JP2021095267A - Sheet loading device - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a sheet loading device without causing deterioration in alignment performance while suppressing expansion of a folded part.SOLUTION: After a stack tray 21 is lowered to a position capable of discharging a sheet, when the sheet loaded on the stack tray 21 at this time is a folded sheet, moving of sheet bundle discharge means 100 is stopped when the sheet bundle discharge means 100 has moved and a next sheet has been discharged. Then the stack tray 21 is lifted, and the loaded sheet of the stack tray 21 is sandwiched between the stack tray 21 and the sheet conveyed by the sheet bundle discharge means 100. Thereafter, the sheet bundle discharge means 100 is returned to discharge the conveyed sheet to the stack tray 21.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 26

Description

The present invention relates to a sheet loading device for loading and storing folded sheets.

Conventionally, there has been known a sheet loading device that folds paper received from an image forming apparatus such as a copier or a printer into a Z shape and loads the paper.

Since the folded sheets have overlapping portions due to the folded formation, they become thick when bundled and the storage efficiency deteriorates.

In order to solve this, conventionally, a stack tray that is loaded with folded sheets and can move in the vertical direction, and a stack tray that is provided above the stack tray and is further rotated upward and arranged by its own weight. A bulge detection sensor that recognizes the predetermined height of the plate and the Z-fold sheet loaded on the stack tray, and the bulge detection sensor that recognizes the height of the Z-fold sheet to move the stack tray upward. By pressing the Z-fold sheet loaded on the stack tray toward the plate, the folded portion of the Z-fold sheet is crushed to widen the space created between the sheet and the plate when the sheet is ejected. The device is known (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

JP-A-2015-78031

However, in the above-mentioned conventional technique, the bulge of the folded portion cannot be completely crushed, and the stack tray position at the time of discharging the sheet is stacked at a lower position as compared with the case where the sheet not subjected to the folding process is loaded. It is necessary to lower the tray, which causes a problem that the alignment is deteriorated due to an increase in the head between the stack tray and the discharge port.

An object of the present invention is to provide a seat loading device in which the swelling of the folded portion is suppressed and the alignment of the folded sheets is not deteriorated.

In order to solve the above problems, the sheet loading device according to the present invention temporarily integrates a sheet transporting means for transporting sheets in a predetermined transport direction and the sheets transported by the sheet transporting means to form a sheet bundle. The sheet stacking means, the sheet bundle discharging means that sandwiches the sheet bundle on the sheet collecting means and discharges from the sheet collecting means, and the sheet bundle discharged by the sheet bundle discharging means are loaded and vertically oriented. By a sheet loading means that moves to, a folded sheet recognizing means that recognizes that the sheet bundle loaded on the sheet loading means includes a folded sheet that has been folded, and the folded sheet recognizing means. When it is recognized that the sheet bundle loaded on the sheet loading means includes a sheet that has been folded, the sheet bundle discharging means is moved after the sheet loading means is moved downward in the vertical direction. A predetermined amount of the sheet bundle is discharged downstream in the transport direction to stop the sheet bundle in a state of sandwiching the sheet bundle, and then the sheet loading means is moved upward in the vertical direction, and then the sheet bundle discharging means is used. The sheet loading means includes the sheet loading means and a control means for controlling the sheet bundle discharging means so as to perform a discharging process for discharging the sandwiched sheet bundle.

The upstream end of the sheet loading means in the transport direction is arranged vertically downward with respect to the downstream end of the sheet stacking means in the transport direction, and the sheet bundle formed by the sheet stacking means is the sheet. While being supported by the sheet accumulating means while straddling the loading means and the sheet accumulating means, the control means is such that the lowest sheet constituting the sheet bundle is conveyed to the sheet accumulating means by the sheet conveying means. Prior to this, a discharge pretreatment for moving the sheet loading means downward in the vertical direction is performed. As a result, it is possible to prevent interference between the sheet loaded on the second sheet loading means and the sheet accumulated on the first sheet accumulating means by the sheet transporting means.

In a certain embodiment, the bulge amount recognizing means for recognizing the bulge amount of the folded sheet loaded on the sheet loading means is further provided, and the control means has the bulge amount recognized by the bulge amount recognizing means. The discharge treatment is prohibited until the amount exceeds a predetermined amount. Therefore, if the amount of swelling is small, the sheet bundle discharging means is promptly returned to the standby position from the discharging process to improve the efficiency of the processing.

In the swelling amount recognizing means, when the number of folded sheets loaded on the sheet loading means exceeds a predetermined number, the swelling amount of the folded sheets loaded on the sheet loading means is determined. It can be recognized that the fixed amount has been exceeded.

Further, the bulge amount recognizing means is loaded on the sheet loading means when the folded sheet loaded on the sheet loading means is loaded on the loading means for more than a predetermined time. It is recognized that the amount of swelling of the folded sheet exceeds a predetermined amount.

By sandwiching the folded sheet loaded on the stack tray and raised by swelling above the loading surface between the stack tray and the sheet stopped in the middle of discharging, the loading of the folded sheet is improved while ensuring the alignment with the stack tray. it can.

The whole block diagram of this invention is shown. A detailed view of the folding device is shown. A detailed view of the aftertreatment device is shown. An explanatory diagram of the Z-fold specification is shown. The main part of the aftertreatment device is shown in a side view. An explanatory diagram of the configuration of the rear end regulating means and the matching means of the processing tray is shown. The operation explanatory drawing of the paper ejection mechanism of a processing tray is shown. The operation explanatory drawing of the sheet alignment mechanism of a processing tray is shown. An explanatory diagram of the position moving mechanism of the rear end regulating means in the processing tray is shown. An explanatory diagram of the position moving mechanism of the rear end regulating means in the processing tray is shown. The overall configuration diagram of the sheet bundle discharging means is shown. The plan structure view of the sheet bundle discharge means is shown. The guide mechanism figure of the sheet bundle discharge means is shown. The drive mechanism figure of the sheet bundle discharge means is shown. The grip mechanism figure of the sheet bundle discharge means is shown. The grip mechanism figure of the sheet bundle discharge means is shown. An explanatory diagram of an operating state of the sheet bundle discharging means is shown. An explanatory diagram of an operating state of the sheet bundle discharging means is shown. An explanatory diagram of an operating state of the sheet bundle discharging means is shown. An explanatory diagram of the safety mechanism of the bundling means carry-out port in the processing tray is shown. An explanatory diagram of the elevating mechanism of the stack tray is shown. An explanatory diagram of the elevating state of the stack tray is shown. A phase diagram is shown in which the discharge port is blocked by the bulge of the folded portion. The figure which lowered the tray to the position where the origami does not block the discharge port is shown. A phase diagram of the gripper ejecting the sheet is shown on the origami paper. The state diagram which the elevating tray pushes up the gripper discharge sheet is shown. The state diagram in which the gripper is moved to the storage position is shown. The flowchart which shows the process flow of the operation to which this embodiment is applied is shown. The configuration of the control unit is shown in a block diagram.

The present invention will be described in detail below based on the preferred embodiments of the present invention shown. FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram showing an image forming system including an image forming device A, an insert device B, a folding device C, and a post-processing device D according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is an explanatory view of a detailed configuration of the folding device C. FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of a detailed configuration of the aftertreatment device D. Further, FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a main part of the aftertreatment device D.

[Configuration of image formation system]
The image forming system shown in FIG. 1 is composed of an image forming device A, an insert device B, a folding device C, and a post-processing device (sheet processing device; the same applies hereinafter) D. Then, the sheet carry-in path P1 of the folding device C is connected to the paper ejection port 3 of the image forming apparatus A, and the carry-in port 23a of the post-processing device D is further connected to the sheet carry-in path P1, and an image is formed by the image forming apparatus A. The sheet is stapled by the post-processing device D via the folding device C and stored in the stack tray 21 and the saddle tray 22.

[Configuration of image forming apparatus]
The image forming apparatus A will be described with reference to FIG. The image forming apparatus A is configured to send a sheet from the paper feeding unit 1 to the image forming unit 2, print on the sheet by the image forming unit 2, and then eject the sheet from the paper ejection port 3. In the paper feed unit 1, a plurality of sizes of sheets are stored in the paper feed cassettes 1a and 1b, and the designated sheets are separated one by one and fed to the image forming unit 2. In the image forming unit 2, for example, an electrostatic drum 4, a print head (laser light emitter) 5 and a developing device 6 arranged around the electrostatic drum 4, a transfer charger 7 and a fixing device 8 are arranged, and a laser is placed on the electrostatic drum 4. An electrostatic latent image is formed by the light emitter 5, toner is adhered to the electrostatic latent image by the developing device 6, the image is transferred onto the sheet by the transfer charger 7, and the image is fixed by heating with the fixing device 8. The sheets image-formed in this way are sequentially carried out from the paper ejection port 3.

The circulation path 9 is a double-sided printing path in which the sheet printed on the front surface side from the fuser 8 is turned upside down via the switchback path 10 and then fed again to the image forming unit 2 to be printed on the back surface side of the sheet. Is. The sheet printed on both sides in this way is turned upside down on the switchback path 10 and then carried out from the paper ejection port 3.

The image reading device 11 scans the document sheet set on the platen 12 with the scanning unit 13 and electrically reads it with a photoelectric conversion element (not shown).

This image data is digitally processed by the image processing unit, for example, and then transferred to the data storage unit 14 to send an image signal to the laser light emitter 5. Further, FIG. 15 is a document feeding device, which is a feeder device for feeding the document sheets housed in the stack tray 16 to the platen 12.

The image forming apparatus A having the above configuration is provided with the control unit (controller) 150 shown in FIG. 29, and the image forming conditions such as sheet size designation, color / monochrome printing designation, number of print copies designation, single-sided / double-sided printing are provided from the control panel 18. Printing conditions such as designation and enlargement / reduction print designation are set. On the other hand, in the image forming apparatus A, the image data read by the scan unit 13 or the image data transferred from the external network is stored in the data storage unit 17, and the image data is transferred from the data storage unit 17 to the buffer memory 19. The data signal is sequentially transferred from the buffer memory 19 to the laser emitter 5.

From the control panel 18, post-processing conditions are input and specified at the same time as image formation conditions such as single-sided / double-sided printing, enlargement / reduction printing, and monochrome / color printing. For example, "printout mode", "binding finishing mode", "booklet finishing mode", "Z-folding mode" and the like are selected as the post-processing conditions.

[Folding device configuration]
Next, the configuration of the folding device C will be described. The folding device C is composed of a folding processing unit C1 and a folding sheet stack portion C2. Hereinafter, "sheet folding specifications" and "folding processing unit" will be described in this order.

[Sheet folding specifications]
First, the sheet folding specifications according to the present invention will be described. The sheets of the present invention are folded one by one at a predetermined (preset) folding position, or the partially aligned sheet bundles are folded at the folding position. In this case, a Z-fold form (folding specification) often used in the above-mentioned image forming system will be described.

