JP2004026452A - Paper postprocessing device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enable a wheelchair user, a physically handicapped person or others who use a postprocessing device to easily remove paper sheets stacked on an output paper tray. <P>SOLUTION: The postprocessing device C accepts paper sheets S discharged from an image forming device A, and after postprocessing, discharges the paper sheets on the output paper tray 83. The output paper tray 83 can be grasped and detached from the postprocessing device C as the paper sheets S discharged from the postprocessing device C is held placed on the output paper tray 83. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention captures a sheet discharged after image formation from an image forming apparatus such as an electrophotographic copying machine, a printer, a facsimile, and a multifunction peripheral having these functions into a sheet post-processing apparatus, and performs binding processing and folding on the sheet. A paper post-processing device that performs post-processing and the like and discharges it to a paper output unit, and more particularly to a paper post-processing device that can be easily and safely operated by everyone including the elderly and the physically handicapped. It is.
[0002]
[Prior art]
2. Description of the Related Art A sheet post-processing apparatus is used in which a plurality of image-recorded sheets discharged from an image forming apparatus are collated for each copy number and bound by a binding unit.
[0003]
The sheet post-processing apparatus is connected in function to an image forming apparatus main body such as a copying machine or a printer, and is driven in response to a sequence operation of a copy or print process.
[0004]
In a conventional paper post-processing apparatus, when a person of normal height stands, from a paper output table provided on the upper surface of the paper post-processing apparatus, or from a paper output table provided on a side of the paper post-processing apparatus. It is set to take out and operate the paper directly discharged or the post-processed paper.
[0005]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
When the operator takes out the paper discharged to the paper discharge tray fixed near the paper discharge port of the paper post-processing apparatus, the operator directly grabs and takes out the paper stacked on the paper discharge tray with one hand. When a large number of sheets are stacked on the sheet discharge tray, if the sheet is gripped with one hand, the sheet may slip off or collapse and become uneven, and may slip off and scatter.
[0006]
In particular, when the paper post-processing device is used by a person in a wheelchair, a physically handicapped person, or a person who works while sitting on a chair to perform a large amount of copying work, the posture of the paper post-processing device may be unstable. If the user tries to take out the paper loaded on the paper discharge tray arranged with one hand while holding it with one hand, not only is it difficult to take out the paper, but also the posture is unstable and the balance is lost, which is dangerous.
[0007]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The above problems are solved by the following paper post-processing device.
[0008]
(1) A paper post-processing device that receives a sheet discharged from an image forming apparatus, performs post-processing, and discharges the sheet to a discharge tray. A sheet post-processing device, wherein the sheet discharge tray is gripped and detachable from the sheet post-processing device while being placed on the plate.
[0009]
(2) In a paper post-processing device that receives paper discharged from an image forming apparatus, performs post-processing, and discharges the paper to a paper discharge tray,
A sensor disposed near the paper exit of the paper post-processing device, the sensor detecting that the paper discharge tray is attached to the paper post-processing device, and the sensor detecting that the paper discharge tray is removed; Control means for prohibiting a mode for discharging a sheet from the sheet discharge port.
[0010]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Next, an embodiment of a sheet post-processing apparatus of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
[0011]
[Image forming apparatus]
FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of an image forming system including an image forming apparatus A, an image reading apparatus B, and a sheet post-processing apparatus (hereinafter, also referred to as a post-processing apparatus) C. FIG. 2 is an external perspective view of the image forming system.
[0012]
The image forming apparatus A is an image forming apparatus in which a charging unit 2, an image exposing unit (writing unit) 3, a developing unit 4, a transferring unit 5A, a discharging unit 5B, and a cleaning unit 6 are arranged around a rotating image carrier 1. Having means. The image forming unit uniformly charges the surface of the image carrier 1 by the charging unit 2, and forms a latent image by performing exposure scanning based on image data read from a document by the laser beam of the image exposing unit 3. Then, the latent image is reversely developed by the developing means 4 to form a toner image on the surface of the image carrier 1.
