JP2013001525A - Sheet handling apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a sheet handling apparatus capable of easily taking out sheets between jobs from a sheet tray by a simple method.SOLUTION: The sheet handling apparatus for handling sheets after formed with images by an image forming apparatus includes a sheet folding part for folding the sheets after formed with images; a sheet tray for stacking the sheets to take out the sheets folded by the sheet folding part; and a control part for controlling the sheet tray. The sheet tray includes a plurality of conveyor belts for conveying the sheets arranged in parallel, toward the end of the sheet tray. The control part sets the conveying amount of the partial conveyor belts out of the plurality of conveyor belts, to be larger for the predetermined sheets than that of the other conveyor belts and sets the conveying amount of the plurality of conveyor belts to the same conveying amount for the other sheets.

Description

  The present invention relates to a sheet processing apparatus that receives a recorded sheet discharged from an image forming apparatus and performs post-processing.

  In recent years, sheet processing apparatuses that receive recorded paper (sheets) discharged from an image forming apparatus such as a printer or a copying machine and perform predetermined post-processing have been widely used.

  Specifically, the sheet processing apparatus is provided with post-processing means such as staple (staple) binding, punching (round hole punching), and paper folding for the paper after image formation.

  Among them, many proposals have been made for a sheet processing apparatus in which a recorded sheet (sheet) discharged from an image forming apparatus is bound and taken out. For example, the sheets discharged and stacked from the image forming apparatus are bound at the center, the sheets are saddle-stitched at the binding position, folded into two, and the book is placed on the sheet tray and taken out. A sheet processing apparatus has been proposed.

  For example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2004-284762 discloses a technique for aligning a large number of sheets on a sheet tray on which sheets discharged from an image forming apparatus are stacked.

  Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 07-125900 discloses a technique for discharging a large number of sheets separately into two parts, an upper table and a lower table.

  On the other hand, when an instruction to execute post-processing of a plurality of sheets is requested as one job, it is desirable that job separation is easy.

  In this regard, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 06-115795 discloses a method for executing job sorting by rotating a tray.

JP 2004-284762 A Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 07-125900 Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 06-115795

  However, the job sorting in the above publication has a problem that the configuration of the apparatus is complicated and costs are increased, such as dividing the table into two or providing a rotation mechanism.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a sheet processing apparatus capable of easily taking out sheets between jobs from a sheet tray by a simple method. To do.

  A sheet processing apparatus according to an aspect of the present invention is a sheet processing apparatus that processes a sheet after an image is formed by an image forming apparatus, and includes a sheet folding unit that folds a sheet after the image is formed, and a sheet folding unit. It includes a sheet tray for stacking the folded sheets and a control unit for controlling the sheet tray. The sheet tray includes a plurality of conveying belts that convey the sheets arranged in parallel toward the end of the sheet tray, and the control unit is configured to control a part of the plurality of conveying belts for a predetermined sheet. The conveyance amount of the conveyance belt is set to be larger than the conveyance amounts of the other conveyance belts, and the plurality of conveyance belts are set to the same conveyance amount for the other sheets.

  Preferably, for the first sheet of the job, the control unit sets a conveyance amount of a part of the plurality of conveyance belts to be larger than a conveyance amount of the other conveyance belts, and sets two copies The same transport amount is set for subsequent sheets.

  In particular, the control unit determines whether or not there are sheets stacked on the sheet tray, and if it is determined that there are no sheets stacked on the sheet tray, The conveyance amounts of the plurality of conveyance belts are set to the same conveyance amount.

  In particular, when the job is only one copy, the control unit transfers other conveyance belts of the plurality of conveyance belts to the one sheet of the next job. Set larger than the carry amount, and set the same carry amount for the second and subsequent sheets.

  In particular, the control unit compares the sheet sizes of the previous job and the current job, and if the sheet size is the same based on the comparison result, Set the conveyance amount of some of the plurality of conveyance belts to be larger than the conveyance amount of other conveyance belts, set the same conveyance amount for the second and subsequent sheets, If the sheet sizes are different based on this, the conveyance amounts of the plurality of conveyance belts are set to the same conveyance amount for the first sheet of the current job.

  Preferably, the sheet tray adjusts a conveyance amount of a part of the plurality of conveyance belts according to the size of the sheet.

  Preferably, the control unit sets a transport speed for driving a part of the plurality of transport belts to be higher than a transport speed of the other transport belts.

  Preferably, the transport speeds for driving the plurality of transport belts are the same, and the control unit sets the time for driving some of the transport belts to be longer than the time for driving the other transport belts To do.

  Preferably, some of the plurality of conveyor belts are on a side farther from an operator who operates the sheet tray, and the other conveyor belts of the plurality of conveyor belts are operators who operate the sheet tray. It is the side close to.

  Preferably, an operation panel is further provided, and the conveyance amounts of the plurality of conveyance belts are adjusted via the operation panel.

  In the sheet processing apparatus according to an aspect of the present invention, for a predetermined sheet, the control unit sets a conveyance amount of a part of the plurality of conveyance belts to be larger than a conveyance amount of the other conveyance belts. For other sheets, the plurality of conveyor belts are set to the same conveyance amount. As a result, the position of the predetermined sheet is different from that of the other sheets, so that it is possible to easily determine the break of the job and easily take out the sheet between jobs from the sheet tray.

1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an image forming system including a post-processing apparatus (sheet processing apparatus) FS and an image forming apparatus A according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a principal part expanded sectional view of the saddle 100 of the post-processing apparatus FS according to embodiment of this invention. It is a figure explaining the middle folding (bi-folding) process according to embodiment of this invention. It is a figure explaining the trifold process according to embodiment of this invention. It is a perspective view of sheet tray 800 according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a schematic diagram of a sheet tray 800 according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a schematic block diagram of an image forming apparatus A according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a schematic block diagram of post-processing apparatus FS according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a general-view figure of the operation panel 13 according to embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart explaining conveyance control of the sheet tray according to the embodiment of the present invention. It is a flowchart explaining the accumulation conveyance mode according to the embodiment of the present invention. It is a figure explaining the specific example at the time of performing conveyance control of the sheet tray according to embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart explaining the accumulation conveyance mode according to the modification 1 of embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart explaining the accumulation conveyance mode according to the modification 2 of embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart explaining the accumulation conveyance mode according to the modification 3 of embodiment of this invention. It is a figure explaining the specific example at the time of performing the accumulation conveyance mode according to the modification 3 of embodiment of this invention.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the following description, the same parts and components are denoted by the same reference numerals. Their names and functions are also the same. Therefore, detailed description thereof will not be repeated.

(Image forming system)
FIG. 1 is a schematic sectional view of an image forming system including a post-processing apparatus (sheet processing apparatus) FS and an image forming apparatus A according to an embodiment of the present invention.

