JP2012176826A - Gathering system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a gathering system capable of performing processing in a short time even when the driving order of paper feeding devices are optionally set or when paper sets are formed so that a plurality of papers in the same shelf may be included.SOLUTION: In the gathering system accumulating papers taken out from a plurality of paper feeding parts by every paper and forming a paper set of one book in an accumulation part, a paper feeding part to be a feeding original part of the paper set of one book can be freely set, positional relations of the paper feeding parts to be paper feeding original parts of two papers adjacent to each other in the paper set are referred and, on the basis of the result, it is determined whether the two papers are accumulated in the accumulation part or accumulated before conveyed to the accumulation part.

Description

  The present invention relates to a technical field of a collation system in which sheets stacked on a plurality of sheet feeding units are taken out one by one from each sheet feeding unit and stacked on each other.

  A collating device that stacks paper with different pages printed on each of a plurality of paper feed units arranged in the vertical direction, takes out one sheet at a time from each paper feed unit, and stacks them together is widely used in the field of printing and bookbinding. It has been broken. Conventionally, many of such collating apparatuses only stack sheets taken out one by one from a plurality of sheet feeding units during conveyance, so that the stacks stacked in the order of loading on the sheet feeding unit are repeated. It was only created.

However, in recent years, for example, changing the cover only for a certain number of copies, creating a booklet that includes two or more identical printed materials, etc., the collation machine can efficiently handle such applications against the background of remarkable diversification. Has been proposed.
For example, the collating apparatus described in Patent Document 1 is capable of setting the driving order and the number of sheets carried out from each sheet feeding apparatus for each sheet feeding apparatus. By changing the driving order of each sheet feeding device, it is possible to create a bundle having different contents before and after the change without changing the sheets stacked on the sheet feeding device. Further, by setting the number of sheets to be carried out from the sheet feeding device, a bundle including two or more sheets stacked on one sheet feeding device can be created.

JP 2001-151409 A

  In the collation apparatus of Patent Document 1, when the driving order and the number of sheets are set for each sheet feeding apparatus, the control apparatus creates and stores a sheet feeding list in which the sheet feeding apparatuses and the number of sheets are associated with each other and arranged in the order of driving. To do. When the apparatus is started, according to the order of the sheet feeding list, the first sheet feeding apparatus to be fed and the number of sheets set in the sheet feeding apparatus are read, and a sheet feeding command is sent to the corresponding sheet feeding apparatus. In response to the paper feed command, the paper feed device feeds the set number of sheets and then returns a paper feed operation completion signal. Upon receiving the paper feed operation completion signal, the control device reads the paper feed device to be fed next and the number of sheets set in the paper feed device from the list and sends a paper feed command. Since collation is performed by repeating this, the next sheet cannot be fed unless the current feeding operation is completed. Therefore, there is a problem that the processing takes time as the number of sheets increases.

The present invention has been made in view of such a problem, and it is possible to shorten the time when a paper set is created by arbitrarily setting the driving order of the paper feeders or by setting a plurality of sheets on the same shelf. The purpose is to provide a collation system that can be processed in time.

The collation system of the present invention for solving the above problems is configured as follows.
In the first configuration, a sheet set for one book is formed by stacking sheets conveyed from a collating conveyance unit that conveys sheets fed one by one from a plurality of sheet feeding units arranged in the vertical direction in a storage unit. In the collating system, the paper set is divided into a plurality of constituent parts composed of one or a plurality of paper sheets, and papers belonging to different constituent parts are stacked in the accumulating unit and papers belonging to the same constituent part Has a control means for controlling the drive timing of each paper feed section so as to overlap each other while being transported in the collating transport section, and the control means is a plurality of paper sheets constituting the paper set. For the two adjacent sheets, the positional relationship of the two sheets in the sheet set is compared with the positional relationship of the feeding unit of each of the two sheets, and the comparison result Base Determining whether to include the two sheets in the same component, and determining the component by performing this determination for all combinations of two adjacent sheets in the sheet set. It is a collation system characterized by

 According to the first configuration, even if a paper feed tray that is a sending source of each of the papers constituting the paper set to be created is arbitrarily set, the paper set is divided into several constituent parts. It is possible to determine whether or not it is possible to superimpose them during transport in front of the storage unit and simultaneously send them out to the storage unit. Further, based on this determination, the drive timing of each paper feed unit is controlled, and the sheets that can be stacked and simultaneously supplied to the storage unit during transport are controlled so as to be stacked during transport. be able to.

  The second configuration has input means for inputting the correspondence between each paper constituting the paper set in the first configuration and the paper feed unit from which the paper is sent out. The collation system is characterized in that the determination is made with reference to the input information of the means.

  According to a third configuration, the input unit in the second configuration performs input so as to specify the corresponding paper feeding unit in the order of the order when the paper sets to be created are stacked on the storage unit. System. According to the second or third configuration, the user can freely set the paper feed tray that is the source of the paper constituting the paper set to be created, and the paper set according to the setting can be created in a short time. There is a merit that you can.

  According to a fourth configuration, the determination unit according to any one of the first to third configurations conveys the sheet sent from the collating conveyance unit in the same direction as the sheet feeding direction in the sheet feeding unit, and accumulates the sheet. When the paper is loaded and stacked, the vertical positional relationship between the two adjacent sheets in the sheet set accumulated in the accumulation unit and the vertical direction of the sheet feeding unit from which each of the two sheets is delivered If the positional relationship is identical, the first determination is made to include the two sheets in the same component, and the sheet sent from the collating section is fed in the sheet feeding direction in the sheet feeding section. In the case of making a U-turn in the opposite direction and carrying it in the accumulating section, the vertical positional relationship of the two sheets in the sheet set and the sheet feeding source of each of the two sheets The two sheets of paper are placed in the same component when the vertical positional relationship of the parts is reversed. It claims 1 and performing Mel second determination is collated system according to 3 any one.

  According to this fourth configuration, when the orientation of the front and back sides of the paper does not change from when the collating machine is stored in the storage unit to the storage unit, or when the paper is turned back into the storage unit, the paper is turned over. In either case, processing in a shorter time can be realized by determining the paper feed timing according to each form.

  In the fifth configuration, the storage unit in any one of the first to third configurations transports the paper sent from the collating transport unit in the same direction as the paper feed direction in the paper feed unit, and accumulates the paper. The determination means includes a vertical positional relationship between two adjacent sheets in the sheet set stored in the storage unit, and a sending source of each of the two sheets. When the positional relationship in the vertical direction of the paper feed unit coincides, the first determination to include the two sheets in the same component and the vertical direction of the two sheets in the paper set And the second determination of including the two sheets of paper in the same component when the positional relation of the two sheets is opposite to the vertical position of the sheet feeding unit that is the sending source of the two sheets. And the configuration determined by the second determination is larger than the number of components determined by the first determination. If towards the number of parts is small, a collation system characterized by performing the notification for prompting the user to change the stacking direction.

  In the sixth configuration, the storage unit in any one of the first to third configurations makes a U-turn on the sheet sent from the collating conveyance unit in a direction opposite to the sheet feeding direction in the sheet feeding unit. The determination unit is configured to carry in and accumulate in the accumulation unit, and the determination unit includes a positional relationship in the vertical direction between two adjacent sheets in the sheet set accumulated in the accumulation unit, and a sending source of each of the two sheets When the positional relationship in the vertical direction of the paper feed unit coincides, the first determination to include the two sheets in the same component and the upper and lower positions of the two sheets in the paper set When the positional relationship in the direction is opposite to the positional relationship in the vertical direction of the sheet feeding unit that is the sending source of each of the two sheets, the second determination of including the two sheets in the same component Do both and determine in the first determination rather than the number of components determined in the second determination If towards the number of adult portion is small, a collation system characterized by performing the notification for prompting the user to change the stacking direction.

  When the paper feed trays of the papers that make up the paper set to be created are set apart, the more sheets that can be stacked in front of the storage unit and transported to the storage unit at the same time, the faster the processing. . Depending on the combination of the position in the paper set and the position of the paper feed tray, there are cases where processing is faster when the stacking order for each paper feed tray is reversed. According to the fifth and sixth configurations, it is possible to perform faster processing by notifying the user when the processing is faster when the loading order is reversed.

  The seventh configuration has two or more rows in which the plurality of paper feed units in any one of the first to third configurations are arranged in the vertical direction, and the determination means is in the paper set stored in the storage unit. When two sheets adjacent to each other are supplied from a sheet feeding unit provided in the same row, the positional relationship between the two sheets in the vertical direction and the supply source of each of the two sheets are supplied. When the positional relationship in the vertical direction of the paper portion coincides, it is determined that the two sheets are included in the same component, and two adjacent sheets in the paper set accumulated in the accumulation portion Of the two sheets, the row in which the sheet feeding unit that is the upper sheet feeding source is provided is the lower side of the two sheets. Is closer to the storage unit than the row where the paper feed unit is provided. If it is, a collation system characterized by a determination include the paper two said the same components.

  According to the seventh configuration, even in a system in which a plurality of collating devices each provided with a plurality of paper feed units arranged in the vertical direction are connected, each of the paper sources constituting the paper set to be created is A user can freely set a paper feed tray from a plurality of collating devices, and a paper set according to the setting can be created in a short time.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to arbitrarily set the driving order of the sheet feeding devices or to include a plurality of sheets on the same shelf, and even in a collation system with an increased degree of processing freedom. Referring to the positional relationship of the paper stored in the storage unit in the paper set and the position of the paper feed unit that is the sending source, the sheets are overlapped before reaching the storage unit and are simultaneously stored in the storage unit It is possible to work in a short time by determining whether or not it can be fed and feeding paper based on the determination result.

