JP4396783B2 - Image forming system - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming system in which a post-processing device that performs post-processing such as punching processing, folding processing, stapling processing, and shift processing is connected to an image forming apparatus.

  An image forming system in which a post-processing device that performs post-processing such as punching processing, folding processing, stapling processing, and shift processing on a paper on which an image has been formed is connected at a high speed like an electrophotographic image forming device. It is widely used as a system built around an image forming apparatus.

  By the way, in the post-processing apparatus, for example, the sheet is temporarily stopped to perform processing such as folding processing or stapling processing. Therefore, in order to prevent a collision between sheets conveyed before and after, Control is performed to increase the conveyance speed before and after to increase the distance between the sheets (Patent Document 1). In such a control, a sensor is provided at the paper carry-in port in the post-processing apparatus, and the conveyance speed is increased based on a paper trailing edge detection signal from the sensor.

  On the other hand, there are image forming systems equipped with a plurality of post-processing devices in order to enable various types of post-processing (Patent Documents 2 and 3). However, the present situation is that the management of the sheet conveyance speed of the entire image forming system is not considered from the viewpoint of operational stability and efficiency.

  When designing a system of an image forming system equipped with a plurality of post-processing devices, control is complicated if each post-processing device is provided with a transport speed control function as in Patent Document 1 and individual paper transport control is performed. As a result, troubles such as jams are likely to occur, and post-processing efficiency is reduced to lower the efficiency of the entire image forming system.

JP-A-5-16569 JP 2002-59496 A JP 2002-137503 A

  An object of the present invention is to solve the above-described problems in an image forming system equipped with a post-processing device.

The object of the present invention described above is achieved by the following invention.
1.
An image forming device, a first post-processing device, and a second post-processing device are connected in this order along the paper transport direction, and the paper on which the image is formed by the image forming device is the first post-processing device. An image forming system that is conveyed to the second post-processing device via the first and second post-processing devices and enables different types of post-processing on the paper,
The image forming apparatus discharges the sheet at a first conveyance speed;
After the first post-processing device receives the paper at the first transport speed, the paper is transported and discharged at a second transport speed higher than the first transport speed,
After the second post-processing apparatus receives the paper at the second transport speed, the second post-processing device discharges the paper at the second transport speed without performing post-processing, or performs post-processing to perform the second processing. An image forming system for discharging a sheet at a third conveyance speed lower than the conveyance speed.
2.
2. The image forming system according to claim 1, wherein the first post-processing device includes a paper feeding unit that feeds additional paper to be added to the paper on which the image is formed by the image forming apparatus.
3.
3. The image forming system according to 1 or 2, wherein the first post-processing device includes a folding processing unit configured to fold a sheet in three.
4).
4. The apparatus according to any one of 1 to 3, wherein the second post-processing device includes a stacker that stacks sheets and a stapling processing unit that staples sheets stacked on the stacker. Image forming system.
5).
5. The apparatus according to 4, wherein the second post-processing device includes a fixed paper discharge tray from which paper is discharged and a lift paper discharge tray from which the paper stapled by the staple processing unit is discharged. Image forming system.

  According to the invention of any one of claims 1 to 5, in the image forming system in which a plurality of post-processing apparatuses are connected to the image forming apparatus, the sheet conveyance control as a whole system is executed in a unified manner, and as a result, the control is simplified. The occurrence rate of failures such as jams can be reduced, and the processing in the post-processing apparatus can be speeded up.

It is a figure which shows conveyance control. 1 is an overall view of an image forming system according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a control system of the image forming system shown in FIG. 2. FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating sheet conveyance control in folding processing. FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating paper conveyance control in a stapling process. It is a flowchart of switching control of conveyance speed.

  FIG. 2 is an overall view of the image forming system according to the embodiment of the present invention. The image forming system includes an image forming apparatus 1, a first post-processing apparatus 2, and a second post-processing apparatus 3.

  The image forming apparatus 1 includes an automatic document feeder 101 and an image reading device 102 in the upper part, and the lower part is configured by a printer unit.

