JP2560353B2 - Paper stacking device such as copier - Google Patents

Description

Description: TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a device for depositing sheets discharged from a device such as a copying machine or a printer in an inverted state, and particularly to a device provided on a disc. The present invention relates to a sheet stacking device such as a copying machine configured so that the driving timing of the disk can be set in accordance with the copy discharge speed of the copying machine so that the disk can be driven in a state where sheets are accommodated in the groove.

(Prior Art) A sorter or the like is generally used as a device connected to a copying machine or a printer and used for depositing copies, but in the case of a device that does not require sorting of copies, A sheet stacking device 10 as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 may be used.

The sheet stacking device 10 is configured to invert a copy 1 discharged from a copying machine 5 by a disk 20 and stack the copy 1 on a stacking tray 15 with an image side facing down. The copies discharged from the machine are accumulated on the stacking tray 15 in a page-aligned state so that the subsequent processing operation can be easily performed.

In such a sheet stacking apparatus 10, a disc 20 is used as shown in FIG. 5, and the grooves 21, 21a are cut inward from the outer peripheral direction of the disc 20.
, Multiple lines are formed.

As shown in FIG. 4, the disc 20 is such that a belt 28 is stretched around a pulley 27 provided at an end of a shaft for supporting the disc and a pulley of a motor 30, and is intermittently driven by the motor. When the paper is stored, the groove of the disk is set so that it can stand by at the position for storing the paper.

Then, when the paper 1 carried in through the carry-in roller 11 provided at the paper introduction port of the paper stacking device is introduced into the groove 21 of the disc 20, the paper sensor 8 detects the rear end portion of the paper 1. After a predetermined time (when the leading edge of the paper reaches the bottom of the groove), the disk 20 is rotated so that the paper held in the groove is inverted and is stripped off by the stripper bar 19. Then, it is discharged from the groove 21 and deposited on the stacking tray 15.

Further, the stacking tray 15 for stacking the sheets 1 is connected to the chain 17 and is lowered stepwise by the motor 16 in accordance with the stacking state of the sheets, and the sheets are aligned in a state where the sheets are not disturbed. And then loaded.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) However, when the conventional device as described above is used, the copying machine connected to the conventional device is a device that discharges only a certain size of paper as a copy. ,
In addition, it is required that the copy discharge speed of the copying machine and the rotation speed of the disc match, and for any size paper from large size paper to small size paper. However, there is a problem in that it is not configured as something that can be dealt with.

That is, in the conventional paper stacking device, the length of the groove provided in the disk is constant, and the peripheral speed of each rotating member is the same, so that the size of the paper discharged from the copying machine is different. However, it has the drawback that it cannot handle each size of paper sufficiently.

In other words, if the gap between the carry-in roller and the tip of the disc groove is set to match the size of the small size paper, even if the leading edge of the large size paper reaches the tip of the disc groove, the rear end Is in a state where it is nipped by the carry-in roller, and there is a problem that the leading edge of the large-sized sheet buckles when the feeding is further continued.

On the other hand, when aligning the groove of the disc with the large size paper, the disc rotates when the tip of the small size paper reaches the tip of the disc groove and is not completely held in the groove. This causes problems such as the sheets coming out of the grooves during the rotation, and the sheets cannot be properly aligned.

(Object of the Invention) The present invention solves the above-mentioned drawbacks of the conventionally used apparatus, and sets the drive start timing of the disk according to the speed of the paper discharged from the copying machine, It is an object of the present invention to provide a device capable of carrying out the operation of reversing and stacking sheets by conveying the leading edge of the sheet in contact with the leading edge of the groove of the disc regardless of the size of the sheet.

(Means and Actions for Solving Problems) The present invention relates to a sheet discharged from the image forming apparatus, which is connected to an image forming apparatus that forms an image on a plurality of sheets having different sizes, such as a copying machine. The present invention relates to a sheet stacking device that stacks sheets in an inverted state. An apparatus of the present invention has a groove for holding a sheet, a rotating unit that rotates in a state where the sheet is held in the groove, a tray that receives and accumulates the sheet reversed by the rotating unit, and the rotating unit. Transporting means for transporting the sheet while nipping the sheet toward the groove of the means, and for detecting the sheet transported by the transporting means,
Based on the detection unit provided on the upstream side of the rotation unit, the detection information by the detection unit, the set conveyance speed of the conveyance unit and the rotation speed of the rotation unit, and the size information of the sheet to be conveyed. And means for controlling the timing of starting rotation of the rotating means.

Therefore, in the apparatus of the present invention, since the drive timing of the disk can be set in accordance with the copy discharge speed of the copying machine, one sheet stacking device can be used in combination with a plurality of copying machines and the standard specifications can be used. It is possible to easily use the paper stacking device manufactured in 1) in conformity with any copying machine, and it becomes easy to adapt the paper stacking device to the copying machine.

