JP2004269213A - Postprocessor - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a postprocessor for eliminating lifting operation of an unrequired tray, and setting a standby position of a tray to an optimal position by referring to the number of sheets, the number of copies, and designated postprocessing mode information. <P>SOLUTION: This postprocessor has a liftable tray for loading paper jetted from an image forming device, and a pamphlet made by applying binding processing to the paper. A control means of the postprocessor determines whether or not to be possible for the lifting operation from the standby position of the tray on the basis of the number of processing sheets, the number of processing copies, and a postprocessing mode set by a user by an operation means of the image forming device. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO&NCIPI

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a post-processing apparatus which is attached to an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a printer, or the like, and has a tray for stacking sheets after image formation or booklets created by performing binding processing or the like on the sheets.
[0002]
[Prior art]
As multifunctional and high-speed image forming apparatuses are being developed, sheets formed by the image forming apparatus are classified and stacked according to the purpose of use, or punching processing and binding processing are performed on the sheets. In general, a post-processing apparatus having a tray that can be moved up and down for stacking booklets created by performing a folding process or the like is attached to an image forming apparatus.
[0003]
The tray is a top surface of the tray, or a sheet or booklet already placed on the tray, in order to stack sheets and booklets discharged from the discharge port after performing a predetermined process in order without any inconvenience. If so, it is necessary to lower the tray so that its upper surface is at a position below the discharge port by a predetermined amount, and stop the tray at the standby position.
[0004]
For this reason, a method is often adopted in which the tray is raised each time a sheet or a booklet is received, the upper surface of the placed sheet or the booklet is detected by an upper surface detection sensor, and the tray is lowered by a predetermined amount and stopped. .
[0005]
However, the above method is a good method in that the receiving surface of the tray can always be maintained at a fixed position, but on the other hand, unnecessary movement increases when the number of stacked sheets is small, and the processing speed of the apparatus is increased. There are also problems from the viewpoints of durability, energy consumption, noise and the like.
[0006]
In order to cope with this problem, a predetermined number of sheets, for example, 10 sheets, are stacked without performing a vertical movement of the tray for stabilizing the loading surface every time one sheet of discharged sheets is stacked. There is also a proposal to make a user perform an up-down operation (for example, see Patent Document 1). Similarly, without performing the up-down operation for each stack, the mounting is continued until the upper surface of the mounting surface is detected by the upper surface sensor, and after the detection, the mounting surface is lowered so as to be in the standby position. It has been proposed that, even if the device is configured to be lowered and the mounting surface is continuously detected by the upper surface detection sensor, the vertical operation is performed again to detect inconvenience in mounting (for example, Patent Document 2). reference).
[0007]
[Patent Document 1]
JP-A-11-71053 (first page, 10 lines from the bottom, FIG. 4)
[0008]
[Patent Document 2]
JP-A-11-130321 (page 2, left column, lines 2-24)
[0009]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
An object of the present invention is to provide a tray for maintaining the above-described loading surface at a fixed position according to the number of output sheets, the number of copies, and a selected post-processing mode set by an operation display unit of the image forming apparatus. It is determined whether or not it is necessary to perform the lifting operation, and unnecessary lifting operation is omitted, and the number of output sheets, the number of copies, and the optimal standby position of the mounting surface for the post-processing mode are post-processed by the operation display unit. After setting the tray in the memory of the control means of the apparatus, and selecting the optimum standby position for the content of the post-processing specified by the user from the standby positions previously set in the memory, and performing the operation of raising and lowering the tray. An object of the present invention is to provide a processing device.
[0010]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The above object is achieved by the following means.
[0011]
(1) A post-processing device having a tray that can be moved up and down for loading a sheet discharged from an image forming apparatus or a booklet created by performing binding processing on the sheet, and The control means determines whether or not the tray can be moved up and down from a standby position based on the number of processed sheets, the number of sets processed, and a post-processing mode set by a user through an operation means of the image forming apparatus. Processing equipment.
[0012]
(2) When the image forming apparatus is not in the operating state and the upper surface sensor detects the sheet stacking surface of the tray or the upper surface of the sheet stacked on the tray, the control unit of the post-processing device: Regardless of the number of processed sheets, the number of sets, and the result of the determination performed based on the post-processing mode set by the user using the operation unit of the image forming apparatus, control is performed so that the upper surface is lowered to the standby position. The post-processing device according to (1).
