JP5914548B2 - Paper sorting device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a sheet sorting apparatus, and more particularly to a technique for sorting sheets loaded on a stacking tray.

  An image forming apparatus such as a printer or a copier, which is an example of a sheet sorting apparatus, forms an image on a sheet and then discharges the image-formed sheet from a discharge port. A stacking tray is provided below the discharge port, and sheets discharged from the discharge port are stacked on the stacking tray. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-151561 discloses a technique for sorting sheets by moving the stacking tray in a direction orthogonal to the sheet discharge direction, thereby shifting the position of the sheet on the stack tray in a direction orthogonal to the sheet discharge direction. It is disclosed.

JP 62-46863 A

  When the technique disclosed in Patent Document 1 is used, the sheets are sequentially stacked in a direction orthogonal to the sheet discharge direction. However, since the sheets stacked in this way are stacked at the same position as other sheets in the sheet discharge direction, an area for the user to hold the sheets is not secured, and it is difficult to take out the sorted sheets from the stacking tray. There is a case.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide a sheet sorting apparatus that can sort sheets and load them on a stacking tray so that a user can easily take them out.

  A paper sorting apparatus according to one aspect of the present invention includes a discharge port through which paper is discharged, a stacking tray on which the paper discharged from the discharge port is stacked, and a stacking surface on which the paper of the stacking tray is stacked. A sorting member provided above, and an operation mechanism for operating the sorting member, wherein the sorting member is located at a position where the sheet falls from the discharge port, with one end of the sorting member serving as a fulcrum. It is provided so as to be able to get up from, and a slope is formed by getting up from the stacking surface by the operating mechanism, and the paper placed thereon is guided along the slope and stacked on the stacking tray. It is a paper sorting device that shifts the paper in a discharge direction of the paper and a direction orthogonal to the discharge direction.

  According to the paper sorting device according to one aspect of the present invention described above, the user shifts the paper in the paper discharge direction in addition to the direction orthogonal to the paper discharge direction and stacks the paper on the stacking tray. The paper can be sorted and stacked on the stacking tray for easy handling.

1 is a front cross-sectional view illustrating a structure of an image forming apparatus including a paper sorting apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a perspective view which shows the stacking tray and paper sorting member concerning one Embodiment of this invention. It is a schematic diagram which shows the structure of the operation | movement mechanism which operates the paper sorting member concerning one Embodiment of this invention. FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a sheet bundle stacked on a stacking tray according to an embodiment of the present invention. (A) is a diagram showing a sheet bundle loaded on the stacking tray according to the embodiment of the present invention, and (B) is a diagram showing a sheet bundle loaded on the stacking tray in a general image forming apparatus. is there. 1 is a functional block diagram schematically showing a main internal configuration of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. (A) And (B) is a figure which shows an example of the menu screen which the reception part concerning one Embodiment of this invention displays on a display part. FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a stacking tray in an image forming apparatus according to a modification. It is front sectional drawing which shows the structure of the post-processing apparatus provided with the paper sorting apparatus concerning a modification.

  Hereinafter, a sheet sorting apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a front sectional view showing the structure of an image forming apparatus which is an example of a sheet sorting apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

  An image forming apparatus 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention is a multifunction machine having a plurality of functions such as a copy function, a printer function, a scanner function, and a facsimile function. The image forming apparatus 1 includes an apparatus main body 11 including an image forming unit 12, a fixing unit 13, a paper feeding unit 14, an image reading unit 5, a document feeding unit 6, an operation unit 47, and the like.

  When the image forming apparatus 1 performs an image reading operation, the image reading unit 5 reads an image of a document fed by the document feeding unit 6 or a document placed on a contact glass (document placing glass) 161. Optically read to generate image data. The image data generated by the image reading unit 5 is stored in a built-in HDD or a computer connected to a network.

  When the image forming apparatus 1 performs an image forming operation, the image data generated by the image reading operation described above, image data received from a user terminal device such as a network-connected computer or smartphone, or the built-in HDD is stored. The image forming unit 12 forms a toner image on a sheet P as a recording medium fed from the sheet feeding unit 14 based on the image data and the like. The image forming units 12M, 12C, 12Y, and 12Bk of the image forming unit 12 include a photosensitive drum 121, a developing device 122 that supplies toner to the photosensitive drum 121, a toner cartridge (not shown) that stores the toner, A charging device 123, an exposure device 124, and a primary transfer roller 126 are provided.

