JP4124068B2 - Post-processing apparatus, image forming apparatus, and paper take-out method - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a post-processing apparatus that performs post-processing of an image-formed sheet and a sheet conveying method, and more particularly to a post-processing apparatus that can discharge a sheet bundle that has been subjected to half-folding processing.

  Conventionally, an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine can be equipped with a post-processing device having a function of folding or binding paper after image recording, and an image including the post-processing device. A forming apparatus has been developed, and a technique for discharging a sheet bundle that has been subjected to folding processing or binding processing in a closed state is disclosed (for example, see Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2).

  In the configuration of discharging the sheet bundle in Patent Document 1, the valley-side fold portion of the sheet that has been folded in half (a half-fold) is loaded in contact with the front end portion of the sheet support, and the number of stacked sheets reaches a predetermined number. When the paper support moves, the paper bundle is delivered to a pair of rollers disposed above and discharged. By rotating the roller pair in the reverse direction, the roller pair also has a function of stacking the sheets folded in the sheet folding section on the sheet support, and the apparatus can be reduced in size and simplified.

  In Patent Document 2, when a thick sheet bundle made up of a large number of sheets is subjected to half-folding processing, the first folding roller is pressed by a center folding plate member while pressing the center portion in the transport direction of the sheet bundle subjected to saddle stitching processing. A pushing fold portion is formed at a pair of holding positions, and the fold portion is reinforced by running while pressing the fold portion by a second fold roller movable in a direction orthogonal to the sheet conveying direction.

Also, a bookbinding machine is known that includes an endless chain that runs one or more clamps that grip a collated sheet bundle in order to significantly increase production speed (see, for example, Patent Document 3).
JP 2001-151406 A (page 4, FIG. 5) JP 2003-182928 A Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-35135

  In recent years, the level of customer demand for post-processing devices has increased, and folding processing or binding processing for a bundle of sheets ranging from a small number to a large number of sheets is desired. However, when a large number of paper bundles are formed, in the configurations described in Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2, in order to discharge the paper bundle closed by the roller pair, the paper sheets outside the paper bundle contacting the rollers are discharged. A conveyance force is applied, and the conveyance force that should be transmitted by friction between sheets is not sufficiently transmitted to the entire sheet bundle, and problems such as conveyance defects and wrinkles are likely to occur. Similarly, even in the configuration described in Patent Document 3, wrinkles are likely to occur on the paper outside the paper bundle in contact with the clamp.

  In addition, when a paper bundle is transported by holding the paper bundle with rollers or clamps, a small number of paper sheets can be obtained if the clamping pressure of the roller pair or clamp is set so that the conveying force can be transmitted to a large number of paper bundles. In a bundle, a sufficient conveyance force cannot be transmitted to the sheet bundle, and the sheet bundle may drop during the conveyance or the sheet bundle may be tilted. Therefore, in order to control the clamping pressure, a clamping pressure adjusting device or the like is required, and the device becomes large.

  The present invention solves the above-mentioned problems, and even with a large number of sheet bundles, it has a simple configuration that does not cause conveyance failure or wrinkle when conveying a stacked sheet bundle, and is reliable. An object is to provide a high post-processing apparatus and an image forming apparatus including the post-processing apparatus.

