JPH0470223B2 - - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention (a) Field of Industrial Application The present invention relates to a sheet folding device that folds sheets conveyed from an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a printing machine, and a recording machine. The present invention relates to a device that prevents double folding in which a new fold occurs in an already folded portion when forming a trifold such as a fold.

(B) Prior Art In general, a sheet folding device, as shown in FIG. A stopper member 30 for regulating the conveyance of the sheet is arranged in the conveyance path, and when the apparatus folds up a Z-folded sheet, for example, the leading end of the sheet S to be conveyed is first stopped by the stopper member (Fig. (not shown), a loop is formed in 1/4 part of the sheet S, and the loop of the sheet S is in contact with the first
A first fold line A is formed in a quarter portion of the sheet by the pair of folding rollers 20 and 21 of the sheet. Furthermore,
The sheet S is conveyed within the folding device, and the first fold A of the sheet S, which is the leading edge thereof, comes into contact with the stopper member 30, and a loop is formed at the end of the double stacking of the sheet S due to the first fold A of the sheet S. B is formed, and furthermore, the loop B and the leading edge C of the sheet S are sandwiched between the second pair of folding rollers 21 and 29 to form a second fold, and the sheet is Z-folded.

(c) Problems to be solved by the invention By the way, the tip C of the sheet S and the loop B are the second
When the sheet S is sandwiched between the pair of folding rollers 21 and 29, the sheet S is folded into three and conveyed.
The uppermost sheet surface D of the fold is conveyed by the rotation of the folding roller 29, the lowermost sheet surface F is conveyed by the rotation of the folding roller 21, and the intermediate sheet surface E is conveyed by the rotation of the folding rollers 21 and 29. It is transmitted and conveyed via surfaces D and F.

However, when the sheet is folded by the second pair of folding rollers 21, 2
9 is conveyed, a slip occurs between the intermediate sheet surface E and the uppermost sheet surface D having the leading edge C of the sheet. When the linear speed becomes slow and the first fold line A is sandwiched between the second pair of folding rollers 21 and 29, slack occurs in the intermediate sheet surface E, and the first fold line A becomes double folded. This may happen.

(d) Means for Solving the Problems The present invention aims to solve the above-mentioned problems. For example, as shown in FIG. ) is in contact with the stopper member 30, and a pair of folding rollers 21, 29 that form a fold by sandwiching the loop B formed on the rear side of the folded part of the sheet when the folded part comes into contact with the stopper member. , a conveyance plate 27a that forms a conveyance path 27 for conveying the folded sheet in half toward the stopper member 30, and guides the sheet surface D on the front side of the folded sheet;
is made of an elastic member fixed to the tip of the conveying plate, contacts the sheet surface D on the front side, and simultaneously folds the edge of the sheet at the tip into the loop B and the pair of folding rollers 21, 29. A guide member 28 is provided, the tip of which extends to the vicinity of the nip so as to be inserted into the nip.

(E) Effect A sheet folded into three based on the above structure (S)
When the sheet (S) is conveyed through the pair of folding rollers 21 and 29, the conveying force of the uppermost sheet surface (D) of the sheet (S) is suppressed by the guide member 28, and the uppermost sheet surface (D) and the intermediate sheet surface ( E) are transported at the same linear velocity.

Note that the above reference numerals in brackets are for contrast with the drawings, but do not limit the structure of the present invention in any way.

(F) Embodiments Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

The folding device 1 includes a copying machine 1 as shown in FIG.
0, and the sheet inlet 2 of the folding device 1 is aligned with the sheet outlet 11 of the copying machine 10.

