JP2020175506A - Cutting device and image formation device - Google Patents

Abstract

To solve a problem that deterioration of the quality of deliverables may be caused by cutting scraps.SOLUTION: A cutting device has: an upper blade 722 which cuts sheets transported by a vertical path transport part 704; a scrap discharge path 711 through which cutting scraps SP produced during cutting pass; a shutter member 725 which is movable between a guide position where the shutter member 725 closes the scrap discharge path 711 and guides the transported sheets and a retreat position where the cutting scraps may enter into the path; and a blower device 717 which blows air to the shutter member 725 in the retreat position.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

The present invention relates to a cutting device for cutting a sheet and an image forming device provided with the cutting device.

The sheet on which the image is formed is conveyed to the cutting device. The cutting device cuts a part of the conveyed sheet. The cutting device is configured so that the scraps (cutting scraps) generated during cutting fall into the scrap cage.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2008-207958

The cutting debris generated during cutting may adhere to the guide member that guides the sheet to be conveyed. In that case, the subsequent sheet bundle and the cutting debris adhering to the guide member come into contact with each other. When the subsequent sheet bundle and the cutting waste come into contact with each other, for example, the cutting waste is discharged together with the subsequent sheet bundle, and foreign matter (cutting waste) is mixed in the product. In this way, the quality of the product is deteriorated by the cutting waste.

An object of the present invention is to alleviate the deterioration of the quality of the product due to the cutting waste.

The cutting device of the present invention includes a conveying means for conveying a sheet, a cutting means for cutting a sheet conveyed by the conveying means, and a passage through which cutting debris generated when the sheet is cut by the cutting means passes. To the guide member that closes the passage and guides the sheet conveyed by the conveying means, the guide member that can move to the retracting position where the cutting debris can enter the passage, and the guide member at the retracting position. A cutting device comprising: a blowing means for blowing air.

According to the present invention, it is possible to alleviate the deterioration of the quality of the product due to the cutting waste.

Sectional view of image forming apparatus. It is a block diagram of an image forming apparatus. It is sectional drawing of the finisher. It is sectional drawing of the cutting apparatus. It is explanatory drawing which shows the cutting part. It is explanatory drawing which shows the cutting part. It is a block diagram of a cutting device. It is a flowchart concerning the operation of a cutting device. It is a figure which shows the modification of the cutting apparatus. It is a perspective view of a cut part.

The apparatus of the embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. It should be noted that the dimensions, materials, relative positions, etc. of the component parts of the apparatus are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention to those, unless otherwise specified.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of an example of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

In FIG. 1, the image forming apparatus includes a printer main body (image forming apparatus main body) 100, a finisher 500, and a cutting device 700 arranged on the downstream side of the finisher 500 in the sheet transport direction.

The printer main body 100 includes a paper feed cassette 101 that stores a sheet, and an image forming unit 103 that forms an image on a sheet that has passed through a feed path 102 from the paper feed cassette 101. The sheet on which the image is formed by the image forming unit 103 is conveyed to the finisher 500. Although the configuration in which the printer main body 100 and the finisher 500 are separate bodies is illustrated here, the finisher 500 and the printer main body 100 may be integrated.

The finisher 500 includes a flat binding processing unit 300 and a folding bookbinding processing unit 1000. The flat binding processing unit 300 performs a process of aligning sheets from the printer main body 100 and bundling them into one bundle, a stapling process of binding the rear ends of the bundled sheet bundles with staples, and the like. The sheet processed by the flat binding processing unit 300 is discharged to the discharge trays 621 and 622.

As shown in FIG. 3, the bookbinding processing unit 1000 is provided with a storage guide 1020 for storing sheets sent from the printer main body 100. The sheet carried into the storage guide 1020 is conveyed until the tip of the sheet (lower end of the sheet) comes into contact with the movable sheet positioning member 1011.

Two pairs of staplers 1005 are provided in the middle of the storage guide 1020. Anvil 1004 is arranged at a position facing the stapler 1005. In collaboration with the stapler 1005 and the anvil 1004, the central portion of the sheet bundle is bound (saddle stitched).

