JP3975353B2 - Staple detection mechanism - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In the present invention, linear unformed staples loaded in a cartridge are sequentially supplied to a punching unit to be formed into a U-shape, and the staples formed in a U-shape are supplied into a discharge passage and supplied into the discharge passage. The staples are ejected toward the binding sheets by a driver plate that slides in the ejection path, and the binding sheets are bound by folding the staple legs penetrating the binding sheets along the back surface of the binding sheets by the clincher mechanism. The present invention relates to a staple detection mechanism of a stapler.
[0002]
[Prior art]
A cartridge containing a large number of linear unshaped staples is mounted on a magazine of a stapler, and the unmolded staples in the cartridge are sequentially supplied toward the ejection portion formed at the leading end of the cartridge. Before forming the staple, the forming plate is formed into a U-shape by the forming plate, and the formed staple is supplied into the driving passage where the driver plate slides. The staple formed by the driver plate is driven out from the driving passage, and the staple leg is formed. A cartridge-type stapler is known in which staple binding is performed by passing a binding sheet disposed on the lower surface of the cartridge.
[0003]
By the way, in the above stapler, when the staples in the cartridge disappear and the staples are not supplied to the launching unit, the blanking occurs and the binding sheets are discharged from the copying machine or the like without being bound. For this reason, in a stapler built in a copier or the like, the copier or the like replenishes staples by detecting that the staples in the cartridge are lost by a detection mechanism and outputting a detection signal to a control unit such as a copier. It is displayed or an alarm sound is generated.
[0004]
In general, there is a stapler built in a copying machine or the like that requires a large amount of staple loading by mounting a cartridge containing sheet-shaped unformed staples in a magazine of the stapler body, and is provided at the bottom of the magazine. A sensor mechanism such as a switch for detecting the presence or absence of staples in the cartridge is formed to constitute a staple detection mechanism. The actuator of the sensor mechanism such as a switch is brought into contact with the sheet staple in the cartridge, and the switch or the like. This sensor mechanism outputs a staple presence / absence signal in the cartridge.
[0005]
A staple driving unit that is built in a copying machine or the like and is formed by separating a staple driving unit and a clincher unit across a conveyance path of a copy sheet, and a copy sheet conveyed on the conveyance path is arranged on one side of the conveyance path A stapled sheet that has been stapled onto the binding sheet on the conveyance path and is copied by folding the staple leg penetrating the binding sheet on the conveyance path along the back surface of the binding sheet by the clincher portion disposed on the opposite side of the conveyance path. In the stapler configured to bind the staples, a copy paper conveyance path is formed on the lower surface side of the cartridge, so that there is not enough space at the bottom of the magazine, and a sensor mechanism such as a staple detection switch is provided in the magazine. In some cases, it cannot be formed on the bottom.
[0006]
As described above, in the stapler having the staple ejecting portion arranged on one side of the binding paper conveyance path, a protrusion is formed on the lower surface side of the pusher that presses the sheet staple stored in the cartridge from the upper surface side. In addition, when the sheet staple in the cartridge is exhausted, the protrusion is protruded from the bottom surface of the cartridge, and the actuator formed on the lower surface side of the cartridge is operated by the protrusion to be formed on the other end side of the actuator. Japanese Patent Application No. 2001-242741 has already proposed a staple detection mechanism of a stapler that outputs a signal indicating that the staples in the cartridge are exhausted by a sensor means.
[0007]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
In the above stapler, the protrusion formed on the lower surface of the pusher protrudes from the lower surface of the cartridge, and the actuator brought into contact with the side surface of the sheet staple or the pusher is removed by the movement displacement by the protrusion. To detect. In the above prior art actuator structure, one end (actuating piece) of the actuator needs to be always in contact with the side surface of the sheet staple or the side surface of the pusher. Therefore, one end of the actuator is inserted into the cartridge. An opening and an opening through which the protrusion of the pusher protrudes when the staple is lost is necessary. In addition, it is necessary to receive the displacement of the pusher protrusion in the immediate vicinity of the sheet staple storage portion of the magazine.
[0008]
In the present invention, only the opening for projecting the protrusion of the pusher to the cartridge is formed in the cartridge, and it is not necessary to form a separate opening. Further, the displacement of the protrusion of the pusher is separated from the sheet staple housing portion of the magazine. It is an object of the present invention to provide a staple detection mechanism for a stapler that can be received at the rear and has a high degree of design freedom in the arrangement of detectors.
