JP7639558B2 - Lamination processing device, image forming device and image forming system - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a lamination processing device, an image forming device, and an image forming system.

Lamination processing equipment is known that coats the image surface with a transparent resin film to protect the image formed on the surface of paper, coated paper, etc., to prevent discoloration or fading, or to provide a glossy image surface.

These lamination processing devices include those that use pouch-type lamination film, those that use roll-type lamination film, and those that attach a film directly to one side. All of these machines apply heat and pressure to the film to laminate it.

Among these, pouch-type laminate films are two sheets stacked together with one side joined (connected), and the object to be laminated can be inserted into the laminated sheet for lamination. Laminate films are generally made of PET film and hot melt adhesives such as polyurethane and EVA (ethylene vinyl acetate)-based adhesives.

A typical laminating device is equipped with a heat roller for heating and a pressure roll for applying pressure, which apply heat and pressure to the laminate film. However, even with normal use, the adhesive coated on the inside of the laminate film can ooze out from the left and right edges and the rear edge.

If the adhesive adheres to the surface of the heat roller, the next laminate film will adhere to the heat roller and wrap around it, which can cause film clogging. In addition, if the adhesive adheres to the surface of the heat roller, it can damage the surface properties of the heat roller, causing unevenness in the quality of subsequent lamination, or leaving traces of the adhesive on the film surface, reducing the gloss quality.

For this reason, after the lamination process is completed, a cleaning sheet such as cardboard is passed through to remove dirt (adhesive, etc.) from the heat roller (see Patent Documents 1 and 2).

In addition, non-contact suction means or blowing means are used to clean dirt (such as adhesive) from heat rollers (see, for example, Patent Document 3).

However, when using a cleaning sheet to clean the heat roller, the user must manually pass the cleaning sheet through each lamination process. This increases the user's workload, including the need to prepare cleaning sheets in advance.

In addition, the suction means or blowing means require a strong amount of air to blow, which can lead to problems such as the device becoming larger and making noise. Furthermore, there is also a risk that the adhesive will harden due to the air blowing.

The present invention aims to provide a lamination processing device that can automatically perform cleaning to remove and recover adhesive and/or other deposits from a heat roller (thermal fixing roller), reducing the user's workload and improving lamination quality.

The above problem is solved by a lamination processing device that performs thermal fixing while transporting two-ply sheets that sandwich a sheet-like medium, the lamination processing device including a thermal fixing roller that performs thermal fixing while transporting the two-ply sheets, a cleaning roller that removes adhesive and/or deposits from the thermal fixing roller, a separating member that separates the adhesive and/or deposits from the cleaning roller, and a recovery case that recovers the separated adhesive and/or deposits, and when performing a cleaning mode in which the adhesive and/or deposits that have adhered to the thermal fixing roller are removed and recovered, the cleaning roller is capable of contacting and separating from the thermal fixing roller. The above-mentioned problem is solved by a lamination processing apparatus capable of carrying out a first cleaning operation in which the roller surface temperature of the thermal fixing roller is set to a first cleaning temperature (T1) that is higher than the lamination temperature (T0) when performing thermal fixing, and the cleaning roller is brought into contact with the thermal fixing roller to remove adhesive and/or deposits from the thermal fixing roller, and a second cleaning operation in which the roller surface temperature of the thermal fixing roller is set to a second cleaning temperature (T2) that is lower than the lamination temperature (T0), and the cleaning roller is separated from the thermal fixing roller while removing and recovering adhesive and/or deposits from the cleaning roller.

The lamination processing device of the present invention automatically removes and collects adhesives and other substances adhering to the thermal fixing roller, so the surface properties of the thermal fixing roller can be maintained without the user having to take the time and effort. In addition, the cleaning roller can be brought into contact with and separated from the thermal fixing roller when the cleaning mode is executed, so that adhesives and other substances can be removed and collected from the cleaning roller without adhering to the thermal fixing roller again.

