JPH04235860A - Sheet sorting device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To always load a sheet correctly in a bin without allowing the sheet to ride on the stopper part at the rear end of the bin even when a curled sheet is exhausted on the bin. CONSTITUTION:A sheet retaining arm 70 is set at a position facing toward a bin Bc which is positioned below a bin Bb opposed to a pair of lower exhaust rollers 15. The retaining arm 70 connected to an arm link 75 through an arm shaft 71; and the link 75 is made in contact with a cam 77 formed on an upright part 19a of a bin frame 19 which is moved up and down together with a bin Ba,.... Thus a sheet S on the bin Bc moved to a specified position and stopped is pressed by the sheet retaining arm 70 and the arm 70 is withdrawn when the bin is moved.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

[Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to sheets (
The present invention relates to a sheet sorting device (sorter) used for distributing and stacking paper (generally referred to as copy paper, transfer paper, and recording paper).

0002

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a sheet sorting device used for distributing and stacking sheets ejected from an image forming apparatus has been used to sequentially move a plurality of bins up and down in accordance with the ejection position of the sheets ejected from the image forming apparatus. BACKGROUND ART A bin moving type sorter is known that distributes and accumulates sheets discharged from a forming device into respective bins.

0003

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] In such a bin moving type sorter, the bins are moved after the image forming apparatus discharges the sheets, so in particular, a plurality of bins (a group of bins) are moved from the top to the bottom. When sorting sheets ejected from an image forming apparatus by moving them (this is called reverse sorting), the following problem occurs.

In other words, some sheets discharged from an image forming apparatus have curls, but as shown in FIG.
As shown in , if the sheet S discharged from the image forming apparatus onto the bin B-1 is curled upward,
When 1 moves downward as shown by the arrow after sheet S is ejected,
As shown in FIG. 10(b), the rear end of the sheet S is in the bin B.
-I ride on the stopper part at the rear end of 1. this is,
When the bin B-1 moves downward, air tends to enter under the sheet S, and the sheet S is lifted by this air. If the sheet S is discharged onto the bin B-1 again in this state, the newly discharged sheet S may get stuck under the sheet S riding on the stopper, or in severe cases, a paper jam may occur. There was a risk that this would occur. In particular, when the time from ejecting the sheet S to moving it to the bin is short, such as in a sorter installed in a high-speed copying machine, or when the bin is moved over a long distance, this phenomenon of slippage and paper jam occurs. easy.

[0005] In FIGS. 10(a) and 10(b), reference numeral B-2 is a bin disposed above bin B-1, and reference numeral 15 is a bin for discharging the sheet S from the image forming apparatus. This is a pair of discharge rollers.

The present invention has been developed in view of the above-mentioned circumstances, and even when a curled sheet is discharged onto the bin, the sheet is always discharged without riding on the stopper at the rear end of the bin. It is an object of the present invention to provide a sheet sorting device that can stack sheets that have been sorted onto bins in the correct state.

[0007]

[Means for Solving the Problem] As shown in FIGS. 1, 8, and 9, for example, the present invention provides a method for sequentially discharging a plurality of bins in accordance with the discharge position of sheets (S) discharged from an image forming apparatus. The present invention relates to a bin moving type sheet sorting device that moves the bins (B) up and down to distribute and accumulate sheets (S) discharged from the image forming apparatus into the respective bins (B).

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a sheet that operates in conjunction with the vertical movement of the plurality of bins (B) and presses down the sheet (S) on the bin (B) that has moved and stopped at a specific position. This device is characterized by being provided with a pressing means (70).

[0009]

[Operation] According to the above configuration, when a plurality of bins (B) move vertically and stop, the sheets (S) on the bins (B) that have moved and stopped at a specific position are held down by the sheet holding means (70). It will be done.

[0010] Thereby, the sheets (S) discharged onto the bin (B) are always stacked in the correct state.

[0011] The above reference numerals in parentheses are used to refer to the drawings and do not limit the structure in any way.

0012

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

The sorter 1, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2,
It has a sorter main body 6 consisting of a pair of front and rear side plates 3, a base 5 and a cover 4, and stores a large number of bins B.
The sorter body 6 is equipped with bin units 9 that can be moved up and down along guide rails 7 provided respectively.

The sorter main body 6 has a carry-in port 10 for carrying in sheets S discharged from an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine.
A first sheet conveyance path 11 is configured from the import entrance 10 toward the bin unit 9, and a second sheet conveyance path 12 is configured branching from the first sheet conveyance path 11. and the first sheet conveyance path 11
On the downstream side, there is a pair of upper discharge rollers 13 for discharging non-sorted sheets (sheets not to be sorted), and on the downstream side of the second pair of sheet conveying rollers 12, sorted sheets (sheets to be sorted) are disposed. A pair of lower discharge rollers 15 for discharging is arranged.

