JPS6032862B2 - Sorter device for copying machines - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a sorter device that heats and fixes toner images formed on recording paper and discharges the same to the outside of the machine, which can be connected to an electrophotographic copying machine or the like.

In general, sorters and collator devices have been used for a long time in diazo copying machines, printing machines, etc., but it is only relatively recently that they have been used in electrophotographic copying machines.

Recently, in the field of copying, efforts have been made not only to simply improve the copying speed of copying machines, but also to reduce the total copying time by rearranging the copy paper in order of order after copying is completed and shortening the time it takes to produce a book. Shortening is being done.

Therefore, even if the copying speed of a copying machine is improved, the total copying time will not be reduced that much if the time is taken up by subsequent processing of copy paper. Therefore, even in copying machines whose copying speeds are not so fast, sorters and collator devices that can sort and store copy paper in order of priority have come to be used. However, in an electrophotographic copying machine, a toner image is electrophotographically formed on copy paper, and a drying or fixing process is always required. In particular, when a sorter or collator device is connected to a copying machine that has a fixing device that heats and fixes toner images, the copy paper is heated by the fixing device and is ejected outside the machine. When it comes into contact with the conveyor,
The heat is rapidly removed, and the water content in the copy paper evaporates, resulting in water droplets adhering to the paper conveying device. A so-called budding phenomenon occurs. According to experiments conducted by the inventors, when copy paper is ejected from outside the machine and comes into direct contact with the paper transport bag,
We confirmed the phenomenon of white smoke being produced due to the generation of water vapor, and when the number of chick papers reached ten or so, water droplets were formed on the paper conveyance device, and the copy paper came into contact with them, causing poor copy paper conveyance. It happened. If the conveyor belt is stretched over the entire surface, the part that comes into contact with the recording paper is completely movable, so there is no problem of poor conveyance, but it also increases costs, problems with the unevenness of the belt, and maintenance and cleaning problems. is difficult.

In addition, in order to eliminate fog formation, it is possible to install a heater on the paper conveyance device to eliminate temperature differences, but it may require waiting time to heat to a predetermined temperature, or a temperature control device, heating device, etc. This is not preferable because it increases the cost of sources, etc. The present invention eliminates the above-mentioned drawbacks and also prevents water droplets from adhering to the conveying device from the copy paper.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel sorter device for a copying machine that prevents water droplets from coming into contact with the conveyed copy paper even if water droplets adhere to the paper. The sorter device of the present invention refers to a copy paper processing device that can store the same copy in each of a plurality of recording paper storage trays or store copies in the order of pages in each tray.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a state in which an electrophotographic copying machine 1 and a sorter device 2 are connected, and the electrophotographic copying machine 1 forms a toner image on a transfer paper by the usual Carlson method, The hawk 3 melts the toner on the transfer paper and fixes it on the transfer paper, after which the toner is discharged to the outside of the machine by a paper discharge roller.

The sorter device 2 is composed of a case 4 having a large number of paper storage trays and a conveying device 5 that receives transfer paper from the copying machine 1 and conveys it to the case 4. The conveyance device 5 also serves as a bridge connecting the copying machine 1 and the case 4, and is rotatably supported around a shaft 6, and is conveyed according to the height of the ejection port of each type of copying machine. The device 5 can be moved. A roller 7 for preventing double-sheet feeding is provided in a portion of the conveyance device 5 near the shaft 6 and rotates clockwise, so that only one sheet of paper is separated into the casing 4 and conveyed. The transport bag straight 5 has the structure shown in FIG.

