JP4681463B2 - Paper post-processing device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a sheet post-processing apparatus that can be connected to an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a printer, or a multi-function peripheral by a joining mechanism having a simple configuration.

In recent years, in an image forming apparatus, in order to perform post-processing of paper such as sorting or stapling of paper after image formation, the paper post-processing device is adjacent to the paper discharge unit of the image forming apparatus main body. There is something to provide. In such a sheet post-processing apparatus, fixing metal plates are attached at two positions on the front and rear sides on the image forming apparatus side, and the sheet metal discharged from the paper post-processing apparatus is screwed from the front and rear of the paper post-processing apparatus. (For example, refer to Patent Document 1).
JP 2004-142868 A

  In such a case, when the installation location is near the wall, the image forming apparatus and the paper post-processing device must be fixed at a position away from the installation location and then moved to the installation location, which is a heavy labor. Further, the height adjustment of the sheet post-processing apparatus must be performed at the docking position, and the same height adjustment must be performed at the installation location.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention solves the above-described problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a sheet post-processing apparatus that can be connected to an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a printer, or a multi-function machine by a joining mechanism having a simple configuration. .

According to one embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a sheet post-processing apparatus having a housing frame that is installed adjacent to an image forming apparatus to perform post-processing of a sheet on which an image is formed by the image forming apparatus. , a stepped screw member mounted to the frame for the housing, along the stepped screw member, and a slide sheet metal elongated hole for movably up and down the slide while sliding is formed in the vertical direction, the A sheet post-processing apparatus is provided that can be fixed from the operator side at a position where the slide sheet metal is engaged with a claw-shaped portion of a claw-shaped member attached to the image forming apparatus.

  In the sheet post-processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, the fixing is performed by screwing.

  Furthermore, in the paper post-processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, a punch unit for punching a paper bundle after image formation is incorporated using a member attached to the image forming apparatus. To do.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to obtain a sheet post-processing apparatus that can be connected to an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a printer, or a multifunction machine by a joining mechanism having a simple configuration.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the drawings, the same portions are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant description is omitted. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a main part of a paper post-processing apparatus 7 according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a top view of the main part of the paper post-processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram showing a sheet post-processing device 7 disposed adjacent to an image forming apparatus 5 such as a printer.

  The sheet post-processing device 7 basically includes a buffering mechanism 10, a processing tray 12, a stapler 14, a first discharge tray 16, and a second discharge tray 18.

  A sheet P formed by an image forming apparatus 5 such as a copying machine and discharged from a pair of paper discharge rollers 6 is received by a pair of entrance rollers 22 and supplied to a pair of paper feed rollers 24 for supply. It is sent from the paper roller 24 to the buffering mechanism 10. The entrance roller 22 is driven by an entrance roller motor 26. Between the entrance roller 22 and the buffering mechanism 10, a paper path ceiling 36 for guiding the paper P to the paper feed roller 24 is provided. The entrance roller 22 includes an upper entrance roller 22a and a lower entrance roller 22b. The paper feed roller 24 also includes an upper paper feed roller and a lower paper feed roller.

  Below the buffering mechanism 10, a processing tray 12 on which the paper P dropped from the buffering mechanism 10 is loaded is disposed.

  The processing tray 12 aligns and supports the stacked paper P while the paper P is stapled by the stapler 14 which is a processing mechanism that performs post-processing.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the stapler 14 is positioned by the staple driving unit 49, and the staple processing is controlled. The processing tray 12 includes a pair of upper and lower upper alignment rollers 38a and a lower vertical alignment roller 38b shown in FIG. 5 that align a plurality of sheets P dropped and supplied from the buffering mechanism 10 in the vertical direction that is the conveyance direction. . The vertical and vertical alignment rollers 38 a and 38 b also serve as a bundle conveying roller that sandwiches the sheet bundle T after the stapling process and picks it up from the stapler 14. The upper vertical alignment roller 38a is driven by a vertical alignment upper roller motor 40, and the lower vertical alignment roller 38b is driven by a vertical alignment lower roller motor 42.

