JP4100302B2 - Paper post-processing apparatus and image forming system - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a paper post-processing apparatus and an image forming system that perform post-processing of shift processing and binding processing on paper on which an image is formed by an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine.

  In an image forming apparatus capable of forming a large amount of images at high speed, such as an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, the same shift process is performed for each predetermined number of sheets by sorting or group designation so as to sort the sheet bundle. It is possible to connect the sheet post-processing apparatus including the shift processing unit and the binding processing unit that produces a bundle of sheets that are bound by stapling a predetermined number of sheets.

Conventionally, some sheet post-processing apparatuses include both such a shift processing unit and a binding processing unit (see, for example, Patent Documents 1, 2, and 3).
JP-A-1-313261 Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 5-16562 JP-A-10-59610

  In the paper post-processing apparatus capable of both the shift process and the binding process, only the shift processing unit is operated when only the shift process is performed, but the shift processing unit is operated when performing the binding process. After performing the alignment processing, the binding processing means is operated to perform the binding processing.

  In the paper post-processing apparatus, after the conveyed paper is discharged onto the inclined tray, the paper is dropped by its own weight, and the rear end of the paper comes into contact with a predetermined stop portion and is positioned in the transport direction. In some cases, the sheet is stacked on the tray and then shifted so that a plurality of sheets are at the same position in the conveyance path width direction, or the plurality of sheets are bound. Therefore, in such a sheet post-processing apparatus, the sheet rear end portion comes into contact with the same stop portion when performing the shift process and the binding process. In addition, the restricting plate that presses the side edge of the sheet for performing the shift processing is positioned on the side of the tray, and the binding processing means is positioned below the tray.

  Therefore, even when only the shift process is performed without performing the binding process, the sheet is transported by dropping until the rear end portion of the sheet is positioned in the binding processing unit. For this reason, both when the shift process is set and when the binding process is set, the paper is transported along the same transport path, and in the case of the shift process, it is transported along a path longer than necessary, and the paper discharge time is wasted. It was long.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of such a problem. When performing a shift process, a sheet post-processing apparatus and an image forming system in which a sheet conveyance path is shortened and a sheet discharge conveyance time is shortened compared to a binding process. The purpose is to propose.

  The above object is achieved by the following means.

  1. Paper stacking means for stacking the conveyed paper, shift processing means for shifting the paper stacked on the paper stacking means, binding processing means for binding the paper stacked on the paper stacking means, and the shift A first stop unit that abuts the trailing edge of the sheet when performing the shift process using the processing unit, and a position below the first stop unit, and performs the binding process using the binding processing unit. A second stop portion that sometimes abuts the trailing edge of the paper, and when performing the binding process using the binding processing means, the first stop from the paper stacking surface of the paper stacking means A sheet post-processing apparatus characterized in that the sheet is retracted.

  2. An image forming system comprising: the sheet post-treatment device according to any one of claims 1 to 3; and an image forming apparatus that forms an image on a sheet.

  According to the sheet post-processing apparatus and the image forming system of the present invention, when the shift process is performed, the sheet transport path is shortened compared to when the binding process is performed. Therefore, the discharge transport time is shortened and the speed can be increased. Play.

  The best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.

  First, the configuration of an image forming system including an image forming apparatus and a sheet post-processing apparatus will be described based on the configuration diagram of FIG. This is merely an example, and any type of image forming system is included in the scope of the present invention as long as it has the characteristics described below.

  The image forming apparatus A includes a charging unit 2, an image exposing unit 3, a developing unit 4, a transfer unit 5 A, a charge removing unit 5 B, a separation claw 5 C, and a cleaning unit 6 around the rotating image carrier 1. After the surface of the image carrier 1 is uniformly charged by the means 2, exposure scanning based on the image data read from the document is performed by the laser beam of the image exposure means 3 to form a latent image. The toner image is formed on the surface of the image carrier 1 by reversal development by the developing means 4.