  When color printing is performed, the magenta image forming unit 12M, the cyan image forming unit 12C, the yellow image forming unit 12Y, and the black image forming unit 12Bk of the image forming unit 12 each include image data. The toner image is formed on the photosensitive drum 121 by charging, exposure, and development processes based on the image composed of the respective color components constituting the toner, and the toner image is driven by the primary transfer roller 126 by the driving roller 125A and the driven roller. The image is transferred onto the intermediate transfer belt 125 stretched around 125B.

  The intermediate transfer belt 125 is driven by a driving roller 125 </ b> A in a state where an image carrying surface on which a toner image is transferred is set on the outer peripheral surface thereof and in contact with the peripheral surface of the photosensitive drum 121. The intermediate transfer belt 125 travels endlessly between the driving roller 125A and the driven roller 125B while being synchronized with each photosensitive drum 121.

  The toner images of the respective colors transferred onto the intermediate transfer belt 125 are superimposed on the intermediate transfer belt 125 with the transfer timing adjusted to become a color toner image. The secondary transfer roller 210 conveys the color toner image formed on the surface of the intermediate transfer belt 125 from the sheet feeding unit 14 through the conveyance path 190 at the nip N between the intermediate transfer belt 125 and the driving roller 125A. It is transferred to the paper P that has been transferred. Thereafter, the fixing unit 13 fixes the toner image on the paper P to the paper P by thermocompression bonding.

  The paper P on which the color image has been formed after the fixing process is completed is discharged from the discharge port 192 by the discharge roller 191. A stacking tray 151 is provided below the discharge port 192, and the paper P discharged from the discharge port 192 is stacked on the stacking tray 151.

  Although details will be described later, the stacking tray 151 includes a plurality of sheet sorting members 160 (see FIG. 2) provided on the stacking surface on which the sheets P are stacked, and an operation mechanism 170 (see FIG. 2) that operates the sheet sorting member 160. 3). When the paper sorting member 160 is operated by the operation mechanism 170, the position of the paper P on the stacking tray 151 is shifted in the direction perpendicular to the paper P discharge direction and the paper discharge direction.

  The operation unit 47 includes a plurality of instruction keys 471 and a display unit 473. The display unit 473 includes a liquid crystal display and an organic EL display, and displays a menu screen and the like drawn by the receiving unit 102 of the control unit 10 described later.

  The instruction key 471 includes, for example, a menu key for calling a menu, an arrow key for moving the focus of a GUI constituting the menu, a determination key for performing a confirmation operation on the GUI constituting the menu, and a character input key for performing character input And a numerical value input key for performing numerical value input, etc., and an operation for a menu displayed on the display unit 473 is received from the user.

  FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the stacking tray 151 and the paper sorting member 160. As shown in FIG. 2, a plurality of paper sorting members 160 are provided on the stacking surface 151 </ b> A of the stacking tray 151 at positions where the paper P falls from the discharge port 192. Each sheet sorting member 160 has a substantially flat plate shape and can be raised from the stacking surface 151A with one end of each sheet sorting member 160 as a fulcrum 163, as indicated by an arrow in the figure. Each sheet sorting member 160 forms an inclined surface by rising from the stacking surface 151A by an operation mechanism 170 (see FIG. 3) described later, and guides the paper P placed thereon along the inclined surface. The paper P stacked on the stacking tray 151 is shifted in the paper discharge direction (X direction in the drawing) and the direction orthogonal to the discharge direction (Y direction in the drawing).

  The paper sorting member 160 includes a plurality of paper sorting members having different lengths from one end to the other end as the fulcrum 163. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 2, the paper sorting member 160 includes first paper sorting members 161A and 161B and second paper sorting members 162A and 162B. The second paper sorting members 162A and 162B have a longer length from one end to the other end as the fulcrum 163 than the first paper sorting members 161A and 161B. In FIG. 2, the other ends of the first paper sorting members 161A and 161B and the second paper sorting members 162A and 162B are positioned on the outer periphery of the area on which the paper P is stacked on the stacking tray 151. However, the present invention is not necessarily limited to this case. The other ends of the first paper sorting members 161A and 161B and the second paper sorting members 162A and 162B may be positioned outside the outer periphery of the area where the paper P is stacked on the stacking tray 151. Good. By doing so, it is possible to perform the shift in the discharge direction of the paper P and the direction orthogonal to the discharge direction with higher accuracy.