(Image forming apparatus A)
The image forming apparatus A includes an image reading unit 1, an image processing unit 2, an image writing unit 3, an image forming unit 4, a paper feed cassette 5, a paper feed roller 6, a fixing device 7, and paper discharge. A roller 8 and an automatic double-sided copy paper feeding unit 9 are provided.

  An automatic document feeder 10 is mounted on the upper part of the image forming apparatus A. Further, a post-processing device FS is connected to the left side of the image forming apparatus A in the drawing on the paper discharge roller 8 side. The document placed on the document table of the automatic document feeder 10 is transported along the transport path, an image on one or both sides of the document is scanned by the optical system of the image reading unit 1, and is read by the CCD image sensor 1A. .

  The analog signal photoelectrically converted by the CCD image sensor 1A is subjected to analog processing, A / D conversion, shading correction, image compression processing, and the like in the image processing unit 2, and then sent to the image writing unit 3. The semiconductor laser is driven to emit light based on the image data sent to the image writing unit 3 and irradiated onto the photosensitive drum 4A of the image forming unit 4 to form a latent image. In the image forming unit 4, processes such as charging, exposure, development, transfer, separation, and cleaning are performed, and a toner image is formed on the photosensitive drum 4A.

  The recording sheet S fed from the sheet feeding cassette 5 by the sheet feeding roller 6 reaches the photosensitive drum 4A, and the toner image is transferred to the recording sheet S by the transfer unit 4B. The recording paper S carrying the toner image is fixed by the fixing device 7 and sent from the paper discharge roller 8 to the post-processing device FS. In the case of double-sided copying, the recording paper S that has undergone single-sided image processing is sent to the automatic double-sided copy paper feeding unit 9 by the conveyance path switching plate 8A, and after the toner image is transferred and fixed on the back side in the image forming unit 4 Then, the paper is fed from the paper discharge roller 8 to the post-processing device FS.

(Post-processing device FS)
The post-processing device FS includes a paper carry-in unit 20 and a plurality of post-processing units. The post-processing unit includes a punching processing unit 40, a folding unit 50, an end binding (flat binding) processing unit 71, a saddle stitching processing unit 72, and a paper discharge unit 80.

  The recording sheet S (also referred to as a sheet) after image formation sent from the paper discharge roller 8 of the image forming apparatus A to the post-processing apparatus FS is conveyed into the post-processing apparatus FS by the paper carry-in unit 20.

  The punching processing unit 40 is disposed on the left-hand downstream side of the paper carry-in unit 20 and punches holes in the sheet S. Specifically, an entrance sensor 28 is provided in the vicinity of the entrance of the post-processing device FS, and when the sheet S is loaded into the post-processing device FS, the entrance sensor 28 detects the loading of the sheet S. Then, the conveyance of the sheet S is stopped after a predetermined time after the carry-in of the sheet S is detected, and the punching processing unit 40 opens a punch hole in the sheet S (punch processing).

  It is branched into two transport paths H0 and H1 from the downstream of the punching processing unit 40. The conveyance paths H0 and H1 are switched by the conveyance path switching member 30. The conveyance path H <b> 1 branched downward is connected to the saddle 100 via the conveyance roller 23. As will be described later, the saddle 100 includes a saddle stitching processing unit 72 and a folding unit 50, which will be described in detail later.

The other transport path H 0 is connected to the paper discharge unit 80 via the transport roller 24.
In the post-processing device FS, when a large amount of image formation is performed without processing by the post-processing unit, the sheet S passes from the paper carry-in unit 20 through the conveyance path H0 to the discharge paddle 22 of the paper discharge unit 80, and the post-processing device FS. It is discharged to an elevator tray 81 provided at the outlet.

  The elevator tray 81 moves downward as indicated by a chain line in the drawing so that the uppermost surface of the discharged sheet S is always at a constant height. Therefore, thousands of sheets can be stacked on the elevator tray 81. In addition, a paper detection sensor 26 is provided in the conveyance path H0, detects the passage of the sheet S in the conveyance path H0, and executes drive timing control for the conveyance roller 24, the discharge paddle 22, and the like.

  Further, the discharge paddle 22 is configured to be movable between a pressed state and a separated state. When the discharge paddle 22 is in pressure contact, the sheet S is discharged to the elevator tray 81 as described above. On the other hand, when the discharge paddle 22 is separated, the sheet is not immediately discharged to the elevator tray 81, and after the sheet S reaches the discharge paddle 22, the trailing end of the sheet S falls on the accommodation belt 70. The accommodation belt 70 and the accommodation paddle 74 rotate to convey the sheet in the direction in which the end binding processing unit 71 is provided. Then, the process is executed a plurality of times for a plurality of sheets S, the sheet detection sensor 73 detects that a predetermined number of sheets are stored in the end binding processing unit 71, and the end binding process is executed. Thereafter, the accommodation belt 70 and the accommodation paddle 74 convey the sheet bundle bound in the direction of the discharge paddle 22, and the sheet bundle is discharged from the discharge paddle 22 to the elevator tray 81.

  The saddle 100 is disposed obliquely with respect to the horizontal direction downstream of the conveying roller 23, and includes a plurality of guide members and leading end stoppers for guiding the sheet S, a saddle stitching processing unit 72, a folding unit 50, and sheet width alignment. The sheet is processed in each of the half-fold (two-fold) mode, the half-fold / saddle-binding mode, and the three-fold mode for one or more sheets S, and discharged to the sheet tray 800. In the present example, since the saddle 100 is subjected to two-fold or three-fold processing on one or more sheets S, the sheet discharged to the sheet tray 800 is also referred to as a folded sheet.

  FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a main part of saddle 100 of post-processing device FS according to the embodiment of the present invention.

  With reference to FIG. 2, the sheet S is carried in from obliquely upward to obliquely downward. Also, as described in the lower right in the figure, in the following description, the direction going diagonally downward is the X direction, the direction orthogonal to the X direction on the paper is the Y direction, and the direction perpendicular to the paper is the Z direction.

  The guide members constituting the saddle 100 are composed of upstream guide members 101 and 102 and downstream guide members 103 and 104. The sheet width aligning portion 110 is located on the upper side of the upstream guide members 101 and 102, and the upstream side. The saddle stitching processing section 72 is positioned in the middle of the guide members 101 and 102, and the folding section 50 is positioned between the upstream guide members 101 and 102 and the downstream guide members 103 and 104.

  The sheets S carried into the saddle 100 via the conveyance path H1 are detected one by one by the saddle carry-in sensor 62. And the sheet | seat S carried in is conveyed along a guide member with dead weight. At that time, the upper paddle 75 and the lower paddle 76 rotate in contact with the surface of the sheet, whereby the sheets are smoothly conveyed one by one.

