JP2002226133A - Sheet-type medium adjusting device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a device capable of avoiding damaging aligning means or returning means even when the top surface of a sheet-type medium becomes curled and uneven. SOLUTION: Detecting means 96, 97 for detecting the top surface position of a tray 12 are provided to correspond to different positions of the tray 12, respectively. When either the detecting means 97 provided near the aligning means 102a, 102b or the detecting means 96 provided near the returning means 3 detects a range on the top surface of the stacked paper on the tray 12 where alignment by the aligning means or by the returning means is not possible, discharge from a discharge means 3 is prohibited.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to a sheet-like medium aligning apparatus, an image forming apparatus, and an image forming system.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A punch unit for punching filing holes for a sheet-form medium (hereinafter, referred to as a sheet) on which an image is formed discharged from an image forming apparatus, a stapling unit for performing a binding process, and a stamping unit for performing stamping. In a sheet-like medium post-processing apparatus or an image forming apparatus that performs post-processing, for example, sheets discharged from a discharge unit are stacked on a stacking unit called a tray. The sheets stacked on the tray are automatically aligned for subsequent use. However, the degree of sheet alignment, that is, the accuracy of the alignment is problematic.

For example, a sheet formed with an image by an image forming apparatus (not shown) and sent to the sheet post-processing apparatus in the transport direction is sent to a pair of discharge means via a sheet discharge sensor for detecting the passage of the sheet. To the paper ejection rollers. A tray is located below the discharge rollers. After the paper discharged from the paper discharge rollers is discharged from the paper discharge rollers, the paper is freely dropped obliquely downward by inertia and own weight, and is stacked on a tray.

Since this sheet post-processing apparatus has a sorting function, when a predetermined number of sheets are stacked on the tray, the tray is required for sorting in a shift direction orthogonal to the sheet discharging direction. The stroke is shifted by a predetermined stroke. In this way, the sheets of the next set are discharged one after another and stacked on the stacked sheets (sheet bundle) constituting the set moved together with the tray. When a predetermined number of sheets are stacked on the tray, the tray is shifted to the opposite side again, and the next sheet is received and stacked.

[0005] In this manner, on the tray, for example, a set of eight sheets of paper is set as one set, and the step of the sheet end face between the respective sections is sorted by the uneven step corresponding to the shift amount of the tray. Bundles can be obtained in a loaded state. Conventionally, in a sheet post-processing apparatus having such a sorting function, a method of aligning sheets discharged from a sheet discharge roller is such that a sheet from a nip portion of the sheet discharge roller to a tray upper surface is freely dropped. Was simply loaded on the tray.

In such an alignment method, the paper discharged from the paper discharge roller is in a free state until it lands on the tray, and the lateral registration of the paper received from the image forming apparatus is shifted or skewed. Or, even on the tray, the paper end faces in the shift direction orthogonal to the paper transport direction are not aligned between the papers,
This causes paper misalignment.

[0007] In a copy company or the like, the sorted and stacked sheet bundle is set in a next step, for example, by a punch machine, and therefore, it is required to stack in a highly accurate sorting state. If the sheet bundle has poor alignment accuracy, the sheet bundle taken out of the tray must be re-aligned manually and then set on a punch machine, resulting in waste of work efficiency. For this reason, the upper segment, for example, a so-called copy trader, demands strict alignment accuracy for the stacked sheets, and improvement of the alignment accuracy is desired.

In order to meet such a demand, the present inventors have proposed an unknown, high-performance sheet-shaped medium aligning apparatus having high-performance alignment accuracy. The outline of the sheet-shaped medium aligning device is as follows: a discharge unit for discharging the conveyed sheet, a tray for loading the sheet discharged by the discharge unit, and a sheet loaded by the discharge unit for the sheet loaded on the tray And an aligning means for contacting and aligning an end surface parallel to the discharge direction of the sheet, and sorting the sheet-like media by moving the tray or the aligning means by a predetermined amount in a shift direction orthogonal to the sheet-like medium discharging direction of the discharging means. A sorting unit (a tray moving unit or an aligning member driving unit); and a return unit including a rotating body that aligns by hitting a sheet against a standing wall (hereinafter, referred to as an end fence) provided at the alignment position. .

The sheet-like medium aligning device is configured as a part of an image forming apparatus, or is configured as a part of a sheet-like medium post-processing apparatus, and aligns sheet media conveyed one after another. In addition, sorting processing is performed as necessary.

The aligning means has a horizontal alignment function for aligning the paper on the tray in the width direction of the paper orthogonal to the discharge direction, and the return means has a vertical alignment function for aligning the paper on the tray in the discharge direction. Each is located at a different position on the tray.

Since the sheets fall one after another on the tray, the upper surface level of the sheets stacked on the upper surface of the tray also gradually rises. Is changed, and the alignment condition is disturbed because the paper drop condition changes. Further, if the vertical level of the aligning means and the return means is shifted from the vertical level of the stacked sheets on the tray, the aligning means and the return means do not function properly.

Therefore, the tray is configured to be able to be driven up and down, the upper surface of the tray is detected by a sensor, and the tray is moved up and down based on the detection result to move the tray up and down from the nip portion of the discharge roller (paper on the upper surface of the tray). Is controlled to be constant.

Conventionally, a filler for detecting the upper surface level is installed at one position on the upper surface of the tray, and the height of the tray is controlled to be maintained at a constant level based on the detection result of one position detected by the filler. are doing.

Paper sheets generally have a curl tendency. When a large number of sheets are stacked, the curls are accumulated, and the height of the top surface of the sheets on the tray differs greatly depending on the position in the vertical direction. For this reason, even if the height of the tray is controlled so that the aligning means (by either of the returning means) at one place detected by the filler is properly performed, the return at the other place is performed. It does not reach the level of the paper surface where the alignment function by the means (or alignment means) is properly performed.

For example, considering that the paper is returned vertically by the return function of the return means and a filler for detecting the height of the tray is provided near the return means, the vertical alignment function is not provided. Even if there is no problem, the level of the aligning means located at a different place from the returning means does not match the level with respect to the paper, and the aligning function may not be sufficiently exhibited. When a filler for detecting the height of the tray is installed, even if there is no problem with the alignment by the aligning means, the level of the return means located at a different place from the aligning means does not match the paper, and In some cases, vertical alignment cannot be sufficiently performed due to the above.

If the aligning means and the return means are installed at the same spatial position on the tray, such a problem may not occur, but a place for fully exerting the aligning function by the aligning means, It does not coincide with the place for fully exerting the return function by the return means,
Since both of the return means are constituted by members occupying a spatial place, they cannot be arranged at the same overlapping spatial position.

[0017]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide an aligning function by an aligning means or a returning means when the upper surface of a sheet-like medium stacked on a tray becomes uneven due to curling. A sheet-like medium matching device which can take as little damage as possible or take necessary measures;
An object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus and an image forming system.

[0018]

According to the present invention, there is provided a structure for achieving the above-mentioned object or for achieving the above-mentioned object,
The configuration was as follows. (1). Discharging means for discharging the conveyed sheet medium, loading means for stacking the sheet medium discharged by the discharging means, and sheet medium by the discharging means for the sheet medium loaded on the loading means Aligning means for contacting and aligning the end face parallel to the discharge direction of the sheet medium, and moving the stacking means or the aligning means by a predetermined amount in a shift direction orthogonal to the sheet medium discharging direction of the discharging means to remove the sheet medium. A sheet medium aligning apparatus comprising: sorting means for sorting, and return means consisting of a rotating body that aligns by abutting a sheet medium against an upright wall provided at an alignment position. A plurality of detecting means are provided corresponding to a plurality of different positions on the upper surface of the loading means, respectively. (2). (1) In the sheet-shaped medium matching device according to (1),
One of the plurality of detecting means is provided near the return means, and the other is provided near the aligning means (claim 2). (3). (2) In the sheet-like medium matching device according to (2),
Control is performed to determine the height of the loading means to a height at which the return means can perform the return function by the detection means provided near the return means, and then the detection provided near the alignment means is performed. When the means detects that the upper surface of the sheet-like medium on the loading means is within a predetermined range,
Discharging of the sheet medium from the discharging means is prohibited (claim 3). (4). (3) In the sheet-like medium matching device according to (3),
The predetermined range is a range in which the aligning means, which can take the aligning operation position, is separated from the upper surface of the sheet medium and cannot perform the aligning function (claim 4). (5). (3) In the sheet-like medium matching device according to (3),
The predetermined range is a range in which the upper surface of the sheet-like medium stacked on the stacking unit can interfere with the alignment unit at the retreat position (claim 5). (6). (4) The sheet-like medium aligning apparatus according to (5), wherein the aligning operation by the aligning unit is inhibited and the returning operation by the returning unit is performed without inhibiting the ejection of the sheet-like medium from the discharging unit. (Claim 6). (7). (6) In the sheet-like medium matching device described in (6),
After the alignment operation is prohibited, the alignment means is caused to wait at a home position. (8). (2) In the sheet-like medium matching device according to (2),
Control is performed by the detecting means provided near the aligning means to determine the height of the loading means to a height at which the aligning means can perform the aligning function, and then the detection provided near the return means is performed. When the means detects that the sheet is within a predetermined range, the discharging of the sheet-like medium from the discharging means is prohibited (claim 8). (9). (8) In the sheet-like medium matching device according to (8),
The return means may have a standby position for waiting for the sheet medium discharged from the discharge means to land on the stacking means, and a return position for returning the sheet medium to the standing wall in contact with the landed sheet medium. In some cases, the predetermined range is a range in which the return unit at the standby position contacts the sheet-like medium on the stacking unit (claim 9). (10). (8) In the sheet-like medium aligning device according to (8), the predetermined range is a range in which the return unit at the return position cannot contact the sheet-like medium on the stacking unit (claim 10). (11). (9) In the sheet-like medium aligning apparatus according to (9), when the detecting means provided near the returning means detects that the sheet is in the predetermined range, the discharging of the sheet-like medium from the discharging means is performed. Instead, the return operation by the return means is prohibited and only the alignment operation by the alignment means is performed. (12). (3) In the sheet-like medium aligning apparatus according to any one of (11) to (11), when the detecting unit detects that the upper surface of the sheet-like medium on the stacking unit is in the predetermined range, An alignment priority mode for prohibiting ejection of the sheet-like medium from the ejection unit, and a sheet-like sheet from the ejection unit even when the detection unit does not detect that the upper surface of the sheet-like medium on the stacking unit is within the predetermined range. A loading priority mode in which ejection of the medium is not prohibited is set, and any one of these modes can be selected according to the user's intention. (13). In an image forming apparatus having an image forming unit for forming an image on a sheet-like medium and a conveying unit for conveying the image-formed sheet-like medium, (1) to (1)
The sheet-like medium aligning device according to any one of 2) is provided (claim 13). (14). An image forming apparatus and a sheet-like medium aligning device are provided, and a process from image formation on a sheet-like medium in the image forming apparatus to alignment of the image-formed sheet-like medium in the sheet-like medium aligning apparatus is integrated. 13. An image forming system according to claim 1, wherein said sheet-like medium aligning device is provided with the sheet-like medium aligning device according to any one of claims 1 to 12, and said detecting unit detects sheets on said stacking unit. When it is detected that the upper surface of the medium is in the predetermined range, the image forming operation in the image forming apparatus is stopped. (15). (14) In the image forming system described in (14),
When the detecting unit detects that the upper surface of the sheet medium on the stacking unit is within the predetermined range, the discharge unit of the sheet medium is set to the stacking unit without stopping the image forming operation in the image forming apparatus. The loading means is switched to another loading means (claim 15). (16). (15) In the image forming system according to (15),
When the detecting means detects that the upper surface of the sheet-like medium on the stacking means is within the predetermined range, the discharge of the last sheet-like medium of the copy is completed without stopping the image forming operation in the image forming apparatus. Until the discharge, the discharge of the sheet-like medium from the discharge unit is continued, and the image forming operation from the next copy is stopped.
6). (17). (14) In the image forming system described in (14),
A warning is issued to notify an abnormality of the upper surface shape of the sheet-like medium stacked on the stacking means.
7). (18). (14) In the image forming system described in (14),
After stopping the image forming operation, when the detecting unit detects that the upper surface of the sheet-like medium on the stacking unit is outside the predetermined range, the stopped image forming operation is restarted ( Claim 18). (19). Post-processing means for performing staple processing, conveying means for conveying the sheet-like medium toward the post-processing means, and conveying the sheet-like medium post-processed by the post-processing means, Discharging means for discharging a sheet-shaped medium coming therefrom, loading means for loading the sheet-shaped medium discharged by the discharging means, and discharging direction of the sheet-shaped medium loaded on the loading means by the discharging means Aligning means for contacting and aligning the sheet so as to sandwich an end surface parallel thereto, and sorting means for moving the stacking means or the aligning means by a predetermined amount in a shift direction orthogonal to the sheet-like medium discharging direction of the discharging means for sorting sheet-like media. And a return means comprising a rotating body that aligns the sheet-shaped medium by abutting the sheet-shaped medium against an upright wall provided at the alignment position. And a non-staple mode in which the stapling process is not performed and a non-staple mode in which the stapling process is not performed. A plurality of detecting means for detecting indirectly via paper are provided near the return position on the upper surface of the stacking means and near the aligning means, respectively, and at the time of the staple mode, at a position near the aligning means. The detection is performed by the provided detecting means, and in the non-staple mode, the detection is performed by the detecting means provided near the return means (claim 19). (20). (19) In the sheet medium post-processing apparatus according to (19), when the non-staple mode is performed without removing the sheet medium on the stacking means after the end of the staple mode, the detecting means provided near the aligning means. The detection is performed according to (claim 20).

[0019]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION A sheet-like sheet for performing post-processing such as punching for forming a filing punching hole, spelling for stapling, and stamping for stamping on an image-formed sheet discharged from an image forming apparatus. 2. Description of the Related Art In a medium post-processing apparatus and an image forming apparatus, sheets discharged from a discharge unit are required to be stacked in a high-precision sorting state in order to be further processed by a copying machine or the like by a machine.

If the sheet bundle has a poor alignment accuracy, the sheet bundle taken out of the tray must be re-aligned manually and then put on a machine such as a punching machine, resulting in waste of work efficiency. For this reason, the upper segment, for example, a so-called copy trader, demands strict alignment accuracy for the loaded paper, and it is desired to improve the alignment accuracy. However, the alignment unit, the return unit, and the sorting unit according to the following example are applied. By doing so, such a request can be met.

The sheet-like medium aligning apparatus according to the present invention can be constituted as a single apparatus, or an apparatus having means for discharging a sheet-like medium, for example, an image having no aligning function or sorting function. Forming device, aligning function, used in combination or combined with a sheet-shaped medium post-processing device without a sorting function, and further combined with the sheet-shaped medium post-processing device, and then combined with the image forming device The image forming system can be combined to form an image forming system, and the sheet-shaped media can be aligned and sorted on the tray by the aligning function and the sorting function.

In the following, first, the configuration which is the premise of the present invention, that is, a sheet-like medium post-processing apparatus provided with a sheet-like medium aligning device as an example, a discharging means for discharging the sheet-like medium, and a sheet-like medium are discharged by a discharging means. A tray as a stacking unit for stacking sheet-like media, an aligning unit, and a sorting unit will be described, and a mechanical configuration operation of a returning unit will be described. Then, another embodiment of the present invention will be described.

1. Sheet-shaped medium post-processing apparatus 1 [1] Outline of sheet-shaped medium post-processing apparatus A sheet-shaped medium aligning apparatus integrally formed with an independent sheet-shaped medium post-processing apparatus connected to an image forming apparatus will be described as an example. .

In FIG. 2, a sheet-like medium post-processing device 51 as post-processing means for post-processing a sheet is connected to an image forming device 50.

In the image forming apparatus 50, the sheet S on which an image has been formed by the image forming means is sent to the sheet-like medium post-processing apparatus 51 in accordance with the post-processing content specified by the operator.

When the image forming apparatus 50 is a copying machine, the post-processing contents of the sheet-like medium post-processing apparatus 51 include the following modes. Normal mode in which sheets are simply stacked in the order in which they are discharged. In this mode, processing is executed by designating the sheet size and the number of copies. Staple mode for stapling. In this mode, the process is executed by instructing the number of sheets, the position of the sheets, and the like in addition to the sheet size and the number of copies. Sorting mode for sorting. In this mode, the process is executed by designating the paper size and the number of sorts. Punch mode. In this mode, drilling is performed. In addition, other modes can be set and processed as necessary, as described later.

These work instructions for post-processing are transmitted to the control means including the CPU by key operation from the operation panel of the copying machine, and transmitted between the control means and the image forming apparatus 50 and the sheet-like medium post-processing apparatus 51. Signals for performing post-processing are transmitted and received, and post-processing is performed. It should be noted that the sheet-like medium post-processing apparatus is integrally formed with a sheet-like medium aligning device having an aligning means and a returning means described later.

In the sheet-like medium post-processing apparatus, it is possible to select whether or not to execute post-processing. The post-processed paper is selected when post-processing is selected, or the post-processing is performed when post-processing is not selected. The unprinted sheets can be aligned in a state of being sorted on the tray by the sorting function and the aligning function (horizontal aligning function, vertical aligning function) of the sheet-shaped medium aligning device.

FIG. 2 shows an example of the overall configuration of a sheet-like medium post-processing apparatus 51 according to this embodiment. The sheet-like medium post-processing apparatus of this example is another apparatus having a unit for discharging a sheet, for example,
It is used in combination with the image forming apparatus 50 having no alignment function, and the paper is placed on the tray 12 by the alignment function.
Can be aligned on top.

The sheet on which an image has been formed in the image forming apparatus 50 reaches a sheet-like medium post-processing apparatus 51. The presence or absence of post-processing can be selected, and the paper that has been post-processed by selection or the paper that has not been subjected to post-processing by selection is discharged by the alignment operation of the sheet-like medium alignment device combined with the sheet-like medium post-processing device 51. The sheets are stacked on the tray in the direction a and, if necessary, aligned in the shift direction d orthogonal to the discharge direction a and are shifted in position by a predetermined number of sheets. This sorting state is performed by a sorting function of a tray moving unit 98 (described later) for moving the tray 12 in the shift direction d or a sorting function by the aligning unit.

As shown in FIG. 2, the sheet-like medium post-processing apparatus 51 has a tray 12 which can be moved up and down and can be shifted as a stacking means, and a proof tray 14 whose position is fixed and which does not move. It has it in the upper part of the device.

An entrance sensor 36 and an entrance roller pair 1 are provided in the vicinity of the sheet delivery portion with the image forming apparatus 50, and the paper taken in by the entrance roller pair 1 is set according to each post-processing mode. It is transported along the transport path.

A punch unit 15 for punching holes is provided downstream of the entrance roller pair 1.
A transport roller pair 2a is provided downstream of 5. A branch claw 8a is provided downstream of the conveying roller pair 2a.
The paper is selectively guided by the branch claw 8a to a transport path toward the proof tray 14 and a transport path that travels substantially horizontally. When the sheet is conveyed toward the proof tray 14, the sheet is conveyed by a pair of conveying rollers 60 and discharged to the proof tray 14 by a pair of discharge rollers 62.

A branch claw 8b is provided downstream of the branch claw 8a, and the sheet is selectively guided to the non-staple route E and the stipple route F by the branch claw 8b. The positions of the branch claws 8a and 8b can be switched by on / off control of a solenoid (not shown).

The sheet guided to the non-staple route E is conveyed by the conveying roller pair 2b, and is discharged to the tray 12 by the discharge roller 3 as discharging means. A return roller 121 as return means to be described later is provided so as to be overlapped with a lower portion of the pair of paper discharge rollers 3 or at a lower position. As described later, the return roller 121 is
a and 121b. An end fence 1 for aligning the trailing edge of the paper with the tray 12 is located on the left side of the apparatus main body in the figure.
It is 31.

The paper discharge rollers 3 include an upper roller 3a and a lower roller 3b.
The lower roller 3b is rotatably supported by a free end of a support member 66 which is supported on the upstream side in the sheet discharging direction a and is rotatably provided in the vertical direction. The lower roller 3b abuts on the upper roller 3a by its own weight or biasing force, and the sheet is nipped between the rollers and discharged. When the stapled sheet bundle is discharged, the support member 66 is rotated upward and returned at a predetermined timing. This timing is determined based on the detection signal of the paper ejection sensor 38. The paper ejection sensor 38 is arranged immediately upstream of the paper ejection roller 3.

The paper guided to the staple route F is
It is transported by the transport roller pair 2c. Transport roller pair 2c
Is provided on the downstream side, and the sheet is selectively guided to the main staple route G and the retreat route H by the branch claw 8c. The position of the branch claw 8c can also be switched by on / off control of a solenoid (not shown).

The paper guided to the staple main route G is detected by the paper discharge sensor 37 via the transport roller pair 4 and is stacked on a staple tray (not shown) by the paper discharge roller pair 68. In this case, alignment in the vertical direction (paper transport direction) is performed by the hitting roller 5 for each paper, and the jogger fence 9 is aligned.
, Alignment in the horizontal direction (the same sheet width direction as the shift direction d) is performed. The stapler 11 is driven by a staple signal from a control unit (not shown) from a break between jobs, that is, from the last sheet of the sheet bundle forming the set to the leading sheet forming the next set, and the binding process is performed.

When the distance between the sheets discharged from the image forming apparatus 50 is short and the next sheet comes during the binding process, the next sheet is guided to the retreat route H and temporarily Evacuated. The paper guided to the evacuation route H
It is transported by the transport roller pair 16.

The sheet bundle on which the binding process has been performed is immediately sent to the sheet discharge roller 3 via the guide 69 by the discharge belt 10 having the discharge claw 10a, and discharged to the tray 12. The predetermined position of the ejection claw 10a is detected by the sensor 39.

The hitting roller 5 is given a pendulum motion by a solenoid (not shown) about the fulcrum 5a, and acts intermittently on the sheet fed to the staple tray to hit the sheet against the end fence. Although not shown, the paper discharge roller pair 68 has a brush roller, which prevents backflow of the rear end of the paper. The hitting roller 5 rotates counterclockwise. The above is the outline of the configuration and operation of the essential functional parts of the sheet-like medium post-processing apparatus.

The sheet-like medium post-processing device 51 can perform post-processing, which is an essential function, and can sort and sort sheets stacked on the tray 12 as described below. In this alignment, the discharge direction a
There are two types of alignment: vertical alignment for aligning the ends of the horizontal direction and horizontal alignment for aligning the ends in the shift direction d. The former vertical alignment is performed by the function of the return roller 131 as a return means for abutting against the end fence 131. The latter horizontal alignment is performed by alignment members 102a and 102b as alignment means.

In FIG. 2, the sheet-form medium post-processing apparatus includes a discharge roller 3, a tray 12 on which sheets S discharged from the discharge roller 3 are stacked, a tray elevating means for elevating and lowering the tray 12, and a lifting and lowering of the tray 12. Positioning means for controlling the position in the direction, tray moving means as sorting means for reciprocating the tray 12 in a shift direction d (a direction penetrating the paper surface in FIG. 2) orthogonal to the discharge direction a in FIG. It includes a return roller 121 as return means for abutting and aligning the stacked sheets against the end fence 131, a displacing means for displacing the return roller 121 in the discharge direction a, aligning members 102a and 102b as aligning means, and a driving means therefor. .

Among them, the means for raising and lowering the tray is shown in FIG.
3 (a) and 3 (b) show a reference numeral 96, and tray moving means is shown as a reference numeral 98 in FIGS. 4 and 5. explain.

1 [1] A. In FIG. 2, the sheet S is conveyed from the branching claw 8b to the tray 12 via the sheet discharge sensor 38 by the conveying roller pair 2b as the sheet conveying means, and It is sent out in the discharge direction a.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the upper surface of the tray 12 is inclined such that the height of the upper surface increases in the discharge direction a. An end fence 131 formed of a vertical surface is located at a lower base end of the inclined surface of the tray 12.

In FIG. 2, the paper S discharged from the paper discharge roller 3 is supplied to the aligning member 102 waiting at the receiving position.
a, 102b, slides on the tray 12 along the above-mentioned inclination by gravity, and the rear end portion is aligned and aligned by the rear end portion abutting against the end fence 131. The sheet S on the tray 12 whose rear end is aligned is aligned with the alignment member 10.
The shift direction d (width direction) is aligned by the alignment operation of 2a and 102b.

As shown in FIG. 3A, the upper surface of the tray 12 has a concave portion 80a at a portion facing the aligning member 102a, and has a concave portion 80b at a portion facing the aligning member 102b.
Are formed, and are partially lower than the upper surface of the tray 12. At least these recesses 80a,
When no sheets are stacked on the upper portion 80b, the alignment members 102a and 102b at the receiving position are
0a and 80b are partially intruded and kept in a state of overlapping with the tray 12. This is to ensure that the alignment members 102a and 102b are brought into contact with the end surface of the sheet S in the alignment operation.

In FIG. 3A, the tray 12 is raised and lowered by the tray raising and lowering means 95, and the upper surface of the tray 12 is maintained at a predetermined distance from the nip portion of the discharge roller 3 in FIG. ) Is controlled by the detecting means 96 for detecting the upper surface of the tray 12 shown in FIG.

