JP2015212195A - Sheet housing device and image formation system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a sheet housing device capable of sorting sheets that are housed while avoiding increase in size of an image formation device.SOLUTION: Each time a sheet bundle Sb on a swing tray 22 is bound with a staple, the sheet bundle Sb, after being bound with the staple, is transferred to a front surface tray 51 on a device front surface side so that it is loaded and housed on the front surface tray 51. For the sheet bundle sb of a first copy, before being transferred to the front surface tray 51, it is transported to a first position where its rear end Se reaches a position α, and then, the sheet bundle Sb of the first copy existing at the first position is transferred to the front surface tray 51. Then, for the sheet bundle Sb of a second copy, before being transferred to the front surface tray 51, it is transported to a second position where its rear end Se reaches a position β on a lower stream side in X direction than the position α, and then, the sheet bundle Sb of the second copy existing at the second position is transferred to the front surface tray 51.

Description

  The present invention relates to a sheet storage device that stores a sheet discharged from an image forming apparatus, and an image forming system that includes the image forming apparatus and the sheet storage device.

In an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a sheet storage unit for storing a sheet after image formation discharged from an image forming unit is usually arranged.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-133867 includes a sheet discharge tray that stores sheets discharged from an image forming section, and a conveyance belt that conveys a sheet stored in the sheet discharge tray in a direction parallel to the sheet discharge direction. An arrangement comprising the above is disclosed.

In this configuration, when all sheets after image formation for one job are stored in the paper discharge tray, the sheet bundle on the paper discharge tray is moved in a direction parallel to the paper discharge direction by driving the conveyor belt, and thereafter Then, control is performed so that sheets after image formation for the next job are stacked on the sheet bundle stored in the paper discharge tray.
As a result, the sheets discharged from the image forming unit can be stacked and stored on the discharge tray in a state shifted in a direction parallel to the discharge direction for each job, and the discharged sheet bundle is sorted for each job. be able to.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-21369

In the configuration of the above-mentioned Patent Document 1, since the sheets discharged from the image forming unit are stacked on the discharge tray, for example, the discharge tray is placed between the image reading unit and the image forming unit below the image reading unit. In the case of the so-called in-body discharge type disposed in the provided space, it is necessary to make a space (sheet storage space) between the image reading unit and the storage tray large in the height direction to some extent.
The smaller the height of the sheet storage space, the smaller the maximum number of sheet bundles that can be stacked and accommodated on the discharge tray, and the sheet bundle that is stacked and stored in the discharge tray by the user inserting a hand into the sheet storage space. This is because it becomes difficult to carry out the take-out operation when trying to take out.

The height of the sheet storage space may be increased, but doing so increases the size of the image forming apparatus in the height direction, leading to an increase in the size of the image forming apparatus.
Such a problem is not limited to the configuration in which the image reading apparatus is disposed above the sheet storage unit, but may also occur in a configuration in which another apparatus portion, for example, an automatic document feeder is disposed.
The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems, and is capable of sorting sheets stored while avoiding an increase in size of the image forming apparatus, and the image forming apparatus and the sheet storing apparatus. It is an object of the present invention to provide an image forming system including:

  In order to achieve the above object, a sheet storage apparatus according to the present invention includes an intermediate tray that stores sheets discharged from the image forming apparatus in the first direction, and a second orthogonal to the first direction with respect to the intermediate tray. A stacking tray arranged on the direction side, and a transfer for transporting a sheet or a sheet bundle to be transferred to the stacking tray on the second direction side every time a sheet or sheet bundle to be transferred is stored in the intermediate tray. And a position of the (P + 1) th sheet or sheet bundle to be transferred in the first direction with respect to the sheet or sheet bundle that is Pth (an integer greater than or equal to 1) transported from the intermediate tray to the stacking tray. And a displacement means for displacing.

Further, the displacement means is a conveying means for conveying the sheet or sheet bundle to be transferred to any one of a plurality of predetermined positions different in the first direction on the intermediate tray prior to the transfer. It is also good.
Here, a guide unit that guides the sheet or the sheet bundle conveyed by the conveyance unit to the stacking tray on the second direction side may be provided.

  Here, the guide means is arranged at each position corresponding to the plurality of predetermined positions on the sheet placement surface of the intermediate tray, and protrudes from an opening provided on the sheet placement surface to reach the predetermined position. For each sheet or sheet bundle to be transferred, a plurality of guide members that can be switched between a guide position for guiding the conveyed sheet or sheet bundle and a retracted position that enters the opening and does not perform the guidance, Switching means for switching the position of each guide member so that only the guide member corresponding to the position conveyed by the conveying means exists in the guide position and the other guide members exist in the retracted position. It is also good.

Here, when the guide member is in the guide position, the guide member is in contact with an upstream edge or a downstream edge of the sheet or sheet bundle transferred from the intermediate tray to the stacking tray in the first direction. The sheet or sheet bundle may be guided.
Further, the conveying means moves in the first direction in a state where it hits an upstream edge in the first direction of the sheet or sheet bundle to be transferred on the intermediate tray, and moves the sheet or sheet bundle to the first tray. A transport member that transports in the first direction may be provided.

  Further, a tray moving unit that relatively moves at least one of the intermediate tray and the stacking tray in a vertical direction, and when the sheet discharged from the image forming unit is carried into the intermediate tray, the intermediate tray The sheet tray is positioned below the upper end of the stacking tray, and the sheet or sheet bundle is accommodated in the intermediate tray and then transferred from the intermediate tray to the stacking tray. And a movement control means for controlling the tray moving means so that the sheet placing surface is above or at the same height as the upper end of the stacking tray.

  The intermediate tray has a second end portion on the upstream side in the first direction swinging up and down around the support shaft provided at a first end portion on the downstream side in the first direction. A swing tray that is movably supported, and the movement control means is configured to provide a sheet placement surface of the swing tray when the sheet discharged from the image forming unit is carried into the swing tray. The second end portion of the swing tray is positioned below the upper end of the stacking tray, and after the sheet or sheet bundle is accommodated in the swing tray, the sheet placement surface of the swing tray is The second end portion may be controlled so as to be in a transfer posture positioned above or at the same height as the upper end of the swing tray.

  Here, a pair of alignment members for aligning the sheet on the swinging tray in the tilted posture in the second direction, the pair of alignment members are relative to the sheet on the swinging tray in the tilted posture The first alignment member located on the downstream side in the second direction and the second alignment member located on the upstream side in the second direction, and the first alignment member does not swing integrally with the swing tray, When the swinging tray is in the transfer posture, the upper end of the first alignment member is positioned below the swinging tray in the transfer posture, and the second alignment member swings integrally with the swinging tray. It may be movable and movable on the swing tray in the second direction, and may also serve as the transfer means.

Here, a stapler for stapling the sheet bundle stacked on the swing tray and aligned by the pair of alignment members may be provided.
Here, the stapler may be disposed at a position where the end of the sheet bundle on the downstream side in the first direction and the upstream side in the second direction is stapled.
Here, the stapler may swing integrally with the swing tray.

  An image forming system according to the present invention includes an image reading unit and an image forming unit located below the image reading unit, and a space is provided immediately below the image reading unit. And the above-described sheet storage device disposed in the space.

With the above configuration, for example, sheets or sheet bundles stored in the intermediate tray can be stacked and stored on the stacking tray while being shifted in the first direction by the displacement unit. Or the sheet bundle is sorted.
Further, since the intermediate tray only temporarily stores sheets or sheet bundles, for example, even if the intermediate tray is arranged in a space provided immediately below the image reading unit in the image forming apparatus, the intermediate tray and the image There is no need to increase the height of the space between the reading unit.

  Furthermore, since the user only has to take out the sheets or sheet bundles stacked and accommodated in the stacking tray instead of the intermediate tray, the user can take out the sheet even if the height of the space between the intermediate tray and the image reading unit is not large. It is also possible to prevent a decrease in operability.

1 is a diagram illustrating an overall configuration of an image forming system including an image forming apparatus and a sheet storage device. It is a perspective view which shows a mode that the sheet | seat bundle is accommodated in the front tray of a sheet | seat accommodation apparatus. It is a schematic whole perspective view when the sheet storage device is viewed from the front side of the apparatus and from above. It is a schematic perspective view which shows a mode that the 1st sheet | seat is mounted on the post-processing tray. It is a schematic perspective view which shows the state in which the sheet bundle was aligned on the post-processing tray. FIG. 6 is a schematic perspective view illustrating a state in which a sheet bundle is conveyed to a staple binding position by an FD conveying member and stopped. FIG. 6 is a schematic perspective view illustrating a state in which a sheet bundle after stapling is conveyed by an FD conveying member. FIG. 10 is a plan view schematically showing a state where a sheet bundle is conveyed and stopped to a first position by shift conveyance and a state where the sheet bundle is conveyed to a second position and stopped. FIG. 6 is a schematic perspective view illustrating a state where a sheet bundle is conveyed to a first position by shift conveyance and stopped. It is a schematic perspective view which shows the state which changed the rocking | swiveling tray to the horizontal attitude | position. It is a schematic perspective view which shows a mode that the sheet | seat bundle on a rocking | feeding tray is conveyed to the apparatus front side. It is a schematic perspective view which shows a mode that the sheet | seat bundle transferred from the rocking | fluctuation tray to the front tray is accommodated in the front tray. It is a schematic perspective view which shows a mode when another sheet bundle is conveyed to the 2nd position by shift conveyance, and stops. FIG. 6 is a schematic perspective view illustrating a state where two sheet bundles are stacked and accommodated on the front tray. FIG. 4 is a block diagram for explaining a configuration of each control system of the image forming apparatus and the sheet storage device. It is a flowchart which shows the content of the sheet | seat accommodation control performed with a sheet | seat accommodation apparatus. It is a flowchart which shows the content of the subroutine of a matching process. It is a flowchart which shows the content of the subroutine of a staple process. It is a flowchart which shows the content of the subroutine of a shift position setting process. It is a flowchart which shows the content of the subroutine of a sheet bundle transfer process.

Embodiments of a sheet storage device and an image forming system according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a front view showing the overall configuration of the image forming system.
As shown in FIG. 1, the image forming system 10 includes an image forming apparatus 1 and a sheet storage device 2 mounted on the image forming apparatus 1.
<Configuration of Image Forming Apparatus 1>
The image forming apparatus 1 includes a scanner unit 3, a printer unit 4, an operation unit 5, and a control unit 6. A space 1a having an opening 1b on the front side of the apparatus is provided at a position immediately below the scanner unit 3. An in-body discharge type scan job for reading an image of a document, a copy job for printing a document image on a sheet based on the image data obtained by scanning, and an external terminal connected via a network It has a function of receiving a job request from (not shown) and executing various jobs such as a print job for printing an image related to the received job on a sheet.

A scanner unit (image reading unit) 3 conveys a set original and reads an image of the original to obtain image data.
The printer unit (image forming unit) 4 forms (prints) an image on a sheet based on image data obtained by the scanner unit 3 or print job data from an external terminal by electrophotography. The printer unit 4 is not limited to an electrophotographic system, and may be an inkjet system, for example.

