JP4832275B2 - Cover sheet positioning mechanism, bookbinding apparatus having the same, and image forming system - Google Patents

Description

  BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a post-processing apparatus for an image forming apparatus such as a printer, a printing machine, and a copying machine, and covers a cover sheet in a bookbinding apparatus that binds a saddle stitched sheet in which sheets printed by the image forming apparatus are aligned in a bundle with a cover sheet The present invention relates to the improvement of the positioning mechanism.

  In general, this type of device is used as a terminal device of an image forming apparatus such as a printer or a printing machine. After the sheets on which images are formed are stacked on a page and aligned in a booklet form, the end face is glued and bound to a cover sheet. Widely used as this system. In particular, as on-demand printing such as electronic publishing recently, for example, as shown in Patent Document 1, at the same time as printing of predetermined information, this is automatically bound and displayed, and then the edge of the sheet is cut and a predetermined booklet is printed. There is known a system that simultaneously executes printing to finish a sheet and post-processing.

  Such a bookbinding apparatus, for example, as disclosed in Patent Document 1, aligns the sheets (saddle stitched sheets) from the image forming apparatus in a bundle shape, and applies a binding agent to the back end surface of the bookbinding processing path, A cover feeding path is provided in a direction crossing the bookbinding path, and the cover sheet and the saddle stitching sheet (bundle) are joined in an inverted T shape at the intersection of both paths, and the cover sheet is folded back and bound together. An apparatus for case binding is proposed.

  In such an apparatus, the cover sheet needs to be fed and set accurately at a predetermined binding position. For example, if the front cover sheet is skewed in the left-right direction, the front cover and the back cover after binding are bound in a state of being inclined to the saddle stitching sheet. Further, it is known that the front cover and the back cover after bookbinding are not aligned when the center of the cover sheet is displaced in the front-rear direction from the reference of the saddle stitching sheet.

Therefore, in Patent Document 2, a cover positioning device is proposed. This cover positioning device is provided with a pair of guide tables before and after the cover feed direction across the binding position where the cover sheet and the sheet bundle are joined, and a stopper on the front end of the cover is provided on the downstream table of this guide table. The cover sheet is abutted and regulated, and the side direction is regulated by side guides provided on both guide tables. A mechanism for moving the front and rear guide tables according to the bundle thickness of the saddle stitching sheet is disclosed. In other words, conventionally, when the cover sheet is set at the binding position, either the conveyance mechanism of the conveyance path is accurately conveyed, or the position of the table is moved and positioned while the cover sheet is held on the table. The method is adopted.
JP 2005-335262 A JP 2005-246769 A

  As described above, when the cover sheet is positioned and set at the binding position, it is difficult to set the cover sheet at an accurate position if the cover sheet is positioned by the transport mechanism (such as a transport roller) in the transport path. For example, it is considered impossible to accurately position the cover center of the cover sheet according to the bundle thickness of the saddle stitching sheet due to the relationship of conveyance spots and the like. Further, in the structure in which the tray-like table is provided at the binding position as in the above-mentioned Patent Document 2, the mechanism of the binding portion is complicated and large. At the same time, when cover sheets having different length sizes in the transport direction and the transport orthogonal direction are used, the mechanism is further complicated, and there is a problem that the position is out of order due to the backlash of the mechanism section.

  Accordingly, the present inventor can accurately align the leading or trailing edge of the cover sheet sent from the paper feed path at the binding position and can reduce the cover sheet conveyance time, and can also align the conveyance orthogonal direction at this position. As a result, it has been found that accurate positioning is possible without being affected by uneven conveyance.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a compact cover structure with a simple structure and a cover sheet positioning mechanism capable of accurately positioning and setting the cover sheet at the cover binding position, and at the same time, a bookbinding apparatus capable of bookbinding processing rich in cover quality. The main challenge is to provide it.
Furthermore, an object of the present invention is to provide an image forming system capable of binding a sheet carried out from an image forming unit at high speed.

The present invention employs the following configuration in order to solve the above problems.
A cover sheet positioning mechanism in the bookbinding apparatus, the bookbinding path for transferring the saddle stitched sheet bundle to a predetermined bookbinding position, the cover sheet feeding path for transferring the cover sheet to the bookbinding position , and the bookbinding position arranged above A saddle stitching sheet bundle and cover binding means for binding the cover sheet;
And is disposed in the cover feed path, to control the nip means for holding and nipping the cover sheet, and a shift means for a predetermined amount of shift the nip means in the sheet conveying longitudinal direction and the conveying direction orthogonal to the shifting means Control means .
The nip means is arranged to nip the trailing edge of the cover sheet upstream of the bookbinding position, or to nip the leading edge of the cover sheet downstream of the conveying direction, and the control means is configured to nip the cover sheet width size. The nip means is moved in the conveyance orthogonal direction based on the information, and the shift is performed so that the nip means is moved in the conveyance direction based on the cover sheet length size information and the bundle thickness information of the saddle stitching sheet bundle. Control means.

The cover sheet feeding path is disposed in a direction crossing the bookbinding path, the cover sheet feeding path is disposed in a substantially horizontal direction, and the bookbinding path is disposed in a substantially vertical direction. The nip means is arranged in the cover feeding path so as to be movable in a state where the cover sheet is nipped.

The nip means is attached to a base frame that is attached to the apparatus frame so as to be movable in the front-rear direction of the sheet conveyance so as to be movable in the direction perpendicular to the sheet conveyance.
The shift unit includes a conveyance direction shift unit that moves the base frame in the front-rear direction of sheet conveyance, and a width direction shift unit that moves the nip unit in a direction perpendicular to the sheet conveyance .

