Print bonding apparatus, automatic bookbinding apparatus and image forming apparatus

Abstract

The present invention relates to a print bonding apparatus having a bonding unit that bonds the bottom (back) surfaces of prints formed by an image forming apparatus to produce a double-sided print, an automatic bookbinding apparatus provided with this print bonding apparatus, and an image forming apparatus. The print bonding apparatus of the invention is provided with a distributing device that sequentially distributes photographic prints delivered by the image forming apparatus, and a bonding unit that disposes the bottom surfaces of two photographic prints distributed by the distributing device opposite to each other, aligns sides of the two photographic prints with each other and bonds them together. The invention provides a print bonding apparatus capable of bookbinding a photograph collection on demand, an automatic bookbinding apparatus, and an image forming apparatus.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A print bonding apparatus comprising: 
 a distributing device that sequentially distributes photographic prints delivered by an image forming apparatus; and    a bonding device that bonds together bottom surfaces of two photographic prints distributed by the distributing device in a condition in which the bottom surfaces of the two photographic prints are opposed to each other, and in which edges of the two photographic prints are aligned with each other.    
     
     
         2 . A print bonding apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the bonding device includes: 
 a print transfer unit that transfers the two photographic prints distributed with the bottom surfaces of the photographic prints opposed to each other;    a glue applying unit that applies glue to a bottom surface of at least one of the two photographic prints transferred by the print transfer unit;    a bonding unit that makes end edges of the two photographic prints, respectively transferred by the print transfer unit, abut against each other, and bonds the two photographic prints together; and    a side edge aligning unit that, before the two photographic prints are bonded together, aligns side edges of the two photographic prints which have been made to abut against each other by the bonding unit.    
     
     
         3 . A print bonding apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein 
 the distributing device distributes the photographic prints in left and right directions orthogonal to a direction in which the photographic prints have been delivered by the image forming apparatus, and    the print transfer unit is vertical transfer belts for transferring the two photographic prints distributed by the distributing device in a condition in which the two photographic prints are in a vertical state and in which the bottom surfaces of the two photographic prints are opposed to each other, and    the bonding unit is bonding rollers that make end edges of the two photographic prints transferred by the vertical transfer belts abut against each other, sandwich the two photographic prints and transfer the two photographic prints to bond them together.    
     
     
         4 . A print bonding apparatus comprising: 
 a distributing device that sequentially distributes pairs of photographic prints delivered by an image forming apparatus, each pair of which photographic prints is to constitute top and bottom surfaces of a double-sided photographic print;    a print transfer unit that transfers the two photographic prints distributed by the distributing device;    a glue applying unit that applies glue to the bottom surface of at least one of the two photographic prints transferred by the print transfer unit, the bottom surface having no image formed thereon; and    a bonding unit that is located on a downstream side of the glue applying unit at a point which the print transfer unit reaches, and that bonds the two photographic prints to which glue has been applied by the glue applying unit, in a condition in which the bottom surfaces of the two photographic prints are opposed to each other and in which the edges of the two photographic prints have been aligned with each other.    
     
     
         5 . The print bonding apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein the print transfer unit is vertical transfer belts, each of which transfers each of two photographic prints distributed by the distributing device in a vertical state and in a condition in which the surfaces of the two photographic prints on which surfaces images have been formed are disposed on the surfaces of the vertical transfer belts.  
     
     
         6 . The print bonding apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein the vertical transfer belts include a first vertical transfer belt for transferring one of the two photographic prints and a second vertical transfer belt for transferring the second of the two print photographic prints, the first vertical transfer belt and the second vertical transfer belt being constituted to enable the first photographic print and the second photographic print to reach the bonding unit at the same time, in a condition in which the bottom surfaces of the two photographic prints are opposed to each other.  
     
     
         7 . The print bonding apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein the bonding unit is bonding rollers that make end edges of the two photographic prints transferred by the first and second vertical transfer belts abut against each other at the same time, sandwich the two photographic prints and transfer the two photographic prints to bond them together.  
     
     
         8 . The print bonding apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein the bonding unit is bonding rollers that make end edges of the two photographic prints transferred by the print transfer unit abut against each other, sandwich the two photographic prints and transfer the two photographic prints to bond them together.  
     
     
         9 . The print bonding apparatus according to  claim 4 , further comprising a side edge aligning unit that, before the two photographic prints are bonded together, aligns side edges of the two photographic prints which have been made to abut against each other by the bonding unit.  
     
     
         10 . The print bonding apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein the distributing device distributes the photographic prints in left and right directions orthogonal to a direction in which the photographic prints have been delivered by the image forming apparatus.  
     
