JP2007076851A - Image forming system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To solve a problem wherein productivity is reduced because an interval of papers to be delivered from an image forming device must be left to ensure the time required for inversion if the time required for inversion is longer than an interval for inserting an insertion paper when insertion mode requiring inversion of the insertion paper is set. <P>SOLUTION: When it is determined that productivity is reduced due to inversion of the insertion paper, the insertion paper is not inverted to prevent reduction of productivity by urging a user to change the direction of loading of the insertion paper. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a paper processing apparatus corresponding to a paper type state to be placed on a paper processing apparatus, and a paper discharge unit that discharges an image-formed recording paper and an insertion paper in an arbitrary order.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a plurality of image formed sheets are combined to form a sheet set for bookbinding and the like, and a plurality of sheet sets are created. Some have a mode. In these modes, an insertion sheet different from the image-formed sheet as “front cover”, “interleaf”, or “back cover” is inserted into the first page, last page or intermediate page of the image-formed sheet. For this purpose, an insertion sheet is mixed so as to overlap with a plurality of sheets on which images are formed, thereby creating one sheet set.

  Regarding the processing mode of these insertion sheets, since the method of mixing the insertion paper can be performed by a simple sheet conveying operation, the number of inserted sheets (location) of sheets to be inserted into the image-formed sheet bundle, The number of inserted sheets can be arbitrarily set. For the sheet set in which the insertion sheet is inserted, in a post-processing device such as a finisher attached to the image forming apparatus, processing as a bundle, that is, bundle discharge processing, binding processing, folding processing, bookbinding Post-processing such as processing can be performed. Hereinafter, the operation mode for inserting the insertion sheet from the insertion sheet storage unit into the “front cover”, “interleaf”, and “back cover” is generally referred to as “interleaf mode”.

  As a method for supplying the insertion sheet, there is a method for supplying the insertion sheet by using one of a plurality of paper feed cassettes provided in the image forming apparatus. The insertion sheet is fed from the paper cassette to the same conveyance path as the sheet on which the sheet on which the image is formed is conveyed, and the fed insertion sheet is in the proper order with the sheet on which the image is formed via the conveyance path. In this way, a sheet set in which insertion paper is mixed is produced.

  Here, in the middle of the conveyance path, for example, in an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, a fixing unit for fixing a toner image to form an image on a sheet is arranged, so that an insertion sheet also forms an image. In the same manner as the sheet to be applied, the sheet is heated and pressed through the fixing unit. Here, when a color image print original is used as the insertion sheet, the quality of the printed image may be impaired due to heat and pressure when the insertion sheet passes through the fixing unit. In recent years, color images have increased with the spread of personal computers, and color copy paper / color print paper has been increasingly used as insertion paper. For this reason, there is a problem that the quality of bookbinding and the like bundled due to deterioration of the inserted paper is poor.

In view of this, an inserter for supplying insert paper is provided in a post-processing device such as a finisher attached to the image forming apparatus, and an apparatus for supplying insert paper without passing through the image forming apparatus has appeared. In addition, an apparatus that has a reversing mechanism and can place the insertion sheet on the inserter in a fixed direction has appeared (for example, see Patent Document 1).
JP 2001-3291 A

  In the above prior art, when an insertion mode such as a back cover is set, the insertion sheet is fed in advance and reversed, and then the insertion sheet is conveyed between predetermined sheets delivered from the image forming apparatus. However, when the interval for inserting the insertion sheet is short, the interval of the sheet delivered from the image forming apparatus is set in order to secure the time required for the reversal, which decreases productivity.

  The object of the present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and in order to achieve this object, the image forming apparatus, the recording paper output from the image forming apparatus, and the insertion paper inserted from the insert apparatus are conveyed, In an image forming system including the insert device for inserting the insertion sheet into a recording sheet, a document reading unit that reads an image of a document, and an insert type setting unit that sets a method of inserting the insertion sheet with respect to the recording sheet When the insert type setting that requires reversal is performed by the insert type setting unit after reading the document, the interval for inserting the insertion sheet and the insertion sheet are reversed and inserted. It is characterized by comprising display means for comparing the time required for the above and indicating to the user the placement direction of the insertion sheet.

