JP2014047063A - Post-processing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a post-processing device which has high binding strength using staple and spends a short time until staple processing is completed.SOLUTION: A post-processing device 130 is provided with: a loading part 132 which loads sheets where images have been formed that are discharged by an image forming apparatus 100 and bundles the sheets; a staple unit 31 which performs staple processing to the bundles of sheets; and a discharge carrying part 133 which uses a movable carrier roller coming into pressure contact with the staple-processed bundles of sheets to carry the bundles of sheets and discharge them outside. Moreover, the post-processing device is provided with a determination part 131a which determines whether or not to perform double-stapling. When performing the double-stapling, the bundles of sheets to which first staple processing is performed are moved by the discharge carrying part 133 in the discharge direction by a specified quantity, and then subjected to the second staple processing by the staple unit 31.

Description

  The present invention relates to a post-processing apparatus that performs a stapling process by a staple unit on a sheet bundle obtained by stacking image-formed sheets discharged from an image forming apparatus.

Some image forming apparatuses such as multifunction peripherals include a post-processing apparatus with a staple unit (for example, Patent Document 1).
The post-processing apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 1 is bound by stapling a copy of a group of copies made of a plurality of copies discharged from a discharge unit of a copying machine serving as an image forming apparatus. This is a bookbinding device. This bookbinding apparatus, that is, the post-processing apparatus, uses a stapler that is movable in a direction perpendicular to the conveyance direction of the copied material. The staple pattern data transferred from the copying machine and the copied material discharged from the copying machine. The actual staple position is determined in accordance with the size data in the width direction, the stapler is moved in the direction perpendicular to the transport direction, and the copy is bound at the actual staple position. In this bookbinding apparatus, not only one staple on one side but also a plurality of places can be stapled, so that high binding strength can be obtained.

JP-A-8-319054

  However, in the technique disclosed in Patent Document 1, in order to staple at one place and then staple at the next place, it is necessary to move the stapler in the direction perpendicular to the conveyance direction of the copy, so the stapling process is completed. It takes time.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a post-processing apparatus having high binding strength using staples and a short time until completion of staple processing.

  In order to solve the above-described problems, a first technical means of the present invention includes a stacking unit that stacks image-formed sheets discharged from an image forming apparatus to form a sheet bundle, and a staple that performs a staple process on the sheet bundle. A post-processing apparatus for an image forming apparatus, comprising: a unit; and a discharge conveyance unit that conveys the sheet bundle and discharges the sheet bundle to the outside using a movable conveyance roller that presses against the staple-processed sheet bundle. A determination unit configured to determine whether or not to perform double stapling; when performing the double stapling, the paper bundle on which the first stapling process has been performed is moved by a predetermined amount in the discharge direction by the discharge conveyance unit; Then, a second stapling process is performed by the stapling unit.

  According to a second technical means of the present invention, in the first technical means, the predetermined amount is a position where the staple used for the first staple processing does not interfere with the staple unit during the second staple processing. To the position of the first stapling process.

  A third technical means of the present invention is characterized in that, in the first or second technical means, the second stapling process is performed in a state where the conveying roller is pressed against the sheet bundle.

  According to a fourth technical means of the present invention, in any one of the first to third technical means, the determination as to whether or not to perform the double stapling is performed based on a user input. is there.

  According to a fifth technical means of the present invention, in any one of the first to third technical means, the determination as to whether or not to perform the double stapling is made based on the number of sheets constituting the sheet bundle. It is characterized by.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a post-processing apparatus having high binding strength and a short time until completion of stapling.

1 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a configuration example of a post-processing apparatus of the present invention and an image forming apparatus in which the apparatus is incorporated. It is an enlarged view of the post-processing apparatus of FIG. FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the image forming apparatus and post-processing apparatus of FIG. 1. It is a figure explaining the double staple process performed with the post-processing apparatus of FIG.2 and FIG.3. It is a figure explaining operation | movement of the post-processing apparatus at the time of performing double staple processing. It is a figure explaining operation | movement of the post-processing apparatus at the time of performing double staple processing. It is a figure explaining operation | movement of the post-processing apparatus at the time of performing double staple processing.

Hereinafter, with reference to the drawings, a post-processing apparatus according to the present invention will be described with reference to an example incorporated in a multi-function peripheral as an image forming apparatus.
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a configuration example of a post-processing apparatus of the present invention and an image forming apparatus incorporating the apparatus.

