JPH09255214A - Sheet processor - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve the aligning accuracy of sheets carried to a stopper by a carrying roller. SOLUTION: Sheets carried-in by a carrying roller 13 are carried to a stopper 23 by an elastic roller 17a, positioned and housed, and the width directions of the sheets are aligned by a width aligning member 24a. Aligning by the width aligning member is performed when the notched part of the elastic roller 17a is not brought into contact with the sheets. Thus, friction between the carrying roller 13 and the sheets during sheet aligning is eliminated and the aligning accuracy of the sheets is improved.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a sheet processing apparatus,
More specifically, the present invention relates to a sheet processing apparatus that conveys a sheet, receives the sheet by a positioning unit, and temporarily stores the sheet.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a means for aligning sheets in a processing apparatus for accommodating conveyed sheets, FIG.
The device shown in FIG. 15 is known. This device is configured such that a conveyance roller 13 that conveys a sheet, a conveyance roller 14 that is pressed by the conveyance roller 13, a stopper 23, an elastic roller 17a that conveys the sheet to the stopper 23, and an elasticity that presses the sheet against the elastic roller 17a. It is composed of a member 17d and a width-shifting member 24a.

In this processing apparatus, the transport roller 13
The stopper 23 is the longest sheet that can be processed by the processing device.
It is placed above the position of the upper edge of the sheet when it is loaded into the. In this apparatus, the sheet 125 is conveyed in the direction of arrow A in FIG.
After the conveyance, the width-adjusting member 23 was swung in the direction of arrow B in FIG. 15 to align the sheets.

[0004]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional example, since the elastic roller comes into contact with the sheet during sheet alignment and friction occurs between the elastic roller and the sheet,
There is a problem in that the alignment accuracy of the sheet is poor, and the sheet is slackened above the elastic roller, so that misalignment is likely to occur.

The above problem can be solved by moving the elastic member 17d shown in FIG. 14, but it takes time during the movement,
There was a drawback that reduced productivity.

It is a first object of the present invention to provide a sheet processing apparatus capable of aligning sheets without reducing productivity and causing friction between the elastic roller and the sheet.

A second object of the present invention is to provide a sheet processing apparatus capable of aligning sheets without sagging them without lowering productivity.

[0008]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned circumstances, and is a first conveying means for nipping and conveying a sheet, and one large conveyance possible by the first conveying means. Positioning means arranged below the first conveying means at a distance larger than the sheet length to align the leading ends of the conveyed sheets, and at least convey the sheet to the positioning means on the downstream side of the first conveying means. In a sheet processing apparatus including one second conveying unit and an aligning unit that aligns a sheet conveyed by the positioning unit in a direction intersecting the conveying direction, the second conveying unit is a part thereof. Has a non-contact portion that does not come into contact with the conveyed sheet, and when the second conveying means does not contact the sheet,
It is characterized by further comprising control means for controlling the sheet to be aligned by the aligning means.

Further, the sheet feeding speed of the second conveying means is higher than the sheet feeding speed of the first conveying means.

[Operation] Based on the above construction, the sheet conveyed by the first conveying means and the second conveying means on the downstream side thereof is positioned and accommodated with its leading end abutting the positioning means, and further aligned. The width direction is aligned by the means. The alignment of the sheet by the aligning means is performed when the non-contact portion of the second conveying means faces the sheet. Accordingly, when the sheets are aligned, there is no friction between the sheets and the second conveying unit, so that the alignment accuracy of the sheets can be improved.

Further, in the first and second conveying means for conveying the sheet to the positioning means, the sheet feeding speed of the second conveying means is set to be higher than the sheet feeding speed of the first conveying means. As a result, the occurrence of slack in the sheet between the first and second conveying means is prevented, and the sheet alignment accuracy can be improved.

[0012]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION A first embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail.

First, FIG. 16 shows an example of an image forming apparatus main body (copier main body) provided with a sheet processing apparatus having a sheet binding apparatus according to the present invention.

The image forming apparatus main body (copier main body) 900 includes a platen glass 906 as a document mounting table and a light source 9.
07, a lens system 908, a paper feeding unit 909, an image forming unit 90
2 etc. are provided.

