JPH07112865A - Control device for stapler sorter - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To enhance the productivity and the manipulatability by carrying out binding control in such a way that the number of copies of dual-bound sheets becomes maximum in view of a number of bins which have bound one side of sheets with staples, a number of remaining staples and a number of bins for sheets to be bound by staples if the number of remaining staples becomes small. CONSTITUTION:A stapler sorter having a dual-binding function in which after a plurality of sheets are sorted, each copy of sheets is bound at one side thereof, and after a stapler is folded back, the other side thereof is bound, comprises means 2 for setting a number of copies, means 3 for counting a number of bins which have carried out the binding of the copies of sheets at one side thereof, means 4 for calculating a number of remaining staples, and means 5 for calculating a number of bins for sheets required to be bound. Accordingly, the stapler is folded back at a position where the number of copies of sheets to be subjected to dual-binding on the way of one side binding of the sheets to be dual-bound, and then the dual-binding is carried out.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a controller for a stapler sorter (so-called sorter unit with a staple binding function) as one of post-processing units for recording sheets discharged from an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine or a printer. Regarding

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, a sorter, that is, a sheet distributing and collating device is provided with a sheet conveying path in a housing of an image forming apparatus, and a conveying roller is appropriately arranged along the sheet conveying path to discharge the sheet from a sheet discharge port. The recording sheets are conveyed to a preset sheet distribution stage, while a plurality of bin trays (hereinafter, simply referred to as bins) are arranged on one side of the housing in the vertical direction, depending on the distribution timing of the recording sheets. The respective bins are sequentially moved to the sheet distribution stage so that the recording sheets are sequentially distributed and accommodated in the respective bins.

There are many requests for stapling processing (stapling) on the recording sheets distributed and accommodated in the sorter. In response to this request, a stapler is installed in the post-processing unit to perform the stapling processing. To As a disclosure of the prior art regarding a sorter provided with this type of stapler unit (stapler sorter), there is JP-A-60-178464.

In the stapler sorter disclosed in the above publication, when the number of sheets exceeds the staple binding limit and a staple binding command is set, the stapling process is prohibited and the copying operation is controlled. . In addition,
This type of stapler sorter is not limited to one that is connected to the image forming apparatus as described above and works in conjunction with the image forming apparatus, but may be one that independently performs sorting / stapling.

[0005]

Therefore, in the above-mentioned prior art, for the number of sheets that exceeds the staple binding limit, after the image forming processing such as copying is completed,
Alternatively, after the required collation, the staple binding has to be performed manually by the operator for all the copies of the sheet, which causes a problem of the operator's work.

Staple binding in this type of stapler sorter is generally so-called dual binding, which binds two locations on one side of a sheet, and corner binding, which binds one location of a corner portion of the sheet. In the above-mentioned conventional stapler sorter, when dual binding is performed, it takes time to complete the total number if it is performed while completing the two-position binding for each number of copies. The binding is controlled so that the other side is bound by folding back.

Therefore, when the number of staples required for dual binding is less than the number of sheets required for binding, an unfinished sheet bound on only one side remains, and the subsequent binding process becomes complicated. There was a problem of becoming. An object of the present invention is, in a sorter with a staple binding unit, that is, a stapler sorter, which is connected to an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine or operates independently, that is, when a small amount of staple staples is detected, the number of completed dual bindings is detected. It is an object of the present invention to provide a controller for a stapler sorter, which controls stapler binding so as to maximize the efficiency and improves productivity and operability.

[0008]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention is connected to an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine.
Or in a stapler sorter that works alone,
1 for dual binding when the staples are running low
Improve the productivity and operability by controlling the other side binding so that the number of dual stitches becomes maximum from the number of stapled stapled bins, the number of remaining staples, and the number of stapled stapled bins. Is characterized by.

That is, according to the present invention, as shown in FIG. 1, a plurality of sheets are sorted into a plurality of sets, and each sorted part is subjected to dual binding on one side and then folded back to bind on the other side. In a controller for a stapler sorter that dually binds a plurality of copies by executing the stapler needle remaining amount detection means 1 for detecting a small amount of staples remaining in the stapler sorter, and the number of copies to be dual-stitched by the stapler is set. Number of copies set input means 2
And stapler 1 side binding completed bin number calculation means 3 for calculating the number of bins for which dual-sided 1-side binding has been executed, remaining stapler staple calculation processing means 4 for calculating the number of staples remaining, and stapler binding Stapler binding required bin number calculation processing means 5 for calculating the remaining number of required bins, the remaining bin number calculated by the stapler binding required bin number calculation processing means, and the residual calculated by the remaining staple staple needle calculation processing means Corresponding to the number of staples, the stapler is folded back at a position where the number of dual stitches is maximum in the middle of the dual-stitching one-side stitching process, and the other side of the dual-stitch is controlled to be bound. The control means 6 is provided.