[Z fold]
The sheet is divided into three at a desired length position, and the front end side and the rear end side are folded in opposite directions. Fold the sheet in a Z shape with the front end side facing inward and the rear end side facing outward. In this case, as shown in FIG. 4, it is suitable for file ring if the 1/2 position of the sheet is folded inward and the 1/4 position is folded outward.

[Structure of folding processing unit]
Next, the structure of the folding processing unit C1 described above will be described with reference to FIG. A folding processing path P2 is continuously provided from the above-mentioned sheet carrying-in route P1 via a route switching flapper C24, and a folding roll mechanism (sheet folding means; the same applies hereinafter) C21 is arranged in the folding processing path P2. The folding processing path (hereinafter referred to as "processing path") P2 is provided with a folding sheet path C23P branched in a T shape at the center of the path, and a switchback path C22 is provided on the downstream side of the tip of the processing path P2. There is. A folding roll mechanism C21 is arranged at this path branch point.

The illustrated folding roll mechanism C21 is composed of a first roll C21a, a second roll C21b, and a third roll C21c, and the first and second rolls C21a and C21b are in contact with each other so as to nip the sheets, and the second and third rolls C21b and C21c are in contact with each other in the same manner. Therefore, the first folding process is performed at the nip point Np1 (first folding portion) of the first and second rolls C21a and C21b, and the second folding process is performed at the nip point Np2 (second folding portion) of the second and third rolls C21b and C21c. Folding is applied.

In the folding processing path P2, a transport roller C25 is arranged as a transport means for transporting the sheet, and the folding roll mechanism C21 is located on the downstream side of the transport roller C25. A forward / reverse reversible C22f and a seat sensor Ss1 are arranged in the switchback path C22 on the downstream side of the folding processing path P2. The sheet sensor Ss1 detects the tip of the sheet extended downstream in FIG. 2 by the switchback roller C22f, and stops the switchback roller C22f in a state where a predetermined amount of the sheet is fed from the tip detection. Then, the central portion of the sheet fed by the transport roller C25 on the rear end side is curved and niped into the first folding portion Np1 of the folding roll mechanism C21.

Next, when the switch back roller C22f is reversed to back the seat tip and the seat is fed in synchronization with the rear end of the seat fed by the transport roller C25, the seat is nipped between the first and second rolls C21a and C21b and is located on the downstream side. Enter the folding sheet pass C23P.

On the other hand, in order to determine the crease position with reference to the rear end side of the seat, a rear end regulation stopper C25S is provided on the downstream side of the above-mentioned transport roller C25, and the rear end of the seat is the rear end regulation stopper of the switchback roller C22f. When the switchback roller C22f is reversed after passing through C25S, the rear end of the seat abuts on the rear end regulation stopper C25S and the seat is curved with reference to this position, and the nip points of the first and second rolls C21a and C21b (first). Folded part) Enter Np1.

As a result, the first folding process is performed with reference to the rear edge of the sheet. The rear end regulation stopper C25S is a flapper-shaped stopper that retracts from the path when the sheet enters the downstream side during the folding processing path, and enters the path when the sheet is fed back to the upstream side to lock the rear end of the sheet. It is composed of stoppers. In addition, the rear end regulation stopper C25S may be configured such that the transport roller C25 is composed of a switchback roller capable of forward and reverse rotation, and is configured in the same manner as the position regulation by the switchback roller C22f on the front end side.

As described above, the fold position is determined based on the front end or the rear end of the sheet, and the sheet supplied to the first fold portion Np1 is folded by the first and second rolls C21a and C21b to reach the fold sheet path C23P. Become. Therefore, the seat detection sensor Ss2 and the movable stopper C233 (position restriction stopper; the same applies hereinafter) are arranged on the folded seat path C23P. The movable stopper C233 is configured to be movable in the folded seat path so as to regulate the position of the seat tip according to the seat size and the folding specifications.

Therefore, the folded sheet sent by the first and second rolls C21a and C21b is restricted by abutting the tip end against the movable stopper C233, and the rear end side is curved. With this curvature, the sheet enters between the second roll C21b and the third roll C21c, and the rear end side of the sheet is folded.

A carry-out roller C27b is provided in the first paper discharge path P3, and the folding sheet is nipated by the roller pair and conveyed to the downstream side. A folding sheet storage tray C29 and a second paper ejection path P4 are arranged on the downstream side of the first paper ejection path P3 via a path switching piece C29f. In the second paper discharge path P4, transfer rollers C27c are arranged at appropriate intervals so as to transfer the folded sheet to the sheet carry-in path P1.

The folded sheet transferred to the above-mentioned sheet carry-in route P1 is carried out to the above-mentioned post-processing device D by the transfer roller C24f.

[Configuration of inserter device]
On the other hand, the sheet printed from the image forming unit A is carried into the folding processing unit B1 as described above, and the sheet from the inserter device B is selectively folded. The inserter device B includes a paper feed tray 128a, a separation means 128b that separates and feeds sheets on the tray one by one, and P5 that guides the sheets to the sheet carry-in path P1. FIG. 128c is a resist roller. The separation means 128b is composed of a normal friction roller (paper feed roller) and a separation roller.

The folding device C is configured to control the transport roller C25, the unloading roller C27b, the folding roll mechanism C21, and the movable stopper C233 of the folding processing path P2 to execute the folding processing according to the above-mentioned folding specifications.

At the same time as the folding device C executes such a folding process, the sheet after the folding process sent to the first paper ejection path P3 is transferred from the first paper ejection port C27a to the folding sheet storage tray C29, or the second It is configured to be transferred from the paper ejection path P4 to the bookbinding unit C or selected according to the "folding specification". In the figure shown, for example, when the sheet size is A4 size and letter size and the folding specification is inward tri-fold, the paper is stored in the folding sheet storage tray C29 from the first paper ejection path P3, and in the case of other folding specifications. The device configuration is such that the paper is carried out from the second paper ejection path P4 to the post-processing device D.

Therefore, at the time of Z-folding, the sheet is ejected from the paper ejection port 14 of the image forming unit A in a downward posture (down face), and the sheet is received and conveyed to the processing path P2 in the posture of arrow a in FIG. Next, when this sheet passes through the folding roll mechanism C21 and enters the switchback path C22 on the downstream side and the tip of the sheet is sent to the downstream side by a predetermined amount, the switchback roller C22f is reversed with the transport roller C25 stopped. Let me.

As a result, the rear end of the sheet is restrained by the transport roller C25, and the central portion of the sheet is curved toward the nip point Np1 of the first and second rolls C21a and C21b, and is nipped between the two rolls to perform the first folding process. .. The outward fold position N2 in FIG. 4 is set by adjusting the distance between the feed amount of the switchback roller C22f and the nip point Np1.

That is, the tip of the seat is detected by the seat sensor Ss1, and the switchback roller C22f is reversed after the estimated time when the outward fold position N2 of the seat reaches the nip point Np1 from this signal. Then, the sheet tip side is folded between the first and second rolls C21a and C21b at the outward fold position N2.

The outwardly folded sheet as described above is sent to the folded sheet path C23P by the first and second rolls C21a and C21b. At this time, the movable stopper C233 is moved by a drive motor (not shown) so that the distance between the seat fold position and the nip point Np2 matches the inward fold position N1 (see FIG. 4) set according to the seat size. There is.

Therefore, the tip (fold position) of the sheet folded at the first folding portion Np1 abuts on the movable stopper C233, and the central portion of the sheet is nipped between the second and third rolls C21b and C21c. The printed surface of the sheet is folded inward between the second and third rolls C21b and C21c, and the distance between the nip point Np2 and the movable stopper C233 is set to L2 shown in FIG. 4 of the sheet length. There is. Therefore, the sheet is folded in a Z shape with its tip facing outward and its trailing end facing inward. The sheet folded in this way is sent from the second paper ejection path P4 to the post-processing device D described later, and is subjected to the bookbinding process.

[Configuration of aftertreatment device]
The post-processing device D receives the sheet image-formed from the sheet carry-in path P1 of the folding device C, and (1) accommodates this sheet in the stack tray 21 (the above-mentioned "printout mode"), or (2) ejects the sheet. After the sheets from the paper opening 3 are aligned in a bundle and stapled, they are stored in the stack tray (first stack tray) 21 (the above-mentioned "binding finishing mode"), or (3) from the paper ejection port 3. After aligning the sheets in a bundle and staple-binding the center, fold them into a booklet and store them in the saddle tray (second stack tray) 22 (the above-mentioned "booklet finishing mode"). Has been done.

The casing (exterior cover) 20 of the aftertreatment device D is provided with a carry-in port 23a, and the carry-in port 23a is connected to the paper ejection port 3 of the image forming device A. The casing 20 is provided with a first processing unit BX1 that aligns and collects the sheets from the carry-in entrance 23a to finish binding, and a second processing unit BX2 that collects the sheets from the carry-in entrance 23a and finishes the booklet. Has been done.

A first carry-in route P1 is provided between the first processing unit BX1 and the carry-in inlet 23a, and a second carry-in route P2 is provided between the second processing unit BX2 and the carry-in entrance 23a. Sheets are distributed to the first processing unit BX1 and the second processing unit BX2 for guidance. At the carry-in inlet 23a, a carry-in roller 23 for transporting a sheet in a transport direction along the first carry-in route P1, a sheet sensor S1, and a sheet conveyed by the carry-in roller 23 are placed in the first or second carry-in route P1. , P2 is provided with a route switching means (flapper member) 24 for distributing sheets.

A buffer path P3 is provided between the punch unit 60 and the processing tray 29 in the first carry-in path P1. The buffer path P3 is provided in order to temporarily retain the subsequent sheets sent to the carry-in inlet 23a during the post-processing operation such as staple binding in the sheet bundles that are aligned and accumulated on the processing tray. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 3, a buffer path P3 is branched and arranged in the vertical direction of the casing 20 on the upstream side of the path leading to the processing tray 29 in the first carry-in path P1.

Then, the sheet from the first carry-in route P1 is switched back and stays in this route. Therefore, when the sheet bundles that have been aligned and accumulated in the processing tray 29 are subjected to post-processing (edge binding processing described later), the subsequent sheets sent to the carry-in inlet 23a are temporarily retained, and the processing sheets in the processing tray 29 are carried out. After that, the subsequent sheets in this route can be transferred to the processing tray 29.

The first carry-in path P1 is arranged substantially horizontally on the upper part of the device housing composed of the casing 20, the first processing unit BX1 is located downstream of the first carry-in path P1, and the stack tray 21 is located downstream thereof. Is placed. Further, the second carry-in route P2 is arranged substantially vertically in the lower part of the casing 20, the second processing unit BX2 is arranged on the downstream side of the second carry-in route P2, and the saddle tray 22 is arranged on the downstream side thereof. ing. A punch unit 60, which will be described later, is arranged between the carry-in inlet 23a and the first processing unit BX1 in the first carry-in path P1. In the second carry-in route P2, a trimmer unit 90, which will be described later, is arranged between the second processing unit BX2 and the saddle tray 22.

