JP2005162352A - Sheet bonding device and image forming device equipped with the sheet bonding device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a sheet bonding device capable of preventing peeling of a sheet bundle, and an image forming device equipped with the sheet bonding device. <P>SOLUTION: Sheets S formed with bonding toner layers 117 are superimposed on each other, and in this state, the toner layers 117 are heated and pressurized to bond the sheets each other. The mount of toner in longitudinal direction end portion areas X of the toner layers 117 is made to be larger than that in longitudinal direction center portion areas Y, and the toner layers 117 are heated and pressurized, thereby improving bonding strength between the sheets. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a sheet bonding apparatus and an image forming apparatus including the same, and more particularly to an apparatus in which sheets are bonded to each other using an adhesive toner layer formed on the sheet.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in an image forming apparatus using an electrophotographic method such as a laser beam printer or a facsimile, a predetermined image is formed on a sheet and an adhesive toner layer is formed on the sheet, and the toner layer is heated and pressurized. In some cases, a sheet bonding apparatus is provided that bonds the sheets to each other (see Patent Document 1).

  Here, in a conventional image forming apparatus, a developing device for developing a latent image drawn on a photosensitive drum (photosensitive rotating body) by laser light or the like, and a transfer unit for transferring the developed toner image to a sheet; The mainstream is one provided with a fixing device (fixing device) for fixing the transferred toner image on the sheet.

  FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a printer which is an example of such a conventional image forming apparatus. In a printer main body 1 which is an image forming apparatus main body, a laser scanner 2 as an exposure unit and an image carrier are shown. A printing process unit 13 which is an image forming unit including a photosensitive drum 3 as a body, a primary charger 16 and a developing device 17, a transfer roller 9, a fixing device 4, a resist roller pair 8, and a sheet-like recording material (hereinafter referred to as a sheet-shaped recording material A sheet feed cassette 6 for storing S), a sheet feed roller (pickup roller) 7 and the like are installed.

  The sheets S stacked and stored in the sheet feeding cassette 6 are first fed by the sheet feeding roller 7 that rotates in the clockwise direction, and then guided to the sheet guide 18 to stop the nip of the resist roller pair 8 in a stopped state. The skew is corrected. Next, the sheet S whose skew has been corrected is thereafter sent to a transfer portion constituted by the photosensitive drum 3 and the transfer roller 9 by a registration roller pair 8 which starts rotating at a predetermined timing.

  On the other hand, an electrostatic latent image is sequentially formed on the outer peripheral surface of the photosensitive drum 3 whose surface is uniformly charged by the primary charger 16 and rotating in the clockwise direction indicated by an arrow in the figure by the laser light from the laser scanner 2. Further, the electrostatic latent image is developed by the developing device 17 to form a toner image. The laser beam starts to be written from the front side of the figure and forms an electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive drum 3 toward the back side.

  As described above, when the sheet S is sent to the transfer portion by the registration roller pair 8, the toner image on the photosensitive drum 3 is sequentially transferred to the sheet S by the transfer roller 9. Thereafter, the sheet S on which the toner image is transferred is sent to the fixing device 4, and the toner image is fixed on the sheet S by being heated and pressed by the fixing roller 22 and the pressure roller 21. The

  Next, the sheet S on which the toner image is fixed in this way is sent to the paper discharge roller pair 5 by the conveying roller pair 10, and the image surface is placed on the paper discharge tray 19 on the upper surface of the printer main body 1 by the paper discharge roller pair 5. It is discharged in a so-called face-down direction. In addition, by switching the conveyance switching guide 14A, it is also possible to discharge the paper to the side surface of the printer main body 1 with a so-called face-up with the image surface facing upward via another paper discharge roller pair 14. And the sheet | seat S discharged | emitted by the side in this way is conveyed by the sheet bonding apparatus mentioned later.

  Here, in the printer main body 1, in order to form images on both the front and back sides of the sheet S, a double-sided conveyance unit 15 is provided for conveying the sheet S on which the image is formed on one side to the printing process unit 13 again. When forming images on both the front and back sides of the sheet S, the sheet S is selectively conveyed to the duplex conveyance unit 15 side by switching the flapper 12 after the toner image is fixed.

  Next, the sheet S transported to the duplex transport unit 15 in this way passes through the reverse transport path 20 and is reversed. After passing through the transport path 23, the sheet S is guided to the sheet guide 24 and the nip portion of the registration roller pair 8. Sent to. Thereafter, an image is formed on the back surface by the same process as the image forming operation on the one surface described above.