Then, the folding device 1, as shown in FIG.
A sheet carry-in port 2 is provided at the top of the folding device main body 12, a pair of carry-in rollers 13 is arranged facing the carry-in port 2, and an inlet deflector 15 is located downstream of the pair of carry-in rollers 13 and can be switched in two directions. Sheet S placed in the
to the sheet folding conveyance path 16, or to the sheet folding conveyance path 1.
Transfer to 7. Further, a pair of discharge rollers 19 is disposed at the downstream end of the passage conveyance path 16, and a sheet discharge port 3 is provided downstream of the pair of discharge rollers 19, and the sheet discharge port 3 is connected to the sheet carry-in port 2. They are specified to be on the same horizontal level. Further, a first folding roller 20 is arranged on the downstream side of the folding conveyance path 17, and a second folding roller 21 is further arranged adjacent to the roller 20. Furthermore,
A first deflector 22 is disposed on the downstream side of the first folding roller 20 so as to be switchable in two directions, and directs the sheet S conveyed from the folding conveyance path 17 to the first folding position regulating conveyance path 23. , or first, second
The paper is conveyed to a pair of folding rollers 20, 21 at the first stage, which is composed of folding rollers 20, 21. Furthermore, on the downstream side of the first folding position regulating conveyance path 23, there is a fixed stopper member 24 and a movable stopper member configured to protrude into the center of the conveyance path 23 when the solenoid device 25a is energized. 25 are arranged. In addition, the first stage folding roller pair 20, 21
A second deflector 26 is disposed on the downstream side of the folding roller pair 26 in the first stage so as to be switchable in two directions.
The sheet S conveyed from 0 and 21 is transferred to the second folding position regulating conveyance path 27, or the second stage folding consisting of the second folding roller 21 and the third folding roller 29 adjacent to the second folding roller 21 is performed. roller pair 21,
Transfer to 29.

A fixed stopper member 30 is disposed on the downstream side of the second folding position regulating conveyance path 27. Furthermore, as shown in FIG.
A guide member 2 made of an elastic member such as a Mylar sheet is installed near the nip of the pair of folding rollers 21 and 29 in the stage.
8 is placed.

Further, a third deflector 31 is disposed on the downstream side of the second stage folding roller pair 21, 29 so as to be switchable in two directions.
29 to the third folding position regulating conveyance path 32, or a third stage folding roller pair consisting of the third folding roller 29 and the fourth folding roller 33 adjacent to the third folding roller 29. 29,33
Transport to. A fixed stopper member 35 is disposed on the downstream side of the third folding position regulating conveyance path 32. Also, the third stage folding roller pair 2
A folding end conveyance path 36 is formed on the downstream side of the conveyance paths 9 and 33, and the downstream side of the conveyance path 36 is the passage conveyance path 1.
6 and communicates with a pair of discharge rollers 19. Furthermore, a bin tray 37 is removably disposed on the folding device main body 12 facing the discharge roller pair 19.

