JPH05193816A - Conveying unit moving device for sorter - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To increase ascending/descending speed in a conveying unit by enabling a small output small sized driving means to be used to raise/lower the conveying unit. CONSTITUTION:A conveying unit moving device for a sorter is provided with plural number of bins arranged in the vertical direction, a conveying unit 5 which ascends/descends while holding sheets being carried in from an image forming device and discharges the holding sheets onto the bins and a driving means 13 to raise/lower the conveying unit 5. There are also provided a rotary shaft 16 rotatable according to an ascending/ descending operation of the conveying unit 5, a rotary body 25 being out-fitted on this rotary shaft 16, a one-way clutch 26 which is installed between these rotary shaft 16 and rotary body 25 and rotates integrally the rotary shaft 16 and the rotary body 25 when the conveying unit 5 is lowered and a friction brake 34 to block rotation of the rotary body 25 by being switched to a braking condition.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a sorter transport unit having a transport unit for holding and raising a sheet carried in from an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine or a printer and discharging the sheet onto each bin. Regarding mobile devices.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a sorter having a transport unit for holding and ascending sheets carried in from an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine or a printer, and discharging the sheets into respective bins, power from a motor is used. The transport unit is being moved up and down.

When the transport unit is raised to a position facing an arbitrary bin and the rotation of the motor is stopped, it is necessary to securely hold the transport unit at the stop position. Therefore, a worm gear is attached to the rotating shaft side of the motor, and the lifting power is transmitted to the transport unit via the worm gear. Here, since a large force is required to rotate the worm gear, even if a load is applied to the worm gear in the direction of lowering the transport unit,
The worm gear is not rotated by the load, so that the transport unit is securely held at the stop position facing any bin.

[0004]

Since the worm gear has a low power transmission efficiency, a large motor having a large output must be used as a motor for moving the carrying unit up and down, which leads to an increase in cost and a size reduction of the sorter. Is difficult. Furthermore, when a worm gear is used, it is difficult to increase the lifting speed of the transport unit, and it is difficult to increase the efficiency of sorting work.

[0005]

The invention according to claim 1 is
A plurality of bins arranged along the up-down direction, a conveyance unit for holding and elevating the sheet carried in from the image forming apparatus and discharging the held sheet onto the bin, and elevating the conveyance unit. In a sorter having driving means for driving, a rotating shaft that rotates with the lifting operation of the transport unit, a rotating body externally fitted to the rotating shaft, and an interposing between the rotating shaft and the rotating body. In addition, a one-way clutch that integrally rotates the rotating shaft and the rotating body when the transport unit descends and a friction brake that blocks rotation of the rotating body by switching to a braking state are provided.

According to a second aspect of the invention, in the first aspect of the invention, the friction brake is switched to the braking state at the same time when the driving of the driving means is stopped.

[0007]

According to the first aspect of the invention, when the transport unit is raised, the rotational force is not transmitted from the rotary shaft to the rotary body, only the rotary shaft rotates, and the friction brake is switched to the braking state to rotate the rotary body. Even if the rotation is blocked, the transport unit can be raised smoothly. In the state where the drive of the drive unit is stopped after the transport unit is raised to the position facing the arbitrary bin, when a load in the direction of lowering the transport unit acts on the rotating shaft, the connection state is established via the one-way clutch. The rotating shaft and the rotating body try to rotate integrally, but at this time, by switching the friction brake to the braking state, the rotation of the rotating body and the rotating shaft is blocked, and the transport unit does not descend. Holds in the stop position. Therefore, it is not necessary to use a worm gear in power transmission from the driving means to the transport unit, so that it becomes possible to perform power transmission using a spur gear with high power transmission efficiency, and use a small driving means with small output. Further, the ascending / descending speed of the transport unit can be easily increased.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the friction brake is switched to the braking state at the same time when the driving of the driving means is stopped, and the friction brake is switched to the non-braking state while the driving means is being driven, whereby the transport unit is raised. In this case, the rotating body freely rotates around the rotating shaft, and the load required to raise the transport unit is further reduced.

