JP3739059B2 - Image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, and more particularly to a sheet sorting apparatus used in the apparatus.
[0002]
[Prior art]
2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there is a printing apparatus as one of image forming apparatuses that transfer contents according to a document image onto a sheet, and the printing apparatuses include a stencil printing apparatus and an offset printing apparatus.
A case where image formation is performed using a stencil printing device among the printing devices will be described as follows.
In the stencil printing apparatus, a stencil master punched according to a document image by punching processing corresponding to plate making processing is mounted on a plate cylinder provided with an ink transmission structure. The stencil master is leached with ink from an ink supply mechanism installed in the plate cylinder, and the ink is transferred to printing paper pressed against the plate cylinder to transfer the image to perform printing.
The stencil printing apparatus has an advantage that economical image transfer can be performed because printing can be executed only by using one kind of stencil master when a large amount of printing is continuously performed.
[0003]
In an image forming apparatus such as the above stencil printing apparatus, for example, in the case of printing, there are cases in which printed printing paper is sorted into an arbitrary number of sheets.
For this reason, a mechanism for sorting the print paper for each arbitrary number of sheets is provided (for example, JP-A-7-1722 and JP-B-6-78151).
The former publication discloses a configuration in which a tape on which sorting information is recorded is fed to the surface of a printing paper that has reached the sorting number, and the tape is sandwiched between printing paper to be sorted next.
[0004]
The latter publication discloses a configuration in which the orientation of the printing paper discharge direction along the printing paper discharge direction is switched by 90 ° for each number of sorted sheets.
[0005]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, the configuration described in the above publication has the following problems.
In the configuration described in the former publication, it is necessary to prepare a dedicated tape for sorting. This means that not only the configuration for feeding the tape and the configuration for recording the sorting information must be added to the configuration of the printing apparatus itself, but also a part unrelated to the printing of the tape is required. High costs will be incurred. Moreover, since the tape shape is relatively thin and long, the behavior when falling toward the upper surface of the printing paper is difficult to stabilize, and it immediately falls to the upper surface of the printing paper after the sorting information is recorded. Not. For this reason, the timing of the discharge operation of the printing paper and the falling of the tape are not matched, and the tape cannot be positioned at a predetermined place by operating toward the place where the tape is to be sandwiched. In addition, when taking out the printing paper stacked on the paper output unit, the tape sandwiched between the printing papers may fall off or be damaged, and the user is required to carefully take out the paper. The
[0006]
In the configuration described in the latter publication, the structure of the paper discharge table becomes large, which causes an increase in cost. In addition, since the direction of the stacked printing paper is switched for each number of sheets to be sorted, the driving force and time required for switching the direction are increased due to the increase in weight as the stacking amount increases, and the structure becomes unsuitable for high-speed printing. In addition, since the function as a side fence is performed by the four axes corresponding to the four corners of the paper, the edges of the printing paper cannot be sufficiently aligned, and the edges of the printing paper that is sorted and stacked are not aligned. It becomes a state.
[0007]
In view of the problems in the conventional image forming apparatus, particularly the paper sorting mechanism used in the apparatus, an object of the present invention is to add only a few configurations to an existing paper discharge configuration.
An object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus provided with a paper sorting apparatus capable of reliably sorting.
[0008]
Another object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus provided with a sheet sorting apparatus that can set the sorting posture by aligning the edges of the stacked sheets without complicating the configuration relating to sorting. There is to do.
[0009]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
  According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image forming apparatus including a paper discharge table capable of stacking paper discharged after image formation, wherein the paper discharge table is provided on the paper discharge table.Is provided at a position facing the front edge of the paper dischargedFixed end plate that stops the front edge of the paperWhen,Fixed end plateAre provided so as to be connectable to each other.For fixed end plateCan be moved up and down by an integrated drive memberElevating end platePaper sorting device consisting ofComprising the above paper sorting deviceThe elevating end plate in the first elevating end plate part that can be moved up and down by driving by the driving member, and is supported by the first elevating end plate part so as to be moved up and down, and is in contact with the upper surface of the sheet. A second elevating end plate portion that can contact, and the first and second elevating end plate portions contact the upper surface of the sheet in conjunction with the lowering of the first elevating end plate portion. The first position detecting means for detecting the position and stopping the driving means, and the lower limit position when the first elevating plate portion is lowered when the driving means stopped by the position detection by the first detecting means is restarted Second position detecting means for detectingIt is a feature.
