JPH04369589A - Sheet after-processing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To allow a sheet bundle to be deposited in orderly manner stably-using a center line in a transport direction by permitting a pair of orderly depositing members which can come in contact with both ends which cross directly a direction where a sheet is transported, to be moved by independently driving in mutually opposite directions during the orderly depositing of the sheet bundle. CONSTITUTION:The subject sheet after processing device consists of a finish tray 400 on which a sheet bundle can be deposited, side fences which are provided in movable manner in a direction crossing directly a direction where a sheet is transported and deposited the sheet bundle in the directly crossing direction, a stapler which processes the sheet bundle thus deposited in orderly manner as specified and a discharged sheet tray which stores the sheet bundle after the processing. A drive means for moving the side fences 103,104 is equipped with transport belts 108, 109, pulleys 116 to 119 and motors 110,111 and moves the orderly depositing members in mutually opposite direction along the directly crossing direction during the orderly depositing of the sheet bundle, and at the same time, drives the members independently in the directly crossing direction during the discharge of the sheet bundle. Subsequently, it is possible to deposit Stably the sheet bundle in orderly manner using a center line in the transport direction as a reference, and ensure the stable and easy discharge the charge of the sheet bundle after processing.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a paper post-processing device, and more particularly, to a paper post-processing device used in copying machines and the like for binding sheets on which images have been formed.

0002

[Prior Art] In recent years, the number of post-processing devices for copying machines, laser printers, facsimile machines, etc. has been remarkable. It is being The functions of the post-processing device include sorting and collating paper on which images have been formed.
In addition to the sorting and stacking functions, binding (stapling)
There is a bookbinding function including operation. In general, bookbinding technology has a long history, and many bookbinding methods have been proposed up to the present, mainly in the printing industry. Many bookbinding devices have also been proposed. Bookbinding methods can be roughly classified into the following methods. <Gluing method> This method has been proposed for a long time,
Generally, the method is to cut out the spine binding part used for gluing the printed material and then glue it. Furthermore, in order to prevent printed matter from falling apart, a device is used to attach cloth to the spine binding section. <Central stop method> This method is most commonly used today, and is often used in general magazines such as weekly magazines. After page alignment, a stop is provided at the center of the paper stack, and the paper is centered around the stop. This is the orthodox method of folding the bundle in half. <Method of stapling after paper folding> In this method, a bundle of printed matter is folded in half, for example, and then the bundle of printed matter is stapled using a stapler. As a bookbinding apparatus such as a copying machine using such a method, for example, the one described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 196677/1983 is known. This device is equipped with one sheet staple tray and a stapler (binding means such as a stapler) provided on the sheet staple tray. For example, after folding A3 size paper into a Z shape to make A4 size, After the sheets are stapled in the staple tray, an end fence supporting one edge of the sheets is released, and the sheet bundle is discharged from the staple tray by its own weight to a sheet storage tray provided below. <Method of stapling the front cover, back cover, etc. after stacking the paper stack> This method has become commonly used in post-processing devices such as copying machines in recent years. In this method, after the covers are stacked, the stack of sheets is stapled together with the front and back covers using a stapler. <Method of simply stapling a bundle of sheets> This method is the simplest method in which a bundle of sheets is directly stapled using a stapler. As a bookbinding apparatus for a copying machine using such a method, for example, the one described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2-33065 is known. This device includes one sheet staple tray and a stapler provided on the sheet staple tray, and after stapling a bundle of sheets in the staple tray, the end fence supporting one end edge of the bundle of sheets is moved in the paper conveyance direction, that is, , the apparatus is moved in the lateral direction to discharge the paper bundle from the staple tray to the sheet storage tray.

0003

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, in the paper post-processing device described in the above-mentioned Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 196677/1983, the sheet stack is placed downward from the staple tray due to its own weight. Since the paper is ejected to the storage tray, it is necessary to take out the paper from the sheet storage tray located at the bottom of the apparatus, which causes a problem in that the removal operation becomes large and the operability deteriorates.

Furthermore, in the paper post-processing device described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2-33065, after stapling, an end fence that supports one end edge of the paper bundle is moved in the paper conveyance direction, and the post-processing device Since the sheet stack is ejected from the side, the sheet storage tray protrudes from the side of the apparatus, increasing the lateral length of the apparatus and increasing the actual installation area of the apparatus. For this reason, there has been a problem in that the manufacturing cost of the post-processing device increases. Furthermore, since the paper stack is ejected to the side of the apparatus, it takes a lot of effort to take out the paper stack, reducing operability.

[0005] Therefore, the present invention provides a paper post-processing device that is capable of reducing the installation area and cost, improving operability, and stably, reliably, and easily discharging a stack of paper. The challenge is to provide this.

[0006]

[Means for solving the problem] The invention according to claim 1 includes:
In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, we have developed a loading means that can stack a plurality of sheets of paper into a bundle of sheets, and a stack of sheets placed on the loading means that can be stacked in a direction perpendicular to the paper conveyance direction. A arranging means for arranging the sheets, a processing means for performing predetermined processing on the paper bundles arranged by the arranging means, and a processing means capable of accommodating the paper bundles discharged from above the loading means after processing by the processing means. A paper post-processing device comprising a storage means and a sheet stack processed by the processing means, and configured to eject the stack of sheets processed by the processing means from above the placement means, the arrangement means being perpendicular to the paper conveyance direction. a pair of alignment members that can come into contact with both ends of the direction;
drive means provided on each of the alignment members to move the alignment members in the orthogonal direction, the drive means comprising:
Independently driving the alignment members to move the alignment members in mutually opposite directions along the orthogonal direction when aligning the paper stack, and move the alignment members in the same direction along the orthogonal direction when discharging the paper stack. It is characterized by

In order to solve the above problem, the invention as set forth in claim 2 is characterized in that the driving means drives the alignment member at synchronous timing when aligning the paper stack, and drives the alignment member asynchronously when discharging the paper stack. It is characterized by being driven by timing. In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, the invention according to claim 3 provides that, of the pair of alignment members, at least the alignment member provided on the front side in the paper stack discharge direction is arranged on the paper loading surface of the stacking means. The driving means is configured to stop the alignment member in a state where it is retracted upward from the paper bundle ejection path when the paper is ejected, and the drive means is configured to stop the alignment member in a state where the alignment member is retracted upward from the paper stack ejection path, and the drive means is configured to stop the alignment member in a state where the alignment member is retracted upward from the paper stack ejection path, and the drive means is configured to stop the alignment member in a state where the alignment member is retracted upward from the paper stack ejection path, and the drive means It is characterized in that the stack of sheets is ejected from the loading means by continuously driving the member.