It is a typical whole block diagram of the collation system 10 which concerns on 1st Embodiment (or the collation system 810 which concerns on 4th Embodiment). It is a figure which shows the mode selection screen. It is a figure which shows the condition setting screen. It is a figure which shows the initial state of the setting screen. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a state in which input of all input cells of the paper set setting unit 302 is completed on the setting screen 300 in the first embodiment. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a screen after a confirmation button 303 is clicked on a setting screen 300 in the first embodiment. 6 is a timing chart showing the drive timing of the motor M of each paper feed tray 50 in the first embodiment. It is a typical whole block diagram of the collation system 410 which concerns on 2nd Embodiment (or the collation system 1010 which concerns on 5th Embodiment). It is a figure which shows the initial state of the setting screen. FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a state where input of all input cells of the paper set setting unit 502 is completed on the setting screen 500 in the second embodiment. In 2nd Embodiment, it is a figure which shows the screen after clicking the determination button 503 on the setting screen 500. FIG. 10 is a timing chart showing drive timing of a motor M of each paper feed tray 50 in the second embodiment. It is a typical whole block diagram of the collation system 610 which concerns on 3rd Embodiment. FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a state where input of all input cells of the paper set setting unit 302 is completed on the setting screen 300 in the fourth embodiment. In 4th Embodiment, it is a figure which shows the screen after clicking the determination button 303 on the setting screen 300. FIG. In 4th Embodiment, it is a figure which shows the screen after clicking the reverse order acquisition button 803 on the setting screen 300. FIG. FIG. 20 is a diagram illustrating a state where input of all input cells of the paper set setting unit 302 is completed on the setting screen 500 in the fifth embodiment. FIG. 20 is a diagram showing a screen after a confirmation button 303 is clicked on a setting screen 500 in the fifth embodiment. FIG. 20 is a diagram showing a screen after a reverse order acquisition button 803 is clicked on a setting screen 500 in the fifth embodiment. It is a typical whole block diagram of the collation system 1010 which concerns on 6th Embodiment. It is a figure which shows the condition setting screen 1200 which concerns on 6th Embodiment. It is a figure which shows the initial state of the setting screen 1300 which concerns on 6th Embodiment. FIG. 20 is a diagram illustrating a state where input of all input cells of the paper set setting unit 302 is completed on the setting screen 1300 in the sixth embodiment. FIG. 20 is a diagram showing a screen after a confirmation button 303 is clicked on a setting screen 1300 in the sixth embodiment.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention (hereinafter referred to as embodiments) will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

(First embodiment)
FIG. 1 is a schematic overall configuration diagram of a collation system 10 according to the first embodiment. The collation system 10 includes a collation device 18, a saddle stitch folding device 20, and a management device 28.

  The collating device 18 has a plurality (10 in the first embodiment) of paper feed trays 50. The paper feed trays 50 are arranged in the vertical direction. Each of the paper feed trays 50 is loaded with paper on which an image is formed by various image forming methods such as offset printing, stencil printing, ink jet, and electrophotography. In each of the sheet feed trays 50, a group of sheets in which a plurality of sheets on which images are formed overlap is set by a bookbinding operator.

  The separation feeding mechanism 52 is provided corresponding to each of the paper feed trays 50. In the separation and feeding mechanism 52, a plurality of suction belts 57 are placed in the width direction on two shafts 55 and 56 provided at intervals in the paper feeding direction, and a suction chamber 58 is provided inside thereof. A fan (not shown) is provided in the suction chamber 58 so as to suck air inside the chamber, and a negative pressure is formed inside the chamber. An opening is formed in the lower surface of the suction chamber 58 to suck air from between the plurality of belts. With this configuration, the uppermost sheet in the group of sheets stacked on the sheet feeding tray 50 is adsorbed to the adsorption belt 53 by air. When the suction belt 53 is driven at a predetermined timing, the uppermost sheet starts to move and is sent out.

  Driving is applied from one of the two shafts 55 and 56 from the motor M. A motor M is individually provided for each paper feed tray 50, and each motor M starts to rotate at a timing when paper should be sent out from the paper feed tray 50. The fed paper passes through the paper transport path 59 and is sent to the vertically long paper transport path 54. The paper transport path 59 extends from each paper feed tray 50 and joins the paper transport path 54 at a position corresponding to the height thereof. When the paper fed from the paper feed tray 50 is delivered to the paper transport path 59, the motor M stops, but the paper is continuously transported by the paper transport paths 54 and 59 that are always driven. In addition, the motor M is not provided for each of the paper feed trays 50, but driving is applied to the shafts 55 and 56 via the electromagnetic clutch from a common motor that is always rotating, and the electromagnetic clutch is turned on / off. May be controlled.

  In place of the suction belt type separation and feeding mechanism, a system that sucks the paper with the suction pad and a friction type separation and feeding mechanism that uses the frictional force difference between the roller and the separation pad to make contact with the paper surface are provided. Of course, the motor M or the electromagnetic clutch is provided in each separating and feeding mechanism, and the sheet is fed out at a predetermined timing.

  The collating device 18 conveys the sheets sent out from the paper feed tray 50 one by one through the paper transport path 54 and sends them to the saddle stitch folding device 20 and, if necessary, the paper sent out from the paper feed tray 50. Are overlapped with each other in the sheet conveyance path 54 and conveyed as a sheet bundle, and are sent to the saddle stitch folding apparatus 20. In this embodiment, the post-processing machine (saddle stitch folding device 20) is connected to the left side of the collating device 18 in the figure. The paper conveyance path 53 is branched so that the paper can be conveyed also to a post-processing machine provided on the right side of the collating apparatus 18. Although a switching gate (not shown) is provided at this branch portion, in the present embodiment, the post-processing machine is connected only to the left side, so that the sheet conveyed through the sheet conveying path 54 is always on the left side of the collating device 18. The switching gate is positioned so that it can be discharged to.

  The saddle stitch folding device 20 performs a saddle stitch folding process on the paper fed from the collating device 18. The sheet fed into the saddle stitch folding device 20 is transported along the transport path 60. The saddle stitch folding device 20 includes a binding mechanism 62, a folding mechanism 72, and a non-folding stacker 73. The binding mechanism 62 and the folding mechanism 72 are disposed around the conveyance path 60.

  The binding mechanism 62 includes a side jogger 66, a stitcher 70, a binding stopper 64, and a back jogger 68. Prior to the binding process, the binding mechanism 62 functions as an accumulation unit that stacks the sheets sent from the collating device 18 in the order of feeding and creates a set of sheets for one book.

  A pair of side joggers 66 are provided, and each of the side joggers 66 abuts against a side edge of the sheet bundle in the binding mechanism 62 and positions the position of the sheet bundle in the sheet width direction which is a direction perpendicular to the sheet conveyance direction. The binding stopper 64 and the back jogger 68 are in contact with the front end portion and the rear end portion of the sheet bundle prepared by stacking sheets, and position the sheet bundle in the sheet conveyance direction. The stitcher 70 performs a binding process on the sheet bundle positioned by the binding stopper 64, the side jogger 66, and the back jogger 68.

  The folding mechanism 72 is provided on the downstream side of the binding mechanism 62. The folding mechanism 72 performs a folding process for folding the sheet bundle at the bound position on the sheet bundle on which the binding process has been performed by the binding mechanism 62. The folding mechanism 72 has a pair of folding rollers 78, a folding knife 76, and a folding stopper 74.

  When the binding process is performed by the binding mechanism 62, the binding stopper 64 is retracted downward, and the bound sheet bundle is sent to the folding mechanism 72. The sheet bundle sent to the folding mechanism 72 is positioned in the sheet conveying direction when the front end portion contacts the folding stopper 74. Above the transport path 60, a pair of folding rollers 78 are juxtaposed in the paper transport direction so that the axial direction is perpendicular to the paper transport direction.

  The folding knife 76 can move up and down between the pair of folding rollers 78 and below the conveying path 60 by operating a motor (not shown). When the folding knife 76 is raised in a state where the sheet bundle is positioned in the sheet conveying direction by the folding stopper 74, the sheet bundle is wound between the pair of folding rollers 78. The pair of folding rollers 78 folds the sheet bundle by rotating to convey the sheet bundle upward while pinching the sheet bundle with a strong force. The booklet that has been creased by the pair of folding rollers 78 is sent to the belt conveyance mechanism 80 through the binding folded booklet conveyance path 82 that extends upward from the nip portion of the pair of folding rollers 78. The belt conveyance mechanism 80 sends the created booklet onto the binding / folding stacker 26.

  The folding stopper 74 can be moved back and forth in the transport path 60 by turning on and off the solenoid. When the bookbinding by the saddle stitch folding process is not selected by the user and the bookbinding by the binding process is selected, the binding stopper 64 and the folding stopper 74 are retracted from the conveyance path 60. In this case, the sheets subjected to the binding process by the binding mechanism 62 are stacked on a non-folding stacker 73 provided downstream of the folding stopper 74.

  The management device 28 includes a management PC (Personal Computer) 94, a display 96, a mouse 98, and a keyboard 97. The management PC 94 includes a CPU, a ROM, a RAM, a hard disk, and the like, and is connected to the management device 28, the collating device 18, and the saddle stitch folding device 20 so as to be able to transmit and receive data. A display 96, a keyboard 97, and a mouse 98 are connected to the management PC 94.

  The management PC 94 displays a setting screen on the display 96 so that various settings can be input by the user. The user can input various settings using the keyboard 97 and the mouse 98 on this setting screen. When the start button displayed on the display 96 is clicked, the management PC 94 transmits information indicating the setting contents to each of the collating apparatus 18 and the saddle stitch folding apparatus 20 and starts indicating that the bookbinding process is started. Send a signal. The collating device 18 and the saddle stitch folding device 20 have a control unit that has a CPU, a ROM, and a RAM and controls the operation of the internal mechanism. When a start signal is received, a bookbinding process based on the received setting contents To implement. These control units and management PC 94 will be described below as the electronic control unit 100 as a whole.

  The collation system 10 configured as described above takes out sheets one by one from a total or a total of ten paper feed trays 50, and binds the binding mechanism 62 (accumulation unit) through the paper conveyance path 54. To form a paper set. At this time, the electronic control unit 100 superimposes the sheets taken out from the respective paper feed trays 50 when they merge into the sheet conveyance path 54 or sends them to the binding mechanism 62 or individually conveys them in the sheet conveyance path 54. When the sheets are accumulated in the binding mechanism 62, they are overlapped or one of them is performed to form a paper set.

  The electronic control unit 100 divides the sheets constituting the sheet set into a plurality of constituent parts composed of one or a plurality of sheets, and stacks sheets belonging to different constituent parts in the binding mechanism 62 and also belongs to the same constituent part. Controls the drive timing of each paper feed unit so as to overlap each other while being transported in the paper transport path 54.

