JP4457032B2 - Paper processing device and image forming device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a paper processing device (including the concept of a paper transport device and a paper post-processing device) for processing paper (recording medium) discharged from an image forming apparatus, and a copy having the paper processing device integrally or detachably. The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus such as a printer, a printer, a facsimile, or a plotter.

2. Description of the Related Art Paper post-processing devices that receive copied paper discharged from a paper discharge unit of an image forming apparatus and perform various post-processing such as stapling, punching, folding, and stamping are known.
In such a sheet post-processing apparatus, when processing a plurality of copies formed by the image forming apparatus in combination with a circulation type automatic document feeder, first the post-processing such as stapling is performed on the first sheet bundle. Then, the sheet bundle is discharged to the sheet discharge tray, and when the post-processing unit is ready for processing, the next sheet bundle is received. However, when post-processing as described above is performed on a plurality of copies, in addition to the time required for post-processing such as stapling, it is also necessary to discharge the sheet bundle from the post-processing unit to the paper discharge tray. The processing time is longer than the image forming time of the image forming apparatus. Thus, during the paper post-processing, the operation of the image forming apparatus is temporarily stopped to cope with it, but a reduction in productivity of the image forming apparatus cannot be avoided.

In order to cope with such a problem, Japanese Patent No. 3531786 provides two parallel conveyance paths (stack paths) upstream of the post-processing unit, and stacks two sheets of paper to the post-processing unit. Thus, a configuration for absorbing the difference between the image forming speed and the post-processing time is described.
The stack path is provided with a stopper for regulating the leading edge position of the paper.

Japanese Patent No. 3531786

In the conventional post-processing apparatus, since two sheets are stacked and conveyed to the post-processing unit, the number of sheets that can be stacked during the processing of the preceding sheet bundle is small, and the image forming speed of the image forming apparatus can be increased. There was no problem.
In addition, when stacking sheets on the stack path, the leading end of the stack sheet is abutted against the stopper, and the stack sheet is nipped between the pair of conveying rollers and slipped, and the next stack sheet is received. .
At that time, since the stack paper and the transport roller are still slipped, there is a possibility that the stack paper is stained. Further, as the number of stacks increases, the conveying force by the conveying rollers increases, so that the force against which the stacked paper abuts against the stopper becomes strong, and there is a possibility that the leading edge of the stacked paper may be damaged.

  The present invention provides a paper processing apparatus that can satisfactorily process paper even when the image forming speed of the image forming apparatus is high, and can prevent the occurrence of dirt and scratches on the paper, and an image forming apparatus having the same. Its main purpose.

In order to achieve the above object, according to the first aspect of the present invention, sheets discharged from a copying machine or the like are sequentially and temporarily stacked in a stack path having a stopper, and the stacked sheet bundle is stored in a predetermined manner. A paper processing apparatus that transports at timing, processes, and discharges the paper to a paper discharge tray has a configuration in which two or more sheets are stacked in the same stack path, and the sheets are stacked in the stack path. In the interval, the conveying roller pair in the stack path is separated, and the driving roller of the conveying roller pair in the stack path is on the sheet side to be conveyed and accumulated later. During the accumulation of the sheet, the driving roller Is rotating .

According to the second aspect of the present invention, sheets discharged from a copying machine or the like are temporarily and sequentially stacked in a stack path having a stopper, and the stacked sheet bundle is conveyed at a predetermined timing to perform processing. The paper processing apparatus that performs discharge to the paper discharge tray has a configuration in which two or more sheets are stacked in the same stack path, and while the sheets are stacked in the stack path, The pair of conveying rollers are separated from each other, and the standby position of the stopper before the accumulation of the sheets is equal to or longer than the sheet length .

According to the third aspect of the present invention, sheets discharged from a copying machine or the like are temporarily and sequentially stacked in a stack path having a stopper, and the stacked sheet bundle is conveyed at a predetermined timing to perform processing. The paper processing apparatus that performs discharge to the paper discharge tray has a configuration in which two or more sheets are stacked in the same stack path, and while the sheets are stacked in the stack path, After the transport roller pair is separated and a desired number of sheets are accumulated in the stack path, the transport roller pair is pressed so as to transport the sheet bundle, and before the transport roller pair is pressed, the transport roller The rotation of the pair of drive rollers is stopped .

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, an image forming apparatus includes the paper processing apparatus according to any one of the first to third aspects .

