JP3581766B2 - Paper post-processing equipment - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a sheet post-processing apparatus in an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a facsimile, a printer, and the like.
[0002]
[Prior art]
2. Description of the Related Art A sheet post-processing apparatus that is connected downstream of an image forming apparatus, receives sheets discharged from a sheet discharge unit of the image forming apparatus, performs staple processing on a sheet bundle, and performs bookbinding is widely known. An example of this is the invention disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Sho 62-239171. This invention arranges the sheet reversing device on the upstream side of the sheet aligning tray device so that the upper left of the sheet bundle can be bound even when the full-size sheet is used vertically and written horizontally. In addition, reverse processing, page alignment, page binding processing, and the like are disclosed.
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
As described above, the paper post-processing apparatus has various processing modes. For sorting, a plurality of bins, for example, about 20 bins are prepared and sorted for a desired number of copies. General. However, in such a sorting system, a large number of bins must be prepared as described above, and a driving mechanism and a control mechanism for the bins are also required, so that the cost has to be increased.
[0004]
The present invention has been made in view of such a background, and an object of the present invention is to provide a small, lightweight, and low-cost sheet post-processing apparatus capable of performing sorting by discharging a sheet using a staple unit for performing a binding process. Is to provide.
[0005]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
To achieve the above object, via the first means includes a discharge tray for stacking sheets discharged from an image forming apparatus, and stacked in a state of aligning the sheet, the staple unit that performs stapling, the staple unit The paper post-processing apparatus, comprising: a first conveyance path for guiding a sheet to the discharge tray without guiding the sheet to the discharge tray; and a second conveyance path for guiding the sheet to the discharge tray via the staple unit . The sheet shifting means does not relatively shift the sheet discharged through the first transfer path and the sheet discharged through the second transfer path in a direction orthogonal to the sheet transfer direction to the discharge tray. characterized by comprising.
[0006]
Second means, Oite the first means, the drained first sheet through the conveyance path, and, when put interleaves each number of copies, through a pre-Symbol second transport path multiplexer While discharging the paper, the paper shifting means causes the paper to be discharged through the first transport path and the slip sheet to be discharged through the second transport path in a direction orthogonal to the paper transport direction. It is characterized by being relatively shifted .
[0007]
Third means, Oite the first means, the sheet shifting means, the paper to be discharged through the transport reference position of the paper to be discharged through the first transport path, said second transport path The paper discharged through the first transport path and the paper discharged through the second transport path are relatively moved in a direction orthogonal to the paper transport direction by changing the transport reference position. It is characterized by shifting to.
[0008]
Fourth means, in the first means, the sheet shifting means, the sheet alignment means provided on the stipple section, the paper to be discharged through the second conveyance path, feeding said for Kami搬 It is characterized by shifting in a direction perpendicular to the direction.
[0009]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
[0010]
FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of a sheet post-processing apparatus according to an embodiment.
[0011]
The paper post-processing apparatus shown in FIG. 1 is attached to a paper discharge unit of the image forming apparatus 1 and sorts and stacks the paper discharged from the image forming apparatus 1 to be directly guided to a paper discharge tray 3 by a switching claw 2. Transport path A, a second transport path B for stapling or reversing, and a third transport path for guiding the paper entering the second transport path B to the first transport path A again by reverse rotation of the transport roller 8. C is provided. 2a is the center of rotation of the switching claw 2.
[0012]
The paper discharge tray 3 arranged on the most downstream side of the third transport path C has a function of stacking both sheets that are not stapled and sheets that are stapled.
[0013]
In the vicinity of the entrance of the sheet post-processing apparatus, there are provided a transport roller 4 and a driven roller 5 for receiving the sheet discharged from the image forming apparatus 1, and an entrance sensor S1 is provided immediately before the transport roller 4 and the driven roller 5. The leading edge and the trailing edge of the sheet are detected.
[0014]
The switching claw 2 is disposed downstream of the transport roller 4 so that the transport direction can be changed to any of the first transport path A and the second transport path B by a solenoid and a spring (not shown). Has become.
[0015]
A transport roller 6 and a driven roller 7 driven by the transport roller 6 are disposed in the first transport path A, and guide the paper discharged from the image forming apparatus 1 directly to the discharge tray 3.
[0016]
Also, in the second transport path B for stapling and reversing, the transport roller 8 and the driven roller 9 provided with a brush 8 'described later are arranged. At the time of reversing, it is guided to the third transport path C.
[0017]
The other units shown in FIG. 1 will be described later with reference to FIG.
[0018]
FIG. 2 is a side view of the staple unit D (a side view when FIG. 1 is regarded as the front), and FIG. 3 is a front view of the same.