That is, the sheet is discharged from the discharge roller 3 to the tray 12.
When the stacking surface of the paper stacked on the tray is raised by being discharged upward, the tray 12 is lowered by an appropriate amount by the elevating means 95 and the detecting means 96, and the position of the uppermost surface of the paper is set to the nip portion of the paper discharging roller 3. Is controlled so that the paper landing position is maintained at a constant level.

In FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 (a), the paper discharge roller 3 is at a fixed position because it is attached to the sheet-like medium post-processing device 51. Therefore, in a configuration in which the tray 12 does not move up and down, the height of the sheet bundle is increased by discharging and stacking the sheets S on the tray 12, and the sheet bundle interrupts the discharge of the sheet to cause a jam. The paper S cannot be discharged.

The provision of the elevating means raises and lowers the tray 12, and moves the tray 12 from the nip portion of the discharge rollers 3.
The distance from the upper surface or the distance from the nip portion of the sheet discharging roller 3 to the uppermost surface of the sheet S on the tray 12 can be maintained by the detecting means 96 at an appropriate interval at which the sheet is properly discharged. Thus, the sheet S can be discharged onto the upper surface of the tray 12 with a small variation in the landing position.

As shown in FIG. 3A, the tray 12 is suspended by a vertical lift belt 70. The vertical lift belt 70 is driven by a vertical motor 71 via a gear train and a timing belt, and is raised or lowered by forward or reverse rotation of the vertical motor 71. The upper and lower lift belts 70, the upper and lower motors 71, the gear train, the timing belt, and the like are main components of the elevating means 95 for elevating and lowering the tray.

In FIG. 3A, return rollers 121a and 121b (return rollers 121 as return means) are located near the paper discharge rollers 3. The paper S sent out onto the tray 12 slides down along the inclined surface of the tray 12, and when the rear end side is sandwiched between the return rollers 121a and 121b, the paper S is fed by the return rollers 121a and 121b to be end fenced. The vertical alignment is performed by abutment with 131.

As described above, the sheets S on which images have been formed are sequentially discharged onto the tray 12 and stacked, so that the uppermost surface of the sheets S rises. Return rollers 121a, 12
In the vicinity of 1b, one end of the paper surface detection filler 120 swingably supported by the shaft 73a is in contact with the uppermost surface of the stacked paper sheets by its own weight as shown in FIGS. 3 (a) and 3 (b). The paper surface detection filler 120 is provided as follows.
Is detected by the paper surface detection sensor 130a or the paper surface detection sensor 130b composed of a photo interrupter,
Control is performed so that the height of the tray 12 in the vertical direction becomes a constant level.

The conditions for discharging the sheets are different between the case where the sheets are discharged one by one in the normal mode and the case where the stapled sheet bundle is discharged in the staple mode. The proper discharge position is different.

In any of the normal mode, the staple mode, and the post-processing mode, the paper surface detection sensors 130a and 130b, the paper surface detection filler 120, and the like are positioned so that the reference height of the tray 12 suitable for each mode is maintained. The height of the tray is set by the means.

For example, the paper S from the paper discharge roller 3 is discharged onto the tray 12, and is controlled by the detecting means 96 so that the tray 12 is lowered every time the paper S is stacked. Thus, the lower limit position is finally detected by the lower limit sensor 76. When the tray 12 is lifted, the tray 12
Is raised to the reference height on the basis of paper surface detection information by the detecting means 96 such as the paper surface detection sensors 130a and 130b and the paper surface detection filler 120.

The tray 12 moves to one end in the shift direction passing through the plane of FIG. 2, that is, the shift direction indicated by the symbol d in FIG. 3A, to perform the sorting operation, and then moves to the other end. The pedestal 1 is moved from the other end to the one end.
8 is slidably supported on it.

1 [1] B. Tray Moving Means The tray moving means 98 will be described below. In FIG. 3, the tray 12 is shifted so as to move in one direction in the shift direction d to perform the sorting operation, then return to the other side, and move from the other side to one side. Assuming that one job is a unit of work when processing a predetermined number of discharged sheets constituting a set which is a unit of sorting, the tray 12 does not shift in the shift direction d during the same job, and one job (set) ), The sheet is moved in the shift direction d, and the sheet S for the next job is discharged at one moving end. Each time sheets S are stacked on the tray 12 upon receiving the sheets S, the vertical alignment by the return rollers 121 and the alignment member 102 are performed.
Horizontal alignment by a and 102b is performed. In the sorting mode, when the last sheet of the set is stacked, the sorting operation is performed by moving the tray 12 in the shift direction d.

The tray moving means 98 for performing the sorting operation by moving the tray 12 in the shift direction d to sort the sheets (including the sheet bundle) stacked on the tray 12 will be described with reference to FIGS. Here, tray 12
Is the amount required for sorting, and is set to, for example, about 20 mm, depending on the paper size, paper type, operator preference, and the like.

The tray moving means 98 comprises a tray support structure for supporting the tray 12 slidably on the pedestal 18 as shown in FIG. 4, and a tray reciprocation for reciprocating the tray 12 as shown in FIGS. Motion mechanism.

The tray support structure 160 will be described with reference to FIG. In FIG. 4, two guide plates 30, 31 having a length in the shift direction d and facing in the left-right direction are provided above the pedestal 18.
Are provided integrally. These guide plates 30, 31
A shaft protrudes from each of the outsides, and rollers 32 and 33 are pivotally supported.

On the other hand, at the bottom of the tray 12, a flat portion having a depth wider than the interval between the rollers 32 and 33 in the left-right direction and having a depth sufficient to cover the shift amount of the tray in the shift direction d is formed. The flat portion is placed on the rollers 32 and 33. Tray 1
Two shafts are implanted at positions corresponding to the insides of the guide plates 30 and 31 in the flat portion 2, and rollers 34 and 35 are respectively supported on these two shafts. ing.
These rollers 34 and 35 are in contact with the insides of the guide plates 30 and 31, respectively.

The rollers 32, 33, 34, 35 and the guide plates 30, 31 constitute a tray support structure 160 for supporting the tray 12 so as to be movable in the shift direction d. With this tray support structure 160, the load of the tray 12 is supported by the rollers 32 and 33, and the tray 12 is guided by the guide plates 30 and 31 and is movable in the shift direction d.

By combining a tray 12 supported by the tray support structure 160 with a tray reciprocating mechanism, the tray 12 can be reciprocated in a shift direction d by applying reciprocating driving force. Various tray reciprocating mechanisms are conceivable. For example, although not shown, a drive mechanism that provides a rack along the shift direction d and drives a pinion that meshes with the rack with a motor that can rotate forward and reverse, a crank mechanism, and the like.

By the tray moving means having such a configuration, the tray 12 can be reciprocated at least in the shift direction d by a predetermined amount necessary for sorting the sheets. less than,
A specific example of the tray reciprocating mechanism will be described together with tray position determining means. In FIG. 5, the tray 12 enters the uneven portion of the end fence 131, and the end fence 131 operates in the shift direction d, so that the tray 1
2 also operates in the same direction. At the center of the end fence 131 in the shift direction d, a bracket 41 having an elongated hole 41a is mounted, and a pin 42 is inserted into the elongated hole 41a.

The pin 42 is inserted and fixed to a worm wheel 43 supported by a main body (not shown). This insertion fixing position is eccentric from the rotation center of the worm wheel 43. This eccentric amount is の of the moving amount d ′ of the tray 12 in the shift direction d.

The worm wheel 43 is rotated by a worm 46 rotated from a motor 44 via a timing belt 45. The rotation of the worm wheel 43 causes the pin 42 to rotate, and the direction of movement of the tray 12 is changed according to the amount of eccentricity so that the tray 12 reciprocates linearly in the shift direction d. The configuration around the eccentrically rotating pin 42 and the elongated hole 41a forms a main part of the tray reciprocating mechanism.

As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the worm wheel 43 has two notches 43L and 43L having different sizes.
A disk-shaped encoder 47 having a long convex portion having a length corresponding to a half circumference relatively formed by S and these notches 43L and 43S and a short convex portion adjacent thereto is provided.

The notch 43L is a long notch, and the notch 43S is a short notch. Every half rotation of the encoder 47, the home sensor 48 detects the length of the notch of the encoder 47 based on the interval between the two convex portions, and a signal for stopping and driving the motor 44 is issued from the control means. ing.

In FIG. 6, when the short notch 43S of the encoder 47 rotated in the direction of the arrow 49 passes through the home sensor 48 and overlaps with the short protrusion, the motor 44 is stopped. In this state, the pin 42 is on the rear side, and the tray 12 is also moved to the rear side by operating the end fence 131 of FIG. 5 to the rear side.

In FIG. 7, when the encoder 43 further rotates in the direction of arrow 49 from the state shown in FIG. 6, and the long notch 43L passes through the home sensor 48 and almost overlaps with the long protrusion, the motor 44 Has stopped. In this state, the pin 42 is on the front side, and the end fence 131 of FIG.
The tray 12 also moves to the front side by operating to the front side.

As described above, whether the tray 12 is on the rear side,
Whether it is on the front side can be determined by detecting the length of the notch of the encoder 47 by the home sensor 48 and based on this detection information. At the forward end of the reciprocating stroke of the tray 12 in the shift direction d, the paper constituting the set is discharged during the same job, and the paper constituting the set during the next job is received at the backward end after the shift. Receive emissions.

By repeating the sorting operation,
Sheet bundles are stacked in a state where the positions are shifted by a predetermined sorting amount in an uneven shape for each job (copy), and the sheet bundle can be sorted for each copy. The moving distance d 'can be set to an appropriate value of 5 to 25 mm clearly sorted according to the size of the paper, for example, a value of about 20 mm for A4 size.

1 [2]. Alignment means 1 [2] A. Overall Configuration Alignment members 102a, 102 shown in FIG. 2, FIG. 3, FIG.
The upper end of b is supported in the frame 90 shown in FIG. The frame 90 has alignment members 102a, 102b
Means for moving the aligning member, retracting the aligning member, and driving the aligning member described in the following sections as means for performing the aligning operation and the aligning operation and other operations to be performed accompanying the aligning operation. And so on. The control means for operating the aligning members 102a and 102b shares the control means of the sheet-like medium post-processing device 51 shown in FIG.
0 is connected. The aligning members 102a and 102b also perform the sheet aligning operation and other operations accompanying the aligning operation.

The mechanical components for driving the aligning members 102a and 102b are housed in a box-shaped frame 90 and are configured as an integrated aligning unit. In FIG. 2, the frame 90 is detachably attached to the main body of the sheet-like medium post-processing device 51 by screwing or by means of a concave / convex engaging / disengaging means, so that the user who does not need the aligning function by the aligning members 102a and 102b is provided. And can easily respond.

1 [2] B. As shown in FIGS. 3A, 8 to 11, and the like, the pair of alignment members 102a and 102b are formed of a plate-like body, and the alignment portions 102a1 and 102b1 are formed of the alignment members 102a and 102b.
02b, the opposing surfaces are flat surfaces orthogonal to the shift direction d.

As described above, the alignment units 102a1 and 102b1
Are formed as flat surfaces whose opposing surfaces are orthogonal to the shift direction d. By moving the aligning members 102 and 103 in the shift direction d, the aligning portions are aligned with the end surfaces of the sheets S stacked on the tray 12. The sheet bundle can be aligned by reliably bringing the 102a1 and 102b1 into and out of contact. In addition, a compact configuration can be achieved by using a plate-like body.

In FIG. 8, alignment members 102a, 102
b denotes each of the aligning portions 102a1 and 102b in order to easily guide the sheet S discharged from the discharge rollers 3 shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 into the space between the aligning members 102a and 102b.
1 is formed at an interval L2 wider than the interval L1 between the alignment portions 102a1 and 102b1.
02a2 and 102b2.

In the aligning operation, when the sheet S is discharged onto the tray 12, the aligning members 102a and 102b are moved to the receiving positions where the aligning portions 102a1 and 102b1 are spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance in advance. And waits for the paper S to be discharged from the paper discharge roller 3 at this receiving position. This receiving position is, for example, as shown in FIG.
This position is 7 mm wider on one side than the sheet width of the sheet bundle SS made of four size sheets.

The aligning members 102a and 102b stand by at a receiving position with a minimum interval capable of receiving the paper ejected with a certain degree of variation in the shift direction d. 1 is narrower than the paper width of the paper from this receiving position.
Move to the position shown at 0 and align. The reason why the receiving position is set in this way is that it takes time to return to the home position with a wide interval every time the aligning operation is performed. Of course, it can be moved from the home position to a position where it is aligned each time.

After a predetermined time has elapsed when the paper S is discharged from the paper discharge rollers 3 and falls on the tray 12 and stops completely,
As shown by arrows in FIG. 9, the alignment members 102a and 102b
9 in the direction approaching each other, or by moving the remaining alignment member in the direction of the arrow while keeping either the alignment member 102a or the alignment member 102b immovable in FIG. 9, as a result, as shown in FIG. Alignment part 1
02a1 and 102b1 are brought into contact with two end surfaces of the sheet bundle SS parallel to the sheet discharge direction (the direction penetrating the sheet surface) at alignment positions slightly narrower than the sheet width.

The degree of the fit is, for example, a state in which the aligning portions 102a1 and 102b1 are pressed against the end face of the sheet bundle SS so as to have a bite amount of 1 mm on each side of the sheet width. The end faces are aligned. After that, the alignment members 102a and 102b return to the receiving position shown in FIG. 9 and wait for the discharge stacking of the next sheet S.

In the alignment operation as described above,
A mode in which the aligning members 102a and 102b are moved in a direction approaching each other to align them is referred to as a both-side moving mode. Further, as described above, the alignment member 102a or the alignment member 102
A mode in which the remaining alignment member is moved in the direction of the arrow to align while either one of b is stopped is referred to as a one-side movement mode. These movement modes will be further described in the section “Alignment operation” described later.

In the same job, the aligning members 102a and 102b are moved to the receiving position shown in FIG. 9 at one of the moving ends of the tray 12 until all the sheets constituting the set are discharged.
It moves between the alignment positions shown in FIG.

When the aligning members 102a and 102b are waiting at the receiving position shown in FIG. 9, the position of the sheet S discharged from the sheet discharging roller 3 in the shift direction d is not exactly a fixed position, but is skewed. There are variations. Therefore, the wider the receiving position determined by the facing distance between the aligning units 102a1 and 102b1, the easier the paper can be received. However, if the receiving position is too large, the amount of movement of the aligning members 102a and 102b in the aligning operation becomes large, and the aligning operation is performed. It takes a long time and cannot be adapted to a high-speed paper ejection model.

Therefore, the facing distance between the aligning portions 102a1 and 102b1 is reduced as much as possible, that is, the aligning member 102
The receiving positions of the sheets a and 102b are made as small as possible, and the facing space above the aligning sections 102a1 and 102b1 is widened so that the sheet S can be received.

In the shift mode, in either the one-side movement mode or the both-side movement mode, the parts related to the current job are stacked and shifted by a predetermined shift amount from the parts of the previous job that have already been aligned. When the aligning member is displaced from the retracted position to the aligning operation position shown in FIG. 15 by the retracting same shown in FIG. 16 as described later, when the shift amount is about 20 mm in A4 size, In the current job, of the alignment members 102a and 102b, the alignment member located on the downstream side in the shift operation of the tray 12 immediately before the current job faces and is in contact with the upper surface of the sheet bundle of the set in the previous job.

In the one-side moving mode, the aligning member in contact with the upper surface of the sheet bundle of the set in the previous job is immobilized during the aligning operation, and the opposite aligning member is moved to perform the horizontal aligning. Both alignment members 102a, 102
Since b moves, horizontal alignment is performed while the sheet is in contact with the upper surface of the sheet.

In any of the one-side movement mode and the two-side movement mode, if the tray 12 is shifted to the receiving position shown in FIG. 9 after the completion of the previously prepared job, the tray 12 shifts during the current job. When aligning member 102
In order to avoid such a situation, the aligning members 102a and 102b are placed on the paper after the end of the job, since the previous job that has been aligned is hooked and disturbed in the shift direction on the tray 12. An evacuation operation for separating from the upper surface is performed.

In the evacuation operation, the aligning members 102a, 102b
There are a mode of moving itself, a method of lowering the tray 12, and the like. Specific examples will be described later in the section of “evacuation operation”, but one of the methods of moving the alignment members 102a and 102b as in this example is one point. When the retracting operation is to be performed with the fulcrum as a fulcrum, the lower ends of the aligning members 102a and 102b may slide on the upper surface of the sheet during the evacuation operation, which may disturb the aligned sheet.

As described above, in the two-sided movement mode, the upper surface of the sheet is rubbed during the aligning operation.
In both side movement modes, there is rubbing with the upper surface of the sheet during the evacuation operation, and since these rubs are different in the degree of rubbing, the lower ends of the aligning members 102a and 102b are approximately the same as the upper surface of the sheet S. However, there is still a risk that the paper may be rubbed and disturb the aligned paper.

Therefore, the material is selected so that the coefficient of friction at the lower end portions of the alignment members 102a and 102b, which are in contact with the sheet S, is smaller than the coefficient of friction between the sheets, and the surface roughness is reduced. In this way, the friction coefficient between the sheets was made smaller. As a result, the unit (sheet bundle) already aligned in the aligning operation and in the retracting operation
Is not disturbed.

1 [2] C.I. Means for Moving Alignment Member As described above, the alignment members 102a and 102b move from the receiving position shown in FIG. 9 to the alignment position shown in FIG. 10 in the shift direction d during the alignment operation. In addition, the alignment members 102a and 102b can be moved from the receiving position shown in FIG. 9 to a home position further moved in a direction away from each other.

In order to enable such a movement in the shift direction d, means for moving the alignment members 102a and 102b are provided. The means for moving the alignment member will be described.

In the case where the one-side moving mode is adopted, the role of the aligning member moving means is such that one of the aligning members 102a and 102b is immobilized and the other is moved each time the tray 12 is shifted. In the case of adopting the both-side movement mode, it is only necessary to perform the operation of moving the aligning members 102a and 102b by an equal amount, approaching and separating each time the tray 12 shifts.

Therefore, in the two-sided movement mode, an interlocking mechanism for interlocking one and the other of the alignment members can be employed as the means for moving the alignment member, but in the one-sided movement mode, the interlocking mechanism cannot be employed. In the interlocking mechanism, one of the aligning members and the other of the moving driving sources are shared, so that the structure generally has an advantage that the configuration is simplified. However, here, as the moving means suitable for the one-side moving mode, each aligning member 102 is used.
A description will be given of a moving means capable of independently moving in a contact / separation direction for a and 102b. The moving means according to the following description, which can be independently moved in the contact / separation direction, can of course cope with the movement of the alignment member in the both-side moving mode.

In FIG. 11, when the tray 12 is viewed from the upstream side to the downstream side in the discharge direction a and the left side in the shift direction d is the front side and the right side is the rear side, the alignment member 102a is a front alignment member. The alignment member 102b is a rear alignment member.

First, the means for moving the front aligning member 102a will be described. In FIG. 11, the alignment member 102a
Is slidably connected to a cylindrical shaft 108 parallel to the shift direction d. Both ends of the shaft 108 are fixed to the frame 90.

As shown in FIG. 12 and FIG.
02a is a shaft 108 formed on the pedestal 105a.
Are fitted in a slit 105a1 parallel to a plane orthogonal to. The receiving base 105a is slidably fitted to the shaft 108 and slidably fitted to a guide shaft 109 parallel to the shaft 108. Furthermore, the upper part of the receiving stand 105a is fixed to the timing belt 106a.

The timing belt 106a is stretched between the pulleys 150a and 151a as shown in FIG.
The pulley 150a is supported by a shaft fixed to the frame 90. The pulley 151a is fixed to a rotating shaft of a stepping motor 104a fixed to the frame 90.

The stepping motor 104a, the pedestal 105a, the timing belt 106a, the shaft 108, and the guide shaft 109 are the main members constituting the moving means of the aligning member 102a.

The moving means of the rear aligning member 102b will be described. As shown in FIG. 12 and FIG.
2b is slidably connected to the same shaft 108 as the aligning member 102a. The aligning member 102b is fitted in the slit 105b1 of the receiving base 105b, similarly to the engagement relationship between the aligning member 102a and the receiving base 105a.

The upper portion of the receiving table 105b is fixed to the timing belt 106b. Timing belt 106b
Is stretched between the pulleys 150b and 151b as shown in FIG. The pulley 150 b is supported by a shaft fixed to the frame 90. The pulley 151b is connected to the frame 9
It is fixed to the rotating shaft of the stepping motor 104b fixed to zero.

The stepping motor 104b, the pedestal 105b, the timing belt 106b, the shaft 108, and the guide shaft 109 are main members constituting the moving means of the receiving member 102b.

In this embodiment, the shaft 108 and the guide shaft 109 have a function of stably supporting and guiding the receiving bases 105a and 105b and are commonly used.
Since the areas used for the movement of a and 102b are shifted on the front side and the rear side, they can be provided independently.

Thus, the alignment members 102a, 102b
Can be said to have independent moving means, so that the stepping motors 104a and 104b are independently driven to switch between normal rotation and reverse rotation, respectively, so that the timing belts 106a and 106b rotate independently, respectively. The pedestals 105a and 105b move accordingly, and the slits 105a formed in the pedestals 105a and 105b
Alignment members 102a, 102b sandwiched between 1, 105b1
Moves alone in the shift direction d.

The aligning members 102a and 102b are moved by the aligning member moving means having such a configuration.
a and 102b can be driven independently. For example, when the aligning member 102a is immobilized in an arbitrary job and the aligning member 102b is moved, as in the case of performing the aligning operation in the one-side movement mode, the tray 12 is shifted in the next job after shifting the aligning member 102a.
The sorting operation can be performed after the sorting by alternately switching the roles of the unmoving side and the moving side among the respective aligning members 102a and 102b, for example, by making the aligning member 102a to move the aligning member 102a.

In the aligning operation, it is also possible to adopt a both-side moving mode in which both aligning members 102a and 102b are moved. The one-sided movement mode has a characteristic that the alignment member on the sheet bundle on the tray 12 is immovable as compared with the two-sided movement mode, so that the alignment state of the sheets is less likely to be disturbed. When configured, such a one-side movement mode can be adopted.

1 [2] D. Position Control of Alignment Member In FIGS. 12 and 13, the shaft 108 is aligned with the alignment member 102a.
Is guided in the shift direction d, and is also a support shaft that rotatably supports the alignment member 102a. The upper end of the alignment member 102a has the slit 105 as described above.
a1 and the lower end of the alignment member 102a extends toward the discharge direction a with respect to the shaft 108. For this reason,
The position of the center of gravity of the alignment member 102a is also shifted in the discharge direction a, and the alignment member 102a receives a moment in the direction of arrow K about the shaft 108 by its own weight.

As shown in FIG. 13 and FIG.
The back of 05a1 is not open and is closed.
For this reason, the alignment member 1 by the moment in the direction of arrow K is used.
As long as there is no interference with the paper S on the tray 12, the rotation of 02a is prevented by the upper edge 102a3 of the alignment member 102a abutting on the inner part of the slit 105a1.
In FIG. 14, the alignment member 102a in a state where the rotation is prevented is indicated by a solid line.

The slit 105a1 is formed in the receiving base 105a, so that the receiving base 105a is
It is also a regulating member for regulating the amount of rotation about the shaft 108. Aligning member 102 has exactly the same structure and operation as this.
b and the cradle 105b.

A receiving member 105a having a slit 105a1 whose back portion is closed, and a rotation amount regulating member provided by the receiving member 105b also function as a pair of alignment members 102a, 1a.
In 02b, the rotation by the moment of its own weight is regulated, and a fixed position in the rotation direction is automatically held,
It is not necessary to provide a special rotation direction positioning mechanism.

FIGS. 11, 13 to 15, and 17 (b)
As shown in FIG. 5, at least in a state where the sheets are not stacked on the concave portions 80a and 80b, the aligning members 102a and
When the lower ends of the members 102b are located below the loading surface of the tray 12, that is, in the recesses 80a and 80b, the alignment members 102a and 102b
5b1.

As shown in FIG. 9, the alignment member 102a,
When the receiving position 102b is in the receiving position in the shift direction d, it is located on the loading surface of the tray 12 and the alignment member 102a
A concave portion 80a is formed in a portion opposed to, and if sheets are stacked so as to close the concave portion 80a,
The alignment member 102a comes into contact with the upper surface of the sheet by a contact force due to its own weight. Similarly, a concave portion 80b is formed at a position facing the aligning member 102b at the receiving position, and if sheets are stacked so as to cover the concave portion 80b, the aligning member 102b is placed on its upper surface by its own weight. The contact force is applied by the contact force.

The aligning members 102a and 102b always try to rotate by the moment of their own weight,
If there is no paper on the upper side, the sheet can be rotated in the concave portions 80a and 80b, and as shown in FIGS.
1, 105b1 is locked by the inner part. Thus, rotation in the direction of arrow K is prevented, but rotation in the direction opposite to the direction of arrow K is not prevented. Therefore, when the sheets S are stacked on the tray 12 so as to cover the concave portions 80a and 80b, the aligning members 102a and 102b come into contact with the sheets S on the tray 12 by their own weight.

