortion (so-called sink marks may occur). In the warping process of Example 1, this distortion is corrected and corrected, and the teeth are finally arranged so that the teeth in the center protrude.

In the stapler U3b of the first embodiment, the center positions 41 of the protruding portions 12, 22 of the binding members 1, 2 are aligned in the first adjustment step. If the center positions 41 of the protruding portions 12, 22 are misaligned, when the binding members 1, 2 approach each other and a force is applied to the recording sheets S, the applied force may vary, resulting in incomplete binding or breakage. In contrast, in the first embodiment, the center positions 41 are aligned in the first adjustment step, making it difficult for the recording sheets S to break and easier to reliably bind.
In particular, in the first adjustment step of the first embodiment, the first die 42 contacts the tip slopes 12b, 22b and the base slopes 12c, 22c. Therefore, the first die 42 contacts the slopes 12b, 12c, 22b, 22c of the convex parts 12, 22 and adjusts the center position 41 by pressing the entire surface except for the R part at the tip. In the adjustment by pressing only the tip slopes 12b of the convex parts 12, 22, the tip slopes 12b, 22b may be distorted relative to the base slopes 12c, 22c, and the adjustment of the base slopes 12c, 22c may be insufficient. If the adjustment of the base slopes 12c, 22c is insufficient, the deviation of the center position 41 may not be adjusted completely during the adjustment in the second adjustment step, and the center position 41 may remain deviated.

Furthermore, when adjusting by pressing only the base end inclined surface 12b of the convex portions 12 and 22, the positions of the top surfaces 12a and 22a of the tip end inclined surfaces 12b and 22b may be shifted with respect to the center position 41. If the center position 41 is shifted, the position where the convex portions 12 and 22 first contact the surface of the recording sheet S, i.e., the position where the recording sheet S is restrained, will be shifted from the specified position. If the interval between the convex portions 12 and 22 varies and the interval between the positions where the top surfaces 12a and 22a of the convex portions 12 and 22 contact each other varies, there will be some parts where the length of the recording sheet S between the top surfaces 12a and 22a is short and some parts where it is long. If the length of the recording sheet S is short, there is a problem that there is little room for the recording sheet S to stretch when it is being bound, and the recording sheet S is easily broken or the like. In other words, it is desirable for the paper to stretch evenly from the apex of the convex portion to the base end, and for this to happen, it is desirable for the convex pitch to be constant and for the center to be aligned with the mating concave portion.
In contrast, in Example 1, the first die 42 adjusts the protrusions 12, 22 by pressing the entirety thereof, which allows for more precise adjustment than when the entirety is not pressed. Thus, in the binding members 1, 2 of Example 1, the variation in the spacing between the protrusions 12, 22 is reduced, and breakage of the recording sheets S is suppressed. In particular, in Example 1, the first die 42 does not contact the R portions at the tips of the protrusions 12, 22, which prevents the tips from being crushed due to the load of the first die 42.

Furthermore, in the stapler U3b of Example 1, the outer shapes of the protruding portions 12, 22 of the binding members 1, 2 are adjusted in the second adjustment step. If the outer shapes of the protruding portions 12, 22 are distorted and do not have a specified shape, when the binding members 1, 2 approach each other and force is applied to the recording sheets S, the applied force may vary, resulting in incomplete binding or breakage. In contrast, in the second adjustment step of Example 1, the outer shapes are adjusted, making it difficult for the recording sheets S to break and easier to reliably bind.
In particular, in the second adjustment step of the first embodiment, the second die 51 contacts the leading edge slopes 12b and 22b to press the convex portions 12 and 22. When the binding members 1 and 2 approach each other to bind the recording sheets S, it is the leading edge slopes 12b and 22b that first begin to stretch the recording sheets S. Therefore, if there is variation in the outer shape of the leading edge slopes 12b and 22b, the force applied to the recording sheets S will vary, and there is a risk that the binding will be incomplete or break. In particular, if there is variation in the start of stretching, the adverse effects until the final state of binding will be large. In contrast, in the first embodiment, the leading edge slopes 12b and 22b, on which the force acts at the start of binding, are adjusted by the second die 51. Therefore, compared to the case where the leading edge slopes 12b and 22b are not adjusted, the variation in the force applied when the binding of the recording sheets S begins is suppressed, and the breakage of the recording sheets S is suppressed.

