JPS61166465A - Automatic assorting device for copying machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To permit the automatic assorting work by a simple and small-sized mechanism by shifting a paper-sheet receiving board for the offset pieces and forming each bundle of a plurality of paper sheets in the set numbers. CONSTITUTION:When the assortment processing for paper sheets is carried-out, an offset button 7 is pushed, and the number of offset pieces is input by a setting button 8, and displayed onto a display device 9, and the number of pieces is input by a setting button 8, and displayed onto a display device 9. Copying work is started by pushing a copy starting button 6, and a photosensor 20 detects the set number of offset pieces, a motor 16 is driven through a motor driver 36, and a paper-sheet receiving board 12 is shifted by the prescribed distance (d) for the detection by a microswitch 19, and when the prescribed number of offset pieces is detected, the board 12 is shifted by (d) in the reverse direction, and the prescribed number of sheets are loaded at the positions shifted each other. Thus, automatic assorting work is carried-out with the small-sized and simple constitution.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an apparatus for automatically sorting copy sheets.

Previously, the sorting device in a copying machine was a relatively large automatic collation device (sorter) that was separate from the copying machine itself.
It was integrated with the main body of the copying machine, and the troublesome sorting work was done automatically.

If such a sorter is not used, sorting must be done manually.

1. The sorter has multiple shelves arranged vertically, and the sorting work is carried out by storing the paper ejected from the copying machine in a designated shelf. Although it is possible to sort a predetermined number of copies of multiple manuscripts, it takes up a lot of space on the shelf itself, and it also requires a paper conveyance means, making the device itself large and costly. It also became expensive.

Also, when it comes to manually sorting multiple sheets of copy paper,
The greater the number of sheets, the greater the burden on the worker and the more likely they are to make mistakes.

Once you make a mistake in sorting, you will have to re-count the bundles of paper that you have already sorted, which is very inconvenient.
Time and effort were wasted.

The present invention has been made in view of the above, and its purpose is to provide a copying machine in which one paper tray is arranged in a cylinder and has a compact mechanism for moving the table to the instep, and the sorting work can be performed automatically. Automatic sorting is at the point of providing equipment.

``1 to ``- and The configuration of the present invention will be explained based on FIG.

In a copying machine capable of continuous copying, a paper tray A for storing copied paper is a stand which can be slid back and forth in a direction perpendicular to the paper ejection direction.

B is a driving means for driving the paper tray A.

Reference numeral C denotes a control means for driving and controlling the driving means B, and controls the paper tray so that the table A is moved and offset every time a set number of copies are made.

Reference numeral D denotes an offset number setting means for setting the number of copies (offset number) which determines the time interval at which the paper tray is moved to the table.

With the above configuration, the present invention is capable of forming a stack of copy sheets for each set number of sheets by moving the paper tray A each time a set number of offset sheets are copied.

Back Cover 1 An example of the present invention shown in FIG. 2 and subsequent figures will be described below.

FIG. 2 is an external view of the copying machine 1 according to the present embodiment, in which a platen glass 3 serving as a document placement table is laid on the top surface of the copying machine casing 2, and a platen cover 4 is opened and closed behind the copying machine casing. It is pivoted to 2.

Furthermore, an operation panel 5 on which various switches and displays are arranged is located on the top side of the copying machine casing 2.

The switches include a copy start button 6, an offset button 7, a number of copies setting button 8, etc., and the displays include a set number of copies display 9, etc.

A paper cassette 10 is attached to the right side of the copying machine casing 2, and an automatic sorting device M11 having a paper tray 12 is attached to the left side so as to receive the paper discharged by the discharge roll 13. It has become.

Note that a photo I-sensor 20 for detecting the passage of paper is provided at a position in front of the discharge roll 13.

The automatic sorting device 11 includes a paper tray 12 which has a housing 14 located on the upper part of the table 12 and extending in the front-rear direction along the copying machine casing 2, and inside the housing 14 a cylindrical cam 15 which is oriented in the longitudinal direction and has a rotating shaft. is supported integrally with the drive shaft of the motor 16.

A groove 158 is carved on the cylindrical surface of the cylindrical cam 15 and shows a sine curve for one period in a cam diagram.

A cam follower 18 located near the tip of a plate 17 protruding from the surface of the table 12 of the paper tray fits into the groove 15a of the cylindrical cam 15, and the cam follower 18 moves into the groove for one rotation of the cylindrical cam 15. The plate 17 and the paper holder move together according to the shape of the table 12, and the plate 17 and the paper tray slide back and forth once in the front-back direction.

The moving width d (offset (6)) of the paper tray 12 is equal to the amplitude of the sine curve.

Further, a microswitch 19 is provided below the cylindrical cam 15 and fixed to the housing 14, and a switch lever 19a of the microswitch 19 fits into recesses 15b and 15c provided at one end of the cylindrical cam 15.

The paper receivers of the four parts 15b and 15c are provided at fixed positions so that the microswitch 19 is activated when the table 12 reaches the extreme end position when reciprocating.

Therefore, when the cylindrical cam 15 is rotated half a turn from a state where the base 12 is at either the front or rear end and the switch lever 19a of the microswitch 19 is fitted into the recess 15b or 15C, the paper tray is placed at either the front or rear end. As it moves to the other end, the switch lever 19a fits into the other recess.

The automatic sorting that makes up the above configuration is achieved by an offset button 7 provided on the operation panel 5 in the device 11,
According to the input settings made by the number of sheets setting button 8, the movement of the paper tray 12 is controlled, and the paper receiver receives the paper ejected from the ejection row 13, and as shown in FIG. is loaded.

