JP3352269B2 - Sheet sorting apparatus and image forming apparatus having the same - 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 sorting apparatus and, more particularly, to a sheet sorting apparatus for a recording sheet stacking section of an image recording apparatus such as a facsimile apparatus.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a recording sheet sorting apparatus of an image recording apparatus, as described in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 4-3772, stacks a plurality of bin trays, makes them stand by, and prepares them at a paper discharge port. It is configured like a sheet post-processing device (sorter) that sorts by moving it up and down.

[0003]

However, in the conventional sorter described above, (1) a large number of recording sheets are stacked on one bin tray, the bin tray requires high rigidity, and the bin tray is large and heavy. turn into.

(2) Since a large number of bin trays have to be moved, a large force is required for the moving means.

(3) Since the bin tray is composed of a large number of sheets, a large installation area is required.

(4) Since the number of bin trays is determined, the number of sortable copies is limited to the number of bin trays.

(5) Since the height between one bin is limited,
The number of copies per copy is limited. In particular, in the case of a system in which the presence or absence of a sheet is not detected for each bin tray, as is often performed in a facsimile machine, when a part of a recording sheet is pulled out, it is recognized that the recording sheet is unused from the start of sorting and is empty. Only the bin where the recording paper has been sorted is determined to be the bin from which the next sorted recording paper can be discharged, so that the number of sortable copies becomes very small. In addition, when it is possible to detect that a part has been removed, a detecting means such as a sensor must be provided for each bin, which results in a very high cost. There was a drawback.

[0008]

The present invention has been made in view of the above. According to a configuration of the present invention, in a sheet sorting apparatus that sorts sheets discharged to a paper discharge tray, a storage unit that stores a plurality of sheet-like sorting members and a roller that feeds the sorting members from the storage unit are provided. The sorting member fed by the feeding unit is separated from a roller of the feeding unit at a position facing a sheet stacked on the sheet discharge tray, and is provided in the storage unit. The storage means and the feeding means are dropped from the opening portion in a state of facing the sheets stacked on the paper discharge tray, and are stacked on the sheets stacked on the paper discharge tray. A sheet sorting apparatus, wherein the sheet sorting apparatus is arranged so as to overlap above the sheet.

[0009]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS (First Embodiment) FIG. 1 is a drawing in which a facsimile apparatus is used for an image recording apparatus according to the present invention. First, an outline of the entire apparatus will be described.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes an apparatus main body; 2, an original mounting table configured to stack a plurality of originals S on an upper cover of the main body 1; 3, image information of the original S; An image reading unit, 4 is a recording apparatus main body composed of a laser beam printer, 5 is a document conveying unit, 6 is a document pressing unit, 7 is a contact image sensor, 8 is a document discharge tray,
9 is a laser scanner, 10 is an image forming unit, 11 is a cassette sheet feeding unit, 12 is a recording paper discharge tray, 13 is an MP (multi-paper) cassette unit, 21 is a control unit of a facsimile machine, and 23 is a recording paper transport guide. , 30 are MP separation units.

The image reading section 3 includes a preliminary transport roller 5b, a reverse rotation roller 5c, a separation roller 5d,
e, a paper feed roller 5f, a close contact image sensor 7, a paper discharge roller 5g, and a paper discharge roller 5h.

The recording apparatus main body 4 includes a photosensitive drum 10a of the image forming unit 10, a thermal fixing device 10g on a recording paper transport path,
And a discharge roller 10h.

The recording paper P is conveyed along a recording sheet conveyance guide 23, a toner image is fixed by a heat fixing device 10g, and is discharged to a recording paper discharge tray 12 which is a discharge tray means by a discharge roller 10h. It has become so.

The MP cassette section 13 is provided at the bottom of the apparatus main body 1. MP (multi-paper) cassette 13
The recording paper P loaded on a is pressed against the separation roller 30a, separated one by one by a separation pad 30b (friction piece separation method), and conveyed to the photosensitive drum 10a. The image is recorded on the lower surface side when the recording paper P loaded on the MP cassette 13a is loaded.

The cassette paper feed unit 11 is provided with a paper feed cassette 11
The recording paper P stacked on the paper feed roller 11
b and a pair of separation claws 11d to separate them one by one (claw separation method), and the separated recording paper P is transported by a cassette transport roller pair 11c. From here on, it is the same as the sheet feeding from the MP cassette unit 13 described above. The sheet transport path is located just before the transport roller 28a and the MP cassette unit 13
Merges with the sheet transport path from. Image is paper cassette 1
The recording is performed on the lower surface side of the recording paper P stacked on 1a.

The cassette 11a can load about 500 sheets of recording paper, and is configured to be pulled out to the front of the apparatus main body 1 (front loading method). Further, the stackable recording paper sizes are A4 and letter.