In the conveying device 5, two conveying belts 8 and 9 are wound between spaced apart rotating pulleys 10 and 10, respectively.
Both belts 8 and 9 are moved in parallel apart from each other by a distance that allows the transfer paper of the smallest size to be used. In the area where the belts 8 and 9 are not present, the support 1
A guide member 12 made of a material with low thermal conductivity is disposed on the top of the guide member 12.
It is provided on the upper surface of the conveying device 5, that is, on the transfer paper moving surface. This guide member 12 is formed with a protrusion 12a that extends parallel to the moving direction of the transfer paper, and has a length that is short enough to avoid the transfer paper from coming into full contact with the guide portion 12 and to increase the contact area. I try to do that. And this moth. Materials with low thermal conductivity, such as resins and synthetic leathers, are excellent for preventing stripes from forming. Conveying device 5
Two support members 13 and 14 extending upward are provided on both side plates, and one rod 15 is supported between them. Guide rods 16 and 17 are rotatably supported on the rods 15 at positions corresponding to the conveyor belts 8 and 9 in order to press the transfer paper against the conveyor belts 8 and 9, and the belts 8 and 9 are supported by their own weight. ,9 It's on top. This guide rod 16,
17 is provided with a considerable distance from the transfer paper receiving position of the transfer device 5 to the position of the double-sheet feeding prevention low-feed 7 in order to provide sufficient conveyance force to prevent the transfer paper from lifting due to curling or the like during conveyance, resulting in poor conveyance. extended over a distance. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the transporting hawk 5 of FIG. 1 taken along the line AA.

The support body 11 has a portion 11a corresponding to the conveyor belts 8 and 9.
is formed with a flat surface that is one step higher than the other parts,
The belts 8, 9 are guided in contact with this part. on the other hand,
The other part 8' between the pulleys 10 and 10 of the belts 8 and 9,
9' is moving within this support 11. The height of the protrusion 12a formed on the guide member 12 is greater than that of the support portion 11.
It is approximately the same height as a. By using such a material with low thermal conductivity, heat is removed from the transfer paper, and moisture evaporation is suppressed.

FIG. 4 shows a modified embodiment of the present invention, in which the guide member 12 is provided with a protrusion, whereas the support member 11 is provided with a protrusion 11.
b was formed to extend along the moving direction of the transfer paper, and a material with high thermal conductivity was pasted thereon.

Synthetic leather such as Clarino (trade name) was used as this material, and it was effective in preventing condensation. this is,
This is an effective method when using a material in which it is difficult to form protrusions on the guide member 12 itself. Furthermore, if a guide member that has water absorption properties such as CLARINO (trade name) is used, even if water vapor were to adhere to the guide member, it would not form into water droplets and would not impair conveyance. FIG. 5 shows another embodiment of the present invention, in which a support 18 is provided with a number of holes 19. A large number of holes 19 are formed near the transfer sheet receiving position of the support 18. The other conveyor belts 8, 9 and guide rods 16, 17 have the same structure as shown in FIG. 2, so their explanation will be omitted. FIG. 6 shows a sectional view of the conveying device of FIG. 5.

The conveyor belt 8 is driven by a pulley 20,
It is continuously moved in the direction of the arrow. The transfer paper conveying portion of the belt 8 is located above the support 18 and is connected to the belt guide plate 18.
a, and the other part 8' moves inside the support 18. As shown in the figure, the cross section of the hole 19 is punched out from top to bottom so that the end of the circumference forming the hole faces downward and is located below the lower surface of the upper part of the support 18. This is formed by burring. Therefore, water droplets generated on the support 18 are removed from the holes 1
9 and flows into the interior. The greater the number of holes 19, the more effective it is. FIG. 7 shows a modified embodiment of the conveying device, in which the support body 21 is formed with a flat belt guide portion 21a on which the conveying belts 8, 9 are placed and guided, and the belts 8, 9 are not present. The above belt 8 is attached to the part.
Projections 21b extending long in the direction of movement of the robot 9 are provided at intervals.

