JP2001240296A - Sheet edge cutting method, sheet cutting device and image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To easily and safely take out a booklet failed in conveying by a booklet conveying means mounted at a downstream side in the booklet conveying direction of a cutting means. SOLUTION: This sheet cutting device for finishing a booklet SA by cutting edges b of the booklet SA having been saddle stitched folded into two, by a cutting means 300, comprises a lower conveying belt 201 for conveying the booklet SA, an elevatable pressing means for pressing and separating an upper face of the booklet SA placed on the lower conveying belt 201, an elevating means for pressing and releasing the upper face of the booklet SA by elevating and driving the pressing means, and a driving means for driving the elevating means, and the elevating means and the driving means are mounted at a lower part of the lower conveying belt 201.

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 for cutting a small edge in order 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 a sheet post-processing 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]

(First Problem) A booklet that has undergone saddle stitching and folding in two has a shape in which the vicinity of the folded portion is expanded. Prior to performing the cutting process to align the booklet edge, the upper surface including the vicinity of the folded portion of the booklet,
After the booklet is flattened by being pressed by the pressing plate of the pressing means, the upper blade of the cutting means is lowered, and the edge of the booklet is cut by the lower blade to align the edges.

[0006] In the conventional paper cutting apparatus, a lifting means for raising and lowering the pressing plate and a driving means are fixedly arranged above the booklet transport path. For this reason, when a booklet conveyance failure occurs in the booklet conveyance path, it is difficult to take out the booklet with the conveyance failure because of the upper mechanism such as the lifting / lowering means and the driving means of the booklet conveyance path.

Further, since the pressing plate only moves within a range through which a booklet having the maximum thickness can pass, it is difficult to widely open the space above the booklet conveying path, and it is necessary to take out a booklet having a poor conveyance. Is difficult.

(Second Problem) The fore-edge (edge) at the rear end in the transport direction of the booklet that has been subjected to the saddle stitching process and the half-folding process has a different protrusion amount depending on the number of sheets. That is, the edge of the innermost sheet forming the booklet protrudes from the edge of the outermost sheet. The larger the number of sheets, the larger the protrusion amount. Therefore, when cutting is performed at a certain position, the cutting edge is not uniform due to poor cutting. Further, if the cutting is performed more than necessary, the finished booklet is reduced.

An object of the present invention to achieve the above first object is to improve the operability of booklet conveyance failure processing (jam processing) in the cutting means and the conveyance means.

An object of the present invention to achieve the above-mentioned second object is to enable an optimal cutting corresponding to the number of folded sheets of a booklet.

[0011]

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

(1) In a method for trimming a sheet for finishing the booklet by trimming the edge of the booklet which has been subjected to the saddle stitching process and the folding process, the booklet is placed at a predetermined position on a conveying member for conveying the booklet. The upper surface of the booklet has a pressing unit capable of pressing and separating the booklet, which can be moved up and down, and the driving unit disposed below the conveying member drives the pressing unit to press the booklet placed on the conveying member. A small edge cutting method for paper, wherein the small edge of the booklet is trimmed by the trimming means and the small edge of the booklet is aligned (claim 1).

(2) In a paper cutting apparatus for finishing the booklet by cutting the fore-edge of the booklet that has been subjected to the saddle stitching process and the folding process by a cutting device, a conveying device that conveys the booklet, and a paper sheet placed on the conveying device. Pressing means capable of lifting and lowering the upper surface of the booklet, lifting and lowering means for driving the pressing means up and down to press and release the upper surface of the booklet, and driving means for driving the lifting means, The paper cutting device according to claim 2, wherein the lifting unit and the driving unit are arranged below the transporting unit.

(3) In a paper cutting apparatus for finishing the booklet by cutting the fore-edge of the booklet that has been subjected to the saddle stitching process and the folding process by a cutting unit, the conveying unit that conveys the booklet, and the conveying unit that is parallel to the conveying direction of the booklet. Movable movable stopper, positioning means for positioning the movable stopper at a fixed position according to the booklet size, and control for finely adjusting the position of the movable stopper according to the number of folded booklets from a predetermined position for each booklet size Means for cutting a sheet of paper (claim 5).

