JP3247869B2 - Paper handling equipment - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a sheet processing apparatus for post-processing sheets discharged from an image processing apparatus such as a printer, an electrostatographic copying machine, and a facsimile.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, personal computers (hereinafter, referred to as personal computers).
Along with the networking of information processing devices such as personal computers) and workstations, a case in which one printer, for example, is shared by a plurality of users (herein, an individual or a group of groups is referred to as a user) is conspicuous. ing.

This so-called network printer has a paper processing apparatus in which paper discharged from the printer is stored in a mail tray unique to each user based on print information from each user. In order to have a mail tray in one, one of a plurality of mail trays and the user correspond one-to-one,
It is desired to equip a paper processing apparatus provided with a plurality of mail trays generally called a mailbox.

[0004] In addition to networking, with the speeding up of the image processing apparatus, it is desired that the sheet processing apparatus be capable of stacking a large amount of sheets, and furthermore, the sheet processing apparatus can perform the binding processing. It is also desired to make.

As a sheet processing apparatus which can satisfy these demands, a processing station provided with a stacking processing means for stacking sheets is built in the apparatus main body, and a tray for accommodating sheets fed from the processing station is moved vertically. The upper and lower mail trays for storing paper without passing through the processing station are arranged below the large capacity tray, and based on the information for specifying the paper storage destination from the information processing equipment. Some paper feeders are provided to feed paper to a designated mail tray or a large capacity tray.

[0006]

According to the paper processing apparatus having such a configuration, by lowering the large-capacity tray, it is possible to stack a large number of bound sheets as needed, and to process each information processing device. However, in such a paper processing apparatus, there is a problem in that it is not possible to bind a sheet and take it out to a mail tray associated with an information processing apparatus. there were.

Further, the above-mentioned paper processing apparatus is intended to transport fixed-size paper such as A3 size, A4 size, B5 size, etc., and special paper such as irregular-size paper, postcards and envelopes. Since conveyance is not considered, if an image processing device such as a printer has a paper discharge tray to the top of the device and a paper discharge port to the paper processing device, special paper is What is necessary is just to take it out to the paper discharge tray, but if the image processing apparatus has only a paper discharge port to the paper processing apparatus, the special paper cannot be processed for the above-mentioned reason.

[0008] The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned circumstances, and enables a sheet which has been bound as required to be taken out to any mail tray or a large capacity tray. An object of the present invention is to provide a sorter with a user-friendly sorter by providing a sort tray so that special-size sheets such as postcards, postcards, and envelopes can be taken out.

[0009]

The technical means adopted by the present invention to achieve the above object are as follows. That is, in the paper processing apparatus according to the present invention, a processing station provided with stapling processing means for fixed-size paper is fixedly disposed in the apparatus main body, and a mail tray for accommodating the paper fed from the processing station is provided in the apparatus. At least one of the large capacity trays that can hold a large amount of standard size paper as it descends A paper feeder is provided so as to be movable and feed paper to a designated mail tray or a large-capacity tray based on the designation information of the paper storage destination.

Further, a top tray for storing special paper is fixedly disposed above the mail tray group, and a means for conveying the paper to the processing station is branched. It is characterized in that a paper transporting means is provided, and a path switching means for switching and feeding the paper to the transporting means based on the paper feed information of the special paper is provided at a branch portion of the paper transporting means. Item 1).

[0011] According to the above-described characteristic configuration, the fixed-size paper fed from the processing station is subjected to binding processing as necessary, and the paper is arbitrarily taken out of the mail tray and the large-capacity tray. be able to.

Also, special paper can be taken out to a so-called non-sorting top tray, and as an image processing apparatus such as a printer to which the paper processing apparatus is connected, the special paper is placed on the upper part of the apparatus main body. Even if only a paper discharge port to the paper processing apparatus is provided without a paper discharge tray, this can be set as a connection target of the paper processing apparatus.

