JP2020117391A - Post-treatment device and image formation system - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a post-treatment device that considers safety of an operator during a post-treatment.SOLUTION: The post-treatment device includes: a first loading part that can move to a loading position where a medium is loadable and to a retreat position where a medium is not loaded; a post-treatment part that performs post-treatment on the medium loaded on the first loading part; a second loading part that can move to a receiving position where a medium that is not loaded on the first loading part or a medium discharged from the first loading part is received and to a removal position where the received medium can be removed; a cover that can move to a release position where an opening that exposes an inner space in which the second loading part is provided to the outside is released and to a closing position where the opening is closed; and a controlling part that controls the movement of at least the second loading part and the cover. The receiving position is closer to the loading position of the first loading part than to the removal position, and the controlling part moves the second loading part from the receiving position to the removal position or from the removal position to the receiving position, with the cover moved to the closing position.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 10

Description

The present invention relates to a post-processing device and an image forming system.

Conventionally, after performing post-processing on a sheet on which an image is formed, an in-body discharge section between an image reading section that reads an image recorded on a document and an image forming section that forms an image on the sheet is used. An image forming system in which a processing device is arranged is known. A typical example of the post-processing is stapling processing in which a plurality of paper sheets are bundled with a paper fastener.

An image forming apparatus provided with a cover that opens and closes an opening that exposes the in-body sheet discharging portion to the outside has been conventionally known (see, for example, Patent Document 1). This image forming apparatus has a configuration in which the cover is switched from one of an open state and a closed state to the other in response to an operator operating an open/close switch.

The post-processing apparatus described above includes, for example, a binding and aligning unit that performs stapling processing, and a paper discharge tray that moves up and down below the binding and aligning unit. When the post-processing device having such a configuration is arranged in the in-body discharge section, foreign matter may enter between the binding alignment section and the discharge tray when the discharge tray is raised, and damage or deformation of components may occur. May cause equipment failure.

Therefore, it is conceivable to attach the cover described in Patent Document 1 to the image forming system including the post-processing device. However, since the cover described in Patent Document 1 opens and closes the in-body discharge section by the operation of the operator, the operator may erroneously open the opening of the in-body discharge section during the movement of the discharge tray. .. Therefore, it cannot be said that the related art can reliably avoid the device failure.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a post-processing apparatus that appropriately prevents foreign matter from entering when moving the second stacking unit from the receiving position to the taking-out position or from the taking-out position to the receiving position.

In order to solve the above-mentioned technical problem, one aspect of the present invention includes a first stacking unit that is capable of moving conveyed media between a stacking position where stacking is possible and a retracting position where stacking is not carried out, and the first stacking unit. A post-processing unit for performing post-processing on the loaded medium, a receiving position for receiving the medium not loaded on the first loading unit or the medium ejected from the first loading unit, and the receiving position A second stacking unit that is movable to a unloading position where the medium can be taken out, and an opening that exposes at least the internal space in which the second stacking unit is disposed, of the first stacking unit and the second stacking unit, to the outside. Is provided with a cover movable to an open position for opening and a closed position for closing, and a control unit for controlling the movement of at least the second stacking unit and the cover, and the receiving position is more than the take-out position. At a position close to the loading position of the first loading unit, the control unit moves the second loading unit from the receiving position to the unloading position or in the state where the cover is moved to the closing position. It is characterized in that it is moved from the take-out position to the receiving position.

According to the present invention, it is possible to obtain a post-processing apparatus that appropriately prevents foreign matter from entering when the second stacking unit is moved from the receiving position to the take-out position or from the take-out position to the receiving position.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the image forming system according to the first embodiment. FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an image forming system. Sectional drawing which shows schematic structure of a post-processing apparatus. The top view of a post-processing apparatus. The perspective view of a post-processing device. FIG. 4 is a diagram of the post-processing device as viewed from the downstream side in the sheet transport direction. The perspective view of a lock mechanism. The hardware block diagram of a post-processing apparatus. The flow chart of straight paper discharge processing. 6 is a flowchart of tray raising processing according to the first embodiment. 6 is a flowchart of a tray lowering process according to the first embodiment. Sectional drawing of a post-processing apparatus at the time of step S903. The top view of the post-processing apparatus at the time of step S903. 6 is a flowchart of stapling processing. The top view of the post-processing apparatus at the time of step S1406. The top view of the post-processing apparatus at the time of step S1407. 9 is a flowchart of tray raising processing according to the second embodiment. 9 is a flowchart of tray lowering processing according to the second embodiment.

[First Embodiment]
An image forming system 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the following description, the same components will be denoted by the same reference symbols in the drawings, without redundant description.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an image forming system 1 according to the first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram of the image forming system 1. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the image forming system 1 includes an image forming apparatus 100, a post-processing apparatus 200, and an image reading apparatus 300.

The image forming apparatus 100 is a tandem type electrophotographic color image forming apparatus. The image forming apparatus 100 is not limited to the indirect transfer method and may be the direct transfer method. Further, an inkjet method may be adopted instead of the electrophotographic method.

The image forming apparatus 100 includes an image forming unit 110 in which four color image forming units are arranged, a paper feeding unit 120 provided below the image forming unit 110, a paper P picked up by the paper feeding unit 120, and the like. A paper feed conveyance path 130 that conveys the medium to the secondary transfer section 140 and the fixing section 150, a paper ejection conveyance path 160 that conveys the sheet P on which the image is fixed to the post-processing apparatus 200, and an image is formed on the surface. A double-sided conveyance path 170 is provided to reverse the sheet P and guide it to the position of the secondary transfer unit 140 again.

