JP3255583B2 - 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 punching or stapling a sheet, for example, a transfer sheet (sheet) on which an image is formed by an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine or a printer. TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a device for punching a punch hole for binding and performing a stapling process.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a copying machine of an analog copying system (hereinafter referred to as an "analog machine"), a plurality of identical originals are copied by a required number of copies, and these transfer papers are sorted by a sorter and stored one by one in a bin. There is known one configured to be placed. Then, a punch hole for binding may be formed (punch processing) or staple processing may be performed on the transfer paper stored in this manner, as necessary. For this reason, a sorter of the analog machine may be provided with a sheet processing apparatus including a punch unit for performing a punching process and a staple unit for performing a staple process.

[0003]

In recent years, digital copiers for forming images on transfer paper in a digital system, digital copiers and facsimile multifunction peripherals (hereinafter referred to as "digital machines") have been provided. It has become to. Also in this digital machine, a sorter is provided similarly to the analog machine, and a punching process or a stapling process is performed on transfer paper stored in a bin of the sorter by a paper processing apparatus. For this reason, a common use of a sorter for analog and digital machines is being considered.

[0004] In addition, the manner of use of the user has been diversified.
There is a case where the image is discharged with the image surface facing upward (image surface discharge), and a case where the image is discharged with the image surface facing downward (rear surface discharge). For this reason, in the paper processing apparatus, depending on the discharge mode, one of the staple unit for image surface discharge that performs staple processing suitable for image surface discharge and the staple unit for back discharge that performs staple processing suitable for back surface discharge is used. , Or both. However, a sheet processing apparatus which can arbitrarily combine a staple unit for discharging an image surface, a staple unit for discharging a back surface, and a punch unit according to a user's request has not been provided.

For this reason, conventionally, it has been necessary to prepare a dedicated paper processing apparatus corresponding to each purpose of use such as a difference between an image forming apparatus of an analog type and a digital type and a request of a user.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems, and a staple unit for performing staple processing and a punch unit for performing punch processing can be selectively provided, so that the apparatus can be flexibly adapted to the intended use. It is an object of the present invention to provide a paper processing apparatus that can perform the processing.

[0007]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, there are provided a first unit and a second unit, each of which can be equipped with a punch unit for punching a sheet and a staple unit for stapling a sheet. In a sheet processing apparatus having a mounting main body having a second mounting area and capable of performing punching processing and stapling processing on a sheet, the staple unit is used for a sheet having an image formed on the sheet facing upward. a first staple unit to staple against, has a second staple unit to staple the sheet in a state where the image surface formed on the sheet is directed downward, the mounting body Is
A base provided with an opening facing the second mounting area
And a side plate, and the base plate and the side plate
The second member is attached to the second member.
Of the staple unit from above the base plate
And a part of the second staple unit is
The second mounting in a state where the second mounting
It is configured to be attachable to the area .

In the present invention, the first and second staple units can be mounted on the mounting body in addition to the punch unit. For this reason, for example, by attaching the first staple unit to the attachment main body, an appropriate stapling process is performed on the sheet in a state where the image surface formed on the sheet faces upward. By attaching the staple unit to the mounting body, the appropriate stapling process is performed on the paper with the image surface formed facing down. The stapling process can be appropriately performed in both the case of facing and the state of the image surface facing downward.

[0009]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION FIG. 1 is an external perspective view showing a copying machine as an embodiment of an image forming apparatus to which a sheet processing apparatus according to the present invention is applied, and FIG. In order to clarify the directional relationship, XYZ rectangular coordinate axes are shown. As shown in FIG. 1, the copying machine includes a copying machine main body 1 and a sheet feeding unit 2 disposed on the side of the copying machine main body 1 in the + Y direction (right).
And a sorter 3 arranged on the side of the copying machine body 1 in the −Y direction (left).

The copying machine main body 1 has a housing 10. A contact glass (not shown) is provided at the center of the upper surface of the housing 10, and an automatic document feeder 11 is provided further above the contact glass. ing. The automatic document feeder 11 includes a document placement unit 111 and the document placement unit 1.
The documents placed on the document glass 11 are automatically conveyed one by one onto the contact glass and then discharged to the document placing portion 111.