  On the other hand, an image recording sheet (hereinafter referred to as a sheet) S fed from the sheet feeding means 7A is sent to the transfer position. The toner image is transferred onto the paper S by the transfer means 5A at the transfer position. Thereafter, the charge on the back surface of the sheet S is erased by the charge eliminating unit 5B, separated from the image carrier 1 by the separation claw 5C, conveyed by the intermediate conveying unit 7B, and subsequently heated and fixed by the fixing unit 8, and the sheet discharge roller 7C. It is discharged by.

  When image formation is performed on one side of the paper S, the transport path switching plate 7D is switched to a broken line state.

  Further, the developer remaining on the surface of the image carrier 1 after the image processing is removed by the cleaning unit 6 downstream of the separation claw 5C to prepare for the next image formation.

  On the other hand, when image formation is performed on both sides of the sheet S, the sheet S heated and fixed by the fixing unit 8 is conveyed downward by switching the conveyance path switching plate 7D to the state of the solid line, and in the reverse conveyance unit 7E. After switching back and upside down, a new toner image is transferred to the back side at the transfer position. After that, it is heated and fixed in the same process as described above, passes through the transport path switching plate 7D switched to the broken line state, and is then discharged by the paper discharge roller 7C.

  Further, as will be described later, when the shift process or the binding process is performed, the sheet S heated and fixed by the fixing unit 8 is conveyed downward by switching the conveyance path switching plate 7D to the solid line state, and the reverse conveyance unit 7E performs a switch. The paper is reversed and turned upside down, and is discharged by the paper discharge roller 7C.

  In any state, the paper S discharged from the paper discharge roller 7C is sent to the paper post-processing apparatus C.

  An operation unit 9 for selecting and setting an image forming mode and a paper post-processing mode is disposed on the upper front side of the image forming apparatus A. An original moving type reading method is disposed on the upper part of the image forming apparatus A. An image reading apparatus B provided with an automatic document feeder is installed.

  The sheet S introduced from the image forming apparatus A to the introduction port 10 of the sheet post-processing apparatus C is guided to the first transport path 13 or the second transport path 14 by switching the transport switching member 12 and guided to the first transport path 13. The processed paper S is discharged to the fixed paper discharge tray 50 without being post-processed, and the paper S guided to the second transport path 14 is subjected to a shift process and a binding process, which will be described later, and is moved up and down. The paper is discharged to 304. There is also a mode in which the sheet S guided to the second conveyance path 14 is discharged to the lifting / lowering tray 304 without post-processing.

  In brief, the shift process is performed in the inclined intermediate stop unit 30 (paper stacking unit), and the paper S after the shift process is discharged to the lifting / lowering tray 304 by the discharge roller 302. In addition, the binding process is performed on the sheets S collected in the intermediate stop unit 30 by the stapler 40 (binding processing unit), and the sheets S after the binding process are pushed up by the intermediate stop unit 30 to the lifting / lowering discharge tray 304. The paper is ejected.

  Next, the configuration of the sheet post-processing apparatus C will be described.

  As shown in the front view of the entire sheet post-processing apparatus C in FIG. 2, the sheet post-processing apparatus C is provided with a first conveyance path 13, a second conveyance path 14, an intermediate stop portion 30, a stapler 40, and the like. The intermediate stop portion 30 and the stapler units 401 and 402 constituting the stapler 40 are attached to the support plates 40A and 40A ′ to constitute a detachable unit, and the frame of the sheet post-processing apparatus is formed by the support portions 40B and 40C. Is attached.

  First, the intermediate stop unit 30 will be described with reference to FIGS.

  3 is a front view of the intermediate stop 30, FIG. 4A is a top view of the intermediate stop 30, FIG. 3B is a side view of the intermediate stop 30, and FIG. 5 is intermediate guide rollers 32 and 321 and rollers. FIG. 6 is an enlarged view of the support lever 314 and the like.

  3 and 4, the intermediate stop unit 30 includes a timing belt 34 stretched around pulleys 39 and 391, a first stop unit 411, a second stop unit 41, and regulating members 360 and 361 (shift processing means). It consists of The pulley 391 is driven and rotated by the motor M6 to drive the timing belt 34.