  Two first paper sorting members 161A and two second paper sorting members 162A are provided at the ends in the direction (Y direction in the figure) orthogonal to the paper P discharge direction on the stacking surface 151A of the stacking tray 151. Is provided. The first paper sorting member 161A and the second paper sorting member 162A can be raised in a direction perpendicular to the paper P discharge direction (Y direction in the figure). Also, one first paper sorting member 161B and one second paper sorting member 162B are provided at each end of the paper P discharge direction (X direction in the drawing) on the stacking surface 151A of the stacking tray 151. ing. The first paper sorting member 161B and the second paper sorting member 162B can be raised in the paper P discharge direction (X direction in the figure).

  FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing the structure of an operating mechanism 170 that operates the paper sorting member 160. As shown in FIG. 3, an operation mechanism 170 that operates the sheet sorting member 160 is provided inside the stacking tray 151. The operating mechanism 170 includes a first camshaft 171 extending in a direction (Y direction in the figure) perpendicular to the paper P discharge direction, and a second camshaft extending in the paper P discharge direction (X direction in the figure). 172. The first camshaft 171 is supplied with driving force from a motor (not shown) via a driving force supply gear 174. An eccentric cam 173 of the first cam shaft 171 is provided below the first sheet sorting member 161B. When the eccentric cam 173 is rotated by the driving force supplied to the first camshaft 171, a force in the vertical direction acts on the first sheet sorting member 161B. Accordingly, the first sheet sorting member 161B repeats the rising operation from the stacking surface 151A of the stacking tray 151 and the returning operation from the raised state, and swings about the fulcrum 163. In a state where the first paper sorting member 161B is raised from the stacking surface 151A, a slope is formed, and the paper P placed thereon is guided along the slope. As a result, the paper P, which is discharged from the discharge port 192 and has an edge falling to the position of the other end of the first paper sorting member 161B, is shifted to the position where the fulcrum 163 of the first paper sorting member 161B is provided. Is done.

  The first camshaft 171 is provided with a driving force distribution gear 175 for distributing the driving force supplied from a motor (not shown) via the driving force supply gear 174 to the second camshaft 172. . The second camshaft 172 distributes the driving force supplied from a motor (not shown) by the driving force distribution gear 175. An eccentric cam 176 of the second cam shaft 172 is provided below the first sheet sorting member 161A. When the eccentric cam 176 is rotated by the driving force distributed to the second camshaft 172, a force in the vertical direction acts on the first sheet sorting member 161A. As a result, the first sheet sorting member 161 </ b> A repeats the rising operation from the stacking surface 151 </ b> A of the stacking tray 151 and the returning operation from the raised state, and swings about the fulcrum 163. In a state where the first paper sorting member 161A is raised from the stacking surface 151A, a slope is formed, and the paper P placed thereon is guided along the slope. As a result, the paper P that is discharged from the discharge port 192 and has an edge dropped to the position of the other end of the first paper sorting member 161A is shifted to the position where the fulcrum 163 of the first paper sorting member 161A is provided. Is done.

  Although not shown, the operation mechanism 170 described above is provided for the second paper sorting members 162A and 162B as well as the first paper sorting members 161A and 161B.

  FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a sheet bundle stacked on the stacking tray 151. An operation control unit 101 (see FIG. 6) of the control unit 10 described later controls an operation mechanism 170 that operates the sheet sorting member 160. As a result, as shown in FIG. 4, the paper P discharged from the discharge port 192 is shifted in the discharge direction of the paper P (X direction in the figure) and in the direction orthogonal to the discharge direction (Y direction in the figure). Are sequentially stacked in a predetermined area on the stacking tray 151.

  In the example shown in FIG. 4, the paper P discharged from the discharge port 192 is sorted into paper bundles P1, P2, and P3, which are stacked in different areas R1, R2, and R3 on the stacking tray 151, respectively. Here, the region R1 is a region on the stacking tray 151 located below the discharge port 192. The paper P discharged from the discharge port 192 first falls into this region R1 and is stacked on the stacking tray 151.

