JPH0651547B2 - Paper sorting device - Google Patents

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a sheet sorting device for sorting recorded sheets in a desired number of sheets on a discharge tray in an image recording apparatus such as a laser printer and a copying machine.

2. Description of the Related Art As a sheet sorting device that sorts image-recorded sheets on a discharge tray for each desired set number of sheets, a first position for gripping discharged sheets and a direction perpendicular to the traveling direction of the sheets are moved. It is known that the discharge roller is moved back and forth between the second position for discharging the gripped paper and the paper discharge position is changed for each set number of sheets to sort the paper.

In this paper sorting device, first, the paper discharge roller is
The first set number of sheets are discharged onto the discharge tray at the position fixed in the position, and then the discharge roller is reciprocally moved between the first position and the second position, that is, the position of the second position. , The second set number of sheets is ejected onto the first set number of sheets at a position shifted in the direction perpendicular to the first set number of sheets. Then, by repeating the above-described operation, the sheets are sorted on the discharge tray for each desired set number of sheets.

In this conventional sheet sorting device, the amount of shift of the sheet to be sorted is regulated by the movement amount of the sheet discharge roller. Therefore, when the amount of shift is set to a large value to facilitate sorting of the sheet, the sheet discharge roller moves. There is a drawback that the amount becomes large and the device becomes large. Further, this paper sorting apparatus discharges the paper when the paper is discharged without being sorted, that is, when the paper is discharged with the paper discharge roller being fixed at the first position. However, there is a drawback that one side of the paper output tray is biased.

Object The object of the present invention is to set the deviation amount of the paper to be sorted larger than the amount of movement of the paper discharge roller when sorting the paper, and to set the unsorted paper in the center of the paper output tray. Another object of the present invention is to provide a sheet sorting device that can discharge the sheets.

Configuration The present invention is a sheet sorting device that sorts sheets to be discharged into a first group and a second group alternately for each predetermined number set by a sorting number setting means, and holds the sheets. When the sheet is conveyed, the sheet can be moved between a first position corresponding to the first group and a second position corresponding to the second group in the direction orthogonal to the sheet conveying direction when the sheet is discharged. A paper roller and a paper discharging roller home that selectively moves the paper discharging roller to the first position and the second position and switches the home position of the paper discharging roller to the first position and the second position. In a paper sorting apparatus including a paper discharge roller moving means as a position switching means and a paper discharge tray on which the discharged paper is placed, the paper discharge roller moving means comprises: Before the paper output roller grips the paper, the paper output roller is moved from the first or second position to the second position.
Alternatively, the discharge rollers are moved to the first position, and the discharge rollers are moved from the second or first position to the first or second position until the discharge rollers grip the paper and discharge it to the discharge tray. After that, the paper is discharged to the paper discharge tray, and by repeating this, the first or second group is formed on the paper discharge tray, and the number of sorted sheets of the paper is determined by the sorting number counting means. The home position of the paper discharge roller is switched based on the count result of the sorting number judgment means, and the paper discharge roller is moved from the second or first position to the first position before the paper discharge roller grips the paper. Alternatively, the discharge roller is moved to the second position, and the discharge roller is set to the first or second position until the discharge roller holds the paper and discharges it to the discharge tray. After moving to the second or first position, the sheet is discharged to the discharge tray, and the second or first group is formed on the discharge tray by repeating this. To do.