Transfer and stacking means for collates the binding sheet in a bundle in which is sequentially supplied, and bookbinding path for guiding the bookbinding position the binding sheet in from the stacking means, the cover sheet to the bookbinding position intersects with the bookbinding path A cover sheet feeding path, and a cover binding unit that is arranged at the bookbinding position and binds the saddle stitch sheet bundle and the cover sheet.
And is disposed in the cover feed path, a nip means for nipping holding the cover sheet, and a shift means for a predetermined amount of shift the nip means in the sheet conveying longitudinal direction and the conveying direction orthogonal control means for controlling the shift means With .
Therefore, the nip means is configured to nip the rear end portion of the cover sheet on the upstream side of the bookbinding position, or nip the front end portion of the cover sheet on the downstream side in the transport direction, and the control means includes the nip means. Based on the length size information of the cover sheet and the bundle thickness information of the saddle stitch sheet bundle, the sheet moves to the set position in the conveyance direction, and moves to the set position in the conveyance orthogonal direction based on the width size information of the cover sheet. .
In this case, the control means moves the nip means to the set position in a state where the cover sheet carried into the cover supply path is engaged and held by the nip means.

Moreover, it said the bookbinding path to place the adhesive applying means for applying adhesive to the back end surface of the saddle seat on the upstream side of the bookbinding position.

  An image forming apparatus having image forming means for sequentially forming images on sheets, and a bookbinding apparatus for aligning sheets from the image forming means in a bundle and binding them to a cover sheet. It has a configuration.

  In the present invention, when the saddle-stitched sheets aligned in a bundle are wrapped and bound with the cover sheet, a nip means for niping the cover sheet in the cover sheet feeding path is provided on the downstream side or the upstream side of the binding position. Since the cover sheet is positioned in the length direction and the width direction by moving in the direction orthogonal to the transport direction, the following effects are obtained.

  Since the cover sheet is positioned with the nip gripped, accurate positioning can be performed without being affected by uneven conveyance. At the same time, it can be set at an accurate position regardless of the thickness, waist, curl, etc. of the cover sheet.

  In the present invention, for example, a cover having a wide range of sizes can be obtained by moving the position of the nip means in accordance with the length size of the cover sheet, gripping the cover sheet, and moving it in the direction perpendicular to the conveyance direction. The sheet can be positioned and set, and the setting time required for this is short. Therefore, the sheet can be quickly set to the binding position from the cover sheet feeding instruction signal, and the processing efficiency of bookbinding and the like can be improved.

  Further, the configuration for that purpose is not limited to the fact that the nip means for gripping the leading edge or the trailing edge of the cover sheet and moving it in the width direction only needs to be arranged at the cover binding position, and the structure is so simple that it can be arranged in a small space. Has an effect.

  The present invention will be described in detail below based on the preferred embodiments shown in the drawings. FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of the overall configuration of a bookbinding apparatus according to the present invention and an image forming system using the same, and FIG. 2 is a detailed explanatory diagram of the bookbinding apparatus.

  The image forming system shown in FIG. 1 includes an image forming apparatus A that sequentially prints sheets, a bookbinding apparatus B attached downstream of the image forming apparatus A, and a post-processing apparatus disposed downstream of the bookbinding apparatus B. C. Then, the sheet on which the image is formed by the image forming apparatus A is bound by the bookbinding apparatus B. Further, a sheet that is not subjected to bookbinding processing is configured to pass through the bookbinding apparatus B and to post-process the sheet by the post-processing apparatus C.

[Configuration of Image Forming Apparatus]
First, the image forming apparatus A can employ various structures such as a copying machine, a printer, and a printing machine, but an electrostatic printing apparatus is illustrated. In the image forming apparatus A, a paper feed unit 2, a printing unit 3, a paper discharge unit 4, and a control unit are built in a casing 1. A plurality of cassettes 5 corresponding to the sheet size are prepared in the sheet feeding unit 2, and a sheet having a size designated by the control unit is fed out to the sheet feeding path 6. A registration roller 7 is provided in the sheet feeding path 6 and the sheet is fed to the downstream printing unit 3 at a predetermined timing after the leading edges of the sheets are aligned.

  The printing unit 3 is provided with an electrostatic drum 10. A print head 9, a developing device 11, a transfer charger 12, and the like are disposed around the electrostatic drum 10. The print head 9 is composed of, for example, a laser light emitter, and forms an electrostatic latent image on the electrostatic drum 10. A toner ink is attached to the latent image by the developing device 11 and printed on a sheet by the transfer charger 12. . This print sheet is fixed by the fixing device 13 and carried out to the paper discharge path 17. The paper discharge unit 4 is provided with a paper discharge port 14 and a paper discharge roller 15 formed in the casing 1. Reference numeral 16 denotes a circulation path. The print sheet from the paper discharge path 17 is turned upside down by the switchback path and then sent to the registration roller 7 again to form an image on the back surface of the print sheet. In this way, the print sheet on which one side or both sides are formed is carried out from the paper discharge port 14 by the paper discharge roller 15.

  In the figure, reference numeral 20 denotes a scanner unit which optically reads a document image to be printed by the print head 9. As is generally known, the platen 23 on which a document sheet is placed and set, a carriage 21 that scans a document image along the platen 23, and an optical device that photoelectrically converts an optical image from the carriage 21. It comprises a reading means (for example, a CCD device) 22. In the illustrated example, a document feeder 25 for automatically feeding a document sheet to the platen is provided on the platen 23.

[Configuration of bookbinding device]
Next, the bookbinding apparatus B attached to the image forming apparatus A will be described. The bookbinding apparatus B includes a stacking unit 40 that stacks and arranges printing sheets in a bundle in the casing 30, an adhesive application unit 55 that applies adhesive paste to the sheet bundle from the stacking unit 40, and an adhesive. A cover binding means 60 for binding the cover sheet to the coated sheet bundle is configured.