  The management device 28 has input means for inputting the correspondence between each sheet constituting the sheet set accumulated in the binding mechanism 62 and the sheet feed tray 50 from which the sheet is fed. The input information of the input means is sent to the management PC 94, and the management PC 94 refers to this input information and divides the paper set into a plurality of components. This procedure will be described in detail below.

  FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the mode selection screen 101 in the first embodiment of the present invention. When the collation system 10 is turned on, this mode selection screen 101 is displayed on the display 96. The mode selection screen 101 has a normal collation mode button 102 and an arbitrary collation mode button 103. When normal collation mode button 102 is clicked with mouse 98, normal collation mode is entered. The normal collation mode is a mode in which a sheet set is created by superimposing all the sheets taken out one by one from the sheet bundle loaded on each sheet feeding tray 50 while conveying the sheet conveying paths 59 and 54. is there. The created sheet set is subjected to predetermined binding and folding processing by the saddle stitch folding device 20. Since the operation in this mode is a known technique, a detailed description thereof is omitted.

  When the arbitrary collation mode button 103 is clicked on the mode selection screen 101, the arbitrary collation mode is set. When the arbitrary collation mode is selected, the condition input screen 200 is displayed next. The condition input screen 200 includes a number input unit 201 and a discharge direction selection button 202.

  The number input unit 201 inputs the number of sheets to be created, that is, the number of sheets constituting the booklet created by the saddle stitch folding device 20. To input, click the input window in the number input section and enter the number with 97 on the keyboard. In the present embodiment, 15 is input to create a set of 15 sheets.

  The discharge direction selection button 202 switches whether to discharge the sheet conveyed through the sheet conveyance path 54 to the left side of the collating apparatus 18 or to the right side via the sheet conveyance path 53. In the present embodiment, since the post-processor is connected only to the left side, “left” is clicked for selection. Alternatively, the management PC recognizes whether the post-processing machine is connected to the left or right by means of communication means, etc., so that “right” is grayed out and cannot be selected, or only “left” is displayed. May be unnecessary. When the setting of the number of sheets and the discharge direction is completed and the setting screen button 204 is clicked, a setting screen is displayed. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the setting screen 300. The setting screen 300 includes a collator display unit 301, a paper set setting unit 302, and a confirmation button 303.

  The collation machine display unit 301 schematically displays the appearance of the collation apparatus 18, and each paper feed tray is numbered up to 10 in the order of 1, 2, 3 from the top. Further, an arrow 304 indicating the direction in which the paper is discharged from the collating apparatus 18 is displayed, and the paper set setting unit 302 is arranged in the direction indicated by the arrow 304. In the present embodiment, since the discharge direction is set to the left on the condition input screen 200, the arrow 304 faces the left side, and the paper set setting unit 302 is displayed adjacent to the left side of the collator display unit 301. ing.

  The paper set setting unit 302 has a paper field 305 and a paper feed tray number field 306. In the paper column 305, numbers 1 to 15 are displayed in order from the top in cells arranged vertically. The number 15 is the number input to the number input unit 201 on the condition input screen 200 and is the number of sheets to be stored in the binding mechanism 62. Assuming that 12 is entered in the number input section, a number from 1 to 12 is displayed in the paper column 305, and the number of cells is also 12. The numbers in the sheet column 305 indicate the number of sheets from the top in the accumulation unit when all the 15 sheets constituting the sheet set are accumulated in the binding mechanism 62.

  In the paper feed tray number field 306, blank cells are provided corresponding to the numbers in the paper field 305. In this blank cell, the number of the paper feed tray from which each paper is sent out is input. The number can be entered by clicking a cell with the mouse 98 and selecting it, and then entering a number from the keyboard 97, or clicking on the paper feed tray portion of the collator display unit 301 and dragging it to the cell. May be input.

  FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a state in which all input cells of the paper set setting unit 302 have been input. This screen is a screen in which the paper sets accumulated and formed in the binding mechanism 62 (accumulation unit) are configured in order from the top with the paper supplied from the paper feed tray entered in the feed tray number field 301. It is. That is, for example, the uppermost paper (“1” in the paper column 305) is supplied from the uppermost paper feed tray (“1” in the collator display unit 301). The second sheet from the top (“2” in the sheet column 305) is supplied from the third-stage sheet feed tray (“3” in the collator display unit 301) from the top. The fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh sheets from the top are all supplied from the fifth-stage sheet feeding tray (“5” in the collator display unit 301). The tenth and eleventh sheets from the top are all from the eighth tray from the top, the thirteenth sheet from the top is the tenth sheet from the top, the fourteenth sheet from the top is the second sheet from the top, and from the top The fifteenth sheet is supplied from the first sheet feeding tray from the top.

  In this way, it is possible to freely set a paper feed tray from which each of the papers constituting the paper set accumulated in the binding mechanism 62 is sent out. For example, if you want to use the same cover paper for the front and back covers, set the top and bottom feed sources of the paper set to the same paper feed tray, so that the cover paper is placed in one paper feed tray. Since it is only necessary to load them, the paper feed tray can be used effectively. In addition, when it is desired to create a continuous portion of the same sheet, the sending source of the continuous portion can be set to the same paper feed tray. If it is desired to correct the setting, click the cell in the paper feed tray number column 306 to be corrected and input again. When the input is confirmed, the confirm button 303 is clicked.

  FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a screen displayed after the confirmation button 303 is clicked. When the confirmation button 303 is clicked, the electronic control unit 100 determines the positional relationship between the two sheets adjacent to each other among the plurality of sheets constituting the sheet set in the sheet set. The two sheets are compared with the positional relationship of the paper feed tray 50 from which the two sheets are sent, and based on the comparison result, it is determined by the determining means whether or not the two sheets are included in the same component. To do.

  Specifically, the positional relationship in the vertical direction of two adjacent sheets in the paper set and the positional relationship in the vertical direction of the sheet feeding unit of each of the two sheets coincide with each other. In this case, it is determined that the two sheets are included in the same component. This determination is performed for all combinations of two adjacent sheets in the sheet set, thereby determining the constituent parts.

  Hereinafter, the determination method of the determination means will be described by taking as an example the case where the input is made as shown in FIG. 5 and the confirm button 303 is pressed. First, in the vertical positional relationship between the first sheet and the second sheet from the top of the sheet set, the former is up and the latter is down. The former is set to be fed from the uppermost sheet feed tray, and the latter is set to be fed from the top third feed tray located below. Therefore, the vertical positional relationship between the paper feed trays is the upper one, and the latter is the lower one. Therefore, the vertical positional relationship between the papers in the paper set and the vertical direction of the paper feed tray that is the sending source are the same. The positional relationship is consistent. As a result, it is determined that the first sheet and the second sheet from the top of the sheet set are included in the same component.

  Next, in the vertical positional relationship between the second sheet and the third sheet from the top of the sheet set, the former is up and the latter is down. The former is set to be fed from the third-stage paper feed tray from the top, and the latter is set to be fed from the top-fourth-stage paper feed tray existing below it. Therefore, the vertical positional relationship between the paper feed trays is the upper one, and the latter is the lower one. Therefore, the vertical positional relationship between the papers in the paper set and the vertical direction of the paper feed tray that is the sending source are the same. The positional relationship is consistent. As a result, it is determined that the second sheet and the third sheet from the top of the sheet set are included in the same component. The same determination is performed for the third and fourth sheets from the top of the sheet set, and it is determined that they are included in the same component.

  Subsequently, the fourth sheet and the fifth sheet from the top of the sheet set are determined. As for the positional relationship between the two, the former is up and the latter is down. Both the former and the latter are set so as to be fed from the fifth paper feed tray from the top. Therefore, the positional relationship in the vertical direction between the paper feed trays is “same”. Therefore, the vertical positional relationship between the sheets in the paper set and the vertical positional relationship of the paper feed tray that is the sending source do not match. As a result, the fourth sheet and the fifth sheet from the top of the sheet set are included in different components.

  The 5th and 6th sheets from the top of the paper set, and the 6th and 7th sheets are all set to be fed from the 5th paper feed tray from the top. Since the positional relationship in the vertical direction between the sheets of paper and the positional relationship in the vertical direction of the paper feed tray that is the sending source do not match, it is determined that they are included in different components. Similarly, the determination is made for the seventh and eighth sheets, the eighth and ninth sheets, and the ninth and tenth sheets from the top of the sheet set. Since the positional relationship in the vertical direction between the sheets in each paper set coincides with the positional relationship in the vertical direction of the paper feed tray serving as the sending source, it is determined that they are included in the same component. The tenth and eleventh sheets from the top of the paper set are both supplied from the eighth-stage paper feed tray from the top.

  Therefore, the positional relationship in the vertical direction between the paper feed trays is “same”. Therefore, since the vertical positional relationship between the sheets in the paper set and the vertical positional relationship of the paper feed tray as the sending source do not match, it is determined that they are included in different components. The eleventh, twelfth, and twelfth and thirteenth sheets from the top of the paper set are respectively positioned in the vertical direction of the paper in the paper set and the vertical direction of the paper feed tray from which the paper is sent. Are in the same component part.

  Next, determination is made on the thirteenth paper and the fourteenth paper from the top of the paper set. The former is set so as to be fed from the 10th-stage paper feed tray from the top, and the latter is set so as to be fed from the top-stage 2nd-stage paper feed tray. Accordingly, the positional relationship between the paper feed trays in the vertical direction is the lower one and the latter is the upper one. Therefore, the positional relationship in the vertical direction between the sheets in the paper set is opposite and does not match. As a result, the thirteenth paper and the fourteenth paper from the top of the paper set are included in different components.

  Finally, determination is made on the 14th and 15th sheets from the top of the paper set. The former is set to be fed from the second-stage paper feed tray from the top, and the latter is set to be fed from the uppermost paper feed tray existing above it. Accordingly, the positional relationship between the paper feed trays in the vertical direction is the lower one and the latter is the upper one. Therefore, the positional relationship in the vertical direction between the sheets in the paper set is opposite and does not match. As a result, the 14th sheet and the 15th sheet from the top of the sheet set are also included in different components. In this manner, the constituent parts are determined by performing determination on all the combinations of two adjacent sheets in the sheet set.

