JPS60223764A - Sheet distributing apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent the breakage and early abrasion by upwardly transferring the trunnion accommodated at the scooping-up position of a supporting frame in succession by the scooping-up projection of a transfer groove by the revolution of a transfer ring, thus permitting the certain transfer of the trunnion without using a spring. CONSTITUTION:When a copying paper sheet is loaded, the right and left transfer apparatuses 13 and 13' revolve at an equal speed on the basis of the detection of a paper-passing detecting switch, and a transfer ring 29 revolves in the direction A, and the trunnion 15a of a bin tray 3a on the uppermost stage at the position close to a slot 29a is scooped-up by a scooping-up projection 29b and engaged with the slot 29a, and the trunnion 15a is transferred upward along a guide groove 36 by the slot 29a, accompanied by the revolution of the transfer ring 29. When the trunnion 15a is transferred upeard, it contacts with the upper surface of a supporting frame 39, which is slid by the diameter portion of the trunnion, and also the lower trunnions 15b-15e are suspended onto the supporting frame 39, and the trunnion 15b of the bin tray 3b on the second stage is held in the vicinity of the transfer ring 29.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (a) Industrial application field The present invention is a method for distributing and distributing sheets ejected from an image forming apparatus.
The present invention relates to a stacking sheet distributing device, particularly a small sorter attached to a copying machine, and more particularly to a pin tray transfer device in a sheet distributing device.

(Iff) Prior Art Recently, a small and low-cost sheet distributing device has been devised to be attached to an image forming apparatus, especially a copying machine. The bin trays are stacked and arranged freely, and the bin trays are sequentially transported upward so that the trays are expanded and expanded at the sheet discharge port position of the image forming apparatus, and the discharged sheets are sequentially received and accumulated in the expanded trays. Was. Conventionally, a disk-shaped transfer wheel having a Geneva mechanism-like slot has been used as a transfer means that engages with the trunnion of the pin tray to intermittently transfer the tray upward (for example, JP-A-56 -787
There are also methods using a lead cam like a feed screw (for example, see Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 78769/1986), but in all of these transfer means, the trunnion is inserted into the slot of the transfer wheel or the lead cam. It was necessary to push the bin tray upward in order to engage the lead grooves, etc. of the bin tray.

(A) Problems to be Solved by the Invention For this reason, a spring is tensioned or compressed in the bottom bin tray so as to bias it upward, but many bin trays are arranged in a stacked manner. Therefore, the biasing force of the spring differs greatly between the top bin tray and the bottom bin tray, and it is extremely difficult to install springs that fit all bin trays in a narrow space. There is a risk that an unnecessarily strong biasing force will act on the bin tray, damaging the trunnion or causing it to wear out prematurely, and there is also a risk that the spring will stretch with use, making it impossible to smoothly transfer the bin tray. be.

B.) Means for Solving the Problems The present invention aims to solve the above-mentioned problems by providing a transfer groove (slot or lead groove, etc.) for engaging a trunnion in a transfer member such as a transfer wheel or a lead cam - a side surface. The trunnion is housed in a support frame that has a scooping projection facing toward it, and that has a defined overall length and is guided so that it can be moved up and down.
The lower trunnion is lifted based on the trunnion transferred upward by the transfer member, and the uppermost one of the lower trunnions is held in a position where it can be scooped up by the scooping projection.

(f) Operation Based on the above-mentioned means, even without providing a spring to bias the trunnion upward, the uppermost one of the lower trunnions is in a position facing the scooping protrusion, and the transfer wheel or lead cam, etc. Based on the rotation of the material, the trunnion is scooped up by the scooping protrusion, engaged with a transfer groove such as a slot or lead groove, and transferred upward, and the support frame is lifted by the upward movement of the trunnion, and the next trunnion is Lift it up so that it faces the scooping protrusion, and prepare for the upward transfer of the next bin tray.