At a downstream position of the stapler 1005, a folding processing portion including a folding roller pair 1006 as a folding means and a projecting member 1008 provided facing the folding roller pair 1006 is provided. The saddle stitching process and the folding process are all performed while restricting the tip position of the sheet by the sheet positioning member 1011.

The sheet bundle folded by the folding roller pair 1006 is conveyed to the transport belt 1017, and is sent out to the cutting device 700, which is the next post-processing device, by the discharge roller 1016.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the cutting device 700. Although the configuration in which the finisher 500 and the cutting device 700 are separate bodies is illustrated here, the finisher 500 and the cutting device 700 may be integrated.

A receiving and transporting unit 701 is provided on the upstream side of the cutting device 700 in the transporting direction. The receiving and transporting unit 701 includes a receiving and transporting belt in which the discharge roller 1016 of the finisher 500 receives the discharged sheet bundle on the upper surface and conveys it by rotating it.

The sheet bundle received by the receiving and transporting unit 701 is subjected to position correction and skew correction in the main scanning direction by the side regulation plate 702. The sheet bundle whose position is corrected and skewed by the side regulation plate 702 is sent to the inlet transport unit 703. The inlet transport unit 703 is composed of a pair of transport belts that sandwich and transport the sheet bundle, and transports the sheet bundle diagonally upward.

The sheet bundle conveyed by the inlet transfer unit 703 is conveyed to the vertical pass transfer unit 704 as the transfer means. The vertical pass transport section 704 includes a pair of transport section belts that sandwich the sheet bundle and transport it in the transport path 777. The sheet bundle is sent to the cutting section 705 that cuts the sheet bundle by the vertical pass transport section 704. The sheet sent from the finisher 500 by the receiving transport unit 701 and the vertical pass transport unit 704 is transported to the cutting unit 705 arranged at a position higher than the receiving transport unit 701 in which the cutting device 700 receives the sheet.

In the cutting section 705, which will be described in detail later, the edge side of the sheet bundle is cut according to a preset cutting width. The edge of the sheet bundle is the end of the sheet bundle on the opposite side of the folded portion. The sheet bundle whose end is cut is discharged from the discharge transport unit 709 to the discharge tray section 710 and loaded on the discharge tray section 710. The discharge transport unit 709 includes a pair of transport belts, transports the sheet bundle by the pair of transport belts, and discharges the sheet bundle to the discharge tray section 710.

The sheet piece (hereinafter referred to as cutting waste) generated at the time of cutting passes through the waste discharge path 711 extending downward from the cutting portion 705 and falls toward the storage container 714. The storage container 714 as a storage unit for storing the cutting waste is arranged so as to be freely inserted and removed from the front side of the cutting device 700. The cutting debris that has fallen while being guided by the oblique guide 712 or the regulation guide 713 is deposited in the storage container 714.

When a certain amount of cutting debris has accumulated in the storage container 714, the operator pulls out the storage container 714 from the cutting device 700 and removes the accumulated cutting debris from the storage container 714.

The cutting device 700 includes means for detecting a full load of debris accumulated in the storage container 714. As shown in FIG. 4, the detection sensor light emitting unit 715 and the detection sensor light receiving unit 716 are provided at positions slightly higher than the storage container 714. When the storage container 714 is full of cutting debris, the light emitted from the detection sensor light emitting unit 715 is blocked by the accumulated cutting debris. When the detection sensor light receiving unit 716 confirms that light cannot be received for a specific time or longer, the cutting device 700 determines that the image is full and prompts the removal of the cutting debris of the storage container 714 to remove the cutting debris of the entire image forming device system. Prompt to pause.

FIG. 2 shows a control block diagram of the image forming apparatus. A main body control unit 111 is arranged in the printer main body 100. The main body control unit 111 controls an image formation control unit 117 that controls an operation related to image formation. The main body control unit 111 is configured to be able to communicate with an external device through the interface 119. The finisher control unit 112 that controls the finisher 500 and the cutting control unit 113 that controls the cutting device 700 are connected to the main body control unit 111.

Next, the configuration of the cutting portion 705 will be specifically described with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6.