  When the receiving unit 102 (see FIG. 6) of the control unit 10 to be described later receives an instruction to stack the paper P in another area, the operation mechanism 170 operates under the control of the operation control unit 101 of the control unit 10. . First, the operation mechanism 170 repeats the rising operation of the second sheet sorting member 162A from the stacking surface 151A of the stacking tray 151 and the returning operation from the raised state, so that the sheet P is in a direction orthogonal to the discharge direction (in the drawing). (Y direction). Thereafter, the operation mechanism 170 repeats the rising operation of the second paper sorting member 162B from the stacking surface 151A of the stacking tray 151 and the returning operation from the raised state, and the sheet P is directed in the discharge direction (X in the figure). Direction). As a result, the paper P in the region R1 on the stacking tray 151 is moved to the region R3 and stacked as a paper bundle P3 on the region R3.

  Next, when the receiving unit 102 of the control unit 10 receives an instruction to load the paper P in another area, the operation mechanism 170 operates again under the control of the operation control unit 101 of the control unit 10. As a result, the first sheet sorting member 161A first repeats the rising operation from the stacking surface 151A of the stacking tray 151 and the returning operation from the raised state, and the sheet P is in a direction orthogonal to the discharge direction (Y direction in the figure). ). Thereafter, the operation mechanism 170 repeats the rising operation of the first paper sorting member 161B from the stacking surface 151A of the stacking tray 151 and the returning operation from the raised state, so that the paper P is directed in the discharge direction (X in the drawing). Direction). As a result, the paper P positioned in the region R1 on the stacking tray 151 is moved to the region R2 and stacked as a paper bundle P2 on the region R2. That is, the sheet bundle P2 is different from the sheet bundle P3 already stacked on the stacking tray 151 in the discharge direction (X direction in the drawing) of the paper P and the direction orthogonal to the discharge direction (Y direction in the drawing). Loaded into the area.

  Thereafter, the paper P discharged from the discharge port 192 falls to the region R1 and is stacked as a paper bundle P1 on the region R1. The sheet bundle P1 is different from the sheet bundles P2 and P3 already stacked on the stacking tray 151 in the discharge direction (X direction in the figure) of the sheet P and the direction orthogonal to the discharge direction (Y direction in the figure). It will be loaded into the area.

  As described above, when the paper sorting member 160 is operated by the operation mechanism 170, the position of the paper P on the stacking tray 151 is the discharge direction of the paper P (X direction in the figure) and the direction orthogonal to the discharge direction (see FIG. In the middle Y direction). As a result, the sheet bundle already stacked on the stacking tray 151 is different from the sheet bundle in the discharge direction of the sheet P (X direction in the figure) and the direction orthogonal to the discharge direction (Y direction in the figure). As shown in FIG. 5A, since the sheets are stacked, an area that does not overlap other sheet bundles at the end of the sheet P on any of the sheet bundles P1, P2, and P3 stacked on the stacking tray 151. Exists. Since a sheet bundle can be taken out by grasping an area that does not overlap with other sheet bundles, a desired sheet bundle can be easily taken out from a plurality of sheet bundles stacked on the stacking tray 151.

  On the other hand, in a general paper sorting apparatus and image forming apparatus, the position of the paper on the stacking tray 251 is shifted in the direction perpendicular to the paper discharge direction by moving the stacking tray 251 in the direction perpendicular to the paper discharge direction. I am letting. In this case, as shown in FIG. 5B, the sheet bundle loaded on the stacking tray 251 is divided into the sheet bundles P4, P5, and P6, and each of them is a different area R4 on the stacking tray 251. , R5 and R6.

  In the example shown in FIG. 5B, first, the sheet bundle P4 is stacked in the region R4 on the stacking tray 251, and then the stacking tray 251 is moved in a direction orthogonal to the sheet discharge direction (left side of the sheet). The sheet bundle P5 is stacked in the region R5 on the stacking tray 251. Thereafter, the stacking tray 251 is further moved in the direction orthogonal to the sheet discharge direction (left side of the sheet), and the sheet bundle P6 is stacked in the region R6 on the stacking tray 251.

