JP2013001574A - Sheet handling apparatus and sheet handling method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a sheet handling apparatus for appropriately bundling sheets while improving the reusability of the sheets.SOLUTION: The sheet handling apparatus includes a support means 226 supporting a sheet bundle; a binding means 230 having a binding part separated from the sheet bundle in a first state, and abutting on the sheet bundle in a second state while forming between itself and the sheet bundle a filling part 312 for pouring a binding member in a liquefied state, and an injecting part 310 injecting the binding member in the liquefied state into the filling part 312; and a delivery means 232 delivering the sheet bundle bundled by the binding member changed into a solidified state from the liquefied state.

Description

  Embodiments described herein relate generally to a sheet processing apparatus that performs post-processing of a sheet on which an image is formed by an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a printer, or an MFP (Multi-functional peripheral).

There is an erasing device that erases an image formed on a sheet and makes the sheet reusable. The erasing apparatus includes an erasing unit that erases an image formed on a sheet, and a stacking tray on which sheets that have been erased and can be reused are stacked. After the sheets stacked on the stacking tray are taken out by the user, they are set in a sheet feeding cassette of the image forming apparatus. The image forming apparatus forms an image with a color material that can erase the image on the sheet by the erasing device.
On the other hand, there is a sheet processing apparatus that binds a sheet on which an image is formed by the image forming apparatus. For example, a sheet processing apparatus includes a stapling method in which a plurality of sheets are bound with a metallic needle. Alternatively, there is an apparatus that cuts the solid hot melt adhesive according to the thickness of the back of the sheet bundle and applies heat and pressure to the solid hot melt adhesive supplied to the back of the sheet bundle to bind the sheet bundle.

JP 2010-113337 A Special Table 2004-525789

As mentioned above, it is desirable to reuse the sheet. However, in the stapling process using a metallic needle, it is necessary to remove the metallic needle when the sheet is reused. Further, even if the metal needle can be removed from the sheet, a flaw such as a hole remains in the bound sheet. Such a sheet is not preferable as a sheet to be reused. For example, when a sheet having a flaw such as a hole is fed to the image forming apparatus for reuse at the time of recycling, there is a possibility that a conveyance failure of the sheet may occur.
Moreover, after supplying the hot-melt adhesive in the solidified state to the back of the sheet bundle, the device that cuts it to an appropriate size is prepared by cutting the hot-melt adhesive into an appropriate shape (or amount). There is a possibility that the mechanism becomes large and the apparatus becomes large.

  The problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a sheet processing apparatus that appropriately bundles sheets.

  In order to achieve the above object, a sheet processing apparatus according to an embodiment includes a support unit that supports a sheet bundle, and is spaced apart from the sheet bundle in a first state and abuts on the sheet bundle in a second state. A binding means comprising: a binding portion that forms a sealed portion for pouring the binding member in a liquefied state between the sheet bundle; and an injection portion that injects the binding member in a liquefied state into the sealed portion; And a discharge unit that discharges the sheet bundle bundled by the binding member that is changed from the state to the solidified state.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a hardware configuration of the image forming apparatus and the sheet processing apparatus according to the embodiment. Schematic for demonstrating the structure of the sheet processing apparatus of embodiment. Schematic for demonstrating the binding unit of the sheet processing apparatus of embodiment. Schematic for demonstrating the flow of the binding process of the sheet bundle by a binding unit. Schematic for demonstrating the sheet | seat bundle bundled by the binding unit.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a hardware configuration of the image forming apparatus and the sheet processing apparatus. The image forming apparatus 100 includes a control unit 102, a storage device 108, a communication interface (communication I / F) 110, an operation panel 112, a scanner unit 114 that reads an original, and a printer unit (image forming unit) that forms an image. ) 116. Each component of the image forming apparatus 100 is connected via a bus 118.