The first carry-in route P1 is provided with a paper discharge roller 25 and a paper discharge port 25x at the exit end of the route, and a paper discharge sensor S2 is arranged at the paper discharge port 25x, and a sheet passing through the first carry-in route P1. Is configured to detect jams and count the number of sheets passed through.

The following processing tray 29 is arranged so as to form a step on the downstream side of the paper ejection port 25x. Further, a transport roller 27 is provided in the second carry-in path P2, and a step is formed on the downstream side thereof, and an integration guide 45 described later is arranged. The step is formed by arranging the upstream end of the integration guide 45 vertically downward with respect to the downstream end of the processing tray 29.

[Structure of the first processing unit]
The first processing unit BX1 described above is composed of a processing tray 29 arranged in the first carry-in path P1, an edge binding staple unit 31 arranged in the processing tray 29, and an aligning means 51.

[Processing tray structure]
The processing tray 29 is formed of a synthetic resin plate or the like, and includes a paper mounting surface 29a on which a sheet is loaded and supported. The paper loading surface 29a is arranged so as to form a step on the downstream side of the paper ejection port 25x so that the sheets from the paper ejection port 25x can be loaded and stored.

The paper loading surface 29a is formed to have a length shorter than the length of the sheet in the paper ejection direction, supports the rear end portion of the sheet from the paper ejection port 25x, and the sheet tip portion is supported on the top sheet of the stack tray 21. (Bridge support). The processing tray 29 is a sheet accumulating means for temporarily accumulating the sheets conveyed by the sheet conveying means, and the stack tray 21 is a sheet loading means.

The processing tray 29 is provided with the sheet edge regulating means 32, and the rear edge (or the tip thereof) of the sheet from the paper ejection port 25x is abutted and aligned. Above the processing tray 29, a switchback roller (first friction rotating body; the same applies hereinafter) 26 (movable roller 26a, fixed roller 26b) that transfers the sheet carried on the tray to the sheet edge regulating means 32, and a. The lining means 51 and the side matching means 34 are arranged.
Each configuration will be described below.

[Structure of sheet edge regulation means]
In the processing tray 29, a sheet edge regulating means 32 for positioning one end edge of the front and rear ends of the carried-in sheet is arranged. The sheet edge regulating means 32 shown in FIG. 6 is composed of a stopper member having a sheet end surface regulating surface 32a that abuts and regulates the rear end edge of the sheet and a sheet top surface regulating surface 32b that position-regulates the upper surface of the top sheet. There is. The sheet edge regulating means 32 is arranged at the trailing edge of the processing tray 29, and is preset by abutting and regulating the trailing edge of the sheet transferred by the switchback roller 26 and the lining means 51, which will be described later. Position the sheet at the post-processing position (binding position; the same applies hereinafter). At this time, the sheet upper surface restricting surface 32b regulates the curved surface of the sheet whose tip is curled, and the sheet end surface restricting surface 32a regulates the position of the sheet edge.

The seat end surface regulating surface 32a and the sheet upper surface regulating surface 32b are composed of a stopper member integrally formed of a resin, a metal plate, or the like, but both of these regulating surfaces can also be formed of individual members. In the seat edge regulating means 32, the fixed stopper member 32A is arranged at the center in the seat width direction, and the first and second movable stopper members 32B and 32C are arranged at the left and right ends of the seat at predetermined intervals. It is composed of members. The illustrated 32s is a leaf spring attached to each stopper member in order to correct the curl at the tip of the seat.

In this way, the first and second movable stopper members 32B and 32C located at the left and right ends of the seat move in position according to the seat size. Therefore, the right slide member 38a and the left slide member 38b are fitted and supported on the bottom wall of the processing tray 29 so as to be movable in the seat width direction. The first movable stopper member 32B and the second movable stopper member 32C are fixed to the left and right slide members 38a and 38b. The left and right slide members 38a and 38b are connected so as to be interlocked with the matching plates 34L and 34R that align the seat sides as described later.

The seat edge regulating means 32 configured as described above is configured such that at least the seat upper surface regulating surface 32b can move up and down in the seat loading direction. This is because when the sheet bundle discharging means 100 described later carries out the sheet bundle on the processing tray from the tray, the sheet bundle discharging means 100 may lift the sheet bundle on the tray upward, and the sheet bundle is moved upward. This is to move the seat upper surface regulating surface 32b upward in accordance with the above.

Therefore, as shown in FIG. 6, the fixed stopper member 32A is oscillatingly supported by the bottom wall of the processing tray 29, and is urged and supported downward in the drawing by the urging spring 33. The first and second movable stopper members 32B and 32C are elastically deformable (32α portion in the drawing) attached to the left and right slide members 38a and 38b, respectively. Further, the vertical movement by the stopper member may be rattling (ga in the figure) that occurs between the fixing screw 32n and the slide member regardless of the elastic deformation.

[Structure of sheet transfer means]
The processing tray 29 is provided with a sheet transfer means (switchback roller) 26 for guiding the sheet carried in from the paper ejection port 25x to the sheet edge regulating means 32 described above. The sheet transfer means 26 is composed of a friction rotating body such as a roller or a belt that transfers the sheet carried out from the paper ejection port 25x to the processing tray 29 to the sheet edge regulating means 32. Hereinafter, this will be described according to the switchback roller mechanism based on the illustration.

The switchback roller 26a is arranged above the processing tray 29 as shown in FIG. 7A, and is configured to convey the top sheet on the processing tray in the forward and reverse directions. The switchback roller 26a is located between an operating position (state of FIG. 7C) in contact with the sheet on the processing tray 29 and a standby position (state of FIG. 7B) separated above the sheet. It is axially supported by the elevating support arm 28 so as to move up and down.

That is, the elevating support arm 28 is oscillatingly supported by the oscillating rotary shaft 28a on the device frame (not shown), and the oscillating rotary shaft 28a is supported by the elevating motor (arm driving means; hereinafter, via the pinion 28p). Similarly) MY is connected. A position sensor (not shown) is arranged on the elevating support arm 28 to detect the position of the elevating support arm 28 and control the elevating between the standby position and the operating position.

The movable switchback roller 26a axially supported by the elevating support arm 28 is connected to a forward / reverse motor (not shown) via a transmission means, and the sheet carried on the processing tray 29 is discharged in the paper ejection direction and in the opposite direction. It is designed to reverse forward and backward. Therefore, the roller rotation shaft 26z of the switchback roller 26a is supported by a long groove 28u formed in the elevating support arm 28 as shown in FIG. 7A, and moves up and down in the seat loading direction (vertical direction in FIG. 7A). It is shaft-supported as much as possible. The switchback roller 26a on the movable side is provided with a paper surface contact sensor Ss. The illustrated 28z is a leaf spring that constantly urges the roller rotation shaft 26z downward, and is for preventing the shaft from rising when the switchback roller 26a descends and malfunctioning of the paper surface detection sensor Ss.

[Paper contact sensor]
The switchback roller 26a is provided with a paper surface contact sensor Ss that detects the position of the roller rotation shaft 26z that moves up and down along the long groove 28u. The paper surface contact sensor Ss is fixedly arranged on the above-mentioned elevating support arm 28, and a roller rotation shaft 26z that moves (moves upward) in the long groove 28u by the contact pressure at which the switchback roller 26a abuts on the uppermost sheet on the processing tray. It is configured to detect the position. Therefore, the elevating support arm 28 is provided with a sensor lever 30 having a rotation center o1 at a position different from that of the swing rotation shaft 28a, and a roller rotation shaft 26z is axially connected to the tip of the sensor lever 30. The paper surface contact sensor Ss is composed of a photo sensor that detects the sensor flag 30f formed at the rear end of the sensor lever 30.

The switchback roller 26a configured in this way has a standby position above the processing tray (FIG. 7B) by swinging the elevating support arm 28 up and down with the elevating motor MY, and a sheet carried onto the processing tray. It will move up and down with the operating position (FIG. 7 (c)) in contact with. Then, the paper surface contact sensor Ss arranged on the elevating support arm 28 detects that the switchback roller 26a comes into contact with the sheet carried onto the processing tray 29.

[Structure of control means]
Therefore, the control means 165 for controlling the elevating motor MY is configured as follows. The elevating control means 165 is composed of a control CPU 161 described later, and elevates and controls the elevating support arm 28 between the standby position and the operating position. First, the control means 165 is stationary at a standby position by a position sensor (not shown) arranged on the elevating support arm 28. Then, the tip of the sheet carried out from the above-mentioned paper ejection port 25x is detected by the sheet sensor S2, and after the estimated time when the tip of the sheet has passed directly below, the elevating motor MY is rotated counterclockwise in FIG. 7 (a). Then, the elevating support arm 28 rotates counterclockwise in FIG. 7A about the swing rotation shaft 28a.

As a result, the roller rotation shaft 26z of the switchback roller 26a is supported by the long groove 28u, so that the speed is substantially the same as that of the elevating support arm 28 from the standby position (FIG. 7 (b)) to the operating position (FIG. 7 (c)). Descent to. At this time, the sensor lever 30 connected to the switchback roller 26a moves (descends) in the same direction at the same speed as the elevating support arm 28.

At this time, the elevating control means 165 is equal to the lowering speed (rotational speed of the elevating motor MY) Va of the elevating support arm 28 than the speed (free fall speed) Vr at which the switchback roller 26a on the movable side falls in the long groove 28u by its own weight. It is set to be slower than or later (Va ≦ Vr).

This is because if the lowering speed Va of the elevating support arm 28 is made faster than the switchback roller 26a that freely falls in the long groove 28u, the roller becomes unstable and the paper surface contact sensor Ss is prevented from malfunctioning due to rebound or the like. That is, by limiting the falling speed Vr of the switchback roller 26a by the speed of the elevating support arm 28 and gently lowering the switchback roller 26a, erroneous detection such as chattering of the paper surface contact sensor Ss is prevented.

Next, when the peripheral surface of the switchback roller 26a comes into contact with the uppermost sheet on the processing tray 29, the switchback roller 26a stands still on the uppermost sheet, but the elevating support arm 28 swings in the same direction. Descent. At this time, in the paper surface contact sensor Ss, the sensor lever 30 swings counterclockwise around the central rotation center o1. Then, the paper surface contact sensor Ss detects the sensor lever 30 and turns it “ON”. The elevating motor MY is stopped by the detection signal of the paper contact sensor Ss. By controlling in this way, the switchback roller 26a always abuts on the top sheet with a constant pressure contact force (for example, its own weight) Pt regardless of the amount of accumulation of the sheets loaded on the processing tray 29 (FIG. 7 (FIG. 7). c) See).