Further, in the apparatus of the present invention, the paper sent from the copying machine has an arbitrary size and an arbitrary transport speed,
Even when the speed of reversal by the disc does not match, the paper can be held in the groove of the disc and the reversal operation can be reliably performed.

(Example) The configuration of a sheet stacking device such as a copying machine according to the present invention will be described with reference to the illustrated example.

The sheet stacking device 10 shown in FIG. 1 is connected to a copying machine or a printer so that sheets such as copies discharged from these devices can be stacked in an aligned state. A stacking tray 15 for stacking paper is provided so as to be movable up and down according to the body frame.

The stacking tray 15 is connected to a chain 17 driven by a motor 16, and when the sheets discharged from the copying machine are gradually accumulated on the stacking tray 15, the motor 16 is controlled by the information on the amount of the sheets. It is driven so that the stacking tray 15 is sequentially lowered, and the stacking of the sheets is controlled so that the stacking can be performed favorably.

At the upper part of the sheet stacking device 10, there is provided a carry-in roller 11 which is driven at the speed of the discharge belt of the copying machine, that is, at a speed almost the same as the copy discharge speed of the copying machine.
Shoot 12 is placed after 11.

Further, the chute 12 is configured such that an upper guide plate 12a and a lower guide plate 13 are arranged so as to face each other with a predetermined gap therebetween to form a sheet conveyance path.
A slit 13a is formed in the slit 13a, and the disc 20 is arranged so as to project from the slit 13a.

A motor 30 drives the carry-in roller 11 and the disk 20. Among these driving members, the carry-in roller 11 is always rotated, but when the disk 20 receives a sheet, the disk 20 is driven through the stepping clutch so as to be rotated only once by the detection signal of the sheet. In the middle of the rotation, the stripper bar 19 wipes off the paper while it is turned over.

As shown in FIG. 2, the disk 20 of the present invention is provided with a groove 21 which is cut out from the outer circumference of a relatively thin disk in a substantially arc shape. This groove is formed according to a specific paper size. For example, in the case of an apparatus in which A4 paper is often used, the distance 1 from the nip portion of the carry-in roller 11 to the tip of the groove 21 is set to be A4 size. Paper length + α (5-10 mm) is set.

Therefore, when the leading edge of the A4 size sheet reaches the leading edge of the groove 21, the trailing edge of the sheet is conveyed by the carry-in roller 11
When the disc is driven after being released from the nip by, the sheet 1 can be moved together with the disc.

Further, a paper sensor 8 is provided in a portion in front of the carry-in roller 11 of the paper stacking apparatus 10 of the present invention to detect the paper discharged from the copying machine. A chute 12 is arranged between the disc 20 and the disc 20.

The chute 12 has a short upper guide plate 12a and a lower guide plate 13 whose front end portion is curved downward with a predetermined gap therebetween, so that the front end portion of the sheet conveyed by the carry-in roller 11 is disc-shaped. It acts to guide to the groove 21 of 20 …….

As shown in FIG. 3, a plurality of the disks 20 are arranged at a predetermined interval with respect to the shaft 25, and the grooves provided in each disk are arranged in the same axial direction. To be done. Then, between the discs, as shown in FIG. 2, a stripper bar located under the shaft 25 is provided.
The stripper bar 19 in which the paper stored in the groove is inverted by the half rotation of the disk 19 is placed.
Is stopped with its front end locked, and is deposited on the stacking tray 15 after passing through the groove.

It is to be noted that, by causing the lower surface of the disc to rotate with respect to the paper accumulated on the stacking tray 15 in a state of being slightly pressed, it is possible to prevent the disturbance of the previously accumulated paper, and It is also possible that the sheets can be deposited in a stable state.

The disk 20, the carry-in roller 11 and their drive mechanism of the present invention are constructed as shown in FIG. The two rotating members are driven by one motor 30, and the pulleys 31 and 31a provided on the output shaft of the motor 30.
And belts 28 and 32 wound around those pulleys.

The pulley 33 provided on the shaft of the carry-in roller 11 is
It is driven via the motor 30 and is always rotated by the motor 30. In this embodiment, the carry-in roller 11 is set at the same speed as or slightly higher than the speed of the discharge belt of the copying machine 5, and is set corresponding to the copy discharging speed of the copying machine.

A shaft 25 of the disk 20 is provided with a stepping clutch 26 between the shaft 25 and a pulley 27 driven by a belt 28. The stepping clutch 26 intermittently moves the disk 20 through a control device in response to a signal from a paper sensor 8. The disk 20 is rotated one rotation at a time, and the drive speed of the disk 20 is set as a constant speed.

Further, in the paper stacking device of the present invention, the drive start time of the disk is changed in accordance with the size of the paper discharged from the copying machine. After a lapse of tsec after the passage (the leading edge of the paper has passed through the entrance portion of the groove and has been inserted partway into the groove), rotation of the disk is started, and the trailing end of the paper is fed into the carry-in roller. It is necessary to perform control such that the leading edge of the paper reaches the leading edge of the groove when the paper leaves the nip.