  When the confirmation button 303 in FIG. 5 is clicked, the management PC 97 performs this series of determinations and displays the confirmation screen in FIG. 6, and the determination result is displayed in the paper set setting unit 302 as a transmission order column 307. In the sending order column 307, a boundary line is provided only at the boundary between sheets having different constituent parts, and no boundary line is provided at the boundary between sheets having the same constituent part. In FIG. 6, it is displayed that the result of determination according to the setting of the paper set setting unit 302 is divided into seven components. Furthermore, the order values 1-7 which show the order sent out from the collating machine 18 are displayed about each component. This order value is assigned so that the lowest constituent part is 1, and is incremented by 1 in order from the bottom.

  Next, when the collation system 10 is started, the motor M of each paper feed unit is driven at a timing such that a paper set having the set configuration is formed in the binding mechanism 62 (accumulation unit). The electronic control unit 100 allows sheets belonging to the same component to overlap each other while being conveyed by the sheet conveying paths 59 and 54 (see FIG. 1), and sheets belonging to different components to the sheet conveying paths 59 and 54. The drive timing of the motor M is controlled so that they are stacked in the binding mechanism 62 without overlapping.

  FIG. 7 is a timing chart showing the drive timing of the motor M of each paper feed tray 50 in the first embodiment. Numbers 1 to 10 shown on the left side of the timing chart indicate the numbers of the paper feed trays, and correspond to the paper feed tray numbers shown in FIGS. 4 to 6. A circle number given to a portion indicating that the motor M is driven indicates an order value, and indicates which order value setting the driving of the motor M is based on.

  Symbols “T1” and “T2” in the figure indicate time. At time T1, a predetermined margin time is added to the time required for the supplied paper to move by the length in the conveyance direction of the paper after the motor M of the paper feed tray 50 is started. It's time. That is, after a motor T of a certain paper feed tray 50 is driven to supply paper, after the time T1 has passed, if the same motor M is further driven to supply paper from the same paper feed tray, the motor M is driven later. At the timing, since the previously supplied sheet has already moved more than the length in the sheet conveying direction, the previously supplied sheet and the sheet supplied later overlap in the sheet conveying paths 59 and 54. There is nothing. In the present embodiment, since sheets of the same size are stacked on all the paper feed trays, the time T1 is a constant value, but depending on the length of the loaded paper in the transport direction, the paper feed trays Different values may be set for each.

  The time T2 is a time required for moving the arrangement pitch of the separation / feed mechanisms 52 provided in plural in the vertical direction at a predetermined interval when the paper moves downward in the paper conveyance path 54. That is, after the motor M of a certain paper feed tray 50 is driven to supply the paper, after the time T2 has elapsed, the motor M of the paper feed tray 50 that is one stage below the previously supplied paper feed tray 50 is driven. When the paper is supplied, the paper supplied from the lower stage overlaps the previously supplied paper with the leading edges aligned in the paper transport path 54.

  The motor M operates at a timing such that each component is formed in the order of the order values in FIG. If the order values are different, that is, the constituent parts are different, the sheets having different order values are controlled so as to overlap each other in the binding mechanism 62 without overlapping in the sheet transport path 54. Specifically, when the time T1 + n1 × T2 has elapsed from the drive timing of the motor M last driven in the previous sequence value, the first motor M is driven in the next sequence value. n1 indicates that the motor M that is driven first in the next sequence value exists n1 stages below the motor M that is driven last in the previous sequence value. In the case of n1 steps, the value of n1 is a negative number. In the case of the same stage, the value of n1 is zero.

  If the order values are the same, they belong to the same component, and therefore, the sheets having the same order value are controlled so that the leading ends thereof are joined together in the sheet transport path 54. Specifically, the next motor M is driven when n2 × T2 has elapsed from the drive timing of the previously driven motor M. n2 indicates that the motor M to be driven next exists n2 steps below the motor M to be driven first within the same order value. In the case where it exists on the n2 stage or in the same stage, it is not considered as the same component part, so there is no such case.

  The operation for each order value will be described. First, the component having an order value of 1 is only the 15th sheet from the top of the sheet set, and the sheet is supplied from the uppermost sheet feed tray. Therefore, first, the motor M provided in the uppermost sheet feed tray is driven, and one sheet is supplied from the uppermost sheet feed tray and is supplied to the binding mechanism 62.

  Next, the component having the order value 2 is only one 14th sheet from the top of the sheet set, and the sheet is supplied from the second-stage sheet feeding tray from the top. Accordingly, the motor M provided in the second-stage paper feed tray from the top is driven. Since the second stage motor M exists one stage below the uppermost stage motor M driven immediately before, the n1 = 1. Therefore, the drive start timing of the second-stage motor M is the timing after the time T1 + 1 × T2 = T1 + T2 has elapsed from the drive start timing of the uppermost motor M in the sequence value 1. This T1 + T2 is a time required at least for the sheet fed from the uppermost stage to be conveyed by one pitch of the separation feeding mechanism 52 in addition to the length of the sheet itself. At the time when the leading edge of the sheet that has reached the merging point to the sheet conveying path 54, the trailing edge of the uppermost sheet has already passed the merging point. Accordingly, both different constituent parts do not overlap in the paper transport path 54, the paper supplied from the uppermost stage is first stored in the binding mechanism 62, and the paper supplied from the second stage from above overlaps the top. Will be housed.

  Next, the components with an order value of 3 are the 11th, 12th, and 13th sheets from the top of the sheet set, and the sheets are supplied from the 8th, 9th, and 10th sheet feed trays from the top. Is supposed to be done. Therefore, the motor M provided in each of the eighth, ninth, and tenth feed trays from the top is started to be driven in this order. The motor M in the eighth stage from the top that is driven first at the order value 3 exists immediately before that, that is, six stages below the motor M in the second stage from the top that is driven at the order value 2, so n1 = 6. Therefore, the drive start timing of the eighth stage motor M is the timing after the time T1 + 6 × T2 has elapsed from the drive start timing of the second stage motor M driven at the order value 2. This T1 + 6 × T2 is a time required at least for the sheet fed from the second stage from the top to carry the six pitches of the separation feeding mechanism 52 in addition to the length of the sheet itself. When the leading edge of the paper supplied from the eighth stage reaches the merging point to the paper conveyance path 54, the trailing edge of the paper fed from the second stage from the top, which is six stages higher than that, is the merging point. Is going through. Therefore, both different constituent parts do not overlap in the paper transport path 54 and overlap in the binding mechanism 62. The motors M provided in the 9th and 10th paper feed trays from the top are started to be driven at timings after the elapse of time T2 from the drive start timing of the motor M driven immediately before. Then, the sheets taken out one by one from the eighth, ninth, and tenth stages from the top are aligned with each other when they join the common sheet conveying path 54 from the sheet conveying path 59 that continues from each sheet feeding tray. Is superimposed on. Then, they are sent to the binding mechanism 62 in a state where they overlap each other, and are stacked on the paper already stored in the binding mechanism 62.

  Next, the components having an order value of 4 are the fourth, seventh, ninth, and tenth sheets from the top of the sheet set, and the sheets are supplied in the fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth stages from the top, respectively. It is supposed to be supplied from a paper tray. Therefore, the motor M provided in each of the fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth stage paper feed trays from the top is started to be driven in this order. The motor M in the fifth stage from the top that is driven first at the order value 4 is five stages higher than the motor M in the tenth stage from the top that was last driven in the previous order value 3, so n1 = -5. Therefore, the driving start timing of the fifth-stage motor M from the top in order 4 is the timing after the time T1-5 × T2 has elapsed from the driving start timing of the top-stage motor M from the top in order value 3. In this embodiment, since T1-5 × T2 is also a negative number, the first motor M in the order value 4, that is, the fifth stage from the top, at a timing earlier than the motor M in the tenth stage from the top in the order value 3. The eye motor M is driven. However, when the sheet fed from the fifth stage from the top descends the sheet conveyance path 54 and reaches the junction where the sheet from the tenth stage from the top joins, the last 10th stage from the top in the order value 3 Since the trailing edge of the sheet supplied from the sheet has already passed through this joining point, both of the components that are different from each other do not overlap in the sheet transport path 54 but overlap in the binding mechanism 62. The driving timing of the motor M provided on the sixth, seventh, and eighth stage paper feed trays from the top is one stage lower than the motor M driven immediately before it, and is driven immediately before that. Each time T2 has elapsed from the drive start timing of the motor M. Then, the sheets taken out one by one from the fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth stages from the top are stacked so that the leading edges thereof are aligned with each other when joining the common sheet transport path 54. Then, they are sent to the binding mechanism 62 in a state where they overlap each other, and are stacked on the paper already stored in the binding mechanism 62.

  Next, the component having an order value of 5 is only one sheet of the sixth sheet from the top of the sheet set, and the sheet is supplied from the fifth-stage sheet feeding tray from the top. Accordingly, the motor M provided in the fifth-stage paper feed tray from the top is driven. The motor M in the fifth stage from the top that is driven at the order value 5 is the same as the motor M that was last driven at the previous order value 4, and therefore n1 = 0. Therefore, the driving start timing of the motor M at the fifth stage from the top in the order value 5 is after the elapse of time T1-0 × T2 = T1 from the driving start timing in the order value 4. Accordingly, after the paper previously supplied at the order value 4 has advanced by the length of the paper or more, the supply at the order value 5 is started. The supplied paper is conveyed in a chasing manner.

  Further, the component having an order value of 6 is only one sheet of the fifth sheet from the top of the sheet set, and the sheet is supplied from the fifth sheet feed tray from the top as in the case of the order value 5. Therefore, the driving start timing of the motor M at the fifth stage from the top in the order value 6 is after the elapse of time T1-0 × T2 = T1 from the driving start timing in the order value 5. Accordingly, as in the case of the order value 5, the paper supplied later is conveyed in a follow-up form without overlapping with the paper supplied earlier.

  Finally, the component with an order value of 7 is the first, second, third, and fourth sheets of the four sheets from the top of the sheet set. It is supposed to be supplied from a paper tray. Accordingly, the motor M provided in each of the first, third, fourth, and fifth stage paper feed trays from the top starts to be driven in this order. Since the highest motor M that is driven first at the sequence value 7 is four stages higher than the motor M that is driven last at the previous sequence value 6, n1 = −4. is there.

