JP2013220940A - Holding mechanism for saddle stitched booklet, sheet processing device, and image forming system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To decrease positional displacement of a fold relative to the center of a back cover of a saddle stitched booklet suspended.SOLUTION: A holding mechanism 350 includes a lifter plate 351 that locks an inside of the stitched part of a saddle stitched booklet to suspend the saddle stitched booklet, a clamping means of clamping a saddle stitched booklet by causing one clamp member 352 of a pair of clamp members 352, 353 disposed to face each other with the saddle stitched booklet suspended therebetween by the lifter plate 351 and each disposed to face a front cover surface of the saddle stitched booklet respectively, to move toward the another clamp member 353, and a support roller 354 that supports the saddle stitched booklet by contacting the vicinity of the stitched part of the saddle stitched booklet prior to completing clamping the saddle stitched booklet by the clamp members 352, 353.

Description

  The present invention relates to a saddle stitch booklet holding mechanism, a sheet processing apparatus, and an image forming system.

  An image forming system that generates a saddle-stitched booklet in which a plurality of sheets on which images are formed is saddle-stitched is known. Such an image forming system generally includes an image forming apparatus that forms an image on each of a plurality of sheets, and a sheet processing apparatus that superimposes and saddle-stitches sheets on which images are formed by the image forming apparatus.

  As a sheet processing apparatus employed in the image forming system described above, a sheet processing apparatus having a function of cutting the edge of a saddle stitch booklet and shaping a spine is known. As shown in FIGS. 9A and 10A, such a paper processing apparatus holds the saddle-stitched booklet B in a state where the paper surface is bound from both sides of the cover, and then performs cutting and back cover. Shaping has been performed (for example, Patent Document 1).

  However, as shown in FIG. 9B, cutting is performed in a state in which the saddle-stitched booklet B is sandwiched by pressing the plate-like member 1002 from above the saddle-stitched booklet B placed on the horizontal base 1001. When the saddle-stitched booklet B is sandwiched in a state where the fold of the saddle-stitched booklet B is not positioned at the center of the back cover, the cut surface of the small edge cutting may be inclined with respect to the back cover. Also, when shaping the spine, as shown in FIG. 10B, the position of the fold B2 is caused by the saddle stitch booklet B being sandwiched in a state where the fold of the saddle stitch booklet B is not located at the center of the spine. In addition to being not in the center of the spine, the fore edge after shaping the spine may become oblique to the spine. In this way, when the saddle stitch booklet B is pinched in a state where the fold B2 of the saddle stitch booklet B is not located at the center of the back cover, paper processing such as cutting of the saddle stitch booklet B and shaping of the back cover is finished beautifully. I couldn't.

  Therefore, in holding the saddle stitch booklet performed at the time of cutting and shaping of the spine as described above, as shown in FIG. 11A, the fold of the saddle stitch booklet B is locked and the saddle stitch booklet B is suspended. Thus, there is known a method for guiding the saddle stitch booklet B to be positioned at the center of the spine.

JP 2010-195582 A

However, if the saddle stitch booklet is simply suspended by suspending the fold of the saddle stitch booklet, there is a problem that the fold is displaced from the center of the back cover before the saddle stitch booklet is held. The problem will be described with reference to FIGS.
A saddle stitch booklet B shown in FIG. 11A is locked from the inside of the fold by a lifter plate 1101 along the vertical direction, and the binding portion is located above the lifter plate 1101. The lifter plate 1101 is urged in a direction close to the movable clamp plate 1102 for sandwiching the saddle-stitched booklet B by a spring or the like, so that the lifter plate 1101 comes close to the saddle-stitched booklet B locked by the lifter plate 1101. The saddle-stitched booklet B is clamped in cooperation with the movable clamp plate 1102 that moves to the center. Although not shown, a clamp plate (fixed clamp plate) different from the movable clamp plate 1102 is provided on the right side of the lifter plate 1101 shown in FIGS. 11A to 11D, and the movable clamp plate 1102 is provided. Presses the saddle-stitched booklet B toward the fixed clamp plate, and the saddle-stitched booklet B held by the lifter plate 1101 is held between the movable clamp plate 1102 and the fixed clamp plate, thereby holding the saddle-stitched booklet B. .

  When the movable clamp plate 1102 is brought close to the saddle-stitched booklet B shown in FIG. 11A, the movable clamp plate 1102 and the lifter in the saddle-stitched booklet B as shown in FIGS. 11B to 11D. As the portion sandwiched between the plates 1101 is pressed along the vertical surfaces of the lifter plate 1101 and the movable clamp plate 1102, the portions are guided along the vertical direction. Accordingly, as shown in FIG. 11C, the saddle-stitched booklet B is biased with respect to the lifter plate 1101 by pulling the binding portion of the saddle-stitched booklet B toward the movable clamp plate 1102. For this reason, the fold of the binding portion of the saddle-stitched booklet B sandwiched between the movable clamp plate 1102 and the fixed clamp plate is held while being biased toward the movable clamp plate 1102, and the fold of the saddle-stitched booklet B is , It will shift from the center of the spine of the held saddle stitch booklet B.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a saddle stitch booklet holding mechanism, a sheet processing apparatus, and an image forming system that can further reduce the misalignment of the fold line with respect to the center of the spine of the saddle stitch booklet that is suspended. .