The sheet width aligning unit 110 performs alignment in the width direction (Z, reverse Z direction) of the sheet S.
A distal end stopper 105 that is movable along the downstream guide members 103 and 104 is provided downstream of the folding unit 50. The leading end stopper 105 restricts the lower end of the sheet S to a predetermined position, and is moved according to the paper size.

  The upstream guide member 101 and the downstream guide member 103 are located on the lower side (reverse Y direction side) of the saddle 100, and constitute a stack surface on which the sheets S slide down along the surface. Further, the upstream guide member 102 and the downstream guide member 104 are disposed to face the upstream guide member 101 and the downstream guide member 103 at a predetermined interval.

  The saddle stitching processing unit 72 includes a needle receiving mechanism 72a and a needle striking mechanism 72b. The saddle stitching processing unit 72 operates when the central portion in the sheet transport direction of the bundle of sheets S is positioned by the leading end stopper 105, and the bundle of sheets S is saddle stitched. To do. Specifically, the leading end stopper 105 moves in the sheet conveyance direction (X, reverse X direction) of the sheet S, so that the central portion of the plurality of sheets S is aligned with the saddle stitching processing unit 72 and stacked. After a plurality of sheets S are stacked, the bundle of sheets S is saddle-stitched by the saddle stitching processing unit 72. When the saddle stitching processing unit 72 does not perform the saddle stitching process, the sheets S are stacked so that the center portion of the sheet S fits the folding unit 50.

  The folding unit 50 includes a first folding plate 51, a first folding roller 52, a second folding roller 53, a third folding roller 54, a fourth folding roller 56, a fifth folding roller 58, a transport path switching member 55, and a guide member 57. The first folded plate sensor 59, the second folded plate 60, and the second folded plate sensor 61 are provided, and the sheet S is subjected to middle folding (folding) processing or three folding processing.

FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining a half-folding process in accordance with the embodiment of the present invention.
With reference to FIGS. 2 and 3, in the half-folding process, first, the leading end stopper 105 is moved so that the center portion of the length of the sheet S becomes the position of the first folding plate 51. Next, as shown in FIG. 3A, the first and second folding rollers 52 and 53 rotate, and the first folding plate 51 causes the sheet S to pass between the first folding roller 52 and the second folding roller 53. Insert into. Since the first folding roller 52 and the second folding roller 53 are urged to come into pressure contact with each other by a spring member (not shown), the sheet S is folded at the center in FIG. 3B. Then, the sheet S folded by the guide member 57 provided below the transport path switching member 55 is transported to the fourth and fifth folding rollers 56 and 58. As shown in FIG. 3C, the fourth and fifth folding rollers 56 and 58 rotate to convey the folded sheet S. In FIG. 3D, the fourth and fifth folding rollers 56 and 58 discharge the folded sheet S to the sheet tray 800. The first folded plate sensor 59 detects the home position of the first folded plate 51, and the moved first folded plate 51 is returned to the home position.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating tri-fold processing according to the embodiment of the present invention.
With reference to FIGS. 2 and 4, first, in the tri-fold process, the transport path switching member 55 moves and is set to the position indicated by the dotted line in FIG. The sheet S is moved by the leading end stopper 105 so that the position of one third of the length of the sheet S becomes the position of the folding plate 51. Next, as shown in FIG. 4A, the first and second folding rollers 52 and 53 rotate, and the first folding plate 51 causes the sheet S to pass between the first folding roller 52 and the second folding roller 53. Insert into. In FIG. 4B, the sheet S is folded and creased at one third of its length. Next, in FIG. 4C, the sheet S is guided upward along the shape of the transport path switching member 55 with the fold as the head. Note that the sheet S guided along the shape of the transport path switching member 55 is stopped by a stop member (not shown). The stop member is used for positioning the sheet S when the second folding plate 60 performs the folding process, and a position where the second folding plate 60 makes a crease at the center of the length of the sheet S subjected to the folding process. Adjust so that

  Next, in FIG. 4D, while the second folding roller 53 and the third folding roller 54 rotate, the second folding plate 60 puts the sheet S between the second folding roller 53 and the third folding roller 54. insert. It is assumed that the second folding roller 53 and the third folding roller 54 are urged so as to be pressed against each other by a spring member (not shown). The folded sheet S is further folded and folded by the second folding plate 60 at the center of the remaining length. In FIG. 4E, the second and third folding rollers 53 and 54 rotate and discharge the folded sheet S to the sheet tray 800. The first folded plate sensor 59 detects the home position of the first folded plate 51, and the moved first folded plate 51 is returned to the home position. The second folded plate sensor 61 detects the home position of the second folded plate 60, and the moved second folded plate 60 is returned to the home position. As for the tri-folding process, the sheet S is first folded at a position that is one third of the length, and the half of the remaining length is creased so that the folded side is folded. A folding process is performed.

  Note that although the two-fold or three-fold processing of one sheet S has been described here, the processing is not limited to one, and the same processing can be performed for a plurality of sheets.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of sheet tray 800 according to the embodiment of the present invention.
Referring to FIG. 5, the sheet tray 800 includes a placement member 820 and a stopper member 822.

  The stopper member 822 is connected to the mounting member 820 at the end, and can be folded so as to overlap the mounting member 820, and can be housed on the side surface of the post-processing device FS together with the mounting member 820. It is.

  Further, the stopper member 822 is provided with a grip portion 826, and the angle of the sheet tray 800 can be adjusted by holding the grip portion 826.

  The mounting member 820 is provided with a first conveyor belt 827A and a second conveyor belt 827B, which are two conveyor belts. The folded sheet placed on the sheet tray 800 is conveyed via the first conveying belt 827A and the second conveying belt 827B.

  In addition, the mounting member 820 is provided with movable members 823 and 824. Here, the movable member 824 is not shown. When the folded sheet placed on the sheet tray 800 is conveyed through the first and second conveying belts, the folded sheet comes into contact with the movable members 823 and 824, and the movable members 823 and 824 move downward.

  Further, the placement member 820 is provided with a transport button 825. When the transport button 825 is pressed, the first and second transport belts 827A and 827B can be driven.

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of a sheet tray 800 according to the embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 6A is a view of the sheet tray 800 as viewed from above. FIG. 6B is a cross-sectional view of the sheet tray 800.

  On the mounting member 820 of the sheet tray 800, two first and second conveyance belts 827A and 827B, which are conveyance units for conveying a folded sheet, are installed. The second conveyor belts 827A and 827B are rotated in the direction of arrow c shown in FIG. 5A and in the direction of arrow d shown in FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 5A, a movable member 823 that is moved by a folded sheet is installed in the vicinity of the stopper member 822 and in the vicinity of the approximate center between the two first and second conveying belts 827A and 827B. Has been.

  Further, a movable member 824 that is moved by a folded sheet is installed near the entrance opposite to the stopper member 822 and in the vicinity of the approximate center between the two first and second transport belts 827A and 827B. .

