JPH0555319B2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Field of Industrial Application] This invention is an output device for paper binding that has a paper binding device (hereinafter referred to as a stapler) that staples sheets of paper by a specified number of sheets with a staple, and is capable of stapling sheets when the number of sheets to be stapled increases. The present invention relates to a paper binding output device that prevents paper binding defects.

[Prior art]

Recently, output devices with a stapling function have been appearing on the market, and if this output device is optionally combined with the copying machine, the copying machine can sequentially copy the desired number of sheets of copy paper. It can be stitched together with a needle and then discharged.

By the way, in conventional copying machine systems in which such an output device is combined, the maximum allowable number of sheets to be stapled by the stapler device is specified in the operation manual, for example, but operators do not necessarily adhere to this allowable limit. The stapling operation is not always executed. Therefore, when performing a stapling operation that exceeds the maximum allowable number of sheets to be stapled, the paper may be ejected with the staple not fully engaged, which may damage the conveyance path or
This may cause a paper jam. In addition, in such cases, the operator must perform the stapling operation again, and the copy paper is often damaged during the staple removal operation.

[Purpose of the invention]

This invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned circumstances, and provides a paper binding output device that reliably prevents paper staple failure when performing the stapling function and eliminates the need for an operator to remove paper staples. The purpose is to provide.

[Summary of the invention]

In this invention, there is provided a paper binding tray provided with a paper binding device, a first paper conveyance path leading directly to the output tray without passing through the paper binding tray, and a first paper conveyance path leading directly to the output tray via the paper binding tray. a second paper transport path leading to the paper transport path; a transport path switching device that switches between the first paper transport path and the second paper transport path; a counter that counts the number of sheets carried into the transport path switching device; While the count value of the counter does not exceed the set number of sheets, the conveyance path switching device is held on the second sheet conveyance path side, and when the count value of the counter exceeds the set number of sheets, the conveyance path switching device is held on the side of the first sheet conveyance path. If the count value of the counter does not exceed the set value when the paper has been carried into the paper transport path switching device, the paper binding operation is executed and the paper is placed on the paper binding tray. and a control device that binds the sheets of paper and discharges them to the output tray, and if the set value is exceeded, the paper binding operation is not executed and the sheets of paper on the paper binding tray are discharged to the discharge tray. shall be.

〔Effect of the invention〕

Therefore, according to the present invention, when the number of sheets of paper that is bound exceeds a predetermined number at which there is a possibility that a paper-bound failure may occur, the paper is automatically ejected to the output tray without being bound. This makes it possible to reliably prevent paper clasp failures that may cause damage to the conveyance path or paper jams.

Furthermore, according to the present invention, since the paper that has already been carried into the paper binding device is ejected to the output tray without performing the paper binding operation, the operator does not have to perform the troublesome task of removing the paper binding staples afterwards. becomes unnecessary.

〔Example〕

FIG. 1 shows a schematic configuration example of a copying machine equipped with an output device having a stapling function.

In FIG. 1, copy paper is fed from a paper feed cassette 2 of a copying machine main body 1, is transported along a paper conveyance path 3, passes through a photoreceptor 4, a fixing device 5, etc., and then an original image on a platen 6 is transferred to the copy paper. After being transferred and fixed onto the image, the images are sequentially conveyed to the output device 7 side. The copy paper carried into the output device 7 side is conveyed to one of two conveyance paths by the conveyance path switching device 8. When the copy paper is transported to the first transport path 9 side, the copy paper is sequentially transported as it is, and is moved to the ejection tray 11 by the ejection roller 10.
is discharged. On the other hand, on the second conveyance path 12 side,
When a paper binding tray 20 equipped with a paper binding device (stapler device) 13 is provided and copy paper is conveyed to the second conveyance path 12 side, the copy paper is sequentially placed on the paper binding tray 20 in a specified number of sheets. After a specified number of sheets are stapled by driving the stapler device 13, the sheets are sequentially ejected one by one onto the ejection tray 11 by the ejection roller 10. Note that the number of copy sheets to be stapled with the stapler device 13 and the required number of copies can be determined by the operator using the operation section 14 of the copying machine main body 14.
It is specified by operating as appropriate.

