JP2000289921A - Sheet postprocessor - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To stabilize the trailing edge alignment of recording paper and suppress dispersion in stapling quality by aligning the trailing edge appreciably while the recording paper is stapled at a slant angle. SOLUTION: The sheet postprocessor registers a bundle of outputted recording paper of every job, and staples it in a parallel or slant angle mode with a stapler S. The sheet postprocessor includes reference fences 301 and 302 disposed discretely on the opposite sides of the stapler S so as to abut the trailing edge of the outputted recording paper and move along the trailing edge integrally moved with the stapler S.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a sheet post-processing apparatus for an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a printer, a printing machine, a facsimile machine, etc., and more particularly, to aligning a recording paper bundle recorded by the image forming apparatus. And a sheet post-processing apparatus having a binding (stapling) function.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a so-called finisher having a sorting function and a binding (staple) function has been known as a post-processing device of a medium or high-speed copying machine or printer. That is, a stapler is provided that aligns the ends of the bundle of sheets by a mechanism that abuts a jogger or a fence in a conveying direction and a direction orthogonal to the conveying direction of the recording sheet bundle, and staples an arbitrary position thereof.

When stapling with the above stapler, it is necessary to align the rear ends of the bundle of recording sheets, and the rear end fences are respectively arranged with respect to the center lines of the recording sheets parallel to the discharge direction. FIG. 25 shows the configuration of the reference fence at the rear end of the recording paper in the conventional staple portion. As shown in the figure, reference fences 11 and 12 for aligning the rear end of the recording paper bundle are provided on both sides of the rear end, respectively, and a stapler S is disposed in a concave portion (a cutout portion) of the reference fences 11 and 12. In addition, the reference fence 2 has a minimum necessary concave portion for tilting for the stapler S to perform diagonal binding.

That is, the reference fences respectively arranged with respect to the center line of the sheet parallel to the recording paper discharging direction are reference surfaces for binding the recording paper. The reference fence has a U-shaped notch for the stapler to perform a parallel / diagonal binding operation, and the stapler S is disposed at the cutout.

[0005]

In a conventional sheet post-processing apparatus rear end reference fence as described above, a stapler is disposed in a notch, and the stapler tilts in the notch. In order to achieve this, it is necessary to increase the size of the notch as in the rear end reference fence 12 in FIG. For this reason, as shown in FIG. 25, the right rear end (corner) of the recording paper does not contact the rear end reference fence.
The trailing edge cannot be satisfactorily adjusted, for example, when the recording paper enters into this portion and is stacked diagonally. This is because the notch becomes larger as the stapler becomes larger as the number of stapled sheets increases. As described above, in the rear end reference fence of the sheet post-processing apparatus capable of parallel binding and diagonal binding, the corners of the recording paper enter the cutout portions and are stacked diagonally, so that stable rear end alignment cannot be performed. As a result, there has been a problem that the binding bookbinding quality varies greatly.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above, and realizes stable rear end alignment by performing good rear end alignment of recording paper when performing oblique stapling, thereby achieving a variation in binding quality. It is intended to reduce

[0007]

In order to achieve the above object, in a sheet post-processing apparatus according to the present invention, a recording paper bundle for each discharged job is aligned, and the recording paper bundle is adjusted. In a sheet post-processing device that performs parallel or diagonal stapling by a stapler, the sheet stapler is divided and disposed on both sides of the stapler, abuts a trailing end of the discharged recording paper, and is formed along the trailing end integrally with the stapler. It is equipped with a rear fence that moves.

That is, according to the first aspect, when the recording paper bundle is stapled at a predetermined angle by the stapler, one rear end guide is conventionally prepared for the stapler and the rear end guide is provided. The guide had to be provided with a notch (space) in consideration of the inclination of the stapler, whereas in the present invention, the rear end fence of the paper side end of the both sides of the stapler was adjusted to the inclination of the stapler. In this case, it is configured to slide in accordance with the inclination of the stapler, and the cutout (space) is minimized in accordance with the inclination of the stapler.

Further, in the sheet post-processing apparatus according to the second aspect, the rear end fence is disposed on each of the left and right sides with respect to the center line of the recording paper parallel to the recording paper discharging direction. .

In other words, according to the second aspect, the rear end fence of the first aspect is disposed on each of the left and right sides with respect to the center line of the recording paper parallel to the recording paper discharging direction, so that both corners of the recording paper are formed. Diagonal binding on both sides with reduced penetration into the notch is realized.

Further, in the sheet post-processing apparatus according to the third aspect, the rear end fence is disposed at one of the center lines of the recording paper parallel to the recording paper discharging direction. is there.

That is, according to the third aspect, the rear end fence of the first aspect is disposed at one of the center lines of the recording paper parallel to the recording paper discharging direction, so that both corners of the recording paper are provided. Parallel and diagonal binding on one side with reduced penetration into the notch is realized.

Further, in the sheet post-processing apparatus according to the fourth aspect, the rear end fence is engaged with the stapler, and when the stapler is tilted, the rear end fence has a minimum length corresponding to the tilt amount of the stapler. An opening is formed, and the stapler is moved to a recording paper binding position in conjunction with the movement of the stapler.

That is, according to the fourth aspect, the rear end fence is engaged with the stapler, and when the stapler is tilted, the stapler is slid according to the inclination of the stapler to form a minimum opening, and Since the recording paper is moved to the recording paper binding position in conjunction with the movement, the paper trailing edge can always be aligned with a minimum notch.

[0015]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Embodiments of the sheet post-processing apparatus of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

A finisher (sheet post-processing apparatus) 100 shown in FIG. 1 is provided on the recording paper discharge side of an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine or a printer, and has an upper shift sorter I and a lower sorter I. And a staple unit II. Hereinafter, (1) the configuration of the shift sorting unit I,
(2) Normal copying operation, (3) Staple unit II
Stapler, jogger fence and reference fence mechanism, (4) staple section II release belt mechanism,
(5) the discharge tray mechanism of the staple unit II, (6) the operation of the binding process, (7) the vertical operation of the discharge tray, (8) the jogger fence operation, (9) other operations in the staple unit II, (10) The operation of the discharge belt in the staple unit II, the operation of the shift tray system in the staple unit II, the operation of the staple tray system in the staple unit II, and the control system of the finisher will be described in this order.

(1) Configuration of Shift Sorting Unit I In the transport path of the shift sorting unit I, as shown in FIG. 1, a plurality of transport rollers and driven rollers that follow the rollers are arranged. The rotation axis of the first conveyance roller 101 is connected to the conveyance drive motor M1 via the first timing belt 102.
Are connected to a rotating shaft of the motor, thereby obtaining a driving force. The rotation axis of the first conveyance roller 101 is also connected to the rotation axis of another conveyance roller and the rotation axis of the discharge roller 103 by the second timing belt (not shown), and further to the rotation axis of the paper-feed fur brush 104. And are configured to drive them.