  Therefore, the drive start timing of the uppermost motor M in the order 7 is a timing after the time T1-4 × T2 has elapsed from the drive start timing of the motor M in the fifth stage from the top in the order value 6. In the present embodiment, T1-4 × T2 is also a negative number, and therefore, the uppermost motor M in the order value 7 is driven at a timing earlier than the motor M in the fifth stage from the top in the order value 6. Since the motor M in the third stage from the top that is driven subsequently is present two stages below the uppermost motor M, n2 = 2. Therefore, the driving timing of the third-stage motor M from the top is after the time 2 × T2 has elapsed from the driving timing of the uppermost motor M driven immediately before. Further, the fourth and fifth stage motors M that are driven from the top are respectively located one stage below the motor M that is driven immediately before, and therefore n2 = 1. Accordingly, the drive timing of the fourth and fifth stage motor M from the top is after the time T2 has elapsed from the drive timing of the motor M driven immediately before.

  By being driven at such timing, sheets belonging to the same order value, that is, the same component are overlapped so that the leading ends thereof are aligned in the sheet conveyance path 54 and sent to the binding mechanism 62, and different order values, that is, different configurations. The sheets belonging to the portion are controlled not to overlap each other in the sheet conveyance path 54 but to overlap after being fed to the binding mechanism 62. By being controlled in this way, the user can freely set the paper feed tray from which the paper constituting the paper set accumulated in the binding mechanism 62 is sent out, and the paper set as set Can be quickly performed by superimposing some of the sheets on the sheet conveyance path 54.

(Second Embodiment)
FIG. 8 is a schematic overall configuration diagram of a collation system 410 according to the second embodiment. The same members as those in the first embodiment are given the same numbers, and detailed descriptions thereof are omitted. The collation system 410 includes a collation device 18, a paper receiving device 420, and a management device 28.

  The collating device 18 conveys the paper sent out from the paper feed tray 50 one by one through the paper transport path 54 and sends it to the paper receiving device 420, and if necessary, the paper sent out from the paper feed tray 50. The sheets are overlapped with each other in the sheet conveyance path 54 and conveyed as a sheet bundle, and are sent to the sheet receiving device 420. In the second embodiment, a post-processing device (in this embodiment, a paper receiving device 420) is connected to the right side of the collating device 18 in the figure, and the paper conveyance branches from near the lower end of the paper conveyance path 54 to the right side in the figure. The sheet is conveyed via the path 53. Since the collating device 18 is the same as that of the first embodiment, a switching gate is provided at the branch portion. However, in the second embodiment, the post-processing machine is connected only on the right side, so The switching gate is positioned so that the sheet conveyed through the path 54 is always discharged to the right side of the collating device 18.

  The paper receiving device 420 sequentially stacks the paper fed from the collating device 18 on the paper receiving plate 421 for each paper set. The upper end height of the stacked paper is monitored by a sensor, and the paper receiving plate 421 is lowered so that the upper end height does not change even when the paper stacking progresses. A stopper 422 and a back jogger 423 are provided on the paper receiving plate. The paper fed into the paper receiving device 420 stops when the leading edge abuts against the stopper 422. The back jogger 423 comes into contact with the trailing edge of the stopped paper. Each time the paper is fed, the back jogger 423 contacts and aligns the paper with the stopper 422. Sheets are sequentially fed and accumulated between the stopper 422 and the back jogger 423 to form a sheet set. When one paper set is formed, the stopper 422 and the back jogger 423 move along the paper discharge direction, and the next paper set is accumulated by shifting the position in the discharge direction with respect to the previous paper set. Hereinafter, a portion between the stopper 422 and the back jogger 423 is referred to as a paper receiving portion 424. The paper receiving device 420 may be shifted in the direction orthogonal to the paper discharge direction for each paper set, or may be stacked without being shifted for each special paper set. As described above, various known stacking forms may be used for the paper receiving device.

The paper receiving device 420 includes a CPU, a ROM, and a RAM, and has a control unit that controls the operation of the internal mechanism. When a start signal is received, a paper receiving process is performed based on the received setting contents. To do. The control unit and management PC 94 will be described below as an electronic control unit 400 as a whole.

  The collation system 410 configured as described above takes out the sheets stacked in a part or all of a total of ten paper feed trays 50 one by one and passes through the paper transport paths 54 and 53 to form a paper receiving unit 424 ( A paper set is formed by overlapping in the storage unit. At this time, the electronic control unit 400 divides the sheets constituting the sheet set into a plurality of components as in the first embodiment, and the sheets belonging to different components are stacked in the paper receiver 424 and have the same configuration. The drive timing of each sheet feeding unit is controlled so that the sheets belonging to the portion are stacked on each other while being conveyed in the sheet conveyance path 54. However, in the second embodiment, since the transport path from the paper feed tray 50 to the paper receiving portion 424 via the paper transport paths 59, 54, and 53 includes a U-turn, what is different from the first embodiment? It is necessary to change the way the components are separated.

  When the collation system 410 is turned on, the mode selection screen 101 shown in FIG. 2 is displayed on the display 96 as in the first embodiment. When normal collation mode button 102 is clicked with mouse 98, normal collation mode is entered. The normal collation mode is a mode in which a sheet set is created by superimposing all the sheets taken out one by one from the sheet bundle loaded on each sheet feeding tray 50 while conveying the sheet conveying paths 59 and 54. is there. The created paper set is sent to the paper receiving device 420 via the paper transport path 53 and stacked on the paper receiving unit 424. Since the operation in this mode is a known technique, a detailed description thereof is omitted.

  When the arbitrary collation mode button 103 is clicked on the mode selection screen 101, the arbitrary collation mode is set, and the condition input screen 200 shown in FIG. 3 is displayed as in the first embodiment. In the second embodiment, since the post-processing machine is connected only to the right side, the discharge direction selection button 202 is selected by clicking “right”. Alternatively, “Left” may be grayed out to make selection impossible, or only “Right” may be displayed, thereby making the selection operation unnecessary.

  In the condition input screen 200, the user inputs the number of paper sets and selects the discharge direction, and clicks a setting screen button 204 to display a setting screen. FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a setting screen 500 according to the second embodiment. The setting screen 500 includes a collator display unit 501, a paper set setting unit 502, and a confirmation button 503. The collator display unit 501 schematically displays the appearance of the collator 18, and each paper feed tray is numbered up to 10 in the order of 1, 2, 3 from the top. Further, an arrow 504 indicating the direction in which the paper is discharged from the collating apparatus 18 is displayed, and the paper set setting unit 502 is arranged in the direction indicated by the arrow 504. In the second embodiment, since the discharge direction is set to the right in the condition input screen 200, the arrow 504 faces the right side, and the paper set setting unit 502 is adjacent to the right side of the collator display unit 501. It is displayed.

  The paper set setting unit 502 includes a paper field 505 and a paper feed tray number field 506. In the paper column 505, as in the first embodiment, the number and input cells for the number of sheets input on the condition input screen 200 are displayed. The numbers in the paper column 505 indicate the number of sheets from the top in the storage unit when all the 15 sheets constituting the paper set are stored in the paper receiving unit 424. In the paper feed tray number column 506, as in the first embodiment, blanks for inputting the number of the paper feed tray from which each paper is sent out are arranged.

  FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a state where input of all the cells of the paper set setting unit 502 according to the second embodiment is completed. In this screen, the paper sets accumulated and formed in the paper receiving unit 424 (accumulating unit) are input in order from the top to be configured by the paper supplied from the paper supply tray input in the paper supply tray number column 501. It is a screen. That is, for example, the uppermost sheet (“1” in the sheet column 505) is supplied from the uppermost sheet feed tray (“1” in the collator display unit 501). The third sheet from the top (“3” in the sheet column 505) is supplied from the tenth-stage sheet feeding tray from the top (“10” in the collator display unit 501). The lowermost paper (“15” in the paper column 505) is supplied from the uppermost paper feed tray (“1” in the collator display unit 501).

  FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a screen displayed after the confirmation button 503 is clicked. When the confirmation button 503 is clicked, the electronic control unit 100 determines whether or not two sheets adjacent to each other in the sheet set are included in the same component. In the first embodiment, the front and back sides of the paper loaded on the paper feed tray 50 are accumulated without being reversed. In the second embodiment, the U-turn formed by the paper transport paths 59, 54, and 53 is used. Since the paper passes through the conveyance path, the front and back of the paper loaded on the paper feed tray 50 are reversed and accumulated in the paper receiving unit 242. Therefore, in the second embodiment, the vertical positional relationship between the two adjacent sheets in the paper set and the vertical positional relationship of the sheet feeding unit from which each of the two sheets is fed out. If the opposite is true, a determination is made to include the two sheets in the same component. This determination is performed for all combinations of two adjacent sheets in the sheet set to determine the constituent parts.

  Hereinafter, the determination method of this determination means will be described by taking as an example the case where the input is made as shown in FIG. 10 and the confirm button 503 is pressed. First, in the vertical positional relationship between the first sheet and the second sheet from the top of the sheet set, the former is up and the latter is down. The former is set so as to be fed from the uppermost sheet feed tray, and the latter is set to be fed from the second-stage feed tray from the top existing below. Therefore, the vertical positional relationship between the paper feed trays is the upper one, and the latter is the lower one. Therefore, the vertical positional relationship between the papers in the paper set and the vertical direction of the paper feed tray that is the sending source are the same. The positional relationship is consistent. As a result, it is determined that the first sheet and the second sheet from the top of the sheet set are included in different components.

  Next, in the vertical positional relationship between the second sheet and the third sheet from the top of the sheet set, the former is up and the latter is down. The former is set to be supplied from the second-stage paper feed tray from the top, and the latter is set to be supplied from the top-tenth paper feed tray that is eight levels lower than that. Therefore, the vertical positional relationship between the paper feed trays is the upper one, and the latter is the lower one. Therefore, the vertical positional relationship between the papers in the paper set and the vertical direction of the paper feed tray that is the sending source are the same. The positional relationship is consistent. As a result, it is determined that the second sheet and the third sheet from the top of the sheet set are also included in different components.

