JPH0885668A - Image forming system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To eliminate a trouble of preparing a stapler, an electric stapler, etc., separately by storing an original in a bin of a sorter-stapler device and staple-treating the original and copying paper for each of the bins. CONSTITUTION: A first bin of bins 1 is allotted to an original storage bin 4, and a second bin to an eleventh bin are set for bins for copying paper. Consequently, when the second bin is set at a selected position by a bin selecting means 2, first copying paper of a first original is carried from the arrow P direction and stored in the second bin. Thereafter, when the third bin is set at a selected position, second copying paper of the first original is stored in the third bin. When copying treatment of all the originals is finished in this way, the originals are stored in the original storage bin 4, and the originals and the copying paper are staple-treated for each of the bins by actuating a staple means 3.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image forming system composed of a sorter / stipple device and an image forming device, and more particularly to a stippling process for sheets stored in a daughter bin.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a conventional image forming system including a sorter / stipple device and an image forming device for forming a copy of an original image, a copy sheet that has been copied in the image forming device and discharged to the outside of the device is They were sorted by a sorter, stored in each bottle, and stapled for each bottle. However, in this method, since the bin is used only for storing paper, the original document processed by the image forming apparatus is not stored in the bin of the sorter / stipler apparatus but is set in a predetermined location of the image forming apparatus. It was stored in. For this reason, in order to restore the original that was once stippled for the copy process,
The stapler, the electric stapler, and the like have to be separately prepared and used for the staple processing, which has been annoying.

[0003]

In the above prior art, the originals processed by the image forming apparatus are not stored in the bin of the sorter / stipler apparatus but in a predetermined place of the image forming apparatus. For this reason, in order to restore the original that has once been stapled for the copying process to the original state, a stapler, an electric stapler, etc. must be separately prepared for the stapling process. .

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Therefore, the present invention assigns one or a plurality of bins among a plurality of bins of a sorter / stipple device to a bin for storing a document when performing a stippling process including a document. An image forming system that eliminates the hassle of having to separately prepare a stapler, an electric stapler, etc. by storing originals in the bin of the sorter / stipple device and stippling the originals and copy paper for each bin To provide.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a sorter / stipper device in an image forming system including a sorter / stipper device and an image forming device for copying and forming a document image. Inside, a plurality of bins capable of accommodating sheets discharged from the image forming apparatus, a bin selecting means for selecting a bin to be used for accommodating from the plurality of bins, and a sheet accommodated in the bin A bin for stippling each bin, and one or more bins from among the plurality of bins are used as a document storage bin for storing documents in order to perform the stippling process by the above-mentioned stippling unit including the document. In a state where the originals are allocated and stored in the original storage bin, the originals and copy sheets are stapled for each bin by the stippling means. That is, a storage paper detection means for detecting the presence / absence of paper storage is provided in the plurality of bins, and a bin in which the storage paper detection means has detected no storage of paper when the stippling means performs stippling processing is excluded. It is characterized in that the paper or original on the bin is subjected to stippling processing.

[0006]

The image forming system configured as described above is
The paper discharged from the image forming apparatus can be stored in a plurality of bins of the sorter / stipler device, and a bin selection unit that selects a bin to be stored from among the plurality of bins, and one or more of the plurality of bins. Since a plurality of bins are assigned to a document storage bin capable of storing a document and a stippling means for stippling the document and copy sheets for each bin is provided, when performing stippling processing of the image forming system including the document, Originals and copy sheets discharged from the image forming apparatus can be accommodated in bins assigned by the bin selection means, and both the originals and the copy sheets can be stapled by the same stippling means, and stapler, electric stapler, etc. can be separately provided. There is no hassle of having to prepare. In addition, since the bin has a storage paper detection unit that detects whether or not the paper is stored, the bin that has detected the storage of the paper can eliminate stippling processing, and can prevent blanking and improve the processing speed. A forming system can be provided.

[0007]

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic view of the entire sorter / stipler apparatus 10 of the present invention, and an image forming apparatus, which is an apparatus on the main body side that constitutes an image forming system, is omitted because it is known. The paper ejected from the paper ejection port of the image forming apparatus adjacent to the right side of the drawing
By the action of the switching claw 12 which is guided from the arrow P side of the stapler device 10 into the device 10, is checked by the entrance sensor 11, and is switched by a command from the image forming device, the pull-up tray 13 located on the upper surface of the device in the unsorted state. In the sorted state, it is guided to the bin 1 by the downward conveying path.

