Stapling Apparatus, Image Forming Apparatus, Method of Stapling Sheet Bundle, and Non-Transitory Computer Readable Data Recording Medium Having Program Stored Thereon

Abstract

A stapling apparatus includes a sheet insertion portion that receives insertion of a sheet bundle, a stapler that staples the sheet bundle, a drive apparatus that drives the stapler, and a controller that controls the drive apparatus. The controller has the drive apparatus driven with first electric power when the drive apparatus operates in an on-line stapling mode in which the sheet bundle ejected from an image forming apparatus is stapled and has the drive apparatus driven with second electric power lower than maximum electric power that can be set as first electric power when the drive apparatus operates in a manual stapling mode in which the sheet bundle inserted through the sheet insertion portion is stapled.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A stapling apparatus comprising:
 a sheet insertion portion that receives insertion of a sheet bundle;   a stapler that staples the sheet bundle;   a drive apparatus that drives the stapler; and   a controller that controls the drive apparatus,   the controller having the drive apparatus driven with first electric power when the drive apparatus operates in an on-line stapling mode in which the sheet bundle ejected from an image forming apparatus is stapled,   the controller having the drive apparatus driven with second electric power lower than maximum electric power that can be set as the first electric power, when the drive apparatus operates in a manual stapling mode in which the sheet bundle inserted through the sheet insertion portion is stapled.   
     
     
         2 . The stapling apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 minimum electric power that should be supplied to the stapler for stapling the sheet bundle having a thickness A is defined as electric power X, and   the first electric power and the second electric power in stapling of the sheet bundle having the thickness A are each higher than the electric power X by predetermined electric power.   
     
     
         3 . The stapling apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the controller sets the second electric power to lower noise in the stapler in stapling of the sheet bundle to a volume not higher than a predetermined volume.   
     
     
         4 . The stapling apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the second electric power is constant in the manual stapling mode regardless of the number of sheets in the sheet bundle inserted through the sheet insertion portion.   
     
     
         5 . The stapling apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 a maximum number of sheets in the sheet bundle that can be inserted through the sheet insertion portion is smaller than a maximum number of stapled sheets in the on-line stapling mode.   
     
     
         6 . The stapling apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein
 minimum electric power that should be supplied to the stapler for stapling the maximum number of sheets in the sheet bundle that can be inserted through the sheet insertion portion is defined as electric power Y, and   the second electric power is higher than the electric power Y by predetermined electric power.   
     
     
         7 . The stapling apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein
 the electric power Y is different for each type of the sheet bundle inserted through the sheet insertion portion.   
     
     
         8 . The stapling apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 a largest thickness of a sheet bundle that can be stapled in the manual stapling mode is defined as a thickness A, and   the controller sets the second electric power in stapling of the sheet bundle having the thickness A to be lower than the first electric power in stapling of the sheet bundle having the thickness A.   
     
     
         9 . The stapling apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising a thickness sensing unit that senses a thickness of the sheet bundle inserted through the sheet insertion portion, wherein
 the controller sets the second electric power based on the thickness of the sheet bundle sensed by the thickness sensing unit, and   the second electric power is lower than the first electric power supplied to the drive apparatus in stapling of the sheet bundle having the sensed thickness in the on-line stapling mode.   
     
     
         10 . The stapling apparatus according to  claim 9 , further comprising a medium type information identification unit that identifies a type of the sheet bundle inserted through the sheet insertion portion, wherein
 the controller sets the second electric power based on the sensed thickness of the sheet bundle and a result of identification by the medium type information identification unit.   
     
     
         11 . The stapling apparatus according to  claim 10 , further comprising a sheet count information obtaining unit that obtains sheet count input information from the image forming apparatus, wherein
 the controller sets the second electric power based on the sheet count input information when the controller obtains the sheet count input information from the sheet count information obtaining unit, and   the controller sets the second electric power based on the sensed thickness of the sheet bundle when the controller does not obtain the sheet count input information from the sheet count information obtaining unit.   
     
     
         12 . The stapling apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a clamping mechanism that clamps the sheet bundle inserted through the sheet insertion portion, the clamping mechanism being provided in the stapler;   a reference position sensor that detects whether the clamping mechanism is located at a reference position; and   a clamp sensing unit that reacts when the clamping mechanism clamps the sheet bundle at a certain pressure, wherein   the controller obtains, by the reference position sensor, first time when the clamping mechanism starts to move from the reference position,   the controller obtains, by the clamp sensing unit, second time when the clamping mechanism clamps the sheet bundle at the certain pressure, and   the controller estimates a thickness of the sheet bundle based on a difference between the first time and the second time.   
     
     
         13 . The stapling apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a clamping mechanism that clamps the sheet bundle inserted through the sheet insertion portion, the clamping mechanism being provided in the stapler;   a reference position sensor that detects whether the clamping mechanism is located at a reference position; and   a pressure sensing unit provided in a surface of the clamping mechanism where the sheet bundle is clamped, the pressure sensing unit reacting when a pressure not lower than a certain pressure is applied to the surface of the clamping mechanism where the sheet bundle is clamped, wherein   the controller obtains, by the reference position sensor, first time when the clamping mechanism starts to move from the reference position,   the controller obtains, by the pressure sensing unit, second time when the pressure not lower than the certain pressure is applied to the surface of the clamping mechanism where the sheet bundle is clamped, and   the controller estimates a thickness of the sheet bundle based on a difference between the first time and the second time.   
     