The image forming unit 110 as an image forming unit includes a photoconductor drum for each color of YMCK, a charging unit arranged along the outer periphery of the photoconductor drum, a developing unit, a primary transfer unit, a cleaning unit, and a charge eliminating unit. An image forming station 111 including one image forming station, an intermediate transfer belt 112 that intermediately transfers an image formed on a photosensitive drum by a primary transfer unit, and an optical writing unit 113 that writes an image for each color on the photosensitive drum. Equipped with.

The optical writing unit 113 is arranged below the image forming station 111. The intermediate transfer belt 112 is arranged above the image forming station 111. The intermediate transfer belt 112 is rotatably supported by a plurality of support rollers 114.

The support roller 114 faces the secondary transfer roller 115 via the intermediate transfer belt 112 in the secondary transfer unit 140, and is capable of secondarily transferring the image on the intermediate transfer belt 112 to the paper P. The image forming process of the tandem type electrophotographic color image forming apparatus is publicly known and has no direct relation to the gist of the present invention, and thus detailed description thereof will be omitted.

The paper feeding unit 120 includes a paper feeding tray 121, a pickup roller 122, and a paper feeding and conveying roller 123. The paper feed unit 120 feeds the paper P picked up from the paper feed tray 121 upward along the paper feed conveyance path 130. An image is transferred to the paper P sent out by the secondary transfer unit 140, and is sent to the fixing unit 150.

The fixing unit 150 includes a fixing roller and a pressure roller. The fixing unit 150 allows the paper P to pass between the fixing roller and the pressure roller, and heats and presses the paper P during this time to fix the toner, which is a colorant, to the paper P.

A paper discharge transport path 160 and a double-sided transport path 170 are provided on the downstream side of the fixing unit 150 in the transport direction of the paper P. The paper discharge transport path 160 and the double-sided transport path 170 are branched in two directions by a branch claw 161. The branch claw 161 can be switched between a state in which the sheet P is conveyed to the sheet discharge conveyance path 160 (post-processing device 200) side and a state in which the sheet P is conveyed to the double-sided conveyance path 170. A branch conveyance roller 162 for conveying the sheet P is provided on the upstream side of the branch claw 161 in the sheet P conveyance direction.

The image forming apparatus 100 configured as described above is used for optical writing based on image data of an image on a document as a medium read by the image reading apparatus 300 or image data transferred from an external PC or the like. Image data to be generated.

The optical writing unit 113 performs optical writing on each photoconductor drum based on the generated image data. Then, the images formed for each color in the image forming station 111 are sequentially transferred to the intermediate transfer belt 112, so that a color image in which images of four colors are superimposed is formed on the intermediate transfer belt 112.

On the other hand, the paper P is fed from the paper feed tray 121 to the paper feed conveyance path 130 in accordance with the timing of image formation. The sheet P is temporarily stopped at the position of the registration roller immediately before the secondary transfer section 140, and is sent out so as to be timed with the leading edge of the image formed on the intermediate transfer belt 112. Then, the image is secondarily transferred to the sheet P by the secondary transfer unit 140, and is sent to the fixing unit 150.

In the case of double-sided printing, the paper P on which the image is fixed by the fixing unit 150 is conveyed to the discharge conveyance path 160 side by the switching operation of the branching claw 161 in the case of single-sided printing and after the back-side printing of double-sided printing. Is conveyed to the double-sided conveyance path 170 side.

The sheet P conveyed to the double-sided conveyance path 170 is fed again to the secondary transfer section 140 after being inverted, and after the image is formed on the back surface side, the sheet P is conveyed to the paper discharge conveyance path 160 side. The paper P that has been conveyed to the paper discharge conveyance path 160 side is discharged to the post-processing device 200, subjected to predetermined paper processing (post-processing) in the post-processing device 200, or discharged to the paper discharge tray 204 without post-processing. To be paper.

The image forming apparatus 100 also includes an operation panel 190 as an operation unit. The operation panel 190 is a user interface including a display for displaying various kinds of information, a touch panel superimposed on the display, push buttons, and the like. The operation panel 190 is arranged in the upper part and the front of the image forming system 1. In other words, the surface on which the operation panel 190 is arranged is the front surface of the image forming system 1.

The post-processing apparatus 200 performs post-processing on the image-formed sheet P discharged from the image forming apparatus 100, and stacks the sheet P on the discharge tray 204 located at the most downstream side in the transport direction. Details of the post-processing device 200 will be described later.

In the image forming system 1 according to the first embodiment, the post-processing device 200 has an internal space (inner trunk space) of the image forming system 1 formed above the image forming device 100 and below the image reading device 300. ) Is placed. That is, the post-processing unit of the post-processing device 200 is provided between the image reading unit of the image reading device 300 described later and the image forming unit of the image forming apparatus 100. As a result, effective use of space and space saving can be achieved. Further, as shown in FIG. 1, the in-body space of the image forming system 1 is exposed to the outside by openings formed on the front and side surfaces of the image forming system 1.

The image reading device 300 includes a known image reading unit that optically scans a document set on the contact glass to read an image represented on the document surface. The configuration and function of the image reading apparatus 300 itself are not directly related to the gist of the present invention, and thus detailed description thereof is omitted.

Next, details of the post-processing device 200 will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 to 7. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing a schematic configuration of the post-processing device 200. FIG. 4 is a plan view of the post-processing device 200. FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the post-processing device 200. FIG. 6 is a diagram of the post-processing device 200 as viewed from the downstream side in the transport direction of the paper P. FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the lock mechanism 213.

