JP2005170646A - Image forming device, sheet folding device, and cutting device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image forming device, a sheet folding device, and a cutting device capable of alignment, folding and cutting a sheet in accordance with image standard, not sheet material standard. <P>SOLUTION: This image forming device consists of an image forming section, a detector, and a standard formation device. The image forming section prints out images and two image standard marks on a margin space in a sheet material. The detector detects the image standard mark, and the standard forming device forms standards of sheet folding or cutting based on the information obtained from the detector. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a sheet folding apparatus that performs a folding process on a sheet or a cutting apparatus that performs a cutting process, and an image forming apparatus including the same.

  As a conventional sheet folding apparatus, for example, the one shown in FIG. 12 is known. FIG. 12 shows a main part of the sheet folding apparatus.

  In FIG. 12, reference numerals 141 and 142 denote feed rollers, and the feed rollers 141 and 142 convey the sheet output from the image forming apparatus into the apparatus. Reference numerals 143 and 144 denote sheet guides, and the sheet is fed by the feed rollers 141 and 142 into a sheet conveyance path formed by the sheet guides 143 and 144. The leading edge of the sheet is regulated by a stopper 145 disposed in the middle of the sheet conveyance path.

  A hole 146 for allowing the sheet to pass therethrough is formed in the middle of the sheet conveying path, and a protruding plate 147 is disposed at a position facing the hole 146. The protruding plate 147 moves in parallel in the directions A and B in the drawing, and pushes the sheet into the hole 146 side.

  Folding rollers 148 and 149 are disposed in the sheet conveyance path that communicates with the hole 146. Among these, the folding roller 148 is pressed by a pressing mechanism (not shown) in the direction of the folding roller 149. The folding rollers 148 and 149 are configured to rotate in the direction of the arrow, and are disposed at a position C from the sheet guide 144. The sheet guide 144 is bent toward the folding rollers 148 and 149 in order to guide the sheet to the folding rollers 148 and 149.

  Next, how the sheet bundle is folded by such a conventional sheet folding apparatus will be described.

  The sheet output from the image forming apparatus is conveyed into the sheet guides 143 and 144 by the feed rollers 141 and 142. At this time, the distance C between the sheet guide 144 and the folding rollers 148 and 149 is sufficient so that the sheet being conveyed is not caught by the folding rollers 148 and 149. When a predetermined number of sheets are conveyed into the conveyance path, the folding operation starts.

Driving is applied to the folding rollers 148 and 149, and the folding rollers 148 and 149 rotate. Then, the protruding plate 147 moves in the A direction. Accordingly, the bundle of sheets stacked in the sheet guides 143 and 144 (in the sheet conveyance path) is guided to the nip of the folding rollers 148 and 149 by the protruding plate 147. The sheet bundle is sandwiched between the folding rollers 148 and 149 and is folded by the folding rollers 148 and 149 (see, for example, Patent Document 1).
JP 9-183565 A

  However, since the above-described conventional sheet folding apparatus of FIG. 12 is aligned by abutting the leading edge of the sheet material, when the image is shifted when the image is transferred to the sheet material, the image after folding the sheet Misalignment occurs. Also, with respect to the cutting, the leading edge of the sheet material is abutted and aligned, and the cutting is performed based on the uppermost sheet material that is overlapped, so that an image shift occurs except for the uppermost sheet material.

  Further, in order to improve the above problems, it is essential to suppress the deviation between the sheet material and the image, and a technique for improving the sheet material conveyance accuracy such as the image writing position accuracy and the registration / skew has been developed. However, the technology is delicate, and the limit is approaching in terms of stability as the speed increases in recent years. In addition, since it is necessary to add a sensor or the like for control, it is disadvantageous in terms of cost.

  Further, since the sheet material expands and contracts due to heat and pressure when the sheet material passes through the fixing device, it is impossible to fold and cut on the basis of the complete image standard in the alignment of the sheet material leading end abutment.

  In order to solve such a problem, an object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus, a sheet folding apparatus, and a cutting apparatus that can perform alignment, folding, and cutting based on an image standard instead of a sheet material standard.

  The present invention can solve the above problems by providing the following configuration.

  (1) In an image forming apparatus having a sheet folding device or a cutting device, an image forming unit that prints two image reference marks simultaneously with an image on a blank portion on a sheet material, detection means for detecting the image reference marks, and the detection An image forming apparatus comprising reference forming means for forming a reference for sheet folding or cutting processing based on information obtained by the means.