  A rotatable paddle 44 for aligning the uppermost paper P placed on the processing tray 12 in the vertical direction at a position where the trailing edge of the paper P falls when the paper P is supplied to the processing tray 12 in a falling manner. Is placed. As shown in FIG. 6, the paddle 44 aligns the receiving portion 44 a of the paper P that is dropped and supplied onto the processing tray 12, the punching portion 44 b that scrapes off the paper P on the processing tray 12, and the paper P on the processing tray 12. It has a feed portion 44 c and is driven by a paddle motor 46. The paddle 44 is made of a rubber material and has elasticity.

  As shown in FIG. 7, the buffering mechanism 10 includes a rear end presser 41, a paddle 44, and a rear end presser drive unit 43. The buffering mechanism 10 waits for one or a plurality of sheets. When the predetermined number of sheets is reached, the buffering mechanism 10 is in a standby state in order to move the sheet P onto the processing tray 12 positioned below. A rear end presser 41 that sandwiches the rear end of the sheet is disposed between paddles 44 that are rotatable in the direction of the processing tray 12. A rear end presser 41 for pressing the rear end of the paper P is disposed between the two paddles 44 so as to be rotatable coaxially with the paddle 44. A torsion spring 41a is interposed between the rear end presser 41 and the shaft. By the spring action by the torsion spring 41 a, the sheet P is clamped on the upper surface of the two paddles 44 on the one surface side rear end and the rear end presser 41 on the other one surface side rear end.

  Further, one end of the rear end presser 41 is connected to the rear end presser drive unit 43. Further, the rear end pressing drive unit 43 is connected to the solenoid 43a at one end. The solenoid 43a pulls the rear end pressing drive unit 43, and acts to release the clamp of the paper clamped by the spring action.

  A stopper 45 is provided at the end of the processing tray 12 on the side of the stapler 14 to abut the rear end of the paper P and regulate the rear end position. Near the center of the processing tray 12, there is a conveying belt 50 that carries the stapled and the sheet bundle T taken out from the stapler 14 by the vertical and vertical alignment rollers 38a and 38b to the first or second discharge trays 16 and 18. Provided. A feed claw 50 a that hooks the rear end of the sheet bundle T is attached to the transport belt 50.

  The buffering mechanism 10 can supply the paper P to the processing tray 12 while being transported in the direction of the first or second paper discharge tray 16 or 18. The conveyance of the paper P in the direction of the paper discharge trays 16 and 18 is performed by bringing the buffering mechanism roller 28 for aligning the paper P into contact with the paper P sandwiched by the buffering mechanism 10. The buffering mechanism roller 28 is controlled to move up and down by a buffering mechanism roller drive source 30 and is rotationally driven by a buffering mechanism roller motor 32.

  The buffering mechanism 10 is disposed at an inclination angle θ1 in order to support the paper P in a state where the leading end of the paper P is higher than the rear end. The first or second paper discharge tray 16 or 18 is lifted or lowered by the paper discharge tray driving unit 52 to select either one. The first or second paper discharge trays 16 and 18 are raised and lowered to substantially the same height as the buffering mechanism 10 or the processing tray 12 when the paper P is stacked so as to improve the consistency of the paper P to be discharged. . The first or second paper discharge trays 16 and 18 are arranged at an inclination angle θ2 to support the paper P with the leading edge of the paper P being higher than the trailing edge.

  Since the paddle 44 knocks off the rear end side of the sheet, the sheet P falls first from the rear end side. Thus, since the paper P falls from the rear end side, it is easy to align the paper for performing the stapling process.

  During the period from the buffering mechanism 10 to the processing tray 12, when the paper P on the buffering mechanism 10 is dropped and supplied to the processing tray 12, the paper P is disturbed in the lateral direction perpendicular to the transport direction. Horizontal alignment plates 47a and 47b shown in FIG. 9 are provided to prevent and perform horizontal alignment. The lateral alignment plates 47a and 47b are formed to be slidable so as to be adjusted to the width of the paper P by the lateral alignment motor 48.

  As shown in FIGS. 10 to 12, a stepped screw 53 is attached to the beam of the housing frame 52 of the paper post-processing apparatus 7.

  Along the stepped screw 53, there is a slide sheet metal 54 formed with a slide hole 54a that can be moved up and down while sliding. At the position where the slide sheet metal 54 is set on the claw-shaped sheet metal 55 attached to the image forming apparatus 5, the fixing is performed by the fixing screw 56 from the front side of the sheet post-processing apparatus 7, that is, the operator side. It has become.

