Apparatus and method of binding a book

Claim 2

Apparatus for binding a plurality of sheets arranged in a stack utilizing a binding tape which includes a flexible tape substrate which carries an adhesive, with the tape being bonded to first and second cover sheets of the stack and engaging an edge of the stack so as to form a spine, said apparatus comprising: stack support means for supporting the stack of sheets, said stack support means includes a first clamp member for engaging the first cover sheet of the stack and a second clamp member for engaging the second cover sheet of the stack with said first clamp member being movable with respect to said second clamp member; tape positioner means for positioning the tape with respect to the stack; platen means for applying the tape to the stack of sheets; and control means for controlling the relative position of said stack support means and said platen means so as to first seal the binding tape to the first cover by application of pressure, with the entire first cover seal being made simultaneously, and to then seal the binding tape to the second cover by application of pressure, with the entire second cover seal also being made simultaneously.

Claim 3

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said support means includes a first backup member mounted movably between a backup position where the first backup member supports the stack when said second cover seal is made and a displaced position displaced from said backup position and a second backup member mounted movably between a backup position where the second backup member supports the stack when said first cover seal is made and a displaced position displaced from said backup position.

Claim 4

The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said platen means is also a means for causing said first and second backup members to move between said backup and displaced positions.

Claim 5

The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said first and second backup members are mounted on said first and second clamp members, respectively.

Claim 6

The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said backup members are pivotally mounted on said clamp members.

Claim 7

The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said backup members include cam surfaces which engage said platen means causing said backup members to move from said backup position to said displaced position.

Claim 8

The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said backup members move from said displaced position to said engaged position by force of gravity.

Claim 9

The apparatus of claim 3 wherein stack support means is also a means for moving the stack between a stack load position and bind position, in response to said control means, and includes a support platen which supports the edge of the stack when the stack is in the load position.

Claim 10

The apparatus of claim 8 where said tape positioner means is movable between a tape load position and a first cover seal position where the tape is positioned adjacent the first cover and said control means further controls said tape positioner means so that when said tape positioner means is in said first cover seal position, the location of the tape with respect to the first cover is a function of the thickness of the stack.

Claim 11

The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said control means makes said first cover seal by causing said stack support means to move the stack from said stack load position to said bind position, by causing said tape position to move from said tape load position to said first cover seal position so that the tape will be intermediate said first cover and said platen means and then causing said stack support means to force the stack against the tape and said platen means thereby making said first cover seal.

Claim 12

The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said control means makes said second cover seal subsequent to making said first cover seal by causing said stack support means to move the stack with respect to said platen means so that said platen means will fold the tape around the edge of the stack and over the second cover and then cause said stack support means to force the stack against the tape and said platen means thereby making said second cover seal.

Claim 13

The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said platen means includes a first platen and a second platen movable with respect to said first platen between a cover seal position and a fold position.

Claim 14

The apparatus of claim 12 wherein said control means covers said second platen to move to said cover seal position when said first and second cover seals are made and to said fold position when the tape is folded around the edge of the stack.

Claim 15

The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the control means causes said second platen to move between said cover seal position and said fold position by way of said tape positioner means.

Claim 16

The apparatus of claim 14 wherein said tape positioner means includes a tape support member which supports the tape along a first edge so that tape adhesive for forming the first cover seal at a second edge of the tape is exposed to said platen means.

Claim 17

The apparatus of claim 15 wherein said tape positioner means includes a tape positioner shaft and a support arm which connects said tape support member to said tape positioner shaft and said tape positioner means is moved from said tape load position to said first cover seal position by rotation of said tape positioner shaft.

Claim 18

The apparatus of claim 16 wherein said tape support member moves through an arc having a radius which is equal to the length of said support arm.

Claim 19

The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the tape adhesive is a heat actuated adhesive and said first platen is a heated platen.

Claim 20

The apparatus of claim 18 wherein said first platen is electrically heated and said second platen is heated by said first platen through thermal conduction.

Claim 21

The apparatus of claim 19 wherein said second platen is heated by said first platen when said second platen is in said fold position.

Claim 22

Apparatus for binding a plurality of sheets arranged in a stack utilizing a binding tape which includes a flexible tape substrate which carries an adhesive, with the tape being bonded to first and second cover sheets of the stack and engaging an edge of the stack so as to form a spine, said apparatus comprising: stack support means for supporting the stack of sheets, wherein said support means includes a first clamp member for engaging the first cover sheet of the stack and a second clamp member for engaging the second cover sheet of the stack, with said first clamp member being movable with respect to said second clamp member, a first backup member mounted movably between a backup position where the first backup member supports the stack when said second cover seal is made and a displaced position displaced from said backup position and a second backup member mounted movably between a backup position where the second backup member supports the stack when said first cover seal is made and a displaced position displaced from said backup position; tape positioner means for positioning the tape with respect to the stack; first platen means for forcing the tape against the stack so as to form the spine; second platen means for forcing the tape against the first and second cover sheets with at least one substantially flat platen surface so as to form first and second cover seals, respectively; and control means for controlling said stack support means, said tape positioner means and said first and second platen means so as to form the spine, first cover seal and second cover seal, with the first and second cover seals being formed at different times.