Hereinafter, specific examples of the configuration of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

In FIG. 2, on the peripheral surface of the belt-shaped photosensitive member 3 which is rotationally driven by the pair of rollers 1 and 2, the image forming device such as the static eliminator 4, the cleaning device 5, the charging device 6, the exposure device 7 and the developing device 8 is formed. The device forms a toner image of the image information. While the image forming apparatus is operating, one of the sheets S accommodated in the plurality of paper feed trays T ₁ or T ₂ arranged in the printer body 9 causes the paper push-up lever 1 to move.
0, the paper feed roller 11, the registration roller 12, and the squeeze roller 13 are fed to a predetermined position by the paper feed means F and stand by. This waiting paper S is
The sheet guide 1 is re-fed at the timing when the leading edge of the toner image formed on the photoconductor 3 is aligned with the leading edge of the toner image, and an image is recorded on the sheet guide 1 through the transfer device 14 and the fixing device 15.
The sheet is discharged onto the sheet discharge tray 18 through a pair of sheet discharge rollers R ₁ and R ₂ .

These discharge rollers R ₁ and R ₂ are, as shown in FIG.
The support shafts 21 and 22 are horizontally slidably and rotatably mounted on the pair of side plates 19 of the printer body 9, respectively. The paper discharge roller R ₂ is rotated by its spindle 22 being driven to rotate by the motor (not shown) via the chain 23 and the chain wheel 24, and the other paper discharge roller R ₁ that comes into contact therewith is rotated. In addition, each support shaft 21,
22 are connected to each other by an interlocking plate 25, and when one support shaft 22 slides, the other support shaft 21 also follows and slides. End 2 of the support shaft 22
2a extends through the side plate 19 to the outside of the side plate 19, and is engaged with a free end portion of a sliding rod 27 which is swingably supported by a pin 26 of the side plate 19. A base end portion of the sliding rod 27 is fixed to the side plate 19 and is engaged with a drive pin 29 of a solenoid 28 that constitutes a sheet discharge roller moving means. on the other hand,
The sheet S discharged through the sheet guide 16 is determined by a detection sensor including a light source 30 and a light receiving element 31 sandwiching the sheet guide 16 and whether each sheet S has passed through the fixing device 15. Is detected.

In addition, whether or not the sheet S has been discharged by another detection sensor including a light source 33 and a light receiving element 34 that are arranged with the sheet discharge port 32 downstream of the discharge rollers R ₁ and R ₂ interposed therebetween. Is detected.

The output of each light receiving element 31, 34 is, as shown in FIG.
It is given to a microcomputer 35 which constitutes a discharge roller moving means together with the solenoid 28. Further, information on the operating means 36 including a start key, a sorting number setting key, a total recording number setting key, and a ten key is also input to the microcomputer 35. A solenoid drive circuit 37 that supplies a current to the solenoid 28 is connected to the output port of the microcomputer 35. The microcomputer 35 can count the number of outputs of the light receiving element 34, and switches the home position of the paper discharge rollers R ₁ and R _{2 when} the number of outputs and the number of sorted sheets S become the same. be able to.

Next, the operation of the sheet sorting apparatus configured as described above will be described.

When an ON signal of the start key is given to the microcomputer 35, the operation of the sheet sorting apparatus is executed according to the program shown in the flowchart of FIG. 5 stored in the ROM of the microcomputer 35.

First, in step, the image forming apparatus shown in FIG. 2 is set to the initial state. Next, the step and the total number of sheets to be image-recorded in the step and the number of sheets to be sorted are set by the total number of sheets setting key, the number of sorting sheets setting key and the ten-key pad arranged on the operation panel (not shown). Next, in step, a print key (not shown) is pressed and the above-mentioned image forming device is operated to record an image on the first sheet S ₁ . Next, the trailing edge of the first sheet S ₁ is detached from the fixing device 15, and it is determined in step whether or not there is an output of the light receiving element 31, the output of the light receiving element 31 becomes “0” → “1”, and When the output of the light receiving element 34 1 of the front end of the sheet S ₁ is being incorporated in addition to the sheet discharge rollers R _1, R ₂ in step is "1" → "0", whether the solenoid 28 is OFF in step To determine. This solenoid 28 is O
Since it is set to FF, the solenoid 28 is turned on in step. When this solenoid 28 is turned on,
In FIG. 3 and FIG. 6, the discharge rollers R ₁ and R ₂ hold the discharged first sheet S ₁ through the sliding rod 27 and the support shafts 21 and 22 and are shown by solid lines. The sheet moves forward from the first position toward a second position indicated by a broken line in a direction (arrow direction b) perpendicular to the traveling direction of the sheet (direction of arrow a). As a result, the first sheet S ₁ moves in the direction of the arrow b in FIGS. 3 and 6 while being held by the sheet discharge rollers R ₁ and R ₂ .