(F) Embodiment Hereinafter, an embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a sorter attached to a copying machine will be described with reference to the drawings.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the sorter 1 includes a sorter main body 2, multiple bin trays 3, and upper and lower loading guides 5.
, 6, which are attached to the paper ejecting section 8 of the copying machine so that the guides 5, 6 are aligned with the pair of ejecting rollers 7. Furthermore, a rotary arm type micro switch 9 is installed on the lower carry-in guide 6 to detect the passage of the paper S, and a pair of upper and lower conveyance kick-out rollers 10 are installed at the ends of both guides 5 and 6. ing. In addition, the sorter body 2 has cases 11.11' arranged on the left and right sides of the trays 3, . Conveying devices 13 and 13' for vertically conveying are built in, and the retransfer devices 13 and 13' are connected by a transmission shaft 14. Furthermore, the trunnions 15 installed in front of the multi-stage bin trays 3 are guided by both cases 11° and 11' of the sorter body 2 so as to be movable in the vertical direction, and their rear ends are overlapped with each other. Further, the lowest tray 3e is supported by a support rod 16 fixedly provided across the cases 11 and 11'. In addition, in the figure, 17 is a paper press plate, which is made of a synthetic resin with excellent flexibility such as polypropylene. Reference numeral 19 denotes a tongue-shaped rising portion formed at the inlet end of the bin tray, which is located inside (upstream side of feeding) from the perpendicular line of the outer circumferential surface of the conveyance kicking roller 10 in the lower standby position, and is located at the lower standby position. As shown in FIG. 2, they are arranged alternately in adjacent trays, that is, in a staggered manner.

As shown in detail in FIG. 2, the right transfer device 13' has a motor 25, and a gear 26 fixed to the output shaft of the motor 25 is fixed to the transmission shaft 14. Gears 27' are in mesh. Furthermore, a similar gear 27 is fixed to the left side transfer device 13 portion of the transmission shaft 14, and these gears 27 and 27' are connected to a transfer wheel 29 of the Geneva mechanism.
, 29', respectively.

Note that these left and right transfer devices 13 and 13' are configured symmetrically, except for the above-mentioned motor portion.
The explanation of 3' will be omitted. The transfer wheel 29 is shown in FIGS. 3 and 4.
As shown in detail in the figure, two slots 29a, 29a constituting the transfer groove are formed at 180 degree intervals, and a scooping protrusion 29b is formed facing one side of the slot 29a.

29b, and the gear 30 is integrally fixed or integrally molded with resin. Further, the transfer ring 29 is rotatably supported by a support shaft 32 fixed to the side plate 11a of the case 11, and a spring bearing collar 33 is fixed to the tip of the support shaft 32. An end cam 34 is fixed in contact therewith. The end cam 34 has two cams spaced apart by 180 degrees, as shown in detail in FIG.
A recess 29c having a shape that matches the end cam 34 is also formed on the side surface of the transfer ring 29. A spring 35 is compressed between the transfer wheel 29 and the collar 33, and the spring 35 attaches the transfer wheel 29 so that one side having a recess 29c is in sliding contact with the end cam 34. It is strong. Further, the outer peripheral edge of the transfer ring 29 is formed of a wide arcuate surface 29d, and the scooping protrusion 29b is formed at a widthwise outer side of the arcuate surface 29d at a widthwise outer side thereof to protrude in the outer circumferential direction. Based on the sliding contact with the cam 34, the trunnion 15 of the transfer wheel 29 moves into the protrusion 29.
b (FIG. 4(a)) and a position where the protrusion 29b comes off and comes into contact with the arcuate surface 29d (FIG. 4(b)).

On the other hand, the case side plate 11a is formed with a guide groove 36 extending in the vertical direction, as shown in detail in FIG.
Therefore, the deflection oblique portion 36b causes the upper portion 36a to
is slightly shifted from the lower portion 36c in the tray direction ζ. In addition, as shown in FIG. 2, the guide groove 36 includes:
A slide cover 37 made of resin is fitted, and the cover 37 smoothly guides the trunnion 15 into the guide groove 36, and a rectangular support frame 39 is attached to the cover 37 so as to be movable in the vertical direction. being guided. Support frame 39
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 6, the long hole 39a has a long hole 39a that penetrates and accommodates a large number of trunnions 15a to 15e. The length of the lower trunnion is determined so as to push the lower trunnion upward.

Note that 40 in FIG. 2 is a microswitch that detects the rotational position of the transfer wheel 29 every 180 degrees, and 42 in FIG. It is a microswitch that detects something, and 43 is its sensor arm.