  The control unit 102 includes a processor 104 including a CPU (Central Processing Unit) or an MPU (Micro Processing Unit), and a memory 106. The memory 106 is a semiconductor memory, for example, and includes a ROM (Read Only Memory) that stores a control program and the like, and a RAM (Random Access Memory) that provides a temporary work area to the processor 104. The control unit 102 controls the operation panel 112, the scanner unit 114, and the printer unit 116 based on various programs stored in the ROM or the storage device 108. The control unit 102 has a function of correcting or expanding image data. The control unit 102 communicates with the control unit 202 of the sheet processing apparatus 200.

  The storage device 108 stores application programs and an OS. The application program includes a program that executes a function of the multifunction peripheral such as a copy function, a print function, a scanner function, a facsimile function, and a network file function. The application program further includes an application for a Web client (Web browser) and other applications.

  The storage device 108 temporarily stores image data of a document read by the scanner unit 114 or image data acquired via the communication I / F 110. In addition, the storage device 108 appropriately stores software updates, protected electronic documents, text data, account information, policy information, and the like. The storage device 108 may be, for example, a magnetic storage device such as a hard disk drive, an optical storage device, a semiconductor storage device (flash memory, etc.), or any combination of these storage devices.

  The communication I / F 110 is an interface connected to an external device. The communication I / F 110 is connected to an external device via an appropriate wireless or wired connection such as IEEE 802.15, IEEE 802.11, IEEE 802.3, IEEE 1284, such as Bluetooth (registered trademark), infrared connection, or optical connection. The communication I / F 110 may further include a USB connection unit to which a USB standard connection terminal is connected, a parallel interface, and the like. The control unit 102 communicates with a user terminal, a USB device, and other external devices via the communication I / F 110.

  The operation panel 112 includes a touch panel display unit and various operation keys. The operation keys include, for example, a numeric keypad, a reset key, a stop key, and a start key. The display unit displays instruction items related to printing conditions such as sheet size, number of copies, print density setting, or finishing (binding, folding), for example. An instruction for the displayed item is input from the display unit.

  The scanner unit 114 includes a built-in scanning reading unit that reads a document as an image, a document placing table, and an automatic document feeder that transports the document to a reading position. The scanning reading unit of the scanner unit 114 reads a document set on a document table or an automatic document feeder.

  The printer unit 116 includes a known image forming unit including a photosensitive drum, for example, and a developing unit using toner, for example. The printer unit 116 forms an image corresponding to the image data of the document read by the scanner unit 114 by these units or an image corresponding to the image data sent from the user terminal on the sheet.

  The sheet processing apparatus 200 processes a sheet discharged from the image forming apparatus 100 in accordance with an input instruction from the operation panel 112 of the image forming apparatus 100 or an instruction from a PC (Personal Computer).

  The sheet processing apparatus 200 includes a control unit 202 and a finisher unit 210. The control unit 202 includes a processor 204 including a CPU (Central Processing Unit) or an MPU (Micro Processing Unit), and a memory 206. The memory 206 is a semiconductor memory, for example, and includes a ROM (Read Only Memory) that stores a control program and the like, and a RAM (Random Access Memory) that provides a temporary work area to the processor 204. The control unit 202 communicates with the control unit 102 of the image forming apparatus 100. The control unit 202 controls the finisher unit 210 based on information received from the control unit 102 and various programs stored in a ROM or the like.

  FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram for explaining the configuration of the sheet processing apparatus.

  The sheet processing apparatus 200 discharges a sheet discharged from the image forming apparatus 100 having an image forming unit that forms an image on the sheet to the fixed tray 218 or the movable tray 238.

The finisher unit 210 of the sheet processing apparatus 200 includes an inlet roller 212, a branch member 214, a paper discharge roller 216, an outlet roller 220, a standby tray 222, a standby roller 224, a processing tray (support means) 226, An alignment member 228, a binding unit 230, a sheet bundle discharge member 232, a fixed tray 208, a movable tray 238, and a conveying member (conveying means) 240 are provided.

