Printed media binder

• US 6,622,999 B1
• Filed: 05/23/2000
• Issued: 09/23/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Limited
• Original Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Limited
• Inventors: King, Tobin Allen, Lapstun, Paul, Silverbrook, Kia
• Primary Examiner(s): MACKEY, PATRICK HEWEY
• Application Number:
  US09/575,180
• Time in Patent Office: 1,218 Days
• Field of Search: 270/58.01, 270/58.07, 270/58.08, 270/58.12, 270/52.18, 412/33, 412/37, 412/900, 412/901, 412/902, 156/384, 156/182, 156/385, 156/386, 156/387, 118/46
• US Class Current: 270/58.08
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 13/103 for the sheet feeding section
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 13/106 for the sheet output section
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17503 Ink cartridges
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17513 Inner structure
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17523 Ink connection
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17546 electronically
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17553 Outer structure
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17556 Means for regulating the pressure in the cartridge
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17563 Ink filters
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/2114 Ejecting specialized liquids, e.g. transparent or processing liquids B41J2/211 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B42C 19/02 starting with single sheets
• CPC Class Codes: B42C 9/0006 by applying adhesive to a stack of sheets
• CPC Class Codes: B42C 9/0081 applying adhesive to individual sheets for binding them together by fusing, welding B42C9/0093
• CPC Class Codes: B42P 2261/04 Producing books by printing sheets in following order, e.g. for ordering via the Internet
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 29/34 from supports slid from under the articles
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 37/04 for securing together articles or webs, e.g. by adhesive, stitching or stapling adhering replacement to expiring web during change of web roll B65H19/18
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03545 Pens or stylus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1204 resulting in reduced user or operator actions, e.g. presetting, automatic actions, using hardware token storing data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1208 resulting in improved quality of the output result, e.g. print layout, colours, workflows, print preview
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1264 by assigning post-processing resources
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1265 : Printing by reference, e.g. retrieving document/image data for a job from a source mentioned in the job
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1284 : Local printer device
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 17/00 : Methods or arrangements for effecting co-operative working between equipments covered by two or more of main groups G06K1/00 - G06K15/00, e.g. automatic card files incorporating conveying and reading operations
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/1423 : the instrument generating sequences of position coordinates corresponding to handwriting preprocessing or recognising digital ink G06V30/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00127 : Connection or combination of a still picture apparatus with another apparatus, e.g. for storage, processing or transmission of still picture signals or of information associated with a still picture
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00204 : with a digital computer or a digital computer system, e.g. an internet server programmed control between transmitter and receiver or between image input and image output device H04N1/32561
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00244 : with a server, e.g. an internet server fax-servers or the like for store and forward H04N1/324
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00326 : with a data reading, recognizing or recording apparatus, e.g. with a bar-code apparatus arrangements for the associated working of recording or reproducing apparatus with related apparatus G11B31/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00358 : Type of the scanned marks
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00376 : Means for identifying a mark sheet or area
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00567 : Handling of original or reproduction media, e.g. cutting, separating, stacking
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00639 : Binding, stapling, folding or perforating, e.g. punching
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00968 : by scanning marks on a sheet mark-sheet input means H04N1/00355; sensing record carriers G06K7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32101 : Display, printing, storage or transmission of additional information, e.g. ID code, date and time or title
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32122 : in a separate device, e.g. in a memory or on a display separate from image data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32128 : attached to the image data, e.g. file header, transmitted message header, information on the same page or in the same computer file as the image for information embedded in the image H04N1/32144
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32771 : in response to a request, e.g. for a particular document
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32778 : using a mark-sheet or machine-readable code request
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0082 : Image hardcopy reproducer H04N2201/0091 - H04N2201/0094 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3243 : of type information, e.g. handwritten or text document
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3269 : of machine readable codes or marks, e.g. bar codes or glyphs
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/327 : which are undetectable to the naked eye, e.g. embedded codes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 412/902 : Heating and pressing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1744 : Means bringing discrete articles into assembled relationship
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1761 : Stacked serially
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1798 : with liquid adhesive or adhesive activator applying means

Abstract

The invention relates to a binder assembly 605 for binding separate pages into a bound document including a support chassis 686, a sprung, moulded binding platen 687, a moulded angled platen 689 and an exit hatch 690 having a support bracket 691. The moulded angled platen 689 sequentially receives and aligns each page with a predetermined position while platen 687 sequentially binds a page to the previous aligned page after an adhesive has been applied from a glue wheel assembly 673.