An optical system for optically scanning an original on a contact glass, an image forming unit having respective components such as a photosensitive drum and a developing unit, a fixing unit for performing a fixing process, Each component (all not shown) such as a transfer paper transport system is provided.

Further, an operation panel 12 is provided on an upper portion of the housing 10. The operation panel 12 includes a start switch 121, a copy number setting key 122, a mode selection key 123 of the sorter 3, a transfer paper size designation. Key 1
24, various setting keys such as a punch mode key 125 and the like, and a display 126 for displaying setting contents and the like are provided.

The paper feed unit 2 feeds transfer paper to the image forming unit side of the copying machine main body 1 via a transport system, and can store transfer papers of different sizes.

Therefore, the original image is copied onto the transfer paper as follows by the combination of the copying machine main body 1 and the paper feeding unit 2. That is, when a document is transported onto the contact glass by the automatic document transport unit 11, the document image is read by the optical system, and an electrostatic latent image is formed on the photosensitive drum of the image forming unit. The image is developed into a toner image. This toner image is transferred onto a transfer sheet fed from the sheet feeding unit 2 via a transport system, and is fixed by a fixing unit. The transfer paper on which the toner image has been fixed is
The paper is discharged from the transfer paper discharge opening of the housing 10 to the adjacent sorter 3 side, and the transfer paper is sorted by the sorter 3 as necessary.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the internal configuration of the sorter 3. The sorter 3 receives transfer paper from the copier body 1 into the housing 30 through a carry-in port 31 provided on the upper right side of the housing 30, and further receives a first transport path 32.
And is conveyed to the bin unit 4 disposed on the upper left side via the.

In the bin unit 4, the upper surface of the bin unit frame 41 serves as a non-sort tray 42 for stacking transfer sheets that are not sorted. Also,
Inside the bin unit frame 41, a plurality of bins 43 are arranged at predetermined intervals in the vertical direction (Z direction),
The bin units 41 are independently slidably provided along guide grooves 412 formed on the inner side surface 411 of the bin unit frame 41. Then, the bin unit frame 41 and the bin 43 are integrally moved in the vertical direction (Z direction) by the lifting unit 5 described below, and one of the non-sort tray 42 and the plurality of bins 43 is moved to the first transport path 32. Is positioned so as to face the carry-out port 321 and can receive the transfer paper.

As shown in FIG. 2, the lifting unit 5 includes a pair of cylinders which are arranged upright and opposed to each other so as to sandwich the bin 43 from the front-rear direction (X direction) on the + Y direction (right) side of the bin 43. (Hereinafter, referred to as a spiral cam, only one of which is shown in the figure) 51. A spiral groove 52 is formed at a predetermined pitch on the outer peripheral surface of the spiral cam 51, and pins 431 projecting outward from both sides in the front-rear direction of each bin 43 are fitted into the spiral groove 52. Have been. A pulse motor 53 is connected to a lower end (−Z direction) of the spiral cam 51 via a transmission mechanism (not shown), and the pulse motor 53 operates according to a signal from a control unit described later. Then, when the spiral cam 51 rotates 360 °, the bin unit frame 41 and the bin 43 move intermittently in the vertical direction (Z direction) one by one in a bin. This bin 43
Is moved in synchronization with the operation of discharging the transfer paper from the copying machine main body 1, whereby the transfer paper from the copying machine main body 1 is sorted. When sorting is not performed, the non-sort tray 42 is maintained in a state facing the carry-out port 321.

The sorter 3 is provided with a paper processing unit 6 which functions as a paper processing device for performing predetermined paper processing such as staple processing and punching processing. Then, after the sorting is completed, when performing staple processing, punching processing, or the like on the bundle of transfer papers (transfer paper bundles) accumulated in each bin 43, the spiral cam 51 rotates and all the bins 43 temporarily stop. After moving upward (in the + Z direction), the bins 43 on which the paper processing is performed are lowered one by one to positions facing the paper processing unit 6. In this state, the positioned bin 43 moves to the paper processing unit 6 side, and the bin 4
3 is moved to the processing position of the paper processing unit 6. Then, the paper processing unit 6 operates to perform predetermined paper processing on the transfer paper. The paper processing unit 6
Will be described later in detail.

