JPH01108001A - Stapler - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To remarkably easily sort and file after the binding in the case when a large amount of output recording paper is stacked and accumulated at night, on a holiday or the like by processing a specific number of sheets of sheet materials successively output and grouped with each other in a condition that they are bound every group as a booklet. CONSTITUTION: A point side 8b of the recorded paper entered into a pocket space 26 is collided with a bottom face 22B to be received, moved outside of a device in the looped state, cut by the cutter blades 13, 14, and suspended outside of a holder plate 22 by the self-weight. The received recording paper of second page, third page... are successively overlapped and suspended in the same way. An inner face of an anvil 44 of a stapler unit 30 is positioned outside corresponding to a point side right corner of the recording paper 81 , 82 , 83 ..., only one piece of the top staple 52A in a staple magazine is pushed out so that both legs thereof are penetrated through the paper, and bent inward to each other by the anvil 44 whereby the recording paper is bound as a booklet. Then a long moving plate 38 is projected outward from a cut window part 22C, and a point of the paper is released outward.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a stapler that staples a set of multiple sheet materials together as a booklet.

For example, recording paper (sheet material) is used in facsimile machines and printers used as computer terminal equipment.
In an image recording device that sequentially outputs received paper), printing embossing paper, etc., and other output devices that sequentially output sheet materials,
The present invention provides a stapler that is effective when a set of a plurality of sequentially outputted sheet materials is stapled together as a booklet at the time of output.

[Conventional technology and problems]

For convenience, a facsimile machine will be described as an example.

Facsimile machines generally use a long roll of paper as the recording paper, and record the received image information while rewinding the roll paper. Each time recording of image information corresponding to a minute is completed, the cutter means is operated to cut the paper portion on which the image has been recorded and the subsequent paper portion, and the recording paper as a cut sheet material is sequentially output.

The number of recording sheets output upon reception may be one per communication, or one set of multiple sheets per communication (one set of several pages).

If such output recording paper is not removed each time the reception of one communication is completed, the recording paper for multiple communications with different senders and number of pages will accumulate on top of each other, and the output recording paper will be automatically removed at night or on holidays. This is often the case in the receiving state.

When a large number of sheets of output recording paper for multiple communications with different senders and different numbers of pages are piled up together, it is not uncommon to be confused about how to sort them, or to sort them incorrectly.

Conventionally, no specific means or devices for solving this problem have been proposed.

As one of the measures to solve such problems.

For a set of multiple sheet materials that are sequentially output from the device, when the last sheet material of the set is output, the set of multiple sheet materials is It is thought to be effective to automatically bind the documents all at once as a booklet.

In other words, if the sheet material output device is a facsimile machine like the above example, the output sheet materials (recording paper Φ receiving paper) for multiple communications with different senders and page numbers are sequentially overlapped on the sheet material output section. Even if they are piled up, there is one communication in them - sheet materials that are a set of multiple sheets are bound as a booklet for each layer and are differentiated from other sheet materials. , there will be no confusion or mistakes during subsequent sorting.

An object of the present invention is to provide a stapler that can be effectively used as a sheet material binding means when implementing such a measure.

[Means for solving problems]

The present invention provides: a sheet material receiving section that receives a set of sheet materials to be stapled as a booklet while regulating the movement of at least one side of the sheet materials and maintaining an aligned state; A staple driving mechanism drives staples into sheet material.

a sheet material release actuation mechanism that releases at least the stapled portion of the stapled sheet material from the open position of the staple striking member and staple anvil of the mechanism by actuation of the staple driving actuation mechanism; and the staple driving actuation mechanism. The stapler is characterized by having a mechanism and a drive source for the sheet material release operating mechanism.

[For production]

That is, if the sheet material output device is, for example, the facsimile machine "A21" as in the above example, the device is equipped with the stapler, and the recording paper as the sheet material that is sequentially output by reception is sequentially received in the receiving section. By doing so, the movement of at least one side of each output recording paper is regulated so that the output recording papers are aligned and overlapped with each other, and when the output recording paper is 1 communication - 1 set of multiple sheets, the last page recording paper or When a predetermined number of recording sheets of a crossroad page of a set of recording sheets are output, a staple driving mechanism is activated to staple the set of output recording sheets as a set of booklets, and 1 Communication - By controlling the mechanism so that it does not operate for only one sheet of output recording paper, even if output recording sheets for multiple communications with different senders and number of pages overlap one after another and accumulate. As for the recording paper that is a set of multiple sheets of 1 communication that exists in , it is automatically stapled as a (company) child for each layer, so there will be no confusion or mistakes when sorting later. .

Further, the recording paper that has been stapled into a booklet by the operation of the staple driving mechanism, or the recording paper that does not require binding processing, is then activated by the sheet material release mechanism to remove at least the stapled portion of the recording paper or the stapled part of the recording paper. At least the part of the recording paper that does not require a rotation, which is located between the staple striking member and the stable anvil, is evacuated from the rotation hole between the staple striking member and the staple anvil, and is output as the primary output. To perform binding processing by a staple driving mechanism for recording sheets forming a set of plural sheets to be stapled without any trouble.

