JP2012121702A - Paper discharge device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a paper discharge device capable of excellently aligning paper sheets even when thin papers are used as printing papers.SOLUTION: The paper discharge device includes: an oscillating tool 13 installed at least on one side of aligning plates 12a of a side fence 12, which gives vibration in a direction pushing a side end of paper sheets P to the whole area of the one side of the aligning plates 12a; a storage section 15 which stores oscillating condition information for vibration-driving the aligning plates 12a at an oscillation frequency most suitable to contact the side end of the paper sheets P; and a control section 16 which controls the oscillation frequency of the oscillating tool 13, based on paper sheets information from an image forming device 20 and the oscillating condition information stored in the storage section 15.

Description

  The present invention relates to a paper discharge device that aligns and stacks paper discharged after image formation.

  Conventionally, in order to orderly arrange papers after image formation discharged from image forming apparatuses such as various printing machines such as ink jet printers, laser beam printers, and stencil printing machines, and copiers on a paper discharge tray, 2. Description of the Related Art A paper discharge device having a pair of side fences that restrict the width direction of orthogonal sheets and an end fence that restricts a stacking position in the paper discharge direction is known.

  In this type of paper discharge device, the paper discharged from the paper discharge port of the image forming device is made to collide with the end fence in the paper width direction by a side fence whose interval can be adjusted according to the width of the paper received. The movement is regulated and dropped onto the paper discharge tray and stacked sequentially.

  Further, in order to improve the paper alignment, in addition to the positioning side fence, a paper discharge device that performs a jogger operation by reciprocating between a paper side retreat position positioned outside the paper side contact position. Is also known (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Patent No. 39211139

However, in the paper receiving device of Patent Document 1, since the side fence is reciprocated once for each landing of the paper to perform the jogger operation, for example, a basis weight of 30 to 40 g / m ² defined in JIS as a printing paper. When using paper (hereinafter referred to as “thin paper”), for example, as shown in FIG. 5 (a), even if the side fence is fixed in accordance with the paper width size, it is bent due to its weakness. It is easy and the restoring force of the paper itself is weak, so it is difficult for the paper itself to push the side fence back and correct the landing position on its own. There was a problem that.

  In addition, as shown in FIG. 5B, the paper side end surface may be bent due to the regulation operation by the side fence, or the paper may run on the side fence, and the paper is surely aligned at an accurate landing position. Could not do.

  In addition, when using thin paper, unlike ordinary paper, if the paper is stacked once and is in a bundle of paper, the stiffness of the paper will lose its weight. There was also a problem that the loading position could not be realigned simply by bending.

  Accordingly, the present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a paper discharge device that can realize good paper alignment even if the recording medium for printing is thin paper. is there.

In order to achieve the above-described object, a paper discharge device according to claim 1 includes a side fence including a pair of alignment plates that regulates the paper width direction of the image-formed paper discharged from the image forming device;
In a paper discharge device having a paper discharge tray for stacking discharged image-formed paper,
Vibrating means that is provided on at least one alignment plate in the side fence, and that imparts vibration in a direction of pushing a side edge in the sheet width direction of the sheet to the entire alignment plate;
It is provided with.

The paper discharge device according to claim 2 is the paper discharge device according to claim 1, wherein the side fence is provided in the guide groove for guiding the paper discharge tray in the paper width direction through the fixed base. ,
The vibrating means is installed so as to be in contact with at least a side of the matching plate other than the side where the fixed base portion is provided.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided the paper discharge device according to the first or second aspect, wherein a predetermined time elapses after a print start signal is input after a print start signal is input from the image forming device. A control unit for controlling the vibration of the vibration unit is provided.

  According to the paper discharge device according to the present invention, even when the paper to be used is thin paper, the paper side end face is not bent by the regulation operation by the side fence, and the paper does not run on the side fence. Paper alignment can be performed reliably at an accurate landing position.

  In addition, vibration is applied to the side fence until a predetermined time has elapsed after the end of the print job, so even if the thin paper once stacked is in a bundle of sheets, the loading position is aligned by the vibration of the side fence. You can fix it.

It is explanatory drawing which shows schematic structure of the paper discharge apparatus which concerns on this invention. It is a block diagram which shows the system configuration | structure of the apparatus. (A)-(e) It is a schematic block diagram which shows the example of installation of a vibration means. It is explanatory drawing which shows the paper stacking process of the same apparatus. (A), (b) It is a figure which shows the paper discharge operation | movement of the conventional paper discharge apparatus.

  Hereinafter, embodiments for carrying out the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In addition, the present invention is not limited by this embodiment, and all other forms, examples, operation techniques, and the like that can be implemented by those skilled in the art based on this form are included in the scope of the present invention. .

In the present specification, as an example of a sheet that is a printing medium, a sheet having a basis weight in the range of 30 to 40 g / m ² is used as an example. Produces the same effect. In addition, a stencil printing apparatus will be described as an example of an image forming apparatus provided with a paper discharge device. However, an image forming apparatus (an ink jet printer, a laser printer, a copier, etc.) that can use thin paper as a printing medium is particularly used. It is not limited.