[0008]

According to the first aspect of the invention, the paper bundle is discharged in a direction perpendicular to the paper conveyance direction. Therefore, the stack of sheets is discharged to the front side (operation side) of the apparatus and taken out from the front side of the apparatus, and the storage means does not protrude to the side of the apparatus. Furthermore, by independently driving the driving means, when aligning the paper stack, the pair of alignment members are moved in opposite directions along a direction perpendicular to the paper conveyance direction, and the paper stack is ejected. Since the pair of alignment members are moved in the same direction along the orthogonal direction, the stack of sheets is stably aligned with respect to the center line in the transport direction, and the stack of paper after processing is stabilized. is reliably and easily discharged.

In the invention as set forth in claim 2, the driving means drives the pair of alignment members at synchronous timing when aligning the paper stack, and drives the pair of alignment members at asynchronous timing when discharging the paper stack. ing. Therefore, the ejection position, ejection speed, etc. of the paper sheaf are easily controlled when the paper sheaf is ejected, and the paper sheaf is ejected more stably. Claim 3
In the described invention, of the pair of alignment members, at least the alignment member provided on the front side in the paper stack discharge direction is disposed facing the paper placement surface of the placement means, and the drive unit allows the alignment member to
When the paper is ejected, the alignment member is stopped in a state where it is retracted upward from the paper bundle ejection path, and the alignment member provided on the rear side in the paper ejection direction is continuously driven. A stack of sheets is ejected from above the placement means. Therefore, when the paper stack is discharged, the alignment member on the front side in the paper stack discharge direction is stopped at a height that does not interfere with the paper stack discharge, and a retreat space for the alignment member is not required.

0010

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be explained below based on the drawings. 1 to 33 are diagrams showing an embodiment of a copying machine equipped with a bookbinding device as a sheet post-processing device according to the invention according to claims 1 to 3. First, the basic configuration of the paper post-processing device of the present invention will be explained.

According to the present invention, a plurality of sheets are stacked to form a sheet bundle S.
A finish tray 400 as a loading means that can be placed on the finish tray 400, and a jogging section as an alignment means for aligning the sheet stack S placed on the finish tray 400 in a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction of the sheets. 100, a stapler 301 as a processing means for performing predetermined processing on the paper stack S arranged by the jogging section 100, and a paper stack S discharged from the finish tray 400 after processing by the stapler 301. A sheet post-processing device 3 is provided with a sheet discharge tray 202 as a storage means, and is configured to discharge a sheet bundle S processed by a stapler 301 from above a finish tray 400 by a jogging section 100, the jogging section Reference numeral 100 denotes side fences 103 and 104 as a pair of alignment members that can come into contact with both ends in a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction of the paper, and side fences 103 and 104 that are provided on the side fences 103 and 104, respectively. Moving belts 108, 109, pulleys 116 to 119, and side fence moving motor 1 as driving means for moving in the orthogonal direction.
10, 111, and the moving belts 108, 1
09, pulleys 116 to 119 and side fence moving motors 110 and 111 move the side fences 103 and 104 in opposite directions along the orthogonal direction when aligning the paper stack S, and move the side fences 103 and 104 in opposite directions when discharging the paper stack S. The side fences 103 and 104 are independently driven to move in the same direction along the orthogonal direction, and the moving belts 108 and 109 and the pulleys 116 to
119 and side fence movement motors 110 and 11
1 is the side fence 103, 10 when aligning the paper stack S.
4 is driven at synchronous timing, and the side fences 103 and 104 are driven at asynchronous timing when the sheet bundle S is ejected, or at least one of the pair of side fences 103 and 104 is ejected from the sheet bundle S. Side fence 104 provided on the front side
is arranged to face the paper loading surface of the finish tray 400, and the moving belt 109, pulleys 116, 117, and side fence moving motor 110 move the side fence 104 to eject the paper stack S when the paper is ejected. The sheet stack S is ejected from the finish tray 400 by stopping the sheet while retracting it upward from the path and continuously driving the side fence 103 provided on the rear side in the sheet ejection direction. It may be composed of

[0012] Examples of the present invention will be explained in detail below. In FIG. 1, 1 is a copying machine main body;
A circulating document feeder 2 is provided at the top of FIG. 1, and a paper post-processing device 3 is provided at the right side of the copying machine main body 1 in FIG. Note that FIG. 1 shows a schematic cross section when the copying machine is viewed from the front on the operating side. An operation display section 500 shown in FIG. 2 is provided on the top surface of the main body 1 of the copying machine 1 on the near side in FIG. Information related to copying operations, bookbinding operations, etc. is also displayed. The post-processing device 3 is shown in FIG.
The bookbinding control section 800, jogging section 100, stapling section 300, and discharge section 200 are provided, details of which are shown in FIGS. 4 to 20. Commands related to bookbinding operations are input from the operation display unit 500 to the bookbinding control unit 800.
controls the jogging section 100, stapling section 300, ejecting section 200, etc. based on these commands. 11~
14 is a paper feed cassette, and since the copying machine main body 1 itself is a known device that forms images by electrophotographic recording,
A description of its configuration and operation will be omitted. The image-formed paper discharged from the copying machine main body 1 is conveyed downstream by a conveyance roller 901 of the post-processing device 3. Conveyance roller 90
A switching claw 902 is provided downstream of the switching claw 9.
02, the paper is transferred to the first and second sheet conveyance paths 9.
03 or 904. The paper conveyed to the first sheet conveyance path 903 is discharged onto a proof tray 905. Further, the paper conveyed to the second sheet conveyance path 904 is conveyed onto the finish tray 400.