  At the time of image formation, the printer unit 4 feeds sheets one by one from the cassette 4a arranged at the lowest position, forms an image for each fed sheet, and the sheet on which the image is formed. Are discharged one by one by a discharge roller 7 (FIG. 3). The discharged sheet is carried into the sheet storage device 2 disposed in the space 1a. The sheet storage device 2 is a so-called post-processing device that performs post-processing such as stapling on the sheet from the image forming apparatus 1.

The operation unit 5 is disposed at a position that is easy to operate when the user stands in front of the image forming apparatus 1, and performs input operations by the user, for example, input of the number of copies, job start instruction such as copying, and job stop An instruction, post-processing in the sheet storage device 2, here, an instruction to execute stapling, designation of the number of copies, and the like are received, and the received content is transmitted to the control unit 6.
The control unit 6 accepts user input information from the operation unit 5, and controls the scanner unit 3 and the printer unit 4 to smoothly execute a job according to a user instruction. Further, when the execution of post-processing is instructed, the fact is notified to the sheet storage device 2 and the instructed post-processing is executed.

Hereinafter, when the image forming apparatus 1 is viewed from the front side of the apparatus, the image forming apparatus 1 is viewed from the front side of the apparatus, the rear side (back side) of the apparatus is the back side of the apparatus, and the right side is the apparatus. The right side and the left side are referred to as the apparatus left side, the direction connecting the apparatus front side and the apparatus back side is referred to as the apparatus front-rear direction, and the left-right direction orthogonal thereto is referred to as the apparatus lateral direction.
<Configuration of Sheet Storage Device 2>
The sheet storage device 2 is disposed in a space 1a provided in the image forming apparatus 1, and has a staple binding function for stapling a sheet bundle composed of a plurality of sheets discharged from the printer unit 4, as shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 2, the sheet bundle Sb after staple binding is stored in a front tray 51 provided on the front side of the apparatus. Hereinafter, a specific configuration of the sheet storage device 2 will be described with reference to FIGS.

FIG. 3 is a schematic overall perspective view of the sheet storage device 2 as viewed from the front side of the device and from above, and also shows the discharge roller 7 of the printer unit 4.
As shown in the figure, the sheet storage device 2 includes a first storage unit 101, a second storage unit 102, a stapler 103, a control unit 104, and the like.
<Configuration of the first storage unit 101>
The first storage unit 101 temporarily stores sheets discharged from the discharge rollers 7 of the printer unit 4, and includes a post-processing tray 11, a CD reference plate 12, a CD alignment plate 13, and an FD alignment member. 14, an FD conveyance member 15, a first guide claw 16, and a second guide claw 17.

The post-processing tray 11 (intermediate tray) includes a fixed tray 21 and a swing tray 22, and the fixed tray 21 extends along the discharge direction (direction indicated by the arrow X) of the sheet discharged by the discharge roller 7 of the printer unit 4. The swing tray 22 is arranged in this order. Hereinafter, the direction indicated by the arrow X on the post-processing tray 11 may be referred to as a sheet discharge direction.
The fixed tray 21 is fixedly supported by the apparatus housing 100 of the sheet storage apparatus 2.

In the swing tray 22, an end 22c (second end) on the upstream side in the sheet discharge direction swings up and down around a support shaft 22b provided at the end (first end) on the downstream side in the sheet discharge direction. It is supported by the apparatus housing 100 as possible.
FIG. 3 shows a state in which the end 22c of the swing tray 22 is in an inclined position positioned at the lowest position, and the sheet on the swing tray 22 is conveyed to the front side of the apparatus as will be described later. At this time, the end portion 22c of the swing tray 22 is raised so as to shift to a horizontal posture (FIG. 11) in which the swing tray 22 is horizontal. For swinging of the swing tray 22, as a tray moving means, for example, a cam mechanism (not shown) disposed below the swing tray 22 is driven by the driving force of the lift motor M5 (FIG. 15). Can do. A mechanism other than the cam mechanism may be used as long as the swing tray 22 can be swung in the vertical direction.

The upper surfaces of both the fixed tray 21 and the swing tray 22 are the sheet placement surfaces 21a and 22a.
Two plate-like stoppers 18a and 18b are erected on the upstream side end 21b of the sheet placement surface 21a with a gap in the front-rear direction of the apparatus.
The stoppers 18a and 18b are used as restricting members when aligning the sheets on the post-processing tray 11 in the sheet discharge direction. Hereinafter, aligning a sheet in the sheet discharge direction is referred to as FD alignment.

Guides 19a and 19b are arranged immediately above the stoppers 18a and 18b at a predetermined distance from the stoppers 18a and 18b. The guides 19 a and 19 b guide the sheet discharged from the discharge roller 7 of the printer unit 4 onto the fixed tray 21.
One sheet guided through the guides 19 a and 19 b onto the fixed tray 21 is placed on the sheet placement surface 21 a of the fixed tray 21, but the sheet discharge direction length is longer than that of the fixed tray 21. In the case of a sheet, the sheet is placed on the sheet placement surfaces 21 a and 22 a in a state of straddling both the fixed tray 21 and the swing tray 22. The guides 19 a and 19 b of the first storage unit 101 serve as inlet portions for sheets discharged from the printer unit 4, and the discharge roller 7 serves as a discharge unit for sheets discharged from the printer unit 4.

  The CD reference plate 12 is used as a positioning member that determines a reference position when aligning the sheets on the post-processing tray 11 in the longitudinal direction of the apparatus. The CD reference plate 12 is in a posture perpendicular to the sheet placement surface 22a of the swing tray 22 and parallel to the sheet discharge direction, and is provided in the front-rear direction of the apparatus provided at an interval in the sheet discharge direction on the sheet placement surface 22a. Are supported so as to be movable in the longitudinal direction of the apparatus along two long grooves 22d and 22e. Hereinafter, aligning the sheet in the longitudinal direction of the apparatus is referred to as CD alignment.

FIG. 3 shows a state where the CD reference plate 12 is located at the home position which is the most rear side of the apparatus. When CD alignment is performed, the CD reference plate 12 moves to the apparatus front side by a predetermined distance (for example, 10 mm) from the home position. Stop. This stop position becomes the reference position for CD alignment. This reference position is also a reference for the staple binding position in the longitudinal direction of the apparatus by the stapler 103.
Further, the CD reference plate 12 moves to the position closest to the front side of the apparatus as will be described later, thereby conveying the sheet on the post-processing tray 11 toward the front side of the apparatus, and the front tray 51 of the second storage unit 102. It is also used as a transfer means for loading and accommodating. The CD reference plate 12 is moved by the driving force of the transfer motor M4 (FIG. 15). For example, the CD reference plate 12 and the transfer motor M4 are connected via a rotating wire (not shown) stretched around two or more pulleys. The CD reference plate 12 can be moved by connecting the rotation shafts of the two, rotating the rotating wire with the driving force of the transfer motor M4 and transmitting the driving force to the CD reference plate 12.

In addition, it is not restricted to a wire drive, For example, it can also be set as the structure which linearly moves CD reference | standard board 12 with a screw feed mechanism. The same moving mechanism as that of the CD reference plate 12 can be adopted for the CD alignment plate 13, the FD alignment member 14, and the FD transport member 15 described below.
The CD aligning plate 13 is a member for CD aligning the sheets on the post-processing tray 11, and is in a posture perpendicular to the sheet placing surface 21 a of the fixed tray 21 and parallel to the sheet discharging direction. It is supported by the fixed tray 21 so as to be movable in the longitudinal direction of the apparatus along a groove 21c provided in the longitudinal direction of the apparatus 21a. FIG. 3 shows a state in which the CD alignment plate 13 is located at the home position which is the front side of the apparatus. The CD alignment plate 13 is moved by the driving force of the CD alignment motor M2 (FIG. 15).

A CD reference plate 29 is disposed at the end of the fixed tray 21 on the apparatus rear side, at a position facing the CD alignment plate 13 and at a position upstream of the CD reference plate 12 in the sheet discharge direction.
The CD reference plate 29 has the same CD alignment function as the CD reference plate 12, and is in a posture perpendicular to the sheet placement surface 21 a of the fixed tray 21 and parallel to the sheet discharge direction. Is supported so as to be movable in the longitudinal direction of the apparatus along a groove 21d that is long in the longitudinal direction of the apparatus.

The CD reference plate 29 is connected to a part 100a of the apparatus housing via a tension spring 28, and the device of the CD reference plate 29 is acted upon by an urging force in the direction toward the back side of the apparatus by the tension spring 28. The back surface 29a is always in contact with the protrusion 12a provided on the upstream end of the CD reference plate 12 in the sheet discharge direction.
When the CD reference plate 12 moves to the front side of the apparatus, the force toward the front side of the apparatus is transmitted to the CD reference plate 29 through the protrusion 12a, and the CD reference plate 29 resists the urging force of the tension spring 28. And move to the front side of the device.

On the other hand, when the CD reference plate 12 moves to the back side of the apparatus, the CD reference plate 29 is integrated with the CD reference plate 12 while maintaining the contact state with the protrusion 12a of the CD reference plate 12 by the urging force of the tension spring 28. It is configured to move to the back side of the device. From this, it can be said that the CD reference plate 12 is the driving side and the CD reference plate 29 is the driven side.
The CD reference plate 29 is restricted so as not to move to the rear side of the apparatus from the home position. When the swing tray 22 to be described later is changed to a horizontal posture, the CD reference plate 29 is not in contact with the CD reference plate 12. When the engagement is released, the tension spring 28 returns to the home position by the urging force.

The FD aligning member 14 is used for FD aligning the sheet on the post-processing tray 11 and is movably supported along a groove 22f provided in the sheet loading surface 22a of the swing tray 22 and extending in the sheet discharge direction. Has been.
At the home position shown in FIG. 3, the FD alignment member 14 is in a retracted posture that is contained in the groove 22f of the swing tray 22, but in the direction opposite to the sheet discharge direction from the home position (the direction indicated by the arrow Y). When it moves and is positioned upstream of the home position in the sheet discharge direction, the upper end rises from the groove 22f and protrudes (FIG. 4). The movement of the FD alignment member 14 is performed by the driving force of the FD alignment motor M3 (FIG. 15).

  The FD conveyance member 15 is a member for conveying the sheet placed on the post-processing tray 11 along the sheet discharge direction, and is arranged in the sheet discharge direction provided on the sheet placement surface 21 a of the fixed tray 21. Along the long groove 21e, the upper end portion is supported so as to be movable in a posture protruding from the groove 21e. FIG. 3 shows a state where the FD conveying member 15 is located at the home position that is the most upstream side in the sheet discharging direction. The FD transport member 15 is moved by the driving force of the transport motor M1 (FIG. 15).