Since this embodiment has the above-described configuration, the sorter 1 first loads all bin trays 3a to 3e before collating work.
The home position is set to the lower position. In this state, when the copy paper S is kicked out by the kick-out roller 7 of the copying machine paper ejection section 8, the copy paper S is pushed out by the carry-in guide 5.
, 6, a micro switch 9 for detecting paper passage.
is turned on, and is further conveyed to the uppermost bin tray 3a by the conveyance push-out roller 10. At this time, the copy paper S is prevented from curling by the paper press plate 17, and the rising portion 19 is located inside the vertical line of the outer peripheral surface of the roller 10, so that the paper S is prevented from being caught on the rising portion 19. The bin tray 3a is blocked and accurately placed at a specified position on the bin tray 3a.

When the copy paper S is placed, the motor 25 rotates based on the detection by the paper passage detection switch 9, and the left and right transfer devices 13, 13' rotate at the same speed. Then, due to the meshing of the gears 27 and 3o, the transfer wheel 29 rotates in the direction of arrow A, as shown in FIG. is scooped up by the scooping protrusion 29b and engaged with the slot 29a, and further
1, (c), as the transfer wheel 29 rotates, the trunnion 15a is transferred upward along the guide groove 36 by the slot 29a. At the time of B, in the starting position of the transfer wheel 29 shown in FIG.
Narrow scooping protrusion 29 located in the same position as a
b engages with the trunnion 15a, but as the transfer ring 29 rotates and the recess 29c disengages from the protrusion 34a of the end cam 34, the transfer ring 29 resists the spring 35, as shown in FIG. Then, the scooping protrusion 29b is removed from the end face of the trunnion 15a.Then, as shown in FIG. In the rotated position, the trunnion 15 is disengaged from the protrusion 29b and located on the arcuate surface 29d, and is held in the upper position by the arcuate surface 29d.
6a is located closer to the tray than the lower portion 36c,
In the lower part 36c, the rising part 1 of the bin tray 3a
9 is inside the roller 10, the rising portion 19 is transferred upward without interfering with the roller 10, and the trunnion 15a engages with the transfer wheel slot 29a at the diagonal portion 36b. The penetration angle of the slot 29a of the trunnion 15a is increased, and the scooping protrusion 29b smoothly scoops up the trunnion 15a.

Then, when the trunnion 15a is moved upward, the trunnion 15a comes into contact with the upper surface of the support frame 39 and slides upward on the support frame 39 by the diameter of the trunnion. Then,
The lower trunnions 15b to 15e are also lifted up by the support frame 39, and the trunnion 15b of the second bin tray 3b is held at a position close to the transfer wheel 29. When the transfer wheel 29 rotates 180 degrees and reaches a position where the other slot 29b faces the trunnion 15b, the micro switch 4
0, the rotation of the left and right transfer devices 13, 13' is stopped. In this state, when the next copy sheet S is transported and placed on the second-stage bin tray 3b by the kick-out rollers 7 and 10, the transport wheel 29 rotates in the same manner as described above, and the trunnion of the second-stage pin tray 3b is rotated. 15b is transferred upward, and at the same time the trunnion 15 of the third stage pin tray 3C is moved by the support frame 39.
c is held in a position close to the transfer wheel 29. In this way, the bin trays 3 . . . are sequentially transferred upward, and predetermined copy sheets S are conveyed and placed on each bin tray 3 from the kick-out rollers 10, respectively.

When the predetermined number of copies have been collated, the motor 25
is reversed to rotate the left and right transfer devices 13, 13' in the opposite direction. Then, the transfer wheel 29 also reverses, and the transfer wheel 29 is moved by gravity.
The trunnions 15 . The microswitch 29b is activated via the , and the reverse rotation of the motor 25 is stopped. As a result, all the bin trays 3a to 3e return to their lower home positions and prepare for the next collation operation.

In addition, in the above embodiment, two throwers 7-2 are provided in the transfer wheel 29.
9a, 29a and scooping protrusion 29b.

29b is formed, but it goes without saying that there may be one or three or more.

In addition, as shown in FIG. 7, a short spring 45 is compressed between the lower surface 39a of the support frame 39 and the trunnion 15e of the lowermost bin tray 3e to prevent errors in the diameter of the trunnion and the length of the support frame 39. However, the configuration may be such that this error is absorbed and the trunnion is reliably located at a position facing the slot 29a of the transfer wheel 29.

Next, an embodiment using a screw-like lead cam as the transfer member will be described based on FIG. 8.