Hereinafter, the operation display section 500 of the copying machine main body 1,
The detailed configuration of each part of the paper post-processing device 3, including the circulating document feeder 2, will be explained in order. <Operation Display Unit 500> In FIGS. 2 and 3, 501 is a mode clear/preheating key, and the mode clear/preheating key 501 serves both as a mode clearing key and a preheating key. That is, when the mode clear/preheat key 501 is momentarily pressed, it functions as a mode clear key, and when it is kept pressed, it functions as a preheat key. The mode clear key is a key that is pressed to return each mode described later to the standard mode, and the preheat key 501 is a key that is pressed to bring the machine in the apparatus into a heated state and to cancel the heated state. 502 is an enter key that is pressed when zooming and inputting values for binding margin, 503 is an interrupt key that is pressed when making an interrupt copy, and 504 is a print key that is pressed when starting a copying operation. be. This print key 504 also serves as a ready/wait display, with a green LED lighting up when ready and a red LED lighting up when waiting.

[0014] 505 is a numeric keypad;
is used when setting the number of copies and when inputting numerical values for zoom magnification and binding margin. 506 is a clear stop key, and the clear stop key 506 has the function of a clear key during standby and a stop key during copying operation. The clear key is a key that is pressed to cancel the set number of copies. On the other hand, the stop key is a key that is pressed to interrupt the copying operation, and the machine stops when the copying operation at the time the stop key is pressed is completed. 550 is a liquid crystal display section;
The details are shown in FIG. 551 is a message display that displays information about the machine, and the message display 551 includes, for example, "You can copy.", "
Please replenish paper. ” and other messages are displayed. Reference numeral 507 denotes an automatic density key. The automatic density key 507 is a key selected when automatically adjusting the copy density according to the background density of the original. When selected, the automatic density display section 554 lights up. Density adjustment keys 508 and 509 are pressed when manually adjusting the copy density, and each time the density adjustment keys 508 and 509 are pressed, the LED 55 of the density display section
5 lights up moves to the right or left. 510 is a paper selection key, and each time the paper selection key 510 is pressed, a paper selection display frame 559 moves one after another to select automatic paper selection, manual paper feeding, or which cassette among paper feed cassettes 11 to 14 is selected. It is now displayed to show what has been done. "Auto Paper Selection" is selected to automatically select a paper cassette containing paper of the same size as the original, and "Manual Feed" is selected when feeding paper manually without using the paper cassette. selected. Reference numeral 558 denotes a display unit that displays the paper size and paper empty state of each paper feed cassette.

511 is the same size key, 512 is the enlarged key, 5
Reference numeral 13 indicates a reduction key, and these keys are pressed when specifying a same size copy, enlargement to a standard size, and reduction, respectively. 514 is a zoom up key, and 515 is a zoom down key, which are keys to press when specifying any magnification between 64% and 142%. Reference numeral 516 is a paper specifying magnification key used to automatically reduce or enlarge the original image according to the specified paper size. . 517 is a duplex key, and the duplex key 517 is pressed to select whether to convert a single-sided original to double-sided, to convert a double-sided original to double-sided, or to convert a double-sided original to single-sided, and the selected mode is known. The LED above the key lights up. Reference numeral 518 is a binding margin key that is pressed when setting the binding margin, and if the margin is 21 mm or less, the binding margin can be set on either the left or right side. Furthermore, in the case of double-sided copying, the binding margin can be set on the back side independently of the front side. The set value is displayed in the message area. 51
9 is a staple selection key, and staple selection key 5
Reference numeral 19 is a key that is pressed when selecting the one-place staple mode, the two-place staple mode, or the no-staple mode. 5
20 is a cover function selection key, and a cover function selection key 52
0 is a key pressed when selecting front cover mode, back cover mode, both front and back cover mode, or no cover mode. These cover modes indicate whether one sheet of the same size as the sheet bundle is added to the front side, the back side, or both sides of the sheet bundle on which an image has been formed, or whether no sheet is added at all. Staple selection key 519
Since bookbinding using the cover function selection keys 520 is already well-known, a detailed explanation of the modes selected by these keys will be omitted, and the following description will focus on the simple bookbinding mode, which will be described later.

Reference numeral 521 is a simple bookbinding key, and the simple bookbinding key 521 enables the simple bookbinding mode (hereinafter referred to as S.S.
B. mode), S. S. B. A release mode is selectable. Normally, when a document is set on the document table of the circulating document feeder 2, the appropriate paper is selected taking into consideration the magnification ratio. S. The paper that is selected when B mode is selected is the longitudinal direction of the copying machine that connects the front side (operating side) and the rear side in Figure 1 (all the front and back directions described below refer to this direction). The paper is set in the paper feed cassette so that the directions match, and even if the paper is the same size, paper in the width direction is not selected. It is desirable that the paper for the cover has the same length in the transverse direction as the length in the longitudinal direction of the paper selected above, and the size in the longitudinal direction is at least twice the length in the transverse direction of the paper selected above. If the document is, for example, A4 size, a standard A3 size may be selected as the cover, but in practical use, it is preferable to use a cover that is about 5 mm longer in the longitudinal direction than a standard size such as A3. Therefore, in addition to regular size paper, it is preferable to store such irregular size paper in the paper feed cassette as special cover paper. Also S. S. B.
In the mode, you can select whether or not to make a cover copy. S. B. Mode and no cover S. S. B. It is possible to select between modes. S with cover. S. B. This mode is selected when the document already has a cover, and the final document in the document stack is determined to be the cover, and the image of the cover document is copied from the paper feed cassette to the paper fed as the cover, and then the post-processing device 3 This is the mode for transporting No cover S. S. B
．． This mode is selected when the original does not have a cover, and is a mode in which the sheet that will become the cover is directly conveyed from the paper feed cassette to the post-processing device 3 after the final original has been copied. These S. S. B. mode and no cover S. S. B. The mode can be selected by operating the bookbinding key 521. S. S. B. A sheet of paper bound according to the mode is shown in FIG. In FIG. 4, S is a stack of sheets and C is a cover.

