JPH0822715B2 - Sheet aftertreatment device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a sheet post-processing apparatus for processing a sheet discharged from an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine or a laser beam printer, and more specifically to a sheet post-processing apparatus. The present invention relates to a sheet post-processing device including a sorting device having a large number of bins for sorting and storing, and a stacker device storing a sheet bundle discharged from the sorting device.

(B) Conventional Technology Conventionally, a sheet post-processing device including a sorting device having a large number of bins and a stacker device sorts and stores sheets discharged from a document processing position into a bin of the sorting device, and then stacks the sheets. It was stored by being transported to the stacker device by the transport device.

(C) Problems to be Solved by the Invention By the way, the above-described sheet post-processing device is a non-sort tray for loading special paper such as OHP paper or sheets that do not require classification processing such as one copy of one original. However, there is a drawback in that the apparatus becomes large and complicated by disposing it separately or by providing a bypass path that directly passes through the sorting apparatus and discharges directly to the stacker apparatus.

(D) Means for Solving the Problem The present invention is intended to solve the above-mentioned problems, and includes a number of bins for storing sheets to be loaded from the loading side, and the loading side of the bins. In a sheet post-processing apparatus including a stacker that stores a sheet conveyed from a different unloading side, a sheet that is conveyed from the loading side is not imparted with a conveying force so that the sheet is stored on the bin. A sheet conveying means capable of switching between a state and a working state in which a conveying force is applied to the sheet on the bin so that the sheet conveyed from the carry-in side is conveyed from the carry-out side toward the stacker. It is characterized by

(E) Action Based on the above configuration, the sheets that require classification processing are
The sheets are carried into the respective bins from the carry-in side. At this time, since the sheet conveying means is in a non-operating state, the respective sheets are stored in the respective bins and classified. Then, the sorted sheet bundles on each bin are bound by, for example, a stapler, and conveyed from the unloading side to the stacker.

On the other hand, when a sheet that does not require classification processing such as one-copy is carried into the bin from the carry-in side, the sheet conveying means is in operation at this time. A carrying force is applied to the stacker from the unloading side.

(F) Example Hereinafter, an example of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

As shown in FIG. 2, a limitless sorter (hereinafter abbreviated as a sorter) 1 is attached downstream of a folding device 3 attached to a laser beam printer 2, and a stacker is provided downstream of the sorter 1. 5 is attached. A deflector 15 for branching and guiding the sheet S to the transport path 12 or 13 is disposed downstream of the carry-in port 6 of the sorter 1, and the passage of the sheet S is detected downstream of the transport path 12. A sensor 14 (see FIG. 2) and a discharge roller pair 16 are provided. Further, an upper bin group 17 for sorting and storing the sheets S is supported on the downstream side of the discharge roller pair 16 so as to be able to move up and down, and a stapler 19 is arranged near the bin 17. A discharge roller pair 20 is disposed downstream of the transport path 13, and a discharge roller pair 20 is disposed downstream of the roller pair 20.
A lower bin group 21 for sorting and storing the sheets S is supported so as to be able to move up and down, and a stapler 19 is provided near the bin 21.
Is provided.

Further, the scatter 5 has conveying devices 22, 22 for sandwiching and conveying the sheet bundle S ... Extruded from the bins 17, 21.
And a stack tray 23 that can move up and down for stacking the sheet bundle S conveyed by the devices 22, 22.

