JPH06199458A - Aftertreatment unit of sheet - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To improve a loading property to a paper discharge tray by reforming the curledness of a sheet passing through the inner part of a sheet conveyor passage. CONSTITUTION:Two circular curved parts 51 and 52 different in circular curved radiuses R1, R2 and a circular curved direction are installed in a sheet conveyor passage 12. A sheet to be conveyed upon making the circular curved direction of the circular curved part 51 upside down, is set downwards by the circular curved part 51 of the radius R1 and then it is set downside up by the circular curved part 52 of the radius R2 and discharged onto a paper discharge tray B. With this constitution, even in the case where a curl sheet curved upward is discharged, it can be surely discharged onto this paper discharge tray B without enlarging a device, therefore a loading property of the sheet is well improved.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a sheet post-processing apparatus for classifying and storing copy sheets discharged from an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a printing machine, a laser beam printer (LBP), and a facsimile after image formation. Regarding

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a sheet post-processing apparatus, a sheet (mainly paper) discharged from an image forming apparatus is introduced into a sheet post-processing apparatus and a discharge tray (bin) outside the sheet post-processing apparatus. The discharging position o may be changed in the height direction. In this case, the sorter passes the paper through the S-shaped carrying path as shown in FIG.

Conventionally, the radius R1 of the upper bending portion and the radius R2 of the lower bending portion in this carrying path are equal.

[0004]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional example, when the sheet discharged from the image forming apparatus passes through the carrying path in the sheet post-processing apparatus, the sheet is processed by the first bending portion. Although the front and rear ends of the sheet in the conveying direction are bent downward, a so-called downward curl is provided, but in the second bending portion, the front and rear ends of the sheet in the conveying direction are bent upward, a so-called upward curl. Is attached and the paper is discharged onto the discharge tray.

Naturally, when the sheet discharged from the image forming apparatus has an upward curl, even if the sheet has a downward curl, the sheet is curled upward if the amount of the curl is small. And is discharged onto the discharge tray.

When a sheet is curled when it is discharged onto the discharge tray, particularly when it is curled upward, as shown in FIG. 12, the sheet is not stably stacked on the discharge tray. There was a drawback.

Therefore, in order to at least eliminate curling of the sheet inside the conveying path, the radius of the euphemous portion in the conveying path is increased, and a conveying path for removing the curl is provided in addition to the minimum necessary conveying section. Although measures such as providing an extra are conventionally taken, there is a drawback in that the size of the device is increased in any case.

The present invention provides a sheet post-processing apparatus in which a curled sheet is positively corrected in a sheet conveying path and the stackability of sheets on a discharge tray is improved without increasing the size of the apparatus. That is the purpose.

[0009]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances. For example, referring to FIG. 8, there are at least two different elongate directions in the sheet conveying path.
In the sheet post-processing apparatus having a first and second euphemistically of locations, characterized in that the radius R ₂ and the different sizes of radius R ₁ and second euphemistically portion of the first circumlocution portion And

Further, the radius R _{1 of the} euphem portion which bends the sheet upward and conveys it and the radius R _{2 of the} euphem portion which bends the sheet downward and conveys the relation R ₁ > R ₂ . It is characterized by

[0011]

The curl of the sheet conveyed in the sheet conveying path is corrected through the curved portions having different radii R ₁ and R _{2 in} different bending directions. When a sheet with a radius R ₁ that bends and conveys a sheet upward and a sheet with a radius R ₂ that conveys a sheet downward and conveys the sheet, the discharged sheet is corrected so as to bend downward. To be done.

[0012] This not only prevents the sheet from being curled in the conveying path without increasing the size of the apparatus, but also positively corrects the curled sheet, so that the sheet on the sheet ejection tray is corrected. The loadability is improved.

[0013]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

In FIG. 1, a copying machine 200 is provided with a copying machine main body 201, an automatic document feeder 202 arranged above the copying machine main body 201, and a side of the copying machine main body 201 for discharging a sheet S. It consists of a sorter 1.