The post-processing device 200 includes a guide plate 201, an entrance roller pair 202, a paper surface detection sensor 211, a trailing edge reference fence 210, a paper ejection roller pair 203, a jogger fence (first stacking unit) 205, from the upstream side in the transport direction of the paper P. 206, a trailing edge guide 208, a stapling unit (post-processing section) 209, a leading edge stopper 207, and a discharge tray (second stacking section) 204. The post-processing device 200 also includes a cover 212 and a lock mechanism 213.

The guide plate 201 is a member that defines a conveyance path that receives the paper P from the paper discharge conveyance path 160 of the image forming apparatus 100. The entrance roller pair 202 is arranged on the upstream side in the transport direction of the paper P. The paper discharge roller pair 203 is arranged on the downstream side in the transport direction of the paper P. The entrance roller pair 202 and the paper discharge roller pair 203 convey the paper P on the conveyance path defined by the guide plate 201 by transmitting the driving force of the motor. Further, the paper discharge roller pair 203 has a function of shifting and discharging the paper P discharged from the image forming apparatus 100 in a direction orthogonal to the transport direction (hereinafter, referred to as “width direction”). Good.

The trailing edge guide 208 is arranged on the downstream side of the paper discharge roller pair 203 in the transport direction of the paper P. The rear end guide 208 is extended in the axial direction (width direction) between the contact position (broken line in FIG. 3) and the separated position (solid line in FIG. 3) by transmitting the driving force of the motor. Rotate around the rotation axis. At the timing when the trailing edge of the sheet P comes out of the paper discharge roller pair 203, the trailing edge guide 208 shown in FIG. It is possible to prevent a jam due to the discharge of the next paper P while the edge does not drop from the paper discharge roller pair 203.

The jogger fences 205 and 206 stack the paper P that needs post-processing among the paper P discharged from the image forming apparatus 100 through the guide plate 201. The jogger fences 205 and 206 are arranged apart from each other in the width direction. As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the jogger fence 205 includes a lower plate 205a, an upper plate 205b, a side plate 205c connecting the lower plate 205a and the upper plate 205b, and a cutout 205d. The jogger fence 206 includes a lower plate 206a, an upper plate 206b, and a side plate 206c that connects the lower plate 206a and the upper plate 206b.

Each of the jogger fences 205 and 206 is configured to be independently movable in the width direction by transmitting the driving force of the motor. More specifically, the jogger fences 205 and 206 can be moved to a stacking position (FIG. 4), an alignment position, a staple position (FIG. 15), a discharge position (FIG. 16), and a retracted position (FIG. 13). Is configured.

The stacking position is a position where the sheets P discharged from the image forming apparatus 100 can be stacked. When the jogger fences 205 and 206 are at the stacking position, the distance between the side plates 205c and 206c is set to be slightly larger than the size of the paper P discharged from the image forming apparatus 100 in the width direction. As a result, the sheet P discharged by the pair of sheet discharge rollers 203 is supported by the lower plate 205a on the right side and by the lower plate 206a on the left side.

The alignment position is a position for aligning (aligning) the positions of the plurality of sheets P supported by the jogger fences 205 and 206 in the width direction. When the jogger fences 205 and 206 are in the alignment position, the distance between the side plates 205c and 206c is set to be equal to or slightly smaller than the size of the paper P discharged from the image forming apparatus 100 in the width direction.

The stapling position is a position for performing a stapling process on the plurality of sheets P supported by the jogger fences 205 and 206. More specifically, the staple position is a position where the notch 205d of the jogger fence 205 enters the staple unit 209. The jogger fences 205 and 206 that move to the staple position move in parallel in the width direction after keeping the interval at the stacking position or moving to a position that matches the size of the paper P in the width direction.

The ejection position is a position for ejecting the sheet P supported by the jogger fences 205 and 206 (the sheet P after post-processing) to the sheet ejection tray 204. The width of the jogger fences 205 and 206 at the discharge position is larger than that at the stacking position, and the distance between the ends of the lower plates 205a and 206a that face each other is longer than the size of the paper P in the width direction. The jogger fences 205 and 206 that move from the stacking position to the discharging position move in the directions away from each other (outward in the width direction). As a result, the paper P supported by the jogger fences 205 and 206 falls on the paper discharge tray 204.

The retracted position is a position where the sheet P discharged from the image forming apparatus 100 is allowed to pass therethrough. When the jogger fences 205 and 206 are at the discharge position, the distance between the end portions of the lower plates 205a and 206a facing each other is set to be larger than the size of the paper P discharged from the image forming apparatus 100 in the width direction. , 206a are located outside both widthwise end portions of the discharged paper P. As a result, the paper P ejected by the paper ejection roller pair 203 passes through the jogger fences 205 and 206 and is stacked on the paper ejection tray 204.

The paper discharge tray 204 is a plate-shaped member that stacks the paper P discharged from the image forming apparatus 100 or the jogger fences 205 and 206 and allows the operator to take out the stacked paper P. The discharge tray 204 is provided with a slit 204a parallel to the transport direction of the paper P at the end portion on the downstream side in the transport direction of the paper P. The paper discharge tray 204 is arranged below the jogger fences 205 and 206. The discharge tray 204 is configured to be vertically movable between the receiving position (FIG. 12) and the take-out position (FIG. 3) by transmitting the driving force of the motor.

The receiving position is a position for receiving the paper P discharged from the image forming apparatus 100 or the jogger fences 205 and 206. The receiving position is a position at the upper end of the moving range of the discharge tray 204. That is, the receiving position is a position closer to the jogger fences 205 and 206 than the take-out position. More specifically, the discharge tray 204 at the receiving position and the jogger fences 205 and 206 are so close to each other that an operator's hand cannot reach them.

