JPH03256797A - Sorter binding apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To accurately allow the stop position of a sheet deflecting feed apparatus to coincide with that of a stapling apparatus by simple constitution by making the driving system of the sheet deflecting feed apparatus common to that of the stapling apparatus and providing a clutch mechanism changing over independent driving and integral movement with respect to the driving system of the stapling apparatus. CONSTITUTION:When an electromagnetic clutch 305 is turned OFF, the rotary driving force generated from a drive motor 114 is transmitted only to a deflecting unit 113 and, when the clutch 305 is in an ON-state, the rotary driving force generated from the drive motor 114 is transmitted not only to the deflecting unit but also to a stapler 301 and a bin operating unit 307 through the solenoid clutch 305 and the deflecting unit 113, the stapler 301 and the bin operating unit 307 are integrally moved up and down. Therefore, the driving force from a drive source is simultaneously transmitted to a sheet deflecting apparatus and a stapling apparatus and both apparatuses are moved in a perfectly synchronous and integral manner.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Field of Application] Sort the multiple sheets of transfer paper ejected by an image forming device such as a comb or printer into each bin [-, tsu-) 1. How does it work? The present invention relates to a sorter binding device which is designed to be a "j" type.

[Prior Art] Transfer paper discharged from an image forming bag of an electrophotographic device or the like is fed both ways to predetermined bins, and is sequentially sorted according to the bins at step 5, and the transfer paper discharged into the bin is Image forming post-processing apparatuses equipped with a saw 9 and a binding device for binding with a stapler are generally popular. Such an image forming post-processing device is installed not only in large-sized image forming apparatuses but also in other image forming apparatuses such as green molds.

In this image forming post-processing device, the transfer paper discharged from the six image forming bins is conveyed and deflected by the Akiho method, and discharged into the corresponding bin, and a predetermined binding operation is performed. It is controlled as much as possible.

Generally, a sheet deflection conveyance device consisting of a conveyor belt and a deflection unit is used for sorting and conveying transfer sheets to corresponding bins, and a sheet deflection conveyance device that combines a conveyance belt and a deflection unit is used, and a predetermined binding is performed on the transfer paper bundles on the bins. A stapling device is used to perform the operation.

That is, in the sorting operation, the discharged transfer paper is conveyed to a predetermined position by a conveyor belt, and when it reaches the position of the corresponding bin, the deflection unit is driven and the transfer paper is discharged to the corresponding bin. In this process, the following methods are available for transporting the transfer paper to the position of the deflection unit by the transport belt.

The first is a method in which static electricity is generated on the conveyor belt, and the electrostatic charge causes the transfer paper to be attracted to the surface of the conveyor belt and conveyed to a predetermined position. -14204 Publication), as shown in
This method uses air to transport the transfer paper to a predetermined position while adhering it to the surface of the transport belt. In this system, as shown in FIG.
3 (622 is the sheet winding shaft) and is sent downward. At this time, the transfer paper 627 is
Since air is sucked through the suction port 608 located in the
It is conveyed downward by. At this time, the suction tank 60
The air inside 6 is sucked through a duct 607 by an air pump (not shown). Next, the transfer paper 267 reaches the guiding tip of the guide plate 620, is guided by the guide plate 620, leaves the conveyor belt 603, and is discharged into a desired bin 610 by rollers 612, 613.

Thirdly, as shown in Fig. 7 (Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 54-82638), the frictional force of the flexible belt is applied between the flexible belt with a large friction coefficient and the guide belt with a small friction coefficient. There is a method for transporting transfer paper. That is, in this system, as shown in the figure, when a transfer sheet is sent from the image forming apparatus 701 to the image forming post-processing bag ff1702, the transfer sheet is transferred to the rubber belt 703 and the guide belt 704.
It is held in the middle and conveyed by the frictional force of the rubber belt 703, and is conveyed to the bin 708 through upper and lower guides 705 and 706. Then, at the moment when the trailing edge of the outer transfer paper passes through the upper and lower guides 705 and 706, a sensor attached to the upper guide 705 detects this, and a solenoid (not shown) is activated to rotate the shaft 710 and guide the upper and lower guides. 705 and 706 are moved to the next bin 708 by the urging force of the spring 712 while pulling the guide belt 704.

On the other hand, in the stapling operation of a bundle of transfer sheets, the deflection unit sorts the transfer sheets into predetermined bins as described above, and after the ejection operation is executed, the bins are moved to the stapler side by the bin operation unit, and the transfer sheets are sorted into predetermined bins by the deflection unit. There is a device in which a bundle of transfer sheets is placed at a binding position, and the bundle of transfer sheets is stapled by the operation of a stapler. In such a sorter-stitching device that has both a sheet deflection conveyance device and a stapling device, each device is provided with a drive mechanism that moves each device in the bin stacking direction.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, if drive mechanisms are installed separately for the sheet deflection conveyance device and the stapling device as in the conventional device described above, the drive mechanisms become complicated and large. Another problem is that a deviation may occur between the amount of movement of the sheet deflection conveyance device, ie, the stop position, and the amount of movement, ie, the stop position, of the stapling device.

