JPS59158764A - Sheet sorting device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To process the conveying failure of copying sheets stuck between trays simply by constructing a group of trays in one body to be put on and off from the main body of a sorter. CONSTITUTION:Tray units are guided on a side board 16 of a sorter main body by turnnion members 15a and 15b, and able to be vertically moved independently. A cam board 17 fixed on a side board 16 to guide rolls 15a and 15b is bent at the top, and if it is held up when the unit reaches the top step, the guide roll 15a is removed from the guide rail. At this stage, trunnion members 14a and 14b fitted in the lead cam are there to hold up and draw the unit in a sheet- conveying direction, the whole unit can be simply removed from the sorter main body. This construction permits to obtain simple and sure processings even if intervals between trays are narrowed and the processing of conveyance failure of the sheet is difficult at the inlet of the tray by the increase of the number of trays.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to so-called sheet materials (hereinafter also simply referred to as sheets) called copy paper, transfer paper, and recording paper that are carried out from image forming apparatuses such as copying machines, printing machines, and other recording devices. Related to sheet sorting devices (hereinafter also referred to as sorters) that handle the distribution and accumulation of sheet materials. In general, a sorter has a sheet material accumulation table (hereinafter referred to as a tray) of about 10 to 20 or more stages. Sheets that are continuously delivered at regular intervals from a device such as a copying machine are sequentially transported and stacked on a predetermined tray by a belt-based transport means, a plurality of roller means, or a combination of these transport means.

However, when a sorter is placed close to the sheet output port of a copying machine or the like and a group of trays are sequentially moved, the trays of the conventional sorter are arranged at equal intervals, and the interval between the trays only at the sheet input section becomes wide, and after the sheets are loaded, The configuration returns to the original spacing. In this type of sorter, when a sheet conveyance failure occurs at the tray entrance, the sheet is caught between the trays, and when processing the sheet that caused the conveyance failure, this process is extremely difficult in the case of a sorter configured with narrow tray spacing. It is difficult to

In the present invention, since the tray group is integrally configured and can be easily attached and detached from the sorter body, it is possible to very easily process, for example, a poorly conveyed copy sheet that is sandwiched between the trays. It became.

In addition, there are various ways to use sorters in offices, etc., and with conventional sorters, it is not possible to select the tray size and number of trays with one type of sorter. Some offices are using trays with 20 or more trays for sorting copy paper, and even offices that do not need 5 to 10 trays are not using the trays appropriately depending on the purpose.

In the present invention, since the tray unit is removable as a unit, it is possible to select a tray unit with different tray sizes and number of trays, so that the sorter body is the same and the tray unit according to the purpose can be selected, resulting in no waste. It becomes possible to use it for various purposes.

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a schematic side sectional view of a sorter showing an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is the main body of the copying machine, and 2a.

2b, the copy sheet 6 discharged by the discharge roller of the copying machine 1 reaches a carry-in port of a sorter 4 arranged oppositely, and is guided by a carry-in guide 5 to conveyance rollers 6a and 6b. Conveying rollers (5a, 6b facing the nip of the tray 72)
- The near end of the sheet receiving port is arranged, and the sheets conveyed from the conveying rollers 6a+6b are placed in the tray 72.
If it is possible to further shorten the carry-in guide 5, which is stored and placed on top of the paper, it is possible to configure the copying machine 1 so that the discharge rollers 2a and 2b also serve as the conveyance rollers 6a and 6b. .

In the tray group 7, except for the lowest tray 7', both ends of the far end in the sheet conveyance direction are placed in the engagement groove portions 8a of the tray swing support plate 8, and can be operated in the sheet conveyance direction.

Further, the protruding member 7a at the proximal end on the sheet receiving port side is 19
It is supported by an arm member shown in such a manner that it can move up and down along the long groove 9a of the arm support plate. Also arm member 1
9 is attached to the arm support plate 9 so as to be rotatable about its fulcrum.

