JP4334441B2 - Paper folding apparatus and image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an improvement of a sheet folding device used as a post-processing device or the like of an image forming apparatus.

Conventionally, a paper fold having a function of forming an arbitrary fold at an arbitrary position of a copy paper, a recording paper, a printing paper, or the like discharged from an electrophotographic image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a printer, or a facsimile machine. The device is known.
2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in an electronic copying machine that copies a large-size original such as a drawing original, the image is often copied on a large-size copy paper such as A0 or A1. If these large-sized copy sheets are stored as they are or are handled in a large format, the storage space becomes large or the handling is inconvenient, so that they are usually folded and stored. However, when the copy sheet is folded manually, it generally takes a considerable amount of time, and the time required for folding the sheet may be several times longer than the time required for copying. For this reason, a paper folding device arranged in the discharge path of the copying machine has been developed. For example, a paper folding device for folding an A0 size drawing into an A4 size is known. When a large-size sheet is folded to a small size using such a paper folding device, if the folded sheet is bound into a file or the like, the sheet is bound to the edge of the sheet. Also, it may be necessary to change the edge folding start position for the convenience of image information on the paper. In order to prevent such binding of the edge and to form an optimal fold corresponding to the image on the sheet, the edge of the folded sheet is manually folded again by the operator, and then stapled, It is necessary to create a file by binding with a punch or the like. However, if the operation of folding the edge portion of all sheets is performed manually, the burden on the operator increases.
For this reason, there has been proposed an edge folding apparatus that can automatically fold the edge of a sheet to reduce the burden on the operator.
For example, in Japanese Patent No. 3173121, it is possible to move up and down between a sheet conveying means for conveying a sheet, a first position for scooping up the edge of the sheet, and a second position for folding the edge of the scooped sheet. An edge folding means having an edge folding member; a paper detection means for detecting the arrival of paper in the vicinity of the edge folding member; and after the arrival of the paper is detected by the paper detection means, at a predetermined timing The edge folding member is set to the first position, and after the edge of the sheet is placed on the edge folding member, the edge folding member is set to the second position at a certain timing, and therebelow An edge provided with an edge folding control means for controlling the edge of the paper to be folded, and an edge folding means having a pair of folding rollers for nipping the paper with the edge folded and folding the edge. Edge folding device It is shown.
Japanese Utility Model Registration No. 2524155 discloses an apparatus having a similar purpose.
Patent No. 3173121 Utility model registration No. 2524155

However, in the case of the conventional method, as in Japanese Patent No. 3173121, the position at which the edge folding starts is determined depending on the shape of the edge folding member that can move up and down by scooping up the edge folding. Even if the user wants to change the edge folding start position of the leading edge of the paper due to filing or paper image information, it cannot be changed. The only way to change the edge folding start position is to change the edge folding member to a different shape.
The present invention has been made in view of the above, and provides a sheet folding apparatus that can arbitrarily change the start position of edge folding at the leading end of a sheet.

To achieve the above object, a first aspect of the invention, drives the sheet conveying means for conveying the sheet, and the sheet folding roller subjected to the folding edge to the sheet conveyed by said sheet conveying means, the the paper folding rollers Based on an edge folding motor, a leading edge detection sensor that detects the leading edge of the paper started to be transported by the paper transporting means, and an edge folding start position input from an external device, the paper is transported to the paper transporting means. A delay time for operating the edge folding motor after entering the paper is calculated, and the edge folding motor is operated when the delay time has elapsed after the leading edge detection sensor detects that the paper has entered the paper conveying means. And a sheet folding device including control means for performing edge folding .
The invention according to claim 2 is characterized in that the control means calculates the delay time based on information about the paper size.
According to a third aspect of the invention, there is provided an image forming apparatus including the paper folding device according to the first or second aspect.
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the image forming apparatus according to the third aspect, the edge folding start position used for calculating the delay time by the control unit can be input by an operation unit provided in the image forming apparatus. This is an image forming apparatus.

In the conventional paper folding apparatus, the state of the folded paper may not be suitable for binding into a file, stapling or punching. This is due to an inappropriate position of the fold formed on the edge of the paper. In particular, when the paper size is changed, the crease formation position cannot be changed without replacement of parts, although it is necessary to change the crease formation position.
In the present invention, the crease formation position can be automatically changed according to an operation from the operation unit or information on the input paper size. In particular, the crease forming position can be adjusted by adjusting the sheet feed amount to the crease forming unit and the sheet feed timing with respect to the drive start timing of the crease forming unit.

