JPH0348114Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] (a) Industrial application field The present invention relates to a tray device for storing sheets ejected from image forming devices such as copying machines and printing machines. The present invention relates to a tray device for dropping and storing various sheets such as folded sheets or stapled sheets.

(b) Prior Art Conventionally, when storing sheets ejected from an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine in a tray, it was common to convey the ejected sheets one by one with a roller and stack them. . Therefore, even when sheets are bundled and stapled, it is necessary to convey the sheets to the sheet storage section using rollers and stack them.

(c) Problems to be solved by the invention However, since the above-mentioned tray device has a conveyance process, troubles may occur in the roller section, such as jamming of a stack of stapled sheets, or problems with stacked sheets all at once. There were times when I was pushed out.

(d) Means for solving the problem The present invention aims to solve the above-mentioned problems. In a sheet tray device in which the leading edge of the sheet is dropped from between guide walls to the lower tray with the leading edge of the sheet directed downward, the loading surface of the lower tray is configured to allow the leading edge of the falling sheet to be dropped onto the lower part of the lower tray. The falling sheet has an inclined surface that slides in the direction of the guide wall so that the entire sheet falls down along the loading surface, and the falling guide wall has a downwardly inclined inclined surface, and the tip of the falling sheet is placed on the lower tray. A feature is that a protrusion is provided that guides the sheet toward the inclined surface of the sheet placement surface.

(E) Effect By employing the above-mentioned means, the sheet that is once discharged from the sheet discharge port of the main body of the apparatus to the upper tray falls from its lower end along the fall guide wall until it reaches approximately the center of the fall guide wall. When the leading edge of the sheet hits the protruding part, the sheet changes its falling direction and falls toward the inclined placement surface of the lower tray. When the leading edge of the sheet hits the slope of the lower tray, the sheet changes direction again, slides along the slope, and is stored. The second and subsequent sheets are stored in the same manner, and are neatly stored with the leading edge of each sheet aligned with the lower end of the lower tray.

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

A finisher device (tray device) 5 has a stacker section 2 for stacking sheets discharged from the copying machine and a stapling section 3 for stapling them.
As shown in the figure, above the rear of the fuselage body 6,
A sheet accumulating tray 2a constituting the stacker section 2 is arranged so as to be reciprocally driven in the vertical and horizontal directions, and an intermediate tray 3a constituting the stapling section 3 is disposed in the main body 6 below the stacker section 2. A stopper 7 is provided at the front end of the intermediate tray 3a to support one end of the sheet S on the tray 3a.
is rotatably arranged. Further, a lower tray 9 is disposed in the machine body 6 below the stapling part 3, and a sheet fall guide part 10 made of a wall surface is provided in the machine body 6 between the stapling part 3 and the lower tray 9. A protruding portion 11 having a downwardly sloped surface is provided at approximately the center of the guide wall surface of the falling guide portion 10 on the side facing the staple portion 3. Then, due to the rotation of the stopper 7, the sheet S on the intermediate tray 3a is moved to the lower tray 9.
It falls and is stored. The stacking tray 2a, the intermediate tray 3a, and the lower tray 9 each have a sheet placement surface that slopes upward with respect to the main body 6, and the lower tray 9 has a horizontal surface 9c in its intermediate portion. Furthermore, the lower portion of the sheet placement surface of the tray 9 is arranged so that the fall guide portion 1
0, it forms a relatively steep downward slope 9a, and the leading edge of the sheet that has been deflected by hitting the projection 11 comes into contact with the slope 9a, causing the leading edge of the sheet to reach the lower end 9b. It is configured so that the entire sheet can be slid along the mounting surface. Further, a sheet inlet 12 is provided at the upper front part of the finisher main body 6, and the sheet inlet 12 is at the same height as the sheet outlet 13 of the copying machine 1, as shown in FIG. It is arranged so that A carry-in roller 15 is arranged at the sheet carry-in port 12, and an inlet deflector 16 is arranged downstream of the sheet carry-in roller 15 so as to be switchable in two directions. The sheet S is conveyed to the stacker section conveyance path 17 or to the staple section conveyance section 19. Furthermore, a pair of discharge rollers 2 is provided at the downstream end of the stacker section conveyance path 17.
0 is arranged and the conveyed sheet S is discharged to the sheet accumulation tray 2a. Further, a pair of ejection rollers 21 is disposed at the downstream end of the stapling section conveyance path 19, and a lower roller 21a of the pair of ejection rollers 21 includes a portion of the belt 22 whose lower end is in contact with the intermediate tray 3a. The belt 22 rotates together with the lower roller 21a, and the end of the sheet S discharged onto the intermediate tray 3a is aligned along the stopper 7 by the rotation of the discharge roller pair 21. Furthermore, a staple 23 is installed above the lower end of the intermediate tray 3a, and staples the sheets S on the intermediate tray 3a.

