JP5010526B2 - Sheet processing apparatus, bookbinding apparatus including the same, and image forming system - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a sheet processing apparatus that performs post-processing such as binding processing, punching processing, and stamp processing on a sheet carried out from an image forming apparatus or the like, and a sheet storage mechanism that stores a sheet from a discharge port in a stack tray. Regarding improvement.

  In general, this type of sheet processing apparatus transports a sheet transported from an image forming apparatus or the like to a processing tray, and performs post-processing such as stapling, punching, and stamping on the processing tray and then downstream of the processing tray. It is stored in the arranged stack tray. For this reason, a processing tray is provided on the downstream side of the paper discharge port, a stack tray is disposed on the downstream side of the processing tray, and sheets are sequentially carried out to the downstream side.

  Conventionally, for example, Patent Document 1 discloses an apparatus configuration in which a processing tray for temporarily storing sheets is disposed downstream of a sheet discharge port, and sheets processed by the processing tray are stored in a downstream stack tray. Yes. The sheet bundle temporarily aligned and collected on the processing tray is bound by a stapling device (stapler) and stored in the stack tray.

  Conventionally, a stack tray that accommodates sheets that are sequentially carried out in this way is configured by an elevating tray that gradually descends according to the amount of sheets stacked, and a sheet that is carried out as a single sheet or a sheet bundle is used as its uppermost sheet. It is stored on the top. When the sheet bundle is transferred from the processing tray to the stack tray and stored, the height position of the processing tray and the stack tray becomes a problem. If there is a step (height difference) between the two, it becomes difficult to smoothly carry out the sheet from the processing tray to the stack tray. Conversely, if there is no step between the two, the sheet bundle carried out on the stack tray is stacked in a state of protruding upward due to the thickness of the bundle, and hinders the carry-out of the subsequent sheet bundle.

  Therefore, in Patent Document 1, the stack tray is set so that the height positions of both trays are substantially the same at the initial stage of unloading the sheet bundle from the processing tray, and the stack tray is lowered immediately before the unloading of the sheet bundle is completed. Thus, it has been proposed to raise and lower the stack tray so as to form a step between both trays.

  The apparatus configuration is the same as that of Patent Document 1, and Patent Document 2 describes the height position of the stack tray when sheets are discharged from the discharge port to the processing tray, and the sheet stack when the sheet bundle is transferred from the processing tray to the stack tray. It has been proposed to vary the height position. This document discloses that when stacking sheets on the processing tray, the step with the stack tray is set to substantially zero, and when the sheet bundle is carried from the processing tray to the stack tray, the step is set large. .

In this way, it is attempted to set the stack tray to a position with a small height difference and to set the height difference to be large when the stack tray is carried out from the processing tray to the stack tray. However, conventionally known stack tray height position control is performed in two stages when a sheet is unloaded from the discharge port to the processing tray and when a sheet bundle is unloaded from the processing tray to the stack tray. It has only been proposed to have different positions.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 06-100221 Japanese Patent Publication No. 08-009451

  As described above, when the sheets are conveyed from the sheet discharge outlet to the processing tray to be stacked and stacked, and when the accumulated sheet bundle is conveyed from the processing tray to the stack tray, the height position of the stack tray is varied. It is known. This is because the stack tray height is set so that a large step does not occur between the processing tray and the stack tray when sheets are stacked on the processing tray from the discharge port, and the sheet bundle is transferred from the processing tray to the stack tray. This is because a predetermined level difference is formed between both trays when unloading. As a result, when the sheets are stacked on the processing tray, the leading end of the sheet is smoothly supported on the uppermost sheet of the stack tray, and when a sheet bundle is carried out from the processing tray to the stack tray, it can be reliably stored at a predetermined level. It becomes.

  The reason why the height difference between the processing tray and the stack tray is adjusted according to the sheet carry-out state is to facilitate the control by lowering and lowering the stack tray in stages.

  However, there are cases where sheets are discharged directly from the discharge outlet to the stack tray without being stacked on the processing tray (straight unloading), and when a predetermined number of sheets are stacked on the processing tray (stacked stacking). The condition for carrying out the sheet differs between when the sheet bundle after processing such as binding processing is carried out to the stack tray (bundle carrying out). A height difference of substantially zero is preferable between the sheet support surface of the processing tray and the uppermost sheet of the stack tray at the time of the first straight carry-out, and the sheet support surface of the processing tray at the time of the second partial stacking. A height difference suitable for the stacking amount of the stack of sheets to be stacked is preferable between the uppermost sheet of the stack tray and the maximum distance between the sheet support surface of the processing tray and the uppermost sheet of the stack tray at the time of the third bundle unloading. A height difference that accommodates a sheet bundle (allowable maximum bundle thickness) is required.

  On the other hand, in the conventional apparatus, the height difference between the processing tray and the stack tray is set to substantially zero at the time of straight carry-out and part stacking. For this reason, there is a problem that the sheets stacked on the processing tray from the sheet discharge outlet cause the sheets already stacked on the processing tray to be displaced in the sheet discharge direction by carrying out subsequent sheets. At the same time, if the height difference between the processing tray and the stack tray is set large, there is a problem in that the sheet bundle carried out of the processing tray is displaced when it falls onto the stack tray.

  Therefore, the present inventor has come to the knowledge that when carrying out a sheet bundle from the processing tray to the stack tray, the sheet bundle is nipped by a gripper and the nip is released immediately before the uppermost sheet on the stack tray. For this reason, when carrying out the sheet directly from the discharge port to the stack tray, when stacking and stacking sheets on the processing tray, and when carrying out a bundle of sheets from the processing tray to the stack tray, the sheet support surface of the processing tray It came to the idea that the height difference between the stack tray and the top sheet is set to a condition suitable for carrying out the sheets.

  According to the present invention, in a device configuration in which a sheet discharge port, a processing tray, and a stack tray are arranged in this order in the sheet discharge direction, a sheet is transferred from the discharge port to the processing tray even when the sheet is transferred from the discharge port to the stack tray. Sometimes, when a sheet bundle is unloaded from the processing tray to the stack tray, the main problem is to provide a sheet processing position where the sheet can be smoothly unloaded and stored without being displaced. It is another object of the present invention to provide a sheet processing position where sheets can be stacked in an orderly manner without misalignment when sheets are stacked and stacked on a processing tray.

  To achieve the above object, the present invention employs the following configuration. A sheet discharge port (25x) for sequentially carrying out sheets, a processing tray (29) disposed downstream of the sheet discharge port, a stack tray (21) disposed downstream of the processing tray, and the stack A shift means (MS) for raising and lowering the tray up and down in the sheet stacking direction and an elevation control means (164) for controlling the shift means are provided, and the processing tray (29) bundles sheets from the paper discharge outlet (25x). The stacking control unit is configured to carry out the stacking tray into the stack tray (21), and the elevation control means sets the height position between the uppermost sheet of the stack tray and the sheet support surface (29a) of the processing tray. (1) When unloading a sheet from the discharge port (25x) to the stack tray (21), the first height position is used. (2) The sheet is discharged from the discharge port (25x) to the processing tray (29). When unloading, the second height position, (3) When unloading the sheet bundle from the processing tray (29) to the stack tray (21), the third height position, the first height position, The shift means (MS) is controlled so that the height difference becomes larger in the order of the second height position and the third height position.

  When the sheet control unit (164) carries out the sheet bundle from the processing tray (29) to the stack tray (21), the lifting control unit (164) is arranged before the rear end of the sheet bundle is landed on the uppermost sheet of the stack tray. Move from the second height position to the third height position.

  The processing tray (29) includes a tray member for stacking and storing sheets from the paper discharge port (25x), a sheet end regulating member (32) disposed on the tray member for positioning the sheets in a predetermined posture, and the tray. It comprises sheet bundle transfer means (sheet bundle unloading means 100 described later) for transferring the sheet bundle loaded and stored on the member toward the stack tray.

  The sheet bundle transfer means (100) includes a carrier member (110) disposed so as to be movable in the sheet carry-out direction along the processing tray, and a gripper member provided on the carrier member and gripping a rear end in the sheet bundle transfer direction. (A sheet engaging member 105 described later), and the gripper member includes a grip releasing means.

  The grip releasing means is configured such that the sheet bundle is detached from the gripper member in the process in which the rear end of the sheet bundle descends between the height difference between the sheet support surface (29a) of the processing tray and the stack tray. To do.

  The interval between the sheet discharge outlet (25x) and the stack tray is configured to be at least shorter than the length in the sheet discharge direction of the largest sized sheet. The rear end of the tray is bridge-supported on the uppermost sheet on the processing tray on the uppermost sheet of the tray.

  The sheet processing apparatus (B) according to the present invention includes a first paper discharge operation mode in which a sheet is temporarily stored in the processing tray (29) from the paper discharge port (25x), and a sheet from the paper discharge port. And a second paper discharge operation mode for storing on the stack tray.

  The bookbinding apparatus according to the present invention is a first processing for sequentially carrying in sheets (P1, P2) for carrying in sheets and collecting and stacking the sheets from the carry-in path in a bundle and then storing them in a stack tray. Part (BX1) and a second processing unit (BX2) that binds and stacks sheets from the carry-in path in a bundle and binds them together, and the first processing unit has the above-described configuration.

  An image forming system according to the present invention includes an image forming apparatus (A) that sequentially forms images on a sheet and a sheet processing apparatus that performs post-processing on a sheet from the image forming apparatus. The configuration is provided.

  In the present invention, the shift means for moving up and down the stack tray disposed on the downstream side of the processing tray has a height position between the uppermost sheet of the stack tray and the sheet support surface of the processing tray of the first, second, third, and at least three. It is controlled so as to form a height difference in the stage, and is set so that the height difference becomes larger in the order of the first height position, the second height position, and the third height position. There is an effect.

  First, when carrying out and storing a sheet from the sheet discharge port to the stack tray, the uppermost sheet of the stack tray and the sheet support surface of the processing tray are set to the first height position. By setting the first height position so that both trays are substantially the same, the sheet from the sheet discharge port is smoothly stored on the stack tray without curling the front end. Therefore, it is preferable that the first height position is formed so that the uppermost sheet of the stack tray and the sheet support surface of the processing tray are substantially the same or have a small step. In this case, the level difference is set to such a height difference that the leading edges of the sequentially conveyed sheets enter the level difference portions of both trays and do not curl.

  Next, when the sheets are carried out from the sheet discharge port to the processing tray and are aligned and stacked, the uppermost sheet of the stack tray and the sheet support surface of the processing tray are set to the second height position. Since the second height position is set so that a step is formed between both trays with a height difference larger than the first height position described above, the sheets stacked on the processing tray are positioned on the leading end side. Since the rear end side of the stack tray is supported by the processing tray and a step is formed between both trays, the preceding stacked sheets are not displaced or pushed out of the tray when the subsequent sheets are carried out.

  Further, when the sheet bundle is carried out from the processing tray to the stack tray, the uppermost sheet of the stack tray and the sheet support surface of the processing tray are set at the third height position. Then, a step larger than the first and second height positions described above is formed between the trays at the third height position, and the processing tray is set by setting the height position as the allowable maximum stacking amount of the sheet bundle. It is possible to reliably store the sheet bundle accumulated on the stack tray.

As described above, according to the present invention, the height position of the stack tray is set to three or more stages according to the carry-out state of the sheet carried out from the paper discharge port, so that the raising / lowering position control of the stack tray is simple. At the same time, storage failure such as jam and misalignment at the time of carrying out the sheet is not caused.

  In particular, in the present invention, when grip conveying means for nipping and transferring the sheet edge when the sheet bundle on the processing tray is carried out to the stack tray is adopted, the sheet bundle is relatively large between the processing tray. By forming a step with a height difference and releasing the nip while the sheet end portion descends between the steps, a large-capacity sheet bundle can be stored in an orderly manner on the stack tray.

  The present invention will be described in detail below based on the preferred embodiments of the present invention shown in the drawings. 1 is an overall configuration diagram showing an image forming system including an image forming apparatus A and a post-processing apparatus B according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of a detailed configuration of the post-processing apparatus B, and FIG. It is explanatory drawing of the principal part.

[Configuration of image forming system]
The image forming system shown in FIG. 1 includes an image forming apparatus A and a post-processing apparatus (sheet processing apparatus; hereinafter the same) B. Then, the carry-in port 23a of the post-processing apparatus B is connected to the paper discharge port 3 of the image forming apparatus A, and the sheets formed by the image forming apparatus A are stapled by the post-processing apparatus B, and the stack tray 21 and the saddle tray 22 are stapled. It is comprised so that it may house.

[Configuration of Image Forming Apparatus]
The image forming apparatus A will be described with reference to FIG. The image forming apparatus A is configured to send a sheet from the paper feeding unit 1 to the image forming unit 2, print the sheet on the image forming unit 2, and then discharge the sheet from the paper discharge port 3. The sheet feeding unit 1 stores sheets of a plurality of sizes in sheet feeding cassettes 1 a and 1 b, and separates specified sheets one by one and feeds them to the image forming unit 2. The image forming unit 2 includes, for example, an electrostatic drum 4, a print head (laser light emitting device) 5 and a developing device 6 arranged around the electrostatic drum 4, a transfer charger 7, and a fixing device 8. An electrostatic latent image is formed by the light emitting device 5, toner is adhered to the developing device 6, an image is transferred onto the sheet by the transfer charger 7, and heat fixing is performed by the fixing device 8. The sheets on which images are formed in this way are sequentially carried out from the paper discharge port 3. 9 is a circulation path. A sheet printed on the front side from the fixing device 8 is reversed on the front and back via the switchback path 10 and then fed again to the image forming unit 2 to print on the back side of the sheet. This is the print path. The sheet printed on both sides in this way is turned upside down by the switchback path 10 and then carried out from the paper discharge port 3.

  11 is an image reading apparatus, which scans a document sheet set on a platen 12 with a scanning unit 13 and electrically reads it with a photoelectric conversion element (not shown). The image data is digitally processed by an image processing unit, for example, and then transferred to the data storage unit 14 to send an image signal to the laser emitter 5. 15 is a document feeder, which is a feeder device that feeds document sheets stored in the stack tray 16 to the platen 12.

  The image forming apparatus A configured as described above is provided with a control unit (controller) 150 shown in FIG. 30. From the control panel 18, image forming conditions such as sheet size designation, color / monochrome printing designation, print number designation, single-sided / double-sided printing are provided. Printing conditions such as designation and enlargement / reduction printing designation are set. On the other hand, in the image forming apparatus A, image data read by the scan unit 13 or image data transferred from an external network is accumulated in the data storage unit 17, and the image data is transferred from the data storage unit 17 to the buffer memory 19. The data signal is sequentially transferred from the buffer memory 19 to the laser emitter 5.

  From the control panel 18, post-processing conditions are also input and specified simultaneously with the image forming conditions such as single-sided / double-sided printing, enlargement / reduction printing, and monochrome / color printing described above. As the post-processing conditions, for example, “print-out mode”, “binding finishing mode”, “booklet finishing mode”, or the like is selected.