The sheet feeding unit 909 accommodates the recording sheet bundle S and is detachably attached to the apparatus main body 900.
11 and the deck 91 arranged on the pedestal 912
Three. The image forming unit 902 includes a cylindrical photosensitive drum 914, a developing device 915 around the photosensitive drum 914, a transfer charger 916, a separation charger 917, a cleaner 918, a primary charger 919, and the like. Image forming unit 90
A transport device 920, a fixing device 904, a pair of discharge rollers 1a and 1b, and the like are provided on the downstream side of the second unit.

The operation of the main body of the image forming apparatus will be described.

When a paper feed signal is output from the control device 150 provided on the apparatus main body side 900, the cassette 91
The sheet bundle S is fed from 0, 911 or the deck 913. On the other hand, the document D placed on the document table 206
The light reflected from the light source 907 is applied to the photosensitive drum 914 via the lens system 908. The photosensitive drum 914 is charged in advance by a primary charger 919, and an electrostatic latent image is formed by irradiation with light, and then the electrostatic latent image is developed by a developing unit 915 to form a toner image. .

The sheet bundle S fed from the sheet feeding unit 909
The skew is corrected by the registration roller 910, and the timing is adjusted to be sent to the image forming unit 902. In the image forming unit 902, the toner image on the photosensitive drum 914 is
The sheet bundle S transferred to the sent sheet bundle S by the transfer charger 916 and having the toner image transferred thereon is charged by the separation charger 917 to a polarity opposite to that of the transfer charger 916, and is then discharged from the photosensitive drum 914. To be separated.

Then, the separated sheet bundle S is conveyed to the fixing device 904 by the conveying device 920, and the transfer image is permanently fixed to the sheet bundle S by the fixing device 904.
The sheet bundle S on which the image is fixed is discharged from the apparatus main body 900 by the discharge roller pair 905.

In this way, an image is formed on the sheet bundle S fed from the sheet feeding unit 909 and is discharged.

FIG. 1 is a diagram of a sheet processing apparatus to which the sheet binding apparatus of the present invention is applied. Reference numeral 1 is an image processing apparatus such as a copying machine, a printer or a printing apparatus.

1a is a paper discharge roller and 1b is a paper discharge roller 1a.
It is the paper ejection roller that is pressed against. 2 is a finishing device according to the present invention.

Reference numeral 3 is an entrance flapper, which is engaged with an entrance solenoid 3d (FIG. 2), and switches between the alignment mode and the stack mode by turning on and off the power of the entrance solenoid 3d. .

[Stack mode configuration] 4 is a discharge guide. A stacker discharge roller 5 and a stacker discharge roller 6 are arranged downstream of the paper discharge guide 4.

A stacker tray 7 is for stacking the paper discharged from the stacker discharge roller 5.

[Bookbinding mode configuration] 11 and 12 are guides. Reference numeral 13 denotes a first transport roller, on which a transport roller 14 is arranged on the opposite surface and is pressed by the transport roller 13. 15 and 16 are above and below the switching flapper. The transport rollers 13 and the transport rollers 14 constitute a first transport unit that transports a sheet.

Upper and lower 15d and 16d of the switching solenoid are engaged with upper and lower 15d and 16d of the switching solenoid (FIG. 2).
It is configured so as to have two positions, namely, a one-dot chain line and a solid line shown in FIG.

Reference numerals 17a and 22a denote elastic rollers (second conveying means) as second conveying rollers, which are made of a sponge-like rubber material. Elastic members (contacting means) 17d and 22d for contacting the sheet with the elastic rollers 17a and 22a are disposed on the opposing surfaces thereof.
a, 22a.

The elastic rollers 17a, 22a receive the sheet sent by the conveying rollers 13, 14 and further convey the sheet, and stop when the arrival of the leading edge of the sheet at the stopper 23 is detected by a sensor 33 described later. To do. When the elastic rollers 17a and 22a are stopped, the cutout portion is elastic member 1
The position is controlled by an elastic roller sensor 34, which is a photo interrupter, so as to face 7d and 22d.

Reference numeral 18 denotes a stapler unit, which will be described later, which staples the sheet bundle.