Further, an entrance sensor SN1 is provided immediately before the uppermost transport roller 101.
A discharge sensor S is provided immediately before the discharge roller 103.
N2 is provided so that the leading and trailing ends of the conveyed recording paper are detected. Downstream of the first transport roller 101, a switching claw 105 is provided, and the transport direction is changed by a driving solenoid 251 (see FIG. 9) and a spring (not shown) to the staple section II.
Alternatively, it can be changed in any direction of the discharge tray 220 or 106 of the shift sorting section I.

As shown in FIG. 2, FIG. 3, and FIG. 4, near the discharge port, a paper-feed fur brush 104 is disposed immediately below the discharge roller 103, and a discharge tray 106 is provided. The falling recording paper is moved in the direction of the butting plate 107 by its rotation, and
7, so that the trailing edge of the recording paper is aligned.

The abutting plate 107 and the discharge tray 106 are formed with irregularities as shown in FIG.
It is configured to engage with each other. Thus, the discharge tray 106 can be freely moved in the up-down direction with respect to the abutting plate 107, and is configured to move in conjunction with the abutting plate 107 in the front-rear direction.

4 and 5, the abutment plate 107 is located on the main body side different from the discharge tray 106 in FIG.
09 and is supported by a shaft-like shift guide 110 so as to be freely movable in the front-rear direction. The butting plate 107 is eccentrically connected to the crank 112 via the arm rod 111. The rotation axis of the crank 112 is arranged parallel to the central axis of the image forming apparatus. A gear train 115 is arranged on a detachable bracket 114 that projects vertically from the side plate 113, and the crank 112 is connected to the shift motor M2 via the gear train 115. This shift motor M2
Is driven, the crank 112 is driven, and the abutting plate 107 reciprocates in the front-rear direction by the eccentric rotation action. Therefore, butting plate 1
The discharge tray that is regulated in the front-rear direction with respect to 07 also reciprocates in the front-rear direction.

The abutment plate 107 has the crank 1
The two shift detection plates 116 are provided at intervals substantially equal to the amount of movement by the projection 12, and the shift detection plates 116 are detected by a shift detection sensor 117 facing the abutment plate 107. It is detected that the contact operation and the tray shift operation have moved by one step.

Further, as shown in FIG. 6, a holding roller 108 is supported via a bracket 118 fixed to the abutment plate 107 so as to be vertically movable and rotatable. The upper surface of the stacked recording paper is pressed by its own weight. The recording paper falls under the holding roller 108 due to gravity and the conveying force of the paper shift fur brush 104, and is abutted against the abutting plate 107. When the discharge tray 106 is shifted by the pressing force of the pressing roller 108, the recording paper is prevented from shifting.

A paper surface detecting sensor SN3 is arranged on the main body side to face the pressing roller 108. When the position of the pressing roller 108 rises due to the accumulation of the recording paper, the paper surface detecting sensor SN3 is pressed by the pressing roller supporting bracket. 119 is detected, thereby detecting that the paper surface or the upper surface of the discharge tray has reached a predetermined height.

FIGS. 7 and 8 show a mechanism for moving the discharge tray 106 up and down.
20. The tray support table 120 is supported by a tray vertical movement table 118 via a bearing 120a so as to be movable back and forth. Therefore, as described above, the shift operation by the butting plate 107 is performed by the tray
8 can be performed.

As shown in FIG.
13 is fixed to the third timing belt 121. The third timing belt 121 includes front and rear side plates 11.
3 are provided one by one, and are respectively extended over a vertical drive pulley 122 and a driven pulley 123. The up-down drive pulley 122 is fixed to an up-down drive shaft 124 that passes through between both side plates, and the up-down drive shaft 124 is provided with a gear 125 having a one-way clutch. The one-way clutch incorporated in the gear 125 is configured to transmit a force in a direction to lift the discharge tray 106 to the vertical drive shaft 124. The gear 125 is a gear train, the worm wheel 12.
6, vertical drive motor M via worm 127, etc.
3 is connected. A bearing 128 is attached to the side surface of the vertical support base 118, and the side plate 1
The guide and discharge tray 106 that moves up and down by contacting the upper and lower guide rails 129 fixed to
Of the discharge tray 106 due to the rotational moment due to the weight of the discharge tray 106 is prevented.

With the configuration described above, the lowering of the discharge tray 106 is normally stopped by locking the worm 127 and the one-way clutch.
When the vertical drive motor M3 is rotated in the upward direction of the discharge tray 106, the one-way clutch is locked, and the pulleys 122 and 123 rotate, whereby the discharge tray 106 is raised. When the vertical drive motor M3 is rotated in the lowering direction of the discharge tray 106, the one-way clutch is in a free state, whereby the discharge tray 106 is lowered by its own weight.

Further, as shown in FIG. 9, an upper limit sensor SN4 and a lower limit sensor SN5 are disposed inside the timing belt so as to face the discharge tray 106. The upper and lower limits of the discharge tray 106 are detected. Here, the upper limit sensor SN4 is connected to the discharge tray 1
When there is no paper on the sheet 06, the tray height obtained by the paper surface detection sensor SN3 is detected.
When the discharge tray 106 is lowered, the one-way clutch is in a free state, so that the vertical drive motor M3
Even when the discharge tray 106 is stopped by an external force when it is lowered without transmitting the driving force to the discharge tray 106, troubles such as overload of the motor and pinching of fingers due to idling of the vertical drive motor M3 may occur. Is to be prevented.

(2) Operation During Normal Copying Process When the copying process operation is started, the shift motor M2 is driven, and the crank 112 is rotated. 1
07 moves in the front-back direction. With this, butting plate 1
The discharge tray 106, which engages with the irregularities of No. 07 and is supported so as to be able to move up and down and back and forth, is moved in the front and rear direction to start the shift operation. Thereafter, the other shift detection plate 1 that is different from the one shift detection plate 116 that was detected by the shift detection sensor 117 before the start of the shift operation.
16 is detected, the shift motor M
2 is stopped and the shift operation ends.

After the shift operation is completed, the vertical drive motor M3 is driven in the tray rising direction to
When the vertical movement starts, a part of the support bracket 119 of the holding roller 108 starts to move up and down, and the paper surface detection sensor SN3
Or when the upper limit sensor SN4 detects the upper / lower detection plate 130, the vertical drive motor M3 is stopped by the signal, and the ascending of the discharge tray 106 ends. When the paper surface detection sensor SN3 detects the support bracket 118, the vertical drive motor M3 is driven in the tray lowering direction, and when the paper surface sensor SN3 stops detecting the support bracket 118, the vertical drive motor M3 is stopped. You.

