JPS6038302B2 - sheet folding device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a sheet folding device for folding sheets.

In particular, sheets discharged from copying machines, printing machines, etc. (transfer materials,
The present invention relates to a sheet prayer device that is applied to processing materials (including recording materials, copying materials, etc.).

When it is necessary to fold a sheet or the like, or when not only folding but also binding, perforation, etc. are to be performed, it is necessary to use a separate folding device exclusively for folding.

Therefore, the workability was poor and troublesome.
- Therefore, in recent years, it has been desired to be able to perform folding work on sheets, etc., following copying work using a copying machine, for example.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned points, and an object of the present invention is to provide a sheet folding device that can be installed in a sheet discharge section of a copying machine or the like so that the folding operation of sheets, etc. can be performed continuously. do.

To achieve this object, the sheet folding device according to the present invention is characterized in that it can be installed in a sheet discharge section of a copying machine, etc., and has a configuration in which it is possible to select whether or not to fold the discharged sheet. shall be. Hereinafter, an example of a copying machine to which the present invention is applied will be explained, and the present invention will be explained along with it.

This copying machine is a powder development transfer type copying machine, and is configured to easily copy all types of originals, including sheet-like documents, thick originals such as books, and the like.

In FIGS. 1 and 2, 1 is a machine box, 2 is a document table on which a document is placed, and a document auto feeder 3 is covered therewith. Reference numerals 4 and 42 are cassettes for storing transfer sheets 5 and 52 of different sizes, and 6 is a tray on which transfer sheets discharged from the machine after being transferred are placed.

In Fig. 2, 8 is a warning display section, 9, 92 are cassette selection buttons, 1 paper size display section, 11 is a copy density adjustment dial, 12 is a continuous copy number selection key, and 13 is a continuous copy that moves on it. The button 14 indicates a single copy button that is not linked, and the button 15 indicates a stop button that cancels continuous copying. A hopper is located on the right front with the door raised to accommodate replenishment developer and send it out as needed. The operation of this copying machine will be explained with reference to FIG.

A document to be copied is placed on the document glass 16 with the leading edge of the document aligned with the leading edge 16 of the glass, and is held down with a document holding cover. Next, when the copy button 13 or 14 is pressed, the photosensitive drum 17 starts rotating clockwise in the figure. When the photosensitive drum 17 reaches a predetermined position and a signal to start exposure is issued, the illumination lamp 18 and first mirror 19, which are the movable parts of the optical system,
to the right in the figure at the same speed as the circumferential speed of the photosensitive drum 17,
Further, the second mirror 20 also starts moving to the right in the figure at half the speed. The image of the document illuminated from below by the illumination lamp 18 is transferred onto the photosensitive drum 17 at the exposure section 24 by an optical system consisting of a first mirror 19, a second mirror 20, a lens 21, a third mirror 22, and a fourth mirror 23. Form an image. When the exposure is completed, the movable part of the optical system detects its position, stops moving to the right, and immediately returns in the opposite direction, that is, to the left. This return speed is faster than the forward speed,
Improves copying efficiency. Then, when it returns to the initial position, the drive to the optical system movable part is cut off and it stops. When copying a large number of copies continuously from the same document, it is sufficient to specify an arbitrary number of copies using the continuous copy number selection dial 2, 122 and start the copying using the continuous copy button 13.

Furthermore, by starting with the one-copy button 14, only one copy can be made regardless of the number of copies specified on the number-of-copies selection dial 2, 122. The photosensitive drum 17 has a three-layer structure in which a photosensitive layer on a conductive substrate is covered with a transparent insulating layer, and rotates clockwise.