1 is a diagram illustrating an overall configuration of a sheet processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram (part 1) showing a main part of the sheet processing apparatus shown in FIG. 1 . FIG. 2 is a second configuration diagram showing the main parts of the sheet processing apparatus; FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram (part 3) showing the main parts of the sheet processing apparatus; FIG. 4 is a fourth diagram showing the configuration of the main part of the sheet processing apparatus; FIG. 5 is a configuration diagram showing a main part of the sheet processing apparatus (part 5). FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing a main part of the sheet processing apparatus; FIG. 7 is a configuration diagram showing a main part of the sheet processing apparatus; FIG. 8 is a configuration diagram showing a main part of the sheet processing apparatus; FIG. 9 is a configuration diagram showing a main part of the sheet processing apparatus; FIG. 10 is a configuration diagram showing a main part of the sheet processing apparatus; FIG. 11 is a configuration diagram showing a main part of the sheet processing apparatus; FIG. 12 is a structural diagram showing the main parts of the sheet processing apparatus; FIG. 13 is a configuration diagram showing a main part of the sheet processing apparatus; 1 is an overall configuration diagram showing an example of a lamination processing apparatus including a sheet processing apparatus according to the present invention; FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a heat and pressure roller; FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a configuration of a cleaning device and a heat and pressure roller according to an embodiment of the present invention. 5A to 5C are schematic diagrams illustrating the operation of the cleaning roller. 11 is a flowchart illustrating a series of operations in a cleaning mode executed after a lamination process. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a series of operations in a cleaning mode that is executed when the main power source is turned on. 11 is a flowchart illustrating a series of operations in a cleaning mode executed during continuous lamination processing. 1 is a schematic diagram of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention; 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an image forming system according to an embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 1 is a diagram showing the overall configuration of a sheet processing device according to one embodiment of the present invention. The sheet processing device 100 of this embodiment separates two stacked sheets (hereinafter referred to as sheets S) from each other, and inserts and clamps a sheet-like medium (hereinafter referred to as inner paper P) between the separated sheets S.

Here, sheet S refers to a two-ply sheet in which two sheets are stacked and a portion (or one side) of the two sheets is joined together. For example, a two-ply sheet may have a transparent sheet such as a transparent polyester sheet on one side and a transparent or opaque sheet on the other side, joined together at one side. A laminate film is also included as a two-ply sheet.

The inner paper P is an example of a sheet-like medium that is inserted between these two overlapping sheets. In addition to plain paper, sheet-like media includes cardboard, postcards, envelopes, thin paper, coated paper (coated paper, art paper, etc.), tracing paper, and overhead projector sheets.

As shown in FIG. 1, the sheet processing apparatus 100 includes a paper feed tray 102 as a first stacking means for stacking the inner sheets P, a pickup roller 105 for feeding the inner sheets P from the paper feed tray 102, a pair of transport rollers 107, and a path for inverting the inner sheets P. The sheet processing apparatus 100 also includes a sheet tray 103 as a second stacking means for stacking the sheets S, and a pickup roller 106 for feeding the sheets S from the sheet tray 103.

The sheet processing device 100 has different paper feed paths and transport paths, and in order to improve productivity, the straight path is used to transport the sheet S to be peeled off, thereby transporting it over the shortest distance. As for the inner sheet P, it needs to wait until the sheet peeling operation is complete, so it is separated and fed in advance and made to wait on a reversible transport path with a sufficient distance to wait.

In order to achieve both compactness and improved productivity, the path from pickup roller 106, which transports the sheets, to entrance roller pair 108 is shorter than the path from pickup roller 105, which transports the inner paper, to entrance roller pair 108, and these paths merge upstream of entrance roller pair 108.

After the insertion of the inner page is completed, the sheet S is discharged and stacked on the discharge tray 104 by the pair of exit rollers 113 or a roller arranged after that. By providing a path for inverting the inner page P, it is possible to discharge and stack the inner page P on the discharge tray 104 in the page order stacked on the paper feed tray 102.

A transport sensor C1 that detects the transport position of the inner sheet P is provided downstream of the transport roller pair 107 in the transport direction, and a transport sensor C2 that detects the transport position of the sheet S is provided downstream of the pickup roller 106 in the transport direction.

The sheet processing apparatus 100 further includes, downstream of the conveying roller pair 107 and the pickup roller 106, an entrance roller pair 108 as a first conveying means, a winding roller 109 as a rotating member, an exit roller pair 113 as a second conveying means, and a paper discharge tray 104. Between the winding roller 109 and the exit roller pair 113, a peeling claw 116 is provided that is movable in the width direction of the sheet S. The peeling claw 116 is an example of a peeling means that peels off the sheet S.

A transport sensor C3 that detects the transport position of the sheet S and the inner sheet P is provided downstream of the entrance roller pair 108 in the transport direction, and an abnormality detection sensor C4 that detects the state of the sheet S is provided downstream of the winding roller 109 in the transport direction. And a transport sensor C5 that detects the transport position of the sheet S is provided downstream of the exit roller pair 113 in the transport direction.

The pickup roller 105, the pair of conveying rollers 107, the pair of entrance rollers 108, and the winding roller 109 are an example of a first feeding means, and the pickup roller 106, the pair of entrance rollers 108, and the winding roller 109 are an example of a second feeding means.

The exterior of the sheet processing device 100 is provided with an operation panel 10, which is a display and operation means for displaying information on the sheet processing device 100 and accepting operation inputs. The operation panel 10 also serves as a notification means for issuing a sensory signal to the user. Alternatively, the sheet processing device 100 may be configured to have a separate notification means other than the operation panel 10.

