JP2021100874A - Sheet discharge device and image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

To enable changing a position of a part that is deformed by contact with a corrugation member, in a sheet discharged from an outlet of a conveyance passage, according to a size of the sheet.SOLUTION: A plurality of corrugation members 61 supported at positions displaced to positions of a plurality of pairs of discharge roller pairs 31a in a width direction D2 come into contact with one surface of a sheet passing through an outlet 30a to give the sheet a waveform. A movable support mechanism 62 supports movable corrugation members 611 as part or all of the plurality of corrugation members 61 along the width direction D2 in a displaceable manner.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

The present invention relates to a sheet discharging device and an image forming device including a plurality of corrugation members that contact and bend one side of a sheet being discharged.

The image forming apparatus includes a plurality of sets of discharge roller pairs arranged in the width direction at the discharge port of the sheet transport path. The plurality of sets of discharge roller pairs discharge the image-formed sheet from the sheet transport path onto the discharge tray through the discharge port.

If the sheet hangs down immediately after coming out of the discharge port, the sheet is discharged onto the discharge tray in a curled state.

Therefore, the image forming apparatus may include a plurality of corrugation members such as rollers arranged at positions between the plurality of sets of discharge rollers at the discharge port (see, for example, Patent Document 1). By contacting one side of the sheet, the plurality of corrugation members deform the sheet into a wavy shape in the width direction.

The action of the corrugation member enhances the straightness of the sheet during discharge. As a result, the sheet is smoothly discharged onto the discharge tray without the tip portion hanging down.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2017-01879

By the way, the appropriate position in the width direction of the portion of the sheet that is deformed by contact with the corrugation member differs depending on the size of the sheet in the width direction.

An object of the present invention is to provide a sheet transport device and an image forming device capable of changing the position of a portion of a sheet discharged from a discharge port of a transport path that is deformed by contact with a corrugation member according to the size of the sheet. It is in.

The sheet discharging device according to one aspect of the present invention includes a plurality of sets of discharging roller pairs, a plurality of corrugation members, and a movable support mechanism. The plurality of sets of discharge roller pairs are arranged at intervals in the width direction orthogonal to the sheet discharge direction at the discharge port of the sheet transport path, and the sheets are discharged from the sheet transport path by rotating with the sheet sandwiched between them. .. The plurality of corrugation members are supported at positions deviated from the positions of the plurality of sets of discharge roller pairs in the width direction, and have a contact portion that contacts one side of the sheet passing through the discharge port. The movable support mechanism supports the movable corrugation member, which is a part or all of the plurality of corrugation members, in a displaceable manner along the width direction.

The image forming apparatus according to another aspect of the present invention includes a printing device that forms an image on a sheet conveyed along a sheet conveying path, and discharges the sheet on which an image is formed from an discharge port of the sheet conveying path. The sheet discharging device is provided.

According to the present invention, there is provided a sheet transport device and an image forming device that can change the position of a portion of a sheet discharged from a discharge port of a transport path that is deformed by contact with a corrugation member according to the size of the sheet. Becomes possible.

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a control device in the image forming device according to the embodiment. FIG. 3 is a front view of the sheet discharging device in the image forming device according to the embodiment. FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram of a sheet discharging device in the image forming device according to the embodiment.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The following embodiments are examples that embody the present invention, and do not limit the technical scope of the present invention.

[Structure of image forming apparatus 10]
The image forming apparatus 10 according to the embodiment is an apparatus that executes a printing process for forming an image on the sheet 9. The sheet 9 is a sheet-like image forming medium such as paper or an envelope.

The image forming apparatus 10 includes a sheet accommodating portion 2, a sheet conveying device 3, a printing device 40, a control device 8, an operating device 801 and a display device 802, which are provided in the main body 1, respectively. In the example shown in FIG. 1, the printing apparatus 40 executes the printing process in an electrophotographic manner.

It is also conceivable that the printing device 40 is a device that executes the printing process by another method such as an inkjet method.

The printing device 40 includes an image forming device 4, a transfer device 5, and a fixing device 49. The image forming apparatus 4 includes a drum-shaped photoconductor 41, a charging apparatus 42, a developing apparatus 43, a drum cleaning apparatus 45, and the like.

The printing apparatus 40 shown in FIG. 2 can execute the color printing process by a tandem method. Therefore, the printing device 40 includes a plurality of image forming devices 4 corresponding to toners of a plurality of colors.