Reference numerals 20 and 21 are guides arranged on the downstream side of the stapler unit 18.

Numerals 24a and 24b are width aligning members (aligning means) for aligning the sheets by pressing the sheets from both sides. A stopper (positioning means) 23 is a member that receives the leading end of the sheet bundle that has entered between the guides 20 and 21. The stopper 23 is configured to be movable between the guides 20 and 21 in the arrow direction in the drawing. The stopper 23 has two purposes. One is the positioning when the staple unit is used for stapling,
The other one is positioning of folding, which will be described later. A stopper sensor 33 that detects the leading edge of the sheet bundle is disposed on the stopper 23.

A projecting unit 25 is retracted from the guides 12, 21 to the lower surface before folding. Two
Folding rollers (folding means) 6 and 27 are pressed against each other. Reference numeral 28 denotes a discharge guide that discharges the sheet bundle discharged from the folding rollers 26 and 27 from the discharge rollers 30 and 30.
It is for guiding between the nip of the roller 31.

A discharge sensor 29 detects the paper end and the rear end of the sheet bundle. A discharge tray 32 is for stacking a bundle of sheets.

Driving of the inlet flapper 3, the switching flapper A15, the switching flapper B16, the conveying roller 13, and the elastic rollers 17a and 22a will be described in detail with reference to FIG.

[Inlet flapper driving mechanism] Inlet flapper 3
A link 3b is fixed to one end of the central shaft 3a, which is swingable around the central shaft 3a. Link 3
A spring 3c is engaged with b to urge the flapper in one direction. 3d is an inlet solenoid, which is engaged with one end of the link 3b. Power on the inlet solenoid 3d
Then, the iron core is sucked, the flapper 3 bounces to the upper portion, and the bookbinding mode is switched to. When the power is off, the stack of sheets is guided to the stack mode.

[Conveying Roller, Elastic Roller Driving Mechanism] In FIGS. 2 and 13, a conveying pulley 13b is fixed on the central shaft 13a of the conveying roller 13. Elastic roller 17a having a semicircular cutout (non-contact portion) on the peripheral surface
An elastic roller pulley 17c and an elastic roller flag 17e having a semi-circular cutout portion are fixed to the central shaft 17b. An elastic roller pulley 22c is fixed to a central shaft 22b of an elastic roller 22a having a semicircular cutout portion (non-contact portion) on its peripheral surface. Elastic rollers 17a, 2
Elastic members 17d and 22d are arranged to press the sheet against 2a.

The cutout portions of the elastic rollers 17a and 22a are portions that do not come into contact with the sheet during rotation of the elastic rollers 17a and 22a.

Reference numeral 51 denotes a carry motor, and a carry motor pulley 52 is fixed to the output shaft of the carry motor. Transport motor pulley 52, transport pulley 13b, elastic roller pulley 1
A timing belt 53 is wound around the outer periphery of 7c, and a timing belt 54 is wound between the elastic roller pulleys 17c and 22c. Conveyor motor 51
Is transmitted from the conveyance motor pulley 52 to the timing belt 53, the conveyance pulley 13b and the elastic roller pulley 17c are rotated, and the elastic roller pulley 22c is further rotated via the timing belt 54, whereby the conveyance roller 13 and the elastic roller 17a are rotated. , 22a are rotated. Since the elastic roller pulleys 17c and 22c rotate in synchronization, the elastic rollers 17a and 22a also rotate in synchronization.

The elastic roller sensor 34 is composed of a photo interrupter and is arranged at a position for detecting the semi-circular notch of the elastic roller flag 17e.
The semicircular cutout portion of 22a has elastic members 17d and 22d.
Detects turning to the side.

When the positions of the notches of the elastic rollers 17a and 22a are detected by the elastic roller sensor 34,
The width-shifting motor 24d shown in FIG. 3 is driven by being controlled by the control means 170 (FIG. 6), and the elastic rollers 17a, 22 are driven.
When a does not contact the sheet, the width aligning members 24a, 2a
4b is adapted to align the sheets.

In FIG. 13, the linear velocity (sheet feeding speed) V ₁ of the outer periphery of the conveying roller 13 and the elastic rollers 17a, 2 are shown.
The linear velocity (sheet feeding velocity) V ₂ of the outer periphery of 2a is V ₂ ≧
It is set to be V ₁ .