In addition, in the case of the convex portions 12 and 22 in Example 1, in which the base end slopes 12c and 22c are steeper than the tip end slopes 12b and 22b, the tip end slopes 12b and 22b, which have a gentler slope at the start of binding, apply a gradual force to the recording sheets S than the base end slopes 12c and 22c. In other words, at the start of binding, the recording sheets S are slowly stretched. Then, after being stretched to a certain extent by the tip end slopes 12b and 22b, the recording sheets S come into contact with the inflection area between the tip end slopes 12b and 22b and the steeply inclined base end slopes 12c and 22c, and are deformed to their final state by receiving a greater force than in the case of the tip end slopes 12b and 22b, and are bound. Therefore, if the recording sheets S are stretched suddenly at the start of binding, there is a problem that the recording sheets S are prone to breaking, and if there is variation at the start of binding, there is also a problem that the recording sheets S are prone to breaking during the subsequent stretching stage. In the first embodiment, the outer shape of the leading inclined surfaces 12b and 22b that come into contact with the recording sheets S at the beginning of binding, which is particularly important, is adjusted in the second adjustment process. In addition, at this time, the adjustment is made from the same direction as the recording sheets S come into contact with the inflection area between the leading inclined surfaces 12b and the steeply inclined base end inclined surface 12c, so no burrs are generated in the direction of the recording sheets S in the inflection area, and a gentle shape is formed relative to the sheets S. Therefore, breakage of the recording sheets S is suppressed compared to when the outer shape adjustment of the leading inclined surfaces 12b and 22b is not performed.

(Example of change)
Although the embodiment of the present invention has been described above in detail, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications can be made within the scope of the gist of the present invention described in the claims. Modifications (H01) to (H012) of the present invention are exemplified below.
(H01) In the above embodiment, the printer U is shown as an example of an image forming apparatus, but the present invention is not limited to this and may be configured as, for example, a copier, a facsimile, or a multifunction machine having multiple or all of these functions. Also, the present invention is not limited to an electrophotographic image forming apparatus and may be applied to any image forming apparatus such as an inkjet type or a thermal transfer type.

(H02) In the above embodiment, the printer U is configured to use five colors of developer, but this is not limited to this and can also be applied to, for example, a monochrome image forming device or a multi-color image forming device having four or less colors or six or more colors.
(H03) In the above embodiment, an endless intermediate transfer belt B was used as an example of an image holding means, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the present invention can be applied to a cylindrical intermediate transfer drum, a photosensitive drum, or a photosensitive belt. The present invention can also be applied to a configuration that does not have an intermediate transfer body and records an image directly from a photosensitive body onto a recording sheet S.

(H04) In the above embodiment, it is desirable to carry out the warping step, but if it is not necessary to protrude the center or if the center is formed in a protruding form in the forming step, it is possible not to carry out the warping step. In this case, the distortion (sink mark) in the forming step can be adjusted in the first adjustment step or the second adjustment step.
(H05) In the above embodiment, it is desirable to carry out the cutting step, but if a jig for pressing the back surface 17 can be prepared in each adjustment step, it is possible not to carry out the cutting step.
(H06) In the above embodiment, the convex portions 12 and 22 are exemplified as having the same shape, but this is not limited thereto. For example, it is also possible to use convex portions 12 and 22 having different shapes and sizes. If the convex portions 12 and 22 have different shapes, it is necessary to prepare corresponding dies 42 and 51. In addition, it is preferable that the central convex portion protrudes, but this is not limited thereto. For example, it is also possible to adopt a configuration in which the central portion and both ends protrude more and the intermediate portion protrudes less than the central portion and both ends, that is, a W-shaped arrangement.

(H07) In the above embodiment, the protrusions 12, 22 are shaped like an arc with the base end protruding most at the center, that is, the protrusion amount increases continuously, but this is not limited to this. For example, the base end may be made larger in a stepwise or staircase-like manner. Furthermore, the protrusions 12, 22 are not limited to a configuration in which the protrusion amount changes one by one. For example, it is possible to configure the protrusion amount of the two central protrusions to be the largest, the two outer protrusions to be the next largest, the two outer protrusions to be the next largest, and so on, such that the protrusion amount of the multiple protrusions is the same but changes stepwise.
(H08) In the above embodiment, the finisher U3 and the printer main body U1 are separate from each other, but they may be integrated into one unit.

(H09) In the above embodiment, the metal injection was used, but it is possible to form the metal by any method such as cutting, pressing, or a combination of these.
(H010) In the first embodiment, the entire tooth except for the tip is pressed, but the first type may press the entire tooth including the tip, and the second type may exclude the tip. In this way, especially when the adjustment amount of the center position is large, the contact area is larger and the force is more easily transmitted by including the tip, and the difference between the two tip side slopes continuing from the tip of the tooth is less likely to occur.
(H011) In the first embodiment, the first mold contacts the slope on the base end side and the slope on the tip end side, but it may be configured to contact only the slope on the base end side. In this way, the slope on the base end side can be adjusted to a large value.

