JP2785226B2 - Sheet binding device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (a) Industrial application field The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a printing machine, a printer, etc., which distributes sheets discharged from the image forming apparatus to bins. The present invention relates to a sheet binding apparatus which can store and accumulate sheets in a bin and bind the sheets stored in a bin.

(B) Conventional technology In recent years, a sheet binding device that binds sheets for each bin has been devised in order to eliminate the inconvenience of dissipating the sheets when taking out the sheets distributed to a plurality of bins (Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. HEI 9-163556). See JP-A-58-220053 and JP-A-59-185355).
The sheet binding apparatus disperses sheets discharged from a copier into a plurality of bins, aligns the sheets, and moves a bundle of aligned sheets to a sheet mounting position on the bins so as to be able to move forward and backward. The binding is sequentially stopped for each bin by means.

(C) Problems to be Solved by the Invention By the way, in the above-mentioned sheet binding apparatus, when the binding is stopped by the binding means, there is no means for positively positioning the bundle of sheets to be accommodated in the bin. There is no assurance that the sheets will be positioned at the right position, and the sheet bundle will be stapled out of the stapling position.

In view of the above, an object of the present invention is to provide a configuration in which sheets stored in a bin are pressed so as not to be disturbed when the sheets are stapled by the stapler means, and an object of the present invention is to solve the above-described problems.

(D) Means for Solving the Problems The present invention provides a multi-stage sheet accommodating unit for accommodating sheets, a bin unit that supports these sheet accommodating units and is movable in a stepwise direction, and is supported by the bin unit. Aligning means arranged to penetrate through the plurality of sheet accommodating means and moving so as to press the end face of the sheet accommodated in the sheet accommodating means; and a supporting means supported by the bin unit and pressed by the aligning means. Reference means for receiving an end surface on the opposite side of the set sheet, stapler means for binding sheets stored in the sheet storage means with a stapler needle for each sheet storage means, and aligning means for the sheet in the sheet storage means. Each time the sheet is stored, the sheet is repeatedly moved to a pressing position for pressing the sheet, and the sheet stored in the sheet storing unit is stapled by the stapler unit. Control means for controlling to move to the pressing position and hold it at the pressing position when stopping, and position control for controlling movement of the bin unit so that the stapler means and the sheet storage means face one by one in order. And a stapler control unit that controls the stapler unit so as to stop the sheet pressed by the alignment unit each time the stapler unit and the sheet storage unit face each other by the position control unit. It is in.

(E) Action Based on the above configuration, the aligning means moves to the pressing position each time a sheet is stored in the sheet storing means, and presses each sheet against the reference means without any other sheet weight acting above the sheet. Align sheets accurately and reliably. When stapling by the stapler means, the position control means controls the stapler means and the sheet accommodating means so as to face each other one by one in order. The stapler means staples the sheets by inserting staples into the sheets in a state where the control means presses the staple means against the reference means each time the stapler means and the sheet storage means face each other. Further, when storing the sheet in the sheet storing means and operating the stapler means, when the sheet storing means moves, the reference means and the aligning means move together with the bin unit supporting the sheet storing means.

(F) Example Hereinafter, examples of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the sorter 1 is provided with a pair of post-war side plates 2, a base 3, a body 6 having a cover 5, and a number of bins B (sheet storing means). Bin unit 9.

The machine body 6 includes a carry-in roller pair 11 near a carry-in port 10 for carrying in a sheet discharged from an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, and a non-sort path 12 and a non-sort path downstream of the carry-in roller pair 11. A sort path 13 branching from 12 is arranged. The non-sort path 12 extends substantially horizontally,
A non-sort discharge roller pair 15 serving as a non-sort discharge port is disposed downstream of the discharge path, and a sort path 13 extends downward, and a sort discharge roller pair 16 serving as a sort discharge port is disposed downstream thereof. Further, an electric stapler 17 is arranged so as to face the sorting sheet discharge roller pair 16.

In the vicinity of the pair of carry-in rollers 11, a flapper 1 that is displaced so as to switch the sheet conveyance direction and the flapper 1
A flapper solenoid 20 for driving 19 is provided,
When the flapper solenoid 20 is turned on, the flapper 19 is displaced and the sheet conveyance direction is selected to the non-sort discharge port 15 side, and when the flapper solenoid 20 is turned off, the sheet conveyance direction is selected to the sort discharge port 16 side.

