[0001] The present invention relates to an image-forming system including a binding machine
for stacking printed sheets fed out from an image-forming machine and binding the
stacked sheets.
Description of Prior Art
[0002] Recently, various image-forming systems each has a booklet binding function are developed
and well known. According to the booklet binding function, printed sheets (papers)
fed out from an image-forming machine are stacked and concurrently edges of the sheets
are evened up. Then, a spine of the sheets is glued, and thereby binding of a booklet
is finished.
[0003] In a Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No.
2004-209869, disclosed is a binding apparatus in which sheets ejected from an image-forming machine
are received from its ejection port to introduce them onto a sheet feed path and stack
them in a sheet stack on a tray provided downstream along the sheet feed path while
edges of them are evened up. The sheet stack on the tray is transferred to a gluing
unit after orientated vertically and then a spine of the sheet stack is glued. The
glued sheet stack is attached with a cover sheet supplied from an inserter provided
along the sheet feed path, and the cover sheet is folded to cover the sheet stack.
[0004] In image-forming apparatuses, also well known is an apparatus including a cleaning
mechanism that cleans feed rollers for feeding sheets on which an image(s) is printed
(formed).
[0005] In a Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No.
2009-51618, disclosed is an image-forming apparatus in which feed rollers for feeding at least
one-sided printed sheet and an cleaning element provided near the feed rollers is
pressed onto the feed rollers. In order to clean the feed rollers up, the cleaning
element is pressed onto the rotated feed rollers timely when contamination of the
feed roller is detected and printing is not performed.
Statement of Invention
[0006] Also in an image-forming system with booklet binding function, contamination of feed
rollers for feeding double-sided printed sheets is desired to be solved. If the cleaning
element is applied to this image-forming system in order to clean the feed rollers
up, cleaning problems may be solved. However, its mechanism and configuration of the
system may become complicated and maintenances of the cleaning element may be needed,
so that user's convenience is notably degraded.
[0007] An object of the present invention is to provide an image-forming system that can
easily clean its feed rollers with simple configuration.
[0008] An aspect of the present invention provides an image-forming system that includes
an image-forming unit for forming an image on a sheet, a sheet feeding unit including
at least a pair of feed rollers for feeding the sheet on which the image has been
formed, a cutting unit for cutting away a waste portion of the sheet, and a controller.
The controller is operable to controlling the sheet feeding unit for a cleaning operation
of the pair of feed rollers, before the waste portion is cut away, so as to hold the
sheet and drive the pair of feed rollers in contact with the waste portion of the
sheet.
[0009] According to the aspect, the cleaning operation of the pair of feed rollers is done
with the waste portion. Therefore, the pair of feed rollers can be easily cleaned
up by effectively utilizing the waste portion to be cut away.
[0010] It is preferable that the sheet feeding unit includes the pair of feed rollers to
be cleaned up and a pair of reference rollers that holds the sheet by nipping with
a nipping pressure greater than a feeding force by the pair of feed roller to be cleaned
up, and the controller, by controlling the sheet feeding unit in the cleaning operation,
feeds the sheet to a cutting position where the waste portion to be cut away is nipped
by the pair of reference rollers, stops rotation of the pair of reference rollers
to hold the sheet with the nipping pressure, and spins the pair of feed rollers in
each rotational direction so as to feed the sheet away from the pair of reference
rollers.
[0011] According to this configuration, the sheet is held by the pair of reference rollers
and, concurrently, the pair of feed roller to be cleaned up is spun so as to feed
the sheet away from the pair of reference rollers (the sheet is not fed because it
is held by the pair of reference rollers with the above-explained nipping pressure).
Therefore, contamination on the feed roller can be wiped away by a simple configuration
without adding an extra configuration or device such as an extra cleaning roller(s)
only used for the cleaning operation.
[0012] It is preferable that the pair of feed rollers to be cleaned up is located most upstream
along a feed path of the sheet in the sheet feeding unit.
[0013] Here, the pair of feed rollers to be cleaned up is located most upstream along the
feed path of the sheet. In other words, the pair of feed rollers locates nearest to
the image-forming unit, so that pair of feed rollers tends to be contaminated most.
Therefore, according to this configuration, the pair of feed rollers that tends to
be contaminated most can be cleaned up surely.