Below the sheet processing section 6, a carry-in port 331 of the second conveying path 33 is located, and the transfer sheet bundle subjected to the sheet processing is discharged from the bin 43 to the second conveying path 33. It has become. Since the transfer of the transfer paper bundle to the second transport path 33 is performed by sliding down from the bin 43, it is necessary to increase the inclination angle of the bin 43 in order to ensure the sliding down. For this reason, the pitch of the groove 52 of the spiral cam 51 at a position facing the entrance 331 of the second transport path 33 is wider than the other portions, and the right end of the bin 43 when the spiral cam 51 rotates 360 ° ( The movement distance in the downward direction on the (+ Y direction) side is increased. In other words, the left end (−Y direction) of the bin 43 fits into the guide groove 412 formed on the inner side surface 411 of the bin unit frame 41, although the downward moving distance of the right end side of the bin 43 becomes longer. Therefore, when the right end of the bin 43 comes to a position facing the entrance 331 of the second transport path 33, the inclination angle of the bin 43 becomes large.

Further, at the carry-in port 331, a lever 34 is rotatably arranged. The tip of the lever 34 is turned by the turning operation of the lever 34 and the moving operation of the bin 43 downward (-Z direction). The portion enters from a notch (not shown) at the right end of the bin 43 and lifts the transfer paper bundle. As the downward movement of the bin 43 further proceeds, the transfer paper bundle
Over the upper edge of the second transport path 33
And is conveyed by the second conveyance path 33 and guided to the intermediate discharge tray 7 from the discharge port 332.

As shown in FIG. 2, the intermediate discharge tray 7 is reciprocally movable in the front-rear direction (X direction) at a lower position inside the sorter 3, and the transfer paper conveyed as described above. After the bundle is temporarily received, it is discharged to the stack tray 9 to which the transfer paper bundle is discharged in cooperation with the hand unit 8 disposed adjacent to the left end (-Y direction) of the intermediate discharge tray 7. . That is, the stack tray 9 is provided below the intermediate discharge tray 7 and on the front side (+ X direction) of the sorter 3, and transfers the transfer paper bundle from the intermediate discharge tray 7 to the stack tray 9 as follows. Put on.

First, the intermediate discharge tray 7 receives the transfer paper on the rear (−X direction) side with respect to the stack tray 9, and a pair of hands 81 provided on the hand unit 8.
After the left front end (the end in the + X direction in the −Y direction) of the transfer paper bundle is gripped by 82, the intermediate discharge tray 7 and the hand unit 8 move integrally (in the + X direction) to move the transfer paper bundle. It is transported to the stock tray 9 side. Then, only the intermediate discharge tray 7 is retracted to the rear (−X direction) while the hand unit 8 is left to the front (+ X direction), so that the transfer paper bundle leaves the grip portion by the hands 81 and 82. The sheet is transferred from the intermediate discharge tray 7 to the stack tray 9. Thereafter, by releasing the gripping operation of the transfer paper bundle by the hands 81 and 82, the entire transfer paper bundle is transferred to the stack tray 9. When the transfer of the transfer sheet bundle is completed in this way, the hand unit 8 retreats backward (−X direction) and waits for the transfer of the next transfer sheet.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an electrical configuration of the copying machine. In this copying machine, the control unit 130 includes a CPU 131 for performing predetermined arithmetic processing, a ROM 132 for storing a predetermined program, and a RAM for temporarily storing processing data.
133 and the like, and controls the operation of the entire copying machine including the sorter 3 according to the predetermined program. The control unit 130 is electrically connected to the following components via an I / O (not shown).