The recording paper discharged from the main body of the image forming apparatus is transported at the same linear speed as the discharging speed from the main body.
1 receives. When the recording paper is conveyed and the entrance sensor SN1 detects the rear end of the recording paper, the linear velocity is increased to a value greater than the recording paper ejection speed, and the rear end of the recording paper is moved to the entrance sensor. A predetermined time after the detection by the SN 1, the linear velocity is returned to the main body discharge velocity of the recording paper, and then the recording paper is discharged to the discharge tray 106. The recording paper discharged to the discharge tray 106 is pressed by a pressing roller 108 by gravity and a conveying force due to the rotation of the paper-feed fur brush 104.
, And the rear end is aligned by being abutted against the abutting plate 107.

At this time, when a prescribed number of copies have been discharged, the shift motor M2 is driven by the signal, and
The shift operation is started. When the one-step shift is completed,
Shift motor M2 stops. By this operation, the stacking position of the recording paper on the discharge tray 106 is changed,
The recording paper is sorted. Thereafter, when a series of copying operations is completed and the final sheet is discharged, the vertical drive motor M3 is driven in a downward direction by the signal, and the operation is terminated after the discharge tray 106 is lowered by a specified amount.

When a certain amount of recording paper is accumulated and the paper surface approaches the paper discharge port and a part of the holding roller support bracket 118 is detected by the paper surface detection sensor SN3, the vertical movement drive motor M3 is moved in the tray lowering direction by the signal. And the holding force of the worm 127 and the lock of the one-way clutch are released. When the discharge tray 106 is lowered, the paper surface is lowered, and when a part of the holding roller support bracket 118 is not detected by the paper surface detection sensor SN3, the vertical drive motor M3 is stopped by the signal, and the holding force of the worm 127 and The discharge tray 106 is stopped by the lock of the one-way clutch. The discharge tray 106 descends, and the vertical detection plate 13
The vertical drive motor M3 is stopped by a signal when 0 is detected by the lower limit sensor SN5, and the lowering of the discharge tray 106 is prevented.

(3) Stapler, jogger fence and reference fence mechanism of staple unit II Next, the configuration of the staple unit II is shown in FIGS.
This will be described with reference to FIG. First, the stapler S is fixed to the stapler base 201. Stapler stand 20
1 is a guide hole 202 of the stapler slider 202
20A is movably engaged in one direction via a guide pin 203 as shown in FIG. Further, a shaft 204 is fixed to the rear side of the stapler base 201,
, A guide roller 205 is rotatably mounted. The upper portion of the stapler slider 202 is attached slidably in the direction perpendicular to the paper of FIG. 20 using a guide rod 208 bridged between the side plates 206 and 207 as a guide, and attached to a lower portion of the stapler slider 202. Guide roller 2
09 is abutted so as to roll on the surface of the stay 210 on the main body side.
02 is locked in the rotation direction.

The stay 210 includes a guide cam 21.
1 is fixed, and a guide roller 205 is provided on a cam surface formed on an upper end side of the guide cam 211.
Are contacted so as to roll, whereby the stapler slider 202 reciprocates in the k direction in FIG. At this time, the central portion of the guide cam 211 is formed so as to be depressed downward, and the stapler slider 202 moves along this.

At the upper end of the stapler slider 202, a detection plate 202b is provided.
The home position (HP) of the stapler S is detected by blocking the detection unit of the home position sensor 212 provided on the main body side with 2b. A stapler moving stepping motor M20 is attached to the side plate 206, and the stapler slider 202 is fixed to the stepping motor M20 and reciprocates in the left-right direction in FIG.

A jogger fence rod 214 is stretched between both side plates 206 and 207, and a left jogger fence 218 and a right jogger fence 217 are provided on the jogger fence rod 214 for the left slider 216 and the right slider 215, respectively. Fixed. The left jogger fence 218 and the right jogger fence 217 have a function of aligning the paper bundle in the stapling operation, and extend from the vicinity of the discharge roller 219 to the vicinity of the paper discharge tray, so that the paper bundle after the binding processing is performed. And has a function as a guide member when discharging.

A left slider 216 and a right slider 215 are fixed to an intermediate portion of the belt 221 driven by the jogger fence driving motor M21. The left slider 216 and the right slider 215 are fixed to different sides of the belt 221, respectively, so that the left jogger fence 218 and the right jogger fence 217 are reciprocated symmetrically in the horizontal direction in FIG. I have. Left jogger fence 21
8 and the right jogger fence 217, a guide roller 222 is attached to the upper rear side.
2 is in rolling contact with a guide stay 223 that extends over the upper portions of both side plates 206 and 207.

The left slider 216 has a detection plate 216a.
The home position (HP) of the left jogger fence 218 and the right jogger fence 217 is detected by the detection plate 216a shielding the detection part of the home position sensor 224 provided on the main body side. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 23, curl pressing plates 225 are provided at the lower end portions of the left jogger fence 218 and the right jogger fence 217, so that buckling during stacking on the staple tray is suppressed. ing. The curl holding plate 225 is formed of an elastic member such as a polyester film, for example.

Below the left jogger fence 218 and the right jogger fence 217, there are provided left reference fences 301 and 302 and a right reference fence 303 which move independently of the left jogger fence 218 and the right jogger fence 217. The lower edge of the sheet bundle is held by the rear end abutting portions 301a, 302a, and 303a formed in a hook shape at the lower ends of the reference fences 301 to 303. Each of these reference fences 302 and 303 is provided with a reference fence driving motor M.
The reference fences 302 and 303 are configured to reciprocate symmetrically in the left-right direction in FIG. 10. . The reference fence 30 for one-side (left) operation in FIG.
FIG. 13 shows the main parts 1 to 302. The reference fence 301 is connected to the reference fence 302 via a spring 305, and is configured to slide in accordance with the movement of the reference fence 302 and also to be slid by the tilt of the stapler S (see FIG. 15).

FIG. 15 shows a detailed configuration of the left reference fences 301 and 302. Left reference fence 301, 30
2 is divided as shown in FIG. 15, and the reference fence 302 is biased toward the center by a spring 289,
Further, the reference fence 302 and the reference fence 301 are connected by a spring 305 so as to interlock with the movement of the reference fence 302. Further, the stapler base 201 on which the stapler S is mounted is provided with a protruding portion 302b, which is provided on a hook 30 provided on the reference fence 302.
2a, and the stapler base 201 moves in conjunction with the movement of the reference fence 302. That is, the left reference fences 301 and 302 and the stapler S
Are configured to work together.

As shown in the figure, the engaging pin 301b of the reference fence 301 is brought into contact with the cam 306 attached to the stapler S by the biasing force of the spring 305, and the rotation of the cam 306 (the stapler S by diagonal binding).
(Rotation) to move in the left-right direction. In FIG. 15, the reference fence has a separate part where the springs 289 and 305 are hooked, but may have an integral shape as shown in FIG.

