JP2019166662A - Image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide an image forming device that prevents jamming of paper dust in a pair of tooth rows for needle-less binding.SOLUTION: A normal mode is selected in a low humidity state and a paper dust reduction mode is selected in a high humidity state (S16). A standard binding load at the paper dust reduction mode is smaller than a standard binding load at the normal mode. The standard binding load can also be adjusted manually (S20). Other than the humidity, an operation mode may be selected considering whether or not the paper is in a humidity control state.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 10

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus.

  The image forming apparatus includes, for example, an image forming unit and a post-processing unit. A post-processing unit may be incorporated in the image forming unit. The image forming unit is an apparatus that forms an image on a sheet as a recording material. The post-processing unit is also called a finisher, and applies post-processing to a sheet or sheet bundle after image formation. As post-processing, needleless binding is known. There are several methods for needleless binding, and a typical one is a crimping method. The crimping method is a method of forming a binding portion as an uneven mark by sandwiching a sheet bundle between an upper tooth row and a lower tooth row. In the binding portion, fiber entanglement occurs between the sheets, which binds the sheets.

  Patent Document 1 describes that in paperless binding using a pressure bonding method, paper dust clogged between teeth is removed by idle driving. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-228561 describes that in the crimpless needleless binding, the pressing force is controlled according to the moisture content of the paper.

JP 2014-91249 A JP 2014-240126 A

  In the case of forming a binding portion as a concave / convex trace by sandwiching a bundle of sheets with a pair of tooth rows, depending on the situation, paper dust remains between one or a plurality of teeth (that is, valleys), and the remaining paper dust gradually It can grow and become huge. When paper dust clogging that cannot be ignored between any of the teeth occurs, proper binding processing cannot be performed, and as a result, the binding portion holding force (binding force between sheets) is reduced. Alternatively, such a paper jam may cause an excessive load on the mechanism that forms the binding portion. Therefore, it is desirable to apply operating conditions that are unlikely to cause such paper clogging. However, if such operating conditions are uniformly applied, depending on the situation, there will be an excessive measure, and another problem (for example, binding portion quality) Decrease).

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to enable a binding operation in which paper dust clogging is less likely to occur depending on the situation in a stapleless binding device that forms a binding portion as a concave and convex trace by sandwiching a sheet bundle with a pair of teeth. It is in.

  The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 includes a pair of teeth, and includes a stapleless binding device that forms a binding portion as a concave / convex mark by sandwiching a sheet bundle therebetween, and an operation including a normal mode and a paper dust reduction mode. A control unit that controls the operation of the stapleless binding device according to an operation mode selected from a mode group, and the control unit is configured to display the normal mode when the paper dust reduction mode is selected. A binding operation condition that is less likely to generate paper dust than a binding operation condition that is applied when selected is applied.

  The image forming apparatus according to claim 2 is characterized in that a binding load as the binding operation condition in the paper dust reduction mode is smaller than a binding load as the binding operation condition in the normal mode. .

  The image forming apparatus according to a third aspect is characterized in that the control unit selects an operation mode based on at least the output of the environmental sensor.

  5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the environmental sensor is a sensor that detects at least humidity, and the control unit satisfies a paper dust reduction mode selection condition including that the humidity satisfies a high humidity condition. The paper dust reduction mode is selected.

  6. The image forming apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the paper dust reduction mode selection condition further includes that the sheet bundle satisfies a humidity condition, and the control unit satisfies the high humidity condition and the humidity condition. The paper dust reduction mode is selected based on satisfaction of conditions.

  The image forming apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the control unit determines whether or not the sheet bundle satisfies a humidity control condition based on an elapsed time after loading the sheet.

  The image forming apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the paper dust reduction mode selection condition further includes that each sheet constituting the sheet bundle satisfies a sheet condition, and the control unit satisfies the high humidity condition. The paper dust reduction mode is selected based on the satisfaction of the paper conditions.

  The image forming apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the binding load in the paper dust reduction mode is a standard binding load, and includes an adjustment unit for manually adjusting the standard binding load, and the control unit includes the post-adjustment The operation of the needleless binding mechanism is controlled according to the binding load.

  The image forming apparatus according to claim 9 is characterized in that the standard binding load is an upper limit value within an adjustable range, and the standard binding load is lowered by the adjusting unit.

  The image forming apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the standard binding load is an intermediate value within an adjustable range, and the standard binding load can be adjusted up and down by the adjusting unit.

  The image forming apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the control unit prevents the paper dust reduction mode from being selected when there is a user input for turning off the paper dust reduction mode automatic selection function. Is.

  The image forming apparatus according to a twelfth aspect is characterized in that the control unit selects the normal mode when the paper state is not suitable for the paper dust reduction mode.

  The image forming apparatus according to claim 13 has a pair of tooth rows, a needleless binding device that forms a binding portion as a concave / convex mark by sandwiching a sheet bundle therebetween, and controls the operation of the needleless binding device. And a control unit that applies a binding load that is less likely to cause paper clogging in the first state that satisfies the high humidity condition than in the second state that satisfies the low humidity condition. is there.

  The image forming apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the stapleless binding device includes an interdental cleaning unit that performs interdental cleaning on the pair of teeth.

  According to a fifteenth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image forming apparatus comprising: an environmental sensor; and means for adjusting a cleaning force of the interdental cleaning means based on an output of the environmental sensor.

  According to the image forming apparatus of the first aspect, the paper dust clogging is less likely to occur due to the selection of the paper dust reduction mode.

  According to the image forming apparatus of the second aspect, paper dust clogging is less likely to occur due to a reduction in the binding load.

  According to the image forming apparatus of the third aspect, an operation mode suitable for the environment is selected.

  According to the image forming apparatus of the fourth aspect, the paper dust reduction mode is selected in a high humidity environment.

  According to the image forming apparatus of the fifth aspect, the paper dust reduction mode is selected when the sheet bundle is in a humidity control state in a high humidity environment.

  According to the image forming apparatus of the sixth aspect, it is determined whether or not the sheet bundle satisfies the humidity control condition with reference to the time when the sheet is loaded.

  According to the image forming apparatus of the seventh aspect, the paper dust reduction mode is selected when a specific sheet is used in a high humidity environment.

  According to the image forming apparatus of the eighth aspect, the standard binding load can be adjusted in the paper dust reduction mode.

  According to the image forming apparatus of the ninth aspect, the binding load can be adjusted downward with the standard binding load as the upper limit.

  According to the image forming apparatus of the tenth aspect, it is possible to adjust the binding load up and down based on the standard binding load.

  According to the image forming apparatus of the eleventh aspect, it is possible to prioritize the binding quality by turning off the paper dust reduction mode automatic selection function as necessary.

  According to the image forming apparatus of the twelfth aspect, the normal mode is selected according to the sheet status.