The control means 165 drives a forward / reverse motor (not shown) to reverse the forward / reverse of the switchback roller 26a in tandem with the descent of the switchback roller 26a to the operating position. Then, the sheet carried from the paper ejection port 25x onto the top sheet of the processing tray 29 receives a constant conveying force and is transferred in the paper ejection direction and the paper ejection opposite direction. In the device shown in the drawing, when the sheet from the paper ejection port 25x is conveyed from the paper ejection port 25x in the paper ejection direction, the switchback roller 26a is rotated in the clockwise direction shown in the drawing, and the sheet tip is pulled into the processing tray 29.

Then, after the rear end of the sheet has passed through the paper ejection port 25x, the switchback roller 26a is reversed and the switchback is conveyed to the sheet edge regulating means 32 side. In the process of transporting the sheet, the sheet and the switchback roller 26a are engaged with each other with a constant pressing force regardless of the load capacity of the sheet on the processing tray, and a predetermined transport force set in advance is applied to the sheet. ..

[Aligning mechanism]
The processing tray 29 is provided with an aligning mechanism (aligning means) 51 for transferring the sheet to the seat edge regulating means 32 together with the switchback roller 26a described above. As shown in FIG. 8A, the lining means 51 is arranged directly below the paper ejection port 25x, scrapes the rear end of the sheet carried into the processing tray 29, and transfers it toward the sheet edge regulating means 32. It is composed of a friction rotating body (second friction rotating body; the same applies hereinafter) 52.

The friction rotating body 52 is composed of a rubber material, a sponge (porous foam body) and other rotating bodies such as rollers and belts, engages with the uppermost sheet on the tray, and is transferred in a predetermined direction by the frictional force. The illustrated friction rotating body 52 is configured to move up and down according to the load capacity of the sheets accumulated on the processing tray 29.

Therefore, the friction rotating body (roller) 52 is bearing-supported by the elevating support arm 54 that is rotatably supported by the swinging rotating shaft 53 on the device frame (not shown). A drive pinion 53p is attached to the swing rotation shaft 53, and a stepping motor MC is connected to the drive pinion 53p. A torque limiter (not shown) is built in between the drive pinion 53p and the swing rotation shaft 53. Therefore, when the friction rotating body 52 attached to the elevating support arm 54 comes into contact with the uppermost sheet on the processing tray 29, the torque limiter idles due to the reaction force and always engages with the uppermost sheet at a constant pressure. ..

Therefore, the friction rotating body 52 engages with the uppermost sheet regardless of the load capacity of the sheets accumulated on the processing tray 29, and the elevating support arm 54 stops at this position. Then, the elevating support arm 54 applies a stopping force to the friction rotating body 52 on the uppermost sheet. A floating pulley is pivotally supported by the swinging rotary shaft 53, and a drive motor (not shown) is connected to the pulley. Then, the rotational force of the drive motor is transmitted from the pulley to the friction rotating body 52 by a belt or the like. The friction rotating body 52 configured in this way rotates counterclockwise in FIG. 8 at the operating position shown in FIGS. 6 (b) and 6 (c), and directs the sheet carried onto the processing tray toward the sheet edge regulating means 32. It is designed to be transported.

A carry-in guide 54a is attached to the upstream side of the friction rotating body 52, and a carry-out guide 54b is attached to the downstream side of the elevating support arm 54. The carry-in guide 54a has a guide shape that guides the seat tip to the friction rotating body 52, and the carry-out guide 54b is located between the friction rotating body 52 and the seat edge regulating means 32. It is configured in each guide shape to guide.

[Carry-in guide]
As shown in FIG. 8A, the carry-in guide 54a is integrally formed with the elevating support arm 54 so that the seat carry-in side is high and the friction rotating body side is low so as to guide the seat tip toward the peripheral surface of the friction rotating body 52. A tapered surface 54a1 inclined to the surface is provided. Therefore, even if the rear end of the seat sent toward the seat edge regulating means 32 by the switchback roller 26a described above is curled and warped, it will be guided to the friction rotating body 52 along the tapered surface 54a1. .. Since the carry-in guide 54a is integrally formed with the elevating support arm 54, the carry-in guide 54a is lifted upward according to the load capacity of the sheets on the processing tray.

The reason why the carry-in guide 54a is integrally formed with the friction rotating body 52 in this way is that when the roller diameter of the rotating body is made small (for miniaturization), the sheet whose rear end is curled is caught in the roller and jammed. Therefore, when guiding with the carry-in guide, the angular relationship between the guide surface (the above-mentioned tapered surface) and the roller peripheral surface changes according to the load capacity of the sheet, causing jam.

In order to solve such a problem, the friction rotating body 52 and the carry-in guide 54a are integrated so as to move up and down according to the seat load capacity. In this case, the carry-in guide 54a is integrally formed with the elevating support arm 54, but is separately supported by the elevating support arm 54 so as to be swingable. The rear end may be displaced at an angle that makes it easy to carry the rear end into the rotating body 52.

[Delivery guide]
The carry-out guide 54b includes a guide surface 54b1 that guides the rear end side of the sheet fed by the friction rotating body 52 from above and guides it to the seat edge regulating means 32. The carry-out guide 54b is supported by the elevating support arm 54 so as to be swingably upward by pushing up the loading sheet based on the state shown in FIG. 8A, and is integrally formed with the friction rotating body 52. Therefore, it is moved upward according to the load capacity of the sheets on the processing tray.

Therefore, as shown in FIG. 8D, the carry-in guide 54a and the carry-out guide 54b have a distance (L1) between the carry-in guide 54a and the top sheet with respect to the top sheet of the processing tray 29. It is set larger (L1> L2) than the interval (L2) with.

[Structure of kicker means]
Further, the carry-in guide 54a is adapted to guide the sheet from the paper ejection port 25x to the friction rotating body 52 in cooperation with the kicker means 55 arranged on the upstream side thereof. The kicker means 55 will be described. As described above, a step is formed between the paper ejection port 25x and the processing tray 29, and the rear end of the sheet sent from the paper ejection port 25x by the switchback roller 26a falls onto the processing tray 29. Therefore, the kicker means 55 is provided in the paper ejection port 25x.

As shown in FIG. 8A, the kicker means 55 is composed of a base end swing lever 55a and a tip kick lever 55b attached to the device frame by a rotating shaft 56. A drive motor MK is connected to the rotating shaft 56 of the base end swing lever 55a by a gear. Further, it is rotatably connected to the tip of the tip kick lever 55b. The rotating shaft 56 swings at a predetermined rotation angle by the drive motor MK, and the shaft fulcrum 55b1 of the tip kick lever 55b is connected to the rotating shaft 56 via a gear and a belt.

Therefore, when the kicker means 55 at the chain line position (standby position) in FIG. 8 (e) rotates the drive motor MK in the clockwise direction in the figure, the base end swing lever 55a swings in the direction a (counterclockwise) in the figure. .. At this time, since the tip kick lever 55b is connected to the rotating shaft 56 by a gear and a belt, it rotates in the direction b (clockwise) shown in the figure. Therefore, by rotating the drive motor MK in the forward direction (clockwise rotation in the figure), the kicker means 55 moves from the chain line state to the solid line state in FIG. 8 (e), and at this time, the rear end of the sheet from the paper ejection port 25x is processed downward. By striking on the tray 29, it waits for the return to the position of the chain line state in FIG. 8 (e).

Then, the control CPU 161 described later energizes the drive motor MK at the timing when the rear end of the sheet passes through the paper ejection roller 25 by the detection signal that the rear end of the sheet has passed through the paper ejection sensor S2 of the paper ejection port 25x, and the rear end of the sheet is trayed. Kick it up. The rear end of the sheet dropped by the kicker means 55 is arranged so as to be guided to the friction rotating body 52 by the above-mentioned carry-in guide 54a.

[Structure of side matching means]
A side matching means 34 for aligning the sheets by width is arranged on the processing tray 29. The side alignment means 34 adopts either a center reference for aligning the center of the sheet carried into the processing tray 29 from the paper ejection port 25x as a reference, or a side reference for aligning with the left and right side edges of the sheet as a reference. Will be done. This will be described with reference to the perspective view of FIG. 6 and the operating state diagrams shown in FIGS. 9 and 10.

As shown in FIG. 6, the side matching means 34 is composed of a left matching plate 34L that engages with the left edge of the sheet on the processing tray 29 and a right matching plate 34R that engages with the right edge of the sheet. The left and right matching plates 34L and 34R are fitted and supported by guide grooves (see FIG. 6) formed on the paper mounting surface 29a of the processing tray, respectively, and the positions can be moved in the sheet width direction. A pair of pulleys 35 are arranged along the guide groove on the bottom of the processing tray 29 as shown in FIG. 9A, and a belt 36 is bridged over the pulleys 35. The left and right matching plates 34L and 34R are fixed to the belt 36. Further, shift motors MZ1 and MZ2 are connected to one of the pulleys 35.

The left matching plate 34L and the right matching plate 34R, which are formed in pairs on the left and right in such a configuration, move to the left and right in the seat width direction by driving the shift motors MZ1 and MZ2, respectively. Therefore, by synchronously driving the left and right shift motors MZ1 and MZ2 to rotate the same amount in opposite directions, it is possible to align the sheets carried on the processing tray with the center reference.

FIG. 9A shows a state in which large size sheets are aligned, and FIG. 9B shows a state in which medium size sheets are aligned. Further, FIG. 10 (c) shows a state in which small size sheets are aligned. On the other hand, the sheet bundle aligned on the processing tray based on the center can offset the sheet by driving the left and right shift motors MZ1 and MZ2 in the same direction by the same amount of rotation.

FIG. 10D shows a case where the large size sheet is offset and moved. To offset a large-sized sheet by a predetermined amount in this way, when the post-processing position is biased to the sheet corner (corner staple described later), it is necessary to move the post-processing means 31 to the side of the device, which increases the size of the device. Bring. Therefore, by offsetting the sheet bundles accumulated on the processing tray 29 by a predetermined amount, post-processing such as corner binding is possible. As a result, the device can be made smaller and more compact.

[Interlocking mechanism between matching plate and movable stopper]
The pair of left and right matching plates 34L and 34R configured as described above are interlocked with the seat edge regulating means 32 described above as follows. Further, the above-mentioned seat edge regulating means 32 includes a left movable stopper (second movable stopper member) 32C and a right movable stopper (first movable stopper member) 32B, and the left and right movable stoppers 32B and 32C are processing trays 29. It is connected to the left and right slide members 38a and 38b that are fitted and supported so as to be movable in the seat width direction.

Therefore, the left and right movable stoppers 32B and 32C are connected to the left and right matching plates 34L and 34R by a connecting spring 37 as shown in FIG. 9A. That is, the right slide member 38a provided with the right movable stopper 32B is connected by the connecting spring 37a, and the left slide member 38b provided with the left movable stopper 32C is connected by the connecting spring 37b. Then, the left and right matching plates 34L and 34R reciprocate between the strokes LS1 in the seat width direction. On the other hand, the left and right movable stoppers 32B and 32C move in a driven manner between the strokes LS2. Therefore, stopping members (not shown) are arranged on the processing tray 29 side of the left and right movable stoppers 32B and 32C.