  In addition, when the time required to insert and insert the insertion sheet is smaller than the interval for inserting the insertion sheet, the surface of the insertion sheet is placed upward, and when it is larger, the surface of the insertion sheet is placed downward. As described above, the display means displays.

  Further, the insert type setting means sets whether the insert sheet is a front cover, a slip sheet, or a back cover of a sheet bundle. If the insert sheet is set to the back cover by the insert type setting means, the inversion is performed. When the cover is set to cover or slip sheet, the reversing means is not used.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to prevent a decrease in productivity due to the inversion of the insertion sheet.

[First embodiment]
(overall structure)
FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing a longitudinal sectional structure of a main part of the image forming apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the image forming apparatus includes an image forming apparatus main body 10 and a finisher 500. The image forming apparatus main body 10 includes an image reader 200 that reads an image from a document and a printer 300 that forms the read image on a sheet.

  More specifically, the document feeder 100 is mounted on the image reader 200 of the image forming apparatus main body 10. The document feeder 100 feeds documents set upward on the document tray one by one from the first page in order to the left in FIG. 1, and flows from the left on the platen glass 102 through a curved path to a reading position. Then, the paper is conveyed to the right, and then discharged toward the external paper discharge tray 112. When the original passes through the plate reading position on the platen glass 102 from the left to the right, the original image is read by the scanner unit 104 held at a position corresponding to the flow reading position. This reading method is generally referred to as document scanning. Specifically, when the original passes through the reading position, the original reading surface is irradiated with the light from the lamp 103 of the scanner unit 104, and the reflected light from the original passes through the mirrors 105, 106, and 107 to the lens. To 108. The light that has passed through the lens 108 forms an image on the imaging surface of the image sensor 109.

  In this way, by transporting the document so that it passes from the left side to the right of the sink reading position, the document reading scan in which the direction orthogonal to the document transport direction is the main scanning direction and the transport direction is the sub-scanning direction. Is done. That is, when the document passes the flow reading position, the document image is read in the sub-scanning direction while reading the document image by the image sensor 109 line by line in the main scanning direction. The optically read image is converted into image data by the image sensor 109 and output. Image data output from the image sensor 109 is subjected to predetermined processing in an image signal control unit described later, and then input as a video signal to the exposure control unit 110 of the printer 300.

  Note that it is also possible to read a document by conveying the document onto the platen glass 102 by the document feeder 100 and stopping it at a predetermined position, and scanning the scanner unit 104 from left to right in this state. This reading method is a so-called fixed original reading method.

  When reading a document without using the document feeder 100, the user first lifts the document feeder 100 to place the document on the platen glass 102, and then scans the scanner unit 104 from left to right. The original is read by. That is, when reading a document without using the document feeder 100, a fixed document reading is performed.

  The exposure control unit 110 of the printer 300 modulates and outputs the laser beam based on the video signal input from the image reader 200. The laser light is irradiated onto the photosensitive drum 111 while being scanned by the polygon mirror 110a. An electrostatic latent image corresponding to the scanned laser beam is formed on the photosensitive drum 111. Here, as will be described later, the exposure control unit 110 outputs a laser beam so that a correct image (an image that is not a mirror image) is formed during document fixed reading. The electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive drum 111 is visualized as a developer image by the developer supplied from the developing device 113.

  On the other hand, sheets fed by the pickup rollers 127 and 128 from the upper cassette 114 or the lower cassette 115 provided in the printer 300 are conveyed to the registration rollers 126 by the sheet feeding rollers 129 and 130. When the leading edge of the sheet reaches the registration roller 126, the registration roller 126 is driven at an arbitrary timing, and the sheet is conveyed between the photosensitive drum 111 and the transfer unit 116 at a timing synchronized with the start of laser beam irradiation. To do. The developer image formed on the photosensitive drum 111 is transferred by the transfer unit 116 onto the fed paper. The sheet onto which the developer image has been transferred is conveyed to the fixing unit 117, and the fixing unit 117 fixes the developer image on the sheet by heating and pressurizing the sheet. The sheet that has passed through the fixing unit 117 is discharged from the printer 300 toward the outside of the image forming apparatus main body (finisher 500) through the flapper 121 and the discharge roller 118.