〔Example〕

The figure shows an example of a facsimile machine equipped with a stapler according to the present invention. Figure 1 is an external perspective view of the device, Figure 2 is an external perspective view of the device with the recording paper holder plate installed on the front side of the device folded down, and Figure 3 is a diagram of the recording/sheet ejection mechanism of the device. It is an enlarged cross-sectional view.

A. Transmission In Fig. 1, 1 is the outer housing of the device, 2 is the upper lid that also serves as a document table for setting the original (sheet original) 0 to be image transmitted in position A, and 3φ3 is the original guide plate on both sides of the original provided on the upper lid. It is a movable plate (slider) that can freely adjust the distance between them to widen or narrow according to the width of the original O. 4 is the operation panel (console panel), 5 is the output tray for sent originals, and 6 is the sending/receiving function. It is a vessel.

The document O whose image is to be transmitted is placed on top of the upper lid 2, with the image surface to be transmitted facing downward in the case of this example device, and the leading edge of the document placed on top M2.
Insert the document fully into the lower gap between the back side of the machine and the operation panel 4, and load one or more documents! ! It can be set up. When the transmission start button is pressed, the document O set in the apparatus a is passed through the underside of the operation panel 4 into the apparatus at a predetermined speed by a pull-in roller means (not shown) disposed below the operation Pt4. It is being pulled in and conveyed (center reference conveyance). If multiple originals are cut and set, the lowest original is separated one by one and then pulled in and conveyed.For the originals that are pulled in and conveyed above, the original image changes from the leading edge of the original to the trailing edge. The original is sequentially photoelectrically read as a time-series electrical pixel signal by a photoelectric reading means (not shown) and transmitted to a destination device.

B. Reception In FIG. 3, reference numeral 8 denotes a roll of long heat-sensitive recording paper as a recording paper housed in a receiving member 9 in the apparatus. This roll of recording paper 8 is opened and raised by releasing the locking means (not shown) of the device hM 2 and opening it around the hinge part (not shown) provided on the back side of the upper cover as shown by the two-dot chain line. The device is housed by opening the inside of the device and dropping it into the receiving member 9. The leading end side of the roll of recording paper is slightly rewound and positioned on the top surface of the platen roller 10, and the top cover 2 is folded down and closed. When the upper lid 2 is fully closed, the locking means engages and the upper lid 2 is held in the closed state shown by the solid line.

As a result, L-, a heating element array assembly (recording head) as a recording means disposed on the inner surface side of the lid 2.
The element array surface of No. 11 is brought into predetermined pressure contact with the upper surface of the platen roller 10 via the recording paper 8. Reference numeral 12 denotes a biasing spring that presses the recording head 11 against the upper surface of the platen roller 10.

13ψ14 is a paper cutter consisting of a fixed blade and a movable blade arranged next to the platen roller IO, 15 and 16 are a pair of paper feed rollers arranged next to the cutters 13-14,
The lower roller 15 is a driving roller that is rotationally driven in the direction of the arrow, and the upper roller 16 is a driven roller, and the driven roller 16 is disposed on the upper Mz side, and the upper lid 2 is folded down and closed. and comes into pressure contact with the drive roller 15.

Reference numeral 17 denotes a front side wall plate of the device chassis, and reference numerals 18 and 18 refer to friction plates made of rubber or the like, which are provided on the left and right sides of the side wall plate surface, with a part of the outer surface protruding outward from the side wall plate 17, respectively, as shown in the second figure. The rollers 18, 18 are each supported by a support shaft 19 via a one-way clutch 20, and the outer ring of the one-way clutch 20 and the shaft 15A of the drive roller 15 of the pair of paper feed rollers are connected by a belt. I will contact you at 21. When the shaft 15A of the drive roller 15 is rotationally driven, the friction rollers 18 are rotated in the same direction as the drive roller 15 in conjunction with the rotation.

On the other hand, the friction rollers 18, 18, even if an external force is applied to rotate the one-way clutch 20 in the opposite direction to that described above.
The rotation is prevented by this.

Reference numeral 22 denotes a recording paper (receiving paper) holder plate disposed on the outside of the front side wall plate 17 of the apparatus chassis, and the holder plate has a first holder plate centered around hinge portions 23 provided at both left and right ends of the lower side of the holder plate. - It can be freely raised and closed in a state where it is raised up almost parallel to the chassis front side wall plate 17 as shown in Figure 3, and in a state where it is tilted forward and opened as shown by the two-dot chain line in Figures 2 and 3. be. Normally, it is in the raised and closed state, and in this state, as shown in the second figure, the locking means is an elastic member provided relatively to both the left and right ends of the holder plate 22 and the corresponding surface portion of the front side wall plate 17 of the device chassis. It is stably held by the engagement between the claw members 24, 24 and the engagement holes 25, 25, and both plates 17,
An upward pocket space 26 serving as a recording paper stacker section (sheet material receiving section) with a gap width d is formed between the recording paper sheets 22 and 22 . Also, the upper side 22A of the holder plate 22 in the above-mentioned raised and closed state.
A horizontally elongated recording paper outlet 27 is formed between the lower side 2A of the downwardly bent edge provided on the front side of the upper M2 in the closed state. 28 is a base a (chassis bottom plate) of the device, and 29 is a bedside surface on which the device is placed.