Next, when the trailing edge of the first sheet S ₁ ejected at the second position is ejected onto the sheet ejection tray 18 and the output of the light receiving element 34 changes from “0” to “1” at step, issuance at step The number of sheets of paper that have passed between the element 33 and the light receiving element 34, that is, the total number of outputs of the light receiving element 34 is counted.
Next, it is determined in step whether or not the number of sorted sheets × n set in step is the same as the total output number of the light receiving elements 34 counted in step. Here, n is a numerical value with an initial value of 1, and 1 is added each time sorting of the set number of sheets is completed. If the number of sorting sheets set in step × n (n = 1 in this case) = total output number of light receiving elements 34 is not satisfied, it is determined in step whether the solenoid 28 is OFF. In this case, since the solenoid 28 is turned on in step, the process proceeds to step and the solenoid 28 is turned off. When the solenoid 28 is turned off in the step, each of the paper discharge rollers R ₁ and R ₂ becomes the first paper S ₁
After returning to the first position, which is the home position for gripping, in the direction of arrow c in FIGS. 3 and 6, the process returns to the step. As a result, the operations from step to step are repeatedly executed, and the first sheet S ₁ on which the subsequent image is recorded has the second position of each of the sheet discharge rollers R ₁ and R ₂ , that is, FIG. In, the sheets are sequentially discharged to the position indicated by the one-dot chain line S-A on the discharge tray 18. In this way, for example, as shown in FIG. 7, the first sheets S ₁ corresponding to the set number of sheets in the first stage are ejected from the ejection tray 1
The second position on 8 is ejected and stacked on our position to form a second group.

Then, when it is determined in step that the set number of sorted sheets × n (n = 1 in this case) = total number of output of light receiving elements 34, set total number of recording sheets = light receiving element 34 in step
It is determined whether or not the total number of outputs. If the total number of recordings set in the step is not equal to the total output number of the light receiving elements 34, the process returns to the step, and the first sheet S ₁ ejected earlier and the second sheet S ₂ to be sorted are the ejection rollers R ₁ , R ₂ The output of the light receiving element 34 is "1" →
It becomes "0". At this time, since the solenoid 28 is still turned on in the step, the second position indicated by the broken line in FIGS. 3 and 6 is the second sheet S ₂
It becomes the home position of the discharge rollers R ₁ and R ₂ that hold the paper. Therefore, the second sheet S ₂ a is the sheet discharge roller R.
When it is gripped by ₁ and R ₂ , it is determined that the solenoid 28 is not OFF in the step, the process proceeds to the step, and the solenoid 28 is turned OFF. When the solenoid 28 is turned off in step, the paper discharge rollers R ₁ , R ₂
Moves forward from the second position (broken line position) toward the first position (solid line position) in the direction of arrow c in FIGS. 3 and 6, and is added to these paper discharge rollers R ₁ , R _2. The second sheet S ₂ is the output tray 18 in FIG.
The upper first position is discharged to the position shown by the two-dot chain line. Next, as in the case of the first sheet S ₁ described above, the operation of steps 1 to 3 is executed, and in the step, if the number of sorting sheets set × n (n = 2 in this case) = the total output number of the light receiving elements 34 is not satisfied, In step, it is determined whether the solenoid 28 is off. In this case, since the solenoid 28 is turned off in step, the process proceeds to step and the solenoid 28 is turned on. When the solenoid 28 is turned on in the step, each of the discharge rollers R ₁ and R ₂ moves toward the second position, which is a home position for gripping the _second paper S _2, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 6. After returning to the direction of the arrow b, the process returns to the step. Thereby, as in the case of the first sheet S ₁ , step → step → step →
The operation of step → step → step → step → step → step → step is repeated and executed, and the succeeding second sheet S ₂ is ejected by each of the delivery rollers R ₁ ,
The first position is I of R _2, i.e., sequentially discharged to form the first group to the position indicated by the two-dot chain line S-B on the paper discharge tray 18 in Figure 6. Thus, as shown in FIG. 7, the second sheet S ₂ forming the first group, which corresponds to the set number of sheets in the second stage, forms the second group on the discharge tray 18. One sheet S ₁ is discharged and stacked at a position displaced by a distance l.