  (2) The image forming apparatus according to (1), wherein the reference forming unit is a movable punch unit that forms a plurality of holes at predetermined positions of an image reference.

  (3) The image forming apparatus according to (1) or (2), wherein the plurality of holes are a round hole and an oblong hole, and are arranged with a constant interval.

  (4) The image forming apparatus according to (1) or (2), wherein the stacking unit stacks a plurality of sheet materials, and the stacking unit includes a plurality of pins provided at the same interval as the plurality of holes. apparatus.

  (5) Any one of (1), (2), and (4), wherein the pin has a tapered tip, reciprocates in the axial direction, and moves according to the sheet material size. Image forming apparatus.

  (6) An image forming unit that prints two image reference marks at the same time as an image on a blank portion on a sheet material, a detection unit that detects the image reference mark, and a sheet folding or cutting process based on information obtained by the detection unit A sheet folding apparatus comprising reference forming means for forming a reference.

  (7) The sheet folding apparatus according to (6), wherein the reference forming unit is a movable punch unit that forms a plurality of holes at predetermined positions of an image reference.

  (8) The sheet folding device according to (6) or (7), wherein the plurality of holes are a round hole and an oblong hole, and are arranged with a constant interval.

  (9) The sheet folding according to (6) or (7), wherein the sheet folding unit includes a stacking unit configured to stack a plurality of sheet materials, and a plurality of pins provided at the same interval as the plurality of holes in the stacking unit. apparatus.

  (10) Any one of (6), (7), and (9) is characterized in that the pin has a tapered tip, reciprocates in the axial direction, and moves according to the sheet material size. Sheet folding device.

  (11) An image forming unit that prints two image reference marks at the same time as an image on a blank portion on a sheet material, a detection unit that detects the image reference mark, and a sheet folding or cutting process based on information obtained by the detection unit A cutting apparatus having a reference forming means for forming a reference.

  (12) The cutting apparatus according to (11), wherein the reference forming unit is a movable punch unit that forms a plurality of holes at predetermined positions of an image reference.

  (13) The cutting apparatus according to (11) or (12), wherein the plurality of holes are a round hole and an oblong hole, and are arranged with a constant interval.

  (14) The cutting apparatus according to (11) or (12), wherein a stacking unit that stacks a plurality of sheet materials, and a plurality of pins provided at the same interval as the plurality of holes in the stacking unit. .

  (15) Any one of (11), (12), and (14), wherein the pin has a tapered tip, reciprocates in an axial direction, and moves according to a sheet material size. Cutting device.

  According to the present invention, even when the sheet material and the image are transferred out of alignment, alignment can be performed on the basis of the image, so that folding and cutting can be performed accurately. Further, since the sheet material and the image alignment accuracy are not required, the sheet material conveyance accuracy such as the image writing accuracy and the registration skew may be rough, and there is no concern about the conveyance stability due to the high speed. Moreover, the cost increase due to the addition of an extra sensor is eliminated.

  Furthermore, since the image after fixing is used as a reference, there is no concern about deformation of the sheet material due to heat and pressure when passing through the fixing device.

  Hereinafter, the best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described in detail with reference to examples.

  An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. However, the dimensions, materials, shapes, relative arrangements, and the like of the components described in this embodiment are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention only to those unless otherwise specified. . FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a conventional full-color image forming apparatus (full-color copying machine in the figure) having an in-line type intermediate transfer member in an electrophotographic system.

  The image forming apparatus includes a printer unit A and a reader unit B. The printer unit A includes an image forming unit 1Y that forms a yellow image, an image forming unit 1M that forms a magenta image, and a cyan color. The image forming unit 1C for forming the image and the image forming unit 1Bk for forming the black image are provided. The four image forming units 1Y, 1M, 1C, 1Bk is arranged in a line at regular intervals.

  Each of the image forming units 1Y, 1M, 1C, and 1Bk is provided with drum-type electrophotographic photosensitive members (hereinafter referred to as photosensitive drums) 2a, 2b, 2c, and 2d as image carriers. Around each photosensitive drum 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d, there are primary chargers 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d, developing devices 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d, transfer blades 5a, 5b, 5c, 5d as transfer means, The exposure devices 7a, 7b, 7c, and 7d are installed above the primary chargers 3a, 3b, 3c, and 3d and the developing devices 4a, 4b, 4c, and 4d, respectively.