In this embodiment, the sheet processing device 100 stacks the sheet S and the inner paper P on separate trays, and while transporting the sheet S, separates and opens the two sheets, and inserts the inner paper P into the opening. The sheet S with the inner paper P inserted is then discharged and stacked on the discharge tray 104.

Figure 2 is a configuration diagram (part 1) showing the main parts of the sheet processing device shown in Figure 1. As shown in Figure 2, the entrance roller pair 108 and the exit roller pair 113 are, for example, two rollers in pairs, each of which is rotated by a driving means (such as a motor). The entrance roller pair 108 is rotated in one direction, and the exit roller pair 113 is rotated in forward and reverse directions to sandwich and transport the sheet S and the inner paper P.

The entrance roller pair 108 transports the sheet S and the inner paper P toward the exit roller pair 113. This transport direction is called the forward transport direction (the direction of the arrow A).

On the other hand, the pair of exit rollers 113 can switch their rotation between forward and reverse directions. They can transport the clamped sheet S toward the discharge tray 104 (see FIG. 1), which is the forward transport direction, and can also transport the sheet S toward the winding roller 109, which is the reverse direction (pull-back direction). This direction of transport toward the winding roller 109 (the opposite direction to the forward transport direction) is called the reverse transport direction (the direction of arrow B).

The sheet processing device 100 also includes a winding roller 109 and a peeling claw 116, which are rotating members, between the pair of entrance rollers 108 and the pair of exit rollers 113. The winding roller 109 is driven to rotate in the forward and reverse directions by a driving means (such as a motor), and its rotation can be switched between both directions (clockwise/counterclockwise).

The winding roller 109 has a roller member 111 and a movable gripping means 110 that is provided on the roller member 111 and grips the sheet S. The movable gripping means 110 is characterized by gripping the leading edge of the sheet S together with the roller member 111. The gripping means 110 may be molded integrally with the outer periphery of the roller member 111, or may be configured as a separate part.

Next, a series of operations of the sheet processing device 100, that is, operations from peeling off the sheet S to inserting the inner paper P, will be described using Figures 1 to 14. Note that in Figures 3 to 14, the same parts as in Figures 1 and 2 are given the same reference numerals and detailed descriptions thereof will be omitted.

In FIG. 1, the sheets S on the sheet tray 103 are stacked so that a portion of the joined two sheets is located downstream of the pickup roller 106 in the feeding direction (conveying direction). The sheet processing device 100 then picks up the sheets S on the sheet tray 103 with the pickup roller 106 and conveys them toward the pair of entrance rollers 108.

Next, as shown in FIG. 2, the pair of inlet rollers 108 transport the sheet S toward the winding roller 109. Here, the sheet processing device 100 transports the sheet S with the side where the end, which is one of the four sides of the sheet S, is joined as the downstream side in the forward transport direction (the direction of the arrow A).

Next, as shown in FIG. 3, the sheet processing apparatus 100 temporarily stops conveying the sheet S when the rear end of the sheet S in the forward conveying direction passes the winding roller 109. Note that these operations are triggered by the detection of the leading edge of the sheet S by the conveying sensor C3, and are performed by conveying the sheet S by a specified amount from the conveying sensor C3.

Next, as shown in FIG. 4, the sheet processing device 100 opens the gripping means 110, reverses the rotation direction of the exit roller pair 113, and transports the sheet S in the reverse transport direction (the direction of the arrow B) toward the opening of the gripping means 110.

Next, as shown in FIG. 5, the sheet processing apparatus 100 stops conveying the sheet S when the end of the sheet S is inserted into the open gripping means 110, and closes the gripping means 110 to grip the end of the sheet S. Note that these operations are performed by conveying the sheet S a specified amount.

Next, as shown in FIG. 6, the sheet processing apparatus 100 rotates the winding roller 109 counterclockwise to wind the sheet S around the winding roller 109. Here, the sheet S is wound around the winding roller 109 from the side of the two sheets that is not joined.

As shown in FIG. 7, when sheet S is wound around winding roller 109, the difference in winding circumference (difference in winding amount) of the two overlapping sheets causes excess sheet on the inner circumference, which causes slack toward the joined end of sheet S. As a result, a space is created between the two sheets. By inserting peeling claws 116 into this space from both sides of sheet S, it is possible to reliably maintain the space between the two sheets. Note that these operations are triggered by detection of the leading edge of sheet S by transport sensor C5, and are performed by transporting a specified amount from transport sensor C5.

