JP3472164B2 - Image forming device - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention is provided with a document feeding means for feeding each document onto a document table so that its reading surface faces the document table in order from the first page thereof. And an image forming apparatus for forming the read image on a transfer material.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as an image forming apparatus for reading an image of an original placed on an original table and forming the read image on a transfer material, in order to reduce the user's time and effort required to operate the original, In some cases, a document feeding unit for automatically feeding each document on the document table so that its reading surface faces the document table is mounted. Further, for the purpose of improving its usability, there is a document mounting device for mounting the document on the document table in order from the first page. Further, in order to improve the productivity, the document is conveyed by the document conveying means in the sub-scanning direction while passing through the flow reading position defined on the document table, and the document conveyed by the document conveying means is flow-read. There is also realized an apparatus for performing so-called flow reading in which an image on the reading surface of the original is read by performing main scanning on the reading surface of the original when passing through the position.

Further, a post-processing device for performing post-processing such as binding processing and sorting processing on the transfer material discharged from the image forming apparatus is attached to the image forming apparatus to automatically perform the post-processing on the transfer material. Processing systems are also emerging.

As the processing executed by such a post-processing apparatus, there are the binding processing, the sorting processing, etc. described above. The processing capacity, processing form, etc. are the processing capacity of the image forming apparatus to which it is mounted and the transfer material. It is determined according to the discharge form of the.

[0005]

However, it is not possible to propose a post-processing apparatus having higher performance without considering the specifications of the existing image forming apparatus, and it is assumed that the image forming apparatus is always mounted. , A new post-processing device has been proposed. On the contrary, a new image forming apparatus may be proposed so as to be compatible with a newly proposed post-processing apparatus.

The applicant of the present invention takes in the transfer materials discharged from the image forming apparatus in order while holding the discharge status and stacks them, and stacks the stacked transfer materials of the transfer materials defined from the discharge status. Although a post-processing device that performs binding processing at the trailing end portion is proposed, an image forming apparatus combined with this has a transfer material ejected with its image forming surface facing downward and a rear end portion of the transfer material. It is required that the binding position is on the left side when viewed from the image forming surface.

However, in the image forming apparatus as described above, the required paper discharge form cannot be obtained without impairing usability and productivity.

The object of the present invention is to process from the first page.
It becomes possible and the device with binding processing means is large
Page order and image orientation without complications or complications
The left side of the sheet is the binding position when viewed from the image forming surface
The user can obtain the output result that becomes
An object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus capable of improving productivity and cost performance .

[0009]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention, there is provided a document placing section for loading a series of documents having a plurality of pages with a reading surface facing upward and a first page placed at the top, and the document placing section. A feeding unit that feeds the series of originals from the left side in order from the first page, reverses the originals by a curved conveyance path, and conveys the originals so as to pass from left to right with respect to the reading position, and a first page. It reads in order from
While the document passes through the reading position, a reading unit that reads the document image into a mirror image image by the reading elements arranged in the main scanning direction, and a document image read as a mirror image image by the reading unit. The mirror image correction means for correcting the mirror image by reversing the main scanning direction, and the image corrected by the mirror image correction means on the sheet fed from the right side with the image direction of the document in the document placing portion. An image forming unit that forms in the same direction and conveys it to the left side, an inversion unit that inverts the sheet from the image forming unit so that the image forming surface faces downward, and an image forming surface faces downward by the inversion unit. Left the seat
Discharge means for discharging toward the side and the lower left side of the discharge means
It is installed in one direction and is inclined upward in the sheet discharge direction,
A stacking tray in which the sheet discharged from said discharge means are stacked in the state of the imaging surface under <br/> direction was mirror image corrected
An image is formed in the same direction as the image direction of the document, and the image is formed on the stacking tray with the image forming surface facing downward.
The binding process is performed on the trailing end side of the stacked sheets ,
And a binding processing means provided on the discharging means side .

[0010]

[0011]

[0012]

[0013]

[0014]

[0015]

[0016]

[0017]

[0018]

[0019]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a view showing the arrangement of an embodiment of the image forming apparatus of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 1, the image forming apparatus 100 is equipped with an automatic document feeder 101. The automatic document feeder 101 picks up an original set on a document tray 130 by a pickup roller 131. The sheets are fed one by one to the left from the first page, conveyed from left to right on a preset flow reading position on the platen glass 102 via a curved path, and then conveyed to the outside. When this document passes through the flow reading position on the platen glass 102 from left to right, the document image is read by the scanner unit 104 held at the position corresponding to the flow reading position. Specifically, when the original passes through the flow reading position, the reading surface of the original is illuminated by the light of the lamp 103 of the scanner unit 104, and the reflected light from the original is lensed through the mirrors 105, 106, 107. You are led to 108. The light that has passed through the lens 108 is color-separated by the RGB color separation filter and then forms an image on the imaging surface of the image sensor unit 109.