The drum 17 is first charged by a positive charger 26 which is supplied with a high voltage current from a high voltage power source.
Subsequently, when reaching the exposure section 24, the image of the document described above is subjected to slit exposure, and at the same time is AC charged (defrosted) by an AC charger 27 supplied with AC high voltage current from a high voltage power source. Then, the entire surface exposure lamp 28 is carried out next.
As a result, a static latent image is formed on the surface of the photosensitive drum 17 and enters the developing device 29. In the developing device 29,
The static latent image on the photosensitive drum 17 is developed by the contact between the carrier on the sleeve 31 rotating around the magnet 30 and the magnetic brush made of toner.
Become a mental image. Next, the transfer paper 5 sent from the paper feed section
is in close contact with the photosensitive drum 17, and the transfer charger 32 charges the photosensitive drum 17 with high voltage current from the high voltage power source 33.
The upper visible image is transferred onto the transfer paper 5. After the transfer, the transfer paper 5 is separated from the photosensitive drum 17 by being restrained at one end by a separation belt and guided to the fixing device 34. The photosensitive drum is pressed against the edge portion 3 of the cleaning blade 35.
At step 5, the remaining toner is wiped off and the next cycle is repeated. Toner wiped with cleaning blade 35
climbs onto the cleaning blade 35 and removes the screw 3.
At 6, the photosensitive drum 17 is carried out of the area of the photosensitive drum 17 on the near side in the figure, guided to the developing device 29 by a reuse duct, and used again for development. The transfer paper 5, is stored in the cassette 4, and the transfer paper 52 is stored in the cassette 42, respectively, and is removably attached to the paper feed section 38, 382 at the lower left of the machine. Various cassettes are available for different sizes of transfer paper, and can be easily replaced as needed. Selection of paper feed from the paper feed section 38 or 382 can be made using the cassette selection buttons 9, 92 on the front of the machine. When the photosensitive drum 17 reaches a predetermined position and issues a paper feeding signal, the transfer paper 5 or 52 is sent out to the right in the figure by the paper feeding roller 39 or 392. Next, the first register rollers 40, 41, or 402, 412
This prevents skewing and feeds in the correct direction. Next, the image on the photosensitive drum 17 is synchronized with the image on the photosensitive drum 17 by the second register rollers 42 and 43 using a signal from the optical system movable part, and then the transfer paper 5 is
As described above, the image is transferred in close contact with the photosensitive drum 17. After the transfer is completed, the separation belt removes the photosensitive drum 17.
The peeled transfer paper then enters the fuser 34. In the fixing device 34, an unfixed image is held on the surface between a peeling elastic fixing roller 46 heated by a heating roller 45 having a heater 44 inside and a facing roller 48 also having a heater 47 inside. When the transfer paper 5 passes through and is heated, the toner is thermally fused and the image is fixed on the transfer paper 5. The transfer paper 5 that has exited the fixing device 34 is finally removed from the surface by a static eliminator 49, and then transferred to the guide plate 10 of the folding device by discharge rollers 50, 51.
It is discharged at 3. The photosensitive drum 17 of this copying machine is capable of copying up to the middle of A3 size, and its outer circumference is somewhat longer than the length of A3 size.

On the other hand, after the forward movement (exposure stroke) of the optical system movable part, the double movement requires approximately the same time as the forward movement. Therefore, in the case of A3 copying, one sheet per two rotations of the photosensitive drum, and in the case of A4 copying, one sheet is transferred per one rotation of the photosensitive drum by stacking the transfer paper (feeding the transfer paper in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction). It is possible to make copies. The above-mentioned difference in cycle due to paper size is determined by a signal from the cassette 4 or 42 selected by the cassette selection buttons 9, 92, and the amount of movement of the optical system movable part is controlled.

When the copying operation is completed, the photosensitive drum 17 stops after the rear end of the transfer paper 5 has passed through the discharge rollers 50 and 51.

At this time, the edge portion 35 of the cleaning blade 35 is placed near the seam of the photosensitive layer, that is, in the area where no image appears, in order to prevent the cleaning blade 35 from constantly being in pressure contact with the surface of the photosensitive drum 17, which affects the image. The photosensitive drum 17 stops at such a position. discharge roller 50,
The transfer paper 5 discharged by the transfer paper 51 is guided by a guide plate 103, and transferred to a feed roller 102 and a conveyor belt 10.
4, and is sent upward to the holding roller group 105 and the blade 109.

