JP2001240288A - Sheet cutting device and image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To stably load a large mount of booklets on a booklet storage means storing a plurality of cut booklets, and to miniaturize the booklet storage means. SOLUTION: In this sheet cutting device B for cutting an end of sheet bundle folded into two by a cutting means 300 and finishing the booklets SA, the booklet storage means 400 storing a plurality of cut booklets SA is composed of a booklet loading space capable of loading the booklets in a state that a fold part of the booklet SA faces upward and the faces are overlapped, a movable wall member, a partitioning member and a pressure wall member.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a
The present invention relates to a sheet cutting device that cuts a small edge to align small edges of a sheet after performing bookbinding by performing a saddle stitching process and a center folding process, and an image forming apparatus including the sheet cutting device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a paper post-processing apparatus for performing saddle stitching processing on a bundle of paper sheets forming one set of a plurality of paper sheets, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Nos. 6-72064, 7-187479, and 8-192951 have been known. Publications and the like are known.

Further, as a paper post-processing apparatus capable of performing a folding process, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 10-148983 and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open
Nos. 0-167562 have been proposed.

[0004] There is a sheet cutting apparatus that cuts a small edge of a bundle of sheets to perform bookbinding by performing saddle stitching processing and center folding processing and then aligning the small edges of the sheets. In recent years, a sheet bundle on which images have been recorded by an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a printer, or a multifunction peripheral thereof is subjected to saddle stitching and folding by a sheet post-processing apparatus, and bookbinding is performed like a weekly magazine. After that,
2. Description of the Related Art There is provided a sheet post-processing apparatus provided with a sheet cutting device that cuts a small edge of a sheet to align the small edge of the sheet with the sheet cutting device.

[0005]

As a booklet loading table of a conventional booklet storing means for loading and accommodating a plurality of cut booklets, a bucket type, a conveyor type and the like are used.

[0006] The bucket type booklet storage means discharges the cut booklets as they are and stacks them on a sheet discharge tray fixed to the lower side of the sheet cutting device. With this type of booklet storage means, the booklet capacity is small,
In addition, the operability when taking out a plurality of booklets at once is poor.

[0007] The conveyor type booklet storage means is provided with a paper discharge belt which is disposed substantially horizontally at the lower portion of the side of the paper cutting device and rotates. The cut booklet is placed and moved on the rotating paper discharge belt, and the subsequent booklet is placed so as to overlap a part of the preceding booklet and moves on the paper discharge belt. This type of booklet storage means requires a long discharge belt, and also has a small booklet loading capacity.

The present invention improves the operability of a paper storage unit for discharging and stacking a completed booklet after trimming a fore edge of a sheet bundle that has undergone saddle stitching and folding in half, increasing the amount of booklet storage, It is another object of the present invention to reduce the size of a sheet cutting device.

[0009]

The above object is achieved by the following paper cutting apparatus of the present invention.

(1) In a sheet cutting apparatus for finishing a booklet by cutting a fore edge of a sheet bundle that has been folded in half by a cutting unit, a booklet loading table of a booklet storage unit that stores a plurality of cut booklets is provided as described above. A sheet cutting device (Claim 1) characterized in that the booklet can be stacked with the folds of the booklet facing upward and with the sheet surfaces overlapped.

(2) In a sheet cutting apparatus for finishing a booklet by cutting a fore edge of a sheet bundle that has been folded in half by a cutting means, the cut booklet is disposed downstream of the cutting means in the sheet conveying direction and cut. A rotatable large-diameter roller that deflects vertically upward from the section conveying means and conveys the booklet to the booklet storage means, a driven rotatable pinch roller that conveys the booklet by pressing the booklet against the large-diameter roller, and A sheet cutting device (Claim 2), comprising: a guide plate that deflects vertically upward from a cutting section conveying means and guides the guide to a position where the large-diameter roller and the pinch roller are sandwiched.

(3) In a paper cutting apparatus for finishing a booklet by cutting a fore edge of a folded sheet bundle by a cutting means, a booklet discharge port for passing the cut booklet to the booklet storage means, The booklet loading table of the booklet storage means received from the booklet discharge port and stacked with the folds of the booklet facing up and the sheet surfaces stacked on each other, and the sheet surface of the booklet supported upright on the booklet loading table. A movable wall member that presses and reciprocates between the booklet loading table and the booklet discharge port, and a driving unit that reciprocates the movable wall member,
The movable wall member normally receives a booklet loaded at a stop position on the booklet loading table, and each time the trimmed booklet is carried into the booklet loading table, A sheet cutting device which retracts to a back position, after the booklet has passed through the booklet discharge port, returns to the stop position while pressing the sheet surface of the booklet and stands by; .

(4) In a paper cutting apparatus for finishing a booklet by cutting a fore edge of a sheet bundle that has been folded in half by a cutting means, a booklet discharge port for passing the cut booklet through the booklet storage means, The booklet loading table of the booklet storage means received from the booklet discharge port and stacked with the folds of the booklet facing up and the sheet surfaces stacked on each other, and the sheet surface of the booklet supported upright on the booklet loading table. Pressing, a movable wall member that reciprocates between the booklet loading table and the booklet discharge port, and is disposed to face a sheet surface of the movable wall member,
A partition member movable in a direction perpendicular to the booklet loading table, and a drive unit for reciprocatingly driving the movable wall member and the partition member; and the movable wall member is usually provided on the booklet loading table. When the booklet loaded at the stop position is received and the cut-out processed booklet is carried into the booklet loading table, it is retracted to a position behind the booklet discharge port, and the movable wall member is retracted for receiving the booklet. Before the opening of the booklet discharge port, the partition member moves and moves to a position for receiving the end of the booklet instead of the movable wall member, and the movable wall member presses the paper surface of the booklet. The paper cutting device according to claim 6, wherein when moving to the stop position, the partitioning member starts moving and retracts, so that the booklet can be received on the booklet loading table.