With the peeling claw 116 inserted into the space created in the sheet S (see FIG. 7), the sheet processing device 100 rotates the winding roller 109 clockwise, and moves the peeled space in the sheet S to the rear end of the sheet S in the forward transport direction (arrow A direction) as shown in FIG. 8. Then, when the specified amount of movement has been reached, the gripping means 110 is released, and the rear end of the sheet S is separated into upper and lower parts.

In this state, the sheet processing device 100 temporarily stops transporting the sheet S, and then moves the peeling claw 116 further in the sheet width direction to peel off the entire rear end of the sheet S. Note that these operations are triggered by the detection of the leading edge of the sheet S by the transport sensor C5, and are performed by transporting the sheet S a specified amount from the transport sensor C5.

Once the state shown in FIG. 8 is reached, as shown in FIG. 9, the sheet processing apparatus 100 then rotates the pair of exit rollers 113 counterclockwise to transport the sheet S in the reverse transport direction (the direction of the arrow B). When the leading edge of the sheet passes the transport sensor C5, the branch claw 118 can be switched. When the sheet S is transported to the non-fixing path 129, the branch claw 118 remains in the position shown in the figure, but when the sheet S is transported to the fixing path 128, the branch claw 118 is switched to the fixing path side.

As shown in FIG. 9, the two peeled sheets of sheet S are guided vertically by peeling claws 116, and the two entire sheets are peeled off from each other. Then, the sheet processing device 100 temporarily stops conveying sheet S, and the joint of sheet S is gripped (nipped) by the pair of exit rollers 113. Therefore, sheet S is opened widely with the joined side as the end.

These operations are triggered by the detection of the leading edge of sheet S by transport sensor C5, and are performed by transporting a specified amount from transport sensor C5.

10 to 12 show the operation of the sheet processing apparatus 100 when the sheet S is transported to the fixing path 128 when the user selects the lamination processing mode on the operation panel 10. FIG.
Next, as shown in FIG. 10, the sheet processing device 100 rotates the pair of entrance rollers 108 and transports the inner sheet P transported from the paper feed tray 102 (see FIG. 1) by the pickup roller 105 and the pair of transport rollers 107 in the forward transport direction (direction of arrow A) toward the pair of exit rollers 113.

Next, as shown in FIG. 11, the sheet processing device 100 rotates the pair of exit rollers 113 to merge the sheet S and the inner paper P, and inserts the inner paper P into the opened sheet S.

12, the sheet processing apparatus 100 transports the sheet S with the inner paper P inserted in the forward transport direction (the direction of the arrow A) by the pair of exit rollers 113, thereby overlapping the two sheets of the sheet S again and closing the opening. Then, the sheet S with the inner paper P sandwiched therebetween is transported to a fixing section having a heat and pressure roller 120 by the pair of exit rollers 113 or a roller disposed thereafter, and is discharged and stacked on the discharge tray 104 (see FIG. 1).
2 to 12 show the basic peeling operation and the transport operation to the fixing Md (fixing unit) in the lamination process.

In this way, the sheet processing device 100 of this embodiment can open the sheet S widely and insert and clamp the inner paper P therein. Therefore, compared to a laminating device that uses a vacuum device, for example, the configuration is simpler, and the entire device can be simplified and made smaller.

In addition, as shown in FIG. 1, the sheet processing device 100 of this embodiment can load the sheets S and the inner pages P on separate trays and transport them separately. This eliminates the need to load the sheets S and the inner pages P in a predetermined order, improving convenience.

On the other hand, when the user selects the inner sheet insertion mode on the operation panel 10, the sheet processing apparatus 100 operates as shown in FIGS.
2 to 9, the sheet processing apparatus 100 operates in the same manner, but as shown in FIG. 13, in order to transport the inner sheet P to the non-fixing path 129, the branch claw 118 is not switched and the sheet is transported as is.

14, while both the sheet S and the inner paper P are gripped (nipped), the sheet S and the inner paper P are transported by an exit roller pair 113, thereby inserting the inner paper P between the two sheets S. The sheet S is then transported to a non-fixing path 129 that does not have a heat and pressure roller 120, and is discharged and stacked on a paper discharge tray 126 (see FIG. 15), completing the paper discharge.
In this way, the user can obtain the sheet with the inner page inserted, and the sheet can be subjected to fixing processing in an offline machine.

Figure 15 is an overall configuration diagram showing an example of a lamination processing device equipped with a sheet processing device according to the present invention. The lamination processing device 200 includes the sheet processing device 100 described above. The lamination processing device 200 has a peeling claw 116 which is a peeling means for peeling off the sheet S, an exit roller pair 113 which is disposed downstream of the peeling claw 116 and is a transport means for transporting the sheet S, and a branch claw 118 which is disposed downstream of the exit roller pair 113 and is a switching means for switching the transport path of the sheet S.