This protrusion 21b is provided to minimize contact between the transfer paper conveyed by the belts 8 and 9 and the support 21. A large number of holes 22 are formed on the upper surface of the support body 21 by the burring process described above. A liquid absorbing member 23 such as felt is attached inside the surface of the support 21 in which the hole 22 is formed.
Water droplets generated when the transfer paper comes into contact with the conveyance device pass through the holes 22 and are absorbed by the liquid absorbing member 23. The moisture absorbed by the liquid absorbing member 23 naturally evaporates during use or when it is inconvenient. In the embodiments shown in FIGS. 5 to 7, the parts other than the belt that come into contact with the transfer paper may be made of a material with high thermal conductivity. In the above embodiment, the case where a heat fixing device is used as in a dry type electrophotographic copying machine is described, but the same method can be applied to a liquid development transfer type electrophotographic copying machine or a transfer type electrostatic recording device. It goes without saying that it is possible.

As described above, according to the present invention, even if a sorter device is connected to an electronic copying machine that performs heat drying and heat fixing, it is possible to eliminate the generation of water droplets due to sudden temperature changes, and to prevent the generation of water droplets on transfer paper. It is possible to prevent transportation defects, skew, etc.

Further, even if water droplets are generated, the water droplets are efficiently released from the contacting portion of the transfer paper, and the water droplets are prevented from coming into contact with the transfer paper, thereby preventing transportation defects and skew. And since there is no need to use a heater etc.
It saves power and does not require waiting time to reach a predetermined temperature, so it can be used immediately. Furthermore, the device itself is extremely simple and inexpensive.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a state in which an electrophotographic copying machine and a sorter device of the present invention are connected, FIG. 2 is a partial perspective view of a conveyance device showing an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a diagram similar to that of the first embodiment. A of the conveying device
4 is a cross-sectional view of a conveying device showing a modified embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 5 is a partial perspective view of a conveying device showing another embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken in the -A direction; 5 is a partial cross-sectional view of the conveying device shown in FIG. 5, and FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the conveying device showing a modified embodiment of the present invention. 2... Sorter device, 5... Conveyance device, 8
, 9... conveyance belt, 10, 20... pulley, I1, 18, 21... support body, 12... guide member, 12a, 11b, 21b... protrusion , 16
, l7... Guide rod, 19, 22... Hole, 23... Liquid suction village. Rare I don't like 2 plans 3 plans 4 figures rare 5 figures continuation 6 figures bridge 7 figures

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. It can be connected to a copying machine that heats and fixes toner images on recording paper and discharges it outside the machine, and includes a multi-stage recording paper storage tray and a recording paper that is discharged from the copying machine. In the soda machine, the recording paper transport device is used to transport recording paper ejected from a copying machine toward the recording paper storage tray. at least a pair of recording paper conveyance belts arranged parallel to each other with an interval narrower than the width of the smallest size recording paper;
The guide member, which is disposed between the belts and supports the back side of the recording paper conveyed by the belt and guides the recording paper to the recording paper storage tray, has a low thermal conductivity at least in the vicinity of the output port of the copying machine. A sorter device for a copying machine, characterized in that it is constructed of the following materials. 2. The sorter device for a copying machine according to claim 1, wherein the guide member has a protrusion extending in the recording paper moving direction. 3. It can be connected to a copying machine that heats and fixes the toner image on recording paper and discharges it outside the machine, and has a multi-stage recording paper storage tray and directs the recording paper discharged from the copying machine to the recording paper storage tray. In the sorter apparatus, the recording paper transporting device transports the recording paper ejected from the copying machine toward the recording paper storage tray, and the recording paper transporting device transports the recording paper of the smallest size to be used. at least a pair of recording paper conveyance belts arranged parallel to each other with an interval narrower than the width;
The guide member is disposed between the belts and supports the back side of the recording paper conveyed by the belt and guides the recording paper to the recording paper storage tray. A sorter device for a copying machine, characterized in that a large number of holes are provided near a discharge port, and a moisture absorbing member is arranged below the holes. 4. The sorter device for a copying machine according to claim 3, wherein the holes are formed by burring.