Further, a conveyance motor 21 is disposed near the carry-in roller pair 11, and drives the carry-in roller pair 11, the non-sort discharge roller pair 15, and the sort discharge roller pair 16 when distributing the sheets P to the bins B. .

The non-sort path 12 is provided with a non-sort path sensor S1, and the sort path 13 is provided with a sort path sensor S2.

The bin unit 9 is disposed downstream of the pair of non-sort discharge rollers 15 and the pair of sort discharge rollers 16. The bin unit 9 has one end fixed to the body 6 and the other end connected to the hook of the bin unit 9. The weight is carried by a spring 23 hung on a 22 and is supported so as to be able to move up and down. And
At the base end of the bin unit 9, an upper guide roller 2
5, a lower guide roller 26 is rotatably supported at the lower part, and these upper and lower guide rollers 25, 26 are fitted to a guide plate 27 provided to extend in the vertical direction on the body 6;
When the bin unit 9 moves up and down, it rolls in the guide plate 27 to guide the bin unit 9.
Further, a bin unit drive motor 29 is arranged on the machine body 6, and a cam shaft holder 30 is arranged near the sort discharge roller pair 16 of the machine body 6.
A lead cam shaft 31 is rotatably supported between the thrust bearing 30 and the thrust bearing 34 disposed on the base 3. And
A lead cam 32 is arranged above the lead cam shaft 31, and a sprocket 33 is fixed below the lead cam shaft 31. The sprocket 33 and the bin unit driving motor
A chain 35 is stretched between it and 29, and the lead cam 32
Can be rotated in both forward and reverse directions by a bin unit drive motor 29 that rotates in both forward and reverse directions when selected.

Further, as shown in detail in FIG. 2, the bin unit 9 is provided vertically on a frame 36 composed of an inclined portion, a vertical portion, and a horizontal portion, and on the front end side and the back side of the inclined portion of the frame 36. Bin unit body composed of vertical frames 37, 37 and a bin cover 39 supported by the vertical frames 37, 37
The bin unit body 40 has an alignment reference plate 41 standing upright on the front side of the bin unit main body 40 for contacting the sheet. Furthermore,
The bin unit 9 has a large number of bins B and has an alignment rod 43 which moves around a movement center axis 42. The bin B has a front end side and a back side as shown in detail in FIG. An engagement plate 46 is formed on each side, and the engagement plate 46 engages with a support plate (not shown) provided inside the vertical frame 37, whereby the tip end side of the bin B is supported. It has become. Further, roller support pins 47 are fixed to the front and rear sides of the base end of the bin B, respectively, and the bin rollers 49 are rotatably supported by the pins 47. Further, the bin B is provided with a long hole 50 which is longer than the rotation distance of the alignment rod 43 at a predetermined distance from the movement center axis 42 and which is sufficiently wider than the width of the alignment rod 43. The base end B1 of the bin B rises perpendicularly to the sheet storage surface B2, and the bin B is inclined at a predetermined angle upward with respect to the body 6 (see FIG. 3). Accordingly, the sheet slides on the sheet storage surface B2, and the rear end thereof abuts on the base end B1, so that the sheet is aligned in the front-rear direction.