  According to the image forming apparatus of the thirteenth aspect, paper dust clogging hardly occurs in a high humidity environment.

  According to the image forming apparatus of the fourteenth aspect, the paper dust is removed and hardly remains.

  According to the image forming apparatus of the fifteenth aspect, the cleaning power of the interdental cleaning unit can be adapted to the environment.

1 is a schematic diagram illustrating an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment. It is the schematic which shows a needleless binding device. It is a perspective view which shows a pair of tooth row | line | column. It is a figure for demonstrating binding part formation by a crimping | compression-bonding system. It is a figure for demonstrating control of the motor which a stapleless binding device has. It is a figure for demonstrating binding part formation by a needleless binding device. It is a schematic diagram which shows a standby state. It is a schematic diagram which shows a proximity | contact state. It is a schematic diagram which shows a meshing state. It is a flowchart for demonstrating binding operation control. It is a figure for demonstrating a non-application determination condition. It is a figure which shows the part in which a binding part is formed. It is a figure which shows the 1st example of an operation mode selection method. It is a figure for demonstrating a standard binding load and its adjustment. It is a figure which shows the 2nd example of the operation mode selection method. It is a figure for demonstrating the determination method of whether it is a humidity control state. It is a figure which shows the 3rd example of an operation mode selection method. It is a figure which shows the step change of a standard binding load. It is a figure which shows the modification by which a standard binding load is designated manually. It is a figure which shows the 1st example of the display control before binding operation. It is a figure which shows an example of a suitable paper table. It is a figure which shows the 1st display example. It is a figure which shows the 2nd example of the display control before binding operation. It is a figure which shows the 2nd example of a display. It is a figure for demonstrating an image deletion process. It is a figure which shows arrangement | positioning of a pair of brush member. It is a figure which shows the effect | action of a pair of brush member.

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

(1) Image Forming Apparatus FIG. 1 shows a schematic configuration of an image forming apparatus according to the embodiment. The X direction is the first horizontal direction, and the Z direction is the vertical direction (vertical direction). The direction orthogonal to the X direction and the Z direction is the Y direction as the second horizontal direction.

  The illustrated image forming apparatus 10 is a multi-function device that functions as a copier, a printer, a scanner, or the like, and is also referred to as a multifunction device. The image forming apparatus 10 includes an image forming unit 12 and a post-processing unit 14 connected in the X direction. The image forming unit 12 forms an image on a sheet of recording material. The post-processing unit 14 performs post-processing on the paper after image formation. In the illustrated configuration example, the post-processing unit 14 has a function of performing stapleless binding. As post-processing, in addition to stapleless binding, binding with staples (staple), punching (punching), center folding, and the like are known. In the post-processing unit 14, one or a plurality of post-processing other than needleless binding may be executed. The image forming unit 12 may execute stapleless binding and a plurality of post-processing including the binding. In that case, the image forming unit 12 alone constitutes an image forming apparatus.

  The image forming unit 12 includes a main body 16 and an upper portion 18 in the illustrated example. The upper part 18 is provided so as to be openable and closable with respect to the main body part 16, and an automatic document feeder (ADF) is incorporated therein. The main body portion 16 has a housing, and a configuration described below is accommodated therein.

  The paper feed cassettes (paper feed trays) 19 and 20 each store a plurality of stacked sheets. Each of the paper feed cassettes 19 and 20 is provided so that it can be pulled out. The sheets sequentially taken out from any of the sheet feeding cassettes 19 and 20 are conveyed along the sheet conveying path 22. A paper reversing device is provided on the paper transport path 22 as necessary. Note that the upstream side and the downstream side of the paper transport path 22 are relatively defined with respect to the paper flow.

  The sensor unit S3 provided in the paper feed cassette 19 includes a sensor for detecting the out of paper and a sensor for detecting the set state of the paper feed cassette. Output signals from these sensors are sent to the control unit 38. Similarly, the sensor unit S3 provided in the paper feed cassette 19 includes a sensor that detects the out of paper and a sensor that detects the set state of the paper feed cassette. Output signals from these sensors are sent to the control unit 38.

  The image forming unit 12 shown in FIG. 1 includes an intermediate transfer unit 24. The intermediate transfer unit 24 includes an intermediate transfer belt 26 that rotates. A plurality of toner images corresponding to a plurality of colors are transferred (primary transfer) onto the intermediate transfer belt 26 by the image forming unit. The image forming unit includes a plurality of photosensitive drums corresponding to a plurality of colors. A plurality of toner images on the intermediate transfer belt 26 are transferred (secondary transfer) onto the paper. The sheet after the secondary transfer is sent to the fixing unit 28 where the fixing process is performed. The sheet after image formation is sent to the downstream side of the sheet conveyance path 22. For example, a post-processing unit may be provided in the middle part 22a. The post-processing unit may be assembled outside the housing. The image-formed paper is delivered from the image forming unit 12 to the post-processing unit 14. An image forming method other than the image forming methods mentioned above may be employed.

  A control unit 38 is provided in the main body unit 16. The control unit 38 includes a processor or the like that operates according to a program, and functions as control means. The control unit 38 controls the operation of each component included in the image forming apparatus 10. A user interface (UI) 40 is connected to the control unit 38. The UI 40 is configured by a liquid crystal display with a patch panel, for example. Necessary operation buttons (virtual buttons) are displayed on the screen, and a message or the like is displayed. Image processing conditions and post-processing conditions are designated by the user using the UI 40. When a personal computer (PC) is connected to the image forming apparatus 10 via a network, image processing conditions and post-processing conditions may be designated on the PC.

  The control unit 38 has a timer 38a. If necessary, the elapsed time after setting is measured for each of the paper feed cassettes 19 and 20 by the timer 38a. Specifically, after the paper out is detected, the paper feeding cassettes 19 and 20 are pulled out, the paper stack is accommodated in the paper cassettes, and then the time measurement by the timer 38a is started when the paper feeding cassettes 19 and 20 are set. The Thereafter, each time indicated by the timer 38a is an elapsed time after the sheet stack is loaded. As will be described later, by comparing the elapsed time with a threshold value, it is determined whether the sheet is in an unhumidified state or a humidified state. Although the moisture content of the paper is maintained within a certain range in the packaged paper laminate, when the packaging paper is removed and the paper laminate is exposed, the moisture content of the paper gradually changes depending on the environment. . For example, when 24 hours have passed since the setting, it is determined that the humidity adjustment state is familiar with the environmental humidity. This will be described in detail later.

  The controller 38 controls the operation of the needleless binding mechanism 44 via the control board 56 in the post-processing unit 14 as will be described later. Means for controlling the stapleless binding mechanism 44 may be provided in the post-processing unit 14, or such means may be provided across the image forming unit 12 and the post-processing unit 14.

