Abstract:
There is described an image forming apparatus, which makes it possible to form a lining cover sheet image at an appropriate position of the lining cover sheet, irrespective of change of the lining cover sheet width. The apparatus includes a lining cover-sheet width acquiring section to acquire a lining cover-sheet width; a cover-sheet image data acquiring section to acquire various cover-sheet image data sets; a cover-sheet image data arranging section to arrange the front cover-sheet image data and the rear cover-sheet image data in such a manner that they are arranged at an interval of the lining cover-sheet width, and to arrange the lining cover-sheet image data in such a manner that a lining image center line coincides with a cover sheet center line, in its width direction; and an image forming section to form the total cover sheet image, based on the arranged image data.

Description:
[0001]    This application is based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2006-014803 filed on Jan. 24, 2006 in Japanese Patent Office, the entire content of which is hereby incorporated by reference. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, an image forming system and a computer program of the same. 
         [0003]    There has been well known the book-binding technology for creating a booklet in which a bunch of recording papers to be contents of the booklet (hereinafter, the term of the abovementioned “recording papers” is referred to as “main content sheets”) is covered by a cover sheet in such a manner that the main content sheets are enveloped by the cover sheet while one side, upper and lower sides of the bunch of the main content sheets are made to be open. In addition, there has been also well known the image forming apparatus that produces such the cover sheet on which a front cover image, a back cover image and a lining cover image are formed so as to provide the cover sheet mentioned in the above. 
         [0004]    For instance, Patent Document 1 (Tokkai 2000-332987, Japanese Non-Examined Patent Publication) set forth the method for determining the reading width of the lining cover document by setting the width of the lining cover when reading the lining cover document, and reading the lining cover document. 
         [0005]    The width of lining cover should be determined, based on the thickness of the bunch of the main content sheets. However, if the thickness of the bunch of the main content sheets is different from the value presumed in advance, it is necessary to change the width of the lining cover to new one. 
         [0006]    According to the Patent Document 1, in the case mentioned in the above, the setting value of the width of the lining cover should be changed. However, since the reading width of the lining cover document becomes different from that established in advance due to the width change mentioned in the above, the lining cover image would be formed at a position shifted from the center of the lining cover sheet in its width direction when reading the lining cover document, which was initially prepared so as to position the image at the center of the lining cover sheet in its width direction, as it is. Accordingly, it has been a problem that it should be necessary to generate a new lining cover document in which the center of the image coincided with that of the lining cover sheet in its width direction based on the changed width of the lining cover sheet. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    To overcome the abovementioned drawbacks in conventional image-recording apparatus, it is an object of the present invention to provide an image forming apparatus, which makes it possible to form a lining cover sheet image at an appropriate position of the lining cover sheet, irrespective of change of the lining cover sheet width. 
         [0008]    Accordingly, to overcome the cited shortcomings, the abovementioned object of the present invention can be attained by an image forming apparatus, an image forming system and a computer program, described as follow. 
         [0000]    (1) An image forming apparatus, comprising: a lining cover-sheet width acquiring section to acquire information with respect to a lining cover-sheet width; a cover-sheet image data acquiring section to acquire front cover-sheet image data, rear cover-sheet image data and lining cover-sheet image data; a cover-sheet image data arranging section to arrange the front cover-sheet image data and the rear cover-sheet image data, acquired by the cover-sheet image data acquiring section, in such a manner that a front cover sheet image and a rear cover sheet image are arranged at an interval of the lining cover-sheet width, acquired by the lining cover-sheet width acquiring section, and to arrange the lining cover-sheet image data, acquired by the cover-sheet image data acquiring section, in such a manner that a lining image center line, indicating a center position of an image area of a lining cover sheet image in its width direction, coincides with a cover sheet center line, indicating a center position of an image area of a total cover sheet image, including the front cover sheet image, the rear cover sheet image and the lining cover sheet image, in its width direction; and an image forming section to form the total cover sheet image, including the front cover sheet image, the rear cover sheet image and the lining cover sheet image, onto a recording medium, based on the front cover-sheet image data, the rear cover-sheet image data and the lining cover-sheet image data, which are arranged by the cover-sheet image data arranging section.