Then, the originals 206 placed on the original placing table 205 of the automatic original feeding device 202 are separated in order from the lower side, and are fed onto the platen glass 207 of the copying machine 201 via the path 209, and then the copying machine. It is read by the optical system 210 of 201. After reading, the platen glass 207
From the deck 211, the sheet S ejected to the uppermost surface on the document placing table 205 from the deck 211 is fed from the deck 211, an image is formed in the image forming unit 213, and is fixed by the fixing unit 215. It is designed to be transported to 10.

The sorter 1 is, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3,
A guide rail 7 is provided on the sorter body 6 for storing a plurality of bins B while having a sorter body 6 including a pair of front and rear side plates 3, a base 5 and a cover 2.
It has a bin unit 9 that can move up and down along.

The sorter body 6 has a copy machine body 2
A carry-in entrance 10 for carrying in the sheet S discharged from 01 is provided, and a first sheet carrying path 11 is formed from the carry-in entrance 10 toward the bin unit 9 and the first sheet carrying path 11 is provided. A second sheet conveying path 12 is formed by branching from the first sheet conveying path 11, and an upper discharge roller pair 13 for discharging a non-sorted sheet (sheet not classified) is provided on the downstream side of the first sheet conveying path 11, and A lower discharge roller pair 15 for discharging sort sheets (sheets to be sorted) is arranged on the downstream side of the second sheet conveying path 12.

Further, a carry-in roller pair 16 and a deflector 17 are arranged at the branch portions of the first and second sheet conveying paths 11 and 12, and the deflector 17 is a non-sort bin (a mode in which sheets are not classified). When selected, the sheet S is displaced so as to be guided to the first sheet conveying path 11, and when the sorting mode (sheet sorting mode) is selected, the sheet S is guided to the second sheet conveying path 12. To be displaced.

As shown in detail in FIG. 4, the bin unit 9 has a pair of frame-structured bin frames 19 having an upright portion 19a and a bottom portion 19b on the front side and the back side.
A bin slider 20 is attached to the tip of the bottom portion 19b of the bin frame 19, and the upright portion 1 of the bin frame 19 is further attached.
9a and the bin slider 20 are fixed to each other by a bin cover 21 at their tip portions.

A support plate 22 is fixedly provided on the rear side of the base end of the bin frame 19, and upper and lower arms rotatable about a rotation axis 25 provided on the support plate 22 and the bin cover 21. The first alignment rod 23 is provided at the tips of 23a and 23b.
The first matching portion 23 is formed by vertically fixing c.

The notch 27 provided in each bin B
The aligning rod 23c is pierced through to align the sheet on the bin B to the front side.

A fan-shaped gear 29 is rotatably installed on the support plate 22 about the rotation axis 25.
The lower arm 23b is fixed to the fan-shaped gear 29.
A pinion 30 meshing with the fan-shaped gear 29 is attached to a pulse motor 31 fixed to the lower side of the support plate 22.

The upper arm 3 pivotally supported by a vertical shaft on the lower side of the bin cover 21 and the left side of the bin frame 19.
Alignment rod 32c is vertically fixed to the tips of 2a and lower arm 32b to form second alignment member 32, and notch 26 of each bin B is penetrated, and the second alignment rod is driven by a driving means (not shown). 32 is driven to align the sheet S on the bin B to the back side.

The bin B stored in the bin unit 9
... has one end movably placed in the comb-shaped groove of the bottle slider 20, and as shown in FIG.
A trunnion 33 is rotatably inserted into the base end portion thereof, and pins 35 are fixedly provided in front of and behind the base end portion. Then, the pin 35 penetrates through the slits 36 provided in the front and rear upright portions (pin support plates) 19a, respectively.
An O ring 37 is interposed between the trunnion 5 and the trunnion 33 as a cushioning material. The trunnion 33 is fitted so as to be stacked on the guide rail 7 as shown in FIG. Then, the lowest trunnion 33 is the upright portion 19a of the pin frame 19 shown in FIG. 4 (the back side is not shown).
Abutting on a lower guide roller 39 rotatably supported by each of the bins B ... Is held in the bin unit 9 so that the bin interval is equal to the diameter of the trunnion 33. The bottle B is supported so as to be inclined so that one end thereof is upward, and a stopper B ′ is provided at the lowermost base end portion. And, the bin unit 9 is the upper guide roller 40,
The lower guide roller 39 is fitted in the guide rail 7 and can move up and down along the guide rail 7.