In the case where an image processing apparatus such as a printer has a paper discharge tray to the upper part of the apparatus main body, it is useless to provide the above-mentioned top tray. A second conveyance unit for feeding paper toward the tray group, a second path switching unit for switching and feeding paper to the second conveyance unit and the large capacity tray, and a second conveyance unit for feeding paper to the second conveyance unit A third path switching means for switching and feeding the printed paper to a designated mail tray, and for transferring the fixed-size paper to the second tray based on the information for specifying the fixed-size paper to be stored in the top tray. If it is configured that paper can be fed to the top tray through a conveying means (claim 2), the top tray can be used as a mail tray.

[0014] The second transporting means is provided with an endless belt rotatable forward and reverse along the base side of the mail tray group, and a transporting surface of the endless belt on the mail tray group side to form fixed-size paper. A roller for conveying the special paper by the endless belt, and a conveying surface of the endless belt opposite to the mail tray group, and If the endless belt is configured to be driven in reverse rotation on the basis of information on the feeding of special paper to the top tray (claim 3), the cost of the apparatus can be reduced by using the endless belt in common. .

Here, in order to facilitate the later sorting work of the sheet bundle, a plurality of sheets per document are printed in a plurality of sets in a page order, and the sheet bundle is divided for each set. When the document is taken out to a mail bin or a large capacity tray or a plurality of documents are continuously printed, it is preferable to take out a sheet bundle for each document and take it out to a mail bin or a large capacity tray.

In order to satisfy this demand, the processing station is provided with a paper width alignment cursor, and the cursor is moved in the paper width direction in the paper width alignment state based on the offset discharge command information. Means may be provided (claim 4).

[0017]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIGS. 1 and 2 show a printer (an example of an image processing apparatus) 1 in which a face-up discharge mode is adopted.
The paper processing apparatus 2 is connected to a paper feeder. A paper transporting means 5 for transporting fixed-size paper downward is arranged in the apparatus main body 4 in connection with the paper introduction port 3, and paper is fed from the paper transporting means 5. A processing station 6 for sequentially stacking sheets is fixedly disposed in the apparatus main body 4, and a paper binding processing unit 7 for stapling a plurality of stacked sheets in the processing station 6 and width adjustment of the sheets. Means 8.

A so-called e-mail tray 9 for accommodating sheets fed out of the processing station 6 upward is fixedly arranged in a plurality of upper and lower stages on the upper side of the apparatus main body 4. A large-capacity tray 10 capable of accommodating large-capacity sheets of paper is arranged movably in the vertical direction at the lower side of the group, and an information processing device (for example, a personal computer with reference to FIG. 5) by a user. The mail tray 9 or the large-capacity tray 10 in which paper is specified based on the paper storage
A paper feeder 12 for feeding paper to the printer is provided.

Further, a so-called non-sorting top tray 13 for storing special paper is provided above the mail tray 9 group.
Are fixedly arranged, the sheet conveying means 5 for branching to the processing station 6 is branched, and special sheet conveying means 14 is provided between the branch portion and the top tray 13. A path switching unit 15 for switching and feeding a sheet to the conveying unit 14 based on the sheet feeding information is provided at a branch portion of the sheet conveying unit 5.

The above-mentioned paper transport means 5 is configured as follows. That is, as shown in FIG. 3, a plurality of roller pairs (first to fourth four pairs are illustrated) 17a to 17 including a feed roller pair 16, a brush roller, and an auxiliary roller.
17d are arranged in that order on the paper transport path 18, and a feed roller pair 19 is also disposed at the path inflection portion of the paper transport path 18, and further, the first to third roller pairs 17 a to 17 a
7c, a conveyance guide plate 20 for forming an inner conveyance path 18a and an outer conveyance path 18b is arranged, and a path switching claw 21 for switching and feeding paper to the inner and outer conveyance paths 18a and 18b is provided. , The feed roller pair 1
9 is arranged in the vicinity.

The second to fourth roller pairs 17b to 17
d, the upstream roller pairs 17a-17
a state in which the paper fed from c is passed as it is,
Route switching pawls 22a to 22c for switching to a state in which the route is changed to the processing station 6 side are arranged, the minimum size paper passes through the fourth roller pair 17d, the small size paper passes through the third roller pair 17c, and the medium size paper passes. Second
The large-size sheet is fed to the processing station 6 through the first roller pair 17a through the roller pair 17b.