  The folded sheets discharged to the placing member 820 of the sheet tray 800 are stacked as illustrated (first and second folded sheets in FIG. 6B are schematically shown). It is gradually conveyed by the conveyor belts 827A and 827B.

  As illustrated, the movable member 823 is moved to a hidden position inside the placement member 820 by the contact of the leading folded sheet. In the placement member 820, a detection member (sheet tray tip sensor) that detects that the movable member 823 has moved to a position inside the placement member 820 is disposed. By the movement of the movable member 823, the detection member can grasp that the folded sheet has reached the position.

  The movable member 824 is provided at a position where the folded sheet is ejected so as to cover the movable member 824 when the folded sheet is ejected from the folding unit 50 to the sheet tray 800. Therefore, when the folded sheet is discharged, the movable member 824 is moved to a hidden position inside the placement member 820 in the same manner as the movable member 823. In the placement member 820, a detection member (sheet tray entrance sensor) for detecting that the movable member 824 has moved to a position inside the placement member 820 is disposed. By the movement of the movable member 824, the detection member can detect that the folded sheet is discharged to the position, that is, the sheet tray 800.

FIG. 7 is a schematic block diagram of image forming apparatus A according to the embodiment of the present invention.
Referring to FIG. 7, an image forming apparatus A includes a main control unit 150 that controls the entire apparatus, an image reading unit 1, an image processing unit 2, an image writing unit 3, an image forming unit 4, and an automatic unit. A document feeder (ADF (Auto Document Feeder)) 10, an operation panel 13, an audio output unit 14, an external device interface 15, and a communication interface 16 are provided.

  The main control unit 150 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 151 for executing various programs including an operating system (OS), and a ROM (Read Only Memory) 152 in which programs executed by the CPU 151 are stored in advance. And a RAM (Random Access Memory) 153 that temporarily stores data necessary for executing the program portion of the CPU 151.

  The main control unit 150 reads the image from the document loaded on the ADF 10 using the image reading unit 1 and converts it into electronic data, and performs various image processing on the read image using the image processing unit 2. Image processing control to be performed, image forming control for forming an image processed image on a sheet by a known electrophotographic process using the image writing unit 3 and the image forming unit 4, and paper for conveying the sheet on which the image is formed Feed control is executed.

  The operation panel 13 has a touch panel, and is configured to be able to set the type of post-processing applied to the sheet, perform operation settings for various other functions, and check the set functions and display various warnings. Has been. As will be described later, for example, a numeric keypad for setting the number of copies, a start key for instructing operation start, a stop key for instructing operation stop, a reset key for initializing various setting conditions, and the like are displayed on the operation panel 13. The

  From the operation panel 13 to the main control unit 150, a job including sheet size information, post-processing type information (presence / absence of folding / binding, their type and number of sheets, etc.), copy number information, and the like is based on a user operation. Entered.

  The main control unit 150 transmits these jobs to the post-processing device FS through the communication interface 16.

  The information is used for post-processing in the post-processing device FS, and in this example, is also used for estimation of an accumulation length described later.

  In this example, a job transmitted from the main control unit 150 to the post-processing device FS is stored in the RAM 203 of the post-processing device FS. Note that the RAM 203 can store information on a plurality of jobs. In this example, it is assumed that information on at least two jobs, the preceding job and the current job, can be stored.

  The sound output unit 14 outputs an error sound when an error such as an operation sound, a warning sound, or a paper jam occurs. An external network 17 is connected to the external device interface 15. Thereby, it is comprised so that communication with the other apparatus on a network is possible.

  In addition to the copying function, the image forming apparatus A has a scanning function for acquiring image data, a printing function for receiving image data from a device such as an external personal computer (not shown), and printing by facsimile. It has a fax function that can be used.

FIG. 8 is a schematic block diagram of post-processing device FS according to the embodiment of the present invention.
Referring to FIG. 8, post-processing device FS includes a finisher control unit 200 that controls the entire post-processing device FS, and a communication interface 87 for communicating information with image forming apparatus A.

  The finisher control unit 200 temporarily stores a CPU 201 for executing various programs including an operating system, a ROM 202 in which a program executed by the CPU 201 is stored in advance, and data necessary for executing a program portion of the CPU 201. RAM 203 is provided.

  The finisher control unit 200 controls each unit in the post-processing device FS based on the job output from the image forming apparatus A.

  The finisher control unit 200 is connected to various sensors. Specifically, the paper detection sensors 26 and 73, the saddle carry-in sensor 62, the inlet sensor 28, the sheet tray inlet sensor 38, the sheet tray leading edge sensor 39, the first folding plate sensor 59, and the second folding plate. The sensor 61 is connected to the finisher control unit 200, and detection signals from various sensors are input.

  The finisher control unit 200 controls the changeover switches 86 and 88. The changeover switches 86 and 88 are connected to the conveyance path switching members 30 and 55, respectively. By switching the changeover switches 86 and 88, the positions of the conveyance path switching members 30 and 55 are changed, and the conveyance paths are switched.

The finisher control unit 200 controls various motors.
Tip stopper 105, upper paddle 75, lower paddle 76, transport rollers 23, 24, first folding plate 51, folding rollers 52 to 54, 56, 58, discharge paddle 22, first transport belt 827A, second transport belt 827B, The elevator tray 81 and the second folding plate 60 are respectively provided with a tip stopper motor 90, an upper paddle motor 91, a lower paddle motor 92, a transport motor 93, a first folding plate motor 94, a folding roller motor 95, a discharge paddle motor 96, The first conveyor belt motor 97A, the second conveyor belt motor 97B, the elevator motor 98, and the second folding plate motor 99 are driven.

  Here, since the first conveyor belt 827A is provided with the first conveyor belt motor 97A and the second conveyor belt 827B is provided with the second conveyor belt motor 97B, each can be controlled independently. is there.

  The finisher control unit 200 controls the punching processing unit 40, the edge binding processing unit 71, the saddle stitching processing unit 72, the paper width matching unit 110, and the like.

  Here, in order to simplify the explanation, illustration of motors for driving the accommodation belt 70 and the accommodation paddle 74 is omitted. The same applies to other parts.

FIG. 9 is an overview diagram of operation panel 13 according to the embodiment of the present invention.
Referring to FIG. 9, operation panel 13 according to the embodiment of the present invention includes a display unit 312, a 10 key 302, and a start button 310. Other keys are omitted.

  A touch panel is provided on the display unit 312, and a predetermined operation can be performed on the display unit 312. A 10 key 302 is a button for inputting the number of copies. The start button 310 is a button for instructing execution of processing such as copying / scanning.