  Subsequently, the third and fourth sheets from the top of the sheet set are determined. As for the positional relationship between the two, the former is up and the latter is down. The former is set so as to be fed from the 10th-stage paper feed tray from the top, and the latter is set to be fed from the 9th-stage paper feed tray existing one level higher than that. Therefore, the vertical positional relationship between the paper feed trays is lower in the former and the latter in the upper direction. Therefore, the vertical positional relationship between the papers in the paper set and the vertical direction of the paper feed tray that is the sending source thereof. The positional relationship is reversed. As a result, it is determined that the second sheet and the third sheet from the top of the sheet set are included in the same component. The determination is repeated from the top to the 14th and 15th sheets in the order of the 4th, 5th, 5th and 6th sheets from the top to determine whether each is included in the same component. Determine the part.

  In short, the judgment is made by comparing the vertical positional relationship between the two adjacent sheets in the paper set with the vertical positional relationship of the feeding unit of each of the two sheets. Although it is the same as that of 1st Embodiment, in the 1st Embodiment, when the positional relationship of an up-down direction corresponds, it includes in the same component part, whereas in 2nd Embodiment, the reverse is the reverse, If the positional relationship is consistent, it is included in a different component, and if the vertical positional relationship is not consistent, it is included in the same component.

  When the confirmation button 503 in FIG. 10 is clicked, a transmission order column 507 is displayed on the confirmation screen shown in FIG. 11 as in the first embodiment. In FIG. 11, while displaying that it was divided into seven component parts, order values 1 to 7 are displayed for each component part. As in the first embodiment, the order value is assigned so that the lowest-order component is 1, and the order value is incremented by 1 from the bottom.

  Next, when the collation system 410 is started, the motor M of each paper feed unit is driven at a timing such that a paper set having the set configuration is formed in the paper receiving unit 424 (accumulation unit). . The electronic control unit 100 allows sheets belonging to the same component to overlap each other while being conveyed by the sheet conveying paths 59 and 54 (see FIG. 8), and sheets belonging to different components to the sheet conveying paths 59 and 54. The drive timing of the motor M is controlled so that it does not overlap but is stacked in the paper receiver 424.

  FIG. 12 is a timing chart showing the drive timing of the motor M of each paper feed tray 50 in the second embodiment. Numbers 1 to 10 shown on the left side of the timing chart indicate the numbers of the paper feed trays, and correspond to the paper feed tray numbers shown in FIGS. 9 to 11. A circle number given to a portion indicating that the motor M is driven indicates an order value, and indicates which order value setting the driving of the motor M is based on.

  Symbols “T1” and “T2” in the figure indicate time, and the meanings thereof are the same as those in the first embodiment. Further, the motor M is driven so as to form each component in the order of the order values. If the order values are different, the motor driven last in the previous order values so as not to overlap each other in the paper transport path 54. The point that the first motor M is driven in the next order value when the time T1 + n1 × T2 has elapsed from the drive timing of M is the same as in the first embodiment. When the order values are the same, the next motor M is moved when n2 × T2 has elapsed from the drive timing of the previously driven motor M so that the leading ends are aligned and merged in the paper transport path 54. The driving point is the same as that of the first embodiment, but the first embodiment sequentially drives the motor M from the top to the bottom of the display of the paper feed tray number column 506 in the order value. In the second embodiment, the motor M is sequentially driven from the bottom to the top of the display of the paper feed tray number column 506. This is because the upper motor M must be driven first in order to stack the sheets in the sheet conveyance path 54.

  First, the components having an order value of 1 are a total of four sheets of the 12, 13, 14, and 15 sheets from the top of the sheet set, and the sheets are fed in the fifth, fourth, and third stages from the top. It is supposed to be supplied from a paper tray. Therefore, the motor M provided in each of the fifth, fourth, and third-stage feed trays from the top starts driving sequentially from top to bottom (in order of the first, third, fourth, and fifth stages from the top). Is done. Since the third-stage motor M from the top is two stages below the uppermost motor M driven immediately before it, n2 = 2. That is, the driving is started at the timing after the time 2 × T2 has elapsed from the start of the driving of the uppermost motor M. The motors M in the fourth and fifth stages from the top are started to be driven at timings after the elapse of time T2 from the driving start timing of the motor M driven immediately before. Then, the sheets taken out one by one from the first, third, fourth, and fifth stages from the top end with each other when they join the common sheet conveying path 54 from the sheet conveying path 59 continuing from each sheet feeding tray. They are stacked so that they are aligned. Then, they are sent to the paper receiver 424 while being overlapped with each other, and are stacked on the paper already stored in the paper receiver 424.

  Next, the component having an order value of 2 is only one sheet of the eleventh sheet from the top of the sheet set, and that sheet is to be supplied from the fifth sheet feed tray from the top. Accordingly, the motor M provided in the fifth-stage paper feed tray from the top is driven. Since the fifth-stage motor M is the same as the motor M driven immediately before it, n1 = 0. Therefore, the driving start timing of the second stage motor M is after the elapse of time T1-0 × T2 = T1 from the driving start timing of the fifth stage motor M in the order value 1. Accordingly, after the paper previously supplied at the order value 1 has advanced by the length of the paper or more, the supply at the order value 2 is started. Therefore, the paper supplied earlier is not overlapped with the paper supplied earlier. The conveyed paper is conveyed in a chasing manner.

  Further, the component having an order value of 3 is also only one sheet of the fifth sheet from the top of the sheet set, and the sheet is supplied from the fifth sheet feed tray from the top as in the order value 2. Therefore, the driving start timing of the motor M at the fifth stage from the top in the order value 3 is after the elapse of time T1-0 × T2 = T1 from the driving start timing in the order value 2. Therefore, as in the case of the order value 2, the paper supplied later is conveyed in a follow-up form without overlapping with the paper supplied earlier.

  Next, the components having an order value of 4 are the fourth, sixth, eighth, and ninth sheets from the top of the sheet set, and the sheets are supplied in the eighth, seventh, sixth, and fifth stages from the top, respectively. It is supposed to be supplied from a paper tray. Therefore, the motor M provided on each of the eighth, seventh, sixth, and fifth-stage sheet feed trays from the top sequentially moves from top to bottom (in order of the fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth stages from the top). Driving starts. Since the fifth-stage motor M driven from the top at the order value 4 is the same as the fifth-stage motor M driven from the previous order value 3, n1 = 0. Therefore, the driving start timing of the fifth-stage motor M from the top in the order 4 is a timing after the time T1-0 × T2 = T1 has elapsed from the driving start timing of the fifth-stage motor M from the top in the order value 3. The sixth, seventh, and eighth stage motors M are started to be driven at timings after the elapse of time T2 from the driving start timing of the motor M driven immediately before. As a result, the sheets taken out one by one from the fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth stages from the top are mutually leading when they join the common sheet conveying path 54 from the sheet conveying path 59 that continues from each sheet feeding tray. Are stacked so as to be aligned and sent to the paper receiver 424.

  The components with an order value of 5 are the third, fourth, and fifth sheets from the top of the sheet set, and the sheets are supplied from the 10, 9, and 8th feed trays from the top, respectively. It is supposed to be. Accordingly, the motor M starts to be driven in the order of the eighth, ninth and tenth stages from the top. Since the motor M in the eighth stage from the top that is driven first is the same as the motor M in the eighth stage from the top that was driven in the previous order value 4, n1 = 0. Accordingly, the drive start timing of the eighth-stage motor M from the top in order 5 is the timing after the time T1-0 × T2 = T1 has elapsed from the drive start timing of the eighth-stage motor M from the top in order value 3. The motors M in the ninth and tenth stages from the top are started to be driven after the time T2 has elapsed from the drive start timing of the motor M driven immediately before.

  Next, the component whose order value is 6 is one sheet of the second sheet from the top of the sheet set, and the sheet is to be supplied from the second sheet feed tray from the top. The second stage motor M is driven. Since the second stage motor M is eight stages higher than the tenth stage motor M from which it was last driven at the order value 5, n1 = −8. Therefore, the driving start timing of the motor M at the second stage from the top in the order value 6 is a timing after time T1-8 × T2 has elapsed from the driving start timing of the motor M at the tenth stage from the top at the order value 5. In the present embodiment, this is a negative number, and therefore, the motor M of the second stage from the top in the order value 6 is driven at a timing earlier than the motor M of the tenth stage from the top in the order value 5.

  Next, the component having an order value of 7 is one uppermost sheet in the sheet set, and the sheet is supplied from the uppermost sheet feed tray. Driven. Since the uppermost motor M is one stage higher than the second-stage motor M driven last in the sequence value 6, n1 = −1. Therefore, the drive start timing of the uppermost motor M at the order value 7 is the timing after the time T1-1 × T2 = T1-T2 has elapsed from the drive start timing of the motor M at the second stage from the top in the order value 6.

  By being driven at such timing, also in the second embodiment, the sheets belonging to the same order value, that is, the same components are overlapped so that the leading ends are aligned in the sheet conveyance path 54 and are bound to the binding mechanism 62. Papers that are sent out and belong to different order values, that is, different constituent parts, are controlled so as not to overlap in the paper transport path 54 but to overlap after being fed into the binding mechanism 62. In the second embodiment, the criterion for determining whether or not the component parts are the same in the determination when determining the component parts is reversed with respect to the first embodiment. Therefore, even if the paper transport paths 59, 54, 53 are accompanied by a U-turn, the user can set the number of the paper feed tray as the sending source in the order in which they are stacked on the storage unit.

(Third embodiment)
FIG. 13 is a schematic overall configuration diagram of a collation system 610 according to the third embodiment. The same members as those in the first and second embodiments are assigned the same numbers, and detailed descriptions thereof are omitted. The collation system 610 includes a collation device 18, a saddle stitch folding device 20, a paper receiving device 420, and a management device 28.

  The collating device 18 conveys the sheets sent out from the paper feed tray 50 one by one through the paper transport path 54 and sends them to the saddle stitch folding device 20 or the paper receiving device 420 and, if necessary, the paper feed tray. The sheets fed from 50 are overlapped with each other in the sheet conveyance path 54 and conveyed as a sheet bundle, and are sent to the saddle stitch folding device 20 or the paper receiving device 420. In the third embodiment, a saddle stitch folding device 20 and a paper receiving device 420 are provided as post-processing machines. The saddle stitch folding device 20 is provided on the left side of the collating device in the drawing, and the paper receiving device 420 is also connected to the right side of the collating device in the drawing. From the vicinity of the lower end of the paper conveyance path 54, the conveyance path branches right and left, and is directed toward the saddle stitch folding device 20 and the paper receiving device 420, respectively. That is, in the third embodiment, the same saddle stitch folding device 20 as that of the first embodiment is provided on the left side of the collating device 18, and the same paper receiving device 420 as that of the second embodiment is provided on the right side of the collating device 18. The switching gate provided at the branching portion at the lower end of the sheet conveying path 54 can be switched so as to feed the sheet descending the sheet conveying path 54 to the left or right. ing.