The cutting portion 705 includes an upper blade 722 that moves up and down to cut a part of the sheet bundle S, and a fixed lower blade 723 that cuts the sheet bundle with the upper blade 722. The upper blade (movable blade) 722 and the lower blade (fixed blade) 723 as cutting means are arranged between the vertical pass transport unit 704 and the discharge transport unit 709.

A pressing member 724 is provided between the lower blade 723 and the discharge transport unit 709 to prevent the sheet bundle S from being displaced during cutting.

The cutting portion 705 is provided with a blower 717 above the cutting portion 705. The blower device 717 as a blower means includes a plurality of fans that generate an air flow (wind) by being rotated by a motor. The cutting portion 705 is provided with ducts 720 and 721 for sending the air generated by the blower 717 to the cutting position where the sheet bundle is cut by the pair of blades (upper blade 722 and lower blade 723). That is, the ducts 720 and 721 are arranged so that the downstream end (outlet) of the ducts 720 and 721 in the air flow direction faces the upper blade 722 and the lower blade 723. The air outlet in the duct 721 extends along the width direction of the sheet intersecting the sheet transport direction.

As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the blower 717 is arranged above the transport path 777, and the waste discharge path 711 is located below the transport path 777. That is, the blower 717 and the waste discharge path 711 are arranged on opposite sides of the transport path 777.

The waste discharge path 711 arranged between the cutting position for cutting the sheet bundle by the upper blade 722 and the lower blade 723 and the storage container 714 (see FIG. 4) extends substantially in the vertical direction. The waste discharge path 711 is a passage that connects a pair of blades (upper blade 722 and lower blade 723) and a storage container 714, and allows the cutting waste SP passing from the cutting position to the storage container 714 (see FIG. 4). .. As shown in FIG. 5, the waste discharge path 711 is arranged so that the inlet (upper end) of the waste discharge path 711 faces the cutting position and the upstream portion in the transport direction from the cutting position.

A shutter member 725 that can open and close the waste discharge path 711 is movably provided at the inlet of the waste discharge path 711 that discharges the cutting waste SP.

The shutter member 725 extends in the width direction of the sheet intersecting the transport direction, as shown in FIG. 10, which is a perspective view of the upper blade 722, the blower 717, and the upper belt of the vertical pass transport portion 704 omitted. There is.

The shutter member 725 is rotatably supported with the upstream side in the transport direction, which is the side far from the lower blade 723, as a fulcrum. The shutter member 725 is urged to the guide position (first position) shown in FIG. 5 by a spring (not shown). Then, as shown in FIG. 6, the shutter member 725 is moved by the solenoid 302 (see FIG. 7) to the retracted position (second position) where at least a part of the shutter member 725 has entered the waste discharge path 711.

The shutter member 725 as a guide member guides the lower surface of the sheet bundle sent from the vertical pass conveying portion 704 to the lower blade 723 by the guide surface 725a. That is, when the shutter member 725 is positioned at the guide position so as to block the entrance of the waste discharge path 711 (see FIG. 5), the shutter member 725 prevents the conveyed sheet from entering the waste discharge path 711. Guide the bundle to the lower blade 723.

When the shutter member 725 rotates downward as shown in FIG. 6, the duct 721 and the waste discharge path 711 communicate with each other. As shown in FIG. 6, the shutter member 725 rotates to a position in the waste discharge path 711 with the downstream end in the transport direction facing downward. When the shutter member 725 is located at the retracted position in FIG. 6, the pair of blades (upper blade 722 and lower blade 723) and the waste discharge path 711 communicate with each other, and the cutting waste generated during cutting enters the waste discharge path 711. It will be possible. In the present embodiment, the rotation angle of the shutter member 725 is 80 to 90 °, but the rotation angle is not particularly limited to this angle.