     
         14 . The stapling apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a clamping mechanism that clamps the sheet bundle inserted through the sheet insertion portion, the clamping mechanism being provided in the stapler;   a reference position sensor that detects whether the clamping mechanism is located at a reference position; and   an electric power measurement unit that measures an amount of electric power supplied to the drive apparatus, wherein   the controller obtains, by the reference position sensor, first time when the clamping mechanism starts to move from the reference position,   the controller obtains, by the electric power measurement unit, second time of sensing of supply of electric power not smaller than a predetermined amount of electric power to the drive apparatus, and   the controller estimates a thickness of the sheet bundle based on a difference between the first time and the second time.   
     
     
         15 . The stapling apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 a time period for stapling the sheet bundle having a thickness A in the manual stapling mode is defined as a time period X,   a time period for stapling the sheet bundle having the thickness A in the on-line stapling mode is defined as a time period Y, and   the controller sets the second electric power to set the time period X to be longer than the time period Y.   
     
     
         16 . An image forming apparatus comprising the stapling apparatus according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         17 . A method of stapling a sheet bundle comprising:
 performing a stapling process with first electric power in an on-line stapling mode in which a sheet bundle ejected from an image forming apparatus is stapled; and   performing the stapling process with second electric power lower than maximum electric power that can be set as the first electric power in a manual stapling mode in which the sheet bundle inserted by a user is stapled.   
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 17 , wherein
 minimum electric power necessary for stapling the sheet bundle having a thickness A is defined as electric power X, and   the first electric power and the second electric power in stapling of the sheet bundle having the thickness A are each higher than the electric power X by predetermined electric power.   
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 17 , further comprising setting the second electric power to lower noise in stapling of the sheet bundle to a volume not higher than a predetermined volume. 
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 17 , wherein
 the second electric power is constant in the manual stapling mode.   
     
     
         21 . The method according to  claim 17 , wherein
 a maximum number of sheets in the sheet bundle that can be inserted in the manual stapling mode is smaller than a maximum number of stapled sheets in the on-line stapling mode.   
     
     
         22 . The method according to  claim 21 , wherein
 minimum electric power necessary for stapling the maximum number of sheets in the sheet bundle that can be inserted in the manual stapling mode is defined as electric power Y, and   the second electric power is higher than the electric power Y by predetermined electric power.   
     
     
         23 . The method according to  claim 22 , wherein
 the electric power Y is different for each type of the sheet bundle.   
     
     
         24 . The method according to  claim 17 , wherein
 a largest thickness of a sheet bundle that can be stapled in the manual stapling mode is defined as a thickness A, and   the method further comprises setting the second electric power in stapling of the sheet bundle having the thickness A to be lower than the first electric power in stapling of the sheet bundle having the thickness A.   
     
     
         25 . The method according to  claim 17 , further comprising:
 sensing a thickness of an inserted sheet bundle; and   setting the second electric power based on the sensed thickness of the sheet bundle, wherein   the second electric power is lower than the first electric power in stapling of the sheet bundle having the sensed thickness in the on-line stapling mode.   
     
     
         26 . The method according to  claim 25 , further comprising:
 identifying a type of the inserted sheet bundle; and   setting the second electric power based on the sensed thickness of the sheet bundle and the identified type of the sheet bundle.   
     
     
         27 . The method according to  claim 26 , further comprising:
 setting, when sheet count input information is obtained from the image forming apparatus, the second electric power based on the sheet count input information; and   setting, when the sheet count input information is not obtained from the image forming apparatus, the second electric power based on the sensed thickness of the sheet bundle.   
     
     
         28 . The method according to  claim 17 , further comprising:
 clamping the inserted sheet bundle by a clamping mechanism;   obtaining first time when the clamping mechanism starts to move from a reference position where the clamping mechanism does not clamp the sheet bundle;   obtaining second time when the clamping mechanism clamps the sheet bundle at a certain pressure; and   estimating a thickness of the sheet bundle based on a difference between the first time and the second time.   
     
     
         29 . The method according to  claim 17 , further comprising:
 clamping the inserted sheet bundle by a clamping mechanism;   obtaining first time when the clamping mechanism starts to move from a reference position where the clamping mechanism does not clamp the sheet bundle;   obtaining second time when a pressure not lower than a certain pressure is applied to a surface of the clamping mechanism where the sheet bundle is clamped; and   estimating a thickness of the sheet bundle based on a difference between the first time and the second time.   
     
     
         30 . The method according to  claim 17 , further comprising:
 clamping the inserted sheet bundle by a clamping mechanism;   obtaining first time when the clamping mechanism starts to move from a reference position where the clamping mechanism does not clamp the sheet bundle;   obtaining second time when electric power not smaller than a predetermined amount of electric power is supplied for driving the clamping mechanism; and   estimating a thickness of the sheet bundle based on a difference between the first time and the second time.   
     
     
         31 . The method according to  claim 17 , wherein
 a time period for stapling the sheet bundle having a thickness A in the manual stapling mode is defined as a time period X,   a time period for stapling the sheet bundle having the thickness A in the on-line stapling mode is defined as a time period Y, and   the method further comprises setting the second electric power to set the time period X to be longer than the time period Y.   
     
     
         32 . A computer readable data storage medium having a program stored thereon, the program causing the computer to perform:
 performing a stapling process with first electric power in an on-line stapling mode in which a sheet bundle ejected from an image forming apparatus is stapled; and   performing the stapling process with second electric power lower than maximum electric power that can be set as the first electric power in a manual stapling mode in which the sheet bundle inserted by a user is stapled.