In addition, the lowest tray 7' is screwed or spot welded to the tray swing support plate 8 and the tray support plate 9.
It is also possible to integrate the sorter into one body (0), which has a structure that also serves as a copy sheet storage tray and a frame structure that supports all the tray groups. The o-tray support plate 9 shown in FIG.

The tray group can be raised and lowered each time the lead cam rotates once, and the sheet receiving opening of each tray can be set in sequence at a position facing the conveying rows 26 a p 6 b. In other words, the tray support plate 9 can move up and down along the cam plate 1D in FIG. 1 by at least a distance corresponding to the distance from the tray 7 to the tray 7'.

In addition, Figure 3 is a part of the temporary drawing of the tray section when Figure 1 is viewed from direction M. In this way, the tray has a structure in which both ends of the far end are folded down. The support plate 9 has two guide rollers 15 in the vertical direction. 15a and 15b are rotatably mounted and engage with the linear surface of a cam plate 17 screwed to the sorter side plate 16 in a freely positionable manner to guide the vertical movement of the bin support plate 9.

First, the copy sheet 6 ejected from the paper ejection roller of the copying machine main body 1 is fed into the carry-in guide 5 on the sorter 4 side, and then the copy sheet 6 is ejected from the paper ejection roller of the copying machine main body 1.
is the conveyance roller 6 a t 6 after passing the reed switch gold
For example, in FIG. 6, the tray 7
2 will be carried in. At this time, after the trailing edge of the copy sheet 2 passes through the reed switch 18, a rear end 16 is activated to count by an electric circuit (not shown) when a sufficient time has elapsed for the copy sheet to be carried into the tray 72. The motor 13 transmits drive to the lead cam 10'b. Further, a portion of the lead surfaces of the lead cams 10a, 10b is formed of a substantially horizontal surface, and a portion of the lead surfaces of the lead cams 10a and 10b is formed on the lead cam surface. Oa, 30b and a cam 50dE are integrally formed with a part of the circumference recessed in order to allow the microswitch 20 to detect one rotation. Sprockets) 12a and 12b are lead cams 10a * 10b
(9) in synchronization with the pair of lead cams 10a, 10.
b is configured to be rotatable in the same direction and at the same period via the chain 11.

The lead cam LD-oh, which is driven by the motor 16 via the chain, rotates once and the micro switch 2° is turned. The tips touch,
The tray group 7 is supported together with the tray swing support plate 8 which swingably supports the far end of each tray in the sheet conveyance direction. In addition, as described above, the tray support plate 9 has protruding members 14a, 14b at both ends thereof.
When the lead cams 10a and iQb rotate once in the clockwise direction in the drawing, the tray support plate 9 rises by the amount of the lead along the lead surface, and a portion of the lead surface described above is omitted. Determine the position in the height direction using the horizontal frame and stop.

Next, to explain the operation of the sorter, initially the U motor 13 rotates clockwise as shown (the lead cam rotates counterclockwise).
The tray group 7 is lowered to the bottom by the VC, and the sheet receiving port of the uppermost tray 7 is the transport port. The position detection sensor 21 detects that the position corresponds to the nip portion of 6a*6b.
When this is detected, the motor 16 is stopped by a suitable control circuit, and the lower end of the bin support plate 9 abuts a part of the bottom plate of the sorter (not shown) and is maintained at the lowest position. Therefore, the sheet is carried into the tray 71 and the conveyance rollers 6a, 6bK! r) When the reed switch 18 detects that the sheet is stored in the tray 71, the motor 16 is rotated counterclockwise (the reed cam is clockwise) for a certain period of time after the rear end of the sheet is detected, and the reed cam is driven by the reed switch 18. The cam rotates clockwise,
It is positioned and stopped on the aforementioned predetermined horizontal plane. In addition, for stop control, the protruding members 14a and 14b of the bottle support plate are the lead cams 10a.