As described above, if there is no paper on the tray 12, the lower ends of the alignment members 102a and 102b are located in the concave portions 80a and 80b by their own weights. It is in a state of contact. In any of these states, it is possible to shift to the aligning operation by moving in the shift direction. Therefore, these states will be referred to as alignment operation positions for convenience of the following description. In FIG. 15 shown as a representative example, the alignment member 10 when there is no paper is shown.
Although the position 2a is shown as the aligning operation position, when there is a sheet, the lower end of the aligning member 102a is in contact with the upper surface of the sheet by its own weight. The alignment operation position shown in FIG. 15 includes any of these states. The alignment member 102b is also used for the alignment member 102b.
It is assumed that the same working position as in FIG.

As described above, the aligning members 102a and 102b at the receiving position shown in FIG. 9 do not move to the concave portions 80a and 80b of the tray 12 unless paper is stacked on the concave portions 80a and 80b in the aligning operation position shown in FIG. , 80b, and a part of the recesses 80a, 80b.
If a sheet is stacked on the sheet 80b, the sheet comes into contact with the uppermost surface of the sheet by its own weight.

The aligning members 102a and 102b are placed in the receiving position shown in FIG. 9 in the shift direction d and in the aligning operation position shown in FIG.
In this state, when the sheets S are stacked on the tray 12 between the alignment members 102a and 102b, the alignment members 102a and 102b
By moving both or any of 102b and performing the aligning operation, the sheets stacked on the tray 12 can be aligned.

By properly setting the positions of the centers of gravity of the alignment members 102a and 102b, the contact pressure on the paper S can be adjusted to be small, and the already aligned paper can be prevented from being disturbed in the sorting and alignment operation.

In FIGS. 8 to 10, the receiving base 105
a and 105b are provided with shielding plates 105a1 and 105b1, respectively.
b rotates so as to move the pedestals 105a and 105b away from each other, the shielding plate 1 of the pedestal 105a is rotated.
05a1 is inserted into the home position sensor 107b and optically shielded.
When b1 is inserted into the home position sensor 107b and optically shielded, the shielded state is detected by the home position sensors 107a and 107b, respectively.
4a and 104b are controlled to stop.

The state where the shielding plates 105a1 and 105b1 are detected by the home position sensors 107a and 107b, respectively, is the home position of the aligning members 102a and 102b.
Reference numerals a and 102b denote positions of sheets of various sizes to be sorted and aligned which are sufficiently opened from the maximum width.

The aligning members 102a and 102b are waiting at this home position before starting the sorting and aligning operation. In FIG. 8, the alignment members 102a and 102b are at the home position.

As shown in FIG. 9, the aligning members 102a and 102b move the stepping motor 1 from each home position according to the width of the sheet S discharged from the sheet discharging roller 3.
When the sheets 04a and 104b are driven in the direction of the arrow shown in FIG. 9 by a predetermined pulse and stand by at the receiving position, the sheet falls to the tray 12, stops completely, and is stacked.
The alignment operation is performed by moving to the alignment position indicated by 0. At this point, the sheet bundle SS stacked on the tray 12 is aligned, moves to the receiving position in FIG. 9 and waits to enter the receiving state of the next sheet again.

Such operations are repeated, and when a series of jobs relating to the aligning operation is completed, the aligning members 102a and 102b move to the home position shown in FIG. 8 again.

Thus, the stepping motor 104a,
104b, pedestals 105a and 105b including shielding members 105a1 and 105b1, timing belts 106a and 1
06b, a shaft 108, a moving means such as a guide shaft 109,
By the home position sensors 107a and 107b and the control means, the aligning portions 102a1 and 102b1 of the aligning members 102a and 102b can be positioned at at least two positions of the receiving position shown in FIG. 9 and the aligning position shown in FIG. In this way, by setting the receiving position, the alignment members 102a, 10
The paper can be received and aligned with the movement amount 2b smaller than the movement amount from the home position.

1 [2] E. 12 to 16, the aligning member 102a is pivotally connected by the shaft 108 as described above, and an L-shaped portion is provided at the upstream side in the discharge direction a with the pivotal portion as a base point. A notch is formed. Among these notches, the alignment member 102a is shown in FIGS. 15, 17 (b) and 21.
(B), FIG. 17 (c), FIG.
(C) The alignment operation position (or alignment operation state,
(The same applies hereinafter), the surface that is substantially in the horizontal direction is referred to as a pressing surface, and is denoted by reference numeral 102a4. Similarly, a pressing surface 102b4 is formed for the alignment member 102b.

A shaft 110 parallel to the shaft 108 abuts against the pushing surfaces 102a4 and 102b4 by its own weight.
Both ends of the shaft 110 in the longitudinal direction of the shaft are vertically movably fitted into vertically long holes 90a and 90b (see FIG. 12) formed in the side plate portion of the frame 90.

As shown in FIG. 11, FIG. 12, and FIG.
One end of an L-shaped lever 113 having a shaft 112 supported by the frame 90 is mounted on the center of the frame 10 by its own weight. The other end of the lever 113 is connected to the solenoid 1 via a spring 114.
It is connected to 15 plungers. Solenoid 115
Is provided on the frame 90.

When the solenoid 115 is off (non-excited), the aligning members 102a and 102b are actuated by the moment of their own weight, as shown in FIGS.
2a3 comes into contact with the inner part of the slit 105a1, and takes the aligning operation position shown in FIG. Alternatively, these alignment members 102
a or 102b is in contact with the sheet on the tray 12 so that the upper edge 102a3 is
FIG. 17B and FIG. 21 slightly separated from the back of 5a1.
(B) of the alignment member 102a, FIG. 17 (c) and FIG.
It can be placed in the aligning operation position as in the aligning member 102b of (c). In these aligning operation positions, the aligning members 102a and 102b are in contact with the concave portions 80a and 80b on the upper surface of the tray 12 or the uppermost surface portion of the sheets stacked on the tray 12 as described above.

As shown in FIG. 16, when the solenoid 115 is turned on (excited), the plunger of the solenoid 115 is pulled, and the lever 113 rotates. Accordingly, as shown in FIGS. 12 and 13, the shaft 110 is guided and pushed down by the lever 113 into the elongated holes 90 a and 90 b provided in the frame 90.

As shown in FIG. 12 to FIG.
Is engaged with the pressing surfaces 102a4 and 102b4 of the cutouts formed in the alignment members 102a and 102b, so that the shafts 110 are pushed down as shown in FIG. It rotates in the direction opposite to K and moves from the inside of the concave portions 80a and 80b or to a position above the tray 12 that is greatly separated from the uppermost surface of the sheets stacked on the tray 12.

The positions of the alignment members 102a and 102b when moved above the tray 12 are indicated by two-dot chain lines in FIG. 14 and solid lines in FIG. 16, and this position is referred to as a retracted position. The shaft 110, the lever 113, the solenoid 115, and the like constitute a retracting unit that places the alignment members 102a and 102b at the retracted position.

1 [2] F. Driving device for alignment member In FIGS. 12, 13, 15, and 16, the alignment member 1
The supporting parts 02a and 102b include a shaft 108 serving as a fulcrum shaft for pivotally connecting the aligning members 102a and 102b in common, and a pressing surface serving as an action point on the aligning member displaced from the shaft 108. A shaft 110 serving as a pushing shaft for rotating the alignment members 102a and 102b around the shaft 108 by contacting the alignment members 102a4 and 102b4;
a, 105b, which can prevent the rotation of each of the moments about the shaft 108 due to its own weight.
cradles 105a each having an inner portion of a1 and 105b1,
The shaft 108 has a shift direction d which is a direction in which the alignment members 102a and 102b are aligned.
And also serves as a guide shaft for guiding
05b has a structure also serving as a driving means for moving the aligning members 102a and 102b in the shift direction d, and further moves in an aligning direction approaching and separating from these end surfaces so as to sandwich an end surface parallel to the paper discharge direction a. And a pair of alignment members for performing an alignment operation for aligning the positions of the end surfaces.

As described above, the aligning members 102a and 102b are placed on the upper surface of the sheet S with a load corresponding to the moment due to its own weight.
By adjusting this load, the contact pressure on the sheet S can be freely adjusted. When the sheet S is not present, the alignment member 1 as shown by a solid line in FIG.
The aligning members 102a and 102b can be placed in the recesses 80a and 80b of the tray 12 with the upper portion of 02a locked in the deep portion of the slit 105a1 and the aligning portions 102a1 and 102b1 can be securely positioned on the end surface of the sheet S. Enables contact.

Further, a lever 113 and a solenoid 115 are provided, which can be switched between a state in which they act on a shaft 110 as a pushing shaft to push the pushing surface 102b4 as an action point and a state in which the pushing is released. Is provided with the switching drive means having the main configuration of
It is possible to simultaneously switch between the state in which the sheets a and 102b are retracted from the uppermost surface of the sheet S and the state in which the sheets a and 102b come into contact with each other by the rotational moment due to their own weight.

1 [2] G. Relationship Between Alignment Member and Tray By the detection means 96 described with reference to FIG. 3, the upper and lower positions of the upper surface of the sheet stacked on the tray 12 or the upper surface of the sheet stacked on the tray 12 are suitable for discharging the sheet S from the discharge roller 3. The position of the tray 12 in the elevating direction is controlled so as to be the discharge position, and the alignment operation position described with reference to FIG. 15 is set at this proper discharge position.

When the aligning members 102a and 102b are moved in the shift direction d to perform the aligning operation, the aligning function is sufficiently exhibited, and when the tray 12 shifts for sorting, the tray 12 is placed on the tray 12. Paper and alignment member 10
2a and 102b are prevented from interfering with each other.

When the aligning members 102a and 102b are in the aligning operation position described with reference to FIG. 15, the aligning members 102a and 102b are located in the concave portions 80a and 80b provided on the tray 12.
13a and 13b, the alignment members 102a and 102b
By setting the interval β within 0a and 80b, the tray 12 does not interfere. At this time, the tray 12 is at the proper discharge position by the tray elevating direction detecting means 96 as described with reference to FIG.

By forming the recesses 80a and 80b, the lower ends of the alignment members 102a and 102b are
a, 80b, that is, below the upper surface of the tray 12, the lower end portions of the aligning members 102a, 102b, more specifically, the aligning portions 102a1, 102b1 located inside the lower end portions of the aligning members 102a, 102b are recessed.
In this embodiment, the paper S is reliably crossed with the end face of the sheet S via the reference numerals 0a and 80b, so that the aligning units 102a1 and 102b1 can reliably contact and align the lowermost sheet S with the end face.

1 [2] H. Avoidance of interference between alignment member and paper Finish paper discharge of job (set) and subsequent alignment,
If the tray 12 is moved in the shift direction d for sorting while the aligning members 102a and 102b are in the receiving position shown in FIG. 9, the aligned sheet bundle SS
However, with the shift of the tray 12, the alignment members 102a,
Alignment is disturbed by being caught by the lower end of 102b. Therefore, in order to avoid this, before the tray 12 shifts, the paper on the tray 12 and the alignment member 102
a and 102b are separated and retracted by the retracting means.

In addition, when the sorting / arranging of the predetermined number of copies is completed and the sheet width is changed in the next sorting / arranging of the predetermined number of copies, the aligning members 102a and 103a are located at positions further apart from the receiving position. Need to be moved up. When the aligning members 102a and 102b are moved, the aligning members 102a and 102b are opened from the receiving position to prevent the aligning members 102a and 102b from interfering with the sheets on the tray 12 already aligned. Before moving to the home position or any position narrower than the home position, the paper on the tray 12 and the alignment members 102a and 102b are separated and retracted in advance to avoid interference with the paper S on the tray 12.

As a mode of this retreat, the alignment member 102
a, a method of rotating the tray 12, and a method of rotating the aligning members 102a, 102b and lowering the tray 12. Also,
In order to determine the retreat amount, it is preferable to specifically determine the amount in the actual apparatus in consideration of the relationship between the degree of curl of the sheet and the shift amount of the tray.

1 [2] H-. 12 to 16, the shaft 110 and the lever 11 are retracted.
3, the solenoid 115, etc., the alignment members 102a, 10
The evacuation means for setting 2b to the evacuation position (or evacuation state, the same applies hereinafter) is configured.

Each time the job is completed, that is, before the tray 12 shifts, the solenoid 115 is turned on in advance by the retracting means, and the aligning member 10 is turned on as shown in FIG.
2a and 102b are placed in the retracted position. Alternatively, when sorting / arranging for a predetermined number of copies is completed, the aligning members 102a and 102b are placed at the retracted position as shown in FIG. 16 as necessary.

In the retracted position as shown in FIG.
As a result, the lower end portion of the alignment member is pushed up, and the portion overlapping with the tray 12 disappears, and a gap is formed between the tray 12 and the tray. If the tray 12 is operated in the shift direction d when a gap is formed, the top surface of the sheet and the alignment member 10
2a, 102b can be avoided.

The aligning members 102a and 102b placed at the retracted position shown in FIG.
15 and 17 (b), 21 by the moment caused by the weight of the alignment members 102a and 102b only by turning
The alignment member 102a shown in (b), FIG. 17 (c), FIG.
It can be returned to the aligning operation position like the aligning member 102b shown in FIG. However, the timing for returning from the retracted position to the alignment operation position is determined by the alignment members 102a, 10a.
Assume that 2b has been moved to the receiving position shown in FIG.

In the case where the aligning operation is the one-side movement mode, when the aligning members 102a and 102b return to the aligning operation position, one of the aligning members rides on the sheet bundle in the previous job,
The other alignment member is located outside the end face of the sheet bundle in the previous job, and in the next job performed after the shift of the tray 12, the alignment member on the sheet bundle in the previous job is immovable, and An aligning member located outside the end face of the sheet in the job contacts and separates from the end face to perform the aligning operation.

In the case where the aligning operation is the both-side moving mode, when the aligning members 102a and 102b return to the aligning operation position, one of the aligning members rides on the sheet bundle in the previous job,
The point where the other alignment member is located outside the end face of the sheet bundle in the previous job is the same as in the one-side movement mode,
In the next job performed after the shift, both the alignment member on the sheet bundle of the previous job and the alignment member located outside the end surface of the sheet in the previous job both contact the end surface of the sheet bundle. Perform the alignment operation by separating.

In either the one-side movement mode or the both-side movement mode, the sheet may be taken out of the tray 12 after the aligning members 102a and 102b complete the aligning operation for a series of sheets. Also in this case, the alignment members 102a, 10
If 2b is moved from the alignment operation position shown in FIG. 15 to the retracted position shown in FIG. 16, it is easy to take out the sorted and aligned sheet bundle from the tray 12.

1 [2] H-. Retraction by lowering the tray Lowering the tray 12 from the proper discharge position by the lifting / lowering means 95 shown in FIG. 3A causes the paper on the tray 12 and the alignment member 102 to be shifted when the tray 12 is shifted.
a, 102b can be avoided.

The lowering state of the tray 12 due to these reasons is that the sheet size for which the aligning operation is to be performed after the tray 12 has moved by a predetermined shift amount necessary for sorting or when sorting and aligning the next predetermined number of copies. Alignment member 10 up to the receiving position according to the size
The tray 12 is moved up to the proper discharge position. This allows
The sheet can be discharged onto the tray in a good condition, and the aligning operation can be performed.

1 [2] I. Alignment operation As the alignment operation, the alignment member 102a or the alignment member 1
02b, while leaving any one of them stationary, a one-side movement mode in which the remaining aligning member is moved toward the immovable aligning member and aligned.
There are two types of two-side movement modes in which the alignment members 102a and 102b are moved in a direction approaching each other and aligned.

In the one-side movement mode, since the unmoving-side aligning member is in contact with the already-aligned sheet of the previous job, there is an advantage that the sheet is less likely to be disturbed in the aligning operation. The operation mechanism must be complicated.

In the two-sided movement mode, one of the pair of alignment members alternately abuts on the paper of the previous job that has already been aligned, so that the friction coefficient of the contact portion of the alignment member with the paper is determined by the friction coefficient between the papers. Though considerations such as making it smaller are necessary,
There is an advantage that the driving mechanism can be simplified because a mechanism for operating the alignment member in conjunction can be employed. Hereinafter, each alignment operation in the one-side movement mode and the both-side movement mode will be described.

1 [2] I. Horizontal alignment by one-side movement mode The alignment operation by the one-side movement mode by the alignment members 102a and 102b will be described with reference to FIGS. 17 is a diagram of the tray 12 as viewed from the upstream side to the downstream side in the discharge direction a in FIG. 2, and FIGS. 19 to 20 are perspective views of the aligning operation. FIGS.
20B corresponds to FIG. 20, and FIG. 17C corresponds to FIG.

In FIG. 2, the paper S that has passed through the transport path provided with the transport roller pair 2b, the paper discharge sensor 38, the paper discharge roller 3, and the like is discharged from the paper discharge roller 3 in the discharge direction a. .

[First Job] Referring to FIG.
Under the influence of the gravity, the light travels in the diagonally downward direction of arrow B and falls on the tray 12 (FIG. 17A). Here, several sheets constituting a part have already been stacked. Prior to the ejection of the sheet S, the tray 12 is previously moved to one end side, for example, the rear side in the shift direction d by the tray reciprocating mechanism described with reference to FIGS. Position, the first sheet bundle SS-No. In the alignment operation position shown in FIG. 1 are stacked to some extent.

When the sheet S is discharged, the aligning member 102b does not move, and the aligning member 102a receives the sheet bundle SS-NO. 1 in the direction approaching the sheet bundle SS-No. 1, the sheet is in contact with or hits the end face of the sheet parallel to the discharge direction a, and moves to the aligning position shown in FIG. 10 to perform the aligning operation. By this alignment operation, the sheet bundle SS-NO. Reference numeral 1 denotes a state in which there is no lateral shift amount Δ generated while the sheet S falls the free fall distance L. After that, the alignment member 102b is immobilized at the same position, and the alignment member 102a is moved back,
Return to the receiving position shown in FIG. Such an operation is performed each time the sheet S is discharged and stacked on the tray 12.

Some of the discharged sheets are those accompanied by the shift command signal and those not accompanied by the shift command signal. The sheet accompanied by the shift command signal is the leading sheet of the set, and when the sheet passes the sheet ejection sensor 38, whether or not the sheet accompanying the shift command signal is recognized by the control means.

The first sheet bundle SS-NO. If the control means does not recognize the shift command signal after the end of discharging a predetermined number of sheets constituting No. 1, it means the end of the job. Therefore, the tray 12 is not shifted, and if necessary, the aligning members 102 a and 102 b are moved. After retracting, return to the home position (see FIG. 8).

[Second job] First sheet bundle SS-N
O. When the control means recognizes the shift command signal after finishing the discharge of a predetermined number of sheets constituting the first sheet, the sheet is the first sheet of the next job, and the sheet is
In the meantime, the tray 12
Shift. At the time of this shift, the alignment member 10
The trays 2a and 102b are moved to the retracted position shown in FIG. 16 (or the tray 12 is lowered or a combination of the retracting of the aligning member and the lowering of the tray) is retracted. From the front.

After the shift, the alignment members 102a, 102
After b is moved to the receiving position shown in FIG. 9, it is shifted from the retracted position shown in FIG. 16 to the aligning operation position according to FIG.
At this time, due to the shift of the tray 12, the front aligning member 102a causes the first sheet bundle SS-NO. 1, and the rear alignment member 102b is at a predetermined receiving position. In FIG. 17B and FIG. 19, the second sheet bundle SS-No. 2 shows a state in which sheets constituting No. 2 are already stacked to some extent.

When the sheet S for the second job is discharged, the front aligning member 102a is not moved, and the rear aligning member 102b is moved to the second sheet bundle SS-NO. 2 in the direction approaching the sheet bundle SS-No. The sheet 2 is held in contact with or hits the end face of the sheet parallel to the discharge direction a so as to sandwich the sheet 2 and moves to the aligning position shown in FIG. 10 to perform the aligning operation. By this alignment operation, the second sheet bundle SS-NO. 2 are aligned. Thereafter, the aligning member 102a is not moved, and only the aligning member 102b is moved back to return to the receiving position shown in FIG. This operation is performed when the sheet S is discharged and the tray 1
2 each time it is loaded.

[0166] Some of the discharged sheets are those accompanied by a shift command signal and those not accompanied by a shift command signal. The sheet accompanied by the shift command signal is the leading sheet of the set, and when the sheet passes the sheet ejection sensor 38, whether or not the sheet accompanying the shift command signal is recognized by the control means.

The second sheet bundle SS-NO. If the control means does not recognize the shift command signal after the end of discharging a predetermined number of sheets constituting the second sheet, the tray 12 is not shifted, and if necessary, the aligning members 102a and 102b are moved. After retracting, return to the home position (see FIG. 8).

[Third job] Second sheet bundle SS-N
O. When the control unit recognizes the shift command signal after the discharge of the predetermined number of sheets constituting the second job, the sheet is the first sheet (first sheet) of the next job, and the sheet is the first sheet of the next sheet. Is reached, the tray 12 is shifted for the next job. In this shift, the aligning members 102a and 102b are moved to the retracted position shown in FIG. 16 (or the tray 12 is lowered or the retracting of the aligning member is combined with the lowering of the tray) to be retracted. Then, the tray 12 is shifted from the rear side to the front side.

After the shift, the alignment members 102a, 102
After b is moved to the receiving position shown in FIG. 9, it is shifted from the retracted position shown in FIG. 16 to the aligning operation position according to FIG.
At this time, due to the shift of the tray 12, the rear aligning member 102b causes the second sheet bundle SS-NO. 2, and the front alignment member 102a is in a predetermined receiving position. In FIG. 17C and FIG. 20, the third sheet bundle SS-No. 3 shows a state in which sheets constituting No. 3 are already stacked to some extent.

When the sheet S for the third job is discharged, the rear aligning member 102b is not moved, and the front aligning member 102a is moved to the third sheet bundle SS-NO. 3 in the direction approaching the sheet bundle SS-No. Then, the sheet is brought into contact with or hit the end face of the sheet parallel to the discharge direction a so as to sandwich the sheet No. 3 and moved to the aligning position shown in FIG. 10 to perform the aligning operation. By this alignment operation, the third sheet bundle SS-NO. 3 are aligned.

Thereafter, the aligning member 102b is not moved to the position as it is, and only the aligning member 102a is moved back to return to the receiving position shown in FIG. Such an operation is performed each time the sheet S is discharged and stacked on the tray 12.

Some of the discharged sheets are those accompanied by the shift command signal and those not accompanied by the shift command signal. The sheet accompanied by the shift command signal is the leading sheet of the set, and when the sheet passes the sheet ejection sensor 38, whether or not the sheet accompanying the shift command signal is recognized by the control means.

The third sheet bundle SS-NO. If the control means does not recognize the shift command signal after the end of discharging the predetermined number of sheets constituting the third sheet, it means the end of the job. Therefore, the tray 12 is not shifted, and if necessary, the aligning members 102a and 102b are moved. After retracting, return to the home position (see FIG. 8).

The third sheet bundle SS-NO. When the control unit recognizes the shift command signal after finishing the discharge of the predetermined number of sheets constituting the sheet No. 3, the sheet is the leading sheet of the next job, and the sheet until the sheet reaches the discharge tray 12. Then, the tray 12 is shifted for the next job. During this shift, the alignment members 102a and 102b move to the retreat position shown in FIG.
2 is lowered or the retracting of the aligning member and the lowering of the tray are combined), and in this retracted state, the tray 12 shifts from the rear side to the front side and waits for the discharge of the leading sheet. Hereinafter, the same procedure as described above is repeated.

1 [2] I-. The horizontal alignment by the two-sided movement mode The alignment operation by the two-sided movement mode by the alignment members 102a and 102b will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 21 is a diagram when the tray 12 is viewed from the upstream side to the downstream side in the discharge direction a in FIG.

In FIG. 2, the transport roller 7 and the paper discharge sensor 3
8. The paper S that has passed through the transport path on which the paper discharge rollers 3 and the like are disposed is discharged from the paper discharge rollers 3 in the discharge direction a.

[First job] In FIG. 21A,
The sheet S is placed in the tray 12 as in the case of the one-sided movement mode.
To fall. Here, several sheets constituting a part have already been stacked. Prior to the ejection of the sheet S, the tray 12 is previously moved to one end side, for example, the rear side in the shift direction c by the tray reciprocating mechanism described with reference to FIGS.
The aligning member is at the receiving position shown in FIG. 9 and the aligning operation position shown in FIG.
S-No. 1 are stacked to some extent.

When the paper S is discharged, the alignment member 102a,
102b are both sheet bundles SS-NO. 1 in the direction approaching the sheet bundle SS-No. 10 is in contact with or hits the end face of the sheet parallel to the discharge direction a so as to sandwich
To perform the alignment operation. By this alignment operation, the sheet bundle SS-NO. Reference numeral 1 denotes a state in which the sheet S has no lateral shift amount Δ generated during the falling of the free fall distance L as in the case of the one-side movement mode. Thereafter, the alignment members 102a and 102b return and return to the receiving position shown in FIG. Such an operation is performed each time the sheet S is discharged and stacked on the tray 12.

Some of the discharged paper sheets include those with a shift command signal and those without. The sheet accompanied by the shift command signal is the leading sheet of the set, and when the sheet passes the sheet ejection sensor 38, whether or not the sheet accompanying the shift command signal is recognized by the control means.

The first sheet bundle SS-NO. If the control means does not recognize the shift command signal after the end of discharging the predetermined number of sheets constituting the sheet No. 1, the tray 12 is not shifted. Return 102a, 102b to the home position (see FIG. 8).