  In the printer unit, reference numerals 103 and 104 denote storage units for storing paper P. An image is formed on the paper P in the image forming unit 105 that includes the photoconductor 106 and forms an image on the paper P by an electrophotographic process, and the formed image is fixed in the fixing device 107.

  An image is formed on the paper P supplied from the storage unit 103 or 104, and the paper P on which the image is formed is discharged from the paper discharge port 113 by the paper discharge roller 110.

  The paper transport path includes a paper feed path 108 from the storage units 103 and 104 to the image forming unit 105, a transport path 109 from the image forming unit 105 through the fixing device 107 and the paper discharge roller 110 to the paper discharge port 113, and reverse. A back surface transport path 112 for transporting is provided.

  As the image forming mode, there are a single-side face-down paper discharge mode, a single-side face-up paper discharge mode, and a double-sided mode. In the single-side face-down paper discharge mode, an image is formed on one side and the paper P that has passed through the fixing device 107 is After the front and back are reversed by the reversing process, the paper is conveyed by the paper discharge roller 110 and discharged.

  In the single-sided face-up paper discharge mode, the paper P on which an image is formed on one side and transported through the transport path 109 is transported and discharged by the paper discharge roller 110 as it is.

  In the double-sided mode, the sheet P on which an image is formed on one side and has passed through the fixing device 107 travels downward and proceeds to the back surface conveyance path 112, and is re-fed to the sheet feeding path 108 after being turned upside down. .

  A back image is formed in the image forming unit 105 on the back surface of the re-feed paper P, and the paper P on which the back image is formed passes through the fixing device 107 and is conveyed and discharged by the paper discharge roller 110. Reference numeral 130 denotes an operation unit, which can set various modes in the image forming apparatus 1 and output modes using the first and second post-processing devices by operating the operation unit 130.

  The first post-processing device 2 is a post-processing device that performs at least one of punching processing, folding processing, stacking processing, and stapling processing. In the illustrated example, the punching processing unit 204 and the folding processing units 205, 206, and 207 are included. Have.

  The first post-processing device 2 is provided with a paper feed unit 212 for additional paper such as an inter sheet, and is attached to the paper carrying the image discharged from the image forming apparatus 1. The paper P discharged from the image forming apparatus 1 and introduced from the carry-in port 201 provided with the entrance sensor 214 travels along a horizontal linear conveyance path 202 and is discharged from the paper discharge port 216 by the paper discharge roller 203. Or proceed to a conveyance path 208 extending downward. The paper P that has progressed downward is punched by the punching processing unit 204 or folded through the folding processing units 205, 206, and 207, and then discharged from the paper discharge port 216 by the paper discharge roller 203. By using the three folding processing units 205, 206, and 207, various folding processes such as bi-folding, tri-folding, and Kannon folding can be performed.

  The second post-processing device 3 is a post-processing device that performs at least one of punching processing, stacking processing, and stapling processing. In the illustrated example, the second post-processing device 3 includes a stapling processing unit 302 and a stacker 303, and performs stapling processing on paper. Alternatively, a shift process is performed, and the sheet is discharged to the lift sheet tray 310.

  The second post-processing device 3 further includes a fixed paper discharge tray 311, and the paper P is discharged to the fixed paper discharge tray 311 for a small amount of image forming jobs.

  In the stapling process, a set number of sheets are accumulated in the stacker 303 and then stapled by the staple processing unit 302. The bundle of processed sheets P is raised on the stacker 303 and discharged to the lifting / lowering tray 310.

  For a small amount of image forming job, the conveyance path 305 is selected, and the paper P is discharged to the fixed paper discharge tray 311.

  In the shift paper discharge, the paper P is transported through the transport path 306, transported to the stacker 303, stopped, and then shifted in the stacker 303 and discharged to the lifting / lowering paper tray 310. In the stapling process, the paper P is transported through the transport path 306 and the set number of sheets is stacked on the stacker 303. The accumulated paper P is stapled by the staple processing unit 302, then rises to the upper left on the stacker 303, and is discharged to the elevating paper discharge tray 310.