Then, when it is determined in step that the set number of sorted sheets × n (n = 2 in this case) = the total number of outputs of the light receiving element 34, the set total number of recordings = the light receiving element 34 in step.
It is determined whether or not the total number of outputs. If the set total number of prints is not equal to the total output number of the light receiving elements 34 in this step, the process returns to the step, and the second sheet S ₂ previously ejected
The third sheet S ₃ to be sorted output of the paper discharge rollers R _1, receiving is incorporated in addition to the R ₂ in step element 34 is "1" → "0" and. At this time the solenoid 28 in step is in the remains OFF, the first position shown by a solid line in FIG. 3 and FIG. 6 is, as with the first sheet S _1, the third sheet S It becomes the home position of the paper discharge rollers R ₁ and R ₂ that hold ₃ in. Therefore, when the third sheet S ₃ is gripped by the sheet discharge rollers R ₁ and R ₂ , the solenoid 28 is turned on in the step.
It is determined to be FF, and the step is executed similarly to the case of the first sheet S ₁ to turn on the solenoid 28. In the following operation, exactly the same steps as in the case of the first sheet are executed, and the third sheet S ₃ is discharged into the respective discharge rollers R ₁ , R.
I ₂ of the second position, i.e., in sequence discharged to the position indicated by the one-dot chain line S-A on the paper discharge tray 18 in Figure 6 to form a second group, as shown in FIG. 7 3
The third sheets S ₃ corresponding to the set number of sheets in the tier are discharged and stacked on the discharge tray 18 at a position displaced by a distance 1 with respect to the second sheets S ₂ forming the first group.

In the following, the above-described operation is performed in accordance with the program shown in the flowchart of FIG. 5 by the fourth sheet S ₄ and the fifth sheet S ₄ .
The same procedure is performed for the _fifth and sixth sheets S ₆ , and as shown in FIG. 7, the sheets S _{1 to} S _{6 for} each set number of sheets are alternately separated by the distance l on the discharge tray 18. The layers are staggered and sorted so as to form a first group or a second group, respectively. Then, if it is determined in step that the set total number of recordings = the total output number of the light receiving elements 34, the operation is stopped.

On the other hand, when the image-recorded sheets S are not sorted, the above-described program is not executed, and the sheets S are directly discharged onto the discharge tray 18 without sliding the discharge rollers R ₁ and R ₂ . As shown in FIGS. 6 and 8, the unsorted sheet S ₀ advances along the path of the sheet S moving in the sheet guide 16 regardless of the positions of the sheet discharge rollers R ₁ and R _2. However, with respect to the position indicated by the solid line SC on the discharge tray 18, that is, with respect to the first sheet S ₁ forming the second group and the second sheet S ₂ forming the first group, etc. Are discharged to the center. Therefore, this sheet S ₀ and the other first sheet S ₁ and second sheet S _1
The amount of deviation from ₂ etc. is 1 / each as shown in FIG.
It becomes 2 liters. This is the amount of movement of each discharge roller R ₁ , R ₂ .
That is, the separation distance l ₀ between the first position and the second position corresponds to ½ of the shift amount l due to the sorting of the first sheet S ₁ and the second sheet S ₂ .
As a result, the above-described sheet sorting apparatus sorts sheets S ₁ in accordance with the amount of movement of the discharge rollers R ₁ and R ₂ when sorting sheets.
It is possible to set the shift amount between S ₂ and S ₂ to double. Therefore, this paper sorting device can be made smaller than the conventional device based on the deviation amount of the papers to be sorted, and based on the movement amount of the paper discharge rollers R ₁ and R ₂ , The amount of misalignment of sheets can be doubled, and sheets can be sorted more reliably.