  The entrance roller 212 receives a sheet on which an image has been formed by the image forming apparatus 100 and conveys it to the branch member 214. The branch member 214 guides the sheet to the sheet discharge roller 216 or the exit roller 220.

  When the branching member 214 guides the sheet to the sheet discharge roller 216, the sheet discharge roller 216 discharges the sheet to the fixed tray 218. On the other hand, when the branch member 214 guides the sheet to the exit roller 220, the exit roller 220 conveys the sheet to the standby tray 222.

  The standby tray 222 temporarily holds the conveyed sheet. The standby tray 222 drops the sheet that supports the sheet onto the processing tray 226.

  The processing tray 226 receives a sheet dropped by the standby tray 222. The processing tray 226 supports the stacked sheets while the sheets are bound. The stopper 227 receives the leading edge of the sheet supported by the processing tray 226. The aligning member 228 aligns the lateral direction intersecting the sheet bundle conveyance direction on the processing tray 226. The binding unit 230 binds the end of the aligned sheet bundle. The binding unit 230 will be described later.

  The conveying member 240 conveys the sheet conveyed to the processing tray 226 and adjusts the position of the sheet. The conveying member 240 may be, for example, a rotating roller that can be brought into contact with or separated from the processing tray 226 or a rotatable paddle member. The conveying member 240 is controlled by the control unit 202. For example, the conveying member 240 abuts and positions the sheet against the stopper 227.

  The sheet bundle discharge member 232 discharges the bound sheet bundle to the movable tray 238. The sheet bundle discharge member 232 includes a bundle claw 234 that discharges the sheets bound on the processing tray 226 and a bundle claw belt 236 that drives the bundle claw. Note that the sheet bundle discharge member 232 may discharge the sheet bundle to the movable tray 238 after the alignment member 228 aligns the sheet bundle without binding the sheet bundle by the binding unit 230.

  The standby tray 222 can also directly convey and discharge the sheet to be supported toward the movable tray 238 without dropping it to the processing tray 226. In this case, the standby tray 222 and the standby roller 224 discharge the sheets one by one to the movable tray 238 without stopping the sheets on the standby tray 222.

  The movable tray 238 moves up and down. The movable tray 238 moves up and down in accordance with the discharge from the standby tray 222, the discharge from the processing tray 226, and the sheet stacking amount. The movable tray 238 has a stacking surface on which sheets discharged by the standby roller 224 or the sheet bundle discharge member 232 are stacked. The movable tray 238 has an end on the upstream side (the standby roller 224 or the sheet bundle discharge member 232 side) in the conveyance direction of the sheets stacked on the stacking surface that is lower than the end of the downstream (reverse side) sheet. It is attached to the main body of the sheet processing apparatus 200 in an inclined state.

  FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram for explaining the binding unit 230 of the sheet processing apparatus 200. FIG. 3 shows a state where a sheet (sheet bundle) P is placed on the processing tray 226. In FIG. 3, the movable tray 238 side is the downstream side in the sheet conveying direction, the opposite side is the upstream side in the sheet conveying direction, the sheet end on the downstream side in the sheet conveying direction is the leading edge of the sheet, and the upstream end in the sheet conveying direction is the sheet end. The rear end.

  The binding unit 230 is disposed on the rear end side of the sheet bundle stacked on the processing tray 226. The binding unit 230 includes a first block unit 300, a second block unit 302, and a third block unit 304. The first block unit 300 is located on the processing tray 226 side, that is, below the sheets stacked on the processing tray 226. The second block unit 302 is disposed at a position facing the first block unit 300 so that the rear end of the sheets stacked on the processing tray 226 can be clamped together with the first block unit 300. The second block unit 302 is connected to the third block unit 304 so as to be able to contact and separate from the first block unit 300. The first block portion 300 and the second block portion 302 are in contact with and sandwich the sheet, the contact portions 300a and 302a, the contact portions 300a and 302a, and the contact portions 300a and 302a and the third block portion. And groove portions 300 b and 302 b formed between the first and second portions 304.