The object of the present invention can be achieved by the following constitution.
(Claim 1)
Middle folding means for creasing the image-formed paper;
In a post-processing apparatus having a stacking unit that supports and stacks the valley side surface of the sheet that is creased by the middle folding unit,
A supporting unit that supports a fold portion on the valley side of the sheet stacked on the stacking unit or the vicinity thereof, and the support unit from the take-out start position that supports the sheet stacked on the stacking unit from the stacking unit to the sheet Drive means for moving the paper to the take-out end position, and when the number of sheets stacked on the stacking means reaches a predetermined number, the drive means is operated to move the support means from the take-out start position. To move to the end position ,
The support means is disposed at both ends in the crease direction of the paper stacked on the stacking means, and has a rotation center at a position away from a front end portion that supports the paper stacked on the stacking means, A post-processing apparatus, wherein the driving means rotates the support means about the rotation center .
(Claim 2)
The support means is a pair of rod-shaped members in which a support portion and a longitudinal portion are substantially L-shaped, and the support portion is substantially parallel to a fold line of the paper loaded on the stacking means. post-processing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized that you support the folds of the valley side of the stacked paper.
(Claim 3)
Said drive means, said support means at the take-out standby position, is moved to the take-out start position, according to claim 1, characterized in Rukoto moved to the end retracted position removed said support means in said extraction end position or The post-processing apparatus according to claim 2.
(Claim 4)
The post-processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the support unit is movable based on a width of a sheet stacked on the stacking unit .
(Claim 5)
A needle hitting means for hitting a staple needle to a fold portion of the paper stacked by the stacking means, and a needle receiving means for receiving the staple needle;
5. The post-processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the needle receiving unit is disposed below a fold of a sheet stacked on the stacking unit .
(Claim 6)
An image forming apparatus comprising the post-processing device according to claim 1.
(Claim 7)
In the paper take-out method, the crease is made by the middle folding means for making a crease on the paper, and the sheet bundle loaded on the stacking means is moved from the take-out start position to the take-out end position.
The support means supports the fold portion on the valley side of the stack of sheets stacked on the stacking means or the vicinity thereof,
The support means is moved from the take-out start position to the take-out end position by a drive means,
The support means is disposed at both ends in the crease direction of the paper stacked on the stacking means, and has a rotation center at a position away from a front end portion that supports the paper stacked on the stacking means, A paper take-out method, characterized in that a driving means rotates the support means about the rotation center.

According to the first or sixth aspect of the present invention, with the simple structure, the folded sheets are stacked on the stacking means, and when the number of stacked sheets reaches a predetermined number, the support section closes the folds on the valley side of the sheets. Alternatively , the support means is configured to support and take out the vicinity thereof , and the support means is configured to have a center of rotation at a position away from the front end portion that supports the paper stacked on the stacking means, and the support centered on the rotation center Since the means is rotated, a local force is not applied to some of the sheets constituting the sheet bundle, so that the sheet bundle can be taken out without being damaged, and the sheet bundle is removed in accordance with the rotation of the support means. can be taken out as a scoop, Ru can be taken out of the sheet bundle smoothly.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the support means is a substantially L-shaped rod-like member, whereby the structure is simplified and the cost can be reduced.

According to the invention of claim 3, by a predetermined amount reciprocated along the supporting means in the fold direction of the sheet by the drive means, it can be taken out reliably sheet bundle. In other words, the support means can reliably support the sheet bundle by moving the support means from the take-out standby position to the take-out start position, and the taken-out paper bundle can be reliably opened by moving from the take-out end position to the take-out standby position.

According to the invention of claim 4 , the size of the paper can be quickly exchanged by making the support means movable based on the paper width. It is possible to reliably take out paper having various paper widths.

According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, it is possible to perform stapling by using the configuration having the needle hitting means and the needle receiving means.

According to the invention described in claim 7, the folds portion or near the valley of the product placement is the sheet bundle supported by the support means on the stacking means, said from the take-out starting position by driving means said support means The support means is disposed at both ends in the crease direction of the paper stacked on the stacking means, and from the front end that supports the paper stacked on the stacking means. Since the rotation center is located at a distant position, and the driving unit rotates the support unit around the rotation center, the conveying force applied from the support unit can be reliably transmitted through the fold portion of the sheet bundle. since transmitted to, even a large number of sheets of the sheet bundle, can be extracted reliably sheet bundle without damaging the sheet bundle, and, taken out to scoop up the bundle of paper-sheets in accordance with the rotation of the support means this Is possible, Ru can be taken out of the sheet bundle smoothly. In addition, since the sheet bundle is not sandwiched, a stable conveying force can always be applied to a sheet bundle ranging from a small number to a large number of sheets, and a folding process for a sheet bundle ranging from a small number to a large number of sheets, or , Binding processing becomes possible.