[0014] It is preferable that the sheet is classified to a cover sheet or a text-block sheet,
the system further comprises a text body stacker that receives the text-block sheet
sequentially fed from the sheet feeding unit and evens up edges thereof to form a
sheet stack, and a binding unit that binds the sheet stack with the cover sheet of
which the waste portion has been cut away by the cutting unit to make a booklet. Here,
the controller, by controlling the sheet feeding unit, calculates a length of the
waste portion based on a length of the cover sheet, a length of the text-block sheet
and a thickness of the sheet stack, and feeds the cover sheet to the cutting position
based on the calculated length of the waste portion.
[0015] According to this configuration, the cleaning operation is done base on the calculated
length of the waste portion to be cut away. Therefore, the image-forming system can
bind the booklet(s) having a superior appearance without degradation of user's convenience
due to the cleaning operation.
Description of Drawings
[0016]
Fig. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an image-forming system according to
an embodiment;
Fig. 2 is a schematic side view showing a sheet feeding unit and a cutting unit in
the image-forming system;
Fig. 3 is a block diagram showing configuration of the image-forming system;
Fig. 4 is a flow chart showing processes executed by the image-forming system;
Fig. 5A to 5F are schematic cross-sectional views showing operations of a binding
machine in the image-forming system;
Fig. 6A is a flow chart of a cutting length calculation process done by the binding
machine;
Fig. 6B is a flow chart of a cleaning process done by the binding machine;
Fig. 6C is a flow chart of a cover sheet cutting process done by the binding machine;
and
Fig. 7A to 7H are schematic cross-sectional views showing a cleaning operation done
in the binding machine.
Description of Specific Embodiment
[0017] Hereinafter, an embodiment of an image-forming system 100 having a binding machine
will be explained with reference to the drawings.
[0018] As shown in Fig. 1, the image-forming system 100 is a system for printing a cover
sheet 410 and text-block sheets 420 and then binding the printed cover sheet(s) 410
and the printed text-block sheets 420 to make a booklet (a book, a bound article)
440. The image-forming system 100 is configured by a combination of an image-forming
machine 200 and a binding machine 300. The image-forming machine 200 forms images
on (prints) a cover sheet 410 and text-block sheets 420. The binding machine 300 is
provided adjacent to the image-forming machine 200 and downstream along a feed path
of the sheets, and binds the printed cover sheet 410 and the text-block sheets 420
to make a booklet 440.
[0019] As shown in Fig. 1, the image-forming machine 200 is provided with an inkjet-type
image-forming unit 230. The image-forming unit 230 prints on the cover sheet 410 and
the text-block sheets 420 based on cover sheet image data and text-block image data.
In addition, the image-forming unit 230 has line-type ink-heads that inject black
(K), cyan (C), magenta (M) and yellow (Y) inks, respectively.
[0020] A first sheet supply unit 210 and a second sheet supply unit 220 are provided upstream
of the image-forming unit 230 along the sheet feed path of the sheets. The cover sheets
410 to be printed are stored in the first sheet supply unit 210, and the text body
sheets 420 to be printed are stored in the second sheet supply unit 220. The second
sheet supply unit 220 is provided with a first sheet supply tray 220A, a second sheet
supply tray 220B and a third sheet supply tray 220C in order to store various types
and sizes of the text body sheets 420. The sheet are sequentially fed out, sheet by
sheet, from the first sheet supply unit 210 and the second sheet supply unit 220 by
sheet supply rollers (not shown) at a predetermined time toward the image-forming
unit 230. Not that it is not necessary to store the cover sheets 410 in the first
sheet supply unit 210 and the text-block sheets 420 in the second sheet supply unit
220. The sheets may be stored in any of the first sheet supply unit 210 and the second
sheet supply unit 220.
[0021] A circular feed pathway 250 is provided around the image-forming unit 230. The printed
sheets are fed out, through the circular feed pathway 250, to a sheet ejection unit
280 provided continuously from the circular feed pathway 250. Note that the printed
sheets fed out to the sheet ejection unit 280 are not to be bound to make a booklet
440. In addition, a change-over flapper (not shown) is provided on the circular feed
pathway 250 to change over the feed path to a pathway connected with the sheet ejection
unit 280 or another pathway connected to a turn over unit 240 provided continuously
from the circular feed pathway 250. A sheet fed to the turn over unit 240 is turned
over upside down and fed to the image-forming unit 230 again by being switched back.
In this manner, double-sided printing can be done on the cover sheets 410 or the text
body sheets 420.
[0022] The cover sheet 410 or the text-block sheet 420 that was single-sided or double-sided
printed is fed to the after-mentioned binding machine 300 through a feed through pathway
260 provided downstream of the image-forming unit 230 along the sheet feed path of
the sheets. Flappers for changing over the feed path are provided on the circular
feed pathway 250 and the feed through pathway 260 to feed the sheets appropriately.
