JP2557082B2 - Sheet lateral registration system - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a sheet lateral registration device used in an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a printing machine, and a laser beam printer. More specifically, the present invention relates to a sheet lateral registration device. The present invention relates to a sheet lateral registration device that conveys a sheet on the basis of a sheet and aligns the sheet in a direction perpendicular to the sheet conveying direction.

(B) Conventional Technology Conventionally, a sheet lateral registration device for aligning a sheet in a direction perpendicular to the sheet conveying direction is known, but the lateral registration device is generally composed of a pair of registration rollers and a sheet sensor. When the registration roller pair grips the sheet, the rotation of the registration roller pair is stopped, and the registration roller pair is axially moved to a position where the sheet sensor detects the sheet edge to perform lateral registration of the sheet. .

(C) Problems to be Solved by the Invention In the above-described sheet lateral registration apparatus, the processing speed is lowered because the lateral position of the sheet is aligned by interrupting the conveyance by the registration roller pair for each sheet. However, there is a slight time lag between when the sheet sensor detects the edge of the sheet and when the registration roller pair stops moving in the axial direction. Sometimes slipped. Further, in a central reference sheet lateral registration device that aligns the center of the sheet with the center of the sheet conveying path, if a sheet sensor is provided for each sheet size, a large number of expensive sheet sensors are required, and the cost is increased. When moving, the positional accuracy of the sheet sensor may be reduced.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a sheet lateral registration apparatus in which the sheet lateral direction end portion is aligned with the sheet transportation reference without interrupting the sheet transportation, thereby eliminating the above-mentioned problems. .

(D) Means for Solving the Problems The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and for example, referring to FIG. 1 and FIGS. 2 (a) and (b), In a sheet lateral registration device for aligning a lateral end of a sheet with a sheet conveyance reference, the sheet has a butting surface for abutting the lateral end of the sheet, and the abutting surface is moved to a position along the sheet conveyance reference to move the sheet. A lateral registration plate that aligns the lateral end portion with the sheet conveyance reference, a driving unit that moves the lateral registration plate to a position along the sheet conveyance reference during sheet conveyance, and the driving unit is controlled based on the sheet size. And a control means.

(E) Operation Based on the above configuration, the control means controls the driving means based on the sheet size to move the abutting surface of the lateral registration plate to a position along the sheet conveyance reference during the sheet conveyance, and the abutting surface Align the sheet with the sheet transport reference by abutting the lateral edge of the sheet against.

(F) Example Hereinafter, an example of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, a central reference sheet lateral registration device 1 that aligns the center of the sheet with the center of the sheet conveyance path is a control that includes a lateral registration plate 2 having a U-shape in front view and a spring clutch. It has a ring 3. A pair of fitting projections 2a are provided on the upper side of the lateral resist plate 2, and the vertical portion inside the lateral resist plate 2 is a sheet S.
Constitutes an abutting surface 2b for abutting against. Further, a drive gear 5 to which power from a motor (not shown) is transmitted is connected to an input side of a spring clutch built in the control ring 3, and an output shaft 6 rotating integrally with the control ring 3 is connected to the drive gear 5. ,
A cam 7 having reference surfaces 7a, 7b, 7c, 7d for each sheet size and having cam surfaces fitted to the fitting protrusions 2a, 2a is fixed. The stop claws 3a, 3b, 3 are provided on the outer circumference of the control ring 3.
c, 3d and a shading plate 3e are provided, and a home position sensor 9 and a solenoid 10 are provided facing the control ring 3. Further, the home position sensor 9 is composed of a transmissive sensor, and the light shielding plate 3e blocks the light emitting portion and the light receiving portion of the sensor 9 so that the light shielding plate 3e has passed the home position. It is designed to detect The solenoid 10 is urged to rotate by a spring 11 and the stop claws 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d
Has an engaging lever 12 for engaging with the engaging lever 12
Is attracted to and released from the solenoid 10 when the solenoid 10 is turned on and off. When the engagement lever 12 engages with the stop claw 3a, the reference surface 7a of the cam 7 corresponding to the stop claw 3a is located between the fitting protrusions 2a, 2a. Similarly, when the engaging lever 12 is engaged with the stop claw 3b, the reference surface 7b is engaged, the reference surface 7c is engaged with the stop claw 3c, and the reference surface 7d is engaged with the stop claw 3d. Mating protrusion 2
It is located between a and 2a.