[0010]
  A second aspect of the present invention is the image forming apparatus according to the first aspect, whereinSecondElevating end plateThe section is provided with a pressing means for pressing the paper whose front edge is stopped by the lifting end plate.It is a feature.
[0011]
  The invention described in claim 33. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the pressing means is usually given a habit of retreating from the paper and projects toward the surface of the paper in conjunction with the lowering operation of the first lifting / lowering end plate portion. It is composed of possible holding membersIt is a feature.
[0016]
【Example】
Details of the present invention will be described below with reference to embodiments shown in the drawings.
[0017]
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a configuration of a paper discharge table in an image forming apparatus according to the present invention.
In FIG. 1, a paper sorting device 13 including a fixed end plate 11, a lift end plate 12, and the like is disposed on the paper discharge tray 10 at a position facing the front end of the print paper to be discharged. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 100 denotes a printing apparatus, and the printing paper is discharged from the printing apparatus 100 along the direction of the arrow shown in the drawing. In the figure, reference numeral 101 denotes a side fence for aligning the edges in the width direction of the paper. The side fence 101 can be moved in the width direction by a sliding mechanism (not shown), and the printing paper It is positioned at a position corresponding to the size.
[0018]
The paper sorting device 13 is a device used to sort a plurality of printing papers by a predetermined number, and the fixed end plate 11 is not shown in detail but is installed on the paper discharge tray 10, for example, The sliding mechanism as shown in the specification of Japanese Patent Application No. 8-19800 related to the prior application of the applicant of the present application (in the drawing, only a part of the mechanism is shown by reference numeral 11A for convenience) It is possible to move along the discharge direction of the sheet via the. The fixed end plate 11 is positioned at a position corresponding to the length in the paper discharge direction.
[0019]
The fixed end plate 11 is integrally provided with a casing 14A housing the driving means 14 (see FIG. 2) of the lifting end plate 12 by screws or the like. It can be interlocked with the movement of the fixed end plate 11. Therefore, an image forming apparatus having a paper sorting function can be easily obtained by adding a lift end plate 12 of the present invention, which will be described later, to the conventional fixed end plate 11. In the present embodiment, as described above, the case where the fixed end plate 11 and the lift end plate 12 are separate members has been described. However, the housing 14A that houses the drive means 14 for the lift end plate 12 is described. Needless to say, the fixed end plate 11 may be given a role.
[0020]
FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view showing the arrangement of members constituting the lift end plate 12.
In FIG. 2, the driving means 14 is driven through a belt 16, a driving motor 15 provided in a housing 14 </ b> A that can rotate forward and backward, a driving pulley 15 </ b> A provided on an output shaft of the driving motor 15. A driven pulley 17 interlocked with the pulley 15A, a screw rod 18 having a rotation shaft of the driven pulley 17 and a screw formed on a peripheral surface thereof, meshed with the screw rod 18 and parallel to the axial direction of the screw rod 18 according to the rotation direction of the screw rod 18 The elevating block 19 is movable in the vertical direction, and the elevating rod 20 is fixed to the elevating block 19 at one end in the axial direction.
[0021]
The lift end plate 12 is disposed upstream of the fixed end plate 11 in the paper discharge direction (the direction indicated by the arrow in FIG. 1), and the first lift end plate portion 12A and the second lift end. Plate portion 12B.
12 A of 1st raising / lowering end plate parts are couple | bonded with the axial direction other end of the raising / lowering rod 20, and have the space which inserts the 2nd raising / lowering end plate part 12B inside.