[Configuration of transport route]
The conveyance path of each sheet will be described. In the casing 30, a carry-in path 31 having a carry-in entrance 31 a continuous with the paper discharge port 14 of the image forming apparatus A is provided. The feeding path 34 is connected via a path switching flapper 36. A bookbinding path 33 is connected to the intermediate paper transport path 32 via the stacking unit 40, and a post-processing path 38 is connected to the cover sheet feeding path 34. The bookbinding path 33 is arranged in a direction that cuts the apparatus in a substantially vertical direction, and the cover sheet feeding path 34 is arranged in a direction that crosses the apparatus in a substantially horizontal direction.

  The bookbinding path 33 and the cover sheet feeding path 34 intersect (orthogonal) each other, and a cover binding means 60 described later is arranged at the intersection. The carry-in path 31 configured as described above is connected to the paper discharge port 14 of the image forming apparatus A, and receives a print sheet from the image forming apparatus A. In this case, the image forming apparatus A carries out a print sheet (saddle stitching sheet) on which content information is printed and a print sheet (hereinafter referred to as “cover sheet”) on which a title or the like used as a cover cover is printed. . In this way, the carry-in path 31 is branched into the intermediate sheet transport path 32 and the cover sheet feed path 34, and the print sheets are distributed and transported to the respective paths via the path switching flapper 36. Sheet sensors Se1 to Se6 are arranged at the positions shown in FIG.

[Inserter device]
On the other hand, an inserter device 26 is connected to the carry-in path 31 so that cover sheets that are not subjected to printing processing by the image forming apparatus A are separated from the paper feed tray 26a one by one and supplied to the carry-in path 31. is there. The inserter device 26 is provided with one or a plurality of stages of paper feed trays 26a. A paper feed means for separating and feeding stacked sheets one by one at the front end of the tray, and a downstream side of the paper feed means. A paper feed path 27 is provided and connected to the carry-in path 31.

  Further, the transport roller 31b is provided in the carry-in path 31, the transport roller 32a is provided in the intermediate paper transport path 32, the grip transport means (sheet bundle transport means; the same applies hereinafter) 47 and the bundle posture deflection means 64 described later. And a paper discharge roller (paper discharge means) 66 are disposed. Further, a transport roller 34a is disposed in the cover sheet feeding path 34, and a transport roller 38a is disposed in the post-processing path 38, and each is coupled to a drive motor.

[Configuration of stacking unit]
A stacking tray 41 (hereinafter referred to as “tray”) disposed in the paper discharge port 32b of the intermediate paper conveyance path 32 stacks and stores sheets from the paper discharge port 32b in a bundle. As shown in FIG. 2, the tray 41 is composed of a tray member arranged in a substantially horizontal posture, and a forward / reverse roller 42a and a carry-in guide 42b are provided above the tray member. The print sheet from the paper discharge port 32b is guided onto the tray 41 by the carry-in guide 42b and stored by the forward / reverse roller 42a. The forward / reverse roller 42a transfers the print sheet to the front end side of the tray 41 by forward rotation, and abuts and regulates the rear end of the sheet against a regulating member 43 disposed at the rear end (right end in FIG. 1) of the reverse rotation. Further, the tray 41 is provided with sheet side alignment means (not shown) to align the side edges of the printed sheets stored on the tray to the reference position. With such a configuration, the print sheets from the intermediate paper conveyance path 32 are sequentially stacked on the tray 41 and aligned in a bundle.

[Configuration of sheet bundle conveying means]
The bookbinding path 33 is provided with grip conveying means 47 for transferring the sheet from the tray 41 to the adhesive application position E on the downstream side. As shown in FIG. 2, the grip conveying means 47 deflects the sheet bundle accumulated on the tray 41 from the horizontal posture to the vertical posture, and applies the adhesive along the bookbinding path 33 arranged substantially in the vertical direction. Transfer set to position E. For this reason, the tray 41 is moved from the stacking position (solid line in FIG. 2) to the transfer position (broken line in FIG. 2), and the sheet bundle is transferred to the grip conveying means 47 prepared at the transfer position.

[Configuration of adhesive application part]
An adhesive application means 55 is disposed at the adhesive application position E of the bookbinding path 33. As shown in FIG. 2, the adhesive application means 55 is composed of a glue container 56 that accommodates a hot-melt adhesive, an application roll 57, and a roll rotation motor MR. The paste container 56 is divided into a liquid adhesive storage chamber (hereinafter referred to as “liquid storage chamber”) 56a and a solid adhesive storage chamber (hereinafter referred to as “solid storage chamber”) 56b, and is applied to the liquid storage chamber 56a. A roll 57 is incorporated rotatably. A paste sensor 56S that detects the remaining amount of adhesive is disposed in the liquid agent storage chamber 56a. The illustrated glue sensor 56S also serves as an adhesive temperature sensor, and detects the temperature of the liquefied adhesive in the liquid storage chamber 56a, and at the same time, determines the remaining amount of adhesive by the temperature difference of the part immersed in the adhesive. To detect. The glue container 56 is embedded with a heating element (heating means) 50 such as an electric heater. The glue sensor 56S and the heating means 50 are connected to a control CPU 75 described later to adjust the temperature of the adhesive in the liquid agent storage chamber 56a to a predetermined melting temperature. The application roll 57 is made of a heat-resistant porous material, and is configured to impregnate the glue and swell the glue layer around the roll.

  The glue container 56 configured as described above is reciprocated along the sheet bundle. The conceptual diagram is shown in FIG. 3B, and the glue container 56 is formed in a short length (dimension) with respect to the lower end edge of the sheet bundle (the back cover portion at the time of bookbinding) S1, and the coating contained therein Along with the roll 57, it is supported on the guide rail 52 of the apparatus frame so as to move along the lower edge S1 of the sheet bundle. The glue container 56 is connected to a timing belt 53 attached to the apparatus frame, and a driving motor MS is connected to the timing belt 53.

