JPH08192405A - Post-treating device for image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To assure the safety of a tamper unit disposed in the moving range of a stapler when the unit is so disposed as to match the lateral direction of a sheet to the stapler disposed at a sheet post-treating device. CONSTITUTION: When a tamper unit for giving hammering from both sides of a sheet is disposed at a stapler 20 disposed at a sheet binding position, rear tampers 48, 48a and front tampers 50, 51 are respectively provided at tamper members 45, 45a for constituting the unit. Pressing operations of cam members 60, 60a provided at the side of the stapler are added to arms for supporting the front tampers to oscillate the front tampers in releasing direction, thereby assuring the safety of the unit. If the moving range of the stapler becomes a set value or more, a safety member is disposed with respect to the arms of the front tampers to assure the safety of the stapler.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a post-processing device for aligning and binding sheets ejected from an image forming apparatus, and more particularly to a post-processing device capable of binding to the edges of sheets and saddle stitching. An apparatus provided with a tamper device arranged on both sides in the width direction so as to be able to align with a sheet, and provided with a mechanism for swinging and retracting the tamper at a position where the tamper in the moving range of the stapling device interferes with the stapling device. Regarding

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A post-processing apparatus, which is connected to an image forming apparatus such as an electrophotographic copying machine or a laser beam printer to bind a copy, has been generally used. As a device for simply binding with staples, for example, a device as disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 62-35863 is known. In the conventional example, one stapling device is provided so as to be movable along the end portion of the bundle of sheets to be bound, and the stapling can be performed at any place by the staple. Further, as a device in which a stapling device is arranged with respect to a sorter device which is connected to an image forming device and sorts sheets, and which binds a corner portion of a bundle of sheets, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 64-4345.
Devices such as those disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 6 are known. In the above-described conventional stapling device, the tray of the sorter device is positioned at the binding position, and then the stapling device is used for binding, so that the post-processing work of the sheets can be easily performed.

In addition to the conventional stapling apparatus as described above, as shown in, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2-219601, a large size sheet is bound at the central portion in the length direction to produce a bookbinding product. After that, a device for folding the bookbinding product in half through the binding portion may be used. In the above-mentioned conventional example, the stitcher member and the clincher member are individually movably provided corresponding to the upper and lower positions of the stack of accumulated sheets, and the two staple members are interlocked,
It is stopped at the binding position so that the staples can be bound. Then, by using the stapling device as described above, it is possible to bind with a staple in an arbitrary position of the bundle of sheets,
It is possible to easily adapt to the size of the paper.

[0004]

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION Problem to be Solved by the Invention
When using a stapling apparatus such as that disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 601, the aligning action is given to the sheet in a state where the sheet is deposited on the supporting member of the binding portion such as the staple tray member, and then a predetermined operation is performed. It is necessary to drive the staples into position. For example, when aligning the paper in the vertical direction, the alignment in the vertical direction can be relatively easily performed by bringing the leading end of the paper into contact with the stopper member to stop the paper. Further, when aligning the paper in the width direction, for example, a mechanism is used in which tampering devices are arranged on both sides of a staple tray member and the action of hitting the paper from both sides is added to perform aligning action on the paper. ing. However, in the stapling device for saddle stitching, even if the tampering device or the like is arranged on both sides of the binding portion, the tampering device is located in the moving range of the stapling device, and the stapling device and the tampering device are
There is a problem of mutual interference.

In order to solve the above problems,
For example, as shown in FIG. 7, two tampers 48, 50 and 48a, 5a on each side of the staple tray member.
It is conceivable that 0a are respectively arranged and that the tamperes perform the matching action from both sides of the paper P. In the example shown in FIG. 7, it is necessary to remove the mounting position of the tamper from the moving range of the stapling device 20 so that the two members do not interfere with each other. Further, in the tamper device as described above, in order to drive the two front and rear tampers in conjunction with each other, there is a problem that the configuration of the interlocking mechanism becomes complicated. On the other hand, it is troublesome to provide a mechanism for interlocking with each other.