[0023] An input panel 270 is provided above the image-forming unit 230. A touchscreen is
provided on the input panel 270. A start button for starting an execution of the binding
process, a cleaning mode selection button for selecting ON or OFF of a cleaning operation,
a size selection button for selecting a sheet (paper) size and other various buttons
for settings are displayed on the touchscreen. In a case where a booklet is to bound
by used of image data acquired through a scanner or the like, various settings can
be set through the input panel 27. However, user's settings may be set based on operational
commands included in job data received from a computer connected with the system via
a communication interface.
[0024] The binding machine 300 in the image-forming system 100 includes a sheet feeding
unit 310 for feeding the printed cover sheets 410 and the text body sheets 420 fed
from the feed through pathway 260 of the image-forming machine 200. A cutting unit
330 is provided adjacent to the sheet feeding unit 310. The cover sheet 410 is fed
to the cutting unit 330 through a feed path change-over mechanism 338 and then cut
into a desired size by the cutting unit 330. The printed cover sheets 410 are fed
to a binding unit 380 through the sheet feeding unit 310, and the printed text body
sheets 420 are fed to a text body sheet stacker 350 through the sheet feeding unit
310. Note that a change-over device (not shown) is provided on the sheet feeding unit
310 to change over the feed path to a pathway connected with the binding unit 380
or another pathway connected to a text body sheet stacker 350.
[0025] The text body sheet stacker 350 includes a stacking tray 352 on which the text body
sheets 420 are sequentially stacked. An alignment end fence 354 and alignment side
fences 356 are provided on the stacking tray 352. The alignment end fence 354 evens
up front edges of the text body sheets 420 that are sequentially fed from the sheet
feeding unit 310. The alignment side fences 358 even up side edges of the text body
sheets 420 that are sequentially fed from the sheet feeding unit 310. The front edges
of the text body sheets 420 are evened up by contacting with the alignment end fence
3 54 when each of the text body sheets 420 slides into the text body sheet stacker
350. The front edges of the text body sheets 420 are evened up, so that end edges
of the text body sheets 420 are also subject to be evened up. When all the text body
sheets 420 are stacked on the stacking tray 352, the side edges of the text body sheets
420 are evened up by an alignment operation of the alignment side fences 356 (for
example, narrowing distance therebetween, or jogging like a paper jogger).
[0026] The edges of the text body sheets 420 are evened up, so that the text body sheets
420 are stacked in the text body sheet stacker 350 as a sheet stack 430 (see Fig.
5B). Thickness of the sheet stack 430 is detected by a sheet stack thickness detection
sensor 358 provided on the text body sheet stacker 350. In addition, the text body
sheet stacker 350 (the stacking tray 352) can swingably rotates between an aligning
position (see Fig. 5A) for receiving the text body sheets 420 and a hand-over position
(see Fig. 5D) for handing over the sheet stack 430 to a clamper 370. The text body
sheet stacker 350 is swingably rotated by a swing mechanism (not shown) provided on
or near the text body sheet stacker 350.
[0027] In the clamper 370, provided is a clamping mechanism for clamping the sheet stack
430 at the time when the text body sheet stacker 350 is rotated at the hand-over position.
The clamper 370 can move between a receiving position for receiving the sheet stack
430 from the text body sheet stacker 350 and a binding position for folding the cover
sheet 410 over the sheet stack 430. The clamper 370 is moved by a slide mechanism
(not shown) provided on or near the clamper 370. In addition, a gluing unit 360 is
provided adjacent to the clamper 370 located at the receiving position. The gluing
unit 360 includes a glue tank 364 for containing hot-melt adhesive and gluing rollers
362 for pasting the hot-melt adhesive onto a spine of the sheet stack 430.
[0028] The binding unit 380 includes a cover sheet tray 384. The cover sheet 410 fed from
the sheet feeding unit 310 is laid on the cover sheet tray 384 with aligned at its
appropriate position. In addition, the binding unit 380 includes also includes a folding
unit 382. The folding unit 382 folds the cover sheet 410 laid on the cover sheet tray
384 over the sheet stack 430 located at the binding position by the clamper 370 to
bind the cover sheet 410 with the sheet stack 430 by the hot-melt adhesive. A booklet
440 is made by binding the cover sheet 410 with the sheet stack 430 (text body sheets
420).