  At this time, the sheet bundle P5 is stacked in an area different from the sheet bundle P4 already stacked on the stacking tray 251 only in a direction orthogonal to the sheet discharge direction. Further, the sheet bundle P6 is stacked in a region different from the sheet bundles P4 and P5 already stacked on the stacking tray 251 only in a direction orthogonal to the sheet discharge direction. Since the sheet bundle is stacked in a region different from the sheet bundle already stacked on the stacking tray 251 in a direction orthogonal to the sheet discharge direction, the stacking is performed on the stacking tray 251 as shown in FIG. Among the sheet bundles P4, P5, and P6, the sheet bundles P4 and P6 have an area that does not overlap other sheet bundles at the end of the sheet, but the sheet bundle P5 has an area at the end of the sheet. There is no area that does not overlap other paper bundles. For this reason, only the sheet bundle P5 cannot be easily taken out from the plurality of sheet bundles stacked on the stacking tray 251.

  Next, the internal configuration of the image forming apparatus 1 will be described. FIG. 6 is a functional block diagram schematically showing the main internal configuration of the image forming apparatus 1.

  The image forming apparatus 1 includes an image reading unit 5, a document feeding unit 6, an image forming unit 12, an image processing unit 31, an image memory 32, an HDD (hard disk drive) 92, an operation unit 47, a network interface unit 91, and an operation mechanism. 170 and the like.

  The image processing unit 31 performs image processing on the image data of the image read by the image reading unit 5 as necessary. For example, the image processing unit 31 performs predetermined image processing such as shading correction on the image read by the image reading unit 5 in order to improve the quality after the image is formed by the image forming unit 12.

  The image memory 32 is an area for temporarily storing data of a document image obtained by reading by the image reading unit 5 and temporarily storing data to be printed by the image forming unit 12.

  The HDD (hard disk drive) 92 is a large-capacity storage device that stores image data received from a computer connected to the image forming apparatus 1 via a network.

  The network interface unit 91 includes a communication module such as a LAN board, and transmits / receives various data to / from a device (such as a personal computer) in the local area via the LAN connected to the network interface unit 91.

  The control unit 10 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a RAM, a ROM, a dedicated hardware circuit, and the like. The control unit 10 functions as the control unit 100, the operation control unit 101, and the reception unit 102 when the program stored in the ROM or the HDD 92 is executed by the CPU.

  The control unit 100 governs overall operation control of the image forming apparatus 1. The control unit 100 includes an image reading unit 5, a document feeding unit 6, an image forming unit 12, an image processing unit 31, an image memory 32, an HDD (hard disk drive) 92, an operation unit 47, a network interface unit 91, and an operation mechanism 170. Etc. are connected. The control unit 100 controls the operation of each connected mechanism and transmits / receives a signal or data to / from each mechanism.

  The receiving unit 102 has a function of displaying a menu screen on the display unit 473 and receiving an instruction input by the user based on the menu screen. Specifically, the accepting unit 102 accepts an image forming job and accepts an instruction as to whether or not the paper P on which an image is formed in the image forming job is shifted and stacked on the stacking tray 151.

  For example, the reception unit 102 causes the display unit 473 to display the menu screen D1 illustrated in FIG. When an instruction for shifting and stacking is received by an operation input using the instruction key 471 or the like of the operation unit 47 by the user, the receiving unit 102 receives an area on which the image-formed sheets P are stacked. At this time, for example, the reception unit 102 causes the display unit 473 to display a menu screen D2 illustrated in FIG. The stacking tray 151 is provided with a plurality of predetermined regions (regions R1, R2, and R3 in the example shown in FIG. 7B). The instruction of whether to load is accepted.

  In the above description, a case has been described in which for each image forming job, an instruction as to whether or not to shift and stack the paper P and an instruction as to which area to stack the paper P on which the image has been formed are received. The present invention is not necessarily limited to this case. For example, for each image-formed paper P, an instruction as to whether the paper P is shifted and stacked and an instruction as to which area the paper P with the image formed should be stacked may be received. In this case, for example, the accepting unit 102 accepts an instruction to stack the first to tenth sheets in the region R1 and stack the tenth and subsequent sheets in the region R2. In addition, for each user who uses the image forming apparatus 1, an instruction as to whether or not to shift and stack the paper P and an instruction as to which area to stack the paper P on which the image has been formed may be received. In this case, for example, the receiving unit 102 stacks sheets on which images are formed by the image forming job input by the user A in the region R1, and loads sheets on which images are formed by the image forming job input by the user B. An instruction to load the area R2 is accepted.