The processing station 6 can rotate an endless belt 24 provided with two paper receiving members 23, 23 with a phase of 180 degrees in a direction opposite to the paper transport direction by the paper transport means 5. It is composed by placing
As shown in the figure, the paper fed from the paper transporting means 5 is stacked on the paper receiving member 23 in a diagonal face-down posture in a page order with the paper receiving member 23 located at the lowest position. In addition, the stacked sheets are bound by the sheet binding processing means 7 as necessary.

On the other hand, the sheet width aligning means 8 is provided with a pair of width aligning cursors 25 for receiving a sheet of the maximum width so as to be able to approach and separate in the sheet width direction in synchronization with each other.
Each time sheets are stacked on the processing station 6 based on the sheet size data fed and fed from the printer 1, the width of the sheets is adjusted based on the home position of the sheet receiving position of the maximum width. Is configured.

The sheet width aligning means 8 stores the stack information of the last sheet to the processing station 6 and the mail tray 9 or the large capacity tray 1 from the information processing device 11.
An offset means (not shown) for moving the cursor 25 in the paper width direction in the paper width alignment state every time the stack information of the final paper is input based on the information of the paper offset discharge of the paper to zero. I have.

The paper feeding and conveying means 12 includes a mail tray 9
A second transport unit 26 that feeds the paper toward the group, a second path switching unit 27 that switches the paper between the second transport unit 26 and the large capacity tray 10, and a second transport A third path switching means 28 for switching the paper fed to the means 26 to the designated mail tray 9 and feeding the paper. The second and third path switching means are not essential. Reference numerals 27 and 28 denote a home position in which the paper is passed downstream (the posture shown in FIG. 2).

The second transport means 26 is configured as follows. That is, as shown in FIG. 4, the endless belt 30 is wound along the base side of the mail tray 9 group and the top tray 13 so that the drive can be switched between forward and reverse rotations over the upper and lower rollers 29, 29. In addition, rollers 31, 31 for nipping and transporting the paper by the transport surface of the endless belt 30 on the side of the mail tray 9 group are arranged at a suitable pitch on the transport surface of the standard size paper, and the second The transport unit 26 is joined to the special paper transport unit 14 on the upper side, and based on the designation information of the paper storage in the top tray 13 from the information processing device 11,
It is configured such that fixed-size paper fed from the processing station 6 can be fed to the top tray 13 through the second transport means 26.

On the other hand, the conveying means 14 to the top tray 13 is constituted by using the endless belt 30, that is, the endless belt 30 and the side of the endless belt 30 opposite to the mail tray 9 group. And rollers 32 for nipping and transporting the special paper by the transport surfaces of the rollers.

The endless belt 30 is configured to be driven in reverse rotation based on information on the feeding of special paper from the information processing apparatus 11 to the top tray 13, and the rollers 32. Size paper and postcards,
They are arranged at a suitable pitch on the conveying surface of special paper such as envelopes.

The large-capacity tray 10 is provided on a plurality of endless toothed belts 34 wound around upper and lower pulleys 33, 33, and descends according to the amount of sheets to be stored. Large capacity sheets can be stacked.

Next, as shown in FIG. 5, a plurality of information processing apparatuses (for example, personal computers) 11 are connected to one printer 1 via a network, and users A to D share the printer 1. Assuming a case, for example, the user A designates one copy of a plurality of fixed-size sheets per document and a binding process of the sheet bundle, and transfers the bound sheet bundle to the uppermost mail tray. 9 will be described.

First, fixed-size sheets sequentially fed from the first page in the face-up state from the printer 1 are stacked in the processing station 6 in an oblique face-down posture through the sheet conveying means 5, and the sheets are stacked. Each time the sheets are stacked, the width aligning means 8 adjusts the width of the sheets, and when the stacking of the specified plurality of sheets is completed, that is, based on the stack information of the last sheet, the sheet binding processing means 7 A staple is driven into the bundle, for example, on the left shoulder.

