JP3406963B2 - Sheet post-processing equipment - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a sheet post-processing apparatus for classifying, accommodating and punching sheet materials discharged from an image forming apparatus, and more particularly to a structure of a bin tray for accommodating sheet materials to be stapled.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there is a sheet post-processing apparatus in which a stacked sheet bundle is stapled and bound by binding means (electric stapler apparatus). Here, such an electric stapler device inserts the sheet bundle S into the openings of the lower jaw 51 and the upper jaw 52 as shown in FIG. The sheet bundle S is swung in the X and Y directions.
It is designed to do needlework.

The sheet bundle contacting surfaces of the lower jaw 51 and the upper jaw 52 facing the lower jaw 51 form a single plane.

By the way, an electric stapler device is attached to a sorting device, which is an example of a sheet post-processing device having one or more bins (hereinafter referred to as bin trays) and for sorting sheets discharged from an image forming apparatus, When stapling a bundle of sheets on the bin tray, the lower jaw 51 and the upper jaw 5
As shown in FIG. 17, the bin tray 9 is provided with a notch 9b in the vicinity of the stopper 9a so as not to hinder the swinging of the needle 2 and the driving of the needle. In the figure, 20 is an electric stapler device.

[0005]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional example, the strength of the bin tray 9 is improved by providing the notch 9b for moving and stapling the automatic stapling device 20 at the rear end of the bin tray (near the stopper). The cross-section coefficient) deteriorates, and there is a problem that the bin tray 9 bends downward as shown in FIG. 18 due to the weight of the sheet S (sheet material) when the sheets are stacked (two-dot chain line is a state before stacking).

Further, when the sorting device is a so-called bin tray moving type, the bin tray 9 vibrates greatly as the bin tray 9 moves, causing poor stacking of sheets S and poor conformity.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a sheet post-processing apparatus which prevents the reduction of the strength of the bin tray and improves the stackability and alignment of the sheets.

[0008]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention, there is provided a conveying means for conveying a sheet material, at least one bin tray for accommodating the sheet material conveyed by the conveying means, and advancing and retracting with respect to the bin tray. In a sheet post-processing apparatus having a binding means for binding the sheet material stored in the bin tray by a needle, in the bin tray, when the sheet binding operation by the binding means, the entire circumference through which the binding needle passes is closed. It is characterized in that an opening is provided.

Further, according to the present invention, the binding means includes a head portion for driving the binding needle and an anvil for bending a tip of the driven binding needle, and the opening portion is provided when the binding means moves to a binding position. It is provided at a position facing the head portion and the anvil of the bin tray.

[0010]

When the bundle of sheets is placed on the bin tray, the binding means that can advance and retract with respect to the bin tray advances to the binding position of the sheets. By providing the bin tray with an opening through which the binding needle passes during the sheet binding operation by the binding means, the binding operation of the binding means can be performed without any trouble. Further, by closing the entire circumference of this opening, it is possible to prevent the strength (section modulus) of the bin tray from decreasing.

[0011]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a sheet post-processing apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, 1 is an image forming apparatus and 2 is a sheet post-processing having at least one bin tray 9. The sorting device 3 is an automatic document feeder.

The operation modes of the image forming apparatus 1 will be described below. In the automatic document feeder 3, the document 5 placed on the document table 4 with the image side facing upward is fed from the last page to the platen glass 6 of the image forming apparatus 1 through the path A from the last page. After the document is stopped at a predetermined position, an optical system (not shown) is activated to start image formation.

After that, the formed image is transferred to a sheet and then fixed on the sheet, and the sheet on which the image is fixed in this way is delivered to the sorting device 2 via a sheet discharge roller (not shown).

It should be noted that the original on the platen glass 6 is pass B
And is discharged to the uppermost surface of the document 5. However, a partition lever (not shown) is interposed between the copied document and the uncopied document so that the originals can be distinguished.