  The operation control unit 101 controls the operation mechanism 170 based on the instruction of the area on which the image-formed paper P received by the reception unit 102 is stacked, and operates the paper sorting member 160 so that the operation is performed on the stacking tray 151. The position of the paper P is shifted in the discharge direction of the paper P (X direction in the figure) and in the direction orthogonal to the discharge direction (Y direction in the figure). As a result, the paper P discharged from the discharge port 192 can be stacked in a user desired area on the stacking tray 151.

  As described above, the paper sorting apparatus according to the present embodiment includes the discharge port 192 from which the paper P is discharged, the stacking tray 151 on which the paper P discharged from the discharge port 192 is stacked, and the paper in the stacking tray 151. A sorting member 160 provided on a loading surface 151A on which P is loaded is provided, and an operation mechanism 170 that operates the sorting member 160 is provided. The sorting member 160 is provided at a position where the paper P falls from the discharge port 192 so as to be able to rise from the loading surface 151A with one end of the sorting member 160 as a fulcrum 163, and is raised from the loading surface 151A by the operation mechanism 170. The operation mechanism 170 rises from the loading surface 151A to form a slope, guides the paper P placed thereon along the slope, and discharges the paper P loaded on the stacking tray 151 in the discharge direction of the paper P. And shifting in a direction perpendicular to the discharge direction.

  According to the above configuration, since the sheet bundle is stacked in a different area from the sheet bundle already stacked on the stacking tray 151 in the discharge direction of the sheet P and the direction orthogonal to the discharge direction, In the stacked sheet bundle, an area that does not overlap with another sheet bundle is secured at the end of the sheet. Since the sheet bundle can be taken out by grasping an area that does not overlap with the other sheet bundles, the sheets can be sorted and stacked on the stacking tray 151 so that the user can easily take them out.

  Further, in the paper sorting apparatus according to the present embodiment, the sorting member 160 includes a plurality of sorting members 160 having different lengths from one end to the other end as the fulcrum 163, and the plurality of sorting members 160 are operated by the operation mechanism 170. Is raised from the stacking surface 151A, and the sheet P, which is discharged from the discharge port 192 and falls at the edge of the other end, is stacked on the stacking tray 151 in an area provided for each sheet sorting member 160.

  According to the above configuration, the paper P discharged from the discharge port 192 can be stacked in a plurality of predetermined areas on the stacking tray 151.

  Further, in the sheet sorting apparatus according to the present embodiment, the operation mechanism 170 swings by repeating the rising operation from the stacking surface 151A and the returning operation from the raised state, and the sheets P stacked on the stacking tray 151 are loaded. Then, the sorting member 160 is shifted to a position where one end as the fulcrum 163 is provided.

  According to the above configuration, the paper P discharged from the discharge port 192 can be accurately stacked on a plurality of predetermined areas on the stacking tray 151.

  Further, in the paper sorting apparatus according to the present embodiment, the operation mechanism 170 has eccentric cams 173 and 176 provided below the sorting member 160, and the eccentric cams 173 and 176 rotate to sort. The member 160 oscillates by repeatedly raising from the loading surface 151A and returning from the raised state.

  According to the above configuration, the paper P is stacked on the stacking tray 151 by shifting the position of the paper P on the stacking tray 151 in the discharge direction of the paper P and the direction orthogonal to the discharge direction with a simple configuration. be able to.

  The present invention is not limited to the configuration of the above embodiment, and various modifications can be made. For example, in the above-described embodiment, a multifunction peripheral is used as an embodiment of the image forming apparatus according to the present disclosure. However, this is merely an example, and other electronic devices such as a printer, a copier, and a facsimile are described. Another image forming apparatus such as an apparatus may be used.

<Modification 1>
In addition to the stacking tray 151 described in the above embodiment, the image forming apparatus 1 includes a stacking tray 180 as a discharge destination for discharging the image-formed paper P (see FIG. 1). On the stacking tray 180, the image-formed paper P discharged from the discharge port 182 by the discharge roller 181 is stacked. The sheet sorting apparatus described in the above embodiment may be provided in the stacking tray 180.

<Modification 2>
In the above embodiment, when the first camshaft 171 and the second camshaft 172 operate, a force in the vertical direction is applied to the paper sorting member 160 to swing the paper sorting member 160. However, the present invention is not necessarily limited to this case. Other mechanisms may be used to swing the paper sorting member 160 by applying a vertical force to the paper sorting member 160.

