JPH03267266A - Discharged paper storage device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To offset a sheet of paper and load it in a state of having trued up the edges of the sheets at all times by moving a pressing member as long as a first distance with a non-offset mode as well as moving the pressing member as long as a second distance larger than the first distance with an offset mode. CONSTITUTION:A tamper 12 moving in a direction orthogonal with the paper conveying direction along a long groove 11 formed in a curve plate 10 is installed in a paper offset device 9, and a side end of paper in discharge is pushed, giving an offset to the paper. In a non-offset mode, since a latch plate 22 is situated in an up position, an arm 19 moves and collides with an engaged claw 22a, and with this collision, the tamper 12 moves a short distance L1 from a home position T0 and is stopped at a non-offset position T1. In an offset mode, the latch plate 22 is set to a lower limit position and the arm 19 will not collide with the engaged claw 22a, and with an arm 18 moving along the curved surface of a cam 20, the arm 19 moves, while the tamper 12 is moved up to an offset position T2 apart as long as a distance L2 larger than the L1 from the home position T0.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a discharge paper storage device used in an image forming apparatus such as a printer.

[Conventional technology]

In an image forming apparatus such as a printer, a sheet of paper on which an image has been recorded is discharged to a discharge paper storage device such as a paper discharge tray. For example, in a printer used as an output device for a workstation or a convenience store, a large amount of paper is ejected, and paper with different contents recorded on it based on instructions from each workstation etc. is placed on the paper ejection tray. is discharged.

Therefore, different types of paper are mixed on the same paper ejection tray, and it is not easy to take out the desired paper from the paper ejection tray.

Therefore, in order to be able to store a large amount of paper, a large paper storage device called an elevator tray is used, which uses a paper delivery tray that is driven up and down by a motor or the like. Further, the paper is sorted by offsetting the paper by type, that is, by shifting the paper in a direction perpendicular to the paper ejection path.

In order to offset the paper, it is known to switch the ejection position of the paper by pressing the side edge surface of the paper with a tamper while it is being ejected.

That is, in the non-offset mode in which the paper is not offset, the tamper is placed at a position retracted from the paper, and the ejected paper is stacked on the elevator tray without coming into contact with the tamper. In an offset mode in which the paper is offset, the paper being ejected is moved a certain distance by protruding a tamper in a direction perpendicular to the paper ejection path in synchronization with the paper ejection operation. Therefore, the sheets of paper are stacked on the elevator tray with their east sides offset from each other.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

However, in the above-mentioned ejected paper storage device, in the non-offset mode, the side edges of the paper are ejected without any restrictions, so changes in the posture of the paper during ejection,
Due to vibrations and the like, the sheets are not necessarily stacked exactly at the same position on the elevator tray, and the edges of the sheets may be uneven by several millimeters.

On the other hand, in the offset mode, the side edge of the paper being ejected is pushed by the tamper, so the position of the paper is uniquely determined by the position of the tamper, and no misalignment of the paper occurs.

As described above, in the conventional paper eject storage device, there is a problem in that the edges of the paper become uneven in the non-offset mode.

The present invention was devised to solve the above-mentioned problems, and an object of the present invention is to offset and stack sheets with their edge surfaces always aligned regardless of the ejection mode.

[Means to solve the problem]

In order to achieve the above object, the paper discharge storage device of the present invention is provided with a pressing member that moves and presses the side edge of the paper discharged to the paper discharge tray in a direction perpendicular to the paper conveyance direction, and also has a non-offset The present invention is characterized in that it includes a drive device that moves the pressing member by a first distance in the wipe mode and moves the pressing member by a second distance larger than the first distance in the offset mode.

[Effect]

In the present invention, the side edges of the paper are pressed by the pressing member when the paper is ejected not only in the offset mode but also in the non-offset mode. By pressing the side edges of the sheets with the pressing member, the side edges of the sheets are aligned, and in any discharge mode, the sheets are stacked with their side edges aligned.

〔Example〕

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Hereinafter, features of the present invention will be specifically described based on examples with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a front view showing an embodiment of the discharged paper storage device of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a side view of the discharged paper storage device, and FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a main part of the discharged paper storage device.

