JPH01192649A - Lateral register device for sheet - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To conform the lateral end portion of a sheet to a conveying reference without suspending the conveyance of the sheet in a copying machine, etc., by making the sheet strike the striking face of a lateral register board and moving same in a position along the sheet conveying reference. CONSTITUTION:A sheet lateral register device 1 has a lateral register board 2 which has a striking face 2b for making the lateral end portion of a sheet S strike and which moves the striking face 2b to a position along a sheet conveying reference to conform the lateral end portion of the sheet S to the conveying reference. The device 1 further has driving means 3, 5, 7 for moving the lateral register board 2 to a position along the sheet conveying reference and a control means for controlling the driving means 3, 5, 7 based on a sheet size. Hence, the control means controls the driving means 3, 5, 7 to move the striking face 2b of the lateral register board 2 to a position along the sheet conveying reference, and to make the lateral end portion of the sheet S strike the striking face 2b, thereby conforming the sheet S to the conveying reference.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention (a) Industrial Use Public Funds The present invention relates to a sheet horizontal registration device used in image forming apparatuses such as copying machines, printing machines, and laser beam printers. The present invention relates to a sheet lateral registration device that transports the sheet based on the sheet transport direction and aligns the sheet in a direction perpendicular to the sheet transport direction.

(B) Prior art Conventionally, sheet lateral registration devices have been known that align sheets in a direction perpendicular to the sheet conveyance direction, but the lateral registration devices are generally composed of a pair of registration rollers and a sheet sensor. , when the pair of registration rollers clamps the sheet, the rotation of the pair of registration rollers is stopped, and the pair of registration rollers is moved one step in the axial direction to a position where the sheet sensor detects the sheet edge, thereby performing lateral registration of the sheet. Ta.

&→ Problems to be Solved by the Invention By the way, in the above-mentioned sheet lateral registration device, the processing speed decreases because the conveyance by the pair of registration rollers is interrupted for each sheet to align the lateral position of the sheet. In addition, there is a slight time difference between when the sheet sensor detects the sheet end and when the registration roller pair stops moving in the axial direction, and this time difference causes the sheet to move further and the alignment position to be incorrect. Something went wrong.

Furthermore, in a center-based sheet lateral registration device that aligns the center of the sheet with the center of the sheet conveyance path, if a sheet sensor is provided for each sheet size, a large number of expensive sheet sensors will be required, increasing costs. If the sheet sensor is moved, there is a risk that the positional accuracy of the sheet sensor will be reduced.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a sheet lateral registration device that eliminates the above-mentioned problems by aligning the lateral edge of the sheet with the sheet conveyance reference without interrupting sheet conveyance. .

2) Means for Solving the Problems The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned circumstances, and is shown, for example, with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2 (al and bl).
A sheet lateral registration device (1) for aligning a lateral edge of a sheet (S) with a sheet conveyance reference, which has an abutting surface (2b) against which the lateral edge of the sheet (S) abuts, a horizontal resist plate (2) that moves the surface (2b) to a position along the sheet conveyance reference and aligns the lateral end of the sheet (S) with the sheet conveyance reference;
) to a position along the sheet conveyance reference.
315p 7) and a control means (10° 12) for controlling the drive means (3p sp 7) based on the sheet size.

(e) Operation Based on the above configuration, the control means (10, 12) controls the drive means (3, 5, 7) based on the sheet size to move the abutting surface (2b) of the horizontal resist plate (2) into the sheet. The sheet (S) is moved to a position along the conveyance reference, and the lateral end of the sheet (S) is abutted against the abutment surface (2b) to align the sheet (S) with the sheet conveyance reference.

Note that the above-mentioned symbols are shown for reference and do not limit the configuration in any way.

(F) Embodiments Below, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the sheet lateral registration device 1 with a center reference that aligns the center of the sheet with the center of the sheet conveyance path has a lateral registration plate 2 having a U-shape when viewed from the front and a built-in spring clutch. ! It has 1IIvIJ ring 3. A pair of fitting protrusions 2m are protruded from the upper part of the tank resist plate 2, and an inner vertical portion of the resist plate 2 constitutes an abutment surface 2b against which the sheet S is abutted. . Further, a drive gear 5 to which power is transmitted from a motor (not shown) is connected to the input side of a spring clutch built into the control ring 3, and an output shaft 6 that rotates together with the control ring 3 is connected to the input side of the spring clutch built into the control ring 3. , a reference surface 7a for each sheet size.