(2) The platen roller 10 is driven to rotate intermittently one line at a time based on the recording start signal of the received image information. Further, a pair of paper feed rollers 15 and 16 are rotationally driven in the direction of the arrow at a predetermined circumferential speed. The friction rollers 18-18 are also rotated in the direction of the arrow in conjunction with the rotational drive of the roller 15.

The leading end of the roll of thermal recording paper 8 is sandwiched between the upper surface of a platen roller 10 and a recording pad 11, and the platen roller 10 is driven to rotate intermittently for each recording line to generate a pull-out force. acts, and the force rotates within the receiving member 9 in the feeding direction, and the roll of recording paper is sequentially fed out. The image information that each heating element of the recording head 11 receives from the source during the process in which the fed paper portion is intermittently conveyed between the platen roller 10 and the recording head 11, that is, through the recording section for recording one line at a time. By controlling heat generation in response to time-series electric pixel signals, image information corresponding to the received image information is sequentially recorded line by line on the upper surface of the unrolled paper.

■ The recorded paper portion passes between the fixed blade 13 and the movable blade 14 of the cutter, is gripped between the pair of feed rollers 15 and 16, and is sent diagonally downward by the pair of rollers 15 and 16, and is then fed out in the diagonally downward direction. It enters an upwardly facing pocket space 26 as a stacker section formed between the chassis front side wall plate 17 and the recording paper holder plate 22 in the raised and closed state, and the leading edge side of the recorded paper enters into the pocket space 26. It enters from top to bottom as shown by the two-dot chain line 8a in Figure 3.

■ The leading edge 8b of the recorded paper portion that has entered the pocket space 26 as the paper continues to be fed out is attached to the receiving bottom surface 22B as a stop member provided inward on the lower side of the recording paper holder plate 22 (Fig. 4). As shown in (A), the paper collides and is received, and further entry into the pocket space 26 on the leading edge side of the paper is restricted (prevented).

■ Thereafter, the recorded paper portion that is continuously fed out from the roller pair 15 and 16 is placed at the upper side 22A of the holder plate 22.
Then, it bends outward in a loop shape between the upper roller 16 of the roller pair 15 and 16, and exits the recording paper outlet 27 to the outside of the apparatus in a loop shape as shown by the line 8C at point 2 jI3 in FIG. 4(A). It's coming. The loop gradually becomes a larger loop 8d as the recorded paper portion continues to be fed out.

(Φ When one page of recording is completed and the trailing edge of the image on the paper on which the image has been recorded reaches between the cutter blades 13@14, the movable blade 14 of the cutter moves as shown in Fig. 4(B). It is rotated clockwise around the shaft 14A to engage with the fixed blade 13, and then rotated back again.As a result, the paper portion 8 (received paper) on which one page of image has been recorded and the subsequent roll are rotated. The paper portion 8 on the side is carted 8e.

■ Trailing edge 8e of the cut paper 81 with recorded images
The platen roller 10 is driven in the reverse direction after cutting the paper, and as a result, the part of the paper separated from the image recording side is conveyed in the reverse direction, and the leading edge of the paper is The platen roller 10 is moved backward to a contact position between the platen roller 10 and the heating element array 11, and at that point, the reverse drive of the platen roller 10 is stopped.

■ The trailing edge of the recording paper 8□, which serves as a receiving paper after being pulled out of the roller pair 15 and 16, is subject to heavy suspension and elastic return of the paper portion that protrudes in a loop shape from the recording paper outlet 27 to the outside of the apparatus. Due to the reaction force, the recording paper is naturally pulled out from the recording paper outlet 27 to the outside of the apparatus as shown by the two-dot chain line 8f in FIG. 4(B).

As a result, the portion of the paper that has come out of the recording paper outlet 27 to the outside of the apparatus is bent into a U-shape at the portion corresponding to the upper side 22A of the holder plate 22 due to its own weight, and is placed on the outside of the holder plate 22 as shown in FIG. 4(C). It becomes sagging.

In this way, the cut recording paper 8I, which serves as a receiving paper with the trailing edge 8e hanging down from the recording paper outlet 27 to the outside of the holder plate 22, has the paper portion on the leading edge 8b as a stacker section inside the holder plate. The tip edge 8 is inside the pocket space 26 of
b is fully advanced until it hits the receiving bottom surface 22B as a stop member in the pocket space 26, and the paper portion of the recording paper outlet 27 is bent into a U-shape with a small curvature at the upper side 22A of the holder plate 22. Since the sheet is caught on the upper side 22A of the holder plate, and the surface of the portion of the sheet that has entered the pocket space 26 contacts the outer surface of the friction roller 18-18, a frictional force is applied to prevent the sheet from being pulled out. The drawer does not fall and is stably maintained in the hanging state shown in Figure 4 (C) above.

〈Φ The reception record of the 2nd page, 3rd page, etc. is also executed in the same manner as above ■~■, and the second page
The cut recording paper serving as the received paper of the page number .

In Fig. 4 ([)], three pages of cut recording paper 8□, 82, and 83 as received paper are sequentially overlapped, and the leading edge side is held in the pocket space 26 as a stacker section for recording. The fourth page of recording paper 8. is held hanging from the paper outlet 27 to the outside of the holder plate 22. indicates that it is in the middle of being output. Each recording paper8. -8. - The tip side 8b of 83... hits the receiving bottom surface 22B as a stop member and is received and aligned.