  The detection values of the temperature sensor 34 and the humidity sensor 36 constituting the environment sensor unit are input to the control unit 38. In the illustrated configuration example, the temperature sensor 34 and the humidity sensor 36 are provided in the vicinity of the fixing unit 28, but they may be provided at other positions inside the casing or outside the casing. Alternatively, an environment detection value may be input from the outside (see reference numeral 42). A sensor for measuring the paper quality of the paper, a sensor for measuring the moisture content of the paper, and the like may be provided, and output signals from these sensors may be used for control by the control unit 38.

  The post-processing unit 14 will be described. The post-processing unit 14 includes a housing 43, and a needleless binding mechanism 44 is provided therein. The sheet delivered from the image forming unit 12 is transported along the sheet transport path 32. When needleless binding is designated as post-processing, the received paper is sent to the needleless binding mechanism 44.

  The stapleless binding mechanism 44 is a mechanism that forms a binding portion as a concave / convex mark on a sheet bundle by a pressure bonding method. In the embodiment, the needleless binding mechanism 44 has a high binding capability for forming a binding portion with respect to a sheet bundle composed of, for example, 10 sheets or 10 or more sheets. In order to align the sheets, the stapleless binding mechanism 44 is provided in an inclined state. The needleless binding mechanism 44 includes a stacking plate 46 having an inclined posture and a needleless binding device 50 provided on the lower end side thereof. A sheet bundle 48 is placed on the stacking plate 46, and the needleless binding device 50 performs a needleless binding process on the end of the sheet bundle 48. As a result, a binding portion is formed as an uneven mark, and the sheets are coupled to each other by the binding action of the binding portion. The binding action is caused by the entanglement of the paper fibers between the papers. A binding portion may be formed at a portion other than the end portion of the sheet bundle.

  The post-processing unit 14 has a control board 56. As will be described later, the control board 56 includes a PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) controller that supplies a drive signal to a motor included in the needleless binding device 50. The control unit 38 in the image forming unit 12 controls the operation of the motor via the control board 56. The control unit 38 controls operations of various movable units included in the needleless binding mechanism 44. The post-processed sheet bundle is discharged onto the discharge tray 54.

(2) Configuration and Operation of Needleless Binding Mechanism FIG. 2 shows a specific configuration of the needleless binding mechanism 44. The illustrated configuration is an example, and various mechanisms can be employed as the needleless binding mechanism 44. In FIG. 2, the x direction is a direction in which the paper moves forward and backward on the stacking plate 46 functioning as a tray, the z direction is a direction perpendicular to the x direction, and is a direction orthogonal to the stacking plate 46. The x direction and the z direction are rotated by a certain angle in the counterclockwise direction with respect to the X direction and the Z direction shown in FIG. The direction orthogonal to the x direction and the z direction is the y direction, which coincides with the Y direction.

  A roller pair 57 is provided in the vicinity of the downstream end of the sheet conveyance path 32, and sheets sequentially fed from the roller pair 57 are stacked on the stacking plate 46. A sheet bundle 48 is constituted by these sheets. The number of sheets constituting the sheet bundle 48 is, for example, in the range of 2 to 10, and the number of sheets is designated in advance. The sheet bundle 48 may be configured with a larger number of sheets. When aligning the sheet bundle 48, the paddle 58 rotates in the R1 direction, and this rotation exerts a force in the −x direction, that is, the S1 direction on each sheet. An end guide 62 is provided in the vicinity of the end portion in the −x direction of the stacking plate 46, and the position of each sheet in the x direction is aligned by the collision of each sheet with the end guide 62. The tamper unit 64 includes a pair of tamper members that press both ends of the sheet bundle 48 in the y direction, and the positions of the sheets in the y direction are aligned by the close movement of the pair of tamper members. As a method of aligning the sheet bundle 48, a method other than the method described above can be adopted.

  In FIG. 2, the needleless binding device 50 is schematically expressed with a slight exaggeration. The stapleless binding device 50 performs a stapleless binding process on a selected portion of the sheet bundle 48 after the alignment state of the sheet bundle 48 is formed. The stapleless binding device 50 has a pair of tooth rows, specifically, an upper tooth row 66 and a lower tooth row 68, and the end portion of the sheet bundle 48 is sandwiched between them with a constant load. At that time, the meshing state of the upper tooth row 66 and the lower tooth row 68 is formed. Thereby, the binding part (needleless binding part) as an uneven | corrugated trace is formed. After executing the stapleless binding process, the sheet bundle 48 is conveyed in the + x direction, that is, the S2 direction. At that time, the roller pair 60 sandwiching the sheet bundle 48 rotates.

  FIG. 3 schematically illustrates a main part of the stapleless binding device. FIG. 3 shows a standby state before the binding operation. The needleless binding device has an upper movable base 70, a lower movable base 72, an upper tooth row 66 and a lower tooth row 68. The upper tooth row 66 is disposed downward on the lower surface of the upper movable base 70, and the lower tooth row 68 is disposed upward on the upper surface of the lower movable base 72. In the standby state, the upper movable base 70 and the lower movable base 72 are in positions separated from each other.

  In a state in which the end portion of the sheet bundle is inserted between the upper tooth row 66 and the lower tooth row 68, the upper movable base 70 and the lower movable base 72 move in a direction close to each other (binding operation). As a result, an engagement state of the upper tooth row 66 and the lower tooth row 68, that is, a kind of collision state occurs, and as a result, a binding portion is formed in the sheet bundle. Thereafter, the upper movable base 70 and the lower movable base 72 move in a direction away from each other (return operation), and return to the standby state. This operation is repeated for each binding portion forming unit.

  The upper tooth row 66 and the lower tooth row 68 have, for example, a dozen teeth (convex portions). In the embodiment, the same one is used as the upper tooth row 66 and the lower tooth row 68 in order to reduce the manufacturing cost and to align the upper and lower teeth. The pair of teeth shown in FIG. 3 is merely an example, and various types of teeth can be used as the pair of teeth. Only one of the upper tooth row 66 and the lower tooth row 68 may be moved.

  FIG. 4 shows the meshing state. On the paper, the horizontal direction is the w direction and the vertical direction is the z direction. As will be described later, the needleless binding device according to the embodiment has a function of moving around the edge of the sheet bundle, and the w direction matches the y direction depending on the orientation of the needleless binding device. .

  The upper tooth row 66 has a plurality of convex portions (downward peak portions) 76 arranged at regular intervals in the w direction. A concave portion (downward valley portion) 77 exists between the adjacent convex portions 76. That is, the plurality of recesses 77 are arranged at regular intervals in the w direction. More specifically, the convex portions 76 and the concave portions 77 are alternately arranged. Similarly, the lower tooth row 68 has a plurality of convex portions (upward mountain portions) 78 arranged at regular intervals in the w direction. A recess (valley) 79 exists between the adjacent protrusions 78. That is, the plurality of concave portions 79 are arranged at regular intervals in the w direction.