guided by blades 109 by rollers 106 and 107,
When the stopper 11 comes into contact with the transfer paper 5, the folding roller 1
08 and the feed roller 107,
The transfer paper 5 is folded. On the other hand, feed roller 1
06 to the position 106', the roller 10 is directly moved.
The transfer paper 5 is guided by 7 and 108 and is discharged onto the tray 6 without being folded. Feed roller 106
As shown in an embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the feed roller 106 is supported by a lever 113 that is pivotally supported by a rotating shaft 112, and the plunger 111 is moved to a position 106'. When it is off, the force of the spring 114 suspended on the lever 113 stops it at the stopper 116 at the position 106', and the transfer paper 5 is held in position 106' without folding.
When the plunger 111 is on, the lever 113 stops at the stopper 117, the roller is at the position 106, and the roller is folded in.
Let it drain. The respective state diagrams are shown in FIGS. 4 and 5.

That is, when the feed roller 106 is in the position shown in FIG. 4, the leading edge of the transfer paper 5 is first fed by the feed rollers 106 and 107, guided by the blade 109, and hits the stop portion 1101. Since the transfer paper 5 is fed by feed rollers 106 and 107, it is folded in the middle, and the folded portion 53 is sandwiched between folding roller 108 and feed roller 107 and fed. As a result, the transfer paper is folded according to the length of the blade 109 and sent.

Of course, if the length of the blade 109 is changed, it can be folded to the corresponding length.

Furthermore, when the feed roller 106 is in the state shown in FIG.
It is directly led between 08 and 107 and discharged. Further, in this case, it is effective to ensure the ejection using the guide 118 or the like.

Figure 6 shows the timing diagram when two copies are made for each original sent from the ADF to the document table in the apparatus of the present invention.
Show chart.

FIG. 7 is a circuit diagram for executing the operation. In Fig. 6, at point ■, the operator presses the copy button C.
This indicates that even though PB is pressed, there is no operation because no original is set in the automatic document feeder ADF. At point (2), it is shown that the operator who noticed this has set the document. The ADF is a device that feeds a large number of sheet originals fed to a supply tray (not shown) to an exposure surface one by one in response to a drive signal from an ADF motor. In ■, the operator further says, ``The copy paper is folded and stored.
Indicates that the user has expressed his/her intention by turning the "fold" switch SWO. ■ indicates that the operator has pressed the copy button CPB again. As a result, the copy conditions are satisfied, so the ADF document feed motor is driven (drive signal A
DFM) Indicates that one document has been taken out and sent onto the document table. 3 indicates that the leading edge sent to the document table has reached the appropriate position and the switch for the document table home position ORHP is activated. Therefore, as a result, the ADF document feed motor is stopped and the document is stopped on the document table. Furthermore,
Based on the result of this stop, the copy signal START is turned on to drive the main body of the copying apparatus. Simultaneously with this driving, the folding solenoid SOLI II is excited in response to the operator's instruction at (3). In response to the START signal, the drum is first rotated idly to clean the surface and make the sensitivity of the photoreceptor uniform.From the second rotation, the drum reciprocates through the optical system and lights up the lamp for exposure. The copy paper is sent out by lowering the roller 39 in response to timing signals a and b. 6, when a coincidence signal indicating that the number of copies set by the operator matches the number of copies is generated, it indicates that the post-rotation cycle has started.

7 indicates that the photosensitive drum in the copying device has reached the home position (drum stop position) when the coincidence signal is generated, and when these two conditions are met, the copying device is stopped, so the copying process is stopped. Turn off the signal START.

Further, due to this stop, the ADF document feed motor is driven again (to eject the document on the document table and send a new document to the document table. In step 8, the document that had been on the document table until then is completely removed from the document table). Indicates that it has been ejected outside the table.

Furthermore, timer T is set by this discharge signal, but
This is because when the timer time elapses and there is no subsequent document, the falling edge of this timer signal is used by the ADF document feed motor AD.
It is operated for the purpose of turning off FM. 9 indicates that the second document reached the proper position on the document table within the time period during which this timer did not turn OFF, and the switch for the document table home position ORHP was driven.

Furthermore, as in case 5, this sets ADFM to ○FF.
However, this OFF turns ON the copy signal START which drives the main body of the copying apparatus. Also, since the operator's "fold" switch command is still the same, the fold solenoid SOLI II continues to be energized. Then, the copy cycle is repeated in the same way. 10 indicates that the fold solenoid SOLIII in the folder is not responding immediately even though the operator has toggled the "fold" switch during the copy cycle for the second document.