  Since such a joining mechanism is used, docking with the paper post-processing device 7 is possible at the installation location of the image forming apparatus 5 and the like, and the time required for installation is greatly reduced.

  As an optional configuration of the sheet post-processing apparatus 7, for example, a punch unit is attached. However, the frame member used as the housing structure of the image forming apparatus 5 is used as it is. Then, the stepped screw 53 can be transferred. Therefore, the beam of the frame 52 can be used in common by the sheet post-processing device 7 and the punch unit.

  Next, the operation will be described. When an image is formed by the image forming apparatus 5 and the paper P is supplied from the paper discharge roller 6, the paper post-processing device 7 performs the post-processing when the paper P is post-processed or not. Different operations are performed depending on whether the process is being executed or the post-processing is finished.

  When the post-processing is not performed, for example, the first paper discharge tray 16 is slid to the position indicated by the dotted line in FIG. 3, and the paper P discharged from the buffering mechanism 10 can be stacked with good consistency. . When post-processing is not performed, the paper P conveyed from the entrance roller 22 to the paper feed roller 24 through the paper path ceiling 36 is fed to the buffering mechanism 10 by the paper feed roller 24. Next, the sheet P is lowered onto the paddle 44 of the buffering mechanism 10, conveyed by the buffering mechanism roller 28 rotated in the direction of arrow f, and discharged to the first discharge tray 16.

  In this way, the sheets are sequentially stacked on the first paper discharge tray 16. At this time, the first paper discharge tray 16 is arranged so that the inclination angle is θ2, and the front end of the paper is higher than the rear end, so that, for example, the paper P has a mountain as shown by the dotted line in FIG. Even if the paper is discharged onto the first paper discharge tray 16 in a curled state, the paper P placed on the first paper discharge tray 16 is pushed out by contact with the leading edge of the subsequent paper P. It will not be. That is, the discharged paper P is sequentially placed on the first paper discharge tray 16 without being out of order. Even if the preceding paper P is pushed by the succeeding paper P and is slightly misaligned, the paper P falls due to its own weight on the first paper discharge tray 16 because of the inclination angle θ2. Thus, the rear ends are aligned and stacked, and the paper P discharge processing is completed.

  Next, a case where a stapling process as a post-process is performed and there is no sheet P on which the stapling process is being executed prior to the processing tray 20 will be described. At this time, the paper P fed by the paper feed roller 24 is dropped and supplied onto the processing tray 12.

  At the time of dropping, the upper vertical alignment roller 38a is retracted upward, and the receiving portion 44a of the paddle 44 receives the rear end of the paper P. Both sides of the paper P fall while contacting the horizontal alignment plates 47a and 47b, and are aligned in the horizontal direction. Next, the paddle 44 rotates in the direction of the arrow o to drop the rear end of the paper P from the receiving portion 44a, and knocks it onto the processing tray 12 by the scooping portion 44b. Further, the paddle 44 feeds the paper P in the direction of the arrow q by the feeding portion 44c, and the rear end of the paper P is brought into contact with the stopper 45 to complete the vertical alignment of the paper P. The vertical alignment of the paper P on the processing tray 12 may be performed by the upper vertical alignment roller 38a by moving the upper vertical alignment roller 38a up and down each time.

  In this way, the image-formed sheets P are stacked directly on the processing tray 12 from the sheet feed roller 24 while sequentially aligning in the horizontal and vertical directions. When the number of sheets P reaches a predetermined number, the stapler 14 staples the sheets P on the processing tray 12 at a desired position to form a bundle of sheets T. Thereafter, the upper vertical alignment roller 38a is lowered onto the paper bundle T, and the paper bundle T is sandwiched between the upper vertical alignment roller 38a rotating in the direction of arrow r and the lower vertical alignment roller 38b rotating in the direction of arrow s. A bundle is conveyed in the direction of one discharge tray 16. When the rear end of the sheet bundle T passes through the vertical and vertical alignment rollers 38 a and 38 b, the sheet bundle T is caught on the feeding claw 50 a of the conveyance belt 50 rotated in the direction of the arrow t and bundled on the first paper discharge tray 16.