  The collating device 18, the saddle stitch folding device 20, and the paper receiving device 420 each have a CPU, a ROM, and a RAM, and have a control unit that controls the operation of the internal mechanism. Perform paper receiving processing based on the settings. These control units and management PC 94 will be described below as an electronic control unit 700 as a whole. When the collation system 610 is turned on, the mode selection screen 101 shown in FIG. 2 is displayed on the display 96 as in the first embodiment. When normal collation mode button 102 is clicked with mouse 98, normal collation mode is entered. The operation in the normal collation mode is the operation of a known collation system, as in the first and second embodiments.

  When the arbitrary collation mode button 103 is clicked on the mode selection screen 101, the arbitrary collation mode is set, and the condition input screen 200 shown in FIG. 3 is displayed as in the first and second embodiments. In the third embodiment, since the post-processing machines are connected to both the left side and the right side, the discharge direction selection button 202 is selected by clicking either “right” or “left”, and the post-processing machine to be used is selected. To decide. When “left” is selected, the subsequent operation is the same as in the first embodiment, and when “right” is selected, the subsequent operation is the same as in the second embodiment. That is, by selecting the left and right discharge directions, it is determined whether the constituent parts are the same or different for two sheets adjacent to each other in the sheet set stored in each storage section by a method suitable for each discharge direction. be able to. Therefore, regardless of whether the user selects “left” or “right”, the stacking order of the sheet sets formed by the binding mechanism 62 of the saddle stitch folding device 20 or the paper receiving unit 424 of the paper receiving device 420, which is the storage unit. Since it is only necessary to set the number of the paper feed tray as the sending source, the system becomes easy to use.

(Fourth embodiment)
A collation system 810 according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described. A collation system 810 according to the fourth embodiment includes a collation device 18, a saddle stitch folding device 20, and a management device 28. That is, it is the same system as the first embodiment shown in FIG.

  Then, on the setting screen shown in FIG. 4, the user can input a paper feed tray as a sending source for each paper of the paper set accumulated in the binding mechanism 62 and are adjacent to each other in the paper set. If the positional relationship between the two sheets in the vertical direction and the positional relationship in the vertical direction of the sheet feeding unit from which each of the two sheets is sent coincide with each other, the two sheets are identical to each other. The first determination to be included in is performed to determine the constituent parts. This first determination is the same as the determination in the first embodiment.

  In the present embodiment, in addition to the first determination, the positional relationship between the two adjacent sheets in the sheet set in the vertical direction in the sheet set and the delivery of each of the two sheets. When the positional relationship in the vertical direction of the original paper feed unit is opposite, a second determination is also made to include the two sheets in the same component. This second determination is the same as the determination in the second embodiment. If the number of component parts determined in the second determination is smaller than the number of component parts determined in the first determination, a notification is made to prompt the user to change the stacking direction.

  Specifically, for example, when an input is made as shown in FIG. 14 and the confirmation button 303 is clicked, the first determination similar to the first embodiment is performed. That is, for two adjacent sheets in a paper set, the vertical positional relationship of the paper in the paper set matches the vertical positional relationship of the paper feed tray that is the sending source. Judge as the same component. That is, in the case of FIG. 14, two numbers that are displayed in the paper feed tray number column are the same component when the upper part is smaller, and different component parts when the upper part is larger. Thus, the first determination is divided into 11 components. FIG. 15 is a diagram showing a screen displayed after the confirmation button 303 in FIG. 14 is clicked, and the first determination result is displayed in the transmission order column 307.

  Subsequently, a second determination is made. The second determination in FIG. 14 is the same component when the two numbers that are displayed in the paper feed tray number column are larger in the upper part, and different in the case where the upper part is smaller. It becomes a component. In other words, when the paper stacked on each shelf of the collating device 18 at the present time is reversed upside down, the paper is loaded on the basis of the component determined in the second determination. It can be determined whether or not the sheets can be stacked on the sheet conveyance path 54.

  When the input is made as shown in FIG. 14, in the second determination, the components are counted from the top of the paper set as “first sheet”, “second sheet”, “third sheet”, “fourth sheet”, “5”. ˜8th sheet ”and“ 9-15th sheet ”. The result of the second determination is not displayed at this time. Then, there are 11 component parts based on the first determination and 6 component parts based on the second determination, and there are fewer component parts in the second determination. This means that if the stacking order of the sheets stacked on the collating device 18 is reversed, the processing is completed quickly. This is because sheets having the same constituent parts can be supplied by being overlapped on the paper transport path 54, so that the fewer the constituent parts, the shorter the processing time per set. The screen of FIG. 15 that is displayed when the number of components determined by the second determination is smaller than the number of components determined by the first determination is a message 801 that prompts the user to replace the message, an execution button 802, and a reverse order acquisition button 803. Have A message 801 informs the user that processing will be faster if the order is reversed. When the execution button 802 is clicked, it is determined that the replacement has not been performed, and the collation work is started as it is, and the drive timing of each motor M is determined based on the components determined in the first determination.

  FIG. 16 shows a screen displayed when the reverse order acquisition button 803 in FIG. 15 is clicked. When the reverse order acquisition button 803 in FIG. 15 is clicked, the number when the paper feed tray number field 306 reverses the stacking order of the sheets stacked on the collating device 18 is displayed. Displays the component determined based on the second determination. When the execution button 804 is clicked, the motor M is driven and collation work is started in accordance with the components and the delivery order displayed in FIG. When the return button 805 is clicked, the screen returns to FIG.

  According to the fourth embodiment, it is automatically determined whether or not the processing is faster when the stacking order of the sheets on the shelves is turned upside down. It can be carried out. The user can finish the process quickly by changing the order in accordance with the display. In addition, even if the processing speed is slowed down, the execution button 802 can be used as it is when it is desired to avoid the troublesome replacement. Therefore, there is a merit that the user can select an appropriate processing form even if the loading order becomes complicated.

(Fifth embodiment)
A collation system 1010 according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention will be described. A collation system 1010 according to the fifth embodiment includes a collation apparatus 18, a paper receiving apparatus 420, and a management apparatus 28. That is, it is the same system as the second embodiment shown in FIG. That is, unlike the fourth embodiment, the conveyance path to the accumulation unit forms a U-turn by the sheet conveyance paths 59, 54 and 53.

  Then, on the setting screen shown in FIG. 9, the user can input a paper feed tray as a sending source for each paper of the paper set accumulated in the paper receiving unit 424, and similarly to the fourth embodiment. The first determination and the second determination are performed. Specifically, for example, when an input is made as shown in FIG. 17 and the confirmation button 503 is clicked, a second determination similar to that of the second embodiment is performed. Then, in the case of FIG. 17, the two numbers appearing in the paper feed tray number column are the same component when the upper portion is larger, and different components when the upper portion is smaller. Therefore, the second determination is divided into 11 components. FIG. 18 is a diagram showing a screen displayed after the confirmation button 503 in FIG. 17 is clicked, and the second determination result is displayed in the transmission order column 507.

  Subsequently, a first determination is made. In the first determination, in FIG. 17, two numbers that are displayed in the paper feed tray number column are the same when the upper part is small, and different when the upper part is large. Part. In other words, when the paper stacked on each shelf of the collating device 18 at the present time is reversed upside down, the paper is loaded on the basis of the component determined in the first determination. It can be determined whether or not the sheets can be stacked on the sheet conveyance path 54.

  When the input is as shown in FIG. 18, in the first determination, the components are counted from the top of the paper set as “1-7th sheet”, “8-11th sheet”, “12th sheet”, “13 sheets”. The number of eyes is “14th”, “14th” and “15th”. The result of the first determination is not displayed at this time. Then, there are 11 component parts based on the second determination and 6 component parts based on the first determination, and there are fewer component parts in the first determination. This means that if the stacking order of the sheets stacked on the collating device 18 is reversed, the processing is completed quickly. In the screen of FIG. 18 that is displayed when the number of components determined by the second determination is less than the number of components determined by the first determination, a message 801 that prompts the user to replace the message, an execution button 802, and a reverse order acquisition button 803. Is displayed. A message 801 informs the user that processing will be faster if the order is reversed. When the execution button 802 is clicked, it is determined that the replacement has not been performed, and the collation operation is started as it is, and the drive timing of each motor M is determined based on the components determined in the second determination.

  FIG. 19 shows a screen displayed when the reverse order acquisition button 803 in FIG. 18 is clicked. When the reverse order acquisition button 803 in FIG. 18 is clicked, the number when the paper feed tray number column 506 reverses the stacking order of the sheets stacked on the collating device 18 is displayed. Displays the component determined based on the first determination. When the execution button 804 is clicked, the motor M is driven and collation work is started in accordance with the components and the delivery order displayed in FIG. When the return button 805 is clicked, the screen returns to FIG.

  According to the fifth embodiment, it is automatically determined whether or not the processing is faster if the order of stacking the sheets on the shelves is reversed, and if it is earlier, the user is prompted to do so. This is a form in which the function to be performed is realized even when the post-processing machine is connected to the right side of the collating apparatus 18. In this case, since the conveyance path to the post-processor is accompanied by U-turn conveyance, the first and second determinations are switched with respect to the fourth embodiment. In this way, an appropriate processing mode can be selected, such as prompting the user to change the stacking method so that the user can finish the processing quickly, regardless of whether the post-processing machine is connected to the left or right of the collating device 18.

(Sixth embodiment)
A collation system 1110 according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 20 is a schematic overall configuration diagram showing a collation system 1110 in the sixth embodiment. The collating system 1110 has two collating devices 18 a and 18 b, which are connected by a transport bridge 19. The paper sent out from each paper feed tray 50 of the collating device 18a is sent to the binding mechanism 62 of the post-processing device 20 through the paper transport path 54a. The paper sent out from each paper feed tray 50 of the collating apparatus 18b enters the paper transport path 53a of the collating apparatus 18a via the transport bridge 19 from the paper transport path 54b, and is sent to the left as it is for post-processing. It is sent to the binding mechanism 62 of the apparatus 20.