The paper discharge storage device 1 includes an elevator tray 2, which is a vertically movable paper discharge tray on which paper is stacked, and an elevator tray 2, which reverses the paper discharged from the image forming apparatus main body (not shown) and stores it in the elevator tray 2. a plurality of inverted disk bodies 3 discharging upward;
The elevator tray includes an elevator tray drive device 4 that moves the elevator tray 2 up and down. At the periphery of each inverted disk body 3,
As shown in FIG. 4, an arcuate guide groove 3b is formed with one end open as an insertion port 3a, and a rubber tongue 3C is attached.

As shown in FIG. The paper is exposed to the outside through a plurality of long grooves 7 formed in the circumferential direction in a semi-cylindrical paper chute 6 provided at the top. paper chute 6
The lower end portion of the inverting disk body 3 is extended downward in a vertical plane passing substantially at the center thereof, and serves as a stopper plate 8 that crosses the guide groove 3a.

Further, a paper offset device 9 is provided on the paper reference end side of the paper chute 6, that is, on the right end side in FIG. 1 in this embodiment. Here, it is assumed that the paper is ejected from the image forming apparatus main body (not shown) in a state where it is aligned to the right end side in FIG. 1.

The paper offset device 9 includes, as shown in FIG.
A tamper 12 is provided which moves along a long groove 11 formed in the curved plate 10 in a direction perpendicular to the paper conveyance direction. As will be described later, this tamper 12 functions as a pressing member that presses the side edge of the paper being ejected to apply an offset to the paper.

FIGS. 7(a) and 7(b) show a partially cutaway plan view and side view of the paper offset device 9 portion. In addition, the seventh
Figure (6) is a view taken in the direction of arrow A in Figure (a), with some members removed. An offset bracket 13 is provided rotatably with respect to the rotating shaft 5 by bearings 13a and 13b, and further includes an arm pin 1 provided between a pair of support plates 14a and 14b of the offset bracket 13.
An abbreviated tamper arm 16 is rotatably attached to 5. The tamper arm 16 is biased clockwise in FIG. comes into contact with. As shown in FIG. 4, this cam 20 has a large diameter on the side of the insertion opening 3a of the reversible disc body 3, and a small diameter on the opposite side. Further, the tip 19a of the other arm 19 is engaged with a recess 12a formed on the back side of the tamper 12.

A latch plate 22 is located close to the other arm 19 in a direction intersecting with the other arm 19 and tilts about a shaft 21 as shown in FIG.
is provided. This latch plate 22 has a locking pawl 22a that locks onto the other arm 19, and is biased toward the other arm 19 by a spring 23. Furthermore, this latch plate 22 is connected to a solenoid 25 via a shaft 24. In the non-offset mode in which the paper is not offset, the solenoid 25 is turned off and the latch plate 22 is in the raised position, but in the offset mode in which the paper is offset, the solenoid 25 is turned on and pulled downward.

Next, the operation of the above-mentioned discharged paper storage device will be explained.

In the initial state, the reversible disc body 3 is stationary with the insertion opening 3a facing the pair of transport rollers 26a and 26b, as shown in FIG. Further, one arm 18 of the tamper arm 16 is in pressure contact with the maximum diameter position of the cam 20, as shown in FIG. Therefore, the tamper 12 driven by the tamper arm 16 is in the outermost position as shown in FIG. The position of the inner end surface of the tamper 12 at this time is the home position T.

It is called.

When the paper is ejected from the drawing board (not shown), the third
The pair of transport rollers 26a and 26b shown in the figure transports the reversible disk body 3 from the insertion opening 3a into the guide groove 3b. When the trailing edge of the paper passes through the pair of transport rollers 26a and 26b,
The inversion disk body 3 rotates once and returns to the initial state.

The paper in the guide groove 3b is pulled along with the rotation of the reversible disc body 3 and moves along the paper route 6. When the leading edge of the paper comes into contact with the stopper plate 8, the paper moves into the guide groove 3b.
and is discharged onto the elevator tray 2.

Since the cam 20 also rotates as the inversion disk body 3 rotates,
One arm 18 of the tambour arm 16 smoothly moves toward the rotating shaft 5 along the curved surface of the cam 20.

Therefore, the other arm 19 moves to the left in FIG. 7(a), and in conjunction with this, the tamper 12 moves inward when viewed from the paper conveyance path. As a result, the inverted disk body 3
The side edge of the paper P, which is accommodated in the guide groove 3b and is moving in synchronization with the rotation of the reversible disc body 3, is pushed inward by the tamper 12.