[Configuration of post-processing equipment]
The post-processing apparatus B receives the sheet on which the image has been formed from the sheet discharge port 3 of the image forming apparatus A, and (i) whether the sheet is accommodated in the stack tray 21 (the aforementioned “print-out mode”), After the sheets from the paper discharge port 3 are aligned in a bundle and stapled, they are stored in the stack tray (first stack tray) 21 (the above-mentioned “binding finish mode”), or (iii) the paper discharge port 3 After aligning the sheets from the sheet into a bundle and stapling the center, the sheet is folded into a booklet and stored in the saddle tray (second stack tray) 22 (the aforementioned “booklet finishing mode”) as follows: It is configured.

  The casing (exterior cover) 20 of the post-processing apparatus B is provided with a carry-in port 23 a, and this carry-in port 23 a is connected to the paper discharge port 3 of the image forming apparatus A. The casing 20 is provided with a first processing unit BX1 for aligning and collecting sheets from the carry-in entrance 23a and binding and finishing, and a second processing unit BX2 for collecting and collecting sheets from the carry-in entrance 23a and finishing the booklet. It has been. A first carry-in route P1 is provided between the first processing unit BX1 and the carry-in port 23a, and a second carry-in route P2 is provided between the second process unit BX2 and the carry-in port 23a. These sheets are distributed and guided to the first processing unit BX1 and the second processing unit BX2. The carry-in entrance 23 is provided with a carry-in roller 25, a sheet sensor S1, and a path switching means (flapper member) 24 that distributes sheets to the first or second carry-in paths P1 and P2.

  A buffer path P3 is provided between the punch unit 60 and the processing tray 29 in the first transport path P1. This buffer path P3 is provided for temporarily retaining the succeeding sheet sent to the carry-in port 23a during a post-processing operation such as stapling in a sheet bundle that is aligned and stacked on the processing tray. Therefore, the buffer path P3 is branched and arranged in the first carry-in path P1 in the vertical direction of the casing 20, as shown in FIG. Then, the sheet from the first carry-in path P1 is switched back and stays in this path. Accordingly, when post-processing (end binding processing described later) is performed on the sheet bundle that has been collected and aligned on the processing tray 29, the subsequent sheet sent to the carry-in port 23a is temporarily retained, and the processing sheet on the processing tray 29 is carried out. Thereafter, the succeeding sheet in this path can be transferred to the processing tray 29.

  The first carry-in path P1 is disposed substantially horizontally in the upper part of the apparatus housing constituted by the casing 20, and the first processing unit BX1 is disposed downstream of the first carry-in path P1, and the stack tray 21 is disposed downstream thereof. Is arranged. The second carry-in path P2 is arranged substantially vertically in the lower part of the casing 20, the second processing unit BX2 is arranged on the downstream side of the second carry-in path P2, and the saddle tray 22 is arranged on the downstream side thereof. ing. In the first carry-in path P1, a punch unit 60 described later is disposed between the carry-in port 23a and the first processing unit BX1. A trimmer unit 90 to be described later is disposed between the second processing unit BX2 and the saddle tray 22 in the second carry-in path P2.

  The first carry-in path P1 is provided with a paper discharge roller 25 and a paper discharge outlet 25x at the path exit end, and a paper discharge sensor S2 is disposed in the paper discharge outlet 25x, and a sheet passing through the first carry-in path P1. Is detected, and jam detection and the number of passing sheets are counted. Then, the following processing tray 29 is arranged with a step formed downstream of the paper discharge port 25x. Further, a conveyance roller 27 is provided in the second carry-in path P2, and a stacking guide 45 described later is disposed with a step formed on the downstream side thereof.

[Configuration of first processing unit]
The first processing unit BX1 includes a processing tray 29 arranged in the first carry-in path P1, an end binding staple unit 31 arranged in the processing tray 29, and an aligning unit 51.

[Processing tray structure]
The processing tray 29 is formed of a synthetic resin plate or the like and includes a sheet support surface 29a for stacking and supporting sheets. The sheet support surface 29a is disposed with a step formed on the downstream side of the sheet discharge port 25x, and is configured to stack and store sheets from the sheet discharge port 25x. The illustrated sheet support surface 29 a is formed to have a length shorter than the length of the sheet in the sheet discharge direction, supports the rear end of the sheet from the sheet discharge outlet 25 x, and the sheet front end is above the uppermost sheet of the stack tray 21. To support (bridge support).

  The processing tray 29 is provided with a sheet end regulating means 32 and abuts and aligns the sheet rear end (or may be the front end) from the sheet discharge outlet 25x. Above the processing tray 29, a switchback roller (first friction rotator; the same applies hereinafter) 26 (movable roller 26a, fixed roller 26b) for transferring the sheet carried on the tray to the sheet end regulating means 32, Lining means 51 and side alignment means 34 are arranged. Each configuration will be described below.

[Configuration of sheet edge regulating means]
The processing tray 29 is provided with sheet end regulating means 32 for positioning one end edge of the leading and trailing ends of the loaded sheet. The sheet end regulating means 32 shown in FIG. 4 includes a stopper member having a sheet end surface regulating surface 32a that regulates butting the trailing edge of the sheet and a sheet upper surface regulating surface 32b that regulates the upper sheet surface of the uppermost sheet. Yes. The sheet end regulating means 32 is disposed at the rear end edge of the processing tray 29 and is set in advance by abutting and regulating the rear end edge of the sheet transferred by a switchback roller 26 and an aligning means 51 described later. The sheet is positioned at a post-processing position (binding position; the same applies hereinafter). At this time, the sheet upper surface regulating surface 32b regulates the warping surface of the sheet with the curled tip, and the sheet end surface regulating surface 32a regulates the position of the sheet edge.

  The illustrated sheet end surface regulating surface 32a and sheet upper surface regulating surface 32b are formed of a stopper member integrally formed of a resin, a metal plate, or the like, but both the regulating surfaces can be formed of individual members. In the illustrated sheet end regulating means 32, a fixed stopper member 32A is disposed at the center in the sheet width direction, and first and second movable stopper members 32B and 32C are disposed at predetermined intervals on the left and right ends of the sheet, respectively. It is comprised with the stopper member. In addition, 32s in the figure is a leaf spring attached to each stopper member in order to correct the curl at the front end of the sheet.

  As described above, the first and second movable stopper members 32B and 32C positioned at the left and right end portions of the sheet are moved according to the sheet size. Therefore, the right slide member 38a and the left slide member 38b are fitted and supported on the bottom wall of the processing tray 29 so as to be movable in the sheet width direction. The first movable stopper member 32B and the second movable stopper member 32C are fixed to the left and right slide members 38a and 38b. The left and right slide members 38a and 38b are connected so as to be interlocked with alignment plates 34L and 34R that align the seat sides as will be described later.

  The sheet end regulating means 32 configured as described above is configured such that at least the sheet upper surface regulating surface 32b can move up and down in the sheet stacking direction. When a sheet bundle on the processing tray is unloaded from the tray by the sheet bundle unloading means 100 described later, the sheet bundle unloading means 100 may lift the sheet bundle on the tray upward, and the sheet bundle moves upward. This is because the sheet upper surface regulating surface 32b is moved upward following this.

  Therefore, as shown in FIG. 4, the fixed stopper member 32 </ b> A is pivotally supported by the bottom wall of the processing tray 29 so as to be swingable, and is urged and supported by the urging spring 33 downward in the drawing. The first and second movable stopper members 32B and 32C are attached to the left and right slide members 38a and 38b, respectively, so as to be elastically deformable (32α portion in the drawing). Further, the vertical movement by the stopper member may be loose (ga in the figure) generated between the fixing screw 32n and the slide member regardless of elastic deformation.

[Configuration of sheet transfer means]
The processing tray 29 is provided with a sheet transfer means (switchback roller) 26 for guiding the sheet carried from the paper discharge outlet 25x to the sheet end regulating means 32 described above. The sheet transporting unit 26 is configured by a friction rotating body such as a roller or a belt that transports a sheet conveyed from the sheet discharge outlet 25x to the processing tray 29 to the sheet end regulating unit 32. This will be described below according to the illustrated switchback roller mechanism.

  As shown in FIG. 5A, the switchback roller 26a is arranged above the processing tray 29, and is configured to convey the uppermost sheet on the processing tray in the forward and reverse directions. The switchback roller 26a is located between an operating position in contact with the sheet on the processing tray 29 (state shown in FIG. 5C) and a standby position spaced above the sheet (state shown in FIG. 5B). The shaft is supported by the lift support arm 28 so as to move up and down. That is, the lifting support arm 28 is supported by an apparatus frame (not shown) so as to be swingable by a swinging rotary shaft 28a. The swinging rotary shaft 28a is supported by a lift motor (arm driving means; hereinafter) via a pinion 28p. Similarly, MY is connected. Note that a position sensor (not shown) is disposed on the lifting support arm 28, and the position of the lifting support arm 28 is detected to control the lifting between the standby position and the operating position.

  The movable switchback roller 26a, which is axially supported by the elevating support arm 28, is connected to a forward / reverse motor (not shown) via a transmission means, and discharges the sheet carried on the processing tray 29 in the paper discharge direction and in the opposite direction. It is designed to reverse forward and backward. Therefore, the roller rotating shaft 26z of the switchback roller 26a is supported by a long groove 28u formed in the lifting support arm 28 as shown in FIG. 5A, and can be moved up and down in the sheet stacking direction (up and down direction in FIG. 5A). It is supported by the shaft. The movable switchback roller 26a is provided with a paper surface contact sensor Ss. Reference numeral 28z in the drawing denotes a leaf spring that constantly urges the roller rotation shaft 26z downward. This is to prevent the paper surface detection sensor Ss from malfunctioning when the switchback roller 26a is lowered.

"Paper contact sensor"
The switchback roller 26a is provided with a paper surface contact sensor Ss for detecting the position of a roller rotation shaft 26z that moves up and down along the long groove 28u. This paper surface contact sensor Ss is fixedly disposed on the above-described lifting support arm 28, and a roller rotating shaft 26z that moves (moves upward) in the long groove 28u by the contact pressure with which the switchback roller 26a contacts the uppermost sheet on the processing tray is provided. It is configured to detect a position. For this reason, the lift support arm 28 is provided with a sensor lever 30 having a rotation center o1 at a position different from the swing rotation shaft 28a, and a roller rotation shaft 26z is axially connected to the tip of the sensor lever 30. A paper surface contact sensor Ss is configured by a photo sensor that detects a sensor flag 30f formed at the rear end of the sensor lever 30.

  The switchback roller 26a configured as described above is configured such that the lifting support arm 28 is vertically swung by the lifting motor MY, and the standby position above the processing tray (FIG. 5B) and the sheet carried on the processing tray. It moves up and down with respect to the operating position (FIG. 5C) in contact with. Then, it is detected by the paper surface contact sensor Ss disposed on the elevating support arm 28 that the switchback roller 26a comes into contact with the sheet carried on the processing tray 29.

"Configuration of control means"
Therefore, the control means 165 for controlling the lifting motor MY is configured as follows. The ascending control means 165 includes a control CPU 161, which will be described later, and controls the ascending / descending support arm 28 between the standby position and the operating position. First, the control means 165 is stopped at a standby position by a position sensor (not shown) disposed on the elevating support arm 28. Then, the leading edge of the sheet carried out from the paper discharge port 25x is detected by the sheet sensor S2, and after the expected time when the leading edge of the sheet has passed directly below, the lift motor MY is rotated counterclockwise in FIG. Then, the elevating support arm 28 rotates in the counterclockwise direction in FIG. 5A around the swing rotation shaft 28a. As a result, the roller rotating shaft 26z of the switchback roller 26a is supported by the long groove 28u, so that the switch back roller 26a is moved from the standby position (FIG. 5B) to the operating position (FIG. 5C) at substantially the same speed as the lifting support arm 28. To descend. At this time, the sensor lever 30 connected to the switchback roller 26a moves (lowers) in the same direction at the same speed as the lifting support arm 28.

  At this time, the ascending control means 165 makes the descending speed (rotational speed of the ascending / descending motor MY) Va of the ascending / descending support arm 28 equal to the speed (free fall speed) Vr at which the movable switchback roller 26a falls by its own weight in the long groove 28u. Or it is set so as to be later (Va ≦ Vr). This is to prevent the paper surface contact sensor Ss from malfunctioning due to rebound or the like when the descending speed Va of the lifting support arm 28 is made faster than the switchback roller 26a that freely falls in the long groove 28u. That is, the speed Vr at which the switchback roller 26a falls is limited by the speed of the lifting support arm 28 and gently lowered to prevent erroneous detection such as chattering of the paper surface contact sensor Ss.

  Next, when the peripheral surface of the switchback roller 26a abuts on the uppermost sheet on the processing tray 29, the switchback roller 26a stops on the uppermost sheet, but the lifting support arm 28 swings in the same direction. Descent. At this time, in the paper surface contact sensor Ss, the sensor lever 30 swings counterclockwise around the center rotation center o1. Then, the paper surface contact sensor Ss detects the sensor lever 30 and is turned “ON”. The lift motor MY is stopped by the detection signal of the paper surface contact sensor Ss. By controlling in this way, the switchback roller 26a always abuts on the uppermost sheet with a constant pressure contact force (for example, its own weight) Pt regardless of the amount of sheets stacked on the processing tray 29 (FIG. 5 ( c)).

  Concurrently with the lowering of the switchback roller 26a to the operating position, the control means 165 drives a forward / reverse motor (not shown) to rotate the switchback roller 26a forward and backward. Then, the sheet carried on the uppermost sheet of the processing tray 29 from the sheet discharge outlet 25x receives a certain conveying force and is transferred in the sheet discharge direction and the sheet discharge opposite direction. In the illustrated apparatus, when the sheet from the sheet discharge outlet 25x is conveyed in the sheet discharge direction from the sheet discharge outlet 25x, the switchback roller 26a is rotated in the clockwise direction in the figure, and the leading end of the sheet is drawn into the processing tray 29. Then, after the rear end of the sheet has passed through the paper discharge port 25x, the switchback roller 26a is reversely rotated and conveyed back to the sheet end regulating means 32 side. During the sheet conveyance process, the sheet and the switchback roller 26a are engaged with a constant pressing force regardless of the amount of sheets stacked on the processing tray, and a predetermined conveying force set in advance is applied to the sheet. .

"Aligning mechanism"
On the processing tray 29, an aligning mechanism (aligning means) 51 for transferring the sheet to the sheet end regulating means 32 is provided together with the switchback roller 26a. As shown in FIG. 6A, the aligning means 51 is disposed immediately below the sheet discharge outlet 25 x and scrapes the rear end of the sheet carried into the processing tray 29 and transfers it toward the sheet end regulating means 32. A friction rotating body (second friction rotating body; the same applies hereinafter) 52 is configured.