<Modification 3>
On the stacking tray described in the above embodiment, a recess for guiding the taking out of the paper may be provided. FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing the stacking tray 351 in the image forming apparatus according to the third modification. Sheet bundles P1, P2, and P3 are stacked in predetermined regions R1, R2, and R3 on the stacking tray 351, respectively. At the end of the predetermined areas R1, R2, and R3, the end of the sheet stack loaded in a predetermined area different from the predetermined area does not overlap. Concave portions 351A, 351B, and 351C for guiding are provided. Since the recesses 351A, 351B, and 351C for guiding the removal of the sheet are provided in the area where the other sheet bundle does not overlap at the end of the sheet P, it is easy to grasp the other area that does not overlap with the other sheet bundle. As a result, the sheets can be sorted and stacked on the stacking tray 151 so that the user can easily take them out.

<Modification 4>
The paper sorting apparatus described in the above embodiment may be provided in a post-processing apparatus that performs post-processing such as stapling, punching, and paper folding on paper on which an image is formed by the image forming apparatus. FIG. 9 is a front cross-sectional view illustrating the structure of a post-processing device 400 including a paper sorting device according to Modification 4.

  The paper P on which the image is formed by the image forming apparatus 1 is subjected to post-processing such as stapling, punching, and paper folding by the post-processing device 400, and is then discharged from the discharge port 492 by the discharge roller 491. The paper P discharged from the discharge port is stacked on a stacking tray 451 provided below the discharge port 492. Similar to the above-described embodiment, the stacking tray 451 includes a plurality of sheet sorting members provided on the stacking surface on which the sheets P are stacked, and an operation mechanism that operates the sheet sorting members. When the sheet sorting member is operated by the operation mechanism, the position of the sheet P on the stacking tray 451 is shifted in the discharge direction of the sheet P and the direction orthogonal to the discharge direction.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Image forming apparatus 5 Image reading part 6 Document feeding part 10 Control unit 11 Main body 12 Image forming part 13 Fixing part 14 Paper feed part 47 Operation part 100 Control part 101 Operation control part 102 Reception part 151 Loading tray 151A Loading surface 160 Sheet sorting member 161A, 161B First sheet sorting member 162A, 162B Second sheet sorting member 163 Support point 170 Operating mechanism 171 First cam shaft 172 Second cam shaft 173, 176 Eccentric cam 174 Driving force supply gear 175 Drive Power distribution gear 191 Discharge roller 192 Discharge port

Claims (6)

A discharge port through which the paper is discharged;
A stacking tray on which the paper discharged from the discharge port is stacked;
A sorting member provided on a stacking surface on which the sheets of the stacking tray are stacked;
An operation mechanism for operating the sorting member,
The sorting member is provided at a position where the sheet falls from the discharge port so as to be able to rise from the stacking surface with one end of the sorting member as a fulcrum, and a slope is formed by rising from the stacking surface by the operation mechanism. Forming and guiding a sheet placed thereon along the inclined surface, and shifting the sheet loaded on the stacking tray in a discharge direction of the sheet and a direction orthogonal to the discharge direction apparatus.   The sorting member is provided with a plurality of sorting members having different lengths from the one end to the other end as a fulcrum, and the plurality of sorting members rise from the stacking surface by the operation mechanism, thereby The sheet sorting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the sheet that has been discharged and whose edge falls to the position of the other end is stacked on an area provided for each sorting member on the stacking tray.   The sorting member swings by repeating the rising operation from the loading surface and the returning operation from the raised state by the operation mechanism, and the sheets stacked on the loading tray are used as fulcrums of the sorting member. The paper sorting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the paper sorter is shifted to a position where the one end is provided.   The operation mechanism has an eccentric cam provided below the sorting member, and when the eccentric cam rotates, the sorting member is raised from the loading surface and returned from the raised state. The paper sorting device according to claim 3, wherein the paper sorting device is repeatedly swung.   At the end of each area provided for each sorting member on the stacking tray, where the sheets stacked in other areas do not overlap, a recess for guiding the removal of the paper is formed. The sheet sorting apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4. A reception unit that receives an instruction as to whether or not to shift the position of the sheet on the stacking tray in a discharge direction of the sheet and a direction orthogonal to the discharge direction;
The operation mechanism operates the sorting member to shift the paper in a discharge direction of the paper and a direction perpendicular to the discharge direction when receiving an instruction to shift by the reception unit. The sheet sorting apparatus according to any one of claims 5 to 5.

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