Further, the transfer device 5 includes an intermediate transfer belt 51, a pair of belt support rollers 52, a belt cleaning device 53, and a plurality of primary transfer devices 54 corresponding to the plurality of image forming devices 4. The pair of belt support rollers 52 rotatably support the intermediate transfer belt 51.

The printing apparatus 40 includes four image forming apparatus 4 and four primary transfer apparatus 54 corresponding to the toners of the four colors of yellow, cyan, magenta, and black.

The sheet transfer device 3 includes a delivery roller pair 300 that sends the sheet 9 housed in the sheet accommodating unit 2 to the sheet transfer path 30 in the main body 1. The delivery roller pair 300 sends the sheet 9 to the sheet transport path 30 by rotating with the sheet 9 sandwiched between them.

Further, the sheet transfer device 3 includes a plurality of sets of transfer roller pairs 31 that transfer the sheet 9 along the sheet transfer path 30 by rotating with the sheet 9 sandwiched between them. The plurality of sets of transport roller pairs 31 includes a plurality of sets of discharge roller pairs 31a arranged at the discharge port 30a of the sheet transport path 30.

Each of the plurality of sets of discharge roller pairs 31a rotates with the sheet 9 sandwiched between them to discharge the sheet 9 from the discharge port 30a of the sheet transport path 30 onto the discharge tray 1x. The direction in which the discharge roller pair 31a discharges the sheet 9 from the discharge port 30a is the sheet discharge direction D1. In the following description, the horizontal direction orthogonal to the sheet discharge direction D1 is referred to as the width direction D2.

As shown in FIG. 3, a plurality of sets of discharge roller pairs 31a are arranged side by side at a discharge port 30a of the sheet transport path 30 at intervals in the width direction D2. One roller in each of the plurality of sets of discharge roller pairs 31a is fixed to a roller shaft 310 rotatably supported along the width direction D2.

When the roller shaft 310 is rotationally driven by a motor (not shown), a plurality of sets of discharge roller pairs 31a rotate.

In the image forming apparatus 4, the photoconductor 41 rotates, and the charging device 42 charges the surface of the photoconductor 41. Further, the optical scanning device 46 writes an electrostatic latent image on the surface of the photoconductor 41. Further, the developing device 43 develops the electrostatic latent image as a toner image.

In the transfer device 5, each of the primary transfer devices 54 transfers the toner image on the surface of each of the photoconductors 41 to the intermediate transfer belt 51. As a result, the color toner image is formed on the lower surface of the intermediate transfer belt 51.

The secondary transfer device 48 transfers the toner image formed on the intermediate transfer belt 51 to the sheet 9 conveyed along the sheet transfer path 30. The fixing device 49 fixes the toner image transferred to the sheet 9 to the sheet 9 by heating and pressurizing.

The image-formed sheet 9 that has passed through the fixing device 49 is discharged onto the discharge tray 1x by a plurality of sets of discharge roller pairs 31a. The belt cleaning device 53 removes the toner remaining in the portion of the intermediate transfer belt 51 that has passed through the secondary transfer device 48.

The operation device 801 is a device that accepts a user's operation. For example, the operating device 801 includes a touch panel, operating buttons, and the like. The display device 802 is a device such as a liquid crystal display panel that displays information.

As shown in FIG. 2, the control device 8 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 80, a RAM (Random Access Memory) 81, a secondary storage device 82, and the like.

The CPU 80 executes various data processes related to the print process and controls of various electric devices by executing a computer program stored in the secondary storage device 82 in advance.

The CPU 80 includes a transport control unit 8a, a print control unit 5b, and the like as processing modules realized by executing the computer program. The transfer control unit 8a controls the sheet transfer device 3. The print control unit 5b controls the printing device 40.

The secondary storage device 82 is a computer-readable non-volatile storage device. The secondary storage device 82 stores a program executed by the CPU 80 and various data referenced by the CPU 80. For example, one or both of the flash memory and the hard disk drive are adopted as the secondary storage device 82.

The RAM 81 is a volatile storage device. The RAM 81 primarily stores a program executed by the CPU 80 and data to be output and referenced in the process of the CPU 80 executing the program. The RAM 81 is a storage device capable of faster data access than the secondary storage device 82.

However, may be realized by another processor such as MPU (Micro Processing Unit) or DSP (Digital Signal Processor). It is also conceivable that a part or all of the control device 8 is realized by a circuit such as an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit).

In the image forming apparatus 10, if the sheet 9 hangs down immediately after coming out of the discharge port 30a of the sheet transport path 30, the sheet 9 is discharged onto the discharge tray 1x in a curled state.