  Hereinafter, an example of a post-processing apparatus and an image forming apparatus including the post-processing apparatus according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of an image forming apparatus including a post-processing apparatus.

  Here, the image forming apparatus provided with the post-processing device is a configuration with a built-in post-processing device or an externally integrated configuration as shown in the figure and can be controlled from the image forming device. A forming device.

  Note that the post-processing apparatus can be configured to be used alone.

  A is an image forming apparatus, DF is an automatic document feeder, LT is a large capacity feeder, and B is a post-processing apparatus.

The image forming apparatus A includes an image reading unit (image input device) 1, an image processing unit 2,
Image writing unit 3, image forming unit 4, paper feed cassettes 5A, 5B, 5C, manual paper feed tray 5D, first paper feed units 6A, 6B, 6C, 6D, second paper feed unit 6F, fixing device 7, discharge A paper unit 8 and an automatic double-sided copy paper feeding unit (ADU) 8B are provided.

  An automatic document feeder DF is mounted on the upper part of the image forming apparatus A.

  A post-processing apparatus B is integrally connected to the left side of the image forming apparatus A shown in the drawing on the paper discharge unit 8 side.

  The document d placed on the document table of the automatic document feeder DF is conveyed in the direction of the arrow, and an image on one or both sides of the document is read by the optical system of the image reading unit 1 and read by the image sensor CCD.

  The analog signal photoelectrically converted by the image sensor CCD is subjected to analog processing, A / D conversion, shading correction, image compression processing, and the like in the image processing unit 2 and then sent to the image writing unit 3 as an image information signal. .

  The image forming unit 4 is a part where an image is formed using an electrophotographic process, and processing such as charging, exposure, development, transfer, separation, and cleaning is performed on the photosensitive drum 4A. In the exposure processing step, output light of a semiconductor laser (not shown) based on the image information signal is applied to the photosensitive drum 4A to form an electrostatic latent image. Further, in the developing process, a toner image corresponding to the electrostatic latent image is formed.

  When any one of the sheet feeding cassettes 5A to 5C, the manual sheet feeding tray 5D, the large capacity sheet feeding device LT, and the first sheet feeding units 6A to 6E corresponding thereto is selected, the sheet S is transferred to the transfer unit 4B. And the toner image on the photosensitive drum 4A is transferred.

  The sheet S carrying the toner image is fixed by the fixing device 7 and sent from the paper discharge unit 8 to the post-processing device B.

  In the case of double-sided image formation, the sheet S having an image formed on one side is sent to the automatic double-sided copy paper feeding unit 8B by the conveyance path switching plate 8A, and image formation and fixing are performed on the opposite side in the image forming unit 4. It is discharged from the crack discharge unit 8 and sent to the post-processing apparatus B.

  Next, an outline of the post-processing apparatus B will be described with reference to FIGS. 2, 3, 4, and 5.

  2 is a front view of a post-processing apparatus according to the present invention, FIG. 3 is a right side view, FIG. 4 is a left side view, and FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing a part of the flow of paper in the post-processing apparatus.

  In each figure, arrows X, Y, and Z are coordinate axes representing directions. In FIG. 2, X represents a horizontal direction, Y represents a vertical direction, and Z represents a direction perpendicular to the paper surface of FIG. Instead of the direction and the direction perpendicular to the paper surface of FIG. 2, the X direction, the Y direction, and the Z direction are used. Further, the positive direction of each coordinate is represented by the X direction, the Y direction, and the Z direction (from the back to the front of FIG. 2), and the negative direction is represented by the reverse X direction, the reverse Y direction, and the reverse Z direction.

  The sheet S on which the image has been formed by the image forming apparatus is subjected to a conveyance path that is discharged as it is without being processed by the conveyance path switching means at the entrance of the post-processing apparatus B, or a half-fold process and a staple process. It is transported to one of the transport paths.

  A plurality of sheets S fed to the conveyance path for performing the half-folding process and the stapling process are folded in half by the half-folding process unit in a stacked state, and stacked on the stacking unit having an inverted V-shape. After a predetermined number of sheets are reached, a stapling process is performed, and then the sheet is taken out by the support means according to the present invention, cut into a small edge, and discharged.