[0010]

As shown in the explanatory diagram of the processing steps of FIG. 2, the staple needle remaining amount detecting means 1 first checks the remaining amount of staples (staple needle remaining amount). The check process S-1), the staple staple binding complete bin number calculation unit 3 calculates the staple staple binding complete bin number on one side of the dual binding (staple staple binding complete bin number computing process S-2).

The remaining staple staple calculation processing means 4 calculates the remaining amount of staples (stapling staple number calculation processing S-
3). The number of bins to be stapled is calculated from the number of copies to be bound set by the number-of-copies set input means 2, the remaining staple staple calculation processing means 4, and the staple binding required bin number calculation processing means 5 (the staple is Completed bin number calculation process S-4).

From the calculated calculation result of the number of bins for completing the dual binding, the folding position for binding the other side by the dual binding is determined during the execution of the dual 1-side binding, and the control for maximizing the number of dual binding copies ( The stapler staple remaining amount control S-5) is executed. As a result, the number of completed dual bindings is maximized, and the remaining unbound sheets are bound by other means, or by performing dual binding again for replenishing staples, only one side of dual binding is bound. It is possible to eliminate the complexity of the operator's post-work due to the mixture of sheets and sheets that are not bound at all.

[0013]

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating the appearance of a copying machine to which the control device for a stapler sorter according to the present invention is applied. 10 is a copying machine main body, 20 is a stapler sorter, 21 is a stapler sorter housing, and 23 is a U-shaped cross section. -Shaped recess, 24 is an opening, 25 is a non-sort tray, 4
0 is a bin tray (bin), 48 is a sheet positioning wall,
70 is a sheet aligning mechanism.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view for explaining the internal structure of the stapler sorter taken along the line aa in FIG. 3, and the same reference numerals as those in FIG. Is a recorded sheet, 22 is a caster, 26 is a sheet inlet, 30 is a sheet conveying system, 31 is a common sheet conveying system, 32 is a first sheet conveying path, 33 is a second sheet conveying path, and 34 and 35 are conveying. Rollers, 36 and 37 are carry-out rollers, 38 is a sheet exit sensor, 39 is a switching gate, 4
0 is bottle, 41 is base of bottle 0, 42 is flange, 6
Reference numeral 5 is a bin upper limit position detection sensor, 66 is a bin lower limit position detection sensor, 100 is a staple binding device, 101 is a staple needle cartridge, 160 is a sheet presence / absence detector, 161 is a light emitting element, and 162 is a light receiving element.

In FIGS. 3 and 4, the stapler sorter 20 is movable by casters 22, and a recess 23 having a U-shaped cross section is provided on the side of the housing 21 opposite to the housing plate 21a connected to the main body 10 of the copying machine. It is formed along the vertical direction, and an opening 24 is formed in the recess 23 on the copying machine body 10 side. In a portion facing the recess 23, a plurality of stages of bins 40 are arranged so as to be movable up and down, and the end of each bin has a recess 23
Protruding from. On the other hand, a non-sorting tray 25, which is used when sorting is not required, is arranged on the top of the housing 21, and an operation section (input means) including operation buttons and a display is provided.

A sheet introduction port 26 is provided in the housing plate 21a corresponding to the sheet discharge port 11 of the copying machine main body 10, and the recorded sheet 12 introduced from the sheet introduction port 26 has a sheet conveying system 30. It is adapted to be conveyed to each of the bins 40 or the tray 25 for non-sheets. A sheet aligning mechanism 70 is arranged in the vicinity of the bin 40. The sheet aligning mechanism 70 aligns the sheets 12 in the bin 40 at a predetermined timing interval during the sorting process, and also during the stapling process.
It works like pressing down.

Further, the staple binding device 100 is provided below the sheet conveying system 30 and inside the housing 21 along the width direction thereof.
Is installed. The staple binding device 100 has a staple needle cartridge 101, and a predetermined number of staples are set in advance. The staple binding device 100 operates so as to perform dual binding on one side edge of the sheets 12 accommodated in the bin 40.