  The third block portion 304 has a base portion 306 formed so that at least a part of the wall surface on the processing tray 226 side does not come into contact with the rear end of the sheet. In the binding unit 230, the groove portion 300b of the first block portion 300, the groove portion 302b of the second block portion 302, and the base portion 306 of the third block portion 304 are in a state of sandwiching the rear end of the sheet, so that the resin or adhesive A mold (hereinafter referred to as an enclosing portion) 312 into which a (binding member) is poured is formed. When injecting the liquefied binding member, the first block unit 300 and the second block unit 302 sufficiently hold the sheet rear end so that the binding member does not leak from the enclosing unit 312.

  The third block unit 304 includes a tank 308 that holds the liquefied binding member, and an injection unit 310 that flows the liquefied binding member into the enclosing portion 312 formed by the grooves 300b and 302b and the base 306. For example, the third block unit 304 applies pressure to the tank 308 to press-fit the binding member into the enclosing unit 312 via the injection unit 310. The binding member, for example, maintains a liquefied state in the tank 308, is discharged to the outside of the tank 308, and gradually changes to a hardened (solidified) state, for example, a rubber-like elastic body when touched by the outside air (or moisture). have. The binding member is preferably made of a material exhibiting releasability so as to be easily peeled off from the sheet after curing while exhibiting adhesiveness upon curing.

  In the present embodiment, the binding unit 230 is movable along the rear end of the sheet bundle (in the width direction intersecting the sheet conveyance direction). That is, the binding unit 230 can bind the sheet bundle with the binding member at a predetermined binding position at the rear end of the sheet bundle on the processing tray 226. The binding position by the binding unit 230 is set via the operation panel 112 of the image forming apparatus 100. Alternatively, it may be set from a printer driver of an external device connected via the communication I / F 110. For example, the binding unit 230 may bind two ends of the sheet bundle with the binding member S as illustrated in FIG. Alternatively, the binding unit 230 may bind one corner of the end portion of the sheet bundle with the binding member S as illustrated in FIG.

  FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram for explaining a flow of sheet bundle binding processing by the binding unit 230. First, the sheet processing apparatus 200 aligns the trailing edge of the sheet. For example, the conveying member 240 in FIG. 2 conveys the sheet conveyed to the processing tray 226, conveys the sheet to the stopper 227, and aligns the trailing edge of the sheet. The sheet bundle is stacked on the processing tray 226 with the rear end of the sheet bundle aligned (see FIG. 5A). When the sheet is conveyed to the stopper 227, the binding unit 230 stands by at a position that does not hinder the conveyance of the sheet. The second block unit 302 of the binding unit 230 stands by at a retracted position that is separated from the first block unit 300 and does not hinder sheet conveyance (first state). Subsequently, the control unit 202 moves the binding unit 230 to a predetermined binding position.

  When the binding unit 230 moves to a predetermined binding position, the binding unit 230 sandwiches the rear end of the sheet bundle and forms the enclosing portion 312 (second state). That is, the control unit 202 moves the second block unit 302 from the retracted position toward the first block unit 300, and the second block unit 302 and the first block unit 300 sandwich the trailing end of the sheet bundle. The groove part 300b of the first block part 300, the groove part 302b of the second block part 302, and the base part 306 of the third block part 304 form an enclosing part 312 into which the binding member is poured.

  When the enclosing unit 312 is formed, the control unit 202 press-fits the liquefied binding member held in the tank 308 of the binding unit 230 into the enclosing unit 312 via the injection unit 310. By press-fitting the binding member in the liquefied state, the binding unit 230 injects the binding member between the sheets at the rear end portion of the sheet bundle and sufficiently bonds the sheets (see FIG. 5B). ).

  After enclosing the binding member, the control unit 202 separates the second block unit 302 from the sheet bundle and opens the rear end of the sheet bundle. At this time, the first block unit 300 may also be separated from the sheet bundle (see FIG. 5C). Subsequently, the control unit 202 discharges the bound sheet bundle to the movable tray 238 by the sheet bundle discharge member 232.