  The conveyance path R2 that performs the saddle stitching process and the conveyance path R1 that does not perform other processes or processes will be described with reference to FIG.

  The sheet S discharged from the image forming apparatus A and introduced into the entrance 201 of the post-processing apparatus B is nipped by the entrance roller 202 and is either the transport path R1 above the transport path switching means G1 or the transport path R2 below. It is conveyed to.

  The sheet S branched to the conveyance path R1 by the action of the conveyance path switching means G1 is nipped and conveyed by the conveyance rollers 203 to 207, and either the conveyance path R3 above the conveyance path switching means G2 or the conveyance path R4 below. It is conveyed to the crab

  The sheet S conveyed to the upper conveyance path R3 is discharged by the discharge roller 208 and discharged to a sub discharge tray (top tray) 209 disposed on the upper portion of the post-processing apparatus B.

  The sheet S conveyed to the lower conveyance path R4 is nipped and conveyed by the conveyance rollers 210 to 213, and is sent to another post-processing device or the like by the paper discharge roller 214.

  The direction change of the paper in the transport paths R2, R5, and R6 will be described with reference to FIGS.

  Returning to the entrance 201, the sheet S conveyed to the conveyance path R2 by the action of the conveyance path switching means G1 is conveyed in the reverse Y direction, and is temporarily stopped and stored at a predetermined position (position P1 shown in the drawing). .

  At the position P1, the subsequent small number of sheets S are stacked and stored.

  Although the number of stored sheets is three in the present embodiment, the number of stored sheets is not limited to this and can be set as appropriate.

  The three sheets S accommodated at the position P1 are superposed and conveyed in the Z direction by conveying rollers 215, 216, guide plates (not shown), etc., and then deflected in the X direction to the position P2. Stop temporarily (conveyance path R5).

  In the following description, unless otherwise specified, the sheet S is simply referred to as the sheet S instead of the three sheets (or a plurality of sheets).

  The paper S temporarily stopped at the position P2 is transported in the Y direction by transport rollers 217, 218, guide plates and the like at a predetermined timing and then deflected in the reverse Z direction (transport path R6).

  Thereafter, the sheet S deflected in the reverse Z direction is sent to the center folding means 230 by the conveyance alignment belt 220. The center folding means will be described with reference to FIG.

  In the present embodiment, the long side direction of the paper S is configured to coincide with the conveyance direction of the conveyance alignment belt 220.

  In the figure, arrows X, Y, and Z are the same coordinate axes as in FIG. 2, the X direction is from the front side of the paper to the back, the Y direction is from bottom to top, and the Z direction is from right to left.

  The middle folding means 230 includes an alignment member 232, middle folding rollers 234 and 235, a middle folding knife 236, and the like.

  The alignment plate 232 is disposed at a position half the length of the long side direction of the sheet S from the contact point between the folding rollers 234 and 235.

  The sheet S deflected in the reverse Z direction is pushed by an alignment claw 221 provided on the conveyance alignment belt 220, and the leading end of the sheet S abuts on the alignment member 232 on a guide plate 251 forming a half-folded sheet conveyance means 250 described later. It is conveyed to.

  Subsequently, the alignment claw 221 moves backward and forward by forward / reverse rotation of the conveyance alignment belt 220, and the trailing edge of the sheet S (three sheets) is pressed to align the width in the conveyance direction.

  After completion of the aligning operation described above, the center folding knife 236 provided below the contact points of the center folding rollers 234 and 235 pushes up the central portion in the long side direction of the sheet S on the guide plate 251 and is opposite to each other in the arrow direction shown in the figure. The sheet S is digged into the rotating folding rollers 234 and 235.

  The creased sheet S is creased at the center in the long side direction by the center folding rollers 234 and 235, and then returned to the guide plate 251 by the reverse rotation of the center folding rollers 234 and 235. It is transported in the X direction by the transport means 250.