On the other hand, the sheets transferred to the sorting device 2 are stored in an appropriate bin tray 9 according to the input transfer processing mode, the number of copies, sorting, non-sorting and the like. Then, the above operation is repeated for the number of documents.

Here, the sorting device 2 includes a first conveying means 10 for non-sorting and a second conveying means 1 for sorting.
A spiral cam 12 for moving the first and second conveying means 11 and the bin tray 9 up and down, and further wide opening the bin tray 9 for discharging sheets, the first conveying means 10 and the second
It has a switching means 13 for switching the sheet feeding direction to the conveyance means 11 and an automatic stapler device 20 which is a binding means positioned at the position of the second conveyance means 11.

Further, as shown in FIG. 2, the bin tray 9 ... Alignment member 14 for aligning the sheets stored on the bin tray 9 and a drive means (not shown) for swinging the alignment member 14 (for example, (Stepping motor and gear combination) is attached.

The aligning member 14 normally has a home position 14a as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 (broken line in the figure).
When the copying operation switch is turned on by the operator, the sheet size signal is received from the image forming apparatus 1 and the sheet size signal is moved to a position away from the sheet side edge by a distance L (two-dot chain line diagram). ).

Then, every time a sheet is stored in the bin tray 9, the aligning member 14 moves the sheet side edge to the sheet reference member 15.
By pushing the sheet S to the side, the side edge of the sheet S is supported by the sheet reference member 15, and the rear edge of the sheet S is supported by the stopper 9a to be aligned. That is, the aligning member 14 moves the sheet S a distance L'from the position of 14b to the position of 14c shown by the solid line.

The aligning member 14 penetrates all the bin trays 9 as shown in FIG. 2, and can align the sheets stored in all the bin trays 9.
This operation is repeated every time a sheet is stored in the bin tray 9.

At the position of the second transport means 11, two automatic stapler devices 20 are attached to the moving table 16 as shown in FIG. 3, and the driving means (the shaft of the motor 17 for reciprocating the moving table 16). The automatic stapler device 20 interferes with the operating position shown in the same drawing for stapling and the vertical movement of the sheet path and the bin tray 9 due to the meshing of the pinion gear 18 provided around the rack with the rack gear 19 fixed to the moving base 16. It is possible to move to and from the standby position shown in FIG.

By the way, in the present embodiment, the bin tray 9 is provided with a hole 9b so that the automatic stapler device 20 can perform staple binding. Here, the hole 9b is provided at a position facing the head portion and the anvil of the automatic stapler device 20 when the automatic stapler device 20 is moved to the binding position, as will be described later, and has an opening that is closed all around. It is what constitutes.

By thus forming the hole 9b provided in the bin tray 9 as a closed opening, that is, by not forming a notch near the stopper 9a as in the conventional case, the bottle strength ( Section modulus) hole 9b
It may be substantially the same as the case where no is provided.

As a result, the bin tray 9 does not bend downward due to the weight of the sheets S when the sheets are stacked, and the bin tray 9 does not vibrate greatly as the bin tray 9 moves, so that the stackability and the consistency of the sheets S are reduced. Is improved.

When the "stapling" signal is sent, the automatic stapler device 20 performs stapling by the rotation of a motor 30 described later, and when stapling a plurality of bin trays 9, after detecting a staple end signal, the sorting device. The second bin tray 9 is raised or lowered to staple the sheets on the next bin tray.

Next, the structure of the automatic stapler device 20 will be described with reference to FIG.

In the figure, reference numeral 21 is a base for supporting the entire automatic stapler apparatus, which is fixed to the moving base 16 shown in FIGS. 22 is a lower jaw, and the bent portion 22c
The shaft 22a fitted to the shaft 22a can be rotated about a fulcrum.
The shaft 22a is provided on the base 21 so as to project.

An anvil 29 for bending the tip of the needle in a folded shape is attached to the tip of the lower jaw 22. The lower jaw 22 has an anvil 29 and a bent portion 22.
Except for c, it has a recessed shape (recess 2
2d). The base 21 and the body 28, which will be described later, are recessed at a position facing the recess 22d (recess 21a).

