JPH06312549A - Sheet reversing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a sheet reversing device wherein the size of a main body of a printer is made smaller and the cost thereof is reduced, and the delivery state of sheet, i.e., face-down/face-up state, in one-side/two-side processing can be freely selected according to the requirements of users. CONSTITUTION:A sheet reversing devide 1 of the invention is provided detachably on a printer 50, and the device 1 introduces sheets printed at a printing unit 59 of the printer 50 to a reversing stacker 40, to which sheets are delivered. And there are provided a guide passage 4 which guides the sheets, in a reversed state, to the stacker 40 so that the sheets are delivered thereto, according to the state of the sheets delivered to a stacker 74 of the printer 50, and a switch-back mechanism 5 and a reversing passage 6 for transferring the sheets in a reversed state to a sheet manual-feed port 60 of the printer 50 by means of the guide means 4 so that two-side printing of the sheets can be performed at the printeng unit 59.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a portion (hereinafter referred to as a paper processing unit) which is attached to a paper processing device (hereinafter referred to as a printer) such as a copying machine or a printing device and which is subjected to copying or printing. The present invention relates to a paper reversing device that reverses processed paper and feeds it again to a paper processing unit.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, a printer capable of copying on both sides of paper (hereinafter referred to as processing) includes a paper reversing mechanism for reversing the paper processed by a paper processing unit. This paper reversing mechanism reverses the paper, which has been processed on one side by the paper processing unit, by guiding it to a predetermined transport path.
The inverted paper is fed again to the paper processing unit.

[0003]

However, some users may not necessarily need the above-mentioned double-sided processing function. In this case, the paper reversing mechanism provided in the printer body enlarges the printer. At the same time, the cost of the printer is increased.

Further, when a single-sided or double-sided process is performed on a sheet using a printer having a sheet reversing mechanism, the following problems occur. The printer is provided with a stacker for ejecting paper, and the paper that has undergone single-side processing or double-side processing in the paper processing unit is ejected onto the stacker. The states of the sheets discharged onto the stacker include a face-up state and a face-down state, where the processed surface is the face. The face-up state has the advantage that you can visually check the processing status of the paper each time the paper is discharged onto the stacker.The face-down status allows the paper processed in page order to be discharged onto the stacker. Therefore, there is an advantage that it is not necessary to realign the pages after the processing is completed.

A conventional printer having a paper reversing mechanism is
Depending on the preference of the user, it is not possible to select face-down / face-up discharge for single-sided processing or face-down / face-up discharge for double-sided processing.

The present invention has been made in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, and achieves downsizing of the printer main body and cost reduction, and one-sided processing / face-down / double-sided processing according to user's preference. An object of the present invention is to provide a sheet reversing device capable of selecting a face-up sheet discharge state.

[0007]

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides a sheet inserting section, a sheet processing section for processing the sheet inserted from the sheet inserting section, and a processing section for processing the sheet. It is configured to be attachable / detachable to / from a paper processing device equipped with a stacker for discharging the processed paper, and the paper processed by the paper processing unit is reversed and supplied to the paper processing unit, and double-sided processing of the paper is possible. A sheet reversing device for reversing the state of the sheet that is ejected to the stacker of the sheet processing device by introducing the reversing stacker that ejects the sheet and the sheet processed by the sheet processing unit. On the other hand, a guide means for guiding the reversed sheet to the reversing stacker so that the sheet can be ejected, and a sheet processing section of the sheet processing device are fed with a surface reverse to the already processed surface. To
Reversal sheet conveying means for conveying the sheet in the state reversed by the guiding means to the sheet inserting portion of the sheet processing device,
It is characterized by having.

[0008]

The sheet reversing device of the present invention is of an exterior type that is attached to and detached from the printer body. The sheet subjected to one-sided processing by the sheet processing unit of the printer body passes through a sheet reversing device mounted on the printer body, is inverted, and is guided again to the sheet processing unit.

Further, the paper reversing device that is attached to and detached from the printer body is provided with a stacker for ejecting the paper, and the paper is ejected to the stacker provided in the printer body or the stacker provided in the paper reversing device. By doing so, it is possible to select the face-down / face-up discharge state in the single-sided processing / double-sided processing.

[0010]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the sheet reversing device according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the accompanying drawings, a means for mechanically / electrically connecting the paper reversing device and the printer and a control means for controlling the driving of the printer and the paper reversing device are omitted.