  Even in a mode in which post-processing such as stapling or shift processing is not performed, when a large amount of image is to be formed, the paper P is discharged to the lifting / lowering discharge tray 310 via the conveyance path 306. That is, in a large amount of image formation, the paper P is transported through the transport path 306, travels straight without passing through the stacker 303, and is discharged to the lifting / lowering tray 310.

  FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a control system of the image forming system shown in FIG.

  Reference numeral 120 denotes an image forming apparatus control unit that controls the entire image forming system such as image reading, image forming, paper conveyance, and processing of the entire system including processing in the post-processing apparatus.

  Reference numeral 121 denotes a paper storage unit as a control unit, which performs a paper feed start in the storage units 103 and 104 in FIG.

  A sheet presence / absence detection unit 122 includes various sensors such as a sheet sensor. The sheet presence / absence detection unit 122 includes sensors provided in a recording sheet storage unit, a sheet conveyance path, and the like. is there.

  A paper size detection unit 123 includes sensors and the like provided in the storage units 103 and 104 in FIG. One sensor may also serve as the paper presence / absence detection unit 122 and the paper size detection unit 123.

  The feeding unit 124 performs conveyance control in the sheet feeding path 108 in FIG.

  The transport unit 125 performs transport control on the transport path 109 in FIG.

  The paper discharge unit 126 controls the paper discharge roller 110.

  The image data storage unit 128 is a memory that stores image data generated by the image reading apparatus 102 in FIG. 2 and image data received from the outside via a network, and includes a large-capacity memory such as a semiconductor memory or a hard disk memory.

  The image forming unit 129 controls the image forming unit 105 and the fixing device 107 in FIG.

  The operation unit 130 includes an input unit 131 composed of operation keys and a display unit 132 composed of an LCD panel or a CRT.

  Reference numeral 220 denotes a post-processing device control unit that performs overall control in the first post-processing device 2.

  The discharge path selection unit 221 selects whether the sheet received from the image forming apparatus 1 and the sheet fed from the sheet feeding unit 212 are discharged through the transport path 202 or the transport path 208. In addition, the discharge path selection unit further selects various conveyance paths of the folding processing units 205 to 207 and performs various folding processes.

  The punching unit 222 controls the punching processing unit 204 in FIG.

  The folding processing unit 223 controls the folding processing units 205 to 207 in FIG.

  The first transport unit 224 performs transport control in the transport path 202 in FIG.

  The second transport unit 225 performs transport control on the transport path 208 in FIG.

  The third transport unit 226 performs transport control on the transport path between the folding paths 209, 210, and 211 in FIG.

  The detection unit 228 includes a sensor for detecting paper, and the entrance sensor 214 and the paper discharge sensor 215 in FIG. 2 constitute the detection unit 228.

  Reference numeral 320 denotes a post-processing device control unit that performs overall control in the second post-processing device 3.

  Whether the discharge path selection unit 321 discharges the sheet received from the first post-processing device 2 to the fixed discharge tray 311 via the transport path 305 in FIG. 2 or to the lift discharge tray 310 via the transport path 306. Alternatively, the control of discharging to the lifting / discharging tray 310 via the transport path 306 and the stacker 303 is selectively controlled.

  The stack aligning unit 322 controls the alignment of the sheets in the stacker 303 in FIG. 2, and controls the alignment of the sheets P by driving and controlling a regulating plate that regulates the side edges of the stacked sheets P, and Then, control is performed to push up and eject the stapled paper P.

  The staple unit 323 controls the staple unit 302 in FIG.

  The first transport unit 324 performs transport control in the transport path 306 in FIG.

  The second transport unit 325 performs transport control in the transport path 305 in FIG.

  The third transport unit 326 performs transport control from the stacker 303 in FIG. 2 to the fixed paper discharge tray 311.

  The first discharge unit 327 performs paper discharge control to the lift paper tray 310 and lift control of the lift paper tray 310.

  The second discharge unit 328 performs discharge control to the fixed discharge tray 311.

  Communication among the image forming apparatus 1, the first post-processing apparatus 2, and the second post-processing apparatus 3 is performed by serial communication units 127, 229, 230, and 329 provided respectively.