  The invention according to claim 1 is a saddle-stitch booklet holding mechanism, the suspension means for hanging the inside of the binding portion of the saddle-stitch booklet and hanging the saddle-stitch booklet, and the suspension means One of two holding members provided so as to face each other across the lowered saddle-stitched booklet and opposed to the cover surface of the saddle-stitched booklet is moved toward the other to A sandwiching means for sandwiching the saddle-stitched booklet suspended by the lowering means with the two sandwiching members, and a saddle-stitched booklet suspended by the suspension means before the sandwiching means completes the sandwiching of the saddle-stitched booklet. And supporting means for supporting the saddle stitch booklet in contact with the vicinity of the binding portion.

  The invention described in claim 2 is the saddle-stitched booklet holding mechanism according to claim 1, wherein one of the two holding members and the support means are moved toward the other of the two holding members. A moving means is provided.

  The invention according to claim 3 is the saddle-stitched booklet holding mechanism according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the support means is a fold of the binding portion of the saddle-stitched booklet suspended by the suspension means. It is a roller having a rotation axis along the direction.

  The invention described in claim 4 is the saddle-stitched booklet holding mechanism according to claim 3, comprising an elastic member that urges the roller toward the saddle-stitched booklet suspended by the suspension means. It is characterized by.

  The invention according to claim 5 is the saddle-stitched booklet holding mechanism according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the roller is a fold line inside the binding portion of the saddle-stitched booklet suspended by the suspension means. The saddle stitch booklet is in contact with the vicinity of the binding portion of the saddle-stitched booklet located above the fold line.

  A sixth aspect of the present invention is the saddle stitch booklet holding mechanism according to any one of the third to fifth aspects, wherein two rollers are provided and the two clamping members are provided. To the saddle stitch booklet.

  The invention described in claim 7 is the saddle stitch booklet holding mechanism according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the support means is a fold of a binding portion of the saddle stitch booklet suspended by the suspension means. The saddle stitching has a valley portion whose cross-sectional shape orthogonal to the direction is an inverted V shape, and the valley portion is brought into contact with the binding portion of the saddle stitch booklet suspended by the suspension means from above. It is characterized by supporting the booklet.

  In the invention according to claim 8, the saddle-stitched booklet is held in a state where the binding portion is suspended upward and the paper surface of the saddle-stitched booklet is kept in a substantially vertical direction. A sheet processing apparatus that performs at least one of square folding processing for shaping the outside of the binding portion of the saddle stitch booklet, comprising the saddle stitch booklet holding mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 7. The saddle stitch booklet is held by the saddle stitch booklet holding mechanism.

  The invention according to claim 9 is an image forming apparatus for forming an image on a sheet, and a saddle-stitched booklet is generated by folding and overlapping a plurality of sheets on which the image is formed by the image forming apparatus. The saddle-stitched booklet is held in a state in which the saddle-stitched booklet is suspended and the paper surface of the saddle-stitched booklet is substantially vertically aligned. An image forming system comprising: a sheet processing apparatus that performs at least one of square fold processes for shaping the outside of the part, wherein the sheet processing apparatus is according to any one of claims 1 to 7. A saddle stitch booklet holding mechanism is provided, and the saddle stitch booklet is held by the saddle stitch booklet holding mechanism.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the position shift of the crease | fold with respect to the center of the spine of the saddle stitch booklet suspended can be reduced more.

1 is a perspective view showing an overall configuration of an image forming system according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a figure which shows the operation example of each part of the main structure of a holding mechanism and a holding mechanism. It is an image figure which shows an example of the urging | biasing of a support roller. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a main configuration relating to operation control of an image forming system. FIG. It is a figure which shows an example of the positional relationship of the fulcrum of the saddle stitch booklet suspended by the suspension means, and the contact position of the support means with respect to a saddle stitch booklet. It is a figure which shows the example which contact | abuts two rollers to a saddle stitch booklet. It is a figure which shows the example which makes a reverse V-shaped support member contact a saddle-stitched booklet. It is a figure which shows the example which abuts the support member which has a plane part on a saddle stitch booklet. It is a figure which shows the example of clamping of the saddle stitch booklet in the conventional small edge cutting process. It is a figure which shows the example of clamping of the saddle stitch booklet in the shaping of the conventional spine. It is a figure which shows the example from which the crease | fold of the saddle stitch booklet suspended is shifted.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. However, although various technically preferable limitations for implementing the present invention are given to the embodiments described below, the scope of the invention is not limited to the following embodiments and illustrated examples.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an overall configuration of an image forming system 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention.
The image forming system 1 includes an image forming apparatus 100, a sheet reversing apparatus 200, a sheet processing apparatus 300, and a side stitching processing apparatus 400.
In the following description, the vertical direction is the Z direction, and the direction along the direction in which the image forming apparatus 100, the sheet reversing apparatus 200, the sheet processing apparatus 300, and the side stitching processing apparatus 400 shown in FIG. A direction orthogonal to the X direction and the Z direction is defined as a Y direction.