  At this time, the first paper discharge tray 16 is slid and moved from the position indicated by the dotted line in FIG. 3 to the position indicated by the solid line. Further, the first discharge tray 16 is arranged so that the inclination angle is θ2, and the leading end of the sheet is higher than the trailing end, so that the first discharge tray 16 is bundled on the first discharge tray 16 in advance. The sheet P is not pushed out by contact with the leading end of the subsequent sheet bundle T. Even if the preceding sheet bundle T is slightly misaligned by the succeeding sheet P, the sheet bundle T falls due to its own weight because of the inclination angle θ 2, and the rear end of the sheet bundle T on the first paper discharge tray 16. The stapling process is completed for the sheets P loaded in alignment with the aligned state.

  Next, a case where the stapling process as the post-process is performed and the sheet P on which the stapling process is being executed remains on the processing tray 20 will be described. At this time, the paper P discharged from the image forming apparatus 5 and supplied by the paper feed roller 24 is temporarily fed by the paddle 44 of the buffering mechanism 10 and the paper trailing edge retainer 41 in order to wait for the processing tray 12 to become empty. The rear end is clamped. Subsequent sheets P are successively placed on the first sheet P.

  Since the buffering mechanism 10 is arranged so that the inclination angle is θ1, and the leading edge of the sheet is higher than the trailing edge, the sheet P is vertically aligned by its own weight.

  Further, for example, even when the paper P is curled in a mountain shape and supplied from the paper supply roller 24 and fed to the buffering mechanism 10, it is placed on the first paper of the buffering mechanism 10 in advance. The going paper P is not pushed out by contact with the leading edge of the succeeding paper P. That is, the supplied paper P is sequentially buffered by the buffering mechanism 10 without being out of order. Even if the preceding paper P is pushed by the succeeding paper P and is slightly misaligned, there is an inclination angle θ1, so that the paper P falls from the rear end due to its own weight and is placed on the buffering mechanism 10. The rear ends are aligned and loaded.

  During this time, when the preceding paper P on the processing tray 12 is discharged to the first paper discharge tray 16 side and the processing tray 12 becomes empty, for example, two sheets P that have been waiting in the buffering mechanism 10 are Dropped and supplied onto the processing tray 12. At this time, the interval between the lateral alignment plates 47a and 47b is arranged to be substantially the same width as the paper P. Accordingly, the sheet P dropped from the buffering mechanism 10 is regulated in the lateral direction by being regulated by the lateral alignment plates 47a and 47b on both sides.

  The lower sheet P of the two sheets P dropped on the processing tray 12 is sent in the direction of the arrow q by the lower vertical alignment roller 38b rotated in the direction opposite to the direction of the arrow s, and the trailing end of the sheet P is stopped 45, the vertical alignment of the paper P is completed. The upper sheet P of the two sheets P dropped on the processing tray 12 is sent in the direction of the arrow q by the upper vertical alignment roller 38a rotated in the direction opposite to the direction of the arrow r, and the trailing end of the sheet P is stopped at the stopper 45. The vertical alignment of the paper P is completed, and then the upper vertical alignment roller 38a is retracted upward.

  The third and subsequent sheets P discharged from the image forming apparatus 5 are dropped and supplied onto the processing tray 12 without waiting in the buffering mechanism 10. Thereafter, the third and subsequent sheets P are sequentially aligned on the sheet P loaded on the processing tray 12 by the paddle 44 first.

  When the number of sheets P stacked on the processing tray 12 reaches a predetermined number, the stapler 14 performs a stapling process to form a sheet bundle T. Thereafter, the sheet bundle T is conveyed in the direction of the first sheet discharge tray 16 by the vertical and vertical alignment rollers 38a and 38b, and the rear end of the sheet bundle T is hooked on the feed claw 50a of the conveyance belt 50. Bundled up, the stapling process for the paper P is completed.

  In the present embodiment configured as described above, when stapling is performed after image formation and the preceding stapling on the processing tray 12 has not been completed, the stapling processing is performed above the processing tray 12. A buffering mechanism 10 is provided to wait for the subsequent paper P. Then, after waiting for the processing tray 12 to become empty, the paper P waiting by the buffering mechanism 10 is dropped and supplied to the treatment tray 16. Therefore, the substantial conveyance path from the buffering mechanism 10 in the paper post-processing device 7 to the processing tray 12 can be shortened, and the paper post-processing device can be downsized.