2 and 3, the bin B is inserted into the guide plate 27 of the machine body 6 with the bin roller 49 protruding from the long groove 52 provided at the base end of the bin unit main body 40. and which, bin roll 49 _n of the lowermost bin B _n is placed on the lower guide roller 26, also the bin B _n bin roll 49 of outermost lower bin B 1 level upper than the lowermost bin B _n Vincol
The bin rollers 49 of the upper bin B are supported by the bin rollers 49 of the lower bin B such that they are placed on the top of the bin 49 _n.
Supported by 40. The lead cam 32 has a fifth
As shown in FIG. 6 and FIG. 6, a cam groove 32a slightly wider than the bin roller 49 is formed in a helical shape.
The bin roller 49 of the bin B at the position facing the
Placed, for example, as shown in FIG. 5, the move the bin roll 49c of the bottle B _c in one rotation direction of arrow A of the lead cam 32 to an intermediate position of the lead cam 32 (in the drawing up 49b position), one more The position that passes the lead cam 32 with each rotation (in the figure,
Move to position 49a). Then, when the lead cam 32 further makes one rotation, the bin roller 49a located at a position passing through the lead cam 32 pushes up the upper bin roller 49, and the upper bin roller 49 pushes up the upper bin roller 49, and the uppermost bin roller 49 moves up. By pushing up the upper guide roller 25, the bin unit 9 is raised one step at a time (see FIG. 3). Are sequentially moved with the movement of the bin rollers 49. At this time, as shown in FIG. 5, for example, as shown in FIG.
A bottle B _b to accept sheet 16, the bin B _a located on both upper and lower sides of the bottles B _b, wide opening X than the other bins B ... spacing between the bottles B _c, X is formed. Thus, the bin unit 9 is raised or lowered by the rotation of the lead cam 32. Then, the aircraft 6 faces the hook 22 of the bin unit 9 that has been lowered to the lowest position,
A bin home position sensor S5 is provided, and the bin unit 9 that has moved to the home position set at the lowest position is detected by the bin home position sensor S5.

Note that a flag 55 is provided on the lead cam shaft 31, and the lead cam sensor S4 faces the flag 55.
Is provided, and one rotation of the lead cam 32 is detected by detecting the flag 55 of the lead cam sensor S4, and the stop position of the lead cam 32 is detected.

In FIG. 6, reference numeral 53 denotes a bin colo.
O-rings press-fit into 49 absorb the vibration of bin B when it is raised and lowered.

At the top and bottom of the base end of the bin unit 9, transmission type in-bin discharge detection sensors S3 and S3 are arranged (see FIG. 3), and all sheets P are taken out of the bin unit 9. Then, the absence of sheets is detected by the in-bin paper detection sensors S3 and S3, and the end of one operation is determined.

Further, as described above, the bin unit 9 includes the alignment rod 43. Hereinafter, the alignment rod 43 will be described with reference to FIGS.
The alignment of the sheet P according to the above will be described.

A support plate 60 is provided on the back side of the base end of the frame 36 of the bin unit 9, and a lower arm 61 is disposed on the support plate 60, and the lower arm 61 is supported on one side by a support plate. It is rotatably supported by a lower rotating shaft (not shown) projecting upward from 60. On one side of the lower arm 61, the lower end of the moving center shaft 42 is fixed coaxially with the lower rotating shaft, and on the other side, the lower end of the alignment rod 43 is fixed.
Further, the upper end of the alignment rod 43 and the upper end of the movement center shaft 42 are fixed to the upper arm 62, and the alignment rod 43 and the movement center shaft 42 are connected by the upper arm 62 and the lower arm 61. The movement center shaft 42 is rotatably supported by an upper rotation shaft 63 projecting downward from the bin cover 39, and the alignment rod 43 is movable around the movement center shaft 42 as a fulcrum. Furthermore,
A sector gear 65 whose rotation center coincides with the movement center of the lower arm 61 is fixed to the lower arm 61, and an alignment rod drive motor 66 is disposed below the support plate 60, and the alignment rod drive motor 66 The output gear 67 of the motor 66 meshes with the sector gear 65, and the alignment rod 43 is moved by the rotation of the alignment rod drive motor 66.

When aligning the sheet P, the alignment rod 43 moves from the home position 43a to a width approaching position 43b determined according to the size of the sheet P, contacts the end of the sheet P, and The sheet P is aligned in cooperation with the plate 41, and is further moved to the standby position 43c to wait for the alignment of the next sheet P.

The matching rod drive motor 66 is a stepping motor,
The moving amount of the matching rod 43 is determined by the given number of pulses.

Further, a light-shielding plate 69 is fixed to the lower arm 61, and the light-shielding plate 69 moves integrally with the lower arm 61, so that an alignment rod position sensor S9 fixed to the frame 36 is provided.
On and off.