(5) In a sheet cutting device for finishing a booklet by cutting the fore edge of a sheet bundle that has been folded in half by cutting means, the plurality of cut booklets are received, and the folds of the booklet are placed upward. And a movable pressing wall that is supported upright on the booklet loading table and presses the sheet surface of the booklet loaded on the booklet loading table. A paper cutting device comprising: a member; and a spring-shaped constant load spring member in which a long plate spring for urging the pressing wall member is applied.

(6) In a paper cutting apparatus for finishing a booklet by cutting a fore edge of a sheet bundle that has been folded in half by cutting means, the plurality of cut booklets are received, and the folds of the booklet are turned up. A booklet loading means of a booklet storing means for stacking the paper surfaces in a stack, and supporting the booklet loading table upright by pressing the sheet surface of the booklet loaded on the booklet loading table. A movable wall member that reciprocates above and supports the paper surface of the booklet, and a movable pressing wall member that presses the paper surface of the booklet loaded on the booklet loading table against the movable wall member. The pressing wall member has a pressing wall portion that is parallel to the paper supporting wall surface of the opposing movable wall member and stands upright on the booklet loading table surface to press the paper surface of the booklet, and an upper portion of the pressing wall surface From the paper support wall surface of the movable wall member A sheet cutting device comprising: an inclined surface portion having an inclination angle in a direction away from the paper cutting device.

(7) Image forming means for forming an image in accordance with image information on the paper fed by the paper feeding means, binding means for saddle-stitching the image-formed sheet bundle, and saddle stitching A sheet post-processing apparatus including a folding unit that folds the processed sheet bundle into two, and a sheet cutting apparatus according to any one of (1) to (6). An image forming apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the edge is cut by a cutting means to finish a booklet.

[0017]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Next, a sheet cutting device, a sheet post-processing device and an image forming apparatus provided with the sheet post-processing device of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of an image forming system including an image forming apparatus main body A, a sheet cutting apparatus B, and a sheet post-processing apparatus FS.

The illustrated image forming apparatus main body A includes an image reading unit 1, an image processing unit 2, an image writing unit 3, an image forming unit 4, a sheet cassette 5, a sheet feeding unit 6, a fixing device 7, and a sheet discharging unit 8. And an automatic double-sided copy paper feeding unit (ADU) 9.

An automatic document feeder DF is mounted on the upper part of the image forming apparatus main body A. A sheet post-processing device FS including a sheet cutting device B is connected to the sheet discharge unit 8 on the left side of the image forming apparatus main body A in the drawing.

The document d placed on the document table of the automatic document feeder DF is conveyed in the direction of the arrow, and one side or both sides of the document are read by the optical system of the image reading section 1.
It is read by the CD image sensor 1A.

The analog signal photoelectrically converted by the CCD image sensor 1A is subjected to analog processing, A / D conversion, shading correction, image compression processing and the like in the image processing section 2, and then sent to the image writing section 3. .

In the image writing section 3, the output light from the semiconductor laser is applied to the photosensitive drum 4A of the image forming section 4 to form a latent image. In the image forming section 4, processes such as charging, exposure, development, transfer, separation, and cleaning are performed. The image of the sheet (recording sheet) S fed from the sheet feeding cassette 5 by the sheet feeding unit 6 is transferred to the sheet S by the transfer unit 4B. The sheet S carrying the image is transferred to the fixing device 7
And is sent from the sheet discharging unit 8 to the sheet post-processing device FS. Alternatively, the single-sided image-processed sheet S sent to the automatic double-sided copy sheet feeding unit 9 by the conveyance path switching plate 8A is again output from the sheet discharging unit 8 after the double-sided image processing in the image forming unit 4, and the sheet post-processing device In the FS, after the saddle stitching process and the double folding process, the sheet is sent to the sheet cutting device B.

As shown in FIG. 3D, the sheet cutting device B cuts the vicinity of the fore edge of the sheet bundle S that has been subjected to the saddle stitching process and the folding process by the sheet post-processing device FS to align the fore edge b. The details will be described later with reference to FIG.

In the sheet post-processing apparatus FS, a fixed sheet discharge tray 81, a cover sheet feeding means 40, a shift processing / conveying section 20, a first stacking section 30, a binding means 50, and a folding means 6 are arranged from the upper stage in the figure.
0 are arranged in tandem in a substantially vertical direction.

At the upper right of the sheet post-processing apparatus FS in the figure, an entrance transport section 10 is disposed. Also, the sheet post-processing device F
On the left side in the drawing of S, an elevating sheet discharge tray 82 for stacking sheets on which edge binding and shift processing have been performed is arranged.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a sheet transport path of the sheet post-processing device FS. The sheet post-processing apparatus FS is installed with its position and height adjusted so that the entrance 11 of the sheet S carried out from the image forming apparatus main body A coincides with the paper discharge section 8 of the image forming apparatus main body A.

The transport path of the sheet S connected downstream of the sheet transport of the pair of entrance rollers 12 at the entrance section 11 is composed of an upper first transport path, an intermediate second transport path, and a lower third transport path.
The paper S is fed to one of the transport paths depending on the selection of the angle occupied by the switching gates G1 and G2.

(1) Non-staple, non-sort (first
Conveying Path The image-formed sheet S discharged from the image forming apparatus main body A is introduced into the entrance 11 and conveyed by the pair of entrance rollers 12, and the length of the sheet S in the conveying direction is detected by the entrance passage sensor PS1. Is detected. The sheet S passes through the right passage 13 of the upper first switching gate G1, is nipped by the upper conveying roller pair 14 and the upper conveying roller pair 15, transported upward, and further nipped by the discharge roller pair 16. The paper is discharged onto a fixed paper discharge tray 81 at the upper part of the outside of the machine, and is sequentially stacked.

In the paper transport process, the switching gate G
1 is swung by the drive of the solenoid SD1, and the passage 17
Is closed, the passage 13 is opened, and the paper S can pass through the fixed paper discharge tray 81.

(2) Shift processing or non-sort (second transport path) When this transport mode is set, the switching gate G1 closes the passage 13 with the solenoid SD1 turned off.
The passage 17 is kept open to allow the paper S to pass through the passage 17.