[0019]
The stapling unit D includes a stapler 10 for stapling, a jogger fence 11 for aligning sheets in a direction orthogonal to the transport direction, a discharge belt 12 for discharging the stapled sheets to the discharge tray 3, And a paper discharge claw 13 fixed thereto, a staple tray 20, a reference fence 21, and the like.
[0020]
Note that S2 is a sensor for detecting the position of the paper discharge claw 13, and the position is adjusted so that the position of the rear end of the paper is always constant even with different paper sizes.
[0021]
Note that, as shown in FIG. 2, a paper reference at the time of staple is arranged outside the maximum width of the paper at the time of paper inversion.
[0022]
FIG. 4 is an enlarged configuration diagram of the sheet discharge unit.
[0023]
A paper discharge roller 14 and a paper discharge driven roller 17 that follows the paper discharge roller 14 are arranged at a paper discharge port to the paper discharge tray 3, and discharge paper that is not stapled, stapled, and inverted paper. The sheet is discharged to the tray 3.
[0024]
The paper discharge driven roller 17 is normally at a position in contact with the paper discharge roller 14, but can be moved to a position indicated by a dashed line together with the paper discharge guide plate 18 around the fulcrum a as required.
[0025]
The paper discharge tray 3 can be moved up and down along the guide plate 22 by the up and down guide rollers 15 and is driven by a drive mechanism (not shown). The paper discharge tray 3 can also be moved by a shift guide roller 16 in a direction perpendicular to the paper discharge direction (vertical direction in the figure), and the shift operation is also performed by a drive mechanism (not shown).
[0026]
S3 is an upper surface detection sensor for detecting the upper surface of the discharged paper. The upper surface detection sensor S3 detects the upper surface of the discharged and stacked paper so that the upper surface of the discharged paper is always at a fixed position with respect to the discharge roller 14. Height is adjusted.
[0027]
1 and 4, reference numeral 23 denotes a reversing guide, and S4 denotes a reversing entrance sensor.
[0028]
The operations include a sort / stack mode in which sheets are discharged directly to the discharge tray 3 one by one without performing stapling, a staple mode in which sheets are stapled and then discharged, and a reverse mode in which sheets are reversed and then discharged. It is divided into three.
[0029]
Hereinafter, each mode will be described separately.
[0030]
(1) The sort / stack mode switching claw 2 is located at the position indicated by the one-dot chain line in FIG. At this time, the paper discharge driven roller 17 is always in contact with the paper discharge roller 14 while being pressed by its own weight, and the paper is discharged to the paper discharge tray 3 by this.
[0031]
The discharged sheets are successively discharged by a predetermined number to the discharge tray 3, and the sensor S3 detects the upper surface thereof, so that the upper surface of the paper is adjusted so as to be always at a constant height. It is stacked on the paper tray 3. If necessary, the paper discharge tray 3 performs a shift operation in a direction orthogonal to the paper discharge direction to sort the paper.
Also, in a reversing mode, which will be described later, the discharge tray 3 performs the same operation.
[0032]
(2) The staple mode switching claw 2 is at the position indicated by the solid line in FIG. 4, and the sheet discharged from the image forming apparatus 1 is reversed and guided to the second conveyance path B, and is conveyed to the staple unit D. . At this time, the paper discharge claw 13 is moved on the transport path of the staple tray 20 by the sensor S2 such that the rear end of the paper is always at a fixed position with respect to the transport roller 8.
[0033]
A brush roller 8 ′ having a diameter larger than the diameter of the roller 8 is provided on the same axis as the conveying roller 8. It is stacked in a state pressed against.
[0034]
Next, the jogger fence 11 performs an operation of moving toward the reference fence 21 in a direction orthogonal to the transport direction, and the sheets are stacked in a state where they hit the reference fence 21 and the paper discharge claws 13.
[0035]
Each time the sheet enters the staple tray 20, the same operation is repeated, and the sheets are stacked in an aligned state.
[0036]
Next, a stapling operation is performed by the stapler 10, and the stapled sheet bundle is conveyed in the direction of the discharge roller 14 by the discharge claw 13 serving as a reference in the conveyance direction, and discharged onto the discharge tray 3. Is done. After the paper is ejected, the sheet abuts against the guide plate 22 by its own weight, and is stacked with its rear ends aligned. The sheet bundle stacked for a predetermined number of copies is controlled so that the upper surface of the sheet is always at a constant position, as in the sort / stack mode.
[0037]
(3) The reversing mode switching claw 2 is located at the position indicated by the solid line in FIG. 4 similarly to the staple mode, and the sheet discharged from the image forming apparatus 1 is reversed and guided to the second conveyance path B. At this time, the leading end of the switching claw 2 is pressurized while overlapping the reversing guide 23, and the sheet is conveyed so as to push it away.