[0017] Normal S. S. B. The mode is S with cover, assuming that the document stack has a cover. S. B. mode is set. Furthermore, S. S. B. The front cover mode and two-position staple mode are automatically selected, and the staple mode and cover mode are automatically canceled to reduce the burden on the operator. For these staple selection key 519, cover function selection key 520, and simple bookbinding key 521, the LEDs above the keys light up to indicate the selected mode.The flow of these key operations is shown in Figure 5. ~ Shown in Figure 8. <Circulating document feeder 2> Figure 9 shows the circulating document feeder 2.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a control circuit of FIG.

In FIG. 9, the CPU 701 has a ROM 7
01a, RAM 701b, AD converter 701c, and serial communication port 701d are integrated into one chip microcontroller, output port 702, and input port 703.
is attached externally. The output port 702 has a motor driver 707 for driving the document transport motor 704, belt drive motor 705, and document transport motor 706 at a constant speed.
are connected and drive each motor as required. Furthermore, the CPU 701 also drives loads such as a document feed clutch 708 and a partition pawl solenoid 709 through an output port 702. The input port 703 is connected to signals from a conveyance sensor, a document size sensor, etc., and is configured to obtain necessary information. Hereinafter, the document feeding operation of the circulating document feeding device 2 will be explained in order, including some detailed configurations. (1) Setting the original In FIG. 10, the original on the original placing table is placed on a side guide 601 that is movable in a direction perpendicular to the original transport direction, and an end plate 604 that is movable in the transport direction on the rear side of the original transport direction. regulated by. Further, the presence or absence of a document on the document table is detected by a reflective sensor provided on the document table. (2) Document size detection In FIG. 10, a document size detection sensor 602 is attached to the side guide 601, and the document size detection sensor 602 outputs a detection signal corresponding to the document size in the direction perpendicular to the document conveyance direction. , its signal terminal is 5V,
Connected to GND and signal line, and output voltage to CPU70
The document width is detected by reading it with the AD converter 701c in 1. Furthermore, the length of the document in the transport direction is detected depending on which sensor among the plurality of document length sensors 603 attached to the side plate of the document table detects the click claw 605 of the end plate 604, and the length of the document in the conveyance direction is detected. In combination with width and document length detection, it supports a wide variety of document sizes. (3) Document end detection Figures 11 and 12 show the mechanism for document end detection.
The operation of this document end mechanism will be explained. Original partition claw 60
6, the partition pawl solenoid 709 is turned on before feeding the document.
By turning N/OFF, it moves between the solid line position (when the solenoid is ON) and the virtual line position (when the solenoid is OFF) in FIG. 12. In addition, the solenoid for the document partition claw 606 is OFF.
At times, it can rotate from the imaginary line position in FIG. 12 to the dotted line position in FIG. 12, and when located at the dotted line position in FIG. 12, it engages with the document partition claw sensor 610. When a stack of originals is placed on the original partitioning claw 606 while the original partitioning claw 606 is engaged with the original partitioning sensor 610, the original partitioning claw 606 causes the partitioning arm 608 to move to the partitioning claw rail due to the turning on of the partitioning claw solenoid 709. 611, the document partition claw 6
06 slips out from the bottom of the original. Along with this operation, the lifting pin 612 is also guided by a pin rail (not shown) and moves, and the tip of the original partition claw 606 is lifted.Furthermore, there is a magnet 609 above the partition claw, and the lifting plate 6
13 is attracted, the document partition claw 606 moves to the top. After that, the partition pawl solenoid 607 is turned off.
Then, the biasing force of the spring moves it to the upper side of the document. When all the documents below the document partition claw 606 are fed by the copying operation, the document partition claw 606 is accommodated in the document partition claw sensor 610, and the last sheet of the document is detected. (4) Document conveyance control The circulation type document feeder 2 of this embodiment is designed to feed paper starting from the last sheet of a stack of documents.
Since the cover page comes last, the operation is as follows.

(a) Timing diagram 13 (a) of the first part
) is a timing chart for the first copy, which shows the timing of document feeding, paper feeding, document exposure, and document ejection. First, after the document is fed, the signal from the document partition claw sensor 610 is checked at a predetermined timing to determine whether or not the document is the last sheet. If it is not the last paper, the paper is fed from a paper feed cassette, and then document exposure is started at the timing when the image and the paper match. The above-mentioned original is set on the contact glass 21 shown in FIG. 1 before exposure. Immediately after exposure is completed, the original is ejected by the original belt. For the next document, feeding is started prior to the above-described paper ejection operation. The same operation is repeated until the final document is reached, but when the final document is detected, the paper is fed from the paper cassette selected for the cover page instead of from the previous paper cassette. Ru. The exposure timing at this time is controlled so that the image is formed on the downstream side in the transport direction of the cover paper. Therefore, compared to the normal image,
The registration roller 22 in FIG. 1 starts rotating early.

(b) Timing for second and subsequent copies Once the first copy is completed as described above, the number of originals up to the final document has been recognized, so the second and subsequent copies are done as shown in FIG. 13(b). In addition, the copying operation proceeds according to the timing determined by the document replacement operation without detecting the last sheet each time the paper is fed. (5) Processing at paper end S. S. B. When adding the cover C in this mode, two paper feed cassettes are used, one for paper and one for the cover, as described above. The processing at the end of the paper at this time is as follows.

(b) Paper reaches paper end when copying paper...machine stops (b) Cover reaches paper end when copying paper...paper copy continues, machine stops while copying cover (c) Paper reaches paper end when copying cover... Execution of cover copy, machine stop when copying paper (d) When copying the cover, the cover reaches the paper end...machine stops <jogging section 100> In Figs. 14 to 17,
101 is a brush roller, and the brush roller 101 is
One edge of the sheet discharged onto the finish tray 400 by the conveyance roller 901 shown in FIG. This finish tray 400 extends along the paper conveyance direction so that a plurality of papers are stacked and placed as a paper bundle S. Further, the front and back direction of the sheets (direction perpendicular to the paper conveyance direction) is aligned by the jogging operation described below of the side fence 103 on the rear side of the sheet bundle S in the discharge direction and the side fence 104 on the front side in the discharge direction of the sheet bundle S. In other words, they are arranged in order.