  By the way, when the sheet S on which an image is formed on one side or both sides is bonded in this way, the toner layer for bonding (binding) is formed on both sides of the sheet S when the image of the sheet S described above is formed. For example, as shown in FIG. 7, the sheet S is formed in one of the four end portions of the sheet, and then the sheet S is placed on the printer main body 1 as shown in FIG. The sheet is conveyed to the attached sheet bonding apparatus 100.

  In this sheet bonding apparatus 100, the sheet S conveyed from the printer main body 1 is guided to the reverse conveyance path 104 by the sheet guide 101 and the conveyance roller pairs 102 and 103, and then reversed. 103 and the sheet guide 105 to be dropped on the inclined stacking tray 106.

  When the sheets are dropped and stacked on the stacking tray 106 in this way, the rear end of the sheet S abuts against the vertical registration aligning wall 111 provided at the lower end of the stacking tray 106, thereby The vertical direction is aligned. Further, the lateral direction of the sheet S is aligned by a lateral registration alignment plate 112 shown in FIG.

  On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 9, the sheet bonding apparatus 100 is provided above the stacking tray 106, has a built-in heater, and has a heating and pressing member 114 that can contact and separate from the sheets S stacked on the stacking tray 106. 116 is provided.

  After the alignment of the sheet S is completed as described above, the heating and pressing members 114 and 116 are lowered toward the adhesive portion of the sheet S where the toner layer 117 is formed on both sides (or one side). The binding portion (adhesion portion) of the sheet S is heated and pressed to melt the toner layer 117 provided on the sheet S so that the sheets are bonded to each other.

  As a method of bonding the sheets together, after the first sheet S is supplied to the stacking tray 106, when the alignment of the second sheet S is finished, the first sheet S For example, the heating and pressing member 114 is lowered so as to be in contact with the surface perpendicularly, and the adhesive portion is sandwiched between the heating and pressing member 114 and the pressing member 115. Next, in this state, the binding portion of the sheet S is heated and pressurized by the heating and pressing member 114, whereby the toner layer 117 provided on the sheet S is melted and the sheets are bonded to each other.

  Next, after bonding the two sheets S in this manner, the heating and pressing member 114 is separated from the surface of the sheet S2, and thereafter, this operation is sequentially repeated to bond a predetermined number of sheets S. There is a method of forming a bundle of some sheets. Note that the sheet bundle that has been bonded by this method is transported by the transport rollers 107 and 108 shown in FIG. 8 and discharged onto a discharge tray 110 provided on the side surface of the sheet bonding apparatus 100 via a discharge roller pair 109. Is done.

Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 03-055268

  However, in such a conventional sheet bonding apparatus, the toner amount of the toner layer 117 for bonding formed by the printing process unit 13 is the end region in the longitudinal direction and the central region in the longitudinal direction of the toner layer 117 shown in FIG. Therefore, when a force is applied in the direction in which the bonded sheet bundle is peeled, particularly when a force is applied to the end portion of the sheet bundle, the sheet bundle is peeled off.

  Accordingly, the present invention has been made to solve such problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a sheet bonding apparatus capable of preventing separation of a sheet bundle and an image forming apparatus including the sheet bonding apparatus. It is.

  The present invention relates to a sheet bonding apparatus in which sheets are bonded to each other by heating and pressing the toner layer in a state in which the sheets on which the toner layer for bonding is formed are overlapped, and the longitudinal end region The toner layer has a larger toner amount than the toner amount in the central region in the longitudinal direction, and the toner layer is heated and pressed to bond the sheets together.

  In the invention, it is preferable that the thickness of the longitudinal end region is such that the toner amount in the longitudinal end region is larger than the toner amount in the longitudinal central region. It is characterized by being made thicker.

  In the invention, it is preferable that the toner layer is formed of one or a plurality of colors of toner, and the longitudinal end region is the longitudinal direction so that the longitudinal end region is thicker than the longitudinal central region. It is characterized in that it is formed of toner of a larger number of colors than the central region in the direction.

  According to the present invention, the width of the longitudinal end region is such that the toner amount in the longitudinal end region is larger than the toner amount in the longitudinal central region. It is characterized by being formed more widely.

  The present invention is characterized in that the toner layer is intermittently formed.

  According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided the image bonding apparatus according to any one of the above, wherein the image forming unit forms an image and an adhesive toner layer on the sheet, and the sheet on which the image is formed in the image forming unit. A device is provided.