When the load on the lead surface of 10b turns on the motor 13,
Since this value is sufficient to maintain the permissible accuracy of rotation stop in the OFF state, when the motor 16 is turned ON and OFF, the protruding members 14a and 14b of the bottle support plate are connected to the rear cam 10a+1.
Positioning in the height direction is performed by stopping within one horizontal plane of the lead surface of 0b.

51a y 5 l b is a spring member applied to the shaft 10'a * I Q/b that supports the lead cam. For example, even after the tray group 7 reaches the lowest position (home position) K, some kind of If the microswitch 21 is not detected due to a defect, the motor continues to rotate in the same direction, and a force exceeding the allowable shear stress is applied to both protruding members 14a and 14b of the arm support plate 9 that engage with the lead cams 10a and 10b. There is a possibility that it may get damaged. Even if such a phenomenon occurs, the spring members 51a, 5 as described above
1b is inserted into the shafts 10'a and 10'b that support the lead cam, and if the structure is such that the lead cam is normally held downward 2, the rotation of the motor 16 will continue even after the tray group 7 reaches the home position due to some malfunction. Even if the tray group 7 is positioned at the home position, the lead cams 10a and 10b are moved to the lead cam shaft 10'a.

10'b and moves upward and downward while contracting the spring members 51a and 51b, the structure is such that damage to both the protruding members 14a and 14b of the arm support plate 9 can be prevented.

Thereafter, after the above-described operations are repeated as many times as necessary, the tray group is returned to the initial position, which is the lowest position, in response to a return signal from the main body of the copying machine.

Next, a detailed explanation of the functions of the arm members will be given.◇Arm member 1
Company 9 The fulcrum of the cam part of the immovable cam plate 17 screwed to the aforementioned sorter side plate 16 so as to be positionable is rotated in the l direction,
The upper tray (FIG. 6) uses a lever principle to raise the protruding member 71K at the side end of the tray along the long groove of the bin support plate 9, and the tray 7 moves so that the sheet receiving opening of the lower tray 72 opens.

Further, at this time, the tray 7 moves in the sheet conveyance direction, but since it is supported by the tray swing support plate 8 so as to be operable in the sheet conveyance direction, displacement in the sheet conveyance direction due to a change in the inclination angle of the tray 710 is absorbed. At this time, even if the tray rotates around the fulcrum 712, the proximal end surface on the tray entrance side and the two conveyor rollers (5a).

The position of the cam plate 17 and the arm member 19 is determined so that the distance between the nip portion 6b does not change. Note that positioning of the arm member 19 in its normal position without pushing up the tray group is made possible by the projection member 51 positioned and caulked on the tray support plate 9.

Finally, we will briefly explain the series of processes after the copy sheet is carried into the sorter.0 First, the copy sheet 3 is discharged by the discharge rollers 2a and 2b of the copying machine main body 1, and the copy sheet 3 is discharged by the carry-in guide 5 on the sorter 4 side. conveyance roller 6a,
6b, and after the rear end of the copy sheet is detected by the reed switch 18, it is loaded on a tray positioned at the exit of the transport υ-ra.After the copy sheet has been conveyed by the reed switch 18, the copy sheet 3 is loaded on the tray. When the time has elapsed, the motor 16 starts operating and the cam 1
0a and 1ob rotate, and when the aforementioned one rotation is detected by the microswitch 20, the motor 16 is stopped. During this process, the arm member 19 abuts one end on the immovable cam plate 17, and the tray group supported by the arm member rises along the long groove portion of the tray support plate 9, leading to the lead cam i o a,
Position and stop at the horizontal part of the lead surface of 1ob.

Thereafter, the above steps are repeated one after another, and after the operation is repeated the required number of times while always maintaining a constant interval between the copy sheet loading sections, the motor 13 is continuously reversed, and the lowest position detection sensor 21 detects the tray group. It operates until it detects that it has reached the home position, and then stops.