Hereinafter, a sheet folding device (edge folding device) according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
In the following embodiment, an example of an apparatus for forming a crease at the edge of the paper is shown. However, the present invention is not limited to the edge of the paper but can be applied to an apparatus for forming a crease at an arbitrary position on the paper.
FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an edge folding device (paper folding device) of the present invention and a copying machine in which this edge folding device is connected as a post-processing device. 2 to 5 are front views showing the operation of the edge folding device, FIGS. 6 and 7 are operation diagrams when the edge folding roller pair creases the sheet, FIG. 8 is a top view of the edge folding device, and FIG. Is a block diagram of the edge folding apparatus, and FIG. 10 is a flowchart of this embodiment.
First, the configuration of the entire apparatus will be described with reference to FIG. Reference numeral 200 denotes a copying apparatus main body (image forming apparatus main body), and reference numeral 1 denotes an edge folding apparatus as a post-processing device connected to the side of the paper discharge side of the copying apparatus main body 200. The edge folding device (paper folding device) 1 includes a connecting portion 6 with the apparatus main body 200, an edge folding portion (paper folding portion) 2 that folds the edge of the front end of the paper P, and a bellows shape in the conveyance direction. Folding bellows folding section 3, cross folding section 4 for folding the paper folded in a bellows shape at bellows folding section 3 in the vertical direction, and paper folded at A4 size at cross folding section 4 And a stacker 5 for discharging and stacking.
An image reading device 206 is disposed in the copying apparatus main body 200, and a manual sheet feeding table 208 is disposed below the image reading device 206. When the paper set on the manual paper feed tray 208 is fed, the paper is temporarily stopped by the registration roller 207 and supplied to the image forming unit 206 at a timing. In the image forming unit 206, the latent image formed on the photosensitive member 206 a corresponding to the image data is developed with toner, and the toner is transferred to a sheet and fixed by the fixing device 210. The recorded paper on which the toner is fixed by the fixing device 210 is discharged to the edge folding device 1 by the recorded paper discharge roll 211 when the paper is folded. When paper folding is not performed, the paper is guided to the upper paper discharge roller 209 by a switching claw (not shown) and discharged into the main body cylinder.
Next, when the paper is folded, the paper P is sent to the edge folding device 1 by the recorded paper discharge roll 211 and passes through the connecting portion 6, and the paper is sent by the entrance conveyance roller pair 16 of the edge folding portion 2. When the edge is folded, the edge of the leading edge of the sheet is folded by the edge folding section 2. There are two patterns for folding the edge of the paper: folding the paper edge while transporting the paper and folding the paper edge once the paper transport is stopped. When the edge is folded while the sheet is temporarily stopped at the edge folding unit 2, the trailing end of the sheet may be applied to the copying apparatus main body 200. In this case, the copying apparatus main body 200 side conveys the sheet. On the other hand, a movable entrance guide plate 40 provided in the connecting portion 6 and moving up and down opens downward as shown by a dotted line, and retracts the middle portion and the rear portion of the sheet downward. Therefore, the sheet P can be continuously discharged from the copying machine main body 200 side while the leading end of the sheet P is stopped.
After the end edge of the sheet is folded by the edge folding unit 2, the sheet is folded into a bellows shape in the conveying direction by the bellows folding unit 3, and the sheet is folded to a size of A4 by the cross folding unit 4. Stacked to 5.