 
(2) An image forming system, comprising:
 
         [0009]    an image forming apparatus that includes: a lining cover-sheet width acquiring section to acquire information with respect to a lining cover-sheet width; a cover-sheet image data acquiring section to acquire front cover-sheet image data, rear cover-sheet image data and lining cover-sheet image data; a cover-sheet image data arranging section to arrange the front cover-sheet image data and the rear cover-sheet image data, acquired by the cover-sheet image data acquiring section, in such a manner that a front cover sheet image and a rear cover sheet image are arranged at an interval of the lining cover-sheet width, acquired by the lining cover-sheet width acquiring section, and to arrange the lining cover-sheet image data, acquired by the cover-sheet image data acquiring section, in such a manner that a lining image center line, indicating a center position of an image area of a lining cover sheet image in its width direction, coincides with a cover sheet center line, indicating a center position of an image area of a total cover sheet image, including the front cover sheet image, the rear cover sheet image and the lining cover sheet image, in its width direction; and an image forming section to form the total cover sheet image, including the front cover sheet image, the rear cover sheet image and the lining cover sheet image, onto a recording medium, based on the front cover-sheet image data, the rear cover-sheet image data and the lining cover-sheet image data, which are arranged by the cover-sheet image data arranging section; and 
         [0010]    a book binding apparatus that joins the recording medium, on which the total cover sheet image is formed by the image forming apparatus, to a bunch of paper sheets, in such a manner that the bunch of paper sheets is enveloped by the recording medium while one side, upper and lower sides of the bunch of paper sheets are made to be open. 
         [0000]    (3) A product for storing computer program, the computer program comprising: a lining cover-sheet width acquiring step for acquiring information with respect to a lining cover-sheet width; a cover-sheet image data acquiring step for acquiring front cover-sheet image data, rear cover-sheet image data and lining cover-sheet image data; a cover-sheet image data arranging step for arranging the front cover-sheet image data and the rear cover-sheet image data, acquired in the cover-sheet image data acquiring step, in such a manner that a front cover sheet image and a rear cover sheet image are arranged at an interval of the lining cover-sheet width, acquired in the lining cover-sheet width acquiring step, and for arranging the lining cover-sheet image data, acquired in the cover-sheet image data acquiring step, in such a manner that a lining image center line, indicating a center position of an image area of a lining cover sheet image in its width direction, coincides with a cover sheet center line, indicating a center position of an image area of a total cover sheet image, including the front cover sheet image, the rear cover sheet image and the lining cover sheet image, in its width direction; and an image forming step for forming the total cover sheet image, including the front cover sheet image, the rear cover sheet image and the lining cover sheet image, onto a recording medium, based on the front cover-sheet image data, the rear cover-sheet image data and the lining cover-sheet image data, which are arranged in the cover-sheet image data arranging step. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0011]    Embodiments will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings which are meant to be exemplary, not limiting, and wherein like elements are numbered alike in several Figures, in which: 
           [0012]      FIG. 1  shows a block diagram of an image forming system embodied in the present invention; 
           [0013]      FIG. 2  shows an explanatory drawing for explaining a booklet formed through a case binding process; 
           [0014]      FIG. 3  shows an example of an image forming operation when forming images onto one side surface of a cover sheet; 
           [0015]      FIG. 4  shows an example of another image forming operation when forming images onto one side surface of a cover sheet; 
           [0016]      FIG. 5  shows a flowchart of a cover sheet image formation processing embodied in the present invention; and 
           [0017]      FIG. 6  shows a flowchart of a total cover-sheet image data synthetic processing to be conducted in Step S 3  shown in  FIG. 5 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     &lt;Configuration of Apparatus&gt; 
       [0018]      FIG. 1  shows a block diagram of the image forming system embodied in the present invention. As shown in  FIG. 1 , in the image forming system, an image forming apparatus  10  and a sizing case binding apparatus  30  are coupled to each other. 
         [0019]    The image forming apparatus  10  is provided with a CPU (Central Processing Unit)  11  for executing various kinds of controlling operations according to programs, a ROM (Read Only Memory)  13 , a RAM (Random Access Memory)  14 , a document reading section  15 , a paper feeding section  16 , an image forming section  17 , an operation section  18 , a display section  19  and a communication section  20 , which are coupled to each other through a bus  12 . 
         [0020]    The ROM  13  stores various kinds of the programs and the data based on which the CPU  11  implements the operations for controlling the image forming apparatus  10 . 
         [0021]    The CPU  11  utilizes the RAM  14  as a working area in which the programs and the data necessary for implementing the controlling operations are temporarily stored. 
         [0022]    The document reading section  15  reads document images of a front cover, main content sheets, a back cover and a lining cover in order to generate image data of them. The CPU  11  applies image processing operations to the generated image data, and then, outputs the processed image data to the image forming section  17 . 
         [0023]    The paper feeding section  16  accommodates cover sheets and main content sheets, and feeds a cover sheet or a main content sheet into the image forming section  17 . 