  When the paper size is changed, the position of the alignment plate 232, the operation of the transport alignment belt 220, and the like are changed according to the paper size by a control unit (not shown).

  Note that when the sheet S is Z-folded (tri-folded), the roller 237, the folding knife 238, and the like can be used.

  2 and 5, the sheet S with a crease at the center in the long side direction is moved in the X direction by a conveyance claw 252 provided on the conveyance belt of the half-fold sheet conveyance means 250 and a guide plate (not shown). To the next sheet binding step 300 (conveying path R7).

  Although the sheet S is sent out from the half-fold sheet conveying means 250, since the sheet has a crease in the conveying direction, the rigidity of the sheet is increased and can be delivered to the sheet binding step 300 stably.

  The sheet binding process 300 will be described with reference to FIG.

  The sheet S that has been subjected to the center folding process in the center folding unit 230 proceeds in the transport path R7 direction (X direction in the drawing) by the sheet transport unit 250, and is subsequently arranged in the sheet binding step 300 by an alignment member and a guide unit (not shown). It is placed on the inverted V-shaped stacking means 310 provided. Subsequent half-folded sheets S continue to be stacked on the stacking unit 310 through the transport path R7.

  The stacking unit 310 includes an inverted V-shaped crease support member and an edge support member. The crease support member supports the crease a on the valley side surface of the creased sheet S, and the edge support member. Supports the edge of the valley side surface of the creased sheet S. Here, the valley side surface of the creased sheet S refers to the sheet surfaces that face each other on the inner side when the sheet is folded along the crease, and the outer sheet surface is the mountain side surface.

  Above the stacking means 310, the needle hitting means 350 is fixed. Inside the stacking means 310, below the folds of the stacked sheets, the needle receiving means 370 is supported so as to be movable in the vertical direction, and the binding of the two-part structure comprising the needle hitting means 350 and the needle receiving means 370 is performed. Two sets of means are arranged in the sheet crease direction.

  The plurality of sheets S placed on the stacking unit 310 are aligned by the alignment member, and the creases of the respective sheets are aligned by the pressing unit 330.

  When the number of stacked sheets S reaches a predetermined number, the holding means 330 is lowered and the staple receiving means 370 is raised while the sheet S is being pressed, and the staple needles by the needle driving means 350 are driven into the fold portion of the sheet bundle. That is, the two sets of binding means strike the staple needles at two centrally distributed locations along the folds of the sheet bundle on the stacking means 310.

  The saddle stitched sheet bundle take-out process 400 and the cutting process will be described with reference to FIG.

  The sheet bundle subjected to the saddle stitching process in the sheet binding step 300 is supported by a swingable support member 420, is swung in the direction of the chain line, and is placed on the conveyor belt 500 so as to be supported on the mountain side surface. It is clamped by the grip 501 installed on the conveyor belt, and the bulge of the fold portion is suppressed. When the conveyance belt 500 is rotated, the sheet bundle is conveyed obliquely downward while being held by the grip 501 and released to the grip 501, and is further transferred by the rotating conveyance belt 600 and stopped at a predetermined position. .

  Thereafter, the conveyor belt 600 swings and becomes horizontal. Since the edge (the free end on the opposite side of the fold) of the sheet bundle placed on the transport belt 600 in the horizontal state is uneven depending on the number of sheets in the sheet bundle, the cutting means (trimmer) 700 Cut out and align the edges.

  The sheet bundle produced by the cutting process is placed on the reversely rotating conveyance belt 600 and conveyed in a state where the rear end portion of the sheet bundle is pressed by a paper discharge claw (not shown) fixed to the conveyance belt 600. Then, it falls in the direction indicated by the arrow from the tip of the conveyor belt 600. The dropped sheet bundle is discharged to a paper discharge tray 900 disposed outside the front side of the post-processing apparatus B by a rotating conveyor belt 800.

  Thereafter, the above operation is repeated until the stacked sheet bundle reaches a predetermined number of copies.

  The operation described above is executed by the control means of the post-processing apparatus, but may be executed by the control means of the image forming apparatus.