     
         11 . An automatic bookbinding apparatus comprising: 
 the print bonding apparatus according to  claim 1;     a photographic print stacking portion that stacks double-sided photographic prints produced as a result of the bonding together of the photographic prints by the print bonding apparatus, in a condition in which the double-sided photographic prints are aligned at one side thereof;    a side aligning unit that makes three sides of a stack of double-sided photographic prints stacked by the photographic print stacking portion align; and    a belt mounting unit that binds a back of the stack of double-sided photographic prints whose three sides have been aligned by the side aligning unit.    
     
     
         12 . An automatic bookbinding apparatus comprising: 
 the print bonding apparatus according to  claim 4;  and    a bookbinding section that stacks double-sided photographic prints produced as a result of the bonding together of the photographic prints by the print bonding apparatus, makes three sides of the stacked double-sided photographic prints align and binds a back of the stack of double-sided photographic prints whose three sides have been aligned.    
     
     
         13 . The automatic bookbinding apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein the print transfer section is vertical transfer belts each of which transfers each of two photographic prints distributed by the distributing device in a vertical state and in a condition in which the surfaces of the two photographic prints on which surfaces images have been formed are disposed on the surfaces of the vertical transfer belts.  
     
     
         14 . The automatic bookbinding apparatus according to  claim 13 , wherein the vertical transfer belts include a first vertical transfer belt for transferring one of the two photographic prints and a second vertical transfer belt for transferring the second of the two print photographic prints, the first vertical transfer belt and the second vertical transfer belt being constituted to enable the first photographic print and the second photographic print to reach the bonding section at the same time, in a condition in which the bottom surfaces of the two photographic prints are opposed to each other.  
     
     
         15 . The automatic bookbinding apparatus according to  claim 14 , wherein the bonding section is bonding rollers that make end edges of the two photographic prints transferred by the first and second vertical transfer belts abut against each other at the same time and sandwich the two photographic prints and transfer the two photographic prints to bond them together.  
     
     
         16 . The automatic bookbinding apparatus according to  claim 12 , further comprising a side edge aligning section that, before the two photographic prints are bonded together aligns side edges of the two photographic prints which have been, made to abut against each other by the bonding section.  
     
     
         17 . An automatic bookbinding apparatus comprising: 
 a distributing device that sequentially distributes pairs of photographic prints delivered by an image forming apparatus, each pair of which photographic prints is to constitute top and bottom surfaces of a double-sided photographic print.    first and second print transfer sections that respectively transfer a first photographic print and a second photographic print distributed by the distributing device, and guide the respective photographic prints to a point where pairs of photographic prints are merged with each other in a condition where the back surfaces of the photographic prints are opposed to each other;    a glue applying section that applies glue to the bottom surface of at least one of the two photographic prints transferred by the first and second print transfer section, the bottom surface having no image formed thereon;    a bonding section that serves as a point at which the respective pairs of photographic prints are merged with each other, and that bonds the two photographic prints on which glue has been applied by the glue applying section in a condition in which the bottom surfaces of the two photographic prints are opposed to each other and in which the edges of the two photographic prints have been aligned with each other; and    a bookbinding section that stacks double-sided photographic prints produced by the bonding section, makes three sides of the stacked double-sided photographic prints align, and binds a back of the stack of double-sided photographic prints whose three sides have been aligned.    
     
     
         18 . An image forming apparatus for delivering a photographic print to the distributing device of the print bonding apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein a temperature of a drying process portion for drying photographic prints washed with water is controlled on the basis of a type and size of photosensitive material, and of an ambient environment, at a temperature at which the photographic print does not curl.  
     
     
         19 . An image forming apparatus for delivering a photographic print to the print bonding apparatus provided in the automatic bookbinding apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein a temperature of a drying process portion for drying photographic prints washed with water is controlled, on the basis of a type and size of photosensitive material, and of an ambient environment, at a temperature at which the photographic print does not curl.  
     
     
         20 . An image forming apparatus for delivering a photographic print to the distributing device of the print bonding apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein a temperature of a drying process portion for drying photographic prints washed with water is controlled, on the basis of a type and size of photosensitive material, and of an ambient environment, at a temperature at which the photographic print does not curl.  
     
     
         21 . An image forming apparatus for delivering a photographic print to the print bonding apparatus provided in the automatic bookbinding apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein a temperature of a drying process portion for drying photographic prints washed with water is controlled, on the basis of a type and size of photosensitive material, and of an ambient environment, at a temperature at which the photographic print does not curl.  
     
     
         22 . An image forming apparatus for delivering a photographic print to the distributing device of the bonding section provided in the automatic bookbinding apparatus according to  claim 17 , wherein a temperature of a drying process portion for drying photographic prints washed with water is controlled, on the basis of a type and size of photosensitive material, and of an ambient environment, at one at which the photographic print does not curl.