C1 paper (output sheet material) binding means As described above, recording paper as a receiving paper is sequentially output from the device, overlaps one after another, and is held in the holder section as shown in FIG. 4(D).8. Regarding ・82, 83..., if there are two or more pages that form a set of each other, that is, two or more sheets of recording paper that form a set of each other, they will be automatically bound as a set of booklets. This is a means mechanism for distinguishing the output recording paper from other output recording paper that does not belong to the group.

In FIG. 3, reference numeral 30 denotes an electric stapler unit as a sheet binding means disposed on the device base a28. FIG. 5 shows a partially cutaway enlarged cross-sectional view. 31 is a mechanism board; 32 is a forward/reverse motor (stapler motor) mounted and supported on the board 31 with its rotating shaft 33 facing upward;
4 is a pulley that can rotate freely around a support shaft 36 installed upward on the base plate 31; 35 is a cam plate integrally provided on the lower side of the pulley; 35A is a cam claw thereof; 37 is a motor 32 (rotational force transmission bell suspended between the rotating shaft 33 and the pulley 34), 34A is an outwardly protruding crank arm integrally provided with the pulley 34, 34B is a crank pin implanted in the arm, and 38 is a crank arm mounted on the pulley 34. A slender advancing/retracting plate as a paper evacuation means (sheet material escape means) is rotatably supported by a crank bin; 38A is a slit hole provided longitudinally on the surface of the elongated advancing/retracting plate; 39 is a slit hole provided at a predetermined position on the base plate 31; This is a pin shaft planted upward, and the slit hole 38A of the elongated reciprocating plate is fitted and engaged with this pin shaft. 40 is a stapler sensor, such as a microswitch or a photoelectric sensor. This sensor defines the reference rotation angle position of the pulley 34 and the cam plate 35 and detects a staple jam, which will be described later, and is fixedly disposed at a predetermined position on the board 31.

31A is a front-rear side wall formed by bending the right side of the substrate 31 upward; 41 is a slide guided in the front-rear direction using the inside of this side wall as a guide; 42 is a slider projecting forward from the tip of the slider; The staple striking plate 43 is a tension spring that always urges the slider 41 in the backward direction, and 31B is formed by extending the front end of the front-rear side wall 31A forward and bending the extended portion at right angles to the left. The anvil is attached to the plate part, 44 is an anvil (staple double leg bending plate) firmly attached to the inner surface of the plate part 31B with screws 45, and 46 is the slider 4.
1, the base was rotatably attached with a pin shaft 47. Cam plate 3
5, 48 is a push spring that constantly urges the operating arm to rotate in the direction of the cam plate, and 49 is the operating arm 46.
This is a stopper bin which is inserted at a predetermined position on the substrate 31.

Reference numeral 50 denotes a staple magazine fitting member fixed to the front side of the board 31 in parallel with the front side. It is attached to 31. Reference numeral 51 denotes a staple magazine that is long in the left-right direction and whose rear half side is fitted into and held in the fitting member 50. 52 is a large number of parallel staples loaded in the magazine 51; 53 is a guide rod 53;
This is a staple pusher that can freely slide along the direction A, and is moved and biased by a coil spring 53B fitted onto a guide rod 53A to constantly press and bias the staple parallel plate 52 toward the distal end inside the magazine 51.

FIG. 9 shows a perspective view of the staple magazine fitting member 50 and the staple magazine 51 in a state in which it has been removed. 50A φ50A is a small inward convex portion formed by pressing the top plate and bottom plate of the fitting member 50 toward the left end so that they face each other, and 51A (51A) is the left end of the top plate and bottom plate of the staple magazine 51. This is a notch hole into which the small inward protrusions provided at the side surface position fit and engage, and the staple magazine 51 is attached to the fitting member 50 by using the small protrusions 50A and 50A on the fitting member 50 side. This is done by fitting the notch hole 51A (51A) on the magazine 51 side and pushing the magazine 51 into the fitting member 50. The mounted magazine 51 has a small protrusion 50A.
- Can be rotated freely around 50A.

54 corresponds to the leading end side of the staple magazine 51. This is a reflective photoelectric type staple remaining amount detection sensor that is fixedly disposed at a predetermined surface position of the substrate 31. FIG. 10 shows a perspective view of this sensor portion.

When the staples in the staple magazine 51 are consumed and the remaining amount becomes less than a predetermined amount or disappears, the reflective surface 53C provided on the surface of the staple pusher 53 moves to a position in front of the sensor 54 to face it, The emitted light from the sensor 54 is reflected and enters the light receiving element of the sensor 54. As a result, it is detected that the remaining amount of staples has become low or has run out.

The stapler unit 30 described in E has the above-mentioned output recording paper 81.
・In the pocket space 26 as a stacker portion that receives and holds the front end sides of 82, 83, etc., the bottom surface 22B enters into the pocket space 26 and serves as a stop member.
Paper recording paper 81 and 82 that are hit and received respectively
The inner surface of the anvil 44 is located at an outer position corresponding to the rightward end of the tip side of 1183 .
The substrate 31 of the stapler unit 30 is firmly fixed to the upper surface of the device base 28 so as to be positioned substantially parallel to the inside of the stapler unit 30 .