The image forming apparatus 100 shown in FIG. 1 includes an apparatus main body 110 and an automatic document processing apparatus 120, and forms multicolor and single color images on a predetermined sheet (original) in accordance with input image data. A post-processing device 130 is incorporated.
The apparatus main body 110 includes an exposure unit 1, a developing device 2, a photosensitive drum 3, a cleaner unit 4, a charger 5, an intermediate transfer belt unit 6, and a fixing unit 7.
In addition, a document reading device 90 that reads an image of a document is provided on the upper part of the apparatus main body 110 of the image forming apparatus 100, and a document placing table 92 formed of transparent glass is provided above the document reading device 90. Is provided.

  The automatic document processing device 120 is attached to the upper side of the document placement table 92 and automatically conveys the document onto the document placement table 92. Further, the automatic document processing device 120 is configured to be rotatable in the direction of arrow M, and the document can be placed manually by opening the document table 92.

  Image data handled in the image forming apparatus 100 corresponds to a color image using each color of black (K), cyan (C), magenta (M), and yellow (Y). Accordingly, four each of the developing device 2, the photosensitive drum 3, the charger 5, and the cleaner unit 4 are provided so as to form four types of latent images corresponding to the respective colors.

  The charger 5 is a charging means for uniformly charging the surface of the photosensitive drum 3 to a predetermined potential, and is a charger type in the illustrated example.

  The exposure unit 1 exposes the charged surface of the photosensitive drum 3 in accordance with input image data, and forms an electrostatic latent image on the surface of the photosensitive drum 3 in accordance with the image data. A laser scanning unit (LSU) can be used.

  The developing device 2 visualizes the electrostatic latent images formed on the respective photosensitive drums 3 with toner of four colors (YMCK).

  The cleaner unit 4 removes and collects toner remaining on the surface of the photosensitive drum 3 after development and image transfer.

The intermediate transfer belt unit 6 is disposed above the photosensitive drum 3 and includes an intermediate transfer belt 61, an intermediate transfer belt driving roller 62, an intermediate transfer belt driven roller 63, an intermediate transfer roller 64, and an intermediate transfer belt cleaning unit 65. Yes.
Four intermediate transfer rollers 64 are provided corresponding to the image stations for each color for YMCK.
The intermediate transfer belt drive roller 62, the intermediate transfer belt driven roller 63, and the intermediate transfer roller 64 stretch the intermediate transfer belt 61 so as to move the surface of the intermediate transfer belt 61 in a predetermined direction (the arrow D direction in the figure). It is configured.
The intermediate transfer belt 61 sequentially superimposes and transfers the toner images of the respective colors formed on the photosensitive drum 3 onto the intermediate transfer belt 61, whereby a color toner image (multicolor toner image) is formed on the intermediate transfer belt 61. For example, the film is formed endlessly using a film having a thickness of about 100 μm to 150 μm.
The intermediate transfer roller 64 is applied with a high-voltage transfer bias for transferring the toner image on the photosensitive drum 3 to the intermediate transfer belt 61. The intermediate transfer roller 64 is interposed between the intermediate transfer belt 61 and the photosensitive drum 3. For example, a roller that is rotatably supported on the opposite side and is based on a metal (for example, stainless steel) shaft having a diameter of 8 to 10 mm and has a surface covered with a conductive elastic material (for example, urethane foam).

  As described above, the toner images visualized by the toners of the respective colors on the photosensitive drums 3 are stacked on the intermediate transfer belt 61 and transferred onto the paper by the transfer roller 10. The intermediate transfer belt 61 and the transfer roller 10 are pressed against each other to form a nip region. A voltage for transferring the toner onto the paper is applied to the transfer roller 10. Further, in order to form the nip region constantly, either the transfer roller 10 or the intermediate transfer belt drive roller 62 is made of a hard material (metal or the like), and the other is made of a soft material such as an elastic roller (elastic rubber roller or the like). Yes.

  The intermediate transfer belt cleaning unit 65 removes and collects residual toner. The intermediate transfer belt cleaning unit 65 includes, for example, a cleaning blade that contacts the intermediate transfer belt 61. The intermediate transfer belt 61 has a back side (that is, a driven roller of the intermediate transfer belt 61). 63).

Further, the image forming apparatus 100 includes a paper feed cassette 81 and a manual paper feed cassette 82.
The paper feed cassette 81 is a tray for storing paper P used for image formation, and is provided below the exposure unit 1. Further, paper used for image formation can also be placed in the manual paper feed cassette 82.

  Further, the image forming apparatus 100 includes a post-processing apparatus 130 above the apparatus main body 110.