  Details of the take-out process 400 including the supporting means and the driving means will be described with reference to FIGS.

  6 is an enlarged front view of the take-out process 400 of FIG. 4, and FIG. 7 is an enlarged plan view.

  The take-out process 400 includes a support means 420 having a function of taking out the paper S from the stacking means 310 when the stacked paper S reaches a predetermined number (50 sheets in the present embodiment), a driving means 430, and the like. Has been.

  The driving unit 430 includes a swing unit 440 and a moving unit 460.

  In the following description, the sheet S that has reached a predetermined number and is saddle-stitched is referred to as a sheet bundle Q.

  First, the support means 420 will be described.

  The support means 420 is composed of a pair of rod-shaped members each having a substantially L-shaped support portion 421 and a longitudinal portion 422.

  In the longitudinal portion 422, an end portion 423 opposite to the support portion 421 is fixed to a swing shaft 441 of a swing means 440 described later.

  As shown in the figure, the support means 420 is swung by the swinging means 440 with the center K of the swinging shaft 441 as the center of rotation, and the support portion 421 is in the vicinity of the fold a on the valley side of the paper S (hereinafter referred to as the take-out position). And a position where the sheet bundle Q is received and transferred to the conveyor 500 (hereinafter referred to as a transfer position).

  At the take-out position, the support portion 421 of the support means 420 is disposed so as to be substantially parallel to the crease a.

  Next, the swinging means 440 that swings the support means 420 will be described.

  The pair of swinging shafts 441 described above are rotatably supported by a pair of swinging holding members 461 constituting a moving unit 460 described later.

  A pair of gears H1 is fixed to the pair of swing shafts 441, and the gears H1 are rotatably supported by support shafts (not shown) fixed to the side plates 301 and 302. Engage with H2.

  The pair of gears H2 meshes with a pair of gears H3 fixed to a rotating shaft 442 that is rotatably supported by the side plate 301 and the side plate 302.

  One of the pair of gears H3 meshes with a gear H4 fixed to the side plate 310, for example, fixed to the output shaft of a swing motor M1 made of a stepping motor.

  The operation of the swinging means 440 configured as above will be described.

  By the forward / reverse rotation of the swing motor M1, the swing shaft 441 swings via the gears H1 to H4, and the support means 420 rotates about the center K of the swing shaft 441, whereby the support means 420 is It moves between the take-out position and the receiving position described above.

  As shown in FIG. 7, the swing shaft 441 is located away from the leading end of the stacking unit 310, that is, a fold portion of the stacked sheets, and as a result, the support unit 420 is stacked on the stacking unit 310. Since the bundle Q is rotated so as to be scooped up diagonally to the right, a local force is not applied to some of the sheets constituting the sheet bundle, and even a large number of sheet bundles are not damaged and are reliably removed. It becomes possible.

  Next, the moving means 460 will be described.

  The moving means 460 moves along the direction of the crease a of the sheet S, a position (hereinafter referred to as a support position) where the support section 421 of the support means 420 supports the sheet bundle Q, and a position (hereinafter referred to as the support position). , Referred to as a separation position).

  The pair of swing holding members 461 are fixed to a pair of slide blocks 462, the slide blocks 462 are slidably held by the pair of slide shafts 463, and are movable in a direction parallel to the fold line a of the paper S. is there.

  The pair of slide shafts 463 are fixed to the side plates 301 and 302.

  A first link plate 464 and a second link plate 465 are fixed to the pair of slide blocks 462.

  The first link plate 464 and the second link plate 465 are each formed with a slot MZ1 having a long hole shape in a direction parallel to the slide shaft 463, and the slot MZ1 is slidably engaged with the guide pin GP1. is doing.

  The guide pin GP1 is fixed to a bottom plate (not shown) connected to the side plates 310 and 302.

  Further, the first link plate 464 and the second link plate 465 are each formed with a slot MZ2 having a long hole shape in a direction perpendicular to the slide shaft 463, and the guide pin GP2 can slide in the slot MZ2. Is engaged.