Further, at the end of the lower jaw 22, the cam groove 2
2b is formed, and the cam groove 22b is engaged with the caulking shaft 23b of the upper unit 23. Further, the upper unit 23 can swing about a hinge shaft 24 provided on the base 21 as a fulcrum.

Reference numeral 25 is a crank arm, and the crank arm 25 is rotatably supported at its end by a shaft 26b provided on the base 21, and is provided at the other end by the upper unit 23. The shaft 26 is pivotally supported. The crank arm 25 is internally fitted with the stapler gear 27 shown in FIG.
When the shaft rotates once, the crank arm 25 also rotates around the support shaft 26.

Here, the base 21 is fixed, and the shaft 26
Since the distance between b and the support shaft 26 is also constant, when the crank arm 25 rotates, the upper unit 23 rotates about the hinge shaft 24 with respect to the base 21. And at this time,
Since the body 28 is also rotatably supported by the hinge shaft 24, the body 28 is pushed by the upper unit 23 via the head portion 65a of the driver 65 mounted on the body 28, and the hinge shaft 24 is centered in the X direction. Turn to. At the same time, due to the action of the cam groove 22b of the lower jaw 22 engaged with the caulking shaft 23b of the upper unit 23, the lower jaw 22 also rotates about the shaft 22a in the Y direction.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 6, the upper unit 23
A motor 30 which is a drive source of the stapler mechanism is attached to the upper part of the, and the drive is transmitted to the stapler gear 27 via a motor gear 31. As a result, when the motor 30 starts rotating, the body 28 swings in the arrow X direction shown in FIG. 5 and the lower jaw 22 swings in the arrow Y direction, resulting in the needle driving state as shown in FIG. At this time, the recess 2
A space 40 is formed by 2d and the recess 21a.

When the motor 30 further rotates and the stapler gear 7 makes one rotation, one stapling stroke is completed. In addition, 32 shown in FIG. 5 is a stapler gear 27.
Is a one-revolution micro switch that detects one revolution (one stroke) of the sensor cam 33 that is integral with the stapler gear 27.

Next, the needle feeding and needle driving mechanism will be described. FIG. 8 is a detailed cross-sectional view of the needle feeding and needle bending portion, which is housed in the body 28 so as not to project from the space 40 (see FIG. 7).

Reference numeral 61 is a stapler which is a binding needle, and the individual needles are adhered to each other at the central portion thereof, and the stapler has a continuous strip shape and is accommodated in the cartridge 62. 6
3 is a leaf spring needle presser fixed to the cartridge,
The band-shaped continuous needle 61 is held and guided by an appropriate pressure contact force. Reference numeral 65 denotes a driver that separates the adhered band-shaped needle 61 and pushes it out to the bent portion.

Here, the head portion 65 of the driver 65
As described above, a is in contact with the upper unit 23, and when the upper unit 23 rotates, the head portion 65a is pushed downward. At this time, the needle 61 at the most distal end of the band-shaped needle 61
The center of a is held by the needle bending block 69.

On the other hand, when the head portion 65a is pushed down in this manner, the U-shaped bending block 70 of the needle is simultaneously lowered, and the block 70 hits both ends of the needle 61a at the most distal end to bend the needle in a U-shape. Further, the driver head portion 65
When a is pushed in, the protrusion 70 of the U-shaped bending block 70
a distorts the needle feed member 64 as indicated by the alternate long and short dash line. Then, the needle feed claw 64a moves in the direction opposite to the needle feed direction. However, at this time, since the needle 61a at the most distal end is already bent in a U-shape, the needle 61a does not go backward and only the feed claw moves in the opposite direction to prepare for the next needle feed.

Thereafter, when the head portion 65a is further moved downward, the block pushing claw 65b of the driver 65 is moved to the block 7
The driver 65
Only come down. And the tip 65a of the driver
Reaches the taper portion of the needle bending block 69, and further proceeds downward, pushing the needle bending block 69 in the direction of the alternate long and short dash, and together with the needle cutting member 68, the tip of the most distal portion bent in a U shape from the band-shaped needle. While cutting one needle, needle 61a
Is driven into the sheet bundle from a discharge port (not shown).