The end fence 102 is a positioning fence in the paper conveyance direction, and is fixed to an end fence moving belt 105 as shown in FIGS. 14 and 15.
It is supported movably in the paper conveyance direction by an end fence moving motor 106. The position of the end fence 102 is determined so that stapling, which will be described later, can be done at any position according to the paper size or the operator's preference (for example, the margin of the document, the binding margin value created by the copying machine). The reference position of the end fence 102 is a position where the convex portion 102a of the end fence 102 is detected by the end fence home position sensor 107. The end fence home position sensor 107 is set at a position where the end of the largest copyable paper (the largest size paper) can be stapled.

The side fences 103 and 104 are positioning fences in the front and rear direction.
, 104 are disposed to face the paper placement surface of the finish tray 400, and are fixed to moving belts 108 and 109 above the paper, respectively. Moving belts 108, 10
9 is supported by pulleys 116 to 119 and independently driven by side fence moving motors 111 and 110. That is, the side fences 103, 104
is the direction of the arrow in Figure 16 (direction perpendicular to the paper conveyance direction)
The sheets are reciprocated so as to move independently from each other, and the sheets are aligned in the front-rear direction at synchronized timing (see FIG. 32) with the center of the sheet conveying direction as a reference (so-called center reference). Patterns 112 and 113 are provided at predetermined positions on the moving belts 108 and 109, and the positions of the side fences 103 and 104 where the patterns 112 and 113 are detected by sensors 114 and 115 serve as reference positions. Note that the operation of aligning the sheets in the front-rear direction, that is, the jogging operation, is performed every time one sheet of paper is ejected.

[0024] End fence 102, side fence 1
03, 104, the positional relationship of the stapler main body 302 of the stapler 301, which will be described later, is as clear from FIGS.
and the side fence 103 between the stapler main body 302
, 104 are arranged. After the jogging operation is finished, when stapling, which will be described later as a predetermined process, is completed by the stapler 301, the side fences 103 and 104 are moved at asynchronous timing (see FIG. 32) as shown in FIG. 17.
Side fence 10 moving in the same direction and placed on the rear side
3 presses the paper stack S toward an opening 202 to be described later, thereby ejecting the paper stack S to the front side (operation side) of the apparatus. Note that when paper is ejected, the other side fence 104 disposed on the front side moves along the circumference of the pulley 116 and is retracted upward from the ejection path when the paper bundle S is ejected. The movement of the side fence 103 does not interfere with the ejection of the paper bundle S. Note that the discharge path of the paper bundle referred to here refers to the surface portion of the finish tray 400 when the side fences 103 and 104 move. Further, the rear side fence 103 needs to move at least a distance until the paper bundle S falls from the finish tray 400 when discharging the paper, but this distance may be changed depending on the paper size. Furthermore, since the front side fence 104 may be stopped at a height that allows the sheet bundle S to pass through, there is no need to provide a retraction space for the side fence. After paper ejection is completed, the side fences 103 and 104 move in the same direction, return to their original positions, and move on to the next cycle.

On the other hand, after stapling is completed, the end fence 102 is set at a predetermined position regardless of the paper size, and then the end of the paper bundle S is guided by the end fence 102 and ejected by the side fences 103 and 104. , the paper bundle S is discharged at a fixed position regardless of the paper size. <Stapling section 300> In FIG. 18, 301 is a stapler constituting a processing means, and the stapler 301 has a stapler main body section 302 and staple receiving sections 306a and 30, which are separated with the finish tray 400 in between.
Consists of 6b. Although only two needle receivers are shown in FIG. 18, it is preferable to provide a large number of needle receivers to accommodate various paper sizes. The stapler main body 301 is composed of a stapler unit 302a, a staple storage unit 302b, a plate-shaped projection 302c, a plate spring 302d, and an arm 302e. The needle driving section 302a and the needle storage section 302b are rotatably supported by a shaft 303. The needles 304 stored in the needle storage section 302b are pushed out one by one downward in FIG. The operation penetrates the sheet stack S aligned on the finish tray 400, and the tip of the needle 304 reaches the needle receivers 306a, 3.
06b, and the stapling of the sheet bundle S is thereby completed.

The staple 304 is an eccentric cam 307a for stapling.
, 307b. That is, two eccentric cams 307a and 307b are provided at a predetermined upper position of the stapler main body 302 in FIG. In addition, the eccentric cam 30
The number of 7a and 307b may be one or three or more. Normally, the eccentric cams 307a and 307b are stopped and on standby at a position where they do not come into contact with the needle driving portion 302a, as detected by a sensor (not shown) or the like (state shown in FIG. 18). During stapling, the through shaft 308 is driven one rotation by a motor (not shown) via a gear or the like. Due to this rotation, the eccentric cam 307
presses the leaf spring 302d, and the needle driving portion 302 is pressed and rotated downward about the shaft 308 by the reaction force of the leaf spring 302d. As described above, the needle 304 is pushed out and stapling is performed.

The arm 302e is fixed to the tip of the stapler 302a and engages with the staple switching arm 312. Staple switching arm 312 is fixed to shaft 313 and rotates with shaft 313. During stapling, the staple switching arm 312 is rotated clockwise in FIG. 18 by the solenoid 314, and the staple switching arm 312 is separated from the arm 302e. As a result, the tip of the stapler body 302 falls under its own weight and comes into contact with the topmost sheet of the stack of sheets S stacked below. Therefore, the stapler main body portion 302 presses the paper stack S from above, and serves as a paper guide to prevent the paper stack S from shifting during stapling. On the other hand, when not stapling, the staple switching arm 312 is biased counterclockwise by the spring 315, and the stopper 312 is biased counterclockwise by the spring 315.
16, and therefore, except during stapling, the stapler main body 302 is in a state where it is lifted upward by the staple switching arm 312, that is, in a state where it is separated from the stack of sheets S that is sequentially conveyed and stacked. Retained.