  As shown in the drawing, in the meshed state, each convex portion 76 in the upper tooth row 66 enters into each concave portion 79 in the lower tooth row 68, and at the same time, each convex portion 78 in the lower tooth row 68 corresponds to each of the upper tooth row 66. It enters into the recess 77. As a result, a part of the sheet bundle is plastically deformed into a concavo-convex shape or a waveform, and the fibers are entangled between the sheets. In particular, entanglement tends to occur in the stretched portion. As a result of such a pressure-bonding process, a binding portion 74 having a self-binding property is formed.

  FIG. 5 schematically shows an electrical configuration of the needleless binding device 50. The needleless binding device 50 has a motor 84 as a drive source. In addition, a load sensor 86 and an encoder 88 are provided. The load sensor 86 is for monitoring the load in the binding portion forming process, and is provided as necessary. The encoder 88 is for monitoring the rotational speed of the motor. The detection signal of the load sensor 86 and the detection signal of the encoder 88 are sent to the control board 56. The control board 56 functions as a local controller, and the control board 56 includes a PWM controller 82 in the illustrated configuration example. A drive signal is supplied from the PWM controller 82 to the motor 84. In FIG. 5, devices such as drivers are not shown. The control board 56 may be provided in the image forming unit.

  The PWM controller 82 controls the rotation speed of the motor 84 by changing the pulse width, that is, by changing the duty. Further, the binding load is controlled by changing the number of pulses. The rotation speed of the motor 84 is detected by the encoder 88, and the PWM controller 82 feedback-controls the rotation speed of the motor 84 so that the specified rotation speed is obtained. The rotation speed at that time is designated by the control unit in the image forming unit. Of course, the rotational speed may be determined autonomously in the post-processing unit. Note that the PWM control is an example, and a control method adapted to the type of the motor 84 can be adopted. For example, the binding load and the binding speed may be controlled by voltage, current, frequency, and the like.

  FIG. 6 illustrates the upper surface of the stacking plate 46. An aligned sheet bundle 48 is placed on the stacking plate 46. Both ends of the sheet bundle 48 in the y direction are pressed by a pair of tamper members 64a and 64b. An end of the sheet bundle 48 in the −x direction is abutted against the end guide 62. In the illustrated configuration example, the needleless binding device 50 is movable along the rail 90 and performs a needleless binding operation at a designated location. In FIG. 6, the rail 90 is shown conceptually. For example, when forming the binding part 74 with respect to the corner part (upper left corner part) of the sheet bundle 48, the stapleless binding device 50 is set at the illustrated position, and stapleless binding is executed at that position. As illustrated by reference numerals 74A and 74B, it is also possible to execute needleless binding at other positions. When both the needleless binding device 50 and the needled binding device (not shown) are provided, a mechanism (for example, a retracting mechanism) is provided to avoid physical interference between them.

  Next, specific configuration examples and operation examples of the needleless binding device will be described with reference to FIGS. The illustrated needleless binding device 100 has basically the same configuration as the needleless binding device 50 illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 6. FIG. 7 shows a standby state, FIG. 8 shows a proximity state, and FIG. 9 shows a meshing state. After the meshing state, a proximity state and a standby state sequentially occur. 7 to 9, a part of the stapleless binding device 100 is shown for clarification of basic matters, and the other parts are not shown.

  In FIG. 7, the motor 120 is a drive source, and its operation is controlled by the PWM control method as described above. The motor 120 has a rotating shaft 122, and the rotational motion is transmitted to the gear unit 124. The gear unit 124 includes a plurality of gears 126 and 128. In FIG. 7, the gear portion 124 is shown in a simplified manner. In the illustrated configuration example, the cam shaft 130 is fixedly connected to the gear 128 in the gear portion 124. A cam plate 132 is fixedly connected to the cam shaft 130. The cam plate 132 is rotationally moved by the rotational force generated by the motor 120. The cam plate 132 has a plurality of contact surfaces 134, 136a, 136b.

  The needleless binding device 100 includes a link mechanism 101. The link mechanism 101 converts the rotational movement of the cam plate 132 into the opening / closing movement (proximity separation movement) of the upper tooth row 102 and the lower tooth row 104, and at the same time, the rotational movement of the cam plate 132 of the pair of pressing pieces 110, 112. It changes to opening and closing movement (proximity separation movement). In FIG. 7, some members included in the link mechanism 101 are shown. Specifically, the link member 140, the link member 142, the arm member 106, the arm member 108, the arm member 114, and the arm member 116 are shown. A roller 138 is rotatably provided on the link member 140, and the roller 138 contacts the contact surface 136 a of the cam plate 132. The operation of the link mechanism 101 will be described step by step with reference to FIGS.

  In the standby state shown in FIG. 7, the two arm members 106 and 108 are in an open state, and the two arm members 114 and 116 are also in an open state. The two arm members 106 and 108 correspond to the movable bases 70 and 72 shown in FIG. In FIG. 7, the upper tooth row 102 is fixed downward on the lower surface of the arm member 106, and the lower tooth row 104 is fixed upward on the upper surface of the arm member 108. A holding piece 110 is provided at the tip of the arm member 114, and a holding piece 112 is provided at the tip of the arm member 116. These holding pieces 110 and 112 constitute a holding member. As long as a necessary pressing function is exhibited, only one of the pressing pieces 110 and 112 may be provided.

  In the standby state shown in FIG. 7, a sheet bundle receiving space is formed between the upper tooth row 102 and the lower tooth row 104, and the end of the sheet bundle 118 is inserted therein. In FIG. 7, the sheet bundle 118 is schematically represented. Actually, the sheet bundle 118 has a thickness corresponding to the number of sheets constituting the sheet bundle 118.

  In FIG. 7, the movements of the upper tooth row 102 and the lower tooth row 104 are indicated by broken lines, and similarly, the movements of the pressing pieces 110 and 112 are indicated by broken lines. When the + x direction is the front and the -x direction is the rear, in the binding movement process, the upper tooth row 102 moves diagonally forward and downward, and the lower tooth row 104 moves diagonally forward and upward. The holding piece 110 falls down and moves upward, and the holding piece 112 moves upward. In this process, the upper tooth row 102 slides in the horizontal direction with respect to the holding piece 110, and the lower tooth row 104 slides in the horizontal direction with respect to the holding piece 112.

  As described above, when the cam plate 132 rotates counterclockwise, the upper tooth row 102, the lower tooth row 104, and the pressing pieces 110 and 112 are moved by the action of the link mechanism 101. These movements are examples, and each member may perform movements other than the above as long as the needleless binding process can be appropriately executed.

  FIG. 8 shows the proximity state. In addition, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected to the component same as the component shown in FIG. This also applies to FIG. 9 shown next.

