JP3829896B2 - Swing fin control method for paper folding device - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a swing fin control method for a sheet folding device.
[0002]
[Prior art]
The paper folding device is mounted on a paper discharge unit of a printing apparatus that uses continuous paper as a recording medium as disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 58-8279, or disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 59-152882. As described above, it is used by being mounted on a paper discharge unit of a post-processing apparatus provided at a subsequent stage of the printing apparatus.
[0003]
In the following description, a case where the paper folding device is mounted on the paper discharge unit of the printing device will be exemplified and described with reference to FIG. As a printing apparatus, a laser printer that records and forms an image on continuous paper using a known electrophotographic process is exemplified. However, the printing apparatus is not necessarily limited to a laser printer, and is a type drum printer or a type band. You may apply to impact printers, such as a printer.
[0004]
In FIG. 3, when a print signal decomposed into dot data is sent from the host device, the laser beam scans the surface of the photosensitive drum 1. The surface of the photosensitive drum 1 is uniformly charged by the charger 2, and the charge of the portion irradiated with the laser light escapes, and an electrostatic latent image is formed on the surface of the photosensitive drum 1. The electrostatic latent image is developed by the developing device 3 and conveyed to a position facing the transfer device 4. A continuous sheet 5 (hereinafter simply referred to as “sheet”) conveyed by the sheet conveying tractor 6 travels in front of the transfer unit 4 at a constant speed and is pressed against the surface of the photosensitive drum 1 by the retractor 7. .
[0005]
The toner image on the surface of the photosensitive drum 1 conveyed to a position facing the transfer device 4 is transferred to the paper 5 by the transfer device 4. The sheet 5 on which the toner image has been transferred passes through the buffer 8 and passes between the heat roller 9 and the backup roller 10 and is fixed by heat and pressure. The fixed sheet 5 is sequentially fed by the puller 11 to the stacker 13 through the swing fin 12 and the paddle 14.
[0006]
Here, the paper 5 sent out from the puller 11 is alternately folded by the pendulum (swinging) operation of the swing fin 12 according to the crease (perforation), and then the folded state is adjusted by the rotating paddle 14. However, they are stacked on a stacker table 15 provided so as to be movable up and down. A paper guide 17 is provided near the stacker table 15 and on the uppermost point position side in the pendulum operation of the swing fin 12 to align the paper edges of the sheets stacked on the stacker table 15. On the opposite side, there is provided a paper take-out port 16 that can take out the paper stacked on the stacker table 15.
[0007]
FIG. 4 shows the swing fin unit. The rotation of the stepping motor 20 is decelerated by the gear head 21. The rotation of the motor is transmitted to the pulley 23 fixed to the swing fin shaft 24 by the timing belt 22. The swing fin 12 is fixed to the swing fin shaft 24. That is, in order to cause the swing fin 12 to perform a pendulum operation, the stepping motor 20 is rotated by switching the rotation direction clockwise (CW) / counterclockwise (CCW). The swing angle of the swing fin 12 can be freely selected by managing the number of operation steps of the stepping motor 20. An encoder plate 26 is fixed to the swing fin shaft 24 and detects the position of the swing fin 12 based on the positional relationship with the photo interrupter 25.
[0008]
The operation of the swing fin 12 during printing is shown in FIG. FIG. 5A shows the time when the swing fin 12 is driven in the CW direction during printing. The swing fin 12 that has been driven in the CW direction is stopped once when the perforation of the sheet 5 is conveyed by the length L from the tip of the swing fin, and the drive direction is switched to the CCW direction. This driving direction switching operation is called a turn. The length L is selected to have the best folding property. Next, as shown in FIG. 5B, the swing fin 12 is driven in the CCW direction, and the next valley perforation approaches the tip of the swing fin 12. Next, as shown in FIG. 5C, the valley perforation reaches L from the tip of the swing fin 12, and at this point, the swing fin 12 makes a turn in the CW direction. Thereafter, the same operation is repeated, and a swing fin pendulum operation is performed with the turn aligned with the perforation. The swing angle of the swing fin 12 from turn to turn is determined to be an angle at which paper length data is acquired by the paper length detection means and can be stably folded.
[0009]
When the printing signal from the host apparatus is stopped and the printing operation of the printing apparatus is finished and enters a standby state, the swing fin 12 stops while maintaining the angle at the time of printing completion.
[0010]
