JP2006089237A - After-treatment mechanism - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an after-treatment mechanism of an image forming device capable of loading paper bundles bound at the same position without being displaced from each other when the paper bundles are delivered to a paper delivery tray and loaded, enabling the loaded paper bundles to be stably aligned irrespective of the thicknesses of the paper bundles, capable of forming easily separable loaded paper bundles also in a later distribution operation, and capable of also coping with both face up and face down paper delivery systems. <P>SOLUTION: This after-treatment mechanism of the image forming device comprises a binding means 14 arranging and binding the paper bundles 15 formed of multiple sheets of transfer paper delivered from an image forming part and a carrying means delivering the transfer paper 5 to a paper delivery tray 8. The mechanism also comprises an inverse mechanism inverting the transfer paper upside down and delivering it for each paper bundle 15 following the delivery of paper by the carrying means and a displacement mechanism displacing, according to the inversion of the transfer paper upside down, the binding position of the paper bundles by the binding means 14 in a direction crossing perpendicularly to the carrying direction without changing the binding position in the carrying direction. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention provides post-processing of an image forming apparatus, comprising: a binding unit that aligns and binds a bundle of sheets of a plurality of transfer sheets discharged from an image forming unit; and a transport unit that discharges the transfer sheet to a discharge tray. Regarding the mechanism.

Conventionally, as a post-processing mechanism of an image forming apparatus (such as a copying machine, a printer, a facsimile, or a complex machine of these), a plurality of transfer sheets on which images are transferred by the image forming apparatus and discharged to the outside are temporarily used. An intermediate tray for storing the paper, a binding means for performing a predetermined binding process such as a stapling process on the transfer paper bundle on the intermediate tray, and a transport means for transporting the transfer paper to the paper discharge tray. is there.
In such a post-processing mechanism, when a predetermined number of transfer sheets constituting one sheet bundle are discharged from the image forming apparatus onto the intermediate tray, a binding process is performed on the transfer sheet bundle, and the binding is performed. The processed transfer sheet bundle is discharged from the intermediate tray and sequentially stacked on the discharge tray.
When stacking paper bundles sequentially on the paper discharge tray, if the paper bundles are stacked as they are, the periphery of the binding portion subjected to the stapling process and the like is extremely raised, which hinders subsequent stacking of the paper bundles. For this reason, conventionally, there has been reported a method of stacking paper bundles so that the binding portions do not overlap each other (see, for example, Patent Document 1). In particular, a stapler has also been reported that has a configuration in which the stapler body can be controlled to be reversed in order to make the direction of the staple needle the same on both the front and back image surfaces (see, for example, Patent Document 2).

Japanese Patent No. 2531751 Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 8-143211

However, in the above-described conventional example, the stack of sheets stapled at the same position are shifted and stacked with each other, so that the alignment is poor and an extra space is also required for the discharge tray. In particular, when stacking a small number of paper bundles with a small number of sheets, there is a possibility that the stapled portion of the discharged paper bundle may be caught by the stapled portion of the succeeding paper bundle, and there is a problem that the consistency after stacking becomes worse.
Also, even if the paper bundles are stacked while being shifted from each other so that the staple portions do not overlap, if the paper bundles stapled at the same position are always loaded, for example, with the surface facing up, the entire paper bundle after loading If you look at, the staple position side will rise and the balance will be poor, so the paper bundle will tend to collapse.
In addition, when carrying paper stacks that are shifted from each other, sometimes they are carried after being aligned with the corners aligned, so in that case it is difficult to carry because the periphery of the staple part rises extremely, In addition, when separating and distributing them, there has also been a problem that the stapling units are caught by each other and bother the work.
Note that some image forming apparatuses have both face-up and face-down paper discharge methods, and the staple needle orientation is the same on both the front and back image surfaces corresponding to such an apparatus. There are also reports on staplers that can be reversed, but they are stapled at opposite positions in the paper width direction, and the staple position cannot be the same on both the front and back image planes. Conventionally, there has been no post-processing apparatus capable of handling such double-sided paper discharge.
The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and when stacking paper bundles that have been bound at the same position onto a paper discharge tray, the paper bundles can be stacked without any trouble without shifting their positions. In addition, the stacked paper bundle is stable and consistent regardless of the thickness of the paper bundle, forms a stacked paper bundle that can be easily separated in the subsequent distribution work, and discharges both face-up and face-down. In addition, a post-processing mechanism for an image forming apparatus that can cope with the above is also provided.