[0022]
The second elevating end plate portion 12B is suspended from the first elevating end plate portion 12A through a slide mechanism including a stepped screw 34 and a long hole 35 shown in FIG. It can be interlocked with the elevating end plate portion 12A descending. When the second lift end plate portion 12B is lowered in conjunction with the first lift end plate portion 12A, the second lift end plate portion 12B comes into contact with the upper surface of the stacked paper.
Since the second elevating end plate portion 12B cannot be lowered any further, it is inserted into the first elevating end plate portion 12A as the first elevating end plate portion 12A descends. In this manner, the lift end plate 12 can be expanded and contracted by displacing the second lift end plate portion 12B in the direction in which it is inserted into the first end plate portion 12A and in the opposite direction.
[0023]
The second elevating end plate portion 12B is provided with a rotating shaft 21, and a fixed end of a paper pressing arm 22 that is a pressing member that forms a pressing means for pressing the paper is fixed to the rotating shaft 21. Has been.
[0024]
The paper pressing arm 22 is a member that can swing about the rotation shaft 21 as a fulcrum, and an arm driving member 23 is attached to the swing end side.
[0025]
The arm drive member 23 includes a rod member 24 connected to the swinging end of the paper pressing arm 22 and a drive lever 25 having one end in the extending direction coupled to the axial end of the rod member 24. Yes.
The other end of the drive lever 25 in the extending direction is located in the first elevating end plate portion 12A.
When the second lifting / lowering end plate portion 12B is inserted into the first lifting / lowering end plate portion 12A, the driving lever 25 hits against the protrusion 32 of the first lifting / lowering end plate portion 12A, so that the driving lever 25 is pushed. Since it is moved, the swing end of the paper pressing arm 22 can be swung.
[0026]
The paper pressing arm 22 can project to the paper stacking surface side when the protrusion 32 provided on the first end plate portion 12A side and the drive lever 25 abut against each other, and is usually provided with a spring 33 or the like. The state is maintained so as not to protrude from the sheet stacking surface by the biasing means.
[0027]
In order for the paper pressing arm 22 to project on the paper stacking surface, the drive lever 25 swings the paper pressing arm 22 closer to the paper stacking surface than on the vertical line passing through the center of the rotation shaft 21 as shown in FIG. Connected to the moving end, and as a normal state, the connecting portion is positioned at a position shifted in the clockwise direction in FIG. 3 from the vertical line. As a result, when the drive lever 25 is pushed and moved by the protrusion 32 positioned on the first elevating / lowering end plate portion 12A side, the paper pressing arm 22 swings toward the paper placement surface side due to the rotational moment.
[0028]
The first and second lift end plate portions 12A and 12B are provided with a configuration as a lift position detecting means for detecting the lift position of the second lift end plate portion 12B.
In FIG. 2, a sensor detection plate 26 extended in the lifting direction is provided in the second lifting end plate portion 12B, and the second lifting end plate portion 12B is provided in the first lifting end plate portion 12A. First and second position detection sensors 27 and 28 made up of transmissive optical sensors are arranged in the hoistway of the sensor detection plate 26 along the vertical direction.
[0029]
The first position detection sensor 27 detects that the second elevating end plate portion 12B is in contact with the upper surface of the paper stacked on the paper discharge tray 10, and once has the drive motor 15 included in the drive means 14. The second position detection sensor 28 is for outputting a signal for stopping, and the second position detection sensor 28 is lowered when the drive motor 15 in the stopped state is driven again. This is for regulating the lower limit position of the operation and defining the swinging amount of the paper pressing arm 22.
[0030]
Output signals from the first and second position detection sensors 27 and 28 are input to the control unit 29 shown in FIG.
Although not shown in detail, the control unit 29 includes a microcomputer as a main part, and performs rotation control of the drive motor 15 of the drive unit 14.