  Paper transport control by the control system shown in FIG. 3 is performed as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 showing the paper transport speed in each apparatus. FIG. 4 shows an example of folding processing, and FIG. 5 shows an example of stapling processing.

  In the example of FIG. 4, the paper is carried out from the paper storage unit 121 and conveyed through the paper feed path 108 by the feeding unit 124 at the conveyance speed H1.

  After temporarily stopping at the registration unit, the transport unit 125 discharges the transport path 109 at a transport speed H2 (first transport speed) lower than the transport speed H1 by the paper discharge unit 126 and transports it to the first post-processing device 2. Is done.

  In the first post-processing apparatus 2, the transport paths 208 and 209 are transported by the first and second transport units 225 and 226 at a transport speed H3 (second transport speed) higher than the transport speed H2, and are transported after the folding process. The path 202 is discharged by the discharge unit 227 at the conveyance speed H3 and is carried into the second post-processing device 3. In the second post-processing device 3, the transport path 306 is transported by the first transport unit 324 at the transport speed H <b> 3, and is discharged to the lifting / lowering tray 310.

  As described above, the conveyance speed H3 in the conveyance paths 208 and 202 before and after the folding process in the first post-processing apparatus 2 and the conveyance speed H3 in the conveyance path 306 in the second post-processing apparatus 3 are the discharge port of the image forming apparatus 1. It is set to a value higher than the conveyance speed H2 at 113.

  In the example of FIG. 5, the sheet processed at the image forming apparatus 1 and discharged at the transport speed H <b> 2 (first transport speed) in the same manner as in FIG. 4 is transported at the transport speed H <b> 2 by the first post-processing apparatus 2. The transport path 202 is transported by the transport unit 224 and discharged at a higher transport speed H3 (second transport speed), and is transported into the second post-processing device 3.

  In the second post-processing device 3, the transport path 306 is transported by the second transport unit 325 at the transport speed H <b> 3, and stops at the stacker 303. After the stapling process, the paper is transported from the stacker 303 at a transport speed H4 that is lower than the transport speed H3, and is discharged to the lift sheet tray 310.

  The switching from the conveyance speed H <b> 2 to H <b> 3 in FIGS. 4 and 5 is performed by the control of the post-processing device control unit 220 using the signal from the detection unit 228.

  That is, the conveyance speed is switched from H2 to H3 based on a signal detected by the detection unit 228 when the trailing edge of the sheet discharged from the image forming apparatus 1 is conveyed at the conveyance speed H2.

  FIG. 6 is a flowchart of transfer speed switching control using the detection unit 228.

  The presence / absence determination of the paper discharge information in step F1 is performed based on a signal from the paper discharge sensor 111 in the paper presence / absence detection unit 122 of the image forming apparatus 1.

  When there is paper discharge information, the conveyance speed is set in the paper carry-in portion of the first post-processing device 2. The setting of the conveyance speed is control for adjusting the conveyance speed at the carry-in port 201 of the first post-processing apparatus 2 to the conveyance speed at the paper discharge port 113 of the image forming apparatus 1, and F2 and F3, F6 and F7, and F8 and F9. As described above, when the conveyance speed at the paper discharge port 113 is 500 mm / sec, the conveyance speed at the carry-in port 201 is 500 mm / sec, and when the conveyance speed at the paper discharge port 113 is 800 mm / sec, When the conveyance speed is 800 mm / sec and the conveyance speed at the discharge port 113 is 1000 mm / sec, the conveyance speed at the carry-in port 201 is 1000 mm / sec.

  When it is detected that the trailing edge of the sheet has passed through the entrance sensor 214 in the detection unit 228 of the first post-processing device 2 (Yes in F4), the conveying speed is set to 1000 mm / sec to convey the sheet. .

  After step F5 in FIG. 5 in the first post-processing apparatus 2, the conveyance of the paper in the main conveyance path in the first post-processing apparatus 2 and the second post-processing apparatus 3, that is, the conveyance path between the processing units is as shown in FIG. 5 is carried out at a conveying speed of 1000 mm / sec (H3).

  As is apparent from FIG. 6, the conveyance control at the carry-in port 201 of the first post-processing device 2 is executed according to the conveyance conditions in the image forming apparatus 1 until the paper trailing edge passes by the inlet sensor 214 provided at the carry-in port 201. Is done.