  One guide claw 16 is arranged inside each opening 16a provided on the sheet placement surface 22a of the swing tray 22 with a space in the front-rear direction of the apparatus. As shown in FIG. 3, each guide claw 16 is supported by the swing tray 22 so as to be switchable between a retracted posture entering the inside of the opening 16a and a protruding posture (FIG. 9) in which the upper end protrudes from the opening 16a. Has been. The position of the guide claw 16 is switched by the driving force of the guide claw A drive actuator 36 (FIG. 15) made of, for example, a solenoid.

Here, when the guide pawl A drive actuator 36 is driven, the guide pawls 16 are simultaneously in a projecting posture, and when the drive is stopped, the biasing force of a tension spring (not shown) causes the guide pawls 16 to be simultaneously retracted. It is configured to return.
The guide claw 17 is disposed on the sheet placement surface 22a of the swing tray 22 inside an opening 17a provided at a position downstream of the opening 16a in which the guide claw 16 is disposed in the sheet discharge direction. As shown in FIG. 3, the swinging tray 22 is supported so as to be able to switch between a retracted posture entering the inside of the opening 17a and a protruding posture (FIG. 13) in which the upper end protrudes from the opening 17a. The position of the guide claw 17 is switched by the driving force of a guide claw B drive actuator 37 (FIG. 15) made of, for example, a solenoid.

Here, when the guide claw B drive actuator 37 is driven, the guide claw 17 assumes a protruding posture, and when the driving is stopped, the guide claw 17 returns to a retracted posture due to a biasing force of a tension spring (not shown). . Note that the mechanism for switching the postures of the guide claws 16 and 17 is not limited to that using a solenoid, and a mechanism using another actuator may be used.
The guide claws 16 and 17 have a guide function for guiding the sheet bundle Sb conveyed on the swing tray 22 to the front side of the apparatus. Details of the guide function will be described later.

<Configuration of Second Storage Unit 102>
The second storage unit 102 includes a front tray 51 and four pressing claws 52.
The front tray 51 (stacking tray) is disposed on the front side of the apparatus, which is a direction side orthogonal to the sheet discharge direction with respect to the post-processing tray 11 of the first storage unit 101, and from the post-processing tray 11 (intermediate tray) to the front of the apparatus. The sheets conveyed to the side are stacked and accommodated.

The front tray 51 is vertically raised upward from a sheet placement surface 51a inclined downward from the front side of the apparatus toward the back side of the apparatus, and an end of the sheet placement surface 51a on the back side of the apparatus. It has the standing wall part 51b.
The front tray 51 has a positional relationship (FIG. 1) aligned with the operation unit 5 along the lateral direction of the apparatus when viewed from the front side of the apparatus with the sheet storage apparatus 2 mounted on the image forming apparatus 1. 51 has a positional relationship in which an end portion 51d on the front side of the apparatus is positioned on the front side of the apparatus in the front-rear direction of the apparatus with respect to an end 3a (FIG. 1) on the front side of the apparatus.

Further, as shown in FIG. 3, the apparatus horizontal direction length of the front tray 51 is slightly longer than the apparatus horizontal direction length of the swing tray 22 of the first accommodating portion 101.
The holding claws 52 are arranged inside each of the four cutout portions 51c provided in the standing wall portion 51b at intervals along the lateral direction of the apparatus. It is supported so that it can be switched to a projecting position (FIG. 12) projecting from the portion 51b. By switching to the projecting position, the sheet accommodated in the front tray 51 is pressed from above and held so as not to lift. To do.

<Configuration of stapler 103>
The stapler 103 is disposed at the end of the swing tray 22 on the rear side of the apparatus and on the downstream side in the sheet discharging direction, and the needle driving unit 111 and the needle receiving unit 112 are provided at intervals in the vertical direction. . For staple binding, an end portion (corner portion) on the rear side of the sheet bundle in the sheet discharge direction and the front end side in the sheet discharge direction is interposed between the needle driving portion 111 and the needle receiving portion 112. In this state, the needle driving portion 111 is lowered in a direction approaching the needle receiving portion 112, the corner portion of the sheet bundle is sandwiched between the needle receiving portion 112, and the bottom portion of the needle driving portion 111 is the uppermost position of the sheet bundle. This is performed by driving a staple needle in a state where the sheet is pressed.

<Description of operation when stapling>
Next, the operation of stapling the N (plurality) sheets S discharged from the image forming apparatus 1 twice is repeated to generate two sheet bundles composed of N sheets. I will explain it. The N sheets are the number of sheets S (the number of sheets to be bound) constituting one sheet bundle.

(1) Regarding the first sheet bundle When the first sheet is carried into the sheet storage device 2 from the image forming apparatus 1 via the discharge roller 7 in the sheet standby state shown in FIG. The sheet is guided to the post-processing tray 11 through the holding guides 19a and 19b, and the post-processing tray 11 is driven by the driving force of the discharge roller 7 until the rear end of the sheet in the conveyance direction passes through the discharge roller 7. Are conveyed in the sheet discharge direction (X direction).

When the rear end of the first sheet in the conveyance direction passes through the discharge roller 7, conveyance on the post-processing tray 11 is stopped and the sheet is placed on the post-processing tray 11.
FIG. 4 is a schematic perspective view showing a state in which the first sheet S is placed on the post-processing tray 11.
The figure shows an example in which a large-sized sheet S having a sheet discharge direction length longer than that of the fixed tray 21 is placed in a state of straddling the fixed tray 21 and the swinging tray 22.

Before the sheet S is placed on the post-processing tray 11, the CD reference plates 12 and 29 are moved from the home position to the reference position shown in the figure, and the sheet S is placed on the post-processing tray 11. Then, in order to perform FD alignment, the FD alignment member 14 moves in the direction indicated by the arrow Y from the home position to the FD alignment position corresponding to the sheet size of the sheet S.
The FD alignment position corresponds to a position that is separated from the stoppers 18a and 18b by the length S (sheet length) L of the sheet S in the sheet discharge direction, and the FD alignment position is specified by the size of the sheet S (A4, etc.). And sheet information indicating the conveying posture (vertical or horizontal) is acquired from the image forming apparatus 1.

Here, the vertical conveyance posture of the sheet S is a posture when the sheet S is conveyed in a posture in which the long side of the sheet S is along the sheet discharge direction, and the horizontal conveyance is performed horizontally. The attitude refers to an attitude when the sheet S is conveyed with the short side of the sheet S along the sheet discharge direction.
As the FD aligning member 14 moves to the FD aligning position, the sheet S on the post-processing tray 11 is pushed in the direction indicated by the arrow Y by the FD aligning member 14, and the leading end Sf of the sheet S in the transport direction is pushed. The rear end Se of the sheet S in the conveying direction is in contact with the stoppers 18a and 18b. At this time, the FD conveying member 15 is located at the home position upstream of the stoppers 18a and 18b in the sheet discharging direction, and is not in contact with the trailing end Se of the sheet S in the conveying direction (with a slight gap). It has become.

By the FD alignment member 14 and the stoppers 18a and 18b, the sheet S is aligned on the post-processing tray 11 in the sheet discharge direction based on the positions of the stoppers 18a and 18b (FD alignment).
When the FD alignment is completed, the CD alignment plate 13 moves from the home position to the CD alignment position corresponding to the sheet size of the sheet S in the direction indicated by the arrow A (the direction toward the back side of the apparatus) in order to perform CD alignment next. .

The CD alignment position corresponds to a position that is separated from the CD reference plate 12 by the length (sheet width) W of the sheet S in the front-rear direction of the apparatus. It is done by acquiring from.
As the CD aligning plate 13 moves to the CD aligning position, the sheet S on the post-processing tray 11 is pushed in the direction indicated by the arrow A by the CD aligning plate 13, and one edge Sc in the width direction of the sheet S is set to the CD. The other edge Sd is in contact with the CD reference plates 12 and 29 while in contact with the alignment plate 13. As a result, the sheet S is aligned on the post-processing tray 11 in the longitudinal direction of the apparatus based on the positions of the CD reference plates 12 and 29 (CD alignment).

  When the FD alignment for the first sheet S is completed, the FD alignment member 14 returns to a position separated by a predetermined distance (for example, 10 mm) from the FD alignment position and waits, and the CD alignment plate 13 also completes the CD alignment. Return to a position separated by a predetermined distance (for example, 10 mm) from the CD alignment position, and wait for the next second sheet S to be carried from the image forming apparatus 1 onto the post-processing tray 11. .

  When the second sheet S is carried onto the post-processing tray 11, the above-described FD alignment and CD alignment are performed in a state where the second sheet S is stacked on the aligned first sheet S. Is executed again. The FD alignment and the CD alignment are repeatedly performed every time one sheet S is carried in until the loading of all N sheets S is completed. As a result, a plurality of sheets S are stacked on the post-processing tray 11 in an aligned state.

  FIG. 5 is a schematic perspective view showing a state in which the sheet bundle Sb formed by stacking the first N sheets S is aligned on the post-processing tray 11. When the alignment for all N sheets S is completed, the FD alignment member 14 moves in the direction indicated by the arrow X and returns to the home position. Note that the CD alignment plate 13 remains stopped at the CD alignment position when the CD alignment for the Nth sheet S is completed.

  Next, the FD transport member 15 is moved from the home position in the direction indicated by the arrow X, and the sheet bundle Sb sandwiched between the CD reference plates 12 and 29 at the reference position and the CD alignment plate 13 at the CD alignment position is moved. The FD transport member 15 is stopped by transporting the stapler 103 along the direction indicated by the arrow X to the staple binding position. The stapling position in the X direction is preferably set so that the FD conveying member 15 is not operated with respect to the longest sheet S that can be stapled, because the size in the lateral direction of the apparatus can be most suppressed. .

  The FD conveying member 15 moves in the direction of the arrow X in a state where it hits the rear end Se of the sheet bundle Sb on the intermediate tray 11, and conveys the sheet bundle Sb to the staple binding position by pushing in the arrow X direction. Note that the movement distance of the FD conveyance member 15 for conveying the sheet bundle Sb to the staple binding position is determined by referring to staple position information in which the sheet size and the movement distance are associated in advance.

FIG. 6 is a schematic perspective view illustrating a state in which the sheet bundle Sb is conveyed to the staple binding position by the FD conveying member 15 and is stopped. When the sheet bundle Sb is in a stopped state at the staple binding position, the stapler 103 executes staple binding using the staple needle Sz (FIG. 7). As a result, the first sheet bundle Sb is stapled.
After stapling, the sheet bundle Sb sandwiched between the CD reference plates 12 and 29 and the CD alignment plate 13 is moved by further moving the FD conveying member 15 in the sheet discharge direction (arrow X direction) as shown in FIG. The conveyance direction rear end Se is conveyed and stopped until it reaches a shift position on the downstream side of the upstream end 22c of the swing tray 22 in the sheet discharge direction. This is called shift conveyance.

