JP2012066912A - Sheet processing apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a sheet processing apparatus capable of performing sheet alignment in a short time without generating a fold in a sheet.SOLUTION: Conveyed paper is stacked on a tray 20. Alignment guides 60a, 60b align the paper on the tray 20 so that the first side extending in an x-axis direction of the paper aligns. An alignment paddle 50 and a reference part 56 align the paper on the tray 20 so that the second side extending in a y-axis direction of the paper aligns at a timing temporally overlapping with the alignment of the paper by the alignment guides 60a, 60b. The alignment paddle 50 imparts force to the major surface of the paper in the x-axis direction so that the second side is in contact with the reference part 56. Blades 52a, 52b in contact with the paper are displaceable in the y-axis direction.

Description

  The present invention relates to a sheet processing apparatus, and more particularly to a sheet processing apparatus that aligns a plurality of sheets on a tray.

  As a sheet processing apparatus for aligning a plurality of sheets, for example, a sheet processing apparatus described in Patent Document 1 is known. The sheet processing apparatus described in Patent Document 1 performs sheet alignment in the width direction orthogonal to the conveyance direction after performing sheet alignment in the conveyance direction. In the sheet processing apparatus described in Patent Document 1, since the sheets are not aligned in two directions at the same time, the sheets are not easily folded.

  However, the sheet processing apparatus described in Patent Document 1 has a problem that it takes time to align the sheets because the sheets are aligned in two directions separately.

JP 2000-143073 A

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a sheet processing apparatus capable of aligning sheets in a short time without causing folding of the sheets.

  The sheet processing apparatus according to an aspect of the present invention is configured to place the sheet on the tray so that the tray on which the conveyed sheets are stacked and the first side extending in the first direction of the sheet are aligned. And a first alignment means that extends in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction of the sheet at a timing that overlaps in time with the alignment of the sheet by the first alignment means. Second aligning means for aligning the sheet on the tray so that the two sides are aligned, the second aligning means being arranged with respect to the reference portion and the main surface of the sheet. An alignment member that applies a force in a first direction to bring the second side into contact with the reference portion, and is configured such that a portion in contact with the sheet is displaceable in the second direction And a member.

  According to the present invention, sheets can be aligned in a short time without causing folding of the sheets.

1 is a configuration diagram of a copying machine including a sheet processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is an external appearance perspective view of a process part. It is an external appearance perspective view of the alignment paddle of a process part. It is an external appearance perspective view of the process part which concerns on a modification. It is an external appearance perspective view of the matching part of the process part which concerns on a modification.

  Hereinafter, a sheet processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

(overall structure)
FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a copying machine 1 including a sheet processing apparatus 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The copying machine 1 uses a well-known electrophotographic method to copy a document image optically read by an image reading unit (scanner) 2 provided in the upper section or image data transferred from a computer (not shown) onto a sheet (sheet). As shown in FIG. 1, an image forming unit 5 centering on the photosensitive drum is provided at the middle stage, and a paper feeding unit 6 is provided at the lower stage. The sheets are fed one by one from the sheet feeding unit 6, conveyed upward in the conveying path 7, and after the toner image is transferred by the image forming unit 5, the toner is fixed by the fixing unit 8. 9 is discharged.

  The sheet processing apparatus 10 can perform various post-processing such as stapling, punching, and paper folding. Here, the sheet processing apparatus 10 will be described as an apparatus that performs stapling. The sheet processing apparatus 10 includes a receiving roller pair 11, conveyance roller pairs 12 and 13, a processing unit 16, a tray 20, a paper discharge tray 30, and a discharge roller pair 31.

  The receiving roller pair 11 introduces the paper discharged from the discharge roller pair 9 into the sheet processing apparatus 10. The conveyance roller pairs 12 and 13 convey the paper to the tray 20. The tray 20 is loaded with the conveyed paper.

  The processing unit 16 aligns a plurality of sheets stacked on the tray 20 and then drives staples to the end. Details of the processing unit 16 will be described later. The discharge roller pair 31 discharges a bundle of sheets on which staples have been driven onto the discharge tray 30.