Therefore, it is also one method to connect the tamper devices located on both sides of the paper in an interlocking state so that the hitting action on the paper is performed by one driving means, but such driving means is used. Then, when the stapling device moves to the end, the side part of the stapling device interferes with the tampering device. Further, if the stapling device runs out of control while moving laterally, there is a problem such as damage to the tamper device. It is desired to solve these problems with a simple mechanism. ..

[0007]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention solves the problems of the tampering device arranged in the conventional stapling device as described above, in which a plurality of tampers are arranged before and after the stapling position of the stapling device. A post-processing device for an image forming apparatus, which is provided within the moving range of the stapling device so that it can be moved in the escape direction while being pressed by the stapling device, can improve the safety of each component. It is intended to be provided.

[0008]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention, a device for connecting sheets to a sheet discharging section of an image forming apparatus, aligning sheets and binding them with staples is composed of two staple members, a stitcher member and a clincher member. The present invention relates to a stapling device in which the two stapling members are individually provided so as to be movable in the width direction of the sheet along the top and bottom of the stack of sheets stacked at the binding position. In the present invention, tamper devices are arranged on both sides in the moving direction of the staples, means for aligning the sheets to be bound are provided, and the tamper devices arranged on both sides in the width direction of the sheets are composed of a plurality of tampers. Of the tampers of the tamper device, the tamper arranged in the moving range of the stapling device is provided with a means for swinging when pressed by the stapling device. Further, in the present invention, the stapling device provided in the post-processing device may have the function of saddle stitching in addition to the function of binding the edges of the sheets. Further, in the present invention, a tamper capable of oscillating via a support shaft is provided to a frame member that supports a tamper that cannot oscillate the tamper device, and the oscillating state of the oscillating tamper is detected. It is also possible to arrange the means and use the information of the detection means for controlling the lateral movement of the stapling apparatus.

[0009]

In the sheet post-processing apparatus of the present invention configured as described above, on both sides of the sheet at the binding position by the stapling device, corresponding to the upstream and downstream portions of the sheet moving direction,
A plurality of tampers are arranged on each sheet so that a matching action with respect to the sheet can be given. In the tamper, a rear tamper is arranged on a frame that can be moved in the width direction of the sheet by a moving device, and a front tamper is arranged on a frame that holds the rear tamper via a swingable arm member. To do. When the stapler is laterally moved while the sheets are being aligned and the stapler is laterally moved, a state in which the stapler interferes with the tamper and the arm supporting the front tamper swings to move the front tamper. It acts to escape from the stapling device and prevents the tamper from being damaged. In addition, the arm supporting the front tamper is provided with a stopper for restricting swinging, and a safety member is arranged in order to prevent the arm from rotating more than a set value. I am able to secure it.

[0010]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A post-processing device for an image forming apparatus of the present invention will be described with reference to the illustrated example. The sheet post-processing apparatus 1 shown in FIG. 1 is connected to an image forming apparatus such as a laser beam printer and constitutes an apparatus for processing sheets,
An apparatus that can arbitrarily perform the operation of introducing the paper discharged from the image forming apparatus through the upper conveyance path 2 and directly discharging it to the discharge tray 6 and the operation of stapling it by using the stapling device is configured. In the upper transport path 2 arranged in the sheet post-processing device 1, a plurality of transport roller devices 3, 3a ...
And a discharge roller device 5. The discharge roller device 5 is configured by combining a driving roller member 5a and an orbit roller 5b as a pinch roller member. In the discharge roller device 5, when the sheet is reversed and guided toward the staple tray member 10,
With the sheet nipped between the drive roller member 5a and the orbit roller 5b, the orbit roller 5b is planet-rotated around the drive roller member to guide the leading end of the sheet toward the staple tray member 10. To Further, in the upstream portion of the discharge roller device 5, a mechanism for swinging the upper guide plate 4 through the support shaft 4a when reversing the sheet is provided, and the sheet is greatly curved to form a loop, Means are provided for guiding the paper.