The image-formed sheet S discharged from the main body A of the image forming apparatus passes through the entrance 11 and the pair of entrance rollers 12, and passes through the passage 17 formed below the switching gate G1 in an open state. Then, it is sandwiched by the pair of transport rollers 18 and passes through a passage 21 above a second switching gate G2, which is a second transport path, which is obliquely lower, and
The sheet is nipped by the shift means 25 and the shift roller pair 24 via the passage 23, discharged by the discharge roller pair 26, and stacked on an elevating sheet discharge tray 82 capable of storing a large amount of sheets.

(3) Edge Binding Process (Third Conveying Path) The sheet S on which the edge binding process or the saddle binding process is performed is subjected to the image forming process in the image forming apparatus main body A, and the sheet post-processing device FS
Is fed into the entrance 11 of the roller, and the entrance roller pair 12, the first
Pass through the passage 17 below the switching gate G1, and are conveyed to the third conveyance path while being nipped by the conveyance roller pair 18.

In the third transport path, the sheet S passes through a path 31 below the switching gate G2, and is nipped and transported by a downstream transport roller pair 32. The sheet S is nipped and sent out by the transport roller pair 34 further downstream,
After being discharged into the space above the intermediate stacker 35 that is inclined and arranged in the first stacking section 30, the upper surface of the intermediate stacker 35 or the paper S stacked on the intermediate stacker 35 is brought into contact with the upper surface of the intermediate stacker 35, the paper is slid upward, and then, After the trailing end of the sheet S in the traveling direction is discharged, the sheet S starts to descend due to its own weight, slides down on the inclined surface of the intermediate stacker 35, and is bound by the binding means 5.
The leading end of the sheet S in the traveling direction of the sheet S abuts against the sheet abutting surface of the end binding movable stopper member 51 (hereinafter, referred to as an end binding stopper) near 0 and stops.

Reference numeral 36 denotes a pair of upstream width adjusting means movably provided on both side surfaces of the intermediate stacker 35. The upstream width aligning means 36 is movable in a direction orthogonal to the sheet conveying direction, and is opened wider than the sheet width when the sheet S is discharged onto the intermediate stacker 35, and is conveyed on the intermediate stacker 35. When the sheet S stops in contact with the edge binding stopper 51, the width of the sheet bundle is aligned (width alignment) by tapping the side edge of the sheet S in the width direction.

In this stop position, the intermediate stacker 35
When a predetermined number of sheets S are stacked and aligned, the binding unit 50 performs a binding process to bind the sheet bundle.

A plurality of discharge belts 38 wound around a driving pulley 37A and a driven pulley 37B are rotatably disposed on a part of the sheet stacking surface of the intermediate stacker 35.
The stapled sheet bundle is delivered to a discharge claw 38 of a discharge belt 38.
a, the rear end of the sheet S is held by the discharge belt 38.
The discharge roller pair 26 is slid on the mounting surface of the intermediate stacker 35 obliquely upward and proceeds to the nip position of the discharge roller pair 26. The sheet bundle nipped by the rotating discharge roller pair 26 is discharged and stacked on an elevating discharge tray 82.

(4) Cover Sheet Feeding (Fourth Conveying Path) The cover sheet feeding means 40 includes a cover placing section 41 and a cover sending section 42.
It is composed of

One cover sheet K fed from the cover sheet feeding means 40 passes through the passage 43, passes through another nip position of the conveying roller pair 14, and passes through the path 19 and the conveying roller pair 18. Then, the conveying roller pair 32 of the third conveying path, the passage 3
3. After reaching the intermediate stacker 35 via the transport roller pair 34.

(5) Saddle Stitching Process (Fifth Conveying Path) The stapling means 50 has a two-part structure of an upper mechanism 50A and a lower mechanism 50B, and forms a passage 52 through which the sheet S can pass between them. are doing.

The binding means 50 are arranged in two sets in a direction orthogonal to the sheet conveying direction, and can be moved in a direction orthogonal to the sheet conveying direction by a driving means (not shown). By this binding means 50, binding staples SP are punched at two places at the center in the sheet width direction.

When the saddle stitching mode is set and the size (length in the transport direction) of the cover sheet K and the sheet S is set or detected, the saddle stitching movable stopper member (hereinafter, referred to as the saddle stitching stopper) 53 is moved to a predetermined position. Move to position and stop. The end stapling stopper 51 is retracted in conjunction with the activation of the saddle stitching stopper 53, and the passage 52 is opened.

After the cover K is placed at a predetermined position on the intermediate stacker 35, the paper S carried out of the image forming apparatus main body A passes through the third transport path from the entrance transport section 10 of the paper post-processing apparatus FS. Then, the sheets S are sequentially stacked on the upper surface of the cover sheet K placed on the intermediate stacker 35, and the end of the sheet S abuts on the saddle stitching stopper 53 and is positioned. Reference numeral 56 denotes a downstream width aligning means for regulating the width direction of the sheet S at the time of the saddle stitching process. Like the upstream width aligning means 36, each time one sheet S is carried in, the downstream width aligning means 56 is provided. Hit the edge to align the width.

In the saddle stitching process, the intermediate stacker 35
With respect to the sheet S which is conveyed above and advances on the upstream side of the binding means 50, the upstream width matching means 36 and the downstream width matching means 56 are simultaneously Activate to align the paper width and align the paper.

In this way, the paper S and the cover K, which are advanced on the intermediate stacker 35 and extended from the binding means 50 to the upstream and downstream sides, are And the downstream width aligning means 56 accurately aligns the width of the paper S over the entire length thereof.

After the final sheet S has been positioned and placed on the intermediate stacker 35, a saddle stitching process is performed on the sheet bundle including the cover sheet K and all the pages of the sheet S by the binding means 50. By this saddle stitching process, a binding staple is driven into the central portion of the cover K and the sheet S in the transport direction. The binding staple SP is driven from the lower mechanism 50B having the binding staple driving side to the upper mechanism 50A having the binding staple clinch side.