According to the present invention , paper processing can be performed satisfactorily even when the image forming speed of the image forming apparatus is high.
According to the present invention , it is possible to prevent the paper from being stained and scratched.
According to the present invention, it is possible to assist the conveyance of the next stack paper to the stopper.
According to the present invention, it is possible to reliably convey a sheet.

According to the present invention, it is possible to reliably store sheets in the stack path.
According to the present invention , it is possible to prevent the paper and the stopper from colliding with each other, and it is possible to prevent the paper from being damaged.
According to the present invention, it is possible to reliably prevent misalignment of paper.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a sheet post-processing apparatus 2 as a sheet processing apparatus according to the present embodiment. An image forming system as shown in FIGS. 13 and 14 can be constructed using the sheet post-processing apparatus 2.
The form shown in FIG. 13 shows an outline of a system as a copying machine, and includes an image forming apparatus PR, a paper feeding apparatus PF that supplies paper to the image forming apparatus PR, a scanner SC for reading an image, and a circulating automatic It consists of a document feeder ARDF. The sheet on which the image is formed by the image forming apparatus PR is conveyed to the entrance guide plate of the finisher FR (sheet post-processing apparatus 2) via the relay unit CU.

  FIG. 14 is a schematic diagram of a printer-type system without the scanner SC and the circulation type automatic document feeder ARDF, and other configurations are the same as those of the copying machine. The sheet post-processing apparatus 2 shown as the finisher FR is attached to the side of the image forming apparatus PR, and the sheet discharged from the image forming apparatus PR is guided to the sheet post-processing apparatus FR, and the sheet post-processing apparatus FR Various post-processing is performed depending on the function. The image forming apparatus PR may be any apparatus having a known image forming function, such as an apparatus for an electrophotographic image forming process or an apparatus having an inkjet print head. .

  In the paper post-processing apparatus FR (hereinafter denoted by reference numeral 2), as shown in FIG. 1, the paper received from the image forming apparatus PR is post-processing means (in this embodiment) that performs post-processing on one sheet. A proof conveyance path B leading to the proof tray 18, a straight conveyance path C leading to the pair of conveyance rollers 13, alignment, stapling, and the like are performed through an inlet conveyance path A (see FIG. 4) having a punch unit (not shown) as a punching means. It is configured to be distributed by the branching claw 26 to the lower conveyance path D leading to the staple tray 10.

The sheet post-processing apparatus 2 in the present embodiment has a configuration for performing post-processing up and down. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 15 denotes a paper discharge roller pair, 24 denotes a conveying roller pair, 72 denotes a third branching portion, 73 denotes a fourth branching portion, 74 denotes a fifth branching portion, and 75 denotes a sixth branching portion. , 55 and 56 are staple tray conveyance paths, 41 is a staple discharge roller pair, 28 is a rear end fence, 14 is a discharge belt, 11 is a discharge claw, 57 and 58 are discharge conveyance paths, 17a is an upper discharge tray, 17b is a lower discharge tray, 310 is an upper discharge tray paper surface detection sensor, 311 is an upper discharge tray lower limit detection sensor, 312 is a lower discharge tray paper surface detection sensor, 313 Indicates a lower discharge tray lower limit detection sensor.
In FIG. 4, reference numeral 19 denotes an inlet conveyance roller pair, 314 denotes an inlet paper surface detection sensor, 70 denotes a first branch portion, and 71 denotes a second branch portion.

Hereinafter, a stacking (stacking) operation when transporting to the lower transport path D will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 4.
The paper transported to the staple tray 10 by the pair of transport rollers 13 and 22 is aligned in the direction perpendicular to the paper transport direction by the jogger fence 12 on the staple tray 10, and the transport direction is aligned with reference to the rear end fence by the tapping roller 8. Then, the stapling process is performed by the staple unit 5.
The sheet that requires the second stapling process is discharged from the image forming apparatus before the stapling process for the first sheet bundle is completed. Is transported to the tip stopper claw 32 as a stopper installed in the transport path (pre-stack transport path) E, and stays at that point.

After the sheets are stacked up to the set number on the transport path E, the next sheet is transported to the transport path (prestack normal transport path) F by the branching claw 27 (see FIG. 4) and transported to the junction 62 as it is.
A sheet bundle staying in the conveying path E is conveyed so that the merging timing coincides with the sheet conveyed in the conveying path F, and the sheet conveyed from both paths at the merging point (prestack merging unit) 62 is conveyed. It is merged and conveyed to the conveyance path (pre-stack merging conveyance path) G by the merging portion conveyance roller pair 25, and is conveyed to the staple tray 10 which has been processed and is empty.
Here, the stack mechanism in the transport paths E and F will be described in detail. When there is a sheet on the staple tray 10 and the stapling process is performed, the sheet discharged from the image forming apparatus performs a stacking operation in the transport paths E and F (hereinafter, this stacking operation is referred to as “pre-stacking operation”). ").

