JPS63127972A - Sheet post processor - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To reduce occurrence of jamming, by switching a switching means upon judgement of carry out of a sheet which is not required to be folded when a sheet folding mode is being selected, and carrying a recording sheet to a through path. CONSTITUTION:When sheet folding mode is in selection a means Y for judging whether a sheet is required to be folded judges whether a sheet P being carried out from an image forming device 10 has a large size or a small size. If the sheet P has a large size, an inlet deflector 15 is switched upward so as to lead the sheet P to a sheet folding means A. If the sheet P has a small size and folding is not required, the inlet deflector 15 is switched downward so as to feed the sheet P through a through path 16 to a finisher device 7. consequently, occurrence of jamming can be reduced.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention (a) Industrial Application Field The present invention relates to a post-processing device for image forming apparatuses such as copying machines, printing machines, laser beam links, etc. Equipped with means for folding and folding into the shape of
The present invention relates to a sheet post-processing device that folds sheets into a predetermined shape to be carried out from an image forming apparatus.

(B) Prior Art Conventionally, a sheet post-processing device that connects a sheet folding means to an image forming device such as a WI document or a copying machine is usually linked to an automatic document feeder installed in the image forming device. When the sheet folding mode is selected, a document is fed from the automatic document feeder to a predetermined position of the image forming apparatus, an image is formed based on the document, and a recording sheet that is carried out from the image forming apparatus is folded. It is introduced into a relatively long folding path with means.

→ Problem to be Solved by the Invention By the way, when a combination of originals of mixed sizes, such as A3 size and A4 size, is fed from the automatic document feeder, the records carried out corresponding to these originals are The sheet (a small A4 recording sheet) which does not need to be folded is also introduced into the folding conveyance path and passes through the sheet 1-folding means. Since the folding conveyance path is long, jams may occur due to the conveyance of recording sheets that do not need to be folded, and extra power is consumed to operate various parts such as solenoids that control the conveyance of the gear. There are drawbacks such as.

(c) Means for solving the problem The present invention aims to solve the above-mentioned problems, and uses a through path for conveying sheets without using a sheet folding means, and a through path or sheet folding means for conveying the sheet 1-. and a sheet folding unnecessary determining means for determining a sheet that does not require folding when the sheet folding mode is selected and the sheet is taken out from the image forming apparatus,
The present invention is characterized in that the switching means is switched to a through path based on a sheet folding unnecessary signal from the determining means.

(e) Operation Based on the above-described configuration, when the sheet folding mode for folding the sheet is selected, the sheet carried out from the image forming apparatus is conveyed to the sheet folding means and folded. Then, the sheet that does not require folding is carried out from the image forming apparatus,
When it is determined that the sheet does not need to be folded, the conveyance of the sheet 1- is switched to a through path, and the sheet that does not need to be folded is carried out without passing through the sheet folding means.

(F) Examples Examples of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

As shown in FIG. 1, the sheet post-processing unit l-U consists of a folding device 1 and a finisher device 7. 7 and the sheet carry-in port 9 are connected to each other so as to coincide with each other. Furthermore, the sheet post-processing unit U connects the sheet exit 2 of the folding device 1 to the copying machine 10 in such a way that it matches the sheet discharge port 11 of the copying machine 10, and records that are carried out from the copying machine 10 are connected to the copying machine 10. A sheet (hereinafter referred to as a sheet) P is folded into a predetermined shape by the folding device 1, and then sent to the stacker section 5 or stapling section 6 of the Finnisonya device 7 for stacking or stapling/processing.

As shown in detail in FIG.
A pair of carry-in rollers 13 is disposed facing the pair of carry-in rollers 13, and an inlet deflector 15 constituting a switching means is disposed downstream of the pair of carry-in rollers 13 so as to be switchable in two directions. The coming sheet P is guided and conveyed to the passing conveyance path 16 constituting a through path or to the sheet folding conveyance path 17. Further, a pair of discharge rollers 19 is arranged at the downstream end of the passage conveyance path 16, and a sheet discharge port 3 is provided downstream of the pair of discharge rollers 19.
is defined to be at the same horizontal level as the sheet carry-in port 2. Further, on the downstream side of the sheet folding tu feed path 17, each member constituting the sheet folding means A is arranged. First, a first folding roller 20 is arranged, and furthermore, a second folding roller 20 is arranged adjacent to the roller 20. A folding roller 21 is arranged.