  First, a stencil printing apparatus, which is an image forming apparatus on which the paper discharge device 1 according to the present invention is mounted, will be described. In the stencil printing apparatus 20, a stencil master on which a punched and stencil image is formed is wound around the outer periphery. A printing unit 23 including a printing drum 21 and a pressing member 22 such as a press roller that presses the sheet P against the master on the printing drum 21 at a predetermined timing in synchronization with the rotational movement of the printing drum 21; A desired image is formed on the fed paper. The paper discharge device 1 of this example is provided in the paper discharge unit 24 of the stencil printing apparatus 20 as shown in the figure, and discharges the image-formed paper P formed by the printing unit 23 to the paper discharge tray. ing.

  Next, the configuration of the paper discharge device 1 of this example will be described with reference to FIGS. As shown in FIG. 2, the paper discharge device 1 of this example is provided at a paper discharge drop position in the image forming apparatus 20 to receive the image-formed paper P discharged from the paper discharge unit 24 of the image forming apparatus 20. , A discharge tray 11, a side fence 12, a vibrating means 13, an end fence 14, a storage unit 15, and a control unit 16.

  The paper discharge tray 11 has a shape (substantially U-shaped) in which the placement surface on which the paper P is stacked is gradually curved downward in the vertical direction toward the central portion in the paper width direction Y. The sheet P is disposed so as to be lowered toward the downstream side in the direction X, and the sheets P discharged from the image forming apparatus 20 are stacked. A guide groove 11 a that guides the sliding direction of the side fence 12 in the paper width direction Y orthogonal to the transport direction X is formed on the mounting surface of the paper discharge tray 11.

  The side fence 12 is composed of a pair of alignment plates 12 a made of plate-like members that come into contact with both side edges of the paper P, and is slidably provided along the guide grooves 11 a in the paper discharge tray 11. Further, each alignment plate 12a of the side fence 12 is provided with a guide groove 11a at its center portion via a fixed base 12b, and moves in the paper width direction Y as the fixed base 12b slides. Yes. Further, the side fence 12 includes a drive motor that is a drive source and a drive mechanism including a power transmission mechanism that transmits the rotational force of the drive motor, and the other alignment plate as the one alignment plate 12a slides. 12a is also configured to be able to be separated or close to each other in conjunction with each other.

  Accordingly, when printing is started, the side fence 12 automatically moves to the paper regulation position (substantially the same as the width direction of the paper P to be used) based on the paper size information from the image forming apparatus 20, and the image forming apparatus. The paper P discharged from 20 is regulated in the paper width direction Y orthogonal to the transport direction X.

  The side fence 12 may be configured to automatically move to the paper restriction position simultaneously with the start of printing, or may be configured to manually move the operator to the paper restriction position according to the paper size during printing.

  The vibration means 13 is configured by a known vibration motor such as a vibrator, for example, and is a means for applying a fine vibration to the fence so that the paper P is not bent when installed on the side fence 12. The vibration means 13 is disposed on at least one of the alignment plates 12a of the side fences 12, and vibrates in a direction in which the entire side fence 12 presses the side edge of the paper P in the paper width direction under the control of the control unit 16. Thus, drive control is performed so as to vibrate at a predetermined vibration frequency (as an example, 100 to 150 Hz).

Here, the example of installation of the vibration means 13 with respect to the side fence 12 is shown to Fig.3 (a)-(e).
As an installation example of the vibration means 13 in the paper discharge device 1 of this example, a position as far as possible from the fixed base 12b of the alignment plate 12a (for example, a position at least in contact with a side other than the side where the fixed base 12b is provided in the alignment plate 12a). 3), a configuration in which it is installed at the lower end of the sheet introduction side of the sheet non-contact surface of the alignment plate 12a as shown in FIG. 3A, and a sheet of the alignment plate 12a as shown in FIG. A configuration installed at the upper end portion on the paper introduction side in the non-contact surface, a configuration installed at the upper end portion on the paper leading end side in the paper non-contact surface of the alignment plate 12a as shown in FIG. 3C, as shown in FIG. And a central upper end of the alignment plate 12a on the sheet non-contact surface side (that is, the side opposite to the fixed base 12b) as shown in FIG. 3C. Structure was placed in an end portion) thereof.

  Note that the installation position of the vibration means 13 is not limited to the above five forms, and the side fence 12 is experimentally determined in advance in consideration of the type of paper P to be used, paper quality, size, conveyance speed of the paper P, and the like. By specifying the optimal installation position, vibration can be applied more efficiently.

  Further, the effect of sheet alignment can be expected by providing the vibration means 13 on at least one alignment plate 12a. However, the alignment performance can be further improved by providing a plurality of alignment plates 12a or a configuration provided on both alignment plates 12a. Can be made.

  The end fence 14 is disposed in the central portion on the downstream side in the transport direction X in the paper discharge tray 11 and interferes with the front end in the paper discharge direction of the discharged paper P to regulate the front end position of the paper P in the paper discharge direction. Yes.