Although an embodiment has been described in which the stacking tray 2a and the intermediate tray 3a of the stapling section are used as the upper tray, the present invention is not limited to this.
It may also be provided with a function that functions only as a collection tray, if necessary.

Also, the sheet S discharged from the copying machine 1 is
As shown in the figure, it is also possible to connect to the copying machine 1 a folding device 25 that can fold the sheet into two-fold a, Z-fold b, or back Z-fold c. In this case, as shown in FIG. Match with

The present embodiment has the above-described configuration, and when the sheet S discharged from the sheet discharge port 13 of the copying machine 1 is connected to the folding device 25, the sheet S is transported into the finisher device 5 via the folding device 25. When the stacker mode in which the sheets S are guided to the opening 12, conveyed to the entrance deflector 16 by the rotation of the carry-in roller pair 15, and stacked on the sheet accumulation tray 2a is selected, the entrance deflector 16 is switched to the stacker section conveyance path 17 side. Then, the sheet S is conveyed through the stacker section conveyance path 17 and delivered to the discharge roller pair 20.
The sheet is discharged onto the sheet collecting tray 2a by the rotation of the sheet. At this time, the sheet accumulation tray 2a is moved in the horizontal direction as necessary, and the discharged sheets S are sorted and accumulated. In addition, the sheet accumulation tray 2a
is from the discharge roller pair 20 to the sheet accumulation tray 2a.
The tray 2a is lowered in accordance with the stacking of sheets S on the tray 2a so that the falling height to the highest sheet S stacked on the tray 2a is maintained at a predetermined height.

Further, when the stapling mode in which the sheets S are stacked and stapled is selected, the entrance deflector 16 is switched to the staple section conveyance path 19 side, and the sheets S are conveyed through the staple section conveyance path 19. Then, the sheet S is discharged by a pair of discharge rollers 21
The sheet S is discharged onto the intermediate tray 3a by the rotation of the belt 22, and the discharged sheet S is further discharged onto the intermediate tray 3a by the rotation of the belt 22.
The rear end of the sheet S is aligned along the stopper 7 by rotation of the lower end of the sheet S. Furthermore,
A predetermined number of sheets S are accumulated on the intermediate tray 3a.
When aligned, the ends of the sheets S are stapled by the staples 23, and the stopper 7 is further rotated, so that the stapled sheets S are dropped and stored on the lower tray 9 through the drop guide section 10.

Next, the manner in which the sheets are stored in the tray depending on the type of sheet will be explained.

FIG. 5 shows a case where the small size sheets S are stored one by one. When the leading edge of the sheet S falling from the intermediate tray 3 a hits the protrusion 11 of the falling guide section 10 , the sheet S changes its direction in a direction away from the falling guide section 10 and falls, and the sheet S falls onto the lower tray 9 .
It hits the inclined mounting surface 9a. Then, the leading end of the sheet S changes direction again and is placed on this inclined loading surface 9a.
It slides down and is stored.

The second and subsequent sheets S fall in the same way,
The sheets are stored in the lower end portion 9b of the lower tray 9 with their leading edges aligned.

When small-sized sheets are stapled, when large-sized sheets folded in half or with back Z-folded sheets are stored one by one, and when these sheets are stapled, they are dropped and stored in the same manner.