The stapler 30 drives the anvil 44 in a staple driving operation.
A considerably large impact force acts on the stapler and the staple striking mechanism. Therefore, the stapler unit 30, or at least the anvil 44, is firmly assembled to a frame such as the base 28 of the main unit M (facsimile machine), which serves as a strong support.

A surface portion of the front side wall plate 17 of the device chassis to which the staple magazine 51 corresponds has a cutout window portion 17A. Also, the surface portion of the recording paper holder plate 22 corresponding to the anvil 44 and substantially the front half of the staple magazine 51 is a cutout window 22C. The staple magazine 51 is the second
As shown in the figure, fold down the recording paper holder plate 22 and insert it into the notch window 17A of the front side wall plate 17 of the device chassis.
It is attached to and detached from the member 50.

D. Staple Driving Operation ■ Fig. 5 shows the mechanism in a standby state. The motor 32 is off, and the pulley 34 and cam plate 35 are stopped at the reference rotation angle position shown in the figure.

In this state, the elongated advancing/retracting plate 38 serves as a paper retracting means.
is at the most retreated position due to the crank arm 34A being in the rotation angle position facing rearward, and the rear end portion 38B of the advancing plate 38 corresponds to the sensor 40. The slider 41, which is provided with an anvil striking plate 42, has its operating arm 46 against the lower surface of the cam plate 35 and is pulled to the retracted position by a spring 43.

(2) The motor 32 is driven to rotate in the forward direction based on the staple driving signal. As a result, the motor rotating shaft 33 rotates forward clockwise a, and the pulley 34 and cam plate 35 also rotate forward clockwise about the support shaft 36 accordingly. This pulley 34
The action arm 4 of the slider 41 is activated by the forward rotation of the fist cam plate 35.
6 is pushed by the cam claw portion 35A of the cam plate 35. Due to the pressing force, the slider 4L, that is, the staple striking plate 42 moves forward toward the tip of the staple magazine 51 against the spring 43.

Before that, in the process, the tip side of the striking plate 42 hits the upper side of the leading staple 52A of the staple parallel body 52 loaded in the staple magazine 51, and the staple magazine 5
1 rotates clockwise around the small convex portions 50A and 50A on the rear end side mentioned above (Fig. 6), and the staple exit portion on the leading edge side enters the pocket space 26 of the recording paper holder portion. A plurality of sheets of output recording paper 8 to form a set, each of which is received by the bottom surface 22B serving as a stop member with its leading edge 8b in a state where its leading edge is aligned. - Hit the anvil 44 with the right corner of the tip side of 82, 83... sandwiched inside. Then, as the last staple striking plate 42 advances in conjunction with the subsequent advance of the slider 41, only one end of the leading staple 52A in the staple magazine is pushed out from the exit section, and both legs of the paper 8I, 82, and 83 move 1t! ! , the anvil 44 is bent inward. That is, staples are driven. FIG. 6 shows the state in which the staples are driven. As a result, the plurality of output recording sheets 81, 82φ83, . . . that should form one set are bound into a booklet.

Staple driving based on the forward movement of the slider 41 is completed when the pulley 34 and cam plate 35 have rotated approximately 45 c'. The operating arm 46 of the slider 41 is connected to the cam plate 35
While the cam plate 35 rotates approximately 45 degrees, it contacts the stopper pin 49 and rotates in the direction of the slider 41 against the spring 48, and when the cam plate 35 finishes rotating approximately 45 inches, the operating arm 46 The tip portion climbs onto the uppermost surface of the cam claw portion 35A, disengaging from the cam claw portion 35A, and the pressing force exerted by the cam claw portion 35A on the operating arm 46 is released.For this purpose, the slider 41 That is, the staple striking plate 42 is pulled back to the retracted position by the spring 43.
As the staple magazine 51 moves forward and backward, the staple magazine 51 is also pulled back and rotated around the rear end side small convex portions 50A and 50A.

■ The forward rotation of the pulley 34 and cam plate 35 continues,
In the process of continuing normal rotation, the elongated advance/retreat plate 38 serving as a paper evacuation means moves the crank arm 34A/crank bin 34B.
It moves forward as it rotates, and its leading end touches the notch window 17A of the front side wall plate 17 of the device chassis and the recording paper holder plate 2.
It protrudes outward from the notch window 22G of No. 2 on the front side of the device as shown in the seventh figure. The amount of protrusion reaches its maximum when the pulley 34 and cam plate 35 have rotated approximately 20Q' from the reference rotation angle position shown in FIG.

This protruding operation of the elongated advance/retreat plate 38 causes the sheets 81, 82, 83 on which the staple 52A has already been driven.
The left corner side of the leading edge of the paper 8I, 82, 83, etc. is projected outward from the cutout window 22C of the recording paper holder plate 22, and the right corner of the leading edge of the sheets 8I, 82, 83, etc. has the staple 52A driven therein. is removed (flicked out) from the inner surface of the anvil 44.

■ The forward rotation of the pulley 34 and cam plate 35 continues,
Until one rotation (360°) is completed, the elongated advance/retreat plate 38
is leaving work, and the pulley 34 and cam plate 35 are 1
When the rotation is completed, the rear end 38B of the elongated advance/retreat plate 38 corresponds to the sensor 40, and the corresponding signal is fed back to the control circuit, and the drive of the motor 32 is stopped, returning to the same standby state as shown in FIG. 5. .