The branch claw 118 transports the sheet S to a fixing path 128 for fixing the sheet S or a non-fixing path 129 (see Figures 12 and 14) for not fixing the sheet S. This makes it possible for the user to select the non-fixing mode (inner sheet insertion mode) and to eject the sheet S without fixing it using the non-fixing path 129 with the inner sheet P inserted into the sheet S. This allows the inner sheet insertion to be automated without hassle, and the user can perform lamination work on another offline machine, and parallel work is also possible, improving work productivity.

The lamination processing device 200 also includes a discharge roller 121 provided downstream of the heat and pressure roller 120, a discharge tray 104 for stacking sheets S transported through the fixing path 128, and a discharge tray 126 for stacking sheets S transported through a non-fixing path 129 that does not have a heat and pressure roller 120.

This lamination processing device 200 is configured to perform a series of operations from feeding the sheet S, peeling it off, inserting the inner paper P, and laminating it by heat and pressure, all in one machine. This series of operations can be performed automatically without the need for human labor, making it more convenient than conventional technology.

However, lamination is just one example of sheet processing, and lamination processing devices can be broadly called sheet processing devices.

As with the sheet processing device 100 described above, in the lamination processing device 200, the sheet S after the insertion of the inner paper is discharged and stacked on the paper output tray 104 by the exit roller pair 113 or a roller arranged thereafter. By providing a path for inverting the inner paper P, it is possible to discharge and stack the sheets on the paper output tray 104 in the page order stacked on the paper feed tray 102.

Next, we will show an example of a heat and pressure roller and explain the problem of the present invention.

Figure 16 is a diagram showing an example of a thermal pressure roller. The thermal pressure roller 120 has a pair of rollers, a front roller 130, a heat roller 132, and a rear roller 134. These rollers are elastic rubber rollers, and materials such as heat-resistant silicone and fluorine-based rubber are mainly used.

The front roller 130 pressurizes the sheet S with the inner paper P inserted therein to flatten it, and then sends it to the heat roller 132. The heat roller 132 is heated by a heat source 136, and heats and pressurizes the sheet S, and then sends it to the rear roller 134. The rear roller 134 pressurizes the sheet S again to flatten it, and then sends it to the discharge roller 121 (see FIG. 15). The heat roller 132 is an example of a thermal fixing roller that performs thermal fixing while transporting the sheet S.

The heating method of the heat roller 132 can be divided into an external heating method and an internal heating method, depending on the position of the heat source. The external heating method is a configuration in which a heat source is placed near the heat roller 132 and the heat roller 132 is heated from the outside. The internal heating method is a configuration in which a heat source is placed inside the heat roller 132 and the heat roller 132 is heated from the inside. The heat source generally used is a light-emitting heater such as a halogen lamp, a solid heater with a heating element, or a tubular heater.

The heat roller 132 in this example is a hollow silicone rubber roller covered with a PFA (fluororesin) tube. Inside the heat roller 132, a halogen lamp light-emitting heater is placed as the heat source 136.

In addition, a temperature sensor 138 is provided on or near the surface of the heat roller 132, and the output of the heat source 136 is controlled based on the temperature detected by the sensor so that there is no temperature difference between the upper and lower heat rollers and so that the surface temperature is kept constant.

In the heat and pressure roller 120 configured in this way, when the sheet S with the inner paper P inserted therein is heated and pressurized by the heat roller 132, the molten adhesive may seep out from the edge of the sheet S and adhere to the heat roller 132. This adhesive gradually accumulates on the surface of the heat roller 132, causing the next sheet S to wrap around the heat roller 132, which can cause a sheet jam.

In addition, the adhesive remaining (adhering) on the surface of the heat roller 132 could impair the surface properties of the heat roller 132, causing unevenness in the quality of the subsequent lamination, or leaving traces of the adhesive on the sheet surface, reducing the gloss quality.

Therefore, the lamination processing device 200 of this embodiment is equipped with a cleaning device that cleans the surface of the heat roller 132, and removes and collects the adhesive and/or deposits (hereinafter referred to as "adhesive, etc.") remaining on the surface of the heat roller 132.

Figure 17 is a diagram showing the configuration of a cleaning device and a hot press roller according to one embodiment of the present invention. In Figure 17, the same components as those in Figure 16 are given the same reference numerals and detailed descriptions of them are omitted.

As shown in FIG. 17, each heat roller 132 is provided with a cleaning device 160 that cleans the surface of the heat roller 132. This cleaning device 160 includes a cleaning roller 162 that removes adhesive and other substances from the heat roller 132, a separating member (cleaning brush 164 and flicker member 166) that separates the adhesive and other substances from the roller, and a collection case 168 that collects the separated adhesive and other substances.