FIG. 7 is a control block diagram of the cutting device 700. The cutting control unit 113 (hereinafter referred to as the control unit 113) controls the cut motor 301 for moving the upper blade 722 up and down. Further, the control unit 113 controls the solenoid 302 for moving the shutter member 725 and the elevating motor 303 for moving the pressing member 724 up and down. The control unit 113 controls the fan motor 304 that rotates the fan of the blower 717. The control unit 113 is arranged at key points of the receiving and transporting unit 701, the vertical pass transporting unit 704, and the discharging transporting unit 709, and receives a signal from the sensor 313 that detects the sheet to be transported. The receiving transport unit 701, the vertical pass transport unit 704, and the discharge transport unit 709 control a load 305 such as a motor for transporting a bundle of sheets.

In the following, the operation related to cutting of the cutting device 700 will be specifically described with reference to the flowcharts of FIGS. 5, 6 and 8. The operation according to the flowchart of FIG. 8 is executed by the control unit 113 while using the RAM as a work area according to the program stored in the ROM.

First, as shown in FIG. 5, when the sheet bundle S is sent from the vertical pass transport portion 704 to the cutting portion 705, the upper blade 722 and the pressing member 724 are in the upper standby position. In this state, the blower 717 is stopped. Further, the shutter member 725 is in a closed state with respect to the waste discharge path 711 as shown in FIG. The guide surface 725a of the shutter member 725 functions as a guide surface to guide the conveyed sheet bundle. Then, the sheet bundle S is stopped at a position where the discharge transport unit 709 can cut a specified amount (S1 in FIG. 8). That is, the control unit 113 controls the motor for transporting the sheet bundle of the discharge transport unit 709 to stop the sheet bundle at a predetermined stop position. The stop position here is a position where the rear end portion of the sheet bundle transported with the folded portion at the head protrudes upstream from the lower blade 723 in the transport direction by the amount of cutting.

Next, the control unit 113 operates the elevating motor 303 so that the pressing member 724 is lowered. As a result, the sheet bundle S is fixed by sandwiching the sheet bundle between the pressing member 724 and the guide facing the pressing member 724 (S2 in FIG. 8).

Next, as shown in FIG. 6, the control unit 113 controls the cut motor 301 so as to lower the upper blade 722 with respect to the stopped sheet bundle S. At that time, the control unit 113 drives the solenoid 302 so that the shutter member 725 rotates to the retracted position in FIG. 6 and operates the fan motor 304 that rotates the fan of the blower 717 (S3 in FIG. 8). ).

The rear end portion of the sheet bundle is cut by the upper blade 722 and the lower blade 723 by the action of lowering the upper blade 722.

Further, as described above, when the upper blade 722 is moved so that the sheet bundle is cut, the control unit 113 controls the solenoid 302 so that the shutter member 725 moves to the retracted position in FIG. That is, the shutter member 725 rotates about the rotation axis upstream in the transport direction so that the downstream end portion of the guide surface 725a in the transport direction faces downward (FIG. 6). When the shutter member 725 is located at the retracted position shown in FIG. 6, the inlet of the blocked waste discharge path 711 is opened, and the air outlet in the duct 721 and the waste discharge path 711 communicate with each other.

The cutting waste SP generated by the cutting operation accompanying the lowering of the upper blade 722 passes by the shutter member 725 in the retracted position and is sent to the storage container (storage means) 714 via the waste discharge path 711.

Then, the blower 717 blows air while the upper blade 722 is being lowered and the shutter member 725 is in the retracted position of FIG. 6 when it is opened. The air from the blower 717 is sent to the cutting position, which is the working position of the shutter member 725, the lower blade 723, and the upper blade 722, via the ducts 720 and 721. The air from the blower 717 flows along the guide surface 725a of the shutter member 725 located at the retracted position in FIG. Further, the air from the blower 717 flows downward along the side surface of the upper blade 722 and the side surface of the lower blade 723, which is the moving direction of the upper blade 722. The cutting debris generated during cutting is blown downward in the debris discharge path 711 by air.

That is, the cutting debris is blown downward by the air from the blower 717 without adhering to the guide surface 725a of the shutter member 725, the side surface of the upper blade 722, and the side surface of the lower blade 723. To go.