  The display unit 312 displays various modes and other displays. And various settings according to the display content can be performed by the touch panel. For example, the display unit 312 is provided with a tab button 314 for basic / applied settings that are normally performed when a copy operation or a scan operation is executed. When each tab button is pressed, a hierarchical screen for performing detailed setting is displayed. In this example, a case where an application tab button is pressed is shown, and detailed setting instructions for various post-processing in the post-processing device FS are possible. Specifically, “booklet mode”, “binding margin mode”, “folding mode”, and “staple mode” can be designated.

  According to the operation panel 13, information such as the size of the sheet constituting the sheet (A4 size, etc.), the type of post-processing such as bi-folding, the number of sheets to be bi-folded at once, the number of copies, and the like are input. It should be noted that not only the paper size but also the data of the paper state (thick paper, plain paper, thin paper) can be input. It is assumed that plain paper is set in the initial state. It is assumed that the sheet thickness data can be acquired from a memory (ROM or the like) in which the sheet thickness data is stored in advance by this setting. Here, a case where three data of three states (thick paper, plain paper, and thin paper) are stored will be described, but the number of data is not limited to three. It should be noted that regarding the paper state, the user may directly input the paper thickness data.

  FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating conveyance control of the sheet tray according to the embodiment of the present invention. This process is executed by the CPU 201 controlling the first and second conveyor belt motors 97A and 97B.

  Referring to FIG. 10, it is first determined whether or not there is an instruction to execute a job (step S2).

  If there is an instruction to execute the job (YES in step S2), the accumulation conveyance mode is executed (step S4).

  FIG. 11 is a flowchart illustrating the accumulation conveyance mode according to the embodiment of the present invention.

  In the accumulation conveyance mode according to the embodiment of the present invention, it is first determined whether or not it is the sheet discharge timing (step S12). The CPU 201 determines whether or not the folded sheet processed by the folding unit 50 is the discharge timing.

  If it is determined in step S12 that it is the sheet discharge timing (YES in step S12), it is next determined whether or not it is the first copy of the job (step S13).

  If it is determined in step S13 that it is the first copy of the job (YES in step S13), the first and second conveyor belts of the sheet tray are rotated forward (step S14). At that time, the transport amounts of the first transport belt 827A and the second transport belt 827B are changed.

  Specifically, the first and second transport belt motors 97A and 97B are instructed to rotate the first and second transport belts 827A and 827B in the normal direction (discharge direction) immediately before the folded sheet contacts the sheet tray 800. The transport amount of the first transport belt 827A is increased compared to the transport amount of the second transport belt 827B.

  Next, it is determined whether or not the sheet tray entrance sensor 38 is ON (step S16). The CPU 201 determines whether or not the sheet tray entrance sensor 38 provided at the position where the folded sheet is discharged to the sheet tray 800 is ON.

  If it is determined in step S16 that the sheet tray inlet sensor 38 is ON (YES in step S16), that state is maintained and the first and second transport belts are rotated in the forward direction. It is determined whether or not 38 is turned off.

  In step S16, when the first and second conveying belts are rotated forward until the sheet tray entrance sensor 38 is turned off, and the sheet tray entrance sensor 38 is turned off (NO in step S16), the first and first 2 Stop the conveyor belt (step S18).

  Then, it is determined whether or not the job is finished (step S20). If the job has not ended (NO in step S20), the process returns to step S12 to continue the job and repeat the above processing.

  On the other hand, if it is determined in step S13 that it is not the first copy of the job (NO in step S13), the first and second conveyor belts of the sheet tray are rotated forward (step S15). At this time, the transport amount of the first transport belt 827A and the second transport belt 827B is the same.

  Specifically, the first and second transport belt motors 97A and 97B are instructed to rotate the first and second transport belts 827A and 827B in the normal direction (discharge direction) immediately before the folded sheet contacts the sheet tray 800. The transport amount of the first transport belt 827A and the transport amount of the second transport belt 827B are the same.

  Next, it is determined whether or not the sheet tray entrance sensor 38 is ON (step S16). The CPU 201 determines whether or not the sheet tray entrance sensor 38 provided at the position where the folded sheet is discharged to the sheet tray 800 is ON.

  If it is determined in step S16 that the sheet tray inlet sensor 38 is ON (YES in step S16), that state is maintained and the first and second transport belts are rotated in the forward direction. It is determined whether or not 38 is turned off.

  In step S16, when the first and second conveying belts are rotated forward until the sheet tray entrance sensor 38 is turned off, and the sheet tray entrance sensor 38 is turned off (NO in step S16), the first and first 2 Stop the conveyor belt (step S18).

  Then, it is determined whether or not the job is finished (step S20). If the job has not ended (NO in step S20), the process returns to step S12 to continue the job and repeat the above processing.

  On the other hand, if the job is finished (YES in step S20), the process is finished (return).

  That is, in the accumulation conveyance mode, when the folded folded sheet reaches the sheet tray 800 at the sheet discharge timing, the above-described movable member 824 moves, so that the sheet tray entrance sensor 38 is turned on. Then, the discharged folded sheet is conveyed by the first and second conveying belts until the sheet tray entrance sensor 38 is turned off, and when the rear end portion of the discharged folded sheet passes through the movable member 824, The movable member 824 returns to the initial position. That is, the sheet tray entrance sensor 38 is turned OFF, and the first and second transport belts are stopped at the position. Then, again, at the next sheet discharge timing, the folded folded sheet turns on the movable member 824 and the sheet tray entrance sensor 38. For example, when the movable member 824 is provided in the central portion of the discharged folded sheet, the folded sheet discharged before and the folded sheet discharged next overlap each other by half the length. . By repeating this process, the folded sheets discharged at regular intervals are overlapped and aligned and conveyed. That is, every time the folded sheet is discharged, the folded sheet discharged by moving (stepping) the first and second conveying belts by a predetermined distance is conveyed.

  In the case of a job that executes folding processing of a plurality of copies, the above processing is executed one by one and continues until the job is completed.

  Further, in the accumulation conveyance mode, the conveyance amount of the first conveyance belt 827A is made larger than the conveyance amount of the second conveyance belt 827B for the first folded sheet of the job. Therefore, the line at the leading edge of the first folded sheet of the job is placed in an inclined state on the sheet tray 800. On the other hand, the second and subsequent folded sheets of the subsequent jobs are transported in alignment without being inclined because the transport amounts of the first and second transport belts 827A and 827B are the same.

  Referring to FIG. 10 again, if it is determined in FIG. 11 that the job has been completed (YES in step S20), the sheet tray transport belt is then rotated forward (step S6). Specifically, the folded sheets that are aligned and overlapped are conveyed toward the stopper member 822 provided at the end of the sheet tray 800.

  Next, it is determined whether or not the sheet tray leading end sensor 39 is ON (step S8). The CPU 201 determines whether or not the sheet tray leading end sensor 39 provided at the end of the sheet tray 800 is turned on.