On the other hand, the sheet lateral registration device 1 has a control unit 13 as shown in FIG. 5, and an input unit of the control unit 13 has
The sheet size information means 15, which is arranged in the sheet path to detect the sheet size, the sheet presence sensor 16 and the home position sensor 9 are connected, the output section is connected to the solenoid 10, and the input / output section is further connected. Timer 17
Are connected.

Since the present embodiment is configured as described above, the control unit 13
Sheet size information (for example, the minimum sheet size) is input from the sheet size information unit 15 prior to the conveyance of the sheet S. Then, the sheet S is conveyed by a conveying unit (not shown).
When the sheet is conveyed to the sheet lateral registration device 1, the sheet S
Is detected by the sheet presence / absence sensor 16, and the control unit 13 receiving the detection signal from the sensor 16 turns on the solenoid 10 to separate the engagement lever 12 from the stop pawl 3a. This allows
The spring clutch built in the control ring 3 is brought into the connected state, and the rotation of the drive gear 5 to which the power from the motor (not shown) is transmitted is transmitted to the output shaft 6. Then, the cam 7 fixed to the output shaft 6 and the control ring 3 rotate integrally, and the light shield plate
When 3e is separated from the position where the light emitting unit and the light receiving unit of the home position sensor 9 are shielded and the sensor 9 is turned on, the control unit 13 which receives the ON signal from the sensor 9 sets the timer 17 for a predetermined time, that is, the control ring. 3 is set to the time required for the stop claw 3c corresponding to the minimum sheet size to rotate to the position where the stop claw 3c engages with the engagement lever 12, and is turned on. Then, until a timer 17 is turned off after a predetermined time, the cam 7 is rotated by transmitting power from the drive gear 5 through the spring clutch and the output shaft 6, and when the timer 17 is turned off, the timer 17 is turned off. The control unit 13 receiving the signal turns off the solenoid 10.
To release the engaging lever 12, and the lever 12 is urged to rotate counterclockwise by the urging force of the spring 11 and engages with the stop claw 3c (see FIG. 4 (a)) to control. The power transmission from the drive gear 5 to the output shaft 6 is disconnected by the spring clutch built in the ring 3. At this time, the cam 7 is rotated until the reference surface 7c corresponding to the minimum size sheet S is located between the fitting protrusions 2a, 2a, and the lateral registration plate 2 is held at the abutting surface 2b at the home position and at the maximum. From the transport reference position A corresponding to the size sheet S to the transport reference position C corresponding to the minimum size sheet S
(See FIG. 4 (b)). As a result, the minimum size sheet S that is conveyed by the conveying unit having the skew feed roller 20 that also conveys the sheet S in the abutting surface 2b direction and that passes through the lateral registration plate 2 is the conveyance reference position C corresponding to the sheet S. Then, the sheet S is brought into contact with the abutting surface 2b that moves during the transportation of the sheet S, aligned, and transported downstream. When the sheet presence sensor 16 detects that there is no sheet S, the control unit 13 receiving the detection signal of the sensor 16 causes the solenoid 10
Is turned on to release the engagement between the engagement lever 12 and the stop claw 3c, the control ring 3 and the cam 7 are rotated until the light shield plate 3e turns off the home position sensor 9, and when the sensor 9 is turned off, the solenoid is turned on. 10 is turned on to engage the engagement lever 12 and the stop claw 3a (see FIG. 2). As a result, in the cam 7, the reference surface 7a is located between the fitting protrusions 2a and 2a, the abutting surface 2b of the lateral registration plate 2 moves to the hole position and the maximum size sheet conveyance reference position A, and the next sheet is moved. Wait for S.

When the intermediate size sheet S is laterally registered, the stop claw 3b and the engagement lever 12 are engaged by the same operation as described above, and the reference surface 7b of the cam 7 is positioned between the fitting protrusions 2a, 2a. The abutting surface 2b of the lateral registration plate 2 is moved to the transport reference position B corresponding to the intermediate size sheet S to align the lateral position of the intermediate size sheet S (see FIGS. 3A and 3B).