1 In 1, when the second original is ejected from the original table, the third and final original is fed from the original tray of the ADF, and the remaining original amount detection switch is turned OFF and placed in the original tray. This indicates that the original has run out (ORP=1).

At No. 12, the operation is similar to No. 5 and No. 9, but at No. 10, the folding solenoid SOLIII is turned OFF in response to the operator switching the "fold" switch SWO.

13 indicates that after the third and final document was ejected, no document appeared even after the timer period elapsed, so the ADF document feed motor was turned off and all operations were stopped.

Now, consider the relationship between the operator's switching of the "fold" switch and the time it takes for the copy paper to reach the folding device 106'. As is clear from the above description, no matter at what point the operator switches the 11-fold switch, in the circuit according to the present invention, the switch is switched at the rising edge of the copy signal, i.e.
It is clear from the timing chart that the copying device responds only at the point when it starts a copying operation, and that the time b' when the last copy sheet for each original reaches the folding device 106' is Since this is the time when the ADF is sending the next original to the document table, the folding solenoid S can be activated at any time while the copy paper is being folded in the folding device.
It is impossible for an inconvenience to occur such as OLI 11 switching. Next, FIG. 7 shows a circuit that achieves the timing shown in FIG. 6 based on the above explanation.

ADF document feed motor ADFM and copy signal STAR
T is controlled by RS flip-flop, folding solenoid SO
LIII is controlled by a JK flip-flop. RSF,,RSF2 is RS flip-flop, JK
F. is a JK flip-flop, DA to DD are differentiating circuits,
COIN is a matching circuit, SET is a setter for the number of copies from one original, and COPY is a copy counter that increments each time paper is fed from the cassette. (not shown), ORHP is a microswitch provided on the exposure end face, and DHP is a drum cam and microswitch. A is copy button CPB signal, ORG indicating presence of original
Signal, signal O that the original is not set at the specified exposure position
E is a NAND gate that inputs RHP and generates a signal to drive the ADFM motor, E is a NAND gate that inputs ADFM motor off signal and document home position signal and outputs a copy start signal, and G is drum home position signal, number of sheets match. A signal is input to reset the flip-flop RSF2. To explain the operation, there are two possible cases regarding the timing at which the ADF document feed motor is set. This is the case represented by 4 and 7 in FIG. The case represented by 4 is a signal input to 1 of AND gate B in FIG. 7, and the case represented by 7 is a signal input to 2 of AND gate B in FIG.

And gate B is . When a LOW level signal is input to either 1 or 2, a LOW level signal is output, and the RSF
, is set, so in the case represented by either 4 or 7, RSF is set.・In case 4, the logic is assembled in NAND gate A, so when the original amount remaining detection switch is on, the document platen home position switch is off, and the copy button is pressed, Nand gate A entry 1,
2 and 3 all go to HIGH level, the output goes to LOW level, and RSF is set. On the other hand, in the case represented by 7, R
Since SF, must be set, the differential circuit A is driven by the output Q of RF2, and the 2 of AND gate B is set.
A LOW level differential pulse corresponding to the fall of the Q of RSF is input to the terminal to set RSF. There are two possible cases regarding the timing at which the ADF document feed motor is reset.

This is the case represented by 5 and 13 in Figure 6. 5
The case represented by is a signal input to 1 of the AND gate D in FIG. 7, and the case represented by 13 is a signal input to Z of the AND gate.

AND gate D has a logic that outputs a LOW level signal when a LOW level signal is input to either 1 or 2 and resets RSF, so in the case represented by either 5 or 13, RSF, is reset. Therefore, in case 5, the moment the document table home position switch is turned on, the inverter and the data C go to H.
When IGH becomes OW, inverter C becomes differentiator B
is driven, a LOW level differential pulse is generated at one terminal of AND gate D, and RSF is reset.

On the other hand, in case 13, when the document platen home position switch changes from present to absent, that is, the time input is HIGH.
Set time T when the signal changes from H to LOW. Then, the moment when timer T is reset, that is, HI
When it changes from GH to LOW, the time T drives the differentiating circuit C and applies a LOW level differential pulse to the two terminals of the AND gate D, thereby resetting RSF. The case in which RSF2 for the copy signal START is set is represented by 5 in FIG.