FIG. 6 shows swing fin control in the standby state. All signals shown here represent a valid state with a logic "H". The tractor operation signal TRCT DRV-P and the swing fin operation signal SF DRV-P become logic “L”, the printing operation is completed, and a standby state is entered. At this time, the count data SF POS DATA of the number of operation steps of the stepping motor 20 is held at the count value A when the swing fin operation is stopped. At the same time, the state of the swing fin drive direction signal SF M CW-P signal is also maintained. When the stacker table operation request signal ST TBL ENB-P signal is received in the standby state, ST TBL DRV-P becomes logic “H” and the operation of the stacker table 15 is performed, the swing fin 12 is not operated. SF POS DATA is held until the next printing start or a new paper loading process is performed, and the angle of the swing fin 12 is held until that time. The stop angle and stop direction of the swing fin 12 are arbitrarily changed depending on the paper length (physical length) to be used, the paper length (logical length) of the print data, the number of printed pages, and the like.
[0011]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
In the conventional configuration as described above, when it is necessary to move the stacker table 15 up and down during stoppage, the stacker table 15 is moved up and down regardless of the position of the swing fin 12. For this reason, when the stacker table 15 is moved up and down while the swing fin 12 is close to the paper take-out port 16 side, the paper easily protrudes from the paper take-out port 16 and the paper take-out operation can be performed smoothly. The problem of not being invited.
[0012]
An object of the present invention is to provide a swing fin control method for a sheet folding device that can solve the problems of the prior art and prevent the sheet from protruding from the stacker table.
[0013]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
Above object, the pendulum operatively disposed, and a swing fin folding the continuous paper coming fed into the front and back alternately, with stacks retain the sheet folded by the swing fin, a stacker table provided to be vertically operation A paper guide that is provided in the vicinity of the stacker table and on the uppermost point position side of the swing fin pendulum operation, aligns the sheet edges of the sheets stacked on the stacker table, and the swing fin pendulum operation. In the swing fin control method of the sheet folding device provided on the other uppermost position side and having a sheet take-out unit that can take out the sheets stacked on the stacker table, before performing the up-and-down operation of the stacker table, The position of the swing fin is set in advance to the paper bag. Intention to de side is achieved by stopping.
[0014]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. The configuration of the swing fin unit is omitted because it is the same as the configuration described above with reference to FIG. In FIG. 2, when the STCTBL ENB-P signal is received after the TRCT DRV-P and SF DRV-P signals become logic “L” and enter a standby (stopped) state, the operation of the stacker table 15 is started. First, the SF DRV-P signal is set to logic “H”, the SF M CW-P signal is set to logic “L”, and the swing fin 12 is driven in the direction of the paper guide 17. Drive until SF POS DATA reaches the specified value B, set SF DRV-P to logic “L”, and stop the swing fin 12. At this time, the swing fin 12 stops in a state where the swing fin 12 is swung by a specified angle in the direction of the paper guide 17.
[0015]
Thereafter, ST TBL DRV-P is set to logic “H”, and the stacker table 15 is operated. When ST TBL DRV-P becomes logic “L” and the operation of the stacker table 15 stops, the SF DRV-P signal becomes logic “H”, the SF M CW-P signal becomes logic “H”, and the swing fin 12 is placed on the paper. Drive in the direction of the outlet 16.
[0016]
Driving is performed until SF POS DATA returns to the value A when the swing fin 12 is stopped, SF DRV-P is set to logic “L”, and the swing fin 12 is stopped. At this time, the swing fin 12 returns to the state before the operation of the stacker table 15 is started.
[0017]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the swing fin control method of the paper folding device of the present invention, it is possible to prevent the paper from protruding from the stacker table at the time of taking out the paper from the stacker table and the like, and the paper folding device excellent in handling property. Can be realized.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a paper folding device of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a time chart based on the swing fin control method of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a schematic configuration diagram of a printing apparatus.
FIG. 4 is a schematic configuration diagram of a swing fin unit.
FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating the operation of a swing fin.
FIG. 6 is a time chart based on a conventional swing fin control method.
[Explanation of symbols]
12 ... Swing fins, 15 ... Stacker table, 16 ... Paper outlet, 17 ... Paper guide.

Claims (1)

A swing fin that is provided so as to be able to operate a pendulum and that folds the continuous paper fed in alternately.
With stacks retain the sheet folded by the swing fin, a stacker table provided to be vertically operation,
A paper guide provided in the vicinity of the stacker table and on one uppermost point position side in the pendulum operation of the swing fin, and aligns the sheet edges of the sheets stacked on the stacker table;
In the swing fin control method for a paper folding apparatus, which is provided on the other uppermost point position side in the swing fin pendulum operation and has a paper take-out unit that can take out the paper stacked on the stacker table.
A swing fin control method for a sheet folding device, wherein the swing fin position is moved toward the paper guide in advance and stopped before the stacker table is moved up and down .

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