[0009]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 4 is a schematic side view of a sorter 1 according to the present invention. An entrance guide plate 3 into which a sheet 2 is carried in from an image forming apparatus (not shown) such as a copying machine or a printer, and the sheet 2 are discharged. In addition, a plurality of bins 4 arranged in parallel along the up-down direction, and a transport unit 5 for holding and raising the loaded sheet 2 and discharging the held sheet 2 to each bin 4 are provided. There is. An entrance sensor 6 for detecting the loading of the sheet 2 and an entrance roller 7 for feeding the loaded sheet 2 toward the transport unit 5 are attached to the entrance guide plate 3. Further, the transport unit 5 detects a motor 8, a transport roller 9 that is rotationally driven by the motor 8, a transport roller 10 that is elastically pressed against the outer peripheral surface of the transport roller 9, and the sheet 2. A sensor 11 and a position sensor 12 for detecting its own position when moving up and down are provided.

Now, a mechanism for raising and lowering the carrying unit 5 will be described. An elevating drive motor 13 which is a driving means is provided, and a timing belt is provided between a pulley 15 fixed to a motor shaft 14 of the elevating drive motor 13 and a pulley 17 fixed to a pulley shaft 16 which is a rotating shaft. 18 are wound. A spur gear 19 is fixed to the pulley shaft 16, and a spur gear 20 meshing with the spur gear 19 is fixed to the pulley shaft 21.
A pulley 22 is fixed to the pulley shaft 21. An elevating drive belt 24 is wound between the pulley 22 and a pulley 23 arranged above the sorter 1, and the elevating drive belt 24 is used for the transport unit 5.
Is linked to.

Next, a cylindrical rotating body 25 is fitted on the pulley shaft 16, and between the pulley shaft 16 and the rotating body 25, the pulley shaft 16 is moved when the transport unit 5 descends. A one-way clutch 26 that interlocks the rotating body 25 with the rotating body 25 to rotate integrally is interposed. Further, a disc 28 having a large number of engaging portions 27 formed on the outer peripheral portion is rotatably fitted on the rotating body 25. Further, the disc 28 rotates integrally with the rotating body 25 and is rotated. An urging body 29 urged in a direction of being pressed against is provided slidably, and a surface of the urging body 29 facing one surface of the disk 28 and an opposite side of the disk 28 are provided. A friction pad 31 is attached to the flange portion 30 of the rotating body 25 facing the surface. Further, the solenoid 32 and the solenoid 3 are provided at a position facing the outer peripheral portion of the disc 28.
Engagement piece 3 that is engaged with and disengaged from the engagement portion 27 by the action of 2
3 are provided, and these disk 28 and biasing body 29 are provided.
The friction brake 3 includes the flange portion 30, the friction pad 31, the solenoid 32, and the engagement piece 33.
4 are configured.

Here, by the pulley shaft 16, the rotating body 25, the one-way clutch 26, and the friction brake 34, the conveying unit 5 is raised to a position facing the arbitrary bin 4. A stop position holding mechanism 35 for holding the transport unit 5 at the stop position when the rotation of the lifting drive motor 13 is stopped.
Is configured.

In such a structure, the sheet 2 is carried from the image forming apparatus to the entrance guide plate 3 and the entrance sensor 6
When it is detected by, the motor 8 of the transport unit 5 descending to the lowest position is started based on the detection result,
The transport roller 9 is rotationally driven. Further, when the conveyed sheet 2 is detected by the sensor 11, the rotation of the motor 8 is stopped at a timing slightly delayed from the detection, and the leading end portion of the sheet 2 is conveyed by the conveyance roller 9 and the conveyance roller 10.
Be held by and. Then, at the same time when the rotation of the motor 8 is stopped, the lifting drive motor 13 is started in the forward direction, and the rotation of the lifting drive motor 13 is transmitted to the pulley shaft 16 via the pulleys 15 and 17 and the timing belt 18, and the pulley shaft 16 Rotates. Further, the rotation of the pulley shaft 16 is transmitted to the pulley shaft 21 via the spur gears 19 and 20, and the pulley 22 fixed to the pulley shaft 21 rotates to drive the lifting drive belt 24 and the lifting drive belt. The transport unit 5 connected to 24 rises.