As a result, the elastic rollers 17a and 22a are prevented from sagging on the sheet being conveyed, and the sheet alignment accuracy can be improved.

[Switching flapper drive mechanism] Switching flapper 1
Flapper links 15b and 16b are fixed to the rotation center shafts 15a and 16a of the shafts 5 and 16, respectively. One end thereof is engaged with the switching solenoids 15d and 16d. In addition, the springs 15c,
16c is engaged and holds the switching flappers 15 and 16 at the positions shown. When the power of the switching flapper is turned on, the iron cores of the switching solenoids 15d and 16d are attracted to hold the switching flappers 15 and 16 at the position indicated by the alternate long and short dash line in FIG.

[Width Alignment Mechanism] The width alignment mechanism will be described with reference to FIG.

Numerals 24a and 24b are width adjusting members (alignment means) arranged at the front and rear, and have wall surfaces that are horizontal to the sheet bundle conveying direction and are vertical to both sides of the sheet bundle, and a rack portion is formed at the center. are doing. A pinion gear 24c is engaged with each other's racks. Reference numeral 24d is a width-deflecting motor composed of a stepping motor, and a pinion gear 24c is fixed to the output shaft thereof. Reference numeral 24e is a width-shifting home sensor, which is composed of a photo interrupter. The width-shifting home sensor 24e is the width-shifting member 2
5 to the width of the maximum sheet bundle that can be aligned with 4a and 24b
It is arranged at a position for detecting a flag formed on a part of the width biasing member 24a when retracted to the outside by about 10 mm.

As described above, when the elastic roller sensor 17 detects the elastic roller flag 17e and the cutout portions of the elastic rollers 17a and 22a do not come into contact with the sheet being conveyed, the width biasing members 24a and 24b are not in contact with each other. Driven by the width-shifting motor 24d, the sheets carried into the stopper 23 are aligned.

As a result, the sheets aligned by the width biasing members 24a and 24b are elastic rollers 17a and 22a.
And the elastic members 17d and 22d that bring the sheet into contact therewith
Since the friction with the sheet is avoided, the sheet alignment accuracy is improved.

[Stopper Drive Mechanism] The drive mechanism of the stopper 23 will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 3.

Reference numeral 23 denotes a stopper, which is a guide 20,
It receives the leading edge of the paper that has entered in the interval 1. Stopper 2
Rollers 23a are rotatably attached to both ends of 3 and slide in grooves formed in the frame 8. Racks are formed at both ends of the stopper 23. The rack is engaged with two left and right pinion gears 23b.

A shaft 23c is provided at the center of the pinion gear 23b.
The drive is transmitted to the left and right pinion gears. A stopper 23d is fixed to one end of the shaft 23c.

Reference numeral 61 is a stopper motor, which is composed of a stepping motor. A gear 62 is fixed on the output shaft of the stopper motor 61, and the stopper gear 2
It is engaged with 3d. A flag is formed on part of the stopper 23, and the stopper home sensor 63 detects when the flag reaches the home position.

A stopper sensor 33 detects the presence or absence of a sheet bundle at the tip of the stopper portion.

[Stapler Drive Mechanism] A stapler mechanism for stapling a sheet bundle according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1, 3, and 12.

The stapler unit 18 is arranged symmetrically with respect to the center of the sheet bundle aligned by the width adjusting members 24a and 24b by the support plate 99 fixed to the frame 8.

In FIG. 12, the stapler 18 includes a needle driving portion (hereinafter referred to as a forming portion) 101 as an upper needle driving means which is swingably supported around a rotary shaft 18a, a drive unit 100 and an anvil portion. (Folded portion) 19.

Below the stapler rotary shaft 18a,
Guide surface 102a of the guide member 102 for guiding the sheet bundle
And the binding surface 103 of the anvil portion 19 for staple-stitching the guided sheet bundle are configured to have an angle β with each other, and the guides 111 on the upper surfaces of the paper path portions 102 and 111 having the angle β are stapler. Forming part 10 of 18
Notch hole 111 of a size that does not interfere when 1 swings
a is cut out.