The bin 1 is moved up and down by the action of the bin selection means 2 to select the bin in which the paper is to be stored. Figure 2
Shows more specifically the assembled state of the bin 1 and the bin selection means 2. The bin 1 supported by the three helical cam shafts 2a and the groove of the front side plate 2d has a bin lift motor 2
Rotation is transmitted to the helical cam shaft 2a via the belt by the forward and reverse rotation of c, and the helical cam shaft 2a is moved up and down along the groove. The rotation number and the rotation angle of the helical cam shaft 2a are detected by the bin pulse sensor 2b and guided to a control circuit (not shown),
It is controlled to select the bin 1 in which the paper is to be stored. Further, the cam pitch of the helical cam shaft 2a is wide at the paper storage position so as not to hinder the storage of the paper, and the cam pitch is narrowed at other places so that a large number of bins can be handled and space efficiency is taken into consideration.

The stored sheet detecting means 5 utilizes a method that utilizes the difference in optical reflection depending on the presence or absence of a sheet, a method that detects the presence or absence of a sheet as a mechanical change, and that electrical interruption or conduction occurs depending on the presence or absence of a sheet. It is easy to understand here, but any thing with a roller at the tip of the actuator of the micro switch is made to protrude from the notch hole provided in the proper place of the bin 1 and the paper is put in the bin. In the example shown in FIG. 1, the roller is pushed down when it is stored on the sheet 1, and the state of the micro switch is reversed from the movement of the interlocking actuator to detect that the sheet is stored.

Returning to FIG. 1, an auxiliary bin 14 is provided above the uppermost bin of the bin 1 in order to prevent defective storage when curled paper is stored.
When the sheets are stored in the bin 1 and the stipple process of the image forming system is started, the stipple unit 3 including the stipple unit 3a and the chuck unit 3b operates.
That is, the chuck unit 3b holds the edge of the sheet to be stapled stored in the bin 1 and moves to a predetermined position where the staple unit 3a performs the staple processing in this state. The stipple unit 3a waits for a movement completion command of the chuck unit 3b, and performs stipple processing at the designated position. The chuck unit 3b works to return the stapled paper to the instructed position again. This operation is repeated for all the sheets to be stapled in the bin 1.

Next, the operation processing of the present invention will be described together with the configuration of the operation section shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 show an embodiment of an operation unit for inputting an operation command according to the present invention, and a liquid crystal touch panel or the like having a display and an input key is widely used. The operation unit is generally installed on the image forming apparatus side, but it may be provided at any part of the image forming system. First, a manuscript is set in an auto document feeder (hereinafter referred to as ADF) of an image forming apparatus (not shown), and the operating unit as shown in FIG. Now, suppose 10 copies are set.) And other conditions are input. As a condition after the copying process in the direction of arrow A, for example, when the document stapling key is pressed and the processing operation is started by a start key (not shown), the first document sent from the ADF is The first bin at the uppermost stage of the bin 1 in FIG. 1 is assigned to a document storage bin 4 for storing a document, and is set to the second copy position. From the 11th bin to the 11th bin are set as storage bins for copy paper.

Therefore, when the second bin is set at the first selected position by the bin selection means 2, the first copy sheet of the first original is switched from the direction of arrow P in FIG. By the action of the claw 12, it is conveyed in the direction of the lower bin 1 and is stored in the second waiting bin.

Next, when the bin 1 is raised by the bin selection means 2 and the third bin is set at the selected position, the second copy sheet of the first original waits for the third copy sheet. Stored in the second bottle. In this way, copy sheets are stored in the waiting bin one after another,
The tenth copy sheet of the tenth manuscript is waiting for the eleventh
When stored in the second bin, the first original document is stored from the predetermined copy position to another predetermined document storage location of the image forming apparatus.

Next, the second original is transported from the ADF to the copy position and set therein, and is stored in the eleventh bin where the first copy sheet of the second original waits. Thereafter, in reverse, the bin 1 is lowered by the bin selecting means 2, and the copy sheets of the second original are sequentially stored from the 10th bin to the 2nd bin. Further, the second original, which has been copied, is stored in the same storage place as the first original.

Thereafter, when the copying process of all the originals is completed in the same manner, the original storing bin 4 of the first bin is set to the selected position by the bin selecting means 2 and the originals are stored in advance. Documents that have been conveyed from the document storage location to the direction of arrow P in FIG. 1 and have their top and bottom oriented in the same direction as the copy paper are stored in the document storage bin 4 one after another. Further, the order of the bins selected for storage does not necessarily have to be as described above, but since it takes time to move the bins, an efficient bin selection method can be achieved. Further, the originals stored in the bin 4 and the page order of the copy paper are such that the first page is on top (the page order at the time of copying (copy from the first page or reverse from the last page)).
It goes without saying that the storage order at the time of storage (the pages to be copied next are stacked on top or bottom) is taken into consideration.