(6) Bi-folding Process (Sixth Conveying Path) (See FIG. 2) After the saddle stitching process, the saddle stitching stopper 53 swings to
2. Open the downstream passage. The sheet bundle composed of the cover sheet K and the sheet S subjected to the saddle stitching process passes through a curved path and a pair of intermediate conveyance rollers 61, is guided by a guide plate 63 by an obliquely lower conveyance belt 62, and is conveyed. The sheet bundle is conveyed on the stacking unit (stack base) 64, and the leading end of the sheet bundle in the conveying direction abuts on the folding unit movable stopper means 65, and stops at a predetermined position. The folding section movable stopper means 65 can be moved to a predetermined position by setting or detecting the sheet size and driving means.

The folding means 60 includes a sheet ejecting means 66,
It comprises a folding roller 67, a transport belt 68, a pressure roller 69 and the like.

In response to the two-fold start signal, the protruding plate 66A of the paper protruding means 66 moves straight obliquely upward, and the leading end of the protruding plate 66A pushes up the central portion of the sheet bundle composed of the cover sheet K and the sheet S. Through the folding roller 67
The nip part is pushed open to swing and separate.

After the tip of the protruding plate 66A has passed through the nip portion, the protruding plate 66A retreats, and the central portion of the sheet bundle is nipped by the folding roller 67 to form a fold. This fold corresponds to the position where the binding staple is driven into the sheet bundle by the saddle stitching process. The saddle stitching and folding process can process up to 64 pages (16 sheets) of paper.

The central portion of the sheet bundle having a fold formed by being pressed by the pair of rotating folding rollers 67 is conveyed while being sandwiched by a pair of conveying belts 68 and is located at the nip position of the pair of pressure rollers 69. It is fed in, and after the fold is further firmly attached at this position, it is discharged.

FIG. 3A is a plan view of a sheet showing a saddle stitching process in which a binding needle SP is stapled at two places at the center along a fold part a where the sheet S is folded in half, and FIG. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a booklet SA that has been subjected to a post-folding process of FIG.
FIG. 3C is a perspective view showing a state in which the post-processed booklet SA is opened on both sides, and FIG. 3D is a cross-sectional view of the booklet SA after the saddle stitching and folding in two. In these figures, b denotes a fore edge at the side end of the sheet S, and c denotes a cutting line for aligning the fore edge.

The booklet SA produced by the saddle stitching process and the double folding process has the first surface (p1, p8) of the cover K facing outward, the second surface (p2, p7) on the back surface, and the inner surface thereof. The first side (p3, p6) of the sheet S, which is the content, and the second side (p4, p5) of the sheet S are disposed inside the first side, and the pages of a booklet composed of eight pages (p1 to p8) as shown in FIG. Can be aligned.

In the operation section of the image forming apparatus main body A, the booklet creation auto mode is selected and set, the cover K is stacked on the cover placing section 41, and printing is started. The above-described image process is executed, and the sheet S carrying the image is subjected to the saddle stitching process and the folding process by the sheet post-processing device FS, and the booklet SA is continuously produced and discharged.

In the operation section of the sheet post-processing apparatus FS, a booklet production manual mode is selected and set, and the cover placing section 4 is set.
1, a cover K and one sheet of paper S on which an image has been formed are stacked thereon, and when the feeding operation is started, the control unit of the sheet post-processing device FS causes the cover K and the paper S to be subjected to sheet post-processing. The saddle stitching process and the double folding process are performed by the device FS, and one booklet is produced and discharged.

FIG. 4 is an overall configuration diagram of the sheet cutting apparatus B of the present invention. The sheet cutting device B includes a first conveying unit 100,
Second conveying means 200, cutting means 300, booklet storing means 4
00.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing a sheet conveying path of the sheet cutting device B. Folding means 60 of sheet post-processing device FS
The booklet SA that has been folded in two by the
Is discharged onto the conveyor belt 101 disposed at the entrance of the printer. The transport belt 101 is rotatably supported by a support member 102 and is rotated by a driving roller 103.

On the downstream side of the transport belt 101 in the sheet transport direction, a lower transport belt 111 wound around a driving roller 112 and a driven roller 113 is rotatably disposed. Above the lower transport belt 111, an upper transport belt 114 is brought into pressure contact, and is rotated by being driven. The upper transport belt 114 around which the rollers 115 and 116 are wound is rotatably supported by a support member 117. The support member 117 is urged by a spring 118 to move the upper transport belt 114 to the lower transport belt 111.
Press against Booklet S transported by the transport belt 101
A is conveyed while being pressed and sandwiched by the lower conveyor belt 111 and the upper conveyor belt 114.

On the downstream side of the lower transport belt 111 in the paper transport direction, a drive roller 121 connected to a drive unit and a driven roller 122 that rotates while being pressed against the drive roller 121 are arranged. Lower conveyor belt 111 and upper conveyor belt 114
The booklet SA conveyed while being nipped is passed through the guide plate 123 and is nipped and conveyed by the driving roller 121 and the driven roller 122.

At the downstream side of the drive roller 121 in the sheet conveying direction, the upper cutting blade 301, the lower cutting blade 302, the movable plate 310,
A cutting unit 300 including a pressing roller 311, a waste box 320, and a driving unit is disposed. Details of the cutting means 300 will be described later.

The booklet SA whose edge b is cut by the cutting means 300 and finished is fed to the second conveying means 200 by the rotating lower conveying belt 201, the driven upper conveying belt 206, and the driving rotation. Upper roller 205
And transported.

The lower conveying belt 201 is rotated by a driving roller 202 connected to driving means. Reference numeral 203 denotes a driven roller that is driven to rotate by the lower transport belt 201.
A transport support plate 204 is fixedly provided inside the lower transport belt 201 and near the booklet transport path.

The upper conveyor belt 206 has rollers 207 and 2
08 is rotatable around and supported by a support member 209. The support member 209 is spring-biased and presses the upper transport belt 206 against the transport support plate 204 via the lower transport belt 201. The cut booklet SA passes through the gap between the lower transport belt 201 and the upper roller 205 of the second transport unit 200, and is further pressed and held by the lower transport belt 201 and the upper transport belt 206 to be transported.