In this way, the original is fed so that it passes through the reading position from left to right, so that a direction orthogonal to the feeding direction of the original is the main scanning direction, and the feeding direction is the sub-scanning direction. A read scan is performed. That is, when the document passes through the flow reading position, the entire document image is read by conveying the document in the sub-scanning direction while reading the document image line by line in the main scanning direction by the image sensor unit 9. The image that has been optically read is converted into image data by the image sensor unit 109 and output. The image data output from the image sensor unit 109 is subjected to predetermined processing and then input to the exposure control unit 110 as a video signal.

When a document is read without using the automatic document feeder 101, the document is read by scanning the scanner unit 104 from left to right while the document placed on the platen glass 102 is stationary. (Document fixed reading).

The exposure controller 110 modulates and outputs laser light based on the input video signal, and the laser light is irradiated onto the photosensitive drum 111 while being scanned. An electrostatic latent image corresponding to the laser light is formed on the photosensitive drum 111. The exposure control unit 110 outputs laser light so that a correct image (an image that is not a mirror image) is formed when the original is fixedly read.

The electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive drum 111 is visualized as a developer image by the developers supplied from the developing devices 112 and 113, respectively. Further, at the timing synchronized with the start of laser light irradiation, each cassette 114,
Paper is fed from 115 or the manual paper feed unit 125, and the paper is conveyed between the photosensitive drum 111 and the transfer unit 116. The developer image formed on the photosensitive drum 111 is transferred onto the paper fed by the transfer unit 116.

The sheet on which the developer image has been transferred is a fixing unit 117.
Then, the fixing section 117 fixes the developer image on the paper by applying heat and pressure to the paper. The sheet that has passed through the fixing unit 117 is discharged to the outside by the discharge roller 118. If double-sided recording is set, the flapper 12
By the switching operation of 1, the sheet is guided to the reversing paths 122 and 123 and then conveyed to the re-feeding conveyance path 124, and the sheet guided to the re-feeding conveyance path 124 is transferred to the photosensitive drum 111 and the transfer section 116 at the above-described timing. During the interval, control is performed to feed the paper again. When the image forming surface is reversed and the paper is discharged, the paper is temporarily guided into the reversing paths 122 and 123 by the switching operation of the flapper 121, and the reversing paths 122 and 1
The sheet guided to 23 is conveyed toward the discharge roller 118 by the switching operation of the flapper 121, and the discharge roller 118
The discharge is controlled to the outside via the. Hereinafter, this control is referred to as reverse sheet ejection control. The reverse discharge control allows the sheet to be discharged with the image forming surface facing downward.

Here, when a post-processing device (hereinafter referred to as a finisher) 500, which will be described later, is mounted as in the illustrated example, it is set to perform the above-described reverse sheet discharge control.

Next, the structure of the controller that controls the entire apparatus will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the controller of the image forming apparatus of FIG.

The controller, as shown in FIG.
The CPU circuit unit 205 includes a U circuit unit 205.
(Not shown), ROM206, RAM207 built-in,
Each block 201, 202, 203, 204, 208, 5 is controlled by the control program stored in the ROM 206.
01 is controlled comprehensively. The RAM 207 temporarily holds control data and is used as a work area for arithmetic processing associated with control.

The document feeder control unit 201 drives and controls the automatic document feeder 101 based on an instruction from the CPU circuit unit 205. The image reader control unit 202 performs drive control on the scanner unit 104, the image sensor unit 109, and the like, and transfers the RGB analog image signal output from the image sensor unit 109 to the image signal control unit 203.

The image signal control unit 203 converts the RGB analog image signal from the image sensor unit 109 into a digital signal and then performs each process, converts the digital signal into a video signal and outputs the video signal to the printer controller 204. The processing operation by the image signal control unit 203 is controlled by the CPU circuit unit 205. The printer control unit 204
The exposure control unit 110 described above is based on the input video signal.
To drive.

The operation unit 208 has a plurality of keys for setting various functions related to image formation, a display unit for displaying information indicating the setting state, and the like, and a CPU circuit unit outputs a key signal corresponding to the operation of each key. Output to 205 and CP
Corresponding information is displayed on the display unit based on the signal from the U circuit unit 205.

The finisher control unit 501 is mounted on the finisher 500, and controls the drive of the entire finisher by exchanging information with the CPU circuit unit 205. The details of this control will be described later.

Next, the configuration of the image signal controller 203 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the image signal control unit 203 of FIG.

As shown in FIG. 4, the image signal control unit 203 has an A / D converter 301, and the A / D converter 301 converts the RGB analog image signals from the image reader control unit 202 into RGB signals. Convert to digital signal and output.
The RGB digital signals are input to the black correction / white correction unit 302, and the black correction / white correction unit 302 inputs the input RGB signals.
Shading correction is applied to each of the digital signals. The corrected RGB digital signals are input to the ND signal generation unit 303, and the ND signal generation unit 303 generates a luminance signal from the input RGB digital signals. It is input to 304. The image processing unit 304 enlarges the input luminance signal,
Various image processing such as scaling processing such as reduction is performed, and the brightness signal subjected to this image processing is input to the density correction unit 305. The density correction unit 305 outputs the brightness-density to the input brightness signal. Conversion and density correction in the printer are performed, and this signal is stored in the page memory 306 as video data.