Here, when the elevator drive motor 13 is normally rotated to raise the transport unit 5, even if the pulley shaft 16 rotates, the pulley shaft 16 and the rotary body 25 are unidirectional clutches depending on the rotation direction. The connection is not established via 26, and only the pulley shaft 16 rotates and the rotating body 25 does not rotate. Therefore, even if the solenoid 32 is turned off and the engagement piece 33 is engaged with the engagement portion 27 as shown in FIG. 2, the friction brake 34 is switched to the braking state to prevent the rotation of the rotating body 25. The rotation of the pulley shaft 16 is smoothly performed, and the conveyance unit 5 is smoothly raised.

When the position sensor 12 detects that the transport unit 5 has risen to the set elevated position, the forward rotation of the lifting drive motor 13 is stopped, and the transport unit 5 is placed in one bin 4. It is stopped at the opposite position.
Then, the motor 8 is restarted at the same time as the rotation of the lifting drive motor 13 is stopped, and the sheet 2 held between the transport roller 9 and the transport roller 10 is discharged onto the bin 4.

Here, when the transport unit 5 is stopped and the sheet 2 is discharged to the bin 4, when a load in the direction of lowering the transport unit 5 acts on the pulley shaft 16, the pulley shaft 16 is unloaded. The rotating body 25 is connected to the rotating body 25 via the directional clutch 26 and tries to rotate integrally with the rotating body 25. However, since the rotation of the rotating body 25 is blocked by the friction brake 34 that is switched to the braking state, the rotation of the pulley shaft 16 is also blocked. Therefore, the transport unit 5 is held at the stop position without descending.

When the rear end of the sheet 2 discharged onto the bin 4 is detected by the sensor 11, the rotation of the motor 8 is stopped at a timing slightly later than the detection, and the rotation of the motor 8 is stopped and the lifting drive is performed at the same time. When the motor 13 is started in the reverse direction, the solenoid 32 turns on. When the solenoid 32 is turned on, the solenoid 32 shown in FIG.
As shown in, the engagement state between the engagement piece 33 and the engagement portion 27 is released, the friction brake 34 is switched to the non-braking state, and the rotating body 25 becomes rotatable. Therefore, when the rotation for lowering the transport unit 5 is transmitted to the pulley shaft 16 by the reverse rotation of the lifting drive motor 13, the pulley shaft 16 and the rotating body 25 that are in the connected state via the one-way clutch 26. The carrier unit 5 rotates integrally and descends. In addition, in the case where the timing when the lifting drive motor 13 starts the reverse rotation is slightly earlier than the timing when the solenoid 32 is turned “on” and the friction brake 34 is in the non-braking state, the disc 28 and Since the rotating body 25 rotates integrally with the pulley shaft 16 while causing a slip with the friction pad 31, it is possible to prevent an excessive load from being generated on the pulley shaft 16.

When the transport unit 5 is lowered to the lowermost position facing the entrance guide plate 3, the reverse rotation of the lifting drive motor 13 is stopped, and the transport unit 5 stands by in preparation for carrying in the sheet 2 from the image forming apparatus. .. Then, when the sheet 2 is carried in, the discharge of the sheet 2 onto the bin 4 is repeated as described above.

