JPH049966A - Image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent faulty feed from occurring, to simplify the constitution of a device and to save a space by providing a control means for delaying the start of forming the image of a next original in accordance with the number of originals by a counting means and the maximum number of stapling performable sheets by a post-processing means. CONSTITUTION:Every time a paper to which recording has been already performed is ejected from a copying machine 101, a paper ejection signal is generated. The number of the papers to which recording has been already performed and which are stacked in the prost-processing means 104 is counted by a counter. The content by the counter is compared with the maximum number of stapling performable sheets. At the time of exceeding the maximum number, the copying papers which are stacked are stapled and ejected to an ejection tray, while a wait signal is transmitted from a CPU 301 to the copying machine 101 side lest the remaining copying paper should be carried in the means 104. Even when the originals whose number is equal to or more than the number of stapling performable sheets are set, the copying papers by the number of stapling performable sheets are stapled before and ejected, then papers of remaining pages are ejected to the tray thereby preventing the faulty feed.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus that is mainly composed of an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine and is equipped with automatic document circulation feeding means and post-processing means. It is something.

[Prior art] Image information is exposed to a photoconductor using an electrophotographic method, that is, an optical scanning system, an electrostatic latent image resulting from the exposure is developed with toner, a visible image resulting from this development is transferred to transfer paper, and then fixed. A series of image forming processes is completed by fixing the image by the device.

The smallest configuration of this type of device used in business and the like is equipped with a paper feeding device that automatically feeds paper one sheet at a time, and consists only of a main body portion that executes the series of steps described above.

However, when printing a multi-page manuscript and printing a large number of copies, it takes time and labor, so it is necessary to use an automatic document circulation feeder (RDH) that automatically supplies the manuscript and paper binding. There are commercially available image forming apparatuses that are equipped with a fininosha (comprised of a sorter that sorts the printed matter by number of copies and a stapler that staples the sorted printed matter one by one) that performs border processing. .

By the way, when binding papers with a stapler, there is a limit to the number of sheets to be bound, so it is necessary to adjust the number of original sheets to be below the limit number in advance. However, although instructions for this limited number of sheets are written in the instruction manual, not all users are aware of this, and the number of original sheets that exceed the number of sheets to be bound may sometimes be set.

In such a case, the needles are incompletely attached, which may damage the conveyance path or cause paper jams during ejection. Depending on the result, the paper binding operation may have to be redone.

Therefore, as a proposal to solve such inconvenience, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Nos. 57-48561 and 60-2
No. 05466, JP-A No. 62119069 and JP-A No. 6
There is a technique disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 3-116168.

For example, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 60-205466, the number of copied sheets discharged from a copying machine is counted, and when the count value is less than the number of sheets to be bound, the printed matter is transferred to the output tray via a stapler. When the number of original documents exceeds the number of sheets to be bound, the printed matter is directly discharged from the copying machine to the output tray 1 without using a stapler.

(Problem to be Solved by the Invention) However, in the above-mentioned conventional technology, when more originals are set in the RDH than can be sipped, the conveyance path is switched and the finisher is loaded with only the number of sheets that can be bound. However, one copy of printed matter is divided into two trays and ejected, which makes subsequent processing cumbersome.

The present invention has been made in view of the above, and even if more manuscripts are set than the number of sheets that can be bound in paper, the number of sheets that can be bound in paper is first bound and ejected, and then the remaining bound sheets are The purpose is to enable pages to be ejected to the same tray.

[Means to solve the problem]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention includes an image forming means for forming an original image on a recording paper, an automatic document feeding means for automatically conveying the original to the image forming means in one feeding position, and In an image forming apparatus that includes a post-processing unit that aligns recording sheets on which images have been formed by an image forming unit, staples the bundle of sheets at a predetermined position, and then discharges the stack to a paper output tray, the number of original sheets is determined for each image formation. and a control means for comparing the count value by the coefficient means and the maximum number of pages that can be bound by the post-processing means and delaying the start of image formation of the next document when the two match. An image forming apparatus is provided.

It is desirable that the delay time for image formation be set according to the binding mode so that the image formation can be optimally processed according to the post-processing means.

[Effect]

In the image forming apparatus according to the present invention, control is performed so that the start of image formation on the next document is delayed when the document number count and the maximum number of sheets that can be bound by the post-processing means match. As a result, even if the process is time-consuming due to binding in two places, image formation is delayed for documents exceeding the maximum number of sheets that can be bound, so that the paper binding process is not affected. If a delay time is not provided, the next copy will be ejected to the aligning section while the stapling section is moving, resulting in poor conveyance.

〔Example] Hereinafter, one embodiment of the present invention will be described based on the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of an image forming apparatus according to the present invention.

An automatic document feeding means 103 and a post-processing means 104 are connected to a copying machine which is an image forming apparatus 01 via optical fiber interfaces 102a and 102b.

The post-processing means 104 includes a shift sorting section 105 and a stapling section 106. The shift sorting section 105 is connected to the copying machine 101, and the stapling section 106 is connected to the shift sorting section 105.

