JP2000001257A - Sheet processing device, and image forming device provided with the same - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve arrangement performance of sheets stacked on a bin of a sheet processing device. SOLUTION: In discharging sheets S to be carried to plural bins 42B by a sorter discharged sheet roller 31, the bins 42B are moved by a shift motor so that one specified bin 42B corresponds to the discharged sheet roller. The specified bin 42B on which the discharged sheets S are stacked is controlled in such a way that a height distance of a sheet stacking surface to the discharged sheet roller 31 is changed based on stacking information including a sheet stacked number, sizes, etc. Arrangement performance of the sheets S stacked on the bin can thus be improved.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a sheet processing apparatus for stacking and sorting sheets on which images are formed by an image forming apparatus.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a sorter which performs sheet sorting or group stacking processing by bin movement, the position of the bin relative to the sheet discharge port is fixed, or the bin for the sheet discharge port in the non-sort mode and the sort mode for the first bin. Although there was a device for switching the position, there was no device for controlling the bin position for all bins, and no sorter for changing the bin position in accordance with the bin loading information.

In addition, the position of the upper surface of the bin loaded sheet is detected, and the bin position is moved based on the detection result.

[0004]

The sheet ejected from the image forming apparatus has a different curl direction and curl amount depending on the type of the image forming apparatus and the sheet size, which deteriorates the sheet alignment in the sorter bin. It is a cause to cause. The closer the bin position to the sheet discharge port is, the better the sheet alignment is, but the number of sheets that can be stacked is reduced.

An object of the present invention is to provide a sheet processing apparatus in which the alignment of sheets in a bin is improved.

[0006]

The invention according to claim 1 is
Sheet discharging means for discharging the conveyed sheet, bins of a plurality of stages arranged at intervals to accommodate the sheets, and bin moving means for moving the bin along the arrangement direction of the bins, A sorting unit that sorts and loads sheets into each bin by selecting a predetermined bin at a position corresponding to the sheet discharging unit by the bin moving unit, and discharging sheets from the sheet discharging unit to the bin; Control means for driving the bin moving means based on the information on the stacking of the sheets discharged to the bins to change the position of the bin stacking surface with respect to the sheet discharging means.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, the bin moving means is a lead cam for moving the bins in the arrangement direction, and comprises a lead cam rotation angle detecting means for detecting a rotation angle of the lead cam, and the control means Controlling the driving of the bin moving means based on information from the bin position detecting means for calculating a bin position from the rotation angle of the lead cam detected by the lead cam rotation angle detecting means, and loading information discharged to the bin. The bin loading surface of the bin with respect to the sheet discharging means is changed.

[0008] In the invention according to claim 3, the loading information is:
The number of sheets loaded in the bin is the number of sheets.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, the load information is
The size of the sheet loaded on the bin is characterized in that:

[Operation] Based on the above configuration, when a sheet to be conveyed is discharged to a plurality of bins by the sheet discharging means, a predetermined bin corresponds to the sheet discharging means by the bin moving means and is sequentially discharged to each bin. Thus, the sheets are sorted. The position of the loading surface of the bin from which the sheets are discharged is controlled according to the loading information of the sheets loaded on the bin. Thus, for example, even if the number and size of sheets stacked in the bin, the amount of curl, and the amount of curl change, the alignment of the stacked sheets can be improved.

[0011]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the internal configuration of a copying apparatus as an image forming apparatus to which the present invention can be applied.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a copying apparatus main body; 2, a document feeder (hereinafter, ADF) for automatically feeding a document;
Is a sheet processing apparatus (hereinafter, a staple sorter) according to the present invention.

First, in the copying apparatus main body 1, reference numeral 3 denotes a platen glass on which a document is placed.