After the cutting is completed, S4 in FIG. 8 and subsequent steps are performed. In S4, the control unit 113 controls the elevating motor 303 so that the pressing member 724 rises toward the standby position, and releases the pressing of the seat bundle S by the pressing member 724. The control unit 113 controls the cut motor 301 so as to raise the upper blade 722 and return it to the standby position in parallel with the raising operation of the pressing member 724. Further, the control unit 113 stops the drive of the solenoid 302 so that the shutter member 725 returns to the original guide position by the urging force of the spring. The control unit 113 stops the blower 717 to stop the air supply in accordance with the closing of the shutter member 725.

After that, the control unit 113 drives the discharge transport unit 709 so as to discharge the sheet bundle whose rear end portion has been cut (S5 in FIG. 8).

In the following, the action / effect related to operating the blower 717 at the time of cutting to blow air into the cutting position will be described in detail.

The upper blade 722, the lower blade 723, the shutter member 725, especially the guide surface 725a, and the inner side surface of the waste discharge path 711 are attached with the cutting waste SP that is charged with static electricity or has water droplets attached due to dew condensation or the like. It may end up.

Even if the cutting debris is stuck, it is blown off from the upper blade 722 and the lower blade 723, especially the guide surface 725a of the shutter member 725, and the inner wall of the debris discharge path 711 using air. In this way, the cutting waste SP is removed from the guide surface 725a of the upper blade 722, the lower blade 723, and the shutter member 725 by air. The air volume or speed of the blower 717 is not particularly limited by a numerical value provided that the above-mentioned object can be achieved.

If the cutting waste SP remains attached to the upper blade 722, the lower blade 723, and the shutter member 725 without blowing air by the blower device 717, the following problems may occur. That is, when the subsequent sheet bundle S is cut with the cutting chips attached to the upper blade 722, the lower blade 723, and the shutter member 725, the cutting waste SP enters between the upper blade 722 and the lower blade 723, thereby cutting. There is a problem that the finish is deteriorated.

Further, if the subsequent sheet bundle S is sent in a state where the cutting waste SP is attached to the guide surface 725a of the shutter member 725, the quality of the product is deteriorated by the cutting waste as follows. That is, the cutting waste SP adheres to the subsequent sheet bundle, or the cutting waste SP is pushed out by the tip of the succeeding sheet bundle S, so that the cutting waste SP is discharged from the discharge port of the cutting device 700. When the cutting waste is discharged from the discharge port where only the cut sheet bundle should be discharged, the cutting waste is mixed with the sheet bundle which is the product, and the quality of the product is deteriorated. Further, if the cutting debris adheres to the inner surface of the debris discharge path 711, there may be a problem that the portion is a trigger to generate debris clogging.

In the present embodiment, the above problem is solved by sending the cutting waste SP to the storage container 714 from the blowing of air from the blower 717.

The timing of blowing air by the blower 717 may be executed at least when the shutter member 725 is moved (retracted) from the guide position to open the waste discharge path 711.

However, if the blower 717 is operated only when the shutter member 725 is opened as described above, the power consumption is reduced as compared with the case where the blower 717 is always operated.

When the blower 717 is operated even when the shutter member 725 is closed, the airflow is set to a strength different from that when the shutter member 725 is open (cutting). Is preferable. When the shutter member 725 is closed, for example, it is preferable to configure the shutter member 725 to have a weak air flow different from that at the time of cutting. By making the air flow weak, the problems caused by the paper dust generated from the sheet bundle and the dust floating in the machine flowing into various places by the air can be alleviated.

Further, in the above description, a mode in which the upper blade 722 is lowered and at the same time the shutter member 725 is started to rotate toward the retracted position is exemplified. However, the lowering of the upper blade 722 and the rotation of the shutter member 725 do not have to be simultaneous. For example, the shutter member 725 may be rotated to move it to the retracted position shown in FIG. 6, and then the upper blade 722 may be lowered to cut the sheet bundle.

The above description illustrates, but is not limited to, a form in which the rotation of the fan of the blower device 717 is stopped in order to stop the blower from the state in which the blower device 717 is blowing air. For example, a shielding member arranged in the duct 720 may block the air flow to stop the blowing.

Further, the specific configuration of the blower is not particularly limited. In the above-described embodiment, a configuration in which a plurality of fans are used to blow air is exemplified. However, compressed air from a compressor or the like may be sent to prevent the cutting debris from sticking.