[0009]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to solve the above-described problems, the staple detection mechanism of the stapler according to the present invention mounts a cartridge containing sheet staples on a magazine, feeds the sheet staples to a punching portion formed at the front end of the magazine, and supplies the sheet staples. The U-shaped staple is formed into a U-shape by the forming plate, the staple formed in the U-shape is ejected toward the binding paper by the driver plate, and the leg of the staple penetrating the binding paper is bent by the clincher mechanism arranged to face the driver plate. In the stapler configured as described above, a protrusion that engages with the uppermost sheet staple is formed on the lower surface of the pusher that presses the sheet staple in the cartridge, and the protrusion is formed on the bottom of the cartridge when the sheet staple in the cartridge disappears. Protruding from the wall And an operation piece operated by the projecting piece is arranged at the bottom of the magazine that accommodates the cartridge, and the bottom of the magazine is arranged via a rotation shaft arranged along the bottom of the magazine. The actuator is connected to an actuator disposed outside the rear side of the actuator, and the connection between the operating piece and the actuator via the rotating shaft is fixed to both ends of the rotating shaft. Thus, the operating piece and the actuator are integrally rotated about the rotating shaft in the same direction through the rotation of the rotating shaft by the operation of the operating piece, and the rotating actuator is thereby rotated. The presence or absence of sheet staples in the cartridge is detected by the end portion of the cartridge.
[0010]
The invention of claim 2 is characterized in that an opening through which a projecting piece formed on the pusher protrudes is formed on the bottom surface of the cartridge, and the operating piece is brought into contact with a peripheral portion of the opening. To do.
[0011]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described based on examples applied to an electric stapler shown in the drawings. FIG. 1 shows an outline of an electric stapler. The electric stapler of this embodiment is incorporated in an apparatus such as a copying machine, a printing machine, or a facsimile machine, and a predetermined number of sheets received by copying, printing, or faxing are received. The electric stapler is configured to automatically bind the sheet staples. The electric stapler accommodates sheet staples S in which a large number of straight unshaped staples are arranged in a plane and bonded together in the cartridge 1, and are sequentially fed out from the cartridge 1. The unformed staple at the head of the sheet staple S is formed into a U-shape immediately before punching, and then the staple formed in the U-shape is driven out toward the binding paper to bind the binding paper.
[0012]
The electric stapler accommodates a cartridge 1 in which a large number of sheet staples S are stacked and accommodated, and has a magazine 3 in which a staple ejection portion 2 is formed at the front end, and a sheet supplied to the ejection portion 2. A forming unit 4 for forming an unformed staple at the leading portion of the staple S into a U-shape, a driving unit 6 including a driver plate 5 for driving the staple formed in a U-shape from the driving unit 2, and a lower portion of the driving unit 6 The clincher mechanism 7 is disposed so as to be opposed to each other across the conveyance path of the binding paper and bends along the lower surface of the binding paper by bending the leg portion of the staple punched out by the driver plate 5 and penetrating the binding paper. The clincher unit 8 is configured.
[0013]
As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, in the cartridge 1 mounted in the cartridge mounting portion 9 formed in the magazine 3, the sheet staple S stacked and accommodated in the cartridge 1 is stored in the cartridge mounting portion of the magazine 3. The pusher 10 for pressing in the bottom direction of 9 is accommodated. The pusher 10 is urged downward by a pusher spring 11 disposed between the upper surface of the pusher 10 and the upper wall surface of the cartridge 1, and the sheet staple S disposed in the uppermost layer on the lower surface side of the pusher 10. A protruding piece 12 is formed to abut against the upper surface of the sheet 1 and press the sheet staple S accommodated in the cartridge 1 toward the bottom of the cartridge 1. At the bottom of the cartridge 1, a supply mechanism for feeding the sheet staple S in the cartridge 1 from the cartridge 1 can be engaged with the lowermost sheet staple S through an opening formed in the bottom wall of the cartridge 1. In addition, an opening 13 is formed so as to face the protruding piece 12 so that the protruding piece 12 formed on the lower surface of the pusher 10 can protrude from the bottom wall of the cartridge 1 when the sheet staple S is lost in the cartridge 1. Has been.