(4) Image forming means for forming an image on the paper fed by the paper feeding means in accordance with the image information, binding means for saddle stitching the image-formed sheet bundle, and saddle stitching processing A sheet post-processing device provided with a folding unit for folding the booklet into two, and the sheet cutting device according to claim 2, wherein the image-formed sheet is subjected to saddle stitching and folding in two. An image forming apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the booklet is formed, the booklet is pressed by pressing means capable of moving up and down, and the fore edge is cut by cutting means to finish the booklet.

[0016]

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 paper feeding cassette 5, a paper feeding unit 6, a fixing device 7, and a paper 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 an image on one side or both sides of the document is read by the optical system of the image reading unit 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 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 fixed by the fixing device 7 and sent from the sheet discharge 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 booklet SA that has been saddle-stitched and folded in two by the sheet post-processing device FS to align the fore-edge b. 4 and the subsequent figures.

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
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 transport of the sheet by the pair of entrance rollers 12 at the entrance section 11 is divided into three sections: a first transport path in the upper stage, a second transport route in the middle stage, and a third transport route in the lower stage.
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
The paper S discharged from the image forming apparatus main body A enters the entrance 1
1 and conveyed by the entrance roller pair 12,
The length of the sheet S in the transport direction is detected by the entrance passage sensor PS1. The sheet S passes through the passage 13 on the right side of the first switching gate G1, is transported upward while being nipped by the pair of transport rollers 14 and 15 above, and is further nipped and fixedly ejected by the pair of ejection rollers 16. The paper is discharged onto the paper plate 81.

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 process 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 image forming apparatus main body A passes through the entrance 11 and the entrance roller pair 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
, Through the passage 23, between the shift means 25 and the shift roller pair 24, discharged by the discharge roller pair 26, and accommodates a large amount of sheets (for example, about 2,000 sheets), and is capable of ascending and descending. It is stacked on a paper plate 82.

(3) Edge Binding Process (Third Conveying Path) The paper S on which the edge binding process or the saddle binding process is to be performed is supplied to the entrance roller pair 12 and the passage 17 below the first switching gate G1.
, And is conveyed to the third conveyance path while being nipped by the conveyance roller pair 18.

In the third conveyance path, the sheet S passes through a passage 31 below the switching gate G2, is nipped and sent out by a pair of conveyance rollers 32 and a pair of conveyance rollers 34, and is inclined by the first stacking unit 30. Intermediate stacker 35
After being discharged into the space above, contacting the upper surface of the intermediate stacker 35 or the paper S stacked on the intermediate stacker 35, slidably rising, and after the trailing end of the paper S in the traveling direction is discharged from the pair of transport rollers 34. Turns down due to the weight of the sheet S, slides down on the inclined surface of the intermediate stacker 35, and moves on the sheet abutting surface of a movable stopper member 51 for edge binding (hereinafter referred to as an edge binding stopper) 51 near the binding means 50. The leading end in the traveling direction of S abuts 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 perpendicular to the paper transport direction, and can be moved in a direction perpendicular to the paper transport direction by a drive 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 sizes (length in the transport direction) of the cover sheet K and the sheet S are set or detected, a movable stopper member for saddle stitching (hereinafter, referred to as a 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 sheet S and the cover K, which are advanced on the intermediate stacker 35 and extended from the binding means 50 to the upstream side and the downstream side, are stacked on the upstream width aligning means 36. 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 binding process is performed by the binding means 50 on a sheet bundle including the cover sheet K and all pages of the sheet S. 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.

A sheet ejecting means 66 is provided at the center of the stopped sheet bundle in the transport direction, that is, obliquely below the saddle stitching position. A folding roller pair 67 and a two-fold paper transport unit 68 are provided diagonally above the saddle stitching position.

The folding means 60 includes a sheet ejecting means 66,
It is composed of a pair of folding rollers 67, a two-fold paper transporting means 68 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. , The nip portion of the folding roller pair 67 is pushed and spread to swing and separate.