The image forming apparatus 100 forms an image on a sheet.
Specifically, the image forming apparatus 100 develops a toner image corresponding to bitmap data on a primary transfer member such as a transfer roller, for example, a conveyance unit that pulls out a sheet stored as a recording medium from the sheet tray and conveys the sheet. The developing unit, a primary transfer unit that transfers the toner image developed on the primary transfer member to a secondary transfer member such as the transfer drum 150, and the toner image transferred to the secondary transfer member is transferred to a sheet conveyed by the conveyance unit. The image forming apparatus includes a secondary transfer unit, a fixing unit that fixes the transferred toner image on the sheet, a discharge unit that discharges the sheet after the fixing process by the fixing unit, and the like.
In addition, the image forming apparatus 100 delivers a sheet on which an image is formed and discharged to the sheet reversing apparatus 200.

The sheet reversing device 200 turns the conveyed sheet upside down.
Specifically, the sheet reversing device 200 conveys the sheet conveyed from the image forming apparatus 100 side so as to descend, and temporarily stops and waits in a state where the surface of the sheet is substantially along the Z direction. A reversing unit that reverses the surface of the conveyed paper by transporting the paper in the standby unit so as to be lifted toward the paper processing device 300 provided on the opposite side of the image forming apparatus 100 in the X direction. Then, the paper surface of the conveyed paper is reversed and delivered to the paper processing apparatus 300.
In addition, the sheet reversing device 200 includes, for example, an alignment unit that aligns the position of the end of the sheet that is stopped in the standby unit, a creasing unit that performs creasing on the sheet aligned by the alignment unit, and the like. You may have.

The sheet processing apparatus 300 performs a half-folding process for folding a sheet in half, a saddle-stitching process for generating a saddle-stitched booklet B by superposing and binding a plurality of the folded sheets, and a trimming for performing a fore-edge cutting of the saddle-stitched booklet. The sheet is subjected to processing, a square fold process for shaping the spine of the saddle stitch booklet B, and the like.
Specifically, the sheet processing apparatus 300 includes, for example, a folding unit 320 that folds a predetermined position of the sheet along the Y direction, and a hook unit on which a plurality of sheets folded by the folding unit 320 are placed and stacked. 330, a plurality of sheets stacked in the hooking section 330 are saddle-stitched at a position where they are folded in a center, so that the plurality of sheets become the saddle-stitched booklet B (see FIG. 4), and the saddle-stitched booklet B A lifter plate 351 that suspends the saddle stitch booklet B by locking the inside of the binding portion, and two clamp members provided to face each other in the X direction across the saddle stitch booklet B suspended by the lifter plate 351 352, 353, a holding mechanism 350 provided with a support roller 354 or the like that contacts the vicinity of the binding portion of the saddle-stitched booklet B and supports the saddle-stitched booklet B, and a riff of the hooking portion 330 and the holding mechanism 350 -Pressing the vicinity of the small edge of the saddle-stitched booklet B that is in a posture substantially along the Z direction by being held by the delivery mechanism 360 (see FIG. 4) and the holding mechanism 350 for delivering the saddle-stitched booklet B to and from the plate 351 A cutting processing unit 370 (see FIG. 4) that holds the saddle-stitched booklet B and holds the vicinity of the binding portion of the saddle-stitched booklet B held by the holding mechanism 350 and holds the back of the saddle-stitched booklet B. A square fold processing unit 380 (see FIG. 4) that presses a roller against the cover along the Y direction to shape the spine cover, a discharge unit (not shown) that discharges the saddle stitch booklet B, and the like. The sheet processing apparatus 300 can also transfer the sheet received from the sheet reversing apparatus 200 to the side stitching processing apparatus 400 without performing some or all of the various processes performed by the sheet processing apparatus 300.

The side stitching processing device 400 performs a side stitching process for a plurality of sheets.
Specifically, the side stitching processing apparatus 400 includes, for example, a staple processing unit that performs a staple process on a plurality of sheets delivered from the sheet processing apparatus 300, and a discharge unit that discharges sheets processed by the connected apparatuses. Etc. The flat stitching processing device 400 can also discharge the paper delivered from the paper processing device 300 without performing some or all of the various processes by the flat stitching processing device 400.

Next, the holding mechanism 350 of the sheet processing apparatus 300 will be described in detail.
FIGS. 2A to 2D are diagrams showing a main configuration of the holding mechanism 350 and an operation example of each part of the holding mechanism 350. FIG.
As described above, the holding mechanism 350 includes the lifter plate 351, the clamp members 352 and 353, the support roller 354, and the like.

