JP2018069669A - Image formation apparatus, image formation system, and image formation method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image formation apparatus, image formation system, and image formation method which can secure the thickness of a bound portion and enhance the quality of the entire booklet by implementing case binding while considering a coating state of a coating agent such as varnish and paste.SOLUTION: When implementing the case binding, the thickness t1 of the bound portion is secured by applying varnish to book pages and a bound portion of each page on the basis of the coating state of the varnish of the book portions, for example the maximum thickness amount of the varnish in each page like the book portions (image formation region) to physically match the thickness t2 of the book portions.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, an image forming system, and an image forming method.

  In an image forming system, a case binding technique is known as one of bookbinding techniques. The case binding is a bookbinding technique in which a booklet consisting of a body page bound on one side is wrapped with one cover page. Case binding is performed after the post-processing apparatus that performs post-processing on printed paper.

  Specifically, in the bookbinding apparatus disposed in the subsequent stage of the post-processing apparatus, case binding is performed based on printed paper that has been image-formed by the image forming apparatus and post-processed by the post-processing apparatus. . The printed paper input to the bookbinding apparatus includes a cover page and a body page. The body page is a page that is a body part indicating the contents of the printed matter.

  In the bookbinding device, the body pages are bundled, then glue is applied to the back cover position according to the binding direction, the back cover of the cover page is aligned and glued to the glued part, and finally the edge side (the opposite side of the back cover position) is attached. A series of processes for cutting in parallel with the spine surface is performed. In this bookbinding process, a toner image is additionally formed on the binding portion of the main body page in order to improve the adhesive strength of the glue on the back cover (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

JP 2008-122466 A

  By the way, a coating agent such as varnish or glue is applied in a post-processing step of image formation (printing) for the purpose of transferring foil (foil pressing) to printed paper or giving a three-dimensional image. There is a case. In this case, the thickness of the main body page varies depending on the coating material placed on the printed paper, which affects the finished booklet (that is, case binding).

  However, in the prior art described in the above-mentioned Patent Document 1, although it is described that the adhesion force of gluing to the back cover is improved by adding a toner image to the binding portion of the main body page, depending on the coating agent It is not considered that the change in the thickness of the main body page affects the completion of the booklet.

  Accordingly, the present invention provides an image forming apparatus capable of securing the thickness of the binding portion and improving the quality of the entire booklet by carrying out case binding bookbinding while considering the application status of coating agents such as varnish and glue. An object is to provide an image forming system and an image forming method.

In order to achieve the above object, an image forming apparatus of the present invention includes:
An image forming apparatus that outputs a printed material based on input document data, generates application pattern data of a coating applied to an image forming area of the printed material by a post-processing apparatus in a subsequent stage, and supplies the data to the post-processing apparatus. And
When carrying out case binding with a post-processing device using a printed material coated with a coating material as each page of the body page, the coating material is applied to the binding portion of the body page based on the application status of the coating material to the image forming area. A control unit for performing addition control is provided.

The image forming system according to the present invention includes:
An image forming apparatus that outputs a printed material based on the input document data and generates data of a coating pattern of a coating applied to an image forming region of the printed material;
A post-processing device that applies the coating agent to the printed matter output from the image forming device, based on the coating pattern data generated by the image forming device;
A bookbinding device that binds and binds the printed material applied to the image forming area in the post-processing device as each page of the body page;
An image forming system comprising:
The image forming apparatus is characterized in that when carrying out the case binding with the bookbinding apparatus, the application agent is applied to the binding portion of the main body page based on the application state of the application agent to the image forming area.

The image forming method of the present invention includes
An image forming apparatus that outputs a printed material based on the input document data and generates data of a coating pattern of a coating applied to an image forming region of the printed material;
A post-processing device that applies the coating agent to the printed matter output from the image forming device, based on the coating pattern data generated by the image forming device;
A bookbinding device that binds and binds the printed material applied to the image forming area in the post-processing device as each page of the body page;
In an image forming system comprising:
When carrying out case binding with a bookbinding apparatus, the coating agent is applied to the binding portion of the body page based on the application state of the coating agent to the image forming area.