Furthermore, a first deflector 22 is disposed downstream of the first folding roller 20 so as to be switchable in two directions, and directs the sheet P conveyed from the folding conveyance path 17 to the first folding path 23.
to, or the first folding roller 20 and the second folding roller 2
1). Further, on the downstream side of the first folding path 23, a first fixed stopper 24 and a movable stopper 25 configured to protrude into the first folding path 23 by a solenoid device 25a are arranged. There is. In addition, the first folding roller 20 and the second folding roller 21
A second deflector 26 is disposed so as to be switchable in two directions, and directs the sheet P to the second folding path 27 or to the second folding roller 21 and the third folding roller 21 adjacent to the second folding path 27 .
The folding roller 29 is guided and conveyed to the joint part with the folding roller 29. A second fixed stopper 30 is disposed downstream of the second folding path 27. Furthermore, a third deflector 31 is provided downstream of the second and third folding rollers 21.29.
The sheet P is arranged to be switchable in the direction of the third folding path 32 or between the third folding roller 29 and the third folding roller 29.
to the joint with the fourth folding roller 33 adjacent to the
transport. A third fixed stopper 35 is provided downstream of the third folding path 32. Further, a folding end conveyance path 36 is formed downstream of the third and fourth folding rollers 29.33, and the downstream side of the conveyance path 36 merges with the passing conveyance path 16 and communicates with the sheet discharge port 3. has been done.

The folding unit @1 operates according to the following four modes.

1st through pass mode (no folding operation, sheet P
is a mode in which the sheet P is passed through the folding device 1 without passing through the folding device 1. In this mode, the sheet P carried in from the sheet carry-in port 2 is guided to the passing conveyance path 16 by the pair of carry-in rollers 13 and the inlet deflector 15, as shown in FIG. , the sheet is sent out to the finisher device 7 through the sheet ejection port 3 by the ejection roller pair 19.

The second two folding modes are modes in which sheets of A3 or 84 or larger are folded in half, and the sheet P guided from the carry-in roller pair 13 to the sheet folding conveyance@17 by the entrance deflector 15 is folded into two by the first deflector 22. 1st by operation
be introduced into the folding path 23. Thus, Figure 3 (al
As shown in FIG.
A loop X is formed at the center of the sea 1 when it comes into contact with the sea 1 .

Then, the loop X is the third [N(as shown in bl,
A crease P1 is formed at the center of the sheet S which is held in the nip C between the first folding roller 20 and the second folding roller 21, resulting in a two-folded sheet (see Fig. 4 (al)).
. The sheet P thus folded in half is then guided between the second folding roller 21 and the third folding roller 29 by the second deflector 26 and the third deflector 31, and from there, The paper passes between the folding roller 29 and the fourth folding roller 33, passes through the folding end conveyance path 36, and is sent out by the discharge roller pair 19.

The third Z-folding mode is a mode in which the sheet is first folded in half and then one half is folded back to the opposite side. , first deflector 22
The paper is first introduced into the first folding path 23 by the operation. When the leading end of the sheet P comes into contact with the movable stopper 25 projected by the solenoid device 25a, the sheet P
A loop is formed approximately 1/4 from the tip of the sheet P, and the loop is inserted into the nip between the first folding roller 20 and the second folding roller 21, so that the sheet P is folded into the first fold. A crease P2 is formed (see FIG. 4 fbl).

The sheet P thus folded is then introduced into the second path 27 by operating the second deflector 26. When the crease P2 of the sheet P folded in half is brought into contact with the second fixed stopper 30, the above-mentioned fold is formed in the vicinity of the second half of approximately 1/4 from the crease P of the sheet P folded in two. A loop is formed in the same manner as above, and this loop connects the second folding roller 21 and the third folding roller 2.
9 to form a second fold P3 (see Figure 4 (bl). In this way, the folded Z-fold sheet is folded again to the front side I), and the Z-fold sheet is further folded into the third fold. is guided between the third folding roller pair 29 and the fourth folding roller 33 by the operation of the deflector 31 of
6, from the ejection roller 19 to the refining device 7.
sent to.

In the case of the fourth back Z-folding mode, in the same manner as described above, the sheet 1-P guided from the carry-in roller pair 13 to the sheet folding feeding path 17 by the operation of the entrance deflector 15 is folded by the first deflector 22. By actuation, it passes between the first and second folding rollers 20.21 and from there is introduced into a second folding path 27 by actuation of the second deflector 26. However, when the leading edge of the sheet P comes into contact with the second fixed stopper 30, a loop formed at about 1/4 of the leading edge of the sheet 1-P passes between the second folding roller 21 and the third folding roller 21. It is caught in the nip with the folding roller 29, and a first fold P4 is formed as shown in FIG. 4 fcl.

Note that after this, by operating the third deflector 31, the third
When the fold P4 of the sheet P comes into contact with the third fixed stopper 35, the sheet P
A loop formed in the vicinity of the shield part about 1/4 further from the fold P4 is inserted into the nip between the third folding roller 29 and the fourth folding roller 33, and the loop is inserted into the nip between the third folding roller 29 and the fourth folding roller 33, as shown in Fig. 4(c). A second crease P5 as shown is formed.

In this way, the Z-folded sheet P that has been folded back to the back side is sent out from the pair of discharge rollers 19 via the folding completion retraction path 36.

Further, as shown in FIG. 5, in the finisher device 7, a stacker 5a of a stacker section 5 that can reciprocate vertically and horizontally by driving a motor or the like is arranged above the rear part of the main body 39, and An intermediate tray 6a of the staple section 6 is disposed below the stacker section 5, and a stopper 40 that supports one end of the sheet P on the tray 6a is rotatably disposed at the lower end of the intermediate tray 6a. ing.