The shift position is one of two predetermined positions (the first position and the second position), and can be switched alternately for each unit (sheet bundle unit).
FIG. 8 is a plan view schematically showing the state in which the sheet bundle Sb is conveyed to the first position by the shift conveyance and stopped, and the state in which the sheet bundle Sb is conveyed to the second position and stopped.
As shown in the figure, the first position corresponds to the position when the sheet bundle Sb is conveyed in the X direction until the trailing end Se of the sheet bundle Sb reaches the position α corresponding to the guide claw 16. The second position corresponds to a position when the sheet bundle Sb is conveyed in the X direction until the rear end Se of the sheet bundle Sb reaches a position β corresponding to the guide claw 17. A distance Z from the position α to the position β in the X direction becomes a deviation amount in the X direction due to the shift conveyance of the sheet bundle Sb.

  The conveyance distance of the sheet bundle Sb by shift conveyance is specified by the size of the sheet S. That is, the conveyance distance by shift conveyance is L1 which is necessary for conveying the aligned sheet bundle Sb to the staple binding position, and the distance from the stoppers 18a and 18b to the rear end Se of the sheet bundle Sb located at the first position. Can be determined based on the distance (L2−L1) which is the difference between L1 and L2. Here, L1 is determined in advance according to the size of the sheet S, and L2 is determined in advance. Therefore, if the size of the sheet S is known, the movement distance of the FD conveyance member 15 (that is, the conveyance distance by shift conveyance). Can also be identified. The same applies to the second position.

As described above, the shift position can be switched between the first position and the second position, which are different in the X direction, in the unit of sheet bundle, among the plurality of sheet bundles Sb stacked and accommodated on the front tray 51. This is to sort each of the plurality of sheet bundles Sb so that the overlapping ones are shifted from each other in the X direction (see FIG. 14).
Hereinafter, the shift position is set to the first position for the first sheet bundle Sb-1, and the shift position is set from the first position to the second position for the second sheet bundle Sb-2. An example will be described.

By shifting the sheet bundle Sb-1 to the first position, the sheet bundle Sb-1 is not placed on the fixed tray 21 but placed on the swinging tray 22.
When the shift conveyance with respect to the sheet bundle Sb-1 is completed, as shown in FIG. 9, the two guide claws 16 disposed on the upstream end 22c of the swing tray 22 in the sheet discharging direction are switched from the retracted position to the protruding position. After that, the FD conveyance member 15 moves in the arrow Y direction and returns to the home position.

The positional relationship between the protruding guide claw 16 and the rear end Se of the sheet bundle Sb-1 positioned at the first position and the end 22c of the swing tray 22 is swung with the rear end Se of the sheet bundle Sb-1. The guide claw 16 in the protruding posture is positioned between the end 22 c of the tray 22.
When the FD conveying member 15 moves in the arrow Y direction, the sheet bundle Sb-1 placed on the swinging tray 22 in the inclined posture tends to slide down toward the fixed tray 21 along the tilt of the swinging tray 22. However, it stops in contact with the guide claw 16 in the protruding posture, and the sliding state is regulated by the guide claw 16, so that the state of being placed on the swing tray 22 is maintained.

When the CD aligning plate 13 is moved to the front side of the apparatus and returned to the home position, as shown in FIG. 10, the support shaft 22b at the downstream end of the swing tray 22 in the sheet discharge direction is used as a fulcrum. The end 22c on the upstream side in the sheet discharge direction is lifted, and the swinging tray 22 in the inclined posture is changed to the horizontal posture.
When the swing tray 22 is in a horizontal posture, the entire side edge 22g on the sheet front surface 22a of the swing tray 22 is positioned above the upper end 53 of the standing wall portion 51b of the second storage portion 102. The positional relationship in the vertical direction is determined in advance.

The CD reference plate 12, the stapler 103, and the guide claws 16, 17 swing integrally with the swing tray 22, but the CD alignment plate 13 and CD reference plate 29 are supported by the fixed tray 21. No oscillating as one.
When the swing tray 22 is in a horizontal position, the swing range in the vertical direction of the swing tray 22 and the vertical direction of the CD alignment plate 13 are such that the upper end 131 of the CD alignment plate 13 is positioned below the swing tray 22. The height relationship is also predetermined.

  When the swing tray 22 is in the inclined posture, the edge 22m (first side) on the one end side which is the end on the downstream side in the sheet discharge direction among the side edges 22g on the sheet front surface 22a on the apparatus front side. Edge portion) is located above the upper end 53 of the standing wall portion 51b of the second storage portion 102, and the other end side edge portion 22n (second side edge portion) which is the upstream end portion in the sheet discharging direction is the standing wall portion. It is located below the upper end 53 of 51b.

When the swing tray 22 is in the horizontal posture, the engagement of the CD reference plate 12 and the CD reference plate 29 is released, and only the CD reference plate 29 returns to the home position by the urging force of the tension spring 28.
When the transition of the swing tray 22 to the horizontal posture is completed, the CD reference plate 12 moves from the apparatus rear side to the apparatus front side in the direction indicated by the arrow B as shown in FIG.
As a result, the sheet bundle Sb-1 placed on the swing tray 22 in the horizontal posture is in contact with the CD reference plate 12 while the edge Sd on the rear side of the sheet bundle Sb-1 is in contact with the CD reference plate 12. The plate 12 is pushed to the front side of the apparatus and conveyed.

  During this conveyance, the rear end (edge) Se of the sheet bundle Sb-1 contacts the guide claw 16 and the sheet bundle Sb-1 is guided to the guide claw 16. Thus, the guide claw 16 is arranged at a position corresponding to the first position of the sheet placement surface 22a, protrudes from the opening 16a provided on the sheet placement surface 22a, and is conveyed to the front side of the apparatus. It functions as a guide member for guiding Sb-1.

The sheet bundle Sb-1 on the swing tray 22 moves to the front side of the apparatus by the CD reference plate 12 while being guided by the guide claw 16, and passes a position above the upper end 53 of the standing wall portion 51b.
When the swinging tray 22 is in a horizontal posture, the swinging tray 22 is positioned above the CD aligning plate 13, so that the conveyance of the sheet bundle Sb-1 to the front side of the apparatus is hindered by the CD aligning plate 13. There is nothing.

  When conveyance of the sheet bundle Sb-1 to the apparatus front side by the CD reference plate 12 proceeds and the sheet bundle Sb-1 passes a position above the upper end 53 of the standing wall portion 51b, the sheet bundle Sb-1 is moved to the apparatus front side. 12 falls on the sheet placement surface 51a of the front tray 51, moves to the front tray 51 as shown in FIG. 12, and is placed on the sheet placement surface 51a of the front tray 51. Thereby, the transfer of the sheet bundle Sb from the swing tray 22 to the front tray 51 is completed.

  The sheet bundle Sb-1 placed on the sheet placement surface 51a of the front tray 51 slides down to the back side of the apparatus along the inclination of the sheet placement surface 51a. The edge Sd (tip in the sliding direction) comes into contact with the standing wall portion 51b provided on the back side of the apparatus, and the sliding of the sheet bundle Sb-1 is restricted by the standing wall portion 51b. Accordingly, the sheet bundle Sb-1 is accommodated in the front tray 51.

When the first sheet bundle Sb-1 is accommodated in the front tray 51, the pressing claw 52 disposed in the notch 51c protrudes from the notch 51c of the standing wall 51b and is accommodated in the front tray 51. The first sheet bundle Sb-1 that has been pressed is pressed from above by the presser claw 52.
The presser claw 52 is returned to the original immersion position (FIG. 3) before the next second sheet bundle Sb-2 is accommodated in the front tray 51. The raising / lowering operation of the pressing claw 52 is performed by a driving force of a pressing claw driving actuator 38 (FIG. 15) made of, for example, a solenoid. Here, when the pressing claw driving actuator 38 is driven, the tip of the pressing claw 52 protrudes from the standing wall portion 51b to press the sheet bundle Sb, and when the driving is stopped, a biasing force of a tension spring (not shown) is applied. It is configured to return to the immersive position.

(2) Regarding the second sheet bundle When the first sheet bundle Sb-1 is stored in the front tray 51, the first storage section 101 returns to the sheet standby state shown in FIG. That is, the CD reference plate 12 returns to the home position from the front side of the apparatus toward the back side of the apparatus. Further, the swing tray 22 is lowered to return to the inclined posture, and the two guide claws 16 in the protruding posture return to the retracted posture.

  When the CD reference plate 12 returns to the home position, the projection 12a (FIG. 3) of the CD reference plate 12 is positioned on the back side of the CD reference plate 29 located at the home position in the longitudinal direction of the apparatus. Thereby, after the swinging tray 22 returns to the tilted posture, the protrusion 12a is the surface of the CD reference plate 29 on the rear side of the device when the CD reference plate 12 moves again from the home position to the reference position on the front side of the device. The contact state of the CD reference plate 12 and the CD reference plate 29 is resumed by abutting on 29a.

  In the sheet standby state, the above-described FD alignment and CD alignment are performed each time the first to Nth sheets S for the second copy are carried into the post-processing tray 11 one by one (FIGS. 4 and 4). 5). When the FD alignment and the CD alignment with respect to the Nth sheet S are completed, the second sheet bundle Sb-2 stored in the post-processing tray 11 is conveyed to the staple binding position in the X direction by the FD conveying member 15 ( 6), stapling by the stapler 103 is executed. As a result, the second sheet bundle Sb-2 is stapled.

When the staple binding for the sheet bundle Sb-2 is completed, the FD conveyance member 15 is further moved in the X direction (FIG. 7), thereby performing the shift conveyance to the second position for the sheet bundle Sb-2 (FIG. 13). .
When the shift conveyance with respect to the sheet bundle Sb-2 is completed, the guide claw 17 disposed on the swing tray 22 is switched from the retracted position to the protruding position, and then the FD conveying member 15 is returned to the home position.

The sheet bundle Sb-2 placed on the swinging tray 22 in the inclined posture tries to slide down along the swinging tray 22 in the tilted posture, but stops in contact with the guide claw 17 in the protruding posture. By restricting the sliding by the guide claws 17, the state of being placed on the swing tray 22 is maintained.
Thereafter, with respect to the second sheet bundle Sb-2, similarly to the first sheet bundle Sb-1, the CD alignment plate 13 is moved to the home position, and the swinging tray 22 is inclined to the horizontal position. After the transition to, the sheet bundle Sb-2 is transferred from the swinging tray 22 to the front tray 51, the operation of returning to the sheet standby state is sequentially executed. When the sheet bundle Sb-2 is conveyed on the swing tray 22 toward the front side of the apparatus, the rear end (edge) Se is guided in contact with the guide claw 17 in the protruding posture. Thus, the guide claw 17 is disposed at a position corresponding to the second position different from the first position on the sheet placement surface 22a, protrudes from the opening 17a provided on the sheet placement surface 22a, and is on the front side of the apparatus. It functions as a guide member for guiding the sheet bundle Sb-2 conveyed to the sheet.