  The first stop 411 is attached to the frame of the support plates 40A and 40A 'so as to be raised and lowered by the motor M7. The first stop 411 may be driven by an actuator other than a motor such as a solenoid so as to be raised or lowered. On the other hand, the 2nd stop part 41 is being fixed to the frame of support plate 40A, 40A '.

  The pulley 39 is fixed to the shaft 37C, and rollers 37A and 37B are fixed to the shaft 37C on both sides of the pulley 39 as shown in FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 4, restricting members 360 and 361 for restricting the position of the sheet in the transport path width direction are provided on both sides of the intermediate stop portion 30 in the transport path width direction. The side edges of the paper S are regulated by the surfaces 360S and 361S.

  As shown in FIG. 5, intermediate guide rollers 32 and 321 as intermediate guide members are provided to face the rollers 37A and 37B. The intermediate guide roller 32 faces the roller 37B, and the intermediate guide roller 321 faces the roller 37A.

  As shown in FIG. 3, a swing lever 311 is rotatably supported on a shaft 312 fixed to the frame of the support plates 40A and 40A ′. The solenoid 31 is fixed to the swing lever 311 and the support lever is supported. 314 is rotatably provided. As shown in FIG. 5, shafts 317 and 318 are provided on the support lever 314, and an intermediate guide roller 321 is rotatably supported on the shaft 317 and an intermediate guide roller 32 is rotatably supported on the shaft 318. Further, the plunger 315 of the solenoid 31 is coupled to the support lever 314. 31S is a coil spring that urges the plunger 315 in the pushing direction. As shown in FIG. 6, the support lever 314 is rotatably supported by the swing lever 311 by a shaft 313 and rotates as indicated by an arrow in accordance with the operation of the plunger 315 to displace the shafts 317 and 318.

  Next, the stapler 40 and its peripheral members will be described with reference to FIGS. 3, 4, 7, and 8. FIG.

  FIG. 7 is a front view of the lower portion of the intermediate stop portion, and FIG. 8 is a top view of the intermediate stop portion 30 in the binding processing mode.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the stapler units 401 and 402 perform binding processing by driving the binding needles SP1 and SP2 into a bundle of sheets, respectively, and are driven by motors M3 and M4 to move in the conveyance path width direction, respectively. The binding process is performed at a position that matches the paper size.

  As shown in FIG. 3, a guide means 35 is provided above the stapler 40, and the guide means 35 is constituted by guide rollers 352 and 354 that can be displaced according to the amount of paper to be guided, as shown in FIG. . Further, rotary blades 362 and 363 as auxiliary guide means are provided above the guide rollers 352 and 354.

  As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the guide roller 352 is supported at the tip of a swing lever 355 that is rotatably supported by a shaft 357. A guide roller 352 provided at both ends of the swing lever 355 and a pulley 351 fixed to the shaft 357 are connected by a belt 35A. Similarly, the guide roller 354 is supported at the tip of a swing lever 356 that is rotatably supported by a shaft 358, a pulley 353 is fixed to the shaft 358, and the guide roller 354 and the pulley 353 are connected by a belt 35B. ing.

  The shaft 357 is rotationally driven through gears G1, G2, and G3 by a shaft 359 that is rotationally driven by a motor (not shown), and the shaft 358 is rotationally driven by the shaft 359 through gears G4, G5, and G6. The rotary wings 362 and 363 have four wings provided radially and are fixed to a shaft 359. The wing is made of an elastic plate such as PET.

  The head swing levers 355 and 356 are restricted in rotation in the clockwise direction in FIG. 7 by a stopper (not shown), and a gap is formed with the paper support surface of the intermediate stop portion 30, and the paper S is in the gap. Accumulated. Therefore, the guide rollers 352 and 354 contact and guide irregular sheets such as curls.

  As is clear from the above description, the rotary blades 362 and 363 and the guide rollers 352 and 354 rotate counterclockwise to guide the paper S and abut against the second stop 41 as shown in FIG.

  As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the intermediate stop portion 30 is provided with inclined support plates 33 </ b> A and 33 </ b> B in the vicinity of the center in the conveyance path width direction. The support members 401a and 402a provided on the center side in the conveyance path width direction of the stapler units 401 and 402 are provided with shafts 357 and 358 for supporting the guide rollers 352 and 354, and the guide rollers 352 and 354 are provided with the stapler. The support plates 33A and 33B are disposed further on the transport path center line side of the guide rollers 352 and 354 than the units 401 and 402 on the transport path width direction center line side.