5 is a photosensitive drum (image forming means), 6 is a charging roller, 7 is a cassette on which the sheet S is placed, 8 is a pickup roller for picking up the transfer paper S, 9 is a separation roller for preventing double feeding, Reference numeral 10 denotes a registration roller, reference numeral 11 denotes a transfer roller, reference numeral 12 denotes a fixing device for thermocompression-bonding a toner image to the conveyed sheet S, and reference numeral 13 denotes a main body discharge roller 13 for conveying the sheet S toward the sheet processing apparatus 20.

Next, in the sheet processing apparatus 20, 30
Is a main frame, 31 is a sorter paper discharge roller (sheet discharge means), 32 is a paper discharge sensor, 33 is a lead cam for shifting bins, 40 is a bin unit, 41 is a bin frame, and 42B is stepped over n sheets. Bin 43C is a bin roller rotatably attached to bin 42B, 44
Is a bin roller guide, and 50 is a rail for guiding the vertical movement of the bin unit.

When the user starts copying for a series of copying operations, the original G placed on the ADF 2 is transferred onto the original platen glass 3. When the document G is set, the sheet S set in the cassette 7 is picked up by the pickup roller 8, separated by the separation roller 9, and then sent to the photosensitive drum 5 at an accurate timing by the registration roller 10. The leading edge of the latent image is matched with the leading edge of the sheet.

Thereafter, when the sheet passes between the photosensitive drum 5 and the transfer roller 11, the toner image on the photosensitive drum 5 is transferred onto the sheet. After that, the sheet S is separated from the photosensitive drum 5 and is fixed by pressure and heating by the fixing device 12. Then, the sheet S on which an image has been formed in this manner is conveyed in the direction of the main body discharge roller (main body discharge unit) 13 and output to the sheet processing apparatus 20 with the print surface facing upward.

Sheet S discharged from the copying apparatus main body 1
Is detected by the paper discharge sensor 32, the sheet enters the sorter discharge roller (sheet discharge means) 31, and the rotation speed of the sorter discharge roller 31 is changed. At this speed, the sheet S is discharged to the bin 42B. You. At this time, the bin 42B is shifted according to size information such as a copy mode, a sheet size, and the number of discharged sheets, and
The sheet S is stacked or sorted by discharging to 2Bn. The above-described shift operation of the bin 42B will be further described later.

Next, the shift driving section will be described with reference to FIG.

The power generated by the shift motor (bin moving means) 61 is transmitted to the gears 62, 63, 6.
The rotation force is transmitted through 4. At the same time, the lead cam 33R is connected to the shift motor 61, gears, 62, 63, 6
6, the torque is transmitted through the shaft 67 and the gears 68, 69, 70. As described above, when the shift motor 61 is driven, the left and right lead cams 33L and 33R are simultaneously rotated in the same direction and by the same amount. The shift motor 61 rotates a slit disk 72 coaxial with the rotation shaft of the shift motor 61 and detects the rotation angle by a shift clock sensor (lead cam rotation angle detection means) 123 to thereby determine the position of the lead cam, that is, the bin 42.
The position of B can be detected.

FIG. 4 shows the positional relationship between the lead cam 33 and the bin roller 43C due to the rotation of the lead cam 33, and FIG.
Indicates the positional relationship between the bin 2B and the paper discharge roller 31. When the bin 42B is shifted up, the positional relationship between the lead cam 33 and the bin roller 43C is as follows: a → b → c.
h → i → j. J → i for downshift
→ h.c → b → a.

The lead cam 33 is formed by an inclined portion 33 of a spiral cam.
a, a flat portion 33b is provided in the middle of the
When the sheets S are stacked on the sheet 2B, most of the sheets S are discharged to the bin 42B while the bin rollers 43C are positioned on the flat portion 33b and are stationary in the height direction.

When the bin roller 43C is at the position f, the lead cam 33 is rotated forward by a predetermined amount, whereby the bin roller 43C moves from f to g according to the amount of rotation. At this time, the height distance L between the sheet stacking surface (bin stacking surface) 42a of the bin 42B and the sorter discharge roller 31 in FIG. 9 is changed.