[0014]
The magazine 3 is formed with a staple detection mechanism 14 for detecting the presence or absence of the sheet staple S accommodated in the cartridge 1 mounted in the cartridge mounting unit 9. As shown in FIG. 3, the staple detection mechanism 14 includes a working piece 15 disposed at a position corresponding to the opening 13 of the cartridge 1 at the bottom of the cartridge mounting portion 9 that accommodates the cartridge 1, and the working piece 15 and the magazine. 3 is constituted by an actuator 17 that is connected to a magazine 3 via a pivot shaft 16 that is rotatably held by the magazine 3, and the tip of the working piece 15 is mounted on the cartridge 1 that houses the cartridge 1. The magazine 3 is supported by the magazine 3 via the pivot shaft 16 so that the magazine 9 can protrude inward. The actuator 17 is disposed on the rear side of the magazine 3 so as to be rotatable about the rotation shaft 16, and the rotation angle is regulated by a stopper piece 18 formed on the magazine 3.
[0015]
As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the front operating piece 15 and the actuator 17 are integrally formed by being fixed to both ends of the rotating shaft 16 at one end portion thereof, and the operating piece 15 is operated to turn the rotating shaft. When the 16 rotates, the operating piece 15 and the actuator 17 are integrally rotated in the same direction. The actuator 17 is formed longer than the operation piece 15, and the end of the actuator 17 is irradiated toward the light receiving element 20 from the light emitting element 19 side of the photosensor 21 constituted by the light emitting element 19 and the light receiving element 20. A shielding plate 22 that blocks light is formed. As shown in FIG. 6, the actuator 17 is positioned outside the bottom of the magazine 3, and a compression spring 23 is provided between the actuator 17 and the bottom wall of the launch unit 6. The actuator 17 is urged to rotate about the rotation shaft 16. Due to this rotational biasing force, the operating piece 15 protrudes from the bottom of the magazine 3 to the inside of the cartridge mounting portion 9.
[0016]
As shown in FIG. 7, when the cartridge 1 in which the sheet staple S is accommodated is loaded in the cartridge mounting portion 9 of the magazine 3, the operating piece 15 is passed through the opening 13 formed in the bottom wall of the cartridge 1. Enters the cartridge 1 and is operated to a position where it contacts the lowermost sheet staple S in the cartridge 1. When the actuating piece 15 is actuated to a position in contact with the sheet staple S in the cartridge 1, the shielding plate 22 formed at the end of the actuator 17 is disposed at a position where the optical path to the light receiving element 20 is interrupted. 21 outputs a signal indicating that staples remain.
[0017]
As shown in FIG. 8, when the sheet staple S in the cartridge 1 is consumed and the inside of the cartridge 1 becomes empty, the projecting piece 12 formed on the lower surface of the pusher 10 pressing the sheet staple S is a bottom wall of the cartridge 1. Projecting from the opening 13 to the lower surface side, abuts against the operating piece 15 and presses the operating piece 15 downward. When the operating piece 15 is operated, the rotating shaft 16 rotates to rotate the actuator 17, and the shielding plate 22 is moved downward from the light path of the light emitting element 19 and the light receiving element 20 of the photosensor 21. The photo sensor 21 outputs a signal indicating no stapling.
[0018]
As shown in FIG. 9, when the cartridge 1 is removed from the cartridge mounting portion 9 of the magazine 3 for replacement of the cartridge 1, the operating piece 15 is moved to the magazine 3 by the action of the compression spring 23 acting on the actuator 17. Is operated so as to protrude into the cartridge mounting portion 9, and the shielding plate 22 of the actuator 17 is disengaged upward from the light path of the light emitting element 19 and the light receiving element 20 of the photosensor 21. No signal is output from the photosensor 21. At this time, the rotation angle of the actuator 17 is restricted by engaging the stopper piece 18. Therefore, even if the sensor for the cartridge 1 is not separately formed, the staple detection mechanism 14 can prevent malfunction when the cartridge 1 is not loaded.
[0019]
In the above embodiment, the operating piece 15 is directly brought into contact with the lowermost sheet staple S in the cartridge 1 through the opening 13 formed in the bottom wall of the cartridge 1. It may be formed so as to be in contact with the peripheral edge portion of the opening 13 formed in the bottom wall, and the shielding plate 22 of the actuator 17 may use the optical path of the photosensor 21 at this position. Even if the sheet staple S in the cartridge 1 disappears even if it is formed in this way, the projecting piece 12 formed on the lower surface of the pusher 10 is protruded from the opening 13 to press the operating piece 15. The detection of the absence of staples is reliably performed. Further, when the cartridge 1 is removed from the cartridge mounting portion 9, the operating piece 15 is rotated inward of the cartridge mounting portion 9, so that a signal indicating no cartridge can be output. Since the working piece 15 is brought into contact with the bottom wall of the cartridge 1 in this way, the staple detecting mechanism 14 does not come into contact with the supplied sheet staple S, and therefore the sheet staple S by the working piece 15 of the staple detecting mechanism 14 is used. Therefore, the sheet staple S can be reliably supplied.