  Here, when the sheet is discharged with its image forming surface facing downward (face-down), the sheet that has passed through the fixing unit 117 is once guided into the reverse path 122 by the switching operation of the flapper 121, and the trailing edge of the sheet. After passing through the flapper 121, the paper is switched back and discharged from the printer 300 by the discharge roller 118. Hereinafter, this form of paper discharge is referred to as reverse paper discharge. This reverse paper discharge is performed when forming an image in order from the first page, such as when forming an image read using the document feeder 100 or when forming an image output from a computer. The paper order after the paper discharge is the correct page order.

  Further, when a hard sheet such as an OHP sheet is fed from the manual sheet feeding unit 125 and an image is formed on this sheet, the image forming surface is faced up without leading the sheet to the reverse path 122 (face-up). ) By the discharge roller 118. Further, when double-sided recording for image formation is set on both sides of the paper, the paper is guided to the reverse path 122 by the switching operation of the flapper 121 and then transported to the double-sided transport path 124 and then guided to the double-sided transport path 124. Control is performed so that the fed paper is fed again between the photosensitive drum 111 and the transfer unit 116 at the timing described above.

  The paper discharged from the printer 300 of the image forming apparatus main body 10 is sent to the finisher 500. The finisher 500 is provided with an inserter 900 for feeding a special sheet such as a cover sheet or a slip sheet to be inserted into a sheet on which an image is formed. The finisher 500 performs bookbinding processing, binding processing, and punching processing.

(Finisher main part)
Next, the configuration of the finisher 500 and the paper flow will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of the finisher 500 of FIG.

  The finisher 500 sequentially takes in the sheets ejected from the image forming apparatus 10, aligns a plurality of fetched sheets and bundles them into one bundle, stapling processing that binds the rear end of the bundle of bundled sheets with staples, and sort processing Each sheet post-processing such as non-sort processing is performed. When the finisher 500 is connected to the image forming apparatus 10, the paper on which the image is formed with the image forming surface facing downward is discharged by the reverse paper discharge control, and the finisher 500 supplies the paper supplied with the image forming surface facing downward. The above-described processes such as stapling are performed.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the finisher 500 takes in the paper discharged from the image forming apparatus 10 into the interior by the entrance roller pair 502, and the paper taken in by the entrance roller pair 502 includes the transport roller pairs 503, 504, Sent to 505. An inlet sensor 531 is provided upstream of the conveyance path of the inlet roller pair 502.

  A switching flapper 515 is disposed on the downstream side of the conveying roller pair 505. The switching flapper 515 is a flapper for guiding the sheet sent by the conveying roller pair 505 to the non-sort path 521 or the sort path 522.

  As shown in FIG. 4, in the non-sort process, the sheet guided to the non-sort path 521 by the switching flapper 515 is discharged onto the sample tray 701 through the discharge roller pair 510. In the middle of the non-sort path 521, a paper discharge sensor 533 is provided.

  On the other hand, in the sort process and the staple process as shown in FIG. 5, the sheet guided to the sort path 522 by the switching flapper 515 is an intermediate tray (hereinafter referred to as an intermediate tray) through the pair of transport rollers 506, 507 and 508 and the sort discharge roller 509. , Called processing tray). A sort paper discharge sensor 534 is provided in the middle of the sort path 522. The sheets stacked in a bundle on the processing tray 630 are subjected to alignment processing, stapling processing, and the like as necessary, and then discharged onto the stack tray 700 by the discharge rollers 680a and 680b. The discharge roller 680b is supported by a swing guide 650, and the swing guide 650 swings by a swing guide motor (not shown) so that the discharge roller 680b contacts the uppermost sheet on the processing tray 630. When the discharge roller 680b is in contact with the uppermost sheet on the processing tray 630, the discharge roller 680b discharges the sheet bundle on the processing tray 630 toward the stack tray 700 in cooperation with the discharge roller 680a. Is possible.