FIG. 1 shows a state in which the sheet reversing device 1 according to the present invention is mounted on a printer 50. First, the configuration of the printer 50 will be described. A paper feed cassette 52 is incorporated in the lower portion of the printer 50. The paper feed cassette 52 includes a loading plate 52a biased upward by a biasing means (not shown), a separation claw 52b, and a paper feed roller 55. The paper 53 stacked on the loading plate 52a is By driving the sheet feeding roller 55, the sheet is separated from the separating claw 52b and is fed to the conveying path 56 one by one. The paper fed to the conveyance path 56 is conveyed by the conveyance roller pair 5
The sheet 7 is guided to the print section 59 which is a sheet processing section.

Further, the printer 50 is driven based on a manual feed port 60 into which a cut sheet is inserted, a sensor A for detecting the leading end of the cut sheet inserted from the manual feed port 60, and a detection signal from this sensor A. A manual feed path 65 that joins the pair of transport rollers 63 and the transport path 56 is provided.
Is moved in the manual feed path 65, and then guided to the printing unit 59 by the conveyance roller pair 57.

Downstream of the printing section 59 of the transport path 56,
Sensor B for detecting the passage of the feed roller pair 67 and the sheet
The sheet switching unit 68 is provided downstream of the sensor B. An opening / closing valve 2 and an introducing rib 3 of a sheet reversing device, which will be described later, are arranged in the sheet switching section 68, and the sheet conveyed by the pair of feed rollers 67 is discharged through the discharge path 56a or the opening 8.
The sheet is guided to the sheet reversing device 1 side through 0. The discharge path 56a is provided with a pair of discharge rollers 70, and the paper guided to the discharge path 56a is discharged to the stacker 74 via the discharge port 72.

Next, the structure of the sheet reversing device 1 will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. The paper reversing device 1 includes a printer 50 when the paper reversing device is attached to the printer body.
The opening / closing valve 2 and the introduction rib 3 which are inserted into the opening 80 of the sheet and arranged in the sheet switching section 68 are provided. Further, inside the paper reversing device 1, there is provided a guide path 4 for guiding the paper introduced from the printer 50 side through the on-off valve 2 and the introduction rib 3. As shown in the figure, the guide route 4 is formed in a U shape, and the print unit 5
It is configured so that the surface of the paper printed in 9 is reversed. The guide path 4 is provided with a pair of guide rollers 7a and 7b, and the paper in the guide path 4 is conveyed by the roller pair.

At the rear end of the guide path 4, there is arranged a switchback roller pair 9a, 9b for ejecting the reversed sheet as it is or returning it along the guide path. The sheet reversing device 1 is provided with an ejection port 1a and a reversing stacker 40 for receiving the sheets ejected from the ejection port 1a so that the reversed sheet is ejected. A sheet supporting wire 42 for supporting the sheet is provided. As a result, when the sheet subjected to the one-sided processing in the print unit 59 is discharged to the reverse stacker 40, it is in a state opposite to the case where it is discharged to the stacker 74 of the printer 50.

The paper reversing device 1 also includes a printing unit 59.
There is provided a paper carrying means for carrying the paper in the guide path 4 toward the manual insertion slot 60 of the printer so that the double-sided processing of the paper can be performed. The sheet conveying means includes a switchback mechanism 5 having the pair of switchback rollers 9a and 9b, a reversing path 6 for guiding the sheet returned by the switchback mechanism 5 to a manual insertion slot 60 of the printer, and the like.

The switchback mechanism 5 is provided on the upstream side of the switchback roller pair 9a and 9b, and is provided with a sensor C for detecting the passage of the sheet, and the rear end of the sheet having moved in the guide path 4. When the side is detected, the switchback roller pair 9a, 9b is driven in reverse. When the switchback roller pair 9a, 9b is driven in the reverse direction, the sheet is once ejected through the ejection port 1a while being nipped by the roller pair.