The booklet SA conveyed in the horizontal direction by the lower conveying belt 201 is guided by a rotating large-diameter roller 211 and a fixedly arranged guide plate, deflected vertically upward by about 90 °, and conveyed upward. . The booklet SA is further sandwiched between the large-diameter roller 211 and the pinch roller 213 and discharged through the booklet discharge port 214, with the fold a of the booklet SA facing upward and the fore edge b facing downward. It is placed on a 400 booklet loading table 401.

The booklet storage means 400 includes the booklet loading table 40
1, movable wall member 410, partition member 420, pressing wall member 4
30, a protection member 440 and a driving means.

The booklet stacking table 401 sequentially receives a plurality of cut booklets SA from the booklet discharge port 214, and stacks the sheets with the fold a of the booklet SA facing upward. The movable wall member 410 is supported upright on the booklet stacking table 401 so as to be horizontally movable, and presses the sheet surface of the booklet SA stacked on the booklet stacking table 401, and moves on the booklet stacking table 401 and the booklet discharge port 214. Reciprocate horizontally between

The movable wall member 410 is usually
The booklet SA loaded on the booklet stacking table 401 is received at the stop position that has advanced beyond 14, and the trimmed booklet SA has been processed.
Each time is loaded into the booklet loading table 401, the booklet discharge port 21
4 to the position where the booklet SA is opened, and the booklet SA
After completing the passage through 14, the booklet SA returns to the stop position while pressing the sheet surface and waits.

The partitioning member 420 is movable in the vertical direction perpendicular to the booklet loading table 401, and when the movable wall member 410 starts retreating so that the booklet discharge port 214 is opened for receiving the next booklet, Partition member 420 is movable wall member 4
Instead of receiving the sheet surface of the loaded booklet SA in place of 10, the partition member 4 is moved in accordance with the operation in which the movable wall member 410 advances to the stop position while pressing the sheet surface of the next booklet SA.
20 starts descending along the rear end of the booklet stacking table 401 and retracts, so that the next booklet SA can be received on the booklet stacking table 401. As the movable wall member 410 completes the movement to the stop position, the partition member 420 starts to move up.

The pressing wall member 430 is movably supported upright on the booklet loading table 401 and is biased by a spring. The booklet contact surface of the pressing wall member 430 faces the movable wall member 410 or the partition member 420, and presses and holds the sheet surface of the booklet SA stacked on the booklet stacking table 401.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing the driving means of the booklet transport system. The booklet transport motor M1 is connected to the first transport unit 100.
And the second transport means 200 is driven. The gear g1 provided on the drive shaft of the motor M1 rotates the drive roller 121 of the first transport unit 100 via the gears g2, g3, g4, and g5. The drive roller 121 rotates the drive roller 112 via the belt TB1, and rotates the lower transport belt 111.

The belt TB2 around the pulley TP1 coaxial with the gear g4 is rotatable around the pulleys TP2, TP3 and TP4. On the rotation axis of the pulley TP2,
The upper roller 205 is fixed and rotatable. Pulley T
The gear g6 fixed on the rotation axis of the P4
The gear g7 fixed on the rotation shaft 02 is rotated. The driving roller 202 rotates the lower conveying belt 201.

A belt TB3 that winds a pulley TP5 fixed on the rotation shaft of the driving roller 202 and a pulley TP6 on the intermediate shaft via gears g8 and g9 fixed on the rotation shaft of the pulley TP6. Then, the large-diameter roller 211 fixed on the rotating shaft of the gear g9 is rotated.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view showing the lower transport belt 201 of the second transport means 200 and the driving means of the movable stopper 221.

The stopper moving motor M2 includes a gear g1.
1, g12, movable stopper 221 via belt TB4
Is moved to a predetermined position corresponding to the paper size. The stopper release motor M3 drives and rotates the cam 222 via the gears g13 and g14 to move the movable stopper 221 up and down. The movable stopper 221 is held in an upright initial state when the leading end portion of the booklet SA is abutted, and is in a state where it is tilted down by driving the motor M3 when the booklet SA is discharged.

The protrusion amount of the fore edge before cutting the booklet differs depending on the thickness of the booklet SA, that is, the thickness of one sheet and the number of sheet bundles. Alternatively, the control means selects the optimum value by detecting the thickness of the booklet.

FIG. 8 is a front view of the driving means of the pressing unit including the upper conveying belt 206. Press motor M4
Are the gears g21, g22, g23, g24, g25, g
The rotating disk 231 is rotated via 26. The eccentric pin 232 implanted in the rotating disk 231 is
And the crank 233 is swung. The upper end of the crank 233 is connected to the connecting plate 234 to move the connecting plate 234 up and down. The connecting plate 234 includes two springs 235.
Is urged downward in the figure.

The two connecting rods 236 fixed to both sides of the connecting plate 234 are connected to the bearings 23 fixed to the fixed frame 237.
8 and supported so as to be able to move up and down. Connecting rod 236
Is fixed to the pressing plate 240.

The pressing plate 240 is spring-biased against a supporting member 209 supporting the upper conveyor belt 206 and is supported so as to be able to move up and down. When cutting the fore edge of the booklet SA placed on the surface of the lower conveyor belt 201, the pressing plate 240 moves up and down via the crank 233, the connecting plate 234, and the connecting rod 236 by the driving rotation of the rotating disk 231. Further, the pressing plate 240 moves according to the thickness of the booklet SA, and the booklet SA
Press the top surface.

FIG. 9 is a sectional view of the cutting means 300.
The cutting means 300 includes a cutting upper blade 301, a cutting lower blade 302,
Drive means for driving the cutting upper blade 301 so as to be able to move up and down.

The cutting motor M5 includes gears g31 and g3.
2. Rotate g33 to eccentrically rotate the eccentric pin 303 implanted at the eccentric position of the gear g33. Eccentric pin 303
Of the movable member 304 slides on the inner peripheral surface of the movable member 304 to move the movable member 304 up and down.