As described above, in this embodiment, the first lift end plate portion 12A and the second lift end plate portion 12B constitute the lift end plate 12, and the first position detection sensor 27 provides the second lift end plate. Since it is possible to detect that the portion 12B is in contact with the upper surface of the paper stacked on the paper discharge tray 10, even if the position of the stacked paper when sorting is changed, the change in the position The lifting / lowering end plate 12 can be lifted / lowered in response to the above. It should be noted that, as in the present embodiment, even if it is not a two-piece lift end plate 12 having first and second lift end plate portions but a single lift end plate 12 ′, If a microswitch or the like having a swinging piece is arranged so as to output a detection signal when it is completely in contact with the upper surface of the stacked paper, it is possible to move the lift end plate 12 'up and down in the same manner. It is.
[0031]
In FIG. 4, the control unit 29 is connected to the first and second position detection sensors 27 and 28, the operation panel 30, and the paper discharge sensor 31 on the input side via an interface (not shown), and on the output side. Is connected to a motor drive unit 15B of the drive motor 15.
[0032]
An operation panel 30 (not shown) of the printing apparatus 100 (see FIG. 1) is equipped with an operation unit for inputting the number of printed sheets and the number of sorted sheets. The operator inputs the number of printed sheets or the number of sorted sheets as a set number. It can be done. The paper discharge sensor 31 (not shown) is a member that detects the passage of paper discharged from the printing apparatus toward the paper discharge tray 10 (see FIG. 1), and is a discharge port (not shown) of the printing apparatus 100. The transmission type or reflection type optical sensor installed in (1) is used.
[0033]
The control unit 29 controls the rotation of the drive motor 15 for causing the lifting / lowering end plate 12 positioned on the paper discharge tray 10 to move up and down according to the number of sheets sorted from the operation panel 30.
When the contents related to the sorting process are input from the operation panel 30, the control unit 29 stores the sorted number of sheets, and determines the actual number of discharged sheets with respect to the number of sheets based on the output signal from the paper discharge sensor 31. When the number of discharged sheets counted by the sheet discharge sensor 31 corresponds to the value of the number of sorted sheets, a state in which the lift end plate 12 is lowered in accordance with the timing at which the sheets are introduced onto the sheet discharge table 10 is set. .
[0034]
When the second elevating end plate 12B comes into contact with the upper surface of the stacked paper by lowering the second elevating end plate part 12B, the second elevating end plate part 12B is not lowered further and the first elevating end plate 12B is lowered. Only the plate portion 12A is lowered.
[0035]
When the second elevating end plate portion 12B is fitted into the first elevating end plate portion 12A by lowering the first elevating end plate portion 12A, the first and second elevating end plate portions 12A, 12B are inserted. Is relatively displaced, and the sensor detection plate 26 located on the second elevation end plate portion 12B side and the first position detection sensor 27 located on the first elevation end plate portion 12A side face each other, and the first The position detection sensor 27 outputs a detection signal to the control unit 29.
[0036]
In the control unit 29, the drive motor 15 is temporarily stopped based on the detection signal from the first position detection sensor 27. Thus, the lift end plate 12 can stop the front end of the discharged paper, and the other end of the stacked paper in the discharge direction on the rear end side (upstream side) by the thickness of the lift end plate 12 in the paper discharge direction. Compared with the position, the rear end position of the sheet corresponding to the value of the number of sorted sheets can be shifted.
[0037]
The control unit 29 maintains a state where the rotation of the drive motor 15 is stopped for a predetermined time. The predetermined time in this case corresponds to the time until the front end in the discharge direction of the paper discharged onto the paper discharge tray 10 is stopped by the lift end plate 12.
[0038]
When the rotation stop of the drive motor 15 is maintained for a predetermined time, the control unit 29 rotates the drive motor 15 again in the direction in which the first end plate portion 12A of the lift end plate 12 is lowered.
When the drive motor 15 is restarted, only the first lifting / lowering end plate part 12A is lowered, so that the second position detection sensor 28 and the second sensor mounted in the first lifting / lowering end plate part 12A are now installed. The sensor detection plate 26 in the lifting / lowering end plate portion 12B faces each other.
[0039]
The control unit 29 maintains the rotation of the drive motor 15 until the detection signal from the second position detection sensor 28 is output. As a result, the first elevating end plate portion 12A descends, and the drive lever 25 is pushed and moved by the protrusion 32 installed in the first elevating end plate portion 12A.