On the other hand, in the vicinity of the pair of lower discharge rollers 15, as shown in FIG. 2, two electric staplers 100a and 100b for binding the sheets S stored in the bin Bc are bound.
Is arranged at a position orthogonal to the carrying-in direction of the sheet S so as to be able to advance and retreat in the direction of arrow C by the driving means.

Since the present embodiment is configured as described above, the sheet S discharged from the copying machine main body 201 is in the non-sort mode (the mode in which the sheets are not classified) or the sort mode (the sheets are classified in the mode) from the carry-in port 10. The sheet is guided by the deflector 17 that is displaced in the first sheet conveyance path 11 or the second sheet conveyance path 12.

When the non-sort mode is selected, the sheet is discharged and stored in the bin cover 21 which is the first bin of the bin unit 9 by the upper discharge roller pair 13 through the first sheet conveying path 11. It

When the sort mode is selected,
In the bin unit 9, the trunnion 33 is sequentially moved by the spiral groove 46a of the lead cam 46 due to the rotation of the lead cam 46, and the bin unit 9 is located between the position facing the lower discharge roller pair 15 and the bin B facing the stapler as shown in FIG. As shown, three opening portions X wider than the intervals of the other bins B ... Are formed, and the upper guide roller 40 or the lower guide roller 39 is pushed and moved by the moving trunnion 33. Then, the sheet S passes through the second sheet conveyance path 12 and is discharged and stored by the lower discharge roller pair 15 into the next bin B ... Opened in order from the first bin B1.

Then, for example, when the sheet S is discharged to the bin Bb which has been moved to a position facing the lower discharge roller pair 15, the sheet S is arranged with the rear end stopper B'downward. It moves on the bin Bb by its own weight toward the rear end stopper B ′.

The carrying section in the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIG.

The sheet S discharged from the copying machine 201 is usually in a so-called upper curl state in which the front and rear ends of the sheet S in the conveying direction are bent upward.

When the sort mode is selected, the upper curled sheet S is guided by the deflector 17 from the sheet carry-in port 10 to the second sheet conveying path 12 via the first bending portion 51 having a radius R1. At this time, the sheet S has a radius R
Since it passes along the circular arc 1, it is conveyed while being bent downward. That is, downward curling is performed.

When the sheet S at this time is taken out and placed horizontally, the sheet S that was in the lower curl state when loaded into the sorter 1 is naturally in the conveying direction as well as the sheet S that was in the upper curl state. On the other hand, the front and rear ends are in a so-called lower curl state, which is bent downwards.

Then, the sheet S having passed through the second sheet conveying path 12 is separated by the sort conveying roller 14 into a second sheet having a radius R2.
It is conveyed to the lower discharge roller pair 15 via the bending portion 52. At this time, the sheet S passes along an arc having a radius R2 (which satisfies the relationship of R2> R1), and thus is conveyed while being bent upward. That is, upward curling is performed.

However, since the arc of the second bending portion 52 has a larger radius than the arc of the first bending portion 51, the force for bending the sheet S upward is such that the first bending portion 51 moves the sheet S downward. It is less than the force that makes you euphemate. Therefore, by passing through the first euphemism portion 51, the sheet S in a state of erecting downward, that is, a state in which a so-called lower curl is attached, is erected upward even after passing through the second euphemism portion 52, It is sent to the lower discharge roller 15 and discharged onto the bin B without a so-called upper curl.

In the present embodiment, the non-sorted transport path 11 and the transport path in which the path and the sort transport path 12 are switched by the deflector 17 have been described, but the present invention is also applied to a transport path having only the sort transport path 12 without a switching mechanism. The invention is applicable. <Other Embodiments> In the first embodiment, the transport path for transporting the sheet S toward the discharge port below the carry-in port 10 has been described, but the discharge port 18 above the carry-in port 10 is described. On the other hand, when the sheet S is conveyed, it is shown in FIG.