By moving the bin roller 43 to any position of f → g or c → d in accordance with sheet size information such as the size information of the sheet S with respect to the bin 42B or the number of stacked sheets, the sorter discharge roller The height distance L between the sheet stacking surface of the bin 31 and the bin 42B can be changed,
Optimum sheet alignment of the sheets S stacked in the bin 42B can be obtained.

Next, the transport drive unit will be described with reference to FIG.

Reference numeral 51 is a torque limiter, and 52 is a transport motor. By driving the transport motor 52, the torque limiter 5
1, the sorter discharge roller 31 is rotated. When a torque exceeding the limit is applied to the shaft of the torque limiter 51 on the sorter discharge roller 31 side, the torque limiter 51 idles, and the transport motor 52 and the sorter discharger are rotated. The roller 31 is in a non-driven state.

Therefore, when the leading end of the sheet S approaches the main body discharge roller 13, the transport motor 52 and the sorter discharge roller 31 are driven because the sorter discharge roller 31 is in a no-load state.

The sheet S to be conveyed is transferred to the main body discharge roller 1
When the rotation speed of the sorter discharge roller 31 is high on both the sorter discharge roller 31 and the sorter discharge roller 31, the sorter discharge roller 31 attempts to pull in the sheet S from the main body discharge roller 13; Since a load is applied on the paper roller 31 and the torque limiter 51 idles, and the transport motor 52 and the sorter discharge roller 31 are not driven as described above, the sorter discharge roller 31 is
It rotates at the rotation speed of.

Further, when the sheet S is conveyed and the sheet S passes through the main body discharge roller 13 and is only on the sorter discharge roller 31, the load applied to the sorter discharge roller 31 disappears, and the idling of the torque limiter 51 is reduced. Then, the transport motor 52 and the sorter discharge roller 31 are driven again, and the sheet S can be discharged at the driven speed by the transport motor 52 again. From the above,
The change timing of the rotation speed of the transport motor 52 performed when the size of the sheet S is changed during the sheet passing is determined when the sheet S is detected by the sheet discharge sensor 32 (the timing at which the sheet enters the sorter discharge roller 31). ) Can be done.

Next, the matching drive unit will be described with reference to FIG.

Reference numeral 55 denotes a matching motor, 91 denotes a gear, 92 denotes a matching gear, 93 denotes a matching HP sensor flag, 94 denotes a matching rod,
95 is an alignment shaft, 96 is a sheet butting plate, and 114 is an alignment HP sensor. The driving of the aligning motor 55 causes the aligning rod 94 to circularly move around the aligning shaft 95 via the gear 91 and the aligning gear 92. By the movement, the alignment rod 94 pushes the sheet S discharged onto the bin 42B, and the sheet S discharged onto the bin 42B is aligned regardless of the bin position and the number of sheets. Is done.
The size of the discharged sheet S is obtained by communication with the copying apparatus main body 1 and is determined by the length of the sheet S in the width direction.
Is different.

Next, the staple driving section will be described with reference to FIG.

Reference numeral 54 denotes a staple motor, 80 denotes a stapler unit, 84 denotes a cam, 87 denotes a roller, and 88 denotes a lower jaw. By driving the staple motor 54, the cam 84 rotates, the roller 87 is pushed down, and the lower jaw 88 approaches the upper jaw and the needle is struck (a → b → c).

Next, the staple swing drive section will be described with reference to FIG.
Will be described.

Reference numeral 53 denotes a staple swing motor which is a stepping motor, 81 denotes a cam gear, 82 denotes a guide shaft, 83 denotes a gear, 85 denotes a staple swing HP sensor flag, 86 denotes a cam guide, 89 denotes a guide pin, and 113 denotes a staple swing. It is a dynamic HP sensor. The driving of the staple rocking motor 53 rotates the cam gear 81 via the gear 83, and the guide pin 89 makes a circular motion along the outer periphery of the cam gear 81, so that the cam guide 86 and the guide shaft 82
This causes the stapler unit 80 to move left and right as shown in FIG. The home position of the stapler unit 80 (oscillation) indicates that the stapler oscillation HP sensor flag 85 is 8
5a, the stapler swing HP sensor 11
3, the position is determined. The stapling position is
The position is shifted from the position by a predetermined clock, and the staple swing HP sensor flag is rotated to 85b.