The right corners of the leading edges of the sheets 8 □ , 82 , 83 . After returning to work, the paper returns with its elasticity and the anvil attachment is positioned on the outer surface side of the plate 31B as shown in FIG. That is, the sheets that have been bound into a booklet by driving the staples are moved away from the operating position of the stapling means (the stapling position 5).

Therefore, since there are no corner portions of sheets on which staples have already been driven on the inner surface of the anvil 44, the stapling process becomes possible for the next set of recording sheets to be output.

■ If the recording paper output from the device is a single sheet of paper that is completed with only one communication page, there is no need to perform staple driving.In this case, the motor 32 is energized in the reverse direction; The pulley 34 and cam plate 35 make one rotation in the reverse direction. As a result, the slider 41 does not move forward, that is, the staple driving operation does not occur.
Only the elongated advancing/retracting plate 38 moves forward and backward once to project the right corner of the leading edge of the sheet of paper to the outside of the anvil, that is, to move the stapling means away from the operating position.

E. Stapler Control FIG. 11 is a control block diagram of the facsimile machine including the control section of the electric stapler sensor (30).

The control unit in this example includes a main cputoo that controls the entire device (facsimile machine), and an NCU (network control unit) 101.
, the modem 102, the data control unit 103, the modem control unit 104, and the first
R that stores the program modules shown in Figures 3 (A) and (B).
OM105, RAM106 used for work, operation control unit 4, l10107, and drive control unit 11
1, a driver 112, a recording control section 115, and a control section 116 for the stapler unit 30.

The operation control unit 4 is the operation mc control panel shown in Fig. 1)
4, it controls the display and receives a reception instruction from the reception button.

110107 receives signals from the recording sheet presence/absence sensor 108 and the recording sheet width detection sensor 109.

The driver 112 of the drive control unit itt is the recording motor 113.
and drives the cutter motor 114.

The driver 117 of the stapler control unit 116 drives the stapler motor 32, and the l10118 receives signals from the stapler sensor 40 and the sensor 54 that detects the remaining amount of staples 52 in the staple magazine 51.

The stapler operation (staple driving operation) during reception will be explained using the flowchart of FIG.

Here, N in step (2) is the maximum number of sheets of paper that can be stapled by the stapler 30, and may be either a fixed number set in advance or a variable number that can be freely set by the user. Available devices may detect the type of paper and set N, or allow multiple N settings, such as a smaller N for thicker paper and a larger N for thinner paper. good.

Next, L in step (2) is the number of recording lines corresponding to the length of the recording paper passing path from the recording position of the recording head 11 to the stop member 22B, plus a slight margin, and is the number of recording lines during recording. By detecting that the line is the L-th line (YES in step (2)), it can be confirmed that the leading edge 8b of the output recording paper being recorded has reached the stop member 22B.

(1) When the output recording paper is only one page (1 communication - 1
First, the image information received from the sending side is sent to NCUI Ol (first
1), is demodulated by the modem 102, becomes a digital signal, and is sent to the data control unit 103. The data control unit 103 sends data to the RAM 106 via the data bus, the data in the RAM 106 is decoded by cputoo, and the decoded data is stored again in the RAM 10B.

When data for one line is stored in the RAM 106 in this way, the data is sent to the recording pad 11 via the recording control unit 115, and recording for one life is performed on the paper 8 (step 2). , l lives are completed, cputoo drives the recording motor 113, the platen roller 10 rotates, and the recording paper 8 is conveyed by one line (step 2).

Repeat the above operation, and when the recording line becomes the L line (YES in step ■), check the number of the page being recorded (step ■).
Since it is only a page, repeat the above operation to finish one page.
The recording paper 8 is then continuously conveyed a little by the platen roller 10 (Step ■), and when the trailing edge position of the image reaches the cutters 13 and 14, the cutter motor 114 is driven and the cutter 13- The recording paper 8 is cut by step 14 (step
, FIG. 4(B)), and the trailing edge side of the cut recording paper 8 is completely fed out of the apparatus from the recording paper outlet 27 by the pair of feed rollers 15 and 16 (FIG. 4(B) 2).
On the other hand, the platen roller 10 is rotated slightly in the reverse direction after cutting the paper, so that the leading edge of the paper 8 that has been separated from the recording paper 81 is moved to the cutter 13.1.
The recording head 1.1 is pulled back from the position No. 4 to the recording position of the recording head 1.1 (step o).

After that, the number of received sheets is 1 (NO in step @)
, the main CPU 100 instructs the stapler control unit 116 to perform a retracting operation, that is, to drive the stapler motor 32 in the reverse direction for one rotation in the above-mentioned section D-■ (step [share]), and ends the reception (step [share]).

(2) If the output recording paper is 2 pages or more and (N-1) pages or less (in the case of 1 communication - 1 set of multiple sheets), the reception of the 1st page is As in the case of only one page, there is a primary page after finishing (step @
(YES), the process returns to step (2) and recording of the next page is started. The following steps ■~■, ■~@ are repeated until there is no next page (No in step @). After that, since the output recording paper is more than 2 pages (step ■
(NO), the main cpuioo is the stapler control unit tt
Instruct e to perform the stapling operation (step O), and end the reception (step [phase]). - Stapling is performed at P2, P3, etc., and the stapled paper portion is retracted from the operating position (stapling position) of the stapling means.