The strokes LS1 and LS2 are set to LS1> LS2, and the left and right movable stoppers 32B and 32C move by the same amount until they hit the stop members in conjunction with the movement of the left and right matching plates 34L and 34R. .. The movable stoppers 32B and 32C stop at this position after hitting the stop member, and the matching plates 34L and 34R move further. At this time, the connecting springs 37a and 37b that connect the two are extended (extended). Therefore, the left and right matching plates 34L and 34R move between the strokes LS1 according to the seat size, and the movable stoppers 32B and 32C move between the strokes LS2. The reason why the strokes of the left and right movable stoppers 32B and 32C are set short in this way is that the seat bundle discharging means 100 described later is arranged in the center of the seat.

In the illustrated embodiment, when the left and right movable stoppers 32B and 32C constituting the seat edge regulating means 32 are interlocked with the side matching means 34 and the moving strokes of the two are made different, the connecting spring 37 is used. As described above, the left and right matching plates 34L and 34R and the left and right movable stoppers 32B and 32C may use a "sliding transmission mechanism" or a "deceleration transmission mechanism".

In the case of the "sliding transmission mechanism", the left and right matching plates 34L and 34R and the left and right movable stoppers 32B and 32C are connected by a sliding friction clutch, and after the left and right movable stoppers 32B and 32C hit the stop member, the clutch plate Is configured to slide. Further, in the "deceleration transmission mechanism", the left and right matching plates 34L and 34R and the left and right movable stoppers 32B and 32C are connected by a gear transmission mechanism. At this time, the matching plates 34L and 34R move by the stroke LS1 and the movable stoppers 32B and 32C. Sets the gear ratio so that it moves with the stroke LS2.

The control of the side matching means 34 will be described. Position sensors are arranged in the home positions set in advance on the left and right matching plates 34L and 34R described above, and the left and right matching plates 34L and 34R are located in the home position when the device is started. Therefore, the control CPU 161 described later receives the size information of the sheet to be image-formed from the image forming apparatus A, and the control means 166 positions the left and right matching plates 34L and 34R at predetermined standby positions based on this information. This standby position is set at a position separated from the width size of the sheet sent to the processing tray 29 by a predetermined amount (a position for forming a consistent movement width).

Therefore, the control CPU 161 moves the left and right shift motors MZ1 and MZ2 in opposite directions after the estimated time when the rear end of the sheet carried out from the paper ejection port 25x is carried onto the processing tray (after the timer time elapses from the paper ejection sensor S2). It rotates synchronously by a predetermined amount. Then, the sheets carried on the processing tray are aligned by width.

[Corner staple mode]
Further, the control CPU 161 moves the left and right matching plates 34L and 34R by a predetermined amount in the sheet width direction when binding the sheet bundles that have been aligned and accumulated on the processing tray by the staple means (end-binding staple unit) 31 described later. It is configured to be offset. This is because, in the case of a device configuration in which the staple means 31 is moved to this position when binding the seat corner, the device becomes larger in the seat width direction. Therefore, the device shown in the figure offsets the sheet bundle on the processing tray by driving the shift motors MZ1 and MZ2 of the left and right matching plates 34L and 34R in the same direction by the same amount in the corner staple mode.

[Structure of sheet bundle discharging means]
In the processing tray 29, a sheet bundle discharging means 100 for carrying out the processed sheet bundle to the stack tray 21 on the downstream side is arranged. The sheet bundle discharging means 100 is arranged at the bottom of the processing tray 29, and mounts and supports a sheet engaging member 105 that projects upward from the paper mounting surface 29a and engages with the sheet bundle, and the sheet engaging member 105. It is composed of a carrier member 110. 11 is an explanatory view showing a perspective configuration of the sheet bundle discharging means 100, FIG. 12 is an explanatory view showing a planar configuration, and FIG. 14 is an explanatory view of a drive mechanism.

As shown in FIG. 11, the sheet bundle discharging means 100 includes a seat engaging member 105, a carrier member 110, an engaging member driving means 127, and a carrier member driving means 114. The seat engaging member 105 is composed of a movable gripper 105a and a fixed gripper 105b. Further, the carrier member 110 is configured to mount the seat engaging member 105 and reciprocate from the base end portion (post-processing position) of the processing tray 29 to the tip end portion (bundle unloading position). Hereinafter, each configuration will be described.

[Seat engaging member]
The sheet engaging member 105 is composed of engaging members such as protrusions and grippers that engage with the trailing edge of the sheet bundle accumulated on the processing tray, and is a guide formed on the paper mounting surface 29a of the processing tray 29. It is arranged in the groove 29G. As shown in FIG. 12, in the processing tray 29, a guide groove 29G is provided between the processing position and the stack tray 21 arranged on the downstream side of the processing tray 29 in the sheet bundle unloading direction (hereinafter, simply "bundle unloading direction"). It is formed in). In the figure shown, two guide grooves 29G1 and 29G2 are formed at a distance in the seat width direction, and seat engaging members 105 are arranged in each of the left and right guide grooves 29G1 and 29G2 as follows.

The illustrated sheet engaging member 105 is composed of a gripper mechanism that grips and carries out the rear end edge of the sheet bundle supported across the stack tray 21 and the processing tray 29. As shown in FIGS. 11 and 15, the movable gripper 105a and the fixed gripper 105b are connected by a pivot pin (connecting shaft) 106 so as to swing with each other. An urging spring 107 is provided between both the movable and fixed grippers so that the tip nip portion 105ax of the movable gripper 105a and the tip nip portion 105bx of the fixed gripper 105b are in constant pressure contact (FIG. 15A). reference).

Therefore, the fixed gripper 105b is fitted and supported in the guide groove 115 formed in the carrier member 110 so as to be movable in the carrying-out direction. Further, the rear end portion of the movable gripper 105a is connected to a traveling belt 116 built in the carrier member 110 by a connecting spring 117.

Therefore, when the traveling belt 116 of the carrier member 110, which will be described later, moves to the left in FIG. 15, the fixed gripper 105b and the movable gripper 105a move in the sheet bundle unloading direction with their tip nip portions 105ax and 105bx in pressure contact with each other (FIG. 15 (FIG. 15). State of a)). When the traveling belt 116 is fed back to the right side of FIG. 15, the movable gripper 105a swings clockwise around the pivot pin 106, and the tip nip portion 105ax is separated from the tip nip portion 105bx of the fixed gripper 105b to release the nip. (The state of FIG. 15B).

[Carrier member]
Next, the carrier member 110 on which the above-mentioned seat engaging member (hereinafter referred to as “gripper member (means)”) 105 is mounted and supported will be described. As shown in FIGS. 11 and 15, the carrier member 110 is composed of a frame member having an appropriately shaped shape that supports the gripper member (means) 105, and is formed in the processing tray 29 in the direction of carrying out the sheet bundle along the guide groove 29G. It is supported so that it can be moved.

Explaining the support structure, the rear end portion 110b of the carrier member 110 is supported so as to reciprocate linearly along the slide member 119 shown in FIG. Further, the tip portion 110a of the carrier member 110 reciprocates in a loop along the following loop guide groove 29Ga. As a result, the gripper member (means) 105 mounted on the carrier member 110 is moved from the standby position to the unloading position by the upper path protruding on the processing tray, and after the sheet bundle is unloaded to the stack tray 21, it is placed in the processing tray. It is designed to return to the standby position with the sunken lower pass. The guide pin 111 is provided at the tip of the carrier member 110 and is fitted in the loop guide groove 29Ga.

[Slide member]
As shown in FIG. 12, the slide member 119 is fitted and supported by a guide rail 121 arranged at the bottom of the processing tray 29, and can reciprocate in the same direction as the guide groove 29G (vertical direction in FIG. 12) with a predetermined stroke. It is supported. A drive rotation shaft 125 is mounted on the slide member 119, and a rear end portion 110b of the carrier member 110 is axially connected to the drive rotation shaft 125. The state of this shaft connection is shown in FIG. 15. The carrier member 110 is connected by the drive rotation shaft 125 of the rear end portion 110b so as to reciprocate in the sheet bundle carry-out direction with a predetermined stroke, and at the same time, the tip portion 110a is driven by the drive rotation shaft 125. It can swing around the rotating shaft 125.

A drive arm (crank member) 126, which will be described later, is connected to the slide member 119, and the drive arm (crank member) 126 reciprocates between predetermined strokes.
Further, a drive pulley of a traveling belt 116, which will be described later, is connected to the drive rotation shaft 125, and an engaging member driving means 127 is connected to the drive rotation shaft 125.

[Loop guide groove]
Loop guide grooves 29Ga facing each other are formed on the left and right side walls of the guide groove 29G (see FIG. 12). A guide pin 111 formed at the tip end portion 110a of the carrier member 110 is fitted and supported in the loop guide groove 29Ga. As shown in FIG. 13, the loop guide groove 29Ga is configured in a loop shape having an upper traveling path 113a and a lower traveling path 113b along the paper mounting surface 29a of the processing tray. Then, the guide pin 111 moves from the standby position to the carry-out position along the upper travel path 113a (outward route), and moves from the carry-out position to the standby position along the lower travel path 113b (return route).

As described above, when the carrier member 110 supported by the slide member 119 and the loop guide groove 29Ga moves from the standby position to the stack tray 21 side as shown in FIG. 13, the guide pin 111 follows the upper traveling path 113a and is the carrier member. 110 moves in a substantially horizontal position. Further, when returning from the stack tray 21 to the standby position, the guide pin 111 moves in an inclined state following the lower traveling path 113b.

Further, as shown in FIG. 13, the guide groove 29G is formed with a loop groove 112 for guiding the guide pin 108 provided in the seat engaging member (movable gripper member) 105a. The movable gripper 105a and the fixed gripper 105b move along the loop groove 112.

Then, as will be described later, the seat engaging member (gripper member) 105 mounted on the carrier member 110 is in charge of the seat when the guide pin 111 of the carrier member 110 is guided by the upper traveling path 113a and moves in the seat bundle carrying-out direction. The mating member (gripper member) 105 is in an operating posture protruding upward from the processing tray 29, and when the guide pin 111 is guided by the lower traveling path 113b and moves to the standby position, the seat engaging member (gripper member) 105 is in a guide groove. It is designed to be in a standby posture that is immersive inside. This state will be described later according to FIGS. 17 to 19.

As shown in FIG. 15, the carrier member 110 configured in this way is provided with a pair of pulleys 130a and 130b in the front-rear direction in the seat bundle unloading direction, and a traveling belt 116 is bridged between the pulleys. One of the drive pulleys 130b is pivotally supported by the drive rotation shaft 125 described above. Therefore, when the drive rotation shaft 125 rotates, the seat engaging member (gripper member) 105 overlaps with the carrier member 110 at the base end storage position (state of FIG. 17A described later) and the sheet bundle unloading direction from the carrier member 110. It is configured to be movable with and from the tip carrying-out position (state of FIG. 19 (h) described later) protruding from the tip.