The cassette sheet feeding section 11 and a second-stage cassette sheet feeding section having the same configuration as that of the cassette sheet feeding section 11 (not shown) can be separated and combined as options. The number of sheets that can be loaded on the recording paper is about 1
It is possible to handle from 00 sheets to about 1100 sheets.

Next, the sheet sorting apparatus will be described.

Reference numeral 101 denotes a sorting roller as a feeding means for conveying a sorting sheet M as a sorting member;
Is a sheet sorting apparatus main body as a storage means for holding the sorting sheet M and guiding the conveyance, and 103 is a sorting cover. The main body of the apparatus is arranged above the recording paper discharge tray 12 with a space provided above. Device body 10
2 is a supporting device 1 provided on a side wall of the image forming apparatus main body 1.
a is detachably supported.

The sorting sheet M (a 0.5 mm thick polyester sheet) is a sorting guide 102 serving as a guide.
a is held by lamination.

Next, the sheet sorting apparatus 102 will be described in detail with reference to FIGS.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the sheet sorting apparatus 102 with the sorting cover 103 removed and the unsorted sheets M not loaded on the sheet viewed obliquely from the upper right, and FIG. 3 shows the sorting sheet M (only one sheet is omitted). ), FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing a state in which a plurality of sorting sheets M are stacked, and FIGS. 5 and 6 show a state in which the sorting sheets M are separated by a gate portion G as a separating portion. 7, FIG. 7, and FIG. 8 show a state in which the sorting sheet M is being conveyed on the sorting guide 102a. FIGS. FIGS. 11 and 12 show a state in which the leading end of the sorting sheet M is held by the leading end holding portions 102b and 102c, and the leading end is held by the leading end holding portions 102b and 102c. Sorted end FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a state where the recording paper is dropped from a roller 101 onto a recording paper discharge tray 12.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the sorting sheet M is set after the cover 103 is removed from the sheet sorting apparatus main body 102. As shown in FIG. 3, the sorting sheet M has projections Ma and Mb provided at the front end and a rear end portion held by sorting guides 102a provided in three directions of the sorting apparatus, and the sorting sheet M is placed on one side. The set position is determined by the sheet sorting apparatus main body 102 so that the sorting sheet M other than the protruding portion does not touch the sorting guide 102a even if the sheet is shifted or inclined.

The sorting sheet M is also provided with projections Mc and Md at the rear end to eliminate the directionality at the time of setting. The size of the sorting sheet M is the maximum width dimension l13.
<Inner width l3, length l of the sorting device <Inner length L of the device, width dimension l11 of a portion having no projections <width l1 of the guide 102a
, The length of the projection is smaller than the length of the notch.

As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, when a sorting signal is received from the apparatus main body 1, the sorting roller 101 rotates and conveys the sorting sheet M in the gate G direction. Sorting sheet M is sorted by guides 102a and 102b.
When the sheet is conveyed to the gate G formed in one or more and less than two gaps (for example, 0.8 mm), only the lowermost sorting sheet M1 can pass through the gate G and is separated into one sheet. The sorting signal is transmitted a predetermined time after the last sheet of the sheet bundle on which an image is formed is discharged by the discharge roller 10h. The discharge of the sheet on which the image is formed is detected by the sensor S.

As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the sorting sheet M
Is transported along the sorting guide 102a, and is transported until the protrusions Mc and Md at the rear end come off the sorting guide 102a, and are held by the leading end holding portions 102b and 102c and the sorting roller 101. Further, when the sorting roller 101 rotates, the rear end of the sorting sheet M passes through the sorting roller 101, and the projections Mc and Md at the rear end pass (notch) portions 1 provided on the sorting guide 102a.
02d (FIGS. 9 and 10), and as shown in FIG.
In the state where 2c is held, the rear end of the sorting sheet M starts to fall onto the recording paper discharge tray 12.

When the trailing end of the sorting sheet M falls, the leading end of the sorting sheet M is tilted by the leading end holding portion 102c and the weight of the sorting sheet M by the weight of the recording sheet discharge tray 12.
The paper slides in the direction and is stacked on the recording paper stacked on the recording paper discharge tray 12. The rotation of the sorting roller 101 is controlled so that the rotation of the sorting roller 101 is stopped when the rear end of the sorting sheet M passes through the sorting roller 101.

That is, the rotation amount L1 of the sorting roller 101 is as follows: L1 = sorting roller diameter d × π × number of rotations N, and the sorting roller 10 when the sorting sheet M is set.
Assuming that the length from 1 to the rear end of the sorting sheet M is L2, L1 ≧ L2. If the length of the leading ends Ma and Mb of the sorting sheet M in the transport direction is L3, L1 ≧ L3. desirable.

Further, if the length from the rear end of the gate portion of the sorting guide 102a to the front end abutting portion of the front end holding portion 102b is L4, it is preferable that L4 ≧ L1.

However, when a sheet made of a flexible material is used as the sorting sheet M, it is possible to satisfy L4 <L1. By setting L4 <L1, the sorting roller 101 uses the elasticity of the sorting sheet M to make use of the elasticity of the sorting sheet M. The trailing end of the sorting sheet M can be flipped (kicked down), and the falling of the sorting sheet M by its own weight can be assisted to improve the stacking property of the sorting sheet M on the recording paper discharge tray 12. . The present invention is not limited to this, and the roller 101 may be stopped by detecting that the rear end of the sorting sheet M has moved a predetermined amount by a sensor.

After the rear end of the sorting sheet M is sent out to finish the rotation of the sorting roller 101, the remaining sorting sheet M is rotated by reversing the sorting roller 101 to set the remaining sorting sheet M in the initial set shown in FIG. The sorting sheet M can be returned to the position, and then the sorting sheet M can be more reliably fed.

Further, it is possible to drop the sorting sheet M by increasing the number of projections of the sorting sheet M and providing a passage portion at a position corresponding to each projection of the sorting guide 102a.

Further, the size of the sorting sheet M is made smaller (although it is made smaller, the transporting direction or the direction perpendicular to the transporting direction (width direction) is made larger than the maximum size recording paper discharged to the recording paper discharge tray 12) Alternatively, the whole of the sorting apparatus can be reduced in size.

The sorting sheet M smaller than the recording paper
Even if the recording paper is shifted from the position where the recording paper is discharged and stacked on the discharge tray 12, the recording paper can be sorted. For this reason, the sorting device is arranged slightly shifted with respect to the arrangement position of the recording paper discharge tray 12.

Further, the amount of rotation is controlled by using a half-moon roller, a two-way roller, or an elliptical roller as the sorting roller 101, so that the sorting roller 101 can be used for the sorting guide 102a except when the sorting sheet M is being conveyed.
(The flat surface of the sorting roller faces the lowermost sorting sheet) so that it is transported along the lowermost sorting sheet and stopped by the gate G for the next sorting. The sheet can be returned to the initial set position by the inclination of the sorting guide 102a and the weight of the sorting sheet, and the next sorting can be performed more reliably.

According to the above, since the sorting sheet M is free from the apparatus, it can be taken out together with the recording sheet, so that the apparatus is not blocked for sorting.

Further, the sorting sheet M in the sorted state
Since you can carry the recording paper with you, you can sort using any available space.

Further, since the sorting sheet M is stacked on the recording sheet discharge tray 12, the number of recording sheets at the time of sorting is not limited by the sorting device.

Further, when the recording paper stacked on the recording paper discharge tray 12 is to be extracted, the sorting sheet M can be simultaneously extracted and returned to the stacked sorting sheet M, and the spare sorting sheet can be easily removed. Since M can be freely added, the number of sheets to be sorted can be increased.

Further, the size of the sorting sheet M is made larger than at least one of the width and the length than the maximum size of the output recording paper, or a part of the sorting sheet M protrudes from the recording paper and is stacked. As a result, the sheets can be easily sorted.

Further, by using a thin member such as a polyester sheet or coated paper as the sorting sheet, the ratio of the thickness of the sorting sheet to the amount of recording paper loaded can be reduced, so that the number of sorting sheets and the number of recording paper loaded can be increased. In addition, when a member having a smooth surface is used, slipping with a sheet is good and sorting is easy.

As shown in FIG. 13, even if the stacked recording paper is taken out and the edges are aligned, the sorting sheet M has a portion protruding from the recording paper, so that it is easy to align and sort. .

The projections of the sorting sheet M are not always necessary, and a sorting sheet without projections may be used.
Further, the projections of the sorting sheet M may not be provided in the width direction but may be provided in the length direction.

(Second Embodiment) FIG. 14 is a sectional view of a sorting apparatus using a second embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 14, reference numeral 201 denotes a separating unit for separating the sorting sheet M, and 202 denotes a separating unit. A sorting member holding unit 203, which is a guide unit for holding the sorting sheet M, is a sorting cover.

When a sorting signal is sent from the image recording device to the sorting device, the separating roller 2 constituting the separating portion 201
01a is rotated and the sorting sheet M is separated by the separation roller 201.
a and the friction piece 201b is conveyed to a press contact portion formed by the friction piece 201b.
The friction piece 201b is pressed against the separation roller 201a by the friction piece pressing spring 201d via the friction piece pressing plate 201c. When the friction coefficient between the separation roller 201a and the sorting sheet M is μ1, the friction coefficient between the friction piece 201b and the sorting sheet M is μ2, and the friction coefficient between the sorting sheets M is μ3, by setting μ1>μ2> μ3, The sorting sheet M is separated into one sheet. The separation roller 201a is set to 1 for the sorting sheet member M.
When the sheet is discharged, the rotation is stopped, and the discharged sorting sheet M is discharged.
Are stacked on the recording paper stacked on the recording paper discharge tray 12. The rotation stop of the separation roller 201a is performed by controlling the rotation of one sheet of the sorting sheet M or the separation roller 201a.
A sensor for detecting the presence or absence of the sorting sheet M is provided on the downstream side of the sensor, and the detection is performed by a sensor-less signal of the sensor.