Claims

1. A printer that comprises

a support structure;

a print assembly that is mounted on the support structure and that includes at least one inkjet printhead for printing ink on sheets of a print medium that pass through the print assembly;

a supply assembly that is mounted on the support structure to be positioned upstream of the print assembly and that is configured to store a supply of the sheets of the print medium;

a feed mechanism for feeding sheets from the supply assembly through the print assembly along a feed path;

an adhesive applicator assembly that is in fluid communication with an adhesive supply, the applicator assembly being displaceable towards and away from the feed path to apply a strip of adhesive to each sheet of the print medium; and

a binding assembly that is mounted on the support structure to be positioned downstream of the adhesive applicator wheel assembly, the binding assembly comprising

a fixed platen;

a displaceable platen that is reciprocally displaceable between an operative position in which the displaceable platen is proximate the fixed platen and a rest position in which the displaceable platen is spaced from the fixed platen, the fixed and displaceable platens being configured so that a printed sheet, of the medium can be received between the platens when the displaceable platen is in the rest position;

a reciprocal displacement mechanism that is engaged with the displaceable platen, to drive the displaceable platen reciprocally between the rest and the operative positions, the displacement mechanism being configured to urge consecutive printed sheets of the printed medium together in a sequential manner so that each sheet is individually adhered to a preceding sheet; and

a discharge mechanism that is positioned downstream of the platens to discharge bound documents from an area between the platens.

2. A printer as claimed in claim 1, in which the support structure includes a chassis on which the supply assembly, the print assembly and the binding assembly are mounted and a number of moldings that cover these components, including a lower front molding that covers the binding assembly.

3. A printer as claimed in claim 2, in which the binding assembly includes a sheet tapping mechanism that is mounted on the support structure and that includes a tapper that is reciprocally displaceable orthogonally with respect to the feed path to align consecutive sheets of print medium that are fed between the platens.

4. A printer as claimed in claim 2, in which the fixed platen is angled towards the displaceable platen from an entry end to a discharge end.

5. A printer as claimed in claim 2, in which the reciprocal displacement mechanism includes a winder a pulley arrangement and a cable that is engaged with the winder and pulley arrangement and fast with the displaceable platen, the winder, pulley arrangement and cable being configured so that, when the winder is operated to wind the cable, the displaceable platen is displaced towards the fixed platen, the reciprocal displacement mechanism further including a spring arrangement interposed between the support structure and the displaceable platen so that, when the displaceable platen is displaced towards the fixed platen, such displacement serves to extend the spring arrangement so that, when the winder is inoperative, the spring arrangement serves to displace the displaceable platen into its rest position.

6. A printer as claimed in claim 2, in which the discharge mechanism includes an exit hatch that is interposed between discharge ends of the fixed and displaceable platens and is configured to be displaceable between a closed position in which the exit hatch defines a stop for printed sheets of the media fed between the platens and an open position in which a bound document can be fed from between the platens and out of a discharge opening defined in the lower front molding.

7. A printer as claimed in claim 6, which includes a collection tray that is mounted on the support structure, downstream of the binding assembly, to collect bound documents fed from the discharge opening.

8. A printer as claimed in claim 7, in which a guide member is mounted on the lower front molding to act on the documents fed from the discharge opening to direct the documents towards back of the collection tray so that consecutive documents do not interfere with each other.

9. A printer as claimed in claim 8, in which the guide member is in the form of a resiliently flexible foil arrangement that is mounted on the lower front molding to extend across the discharge opening so that documents that are ejected from the discharge opening bear against the foil arrangement which serves to urge the documents towards the back of the collection tray.

10. A binding assembly for a printer that has a support structure, a print assemble that is mounted on the support structure and that includes at least one inkjet printhead for printing ink on sheets of a print medium that pass through the print assembly a supply assembly that is mounted on the support structure to be positioned upstream of the print assembly and that is configured to store a supply of the sheets of the print medium, a feed mechanism for feeding sheets from the supply assembly through the print assembly along a feed path and an adhesive applicator assembly that is in fluid communication with an adhesive supply, the applicator assembly being displaceable towards and away from the feed path to apply a strip of adhesive to each sheet of the print medium, the binding assembly comprising

a fixed platen;

a displaceable platen that is reciprocally displaceable between an operative position in which the displaceable platen is proximate the fixed platen and a rest position in which the displaceable platen is spaced from the fixed platen, the fixed and displaceable platens being configured so that a printed sheet of the medium can be received between the platens when the displaceable platen is in the rest position;

a reciprocal displacement mechanism that is engaged with the displaceable platen, to drive the displaceable platen reciprocally between the rest and the operative positions, the displacement mechanism being configured to urge consecutive printed sheets of the printed medium together in a sequential manner so that each sheet is individually adhered to a preceding sheet; and

a discharge mechanism that is positioned downstream of the platens to discharge bound documents from an area between the platens.