  The lifter plate 351 is a plate-like member provided along the YZ plane, and is supported in the sheet processing apparatus 300 by the support portion 351a. The support portion 351a is provided to support the lifter plate 351 in the paper processing apparatus 300, and transmits a biasing force such as a spring to the lifter plate 351, although not shown. Accordingly, the lifter plate 351 is urged toward the clamp member 352 as indicated by an arrow V1 in FIG. More specifically, the lifter plate 351 restricts the predetermined separation position with respect to the clamp member 353 (for example, the position of the lifter plate 351 shown in FIG. 2A) as the maximum separation position with respect to the clamp member 353 in the X direction. In this state, it is supported by the support portion 351a so as to be movable along the X direction. The lifter plate 351 is pushed toward the clamp member 353 by the operation of the clamp member 352 described later, and the urging force transmitted to the clamp member 352 side by the urging force transmitted through the support portion 351a is clamped. And the saddle stitch booklet B sandwiched between the lifter plate 351 and the lifter plate 351.

  The upper end of the lifter plate 351 is along the Y direction. As a result, the saddle stitch booklet B in which the folds inside the binding portion are locked by the lifter plate 351 is suspended in a state where the binding portion is along the Y direction.

  The clamp members 352 and 353 are provided to face each other in the X direction with the saddle stitch booklet B suspended by the lifter plate 351 interposed therebetween. In addition, one of the clamp members 352 and 353 is provided to be movable along the X direction by a guide rail (not shown) provided along the X direction in the sheet processing apparatus 300, for example. The positions of the lifter plate 351 and the other clamp member 353 are changed according to the operation of the drive unit 355 (see FIG. 4). Further, the position of the other clamp member 353 is fixed by being fixed to a chassis or the like of the sheet processing apparatus 300. Accordingly, the clamp member 352 moves so as to be close to the clamp member 353, and the saddle-stitched booklet B is held in the Y direction by sandwiching the saddle-stitched booklet B locked to the lifter plate 351 in cooperation with the clamp member 353. -Hold in a state substantially along the Z plane.

The clamp members 352 and 353 have projecting portions 352b and 353b that project from the surface portion toward the lifter plate 351 below the contact surfaces 352a and 353a that are provided to face each other and contact the saddle stitch booklet B, respectively. The protrusions 352b and 353b are provided as steps protruding toward the lifter plate 351 in the X direction with respect to the contact surfaces 352a and 353a along the YZ plane, respectively, and are protrusions that contact the saddle stitch booklet B. The contact surfaces of 352b and 353b are provided along the YZ plane. As shown in FIG. 2D, the clamp members 352 and 353 hold the saddle stitch booklet B locked by the lifter plate 351 by bringing the protruding portions 352 b and 353 b into contact with the saddle stitch booklet B.
Note that the contact portions of the clamp members 352 and 353 that contact the saddle stitch booklet, such as the contact surfaces 352a and 353a and the protruding portions 352b and 353b, have elasticity that deforms to some extent in accordance with the contact with the saddle stitch booklet. It may be. For example, like the contact surface 352a shown in FIGS. 2A to 2D, elasticity can be provided by covering the contact portion with resin or the like.

The support roller 354 is a roller having a rotation axis along the Y-axis direction. That is, the rotation axis of the support roller 354 is along the direction of the fold of the binding portion of the saddle stitch booklet B locked by the lifter plate 351.
The support roller 354 is provided on the upper part of the clamp member 352, and is supported by the roller support portion 354a so as to be freely rotatable. Specifically, for example, as illustrated in FIGS. 2A to 2D, the roller support portion 354 a includes a base portion 354 b extending along the Y direction at the upper portion of the clamp member 352, and a lifter from the base portion 354 b. And a locking portion 354c extending obliquely upward on the plate 351 side. The support roller 354 is supported so as to be freely rotatable by supporting the rotation shaft inside an acute angle formed by the base portion 354b and the locking portion 354c of the roller support portion 354a.
Here, the support roller 354 moves along the X direction together with the clamp member 352 as the clamp member 352 moves along the X direction.

  The support roller 354 is provided so as to be movable in the vertical direction. Specifically, for example, as shown in FIGS. 2A to 2D, the acute angle formed by the base portion 354b and the locking portion 354c of the roller support portion 354a is opened, thereby supporting the roller support portion 354a. The roller 354 is provided so that it can slide upward from the inside of an acute angle.

  Further, as shown by the arrow V2 in FIG. 2A, the support roller 354 is urged downward. Specifically, for example, as shown in FIG. 3, a spring 354d that abuts on the support roller 354 from above is provided, and the support roller 354 is attached downward by the downward force generated by the elasticity of the spring. Be forced.