  In the above-described embodiment, an example in which the first block unit 300 and the second block unit 302 are separated from the sheet bundle and the rear end is opened after the binding member is sealed is shown. 230 may move the third block portion 304 further in a direction away from the rear end of the sheet (right direction in FIG. 5).

  As described above, the sheet processing apparatus 200 according to the present embodiment can sufficiently bond the sheets and bundle the sheets by press-fitting the liquefied binding member.

Further, according to the sheet processing apparatus 200 of the above-described embodiment, the bundled sheets are easily disassembled when the user peels the binding member that binds the sheet bundle in the cured state. Therefore, the reusability of the sheet can be improved.

  Note that the image forming apparatus 100 described above may form an image using a “decolorable color material (erasable color material)” such as decolorable toner or decolorable ink. The erasable color material includes a color developing compound, a color developer, and a color erasing agent. Examples of the color developing compound include leuco dyes. Examples of the developer include phenols. The decolorizer includes a substance that is compatible with the color developing compound when heated and does not have an affinity for the developer. Colors that can be erased develop color due to the interaction between the color developing compound and the developer, and the interaction between the color developing compound and the developer is interrupted by heating above the color erasing temperature. To do. In this case, since the sheet can be reused after decoloring, it is more preferable.

  Note that the entity that executes each operation of the above-described embodiment is an entity relating to a computer, such as hardware, a complex of hardware and software, software, software being executed, and the like. For example, the subject that performs the operation is a process, processor, object, executable file, thread, program, and computer executed on the processor, but is not limited thereto. In addition, a process or thread may perform a plurality of subjects that perform an operation.

  Although several embodiments of the present invention have been described, these embodiments are presented by way of example and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These novel embodiments can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, replacements, and changes can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. These embodiments and modifications thereof are included in the scope and gist of the invention, and are included in the invention described in the claims and the equivalents thereof.

200 Sheet processing device 202 Control unit 230 Binding unit 232 Sheet bundle discharging member 238 Movable tray 300 First block unit 300a Abutting unit 300b Groove unit 302 Second block unit 302a Abutting unit 302b Groove unit 304 Third block unit 306 Base unit 308 Tank 310 Injection part 312 Encapsulation part

Claims (4)

Support means for supporting the sheet bundle;
A binding portion that is spaced apart from the sheet bundle in the first state, abuts against the sheet bundle in the second state, and forms a sealing portion between the sheet bundle for pouring the binding member in a liquefied state; A binding means having an injection portion for injecting the binding member in a liquefied state into the enclosing portion;
Discharging means for discharging the sheet bundle bundled by the binding member that has been solidified from the liquefied state;
A sheet processing apparatus comprising: The binding portion of the binding means is
A first contact portion that contacts the lowermost sheet of the sheet bundle supported by the support means, and a first groove portion that is adjacent to the first contact portion and forms a gap with the sheet bundle. A first block having
In the first state, the second contact is separated from the uppermost surface of the sheet bundle, and in contact with the uppermost surface of the sheet bundle in the second state and sandwiches the sheet bundle with the first contact portion. A second block part having a contact part and a second groove part adjacent to the second contact part and forming a gap with the sheet bundle in the second state;
A base that forms part of the gap between the sheet bundle and the end portion of the sheet bundle and forms the enclosing portion together with the first groove portion and the second groove portion when the second block portion takes the second state. And having
The sheet processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the injection unit injects the binding member in a liquefied state that gradually solidifies into the enclosing unit.   The sheet processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the binding unit is movable along an end portion of the sheet bundle. Support the sheet bundle,
The holding means sandwiches the rear end of the sheet bundle and forms an enclosing portion for pouring the liquefied binding member between the sheet bundle,
Injecting the binding member in a liquefied state into the formed enclosing portion,
A sheet processing method comprising discharging a bundle of sheets bundled by the binding member that has been changed from the liquefied state to the solidified state.

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