  The rotation of the cam plate 132 causes the roller 138 to roll to the contact surface 136b, and accordingly, the posture and position of the link member 140 are changed. Other members constituting the link mechanism 101 are also in contact with the cam plate 132. The upper tooth row 102 and the lower tooth row 104 are brought closer to each other by the change in the position and posture of the plurality of link members accompanying the rotational movement of the cam plate 132, that is, by the action of the link mechanism 101. Prior to that, the pressing pieces 110 and 112 are in contact with the sheet bundle 118 from above and below, that is, the sheet bundle 118 is sandwiched. This proximity state also occurs in the return operation process after the binding operation process. In this state, the sheet bundle is reliably pulled away from the upper tooth row 102 and the lower tooth row 104 by the action of the pressing pieces 110 and 112.

  FIG. 9 shows the meshing state. The cam plate 132 is further rotated, and the roller 138 reaches the back side of the contact surface 136b. The tip of the link member 142 abuts against the contact surface 134 and the tip is flipped up. The upper tooth row 102 and the lower tooth row 104 mesh with each other with the sheet bundle 118 by the change in the position and posture of the link members, that is, the action of the link mechanism 101. At this time, the holding pieces 110 and 112 are in positions slightly retracted from the sheet bundle 118 so as not to affect the meshing of the upper tooth row 102 and the lower tooth row 104. However, as long as the mesh can be formed with an appropriate load, the pressing pieces 110 and 112 may be in contact with the sheet bundle 118 in the meshed state. After the meshing state is formed, a return operation is performed. In the process, the proximity state shown in FIG. 8 occurs, and finally the standby state shown in FIG. 7 is restored.

  The configurations shown in FIGS. 7 to 9 are merely examples, and various mechanisms can be adopted as the mechanism for configuring the needleless binding device 100. In the configuration shown in FIGS. 7 and 9, the movement of the plurality of arm members described above is realized only by the rotational movement of the camshaft by a single drive source, which is low when focusing on the electrical configuration. The configuration is realized at a cost.

  An encoder that detects the number of rotations is provided on the motor shaft or another rotating shaft. For example, the load sensor is provided in a position near the upper tooth row 102 and the lower tooth row 104 and receiving a binding load. In addition, an origin sensor, a limit switch, and the like are provided as necessary.

(3) Binding Operation Control Next, control of the needleless binding device will be described in detail. As already described, the binding operation of the stapleless binding device is controlled by the control unit in the image forming unit. In the present embodiment, the operation mode of the stapleless binding device includes a normal mode and a paper dust reduction (paper dust jam reduction) mode.

  The control shown in FIG. 10 is executed when needleless binding is designated. In S10, it is determined whether or not manual selection of the operation mode is requested. If the user desires manual selection of the operation mode, the operation mode selected by the user is accepted in S12.

  If manual selection of the operation mode is not required, in S14, the control unit determines whether or not to apply the operation mode automatic selection function. For example, as shown in FIG. 11, when the user turns off the automatic operation mode selection function, when the stapleless binding target is a specific type of paper (for example, a paper containing a lot of ash), the binding target The operation mode automatic selection function is not applicable when a predetermined application exclusion condition is met, such as when an image exists in a portion.

  For example, as shown in FIG. 12, if the binding target portions 168 and 170 are specified in each sheet constituting the sheet bundle, and any one of the binding target portions 168 and 170 includes an image, The operation mode automatic selection function may not be applied. If an image is included in the binding target portion, the binding force tends to be weakened. Therefore, the binding portion quality is given priority over the paper dust residue. When double-sided printing is performed as shown in FIG. 12, it is investigated whether or not there are images in the binding target portions 168 and 170 for the front surface and the back surface, respectively.

  On the other hand, when it is determined in S14 shown in FIG. 10 that the condition is not applicable, the operation mode is automatically selected by the control unit in S16. FIG. 13 shows a first example of the operation mode selection method. As illustrated, for example, when the environment 150 is low humidity, the normal mode is selected as the operation mode 152. The standard binding load 154 in the normal mode is, for example, 5000N. When the environment 150 is high humidity, the paper dust reduction mode is selected as the operation mode 152. The standard binding load 154 in the paper dust reduction mode is, for example, 4500N. In other words, paper dust tends to remain in a high humidity environment, and paper dust is likely to be clogged. Therefore, by reducing the binding load (for example, by reducing the binding load by 10%) This reduces the possibility of clogging. In a high-humidity environment, a constant binding portion quality can be obtained without increasing the binding load. Therefore, even if the binding load is reduced to a certain degree in the paper dust reduction mode, usually no major problem occurs. When the binding portion quality becomes a problem due to the reduction of the binding load, the normal mode may be manually selected (see S12 above) or the operation mode automatic selection function may be turned off. The process shifts from S14 to S22 in FIG. That is, as a result, the paper dust reduction mode is not selected. Moreover, you may change an actual binding load from a standard binding load using the manual adjustment function demonstrated below.

  In the embodiment, the control unit determines the low humidity state or the high humidity state based on the detection value of the humidity sensor. For example, the determination is made by comparing the detected humidity with a threshold value. Here, the low humidity state and the high humidity state are relative concepts and can be arbitrarily determined. When a correlation is recognized between temperature and humidity, it may be determined whether the humidity is low or high based on the detection value of the temperature sensor. A low-temperature and low-humidity state and a high-temperature and high-humidity state may be determined from a combination of humidity and temperature, and a binding operation condition suitable for each state may be applied.

  In S18, the control unit determines whether or not it is necessary to manually adjust the binding load. The adjustment value can be specified in advance. Alternatively, an inquiry about whether adjustment is necessary may be made to the user in S18. When the adjustment value is designated, in S20, the standard binding load is adjusted by the adjustment value, thereby setting the actual binding load.

  Here, manual adjustment of the binding load will be described with reference to FIG. Fmax is the maximum binding load value, and Fmin is the minimum binding load value. The standard binding load in the normal mode is indicated by F1, and the standard binding load in the paper dust reduction mode is indicated by F2. For example, when each standard binding load is determined as the upper limit value of the adjustable range, in the normal mode, the adjusted binding load F1 ′ is within the range from the standard binding load F1 to the lower binding load F3. Can be specified. When the adjustment value ΔF is specified in advance, the adjustment value ΔF is subtracted from the binding load F1 to determine the adjusted binding load F1 ′. When the paper dust reduction mode is selected, the adjusted binding load F2 'can be specified within the range from the standard binding load F2 to the lower binding load F4. Even in this case, if the adjustment value ΔF is designated in advance, the adjustment value ΔF is subtracted from the standard binding load F2 to determine the adjusted binding load F1 ′ when the operation mode is determined.

  Each standard binding load may be defined as an intermediate value in the adjustable range. In that case, as shown in FIG. 14, in the normal mode, the binding load can be adjusted in the vertical direction within the range from the binding load F5 to the binding load F6 with the standard binding load F1 as a reference. In that case, the adjustment value may be designated in advance in the form of + ΔF or -ΔF. Similarly, in the paper dust reduction mode, the binding load can be adjusted in the vertical direction within the range from the binding load F7 to the binding load F8 around the standard binding load F2.