Further, the embodiment in which the upper blade 722 is driven by the cut motor 301 and the shutter member 725 is driven by the solenoid 302 is illustrated. That is, the mode in which each of the upper blade 722 and the shutter member 725 operates by different drive sources is illustrated. However, the movement of the upper blade 722 and the movement of the shutter member 725 may be achieved by a driving force from the same driving source. For example, as shown in FIG. 9, the upper blade 722 and the shutter member 725 may be connected by the link member 922 so as to be interlocked with each other.

Further, in the above description, a mode in which each of the shutter member 725 and the pressing member 724 operates by different drive sources has been illustrated. However, the movement of the shutter member 725 and the movement of the pressing member 724 may be moved by a driving force from the same driving source. Similarly, the movement of the upper blade 722 and the movement of the pressing member 724 may be made to move by the driving force from the same driving source. Further, the upper blade 722, the pressing member 724, and the shutter member 725 may be configured to be moved by a driving force from the same driving source.

Further, as the shutter member 725, a shutter member extending in the width direction of the sheet intersecting the transport direction as shown in FIG. 10 is exemplified in the above description. However, the shape of the shutter member is not limited to this. For example, as the shutter member, a plurality of guide portions extending in the transport direction may be discretely arranged in the sheet width direction. That is, in any of the embodiments, the guide member at the guide position blocks the waste discharge path 711. Here, closing the waste discharge path 711 does not mean sealing the waste discharge path, as illustrated by a guide member having a plurality of discretely arranged guide portions. Closing the waste discharge path 711 indicates a state in which the sheet can be guided so that the conveyed sheet does not enter the waste discharge path 711.

704 Vertical path transport unit 711 Waste discharge path 717 Blower 722 Upper blade 723 Lower blade 725 Shutter member

Claims (12)

Transport means for transporting sheets and
A cutting means for cutting a sheet conveyed by the conveying means, and
A passage through which cutting debris generated when the sheet is cut by the cutting means passes, and
A guide member that is movable to a first position that blocks the passage and guides the sheet conveyed by the conveying means, and a second position that allows the cutting debris to enter the passage.
A blowing means for blowing air to the guide member at the second position,
A cutting device characterized by having. The cutting device according to claim 1, wherein the blowing means does not blow when the guide member is in the first position. The cutting device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the blowing means blows air to the cutting means at least when the cutting means cuts a bundle of sheets. 3. The cutting means includes a fixed blade and a movable blade, and the blowing means is configured so that air flows along the side surface of the movable blade along the moving direction of the movable blade. The cutting device described in. The guide member starts moving from the first position to the second position at the same time as or before the start of the cutting operation by the cutting means, and when the cutting means cuts the sheet, the guide member is described. The cutting device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the cutting device is located at a second position. The cutting according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the guide member is rotatably supported at the guide position about an end portion far from the cutting position of the cutting means. apparatus. Any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the guide member is configured so that air from the blower means flows along the guide surface of the guide member when it is positioned at the second position. The cutting device described in the section. The cutting according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein air from the blowing means flows between the guide surface of the guide member and the cutting means when the position is located at the second position. apparatus. The cutting device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, further comprising a storage means for storing the cutting waste that has passed through the passage. The blowing means is arranged on the side opposite to the passage with the guide member located at the first position interposed therebetween, and the blowing means blows air toward the passage, according to claims 1 to 9. The cutting device according to any one item. With a pair of blades
A transport means for transporting the sheet toward the pair of blades and
A storage unit for storing cutting debris generated when the sheet is cut by the pair of blades,
A passage connecting the pair of blades and the storage portion,
An air blowing means for blowing air through the passage toward the storage portion, and
It has a guide member for guiding the sheet conveyed by the conveying means.
The guide member is characterized in that it can open and close the passage and is arranged so that it can receive the wind from the blowing means when it moves to a position where the pair of blades and the passage communicate with each other. Cutting device to do. An image forming part that forms an image on the sheet,
An image forming apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the image forming apparatus comprises a sheet on which an image is formed by the image forming portion.

Images