The take-out position is a position where the operator can take out the sheets P stacked on the sheet discharge tray 204. The take-out position is the lower end position of the moving range of the paper discharge tray 204. That is, when the paper discharge tray 204 is at the take-out position, a gap is formed between the jogger fences 205 and 206 and the paper discharge tray 204 so that the operator's hand can enter.

The front end stopper 207 and the rear end reference fence 210 play a role of aligning (aligning) the positions of the plurality of sheets P stacked on the jogger fences 205 and 206 or the sheet discharge tray 204 in the transport direction. The trailing edge reference fence 210 is arranged upstream of the jogger fences 205 and 206 and the paper discharge tray 204 in the conveyance direction of the paper P. The front end stopper 207 is arranged downstream of the rear end reference fence 210 in the transport direction of the paper P. That is, the front end stopper 207 and the rear end reference fence 210 are separated from each other in the paper P conveyance direction.

The tip stopper 207 receives the driving force of the motor to move between the forward movement position (FIGS. 3 and 4) and the backward movement position (FIGS. 2, 12, 13, 15, and 16) and the slit 204 a and the jogger fence 205. It is configured to be movable in the transport direction of the paper P along the space between the 206. When the front end stopper 207 is in the forward position, the distance between the front end stopper 207 and the rear end reference fence 210 is set to be equal to or slightly smaller than the size of the sheet P discharged from the image forming apparatus 100 in the conveyance direction. That is, when the front end stopper 207 is moved from the retracted position to the advanced position with the plurality of sheets P stacked on the jogger fences 205 and 206 or the discharge tray 204, the plurality of sheets P are aligned in the transport direction. ..

The stapling unit 209 executes a stapling process (post-processing) in which a plurality of sheets P stacked on the jogger fences 205 and 206 at the stapling position are bundled with a metal stapling needle. The staple unit 209 inserts a staple into the sheet P exposed through the notch 205d by transmitting the driving force of the motor, and bends the tip of the staple needle penetrating to the back surface side of the sheet P to form a sheet. P is bundled. In the present embodiment, the staple unit 209 as the post-processing section is based on the staple binding method using staples, but the paper P is sandwiched and crimped by a pair of crimp binding sections having a plurality of concave and convex portions. A staple-less binding method for binding the paper P by doing this may be used.

The paper surface detection sensor 211 is a sensor that detects the upper surface of the paper discharge tray 204 or the upper surface of the paper P stacked on the paper discharge tray 204. The paper surface detection sensor 211 is, for example, an LED that emits light, a photodiode that receives the emitted light, a probe 211a that is rotated by being in contact with the paper discharge tray 204 or the paper P, and is interlocked with the probe 211a. And a filler 211b that rotates between the LED and the photodiode. However, the specific configuration of the paper surface detection sensor 211 is not limited to this, and may be a mechanical sensor or the like.

The sheet surface detection sensor 211 receives the driving force of the motor, and a rotation shaft extending in the axial direction (width direction) as a fulcrum is provided between the detection position (FIG. 3) and the standby position (FIG. 12). Rotate. The detection position is on the path of the paper P discharged from the image forming apparatus 100 or the jogger fences 205 and 206 to the paper discharge tray 204, and the upper surface of the paper discharge tray 204 or the paper P stacked on the paper discharge tray 204 is detected. It is a position where the upper surface can be detected. The standby position is a position deviated from the path of the paper P discharged from the image forming apparatus 100 or the jogger fences 205 and 206 to the discharge tray 204, and is placed on the upper surface of the discharge tray 204 or on the discharge tray 204. It is a position where the upper surface of the paper P cannot be detected.

When the paper surface detection sensor 211 is at the detection position and the upper surface of the paper discharge tray 204 or the upper surface of the paper P is not in contact with the probe 211a, the filler 211b blocks light from the LED toward the photodiode. That is, the photodiode cannot receive the light emitted from the LED. At this time, the paper surface detection sensor 211 outputs an OFF signal to the controller 410 described later.

When the paper surface detection sensor 211 is at the detection position and the upper surface of the paper discharge tray 204 or the upper surface of the paper P is in contact with the probe 211a, the filler 211b allows light traveling from the LED to the photodiode to pass therethrough. That is, the photodiode can receive the light emitted from the LED. At this time, the paper surface detection sensor 211 outputs an ON signal to the controller 410.

The cover 212 opens and closes an opening (hereinafter, referred to as “front opening”) on the front side (the side where the operation panel of FIG. 1 is provided) that exposes the in-body space of the image forming system 1. The cover 212 is configured to be vertically movable between the open position (FIG. 1) and the closed position (FIG. 7) by transmitting the driving force of the motor. The open position is a position where the front opening is opened. That is, when the cover 212 is in the open position, the operator can put his/her hand into the in-body space through the front opening of the image forming system 1. The closing position is a position where the front opening is closed. That is, when the cover 212 is in the closed position, the operator cannot put his/her hand into the in-body space through the front opening of the image forming system 1.

As shown in FIG. 6, the cover 212 at the closed position does not have to cover the entire front opening in the up-down direction. In other words, the upper end of the front opening may remain open when the cover 212 is in the closed position. More specifically, the cover 212 at the closing position may close at least an area of the front opening facing the moving range of the sheet discharge tray 204. In other words, the upper end of the cover 212 at the closed position may be located above the upper surface of the discharge tray 204 at the receiving position.

Further, the cover 212 according to the first embodiment slides (elevates) vertically between the open position and the closed position. However, the method of moving the cover 212 is not limited to this. As another example, the cover 212 may be configured to be rotatable around the lower end of the front opening between the open position and the closed position.

Further, in the post-processing device 200 according to the first embodiment, only the front opening of the in-body space is opened and closed by the cover 212, and the side opening remains open. However, the cover 212 may have an L-shape capable of further opening and closing the side opening, or may open and close the front opening and the side opening independently.