The needle receivers 306a and 306b are arranged separately (divided) below the eccentric cams 307a and 307b, respectively, in the finish tray on the same plane or below (with the needle receivers 306a and 306b not protruding). has been done. Therefore, when the stapler main body 302 is in the standby state, the paper is transferred between the stapler main body 302 and the staple holder 30.
6a and 306b without being caught between them.

The stapler main body 302 is fixed to a belt 325, and can be moved in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 18 by driving the belt 325. Therefore, the stapler body 302 can staple at two positions directly above the staple holders 306a, 306b by rotating the eccentric cams 307a, 307b. <Discharge section 200> 3a is a frame of the simple post-processing device 3, and an opening 201 is formed on the front side of the frame 3a at a predetermined location in FIG. 19, that is, on the operation front side. The opening 201 is formed along the extending direction of the finish tray 400 described above, and a paper output tray 202 is arranged below the opening 201.
is supported by the frame 3a and protrudes from the frame 3a. The stapled paper stack S on the finish tray 400 is moved to the opening 20 by the movement of the side fences 103 and 104.
1 and are discharged onto a paper discharge tray 202 outside the apparatus. <Control unit 800 of paper post-processing device> In FIG.
00 is a control unit of the post-processing device 3, hereinafter referred to as the control unit 80.
0's configuration and control operation will be explained in this order. (1) In the configuration diagram 20, the CPU 801 includes ROM 801a, R
Consists of a one-chip microcontroller that integrates AM801b and serial communication port 801c, output port 802,
Staple control input/output port 803, input port 804
is attached externally. This control circuit receives commands from the copying apparatus main body 1 through the serial communication port 801c and performs necessary operations. Its command and contents are shown below. The output port 802 is connected to a jogger motor 805 (corresponding to the side fence movement motors 110 and 111), an end fence movement motor 806, a staple back and forth movement motor 807, a conveyance roller drive motor 808, a lift belt motor 809, etc. A motor driver 810 for driving the motors at high speed is connected, and each motor is driven as necessary. Furthermore, loads such as the switching pawl solenoid 811 are also driven via the output port 802. The staple control input/output port 803 is
A staple vertical movement motor 812, a staple operation motor 813, etc. are connected, and the staple control input/output port 803 is independently provided with signals necessary for operating the staple unit. The input port 804 is configured to connect signals from a home position sensor, a transport sensor, etc., and obtain necessary information.

Here, a list of commands from the copying machine main body 1 is shown. Mode Command: Staple mode, non-staple mode Size Command: Paper size information Position Command: Staple position information (front/back direction, left/right direction) Motor on Command: Transport motor ON, motor OFF
Command: Conveyance motor OFF paper send Command: Paper conveyance cover send Command: Cover conveyance staple Command: Execute stapling The processing upon reception of the above command is shown in the flowcharts of FIGS. 21 to 29. (2) Operation control The operations of the post-processing device 3 include: discharging paper to the proof tray 905; discharging paper to the finish tray 400; paper alignment; binding; discharging paper to the paper discharge tray 202. There is.

Next, the operation will be explained. Below, the operation control by the control unit 800 of the paper post-processing device 3 will be described in (A) to (E).
Each item will be explained in order: (a) Selection of the tray from which the paper is to be ejected The tray from which the paper is to be ejected is selected by a mode command sent from the copying machine main body 1 at the start of the copying operation. Depending on this mode command, no staple mode, normal staple mode, S. S. B. Select one of the three modes and operate according to each mode. If the sent mode command is a no-staple mode command, the switching claw 902 is moved to the proof tray 90.
5 side, staple mode and S.5 side. S. If it is B mode, it is switched to the finish tray 400 side.

(b) Determining the stapling position In the stapling mode, the sheets are ejected to the finish tray 400, the ejected sheets are temporarily stacked, the sheets are aligned, and the stapling operation is performed when one copy is completed. , and then discharges the stapled paper bundle S. The staple position can be changed by changing D1 to the end fence 102 and D2 to the stapler body 302 shown in FIG. 30, and the information is given by a position command. for that,
Side fences 103, 104 and end fence 102
need to be moved into position. The control is as follows.

If the first mode command sent is a staple command, the size command sent after the mode command is referred to, and the side fences 103 and 104 are
is moved to a position corresponding to the longitudinal direction of the paper size by driving the side fence moving motors 110 and 111, and the end fence 102 is moved to a position corresponding to the lateral direction of the paper by driving the end fence moving motor 806. let Since the stapler main body 302 is fixed at a position facing the end fence 102, the position of the end fence 102 determines the stapling position of the paper. The distance of this stapling position from the longitudinal end surface of the sheet is given by a position command.

(c) Discharging the paper to the finish tray 400 When recorded paper is sent from the copying machine main body 1 to the post-processing device 3, a paper send command is sent in the case of normal paper before the paper is sent to the cover. For paper, a cover send command is sent. The cover send command is the S. S. In the case of B mode, it is also a signal that the size of the paper sent from the main body is more than twice the length of the previous paper size. When the paper is carried into the finish tray 400, the two side fences 103 and 104
are moved in opposite directions in synchronization with each other by driving the side fence moving motors 110 and 111 to align the sheets in the front-rear direction using the center line in the conveyance direction of the sheets as a reference (center reference). As described later, the side fences 103 and 104 also serve as paper ejecting means, and therefore each has a driving means independently. The state of this jogging motion is shown in FIG. 15 as described above, and the side fence 103,
The speed waveform of No. 104 during jogging is shown in FIG.

(d) Stapling operation The flow of the stapling operation is shown in FIG. When a staple command is sent from the copying machine main body 1, a staple flag is set, and the copying machine waits for sheets to be conveyed into the finish tray 400 by the number of paper send commands and cover send commands sent so far. When the number of sheets matches the number of commands, the stapling operation motor 813 is turned on and the eccentric cams 307a and 307b are rotated once, thereby stapling the sheet bundle S. After the stapling operation is completed, the staple flag is reset, the number memory for counting the number of sheets conveyed into the finish tray 400 is cleared, and the ejection flag is set, thereby moving on to the next ejection operation.