[0029] A booklet ejector 390 is provided beneath the binding unit 380. The booklet 440 bound
at the binding unit 380 is sent to the booklet ejector 390. The plural booklets 440
can be temporally stored on the booklet ejector 390. Note that, in the present embodiment,
the booklet 440 freely falls to the booklet ejector 390 from the binding unit 380.
[0030] As shown in Fig. 2, in the sheet feeding unit 310, the cutting unit 330, (a pair
of) first feed rollers 312, (a pair of) second feed rollers 314, (a pair of) feed
reference rollers 316 and (a pair of) feed reference support rollers 322 are provided
in this order from upstream. A feed reference encoder 318 is provided in one of the
feed reference rollers 316 for controlling a feed length of the cover sheet 410. In
addition, a cover sheet size sensor 320 is provided between the feed reference rollers
316 and the feed reference support rollers 322 for detecting a length of the cover
sheet 410 along the feed path of the sheets.
[0031] The feed path change-over mechanism 338 is provided between the first feed rollers
312 and the second feed rollers 314. The feed path change-over mechanism 338 can be
rotated based on a change-over reference point 338C by a drive mechanism (not shown)
to change over the feed path of the sheets between a default feed path 338A and a
cutting feed path 338B. According to the default feed path 338A, the sheet is fed
between the first feed rollers 312 and the second feed rollers 314. On the other hand,
according to the cutting feed path 338B, the sheet is fed between the second feed
rollers 314 and the cutting unit 330.
[0032] In the cutting unit 330, cutting support rollers 336, a cutter 334 and a trash box
332 are provided in this order from a side close to the feed path change-over mechanism
338. The cutter 334 is a shuttle cutter and cuts the cover sheet 410 by shuttling
its blade in a width direction of the cover sheet 410. The cutting support rollers
336 hold the cover sheet 410 when the cutter 334 cuts the cover sheet 410. The trash
box 332 receives a waste portion 410B (see Fi g. 7H) of the cover sheet 410 after
cutting and is made removal for a user to discard the waste portions 410B accumulated
therein.
[0033] As shown in Fig. 3, the image-forming system 100 further includes a controller 290,
and the controller 290 is provided with a cutting length calculation unit 292 for
calculating a cutting length of the cover sheet 410 and a memory unit 294 for storing
a sheet size, etc. The controller 290 controls the image-forming machine 200 and the
binding machine 300 based on data from the input panel 270, the feed reference encoder
318, the cover sheet size sensor 320 and the sheet stack thickness detection sensor
358.
[0034] Next, operations of the image-forming system 100 will be explained with reference
to Figs. 4 and 5A to 5F.
[0035] When the start button on the input panel 270 is pushed (touched) to make the booklet
440, an operation of printing the text-block sheets 420 is done first. The text-block
sheets 420 stacked on the first sheet supply tray 220A are fed to the image-forming
unit 230 sheet by sheet, and the image-forming unit 230 forms (prints) images and/or
texts on the text-block sheets 420 based on the text body image data. The text body
sheet 420 on which images are formed are fed to the text body sheet stacker 350 through
the feed through pathway 260 and the sheet feeding unit 310 as shown in Fig. 5A (step
S10).
[0036] In the text body sheet stacker 350, the text body sheets 420 are sequentially stacked
on the stacking tray 352. The front edges of the text body sheets 420 are evened up
by contacting with the alignment end fence 354 when each of the text body sheets 420
slides into the text body sheet stacker 350. The front edges of the text body sheets
420 are evened up, so that the end edges of the text body sheets 420 are also subject
to be evened up. When all the text body sheets 420 are stacked on the stacking tray
352, the side edges of the text body sheets 420 are evened up by the alignment operation
of the alignment side fences 356 as shown in Fig. 5B (step S20). The thickness of
the sheet stack 430 (the evened-up text body sheets 420) is detected by the sheet
stack thickness detection sensor 358 (step S30).
[0037] After all the text body sheets 420 are printed, a next operation of printing the
cover sheet 410 is started. One of the cover sheets 410 stored in the first sheet
supply unit 210 is fed to the image-forming unit 230, and the image-forming unit 230
forms (prints) images and/or texts on the cover sheet 410 based on the cover sheet
image data. The cover sheet 410 on which images are formed is fed to the sheet feeding
unit 310 (step S40).