  The friction rotating body 52 is composed of a rotating body such as a rubber material, sponge (porous foam), other rollers, and a belt, and engages with the uppermost sheet on the tray and transfers it in a predetermined direction by the friction force. The illustrated friction rotator 52 is configured to move up and down according to the amount of sheets stacked on the processing tray 29. For this reason, a friction rotating body (roller) 52 is supported by a support on an elevating support arm 54 that is rotatably supported by an oscillation frame 53 on an apparatus frame (not shown). A driving pinion 53p is attached to the oscillating rotating shaft 53, and a stepping motor MC is connected to the driving pinion 53p. A torque limiter (not shown) is built in between the drive pinion 53p and the swing rotation shaft 53. Therefore, when the friction rotating body 52 attached to the lifting support arm 54 comes into contact with the uppermost sheet on the processing tray 29, the torque limiter idles by the reaction force, and always engages with the uppermost sheet with a constant pressure. .

  For this reason, regardless of the amount of sheets stacked on the processing tray 29, the friction rotating body 52 engages on the uppermost sheet, and the lifting support arm 54 stops at this position. Then, after the elevating support arm 54 is stopped on the uppermost sheet, a torque limiter (not shown) is idled to apply a predetermined pressing force to the friction rotating body 52. An idle pulley is supported on the swing rotation shaft 53, and a drive motor (not shown) is connected to the pulley. The rotational force of the drive motor is transmitted from the pulley to the friction rotating body 52 by a belt or the like. The friction rotating body 52 configured in this manner rotates in the counterclockwise direction in FIG. 6 at the operation position shown in FIGS. 6B and 6C and directs the sheet carried on the processing tray toward the sheet end regulating means 32. It is designed to be transported.

  The above-mentioned lifting support arm 54 is provided with a carry-in guide 54 a on the upstream side of the friction rotating body 52 and a carry-out guide 54 b on the downstream side. The carry-in guide 54a is formed in a guide shape for guiding the sheet leading end to the friction rotating body 52, and the carry-out guide 54b is positioned between the friction rotating body 52 and the sheet end regulating means 32. The guide shape is configured to guide each.

"Import guide"
As shown in FIG. 6A, the carry-in guide 54a is integrally formed with the lifting support arm 54 so that the sheet carry-in side is high and the friction rotator side is low so as to guide the sheet leading edge in the circumferential direction of the friction rotator 52. An inclined taper surface 54a1 is provided. Therefore, even if the trailing edge of the sheet fed toward the sheet edge regulating means 32 by the switchback roller 26a is curled and warped, it is guided to the friction rotating body 52 along the tapered surface 54a1. . Since this carry-in guide 54a is integrally formed with the lifting support arm 54, it is lifted upward according to the amount of sheets stacked on the processing tray. The carry-in guide 54a is formed integrally with the friction rotator 52 as described above. When the roller diameter of the rotator is reduced (for miniaturization), the sheet with the trailing edge curled is caught in the roller and jammed. Therefore, when guiding with the carry-in guide, the angular relationship between the guide surface (the taper surface described above) and the roller peripheral surface changes according to the sheet stacking amount, causing jamming.

  In order to solve such a problem, the friction rotating body 52 and the carry-in guide 54a are integrated so as to move up and down according to the sheet stacking amount. In this case, the carry-in guide 54a is integrally formed with the lifting / lowering support arm 54, but is separately supported so as to be swingable with respect to the lifting / lowering support arm 54. You may make it displace the rear end to the angle which is easy to carry in to the rotary body 52.

"Unloading guide"
The carry-out guide 54 b includes a guide surface 54 b 1 that guides the rear end side of the sheet fed by the friction rotating body 52 from above and guides it to the sheet end regulating means 32. The carry-out guide 54b is supported so as to be swingable upward by pushing up the stacked sheets with respect to the lifting support arm 54 in the state shown in FIG. 6A, and is configured integrally with the friction rotating body 52. Accordingly, the sheet is moved upward in accordance with the sheet stacking amount on the processing tray.

  Therefore, the carry-in guide 54a and the carry-out guide 54b are set such that the distance (L1) between the carry-in guide 54a and the uppermost sheet with respect to the uppermost sheet of the processing tray 29 is as shown in FIG. (L1> L2) is set larger than the interval (L2).

"Configuration of kicker means"
The carry-in guide 54a guides the sheet from the paper discharge port 25x to the friction rotating body 52 in cooperation with the kicker means 55 arranged on the upstream side. The kicker means 55 will be described. As described above, a step is formed between the paper discharge outlet 25x and the processing tray 29, and the trailing edge of the sheet sent from the paper discharge outlet 25x by the switchback roller 26a falls onto the processing tray 29. Therefore, a kicker means 55 is provided at the paper discharge port 25x.

  As shown in FIG. 6A, the kicker means 55 includes a base end swing lever 55a and a front end kick lever 55b attached to the apparatus frame by a rotating shaft 56. A drive motor MK is connected to the rotating shaft 56 of the base end swing lever 55a by a gear. In addition, the shaft is pivotally connected to the tip of the tip kick lever 55b. The rotation shaft 56 is swung at a predetermined rotation angle by the drive motor MK, and the shaft fulcrum 55b1 of the tip kick lever 55b is connected to the rotation shaft 56 through a gear and a belt. 6 (e), the kicker means 55 at the chain line position (standby position) rotates the drive motor MK in the clockwise direction in the figure, and the base end swing lever 55a swings in the direction indicated by the arrow a (counterclockwise) in the figure. . At this time, since the tip kick lever 55b is connected to the rotating shaft 56, the gear, and the belt, the tip kick lever 55b rotates in the direction of arrow b (clockwise). Accordingly, when the drive motor MK is rotated forward (clockwise in the drawing), the kicker means 55 is moved from the chain line state to the solid line state in FIG. 6 (e). At this time, the sheet rear end from the sheet discharge port 25x is moved to the lower processing tray. By striking 29, it waits for return to the position shown in FIG.

  Then, the control CPU 161, which will be described later, energizes the drive motor MK at the timing when the sheet trailing edge passes the sheet discharge roller 25 by the detection signal that the sheet trailing edge has passed through the sheet discharge sensor S2 of the sheet discharge outlet 25x. Kick it up. The rear end of the sheet dropped by the kicker means 55 is arranged to be guided to the friction rotating body 52 by the carry-in guide 54a.

[Configuration of side alignment means]
The processing tray 29 is provided with side aligning means 34 for aligning and aligning sheets. The side aligning means 34 employs either a center reference that aligns with the center of the sheet carried into the processing tray 29 from the sheet discharge outlet 25x or a side reference that aligns with the left and right side edges of the sheet as a reference. Is done. The operation will be described with reference to the perspective view of FIG. 4 and the operation state diagrams shown in FIGS.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the side alignment means 34 includes a left alignment plate 34L that engages with the left edge of the sheet on the processing tray 29, and a right alignment plate 34R that engages with the right edge of the sheet. The left and right alignment plates 34L and 34R are fitted and supported in guide grooves (see FIG. 4) formed in the sheet support surface 29a of the processing tray, respectively, and can be moved in the sheet width direction. A pair of pulleys 35 are disposed along the guide grooves at the bottom of the processing tray 29 as shown in FIG. 7A, and a belt 36 is bridged over the pulleys 35. The left and right alignment plates 34L and 34R are fixed to the belt 36. Further, shift motors MZ1 and MZ2 are connected to one of the pulleys 35.

  The left alignment plate 34L and the right alignment plate 34R, which are formed as a pair on the left and right sides with such a configuration, are moved to the left and right in the sheet width direction by driving the respective shift motors MZ1 and MZ2. Therefore, the left and right shift motors MZ1 and MZ2 are synchronously driven to rotate in the opposite direction by the same amount, so that the sheets carried on the processing tray can be aligned on the center basis. FIG. 7A shows a state in which large-size sheets are aligned, and FIG. 7B shows a state in which medium-size sheets are aligned. FIG. 8C shows a state in which small-size sheets are aligned. On the other hand, the sheet bundle aligned on the processing tray with the center reference can be offset by rotating the left and right shift motors MZ1, MZ2 in the same direction by the same amount. FIG. 8D shows a case where a large size sheet is offset. Thus, offsetting a large-size sheet by a predetermined amount requires that the post-processing means 31 be moved to the side of the apparatus when the post-processing position is biased toward the sheet corner (corner staple described later), and the apparatus is increased in size. Bring. Thus, post-processing such as corner binding can be performed by offsetting the sheet bundle accumulated on the processing tray 29 by a predetermined amount. This achieves a compact and compact device.

[Linking mechanism of alignment plate and movable stopper]
The pair of left and right alignment plates 34L and 34R configured as described above are interlocked with the sheet end regulating means 32 described above as follows. The sheet end regulating means 32 includes a left movable stopper (second movable stopper member) 32C and a right movable stopper (first movable stopper member) 32B. The left and right movable stoppers 32B and 32C are arranged on the processing tray 29. Are connected to left and right slide members 38a and 38b which are fitted and supported so as to be movable in the sheet width direction.

  Therefore, the left and right movable stoppers 32B and 32C are coupled to the left and right alignment plates 34L and 34R by a coupling spring 37 as shown in FIG. That is, the right slide member 38a having the right movable stopper 32B is connected by the connecting spring 37a, and the left slide member 38b having the left movable stopper 32C is connected by the connecting spring 37b. The left and right alignment plates 34L and 34R reciprocate between the strokes LS1 in the sheet width direction. On the other hand, the left and right movable stoppers 32B and 32C are driven between the strokes LS2. For this reason, stop members (not shown) are arranged on the processing tray 29 side in the left and right movable stoppers 32B and 32C.

  The strokes LS1 and LS2 are set such that LS1> LS2, and the left and right movable stoppers 32B and 32C move by the same amount until they hit the stop member in conjunction with the movement of the left and right alignment plates 34L and 34R. . The movable stoppers 32B and 32C stop at this position after hitting the stop member, and the alignment plates 34L and 34R further move. At this time, the connecting springs 37a and 37b connecting the two extend (extend). Accordingly, the left and right alignment plates 34L and 34R move between strokes LS1 corresponding to the sheet size, and the movable stoppers 32B and 32C move between strokes LS2. The reason why the strokes of the left and right movable stoppers 32B and 32C are set to be short is that a sheet bundle carrying-out means 100 described later is arranged at the center of the sheet.

  As described above, when the left and right movable stoppers 32B and 32C constituting the sheet end regulating means 32 are interlocked with the side aligning means 34, and the movement strokes of the both are made different, in the illustrated embodiment, a connection spring 37 is used. As described above, the “sliding transmission mechanism” or “deceleration transmission mechanism” may be used for the left and right alignment plates 34L, 34R and the left and right movable stoppers 32B, 32C.

  In the case of the “sliding transmission mechanism”, the left and right alignment plates 34L and 34R and the left and right movable stoppers 32B and 32C are connected by a sliding friction clutch, and after the left and right movable stoppers 32B and 32C hit the stop member, the clutch plate Is configured to slide. The “deceleration transmission mechanism” connects the left and right alignment plates 34L and 34R and the left and right movable stoppers 32B and 32C with a gear transmission mechanism. At this time, the alignment plates 34L and 34R move with a stroke LS1, and the movable stoppers 32B and 32C. Sets the gear ratio to move with stroke LS2.

  The control of the side alignment means 34 will be described. The left and right alignment plates 34L and 34R are provided with position sensors at preset home positions, and the left and right alignment plates 34L and 34R are positioned at the home position when the apparatus is activated. Therefore, a control CPU 161 (to be described later) receives sheet size information for image formation from the image forming apparatus A, and based on this information, the control means 166 positions the left and right alignment plates 34L and 34R at predetermined standby positions. This standby position is set to a position (a position for forming an alignable moving width) that is a predetermined amount away from the width size of the sheet sent to the processing tray 29. Therefore, the control CPU 161 turns the left and right shift motors MZ1 and MZ2 in the opposite directions after the expected time that the trailing edge of the sheet unloaded from the sheet discharge outlet 25x is loaded onto the processing tray (after the timer time has elapsed from the sheet discharge sensor S2). Synchronously rotate by a predetermined amount. Then, the sheets carried on the processing tray are aligned and aligned.

"Corner staple mode"
The control CPU 161 moves the left and right alignment plates 34L and 34R by a predetermined amount in the sheet width direction when binding a bundle of sheets that have been aligned and stacked on the processing tray by a stapling means (edge binding unit) 31 described later. It is configured to be offset. In the case of an apparatus configuration in which the stapling means 31 is moved to this position when binding the sheet corner, the apparatus is enlarged in the sheet width direction. For this reason, the illustrated apparatus offsets the sheet bundle on the processing tray by driving the shift motors MZ1, MZ2 of the left and right alignment plates 34L, 34R in the same direction by the same amount in the corner staple mode.

[Configuration of sheet bundle carry-out means]
The processing tray 29 is provided with a sheet bundle carrying-out means 100 for carrying out the processed sheet bundle to the downstream stack tray 21. The sheet bundle carrying-out means 100 is disposed at the bottom of the processing tray 29, protrudes above the sheet support surface 29a and engages with the sheet bundle, and mounts and supports the sheet engaging member 105. It is comprised with the carrier member 110. FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram showing a perspective configuration of the sheet bundle carrying-out means 100, FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing a planar configuration, and FIG. 12 is an explanatory diagram of a drive mechanism.

  As shown in FIG. 9, the sheet bundle carrying-out means 100 includes a sheet engaging member 105, a carrier member 110, an engaging member driving means 127, and a carrier member driving means 114. The sheet engaging member 105 includes a movable gripper 105a and a fixed gripper 105b. The carrier member 110 is mounted with the sheet engaging member 105 and is configured to reciprocate from the base end portion (post-processing position) of the processing tray 29 to the front end portion (bundle unloading position). Each configuration will be described below.

"Sheet engaging member"
The sheet engaging member 105 is constituted by an engaging member such as a protruding piece or a gripper that engages with the rear end edge of the sheet bundle stacked on the processing tray, and is a guide formed on the sheet support surface 29 a of the processing tray 29. It arrange | positions in the groove | channel 29G. As shown in FIG. 10, a guide groove 29 </ b> G is formed in the processing tray 29 between the processing position and the stack tray 21 disposed on the downstream side of the processing tray 29. ). In the illustrated example, two guide grooves 29G1, 29G2 are formed at a distance in the sheet width direction, and the sheet engaging member 105 is disposed in each of the left and right guide grooves 29G1, 29G2 as follows.

  The illustrated sheet engaging member 105 includes a gripper mechanism that grips and carries out the trailing edge of the sheet bundle on the processing tray 29. As shown in FIGS. 9 and 13, the movable gripper 105 a and the fixed gripper 105 b are connected to each other by a pivot pin (connection shaft) 106 so as to swing. A biasing spring 107 is provided between the movable and fixed grippers so that the tip nip portion 105ax of the movable gripper 105a and the tip nip portion 105bx of the fixed gripper 105b are always in pressure contact (FIG. 13A). reference).