[0038]
Next, when the trailing end passes through the switching claw 2, the transport roller 8 reverses, and the sheet is switched back in an inverted state and sent to the third transport path C. The paper is sent to a paper discharge port by 6.
[0039]
The reverse rotation timing of the transport roller 8 is obtained from the output of the reverse entrance sensor S4. At this time, the paper discharge claw 13 fixed to the paper discharge belt 12 has escaped to a position where it does not hit the leading edge of the paper guided to the second transport path B. This position is set by a sensor S2 that detects the position of the paper discharge claw 13.
[0040]
The transfer paper discharged from the image forming apparatus and sorted by the shift is guided to the staple and reverse transport paths by the switching claw 2 at the position indicated by the solid line in FIG. At this time, the paper discharge claw 13 is moving on the transport path of the staple tray 20 so that the rear end of the transfer paper is always at a fixed position with respect to the transport roller 8 by the sensor S2. The transfer paper conveyed to the staple unit D is moved toward the reference fence 21 by the jogger fence 11 (in a direction orthogonal to the conveyance direction), and the transfer paper is moved to the reference fence 21 and the paper discharge claw 13. It is temporarily stacked in the state of being hit. Then, the sheet is conveyed in the direction of the sheet discharge roller 14 by the sheet discharge claw 13 which has been the reference in the conveyance direction, and is discharged.
[0041]
The transfer paper discharged to the discharge tray 3 is shifted from the normally discharged transfer paper in a direction orthogonal to the transport direction by an amount of the movement of the jogger fence 11 toward the reference fence 21. . As a result, sorting is performed based on a shift in the transport direction.
[0042]
Further, the transfer paper discharged from the image forming apparatus as a slip sheet is discharged while being shifted from the other transfer paper in the direction orthogonal to the transport direction as described above. Thereby, the sorting by the slip sheet can be executed.
[0043]
Further, the transfer paper discharged by the image forming apparatus in the staple-free mode is stacked on a discharge tray by the operations in the sort / stack mode and the reversal mode. The transfer paper discharged from the image forming apparatus in the staple binding mode is discharged as a bundle of sheets stapled by the operation in the staple mode described above, while being shifted in a direction perpendicular to the transport direction from the transfer paper discharged without staples. , And sorting is also performed.
[0044]
The sorting is performed, for example, by inputting or selecting from a display device (not shown) on the image forming apparatus main body side, the control device of the image forming apparatus main body is instructed to the control device side of the sheet post-processing apparatus, and the control of the sheet post-processing apparatus is performed. It is executed by the device (CPU). At that time, slip sheets, staple processing, and the like are also input, and desired sorting is performed.
[0045]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, since a mechanism for shifting the discharge tray is not required, it is possible to provide a paper post-processing apparatus having a sorting mode that realizes a reduction in size and weight of the apparatus and a reduction in cost. I can .
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of a sheet post-processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a side view of a staple unit.
FIG. 3 is a front view of the staple unit.
FIG. 4 is an enlarged configuration diagram of a sheet discharge unit.
[Explanation of symbols]
A First transport path B Second transport path C Third transport path D Staple unit 1 Image forming device 2 Switching claw 3 Discharge trays 4, 6, 8 Transport rollers 10 Stipler 11 Jogger fence 20 Staple tray 21 Reference fence 22 Guide plate 23 Reverse guide

Claims (4)

A discharge tray for stacking the sheets discharged from the image forming apparatus, a staple unit for stacking the sheets in a aligned state and performing staple binding, and a first guide for guiding the sheets to the discharge tray without passing through the staple unit In a paper post-processing device having a transport path and a second transport path for guiding a sheet to the discharge tray via the staple unit ,
The paper discharged through the first transport path and the paper discharged through the second transport path are relatively shifted in a direction perpendicular to the paper transport direction to the discharge tray. sheet post-processing apparatus characterized by comprising means. The first was drained paper through the conveying path, and, when put interleaves each number of copies, causes discharge the slip sheet through the front Stories second conveying path, by the sheet shifting means, said first 2. The paper sheet discharged through one transport path and the slip sheet discharged through the second transport path are relatively shifted in a direction perpendicular to the paper transport direction . Paper post-processing device. The sheet shifting unit changes the first transfer reference position of the sheet discharged through the first transfer path and the transfer reference position of the sheet discharged through the second transfer path, thereby changing the first transfer position . 2. The paper sheet according to claim 1 , wherein the sheet discharged through the second conveyance path and the sheet discharged through the second conveyance path are relatively displaced in a direction orthogonal to the sheet conveyance direction. Processing equipment. The paper shifting means by the sheet aligning means provided on the stipple section, the paper to be discharged through the second transport path, and wherein the shifting in the direction perpendicular to the use Kami搬 feeding direction The sheet post-processing device according to claim 1.

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