  Therefore, the glue container 56 is reciprocated by the drive motor MS between the home position HP and the return position RP where the backward operation is started along the sheet bundle. Each position is set to the positional relationship shown in FIG. 3B, and the return position RP is set based on sheet width size information. Further, when the apparatus power is turned on (initial time), the home position HP is set, and after a predetermined time from the sheet grip signal of the grip end sensor Sg provided in the preceding grip conveying means 47, for example (sheet bundle is the position where the adhesive is applied) (Estimated time to reach E) from the home position HP toward the return position RP. Simultaneously with this movement, the application roll 57 starts to rotate by the roll rotation motor MR. Note that SP shown in the figure is a home position sensor for the glue container 56. The adhesive application means 55 configured in this manner is rotated by the drive motor MS, and the glue container 56 starts to move along the guide rail 52 from the left side to the right side in FIG. In this outward path, the application roll 57 is pressed against the sheet bundle to disperse the sheet end, and in the return path from the return position RP to the home position HP, a predetermined gap is formed with the sheet end to apply the adhesive. The feed amount of the grip conveying means 47 is adjusted by a lifting motor (not shown).

[Configuration of cover feed route]
The cover feeding path 34 guides the cover sheet from the path switching flapper 36 to the cover binding position F. The details are shown in FIG. 4. A cover binding position F is set at the intersection with the bookbinding path 33 in the cover feed path 34, and a cover binding means 60 described later is disposed at the cover binding position F. Therefore, the present invention is characterized in that the following aligning mechanism 44 is arranged at the cover binding position F.

  The aligning mechanism 44 is disposed upstream or downstream of the cover binding position F, and nips the front end of the cover sheet or nips the rear end. FIG. 4 shows a case where the cover is arranged downstream of the cover binding position F. The aligning mechanism 44 includes nip means (nip member; hereinafter the same) 45 that nips the front end of the sheet, and a base frame 46 that holds the nip means 45. The base frame 46 is transported to an apparatus frame (not shown). It is instructed to move freely. The nip means 45 is attached to the base frame 46 so as to be movable in the conveyance orthogonal direction. The base frame 46 is connected to the transport direction shift means MS1, and the nip means 45 is connected to the width direction shift means MS2.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the transport direction shift means MS1 includes a rack gear 46r provided on the base frame 46, a pinion 46p disposed on the apparatus frame side, and a first shift motor MO1 connected to the pinion 46p. As shown in FIG. 6, the width direction shift means MS2 is fixed to a timing belt 46t provided on the base frame 46, and a second shift motor MO2 is connected to the timing belt 46t. Further, HPS shown in FIG. 4 is a home position sensor of the nip means 45. Accordingly, the nip means 45 is disposed in the cover sheet feed path 34 so as to be movable in the transport direction, and can be moved to a predetermined position in the transport direction by the first shift motor MO1, and the nip means 45 is also movable in the second direction of the transport in the orthogonal direction of transport. It becomes movable with MO2.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the nip means 45 configured as described above includes a leading end regulating surface 45a that abuts and regulates the leading end of the sheet and a pressing surface 45b that presses the top surface of the sheet. An operating solenoid SOL shown in FIG. 6 is connected to the nip means 45, and the leading edge of the cover sheet is gripped by the operating solenoid SOL. Accordingly, the front cover sheet fed through the front cover feeding path 34 by the transport roller 34a is abutted and regulated at the front end by the front end regulating surface 45a and the skew (leading end bend) is corrected. Thereafter, the leading edge of the sheet is nipped by the pressing surface 45b and transferred in the width direction. Note that the nip means 45 may be configured to be urged counterclockwise in FIG.

  The base frame 46 is provided with a leading edge detection sensor St for detecting the leading edge of the cover sheet, and is disposed so as to detect that the leading edge of the cover sheet has reached the leading edge regulating surface 45a. Further, a side sensor SS for detecting a side edge of the cover sheet is disposed in the conveyance guide of the base frame 46 or the cover sheet feeding path 34. The side sensor SS is configured to detect a sheet width direction by arranging a plurality of photo sensors (SS1, SS2, SS3... SSn... Shown in FIG. 8) in the sheet width direction, for example.

  The aligning mechanism 44 configured as described above is controlled as follows. A control means 80 is incorporated in a control CPU 75 of the bookbinding apparatus B described later, and the control means 80 controls the transport direction shift means MS1 and the width direction shift means MS2 described above. The control unit 80 moves the nip unit 45 to the home position (see FIG. 7A based on “cover sheet size information” and “saddle sheet bundle thickness information” transferred from the image forming apparatus A, for example. ) To a predetermined position. In this control, for example, the first shift motor MO1 is constituted by a stepping motor, and the nip means 45 is moved by a predetermined step from the home position.

  The movement amount of the nip means 45 is calculated from the cover sheet size information (Ls) and the saddle stitch sheet bundle thickness information (Th) as the positioning reference (y shown in FIG. 7) of the cover sheet binding position F. Since the illustrated positioning reference y is set to the left side of the saddle stitched sheet bundle, the standby position x of the nip means 45 is set to the distance from the positioning reference y (distance between xy) = ((Ls × 1/2) −Th. X1 / 2)). Then, the nip means 45 is moved from the home position to the standby position x to be standby. This state is shown in FIG.

  Next, the control means 80 detects the timing at which the leading edge of the cover sheet reaches the leading edge regulating surface 45a of the nip means 45 by the leading edge detection sensor St. Simultaneously with the detection signal from the leading edge detection sensor St, the side edge position of the sheet is determined from the width size information of the cover sheet (for example, the sheet size information transferred from the image forming apparatus A), and the corresponding side sensor SS is set. That is, when the sheet width size is JIS standard A4, the position of the side sensor is set in advance so that the sheet side edge corresponds to the side sensor SSn.

  Therefore, the control means 80 retracts the conveying roller 34a of the cover sheet feeding path 34 to the state shown in FIG. Next, the control means 80 operates the second shift motor MO2 to move the nip means 45 in the width direction. Then, the cover sheet gripped by this also moves in the conveyance orthogonal direction. Therefore, the nip means 45 is moved until the corresponding side sensor SSn detects the side edge of the cover sheet, and is stopped by the detection signal from the side sensor SSn.