Next, holding of the saddle stitch booklet B by the movement of the clamp member 352 will be described.
First, when the saddle stitch booklet B is transferred from the hooking section 330 to the lifter plate 351 by the delivery mechanism 360 of the sheet processing apparatus 300, the lifter plate 351 engages the saddle stitched booklet B as shown in FIG. It will be in a stopped state. At this time, the saddle stitch booklet B locked to the lifter plate 351 is positioned between the clamp members 352 and 353 while being separated from the clamp members 352 and 353.

By moving the clamp member 352 so as to approach the lifter plate 351 that holds the saddle-stitched booklet B, the saddle-stitched booklet B that is locked to the lifter plate 351 is moved as shown in FIG. Of these, the portion suspended on the clamp member 352 side is sandwiched between the lifter plate 351 and the clamp member 352.
At this time, as shown in FIG. 2 (b), the outer peripheral surface of the support roller 354 provided on the upper portion of the clamp member 352 is in the vicinity of the binding portion on the side of the saddle-stitched booklet B suspended on the clamp member 352 side. Abut. Thus, the support roller 354 contacts the saddle stitch booklet before the clamping of the saddle stitch booklet B by the clamp members 352 and 353 is completed.
Here, since the support roller 354 is provided to be movable in the vertical direction, the position of the support roller 354 changes according to the number of sheets bound as the saddle stitch booklet B and the thickness (basis weight, etc.) of the sheets. The position can be set according to the thickness of the saddle stitch booklet B sandwiched between the lifter plate 351 and the support roller 354.
Further, since the support roller 354 is biased downward, the support roller 354 that may move upward according to the thickness of the saddle stitch booklet B is securely locked to the roller support portion 354a, Contact with the saddle stitch booklet B can be realized.

  Thereafter, as the clamp member 352 further moves and approaches the clamp member 353, the portion of the saddle stitch booklet B locked to the lifter plate 351 that is suspended on the clamp member 353 side contacts the clamp member 353. Touch. Here, when the saddle stitch booklet B and the clamp member 353 come into contact with each other, the saddle stitch booklet B locked to the lifter plate 351 is pushed to the clamp member 352 side. 2, the binding portion of the saddle-stitched booklet B is biased toward the clamp member 352 side of the lifter plate 351, as shown in FIG. 2C. This prevents the saddle stitch booklet B from being folded at the center of the back cover.

  Here, since the support roller 354 is urged downward, the downward urging force generated with respect to the support roller 354 is transmitted from the support roller 354 to the saddle-stitched booklet B, and the saddle-stitched booklet B is transferred to the lifter plate 351 side. It is possible to prevent the binding portion of the saddle-stitched booklet B from being biased toward the clamp member 352 side of the lifter plate 351 and to make the fold of the saddle-stitched booklet B almost at the center of the spine. it can.

  Then, as shown in FIG. 2D, both of the suspended portions of the saddle stitch booklet B locked to the lifter plate 351 are clamped by the clamp members 352 and 353 with the lifter plate 351 interposed therebetween. Thus, until the saddle-stitched booklet B is held in a state substantially along the Z direction, the support roller 354 continues to hold the posture of the saddle-stitched booklet B and maintains the crease at substantially the center of the back cover.

Here, since the protruding portions 352b and 353b are provided below the contact surfaces 352a and 353a of the clamp members 352 and 353, the saddle-stitched booklet B locked to the lifter plate 351 is sandwiched between the protruding portions 352b and 353b. Is done.
Accordingly, the shape of the contact surface side of the clamp members 352 and 353 that contact the saddle stitch booklet B is matched with the warp of the suspended portion of the saddle stitch booklet B that is locked to the lifter plate 351. Therefore, the posture of the saddle-stitched booklet B when the saddle-stitched booklet B is sandwiched can be more easily aligned in the Z direction. Further, as shown in FIGS. 2B to 2D, the saddle-stitched booklet B can be sandwiched near the lower page end portion of the suspended portion. Further, in the saddle-stitched booklet B, an arc is drawn so as to swell from the upper end of the portion sandwiched by the protruding portions 352b and 353b to the center of the spine so as to swell from the lifter plate 351 side to the clamp members 352 and 353 side. Can do. The swelling can reduce the degree of spread along the X direction in the vicinity of the page edge due to the warp of the sheet of the saddle-stitched booklet B, and alignment of the page edge during the small edge cutting by the cutting processing unit 370, for example, It is possible to more easily perform insertion of a page end portion between two blades used for small edge cutting. Further, due to the swelling, the entire suspended portion of the saddle-stitched booklet B is pressed, so that defects such as wrinkles on a part of the paper surface of the saddle-stitched booklet B can be reduced. Further, the saddle-stitched booklet B can be more reliably held by sandwiching the saddle-stitched booklet B by the protruding portions 352b and 353b having a smaller area of the contact surface than the contact surfaces 352a and 353a.