When the driving is completed, the head portion 65a
Returns to the top, and accordingly, the protrusion 70a of the U-shaped bending block 70 is disengaged from the needle feeding member 64, and the needle feeding claw 64a returns to the original position. At this time, the needle advances. In the above process, needle feeding and needle driving are performed.

Next, the needle driving operation will be described.

When the operator turns on the operation start switch of the image forming apparatus 1, the image-formed sheets are stacked on the bin tray 9 suitable for the processing mode while being aligned by the aligning member 14. At this time, the hole 9b of the bin tray 9
Has a closed opening shape as described above so that the strength (section modulus) of the bin tray 9 is not substantially reduced, the bin tray 9 also vibrates to the extent that it adversely affects the stacking and alignment of sheets. Further, as shown in FIG. 9, there is almost no bending after stacking, and the sheets are stacked without being displaced.

When the processing mode is the stapling mode, stapling is performed by the following operation after image formation of all sheets and storage in the bin tray 9.

First, the automatic stapling apparatus 20 which has been waiting at the standby position is driven by the motor 17 shown in FIG. 10 in the direction of arrow K, and as the moving table 16 moves in the direction of arrow M, the sheet bundle S is moved. Is moved in the direction of the bin tray 9 on which is loaded. Then, when the automatic stapling device 20 reaches the operating position for stapling, the motor 17 is turned off, and as shown in FIG.
As shown in, the automatic stapling apparatus 20 stops at the spot.

In the present embodiment, as shown in the figure, an ejection port (not shown) provided on the lower surface of the head portion 65a for ejecting the binding needle and the binding needle ejected from this ejection port. At least one of the anvil 29 and the anvil 29 is bent more than the base 21.

Subsequently, as described above with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6, the automatic stapling device 20 rotates the stapler gear 27 by driving the motor 30, and the lower jaw 22 (Y direction) and the upper unit 23 (X). Direction),
As shown in 2, the sheet bundle S is stapled. At this time, since the holes 9b are provided at the staple driving position of the bin tray 9, the staple driven by the driver 65 is bent by the facing lower jaw anvil 29 to reliably staple the sheet bundle S.

The stopper portion 9a of the bin tray 9 is
As shown in the figure, since it is surrounded by the space 40 formed by the recess 22d and the recess 21a provided in the automatic stapler device 20, the stopper portion 9a does not interfere with stapling.

Next, when the stapler gear 27 continues to rotate further, this time, the lower jaw 22 swings in the Y'direction and the upper unit 23 swings in the X'direction to release the sheet bundle S. After this, the automatic stapling device 20 which has been stopped
Moves in the direction of arrow N by driving the motor 17 in the direction of arrow K ₂ and returns to the standby position shown in FIG.

When there are a plurality of sheet bundles S to be stapled, the bin tray 9 of the sorting apparatus 2 is moved up or down after the above operation is completed, and the sheet bundle on the next bin tray is moved in the same manner as the above operation. Needle-stamping.

By the way, in the present embodiment, since the automatic stapler device 20 is reciprocally movable only in the sheet discharging direction, the place where the stapling is performed is constant, and the applicable sheet size is limited. .

However, the present invention is not limited to this, and it is possible to perform stapling at different positions corresponding to various sheet sizes.

FIG. 14 is a diagram for explaining the structure of such a sheet post-processing apparatus according to the second embodiment of the invention. In the figure, the same reference numerals as those in FIG. 3 indicate the same or corresponding portions.

As shown in the figure, in this embodiment, the basic structure is the same as that of the first embodiment, and the difference from the first embodiment is the sheet discharge direction of the moving table 16. By providing the rack gear 54 at the end portions orthogonal to each other and engaging the pinion gear 56 provided on the pulse motor 55 with the rack gear 54, the moving base 16 of the automatic stapler device 20 can be moved in various directions orthogonal to the sheet discharge direction. The point is that it can be moved according to the sheet size.