         [0024]    The image forming section  17  forms images onto the cover sheet or the main content sheets, based on the image data inputted from the document reading section  15 . 
         [0025]    The operation section  18  is operated by the user so as to input the width of the lining cover, a print commencement instruction, etc. 
         [0026]    The display section  19  displays setting screens, such as a lining cover width-setting screen, etc. Further, it is also applicable that the touch panel is equipped on the display screen of the display section  19  so as to simultaneously serve as the operation section  18 . 
         [0027]    The communication section  20  serves as an interface for communicating with the external devices to receive the image data transmitted from the personal computer, etc. 
         [0028]    The sizing case binding apparatus  30  is provided with a CPU (Central Processing Unit)  31  for executing various kinds of controlling operations according to programs, a ROM (Read Only Memory)  33 , a RAM (Random Access Memory)  34 , a joining section  35  serving as an adhesive bonding section, and a communicating section  36 , which are coupled to each other through a bus  32 . 
         [0029]    The ROM  33  stores various kinds of the programs and the data based on which the CPU  31  implements the operations for controlling the sizing case binding apparatus  30 . 
         [0030]    The CPU  31  utilizes the RAM  34  as a working area in which the programs and the data necessary for implementing the controlling operations are temporarily stored. 
         [0031]    The joining section  35  has a coating section  351  for coating a bonding adhesive onto the lining area of the bunch of the main content sheets ejected from the image forming apparatus  10 , so as to join the cover sheet, on which the cover sheet images are formed by the image forming apparatus  10 , and the lining area together with the bonding adhesive. 
         [0032]    The communication section  36  is coupled to the image forming apparatus  10  to transmit the various kinds of data between the communicating section  36  and the image forming apparatus  10 . 
         [0033]      FIG. 2  shows an explanatory drawing for explaining a booklet formed through the case binding process. A booklet  1 , formed by employing the case binding method, includes a cover sheet  2  shaped in a rectangular envelope case and paper sheets  3  (also referred to as the main content sheets). The cover sheet  2  and a lining section  4   a  of a bunch of paper sheets  4  are joined together with a bonding adhesive  5 . Numeral  2 A indicates a front cover sheet of the booklet  1 , numeral  2 B indicates a back cover sheet of the booklet  1 , numeral  2 C indicates a lining cover sheet of the booklet  1 , numeral  2 D indicates a front surface of the cover sheet  2  of the booklet  1 , and numeral  2 E indicates a rear surface of the cover sheet  2  of the booklet  1 . Incidentally, the rear surface  2 E indicates the surface of the cover sheet  2  to which the lining area of the bunch of paper sheets  4  is joined so as to form the booklet  1 , while the front surface  2 D indicates the surface opposite to the rear surface  2 E, namely indicates the outer surface of the booklet  1 . 
       &lt;Brief Explanation of Cover Sheet Image-Forming Operation&gt; 
       [0034]      FIG. 3  shows an example of the image forming operation when forming images onto one side surface of the cover sheet  2 . As shown in  FIG. 3 . Page  1 , Page  2 -Page (N- 2 ), Page (N- 1 ) and Page N correspond to front cover-sheet image data F, main-content sheets image data H, rear cover-sheet image data B and lining cover-sheet image data S, respectively. The abovementioned image data sets F, H, B, S can be acquired by reading document images of the front cover sheet, the main content sheets, the back cover sheet and the lining cover sheet, which are set on the document reading section  15  in a state of overlapping them in the above order. Incidentally, the size of the document image for the lining cover sheet is the same as those of the main content sheets, the back cover sheet and the lining cover sheet. Accordingly, the data size of the lining cover-sheet image data S, acquired by reading the document image for the lining cover sheet, is also the same as those of the front cover-sheet image data F, the main-content sheets image data H and the rear cover-sheet image data B. 
         [0035]    As shown in  FIG. 3 , the total cover-sheet image data, based on which the cover sheet images are formed on the cover sheet  2 , can be obtained by combining the rear cover-sheet image data B for Page (N- 1 ), the lining cover-sheet image data S for Page N and the front cover-sheet image data F for Page  1  with each other while arraying them in the above order. 
         [0036]    When combining the rear cover-sheet image data B, the lining cover-sheet image data S and the front cover-sheet image data F with each other, the rear cover-sheet image data B and the front cover-sheet image data F are disposed at an interval of a lining sheet width D established by the operation section  18 , and at the same time, the lining cover-sheet image data S are disposed at such a position that a central line SC of the lining cover-sheet image data S coincides with a central line BFC of the rear cover-sheet image data B and the front cover-sheet image data F, which are disposed in the width direction. Further, an overlapping area A of the lining cover-sheet image data S in the total cover-sheet image data shown in  FIG. 3 , at which the lining cover-sheet image data S overlap with the rear cover-sheet image data B or the front cover-sheet image data F, are made to be invalid. 