  Further, by providing the buffering mechanism 10 with the inclination angle θ1, the paper P can be aligned by its own weight on the buffering mechanism 10, and the paper P previously placed is pushed out by the subsequent paper P. There is no fear, the consistency of the paper P on the buffering mechanism 10 can be improved, jamming of the paper P can be prevented, and further, the order of placement of the paper on the buffering mechanism 10 can be prevented. Similarly, by providing the first or second paper discharge trays 16 and 18 with an inclination angle θ2, the paper P or the paper bundle placed prior to the first or second paper discharge trays 16 or 18 is provided. There is no fear that T will be pushed out by the subsequent paper P or the paper bundle T, the consistency of the paper P on the first or second paper discharge trays 16 and 18 can be improved, and jamming of the paper P can be prevented. Alternatively, it is possible to prevent the placement order of the paper P or the paper bundle T on the second paper discharge trays 16 and 18.

  As described above, according to the present invention, since the joining member can be used in common when joining the image forming apparatus and the sheet post-processing apparatus, an inexpensive docking mechanism is provided. Further, even when the punch unit is incorporated as an optional configuration, the dedicated unit for the sheet post-processing device, the dedicated punch unit, and the connecting unit do not fall apart, and they are moved, so there is no risk of being discarded by mistake.

  The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the invention described in the claims, and these are also included in the scope of the present invention. Needless to say.

  In the present invention, stapling is described as the post-processing performed on the sheets stacked on the processing tray. However, this post-processing is not limited to the case where stapling is performed, and there is no problem even in post-processing such as performing hole punching (punching) processing on a sheet. In this case, there is no problem even if the sheets stacked on the processing tray are not a plurality of sheets but a single sheet. Further, it goes without saying that the present invention is effective even for an aftertreatment apparatus having such an aftertreatment mechanism.

It is a perspective view which shows the principal part of the paper post-processing apparatus which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is a top view which shows the principal part of the paper post-processing apparatus which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is a schematic block diagram which shows the paper post-processing apparatus which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. 1 is a perspective view showing a stapler of a paper post-processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a perspective view which shows the vertical alignment roller which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows the paddle which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is a perspective view which shows the principal part of a buffering mechanism. It is a schematic perspective view which shows a horizontal alignment board and a conveyance belt. FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a state where a sheet on a buffering mechanism or a paper discharge tray is pushed out. It is a figure which shows the joining mechanism which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the joining mechanism which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the joining mechanism which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 5 ... Image forming apparatus, 7 ... Paper post-processing apparatus, 10 ... Buffering mechanism, 10a, 10b ... Tray member, 10c, 10d ... Standby stopper, 12 ... Processing tray, 14 ... Stapler, 16 ... First discharge tray 18 ... second discharge tray, 22 ... entrance roller, 22a ... upper entrance roller, 22b ... lower entrance roller, 24 ... feed roller, 26 ... inlet roller motor, 28 ... buffering mechanism roller, 30 ... buffering Mechanism roller drive source, 32 ... Buffering mechanism roller motor, 34 ... Buffering mechanism motor, 36 ... Paper path ceiling, 38a ... Upper vertical alignment roller, 38b ... Lower vertical alignment roller, 40 ... Vertical alignment upper roller motor, 41 ..Rear end presser, 41a ... Torsion spring, 42 ... Vertical alignment lower roller motor, 43 ... Rear end presser drive part, 43a ... Solenoid, 44 ... Paddle, 45 ... Stopper, 46 ... Paddle motor, 47 ... Horizontal alignment plate, 48 ... Horizontal adjustment Combined motor, 49 ... Staple drive unit, 50 ... Conveyor belt, 50a ... Feed claw, 52 ... Housing frame, 53 ... Stepped screw, 54 ... Slide plate, 55 ... Plate, 56 ..Fixing screws

Claims (3)

A paper post-processing apparatus that is installed adjacent to the image forming apparatus and has a housing frame for performing post-processing of the paper on which the image is formed by the image forming apparatus.
A shoulder screw member mounted to the frame for the casing,
Along the stepped screw member, a slide sheet metal in which a long slot for sliding is formed in the vertical direction so that it can move up and down while sliding,
A sheet post-processing apparatus, wherein the sheet post-processing apparatus can be fixed from an operator side at a position where the slide sheet metal is engaged with a claw-shaped portion of a claw-shaped member attached to the image forming apparatus.   The sheet post-processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the fixing is performed by screwing.   2. The sheet post-processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a punch unit for punching a sheet bundle after image formation is incorporated using a member attached to the image forming apparatus.

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