From Figure 6, RSF2 is set at the falling edge of the ADF document feed motor signal, so in Figure 7, the Q output of RSF drives the differential circuit D, and RSF becomes LOW from day to day. A LOW level differential pulse is instantaneously input to an inverter F, inverted, and input to two terminals of a HIGH level differential pulse NAND gate E. The reason why the NAND gate 8 is provided here and the original platen home position signal is input to one terminal is that RSF2 is set only when the original platen home position switch ORHP is on, and the sixth
In case 13 in the figure, when the switch is empty, the RS
This is to prevent F2 from being set. Therefore, the NAND gate E opens only when the switch is on, and RSF2 is set when a differential pulse is generated. The case in which RSF2 for the copy signal is reset is typified by case 7 in FIG. This is when the coincidence signal power is set and the drum home position switch is enabled (HIGH level), so these signals are input to NAND gates G1 and 2 to assemble the logic. The circuit that makes the folding solenoid SOLI II not respond directly to the operator's instruction from the "fold" switch, but only at the instant of the rising edge of the copy signal, applies the copy signal START to the clock input of the JK flip-flop, and By applying the signal of the folding switch SWO to the J and K terminals at opposite logic levels, it is output to and controlled by the Q of JKF. Since the sheet folding device according to the present invention can easily fold sheets and can selectively fold or not fold each time, the sheet folding device according to the present invention can be particularly installed in a sheet discharge section of a copying machine or a printing machine. If so, one can be selected each time, and the selection can be made in conjunction with signals from a copying machine, etc., which is very practical. Furthermore, since folded sheets and unfolded sheets are discharged into the same tray, there is an effect that sheet processing is extremely convenient.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a sectional view showing a copying machine to which the present invention is applied;
The figure is a plan view showing the operation panel part, FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing the main part of the present invention, FIGS. 4 and 5 are sectional views showing the state of change, and FIG. 6 is a sectional view showing the present invention. FIG. 7 is a circuit diagram for FIG. 6, and in the figure, 102 is a feeding roller, 103 is a guide plate,
104 is a conveyor belt, and 105 is a restraint. 1061106' is a feeding roller, 107 is a feeding roller, 108 is a folding roller, 109 is a blade, 1
10 is a stopper, and 118 is a guide. Actual figure Figure 2 Chrysanthemum figure Figure 4 Inferior figure Figure 6 Figure 7

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A sheet conveying means for conveying a sheet, a sheet leading edge blocking member that blocks the leading edge of the sheet, and a sheet leading edge blocking member that blocks the leading edge of the sheet, and then the leading edge and the trailing edge of the sheet. a sheet feeding means that holds a portion between the edges and feeds the sheet in an overlapping manner; a first position where the leading edge of the sheet conveyed by the sheet conveying means is guided to the sheet leading edge blocking member to be in a folding mode; and the leading edge of the sheet; A sheet characterized by comprising: a deflecting means that can be displaced to a second position to put the sheet into a non-folding mode in which the sheet is not guided to the sheet leading end blocking member; and a displacing means that selectively operates the deflecting means. Folding device. 2. A sheet conveyance means for conveying a sheet, a sheet conveyance blocking member for preventing conveyance of the sheet, and a portion of the sheet between the leading edge and the trailing edge after the sheet is blocked by the sheet conveying blocking member. a sheet feeding means for feeding the sheet in a stacked manner; a first position in which the sheet conveyed by the sheet conveying means is guided to the sheet conveyance blocking member to be in a folding mode; and a first position in which the sheet is not guided to the sheet conveying preventing member. a deflecting means movable to a second position for setting the non-folding mode; a displacing means for selectively activating the deflecting means; A sheet folding device comprising: a tray for commonly loading both sheets. 3. The sheet folding device according to claim 2, wherein the direction changing means and the sheet feeding means are constituted by three rotating rollers, one of which serves as both means. 4. The sheet folding apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the displacement means selects the displacement means based on a signal from a connected device.