  The first characteristic configuration of the present invention is an image including a binding unit that aligns and binds a bundle of a plurality of transfer sheets discharged from the image forming unit, and a transport unit that discharges the transfer sheet to a discharge tray. A post-processing mechanism of the forming apparatus, the reversing mechanism for reversing the front and back of the transfer paper for each paper bundle as the paper is ejected by the conveying means; and the binding means for reversing the front and back And a displacement mechanism for displacing the binding position of the paper bundle in a direction orthogonal to the transport direction without changing the position in the transport direction.

[Action and effect]
A binding unit that aligns and binds a bundle of sheets of a plurality of transfer sheets discharged from the image forming unit and a transfer unit that discharges the transfer sheets to a discharge tray are provided. Thus, it is not necessary to sort the plurality of discharged transfer sheets for each sheet bundle, and the work can be speeded up.
In addition, a reversing mechanism for reversing the front and back of the transfer paper for each paper bundle as the paper is ejected by the transporting means, and a binding position of the paper bundle by the binding means in the transport direction as the front and back are reversed. It is equipped with a displacement mechanism that displaces in the direction perpendicular to the transport direction without changing, so that the stack of paper is alternately stacked with its front and back reversed, and the binding position is the appearance when discharged Appear to be applied at different positions in the paper width direction of the paper bundle, but the actual binding position is the same in any paper bundle.
Therefore, even if the stack of paper is not shifted and stacked, the binding portions do not overlap at one place, so there is no need to provide extra space for the discharge tray, and there is also an extreme swell due to the overlapping binding portions. Therefore, it is possible to stack a stack of paper sequentially without any trouble, and the stack of paper after stacking is stable and difficult to collapse.
Further, as described above, it is not necessary to stack the stack of papers with respect to each other, and even if the thickness of the paper bundle is thin, the binding portion of the subsequent paper bundle is caught by the binding portion of the previous paper bundle. Since there is nothing, the stack of paper after stacking shows good consistency.
Therefore, the stacked paper bundle is convenient to carry, and the binding portions do not come into contact with each other and are not caught, so that they can be easily separated at the time of distribution.
The second characteristic configuration of the present invention is that the binding means is a stapler, and is provided with a stapler reversing means that flips up and down in accordance with the displacement of the binding position.
[Action and effect]
Since the binding means is a stapler, it is possible to easily and reliably bind a bundle of paper. Furthermore, since a stapler reversing means is provided that flips up and down in accordance with the displacement of the binding position, the direction of the staples can always be made constant even in a stack of paper stacked with its front and back reversed alternately. In addition, as described above, since the position of the staple portion is the same, it is possible to cope with both face-up and face-down paper discharge methods.
According to a third feature of the present invention, when the paper bundle that has been bound by the binding means is discharged to the paper discharge tray, the paper bundle is not overlapped with the binding portion of the paper bundle that has been discharged immediately before. On the other hand, there is provided a stacking position changing means for alternately stacking the stack of sheets in a direction orthogonal to the stack.
[Action and effect]
Since the bound portion of the discharged paper bundle and the next discharged paper stack are stacked so as not to overlap each other, the next paper to be discharged to the bound portion of the discharged paper bundle The front end of the bundle is not caught, and the stacking can be performed more smoothly and with a certain degree of consistency. In addition, the thickness of the paper stack after stacking can be reduced compared to the case of stacking without shifting, and more stable because there is no height deviation in both the paper width direction and the direction perpendicular thereto. It is also possible to stack more paper bundles.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