Since the present embodiment has the above-described configuration, the sheet S discharged from the sheet discharge port 11 of the copying machine 10 is conveyed from the sheet import port 2 of the folding device 1 to the entrance deflector 15 by the rotation of the pair of transport rollers 13. When the Z-folding mode of the sheet S is selected, the entrance deflector 15 is switched to the folding conveyance path 17 side, the sheet S is conveyed through the folding conveyance path 17, and the first folding roller 20 rotates. 1
is conveyed to the deflector 22 of. Then, the first deflector 22 is connected to the first folding position regulating conveyance path 2.
3 side, the solenoid device 25a is further energized, and the movable stopper member 25 is projected into the folding position regulating conveyance path 23. Then, the sheet S is guided by the first deflector 22, conveyed to the first folding position regulation conveyance path 23, and the sheet S
The tip of the movable stopper member 24 is brought into contact with the movable stopper member 24.
Then, a loop is formed at about 1/4 of the tip of the sheet S, and the loop of the sheet S is sandwiched between the pair of folding rollers 20 and 21 in the first stage, and the sheet S
A first crease A is formed at 1/4 of the area. Furthermore,
The sheet S on which the first crease A has been formed is guided by the second deflector 26 switched to the second folding position regulating conveyance path 27 side, and is conveyed to the second folding position regulating conveyance path 27. , the leading end (first fold line A) of the sheet S is brought into contact with the fixed stopper member 30. Then, as shown in FIG. 1, a loop B is formed at the end of the two-sheet stacking by the first fold A of the sheet S, and the loop B of the sheet SB is passed to the pair of folding rollers 21 and 29 at the second stage. Get caught in the middle. At this time, as the sheet S is conveyed, the uppermost sheet surface D comes into contact with the guide member 28, and the conveying force of the sheet surface D is suppressed, so that the uppermost sheet surface D and the intermediate sheet surface E have the same linear velocity. transported by
Therefore, the sheet S having the first crease A is conveyed through the pair of folding rollers 21 and 29 at the second stage without any sagging occurring on the intermediate sheet surface E of the sheet S, and the sheet S having the first crease A is conveyed through the pair of folding rollers 21 and 29 at the second stage, and the end of the stacking of the two sheets S A second crease is formed at the portion of the sheet, resulting in a Z-folded sheet. Further, the sheet S is passed through the third stage folding roller pair 29, 3.
It is guided by the third deflector 31 that has been switched to the third side, and is conveyed through the third stage folding roller pair 29, 33 and the folding end conveyance path 36, and
By rotation of 9, it is discharged onto the bin tray 37.

(G) Effects of the Invention As explained above, according to the present invention, a guide member made of an elastic member is fixed to the tip of the conveying plate so that the tip extends to the vicinity of the nip, so that the tip of the folded in half Even when the folded portion of the sheet is in contact with the stopper member, the end portion of the sheet surface is held in contact with the guide member, and the folded portion formed by the pair of folding rollers is held at the nip portion. This prevents the folded portion from being drawn into the nip before it is pulled into the nip, and at the same time the folded portion is drawn into the nip, the leading sheet surface is also guided by the guide member and drawn into the nip, allowing the sheet to be accurately drawn into the nip. It is possible to secure a suitable disclosure timing.

Furthermore, in the conveyance state in which the leading sheet surface and the folded portion are drawn into the nip section, the leading sheet surface is conveyed while being in contact with the guide member made of an elastic member, so that the leading sheet surface and the folded portion are transported. By suppressing the conveyance force on the surface, the front sheet surface and the intermediate sheet surface can be conveyed at the same linear speed, and the generation of slack on the intermediate sheet surface can be prevented.

Therefore, when creating a three-fold sheet such as a Z-fold, the leading edge of the sheet and the second fold are aligned accurately, and the second fold is aligned with the first fold.
It is possible to reliably create accurately folded sheets that prevent the occurrence of double folds.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side view showing a portion of a sheet folding device according to the present invention with a guide member attached thereto, FIG. 2 is a side view showing a state in which the folding device is connected to a copying machine, and FIG.
The figure is a side view showing a folding device, and FIG. 4 is a side view showing folding of a conventional Z-fold sheet. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... Folding device, 21, 29... Folding roller pair (second stage folding roller pair), 27... Second folding position regulation conveyance path, 27a... Conveyance plate, 28...
Guide member, 30...Stopper member, A...Fold section, B...Loop, D...Top sheet surface, E
...middle sheet surface, S... sheet.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A stopper member against which a folded portion of a sheet folded in half contacts, and a loop formed on the rear side of the folded portion of the sheet when the folded portion contacts the stopper member. a pair of folding rollers that form a fold at the stopper member; a conveyance plate that forms a conveyance path that conveys the folded sheet toward the stopper member and that guides the surface of the sheet on the other side of the folded sheet; It is made of an elastic member fixed to the tip of the conveying plate, and is in contact with the sheet surface on the front side, and so as to sandwich the edge of the sheet at the tip into the nip of the pair of folding rollers at the same time as the loop; A sheet folding device comprising: a guide member whose tip extends to the vicinity of the nip portion;