  Therefore, the fixed gripper 105b is fitted and supported in a guide groove 115 formed in the carrier member 110 so as to be movable in the unloading direction. The rear end of the movable gripper 105a is connected to a traveling belt 116 built in the carrier member 110 by a connecting spring 117. Accordingly, when a traveling belt 116 of the carrier member 110 described later moves to the left in FIG. 13, the fixed gripper 105b and the movable gripper 105a move in the sheet bundle carrying-out direction with the tip nip portions 105ax and 105bx being in pressure contact with each other (FIG. 13 ( a) state). When the traveling belt 116 is fed back to the right side in FIG. 13, the movable gripper 105a swings clockwise around the pivot pin 106, and the tip nip portion 105ax is separated from the tip nip portion 105bx of the fixed gripper 105b to release the nip. (State shown in FIG. 13B).

"Carrier material"
Next, the carrier member 110 for mounting and supporting the above-described sheet engaging member (hereinafter referred to as “gripper member (means)”) 105 will be described. As shown in FIGS. 9 and 13, the carrier member 110 is composed of an appropriately shaped frame member that supports the gripper member (means) 105, and extends in the sheet bundle carrying-out direction along the guide groove 29 </ b> G formed in the processing tray 29. It is supported movably.

  Explaining the support structure, the rear end portion 110b of the carrier member 110 is supported so as to linearly reciprocate along the slide member 119 shown in FIG. The tip 110a of the carrier member 110 reciprocates in a loop along the loop guide groove 29Ga described below. As a result, the gripper member (means) 105 mounted on the carrier member 110 moves from the standby position to the carry-out position by the upper path protruding on the process tray, and after the sheet bundle is carried to the stack tray 21, it is placed in the process tray. It returns to the standby position with the lower pass. 111 shown in the figure is a guide pin provided at the tip of the carrier member 110 and is fitted in the loop guide groove 29Ga.

`` Slide member ''
As shown in FIG. 10, the slide member 119 is fitted and supported by a guide rail 121 disposed at the bottom of the processing tray 29, and can reciprocate with a predetermined stroke in the same direction as the guide groove 29G (the vertical direction in FIG. 10). It is supported. A driving rotary shaft 125 is mounted on the slide member 119, and a rear end portion 110 b of the carrier member 110 is axially coupled to the driving rotary shaft 125. FIG. 13 shows the state of this shaft connection. The carrier member 110 is connected so as to reciprocate with a predetermined stroke in the sheet bundle unloading direction by the drive rotation shaft 125 of the rear end portion 110b, and at the same time, the front end portion 110a is driven by this drive. It can swing around the rotation shaft 125. A drive arm (crank member) 126 described later is connected to the slide member 119, and the drive arm (crank member) 126 reciprocates between predetermined strokes. Further, a driving pulley of a travel belt 116 described later is connected to the driving rotating shaft 125, and an engaging member driving means 127 is connected to the driving rotating shaft 125.

"Loop guide groove"
Loop guide grooves 29Ga facing each other are formed on the left and right side walls of the guide groove 29G (see FIG. 10). A guide pin 111 formed at the tip 110a of the carrier member 110 is fitted and supported in the loop guide groove 29Ga. As shown in FIG. 11, the loop guide groove 29Ga has a loop shape having an upper travel path 113a and a lower travel path 113b along the sheet support surface 29a of the processing tray. The guide pin 111 moves from the standby position to the carry-out position along the upper travel path 113a (outward path), and moves from the carry-out position to the standby position along the lower travel path 113b (return path).

  As described above, when the carrier member 110 supported by the slide member 119 and the loop guide groove 29Ga moves from the standby position to the stack tray 21 side as shown in FIG. 11, the guide pin 111 follows the upper travel path 113a and moves to the carrier member. 110 moves in a substantially horizontal posture. When returning from the stack tray 21 to the standby position, the guide pin 111 follows the lower travel path 113b and the carrier member 110 moves in an inclined state.

  As shown in FIG. 11, the guide groove 29G is formed with a loop groove 112 for guiding a guide pin 108 provided on the sheet engaging member (movable gripper member) 105a. The movable gripper 105a and the fixed gripper 105b move along the loop groove 112.

  As will be described later, the sheet engaging member (gripper member) 105 mounted on the carrier member 110 is a sheet engaging member when the guide pin 111 of the carrier member 110 is guided by the upper travel path 113a and moves in the sheet bundle unloading direction. The joint member (gripper member) 105 has an operating posture protruding above the processing tray 29. When the guide pin 111 is guided to the lower travel path 113b and moves to the standby position, the sheet engaging member (gripper member) 105 is guided to the guide groove. It is designed to be in a standby position that is immersed inside. This state will be described later with reference to FIGS.

  As shown in FIG. 13, the carrier member 110 configured in this manner is provided with a pair of pulleys 130a and 130b before and after the sheet bundle carrying-out direction, and a traveling belt 116 is bridged between the pulleys. One drive pulley 130b is supported by the drive rotation shaft 125 described above. Accordingly, the rotation of the drive rotation shaft 125 causes the sheet engaging member (gripper member) 105 to overlap with the carrier member 110 in the proximal end storage position (the state shown in FIG. It is configured to be movable between the protruding tip carry-out position (state shown in FIG. 17 (h) described later).

"Seat engagement member mounting structure"
The above-described carrier member 110 is disposed at the bottom of the processing tray 29, and a sheet engaging member (gripper member) 105 is mounted on the top. As described above, the sheet engaging member (gripper member) 105 has the movable gripper 105a connected to the upper portion of the fixed gripper 105b by the pivot pin 106. Therefore, the fixed gripper 105b is supported by the carrier member 110 so as to be movable in the sheet bundle carrying-out direction. 115 is a slide guide groove formed in the carrier member 110, and a fixed gripper 105b is fitted and supported in the guide groove 115. The movable gripper 105 a is pivotally supported by the fixed gripper 105 b by a pivot pin 106, but its rear end is connected to a traveling belt 116 built in the carrier member 110 by a connection spring 117. The carrier member 110 and the sheet engaging member (gripper member) 105 include carrier driving means 114 and engaging member driving means 127, respectively, as shown in FIGS.

"Carrier drive means"
As shown in FIG. 10, the carrier member 110 is connected (coupled) to a slide member 119 with a drive rotating shaft 125. Accordingly, as conceptually shown in FIG. 13, a shaft pin 122 is formed integrally with the slide member 119, and a drive arm 126 is fitted to the shaft pin 122. The drive arm 126 is connected to the drive motor MH so as to swing around a swing shaft 131 supported by the device frame by a crank member. The drive arm 126 and the shaft pin 122 are connected by a slit (long hole). Accordingly, when the drive arm 126 is moved back and forth by a predetermined angle by the drive motor MH, the slide member 119 reciprocates back and forth with a predetermined stroke. By the back and forth movement of the drive arm 126, the rear end portion 110b of the carrier member 110 moves back and forth along a linear locus, and the tip end portion 110a moves back and forth along the loop guide groove 29Ga along the loop locus. As described above, the carrier member 110 includes the carrier driving means 114 that moves the carrier member 110 in the sheet bundle carrying-out direction along the processing tray 29.

"Engagement member drive means"
The fixed gripper 105 b and the movable gripper 105 a constituting the sheet engaging member (gripper member) 105 are connected to each other by a pivot pin 106. The fixed gripper 105b is supported by the carrier member 110 so as to be movable back and forth in the sheet bundle carrying-out direction along the slide guide groove 115. Further, the rear end portion of the movable gripper 105a is connected to the running belt 116 of the carrier member 110 by a connection spring 117 (see FIG. 13 above). Therefore, as conceptually shown in FIG. 13, a driving motor ME is coupled to the driving pulley 130b of the traveling belt 116 provided on the carrier member 110. The drive motor ME is composed of a motor that can be rotated forward and backward. When the drive motor ME is rotated in the forward direction, the traveling belt 116 moves in the left direction in FIG. Following the movement of the traveling belt 116, the movable / fixed clippers 105a and 105b move along the slide guide groove 115 from the standby position to the unloading position (bundle unloading direction).

  When the drive motor ME is rotated in the reverse direction, the movable / fixed clippers 105a and 105b move from the carry-out position to the standby position (return direction) as shown in FIG. 13B. At the same time, when the traveling belt 116 further moves to the rear side from the standby position, the connection spring 117 moves in the clockwise direction following the drive pulley 130b. With the backward movement of the drive pulley 130b, the connecting spring 117 pulls the rear end portion of the movable gripper 105a downward. At this time, the movable gripper 105a rotates clockwise around the pivot pin 106, and the nip portion 105ax at the tip is expanded upward (see FIG. 13B). As described above, the sheet engaging member (gripper member) 105 includes the engaging member driving means 127 that moves the sheet engaging member (gripper member) 105 in the sheet bundle carrying-out direction along the carrier member 110.

"Operation of sheet engaging member"
The operation of the sheet engaging member (gripper member) 105 configured as described above will be described with reference to FIGS. 15 (a) to 17 (k). The structure of the control means of the gripper means (gripper member) 105 will be described later, but “first standby position Gp1” “second standby position Gp2” “nip position Gp3” “bundle unloading position Gp4” “nip release position Gp5” ”And“ first standby position Gp1 ”.

"First standby state"
The control means 167, which will be described later, moves the gripper means (gripper member; the same applies hereinafter) 105 to the first standby position Gp1 shown in FIG. 15A by "initial operation" (described later) when the apparatus is activated. At the first standby position Gp1, the gripper means 105 is in a standby posture immersed in the guide groove 29G of the processing tray 29. The sheet carried on the processing tray 29 in this posture is abutted and aligned with the sheet end regulating means 32 as shown in FIG. Accordingly, in this posture, sheets are aligned and collected from the discharge outlet 25x on the processing tray 29, and post-processing is performed at a preset processing position of the sheet bundle.

"Retraction operation of gripper means"
Upon receiving a job end signal from the image forming apparatus A, the control unit 167 moves the gripper unit 105 backward toward the second standby position Gp2 on the rear side. For this reason, the control means 167 reversely rotates the drive motor MH of the drive arm 126 described above by a predetermined amount. In the process of retreating toward the second standby position Gp2, the gripper means 105 moves the guide pin 111 of the carrier member 110 from the lower travel path 113b of the loop guide groove 29Ga to the upper travel path 131a, and its movable gripper. 105a protrudes above the sheet support surface 29a (see FIG. 15C). At this time, the leading edge of the sheet is pushed upward by the movable gripper 105a. However, the sheet end regulating means 32 is elastically deformed as shown in FIG. This ensures a smooth movement of the gripper means 105.

"Second standby position state"
Next, the control means 167 rotates the drive motor MH of the drive arm 126 in the reverse direction by a predetermined amount and then stops it. And the control means 167 rotates the drive motor ME of the drive pulley 130b provided in the carrier member 110 clockwise (refer FIG. 13 (a) (b)). Then, the movable gripper 105a shifts from the nip posture shown in FIG. 15C to the nip release posture shown in FIG. In this state, the gripper means 105 is positioned at the second standby position Gp2.

"Nip operation"
Next, the control means 167 rotates the drive motor MH of the drive arm 126 in the forward direction (counterclockwise in FIG. 13), and moves the carrier member 110 in the bundle carry-out direction. With this movement, the sheet engaging member is positioned at the nip position (sheet end regulating member position). Therefore, the control means 167 rotates the driving pulley 130b of the carrier member 110 in the clockwise direction (see FIGS. 13A and 13B). Then, the movable gripper 105a connected to the traveling belt 116 is pressed against the fixed gripper 105b to nip the sheet bundle. The control means 167 moves the carrier member in the direction opposite to the moving direction (moving speed Vb) of the gripper means 105 moved by the traveling belt 116 (moving speed Vc). At this time, the gripper means 105 can be made stationary by adjusting the moving speed Vb of the traveling belt 116 with respect to the moving speed Vc of the carrier member 110. That is, when the gripper means 105 is moved in the direction opposite to the moving direction of the carrier member 110 with respect to the sheet on the processing tray, the gripper means 105 is stationary when viewed from the sheet. For example, when the speeds Vc and Vb are set to the same speed (Vc = −Vb), the gripper means 105 is stationary. As a result, the gripper means 105 performs a grip operation from the release posture to the nip posture while being stationary with respect to the sheet.

  Next, the control means 167 continues the forward rotation of the drive motor MH of the drive arm 126 and simultaneously rotates the drive pulley 130b of the carrier member 110 in the counterclockwise direction (see FIGS. 13A and 13B). Then, as described with reference to FIGS. 13A and 13B, the connection spring 117 is loosened by the movement of the traveling belt 116, and the movable gripper 105 a is pressed against the fixed gripper 105 b by the biasing spring 107. At this time, the rear end portion of the sheet bundle on the processing tray is nipped. This state is shown in FIG.

`` Move bundle transfer position ''
The control means 167 stops the drive pulley 130b of the carrier member 110 and continues the forward rotation of the drive motor MH of the drive arm 126. Then, the sheet bundle nipped by the gripper means 105 is transferred along the processing tray 29 to the state shown in FIG. The control means 167 rotates the driving pulley 130b of the carrier member 110 counterclockwise with the sheet bundle being transferred to the carry-out position in the state shown in FIG. Then, the fixed / movable grippers 105a and 105b connected to the traveling belt 116 protrude above the processing tray from the carrier member 110 in the state shown in FIG. As a result, the rear end of the sheet bundle is carried out onto the stack tray 21, and the front end is stored on the uppermost sheet on the tray.

"Nip released"
Next, the control means 167 temporarily stops the drive motor MH of the drive arm 126. Then, the carrier member 110 falls in the loop guide groove 29Ga. Then, the gripper means 105 drops onto the uppermost sheet on the tray in the state shown in FIG. Therefore, the control means 167 rotates the drive motor MH of the drive arm 126 in the reverse direction. Then, the carrier member 110 returns to the first standby position side along the lower travel path 113b of the loop guide groove 29Ga. At this time, the sheet bundle nipped by the gripper means 105 is blocked by the tray side wall and released from the nip (the state shown in FIG. 17J).

"Return state"
Further, the control means 167 continues the rotation of the drive motor MH of the drive arm 126 to return the carrier member 110 from the bundle carry-out position Gp4 to the first standby position Gp1. Then, the gripper means 105 returns to the state of being submerged in the guide groove 29G of the processing tray 29 in the state of FIG.

[Safety mechanism for tray output]
In the processing tray 29 described above, the following safety mechanism 135 is disposed at an exit end (hereinafter referred to as “tray discharge port”) 29x for carrying the sheet bundle to the stack tray 21. The safety mechanism 135 prohibits the operation of the “foreign matter detecting means 137” disposed at the tray discharge port 29x and the post-processing means (stapling means) 31 based on the detection information from the foreign matter detecting means 137. Means ".