[0013]
(3) a tray which can be moved up and down for loading a sheet discharged from the image forming apparatus or a booklet created by performing a binding process on the sheet, and a sheet loading surface of the tray, or After providing an upper surface detection sensor for detecting the upper surface of the paper stacked on the tray, the tray is configured to rise until the upper surface is detected by the upper surface detection sensor, and then descend and stop at a standby position. A processing device, wherein the control unit of the post-processing device sets the tray to a preset standby position based on the number of processed sheets, the number of processed copies, and the post-processing mode set by the user using the operation unit of the image forming apparatus. A post-processing device for controlling the lifting and lowering means so as to stop.
[0014]
(4) The number of output sheets, the number of output copies, and the standby position of the tray corresponding to the post-processing mode can be changed by the operation display means of the image forming apparatus or the post-processing apparatus. Post-processing device as described.
[0015]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically showing an overall configuration of an image forming system including an image forming apparatus A, a post-processing apparatus B, and an automatic document feeder F.
[0016]
The image forming apparatus A is a digital monochrome copying machine. Around the rotating image carrier 1, a charging unit 2, an image exposing unit (writing unit) 3, a developing unit 4, a transferring unit 5A, a discharging unit 5B, a separating claw 5C, and a cleaning unit 5D are arranged. In the upper right part of the apparatus, there is an operation display means 110 including a liquid crystal display, numeric keys, and other keys.
[0017]
An automatic document feeder F for automatically transporting a document G is provided above the image forming apparatus A. The documents G placed on the document table 11 are separated one by one and transported by a document transport roller 12. Is done. While being conveyed, the image of the document G is divided into a first mirror unit 15 composed of an illumination lamp and a first mirror stopped below the reading position 13a, and a second mirror and a third mirror arranged in a V-shape. An image is formed on the light receiving surface of the image sensor CCD as a line sensor by the second mirror unit 16 composed of The formed linear optical images are sequentially photoelectrically converted, A / D-converted, subjected to density conversion, filter processing, and the like by the image input control means 20, and then temporarily processed as image data. It is stored in the memory of the control means C1. The document G for which the reading of the document has been completed is discharged onto the document discharge tray 14 by the document conveying roller 12.
[0018]
On the other hand, when the original G is placed on the platen glass 13, the image of the original G is scanned by the movement of the first mirror unit 15 and the second mirror unit 16 constituting the above-described scanning optical system, and the image is formed. An image is formed on the light receiving surface of the image sensor CCD, which is a line sensor, through the lens 17 and read.
[0019]
As a procedure of image formation, first, after uniformly charging the surface of the image carrier 1 by the charging unit 2, exposure scanning based on image data read from the original G by the laser beam of the image exposure unit 3 is performed. To form a latent image on the image carrier 1, and the latent image is reversely developed by the developing means 4 to form a toner image.
[0020]
On the other hand, the sheet P fed from the sheet feeding means 6A is sent to the transfer position via the intermediate sheet feeding section 6B. At the transfer position, the toner image is transferred onto the sheet P by the transfer unit 5A. Thereafter, the charge on the back surface of the paper P is erased by the charge removing means 5B, separated from the image carrier 1 by the separation claw 5C, transported by the transporting means 7A, and subsequently pressed and heated and fixed by the fixing means 8, and discharged. It is discharged by 7C.
[0021]
When image formation is performed on both sides of the sheet P, the sheet P heated and fixed by the fixing unit 8 is branched from the normal sheet discharge path by the transfer path switching plate 7B, and is switched back by the reverse transfer unit 7D to be turned over. After the reversal, the sheet is conveyed to the intermediate sheet feeding unit 6B, the image is formed on the back surface, and the sheet is discharged out of the apparatus by the sheet discharging roller 7C. The paper P discharged from the paper discharge roller 7C is sent to the entrance 50 of the post-processing device B.
[0022]
After the transfer of the toner image onto the paper P is finished, the surface of the image carrier 1 is cleaned by a cleaning unit 5D downstream of the separation claw 5C, and corresponds to the next image formation.
[0023]
FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically showing the post-processing apparatus B.
In the post-processing apparatus B, a paper feeding unit 51 is arranged in the upper part of the figure, and a punching means 60, a shift means 67, and a paper discharging roller 91 are arranged in series on a substantially horizontal plane in the middle part. , A binding means 70 and a center folding means 80 are arranged in series on the same plane forming an inclined surface.