And, as shown in FIG. 1, the carrying device 22 is arranged on the downstream side of the front bin 17. In addition, the conveying device 22 has an outlet lower guide 25 fixed to the stacker 5 main body.
And an outlet upper guide 27 which is swingably supported by a shaft 26. Further, an upper grip roller 29a is rotatably supported at the tip of the guide 27, a pressing roller 30a is rotatably supported at the central portion, and an upper discharge roller 31a is further provided at the rear end. It is rotatably supported. On the side of the outlet lower guide 25, a lower grip roller 29b that is in pressure contact with the upper grip roller 29a is rotatably supported, and a conveying roller 30b that is in pressure contact with the pressing roller 30a is rotatably supported. Has been done. Furthermore, the upper discharge roller 31 is attached to the outlet lower guide 25.
A lower discharge roller 31b that comes into pressure contact with a is rotatably supported, and a kicking belt 32 is wound around the transport roller 30b and the lower discharge roller 31b. A sheet edge detection sensor 33 for detecting the edge of the sheet S is provided on the leading end side of the outlet upper / lower guides 25, 26, and the detection signal of the sensor 33 is transmitted to the control section C. It has become so. A cover 35 for protecting the bins 17 is provided above the bins 17 and a support shaft 36 is supported above the cover 35. In addition, the support arm 36 has a transmission arm.
The 37 and the rotating arm 39 are supported so as to rotate integrally, and a transport roller 40 driven by a driving means (not shown) is rotatably supported at the tip of the rotating arm 39. Further, a Z-fold detection sensor 41 for detecting the Z-folded sheet S is arranged in the central portion of the rotating arm 30, and a guide plate 38 for guiding the sheet S is arranged on the rotating arm 39. ing. In the vicinity of the support shaft 36, the support shaft 42
And a solenoid 43, and a bell crank-shaped arm 45 is rotatably supported on the support shaft 42. Further, one end 45a of the arm 45 is connected to the solenoid 43, and the other end 45b is in contact with the transmission arm 37 and one end thereof is connected to a spring 46 fixed to the cover 35.

Since the present embodiment is configured as described above, when the printed sheet S discharged from the laser beam printer 2 is a half size sheet (for example, A4, B5 etc.) S, the sheet S is folded by the folding device 3. Is added to the sorter 1 through the carry-in port 6. And the sheet S
Is guided to the conveying path 12 or 13 by the deflector 15 and is conveyed to the bin 17 or 21 by the discharge roller pair 16 or 20.
Is discharged to For example, when the sheet S is discharged to the bin group 17, ..., The sheet S is discharged to the lowest bin 17. Similarly, the sequentially discharged sheets S are accumulated in the bin 17 that moves one step at a time, and the control unit C that detects by the sensor 14 that the number of sheets S accumulated in the bin 17 ... Has reached a predetermined number. Causes the stapler 19 to staple the sheet bundles S ... Collected in the bins 17 in order. Further, the sheet bundle S, which has been stapled, is pushed out to the conveying device 22 by a sheet bundle conveying device (not shown).
When the leading edge of the sheet bundle S ... Is detected by the sheet edge detection sensor 33, the upper outlet guide 27 is swung to the position shown by the chain double-dashed line by the driving means (not shown), and the sheet bundle S ...
Is gripped by grip rollers 29a and 29b and conveyed. Then, the rear end of the sheet bundle S ...
When it is detected by, the upper outlet guide 27 is returned to the position shown by the solid line by the driving means (not shown), and the sheet bundle S ...
Presser roller 30a, transport roller 30b, vertical discharge rollers 31a, 31
It is discharged to the stack tray 23 by b and the kicking belt 32, and is stacked on the tray 23.

Further, when the sheet S discharged from the laser beam printer 2 has a large size (for example, A3 or the like) and is folded in half by the folding device 3, the sheets are sorted / stapled and stacked on the stack tray 23 by the same operation as described above. .

Further, when the large size sheet S is stapled without being folded, the sheet S is conveyed to the conveying path 12 in the same manner as described above, and is discharged by the discharge roller pair 16 into a bin.
It is discharged to the top bin 17 of 17 ... At this time, the sheet S is detected by the sensor 14, and the detection signal of the sensor 14 is transmitted to the control unit C. And a large size sheet S
Are sequentially stacked in the uppermost bin 17, and when the sensor 14 detects that the number of sheets S has reached a predetermined number, the controller C causes the stapler 19 to staple the sheet bundle S. Then, after stapling, the control section C uses the sheet bundle conveying device (not shown) to convey the sheet bundle S ...
Are pushed out, and the sheet bundle S ... Is pressed by a pressing roller 30a, a conveying roller 30b, upper / lower discharge rollers 31a and 31b, and a kicking belt.
The sheet is discharged to the stack tray 23 by 32 and stacked on the tray 23.