[0038] In the sheet feeding unit 310, a cutting length calculation process (step S50), a
cleaning process (step S70) and a cover sheet cutting process (step S80) are done
with the cover sheet 410. Those processes S50, S70 and S80 are explained later in
detail with reference to flow charts shown in Figs. 6A to 6C. After the step S80,
the cover sheet 410A that has been cut into a desired size is fed to the binding unit
310 as shown in Fig. 5C, and its waist 410B is discarded into the trash box 332.
[0039] Note that a cleaning flag is set to "ON" when the number of printed sheet reaches
to a predetermined value, and reset to "OFF" when the cleaning process ends (step
S75). Only when the cleaning flag is set to "ON" (Yes in Step S60), the cleaning process
is done (step S70). On the other hand, when the cleaning flag is set to "OFF" (No
in Step S60), a sheet cover cutting process is done (step S80) next without an execution
of the cleaning process.
[0040] Subsequently, the stacking tray 352 that holds the sheet stack 430 is swung from
the alignment position to the had-over position in order to hand over the sheet stack
430 to the clamper 370 as shown in Fig. 5D. The clamper 370 that received and holds
the sheet stack 430 is moved from the receiving position to the binding position.
During this movement, the spine of the sheet stack 430 is contacted with an uppermost
one of the gluing rollers 362, so that the hot-melt adhesive is pasted onto the spine
of the sheet stack 430 (step S90).
[0041] When the clamper 370 reaches to the binding position as shown in Fig. 5E, the sheet
stack 430 with the hot-melt adhesive pasted and the cover sheet 410A that has been
cut into the desired size are aligned with each other, and the folding unit 382 folds
the cover sheet 410 laid on the cover sheet tray 384 over the sheet stack 430 to make
the booklet 440. Then, the folding unit 382 releases the booklet 440, so that the
booklet 440 freely falls down to the booklet ejector 390 as shown in Fig. 5F (step
S100).
[0042] It is judged whether or not the number of the made-up booklets 440 reach to a target
quantity (step S110). If the target quantity is not achieved (No in step S110), the
above processes are repeated. If the target quantity is achieved (Yes in step S110),
the process flow is terminated.
[0043] Note that, in the present embodiment, the cleaning process is done every time when
the number of printed sheet reaches to the predetermined value. However, the cleaning
process may be done at an appropriate time determined based on estimated contamination
of the feed rollers. The contamination of the feed rollers can be estimated based
on an image occupancy rate of the image data used for printing and the number of printed
sheets. Alternately, the cleaning process may be done based on a user's arbitrary
command input via the input panel 270. The user's arbitrary command can set the cleaning
flag to "ON" or "OFF".
[0044] The cutting length calculation process (step S50), the cleaning process (step S70)
and the cover sheet cutting process (step S80) will be explained with reference to
Figs. 6A to 6C and 7A to 7H.
[0045] First, the cutting length calculation process will be explained with reference to
a flow chart shown in Fig. 6A. When the cover sheet 410 is fed to the sheet feeding
unit 310 as shown in Fig. 7A, the feed rollers are driven forwardly to feed the cover
sheet 410 downstream (step S210: feed in a forward direction A shown in Fig. 7A).
Upon detecting a start edge of the cover sheet 410 by the cover sheet size sensor
320, it is started to count the number of pulses output from the feed reference encoder
318.
[0046] When the cover sheet size sensor 320 detects an end edge of the cover sheet 410 as
shown in Fig. 7B (step S220), feeding of the cover sheet 410 (rotations of the feed
rollers) is stopped (step S230). Then, a length of the sheet cover 410 is calculated
based on the number of pulses output from the feed reference encoder 318 counted in
the step S220 (step S240). Here, the number of pulses output from the feed reference
encoder 318 indicates a feed length, so that the number of pulses counted in step
S220 indicates the length of the sheet cover 410.
[0047] Subsequently, the cutting length calculation unit 292 calculates the cutting length
of the cover sheet 410 to be cut away based on the length of the cover sheet 410,
the length of the text-block sheet(s) 420 and the thickness of the sheet stack 430
(step S250). Specifically, the cutting length is calculated by subtracting a total
of twice of the length of the text-body sheet 420 and the thickness of the sheet stack
430 from the length of the sheet cover 410. Note that fixed-size papers such as A4-size
papers are used as the text-body sheets 420, so that the length of the text-body sheet
420 is stored in the memory unit 294. However, the length of the text-body sheet 420
may be detected similarly to the length of the cover sheet 410 as explained above.
The length of the cover sheet 410 may be preliminarily stored in the memory unit 294
based on a user's input via the input panel 270.