[Mounting structure of seat engaging member]
The carrier member 110 described above is arranged at the bottom of the processing tray 29, and a seat engaging member (gripper member) 105 is mounted on the bottom of the processing tray 29. As described above, the seat engaging member (gripper member) 105 has a movable gripper 105a connected to the upper portion of the fixed gripper 105b by a pivot pin 106.

Therefore, the fixed gripper 105b is supported by the carrier member 110 so as to be movable in the position of carrying out the sheet bundle. FIG. 115 shows a slide guide groove formed in the carrier member 110, and a fixed gripper 105b is fitted and supported in the guide groove 115. Further, the movable gripper 105a is swingably supported by the fixed gripper 105b by the pivot pin 106, and the rear end portion thereof is connected to the traveling belt 116 built in the carrier member 110 by the connecting spring 117. The carrier member 110 and the seat engaging member (gripper member) 105 include a carrier driving means 114 and an engaging member driving means 127, respectively, as shown in FIGS. 14 and 15.

[Carrier driving means]
As shown in FIG. 12, the carrier member 110 is connected (coupled) to the slide member 119 by the drive rotation shaft 125. Therefore, as conceptually shown in FIG. 15, a shaft pin 122 is integrally formed on the slide member 119, and a drive arm 126 is fitted to the shaft pin 122. The drive arm 126 is connected to the drive motor MH so as to swing about a swing shaft 131 bearing on the device frame by a crank member. The drive arm 126 and the shaft pin 122 are connected by a slit (long hole).

Therefore, when the drive arm 126 is moved back and forth by a predetermined angle with the drive motor MH, the slide member 119 reciprocates back and forth with a predetermined stroke. By the back-and-forth movement of the drive arm 126, the rear end portion 110b of the carrier member 110 moves back and forth in a linear locus, and the tip end portion 110a moves back and forth along the loop guide groove 29Ga in a loop locus. As described above, the carrier member 110 is provided with the carrier driving means 114 that moves the carrier member 110 in the sheet bundle unloading direction along the processing tray 29.

[Engagement member driving means]
The fixed gripper 105b and the movable gripper 105a constituting the seat engaging member (gripper member) 105 are connected to each other by a pivot pin 106. The fixed gripper 105b is supported by the carrier member 110 along the slide guide groove 115 so as to be movable back and forth in the sheet bundle unloading direction. Further, the rear end portion of the movable gripper 105a is connected to the traveling belt 116 of the carrier member 110 by a connecting spring 117 (see FIG. 15 above).

Therefore, as conceptually shown in FIG. 15, the drive motor ME is connected to the drive pulley 130b of the traveling belt 116 provided on the carrier member 110. The drive motor ME is composed of a motor capable of forward and reverse rotation, and when the drive motor ME is rotated in the forward direction, the traveling belt 116 moves to the left in FIG. Following the movement of the traveling belt 116, the movable / fixed clippers 105a and 105b move from the standby position to the unloading position (bundle unloading direction) along the slide guide groove 115.

Further, when the drive motor ME is rotated in the opposite direction, as shown in FIG. 15B, the movable / fixed clippers 105a and 105b move from the carry-out position to the standby position (return direction). At the same time, when the traveling belt 116 further moves from the standby position to the rear side thereof, the connecting spring 117 moves clockwise according to the drive pulley 130b. The retracting operation of the drive pulley 130b causes the connecting spring 117 to pull the rear end of the movable gripper 105a downward.

At this time, the movable gripper 105a rotates clockwise around the pivot pin 106, and the nip portion 105ax at the tip is expanded upward (see FIG. 15B). As described above, the seat engaging member (gripper member) 105 includes an engaging member driving means 127 that moves the seat engaging member (gripper member) 105 in the seat bundle unloading direction along the carrier member 110.

[Operation of seat engaging member]
The operation of the seat engaging member (gripper member) 105 configured as described above will be described with reference to FIGS. 17 (a) to 19 (k). The gripper means (gripper member) 105 will be described later in detail, but the "first standby position Gp1", "second standby position Gp2", "nip position Gp3", "bundle unloading position Gp4", and "nip release position Gp5" will be described later. It is controlled to move in the order of "first standby position Gp1".

[First standby state]
The control means 167, which will be described later, moves the gripper means (gripper member; the same applies hereinafter) 105 to the first standby position Gp1 shown in FIG. 17A in the “initial operation” (described later) when the device is started. At the first standby position Gp1, the gripper means 105 is in a standby posture immersed in the guide groove 29G of the processing tray 29. The sheet carried onto the processing tray 29 in this posture is abutted against the sheet edge regulating means 32 and aligned as shown in FIG. Therefore, in this posture, the sheets are aligned and accumulated on the processing tray 29 from the paper ejection port 25x, and the post-processing is performed at the preset processing position of the sheet bundle.

[Reverse operation of gripper means]
The control means 167 receives the job end signal from the image forming apparatus A and retracts the gripper means 105 toward the second standby position Gp2 on the rear side. Therefore, the control means 167 reversely rotates the drive motor MH of the drive arm 126 described above by a predetermined amount. In the process of retreating toward the second standby position Gp2, the guide pin 111 of the carrier member 110 of the gripper means 105 shifts from the lower traveling path 113b of the loop guide groove 29Ga to the upper traveling path 131a, and the movable gripper 105a projects above the paper mounting surface 29a (see FIG. 17C). At this time, the seat tip is pushed upward by the movable gripper 105a, but the seat edge regulating means 32 elastically deforms as shown in FIG. 3D and bends and deforms upward following the seat tip. This ensures smooth movement of the gripper means 105.

[Second standby position state]
Next, the control means 167 reversely rotates the drive motor MH of the drive arm 126 by a predetermined amount, and then stops the drive motor 167. Then, the control means 167 rotates the drive motor ME of the drive pulley 130b provided on the carrier member 110 clockwise (see FIGS. 15A and 15B). Then, the movable gripper 105a shifts from the nip posture shown in FIG. 17 (c) to the nip release posture shown in FIG. 18 (e). In this state, the gripper means 105 is positioned at the second standby position Gp2.

[Nip operation]
Next, the control means 167 rotates the drive motor MH of the drive arm 126 in the forward direction (counterclockwise in FIG. 15), and moves the carrier member 110 in the bundle unloading direction. With this movement, the seat engaging member is positioned at the nip position (seat edge regulating member position). Therefore, the control means 167 rotates the drive pulley 130b of the carrier member 110 clockwise (see FIGS. 15A and 15B). Then, the movable gripper 105a connected to the traveling belt 116 is pressed against the fixed gripper 105b to nip the seat bundle.

The control means 167 moves the carrier member in the direction opposite to the moving direction (moving speed Vb) of the gripper means 105 moving by the traveling belt 116 (moving speed Vc). At this time, the gripper means 105 can be stopped by adjusting the moving speed Vb of the traveling belt 116 with respect to the moving speed Vc of the carrier member 110. That is, by moving the gripper means 105 with respect to the sheet on the processing tray in the direction opposite to the moving direction of the carrier member 110, the gripper means 105 is in a stationary state when viewed from the sheet. For example, when the speeds Vc and Vb are set to the same speed (Vc = −Vb), the gripper means 105 is in a stationary state. As a result, the gripper means 105 performs a grip operation from the release posture to the nip posture in a stationary state with respect to the seat.

Next, the control means 167 continuously rotates the drive motor MH of the drive arm 126 in the forward direction, and at the same time, rotates the drive pulley 130b of the carrier member 110 in the counterclockwise direction (see FIGS. 15A and 15B). Then, as described in FIGS. 15A and 15B, the connecting spring 117 is loosened by the movement of the traveling belt 116, and the movable gripper 105a is pressed against the fixed gripper 105b by the urging spring 107. At this time, the rear end of the sheet bundle on the processing tray is niped.
This state is shown in FIG. 18 (f).

[Movement of bundle carry-out position]
The control means 167 stops the drive pulley 130b of the carrier member 110 and continues the forward rotation of the drive motor MH of the drive arm 126. Then, the sheet bundle nipated in the gripper means 105 is transferred from the state of FIG. 18 (f) to the state of FIG. 18 (g) along the processing tray 29.

In the state shown in the figure (g), the control means 167 rotates the drive pulley 130b of the carrier member 110 counterclockwise while the sheet bundle is transferred to the carry-out position. Then, the fixed / movable grippers 105a and 105b connected to the traveling belt 116 project from the carrier member 110 upward to the processing tray in the state shown in FIG. 19 (h). As a result, the rear end of the sheet bundle is carried out onto the stack tray 21, and the tip thereof is stored on the top sheet on the tray. FIG. 16 shows a state in which the product is discharged to the stack tray.

[Nip release state]
Next, the control means 167 temporarily stops the drive motor MH of the drive arm 126. Then, the carrier member 110 drops the loop guide groove 29Ga. Then, the gripper means 105 falls on the top sheet on the tray in the state shown in FIG. 19 (i). Therefore, the control means 167 reversely rotates the drive motor MH of the drive arm 126. Then, the carrier member 110 returns to the first standby position side along the lower traveling path 113b of the loop guide groove 29Ga. At this time, the sheet bundle nipped in the gripper means 105 is blocked by the side wall of the tray and released from the nip (state of FIG. 19J).

[Return status]
Further, the control means 167 continuously rotates the drive motor MH of the drive arm 126 to return the carrier member 110 from the bundle carry-out position Gp4 to the first standby position Gp1. Then, the gripper means 105 returns to the state shown in FIG. 19 (k) so as to be submerged in the guide groove 29G of the processing tray 29.

[Safety mechanism for tray output port]
In the processing tray 29 described above, the following safety mechanism 135 is arranged at an outlet end (hereinafter referred to as “tray output port”) 29x for carrying out a bundle of sheets to the stack tray 21. The safety mechanism 135 prohibits the operation of the "foreign matter detecting means 137" arranged in the tray output port 29x and the post-processing means (staple means) 31 based on the detection information from the foreign matter detecting means 137. It is composed of "means".

As shown in FIG. 20, the foreign matter detecting means 137 includes a shielding member 133 that opens and closes the tray output port 29x, and a position detection sensor St that detects the position of the shielding member 133. First, the shielding member 133 is arranged at the outlet end (tray discharge port) 29x of the processing tray 29 described above, and opens and closes the paper discharge opening formed above the paper loading surface 29a. The illustrated shielding member 133 is composed of a shutter plate that comes into contact with the uppermost sheet on the tray support surface, and is constantly linked to the swing of the switchback roller 26a to shield the opening of the outlet end 29x. The reason why the shielding member 133 is provided at the outlet end (tray discharge port) 29x in this way is that foreign matter, such as office tools, enters the post-processing section on the processing tray, or the user carelessly enters the fingers. This is to prevent.