After the leading end 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 pressed by the folding roller pair 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 central portion of the sheet bundle having a fold formed by being pressed by the pair of rotating folding rollers 67A of the folding roller pair 67 is conveyed while being pinched by a pair of conveying belts 67B, and is pressed by a pair of pressurizing belts. It is fed to the nip position of the roller 67C, and the fold portion is further firmly attached at this position,
The sheet is sent to the folding paper conveying means 68.

The sheet bundle sent to the two-fold sheet conveying means 68 is conveyed while being sandwiched between the lower conveying belt 68A and the upper conveying belt 68B, and is discharged to the sheet cutting device B outside the machine.

FIG. 3A is a plan view of a sheet showing a saddle stitching process of stapling the binding staple SP at two places at the center along the 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 is a fore edge at the side end of the booklet SA, and c is 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 further the inner surface. 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 loaded 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 paper 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 the drive means and a driven roller 122 which rotates by pressing 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.

On the downstream side of the drive roller 121 in the sheet transport 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 has been cut by the cutting means 300 and finished, is fed by the second conveying means 200 to 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 guide plate 212 fixedly arranged, and moves vertically upward by about 9
It is deflected by 0 ° and transported 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

Normally, the movable wall member 410 is
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 partition member 420 can be moved up and down in the vertical direction perpendicular to the booklet loading table 401. When the movable wall member 410 starts retreating so that the booklet discharge port 214 is opened to receive the next booklet, The member 420 is the movable wall member 41
Accept the paper surface of the loaded booklet SA instead of 0,
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, the partition member 420
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 supported by the booklet loading table 401 so as to be horizontally movable, 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 conveying means 100 via gears g2, g3, g4g5. 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 is provided with 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 sheets, so that the setting position of the movable stopper 221 is set to these numerical values. Alternatively, the control means selects the optimum value by detecting the thickness of the booklet.

FIG. 8 is a front view of driving means of the pressing unit including the upper transport 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 crank 233 is composed of two springs 2 each.
35 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 fixed to the supporting member 209 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 presses the upper surface of the booklet SA.

The rollers 207 and 208 are integrated with the pressing plate 240 via a spring 241. Roller 207,
The upper transport belt 206 around which the 208 is wound is urged downward by a spring 241. The pressing force transmission system from the rotating disk 231 to the upper transport belt 206 is provided in a pair on the near side and the back side.

FIG. 9 is a sectional view of the second transporting means 200 and the cutting means 300 when the booklet SA is cut at the fore edge.

When the driving of the motor M4 is started, the pressing plate 24
0 presses the upper surface of the booklet SA and flattens the booklet SA by the urging force of the spring 235. The upper transport belt 206 urged by the spring 241 is also pressed against the upper surface of the booklet SA,
It relatively moves with the pressing plate 240. The pressing plate 309 is also driven downward to press the vicinity of the fore-edge of the booklet SA.

FIG. 10 is a sectional view of the cutting means 300. The cutting means 300 includes a cutting upper blade 301 and a cutting lower blade 30.
2. 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 movable frame 307 is provided on the upper blade support frame 306.
Are biased by a spring 308 and supported. A pressing plate 309 pressing the upper surface of the booklet SA and a pressing roller 311 pressing the movable plate 310 are provided below the upper blade supporting frame 306.
Is supported.

In the downward stroke of the movable frame 307, the pressing plate 3
09 descends, and the booklet S placed on the cutting lower blade 302
The upper surface of A is pressed, and then the descending pressing roller 311 presses the upper surface of the fore edge of the booklet SA on the movable plate 310, and the cutting edge of the upper cutting blade 301 descends to cut the fore edge.

FIG. 11 shows the upper transport belt 206 and the pressing plate 2
FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of a support member 209 that supports the forty.

The operation rear side of the support member 209 is swingably opened and closed by a support shaft 242 connected to the connection rod 236A on the rear side. The operation front side of the support member 209 is swingably connected by a support shaft 243 connected to the connection rod 236B on the front side. A lock claw member 244 is supported on the support shaft 243 and locks the support member 209 when closed. 245
Is a pin for positioning the support member 209, and 246 is a spring for urging the support member 209 to be openable.