  The apparatus main body 110 is provided with a substantially vertical sheet conveyance path S for sending the sheets in the sheet feeding cassette 81 and the manual sheet feeding cassette 82 to the post-processing apparatus 130 via the transfer roller 10 and the fixing unit 7. ing. In the vicinity of the paper transport path S from the paper feed cassette 81 and the manual paper feed cassette 82 to the post-processing device 130, pickup rollers 11a and 11b, a plurality of transport rollers 12a to 12d, a registration roller 13, a transfer roller 10, and a fixing unit. 7 is arranged. The pickup rollers 11a and 11b are provided in the vicinity of the ends of the paper feed cassette 81 and the manual paper feed cassette 82, and feed sheets one by one from the cassettes to the paper transport path S. The registration roller 13 temporarily holds the sheet conveyed through the sheet conveyance path S, and conveys the sheet to the transfer roller 10 at a timing when the leading edge of the toner image on the photosensitive drum 3 and the leading edge of the sheet are aligned.

  The fixing unit 7 includes a heat roller 71 and a pressure roller 72 that rotate with a sheet interposed therebetween, and further includes an external heating belt 73 for heating the heat roller 71 from the outside. The multicolor toner image transferred to the sheet is melted, mixed, and pressed to be thermally fixed to the sheet.

  In the image forming apparatus 100 described above, the sheet conveyed from the sheet feeding cassette 81 and the manual sheet feeding cassette 82 is conveyed to the registration roller 13 by the conveying roller 12a during image formation. Next, the registration roller 13 conveys the sheet to the transfer roller 10 in synchronization with the toner image on the intermediate transfer belt 61, and the toner image is transferred to the sheet by the transfer roller 10. Thereafter, when the paper passes through the fixing unit 7, the unfixed toner transferred onto the paper is melted and fixed by heat and fixed on the paper. The sheet on which the toner image is fixed is conveyed to the post-processing device 130 via the conveyance roller 12b.

  FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of a portion of the post-processing device 130 of FIG. Since the present invention relates to the staple process among the post processes, the configuration related to the staple process of the post processing apparatus 130 will be mainly described below.

  As shown in the drawing, the post-processing device 130 includes a paper discharge port 28 for discharging the paper conveyed from the paper conveyance path S, a discharge tray 29 as a paper discharge destination, a pull-in belt 30, a staple unit 31, and a paper placement. A plate 32, an alignment plate 33, and a paper pressing lever 34 are provided. A paper receiving port 21, a punch unit 22, an inlet sensor 23, an inlet roller 24, an intermediate roller 25, a discharge roller 26, and a driven roller 27 along the paper transport path S In addition, a paper discharge port 28 is provided.

In the post-processing device 130, the sheet conveyed from the conveying roller 12 b is introduced through the sheet receiving port 21, conveyed to the inlet roller 24 through the punch unit 22, and further discharged from the inlet roller 24 through the intermediate roller 25. 26.
When the paper stapling process is not performed, the paper is discharged from the paper discharge port 28 to the discharge tray 29 by the discharge roller 26 without stopping the conveyance of the paper.

  When the paper is stapled, the conveyance of the paper is temporarily stopped at the discharge roller 26, and the paper is conveyed in the direction of the staple unit 31 by its own weight and the driving force of the pull-in belt 30, and the paper placement plate 32. Stacked on top to form a sheet bundle. The sheet bundle is subjected to a stapling process by the staple unit 31 and is discharged from the sheet discharge port 28 to the discharge tray 29 by the discharge roller 26. The discharge roller 26 is a transport roller supported so as to be swingable in the vertical direction with the roller shaft 26 a as a fulcrum, that is, movable in a direction in contact with the driven roller 27. The discharge roller 26 and the driven roller 27 are configured to rotate with a sheet (bundle) interposed therebetween.

The punch unit 22 performs a punching process for punching holes and molds in the paper.
The entrance sensor 23 detects a sheet conveyed from the sheet receiving port 21.

  The paper placement plate 32 is disposed between the discharge roller 26 and the staple unit 31 and stacks the paper that is conveyed back to the staple unit 31. The pair of alignment plates 33 are provided on the paper placement plate 32, move along a direction orthogonal to the reverse conveyance direction of the paper, and the paper stacked on the paper placement plate 32 with respect to the orthogonal direction. organize. The staple unit 31 receives the paper reversely conveyed from the paper placement plate 32 and performs a staple process on one end of the paper.

  The discharge tray 29 includes a tray base portion 29 a provided along the paper discharge port 28 and a tray extending portion 29 b extending from the tray base portion 29 a toward the opposite side of the paper discharge port 28. It is arranged so that the side is lowered. The tray base portion 29a is formed so as to be inclined more toward the paper discharge port 28. The discharge tray 29 can be moved up and down, and is provided at a position lower than the paper discharge port 28.

