1. A tool insert comprising:
a substrate having a support surface and a support ring extending laterally from the support surface, the support ring being sized to define a recess within the confines thereof and a shelf about the periphery thereof, wherein the substrate is tungsten carbide substrate;
a layer of ultra-hard abrasive material located within the recess and bonded to the substrate and the support ring, the layer of ultra-hard abrasive material having a top surface, a portion of the periphery of the top surface providing a primary cutting edge for the tool insert; and
a protective layer bonded to the shelf about the support ring so as to protect the primary cutting edge, a periphery of the protective layer providing a secondary cutting edge for the tool insert, the depth of the protective layer being selected so as to be sufficient to protect the primary cutting edge whilst cutting, milling or drilling through a first substance but to expose the primary cutting edge upon encountering a second substance, wherein the protective layer is formed of tungsten carbide of a different grade to that of the substrate, or of tool steel, dependent on the first substance to be drilled.
2. A tool insert according to claim 1, wherein the support ring is integrally formed with the substrate.
3. A tool insert according to claim 1, wherein the protective layer is formed in situ during the formation of the tool insert.
4. A tool insert according to claim 1, wherein the protective layer is formed as a separate ring component which is bonded to the shelf portion of the support surface of the substrate.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
What is claimed is:
1. A sheet post-processing device, comprising:
a first sheet discharge path through which a sheet transported from an image forming apparatus is transported to sheet stacking means disposed in said image forming apparatus;
first sheet discharge path openclose means which is disposed in said first sheet discharge path, and closes said first sheet discharge path to temporarily support the sheet transported from said image forming apparatus, or opens said first sheet discharge path to transport the sheet transported from said image forming apparatus to said sheet stacking means;
processing means which is disposed in said first sheet discharge path and conducts post-processing with respect to the sheet temporarily supported by said first sheet discharge path openclose means;
sheet discharge path change-over control means that controls sheet discharge path change-over means that changes over a discharge path, to which the sheet discharged from said image forming apparatus is discharged, to said first sheet discharge path or a second sheet discharge path through which the sheet discharged from said image forming apparatus is discharged directly to said sheet stacking means;
error handling operation necessity judging means that judges whether error handling operation that should be conducted with respect to a sheet unsuitable for the post-processing by said processing means is conducted or not; and
error handling means that controls at least one of said first sheet discharge path openclose means and said sheet discharge path change-over means to conduct said error handling operation.
2. A sheet post-processing device according to claim 1, further comprising:
measuring means that measures the number of sheets that are temporarily supported by said first sheet discharge path openclose means;
storing means that stores the number of post-processing permissible sheets N which can be post-processed in said processing means; and
comparing means that compares the number of sheets M measured by said measuring means with the number of sheets N stored by said storing means, wherein:
said error handling operation necessity judging means judges that the error handling operation is conducted if a result made by said comparing means satisfies a relationship of M>N; and
said error handling means controls said first sheet discharge path openclose means so as to open said first sheet discharge path to transport the sheet temporarily supported by said first sheet discharge path openclose means to said sheet stacking means.
3. A sheet post-processing device according to claim 2,
further comprising sheet aligning means that aligns the sheets temporarily supported by said first sheet discharge path openclose means;
wherein if said error handling operation necessity judging means judges that the error handling operation is conducted, said error handling means controls said first sheet discharge path openclose means so as to align only the sheets temporarily supported by said first sheet discharge path openclose means through said sheet aligning means and so as to open said first sheet discharge path to transport the sheets temporarily supported by said first sheet discharge path openclose means to said sheet stacking means.
4. A sheet post-processing device according to claim 2,
wherein if said error handling operation necessity judging means judges that the error handling operation is conducted, said error handling means controls said first sheet discharge path openclose means so as to open said first sheet discharge path and transport the (M1)th and subsequent sheets to said sheet stacking means.
5. A sheet post-processing device according to claim 2,
wherein if said error handling operation necessity judging means judges that the error handling operation is conducted, said error handling means controls said sheet discharge path change-over means so as to transport the (M1)th and subsequent sheets to said second sheet discharge path.
6. A sheet post-processing device according to claim 5,
wherein when a relationship of MX>N is satisfied assuming that the number of sheets transported to said first sheet discharge path is X, said error handling means controls said sheet discharge path change-over means so as to transport the (MX1)th and subsequent sheets to said second sheet discharge path.
7. A sheet post-processing device according to claim 2,
further comprising sheet aligning means that aligns the sheets temporarily supported by said first sheet discharge path openclose means;
wherein if said error handling operation necessity judging means judges that the error handling is conducted, said error handling means controls said first sheet discharge path openclose means so as to temporarily support the (M1)th and subsequent sheets every given number of sheets, align the sheets by said sheet aligning means, and transport the sheets to said sheet stacking means.
