JPH0925048A - Paper aligning mechanism - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve paper aligning accuracy by shortening a paper conveyance passage of a paper aligning mechanism which overlaps paper cut into two sheets automatically. SOLUTION: The paper 5 conveyed through conveyance rollers 3, 6, 7 is cut into two sheets so as to align to the right and left in the width direction of a conveyance passage by a cutting machine 4 at its conveyance passage 1A. The two cut sheets 5a, 5b are divided and conveyed by upper and lower branch conveyance passages 1B, 1C, and one sheet 5a moves to the middle from the left (when viewed from the proceeding direction) through a roller 8 for moving in the width direction at the corresponding branch conveyance passage 1B. On the other hand, the other sheet 5b is conveyed while moving to the middle from the right (when viewed from the proceeding direction) through a roller 9 for moving in the width direction at the corresponding branch conveyance passage 1C. The sheets 5a, 5b, whose directions are aligned by guides 10, 11, are overlapped vertically at a junction G between the branch conveyance passages.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a sheet aligning mechanism for automatically stacking two cut sheets in a conveying process.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 3 is a principle view showing a conventional example of a sheet aligning mechanism, and FIG. 4 is a block diagram in which the above conventional sheet aligning mechanism is applied to an electrophotographic cut sheet printing apparatus having a 2-up printing function. .

Printing data for two sheets on one sheet 2
In the electrophotographic cut sheet printing apparatus having the up-printing function, the cutting mechanism 1 is provided in the process of conveying the printed sheet 15.
3 is used to cut into two sheets of paper 15a, 15b (A and B in the sheet indicate data), and the sheet aligning mechanism 14 aligns the sheets of paper 15a, 15b in the order of print data A, B and ejects the sheets. Some have.

The paper 15 is fed one by one by a paper feeding device 16, the toner on the photoconductor 18 is transferred by a transfer device 17, and is fixed by a fixing device 19. Further, the paper 15 is fed by the transport roller 25 while being fed by the paper cutting mechanism 1.
It is cut into two sheets of paper 15a and 15b by the slitter 20 of No. 3 (the cut sheets 15a and 15b are arranged in the width direction of the conveyance path) and sent to the sheet alignment mechanism 14.

The conventional sheet aligning mechanism 14 will be described below. In the sheet aligning mechanism 14, the sheet transport path is branched downstream of the cutting mechanism 13 (slitter 20) with left and right height differences, and one branch transport path 21 serves as a straight transport path and the other branch transport path. 22 is obliquely directed so as to join the straight branch conveyance path 21 again at its branch end. The branch conveyance path 22 that is directed obliquely is referred to as a width-shifting conveyance path. The width-shifting conveyance path 22 is provided with a width-shifting roller 24 that feeds a sheet in a direction coinciding with the conveyance path 22. Cut printing paper 15a, 15 after 2-up printing
As shown in FIG. 3, print data for two sheets is printed on b in the order of A and B data. The paper 15a on which the data A is printed is sent to the straight-forward carrying path 21 by the carrying roller 23. Paper 15 with B data printed
The sheet b is sent to the width-shifting conveyance path 22 and is sent by the width-shifting roller 24 to the side of the sheet 15a on which the data A is printed. Straight traveling path 21 and width-shifting transportation path 2
Paper 15 on which the data of A is printed at the merging section E of 2
The paper 15b on which the data of a and B are printed is superposed in the order of print data (the order of A and B), is sent by the transport roller 26, and is stored in the paper discharge device.

FIG. 5 is a side view of a conventional width-shifting mechanism, and FIG. 6 is a top view showing the structure of the width-shifting conveyance path. Transport roller 2
The paper 15b conveyed by 3 is conveyed in an oblique direction by the width-shifting roller 24. Paper 15b conveyed diagonally
Hits the reference guide 27. Then paper 15b
Moves along the side edge of the guide 27 while abutting it. Therefore, the orientation of the paper 15b is adjusted so as to go straight. By aligning and width-adjusting the sheets by making them bite into the conveying rollers 26 and conveying the sheets 15a, 15 at the confluence E of the conveying paths 21, 22 in this posture.
b is overlaid.