  The two guide pins GP2 are fixed to both ends of the drive link 466, and a link rotation shaft 467 is fixed to the drive link 466 at an intermediate position between the two guide pins GP2.

  A gear H6 is fixed to the link rotation shaft 467, and the link rotation shaft 467 is rotatably supported by the bottom plate.

  The gear H6 meshes with a gear H7 fixed to the output shaft of a slide motor M2 that is fixed to the side plate 301, for example, a stepping motor.

  The operation of the moving means 460 configured as above will be described.

  When the slide motor M2 rotates forward and backward, the link rotation shaft 467 and the drive link 466 rotate, and in response to this, the pair of slide blocks 462 and the pair of swings fixed to the first link plate 464 and the second link plate 465. The holding member 461 slides in directions opposite to each other, and the pair of support means 420 fixed to the swing shaft 441 widen or narrow each other. As a result, the pair of support means 420 can move simultaneously and in a direction parallel to the crease a of the paper S by an equal distance. That is, the support means 420 moves between the support position and the separation position described above.

  When the paper size is changed, the slide motor M2 is rotated based on the width of the paper, and the swing holding plate 461 is slid to move the support means 420.

  As described above, the support means 420 is swung between the take-out position and the delivery position described above by the rocking means 440 when viewed in the rotation direction, and is moved by the moving means 460 when viewed in the fold direction of the paper S. It moves between the aforementioned support position and separation position.

  The support means 420 is configured to sequentially move at the four positions described below by a combination of the operations of the swinging means 440 and the moving means 460 as described above.

  T1 (removal / retraction position); a position determined by the delivery position and the separation position, and a position where the support means 460 has received the sheet bundle Q and completed delivery to the conveyor 500.

  T2 (takeout standby position); a position determined by the takeout position and the separation position, and the support portion 421 of the support means 460 is in the vicinity of the fold portion on the valley side of the paper S and away from the paper S.

  T3 (takeout start position); a position determined by the takeout position and the support position, and a position where the support portion 421 of the support means 460 is inserted in the vicinity of the fold portion on the valley side of the paper S to support the paper bundle Q.

  T4 (extraction end position); a position determined by the delivery position and the support position, and a position where the support means 460 receives the paper bundle Q and delivers it to the conveyor 500.

  In the present invention, the vicinity of the fold portion is a range in which the support means or gripper of the present invention can achieve the object of the present invention, and is an area separated from the fold portion, but is orthogonal to the fold of the folded sheet. The standard is an area that is less than or equal to one-half of the total length of the sheet and that is separated from the crease portion of the paper, and more preferably an area that is separated by less than one-fourth of the total length.

  An operation for taking out the sheet bundle Q from the stacking means 310 having the above-described configuration will be described.

When the number of sheets S stacked on the stacking means 310 reaches a predetermined number, the support means 4 20 is swung counterclockwise through the respective gears by the rotation of the swing motor M1 of the swing means 440, and from T1. Next, the sheet is moved from T2 to T3 via the drive link 466 and the like by the rotation of the slide motor M2 of the moving unit 460, and the sheet bundle Q stacked on the stacking unit 310 is supported. Thereafter, the swinging motor M1 of the swinging means 440 is rotated clockwise through the respective gears to move from T3 to T4, and the removal is completed. After completion of taking out, the support means 420 moves from T4 to T1 via the drive link 466 and the like by the rotation of the slide motor M2 of the moving means 460, and the delivery of the sheet bundle Q to the receiving conveyor 500 is completed.

  As described above, when the number of sheets stacked on the stacking unit reaches a predetermined number, the supporting unit supports the vicinity of the fold portion on the valley side of the sheet and rotates around the rotation center of the supporting unit, thereby Since the bundle is picked up obliquely upward from the stacking means, pressure is not applied to the sheet bundle as compared with the conventional roller removal, and even a large number of sheet bundles can be reliably removed without damaging the sheet bundle. It becomes possible.