(3) If the output recording paper is N pages or more, recording is performed in the same way as in (2) above until the N-1 page, and when the number of recording lines reaches L on the N-th page (step YES
), it is detected that the Nth page is to be recorded (YES in step ■), and the main CPU 100 instructs the stapler control unit 116 to perform the stapling operation (step ■), resets the received sheet number counter (step ■), and starts the recording operation. return. At this time, the recording operation and stapling operation operate simultaneously.

In this way, the main cput00 instructs the stapler '91 W section 11B to perform a stapling operation for every Nth page (step 2).

When the next page runs out (NO in step @), check the number of sheets counter, and if the number is 0 (YES in step @)
), the reception is terminated as it is (step [phase]), and the rest is processed in the same manner as in the case of the above-mentioned item (1) or (2), and the reception is completed.

In other words, let n be a natural number (0, 1, 2...), x be the total number of received sheets, and when x = n Said (1
), only the evacuation operation is performed as in the case of a=2~(N
-1), the stapling operation is performed as in the case of (2) above, and then the reception is terminated.

In this way, when the leading edge of the Nth sheet of output recording paper reaches the stop member 22B and is received, the stapling operation is performed at the same time as the recording operation, so that the time between reception of one sheet and reception of the next sheet is Compared to performing a stapling operation, the communication time can be shortened, and the possibility of errors due to overtime can also be reduced.

(4) Stapling Operation FIG. 13(A) is a flowchart of the stapler control unit showing the "stapling operation" in steps ① and 0 in the flowchart of FIG. 12.

When the stapler control unit receives a stapling operation instruction,
First, the step counter TI for detecting a stapler jam is reset to O (step @) 0. Next, if the stapler sensor 40 is not on (step [phase]
(NO), the stapler jammed during the previous stapling operation (
It is determined that the stapler mechanism has not returned to the standby state shown in FIG. 5 for some reason, and the stapler does not operate. If the stapler sensor 40 is on (YES in step ①), The step counter T starts, and the stapler motor 32 is driven to rotate in the normal direction (step 6).

In step [phase], Tmax is the number of motor steps that the pulley 3411 and cam plate 35 make exactly one revolution plus a slight margin, and whether the stapler sensor 40 is turned on (step 0) or the step counter is The stapler motor 31 is driven in normal rotation until TI reaches Tmax (step @), and is then stopped (step @) to complete the stapling operation.

In the above, if the stapler sensor 40 turns on first, it means that the stapling operation has ended normally, and conversely, if the step counter TI has reached Tmax, it can be considered that a jam has occurred in the stapling operation. Since this result is held by the stapler sensor 40, the main CPU 10
By looking at the output of the stapler sensor 40, it is determined whether the stapler operation is good or bad.

(5) Retracting operation FIG. 13(B) is a flowchart of the stapler control section showing the "retracting operation" in step [phase] in the flow of FIG. 12.

When the stapler control unit receives an instruction for the evacuation operation from the main CPU 100, it first resets the step counter T for detecting a stapler jam to 0 (step [phase]) 0. Next, the step counter T starts, and the stapler Either the stapler sensor 40 is turned on at the 0th order when the motor 31 is driven in reverse (step @), or the step counter T1 is set to 〒a! (Step 0)
) The stapler motor 31 is driven in the reverse direction and then stopped (step 0) to complete the evacuation operation.

In the above, if the stapler sensor 40 turns on first, the evacuation operation has ended normally, and if the step counter T reaches Ttaax first, it can be considered that the evacuation operation has caused a jam. Since this result is held by the stapler sensor 40, after all receiving operations are completed, the main CPU 00 checks the output of the stapler sensor 40 to determine whether the evacuation operation is successful or not.

(6) Stapler jam processing If the stapler sensor 40 is not turned on after the receiving operation is completed, the main CPU determines that there is a stapler jam. (Step Co., Ltd.).

Based on this display, the operator removes the staple magazine 51 from the fitting member 50, removes the jammed staples, sets the staple magazine 51 on the fitting member 51 again, and presses a reset button (not shown) on the operation panel 4. . This flowchart is shown in FIG. 14, that is, by pressing the reset button (step @), the main CPt
1lOO instructs the stapler control unit 116 to perform the evacuation operation (step [phase]), and if the stapler sensor 40 is turned on after the evacuation operation is completed, it is determined that the stapler has returned to normal. A message such as "Inspect Stapler" is displayed (Step 0 = Step [Stock] in Figure 12).
Request the operator to re-inspect.

(7) Replenishment of staples When the staples 52 in the staple magazine 51 become less than a predetermined amount due to consumption or run out,
0), it is detected by the sensor 54 (12th
Figure flow stage, phase), that is the main CPU
A warning is displayed on the display of the operation panel 4 by using too (step 0).

Even if a missing staple is detected during reception,
Reception and recording paper output continue, and a display/warning is issued during or after reception.

When the display/warning appears, the operator removes the staple magazine 51 from the fitting member 50, refills the staples 52 into the magazine, and sets the magazine 51 on the fitting member 50 again.