Further, in the present embodiment, the bin tray 9 has a closed opening 5 corresponding to various sheet sizes.
0, 51, 52, 53 are provided. In this embodiment, the distance K ₁ between the openings 50 and 52, the distance K ₂ between the openings 51 and 52, and the distance K ₃ between the two automatic staplers 20 are set to be equal.

Thereby, for example, A, A4 (horizontal) B4
In the case of binding two sheets of the sheet, the pulse motor 55 is driven to align the two automatic staplers 20 with the openings 51 and 53, and the staple binding is performed in the same manner as in the first embodiment. be able to.

Further, in the case of binding two sheets of A4 (vertical) and B5 sheets, the pulse motor 55 is driven by a predetermined amount, and the two automatic staplers 20 are aligned with the openings 50 and 52, whereby Needle binding can be performed in the same manner as in the first embodiment. When binding one sheet on each sheet, the pulse motor 55 is driven by a predetermined amount to align the two automatic staplers 20 with the openings 50 and 51, and only the front automatic stapler 20a is bound. Good.

The present embodiment is not limited to the configuration shown in the figure, and for example, as shown in FIG. 15, the opening 5 closed by communicating the openings 50 and 51 and the openings 52 and 53, respectively.
7 and 58 may be formed respectively.

[0058]

As described above, according to the present invention, the strength of the bin tray is improved by providing the bin tray with the opening through which the binding needle passes during the sheet binding operation and closing the entire circumference of the opening. It is possible to prevent the reduction of the sheet load, thereby improving the stackability and the consistency of the sheets.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional side view of a sheet post-processing device according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the sheet post-processing device.

FIG. 3 is a plan view showing a state during a binding operation of a bin tray and an automatic stapler of the sheet post-processing device.

FIG. 4 is a plan view showing a state of the bin tray and the automatic stapler in a standby state.

FIG. 5 is a side view of the automatic stapler.

FIG. 6 is a front view of the automatic stapler.

FIG. 7 is a side view showing a state when performing the binding operation of the stapler.

FIG. 8 is a side view of a staple driving portion of the stapler.

FIG. 9 is a side view of the bin tray portion.

FIG. 10 is a first diagram illustrating the movement of the stapler when performing the binding operation.

FIG. 11 is a second diagram illustrating movement of the stapler when performing the binding operation.

FIG. 12 is a third diagram illustrating the movement of the stapler when performing the binding operation.

FIG. 13 is a fourth diagram illustrating the movement of the stapler when performing the binding operation.

FIG. 14 is a plan view of a bin tray and a stapler of the sheet post-processing device according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 15 is a plan view of the bin tray and the stapler.

FIG. 16 is a side view of a conventional stapler.

FIG. 17 is a plan view of a bin tray and a stapler of a conventional sheet post-processing device.

FIG. 18 is a side view of the bin tray.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Image forming device 2 sorter 3 Automatic document feeder 9 bin tray 9b (bin tray) hole 16 Mobile platform 20 Automatic stapler 29 Anvil 50-53 (bin tray) holes 57, 68 (bin tray) holes 61, 61a needle

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Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A conveying means for conveying a sheet material, and at least one for accommodating the sheet material conveyed by the conveying means.
In a sheet post-processing apparatus having one bin tray and a binding unit that is capable of advancing and retracting with respect to the bin tray and binding the sheet material stored in the bin tray by a binding needle, in the bin tray, a sheet binding operation by the binding unit is performed. At this time, the sheet post-processing device is characterized in that an opening is provided which is closed at the entire periphery thereof through which the binding needle passes. 2. The binding means comprises a head portion for driving the binding needle and an anvil for bending the tip of the driven binding needle, and the opening portion is the bin tray when the binding means moves to the binding position. The sheet post-processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the sheet post-processing apparatus is provided at a position facing the head portion and the anvil.