The page memory 306 is an original 1 of a predetermined size.
It has a storage capacity for pages. The video data is stored in the page memory 306 in the order in which the video data was read by the above-described original image reading scan. At the time of fixed document reading, the stored video data is read out in the order of storage. Further, at the time of document flow reading, the stored video data is read in the reverse order in the main scanning direction and in the stored order in the sub scanning direction. That is, at the time of original flow reading, a mirror image process is performed by reversing an image read in one direction in the main scanning direction in the opposite direction to one direction in the main scanning direction.

The mirror image processing is performed by the page memory 306.
It is also possible to reverse the main scanning direction at the time of storing the document at the time of storing the document and to always read in the fixed direction at the time of reading.

The video data read from the page memory 306 is temporarily stored in the HDD (hard disk device) 307 as necessary, and the video data read from the HDD 307 is sent to the printer control unit 204 as a video signal. It For example, when performing the copy output of a plurality of pages, the video data of the first page is directly output from the page memory 306 to the printer control unit 204, but the video data of the second and subsequent pages is temporarily stored in the HDD 307 and then the printer control unit. It is sent to 204.

Next, with reference to FIG. 5, an explanation will be given on the set state of the original document in the automatic document feeder 101 and the discharge state of the sheet on which the original image is formed by the reverse discharge control. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a relationship between a set state of a document in the automatic document feeding apparatus 101 and a discharge state of the sheet on which the document image is formed by the reverse discharge control.

In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 5A, the document tray 130 of the automatic document feeder 101 is arranged so that the reading surface faces upward and the first page is at the top.
Set to.

In such an original set state, the automatic original document feeder 101 conveys the original of the first page on the platen glass 102 in order. On the platen glass 102, as shown in FIG. 5B, the document is conveyed in the Df direction with its reading surface facing the upper surface of the platen glass 102, and when the document passes the flow reading position, the document is scanned. The image on the reading surface is read in the main scanning direction Sm via the scanner unit 104 held at the flow reading position. In this way, the image on the reading surface of the document is displayed in the main scanning direction S.
By scanning the original in the m direction and conveying the original in the Df direction, that is, the sub-scanning direction Sb, the reading scanning is performed on the reading surface. If the image is formed as it is, the scanned image becomes a mirror image. Therefore, after the mirror image processing described above is performed, the image is formed on a sheet by the image forming process described above. As a result, as shown in FIG. 5C, an image having the same orientation as in the original set state is formed on the image forming surface (upper surface) of the sheet and passes through the fixing unit 117. This sheet is subjected to the above-mentioned reverse sheet ejection control,
As shown in FIG. 5D, with the image forming surface facing downward, D
It will be discharged in the o direction. Then, as shown in FIG. 5E, the rear end side of the sheet is stapled in the finisher 500. As a result, as shown in FIG. 5F, the left side of the paper can be bound. That is, on the stack tray 700 of the finisher 500, which will be described later, it is possible to eject a bundle of sheets bound on the left side.

Next, the structure of the finisher 500 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of the finisher 500 shown in FIG.

The finisher 500 is used in the image forming apparatus 10.
Sheets ejected from 0 are taken in order, a plurality of sheets taken in are aligned and bundled into one bundle, staple processing is performed to staple the rear end of the bundled sheet bundle with staples, and holes are formed near the rear end of the captured sheets. Post-processing of each sheet such as punching, sorting, and non-sorting is performed. The finisher 500 is connected to the image forming apparatus 100,
In addition, when the original document is scanned, the image forming apparatus 100 forms an image whose mirror image has been corrected by the mirror image processing as described above on the paper, and the paper is turned upside down by the reverse paper ejection control. The sheet is discharged by the finisher 500, and the finisher 500 performs the above-described processes such as the stapling process on the sheet supplied with the image forming surface facing downward.

As shown in FIG. 2, the finisher 500 takes in the paper discharged from the image forming apparatus 100 by the entrance roller pair 502, and the entrance roller pair 502.
The paper taken in by the inside is conveyed by a pair of conveyance rollers 503.
It is sent toward the buffer roller 505 via. An entrance sensor 531 is provided in the middle of the conveyance path between the entrance roller pair 502 and the conveyance roller pair 503, and a punch unit 550 is provided in the middle of the conveyance path between the conveyance roller pair 503 and the buffer roller 505. ing. The punch unit 550 operates as necessary to make a hole near the trailing edge of the conveyed sheet.

The buffer roller 505 is a roller capable of stacking and winding a predetermined number of sheets of paper sent through the pair of conveying rollers 503 on the outer periphery of the buffer roller 505. Rolls 512, 513, 514
Wrapped by. The wound paper is conveyed in the rotation direction of the buffer roller 505.

A switching flapper 511 is arranged between the pressing rollers 513 and 514, and a downstream side of the pressing roller 514 is
A switching flapper 510 is arranged. Switching flapper 5
11 is a non-sort path 521 for separating the paper wound around the buffer roller 505 from the buffer roller 505.
Or a flapper for leading to the sort path 522,
The switching flapper 510 separates the sheet wound around the buffer roller 505 from the buffer roller 505 and then sorts it on the sort path 522, or the sheet wrapped around the buffer roller 505 is wound on the buffer path 523.
It is a flapper to lead to.