When all the originals and copy sheets are stored in the bin 1 as described above, the staple processing state (back, diagonal, front, two locations, etc.) in the direction of arrow B in FIG. 4 is selected. Will be done. For example, when the rightmost two-point instruction is selected, the chuck unit 3b grips the end portion of the original stored in the first bin and stipples the first one of the two stippling locations. To this end, the staple is moved to a predetermined position and stippling processing is performed. Then, it moves again to a position where the remaining one position can be processed, and the target two-position processing of the original is completed. After that, the chuck unit 3b moves by gripping the original end portion and returns to the original first bin 4. Further, the second bin containing the copy sheets is subjected to stippling processing, and is similarly returned to the original bin. This operation is repeated over all the bins 1 to be stapled.

In the above description, the original storage bin 4 is the bin 1
Although the first bin at the top of the above is used, the bin at the bottom may be used, and copy paper is stored from the first bin at the top and the bin next to the storage bin for the last copy paper. Even if the document storage bin 4 is used, this is a method that is easy to understand and handle. In addition, the manuscript or copy paper that has been stapled is
For example, depending on the configuration of the system, it is possible to collectively store them in a predetermined storage place such as the bottom bin. Further, since each bin 1 of the present invention has the stored paper detecting means 5 for detecting the presence / absence of the storage of the paper, the chuck unit 3b is made to ignore the bin in which no paper is stored during the stapling process. We are trying to prevent runaway and improve processing speed. Further, if the processing speed is ignored, the number of stored sheet detection means 5 can be reduced to one by disposing the stored sheet detection means 5 (photosensor or the like) on the chuck unit 3b side.
However, since it is possible to detect the presence / absence of a paper sheet only after moving to the position of each bin, there is a disadvantage that it takes a very long time to move the chuck unit 3b.

As described above, the present invention provides an image forming system which eliminates the trouble of having to separately prepare a stapler, an electric stapler, etc., and also prevents idle shots and improves processing speed. You can
Various mechanisms can be envisioned as a mechanism for sending the documents that have been once ejected and stacked on the image forming apparatus side to the sorter / stipple device again, but for example, a stacking tray or another portion provided on the image forming apparatus side can be used. A pickup roller for picking up the originals on the upper surface or the lower surface of the formed original bundle and picking them up one by one, a separation roller for preventing double feeding, etc. are arranged on the discharge tray etc., and these rollers are driven. Therefore, the document may be conveyed in the direction of arrow P.

[0019]

As described above, according to the present invention, the sheets discharged from the image forming apparatus can be stored in a plurality of bins of the sorter / stipler device, and the bin to be stored is selected from the plurality of bins. Since the bin selection means and the one or more bins among the plurality of bins are assigned to the manuscript storage bins capable of accommodating manuscripts and the stippling means for stippling the manuscript and the copy paper for each bin are provided, When the stippling process of the forming system is performed including the original,
Since it is possible to store the original discharged from the image forming apparatus and the copy paper in the bins assigned by the bin selection means, and to perform the staple processing for the original and the copy paper by the same stippling means, it is possible to separately staple and copy. The hassle of having to prepare an electric stippler etc. has disappeared. Further, since the bin is provided with a storage paper detection means for detecting the presence or absence of storage of the paper, the above-mentioned bin which has detected the storage of the paper can eliminate the stippling process, thereby preventing the blank ejection and improving the processing speed. It is now possible to provide a forming system.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side view of a main part of a sorter / stipple device of an image forming system showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a main part of a sorter / stippler apparatus showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of a main part of an operation unit of the image forming system according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of a main part of another operation unit of the image forming system according to the embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... bin, 2 ... bin selection means, 2a ... helical cam shaft, 2b ... bin pulse sensor, 2c ...
.Bin lift motor, 2d ... front plate, 3 ... stippling means, 3a ... stippling unit, 3b ...
・ Chuck unit, 4 ・ ・ ・ Document storage bin, 5 ・ ・ ・
Storage paper detecting means, 10 ... sorter / stipple device, 11 ... entrance sensor, 12 ... switching claw, 1
3 ... Pluice tray, 14 ... Auxiliary bottle.

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. An image forming system comprising a sorter / stipple device and an image forming device for forming a copy of an original image, wherein a sheet discharged from the image forming device can be stored in the sorter / stipple device. A plurality of such bins, a bin selection means for selecting a bin to be used for storage from the plurality of bins, and a stippling means for stippling the paper stored in the bin for each bin. In order to perform the stippling process by including the originals, one or a plurality of the bins are assigned as the original storing bins for storing the originals, and the originals are stored in the original storing bins. An image forming system characterized in that an original and a copy sheet are stippled for each bin by stippling means. 2. The image forming system according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of bins are provided with storage paper detection means for detecting whether or not paper is stored, and the storage paper detection is performed when the stippling means performs stippling processing. An image forming system, characterized in that the means is configured to perform stippling processing on a sheet or an original document on a bin excluding a bin which detects that the sheet is not stored.