Next, an oblique rotation mechanism in the oblique stapling of the stapler S will be described. 16 is a front view showing an example of an oblique rotation mechanism of the stapler S, FIG. 17 is a plan view showing a state parallel to the rear end of the recording paper in FIG. 16, and FIG. 18 is a state inclined with respect to the rear end of the recording paper in FIG. FIG.

The stapler S is a stapler turntable 31.
It is fixed to 0. Pins 310a are fixed at two places on the stapler center line of the stapler turntable 310. This is fitted into an elongated hole 201a and an arc-shaped portion 201b provided in the stapler base 201, and the stapler S can be tilted along the above-described shape.

The elongated hole 201a and the arc-shaped portion 20
1b is formed symmetrically with respect to the center line of the stapler 201, and the locus of the rotation of the stapler S also moves symmetrically. In addition, stapler turntable 3
At one end of the gear 10, a gear portion is formed concentrically with the arc-shaped portion 201b, and gear trains 311 and 31 meshing with the gear portion are formed.
2, the stapler S is rotated by a motor 313. Further, the gear train 311,
The motor 312 and the motor 312 are fixed to the stapler 201. Further, the rotation angle of the stapler turntable 310 can be set to any angle by the filler fixed to the stapler turntable 310 and the sensor 314.

Now, both rear end abutting portions 302a formed on the reference fences 302 and 303, respectively.
An engaging portion (concave portion) for the stapler S is provided in each intervening portion of 303a. Stapler S
Is moving to the upper position, which is the region on both ends of the apparatus, the above-mentioned engaging portions are engaged with the stapler S, and the stapler S is moving to the lower position, which is the central region of the device. At times, the stapler S is configured to be in a detached state.

The stapler S and the reference fence 30
When the stapler S is connected to the reference fence 30 when the stapler S is connected to the reference fence 30 via the respective engagement portions.
2, and the reference fences 302 and 303 move with the movement of the stapler S. Actually, one of the two reference fences 302 and 303 is connected to the stapler S via the engaging portion, and the one of the reference fences 302 and 303 in the fitted state with the stapler S moves. The reference fences 302 and 303 on the other side in the detached state move symmetrically. At this time, the reference fence 301 is set to the reference fence 3
It moves in conjunction with 02.

FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram of FIG. 10 showing a second embodiment of the staple unit. The same parts as those in FIG. 10 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and their description is omitted. In this example, the reference fences 302 and 303 are configured to be movable left and right by a guide member (not shown). The left and right reference fences 302, 3
03 exerts an urging force in the direction in which it is always returned to the transport center by the springs 288 and 289.

In FIG. 11, since the stapler S and the left reference fence 247 are engaged at the engagement portion, the stapler S has moved to the binding position for the recording sheet against the urging force of the spring 289, but has been moved to the right reference fence. 303 is not engaged with the stapler S having a moving force,
8 is returned to the transport center direction by the urging force of No. 8.

As described above, the reference fences 302 and 303 for executing the recording paper alignment in the conveyance direction are separated from the jogger fences 217 and 218, and the two reference fences return to the center of the conveyance by the springs 288 and 289. And the two reference fences 30
1, 302 and 303 are configured to move in accordance with the movement of the stapler S, so that any position on the recording paper can be bound. In addition, for example, jam processing is performed, and the reference fences 301 and 30 are used.
Even if 2, 303 is shifted, it always returns to the vicinity of the transport center.
Stapler S and reference fences 301, 302, 303
Is no longer disengageable. Furthermore, since it is only necessary to set the reference fences 301, 302, and 303 in a movable state, there is no need for a driving means (a motor, a belt, etc.) for driving the reference fence, and there is also an effect of reducing the number of components inside the apparatus.

FIG. 12 is a schematic diagram of FIG. 10 showing a third embodiment of the staple unit. The same parts as those in FIG. 10 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted. In this example, the left and right reference fences 301, 302, and 303 are configured to be movable left and right by a guide member (not shown). In this state, the left and right reference fences 302 and 303 are connected to a belt 290 stretched over a pulley 290a (independent driving means such as the motor M24 shown in FIG. 10 is not connected to the belt 290). 12) are fixed to intermediate portions 291 of different belt portions, respectively, and are configured to be symmetrically movable in the left-right direction in FIG.

In FIG. 12, since the stapler S and the left reference fence 302 are engaged at the engagement portion, the stapler S moves to the binding position for the recording paper with the movement of the stapler S. Is moved symmetrically by the belt 290 in the opposite direction by the amount of the movement with the movement of the left reference fence 302.

As described above, the reference fences 301, 302, and 303 are separated from the jogger fences 217 and 218 in order to execute the recording paper alignment in the transport direction, and the two reference fences move symmetrically via the belt 290. Since the reference fences 301, 302, and 303 are configured to move with the movement of the stapler S, an arbitrary position on the recording paper can be bound. In addition, since one reference fence returns to the vicinity of the transport center because it always moves symmetrically, the other reference fence always moves to the vicinity of the transport center and is in a standby state, so that the stapler S and the reference fence 301, 3
02, 303 cannot be engaged. Further, since the reference fences 302 and 303 need only be set in a movable state by the pulley 290a and the belt 290, a driving means (a motor or the like) for driving the reference fence becomes unnecessary, and the number of parts inside the apparatus can be reduced. is there.

In the above-described embodiment, the split configuration of the stapler S and the reference fence has been described by exemplifying the one-side operation only on the left side.
Also, divided reference fences may be similarly provided. That is, as shown in FIG. 14, the stapler S is provided on each of the left and right sides with respect to the center line of the recording paper. In this case, the reference fences 301 and 302 on the left side are realized in the same manner as described above, and the reference fences 304 and 305 slide on the right side similarly to the fence on the left side.

(4) Release Belt Mechanism of Staple Unit II Next, the release belt mechanism of the staple unit II will be described with reference to FIGS. 23 and 24. Both side plates 20
The drive shaft 226 is attached to the upper end portions of the drive shafts 6 and 207 so as to extend over the drive shaft 226, and a drive pulley 227 is fixed to a substantially central portion of the drive shaft 226. A fixed pulley 228 is provided below the drive pulley 227, and an endless discharge belt 229 is stretched between the pulleys 227 and 228.

An intermediate portion of the discharge belt 229 is hung on the idle pulley 230 and the discharge belt 22
The guide plate 250 arranged inside the guide plate 9 guides the guide plate 250 so that bending and displacement are prevented. Also,
A belt drive motor M22 is fixed to the side plate 206, and a belt 23 is provided between a pulley 231 attached to an output shaft of the belt drive motor M22 and a pulley 232 attached to one end of the drive shaft 226.
The belt driving force is transmitted over the belt 3 to transmit the belt driving force.

Further, a protruding claw 234 is provided in the middle of the surface of the discharge belt 229 so as to grip the sheet bundle from below. As shown in FIG. 1, a home position sensor 235 for detecting the position of the claw 234 is provided inside the discharge belt 229, and the home position sensor 235 detects the home position (HP) of the claw 234. .