Embodiment
FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram schematically showing a copying machine to which the present invention is applied. As shown in FIG. 1, a copying machine main body 1 performs optical writing on an optical system zone 2 for reading an original image, a photoconductor as an image carrier, a charging device for charging the photoconductor, and a charged photoconductor. A writing unit for forming an electrostatic latent image corresponding to an image read by the reading unit, a developing unit for supplying toner of each color to the electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive member to form a toner image, and a fed transfer sheet An image forming zone 3 having a transfer unit for transferring a toner image to the image forming zone 3 and a post-processing device 4 for stacking transfer paper bundles 6 by aligning and binding the transfer paper 5 discharged from the copying machine main body. The post-processing device 4 is provided adjacent to the side surface of the image forming zone 3.
A discharge roller 7 is provided in the transfer paper discharge portion 9 of the image forming zone 3. In the post-processing device 4, a discharge tray 8 is provided on the left side in FIG. 1, and an inlet guide plate 16 corresponding to the end of the transfer paper transport path 10 is provided on the right side to project the transfer paper discharge section in the image forming zone 3. 9 is connected. A drive-side inlet roller 17 and a driven-side inlet roller 18 are provided on the downstream side in the transfer paper conveyance direction, and the transfer paper conveyance path 10 extending directly to the paper discharge tray 8 side is formed in a substantially “shi” shape in the drawing. A reversing conveyance path extending to the reversing tray 20 (hereinafter referred to as “reversing path 19”) and a switching claw 21 for switching the conveying direction are installed at the curved lower end portion, and a reversing roller is disposed below the reversing roller. 22 and a reversing claw 23 are provided. A reversing guide plate 24, a conveying roller 25, and a hitting roller 26 are provided below the reversing roller 22.
A paper discharge roller 27, a driven roller 28, and a paper discharge guide 29 are arranged along the transfer paper conveyance path 10 extending in the up-down direction in the post-processing device 4.
Here, as a discharge mode of the transfer sheet 5 in the present embodiment, a face-up discharge mode in which the sheet discharged by the discharge roller 7 of the image forming zone 3 is conveyed to the intermediate tray 11 as it is (face-up). There are two types of modes, a face-down paper discharge mode for carrying the paper upside down.
(1) Face-up discharge mode When the leading edge of the transfer paper 5 comes to the discharge roller 7 of the image forming zone 3, the post-processing device 4 indicates that the control unit of the copier body 1 discharges paper in the face-up discharge mode. Sent to. In this mode, the transfer paper 5 is guided to the entrance rollers 17 and 18 driven by the first drive means by the entrance guide plate 16. At this time, a switching claw solenoid (not shown) for operating the switching claw 21 is turned on, the switching claw 21 is in a solid line position (A position), and each paper discharge driven by the second driving means is the transfer paper 5. The paper is guided in the direction of the roller 27, passes through the transfer paper conveyance path 10, and is discharged onto the intermediate tray 11 along the paper discharge guide 29.
(2) Face-down paper discharge mode In the face-down paper discharge mode, when the leading edge of the transfer paper 5 comes to the discharge roller 7 in the image forming zone 3, the control unit of the copying machine main body 1 calls the face-down paper discharge mode. Information is sent to the post-processing device 4. The transfer paper 5 is guided to the entrance rollers 17 and 18 by the entrance guide plate 16. At this time, the switching claw solenoid for operating the switching claw 21 is off, the switching claw 21 is in the dotted line position (B position), and the transfer paper 5 is composed of a reversing claw 23 and a reversing roller 22 to perform a reversing operation. Enter the wedge-shaped part. Note that the tip of the reversing claw 23 is set so as to overlap the reversing roller 22 and is pressed in the counterclockwise direction so that it can be rotated clockwise so as not to obstruct the entry of the transfer paper 5. It is attached to become. As a result, the transfer paper 5 is conveyed along the reversing guide plate 24 through the reversing path 19 to the reversing tray 20 side by the conveying force generated by the reversing rollers 22 and the reversing claws 23.
Next, when the rear end of the transfer paper 5 comes out of the portion in contact with the reversing roller 22 and the reversing claw 23, the reversing claw 23 is pressed in the counterclockwise direction to the position of the solid line from the dotted line position (C position). D position) and a reversing sensor (not shown) is turned on, a reversing solenoid (not shown) for driving the tapping roller 26 is turned on based on the signal, and the tapping roller 26 is in the position of the solid line ( The transfer sheet 5 is moved from the position E to the position of the dotted line (F position) in contact with the transport roller 25 driven at high speed by the second drive means. Back) and conveyed upward (in the direction of the intermediate tray 11) at high speed along the reversing claw 23, and discharged to the intermediate tray 11 as reversed paper discharge from each paper discharge roller 27 driven at high speed by the second driving means. Is done.
FIG. 2 shows a process of stacking a predetermined number of transfer sheets to be discharged onto the intermediate tray 11, collecting them into a sheet bundle, performing a binding process, and stacking them on the discharge tray 8.
The intermediate tray 11 is provided so as to have an upward gradient along the paper discharge direction (see FIG. 1), and further, a width adjusting member 12 and a bundle pressing member 13 are provided thereon.
The width adjusting members 12 are arranged at two positions in the transfer paper width direction, and can be moved in the transfer paper width direction by driving the motor, respectively, align the transfer paper 5 in the same direction, and the paper bundle 15 is also accurate in the same direction. It is possible to shift well.
Further, the bundle pressing member 13 is disposed so as to be positioned between the two width adjusting members 12, and can be moved in both the transfer paper width direction and the conveyance direction by motor driving. The transfer sheet 5 is moved in accordance with the movement of the width adjusting member 12 to align the transfer sheet 5 in the sheet discharge direction, and the sheet bundle 15 can be accurately shifted in the sheet discharge direction. The transfer sheet 5 and the sheet bundle 15 are discharged. It is also possible to push out onto the paper tray 8.
The binding means 14 (for example, a staple unit) is movable in the transfer paper width direction on a rail installed on the upper side of the intermediate tray 11. In the case of a sheet bundle discharged in the face-up mode, as shown in FIGS. 2A to 2D, the binding means 14 moves to the left side in the discharge direction and performs left-side binding from the surface. In the case of a bundle of sheets that are reversed and discharged in the face-down mode, as shown in FIGS. 2E to 2G, the binding means 14 moves to the right in the discharge direction and the right-side binding is performed from the back side. I do. 2 (a) to 2 (g) are stacked on the discharge tray 8 with their corners aligned as shown in FIG. 2 (h). In the case of a post-processing apparatus that can selectively use a so-called doggytail function that can be stacked and sorted alternately at each time, a bundle of paper that has been discharged immediately before as shown in FIGS. Since the sheets can be discharged so as not to overlap with the binding portion (staple portion) H, they are stacked on the discharge tray 8 in a state of being alternately shifted as shown in FIG.
FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the procedure of the control operation of the post-processing mechanism in the present embodiment. When copying is started by setting the number of transfer sheets (C) and the number of copies (K) of the sheet bundle in advance, the face-up mode is activated first, C is counted and transferred onto the intermediate tray 11. The paper is once collected. When C reaches a predetermined number, the left-side binding is performed from the front surface by the binding means 14, K is counted, and is stacked on the paper discharge tray 8. If K has not yet reached the predetermined number of copies, C is once reset, this time the face down mode is activated, and the transfer paper is reversed and discharged. After that, as in the face-up mode, C is counted and once accumulated on the intermediate tray 11, and when C reaches a predetermined number, right-side binding is performed from the back by the binding means 14, and K is counted. . The above-described face-up mode and face-down mode are alternately repeated until K reaches a predetermined number of copies. When K reaches a predetermined number of copies, the count of K is reset and the process ends.
[Another embodiment]
4 to 5 show another embodiment of the post-processing mechanism of the image forming apparatus according to the present invention. Here, when the face-up mode and the face-down mode are alternately repeated, the binding means 14 is interlocked therewith. A stapler reversing means that reverses the (stapler) is used.