F. Others (1) Paper that has been bound into a booklet using a stapler as a binding means, or paper that does not require binding (
There is a means for retracting a sheet (for example, one sheet of paper for one communication) from the operating position of the binding means in order to perform binding processing on the next sheet to be output.

In addition to the above-described method in which the advancing/retracting member 38 pushes out/rejects the binding means outward from the operating position, for example, a paper ejection/conveying means such as an ejection roller is provided, and its operation causes the recording paper stacker section to Pocket space as 26
The sheets that have undergone the binding process or the sheets that do not need to be subjected to the binding process are discharged and conveyed from the inside to a receiving box or the like outside the apparatus.

b. An automatic opening/closing means for the recording paper holder plate 22 is provided, and by opening the holder plate as shown in FIG. To discard paper that does not need to be processed by sliding it into an external receiving box or the like.

C. A means is provided for pushing the paper held in the pocket space 26 as a stacker part in the direction opposite to the operating position of the binding means in the width direction thereof, and its operation moves the paper from the operating position of the binding means. Move out of position.

The following methods can be adopted.

(2) When the number of output recording sheets is N pages or more, the operation control mode may be configured to prohibit the operation of the sheet binding means, and the leading edge of the last recording sheet of the output recording sheets of N pages or more. When the side reaches the stop member 22B, the retracting means is activated to make it retracted from the operating position of the binding means.

(3) If the device is capable of using at least two types of paper with different width dimensions as output paper, it should be equipped with a means to detect the width of the paper being used, and It is also possible to have a configuration in which A means for moving and changing the position of the spelling means to an appropriate position is provided.

(4) In the case of a device that can use at least two types of paper with different width dimensions as output paper,
It is also possible to output such sheets by one-sided reference transport and to have a binding means fixedly disposed on the one-side reference transport line side.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described above, according to the present invention, sheet materials are sequentially outputted in a sheet material output device.

When the final page of a set or a predetermined number of sheets are output, the sheets are bound and bound layer by layer as a booklet, which makes sorting difficult. 1 without making any mistakes.
For example, by applying it to a facsimile machine as in the embodiment, it can be used to sort and organize when a large amount of output recording paper from multiple communications with different senders and page numbers overlaps and accumulates during automatic reception at night or on holidays. becomes extremely easy.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

The drawings show an example of a facsimile machine equipped with a stapler according to the present invention as an embodiment. Fig. 1 is an external oblique view of the apparatus, and Fig. 2 shows a state in which the recording paper holder plate on the front side of the apparatus is folded open. Figure 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the recording/discharging mechanism portion of the apparatus, and Figures 4 (A)-(B) and 4 are diagrams showing the state.
(G) (El) is a diagram of the feeding process of the recording paper on which the image has been recorded, Figures 5, 6 and 7 are enlarged cross-sectional views showing the operation process of the stapler unit, and Figure 8 is the stapling process. FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing a retracted state in which the staple driving portion of the recording paper is positioned from the inner surface of the anvil to the outer surface of the anvil mounting member; FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the staple magazine and the fitting member of the magazine. , Fig. 1O is a perspective view of the stapler remaining amount detection sensor part, Fig. 11 is a block diagram of the stapler control section, Fig. 12 is a control flow chart, and Figs. 13 (A) and (B) are stored in ROM. The program diagram, FIG. 14, is a flowchart for clearing a stapler jam. 8 is recording paper; 8. -82, 83... are output recording sheets, 10, 11 are platen rollers and recording heads, 13
- 14 is a paper cutter, 22 is a recording paper holder plate, 22B is a bottom surface of the recording paper holder plate as a stop member that receives and regulates the leading edge of the output recording paper, 30 is a stapler unit/), 42 is a staple striking plate, 44 is anvil, 5
1 is a staple magazine. Patent applicant: Canon Co., Ltd., 2 1-1 - Figure 3 Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 7 Figure 5 Figure 6 Figure 11

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A sheet material receiving section that receives a set of multiple sheet materials to be stapled as a booklet while regulating the movement of at least one side of the sheet materials and keeping them aligned; and the sheet material receiving section. a staple driving mechanism for driving staples into a sheet material received by the staple driving mechanism; and a staple striking member of the mechanism that drives at least the stapled portion of the sheet material that has been stapled by the operation of the staple driving mechanism. A stapler comprising: a sheet material release operating mechanism for releasing the sheet material from a position between the staple anvil; and a drive source for the staple driving action mechanism and the sheet material release operating mechanism. 2. The stapler according to claim 1, wherein the staple driving mechanism and the sheet material releasing mechanism are operated in conjunction with each other by the same drive source. 3. means for detecting the standby position of the actuating mechanism, and the detection means detecting that the actuating mechanism has returned to the standby position within a predetermined time from the time when the actuation start signal is issued to the actuating mechanism; 2. The stapler according to claim 1, further comprising means for determining that a malfunction has occurred in the operating mechanism and issuing a display/warning to that effect when the stapler is not operated. 4. The stapler according to claim 1, wherein the staples are loaded into a magazine, and the magazine is detachable from the staple driving mechanism. 5. The stapler according to claim 1 or 4, comprising means for detecting the remaining amount of staples in the staple magazine attached to the staple driving mechanism.