JPS6279164A - Sorter of picture forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent blanks from being left on pins and wrongly taken out by providing a blank detecting sensor on each pin. CONSTITUTION:When pins 2 are returned to the start positions, the output level of a sorter stand-by signal 9 generated from a sorter controller 5 to a controller 4 becomes low so that the controller 4 takes in the output signal of a blank detecting sensor 3 mounted on each pin 2. And when pins on which are mounted the blanks are found by the controller 4, the controller 4 activates a motor 6 through the sorter controller 5 to move said pins to the uppermost stage and make an user prepare for the removal of blank on the pin. After the repetition of these operations, when blanks are removed from all pins, pin return signals 8 are sent from the controller 4 to the sorter controller 5 so that each pin is returned to the start position to set a sorter to the stand-by condition.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Field of Application of the Invention] This invention relates to a sorter for an image forming apparatus, and relates to a sorter for an image forming apparatus.
More specifically, a paper detection sensor is provided in each bin of the sorter, and the sensor detects the presence or absence of paper on the shear bin, and the bin from which the paper has been removed is raised to facilitate the removal of the paper. The present invention relates to a sorter characterized by having the following configuration.

[Background of the invention]

Conventionally, image forming apparatus sorters have not been equipped with a means to detect the presence or absence of paper on the bins, which can lead to mistakes such as accidentally pulling out papers stacked in the previous or subsequent bin at the same time. 0 OBJECT OF THE INVENTION The object of the invention is to provide an improved sorter that is free from the above-mentioned mistakes.

[Summary of the invention]

The feature of the sorter according to this invention is that each bin is provided with a paper detection sensor, and when it detects that paper remains on the bin, it raises the bin immediately before the bin and automatically adjusts the distance between the bin and the bin. This allows the paper to be easily taken out by expanding it.

[Embodiments of the invention]

Figure 1 is a side view of the sorter improved by the present invention, Figure 2 is a side view of the sorter improved by the present invention.
The figure is a view taken along the ■-■ arrow in FIG. In FIGS. 1 and 2, 1 is a sorter main body, 2 is a bin, and 3 is a paper detection sensor attached to each bin 2.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing the main parts of the control system that controls the operation of the sorter according to the present invention. In the figure, 4 is a controller of an image forming apparatus (not shown), and 5 is a sorter main body 1.
The sorter controller 6 is a bin drive motor for driving the bins 2 in the vertical direction.The sorter according to the present invention is controlled as follows by the control system shown in the figure.

That is, when the sorter start signal 7 is sent from the controller 4 to the sorter controller 0-ra 5, the sorter controller 5 rotates the shear bin drive motor 6 in the forward direction to raise the bin 2, while the controller 4 sends the sorter start signal 7 to the sorter controller 5.
When the bin return signal 8 is input, the bin drive motor 6 is reversely rotated by the sorter controller 5, and the bin 2 is lowered to the start position. Further, when the bin 2 reaches a predetermined position, a sorter standby signal 9 is sent from the sorter controller 5 to the controller 4.

(In this case, when bin 2 reaches the predetermined position and the sorter enters the standby state, the output level of the sorter standby signal becomes L, while when bin 2 does not reach the predetermined position, the output level of the sorter standby signal becomes L.) ViH.) When a jam occurs in the sorter, the sorter jam signal 1 is output.
0 is sent from the sorter controller 5 to the controller 4. (In this case, if there is a jam in the sorter, the level of the sorter jam signal 10 will be H, and if there is no jam in the sorter, the level of the sorter jam signal will be L.) The output signal 11 of the paper detector 3 is input to the controller 4, and when paper is placed on the bin 2, the output signal 11 is input to the controller 4.
When there is no paper on the bin 2, the level of the output signal 11 becomes L.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the control algorithm after the image forming apparatus is stopped, and shows the main control operations in the sorter of the present invention.

That is, in the sorter of the present invention, when it is confirmed that the image forming apparatus has stopped, it is next checked whether or not a jam has occurred in the sorter, and if no jam has occurred (the output level of the sorter jam signal 10 is is L), the bin return signal 8 is input from the controller 4 to the sorter controller 5, the bin drive motor 6 is reversed by the sorter controller 5, and the bin 2 is returned to the starting position. As a result, when the bin 2 is returned to the starting position, the output level of the sorter standby signal 9 generated from the sorter controller 5 to the controller 4 becomes L, and the controller 4 has a paper detection sensor attached to each bin 2. Take in the output signal of 3. When the controller 4 discovers a bin loaded with paper, the controller 4 activates the motor 6 via the sorter controller 5 to move the bin to the top level, and prompts the user to remove the paper on the bin. 1
be prepared so that the After repeating such operations and when sheets are removed from all the bins, a bin return signal 8 is sent from the controller 4 to the sorter controller 5.
Each bin is returned to its starting position and the sorter is placed on standby.

In this case, if the sorter jam signal 1o is L, and the sorter standby signal 9 is L, and there is no paper left in each bin, the output level of 01ll'-to 12 shown in FIG. 4 will be L, so the next However, if even one of the three conditions is not satisfied, O'R)i'
Since the output level of the tray 12 is H, the remaining paper is displayed without determining that there is paper remaining in any of the bins.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, according to the present invention, no paper is left behind on the bin, and no paper is removed erroneously.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic side view of a sorter according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a view taken along arrows - ■ in FIG. 1, FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of a control system of a sorter according to the present invention, and FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a main part of the control operation of the sorter according to the invention. 1... Sorter body 2... Bin 3... Paper detection sensor 4... Image forming apparatus controller 5... Sorter controller 6... Bin drive 7.
... Sorter start signal 8 ... Bin return signal 9 ...
- Sorter standby signal 10... Sorter jam signal] 1... Output signal of paper detector 3 12... OR output. Figure 1

Claims (1)

[Claims] A sorter for an image forming apparatus, characterized in that a paper detection sensor is provided in each bin of the sorter, and when it is detected that paper remains on the bin, the bin is raised to facilitate the removal of the paper.