In the sheet sorting apparatus of the above-described embodiment, an example in which the sheet discharge rollers R ₁ and R ₂ are moved by the solenoid 28 has been shown. As a means for moving the sheet discharge rollers R ₁ and R ₂ , for example, the ninth roller is used. As shown in the drawing, the support shafts 21 and 22 and the discharge rollers R ₁ and R ₂ are configured to move via a motor 38, a worm 39, a worm gear 40, and another worm gear 41 capable of rotating in the forward and reverse directions. Good. However, the motor 38 is connected to the microcomputer 35 via the motor drive circuit 42, and in the flow in FIG. 5, it is determined in steps and steps whether or not the motor 38 is reverse rotation, and in steps and steps, the motor 38 is positive. And step and step to step reverse motor 38.

Advantageous Effects In the paper sorting apparatus of the present invention, after the paper discharge roller moving means moves the paper discharge rollers from the first or second position to the second or first position to form the second or first group, 2 or 1st position to 1st or 2nd
Since it is moved to the position to form the first or second group, it is possible to set the deviation amount of the sheets to be sorted to be larger than the movement amount of the discharge rollers at the time of sorting the sheets, and to sort the sheets. The paper that is not printed can be output to the center of the output tray.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a printer equipped with the paper sorting apparatus of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a side view of the essential parts showing the essential parts of the paper sorting apparatus of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the control means of the sheet sorting apparatus of the present invention, FIG. 5 is a flow chart for explaining the operation of the sheet sorting apparatus of the present invention, and FIG. 6 is of the sheet sorting apparatus of the present invention. FIG. 7 is an explanatory view of a sheet sorting mode, FIG. 7 is a side view showing the sheet sorting mode, FIG. 8 is a side view showing a mode in which sheets are not sorted, and FIG. 9 is another sheet sorting apparatus of the present invention. It is a principal part side view which shows an Example. S ...... paper, 28 ...... solenoid, 31, 34 ...... light receiving element, 35 ...... microcomputer, 37 ...... solenoid drive _circuit, R 1, _{R 2} ...... paper discharge roller.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A paper sorting device for alternately sorting a predetermined number of sheets of paper to be discharged into a first group and a second group, wherein the paper is gripped and conveyed, and the paper is discharged when the paper is discharged. A paper ejection roller movable between a first position corresponding to the first group and a second position corresponding to the second group in a direction orthogonal to the paper conveyance direction; A paper sorting device comprising a paper discharge roller moving means for selectively moving the paper to the first position and the second position, and a paper discharge tray on which the discharged paper is placed. Moves the paper ejection roller from the first or second position to the second or first position before the paper ejection roller grips the paper, and the paper ejection roller grips the paper and holds the paper. After the paper ejection roller is moved from the second or first position to the first or second position until the paper is ejected to the paper ejection tray, the paper is ejected to the paper ejection tray, and this is repeated. To form the first or second group on the paper discharge tray, and thereafter, before the paper discharge rollers grip the paper, move the paper discharge rollers from the second or first position to the first or second position. The paper ejection roller is moved to the second position, and the paper ejection roller is moved from the first or second position to the second or first position until the paper ejection roller holds the paper and ejects the paper to the paper ejection tray. After that, the paper is discharged to the paper discharge tray, and this is repeated to form the second or first group on the paper discharge tray.