         [0037]    Incidentally, the width direction is defined as the X-direction shown in  FIG. 2 , namely, a direction directed towards a edge portion  4   b  from the lining section  4   a  of the bunch of the main content sheets shaped in the booklet. 
         [0038]    To make the image data, corresponding to the overlapping area A of the lining cover-sheet image data S, invalid, various kinds of methods, such as a method for recognizing the overlapping area A so as to make the image data corresponding to the overlapping area A of the lining cover-sheet image data S invalid, a method for recognizing an area corresponding to the lining sheet width D within the lining cover-sheet image data S in order to extract image data of an area other than that corresponding to the lining sheet width D within the lining cover-sheet image data S, etc., can be employed as needed. 
         [0039]      FIG. 4  shows an example of the other image forming operation when forming images onto one side surface of the cover sheet  2 .  FIG. 4  is the same as  FIG. 3 , except that the processing to be applied to the overlapping area A at which the lining cover-sheet image data S overlap the rear cover-sheet image data B or the front cover-sheet image data F is different from that shown in  FIG. 3 . 
         [0040]    In  FIG. 4 , the image data of the overlapping area A, at which the lining cover-sheet image data S overlap the rear cover-sheet image data B or the front cover-sheet image data F, are derived by conducting the OR-logical calculation between the lining cover-sheet image data S and either the rear cover-sheet image data B or the front cover-sheet image data F. 
         [0041]    As mentioned in the foregoing, by disposing the lining cover-sheet image data S at such a position that the central line SC of the lining cover-sheet image data S coincides with the central line BFC of the interval area between the rear cover-sheet image data B and the front cover-sheet image data F, it becomes possible to form the lining cover image at an appropriate position of the lining cover sheet, since the center of the lining cover-sheet image data S is always located at the center of the lining cover, even if the lining cover sheet width would be changed. 
         [0042]    Further, by making a part of the lining cover-sheet image data S, corresponding to the overlapping area A at which the lining cover-sheet image data S overlap the rear cover-sheet image data B or the front cover-sheet image data F, invalid, it becomes possible to obtain the total cover-sheet image data shown in  FIG. 3 . Still further, by conducting the OR-logical calculation between the lining cover-sheet image data S and either the rear cover-sheet image data B or the front cover-sheet image data F, it becomes possible to easily obtain the total cover-sheet image data shown in  FIG. 4 . Accordingly, it becomes possible to obtain an appropriate cover-sheet image data as needed. 
         [0043]    Still further, if the document size of the lining cover sheet is the same as those of the front cover sheet, the main content sheets and the rear cover sheet, it becomes possible to easily set the documents onto the document reading section  15 , since it is only required to simply overlap the lining cover sheet onto the other documents. 
       &lt;Cover Sheet Image Formation Processing&gt; 
       [0044]      FIG. 5  shows a flowchart of the cover sheet image formation processing embodied in the present invention. The flowchart shown in  FIG. 5  is merely an example among various embodiments. Accordingly, the scope of the present invention is not limited to the above. The CPU  11  executes a program stored in the ROM  13  to conduct the cover sheet image formation processing mentioned in the above. 
         [0045]    At first, the CPU  11  controls the display section  19  to display the lining cover-sheet width inputting screen. In response to the above, the user inputs the lining sheet width D from the operation section  18  so as to input the lining sheet width D into the CPU  11  (Step S 1 ). 
         [0046]    Successively, the user sets the document onto the document reading section  15 , and inputs an instruction for commencing the printing operation from the operation section  18 . Then, the CPU  11  drives the document reading section  15  so as to input the document images (Step S 2 ). Accordingly, as described by referring to  FIG. 3 , for instance, the front cover-sheet image data F corresponding to Page  1 , the main-content sheets image data H corresponding to Page  2 -Page (N- 2 ), the rear cover-sheet image data B corresponding to Page (N- 1 ) and the lining cover-sheet image data S corresponding to Page N are inputted from the document reading section  15 , and stored in the RAM  14 . 
         [0047]    Next, the CPU  11  conducts a synthetic processing for generating the total cover-sheet image data (Step S 3 ). The synthetic processing will be detailed later. 