As shown in FIG. 7, the lock mechanism 213 plays a role of locking the cover 212 in the closed position. Specifically, the lock mechanism 213 includes a lock pin 213a that advances and retreats when the driving force of the motor is transmitted. The advanced lock pin 213a enters the lock hole 212a provided in the cover 212 and prevents the cover 212 from moving from the closed position. On the other hand, the retracted lock pin 213a retracts from the lock hole 212a and allows the cover 212 to move from the closed position to the open position. However, the specific configuration of the lock mechanism 213 is not limited to the example of FIG. 7.

The post-processing device 200 according to the first embodiment has a straight paper ejection mode in which the paper P is ejected without post-processing, and a staple mode in which a plurality of paper P is bundled (post-processed) and ejected. It is configured to be switchable to. The mode of the post-processing apparatus 200 is switched by an operator's operation through the operation panel 190, for example.

FIG. 8 is a hardware configuration diagram of the post-processing device 200. The controller 410 of the post-processing device 200 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 411, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 412, a RAM (Random Access Memory) 413, and a serial I/F 414.

The CPU 411 is an arithmetic means and controls the operation of the entire post-processing device 200. A program executed by the CPU 411 is stored in the ROM 412. The RAM 413 is used as a work area when the CPU 411 processes information. The controller 410 processes the program stored in the ROM 412 by the arithmetic function of the CPU 411. The processing constitutes a software control unit including various functional modules of the post-processing device 200. A combination of the software control unit configured in this way and the hardware resources installed in the post-processing apparatus 200 constitutes a functional block that realizes the functions of the post-processing apparatus 200.

The serial I/F 414 is an interface for connecting a serial cable extending from the controller of the image forming apparatus 100. That is, the controller 410 of the post-processing apparatus 200 is configured to be able to communicate with the image forming apparatus 100. The signal output from the image forming apparatus 100 to the post-processing apparatus 200 is, for example, a signal indicating the size of the paper P on which an image is formed, a signal indicating the mode of the post-processing apparatus 200 selected by the operator through the operation panel 190, or the like. ..

The controller 410 as a control unit acquires a signal output from the paper surface detection sensor 211 and a signal output from the image forming apparatus 100 through the serial I/F 414, and outputs a drive current to various motors based on the acquired signal. To do. As a result, the inlet roller pair 202, the paper discharge roller pair 203, the paper discharge tray 204, the jogger fences 205 and 206, the leading end stopper 207, the trailing end guide 208, the staple unit 209, the paper surface detection sensor 211, the cover 212, and the lock mechanism 213. Works.

Next, the straight paper discharge process will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 9 is a flowchart of the straight paper discharge process. FIG. 10 is a flowchart of the tray raising process. FIG. 11 is a flowchart of the tray lowering process. FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view of the post-processing device 200 at the time of step S903. FIG. 13 is a plan view of the post-processing device 200 at the time of step S903.

The straight sheet discharge process is executed by the controller 410 when the image forming apparatus 100 records an image on the sheet P in the straight sheet discharge mode of the post-processing apparatus 200. At the start of the straight paper discharge process, for example, the paper discharge tray 204 is at the take-out position, the jogger fences 205 and 206 are at the discharge position, the leading end stopper 207 is at the retracted position, the paper surface detection sensor 211 is at the detection position, and the cover is on. It is assumed that 212 is located in the open position.

First, when starting the image forming JOB, the image forming apparatus 100 outputs a signal indicating the size and the number of sheets of the paper P on which the image is formed to the post-processing apparatus 200 through the serial cable. Then, when the controller 410 of the post-processing apparatus 200 receives a signal from the image forming apparatus 100 via the serial I/F 414, it executes the tray raising process shown in FIG. 10 (S901).

In the tray raising process, the controller 410 moves the jogger fences 205 and 206 to the retracted position (S1001). Next, the controller 410 starts moving the cover 212 from the open position to the closed position (S1002). Then, the controller 410 does not proceed to the processing of step S1004 and subsequent steps until the cover 212 reaches the closed position (S1003: No). Note that the controller 410 may detect that the cover 212 has reached the closed position, for example, by a sensor that detects the position of the cover 212 or an encoded value output from an encoder of a motor.

Next, when the cover 212 reaches the closed position (S1003: Yes), the controller 410 locks the cover 212 at the closed position by the lock mechanism 213 (S1004). Next, the controller 410 starts moving the paper discharge tray 204 from the take-out position to the receiving position (S1005). Then, when the discharge tray 204 reaches the receiving position (S1006: Yes), the controller 410 ends the tray raising process. By doing so, the controller 410 moves the cover 212 to the closed position, and in that state, moves the paper discharge tray 204 from the take-out position to the receiving position. Note that the controller 410 determines that the paper discharge tray 240 has reached the receiving position, for example, when the signal output from the paper surface detection sensor 211 is switched from the OFF signal to the ON signal.

Next, returning to FIG. 9, the controller 410 moves the paper surface detection sensor 211 from the detection position to the standby position (S902). As a result, as shown in FIGS. 12 and 13, the paper discharge tray 204 is in the receiving position, the jogger fences 205 and 206 are in the retracted position, the leading end stopper 207 is in the retracted position, the paper surface detection sensor 211 is in the standby position, and the cover. 212 is placed in the closed position.

Next, the controller 410 causes the discharge roller pair 203 to discharge the paper P (S903). At this time, the controller 410 rotates the trailing edge guide 208 from the separated position to the contact position at the timing when the trailing edge of the paper P passes through the paper discharge roller pair 203, and returns it to the separated position again. As a result, the paper P ejected from the paper ejection roller pair 203 passes through the jogger fences 205 and 206 at the retracted position, and is stacked on the paper ejection tray 204.