  In step S8, the state is maintained until the sheet tray leading edge sensor 39 is turned on (NO in step S8). When it is determined that the sheet tray leading edge sensor 39 is turned on (YES in step S8), Then, it is determined whether or not the accumulation period has elapsed (step S9). This is because a required period is required from when the leading end of the bundle of folded sheets reaches the sheet tray leading edge sensor 39 until the bundle of folded sheets is accumulated via the stopper member 822. As the accumulation period, a predetermined period required for accumulation may be set in advance, or the predetermined period may be adjusted based on job information. For example, the accumulation period may be counted by a timer (not shown).

  In step S9, the state is maintained until the accumulation period elapses (NO in step S9), and when the accumulation period elapses (YES in step S9), the conveyance belt is stopped (step S10).

Then, the process ends (return).
As a result of the processing, the bundle of folded sheets is collected at the leading end of the sheet tray 800 via the stopper member 822, so that the user can easily collect the bundle of folded sheets. The bundle of folded sheets accumulated on the stopper member 822 side is not in contact with the first and second conveyor belts 827A and 827B, or even if they are in contact, there are few areas that are in contact with each other. A positional shift or the like due to a difference in the transport amount between the first transport belt 827A and the second transport belt 827B is unlikely to occur.

  FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating a specific example when the sheet tray conveyance control according to the embodiment of the present invention is executed.

  Referring to FIG. 12A, first, the case where the first folded sheet of the job is discharged is shown.

  When the first folded sheet of the job is discharged to the placement member 820 of the sheet tray 800, the movable member 824 moves and the sheet tray entrance sensor 38 is turned on.

  Referring to FIG. 12B, next, the first and second conveying belts are normally rotated until the sheet tray entrance sensor 38 is turned off. Further, the transport amount of the first transport belt 827A is made larger than that of the second transport belt 827B.

  By the conveyance control, the folded sheet is inclined to the left because the first conveyance belt 827A side is conveyed ahead of the second conveyance belt 827B side.

  Next, with reference to FIG. 12C, a case where the second folded sheet of the job is discharged is shown.

  Here, when the second folded sheet of the job is discharged to the placement member 820 of the sheet tray 800, the movable member 824 moves and the sheet tray entrance sensor 38 is turned on.

  Then, referring to FIG. 12D, next, the first and second conveying belts are normally rotated until the sheet tray inlet sensor 38 is turned off. The first and second transport belts 827A and 827B have the same transport amount. Therefore, the folded sheet is conveyed in the traveling direction of the first and second conveying belts without being inclined.

  The folded sheets of subsequent jobs are also conveyed in the same manner as in FIGS. 12 (C) and 12 (D).

  Referring to FIG. 12E, when it is determined that the job has been completed, the folded and aligned sheets are conveyed toward the stopper member 822 provided at the end of the sheet tray 800. .

  At this time, the first folded sheet of the job is conveyed to the stopper member 822 side in a state inclined to the left, and is therefore accumulated with the position shifted to the left as compared with the other folded sheets of the job. It will be.

  Therefore, according to the sheet tray conveyance control according to the embodiment of the present invention, the first folded sheet of the job is ejected in an inclined state, and the other folded sheets are ejected in an uninclined state to the stopper member 822 side. Therefore, the first copy of the job is different from the other stacking positions, and the job break can be easily identified. With this processing, it is possible to easily determine the break of the job and collect the folded sheet from the sheet tray.

  In this example, the case where the first folded sheet of the job is tilted has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to the first copy of the job. For example, only the final part of the job may be tilted. Alternatively, both the first part and the last part of the job may be inclined, and various combinations can be made in which the folded sheet of the predetermined part is inclined in order to easily determine the break of the job.

  In this example, the conveyance amount of the first conveyance belt 827A is made larger than the conveyance amount of the second conveyance belt 827B (that is, the conveyance amount of the conveyance belt on the back side for the user is larger than the conveyance amount of the conveyance belt on the near side). The stacking position of the first copy of the job is controlled to be shifted to the left as compared with other folded sheets. That is, for the user who operates the sheet tray 800, the first folded sheet of the job is stacked with the position shifted compared to the other folded sheets on the front side (side on which the conveyance button 825 is provided). . Therefore, it is possible to easily discriminate between job breaks, shift the position in a direction in which the job is easily collected, and easily collect folded sheets from the sheet tray.

(Modification 1)
FIG. 13 is a flowchart illustrating the accumulation conveyance mode according to the first modification of the embodiment of the present invention.

  Referring to FIG. 13, in the accumulation conveyance mode according to the first modification of the embodiment of the present invention, the process of step S30 is executed after step S13 as compared to the flowchart described in FIG. Different.

  Specifically, if it is determined in step S13 that it is the first copy of the job (YES in step S13), it is next determined whether or not the sheet tray leading edge sensor is ON (step S30).

  If it is determined in step S30 that the sheet tray leading edge sensor is ON (YES in step S30), the first and second transport belts of the sheet tray are rotated forward (step S14). At that time, the transport amounts of the first transport belt 827A and the second transport belt 827B are changed.

  On the other hand, if it is determined in step S30 that the sheet tray tip sensor is not ON (NO in step S30), the first and second conveying belts of the sheet tray are rotated forward (step S15). At that time, the transport amounts of the first transport belt 827A and the second transport belt 827B are the same.

  Other processing is the same as that described with reference to FIG. 11, and therefore detailed description thereof will not be repeated.

  In the first modification, when the sheet tray leading end sensor 39 is ON, the conveyance control is executed by changing the conveyance amounts of the first conveyance belt 827A and the second conveyance belt 827B according to step S14. That is, when the folded sheet according to the preceding job is stacked on the mounting member 820 of the sheet tray 800, the conveyance control in step S14 is executed, and in other cases, the normal conveyance control in step S15 is executed. . By performing this process, the conveyance control in step S14 is executed only when it is necessary to determine a break between the preceding job and the first folded sheet of the job is unnecessarily aligned without being inclined. The conveyance control can be executed in the state, and the folded sheet can be easily collected from the sheet tray.

(Modification 2)
FIG. 14 is a flowchart illustrating the accumulation conveyance mode according to the second modification of the embodiment of the present invention.

  Referring to FIG. 14, in the accumulation conveyance mode according to the second modification of the embodiment of the present invention, the process of step S <b> 36 is executed after step S <b> 13 as compared with the flowchart illustrated in FIG. 11. Different.

  Specifically, if it is determined in step S13 that it is the first copy of the job (YES in step S13), it is next determined whether or not the size is the same as the previous job (step S36). Whether the size is the same as that of the previous job can be determined by referring to information on the job stored in the RAM 153.

  If it is determined in step S36 that the size is the same as the previous job (YES in step S36), the first and second conveying belts of the sheet tray are rotated forward (step S14). At that time, the transport amounts of the first transport belt 827A and the second transport belt 827B are changed.