A needle cartridge 104 is detachably attached to the forming unit 101, and about 5000 binding needles 105 connected in a plate shape are loaded in the needle cartridge 104. The needle cartridge 10
The plate-like binding needle 105 loaded in the cartridge 4 is urged downward by a spring 106 provided on the uppermost side of the needle cartridge 104, and the feed roller 107 arranged on the lowermost side.
It is configured to give a conveying force to.

The needles 105 fed by the feed roller 107 are formed in a U-shape one by one by swinging the forming part 101 around the rotary shaft 18a. The forming unit 101 includes the staple motor 1
When the 08 is started, the eccentric cam gear 110 is rotated via the gear train 109, so that the eccentric cam gear 110
As a result of the action of the eccentric cam integrally attached to the sheet bundle, the clinching operation (needle driving operation) is performed by swinging to the anvil portion 19 side as shown by the arrow a in FIG. The sheet bundle is stapled by bending the sheet at the anvil portion 19 on the lower surface.

[Folding Driving Mechanism] The driving mechanism for folding the sheet bundle will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5.

A folding motor 64 has a pulley 65 fixed to the output shaft thereof. Reference numeral 67 is an idler gear pulley, and two rows of pulleys and a gear are coaxially arranged, and one row of the pulleys is wound around a timing belt 66 between the pulley 65 and the pulley 65. 6
Reference numerals 8 and 69 are folding gears fixed to the folding rollers 26 and 27 and engaged with each other. One end of the folding gear 68 is engaged with the gear portion of the idler gear pulley 67.

Reference numeral 25 is a projecting unit. Reference numeral 25a is a protruding plate, and this protruding plate 25a is made of a stainless material or the like having a plate thickness of about 0.5 mm so as to move to the position just before the nip between the folding rollers 26 and 27 and enter. The protruding plate 25a is held by holders 25d and 25b. Shafts 25c and 25e are fixed to the holder 25b, and a roller is rotatably attached to the outer periphery of the holder 25b, and the roller slides in a groove portion 8a formed in the frame 8.

Reference numeral 73 is a gear, which partially constitutes the shaft 72. The gear 73 is engaged with an idler gear 75.
The idler gear 75 is fixed to the shaft 76, and an electromagnetic clutch (folding clutch) 74a is arranged on the shaft 76, and the rotation of the pulley 74 on the electromagnetic clutch is turned on / off.
Controls the transmission of rotation to shaft 76. The timing belt 70 is wound around the outer periphery of the pulley 74. One of the timing belts 70 is wound around the pulley portion of the idler gear pulley 67.

A flag 81 is fixed on the shaft 73a and has a notch in a part thereof. A protruding home sensor 82 is provided at a position where the notch is detected, and the protruding plate 25a is provided so as to detect the protruding plate 25a at a position where the protruding plate 25a is most lowered from the conveying surfaces of the guides 12 and 21.

The folding motor 64 is rotated by the idler gear pulley 67 from the pulley 65 via the timing belt 66.
Is transmitted to The rotation of the idler gear pulley 67 is transmitted from the folding gear 68 to the folding gear 69, and the folding roller 2
6, 27 are driven. On the other hand, the idler gear pulley 67
Is transmitted to the pulley 74 on the ejection clutch 74a via the timing belt 70. The rotation of the pulley 74 is transmitted to the shaft 76 by the ON / OFF of the ejection clutch 74a, and the idler gear 75 rotates. By this rotational transition, the gear 73 rotates and the shaft 72 makes a circular motion. The link 71 fitted to the shaft 72 has the other end at the shaft 25.
The shaft 25c is fitted to the protrusion unit 25, and is fitted into the groove 8a of the frame 8 together with the shaft 25e via the roller, so that the linear movement is performed along the groove 8a.

[Delivery Roller Drive Mechanism] Ejection Roller 30
The drive mechanism will be described in detail with reference to FIG.