The sheet conveying system 30 has a common sheet conveying path 31 extending from the sheet introducing port 26 into the housing 21, and from the common sheet conveying path 31 is a first sheet conveying path 32 directed downward and a second sheet conveying path directed upward. The conveyance path 33 is branched, the first sheet conveyance path 32 leads to the distribution stage S1 of the target bin 40 in which the sheets 12 are stored, and the second sheet conveyance path 33 leads to the position of the non-sort tray 25. Switching of the sheets on the sheet conveying paths 32 and 33 is performed by a switching gate 39.

Then, the first and second sheet conveying paths 3
A suitable number of transport rollers 34 and 35 are installed at predetermined intervals in the middle of the routes 2 and 33, and discharge rollers 36 and 37 are provided at the leading ends of the sheet transport paths 32 and 33, respectively. Further, immediately before the discharge roller 36 of the discharge path 32 of the first sheet conveyance path 32, a sheet exit sensor 38 that outputs, for example, a high level signal when the sheet 12 passes is installed.

FIG. 5 is a plan view seen from the direction of arrow b in FIG. 3 for explaining the constitution of the stapler binding device, that is, the stapler portion, according to the present invention. 44 and 45 are notches for stapling processing, 46 is a notch for sheet gripping, 46a is its edge, 47 is a tamper opening, 47a is its edge,
51, 52 and 53 are engagement pins, 55 to 57 are cam screws, 55a to 57a are cam screws, 58 is a bin drive motor, 60 to 62 are driven pulleys, 63 is a drive belt, 64 is a timing belt, and 71 is a tamper. , 125 is a processing position moving system of the stapler.

In FIGS. 3 to 5, the bottle 40 is provided with a recess 23.
Is obliquely arranged downward at a predetermined angle toward the opening 24 side, and its width direction (corresponding to the width direction of the sheet conveyance path 32).
A flat plate-shaped base 41 that is slightly inclined toward the front side, a positioning flange 42 that is erected on the edge of the base 41 on the side of the opening 24, and three points (one corner) on the side edge of the opening 24. Notches 43 to 45 for stapling processing by the stapler binding device 100 formed at two positions (across the central portion and the central portion) and a central portion of one side edge portion located on the front side in the width direction of the base 41. The sheet 12 is provided with a notch 46 for gripping the cut sheet 12 and a substantially triangular tamper opening 47 formed near the positioning flange 42.

As the constitution of the bin 40, a reinforcing flange may be formed on one end edge or the like located on the inner side of the base 41 adjacent to the positioning flange 42 to enhance the rigidity of the bin 40. The stapler binding device, that is, the stapler 100, uses the processing position moving system 125 to cut out the notch 43 (the corner stapling position P ₀ ) of the bin 40, 4
4, 45 (dual stapling positions P ₁ , P ₂ ) are set.

The corner stapling position P ₀ is 45 with respect to the dual stapling positions P ₁ and P ₂ NI.
° It is placed in a tilted state. In the dual binding process, the bin sheets are first bound on one side of the dual binding, and then folded back to perform the binding process on the other side. Although the stapler sorter 20 has been described as being interlocked with the copying machine main body 10, the invention is not limited to this, and the sorting and stapling can be performed independently of the image forming apparatus such as the copying machine.

FIGS. 6, 7, 8, and 9 are schematic diagrams for explaining the schematic structure of the stapler binding device 100 and its operation mode. 101 is a staple needle cartridge, 102 is a staple needle, and 103 is a staple needle. A delivery plate, 104 is a staple needle remaining amount sensor, and 105 is a staple delivery belt. The arrow 106 indicates the staple feeding direction.

In FIG. 6, one stapler 102 is connected to a staple plate of 70 sheets in a divisible manner, and the stapler cartridges 101 are housed in a stapler cartridge 101 in a state of being stacked in a plurality of stages to be attached to the stapler binding device 100. Set. On the uppermost stage of the staple needle 102 in which the staple needles having a flat plate shape are stacked, a staple needle feed plate 103 having substantially the same shape as the staple needle flat plate having a notch 103 'is placed.

A staple needle remaining amount sensor 104 is installed in the passage of the staple needle 102 sent out to the stapling processing position at the dual stapling positions P ₁ and P ₂ . FIG. 7 shows a state in which the staple staple plate is the last one, and at this time, the staple staple feed-out plate 103 is located in the same plane as the last staple staple plate.