[0024]
Further, on the left side of the post-processing device B, a tray 92 capable of moving up and down for stacking a large amount of output sheets P, shifted sheets P, and stapled sheets P, There is a lower tray 94 for stacking booklets created by performing binding processing and center folding processing.
[0025]
A sheet K different from the sheet P discharged from the image forming apparatus A is placed on the sheet feeding unit 51, and the offline operation of the post-processing apparatus B alone is given by the operation display unit 120 by giving an instruction. Post-processing can be performed on the sheet K. The sheet K to be subjected to the post-processing is separated and fed by the sheet feeding roller 511, is nipped by the conveying rollers 513 and 514, and is introduced into the entrance 50.
[0026]
Accordingly, the sheet P discharged from the sheet discharge roller 7C of the image forming apparatus A and the sheet feeding section 51 provided above the post-processing apparatus B are supplied to the entrance 50 of the post-processing apparatus B. Paper K will be introduced.
[0027]
A punching means 60 is disposed downstream of the entrance 50 in the sheet transport direction. A registration roller 65 is disposed on the upstream side of the punching position in the sheet transport direction by the punching unit 60, and a transport roller 66 is disposed on the downstream side of the punching position in the sheet transport direction. The punching means 60 punches a file hole at a predetermined position on the leading end of the sheet P or K.
[0028]
On the downstream side of the perforating means 60 in the sheet conveying direction, a sheet branching means including switching gates G1 and G2 is provided. For the paper P, the switching gates G1 and G2 are driven by solenoids (not shown) to drive two paper transport paths, that is, a first transport path F1 leading to the discharge roller 91 and a second transport path leading to the binding processing means 70 in the lower stage. F2 is selectively branched and transported.
[0029]
In the case of simple discharge, the switching gate G1 opens only the first transport path F1 and shuts off the other second transport path F2.
[0030]
When the shift processing mode is set in the operation display unit 120 of the post-processing apparatus B or the operation display unit 110 of the image forming apparatus A, the sheet P or the sheet Lead K.
[0031]
For the guided sheet P or sheet K, a shift process is performed by the shift means 67 to change the sheet discharge position in the transport width direction for each predetermined number of sheets. The sheets subjected to the shift processing are discharged to a vertically movable tray 92 outside the apparatus by discharge rollers 91, and are sequentially placed. The tray 92 is configured to descend sequentially when a large number of sheets are discharged, and can store a maximum of about 3000 sheets (A4 size, B5 size).
[0032]
When the stapling process is set in the operation display unit 120 of the post-processing apparatus B or the operation display unit 110 of the image forming apparatus A, the sheet P or the sheet K passes through the perforation unit 60 and is switched to the switching gate G2. The sheet is fed into the lower second conveyance path F2, is conveyed while being nipped by the conveyance rollers 701 and 702, and is stopped by the leading end of the sheet abutting near the nipping position of the entrance conveyance roller (registration roller) 703. Matching is performed.
[0033]
The sheet P or sheet K sent out from the conveying roller 703 descends on the inclined surface of the sheet mounting table (intermediate stacker) 71 by its own weight, is slid and conveyed by the winding belt 704, and is provided near the binding means 70. The sheet is abutted against the sheet abutting surface of the edge binding position regulating means 72 and stops.
[0034]
Reference numeral 73 denotes a pair of width adjusting members movably provided on both side surfaces of the sheet mounting table 71. When a predetermined number of sheets constituting a set are stacked and aligned on the sheet mounting table 71, a stapling process of one- or two-point stapling is performed by the stapling unit 70, and a part of stapled sheets (sheet bundle) is performed. Is created.
[0035]
The stapled sheet bundle is held at its rear end by a discharge claw 74A attached to the discharge belt 74, is pushed up obliquely upward along the mounting surface of the paper mounting table 71, and is pinched by the discharge rollers 91. Then, the sheet is discharged onto the tray 92 and stacked.
[0036]
When the center folding process is set, the end of the sheet bundle is regulated by the lower portion of the guide plate 81, and the center of the sheet is folded by the folding roller 83 by the folding plate 82 projecting leftward in the drawing. 84. After the leading end of the folding plate 82 has passed through the sandwiching positions of the folding rollers 83 and 84, it retreats, so that a fold is formed at the center of the sheet.