In other words, in the paper stacking device, it is necessary to rotate the paper with the leading edge of the copy ejected from the copying machine inserted into the tip of the groove of the disk. If the speed and the rotational speed of the disk do not match, various problems such as damage to the leading edge of the paper and the inability to follow the rotation of the disk will occur.

In order to prevent the occurrence of the above-mentioned troubles, in the paper stacking device of the present invention, the rotation start of the disk is different depending on whether the peripheral speed of the disk is slower or faster than the sheet carry-in speed. It is configured so that the timing time can be changed.

When the peripheral speed of the disk is different from the speed of the carry-in roller (paper carry-in speed), set the speed of each mechanism as follows: the peripheral speed of the carry-in roller; v1mm / sec The peripheral speed of the groove of the disk; v2mm / sec Distance from the nip part of the carry-in roller to the tip of the groove; lmm Length in the paper transport direction; Lmm Note that, under the above setting conditions, the relationship between the position of the paper sensor and the nip position of the carry-in roller is constant. To do.

The rotation start time t of the disk (the time from when the leading edge of the paper turns on the paper sensor) is set as follows.

The time it takes for the trailing edge of the paper to pass through the nip of the carry-in roller after the disc starts rotating (L-v1t) / v1 (sec) ........ The remaining distance between the leading edge of the sheet and the leading edge of the groove when the disc is rotating is: l- vt ...... The condition for the leading edge of the paper to reach the leading edge of the groove when the trailing edge of the sheet exits the nip of the carry-in roller is (L-v1t) / v1 · (v1-v2) = l-v1t ...... When t is calculated from the above equation, t = v1 (lL) + v2L / v1v2 (sec) As described above, the rotation start timing of the disc is set according to the above equation in accordance with the paper size and the transport speed. , The sheets are reversed in a stable state and accumulated on the stacking tray.

In other words, in the paper stacking device of the present invention, by inputting the values of L, l, v1, and v2 as described above to the control device, the control device causes the disk to detect the leading edge of the paper by the paper sensor. It is possible to drive the disc by automatically setting the rotation start timing of the disc and outputting a drive signal to the stepping clutch.

When the peripheral speeds of the carry-in roller and the disc are the same, as described above, after a lapse of a predetermined time (the time when the leading end of the paper reaches the leading end of the groove of the disc) after the paper sensor detects the leading end of the paper. , Start rotating the disc.

Further, even when the paper stacking device of the present invention is used by connecting it to a printer device such as a laser printer, it can be combined in the same manner as a copying machine. By connecting a sheet stacking device to the copy ejecting unit in the same manner as in the case of the existing sorter, it becomes possible to easily align the sheets.

(Effects of the Invention) Since the sheet stacking device such as a copying machine of the present invention has the above-described configuration, the timing of the rotation of the disk is controlled according to the sheet size and the sheet carry-in speed. Thus, it becomes possible to align the sheets accumulated on the stacking tray in a good state. Further, in the apparatus of the present invention, even if the paper sent from the copying machine has an arbitrary size and an arbitrary conveyance speed and does not match the reversal speed due to the decac, the paper is held in the groove of the disc to ensure the reliability. The reverse operation can be performed.

Further, in the present invention, since the rotation start time of the disk can be automatically set according to the characteristics of the copying machine to which the paper stacking device is connected, the position of the carry-in roller can be changed or the nip of the carry-in roller can be changed. It is not necessary to provide a mechanism or the like for canceling.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a sheet stacking apparatus of the present invention, FIG. 2 is an explanatory view of a disk of the present invention, FIG. 3 is a plan view of the sheet stacking apparatus, and FIG. 4 is a combination of a copying machine and a sheet stacking apparatus. FIG. 5 is a side view in the case where the disk is mounted, and FIG. 5 is an explanatory view showing the structure of a conventional disk. Reference numerals in the figure 1 ... Paper, 5 ... Copier, 10 ... Paper stacking device, 11 ...
… Incoming rollers, 12 …… Chute, 13 …… Lower guide plate, 15
…… Loading tray, 19 …… Stripper bar, 20 …… Disc, 21 …… Groove, 25 …… Shaft, 26 …… Stepping clutch, 30 …… Motor.

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A sheet stacking apparatus, which is connected to an image forming apparatus for forming images on a plurality of sheets of different sizes, such as a copying machine, and stacks sheets discharged from the image forming apparatus in an inverted state. A rotation unit that has a groove for holding a sheet, and that rotates with the sheet held in the groove; a tray that receives and accumulates the sheet that has been reversed by the rotation unit; and a groove of the rotation unit. Transporting means for transporting the sheet in a nipped state toward the sheet, detection means provided upstream of the rotating means for detecting the sheet transported by the transporting means, and detection information by the detecting means. A means for controlling the rotation start timing of the rotating means based on the set conveying speed of the conveying means, the rotating speed of the rotating means, and information on the size of the sheet to be conveyed. Sheet stacking apparatus such as a copying machine having a.