  In the invention, it is preferable that the image forming unit forms an image with the toner of one or a plurality of colors.

  According to the present invention, the amount of toner in the end region in the longitudinal direction of the toner layer for sheet adhesion is made larger than the amount of toner in the center region in the longitudinal direction to improve the adhesive strength between the sheets, thereby bonding the sheets. It is possible to prevent the bundle from peeling off, particularly from the end.

  The best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a color printer which is an example of an image forming apparatus provided with a sheet bonding apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, the same reference numerals as those in FIGS. 6 and 8 denote the same or corresponding parts.

  Here, the color printer includes four stations 50 (50Y, 50M, and 4M) arranged in parallel for four colors of yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C), and black (Bk), which are image forming units. 50C, 50Bk), an intermediate transfer belt 51, and the like. The station 50 includes a photosensitive drum 3 (3Y, 3M, 3C, 3Bk), a laser scanner 2 (2Y, 2M, 2C, 2Bk), and a developing device 17 (17Y, 17M, 17C, 17Bk), which are image carriers. Etc.

  In the color printer configured as described above, when forming a color image on the sheet S, the photosensitive drum 3 is first charged and then the laser scanner 2 based on an image signal transmitted from a controller (not shown). The photosensitive drum 3 is exposed to form an electrostatic latent image on the surface of the photosensitive drum.

  Next, the electrostatic latent image is developed with yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C), and black (Bk) toners in the developing device 17 to form toner images of each color. A color image is formed by being superimposed and transferred to the intermediate transfer belt 51 rotating counterclockwise while being in contact with the photosensitive drum 3.

  Next, in parallel with such a color image forming operation, the sheet S is conveyed by the registration roller pair 8 to a transfer unit constituted by a transfer roller 9 and a driven roller 52 for rotating the intermediate transfer belt 51 at a predetermined timing. Then, the sheet S is nipped and conveyed by the transfer roller 9 and the driven roller 52, and at this time, the color image (toner image) on the intermediate transfer belt is secondarily transferred to the sheet P. Thereafter, in the fixing device 4. Fix the color image on the sheet surface.

  On the other hand, when images are formed on both the front and back sides of the sheet S, the sheet S is selectively conveyed to the duplex conveyance unit 15 side by switching the flapper 12 after the toner image is fixed. Next, the sheet S transported to the duplex transport unit 15 in this way passes through the reverse transport path 20 and is reversed. After passing through the transport path 23, the sheet S is guided to the sheet guide 24 and the nip portion of the registration roller pair 8. Sent to. Thereafter, an image is formed on the back surface by the same process as the image forming operation on the one surface described above.

  By the way, when the sheet S on which an image is formed on one side or both sides is bonded in this way, the toner layer for bonding (binding) is formed on both sides of the sheet S when the image of the sheet S described above is formed. As shown in FIG. 7, the position a or position c along the four end portions of the sheet, that is, the end portion in the direction parallel to the sheet conveying direction, or the position b or position perpendicular to the sheet conveying direction. d is formed in a strip shape on one of the sides.

  After the image and the adhesive toner layer are formed on both sides of the sheet S in this way, the sheet S is sequentially conveyed to the sheet bonding apparatus 100 mounted on the printer main body 1. Here, when the sheets S are sequentially conveyed in this manner, the sheet bonding apparatus 100 supplies the first sheet S to the stacking tray 106, and thereafter performs an alignment operation.

  Next, when the second sheet S is supplied, one of the heating and pressing members 114 and 116 selected from the heating and pressing members 114 and 116 shown in FIG. 9 is replaced with the second sheet. By moving downward from the vertical direction of the S surface, the adhesive portion is sandwiched between the pressing member 115 and the toner layers are heated and pressed through the sheet. As a result, the toner in the toner layer 117 formed at the bonding portion is melted to bond the sheets S together.

  Next, when such a bonding operation is completed, the sheet bundle is discharged onto a discharge tray 110 provided on the side surface of the sheet bonding apparatus 100 by the conveying rollers 107 and 108 shown in FIG. The After that, the heating and pressing members 114 and 116 moved downward are separated from the surface of the sheet S. After that, the series of operations are repeated for sheets that are continuously supplied, thereby forming a bonded sheet bundle.

  FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of such heating and pressing members 114 and 116, in which 120 is a ceramic heater, and 121 is a fixing film. In the present embodiment, the toner layer 117 is formed of one color toner of Y (yellow), M (magenta), C (cyan), and Bk (black) toner, for example, Bk (black) toner. Has been.