  Each developing device 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d contains yellow toner, cyan toner, magenta toner, and black toner, respectively.

  Each of the photosensitive drums 2a, 2b, 2c, and 2d is a negatively charged OPC photosensitive member having a photoconductive layer on an aluminum drum base, and is driven in a direction indicated by an arrow (counterclockwise in the figure) by a driving device (not shown). Direction) at a predetermined process speed.

  The primary chargers 3a, 3b, 3c, and 3d as primary charging means uniformly distribute the surfaces of the photosensitive drums 2a, 2b, 2c, and 2d to a predetermined negative potential by a charging bias applied from a charging bias power source (not shown). Is charged.

  Each of the developing devices 4a, 4b, 4c, and 4d contains toner, and develops a toner image by attaching each color toner to each electrostatic latent image formed on each photosensitive drum 2a, 2b, 2c, and 2d. Visualization).

  The transfer blades 5a, 5b, 5c, and 5d as transfer means are constituted by elastic members, and each photosensitive member passes through an endless belt-like intermediate transfer member (hereinafter referred to as an intermediate transfer belt) 8 at each primary transfer nip portion. It abuts on the drums 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d. The intermediate transfer belt 8 is stretched between the driving roller 9, the secondary transfer counter roller 10, and the tension roller 11, and is rotated (moved) in the direction of arrow A (clockwise direction in the drawing) by the driving roller 9. The The intermediate transfer belt 8 is made of a dielectric resin such as a polycarbonate, a polyethylene terephthalate resin film, a polyvinylidene fluoride resin film, or the like.

  The secondary transfer counter roller 10 is in contact with the secondary transfer roller 12 via the intermediate transfer belt 8 to form a secondary transfer portion. A belt cleaning device 13 that removes and collects the transfer residual toner T ″ remaining on the surface of the intermediate transfer belt 8 is installed outside the intermediate transfer belt 8 and in the vicinity of the tension roller 11. A fixing device 16 having a fixing roller 16a and a pressure roller 16b is installed on the downstream side in the conveyance direction of the transfer material P.

  The exposure devices 7a, 7b, 7c, and 7d are configured by LEDs that emit light corresponding to time-series electric digital pixel signals of image information input from the reader unit B, and each photosensitive drum 2a, 2b, 2c, and 2d. , The electrostatic latent images of the respective colors corresponding to the image information are formed on the surfaces of the photosensitive drums 2a, 2b, 2c, and 2d charged by the primary chargers 3a, 3b, 3c, and 3d.

  The reader unit B has a scanning unit 22 that irradiates and scans an image of a document (not shown), and scanning light (reflected light from the document) from the operation unit 22 passes through an optical lens system 23. It is input to the CCD 24, converted into an electrical signal, subjected to processing such as color separation, and input to each exposure device 7a, 7b, 7c, 7d of the printer unit A.

  Next, an image forming operation by the above-described image forming apparatus will be described.

  When the image formation start signal is issued, the photosensitive drums 2a, 2b, 2c, and 2d of the image forming units 1Y, 1M, 1C, and 1Bk that are rotationally driven at a predetermined process speed are respectively connected to the primary chargers 3a, 3b, 3c and 3d are uniformly negatively charged. The exposure devices 7a, 7b, 7c and 7d irradiate the color-separated image signal input from the reader unit B from the LED, and electrostatic latent images of the respective colors in the respective photosensitive drums 2a, 2b, 2c and 2d. Form.

  First, yellow toner is attached to the electrostatic latent image formed on the photosensitive drum 2a by the developing device 4a to which a developing bias having the same polarity as the charging polarity (negative polarity) of the photosensitive drum 2a is applied. Visualize as an image. This yellow toner image is rotated (moved) by a transfer blade 5a to which a primary transfer bias (a polarity opposite to that of toner (positive polarity)) is applied at a primary transfer portion between the photosensitive drum 2a and the transfer blade 5a. Primary transfer is performed on the intermediate transfer belt 8.

  The intermediate transfer belt 8 onto which the yellow toner image has been transferred is rotated (moved) toward the image forming unit 1M. Also in the image forming unit 1M, the magenta toner image formed on the photosensitive drum 2b in the same manner as described above is superimposed on the yellow toner image on the intermediate transfer belt 8 and transferred by the primary transfer unit. .