Therefore, the present invention aims to reduce the cost of the device without complicating the configuration of the device itself, and ensures stable transfer processing, deflection processing, and binding processing of transfer paper at all times without being affected by the situation, and provides good performance. It is an object of the present invention to provide a sorter binding device that can perform post-processing operations.

[Means for Solving the Problem] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention transfers a plurality of sheets of transfer paper discharged through a series of image forming processes to each of a plurality of stacked bins using a sheet deflection conveyance device. In addition to performing sorting by sequentially deflecting the sheets, a stapling device performs a stapling process on the stack of transfer sheets on each of the bins. In a sorter binding device that is equipped with a drive mechanism that moves the bins in the stacking direction,
The drive mechanism of the sheet deflection conveyance device and the drive mechanism of the stapling device have at least the same drive source, and the drive mechanism of the stapling device has an independent active drive mechanism and an integrated drive mechanism for the drive mechanism of the sheet deflection conveyance device. It has a configuration in which a clutch mechanism for switching between the drive and the drive is installed.

[Function] In a means having such a configuration, the stapler
When the clutch of the drive mechanism is in the connected state, the driving force from the drive source is simultaneously transmitted to the sheet deflection conveyance device and the stapling device, and the sheet deflection conveyance device and the stapling device are in a completely synchronized state. It is designed to be moved in one piece.

[Example] Hereinafter, an example of the present invention will be described in detail based on the drawings.

1 and 2 show an embodiment of a sorter-stitching device according to the present invention. This sorter-stitching device is installed inside a single-image-forming and post-processing bag [100], and is composed of a sheet deflection device and a stapling device.

First, the sheet deflection device includes an entrance sensor 103 that detects the entry of the transfer paper 102 that has undergone a series of image forming processes in the image forming apparatus flO1 into the image formation post-processing device 100, and a sheet deflection device that conveys the transfer paper 102 in a predetermined direction. A conveyance path 104 that serves as a guide for transporting the transfer paper 102 sent by the conveyance path 104 and a discharge roller 1 (described later)
A plurality of divided guide belts 105 that cooperate with and hold the guide belt 07.
and a shaft 20 for tensioning the divided guide belt 105.
5, the ejection roller 107, and the divided guide belt 105, and are arranged corresponding to a plurality of bins 108 from which the transfer paper 102 is ejected while being conveyed and deflected while being held between the ejection roller 107 and the divided guide belt 105. a discharge roller 107 composed of a plurality of rollers arranged in parallel on a shaft 210;
a drive belt 109 that transmits a driving force to the drive belt 109; a transport motor 110 that transmits a driving force to the drive belt 109; a drive belt roller 111 that stretches the drive belt 109; A deflection unit 1 includes a transmission roller 112 that transmits the driving force of a motor 110, and a deflection claw 120 that deflects and discharges the transfer paper 102 held between the divided guide belt 105 and the discharge roller 107 toward a predetermined bin 108.
13, a drive motor 114 as a rotational drive source for vertically moving the deflection unit 113, and a bin sensor 115 for detecting when the final transfer paper has been discharged to a predetermined bin 108.

Further, as shown in FIG. 2, this sheet deflection device includes a position sensor 201 and a scale 202 for detecting the position of the deflection unit 113, a timing belt 204 for moving the deflection unit 113, and a timing belt 204 for moving the deflection unit 113. 113, a deflection solenoid 206 that moves the deflection claw 120, and a deflection lever 207 that rotates and maintains the deflection claw 120 toward the discharge roller 107 side.

A deflection claw spring 208 is provided that applies a biasing force to the deflection claw 120 in a predetermined direction.

As described above, the discharge roller 107 is composed of a plurality of rollers installed on the shaft 210, and as shown in FIG. 3, the discharge roller 107 and the divided guide belt 105 are separated by a predetermined gap G. They are arranged so that they wrap around each other.

The end surface of the divided guide belt 105 is located closer to the inner surface than the outer periphery of the discharge roller 107 . At this time, the above-mentioned gap G is set to about one cabinet.

As a result, the discharge roller 107 and the divided guide belt 10
The transfer paper 102 that has been conveyed between the

As shown in the figure, the paper is corrugated and is securely held between the discharge roller 107 and the divided guide belt 105.