Next, the edge folding portion 2 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of the edge folding portion 2 in FIG. FIG. 8 is a top view of FIG. In FIG. 8, a leading edge detection sensor 17 for detecting the leading edge position of the sheet is disposed on the downstream side of the entrance conveying roller (paper conveying means) 16 and in the vicinity of the center in the axial direction. On the further downstream side, the edge folding roller (the first folding roller) in which the roller shaft center is disposed so as to have the same angle as the angle Q of the edge folding (the angle between the width direction orthogonal to the conveying direction). Paper folding roller, first paper folding means) 14 and edge folding roller (second paper folding roller, second paper folding means) 15 are arranged. Further, a pair of folding rollers (paper conveying means) 11 is arranged on the downstream side, in which the paper conveying direction and the roller axis center are orthogonal. That is, the folding roller pair 11 extends in parallel to the width direction (perpendicular to the conveying direction), while the edge folding rollers 14 and 15 intersect with the width direction by an angle Q. As shown in FIG. 8, the edge folding rollers 14 and 15 are pivotally supported so that one of the shaft end portions 14A and 15A is pivotable in the horizontal direction. 14A and 15A are rotated within a predetermined angle switching range around the rotation center, and the angle Q with respect to the width direction can be switched.
Note that the paper transport means is a transport path in the edge folding apparatus including a transport path from the roller pair 16 to the roller pair 11, for example.
A pulley 28 is fixed to the other shaft end of the entrance conveyance roller 16, and a pulley 21 is fixed to the other shaft end of the folding roller 11. The pulleys 21 and 28 are connected by a drive belt 22. To receive the driving force.
Further, the pulley 28 of the entrance transport roller 16 is connected to a pulley 31 fixed to the output shaft of a transport motor (paper transport means) 30 via a drive belt 29, and the folding roller 11 and the entrance transport roller 16 are driven by the transport motor 30. It can be rotated and stopped.

The edge folding rollers 14 and 15 are not complete cylinders, and have different shapes. One edge folding roller (convex roller) 14 includes a convex portion (fold forming portion) 14a that protrudes acutely from a part of the peripheral surface, and an inclined side surface that extends an inclined surface on the downstream side in the rotation direction of the convex portion 14a. 14b, a flat surface portion 14c where the other end edge of the inclined side surface 14b is bent, and an arc portion 14d connecting the flat surface portion 14c and the other inclined surface hem portion of the convex portion 14a. Each part 14b, 14c other than the convex part 14a is configured to fit within a circular peripheral surface formed by extending the arc part 14d. Reference numerals 24, 25, and 26 denote the gears shown in FIG.
In this example, the convex portion 14a is shown as an acute-angle projection, but this is only an example, and the overall shape and tip shape of the convex portion 14a can be variously changed according to the shape of the fold to be formed. Therefore, for example, only the tip may be flattened, may be arcuate, or the entire shape may be obtuse, or rectangular.
The other edge folding roller (concave roller) 15 is a concave portion (fold forming portion) 15 a configured such that a part of the peripheral surface is fitted to the convex portion 14 a of the edge folding roller 14. A flat portion 15c is formed at a position (peripheral surface) facing 15a, and an arc portion 15b is formed between the concave portion 15a and the flat surface 15c. The shape of the concave portion 15a can be changed according to the change in the shape of the convex portion 14a.
It should be noted that the surfaces of the flat portions 14c and 15c are not necessarily flat surfaces, and may be somewhat convex or concave as long as the gaps are formed so as not to interfere with each other and allow the paper to pass in the standby state. It may be.

The convex portion 14a and the concave portion 15a are fitted as shown in FIG. 3, and the sheet edge is creased. Further, the flat portions 14c and 15c provided on the both-end edge folding rollers 14 and 15, respectively, are parallel to the sheet passing path at the normal standby position as shown in FIG. A paper passage gap is formed, and the paper passage is not hindered. Accordingly, when the edge folding is not performed, the edge folding rollers 14 and 15 remain in the standby position shown in FIG. Further, a gear 25 is fixed to the shaft end of one edge folding roller 14, and a gear 26 is fixed to the shaft end of the other edge folding roller 15, and both gears 25, 26 are engaged with each other. The gear 25 is further connected to a gear 24 fixed to the output shaft of the edge folding motor (paper folding motor) 23. Therefore, the edge folding rollers 14 and 15 are configured to receive drive control of rotation and stop by the edge folding motor 23.
Further, as shown in FIG. 8, the shaft end portion of the edge folding roller 14 (or the edge folding roller 15) has a light shielding portion 14e protruding in the outer diameter direction, and this light shielding portion 14e is a home position sensor 27 ( Hereinafter, the HP sensor) is shielded from light at the standby position of the edge folding rollers 14 and 15, and at this time, the HP sensor 27 sends an ON signal so that the control means detects the standby position. In other words, the protrusion angle of the light shielding portion 14e is such that the HP sensor 27 can detect whether or not the planar portions 14c and 15c of the edge folding rollers 14 and 15 face each other in parallel (the state shown in FIG. 2). Is set.
Further, as a control system configuration, as shown in FIG. 8, the operation unit 201 provided in the copying apparatus main body 200 allows the user to select whether or not to fold the sheet, and when the sheet is folded, the edge is folded.・ Do input operation without breaking. The input signal is transmitted to the main body control board (control means) 202, and further, the signal is transmitted to the paper folding controller (control means) 100 provided in the edge folding apparatus 1 to perform a paper folding operation. I do. The edge folding operation is controlled by the paper folding controller 100, and the edge folding motor 23 and the conveyance motor 30 are rotated and stopped based on input signals from the leading edge detection sensor 17 and the HP sensor 27.