  In FIG. 10, if the selected operation mode is the normal mode, the process proceeds from S22 to S24, and the binding operation is performed so that the binding load F1 or the adjusted binding load F1 'is generated. If the selected operation mode is the paper dust reduction mode, the process proceeds from S22 to S26, and the binding operation is executed such that the binding load F2 or the adjusted binding load F2 'is generated.

  As described above, according to the embodiment, since the binding load is reduced in a high humidity environment, it is possible to reduce the possibility of paper jam. Thereby, it can prevent or reduce that a binding part quality falls by the cause of paper dust jam, and can aim at protection of a stapleless binding device simultaneously. On the other hand, since the binding operation is executed with a sufficient binding load in a low-humidity environment, the quality of the binding portion can be maintained or improved.

  FIG. 15 shows a second example of the operation mode selection method. In the second example, the humidity state (environmental state) and the paper state are determined as the situation 156. That is, it is determined whether the humidity is high or low, and whether the humidity is not adjusted or not. The operation mode 158 is automatically selected from the determined combination of the two states.

  For example, as shown in FIG. 16, it may be determined whether the humidity is not adjusted or not based on the elapsed time after loading the paper. As described above, the elapsed time from the set time of the paper cassette after loading the paper stack is measured by the timer, and whether the elapsed time is less than the threshold (see reference numeral 162) or more than the threshold (see reference numeral 163). ), It may be determined whether the humidity is not yet adjusted. The threshold value can be arbitrarily determined according to the situation. Another method may be used to determine whether the humidity is not adjusted or not.

  In FIG. 15, the paper dust reduction mode is selected as the operation mode 158 in the case of the high humidity state and the humidity control state. The binding load as the binding operation condition in the paper dust reduction mode is, for example, 4500N. In other combinations, the normal mode is selected as the operation mode 158. The binding load as the binding operation condition in the normal mode is, for example, 5000N.

  FIG. 17 shows a third example of the operation mode selection method. As the situation 164, the paper type (plain paper / recycled paper) is considered in addition to the humidity state (low humidity state / high humidity state) and the paper state (unhumidified state / humidity controlled state). As shown in the figure, the operation mode 165 is selected according to the combination thereof. In the illustrated example, in the low humidity state, the normal modes 1 to 4 are selected according to the paper state and the paper type, and in the high humidity state, the paper dust reduction modes 1 to 4 are selected according to the paper state and the paper type. Is done. A standard binding load 166 is individually determined for each operation mode.

  The standard binding load defined for the paper dust reduction modes 1 to 4 is lower than the standard binding load defined for the normal modes 1 to 4 as a whole. Since recycled paper tends to generate paper dust, the binding load is made lower than when plain paper is used. When recycled paper is used in a high humidity state and a humidity control state, the standard binding load is the lowest. Each standard binding load described in this specification is an example, and the standard binding load can be arbitrarily determined for each operation mode.

  As shown in FIG. 18, the standard binding load may be changed in three or more steps according to the magnitude of humidity. In the illustrated example, when the humidity is within the range D1, the binding load F10 is set as the standard binding load. When the humidity is within the range D2, the binding load F11 is set as the standard binding load. When the humidity is in the range D3, the binding load F12 is set as the standard binding load. The binding load ranges that can be manually adjusted in the respective ranges D1, D2, and D3 are indicated by FF3, FF4, and FF5. In the illustrated example, the adjustable range is different for each of the humidity ranges D1, D2, and D3.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 19, the binding load F21 in the paper dust reduction mode may be determined by allowing the user to specify the binding load F20 in the normal mode and subtracting a certain load ΔFb therefrom. When there are a plurality of modes, a plurality of binding loads in the plurality of paper dust reduction modes may be determined by uniformly subtracting a constant binding load in this way.

  The paper list display control will be described with reference to FIGS. This prompts the user to use a paper (paper type) suitable for the environment before executing the stapleless binding. The operation shown in FIG. 20 is executed, for example, when needleless binding is designated by the user.

  In S30, the current environment is determined. Specifically, a normal environment or a high humidity environment is determined based on the detected humidity. If it is a normal environment, a paper list suitable for the environment is displayed on the UI in S32. If it is a high humidity environment, a paper list suitable for the environment is displayed on the UI in S34. For the display control of the paper list, a table as shown in FIG. 21 may be managed. The table includes a list 172 of paper suitable for the normal environment and a list 174 of paper suitable for the high humidity environment. In S32, 34, for example, a message 176 as shown in FIG. 22 is displayed on the UI. It includes a recommended paper list 178. The contents of the message 176 and the contents of the paper list 178 change according to the environment. The display control may be applied to an image forming apparatus that does not have a paper dust reduction mode.

  The display control for recommending the image erasing process will be described with reference to FIGS. The control is to recommend an image erasing process to the user according to the environment before executing the stapleless binding. In FIG. 23, in S40, it is determined whether the current environment is a normal environment or a high humidity environment. If the environment is a high humidity environment, a message recommending image erasing processing is displayed to the user in S42. For example, a display example is shown in FIG. When the image erase process is selected, for example, an image erase process as shown in FIG. 25 is executed. In the illustrated example, the image area 182 has an image in the entire sheet 180. Binding target portions 181 a and 181 b are included in an upper region 184 in the image region 182. In the illustrated example, the area 186 excluding the upper area 184 is an area where image formation is actually performed. The upper region 184 is a region not subject to image formation. That is, by excluding a part of the image from the print target, the image does not exist in the binding target part. This function is also called frame erase processing. The part to be erased may be limited to the binding target part. Since the position and number of the binding target portions are known in the image forming apparatus, the frame erasing processing conditions may be automatically determined according to the position and number of the binding target portions. Further, the binding target portion may not overlap the image by reducing the printing of the image or changing the printing position. The display control may be applied to an image forming apparatus that does not have a paper dust reduction mode.

  FIG. 26 shows the xz planes of the pair of brush members 200 and 202 constituting the interdental cleaning means. The brush member 200 is provided upward on the upper surface side of the pressing piece 110. The brush member 202 is provided downward on the lower surface side of the pressing member.

  As already described, in the binding movement process, the upper tooth row 102 performs a relative sliding movement with respect to the pressing piece 110. At that time, the brush member 200 hits the upper tooth row 102, and the paper dust existing between the teeth is scraped off. Also in the returning operation process, a reverse sliding motion occurs, and paper dust cleaning is performed on the upper teeth row 102. On the other hand, the lower tooth row 104 performs a relative sliding movement with respect to the holding piece 112 in the binding movement process. At that time, the brush member 202 hits the lower tooth row, and the paper dust existing between the teeth is scraped off. The same applies to the return operation process. The place where the pair of tooth rows 102 and 104 are cleaned by the pair of brush members 200 and 202 is different from the place where the sheet bundle is bound by the pair of tooth rows 102 and 104 as shown in FIG. The paper dust scraped out by the members 200 and 202 does not affect the binding force.