When the sheet wound around the buffer roller 505 is guided to the non-sort path 521, the switching flapper 511 operates so that the rolled sheet is separated from the buffer roller 505 and guided to the non-sort path 521. The sheet guided to the non-sort path 521 is discharged onto the sample tray 701 via the pair of discharging rollers 509. In the middle of the non-sort path 521, the paper discharge sensor 53
3 is provided.

When the paper wound around the buffer roller 505 is guided to the buffer path 523, the switching flapper 510 and the switching flap 511 do not operate together, and the paper is sent to the buffer path 523 while being wound around the buffer roller 505. A buffer path sensor 532 for detecting the paper on the buffer path 523 is provided in the middle of the buffer path 523.

When guiding the paper wound around the buffer roller 505 to the sort path 522, the switching flapper 5
11 does not operate, the switching flapper 510 operates, the paper wound around the buffer roller 505 is peeled off, and the paper is guided to the sort path 522. Sort path 52
The sheet guided to 2 is stacked on an intermediate tray (hereinafter, referred to as a processing tray) 630 via a pair of conveying rollers 506 and 507. The sheets stacked in a bundle on the processing tray 630 are subjected to alignment processing, stapling processing, and the like as necessary, and then discharged onto the stack tray 700 by the discharge rollers 680a and 680b. Discharge roller 680b
Is supported by a swing guide 650, and the swing guide 650 swings by a swing motor (not shown) so that the discharge roller 680b is brought into contact with the uppermost sheet on the processing tray 630. When the discharge roller 680b is in contact with the uppermost sheet on the processing tray 630, the discharge roller 680b cooperates with the discharge roller 680a.
It is possible to eject the sheet bundle on the sheet 30 toward the stack tray 700.

The staple processing described above is performed by the stapler 60.
It is performed by 1. The stapler 601 includes the processing tray 6
The processing tray 6 is configured to be movable along the outer periphery of 30.
The stack of sheets stacked on the sheet 30 is moved to the rearmost position (rear end) of the sheet with respect to the sheet conveying direction (left direction in FIG. 2) (see FIGS.
It is possible to bind with (see).

Next, the matching operation of the finisher 500 will be described with reference to FIGS. 18 to 20 are views for explaining the aligning operation on the processing tray 630 of the finisher shown in FIG.

When the first sheet of paper is ejected from the image forming apparatus 100 to the processing tray 630, as shown in FIG. 18, the front and back aligning members 641 and 642 waiting at the home position (two-dot chain line). Is moved in advance to positions PS11 and PS21, which are slightly away from the width of the discharged paper. As shown in FIG. 19, the sheet discharged to the processing tray 630 falls between the alignment members 641 and 642 while its rear end is supported by the stopper 631, and the lower surface of the discharged sheet contacts the supporting surface. Then, the matching member 641 is moved to PS12. This matching member 6
By the movement of 41, the sheet is moved to the first alignment position 690 and aligned.

After the first sheet is aligned, as shown in FIG. 19, the aligning member 641 is moved to PS11 and stands by for the next sheet discharged to the processing tray 630. When the discharge of the next sheet to the processing tray 630 is completed, the aligning member 641 is moved to the PS 12 again, and the sheet is aligned at the first aligning position 690. At this time, the back alignment member 542 is held in a stopped state by the PS 22, and serves as a alignment reference.

The above operation is continued up to the final sheet of one bundle, and when the discharge and alignment of one set of sheets are completed, the bundle is discharged as described later and transferred to the stack tray 700.

After the stack of sheets of the first copy has been discharged to the stack tray 700, as shown in FIGS. 19 and 20, the aligning member 641 moves from PS12 to PS13, and the aligning member 642 moves from PS22 to PS23. Move each. Subsequently, when the first (first) sheet of the second copy is ejected to the processing tray 630, the rear end of the sheet is supported by the stopper 631 while being supported by the stopper 631 as in the first copy.
The alignment member 642 moves from PS23 to PS24 at the timing when the lower surface of the ejected paper sheet comes into contact with the support surface while descending between the first and second 642. By the movement of the aligning member 642, the sheet is moved to the second aligning member 691 and aligned. After the second sheet, the aligning member 642 is moved to the PS 23 and stands by for the next sheet discharged to the processing tray 630. When the discharge of the next sheet to the processing tray 630 is completed, the aligning member 642 is moved to the PS 24 again, and the sheet is aligned at the second aligning position 691. At this time, the front alignment member 641 is held in a stopped state by the PS 13, and serves as a reference for alignment. The above operation is continued up to the final sheet of one bundle, and when the discharge and alignment of the sheet bundle of the second copy is completed, the bundle is discharged as described later and is transferred to the stack tray 700. As shown in FIG. 20, the first alignment position 690 is located behind the second alignment position 691 by a predetermined amount (distance L).