(e) The paper is ejected from the side fences 103 and 104 as described above.
is discharged due to the movement of FIG. 32 shows velocity waveforms of the side fences 103 and 104 during jogging and paper ejection, and the ejection (forward) portion shows the velocity waveforms during paper ejection. The stack of sheets S that has been stapled after the jogging operation of the side fences 103 and 104 is first moved to a predetermined position regardless of the size of the paper by moving the end fence 102 to a predetermined position regardless of the size of the paper. After the sheet bundle S is kept constant, that is, the trailing end of the sheet bundle S is aligned with a predetermined discharge position, it is sent to the front side of the apparatus at a constant speed by side fences 103 and 104 while being guided by this end fence 102. At this time, the side fences 103 and 104 are driven at asynchronous timing, so of the two side fences that started moving at the same time, the front side fence 104 stops when it is retracted upward from the discharge path, but the The side fence 103 on the side moves at a higher speed, and the speed is temporarily reduced just before the paper bundle S falls. This deceleration operation is to prevent the sheet stack S from jumping out of the finish tray 400 and reduce the impact when it falls. FIG. 33 is a diagram showing the difference in the stop position depending on the paper size, and the stop position is changed for each size to shorten the ejection time. When the ejection of the paper bundle S is completed, it returns at a faster speed than the moving speed toward the front side due to the reduced load, and prepares for the next jogging operation.

According to this embodiment, since it is configured as described above, the following effects can be obtained. First, since the side fences 103 and 104 move in a direction perpendicular to the paper conveyance direction, the bound paper stack S can be discharged to the front side of the device, which is the operation side.
Compared to an apparatus in which a bookbinding discharge tray is provided in the lateral direction of the apparatus, the width of the apparatus can be shortened, and the actual installation area of the apparatus can be reduced.

Second, since the bound paper stack is ejected to the paper ejection tray 202 on the front side of the device, the movement is small compared to the conventional device which had a paper ejection tray in the lateral direction of the device. The stack of sheets can be taken out from the paper ejection tray 202 with the button 202, and operability can be improved. Thirdly, the jogging section 100 includes side fences 103 and 104 as a pair of alignment members that can come into contact with both ends of the paper in a direction perpendicular to the conveyance direction, and the side fences 103 and 104.
and have moving belts 108, 109, pulleys 116 to 119, and side fence moving motors 110, 111 as driving means for moving the side fences 103, 104 in the orthogonal direction, and Belts 108, 109, pulleys 116 to 119, and side fence moving motors 110, 111 move side fences 103, 104 in opposite directions along the orthogonal direction when arranging sheet bundle S,
Since the side fences 103 and 104 are independently driven to move in the same direction along the orthogonal direction when the paper bundle S is ejected, the paper stack S is stabilized with respect to the center line in the transport direction. In addition to being able to arrange the
The paper bundle S after being stapled can be discharged stably, reliably, and easily.

Fourthly, the moving belts 108, 109, pulleys 116 to 119, and side fence moving motors 110, 111 drive the side fences 103, 104 at synchronous timing when aligning the sheet stack S, and
Since the side fences 103 and 104 are driven at asynchronous timing when the paper stack S is ejected, the ejection position and ejection speed of the paper stack can be easily controlled when the paper stack S is ejected. It can be discharged more stably.

Fifth, a pair of side fences 103,1
04, at least a side fence 104 provided on the front side in the discharge direction of the paper bundle S is arranged to face the paper loading surface of the finish tray 400, and the moving belt 1
09, the pulleys 116, 117 and the side fence moving motor 110 move the side fence 1 when the paper is ejected.
04 is stopped in a state where it is retracted upward from the ejection path of the paper stack S, and the side fence 103 provided on the rear side in the paper ejection direction is continuously driven to remove the paper stack S from above the finish tray 400. Therefore, when discharging the paper stack S, the side fence 104 can be stopped at a height that does not interfere with the discharging of the paper stack S, thereby eliminating the need for a shelter space for the side fence 104. be able to.

Sixth, stack sheets of paper approximately twice the size of the paper stack S on top of the paper stack S as a cover C, align one end of the paper stack S and the cover C, and then place the cover near the approximate center of the cover C. The needle 304 is driven into the paper stack S from above C, the tip of the needle 304 is bent, and the paper stack S is bound together with the cover C. Therefore, simply folding the cover C in half towards the paper stack S side will separate the paper stack. Both the front and back sides can be covered with a cover, and the appearance of the paper bundle after bookbinding can be improved. In addition, the needle 304
Since the bent portion at the tip of the needle 304 is also covered by the cover C, the bent portion can surely prevent the fingertips from being injured, other objects from getting caught in the bent portion, or the needle 304 easily coming off. Can be done. Therefore, the quality of bookbinding can be improved.

Seventh, a sheet of paper approximately twice the size of the sheet bundle S is used as a cover C and is conveyed onto the sheet bundle S, and the sheet bundle S is transferred to the cover C.
As mentioned above, high-quality binding can be achieved simply by binding the paper together, which simplifies the configuration of the device.
Cost can be reduced. Eighth, since the stapler main body 302 and the staple receivers 306a, 306b are separated above and below the sheet bundle S, the stapler 3 consisting of the stapler main body 302 and the staple receivers 306a, 306b
01 can be placed within the horizontal projection plane of the finish tray 400, the stapler 301 can be prevented from protruding from the side of the apparatus, and the installation area of the apparatus can be reduced.

Ninth, as mentioned above, the stapler main body 3
02 and the needle receivers 306a and 306b are separated, the bound paper bundle S can be discharged from three directions other than the end fence 102 side. It can be discharged. In this embodiment, the stapler 301 is used as a processing means to staple the paper stack S as a predetermined process; however, the present invention is not limited to this, and a hole punch or the like may be used to punch holes in the paper stack S. You can.