         [0048]    Next, the CPU  11  sends a command to the paper feeding section  16  for feeding a cover sheet accommodated in the paper feeding section  16  to the image forming section  17 , and sends another command to the image forming section  17  for conducting the image forming operation so as to form the images based on the total cover-sheet image data synthesized in the Step S 3  onto the cover sheet fed into the image forming section  17  (Step S 4 ). Accordingly, the synthesized image based on the total cover-sheet image data is formed on the cover sheet. 
       &lt;Total Cover-Sheet Image Data Synthetic Processing&gt; 
       [0049]      FIG. 6  shows a flowchart of the total cover-sheet image data synthetic processing to be conducted in Step S 3  shown in  FIG. 5 . The flowchart shown in  FIG. 6  is merely an example among various embodiments. Accordingly, the scope of the present invention is not limited to the above. The CPU  11  executes a program stored in the ROM  13  to conduct the total cover-sheet image data synthetic processing mentioned in the above. 
         [0050]    At first, the CPU  11  extracts specific page image data sets to be utilized for forming images onto the cover sheet from the page image data sets inputted in Step S 2  shown in  FIG. 5 . Concretely speaking, the CPU  11  extracts the image data of Page N serving as the final page, the image data of Page  1  and the image data of Page (N- 1 ) as the lining cover-sheet image data S, the front cover-sheet image data F and the rear cover-sheet image data B, respectively (Step S 31 ). 
         [0051]    Next, the CPU  11  arranges the rear cover-sheet image data B and the front cover-sheet image data F at an interval of the lining sheet width D inputted in Step S 1  shown in  FIG. 5  (Step S 32 ). 
         [0052]    Further, the CPU  11  calculates a position of the central line BFC in the interval area located between the rear cover-sheet image data B and the front cover-sheet image data F, which are arranged at the interval of the lining sheet width D (Step S 33 ). 
         [0053]    Still further, the CPU  11  calculates a width W of the lining cover-sheet image data S, and calculates a position of the central line SC of the lining cover-sheet image data S in width direction (Step S 34 ). 
         [0054]    Still further, the CPU  11  attaches the lining cover-sheet image data S to the rear cover-sheet image data B and the front cover-sheet image data F arranged in Step S 32 . At this time, the lining cover-sheet image data S is disposed at such a position that the central line SC of the lining cover-sheet image data S, calculated in the Step S 34 , coincides with the central line BFC in the interval area between the rear cover-sheet image data B and the front cover-sheet image data F, which are disposed at the interval of the lining sheet width D (Step S 35 ). 
         [0055]    Successively, the CPU  11  extracts the overlapping area A at which the lining cover-sheet image data S overlap with the rear cover-sheet image data B and the front cover-sheet image data F (Step S 36 ). 
         [0056]    Further, the CPU  11  conducts the processing of the lining cover-sheet image data S in the overlapping area A (Step S 37 ). In the case of  FIG. 3 , the CPU  11  deletes the lining cover-sheet image data S concerned, and makes the lining cover-sheet image data S in the overlapping area A invalid. In the case of  FIG. 4 , the CPU  11  conducts the OR-logical calculation between the lining cover-sheet image data S and either the rear cover-sheet image data B or the front cover-sheet image data F in the overlapping area A. Incidentally, when recognizing the area corresponding to the lining sheet width D in the lining cover-sheet image data S instead of extracting the overlapping area A, in order to extract only the image data other than those in the area corresponding to the lining sheet width D in the lining cover-sheet image data S, Step S 36  would be omitted, and the Step S 37  would be replaced by such a step that only the image data other than those in the area corresponding to the lining sheet width D in the lining cover-sheet image data S are extracted. 
         [0057]    In the embodiment described in the foregoing, the image data are inputted from the document reading section  15 . However, it is also applicable that the image data are inputted from external devices, such as a personal computer, etc., through the communication section  20 . 
         [0058]    Further, in the embodiment described in the foregoing, the rear cover-sheet image data B, the front cover-sheet image data F and the lining cover-sheet image data S are arranged on the basis of the programs installed in advance in the image forming apparatus  10 . However, it is also applicable that the image data sets are generated in any one of the external devices, such as a personal computer, etc., and the rear cover-sheet image data B, the front cover-sheet image data F and the lining cover-sheet image data S are arranged on the basis of the programs installed in the external device concerned, such as the printer driver, etc. 
         [0059]    According to the present invention, since the center of the lining cover sheet and the center of the lining cover-sheet image data always coincide with each other in the width direction, it becomes possible to form the lining cover sheet image at an appropriate position of the lining cover sheet, even if the lining cover sheet width would be changed. 
         [0060]    While the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described using specific term, such description is for illustrative purpose only, and it is to be understood that changes and variations may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.