  In FIG. 27, the yz plane of the pair of brush members 200 and 202 is shown as an enlarged view. Here, paper dust remains in the plurality of recesses in the upper tooth row 102 and the lower tooth row 104. Each brush member 200, 202 includes a base 204, 208 and a flocking group 206, 210. In the process in which the dentitions 102 and 104 move relative to the pressing pieces 110 and 112, a plurality of linear bodies constituting the flocked groups 206 and 210 enter the respective recesses and expel paper dust from the respective recesses. . Such interdental cleaning is performed twice per one binding process.

  As described above, brushing of the pair of tooth rows 102 and 104 can be performed using the relative movement of the pair of tooth rows 102 and 104 with respect to the pair of pressing pieces 110 and 112, thereby preventing paper dust from remaining with a simple configuration. Or it can be reduced. Assuming two interdental cleanings (frequent interdental cleaning) in the binding processing unit, the possibility of paper dust residue and paper dust deposit growth can be reduced, so the binding load in the paper dust reduction mode can be reduced. It doesn't have to be too low. That is, it is possible to achieve both paper jam prevention and maintenance of the binding portion quality. You may arrange | position each brush member 200,202 so that replacement | exchange is possible.

  An interdental cleaning operation may be performed separately from the binding processing operation. For example, interdental cleaning may be performed at a timing when the necessity of cleaning is detected, a timing when a cleaning instruction is input from a user, a timing when preset time conditions are satisfied, and the like. When performing interdental cleaning without binding operation, when the pair of brushes passes through the pair of teeth in the binding movement process, the movement of the pair of brush members is stopped, and then they are returned and moved. That's fine. The pair of brush parts may be repeatedly reciprocated in a state where the pair of brush members are in contact with the pair of teeth. Further, the cleaning force of the pair of brush members may be adjusted based on the output of the environmental sensor. In general, the cleaning force can be adjusted by adjusting the force with which each brush member is pressed against each tooth row. The cleaning force may be adjusted by changing the relative speed of each brush member with respect to each tooth row. The frequency of interdental cleaning may be adjusted based on the output of the environmental sensor. The control unit functions as means for controlling the interdental cleaning operation and adjusting the interdental cleaning conditions. Other parts may assume the function.

(4) Arrangement of Disclosure Items The image forming apparatus according to the embodiment includes a needleless binding device and a control unit. The stapleless binding device has a pair of tooth rows, and forms a binding portion as a concave / convex mark with a bundle of sheets sandwiched between them. The control unit controls the operation of the stapleless binding device according to the operation mode selected from the operation mode group including the normal mode and the paper dust reduction mode, and when the paper dust reduction mode is selected. A binding operation condition in which paper dust is less likely to occur than the binding operation condition applied when the normal mode is selected is applied.

  According to this configuration, as an operation mode of the stapleless binding device, a paper dust reduction mode (which may be referred to as a paper dust clogging reduction mode) is prepared in addition to the normal mode. The paper dust reduction mode can be executed automatically or manually in a situation where it is likely to occur, or in a situation where it is desired to reduce the possibility of serious paper jams. As a result, the amount of paper dust remaining can be reduced, or the possibility of paper dust clogging can be reduced.

  According to the experiments by the present inventors, it has been found that paper dust is more likely to be clogged in a high humidity (especially high temperature and high humidity) environment than in a low humidity (particularly low temperature and low humidity) environment. In general, in a high-humidity environment, a binding portion having a constant quality can be formed even if the binding load is lowered. Therefore, in the embodiment, the paper dust reduction mode is selected when the paper dust reduction mode selection condition including the high humidity condition is satisfied, and the stapleless binding is executed with the reduced binding load.

  In the embodiment, the normal mode and the paper dust reduction mode are in a relative relationship from the viewpoint of the binding load. In the embodiment, the binding load in the normal mode is larger than the binding load in the paper dust reduction mode, in other words, the binding load in the paper dust reduction mode is smaller than the binding load in the normal mode. When the paper dust reduction mode is executed, the binding load may be switched stepwise or continuously according to other conditions. For example, the binding load may be changed according to the number of sheets to be bound. Further, other operation modes other than the above two operation modes may be prepared. The binding operation condition includes, for example, a binding operation speed in addition to the binding load. Depending on the situation, paper jams may be prevented or reduced by reducing the binding speed. In the paper dust reduction mode, both the binding load and the binding operation speed may be reduced.

  In the embodiment, the control unit selects an operation mode based on at least the output of the environmental sensor. It is determined based on the detection value of the environmental sensor whether paper dust or paper dust is likely to be jammed. In the embodiment, the environmental sensor is a sensor that detects at least humidity. The control unit selects the paper dust reduction mode when the paper dust reduction mode selection condition including that the detected humidity satisfies the high humidity condition is satisfied. Thus, the paper dust reduction mode is automatically selected according to the environment. This reduces the burden on the user. A temperature sensor may be provided as the environmental sensor, or a humidity sensor and a temperature sensor may be provided as the environmental sensor.

  In the embodiment, the paper dust reduction mode selection condition further includes that the sheet bundle satisfies the humidity adjustment condition, and the control unit sets the paper dust reduction mode based on satisfaction of the high humidity condition and satisfaction of the humidity adjustment condition. select. When paper is loaded, the wrapping paper that encloses the paper stack is usually removed, and the exposed paper stack is accommodated in the paper feed cassette. From that point on, environmental influences start to affect each sheet. In general, the moisture content of the paper increases in a high humidity environment, and the moisture content of the paper decreases in a low humidity environment. Therefore, in the embodiment, when the operation mode is selected, it is considered whether or not the sheet bundle subjected to the stapleless binding satisfies the humidity control condition. For example, the paper dust reduction mode is selected if the sheet bundle is in a humidity control state in a high humidity environment. The humidity control state is a state in which the moisture content of the paper is in an equilibrium state to some extent according to the environmental humidity.

  In the embodiment, the control unit determines whether or not the sheet bundle satisfies the humidity control condition based on the elapsed time after loading the sheet. According to this, it can be judged whether it is a humidity control state based on a time standard. The start time of the elapsed time is determined, for example, at the time of detection of out of paper, or at the time of setting the paper cassette after detection of paper out and after paper loading (when paper feed preparation is completed). In the embodiment, there are a plurality of paper feed cassettes, and the elapsed time is managed for each paper feed cassette. Then, it is determined whether or not the sheet bundle is in a humidity control state based on the elapsed time corresponding to the sheet bundle that is the target for stapleless binding. Even if the opening timing cannot be specified precisely, if it is judged whether or not the humidity is adjusted with a certain probability, the convenience can be improved compared to the case where the paper state is not taken into account, or the reliability of the stapleless binding operation is improved. Can be enhanced.