  In the present embodiment, each of the processing units is held by the holding mechanism 350 in a posture substantially along the Z direction at the time of trimming by the cutting processing unit 370 or at the time of shaping the spine cover by the square fold processing unit 380. The saddle stitch booklet B is further held and processed. Specifically, the cutting processing unit 370 presses and holds the vicinity of the edge of the saddle stitch booklet B and performs the edge cutting of the saddle stitch booklet B. The square fold processing unit 380 presses and holds the vicinity of the binding portion of the saddle-stitched booklet B and presses a roller along the Y direction against the spine of the saddle-stitched booklet B to shape the spine.

  The support roller 354 is provided so as to be detachable from the clamp member 352. For example, after the saddle stitch booklet B is held by the clamp members 352 and 353, the support roller 354 moves so as to separate from the clamp member 352 together with the roller support portion 354a. For example, the roller support portion 354a is provided so as to be movable along the X direction in the same manner as the clamp member 352, and the support roller 354 and the saddle stitch booklet B according to the operation of the separation drive portion 356 (see FIG. 4). The support roller 354 is moved so as to be released.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating a main configuration relating to operation control of the image forming system 1.
The image forming system 1 receives a user input operation related to the operation of the image forming system 1, and performs an operation display unit 501 that performs display output related to the operation of the image forming system 1, and a center that performs operation control of the entire image forming system 1. The control unit 502, the image formation control unit 503 that controls the operation of the image forming apparatus 100, the paper reversal control unit 504 that controls the operation of the paper reversing apparatus 200, and the paper processing control unit that controls the operation of the paper processing apparatus 300. 505 and a side stitching processing control unit 506 that controls the operation of the side stitching processing apparatus 400.

The operation display unit 501 includes, for example, a touch panel type operation display device, various input switches, keys, and the like, and transmits a signal corresponding to a user input content to the central control unit 502.
The central control unit 502, the image formation control unit 503, the paper reversal control unit 504, the paper processing control unit 505, and the side stitching processing control unit 506 each have a CPU, RAM, ROM, and the like, and a software program corresponding to the processing content And various data are read and executed.

  The central control unit 502 cuts the size of the paper, the number of colors at the time of image formation (for example, color / grayscale / monochrome), and the margin portion according to the input contents of the user input via the operation display unit 501. Various settings relating to the image forming system 1 such as implementation / non-execution of the back cover, implementation / non-execution of the spine cover shaping, and the number of some sheets to be saddle stitched. Then, the central control unit 502 instructs the control units of the image formation control unit 503, the paper reversal control unit 504, the paper processing control unit 505, and the side stitching processing control unit 506 to perform processing according to the set contents. Is output. Each control unit controls the operation of the device to be controlled according to the command.

  As described above, according to the image forming system 1 of the present embodiment, the support roller 354 is in the vicinity of the binding portion of the saddle-stitched booklet B suspended by the lifter plate 351 before the clamping of the saddle-stitched booklet by the two clamp members 352 and 353 is completed. The saddle stitch booklet B is supported by contacting the saddle-stitched booklet B, so that the saddle-stitched booklet B is prevented from being pushed toward the one clamp member 352 due to the contact between the saddle-stitched booklet B and the other clamp member 353. The binding portion of the booklet B can be prevented from being biased toward the clamp member 352 side of the lifter plate 351, and the misalignment of the fold line with respect to the center of the back cover of the saddle-stitched booklet B can be reduced.

  In addition, since the driving unit 355 moves one clamp member 352 and the support roller 354 toward the other clamp member 353, the support roller 354 and the center roller 354 are interlocked with the contact between the clamp member 352 and the saddle stitch booklet B. The binding booklet B can be brought into contact, and the support roller 354 can be reliably brought into contact with the saddle-stitched booklet B at a timing when the posture of the saddle-stitched booklet B needs to be supported.

  Further, since the support roller 354 has a rotation axis along the direction of the fold of the binding portion of the saddle-stitched booklet B, the support roller 354 rotates upon contact with the saddle-stitched booklet B, whereby the saddle-stitched booklet B The pressing force applied to the saddle stitch booklet B can be reduced, and the saddle stitch booklet B can be suitably prevented from being pushed toward the other clamp member 353 due to the contact between the support roller 354 and the saddle stitch booklet B. The misalignment of the folds with respect to the center of the spine of the saddle stitch booklet B that has been lowered can be further reduced.

  Further, since the saddle-stitched booklet B is urged toward the lifter plate 351 from the outer peripheral surface of the support roller 354 by biasing the support roller 354 downward, the thickness of the saddle-stitched booklet B is increased. In addition to being able to realize the contact between the support roller 354 and the saddle-stitched booklet B by reliably locking the support roller 354 that may move upward depending on the roller support portion 354a, more reliably The binding portion of the saddle-stitched booklet B can be prevented from being biased toward the clamp member 352 side of the lifter plate 351, and the fold of the saddle-stitched booklet B can be made substantially at the center of the back cover.

  The embodiment of the present invention should be considered that the embodiment disclosed this time is illustrative and not restrictive in all respects. 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.