[Second job] First sheet bundle SS-N
O. When the control means recognizes the shift command signal after finishing the discharge of a predetermined number of sheets constituting the first sheet, the sheet is the first sheet of the next job, and the sheet is
In the meantime, the tray 12
Shift. At the time of this shift, the alignment member 10
The trays 2a and 102b move to the retracted positions shown in FIG. 16 (or the tray 12 is lowered or a combination of the retracting of the alignment member and the lowering of the tray) is retracted. From the front.

After the shift, the alignment members 102a, 102
b shifts from the retracted position shown in FIG. 16 to the aligning operation position according to FIG. 15, and becomes the receiving position shown in FIG.
This state is shown in FIG. Due to the shift of the tray 12, the front aligning member 102a moves the first sheet bundle SS-N
O. 1 and a rear aligning member 102b
Is in a predetermined receiving position. In FIG. 21B, the second sheet bundle SS-No. 2
Are stacked to some extent.

When the sheet S for the second job is discharged, the aligning members 102a and 102b are moved to the second sheet bundle SS-NO. 2 to move in the direction approaching
-No. The sheet 2 is held in contact with or hits the end face of the sheet parallel to the discharge direction a so as to sandwich the sheet 2 and moves to the aligning position shown in FIG. 10 to perform the aligning operation. By this alignment operation, the second sheet bundle SS-NO. 2 are aligned. Then, alignment member 1
02a and 102b move back and return to the receiving position shown in FIG. This operation is performed when the sheet S is discharged and the tray 12
Perform each time it is loaded on top.

[0184] Some of the discharged sheets are those accompanied by a shift command signal and those not accompanied by a shift command signal. The sheet accompanied by the shift command signal is the leading sheet of the set, and when the sheet passes the sheet ejection sensor 38, whether or not the sheet accompanying the shift command signal is recognized by the control means.

The second sheet bundle SS-NO. If the control means does not recognize the shift command signal after the end of discharging a predetermined number of sheets constituting the second sheet, the tray 12 is not shifted. Return 102a, 102b to the home position (see FIG. 8).

[Third job] Second sheet bundle SS-N
O. When the control unit recognizes the shift command signal after finishing the discharge of a predetermined number of sheets constituting the second job, the sheet is the first sheet of the next job, and the sheet is
In the meantime, the tray 12
Shift. At the time of this shift, the alignment member 10
The trays 2a and 102b move to the retracted positions shown in FIG. 16 (or the tray 12 is lowered or a combination of the retracting of the alignment member and the lowering of the tray) is retracted. From the front.

After the shift, the alignment members 102a, 102
b shifts from the retracted position shown in FIG. 16 to the aligning operation position according to FIG. 15, and becomes the receiving position shown in FIG.
This state is shown in FIG. Due to the shift of the tray 12, the rear alignment member 102b is moved to the second sheet bundle SS-N.
O. 2 and a front alignment member 102a
Is in a predetermined receiving position. In FIG. 21C, the third sheet bundle SS-No. 3
Are stacked to some extent.

When the sheet S for the third job is discharged, the aligning members 102a and 102b move to the third sheet bundle SS-N
O. 3 in the direction approaching the sheet bundle SS-No.
Then, the sheet is brought into contact with or hit the end face of the sheet parallel to the discharge direction a so as to sandwich the sheet No. 3 and moved to the aligning position shown in FIG. 10 to perform the aligning operation. By this alignment operation, the third sheet bundle SS
-NO. 3 are aligned.

After that, the alignment members 102a and 102b move back and return to the receiving position shown in FIG. Such an operation is performed each time the sheet S is discharged and stacked on the tray 12.

Some of the discharged sheets are those accompanied by the shift command signal and those not accompanied by the shift command signal. The sheet accompanied by the shift command signal is the leading sheet of the set, and when the sheet passes the sheet ejection sensor 38, whether or not the sheet accompanying the shift command signal is recognized by the control means.

The third sheet bundle SS-NO. If the control means does not recognize the shift command signal after the end of discharging a predetermined number of sheets constituting the third sheet, it means the end of the job. Therefore, the tray 12 is not shifted, and if necessary, is retracted before the aligning member. Return 102a, 102b to the home position (see FIG. 8).

The third sheet bundle SS-NO. When the control unit recognizes the shift command signal after finishing the discharge of the predetermined number of sheets constituting the sheet No. 3, the sheet is the leading sheet of the next job, and the sheet until the sheet reaches the discharge tray 12. Then, the tray 12 is shifted for the next job. During this shift, the alignment members 102a and 102b move to the retreat position shown in FIG.
2 is lowered or the retracting of the aligning member and the lowering of the tray are combined), and in this retracted state, the tray 12 shifts from the rear side to the front side and waits for the discharge of the leading sheet. Hereinafter, the same procedure as described above is repeated.

When the sorting is performed, in addition to the direction in which the tray 12 is moved in the shift direction as described above, the aligning member 102 without shifting the tray 12 is used.
A mode in which the shift and the alignment are performed by aligning the positions a and 102b by the necessary amount in the shift direction is also possible.

1 [3]. Return means 1 [3] A. Configuration of return means 1 [3] A-. First Example As shown in FIG. 32, a return roller 12 as a return means
An example of the displacement means for displacing the return roller 121 'in the discharge direction will be described. In FIG. 22, return roller 1
Reference numeral 21 ′ is made of a sponge-like elastic material having an uneven surface, and is supported by the moving body 500. The moving body 500 has an L-shaped front shape, and its upper part is slidably fitted to a guide member 501 that is long in the displacement direction. The return roller 121 'is pivotally supported by the moving body 500, and a pulley 502 is integrally provided on a shaft integrated with the return roller 121'. Further, a motor 503 is fixed to the moving body 500, and a pulley 504 is fixed to the shaft thereof.

On the moving body 500, the pulley 502 and the pulley 5
04, an idle pulley 505 is pivotally supported, a belt 506 is hung between the idle pulley 505 and the pulley 502, and the idle pulley 505 and the pulley
A belt 507 is hung between 04. With this configuration, the rotation of the motor 503 can be transmitted to the return roller 121 ′ and the return roller 121 ′ can be rotated independently of the rotation of the paper discharge roller 3. A rack 508 is formed on the lower surface of the moving body 500. The rack 508 is engaged with a pinion 509. The pinion 509 is fixed to a rotating shaft of a motor 510 that is supported by a stationary member.

In the displacement means having such a configuration, by driving the motor 510, the moving body 500 is reciprocated along the guide member 501 through the engagement between the rack 508 and the pinion 509 in accordance with the rotation direction. By controlling the rotation amount and the rotation direction of the motor 510, the return roller 121 'can be moved to an arbitrary position in the discharge direction a (displacement direction).

In the displacement means of this embodiment, the displacement is performed by utilizing the meshing relationship between the rack and the pinion.
The movement trajectory of 21 'is characterized by being linear, the first position (I) in which the tray 12 or the stacked paper on the tray 12 is separated from the upper surface and waiting, and the stacked paper on the tray 12 or the tray 12. And is movable between two positions, a second position (II) downstream of the first position (I) in the discharge direction a from the first position (I).

In the displacement means according to this example, the second position (II) is set on the rear end of the sheet S 'in FIG.
Can be returned until the rear end hits the end fence 131. Also, at the timing when the leading edge of the paper being discharged comes into contact with the upper surface of the loaded paper and is pushed out in the discharging direction a, the return roller 121 is located at the second position, and the loaded paper is being discharged by the pressing function of the returned roller. Can be prevented from being pushed out by the paper.

Since the motor 504, which is the rotary drive system of the return roller 121, is independent of the rotary drive system of the paper discharge roller 3, the motor 504 is displaced without being influenced by the rotation speed of the paper discharge means. The rotation speed of the return roller 121 can be increased / decreased in conjunction with the control.

1 [3] A-. 2nd example It has return rollers 121a and 121b as return means,
An example of another displacement means for displacing in the discharge direction will be described.
For convenience of explanation, two return rollers 121a and 121b
These may be collectively referred to as return rollers 121. FIG. 23 is a view showing the main part of the displacing means together with the return roller in an assembled state, and FIG. 24 is a view showing the displacing means disassembled together with the return roller. In these figures, the components are attached to the frame 200 and assembled.

The return roller 121 has the same material and the same general shape as the return roller 121 'described in the above example. Return roller 1
The means for displacing the return roller 21a and the means for displacing the return roller 121b have exactly the same configuration in common parts. Therefore, in order to avoid the complexity of the description, the structure of the common portion will be described by attaching the letter a to the reference numeral of the member to indicate the relationship of the return roller 121a.
Regarding the b relationship, the letter of b is added to the reference numeral of the member, and the description is omitted.

The basic structure of the displacement means is as follows.
23 and 24, a first member (hereinafter, referred to as a drive lever) 123a is a vertically long member, and is pivotally attached to a frame 200 which is an immovable member by penetrating an intermediate position thereof by a shaft 129. Have been. Here, axis 12
9 is rotatable with respect to the drive lever 123a,
29 are connected to the frame 2 via bearings 520 and 521.
It is supported at 00. A portion of the drive lever 123a penetrated by the shaft 129 is a pivot portion, and this portion is referred to as a first pivot portion 522a. The drive lever 123a is swingable within a range of a fixed angle around the first pivot portion 522a.

The second member (hereinafter, referred to as a driven lever) 1
Reference numeral 22a denotes a vertically long member, and a shaft portion 524a projecting at an intermediate position thereof is connected to a second pivot portion 523a on one free end side of the first lever portion 522a on the drive lever 123a. It is pivotally mounted by fitting. The driven lever 122a is capable of swinging around the second pivot 523a within a certain angle range.

The second pivot 523a of the driven lever 122a
A shaft portion 525a is integrally formed on an arbitrary free end side shifted from the rotation center (center of the shaft portion 524a) at
The return roller 121a is pivotally attached to the shaft 525a.

The first pivot 5 of these drive levers 123a
Swing about the center 22a and the second movement of the driven lever 122a.
The return roller 121a, which is pivotally attached to the free end side of the driven lever 122a, is displaced to a different position in the discharge direction a by a combination operation with the swinging movement about the pivot portion 523a.

As a result, as compared with a structure (not shown) in which a return roller is provided at the tip of the swingable single lever or a displacement means using a combination of a rack and a pinion described with reference to FIG. The roller 121a can be displaced to a distant position, and the bendable structure of the drive lever 123a and the driven lever 122a can be made a compact structure as compared with other structures for achieving the same stroke. Vertical displacement, such as drawing a locus of a chevron, is also possible, and it becomes possible to hit the sheet on the tray beyond the part where the rear end has jumped upward due to face curl.

The driving lever 123a is connected to the first pivot 522a.
The bracket 1 made of sheet metal is provided on the free end side opposite to the side where the driven lever 122a is provided when the
24 are fixed by screws 526a. Thereby, the drive lever 123a is integrated with the plate-shaped bracket 124.

A peripheral surface of an eccentric cam 125 for swinging the drive lever 123a is in contact with a side surface portion of the bracket 124 on the upstream side in the discharge direction a. The eccentric cam 125 is configured to be integrally rotated with a shaft 528 supported by a support plate 527 formed integrally with the frame 200. A torsion coil spring 529a is provided as first contact means for elastically pressing the cam surface of the eccentric cam 125 against the bracket 124. This torsion coil spring 5
One of the torsion coil springs 529a that loosely winds around the outer periphery of the boss-shaped first pivot portion 522a is hooked on the side of the drive lever 123a, and the other end of the torsion coil spring 529a is the frame 200 of the frame 200. It is hung on a hook 530a configured as a part.

[0209] Due to the elasticity of the torsion coil spring 529a, the drive lever 123a is urged to rotate about the first pivot 522a in the direction of the arrow, and is elastically pressed by the eccentric cam 125. Therefore, by rotating the eccentric cam 125, the drive lever 123 is driven in accordance with the amount of displacement of the cam surface.
“a” swings about the first pivot portion 522a.

Since the eccentric cam 125 has an endless cam surface, a periodic displacement can be given to the drive lever 123a and, consequently, the return roller 121a by its rotational movement.

Twisted coil spring 5 as first contact means
The first oscillating means is constituted by the eccentric cam 125 and the eccentric cam 125, and the eccentric cam 125 and the free end side of the drive lever 123a (bracket 124) are slidably contacted by the first oscillating means. Drive lever 1 according to the rotation of 125
23a can be swung at a predetermined angle according to the amount of eccentricity.

By swinging the drive lever 123a by a predetermined angle by the first swing means in this way, the driven lever on the drive lever 123a is returned to the return roller 1a.
By moving the return roller 121a together with the return roller 21a, an arc-shaped displacement in the discharge direction a can be given to the return roller 121a.

A shaft 528 to which the eccentric cam 125 is fixed has a shielding plate 531 in which a part of a disk is cut out in a semicircular shape, and the shaft center thereof is fixed. The part has been fixed. A gear 533 is meshed with the gear 532, and the gear 533 is driven to rotate by a stepping motor 126 fixed to a support plate 527. A sensor 127 is fixed to a portion of the shielding plate 531 through which the notch passes, and the eccentric cam 1 is detected based on detection information of the shielding plate 531 by the sensor 127.
The rotation stop of the stepping motor 126 can be controlled by detecting the rotation amount of the stepping motor 126. The combination of the sensor 127 and the shielding plate 531 constitutes an encoder, and the amount of rotation of the eccentric cam 125 is controlled by the encoder using the stepping motor 126 as a drive source. Thus, by employing the configuration of the combination of the stepping motor and the encoder, the position of the return roller 121a can be properly managed. For example, the return roller 121a can be positioned so as to be at the first position (I), the second position (II), or the like as shown in FIG.

The first position (I) is a standby position where the return roller 121 is located above the tray 12 or the paper stacked on the tray 12 and is located above and can be set as a home position. The second position (II) is located on the downstream side of the first position (I) in the discharge direction a, and is a position in which the tray 12 or the stacked paper on the tray 12 is lightly contacted.

The driven lever 122a is connected to the driven lever 1
22a and the second pivot portion 523a (the shaft portion 524a)
And the second swinging means provided to act on the free end side 534a opposite to the side on which the return roller 121a is provided.

The second swinging means includes a drive lever 123a
With this swing, the driven lever 122a is swung by a predetermined angle around the second pivot 523a. By providing the second swing means, the second lever 523a is centered on the second pivot 523a. Follower lever 12 for drive lever 123a
By displacing the angle of 2a, the return roller 121a can be moved between desired positions along a desired trajectory. Further, by combining the swing operation of the driven lever 122a and the swing operation of the drive lever 123a, the return roller 121a
You can earn a stroke.

The second swing means is a projection 5 formed on a free end side 534a on the driven lever 122a opposite to the side on which the return roller 121a is displaced from the center of the second pivot portion.
A flat cam 53 having a trapezoidal projection 536 formed on a part of the circumferential surface having an infinite curvature.
7 and a second contact means for contacting the flat cam 537 with the projection 535a. The second contact means is configured by winding a torsion coil spring around the shaft portion 524a, hooking one end of the torsion coil spring on the driven lever 122a, and hooking the other end of the torsion coil spring on an immovable member. be able to.

Since the contact state of the projection 535a with the flat cam 537 is obtained by the second contact means, the return roller 121a can be moved up and down periodically in accordance with the swing of the drive lever 123a, and the drive is performed. The return roller 121a can be displaced in a locus of an angle by a combination of the swing of the lever 123a and the driven lever 122a, so that the sheets stacked on the tray 12 can be displaced in the second position (II) without being pushed out in the discharge direction a. ) Can be moved to.

[0219] As shown in FIG.
37 is located above the free end side 534a of the driven lever 122a. In such a positional relationship, the return roller 121
The tray 12 is located below “a”.

As described above, in order to keep the distance between the upper surface of the stacked sheets and the discharge rollers 3 constant, the tray 12 is increased as the sheets are discharged and the height on the tray 12 is increased. The motor is driven so as to descend.

A limit switch is provided at the upper and lower limits of the tray 12 as a safety measure. The limit switch is controlled so as to stop even if the motor for moving the tray up and down runs out of control, but before reaching the limit switch. Even if the tray 12 rises due to an abnormal situation for some reason, the flat cam 537 is driven by the driven lever 1 as in this example.
If it is configured to be located above the free end side 534a of the second lever 22a, even if the ascending tray 12 pushes up the return roller 121a, the second lever 523a is driven by the driven lever 12
2a can escape from the flat cam 537, and the driven lever 122a simply rotates, so that there is no interference with other members, so that damage to the members can be avoided.

A power transmission system for rotationally driving the return roller 121a will be described. The power transmission system is mainly composed of pulleys around the respective pivot centers of the first pivot portion 522a and the second pivot portion 523a as rotation centers, and a belt wrapped around these pulleys. Here, the pulley and the belt include a gear and a chain as similar power transmission means.

In FIG. 24, a pulley 538a that rotates integrally with the shaft 129, a pulley 539a that is pivotally attached to the shaft 524a, a pulley 538a and a pulley 53
9a and a belt 540a wound around the belt 9a.

A pulley 541a pivotally attached to the shaft 524a and a return roller 121 pivotally attached to the shaft 525a.
a and a belt 5 wound around the pulley 541a and the pulley 542a.
There is a combination consisting of 43a. The pulley 541
When a and the pulley 539a are fitted to the common shaft portion 524a, they are integrally rotated by the meshing portions formed on the side portions meshing with each other.

[0225] A stepping motor 556 is fixed to the frame 200 via a joint 555 at the shaft end of the shaft 129, and rotates the shaft 129. When the shaft 129 rotates, the pulley 538a → the belt 540a → the pulley 5
39a → pulley 541a → belt 543a → pulley 54
The power is transmitted in the order of 2a → return roller 121a, and the return roller 121a is rotated to perform rotation for return.

As described above, the pulleys are arranged at the pivots of the driving lever 123a and the driven lever 122a, and the power is transmitted to the return roller 121a via these pulleys. Since the shaft is shared with the pivot shaft for roller displacement, the power transmission system can be easily configured, and power can be easily taken in from the outside of the drive lever 123a, so that the displacement means can be made lightweight and compact.

As described above, in FIG. 24, the power for rotating the return roller 121a is supplied to the pulley 538a provided integrally with the shaft 129 concentric with the first pivot 522a.
A pulley 539a pivotally attached to a shaft portion 524a concentric with the second pivot portion 523a; a pulley 538a and a pulley 53;
This includes a configuration in which the power is transmitted via a belt 540a wound between the belts 9a.

In FIG. 25 showing a cross section of this power transmission system, a pulley 538a is fixed integrally with a shaft 129. The pulley 539a is pivotally mounted on the shaft 524a. In this example, in particular, these pulleys 538a and 53
The tension of the belt 540a stretched between the belts 9a and 9a is appropriately selected, and the pulley 539a is connected to the shaft 524a by the tension.
, An appropriate frictional force acts between the inner diameter portion of the pulley 539a and the shaft portion 524a. The rotational force of the pulley 539a is also transmitted to the shaft portion 524a by this frictional force, and the driven lever 122a is moved to the second pivot portion 523.
It is urged to rotate about a.

In FIGS. 23 and 24, the return roller 121
The rotation direction for causing the sheet a to return the sheet to the end fence 131 is a counterclockwise direction. When the return roller 121a is rotated in this rotation direction, the rotation direction of the pulley 539a is counterclockwise, and the rotation biasing force given to the driven lever 122a by the frictional force during rotation in this direction is also , Counterclockwise around the second pivot 523a,
The projection 535 of the driven lever 122a is generated by the rotation urging force.
a is urged in a direction pressed by the flat cam 537.

As in the present embodiment, the protrusion 535a of the driven lever 122a is caused by the rotational force of the driven lever 122a utilizing the frictional force between the pulley 539a and the shaft 524a due to the tension of the belt 540a and the rotational force of the pulley 539a. The function of the second urging means for pressing the flat cam 537 can be fulfilled, and the configuration can be simplified as compared with the case where a torsion coil spring is used. The tension of the belt 540a is set appropriately so that the pulley 539a and the shaft 524a slip with the projection 535a pressed against the flat cam 537 with an appropriate pressing force.

In this embodiment, the return means composed of the rotating body is reliably displaced to different positions in the discharge direction by the combined operation of the swing of the first member and the swing of the second member, and the return function of the return means and the like. A holding function can be obtained.

1 [3] B. Return Operation Here, the return operation of displacing the return roller 121 between the first position (I) and the second position (II) by the displacement means having the structure described with reference to FIGS. The return roller 12 by the displacement means in FIG.
The control of 1 'shall conform to the following description,
This is performed by rotation of the motor 510. 26 and 28, the return roller 121 is located near the lower portion of the sheet discharge roller 3 at the first position (I), and faces the center of the shift direction d (the sheet width direction) orthogonal to the discharge direction a. It is arranged.

[0233] A paper surface detecting filler 120 for detecting the paper surface height of the loading surface between the return rollers 121a and 121b.
Is located. Thereby, the paper surface detection filler 120
The point of contact between the sheet and the sheet loading surface on the tray 12 is always controlled to a fixed height.

In FIG. 30, when the paper stacked on the tray 12 has a curl, the uppermost surface of the stacked paper S "has a gentler inclination than the inclination provided on the tray 12, and
The paper newly discharged onto the tray 12 cannot move until it hits the end fence 131 by its own weight. For this reason, the sheet S 'which has protruded to the downstream side in the discharge direction a is formed.

In order to prevent the sheet S 'which has fallen on the stacked sheet S "from jumping out without returning to the end fence 131, the sheet S' is driven by the displacement means of this embodiment. The return roller 121 is moved from the first position (I) to the rear end of the protruding sheet S ', that is, the second position (II), and is brought into contact with the rear end of the sheet. It is returned until it hits the end fence 131 by rotating force.

As described above, the return roller 121 is connected to the shaft portions 525a, 525b of the driven levers 122a, 122b.
The driven levers 122a, 122
The shaft portions 524a and 524b on the opposite side of the drive lever 1
23a, 123b and the shaft portions 524a, 524
The driven levers 122a and 122b rotate around the center b.

The drive levers 123a and 123b are inserted through a shaft 129 on the opposite side to which the driven levers 122a and 122b are pivotally connected, and rotate about the shaft 129. Further, the drive levers 123a and 123
The bracket 124 is joined to the bracket b. By displacing the bracket 124 with the eccentric cam 125, the drive levers 123a and 123b swing about the shaft 129, and are further pivotally mounted on the drive levers 123a and 123b. The driven levers 122a and 122b are swung to displace the return roller 121.

As shown in FIGS. 27 and 28, the return roller 121 is moved from the first position (I) (standby position or home position) to a second position (II) (return position) indicated by a two-dot chain line. To the end fence 131 by the rotation force of the sheet, and the rear end can be aligned.

The eccentric cam 125 for displacing the bracket 124 joined to the drive levers 123a and 123b in the direction of the arrow J is provided by the stepping motor 126 and the gear 53.
3 and 532, the rotation is performed, and the rotation causes the above displacement.

The eccentric cam 125 has a semicircular shielding plate 531
The stop position of the eccentric cam 125 is restricted by detecting the shield plate 531 with the sensor 127, that is, the stop position of the return roller 121. In FIG. 7, the first position (I) of the return roller 121 is a position indicated by a solid line, and the second position (II) (return and press position) is a position indicated by a two-dot chain line.

Next, the timing of the displacement of the return roller 121 will be described. Normally, the sheet is discharged from the sheet discharge roller 3 at the first position (I), and immediately after the rear end of the sheet falls onto the tray 12 along the outer periphery of the lower roller 3a, the second
Displace to position (II). The return roller 12 displaced along a locus of an angle according to the cam shape of the flat cam 537
1 comes in contact with the rear end of the paper from above, stays at that position for a certain period of time, and pulls the paper back to the end fence 131 with a rotational force.
Is rotated to be displaced to the first position (I). By such an operation, it is possible to reliably pull back the protruding sheet as indicated by reference numeral S ′ in FIG. 30 and improve the alignment accuracy in the discharge direction a.

Next, an example of the configuration of the rotary drive system of the return roller 121 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 24 shows the return roller 121a.
The pulleys 542a are integrally formed as described above, and these pulleys are connected to the pulleys 541 on the shaft 524a.
a and a belt 543a. Furthermore, pulley 5
The pulley 539a is coaxial and integral with the belt 41a.
Oa is connected to the drive side pulley 538a.

The belt 540a is rotated by a pulley 538a that rotates integrally with a shaft 129 connected to a motor 556 that is separate from the motor that drives the discharge roller 3, and the belt 540a rotates.
39a and 541a, thereby rotating the belt 543.
This is a mechanism in which the pulley 542a rotates via a and the return roller 121 rotates. The same applies to the pulley 542b.

Here, the belt 543 is provided inside the driven lever 122a shown in FIG.
a. These structures are shown in FIG.
As described above. In this example, there is an advantage that the driving of the paper discharge rollers 3 and the driving of the return rollers 3 can be individually controlled.

The return roller 121 is made to wait at the first position (I) until the sheet passes through the discharge roller 3 and falls on the tray 12. By displacing the sheet to (II), the sheet dropped on the stacking surface is reliably caught and the end fence 131
Can be returned to

The second stop position (return position) is a position shifted toward the discharge direction a with respect to the first position (I), that is, a position where the return roller 121 reaches the rear end of the dropped sheet. Accordingly, the alignment accuracy of the sheets stacked on the tray 12 in the discharge direction can be improved regardless of the curl state or the stacked state of the sheets.

In the present example, a sponge-like elastic material having a rough surface was used as the return roller 121. Accordingly, an appropriate pressing force can be easily obtained by deforming and contacting the upper surface of the sheet S, and the sheet can be reliably grasped.