7b, 7c, and 7d, and the cam surface is connected to the fitting projection 2a.
, 2a are fixed. and,
A stop claw 3m is provided on the outer periphery of the control ring 3.

3b, 3c, 3d and a light shielding plate 3e are provided, and facing the control ring 3, a home position sensor 9 and a solenoid 10 are provided.

Further, the home positive sensor 9 is constituted by a transmission type sensor, and the sensor 9 is shielded from the light emitting part and the light receiving part by the light shielding plate 3e, so that the sensor 9 is not connected to the light shielding plate 3.
It is designed to detect that e has passed the home position. The solenoid 10 is rotationally biased by a spring 11 and the stop claws 3a, 3b, 3c, 3
It has an engagement lever 12 that engages with the lever 1.
2 is adapted to be attracted to and released from the solenoid 10 by turning the solenoid 10 ON and OFF. Further, when the engagement lever 12 engages with the stop pawl 3a, the reference surface 7a of the cam 7 corresponding to the stop pawl 3a is aligned with the fitting protrusion 2a.
, 2a. Similarly, when the lever 12 engages with the stop claw 3b, the reference surface 7b, when it engages with the stop claw 3c, the reference surface 7c, and when it engages with the stop claw 3d, the reference surface 7d becomes the fitting protrusion. It is located between 2a and 2a.

On the other hand, the sheet lateral registration device 1 has a control section 13, as shown in FIG. The information means 15, the sheet presence/absence sensor 16, and the home position sensor 9 are connected, the output section is connected to the solenoid 10, and the input/output section is connected to a timer 17.

Since this embodiment has the above configuration, the control section 13
is the sheet size information means 1 prior to sheet SWI feeding.
5. Sheet size information (e.g. minimum sheet size)
is input. Then, when the sheet S is conveyed to the sheet lateral registration device 1 by a conveyance means (not shown), the sheet S is detected by the sheet presence/absence sensor 16, and the control section 13, which receives the detection signal from the sensor 16, is turned on to separate the retaining lever 12 from the stop claw 3a. As a result, the spring clutch built into the control ring 3 is brought into a connected state, and the rotation of the drive gear 5 to which power is transmitted from a motor (not shown) is transmitted to the output shaft 6. Then, the cam 7 fixed to the output shaft 6 and the control ring 3 rotate together, and the light shielding plate 3e moves away from the position where it blocks the light emitting part and the light receiving part of the home position sensor 9.
When turned on, the control unit 13 that receives the ON signal from the sensor 9 starts the timer 17 for a predetermined period of time, that is, until the control ring 3 reaches the position where the stop claw 3c corresponding to the smallest sheet size engages with the engagement lever 12. Set the time required for rotation and turn it on. Then, the cam 7 rotates by transmitting the power from the drive gear 5 through the spring clutch and the output shaft 6 until the timer 17 is turned off after a predetermined time, and when the tie-f-17 is turned off, the timer 17 is turned off. 17
The control unit 13 that receives the OFF signal turns off the solenoid 10! , the engagement lever 12 is released, and the lever 12 is biased to rotate counterclockwise by the biasing force of the spring 11 and engages with the stop claw 3C (see FIG. 4(a)). Ring 3
is connected from the drive gear 5 to the output shaft 6 by a built-in spring clutch.
Cut off power transmission to.

At this time, the cam 7 rotates until the reference surface 7C corresponding to the minimum size sheet S is located between the fitting protrusions 2m and 2a, and the cam 7 rotates until the reference surface 7C corresponding to the minimum size sheet S is located between the fitting protrusions 2m and 2a. And from the conveyance reference position A corresponding to the maximum size sheet S to the conveyance reference position C corresponding to the minimum size sheet S
(See Figure 4(b)). As a result, the smallest size sheet S that is conveyed by the conveyance means having the oblique conveyance roller 20 that also conveys the sheet S in the direction of the abutment surface 2b and passes through the horizontal registration plate 2 is moved to the conveyance reference position C corresponding to the sheet S. It is brought into contact with the moving abutment surface 2b, aligned, and conveyed downstream. Then, the sheet presence/absence sensor 16
detects that there is no sheet S, the control unit 13 that receives the detection signal from the sensor 16 turns on the solenoid 10.
! , the engagement lever 12 is disengaged from the stop claw 3C, and the control ring 3 and cam 7 are rotated until the light shielding plate 3e turns off the home position sensor 9. When the sensor 9 is turned off, the solenoid 10 is turned on to engage the engagement lever 12 and the stop claw 3m (see Fig. 2). As a result, the reference surface 7a of the cam 7 is aligned with the fitting protrusion 2a.