8. A sheet post-processing device according to claim 7,
further comprising communication means that conducts communication with said image forming apparatus,
wherein if said error handling operation necessity judging means judges that the error handling operation is conducted, said error handling means, in controlling said first sheet discharge path openclose means so as to temporarily support the (M1)th and subsequent sheets every given number of sheets, notifies said image forming apparatus of a period of time between a last sheet of a given number of sheets and a succeeding sheet through said communication means, to widen an interval between the sheets transported from said image forming apparatus.
9. A sheet post-processing device according to claim 1,
wherein said processing means includes at least one of stapling means that binds sheets by stapling, punching means that punches the sheets, book binding means that binds the sheets by stapling and folds the sheets, and book binding means that adheres edges of the sheets with paste.
10. A sheet post-processing device according to claim 1,
further comprising communication means that conducts communication with said image forming apparatus,
wherein when said error handling operation necessity judging mean judges that the error handling operation is conducted on the basis of information on the sheets that are going to be post-processed in said processing means which is transmitted from said image forming apparatus by said communication means, said error handling means controls said sheet discharge path change-over means so as to transport the sheets transported from said image forming apparatus to said second sheet discharge path.
11. A sheet post-processing device according to claim 10,
wherein said error handling operation necessity judging means judges whether the sheets are suitable for post-processing by said processing means or not on the basis whether the sheets can be supported by said first sheet discharge path openclose means or not, and if the sheets cannot be supported by said first sheet discharge path openclose means, said error handling operation necessity judging means judges that the sheets are not post-processed.
12. A sheet post-processing device according to claim 11,
wherein whether the sheets can be supported by said first sheet discharge path openclose means or not is judged on the basis of a sheet size.
13. A sheet post-processing device according to claim 11,
wherein whether the sheets can be supported by said first sheet discharge path openclose means or not is judged on the basis of a sheet weight.
14. A sheet post-processing device according to claim 11,
wherein whether the sheets can be supported by said first sheet discharge path openclose means or not is judged on the basis of the number of sheets.
15. A sheet post-processing device according to claim 2,
wherein whether the sheets are suitable for post-processing by said processing means or not is based on whether the kind of sheets is suited to the post-processing by said processing means or not.
16. A sheet post-processing device according to claim 15,
wherein the kind of sheets can be physically identified, and includes at least one of a sheet different in the weight per one sheet, an OHP sheet, a glossy paper, a colored paper and a perforated paper.
17. A sheet post-processing device according to claim 1, further comprising communication means that conducts communication with said image forming apparatus;
wherein when said sheet post-processing device per se is in an abnormal state, error handling operation necessity judging means judges that the post-processing is not conducted regardless of the contents of information on a sheet which is transmitted from said image forming apparatus by said communication means.
18. A sheet post-processing device according to claim 1, further comprising communication means that conducts communication with said image forming apparatus;
wherein information on only the sheets that are going to be post-processed by said image forming apparatus is transmitted from said image forming apparatus through said communication means.
19. A sheet post-processing device according to claim 1, further comprising communication means that conducts communication with said image forming apparatus;
wherein information on all of the sheets that are subjected to an image forming process by said image forming apparatus is transmitted from said image forming apparatus through said communication means.
20. A sheet post-processing device according to claim 1,
wherein said first sheet discharge path openclose means is disposed above said sheet stacking means disposed on an upper surface of said image forming apparatus main body.
21. An error handling method with respect to a sheet that is not suitable for post-processing in an image forming apparatus having a sheet post-processing device that conducts the post-processing on the discharged sheet, wherein:
said sheet post-processing device comprises:
a first sheet discharge path through which the sheet transported from said image forming apparatus is transported to a sheet stacking means disposed in said image forming apparatus;
first sheet discharge path openclose means which is disposed in said first sheet discharge path, and closes said first sheet discharge path to temporarily support the sheet transported from said image forming apparatus, or opens said first sheet discharge path to transport the sheet transported from said image forming apparatus to said sheet stacking means; and
processing means which is disposed in said first sheet discharge path and conducts post-processing with respect to the sheet temporarily supported by said first sheet discharge path openclose means;
said image forming apparatus comprises:
image forming means that forms an image on the sheet;
said sheet stacking means; and
sheet discharge path change-over means that changes over a discharge path, to which the sheet discharged from said image forming apparatus is discharged, to any one of said first sheet discharge path and a second sheet discharge path along which the sheet discharged from said image forming apparatus is discharged directly to said sheet stacking means; and
said method comprises the steps of:
judging whether the error handling operation is conducted or not; and
if said error handling operation is conducted, controlling at least any one of said first sheet discharge path openclose means and said sheet discharge path change-over means to conduct said error handling operation.
22. An error handling method according to claim 21, further comprising the steps of:
comparing the number of sheets M that are temporarily supported by said first sheet discharge path openclose means with the number of post-processing permissible sheets N which can be post-processed in said processing means;
judging that the error handling operation is conducted if a relationship of M>N is satisfied; and
if said error handling operation is conducted, opening said first sheet discharge path to transport the sheets temporarily supported by said first sheet discharge path openclose means to said sheet stacking means.