1 [3] C.I. 31. In FIG. 31, the paper S1 discharged from the paper discharge roller 3 toward the tray 12 depends on the discharge speed in the process of discharging, but the rear end of the paper S1 still holds the paper discharge roller 3. When the sheet S1 is being loaded, the middle portion of the sheet S1 is bent and the leading end of the sheet S1 is sent out while being in contact with the stacked sheets S "already stacked on the tray 12.

In this state, the leading end of the sheet S1 pushes the sheet S2, which is the uppermost sheet of the stacked sheet S ", toward the downstream side in the discharge direction a. Is aligned with the end fence 131, and the rear end of the sheet S2 is aligned with the end fence 131.
, It is shifted to the downstream side in the discharge direction, and the rear end cannot be aligned.

As shown in FIG. 32, the return roller 121 is moved to the second position (II) before the leading end of the sheet S1 comes into contact with the stacked sheet.
And rotate it, it is possible to perform a pressing function for preventing the sheet S1 from being pushed out of the sheet, and further obtain a function of returning the sheet S1 until it hits the end fence 131. it can.

1 [4]. A plurality of detecting means provided for tray vertical position control 1 [4] A. Example in which the detection criterion is set on the return means side (claim 1
In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, a plurality of detecting means for detecting the upper surface position of the tray 12 are made to correspond to a plurality of different positions on the upper surface of the tray 12, ie, two positions in this example. Each is provided.

As described above with reference to FIGS. 3 (a) and 3 (b), one detecting means is a paper surface detecting filler 120 supported swingably on a shaft 73a as shown in FIG. And detection means 96 comprising paper surface detection sensors 130a and 130b, which are located near the return roller 121.

[0253] Another detecting means is shown in FIG.
Paper surface detection filler 13 swingably supported by 73a
Detecting means 9 comprising paper surface detecting sensors 33a and 33b
7 and aligning members 102a and 102 as aligning means.
b. Here, the shaft 73a and the shaft 17
3a is provided not on the tray 12 that moves up and down but on the main body of the immovable sheet-like medium post-processing device 51.

In FIG. 1, the height of the tray 12 is controlled so that the paper surface near the return roller 121 is detected by the paper surface detection filler 120 and the paper surface detection sensors 130a and 130b, and is maintained at a predetermined level.

An inconvenience when only the detecting means 96 is provided as the detecting means will be described. In the case of the shift (sorting) mode, the reference height of the tray 12
30a and 130b are positions where the paper surface detection filler 120 is not detected, and the paper surface detection sensor 130b detects that the paper is stacked on the tray 12 and the height of the rear end of the paper is increased by turning on the paper surface detection filler 120. The tray 12 is lowered until the sensor 130b is turned off, and control is performed to keep the upper surface height of the tray 12 constant.

The paper surface detection sensor 130a detects when the stacked paper is removed from the tray 12 by turning on the sensor.
In this case, the paper surface detection sensor 130a is turned on, and in this case, the return roller 120 is separated from the paper surface of the tray 12 by raising the tray 12 until the paper surface detection sensor 130a is turned off, Return to a predetermined reference level at which the discharged paper can properly land on the tray.

When the height of the tray is set mainly by the return function of the return roller 121 and the height of the tray 12 is controlled by the detecting means 96 provided on the side of the return roller 121, the so-called paper is returned by the return roller 121. Although the vertical alignment can be surely performed, since the paper for alignment by the alignment members 102a and 102b is not known, a large amount of paper is stacked on the tray 12 so that the influence of the curl of the paper may affect the upper surface of the stacked paper. When the shape of the loaded paper changes due to the large appearance, the function of the aligning members 102a and 102b is affected.

In the case of back curl: In FIG. 33, the case where the paper stacked on the tray 12 has no curl and the upper surface forms an ideal loading surface is indicated by a two-dot chain line. At the position of the return roller 121, the tray 12
Is set to the reference level by the detecting means 96,
Since the lower ends of the alignment members 102a and 102b are located below the ideal stacking surface to form the overlap portion OR as shown by hatching, the alignment function by the alignment means can be performed.

On the other hand, in FIG.
In the case of a so-called back curl in which the upper surface of the paper stacked on the top 2 has a convex shape that bulges upward, the shape of the back curl loading surface is aligned with the vicinity of the return roller 121 by the alignment member 10.
In the vicinity of 2a and 102b, it occupies the lowered position. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 33, the alignment members 102a, 102b
The lower end of the sheet is separated from the stacking surface of the back-curled sheet by Δt, so that it cannot perform the alignment function.

In the case of face curl: Case 1. In FIG. 34, when the paper stacked on the tray 12 is in the form of a so-called face curl that bulges downward, the shape of the face curl loading surface is closer to the alignment members 102a and 102b than the vicinity of the return roller 121. It still occupies the lowered position. For this reason, FIG.
As shown in (1), since the lower ends of the alignment members 102a and 102b are separated from the back curl loading surface by Δt, the alignment function cannot be performed.

Case 2. In FIG. 35, the degree of face curl of the paper stacked on the tray 12 is the same as that in FIG.
4, the alignment member 102
When the a and 102b are in the alignment position, the alignment member 102
Since the lower end portions of a and 102b are positioned below the face curl loading surface to form the overlapped portion OR1, the aligning function can be performed. However, after the aligning operation is completed, the lower end portion is moved to the retracted position indicated by the two-dot chain line. In this case, the lower ends of the alignment members 102a and 102b are located below the face curl stacking surface so that the overlapping portions OR2 are still formed.
(OR1> OR2), it cannot be said that the sheet is retracted, and the sheet alignment is disturbed at the time of shifting.

When only one detecting means 96 is provided on the return means side as the detecting means for detecting the upper surface of the tray, when the shape of the loading surface is changed by curling as in each case described above, the returning means is used. Alignment means (alignment members 102a, 102) provided at a portion different from (return roller 121)
Inconvenience such as the inability to perform the alignment function in b) occurs.

To cope with these inconveniences, when the detecting means 97 is also provided near the alignment members 102a and 102b as in this embodiment, the alignment members 102a and 102b
Since it is possible to detect the shape of the loading surface that may interfere with the function described above, necessary measures can be taken.

1 [4] A-. Countermeasures at the time of curling As described with reference to FIGS. 33 to 35, countermeasures against the inconvenience when the tray height is controlled by detecting the tray upper surface on the return side reference will be described below.

In FIG. 1, the height of the tray 12 is controlled by the detecting means 96 provided in the vicinity of the return roller 121 so that the return roller 121 can perform the return function. , 102b, the discharge of the sheet from the sheet discharge roller 3 is prohibited when the detecting means 97 detects a predetermined range.

Example 1 The predetermined range can be set to the alignment operation position shown in FIG. 15 or the like, or the alignment members 102a and 102 in the alignment operation position shown in FIGS.
FIG. 3B shows the change in the shape of the top surface of the sheet due to the curl.
3. As shown in FIG. 34 and the like, in the relationship with the curled sheet, the area that is separated from the top surface of the sheet and cannot perform the alignment function (outside the range that can perform the alignment function)
(Claim 4).

In this way, when the alignment function cannot be achieved, the discharge of the paper is prohibited, so that at least
Since sheets are not stacked in a state where the alignment function cannot be performed, alignment defects can be avoided. As a countermeasure, for example, it is possible to return to the normal alignment function by removing some curled paper from the tray 12.

Example 2 The paper on the tray 12 overlaps the predetermined range even with the aligning members 102a and 102b at the retracted position shown in FIG.
By shifting the tray 12 or the alignment members 102a and 102b, the alignment member 102a or the alignment member 102
b is within a range that can interfere with the sheet and disturb the sheet (claim 5). In this way, at the time of shifting, necessary measures can be taken, such as keeping the paper level at a height before reaching the paper level that can be hooked by the alignment members 102a and 102b.

Example 3 Alignment member 102 as in Example 1 above
In the case where the alignment by a and 102b cannot be performed or the alignment member at the retreat operation position interferes with the sheet as in the above-described example 2, as a means for responding to the request of the user who wants to prioritize the stacking of the sheets anyway, Even in such a case, it is possible to provide a choice of performing only the return by the return unit without prohibiting the discharge of the sheet (claim 6). In this case, it is not necessary to keep the alignment members 102a and 102b in use by placing them at the receiving position or the like, and the alignment members 102a and 102b are moved to the home position so as not to interfere with the discharged paper.

When the above-mentioned abnormality is found on the loading surface,
Since the horizontal alignment does not work properly, the alignment priority mode that prohibits the discharge of the paper from the discharge rollers 3 unless the abnormality of the loading surface is cleared, and the image is not affected even if the horizontal alignment fails due to the abnormality of the loading surface When formation is necessary, a stacking priority mode in which discharge of paper is not prohibited is set, and any one of these modes can be selected by the user's intention.

[4] A-. Control Example In this example, as shown in FIG. 2, a sheet-shaped medium post-processing apparatus 51 is connected to the image forming apparatus 50, and the sheet-shaped medium aligning apparatus according to the present invention is connected to the sheet-shaped medium post-processing apparatus 51. The present invention relates to various controls relating to alignment of sheets according to the shape of a stacking surface of sheets on a tray under the overall configuration of the provided apparatus. The aligning operation will be described in the case of the both-side moving mode described with reference to FIG. 21, and the sorting operation will be described in the mode of shifting the tray 12.

FIG. 36 shows a control circuit of the control means.
U700 is a ROM 710 storing a control program.
The information is transmitted and received, and a clock signal is input from the clock 720 to execute the control shown in the following flowcharts.

The CPU 700 sends and receives signals to and from the control means 52 of the image forming apparatus 50 to and from the image forming apparatus 50, and inputs information from the sensor group 730 to the stepping motor control driver 740 and the motor driver 75.
0, outputs information to the driver 760.

The sensor group 730 collectively expresses various sensors used in the sheet-like medium post-processing apparatus 51 and the sheet-like medium aligning apparatus according to the present invention. Various sensors come into play.

The stepping motor control driver 740 controls various stepping motors used in the sheet-like medium post-processing apparatus 51 and the sheet-like medium aligning apparatus according to the present invention. The various stepping motors described in the above are applicable. In FIG. 36, this is exemplified by reference numeral M.

The motor driver 750 controls various types of DC motors used in the sheet-like medium post-processing apparatus 51 and the sheet-like medium aligning apparatus according to the present invention. Coming various motors are applicable. In FIG. 36, this is exemplified by reference numeral M.

The mode designating means 53 is means for designating whether to select the loading priority mode or the alignment priority mode when it is determined that the loading surface is abnormal, and is provided on an operation panel (not shown). And a touch switch.

The driver 760 controls various solenoids used in the sheet-like medium post-processing apparatus 51 and the sheet-like medium aligning apparatus according to the present invention, and specifically appears in a flowchart described below. Various solenoids are applicable. In FIG. 36, this is illustrated by reference numeral SOL. The CPU 700 in FIG. 36 is a main part that executes the following flow, and forms the center of control means in the sheet-like medium post-processing apparatus.

The sheet-like medium post-processing device 51 shown in FIG.
In the case where the shift mode for sorting the sheets in is selected, the sheets conveyed from the sheet discharge rollers 560 of the image forming apparatus 50 are received by the entrance roller pair 1, and
The sheet passes through the pair of conveying rollers 2a and the pair of conveying rollers 2b, and is discharged onto the tray 12 by the discharge rollers 3 as the final conveying means. At this time, with the branch claws 8a and 8b kept at the default positions, sheets one by one are sequentially discharged through the similar transport path to the tray 12. The following flow chart shows the above-mentioned 1 [4] A. This corresponds to the control described in the countermeasure for curling.

A. Initial Routine and Main Routine: (See FIG. 37) The main switch for controlling the image forming apparatus 50 and the sheet-like medium post-processing apparatus 51 shown in FIG. 2 is turned on, the sorting mode is selected, and the stacking priority mode and the alignment priority described later. By selecting a necessary mode such as one of the modes, an initial routine shown in FIG. 37 and a subsequent main routine are executed. In the initial routine,
In step P1, "each drive unit initial control" is performed, the alignment members 102a and 102b move to the home positions shown in FIG. 8, and each flag is reset to zero.
In the following flowchart, the front jogger means the alignment member 102a, and the rear jogger means the alignment member 102b.

When Step P1 ends, the routine jumps to the main routine. In the main routine, step P2 “Tray height control during operation” (see FIG. 38 for details), step P3
"Standby position movement control by jogger size" (See Fig. 3 for details.)
9), Step P4 “paper transport control” (see FIG. 4 for details)
0), Step P5 “Return roller control” (see FIG. 4 for details)
1), "Shift control" in step P6 (see FIG.
2), Step P7 “Jogger control” (see FIG. 4 for details)
3), Step P8 “Loading surface abnormality check control” (details in FIGS. 44 to 46), and Step P9 “Jogger HP retreat control” (details in FIG. 47) are sequentially executed and repeated as many times as necessary. When entering the main routine,
The return roller 121 is assumed to be rotating.

B. Tray height control during operation: (See FIG. 38) This control shown in FIG. 38 is performed by the detecting means 96 shown in FIG.
And the height control of the tray 12 during the sheet discharging operation performed by using the control method. The present invention relates to tray height control during a sheet discharging operation in the configuration described in claims 1 to 7.

In FIG. 1, it is assumed that there is no paper on the tray 12 or paper without curl is stacked, and the paper can be properly received from the paper discharging means.
And the height of the tray 12 where the return means can function normally;
In other words, at the reference height of the tray 12 at which the tray 12 is at an appropriate height with respect to the sheet discharge roller 3 and the return roller 121, the fan-shaped portion at one end of the sheet surface detection filler 120 is formed by the sheet surface detection sensors 130a and 130b. When both of the paper surface detection sensors 130a and 130b are in the OFF state, the tray 12 is at a position where the height from the paper discharge roller 3 can properly land the paper, and the return roller 121 is It can be separated from the loading surface at the first position (I) and contact the loading surface at the second position (II). In the initial routine of FIG. 37, the tray 12 is positioned at the reference height.

In FIG. 38, since the control during the paper discharging operation is considered, the height of the tray 12 is set to a predetermined level so as to exclude the height of the stacked paper on the tray 12 from becoming higher than the reference height of the tray. Control. Therefore, step P2-1 "paper surface detection sensor 130b on?" Is checked. If it is off, the process returns to the return due to the situation where it is not necessary to descend the tray even if the paper is discharged onto the tray.

In Step P2-1, the paper surface detection sensor 130
If b is on, it means that the paper surface has risen above the reference height of the tray, so the process proceeds to step P2-2 “Tray lifting motor lowering control” to lower the tray 12, and FIG.
The tray 12 is lowered by the operation of the vertical motor 71 which is a tray raising / lowering motor.

The degree of lowering of the tray 12 is determined in step P
The monitor is monitored by 2-3 "paper surface detection sensor 130b off?" Check, and after being turned off, the vertical motor 71 is stopped in step P2-4 "tray elevating motor stop control".
With this control, the tray 12 maintains an appropriate sheet surface height at a position near the return roller 121 during the sheet discharging operation.

C. Standby position movement control by jogger size:
(See FIG. 39.) In this control shown in FIG. 39, the aligning members 102a and 102b (indicated as joggers in the flowchart) serving as aligning means are changed according to the size of the discharged paper in FIG.
Is moved from the home position shown in FIG. 9 to the receiving position shown in FIG. 9 (displayed as a standby position in the flowchart), and the contents for preparing the paper receiving state are prepared.

In step P3-1 "Standby position movement control for each previous jogger size", the stepping motor 104a is driven to move the aligning member 102a toward the receiving position shown in FIG. 9 which matches the size of the sheet. Step P
In 3-2 “Jogger operation completed?”, The movement of the predetermined number of steps to the receiving position is checked, and it is checked that the alignment member 102a has moved to the predetermined receiving position.

Next, in step P3-3 "movement control by rear jogger size" and step P3-4 "end jogger operation?", The stepping motor 104b is driven and the alignment member 102b is moved to the predetermined position shown in FIG. Moved to receiving position.

D. Paper Transport Control: (See FIG. 40) With reference to FIG. 40, “paper transport control” which is the content of step P4 in the main routine will be described. In step P4-1 "discharge sensor ON flag = 1?", The flag is reset at first in step P1 "Each drive initial control".
Proceed to 4-2 “Discharge sensor on?”. This paper ejection sensor is a paper ejection sensor 38 arranged upstream of the paper ejection roller 3 in FIG.

When the leading edge of the sheet is detected by the sheet ejection sensor 38 in step P4-2 "Sheet ejection sensor ON?", The sheet ejection sensor ON flag is set in step P4-3, and the "return roller" is set in step P4-4. By setting the return roller operation flag to 1 with the operation flag ← 1 and resetting the return roller operation timer, the timer is used to execute step P described later.
The timer for the predetermined time T1 in 5-2 is started. The reason for starting the timing based on the detection of the leading edge of the sheet is that the return roller 121 has not only a returning function but also a holding function, and is for grasping the time when the leading edge of the sheet lands.

In Step P4-5, it is checked whether the CPU 700 has received a shift command signal from the control means 52 of the image forming apparatus 50. The shift command signal is output when the unit is switched. Upon receiving the shift command signal, the "shift operation flag" is set in step P4-6. As a result, FIG.
, The tray 12 performs a shift operation for sorting.

Next, in step P4-7 "Paper discharge motor acceleration control", the stepping motor 132 driving the paper discharge roller 3 is accelerated so that the paper discharge roller 3 becomes the receiving reference linear speed, and then step P4-7. It is checked whether or not the sheet has passed the sheet discharge sensor 38 by checking the "sheet discharge sensor off?" Until the passage, the process returns to the return. When the passage is detected, the sheet discharge sensor ON flag is reset in step P4-9, and the speed is increased in the previous step P4-7 in step P4-10 "discharge motor deceleration control". The linear speed of the paper discharge rollers 3 is reduced to a speed that takes into account the stacking property during paper discharge.

Next, in step P4-11 "Loading surface abnormality flag = 1?", A loading surface abnormality flag relating to the presence or absence of a loading surface abnormality near the alignment means is checked. At the beginning of the start-up of the apparatus, all the flags have been reset in Step P1, and there is no abnormality in the loading surface near the aligning means, and the loading surface abnormality flag remains reset. Operation flag ”is set to 1
At the same time, the "jogger alignment operation timer" is reset, and the counting of the "jogger alignment operation timer" relating to the time from when the trailing end of the sheet passes through the paper discharge sensor 38 to when it reaches the tray is started.

In step P4-11, the "loading surface abnormality flag" is a flag which is set when an abnormality of the loading surface near the aligning means is detected by the detecting means 97 in FIGS. 44 to 46 which will be described later. When there is an abnormality in the loading surface, the process proceeds from step P4-11 to step P4.
43, the jogger alignment operation flag is not set, and the process returns to the return without setting. Therefore, in the jogger control routine of FIG. 43, the process immediately returns to the return from step P7-1, and the alignment operation by the alignment unit is performed. Do not do.

Since the "return roller operation flag" is set in step P4-4, the return operation by the return means is not prohibited in the flowchart of the return roller control shown in FIG. This control content is defined in claim 6 of the present invention.
Has to do with.

E. Return Roller Control: (Refer to FIG. 41) This control shown in FIG. 41 indicates that the return roller 121 as a return means is abutted against the end fence 131 to align the paper discharge direction (vertical alignment). Eggplant

In Step P5-1, Step P4-
Since the return roller operation flag is set to 1 at 4,
Proceeding to step P5-2, the leading edge of the paper is
Is set time T1 until the leading edge of the sheet reaches the stacking sheet from the time point of step P4-4 detected by
Is elapsed, the return operation flag is reset in step P5-3, and then the stepping motor 126 is activated in step P5-4 to move the return roller 121 from the first position (I) to the second position (II). Start. As described above, since the predetermined time T1 until the leading edge of the sheet reaches the stacked sheet is set, in this example, the pressing operation (function) is also performed before the returning operation (function) by the return roller 121. Become.

By resetting the "discharge sensor ON flag" in step P5-3, the leading edge of the next sheet is detected in step P4-2, and the "return roller operation flag" is set to 1 in step P4-4. Step P5 until done
In the case of -1, it is determined to be "No", so that the operation of the return roller is performed only each time the leading edge of the sheet is detected by the sheet ejection sensor 38.

In step P5-5, when it is determined that the stepping motor 126 has been moved to the second position (II) by being driven by the predetermined number of pulses, the movement of the return roller 121 is stopped, and in step P5-6. The "return roller operation timer" is reset, and a timer is started by the timer for comparison with a predetermined time T2 as a return time, and it is checked in step P5-7 whether the timer has elapsed the predetermined time T2. Until the predetermined time T2 has elapsed, the paper is returned toward the end fence 131 and is abutted to perform vertical alignment.

When it is determined in step P5-7 that the return time measured by the timer has exceeded the predetermined time T2, the sheet is abutted against the end fence 131 and aligned, and in step P5-8, the second position ( II) from 1st
When the stepping motor 126 is started toward the position (I) and it is checked by the home position sensor 127 that the return roller 121 has returned to the first position (I) in step P5-9, the process proceeds to step P5. At -10, the stepping motor 126 is stopped and the return roller 121 is turned off.
Stops moving to the first position (I). In this example, FIG.
Although the return roller 121 of FIGS. 3 to 32 has been described, the return roller 121 ′ of FIG.
Can be controlled in accordance with The same applies to the following control.

F. Shift Control: (See FIG. 42) With reference to FIG. 42, “shift control” that constitutes the content of step P6 will be described. Since the "shift operation flag" has already been set to 1 in step P4-6,
Proceeding from step P6-1 to step P6-2, check "in return roller operation?", Wait for the return roller control in step P5 to end, and proceed to step P6-3 "shift drive control" to shift the tray. , The tray 12 is started to move in the shift direction d.
In the initial state, as shown in FIG. 6, a sensor 48 as a shift home position sensor overlaps with the encoder 47 and is in an on state. Therefore, in step P64, the shift HP sensor is rotated to a position where it is turned off and stopped.

Next, the program proceeds to Step P6-5, where the sensor 4
8 is turned on (see FIG. 7). As a result, the part indicated by reference numeral Z1 immediately after overlapping the notch 43L with the encoder 47 is stopped at the position detected by the sensor 48 (step P6-6).

In the next round, as shown in FIG.
Overlaps the portion of the encoder 47 denoted by the symbol Z1 and is in the ON state. Therefore, it rotates to the notch part turned off in step P64 and stops. Next, step P6-6
The rotation is stopped until the sensor 48 is turned on, that is, the state shown in FIG. 6 is reached (step P6-6).

In Step P6-7, Step P4-5
In, the shift operation flag is reset so that the shift is performed only when the shift command is received, and the process returns to the return. In this way, the tray 12 is moved forward,
It is possible to alternately shift to the rear side.

G. Jogger Control: (See FIG. 43) With reference to FIG. 43, “jogger control” which is the content of step P7 in the main routine will be described. In this control, the alignment members 102a and 102b are operated to perform horizontal alignment of the paper.

Since the "jogger alignment operation flag" has already been set to 1 in step P4-10, the process proceeds from step P7-1 to step P7-2, and the detection of the trailing edge of the sheet in step P4-6 is triggered. The elapse of a predetermined time T3 set as the time required for the trailing edge of the paper to land on the upper surface of the paper stacked on the tray is determined by Step P6.
-2, wait for the paper to fall on the stacking paper
At 7-3, the "jogger alignment operation flag" is reset.

By resetting the "jogger alignment operation flag" in step P7-3, except that the trailing edge of the sheet is detected in step P4-6, "No" is determined in step P7-1 and the jogger alignment operation is performed. Is not done.

[0309] In Step P7-4, the aligning member 102a
The 102b is moved from the receiving position shown in FIG. 9 to the alignment position shown in FIG. 10, that is, the inside movement of the jogger is controlled, and the stepping motors 104a and 104 are controlled.
b is driven. When the jogger moves inside, the retreat operation shown in FIG. 16 is performed.

[0310] The stepping motors 104a and 104b are driven, and in step P7-5, the stepping motors 10a and 104b are driven.
When it is checked that the driving members 4a and 104b are driven by a predetermined driving amount, the alignment members 102a and 102b
Has been moved to the alignment position shown in.

At this alignment position, alignment members 102a, 102
In order to keep b constant for a certain period of time, step P7-
6. In step P7-7, the alignment members are held at the alignment position for a predetermined time T4, and in steps P7-8 and P7-9, the alignment members 102a and 102b are returned to the receiving positions shown in FIG. Step P when returning to this receiving position
Also in the jogger outside movement control of 7-7, the retreat operation shown in FIG. 16 is performed.

Here, the return roller 121 is moved to the second position (I
In the case of I), the aligning operation cannot be performed by the aligning members 102a and 102b, and one of the operations must be prioritized. In this example, the alignment operation is prioritized over the return operation.

H. Loading Surface Abnormality Check Control: (See FIGS. 44 to 46) There are three patterns of loading surface abnormality checking control for each claim of the present invention, and any of these is applied according to the invention.

FIG. 44 shows a control routine according to claims 3 and 4. Since the height of the stacking paper near the aligning means is lower than the height of the stacking surface near the return means, even if the aligning operation is to be performed, the aligning member is required. In the case where the sheets 102a and 102b do not hit the sheet and swing (FIGS. 33 and 34), a necessary treatment is performed as a sheet surface abnormality.