The cleaning roller 162 is pressed against the heat roller 132 and rotates together with the heat roller 132 to remove adhesive and other materials from the heat roller 132. The cleaning roller 162 can be a roller made of metal such as iron, stainless steel (SUS), or aluminum.

A rotatable cleaning brush 164 is disposed below the cleaning roller 162. In this embodiment, the cleaning brush 164 is rotated in a counter direction to the rotation direction of the cleaning roller 162, and is configured to scrape off adhesive and the like from the surface of the cleaning roller 162. The cleaning brush 164 can be a fibrous brush made of polyamide fiber, stainless steel (SUS), brass, nylon, or the like.

Adhesive and other substances adhering to the cleaning brush 164 are scraped off by a plate-shaped flicker member 166. This flicker member 166 is made of a metal plate such as SUS or aluminum, and abuts against the fiber portion of the cleaning brush 164 in the axial direction of the cleaning brush 164. The scraped off adhesive and other substances are collected (stored) in a collection case 168.

Note that the separating member for separating the adhesive and the like from the cleaning roller 162 is not limited to the cleaning brush 164 and the flicker member 166. Any roller or the like may be used as long as it can separate the adhesive and the like from the cleaning roller 162.

Figure 18 is a schematic diagram showing the operation of the cleaning roller. The cleaning roller 162 is configured to be able to come into contact with and separate from the heat roller 132. Figure 18(a) shows the state in which the cleaning roller 162 comes into contact with the heat roller 132 and rotates together with it, and Figure 18(b) shows the state in which it is separated from the heat roller 132. This configuration can be implemented, for example, by providing an actuator that moves the rotation axis of the cleaning roller 162.

The lamination processing device 200 of this embodiment configured as described above executes a cleaning mode in which adhesive and other substances adhering to the heat roller 132 are removed and collected after the lamination process is performed. This cleaning mode is characterized by being capable of performing a first cleaning operation in which adhesive and other substances are removed from the heat roller 132, and a second cleaning operation in which adhesive and other substances are removed from the cleaning roller 162 and collected.

When the first cleaning operation is performed, the roller surface temperature of the heat roller 132 is set to a first cleaning temperature (T1) that is higher than the lamination temperature (T0) used during thermal fixing (T1>T0). This is because the adhesive adhered to the heat roller 132 becomes more fluid at high temperatures and turns into a liquid. In other words, by actively increasing the fluidity of the adhesive adhered to the heat roller 132, it is possible to facilitate removal of the adhesive from the heat roller 132.

Then, the cleaning roller 162 is brought into contact with the heat roller 132 to remove adhesives and the like from the heat roller 132 (see Figure 18 (a)).

On the other hand, during the second cleaning operation, the roller surface temperature of the heat roller 132 is set to a second cleaning temperature (T2) that is lower than the lamination temperature (T0) (T0>T2). Then, the cleaning roller 162 is separated from the heat roller 132, and the adhesive and the like are removed and collected from the cleaning roller 162 (see FIG. 18(b)).

This is because the cleaning brush 164 removes the adhesive from the cleaning roller 162 when the adhesive begins to solidify. Also, by separating the cleaning roller 162 from the heat roller 132, it is possible to prevent the adhesive that has begun to solidify from adhering to the heat roller 132 again, and to hasten the decrease in temperature of the cleaning roller 162.

The adhesive adhering to the cleaning brush 164 is scraped off (separated) by the flicker member 166 and collected (stored) in the collection case 168. Therefore, the adhesive and other substances on the cleaning roller 162 and cleaning brush 164 are removed, making them ready for the next cleaning.

The lamination operation temperature (T0) is set to a temperature at which the adhesive of the sheet S adheres to the inner paper P according to the sheet transport speed, etc., but at which the sheet S does not deform. In this embodiment, it is set to about 120°C to 130°C. The first cleaning temperature (T1) is set to about 160°C to 180°C. However, these temperatures can be changed as desired according to the nip length and nip pressure of the heat roller 132, etc.

Figure 19 is a flowchart explaining a series of operations in the cleaning mode executed after the lamination process. In this embodiment, after the lamination process, the cleaning mode is executed to remove and recover adhesive and other substances adhering to the heat roller 132.

After performing the lamination process, the lamination processing device 200 proceeds to step S11 and switches to cleaning mode. Next, in step S12, the heat source 136 is controlled to set the surface temperature of the heat roller 132 to the first cleaning temperature (T1).

Next, in step S13, the cleaning device 160 starts the first cleaning operation, and the cleaning roller 162 removes adhesive and other materials from the heat roller 132.