An upper blade support frame 306 is fixed to an upper portion of an elevating shaft 305 integrally formed with the movable member 304 and supported so as to be able to move up and down. The cutting upper blade 301 is fixed to the upper blade support frame 306.

The fore edge of the booklet SA is cut by the cutting edge of the cutting upper blade 301 descending and the cutting edge of the cutting lower blade 302 at the fixed position. Reference numeral 320 denotes a waste box for storing waste cut from the fore edge.

A pressing plate 309 is supported on the upper blade supporting frame 306 by being urged by a spring 308. A pressing roller 311 for pressing the movable plate 310 is supported below the upper blade support frame 306.

In the lowering stroke of the upper blade support frame 306, the pressing plate 309 is lowered to press the upper surface of the booklet SA placed on the cutting lower blade 302, and then to move down the pressing roller 31.
1 presses the movable plate 310, and the cutting edge of the upper cutting blade 301 cuts the fore edge b.

FIG. 10 is a sectional view showing the movable wall member 410 and the partition member 420 near the booklet discharge port 214.

The movable wall member 410 is provided with the booklet SA
, And can move horizontally in the direction of the booklet loading table 401. The motor M6 rotates the rotating disk 412 via gears g41, g42, g43, g44, g45. An eccentric pin 413 implanted at an eccentric position of the rotating disk 412 is connected to the right end of the crank 414 to swing the crank 414. Crank 41
4 is connected to the movable wall member 410 to move the movable wall member 410 in the horizontal direction. The movable wall member 410 shown by the solid line in the drawing indicates the retracted position, and the booklet discharge port 21
4 is opened to allow the booklet SA to pass through. The position shown by the dashed line is the stop position where the movable wall member 410 has been moved in the horizontal direction by the driving means.

The movable holding members 4 arranged on both side ends of the partition member 420 arranged in parallel near the movable wall member 410
Reference numeral 21 holds two sets of rollers 422 and 423 in a rotatable manner. The two sets of rollers 422 and 423 roll on guide rails 424 arranged on both side ends of the apparatus main body.
The movable holding member 421 can be moved up and down.

That is, the movable holding member 421 is driven to move up and down along the guide rail 424 by a motor M7 and a driving means (not shown) provided below the guide rail 424. The illustrated partition member 420 is shown ascending from the lower retracted position to be able to hold the booklet SA.

FIG. 11 shows the movable wall member 410 and the partition member 4.
20 is a perspective view of a pressing wall member 430. FIG. Movable wall member 4
The outside dimension W1 of the ten booklet width direction is the movable wall member 410.
Is smaller than the inner dimension W2 in the booklet width direction of the partition member 420 disposed outside the movable wall member 4.
10 and the partition member 420 do not interfere with each other.

When the partition member 420 is lifted, the lower part of the stacked booklets at both ends of the movable wall member 410 and the partition member 420 are moved by the elastically deformable resin thin film piece 425 provided on the upper part of the partition member 420. Prevent collisions.

FIG. 12 is a sectional view showing the booklet stacking table 401 and the pressing wall member 430 of the booklet storing means 400.

The pressing wall member 430 is a vertical pressing wall portion 4.
31, an inclined surface portion 432 having an inclination angle, a spring mounting portion 43
And 3, a roller mounting portion 434. Pressing wall 431
Presses the lower side of the booklet SA placed on the booklet stacking table 401 with the fold part a facing upward. The vertical length of the pressing wall surface portion 431 is set to be less than half the minimum height of the booklet SA in the height direction. The inclined surface portion 432 connected above the pressing wall surface portion 431 holds the booklet SA from falling over.

The roller mounting portion 4 at the bottom of the pressing wall member 430
34 holds the rollers 435 and 436 rotatably.
The rollers 435 and 436 roll along a parallel surface of a guide member 437 arranged in parallel below the booklet loading table 401,
The pressing wall member 430 is moved linearly.

The other end of the constant load spring member 438 having one end fixed to the spring mounting portion 433 is wound around and fixed to the spring winding member 439. Constant load spring member 438
Is a leaf spring having a spring property wound in a spring shape, and the tension is applied to the pressing wall member 430 to move the movable wall member 41.
The booklet SA is pulled to the zero side.

As another embodiment of the pressing wall member 430, a configuration is such that the inclined surface portion 432 is swingably supported and spring-biased, and the bulge of the folded portion of the booklet is pressed and compressed. It is also possible to

The process of storing the booklet SA will be described below. FIG.
8 is a time chart showing a process of storing the booklet SA in the booklet storage means 400. 14 to 17 are cross-sectional views illustrating a process of stacking booklets SA in the booklet storage unit 400.

(1) FIG. 14 is a sectional view showing an initial state before the booklet SA is stored in the booklet storage means 400. In this initial state, the partition member 42 is moved to a position where the movable wall member 410 advances and closes the booklet discharge port 214.
It stops at the position where 0 has risen. The lower portion of the preceding booklet SA1 is the vertical wall portion 41 of the movable wall member 410.
1 and the pressing wall portion 431 of the pressing wall member 430. The two-folded upper part of the booklet SA1 has a swelling and is placed on the inclined surface 432 of the pressing wall member 430 by its own weight.

(2) When a predetermined time has passed after the edge cutting process of the booklet SA, the movable wall member 4 is driven by the drive of the motor M6.
10 retracts and stops at the position where the booklet discharge port 214 is opened, so that the subsequent booklet SA2 can be received. Partition member 4
20 is the movable wall member 41 while stopped above the initial position.
The booklet SA1 is sandwiched in place of 0 (see FIG. 15).

(3) Subsequent booklet SA2 is booklet outlet 2
14, the movable wall member 410 starts moving forward after the lower end portion of the booklet SA2 has passed the holding position between the large-diameter roller 211 and the pinch roller 213. The movable wall member 410 moves forward, presses the booklet SA2, and pushes the booklet SA2 toward the partition member 420. Almost simultaneously with the start of advance of the movable wall member 410,
The partition member 420 starts descending when the driving of the motor M7 starts (see FIG. 16).