In the middle of the guide path 4, a reversing path 6 for guiding the sheet returned by the pair of switchback rollers 9a, 9b to the manual insertion slot 60 of the printer is branched. Between the guide route 4 and the reversing route 6,
For example, the distribution means 10 made of a plastic film is arranged, and the switchback roller pair 9 is provided.
The sheets returned by a and 9b are distributed by the sorting means 10
Is guided into the inversion path 6. In the inversion path 6,
The reversal feed roller pairs 12, 13, 14 are provided at regular intervals, and the sheet returned by the switchback mechanism 5 is the reversal feed roller pairs 12, 13, 14.
Is carried to the manual feed port 60 of the printer.

Next, the drive system of the sheet reversing device 1 will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 (a) and 3 (b). Figure 3
FIG. 6A is a diagram showing a configuration of a drive system that drives each roller pair that conveys a sheet. A drive motor 16 and a gear train as shown in the drawing are provided on the side plate 15a in the sheet reversing device. Motor gear 16a of drive motor 16
The reduction gear 17 is meshed with the reduction gear 17
A guide roller gear 18 provided on the drive shaft of the guide roller 7a shown in FIG. Also, the reduction gear 1
A switchback gear 21 provided on the drive shaft of the switchback roller 9a shown in FIG. 1 is meshed with 7 via idler gears 19 and 20.

On the other hand, the reduction gear 2 is attached to the motor gear 16a.
5 is in mesh with the reduction gear 25, and an inversion feed roller gear 27 is in mesh with the reduction gear 25 via an idler gear 26. The reverse feed roller gear 27 is provided with a sprocket 27a that rotates integrally with the reverse feed roller gear 27, and the same sprocket is provided on each of the drive shafts of the reverse feed rollers 12a, 13a, 14a shown in FIG. . In the figure, the sprocket 28 of the reverse feed roller 12a is
Only shown. A toothed belt 30 is wound around these sprockets, and each reversing feed roller 12
a, 13a and 14a are driven in the same direction.

FIG. 3 (b) is a diagram showing the construction of a drive device for driving the on-off valve 2. As shown in FIG. A solenoid 33 is provided on a side plate 15b facing the side plate 15a in the sheet reversing device, and an on-off valve arm 34 provided on a shaft 2a supporting the on-off valve 2 is engaged with the solenoid 33. There is. A tension spring 35 is provided at the tip of the on-off valve arm 34, and urges the on-off valve arm 34 in the direction shown by the arrow in the figure. When the on-off valve arm 34 is energized, the on-off valve 2 is in the closed state as shown by the dotted line. Then, when the solenoid 33 is excited, the on-off valve arm 34 is driven against the urging force, and the state shown by the solid line in the figure is reached. At this time, the on-off valve 2 is opened.

Next, the operation when the paper reversing device 1 is loaded in the printer 50 is as follows: single-sided printing for face-down discharging, single-sided printing for face-up discharging, and double-sided printing for face-up discharging. In the case of face-down paper ejection in double-sided printing, each mode will be described with reference to respective time charts. (1) When Face-Down Discharging by Single-Side Printing A process for printing on a sheet and discharging the sheet will be described with reference to FIGS. 8 and 1 and 4.

First, the printer 50 is activated based on the print start signal of the paper, and one paper is fed from the paper feed cassette 52. (When manually feeding paper, the printer 50
Is activated when the sensor A detects the leading edge of the paper). When the printing unit 59 prints the sheet and further conveys the sheet, the sensor B detects the passage of the sheet.

Then, when a predetermined time T1 has elapsed since the sensor B detected the trailing edge of the sheet, the driving of the printer 50 is stopped. FIG. 4 shows the position of the sheet before a predetermined time T1 has elapsed since the sensor B detected the trailing edge of the sheet. The predetermined time T1 corresponds to the time from when the sensor B detects the trailing edge of the sheet to when the sheet is discharged to the stacker 74. The sheets discharged to the stacker 74 are
The printed side faces the stacker side, which completes one process. (2) When Face-Up Discharging by Single-Side Printing A process of printing on a sheet and discharging the sheet will be described with reference to FIGS. 9 and 1, 3, and 5.

First, the printer 50 is activated based on the print start signal of the paper, and one paper is fed from the paper feed cassette 52. (When manually feeding paper, the printer 50
Is activated when the sensor A detects the leading edge of the paper). When printing is performed on the paper in the printing unit 59 and the paper is further conveyed, the sensor B detects the passage of the paper. At the same time when the sensor B detects the leading edge of the sheet, the sheet reversing device 1 is activated and the solenoid 33 is excited (see FIG. 3B). At this time, the open / close valve 2 is opened, and the printed sheet is guided to the sheet reversing device 1 side.