[0040]
When the driving lever 25 is pushed and moved, the paper pressing arm 22 is swung toward the paper stacking surface via the arm driving member 23 including the driving lever 25 and the front end is stopped by the lifting end plate 12. The paper for sorting can be pressed by placing the swinging end of the paper pressing arm 22 thereon and shifting the position of the rear end side in the discharge direction. In this embodiment, the case where only one sheet for sorting is shifted and stacked has been described. However, for example, when it is desired to sort the entire printing sheet into two blocks (clusters), the number of sheets to be sorted is set. By the way, if the elevating end plate 12 is lowered and the subsequent printing sheets are stacked in that state, it is of course possible to sort into two blocks. In this case, the elevating end plate 12 is not particularly required to have a pressing means for pressing the paper, and may simply be a one-piece elevating end plate having a function of detecting the upper surface height of the stacked paper. Further, if the one-piece lifting / lowering end plate 12 'is not considered to be compact, it can be easily considered that a plurality of lifting / lowering end plates 12' are provided so that they can be sorted into a plurality of blocks.
[0041]
Since the present embodiment is configured as described above, the operation procedure will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG.
The flowchart shown in FIG. 5 shows a case where 10 copies of 50 printed sheets are created.
On the operation panel 30, the number of printed sheets and the number of blocks (number of copies) are input as numbers. In this case, for example, “50 × 10” is input using the numeric keypad (step S1). In FIG. 5, only the step number is entered, and it is shown without using the word “step”.
In the printing apparatus 100, a plate making process is executed, and a master having an image to be printed with the above number is created (step S2).
[0042]
A printing process is executed by the master that has been made (step S3), and the number of sheets discharged after printing is counted by the paper discharge sensor 31 (see FIG. 4). It is determined whether or not the count value based on the output signal of the paper discharge sensor 31 corresponds to the value immediately before the sorted number (step S4). In this case, it is determined whether or not the count value is 49.
[0043]
Until the count value by the paper discharge sensor 31 reaches a value just before the number of sheets to be sorted, the elevating end plate 12 rises as shown in FIG. 6A so as not to face the front end in the paper discharge direction. Has been. Accordingly, the discharged sheets are aligned with the front end in the discharging direction being stopped by the fixed end plate 11.
[0044]
In step S4, when the value corresponds to the value just before the sorting number, printing is stopped (step S5), and the drive motor 15 included in the drive unit 14 starts normal rotation (step S6).
[0045]
The forward rotation in this case corresponds to the direction in which the elevating end plate 12 can be lowered. When the drive motor 15 continues to rotate normally, the lift end plate 12 is lowered (step S7), the second lift end plate portion 12B comes into contact with the upper surface of the loaded paper, and the second lift end plate portion 12B is the first lift end plate portion 12B. The operation enters the elevating end plate portion 12A and only the first elevating end plate portion 12A is lowered.
[0046]
However, the control unit 29 determines whether or not there is a signal from the first position detection sensor 27 (step S8), and stops the drive motor 15 when the signal is input (step S9).
[0047]
At this time, as shown in FIG. 6B, the lift end plate 12 is in a state in which the front end in the sheet discharge direction in the order corresponding to the number of sheets to be discharged next can be stopped.
[0048]
When the drive motor 15 is stopped, the control unit 29 measures a time corresponding to the moving time until the next discharged paper reaches the lift end plate 12 on the paper discharge tray 10 (step S10). This time measurement is the time required for printing on the sheets in the order corresponding to the number of sheets to be sorted (step S11), and the conveyance time until the paper reaches the lift end plate 12 on the paper discharge tray 10 after printing. Corresponding. As a result, when sheets in the order corresponding to the number of sheets to be sorted are discharged onto the sheet discharge tray 10, the sheets have been stacked so far at the position on the rear end side in the discharge direction as shown in FIG. 6B. The sheets are stacked while being shifted from the rear end position of the sheet by the thickness of the lift end plate 12.
[0049]
It is determined whether or not the time started in step S10 has reached a predetermined time (step S12). When it is determined that the predetermined time has elapsed, the drive motor 15 is rotated forward again (step S13).