  In the same manner, cyan and black toner images formed by the photosensitive drums 2c and 2d of the image forming portions 1C and 1Bk on the yellow and magenta toner images superimposed and transferred onto the intermediate transfer belt 8 are respectively transferred to the primary transfer. A full-color toner image T is formed on the intermediate transfer belt 8 by superimposing them sequentially at the portions.

  At this time, two image reference marks 30 (here, crosses) are formed at predetermined positions of the toner image T (FIG. 2). Since the image reference mark 30 is a part of the image data, even if the sheet material P and the image are shifted as shown in FIG.

  Then, in accordance with the timing at which the front end of the full color toner image on the intermediate transfer belt 8 is moved to the secondary transfer portion between the secondary transfer counter roller 10 and the secondary transfer roller 12, the paper feed cassettes 17 a and 17 b or the manual feed tray. The sheet material P selected from 20 and fed through the conveyance path 18 is conveyed to the secondary transfer portion by the registration roller 19. Full-color toner images are collectively secondary-transferred to the sheet material P conveyed to the secondary transfer portion by the secondary transfer roller 12 to which a secondary transfer bias (opposite polarity (positive polarity) to the toner) is applied. .

  The secondary transfer addition toner T ″ and the like remaining on the intermediate transfer belt 8 is removed and collected by the belt cleaning device 13.

  The sheet material P on which the full-color toner image is formed is conveyed to the fixing device 16, and the full-color toner image is heated and pressed at the fixing nip portion between the fixing roller 16 a and the pressure roller 16 b to form the surface of the sheet material P. After heat fixing, the sheet is sent to a sheet post-processing device 28 (a sheet folding device, a cutting device, etc.) for folding and cutting.

  Details of the folding / cutting unit 29 in FIG. 1 are shown in FIGS. 3 to 11, and operations from fixing to folding / cutting will be described.

  The image reference mark 30 is read by the detection means 32 for detecting the position of the image reference mark 30 (FIG. 3), the exact position of the image after fixing is calculated, and the predetermined position of the blank portion 31 of the sheet material P is calculated by the punch means 35. Punch holes (round hole 33, oblong hole 34). The punch means 35 has a round pin 36 and an elongated round pin 37 arranged with a distance D. The punch means 35 is moved in parallel with the transport unit and rotated around the round pin 36 by a driving source (not shown). It is positioned at the position. In addition, the precision of matching becomes high by comprising the space | interval D as wide as possible (FIG. 4).

  The image reference mark 30 may be formed in parallel with the transport direction. In the case of this configuration, the detection means 32 can be provided in one place. After detecting the image reference mark 30 on the downstream side in the transport direction, a punch hole is opened. However, after the image reference mark 30 on the upstream side in the conveyance direction is detected by the detection unit 32, there is a possibility that a deviation may occur when the sheet material P is conveyed to the image reference mark 30 on the downstream side in the conveyance direction. Only when accuracy is not required (FIG. 5).

  The sheet material P in which the punch holes 33 and 34 are opened is sent to the stacking unit. The sheet guide 44 is provided with a pin unit 51 having two pins 50 arranged at the same interval D as the punch holes 33 and 34, and the punch holes 33 and 34 of the sheet material P are engaged with the pins 50. The plurality of sheet materials P are aligned on the basis of the image. At this time, since the punch holes 33 and 34 are difficult to enter the pin 50 when the pin 50 is fixed, the tip of the pin 50 is tapered, and the sheet is reciprocated E in the axial direction by a driving source (not shown). The material P is drawn into the pin 50 (FIG. 6).

  In order to prevent the sheet material P from floating after the punch holes 33 and 34 of the sheet material P are engaged with the pin 50, the auxiliary member 52 is disposed in the vicinity of the pin 50. In this embodiment, an elastic body (such as rubber) is rotated, and the sheet material P is struck and pressed against the sheet guide 44 (FIG. 7).

  After the sheet material P is pressed by the auxiliary member 52, the pin 50 is removed from the punch holes 33 and 34 by reciprocating motion to start the folding operation (FIG. 8).

  The pin unit 51 is movable depending on the sheet material size. During the movement, the pin 50 is in a retracted state and is moved to a predetermined position by a driving source (not shown) (FIG. 9).