The shielding member 133 can be moved up and down so as not to interfere with the sheet accumulation on the processing tray 29 or the sheet bundle unloading of the post-processed sheet bundle to the stack tray 21 (the one shown in the figure is the exterior casing 20). It is attached so that it can move up and down. The shielding member 133 opens upward when a paper jam occurs in the sheets accumulated on the processing tray 29, or when a malfunction such as a needle jam occurs in the post-processing means (staple means) 31. And jam processing is done.

As described above, the shielding member 133 configured to be vertically movable so as to open and close the paper ejection opening of the exterior casing 20 is provided with a position detection sensor St that detects the opened / closed state. Therefore, the shield member 133 is provided with the detected portion (sensor flag) 134, and the sensor means 138 (microswitch in the figure) provided with the sensor actuator Se for detecting the detected portion 134 is arranged on the device frame side. ing. The detection signal of the sensor means 138 is transferred to the control means 168 described later, and the operation of the post-processing means (staple means) 31 is prohibited.

Therefore, the height position of the shielding member 133 differs depending on the sheet load on the processing tray 29, and the shield member 133 is in a low position when the sheet load is small and in a high position when the sheet load is large. At this time, if the sensor means 138 is configured to detect a certain height position of the shielding member 133 and allow or prohibit the operation of the post-processing means 31, the following problems occur.

If the maximum allowable thickness to be loaded on the processing tray is set large, the height position of the shielding member 133 detected by the sensor means 138 must be set to a high position (if set to a low position, during normal operation). The operation of the post-processing means is prohibited). Therefore, when an abnormal operation of lifting the shielding member 133 upward is performed while several sheets are loaded on the processing tray, the post-processing means 31 operates without detecting the shielding member 133. A problem occurs.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the illustrated device may (i) adjust the height of the detection position of the sensor means 138 according to the thickness of the sheet bundle to be loaded, or (ii) adjust the height of the sensor means 138 to a plurality of height positions. Is detected and it is determined whether or not the post-processing operation is prohibited according to the thickness of the sheet bundle to be loaded. Each configuration will be described below.

(I) An embodiment in which the height of the detection position of the sensor means 138 is adjusted according to the thickness of the sheet bundle to be loaded. As shown in FIG. 20, the microswitch constituting the sensor means 138 is supported on the device frame 20 by a guide rail (not shown) or the like so as to be able to move up and down along the seat loading direction.

A rack gear 141 is provided on the sensor bracket 140 on which the microswitch is mounted, and a pinion 142 connected to the stepping motor MT is meshed with the rack gear 141. Therefore, by rotating the stepping motor MT, the sensor means 138 can move up and down in the seat loading direction, and the actuator Se of the sensor means 138 has a different height position for detecting the detected portion 134 arranged on the shielding member 133. It will be made to. The sensor position shifting means (MT) is configured by this stepping motor MT.

(Ii) An embodiment in which a plurality of height positions are detected by the sensor means 138. As shown in FIG. 19, a plurality of detected portions 134 having different height positions are included in the shielding member 133 configured to be vertically movable in the sheet loading direction as described above, with the first flag 134a, the second flag 134b, and the second flag 134b. 3 Flags 134c are arranged in this order. Then, the control means 168, which will be described later, determines whether or not the post-processing operation is prohibited based on the signals from the sensor means 138 that detect the plurality of detected units 134a to 134c.

[Control means]
The control means 168 is composed of a control CPU 161 described later. The control means 168 in the embodiment (i) acquires the number of sheets accumulated in the processing tray 29 from the image forming apparatus A from, for example, image data. Then, the thickness of the sheet bundle accumulated in the processing tray 29 is calculated from the preset standard paper thickness (loading amount identification means). The height position of the sensor means (microswitch) 138 described above is set according to the thickness of the sheet bundle.

The height position of this microswitch supplies a power supply pulse according to the height position set in the stepping motor MT. Then, the actuator Se of the sensor means 138 detects the detected portion (flag) 134 of the shielding member 133 at a height position corresponding to the thickness of the sheet bundle aligned and accumulated on the processing tray 29. ..

For the load capacity of the sheets loaded on the processing tray, the loading thickness is calculated by counting the number of sheets carried out to the processing tray, or the loading height of the top sheet loaded on the processing tray is detected. The load capacity is determined by either providing a level sensor (not shown) or transferring information on the number of sheets for which an image is formed in advance from the image forming apparatus A.

With this configuration, when the shielding member 133 is lifted to a thickness equal to or greater than the thickness of the sheet bundle accumulated in the processing tray 29, the sensor means 138 detects the detected portion 134. In this case, the height position of the sensor means 138 is set to be slightly higher than the thickness of the sheet bundles that are aligned and integrated. The control means 168 is configured to prohibit the processing operation of the post-processing means 31 when the sensor means 138 detects the detected portion 134 of the shielding member 133.

When the sensor means 138 detects the first flag 134a, the control means 168 according to the embodiment (ii) has the bundle thickness of the sheet bundle loaded on the processing tray and the preset flags 134a to The height positions of 134c are compared, and when the height position of the flag is high, it is determined as "abnormal" and the processing operation of the post-processing means 31 is prohibited. Therefore, the control means 168 includes a count counter for detecting the number of sheets carried out to the processing tray 29, and a calculation means (not shown) for calculating the sheet bundle thickness from the count number.

Then, when the sensor means 138 detects the first flag 134a, the control means 168 determines by comparing the preset height position of the first flag with the bundle thickness of the sheet bundle loaded on the processing tray. To do. Next, when the sensor means 138 detects the second flag 134b, the height position of the second flag set in advance is compared with the bundle thickness of the sheet bundle loaded on the processing tray, and "whether or not it is abnormal". To determine. Similarly, the third flag 134c is "determined as to whether or not it is abnormal".

In this case, the "abnormality determination" is processed by the shielding member 133 by comparing the thickness of the sheet bundle loaded on the processing tray with the preset detection position (height position) of the flag. The state in which the tray 29 is lifted above the top sheet is determined as "abnormal". Further, the detection results of the first, second, and third flags 134a, 134b, and 134c are stored in the storage means, and whether the signal from the sensor means 138 is the signal of the first flag or the second and third flags. Try to identify if it is a signal.

With this configuration, when the sensor means 138 issues the first detection signal from the initial state, the bundle thickness of the sheet bundle loaded on the processing tray is compared with the height position of the first flag 134a. Then, at the time of the second detection signal, the thickness of the bundle of sheets and the height position of the second flag 134b are sequentially determined. As a result, it is possible to detect the open / closed state of the shielding member 133 stepwise according to the thickness of the sheet bundle accumulated on the processing tray 29 and determine "abnormality".

[Stack tray lifting mechanism]
The configuration of the stack tray 21 will be described with reference to FIG. The stack tray 21 is configured to move up and down according to the load capacity of the seats. The stack tray 21 is configured to have a tray shape for loading sheets, and is configured to project from the side wall of the casing 20 to the outside of the device. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 21, the tray base end portion 21a is provided with guide rollers 20r at two upper and lower positions, and the guide rollers 20r are fitted and supported by the elevating guides 20u provided on the device frame (not shown). ..

An elevating motor (shifting means) MS is mounted on the bottom of the stack tray 21, and a drive pinion 21p is connected to the elevating motor MS via a reduction mechanism. On the other hand, rack gears 20h are arranged in the seat loading direction (vertical direction in FIG. 21) on the device frame provided with the elevating guide 20u, and drive pinions 21p are meshed with the rack gears 20h. Further, the elevating motor MS is composed of a motor capable of forward and reverse rotation, and an encoder (not shown) for detecting the amount of rotation is provided on the drive shaft thereof.

Further, the stack tray 21 is provided with a level sensor Sr for detecting the height position of the loaded top sheet. Therefore, the stack tray 21 moves in the seat loading direction (vertical direction in FIG. 21) by rotating the elevating motor MS in the forward and reverse directions. Then, the height position of the stack tray 21 is detected by the level sensor Sr, and the elevating motor MS is rotationally driven in the forward and reverse directions based on the detection result. The amount of rotation of the elevating motor MS is detected by the encoder.

[Level sensor configuration]
As shown in FIG. 21, the level sensor Sr includes an arm lever 58 and a sensor that detects the position of the arm lever 58, and an operating solenoid SL2 is connected to the arm lever 58. Then, the elevating control means 164 moves the arm lever 58 up and down by the paper ejection instruction signal. The paper ejection instruction signal is transmitted from the paper ejection sensor S2, for example, the timing after the estimated time for the sheet to reach the stack tray 21 from the sheet rear end passing signal, and after the sheet bundle from the operation signal of the bundle unloading means described above. The stack tray 21 is moved up and down by a timing signal after the estimated time when the end reaches the stack tray 21 has elapsed.

[Elevation control means]
The elevating control means (control CPU 161 described later) 164 for controlling the elevating motor (shifting means) MS described above is configured as follows. First, the control mode for transferring the sheet from the paper ejection port 25x onto the stack tray will be described. The sheet from the paper ejection port 25x is "straight paper ejection mode (second paper ejection operation mode)" and "bridge unloading mode (second). It is carried out in "1 paper ejection operation mode)" and "processing bundle carry-out mode". This carry-out mode is selected, for example, when the post-processing mode of the image forming apparatus A is set.

Then, in the "straight paper ejection mode (second paper ejection operation mode)", the image-formed sheet is directly carried out from the paper ejection port 25x without post-processing. In this mode, the sheet sent to the carry-in inlet 23a is sent to the first carry-in path P1 and is conveyed onto the processing tray 29 via the paper ejection roller 25 and the paper ejection sensor S2. On the processing tray 29, the switchback roller 26a rotates in the paper ejection direction (clockwise in FIG. 22A) in a state of being in pressure contact with the driven roller 26b arranged on the paper mounting surface 29a. Therefore, the sheet from the paper ejection port 25x is carried out onto the processing tray 29, sent onto the stack tray 21 by the switchback rollers 26a and 26b prepared on this tray, and accumulated on the top sheet thereof.

In the "bridge unloading mode (first paper ejection operation mode)", the sheets are aligned and accumulated on the processing tray 29 from the paper ejection port 25x in order to perform post-processing on the image-formed sheet. In this mode, the sheet sent to the carry-in inlet 23a is sent to the first carry-in path P1 and is conveyed to the processing tray 29 via the paper ejection roller 25 and the paper ejection sensor S2. The processing tray 29 is provided with a seat edge regulating means 32, a switchback roller 26a, an lining means 51, and a side matching means 34. Then, the sheets from the paper ejection port 25x are collected in a bundle on the top sheet on the processing tray 29. In the "processing bundle unloading mode", the sheet bundles that are aligned and accumulated on the processing tray and bound by the edge binding staple means 31 are carried out from the processing tray 29 to the stack tray 21. Therefore, the above-mentioned sheet bundle discharging means 100 is arranged on the processing tray 29.