The post-processing unit 104 (finisher) operates to stack the recorded sheets in page order, bind one end, the opposite end, or two places, and then discharge the sheets to a tray. .

The automatic document feeder 103 is connected to a motor for conveying the document, a drive mechanism 107 such as a solenoid or clutch for switching the conveyance path, and a detection section 108 such as a switch for a movable part or a position sensor. Similarly, the shift sorting section 105 includes a drive mechanism 109 and a detection section 1.
10 is connected to the staple portion 106, and a drive mechanism 11 is connected to the staple portion 106.
1 and a detection unit 112 are connected.

All optical fiber interfaces 102 have the same configuration. Here, only the optical fiber interface 102a will be explained. A photocoupler 113 is connected to the copying machine 101, and an automatic document feeder 1
A photocoupler 114 is connected to 03, and 2
It is connected by a real optical fiber 115.

The photocoupler 113 is a light emitting diode 1 that turns on/off depending on the binary level of the signal output from the copying machine 101.
16, and a phototransistor 117 that photoelectrically converts the optical signal from the photocoupler 114. The photocoupler 114 includes a phototransistor 118 that converts light from the photocoupler 113 into electricity, and an automatic document feeder 1.
It consists of a light emitting diode 119 that turns on/off depending on the binary level of the signal output from 03.

The light emitting diode 116 of the photocoupler 1130 is driven through the buffer 120, and the light emitting diode 119 of the photocoupler 114 is driven through the buffer 121.

FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram showing the detailed configuration of the control system of automatic document feeding means]03.

The automatic document feeder 103 is a CPU (central processing unit).
201 and interface circuit 202 (e.g.
The main component is an ART IC (8255), and both are connected via a data bus (not shown) and various control signals. Several auxiliary circuits, although not shown, are further connected to the CPU 201.

The CPU 201 includes a reception data terminal RXD and a transmission data terminal TXD for connecting the photocoupler 114,
Furthermore, an interrupt terminal l for inputting the output of the detection unit 108
NTl and an interrupt terminal INT2 that inputs the output signal of the counter 203 and accepts interrupts. The detection unit 108 is connected to the CPU 2 via the signal conversion circuit 204.
01 is input.

The drive mechanism 107 is separately driven by a motor drive section 107a and a clutch/solenoid drive section 107b.

The clutch solenoid drive section 107b is a driver 205
The motor drive unit 107a drives a plurality of motors with different operating principles depending on the application, and each motor is driven by the CPU 201 via the interface circuit 20.
2. The motor drive unit 107a is composed of a driver that drives the motor and a servo control circuit that controls the driver. Each servo control circuit outputs pulse (PLS) signals, and these signals are sent to the counter 203. is input.

Further, the CPU 201 has a ROM (on memory) 206 (for example, an EP memory) storing a program for driving the motor drive unit 107a and the clutch/solenoid drive unit 107b in a predetermined procedure and timing.
ROM (7) 27128, etc.) is connected. Note that the CPU 201 functions as a slave with respect to the master of CPI,' built in the copying machine 101.

The CPU 201 decodes the control signal given from the copying machine 101 via the optical fiber interface 102a, and directly controls the clutch/solenoid drive section 107b or the motor drive section 107a to carry out processing corresponding to the instruction according to the program in the ROM 206. is controlled via the interface circuit 202. Also, detection unit]0
Control according to the detection contents of No. 8 is executed.

FIG. 3 is a circuit diagram showing the detailed configuration of the control system of the post-processing means 104.

The shift sorting section 105 is mainly composed of a CPU 301 and an interface circuit 302 having the same configuration as the CPU 201 and interface circuit 202 shown in FIG. 2, and the two are connected via a data bus and various control signals.

Connected to the CPU 301 is a ROM 303 (same as the ROM 206) that stores a program for driving each drive unit of the post-processing means 104 according to a predetermined procedure and timing.

The CPU 301 includes a servo control circuit 307, a forward/reverse driver 308, and a forward/reverse driver 309, respectively. are connected through each.

The interface circuit 302 also includes a transport motor 310 that transports paper for paper binding processing, a discharge motor 311 that discharges a stack of paper onto a tray, a stable uni-gutter 312 that performs paper binding, and various sensors. - Each of the detection unit 112 consisting of a switch, the jogger motor 313, and the stable movement motor 314 serving as a drive source for moving the paper binding unit is connected to a servo control circuit 315, a servo control circuit 316, a signal conversion circuit 317, and a stepping motor. It is connected via a motor control circuit 318 and a stepping motor control circuit 319, respectively.

In this configuration, the CPU 301 decodes the control signal given from the copying machine 101 via the optical fiber interface 102b, and executes processing corresponding to the instruction and the detection signal from the detection unit 112 by controlling the transport motor 304, the upper and lower parts, according to the program in the ROM 303. The motor 305 and shift motor 306 are directly controlled, or the stable section 106 is controlled via the interface circuit 302.