[0007]

The conventional sheet aligning mechanism has the following problems because only one sheet is width-aligned.

(1) When the sheet 15a sent to the straight-forward conveying path 21 has a skew (skew) and a deviation of the feeding position in the width direction of the sheet, the sheet is sent in the same posture so that the sheet is conveyed in the width-shifting conveying path 22. A misalignment occurs in the stacking with the width-aligned sheets 15b, and the alignment in the stacker deteriorates.

(2) Since one of the cut sheets needs to be width-shifted by the width of the sheet, the width-shifting conveyance path 22 becomes long. For this reason, the volume of the case for accommodating the entire apparatus increases, which in turn increases the number of parts required for width adjustment, leading to an increase in cost.

The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a sheet aligning mechanism which firstly shortens a sheet conveying path and secondly has high sheet aligning accuracy. .

[0011]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention basically comprises a sheet aligning mechanism as follows.

That is, the sheets conveyed by the conveying rollers are arranged in the conveying path so that they are lined up in the lateral direction in the width direction of the conveying path.
A cutting machine for cutting the sheet into sheets is provided, and the transport path has a structure in which the sheets are branched into an upper side and a lower side on the downstream side of the cutting machine and then merge again into one sheet. Are conveyed separately from each other in the branch conveyance path, and one of the cut sheets is moved to the center of the corresponding branch conveyance path from the left side in the conveyance path width direction to the center, and the other sheet is conveyed. And a width adjusting means for guiding these two sheets of paper so that these two sheets are vertically overlapped at the confluence of the branch conveying path from the right side in the conveying path width direction of the corresponding branch conveying path. It is provided (this is the first problem solving means).

Further, on the premise of the above-mentioned structure, the width-shifting means is arranged in the upper and lower branch conveying paths obliquely with respect to the lines of these branch conveying paths, and the width-adjusting rollers. Therefore, a guide having a guide for adjusting the orientation of the sheet by abutting one side edge of the sheet that has been width-shifted to the center of each branch conveyance path is proposed.

[0014]

Operation of the first problem solving means: Each sheet is cut into two sheets in the process in which the sheets are successively conveyed one by one in the conveying path upstream of the branch conveying path, and among the two cut sheets. One sheet is sent to the upper branch transport path, and the other sheet is sent to the lower branch transport path. These two cut sheets are
Since they are arranged side by side in the width direction of the conveyance path on the above-mentioned conveyance path, there is a deviation of one cut sheet at the initial stage of entering the upper and lower branch conveyance paths.

After that, one of the sheets (the left-side sheet) cut into two sheets by the width-shifting means provided in each branch conveyance path is moved from the left side in the conveyance path width direction in the corresponding branch conveyance path. The other sheet (right-side sheet) is conveyed while being aligned to the center toward the junction, and the other sheet (right side sheet) is conveyed and branched while being aligned to the center from the right side in the conveyance path width direction on the corresponding branch conveyance path. It is transported toward the confluence of the transport path.
Since the central lines of the upper and lower branch conveyance paths are aligned with each other, the two sheets sent from each branch conveyance path are vertically overlapped at the confluence.

According to the means for solving the problem, the two cut sheets are shunted to the center from the left side to the other side from the right side in the conveying path branched upward and downward (in other words, 2
Since the width of one sheet is adjusted to the center from both sides, the amount of width adjustment required to stack two sheets is only half of the cut sheets, so both branch conveyance paths (width adjustment conveyance paths) Shorten the length accordingly.

Operation of Second Problem Solving Means In this problem solving means, as the width-adjusting means, the cut sheets are cut by the width-adjusting rollers obliquely arranged with respect to the lines of the upper and lower branch conveying paths. It is possible to shift the width to the center while transporting the sheets, and thereafter, one side edge of each sheet comes into contact with a guide provided in each branch transport path to adjust the orientation of the sheet, and thus the two cut sheets are cut. Since both sheets are aligned by the guide, the positional accuracy (alignment accuracy) of superposition is improved.