The leading end stopper pawl 32 has a stopper moving mechanism 80 that moves up and down in accordance with the set paper size by belt driving, and reaches the standby position corresponding to the set size when the paper size to be used by the operator is set. It is moved in advance (Step 0: see FIG. 5).
At this time, the standby position of the leading end stopper claw 32 is set to a position where the distance between the leading end stopper claw 32 and the nip of the conveying roller 21 is equal to or longer than the length of the loaded paper, and the trailing end of the sheet is surely placed downstream of the stacking claw 30. Wait at a position where it can be delivered.
As shown in FIG. 4, the stopper moving mechanism 80 includes an upper roller 81 that is a driven roller, a lower roller 82 that is a driving roller, a belt 83 that is wound around both rollers and to which the tip stopper pawl 32 is attached, A motor 85 is provided as a drive source for driving the lower roller 82 via 84.

The conveyance roller pair 23 provided in the conveyance path E has an independent drive mechanism (not shown), and each has a pressure release mechanism (not shown). The conveying roller pair 23 includes a driving roller 23a and a driven roller 23b, and the driven roller 23b can be brought into and out of contact with the driving roller 23a by the above-described pressure release mechanism (pressing, pressure contact, and separation). The driving roller 23a is disposed on the side of the paper that is conveyed and stacked later. 5 to 12, the dot display roller of the transport roller pair is a drive roller. Moreover, in FIGS. 6-12, the code | symbol is abbreviate | omitted suitably about each member shown in FIG.
In the job for performing the prestack operation, the conveyance roller pair 23 is released (separated) (Step 1: see FIG. 5 and the like). In response to the detection of the paper by the paper detection sensor 315 (Step 2), the pressure of the transport roller pair 23 is released, and then the drive roller 23a rotates (Step 3).

The sheet a conveyed from the lower conveyance path D is conveyed by the conveyance roller 20 (Step 4), conveyed to the conveyance path E by the branch claw 27 (Step 5), and passes through the stack claw 30 (Step 6).
As shown in FIG. 2, the stack pawl 30 is urged by a spring 34 in the direction of an arrow 87, and applies a transport force to the transport roller 21. The sheet a that has come into contact with the stack pawl 30 is transported while spreading the stack pawl 30 by the transport force (see FIG. 6), and is transported to the position of the leading end stopper pawl 32 with the auxiliary transport force of the transport roller pair 23 (see FIG. 6). Step 8). In FIG. 2, the stack claw 30 is indicated by a single line, but is actually formed of a thin plate.
When the trailing edge of the sheet a passes through the stack pawl 30, the stack pawl 30 returns to the set position by the tension of the spring 34 (Step 7), and at the same time, the link 31 rotates as indicated by the broken line in FIG. a Moves so as to follow the trailing edge, hides the trailing edge of the sheet a, and rotates to a position where a space for transporting the next sheet can be secured (Step 9: see FIG. 7).
Note that the trajectory of the front end of the stack claw 30 is regulated by the guide plate 86 so as to draw a trajectory indicated by a broken line in FIG. 4 in order to prevent the stack claw 30 from catching the rear end of the sheet a. As shown in FIG. 3, the stack claw 30 has a mechanism for pulling inward by a link 33 so that the tip of the stack claw 30 follows the locus.

Similarly, it is confirmed that the sheet order does not reverse at the timing when the sheet b passes through the conveyance roller 20 and the leading edge of the sheet b passes through the trailing edge of the sheet a (see FIG. 8). (Step 10: see FIG. 9), a conveying force is applied to the sheet b and conveyed (Step 11).
Here, the transport roller 21 is disposed at a position where the leading end of the sheet b passes the trailing end of the sheet a and does not pass through the nip until the stack pawl 30 returns to the normal position in the corresponding sheet minimum size. The timing at which the leading edge of the paper b passes the trailing edge of the paper a is measured by calculating from the transport distance and the transport linear speed from the detection of the paper by the paper detection sensor 315 to the position where the stack pawl 30 hides the paper. .
Thereafter, the same operation as the operation of the stack claw 30 on the paper a (Step 5 to Step 11) is performed.