Next, the operation of the embodiment with the above configuration will be explained with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing copy number change processing.

First, every time recorded paper is ejected from the copying machine 101, a detection signal is generated from the sensor as a paper ejection signal of "1" (step knob 401), and then it is determined whether or not the input sensor of the post-processing means 1040 is turned on. Checked (step 402)
). Further, the number of recorded sheets (copy paper) stacked in the post-processing means 104 is counted by a counter (
Step 403).

The contents of the counter and the maximum number of sheets that can be stably bound are compared (step 404), and if the count value exceeds the maximum number of sheets, the process moves to step 405. That is, in step 405, the stacked stack of copy papers is stapled and ejected to the paper ejection tray, and the remaining copy papers are stacked and stapled again and ejected to the paper ejection tray.

At this time, when the number of copy papers reaches the maximum number or more, the stack of copy papers that has been sunkened is stapled, but during this stapling and while the stack of copy papers is being ejected, In order to prevent the remaining copy paper stack from being carried into the post-processing means 104, the post-processing means 10
4 from the CPU 301 to the copying machine 101 side
, AIT) signal is transmitted (step 405), and the copy paper is prevented from being ejected. Furthermore, post-processing means 10
A flag is set to "1" when the number of stacked copies of "4" exceeds the maximum number of copies that can be stably bound (step 406).

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing stable processing by the post-processing means 104.

First, it is determined whether the maximum binding flag is "1'" (step 501), and if it is other than "1", the maximum binding flag and the copy counter are set to 0 (step 502).

On the other hand, when the "maximum binding flag" is "1", copy 11
It is determined whether or not a staple ON signal is being transmitted from 01 (step 503). When there is a staple ON signal or after executing the process in step 502,
It is determined whether the stable should be fixed at two places or at one place (step 5o4). Note that this designation has been input in advance by operating keys on the operation panel of the copying machine 101.

゛If the staple is to be stapled in two places, the stapling unit 312 is turned on (step 505) to staple in the first place, and then the staple moving motor 314 is driven (
Step 506). Next, the stable unit 312 is turned on to staple the second location (step 507).

On the other hand, if it is determined in step 504 that the sheet is stapled at one place, the staple unit 1-312 is immediately turned on to perform stapling (step 508).

Then, since the next stable process is ready to be accepted, the post-processing means 104 sends a signal to the copying machine 101 to request cancellation of the wait signal (step 50).
9). Next, a belt drive motor (not shown) that drives a conveying belt (not shown) for discharging the stack of copy sheets stacked in the post-processing means 104 is turned on (step 510), and the home Steer knob 511) to determine whether the position sensor is ON or not.
, if it is ON, the belt drive motor is turned OFF when a claw (not shown) attached to the belt is detected (step 512), and the series of operations ends.

〔Effect of the invention〕

Since the present invention is configured as described above, it produces the effects described below.

The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: an image forming means for forming a document image on recording paper; an automatic document feeding means for automatically conveying the document one sheet at a time to the image forming means; In an image forming apparatus that includes a post-processing unit that aligns recording sheets on which images have been formed by an image forming unit, staples the bundle of sheets at a predetermined position, and then discharges the stack to a paper output tray, the number of original sheets is determined for each image formation. and a control means for comparing the count value by the coefficient means with the maximum number of pages that can be bound by the post-processing means and delaying the start of image formation of the next document when the two match. , even if more originals are set than the number of pages that can be bound,
The number of sheets that can be bound can be bound and discharged first, and then the remaining bound pages can be discharged to the same tray, thereby preventing transport defects. Further, since there is no need to provide a plurality of conveyance paths and no means for switching between them, it is possible to simplify the configuration and save space.

In the image forming apparatus according to the second aspect of the present invention, the delay time for image formation is set according to the binding mode, so that optimal processing can be performed according to the post-processing means.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of an image forming apparatus according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram showing a detailed configuration of a control system of an automatic document feeding means, and FIG. 3 is a detailed diagram of a control system of a post-processing means. FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the process for determining the number of copies, and FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the stable processing by the post-processing means 104. Explanation of symbols 10L-copying machine 107. 108. 113. 201. 202. 206, automatic document feeding means post-processing means 105 shift sorting corner staple section 109.111 drive mechanism 110.112-detection section 114 photocoupler 301-CPU 302 interface circuit 303-ROM staple unit stable movement motor

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) An image forming means that forms a document image on recording paper, an automatic document feeding means that automatically conveys the document one sheet at a time to the image forming means, and a record on which the image is formed by the image forming means. An image forming apparatus comprising: a post-processing means for arranging sheets of paper, binding the paper bundle at a predetermined position, and then ejecting the sheet to a paper ejection tray; An image forming apparatus comprising: a control means that compares the count value by the means and the maximum number of sheets that can be bound by the post-processing means, and when the two match, delays the start of image formation of the next document. (2) The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the delay time for image formation is set according to a binding mode.