[0018]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

FIG. 1A is a schematic configuration diagram of an embodiment of a sheet aligning mechanism of the present invention, and FIG. 1B is used in this embodiment, in which an upper branch conveying path and an upper branch conveying path and a lower branch conveying path are used. 2 is a perspective view showing the side branch conveyance paths taken out from above and FIG. 2 is a perspective explanatory view showing the flow process of the paper fed by the paper aligning mechanism according to the present embodiment with the width-adjusting rollers and guides omitted. is there.

The paper conveyance path 1 is one conveyance path 1A upstream of the branch point F, branch conveyance paths 1B and 1C branched at the branch point F into upper and lower two, and then one again. And a transport path 1D that merges with. In the transport path 1A, a straight transport roller 3 that feeds the paper straightly, and a slitter (paper cutting machine) arranged in the center line of the transport path 1A in the transport path direction.
4 is provided. These conveying paths 1A, 1B, 1C and 1D have the same width, and as shown in FIG. 2, the branch conveying paths 1B and 1C are arranged vertically so that their center lines O and O ′ coincide with each other. I am doing it. At the position of the branch point F,
One side 5b of the sheet cut by the slitter 4 is fed to the lower conveyance path 1
An inlet 2 (see FIG. 2) leading to C is provided. This entrance 2
May be provided with a guide for directing the sheet 5b to the lower transport path 1C.

In the upper branch conveying path 1B, a plurality of straight conveying rollers 6 (here, 2) are provided from a branch point F toward a merging point G.
(Number of) width adjusting rollers 8 are arranged. In the lower branching transport path 1C, a straight transporting roller 7 and a plurality of (two in this case) width-adjusting rollers 9 are arranged from a branching point F toward a merging point G.

Among the sheets 5 cut by the slitter 4, one sheet 5a on the left side in the traveling direction is conveyed on the upper branch conveying path 1B, and the other sheet 5b on the right side is branched to the lower side. It shall be transported on the transport path 1C. The width-shifting rollers 8 are arranged obliquely with respect to the line of the branch conveyance path 1B so that one of the cut sheets 5a is moved to the center of the corresponding branch conveyance path 1B from the left side in the width direction of the conveyance path to the center. I am doing it. The width-adjusting roller 9 is used to cut one of the sheets 5
b is obliquely arranged with respect to the line of the branch conveyance path 1C so that the width b is shifted from the right side in the width direction of the conveyance path to the center of the corresponding branch conveyance path 1C. The width-adjusting rollers 8 and 9 are
Also serves as a transport roller for feeding paper.

Further, the side edges of the sheets 5a and 5b that have been width-shifted by the width-shifting rollers 8 and 9 are brought into contact with the respective branch conveyance paths 1B and 1C so that the directions of the sheets 5a and 5b are aligned in the straight direction. With a guide.

A straight conveying roller 12 is provided in the conveying path 1D on the downstream side of the confluence of the branch conveying paths 1B and 1C.

Next, the operation of the sheet aligning mechanism of this embodiment will be described.

Each sheet 5 is cut into two sheets in the process in which the sheets 5 are sequentially conveyed one by one in the conveying path 1A.
One of the sheets of paper 5a is a straight-moving conveyance roller 3,
6 is sent to the upper branch conveyance path 1B at the position of the branch point F, and the other sheet 5b is sent to the lower branch conveyance path 1C by the straight advance conveyance rollers 3 and 7. The two cut sheets 5a and 5b are fed side by side at the branch point F in the width direction of the transport path, so that the upper and lower branch transport paths 1B and 1C are provided.
At the initial stage of entering, there is a deviation of one cut sheet. After that, the one sheet (the left side sheet) 5a cut by the width-shifting rollers 8 and 9 provided on the respective branch conveyance paths 1B and 1C moves in the conveyance path width direction on the corresponding branch conveyance path 1B. While being moved from the left side toward the center, they are conveyed by an oblique movement (skew) toward the junction point G. The other sheet (the sheet on the right side) 5b is conveyed by a diagonal movement toward the confluence point G while being width-centered from the right side in the conveyance path width direction to the corresponding branch conveyance path 1C. The receding conveyance roller 12 draws the sheet to the merging point G.