[0050]
When the drive motor 15 rotates forward again, only the first lift end plate portion 12A is lowered because the second lift end plate portion 12B is in contact with the paper (step S14).
[0051]
When only the first lifting / lowering end plate portion 12A is lowered, the projection 32 provided in the first lifting / lowering end plate portion 12A pushes and moves the drive lever 25 located in the second lifting / lowering end plate portion 12B. 6C is swung clockwise, and the paper whose front end in the discharge direction is stopped by the lift end plate 12, that is, the paper in the order corresponding to the number of sorted sheets is pressed (steps S15 and S16).
[0052]
The lowering amount of the first elevating end plate portion 12A increases as the swinging amount of the paper pressing arm 22 increases. The lowering amount is determined between the second position detection sensor 28 and the sensor detection plate 26. The determination is made based on the correspondence (step S17).
[0053]
When the detection signal from the second position detection sensor 28 is input to the control unit 29, the control unit 29 stops the drive motor 15 (step S18). As a result, the sheets discharged in the order corresponding to the value of the number of sorted sheets can be distinguished from the sheets not corresponding to the number of sorted sheets because the front end in the discharging direction is stopped by the lift end plate 12. The paper pressing arm 22 presses the vicinity of the front end in the paper discharge direction and pushes out the air layer on the back side of the paper (between the papers). This prevents the occurrence of unstable behavior that slips down. Further, deviation due to external force from the sheet when the next sheet is stacked is less likely to occur.
[0054]
After the paper pressing arm 22 provided in the second elevating end plate portion 12B performs the paper pressing action, the drive motor 15 is reversed (step S19).
[0055]
When the drive motor 15 reverses, the first elevating end plate 12A rises and the second end plate portion 12B suspended and supported by the drive motor 15 also rises, and the elevating end plate 12 is discharged in the order corresponding to the number of sorting. The user leaves the printed sheet (step S20). In this case, the increase amount is released from the correspondence between the second position detection sensor 28 and the sensor detection plate 26, and thereafter, the correspondence between the first position detection sensor 27 and the sensor detection plate 26 is released. After passing through the above sequence, the amount is from the elapse of a predetermined time until the reverse rotation of the drive motor 15 is stopped. As a result, the lift end plate 12 can stand by in a state where it can be lowered for shifting with respect to the sheets to be discharged in the order corresponding to the number of sorted sheets among the sheets to be discharged next.
[0056]
When the elevating end plate 12 is raised, printing corresponding to the number of sorted sheets corresponding to the next number of copies is started (step S21). As shown in FIG. 6D, the sheet discharged after the preceding sorting group by printing executed in step S21 is bumped at the front end in the discharge direction by the fixed end plate 11. As a result, the sheets ejected in the order corresponding to the number of sorted sheets and the other sheets differ in the position of the trailing edge in the ejection direction, so that the sorted sheet group can be easily identified.
[0057]
It is determined whether or not the number of shifting operations of the sheets discharged in the order corresponding to the number of sorted sheets corresponds to the number registered in step S1 (step S22), and continues until the number matches. If so, the printing and sorting operations are terminated.
[0058]
In the above flowchart, up to 49 sheets corresponding to the 50 sorting sheets are continuously printed, and the rear end position of the paper corresponding to the 50th sheet is shifted from the rear end position of the other sheets. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, if the number of sheets to be sorted is 50, the rear end position in the discharge direction is set for the first sheet of the sheet group to be sorted next, and the sheet to be discharged thereafter. You may make it shift with respect to the rear-end position.
[0059]
【The invention's effect】
  According to invention of Claim 1,Since a paper sorting device for sorting discharged paper can be configured so that the lift end plate can be connected to the fixed end plate, the lift end plate is added to the fixed end plate that is an existing component. With this simple configuration, an image forming apparatus having a paper sorting mechanism can be obtained, and sorting can be performed without requiring special parts such as tape. In addition, since the second lift end plate portion used for the lift end plate constituting the paper sorting apparatus is detected as abutting against the paper surface by the position detection by the first position detecting means, the sorting is performed. Even if the position of the loaded paper changes, the elevating end plate can be moved up and down in response to the change in the position. And sorting can be performed.