  The paper pressing lever 34 is supported so as to be rotatable about a shaft 34a, and is rotated by its own weight, so that the leading end 34b presses the discharge tray 29 or the paper. Further, when the paper is discharged, rotation is controlled by a drive unit (not shown), and the leading end 34b is retracted from the discharge tray 29, so that the discharge of the paper is not hindered. The paper pressing lever 34 is disposed so that the tip end portion 34b can press the tray base portion 29a.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the image forming apparatus 100 and the post-processing apparatus 130 of FIG.
As illustrated, the image forming apparatus 100 includes a control unit 101, a storage unit 102, an operation panel 103, a reading unit 104, an image processing unit 105, an external communication unit 106, an image forming unit 107, and a fixing unit 108.

The control unit 101 controls each unit of the image forming apparatus 100 by executing a computer program stored in the storage unit 102. For example, the control unit 101 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a ROM (Read Only Memory), and a RAM. (Random Access Memory) and the like.
The storage unit 102 stores various data such as the computer program and image data, and includes, for example, a hard disk drive.

The operation panel 103 is composed of, for example, a touch panel, and includes an operation unit 103a and a display unit 103b. The operation panel 103a accepts a user operation input on the operation screen displayed on the display unit 103b and outputs the operation screen to the control unit 101.
The reading unit 104 reads an image of a document, and includes, for example, the document reading device 90 and the automatic document processing device 120 shown in FIG.

The image processing unit 105 performs various image processes on the image read by the image reading unit 104.
The external communication unit 106 is used to connect to an external device via a network so as to be communicable, and image data for printing is input via the communication unit 106.

The image forming unit 107 forms an image on a sheet based on image data of a document read by the reading unit 104 and subjected to image processing by the image processing unit 105 or image data input via the external communication unit 106. Thus, for example, the exposure unit 1 shown in FIG.
The fixing unit 108 fixes the image formed on the sheet by the image forming unit 107, and includes, for example, the fixing unit 7 in FIG.
The sheet on which the image is fixed is discharged from the image forming apparatus 100 to the post-processing apparatus 130.

  The post-processing apparatus 130 includes a control unit 131, a stacking unit 132, a staple unit 31, and a discharge conveyance unit 133.

The control unit 131 controls each unit of the post-processing device 130 by executing a computer program stored in the ROM by a CPU (not shown). The determination unit 131a of the control unit 131 will be described later.
The stacking unit 132 stacks the image-formed sheets discharged from the image forming apparatus 100 to form a sheet bundle. In the example of FIG. 2, the sheet placing plate 32 corresponds to the stacking unit 132.

The stapling unit 31 also illustrated in FIG. 2 performs a stapling process on a sheet bundle stacked on the stacking unit 132.
The carry-out conveyance unit 133 conveys the sheet bundle and discharges it to the outside by using a movable conveyance roller that presses the stapled paper bundle. The movable conveyance roller is an example of FIG. Then, the discharge roller 26.

In addition, the control unit 131 of the post-processing device 130 includes a determination unit 131a that determines whether to perform double stapling when a stapling process is instructed.
In the post-processing device 130, for example, when double staple is selected by the operation panel user of the image forming apparatus 100 or double staple is instructed for image data input via the external communication unit 106. In this case, the determination unit 131a determines to perform double stapling.

FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining double stapling processing performed by the post-processing device 130 of FIGS. 2 and 3.
If it is determined that double stapling is to be performed by the post-processing device 130, the stapling unit 31 is used to first perform the first stapling process on the sheet bundle T on the stacking unit 132 at the same position A1 as usual. . Thereafter, a second stapling process is performed using the staple unit 31 at a position A2 where the paper bundle T has been moved by a predetermined amount in the discharge direction X by the discharge conveyance unit 133.

With the above configuration, the post-processing apparatus 130 can perform double stapling, and thus can improve the staple strength. Therefore, even when the sheet bundle is thick, the sheet can be prevented from coming off. In addition, since double stapling is possible by a series of sheet transport operations, the time required to complete stapling can be shortened while maintaining high staple strength.
Furthermore, the double stapling performed by the post-processing device 130 is easier to turn the page than when two sheets are stapled side by side in the direction perpendicular to the paper transport direction.
In addition, since the staple unit without the staple needle moving means in the direction perpendicular to the transport direction can be used, the apparatus can be made small and inexpensive.
In the example of FIG. 4, stapling is performed on the lower right portion, but it may be performed on the upper right portion or the right center portion.