  Further, when there are a plurality of sheet material sizes and it is difficult to move due to the configuration, a method may be used in which the pin unit 51 is arranged at a location for each sheet material size and only the pins 50 to be used are reciprocated (FIG. 10).

  Side cutters 53 that can move according to the image area are arranged on both sides (only one side is shown in the figure), and the sides of the sheet material P are cut at the same time as they are drawn into the folding rollers 48 and 49. After the cutting, the sheet material P is fed by the conveying rollers 59 and 60 and the leading end is cut by the cutter 56 until the folding position of the sheet material P is positioned on the auxiliary rollers 57 and 58. The sheet material P is brought into contact with the auxiliary rollers 57 and 58, or the pulling amount is changed to correspond to the sheet material size (FIG. 11).

  The image forming apparatus described above is a four-drum intermediate transfer body type, but the image forming method is not limited to this. The punching unit 35 is provided on the sheet post-processing device 28 side. However, the punching unit 35 may be provided on the image forming device side after the fixing to the stacking unit.

Sectional view of a copying machine as an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment Illustration of image reference mark Illustration of sensor Explanatory drawing of punch means Illustration of sensor Illustration for alignment Explanatory drawing of auxiliary member Illustration of folding operation Illustration for sheet size Illustration for sheet size Illustration of cutting operation Figure showing a conventional example of folding operation

Explanation of symbols

28 Sheet post-processing device 29 Folding / cutting unit 30 Image reference mark 31 Margin portion 32 Sensor 33 Punch hole (round hole)
34 Punch hole (Oval hole)
35 Punch means 36 Round shaped pin 37 Long round shaped pins 41, 42, 141, 142 Feed rollers 43, 44, 143, 144 Sheet guide 145 Stopper 46, 146 Hole 47, 147 Ejection plates 48, 49, 148, 149 Folding roller 50 Pin 51 Pin unit 52 Auxiliary member 53 Side cutter 54, 55 Guide plate 56 Cutter 57, 58 Auxiliary roller 59, 60 Conveying roller

Claims (15)

  In an image forming apparatus having a sheet folding device or a cutting device, an image forming unit that prints two image reference marks simultaneously with an image on a margin portion on a sheet material, a detection unit that detects the image reference mark, and a detection unit An image forming apparatus comprising reference forming means for forming a reference for sheet folding or cutting processing based on the received information.   2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the reference forming unit is a movable punch unit that forms a plurality of holes at a predetermined position of an image reference.   3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of holes are a round hole and an oblong hole, and are arranged with a constant interval.   3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a stacking unit configured to stack a plurality of sheet materials; and a plurality of pins provided at the same interval as the plurality of holes in the stacking unit.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the pin has a tapered tip, reciprocates in an axial direction, and moves according to a sheet material size.   An image forming unit that prints two image reference marks at the same time as an image in a margin portion on a sheet material, a detection unit that detects the image reference mark, and a reference for sheet folding or cutting processing based on information obtained by the detection unit A sheet folding apparatus having reference forming means for performing   7. The sheet folding apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the reference forming unit is a movable punch unit that forms a plurality of holes at a predetermined position of an image reference.   The sheet folding apparatus according to claim 6 or 7, wherein the plurality of holes are round holes and oblong holes, and are arranged with a constant interval.   8. The sheet folding apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising: a stacking unit configured to stack a plurality of sheet materials; and a plurality of pins provided at the same interval as the plurality of holes in the stacking unit.   10. The sheet folding apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the pin has a tapered tip, reciprocates in an axial direction, and moves according to a sheet material size.   An image forming unit that prints two image reference marks at the same time as an image in a margin portion on a sheet material, a detection unit that detects the image reference mark, and a reference for sheet folding or cutting processing based on information obtained by the detection unit A cutting apparatus characterized by having a reference forming means.   12. The cutting apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the reference forming unit is a movable punch unit that forms a plurality of holes at a predetermined position of an image reference.   The cutting device according to claim 11 or 12, wherein the plurality of holes are round holes and oblong holes, and are arranged with a constant interval.   13. The cutting apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising: a stacking unit configured to stack a plurality of sheet materials; and a plurality of pins provided at the same interval as the plurality of holes in the stacking unit.   The cutting device according to any one of claims 11, 12, and 14, wherein the pin has a tapered tip, reciprocates in an axial direction, and moves according to a sheet material size.

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