Next, in step S14, the lamination processing device 200 controls the heat source 136 to raise the surface temperature of the heat roller 132 to the second cleaning temperature (T2). Then, in step S15, the cleaning device 160 starts the second cleaning operation, removes and collects adhesive and the like from the cleaning roller 162, and ends the cleaning mode.

In this way, the lamination processing device 200 of this embodiment automatically removes and collects adhesives and other substances adhering to the heat roller 132, so the surface quality of the heat roller 132 can be maintained without any effort on the part of the user. In addition, the cleaning roller 162 can be brought into contact with and separated from the heat roller 132 when the cleaning mode is performed, so that adhesives and other substances can be removed and collected from the cleaning roller 162 without re-adhering adhesives and other substances to the heat roller 132.

Second Embodiment
20 is a flow chart for explaining a series of operations in the cleaning mode executed when the main power supply of the lamination processing apparatus 200 is turned on. In this embodiment, the cleaning mode is executed when the main power supply of the lamination processing apparatus 200 is turned on.

When the main switch (main power source) of the lamination processing device 200 is turned on, the process proceeds to step S21 and switches to cleaning mode. Next, in step S22, the heat source 136 is controlled to set the surface temperature of the heat roller 132 to the second cleaning temperature (T2).

Next, in step S23, the cleaning device 160 starts a second cleaning operation to remove and recover adhesive and other materials from the cleaning roller 162.

Next, in step S24, the lamination processing device 200 controls the heat source 136 to set the surface temperature of the heat roller 132 to the first cleaning temperature (T1). Then, in step S25, the cleaning device 160 starts the first cleaning operation, and the cleaning roller 162 removes adhesive and the like from the heat roller 132. Then, the process proceeds to step S26, where the cleaning mode ends.

In step S27, the lamination processing device 200 sets the surface temperature of the heat roller 132 to the lamination temperature (T0) and switches to a lamination mode in which lamination processing is performed.

In this way, the lamination processing device 200 of this embodiment uses the temperature rise at start-up to first clean the cleaning roller 162 and the separating member, and then clean the heat roller 132. Therefore, adhesive and the like that has solidified on the cleaning roller 162 and the like can be effectively removed and collected, and the time required to complete cleaning can be shortened.

Third Embodiment
21 is a flow chart for explaining a series of operations in the cleaning mode executed during continuous lamination processing. The lamination processing device 200 of this embodiment is characterized by having a counting means for counting the number of lamination processes (number of sheets), and switching from the lamination mode to the cleaning mode when the counted value is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold value.

When the lamination device 200 starts lamination processing for a consecutive job, it proceeds to step S31 and counts the number of lamination processes. If the counted value exceeds a certain number of sheets (YES), it proceeds to step S32 and switches to cleaning mode.

Next, in step S33, the cleaning device 160 starts a first cleaning operation, and the cleaning roller 162 removes adhesive and the like from the heat roller 132. Thereafter, the cleaning device 160 starts a second cleaning operation, and removes and collects adhesive and the like from the cleaning roller 162.

Next, in step S34, the lamination processing device 200 controls the heat source 136 to set the surface temperature of the heat roller 132 to the lamination temperature (T0). Then, it switches to the lamination mode and resumes the lamination process.

On the other hand, in step S31, if the counted value is within the certain number of sheets (NO), the lamination processing device 200 continues the lamination process.

In this way, the lamination processing device 200 of this embodiment can interrupt the lamination process in consecutive jobs and execute the cleaning mode, thereby preventing adhesive from accumulating on the surface of the heat roller 132.

In step S33, the first and second cleaning operations are performed in that order as the cleaning mode, but instead, only the first cleaning operation may be performed and then the lamination process may be resumed. This is advantageous when it is desired to quickly resume continuous lamination processes. In this case, it is preferable to switch to the cleaning mode and perform the second cleaning operation when the lamination processes of the continuous jobs are completed.

The present invention has been described in detail using three embodiments, but these embodiments are merely examples and can be modified in various ways without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, multiple embodiments may be combined with each other.

The timing for switching to the cleaning mode may be set at any time, and the first cleaning operation and the second cleaning operation may be performed separately as the cleaning mode.

For example, various variations can be used, such as performing a first cleaning operation after the lamination process and performing a second cleaning operation after a certain number of lamination processes.

Furthermore, in addition to automatically executing (switching to) the cleaning mode, it is also possible to manually switch to the cleaning mode using the operation panel 10 (see FIG. 1) or the like. This is advantageous because it allows the user to clean the heat roller 132 and the like at any time.

Finally, we will explain an image forming apparatus having a lamination processing device, and an image forming system having a lamination processing device.