[0013]
The sheet S fed from the sheet storage unit 7A is sent to the transfer position. At the transfer position, the toner image is transferred onto the sheet S by the transfer unit 5A. Thereafter, the paper S is erased from the image carrier 1 by removing the electric charge on the back surface by the charge removing means 5B, transported by the transport unit 7B, subsequently heated and fixed by the fixing means 8, and discharged from the paper discharge roller 7C.
[0014]
When performing image formation on both sides of the sheet S, the sheet S heated and fixed by the fixing unit 8 is branched from the normal sheet discharge path by the transfer path switching plate 7D, and is switched back in the reversing transfer unit 7E to turn the sheet S up and down. After reversing, the sheet S passes through the image forming section again, forms an image on the back surface of the sheet S, and is discharged from the sheet discharging roller 7C to the outside of the apparatus via the fixing unit 8. The sheet S discharged from the discharge roller 7C is sent to the receiving unit 11 of the post-processing device C.
[0015]
The developer remaining on the surface of the image carrier 1 after the image processing by the image processing is removed by the cleaning unit 6 to prepare for the next image formation.
[0016]
An operation unit 9 is arranged at an upper part on the front side of the image forming apparatus A.
Above the image forming apparatus A, an image reading apparatus B provided with an automatic document feeder of a document moving type reading system is installed.
[0017]
[Paper post-processing device]
The post-processing apparatus C connected to the image forming apparatus A includes an entrance transport unit 10, a shift processing unit 20, a binding processing unit 30, a binding unit 40, a cover sheet feeding unit 50, a center folding processing unit 60, and a sheet discharging unit 80. It is composed of
[0018]
The entrance transport unit 10 transports the sheet S discharged from the image forming apparatus A to each processing unit. The shift processing unit 20 sorts the sheet S conveyed from the entrance conveyance unit 10 into shift processing and discharges the sheet S to an elevating discharge tray 82 described later. The binding processing unit 30 stacks the sheets S transported from the entrance transport unit 10 and performs saddle binding processing or edge binding processing by a binding unit 40 described later. The center folding processing section 60 folds the central portion of the sheet S in the sheet transport direction, performs a center folding process, and discharges the sheet S to a lower discharge tray (hereinafter, referred to as a discharge tray) 83 described later. The cover sheet feeding unit 50 feeds a cover sheet (hereinafter, referred to as a cover sheet) K and conveys it to the shift processing unit 20 or the binding processing unit 30.
[0019]
The paper discharge unit 80 includes an upper paper discharge table 81 that directly discharges and stores the paper S discharged from the image forming apparatus A via the entrance conveyance unit 10 without performing post-processing, and shift processing or edge binding processing. It has an elevating discharge tray 82 for storing the folded sheets S, and a paper discharge tray 83 for storing the folded sheets S.
[0020]
FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing a sheet transport path of the post-processing device C.
[0021]
The post-processing apparatus C is installed with its position and height adjusted so that the receiving section 11 of the sheet S carried out from the image forming apparatus A matches the sheet discharge roller 7C of the image forming apparatus A.
[0022]
The transport path of the sheet S connected downstream of the inlet roller 12 of the receiving unit 11 in the sheet transport direction includes a first transport path (1) in the upper stage, a second transport path (2) in the middle stage, and a third transport route in the lower stage. The paper S is fed to any one of the transport paths by selecting the angle occupied by the switching means G1 and G2.
[0023]
The image-formed sheet S discharged from the discharged image forming apparatus A to the upper discharge tray 81 is introduced into the receiving unit 11, is conveyed by the entrance roller 12, and is transferred to the upper first switching unit G 1. After passing through the right passage 13, it is pinched and conveyed by the upper conveying roller pair 14, further pinched and conveyed by the conveying roller 15, and then pinched by the paper discharging roller 16 to be an upper paper discharging table at the upper outside of the machine. The sheets are discharged onto the stack 81 and sequentially stacked (first transfer path (1)).