[0020]
In the above embodiment, the case where the present invention is applied to the electric stapler in which the forming plate, the driver plate, the clincher mechanism and the like are driven by the electric motor has been described. However, the present invention is limited to the above embodiment. In addition, the present invention can be applied to a stapler in which a forming plate, a driver plate, a clincher mechanism, and the like are manually operated.
[0021]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, the operation piece operated by the protruding piece formed on the lower surface of the pusher that presses the sheet staple in the cartridge is disposed at the bottom of the cartridge mounting portion that accommodates the cartridge of the magazine, The operating piece and an actuator arranged outside the cartridge mounting portion are connected via a rotating shaft arranged along the bottom of the magazine, and the presence or absence of sheet staples in the cartridge is detected by the end of the actuator. Thus, even when there is no space below the cartridge, the operation amount of the actuator can be set large via the rotation shaft, and the presence or absence of staples in the cartridge can be reliably detected.
[0022]
In addition, the actuator connected to the operating piece via the rotating shaft can be installed in any of the front, rear, left, and right directions outside the cartridge mounting portion of the magazine, and there is no obstacle depending on the mounting direction of the cartridge in the magazine. Since the actuator can be formed in the direction, the degree of freedom in design is increased and a stapler with good operability can be provided.
[0023]
Further, according to the invention of claim 2, the working piece is brought into contact with the edge of the opening of the bottom wall of the cartridge from which the projecting piece formed on the lower surface of the pusher protrudes so that the working piece is a sheet staple in the cartridge. Therefore, it is possible to avoid troubles in sheet staple supply by the staple detection mechanism and to reliably supply staples.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a side view showing an outline of an electric stapler in which a staple detection mechanism of the present invention is formed. FIG. 2 is a side view showing a cross section of a part of the magazine of the electric stapler shown in FIG. FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the staple detection mechanism. FIG. 5 is a plan view of the staple detection mechanism. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. FIG. 7 is an operation explanatory diagram for detecting a state in which staples remain in the cartridge by the staple detection mechanism. FIG. 8 is an operation explanatory diagram for detecting a state in which the staples in the cartridge are lost by the staple detection mechanism. [Explanation of symbols] Detecting the state in which the cartridge is removed from the magazine by the staple detection mechanism
S Sheet staple 1 Cartridge 2 Launch unit 3 Magazine 9 Cartridge mounting unit 10 Pusher 12 Projection piece 13 Opening 14 Staple detection mechanism 15 Actuation piece 16 Rotating shaft 17 Actuator 21 Photo sensor 22 Shielding plate

Claims (2)

A cartridge containing sheet staples is loaded into a cartridge loading section provided in the magazine , the sheet staples are fed to a punching section formed at the leading end of the magazine, and the sheet staples are formed into a U shape by a forming plate. In a stapler, a staple formed in a letter shape is driven out toward a binding sheet by a driver plate, and a leg of the staple penetrating the binding sheet is bent by a clincher mechanism disposed opposite to the driver plate. A protrusion that engages with the uppermost sheet staple is formed on the lower surface of the pusher that presses the staple, and the protrusion can protrude from the bottom wall of the cartridge when the sheet staple in the cartridge runs out. Collect With arranging the operating piece to be actuated by the projecting piece at the bottom of the magazine, one end portion of the operating piece along the bottom of the magazine is fixed to one end of the deployed rotating shaft, the shaft該回One end of an actuator arranged at the bottom of the magazine and outside the cartridge mounting portion is fixed to the other end, and the operating piece is actuated by the projecting piece to rotate the rotating shaft and the actuator The staple detection mechanism of the stapler, wherein the presence or absence of sheet staples in the cartridge is detected at the end of the actuator by integrally rotating in the same direction as the operating piece .   2. The stapler according to claim 1, wherein an opening through which a projecting piece formed on the pusher protrudes is formed on a bottom surface of the cartridge, and the operating piece is brought into contact with a peripheral portion of the opening. Staple detection mechanism.

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