The dashed line in the drawing indicates that the support member 209 is unlocked, and the support member 209 is swung about the support shaft 242, and the booklet SA
2 shows a state in which the upper part of the transfer path is opened. Lock claw member 2
When the gripper 44 is released by gripping, the support member 209 supporting the upper transport belt 206 and the pressing plate 240 is urged by the spring 246 to be in an open state. In this open state, the defective transport booklet SA stagnated on the lower transport belt 201 can be easily taken out.

FIG. 12 shows a booklet SA by the sheet cutting device B.
FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing a process of cutting a fore edge b of FIG. FIG.
3 is a block diagram illustrating control of the sheet cutting device B. FIG.

The process of cutting the booklet SA into small edges will be described below. (1) A setting signal for performing a fore-edge cutting process on the booklet SA subjected to the saddle stitching process and the center folding process by the sheet post-processing device FS is input.

(2) When a sheet size detection signal from the image forming apparatus body A or the sheet post-processing apparatus FS or a sheet size signal set in the operation section of the image forming apparatus body A is input to the sheet cutting apparatus B, The unit including the movable stopper 221 moves by being driven by the motor M2, and stops at the set sheet size position.

(3) The saddle-stitched and center-folded booklet SA discharged from the sheet post-processing apparatus FS is supplied to the sheet cutting apparatus B.
Is sent to the first transfer means 100 and further sent to the second transfer means 200.

(4) The booklet SA carried into the second carrying means 200 has a predetermined space (for example, 8 mm) in which the rotating lower carrying belt 201 and the upper roller 205 driven and rotated at a fixed position face each other. The booklet SA is conveyed so as to suppress the bulge of the folded portion. Further, the rotating upper transport belt 201 is guided by the driven upper transport belt 206 on the surface thereof, and is transported so as to suppress the bulge of the folded portion. The sensor PS2 arranged near the movable stopper 221 is
Upon detecting the passage of the front end of the booklet SA, the control unit 90
The rotation of the lower conveying belt 201 is controlled and stopped so that the leading end of the booklet SA comes into contact with the movable stopper 221 and stops (see FIG. 12A).

(5) After detecting the passage of the front end of the booklet SA by the sensor PS2, the control means 90 starts driving the motor M4 and lowers the pressing plate 240. The pressing plate 240 descends and strongly presses the upper surface near the leading end (folded portion a) of the booklet SA. Further, the upper conveying belt 206 urged by the spring 241 also descends and presses the upper surface near the leading end of the booklet SA. Due to these pressing forces, the swelling shown in FIG. 12A is compressed and flattened in the booklet SA that has undergone saddle stitching and folding (see FIG. 12B).

(6) Then, after a predetermined time has elapsed, the control means 90 starts driving the motor M5.
Presses the upper surface of the booklet SA to correct and warp the end of the booklet SA, and then the cutting upper blade 301 descends to cut the fore edge b of the booklet SA (see FIG. 12C).

(7) After the edge cutting process, the upper blade 301 and the pressing plate 309 are raised by the motor M5 which is continuously driven. The motor M5 continues to rotate, and the cutting upper blade 301
When the upper limit is detected by the sensor, the driving of the motor M5 stops.

The control means 90 starts driving the motors M4 and M3 according to the upper limit detection signal of the upper cutting blade 301. By driving the motor M4, the pressing plate 240 and the upper conveying belt 2
06 rises. By the drive of the motor M3, the movable stopper 221 is tilted and its leading end is buried below the transport surface of the booklet SA, and the paper discharge path is opened.

Thereafter, the lower transport belt 201 is rotated by driving the motor M1 to transport the booklet SA, and the booklet discharge port 2
Eject in 14 directions (see FIG. 12D).

[0102]

The following effects can be obtained by the paper cutting apparatus and the image forming apparatus of the present invention.

(1) In a sheet cutting apparatus for removing the swelling in the vicinity of the folded portion of the booklet subjected to saddle stitching and center folding by flattening by pressing with a pressing means, and cutting the sheet, a driving means for the pressing means is used. By disposing below the booklet transport path and further swinging the pressing means so that the booklet transport path can be opened and closed, the upper space of the booklet transport path is widely opened to easily and safely take out a poorly transported booklet. Can be.