The control means 80 performs the above-described operation. When this is arranged, the control means 80 is arranged so that the cover sheet size information Ls and the saddle stitch sheet are supplied before the cover sheet is supplied to the cover feed path 34 or before the cover sheet is conveyed to the cover binding position F. The position of the nip means 45 is moved so that the sheet center is positioned at the center of the cover binding position F based on the bundle thickness information Th.
Next, when the front end of the cover sheet reaches the front end regulating surface 45a, the control means 80 retracts the conveying roller 34a that engages with the cover sheet from the cover surface. In this state, the control means 80 moves the nip means 45 in the conveyance orthogonal direction. Then, the nip means 45 is stopped when the side edge of the cover sheet is shifted to a predetermined position. Then, binding is performed according to the procedure described later.

The bundle thickness information Th of the saddle stitching sheet is acquired by any of the following methods.
In the first method, the bundle thickness detecting means of the sheet bundle is provided in the tray 41 or the grip conveying means 47. For example, the detecting means is provided with grip means that comes into contact with the uppermost sheet on the tray 41, and detects the thickness of the sheet bundle placed on the tray by detecting the position of the grip means with a slidac sensor or the like. Further, the bundle thickness can be detected by similarly detecting the position of the movable gripper constituting the grip conveying means 47.
In the second method, the bundle thickness can also be detected by counting the number of sheets carried into the tray 41 and multiplying this by the predetermined average thickness of the sheets.

"Different embodiments of aligning mechanism"
Although the above-described aligning mechanism 44 is disposed on the downstream side of the cover binding position F, the aligning mechanism 44 may be disposed on the upstream side of the cover binding position F as shown in FIG. The mechanism is almost the same as described above. Although the same reference numerals are assigned to the same components and the description thereof is omitted, the control is different between the transport direction shift means MS1 and the width direction shift means MS2, and only this point will be described. The control means 80 in this embodiment is configured as follows.

  The nip means 45 in the embodiment shown in FIG. 9 has a home position set at a position retracted from the cover sheet feeding path 34 (state shown in FIG. 10A). This is to prevent interference with the cover sheet carried from the upstream side. Therefore, the control means 80 controls the nip means 45 located at the home position shown in FIG. 10 (a) as follows. The sheet carried into the cover sheet feeding path 34 is detected by the sheet sensor Se5 shown in FIG. 2, and the conveying roller 34a of the cover sheet feeding path 34 is stopped by a signal that the sheet sensor Se5 detects the trailing edge of the sheet.

  Next, the control means 80 moves the nip means 45 from the home position to the standby position x calculated based on “cover sheet size information” and “saddle stitch sheet bundle thickness information” in the same manner as described above. This movement is performed by driving control of the first shift motor MO1 of the transport direction shift means MS1. Then, the nip means 45 moves to the standby position x in FIG. In this state, the control means 80 reversely rotates the conveying roller 34a to back the cover sheet in the opposite direction, and stops at the detection signal of the rear end detection sensor St (see FIG. 6) of the nip means 45.

  In this state, as shown in FIG. 10B, the cover sheet is regulated at the rear end and set to the positioning reference y of the cover binding position F. Therefore, the control means 80 retracts the transport roller 34a to the state shown in FIG. 10C, and operates the second shift motor MO2 to move the nip means 45 in the width direction. Then, the cover sheet gripped by this also moves in the conveyance orthogonal direction. Therefore, the nip means 45 is moved until the side edge of the cover sheet is detected by the side sensor SSn, and is stopped by the detection signal of the side sensor SSn. Then, binding is performed according to the procedure described later.

[Configuration of cover binding means]
A cover binding means 60 is disposed at the cover binding position F of the bookbinding path 33. As shown in FIG. 4, the cover binding means 60 includes a back plate 61, a back fold plate 62, and a folding roll 63. The front cover feeding path 34 is arranged at the front cover binding position F, and a cover sheet is fed from the image forming apparatus A or the inserter apparatus 26. Therefore, the back plate 61 is composed of a plate-like member that backs up the cover sheet, and is disposed in the bookbinding path 33 so as to be able to advance and retreat. A (middle paper) sheet bundle is joined in an inverted T shape to the cover sheet supported by the back plate 61. Therefore, the back folding plate 62 is composed of a pair of left and right press members, and is configured to approach and separate from each other by a driving means (not shown) in order to back-fold the back portion of the cover sheet joined in an inverted T shape. Yes. Further, the folding roll 63 is composed of a pair of rollers for clamping and finishing the back-folded sheet bundle.

[Configuration of bundle posture deflection means and cutting means]
At the cutting position G located on the downstream side of the folding roll 63, a bundle posture deflecting means 64 for deflecting the top and bottom direction of the sheet bundle and a cutting means 65 for cutting the periphery of the sheet bundle are arranged. The bundle posture deflecting unit 64 deflects the sheet bundle mounted from the cover binding position F in a predetermined direction (posture) and feeds the sheet bundle to the downstream cutting unit 65 or the storage stacker 67. The cutting means 65 cuts and aligns the periphery of the sheet bundle. Therefore, the bundle posture deflecting unit 64 includes rotary tables 64 a and 64 b that grip and rotate the sheet bundle sent from the folding roll 63. As shown in FIG. 2, the rotary tables 64a and 64b are provided on a unit frame (not shown) attached to the apparatus frame so as to be movable up and down. A pair of rotary tables 64 a and 64 b are rotatably supported by the unit frame across the bookbinding path 33, and one movable rotary table 64 b is in the sheet bundle thickness direction (a direction orthogonal to the bookbinding path 33). It is supported movably. Each of the rotary tables 64 a and 64 b is provided with a turning motor (not shown) so as to deflect the sheet bundle in the bookbinding path 33.