[0037]
The paper with the fold formed is carried out by rotation of the folding rollers 83 and 84 and is placed on a lower tray 94 outside the machine.
[0038]
FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a control relationship of the image forming system. In this figure, parts not directly related to the present invention are omitted.
[0039]
The control unit C1 of the image forming apparatus A is a computer system including a CPU, a memory, and the like, and is connected to each control unit by an appropriate connection unit such as an input / output port, a serial or parallel communication unit, and executes various controls. The programs and data for performing the operations are stored in the memory.
[0040]
The control means C2 of the post-processing device B is similarly configured. In the present embodiment, information exchange with the control means C1 is performed via serial communication means.
[0041]
The operation display means is provided in both the image forming apparatus A and the post-processing apparatus B, and each of them comprises a liquid crystal display, numeric keys, and other operation keys. The operation display unit 110 of the image forming apparatus is capable of performing operations and various settings for instructing both the image forming apparatus A and the post-processing apparatus B. The operation display unit 120 of the post-processing apparatus B is Can be instructed and set only for.
[0042]
FIG. 4 is a view for explaining the tray elevating means of the post-processing apparatus B.
The tray 92 is attached to an attachment member 101 that slides while being guided by the elevating guide 102. The mounting member 101 is fixed to a part of the rotating belt 104 supported by the belt wheels 103A and 103B, and moves up and down by the rotation of the belt 104. A wheel screw 105 is attached to the end of the rotation shaft of the belt wheel 103B, and is rotated by the worm 106. The worm 106 is driven and rotated by a pulse motor PM that is driven and controlled by a tray elevating control unit.
[0043]
An upper surface detection sensor PS for detecting the upper surface of the tray 92 that moves up and down or the upper surface of the sheet P placed on the tray 92 is provided below the sheet discharge port of the discharge roller 91 of the post-processing device B. The detection signal is sent to the control unit C2 as a detection signal for detecting the upper limit position of the tray 92 and a signal indicating a reference position for lowering the tray 92 and stopping at the standby position.
[0044]
Generally, the operation of the tray 92 is controlled by first raising the tray 92 until the upper surface detection sensor PS detects it at the same time as the start of the image forming operation, and then lowering the tray 92 by a preset distance to stop. Let it. That is, the sheet P to be discharged at a certain standby position is waited.
[0045]
When the sheets P are stacked on the tray 92, the upper surface of the stacked sheets rises as the stacking progresses, and is detected by the upper surface detection sensor PS. The control means C2 which has received the upper surface detection signal sends a signal to the tray elevating control means 121, and the tray elevating control means 121 drives the pulse motor PM of the tray elevating means by a preset number of pulses to load the stacked paper. The upper surface is kept at the standby position, or the tray 92 is raised every time the sheets are stacked, the upper surface is detected, and the tray 92 is lowered, so that the upper surface is always kept at the standby position.
[0046]
According to the present invention, the control unit C2 of the post-processing apparatus B transmits the information of the number of processed sheets and the post-processing mode set on the operation display unit 110 of the image forming apparatus through the control unit C1 of the image forming apparatus when performing the image forming operation. By obtaining the number of sheets to be processed, the apparatus is stopped at a standby position set to correspond to the number of processed sheets and the post-processing mode, and the frequency of the operation of moving the tray 92 up and down is reduced.
[0047]
In the memory of the control means C2 of the post-processing apparatus B, the standby number of the tray 92 corresponding to the number of processed sheets, paper size, and post-processing mode, that is, A numerical value indicating a distance from receiving the detection signal to descending and stopping is set. This value is experimentally determined with the thickness of the sheet P kept constant after the shape of the tray is determined.
[0048]
The operation display unit 110 of the image forming apparatus and the operation display unit 120 of the post-processing apparatus B include a liquid crystal display, numeric keys, control buttons, and the like, and the numerical values can be changed by the operation display units 110 and 120 as necessary. It is like that. This change is effective when the thickness and surface properties of the paper P are greatly changed, or when a certain number of sheets, the number of copies, and post-processing are continuously performed.
[0049]
FIG. 5 shows a state in which the image forming apparatus A is in the standby state, and the number of image forming sheets, the number of copies, and the post-processing mode are set by the operation control unit 110 of the image forming apparatus A, and an image forming instruction is issued. 9 is a flowchart illustrating control of the operation of the tray 92 at the time.