[0048] Next, the cleaning process will be explained with reference to a flow chart shown
in Fig-6B. Here, it is assumed that the first feed rollers 312 are to be cleaned.
The feed rollers are driven reversely until the end edge of the cover sheet 410 reaches
to a cleaning position where the end edge of the cover sheet 410 is nipped between
the first feed rollers 312 as shown in Fig. 7C (step S310: feed in a reverse direction
B shown in Fig. 7C).
[0049] Then, rotations of the feed rollers is temporarily stopped as shown in Fig. 7D, but
only the first feed rollers 312 are continued to be driven reversely for a predetermined
duration time. At this time, the feed reference rollers 316 hold the cover sheet 410
with a nipping pressure greater than a feeding force by the first feed rollers 312,
so that the first feed rollers 312 spin in contact with the held cover sheet 410.
Therefore, contamination on circumferential surfaces of the first feed rollers 312
is wiped away (step S320). Note that an area of the cover sheet 410 that wipes away
the contamination is located within an end portion of the cover sheet 410 to be cut
away and then discarded as the waste portion 410B.
[0050] Upon completing the cleaning operation, all the feed rollers are driven forwardly
again to feed the cover sheet 410 to a change-over waiting position as shown in Fig.
7E (step S330: feed in the forward direction
A)
. The change-over waiting position is a position where the end edge of the cover sheet
410 has just passed over the feed path change-over mechanism 338.
[0051] Next, the cutting process will be explained with reference to a flow chart shown
in Fig. 6C. The feed path change-over mechanism 338 is rotated based on the change-over
reference point 338C by the drive mechanism (not shown) to change over the feed path
of the sheets from the default feed path 338A to the cutting feed path 338B as shown
in Fig. 7F. Then, the cutting feed path 338B forms a feed path connecting between
the second feed rollers 314 and the cutting support rollers 336 (step S410).
[0052] Subsequently, the feed rollers are driven reversely to feed the cover sheet 410.
to a cutting position a shown in Fig. 7G (step S420: feed in the reverse direction
B). The cutting position is determined based on the cutting length calculated by the
cutting length calculation unit 292. When the cover sheet 410 is fed to the cutting
position, rotations of the feed rollers are stopped and then the cover sheet 410 is
cut (step S430). The waste portion 410B that has been cut away drops into the trash
box 322 as shown in Fig. 7H. The cover sheet 410A that has been cut into a desired
size is fed to the binding unit 380 by forward rotations of the feed rollers (step
S440).
[0053] As explained above, rollers to be cleaned (the first feed rollers 312 in the present
embodiment) nip the waste portion 410B to be cut off and then discarded, and then
spin in contact with the feed rollers, so that the contamination on the feed rollers
can be wiped away by the waste portion 410B.
[0054] According to the image-forming system 100, the cleaning operation of the feed rollers
to be cleaned is done by effectively utilizing the waste portion of the cover sheet
to be discarded, so that the feed rollers in the sheet feeding unit can be cleaned
without degrading an appearance of a booklet, without the need for using an extra
cleaning sheet and without degrading use's convenience.
[0055] Note that the first feed rollers 312 located most upstream in the sheet feeding unit
310 are cleaned in the above embodiment, but the feed rollers other that the first
feed rollers 312 can be cleaned similarly. For example, the second feed rollers 314
may be cleaned after the cleaning of the first feed rollers 312. In this case, it
is preferable for the second feed rollers 314. to nip another area on the cover sheet
410 than the area nipped by the first feed rollers 312 in order to prevent the second
feed rollers 314 from being tainted due to the contaminant wiped away from the first
feed rollers 312.
[0056] The cover sheet 410 is held by a nipping pressure force of the feed reference rollers
316 during the cleaning operation in the above embodiment. However, the cover sheet
410 may be held during the cleaning operation by any other means that can hold the
cover sheet 410 greater than a feeding force by feed rollers to be cleaned. In addition,
there is no need to hold the cover sheet 410 by (a pair of) rollers during the cleaning
operation. An extra clamper for holding the cover sheet 410 during the cleaning operation
may be provided independently. This clamper does not feed the sheets and is provided
only for holding the cover sheet 410 during the cleaning.
[0057] Note that the above explanations are made by referring to the image-forming system
100 including the binding machine 300. However, the present invention can be applied
to an image-forming system including only an image-forming machine. For example, in
a case where printing of A4-size papers is planned, there are no A4-size papers, but
there are only A3-size papers. The image-forming machine may cut the A3-size papers
for printing and clean feed rollers using waste portions of the A3-size papers to
be cut off.