Reference numeral 30a is a shaft, and a pulley 30b is fixed to the shaft 30a which is the central shaft of the discharge roller 30. 91 is a discharge motor, and a pulley 9 is provided on the output shaft.
2 is fixed. This pulley 92 and the pulley 30
A timing belt 93 is wound around b, the rotation of the discharge motor 91 is transmitted from the pulley 92 to the pulley 30b via the timing belt 93, and the discharge roller 30 is driven via the shaft 30a. The discharge motor 91 is a stepping motor, and the peripheral speed of the discharge roller 30 is set to be higher than the peripheral speed of the folding rollers 26 and 27.
The conveying force of the folding rollers 26 and 27 is equal to the discharge roller pair 30 and 3.
Since it is set to the outer circumference higher than the conveying force of 1, the slippage occurs when the sheet is being nipped and conveyed by the folding rollers 26 and 27, and when passing through the folding rollers 26 and 27, the discharge roller pair 3
It is transported with a transport force of 0,31.

[Stacker Discharging Section Driving Mechanism] The driving mechanism of the stacker discharging roller 5 will be described with reference to FIG.

Reference numeral 5a is a shaft, which is the central shaft of the stacker discharge roller 5. A pulley 98 is fixed on the shaft 5a.
95 is a stack discharge motor, and a pulley 96 is provided on the output shaft.
Is fixed. A timing belt 97 is wound around the pulley 96 and the pulley 98. The rotation of the stack discharge motor 95 is transmitted from the pulley 96 to the pulley 98 via the timing belt 97, and the shaft 5a
The stack discharge roller 5 is driven via. The stack discharge motor 95 is a stepping motor, and the peripheral speed of the stack discharge roller 5 is set higher than the peripheral speed of the discharge roller 1a. Since the conveying force of the discharge rollers 1a is set to be higher than the conveying force of the stack discharge roller pairs 5 and 6, slipping between the stack discharge roller pairs 5 and 6 occurs while being sandwiched and conveyed by the discharge rollers 1a and 1b. Occurs, and when passing through the discharge rollers 1a and 1b, the stacker discharge roller pair 5,
It is carried with a carrying force of 6.

[Control Sequence] Next, a control sequence of the finishing apparatus in the present embodiment will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 and 7 to 11.

FIGS. 7 to 9 are main routines, in which the mode information indicating whether the bookbinding mode or the stack mode is set by the image forming apparatus 1 to which the finishing grid apparatus 2 is connected, the length L of the sheet bundle, and the width W of the sheet bundle. When the information, the number-of-sheets information N, and the number-of-copies information M are received and the start signal is received, the operation of the finishing apparatus is started (S20).
1). Check the mode (S202), and if it is not the bookbinding mode, jump to the stack mode routine (S20).
5). In the bookbinding mode, it is confirmed whether the length L is between the upper limit Lmax and Lmin that can be processed by the apparatus 2 (S20).
3) If it deviates from this, stack mode processing is performed (S
205).

Next, it is similarly confirmed whether or not the width W is between the upper limits Wmax and Wmin which can be processed by the present apparatus 2 (S
204), otherwise, in the stack mode (S20).
5). Within the above range, the inlet solenoid 3c
Is turned on to release the path to the bookbinding mode (S20
7). The conveyance motor 51 is turned on to rotate the rollers (S208).

Next, the switching solenoid control routine is skipped to control the switching solenoid up and down (S209). The distance P between the width aligning members 24a and 24b becomes P = W + α (where α is a gap between the sheet bundle and the abutting portion of the width aligning member, and is usually about 10 mm). It is sent to 24d and rotated (S210). The stopper member 23 is the staple point 19 of the stapler 18.
The number of steps for moving to the position of 1 = L / 2 downstream from a is sent to the stopper motor 61 and rotated (S211). The number counter CNT1 is set to 0 (S212), and the signal from the entrance sensor 83 is confirmed (S2).
13). If ON, the signal from the entrance sensor 83 is OFF
(S214), after the time t1 when the leading edge of the sheet bundle hits the stopper 23, P = W−β (β is the amount by which the width aligning members 24a and 24b push the paper, usually 2 mm.
The width of the width adjusting motor 24d is increased by sending the number of steps corresponding to the movement of the width adjusting members 24a and 24b.
Is rotated (S215).