Next, the operation of the embodiment of the present invention will be described based on FIGS. 1 to 5, 9, and 10.
First, when an edge folding signal is output by the operation of the operation unit 201 on the main body side (S0), the signal is input to the paper folding controller 100 via the main body control board 202. Next, when performing edge folding, it is selected whether or not to adjust the paper size for edge folding and whether or not to adjust the edge folding start position at the front end of the paper (S1), and a signal about the selected result is sent to the paper. Input to the folding controller 100.
Here, when the crease formation start position is not adjusted, the paper folding controller 100 checks whether or not the edge folding rollers 14 and 15 are in the standby position based on the signal from the HP sensor 27 (S2). When the HP sensor 27 is not ON, the edge folding motor is rotated (S3). When the edge folding rollers 14 and 15 are in the standby position, the HP sensor 27 is turned ON (S4) and the edge folding motor is stopped. (S5). In this state, the rotation of the conveyance motor 30 is started (S6), the folding roller 11 and the entrance conveyance roller 16 are rotated in the direction of the arrow as shown in FIG. 2, and the recorded paper is fed by the discharge roll 211 of the copier body 200. Wait for When the paper reaches the entrance conveyance roller 6 as shown in FIG. 2 and the leading edge of the paper turns on the leading edge detection sensor 17 (S7), the concavo-convex portions of the edge folding rollers 14 and 15 become the crease formation position of the paper after t1 seconds. The edge folding motor 23 also starts to rotate so as to be engaged with each other, and the edge folding rollers 14 and 15 start to rotate in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 2 (S8). Further, after ta seconds, as shown in FIG. 3, the concave and convex portions of the edge folding rollers 14 and 15 are fitted at the crease forming position of the sheet, and the position of a predetermined length from the edge is folded back at a predetermined angle.

When adjusting the edge folding start position at the front end of the paper, an input operation for adjusting the edge folding start position is performed by the operation unit 201 on the copier body 200 side, and the signal is sent to the paper folding controller 100. Entered. The operation start timing t2 of the edge folding motor 30 is calculated from the input value, and this timing is set in the memory of the paper folding controller 100 (S9). And it operates like S10-S15 like the case where adjustment of a starting position is not performed (S2-S7). That is, the paper folding controller 100 checks whether or not the edge folding rollers 14 and 15 are in the standby position based on the signal from the HP sensor 27 (S10). When the HP sensor 27 is not ON, the edge folding motor is rotated (S11), and when the edge folding rollers 14 and 15 are in the standby position, the HP sensor 27 is turned ON (S12) and the edge folding motor is stopped. (S13). In this state, the rotation of the conveyance motor 30 is started (S14), the folding roller 11 and the entrance conveyance roller 16 are rotated in the direction of the arrow, and the recording paper is fed by the discharge roll 211 of the copying machine main body 200. When the paper reaches the entrance conveyance roller 6 as shown in FIG. 2 and the leading edge of the paper turns on the leading edge detection sensor 17 (S15), the concavo-convex portions of the edge folding rollers 14 and 15 become the fold formation position of the paper after t2 seconds. The edge folding motor 23 also starts to rotate so as to be engaged with each other, and the edge folding rollers 14 and 15 start to rotate in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 2 (S16). After another t2 seconds have elapsed since the leading edge detection by the leading edge detection sensor, and after the lapse of ta seconds, the concave and convex portions of the edge folding rollers 14 and 15 are fitted at the crease forming position of the sheet as shown in FIG. The position of is folded at a predetermined angle.
Thereafter, regardless of whether or not the edge folding start position is adjusted, the sheet is folded as shown in FIG. 4, and the conveyance motor 30 and the edge folding motor 23 continue to rotate and continue to convey the sheet. When the edge fold gradually enters the folding roller 11 from the crease forming portion and the edge fold passes through the nip of the folding roller 11 as shown in FIG. At the same time, the paper folding controller 100 monitors whether the edge folding rollers 14 and 15 reach the standby position and the HP sensor 27 is turned on (S18). When the HP sensor 27 is turned on, the edge folding motor 23 is stopped (S19). ) The edge folding rollers 14 and 15 maintain the standby position. Thereafter, the conveyance motor 30 is stopped at the timing when the trailing edge of the sheet passes through the nip of the folding roller 11 (S20).