FIG. 5 shows the internal structure (side view) of the binding means 14 of another embodiment. Here, the binding means 14 includes a rotating shaft 30 having a male screw groove, a binding portion (for example, a stapler) 31, and a gear box 32. In the gear box 32, a large rack gear 34, a small rack gear 35, a clutch 36 and a reversing shaft 42 are supported so as to be interlocked, and the end of the reversing shaft 42 is fixed to the back surface of the closing portion 31. Is engaged on a rack 33 that is installed and fixed in the width direction of the transfer paper above the intermediate tray 11. Two transmission-type sensors 37 and 38 are provided on the outer side surface portion of the gear box 32 in the vertical direction, and are connected to the clutch 36 and the wiring 41, respectively. In the transmissive sensors 37 and 38, a light projecting unit 44 and a light receiving unit 45 are provided in a U-shape as a set up and down, and light is always transmitted therethrough. The back surface of the binding portion 31 is also provided with two shielding projections 39 and 40 in the vertical direction.
Here, according to FIGS. 4A and 4B, a mechanism (vertical reversing mechanism) in which the binding unit 31 is turned upside down when the binding unit 14 moves on the intermediate tray 11 in the transfer paper width direction will be described.
The rotary shaft 30 is supported in the post-processing device 4 so as to be rotatable in both directions. When a control for reversing the binding unit 31 is given to the post-processing device 4 from the control unit of the copier body 1, the rotary shaft 30 is rotated. 30 rotates in a predetermined direction by a motor drive. Inside the gear box 32, a female screw portion 43 that is screwed onto the rotary shaft 30 is fixed, and the gear box 32 moves on the rack 33 in either the left or right direction along with the rotational drive of the rotary shaft 30 in a predetermined direction. .
Along with the movement of the gear box 32, the large rack gear 34 engaged on the rack 33 rotates, and the rotational power is transmitted to the reversing shaft 42 via the small rack gear 35. As shown in FIG. Invert the degree. Then, during the reversing operation of the binding portion 31, clutch control is performed by the transmission type sensors 37 and 38. For example, when binding a bundle of transfer sheets 5 that are normally discharged in the face-up mode, the gear box 32 is stapled leftward in the discharge direction by the rotation of the rotary shaft 30 as shown in FIG. When the binding portion 31 is reversed and the upper shielding protrusion 39 on the back surface of the binding portion 31 is inserted into the concave portion of the upper transmission type sensor 37 and the transmission of the sensor light is blocked, the upper transmission is performed. The mold sensor 37 detects this, and sends a rotation stop command for the binding portion 31 and a signal indicating that the needle of the binding portion is located on the upper side to the clutch 36, whereby the clutch is released and rotational power is not transmitted to the binding portion 31. Inversion is complete. Further, for example, when binding a bundle of transfer sheets 5 that have been reversely discharged in the face-down mode, as shown in FIG. 4B, the gear box 32 moves to the right in the discharge direction by the reverse rotation of the rotary shaft 30. When the stapling portion 31 is reversed and the lower shielding protrusion 40 on the back surface of the binding portion 31 is inserted into the concave portion of the lower transmission sensor 38 and the transmission of the sensor light is blocked. The lower transmission type sensor 38 detects this, and sends a rotation stop command for the binding portion 31 and a signal indicating that the needle of the binding portion is positioned on the lower side to the clutch 36, whereby the clutch is released and the rotational power is transmitted to the binding portion. Inversion is completed without being transmitted to 31. Then, after the gear box 32 reaches a predetermined position, the paper bundle is stapled. In this alternative embodiment, the direction of the staples can be made constant at all times, and the position of the staple portion H is the same regardless of the face-up / face-down paper discharge method, as in the previous embodiment.
[Other Embodiments]
1. The post-processing mechanism of the present invention is not limited to use only in a copying machine, but may be used in other electronic devices such as a printer, a facsimile, or a complex machine of these.
2. The binding means of the post-processing mechanism of the present invention is not limited to a stapler, and any means can be applied as long as it can fix a bundle of paper together, such as punching and gluing.
3. The binding means of the post-processing mechanism of the present invention is configured to be movable in the transfer paper width direction, but is not limited to this. For example, a plurality of binding means are provided in advance in the transfer paper width direction to increase the width of the paper bundle. Accordingly, it is possible to adopt a configuration in which the binding means at the corresponding positions are used separately.