That is, the CPU 131 receives signals from the start switch 121, the number-of-copies setting key 122, the sorter mode selection key 123, the transfer paper size designation key 124, the punch mode key 125, and the paper detection unit 301. Pulse motor 53 for driving the spiral cam, driving system 60 for paper processing unit 6, driving system 4 for bin 43
The drive control unit 30 controls the drive system 340 of the lever 34, the drive system 70 of the intermediate discharge tray 7, the drive system 80 of the hand unit 8, and the drive system 90 of the stack tray 9.

B. Configuration of Sheet Processing Unit (Sheet Processing Apparatus) 6 Next, the sheet processing unit 6, which is a point of the present invention, will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. The sheet processing unit 6 includes a punch unit 62 for punching a binding punch hole in a transfer sheet in an attachment main body 61 shown in FIG. 4, and a stapling unit for stapling an image-side ejected sheet. (First staple unit)
63 and a back-side discharge staple unit (second staple unit) 64 for performing staple processing on the back-side discharged transfer paper are provided in the following three modes. Only the image-surface discharge staple unit 63 (FIG. 5) is used. The staple unit 63 and the punch unit 62 (FIG. 6), and the image surface discharge staple unit 63 and the back surface discharge staple unit 64 (FIG. 7) can be attached. In this embodiment, as described above, the staple unit 63 for discharging the image surface is always attached to the mounting main body 61.
And a permanent unit, while a punch unit 62 and a back-side discharge staple unit 64 are selectively mounted. However, the combination of the units 62 to 64 is not limited to the above, and can be arbitrarily set according to the purpose of use.

As shown in FIG. 4, the mounting body 61
Base plate 611, side plate 61 formed by sheet metal processing
2, 613 and a top plate 614 are connected to each other by eight screws 615 to form a hollow case, and an image surface discharge staple unit 63 is mounted on the (+ X) direction side thereof. The first mounting area SP1 for performing
Further, a second mounting area SP2 for mounting the punch unit 62 or the back discharge staple unit 64 is provided on the (−X) direction side.

A mounting hole 631 is formed substantially at the center of the base plate 611 corresponding to the first mounting area SP1, and a mounting hole 632 is formed in the side plate 612 on the (+ X) direction side.
633, the image surface discharge staple unit 63 is arranged in the first mounting area SP1 as shown in FIGS. 5 to 7, and screws 634 to 636 are inserted into the mounting holes 631 to 633. The staple unit 63 for discharging the image surface is mounted and fixed to the mounting body 61 by screwing. In this embodiment, the mounting bracket 637 is used.
Staple unit 63 for discharging the image surface by using
Is attached to the mounting body 61. That is, first, the mounting bracket 637 is fixed to the image-surface discharging staple unit 63 by a plurality of screws 638, and then the mounting bracket 537 is fixed to the image-surface discharging staple unit 63 while the mounting bracket 637 is fixed to the staple fixing screw 634-. 63
It is fixed at 6. However, whether or not to use the mounting bracket 637 is an optional technical matter.
The staple unit 63 for discharging an image surface may be directly mounted on the mounting body 61 without using the 37.

On the other hand, in order to mount the punch unit 62 in the second mounting area SP2, four mounting holes 621 to 624 are formed in the base plate 611, so that the punch unit 62 can be mounted in the second mounting area SP2. The screws 625 are inserted into the mounting holes 621 to 624 from the lower side (-Z direction) from the lower side (−Z direction) as shown in FIG. It can be mounted and fixed. Here, the punch unit 62
When the punching process is performed, punch dust is generated. Therefore, an opening 626 (FIG. 4) is provided in the base plate 611 so as to face the second mounting area SP2. Are collected in a collection box (not shown). Further, a notch 628 is formed at a lower central portion of the side plate 613 on the (−X) direction side in correspondence with the motor 627 serving as a punch driving source.