In the present invention, the edge folding start for determining and changing the edge folding start position of the paper leading edge by the edge folding means is performed by the cooperation of the paper folding controller 100, the leading edge detection sensor 17, the edge folding motor 23, and the conveyance motor 30. Position change means (change means) is realized. Then, based on the input information about the paper size from the operation unit 201, a different paper folding start position is determined for each paper size, and control for realizing the determined paper folding start position is performed. Specifically, when changing the folding start position, the conveyance of the sheet by the conveyance motor 30 is started, and the edge folding is performed after a predetermined time t2 seconds from when the leading edge of the sheet is detected by the leading edge detection sensor 17. The driving of the motor 23 is started, and ta seconds after the start of the driving of the edge folding motor 23, a predetermined portion of the sheet is nipped by the fold forming portions of the edge folding rollers 14 and 15 to form a crease.
Further, according to the present invention, by having the edge folding start position means, it is possible to perform edge folding at optimal positions for all sizes of paper to be folded.
Further, according to the present invention, since the edge folding start position can be changed by an operation from the operation unit, the edge folding start position can be easily changed by an input from the operation unit. It becomes.
In the present invention, the changing means for changing the edge folding start position can be changed according to the sheet feed amount (drive start timing of the edge folding rollers 14 and 15 by the edge folding motor 23). As a result, it is possible to freely change the edge folding start position by simply controlling the edge feed motor without adding any parts.

1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an edge folding device (paper folding device) of the present invention and a copying machine in which the edge folding device is connected as a post-processing device. Operation side view of the embodiment The front view for demonstrating operation | movement of the edge folding apparatus of this invention. The front view for demonstrating operation | movement of the edge folding apparatus of this invention. The front view for demonstrating operation | movement of the edge folding apparatus of this invention. FIG. 6 is an operation diagram when the edge folding roller pair creases a sheet. FIG. 6 is an operation diagram when the edge folding roller pair creases a sheet. The top view of an edge folding apparatus. The block diagram of an edge folding device. The flowchart of an Example.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Edge folding device (paper folding device) 2 Edge folding portion (paper folding portion) 3 Bellows folding portion 4 Cross folding portion 5 Stacker 6 Connection portion 11 Folding roller pair 14 Edge folding roller ( 1st paper folding roller, 1st paper folding means), 14a convex part (fold forming part), 14b inclined side surface, 14c flat part, 14e light shielding part, 15 edge folding roller (2nd paper folding roller, 1st paper folding means) 2 paper folding means), 15a concave portion (fold forming portion), 15b inclined surface portion, 15c flat surface portion, 16 entrance conveying roller pair, 17 leading edge detection sensor, 23 edge folding motor (paper folding motor), 24, 25, 26 Gear, 27 HP sensor, 28 pulley, 29 drive belt, 30 transport motor, 100 paper folding controller (control means)

Claims (4)

A sheet conveying means for conveying the sheet, and the sheet folding roller subjected to the folding edge to the sheet conveyed by said sheet conveying means, and edge folding motor for driving the the paper folding rollers, initiated conveyed by the sheet conveying means A leading edge detection sensor for detecting the leading edge of the printed paper,
Based on an edge folding start position input from an external device, a delay time for operating the edge folding motor after the sheet enters the sheet conveying means is calculated, and the sheet is detected by the leading edge detection sensor. A paper folding apparatus comprising: control means for operating the edge folding motor to perform edge folding when the delay time has elapsed after detection of entry into the paper conveying means . The sheet folding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit calculates the delay time based on information about a sheet size.   An image forming apparatus comprising the sheet folding device according to claim 1.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the edge folding start position used for calculating the delay time by the control unit can be input by an operation unit provided in the image forming apparatus. apparatus.

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