  In this embodiment, the support means is a substantially L-shaped rod-like member. However, the support means is not limited to this, as long as it supports the vicinity of the crease portion on the valley side of the paper, for example, to support the disk. The thing which provided the projection part of this may be used.

  The stacking means is also an inverted V-shape, but it is sufficient that the valley side surface of the creased sheet can be stably supported and stacked. For example, it may have a mountain shape.

  Further, although the sheet bundle is taken out by rotating the support means, the sheet bundle may be taken out using a mechanism (for example, a slide mechanism) that moves the support means in a direction away from the stacking means.

  Furthermore, although the mechanism of the moving means is a link mechanism, a configuration using a timing belt, a wire and a pulley, or a configuration using a rack and a pinion may be used.

  In the case of changing the paper size, it is possible to change the operation position of the support means according to the width of the paper by providing a sensor in the middle of the sliding operation.

  In the present embodiment, the number of sheets that are folded at the same time by the folding means is three. However, the number is not limited to this, and can be set as appropriate.

  Further, although the stapling process has been performed on the sheet bundle, it may be taken out without performing the stapling process, and the number of stacked sheets is 50. However, the number of stacked sheets can be set freely.

1 is an overall configuration diagram of an image forming apparatus including a post-processing device. The schematic front view of a post-processing apparatus. The right view of the post-processing apparatus B of FIG. The left view of the post-processing apparatus B of FIG. FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing a part of the flow of paper in the post-processing apparatus. The enlarged front view of the taking-out process of FIG. The enlarged plan view of the taking-out process of FIG.

Explanation of symbols

A image forming apparatus B post-processing apparatus K rotation center 230 center folding means 300 sheet binding process 310 stacking means 400 taking out process 420 support means 430 driving means 440 swinging means 441 swinging shaft 460 moving means 461 swinging shaft holding member 500 receiving Conveyor

Claims (7)

Middle folding means for creasing the image-formed paper;
In a post-processing apparatus having a stacking unit that supports and stacks the valley side surface of the sheet that is creased by the middle folding unit,
A supporting unit that supports a fold portion on the valley side of the sheet stacked on the stacking unit or the vicinity thereof, and the support unit from the take-out start position that supports the sheet stacked on the stacking unit from the stacking unit to the sheet Drive means for moving the paper to the take-out end position, and when the number of sheets stacked on the stacking means reaches a predetermined number, the drive means is operated to move the support means from the take-out start position. To move to the end position ,
The support means is disposed at both ends in the crease direction of the paper stacked on the stacking means, and has a rotation center at a position away from a front end portion that supports the paper stacked on the stacking means, A post-processing apparatus, wherein the driving means rotates the support means about the rotation center . The support means is a pair of rod-shaped members in which a support portion and a longitudinal portion are substantially L-shaped, and the support portion is substantially parallel to a fold line of the paper loaded on the stacking means. post-processing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized that you support the folds of the valley side of the stacked paper. Said drive means, said support means at the take-out standby position, is moved to the take-out start position, according to claim 1, characterized in Rukoto moved to the end retracted position removed said support means in said extraction end position or The post-processing apparatus according to claim 2. The post-processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the support unit is movable based on a width of a sheet stacked on the stacking unit . A needle hitting means for hitting a staple needle to a fold portion of the paper stacked by the stacking means, and a needle receiving means for receiving the staple needle;
5. The post-processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the needle receiving unit is disposed below a fold of a sheet stacked on the stacking unit . An image forming apparatus comprising the post-processing device according to claim 1. In the paper take-out method in which the fold is made by the middle folding means for making a crease in the paper, and the paper bundle loaded on the stacking means is moved from the take-out start position to the take-out end position
The support means supports the fold portion on the valley side of the stack of sheets stacked on the stacking means or the vicinity thereof,
The support means is moved by the drive means from the take-out start position to the take-out end position;
The support means is disposed at both ends in the crease direction of the paper stacked on the stacking means, and has a rotation center at a position away from a front end portion that supports the paper stacked on the stacking means, A paper take-out method, characterized in that the driving means rotates the support means about the rotation center.

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