For example, the diameter of the support roller 354 as the support means shown in FIGS. 2A to 2D and the contact position of the support roller 354 with respect to the saddle stitch booklet B are merely examples, and are not limited thereto.
Specifically, for example, as shown in FIG. 5, the supporting means may be a roller 3501 having a smaller diameter than the supporting roller 354 shown in FIGS.
Here, the supporting means is the height position of the fold inside the binding portion of the saddle-stitched booklet B suspended by the suspending means such as the lifter plate 351, or the saddle-stitched booklet B located above the fold. By abutting in the vicinity of the binding portion, the posture of the saddle-stitched booklet B suspended by the suspension means can be supported more reliably along the Z direction. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 5, the contact position of the roller 3501 with respect to the saddle stitch booklet B is set to a height position equal to or higher than the height position H of the fold inside the binding portion B1 of the saddle stitch booklet B. Thus, the saddle-stitched booklet B whose posture is changed by contact with the clamp member 353 can be more reliably supported using the locking point P of the saddle-stitched booklet B suspended by the lifter plate 351 as a fulcrum for posture change. .

Further, the number of members that contact the saddle stitch booklet B as the support means is not limited to one. For example, two rollers as support means may be provided, and may be brought into contact with the saddle-stitched booklet B from both sides where two clamping members (for example, clamp members 3521 and 3531 shown in FIG. 6) are provided.
Specifically, as shown in FIG. 6, in the X direction, two rollers 3502 and 3503 provided at positions facing each other across the lifter plate 351 are brought into contact with the vicinity of the binding portion of the saddle stitch booklet B. Then, the saddle stitch booklet B may be supported. Here, the contact positions of the two rollers 3502 and 3503 provided with the binding portion of the saddle-stitched booklet B sandwiched are set to the height of the fold line inside the binding portion of the saddle-stitched booklet B, as in the example shown in FIG. You may make it be the height position more than a height position.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 6, one clamp member 3521 and two rollers 3502 and 3503 provided to be movable along the X direction may be moved toward the other clamp member 3531. In this case, the sheet processing apparatus 300 includes a moving mechanism that moves at least the roller 3503 on the other clamp member 3531 side so as to contact the saddle stitch booklet B from above. Then, the sheet processing apparatus 300 moves the roller 3503 so as to be interlocked with the movement of the one clamp member 3521 along the X direction after the roller 3503 is brought into contact with the moving mechanism. Note that the roller 3502 may have a mechanism similar to that of the support roller 354 shown in FIGS. 2A to 2D, or the saddle-stitched booklet by contacting the saddle-stitched booklet B from above like the roller 3503. It is also possible to move along the X direction in conjunction with the clamp member 3521 after sandwiching the binding portion of B.

Further, the support means is not limited to a roller.
For example, as shown in FIG. 7, an inverted V-shaped support member 3504 may be brought into contact with the saddle stitch booklet B as a support means. The support member 3504 has a cross-sectional shape along a plane (XZ plane) perpendicular to the fold direction (Y direction) of the binding portion of the saddle stitch booklet B suspended by the suspension means (for example, the lifter plate 351). Has a valley portion 3504a having an inverted V shape, and the valley portion 3504a is brought into contact with the binding portion of the saddle stitch booklet B from above to support the saddle stitch booklet B.
Here, as shown in FIG. 7, the support member 3504 and the saddle-stitched booklet B are moved by a moving mechanism that moves the support member 3504 so as to contact the saddle-stitched booklet B from above, like the roller 3503 and the like. After the contact, one clamp member 3521 may move in the X direction in conjunction with the movement along the X direction.

Also, as shown in FIG. 8, a support member 3505 having a flat surface portion is provided, and the posture of the saddle-stitched booklet B is supported by bringing the flat surface portion into contact with the vicinity of the binding portion of the saddle-stitched booklet B. May be. In this case, as shown by an arrow V3 in FIG. 8, the flat portion of the support member 3505 may be urged in a direction to press against the saddle stitch booklet B by a spring or the like.
Further, the contact portion of the supporting means that contacts the saddle stitch booklet B is not limited to the outer peripheral surface or plane of the roller, and the shape is not particularly limited as long as the saddle stitch booklet B can be supported.

  The timing at which the support means such as the support roller 354 contacts the saddle stitch booklet may be before the saddle stitch booklet is clamped by the clamping means such as the clamp members 352 and 353. For example, the movement of the clamp member 352 is started. It may be before or may be accompanied by the movement of the clamp member 352 as in the above embodiment. Here, “before the saddle-stitched booklet is sandwiched by the clamping means” means that the saddle-stitched booklet is so sandwiched that the posture of the saddle-stitched booklet is not changed by the holding force by the sandwiching means sandwiched by the sandwiching means. Point forward.

  Further, an urging force similar to the urging force in the vertical direction with respect to the support roller 354 shown in FIGS. 2A to 2D is applied to the rollers 3501 to 3503 and the support member 3504 shown in FIGS. Also good. Further, the urging force applied to the support means such as the rollers 3501 to 3503 and the support member 3504 is a force that urges the support means toward the saddle-stitched booklet B suspended by the suspending means (for example, a lifter plate). As long as it adds.