[0044]

According to the invention as set forth in claim 1, since the paper stack is discharged in a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction of the paper, the paper stack can be discharged to the front side (operation side) of the apparatus. The stack of paper can be taken out from the front side of the device, and
The accommodation means can be prevented from protruding to the side of the device. As a result, it is possible to reduce the installation area and cost of the paper post-processing device, and it is also possible to improve operability. In addition, by independently driving the driving means, a pair of alignment members are moved in opposite directions along a direction perpendicular to the conveyance direction of paper when aligning a stack of paper, and a pair of alignment members are moved in opposite directions when discharging a stack of paper. Since the alignment members are moved in the same direction along the orthogonal direction, it is possible to stably align the paper stack based on the center line in the transport direction of the paper stack, and also to A stack of paper can be stably, reliably, and easily discharged.

According to the second aspect of the invention, the driving means drives the alignment member at synchronous timing when aligning the paper stack, and drives the alignment member at asynchronous timing when discharging the paper stack. Therefore, the ejection position and ejection speed of the paper stack can be easily controlled when the paper stack is ejected.
Paper can be ejected more stably. According to the third aspect of the invention, of the pair of alignment members, at least the alignment member provided on the front side in the paper stack discharge direction is
The alignment member is disposed opposite to the sheet loading surface of the loading means, and when the sheets are ejected, the alignment member is stopped in a state where it is retracted upward from the ejection path of the paper bundle, and the alignment member is The paper stack is ejected from above the stacking means by continuously driving the alignment member provided on the rear side in the ejection direction, so when ejecting the paper stack, the height is set so that it does not interfere with the ejection of the paper stack. The alignment member on the front side in the paper bundle discharge direction can be stopped at , and a retreat space for the alignment member can be made unnecessary.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an embodiment of a copying machine to which a paper post-processing device according to the first to third aspects of the invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the operation display section in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of a main part of the liquid crystal display section in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a bundle of sheets bound by the copying machine in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a processing flow of each key related to bookbinding of the copying machine in FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a processing flow following connector A in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a processing flow following connector B in FIG. 5;

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a processing flow following connector C in FIG. 5;

FIG. 9 is a block diagram showing a control configuration of the circulating document feeder in FIG. 1;

10 is a diagram illustrating a document size detection operation of the circulating document feeder in FIG. 1. FIG.

11 is a perspective view showing a main part of a final document detection mechanism of the circulating document feeder in FIG. 1. FIG.

12 is a diagram illustrating the detection operation of the final document detection mechanism in FIG. 11. FIG.

FIG. 13 shows the timing of document feed/discharge, paper feed, and document exposure of the copying machine in FIG. 1; (a) is part 1;
The timing chart of the first part, (b) is the timing chart of the second part.

14 is a perspective view of a main part of the jogging section in FIG. 1. FIG.

15 is a front view of main parts of the jogging section in FIG. 1. FIG.

16 is a diagram showing a jogging operation of the jogging section in FIG. 1. FIG.

17 is a diagram illustrating a sheet bundle discharge operation of the jogging section in FIG. 1. FIG.

18 is a perspective view of essential parts of the staple portion in FIG. 1. FIG.

19 is a perspective view of the discharge section in FIG. 1. FIG.

20 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a control section of the paper post-processing device in FIG. 1. FIG.

21 is a diagram showing a processing flow of a bookbinding command of the paper post-processing device in FIG. 1; FIG.

FIG. 22 is a diagram showing a processing flow following connector C1 in FIG. 21;

23 is a diagram showing a processing flow following connector C2 in FIG. 21. FIG.

24 is a diagram showing a processing flow following connector C3 in FIG. 21. FIG.

25 is a diagram showing a processing flow following connector C4 in FIG. 21. FIG.

26 is a diagram showing a processing flow following connector C5 in FIG. 21. FIG.

27 is a diagram showing a processing flow following connector C6 in FIG. 21. FIG.

28 is a diagram showing a processing flow following connector C7 in FIG. 21. FIG.

29 is a diagram showing a processing flow following connector C8 in FIG. 21. FIG.

30 is a diagram illustrating the stapling position of the paper post-processing device in FIG. 1. FIG.

31 is a diagram showing a stapling processing flow of the paper post-processing device in FIG. 1; FIG.

32 is a diagram showing a velocity waveform of the side fence of the jogging section in FIG. 14. FIG.

33 is a diagram illustrating the stop position of the side fence on the rear side of the jogging section in FIG. 14. FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

100 Jogging section (alignment means) 103, 10
4 Side fence (alignment member) 108, 109
Moving belt (driving means) 110, 111
Side fence moving motor (drive means) 116~
119 Pulley (driving means) 202 Paper ejection tray (accommodating means) 301 Stapler (processing means) 400 Finish tray (placing means) S
stack of paper

Claims (3)

[Claims] Claims 1: A loading means capable of stacking a plurality of sheets of paper to form a bundle of sheets, and arranging the bundle of sheets placed on the loading means in a direction perpendicular to the conveyance direction of the sheets. processing means for performing predetermined processing on the paper stack arranged by the processing means; and storage means capable of accommodating the paper stack discharged from above the placement means after processing by the processing means. A paper post-processing device comprising: a stack of sheets processed by the processing means is ejected from above the placement means by the arrangement means, the arrangement means being arranged in a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction of the paper; a pair of alignment members that can come into contact with both ends of the paper stack; and a drive means that is provided on each of the alignment members and moves the alignment members in the orthogonal direction; The arrangement member is independently driven to move the alignment members in opposite directions along the orthogonal direction during alignment, and to move the alignment members in the same direction along the orthogonal direction when the stack of sheets is discharged. paper post-processing device. 2. The driving means according to claim 1, wherein the driving means drives the alignment member at synchronous timing when arranging the paper stack, and drives the alignment member at asynchronous timing when discharging the paper stack. Paper post-processing device. 3. Of the pair of alignment members, at least the alignment member provided on the front side in the paper stack discharge direction is disposed facing the paper placement surface of the placement means, and the drive means is When the paper is ejected, the alignment member is stopped in a state where it is retracted upward from the ejection path of the paper bundle, and the alignment member provided on the rear side in the paper ejection direction is continuously driven. 3. A sheet post-processing device according to claim 1, wherein the sheet stack is ejected from above the placing means.