[0024]
In this sheet transporting process, the switching means G1 closes the passage 17 and opens the passage 13 so that the sheet S can pass through to the upper discharge tray 81.
[0025]
The upper paper discharge tray 81 can accommodate up to about 200 sheets S, and the operator can easily take out the paper S from the upper part of the post-processing device C.
[0026]
Shift processing or non-sort When this transport mode is set, the switching means G1 closes the passage 13 and keeps the passage 17 open so that the paper S can pass through the passage 17.
[0027]
The image-formed sheet S discharged from the image forming apparatus A passes through the receiving unit 11 and the entrance roller 12, passes through a passage 17 formed below the switching unit G 1 in an open state, and is conveyed by a transport roller 18. And passes through a passage 21 above a second switching means G2 obliquely below the second conveyance path (2), is nipped by a conveyance roller 22, passes through a path 23, and is nipped by a conveyance roller 24. Then, the sheet is discharged onto the elevating sheet discharge table 82 outside the apparatus by the sheet discharge rollers 26 and is placed (second conveyance path {circle around (2)}).
[0028]
The elevating sheet discharge table 82 can accommodate a maximum of about 3000 sheets S.
[0029]
-Edge binding process The image-formed paper S that has been subjected to the image forming process in the image forming apparatus A and sent to the receiving unit 11 of the post-processing apparatus C is located below the entrance roller 12 and the first switching unit G1. After passing through the passage 17, the sheet is nipped by the conveying rollers 18 and conveyed to the third conveying path (3).
[0030]
In the third transport path {circle around (3)}, the sheet S passes through a path 31 below the switching means G2, and is nipped and transported by downstream transport rollers 32. The sheet S is pinched and sent out by the transport rollers 34 further downstream, discharged to the space above the inclined first sheet mounting table 35, and stacked on the first sheet mounting table 35 or the first sheet mounting table 35. After the sheet S comes into contact with the upper surface of the sheet S and slides up, the trailing end portion of the sheet S in the traveling direction is discharged from the transport roller 34, and then the sheet S descends due to its own weight. The sheet S slides down on the inclined surface, and the leading end portion of the sheet S in the traveling direction abuts on the sheet abutting surface of the end binding abutting member 41 near the binding means 40 and stops.
[0031]
At this stop position, a predetermined number of sheets S are stacked on the first sheet mounting table 35, width-aligned by the width alignment unit 36, and bound by the binding unit 40.
[0032]
The binding means 40 is a stapling mechanism that is located on the lower surface side of the paper S stacked on the first paper mounting table 35 and drives the binding staple SP, and a needle receiving mechanism that is located on the upper surface side of the paper S and bends the binding staple SP. And a passage 42 through which the sheet S can pass.
[0033]
The paper S bound by the binding means 40 is held at the rear end of the paper S by the discharge claw 38a of the discharge belt 38, slides on the mounting surface of the first paper mounting table 35, and is pushed upward diagonally. Then, the sheet is nipped by the rotating sheet discharging roller 26, discharged and stacked on the elevating sheet discharging table 82.
[0034]
One cover sheet K fed from the cover sheet feeding unit 50 passes through the passage 51 of the fourth transport path {circle around (4)}, passes through the holding position of the transport roller pair 14, and passes through the path 19. Then, after passing through the transport roller 18, it reaches the first sheet mounting table 35 via the path 31 of the third transport path (3), the transport roller 32, the path 33, and the transport roller 34.
[0035]
When the saddle stitching mode is set to the saddle stitching mode, the end stapling abutting member 41 near the stapling position of the stapling means 40 is retracted from the fifth transport path {circle around (5)}, and almost simultaneously for the saddle stitching downstream therefrom. The abutment member 43 is activated to shut off the passage 42.
[0036]
The saddle stitching butting member 43 moves to a predetermined position corresponding to the set size (length in the transport direction) of the sheet S and stops.