[0060]
  Claim 2According to the invention described in (3) and (3), the sheet whose front end edge is stopped by the lifting end plate can be pressed. In particular, in the invention according to the third aspect, in conjunction with the lowering operation of the first lifting end plate. Since the press surface can be pressed by the pressing member that can project on the paper surface, the paper slides down when the lift end plate rises due to the air layer interposed on the back side of the paper when it is stopped Therefore, it is possible to prevent the position of the paper corresponding to the number of sorted sheets from becoming difficult to discriminate as in the case of sliding down.
[0061]
According to the sixth and seventh aspects of the present invention, after the sheet whose front end in the discharge direction is stopped by the lifting end plate hits and stacks on the lifting end plate, the lifting end plate is raised by the air layer interposed on the back surface of the sheet. At this time, it is possible to prevent the paper from slipping off by using the pressing means, and it is also possible to prevent the paper from being shifted by the next stacked paper. The paper at the position corresponding to the number of sorted sheets can be reliably distinguished as a mark for sorting.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an installed state of a paper sorting apparatus used in an image forming apparatus according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view for explaining a main configuration of the paper sorting apparatus shown in FIG.
FIG. 3 is an arrow view in the direction indicated by a symbol L3 in FIG.
4 is a block diagram for explaining a configuration of a control unit used in the sheet sorting apparatus shown in FIG. 2;
FIG. 5 is a flowchart for explaining an operation procedure of the sheet sorting apparatus using the control unit shown in FIG. 4;
[Fig. 6]
3A and 3B are schematic diagrams for explaining the operation of the paper sorting apparatus shown in FIG. 2, in which FIG. 2A shows a state before sorting, FIGS. 3B and 3C show a sorting state, and FIG. 3D shows a state after sorting; Respectively.
FIG. 7 is a schematic view of a sliding mechanism for a first lifting end plate part and a lifting end plate part of a table.
[Explanation of symbols]
10 Output tray
11 Fixed end plate
12 Lifting end plate
12A First lifting end plate part
12B 2nd raising / lowering end plate part
13 Paper sorter
14 Drive means
15 Drive motor
22 Paper pressing arm
23 Arm drive member
25 Drive lever
26 Sensor detection plate
27 Position detection sensor constituting first lifting position detection means
28 Position detection sensor as second elevating position detection means
29 Control unit
30 Operation panel
31 Paper discharge sensor
32 Protrusions
33 Spring

Claims (3)

In an image forming apparatus provided with a paper discharge tray capable of stacking paper discharged after image formation,
In the discharge table on a stationary end plate which衝止the provided by the front edge of the sheet at a position forward facing of sheets discharged to the discharge tray on, coupleable with respect to the fixed end plate Provided with a paper sorting device comprising a lift end plate that is provided by being added and can be lifted and lowered by a drive member integrated with the fixed end plate;
The elevating end plate in the paper sorting apparatus is supported by the first elevating end plate part that can be moved up and down by driving by the driving member, the first elevating end plate part being inserted and fitted into the first elevating end plate part, and supported by the paper. A second elevating end plate part capable of contacting the upper surface of
In the first and second lift end plate portions, a first position for detecting the contact with the upper surface of the sheet in conjunction with the lowering of the first lift end plate portion and stopping the driving means. And a second position detecting means for detecting a lower limit position when the first elevating plate portion is lowered when the driving means stopped by position detection by the first detecting means is restarted. image forming apparatus characterized by there. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1.
2. An image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said second elevating end plate portion is provided with a pressing means for pressing the paper whose front end edge is stopped by said elevating end plate . The image forming apparatus according to claim 2 Symbol placement,
The pressing means is usually formed of a pressing member which is given a habit of retreating from the paper and can project toward the surface of the paper in conjunction with the lowering operation of the first lifting end plate portion. an image forming apparatus comprising.

Images