FIG. 45 shows a control routine according to claim 5, wherein the height of the stacking surface near the aligning means is higher than the height of the stacking surface near the return means. In such a case (FIG. 35), necessary measures are taken as an abnormality in the loading surface.

In any of these controls, the detecting means 97 is used, and when the tray 12 is located at the reference height, the paper surface detection sensor 33a and the paper surface detection sensor 33a in a normal paper surface shape without curl.
33b are set to be off. further,
The position where the paper surface detection sensor 33a is turned on is shown in FIGS.
In order to prevent the problem described in 4, the alignment member 102a,
102b is set to a position where it does not contact the paper,
The position where the paper surface sensor 33b is turned on is set when the aligning members 102a and 102b or the tray 12 is shifted in order to prevent the problem described with reference to FIG.
When a and 102b are retracted to the evacuation position (FIG. 16), they are set as positions before coming into contact with the stacking paper, and the limit positions at which alignment can be performed are detected.

H-1. The control according to claims 3 and 4 (see FIG. 44) is a control in the case where the height of the loading surface near the aligning means is lower than the height of the loading surface near the position of the return means.

In Step P8-1, when the ON of the paper surface detection sensor 33a is detected, the height of the stacking surface near the aligning means is lower than the height of the stacking surface near the position of the return means, and the aligning members 102a, This means that 102b does not contact the sheet, that is, the aligning unit is separated from the stacking surface and cannot perform the aligning function (see FIGS. 33 and 34).

Therefore, in this case, step P8-2
Then, after resetting the paper surface ascending position check timer, step P8-3, "Loading surface abnormality flag = 1?" Is checked. Initially, the loading surface abnormality flag is reset in step P1, so in step P8-4, the “loading surface abnormality flag” is set and a “loading surface abnormality command” is transmitted to the image forming apparatus. The image forming apparatus that has received the “loading surface abnormal command” stops discharging the paper from the paper discharge roller 3 toward the tray.

If the flowchart shown in FIG. 44 is the same as the flowchart shown in FIG. 44 except that step P8-5 “Transmit loading plane abnormality command” and step P8-9 “Transmit loading plane abnormality cancel command” are performed, the case of such loading plane abnormality is considered. However, although the discharge of the sheet is continued and the vertical alignment is performed by the return unit, since the “loading surface abnormality flag” is set in step P8-4, the process proceeds to step P4-1 in FIG.
As described in step 1, steps P4-11 to P4
Without going through 4-12, therefore, the jogger alignment operation flag is not set, and the process returns to the return. Also in the jogger control routine of FIG. 43, the process immediately returns to the return from step P7-1, and the alignment operation by the alignment unit is performed. Absent.
This corresponds to claim 7.

As described above, the “loading surface abnormality flag” is set to the state shown in FIG.
This is used for the purpose of prohibiting the jogger operation in the sheet transport control routine described in FIG. 0 and the purpose of checking not to transmit the “loading surface abnormality release command” a plurality of times in FIG.

When the image forming apparatus resumes discharging the sheet from the sheet discharging roller 3 to the tray 12, the sheet-form medium post-processing device 51 issues a "stacking surface abnormality release command" from the CPU 700 to the image forming device 50 via the control means 52. This is done by sending to

The "loading surface abnormality release command" is transmitted after the "loading surface abnormality command" is transmitted, that is, when the paper surface detection sensor 33a detects that the paper surface detection sensor 33a is turned off. Since the detection filler 13 is jumped up by the sheet every time the sheet is ejected from the ejection roller 3, the sheet surface sensor 33a detects from on to off each time the sheet jumps.

[0324] Then, whether the paper surface detection sensor 33a has changed from on to off due to an abnormality in the loading surface, the curl paper is removed from the tray 12, or the stacking is switched to discharge of non-curl paper, or the like. It is not possible to determine whether the paper surface detection sensor 33a has changed from ON to OFF because the surface abnormality has been repaired.

Therefore, in order to eliminate the transmission of the “loading surface abnormality canceling command” due to the change of the paper surface detection sensor 33a from ON to OFF due to the jump of the paper surface detection filler 13 caused by the pushing of the discharged paper. , Step P8
-2: The time from the start of timer counting by resetting the "paper surface rising position check timer" (in step P8-6, the paper surface detection sensor 33a is turned on due to the jumping of the paper), to the determination from step P8-1 that it is off. To step P8
Checked at -6, when the time measured by the timing is longer than a predetermined time T5 set as a time during which the paper surface detection sensor 33a keeps the ON state due to the flipping up of the paper, the abnormality of the loading surface is repaired. Step P
8-7 If "Loading surface abnormality flag = 0?" And the loading surface abnormality flag is 1, then in step P8-8, "Loading surface abnormality flag"
Is reset, and in step P8-9 "Transmission of loading surface abnormality release command", the loading surface abnormality
Control to be transmitted. As a result, the discharge of the sheet from the discharge means 3 to the tray 12 is restarted.

H-2. Control corresponding to claim 5 (FIG. 45)
Reference) This control is performed when the loading surface height near the aligning means is higher than the loading surface height near the position of the return means.

In step P8-10, if the ON of the paper surface detection sensor 33b is detected, the height of the loading surface near the aligning means is higher than the height of the loading surface near the position of the return means, and The alignment member 102a in which the upper surface of the stacked sheets is in the retracted position as shown in FIG.
When the tray is shifted even if the aligning unit is retracted to the retracted position, that is, when the tray is shifted,
This means that the alignment members 102a and 102b are in a state where the stacking paper can be hooked to disturb the alignment (see FIG. 35).

If there is no abnormality in the height of the stacking surface in the vicinity of the aligning means, the process goes to Step P8-10.
b is determined to be off, and in step P8-15, the sheet down position check timer is reset.
Proceed to 16 “Loading surface abnormality flag = 0?”. In the initial routine, since all the flags have been reset in the respective drive unit initial controls in step P1 shown in FIG. 37, the process returns from step P8-16 to return. Thereafter, in step P8-10, the sheet surface detection sensor 33b
Is determined to be on, the process proceeds to Step P8-11,
The time from the start of the timer at the time of resetting the timer in step P8-15 to the time when the paper surface detection sensor 33b is determined to be ON is compared with a predetermined time T6.

The predetermined time T6 is a time during which the sheet jumps up the sheet detecting filler 13 to turn on the sheet detecting sensor 33b at the time of normal sheet discharge. In step P8-11, the timer detects the predetermined time. If the time is less than the time T6, the state that the paper surface detection sensor 33b is kept on due to the ejection of the paper is set to the ON state, and the detection time of the timer is set to the predetermined time T6
In this case, the process proceeds to the next step, assuming that the sheet surface detection sensor 33b is not continuously turned on due to the discharge of the sheet, but is due to a stacking surface abnormality as shown in FIG.

If it is determined in step P8-12 that the loading surface abnormality flag has been set, then step P8-
In step P8-14, the stacking surface abnormality flag is set, and in step P8-14, the stacking surface abnormality command is transmitted to the control unit 52, and the discharge of the image forming apparatus 50 from the discharge unit 3 is stopped.

[0331] The restart of sheet discharge from the discharge unit 3 by the image forming apparatus 50 is performed by transmitting a "loading surface abnormality release command" to the control unit 52. After sending the loading surface abnormality command in step P8-14, the loading surface abnormality release command sends the sheet having the loading surface abnormality to the tray 1.
2. When the paper surface detection sensor 33b detects that the paper surface shape is normal due to removal from the top or the like (step P8-10), the loading surface abnormality flag is reset in step P8-17, and P8-18
Perform in.

If the flowchart shown in FIG. 45 is obtained by removing Step P8-14 "Transmission of loading surface abnormality command" and Step P8-18 "Transmission of loading surface abnormality release command" from the flowchart shown in FIG. However, although the discharge of the sheet is continued and the vertical alignment is performed by the return unit, since the “loading surface abnormality flag” is set in step P8-13, the process proceeds to step P4 in FIG.
As described in -11, the process goes from the step P4-11 to the return without going through the step P4-12, and thus the jogger alignment operation flag is not set. In the jogger control routine shown in FIG. Immediately returns to the return and does not perform the aligning operation by the aligning means. This corresponds to claim 7.

H-3. Control corresponding to claim 12 (FIG. 4)
6) When the stacking surface abnormality occurs, the control is to determine whether the mode is the alignment priority mode or the stacking priority mode, and to transmit a command to the image forming apparatus.

As described above, when the paper surface detection sensor 33a is turned on (when the paper surface is low and the aligning means swings), the determination method by the paper surface detection sensors 33a and 33b for detecting an abnormality of the loading surface is as follows. When a command is transmitted and the paper surface sensor 33b is ON (when the loading surface is high and still interferes with the loading surface even when the aligning unit is retracted), an abnormal command is transmitted after a predetermined time.

When the abnormality is determined, the mode is checked after setting the “loading surface abnormality flag”, and in the case of the alignment priority mode, the “loading surface abnormality command” is transmitted to the image forming apparatus. In the loading priority mode, the “loading surface abnormal command” is not transmitted, and the discharge of the sheet is continued as it is.

Hereinafter, description will be made with reference to a flowchart.
If it is determined in step P8-20 that the paper surface detection sensor 33a is ON, the loading surface near the aligning unit is abnormally low despite the normal height of the loading surface near the return unit. In P8-21, "Paper surface detection sensor 3
3a paper surface abnormal flag "is set, and Step P8-22
To reset the "sheet lowering position check timer" to start time counting by the timer, and then proceed to Step P8-23.

In step P8-23, the "loading surface abnormality flag" is checked. In the initial routine shown in FIG. 37, all the flags have been reset in step P1, so the process proceeds to step P8-24, where the "loading surface abnormality flag" is set, and a mode check is performed in step P8-25.

If the alignment priority mode has been designated by the mode designating means 53 (see FIG. 33), the process proceeds to step P8
From -23 to return, even if the aligning means is swinging due to the abnormally low loading surface near the aligning means, the discharging of the paper from the discharging means 3 is not prohibited and the discharging is continued. I do. As a result, the user can obtain an image-formed sheet even if there is some problem in the alignment.

[0339] Steps P8-23 to P
The process up to 26 is a case where the height of the loading surface is abnormally high in the route from step P8-30 to be described later, and in this case, the same treatment as above is taken.

If the mode designation means (see FIG. 33) designates the alignment priority mode, the process advances from step P8-23 to step P8-26 to transmit a "loading surface abnormal command" to the control means 52. Image forming apparatus 50
Is stopped from the paper discharging means 3 by the user. As a result, the user stops the paper discharge under the situation where the aligning means swings, so that it is possible to obtain the paper on which the images are formed in the aligned state.

If it is determined in step P8-20 that the paper surface detection sensor 33a is off, whether the loading surface near the aligning means is abnormally high despite the normal height of the loading surface near the return means. Or when the paper surface detection filler 13 is temporarily jumped up due to the discharge of the paper, so that it is necessary to determine this.

Therefore, in step P8-27, the “paper surface detection sensor 33a paper surface abnormality flag” is checked. If the "paper surface detection sensor 33a paper surface abnormality flag" is 1, it means that the paper surface detection sensor 3a has already been set in step P8-21.
Step P8 from the start of timer counting when 3a is on
In step P8-28, the time measured until the paper surface detection sensor 33a was turned off at -20 was checked, and the time measured was set based on the time required from the on to off of the paper surface detection sensor 33a in a normal paper discharging operation. Predetermined time T
If it is less than 7, it is temporarily determined that it is normal in the sense that it is at least not too low, and the process proceeds to Step P8-29 to check whether it is next too high.

At step P8-29, a check is made as to "paper surface detection sensor 33b on?" If the paper surface detection sensor 33b is determined to be off, the process proceeds to Step P8-31.
Resets the "sheet lowering position check timer" to start time counting by the timer, and checks "loading surface abnormality flag" in step P8-32. If the "loading surface abnormality flag" remains reset, the height of the loading surface in the vicinity of the aligning means is normal, so the process returns to return, and alignment by the aligning means and return by the returning means are performed normally.

The case where it is determined in step P8-32 that the "loading surface abnormality flag" is set is a case after the loading surface has already been determined to be abnormal in step P8-24. After resetting the "stacking surface abnormality flag" in step 33, the process proceeds to step P8-34. If the mode designation is the stacking priority mode, the discharge is continued as it is, and the process returns to the return. In step -26, the discharge is stopped in response to a command from the image forming apparatus. Therefore, in order to cancel the discharge, a "loading surface abnormality cancel command transmission" is performed in step P8-35. Then, the process is started to discharge the sheet from No. 3 and the process returns to the return.

If the time measured in step P8-28 exceeds the predetermined time T7, it is turned off after the paper surface detection sensor 33a is turned on (step P8-20, step P8-20).
8-21), and since the off time has continued for more than the predetermined time, it is determined that the loading surface near the aligning means has a normal height, and the flow proceeds to Step P8-32.

In Step P8-29, a check is made as to "paper surface detection sensor 33b on?" If the paper surface detection sensor 33b is determined to be ON, the process proceeds to step P8-30.
The time counted by the timer from when the paper surface detection sensor 33b, which was reset in step P8-31, is turned on, is changed to the paper surface detection filler 1 by the normal paper discharge.
A comparison is made with a predetermined time T8 set as the continuation time of turning on the paper surface detection sensor 33b due to the jumping up of No. 3.

If the time counted by the timer is less than the set time T8, it is normal, and if the time exceeds the set time T8, it is determined that the loading surface is abnormally high, and the flow proceeds to Step P8-23 to follow the progress already described.

I. Standby control to alignment means HP: (FIG. 47
This example corresponds to claim 7. In step P4-11 in FIG. 40, if there is an abnormality in the loading surface, the process goes from step P4-11 to step P4-12 without returning to step P4-12, and thus the jogger alignment operation flag is not set. In the jogger control routine as well, the process immediately returns from step P7-1 to return, and the aligning operation by the aligning means is not performed. However, even in this case, discharge is continued in the stacking priority mode or the like. In this case, in this example, the aligning unit is retracted to a home position where the aligning unit does not interfere with the sheet ejection in order to prevent the aligning unit from obstructing the sheet ejection.

If it is determined in step P9-1 that the loading surface abnormality flag has been set, the flow advances to step P9-2 to check "Jogger HP evacuation flag = 1?". Initially, all the flags have been reset in step P1 in the flowchart of FIG. 37, so the process proceeds to step P9-3, where the jogger HP evacuation flag is set. This is because the operation of retracting the alignment means to the home position is performed only once.

Next, in step P9-4, the retracted position (FIG. 1)
6), the stepping motor 104a is driven to move the front jogger (alignment member 102a) toward the home position, and when the home position 107a is detected in step P9-5, the movement of the alignment member 102a is performed. Is stopped (step P9-6). As a result, the alignment member 102a has been retracted to the home position.

Similarly, the rear jogger (alignment member 102)
Regarding b), the retreat position is also determined in step P9-7 (FIG. 16).
Then, the stepping motor 104b is driven to move the rear jogger (alignment member 102b) toward the home position, and when the home position 107b is detected in step P9-8, the movement of the alignment member 102b is stopped. The operation stops (step P9-9). As a result, the alignment member 102b has been retracted to the home position.

1 [4] B. Example in which the detection reference is set to the aligning means side (claims 1, 2, 8 to 12) In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. It has a configuration having means 97.

In FIG. 1, the height of the tray 12 is controlled so that the paper surface near the alignment members 102a and 102b is detected by the paper surface detection filler 13 and the paper surface detection sensors 33a and 33b to maintain the height at a predetermined level.

An inconvenience when only the detecting means 97 is provided but not the detecting means 96 will be described. In the case of the shift (sorting) mode, the reference height of the tray 12 is set at a position where the paper surface detection sensors 33a and 33b do not detect the paper surface detection filler 13, and the paper is stacked on the tray 12, and the leading end and the rear end of the paper are The rise in height at the substantially middle position is detected by turning on the paper surface detection sensor 33b,
The tray 12 is lowered until the paper surface detection sensor 33b is turned off, and control is performed to keep the height of the upper surface of the tray 12 constant.

[0355] The paper surface detection sensor 33a detects when the loaded paper is removed from the tray 12 by turning on the sensor. When the loaded paper is removed, the upper surface level of the tray 12 is reduced, and the paper surface detection sensor 33a is activated. In this case, the tray 12 is raised until the paper surface detection sensor 33a is turned off, so that the alignment member 102 is turned on.
The lower ends of the sheets a and 102b overlap with the stacked sheets, so that the sheets can be horizontally aligned.

If the height of the tray is set mainly by the horizontal alignment function of the aligning means and the height of the tray 12 is controlled by the detecting means 97 provided on the aligning means side, the horizontal alignment of the paper by the aligning means is ensured. However, since it is not concerned with the paper for alignment by the return means, the tray 12
If the shape of the loaded paper changes due to the effect of curling of the paper greatly appearing on the upper surface of the loaded paper due to the large amount of loaded paper thereon, the function of the return roller 121 will be affected.

In the case of back curl: in FIG. 33, the tray 12 is detected at a position near the alignment members 102a and 102b under the ideal stacking surface indicated by the two-dot chain line in FIG. When the reference level is set by the means 97, the lower end of the return roller 121 can be separated from the loading surface at the first position (I) and contact the loading surface at the second position (II) to perform the holding and returning functions. .

On the other hand, in FIG.
In the case of a so-called back curl in which the upper surface of the paper stacked on the upper surface has a convex shape bulging upward, the alignment member 102a,
With reference to the vicinity of 102b (ideal loading surface), the vicinity of the return roller 121 occupies an elevated position. For this reason, the return roller 121 is always in contact with the loaded paper even at the first position (I) which is a standby position waiting for the landing of the paper, so that the paper is rolled up and the buckling of the paper due to a strong abutment against the end fence 131 is prevented. Normal vertical alignment cannot be performed due to such causes.

In the case of face curl: Case 1. In FIG. 34, when the paper stacked on the tray 12 has a face curl, the shape of the face curl loading surface occupies a position where the vicinity of the return roller 121 is higher than the vicinity of the alignment members 102a and 102b (ideal loading surface). . For this reason, even in the first position (I), the return roller 121 is always in contact with the stacked paper, so that the paper is entangled and the paper is buckled due to a strong abutment against the end fence 131, so that normal vertical alignment is performed. Can not.

Case 2. In FIG. 35, the degree of face curl of the paper stacked on the tray 12 is the same as that in FIG.
4, the alignment member 102
When the a and 102b are in the alignment position, the alignment member 102
The lower end portions of a and 102b are positioned below the face curl loading surface to form an overlap portion, so that the aligning function can be performed. However, after the aligning operation is completed, the lower end portion is moved to a retracted position indicated by a two-dot chain line. Sometimes alignment member 102
The lower ends of a and 102b are located below the face curl stacking surface and still form an overlap portion, and cannot be said to be retracted, which disturbs the alignment of sheets during shifting.

In addition, the shape of the face curl loading surface occupies a lowered position in the vicinity of the return roller 121 with respect to the vicinity of the alignment members 102a and 102b (ideal loading surface). For this reason, even in the second position (II), the return roller 121 is always separated from the stacked sheets and cannot perform the sheet pressing function and the return function.

On the other hand, as in the present embodiment,
If the detecting means 96 is provided also in the vicinity of the return roller 121, a necessary countermeasure can be taken since a loading surface shape which may hinder the function of the returning means can be detected.

[4] B-. Countermeasures at the time of curling As described with reference to FIGS. 33 to 35, a countermeasure against the inconvenience when the tray height is controlled by detecting the tray upper surface on the alignment side will be described below.

Example 1 In FIG. 1, the alignment members 102a,
Alignment member 1 is detected by detecting means 97 provided near 102b.
When the detection means 96 provided near the return roller 121 detects a predetermined range, control is performed to determine the height of the tray 12 at a height at which the trays 02a and 102b can perform the alignment function. The discharge of the paper from the rollers 3 is prohibited (claim 8).

In this way, when the return means cannot perform its intended function, the discharge of the paper is prohibited, so that
At least, the sheets are not stacked in a state in which the pressing and returning functions cannot be performed, so that the alignment failure can be avoided. For example, by removing some curled paper from the tray 12, the normal alignment function can be restored.

Example 2 The first range is a standby position in the predetermined range.
The return roller 121 at the position (I) is in a range where it comes into contact with the sheet on the tray 12 (claim 9). In this case, it is possible to prevent paper wrapping and buckling of the paper due to excessive contact with the end fence 131.

Example 3 The predetermined range is a range in which the return roller 121 at the second position (II), which is the return position, does not contact the paper on the tray 12 (claim 10). In this case, when the vertical alignment cannot be performed by the return roller 121, the paper is not discharged to the tray 12. In such a case, the vertical alignment by the return unit is not performed, but the horizontal alignment operation by the alignment unit alone can be performed.

When the above-mentioned abnormality is found on the loading surface,
Since the vertical alignment does not work well, the alignment priority mode that prohibits the discharge of the paper from the discharge rollers 3 unless the abnormality of the loading surface is cleared, and the image is justified if the horizontal alignment does not work properly due to the abnormality of the loading surface When formation is necessary, a stacking priority mode in which discharge of paper is not prohibited is set, and any one of these modes can be selected by the user's intention.

1 [4] B-. Control Example In this example, as shown in FIG. 2, a sheet-shaped medium post-processing apparatus 51 is connected to the image forming apparatus 50, and the sheet-shaped medium aligning apparatus according to the present invention is connected to the sheet-shaped medium post-processing apparatus 51. The present invention relates to various controls relating to alignment of sheets according to the shape of a stacking surface of sheets on a tray under the overall configuration of the provided apparatus. The aligning operation will be described in the case of the both-side moving mode described with reference to FIG. 21, and the sorting operation will be described in the mode of shifting the tray 12. Also in this example, a control circuit similar to the control means shown in FIG. 36 is used. Therefore, the description thereof is omitted.

The following flowchart corresponds to the control described in the control example in the section 1 [4] B in the sheet-like medium post-processing apparatus.

A. Initial Routine and Main Routine: (FIG. 37) Turning on a main switch which controls the image forming apparatus 50 and the sheet-like medium post-processing apparatus 51 shown in FIG. 2, selecting a sorting mode, and setting other necessary modes. Thus, the initial routine shown in FIG. 37 and the subsequent main routine are executed. In the initial routine, "initial control of each drive unit" is performed in step P1, the return roller 121 moves to the first position (I), which is the standby position shown in FIG. 28, and each flag is reset to zero. In the following flowchart, the front jogger means the alignment member 102a, and the rear jogger means the alignment member 102b.

When step P1 ends, the routine jumps to the main routine. In the main routine, step P2 “Tray height control during operation” (see FIG. 48 for details), step P3
"Standby position movement control by jogger size" (See Fig. 3 for details.)
9), Step P4 “Paper transport control” (see FIG. 5 for details)
0), Step P5 “Return roller control” (see FIG. 4 for details)
1), "Shift control" in step P6 (see FIG.
2), Step P7 “Jogger control” (see FIG. 4 for details)
3), Step P8 “Loading surface abnormality check control” (details in FIGS. 50 to 52) are sequentially executed, and are repeated as many times as necessary. Note that the aligning operation is performed by the aligning unit even if the loading surface is abnormal, and therefore, the step P9 “jogger HP retreat control” (control in FIG. 47) is not performed. When the main routine is entered, the return roller 121 is assumed to be rotating.

B. Tray height control during operation: (see FIG. 48) This control shown in FIG. 48 is performed by the detecting means 97 shown in FIG.
And the height control of the tray 12 during the sheet discharging operation performed by using the control method. The present invention relates to tray height control during a sheet discharging operation in the configuration described in claims 8 to 12.

In FIG. 1, it is assumed that there is no paper on the tray 12 or paper without curl is stacked, and the paper can be properly received from the paper discharging means.
And the height of the tray 12 where the alignment means can function normally;
That is, if the position where the tray 12 is at an appropriate height with respect to the alignment members 102a and 102b is set as the reference height of the tray 12, the fan-shaped portion at one end of the paper surface detection filler 13 at this reference height is Detection sensors 33a, 33b
And when both of the paper surface detection sensors 33a and 33b are in the off state, the tray 12 is at a position where the height from the paper discharge roller 3 can properly land the paper, and
The alignment members 102a and 102b can sandwich a sheet. In the initial routine of FIG. 37, the tray 12 is positioned at the reference height.

In FIG. 48, since the control during the sheet discharging operation is considered, the height of the tray 12 is set to a predetermined level so as to exclude the height of the stacked sheets on the tray 12 from becoming higher than the reference height of the tray. Control. Therefore, Step P2-10 "paper surface detection sensor 33b on?" Is checked. If it is off, the "tray lowering timer" is reset in step P2-16 and the timer starts counting. If it is on, it is checked in step P2-11 if the timer has exceeded the predetermined time Ta.

In step P2-11, the timer sets the predetermined time T.
a has not elapsed, the paper surface detection sensor 33b is turned on in step P2-10 and the paper surface detection filler 1 is turned on.
3 is determined to be caused by the sheet pushed up by the sheet discharged from the sheet discharge roller 3, and the process returns to the return.

[0377] In step P2-11, the timer sets the predetermined time T.
If a has elapsed, it is determined that the loading surface is higher than the expected height, and the tray lowering timer is reset in step P2-12 to start counting the timer.
In order to lower the tray 12 at -13, the elevating means 95 shown in FIG.
The action of 1 lowers the tray 12.