  In the embodiment, the paper dust reduction mode selection condition further includes that the paper sheets constituting the paper bundle satisfy the paper condition, and the control unit determines whether the paper condition is satisfied based on the satisfaction of the high humidity condition and the satisfaction of the paper condition. Select the powder reduction mode. The amount of paper dust and the holding power of the binding portion are different depending on the paper type. Therefore, when selecting the operation mode, whether or not the sheet condition is satisfied is considered. The paper condition is a paper type such as plain paper and recycled paper.

  In the embodiment, the binding load in the paper dust reduction mode is a standard binding load, includes an adjustment unit for manually adjusting the standard binding load, and the control unit operates the needleless binding mechanism according to the adjusted binding load. Control. According to this configuration, even when the paper dust reduction mode is selected, the binding operation can be performed with the adjusted binding load. This makes it possible to adjust the binding operation conditions to specific situations and needs. In the embodiment, the standard binding load is an upper limit value within an adjustable range, and the standard binding load is lowered by the adjustment unit. Alternatively, the standard binding load is an intermediate value within the adjustable range, and the standard binding load can be adjusted up and down by the adjusting unit. The intermediate value is a reference value, and a value other than the median value can be adopted as the intermediate value.

  In the embodiment, the control unit does not select the paper dust reduction mode when there is a user input for turning off the paper dust reduction mode automatic selection function. The paper dust reduction mode automatic selection function is turned off when priority is given to the binding portion quality over the possibility of paper dust jamming. In the embodiment, the control unit does not select the paper dust reduction mode automatic selection function when the paper status is not suitable for the paper dust reduction mode. For example, the normal mode is selected in a case where the binding force of the binding portion tends to be low or an image is included in the binding portion.

  From another viewpoint, the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment includes a pair of teeth, and a stapleless binding device that forms a binding portion as a concave / convex mark by sandwiching a sheet bundle therebetween, and the stapleless binding device. And a controller that applies a binding load that is less likely to cause paper clogging in the first state that satisfies the high humidity condition than in the second state that satisfies the low humidity condition. In the first state, a binding load in which paper dust clogging is unlikely to occur when forming the binding portion is applied.

  In the embodiment, the needleless binding device includes an interdental cleaning unit that performs interdental cleaning on a pair of teeth. According to this configuration, it is possible to reduce the possibility of paper jams due to the combination of the interdental cleaning and the paper dust reduction mode. Interdental cleaning is performed every time a binding process is performed or at a necessary timing. In the embodiment, the interdental cleaning means is configured by a pair of brush members that perform the interdental cleaning during the movement of the pair of teeth. If brushing is performed using one or both of the binding operation and the return operation, the number of parts can be reduced. Paper dust may be removed from between the teeth by a method other than brushing. For example, spraying jet air or other methods can be considered. An interdental cleaning means may be provided for a stapleless binding device that does not have a paper dust reduction mode.

  From this point of view, the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment includes a pair of tooth rows, a stapleless binding device that forms a binding portion as a concave / convex mark by sandwiching a sheet bundle therebetween, and a pair of And interdental cleaning means for removing paper dust from the dentition.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Image forming apparatus, 12 Image forming unit, 14 Post-processing unit, 34 Temperature sensor, 36 Humidity sensor, 38 Control part, 44 Needleless binding mechanism, 50 Needleless binding device, 66 Upper tooth row, 68 Lower tooth row, 82 PWM controller, 84 motor, 100 needleless binding device, 101 link mechanism, 132 cam plate, 102 upper tooth row, 104 lower tooth row, 110, 112 pressing piece, 200, 202 brush member.

Claims (15)

A needleless binding device having a pair of tooth rows and forming a binding portion as a concave / convex mark across a bundle of paper with them,
A control unit for controlling the operation of the needleless binding device according to an operation mode selected from an operation mode group including a normal mode and a paper dust reduction mode;
Including
When the paper dust reduction mode is selected, the control unit applies a binding operation condition in which paper dust is less likely to occur than the binding operation condition applied when the normal mode is selected.
An image forming apparatus. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1.
The binding load as the binding operation condition in the paper dust reduction mode is smaller than the binding load as the binding operation condition in the normal mode.
An image forming apparatus. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1.
The control unit selects an operation mode based on at least the output of the environmental sensor.
An image forming apparatus. The image forming apparatus according to claim 3.
The environmental sensor is a sensor that detects at least humidity;
The control unit selects the paper dust reduction mode when the paper dust reduction mode selection condition including that the humidity satisfies a high humidity condition is satisfied,
An image forming apparatus. The image forming apparatus according to claim 4.
The paper dust reduction mode selection condition further includes that the paper bundle satisfies a humidity control condition,
The control unit selects the paper dust reduction mode based on satisfaction of the high humidity condition and satisfaction of the humidity control condition.
An image forming apparatus. The image forming apparatus according to claim 5.
The control unit determines whether or not the sheet bundle satisfies a humidity control condition based on an elapsed time after loading the sheet;
An image forming apparatus. The image forming apparatus according to claim 4.
The paper dust reduction mode selection condition further includes that each sheet constituting the sheet bundle satisfies the sheet condition,
The control unit selects the paper dust reduction mode based on satisfaction of the high humidity condition and satisfaction of the paper condition.
An image forming apparatus. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2.
The binding load in the paper dust reduction mode is a standard binding load,
Including an adjustment unit for manually adjusting the standard binding load,
The control unit controls the operation of the needleless binding mechanism according to the adjusted binding load.
An image forming apparatus. The image forming apparatus according to claim 8.
The standard binding load is an upper limit value within an adjustable range,
The standard binding load is lowered by the adjustment unit,
An image forming apparatus. The image forming apparatus according to claim 8.
The standard binding load is a reference value in an adjustable range,
The standard binding load can be adjusted up and down by the adjustment unit,
An image forming apparatus. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1.
The control unit does not select the paper dust reduction mode when there is a user input to turn off the paper dust reduction mode automatic selection function.
An image forming apparatus. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1.
The control unit is configured not to select the paper dust reduction mode when the paper status is not suitable for the paper dust reduction mode.
An image forming apparatus. A needleless binding device having a pair of tooth rows and forming a binding portion as a concave / convex mark across a bundle of paper with them,
A control unit for controlling the operation of the stapleless binding device, wherein the control unit applies a binding load that is less likely to cause paper dust jam in the first state satisfying the high humidity condition than in the second state satisfying the low humidity condition; ,
An image forming apparatus comprising: The image forming apparatus according to claim 13.
The needleless binding device has interdental cleaning means for performing interdental cleaning for the pair of teeth.
An image forming apparatus. The image forming apparatus according to claim 14.
Environmental sensors,
Means for adjusting the cleaning force of the interdental cleaning means based on the output of the environmental sensor;
An image forming apparatus comprising:

Images