Further, a pair of carry-in rollers 16 and a deflector 17 are disposed at the branching portion of the first and second sheet conveyance paths 11 and 12, and the deflector 17 is configured to operate in a non-sort mode (sheet When the mode in which the sheets are not sorted) is selected, the sheet S is displaced so as to be guided to the first sheet conveyance path 11, and when the sort mode (the mode in which the sheets are sorted) is selected, the sheet S is guided to the second sheet conveyance path 11. Conveyance path 12
Displace it so as to guide it.

As shown in detail in FIG. 3, the bin unit 9 has a pair of bin frames 19 on the front side and the back side, each having a frame structure consisting of an upright part 19a and a bottom part 19b.
A bottle slider 20 is attached to the tip of the bottom part 19b of the bottle frame 19, and the upright part 1 of the bottle frame 19
The bottle slider 9a and the bottle slider 20 are each fixed at their tip portions by a bottle cover 21.

[0017] The front bottle frame 19 also has a section from the bottle cover 21 to the bottom 19b of the bottle frame 19.
An alignment reference member 22 that abuts the sheet S is fixedly provided.

A support plate 23 is fixed to the back side of the base end of the bottle frame 19, and the support plate 23
On the top, a rotation center shaft 27 whose upper end is fixed to the upper arm 25 and whose lower end is fixed to the lower arm 26 is provided with a rotation shaft (not shown) provided on the support plate 23 and the bottle cover 21. It is rotatably supported on a rotary shaft 29.

A fan-shaped gear 31 is arranged on the support plate 23 so as to be rotatable about a rotating shaft provided on the support plate 23, and the lower arm 26 is fixed to the sector-shaped gear 31. Further, a pulse motor 3 is mounted on the lower side of the support plate 23.
A gear 33 fixed to the output shaft of the pulse motor 32 meshes with the sector gear 31.

[0020] A notch 35 provided in each bottle B is provided at the distal end member of the lower arm 26 and the distal end of the upper arm 25.
An alignment rod 36 is installed that passes through all the bins, and the alignment rod 36 is configured to swing as the fan-shaped gear 31 rotates. Further, the lower arm 126 is provided with a light shielding plate 37, and when the light shielding plate 37 rotates together with the lower arm 26, it turns on the home position sensor 39 disposed on the back side of the bin frame 19. , is configured to turn off.

[0021] Also, the bin B stored in the bin unit 9
A trunnion 30 is rotatably disposed at its base end, and the trunnion 30 protrudes from a slit 41 provided in the upright portion 19a of the bin frame 19 and is fitted into the guide rail 7 so as to be stacked. (See Figure 1).

The lowest trunnion 30 contacts the lower guide roller 42 rotatably supported by the upright portion 19a of the bin frame 19, and the highest trunnion 30
is in contact with an upper guide roller 43 that is rotatably supported by the upright portion 19a of the bin frame 19, and each bin B is supported by the bin unit 9 so that the bin interval is kept constant equal to the diameter of the trunnion 30. be done. The bin unit 9 has the upper guide roller 43 and the lower guide roller 42 fitted into the guide rail 7 so that it can move up and down along the guide rail 7.

When the bin unit 9 moves up and down depending on the selection of the sorting mode and stops moving at a position where each of the bins Ba to Bn faces the pair of lower discharge rollers 15 of the second sheet conveyance path 12, a specific position A bottle that has stopped moving (Figure 1
In this case, the sheets S on the bin Bc) are held down by a sheet holding arm 70 disposed between the side plates 3, 3 of the sorter main body 6.

The sheet holding arm 70 is adapted to function for the bin located below the bin facing the pair of lower discharge rollers 15, and operates in conjunction with the vertical movement of the bin unit 9.

The sheet holding arm 70 is integrally formed at a predetermined interval on a rotatable arm shaft 71 supported by a conveyance side plate (not shown), and is attached to a rear end stopper 72 of the bin B at a predetermined distance. The notches 73 are arranged at intervals of 1 (FIG. 3). As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, arm links 75 integrally formed at both ends of the arm shaft 71 are connected to torsion springs 7.
6, the bottle frame 19 rotates in the vertical direction by being pressed against a cam 77 continuously formed on the upright portion 19a of the vertically moving bottle frame 19.

In this case, when the bin unit 9 moves to the stop position, the arm link 75 comes into contact with the convex part of the cam part 77 as shown in FIG. 8, and while the bin unit 9 is moving, the cam part The arm link 75 comes into contact with the recess 77 . Therefore, the sheet presser arm 70 operates in conjunction with the vertical movement of the bin unit 9, so that when the bin unit 9 stops moving, the sheet presser arm 70 functions as a sheet presser, and when the bin unit 9 is moving, it functions as a sheet presser. It will be evacuated so as not to hinder movement.