The image forming apparatus 10 further includes a corrugation mechanism 60 in order to solve the problem of curling of the sheet 9 (see FIGS. 1, 3 and 4). The corrugation mechanism 60 includes a plurality of corrugation members 61 provided at the discharge port 30a of the seat transport path 30.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the plurality of corrugation members 61 are supported at positions deviated from the positions of the plurality of sets of discharge rollers vs. 31a in the width direction D2.

Each of the corrugation members 61 has a contact portion 61a that comes into contact with one side of the sheet 9 passing through the discharge port 30a of the sheet transport path 30 (see FIG. 3).

When the contact portions 61a of the plurality of corrugation members 61 come into contact with one side of the sheet 9, the corrugation mechanism 60 deforms the sheet 9 into a wavy shape in the width direction D2. That is, the contact portion 61a of each of the corrugation members 61 bends the sheet 9 and imparts a waveform to the sheet 9.

The plurality of sets of discharge roller pairs 31a and the corrugation mechanism 60 constitute a sheet discharge device 6 that discharges the sheet 9 conveyed along the sheet transfer path 30 from the discharge port 30a. The sheet discharging device 6 discharges the sheet 9 on which the image is formed from the discharging port 30a of the sheet transport path 30. The seat discharge device 6 also includes a motor (not shown) that rotationally drives a plurality of sets of discharge roller pairs 31a.

In the present embodiment, the contact portions 61a of each of the corrugation members 61 come into contact with the upper surface of the sheet 9. Due to the action of the corrugation member 61, the straightness of the sheet 9 being discharged is enhanced. As a result, the tip of the sheet 9 is discharged onto the discharge tray 1x without hanging down, and the problem of curling of the sheet 9 is solved. That is, the consistency of the sheet 9 loaded on the discharge tray is improved.

By the way, the appropriate position of the portion of the sheet 9 that is deformed by contact with each of the corrugation members 61 in the width direction D2 differs depending on the size of the width direction D2 of the sheet 9.

The sheet discharging device 6 of the image forming apparatus 10 has a configuration in which the position of a portion of the sheet 9 discharged from the discharging port 30a of the sheet transport path 30 that is deformed by contact with the corrugation member 61 can be changed according to the size of the sheet 9. To be equipped. The configuration will be described below.

[Structure of sheet ejection device 6]
As described above, the sheet discharging device 6 includes a plurality of sets of discharging roller pairs 31a and a corrugation mechanism 60. The corrugation mechanism 60 includes a plurality of corrugation members 61, a movable support mechanism 62, and a locking portion 63.

A predetermined part or all of the plurality of corrugation members 61 is a movable corrugation member 611 that is displaceably supported along the width direction D2. The movable support mechanism 62 supports the movable corrugation member 611 so as to be displaceable along the width direction D2.

In the present embodiment, the plurality of sets of discharge roller pairs 31a are arranged symmetrically with respect to the reference position P0 at the center of the passage range of the sheet 9 in the width direction D2 of the discharge port 30a. The plurality of corrugation members 61 are provided at positions between the plurality of sets of discharge rollers vs. 31a in the width direction D2 and at positions on both outer sides of the plurality of sets of discharge rollers vs. 31a.

In the example shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the plurality of sets of discharge roller pairs 31a are two sets of the discharge roller pairs 31a arranged at positions symmetrical with respect to the reference position P0 in the width direction D2. Further, the corrugation mechanism 60 includes three corrugation members 61.

The three corrugation members 61 include two movable corrugation members 611 and one fixed corrugation member 612. The fixed corrugation member 612 is held at a predetermined position in the width direction D2.

In the present embodiment, the fixed corrugation member 612 is a central corrugation member supported at a reference position P0 in the width direction D2.

The movable support mechanism 62 includes a support shaft 620 arranged along the width direction D2, a pair of movable members 621, and one pinion gear 623.

The support shaft 620 slidably supports each of the movable corrugation members 611 along the width direction D2. The pinion gear 623 is rotatably supported by a gear shaft 624 at a fixed position.

Each of the movable members 621 can slide and move along the width direction D2 by being guided in the width direction D2 by the slide guide portion 622.

The pair of movable members 621 has a rack gear 6211 and one or more connecting portions 6212, respectively. The rack gears 6211 of the pair of movable members 621 mesh with the pinion gear 623 at positions facing each other via the pinion gear 623.