FIG. 6 shows a case where the large size sheets S are stored one by one. The tip of the sheet S falling from the intermediate tray 3a abuts against the protrusion 11 of the falling guide section 10, changes direction, and continues to fall. When it hits the lower tray slope 9a, it slides down along this slope, and when the leading edge of the sheet reaches the joint 9b with the falling guide 10, the trailing edge of the sheet S',
S'', S fall down as shown by arrows a, b, and c and are stored.At this time, since there is a horizontal surface part 9c in the middle of the lower tray, the rear end side of large size sheet S can be placed comfortably. Since it is stored, the second and subsequent sheets can be stacked neatly.

When a large size sheet is stapled, it is dropped and stored in the same manner.

FIG. 7 shows a case where Z-fold sheets S are stored one by one. The sheet S falling from the intermediate tray 3a hits the protruding part 11 of the falling guide part 10, and the falling direction can be changed as with other types of sheets, but when the Z-fold part touches the tip of the protruding part 11, the falling direction can be changed. , the sheet S falls while rotating to the left, and falls onto the slope of the lower tray 9a.

If the Z-fold sheet is stapled, it is similarly dropped and stored.

In addition, along FIG. 8, the case where there is no protrusion part 11 will be explained. The sheet falling from the upper tray 3a falls along the falling guide part 10, and its tip hits near the lower end 9b of the lower tray 9,
In this state, depending on the stiffness of the sheet, the sheet may lean against the fall guide section 10 or be in an upright state.

Note that the sheet loading surface of the lower tray 9 has an inclined surface of about 45 degrees in the lower part 9a, about 0 degrees in the middle part 9c, and about 30 degrees in the upper part 9d with respect to the horizontal, so that each size can be Can be adapted to the seat,
Wide tolerance for falling storage.

(g) Effects of the invention As explained above, according to the invention, two trays and a falling guide wall interposed between them are used to stack and accumulate sheets, so it is not as easy as using rollers. There are no problems such as jamming or sending out multiple sheets at once.

In addition, since a protrusion is provided on the falling guide wall, it serves as a guide in the direction in which the sheet falls, and the leading edge of the sheet comes into contact with the sloped surface provided at the lower part of the lower guide placement surface to guide the falling sheet. By sliding it toward the wall, it is possible to finally store multiple sheets with their leading edges aligned.

Furthermore, by making the middle part of the inclined sheet placement surface a horizontal surface, even large sheets can be stored comfortably and neatly.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a tray device according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a side view showing a state in which the tray device is connected to an image forming apparatus, and FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a sheet folding mode, where a is a two-fold mode, b is Z-fold mode, c
indicates back Z-fold mode. Further, FIG. 4 is a side view showing the state in which the folding device and the tray device are connected to the image forming apparatus, FIG. 5 is a view showing the process of dropping and storing small size sheets from the upper tray to the lower tray, and FIG.
The figure shows a large-sized sheet, and FIG. 7 shows a process of dropping and storing a Z-folded sheet from an upper tray to a lower tray. FIG. 8 is a diagram showing the sheet falling and storing process when no protrusion is provided on the sheet falling wall. 1... Copying machine, 3... Stapling section (upper tray), 5... Finisher device (tray device), 9
...Lower tray, 9a...Slanted (placement) surface, 9c...
...Horizontal surface, 10...Fall guide part (wall), 11...
...Protruding portion, 25...Folding device, S...Sheet.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claim for Utility Model Registration] 1. A sheet comprising an upper tray and a lower tray each having a sheet placement surface, and dropping a sheet from between the upper tray and a fall guide wall to the lower tray with the leading edge of the sheet directed downward. In the tray device, the placing surface of the lower tray has an inclined surface at its lower portion, which slides the leading end of the falling sheet toward the falling guide wall so that the entire sheet falls down along the placing surface. , the falling guide wall is provided with a protrusion having a downward slope and guiding the leading edge of the falling sheet toward the inclined surface of the lower tray sheet placement surface. Sheet tray device. 2. The sheet tray device according to claim 1, wherein the sheet placing surface of the lower tray has a horizontal surface at an intermediate portion thereof. 3. The sheet tray device according to claim 1, wherein the upper tray is a stapling section for stapling sheets.