The degree of lowering of the tray 12 is monitored by the magnitude of the time counted by the timer and the predetermined time Tb.
With the lapse of time, the vertical motor 71 is stopped in step P2-3 "Tray elevating motor stop control". With this control, the tray 12 maintains a sheet height suitable for the aligning operation during the sheet discharging operation at the position near the aligning members 102a and 102b.

C. Standby position movement control by jogger size:
(See FIG. 39.) In this control shown in FIG. 39, the aligning members 102a and 102b (indicated as joggers in the flowchart) serving as aligning means are changed according to the size of the discharged paper in FIG.
9 is moved from the home position shown in FIG. 9 to the receiving position shown in FIG. 9 (indicated as a standby position in the flowchart) to prepare for paper receiving. The contents are already described in [4] Ac. Is the same as that described in the section.

D. Paper transport control: (see FIG. 50) With reference to FIG. 50, the "paper transport control" which is the content of step P4 in the main routine will be described. In Step P4-20 "Paper discharge sensor ON flag = 1?", The flag is reset at first in Step P1 "Each drive initial control".
Proceed to 4-21 "Discharge Sensor On?" This paper ejection sensor is a sensor arranged upstream of the paper ejection roller 3 in FIG. In step P4-22, the paper discharge sensor ON flag is set. Next, in Step P4-23 "Loading surface abnormality flag = 1?", A loading surface abnormality flag relating to the presence or absence of a loading surface abnormality near the return means is checked. At the beginning of the start-up of the apparatus, all the flags have been reset in step P1, and there is no abnormality of the loading surface near the return means, and the loading surface abnormality flag remains reset. The "operation flag" is set to 1 and the "return roller operation timer reset" is reset, and the "return roller operation timer" relating to the time from when the leading end of the sheet is detected by the sheet discharge sensor 38 to when the sheet lands on the tray. Start timing. Since it has a presser function and a return function, the timing of the timer is started with the detection of the leading edge of the paper as a trigger.

In step P4-23, the "loading surface abnormality flag" is a flag which is set when an abnormality of the loading surface near the return means is detected by the detection means 96 in FIGS. 50 to 52 described later. If there is an abnormality on the loading surface, the process proceeds from step P4-23 to step P4.
41, the return roller operation flag is not set, and thus the flow returns to the return. Therefore, in the return roller control routine of FIG. 41, the process immediately returns to the return from step P5-1, and the vertical alignment by the return stage is performed. No action is taken.

Since the "jogger alignment operation flag" is set in step P4-31, the alignment operation by the alignment means is not prohibited in the jogger control flowchart shown in FIG. This control content relates to claim 11 of the present invention.

At Step P4-25, it is checked whether the CPU 700 has received a shift command signal from the control means 52 of the image forming apparatus 50. The shift command signal is output when the unit is switched. Upon receiving the shift command signal, the "shift operation flag" is set in Step P4-26. As a result, the tray 12 is shifted in FIG. 42 to be sorted.

Next, in step P4-27 "Paper discharge motor acceleration control", the speed of the stepping motor 132 driving the paper discharge roller 3 is increased so that the paper discharge roller 3 becomes the reference linear velocity, and then step P4 It is checked whether or not the sheet has passed the sheet ejection sensor 38 by checking the -28 "sheet ejection sensor off?" Until the passage, the process returns to the return. When the passage is detected, the discharge sensor ON flag is reset in step P4-29, and the speed is increased in the previous step P4-27 in step P4-30 "discharge motor deceleration control". Paper ejection roller 3
Is reduced to a speed considering the stacking property at the time of paper ejection.

[0385] In step P4-31, the "jogger alignment operation flag" is set to 1 and the "jogger alignment operation timer" is reset until the rear end of the sheet passes through the paper ejection sensor 38 and lands on the tray. The timer of the “jogger alignment operation timer” related to the time is started, and the process returns to the return.

E. Return roller control: (see FIG. 41) According to the control shown in FIG.
This is the same as the content described in the section e.

F. Shift control: (see FIG. 42) According to the control shown in FIG.
The contents are the same as those described in the section f.

G. Jogger control: (see FIG. 43) According to the control shown in FIG.
The contents are the same as those described in the section g.

H. Loading Surface Abnormality Check Control: (See FIGS. 50 to 52) There are three patterns of loading surface abnormality checking control for each claim of the present invention, and any of these is applied according to the invention.

FIG. 50 shows a control routine according to claims 8 and 9, wherein the height of the stacking paper near the return roller 121 is lower than the height of the stacking surfaces near the aligning members 102a and 102b. 1)
In the case where the sheet 21 is pressed against the loading surface and the sheet is returned excessively, the rear end portion of the sheet is pressed against the end fence 131 and buckles, so that necessary measures are taken as a loading surface abnormality.

In this control, the detection means 96 is used so that when the tray 12 is at the reference height position, both the paper surface detection sensors 130a and 130b are turned off in a normal paper surface shape without curl. . Further, the position where the paper surface detection sensor 130a is turned on is the second position (II).
The return roller 121 at the (pressing and returning position) is a position at which the return roller 121 stops contacting the loading surface, and the position at which the paper surface sensor 130b is turned on is a position at which the return roller 121 at the first position (I) is pressed against the loading surface. .

H-1. The control according to claims 8 and 9 (see FIG. 50) is a control in a case where the height of the loading surface near the return roller 121 is higher than the height of the loading surface near the position of the alignment members 102a and 102b.

In step P8-40, if the ON of the paper surface detection sensor 130b is detected, the height of the loading surface near the return means is higher than the height of the loading surface near the position of the aligning means, and the return roller 121 is The first position (I), that is, a state in which the sheet is pressed against the sheet at the standby position and the returning means can return the sheet excessively.

Therefore, in this case, step P8-41
Then, the loading surface abnormality flag is checked, and if the loading surface abnormality flag is in the reset state, the loading surface abnormality flag is set in step P8-42, and then the "loading surface abnormality command" is transmitted to the image forming apparatus in step P8-43. . The image forming apparatus that has received the “loading surface abnormal command” stops discharging the paper from the paper discharge roller 3 toward the tray.

When the image forming apparatus resumes discharging the sheet from the sheet discharge roller 3 to the tray 12, the sheet-form medium post-processing device 51 issues a "stacking surface abnormality release command" from the CPU 700 to the image forming device 50 via the control means 52. This is done by sending to

[0396] In step P8-40, the paper surface sensor 130b
Is OFF, there is no abnormality on the loading surface from the beginning, or the abnormal loading surface has been eliminated by removing the curled paper or the like. The process proceeds to Step P8-44, and the loading surface abnormality flag is reset. If so, the process returns to return. If it is in the set state, it is determined that the abnormality of the loading surface has been resolved. In step P8-45, the loading surface abnormality flag is reset, and the process proceeds to step P8-46. Restart paper ejection.

If the stacking surface near the return unit is high and there is a stacking surface abnormality, the return operation by the return unit is prohibited without stopping the discharge of the sheet from the discharge unit and only the alignment operation is performed. P8-43 and Step P8-
Control is performed with the process 46 deleted. In this case, the return roller operation flag is not set in step P4-24 in the flowchart of FIG.
1 is not performed, and the return roller 121 remains at the first position (I). Therefore, although the vertical alignment is not performed at all, the processing can be performed when the user wants to output the paper.

H-2. Control corresponding to claim 10 (FIG. 5)
This control is performed when vertical alignment cannot be performed because the stacking surface height near the return roller 121 is lower than the stacking surface height near the positions of the alignment members 102a and 102b.

In step P8-50, when the ON of the paper surface detecting sensor 130a is detected, the height of the loading surface near the return means is lower than the height of the loading surface near the position of the aligning means, and it is the return position. At the second position (II), the roller 12 is returned to the upper surface of the sheets stacked on the tray 12.
1 means that the sheet cannot be touched and the sheet cannot be returned.

Therefore, in this case, step P8-51
Then, the loading surface abnormality flag is checked, and if the loading surface abnormality flag is in a reset state, the loading surface abnormality flag is set in step P8-52, and then a "loading surface abnormality command" is transmitted to the image forming apparatus in step P8-53. . The image forming apparatus that has received the “loading surface abnormal command” stops discharging the paper from the paper discharge roller 3 toward the tray.

When the image forming apparatus restarts discharging the sheet from the discharge roller 3 to the tray 12, the sheet-form medium post-processing device 51 sends a "stacking surface abnormality release command" from the CPU 700 to the image forming device 50 via the control means 52. This is done by sending to

At step P8-50, paper surface sensor 130a
Is off, there is no abnormality on the loading surface from the beginning, or the abnormal loading surface has been eliminated by removing the curled paper or the like. The process proceeds to Step P8-54, and the loading surface abnormality flag is reset. If so, the process returns to the return. If it is in the set state, it is determined that the abnormality of the loading surface has been resolved. In step P8-55, the loading surface abnormality flag is reset, and the process proceeds to step P8-56. Restart paper ejection.

If the stacking surface near the returning unit is low and there is an abnormality in the stacking surface, the returning operation by the returning unit is prohibited without stopping the discharge of the sheet from the discharging unit and only the aligning operation is performed. P8-53 and Step P8-
Control is performed with the 56 processes deleted. In this case, the return roller operation flag is not set in step P4-24 in the flowchart of FIG.
1 is not performed, and the return roller 121 remains at the first position (I). Therefore, although the vertical alignment is not performed at all, the processing can be performed when the user wants to output the paper.

H-3. Control corresponding to claim 12 (FIG. 5)
2) When the stacking surface abnormality occurs, the control is performed to discriminate between the alignment priority mode and the stacking priority mode and transmit a command to the image forming apparatus.

As described above, the determination method using the paper surface detection sensors 130a and 130b for detecting an abnormality in the loading surface is performed when the paper surface detection sensor 130a is on (the loading surface is high and the return means increases the load, and Succumbing) or
When the paper surface sensor 130a is ON (when the loading surface is low and the return means does not contact the loaded paper and cannot return the paper), an abnormal command is transmitted.

When the abnormality is determined, the "loading surface abnormality command" is transmitted to the image forming apparatus in the alignment priority mode. "Loading surface error command" when in loading priority mode
Is not transmitted, and the discharge of the sheet is continued as it is.

[0407] Hereinafter, description will be made with reference to a flowchart.
If it is determined in step P8-60 that the paper surface detection sensor 130a is ON, the loading surface near the return unit is abnormally low despite the normal height of the loading surface near the alignment unit. In step P8-61, the setting and resetting of the “loading surface abnormality flag” is checked. If the flag is in the reset state, the flag is set in step P8-62 and the step P8-63 is performed.
Check the mode with.

If the loading priority mode has been designated by the mode designation means 53 (see FIG. 33), the process proceeds to step P8.
-63-Return to return, and even if the return means swings due to the abnormally low loading surface near the return means, discharge of the paper from the discharge means 3 is not prohibited and discharge is continued. I do. As a result, the user can obtain an image-formed sheet even if there is some problem in vertical alignment.

If it is determined in step P8-63 that the alignment priority mode has been designated, the process proceeds to step P8-6.
In step 4, a "loading surface abnormality command" is transmitted to the control means 52, and the discharge of the image forming apparatus 50 from the discharge rollers 3 is stopped. As a result, the user stops discharging the paper under the situation where the return means swings, so that it is possible to obtain an image-formed paper in an aligned state.

If it is determined in step P8-60 that the paper surface detection sensor 130a is off, the process proceeds to step P8-6.
Proceeding to 5, the on / off state of the paper surface detection sensor 130b is checked. In step P8-65, the paper surface detection sensor 13
If 0b is off, there is no abnormality, and the process proceeds to Step P8-66 to check the loading surface abnormality flag. If the loading surface abnormality flag is in the set state, it is reset in step P8-67 and the mode is checked in step P8-68. In the loading priority mode, the process returns to the return. Exit. In any case, the normal aligning operation by the aligning means and the returning means is performed under the normal sheet discharging operation.

[0411] In step P8-65, the paper surface detection sensor 13
If 0b is on, the program proceeds to Step P8-61 to check whether the loading surface abnormality flag is set or reset. If it is in the reset state, the process proceeds to the route of step P8-62 for mode determination, and if it is in the set state, it returns to the return and follows the already specified mode.

[0412] 2. Application to image forming apparatus (Claim 13) 2 [1]. Overall Configuration 1 [1] to 1 [4] described the case where the sheet-shaped medium aligning device is configured together with the sheet-shaped medium post-processing device. Here, an example will be described in which the sheet-shaped medium aligning device is configured together with the image forming apparatus. An image forming apparatus is configured in place of the sheet-like medium post-processing apparatus in the above example.

This example relates to an image forming apparatus 50 'having an image forming means for forming an image on a sheet and a conveying means for conveying the sheet on which an image is formed in FIG.
The image forming apparatus 50 shown in FIG. 2 has the same image forming means as the image forming apparatus 50 ′ in FIG.
The image forming apparatus 50 ′ includes the alignment members 102 a and 102 b and a unit for driving the alignment members 102 a and 102 b, a return roller 121, and a displacement unit thereof. Further, the image forming apparatus 5
0 ′, the sheet-like medium post-processing device 5 shown in FIG.
1 has the same members as the components including the sheet-shaped medium matching device in FIG. 1, and those portions are denoted by the same reference numerals as those in FIG. 2, and the description is omitted.

In FIG. 53, an image forming section 135 is disposed substantially at the center of the apparatus main body, and a sheet feeding section 136 is disposed immediately below the image forming section 135. Paper feed unit 13
Reference numeral 6 denotes a paper feed cassette 210.

[0415] A document reading device (not shown) for reading a document can be provided above the image forming apparatus 50 ', if necessary. An upper part of the image forming unit 135 is provided with a roller RR as a conveying unit for conveying the sheet on which the image is formed.
And a guide plate are provided.

[0416] The image forming section 135 is provided with an electrical unit Q for electrically driving and controlling the apparatus. A drum-shaped photoconductor 5000 is provided. Around the photoconductor 5000, the photoconductor 500
A charging device 600 for charging the surface of the photoconductor 0, an exposure device 7000 for irradiating the surface of the photoconductor with laser light, and a developing device 800 for visualizing an electrostatic latent image formed by exposing the surface of the photoconductor 5000. And a transfer device 900 for transferring the toner image visualized on the photoconductor 5000 onto paper, a cleaning device 1000 for removing and collecting toner remaining on the photoconductor surface after transfer, and the like.

The photosensitive member 5000 and the charging device 60
0, exposure apparatus 7000, developing apparatus 800, transfer apparatus 90
0, the cleaning device 1000 and the like form a main part of the image forming means. The photoconductor 5 is located substantially above the photoconductor 5000.
A fixing device 140 is disposed at a downstream position on the sheet conveyance path from the position 000.

2 [2]. Image Forming Process When the image forming apparatus functions as a printer, an image signal is input when forming an image. In advance, the photoconductor 50
00 is uniformly charged by the charging device 600 in the dark. A laser diode LD of an exposure device 7000 is applied to the uniformly charged photoconductor 5000 based on an image signal.
Exposure light is emitted by light emission (not shown), and reaches the photosensitive member via a known polygon mirror or lens.
00, an electrostatic latent image is formed on the surface. The electrostatic latent image moves with the rotation of the photoconductor 5000, is visualized by the developing device 800, moves further toward the transfer device 900, and is fixed after being transferred as described later.

[3] 2 [3]. Paper Feeding and Conveying Process On the other hand, the paper feed cassette 210 of the paper feed unit 136 stores unused paper, and the bottom plate 2 supported rotatably.
The bottom plate 220 is pressed by a spring 240 so that the uppermost sheet S on the sheet 20 is pressed against the sheet feeding roller 230. When feeding paper for transfer,
The paper feed roller 230 rotates, and by this rotation, the paper S is sent out from the paper feed cassette 210 and transported to the pair of registration rollers 1400.

The paper sent to the registration roller 1400 is temporarily stopped here. The registration roller 1400 is positioned so that the positional relationship between the toner image on the surface of the photoconductor 5000 and the leading end of the sheet S is a predetermined position suitable for image transfer at the transfer position where the transfer device 900 is provided.
The conveyance of the sheet is started in a timely manner. The toner image is fixed on the sheet after the transfer while passing through the fixing device 140.

[421] 2 [4]. Sheet Discharge Process The sheet that has passed through the fixing device 140 is conveyed by a roller RR that is a conveying unit, and is discharged from the sheet discharge roller 3 to the tray 12 via the sheet discharge sensor 38. Subsequent return rollers 121
The function of aligning sheets by the displacement means such as the driven lever 122 and the driving lever 123 is the same as that described in each of the above embodiments, and a description thereof will be omitted.

Also in the image forming apparatus of this embodiment, the sheet S stacked on the tray is aligned by the return roller 121 and the aligning members 102a and 102b and is sorted by the sorting means, so that the sheet-like medium can be precisely formed. Can be aligned.

[0423] 3. Application to an image forming system
4 to 18) In the present embodiment, an image forming system according to a combination of a sheet-like medium post-processing device 51 having a sheet-like medium aligning device as shown in FIG. An example corresponding to claims 14 to 18 will be described.
In this image forming system, it is possible to consistently obtain a sheet in an aligned state from image formation on the sheet.

3 [1]. This embodiment corresponds to claims 14, 17 and 18, and a warning when a loading surface is abnormal and a control for stopping the image forming operation.
Tray 1 in the sheet-like medium post-processing device 51 described in
2 is checked in the routine of FIG. 44 described above, and based on that,
The image formation in the image forming apparatus 50 is stopped, and a warning is issued.

[0425] The sheets on which images have been formed by the image forming apparatus 50 are stacked on the tray 12 of the sheet-like medium post-processing apparatus 51, and the shape of the stacking surface changes under the influence of the curl of the sheets. When the abnormal stacking state is detected by a plurality of sheet surface detection means provided on the sheet-like medium post-processing device 51, the sheet-like medium post-processing device As described with reference to FIG. 44, the loading surface abnormal command indicating the state is transmitted from the 51 side to the image forming apparatus 50, and the image formation is stopped.

FIG. 54 shows a main routine of image forming control in the image forming apparatus 50. Step P10-1
Then, it is checked whether or not a loading surface abnormality command has been received.
If there is no reception, “paper feed control”, “transport control”, “image formation control”, “paper discharge control”
Is performed, and the sheet is conveyed to the sheet-shaped medium post-processing device 51.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step P10-1 that a loading surface abnormality command has been received, a warning display notifying the abnormality of the upper surface shape of the loading surface is displayed on the operation panel, for example, in step P10-2. In addition, the image forming operation is stopped by stopping the sheet feeding operation for the subsequent sheets, and the `` loading surface error clearing '' transmitted when the state of the tray loading surface of the post-processing device changes and the sheet can be normally discharged. The image formation is restarted by receiving the "command" (step P10-3).

[0428] After the image forming operation is stopped, when the paper surface detecting means detects a predetermined area, the "loading surface abnormality release command" is transmitted in the following cases. . The user removes the paper on the tray.

[0429] The loading paper that has become abnormal on the loading surface is compressed over time, and the state of the loading surface changes.

In the above description, since the user knows the state, the automatic restart of image formation serves to assist the user's operation. On the other hand, in the above case, even when the user does not know the state, the discharging operation can be performed as much as possible.

[0431] The warning display may be a display having contents such as removal of the curled paper on the tray 12, for example. As a result, the user can take a prompt action at the time of the warning, and can resume the operation at an early stage.

When the image forming apparatus is stopped, in step P10-3 in FIG. 54, if there is no reception of the stacking surface abnormality release command, the image forming process from "feed control to discharge control" in FIG. 54 is not executed. When the stacking surface abnormality release command is received in step P10-3, the process from “feed control to discharge control” is executed.

[2]. Discharge Destination Change Control When Loading Surface Is Abnormal In the image forming apparatus 50, an image forming apparatus main routine as shown in FIG.
Each control of “transport control”, “image formation control”, and “paper discharge control” is performed.

The present embodiment relates to the “discharge control” of the above-described respective controls, and the details will be described with reference to the discharge control routine of FIG. FIG. 56 shows a routine for transmitting sheet information to the sheet-shaped medium post-processing apparatus every time the sheet is discharged.

In this image forming system, it is assumed that it is possible to select whether or not to execute a sorting mode in which sheets are sorted for each set and stacked on the tray 12 and a proof mode in which sheets are stacked on the proof tray 14.

In FIG. 56, when the shift mode is selected, steps P11-1 to P11-
If no stack surface abnormal command is received, a "shift tray discharge command transmission" is sent to the sheet-like medium post-processing apparatus in step P11-5, and the branching claw 8a is set to discharge the sheet to the tray 12. , 8b, and the like. In this case, in order to determine the paper ejection timing and the receiving position of the aligning means, step P1 is performed.
In 1-6, the paper size is transmitted to the sheet-like medium post-processing device.

[0437] If it is determined in step P11-2 that "loading surface abnormal command has been received", the process proceeds to step P11-5 because the normal tray 12 may be used. If it is determined in step P11-2 that there is no "reception of stacking surface abnormality release command", "transmission of proof tray discharge command" is performed in step P11-4, and paper is discharged to the proof tray 14. As described above, when an abnormality is detected on the sheet stacking surface on the tray 12, the sheet discharge destination is changed to the proof tray 14 so that the sheet discharge operation can be performed without stopping the sheet discharge operation. It becomes possible.

If it is determined in step P11-1 that the shift mode is not set, the process proceeds to step P11-7, where it is determined whether the proof mode is set. If the proof mode has been selected, the process proceeds to step P11-4. If the proof mode has not been selected, step P11-
At 8, send “Stipple Tray Eject Command”.
The sheet is discharged to a staple tray (not shown).

[3] 3 [3]. This embodiment corresponds to claim 16, in which the image forming operation is stopped when an abnormality in the loading surface is detected by the detection unit detecting an area outside the predetermined range. In other words, the discharge of the paper from the discharge unit is continued until the discharge of the last sheet of the set is completed, and the image forming operation in the image forming apparatus is stopped from the first sheet of the next set. The boundaries become clear.

In the image forming apparatus 50, an image forming apparatus main routine as shown in FIG. 57 is performed, and each control of "feed control", "transport control", "image forming control", and "discharge control" is performed. Is performed.

Since the present embodiment relates to "copies / sheet number check control" performed after "paper discharge control" among the above-described controls, the details thereof will be described with reference to the routine of FIG. In FIG. 58, in the image forming apparatus, the number of images formed is counted one by one. In step P12-1, the number of sheets is counted by the number counter. In step P12-2, the count value of the number-of-sheets counter is compared with the number-of-copies set value X of the number of copies constituting the content of a preset copy. If the set number X has not been reached, the process returns to return to perform the image forming operation until the set number X is reached.

If it is determined in step P12-2 that the number of sheets X has reached the set value X, it is checked in step P12-3 whether a loading surface abnormal command has been received. If the stacking surface abnormality command is not received, the count of the sheet counter is reset in step P12-5, and the process proceeds to step P12-6.
Then, the copy counter is counted by the copy counter.

[0443] In step P12-7, step P12-
The count value of the copy counter at 6 is compared with a preset copy set value Y. If the set number Y has not been reached, further image formation is required, and the process returns to the return. If it has reached, the count of the copy counter is reset in step P12-8, and the operation ends in step P12-9. This is a normal control.

If a "loading surface abnormal command" is received in step P12-3 corresponding to the boundary of the set, step P
Proceeding to 12-4, if no release command has been received for the stacking surface or higher, the image forming of the next copy can be continued and the process proceeds to step P12-5.

If the "loading surface abnormal command" is not received in step P12-3 corresponding to the boundary of the set, the image forming operation cannot be continued, so the flow proceeds to step P12-9 to end the image forming operation.

[0446] 4. Support for staple mode (Claim 1
9, 20) 4 [1]. Basic Configuration This embodiment solves the problem in the staple mode in the sheet-like medium post-processing apparatus described in the above item 1.

In the sheet-like medium post-processing device 51, the aforementioned 1
[4] As described in A, when the horizontal alignment by the alignment unit and the vertical alignment by the return unit roller 3 are performed on the tray 12,
The paper surface is detected on the basis of the return roller 3 side to control the height of the tray in order to realize reliable vertical alignment. In this case, in the case of a sheet having no curl, the sheet slides down to the return roller 3 according to the inclination of the tray 12 and is abutted against the end fence 131 to be aligned as shown in FIG.

However, when the sheet bundle bound in the staple mode is discharged to the tray 12, the sheet bundle does not move lightly like one sheet, and the binding portion may become a resistance. It is conceivable that the unit cannot slide down in spite of the inclination of the tray 12 and does not catch on the return roller 3, so that it cannot return to the end fence.

The situation is illustrated in FIG. 60, and the stapled sheet bundle 300 stagnates before the return roller 3. In such a state, the detecting means 96 for detecting the height of the paper surface at a position near the return roller 3 cannot detect the correct height of the loading surface.

In the example shown in FIG.
The front end of the paper surface detection side of 20 detects not the surface of the sheet bundle 300 but only the upper surface of the stacking surface shape portion of the face curl. Therefore, in the case shown in FIG. 60, if the tray 12 is raised until it can be detected by the paper surface detection filler 120, the upper surface of the paper bundle 300 rises to an abnormal height,
There is a possibility that a jam may occur by blocking the path of the sheet discharged from the discharging unit 3.