FIG. 4 is a side view of a tray group (hereinafter referred to as a tray unit) of the sorter according to the present invention in a state where it is independently removed from the sorter side main body. As mentioned above, the tray support plate 9, which supports the entire bin, is spot welded or screwed to the lowermost tray 71o, which also serves as a tray and supports the entire tray group.
It forms the frame structure of the entire tray group. This fourth
The tray unit shown in the figure includes trunnion members 14a, 14b and guide rollers 15 that can be fitted with the aforementioned lead cam.
a and 15b, the tray unit can be moved up and down by being guided by the side plate on the side of the sorter body. In the sorter in this embodiment, a cam plate (also used as a guide rail) 17 (
Figure 1) It is bent in a certain way at the top of the daughter.
When the tray unit reaches the top stage, if the tray unit is lifted upward, the guide rollers 15a are removed from the guide rails. At this time, the trunnion members 14a, 141) engaged with the lead cam at the position shown in FIG. 2A (two-dot chain line)
The entire tray unit can now be easily removed from the sorter body by lifting the tray unit upward and pulling it in the sheet conveyance direction.

The position at which the tray unit is removed does not have to be the position at which the tray unit reaches the uppermost stage. For example, after the tray unit is positioned at the lowermost stage, it can be removed from the lowest position by removing a simple locking member (not shown).

As described above, the present invention makes it possible to integrally and easily remove the tray unit from the sorter main body, making it possible to select the tray size and number of trays depending on the application, for example, only for A4 size copies. In the case of an office where sheets are collected, installing a tray unit exclusively for A4 size allows stable sorting of sheets without waste. For example, the number of trays can be changed to 5 depending on the purpose.
It is now possible to select tiers, 10 tiers, 20 tiers...
Furthermore, by increasing the number of trays, the interval between each tray becomes narrower, so that even when it is difficult to process defective sheets at the tray entrance, the process can be easily and reliably carried out.

In addition, when transporting the sorter main body to a remote location, for example, by packaging and transporting the tray group, which tends to bend easily when a large force is applied, separately from the main body side, it is possible to reduce the risk of bending or deforming the tray group. Furthermore, during maintenance of the sorter main body, it is now possible to remove the bin unit for inspection or repair, for example, without separating the sorter from the main body.

FIG. 5 is a detailed view of a lead cam in another embodiment of the present invention. The pitch of the lead cam 10a is such that only the lowest pitch is larger than the other pitches.

As a result, when the tray group 7 reaches the bottom, the positional relationship between the transport rollers 6a and 6b of the uppermost tray with respect to the nip portion is relatively lower than the positional relationship with the nip portion of the other trays. Therefore, the number of copy sheets that can be stacked on the top tray is larger than on the other trays, and for example, when used in non-sort mode, the stacking limit of copy sheets increases significantly. In addition, a Q microswitch 52 is installed to detect when the tray group 7 reaches the top, thereby eliminating the need for counting copy sheets with the sorter body.

Furthermore, FIG. 6(a) is a view of only the conveyance roller 6a viewed from the direction M in FIG. Also, Figure 6 (bJ is Figure 6 (IL
It is a sectional view of I. The lower stay member 56 of the sorter is made of, for example, a sheet metal, and is screwed to the side plate of the sorter body. As can be seen in FIG. 6, a certain portion of the conveying roller 6a is notched, and furthermore, the tip area A of the notched portion protrudes at least from the outer periphery of the conveying roller in the sheet conveying direction. Copy sheets are stored in the tray group by a copy sheet stopper (FIG. 2, 7d) bent at the end near the sheet inlet of the rear end tray group 7, and the stopper portion 7dt conveying roller pair 6a, 6b as close as possible, when a large number of copy sheets are stacked, the trailing edge of the copy sheet will come into contact with the conveyance roller 6a, causing a portion of it to bend. If the members are configured as shown in FIG. 6, even if a large number of copy sheets are stacked, the receiver will be stopped by the cut-and-raised area A of the lower stay member 56 before the rear end contacts the conveyance roller 6a, and the copies will be processed. It becomes possible to prevent bending of the 7-t.