In addition, the clamp members 352 and 353 in the above-described embodiment have the protruding portions 352b and 353b, but this is an example and the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, as shown in FIGS. 6 to 8 and the like, clamp members 3521 and 3531 having flat contact surfaces with the saddle-stitched booklet B may be employed as the clamping means.
Further, the amount of swelling generated in the saddle stitch booklet B by the clamp members 352 and 353 having the protruding portions 352b and 353b can be arbitrarily adjusted by adjusting the protruding amount of the protruding portions 352b and 353b.

  In the above embodiment, the saddle stitch booklet B held by the holding mechanism 350 is further held individually by the cutting processing unit 370 and the square fold processing unit 380, and then the edge cutting processing and the square fold processing are performed. This is an example and is not limited to this. For example, with respect to the saddle-stitched booklet B whose posture is held by the holding mechanism 350, the holding of the further saddle-stitched booklet B by each processing unit may be omitted, and the small edge cutting process or the square folding process may be performed.

In addition, the structure of each part with which said image forming system 1 is provided is an example to the last, and can be suitably changed in the range which does not deviate from the characteristic of this invention.
For example, part or all of the image forming apparatus 100, the sheet reversing apparatus 200, the sheet processing apparatus 300, and the side stitching processing apparatus 400 constituting the image forming system 1 may be integrated. Further, among the devices included in the image forming system 1, some devices (the paper reversing device 200 and the side stitching processing device 400) may be omitted.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Image forming system 100 Image forming apparatus 300 Paper processing apparatus 350 Holding mechanism 351 Lifter board (hanging means)
352, 353 Clamp member (clamping means)
352a, 353a Contact surface 352b, 353b Protruding portion 354 Support roller (support means)
355 Drive unit (moving means)
370 Cutting processing unit 380 Square fold processing unit

Claims (9)

Suspension means that suspends the inside of the binding portion of the saddle stitch booklet and suspends the saddle stitch booklet,
One of the two holding members provided so as to face each other across the saddle-stitched booklet suspended by the suspension means and facing the cover surface of the saddle-stitched booklet faces the other. A sandwiching means for sandwiching the saddle-stitched booklet suspended by the suspension means by the two sandwiching members;
A support means for supporting the saddle stitch booklet by contacting the vicinity of the binding portion of the saddle stitch booklet suspended by the suspension means before the sandwiching means completes the sandwiching of the saddle stitch booklet;
A saddle stitch booklet holding mechanism comprising:   The saddle-stitched booklet holding mechanism according to claim 1, further comprising moving means for moving one of the two holding members and the supporting means toward the other of the two holding members.   The saddle-stitched booklet according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the support means is a roller having a rotation axis along the direction of the fold of the binding portion of the saddle-stitched booklet suspended by the suspension means. Retention mechanism.   The saddle-stitched booklet holding mechanism according to claim 3, further comprising an elastic member that biases the roller toward the saddle-stitched booklet suspended by the suspension unit.   The roller is in contact with the height position of the fold inside the binding portion of the saddle stitch booklet suspended by the suspending means or in the vicinity of the binding portion of the saddle stitch booklet located above the fold. A saddle stitch booklet holding mechanism according to claim 3 or 4.   The saddle-stitched booklet holding mechanism according to any one of claims 3 to 5, wherein two rollers are provided and abut against the saddle-stitched booklet from both sides on which the two clamping members are provided. .   The support means has a trough portion whose cross-sectional shape orthogonal to the direction of the fold of the binding portion of the saddle stitch booklet suspended by the suspension means has an inverted V shape, and the trough portion is suspended by the suspension means. The saddle-stitched booklet holding mechanism according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the saddle-stitched booklet is supported by being brought into contact with the binding portion of the saddle-stitched booklet suspended from above from above. Holding the saddle-stitched booklet in a suspended state and keeping the paper surface of the saddle-stitched booklet almost in the vertical direction, or cutting the edge of the saddle-stitched booklet or outside the binding part of the saddle-stitched booklet A paper processing apparatus that performs at least one of square fold processing
A sheet processing apparatus comprising the saddle stitch booklet holding mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the saddle stitch booklet is held by the saddle stitch booklet holding mechanism. An image forming apparatus for forming an image on paper;
A sheet on which an image is formed by the image forming apparatus is creased, a plurality of sheets are superimposed and saddle-stitched to generate a saddle-stitched booklet, and the saddle-stitched booklet is held in a state where the binding portion is suspended upward. A sheet processing apparatus that performs at least one of a small-edge cutting process of the saddle-stitched booklet and a square fold process of shaping the outside of the binding part of the saddle-stitched booklet in a state in which the paper surface of the saddle-stitched booklet is substantially vertical An image forming system comprising:
The sheet processing apparatus includes the saddle-stitched booklet holding mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 7, and holds the saddle-stitched booklet by the saddle-stitched booklet holding mechanism. system.

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