[0037]
After the final sheet S is positioned and placed on the first sheet placing table 35, the sheet S is subjected to saddle stitching processing by the binding means 40. By this saddle stitching process, the binding staple SP is driven into the center of the sheet S in the transport direction.
[0038]
After the saddle stitching process, the saddle stitching abutment member 43 swings to open a passage downstream of the passage 42. The sheet S that has undergone the saddle stitching process passes through a curved path and an intermediate conveyance roller 61, is conveyed by being guided by a guide plate 63 on an obliquely lower conveyance belt 62, and is further conveyed on a second sheet mounting table 64. The sheet S descends, and the leading end of the sheet S in the transport direction comes into contact with the movable abutting means 65, and stops at a predetermined position (sixth transport path {circle around (6)}).
[0039]
At the center of the stopped sheet S in the transport direction, that is, diagonally below the saddle stitching position, a sheet ejecting unit 66 is provided. A center folding roller 67 and a pressure roller 68 are installed diagonally above the saddle stitching position.
[0040]
In response to the center-folding start signal, the center-folding plate 661, which is a movable protruding plate of the sheet-projecting means 66, advances diagonally upward, and the leading end of the center-folding plate 661 pushes up the central part of the sheet S, and The gripping portion of the driven folding center folding roller 67 is pushed open to swing and separate.
[0041]
After the leading end of the center folding plate 661 has passed through the holding portion of the center folding roller 67, the center folding plate 661 retreats, and the center portion of the sheet S is nipped by the center folding roller 67 to form a fold. . This fold substantially coincides with the driving position of the binding staple SP on the paper S by the above-described saddle stitching process.
[0042]
The central portion of the sheet S having a fold formed by being pressed by the center folding roller 67 is further strongly pressed and reinforced at the holding position of the pressing roller 68.
[0043]
The fed sheet S is conveyed while being nipped by the pressure roller 68 and is discharged onto a discharge tray 83 outside the apparatus.
[0044]
[Output tray]
4A is a partial cross-sectional view of the vicinity of the lower discharge port 85 of the post-processing device C, FIG. 4B is a perspective view showing a state where the discharge tray 83 is removed from the post-processing device C, and FIG. () Is a front view of the paper discharge tray 83.
[0045]
The paper discharge tray 83 is composed of a paper placing portion 83a, a paper stopping portion 83b, a locking portion 83c, a support portion 83d, a holding arm portion 83e, and a handle 83f, and is formed by bending a metal wire and welding it. is there.
[0046]
A pair of guide members 84 having a concave groove shape are fixedly provided near the lower discharge port 85 of the post-processing device C.
[0047]
After gripping the handle 83f of the sheet discharge tray 83, making the paper placing portion 83a substantially horizontal, sliding the engaging portion 83c into the guide member 84 and pushing it into engagement, the paper placing portion 83a is shaken. 4A, the support portion 83d comes into contact with the side wall portion 86 of the post-processing device C and stops, and the discharge tray 83 is moved to the side wall portion of the post-processing device C. 86.
[0048]
The post-processed paper S is stacked on the fixed paper discharge tray 8. After the post-processing and discharge of the sheet S are completed, the operator grips the handle 83f of the sheet discharge tray 83 and pulls it up in the direction of a white arrow shown in FIG. The lock with 84 is released. The operator can then easily hold the paper discharge tray 83 containing the paper S and transport it to a desired position.
[0049]
FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a state in which the operator removes the paper ejection tray 83 containing the paper S from the post-processing apparatus C and transports the same.
[0050]
FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing another embodiment of the paper discharge tray 83. In addition, about the code | symbol used in FIG. 6, the part which has the same function as FIG. 4 is attached | subjected. Further, points different from the above embodiment will be described.
[0051]
The paper discharge tray 83 includes a paper placing portion 83a, a paper stopping portion 83b, a locking portion 83c, a support portion 83d, a holding arm portion 83e, and a handle 83f, and is integrally formed of a resin material.