  On the other hand, if it is determined in step S36 that the size is not the same as the previous job (NO in step S30), the first and second conveying belts of the sheet tray are rotated forward (step S15). At that time, the transport amounts of the first transport belt 827A and the second transport belt 827B are the same.

  Other processing is the same as that described with reference to FIG. 11, and therefore detailed description thereof will not be repeated. It should be noted that it is naturally possible to appropriately combine with the method according to the first modification.

  In the second modification, when it is determined that the size is the same as that of the previous job, the conveyance control is performed by changing the conveyance amounts of the first conveyance belt 827A and the second conveyance belt 827B according to step S14. That is, when it is determined that a job having the same size is continuously executed, the conveyance control in step S14 is executed, and in the other cases, the normal conveyance control in step S15 is executed. When a job having a different size from the previous job is executed, it is possible to easily determine a break between jobs because the size is different.

  Therefore, when jobs having different sizes are executed, it is possible to execute the conveyance control in an aligned state without unnecessarily tilting the first folded sheet of the job. It is possible to collect from the sheet tray.

(Modification 3)
FIG. 15 is a flowchart illustrating the accumulation conveyance mode according to the third modification of the embodiment of the present invention.

  Referring to FIG. 15, in the accumulation conveyance mode according to the third modification of the embodiment of the present invention, the processes of steps S <b> 32 and S <b> 34 are added after step S <b> 13 as compared with the flowchart described in FIG. 11. The point is different.

  Specifically, if it is determined in step S13 that the job is the first copy (YES in step S13), it is then determined whether the previous job is only one copy (step S32). Whether or not the previous job is only one copy can be determined by referring to information on the job stored in the RAM 153.

  If it is determined in step S32 that the previous job is only one copy, the first and second conveyor belts of the sheet tray are rotated forward (step S34). At that time, the transport amounts of the first transport belt 827A and the second transport belt 827B are changed. However, the transport amount of the second transport belt 827B is made larger than that of the first transport belt 827A.

  On the other hand, if it is determined in step S32 that the previous job is not one copy (NO in step S32), the first and second conveying belts of the sheet tray are rotated forward (step S14). At that time, the transport amounts of the first transport belt 827A and the second transport belt 827B are changed. However, the conveyance amount of the first conveyance belt 827A is made larger than that of the second conveyance belt 827B.

  On the other hand, if it is determined in step S13 that it is not the first copy of the job (NO in step S13), the first and second conveying belts of the sheet tray are rotated forward (step S15). At that time, the transport amounts of the first transport belt 827A and the second transport belt 827B are the same.

  Other processing is the same as that described with reference to FIG. 11, and therefore detailed description thereof will not be repeated.

  In the third modification, it is determined whether or not the previous job is only one copy, and if it is determined that there is only one copy, the first fold sheet of the current job is first processed according to step S34. The conveyance control is performed by changing the conveyance amounts of the conveyance belt 827A and the second conveyance belt 827B.

  Specifically, for the first folded sheet of the job, the conveyance amount of the second conveyance belt 827B is made larger than the conveyance amount of the first conveyance belt 827A. Therefore, the line at the leading edge of the first folded sheet of the job is placed in an inclined state on the sheet tray 800.

  On the other hand, if it is determined that the previous job is not only one copy, the conveyance amounts of the first conveyance belt 827A and the second conveyance belt 827B according to step S14 are changed for the first folded sheet of the current job. Execute transport control.

  Specifically, for the first folded sheet of the job, the conveyance amount of the first conveyance belt 827A is made larger than the conveyance amount of the second conveyance belt 827B. Therefore, the line at the leading edge of the first folded sheet of the job is placed in an inclined state on the sheet tray 800.

  That is, the conveyance control according to step S34 has a larger conveyance amount of the second conveyance belt 827B than the first conveyance belt 827A, and the conveyance control according to step S14 has a conveyance amount of the first conveyance belt 827A larger than the second conveyance belt 827B. Many. Accordingly, the inclined states are opposite to each other.

  Note that there is only one copy for the current job, and when the next job is executed, the conveyance control is executed by changing the conveyance amounts of the first conveyance belt 827A and the second conveyance belt 827B according to step S34. To do. Specifically, regarding the first folded sheet of the job, the change in the conveyance amount of the previous job is reversed so that the conveyance amount of the first conveyance belt 827A is larger than the conveyance amount of the second conveyance belt 827B. To do.

  FIG. 16 is a diagram for explaining a specific example in the case of executing the accumulation conveyance mode according to the third modification of the embodiment of the present invention.

  Referring to FIG. 16A, first, the case where the first folded sheet of the job is discharged is shown.

  When the first folded sheet of the job is discharged to the placement member 820 of the sheet tray 800, the movable member 824 moves and the sheet tray entrance sensor 38 is turned on.

  Referring to FIG. 16B, next, the first and second conveyor belts are normally rotated until the sheet tray entrance sensor 38 is turned off. Further, the transport amount of the first transport belt 827A is made larger than that of the second transport belt 827B.

  By the conveyance control, the folded sheet is inclined to the left because the first conveyance belt 827A side is conveyed ahead of the second conveyance belt 827B side.

  Next, with reference to FIG. 16C, a case where the first folded sheet according to the next job is discharged is shown.

  Here, the first folded sheet of the preceding job is determined to be completed, and is conveyed to the stopper member 822 provided at the end of the sheet tray 800. At that time, the folded sheet of the first copy of the job is conveyed to the stopper member 822 side in a state inclined to the left, and is therefore accumulated with the position shifted to the left as compared with the folded sheet not inclined. The state is shown.

  When the first folded sheet of the next job is discharged to the placement member 820 of the sheet tray 800, the movable member 824 moves and the sheet tray entrance sensor 38 is turned on.

  Then, referring to FIG. 16D, next, the first and second conveying belts are normally rotated until the sheet tray inlet sensor 38 is turned off. Further, the transport amount of the second transport belt 827B is made larger than that of the first transport belt 827A.

  By the conveyance control, the folded sheet is inclined to the right because the second conveyance belt 827B side is conveyed prior to the first conveyance belt 827A side.

  Next, with reference to FIG. 16E, a case where the second folded sheet of the next job is discharged is shown.

  Here, when the second folded sheet of the job is discharged to the placement member 820 of the sheet tray 800, the movable member 824 moves and the sheet tray entrance sensor 38 is turned on.

  Then, referring to FIG. 16F, next, the first and second conveying belts are normally rotated until the sheet tray entrance sensor 38 is turned off. The first and second transport belts 827A and 827B have the same transport amount. Therefore, the folded sheet is conveyed in the traveling direction of the first and second conveying belts without being inclined.

  The folded sheets of the subsequent jobs are also conveyed by the same method as in FIGS.