Here, in a state where the transport unit 5 is raised and stopped at a position facing the arbitrary bin 4,
Since the transport unit 5 is held at the stop position by the stop position holding mechanism 35 including the one-way clutch 26 and the friction brake 34, it is not necessary to move the transport unit 5 up and down using a worm gear as in the conventional example.
The lifting power can be transmitted from the lifting drive motor 13 to the transport unit 5 using the spur gears 19 and 20 having high power transmission efficiency. For this reason, the lifting drive motor 13 may have a small output and a small size, so that the cost can be reduced and the size and weight of the sorter 1 can be reduced. Furthermore, by not using the worm gear, the raising / lowering speed of the transport unit 5 can be easily increased.

In this embodiment, the case where the friction brake 34 is switched to the braking state in advance when the transport unit 5 is lifted has been described as an example.
According to the invention of claim 2, the transport unit 5
The friction brake 34 may be kept in a non-braking state during the ascending, and the rotation of the lifting drive motor 13 may be stopped after raising the transport unit 5 to a predetermined ascending position, and the friction brake 34 may be switched to the braking state at the same time. .. The friction brake 34 is switched to the non-braking state while the transport unit 5 is raised to a predetermined raised position, so that when the transport unit 5 is raised, the rotating body 25 freely moves with respect to the pulley shaft 16. As a result, the load is further reduced when the transport unit 5 is raised.

[0021]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, a plurality of bins arranged along the vertical direction and a sheet carried from the image forming apparatus are held and moved up and down, and the held sheet is held in the bin. In a sorter having a transport unit that discharges upward and a drive unit that drives the transport unit to move up and down, a rotating shaft that rotates with the raising and lowering operation of the transport unit, and a rotating body that is externally fitted to this rotating shaft. A one-way clutch, which is interposed between the rotary shaft and the rotary body and integrally rotates the rotary shaft and the rotary body when the transport unit descends, and the rotary body by switching to a braking state. Since a friction brake that prevents the rotation of the transport unit is provided, the transport unit is raised in a state where the drive of the drive unit is stopped after the transport unit is raised to a position facing an arbitrary bin. When a load is applied to the rotating shaft to lower the rotating shaft, the rotating shaft and the rotating body, which are in the connected state via the one-way clutch, try to rotate integrally.At this time, the friction brake is switched to the braking state. By blocking the rotation of the rotating body, the rotation of the rotating shaft together with the rotating body can be blocked and the transport unit can be held at the stop position. Since it is not necessary to use it, the up-and-down power can be transmitted from the drive means to the transport unit by using a spur gear with high transmission efficiency, and a small drive means with a small output can be used, which leads to cost reduction and It is possible to reduce the size and weight of the image forming apparatus incorporating this driving means, and further it is possible to easily increase the lifting speed of the transport unit. An effect such as can Nau.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the friction brake is switched to the braking state at the same time as the driving of the driving means is stopped. Therefore, the friction brake is switched to the non-braking state while the driving means is being driven, whereby the transport unit is When the carrier unit is raised, the rotary body freely rotates along with the rotation axis, which has the effect of further reducing the load when the carrier unit is raised.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a part of a cross section of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view showing a state where the transport unit is descending to a lowermost position.

FIG. 3 is a side view showing a state where a friction brake is released from a braking state.

FIG. 4 is a schematic side view showing the entire sorter.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Sorter 2 Seat 4 Bin 5 Conveying unit 13 Driving means 16 Rotating shaft 25 Rotating body 26 One-way clutch 34 Friction brake

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A plurality of bins arranged along the up-down direction, a carrying unit for holding and moving up and down a sheet carried in from an image forming apparatus, and discharging the held sheet onto the bin. In a sorter having a drive unit that drives the transport unit up and down, a rotating shaft that rotates with the lifting operation of the transport unit, a rotating body externally fitted to the rotating shaft, and the rotating shaft and the rotating body. A one-way clutch that is interposed between the rotating unit and the rotating shaft and the rotating body integrally when the transport unit descends; and a friction brake that blocks rotation of the rotating body by switching to a braking state. A transport unit moving device for a sorter, which is provided with. 2. The moving device for a transport unit according to claim 1, wherein the friction brake is switched to a braking state at the same time when the driving of the driving means is stopped.