In the state shown in FIG. 7, the staple needle 102 is consumed, and the staple needle feed plate 103 is moved from the staple needle cartridge 101 toward the stapling position as shown in FIG. 8 by the feeding operation by the staple needle feed belt 105. Moving. When the staple needle 102 is consumed further and the remaining amount reaches 19,
As shown in FIG. 9, the notch 103 ′ formed in the staple feed plate 103 is a staple amount low sensor 1
04 position is reached, and the staple amount remaining sensor 104
Is turned on to detect the remaining staple amount.

In response to the detection of the shortage of the staples, the control cycle when the staples are low starts to operate. In the above description, the staple staple plate is composed of 70 needles, and the number of staples at which the detection of the remaining amount, that is, the control cycle when the staple staple amount is small starts the operation is 19, but it is not limited to this.

FIG. 10 is a flow chart for explaining the control cycle of the present embodiment when the staple staple amount is small. The control when the staple staple amount is small is whether or not the stapler is stapling the sheet in the bin. (S-10), and when a small amount of staples is detected during stapling (S-20), it is determined whether or not the stapling process is performing dual-stitching on the side 1 ( S-30), in the case of dual binding, the number A of stapled bins and the remaining amount B of staples are compared (S-40), and when A ≦ B, N = (A + B) / 2 (decimal cut off) is calculated (S-50), and if N> number of used bins (S-50)
-60), using this N as the number of used bins (S-70), N
The staple is treated on the first side of the dual staple that is folded back at the bin (S-80).

The other side of the dual binding is bound by the above-mentioned folding back, and then the one side of the dual binding is performed on the unbound sheet after the folded position. With this series of operations, it is possible to perform the staple binding processing on all the copies with the maximum number of dual binding copies of the image formed sheets.

[0031]

As described above, according to the present invention,
The maximum number of dual-stitched sheets is maximized, and the remaining unstitched sheets are bound by other means, or by performing dual binding again after replenishing staples, the dual-stitched sheets and unstitched sheets are distinguished. Therefore, it is possible to eliminate the complexity of the post-operation of the operator, which is caused by the mixture of the sheets that are bound on only one side of the dual binding or the sheets that are not bound at all as in the conventional stapler sorter.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a controller for a stapler sorter according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of processing steps for explaining the processing operation of the binding control method when the staple staple amount is small according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating the appearance of a copying machine to which the stapler sorter control device according to the present invention is applied.

4 is a cross-sectional view illustrating an internal structure of a stapler sorter portion taken along line aa of FIG.

5 is a plan view for explaining the configuration of the stapler sorter portion according to the present invention, viewed from the direction of arrow b in FIG. 3. FIG.

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of a stapler cartridge portion of a stapler sorter according to the present invention and an operation mode thereof.

FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of a stapler cartridge portion of a stapler sorter according to the present invention and an operation mode thereof.

FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of a stapler cartridge portion of a stapler sorter according to the present invention and an operation mode thereof.

FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of a stapler cartridge portion of a stapler sorter according to the present invention and an operation mode thereof.

FIG. 10 is a flow chart illustrating a control cycle when the stapler remaining amount is small according to the present embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ...- Stapling staple remaining amount detection means, 2 ...- Copies setting input means, 3 ...- Staple binding 1 side completed bin number calculation processing means, 4 ... Remaining staple number calculation Processing means, 5 ..., stapler binding required bin number calculation processing means, 6 ... Dual 1 side binding folding position control means.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A plurality of sheets are sorted into a plurality of sets, and each sorted part is bound on one side of dual binding,
In a controller for a stapler sorter that double-binds a plurality of copies by folding back and performing binding on the other side, a staple needle remaining amount detecting means for detecting a staple staple remaining amount of the stapler sorter and a stapler dual Copies setting input means for setting the number of copies to be stapled, staple staple 1 for calculating the number of bins for which side stitching of dual stitching has been performed, side binding completed bin number calculation means, and residual staple for calculating the number of staples remaining Needle calculation processing means, staple binding required bin number calculation processing means for calculating the number of remaining bins requiring staple binding, remaining staple number calculated by the staple binding required bin number calculation processing means, and remaining staple staple calculation Corresponding to the number of staples remaining in the stapler calculated by the processing means, the stapler is dual-stitched on one side. Controller of the stapler sorter, characterized in that it comprises a dual 1 side stitching the folded position control means for dual stapling copies is controlled to bind the other side of the dual stapling folded at the position where the maximum in the middle of sense.