In this embodiment, the friction sheet separation method is used as the separation means of the sorting sheet M.
A separation method such as a nail separation method or a gate separation method may be used.

The tray 12 may be made of a rigid material, and the sorting apparatus main body 201 may be removably supported on the supporting portion 12a on the tray 12, or may be removably supported on the supporting device 1a on the side wall of the main body 1. May be.

(Third Embodiment) FIG. 15 is a drawing in which this embodiment is used for a laser beam printer. In the drawing, the process until the recording paper is fixed is the same as that of the first embodiment, and the process after fixing will be described.

Reference numerals 51a and 51b denote face-down (FD) discharge guides for discharging the recording paper on which an image is formed, face-down, and the recording paper is discharged along the guide. The sheet is conveyed to the pair of paper rollers 52a and 52b. The recording paper is a pair of recording paper discharge rollers 52a / 5
The recording paper is loaded on the recording paper loading section 53 on the image recording apparatus main body by 2b. The apparatus main body 102 is detachably supported by a support device 1a provided on the upper surface of the image forming apparatus main body 1.

The operation of the sheet sorting apparatus is the same as that of the first embodiment, and the sorting sheet M is dropped and loaded on the recording paper loaded on the recording paper loading section 53 on the image recording apparatus main body.

The sorting apparatus of the second embodiment (FIG. 14) may be loaded.

[0052]

As described above, according to the sheet sorting apparatus of the present invention, it is possible to provide an image forming apparatus having a small installation area and a small installation area of the entire apparatus.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front sectional view of a facsimile apparatus provided with a sorting device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an empty sorting device.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a sorting apparatus in which a sorting sheet material is set.

FIG. 4 is a front sectional view of the state of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an operation explanatory diagram.

FIG. 6 is a front sectional view of the state of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is an operation explanatory view.

FIG. 8 is a front sectional view of the state of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is an operation explanatory view.

FIG. 10 is a front sectional view of the state of FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is an operation explanatory diagram.

FIG. 12 is a front sectional view of the state of FIG. 11;

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a state in which recording papers are sorted.

FIG. 14 is a front sectional view of a sorting device using the second embodiment.

FIG. 15 is a front sectional view of an LBP (laser beam printer) embodying the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Apparatus main body 12 Recording paper discharge tray 101 Sorting roller 102 Sheet sorting apparatus main body 103 Sorting cover 201 Separation section 202 Sorting member holding section for holding sorting sheet M 203 Sorting cover M Sorting sheet P Recording paper

Claims (9)

(57) [Claims] 1. A sheet sorting apparatus for sorting sheets discharged to a sheet discharge tray, comprising: a storage means for storing a plurality of sheet-like sorting members; and a roller for feeding the sorting members from the storage means. The sorting member fed by the feeding unit is separated from a roller of the feeding unit at a position facing a sheet stacked on the paper discharge tray, and is provided in the storage unit. The storage unit and the feeding unit are dropped from the opening in a state of facing the sheets stacked on the discharge tray, and are stacked on the sheets stacked on the discharge tray. A sheet sorting device, wherein the sheet sorting device is arranged so as to be overlapped upward. 2. The sheet sorting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the sorting member is formed of a member having flexibility. 3. The size of the sorting member according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the width and the length is larger than the maximum size sheet discharged to the discharge tray. Sheet sorting device. 4. The sheet sorting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the sorting member has a shape that at least partially protrudes from the sheet discharged to the discharge tray. 5. The storage unit according to claim 3, wherein a notch is provided in a guide that holds the sorting member to drop the sorting member from the storage unit to the discharge tray. Sheet sorting equipment. 6. The sorting member has a convex portion for being held by the guide of the storage means, and the convex portion passes through the notch when the sorting member is fed by the feeding means. The sheet sorting apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the sheet sorting apparatus falls. 7. The sheet sorting apparatus according to claim 1, an image forming unit for forming an image on a sheet, and discharging the sheet on which the image is formed by the image forming unit to the discharge tray. And an image forming apparatus. 8. The image forming apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the discharge tray is arranged so as to protrude from the image forming apparatus main body. 9. The image forming apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the discharge tray is disposed on an upper portion of the image forming apparatus main body.