Thereafter, the same operation is repeated, and after prestacking is completed until the number of sheets is one less than the prestack setting number, the driving roller 23a of the conveying roller pair 23 is stopped, pressed (pressing: nip formation), and the leading edge. The stopper claw 32 operates in the order of retraction, and the pre-stacked sheet bundle c stays waiting for the pre-stack final sheet n (Step 12).
Next, the prestack final sheet n is transported to the transport path (prestack normal transport path) F by the branching claw 27 (Step 13: see FIG. 10) and transported by the transport roller pair 22 (Step 14).
For the pre-stacked sheet bundle c retained in the transport path E, the transport distance from the transport path F to the confluence 62, the transport distance from the prestack paper retention position to the confluence 62, and the transport linear velocity were calculated. The conveying roller pair 23 is rotated at the timing to convey the sheet bundle c (Step 15: see FIG. 11), and the sheet n and the sheet bundle c conveyed from both conveying paths are merged at the junction 62 (Step 16: FIG. 12). (Refer to FIG. 4), the sheet is transported to a transport path (pre-stack junction transport path) G and transported to the staple tray 10 (Step 17).

1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a sheet processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. 4 is a perspective view showing a positional relationship between a stack claw and a transport roller 21 and a stack claw moving mechanism. FIG. It is a figure which shows operation | movement of the movement mechanism of a stack nail | claw. FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of the vicinity of the entrance of the sheet processing apparatus. It is a figure which shows the stack operation | movement to a stack path | route, and is a figure which shows the state which the paper front end reached | attained the stack nail | claw. FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a stacking operation to the stack path, and a diagram illustrating a state where the leading edge of the sheet has entered the stack path through the stack claw. FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a stacking operation to the stack path, and is a diagram illustrating a state in which the leading end of the sheet has reached a stopper of the stack path and the stack pawl has moved to hide the trailing end of the sheet. FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a stacking operation to the stack path, and is a diagram illustrating a state in which the leading edge of the next sheet enters the stack path. It is a figure which shows the stack operation | movement to a stack path | route, and is a figure which shows the state which the stack nail | claw returned to the original position. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a stack operation to a stack path, and illustrates a state where stacking to the stack path is completed and a final sheet is transported to a normal transport path. It is a figure which shows the stack operation | movement to a stack path | route, and is a figure which shows the state by which the conveyance roller pair of the stack path | route was pressed. It is a figure which shows the stack operation | movement to a stack path | route, and is a figure which shows the state which joined the sheet | seat bundle | flux of the stack path | route, and the last sheet | seat. 1 is a diagram illustrating an image forming system using a sheet processing apparatus. FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating another image forming system using a sheet processing apparatus.

Explanation of symbols

a, b Paper 23 Transport roller pair 23a Drive roller 32 Stopper E Stack path

Claims (4)

A sheet that is temporarily and sequentially stacked in a stack path having a stopper, conveyed from the copying machine or the like, transports the stacked sheet bundle at a predetermined timing, performs processing, and is discharged to a discharge tray. In the processing device,
It has a configuration in which two or more sheets are stacked in the same stack path ,
While stacking sheets in the stack path, the pair of transport rollers in the stack path is separated,
The sheet processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a driving roller of the pair of conveying rollers in the stack path is on a sheet side to be conveyed and accumulated later, and the driving roller is rotated during the accumulation of sheets. A sheet that is temporarily and sequentially stacked in a stack path having a stopper, conveyed from the copying machine or the like, transports the stacked sheet bundle at a predetermined timing, performs processing, and is discharged to a discharge tray. In the processing device,
It has a configuration in which two or more sheets are stacked in the same stack path,
While stacking sheets in the stack path, the pair of transport rollers in the stack path is separated ,
The sheet processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein a standby position of the stopper before the accumulation of sheets is equal to or longer than a sheet length . A sheet that is temporarily and sequentially stacked in a stack path having a stopper, conveyed from the copying machine or the like, transports the stacked sheet bundle at a predetermined timing, performs processing, and is discharged to a discharge tray. In the processing device,
It has a configuration in which two or more sheets are stacked in the same stack path,
While stacking sheets in the stack path, the pair of transport rollers in the stack path is separated,
After a desired number of sheets are accumulated in the stack path, the pair of transport rollers are pressed so as to transport the sheet bundle,
A sheet processing apparatus that stops rotation of a driving roller of the pair of transport rollers before the pair of transport rollers is pressed . An image forming apparatus comprising the sheet processing apparatus according to claim 1 .

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