In the discharge part roller device 7 arranged at the downstream side of the discharge roller device 5, a pinch roller member 7b is provided so as to be separable from the drive roller member 7a, so that the discharge roller device 5 moves to the discharge tray 6. When the sheet is directly ejected, the drive roller member 7a is driven in the ejection direction. Also,
When the sheet is deposited on the staple tray member 10 using the switchback type transport system without performing the reverse discharge by the discharge roller device, the discharge unit roller device 7 is driven in the forward and reverse directions to reverse the paper. Instead, the staple tray member may be ejected. further,
In the discharging section roller device, the staple tray member 10
It is also possible to discharge the document bound as above toward the discharge tray 6, and in order to cope with such various transport modes, the pinch roller member 7b is brought into contact with or separated from the drive roller member 7a. It is possible.

A staple tray member 10 arranged below the upper transport path 2 of the sheet post-processing apparatus 1 is provided with a staple device 20 for binding sheets, and a tamper device 40 is provided at a side portion of the staple device. Are arranged. Further, the rear tamper 48 and the front tamper 50 arranged in the tamper device 40 are arranged at predetermined intervals in the upstream and downstream portions of the binding position T by the stapling device, respectively, and the two tampers are driven in conjunction with each other. In addition, as will be described later, the front tamper 50 is configured as an escape member for avoiding interference by the stapling device. It should be noted that the staple tray member 10 does not constitute a member that supports a sheet by a single plate member, and as described later, a guide plate of the lower staple member 25 and a sheet support plate member that is arranged in front of and behind it. By combining the above, etc., a member capable of exhibiting the action as one staple tray member is configured.

At the downstream side of the stapling device, there is provided an aligning device 12 for aligning the leading ends of the sheets. The aligning device 12 has a stopper 13 and a paddle 14.
And a conveyance roller device 11 are provided. The aligning device 12 is provided so as to be movable in the upstream and downstream directions, and when binding the leading end of the sheet, the aligning device is positioned at a position close to the stapling device.
Further, when performing binding on the central portion of the paper in the length direction, the aligning device 12 can be moved to a position indicated by an imaginary line in the drawing, and the paper can be aligned at a position where the central portion of the paper matches the binding line T. To do so. Further, in the sheet post-processing apparatus, the discharge path 17 is arranged from the end portion of the staple tray member toward the lower part of the apparatus main body, and the gate member 15 and the discharge roller device 16 are arranged so that the bound document is stored. Make sure that it is ejected toward the bottom of the device. In the stapling device, when the aligning device 12 is moved to the position of the imaginary line and the central portion of the paper is bound, the conveying roller device 11 is reversely driven in a state where the binding work is completed, After the leading end portion of the sheet reaches the upstream portion of the gate member 15, the document is guided toward the discharge path 17 by performing the normal rotation again.

[0014]

[Structure of Stapling Apparatus] The stapling apparatus 20 incorporated in the sheet post-processing apparatus of the present invention can be constructed as shown in FIG. 2 so that it is positioned above and below the sheets stacked on the staple tray member. The upper staple member 21 and the lower staple member 25 are arranged. The stapling device 20 constitutes a device for guiding the lower staple member 25 provided with a stitcher member 26 for arranging means for driving staples by sliding the guide bars 28 and 28a.
A belt member 39 for driving 5 is provided. Further, in the upper staple member 21 located above the sheet, a clincher member 22 for bending and stopping the tip end portion of the staple is arranged, and guide bars 24, 24a for guiding the upper staple member 21 are arranged.
Is arranged to form a means for driving the belt member 36. Further, the upper stapling member 21 and the lower stapling member 25 are provided with guide plates 23 and 27, respectively, for guiding the sheets, so that the sheets can be guided on the staple tray member. To