  In the image forming apparatus, the image forming system, or the image forming method configured as described above, when carrying out the case binding, the application agent to the image forming area is applied to the binding portion of each page of the body page in the same manner as the image forming area. A coating agent is applied based on the application status. Thereby, the thickness of the binding portion can be ensured and physically matched with the thickness of the main body portion (image forming region).

  According to the present invention, it is possible to secure the thickness of the binding portion and physically match the thickness of the main body portion by performing the case binding while considering the application state of the coating agent such as varnish and glue. , Can improve the quality of the entire booklet.

1 is a system configuration diagram illustrating an outline of a configuration of an image forming system according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a hardware configuration of a printing terminal and an image forming apparatus in an image forming system according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a figure which shows typically the flow of the process in the image forming system which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure explaining the cover page which consists of a front cover, a back cover, and a back cover which wraps the booklet which consists of a main body page. It is a figure explaining the cause which a booklet becomes an irregular shape. 1 is a perspective view schematically showing an overall image of a booklet by case binding in an image forming system according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a flow of varnish application processing according to the first embodiment. It is a figure explaining the example which detects the thickness of the varnish in a page. It is a figure which shows an example of the pattern of the varnish added to a binding margin part. It is a figure which shows the positional relationship of the image formed in the front cover and the back cover with respect to the cover page before the process which expands the width | variety of a back cover, and a process after a process. 10 is a flowchart showing a flow of varnish application processing according to the second embodiment.

  Hereinafter, modes for carrying out the present invention (hereinafter referred to as “embodiments”) will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. The present invention is not limited to the embodiment, and various numerical values in the embodiment are examples. In the following description and each drawing, the same reference numerals are used for the same elements or elements having the same functions, and duplicate descriptions are omitted.

<Image forming system>
[System configuration]
FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram showing an outline of the configuration of an image forming system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

  As shown in FIG. 1, an image forming system 1 according to the present embodiment includes a printing terminal 10, an image forming apparatus 20, a paper feeding apparatus 30, a post-processing apparatus 40, and a bookbinding apparatus 50. These apparatuses (terminals) are connected to a network. 60 (refer to FIG. 2) and connected to each other through the digital data such as document data and various controls. Here, the connection form of the printing terminal 10, the image forming apparatus 20, the paper feeding apparatus 30, the post-processing apparatus 40, and the bookbinding apparatus 50 with respect to the network 60 is not particularly limited, and may be wired connection. A wireless connection may be used.

  The printing terminal 10 is a client PC composed of a personal computer (PC), for example, and is controlled by an operating system (OS) to control the use of the image forming apparatus 20 as a printing machine or to the image forming system 1. Create document data to be input. Software that controls the image forming system 1 according to the present embodiment is installed in the printing terminal 10 that is a client PC.

  The image forming apparatus 20 is an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. Data defined in a color space that can be output by the print output unit of the original document data received from the printing terminal 10 is RIP (Raster). An image processor process converts the image into a raster image (bitmap) and prints the raster image on paper. The image forming apparatus 20 includes a document transport unit 201, an operation display unit 202, a paper storage unit 203, and the like. The image forming apparatus 20 may be an apparatus having only a printing function, or an apparatus having a copying function or a facsimile function (so-called multifunction machine).

  The paper feeding device 30 is a large capacity paper feeding device that is provided separately from the paper storage unit 203 built in the image forming device 20 and supplies various types of recording media to the image forming device 20. The post-processing device 40 performs post-processing such as application of various shapes of varnish and foil pressing (hereinafter sometimes referred to as “varnish coating / foam pressing”) on the paper output from the image forming apparatus 20 in the previous stage. It is a device that performs. More specifically, the post-processing device 40 applies varnish on the set printed paper (printed material) based on the raster data of the varnish application / foil pressing pattern received from the image forming device 20, Transfer foil (press foil).