  The stapler units 401 and 402 move on the shafts 357 and 358 according to the set staple position, and the guide rollers 352 and 354 also move integrally with the stapler units 401 and 402, but the support plates 33A and 33B Even when the width between the guide roller 352 and the guide roller 354 is set to the minimum, it is set so as to be positioned on the center line side from the guide rollers 352 and 354. With such a configuration, after the sheets of small size to large size are satisfactorily aligned at the center, the binding process is performed.

Next, the operation of the sheet post-processing apparatus C will be described.
<Discharge without post-processing>
Even without post-processing, the sheet S is guided to the second conveyance path 14 by switching the switching member 12 and is conveyed by the conveyance rollers R1, R2, and R4.

FIG. 3 shows a case where paper discharge is performed without post-processing. In FIG. 3, the motor M5 rotates the swing lever 311 counterclockwise, and the solenoid 31 is turned off to bring the intermediate guide rollers 32 and 321 into contact with the rollers 37B and 37A, respectively. The paper discharge roller 302 is driven by a motor (not shown) to form a pair of rollers that are in contact with each other, and is rotated in the paper discharge direction by a motor (not shown) to convey and discharge the paper S. As described above, when paper is discharged without post-processing, the intermediate guide rollers 32 and 321 are in contact with the rollers 37B and S7A, respectively, and are driven by rollers 37A and 37B driven by the motor M6 via the timing belt 34. The paper S is rotated and conveyed. Accordingly, the sheet S conveyed by the intermediate guide rollers 32 and 321 and the rollers 37A and 37B travels upward through the intermediate stop portion 30, is conveyed by the sheet discharge roller 302, and is discharged onto the elevation sheet discharge tray 304.
<Shift processing>
FIG. 9 is a front view of the intermediate stop unit 30 in the shift processing step, FIG. 9A is a front view of the intermediate stop unit 30, and FIG. 9B shows the sheet S that has been subjected to the shift process.

  In the state of FIG. 9, the swing lever 311 is rotated counterclockwise by the motor M5 and set to a predetermined position. Further, the solenoid 31 is turned on to suck the plunger 315. By sucking the plunger 315, the support lever 314 rotates counterclockwise about the shaft 313, and the intermediate guide rollers 32 and 321 move away from the rollers 37B and 37A, respectively, and between the intermediate guide rollers 32 and 37B and between 321 and 37A. A gap of about a few millimeters is formed in.

  Further, during the shift process, the first stop 411 is raised by the motor M7 shown in FIG. 4 and protrudes from the upper surfaces of the support plates 33A and 33B.

  The sheet S transported by the transport roller R4 and whose rear end portion is separated from the transport roller R4 passes through the gaps between the intermediate guide rollers 32, 321 and 37B, 37A and is released upward, and then falls by its own weight. The rear end portion of the sheet S comes into contact with the first stop portion 411 and stops and accumulates in the intermediate stop portion 30.

  Further, the sheet S is smoothly guided by the intermediate guide rollers 32 and 321 that are driven to rotate as the sheet S passes, and reliably reaches the first stop 411. Accordingly, inconveniences such as irregularities in the discharged sheets S and occurrence of jamming in the process of shift processing are eliminated.

  Note that the guide roller R5 regulates the exposure of the sheet S conveyed by the conveying roller R4.

  After the sheet S is stopped, the regulating member 360 or 361 is driven by the motor M1 or the motor M2 to move in the conveyance path width direction, and shift processing is performed to move the sheet S to a predetermined position in the conveyance path width direction.

  After the shift process, the solenoid 31 is turned off, the intermediate guide roller 32 and the roller 37B, and the intermediate guide roller 321 and the roller 37A form a pair of conveying rollers so as to form a nip having a conveying force, and the rollers 37A and 37B The sheet S is conveyed upward by the driving force. The sheet S is further discharged onto an elevating / discharging tray 304 conveyed by a discharge roller 302.