The conveyance speed V of the discharge belt 229
₂ is set so as to be higher than the paper discharge linear velocity V _{1 of the} paper discharge roller 219 (V ₂ ≧ V ₁ ), whereby the paper bundle of the next job is discharged together with the already bound paper bundle. It is configured not to be. Further, a rear end abutting portion 250a formed in a hook shape is provided at a lower end portion of the guide plate 250, and a lower edge portion of the sheet bundle is held by the rear end abutting portion 250a. It has become.

As described above, each function of the stapler S is configured to form one unit, and is supported by the guide rails 236 and 237 (see FIG. 1) so that it can be pulled out to the near side. I have.

(5) Discharge tray mechanism of the staple unit II The discharge tray mechanism includes a discharge tray 22 as shown in FIG.
0 is fixed on the tray base 238. A guide roller 239 is rotatably attached to the tray base 238, and the guide roller 239 is engaged with a guide rail (not shown) so that the paper discharge tray 220 moves up and down together with the tray base 238. Has become.
The tray table 238 is urged upward by a lift spring 240.

A driving force is transmitted to the transport rollers 241, 242, and 243 from the transport motor M23 by a belt (not shown). Further, fur brushes 245a and 245a are attached to the rotation shaft 244 of the discharge roller 219.
b, and these fur brushes 245
a and 245b are rotationally driven in synchronization with the discharge roller 219. The bristle tips of the fur brushes 245a and 245b are in contact with the guide plate 250. Guide plate 25
In FIG. 0, a protruding rib 250b is formed so as to protrude to the back side. The recording paper is bent to the back side by the protruding rib 250b and the pressing force by the bristle tips of the fur brushes 245a and 245b. It is configured so as to be deformed in a wavy shape and thereby to have a constant waist so as not to buckle.

Further, as shown in FIG. 23, the amount of projection (length of the guide plate) L of the upper paper discharge guide plate 248 from the rotation center of the paper discharge roller 219 is the amount l _{1 of the} paper to be sent. In this case, the upper guide plate 248 and the fur brush 245a are prevented from falling under the fur brushes 245a and 245b.
Fur brushes 245a and 245b
The rear end of the recording paper is scraped down by the bristle tips of 5b.

(6) Operation of Binding Process Next, the binding process of the recording paper will be described. First, a stapling operation is selected by a stapling key, and a document (N sheets) is set on a document feeder table (RDH, not shown).
Further, when the copy start button is pressed after the number of copies (K portion) has been input using the numeric keypad, a copy size signal is input from the image forming apparatus main body to the finisher (sheet post-processing apparatus), and the finisher 100 outputs the recording paper. It is determined whether the size is a size that can be carried into the staple unit II. In the case of a size that can be carried into the staple unit II, the claw 2 of the release belt 229 is used.
It is determined whether 34 is at the home position (HP). When not at the home position, the claw 234 of the discharge belt 229 is returned to the home position by the belt drive motor M22.

It is detected whether or not the stapler S is at the home position. If the stapler S is at the home position, the stapler S moves based on the copy size signal. The stapler S moves based on the size signal.

Also, it is detected whether or not the jogger fences 217, 218 are at the home position (HP). If the home position is detected, the jogger fences 217, 218 are moved to a predetermined location based on the size signal.
Moves, and if the home position is not detected, the jogger fences 217 and 218 are configured to move until the home position is detected, detect the home position, and then move to a predetermined location by the size signal. I have. The moving position at this time moves to a position a (mm) on one side and 2a (mm) on both sides of the size width.

Thereafter, the leading end of the recording paper is detected by the entrance sensor S.
When detected by N1, the switching guide member 105 is switched to the staple tray by the switching solenoid 251 to guide the recording paper. When the trailing end of the recording paper passes through the entrance sensor SN1, high-speed feeding is performed. After a lapse of a predetermined time after passing through the entrance sensor SN1, that is, after passing through the switching guide member 105,
The switching solenoid 251 is turned off. After that, the recording paper is discharged to the staple tray by the discharge roller 219, and when the discharging process is being performed, the electric charge charged on the recording paper is removed by the discharging brush 249 fixed to the discharge portion upper guide plate 248. It is supposed to be.

The paper discharge roller 219 is provided with a brim so that the recording paper is bent in a wave shape so that the recording paper can be bent. When the trailing edge of the recording paper passes through the discharge roller 219, the coaxial fur brush 245a,
The rear end of the recording paper is pushed down by 245b, and is brought close to each of the rear end abutting portions 250a, 301a, 302a, and 303a. After a predetermined time has passed after passing through the lower sheet discharge sensor SN11, the normal / reverse rotation of the jogger fences 217 and 218 that have been waiting until then by the driving motor M21 is repeated once or twice. As a result, the recording paper is aligned in the width direction, and after such paper alignment processing is performed, the recording paper is returned to the standby position. This paper alignment operation is repeated for each recording sheet, and is performed until an end signal of one job is issued from the image forming apparatus.

Next, when an end signal of one job is input from the image forming apparatus, the above-described operation is performed again, and the recording paper bundle is pressed in the width direction by the jogger fences 217 and 218. Then, the drive motor 252 in the stapler S starts driving, and the recording paper bundle is bound. In this binding operation, it is determined whether or not one-shot operation is performed. In the case of one-shot operation, the jogger fences 217 and 218 move to positions slightly away from the recording sheet bundle after the end of the binding operation. In the case of two or more hits, the stapler is moved to a predetermined position by the stapler moving motor M20 and the binding operation is performed again. After the binding operation is performed, the jogger fences 217 and 218 are at positions where they have slightly escaped from the recording paper bundle. Is returned to. Note that the binding operation of two or more hits is frequently used in the case of parallel binding.

At this time, the reference fences 301, 302,
The operation of 303 will be described. First, the protrusion 201a of the stapler base 201 on which the stapler S is mounted is fitted to the hook 302b of the reference fence 302 at the left end in FIG. Move to the right. That is, the reference fence 302 slides to the right due to the movement of the belt 290, and the reference fence 301 also moves in conjunction therewith. Thereafter, with the movement of the stapler S, the reference fence 247 is moved toward the center and moves to the position shown in FIG. At this time, the other reference fence 303 is also moved symmetrically (in FIG. 11, the reference fence 303 is always moved to the position of FIG. 10B by the urging force of the spring 288), and FIG. ).

When the stapler S further moves rightward in FIG. 10 from the position shown in FIG. 10A, the stapler S moves downward, and
1, 302. Therefore, the reference fence 3
02 and 303 will stop at the positions shown in FIGS. 10A and 10C, respectively. The stapler S passes through the central position shown in FIG.
(C), the stapler S is fitted to the engaging portion of the reference fence 303 waiting at that position, whereby the stapler S and the reference fence 303 are integrated. 10 Moved to the right end side. At this time, the other reference fences 301 and 302 are also moved symmetrically, and are moved to the original left end position.