(H012) In Example 1, a mold that is linear along the arrangement direction is used, but this is not limited to this. For example, it is also possible to use a concave mold so that the arrangement of the protrusions 12 is originally arched along the arrangement direction 13. It is possible to set the shape of the concave of the mold so that the protrusions 12 are arched even when considering deformation (sink marks) after being removed from the concave mold and cooled. Therefore, it is also possible not to perform the warping, cutting, and sizing processes performed in Example 1. Also, even if only sizing is performed without warping, etc., compared to Example 1, there is less deviation of the center line because warping, etc. is not performed, so only sizing may be performed.

1...first binding portion,
2...second binding portion,
12, 22... Convex portion,
12b, 22b...tip part,
12c, 22c... base end part,
41...center position,
42: first mold; 51: second mold;
S...medium U3b...stapleless binding section.

Claims (8)

A method for manufacturing a stapleless binding section, comprising: a first binding section having a plurality of projections and recesses; and a second binding section disposed opposite the first binding section and having projections and recesses that fit with the projections and recesses of the first binding section, wherein the first binding section and the second binding section sandwich a medium in a thickness direction of the medium to bind the medium together, the method comprising the steps of:
a die forming step of forming each of the binding portions with a die;
a first adjustment step of pushing the convex portions of the binding portions that have been subjected to the mold forming step and released from the mold to adjust the positions of the convex portions in an arrangement direction in which the concaves and convexes are arranged side by side;
a second adjustment step of adjusting an outer shape of the convex portion, the position of which has been adjusted in the first adjustment step, by pressing a part of the convex portion with a contact area smaller than that of the first adjustment step;
In addition to carrying out the above,
After the mold forming step and before the first adjustment step, a step of pressing a portion opposite to the portion having the projections and recesses at the center in the arrangement direction of the plurality of projections and recesses in each of the binding portions to warp the portion having the projections and recesses is performed.
A method for manufacturing a staple-free binding part. a process for processing the opposite side portion so as to be flat, after the warping process and before the first adjustment process;
2. The method for manufacturing a stapleless bound portion according to claim 1 , further comprising the steps of: A method for manufacturing a stapleless binding section, comprising: a first binding section having a plurality of projections and recesses; and a second binding section disposed opposite the first binding section and having projections and recesses that fit with the projections and recesses of the first binding section, wherein the first binding section and the second binding section sandwich a medium in a thickness direction of the medium to bind the medium together, the method comprising the steps of:
a die forming step of forming each of the binding portions with a die;
a first adjustment step of pushing the convex portions of the binding portions that have been subjected to the mold forming step and released from the mold to adjust the positions of the convex portions in an arrangement direction in which the concaves and convexes are arranged side by side;
a second adjustment step of adjusting an outer shape of the convex portion, the position of which has been adjusted in the first adjustment step, by pressing a part of the convex portion with a contact area smaller than that of the first adjustment step;
In addition to carrying out the above,
A forming step is performed in which a concave mold is used so that a central convex portion in an arrangement direction of a plurality of concaves and convexes is most protruding, and each of the binding portions is formed with the concave mold.
A method for manufacturing a staple-free binding part. the protruding portion formed in the mold forming step has a first inclined surface and a second inclined surface located on the base end side of the first inclined surface,
In the first adjustment step, a first adjustment mold for adjusting a position of the convex portion is brought into contact with the first inclined surface and the second inclined surface of the convex portion formed in the mold forming step,
4. The method for manufacturing a stapleless binding section according to claim 1, wherein in the second adjustment step, among the convex portions after the first adjustment step, the convex portion that comes into contact with the first mold has the first inclined surface come into contact with a second mold for adjustment that adjusts the external shape of the convex portion, and the second mold does not come into contact with the second inclined surface. The method for manufacturing a stapleless binding section according to claim 4, characterized in that the first and second slopes of the convex portion formed in the mold forming process are continuous, and the first mold comes into contact with the inflection area where the first slope changes to the second slope in the first adjustment process. a second adjustment step of adjusting the outer shape of a first inclined surface on the tip side of the convex portion whose position has been adjusted in the first adjustment step, thereby adjusting the outer shape of a portion to which force is applied during binding in the convex portion of the binding portion after adjustment in the second adjustment step;
6. The method for manufacturing a stapleless bound portion according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of: The method for manufacturing a staple-free binding portion according to claim 6, wherein a second inclined surface on a base end side of the convex portion of the binding portion has a steeper inclination than a first inclined surface on a tip end side of the convex portion of the binding portion. In the first and second adjustment steps, the adjustment die comes into contact with the inclined surface of the convex portion.
8. The method for manufacturing a stapleless bound portion according to claim 1.