Figure 22 is a schematic diagram of an image forming apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention. The image forming apparatus 300 has a sheet processing apparatus 100 or a lamination processing apparatus 200 on its side. In the following description, parts having the same functions as those of the above-mentioned apparatuses are given the same reference numbers, and descriptions of those parts will be omitted as appropriate. The sheet processing apparatus 100 or the lamination processing apparatus 200 has a paper feed tray 102 for stacking sheets S. The inner sheets P are configured so that they can be fed from the paper feed section 310 of the image forming apparatus 300, and any image can be printed on the inner sheets P to be inserted into the sheets S using a method that utilizes the copy or printer of the image forming apparatus 300, and the inner sheets P can be inserted inline.

In addition, in the sheet processing apparatus 100, a number of sensors C11 that detect the size of the sheet S are arranged on the sheet tray 103, and conveying rollers 144 and 145 are provided before and after the heat and pressure roller 120.

Figure 23 is a schematic diagram of an image forming system according to one embodiment of the present invention.

This image forming system is configured to allow the feed of inner sheets P from the image forming device 300 via the relay device 312, and by installing another post-processing device 400 downstream of the image forming device 300, the user can use it without reducing the efficiency of print jobs that do not require lamination processing.

In the case of a print job that does not involve lamination, the inner sheets P fed from the image forming device 300 are received by the inlet rollers 146 of the sheet processing device 100, and are transported to the post-processing device 400 downstream of the sheet processing device 100 by the paper discharge rollers 147 located downstream of the inlet rollers 146 in the transport direction. In the post-processing device 400, post-processing such as stapling can be performed on the sheet material N that has not been subjected to lamination. The inner sheets P are stacked in the paper discharge tray 150 of the post-processing device 400.

In addition, in the sheet processing apparatus 100, a number of sensors C11 that detect the size of the sheet S are arranged on the sheet tray 103, and conveying rollers 144 and 145 are provided before and after the heat and pressure roller 120.

10 Operation panel 100 Sheet processing device 102 Paper feed tray 103 Sheet tray 104, 126, 150 Paper discharge tray 105, 106 Pickup roller 107 Pair of transport rollers 108 Pair of entrance rollers 109 Winding roller 110 Grip means 111 Roller member 113 Pair of exit rollers 116 Peeling claw 118 Branching claw 120 Heat pressure roller 121 Discharge roller 128 Fixing path 129 Non-fixing path 130 Front roller 132 Heat roller 134 Rear roller 136 Heat source 138 Temperature sensor 144, 145 Transport roller 146 Entrance roller 147 Paper discharge roller 160 Cleaning device 162 Cleaning roller 164 Cleaning brush 166 Flicker member 168 Collection case 200 Lamination processing device 300 Image forming device 312 Relay device 310 Paper feed section 400 Post-processing device N Sheet material P Inner paper S Sheet

JP 2003-025447 A Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 02-0912955 JP 2019-111729 A

Claims (7)

A lamination processing apparatus that performs thermal fixing while conveying a two-ply sheet that sandwiches a sheet-like medium ,
a thermal fixing roller for performing thermal fixing while conveying the two-ply sheet;
a cleaning roller for removing adhesive and/or deposits from the thermal fixing roller;
a separating member for separating adhesive and/or deposits from the cleaning roller;
a collection case for collecting the separated adhesive and/or attached matter;
In a lamination processing apparatus, when a cleaning mode is performed in which an adhesive and/or a deposit adhering to the thermal fixing roller is removed and collected, the cleaning roller is capable of contacting and separating from the thermal fixing roller,
The cleaning mode includes:
a first cleaning operation in which the roller surface temperature of the thermal fixing roller is set to a first cleaning temperature (T1) that is higher than a lamination temperature (T0) during thermal fixing, and the cleaning roller is brought into contact with the thermal fixing roller to remove adhesive and/or deposits from the thermal fixing roller;
a second cleaning operation in which the roller surface temperature of the thermal fixing roller is set to a second cleaning temperature (T2) that is lower than the lamination temperature (T0), the cleaning roller is separated from the thermal fixing roller, and adhesive and/or deposits are removed and collected from the cleaning roller;
A lamination processing apparatus capable of carrying out the above-mentioned steps . The separating member is
a brush for removing adhesive and/or deposits from the cleaning roller;
2. The laminate processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a flicker member for separating adhesive and/or deposits from the brush. 3. The lamination processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the cleaning mode is executed after the lamination process. 4. The lamination processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second cleaning operation is first performed in the cleaning mode when a main power source is turned on. A counting means is provided for counting the number of times lamination processing is performed in successive jobs,
5. The lamination processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the cleaning mode is executed when the value counted by the counting means is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold value. An image forming apparatus comprising the lamination processing apparatus according to claim 1 . An image forming system comprising the lamination processing device according to claim 1 .

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