After that, the alignment is performed while alternately changing the alignment position for each sheet bundle, and as shown in FIG. 17, the sheet bundles having the alternate alignment positions are stacked on the stack tray 700. In this way, the offset distance L is changed with respect to each sheet bundle by alternately changing the alignment position for each sheet bundle.
Will be sorted.

The offset distance L is set in the sort mode,
The staple sort mode is set to be different depending on each mode. For example, in the staple sort mode, the offset distance L is set to an amount L1 that can prevent the adjacent needles from overlapping after being stacked, and in the sort mode, the offset distance L is set to a distance L2 that can reliably identify the bundle. . The offset distances L1 and L2 are L1
It is set so as to satisfy the relationship of <L2, and by this setting, the speed is increased in the staple sort mode.

Next, the stapling operation will be described with reference to FIGS. 21 to 23. 21 to 23
FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining an operation state of the stapler 601 according to a binding mode (front side diagonal binding, back side diagonal binding, two-point binding).

In the staple mode, the stapler 601 waits in advance for the aligned sheets at a desired clinch position, and when the discharge and alignment of the final sheet of the sheet bundle is completed, the staple operation is performed. The stapler 601 is controlled to perform offset movement in synchronization with offset movement (movement amount L1) for each sheet bundle.

Further, the stapler 601 operates so as to change its direction and move in accordance with the binding mode (front side diagonal binding, back side diagonal binding, two-point binding).

In the two-position binding mode, for example, as shown in FIG. 21, a stapling operation of binding the rear end of the sheet bundle aligned at the alignment positions 690 and 691 at two locations is performed. In the back diagonal binding mode, as shown in FIG. 22, a staple operation is performed in which the rear end position on the rear end is obliquely bound with respect to the sheet bundle aligned at the alignment positions 690 and 691. In the front diagonal binding mode,
As shown in FIG. 3, a stapling operation is performed on the bundle of sheets aligned at the respective alignment positions 690 and 691 so as to obliquely bind the position on the front side of the rear end thereof. In each figure,
The two-dot chain line in the figure indicates the first alignment position 600, and the solid line indicates the second alignment position 691. At this time, if there is an alignment position before the ejection position, the back alignment member 642 reciprocates to transfer the paper to the front alignment member 641 side which is the alignment reference. Further, when the alignment position is on the back side of the discharge position, the front alignment member 641 reciprocates and the back alignment member 642 moves.
Transfer the paper to the side.

Next, the bundle discharging operation in the staple mode will be described.

In the one-place staple sort mode, when the above alignment operation is completed, the stapler 601 starts the staple operation. Further, during the aligning operation or the stapling operation, the lowering of the swing guide 650 starts, and before and after the end of the stapling operation, the discharge roller 680b.
The speed control of the rocking guide motor is performed so that the sheet is placed on the sheet bundle.

The descent start timing of the swing guide 650 can be changed depending on the number of stacked sheet bundles on the processing tray 630. That is, when the number of sheets of paper is small, the discharge roller 680b has a long moving distance to land on the sheet of paper and the operation time of the stapler 601 is short.
When the swing guide 650 starts to descend during the alignment operation and the number of stacked sheet bundles is large, the movement distance until the discharge roller 680b reaches the sheet bundle is short and the operation time of the stapler 601 is long. Therefore, the descent of the swing guide 650 is started almost at the same time as the stapling operation is started.

After the elapse of a predetermined time from the landing of the discharge roller 680b on the sheet bundle to the bounding of the discharge roller 680b, it is judged whether or not the stapling operation is completed, and the stapling operation is completed. Then, the sheet bundle is discharged to the stack tray 700 by the sheet discharge rollers 680a and 680b. When the stapling operation is not completed, the stapling operation end is awaited. In the state of waiting for the completion of the stapling operation, the discharge speed control of the sheet bundle is performed. In this ejection speed control, the sheet bundle is conveyed at a high speed after the bundle conveyance is started, but the ejection speed is reduced before the trailing end of the sheet bundle passes through the trailing ends of the ejection rollers 680a and 180b, and the stack tray 700 The speed is set to be suitable for stacking on the stack tray 700 when the sheet bundle is discharged to the upper side.

In the two-place staple sort mode, the swing guide 650 is set to 2 after the staple operation of the first place is completed.
The descent is started when the stapler 601 moves to the stapling position. While the second position is being bound, the swing guide 650 is on standby with the paper discharge roller 680b landing on the sheet bundle, and the paper discharge roller 680b starts the bundle discharge operation at the same time when the stapling is completed. The subsequent operation is the same as in the case of binding at one place.

Next, the flow of sheets in the finisher 500 will be described along with the non-sort mode, staple sort mode, and sword mode.

First, the flow of sheets in the non-sort mode will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing the flow of sheets in the non-sort mode in the finisher 500.

When the user specifies the discharge mode setting in the image forming apparatus 100 as the non-sort mode,
As shown in FIG. 6, the pair of inlet rollers 502, the pair of conveying rollers 503, and the buffer roller 505 are rotationally driven, and the sheet P discharged from the image forming apparatus 100 receives the finisher 50.
It is taken into 0 and conveyed. Switching flapper 511
Is rotationally driven by a solenoid (not shown) to the position shown, and the paper P is guided to the non-sort path 521. When the discharge sensor 533 detects the trailing edge of the sheet P, the discharge roller pair 509 rotates at a speed suitable for stacking and discharges the sheet P to the sample tray 701.