Next, when the sensor B detects the trailing edge of the paper, the driving of the printer 50 is stopped at the same time. At this time, since the trailing edge of the sheet is separated from the feed roller pair 67 and is conveyed by the guide roller pair 7a and 7b on the sheet reversing device side, there is no problem such as tearing of the sheet (see FIGS. 1 and 5). ).

When the sheet is further conveyed in the sheet reversing device, the sensor C detects the passage of the sheet. At the same time when the sensor C detects the trailing edge of the sheet, the solenoid 33 is deenergized,
The on-off valve 2 is in the closed state.

Then, when a predetermined time T2 has elapsed since the sensor C detected the trailing edge of the sheet, the driving of the sheet reversing device 1 is stopped. The predetermined time T2 corresponds to the time from when the sensor C detects the trailing edge of the sheet to when the sheet is discharged to the reverse stacker 40. The paper discharged to the reversing stacker 40 has the printed surface facing upward, and this completes one process. (3) When Face-Up Discharging by Double-sided Printing A process for performing double-sided printing on a sheet and discharging the sheet will be described with reference to FIGS. 10 and 1, 3, and 6.

The steps from the detection of the passage of the sheet by the sensor C of the sheet reversing device 1 to the generation of the detection signal are the same as the steps described in (2) above. Next, when the sensor C detects the passage of the trailing edge of the paper, the solenoid 33
Is deenergized, and the drive motor of the sheet reversing device is driven in reverse. At this time, the sheet is discharged from the discharge port 1a with the trailing edge of the sheet being sandwiched between the switchback roller pairs 9a and 9b (see FIGS. 1 and 6). With the configuration shown in FIG. 3A, when the drive motor of the paper reversing device is driven in the reverse direction (the direction opposite to the arrow), the switchback roller pairs 9a and 9b are driven in the opposite direction, and the paper is kept in its original state. The rear end serves as the front end and is guided into the reversal path 6 via the sorting means 10. In this case, the three reverse feed roller pairs 12 to 14 arranged in the reverse path 6 are driven so as to convey the paper toward the manual feed port 60 of the printer 50, and the paper is fed through the manual feed port 60. You will be guided into the printer 50 (see FIG. 7).

After the leading edge of the sheet is detected by the sensor A, the sheet reversing device 1 has a predetermined time lag T3.
Is stopped. During this time lag T3, the leading edge of the sheet comes into contact with the conveying roller pair 63 of the printer 50 to form a bend in the sheet, and the skew is removed. At the same time as the driving of the paper reversing device is stopped, the printer 50 is started, and the paper is carried by the pair of carrying rollers 63 and 57 toward the printing unit 59 in the manual feeding path 65 and the carrying path 56. In this case, the paper is in a state of being turned over so that the unprinted surface faces the printing unit 59. When printing is performed on the non-printed side of the paper in the printing unit 59 and the paper is further conveyed,
The sensor B detects the passage of the paper.

After that, when a predetermined time T1 has elapsed since the sensor B detected the trailing edge of the sheet, the driving of the printer 50 is stopped. FIG. 4 shows the position of the double-sided printed sheet before a predetermined time T1 has elapsed since the sensor B detected the trailing edge of the sheet. The predetermined time T1 corresponds to the time from when the sensor B detects the trailing edge of the sheet to when the sheet is discharged to the stacker 74. The sheet discharged to the stacker 74 is in a state in which the surface on which it is initially printed faces upward, and this completes one step. (4) When Face-Down Discharging by Double-sided Printing A process for performing double-sided printing on a sheet and discharging the sheet will be described with reference to FIGS. 11 and 1, 3, and 5.

The steps until the sheet printed on one side is reversed by the sheet reversing device 1 and is guided again to the printing section 59 through the manual feed port 60 are the same as the steps described in (3) above. is there.

When printing is performed on the unprinted surface of the paper in the printing unit 59 and the paper is further conveyed, the sensor B detects the passage of the paper. At the same time that the sensor B detects the leading edge of the double-sided printed sheet, the sheet reversing device 1 is activated and the solenoid 33 is excited (see FIG. 3A). At this time, the on-off valve 2 is opened, and the double-sided printed sheet is guided to the sheet reversing device 1.