  The storage unit 15 is composed of, for example, a magnetic or optical storage medium or a semiconductor memory such as a ROM or a RAM, and stores various drive information necessary for driving the paper discharge device 1. The storage unit 15 stores vibration condition information for driving the side fence 12 to vibrate at an optimal vibration frequency. The vibration condition information is information relating to the optimum vibration frequency obtained in advance through experiments or the like according to the size, paper quality, etc. of the paper P used in the image forming apparatus 20.

  The control unit 16 is a microcomputer that performs various types of control processing and arithmetic processing, which includes, for example, a CPU, a ROM, a RAM, and the like, and performs drive control of each unit constituting the paper discharge device 1.

  Further, the control unit 16 outputs a drive signal for driving the vibration unit 13 from the input of the print start signal from the image forming apparatus 20 to the elapse of a predetermined time after the input of the print end signal. 13 is output. When the control unit 16 inputs paper information from the image forming apparatus 20, the vibration frequency of each vibration unit 13 is controlled as vibration control of the vibration unit 13 based on vibration condition information corresponding to the paper P stored in the storage unit 15. The control of varying the level of vibration, the variable control of the vibration application time, and the like are performed.

  Further, when the side fence 12 is of an automatic sliding type, the control unit 16 inputs paper information (paper size, paper quality type, etc.) from the image forming apparatus 20 according to the paper size from the retracted position based on the information. The side fence 12 is moved to the paper regulation position, and after the print job is finished, control is performed to move again to the retreat position.

  Next, a series of processing operations in the paper discharge device 1 will be described with reference to FIG. Here, a description will be given of a configuration example in which the vibration means 13 is provided on both the alignment plates 12a and the side fence is slid to the paper regulation position based on the paper information from the image forming apparatus 20.

  When the print job is started, first, based on the paper size information from the image forming apparatus 20, the side fence 12 is moved from the retracted position to a paper regulation position corresponding to the paper size.

  Next, the side fence 12 that has moved to the paper regulation position is vibrated with vibration condition information corresponding to the paper information used for printing. When receiving the paper P discharged from the image forming apparatus 20, the alignment plates 12 a that are vibrated by the vibration unit 13 during the period from the fall of the paper P to the stacking on the placement surface are arranged on both side edges of the paper P. Contact each other.

  As a result, as shown in FIG. 4, during the period from when the paper P is discharged to when it is stacked on the paper discharge tray 11, the vibrations of the side edges are transmitted to both side edges of the paper P, and the paper is neatly regulated while regulating the alignment position of the paper. P can be aligned.

  As described above, when the printing is started, the paper discharge device 1 described above moves the side fence 12 to the paper regulation position based on the used paper information, and at least one of the side fences 12 is moved. The entire surface of the side fence 12 is disposed on the alignment plate 12a at a position where vibration can be applied in the direction of pressing the sheet side end surface.

  Thereby, even when the paper P to be used is thin paper, the paper side end surface is not bent by the regulation operation by the side fence 12, and the paper P does not ride on the side fence 12 and is accurate. The paper can be reliably aligned at a proper landing position.

  Further, since the side fence 12 is vibrated until the end of the print job, even when the thin paper once stacked is in a sheet bundle state, the stacking position can be rearranged by the vibration of the side fence 12.

  In the above-described embodiment, the configuration example in which the mounting surface of the discharge tray 11 is formed in a substantially U shape has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the mounting surface is flat. It can also be set as the structure. In this case, when the stacking positions of the sheets P after stacking are arranged in an orderly manner by the vibration of the side fence 12, the vibration from the side fence 12 can be easily transmitted to the sheets P, and the effect can be achieved more reliably.

  In the above configuration example, the example in which the vibration means 13 is provided on the side fence 12 has been described. However, the vibration means 13 may be provided on the end fence 14. Thereby, the paper P can be orderly aligned from both the width direction of the paper P by the side fence 12 and the direction of the front end of the paper P by the end fence 14.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Paper discharge apparatus 11 ... Paper discharge tray (11a ... Guide groove)
12 ... side fence (12a ... alignment plate, 12b ... fixed base)
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 13 ... Vibrating means 14 ... End fence 15 ... Memory | storage part 16 ... Control part 20 ... Image forming apparatus (stencil printing apparatus)
21 ... Printing drum 22 ... Pressing member 23 ... Printing section 24 ... Paper discharge section

Claims (3)

A side fence composed of a pair of alignment plates that regulate the paper width direction of the image-formed paper discharged from the image forming apparatus;
In a paper discharge device having a paper discharge tray for stacking discharged image-formed paper,
Vibrating means that is provided on at least one alignment plate in the side fence, and that imparts vibration in a direction of pushing a side edge in the sheet width direction of the sheet to the entire alignment plate;
A paper discharge device comprising: The side fence is provided in the guide groove for guiding movement in the paper width direction in the paper discharge tray via the fixed base,
The paper discharge device according to claim 1, wherein the vibration unit is installed so as to be in contact with at least a side of the alignment plate other than the side where the fixed base portion is provided. 3. A control unit that controls the vibration of the vibration unit from when a print start signal is input from the image forming apparatus to when a predetermined time elapses after a print end signal is input. Paper discharge device.

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