  Accordingly, the sheet bundle guided into the bookbinding path 33 is gripped by the pair of left and right rotary tables 64a and 64b, and the posture direction of the sheet bundle is deflected by the turning motor. For example, the sheet bundle having the back portion carried downward is turned 180 degrees, and the small edge portion is sent downward to the discharge roller 66 on the downstream side. Further, it is possible to perform a trimming cut in which the sheet bundle is sequentially rotated by 90 degrees, and the top portion, the ground portion, and the fore edge portion are deflected downward at the cutting position G on the downstream side to cut the three peripheral directions of the sheet bundle. The movable rotary table 64b is provided with a grip sensor (not shown) to detect that the sheet bundle is securely gripped between the left and right rotary tables 64a and 64b, and the post-detection rotary table 64a. , 64b is driven to turn. The unit frame can be moved up and down along the bookbinding path 33 by a lifting motor. This constitutes a jog mechanism for offsetting the sheet bundle to be conveyed to the paper discharge roller 66 by a predetermined amount as will be described later. At the same time, when cutting the peripheral edge of the sheet bundle, the sheet bundle is conveyed and set at the cutting position G, and its feed This is because the cutting width at the cutting position G is set by the amount.

[Composition of cutting means]
A cutting means 65 is disposed downstream of the bundle posture deflecting means 64. As shown in FIG. 2, the cutting means 65 includes a cutting edge press member 65b for pressing and supporting the cutting edge of the sheet bundle on the blade receiving member 65a, and a cutting blade unit 65c. The cutting edge press unit 65b is arranged at a position facing the blade receiving member 65a arranged in the bookbinding path 33, and is constituted by a pressure member that moves in a direction orthogonal to the sheet bundle by a driving means (not shown). The cutting blade unit 65c includes a flat blade-shaped cutting blade 65x and a cutter motor Mc that drives the cutting blade 65x. By the cutting means 65 having such a configuration, a predetermined amount of the peripheral edge except the back portion of the sheet bundle that has been bound into a booklet is cut and aligned.

  On the downstream side of the cutting position G, a paper discharge roller (paper discharge means) 66 and a storage stacker 67 are arranged. As shown in FIG. 2, the storage stacker 67 stores the sheet bundle in a standing posture. As shown in FIG. 1, the storage stacker 67 is arranged in a drawer shape on the casing 30, and is configured to be able to be pulled out to the front side of the apparatus (the front side in FIG. 1). The user can see it in the state of being pulled out to the front side of the apparatus. Incidentally, 67Sf shown in the figure is a fullness detection sensor, which detects the full state of the sheet bundle stored in the storage stacker 67 and warns the operator of the removal.

  On the other hand, the bookbinding path 33 constitutes a sheet discharge path 33a for guiding a sheet bundle from the cover binding position F to the storage stacker 67, and the sheet discharge roller 66 is disposed in the sheet discharge path 33a. The paper discharge roller 66 is composed of a pair of rollers and constitutes a paper discharge means for nipping the sheet bundle and guiding it to the storage stacker 67. The present invention is characterized in that, in such a configuration, when the sheet bundle is stored in the storage stacker 67 in a standing position, the back portion is stored in a state that the user can visually recognize. The control configuration will be described later.

[Configuration of waste storage box]
Below the cutting position G, a waste storage box 68 is provided in parallel with the storage stacker 67, and stores a piece of paper cut by the cutting blade 65x. Therefore, a sweeper means 69 is provided immediately below the cutting position G. The sweeper 69 is swung in the left-right direction in FIG. 2 by a drive motor (not shown), and is positioned immediately below the cutting position G when cutting a sheet bundle. Then, the cut pieces are guided to the waste storage box 68, and after cutting, the sheet bundle is retracted from the cutting position G so that the sheet bundle can be stored in the storage stacker 67. The waste storage box 68 is provided with a full detection sensor (full detection sensor) 68Sf and a near full detection sensor 68Sn for detecting the storage amount of the cut piece of paper stored therein. The near-full detection sensor 68Sn is arranged so as to detect a piece of paper corresponding to one time for cutting the peripheral edge of the sheet bundle so as not to become full during cutting of the sheet bundle.

[Configuration of post-processing equipment]
The bookbinding apparatus B is provided with a post-processing apparatus C. The post-processing apparatus C is provided with a post-processing path 38 continuous with the cover sheet feeding path 34. The post-processing path 38 has a staple unit, a punch unit, and a stamp. A post-processing device such as a unit is arranged to receive a print sheet from the image forming apparatus A via the cover sheet feeding path 34, and to perform a stapling process, a punching process, and a stamping process on the print sheet, and then to the discharge tray 37 To do. Further, the sheet from the image forming apparatus A that is not subjected to such post-processing is stored in the paper discharge tray 37.

[Configuration of control means]
Next, the structure of the control means in the above apparatus will be described with reference to FIG.
The configuration of the control means will be described. In a system in which the image forming apparatus A and the bookbinding apparatus B are connected as shown in FIG. Is provided. A control CPU 75 is provided in the control unit of the bookbinding apparatus B, and the control CPU 75 calls a bookbinding process execution program from the ROM 76 and executes each process in the bookbinding path 33.

  Further, the control CPU 75 receives a post-processing mode instruction signal, a job end signal, sheet size information, and other information required for bookbinding and a command signal from the control CPU 70 of the image forming apparatus A. On the other hand, in the carry-in path 31, the bookbinding path 33, and the cover sheet feeding path 34, sheet sensors Se1 to Se6 for detecting sheets to be conveyed (sheet bundle) are arranged at positions shown in FIG. Therefore, the detection signal of each of the sheet sensors Se1 to Se6 is transmitted to the control CPU 75, and the control CPU 75 performs “stacking unit control unit 75a” “adhesive application unit control unit 75b” “cover cover binding unit control unit 75c” “cutting unit control unit”. 75d "," stack control unit 75e ", and" cover sheet feeding control unit 80 ". Then, the bookbinding process is executed according to the flowchart shown in FIG.

[Description of paper ejection operation]
Next, the bookbinding processing operation by the control CPU 75 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. The image forming conditions and the post-processing mode are set on the control panel 71 of the image forming apparatus A (St001). The post-processing mode is set to, for example, “print-out mode”, “bookbinding processing mode”, “stapling mode”, “stamp mode”, “punch mode”, “jog mode”, or the like. In the printout mode, a sheet on which an image has been formed is carried out and stored in a paper discharge tray 37 (shown in the post-processing apparatus C) without bookbinding and post-processing.
In the bookbinding mode, sheets on which images are formed are aligned and collected, and are combined with the cover sheet and stored in the storage stacker 67. In the staple mode, the image-formed sheet is stapled by a stapling unit provided in the post-processing apparatus C, the stamp mode performs the stamping process, the punch mode performs the punching process, and the jog mode performs the sorting process. The process is executed by the processing apparatus C, and then stored in the paper discharge tray 37.

  Therefore, when the “bookbinding mode” is selected as the post-processing mode, the image forming apparatus A executes an image forming operation and carries out the image-formed sheet to the paper discharge port 14 (St002). In the bookbinding apparatus B, the sheet is received in the carry-in path 31. At this time, the control CPU 75 positions the route switching flapper 36 in the state shown in FIG. The sheet is sent to the paper discharge port 32b by the transport roller 32a, and is sequentially stacked and stored on the stacking tray 41 (St003).

  When receiving a job end signal (St004) from the image forming apparatus A, the control CPU 75 carries out the sheet bundle on the stacking tray 41 by the grip conveying means 47 and deflects the bundle posture by 90 degrees. As a result, the sheet bundle aligned on the stacking tray 41 is deflected from the horizontal posture to the vertical posture, and is transferred to the adhesive application position E on the downstream side through the bookbinding path 33 (St005).

  The control CPU 75 feeds the cover sheet from the cover feed path 34 before and after the feeding set of the sheet bundle to the adhesive application position E. This cover sheet may be supplied after being formed with an image from the image forming apparatus A or supplied from the inserter apparatus 26. When the sheet is fed from the inserter device 26, the control CPU 75 operates sheet feeding means (not shown) to separate the sheets one by one from the sheet feeding tray 26a and feed them to the sheet feeding path 27.

  The sheet sent to the paper feed path 27 is conveyed to the carry-in path 31 by the conveyance roller 27a. At this time, the control CPU 75 positions the path switching piece 28 in the state shown in FIG. 1 and guides it to the cover sheet feeding path 34. The cover sheet is positioned and set at the cover binding position F by the aligning mechanism 44 described above in the cover sheet feeding path 34. The setting of the cover sheet is as described above (St006). Following the cover sheet feeding and setting, the control CPU 75 drives the adhesive application means 55 to apply the adhesive to the sheet bundle set at the adhesive application position E (St007). The glue container 56 provided with the application roll 57 moves to the right in FIG. 3B along the lower edge S1 of the sheet bundle, and applies the adhesive impregnated on the roll surface to the sheet bundle.

  After completion of the adhesive application operation, the control CPU 75 transfers the sheet bundle to the cover binding position F on the downstream side by the grip conveying means 47. Then, since a cover sheet is set at this position, the cover sheet is backed up by the back plate 61, and the cover sheet and the sheet bundle are joined in an inverted T shape. Next, in this state, the back folding plate 62 presses the back portion of the cover sheet and mounts the sheet bundle (St008).

  After the above cover processing, the control CPU 75 determines whether or not the cutting mode is selected (St009). In the cutting mode, the grip conveying means 47 is released from the sheet bundle and returned to the initial position. At this time, the cutting blade 65x is positioned at the cutting position G, and receives the falling sheet bundle (St010). In this state, the movable rotary table 64b is moved from the standby position to the sheet gripping position, and the sheet bundle is nipped between the rotary table 64a (St011). Next, after moving the cutting blade 65x to the standby position, the control CPU 75 turns the rotary tables 64a and 64b by 90 degrees to deflect the top of the sheet bundle to the lower end (St012). Therefore, the sheet bundle is pressed and held by the cutting edge press member 65b, and a predetermined amount is cut by the cutting blade 65x (St013).

  Next, the control CPU 75 retracts the cutting edge press member 65b to the standby position, then turns the sheet bundle 180 degrees, deflects the posture so that the ground portion becomes the lower end, and cuts the lower end portion. Next, the control CPU 75 similarly retracts the cutting edge press member 65b to the standby position, and then turns the sheet bundle 90 degrees to deflect the posture so that the fore edge is at the lower end, and cuts the lower end. After cutting and aligning the peripheral edge of the sheet bundle in this way, the control CPU 75 shifts to a paper discharge operation when the cutting of the sheet bundle in three directions is completed (St014). On the other hand, when the cutting mode is not selected in step St009, the control means 75 shifts to the next paper discharge operation.

  In the paper discharge operation, the control CPU 75 determines whether or not the jog paper discharge mode. In the jog paper discharge mode, the control CPU 75 operates the jog mechanism. When the jog mode is not selected, the sheet discharge roller 66 is operated to store the sheet bundle in the storage stacker 67 (St015).

  In the above-described embodiment, the sheet bundle from the bookbinding path 33 is stacked on the storage stacker 67 with the stack posture deflecting unit 64 so that the back portion is in the upward posture. (For example, facing the front side of the apparatus in FIG. 1).

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of the overall configuration of a bookbinding apparatus and an image forming system provided with a cover sheet positioning mechanism of the present invention. FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of a main part of a bookbinding apparatus in the system of FIG. 1. It is explanatory drawing which shows the structure of the adhesive agent application means in the apparatus of FIG. 2, (a) is the structure explanatory drawing, (b) is explanatory drawing of an operation state. FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of an aligning mechanism of a cover sheet feeding path in the apparatus of FIG. 2. FIG. 5 is an explanatory perspective view of the aligning mechanism of FIG. 4. FIG. 6 is an explanatory perspective view different from FIG. 5 of the aligning mechanism of FIG. 4. FIGS. 5A and 5B are operation state explanatory views of the aligning mechanism of FIG. 4, in which FIG. 5A is an initial state before a cover sheet is carried in, and FIG. 5B is an explanatory view of a state in which the cover sheet is carried in; FIGS. 5A and 5B are explanatory diagrams of an operation state of the aligning mechanism of FIG. 4, in which FIG. 5C is a diagram illustrating a state in which the sheet is narrowed in the conveyance orthogonal direction, and FIG. Explanatory drawing of embodiment different from the aligning mechanism of FIG. FIG. 10A is an explanatory diagram of an operation state of the aligning mechanism of FIG. 9, (a) is an initial state before a cover sheet is carried in, (b) is an explanatory diagram of a state where the cover sheet is carried in, and (c) is a width of the cover sheet. Explanatory drawing of the state which moves near. The block diagram which shows the structure of the control means in the apparatus of FIG. 3 is a flowchart of a bookbinding operation in the apparatus of FIG.

Explanation of symbols

A image forming apparatus B bookbinding apparatus C post-processing apparatus 31 carry-in path 32 middle sheet conveyance path 33 bookbinding path 34 cover sheet feeding path 34a conveyance roller 37 sheet discharge tray 41 stacking tray 44 aligning mechanism 45 nip means (nip member)
45a Front end regulating surface 45b Pressing surface 46 Base frame 46r Rack gear 46p Pinion 46t Timing belt 47 Grip conveying means 55 Adhesive applying means 60 Cover binding means 61 Back plate 62 Back folding plate 63 Folding roll 64 Bunch attitude deflecting means 64a, 64b Rotary table 65 Cutting means 65x Cutting blade 66 Paper discharge roller 67 Storage stacker 75 Control CPU
80 control means MS1 transport direction shift means MS2 width direction shift means MO1 first shift motor MO2 second shift motor St leading edge detection sensor (rear edge detection sensor)
SS Side sensor

Claims (7)

A cover sheet positioning mechanism in a bookbinding apparatus ,
A bookbinding path for transferring the saddle stitching sheet bundle to a predetermined bookbinding position ;
A cover feed path for transferring a cover sheet to the bookbinding position ;
A cover binding means arranged at the bookbinding position to bind the saddle stitch sheet bundle and the cover sheet ;
Are arranged in the cover feed path, a nip means for holding and nipping the cover sheet,
A shift means for a predetermined amount of shift the nip means in the sheet conveying longitudinal direction and conveying the orthogonal direction,
Control means for controlling the shift means;
Equipped with a,
The nip means is arranged so as to nip the rear end portion of the cover sheet on the upstream side of the bookbinding position or nip the front end portion of the cover sheet on the downstream side in the transport direction,
The control means includes
Based on the width size information of the cover sheet, the nip means is moved in the conveyance orthogonal direction,
Based on the length size information of the cover sheet and the bundle thickness information of the saddle stitch sheet bundle,
A cover sheet positioning mechanism in a bookbinding apparatus, wherein the shift means is controlled to move the nip means in the transport direction . The cover feeding path is arranged in a direction crossing the bookbinding path,
The cover feeding path is arranged in a substantially horizontal direction, and the bookbinding path is arranged in a substantially vertical direction.
2. The cover sheet positioning mechanism in the bookbinding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the nip means is disposed in the cover sheet feeding path so as to be movable in a state where the cover sheet is nipped . The nip means is movably attached to the base frame movably attached to the apparatus frame in the sheet conveyance front-rear direction, and is movably attached in the sheet conveyance orthogonal direction.
The shifting means is
A conveyance direction shift means for moving the base frame in the front-rear direction of sheet conveyance;
A width direction shift means for moving the nip means in a direction perpendicular to the sheet conveyance;
The cover sheet positioning mechanism in the bookbinding apparatus according to claim 1 , comprising: A stacking means for aligning the saddle stitch sheets supplied sequentially in a bundle;
A bookbinding path for guiding the saddle stitching sheet from the stacking means to a bookbinding position ;
A cover feeding path that crosses the bookbinding path and transports a cover sheet to the bookbinding position ;
A cover binding means arranged at the bookbinding position to bind the saddle stitch sheet bundle and the cover sheet;
A nip means disposed in the cover sheet feeding path for holding the cover sheet in a nip;
A shift means for a predetermined amount of shift the nip means in the sheet conveying longitudinal direction and conveying the orthogonal direction,
Control means for controlling the shift means;
With
The nip means is configured to nip the rear end portion of the cover sheet on the upstream side of the bookbinding position, or nip the front end portion of the cover sheet on the downstream side in the transport direction,
The control means includes the nip means,
Based on the length size information of the cover sheet and the bundle thickness information of the saddle stitching sheet bundle, it is moved to the set position in the transport direction,
The bookbinding apparatus, wherein the bookbinding apparatus moves to a set position in the orthogonal direction of conveyance based on the width size information of the cover sheet. 5. The bookbinding apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the control unit moves the nip unit to the set position in a state where the cover sheet carried into the cover sheet supply path is engaged and held by the nip unit. 6. The bookbinding apparatus according to claim 4, wherein an adhesive application unit that applies an adhesive to a back end face of the saddle stitching sheet is disposed on the upstream side of the bookbinding position in the bookbinding path. An image forming apparatus having image forming means for sequentially forming images on a sheet;
A bookbinding device that aligns sheets from the image forming means in a bundle and binds them to a cover sheet;
An image forming system, wherein the bookbinding apparatus includes the configuration according to any one of claims 4 to 6.

Images