Further, when laterally registering the maximum size sheet S, the control unit 13 turns on the solenoid 10 by the same operation as described above,
The control ring 3 and the cam 7 are rotated once, and the horizontal position of the maximum size sheet S is aligned by the abutting surface 2b of the horizontal registration plate 2 located at the hole position and the maximum size sheet conveyance reference A.

Although the cam 7 is fixed to the output shaft 6 in the above-described embodiment, the invention is not limited to this, and as shown in FIG. 6 (a), the bevel gears 21, 21 are arranged in the power transmission path. You may change the direction at right angles.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, the cam 7 has a cylindrical shape, but the present invention is not limited to this, and as shown in FIGS. A disc-shaped cam 7'may be used.

Further, in the above embodiment, the sheet size is detected by the sheet size information means 15 during the sheet path, but the present invention is not limited to this, and a cassette provided with a large number of detected means for each sheet size is prepared, and the cassette is set. When mounted on the image forming apparatus, the sheet size may be detected by detecting the detection target means of the cassette by the detection means on the main body side. In this case, since the time during which the solenoid 10 is on is determined for each sheet size, when the light blocking plate 3e passes through the home position sensor 9, the solenoid 10 is turned on and the timer 17 is activated.
When the time corresponding to the sheet size recognized by the image forming apparatus has elapsed, the solenoid 10 is turned off. (Note that the signal output from the sensor 9 only turns on the solenoid 10 and turns on the timer 17 and does not output the OFF signal.) At that time, the sheet presence sensor 16 detects that there is no sheet S. However, the solenoid 10 does not turn on and the lateral registration plate 2 does not move. Then, the cassette is exchanged, and after it is recognized that the cassettes store sheets S of different sizes, the lateral registration plate 2 moves and the abutting surface 2b is at the home position and the maximum size sheet conveyance reference position A. Moving. At this time, when the cassette is exchanged, that is, the sheet size is exchanged, the abutting surface 2b may be immediately moved / positioned to the reference position corresponding to the sheet size without returning to the home position A.

(G) Effect of the Invention As described above, according to the invention of the present application, the lateral resist plate is configured to abut against the abutting surface and move to a position along the sheet conveying reference during the sheet conveying. Therefore, the processing speed can be increased by aligning the lateral edge portion of the sheet with the sheet conveyance reference without interrupting the conveyance of the sheet. Further, this eliminates the need to provide a sheet sensor for each sheet size, which can reduce the cost.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a view showing a sheet lateral registration apparatus according to the present invention, (a) is a perspective view, (b) is a plan view, and FIG. 2 is a view showing a main part thereof (a) is (b) ) XX cross-sectional view,
(B) is a front view. 3 (a) and 3 (b) and FIGS. 4 (a) and 4 (b) are diagrams showing the operation of the present invention. Further, FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing the control unit of the embodiment of the present invention. 6 (a) and 6 (b) are views showing another embodiment. 1 ... Sheet lateral registration device, 2 ... Horizontal registration plate, 2b ... Abutting surface, 3,5,7,7 ', 21,21 ... Driving means, 10,12 ... Control means, S ... Sheet.

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Takahiro Kurita 3-30-2 Shimomaruko, Ota-ku, Tokyo Canon Inc. (72) Inventor Akira Hishmoda 3-30-2 Shimomaruko, Ota-ku, Tokyo Ki In the Canon Inc. (72) Ken Matoba Inventor Ken 3-30-2 Shimomaruko, Ota-ku, Tokyo Canon Inc. (72) Inventor Toshifumi Moriya 3-30-2 Shimomaruko, Ota-ku, Tokyo Canon Inc. (72) Inventor Kazuyuki Kubota 3167 Yamamiya-cho, Kofu-shi, Yamanashi Nippon Seimitsu Kogyo Co., Ltd. (56) Bibliography Sho 59-95040 (JP, U)

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A sheet lateral registration apparatus for aligning a lateral edge of a sheet with a sheet conveyance reference, and having a butting surface for abutting the lateral edge of the sheet, and the abutting surface along the sheet conveyance reference. A lateral registration plate that moves the lateral edge of the sheet to the sheet conveyance reference and moves the lateral registration plate to a position along the sheet conveyance reference during sheet conveyance; A sheet lateral registration device comprising: a control unit that controls the unit based on a sheet size.