The above operation is repeated for each sheet S, and the position of the regulating members 360 and 361 in the conveyance path width direction is changed for each sheet or for each of a plurality of sheets, as shown in FIG. As described above, the sheets S are stacked on the elevating / discharging tray 304 in a state where the shift processing is performed for each set number of sheets.
<Binding process>
FIG. 10 is a front view of the intermediate stop unit 30 in the binding processing mode.

  In the case of the binding process, the motor M5 rotates the swing lever 311 in the clockwise direction to retract the intermediate guide rollers 32 and 321 and performs a shift process between the intermediate guide rollers 32 and 321 and the rollers 37A and 37B. In this case, a gap that is wider than the gap in the sheet introduction process and through which the bundle of sheets S can freely pass is formed. In the binding processing mode, the solenoid 31 is off. Then, the upper roller of the paper discharge roller 302 rises to form a wide gap between the paper discharge roller pair as shown in the figure. Further, the first stop portion 411 is laid down by the motor M7 shown in FIG. 4, and retracts from the integrated surface on the upper surface of the support plates 33A and 33B.

  The sheet S transported through the second transport path 14 and transported by the transport roller R4 is discharged from the transport roller R4, and then dropped through a gap formed between the fixed guide members 33A and 33B and the guide rollers 352 and 354. Then, the lower end portion comes into contact with the second stop portion 41 and stops, and accumulates in the intermediate stop portion 30. At this time, when the paper S has a curl or the like, the paper S comes into contact with the guide rollers 352 and 354 but is guided by the rotating guide rollers 352 and 354 to reach the second stop portion 41.

  Further, the guide rollers 352 and 354 and the rotary blades 362 and 363 rotate in the process of accumulating the sheets S in the intermediate stop unit 30. By rotation of these members, the lower end of the paper is brought into contact with the second stop portion 41 evenly, and the paper S is aligned and accumulated.

  When the set number of sheets S is accumulated in the intermediate stop unit 30, the regulating members 360 and 361 reciprocate a predetermined number of times to perform width alignment, and after the width alignment, binding processing by the stapler units 401 and 402 is performed. .

  Subsequently, the push-up member 341 provided integrally with the timing belt 34 moves upward as the timing belt 34 rotates, so that the rear end portion of the bundle of sheets S subjected to the binding process is moved by the push-up member 341. When pushed up, the bundle of sheets S is discharged and collected on the elevating discharge tray 304.

1 is a configuration diagram of an image forming system. It is a front view of the whole paper post-processing apparatus. It is a front view of an intermediate stop part. It is the upper side figure and side view of an intermediate | middle stop part. It is detail drawing of an intermediate guide, a roller, etc. It is an enlarged view of a support lever etc. It is a front view of a middle stop part lower part. It is a top view of the intermediate | middle stop part in a binding process mode. It is a front view of the middle stop part in a shift processing process. It is a front view of the intermediate | middle stop part in a binding process mode.

Explanation of symbols

A image forming apparatus C sheet post-processing apparatus 30 intermediate stop portion 33A, 33B support plate 34 timing belt 360, 361 regulating member 40 stapler 41 second stop portion 401, 402 stapler unit 411 first stop portion

Claims (4)

A paper stacking means for stacking the transported paper;
Shift processing means for shifting the paper accumulated in the paper accumulation means;
A binding processing means for binding paper sheets accumulated in the paper stacking means;
A first stop that abuts the trailing edge of the paper when performing shift processing using the shift processing means;
A second stop portion that is positioned below the first stop portion and that abuts the rear end portion of the paper when performing the binding process using the binding processing means,
A sheet post-processing apparatus, wherein when performing the binding process using the binding processing unit, the first stop portion is retracted from the sheet stacking surface of the sheet stacking unit. 2. The sheet post-processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein after the width matching process is performed using the shift processing unit, the binding process is performed using the binding processing unit. The sheet post-processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the sheet stacking unit is disposed at an inclination and stacks sheets that have fallen by their own weight. An image forming system comprising: the sheet post-treatment device according to claim 1, and an image forming apparatus that forms an image on a sheet.

Images