The connecting portion 6212 is connected to half of the movable corrugation members 611 on one side with respect to the reference position P0 in the width direction D2. In this embodiment, each of the movable members 621 has one connecting portion 6212 corresponding to one of the two movable corrugation members 611.

The pair of movable members 621 slide and move in opposite directions along the width direction D2 in conjunction with the rotation of the pinion gear 623. As a result, half of the even number of movable corrugation members 611 slide in opposite directions along the width direction D2 in conjunction with the rotation of the pinion gear 623.

In the example shown in FIG. 4, when the pinion gear 623 rotates clockwise, the connecting portion 6212 of the pair of movable members 621 and the two movable corrugation members 611 are displaced inward toward the reference position P0. Further, as the pinion gear 623 rotates counterclockwise, the connecting portion 6212 of the pair of movable members 621 and the two movable corrugation members 611 are displaced outward from the reference position P0.

The movable support mechanism 62 supports an even number of movable corrugation members 611 in a displaceable manner along the width direction D2 while maintaining a positional relationship symmetrical with respect to the reference position P0 in the width direction D2. As described above, the number of movable corrugation members 611 supported by the movable support mechanism 62 in the present embodiment is two.

On the other hand, the fixed corrugation member 612 is supported by the support shaft 620 like the movable corrugation member 611, and is locked by the locking portion 63 so as not to move in the width direction D2. That is, the fixed corrugation member 612 is held at the reference position P0 in the width direction D2 by the locking portion 63.

The support shaft 620 swingably supports each of the corrugation members 61 in a direction in which they come into contact with the seat 9 passing through the discharge port 30a. Further, each of the plurality of springs (not shown) corresponding to the plurality of corrugation members 61 urges the corresponding corrugation members 61 toward the surface of the seat 9.

The corrugation mechanism 60 further includes a drive device 64 that drives the movable support mechanism 62 (see FIG. 4). The drive device 64 includes a first pulley 641, a second pulley 642, a drive belt 643, a control motor 644, and a motor drive circuit 645.

The first pulley 641 is integrally formed with the pinion gear 623. When the first pulley 641 rotates in the first rotation direction or the second rotation direction vice versa, the pinion gear 623 rotates in the same direction as the rotation direction of the first pulley 641.

The second pulley 642 is rotationally driven by the control motor 644. The drive belt 643 is bridged to the first pulley 641 and the second pulley 642. As a result, the second pulley 642, the first pulley 641 and the pinion gear 623 rotate in conjunction with the rotation of the control motor 644, whereby the two movable corrugation members 611 are displaced along the width direction D2.

The control motor 644 is, for example, a stepping motor or a servo motor. The control motor 644 rotates according to a drive signal supplied from the motor drive circuit 645.

The motor drive circuit 645 outputs the drive signal according to the control command input from the control device 8 to the control motor 644. The control command represents the rotation direction and the amount of rotation of the control motor 644.

As shown above, the drive device 64 displaces the movable corrugation member 611 along the width direction D2 by driving the movable support mechanism 62 according to the input control command.

The CPU 80 of the control device 8 further includes a position control unit 8c as the processing module realized by executing the computer program (see FIG. 2). The position control unit 8c constitutes a part of the seat discharging device 6.

The position control unit 8c outputs the control command for displacing the movable corrugation member 611 to a position corresponding to the input size information of the seat 9 to the motor drive circuit 645 of the drive device 64.

For example, the size information is input to the position control unit 8c through the operation device 801 operated by the user. Further, when the image forming apparatus 10 includes a size sensor for detecting the size of the sheet 9 housed in the sheet accommodating unit 2, the position control unit 8c inputs the size information from the size sensor.

As shown above, the sheet discharging device 6 appropriately sets the position of the portion of the sheet 9 discharged from the discharging port 30a in the width direction D2 of the portion deformed by the contact with the corrugation member 61 according to the size of the sheet 9. It can be changed to the position.

[First application example]
Next, a first application example of the sheet discharging device 6 will be described. In this application example, the drive device 64 is omitted from the corrugation mechanism 60.

In this application example, the movable support mechanism 62 is manually driven by the user to displace the movable corrugation member 611 along the width direction D2.

In this application example, it is conceivable that the movable corrugation member 611 is displaced in the width direction D2 by a direct operation of the user. It is also conceivable that one or both of the pair of movable members 621 have handles that are operated by the user.

[Second application example]
Next, a second application example of the sheet discharging device 6 will be described. In this application example, the drive device 64 includes a general-purpose motor which is a general motor having no rotation amount control function instead of the control motor 644.