(4) When the partitioning member 420 descends and retracts below the booklet loading table 401 and stops, the booklet SA
2 is pressed by the moving wall member 410 that advances, and is stacked so as to be folded on the preceding booklet SA1 (see FIG. 17).

(5) When the movable wall member 410 moves forward and stops after reaching the stop position, the booklets SA1 and SA2 are sandwiched between the movable wall member 410 and the pressing wall member 430 which is biased by a spring. Thereafter, the partition member 420 moves up, reaches the initial position on the back of the movable wall member 410, and stops (FIG. 1).
4, see FIG. 18).

FIG. 18 is a sectional view showing the booklet storage means 400 in a state where a plurality of booklets SA are stacked on the booklet stacking table 401.

The lower part of the booklet SA includes a movable wall member 410,
The pressing wall member 430 urged by the spring is tightly held in a standing posture. A booklet S having a fold and a swollen shape
The upper portion of A is stacked so as to be folded over a space that extends above the inclined surface portion 432 of the pressing wall member 430. After the booklet stacking is completed or during the booklet stacking operation, the upper part of the booklet SA can be grasped and easily taken out.

[0104]

As described above, the following effects can be obtained by the sheet cutting apparatus and sheet post-processing apparatus of the present invention.

(1) The paper cutting apparatus according to the present invention is configured such that the sheet surface is overlapped on the booklet loading table of the booklet storing means for accommodating a plurality of cut-out booklets, with the folds of the booklets facing upward, and the paper surface is placed in an upright position. Therefore, a large amount of booklets can be stacked in the booklet storage means. Further, the occupied floor area of the booklet storing means can be reduced. Further, the booklets are aligned without any slippage of the booklets as in the conventional horizontal stacking method (claim 1).

(2) The cut booklet is deflected vertically upward from the cutting section conveyance path by the large diameter roller, the pinch roller, and the guide plate and is conveyed to the booklet storage means, so that the booklet is smoothly discharged to the booklet discharge section. And the booklet can be stored in the upright position, which is effective in reducing the floor area occupied by the booklet storage means.

(3) The movable wall member normally receives the booklet loaded on the booklet loading table at the stop position where the booklet discharge port is closed, and every time the trimmed booklet is carried into the booklet loading table. The paper stacking device of the present invention retracts to the position where the discharge opening is opened, and after the booklet has passed through the booklet discharge opening, returns to the stop position while pressing the paper surface of the booklet, and waits. Therefore, a large amount of booklets can be stored neatly (claim 4).

(4) The booklet is transferred by the cooperative operation of the movable wall member and the partition member, and the preceding booklet placed on the booklet loading table and the following booklet loaded on the booklet loading table are transferred. Can be accommodated smoothly (claim 6).

(5) By providing the pressing wall member with a constant spring member in the form of a mainspring, in which a long leaf spring that urges the spring is wound, the pressing wall member has a smaller number of booklets to be loaded on the booklet loading table. Irrespective of the above, it is possible to align the booklets by pressing the paper surface with a uniform pressing force.

(6) A pressing wall portion for pressing the paper surface,
The pressing wall member of the present invention, comprising an inclined surface portion that opens upward, stably holds the lower portion of the booklet in the upright posture by the pressing wall portion, and gently holds the swelling of the upper portion of the booklet by the inclined surface portion. Thus, a large number of booklets can be stacked (claim 10).

(7) The sheet on which the image is formed by the image forming apparatus such as the copying machine, the printer, and the multifunction machine of the present invention is subjected to the saddle stitching and the center folding by the sheet post-processing apparatus, and the cutting means of the sheet cutting apparatus. As a result, the edges of the sheets are evenly aligned to form a bound booklet, and a large amount of booklets can be stably stacked by the booklet storing means.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of an image forming system including an image forming apparatus main body, a sheet cutting device, and a sheet post-processing device.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating a sheet conveyance path of the sheet post-processing device.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of a sheet that has undergone saddle stitching, a perspective view of a booklet that has undergone saddle stitching and post-folding, a perspective view showing the booklet with both sides opened, and a cross-sectional view of the booklet.

FIG. 4 is an overall configuration diagram of a sheet cutting device of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a sheet conveyance path of the sheet cutting device.

FIG. 6 is a configuration diagram showing driving means of a booklet transport system.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing a lower conveying belt of a second conveying unit and a driving unit of a movable stopper.

FIG. 8 is a front view of a driving unit of the pressing unit including the upper conveyance belt.

FIG. 9 is a sectional view of a cutting unit.

FIG. 10 is a sectional view showing a movable wall member and a partition member near a booklet discharge port.

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a movable wall member, a partition member, and a pressing wall member.

FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view showing a booklet loading table and a pressing wall member of the booklet storage means.

FIG. 13 is a time chart showing a process of storing a booklet in booklet storage means.

FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view showing an initial state of the booklet storage means.

FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a process in which booklets are stacked in the booklet storage unit.

FIG. 16 is a cross-sectional view showing a process of stacking booklets in the booklet storage means.

FIG. 17 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a process in which booklets are stacked in the booklet storage unit.