Claim 23

Apparatus for binding a plurality of sheets arranged in a stack utilizing a binding tape which includes a flexible tape substrate which carries an adhesive, with the tape being bonded to first and second cover sheets of the stack and engaging an edge of the stack so as to form a spine, said apparatus comprising: stack support means for supporting the stack of sheets, wherein said support means includes a first clamp member for engaging the first cover sheet of the stack and a second clamp member for engaging the second cover sheet of the stack, with said first clamp member being movable with respect to said second clamp member, a first backup member mounted movably between a backup position where the first backup member supports the stack when said second cover seal is made and a displaced position displaced from said backup position and a second backup member mounted movably between a backup position where the second backup member supports the stack when said first cover seal is made and a displaced position displaced from said backup position; tape positioner means for positioning the tape with respect to the stack; first platen means for forcing the tape against the stack so as to form the spine; second platen means for forcing the tape against the first and second cover sheets with at least one substantially flat platen surface so as to form first and second cover seals, respectively; and control means for controlling said stack support means, said tape positioner means and said first and second platen means so as to form the spine, first cover seal and second cover seal, with the first and second cover seals being formed at different times.

Claim 24

The apparatus of claim 21 wherein said second platen means is also a means for causing said first and second backup members to move between said backup and displaced positions.

Claim 25

The apparatus of claim 22 wherein said first and second backup members are mounted on said first and second clamp members, respectively.

Claim 26

The apparatus of claim 23 wherein said backup members are pivotally mounted on said clamp members.

Claim 27

The apparatus of claim 24 wherein said backup members include cam surfaces which engage said first platen means causing said backup members to move from said backup position to said displaced position.

Claim 28

The apparatus of claim 25 wherein said backup members move from said displaced position to said engaged position by force of gravity.

Claim 29

The apparatus of claim 22 wherein said stack support means is also a means for moving the stack between a stack load position and a bind position, in response to said control means, and includes a support platen which supports the edge of the stack when the stack is in the load position.

Claim 30

The apparatus of claim 27 wherein said tape positioner means is movable between a tape load position and a first cover seal position where the tape is positioned adjacent the first cover and said control means further controls said tape positioner means so that when said tape positioner means is in said first cover seal position, the location of the tape with respect to the first cover is a function of the thickness of the stack.

Claim 31

The apparatus of claim 21 wherein said stack support means is also a means for moving the stack between a stack load position and a bind position, in response to said control means, and includes a support platen which supports the edge of the stack when the stack is in the load position, and wherein said control means is also a means for controlling said stack support means so that the book is moved back to said stack load positions subsequent to the formation of the spine, first cover seal and second cover seal.

Claim 32

The apparatus of claim 29 wherein said control means controls said stack support means so that the edge of the stack is aligned with a supporting surface of said support platen subsequent to the formation of the spine, first cover seal and second cover seal.

Claim 33

The apparatus of claim 30 wherein said stack support means includes a first clamp member for engaging the first cover sheet of the stack and a second clamp member for engaging the second cover of the stack, with said first clamp member being moveable with respect to said second clamp member.

Claim 34

The apparatus of claim 31 wherein said control means also controls said first platen means and causes the edge of the stack to be aligned with said supporting surface by causing said first and second clamp members to release the stack and causing said first platen means to move the stack into the aligned position.

Claim 35

The apparatus of claim 21 wherein said control means includes a single drive motor for driving said tape positioner means, and said first and second platen means.

Claim 36

The apparatus of claim 33 wherein second platen means is pivotably mounted with respect to said first platen means and wherein said control means includes a positioner gear driven by said single drive motor, with said positioner gear coupled to said tape positioner means, said positioner gear including a pair of spaced-apart cam bearings and said control means further including a lever arm coupled to said second platen means with said lever arm including a pair of cam bearing surfaces for engaging said pair of cam bearings of said positioner gear so that said second platen means can be pivoted with respect to said first platen means when one of said cam bearings engages one of said cam surfaces and so that said second platen means is shifted to a pull down position when the other of said cam bearings engages the other of said cam surfaces subsequent to the formation of the first cover seal and prior to the formation of the spine.

Claim 39

The method of claim 35 wherein the entire said first cover seal is formed substantially simultaneously.

Claim 40

The method of claim 36 wherein the entire said second cover seal is formed substantially simultaneously.

Claim 41

The method of claim 37 wherein said step of folding the tape is carried out utilizing said platen used for forming said first cover seal.

Claim 42

The method of claim 38 wherein said steps of forming said first and second cover seals and said step of folding are carried out utilizing a single platen and wherein said platen is moveable between a cover seal position and a fold position and said steps of forming the first and second cover seals are carried out with said platen in said cover seal position and said step of folding the tape is carried out with said platen in said fold position.

Claim 43

The method of claim 39 wherein the steps of forming the first and second cover seals and the step of folding the tape are carried out under the control of a processor unit.

Claim 44

The method of claim 39 wherein the step of forming the first cover seal includes the step of limiting movement of said book by positioning a first backup bar adjacent the second cover opposite said platen and the step of forming the second cover seal incudes the step of positioning the second backup bar adjacent the first cover opposite said platen.

Claim 45

The method of claim 41 whereas the step of forming the first cover seal includes the step of removing said second backup bar from adjacent the first cover and the step of forming the second cover seal includes the step of removing said first backup bar from adjacent the second cover.