Next, the flow of sheets in the staple sort mode will be described with reference to FIGS. 7 to 14 and 17. 7 to 14 show the finisher 5
FIG. 17 is a diagram showing the flow of sheets in the staple sort mode in 00, and FIG. 17 is a diagram showing a stacking state of a plurality of sheet bundles on the stack tray 700 of the finisher 500.

When the staple sort mode is designated by the user, as shown in FIG. 7, the entrance roller pair 502,
The conveying roller pair 503 and the buffer roller 503 are rotationally driven, and the sheet P discharged from the image forming apparatus 100 is taken into the finisher 500 and conveyed. The switching flappers 510 and 511 are stopped at the positions shown in the figure, and the sheet P is guided to the sort path 522 side. Sort path 522
The sheet P guided to the sheet is discharged to the processing tray 630 by the pair of transport rollers 507. At the time of this discharge, the retractable tray 670 protruding upward prevents the paper P discharged by the pair of transport rollers 507 from sagging and returning, and improves the alignment of the paper on the processing tray 630.

Paper P discharged onto the processing tray 630
Starts moving on the processing tray 630 toward the stopper 631 by its own weight. The movement of the paper P is configured to be assisted by an assisting member such as a paddle (not shown). When the trailing edge of the sheet P contacts the stopper 631 and the sheet P stops, as described above, the alignment members 641 and 64 are provided.
The sheets ejected by 2 are aligned. When the predetermined number of sheets P are aligned and stacked, the stapling operation and the bundle discharging operation described above are performed, and the bundle of sheets P is discharged to the stack tray 700. Here, as described above, since the sheet discharged from the image forming apparatus 100 is discharged with the image forming surface facing downward, a bundle of a predetermined number of aligned sheets P faces the image forming surface downward. It is a stack that is stacked upward in page order with the top page as the bottom, and the paper has two left sides (shown in FIG. 5 (f)), one upper left position of the paper, or a lower left position of the paper. It becomes a bundle bound in one place.

The flow of each sheet forming the second bundle of sheets in the period from the receipt of the sheets P of the first bundle of sheets to the discharge of the sheets as the sheet bundle will be described.

As shown in FIG. 8, the sheet P1 of the next page discharged from the image forming apparatus 100, that is, the first page of the second set is wound around the buffer roller 505 by the operation of the switching flapper 510, and the buffer roller 50.
The sheet 5 is stopped at a position where the sheet P1 is conveyed by a predetermined distance from the buffer path sensor 532. When the leading edge of the paper P2 of the next page advances from the entrance sensor 531 by a predetermined distance, the buffer roller 505 starts to rotate and the next paper P2 leads the paper P1 by a predetermined distance as shown in FIG.
Are overlaid on. The sheet P2 is, as shown in FIG.
It is wound around the buffer roller 505 in a state of being superposed on the sheet P1 and sent to the buffer path 532. The buffer roller 505 is stopped again at a position where the paper P2 is conveyed by a predetermined distance from the buffer path sensor 532. Further, as shown in FIG. 11, the paper P3 of the next page is further printed.
When the front end of the sheet P advances from the entrance sensor 31 by a predetermined distance, the buffer roller 505 starts to rotate again, and the paper P3 is overlapped with the stack of the papers P1 and P2 by a predetermined distance and overlapped. The sheets P1, P2, P3 wound around the buffer roller 505 are separated from the buffer roller 505 by the switching flapper 511 and conveyed to the sort path 522 as a bundle of three sheets P. At this point, the bundle discharging operation of the sheet bundle P stacked on the processing tray 630 is completed, and as shown in FIG. 12, the swing guide 650 is held in the lowered state and the respective discharge rollers 680a and 680b. A bundle of three sheets P is drawn in between.

Then, as shown in FIG. 13, when the rear end of the sheet bundle P passes through the pair of transport rollers 507 and lands on the processing tray 630, the discharge rollers 680a and 680b are discharged.
Is reversed, and the sheet bundle P is moved toward the stopper 631. Before the rear end of the sheet bundle P contacts the stopper 631,
As shown in FIG. 14A, the swing guide 650 is raised and the discharge roller 680b is separated from the paper surface. When the sheet bundle P of plural sheets is conveyed, as shown in FIG. 14B, the respective sheets are offset in the conveying direction. That is, the sheet P2 is offset with respect to the sheet P1 on the side opposite to the stopper 631 side, and the sheet P3 is similarly offset with respect to the sheet P2.

The fourth and subsequent sheets of paper pass through the sort path 522 in the same manner as the sheet discharge operation for the bundle of the first copy, and the processing tray 630.
Discharged on top. For the next and subsequent sheet bundles, this 2
After the bundle of sheets of paper is discharged to the stack tray 700, the same operation is repeated, and a prescribed set number of bundles of paper are stacked on the stack tray 700. As shown in FIG. 17, each stack of sheets is stacked on the stack tray 700 in an alternately offset state, and each stack of sheets moves upward in page order with the first page with the image forming surface facing downward as the bottom. It is a pile of piles.