When the large size sheet S is Z-folded and stapled, the sheet S discharged from the laser beam printer 2 is Z-folded by the folding device 2 and further conveyed from the folding device 2 to the sorter 1. Next, the Z-folded sheet S is carried in from the carry-in port 6 of the sorter 1, and further guided to the carrying path 12 by the deflector 15. Then, the Z-folded sheet S is detected by the sensor 14 and is discharged to the uppermost bin 17 of the bin group 17 ... By the discharge roller pair 16 (see FIG. 3A). Then, when the front end of the Z-folded sheet S contacts the Z-fold detection sensor 41 and the sensor 41 is turned on (see FIG. 3 (b)), the sensor 41 is turned on.
The control unit C that detects the signal turns off the solenoid 43.
As a result, the arm 45 is pulled by the spring 46 and pivots in the clockwise direction to pivot the transmission arm 37 in the clockwise direction.
The rotation arm 39 and the conveyance roller 40 move the sheet S
It retreats to a position where it does not hinder the conveyance of the sheet (see FIG. 3 (c)). Further, when the next Z-folded sheet S ... Is detected by the sensor 14, the control unit C that receives the detection signal of the sensor 14
Turns on the solenoid 43 to rotate the rotating arm 39, and the conveyance roller 40 and the guide plate 38 suppress the bulging of the folded portions of the Z-folded sheets S ... Collected in the bin 17 (see FIG. 3 ( See d)). Then, a predetermined number of Z-folded sheets S are placed on the bin 17.
The control unit C that counts the accumulation of .. by the detection signal of the sensor 14 is stapled by the stapler 19. Then, the stapled sheet bundle S ...
Are discharged and stacked on the stack tray 23 by the same operation as described above.

If the sheet S discharged from the laser beam printer 2 is a special sheet such as OHP paper or a sheet that does not require classification processing such as one copy of one original, the sheet S is not folded by the folding device 3. Then it is transported to the sorter 1.
Then, the sheet S is carried in from the carry-in port 6 of the sorter 1, and is further guided to the carrying path 12 by the deflector 15. Then, the sheet S is detected by the sensor 14,
When the detection signal of the sensor 14 is transmitted to the controller C, the controller C turns on the solenoid 43. This allows the arm 45
Rotates counterclockwise by overcoming the pulling force of the spring 46, and the rotation arm 39 rotates together with the rotation of the arm 45.
Further, the transport roller 40 at the tip of the rotating arm 39 comes into contact with the sheet stacking surface of the bin 17 to start rotation by the driving of the driving means (not shown). Then, the sheet S is discharged onto the bin by the discharge roller pair 16, and the sheet S is conveyed to the transport roller 40.
Is transported to the stack 5. When the leading edge of the sheet S is detected by the sheet edge detection sensor 33, the upper outlet guide 27 is swung to a position indicated by a chain double-dashed line by driving means (not shown), and the sheet S is nipped by grip rollers 29a and 29b. And then transport. Then, when the trailing edge of the sheet S is detected by the sheet edge detection sensor 33, the upper outlet guide 27 is returned to the position indicated by the solid line by the driving means, and the sheet S is
Presser roller 30a, transport roller 30b, upper / lower discharge roller 30a,
It is discharged to the stack tray 23 by the 31b and the kicking belt 32 and is stacked on the tray 23.

In the embodiment described above, the transport roller 40 is configured to directly contact the sheet stacking surface of the bin 17,
A roller that comes into pressure contact with the roller 40 may be provided on the bin 17 side.

(G) Effect of the Invention As described above, according to the present invention, the non-sort tray or the bypass path can be omitted, and the device can be downsized and simplified.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view showing a main part of a sheet post-processing apparatus according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a front sectional view showing the sheet post-processing device. And, as shown in FIG. 3 (a), (b),
(C), (d) is a front view which shows an Example. 1 ... sorting device, 2 ... original processing position, 5 ... stacker (device), 1,5 ... sheet post-processing device, 17,21 ... bin, 38 ... guide member, 40 ... sheet conveying means (Element),
S: Sheet.

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A sheet post-processing apparatus comprising: a plurality of bins for storing sheets carried in from a carry-in side; and a stacker for storing sheets conveyed from a carry-out side different from the carry-in side of the bins. The sheet carried in from the side is in a non-operating state in which the carrying force is not applied to the sheet so as to be stored in the bin, and the sheet carried in from the carry-in side is carried from the carry-out side to the stacker. 2. A sheet post-processing apparatus comprising: a sheet conveying unit capable of switching to a working state in which a conveying force is applied to the sheet on the bin. 2. The sheet conveying member includes a guide member.
The sheet post-processing device according to claim 1.