In the second embodiment shown in FIG. 11, the reference fence 302 at the left end of FIG. 11 is fitted to the stapler S by the hook 302b and the projection 201a. Figure 1
1 Move to the right. Thereafter, the stapler S is moved toward the center of the reference fence 302 with the movement of the stapler S, as shown in FIG.
(A). At this time, the other reference fence 303 has already been brought to the position shown in FIG. 11C by the urging force of the spring 288.

When the stapler S further moves rightward in FIG. 11 from the position shown in FIG. 11A, the stapler S moves downward and separates from the reference fence 302. When the stapler S moves to the upper position shown in FIG. 11C through the central position shown in FIG. 11B, the reference fence 3 waiting at that position
The stapler S is fitted into the engagement portion 03, whereby the stapler S and the reference fence 303 are integrally moved to the right end side in FIG. 11 against the urging force of the spring 288. However, the other reference fences 301 and 302
Are in the state shown in FIG. 11A by the urging force of the spring 289 without moving symmetrically.

By the operation of the stapler S and the reference fences 302 and 303, the binding operation can be executed at any position except the range where the stapler S is at the lower position. At this time, the discharge belt 229
20 is rotated in the direction l in FIG. 20, and while the trailing end of the recording paper bundle is pushed up by the pawl 234, the recording paper bundle is discharged to the discharge tray 220 in the same direction as the discharge direction to the staple tray.

It is determined whether or not the last set number of copies (K copies) has been completed.
7, 218 and the stapler S are moved to the home position, and when not finished, the above-described operation is executed again.

(7) Up / Down Operation of Discharge Tray In such an apparatus, the up / down operation of the discharge tray 106 is performed when the power is turned on or when a mode is selected. The CPU checks the output state of SN3,
It is determined where the discharge tray 106 is currently located. Upper limit sensor SN4 and paper surface detection sensor SN
If 3 is set to the on state, the vertical drive motor M3 is turned on, and the discharge tray 106 is lowered to the point where the paper surface detection sensor SN3 is turned off. If only the upper limit sensor SN4 is turned on, nothing is executed. When the upper limit sensor SN4, the lower limit sensor SN5, and the paper surface detection sensor SN3 are all turned off, the vertical drive motor M3 is turned on, and the discharge tray 106 is raised to a point where the upper limit sensor SN4 is turned on. When SN3 is turned on,
It is lowered until the paper surface detection sensor SN3 is turned off.
When only the paper surface detection sensor SN3 is turned on, the vertical drive motor M3 is turned on, and the discharge tray 106 is lowered until the paper surface detection sensor SN3 is turned off.

When the lower limit sensor SN5 and the paper surface detection sensor SN3 are ON, it is determined that the recording paper on the discharge tray 106 is full. When a signal indicating that the paper is full is transmitted to the image forming apparatus main body,
The vertical drive motor M3 is turned on a predetermined time after the recording paper is removed, and the discharge tray 106 is raised until the upper limit sensor SN4 or the paper surface detection sensor SN3 is turned on. When the paper surface detection sensor SN3 is turned on, the discharge tray 106 is lowered until the paper surface detection sensor SN3 is turned off. When restarting in the same mode, the same operation as when the power is turned on and when the mode is selected is performed in synchronization with the copy start signal of the main body.

During copying and at the end of copying, when the paper surface detection sensor SN3 is turned on, the vertical drive motor M
3 is turned on, and the discharge tray 106 is lowered until the paper surface detection sensor SN3 is turned off. When the lower limit sensor SN5 is turned on by repeating this operation, a signal indicating that the recording paper is full in the discharge tray 106 is transmitted to the image forming apparatus main body. When this operation is overlapped with the tray shift operation, the tray shift operation is prioritized. During the shift operation, the operation is waited and executed after the shift operation is completed. After the final sheet has passed through the main body discharge sensor SN6, a finisher stop signal is transmitted.
6, the vertical drive motor M3 is turned on, the discharge tray 106 is lowered by a predetermined amount, and the recording paper is easily taken out.

Next, when the power is turned on, the shift operation is not performed and the shift or proof mode is selected. When the mode signal is received, the shift motor M2 is turned on, the discharge tray 106 is moved, and the shift detection sensor 117 is activated. When turned on, the shift motor M2 is turned off. By this operation, the recording paper remaining in the discharge tray 106 and the recording paper of a newly performed job are sorted. Such an operation is on standby during the tray up / down operation, and is executed after the up / down operation is completed. By doing so, even if recording paper remains on the discharge tray 106, the recording paper is pressed by the pressing roller 108 so that the recording paper does not shift during shifting.

At the time of copying and at the end of copying, when the last sheet of the copy set passes through the main body discharge sensor SN6, a shift signal is transmitted. The finisher receives this signal, and the rear end of the last sheet is placed on the discharge sensor SN2. And after a predetermined time has elapsed, the shift motor M2 is turned on,
The shift operation is started. When the shift detection sensor 117 is turned on, the shift motor M2 is turned off. The above operation has priority over the tray up / down operation. During the shift, the tray up / down operation is on standby, and the up / down operation is performed after the shift is completed. This prevents the paper from shifting due to the shift. When restarting is performed in the same mode, no shift operation is performed at the start of copying, and during copying, the same operation as at the time of copying is performed.

(8) Jogger Fence Operation Next, the jogger fence operation will be described. First,
When the power is turned on and the mode is selected, the jogger home position sensor 224 and the tray paper sensor SN9
Is checked by the CPU, and the following operation is performed.

The jogger home position sensor 224
If is turned on, nothing is done. If the tray paper sensor SN9 is turned on, a signal indicating that recording paper remains in the staple tray is transmitted to the image forming apparatus main body. When the jogger home position sensor 224 and the tray paper presence / absence sensor SN9 are off, the jogger drive motor M21 is turned on, the jogger fences 217 and 218 move toward the home position, and the jogger home position sensor 22
When 4 is turned on, the jogger drive motor M21 is turned off.

During copying, at the end of copying, and at the time of restarting copying, if a paper size signal is received after the copy of the image forming apparatus main body is started, the jogger driving motor M21 is turned on, and the jogger fences 217 and 218 are turned on.
Moves to a position a predetermined amount before the width of the paper and enters a standby state. When a predetermined time elapses after the recording paper has passed the paper discharge sensor SN11, the jogger drive motor M21 is turned on, and the jogger fence 21 at the standby position is turned on.
7, 218 are moved to execute the paper alignment, and are returned to the standby position again. At this time, the jogger drive motor M21 repeats forward / reverse rotation once to several times, whereby the jogger fences 217 and 218 are aligned in the width direction of the paper. Such an operation is executed every time the recording paper is discharged onto the staple tray.