  As shown in FIG. 18, the foreign matter detection means 137 includes a shielding member 133 that opens and closes the tray discharge port 29x, and a position detection sensor St that detects the position of the shielding member 133. First, the shielding member 133 is disposed at the outlet end (tray discharge port) 29x of the processing tray 29 described above, and opens and closes the discharge opening formed above the sheet support surface 29a. The illustrated shielding member 133 is constituted by a shutter plate that contacts the uppermost sheet on the tray support surface, and always blocks the opening of the outlet end 29x in conjunction with the swing of the switchback roller 26a. Thus, the shielding member 133 is provided at the exit end (tray discharge port) 29x because foreign matters such as office tools enter the post-processing section on the processing tray, or the user inadvertently enters fingers. This is to prevent this.

  This shielding member 133 can be moved up and down so as not to hinder sheet stacking on the processing tray 29 or unloading of sheet bundles for carrying out post-processed sheet bundles to the stack tray 21 (external casing 20 in the figure). Is attached to be movable up and down. The shielding member 133 opens upward when a paper jam (jam) occurs in the sheets stacked on the processing tray 29 or when a malfunction such as a needle jam occurs in the post-processing means (staple means) 31. Then jamming is done.

  As described above, the shielding member 133 configured to move up and down so as to open and close the paper discharge opening of the outer casing 20 is provided with a position detection sensor St for detecting the open / closed state. For this reason, the detection member (sensor flag) 134 is provided on the shielding member 133, and sensor means 138 (micro switch shown in the figure) including a sensor actuator Se that detects the detection portion 134 is arranged on the apparatus frame side. ing. The detection signal of the sensor means 138 is transferred to the control means 168 described later, and the operation of the post-processing means (staple means) 31 is prohibited.

  Therefore, the height of the shielding member 133 differs depending on the sheet stacking amount on the processing tray 29, and is low when the sheet stacking amount is small, and is high when the stacking amount is large. At this time, if the sensor means 138 is configured to detect a certain height position of the shielding member 133 and permit or prohibit the operation of the post-processing means 31, the following problem occurs. If the maximum allowable thickness loaded on the processing tray is set to be large, the height position of the shielding member 133 detected by the sensor means 138 must be set to a high position accordingly. The operation of the post-processing means is prohibited). For this reason, when an abnormal operation for lifting the shielding member 133 upward is performed in a state where several sheets are stacked on the processing tray, the sensor unit 138 does not detect the shielding member 133 and the post-processing unit 31 operates. A malfunction occurs.

  In order to solve the above-described problems, the apparatus shown in the figure is configured such that (i) the height of the detection position of the sensor unit 138 is adjusted according to the thickness of the stacked sheet bundle, or (ii) the sensor unit 138 uses a plurality of height positions Either of the methods is used to determine whether or not to prohibit the post-processing operation according to the thickness of the stacked sheet bundle. Each configuration will be described below.

(I) Embodiment in which the height of the detection position of the sensor unit 138 is adjusted according to the thickness of the stacked sheet bundle.
As shown in FIG. 18, the micro switch constituting the sensor means 138 is supported on the apparatus frame 20 by a guide rail (not shown) or the like that can move up and down along the sheet stacking direction. A rack gear 141 is provided on the sensor bracket 140 on which the microswitch is mounted, and a pinion 142 connected to the stepping motor MT is engaged with the rack gear 141. Therefore, by rotating the stepping motor MT, the sensor means 138 can move up and down in the sheet stacking direction, and the actuator Se of the sensor means 138 has a different height position for detecting the detected part 134 disposed on the shielding member 133. Will be. This stepping motor MT constitutes a sensor position shift means (MT).

(Ii) An embodiment in which the sensor means 138 detects a plurality of height positions.
As described above, the shielding member 133 configured to be movable up and down in the sheet stacking direction includes a plurality of detected portions 134 having different height positions as shown in FIG. 19, and includes a first flag 134a, a second flag 134b, and a second flag. The three flags 134c are arranged in this order. Then, the control means 168 described later determines whether or not the post-processing operation is prohibited based on the signal from the sensor means 138 that detects the plurality of detected parts 134a to 134c.

"Control means"
The control means 168 is composed of a control CPU 161 described later. The control unit 168 in the embodiment (i) acquires the number of sheets stacked on the processing tray 29 from the image forming apparatus A from, for example, image data. Then, the sheet bundle thickness stacked on the processing tray 29 is calculated from the preset standard paper thickness (stacking amount identifying means). The height position of the sensor means (microswitch) 138 is set according to the thickness of the sheet bundle. The height position of the microswitch supplies a power pulse corresponding to the height position set in the stepping motor MT. Then, the actuator Se of the sensor means 138 detects the detected portion (flag) 134 of the shielding member 133 at a height position corresponding to the thickness of the sheet bundle that is aligned and accumulated on the processing tray 29. .

  Note that the amount of sheets stacked on the processing tray is calculated by counting the number of sheets carried out to the processing tray and calculating the stacking thickness, or detecting the stacking height of the uppermost sheet stacked on the processing tray. A level sensor (not shown) is provided, or information on the number of sheets on which images are formed is transferred in advance from the image forming apparatus A, and the stacking amount is determined by either method.

  With this configuration, when the shielding member 133 is raised beyond the thickness of the sheet bundle stacked on the processing tray 29, the sensor unit 138 detects the detected portion 134. In this case, the height position of the sensor means 138 is set to be slightly higher than the thickness of the sheet bundle to be aligned and accumulated. The control means 168 is configured to prohibit the processing operation of the post-processing means 31 when the sensor means 138 detects the detected part 134 of the shielding member 133.

  In the embodiment (ii), when the sensor unit 138 detects the first flag 134a, the control unit 168 and the bundle thickness of the sheet bundle stacked on the processing tray and the preset flags 134a to 134a. The height position of 134c is compared, and when the height position of the flag is high, it is determined as “abnormal” and the processing operation of the post-processing means 31 is prohibited. Therefore, the control unit 168 includes a count counter that detects the number of sheets carried out to the processing tray 29 and a calculation unit (not shown) that calculates the sheet bundle thickness from the count number. When the sensor unit 138 detects the first flag 134a, the control unit 168 compares the height position of the first flag set in advance with the bundle thickness of the sheet bundle stacked on the processing tray. To do. Next, when the sensor unit 138 detects the second flag 134b, the height position of the second flag set in advance and the bundle thickness of the sheet bundle stacked on the processing tray are compared to determine whether or not there is an abnormality. To determine. Similarly, it is determined whether or not the third flag 134c is abnormal.

  In this case, the “abnormality determination” is performed by comparing the thickness of the sheet bundle stacked on the processing tray with a preset detection position (height position) of the flag, so that the shielding member 133 has the processing tray. The state of being lifted above the uppermost sheet 29 is determined as “abnormal”. Further, the detection results of the first, second, and third flags 134a, 134b, and 134c are stored in the storage means, and whether the signal from the sensor means 138 is the signal of the first flag or the second and third flags. It is made to identify whether it is a signal.

  With this configuration, when the sensor unit 138 issues the first detection signal from the initial state, the bundle thickness of the sheet bundle stacked on the processing tray is compared with the height position of the first flag 134a. In the case of the second detection signal, the sheet bundle is sequentially determined as the bundle thickness and the height position of the second flag 134b. As a result, it becomes possible to determine “abnormal” by detecting the open / closed state of the shielding member 133 step by step in accordance with the thickness of the sheet bundle accumulated on the processing tray 29.

[Configuration of edge binding staple unit]
The post-processing means (stapling means) 31 includes a driver 70 and a clincher 75 as shown in FIG. The driver 70 includes a head member 70a for inserting staples into a sheet bundle set at the binding position, a cartridge 71 containing the staples, a drive cam 77, and a staple motor MD for driving the drive cam 77. Has been. The clincher 75 includes a bending groove 75a for bending the tip of the staple needle inserted into the sheet bundle. In the end-stitching staple unit (post-processing means) 31, the driver 70 and the clincher 75 are integrally attached to the unit frame, and the head member 70a is reciprocated by a drive cam 77 in the vertical direction in FIG. 73 and a bending block 74 are incorporated. Since the structure of the former 73 and the bending block 74 is the same as that of the saddle stitching staple unit 40 described later, the structure will be described later with reference to FIG.

[Configuration of punch unit]
In the first carry-in path P1, the punch unit 60 is disposed between the carry-in roller 23 and the paper discharge roller 25, and a file hole is punched in a sheet passing through the first carry-in path P1. The configuration of the punch unit 60 will be described with reference to FIG. The punch unit 60 includes a punch member 62, a blade receiving member (die) 63, a drive cam 64, and a drive motor MX. A plurality of punch members 62 are arranged on the unit frame 61 at intervals in the sheet width direction, and are supported by bearings so as to be vertically movable in the punching direction. Each punch member 62 is engaged with a drive cam 64 (slide groove cam, eccentric rotation cam, etc.), and moves up and down with the drive cam 64 connected to the drive motor MX, thereby punching a file hole. Further, the blade receiving member 63 is disposed to face the punch member 62 with a sheet passing through the first carry-in path P1 interposed therebetween.

  The unit frame 61 is supported by an apparatus frame (not shown) so as to be movable in the seat width direction. This is to align the side edge of the sheet sent to the first carry-in path P1 with the punch position. That is, the sheet sent to the first carry-in path P1 is sent in a dimensional error of the sheet itself, a positional deviation in the width direction (left-right deviation), or a state inclined rightward or leftward (right skew, left skew). At this time, if punch holes are formed regardless of the position of the side edge of the sheet, the sheet edge becomes uneven when filing. Therefore, the following positioning mechanism is required.

[Positioning mechanism]
The positioning mechanism for matching the relative positions of the punch unit (post-processing unit) 60 and the sheet edge is composed of a sheet end detection unit 67 and a positioning unit 68. The sheet end detection means 67 is constituted by sensor means 66 for detecting the side edge of the sheet sent to the processing position, and the positioning means 68 moves the relative position between the sheet and the post-processing means 60 based on the detection information. It is configured as follows.

"Sheet edge detection means"
As shown in FIG. 20, the sheet edge detecting means 67 includes sensor means 66 for detecting the left and right side edges of the sheet sent to the processing position, and the sensor means 66 from the preset initial position in the sheet width direction. And shift means for moving the position. The sensor means 66 is composed of a pair of light emitting elements 66a and light receiving elements 66b arranged to face each other, and is arranged at a position for detecting the side edge according to the sheet size. In the figure, the A4 detection sensor S4a and the B5 detection sensor S5b are arranged at positions where the sheet side edge is detected because the sheet size is JIS standard A4 size and B5 size. The sensor means 66 is disposed on the unit frame 61 that supports the punch member 62.

"Positioning means"
As described above, the unit frame 61 on which the punch member 62 and the sensor means 66 are mounted is supported by a guide rail (not shown) so as to be movable in the sheet width direction. The unit frame 61 is provided with a rack gear 61R, and a drive motor MX is connected to a pinion 61P that meshes with the rack gear 61R. As a result, the unit frame 61 can move to the right and left of the stepping motor (drive motor) MX in the right and left directions in the sheet width direction.

"Sensor position control means"
The sensor position control means 169 includes a control CPU 161 described later. The sensor position control means 169 is electrically connected to the driver circuit of the stepping motor MX so as to move the unit frame 61 from the preset home position to the left and right in the sheet width direction. Therefore, the sensor position control means 169 moves the sensor means 66 outward in the sheet width direction when the sensor means 66 detects the sheet when the sensor means 66 is at the initial position (home position) (FIG. 21). (C) The position of the sheet edge is detected by moving the sheet to the left and right. (Ii) When the sheet is not detected, the sensor means 66 is moved to the inner side in the sheet width direction (the right and left direction in FIG. 21B) to move the sheet edge. It is configured to detect an edge.

  In detecting the position of the sheet edge, when the sensor means 66 changes from “OFF to ON” or “ON to OFF”, this position is determined as the sheet edge, and the unit frame 61 is stopped. Then, the positional relationship between the sensor means 66 and the punch member 62 is set so that the post-processing means (punch member) 62 mounted on the unit frame 61 punches a punch hole at a set distance from the edge of the sheet. Has been.

[Configuration of Second Processing Unit]
As described above, the second processing unit BX2 includes the stacking guide 45 disposed in the second carry-in path P2, the saddle stitching staple unit 40 disposed in the stacking guide 45, and the folding processing mechanism 44. Yes. Hereinafter, the stacking guide 45, the saddle stitching staple unit 40, and the folding processing mechanism 44 will be described in this order.

[Integration guide]
The stacking guide 45 is continuously arranged on the downstream side of the second carry-in path P2, and is configured to sequentially stack and store sheets from the carry-in entrance 23a in a standing posture. In particular, the illustrated accumulation guide 45 is arranged in a substantially vertical direction so as to cut the casing 20 vertically, and is configured to accumulate sheets in a standing position, thereby configuring the apparatus in a compact and compact manner. The illustrated accumulation guide 45 includes a guide plate bent at the center. The accumulation guide 45 is formed in a length shape that accommodates a maximum size sheet therein, and includes a saddle stitching staple unit 40 and a folding processing mechanism 44 described later. It is comprised in the shape curved or bent so that it may protrude to the side which arranges. The stacking guide 45 is provided with a leading end stopper 43 for regulating the leading end of the sheet, and the leading end stopper 43 is moved in accordance with the sheet size (length in the paper discharge direction).

[Saddle Stapling Unit]
A saddle stitching staple unit (hereinafter referred to as a “saddle stitching unit”) 40 is disposed in the stacking guide 45 described above, and staples the center portion of the sheet bundle that is aligned and stacked on the stacking guide 45. The configuration will be described with reference to FIGS. 29 (a) and 29 (b). The saddle stitching staple unit 40 includes a driver 70 and a clincher 75. The driver 70 includes a head member 70a for inserting staples into a sheet bundle set at the binding position, a cartridge 71 containing the staples, a drive cam 77, and a staple motor MD for driving the drive cam 77. Has been. As shown in FIG. 29B, the driver 70 has a driver member 72, a former 73, and a bending block 74 built in the vertical direction in the head member 70a of the frame. The driver member 72 and the former 73 are slidably supported by the head member 70a so as to reciprocate up and down between the top dead center and the bottom dead center, and the bending block 74 has a straight staple. It is fixed to the head member 70a as a mold that can be bent into a letter shape.

  A cartridge 71 containing a staple is mounted inside the frame, and the staple is sequentially supplied to the bending block 74. The driver member 72 and the former 73 are connected to a drive lever 76 that is swingably attached to the frame, and is driven up and down between a top dead center and a bottom dead center. The frame is provided with an accumulating spring (not shown) for driving the drive lever 76 up and down, and a drive cam 77 for accumulating the accumulating spring and a staple motor MD for driving the drive cam 77 are provided. .