On the other hand, in the paper feeding / conveying means 12, as shown by a solid line in FIG. Only the switching means 28 is switched to the sheet feeding mode, and the endless belt 24 of the processing station 6 is driven based on the binding processing completion information of the sheet bundle, so that the above-described bound sheet bundle is processed. Is taken out to the uppermost mail tray 9 in a face-up posture.

When a plurality of sheets per document are continuously printed in a plurality of pages in a page order, the above-mentioned sheet bundle removal process is repeatedly performed based on the information on the number of copies specified from the information processing device 11. In the case where a plurality of documents are to be continuously printed, the above-described sheet bundle removal process is performed based on the continuous print information of the plurality of documents from the information processing device 11 and the information of the completion of printing for each document. Is repeated for each document.

In the case where the above-described printing of a plurality of copies or continuous printing of a plurality of documents is performed without performing the binding process, if the information processing apparatus 11 designates the form of the offset discharge, the information is based on the information. By functioning of an offset means (not shown), the sheet bundle can be taken out to the mail tray 9 in each section, and the offset discharge will be clarified in the following description.

To take out the paper to the large capacity tray 10,
As in the case of the mail tray 9, the process is performed according to the designated information from the information processing device 11. However, while the above-mentioned mail tray 9 is fixedly used for each user, the large capacity tray 10 belongs to the individual user. Not treated as a shared stacker.

That is, any user can use the system when a large-capacity print output is desired. Further, a plurality of the large-capacity trays 10 are provided on the belt 30 at predetermined intervals, and Paper may be sequentially distributed and taken out from the large-capacity tray 10 on the side.

A description will be given of a case where a plurality of sheets are continuously printed in a page order in a plurality of sheets in the form of offset discharge without performing a binding process when the sheet bundle is taken out to the large capacity tray 10.

At this time, the sheets fed from the printer 1 through the sheet conveying means 5 are sequentially stacked in the processing station 6, and each time the sheets are stacked, the width aligning means 8 adjusts the width of the sheets. This is done in the same way as described above.

On the other hand, in the sheet feeding / conveying means 12, the second path switching means 27 sends the large capacity tray 10
The endless belt 24 of the processing station 6 is driven based on the stack information of the last sheet, so that the width-aligned sheet bundle is not bound, Large capacity tray 1
The paper is fed out to zero.

In the meantime, the next sheet to be bundled is stacked in the processing station 6, and the width of the stacked sheet is adjusted. This time, the stack information of the final sheet and the information of the specified offset sheet discharge are set. Based on the above, the offset means operates and the cursor 25,
The paper bundle 25 is moved to the side in the paper width direction in the paper width alignment state and slightly moved together with the paper bundle to offset the paper bundle.

Based on the offset completion information at this time,
When the endless belt 24 of the processing station 6 is driven, the sheet bundle slightly moved to one side in the sheet width direction is
The sheet is removed from the bundle of sheets taken out to the large-capacity tray 10 in the previous process with a slight positional shift, and thereafter, the stack information of the last sheet is completed until the final removal of the plurality of sheet bundles is completed. Each time the cursor is input, the cursor 2
5, 25 repeatedly return to the original position and move slightly to one side in the paper width direction, whereby a plurality of sets of paper bundles are separated in each bundle. The sheet is taken out to the large-capacity tray 10, so that the later sorting operation of the sheet bundle can be easily performed.

As with the large-capacity tray 10, the top tray 13 is treated as a so-called non-sort tray that is not belonging to an individual user and is used as a common non-sort tray. There are two feeding modes.

One of them is that, as described above, the information processing equipment 11 causes the standard size paper to be transferred to the top tray 1.
This is the case where it is specified to take out in 3 and in this case,
The standard-size paper fed from the processing station 6 on the basis of the paper removal designation information
Is taken out to the top tray 13 through the transfer means 26 of the above.

Another case is a case where information for feeding special paper to the top tray 13 is issued from the information processing device 11. In this case, the path switching means 15 is provided based on the information for feeding special paper. Is switched to the paper feeding attitude to the transporting means 14 and the endless belt 30 is also driven in reverse, so that the special paper fed from the printer 1 is taken out to the top tray 13 via the transporting means 14. Become.