  As a result, the sheet bundle Sb-2 is stacked and accommodated on the sheet bundle Sb-1 on the front tray 51 as shown in FIG. Since the sheet bundles Sb-1 and Sb-2 are conveyed to the first position and the second position different in the X direction by the shift conveyance before stacking and receiving as described above, the deviation amount (distance Z in FIG. 8). ), The position of the stacking accommodation on the front tray 51 is shifted in the horizontal direction. The deviation of the storage position of the sheet bundle separates each of the stacked sheet bundles Sb, and the user easily takes out each sheet bundle Sb stored in the front tray 51 from the front side of the apparatus. And the sheet bundles Sb can be easily sorted as separate ones.

In the above description, an example in which two sheet bundles Sb are stacked and accommodated has been described. That is, for the odd-numbered portion, the shift position at the time of shift conveyance with respect to the sheet bundle Sb is set to the first position, and for the even-numbered portion, the shift position at the time of shift conveyance with respect to the sheet bundle Sb is set to the second position.
As a result, among the plurality of sheet bundles Sb stacked and accommodated on the front tray 51, the accommodation positions of the sheet stacks that overlap in the vertical direction are shifted from each other in the lateral direction. The pressing claw 52 repeats the above-described intrusion operation for each number of copies. When the job is completed, the holding claw 52 is returned to the immersion position, and the holding state for pressing the sheet bundle Sb is released.

<Configuration of control system of image forming apparatus 1 and sheet storage apparatus 2>
FIG. 15 is a block diagram for explaining the configuration of each control system of the image forming apparatus 1 and the sheet storage apparatus 2.
As shown in the figure, the control unit 6 of the image forming apparatus 1 controls the scanner unit 3 and the printer unit 4 to execute a scan job and a copy job. When the control unit 6 receives print job data from an external terminal connected to the network via the external interface (I / F) unit 8, the control unit 6 causes the printer unit 4 to execute the print job based on the received data. .

When a staple binding execution instruction is received from the user via the operation unit 5, the control unit of the sheet storage apparatus 2 displays the number of sheets S to be stapled (the number of sheets to be stapled), information on the designated number of copies, and the like. 104.
Furthermore, the detection signal from the sheet size detection sensor 9a arranged in the cassette 4a of the printer unit 4 is received, and the size and transport posture (vertical or horizontal) of the sheet S accommodated in the cassette 4a are detected. The size and conveyance posture detected by the sheet size detection sensor 9a become sheet information sent to the control unit 104 of the sheet storage device 2.

  Further, when a detection signal of the sheet discharge direction rear end (sheet rear end) of the sheet S discharged by the discharge roller 7 is received from the sheet discharge sensor 9b (FIG. 3) placed near the discharge roller 7, after printing It is detected that the sheet S is discharged from the discharge roller 7. When the discharge of the sheet S is detected for each sheet S after printing, a sheet discharge signal indicating that is sent to the control unit 104 of the sheet storage apparatus 2.

  The control unit 104 of the sheet storage device 2 controls the stapler 103, the conveyance motor M1 to the lift motor M5, the guide claw A drive actuator 36, the guide claw B drive actuator 37, the pressing claw drive actuator 38, etc. Sb alignment, shift conveyance, stapling, posture switching of the swing tray 22, transfer of the sheet bundle Sb from the swing tray 22 to the front tray 51, and posture switching of the guide claws 16 and 17 are executed.

Further, the control unit 104 receives a detection signal from the home position detection sensor 31 (FIG. 11) for detecting that the CD reference plate 12 is located at the home position, and the CD reference plate 12 is moved to the home position. It is detected whether it is located in.
As the home position detection sensor 31, for example, an optical sensor having a light emitting portion and a light receiving portion arranged with a space therebetween is used.

When this optical sensor is used, the following detection method can be taken.
That is, when the CD reference plate 12 is positioned at the home position, a light shielding unit (not shown) that moves integrally with the CD reference plate 12 is interposed between the light emitting unit and the light receiving unit, so that light from the light emitting unit is transmitted. The home position detection sensor 31 outputs an OFF signal without being received by the light receiving unit. Further, when the CD reference plate 12 is separated from the home position, the shielding member is separated from between the light emitting unit and the light receiving unit, and the light from the light emitting unit is received by the light receiving unit, whereby the home position detection sensor 31 is detected. Is configured to output an ON signal.

  The control unit 104 detects whether the ON signal or the OFF signal is output from the home position detection sensor 31, thereby determining whether the CD reference plate 12 is positioned at the home position or not at the home position. Can be detected. The home position detection method may be another detection method. The same home position detection method can be used for the other home position detection sensors 32 to 35 described below.

Further, the control unit 104 receives a detection signal from the home position detection sensor 32 for detecting that the CD alignment plate 13 is positioned at the home position, and the CD alignment plate 13 is positioned at the home position. Detect whether or not.
Further, the control unit 104 receives a detection signal from the home position detection sensor 33 for detecting that the FD alignment member 14 is positioned at the home position, and the FD alignment member 14 is positioned at the home position. Detect whether or not.

Further, the control unit 104 receives a detection signal from the home position detection sensor 34 for detecting that the FD conveyance member 15 is located at the home position, and the FD conveyance member 15 is located at the home position. Detect whether or not.
Further, the control unit 104 receives a detection signal from the home position detection sensor 35 for detecting that the swing tray 22 is in the tilted posture (home position), and the swing tray 22 is set to the home position. Detect whether it is located.

Further, the control unit 104 can exchange data and information with the control unit 6 of the image forming apparatus 1, such as an instruction to execute stapling and the number of copies by the user, sheet information detected by the image forming apparatus 1, and the like. Various types of information are acquired from the control unit 6.
<Processing Contents of Sheet Storage Control Executed by Sheet Storage Apparatus 2>
FIG. 16 is a flowchart showing the content of sheet storage control executed by the sheet storage device 2, and is executed when the control unit 104 receives a staple binding instruction from the control unit 6 of the image forming apparatus 1.

As shown in FIG. 16, job information is acquired from the image forming apparatus 1 (step S1).
The job information includes the number of sheets to be stapled (number of sheets to be bound) N, the number of copies m, sheet information (size, conveyance posture), and the like. For example, when N = 10, m = 5, and A4 size (vertical conveyance), staple binding is applied to a sheet bundle Sb composed of ten A4 size sheets S conveyed in the vertical posture from the image forming apparatus 1. This is a job in which the operation of storing in the front tray 51 is repeated five times.

After setting the variable n to 1 (step S2), alignment processing (step S3), stapling processing (step S4), and shift position setting processing (step S5) are executed in order.
FIG. 17 is a flowchart showing the contents of a subroutine for matching processing.
As shown in the figure, the CD reference plate 12 is moved from the home position to the reference position (step S31).

The movement of the CD reference plate 12 drives the transfer motor M4 in the normal direction by the rotation number or rotation angle determined in advance as the rotation number or rotation angle of the transfer motor M4 corresponding to a predetermined distance from the home position to the reference position. Is done. As the CD reference plate 12 moves to the reference position, the CD reference plate 29 also moves to the reference position.
Subsequently, when a sheet discharge signal for the first sheet S is acquired from the image forming apparatus 1 (step S32), it is assumed that the first sheet S has been carried onto the post-processing tray 11, and the FD alignment member 14 FD alignment is performed (step S33), and CD alignment by the CD alignment plate 13 is performed (step S34) (FIG. 4).

FD alignment by the FD alignment member 14 is performed by moving the FD alignment member 14 from the home position to an FD alignment position corresponding to the sheet length L based on the sheet information.
The moving distance from the home position of the FD alignment member 14 to the FD alignment position is determined in advance for each sheet length L. The FD alignment member 14 is moved by rotating the FD alignment motor M3 in the normal direction by the number of rotations or the rotation angle of the FD alignment motor M3 corresponding to the moving distance from the home position to the FD alignment position corresponding to the sheet length L. Done.

CD alignment by the CD alignment plate 13 is performed by moving the CD alignment plate 13 from the home position to a CD alignment position corresponding to the sheet width W based on the sheet information.
The moving distance from the home position of the CD alignment plate 13 to the CD alignment position is predetermined for each sheet width W. The CD aligning plate 13 is moved by rotating the CD aligning motor M2 in the normal direction by the number of rotations or the rotation angle of the CD aligning motor M2 corresponding to the moving distance from the home position to the CD aligning position corresponding to the sheet width W. Done.

It is determined whether or not the number of sheets S discharged from the image forming apparatus 1 (the number of sheets) is equal to N (step S35).
If it is determined that the number of sheets is not equal to the binding number N (“NO” in step S35), both the FD alignment member 14 and the CD alignment plate 13 are moved from the alignment position to the home position side by a predetermined distance (in the above example, 10 mm). ) Is returned (step S36), and the process waits for the next second sheet S to be carried in.

The operation of returning the FD alignment member 14 and the CD alignment plate 13 to the home position side by a predetermined distance is the same as the FD alignment motor M3 and the CD alignment by the rotation number or rotation angle of the FD alignment motor M3 and the CD alignment motor M2 corresponding to the predetermined distance. This is done by driving the motor M2 in the reverse direction.
When a sheet discharge signal for the second sheet S is acquired from the image forming apparatus 1 (step S32), the first sheet S and the second sheet S stacked thereon are processed by the processes of steps S33 and S34. And the process proceeds to step S35.

If it is determined that the number of sheets is not equal to the binding number N (“NO” in step S35), the processes of steps S36 and S32 to S34 are executed again. Until it is determined that the number of sheets is equal to the binding number N, the processes of steps S32 to S36 are repeated.
If it is determined that the number of sheets is equal to the binding number N (“YES” in step S35), the process returns.

FIG. 18 is a flowchart showing the contents of a subroutine for stapling processing.
As shown in the figure, first, an operation of returning the FD alignment member 14 to the home position is executed (step S41) (FIG. 5).
The operation of returning the FD alignment member 14 to the home position is performed by driving the FD alignment motor M3 in the reverse direction and stopping the FD alignment motor M3 when the home position detection sensor 33 detects the FD alignment member 14.

Subsequently, the FD conveying member 15 is moved to convey the first sheet bundle Sb-1 on the post-processing tray 11 to the staple binding position (step S42) (FIG. 6).
The sheet bundle Sb-1 is transported to the staple binding position by driving the transport motor M1 in the forward direction by the rotational speed or rotation angle of the transport motor M1 corresponding to the transport distance determined based on the staple position information. This is done by moving the conveying member 15.

When the sheet bundle Sb-1 is conveyed to the staple binding position, the stapler 103 executes staple binding to the sheet bundle Sb-1 (step S43) and returns.
FIG. 19 is a flowchart showing the contents of the subroutine of the shift position setting process.
As shown in the figure, it is determined whether or not the current value of the variable n is an odd number (step S51). For example, if the current variable n is “1”, it is determined as an odd number (“YES” in step S51), the shift position by shift conveyance is set to the first position (step S52), and the process proceeds to step S54. On the other hand, for example, if it is determined that the variable n is an even number (“NO” in step S51), the shift position by shift conveyance is set to the second position (step S53), and the process proceeds to step S54.