In the stapling device 20, a driving device 30 is arranged to drive the upper stapling member 21 and the lower stapling member 25, and the rotation of the motor 31 is transmitted to the driving shaft 33 via the transmission device 32. To do. A pulley 3 is attached to the drive shaft 33 via a clutch 34.
5, the belt member 36 is driven through the pulley 35, and the upper staple member 21 is driven. Further, the lower staple member 25 is driven by winding a belt member 39 around a pulley 38 provided via a clutch 37 provided on the drive shaft 33 and driving the lower staple member connected to the belt member 39. To do. By configuring the motor 31 as a stepping motor capable of driving in the forward and reverse directions, the upper and lower staple members are moved in an arbitrary direction and moved by an arbitrary distance to be positioned at the binding position, and the staple needle is used. The binding operation can be performed. Therefore, in the stapling apparatus 20, when moving the upper and lower stapling members, for example, the side portion of the lower stapling member 25 is positioned with respect to the sensor S to perform the initialization operation, and then the motor is driven to a predetermined position. By applying several pulses, it is possible to set the binding position by the staple.

[0016]

[Structure and operation of tamper device] Referring to FIG.
Tamper device 40 arranged on the side of stapling device 20
3 can be configured as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, and in the example shown in FIG. 3, the relationship between the lower staple member 25 and the tamper device 40 as viewed from the side is shown. The tamper device 40 includes a support frame 4
6, the rear tamper 48 is fixedly arranged, and the front tamper 50 is arranged with respect to the support frame 46 via an arm member 51 swingably provided via a vertical support shaft 52. The arm member 51 that supports the front tamper 50 is
The arm member 51 is provided so as to swing by being pressed by a cam member 60 that is provided so as to project to the side portion of the lower staple member 25, and the arm member 51 is urged in the direction in which the paper is pressed. A stopper arm 53 for restricting the position and a safety member 56 are arranged to prevent an excessive pressing action by the lower staple member.

In the tamper device 40, as shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 4, the tampers 45, 45a are arranged in a state of being positioned on both sides of the sheet. Then, in order to drive the driving device 41 arranged in the central portion of the device in a direction in which the two tampers are brought into contact with each other, and to perform a striking action using the tamper, a horizontal shaft member 42 is provided.
Has been arranged. In the tampers 45 and 45a arranged on both sides of the paper with respect to the horizontal shaft member 42, the support frames 46 and 46a are made to correspond to each other, and the rotation of the shaft is transmitted to the support frame to selectively or tamper the members. The movement is made to interlock with each other, and the tamper strikes the side of the paper. Further, since the tampers 45 and 45a arranged on both sides of the paper have a symmetrical structure, only the structure of one tamper 45 will be described below. As shown in FIG. 5, in the tamper 45, a rear tamper 48 is arranged with respect to a support frame 46, and an arm member 51 is swingable on the support frame 46 via a support shaft 52. The front tamper 50 is provided with a spring 55 for the arm member 51.
Is urged in the direction of pressing toward the paper.

Further, a stopper arm 53 is arranged at the end of the arm member 51, and means for regulating the position where the front tamper 50 is pressed toward the paper is provided. further,
A safety member 56 is arranged in order to regulate the range in which the arm member 51 is pressed by the stapling device and is swung outward, and the safety member 56 is provided with a sensor as shown in FIGS. The plate 57 and the sensor 58 are combined. The safety member 56 prevents a runaway condition from occurring when the lower staple member is moved toward the side, and outputs an alarm to the device when the tamper is excessively pressed by the lower staple member. This is used to interrupt the operation of the device or to turn off the power to ensure safety.

Tamper device 40 constructed as described above
6, the stapling device 20 is moved in the width direction of the paper P to perform positioning, and the staple needle 61 is driven to bind the document, as shown in FIG.
The staples 61 are arranged at arbitrary intervals along the binding line T.
Can be typed. As shown in FIG. 6,
The cam members 60 arranged on both sides of the stapling device 20 are
It is necessary to set a constant space L1 between the driving position at the end of the staple and the side surface of the paper, and at such a binding position, the cam member 61a shakes the front tamper 50a. Move it away from the paper. However, when the front tamper 50a is swung, it is possible to set a state in which an alarm is not output from the safety member. Further, when the front tamper is excessively pressed by the cam member beyond the interval L1, the sensor 58
It is possible to ensure the safety of the device by outputting an alarm or the like from the device.