In the overall stapling operation, both the stapler and the stapler swing move to the home position. First,
The stapler swing motor 53 is driven to move the stapler unit 80 forward, stapling (stapling), and the stapler unit 80 is retracted. Sheet S of the bin 42B
Has already been stapled, and the bin shift for stapling the sheet S of the next bin 42B can be performed.

The specific operation differs depending on the mode specified for the copying machine body 1.

In the non-sort mode, the bin unit 40
While the sheet S is held at the home position, all the sheets S discharged from the copying apparatus main body 1
Is kicked out by the sorter discharge roller 31 and loaded and stored in the first bin 42B1, which is the uppermost stage.

In the sort mode, first, the bin unit 4
0 is returned to the home position, and paper feeding is started. When the first sheet is discharged to the first bin 42B1 and the trailing edge of the sheet S is detected by the discharge sensor 32, the bin 42
B is raised, and the alignment rod 94 aligns the sheet. The raised bin 42B is the second bin 42B.
2, when the next sheet S is discharged to the second bin 42, the bin 42B is raised and the sheet S is aligned similarly to the first bin. Hereinafter, the same operation is performed. The first page sheet is sequentially fed to each bin 42B up to the bin corresponding to the predetermined number of copies starting with the first bin 42B1 of the bin unit 40. Each bin 42
The feeding of the sheet S of the second page to B is performed by lowering the bin unit 40 one bin at a time.
The processing is performed in the reverse order from the last bin to which the first page sheet S is sent toward the first bin. In this way, the upward movement and the downward movement of the bin unit 40 are repeatedly executed,
Sheets S each having a predetermined number of one copy are dispensed and stacked in each of the bins of the first bin 42B1 or less corresponding to the predetermined number of copies.

The staple sorter 20 can staple the sheets S stacked and sorted in the sort mode. If stapling is possible according to a request from the copying apparatus 1 and input of the manual stapling key 124 (FIG. 8), stapling of the sheet S is performed for all bins sorted.

At the start of the stapling of the sheet S, the alignment bar 94 is reciprocated two times, the stapler unit 80 is swung while the alignment bar 94 is pressed against the sheet S, stapled, and the stapler unit 80 is returned to the home position. It is done by that. Next, the bin 42B is shifted, and the staple operation described above is performed again, so that the plurality of bins 42B are moved.
Stapling can be performed on the sheet S on B.

FIG. 8 shows a control device 100 of the sheet processing apparatus.
1 shows a block diagram according to FIG.

On the input side of the CPU 100, a sorter discharge sensor 32 for detecting the presence or absence of a sheet at the discharge port of the staple sorter 20, a parallel portion (flat portion) 33 of the lead cam 33.
b, a lead cam sensor 111 for detecting the inclined portion 33a,
Bin H for detecting the home position of bin unit 40
P sensor 112, stapler swing HP sensor 113 for detecting the home position of the swing operation of stapler unit 80, alignment bar HP sensor 114 for detecting the home position of alignment bar 94, and penetration for detecting the presence or absence of a sheet in bin 42B. A sensor 115, a joint sensor 116 for detecting whether or not the copying machine main body 1 is connected to the staple sorter 20, a staple door sensor 117 for detecting the open / closed state of a staple door that is opened when the stapler unit 80 is replaced with a staple, and a stapler unit. Stapler HP sensor 11 for detecting the end of clinch 80
8. A stapler stapleless sensor 119 for detecting the presence or absence of a staple in the staple cartridge of the stapler unit 80, a staple cartridge sensor 120 for detecting whether or not a staple cartridge is set in the stapler unit 80, and a staple of the stapler unit 80. Self-prime sensor 121 for detecting whether or not the head is caught, staple foreign matter sensor 122 for detecting the presence or absence of foreign matter in the stapling portion of stapler unit 80, shift clock sensor 123 provided on the shaft of shift motor 61, manual stapling A manual staple key 124 for starting manual staples is electrically connected.

On the output side of the CPU 100, via a driver D1 to D7, a transport motor 52 for driving the sorter discharge roller 31 for transporting the sheet, a shift motor 61 for driving the bin unit 40 to move up and down, a stapler unit, respectively. Staple rocking motor 53 for driving the rocking operation of 80, staple motor 54 for driving the clinching operation of stapler unit 80, alignment motor 55 for driving the aligning operation for aligning the sheets, stapler unit 80
Manual staple LED 56 for indicating permission of
Needleless LE indicating staplerlessness of stapler unit 80
D57 is electrically connected.

In FIG. 8, the CPU 100 includes:
R storing control means and the like executed by the CPU 100
An OM 101, a RAM 102 for storing communication data, operation data, control data, and the like, an EEPROM 103 for storing adjustment data and the like adjusted in a portion where individual differences occur, and a communication IC 104 used for communication with the copying apparatus main body 1 are respectively connected. Have been.

Next, the initial setting will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

When the power is turned on to the staple sorter 20 (S1001), the I / O port and the memory (SRAM)
The initialization of (102) is performed (S1002). Subsequently, it is determined whether communication with the copying apparatus main body 1 has been established (S1).
003). When communication with the copying apparatus main body 1 is established, the initial data of the staple sorter 20 is transmitted (S1).
004), and shifts to the standby state in which the operation is possible (S1005).

FIG. 11 is a flowchart of the copy operation.

When a copy start signal is transmitted from the copying apparatus main body 1 (S1101), the hevin unit 40 is moved to a predetermined position (S1102). Bin unit 40
Is completed, the data latch timing and the paper ejection signal from the copying machine main body 1 are monitored (S1103, S1103).
1105). When the data latch timing is detected, the communication data from the copying machine main body 1 is latched (S110).
4). When a paper ejection signal is received from the copying machine main body 1, a paper sequence (control for one sheet) is started (S1).
106).

When the bin unit 40 has been moved, the end of copying is detected while monitoring the data latch timing and the paper discharge signal from the copying machine main body 1 (S110).
7) It is checked whether a staple request has been transmitted from the copying apparatus main body 1 (S1108). If there is a request, a staple operation is performed (S1109), and a series of copy operations is completed (S1110).

The above paper sequence will be described with reference to the flowcharts of FIGS.

When the paper sequence is started (S120)
1), the conveying motor 52 is started (S1202), and the height distance between the sheet stacking surface of the bin 42B and the sorter discharge roller 31 is determined based on the sheet size of the sheet S to be stacked next and the number of sheets stacked in the bin. The optimum value of L is calculated (S120
3) Wait until the sorter discharge sensor 32 is turned on (S)
1204).

When the ON of the sorter discharge sensor 32 is detected, the measurement of the passage time of the sheet S is started (S120).
5) The shift motor 61 is rotated, and the shift clock sensor 123 starts shifting so that the bin 42B is at the position calculated in (S1203) (S120).
6).

When the sorter discharge sensor 32 is detected to be off (S1207), the movement of the bin 42B where the sheets S are stacked is started (S1208), and the sheet passing time is determined (S1209). Set an arbitrary timer value for the matching operation based on the time (S
1210). If the time up is detected (S130
2) Operate the matching rod 94 (S1304) and set an arbitrary timer value for terminating the matching operation (S130).
4) Wait for time up (S1305). When the time-up is detected, the alignment rod 94 is moved to the retreat position (S1).
306) The paper sequence ends (S1307).

The bin is moved to the sheet stacking position (S1203)
The movement to the L position calculated in step (1) will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

The bin shift speed is set (S1402).
The bin shift is activated (S1403). Vincol 43C
When it is detected that the lead cam 33 has passed through the parallel portion 33b (S1404), the input clock from the shift clock sensor 123 is counted, and the height distance L between the sheet loading surface 42a of the bin 42B and the sorter discharge roller 31 is counted. Stop the bin shift when the number of clocks corresponding to
405) The shift ends (S1406).

[0058]

As described above, according to the present invention,
When the conveyed sheet is discharged to the plurality of bins by the sheet discharging unit and sorted, the height distance of the bin loading surface with respect to the sheet discharging unit is changed according to the loading information loaded on the bin. Optimum sheet stacking can be performed according to various stacking information, for example, sheet stacking number and size information, and sheet alignment can be improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional front view of a sheet processing apparatus according to the present invention and an image forming apparatus main body to which the sheet processing apparatus is connected.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a bin shift drive unit of the sheet processing apparatus.

FIG. 3 is a front view of a transport driving unit (discharge roller driving unit) of the sheet processing apparatus.

FIG. 4 is a development view of a lead cam of the sheet processing apparatus.

FIG. 5A is a perspective view of a driving unit of the alignment rod,
(B) The figure is a plan view.

6A is a front view of the stapler unit, and FIGS. 6B to 6D are operation diagrams of the stapler unit.

FIG. 7 is a front view of a swing drive unit of the stapler unit.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram related to a control device of the sheet processing apparatus.

FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a positional relationship between bins during sheet stacking of the sheet processing apparatus and sorter discharge rollers.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating an initial setting of the sheet processing apparatus.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart illustrating a copy operation control of the sheet processing apparatus.

FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing a part of a paper sequence of the sheet processing apparatus.

FIG. 13 is a flowchart showing another part of the sheet sequence of the sheet processing apparatus.

FIG. 14 is a flowchart related to bin position adjustment control of the sheet processing apparatus.

[Explanation of symbols]

S Sheet 1 Copying apparatus main body (image forming apparatus main body) 5 Photosensitive drum (image forming means) 13 Main body discharging means 20 Sheet processing device 31 Sorter discharge roller (sheet discharging means) 33 Lead cam 33a Inclined portion of spiral cam 33b Parallel part (flat part) 40 Bin unit 42B Plural bins 42a Sheet loading surface (bin loading surface) 61 Shift motor (bin moving means) 100A Controller (control means) 123 Shift clock sensor (lead cam rotation angle detecting means) 125 bin Position detection means

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A sheet discharging means for discharging a sheet to be conveyed, a plurality of bins arranged at intervals to accommodate sheets, and the bins are moved in a direction in which the bins are arranged. Bin moving means; and a bin selected by the bin moving means at a position corresponding to the sheet discharging means, and sheets are discharged from the sheet discharging means to the bin, whereby sheets are sorted and loaded into each bin. Sorting means; and control means for controlling the bin moving means to control the position of the bin stacking surface with respect to the sheet discharging means by driving the bin moving means based on the stacking information of the sheets discharged to the bin. Characteristic sheet processing device. 2. The bin moving means is a lead cam for moving the bins in the arrangement direction, and comprises a lead cam rotation angle detecting means for detecting a rotation angle of the lead cam; and the control means is for detecting the lead cam rotation angle. Controlling the driving of the bin moving means based on information from the bin position detecting means for calculating the bin position from the rotation angle of the lead cam detected by the means, and loading information discharged to the bin, 2. The sheet processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the bin loading surface of the bin is changed. 3. The sheet processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the stacking information is the number of sheets stacked on the bin. 4. The loading information according to claim 1, wherein the loading information is a sheet size loaded on the bin.
The sheet processing apparatus according to claim 1. 5. The sheet processing apparatus according to claim 1, an image forming unit for forming an image on a conveyed sheet, and a sheet on which an image is formed by the image forming unit is sent to the sheet processing apparatus. An image forming apparatus, comprising: a main body discharging unit that discharges the image.