Therefore, in the staple mode, the sheet bundle 30
Alignment means 102a, 102 corresponding to the upper surface position
In the non-staple mode, in which the sheet is ejected one by one instead of the bundle such as the sheet bundle 300, the detection is performed by the detection unit 97 provided in the vicinity of the return roller 3. The detection is performed according to 96 (claim 19).

As described above, the paper surface is detected at the alignment position in the staple mode, and the paper surface is detected at the return position in the non-staple mode. it can.

In FIG. 60, in the staple mode, the paper surface is detected at the alignment position. However, when the mode is switched to the non-stipple mode, the paper discharged one by one is When the trailing end of the sheet stacked in the previous stapling mode is placed on a sheet bundle that has not reached the end fence, and the sheet surface is detected by the detecting means 96 provided near the return roller 3, the sheet surface detecting filler 120 presses a very unstable part, so that accurate paper surface detection cannot be excluded.

Therefore, in this example, in consideration of the case where the mode is shifted to the non-staple mode without removing the sheet bundle 300 on the tray 12 after the end of the staple mode, in the non-staple mode after the staple mode, the alignment member 102a, 102
The detection is continued by the detection means 97 provided in the vicinity of b.

4 [2]. Control Contents Tray height control will be described below. There are two types of tray height control: “Tray control at start-up”, which positions the tray at startup, and “Tray control during operation,” which keeps the tray height constant during the paper ejection operation. Exclusive control is performed in the pull mode.

FIG. 61 shows a main routine of the post-processing apparatus in which control contents used in the embodiment according to the nineteenth aspect are described. After the "staple mode" check in step P131, each tray control is executed. Is going.

If it is determined in step P131 that the mode is the non-staple mode, the detecting means 96 near the returning means
P132 to perform tray height control by
"Tray control at start of shift mode", step P133
After execution of each routine of “tray control during shift mode operation”, routines such as “jogger control” in step P134 and “return roller control” in step P135 are executed.

If it is determined in step P131 that the staple mode has been set, step P136 "tray control at start of staple mode" and step P137 to control the tray height by the detecting means 97 near the aligning means.
After execution of each routine of “tray control during staple mode operation”, routines such as “jogger control” in step P134 and “return roller control” in step P135 are executed.

4 [2] A. Selection of detection means according to mode (Claim 19) In the non-stipple mode, the tray height control in the shift mode, which is the non-stipple mode, will be described. The tray height is determined by the paper surface detection sensor 130b and the paper surface detection filler 120 in the detection means 96 in FIG. In this example, tray 1
When No. 2 is located below the reference height, the paper surface detection sensor 130b is off, and when the tray 12 is located above the reference height, the paper surface detection sensor is on.

In the tray height control at the time of startup, first, the routine of “shift mode startup tray control”, which is the content of step P132, is executed. This routine is shown in FIG. 62. In step P132-1, it is checked whether or not the job has been started, and is executed only when the job is started.

[0461] In step P132-2, the paper surface detection sensor 1
If it is determined that 30b is off, the paper surface detection sensor 1
Raise tray 12 until 30b is turned on (P1
32-3, P132-4).

When the paper surface detection sensor 130b is turned on, the tray 12 is turned on until the paper surface detection sensor 130b is turned off.
Is lowered (P132-5, P132-6), and the moment when the tray is turned off is stopped as the reference height of the tray 12 (Claim 132-7).

On the other hand, if it is detected in the off check of the paper surface detection sensor 130b in step P132-2 that the paper surface detection sensor 130b is turned on, the tray 12 is lowered until the paper surface detection sensor 130b is turned off. (P132-6, 132-7).

[0464] The tray control during operation is performed in step P133.
Is executed, the "Tray control during shift mode operation" routine is executed. This routine is a routine that is always executed (checked) during the job operation, and the details are shown in FIG.

In FIG. 63, in step P133-1, it is determined in step P133-1 that the sheet is discharged to the tray 12 so that the stacking surface becomes higher than the sheet discharge port.
Is turned on, and a check is made in step P133-
The tray 12 is lowered by 2. Then, in step P133-3, the paper surface detection sensor 130b monitors the tray 12 so that the tray 12 does not drop too much.
The tray 12 is lowered until b is turned off.

Thus, in the shift mode in the non-staple mode, the detecting means 96 provided on the return roller 121 side.
The tray height is controlled by the sheet surface detection sensor 130b.

4 [2] A. At the time of the staple mode, the height control of the tray at the time of the staple mode will be described. In this example, the tray height is set to the alignment member 102a,
The detection is performed by the paper surface detection filler 13 and the paper surface detection sensor 33a of the detection means 97 provided near 102b.

When the tray 12 is located below the reference height, the paper surface detection sensor 33a is turned on, and when the tray 12 is located above the reference height, the paper surface detection sensor 33a is turned off.

[0469] The tray control at the time of startup is performed in step P136.
The routine of "Tray control at start of staple mode" is executed. This routine is a routine that is executed (checked) when the job is started, and details of the routine are shown in FIG.

FIG. 64 shows a routine executed only when the staple mode is activated. If it is determined in step P136-1 that the apparatus is activated, it is checked in step P136-2 whether the “paper surface sensor 33a” is on.

[0471] In step P136-2, the paper surface detection sensor 3
If it is determined that 3a is on, the tray is raised until the paper surface detection sensor 33a is turned off (P136-3, P136).
-4). In step P136-4, the paper surface detection sensor 33a
Is determined to be off, the tray 12 is lowered until the paper surface detection sensor 33a is turned on (P136-6, P136).
-7). Then, the moment the switch is turned on is stopped as the reference height of the tray.

On the other hand, in the same manner as in the checking of the paper surface detection sensor 33a in step P136-2, the paper surface detection sensor
If 3a is off, the process proceeds to step P136-5 and thereafter, the tray 12 is lowered until the sheet surface detection sensor 33a is turned on, and the moment when the tray 12 is turned on is stopped as the reference height of the tray 12 (step P136-7).

The tray control during the staple mode operation is as follows.
This is executed in the routine of “tray control during staple mode operation” which constitutes the contents of step P137. This routine is a routine that is always executed (checked) during the job operation, and the details are shown in FIG.

In FIG. 65, the paper is discharged to the tray 12 and
The height of the loading surface with respect to the discharge port is increased by the alignment member 102.
The check is made by the paper surface detection sensor 33a of the detection means 96 provided near the a and 102b.

[0475] In step P137-1, the paper surface sensor 33
If a is off, the loading surface is high, so the paper surface detection sensor 33a
Lowers the tray 12 until is turned on (P137-
2, P137-3, P137-4).

As described above, in the non-staple mode, the detecting means 96 (paper surface detecting sensor 130b and the paper surface detecting filler 120) near the return means, and in the staple mode, the detecting means 97 (paper surface detecting means) near the aligning means. Sensor 33a
The detection means is switched and controlled by the paper surface detection filler 13).

4 [2] B. Detecting Means According to Mode Switching (Claim 20) Next, a case where the mode is switched will be described. When a sheet bundle having a binding portion and being stapled in the stapling mode is stacked on the tray 12, the sheet bundle may not return to the end fence 131 because the vertical alignment operation cannot be performed by the return roller 121 (see FIG. 60).

Therefore, when the sheet is discharged in the non-staple mode on the stacking surface on which such a sheet bundle is stacked, the sheet surface is detected by the detecting means 97 for detecting the vicinity of the return roller 121 as usual. Then, it is conceivable that a failure such as a jam occurs due to an inability to accurately detect the paper surface.

[0479] Therefore, even in the non-staple mode, the paper was previously passed in the staple mode and the tray 12
In this case, the height of the tray is controlled by using the detecting means 97 in the vicinity of the aligning means in consideration of a problem in the case where the paper is passed without removing the upper sheet.

In FIG. 66 showing the main routine of the sheet-like medium post-processing apparatus for performing this control, step S140 is set in the case of the stapling mode, and step S140 is set in the case of the non-staple mode. A check of P138 “staple mode flag” and a step P139 “check of tray paper existence” are added to the flowchart of FIG.
Steps common to those in FIG. 61 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof is omitted.

In FIG. 66, if it is determined in the mode check in step P131 that the mode is the non-staple mode, the flow advances to step P138 to check the "staple mode flag".

If the "staple mode flag" is set in step P138, the previous mode is the staple mode, so the tray height control by the detecting means 97 near the aligning means is performed. Tray control ”(see FIG. 64), step P1
37. “Tray control during staple mode operation” (see FIG. 65) is executed.

If the “staple mode flag” is reset in step P138, the detecting means 9 near the returning means
Step P132 relating to tray height control by Step 6
"Tray control at start of shift mode" (see FIG. 62) and step P133 "tray control during shift mode operation" (see FIG. 63) are executed.

In FIG. 67, the details of step P139 "check tray paper presence / absence" are explained.
At 139-1, the "staple mode flag" is checked, and if the flag is set, a tray paper presence / absence detection sensor 138 (FIG. 1, FIG.
59, 60, etc.), and if all the stacked papers on the tray 12 are removed ("tray paper presence / absence sensor" is off), the "staple mode flag" is set in step P139-3. Reset.

This means that the staple mode flag once set in step P140 is not reset unless the tray paper detection sensor 138 is turned on, and the staple mode flag is not removed without removing the paper on the tray 12. When the pull mode is performed, in FIG. 66, from step P138 to step P136, step P137
The detection for tray height control is performed by the detection means provided near the alignment means.

As described above, when performing the non-staple mode after the staple mode, it is checked whether or not the paper on the tray has been removed. If the paper has been removed, the “staple mode flag” is reset, so that the normal return is performed. The paper surface is controlled at the position, and if the paper is not removed, the "stiple mode flag" is set, so that the tray height is controlled at the alignment position as in the stipple mode.

[0487]

According to the first and second aspects of the present invention, the provision of a plurality of detecting means makes it possible to detect the shape of the stacking surface which impairs the function of the aligning means or the returning means. It becomes possible to deal with it.

According to the third and fourth aspects of the present invention, the stacking of the sheet-like media in a state in which the alignment function cannot be performed is not performed, so that the alignment failure can be avoided.

According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, it is possible to prevent the sheet-like medium from being disturbed by the aligning means during shifting.

[0490] According to the sixth aspect of the present invention, it is possible to respond to a request to prioritize loading of sheet-like media.

According to the seventh aspect of the present invention, it is possible to avoid interference between the discharged sheet medium and the aligning means.

According to the eighth aspect of the present invention, the sheets are not stacked in a state where the return function cannot be performed, so that the alignment failure can be avoided.

[0493] According to the ninth aspect of the present invention, the discharge of the sheet-like medium when the stacking surface is abnormally high in the vicinity of the return means can be stopped to prevent the sheet-like medium from being caught or buckled.

According to the tenth aspect, when the vertical alignment is impossible due to an abnormally low loading surface near the return means, the discharge of the sheet-like medium is stopped, and the vertical alignment incomplete state is avoided.

According to the eleventh aspect, even when the stacking surface near the return means is abnormally low or high, the return operation by the return means is merely stopped without stopping the discharge of the sheet medium. The output of the medium on the sheet on which the image is formed can be obtained by performing only the horizontal alignment by the alignment unit.

According to the twelfth aspect, even if the state of the upper surface of the sheet-shaped medium is abnormal, various loading states can be selected by the user's mode designation.

According to the thirteenth aspect of the present invention, in the image forming apparatus, the sheet-like media stacked on the stacking means can be aligned with high accuracy by aligning, returning, and sorting.

[0498] According to the fourteenth aspect, when an abnormality is detected on the stacking surface, the image forming operation is stopped and the sheet-like medium is not discharged from the stacking means, thereby preventing misalignment.

[0499] According to the fifteenth aspect, the sheet-like medium can be continuously discharged without stopping the discharging operation.

According to the sixteenth aspect of the present invention, even when image formation is stopped due to an abnormality in the loading surface, the boundaries between the sets are clear.

[0501] According to the seventeenth aspect, the warning enables the user to take prompt action.

[0502] According to the eighteenth aspect of the present invention, the discharge of the sheet is automatically restarted by a certain treatment or a change in condition.

According to the nineteenth aspect, in the staple mode, the stacking surface of the sheet-like medium is detected at a position near the aligning means, so that even if the sheet-like medium bundle does not return to the end fence, the stacking means can be used. The height can be kept constant, troubles such as jams can be prevented, and the sheet-like medium bundle can be reliably loaded. Further, in the non-staple mode, by detecting the stacking surface of the sheet-like medium at a position near the return means, it is possible to perform a reliable vertical alignment by the return means.

According to the twentieth aspect, when the operation in the non-staple mode after the staple mode is performed before the sheet bundle in the staple mode is removed, the sheet shape is set near the aligning means. By detecting the surface on which the medium is loaded, it is possible to prevent a problem such as a jam.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view around a tray illustrating the arrangement of a detecting means according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram of a sheet-shaped medium post-processing apparatus and an image forming apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 3A is a perspective view of a main part of the sheet-shaped medium post-processing apparatus, and FIG. 3B is a schematic perspective view of a peripheral portion of a sensor for controlling the height of a tray.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of an essential part for explaining a structure of a tray moving means for moving a tray in a shift direction.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view illustrating a drive mechanism of the tray according to the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a front view illustrating a worm wheel and a home sensor.

FIG. 7 is a front view illustrating a worm wheel and a home sensor.

FIG. 8 is a schematic front view of the aligning member and the aligning member moving unit as viewed from a sheet discharging roller side.

FIG. 9 is a schematic front view of the aligning member and the aligning member moving unit as viewed from a sheet discharging roller side.

FIG. 10 is a schematic front view of the aligning member and the aligning member moving unit as viewed from a sheet discharging roller side.

FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing a main part of an alignment member and alignment member moving means.

FIG. 12 is a perspective view showing a main part of a drive mechanism of the alignment member.

FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing a main part of a drive mechanism of the alignment member.

FIG. 14 is a front view illustrating a retreat position and an alignment operation position of the alignment member.

FIG. 15 is a front view illustrating an alignment operation position of the alignment member.

FIG. 16 is a front view illustrating a retracted position of the alignment member.

FIGS. 17A, 17B, and 17C are diagrams sequentially explaining steps of sorting and alignment in a one-side movement mode.

FIG. 18 is a perspective view illustrating a movement position of an alignment member in relation to a sheet.

FIG. 19 is a perspective view illustrating a movement position of an alignment member in relation to a sheet.

FIG. 20 is a perspective view illustrating a moving position of an alignment member in relation to a sheet.

FIGS. 21 (a), (b), and (c) are diagrams for sequentially explaining steps of sorting and alignment in a two-sided movement mode.

FIG. 22 is a front view around a return roller according to another embodiment.

FIG. 23 is a perspective view illustrating a main part around a return roller.

FIG. 24 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a main part around a return roller.

FIG. 25 is a cross-sectional view of a power transmission unit illustrating a rotary drive system of a return roller.

FIG. 26 is a perspective view of a return roller, an alignment member, and a tray in a state where sheets are stacked.

FIG. 27 is an exploded perspective view of a return roller and its driving means.

FIG. 28 is a front view illustrating the operation of the return roller.

FIG. 29 is a front view illustrating a drive system of a return roller and a discharge roller.

FIG. 30 is a diagram illustrating a disadvantage when the return roller does not function;

FIG. 31 is a diagram for explaining inconvenience when there is no presser function;

FIG. 32 is a view for explaining a function of holding down a return roller.

FIG. 33 is a front view around the tray illustrating a state in which the aligning means is swung due to a back curl.

FIG. 34 is a front view of the periphery of the tray, illustrating a state in which the aligning means is idled by faker.

FIG. 35 is a front view around the tray, illustrating a state of interference between the aligning unit and a sheet when the aligning unit is retracted due to face curl.

FIG. 36 is a block diagram of a control system.

FIG. 37 is a flowchart according to the present invention.

FIG. 38 is a flowchart according to the present invention.

FIG. 39 is a flowchart according to the present invention.

FIG. 40 is a flowchart according to the present invention.

FIG. 41 is a flowchart according to the present invention.

FIG. 42 is a flowchart according to the present invention.

FIG. 43 is a flowchart according to the present invention.

FIG. 44 is a flowchart according to the present invention.

FIG. 45 is a flowchart according to the present invention.

FIG. 46 is a flowchart according to the present invention.

FIG. 47 is a flowchart according to the present invention.

FIG. 48 is a flowchart according to the present invention.

FIG. 49 is a flowchart according to the present invention.

FIG. 50 is a flowchart according to the present invention.

FIG. 51 is a flowchart according to the present invention.

FIG. 52 is a flowchart according to the present invention.

FIG. 53 is a front view illustrating a schematic configuration of an image forming apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 54 is a flowchart according to the present invention.

FIG. 55 is a flowchart according to the present invention.

FIG. 56 is a flowchart according to the present invention.

FIG. 57 is a flowchart according to the present invention.

FIG. 58 is a flowchart according to the present invention.

FIG. 59 is a front view of the periphery of a tray showing a state in which sheets without curl are stacked together with a detection unit;

FIG. 60 is a front view of the periphery of the tray illustrating a stacked state in the stipple mode after the non-stipple mode;

FIG. 61 is a flowchart according to the present invention.

FIG. 62 is a flowchart according to the present invention.

FIG. 63 is a flowchart according to the present invention.

FIG. 64 is a flowchart according to the present invention.

FIG. 65 is a flowchart according to the present invention.

FIG. 66 is a flowchart according to the present invention.

FIG. 67 is a flowchart according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 12 trays 96, 97 detecting means

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Kazuya Tsutsui 1-3-6 Nakamagome, Ota-ku, Tokyo, Ricoh Co., Ltd. (72) Hideya Nagasako 1-3-3 Nakamagome, Ota-ku, Tokyo No. 6 / Ricoh Co., Ltd. F-term (reference) 2H072 AA17 AA28 AB13 FA03 FB02 FB09 GA08 HB07 JA02 JA04 3F048 AA02 AA04 AA05 AB01 BA04 BA23 BB04 BB10 CA08 CB12 CB17 DA09 DB02 DB16 DC05 EB32 EB40 BF40 BB01 AC02 BF22 BH03 BH05 BH08 BJ04 CA11 CA13 CA22 CA25 CA32 DA01 DA06 3F107 AA01 AB01 AC02 AC03 AC04 BA02 CB14 DA15 3F108 GA01 GB01 HA02 HA32

Claims (20)

[Claims] A discharge means for discharging the conveyed sheet medium; a loading means for loading the sheet medium discharged by the discharge means; and a discharge means for discharging the sheet medium loaded on the loading means. Aligning means for contacting and aligning the end surface parallel to the discharge direction of the sheet-shaped medium by the means,
A sorting unit that sorts the sheet medium by moving the stacking unit or the aligning unit by a predetermined amount in a shift direction orthogonal to a sheet medium discharging direction of the discharging unit, and abutting the sheet medium on a standing wall provided at an alignment position. A sheet-like medium aligning device provided with a return unit composed of a rotating body that is aligned by contacting, wherein a plurality of detecting units for detecting an upper surface position of the stacking unit correspond to a plurality of different positions on the upper surface of the stacking unit. A sheet-shaped medium matching device, wherein each of the sheet-shaped medium matching devices is provided. 2. The sheet-like medium aligning device according to claim 1, wherein one of the plurality of detecting means is provided near the return means, and another one is provided near the aligning means. A sheet-shaped medium matching device characterized by the following. 3. The sheet-like medium aligning device according to claim 2, wherein the height of the stacking means is set to a height at which the returning means can perform a returning function by a detecting means provided near the returning means. Performing control, and then detecting that the upper surface of the sheet-like medium on the stacking means is within a predetermined range by the detecting means provided near the aligning means,
A sheet-medium aligning device, wherein the ejection of the sheet-like medium from the ejection unit is prohibited. 4. The sheet-like medium aligning device according to claim 3, wherein the aligning means in a state where the predetermined range can be set to an aligning operation position is separated from an upper surface of the sheet-like medium to perform an aligning function. A sheet-like medium matching device, wherein the range is set to an impossible range. 5. The sheet-like medium aligning device according to claim 3, wherein the predetermined range is such that the upper surface of the sheet-like medium stacked on the stacking unit can interfere with the aligning unit at the retracted position. A sheet-shaped medium matching device, characterized in that: 6. The sheet-like medium aligning apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the discharge of the sheet-like medium from the discharging means is not prohibited.
A sheet-like medium aligning device, wherein the aligning operation by the aligning means is prohibited, and the returning operation by the returning means is performed. 7. The sheet-like medium aligning apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the aligning unit after prohibiting the aligning operation is caused to wait at a home position. 8. The sheet-like medium aligning device according to claim 2, wherein the height of the stacking means is set to a height at which the aligning means can perform the aligning function by a detecting means provided near the aligning means. Performing a control, and when the detecting means provided near the returning means detects that the detecting means is within a predetermined range, the discharging of the sheet-like medium from the discharging means is prohibited. Matching device. 9. The sheet-like medium aligning apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the return means waits for the sheet-like medium discharged from the discharge means to land on the stacking means, and a sheet after the landing. Wherein the predetermined range is a range in which the return unit at a standby position contacts the sheet-like medium on the stacking unit when the return unit can return to the standing wall in contact with the medium. And a sheet-like medium matching device. 10. The sheet-medium aligning apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the predetermined range is a range in which the return means at the return position cannot contact the sheet-like medium on the stacking means. Media alignment device. 11. The sheet-like medium aligning device according to claim 9, wherein the detecting means provided near the return means detects that the sheet is within the predetermined range. Wherein the return operation by the return means is prohibited and only the alignment operation by the alignment means is performed without inhibiting the discharge of the sheet. 12. The sheet-like medium aligning device according to claim 3, wherein the detecting unit detects that the upper surface of the sheet-like medium on the stacking unit is within the predetermined range. In the case, the alignment priority mode for prohibiting the ejection of the sheet-like medium from the ejection unit, and from the ejection unit even when the detection unit does not detect that the upper surface of the sheet-like medium on the stacking unit is in the predetermined range. A stacking priority mode in which discharge of the sheet-shaped medium is not prohibited, and any one of these modes can be selected by a user's intention. 13. An image forming apparatus comprising an image forming means for forming an image on a sheet medium and a conveying means for conveying the sheet medium on which the image is formed, according to any one of claims 1 to 12. An image forming apparatus comprising a sheet-shaped medium aligning device. 14. An image forming apparatus comprising a sheet-like medium aligning apparatus, wherein the image forming apparatus performs image formation on a sheet-like medium to the sheet-like medium aligning apparatus from alignment to the image-formed sheet-like medium. 13. An image forming system which performs the steps (1) to (5) consistently, wherein the sheet-shaped medium aligning device is configured to include the sheet-shaped medium aligning device according to any one of claims 1 to 12, An image forming system, wherein the image forming operation in the image forming apparatus is stopped when it is detected that the upper surface of the sheet-like medium on the stacking means is within the predetermined range. 15. The image forming system according to claim 14, wherein when the detecting means detects that the upper surface of the sheet-like medium on the stacking means is within the predetermined range, the image forming operation in the image forming apparatus is performed. An image forming system, wherein the discharge destination of a sheet-shaped medium is switched to a stacking unit other than the stacking unit without stopping. 16. The image forming system according to claim 14, wherein when the detecting means detects that the upper surface of the sheet-like medium on the stacking means is within the predetermined range, the image forming operation in the image forming apparatus is performed. The image forming apparatus is characterized in that the discharge of the sheet medium from the discharge unit is continued until the discharge of the last sheet medium of the set is completed without stopping, and the image forming operation from the next set is stopped. system. 17. The image forming system according to claim 14, wherein a warning is issued to notify an abnormality in the upper surface shape of the sheet medium stacked on the stacking means. 18. The image forming system according to claim 14, wherein after the image forming operation is stopped, the detecting unit detects that the upper surface of the sheet-like medium on the stacking unit is outside the predetermined range. An image forming system, wherein the stopped image forming operation is restarted. 19. A post-processing means for performing stapling processing,
Conveying means for conveying the sheet-like medium toward the post-processing means and conveying the sheet-like medium post-processed by the post-processing means; and discharging means for discharging the sheet-like medium conveyed by the conveying means A stacking unit for stacking the sheet-like medium discharged by the discharging unit, and a sheet medium stacked on the stacking unit in contact with an end surface parallel to a discharging direction of the sheet-like medium by the discharging unit. Aligning means for aligning the stacking means, sorting means for sorting the sheet-like medium by moving the stacking means or the aligning means by a predetermined amount in a shift direction orthogonal to the sheet-like medium discharging direction of the discharging means, and a standing wall provided at an alignment position. And a return means consisting of a rotating body that is aligned by abutting the sheet-shaped medium against the sheet-shaped medium, and performs a stapling process as post-processing on the sheet-shaped medium. A post-processing apparatus for a sheet-like medium capable of selecting and executing a stippling mode and a non-stipple mode in which stapling is not performed, comprising: a plurality of detecting means for detecting an upper surface position of the loading means; Are provided in the vicinity of the return position and in the vicinity of the aligning means, respectively. In the stipple mode, detection is performed by the detecting means provided in the vicinity of the aligning means. A sheet-like medium post-processing apparatus, wherein the detection is performed by the detection means provided in a vicinity position. 20. The sheet-like medium post-processing apparatus according to claim 19, wherein when the non-staple mode is performed without removing the sheet-like medium on the stacking means after the end of the staple mode, the vicinity of the aligning means is provided. A sheet-like medium post-processing device, wherein the detection is performed by the provided detecting means.