Further, as described above, the electric stapler 17 is disposed in the vicinity of the sort discharge roller pair 16, and the electric stapler 17 is disposed.
7, a solenoid 71 and a stapler spring 72 are disposed as shown in FIG. A link pin 73 is fixed to the link 71a of the solenoid 71, and the link pin 7
A solenoid spring 76 is stretched between the stapler pin 3 and the stapler pin 75 provided on the electric stapler 17, and a link 71a is engaged with the stapler pin 75 through an elongated hole 77 provided at the end thereof. ing. Further, a stapling position stopper 79 is fixed to the electric stapler 17, and the electric stapler 17 normally comes into contact with the stopper 80 by the action of the stapler spring 72 and is in a retracted position 17b outside the sheet path (solid line in the drawing). Position), and when binding the sheet P on the bin B, the solenoid 71 moves to the binding position 17a (indicated by a dashed line in the figure) to move the binding position stopper 79 to the reference plate 81.
The sheet P stored in the bin B at the position facing the sort discharge roller pair 16 is stapled by the stapler needle 82.

7 is a binding position sensor which detects the electric stapler 17 positioned at the binding position 17a and issues a detection signal.

When the binding stop mode is selected, the solenoid 71 is turned on by the binding start signal, and the electric stapler 17 moves around the fulcrum 85 by the action of the solenoid 71, moves to the binding position 17a, and moves to the binding position. The stopper 79 contacts the reference plate 81 and is positioned.

In this case, the head portion 17c of the electric stapler 17, as shown in FIG. 5, upper opening X formed between the bin B _b and the upper bin B _a for accommodating the stapling to be sheet To the binding position 17a, and the anvil portion 17d
Moves from the lower opening X to the binding position 17a.

Then, when the electric stapler 17 is positioned at the binding position 17a, the binding position sensor S6 is turned on, the electric stapler 17 is driven, and the stapler needle 82 is driven into the sheet P.

When the driving of the stapler needle 82 is completed, the solenoid 71 is turned off, the electric stapler 17 is returned by the action of the stapler spring 72 until it comes into contact with the stopper 80, and binding of one bin is completed.

As shown in FIG. 8, the control device 98 for controlling the operation of the sorter 1 is mainly composed of a well-known microcomputer having a built-in ROM, RAM and the like. Each unit is connected, a signal from each unit is input, and an output signal is output to each device via a driver.

On the other hand, the control device 98 is provided with control means 99 programmed so as to press the sheet P stored in the bin B when the sheet P is stapled.
When binding the sheet P stored in the bin B,
43 is moved to the width approaching position 43b so as to be pressed against the alignment reference plate 41 so that the sheet P accommodated in the bin B is not disturbed, and is controlled so as to be held at the position 43b.

Hereinafter, the operation of the example which is the basis of the present invention will be described along the flow shown in FIG.

Sheets P are sequentially distributed and aligned to bins B, and each bin B
When the sheet P is stored (Step 1), it is confirmed whether or not the staple mode is selected. When the staple mode is selected (Step 2), the alignment bar 43 is selected.
Is moved to the width approaching position 43b (Step 3). When the alignment bar 43 reaches the width approaching position 43, the sheet P on the bin is pressed by the alignment bar 43 (Step 4), and the electric stapler 17 is moved.
Is started (Step 5), and the sheets P stored in the bins B are sequentially stopped without any deviation. When the binding of the sheets is completed (Step
6), the alignment rod 43 is returned to the home position 43a (St
ep7). As a result, the sheets accommodated in the hinges can be securely bound without any deviation while maintaining the consistency.

Next, an embodiment of the present invention in which the control content of the control means 99 of the above-described basic example is partially changed will be described.

The control means 100 of the present embodiment is programmed so as to align the sheet P each time the sheet P is stored in the bin B, and to press the sheet P when binding the sheet P. That is, the control means 100 repeatedly moves the alignment rod 43 to the width approaching position 43b every time the sheet P is stored in the bin B, and further, when binding the sheet P stored in the bin B, the alignment rod 43 Is pressed against the alignment reference plate 41 so that the sheet P accommodated in the bin B is not disturbed.
b and is controlled to be held at the position 43b.

Hereinafter, the operation of the present embodiment will be described along the flow shown in FIG.