Next, the controller 410 moves the front end stopper 207 from the retracted position to the advanced position and returns it to the retracted position again (S904). As a result, the paper P on the paper discharge tray 204 is sandwiched between the front end stopper 207 and the rear end reference fence 210, and the position in the transport direction (the rear end position of the paper P in the paper ejection direction) projects into the rear end reference fence 210. Aligned as applied. Next, the controller 410 moves the paper surface detection sensor 211 from the standby position to the detection position (S905). At this time, the probe 211a comes into contact with the upper surface of the paper P stacked on the paper discharge tray 204, so the paper surface detection sensor 211 outputs an ON signal to the controller 410.

Next, the controller 410 lowers the paper discharge tray 204 (S906) until the signal output from the paper surface detection sensor 211 switches from the ON signal to the OFF signal (S907: No). That is, the controller 410 lowers the position of the upper surface of the sheets P newly stacked in step S903 to the position of the upper surface of the paper discharge tray 204 in the tray raising process. The position of the paper discharge tray 204 at this time is the receiving position of the paper P to be discharged next.

Next, when the discharge tray 204 descends to a predetermined position (S907: Yes), the controller 410 determines whether the image forming JOB (the number of JOBs set at the start of image forming) is completed (S908). .. More specifically, the controller 410 determines whether the number of sheets P discharged from the pair of discharge rollers 203 has reached the number of set JOB copies, that is, a value acquired from the image forming apparatus 100. judge.

When the controller 410 determines that the image forming JOB is not completed (S908: No), the process returns to step S902, and the processes of steps S902 to S907 for the next sheet P are executed. On the other hand, when the controller 410 determines that the image forming JOB is completed (S908: Yes), it executes the tray lowering process shown in FIG. 11 (S909).

In the tray lowering process, the controller 410 starts moving the paper discharge tray 204 from the receiving position to the take-out position (S1101). Then, the controller 410 waits for execution of the processing of step S1103 and subsequent steps until the paper discharge tray 204 reaches the ejection position (S1102: No). It should be noted that the controller 410 may detect that the paper ejection tray 204 has reached the take-out position, for example, by a sensor that detects the position of the paper ejection tray 204 or an encoded value output from an encoder of a motor.

Next, when the discharge tray 204 reaches the take-out position (S1102: Yes), the controller 410 unlocks the cover 212 by the lock mechanism 213 (S1103). Next, the controller 410 starts moving the cover 212 from the closed position to the open position (S1204). By doing so, the controller 410 moves the paper discharge tray 204 from the receiving position to the take-out position while moving the cover 212 to the closed position. Whether the cover 212 has reached the open position may be determined by, for example, the same method as in step S1003. As a result, the operator can take out the sheets P stacked on the sheet discharge tray 204 through the front opening.

Then, when the cover 212 reaches the open position (S1105: Yes), the controller 410 moves the jogger fence 205 and the tip stopper 207 to the initial position (S1106). As an example, the initial positions of the jogger fences 205 and 206 are discharge positions, and the initial position of the tip stopper 207 is a retracted position. However, specific examples of the initial position are not limited to these. As a result, the straight paper discharge process is completed.

Next, the stapling process will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 14 is a flowchart of the stapling process. FIG. 15 is a plan view of the post-processing device 200 at the time of step S1406. FIG. 16 is a plan view of the post-processing device 200 at the time of step S1407.

The stapling process is executed by the controller 410 when the image forming apparatus 100 records an image on the sheet P in the stapling mode of the post-processing apparatus 200. It should be noted that a detailed description of the process common to the straight paper discharge process is omitted, and the different points will be mainly described.

First, the image forming apparatus 100 sends a signal indicating the size of the paper P on which an image is to be formed, the number of the paper P included in the paper bundle, the number of copies of the paper bundle, and the like through the serial cable when starting the image forming JOB. Output to the post-processing device 200. Then, when the controller 410 of the post-processing apparatus 200 receives a signal from the image forming apparatus 100 via the serial I/F 414, it executes the tray raising process shown in FIG. 10 (S1401).

The tray raising process executed in step S1401 is different from the tray raising process executed in step S901 of FIG. 9, specifically, the process of step S1001 of FIG. 10 is different, and the other steps S1002 to S1006. Is the same. In the tray raising process executed in step S1401, the controller 410 performs a process of moving the jogger fences 205 and 206 to the stacking position, instead of the process of step S1001 of the tray raising process of FIG.

When the tray raising process executed in step S1401 is completed, the controller 410 moves the paper surface detection sensor 211 from the detection position to the standby position (S1402). Next, the controller 410 causes the discharge roller pair 203 to discharge the paper P (S1403). The processing of steps S1402 to S1403 is the same as the processing of steps S902 to S903, and therefore description thereof will be omitted.

As a result, the paper P discharged from the paper discharge roller pair 203 enters the space surrounded by the lower plates 205a and 206a, the upper plates 205b and 206b, and the side plates 205c and 206c of the stacking position, It is loaded on the lower plates 205a and 206a.

Next, the controller 410 moves the tip stopper 207 from the retracted position to the advanced position, returns it to the retracted position again, moves the jogger fences 205 and 206 from the loading position to the alignment position, and returns to the loading position again (S1404). .. As a result, the positions of the paper P on the jogger fences 205 and 206 in the transport direction and the width direction are aligned. The reciprocating motions of the tip stopper 207 and the jogger fences 205 and 206 may be executed simultaneously or in order.