Further, corresponding to the second mounting area SP2,
A mounting hole 641 is formed substantially at the center of the base plate 611, and the mounting hole 641 is formed in the side plate 613 on the (−X) direction side.
2 and 643, the rear discharge staple unit 64 is disposed in the second mounting area SP2 as shown in FIG. 7, and screws 644 are provided in the mounting holes 641 to 643.
To 646 are inserted and screwed, so that the rear ejection staple unit 64 is attached and fixed to the attachment main body 61.
In addition, regarding the point that the mounting bracket 647 is used as an auxiliary, the method of mounting the back discharge staple unit 64 to the mounting main body 61, and whether or not to use the mounting bracket 647, the above-mentioned image surface discharging staple unit 63 is used. Similarly, it is an optional technical matter.

As described above, according to the sheet processing unit 6, the image surface discharging staple unit 63 is mounted and fixed as a permanent unit in the first mounting area SP1 of the mounting body 61, while the second mounting area is fixed. Since the punch unit 62 or the back discharge staple unit 64 can be attached to the SP2, the unit 62,
By selectively mounting the sheet processing unit 64 in the second mounting area SP2, the paper processing units 6 in the above three aspects can be obtained, and it is necessary to prepare dedicated paper processing units corresponding to each purpose of use as in the related art. Disappears, and can flexibly respond to the purpose of use.

In the above embodiment, the staple unit 63 for discharging the image surface is a permanent unit.
Instead of the unit 63, one of the other units 62 and 64 may be a permanent unit.

In the above embodiment, the mounting body 61
Is set so as to be always mounted and fixed in the first mounting area SP1 as a permanent unit, but without mounting the image surface discharging staple unit 63 in the first mounting area SP1. One of the units 62 and 64 may be mounted in the second mounting area SP2 to constitute the paper processing unit 6, whereby the next mode, only the punch unit 62 (not shown), the rear discharge Only the staple unit 64 (not shown) is obtained.

Further, in the above embodiment, one type of unit can be mounted in the first mounting area SP1, but two types of units or all types of units can be mounted. Good. Similarly, the second mounting area SP2 may be configured so that the types of units that can be mounted are one type or all types in addition to the two types. In particular, each mounting area SP1, SP
By increasing the types of units that can be mounted in 2, the number of combinations of the units 62 to 64 can be increased.

[0034]

As described above, the punch unit and the staple unit can be mounted on the mounting body, and at least one or more of the punch unit and the staple unit can be used according to the purpose of use. It can be selectively attached to the mounting body, and can flexibly respond to the purpose of use.

Further, first and second mounting areas are provided on the mounting body, and a punch unit and a staple unit (first and second staple units) are provided in each of the first and second mounting areas. By configuring at least one or more of the units to be attachable, the punch unit and the first and second staple units can be arbitrarily combined.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an external perspective view showing a copying machine as an embodiment of an image forming apparatus to which a sheet processing apparatus according to the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an internal configuration of a sorter.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an electrical configuration of the copying machine shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a mounting main body of the paper processing unit.

FIG. 5 is a view showing one mode relating to mounting of the unit on the mounting main body.

FIG. 6 is a view showing another mode relating to the mounting of the unit to the mounting main body.

FIG. 7 is a view showing still another mode regarding mounting of the unit on the mounting main body.

[Explanation of symbols]

Reference Signs List 6 paper processing unit (paper processing device) 61 mounting body 62 punch unit 63 image surface discharge staple unit (first staple unit) 64 back surface discharge staple unit (second staple unit) SP1 first mounting area SP2 2 mounting area

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A first unit and a second unit, each of which can be equipped with a punch unit for punching a sheet and a staple unit for stapling a sheet.
A paper processing apparatus having a mounting body having a mounting area of (a) and capable of punching and staple processing on paper, wherein the staple unit is provided for a paper having an image surface formed on the paper facing upward. a first staple unit to staple has a second staple unit to staple the sheet in a state where the image surface formed on the sheet is directed downward, the mounting body, Opening facing the second mounting area
A base plate provided with a section, and a side plate.
Mounting part that is mounted so as to straddle the base plate and side plate
Depending on the material, the second staple unit is
The second staple unit.
A part of the protruding part from the opening to the outside of the mounting body.
A sheet processing apparatus configured to be mountable in the second mounting area in a state .