A block diagram of a control system for moving the paper tray 12 is shown in FIG.

The control center is the CPU 30, which processes information input via the input interface 33 while appropriately using the RAM 32 according to a program recorded in the ROM 31, and outputs control signals via the output interface 34. output to the device η.

The input devices include a copy start button 6, an offset button 7, a number setting button 8, a micro switch 19, and a photo sensor! 1 to 20, etc., and output devices include a set number display 9 via a display driver 35 and a motor 16 via a motor driver 36.

The operation of the above control system will be explained based on the flowchart shown in FIG. - First, input the offset button 7 or the copier casing 2 (steps ■, ■), and if you wish to make a normal copy, press the copier casing 2, and if you wish to sort the paper according to the present invention, then press the copier casing 2. If so, press offset button 7 first.

When sorting is set to processing, input the offset number n using the number setting button 8 (Step ■), the set number n is displayed on the set number display 9 (Step ■), and then set the number of copies m. When an input is made using the button 8 (step ■), the number m of copies is displayed on the set number display 9 together with the set number n of copies (step ■).

After the above preparations, when the copy start button 6 is pressed, the copying operation starts in the main body of the copying machine 10, and when the copied paper is conveyed near the discharge roll 13, the photo sensor 20 The paper is detected (step 2), the register P for counting the number of normal papers is incremented (step 2), and compared with the set offset number n (step 2).

If P has not reached the number of offset sheets n, return to step ① again and use the photo sensor 20 to detect the passage of the next copy sheet.
Monitored by

When P reaches n and a predetermined offset number of copy sheets is detected by the photo sensor 20, P is cleared (Step O), register Q is incremented (Step O), and Q is compared with the set number of copies m. (Step O
).

If Q has reached the set number of copies m, Q is cleared (step O) and the process ends.

If Q has not reached the set number of copies m, the paper tray is placed in the tray 1.
1 hour has passed until landing on 2 (Step G)
), the motor 16 is driven (step G).

The cylindrical cam 15 is rotated by the drive of the motor 16, and the paper tray 12 moves toward 11a or backward together with the paper stacked up to that point.The cylindrical cam 15 rotates approximately half a turn, and the microswitch 19 causes one of the grooves 15b or 12 to move backward. The motor 16 continues to drive until 15, c is captured and the OFF operation is performed (step ■).

When the microswitch 19 enters the OFF operation, the drive of the motor 16 is stopped and the step
Returning to , the paper passage is monitored by the photo sensor 20.
Thereafter, the same steps as described above are repeated.

Therefore, after the table 12 moves, the paper tray 12 drops and stacks the sheets at a position shifted from the position where the paper was previously discharged and placed on the tray 12.

In this way, the stacks of sheets for each offset sheet number n are stacked on the sheet tray 12 at staggered positions by the set number m, as shown in FIG.

Assuming that the time interval at which the copy paper is conveyed does not always change, the composite time of the time T, which takes into account the falling time of the paper during offset, and the movement time of the motor-driven paper tray 12, is the paper transport time. If the time interval is shorter than the time interval, there is no problem, but if it is longer, the paper may fall onto the paper tray 12 while the paper tray 12 is moving, and the paper tray may be displaced from the predetermined position. Therefore, in the case of a high-speed copying machine, it may be necessary to delay the copying operation for each offset number n of sheets.

In this embodiment, the paper tray uses a cylindrical cam for reciprocating the table 12, but it is also possible to use a slider crank mechanism, and a forward/reverse motor can be used to move the paper tray 12 by a pinion, rack, etc. It is also possible to make it reciprocate.

According to the present invention, once the initial number of sheets is set, the rest of the sorting work is done automatically, so the labor of the operator can be greatly reduced.

In addition, the paper tray has a simple mechanism that moves the table back and forth, and the sorting work can be done automatically, so it is small and does not take up much space, and is also cost-effective.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is a diagram corresponding to the claims of the present invention, Fig. 2 is an external view of a copying machine according to an embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the automatic sorting device of this embodiment, and Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the automatic sorting device of this embodiment. The paper tray is an explanatory diagram showing the reciprocating mechanism of the table, FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the paper tray with paper loaded on the table, FIG. 6 is a block diagram of the control system of this embodiment, and FIG. 7 is the same. 3 is a flowchart showing the operation procedure of the control system. 1... Copying machine, 2... Copying machine casing, 3...
Platen glass, 4... Platen cover, 5... Operation panel, 6... Copy start button, 7... Offset button, 8... Number of sheets setting button, 9... Set number of sheets display, 10 ...paper cassette, 11...automatic sorting device, 12...paper tray, 13...discharge roll, 14...housing, 15...cylindrical cam, 16...
7-ta, 11... plate, 18... cam follower, 19... micro switch, 20... photosensor, 30-CPU, 31-ROH, 32-RAM 133
-J interface, 34... Output interface, 35... Display driver, 36... Motor driver.

Claims (1)

[Claims] A copying machine capable of continuous copying includes a paper holder that is slidable back and forth in a direction perpendicular to a paper ejection direction, a driving means for driving the paper holder, and a drive means that moves the paper holder every time a set number of copies are made. A control means for driving and controlling the drive means for offset, and an offset number setting means for setting the number of copies at which a time interval for moving the paper holder is determined, and the copying apparatus is configured to copy each set offset number of copies. An automatic sorting device for copy paper, characterized in that it is capable of forming bundles of paper.