  The bookbinding apparatus 50 forms a booklet consisting of a body page bound on one side with a cover page, and in other words, a printed paper (printed material) coated with varnish on each page of the body page. As an apparatus for carrying out case binding. The printed sheet input to the bookbinding apparatus 50 includes a cover page and a body page. The body page is a page that is a body part indicating the contents of the printed matter. In the bookbinding device 50, the main body pages are bundled, glue is applied to the back cover position according to the binding direction, the back cover of the cover page is aligned and bonded to the glued portion, and finally the edge side is cut parallel to the back cover surface. A series of processing is performed.

[Hardware configuration]
Next, the hardware configuration (including some software) of the printing terminal 10 and the image forming apparatus 20 in the image forming system 1 according to the present embodiment having the above-described configuration will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a hardware configuration of the printing terminal 10 and the image forming apparatus 20.

(Printing terminal)
The printing terminal 10 has a known personal computer configuration including a communication unit 11, a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 12, an OS (Operating System) 13, and the like. A printer driver 14 corresponding to the image forming apparatus 20 connected via the network 60 and a print original creation / editing application 15 are installed in the printing terminal 10 in advance.

  The communication unit 11 is an interface for connecting the printing terminal 10 to the network 60. A CPU 12, OS 13, OS 14, printer driver 14, and print document creation / edit application 15 are connected to the communication unit 11 via a bus line 16. The CPU 12 controls the image forming apparatus 20 and processes data. The OS 13 is software that manages the entire system.

(Image forming device)
The image forming apparatus 20 includes a control unit 21, an operation display unit 22, an image reading unit 23, an image processing unit 24, a print processing unit 25, a print output unit 26, and a communication unit 27, and these components are connected via a bus line 28. Are connected to each other.

  The control unit 21 includes a CPU 211, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 212 for storing a program executed by the CPU 211, and a RAM (Random Access Memory) 213 used as a work area of the CPU 211. The control unit 21 controls the entire image forming apparatus 20 under the control of the CPU 211.

  The operation display unit 22 corresponds to the operation display unit 202 in FIG. 1, and includes a display unit made up of an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display), a touch panel provided to cover the display unit, various switches and buttons, numeric keys, and operation keys. It consists of groups. The operation display unit 22 receives an instruction from an operator (user) and outputs an operation signal to the control unit 21. Further, according to the display signal input from the control unit 21, various setting screens for inputting various operation instructions and setting information, and operation screens for displaying various processing results are displayed on the display.

  The image reading unit 23 includes an automatic document feeding unit called ADF (Auto Document Feeder) and a reading unit, and reads images of a plurality of documents based on setting information received by the operation display unit 22. The document placed on the document tray of the automatic document feeder is conveyed to a contact glass that is a reading location, and an image on one or both sides of the document is read by an optical system including an image sensor.

  The image processing unit 24 performs RIP processing on the document data received via the communication unit 27 and generates raster image data. The print processing unit 25 performs processing for printing the raster image data generated by the image processing unit 24. The print output unit 26 includes functional units related to print output, specifically, a paper transport unit, an image forming unit, a fixing unit, and the like, and paper supplied from the paper storage unit 203 or the paper feeding device 30. An image is formed on (recording medium) and output.

  The communication unit 27 is an interface for receiving a page description language (PDL) from the printing terminal 10 via the network 60 and communicating with the post-processing device 40 and the bookbinding device 50. A control unit 21, an operation display unit 22, an image reading unit 23, an image processing unit 24, a print processing unit 25, and a print output unit 26 are connected to the communication unit 27 via a bus line 28.

  As described above, the image forming system 1 according to the present embodiment includes an image forming system capable of performing various forms of varnish application and foil pressing by the post-processing device 40. Furthermore, the image forming system 1 according to the present embodiment is capable of carrying out case binding by using the bookbinding apparatus 50 with each of the body pages as a printed material on which a varnish that is an example of a coating agent is applied. There is.

[Create manuscript data-> image formation-> varnishing / foil stamping-> case binding process]
In the image forming system 1 according to the present embodiment, creation of document data at the printing terminal 10 → image formation (printing) at the image forming apparatus 20 → varnishing and foil pressing at the post-processing apparatus 40 → wrapping at the bookbinding apparatus 50 The flow of binding and binding is schematically shown in FIG.

  Document data created by the printing terminal 10 is output by an image forming apparatus 20 in which a general color space such as cyan (C), magenta (M), yellow (Y), and black (K) is defined. Data. In addition to this data, the manuscript data indicates a pattern for applying varnish on the printed paper and foil-pressing (transferring the foil) (hereinafter sometimes referred to as “varnish application / foil-pressing pattern”). Data is also included. The raster data of the varnish application / foil pressing pattern includes at least the shape data of each pattern and the varnish thickness information of each pixel (pixel) accompanying the varnish application / foil pressing. These document data are generated by the printing terminal 10 as a page description language such as PDF (registered trademark) or PS (registered trademark) and transmitted to the image forming apparatus 20.

  When performing the case binding, the image forming apparatus 20 uses the front cover, the back cover, and the back cover page included in the document data with respect to the cover page of the case binding. Printing is performed by so-called “3 in 1”, in which three pages for the front cover, the back cover, and the back cover are printed on one cover page.

  In addition, the image forming apparatus 20 includes, in the document data received from the printing terminal 10, a varnish coating / foil pressing pattern added to the printed paper output from the image forming apparatus 20 by the post-processing apparatus 40 in the subsequent stage. The data is converted into raster image data, and the data is sent to the post-processing device 40. This raster image data includes at least information indicating at what position on the paper what thickness of varnish / foil should be added. That is, it is assumed that varnish thickness information is specified in the raster image data in pixel units corresponding to the resolution of the post-processing device 40.

[About case binding]
Here, case binding will be described in which a booklet composed of body pages bound on one side is wrapped with a single cover page. As shown in FIG. 4, a cover page that wraps a booklet composed of body pages includes a back cover in addition to a front cover and a back cover. The user can individually specify the print contents for the front cover, the back cover, and the back cover.

  In case binding, in case of case binding on a paper that has been subjected to varnish application and foil pressing, the thickness of the body page is changed by the varnish or foil placed on the paper, so that the booklet (that is, case binding) It affects the finished product. For example, in the case of a pattern in which the varnish is uniformly applied to the center of each page, the binding portion has the thickness t1 of the bundle of sheets, but the image forming area where the varnish is applied (hereinafter referred to as the binding portion). The thickness “t2” of the “body part” is greater than the thickness t1 (t2> t1).

  More specifically, if the maximum varnish thickness is 0.2 mm in a certain model, for example, it is a booklet consisting of 100 pages, and the varnish is applied when the varnish is applied to each page with the maximum thickness. The thickness t2 of the body part is increased by 2 cm (= 0.2 mm × 100) with respect to the thickness t1 of the binding part. Then, due to the fact that the thickness t1 of the binding part is smaller than the thickness t2 of the main part, as shown in FIG.

  Therefore, in the present embodiment, the thickness t1 of the binding portion is physically matched with the thickness of the body portion applied by varnishing or foil pressing, that is, the thickness t2 of the body portion (t1 = t2). More specifically, as shown in FIG. 6, binding is performed by applying varnish to the binding portion of each page of the body page in consideration of the application state of the varnish of the body portion in the same manner as the body portion. The thickness t1 of the part is secured and physically matched with the thickness t2 of the body part.

  As described above, since the difference in thickness between the binding portion and the body portion can be reduced by applying the varnish to the binding portion in consideration of the application state of the varnish on the body portion, The quality of the booklet as a whole can be improved. Below, the specific Example for apply | coating a varnish with respect to a binding part is considered, considering the application | coating condition of the varnish of a main part.

Example 1
Before the varnish application / foil pressing process is performed by the post-processing device 40, the image forming apparatus 20 performs a process of converting the varnish application / foil pressing pattern data into raster image data. Example 1 is an example in which the varnish is applied to the binding portion based on the application state of the varnish of the body portion. The application state of the varnish in the body part is, for example, the maximum thickness of the varnish in the page.

  FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating a flow of varnish application processing according to the first embodiment. This process is a process before the raster image corresponding to the original varnishing / foil pressing pattern designated as the document data by the user has been generated by the RIP process, and the image data is transmitted to the post-processing device 40. . This series of processing is executed under the control of the CPU 211 of the control unit 21 in the image forming apparatus 20. The same applies to the following embodiments.

  The CPU 211 performs the process on the raster image data of the varnish application / foil pressing pattern generated by the RIP process for each main page (step S11). Next, the CPU 211 determines the maximum varnish thickness PTmax in the page for a certain target page i, specifically, the position (pixel position) where the varnish thickness is maximum in the drawing area (image forming area) and the position. A process of detecting (acquiring) the K thickness amount is performed (step S12).

  The detection of the maximum varnish thickness PTmax in the page can be performed, for example, as follows. Note that the raster image data processed in step S11 includes information indicating what thickness (varying position) on the paper should be added to what position (pixel position) as described above. . Therefore, the varnish thickness can be confirmed based on the information included in the raster image data.

  When detecting the maximum varnish thickness PTmax, as shown in FIG. 8A, the user designates a plurality of locations (1) to (3) in the page in the Y direction, which is the paper transport direction. In FIG. 8A, for convenience, the difference in varnish thickness is represented by the roughness of the shaded pitch. Specifically, the thickness of the varnish applied to the letters “A”, “C” to “E”, and “G” to “I” having a coarse shading pitch is relatively thin, and the shading pitch is fine. This indicates that the thickness of the varnish applied to the letters “B” and “F” is relatively thick.

  Under the control of the CPU 211, the varnish thickness amount is confirmed for all the pixels in the X direction, which is the scanning direction, for the designated locations (1) to (3), as shown in FIG. 8B. A process for detecting (acquiring) the maximum value PTmax is performed. In the example of FIG. 8A, the thickness of the varnish applied to the letters “B” and “F” is maximized.

  Next, the CPU 211 performs a process of adding varnish to the binding portion (binding margin portion) by the maximum thickness amount PTmax acquired in step S12 for each main page (step S13). An example of a varnish pattern to be applied to the binding portion is shown in FIG. In FIG. 9A, the shape of the varnish pattern to be applied is a stripe shape, but the shape is not limited to this, and the shape and size of the varnish pattern to be applied are changed by the method of gluing to the binding portion in case binding. May be. This is because the purpose is to secure the width of the back cover when gluing.

  When the configuration of the bookbinding apparatus 50 that performs case binding, for example, the configuration of the presser at the time of gluing is a configuration in which only a part of the paper is pressed instead of the entire paper surface, a varnish corresponding to the shape as shown in FIG. It is also possible to apply it. In this way, by partially applying the varnish, there is an advantage that the amount of varnish applied can be suppressed as compared with the case where the entire binding portion is applied in a stripe shape.

  Next, the CPU 211 determines whether or not the processing for detecting (acquiring) the maximum varnish thickness PTmax in the page and adding the varnish to the binding portion is completed for all the main pages (step S14). If completed (YES in S14), a series of processes for adding varnish to the binding portion based on the maximum varnish thickness PTmax is completed. If all pages have not been completed (NO in S14), the CPU 211 returns to step S12 and repeats the series of processes described above until all pages are completed.

  As described above, according to the first embodiment, the thickness of the binding portion is ensured by applying the varnish to the binding portion in consideration of the application state of the varnish of the main body portion, and the binding portion and the body portion. Therefore, the quality of the entire booklet can be improved.

(Example 2)
In the first embodiment, the thickness of the binding portion is physically matched with the thickness of the varnish applied to the body page. As a result, the width of the spine is expanded. The aim is to improve the quality of bookbinding (booklet) by increasing the width of the spine cover. On the other hand, when the method of Example 1 is used, the front and back cover areas on the cover page are relative. There is a concern that it will become smaller. In some cases, it is conceivable that the document data designated as the front cover or the back cover cannot be fully contained.

  FIG. 10A shows the positional relationship between the images formed on the front cover and the back cover with respect to the cover page before processing for increasing the width of the back cover. Further, FIG. 10B shows the positional relationship of images formed on the front cover and the back cover with respect to the cover page after the processing for enlarging the width of the spine. Since the area of the front cover and the back cover is relatively reduced due to the expansion of the width of the spine cover, it may be formed on the front cover and the back cover as shown by the dashed line P in FIG. 10B. The image may protrude from the front cover and back cover areas and be missing. 10A and 10B, the shaded area is an image forming area.

  Therefore, in Example 2, when the reduction of the front cover / back cover area in the cover page exceeds the allowable range due to the expansion of the back cover area by adding varnish to the binding portion, the varnish thickness of the main body page is set. While adjusting, the varnish thickness of the binding portion is determined in accordance with the varnish thickness of the main body page. Thereby, even if it is a case where the spine cover is extended by adding the varnish to the binding portion, the area widths of the front cover and the back cover can be within the allowable range.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart illustrating a flow of varnish application processing according to the second embodiment. First, the CPU 211 of the control unit 21 calculates an allowable increase amount AI of the back cover width from the minimum width of the front and back covers, the back cover width when the varnish is not applied, and the cover page width (step). S21). This allowable increase amount AI can be obtained from the following equation (1) when the minimum cover cover width is WPmin, the minimum spine cover width is WBPmin, and the cover page width is WCP.
AI = {(WCP−WBPmin) / 2} −WPmin (1)

  Next, the CPU 211 performs a process on the raster image data of the varnish application / foil pressing pattern generated by the RIP process for each main page (step S22). Subsequently, the CPU 211 acquires a portion where the thickness of the varnish is maximum in the image forming region and the maximum thickness amount for a certain target page i (step S23). Here, the maximum varnish thickness of the page of interest i is PTmax_i.

  Next, the CPU 211 adds the maximum thickness amount PTmax_i of the page of interest i acquired in step S23 to the total VTmax of the varnish maximum thickness amounts of all pages (step S24), and then the varnish maximum for all the main pages. It is determined whether or not the acquisition of the thickness amount PTmax_i has been completed (step S25). If the acquisition of the varnish maximum thickness PTmax_i has not been completed for all pages (NO in S25), the CPU 211 returns to step S23 and repeats the acquisition of the varnish maximum thickness PTmax_i until all pages are completed. When the acquisition of the varnish maximum thickness PTmax_i of all pages is completed (YES in S25), the total VTmax of the varnish maximum thicknesses of all the main pages is held. This total VTmax is the amount of spine cover increase due to varnish application relative to the spine cover width when no varnish is applied.

Next, the CPU 211 compares the allowable increase amount AI of the spine cover with the spine cover increase amount VTmax by varnish application, and determines whether or not the spine cover increase amount VTmax by varnish application is larger than the allowable increase amount AI. (Step S26). Then, when the spine cover increase amount VTmax due to varnish application exceeds the allowable increase amount AI that is the allowable range (YES in S26), the CPU 211 determines that adjustment of the varnish application amount is necessary, and the allowable increase amount of the spine cover Based on the AI and the spine cover increase amount VTmax, the varnish application amount reduction coefficient Dratio is obtained from the following equation (2) (step S27).
Dratio = AI / VTmax (2)

Next, the CPU 211 recalculates the varnish application amount PVT for all pages and all pixels of the body page based on the reduction coefficient Dratio of the varnish application amount obtained in step S27 (step S28). Specifically, assuming that the varnish application amount of the j-th pixel of a certain page i is VT_i, j, the varnish application amount PVT_i, j after the recalculation of the j-th pixel of a certain page i is given by the following equation (3) Can be obtained from
PVT_i, j = VT_i, j × Dratio (3)

  Next, the CPU 211 performs a process for adding the varnish to the binding portion by the varnish application amount PVT recalculated in step S28 (step S29), and then for all the main pages, the binding portion It is determined whether or not the process for applying the varnish has been completed (step S30). Then, the CPU 211 ends the series of processes if the process of adding varnish to the binding portion is completed for all pages (YES in S30), and if not completed (NO in S30), the process proceeds to step S29. The process for returning and applying the varnish to the binding portion is repeated until all pages are completed.

  If it is determined in step S26 that the spine cover increase amount VTmax due to varnish application is equal to or less than the allowable increase amount AI (NO in S26), the adjustment of the varnish application amount is unnecessary, so the CPU 211 directly performs step The process proceeds to S29. In this case, in step S29, processing similar to that in step S13 of the first embodiment, that is, processing for adding varnish to the binding portion by the varnish maximum thickness amount PTmax acquired in step S23 is performed.