At this time, if the discharge mode is the non-offset mode, the solenoid 25 is turned off and the latch plate 22 is in the raised position due to the force of the spring 23, as shown in FIG. 8(a). , the other arm 19 moves a short distance β1 from the position shown by the dashed line to the position shown by the solid line, collides with the locking pawl 22a, and does not move any further.

Therefore, the tamper 12 shown in FIG. 7 is also at the home position T.
From 0, move a short distance L1, for example about 7mm, and move to a non-offset position! 'r + stops. Since the variation in the position of the paper P discharged onto the elevator tray 2 in the direction perpendicular to the paper discharge direction is about 5 mm at most, the edges of the paper P are aligned while the tamper 12 moves 7 mm.

As a result, as shown in FIG. 9, the paper P1 ejected in the non-offset mode is brought to the home position IT.

The end faces of the sheets are stacked at a non-offset position T1 which is a distance L+ away from the stack. Note that after the other arm 19 collides with the locking pawl 22a, the cam 20 rotates while being separated from the one arm 18 and returns to the initial state.

Also, assuming that the discharge mode is offset mode,
As shown in FIG. 8 et al., the solenoid 25 is turned on and the latch plate 22 is in the lowered position, so the other arm 19 does not collide with the locking pawl 22a, and one arm 18 20, the other arm 19 moves from the position shown by the dashed line to the position shown by the solid line, and the tamper 12 moves away from the home position To, for example, to an offset position T, which is 25 mm away. Moving. This offset position T2 is determined by the minimum diameter of the cam 20.

As a result, as shown in FIG. 9, the paper P2 discharged in the offset mode is moved a distance L2 from the home position T0.
Just an offset away! 'r, so that the end faces coincide with each other and are loaded. At this time as well, the edges of the paper P2 in the guide groove 3b of the reversible disk body 30 are pressed by the tamper 12, so that the edges of the paper P2 are aligned.

Therefore, the distance L2 between the paper P ejected in a non-offset state and the paper P2 ejected in an offset state is
and the distance W1, that is, 1 in the above example
With the button ω offset, both sheets are stacked on the elevator tray 2 with their end surfaces aligned.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described above, in the present invention, the end surface of the paper to be ejected is pressed in a direction perpendicular to the paper conveyance direction not only in the offset mode but also in the non-offset mode, so that regardless of the ejection mode, The edges of the ejected paper can be aligned.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view showing an embodiment of the discharged paper storage device of the present invention;
Figure 2 is a side view of the discharged paper storage device, Figure 3 is a sectional view of the main parts of the discharged paper storage device, and Figures 4 and 5 are the reversing rotary body and paper used in the discharged paper storage device. 6 is a perspective view showing the paper offset device, FIG. 7(a) is a plan view of the paper offset device, and FIG. 7(6) is the paper offset shown in FIG. 7(a). Side view of the device with some parts removed, FIGS. 8(a) and 8(b)
9 is an explanatory diagram showing the relationship between the latch plate and the arm in the paper offset device, and FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram showing the state of sheets stacked by the discharged paper storage device of this embodiment. 1: Paper discharge storage device 2: Elevator tray 3: Inverted disc body 3a: Insertion port 3b 2 guide grooves 4: Elevator 5: Rotating shaft 7: Long groove 9; Paper off-cellar lO: Curved plate 12: Tamper 13: Offset bracket taa, 13b: bearing 15: arm pin 17.23: spring 19a: tip 21.24: shaft 22a: locking claw 26, 26b, two conveyor rollers, 3C: tongue between tray drive bags 6: paper sheet 8: Stopper plate 11: Long groove 12a: Recess t4a, 14b: Support plate 16: Tamper arm 1g, 19: Arm 20: Cam 22: Latch plate 25: Solenoid Fig. 1 Fig. 2 Fig. 4

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. Providing a pressing member that moves and presses the side edge of the paper discharged to the paper discharge tray in a direction perpendicular to the paper conveyance direction, and moving the pressing member by a first distance in a non-offset mode; A discharged paper storage device characterized in that a drive device is provided for moving the pressing member by a second distance larger than the first distance in an offset mode.