  In the alignment process described above, alignment plates 641 are provided in the direction perpendicular to the conveyance direction of the processing tray 630, that is, the front side and the back side. The operation of aligning the sheets is performed by fixing one at a predetermined position and reciprocating the other in accordance with the sheet width. Then, alignment is performed while alternately changing the alignment position for each sheet bundle, and as shown in FIG. 3, the sheet bundles whose alignment positions are alternately changed are stacked on the stack tray 700. Thus, sorting is performed for each sheet bundle by alternately changing the alignment position for each sheet bundle.

  The above-described stapling process is performed by the stapler 601. The stapler 601 is configured to be movable along the outer periphery of the processing tray 630, and the stack of sheets stacked on the processing tray 630 is moved to the last position (rear end) of the sheet with respect to the sheet transport direction (left direction in FIG. 5). ).

(Inserter part)
6 to 8 are diagrams for explaining the flow of sheets in the cover / interleaf mode in the finisher 500. FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 6, when a sheet P (i−1) one sheet prior to the sheet Pi inserted from the inserter sheet feed tray 801 is discharged from the image forming apparatus 10 and conveyed into the finisher 500, the inserter sheet feed roller Of the sheets stacked on the inserter sheet feed tray 801 by 804, the uppermost sheet is conveyed downstream, and only one uppermost sheet is reliably conveyed to the conveyance path 821 by the separation roller 805. The insertion sheet Pi guided to the transport path 821 is transported by a predetermined amount from the registration sensor 832, the front end of the transport direction is abutted against the resist roller 802 that is stopped, and temporarily stops in a state where a loop is formed. Thereby, the skew of the paper Pi generated during the paper feeding / conveying operation is corrected.

  Then, after the paper Pi is brought into contact with the registration roller 802 and stopped for a predetermined time, as shown in FIG. 7, the separation roller 805, the registration roller 802, and the conveyance roller pair 803 are driven, and the insertion paper Pi is moved downstream. It stops again before it is transported and merges with the transport path 520. Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 8, when the trailing edge of the sheet P (i−1) to be preceded passes through the joining position of the conveyance path 820 and the conveyance path 520 and passes the path sensor 532, the sheet Pi precedes the sheet Pi to be inserted. After the paper P (i-1) is transported for a predetermined distance so that the distance from the paper P (i-1) is optimal, the transport roller pair 803 is driven to transport the paper Pi downstream. The optimum interval between the insertion sheet Pi and the preceding sheet P (i-1) is an amount of time necessary for performing an alignment operation after the preceding sheet P (i-1) is discharged onto the processing tray 630. In the case where the sheet Pi to be inserted is inserted as a cover, after the preceding sheet is discharged onto the processing tray 630, the necessary interval including the time for the stapling operation and the bundle discharging operation in addition to the alignment operation is included. It becomes.

(Inversion means in the inserter)
Next, the insertion sheet reversing means in the inserter will be described with reference to FIGS. As shown in FIG. 9, the inserted paper placed on the paper feed tray 801 is conveyed downstream of the conveyance path by the inserter paper supply roller 804 and the separation roller 805. Then, the insertion sheet is guided to the reverse path 810 by the switching operation of the flapper 807. The insertion sheet guided by the flapper 807 is stacked on the reversing tray 850 in a state where the rear end of the insertion sheet is nipped by the reversing roller 806 (see FIG. 10). Thereafter, the insertion sheets loaded on the reverse tray 850 are conveyed downstream of the inserter by the switching operation of the flapper 808 and the reverse rotation of the reverse roller 806, and are conveyed to the conveyance path 821 as shown in FIG. With the above control, the insertion sheet can be reversed.

  As described above, the insertion sheet transported to the transport path 821 is skew-corrected by the registration rollers 802, then transported to the transport path 820, and temporarily stops upstream of the joining position with the transport path 520.

(Paper type setting means in operation display device)
FIG. 12 shows a display screen for performing paper type setting means. When an insertion sheet is placed on the paper feed tray 801, the paper presence / absence detection sensor 830 determines the presence or absence of the insertion sheet in the paper feed tray. If it is determined that the paper is loaded, an operation display on the image forming apparatus is displayed. The screen of the apparatus 400 is automatically switched to the screen of FIG. On this screen, the user can set the size of the inserted paper, the paper type, and the like.