1 is a diagram showing the overall configuration of a copying machine to which the present invention is applied. Schematic diagram of the process from stacking transfer paper onto the intermediate tray to stacking the bound paper bundle on the output tray Schematic diagram of the process of selecting the dokey tail function and stacking a stack of paper on the output tray The schematic diagram which showed a mode that the binding part which concerns on another embodiment of this invention reversed. The schematic of the internal structure of the binding means which concerns on another embodiment of this invention. The flowchart which shows the control-operation procedure of the post-processing mechanism in embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Copy machine main body 2 Optical system zone 3 Image formation zone 4 Post-processing apparatus 5 Transfer paper 6 Transfer paper bundle 7 Discharge roller 8 Discharge tray 9 Transfer paper discharge part 10 Transfer paper conveyance path 11 Intermediate tray 12 Width adjustment member 13 Bundle push Member 14 Binding means 15 Paper bundle 16 Entrance guide plate 17 Entrance roller (drive side)
18 Entrance roller (driven side)
19 Reverse path 20 Reverse tray 21 Switching claw 22 Reverse roller 23 Reverse claw 24 Reverse guide plate 25 Transport roller 26 Tapping roller 27 Paper discharge roller 28 Driven roller 29 Paper discharge guide 30 Rotating shaft 31 Binding unit 32 Gear box 33 Rack 34 Rack gear size 35 Small rack gear 36 Clutch 37 Upper transmission type sensor 38 Lower transmission type sensor 39 Upper shielding projection 40 Lower shielding projection 41 Wiring 42 Reverse shaft 43 Female thread portion 44 Light projecting portion 45 Light receiving portion H Binding portion (staple portion)

Claims (3)

A post-processing mechanism for an image forming apparatus, comprising: a binding unit that aligns and binds a bundle of sheets of a plurality of transfer sheets discharged from an image forming unit; and a transport unit that discharges the transfer sheet to a discharge tray. ,
A reversing mechanism for reversing the front and back of the transfer paper for each paper bundle as the paper is ejected by the transport means, and a transport position of the binding position of the paper bundle by the binding means as the front and back are reversed. A post-processing mechanism for an image forming apparatus, comprising: a displacement mechanism that displaces in a direction orthogonal to the transport direction without changing a position in the direction.   The post-processing mechanism of the image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the binding unit is a stapler, and a stapler reversing unit that reverses up and down with displacement of the binding position is provided.   When the paper bundle bound by the binding means is discharged to the paper discharge tray, the paper bundle is placed in a direction perpendicular to the transport direction so as not to overlap with the binding portion of the paper bundle discharged immediately before. The post-processing mechanism of the image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a stacking position changing unit that shifts and stacks alternately.

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