Since the central lines O and O'of the upper and lower branch conveying paths 1B and 1C coincide with each other, at the confluence G, the two sheets of paper 5a sent from the respective branch conveying paths 1B and 1C.
Overlap vertically. In this case, each branch conveyance path 1B, 1
Both of the sheets 5a and 5b that have been width-shifted at C have guides 10 and 11 on one side edge of each sheet immediately before the confluence point G.
Since the orientation is adjusted by abutting against the, the alignment accuracy of superposition is improved. Therefore, at the confluence G, two sheets of paper 5
a and 5b are arranged and superposed. The superposed sheets 5a and 5b are superposed and discharged via the conveyance path 1C.

According to the present embodiment, the sheets 5a and 5b cut into two sheets are conveyed upward and downward by the conveying paths 1B and 1C.
Since one side is moved to the center from the left side and the other side is moved to the center from the right side, the amount of width adjustment required to stack the two sheets of paper 5a and 5b may be half of the cut sheets. The length of the approaching conveyance path 1B, 1C is shortened by that amount. Further, the alignment accuracy of the superposition of the sheets 5a and 5b is improved.

[0029]

As described above, according to the first means for solving the problems of the present invention, the sheet conveying path of this kind of sheet aligning mechanism is shortened, and secondly, in addition to the above first effect. As a result, it is possible to improve the paper alignment accuracy for superimposing this kind of paper alignment.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1A is a schematic configuration diagram according to an embodiment of a sheet aligning mechanism of the present invention, and FIG. 1B is used in this embodiment, and an upper branch conveyance path and a lower branch conveyance path are used. Explanatory drawing which took out each branch conveyance path | route and saw from the upper surface.

FIG. 2 is a perspective explanatory view showing a flow process of sheets fed by the sheet aligning mechanism according to the present embodiment, omitting a width-adjusting roller and a guide.

FIG. 3 is a principle view showing an example of a conventional sheet aligning mechanism.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing an example of a conventional sheet alignment mechanism in an electrophotographic cut sheet printing apparatus having a 2-up printing function.

FIG. 5 is a schematic explanatory view showing an example of a conventional sheet aligning mechanism.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory view of the above-described conventional sheet aligning mechanism as viewed from above.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... Conveying path, 1B, 1C ... Branching conveying path, 3, 6, 7 ... Straight conveying rollers, 4 ... Cutting machine (slitter), 5 ... Paper before cutting, 5a ... Paper after cutting, 8, 9 ... Width Gathering roller, 1
0, 11 ... Guide.

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing from the front page (72) Inventor Kazutoshi Ohara 1060 Takeda, Hitachinaka-shi, Ibaraki Prefecture Within Hitachi Koki Co., Ltd.

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A cutting machine for cutting a sheet conveyed by a conveying roller into two sheets in a conveying path so that they are arranged side by side in the width direction of the conveying path, and the conveying path is provided on the downstream side of the cutting machine.
It has a structure of branching downward and then rejoining into one, and the two cut sheets are separately conveyed in the upper and lower branch conveying paths, and the cut sheets are cut into these branch conveying paths. Align one sheet to the center of the corresponding branch transport path from the left side to the center in the transport path width direction, and transfer the other sheet to the center from the right side of the corresponding branch transport path in the transport path width direction. A sheet aligning mechanism for guiding these two sheets of paper so as to vertically overlap each other at a confluence point of the branch conveyance path. 2. The width adjusting means includes width adjusting rollers arranged in the upper and lower branch conveying paths obliquely with respect to the lines of these branch conveying paths, and the center of each branch conveying path by the width adjusting rollers. The sheet aligning mechanism according to claim 1, further comprising: a guide that abuts one side edge of the sheet that has been widthwise aligned to adjust the orientation of the sheet.