(Insert type setting means in the operation display device)
FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an operation display device 400 in the image forming apparatus of FIG. Here, an operation for setting the insert type in the image forming system will be described.

  The operation display device 400 includes a start key 402 for starting an image forming operation, a stop key 403 for interrupting the image forming operation, ten keys 404 to 412 and 414 for setting numerical values, an ID key 413, and a clear key. 415, a reset key 416, and the like are arranged. In addition, a liquid crystal display unit 420 having a touch panel formed thereon is arranged, and a soft key can be created on the screen.

  For example, when setting the mode of an insertion sheet to be fed from the inserter 900, if the “application mode” soft key is selected on the initial screen shown in FIG. 14, the menu selection screen shown in FIG. In this menu selection screen, select “Cover / Interleaf”. When “front cover / interleaf” is selected, the screen shifts to the screen shown in FIG. 16, where the insert paper placed on the inserter paper feed tray 801 is set to be either the front cover, the back cover, or the interleaf. Finally, the paper size is selected in FIG. The insert type can be set as described above.

(System block diagram)
Next, the configuration of a controller that controls the entire image forming apparatus will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 18 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a controller that controls the entire image forming apparatus of FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 18, the controller includes a CPU circuit unit 150. The CPU circuit unit 150 includes a CPU (not shown), a ROM 151, and a RAM 152, and each block 101 is controlled by a control program stored in the ROM 151. , 201, 202, 209, 301, 401, 501 are collectively controlled. The RAM 152 temporarily stores control data and is used as a work area for arithmetic processing associated with control.

  The document feeder control unit 101 controls driving of the document feeder 100 based on an instruction from the CPU circuit unit 150. The image reader control unit 201 performs drive control on the above-described scanner unit 104, the image sensor 109, and the like, and transfers an analog image signal output from the image sensor 109 to the image signal control unit 202.

  The image signal control unit 202 converts each analog image signal from the image sensor 109 into a digital signal, performs each process, converts the digital signal into a video signal, and outputs the video signal to the printer control unit 301. In addition, the digital image signal input from the computer 210 via the external I / F 209 is subjected to various processes, and the digital image signal is converted into a video signal and output to the printer control unit 301. The processing operation by the image signal control unit 202 is controlled by the CPU circuit unit 150. The printer control unit 301 drives the above-described exposure control unit 110 based on the input video signal.

  The operation display device control unit 401 exchanges information between the operation display device 400 and the CPU circuit unit 150. The operation display device 400 includes a plurality of keys for setting various functions relating to image formation, a display unit for displaying information indicating a setting state, and the like, and a key signal corresponding to the operation of each key is sent to the CPU circuit unit 150. While outputting, corresponding information is displayed on the display unit based on the signal from the CPU circuit unit 150.

  Setting values such as the paper type information and the insert type set by the paper type setting unit and the insert type setting unit are stored in the RAM 152 of the CPU circuit unit 150 and are reflected in the following control of the image forming apparatus.

(Insert paper feed processing flowchart)
FIG. 19 is a flowchart showing how the insert paper feed process is controlled with respect to the setting designated on the display unit.

  Inserted paper is set in the inserter paper feed tray 801 (step S1001), and when the paper presence / absence detection sensor 830 recognizes an inserted paper in the paper feed tray, the process advances to step S1002. As described above, the operation display device 400 sets the paper type of the insertion sheet (see FIG. 12). Thereafter, the process proceeds to step S1003, and the operation display device 400 sets the insert type of any one of the front cover / interleaf / back cover. In step S1003, it is determined in step S1004 whether or not the insert type setting is set to back cover insertion. If the back cover is not set, the process advances to step S1006 to perform normal paper feeding from the inserter. In the normal paper feed, when an insert paper is set as a cover or interleaf, the paper is transported from the inserter paper feed tray 801 to the transport paths 821 and 820 without going through the reverse path 810. The image surface is directed downward on the processing tray 630 and the stack tray 700, and the orientation of the discharged sheet and the image surface is matched face down from the image forming apparatus 10.