  When the collation system 1110 is turned on, a mode selection screen 101 (see FIG. 2) similar to that of the first embodiment is displayed on the display 96. When the arbitrary collation mode button 103 is clicked on the mode selection screen 101, a condition setting screen 1200 shown in FIG. 21 is displayed. The condition input screen 1200 includes a used tower number input unit 203 in addition to the number input unit 201 and the discharge direction selection button 202. The number of connected collating devices is input to the used tower number input unit 203. Note that this input may be omitted when the management PC recognizes how many collating devices are connected by a communication means or the like.

  When the setting screen button 204 is clicked, a setting screen 1300 is displayed. FIG. 22 shows a setting screen 1300. The setting screen 1300 is the same as the setting screen 300 of the first embodiment except that two collator display units 301a and 301b are provided. Each sheet feed tray of the collator display unit 301a is numbered in the order 1, 2, 3 from the top up to 10, and each sheet feed tray of the collator display unit 301b has 11 from the top. Numbers are assigned up to 20 in the order of 12,13. In the paper feed tray number field 306, numbers 1 to 20 are input.

  FIG. 23 is a diagram illustrating a state in which all input cells of the paper set setting unit 302 have been input on the setting screen 1300 in the sixth embodiment. When the confirmation button 303 is clicked here, the electronic control unit 1100 determines whether or not all the combinations of two sheets adjacent to each other in the sheet set are included in the same component. In the sixth embodiment, when two sheets adjacent to each other in a paper set are supplied from a paper feed tray provided in the same collating apparatus, the same as in the first embodiment. When the positional relationship in the vertical direction of two sheets adjacent to each other in the paper set matches the positional relationship in the vertical direction of the sheet feeding unit from which each of the two sheets is sent, It is determined that two sheets are included in the same component. When two sheets adjacent to each other in a paper set are supplied from a paper feed tray provided in a different collating device, the upper side of the two sheets adjacent to each other in the paper set A position where the collating device provided with the paper feed tray as the paper feed source is closer to the saddle stitch folding device 20 than the collation device provided with the paper feed tray as the lower paper feed source If it is, it is determined that the two sheets are included in the same component. When stacking sheets fed from a plurality of paper feeders across two collating machines, the sheets fed from the collating apparatus close to the post-processing machine are stacked so that they are on top. It is.

  For example, when the input is made as shown in FIG. 23 and the confirm button 303 is pressed, the positional relationship in the vertical direction between the 11th sheet and the 12th sheet from the top of the sheet set is higher for the former and lower for the latter. It becomes. The former is supplied from the lowermost sheet feeding tray of the collating machine 18a, and the latter is fed from the uppermost sheet feeding tray of the collating machine 18b located farther from the saddle stitch folding machine 20 than the collating machine 18a. Supplied. Accordingly, the eleventh sheet which is the upper sheet in the sheet set is positioned closer to the saddle stitch folding machine 20 than the twelfth sheet which is the lower sheet. Will be. As a result, it is determined that the eleventh sheet and the twelfth sheet from the top of the sheet set are included in the same component. Since the other combinations are sheets supplied from the same collating apparatus, the determination method is the same as in the first embodiment. FIG. 24 shows a screen that is displayed when the confirmation button 303 in FIG. 23 is clicked. The components determined by making this determination are displayed.

  After that, when the collating system is started, each motor M is driven at a timing corresponding to this component. The method for determining the drive timing of the motor M takes into account the length of the conveyance path until the sheets join each other when the sheets are supplied from sheet feeding trays provided in different collating devices. The timing may be determined according to whether the stacking is performed in the storage unit or the transport path before reaching the storage unit. When the sheets are supplied from the sheet feeding tray received by the same collating apparatus, the determination may be made in the same manner as in the first embodiment. Needless to say, the number of connected collators is not limited to two, and may be three or more.

(Modification)
The present invention is not limited to the first to fifth embodiments, and various modifications and combinations are possible within the scope that can be understood by those skilled in the art.
(Modification 1)
Even when the post-processing machines are provided on both the left and right sides of the collating device 18, the same control as that of the fourth embodiment is performed when the left-side post-processing machine is selected, and the fifth control is performed when the right-side post-processing machine is selected. By performing the same control as in the above embodiment, the user may be notified when the processing is accelerated by changing the loading order on the collator in any case.
(Modification 2)
In each embodiment of the present invention, instead of the management PC 28, a CPU incorporated in any device in the collation system may be provided. Further, the user's screen operation is not limited to a mode in which the mouse 98 is operated on the display 96, and may be performed on an operation panel provided in any device in the collation system. For example, you may operate by touching with a finger on the touch panel provided in any apparatus of the collation system.
(Modification 3)
Even when a post-processing device such as the paper receiving device 420 is connected to the right side of two or more connected collating devices, as in the case of the sixth embodiment, of the two sheets adjacent to each other in the paper set. The collating device provided with the paper feed tray that is the upper paper feed source is closer to the post-processing device than the collation device provided with the paper feed tray that is the lower paper feed source If it is the position, it may be determined that the two sheets are included in the same component. In addition, when the post-processing machines are connected to the left and right sides of two or more connected collating apparatuses, the collating apparatus close to the post-processing apparatus in use is referred to as “the collating apparatus located near the post-processing apparatus”. The determination may be made based on the determination.

  10, 810, 1010 Collating system, 18, 18a, 18b Collating device, 20 Saddle stitch folding device, 28 Management device, 50 Paper feed tray, 100, 400, 900, 1100 Electronic control unit, 101 Mode selection screen, 200 , 1200 Condition input screen, 300, 500, 1300 Setting screen, 420 Paper receiving device, M motor

Claims (7)

In a collation system for forming a paper set for one book by stacking sheets conveyed from a collation conveyance section that conveys sheets fed one by one from a plurality of paper feed sections arranged in a vertical direction in a storage section,
The paper set is divided into a plurality of constituent parts composed of one or a plurality of paper sheets, and papers belonging to different constituent parts are stacked in the storage unit, and papers belonging to the same constituent part are stacked in the collating transport unit Control means for controlling the drive timing of each paper feed unit so as to overlap each other while being conveyed
The control means, for the two sheets adjacent to each other among the plurality of sheets constituting the sheet set, the positional relationship of the two sheets in the sheet set, and each of the two sheets Are compared with the positional relationship of the sheet feeding unit of the sheet feeding source, and based on the comparison result, it is determined whether or not the two sheets are included in the same component, and this determination is made adjacent in the sheet set. The collating system, wherein the component part is determined by performing all combinations of two sheets. An input unit for inputting a correspondence relationship between each sheet constituting the sheet set and a sheet feeding unit that is a sending source of the sheet;
2. The collation system according to claim 1, wherein the determination unit makes a determination with reference to input information of the input unit.   3. The collation system according to claim 2, wherein the input unit performs input so as to specify the corresponding paper feed unit in the order of the order in which the paper sets to be created are stacked on the storage unit. In the case where the determination unit conveys the paper sent from the collating conveyance unit in the same direction as the paper feeding direction in the paper feeding unit and carries it in the accumulation unit,
In the paper set stored in the storage unit, the positional relationship between the two adjacent sheets in the vertical direction and the positional relationship in the vertical direction of the sheet feeding unit from which each of the two sheets is fed coincide. A first determination is made to include the two sheets in the same component,
When the paper sent from the collating transport unit is U-turned in the direction opposite to the paper feeding direction in the paper feeding unit and is carried into the accumulation unit and stacked, the inside of the paper set of the two papers The second sheet includes the two sheets of paper in the same component when the vertical position of the two sheets is opposite to the vertical position of the sheet feeding unit of each of the two sheets. The collation system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the determination is performed. The accumulation unit is configured to convey the sheet sent from the collating conveyance unit in the same direction as the sheet feeding direction in the sheet feeding unit, and carry the sheet into the accumulation unit to be stacked,
The determination means includes a vertical positional relationship between two sheets adjacent to each other in the paper set stored in the storage unit, and a vertical position of a paper feeding unit from which each of the two sheets is sent out. A first determination to include the two sheets in the same component when the relationship is consistent;
When the vertical positional relationship of the two sheets in the paper set is opposite to the vertical positional relationship of the feeding source of each of the two sheets, the two sheets Both of the second determination to include the same paper in the same component,
When the number of component parts determined by the second determination is smaller than the number of component parts determined by the first determination, a notification is made to prompt the user to change the stacking direction. The collation system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein: The storage unit is configured to carry the paper sent from the collating transport unit into the storage unit by making a U-turn in a direction opposite to the paper feeding direction in the paper feeding unit,
The determination means includes a vertical positional relationship between two sheets adjacent to each other in the paper set stored in the storage unit, and a vertical position of a paper feeding unit from which each of the two sheets is sent out. A first determination to include the two sheets in the same component when the relationship is consistent;
When the vertical positional relationship of the two sheets in the paper set is opposite to the vertical positional relationship of the feeding source of each of the two sheets, the two sheets Both of the second determination to include the same paper in the same component,
When the number of component parts determined by the first determination is smaller than the number of component parts determined by the second determination, notification is made to prompt the user to change the stacking direction. The collation system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein: The plurality of paper feed units have two or more rows arranged in the vertical direction,
When the two adjacent sheets in the sheet set accumulated in the accumulation unit are supplied from the sheet feeding unit provided in the same row, the determination unit determines the upper and lower sides of the two sheets. When the positional relationship in the direction and the positional relationship in the vertical direction of the sheet feeding unit of each of the two sheets coincide with each other, it is determined that the two sheets are included in the same component. ,
When two sheets adjacent to each other in the sheet set accumulated in the accumulation unit are supplied from the sheet feeding units provided in different rows, the upper sheet of the two sheets is selected. When the row in which the paper feed unit that is the sending source is provided is closer to the storage unit than the row in which the paper feed unit that is the lower paper feed source is provided, the two sheets 4. The collation system according to claim 1, wherein a determination is made to include the paper in the same component.

Images