Therefore, the elevating control means 164 sets the height difference H between the top sheet housed in the stack tray 21 and the paper mounting surface 29a of the processing tray 29 to the first height position H1 in the "straight paper ejection mode". Then, in the "bridge unloading mode", the second height position H2 is set, and in the "processing bundle unloading mode", the third height position H3 is set. The height difference H at this time is set so as to increase in the order of the first, second, and third height positions (H1 <H2 <H3). In the control of the height position, as described above, the position of the top sheet on the tray is detected by the level sensor Sr, and the elevating motor MS is rotated by a predetermined amount based on the detection signal to set the height difference H.

The first height position H1 is set so that the height difference between the top sheet and the paper mounting surface 29a is substantially zero. That is, the output sheet sent to the paper mounting surface 29a is set so as to be smoothly carried onto the top sheet. At this time, the top sheet should be slightly lower than the paper mounting surface 29a in consideration of the fact that the rear end of the top sheet is curled and approaches and that the top sheet is located above due to a control error. Set.

At the same time as such consideration, it is difficult to control the processing tray 29 to be lowered by the thickness of one sheet each time the sheet is carried in. Therefore, the normal processing tray 29 is configured to lower the tray by detecting with the above-mentioned level sensor Sr that the sheet is repeatedly carried out from the paper ejection port 25x several times. Therefore, the first height position H1 is set to, for example, 5 mm to 10 mm.

The second height position H2 is such that the height difference between the top sheet and the paper mounting surface 29a is at least equivalent to the bundle thickness of the sheet bundle to be loaded when the sheets are aligned and accumulated on the processing tray 29. Set slightly larger than this. This is because when the height difference between the two is set to be substantially zero, the sheets carried out from the paper ejection port 25x are gradually piled up on top of the sheets, so that the uppermost sheet is fed each time the sheets are carried in. This causes a problem of misalignment. At the same time as this problem of misalignment, when the stack tray 21 is tilted so as to be higher in the paper ejection direction (see FIG. 22B), the sheet bundles accumulated in the processing tray 29 are upward on the tip side in the paper ejection direction. It bends to the state where it approaches. Due to this curvature, the trailing edge (binding processing edge) of the sheet that has been aligned and accumulated in a bundle shape becomes unaligned, and if the binding process is performed in this state, the sheet edge edge is displaced back and forth and becomes unaligned.

Therefore, the second height position H2 is formed at a height difference larger than that of the first height position H1, and this height difference is obtained when the maximum allowable amount of sheet bundles is loaded on the paper mounting surface 29a of the processing tray. Investigate experimentally from the amount of misalignment of the treated edge due to bending. The second height position H2 shown in the figure is set to about 10 mm to 30 mm.

When the stack tray 21 is moved from the second height position to the third height position in the "processing bundle unloading mode", the above-mentioned elevating control means 164 (i) signals the operation completion of the staple means 31. Or, with this signal, the elevating motor MS is activated by the timing signal at which the carrier member 110 starts moving in the sheet unloading direction, and is controlled to move from the second height position to the third height position, or ( ii) From the operation completion signal of the staple means 31, the bound sheet bundle reaches the stack tray 21, and the elevating motor MS is started just before the rear end of the sheet falls on the uppermost sheet to the second height position. It is controlled to move from the third height position.

Further, the elevating control means 164 is a gripper member (means) in the process of dropping the rear end of the sheet bundle by the height difference (the third height position H3) between the paper mounting surface 29a of the processing tray 29 and the stack tray 21. It is controlled to release the grip of 105. Therefore, the sheet bundle gently falls on the top sheet with a small head and is accumulated. As a result, the alignment of the sheets stacked on the stack tray 21 can be maintained. In the grip release of the gripper member (means) 105, the sheet bundle is blocked by the tray side wall and the nip is released by the movement of the gripper means 105 in the returning direction as described above based on FIG. 19 (j). A nip release means (not shown) is configured by moving the gripper member 105 in the return direction and the side wall of the tray.

By the way, when the Z-folded sheet is loaded on the stack tray 21 by the above-mentioned folding device C, as shown in FIG. 23, the Z-folded portion is loaded in an inflated state. Therefore, if the gripper means 105 performs the discharge operation in this state, interference occurs between the Z-folded sheet and the gripper means 105, and the discharge process cannot be performed normally.

In order to solve this problem, control is performed according to the flowchart shown in FIG. 28. The sheet integration operation control unit 164b controls the stack tray 21 and the control means 167 controls the gripper means 105 by the control CPU 161 shown in the block diagram of FIG. 29.

First, when the sheet is conveyed to the stack tray 21 (loading tray) by the gripper means 105 (step ST1), it is determined whether or not there is a Z-folded sheet on the stack tray 21 (ST2). When the Z-fold process is being executed by the fold process control unit 164d, it is determined that the Z-fold sheet is loaded on the stack tray 21 (“Yes” in ST2), and the sheet integration operation control unit 164b is shown in FIG. As shown in 24, the stack tray 21 is lowered to a “folding / retracting position” where the bulge of the folded portion does not interfere with the discharge trajectory of the gripper means 105 (ST3). Therefore, as a folding sheet recognition means for recognizing that the processing of step ST2 performed by the sheet integration operation control unit 164b includes the folded sheet in which the sheet bundle loaded on the stack tray 21 has been folded. It becomes a function.

The "folding / retracting position" of the stack tray 21 is, for example, a lowering position corresponding to the number of Z-folded sheets loaded on the stack tray 21, but as shown in FIG. 24, the stack tray 21 It may be lowered to the lower limit.

Further, the bulge of the folded portion may interfere with the paper ejection port 25x, and in this case, it becomes difficult to load and store the first sheet from the paper ejection port 25x in the processing tray 29. In such a case, the stack tray 21 may be lowered to the above-mentioned "folding / retracting position" before the tip of the first sheet reaches the paper ejection port 25x.

Then, as shown in FIG. 25, when the gripper means 105 ejects the next bundle of paper above the bulge of the sheet loaded on the stack tray 21, the sheet stacking operation control unit 164b discharges the next bundle of paper (“Yes” in ST4). Normally, the stack tray 21 is raised and the gripper means 105 is moved to the storage position together.

However, when the Z-folded sheet is loaded on the stack tray 21 (“Yes” in ST5), the sheet integration operation control unit 164b moves the gripper means 105 to the discharge position as shown in FIG. Let (ST6). Subsequently, the stack tray 21 is moved to the “origami sandwiching position” (ST7). As a result, the Z-folded sheet on the stack tray 21 is sandwiched between the stack tray 21 and the gripper means 105.

By sandwiching the Z-folded sheet between the stack tray 21 and the gripper means 105, the head between the stack tray 21 and the paper ejection port 25x can be reduced when the gripper means 105 moves to the storage position. It is possible to suppress deterioration of the sheet loadability on the stack tray 21 due to air resistance or the like while the sheet is falling. At this time, it is desirable that the "origami sandwiching position" of the stack tray 21 is as close as possible to the paper ejection port 25x, but it is a position that deteriorates the alignment of the sheets held by the gripper means 105 and the sheets on the stack tray 21. must not. After that, as shown in FIG. 27, the gripper means 105 moves to the returning state (ST8), and the stack tray 21 is further raised to the paper surface position (ST9). Therefore, the sheet conveyed by the gripper means 105 is discharged to the stack tray 21.

However, when the swelling amount recognizing means recognizes that the swelling of the folded portion is such that it does not interfere with the paper ejection port 25x, the stack tray 21 is moved to the "folding / retracting position" and the "origami sandwiching position". It is not always necessary to control the movement of the. The swelling amount recognizing means is one of the functions of the sheet integration operation control unit 164b. For example, the Z-folded sheet loaded on the stack tray 21 after being Z-folded under the control of the fold processing control unit 164d. Recognizes whether the number of sheets exceeds a certain number. Further, considering that the Z-folded sheet loaded on the stack tray 21 gradually expands, the folding processing control unit 164d recognizes whether a certain period of time has passed since the sheet was loaded on the stack tray 21. be able to.

When the Z-folded sheet is not loaded on the stack tray 21, the gripper means 105 and the stack tray 21 perform a discharge operation in parallel in the above-mentioned normal operation (ST10 and ST11).

C25 transfer roller (sheet transfer means)
21 Stack tray (seat loading means)
29 Processing tray (seat stacking means)
100 Sheet bundle discharging means 164b Sheet stacking operation control unit (control means, folded sheet recognizing means, bulging amount recognizing means)

Claims (5)

A sheet transporting means for transporting sheets in a predetermined transport direction, and
A sheet accumulating means for temporarily accumulating the sheets transported by the sheet conveying means to form a sheet bundle, and a sheet accumulating means.
A sheet bundle discharging means that sandwiches the sheet bundle on the sheet collecting means and discharges the sheet bundle from the sheet collecting means.
A sheet loading means that loads the sheet bundle and moves in the vertical direction, which is discharged by the sheet bundle discharging means.
A folding sheet recognizing means for recognizing that the sheet bundle loaded on the sheet loading means includes a folded sheet that has been folded.
When the folded sheet recognizing means recognizes that the sheet bundle loaded on the sheet loading means includes a sheet that has been folded, after the sheet loading means is moved downward in the vertical direction. After discharging a predetermined amount of the sheet bundle to the downstream side in the transport direction by the sheet bundle discharging means and stopping the sheet bundle in a state of sandwiching the sheet bundle, and then moving the sheet loading means upward in the vertical direction. A control means for controlling the sheet loading means and the sheet bundle discharging means so as to perform a discharging process for discharging the sandwiched sheet bundle to the sheet loading means by the sheet bundle discharging means.
Seat loading device equipped with. The upstream end of the sheet loading means in the transport direction is arranged vertically downward with respect to the downstream end of the sheet stacking means in the transport direction.
The sheet bundle formed by the sheet accumulating means is supported by the sheet accumulating means while straddling the sheet loading means and the sheet accumulating means, and is supported by the sheet accumulating means.
The control means claims to carry out a discharge pretreatment for moving the sheet loading means downward in the vertical direction before the bottom sheet constituting the sheet bundle is transported to the sheet accumulating means by the sheet transporting means. Item 1. The sheet loading device according to item 1. Further provided with a bulge amount recognizing means for recognizing the bulge amount of the folded sheet loaded on the sheet loading means.
The sheet loading device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the control means prohibits the discharge process until the bulge amount recognized by the bulge amount recognizing means exceeds a predetermined amount. In the swelling amount recognizing means, when the number of folded sheets loaded on the sheet loading means exceeds a predetermined number, the swelling amount of the folded sheets loaded on the sheet loading means is determined. The sheet loading device according to claim 3, which recognizes that the fixed amount has been exceeded. When the folded sheet loaded on the sheet loading means exceeds a predetermined time for being loaded on the loading means, the bulge amount recognizing means is loaded on the sheet loading means. The sheet loading device according to claim 3, wherein the amount of swelling of the processed sheet is recognized as exceeding a predetermined amount.

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