When the last sheet of the copy set passes through the paper ejection sensor SN6, a staple signal is transmitted. Upon receiving this signal, the last sheet is ejected to the staple tray. The jogger fences 217 and 218 are moved and stopped at the positions where they are pressed in the width direction. When the stapling operation is completed, the jogger fences 217 and 218 move to positions slightly away from both ends in the width direction of the paper. Then, the recording paper bundle is discharged to the discharge tray 220 by the discharge belt 229. By doing so, it is possible to prevent the paper from shifting during stapling, and also to prevent the jogger fence 217 from discharging the recording paper bundle.
218 is used as a width guide.

When the above operation is repeated for the number of copies and the final sheet bundle is discharged onto the discharge tray 220, the jogger fence drive motor M21 is turned on, and the jogger fences 217 and 218 are moved toward the home position. When it moves and the jogger home position sensor 224 turns on, the jogger fence drive motor M21 turns off.

(9) Other operations in the stapling section II When the power of the stapler operation is turned on and the mode is selected, the one-rotation sensor SN7 and the needle presence sensor SN1
0, the output state of the stapler home sensor 212 is C
Checked by the PU, the following operation is executed.

If the one-rotation sensor SN7 is turned off and the tray discharge sensor SN9 is turned on, it is determined that stapling is defective, and a stapler abnormality signal is transmitted to the image forming apparatus main body. When the staple sensor SN10 is in the OFF state, a stapler stapleless signal is transmitted to the image forming apparatus main body.

When the stapler home sensor 212 is turned on, nothing is executed. When the stapler home sensor 212 is turned off and the one-rotation sensor SN7 is turned on, the stapler moving motor M39 is turned on, and the stapler S moves in the home position direction. Stapler home sensor 2
When 12 is turned on, the stapler moving motor M39 is turned off. If the one-rotation sensor SN7 is off, it is determined that a staple error or a jam has been cleared, and the apparatus stands by in that state. One rotation sensor S by artificial processing
When N7 is turned on, the stapler movement motor M39 is turned on, the stapler is moved in the home position direction, the stapler home sensor 212 is turned on, and then the stapler movement motor M39 is turned off.

During copying, at the end of copying, and at the time of restarting copying, after the paper size signal is received after the copy of the image forming apparatus main body is started, the stapler moving motor M39 is turned on to move to a position corresponding to the paper size. The stapler S is moved by a predetermined amount. Next, a staple ON signal is transmitted from the main body after the final sheet of the copy set passes through the main body discharge sensor SN6, and when the signal is received, the final sheet is discharged onto the staple tray.
When both ends of the jogger fences 217 and 218 in the width direction of the recording paper bundle are pressed, the staple motor 252 is turned on to perform the stapling operation. When the one-rotation sensor SN7 is turned on, the staple motor 252 is turned off. 2
In the case of the stapling mode, the stapler moving motor M
When the stapler S is turned on and the stapler S is moved by a predetermined amount according to the paper size, the stapler moving motor M3 is turned on.
9 is turned off, and two stapling operations are performed.

When such a stapling operation is repeatedly executed for the number of copies and the final bundle of recording sheets is bound,
The stapler moving motor M39 is turned on, the stapler S moves in the home position direction, and when the stapler home sensor 212 is turned on, the stapler moving motor M39 is turned off.

(10) Operation of Discharge Belt in Staple Unit II Next, the operation of the discharge belt will be described. When the power is turned on and the mode is selected, the CPU checks the output states of the belt home sensor 235, the tray discharge sensor SN9, and the rotation sensor SN7, and executes the following operation.

When the belt home sensor 235 is turned on and the tray discharge sensor SN9 is turned off, nothing is executed. When both the belt home sensor 235 and the tray discharge sensor SN9 are turned off, it is determined that the discharge belt 229 has not returned to the home position, the belt drive motor M22 is turned on, the discharge belt 229 operates, and the belt is driven. When the home sensor 235 is turned on, the belt drive motor M22 is turned off. When the belt home sensor 235 is turned off and the tray discharge sensor SN9 is turned on, it is determined that the discharge is defective, and a signal is output to the image forming apparatus main body to remove the recording paper bundle on the staple tray. .

After the bundle of recording paper is removed, the belt drive motor M22 is turned on to operate the discharge belt 229. When the belt home sensor 235 is turned on, the belt drive motor M22 is turned off.

At the time of copying and at the end of copying,
When the last sheet of the copy set is discharged onto the staple tray and the stapler S performs the binding operation of the recording sheet bundle, the one-rotation sensor SN7 is turned on to confirm that the binding processing has been performed normally. Thereafter, the belt drive motor M22 is turned on, the discharge belt 229 operates, and the stapled recording sheet bundle is discharged onto the discharge tray 220.
When the belt home sensor 235 is turned on, the belt drive motor M22 is turned off. Such an operation is repeated for the number of copies.

(11) Operation of the shift tray system in the staple unit II In the shift tray system of the transport system, a finisher start signal is transmitted when the main body of the image forming apparatus starts copying, so that the signal is received. Then, the transport motor 190 is turned on, and the low-speed operation is performed at the same speed as the main body linear speed. When the recording paper is discharged from the image forming apparatus main body and the entrance sensor SN1 is turned on, a timer is set to monitor whether the recording paper passes through the entrance sensor SN1 within a predetermined time, and the jam is detected.

When the trailing edge of the recording paper passes through the entrance sensor SN1 and the entrance sensor SN1 turns off, the transport motor 19
0 is switched to the high-speed operation, and the transport speed is increased.
Further, a timer is set, and it is monitored whether or not the leading end of the recording paper turns on the paper discharge sensor SN2 within a predetermined time to detect a jam. When a predetermined time elapses after passing through the entrance sensor SN1, the transport motor 190 is returned to the low-speed operation, in preparation for the next recording paper conveyance. When the paper discharge sensor SN2 is turned on by the recording paper, a timer is set, and whether or not the recording paper passes within a predetermined time is monitored to detect a jam.

By repeating such operations, in the case of the shift tray mode, when a shift signal is received, a shift OK signal is sent after a lapse of a predetermined time after the last sheet of the copy set passes the sheet ejection sensor SN2. Is output, and the timing at which the shift operation is performed is measured. When the final recording paper is discharged from the main body, a finisher stop signal is transmitted. When the signal is received, the finisher paper is conveyed after a predetermined time has passed after the final recording paper has passed the paper discharge sensor SN2. The motor 190 is turned off.

(12) Operation of the staple tray system in the staple section Next, in the staple tray system, when the image forming apparatus main body starts copying, a finisher start signal is transmitted, and the signal is received. Then, the transport motor 190 is turned on, and the low-speed operation is executed at the same speed as the linear speed of the image forming apparatus main body. When the recording paper is discharged from the main body and the entrance sensor SN1 is turned on,
Switching solenoid 251 and lower transport motor 191
Is turned on at a low speed operation, a timer is set, and it is monitored whether the recording paper passes through the entrance sensor SN1 within a predetermined time to detect a jam.