[0050]
When the upper surface detection sensor PS detects the upper surface while the image forming apparatus A is not operating (S1), the tray 92 has risen for some reason, or the paper P or the like has been placed on the tray 92. The tray 92 is lowered to the standby position (S2, S3, S4). Note that the descending amount is determined by the number of pulses applied to the pulse motor PM by the tray elevating control means 121, and the number of pulses refers to a value on a table previously created in the memory of the post-processing device control means C2. Is determined. As the descending amount in this case, a value (N1) corresponding to the case where the number of image formation, the number of copies, and the post-processing mode is not set is selected on the operation display unit 110 of the image forming apparatus A. As described above, the values in the table can be changed by the operation control unit 110 of the image forming apparatus A or the operation control unit 120 of the post-processing apparatus B as necessary.
[0051]
After the number of copies, the number of copies, and the post-processing mode are set on the operation display unit 110 of the image forming apparatus A (S5), when the operation of the image forming apparatus is started (S6), the communication units TR1 and TR2 are activated. The control means C2 of the post-processing apparatus B having obtained the setting information through the first step refers to the table (S7) and determines whether the tray 92 needs to be moved up and down (S8). When the tray 92 does not need to be moved up and down, for example, when the number of output sheets or the number of copies is small, the sheets P to be discharged are stacked in the stopped state (S13). If the tray 92 needs to be moved up and down, first, the tray 92 is raised by the upper surface detection sensor PS until the upper surface is detected (S9, S10), and then lowered based on the value obtained by referring to the table in S7. And stop (S11, S12, S13). During the operation of the image forming apparatus A, the tray 92 repeats the loading of the sheets P until the upper surface is detected by the upper surface detection sensor PS and the lowering to the set value (S10 to S13).
[0052]
【The invention's effect】
According to the present invention, unnecessary lifting and lowering of the tray of the post-processing apparatus is reduced, so that the processing capacity is improved, and the power consumption and the noise are reduced. Further, since the optimum standby position of the tray can be set by the number of processed sheets and the post-processing mode, the sheets can be stacked on the tray with higher reliability.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically illustrating an image forming system.
FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically showing a post-processing device.
FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a control relationship of the image forming system.
FIG. 4 is a view for explaining tray elevating means.
FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating control of a tray elevating operation.
[Explanation of symbols]
Reference Signs List 1 image carrier 60 punching means 67 shift means 70 binding means 80 center folding means 92 tray 110 operation display means 120 operation display means A image forming apparatus B post-processing apparatus F automatic document feeder P paper PM pulse motor PS top surface detection sensor

Claims (4)

A post-processing device having a tray that can be lifted and lowered to stack a sheet discharged from the image forming apparatus or a booklet created by performing binding processing on the sheet, wherein a control unit of the post-processing device is A post-processing apparatus for determining whether or not the tray can be moved up and down from a standby position based on the number of processed sheets, the number of copies, and a post-processing mode set by a user using an operation unit of the image forming apparatus. When the image forming apparatus is not in the operating state and the upper surface sensor detects the sheet stacking surface of the tray or the upper surface of the sheet stacked on the tray, the control unit of the post-processing device determines whether the user The control is performed such that the upper surface is lowered to the standby position regardless of the number of processed sheets, the number of processed sheets, and the result of the determination performed based on the post-processing mode set by the operation unit of the image forming apparatus. 2. The post-processing device according to 1. A sheet ejected from the image forming apparatus, or a tray that can be lifted and lowered for loading a booklet created by performing a binding process on the sheet, and the sheet loading surface of the tray, or the tray A post-processing device is provided which is provided with an upper surface detection sensor for detecting the upper surface of the stacked sheets, and wherein the tray rises until the upper surface is detected by the upper surface detection sensor, and then descends and stops at a standby position. The control means of the post-processing device stops the tray at a preset standby position based on the number of processed sheets, the number of copies, and the post-processing mode set by the user through the operation means of the image forming apparatus. A post-processing apparatus characterized in that the lifting means is controlled as described above. 4. The post-processing device according to claim 1, wherein the number of output sheets, the number of output copies, and the standby position of the tray corresponding to the post-processing mode can be changed by an operation display unit of the image forming apparatus or the post-processing apparatus. Processing equipment.

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