  A clincher 75 is disposed at a position facing the above-described driver 70 across the sheet bundle. The illustrated clincher 75 is constituted by a structure separated from the driver 70, and the driver 70 bends the needle tip of the staple needle inserted into the sheet bundle. Therefore, the clincher 75 is provided with a bending groove (anvil) 75a for bending the tip of the staple needle. In particular, the illustrated clincher 75 is provided with a plurality of folding grooves 75a1 and 75a2 at two or more positions in the width direction of the sheet bundle stacked on the stacking guide 45, and a driver 70 moving to this position staples the plurality of positions in the sheet width direction. It is characterized by binding. With this configuration, the left and right portions can be stapled in a state where the clincher 75 is fixed to the sheet bundle supported on the stacking guide 45 without moving.

  In addition, the clincher 75 is provided with a wing member (not shown) that bends the staple tip of the staple needle, and the wing member is oscillated and rotated in synchronization with the needle tip inserted into the sheet bundle by the driver 70. It is also possible to adopt a configuration. In this case, a pair of bent wings are pivotally supported on the frame of the clincher 75 so as to be swingable at positions facing both ends of the U-shaped needle. Then, the pair of folding wings are swung in conjunction with the operation of inserting the staple needle into the sheet bundle by the driver 70. By swinging the pair of wings, the staple tip of the staple needle is bent in a flat state along the back surface of the sheet bundle. In other words, the needle tip is bent in a U shape (glasses clinch) when bent in the above-described bending groove, and the needle tip is bent in a straight line (flat clinch) when bent by a wing member described later. Any of the configurations can be adopted in the present invention.

  With such a configuration, the driver member 78 and the former 73 incorporated in the head member 70a are rotated by the staple motor MD so that the drive cam 77 moves the drive lever 76 from the upper dead center to the lower lower dead center via the accumulating spring. Press to. As the drive lever 76 is lowered, the driver member 72 and the former 73 connected thereto are moved from the top dead center to the bottom dead center. The driver member 72 is constituted by a plate-like member so as to push down the back portion of the staple needle folded in a U-shape, and the former 73 is constituted by a U-shaped member as shown in FIG. The staple is folded in a U-shape with the block 74. That is, the staples are supplied from the cartridge 71 to the bending block 74, and the linear staples are press-formed between the former 73 and the bending block 74 in a U-shape, and then bent into the U-shape. The staple member is pushed into the sheet bundle by the driver member 72 toward the sheet bundle.

[Folding mechanism]
A folding roll means 46 for folding the sheet bundle and a folding blade 47 for inserting the sheet bundle at the nip position of the folding roll means 46 are provided at the folding position arranged on the downstream side of the saddle stitching staple unit 40 described above. . As shown in FIG. 27, the folding roll means 46 is composed of rolls 46a and 46b that are in pressure contact with each other, and each roll is formed to have a width of approximately the maximum sheet.

  The pair of folding rolls 46a and 46b are formed of a material having a large coefficient of friction such as a rubber roller. This is because the sheet is bent and transferred by a soft material such as rubber, and may be formed by lining the rubber material. The folding rolls 46a and 46b are formed in an uneven shape, and a gap is formed in the sheet value width direction. This gap is arranged so as to coincide with the unevenness of the folding blade 47 described later, and consideration is given so that the tip of the folding blade can easily enter between the roll nips. In other words, the pair of folding rolls 46a and 46b that are in pressure contact with each other are formed in a concavo-convex shape having a gap in the sheet width direction, and the stapled portion of the sheet and the folding blade 47 similarly formed in the concavo-convex shape in this gap. The cutting edge enters.

  Next, the operation of folding the sheet by the folding roll means 46 will be described with reference to FIGS. The pair of folding rolls 46a and 46b are located on the curved or bent protruding side of the accumulation guide 45, and a folding blade 47 having a knife edge is provided at a position facing the sheet bundle supported by the accumulation guide 45. ing. The folding blade 47 is supported by the apparatus frame so as to be able to reciprocate between the standby position in FIG. 27A and the nip position in FIG.

  Therefore, the sheet bundle supported by the stacking guide 45 in the form of a bundle is locked by the leading end stopper 43 in the state shown in FIG. 5A, and the fold position is positioned at the folding position in the stapled state. Upon obtaining this sheet bundle setting end signal, the drive control means (sheet bundle folding operation control section 164d described below; hereinafter the same) turns off the clutch means.

  Accordingly, the drive control means 164d moves the folding blade 47 from the standby position toward the nip position at a predetermined speed. Therefore, in the state of FIG. 27B, the sheet bundle is bent at the fold position by the folding blade 47 and inserted between the rolls. At this time, the folding rolls 46 a and 46 b are driven and rotated continuously with the sheet moved by the folding blade 47. The drive control means 164d stops the blade drive motor (not shown) after the expected time for the sheet bundle to reach the predetermined nip position, and stops the folding blade 47 at the position shown in FIG. Before and after this, the drive control means 164d switches the clutch means to the ON state and drives and rotates the folding rolls 46a and 46b. Then, the sheet bundle is sent out in the feeding direction (left side in the figure). Thereafter, the drive control means 164d moves and returns the folding blade 47 located at the nip position to the standby position in parallel with the feeding of the sheet bundle by the folding rolls 46a and 46b in the state shown in FIG.

  When the sheet bundle thus folded is first engulfed between the pair of folding rolls 46a and 46b, the sheet in contact with the roll surface is not drawn between the rolls by the rotating roll. That is, since the folding rolls 46a and 46b rotate following the inserted (pushed) sheet, only the sheet in contact with the roll will not be wound first. Further, since the roll follows and rotates following the inserted sheet, the roll surface and the sheet in contact with the roll are not rubbed, and the image is not rubbed.

[Trimmer unit]
A sheet transfer path (hereinafter referred to as “paper discharge path”) 85 for guiding the folded sheet to the saddle tray (second stack tray; the same applies hereinafter) 22 is provided on the downstream side of the folding processing mechanism 44. The sheet bundle folded in the form of a booklet is carried out to the saddle tray 22. Therefore, a trimmer unit 90 is disposed in the paper discharge path 85. The trimmer unit 90 cuts and aligns a predetermined amount of the small edge portion of the folded sheet folded by the folding processing mechanism 44. In other words, when a plurality of sheet bundles are folded into a booklet shape at the center by the folding mechanism 44 (magazine folding), the leading end of the folding (small edge) becomes uneven, and the edge of the sheet is cut by cutting a predetermined amount of the small edge. Align and finish.

  Since the structure of the trimmer unit 90 is known in various structures, it will not be described in detail. For example, a cutting blade that cuts the edge of a sheet bundle (a flat cutting blade or a disc-shaped rotating blade, and this cutting blade is driven). The cutter motor and a cutting edge press means for pressing and holding the cutting edge of the sheet bundle are shown, a unit frame 91 is provided in the paper discharge path 85, and a cutting blade 92 and a pressure member ( The cutting blade 92 and the pressure member are positioned in the sheet width direction, and press the sheet bundle when descending from the upper standby position to the lower cutting position. It is configured to press and hold with a member and cut with a cutting blade 92.

  Therefore, the paper discharge path (sheet transfer path) 85 includes a “conveying mechanism” for transferring the folded sheet bundle from the folding processing mechanism 44 to the cutting position of the trimmer unit 90 and a “positioning mechanism for positioning the folded sheet at the cutting position. Is arranged.

"Transport mechanism"
The transport mechanism includes a pair of transport rollers 93 that nip and transport the folded sheet bundle. The conveying roller pair 93 is composed of a pair of rollers that are in pressure contact with each other with a paper discharge path 85 interposed therebetween, one of which is a fixed roller and the other is a movable roller that can be pressed against and separated from each other. The illustrated one is provided with a pair of conveying rollers 93 and a pair of conveying rollers 93 a on the front side and a pair of conveying rollers 93 b on the discharge path 85. The distance between the front and rear transport roller pairs 93a and 93b is set to be shorter than the length of the folded sheet bundle in the transport direction. The movable rollers 93a1 and 93b1 of both conveying roller pairs are mounted on the same support frame 95, and the support frame 95 is supported by guide rails so as to move up and down with respect to the apparatus frame (not shown) as shown in FIG. Has been. Accordingly, the pair of transport rollers 93a and 93b arranged at the front and rear along the paper discharge path 85 are arranged so that the movable rollers 93a1 and 93b1 are pressed and separated from the fixed rollers 93a2 and 93b2. The illustrated MF is a shift motor that moves the support frame 95 up and down. The movable rollers 93a1 and 93b1 are provided with pressure springs (not shown) and are in pressure contact with the fixed rollers at a predetermined pressure.

"Drive mechanism"
Further, the front conveying roller pair 93a and the rear conveying roller pair 93b are rotated at the same peripheral speed by the driving mechanism shown in FIG. The folding rolls 46a and 46b constituting the folding roll means 46 described above are connected by a transmission belt so that the rotation of the folding rollers 46a and 46b is operated to the pair of rear conveying rollers 93b and the pair of front conveying rollers 93a. The illustrated MG is the drive motor.

"Positioning mechanism"
The positioning mechanism is composed of registration means 96 for positioning and setting a folded sheet bundle conveyed by the above-described pair of conveying rollers 93 at a predetermined cutting position. The registration means 96 is configured as follows to correct the posture of the folded sheet bundle at the same time as positioning. The registration means 96 is configured by a restriction stopper that abuts against the leading edge of the folded sheet bundle and moves backward by a predetermined amount in the direction opposite to the conveyance direction. The illustrated restriction stopper includes a swing arm member 97 that swings back and forth in the sheet conveying direction. The swing arm member 97 has a solid line posture (standby position) retracted from the paper discharge path 85 shown in FIG. 22A, and a chain line posture (operating position) in which the folded sheet bundle is retracted along the paper discharge path 85. The base solenoid is provided with an actuating solenoid SL1.

  A frame (referred to as a stopper frame) 97U on which the swing arm member 97 and the actuating solenoid SL1 are mounted is attached to the apparatus frame so as to be movable forward and backward in the transport direction, and a stopper shift motor MJ for moving the position of the stopper frame 97U is provided. It has been. Accordingly, the swing arm member 97 is moved back and forth in the conveyance direction by the rotation control of the stopper shift motor MJ according to the length size of the folded sheet bundle.

"Biasing guide member"
When the folded sheet bundle is moved backward by the swing arm member 97, the conveying roller pair 93 releases the nip of the folded sheet bundle, and the movable rollers 93a1 and 93b1 are controlled to be separated from the folded sheet bundle. (Refer to "Stopper position control means" described later). At this time, the folded sheet bundle in the paper discharge path is in a free state and may be displaced due to the impact of the swing arm member 97. Therefore, an urging guide member 98 is provided in the paper discharge path 85 to apply a forward displacement force to the sheet when the sheet is moved back by a predetermined amount by the swing arm member (regulation stopper) 97. The urging guide member 98 is composed of a plate member, a shoe member, and the like that are in contact with the folded sheet bundle, and exerts a braking action on the folded folded sheet bundle. The illustrated urging guide member 98 is constituted by a guide piece that presses the upper surface of the folded sheet that is pivotally supported by the support frame 95 with its own weight.

"Advanced detection sensor"
The paper discharge path 85 is provided with a leading edge detection sensor Sh for detecting that the folded sheet bundle has reached a predetermined cutting position. The leading edge detection sensor Sh includes a sensor flag 86 that engages with the leading edge of the sheet that moves in the conveyance direction along the paper discharge path 85, and a sensor element 87 that detects the position of the sensor flag 86.

"Stopper position control means"
A control means 170 constituted by a control CPU 161 described later positions the swing arm member 97 in accordance with the length size information (for example, information transferred from the image forming means) of the folded sheet bundle sent from the folding processing mechanism 44. Moving. That is, when the folded sheet bundle is, for example, JIS standard A4 size, it is moved to the “A4” position shown in the figure, and when it is B5 size, it is moved to the “B5” position shown by the stopper shift motor MJ. At this time, the swing arm member 97 is held in a standby posture, and at the same time, the conveying roller pair 93 is held in a pressure contact state (home position).

  Therefore, the control means 170 detects that the folded sheet bundle has reached the cutting position by the leading edge detection sensor Sh, stops the rotation of the conveying roller pair 93 by the detection signal, and simultaneously activates the shift motor MF to fold the sheet. Release the nip of the sheet bundle. At this time, the biasing guide member 98 maintains a state where the folded sheet bundle is pressed by its own weight.

  Next, the control means 170 activates the actuation solenoid SL1 after a predetermined time has elapsed from the tip detection signal of the tip detection sensor Sh. As a result, the swing arm member 97 rotates clockwise from the standby position shown in FIG. 22 and FIG. 23 and moves to the operating position shown in FIG. As the swing arm member 97 moves, the folded sheet bundle moves backward. At this time, the folded sheet bundle is subjected to the braking action of the biasing guide member 98, and the leading edge thereof is skew corrected following the swing arm member 97. That is, even if the folded sheet bundle is skewed and sent to the cutting position, the posture is corrected when the folded sheet bundle is positioned at the cutting position.

  Further, in the illustrated apparatus, the positional relationship between the above-described conveyance roller pair 93 and the urging guide member 98 is arranged as follows. A folding processing mechanism 44 that folds a plurality of sheets is disposed in the paper discharge path 85 on the upstream side of the registration means. The folding processing mechanism 44 is configured to transfer the folding end toward the front in the transfer direction. Further, a cutting means (cutting blade) 92 for cutting and aligning the rear end edge of the folded sheet bundle is disposed in the paper discharge path 85. An urging guide member 98, a conveying roller pair 93, and a regulating stopper 97 are arranged in this order on the downstream side of the cutting means 92. Therefore, the conveying roller pair 93 is disposed at a position for pressing the folded end of the folded sheet, and the biasing guide member 98 is disposed at a position for pressing the central portion of the folded sheet. This is because when the folded sheet bundle is trimmed and aligned, the back folded portion is pinched by the roller pair, and at the same time, the pressure guide (previously the urging guide member 98) prevents the central portion of the sheet from coming up.

  The conveying roller pair 93 is configured to be movable between a nip releasing position separated from the sheet and a nip position for nipping the sheet, and the control means (1) after moving the conveying roller pair to the nip releasing position (2) The stopper member is moved backward to retract the sheet by a predetermined amount. At this time, (3) the sheet is urged forward by the urging guide, and the leading end of the sheet is biased toward the stopper member.

[Storage section]
A stack tray 21 and a saddle tray 22 are arranged vertically on the side wall of the casing 20 as shown in FIG. 2, and the stack tray 21 stores the sheet bundle that has been bound from the first processing unit BX1. 29 on the downstream side. The saddle tray 22 includes a paper discharge port 22x, and is disposed on the downstream side of the stacking guide 45 so as to store a sheet bundle processed in a booklet form from the second processing unit BX2. The stack tray 21 is adjacent to be connected to the outlet end (tray discharge port) 29x of the processing tray 29, and the saddle tray 22 is disposed downstream of the stacking guide 45 via the folding processing mechanism 44 and the trimmer unit 90. Has been.