(Configuration of processing unit)
Next, the configuration of the processing unit 16 will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 2 is an external perspective view of the processing unit 16. However, in FIG. 2, the configuration for driving staples is omitted. In FIG. 2, only a part of the tray 20 is shown. In FIG. 2, only the lower roller of the transport roller pair 13 is shown. FIG. 3 is an external perspective view of the alignment paddle 50 of the processing unit 16. In FIG. 2, the vertical direction is defined as the z-axis direction. The longitudinal direction of the tray 20 is defined as the x-axis direction. The x-axis direction coincides with the conveyance direction of the discharge roller pair 31. The short direction of the tray 20 is defined as the y-axis direction. The x-axis direction and the y-axis direction are orthogonal to each other.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the processing unit 16 includes an alignment paddle (alignment member) 50, shafts 54a and 54b, a reference portion 56, and alignment guides 60a and 60b.

  As described above, the sheet is conveyed in the direction of arrow A in FIG.

  The alignment guides 60a and 60b constitute first alignment means for aligning the sheets on the tray 20 so that the first sides extending in the x-axis direction of the sheets are aligned. More specifically, the alignment guides 60a and 60b are plates perpendicular to the y-axis direction. The alignment guide 60a is provided so as to extend in the x-axis direction along the positive side of the tray 20 in the y-axis direction. The alignment guide 60b is provided to extend in the x-axis direction along the negative side of the tray 20 in the y-axis direction. The alignment guides 60a and 60b can be translated in the y-axis direction. As a result, the alignment guides 60a and 60b sandwich the sheet from both sides in the y-axis direction. As a result, the sheets are aligned such that the first sides extending in the x-axis direction are aligned.

  The alignment paddle 50, the shafts 54a and 54b, and the reference portion 56 are arranged so that the second sides extending in the y-axis direction of the sheet are aligned at a timing overlapping with the alignment of the alignment guides 60a and 60b. Second alignment means for aligning the sheets on the tray 20 is configured. The reference portion 56 is a wall provided so as to be aligned in the y-axis direction at the end of the tray 20 on the negative direction side in the x-axis direction.

  The alignment paddle 50 applies a force toward the negative side in the x-axis direction with respect to the main surface of the sheet, and brings the second side of the sheet into contact with the reference portion 56. More specifically, the alignment paddle 50 is a rotating body having a rotation axis parallel to the y-axis direction, and rotates counterclockwise when viewed from the positive side in the y-axis direction. As shown in FIG. 3, the alignment paddle 50 includes parts 50a and 50b. The part 50a is configured by providing blades 52a and 52b on a cylindrical member. The blades 52a and 52b are plate-like members extending in the radial direction from the side surface of the columnar member, and form 180 degrees. The part 50b is a columnar member and is connected to the part 50a. And parts 50a and 50b are constituted so that expansion and contraction is possible in the y-axis direction. As a result, the alignment paddle 50 is configured such that the portions that contact the paper (that is, the blades 52a and 52b) can be displaced in the y-axis direction.

  The shafts 54a and 54b extend in the y-axis direction, and are connected to the parts 50a and 50b. Further, a motor (not shown) is connected to the shaft 54a. Accordingly, the shafts 54a and 54b are rotated by the driving force of the motor, and the alignment paddle 50 is rotated. When the blades 52 a and 52 b come into contact with the paper, the paper is pushed to the negative side in the x-axis direction and comes into contact with the reference portion 56. As a result, the sheets are aligned such that the second sides extending in the y-axis direction are aligned.

(effect)
According to the sheet processing apparatus 10 as described above, the sheets can be aligned in a short time without causing the sheets to be folded. More specifically, the sheet processing apparatus described in Patent Document 1 has a problem that it takes time to align the sheets because the sheets are aligned in two directions separately.