In step S54, a value obtained by incrementing the current variable n by “1” is set as a new variable n (updated). For example, if the current variable n is “1”, the variable n is updated to “2”. After this update, return.
Returning to FIG. 16, in step S6, the stapled sheet bundle Sb-1 stored in the post-processing tray 11 is moved to the shift position (first position or second position) set in the immediately preceding step S5. Shift conveyance is carried out (FIG. 8).

In the shift conveyance of the sheet bundle Sb-1, the conveyance motor M1 is driven to rotate forward by the rotation number or rotation angle of the conveyance motor M1 corresponding to the conveyance distance to the shift position of the sheet bundle Sb-1, and the FD conveyance member 15 is moved. This is done by moving it. When the shift conveyance is completed, the sheet bundle transfer process (step S7) is executed, and then the process proceeds to step S8.
FIG. 20 is a flowchart showing the contents of a subroutine for sheet bundle transfer processing.

  As shown in the figure, only the guide claw (one of 16 and 17) corresponding to the shift position (first position or second position) set in the immediately preceding step S5 is switched from the retracted position to the protruding position ( Step S71). For example, when the set shift position is the first position, only the guide claw 16 is switched to the protruding posture (FIG. 9), and when the set shift position is the second position, only the guide claw 17 is switched. It is switched to the protruding posture (FIG. 13).

  This switching is performed by driving the guide claw A drive actuator 36 for the guide claw 16 and driving the guide claw B drive actuator 37 for the guide claw 17. In this sense, the control unit 104, the guide claw A drive actuator 36, and the guide claw B drive actuator 37 are a predetermined position (first position) of the plurality of guide claws (guide members) 16 and 17 where the sheet bundle Sb is conveyed. Alternatively, it can be said that it functions as a switching means for switching the position of each guide member so that only the guide member corresponding to the second position) is in the guide position as the protruding posture and the other guide members are in the retracted position as the retracted posture. .

When the switching of the guide claw 16 or 17 from the retracted position to the protruding position is completed, an operation of returning the FD conveying member 15 to the home position is executed (step S72).
The operation of returning the FD transport member 15 to the home position is performed by driving the transport motor M1 in the reverse direction and stopping the transport motor M1 when the home position detection sensor 34 detects the FD transport member 15.

Subsequently, an operation of returning the CD alignment plate 13 to the home position is executed (step S73).
The operation of returning the CD alignment plate 13 to the home position is performed by driving the CD alignment motor M2 in the reverse direction and stopping the CD alignment motor M2 when the CD alignment plate 13 is detected by the home position detection sensor 32.
Then, the swinging tray 22 is raised to make a transition from the inclined posture to the horizontal posture (step S74) (FIG. 10).

  The transition of the swing tray 22 from the tilted posture to the horizontal posture is performed by rotating the lift motor M5 forward by a predetermined rotation speed or rotation angle of the lift motor M5 required to change the posture of the swing tray 22 from the tilted posture to the horizontal posture. This is done by driving. The control unit 104 functions as a movement control unit that controls the lift motor M5 to move the swing tray 22 in the vertical direction when executing step S74.

  Subsequently, the CD reference plate 12 is moved from the rear side of the apparatus to the front side of the apparatus, and the sheet bundle Sb-1 placed on the swing tray 22 is transferred to the front tray 51 (step S75) ( FIG. 11). The movement of the CD reference plate 12 toward the front side of the apparatus is performed only by the rotation number or rotation angle of the transfer motor M4 corresponding to a predetermined distance from the reference position on the back side of the apparatus to a predetermined position on the front side of the apparatus. This is done by driving the transfer motor M4 forward.

  When it is determined that the sheet bundle Sb-1 has been transferred to the front tray 51 due to the completion of the movement of the CD reference plate 12 to the front side of the apparatus ("YES" in step S76), the four pressing claws 52 cause the sheet bundle Sb to be transferred. The holding operation is executed (step S77) (FIG. 12). The holding operation of the sheet bundle Sb by the pressing claw 52 is executed by driving the pressing claw driving actuator 38.

Then, the first storage unit 101 returns to the sheet standby state (steps S78 to S80).
That is, the CD reference plate 12 is moved from the front side of the apparatus to the back side of the apparatus and returned to the home position (step S78). The operation of returning the CD reference plate 12 to the home position is performed by driving the transfer motor M4 in the reverse direction and stopping the transfer motor M4 when the CD reference plate 12 is detected by the home position detection sensor 31.

When the CD reference plate 12 is moved to the home position, the swinging tray 22 is lowered to change from the horizontal posture to the inclined posture (step S79) (FIG. 3).
The transition of the swinging tray 22 from the horizontal posture to the inclined posture is performed by driving the lift motor M5 in the reverse direction and detecting that the swinging tray 22 returns to the horizontal posture by the home position detection sensor 35. This is done by stopping.

Subsequently, the guide claw 16 or 17 in the protruding posture is returned to the retracted posture (step S80). The transition to the retracted posture is executed by stopping the driving of the guide claw A drive actuator 36 or the guide claw B drive actuator 37.
Then, the holding of the sheet bundle Sb by the pressing claw 52 is released (step S81), and the process returns. This release is executed by stopping the driving of the presser claw drive actuator 38, whereby the presser claw 52 returns to the immersive position.

Returning to FIG. 16, in step S8, it is determined whether or not the job is finished. The job end is determined by determining that the staple binding for the m-th sheet bundle Sb, which is the designated number of copies, has ended.
If it is determined that the job is not completed ("NO" in step S8), the process returns to step S3 to execute stapling for the next sheet, that is, the second sheet bundle Sb-2 in this case. The processes after S3 are executed.

In the sheet standby state, alignment processing (step S3) is performed each time the second sheet S is carried from the image forming apparatus 1 one by one, and when the alignment processing for the Nth sheet S is completed, the N After executing the stapling process (step S4) for the sheet bundle Sb-2 including the sheets S, the process proceeds to the shift position setting process (step S5).
In the shift position setting process, as shown in FIG. 19, it is determined whether or not the current variable n is an odd number (step S51). For example, if the current variable n is “2”, it is determined as an even number (“NO” in step S51), the shift position by shift conveyance is set to the second position (step S53), and the process proceeds to step S54. In step S54, a value obtained by incrementing the current variable n by “1” is set as a new variable n. For example, if the current variable n is “2”, it is updated to “3”. After this update, return.

  Returning to FIG. 16, in step S6, shift conveyance by the FD conveyance member 15 with respect to the second sheet bundle Sb-2, here, shift conveyance to the second position in the X direction is executed. In this sense, the FD conveyance member 15, the control unit 104, and the like are the next transfer targets for the first sheet bundle Sb-1 transferred to the front tray 51 when executing Steps S5 and S6. It can be said that it functions as a displacement means for displacing the position in the X direction (first direction) on the post-processing tray 11 of the second sheet bundle Sb-2.

In step S7, a transfer process (FIG. 20) for the sheet bundle Sb-2 is executed.
In step S71 of FIG. 20, the guide claw 17 corresponding to the shift position set for the second sheet bundle Sb-2, here the second position, is switched to the protruding posture. The processes in steps S72 to S79 and S81 for the sheet bundle Sb-2 are the same as the processes for the sheet bundle Sb-1. In step S80, the guide claw 17 is returned to the retracted posture.

The second sheet bundle Sb-2 is transferred from the swing tray 22 to the front tray 51 by the transfer process shown in FIG. 20 (FIG. 14). At this time, since the first sheet bundle Sb-1 is already stored in the front tray 51, the second sheet bundle Sb-2 is placed on the first sheet bundle Sb-1. Loaded and housed.
Returning to FIG. 16, if the end of the job is not determined in step S8 ("NO" in step S8), the process returns to step S3 again in the sheet standby state, and alignment and stapling for the third sheet bundle Sb-3 are performed. Each process such as shift position setting is executed (steps S3 to S7).

  Thereby, the sheet bundle Sb after staple binding is sequentially stacked and accommodated on the front tray 51 for each part. Since the shift position is alternately switched between the first position and the second position immediately before loading and storing for each section (steps S5 and S6), the sheet bundles Sb are alternately shifted laterally on the front tray 51. Thus, the sheet bundles Sb are automatically sorted.

Thereafter, steps S3 to S8 are repeatedly executed until the end of the job is determined. When the end of the job is determined (“YES” in step S8), the control is ended.
In the above description, an example in which a job for performing stapling on the sheet bundle Sb has been described. For example, a job for printing two or more copies on one or more sheets S is performed, but stapling is not performed. In this case, the same processing as described above is executed in units of copies except for stapling. At this time, the shift conveyance of the sheet bundle Sb is switched alternately between the first position and the second position in units of copies.

For example, in the case of a job that prints on only one sheet S, the same processing except for the alignment and stapling described above, that is, transport to the swing tray 22, transition to the horizontal posture of the swing tray 22, Transfer from the swing tray 22 to the front tray 51 is performed.
Furthermore, although the control example which staples each sheet bundle Sb which consists of the same N sheets S for each part was demonstrated, it is not restricted to this. For example, the binding number N may be different in each part.

  The first set consists of a sheet bundle Sb composed of N (plurality) sheets S, the second set consists of only one sheet S, and the third copy consists of H (multiple and different from N) sheets S. Even when a single sheet S and a sheet bundle Sb are mixed, such as a sheet bundle Sb, each of the sheet S and the sheet bundle Sb that are in a positional relationship that overlaps vertically when stacked on the front tray 61. In contrast, it is possible to perform control to execute shift conveyance to different shift positions.

As described above, in the present embodiment, the sheet or sheet bundle stored in the post-processing tray 11 (intermediate tray) is shifted to the X direction (first direction) in units of the sheet or sheet bundle. Since the sheets can be stacked and accommodated in the front tray 51 (stacking tray) in a displaced state, sheets or sheet bundles are automatically sorted on the front tray 51.
Further, since the post-processing tray 11 only temporarily stores sheets or sheet bundles, for example, the post-processing tray 11 is arranged in a space 1 a provided immediately below the scanner unit 3 provided in the image forming apparatus 1. Even if it is a structure, it is not necessary to make the width | variety of the height direction of the space 1a between the post-processing tray 11 and the scanner part 3 wide. Furthermore, the user only has to take out the sheets or sheet bundles stacked and stored in the front tray 51 instead of the post-processing tray 11, and even when the width of the space 1a in the height direction is narrow, the user performs operations when taking out the sheets. It is also possible to prevent a decrease in sex.

The present invention is not limited to the sheet storage device, and may be an image forming system including the image forming apparatus 1 and the sheet storage device 2 attached thereto.
Further, the sheet storage control method executed by the sheet storage device may be used. Furthermore, the method may be a program executed by a computer. The program according to the present invention includes, for example, a magnetic disk such as a magnetic tape and a flexible disk, an optical recording medium such as a DVD-ROM, DVD-RAM, CD-ROM, CD-R, MO, and PD, and a flash memory recording medium. It can be recorded on various computer-readable recording media, and may be produced, transferred, etc. in the form of the recording medium, wired and wireless various networks including the Internet in the form of programs, In some cases, the data is transmitted and supplied via broadcasting, telecommunication lines, satellite communications, or the like.