[Stack Tray Lifting Mechanism]
The configuration of the stack tray 21 will be described with reference to FIG. The stack tray (hereinafter referred to as “elevating tray”) 21 is configured to move up and down according to the amount of stacked sheets. The elevating tray 21 is configured in a tray shape on which sheets are stacked, and is configured to protrude from the side wall of the casing 20 to the outside of the apparatus. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 25, the tray base end portion 21a is provided with guide rollers 20r at two upper and lower portions, and the guide rollers 20r are fitted and supported by lifting guides 20u provided in an apparatus frame (not shown). .

  An elevating motor (shift means) MS is mounted on the bottom of the elevating tray 21, and a drive pinion 21p is connected to the elevating motor MS via a speed reduction mechanism. On the other hand, a rack gear 20h is arranged in the sheet stacking direction (vertical direction in FIG. 25) on the apparatus frame provided with the lifting guide 20u, and a drive pinion 21p is engaged with the rack gear 20h. The elevating motor MS is composed of a motor that can be rotated forward and backward, and an encoder (not shown) that detects the amount of rotation is provided on its drive shaft. The elevating tray 21 is provided with a level sensor Sr for detecting the height position of the uppermost sheet stacked. Accordingly, the lifting tray 21 is moved in the sheet stacking direction (vertical direction in FIG. 25) by rotating the lifting motor MS forward and backward by a predetermined rotation. The height position of the elevating tray 21 is detected by the level sensor Sr, and the elevating motor MS is rotationally driven in the forward and reverse directions based on the detection result. The amount of rotation of the lift motor MS is detected by the encoder.

[Configuration of level sensor]
As shown in FIG. 25, the level sensor Sr is composed of an arm lever 58 and a sensor for detecting the position of the arm lever 58, and an operating solenoid SL2 is connected to the arm lever 58. The lift control means 164 moves the arm lever 58 up and down in response to a paper discharge instruction signal. The sheet discharge instruction signal is sent from the sheet discharge sensor S2, for example, the timing after the passage of the expected time for the sheet to reach the stack tray 21 from the sheet rear end passage signal, or the operation signal of the bundle unloading means described above. The stack tray 21 is moved up and down by a timing signal after the estimated time when the end reaches the stack tray 21.

[Elevation control means]
The lift control means (control CPU 161 described later) 164 for controlling the lift motor (shift means) MS is configured as follows. First, a control mode for transferring a sheet from the paper discharge port 25x onto the stack tray will be described. The sheet from the paper discharge port 25x is “straight paper discharge mode (second paper discharge operation mode)”, “bridge carry-out mode (first 1 and “processing bundle carry-out mode”. This carry-out mode is selected when setting the post-processing mode of the image forming apparatus A, for example.

  In the “straight paper discharge mode (second paper discharge operation mode)”, a sheet on which an image is formed is directly carried out from the paper discharge port 25x without post-processing. In this mode, the sheet sent to the carry-in port 23a is sent to the first carry-in path P1, and is conveyed onto the processing tray 29 via the paper discharge roller 25 and the paper discharge sensor S2. On the processing tray 29, the switchback roller 26a is rotated in the paper discharge direction (FIG. 26 (a) clockwise) while being in pressure contact with the driven roller 26b disposed on the sheet support surface 29a. Accordingly, the sheet from the sheet discharge outlet 25x is carried out onto the processing tray 29, sent to the lifting tray 21 by the switchback rollers 26a and 26b prepared on the tray, and stacked on the uppermost sheet.

  In the “bridge carry-out mode (first paper discharge operation mode)”, sheets are aligned and stacked on the processing tray 29 from the paper discharge port 25x in order to perform post-processing on the sheet on which the image has been formed. In this mode, the sheet sent to the carry-in port 23a is sent to the first carry-in path P1, and is conveyed to the processing tray 29 via the paper discharge roller 25 and the paper discharge sensor S2. The processing tray 29 is provided with sheet end regulating means 32, switchback roller 26a, aligning means 51, and side aligning means 34. Then, the sheets from the paper discharge outlet 25x are collected in a bundle on the uppermost sheet on the processing tray 29. In the “processing bundle carry-out mode”, the sheet bundle that is aligned and collected on the processing tray and bound by the end binding staple unit 31 is carried out from the processing tray 29 to the lift tray 21. For this reason, the sheet bundle carrying-out means 100 is arranged on the processing tray 29.

  Therefore, the elevation control means 164 sets the height difference H between the uppermost sheet stored in the elevation tray 21 and the sheet support surface 29a of the processing tray 29 to the first height position H1 in the “straight sheet discharge mode”. In the “bridge carry-out mode”, the second height position H2 is set. In the “process bundle carry-out mode”, the third height position H3 is set. The height difference H at this time is set so as to increase in the order of the first, second and third height positions (H1 <H2 <H3). As described above, the height position is controlled by detecting the position of the uppermost sheet on the tray by the level sensor Sr, and setting the height difference H by rotating the lifting motor MS by a predetermined amount based on the detection signal.

  The first height position H1 is set so that the height difference between the uppermost sheet and the sheet support surface 29a is substantially zero. That is, the discharge sheet sent to the sheet support surface 29a is set so as to be smoothly carried on the uppermost sheet. At this time, considering that the trailing edge of the uppermost sheet curls up and the uppermost sheet is positioned upward due to a control error, the uppermost sheet is slightly lowered with respect to the sheet support surface 29a. Set.

  At the same time as such consideration, it is difficult to control the processing tray 29 to be lowered by the thickness of one sheet each time a sheet is loaded. Therefore, the normal processing tray 29 is configured so that the above-described level sensor Sr detects that the sheet has been carried out from the paper discharge outlet 25x several times, and the tray is moved down. For this reason, the first height position H1 is set to, for example, 5 mm to 10 mm.

  The second height position H2 is the difference in height between the uppermost sheet and the sheet support surface 29a when the sheets are aligned and stacked on the processing tray 29, or at least equivalent to the bundle thickness of the stacked sheet bundle, Set slightly larger than this. This is because if the height difference between the two is set to be substantially zero, the sheets carried out from the paper discharge outlet 25x are gradually stacked on top of each other. This causes a problem of misalignment. At the same time as the problem of misalignment, when the elevating tray 21 is inclined so that the front side in the paper discharge direction becomes higher (see FIG. 26B), the sheet bundle stacked on the processing tray 29 is located on the front side in the paper discharge direction. Curved to the state of being pushed up. The trailing edge (binding end) of the sheet that is bundled and bundled in a bundle due to this curvature becomes unaligned, and if the binding process is performed in this state, the sheet edge is misaligned back and forth.

  Therefore, the second height position H2 is formed with a height difference larger than the first height position H1, and this height difference is the case where the maximum allowable amount of sheet bundles is stacked on the sheet support surface 29a of the processing tray. This is experimentally investigated from the amount of displacement of the processing edge due to the curvature. The illustrated second height position H2 is set to about 10 mm to 30 mm.

  When the lifting control means 164 moves the lifting tray 21 from the second height position to the third height position in the “processing bundle carry-out mode”, (i) an operation completion signal of the stapling means 31; Alternatively, by this signal, the lift motor MS is activated and controlled to move from the second height position to the third height position by a timing signal at which the carrier member 110 starts moving in the sheet carry-out direction, or (ii ) From the operation completion signal of the stapling means 31, the bound sheet bundle reaches the lift tray 21, and the lift motor MS is activated immediately before the trailing edge of the sheet falls on the uppermost sheet to start from the second height position. Control to move to the third height position.

  Further, the lifting control means 164 is a gripper member (means) in the process in which the trailing end of the sheet bundle falls on the height difference (the third height position H3) between the sheet support surface 29a of the processing tray 29 and the lifting tray 21. Control is performed so that the grip 105 is released. Therefore, the sheet bundle is gradually dropped and accumulated on the uppermost sheet with a small drop. As a result, the alignment of the sheets accumulated on the lifting tray 21 can be maintained. As described above with reference to FIG. 17 (j), the gripper member (means) 105 releases the grip by moving the gripper means 105 in the return direction so that the sheet bundle is blocked by the tray side wall and the nip is released. The movement of the gripper member 105 in the returning direction and the tray side wall constitute a nip releasing means (not shown).

[Description of control configuration]
The control configuration of the above-described image forming system will be described with reference to the block diagram of FIG. The image forming system shown in FIG. 1 includes a control unit (hereinafter referred to as “main body control unit”) 150 of the image forming apparatus A and a control unit (hereinafter referred to as “post-processing control unit”) 160 of the post-processing apparatus B. The main body control unit 150 includes an image formation control unit 151, a paper feed control unit 152, and an input unit 153. Then, “image formation mode” and “post-processing mode” are set from the control panel 18 provided in the input unit 153. As described above, the image forming mode sets the number of printouts, sheet size, color / monochrome printing, enlargement / reduction printing, duplex / single-sided printing, and other image formation conditions. Then, the main body control unit 150 controls the image formation control unit 151 and the paper feed control unit 152 according to the set image forming conditions to form an image on a predetermined sheet, and then sequentially carry out the sheets from the main body discharge port 3. To do.

  At the same time, the post-processing mode is set by input from the control panel 18. The post-processing mode is set to, for example, “print-out mode”, “edge-binding finishing mode”, or “sheet bundle folding finishing mode”. Therefore, the main body control unit 150 transfers to the post-processing control unit 160 the finishing mode of the post-processing, the number of sheets, the number of copies information, and the binding mode (one-position binding or two or more bindings) information. At the same time, the main body control unit 150 transfers a job end signal to the post-processing control unit 160 every time image formation is completed.

[Post-processing control unit]
The post-processing control unit 160 includes a control CPU 161 that operates the post-processing apparatus B according to a designated finishing mode, a ROM 162 that stores an operation program, and a RAM 163 that stores control data. The control CPU 161 performs processing of “sheet conveyance control unit 164a” for conveying the sheet sent to the carry-in entrance 23a, “punch control unit 164p” for punching punch holes in the sheet from the image forming apparatus A, and processing. A “sheet stacking operation control unit 164 b” that controls the stacking of sheets on the tray 29, an “end binding operation control unit 164 c” that performs binding processing on the sheet bundle stacked on the processing tray 29, and the stacking guide 45. The “folding control unit 164d” that performs the folding process on the sheet bundle and the “trimmer control unit 164t” that trims and aligns the sheet bundle after the folding process.

“Sheet Conveyance Control Unit”
The sheet conveyance control unit 164a is connected to the control circuit for the drive motor (not shown) of the paper discharge roller 25 in the first carry-in path P1 and receives a detection signal from the sheet sensor S1 disposed in the carry-in path. Is configured to do. The sheet conveyance control unit 164a controls the path switching unit 24 for the sheet from the carry-in port 23a according to the post-processing mode. This control is configured to guide the sheet to the first carry-in path P1 when the post-processing mode set in the image forming apparatus A is the “print-out mode” or the “edge-binding finishing mode”. In this control, the carry-in roller 23 and the paper discharge roller 25 are driven and rotated in the paper discharge direction in response to a paper discharge instruction signal from the image forming apparatus A, and the path switching means 24 is moved into the first carry-in based on the sheet detection signal from the sheet sensor S1. The operation is performed so as to guide the sheet to the path P1. On the other hand, when the post-processing mode is selected as “sheet bundle folding finishing mode”, the path switching means 24 is operated so as to guide the sheet to the second carry-in path P2.

"Punch control part"
When the post-processing mode is set to “punch hole punching in the printout mode” or “punch hole punching in the end binding finishing mode”, the punch control unit 164p punches holes in the sheet guided to the first carry-in path P1. It is configured to pierce. At this time, the punch controller 164p is configured to move the sensor means 66 from the home position to a position corresponding to the sheet size by the above-described shift means based on the sheet size information from the image forming apparatus A. Based on the detection signal from the sensor means 66, the punch unit 60 is moved to coincide with the side edge of the sheet carried into the carry-in path P1. That is, the punch control unit 164p is provided with a sensor position control means 169, and this control means 169 moves the sensor position (the punch unit 60 in the figure) by controlling the driving of the stepping motor MX (for example, PWM control). Is configured to do.

“Sheet Accumulation Operation Control Unit”
When the post-processing mode is set to “print-out mode” or “edge binding finishing mode”, the sheet stacking operation control unit 164b controls the switchback roller 26, the aligning unit 51, and the bundle carrying-out unit 100 described above. It is configured. The sheet stacking operation control unit 164b includes a drive circuit for a lift motor MY provided in the switchback roller 26 and a drive circuit for a stepping motor MC provided in the aligning means 51 for stacking sheets on the processing tray 29. It is connected to. Then, the switchback roller 26 is moved from the standby position to the sheet engaging position in response to a detection signal from the paper discharge sensor S2 disposed at the paper discharge port 25x, and the sheet carried on the processing tray 29 is transferred to the stack tray 21 side. To do. Thereafter, after the expected time when the trailing edge of the sheet is carried onto the tray, the switchback roller 26 is reversed to feed the sheet toward the sheet edge regulating means 32 disposed on the processing tray.

  The sheet accumulation operation control unit 164b is connected to a drive circuit for shift motors MZ1 and MZ2 of alignment plates 34L and 34R arranged on the processing tray. The sheet fed by the switchback roller 26 is configured to be aligned by the alignment plates 34L and 34R. Therefore, the sheet stacking operation control unit 164b reciprocates the left and right alignment plates 34L and 34R in the sheet width direction within a predetermined range according to the sheet size.

  The sheet stacking operation control unit 164b receives the detection signal of the sensor means (microswitch) 138 disposed in the tray discharge port 29x, and the tray discharge port 29x is opened by the signal from the sensor means 138. It is configured to determine whether or not there is. The sheet stacking operation control unit 164b is connected to a drive circuit for a stepping motor MT that changes the height position of the sensor unit 138 according to the stacking amount of sheets stacked on the processing tray 29.

"End binding operation control unit"
When the post-processing mode is set to the “end binding finishing mode”, the end binding operation control unit 164c is configured to perform the above-described stapling unit (end binding stapling unit) 31, the bundle carry-out unit 100, and the lifting motor MS of the stack tray 21. It is configured to manage. Therefore, in the illustrated apparatus, the mode setting means (not shown) is capable of performing “multi-staple binding finishing (hereinafter referred to as“ multi-staple mode ”)” and “single binding finishing (hereinafter referred to as“ single staple mode ”)” simultaneously with the finishing mode when setting the post-processing mode. It is supposed to be set. In the “multi-staple mode”, stapling is performed at a plurality of positions in the sheet bundle, and in the “single stapling mode”, stapling is performed at one position in the sheet bundle.