Furthermore, the stapling device includes a stapler 301 that performs a stapling process on a predetermined portion of the transfer paper 102 discharged into each bin 108, a drive motor 114 as a rotational drive source that moves the stapler 301 up and down, and A timing belt 302 transmits the rotational driving force generated from the drive motor 114 to the stapler 3Ol side as a vertical moving force. A shaft 303 and a wire 304 stretched around the shaft 303, an electromagnetic clutch 305 that connects and disconnects the driving force between the drive motor 114 and the timing belt 302, and an electromagnetic clutch 305 that connects and connects the driving force between the drive motor 114 and the timing belt 302; and a bin actuating unit 307 having a cam 306 which is disposed in the cam 306 and pushes each bin 108 toward the stapler 301.

When the electromagnetic clutch 305 is in the off state,
The rotational driving force generated from the drive motor 114 is transmitted only to the deflection unit 113, and
When the electromagnetic clutch 305 is in the on state, the rotational driving force generated from the drive motor 114 is applied not only to the deflection unit 113 but also to the electromagnetic clutch 30.
5 to the stapler 301 and the bin operating unit 307, so that the deflection unit 1/3° stapler 301 and the bin operating unit 307 are moved up and down integrally.

In the above configuration, sorting and binding of transfer paper will be explained.

A transfer paper 102 discharged from the image forming apparatus 101 through a series of copying processes is sent to the image forming post-processing apparatus 100 . The transfer paper 102 is the image bath bottom post-processing device! 110
0, an entrance sensor 103 placed at the entrance detects the transport of the transfer paper 102, and a sensor detection signal from the entrance sensor 1O3 is sent to a control device such as a microcomputer (not shown). entered into the section. After predetermined arithmetic processing is performed inside the control section, a control signal is sent from the control section to the transport motor 110.
After receiving the control signal, the transport motor 1
10 starts driving. The driving force of the transport motor 110 is transmitted through a drive belt roller 111 and a transmission roller 112.
is transmitted to the drive belt 109 via the drive belt 1
09 rotates the discharge roller 107 via the shaft 210 corresponding to each bin 108, and
The divided guide belts 105 are each rotationally driven via the shaft 205 and the guide roller 106.

At this time, the deflection unit 113 initially
It is located at a position corresponding to 18a. Before the transfer paper 102 enters the image forming and post-processing device 100 and the entrance sensor 103 is turned on, the deflection solenoid 206 itself is in the off state, and therefore the deflection claw 12
0 is biased in a predetermined direction by the deflection pawl spring 208 and is located at a position away from the tangent to the discharge roller 107 (solid line portion in FIG. 4). Next, when the entrance sensor 103 is turned on as described above and detects that the transfer paper 102 has entered, the deflection solenoid 206 is turned on based on the detection sensor signal, and as a result, as shown in FIG. The deflection lever 207 is moved against the urging force of the pawl spring 208 (dotted chain line in FIG. 5), and the deflection pawl 120 is rotated toward the discharge roller 107 and maintained (dotted chain line in FIG. 4). ).

On the other hand, the transfer paper 102 is held between the discharge roller 107 and the divided guide belt 105 in the state shown in FIG. 3, and is conveyed upward by rotation of both in the same direction. When the deflection claw 120 is rotated and maintained toward the discharging roller 107, the deflection claw 120 is rotated and maintained.
The bin 108a is removed by the claw portion of 0 and the discharge roller 107.
It will be ejected towards the side.

Such operations are continued in sequence, and the final transfer paper 102 for the bin 108a is fed from the image forming device 101, and the bin sensor 15 detects that the final transfer paper 102 has been discharged to the bin 108a. Then, the detection sensor signal is output to the control section. After predetermined arithmetic processing is performed in the control section, a control signal is output to the deflection unit 113, and the deflection solenoid 206 in the deflection unit 113 is turned off based on the control signal.

As a result, the deflection lever 207 is connected to the deflection claw spring 208.
The deflection claw 120 is returned to its original position by the urging force (solid line in FIG. 5), and as a result, the deflection claw 120 is returned to the position shown by the solid line in FIG.

Next, the cam 306 of the bin actuating unit 307, which is waiting at a position corresponding to the bin 108a, is rotated by half a turn, thereby moving the bin 108a toward the stapler 301. When the bundle of transfer sheets is stapled by the operation of the stapler 301, the cam 306 is rotated half a turn to its original state.
As a result, the bottle 108a is also returned to its original position.

Then, the stapler recording electromagnetic clutch 305 is turned on, whereby the driving force of the drive system motor 114 is simultaneously transmitted to the deflection unit 113, the stapler 301, and the bin operating unit 307. Therefore, the deflection unit 113, the stapler 301, and the bin operating unit 307 are integrally moved downward in a completely synchronized state. 13. on these deflection units. Stapler-3
01 and when the bin operating unit 307 is moving downward, the positional relationship corresponding to each bin 108 is constantly confirmed by the position sensor 201 of the deflection unit 113 and the scale 202, and when the predetermined positional relationship is reached, the above-mentioned The drive system motor 114 is stopped, and thereby the deflection unit 113.degree. stapler 301 and the bin operating unit 307 are stopped at a predetermined position corresponding to the bin 108b.