Further, the drive device 64 in the present application example is set to any one of the movable corrugation members 611 or a plurality of predetermined candidate positions whose detection symmetry is one of the pair of movable members 621 in the width direction D2. It is equipped with a position detection sensor that detects the existence.

In this application example, the position control unit 8c operates and rotates the general-purpose motor according to the current position of the detection target detected by the position detection sensor and the target position which is the candidate position corresponding to the size information. Set the direction.

Further, the position control unit 8c rotates the general-purpose motor in the operating rotation direction until the detection target is detected by the position detection sensor at the target position. When this application example is adopted, the same effect as when the sheet discharging device 6 is adopted can be obtained.

1: Main body 1x: Discharge tray 2: Sheet storage unit 3: Sheet transfer device 4: Image drawing device 5: Transfer device 5b: Print control unit 6: Sheet discharge device 8: Control device 8a: Transfer control unit 8c: Position control Part 9: Sheet 10: Image forming apparatus 30: Sheet transport path 30a: Discharge port 31: Conveying roller pair 31a: Discharge roller pair 40: Printing device 41: Photoreceptor 42: Charging device 43: Developing device 45: Drum cleaning device 46 : Optical scanning device 48: Secondary transfer device 49: Fixing device 51: Intermediate transfer belt 52: Belt support roller 53: Belt cleaning device 54: Primary transfer device 60: Corrugation mechanism 61: Corrugation member 61a: Contact portion 62: Movable support Mechanism 63: Locking unit 64: Drive device 80: CPU
81: RAM
82: Secondary storage device 300: Transmission roller pair 310: Roller shaft 611: Movable corrugation member 612: Fixed corrugation member 620: Support shaft 621: Movable member 622: Slide guide portion 623: Pinion gear 624: Gear shaft 641: First pulley 642: Second pulley 643: Drive belt 644: Control motor 645: Motor drive circuit 801: Operating device 802: Display device 6211: Rack gear 6212: Connecting part D1: Seat discharge direction D2: Width direction P0: Reference position

Claims (6)

A plurality of sets of discharge roller pairs that are arranged at intervals in the width direction orthogonal to the sheet discharge direction at the discharge port of the sheet transport path and discharge the sheet from the sheet transport path.
A plurality of corrugation members that are supported at positions deviated from the positions of the pair of discharge rollers in the width direction, come into contact with one side of the sheet passing through the discharge port, and impart a waveform to the sheet. ,
A seat discharging device including a movable support mechanism that supports a movable corrugation member which is a part or all of the plurality of corrugation members so as to be displaceable along the width direction. The plurality of sets of discharge roller pairs are arranged in a positional relationship symmetrical with respect to a reference position at the center of the passage range of the sheet in the width direction.
The plurality of corrugation members include an even number of the movable corrugation members provided at positions between the plurality of sets of discharge roller pairs and positions on both outer sides of the plurality of sets of discharge roller pairs in the width direction.
The movable support mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the movable support mechanism supports an even number of the movable corrugation members in a displaceable manner along the width direction while maintaining a positional relationship symmetrical with respect to the reference position in the width direction. Sheet ejection device. The plurality of sets of discharge roller pairs are two sets of the discharge roller pairs arranged at positions symmetrical with respect to the reference position in the width direction.
The plurality of corrugation members are two movable corrugations that are displaceably supported by the movable support mechanism in a positional relationship symmetrical with respect to the reference position in both outer regions of the pair of discharge rollers in the width direction. The sheet discharging device according to claim 2, further comprising a member and one fixed corrugation member supported at the reference position in the width direction. The movable support mechanism is
One pinion gear that is rotatably supported in a fixed position,
A pair of movable parts having a rack gear that meshes with the pinion gear at a position facing each other via the pinion gear and a connecting portion connected to half of the movable corrugation members on one side with respect to the reference position in the width direction. With parts,
The sheet discharging device according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the pair of movable members slide and move in opposite directions along the width direction in conjunction with the rotation of the pinion gear. A drive device that displaces the movable corrugation member along the width direction by driving the movable support mechanism according to an input control command.
Any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising a position control unit that outputs the control command to the drive device to displace the movable corrugation member to a position corresponding to the input size information of the sheet. The sheet ejection device described in. A printing device that forms an image on a sheet transported along a sheet transport path,
An image forming apparatus comprising the sheet ejecting apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the sheet on which an image is formed is ejected from an ejection port of the sheet transport path.

Images