FIG. 7 56 shows a clutch plate, 54 is a clutch gear, 55 is a spring member, and 56 is a knob plate. The motor 16 is driven by a clutch gear 54 and an idler gear 5.
7 to the lead cam 10b, but if a force exceeding the maximum allowable rotational force required to rotate the lead cam is applied to the clutch gear 54, the clutch gear 54 separates from the clutch plate 56 and moves the spring member 55 upward. The rotation of the motor pushed up in the direction is absorbed by the clutch gear and the motor 16
The drive transmission stops.

Similar to the effect of the spring members 51a and 51bK applied to the lead cam shafts IQ/a and 10'b, if the above configuration is adopted, for example, when the tray group 7 reaches the lowest position (home position), some With this configuration, even when the microswitch 21 is not detected due to failure &, the lead cam I is
This prevents damage to both protruding members 14a, 141) of the arm support plate 9 that engage with the motor 16.
Even if the zero rotation continues, the tray unit 7 can continue to remain stopped at the home position.

FIG. 8 shows an improved version of the bin swing support plate 8, that is, a sloped portion 8 that engages with the far end of the tray group 7, and the tilt angle of the swinging portion is larger than the slope angle of the tray group 7 with respect to the horizontal plane. By doing so, it becomes possible to widen the interval between the trays at the far end in the longitudinal direction of each tray in accordance with the opening at the near end of the tray group 7 on the sheet inlet side, which is advantageous for loading a larger number of copy sheets. 0 Switching and Logic Circuit Diagrams The 0 on-off switch shown generally in FIG. is automatically closed when the copying machine is turned on, but when it is closed, the motor M is connected to the power supply through the circuit 100 to the shaft position switch SP and the non-sort switch NS, and the shaft is connected to the shaft position switch SP.
When the non-sort switch NS is turned on while the tray group is not at the home position and the tray group is at the position determined by Continuously drive to.

If classification is desired at this point, the classification switch is closed and connected via power supply P path 200 to shaft position switch SP and motor M. logical device,
It is noted that there is also a circuit 300 connected to the sheet detection switch SD.

Reverse switch O8, which is an override switch, is 400
The upper microsinch 52 is moved downwardly to a position in which the ten copies in a sorter having ten trays pass into the storage and the uppermost tray is moved upwardly. After that, it is excited. Therefore, the reverse switch O8 can be configured as a switch that automatically shuts off when the copying machine is set to make a large number of classified copies in excess of the capacity of the tray unit.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Figure 1 is a detailed side sectional view of the sorter according to the present invention, Figure 2 is a front view of the sorter according to the present invention (viewed from the side of Figure 1), Figure 6 is a rear view showing a part of the L tray ( M view in Figure 1)
, FIG. 4 is a side view of the tray unit alone, FIG. 5 is a front view of the sorter body showing the lead cam portion of the sorter body in another embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. and a rear view (view from direction M in FIG. 1) showing only the conveyance roller part, FIG. 6 (1)) is a sectional view of FIG. 6 (a), and FIG. A rear view of the sorter body showing the lead cam portion and clutch portion of the sorter body in the embodiment, FIG. 8 is a partial view of the tray rocking plate in another embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram of the functional system. 01 is the copying machine body, 7 is the tray group, and 9 is the tray support plate. Applicant Canon Co., Ltd.

Claims (1)

[Claims] A sheet sorting device that moves a group of trays integrally by a moving means so that one of the plurality of trays sequentially corresponds to a sheet conveying means and distributes the sheets, including a holding plate that integrally constitutes the group of trays. A sheet sorting device characterized in that the frame structure is configured to also serve as a part of a tray group, and further, the units constituting the tray group are easily and detachably attached to the sorting device main body.