Subsequently, when the width adjusting members 24a and 24b are P = W
Motor 24 to adjust the number of steps to move to the position of + α
It is sent to d (S216). The number counter CNT1 is incremented by 1 (S217). The number counter CNT1 indicates the desired number N
(S218), if not, the process returns to S213 and the same processing is performed on the sheet bundle sent from the image forming apparatus. If the desired number N has been reached, the width aligning members 24a and 24b are rotated in a direction to move outward (S219), and the process is continued until the width aligning home sensor 24e is turned on (S220). Width width home sensor 24e is O
When it becomes N, the width-verifying motor 24d is turned off (S220a).

Next, the sheet bundle is stapled.

The staple motor A is turned on (S22
1) When the staple sensor A detects (S22
2) The staple motor A is turned off (S223).
Hereinafter, the same operation is performed for the staple B (S
224, S225, S226) The stapling operation is completed.

Next, the stopper motor 61 is rotated by a step such that the stopper member 23 becomes l = (L / 2) + a downstream of the stapler position 19a. Here, a is the distance between the stapler position 19a and the folding position (S227). Conveyor motor 51, inlet solenoid 3
c, the switching solenoids A15 and B16 are turned off to prepare for the folding operation (S228 to S230).

After confirming that the stopper sensor 33 is ON (S231), the discharge motor 91 is turned ON (S23).
2) The folding motor 64 is turned on (S233). When the ejection clutch 74a is turned on (S234), the ejection plate 25a begins to eject and guides the sheet bundle to the folding rollers 26 and 27.

It continues until the protrusion home sensor 82 is turned on (S235), and when it is turned on, the protrusion clutch 74a is turned off (S236). Emission sensor 29 is O
After FF (S237), the discharge motor 91 is turned off (S239) after a time sufficient for the trailing edge of the sheet bundle to pass through the discharge roller pair 30 and 31. The copy counter CNT2 is incremented by 1 (S240). Copy counter CNT
If 2 does not reach the desired number M, the process returns to S206. If the desired number of copies M has been reached, the work ends (S
242).

Next, the switching solenoid control routine will be described with reference to FIGS. 9 and 11.

If half the paper size, that is, L / 2 is larger than the sum (k ₁ + β) of the length k ₁ to the switching flapper 15 along the guides 11 and 12 and the constant β (S25).
2), the switching solenoids 15 and 16 remain OFF,
This routine ends. Here, the constant β is the stopper 2
3 shows the position of the rear end of the stacked sheet bundle at the proper position. The constant β is an amount necessary for the next sheet bundle that has entered the stacked sheet bundle to be stacked at the highest position without sneaking into the stacked sheet bundle.

When L / 2 is larger than (k ₁ + β), the ratio is further changed to L / 2 (k ₂ + β) (S254).
Here, k ₂ is the distance to the switching flapper 16 along the guides 11 and 12 similarly to k ₁ . β has the same length as above. If L / 2 is larger than k ₂ + β (S
254), the switching solenoid 15 is turned on (S25
5) Guide the sheet bundle with the switching solenoid 16 below. L /
If 2 is smaller than (k ₂ + β), both the switching solenoid upper 15 and the switching solenoid lower 16 are turned on (S25
7) Load along the guide 11. This completes the switching solenoid control routine.

Next, the stack mode routine will be described with reference to FIG.

The number counter CNT is set to 0 (S
272).

The stack discharge motor 85 is turned on (S2
73) Rotate the stack discharge roller 5. It is confirmed whether the stack sensor 84 is ON (S275), and if it is ON, it is further confirmed that the stack sensor 84 is turned OFF (S).
275). When it is turned off, the number counter CNT is incremented by 1
Is added (S276), and it is confirmed whether the number counter CNT matches the number N (S277). If the number counter CNT is smaller than N, the process returns to the step before S274. Sheet counter C
When the number of sheets NT becomes N, the stack discharge motor 85 is turned off after a sufficient time has passed for the trailing edge of the sheet bundle to pass the stack sensor 84 (S278). Thus, the stack mode routine ends (S279).

The member for pressing the sheet against the second transport roller is not limited to the elastic member, but may be a roller biased toward the second transport roller.