Next, the flow of sheets in the sort mode will be described with reference to FIGS. 15 and 16. 15 and 16 are views showing the flow of sheets in the sort mode in the finisher.

When the sort mode is set, as shown in FIG. 15, the entrance roller pair 502 and the conveyance roller pair 503 are rotationally driven and discharged from the image forming apparatus 100, as in the staple sort mode. The sheets are sequentially stacked on the processing tray 630. After that, the bundle discharging operation described above is performed, and the sheet bundle P is discharged to the stack tray 700. On the other hand, in the meantime, the paper P1 discharged from the image forming apparatus 100 has the switching flapper 5 as shown in FIG.
It is wound around the buffer roller 505 by the operation of 10, and stops when it advances a predetermined distance from the buffer path sensor 532. When the leading edge of the next paper P2 advances from the entrance sensor 31 by a predetermined distance, the buffer roller 505 starts rotating, and the next paper P2 is superposed on the paper P1 so as to precede the paper P1 by a predetermined distance.

In this way, the operation is performed in the same manner as the staple sort mode described above, and the stack tray 700 in a state in which a predetermined set number of sheet bundles are alternately offset.
Loaded on. Further, each sheet bundle is a stack that is stacked upward in page order with the first page with the image forming surface facing downward as the bottom.

The control for each mode is performed by the finisher controller 501. The finisher control unit 501 recognizes a mode set based on an instruction from the CPU circuit unit 205 of the image forming apparatus 100, and drives and controls each unit according to a procedure determined for this setting mode.

As described above, in the present embodiment, the image forming apparatus 100 has a conventional structure in which the paper is fed from the right side and is discharged from the left side, and the automatic document feeding apparatus 101 is placed upward. Platen glass 1
The conventional configuration of feeding to 02 is diverted. This provides an operating environment that is the same as the conventional one, and an environment in which a document can be set upward with the right hand. Also, the originals are fed in order from the first page to scan and scan,
An image is formed by performing mirror image processing for reversing the main scanning direction of the read image. As a result, when an image forming apparatus in which the printer function and the facsimile function are combined with the copying function is provided, it is possible to perform image formation from the first page, so post-processing that is common to sheets of any function. (Stipple processing or the like) can be performed, and it is possible to achieve both high speed reading and copying of the same image as the original. Further, the sheet on which the image has been formed is reversed and discharged to face downward, and the rear end side is stapled. As a result, the left side of the sheet on which the image is formed by the image forming apparatus can be stapled, and the stapler can be installed near the image forming apparatus. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the finisher from increasing in size.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, it is possible to provide an image forming apparatus having good operability, high speed, multifunction, compactness, and high added value.

[0083]

According to the present invention, the manuscript placing section stacks a series of manuscripts each including a plurality of pages with the reading surface facing upward and the first page arranged at the top, and the feeding means causes the reading surface to move. Is upward and the first page is fed from the first page in order from the left side of the document placing section for stacking a series of documents consisting of a plurality of pages arranged at the top,
The original is reversed by a curved conveyance path and conveyed so as to pass from left to right with respect to the reading position, and while the original is passing the reading position, the original is read in order from the first page. The means reads the original image so as to be a mirror image image by the reading elements arranged in the main scanning direction, and the mirror image correction means reverses the main scanning direction with respect to the original image read as the mirror image image by the reading means. Mirror image correction is performed, and the image forming unit forms the image subjected to the mirror image correction by the mirror image correcting unit on the sheet fed from the right side in the same direction as the image direction of the document on the document placing section, and then to the left side. The sheet is conveyed, and the reversing unit reverses the sheet on which a mirror-image-corrected image in the same direction as the image direction of the original from the image forming unit is formed so that the image forming surface faces downward. Discharge means, said inverting means image forming surface is downwardly been mirror image correction of an image in the same direction as the direction of the document by the image formed sheet to the left
Discharged toward the the stacking tray inclined upward in the sheet discharging direction provided on the left side below the discharge means, the sheet discharged from said discharge means are stacked in the state of the imaging surface under direction, said discharge means The binding processing means provided on the side forms a mirror image-corrected image in the same direction as the image direction of the document, and the image forming surface faces downward.
By performing the binding process on the rear end side of the sheets stacked on the stacking tray in this state , the productivity is improved without impairing the handling of the original, and the sheets on which the images are formed face down in order from the first page. Therefore, for example, in an image forming apparatus having a facsimile function and a printer function in addition to the copying function, it is possible to perform processing from the first page in any function, and to configure the image forming unit and the discharging unit. Since the binding processing means can be provided on the main body side of the image forming apparatus, the apparatus having the binding processing means does not become large in size and complicated, and manuscript handling, productivity is improved and multifunction and compactness are improved. While satisfying, the user can obtain the output result in which the page order and the image orientation are arranged and the left side of the sheet is the binding position when viewed from the image forming surface. Can, it is possible to improve, such as usability and productivity and cost performance.