(Modification)
As described above, the present invention has been described based on the embodiment. However, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and the following modifications may be considered.
(1) In the above embodiment, every time the sheet bundle Sb is stored in the post-processing tray 11, the shift position during shift conveyance with respect to the sheet bundle Sb is different from the first position and the second position in the sheet discharge direction (X direction). Although the configuration example in which the position is alternately switched is described, the present invention is not limited to this.

  When the sheet bundle Sb is sequentially transferred from the post-processing tray 11 to the front tray 51 as in the first, second, third,..., The Pth (P is an integer of 1 or more) sheet bundle Sb. If the shift position is different from the shift position for the next (P + 1) -th sheet bundle Sb, the P-th sheet bundle Sb and the (P + 1) -th sheet bundle Sb are shifted in the X direction on the front tray 51. It can be loaded and stored so as to overlap vertically.

That is, it is only necessary to execute the shift conveyance so that the shift positions in the X direction with respect to the two sheet bundles Sb sequentially accommodated in the post-processing tray 11 are different from each other.
Accordingly, among a plurality of, for example, three predetermined positions different in the X direction, the shift position for the Pth sheet bundle Sb is the first position, the shift position for the next (P + 1) th sheet bundle Sb is the second position, and further The shift position with respect to the (P + 2) th sheet bundle Sb may be the third position or the like.

Further, in the above embodiment, as shown in FIG. 6, the sheet bundle Sb is arranged from the positional relationship that the front tray 51 is arranged at a position slightly shifted to the downstream side in the X direction with respect to the sheet bundle Sb existing at the staple binding position. The shift positions are set to the first position and the second position, which are downstream in the X direction with respect to the staple binding position, but the present invention is not limited to this.
For example, in the case of an apparatus configuration in which the front tray 51 is disposed just on the front side of the apparatus with respect to the sheet bundle Sb existing at the staple binding position, the first position as the staple binding position and the downstream side in the X direction from this position. The second position can also be set as the shift position.

As an example, the width of the apparatus in the lateral direction can be minimized by setting so that this relationship is established with respect to the shortest sheet size. In addition, if the relationship is established so that this relationship is established for the most frequently used sheet size, the frequency of movement of the FD conveying member 15 can be drastically reduced, and the power consumption required for the movement can be suppressed. Become.
According to the above, the P-th sheet bundle Sb on the post-processing tray 11 is transferred to the front tray 51 by being conveyed to the front side of the apparatus while being in the staple binding position after stapling. The (P + 1) -th sheet bundle Sb can be configured such that after stapling, the sheet is shifted to the second position in the X direction and then transferred to the front tray 51 by conveyance to the front side of the apparatus. In this case, the conveyance amount of the shift conveyance for the P-th sheet bundle Sb can be controlled to be zero.

(2) In the above-described embodiment, the first conveying unit that conveys the sheet bundle Sb on the post-processing tray 11 in the X direction to the staple binding position, and the first bundle different in the X direction after the staple binding. The configuration example in which the FD transport member 15 also serves as the second transport unit that performs shift transport to transport to any one of the second positions has been described, but the present invention is not limited thereto.
For example, the FD conveying member 15 is in charge of the first conveying means, and another conveying member, for example, a protruding piece having the same shape as that of the FD conveying member 15 slidable in the X direction is provided as the second conveying means. It is also possible to adopt a configuration in which a conveyor belt is provided.

(3) In the above-described embodiment, as the guide member for guiding the sheet bundle Sb to be transferred from the swing tray 22 to the front tray 51, the rear end (edge on the upstream side in the X direction) Se of the sheet bundle Sb. Although the example of a structure which provides the guide claws 16 and 17 which contact | connect is described, it is not restricted to this.
For example, instead of the guide claws 16 and 17 that guide the rear end Se of the sheet bundle Sb, another guide claw that guides the sheet bundle Sb in contact with the front end Sf (edge on the downstream side in the X direction) of the sheet bundle Sb. Can be arranged at positions corresponding to the shift positions for each of the different shift positions.

Alternatively, a guide claw for guiding the sheet bundle Sb may be provided in contact with both the end edge on the upstream side in the X direction and the end edge on the downstream side in the X direction of the sheet bundle Sb.
Further, the guide claws 16 and 17 are either in the protruding position as a guide position for guiding the sheet bundle Sb in contact with the rear end Se of the sheet bundle Sb and in the retracted position as a retracted position not guiding the sheet bundle Sb. Although the example of a structure to switch was demonstrated, it is not restricted to this.

  For example, the guide pawl in the protruding posture can be slid along the X direction, and the guide pawl in the protruding posture is positioned at the retracted position separated from the sheet bundle Sb before the shift conveyance, and is moved to the front tray 51 after the shift conveyance. It is conceivable that the sheet bundle Sb moves to a guide position in contact with the rear end or the front end of the sheet bundle Sb before starting the transfer. In the case of this configuration, it is not necessary to provide the openings 16a and 17a in the post-processing tray 11.

(4) In the above embodiment, for each sheet bundle Sb on the post-processing tray 11, first, shift conveyance (conveyance in the X direction) is performed, and then transfer to the front tray 51 (front side orthogonal to the X direction). In this example, the shift conveyance is performed prior to the transfer to the front tray 51. However, the present invention is not limited to this.
Finally, when a plurality of sheet bundles Sb are stacked and accommodated on the front tray 51, the two sheet bundles that overlap in the vertical direction among the plurality of sheet bundles Sb are displaced from each other in the X direction. For each of the two sheet bundles Sb, displacement control may be performed so that the positions in the X direction when the post-processing tray 11 drops to the front tray 51 are different.

  For example, the staple binding position of the sheet bundle Sb is the reference position, the X direction is the first direction, the B direction orthogonal to the second direction is the second direction, and the second direction is an angle with respect to the first direction. When the directions inclined by θ1, θ2 (> θ1) are the first inclination direction and the second inclination direction, the P-th sheet bundle Sb is conveyed from the reference position by the predetermined first distance Q1 in the second inclination direction. Thereafter, transfer to the front tray 51 is performed. The next (P + 1) th sheet bundle Sb is transported by a predetermined second distance Q2 (> Q1) in the first tilt direction from the reference position, and then transferred to the front tray 51. You can also.

For example, a first conveyance belt capable of conveying the sheet bundle Sb in the first inclined direction and a second conveyance belt capable of conveying the sheet bundle Sb in the second inclination direction are provided on the post-processing tray 11, and the conveyance belt to be driven is alternately provided for each sheet bundle. This can be realized by adopting a switching configuration. In this case, the first conveying belt and the second conveying belt constitute displacement means for displacing the position of the sheet bundle Sb in the first direction.
(5) In the above-described embodiment, the sheet placement surface 22a of the swing tray 22 in the horizontal posture is configured to be positioned (higher) than the upper end 53 of the standing wall portion 51b in the front tray 51. An example has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this. The sheet bundle Sb on the swing tray 22 may be transferred to the sheet placement surface 51a of the front tray 51 without being blocked by the standing wall portion 51b. For example, the sheet placement surface 22a of the swing tray 22 in the horizontal posture and the upper end 53 (upper end of the front tray 51) of the standing wall portion 51b of the front tray 51 are at the same position (height) in the vertical direction. It can also be a positional relationship.

  Further, the swing tray 22 is not limited to the horizontal posture as long as the sheet bundle Sb can be transferred to the front side of the apparatus, and is, for example, more than the side edge 22g (FIG. 10) of the swing tray 22 on the front side of the apparatus. It can also be set as the structure which takes the forward leaning attitude | position so that the device back side may become upper. This can be realized by incorporating a mechanism capable of tilting forward in the longitudinal direction of the apparatus in addition to the vertical swing mechanism of the swing tray 22. The posture when the sheet bundle Sb or the sheet S on the swing tray 22 is transferred to the front tray 51 can be a transfer posture including a horizontal posture, a forward tilt posture, and the like.

Further, the configuration is not limited to the configuration in which the posture of the swing tray 22 is switched by the swing mechanism. For example, instead of the swinging tray 22, a horizontal tray that can be moved up and down in a horizontal posture may be provided.
In the case of adopting this configuration, the raising / lowering control of the horizontal tray is performed as follows. First, when the sheet S is carried in from the discharge roller 7, the horizontal tray is lowered so that the sheet placement surface of the horizontal tray is positioned below the upper end 53 of the standing wall portion 51b. When the alignment, stapling, and shift conveyance with respect to the sheet bundle Sb accommodated on the horizontal tray are completed, the sheet placement surface of the horizontal tray is positioned above the upper end 53 of the standing wall 51b or in the same position in the vertical direction ( The horizontal tray is raised until the height is reached. Thereafter, the sheet bundle Sb on the horizontal tray is conveyed to the front side, and the sheet bundle Sb is stacked and accommodated on the front tray 51 by transferring the sheet bundle Sb from the horizontal tray to the front tray 51.

(6) Further, in the above embodiment, the post-processing tray 11 can move in the vertical direction and the front tray 51 does not move in the vertical direction (fixed). It is possible to adopt a configuration in which at least one of the trays 51 can relatively move (elevate) in the vertical direction.
The sheet S (or sheet bundle Sb) temporarily stored on the post-processing tray 11 provided in the first storage unit 101 located on the back side of the apparatus is provided in the second storage unit 102 located on the front side of the apparatus. What is necessary is just to be able to convey toward the front side of the apparatus to the front tray 51 thus formed.

  For example, the post-processing tray 11 is fixed and the front tray 51 can be moved up and down. The front tray 51 is post-processed in the vertical direction except when the sheet S (or sheet bundle Sb) is conveyed to the front side of the apparatus. It is also possible to adopt a configuration in which it is positioned at the home position that is the same height as the tray 11 and is lowered to a storage position below the home position when transported to the front side of the apparatus. Further, both the post-processing tray 11 and the front tray 51 may be movable in the vertical direction. This can be realized by providing a mechanism (such as a cam mechanism) that supports the tray to be moved so as to be movable in the vertical direction and a driving means such as a motor that applies a driving force in the vertical direction to the tray.

If there is some allowance in the vertical height of the space 1 a of the image forming apparatus 1, for example, the post-processing tray 11 and the front tray 51 are positioned with the post-processing tray 11 positioned above the front tray 51. It is also possible to adopt a configuration in which both cannot be moved up and down (fixed).
(7) In the above embodiment, the CD reference plate 12 movable in the front-rear direction of the apparatus also serves as a transfer means for transferring the sheet bundle Sb on the swing tray 22 to the front tray 51, thereby simplifying the configuration as much as possible. However, it is not limited to this. For example, a member different from the CD reference plate 12 may be arranged as the transfer means.