The trailing edge of the recording paper passes through the entrance sensor SN1 and the entrance sensor SN1 is turned off.
The lower transport motor 191 is switched to high-speed operation, and the transport speed is increased. Further, a timer is set, and it is monitored whether or not the leading end of the recording sheet turns on the lower sheet discharge sensor SN11 within a predetermined time, thereby performing the jam detection. The switching solenoid 251 is turned off after a predetermined time has elapsed after the trailing edge of the recording paper has passed the entrance sensor SN1.
When the lower paper discharge sensor SN11 is turned on by the recording paper, a timer is set, and it is monitored whether the recording paper passes within a predetermined time to detect a jam. When a predetermined time elapses after the recording paper has passed the lower paper discharge sensor SN11, the lower transport motor 191 is switched to low-speed operation.

By repeatedly executing such operations, when a staple signal is received, after a predetermined time has passed after the last sheet of the copy set has passed through the lower sheet discharge sensor SN11, the sheet alignment operation is performed by the jogger fence. Done. Thereafter, the timing at which the stapling operation is performed is measured. When the final recording sheet is discharged from the main body, a finisher stop signal is transmitted. When the signal is received, the conveyance motor 190 is output when a predetermined time elapses after the final recording sheet has passed the discharge sensor SN11. And the lower conveyance motor 191 turns off.

(13) Control System of Finisher Further, as shown in FIG.
U and the CPU on the finisher side are connected by an optical fiber.

In the shift tray section of the finisher, a transport motor 1002 is connected to the CPU 1000 via a servo control circuit 1001, and an up / down motor 1004 is connected via a forward / reverse driver circuit 1003. , A shift motor 1006 is connected via a forward / reverse driver circuit 1005. Further, signals from various sensors and various switches 1007 are input to the CPU 1000.

Further, the CPU 1000 is connected to the staple section via an interface I / O 1030. And the interface I / O10
The staple unit 1008 is connected to the transport motor 1011 via a servo control circuit 1009, and the servo control circuit 100
9, a jogger motor 1015 is connected via a stepping motor control circuit 1014, and a stapler moving motor 1017 is connected via a stepping motor control circuit 1016.
Is connected. Further interface I / O10
Signals from various sensors and various switches 1018 are input to 30.

[0103]

As described above, according to the sheet post-processing apparatus according to the present invention (claim 1), when a bundle of recording papers is obliquely bound at a predetermined angle by a stapler, a conventional method is used. One rear end guide was prepared for the stapler, and the rear end guide had to be provided with a notch (space) in consideration of the inclination of the stapler. The rear end fence of the paper side of the both sides is configured to slide according to the inclination of the stapler, and the minimum notch (space) according to the inclination of the stapler is used to cut out the corner of the paper bundle. Since it is less likely to enter the recording paper, the trailing edge of the recording paper can be satisfactorily aligned, stable trailing edge alignment can be achieved, and variations in binding quality can be reduced.

According to the second aspect, since the rear end fence of the first aspect is disposed on the left and right sides with respect to the center line of the recording paper parallel to the recording paper discharging direction, both corners of the recording paper are cut. Diagonal binding on both sides with reduced penetration into notches is realized.

According to the third aspect, since the rear end fence of the first aspect is disposed at one of the center lines of the recording paper parallel to the recording paper discharging direction, both corners of the recording paper are formed. Parallel and oblique binding on one side with reduced penetration into the notch is realized.

Further, according to the fourth aspect, the rear end fence is engaged with the stapler, and when the stapler is tilted,
It slides according to the stapler's inclination to form the minimum opening, and is moved to the recording paper binding position in conjunction with the movement of the stapler, so the paper trailing edge is always aligned with the minimum notch be able to.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing a side view of an overall configuration of a sheet post-processing apparatus to which the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a configuration of a discharge unit of a discharge tray in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an explanatory view showing a tray fitting state in the tray shift swing mechanism of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a configuration of a drive system of the tray shift rocking mechanism of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a configuration of a drive system of the tray shift swing mechanism of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view illustrating a configuration of a paper ejection holding mechanism.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a drive system configuration of a discharge tray vertical mechanism.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view illustrating a part of a drive system configuration of a discharge tray raising / lowering mechanism.

FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram showing a schematic configuration of a sensor arrangement of a paper discharge processing path, a transport path, and the like.

FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing a first configuration example of a staple unit II.

FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram showing a second configuration example of the staple unit II.

FIG. 12 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a second configuration example of the staple unit II.

FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram showing a main part of a relationship between a stapler and a reference fence in FIG. 3;

FIG. 14 is an explanatory diagram showing a main part of an example in which the stapler and the reference fence are arranged symmetrically.

FIG. 15 is an explanatory diagram showing division of a reference fence and a moving mechanism thereof.

FIG. 16 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a configuration of an oblique drive mechanism of the stapler.

FIG. 17 is a side view showing the oblique driving mechanism in FIG. 16 in a state parallel to the end surface of the recording paper.

18 is a side view of the oblique drive mechanism in FIG. 16 in a state where the oblique drive mechanism is inclined with respect to a recording paper end surface.

FIG. 19 is an explanatory diagram showing a schematic configuration of a staple unit in a bottom view.

FIG. 20 is an explanatory view showing a stapler attachment structure in a side view.

FIG. 21 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a main configuration of a staple discharging mechanism.

FIG. 22 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a relationship between a staple discharging belt and a guide plate.

FIG. 23 is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of staple discharge in an enlarged view.

FIG. 24 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a control system of the sheet post-processing apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 25 is an explanatory diagram showing a configuration of a conventional reference fence at the rear end of a recording sheet in a staple portion.

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 100 finisher 201 stapler base 201a projecting portion 202 stapler slider 290 belt 301-305 reference fence 301a-305a rear end striking portion 301b engaging pin 302b hook 288, 289, 305 spring 306 cam

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A sheet post-processing apparatus for aligning a recording sheet bundle for each discharged job and binding the recording sheet bundle in parallel or obliquely by a stapler, wherein the sheet post-processing apparatus is divided and arranged on both sides of the stapler, A sheet post-processing apparatus, comprising: a rear end fence that abuts a rear end of the formed recording sheet and moves along the rear end integrally with the stapler. 2. The sheet post-processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the trailing edge fence is disposed on each of the left and right sides with respect to a center line of the recording paper parallel to a recording paper discharging direction. 3. The sheet post-processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the rear end fence is disposed on one of a center line of the recording paper parallel to a recording paper discharge direction. 4. The rear end fence is engaged with the stapler, forms a minimum opening corresponding to the inclination of the stapler when the stapler tilts, and interlocks with the movement of the stapler. The sheet post-processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the sheet post-processing apparatus is moved to a recording paper binding position.