(2) The control means of the paper cutting apparatus of the present invention finely adjusts the position of the movable stopper for positioning the leading end of the booklet in accordance with the number of sheets folded and the thickness of the booklet, so that an appropriate cutting amount can be obtained. As a result, the booklet is trimmed without excess or shortage, the edges of the booklet are uniformly arranged, and the finish quality of the booklet is improved.

(3) Desired digital processing is performed by an image forming apparatus such as a copier, a printer, or a multifunction peripheral thereof. By the paper cutting apparatus of the present invention, small-edge cutting is performed accurately, and a booklet is obtained, and a stable and stable booklet finishing process is achieved.

[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 cross-sectional view of the second transporting unit and the cutting unit when the booklet is cut at the fore edge.

FIG. 10 is a sectional view of a cutting unit.

FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of a support member that supports an upper conveyance belt and a pressing plate.

FIG. 12 is a schematic diagram showing a process of cutting the fore edge b of the booklet SA by the paper cutting device.

FIG. 13 is a block diagram illustrating control of the sheet cutting device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 50 binding means 60 folding means 100 first transport means 200 second transport means 201 lower transport belt 204 transport support plate 205 upper roller 206 upper transport belt 209 support member 221 movable stopper 231 rotating disk 233 crank 234 connecting plate 236, 236A, 236B Connecting rod 240 Pressing plate 244 Lock claw member 300 Cutting means 301 Cutting upper blade 302 Cutting lower blade 309 Pressing plate A Image forming apparatus main body B Paper cutting device FS Paper post-processing device M1, M2, M3, M4, M5 Motor SA Booklet a Folded part b Small edge

 ────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Makoto Tamura 2-14-34 Otaniba, Urawa-shi, Saitama (72) Inventor Tadahiro Takabashi 3-3-3 Hibarigaoka, Hoya-shi, Tokyo F-term (reference) 3C027 JJ14 JJ17 JJ18 3F108 GA02 GA04 GB01 GB03 GB06 HA02 HA32

Claims (6)

[Claims] In a method for cutting a small edge of a booklet that has been subjected to saddle stitching processing and half-folding processing by a trimming means to finish the booklet, the edge of the booklet is placed at a predetermined position on a conveying member that conveys the booklet. The upper surface of the booklet is provided with pressing means capable of pressing and separating, which can be moved up and down, and driving means disposed below the conveying member drives the pressing means to press the booklet placed on the conveying member. A small edge of the booklet is trimmed by the trimming means, and the small edge of the booklet is aligned. 2. A sheet cutting apparatus for finishing a booklet by cutting a fore edge of a booklet that has undergone saddle stitching and folding in two by a cutting unit, and a conveying unit that conveys the booklet, and the sheet booklet is placed on the conveying unit. Lifting means for pressing and separating the upper surface of the booklet, elevating means for driving the pressing means up and down to press and release the upper surface of the booklet, and driving means for driving the elevating means, A sheet cutting device, wherein a lifting unit and a driving unit are arranged below the conveying unit. 3. The sheet cutting apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said pressing means comprises a conveying belt which is pressed against said conveying means and is driven to rotate, and a pressing plate. 4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said pressing means is swingably supported upward about a fulcrum provided deeper than an operation side of said elevating means so as to open and close a paper booklet transport path. Item 4. The sheet cutting device according to item 2 or 3. 5. A paper cutting apparatus for finishing a booklet by trimming a fore edge of a booklet that has been subjected to saddle stitching processing and folding processing by a cutting means to move the booklet in a direction parallel to a conveying direction of the booklet. Possible movable stopper, positioning means for positioning the movable stopper at a fixed position according to the booklet size, and control means for finely adjusting the position of the movable stopper from a predetermined position for each booklet size according to the number of folded booklets And a sheet cutting device comprising: 6. A sheet fed by a sheet feeding means,
An image forming unit that forms an image according to image information; a binding unit that saddle-stitches the image-formed sheet bundle; and a sheet post-processing apparatus that includes a folding unit that folds a saddle-stitched booklet in two. A sheet cutting device according to any one of claims 2 to 5, wherein the sheet on which the image is formed is saddle stitched and folded in two to form a booklet, and the booklet is pressed by a vertically movable pressing means. An image forming apparatus which cuts a booklet by cutting means to finish a booklet.