[0087]

As described above, according to the present invention,
The second transport is performed when the sheet transported by the first transport means is transported to the positioning means by the second transport means to position and store the sheet and the width direction of the loaded sheet is aligned by the aligning means. Since the non-contact portion of the means opposes the sheet and the second conveying means does not contact the sheet, the sheet is aligned by the aligning means. Since there is no friction due to the contact with the means, the alignment accuracy of the sheet on the positioning means can be improved.

Further, since the sheet feeding speed by the second conveying means is made higher than the sheet feeding speed by the first conveying means, the occurrence of slack of the sheet on the upstream side of the second conveying means is prevented, The sheet alignment accuracy can be improved.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional side view of a sheet processing apparatus to which a sheet binding apparatus of the present invention can be applied.

FIG. 2 is a front view showing a conveyance system of the sheet processing apparatus.

FIG. 3 is a front view showing a configuration of a stopper and a width of the sheet processing apparatus.

FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional side view of a protruding portion and a folding roller portion of the sheet processing apparatus.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the protruding portion and the folding roller portion of the sheet processing apparatus.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram related to control of the sheet processing apparatus.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart of a main routine for controlling a sheet processing apparatus to which the sheet binding apparatus of the present invention can be applied.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart of a main routine relating to control of the sheet processing apparatus.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart of switching solenoid control of the sheet processing apparatus.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart of the stack mode of the sheet processing apparatus.

FIG. 11 is a main dimensional diagram of the sheet processing apparatus.

FIG. 12 is a vertical sectional side view of the stapler unit.

FIG. 13 is a first and a first sheet processing apparatus according to the present invention.
FIG. 6 is a vertical cross-sectional side view of a second transport roller and an alignment section.

FIG. 14 is a vertical cross-sectional side view of a transport roller and alignment in a conventional sheet processing apparatus.

FIG. 15 is a front view of a transport roller and alignment relating to a conventional sheet processing apparatus.

FIG. 16 is a vertical sectional front view showing an example of an image forming apparatus including a sheet processing apparatus.

[Description of sign]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Image forming apparatus 2 Sheet processing apparatus 13 1st conveyance roller 14 Conveyance roller 13,14 1st conveyance means 17a, 22a Elastic roller (2nd conveyance roller) 17d, 22d Elastic member (contact means) 17a, 17d 2nd conveyance means 17e Elastic roller flag 22a, 22d 2nd conveyance means 18 Stapler unit 23 Stopper (positioning means) 24a, 24b Width-aligning member (alignment means) 34 Elastic roller sensor (elastic roller position detection means) 170 Control Means 914 Photosensitive drum (image forming means) 1a, 1b Discharging means

Front page continuation (72) Inventor Seiichiro Adachi 3-30-2 Shimomaruko, Ota-ku, Tokyo Canon Inc.

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A first transporting means for sandwiching and transporting a sheet, and a transporting means arranged below the first transporting means at a distance larger than a maximum sheet length transportable by the first transporting means. Positioning means for aligning the tips of the sheets to be
At least one second conveying unit that conveys the sheet to the positioning unit on the downstream side of the first conveying unit, and an aligning unit that aligns the sheet conveyed by the positioning unit in a direction intersecting the conveying direction. In the sheet processing apparatus including ,, the second transport unit has a non-contact portion that does not contact the sheet transported in a part thereof, and when the second transport unit does not contact the sheet, A sheet processing apparatus comprising a control unit that controls the alignment unit to align the sheets. 2. The sheet processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the sheet feeding speed of the second conveying means is higher than the sheet feeding speed of the first conveying means. 3. The second conveying roller, wherein the second conveying means has a notch portion as a non-contact portion on a part of the peripheral surface,
A contact means for contacting the sheet with the second transport roller;
The sheet processing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising: 4. The sheet processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the abutting unit is an elastic member that abuts the sheet on the second transport roller. 5. A detection unit that detects a position where the cutout portion of the second transport roller does not contact the sheet, and controls alignment of the alignment unit when the cutout portion is detected by the cutout detection unit. The sheet processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: 6. The sheet processing apparatus according to claim 1, an image forming unit that forms an image on the sheet, and a sheet on which an image is formed by the image forming unit is discharged to the sheet processing apparatus. An image forming apparatus comprising: