Importance

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Abstract

In an image processing machine, having a housing, and including, within the housing, at least one sheet stack accumulation station at which a stack of sheets having been operated on by the image processing machine are accumulated, a method and apparatus for automated post processing sheet stack binding is disclosed which may comprise: an automated sheet stack binding station; a sheet stack transfer mechanism adapted to seize a stack of sheets and to transfer the stack of sheets from the accumulation tray to the automated sheet stack binding station and to hold the stack of sheets in a binding position at the automated sheet stack binding station during a binding operation; a sheet stack binding strip supply mechanism containing a plurality of sheet stack binding strips; a sheet stack binding strip transfer mechanism adapted to transfer one of the sheet stack binding strips from the sheet stack binding strip supply mechanism to the automated sheet stack binding station; the automated sheet stack binding station further comprising an automated sheet stack binding mechanism adapted to attach the binding strip to an edge of the stack of sheets and adjacent portions of a top and a bottom sheet contained in the stack of sheets. The binding strip may comprises a generally flat binding strip having a thermally setting adhesive, a pressure setting adhesive, or both, and the automated sheet stack binding mechanism may further comprise a heating element adapted to apply heat to the thermally setting adhesive.

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First Claim