Note that the bin frame 19 of the bin unit 9
A spring 46 is tensioned between the hook 45 fixedly attached to the side plate 3 of the sorter body 6, and urges the bin unit 9 to be pulled up. 1 and 2 are located on the front and rear side plates 3 at positions facing the lower discharge roller pair 15.
As shown in the figure, camshaft holders 47 are arranged, and lead camshafts 50 are rotatably arranged between the camshaft holders 47 and the base 5 via bearings 49 that carry thrust loads. has been done.

Lead cams 40 each having a spiral cam surface are fixed above these lead cam shafts 50, and a sprocket 51 is fixed below. A chain 53 is suspended, and the lead cam 40 can be rotated in both forward and reverse directions by a shift motor 52 that rotates in both forward and reverse directions depending on selection.

Further, the lead cam 40 is disposed facing a pair of lower discharge rollers 15 provided approximately at the center of the sorter body 6, and the lead cam 40 is arranged to face a pair of lower discharge rollers 15 provided approximately at the center of the sorter body 6. The trunnion 30 of B is placed on the spiral cam surface and moved up and down along the guide rail 7 (see FIGS. 4 and 5). For example, as shown in FIG. 4, one rotation of the lead cam 40 in the direction of arrow A causes the trunnion 30c to rotate.
0 (position 30b in the figure), and with one more rotation it moves to the position where it passes the lead cam 40 (position 30b in the figure).
0a position). Then, there are other bins between the bin Bb, which receives the sheets S from the lower discharge roller pair 15 at a position facing the lower discharge roller pair 15, and the bins Ba and Bb located on both upper and lower sides of the bin Bb. Two expanded portions X, X which are wider than the interval between the bins B are formed.

On the other hand, an electric stapler 55 for binding the sheets S stored in the bin B is arranged facing the pair of lower discharge rollers 15. , a solenoid 56 and a stapler spring 57 are arranged, and the electric stapler 55 rotates around a fulcrum 59 and normally comes into contact with a stopper 60 and retreats outside the sheet path (solid line position). When binding the sheets S on B, the operator moves to the chain line position and staples the sheets S stored in the bin B at the position facing the lower discharge roller pair 15.

Note that the reference numeral 61 in FIG. 6 is a microswitch that detects the electric stapler 55 that has moved to the sheet binding position.

Since the present embodiment has the above-described configuration, sheets S discharged from an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine are outputted from the inlet 10 in either a non-sort mode (a mode in which sheets are not sorted) or a sort mode (a mode in which sheets are not sorted). The sheet is guided by the deflector 17, which is displaced in a mode in which the sheet is classified (sorting mode), and is introduced into the first sheet conveyance path 11 or the second sheet conveyance path 12.

When the non-sort mode is selected, the sheets S pass through the first sheet conveying path 11 and are delivered to the first bin B- of the bin unit 9 by the upper discharge roller pair 13.
It is discharged and stored in 1.

[0034] Furthermore, when the sort mode is selected,
In the bin unit 9, the trunnion 30 is sequentially moved by the spiral upper cam of the lead cam 40 due to the rotation of the lead cam 40, so that the interval between the bins B facing the lower discharge roller pair 15 is wider than that of the other bins B. Two openings X and X are formed, and the upper guide roller 43 or the lower guide roller 42 is pushed and moved by the moving trunnion 30. Then, the sheets S pass through the second sheet conveyance path 12 and are discharged and stored by the pair of lower discharge rollers 15 from the first bin B-1 to the next opened bins B, . . . .

As described above, when the bin unit 9 moves up and down in the sort mode, the sheets S on the bin B located below the bin B that has stopped moving at the position facing the lower discharge roller pair 15 are The sheet is held down by the sheet holding arm 70 described above. Therefore, even if the sheets S are curled upward, the sheets S are always stacked in the correct state.

The sheets S discharged onto the bin B are aligned by an alignment rod 36, as shown in FIG. That is, the alignment rod 36 is moved by a predetermined amount in the direction of arrow E from the standby position 36' by the pulse motor 32, which rotates based on a pulse signal corresponding to the sheet size, and presses the side edge of the sheet S against the alignment reference member 22. Further, after the alignment rod 36 has moved a predetermined amount, it returns to the standby position 36' in preparation for discharging the next sheet S. The above-mentioned operation is repeated, and a plurality of sheets S are aligned in one bin B with their side ends abutting against the alignment reference member 22 and their rear ends against the rear end stopper 72 of the bin B.

Further, the alignment rod 36 passes through all the bins B, and the sheets S stored in the other bins B are similarly aligned.