Next, the controller 410 determines whether or not the last sheet of the 1JOB sheet bundle has been discharged (S1405). That is, the controller 410 determines whether or not the number of sheets P stacked on the jogger fences 205 and 206 has reached the number of sheets P included in the sheet bundle of 1 JOB. Then, when the controller 410 determines that the last sheet of the 1-JOB sheet bundle has not been discharged (S1405: No), the process returns to step S1403 and executes the processes of steps S1403 to S1404 for the next sheet P.

Next, when the controller 410 determines that the last sheet of the 1-JOB sheet bundle has been discharged (S1405: Yes), the jogger fences 205 and 206 are moved from the stacking position to the stapling position, as shown in FIG. Then, the controller 410 causes the stapling unit 209 to perform stapling processing on the plurality of sheets P stacked on the jogger fences 205 and 206 at the stapling position (S1406).

Next, the controller 410 moves the jogger fences 205 and 206 to the loading position, further moves the jogger fences 205 and 206 to the discharging position, and returns them to the loading position again (S1407). That is, the controller 410 moves the jogger fences 205 and 206 that have returned to the loading position in the directions in which they are separated from each other. As a result, the sheet bundle of sheets P that have been stacked on the jogger fences 205 and 206 and that have undergone stapling fall onto the sheet discharge tray 204.

Next, the controller 410 moves the paper surface detection sensor 211 from the standby position to the detection position (S1408). Next, the controller 410 lowers the paper discharge tray 204 (S1409) until the signal output from the paper surface detection sensor 211 switches from the ON signal to the OFF signal (S1410: No). The processing of steps S1408 to S1410 is the same as the processing of steps S905 to S907, and thus description thereof will be omitted.

Next, when the discharge tray 204 is lowered to a predetermined position (S1410: Yes), the controller 410 determines whether the image forming JOB is completed (S1411). More specifically, the controller 410 determines whether or not the number of sheets of paper P ejected from the jogger fences 205 and 206 has reached the number of set JOB copies, that is, a value acquired from the image forming apparatus 100. judge.

When the controller 410 determines that the image forming JOB has not been completed (S1411: No), the controller 410 returns to step S1402 and executes the processes of steps S1402 to S1410 for the next sheet P. On the other hand, when the controller 410 determines that the image forming JOB is completed (S1411: Yes), it executes the tray lowering process shown in FIG. 11 (S1412). The tray lowering process executed in step S1412 is the same as the tray lowering process executed in step S909, and therefore its description is omitted. This completes the stapling process.

According to the first embodiment, for example, the following operational effects are exhibited.

According to the tray raising process according to the first embodiment, the paper discharge tray 204 is moved from the take-out position to the receiving position while the cover 212 is being moved to the closed position. It is possible to prevent foreign matter from entering the body space through the opening.

Further, according to the tray lowering process according to the first embodiment, since the paper discharge tray 204 is moved from the receiving position to the take-out position while the cover 212 is moved to the closed position, the paper discharge tray 204 is being lowered. Moreover, it is possible to prevent foreign matter from entering the body space through the front opening.

The foreign matter that can enter the body space includes, for example, the hand of an operator who tries to take out the paper P on the paper discharge tray 204. That is, according to the above configuration, it is possible to effectively prevent the operator's hand from being caught between the components of the post-processing device 200.

Further, according to the first embodiment, the cover 212 in the closed position is locked by the lock mechanism 213. As a result, the operator cannot manually move the cover 212 to the open position during the straight paper discharge process and the stapling process. As a result, it is possible to effectively prevent foreign matter from entering the in-body space during the post-treatment.

In the tray raising process according to the first embodiment, after moving the cover 212 to the closed position, the movement of the paper discharge tray 204 from the take-out position to the receiving position is started. As a result, it is possible to reliably prevent an operator from entering a foreign substance into the in-body space while the paper ejection tray 204 is being raised.

However, the timing at which the discharge tray 204 starts rising is not limited to the example of FIG. That is, the controller 410 may execute the movement of the cover 212 to the closed position and the movement of the discharge tray 204 to the receiving position in parallel. This improves the processing speed of the tray raising processing. However, it is preferable that the movement start timing and the movement speed of the paper discharge tray 204 and the cover 212 are adjusted so that the cover 212 reaches the closed position before the paper discharge tray 204 reaches the receiving position. That is, the controller 410 may position the cover 212 at the closed position at least at the moment when the paper discharge tray 204 reaches the receiving position.

Further, in the tray lowering process according to the first embodiment, after moving the paper discharge tray 204 to the ejection position, the movement of the cover 212 from the closed position to the open position is started. As a result, it is possible to reliably prevent foreign matter from entering the in-body space while the paper discharge tray 204 is descending.

However, the timing of starting the movement of the cover 212 is not limited to the example of FIG. 11. That is, the controller 410 may execute the movement of the cover 212 to the open position and the movement of the paper discharge tray 204 to the take-out position in parallel. As a result, the processing speed of the tray lowering processing is improved. However, it is desirable that the movement start timing and the movement speed of the paper discharge tray 204 and the cover 212 are adjusted so that the paper discharge tray 204 reaches the take-out position before the cover 212 reaches the open position. That is, the controller 410 may stop the paper discharge tray 204 at least at the moment when the cover 212 is located at the open position.

Further, in the straight sheet discharging process and the stapling process according to the first embodiment, the processes of steps S902 to S908 and steps S1402 to S1411 are executed with the cover 212 positioned at the closed position. As a result, it is possible to prevent foreign matter from coming into contact with the paper discharge tray 204, the jogger fences 205 and 206, the leading end stopper 207, and the paper surface detection sensor 211 that move in the in-body space. However, the position of the cover 212 in steps S902 to S908 and steps S1402 to S1411 is not limited to the example of the first embodiment.