  With reference to FIG. 3, the operation of the post-processing device 130 when performing double staple processing will be described in more detail with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6. 5 and 6 are cross-sectional views showing the state of the post-processing apparatus 130 when the first and second stapling processes are performed, respectively.

  When the start of a job in which double staple processing is set to the lower right portion is instructed via the operation panel 103 of the image forming apparatus 100, the post indicating that double staple processing is instructed as post-processing. A process type signal is input from the image forming apparatus 100 to the control unit 131 of the post-processing apparatus 130.

  Upon receiving the post-processing type signal, the control unit 131 determines that the double stapling is to be performed by the determination unit 131a, and first drives the pull-in belt 30 and the like as shown in FIG. Are conveyed one by one to the sheet placing plate 32 and stacked to form a sheet bundle T. At this time, the sheets are aligned by the pull-in belt 30 and the positioning member 31a extending in the direction perpendicular to the conveyance direction in the conveyance direction, and the alignment plate 33 movable in the direction perpendicular to the conveyance direction. Are aligned.

  When the image forming process for the last page of the document is completed in the image forming apparatus 100, a post-processing start signal is input from the control unit 101 of the image forming apparatus 100 to the control unit 131 of the post-processing apparatus 130.

  When the post-processing start signal is received, the control unit 131 waits for the completion of the conveyance of the paper to the paper placement plate 32 and then drives the staple unit 31 to perform the first stapling process. The first staple processing position is the same as the position where the staple processing is performed when the staple is not double staple, that is, when the staple is single.

  After performing the first stapling process, the control unit 131 moves the discharge roller 26 in the direction of the sheet bundle T with the roller shaft 26a as a fulcrum and presses the sheet bundle T as shown in FIG. Then, the control unit 131 rotates the discharge roller 26 in a pressure contact state, and stops the sheet bundle T when the sheet bundle T is conveyed by a predetermined distance in the discharge direction as shown in FIG. Then, the staple unit 31 is driven to perform the second stapling process. The second stapling process is performed with the discharge roller 26 kept in pressure contact with the sheet bundle T. By holding the discharge roller 26 in pressure contact in this way, it is possible to prevent paper misalignment during stapling.

  The above-mentioned predetermined distance may be a distance at which the staple needle of the second staple process contacts the first staple needle and does not buckle, for example, a sheet bundle in the transport direction from the first staple process position. It can be half the distance to the end of T.

  After performing the second stapling process, the control unit 131 rotates the discharge roller 26 while being pressed again, and discharges the sheet bundle T to the discharge tray 29.

  In the above example, whether or not to perform double stapling is determined based on whether or not double stapling is set by user input. Without being limited to this example, the same determination may be made based on the number of sheets constituting the sheet bundle T and the thickness of the sheet bundle T. In this case, for the above determination, information regarding the number of sheets is input from the control unit 101 of the image forming apparatus 100 to the control unit 131 of the post-processing apparatus 130 or installed in the vicinity of the sheet placing plate 32. Thickness information from a thickness sensor that detects whether the thickness of the sheet bundle T on the plate 32 is equal to or greater than a predetermined value is input to the control unit 131.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 130 ... Post-processing apparatus, 131 ... Control part, 131a ... Determination part, 132 ... Stacking part, 133 ... Discharge conveyance part, 26 ... Discharge roller, 31 ... Staple unit, 32 ... Paper mounting plate.

Claims (5)

A stacking unit that stacks image-formed sheets discharged from the image forming apparatus to form a sheet bundle;
A staple unit for performing a staple process on the sheet bundle;
A post-processing device for an image forming apparatus, comprising: a discharge conveyance unit that conveys the sheet bundle and discharges the sheet bundle to the outside using a movable conveyance roller that presses against the stapled sheet bundle;
A determination unit for determining whether to perform double stapling;
When performing the double stapling, the stapling unit performs the second stapling process after the paper bundle on which the first stapling process has been performed is moved by a predetermined amount in the discharge direction by the discharge conveyance unit. A featured post-processing device.   The predetermined amount is a distance from a position at which a staple used for the first stapling process does not interfere with the staple unit during the second stapling process to a position of the first stapling process. The post-processing apparatus according to claim 1.   3. The post-processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second stapling process is performed in a state where the conveying roller is pressed against the sheet bundle.   The post-processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the determination as to whether or not to perform the double stapling is performed based on a user input.   The post-processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein whether or not to perform the double stapling is determined based on a number of sheets constituting the sheet bundle.

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