  Referring to FIG. 16G, when it is determined that the job has been completed, the folded and aligned sheets are conveyed toward the stopper member 822 provided at the end of the sheet tray 800. .

  At that time, the first folded sheet of the next job is conveyed to the stopper member 822 side in a state of being inclined to the right, so that the position is shifted to the right as compared with the other folded sheets of the next job. Will be accumulated.

  Therefore, according to the sheet tray conveyance control according to the embodiment of the present invention, first, regarding the preceding job, the folded sheet of the first copy of the job is discharged in a state inclined to the left and conveyed to the stopper member 822 side. Therefore, the first copy of the job is stacked in a state where the position is shifted to the left unlike the normal stacking position.

  Regarding the next job, the first folded sheet of the job is discharged in a state inclined to the right and conveyed to the stopper member 822 side, so that the first copy of the job is positioned to the right unlike the normal stacking position. Accumulated in a shifted state.

  For a plurality of jobs, when the number of copies of the job is 1 in succession, the first folded sheet of the job is stacked with the position shifted to the left unlike the normal stacking position. Different from the normal stacking position, the first folded sheet of the job is also stacked with the position shifted to the left, so it may not be easy to determine the job break.

  However, when the previous job is only one copy by the conveyance control according to the third modification, the first folded sheet of the next job is 1 of the previous job by reversing the change in the conveyance amount. The sheets are accumulated in a state in which the position is shifted in the direction opposite to the position shift of the folded sheet of the third part. That is, if the previous job is shifted to the left, the first folded sheet of the next job is stacked with the position shifted to the right.

  Accordingly, even when the number of copies of a job is continuously 1 for a plurality of jobs, it is possible to easily determine a break between jobs. With this processing, it is possible to easily determine the break of the job and collect the folded sheet from the sheet tray.

  In this example, the case has been described in which it is determined whether or not the previous job is only one copy and the control is switched. However, it is naturally possible to appropriately combine the method according to the first and / or second modification.

  Regarding the control of the transport amount, for example, when the transport amount of the first transport belt 827A is made larger than the transport amount of the second transport belt, the driving time of the first transport belt motor 97A is set to the second transport belt motor 97B. The driving amount may be increased by making the driving time longer than the driving time for the first conveying belt motor 97A or the rotating speed of the first conveying belt motor 97A higher than the rotating speed of the second conveying belt motor 97B. May be set the same. In that case, the conveyance speed of the first conveyance belt 827A is faster than the conveyance speed of the second conveyance belt 827B.

  Further, when the reference transport speed of the first and second transport belts 827A and 827B is Vs, the transport speed of the first transport belt 827A is controlled as Vt (Vs × K (amplification factor)). good. Further, the amplification factor K may be adjusted based on the size. Specifically, as the size is larger, it is necessary to make it easier to identify job breaks by inclining, so adjustment may be made to increase the amplification factor.

  In addition, on the operation panel 13 described with reference to FIG. 9, the conveyance amount may be adjusted by the user operating a predetermined key. Or you may make it adjust a conveyance speed and an amplification factor.

  The embodiment disclosed this time should be considered as illustrative in all points and not restrictive. The scope of the present invention is defined by the terms of the claims, rather than the description above, and is intended to include any modifications within the scope and meaning equivalent to the terms of the claims.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Image reading part, 2 Image processing part, 3 Image writing part, 4 Image formation part, 5 Paper feed cassette, 6 Paper feed roller, 7 Fixing device, 8 Paper discharge roller, 8A Conveyance path switching board, 9 Automatic duplex copy Paper feed unit, 10 automatic document feeder, 13 operation panel, 14 audio output unit, 15 external device interface, 16, 87 communication interface, 17 network, 20 paper carry-in unit, 22 discharge paddle, 23, 24 transport roller, 26, 73 Sheet detection sensor, 28 entrance sensor, 30 transport path switching member, 38 sheet tray entrance sensor, 39 sheet tray tip sensor, 40 punching processing unit, 62 saddle carry-in sensor, 70 storage belt, 71 edge binding processing unit, 72 Binding processing unit, 80 paper discharge unit, 81 elevator tray, 86, 88 changeover switch, 90 points Stopper motor, 100 saddles, 150 main controller, 200 finisher controller.

Claims (10)

A sheet processing apparatus for processing a sheet after an image is formed by an image forming apparatus,
A sheet folding section for folding the sheet after the image formation;
A sheet tray that is stacked to take out the sheets folded by the sheet folding unit;
A control unit for controlling the sheet tray,
The sheet tray includes a plurality of conveying belts that convey the sheets arranged in parallel toward an end of the sheet tray,
The control unit sets, for a predetermined sheet, a conveyance amount of a part of the plurality of conveyance belts to be larger than a conveyance amount of other conveyance belts, and for other sheets Is a sheet processing apparatus that sets the plurality of conveyor belts to the same conveyance amount. The controller is
For the first sheet of the job, the conveyance amount of some of the plurality of conveyance belts is set larger than the conveyance amount of the other conveyance belts, and the second and subsequent sheets are set. The sheet processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the same conveyance amount is set. The controller is
Determining whether there are sheets stacked on the sheet tray;
The conveyance amount of the plurality of conveyance belts is set to the same conveyance amount for the first sheet of the job when it is determined that there is no sheet stacked on the sheet tray. Sheet processing equipment. The controller is
When the job is only one copy, for the first sheet of the next job, the other conveyance belt of the plurality of conveyance belts is conveyed by the partial conveyance belt. The sheet processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the sheet processing apparatus sets a larger amount than the second sheet and sets the same conveyance amount for the second and subsequent sheets. The controller is
Compare the sheet size of the previous job and the current job,
If the sheet sizes are the same based on the comparison result, the transport amount of some of the plurality of transport belts is transferred to another transport for the first sheet of the current job. Set larger than the belt transport amount, set the same transport amount for the second and subsequent sheets,
The conveyance amount of the plurality of conveyance belts is set to the same conveyance amount for the first sheet of the current job when the sizes of the sheets are different based on the comparison result. Sheet processing device.   The sheet processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the sheet tray adjusts a conveyance amount of a part of the plurality of conveyance belts according to a size of the sheet.   The sheet processing according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the control unit sets a conveyance speed for driving some of the plurality of conveyance belts to be higher than a conveyance speed of other conveyance belts. apparatus. The conveyance speed for driving the plurality of conveyance belts is the same,
The sheet processing according to claim 1, wherein the control unit sets a time for driving a part of the plurality of transport belts to be longer than a time for driving other transport belts. apparatus.   Some of the plurality of conveyor belts are on a side farther from an operator who operates the sheet tray, and the other conveyor belts of the plurality of conveyor belts are operations for operating the sheet tray. The sheet processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 8, which is a side closer to a person. Further equipped with an operation panel,
The sheet processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the conveyance amounts of the plurality of conveyance belts are adjusted via the operation panel.

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