  By the way, in the present embodiment, for example, when an adhesive toner layer is formed at position a (see FIG. 7) of an A4 size sheet, as shown in FIG. The part area X (area of 50 mm from the end) is formed with about 0.004 g / square cm of toner, and the central area Y of the toner layer 117 is formed with about 0.002 g / square cm. Yes. As a result, the toner layer 117 formed in the adhesion portion has a configuration in which the toner amount in the longitudinal end region X is larger than that in the longitudinal central region Y.

  The amount of toner is a value for 100 parts of magnetite, 100 parts of styrene acrylic and 7 parts of wax, and is appropriately changed depending on the type of toner used. Further, the control of the amount of toner partially applied to the adhesion area shown in the present embodiment changes the exposure amount from the laser scanner 2 of the color printer or the bias value applied in the developing device 17 each time. The amount of the toner image formed on the photosensitive drum can be changed. Further, the user can select and set the formation position of the toner layer 117 from a personal computer screen (not shown) or a printer operation unit.

  Here, as in the present embodiment, the toner amount in the longitudinal end region X of the toner layer 117 is made larger than the toner amount in the longitudinal central region Y, and the toner layer has such a toner amount distribution. By adhering the sheets by heating and pressurizing 117, it is possible to improve the adhesive strength between the sheets, particularly at the edges. Thereby, it is possible to prevent the adhered sheet bundle from being peeled particularly from the end.

  Instead of forming the toner layer 117 on the entire surface of the bonded portion as shown in FIG. 3A, the toner layer 117 is formed partially (intermittently) as shown in FIG. The region 1-1 and the region 1-4 corresponding to the end in the longitudinal direction of the toner layer 117 are formed of about 0.004 g / square cm of toner, and the region 1-2 and the region 1- corresponding to the central region in the longitudinal direction are formed. 3 may be formed with a toner of about 0.002 g / square cm.

  Further, by intermittently forming the toner layer 117 in this way, it is possible to maintain the adhesive strength at the end portion in the longitudinal direction of the toner layer 117 and to reduce the amount of toner in the adhesive region.

  Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described.

  FIG. 4 shows a configuration of a toner layer for bonding in a sheet bonded by the sheet bonding apparatus according to the present embodiment.

  In this embodiment, when the adhesive toner layer 117 is formed at the position a (see FIG. 7) of the A4 size sheet S as shown in FIG. 4A, the end region in the longitudinal direction of the toner layer 117 is formed. X (an area of 50 mm from the end) is formed with a width of 5 mm, and an area Y at the center in the longitudinal direction of the toner layer 117 is formed with a width of 3 mm. That is, the width of the toner layer 117 is formed so that the end region X is wider than the central region Y.

  The width of the toner layer 117 formed in the adhesive portion in this way is formed so that the end region X is wider than the central region Y, so that the toner amount in the longitudinal end region X is increased in the longitudinal direction. The amount of toner in the direction center region Y can be increased. Accordingly, if the toner layer 117 is heated and pressed to adhere the sheets to each other, it is possible to improve the adhesive strength between the sheets, particularly at the end, and as a result, the adhered sheet bundle. In particular, peeling from the end can be prevented.

  Note that the toner layer 117 is not formed on the entire surface of the adhesion portion as shown in FIG. 4A, but the toner layer 117 is partially (intermittently) formed as shown in FIG. 4B. At the same time, a region 2-1 and a region 2-4 corresponding to the end in the longitudinal direction of the toner layer 117 are formed with a width of 5 mm, and a region 2-2 and a region 2-3 corresponding to the central region in the longitudinal direction of the toner layer 117 are formed. It may be formed with a width of 3 mm. Further, by intermittently forming the toner layer 117 in this way, it is possible to maintain the adhesive strength at the ends in the longitudinal direction and reduce the amount of toner in the adhesive region.

  Next, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described.

  FIG. 5 shows a configuration of an adhesive toner layer in a sheet bonded by the sheet bonding apparatus according to the present embodiment.

  In this embodiment, when the adhesive toner layer 117 is formed at the position a (see FIG. 7) of the A4 size sheet S as shown in FIG. 5A, the end region in the longitudinal direction of the toner layer 117 is formed. X (region of 50 mm from the end) is formed by superposing two colors of toner, for example, two toners of Y (yellow) and M (magenta), and a region Y at the center in the longitudinal direction of the toner layer 117 is formed. Further, the toner is formed with one kind of toner, for example, one color of Y (yellow) toner, which is smaller than the end region X in the longitudinal direction. As a result, the amount of toner on the adhesive portion is greater in the longitudinal direction end region X than in the longitudinal direction central region Y.