  The same applies to the second post-processing device 3, and until the detection of the passage of the rear end of the sheet by the sensor 312 at the carry-in port 301 of the second post-processing device 3, the second post-processing device 3 is executed according to the transport control conditions in the first post-processing device 2. The

  That is, in the succeeding stage processing apparatus, the control at the carry-in entrance is executed according to the transport conditions in the preceding stage processing apparatus until the rear end of the sheet passes.

  In such control using the transport conditions in the preceding apparatus, it is necessary to capture the information on the transport conditions in the preceding apparatus into the subsequent apparatus. For example, in order to increase the processing efficiency in the second post-processing apparatus 3, two sheets of paper that are conveyed back and forth are stacked and conveyed. That is, in order to increase the productivity, when the sheets are continuously conveyed with the interval between the sheets narrowed to the limit, the two sheets are conveyed in the second post-processing apparatus 3 in a stacked manner. In this case, a bypass gate 313 is provided in the conveyance path 306 near the carry-in entrance, and the preceding sheet and the succeeding sheet are conveyed while being switched by switching the bypass gate 313. In this case, the preceding sheet is temporarily stopped. For the setting control of the stop time at the time, the information on the transport speed and the sensor distance at the paper discharge port in the processing device in the previous stage, that is, the first post-processing device 2 is used.

  In the present invention, from the processing device at the previous stage to the processing device at the subsequent stage, that is, from the image forming apparatus 1 to the first post-processing apparatus 2 and from the first post-processing apparatus 2 to the second post-processing apparatus 3 in the example of FIG. When the sheet is delivered to the printer, information on the conveyance speed H and the sensor distance D at the paper discharge outlet of the preceding apparatus, that is, information from the paper discharge sensor to the paper discharge outlet is transmitted to the subsequent processing apparatus.

  The conveyance speed H and the sensor distance D are as shown in FIG.

  In this way, the subsequent processing apparatus, that is, the first post-processing apparatus 2 that has received the sheet from the image forming apparatus 1 and the second post-processing apparatus 3 that has received the sheet from the first post-processing apparatus 2, respectively, Paper recognition control can be performed using the information shown in FIG. 1 without recognizing the model of the apparatus.

  These pieces of information are transmitted via the serial communication units 127, 229, 230, and 329 in FIG. 3. Specifically, prior to the start of execution of the image forming job, the image forming control unit 120 transmits the information. It is transmitted together with an operation command issued to the processing device controllers 220 and 320.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Image forming apparatus 2 1st post-processing apparatus 3 2nd post-processing apparatus D Sensor distance H1 Conveyance speed H2 Conveyance speed (1st conveyance speed)
H3 transport speed (second transport speed)

Claims (5)

An image forming device, a first post-processing device, and a second post-processing device are connected in this order along the paper transport direction, and the paper on which the image is formed by the image forming device is the first post-processing device. An image forming system that is conveyed to the second post-processing device via the first and second post-processing devices and enables different types of post-processing on the paper,
The image forming apparatus discharges the sheet at a first conveyance speed;
After the first post-processing device receives the paper at the first transport speed, the paper is transported and discharged at a second transport speed higher than the first transport speed,
After the second post-processing apparatus receives the paper at the second transport speed, the second post-processing device discharges the paper at the second transport speed without performing post-processing, or performs post-processing to perform the second processing. An image forming system for discharging a sheet at a third conveyance speed lower than the conveyance speed. 2. The image forming system according to claim 1, wherein the first post-processing device includes a paper feeding unit that feeds additional paper to be added to the paper on which the image is formed by the image forming apparatus. 3. The image forming system according to claim 1, wherein the first post-processing apparatus includes a folding processing unit configured to fold the sheet in three. 4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second post-processing device includes a stacker that stacks sheets and a stapling processing unit that staples sheets stacked on the stacker. 5. Image forming system. 5. The second post-processing device includes a fixed paper discharge tray from which paper is discharged and a lift paper discharge tray from which the paper stapled by the staple processing unit is discharged. The image forming system described.

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