2a, and the abutting surface 2b of the horizontal resist plate 2 is at the home position and the maximum size sheet conveyance reference position A.
and waits for the next sheet S.

Further, when horizontally registering the intermediate size sheet S, the stop claw 3b and the engagement lever 12 are engaged with each other by the same operation as described above, and the reference surface 7b of the cam 7 is positioned between the fitting protrusions 2a #2a. , move the abutting surface 2b of the lateral registration plate 2 to the transport reference position B corresponding to the intermediate size sheet S to align the lateral position of the intermediate size rate S (see FIG. 3 (al, ()).
(see bl).

Furthermore, when horizontally registering the maximum size sheet S, the control unit 13 turns the solenoid 10 ON and L by the same operation as described above.
Then, the control ring 3 and the cam 7 are rotated once, and the lateral position of the maximum size sheet S is aligned with the abutment surface 2b of the lateral registration plate 2 located at the home position and the maximum size sheet conveyance reference A.

In the above-mentioned embodiment, the cam 7 was fixed to the output shaft 6, but the invention is not limited to this, and as shown in FIG. You can also change the direction perpendicularly.

Further, in the above embodiment, the cam 7 is cylindrical, but the shape is not limited to this, and as shown in FIGS. 6(a) and (b),
A disk-shaped cam 7' having a cam surface 22a constituted by a rib-shaped member 22 may also be used.

Further, in the above embodiment, the sheet size is detected in the sheet bath by the sheet size information means 15, but the invention is not limited to this, and a cassette having a large number of detection means for each sheet size is prepared, When the cassette is installed in the image forming apparatus, the sheet size may be detected by the detection means on the main body side detecting the detection means of the cassette. In this case, the time when the solenoid 10 is ON is determined for each sheet size, so when the light shielding plate 3e passes the home position sensor 9, the solenoid 10 is turned ON and the timer 17 is turned on.
is activated, and the solenoid 10 is turned off after a period of time corresponding to the sheet size recognized by the image forming apparatus has elapsed. [Note that the signal output from the sensor 9 only turns on the solenoid 10 and turns on the timer 17, but does not output an OFF signal. ) At that time, even if the sheet presence/absence sensor 16 detects that there is no sheet S, the solenoid 10 is turned ON and the lateral registration plate 2 does not move.

Then, after replacing the cassette and recognizing that the cassette stores sheets S of different sizes, the horizontal registration plate 2 moves, and the abutment surface 2b reaches the home position and the maximum size sheet conveyance reference position A. Moving. At this time, if the cassette is replaced, that is, the sheet size is replaced, the abutment surface 2b is moved to the home position A.
It is also possible to immediately move and locate the reference position according to the sheet size without returning to the original position.

(g) As described in detail of the invention, according to the present invention, the horizontal resist plate is
Since the sheet is configured to abut against the abutment surface and move to a position along the sheet conveyance standard, the end of the sheet tank direction can be aligned with the sheet conveyance standard without interrupting sheet conveyance, increasing processing speed. be able to. Also, this allows
There is no need to provide a sheet sensor for each sheet size, and costs can be reduced.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a sheet lateral registration device according to the present invention (al is a perspective view, fbl is a plan view, and FIG. Figure, fb
1 is a front view. Further, FIG. 3 (aL (bl and FIG. 4 fan, fb) is a diagram showing the operation of the present invention.Furthermore, FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing the control section of the embodiment of the present invention. , FIGS. 6(a) and 6(b) are diagrams showing other embodiments. 1. Sheet lateral registration device, 2. Horizontal registration plate, 2b. Abutting surface.
3.5, 7, 7', 20, 21... driving means, 10
．． 12...control means, S...sheet.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A sheet lateral registration device that aligns a lateral edge of a sheet to a sheet conveyance reference, which has an abutting surface against which the lateral edge of a sheet abuts, and the abutting surface is used for sheet conveyance. a lateral registration plate that moves to a position along the reference to align the lateral edge of the sheet with the sheet transport reference; a driving means that moves the lateral registration plate to a position along the sheet transport reference; and the driving means. A sheet lateral registration device comprising: a control means for controlling the sheet size based on the sheet size.