  Then, the toner layer 117 in the longitudinal end region X is formed by forming the longitudinal end region X of the toner layer 117 formed in the adhesive portion in this manner with toner of a larger number of colors than the longitudinal central region Y. Becomes thicker than the toner layer 117 in the central region in the longitudinal direction, and accordingly, the toner amount in the end region X in the longitudinal direction is larger than the toner amount in the central region Y in the longitudinal direction. Therefore, by bonding the sheets by heating and pressurizing such a toner layer 117, it is possible to improve the adhesive strength between the sheets, particularly at the end portions. Peeling from the end can be prevented.

  Instead of forming the toner layer 117 on the entire surface of the bonded portion as shown in FIG. 5A, the toner layer 117 is formed partially (intermittently) as shown in FIG. 5B. The toner layer 117 in the region 3-1 and the region 3-4 corresponding to the end portion in the longitudinal direction of the toner layer 117 is formed with toners of two colors, Y (yellow) and M (magenta), and the longitudinal direction of the toner layer 117 The toner layers of the region 3-2 and the region 3-3 corresponding to the central region may be formed with Y (yellow) color toner. Further, by intermittently forming the toner layer 117 in this way, it is possible to maintain the adhesive strength at the ends in the longitudinal direction and reduce the amount of toner in the adhesive region.

  In the present embodiment, the longitudinal end region X is formed of two colors of toner, and the longitudinal central region Y is formed of one color of toner. However, the longitudinal end region X is formed of three colors. For a method of forming the toner in the longitudinal direction with a larger amount of the end region X in the longitudinal direction compared to the central region Y in the longitudinal direction, such as forming the central region Y in the longitudinal direction with toner of two colors. However, the present invention is not limited to the type and combination of toner in the present embodiment.

1 is a diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of a color printer that is an example of an image forming apparatus including a sheet bonding apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention. The figure which shows schematic structure of the heating-pressing member of the said sheet | seat bonding apparatus. The figure which shows the structure of the toner layer for adhesion | attachment in the sheet | seat adhere | attached with the said sheet | seat bonding apparatus. The figure which shows the structure of the toner layer for adhesion | attachment in the sheet | seat adhere | attached with the sheet | seat bonding apparatus which concerns on the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. The figure which shows the structure of the toner layer for adhesion | attachment in the sheet | seat adhere | attached with the sheet | seat bonding apparatus which concerns on the 3rd Embodiment of this invention. 1 is a diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of a conventional printer. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a position where an adhesive toner layer formed on a sheet is formed. The figure explaining the schematic structure of the conventional sheet bonding apparatus. The perspective view explaining the sheet bonding operation of the conventional sheet bonding apparatus. The figure explaining the formation position of the conventional toner layer for adhesion | attachment.

Explanation of symbols

1 Printer Main Body 50 Station 100 Sheet Bonding Device 114 Heating and Pressing Member 115 Pressing Member 116 Heating and Pressing Member 117 Toner Layer S Sheet X Longitudinal End Area Y Longitudinal Central Area

Claims (7)

A sheet bonding apparatus in which sheets are bonded together by heating and pressing the toner layer in a state where the sheets on which the toner layer for bonding is formed are overlapped,
A sheet bonding apparatus characterized in that a toner amount in a longitudinal end region is larger than a toner amount in a longitudinal central region, and the toner layer is heated and pressed to bond sheets together.   In the toner layer, the thickness of the longitudinal end region is made larger than the thickness of the longitudinal central region so that the toner amount in the longitudinal end region is larger than the toner amount in the longitudinal central region. The sheet bonding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein   The toner layer is formed of one or more colors of toner, and the longitudinal end region is larger than the longitudinal central region so that the longitudinal end region is thicker than the longitudinal central region. The sheet bonding apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the sheet bonding apparatus is formed of a plurality of color toners.   The toner layer is formed so that the width of the longitudinal end region is wider than the width of the longitudinal central region so that the amount of toner in the longitudinal end region is greater than the amount of toner in the longitudinal central region. The sheet bonding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the sheet bonding apparatus is provided.   The sheet bonding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the toner layer is intermittently formed.   An image forming unit that forms an image and an adhesive toner layer on a sheet, and the sheet bonding apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5 that bonds a sheet on which an image is formed in the image forming unit. An image forming apparatus. The image forming apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the image forming unit forms an image with the toner of one or a plurality of colors.

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