The sheet S is transferred from the carry-in roller pair 116 to the second sheet conveying path 1 via the first bending portion 151 having a radius R1.
Guided to 12. At this time, since the sheet S passes along the arc of the radius R1, it is conveyed while being bent upward. That is, upward curling is performed.

The sheet S having passed through the second sheet conveying path 112 has a radius R2 by a pair of sort conveying rollers 114.
The sheet is conveyed to the discharge roller 115 via the second bending portion 152 of the. At this time, the sheet S passes along an arc having a radius R2 (which satisfies the relationship of R2 <R1), and thus is conveyed while being bent downward. That is, downward curling is performed.

Here, since the arc of the second bending portion 152 has a larger radius than the arc of the first bending portion 151, the force for bending the sheet S downward causes the first bending portion 151 to bend upward. Greater than trying force.

Therefore, by passing through the first bending portion 151, the sheet S in the state of being bent upward, that is, in the state of so-called upper curl is upward after passing through the second bending portion 152. Instead of being attached with a so-called upper curl, which is a bending portion, a lower curl is attached, and the curl is sent to the lower ejection roller pair 115 and ejected onto the bin B.

In another embodiment, the carry-in port 1
0 and the discharge port are discharged to almost the same position in the vertical direction, the first bending portion 251 having a large radius once (see FIG. 9).
To change the conveying direction of the sheet S upward, curl downward at the second bending portion 252 having a small radius, and curl downward at the third bending portion 253 so as not to eliminate the curling as much as possible. S is being discharged.

That is, the radius R1 of the first bending portion 251, the radius R2 of the second bending portion 252, and the radius R of the second bending portion 252.
2 and the radius R3 of the third bending portion 253 are R1> R2 R2
<The relationship of R3 is satisfied. Therefore, the sheet S that has been curled upward when entering the carry-in port 10 is also bent to
By being transported on the transport path including 252 and 253,
When discharged from the discharge port 18, the curl is eliminated.

Further, FIG. 10 shows an example of a fixed bottle type sorter.

Sheet S that has entered the conveyance path from the carry-in port 10
In the first bending portion 351, the carrying direction is changed upward while the upward curling is not applied, and the curling is applied downward in the second bending portion 352, and the paper is carried in the downward carrying path. The deflector 301 attached to each bottle is rotatably held around a shaft 302,
It is driven by a solenoid (not shown).

Usually, the deflector 301 includes 301a and 30a.
At the position of 1b, when trying to distribute the sheet to the bin, it moves to the position of 301c. In this way, the sheet S is distributed to each bin. At this time, the radius R3 of the guide portion 352 of the deflector 301 is larger than the radius R2 of the second bending portion, so that an upward curl is not generated.
The sheet S is discharged onto the bin B.

That is, the radius R1 of the first bending portion 351, the radius R2 of the second bending portion 352, and the radius R3 of the guide portion of the deflector inside the conveying path satisfy the relations of R1> R2 and R2 <R3.

The above embodiment is a means for finally curling the sheet S, which tends to have an upper curl, to the lower curl or to correct it to a horizontal (no curl) state. By reversing the magnitude relationship, the sheet S, which tends to have a lower curl, can be placed in an upper curl or horizontal (no curl) state.

Further, when the curl direction of the sheet S entering the sorter 1 is unknown and the purpose is to finally curl the sheet S downward or to correct it to a horizontal (no curl) state, A transport path such as 11 is used.

When the sheet S entering from the carry-in port 10 has an upper curl, a horizontal (no curl), or a slight lower curl, the deflector 417 causes the first conveying path 4 to move.
You are led to 11. The first transport path 411 initially has a radius R1.
The sheet S passes through the first conveying path because the first curl portion 451 having a small radius and a large curl are attached to the second curl portion 452 having a large radius R2. As a result, the curl is discharged downward or horizontally (without curl).