  If it is determined in step S1004 that the back cover is set, the process advances to step S1005 to perform reverse paper feeding. In the reverse feeding, as described above, the paper is transported to the reverse path 810 and then transported to the transport path 820. Accordingly, the upper image surface on the inserter paper feed tray 801 faces upward on the processing tray 630 and the stack tray 700, and the orientation of the discharged paper and the image surface is reversed face-down from the image forming apparatus 10.

(Insert paper placement direction display flowchart)
The display of the direction in which the insertion sheet is placed on the inserter will be described with reference to FIGS.

  When the job is started (step S2001), all the originals set on the automatic document feeder 100 are read (step S2002).

  After the reading is completed, it is determined whether or not the reverse feeding is set in the inserter feeding flowchart (step S2003), and the interval T for inserting the insertion sheet is calculated from the insertion mode and the number of documents (step S2004). When the time TI from when the back cover is fed and reversed until it is conveyed to the standby position upstream of the merge position with the conveyance path 520 is longer than T calculated in step S2004 (step S2005), the productivity is increased by reversing the inserted sheet. Therefore, the display unit 420 displays the setting direction of the insertion sheet so that the surface of the insertion sheet faces downward so that the insertion sheet is not reversed (FIG. 21). When reverse paper feeding is not set (step S2003), and when the reversal time TI is smaller than T calculated in step S2004 (step S2005), since the productivity does not decrease, the loading direction of the insertion paper is set to the front surface. Is displayed so as to be set upward (S2007) (FIG. 22).

  In step S2004, if the number of jobs is one or very small, the productivity may not be affected, and the process may proceed to step S2007.

  Further, in step S2007, the job may be started as it is without displaying the insertion sheet placement direction so that the front surface is set upward.

Overall configuration diagram Finisher cross section Explanatory drawing of a stack of sheets stacked on the stack tray Non-sort operation explanation diagram Explanation of sort / staple sort operation Detailed diagram of inserter Detailed diagram of inserter Detailed diagram of inserter Explanatory drawing of inversion control in the inserter Explanatory drawing of inversion control in the inserter Explanatory drawing of inversion control in the inserter Illustration of inserter paper type setting in the operation display device Illustration of operation display device Illustration of operation display device Explanatory drawing of cover / interleaf mode setting Explanatory drawing of cover / interleaf mode setting Explanatory drawing of cover / interleaf mode setting Overall block diagram Insert processing flowchart Insertion paper placement direction display flowchart Explanatory drawing of the display part in the insertion paper loading direction display Explanatory drawing of the display part in the insertion paper loading direction display

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Image forming apparatus 100 Automatic document feeder 200 Image reader 300 Printer 400 Operation display apparatus 500 Finisher 900 Inserter 801 Paper feed tray 850 Reverse tray 802 Registration roller 803 Conveyance roller pair 804 Inserter paper feed roller 805 Separation roller 806 Reverse roller

Claims (3)

In an image forming system comprising: an image forming apparatus; and a recording sheet output from the image forming apparatus and an insertion sheet inserted from the insert unit and the insertion unit inserting the insertion sheet into the recording sheet ,
An original reading means for reading an image of the original;
Insert type setting means for setting the insertion method of the insertion sheet with respect to the recording sheet;
Reversing means for reversing the front and back of the insertion paper;
When the insert type setting that requires reversal is made by the insert type setting means after reading the original, the interval for inserting the insertion sheet is compared with the time required for reversing and inserting the insertion sheet, and the user places the insertion sheet. An image forming system comprising display means for indicating a direction.   If the time required for inserting and reversing the insertion sheet is smaller than the interval for inserting the insertion sheet, the insertion sheet is placed on the insert device with the surface of the insertion sheet facing upward, and if larger, the surface of the insertion sheet is placed facing downward. 2. The image forming system according to claim 1, wherein the image is displayed by the display means. The insert type setting means sets whether the insert sheet is a cover sheet, a slip sheet, or a back cover of a sheet bundle,
The inversion means is used when the insert sheet is set as a back cover by the insert type setting means, and the inversion means is not used when the insert sheet is set as a cover or slip sheet. Image forming system.

Images