Next, when the sensor B detects the trailing edge of the paper, the driving of the printer 50 is stopped at the same time. At this time, since the trailing edge of the sheet is separated from the feed roller pair 67 and is conveyed by the guide roller pair 7a and 7b on the sheet reversing device side, there is no problem such as tearing of the sheet (see FIGS. 1 and 5). ).

When the paper is further conveyed in the paper reversing device, the sensor C detects the passage of the paper. At the same time when the sensor C detects the trailing edge of the sheet, the solenoid 33 is deenergized,
The on-off valve 2 is in the closed state.

Then, when a predetermined time T2 has elapsed since the sensor C detected the trailing edge of the sheet, the driving of the sheet reversing device 1 is stopped. The predetermined time T2 corresponds to the time from when the sensor C detects the trailing edge of the sheet to when the sheet is discharged to the reverse stacker 40. The sheet discharged to the reversing stacker 40 is in a state where the first printed surface faces the reversing stacker side, which completes one process.

In the above embodiment, the printer 50 is used.
When the printer unit 50 is arranged so that the single-sided face-up / double-sided face-down sheets are discharged to the stacker 74 of the printer 50, the reverse stacker 40 of the sheet reversing device 1 has a single-sided stacker 74. Face-down / double-sided face-up paper will be ejected.

Although one embodiment of the paper feeding device according to the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications can be made. For example, the drive system or guide path in the paper reversing device, the structure of the reversing path, the position of the reversing stacker, and the like can be variously modified according to the structure of the printer in which the paper reversing device is loaded.

[0039]

According to the paper reversing device of the present invention, since it is not necessary to provide the paper reversing mechanism in the printer body, it is possible to reduce the size and cost of the printer body. Further, when the paper reversing device of the present invention is installed in a printer, it is possible to freely select a face-down / face-up paper discharge state in single-sided processing / double-sided processing according to user's preference.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a view showing an embodiment of a sheet reversing device according to the present invention and showing a state in which the sheet reversing device is loaded in a printer.

FIG. 2 is a partially enlarged view of the sheet reversing device shown in FIG.

3A is a diagram showing a driving force transmission mechanism of the paper reversing device shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. 3B is a drive mechanism for driving an opening / closing valve of the paper reversing device shown in FIG. FIG.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a state in which paper is discharged from the printer.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a state in which a sheet is guided from a printer into a sheet reversing device.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a state in which a trailing edge of a sheet is nipped by a switchback roller pair of a sheet reversing device.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a state in which a sheet has moved along a reversing path in a sheet reversing device and is guided to a manual insertion port of a printer.

FIG. 8 is a time chart showing one step in performing single-sided face-down sheet ejection in a state where the sheet reversing device according to the present invention is loaded in the printer.

FIG. 9 is a time chart showing one step in performing single-sided face-up sheet ejection in a state where the sheet reversing device according to the present invention is loaded in the printer.

FIG. 10 is a time chart showing a step of performing double-sided face-up sheet ejection in a state where the sheet reversing device according to the present invention is loaded in the printer.

FIG. 11 is a time chart showing a step of performing double-sided face-down sheet ejection in a state where the sheet reversing device according to the present invention is loaded in the printer.

[Explanation of Codes] 1 ... Sheet reversing device, 2 ... Open / close valve, 4 ... Guide path, 5 ... Switchback mechanism, 6 ... Reversing path, 40 ... Reversing stacker, 50 ... Printer, 59 ... Printing section, 74 ... Stacker.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A paper processing apparatus comprising a paper insertion unit, a paper processing unit for processing the paper inserted from the paper insertion unit, and a stacker for ejecting the paper processed by the paper processing unit. A sheet reversing device that is detachably attached to the sheet reversing device, reverses the sheet processed by the sheet processing unit, and supplies the reversed sheet to the sheet processing unit to enable double-sided processing of the sheet. And a reverse stacker that ejects the paper processed by the paper processing unit, and discharges the reversed paper to the reverse stacker with respect to the status of the paper that is discharged to the stacker of the paper processing apparatus. Guide means for guiding as much as possible, and the paper processing unit of the paper processing apparatus, so that the surface reversed from the already processed surface is fed to the paper processing unit. Inserting paper in the device A sheet reversing device, comprising: a sheet reversing sheet conveying unit that conveys the sheet to an input section.