  In addition, the configuration example in which the stapler 103 swings integrally with the swing tray 22 has been described. However, the configuration is not limited to this, and depending on the apparatus configuration, the stapler 103 and the swing tray 22 are separated and the stapler 103 does not move up and down. A configuration can also be taken. Further, the stapler 103 positions the end of the sheet bundle Sb on the swing tray 22 on the downstream side in the X direction (first direction) and the upstream side in the B direction (second direction) on the swing tray 22. However, the present invention is not limited to this and may be arranged at other positions.

(8) In the above embodiment, the CD reference plates 12 and 29 and the CD alignment plate 13 are used as a pair of CD alignment members for performing CD alignment, and the CD reference plates 12 and 29 that are stopped are in the CD. Although the configuration example in which the CD alignment is performed by moving the alignment plate 13 in the longitudinal direction of the apparatus has been described, the present invention is not limited to this.
For example, it is possible to adopt a configuration in which CD alignment is performed by moving both of a pair of CD alignment members opposed to each other in the front-rear direction of the apparatus with the sheet S interposed therebetween.

  (9) In the above embodiment, the configuration example in which the sheet placement surface 51a of the front tray 51 is inclined downward from the apparatus front side toward the apparatus rear side has been described. Not limited. For example, the sheet placement surface 51a may be opposite to the above, that is, a posture in which the sheet placement surface 51a is inclined downward from the apparatus rear side toward the apparatus front side. When this inclined posture is taken, a stopper (corresponding to the standing wall portion 51b) that restricts the sliding of the sheet S is erected at the end portion on the front side of the apparatus. Further, the front tray 51 can be set in a horizontal posture.

  (10) In the above-described embodiment, an example in which the image forming apparatus 1 to which the sheet storage device 2 is mounted is a multi-function multifunction device has been described. However, the printer is disposed below the scanner unit 3 (image reading unit). For example, a copier, a facsimile machine, or the like may be used as long as the image forming apparatus includes the section 4 (image forming section) and the space 1a having the opening 1b on the front side of the apparatus is provided below the scanner section 3. May be.

  In addition, the sheet storage device 2 is mounted as a sheet storage unit in a space (space) provided not only in the image reading unit but also in other apparatus parts such as an automatic document feeder and the image forming unit. If so, the present invention can also be applied to the image forming apparatus according to the configuration. Further, for example, even in a configuration in which the printer unit is vertically long and a space in which the sheet storage device can be mounted is provided in a part of the front side of the device at the center in the vertical direction, the printer according to this configuration is imaged. It can also be applied to a forming apparatus.

(11) In the above embodiment, the shift conveyance with respect to the sheet bundle Sb is performed on the post-processing tray 11, but the present invention is not limited to this. Of the plurality of sheet bundles Sb that are finally stacked and accommodated on the front tray 51, two sheet bundles that overlap vertically may be configured so that their positions in the X direction are shifted from each other.
For example, the front tray 51 is configured to be movable in the horizontal direction (X direction), and shift conveyance with respect to the sheet bundle Sb is not performed on the post-processing tray 11, and the position of the sheet bundle Sb in the X direction (for example, Only when the sheet bundle Sb is transferred from the post-processing tray 11 to the front tray 51, the front tray 51 can be controlled to reciprocate in the left-right direction (X direction).

  Specifically, the position in the X direction of the front tray 51 when the sheet bundle Sb drops from the post-processing tray 11 to the front tray 51 is the Pth sheet bundle Sb and the next (P + 1) th sheet bundle Sb. As described above, the reciprocation of the front tray 51 can be controlled. As a result, each sheet bundle Sb is sorted on the front tray 51 as in the case of the shift conveyance.

In this configuration, the driving means for reciprocating the front tray 51 in the X direction in units of the sheet bundle Sb displaces the position of the sheet S or the sheet bundle Sb to be transferred on the front tray 51 in the X direction. become. It is also possible to adopt a configuration that combines the control of shift conveyance on the post-processing tray 11 and the movement of the front tray 51 in the X direction.
(12) Further, as the sheet storage device 2 arranged in the space 1a provided in the image forming apparatus 1, in the above embodiment, a configuration example capable of executing a staple binding function as post-processing for the sheet S or the sheet bundle Sb. However, post-processing is not limited to stapling.

For example, the present invention can be applied to a sheet storage apparatus in which a punching process for punching holes in the sheet S or the sheet bundle Sb on the postprocessing tray 11 is a postprocessing. Further, the shift conveyance with respect to the sheet S or the sheet bundle Sb on the post-processing tray 11 can be regarded as the post-processing.
In the above description, after the alignment to the P-th sheet bundle Sb and the transfer to the front tray 51 are completed, the first (first) sheet S in the next (P + 1) -th sheet bundle Sb is the post-processing tray 11. Although the example of a structure in the case of carrying in is demonstrated, it is not restricted to this.

For example, when the next (P + 1) -th first sheet S is discharged from the image forming apparatus 1 during the transfer process of the P-th sheet bundle Sb to the front tray 51, Processing can also be performed.
That is, the (P + 1) -th first sheet S is temporarily held in a place (buffer unit: not shown) different from the post-processing tray 11. After the transfer of the P-th sheet bundle Sb to the front tray 51 is completed, when the first storage unit 101 returns to the sheet standby state, the first sheet S kept in the buffer unit is post-processed. It is carried into the tray 11 and alignment processing is performed. Processing such as alignment for the second and subsequent sheets S is the same as described above.

Needless to say, the shape and number of the members such as the CD reference plate 12, the FD alignment member 14, and the guide claws 16 and 17 are not limited to the above. Etc. are decided.
Further, the contents of the above embodiment and the above modification may be combined as much as possible.

  The present invention can be widely applied to a sheet storage device that stores sheets discharged from an image forming apparatus.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Image forming apparatus 1a Space 2 Sheet storage apparatus 3 Scanner part 4 Printer part 6,104 Control part 7 Discharge roller 10 Image forming system 11 Post-processing tray (intermediate tray)
12, 29 CD reference plate 13 CD alignment plate 15 FD conveying member 16, 17 Guide claw 16a, 17a Opening 21 Fixed tray 21a, 22a, 51a Sheet placement surface 22 Swing tray 51 Front tray (stacking tray)
103 Stapler M1 Conveyance motor M4 Transfer motor S Sheet Sb Sheet bundle Se Edge on the upstream side in the X direction of the sheet bundle Sf Edge on the downstream side in the X direction of the sheet bundle

Claims (13)

An intermediate tray for storing sheets discharged from the image forming apparatus in the first direction;
A stacking tray disposed on a second direction side perpendicular to the first direction with respect to the intermediate tray;
Transport means for transporting a sheet or sheet bundle to be transported to the intermediate tray and transporting it to the stacking tray on the second direction side and stacking and storing it on the stacking tray;
Displacement for displacing the position in the first direction of the (P + 1) th transfer target sheet or sheet bundle with respect to the P (integer greater than or equal to 1) th sheet or sheet bundle transferred from the intermediate tray to the stacking tray Means,
A sheet storage device comprising: The displacement means is
The conveyance means for conveying the sheet or the sheet bundle to be transferred to any one of a plurality of predetermined positions different in the first direction on the intermediate tray prior to the transfer. The sheet storage device according to 1.   The sheet storage device according to claim 2, further comprising a guide unit that guides the sheet or the sheet bundle conveyed by the conveyance unit to the stacking tray on the second direction side. The guiding means includes
A sheet or a sheet bundle that is arranged at each position corresponding to the plurality of predetermined positions on the sheet placement surface of the intermediate tray and protrudes from an opening provided on the sheet placement surface and is conveyed to the predetermined position. A plurality of guide members switchable between a guide position for guiding and a retracted position that enters the opening and does not perform the guidance;
For each sheet or sheet bundle to be transferred, the guide members corresponding to the positions conveyed by the conveying means are in the guide position, and the other guide members are in the retracted position. Switching means for switching the position of the member;
The sheet storage device according to claim 3, further comprising: The guide member is
When in the guide position, the sheet or sheet bundle is guided in contact with the upstream edge or downstream edge of the sheet or sheet bundle transferred from the intermediate tray to the stacking tray in the first direction. The sheet storage device according to claim 4, wherein The conveying means is
Conveyance for moving the sheet or sheet bundle in the first direction by moving in the first direction while being in contact with the upstream edge in the first direction of the sheet or sheet bundle to be transferred on the intermediate tray The sheet storage device according to claim 2, further comprising a member. Tray moving means for relatively moving at least one of the intermediate tray and the stacking tray in the vertical direction;
When the sheet discharged from the image forming unit is carried into the intermediate tray, the sheet placement surface of the intermediate tray is positioned below the upper end of the stacking tray, and the sheet or the sheet bundle is located in the intermediate tray. After being accommodated in the tray, the tray is moved so that the sheet placing surface of the intermediate tray is above or at the same height as the upper end of the stacking tray for transfer from the intermediate tray to the stacking tray. Movement control means for controlling the means;
The sheet storage device according to claim 1, wherein the sheet storage device is provided. The intermediate tray is
The second end on the upstream side in the first direction is supported so as to be swingable in the vertical direction around the support shaft, with the support shaft provided at the first end on the downstream side in the first direction as the center. A swing tray,
The movement control means includes
When the sheet discharged from the image forming unit is carried into the swing tray, the second end portion of the sheet placement surface of the swing tray is inclined below the upper end of the stacking tray. Become posture,
After the sheet or sheet bundle is stored in the swing tray, the transfer posture in which the second end portion of the sheet placement surface of the swing tray is located above or at the same height as the upper end of the swing tray. The sheet storage device according to claim 7, wherein the sheet storage device is controlled so as to become. A pair of alignment members for aligning the sheet on the tilting swinging tray in the second direction;
The pair of alignment members are:
A first alignment member located on the downstream side in the second direction with respect to the sheet on the swinging tray in the inclined posture, and a second alignment member located on the upstream side in the second direction,
The first alignment member is
The upper end of the first alignment member is positioned below the swinging tray in the transfer posture when the swinging tray is in the transfer posture without swinging integrally with the swing tray,
The second alignment member is
9. The sheet storage device according to claim 8, wherein the sheet storage device can swing integrally with the swing tray and can move in the second direction on the swing tray, and also serves as the transfer means.   The sheet storage device according to claim 9, further comprising a stapler that staples a bundle of sheets stacked on the swing tray and aligned by the pair of alignment members. The stapler is
11. The sheet storage device according to claim 10, wherein the sheet bundle is disposed at a position where the end of the sheet bundle on the downstream side in the first direction and the upstream side in the second direction is stapled. The stapler is
The sheet storage device according to claim 10 or 11, wherein the sheet storage device swings integrally with the swing tray. An image forming apparatus having an image reading unit and an image forming unit below the image reading unit, and a space is provided immediately below the image reading unit;
The sheet storage device according to any one of claims 1 to 12, which is disposed in a space of the image forming device,
An image forming system comprising:

Images