[0084]

[0085]

[0086]

[0087]

[0088]

[0089]

[0090]

[0091]

[0092]

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of an embodiment of an image forming apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of a finisher 500 shown in FIG.

3 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a controller of the image forming apparatus in FIG.

4 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an image signal control unit 203 in FIG.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a relationship between a set state of a document in the automatic document feeder 101 and a discharge state of a sheet on which an image of the document is formed by reverse discharge control.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a flow of sheets in a non-sort mode in the finisher 500.

7 is a diagram showing a flow of sheets in a staple mode sort mode in the finisher 500. FIG.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing the flow of sheets in the stapler sort mode in the finisher 500.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a flow of sheets in a staple mode sort mode in the finisher 500.

10 is a diagram showing a flow of sheets in a staple mode sort mode in the finisher 500. FIG.

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing the flow of sheets in the stapler sort mode in the finisher 500.

FIG. 12 is a diagram showing the flow of sheets in the stapler sort mode in the finisher 500.

FIG. 13 is a diagram showing the flow of sheets in the stapler sort mode in the finisher 500.

FIG. 14 is a diagram showing the flow of sheets in the stapler sort mode in the finisher 500.

FIG. 15 is a diagram showing a flow of sheets in a sort mode in the finisher 500.

FIG. 16 is a diagram showing a flow of sheets in a sort mode in the finisher.

FIG. 17 is a stack tray 700 of the finisher 500.
It is a diagram showing a stacking state of a plurality of paper bundles.

18 is a diagram for explaining an aligning operation on the processing tray 630 of the finisher in FIG.

19 is a diagram for explaining an aligning operation on the processing tray 630 of the finisher in FIG.

20 is a diagram for explaining an aligning operation on the processing tray 630 of the finisher in FIG.

FIG. 21 is a diagram for explaining an operation state according to a binding mode of the stapler 601 (front side diagonal binding, back side diagonal binding, two-point binding).

FIG. 22 is a diagram for explaining an operation state according to a binding mode of the stapler 601 (front side diagonal binding, back side diagonal binding, two-point binding).

FIG. 23 is a diagram for explaining an operation state according to a binding mode of the stapler 601 (front side diagonal binding, back side diagonal binding, two-point binding).

[Explanation of symbols]

100 image forming apparatus 101 automatic document feeder 104 scanner unit 109 Image sensor section 111 photosensitive drum 114,115 cassettes 117 Fixing device 118 discharge roller 121 flapper 122 Reverse path 201 Document Feeder Control Unit 202 Image reader control unit 203 Image signal control unit 204 printer control unit 205 CPU circuit section 206 ROM 207 RAM 306 page memory 307 HDD 500 finisher 501 finisher controller 601 stapler

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification code FI H04N 1/387 G03G 21/00 382 (72) Inventor Yasuo Fukatsu 3-30-2 Shimomaruko, Ota-ku, Tokyo Canon Inc. (72) Inventor Masatoshi Yaginuma 3-30-2 Shimomaruko, Ota-ku, Tokyo Canon Inc.

Claims (4)

(57) [Claims] 1. A document placing section for stacking a series of documents having a plurality of pages with a reading surface facing upward and a first page arranged at the top, and the series of documents from the left side of the document placing section. It is configured to feed paper in order from the first page, reverse the original by a curved conveyance path, and convey the original so as to pass from left to right based on the reading position, and to sequentially read from the first page. A reading unit that reads the original image so that the original image becomes a mirror image by the reading elements arranged in the main scanning direction while the original passes through the reading position; and an original read as a mirror image by the reading unit. A mirror image correction unit that corrects a mirror image by reversing the main scanning direction with respect to the image, and an image corrected by the mirror image correction unit is placed on the original placement unit on a sheet fed from the right side. An image forming unit that forms in the same direction as the image direction of the original document and conveys it to the left side; a reversing unit that reverses the sheet from the image forming unit so that the image forming surface faces downward; and discharging means for discharging toward the sheet forming surface is downwardly to the left, has been inclined upward in the sheet discharging direction provided on the left side below the said discharge means, said sheet discharged from said discharge means loading tray to be loaded in the state of the image forming surface under direction
A , a mirror-corrected image is formed in the same direction as the image direction of the original, and the image forming surface faces downward.
An image forming apparatus , comprising: binding processing means provided on the side of the discharging means for performing binding processing on the trailing end side of the sheets stacked on the stacking tray . 2. The mirror image correction means includes a storage means for sequentially storing image data representing an image read in the main scanning direction, and the image data is read from the storage means in a reverse order to the storage order in the main scanning direction. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the mirror image correction is performed by doing so. 3. A bundle discharging unit configured to discharge a series of sheet bundles composed of a plurality of pages bound by the binding processing unit to a second stacking tray provided on the downstream side of the stacking unit. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image forming apparatus is an image forming apparatus. 4. The bundle discharging means discharges the bundle for each of the series of sheet bundles so as to alternately shift the sheet bundle stacking position in the second stacking tray . Image forming apparatus.