As described above, the deflection unit 113 sorts the transfer sheets 102 into the bins 108b after the ejecting operation is performed, and then the cam 306 of the bin operating unit 307
is rotated half a turn, thereby moving the bin 108b to the stapler.
It is moved to the 301 side. When the stack of sheets is stapled by the operation of the stapler 301, the cam 306 is rotated half a turn to its original state, and the bin 108b is thereby also returned to its original position.

If there are further sheets to be bound, the same sorter binding operation as described above is repeated.

After a series of image forming processes in the image forming apparatus 101 and a transfer sheet sorting process in the image forming post-processing apparatus 100 are completed, a final end signal regarding the operation is sent from the main body of the image forming apparatus 101 to the control unit of the image forming post-processing apparatus 100. When input, the drive system motor 114 is driven in the opposite direction with the deflection solenoid 206 turned off, thereby causing the deflection unit 113. The stapler 301 and the bin actuating unit 307 are moved to the bin 108a and returned to the initial starting position, and placed in a standby state awaiting a control signal command for the next post-imaging process. Then, the electromagnetic clutch 305 is turned off.

At this time, if the deflection unit 113 is only discharging the transfer sheets 102 into the respective bins 108, the electromagnetic clutch 305 is kept in a disengaged state and the stapler 301 is not operated. . Therefore, sorting and binding can be performed as separate tasks.

In the device of the above embodiment, a discharge roller is provided corresponding to each bin, and a divided guide belt is arranged at a position facing the discharge roller, and the deflection unit is moved and the deflection claw of the deflection unit is operated between them. By letting
The transfer paper is transported reliably. Furthermore, it is no longer necessary to install a corresponding deflection claw for each bin, which simplifies the device itself and reduces manufacturing costs.

Furthermore, by combining the positional relationship between the ejection roller and the divided guide roller in a concave and convex manner as shown in Figure 3, and by making the rotation direction of both the same, the transfer paper is held securely and the transfer is always stable. The paper conveyance and deflection direction are ensured.

Furthermore, since the same drive source is used for the movement of the deflection unit and the movement of the stapler, and the clutch is used to intermittent movement, the driving force from the same drive source is simultaneously transmitted to the deflection unit and the stapler. The deflection unit and stapler are moved integrally in perfect synchronization.

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, in the present invention, the drive system of the sheet deflection conveyance device and the drive system of the stapling device are common.
Since we decided to provide a clutch mechanism that switches between independent drive and integrated movement for the drive system of the stapling device described above while configuring it from a dismantling mechanism, the stop position of the sheet deflection conveyance device and the stabilization device can be adjusted with a simple configuration. It is possible to accurately match the stop position of the transfer paper with the stop position of the printer, reduce equipment costs without complicating the configuration of the equipment itself, and ensure stable transfer processing, deflection processing, and It is possible to ensure binding processing and perform good post-processing operations.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

1 and 2 are a side view and a front view showing the overall configuration of a sorter binding device according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a partially enlarged view showing the positional relationship between the discharge roller and the divided guide belt. 4 is a plan view, and FIG. 4 is a partially enlarged side view showing the operation of the deflection claw in the deflection unit.
The figure is a partially enlarged rear view showing the operation of the deflection lever in the deflection unit, and FIGS. 6 and 7 are explanatory side views showing the conventional sorter-binding device. 100... Image forming device, 101... Image forming post-processing device, 102... Transfer paper, 108... Bin, 11
0... Conveyance motor, 113... Deflection unit, 1
14... Drive system motor, 120... Deflection claw, 20
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... Position sensor, 204... Timing belt, 206... Deflection solenoid, 207... Deflection lever, 208... Deflection claw spring, 301... Stapler-305... Electromagnetic clutch, 307 ...Bin operation unit Figure 7 (and 1 other person)

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] A plurality of sheets of transfer paper discharged after a series of image forming processes are sequentially deflected to each of a plurality of stacked bins by a sheet deflection conveyance device to carry out a sorting process. A sorter is used to perform a stapling process on the upper stack of transfer sheets using a stapling device, and the sheet deflection conveyance device and the stapling device are each equipped with a drive mechanism that moves each device in the bin stacking direction. In the binding device, the drive mechanism of the sheet deflection conveyance device and the drive mechanism of the stapling device have at least the same drive source, and the drive mechanism of the stapling device has a drive mechanism that is connected to the drive mechanism of the sheet deflection conveyance device. A sorter binding device characterized by being equipped with a clutch mechanism that switches between independent drive and integrated drive.