FIG. 18 is a cross-sectional view showing the booklet storage unit in a state where a plurality of booklets are stacked on the booklet loading table.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 50 binding means 60 folding means 100 first transport means 200 second transport means 211 large-diameter roller 212 guide plate 213 pinch roller 214 booklet discharge port 300 cutting means 400 booklet storage means 401 booklet loading table 410 movable wall member (pusher) 420 partition Member (hold plate) 421 Movable holding member 430 Pressing wall member 431 Pressing wall portion 432 Inclined surface portion 438 Constant load spring member 439 Spring take-up member A Image forming apparatus main body B Paper cutting device FS Paper post-processing device M1, M2, M3 M4, M5, M6, M7 Motor SA, SA1, SA2 Booklet a Folded part b Small edge

 ────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Makoto Tamura 2-14-34, Oyaba, Urawa-shi, Saitama (72) Inventor Tadahiro Takabashi 3-chome, Hibarigaoka, Hoya-shi, Tokyo F-term (reference) 3F054 AA05 AB01 BA11 BG03 DA12 3F108 GA02 GA04 GA09 GB01 GB03 GB06 HA02 HA32

Claims (12)

[Claims] 1. A sheet cutting apparatus for finishing a booklet by cutting a fore edge of a sheet bundle that has been folded in half by a cutting unit, wherein the booklet loading table of the booklet storage unit that stores a plurality of cut booklets is a booklet. A sheet cutting device, wherein the sheets can be stacked with the folds of the sheets facing up and the paper surfaces are overlapped. 2. A sheet cutting apparatus for finishing a booklet by cutting a fore-edge of a sheet bundle that has been folded in half by a cutting unit, wherein the cutting unit is disposed downstream of the cutting unit in the sheet conveying direction and cuts the cut booklet. A rotatable large-diameter roller that deflects vertically upward from the conveying means and conveys to the booklet storing means;
A driven rotatable pinch roller that presses and conveys the booklet to the large-diameter roller, and deflects the booklet vertically upward from the cutting section conveying means to a position where the large-diameter roller and the pinch roller are nipped. A sheet cutting device, comprising: a guide plate for guiding. 3. The mounting surface of the booklet storing means for mounting the booklet is disposed substantially above the large-diameter roller from the cutting section transporting means by a radius length. 3. The paper cutting device according to 2. 4. A sheet cutting apparatus for finishing a booklet by cutting a fore-edge of a sheet bundle that has been folded in half by a cutting means, and a booklet discharge port for passing the cut booklet through a booklet storage means; A booklet loading table of a booklet storage unit that is received from the booklet discharge port and stacked with the folds of the booklet facing upward and stacking the sheet surfaces, and pressing the sheet surface of the booklet supported upright on the booklet loading table. A movable wall member that reciprocates between the top of the booklet loading table and the booklet discharge port; and a driving unit that reciprocates the movable wall member. The booklet loaded at the stop position on the loading table is received, and each time the trimmed booklet is carried into the booklet loading table, the booklet is evacuated to a position behind the booklet discharge port, and the booklet discharges the booklet discharge port. After the passage is completed, A sheet cutting device that returns to the stop position and waits while pressing a sheet surface of a child. 5. The width of a booklet pressing surface portion of the movable wall member is
The sheet cutting device according to claim 4, wherein the width of the booklet on the booklet loading table is smaller than the minimum booklet width. 6. A sheet cutting apparatus for finishing a booklet by cutting a fore-edge of a sheet bundle that has been folded in half by a cutting means, and a booklet discharge port for passing the cut booklet through a booklet storage means; A booklet loading table of a booklet storage unit that is received from the booklet discharge port and stacked with the folds of the booklet facing upward and stacking the sheet surfaces, and pressing the sheet surface of the booklet supported upright on the booklet loading table. A movable wall member that reciprocates between the top of the booklet loading table and the booklet discharge port, and is disposed to face a sheet surface of the movable wall member, and is movable in a direction orthogonal to the booklet loading table. A partition member, and a driving unit for reciprocatingly driving the movable wall member and the partition member. The movable wall member normally receives a booklet loaded at a stop position on the booklet loading table, and cuts the sheet. The processed booklet is Each time it is carried into the child loading table, it retracts to the position behind the booklet discharge port, the movable wall member retracts for booklet reception and before the booklet discharge port is opened, the partition member moves, When the movable wall member moves to a position for receiving the end of the booklet instead of the movable wall member, and the movable wall member moves to the stop position while pressing the paper surface of the booklet, the partition member starts moving. A paper cutting device, wherein the paper cutting device is evacuated to allow the booklet to be received on the booklet loading table. 7. A sheet cutting device for finishing a booklet by cutting a fore edge of a sheet bundle that has been folded in half by cutting means, receiving the plurality of cut booklets, and setting the fold portion of the booklet upward. A booklet loading table of booklet storage means for stacking sheet surfaces, and a movable pressing wall member supported upright on the booklet loading table to press the sheet surface of the booklet loaded on the booklet loading table. And a spring-loaded constant-load spring member in which a long leaf spring for urging the pressing wall member is applied. 8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the pressing wall member urged by the constant load spring member faces one of the movable wall member and the partition member, and presses and clamps the paper surface of the booklet. The sheet cutting device according to claim 7, which performs the cutting. 9. The sheet cutting apparatus according to claim 8, wherein an end portion of the booklet stacked on the booklet storage means is placed on a flat portion of the constant load spring member. 10. A sheet cutting apparatus for finishing a booklet by cutting a fore edge of a sheet bundle that has been folded in half by cutting means, receiving the plurality of cut booklets, and setting the fold portion of the booklet up. A booklet loading table of a booklet storage unit for stacking paper surfaces in a stack, and supported upright on the booklet loading table, pressing a sheet surface of a booklet loaded on the booklet loading table, and pressing the booklet loading table. A movable wall member that reciprocates to support the paper surface of the booklet, and a movable pressing wall member that presses the paper surface of the booklet loaded on the booklet loading table against the movable wall member. The pressing wall member is parallel to a sheet supporting wall surface of the opposing movable wall member, and stands upright on the booklet loading table surface to press the sheet surface of the booklet. Moving away from the paper support wall surface of the movable wall member A sheet cutting device, comprising: an inclined surface having an inclination angle in a direction as described above. 11. The paper cutting apparatus according to claim 10, wherein a vertical length of the pressing wall portion is equal to or less than a half of a minimum length of a vertically supported booklet. . 12. An image forming means for forming an image according to image information on a sheet fed by a sheet feeding means,
The sheet cutting device according to any one of claims 1 to 11, further comprising a binding unit configured to saddle-stitch the image-formed sheet bundle, a sheet post-processing device including a folding unit configured to fold the saddle-stitched sheet bundle in two. An image forming apparatus comprising: cutting a fore edge of a sheet bundle that has been folded and saddle stitched by cutting means to finish a booklet.