  As described above, according to the second embodiment, the varnish thickness of the main body page is adjusted when the reduction of the front cover / back cover area in the cover page exceeds the allowable range. Even when the spine cover is expanded by adding the varnish, the area widths of the front cover and the back cover can be within an allowable range.

<Modification>
As mentioned above, although this invention was demonstrated using embodiment, this invention is not limited to the range as described in the said embodiment. That is, various changes or improvements can be added to the above-described embodiment without departing from the gist of the present invention, and embodiments to which such changes or improvements are added are also included in the technical scope of the present invention.

  For example, in the above-described embodiment, the case where varnish is applied to perform foil pressing on printed paper has been described as an example, but foil pressing is not essential. That is, there is a case where varnish is applied to an image on printed paper for the purpose of producing a three-dimensional image without aiming at foil stamping, and the present invention can also be applied to such a case.

  In the above embodiment, it is assumed that document data is created by the printing terminal 10 and that the document data includes data instructing a varnish application / foil pressing pattern. However, the image data is sent from the printing terminal 10 to the image forming apparatus 20. It is not limited to the input of original data. For example, in the image forming apparatus 20, the document data is input by reading the document image by the image reading unit 23 (see FIG. 2), while the user performs an input operation from the operation display unit 22 (see FIGS. 1 and 2). The present invention can also be applied to the case where data indicating a varnish application / foil pressing pattern is input.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Image forming system 10 ... Printing terminal 20 ... Image forming apparatus 30 ... Paper feed apparatus 40 ... Post-processing apparatus 50 ... Bookbinding apparatus 60 ... Network

Claims (7)

An image forming apparatus that outputs a printed material based on input document data, and generates application pattern data of a coating agent applied to an image forming area of the printed material by a post-processing device in a subsequent stage and supplies the data to the post-processing device Because
When carrying out case binding with the printed material coated with the coating agent in the post-processing apparatus as each page of the body page, the binding of the body page is performed based on the application state of the coating agent to the image forming area. An image forming apparatus comprising: a control unit that performs control to add the coating agent to a portion. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the coating state of the coating agent is a thickness amount of the coating agent at each pixel position on the printed material. The data of the coating pattern includes information on the thickness of the coating agent at each pixel position on the printed matter,
The control unit obtains the maximum thickness amount in the printed matter that is each page of the body page from the application pattern data, and applies the coating agent to the binding portion of the body page based on the maximum thickness amount. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein addition control is performed. The image according to claim 1, wherein the control unit determines an application shape of the coating agent to be applied to a binding portion of the main body page based on a configuration of a bookbinding apparatus that performs the case binding. Forming equipment. When the case binding is performed, the controller determines that the width of the back cover of the cover page in the case binding exceeds the allowable range by adding the coating agent to the binding portion of the body page. 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an application thickness of the coating agent applied to the image forming region and the binding portion is adjusted. An image forming apparatus that outputs a printed material based on the input document data and generates data of an application pattern of a coating agent applied to an image forming region of the printed material;
A post-processing device that applies the coating agent to the printed matter output from the image forming device, based on the application pattern data of the coating agent generated by the image forming device;
A bookbinding device that binds and binds the printed material applied to the image forming area in the post-processing device as each page of a body page;
An image forming system comprising:
The image forming apparatus performs control to add the coating agent to the binding portion of the body page based on the application state of the coating agent to the image forming area when the case binding apparatus performs the case binding. An image forming system characterized by performing. An image forming apparatus that outputs a printed material based on the input document data and generates data of an application pattern of a coating agent applied to an image forming region of the printed material;
A post-processing device that applies the coating agent to the printed matter output from the image forming device, based on the application pattern data of the coating agent generated by the image forming device;
A bookbinding device that binds and binds the printed material applied to the image forming area in the post-processing device as each page of a body page;
In an image forming system comprising:
In carrying out the case binding with the bookbinding apparatus, the coating agent is applied to the binding portion of the body page based on the application state of the coating agent to the image forming area. .

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