In the tamper device of the present invention constructed as described above, the number of tampers arranged on the side of the sheet and the arrangement interval can be arbitrarily constructed. The safety member can be arranged with respect to the tamper located in the movement range of the device. Also, the configuration of members such as cam members arranged in the stapling device can be set to an arbitrary protruding length, and the configuration of a stopper for rocking and the like can also be arbitrarily formed. . Furthermore, the staple tray member arranged corresponding to the stapling device does not interfere with the operating positions of the tamper device and the stapling device, and can be any sheet as long as it can easily perform the stacking and aligning action of the sheets. It can be composed of members.

[0021]

Since the sheet post-processing apparatus of the present invention is configured as described above, the tamper device is arranged corresponding to the stapling apparatus to align the stack of sheets, and the staple needle is used. It is possible to configure a device that performs a binding operation. Then, in the sheet post-processing apparatus of the present invention, a plurality of tampers are arranged on both sides of the sheet at the binding position by the stapling device so as to correspond to the upstream and downstream portions of the sheet in the moving direction of the sheet, and the aligning action with respect to the sheet is achieved. It is possible to give. Further, in the tamper arranged in the sheet post-processing device, the rear tamper is arranged with respect to the frame movable in the width direction of the sheet by the moving device, and the rear tamper is swingable with respect to the frame holding the rear tamper. By disposing the front tamper via the arm member, it is possible to simplify the configuration of the aligning unit for the sheet.

Further, when a state occurs in which the sheets interfere with the tamper due to the lateral movement of the stapling apparatus while the sheets are being bound by the stapling apparatus, the arm supporting the front tamper swings, Since the front tamper is released from the stapling device, the tamper can be prevented from being damaged. In addition to the above effects, in the present invention, the arm that supports the front tamper is provided with a stopper that limits swinging,
A safety member is provided in order to prevent the device from rotating more than the set value, so that the safety of the device can be easily ensured.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side view showing a configuration of a sheet post-processing apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a configuration of a stapling apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a side view showing a relationship between a stapling device and a tamper device.

FIG. 4 is a plan view showing a configuration of a tamper device.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing a relationship between a front tamper and a stopper arm.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing the relationship between the operation of the stapling device and the tamper device.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram of an example of arranging the tamper device while avoiding the moving range of the stapling device.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 paper post-processing device, 5 discharge roller device, 6
Ejection tray, 7 Ejection section roller device, 10
Staple tray member, 12 aligning device, 13
Stopper, 20 Staple device, 21 Upper staple member, 22 Clincher member, 25 Lower staple member, 26 Stitcher member, 30
Drive device, 31 motor, 33 drive shaft, 3
4.37 clutch, 36.39 belt member,
40 tamper device, 45 tamper member, 4
8 rear tamper, 50 front tamper, 53 stopper arm, 56 safety member, 60 cam member, 61 staple needle.

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. An apparatus for connecting sheets to a sheet discharge section of an image forming apparatus, aligning sheets and binding them with staples is constituted by two staple members, a stitcher member and a clincher member, and deposited at the binding position. Along the top and bottom of the stack of paper,
A stapling device comprising the two stapling members individually movably in the width direction of the paper, wherein tamper devices are arranged on both sides of the staple in the moving direction, and means for aligning the paper to be bound is provided. The tamper devices arranged on both sides in the width direction of the paper are composed of a plurality of tampers, and among the tampers of the tamper device, the tamper arranged in the moving range of the staple device is shaken by being pressed by the staple device. A post-processing device for an image forming apparatus, which is provided with a moving unit. 2. The post-processing of the image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the stapling device provided in the post-processing device has a saddle-stitching function in addition to a binding function of a sheet edge portion. apparatus. 3. A means for detecting a swinging state of the swingable tamper by providing a tamper capable of swinging via a support shaft with respect to a frame member supporting a tamper that cannot swing the tamper device. 2. The post-processing apparatus for an image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the post-processing apparatus is arranged, and the information of the detecting unit is used for controlling the lateral movement of the stapling apparatus.