[Second Embodiment]
Next, the image forming system 1 according to the second embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 17 and 18. FIG. 17 is a flowchart of the tray raising process according to the second embodiment. FIG. 18 is a flowchart of the tray lowering process according to the second embodiment. The detailed description of the common points with the first embodiment will be omitted, and the description will focus on the differences. Since the structure of the image forming system 1 according to the second embodiment is the same as that of the first embodiment, the description thereof will be omitted.

In the tray raising process shown in FIG. 17, steps S1701 to S1705 are the same as steps S1001 to S1003 and S1005 to S1006 in FIG. On the other hand, when the discharge tray 204 reaches the receiving position (S1705: Yes), the controller 410 according to the second embodiment starts moving the cover 212 from the closed position to the open position (S1706). Then, when the cover 212 reaches the open position (S1707: Yes), the controller 410 ends the tray raising process.

Further, in the tray lowering process shown in FIG. 18, the processes of steps S1803 to S1807 are the same as the processes of steps S1101 to S1102 and S1104 to S1106 of FIG. On the other hand, the controller 410 according to the second embodiment starts moving the cover 212 from the open position to the closed position prior to the processing of step S1803 (S1801). Then, when the cover 212 reaches the closed position (S1802: Yes), the controller 410 starts the processes of step S1803 and thereafter.

According to the second embodiment, the following operational effects are obtained in addition to the operational effects of the first embodiment.

In the straight sheet discharging process and the stapling process according to the second embodiment, the processes of steps S902 to S908 and steps S1402 to S1411 are executed with the cover 212 in the open position. As a result, even when another image forming JOB is executed during the straight sheet discharging process and the stapling process, the operator can take out the sheet P discharged by the JOB. Since the amount of movement of each part in steps S902 to S908 and steps S1402 to S1411 is small, it is unlikely that the foreign matter is caught and damaged.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications can be made without departing from the technical scope of the present invention, and all technical matters included in the technical idea described in the claims are included. Are the subject of the present invention. Although the above-described embodiment shows a suitable example, those skilled in the art can realize various modifications from the disclosed contents. Such modifications are also included in the technical scope described in the claims.

1 image forming system 100 image forming apparatus 110 image forming unit 111 image forming station 112 intermediate transfer belt 113 optical writing unit 114 supporting roller 115 secondary transfer roller 120 paper feeding unit 121 paper feeding tray 122 pickup roller 123 paper feeding and conveying roller 130 feeding Paper transport path 140 Secondary transfer section 150 Fixing section 160 Paper discharge transport path 161 Branching claw 162 Branch transport roller 170 Double sided transport path 190 Operation panel 200 Post-processing device 201 Guide plate 202 Inlet roller pair 203 Discharge roller pair 204 Discharge tray 204a Slit 205,206 Jogger fence 205a,206a Lower plate 205b,206b Upper plate 205c,206c Side plate 205d Notch 207 Tip stopper 208 Rear edge guide 209 Staple unit 210 Rear edge reference fence 211 Paper surface detection sensor 211a Probe 211b Filler 212 cover 212a Lock hole 213 Lock mechanism 213a Lock pin 300 Image reading device 410 Controller 411 CPU
412 ROM
413 RAM
414 Serial I/F

JP, 2016-1297, A

Claims (10)

A first stacking unit capable of moving the conveyed medium to a stacking position where stacking is possible and a retracting position where stacking is not carried out;
A post-processing unit that performs post-processing on the medium loaded on the first loading unit;
A second stacking unit movable to a receiving position for receiving the medium not stacked on the first stacking unit or the medium discharged from the first stacking unit, and a pickup position for taking out the received medium. ,
Of at least the first stacking unit and the second stacking unit, a cover that is movable to an open position for opening and a closed position for closing an opening that exposes the internal space in which the second stacking unit is disposed to the outside. ,
A control unit that controls at least the movement of the second stacking unit and the cover;
Equipped with
The receiving position is a position closer to the loading position of the first loading unit than the unloading position,
The control unit moves the second stacking unit from the receiving position to the unloading position or from the unloading position to the receiving position in a state where the cover is moved to the closed position. Processing equipment. The post-processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit starts moving the second stacking unit from the take-out position to the receiving position after moving the cover to the closed position. .. 3. The control unit starts moving the cover from the closed position to the open position after moving the second stacking unit to the take-out position, according to claim 1 or 2. Processing equipment. The post-processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the control unit causes the post-processing unit to perform post-processing in a state where the cover is located at the closed position. .. The control unit causes the post-processing unit to perform post-processing in a state where the second stacking unit is located at the receiving position and the cover is located at the open position. The post-processing device according to any one of 1 to 3. The control unit is
After finishing the post-processing by the post-processing unit, and before moving the second stacking unit to the unloading position, move the cover from the open position to the closed position,
The post-processing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein after the cover is moved to the closed position, the movement of the second stacking unit from the receiving position to the take-out position is started. A lock mechanism for locking the cover in the closed position;
The control unit is
Lock the cover that has reached the closed position to the lock mechanism,
The post-processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the lock by the lock mechanism is released before the cover is moved to the open position. The cover located at the closed position closes at least an area of the opening facing the movement range of the second stacking unit. Processing equipment. An image forming unit that forms an image on a medium,
An image forming system, comprising: the post-processing apparatus according to claim 1, which performs post-processing on the medium on which the image is formed. The image forming system,
Equipped with an image reading unit that reads the image on the medium,
The image forming unit forms an image read by the image reading unit on the medium,
The image forming system according to claim 9, wherein the post-processing unit of the post-processing device is provided between the image reading unit and the image forming unit.