  On the other hand, in the sheet processing apparatus 10, the blades 52a and 52b of the alignment paddle 50 are configured to be displaceable in the y-axis direction. Thereby, even when the paper is displaced in the y-axis direction by the alignment guides 60a and 60b when the blades 52a and 52b push the paper toward the negative side in the x-axis direction, Thus, the blades 52a and 52b are displaced in the y-axis direction. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the blades 52a and 52b from being caught by the paper and causing the paper to be folded. That is, even if the alignment for aligning the first side and the alignment for aligning the second side are performed at the same time, the sheet does not fold. As described above, according to the sheet processing apparatus 10, the sheets can be aligned in a short time without causing the sheets to be folded.

(Modification)
Hereinafter, a processing unit according to a modification will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 4 is an external perspective view of the processing unit 16a according to the modification. FIG. 5 is an external perspective view of the matching unit 150 of the processing unit 16a according to the modification.

  As illustrated in FIG. 4, the processing unit 16 a includes a matching unit 150 instead of the matching paddle 50 of the processing unit 16. About the point other than that, the process part 16 and the process part 16a are the same.

  The aligning portion 150 is a rotating body having a central axis parallel to the y-axis direction, and includes a shaft portion 150a, springs 152a to 152d, support members 154a to 154d, and rollers 156a to 156d, as shown in FIG. . The shaft portion 150 a is a rectangular parallelepiped member having a longitudinal direction in the y-axis direction, and constitutes the center of the alignment portion 150. As shown in FIG. 4, shafts 54a and 54b are connected to the shaft portion 150a.

  Each of the springs 152a to 152d extends radially from the shaft portion 150a so as to be orthogonal to the shaft portion 150a and the shafts 54a and 54b. The springs 152a to 152d are orthogonal to each other.

  The support members 154a to 154d are provided at the tips of the springs 152a to 152d, respectively, and have a U-shape. The support members 154a to 154d rotatably support the rollers 156a to 156d. The central axis of rotation of the rollers 156a to 156d is parallel to the tangent line of each of the rollers 156a to 156d when the alignment unit 150 is rotated. As a result, the rollers 156a to 156d positioned on the most negative side in the z-axis direction are such that the most negative side portion in the z-axis direction of the rollers 156a to 156d in contact with the paper is displaced in the y-axis direction. Rotate.

  Further, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the rollers 156a to 156d are connected to the shaft portion 150a via the springs 152a to 152d, respectively. Can be displaced.

  According to the sheet processing apparatus 10 including the processing unit 16a as described above, the sheet alignment can be performed in a short time without causing the sheet to be folded, as in the sheet processing apparatus 10 including the processing unit 16. It can be carried out.

  The present invention is useful for a sheet processing apparatus, and is particularly excellent in that sheet alignment can be performed in a short time without causing folding of the sheet.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Copier 10 Sheet processing apparatus 11 Accepting roller pair 12, 13 Conveying roller pair 16, 16a Processing section 20 Tray 30 Discharging tray 31 Discharging roller pair 50 Alignment paddle 50a, 50b Parts 52a, 52b Blades 54a, 54b Shaft 56 Reference section 60a, 60b Alignment guide 150 Alignment part 150a Shaft part 152a-152d Spring 154a-154d Support member 156a-156d Roller

Claims (4)

A tray on which the conveyed sheets are stacked;
First alignment means for aligning the sheet on the tray so that first sides extending in a first direction of the sheet are aligned;
The sheet so that the second sides extending in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction of the sheet are aligned at a timing overlapping with the alignment of the sheet by the first aligning means. Second aligning means for aligning on the tray;
With
The second alignment means includes
A reference section;
An alignment member that applies a force in the first direction to the main surface of the sheet to bring the second side into contact with the reference portion, and a portion in contact with the sheet is in the second direction An alignment member configured to be displaceable to,
Having
A sheet processing apparatus. The alignment member is a rotating body having a central axis parallel to the second direction;
The sheet processing apparatus according to claim 1. The rotating body is configured to be displaceable in the second direction;
The sheet processing apparatus according to claim 2. The rotating body has a plurality of rollers,
The rotation axis of each roller is parallel to the tangent to each roller during rotation of the rotating body;
The sheet processing apparatus according to claim 2.

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