That is, the paper processing apparatus 2 provided with the above-described top tray 13 is intended for a case where the image processing apparatus 1 such as a printer has only a paper discharge port to the paper processing apparatus 2. If the image processing apparatus 1 is provided with a paper discharge tray to the upper part of the apparatus main body, the special paper can be discharged from the paper discharge tray. Where the top tray 13 is wasted, the top tray 13 is configured to be capable of feeding fixed-size paper to the top tray 13 so that the top tray 13 can be treated as a shared so-called non-sort tray that does not belong to an individual user. 13 can be used without waste.

[0046]

As described above, according to the sheet processing apparatus according to the first aspect of the present invention, the sheet fed from the processing station is subjected to a binding process as necessary, and then the sheet is processed. In addition to being able to take out both the mail tray and the large capacity tray, special paper can also be taken out to the top tray,
Therefore, as an image processing apparatus such as a printer, even if it does not have a discharge tray to the upper part of the apparatus main body,
This can be used as a connection target of the paper processing apparatus to take out special paper.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, when it is not necessary to take out the special paper to the top tray, this top tray can be used as a mail tray. Since the conveying means to the top tray is constituted by using the endless belt constituting the second conveying means, the cost of the apparatus can be reduced.

Further, according to the fourth aspect of the present invention, a fixed-size sheet bundle can be offset for each document or each number of copies, so that later sorting operations of the sheet bundle can be performed easily.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a printer provided with a paper processing apparatus.

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the sheet processing apparatus.

FIG. 3 is a detailed view of a sheet conveying means and a processing station of the sheet processing apparatus.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of a mail tray group of the sheet processing apparatus.

FIG. 5 is a schematic explanatory diagram of a network printer.

[Explanation of symbols]

Reference numeral 4: apparatus main body, 5: paper transport means, 6: processing station, 7: paper binding processing means, 9: mail tray, 10 ...
Large-capacity tray, 12: paper feeder, 13: top tray, 14: transporter of special paper, 15: path switching unit, 25: cursor for width alignment, 26: second transporter,
27: second path switching means, 28: third path switching means, 30: endless belt, 31, 32: roller.

Continuation of the front page (58) Field surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) B65H 31/24 B65H 29/60 B65H 37/04 B65H 39/11

Claims (4)

(57) [Claims] 1. A processing station having a fixed size paper binding processing means is fixedly disposed in an apparatus main body, and a mail tray accommodating sheets fed from the processing station is provided on an upper side of the apparatus main body. At least one of the large-capacity trays that can hold a large amount of standard-size paper as it descends is arranged movably in the vertical direction at the lower side of these mail tray groups while being fixedly arranged over a plurality of upper and lower stages. , And based on the specification information of the paper storage destination,
A paper feeder for feeding paper to a designated mail tray or a large-capacity tray is provided, while a top tray containing special paper is fixedly arranged above the mail tray group. A special paper conveying means provided from the branch portion to the top tray, and a path switching means for switching and feeding paper to the conveying means based on the special paper feeding information. A sheet processing device provided at a branch portion of the sheet conveying means. 2. A paper feeder comprising: a second transporter for feeding paper toward a mail tray group; and a second transporter for switching paper between the second transporter and a large capacity tray.
Path switching means, and third path switching means for switching the paper fed to the second transport means to a designated mail tray and feeding the same, and accommodating fixed-size paper in the top tray. 2. The sheet processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a fixed size sheet can be fed to the top tray through a second transport unit based on the designated information. 3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the second transport unit is configured to rotate the endless belt rotatable forward and backward along the base side of the mail tray group, and to transport a fixed size sheet by the transport surface of the endless belt on the mail tray group side. A roller for conveying the special paper by the endless belt, and a conveying surface of the endless belt opposite to the mail tray group, and 3. The sheet processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the endless belt is driven to rotate in reverse based on information on feeding special paper to the top tray. 4. The processing station includes a sheet width alignment cursor, and offset means for moving the cursor in the sheet width direction in the sheet width alignment state based on offset discharge instruction information. The sheet processing apparatus according to claim 1.