On the other hand, when the sheet S entering from the carry-in port has a large lower curl, the curl detection sensor 460 detects the lower curl, and the deflector 417 is driven by a solenoid (not shown), so that the sheet S is conveyed by the second conveyance. Road 4
Guided to 12.

Since the second conveying path 412 is formed by the third bent portion 453 having a large radius R3 and then the fourth bent portion having a small radius R4, a sheet having a large lower curl is attached at first. The S is corrected by passing through the fourth conveyance path, and is discharged in a state of slight downward curl or horizontal (no curl).

That is, the radius R1 of the first bending portion 451, the radius R2 of the second bending portion 452, and the third bending portion 4 inside the conveyance path.
The radius R3 of 53 and the radius R4 of the second bending portion 454 satisfy the relationship of R1> R2 R2 <R3.

When it is desired to discharge the sheet S with a slight upper curl or in a horizontal (no curl) state, the curl detection sensor 460 is provided on the upper side of the conveyance path to detect a large curl. And usually, the sheet S
Is guided by the deflector 417 to the second conveyance path 412, and the sheet S may be guided to the first conveyance path 411 only when the sheet detection sensor 460 detects a large upper curl.

[0054]

According to the present invention, at least two bending portions having different bending directions and bending radiuses are provided in the sheet conveying path, and the sheets are passed through the sheet conveying path, so that the stacking failure occurs on the discharge tray. Since curl, which is a major cause of the generation, can be reduced, the stackability in the sheet post-processing device is improved.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional side view of a sorter to which the present invention is applied and an image forming apparatus including the sorter.

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional side view of the same sorter.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the sorter.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the same bin unit.

FIG. 5 is a plan view showing the relationship between the lead cam and the trunnion.

FIG. 6 is a side view showing a state where the lead cam in FIG. 6 moves.

FIG. 7 is a vertical cross-sectional side view of a sheet conveying portion of a sorter, which is also an essential part of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a vertical sectional side view of a sheet conveying portion of a sorter according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a vertical sectional side view of a sheet conveying portion of a sorter according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a vertical sectional side view of a sheet conveying portion of a sorter according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a vertical sectional side view of a sheet conveying portion of a sorter according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a vertical sectional side view of a sheet conveying portion of a conventional sorter.

[Explanation of symbols]

 S sheet B discharge tray 1 sorter (sheet post-processing device) 10 sheet inlet 12 sheet conveying path 51 first euphem part 52 second euphem part 112 sheet conveying path 151 first euphem part 152 second eup part 251 1st euphemism part 252 2nd euphemism part 253 3rd euphemism part 351 1st euphemism part 352 2nd euphemism part 411 1st conveyance path 412 2nd conveyance path 451 1st euphemism part 452 second Euphemistic part 2 453 Euphemic part 3

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A sheet post-processing apparatus comprising at least two first and second eaves portions having different elongate directions in a sheet conveying path, wherein a radius R ₁ of the _first eaves portion and a second radius Radius of the euphemism of R ₂
And a sheet post-processing apparatus having different sizes. 2. The radius R _{1 of the} euphem portion which bends the sheet upward and conveys it, and the radius R _{2 of the} euphem portion which bends the sheet downward and conveys the relation R ₁ > R ₂ . The sheet post-processing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that. 3. A radius R of a bending portion that bends the sheet in the sheet feeding path upward in the sheet feeding path when the front and rear ends are bent upward with respect to the sheet feeding direction. _1, the radius R ₂ of the indirect section for transporting and by indirect conveying direction of the sheet downward, R _1> sheet post-processing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that it satisfies the relationship of R ₂ . 4. A radius R of a bending portion that bends and conveys a sheet in the sheet conveying path upward when the front and rear ends are curved downward with respect to the sheet conveying direction. _1. The sheet post-processing apparatus according to claim ₁ , wherein a radius R ₂ of a bending portion that is bent and conveyed downward with respect to the sheet conveying direction satisfies the relationship of R ₁ <R ₂ .