[0052]
[Detection of attachment / detachment of output tray]
As shown in FIG. 4A, a sensor PS is disposed inside the sheet post-processing apparatus C and near the lower discharge port 85. The sensor PS detects that the sheet discharge tray 83 is mounted on the sheet post-processing device C. That is, when the locking portion 83c of the sheet discharge tray 83 is mounted on the guide member 84 of the post-processing device C, the sensor PS detects whether the locking portion 83c is attached or detached.
[0053]
When the sensor PS detects that the sheet discharge tray 83 has been removed from the sheet post-processing apparatus C, a control unit (not shown) prohibits the operation of the center folding mode in which the sheet S is discharged from the sheet discharge port 83.
[0054]
In the embodiment of the present invention, the post-processing device connected to the copier is shown. However, a paper discharge unit of the post-processing device connected to an image forming device such as a printer or a facsimile, and a post-processing device of the image forming device are used. The present invention is also applicable to a paper discharge unit.
[0055]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, the following excellent effects can be obtained by the post-processing apparatus of the present invention.
[0056]
(1) When an operator takes out a sheet discharged to a sheet discharge tray fixed near a sheet discharge port of a sheet post-processing apparatus, the operator places the sheet in the sheet discharge tray and discharges the sheet from the post-processing apparatus. Since it can be removed from the paper section, it is possible to easily carry the paper ejection tray near yourself by holding it with one hand.
[0057]
(2) Since the paper can be transported together with the paper discharge tray, problems such as scattering, irregularity, and slippage of paper that occur when paper is directly taken out of the paper discharge tray are eliminated. In particular, it is effective for solving these problems when taking out a large number of sheets.
[0058]
(3) When a post-processing device is used by a person in a wheelchair, a physically handicapped person, or a person who works while sitting on a chair to perform a large amount of copying work, the paper can be safely and easily removed from the paper discharge unit. Things are possible.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of an image forming system including an image forming apparatus, an image reading apparatus, and a sheet post-processing apparatus.
FIG. 2 is an external perspective view of the image forming system.
FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating a sheet conveyance path of the post-processing device.
FIG. 4 is a partial cross-sectional view showing the vicinity of a lower discharge port of the post-processing apparatus, a perspective view showing a state in which a discharge tray is removed from the post-processing apparatus, and a front view of the discharge tray.
FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a state in which an operator removes a paper discharge tray containing paper from a post-processing apparatus and carries the paper.
FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing another embodiment of a paper discharge tray.
[Explanation of symbols]
Reference numeral 60 Folding processing unit 80 Discharge unit 83 Lower discharge tray (discharge tray)
83a paper placing section 83b paper stopping section 83c locking section 83e holding arm section 83f handle 84 guide member 85 lower discharge port 86 side wall section A image forming apparatus C sheet post-processing apparatus (post-processing apparatus)
PS sensor

Claims (4)

In a sheet post-processing device that receives a sheet discharged from an image forming apparatus, performs post-processing, and discharges the sheet to a discharge tray,
A sheet post-processing device, wherein the sheet discharged from the sheet post-processing device is placed on the sheet discharge tray, and the sheet discharge tray is gripped to be detachable from the sheet post-processing device. 2. The paper sheet as claimed in claim 1, wherein the locking portion formed at the base of the sheet discharge tray is detachably attached to a guide member arranged near a sheet discharge port of the sheet post-processing device. Processing equipment. 2. The sheet post-processing device according to claim 1, wherein a handle is provided on an upper portion of the sheet discharge tray to hold the sheet discharge tray in a state where sheets are placed on the sheet discharge tray. 3. In a sheet post-processing device that receives a sheet discharged from an image forming apparatus, performs post-processing, and discharges the sheet to a discharge tray,
A sensor disposed near the paper exit of the paper post-processing device, the sensor detecting that the paper discharge tray is attached to the paper post-processing device, and the sensor detecting that the paper discharge tray is removed; Control means for prohibiting a mode for discharging a sheet from the sheet discharge port.

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