The lead cam 50 has a lead groove 50a forming a transfer groove, an upper flat surface 50b, and a lower flat surface 50c, and is rotationally driven by a drive shaft 51. A scooping projection 52 made of a plate spring or the like is fixed at a position facing one side 53 of the lead groove 50a on the lower flat surface 50c, and the scooping projection 52 extends one side 53 of the lead groove 50a. and extends approximately the diameter of the trunnion 15.

Therefore, when the lead cam 50 is rotated in the direction of arrow A, the trunnion 15b of the bin tray, which is lifted by the support frame 39 and is in a position facing the lead groove 508, is scooped up by the scooping protrusion 52, engaged with the lead groove 50a, and engaged with the lead groove 50a. The drive shaft 51 is guided by the groove 50a and transferred to the upper flat surface 50b, where the rotation of the drive shaft 51 is stopped. In this state, the support frame 39 is lifted upward by the trunnion diameter by the trunnions 15, which have been moved upward, and the next trunnion 15, is held in a position facing the lead groove 50a facing the scooping projection 52. Ru. Further, when returning to the home position, when the drive shaft 51 is rotated in the direction opposite to the arrow A, the trunnions 15 are sequentially moved downward while being guided by the lead grooves 50a.

(G) As described in detail, according to the present invention, the transfer grooves 29a, 50a, which engage the trunnion 15, are scooped up by facing the side surface of the transfer member such as the transfer wheel 29 or the lead cam 50. The trunnion 1 is mounted on a support frame 39 having a defined overall length and movably guided.
5), and lift the 1-runion before being transferred based on the trunnion transferred by the transfer member 29.50,
Since the configuration is such that the one closest to the transfer member among the trunnions before transfer is held in a position where it can be scooped up by the scooping protrusions 29b and 52, each trunnion 15 can be moved without requiring a biasing means such as a spring. The scooping projections 29b and 52 can reliably engage the transfer grooves such as the slot 29a or the lead groove 50a, and each trunnion can be transferred reliably and accurately. Furthermore, since there is no need for a spring to bias the trunnion 15 in the transport direction before transport, there is no problem such as fluctuations in the biasing force due to changes in the length of the spring, and a multi-stage bin tray 3- can be easily designed. , and no excessive biasing force is applied to the trunnion 15, preventing damage and premature wear of the trunnion, and providing a sea distribution device with a long life without the risk of spring elongation due to aging. be able to.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a partially cutaway front view showing an embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a partially cutaway plan view, FIG. 3 is a front view of the transfer device, and FIG. 4 is a partially cutaway side view of the transfer device showing different states.
Figure 5 is a perspective view showing the end cam, Figure 6), (bl
, fcL (dl is a schematic front view showing the action, FIG. 7 is a schematic front view showing a partially changed embodiment, and FIG. 8 is a front view showing another embodiment. 1... Sheet distribution device (sorter), 3a to 3e bin tray, 7... paper ejection kick roller, 8...
Paper discharge section of image forming apparatus (copying machine), 10... Conveyance kick roller, 13° 13' - Transfer device, 15a~
15e... Trunnion, 29 - Transfer member (transfer wheel), 29a... Transfer groove (slot), 29b... Scooping projection, 34... End face cam, 36 -
Guide groove, 39 ・Support frame, 5゜...Transfer member (lead cam), 50a゛Transfer groove (lead groove), 52
・Scooping protrusion Applicant: Canon Co., Ltd. Figure 4 (a) - (b) Figure 5 Figure 6 (a) (b)

Claims (3)

[Claims] (1) A large number of pin trays are movably disposed, and the trunnion of each pin tray is engaged with a transfer member and sequentially transferred so as to expand the position facing the sheet discharge section of the image forming apparatus. In the sheet distribution device, the transfer member is provided with a transfer groove that engages the trunnion and a scooping protrusion facing the side, and the trunnion is housed in a support frame having a defined overall length and movably guided;
A sheet distributing device configured to lift a trunnion before being transferred based on a trunnion transferred by a transfer member, and hold the one closest to the transfer member among the trunnions before being transferred at a position where it can be scooped up by a scooping projection. (2) The sheet distributing device according to claim 1, wherein the transfer member is a transfer wheel having a slot. (3) The sheet distributing device according to claim 1, wherein the transfer member is a lead cam having a lead groove.