  For this reason, the end binding operation control unit 164c positions the bundle unloading means 100 at the first standby position (the state shown in FIG. 15A; the front standby position) when in the “multi-staple mode”, and bundles when in the single staple mode. The carry-out means 100 is configured to be positioned at the second standby position (state shown in FIG. 16 (e); rear standby position). In the “multi-staple mode” (multiple binding), the bundle carrying means 100 (the movable gripper 105a and the fixed gripper 105b) is placed on the downstream side of the binding position (post-processing position) so that the staple unit moves in the sheet width direction. This is because, in the single staple mode in which it is not necessary to move the staple unit, the bundle carry-out means 100 stands by on the upstream side of the binding position. Therefore, the end binding operation control unit 164c includes a drive circuit for the drive motor MH arranged on the drive arm 126 that reciprocates the carrier member 110 of the bundle carrying-out means 100, and a drive motor ME connected to the pulley of the travel belt 116. Connected to the drive circuit.

  Further, the edge binding operation control unit 164c controls the drive motor MH and the drive motor ME so that the bundle carry-out means 100 performs an “initialization operation” when the image forming system or the post-processing apparatus B in FIG. . At this time, in the initialization operation, the control unit 164c moves the bundle carrying means 100 from the home position as shown in FIGS. 15 and 16, from (a) the first standby position in FIG. (C) to the retracted position in FIG. 2 Moves to the standby position, moves from the second standby position to the nip position shown in FIG. 5F, and stops at the unloading position shown in FIG. This operation is executed by the rotation control of the drive motor MH described above. Then, in the “multi-staple mode” (g), it is returned from the unloading position in the figure to the first standby position in the figure (a), and in the single staple mode (g) from the unloading position in the figure (e) to the second position in the figure. Return to the standby position and complete the “initialize operation”.

  Further, the binding operation control unit 164 c is connected to a drive circuit of a drive motor MD built in the edge binding staple unit 31 of the processing tray 29 and the saddle stitching staple unit 40 of the accumulation guide 45. Then, for example, the image forming apparatus A is configured to control each drive motor MD of the end-stitching stapling means 31 and the saddle-stitching stapling means 40 by a job end signal to execute the stapling operation.

"Folding control unit"
The folding processing control unit 164d is connected to a driving circuit of a driving motor that drives and rotates the folding rolls 46a and 46b and a driving circuit of the clutch means. Further, the sheet bundle folding operation control unit 64d is connected to a control circuit of shift means for controlling the movement of the conveying rollers 36 and 37 of the second sheet path SP2 and the leading end regulating member 38 of the stacking guide 35 to predetermined positions. It is wired so as to receive a detection signal from a sheet sensor arranged in the route.

"Trimmer control unit"
The trimmer control unit 164t is connected to a drive circuit for a cutter motor (not shown) disposed in the trimmer unit 90 described above. The control unit is configured to drive the cutter motor after the sheet bundle sent from the folding roll means 46 is positioned at the cutting position by the registration means 96 described above. The cutter motor presses and holds the sheet bundle at the cutting position by the cutting edge press means, and simultaneously cuts the small edge of the sheet bundle by the cutting blade 92.

The control unit configured as described above causes the post-processing apparatus B to execute the next processing operation.
"Printout mode"
In this mode, the image forming apparatus A forms an image of a series of documents from, for example, the first page, and sequentially unloads the sheet from the main body discharge port 3 face down, and the sheet sent to the first carry-in path P1 is discharged to the discharge roller 25. Led. Therefore, after the estimated time that the leading edge of the sheet reaches the forward / reverse rotation roller (the above-described switchback roller) 26a of the processing tray 29 based on the signal detected at the sheet discharge port 25x, the sheet conveyance control unit 164a moves the forward / reverse rotation roller 26a. The forward / reverse rotation roller 26a rotates in the clockwise direction in FIG. Then, the sheet that has entered the processing tray 29 is carried out toward the stack tray 21 by the forward / reverse rotation roller 26a, and is stored on the tray. In this way, the subsequent sheets are sequentially carried out to the stack tray 21 and accumulated and stored on the tray.

  Accordingly, in this printout mode, the sheet on which the image is formed by the image forming apparatus A passes through the first carry-in path P1 of the post-processing apparatus B and is accommodated in the stack tray 21, for example, n pages sequentially from page 1 in a face-down posture. It will be loaded and stored in order. In this mode, no sheet is guided to the second carry-in path P2.

"Staple binding finish mode"
In this mode, the image forming apparatus A forms an image of a series of documents from the first page to the nth page in the same manner as in the above-described mode, and carries out a face-down state from the main body discharge port 3 and enters the first carry-in path P1. The fed sheet is guided to the paper discharge roller 25. Therefore, after the estimated time that the leading edge of the sheet reaches the forward / reverse roller 26a of the processing tray 29 based on the signal detected by the sheet discharge port 25x, the sheet conveyance control unit 164a moves the forward / reverse roller 26a from the upper standby position onto the tray. Then, the forward / reverse roller 26a is rotated clockwise in FIG. Next, the sheet conveyance control unit 164a drives the forward / reverse rotation roller 26a to rotate in the counterclockwise direction in FIG. 2 after the estimated time when the sheet rear end is carried onto the processing tray 29. Then, the sheet that has entered from the paper discharge outlet 25x is switched back and conveyed onto the processing tray 29 along the first carry-in path P1. By repeating this sheet conveyance, a series of sheets are stacked on the processing tray 29 in a face-down state.

  Note that each time the sheets are stacked on the processing tray 29, the control CPU 161 operates a side alignment plate (not shown) to align the width direction positions of the stacked sheets. Next, the control CPU 161 operates the edge binding staple unit 31 in response to a job end signal from the image forming apparatus A to bind the trailing edge of the sheet bundle accumulated on the processing tray. After this stapling operation, the control CPU 161 moves the bundle carrying-out means 100. Then, the staple-bound sheet bundle is carried out and stored in the stack tray 21. As a result, a series of sheets formed by the image forming apparatus A is stapled and stored in the stack tray 21.

1 is an overall configuration diagram of an image forming system according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is an overall configuration diagram of a post-processing apparatus (sheet handling apparatus) in the system of FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a main part explanatory view of the post-processing apparatus of FIG. 2. FIG. 4 is a configuration explanatory view of a rear end regulating unit and a matching unit of a processing tray. It is explanatory drawing of the paper discharge mechanism of a process tray, (a) is a structure of a switchback roller, (b) is a standby state of a switchback roller, (c) is an explanation which shows the sheet engagement state of a switchback roller. Figure. It is explanatory drawing of the sheet aligning mechanism of a processing tray, (a) is explanatory drawing which shows the whole structure, (b) shows a state with a small sheet | seat stacking amount, (c) shows a state with a large sheet | seat stacking amount. (D) is a positional relationship between the carry-in guide and the carry-out guide, (e) shows the configuration of the kick means, and (f) is an explanatory view showing the drive mechanism. The position movement mechanism of the rear end restriction | limiting means in a processing tray is shown, (a) is explanatory drawing which shows the regulation state of a large size sheet (b). The position movement mechanism of the rear end regulation means in a processing tray is shown, (c) is an explanatory view showing the regulation state of a small size sheet, and (d) is the offset state of a large size sheet. The perspective view which shows the whole structure of a sheet | seat bundle carrying-out means. Explanatory drawing which shows the planar structure of a sheet bundle carrying-out means. Explanatory drawing of the guide mechanism of a sheet bundle carrying-out means. Explanatory drawing of the drive mechanism of a sheet bundle carrying-out means. 4A and 4B are explanatory diagrams of a grip mechanism of a sheet bundle carrying-out means, where FIG. 4A is a diagram illustrating a state where a sheet bundle is nipped, and FIG. It is explanatory drawing of the grip mechanism of a sheet bundle carrying-out means, (c) is explanatory drawing of the state which carried out the sheet bundle to the stack tray. 4A and 4B are operation state explanatory views of a sheet bundle carrying-out means, where FIG. 5A shows a first standby position state, and FIG. 5C shows an initial state where the sheet bundle is retracted to a second standby position. FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of an operation state of the sheet bundle carrying-out means, where (e) shows a state of the second standby position, (f) shows a state where the sheet bundle is nipped, and (g) shows a state where the sheet bundle is carried out. FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of an operation state of the sheet bundle carrying-out means, (h) shows a state where the sheet bundle is transferred onto the stack tray, (i) shows a state where the sheet bundle is carried out onto the stack tray, and (j) shows a sheet bundle. (K) shows a state immediately after being loaded on the stack tray, and FIG. (A) is explanatory drawing which shows the safety mechanism of the bundle means carrying-out port in a processing tray, (b) shows the AA sectional view. The explanatory view of embodiment different from FIG. 18 which shows the safety mechanism of the bundle means carrying-out port in a processing tray. Explanatory drawing of the positioning mechanism of the punch unit in the apparatus of FIG. Explanatory drawing of the positioning state in the positioning mechanism of the punch unit of FIG. (A) It is explanatory drawing of the whole structure of the trimmer unit in the apparatus of FIG. 3, (b) is explanatory drawing of a drive system. FIGS. 23A and 23B are explanatory diagrams of a positioning state in the trimmer unit of FIG. 22, in which FIG. FIG. 23 is an explanatory diagram of a positioning state in the trimmer unit of FIG. 22, in which (c) shows a registration correction state for positioning the sheet bundle, and (d) shows a state for cutting the sheet bundle. Explanatory drawing of the raising / lowering mechanism of a stack tray in the apparatus of FIG. FIGS. 4A and 4B are explanatory views of a state in which the stack tray is raised and lowered in the apparatus of FIG. 3, in which FIG. 3A illustrates a state in which sheets are stored from the paper discharge path to the stack tray, and FIG. (C) shows a state where the sheet bundle is carried out from the processing tray onto the stack tray. FIGS. 3A and 3B are explanatory diagrams of a folding roll mechanism in the apparatus of FIG. 2, in which FIG. 2A illustrates a state in which the sheet bundle is accumulated, FIG. (D) shows a state in which the sheet bundle is folded by a folding roll. FIGS. 3A and 3B are explanatory diagrams of an end binding staple unit in the apparatus of FIG. 2, in which FIG. 3A shows the overall configuration and FIG. 2B shows a moving mechanism in the sheet width direction; FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of saddle stitching stapling means in the apparatus of FIG. 2, (a) is an overall configuration thereof, and (b) is an explanatory diagram of an anvil portion. FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a control configuration in the image forming system of FIG. 1.

Explanation of symbols

B Post-processing device (sheet processing device)
Gp1 First standby position Gp2 Second standby position Gp3 Nip position Gp4 Bundle unloading position Gp5 Nip release position Ss Paper surface contact sensor MS Lifting motor (shift means)
MY lifting motor (arm drive means)
MC Stepping motor MP Drive motor (punch unit)
MZ shift motor (alignment plate) (MZ1, MZ2)
ME drive motor (carrier member)
MH drive motor (drive arm)
23a Carry-in port 25 Paper discharge roller 25x Paper discharge port 26 Switchback roller 26a Movable roller (first friction rotating member) (sheet transfer means)
26b driven roller 28 lift support arm 29 processing tray 29a sheet support surface 29G guide groove 29x outlet end (tray discharge port)
30 Sensor lever 31 End binding staple unit (post-processing means)
32 Sheet end regulating means 32A Fixed stopper member 32B First movable stopper member (right movable stopper)
32C second movable stopper member (left movable stopper)
34 Side alignment means 40 Saddle stitching staple unit (saddle stitching unit)
46 Folding roll means 51 Aligning means (aligning mechanism)
52 Friction rotating body (roller)
55 Kick lever (Kicker means)
60 Punch unit 66 Sensor means 85 Sheet transfer path (paper discharge path)
90 Trimmer unit 91 Unit frame 92 Cutting blade 93 Conveying roller pair (conveying mechanism)
98 Biasing guide member 100 Sheet bundle carrying-out means 105 Sheet engaging member (gripper member)
108 Guide pin 110 Carrier member 111 Guide pin 114 Carrier drive means 126 Drive arm (crank member)
127 engaging member drive means 133 shielding member 134 detected part (sensor flag)
135 Safety Mechanism 137 Foreign Object Detection Unit 138 Sensor Unit 161 Control CPU

Claims (9)

A paper discharge port for sequentially carrying out the sheets;
A processing tray disposed on the downstream side of the paper discharge port;
A stack tray disposed downstream of the processing tray;
Shift means for moving the stack tray up and down in the sheet stacking direction;
Elevating control means for controlling the shifting means;
With
The processing tray is configured to stack the sheets from the paper discharge port in a bundle and then carry the sheets to the stack tray.
The elevating control means, the height position of the uppermost sheet of the stack tray and the sheet support surface of the processing tray,
(1) When unloading a sheet from the discharge port to the stack tray, a first height position,
(2) When unloading a sheet from the discharge port to the processing tray, the second height position,
(3) When carrying out a sheet bundle from the processing tray to the stack tray, a third height position,
The sheet processing apparatus is characterized in that the shift means is controlled so that the height difference increases in the order of the first height position, the second height position, and the third height position. The elevation control means includes
When carrying out a sheet bundle from the processing tray to the stack tray,
2. The sheet processing according to claim 1, wherein the rear end of the sheet bundle moves from the second height position to the third height position before landing on the uppermost sheet of the stack tray. apparatus. The processing tray is
A tray member for stacking and storing sheets from the discharge port;
A sheet end regulating member that is disposed on the tray member and positions the sheet in a predetermined posture;
Sheet bundle transfer means for transferring the sheet bundle loaded and stored on the tray member toward the stack tray;
The sheet processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the sheet processing apparatus includes: The sheet bundle transfer means includes:
A carrier member arranged to be movable in the sheet unloading direction along the processing tray;
A gripper member provided on the carrier member for gripping the rear end of the sheet bundle in the transport direction;
Consisting of
The sheet processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the gripper member is provided with grip releasing means. The grip releasing means is
The sheet bundle is configured to be detached from the gripper member in a process in which a rear end of the sheet bundle descends between a height difference between a sheet support surface of the processing tray and the stack tray. Item 5. The sheet processing apparatus according to Item 4. The interval between the sheet discharge outlet and the stack tray is configured to be at least shorter than the length in the sheet discharge direction of the maximum size sheet,
The sheets stacked on the processing tray from the discharge port are bridge-supported at a leading end on the top sheet of the stack tray and a trailing end on the top sheet on the processing tray. Item 2. The sheet processing apparatus according to Item 1. The sheet processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6,
A first paper discharge operation mode in which a sheet is temporarily stored in the processing tray from the paper discharge port;
A second paper discharge operation mode for storing sheets on the stack tray from the paper discharge port;
A sheet processing apparatus comprising: A carry-in route for sequentially carrying in sheets;
A first processing unit that stacks and stacks the sheets from the carry-in path in a bundle and performs post-processing, and then stores the first processing unit in a stack tray;
A second processing unit that binds and stacks the sheets from the carry-in path in a bundle and binds them;
Have
The bookbinding apparatus, wherein the first processing unit has the configuration according to any one of claims 1 to 7. An image forming apparatus for sequentially forming images on sheets;
A sheet processing apparatus for post-processing the sheet from the image forming apparatus;
Consisting of
An image forming system comprising: the sheet processing apparatus having the configuration according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

Images