The binding of the sheets S discharged and stored in the bins B... can be selected, and if the binding mode is not selected, the operation of the sorter 1 ends here.

Further, when the stapling mode is selected, the solenoid 56 is turned on by the stapling start signal, and the electric stapler 55 is pulled by the solenoid 56 and moves to the fulcrum 5.
9 and moves to the binding position shown by the solid line in FIG.

At this time, the head portion 5 of the electric stapler 55
5a, for example, as shown in FIG. 4, moves from the upper widening part X formed between the bin Bb storing the sheets S to be stapled and the bin Ba to the binding position,
Further, the anvil portion 55b moves from the lower expanding portion X to the binding position.

When the electric stapler 55 moves to the stapling position, the microswitch 61 is turned on and a stapling permission signal is issued, and the electric stapler 55 is driven to drive the staples 62 into the sheets S.

Further, when the driving of the staple 62 is completed, the solenoid 56 is turned off, and the electric stapler 55 is returned by the stapler spring 57 until it comes into contact with the stopper 60.
Binding for the bottle is completed.

[0043] In the binding operation for a plurality of bins B, it is most efficient if the binding is performed sequentially starting from the last bin B in which the sheets S were discharged and stored. On this occasion,
Based on the bin shift completion signal, the electric stapler 55 performs a series of operations, and in response to the series of operation completion signals of the electric stapler 55, the next bin shift operation is performed, and by repeating this, the stapling operation is automatically completed. Needless to say, the number of bin shifts during automatic binding can be repeated as many times as the number of bin shifts during sorting.

In this embodiment, the bin frame 19 of the bin unit 9 is provided with an alignment reference member 22, and the bin unit 9 is equipped with a sheet alignment unit consisting of an alignment rod 36 for aligning the sheets S. It is possible to reliably align the sheets S within... Also, since the sheets S are aligned by moving the alignment rod 36 that passes through the notches 35 formed in all the bins B, and the alignment rod 36 is mounted on the bin unit 9, It is possible to align the sheets S by moving the alignment rod 36 not only after the sheets S are discharged but also during the bin shift. That is, unless the sheet S is on its way into the bin B, the sheets S on the bin B are aligned at any time. Furthermore, in this embodiment, since the alignment rod 36 is moved around the rotating shaft 29, and the rotating shaft 29 and the alignment reference member 22 are integrally arranged in the bin unit 9, a stable sheet can be obtained at all times. Matching is possible.

Furthermore, since the electric stapler 55 is provided with two expanding portions X and X at the same time so as to face each other, the head portion 55a and the anvil portion of the electric stapler 55 are connected when the electric stapler 55 staples sheets. 55b can be easily moved to the binding position, and the sheets S can be reliably stapled without interfering with the sheets S stored in the lower bin B.

In this embodiment, the alignment rod 36 and the electric stapler 55 are rotated and moved about their respective fulcrums, but the invention is not limited to this, and a configuration in which they move in a linear motion may also be used.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, the sheet presser arm 7
Although the case where the sheet holding function is performed for the lower bin B of the bin B facing the lower discharge roller pair 15 has been described, the present invention is not limited to this. The sheet holding function may be exerted for the upper bin B of the bin B.

[0048]

As explained above, the sheet sorting device of the present invention is provided with a sheet holding means that operates in conjunction with the vertical movement of a plurality of bins to press the sheets on the bins that have moved and stopped at a specific position. Even when a curled sheet is discharged onto a bin, the sheet does not ride on a stopper part at the rear end of the bin, and the discharged sheets can always be stacked on the bin in the correct state.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a side view of a sorter according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the sorter.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a bin unit provided in the sorter.

FIG. 4 is a side view showing the bin opening and expanding operation of the lead cam in the sorter.

FIG. 5 is a plan view showing an engaged state of a lead cam and a trunnion in the sorter.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing the arrangement of an electric stapler provided in the sorter.

FIG. 7 is a plan view showing the operation of the alignment rod and electric stapler in the sorter.

FIG. 8 is a side view showing the operation of a sheet holding arm provided in the sorter.

FIG. 9 is a side view showing the operation of a presser arm provided in the sorter.

FIG. 10 is a side view of a bin showing problems with a conventional bin moving type sorter.

[Explanation of symbols]

70... Sheet holding arm (sheet holding means), B...
Bin, S... Sheet.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A bin moving type that sequentially moves a plurality of bins up and down in accordance with the discharge position of sheets discharged from the image forming apparatus, and distributes and accumulates the sheets discharged from the image forming apparatus in each of the bins. In the sheet sorting device of
A sheet sorting device characterized in that a sheet holding means is provided which operates in conjunction with the vertical movement of the plurality of bins and presses the sheets on the bins that have been moved and stopped at a specific position.