When the sheet P is discharged to the bin b (Step 1), the alignment rod 4
3 is moved to the width approaching position 43b and returned to the standby position 43c, and the sheet P accommodated in the bin B is pressed against the alignment reference plate 41 and aligned (Step 2). Then, sheets P are sequentially placed in bin B.
When the number of sheets P is stored in the bin B by repeating the above-described alignment operation of the alignment rod 43 each time
3), distribution and storage of the sheet P in the bin B are completed (Ste
p4). Then, similarly to the above-described embodiment, it is confirmed whether or not the staple mode is selected. If the staple mode is selected (Step 5), the alignment bar 43 is moved to the width adjustment position 43b (Step 6). ). And the matching rod 43
Reaches the width approaching position 43b, the sheet P on the bin B is pressed by the alignment bar 43 (Step 7), the binding operation of the electric stapler 17 is started (Step 8), and aligned and stored in the bin B. The stacked sheets P are sequentially bound without any deviation. When the binding of the sheets is completed (Step 9), the alignment rod 43 is returned to the home position 43a (Step 10). As a result, the sheets P accommodated in the bins B are aligned for each bin, and are stably stopped without any deviation while maintaining the alignment.

(G) Effects of the Invention As described above, according to the present invention, the matching means
Each time a sheet is stored in the sheet storage means, the sheet is repeatedly moved to the pressing position, the sheet bundle of each sheet storage means is accurately and reliably aligned, and when the sheet bundle is stapled, the above-described alignment is performed. Since the sheet bundle is pressed and held by the aligning means, even if a biasing force is applied to the sheet bundle by, for example, a staple, etc., the sheet bundle is held at the aligned position, and stapling is performed accurately and reliably. Can be.

Further, since the reference means and the aligning means are supported by the pin unit and move together with the sheet accommodating means, it is possible to reduce the adverse effect on each end face of the sheet when the sheet accommodating means is moved, and to perform accurate and reliable staple binding. Can be.

Further, a plurality of sheet bundles can be continuously and accurately bound in a state where the sheet bundle is held at the alignment position.

Further, since the number of times for aligning the sheet bundle and the pressing time become longer, the alignment of the sheet bundle is improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

1 and 2 are views showing an alignment rod according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 1 is a plan view, FIG. 2 is a perspective view, and FIG. 3 is a side view of a sorter according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a perspective view thereof,
5 to 8 are views showing respective parts, FIG. 5 is a side view of the lead cam, FIG. 6 is a plan view of the lead cam, FIG.
FIG. 8 is a perspective view of an electric stapler, FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a control device, FIG. 9 is a flowchart of an example on which the present invention is based,
FIG. 10 is a flowchart of the embodiment of the present invention. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Sheet binding device (sorter), 17 ... Binding means (electric stapler), 41 ... Reference body (alignment reference plate), 43 ... Aligning means (alignment rod), 43b ... Press position (width adjustment position), 99 ... Control Means, 100: control means, B: bin (sheet storage means),
P ... sheet.

Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-59-230964 (JP, A) JP-A-59-86551 (JP, A) JP-A-62-288003 (JP, A) JP-A-50-44020 (JP, A) , A) JP-A-63-147775 (JP, A) JP-A-61-2877663 (JP, A) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁶ , DB name) B65H 31/00-31/40 B65H 37/00-37/06 B65H 39/00-39/16 G03G 15/00 534

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A multi-stage sheet accommodating means for accommodating sheets, a bin unit supporting these sheet accommodating units and movable in a stepwise direction, and a plurality of sheet accommodating units supported by the bin unit. An aligning means arranged to penetrate and move so as to press the end face of the sheet accommodated in the sheet accommodating means; and an opposite end face of the sheet supported by the bin unit and pressed by the aligning means. Receiving means, stapler means for stapling sheets stored in the sheet storing means with a stapler needle for each sheet storing means, and pressing the aligning means each time a sheet is stored in the sheet storing means. Move repeatedly to the pressing position
And control means for controlling to move to the pressing position and hold it at the pressing position when binding the sheet stored in the sheet storing means by the stapler means; Position control means for controlling the movement of the bin unit so as to sequentially oppose each other, such that the sheet pressed by the alignment means is stopped each time the stapler means and the sheet storage means face each other. A sheet binding apparatus comprising: a stapler control unit that controls the stapler unit.