Furthermore, a lower tray 41 is disposed below the stipple portion 6, and the sheet 1-P on the intermediate tray 6a is dropped and stored on the lower i-lay 41 by rotation of the stopper 40. Further, a sheet inlet 9 is provided at the upper front of the finisher main body 39, and the sheet inlet 9 is disposed in the same manner as the sheet outlet 11 of the copying machine 10. ing. A pair of carry-in rollers 42 is disposed at the sheet carry-in port 9, and a pair of carry-in rollers 42 is disposed at the sheet carry-in port 9.
An inlet deflector 43 is disposed on the downstream side of the port 2 so as to be switchable in two directions, so that the sheet P sent from the inlet 9 is directed to the stacker section conveyance path 45 or to the stipple section conveyance path 46. transport. Further, a pair of stacker discharge rollers 47 is disposed at the downstream end of the stacker conveyance path 45.
The sheet P being conveyed is carried out to the stacker 5a. Also,
A pair of stapling part ejection rollers 49 is arranged at the downstream end of the stapling part conveyance path 46, and a belt 50 whose lower end abuts on the intermediate tray 6a is wound around the lower roller 49a of the ejection roller pair 49. Then, the belt 50 rotates together with the lower roller 49a, and the rear end of the sheet 1-P, which has been recirculated onto the intermediate tray 6a, is brought into contact with the stopper 40 and aligned. do. A stapler 51 is installed above the upper end of the intermediate tray 6a, and staples the sheets P on the intermediate tray 6a.

On the other hand, the sheet post-processing unit U is provided with a sheet folding unnecessary determining means Y, and the sheet folding remote is selected in the sheet folding unnecessary determining means Y, and the sheet folding remote is selected.
When the sheet P is unloaded from the copying machine 10, it is determined which sheet does not need to be folded based on the size and thickness of the sheet P, and a message is sent.

Next, referring to FIG. 6, the operation of the sheet post-processing unit U of this embodiment when the sheet folding mode is selected will be described.

At the same time that the start of the copying operation is detected in step F, the folding device 1 and the finisher device 7 become operational, and in the next step F2, it is determined whether or not they are in the folding mode. If it is not the folding mode, the flow branches to another, but in case B, the explanation is omitted because it is not directly related to the present invention. Next, in step F3, it is determined whether the sheet P is large or small. If the sheet P is large enough to be folded, then in step F4, each deflector and stopper of the folding unit M1 is operated according to the folding mode. If it is determined in step F3 that the sheet is a small size sheet, in step F5 the sheet P is transferred to the first through-pass mode of the folding device 1 through the conveyance path 1.
Switch the inlet deflector 15 so that it passes through 6. Next, in step F6, the rate P is carried out from the folding device 1, and in step F7, it is determined whether or not the copying operation has been completed.If the copying operation has not been completed, step F is performed.

Return to , repeat the above operation, and if the copying operation is completed, the folding operation will also be completed.

(G) As described in detail, the present invention includes a through path for conveying the sheet 1- without passing through the sheet folding means, and a switching means for switching the thrusting of the sheet to the through path or the sheet folding means. , a sheet folding unnecessary determination means for determining a sheet that does not need to be folded when the sheet folding mode is selected and the sheet is carried out from the image forming apparatus, and when the sheet 1-folding mode is selected, the sheet is folded. When the unnecessary sheet 1- is carried out, the recording sheet is conveyed to the through path, so that the sheet that does not need to be folded is not sent through the sheet folding means, and the sheet is folded. It is possible to provide a sheet 1 post-processing device that reduces the occurrence of jams and eliminates the need for redundant operation of sheet folding means, which saves power and is highly reliable.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a schematic side view of a sheet post-processing unit connected to a copying machine according to an embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a side view of its folding device, and Fig. 3 shows a sheet folding operation in its two-fold mode. In the side view shown, to+ indicates a state in which a loop is formed at the center of the sheet, and (bl indicates a state in which the sheet is folded in half at the center. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating the folding mode of the sheet. , ta+ is bi-fold mode, fb
l indicates Z-fold mode, and fc] indicates back Z-fold remote. FIG. 5 is a side view of the finisher device, and FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the operation of the sheet post-processing unit according to the embodiment of the present invention when the sheet folding mode is selected. A. Sheet folding means, P. Sheet, U. Sheet post-processing bag N (sheet post-processing unit), Y. Sheet folding unnecessary determination means, 10. Image forming device (copying machine), 15-. Switching means (inlet differential).・Kuku) ・16 Through path (passing conveyance path).

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1) A sheet post-processing device comprising a sheet folding means for folding a sheet carried out from an image forming apparatus, comprising: a through path for conveying the sheet without passing through the sheet folding means; and a through path for conveying the sheet. a sheet folding means; and a sheet folding unnecessary determining means for determining a sheet that does not require folding when the sheet folding mode is selected and the sheet is carried out from the image forming apparatus. A sheet post-processing device characterized in that the switching means is switched to a through path based on an unnecessary signal.