23. An error handling method according to claim 22,
wherein if said error handling operation is conducted, aligning the sheets temporarily supported by said first sheet discharge path openclose means, and opening said first sheet discharge path openclose means so as to transport the sheets temporarily supported by said first sheet discharge path openclose means to said sheet stacking means.
24. An error handling method according to claim 22,
wherein if said error handling operation is conducted, opening said first sheet discharge path openclose means so as to transport the (Ml)th and subsequent sheets transported from said image forming apparatus to said sheet stacking means.
25. An error handling method according to claim 22,
wherein if said error handling operation is conducted, controlling said sheet discharge path change-over means so as to transport the (M1)th and subsequent sheets to said second sheet discharge path.
26. An error handling method according to claim 21, wherein:
assuming that the number of sheets temporarily supported by said first sheet discharge path openclose means is M, the number of sheets conveyed into said first sheet discharge path is X, and the permissible post-processing number of sheets that can be post-processed in said processing means is N, when a relationship of MX>N is satisfied, it is judged that the error handling operation is conducted; and
if said error handling operation is conducted, opening said first sheet discharge path openclose means so as to transport the sheets temporarily supported by said sheet discharge path openclose means to said sheet stacking means and controlling said sheet discharge path change-over means so as to guide the (MX1)th and subsequent sheets to said second sheet discharge path.
27. An error handling method according to claim 22, wherein:
if the error handling operation is conducted, temporarily supporting the (M1)th and subsequent sheets by said first sheet discharge path openclose means every given number of sheets;
aligning the sheets temporarily supported by said first sheet discharge path openclose means; and
opening said first sheet discharge path openclose means so as to transport the aligned sheets to said sheet stacking means.
28. The error handling method according to claim 27, wherein:
widening an interval between a last sheet of the given number of sheets and a sheet that is transported next when said first sheet discharge path openclose means temporarily supports the (M1)th and subsequent sheets every given number of sheets.
29. An error handling method according to claim 21,
wherein the post-processing includes at least one of stapling for binding the sheets by stapling, punching for punching the sheets, book binding operation for binding the sheets by stapling and folding the sheets, and book binding for adhering edges of the sheet with paste.
30. An error handling method according to claim 21, wherein:
transmitting information on the sheets that are going to be post-processed in said sheet processing means from said image forming apparatus to said sheet post-processing device; and
if it is judged that the error handling operation is conducted on the basis of the sheet information, controlling said sheet discharge path change-over means so as to guide the sheets transported from said image forming apparatus to said second sheet discharge path.
31. An error handling method according to claim 30,
wherein whether the sheets are suitable for the post-processing or not is judged on the basis whether the sheets can be supported by said first sheet discharge path openclose means or not, and if the sheets cannot be supported by said first sheet discharge path openclose means, it is judged that the sheets are not post-processed.
32. An error handling method according to claim 31,
wherein whether the sheets can be supported by said first sheet discharge path openclose means or not is judged on the basis of a sheet size.
33. An error handling method according to claim 31,
wherein whether the sheets can be supported by said first sheet discharge path openclose means or not is judged on the basis of a sheet weight.
34. An error handling method according to claim 31,
wherein whether the sheets can be supported by said first sheet discharge path openclose means or not is judged on the basis of the number of sheets.
35. An error handling method according to claim 21,
wherein the judgment on whether the sheets are suitable for the post-processing or not is judged on the basis of the number of sheets.
36. An error handling method according to claim 21,
wherein whether the sheets are suitable for the post-processing or not is based on whether the kind of sheets is suitable for the post-processing by said processing means or not.
37. An error handling method according to claim 36,
wherein the kind of sheets can be physically identified, and includes at least one of a sheet different in the weight per one sheet, an OHP sheet, a glossy paper, a colored paper and a perforated paper.
38. An error handling method according to claim 21,
wherein when said sheet post-processing device per se is in an abnormal state, it is judged that the post-processing is not conducted regardless of the contents of the sheet information.
39. A sheet post-processing device, comprising:
a first sheet discharge path through which a sheet transported from an image forming apparatus is transported to sheet stacking means disposed in said image forming apparatus;
first sheet discharge path openclose flapper which is disposed in said first sheet discharge path, and closes said first sheet discharge path to temporarily support the sheet transported from said image forming apparatus, or opens said first sheet discharge path to transport the sheet transported from said image forming apparatus to said sheet stacking means;
binder which is disposed in said first sheet discharge path and conducts post-processing with respect to the sheet temporarily supported by said first sheet discharge path openclose means;
sheet discharge path change-over controller that controls sheet discharge path change-over means that changes over a discharge path, to which the sheet discharged from said image forming apparatus is discharged, to said first sheet discharge path or a second sheet discharge path through which the sheet discharged from said image forming apparatus is discharged directly to said sheet stacking means;
error handling operation necessity judging means that judges whether error handling operation that should be conducted with respect to a sheet unsuitable for the post-processing by said processing means is conducted or not; and
error handling controller that controls at least one of said first sheet discharge path openclose means and said sheet discharge path change-over controller to conduct said error handling operation.