FIG. 2 shows an example of a configuration for implementing the present invention.

In FIG. 2, the operation unit 14 includes a copy start button S ₁ , a staple mode specification button S ₂ ,
A numeric keypad _S3 for specifying the number of sheets to be stapled and the number of copies to be stapled is provided, and information such as the number of sheets to be stapled and the number of copies to be stapled specified by the operator is stored in the RAM 15. CPU
In addition to a series of controls related to normal copying operations, 16 controls the drive timing of the stapler device ₁₃ based on information such as the number of stapled sheets and the number of stapled copies stored in the RAM 15, especially when the staple mode designation button S2 is pressed. On the other hand,
The switching position of the conveyance path switching device 8 is determined by driving and controlling the switching device drive section 17. When the staple mode designation button S ₂ is pressed, the counter 18 sequentially counts the number of copies made on the copying machine main body 1 side, and sends the count output to the CPU 16.
Enter. The counter 18 is the stapler device 1
3 is initialized each time a stapling operation is performed.

The specific operation of this configuration example will be described in detail with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG.

First, the case of stapling 20 sheets of paper will be explained.

When the staple mode is designated by the operator (step 100) and the copying operation starts, the counter 18 sequentially counts the number of sheets of paper to be copied by the copying machine main body 1, and the count output is sent to the CPU 16.
Report to. The CPU 16 determines the switching position of the conveyance path switching device 8 based on the count output. In this case, the number of sheets carried into the output device 7 is 30
Since the number of copy sheets is less than the number of copies, the CPU 16 controls the switching device drive unit 17 to switch and hold the conveyance path switching device 8 to the second conveyance path 12 side, and guides the copy sheets one by one to the stapler device 13 (step 110, 120, 140). Thereafter, when the copy paper has been carried into the output device 7, the CPU 16 refers to the final count value of the counter 18 to search whether the number of sheets to be bound is 30 or less (step 150). In this case, the number of sheets to be stapled is 20, so the CPU 16 drives the stapler device 13 to perform a predetermined paper binding operation (step 160), and then outputs these 20 stapled sheets onto the output tray 11. do. After this counter 1
8 is initialized in preparation for the next operation.

Next, when stapling 40 sheets, the counter 18 sequentially counts the number of sheets copied by the copying machine main body 1 in the same manner as described above, and reports the count output to the CPU 16. At this time, CPU16
The conveyance path switching device 8 is switched to the second conveyance path 12 side by controlling the switching device drive unit 17 until the 30th sheet of paper is carried into the output device 7 side, and the 30 sheets are copied. The sheets are sequentially guided to the stapler device 13 (steps 110, 120, 140). However, when the count output of the counter 18 exceeds 30, the CPU 16 controls the switching device drive unit 17 to switch the transport path switching device 8 to the first transport path 9.
This state is maintained thereafter (step 130). Therefore, the 31st and subsequent sheets are sequentially discharged onto the discharge tray 11 via the first conveyance path 9. After that, when the copy paper has been delivered to the output device 7, the CPU
16 refers to the final count value of the counter 18 to search whether the number of sheets to be stapled is 30 or less (step 150). In this case, since the number of sheets to be stapled is 40, the CPU 16 does not drive the stapler device 13 (step 170).
superimposed within the stapler device 13
The 30 sheets of copy paper are sequentially discharged onto the discharge tray 11.

In other words, in this embodiment, if the number of paper sheets exceeds 30, the paper is outputted to the output tray without performing a paper holding operation to prevent paper holding errors. There is.

In the above embodiment, the conveyance path switching device is switched when the number of copies reaches 30, but the switching timing is not limited to this, and the number of copies can be set as appropriate depending on the stapling capacity of the stapler device. All you have to do is decide.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a copying machine combined with an output device equipped with a stapling function, FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of a control configuration for carrying out the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the same control configuration. It is a flowchart for explaining a specific example of operation of the configuration example. 1... Copying machine main body, 2... Paper feed cassette, 3,
9, 12...Paper conveyance path, 4...Photoreceptor, 5...
Fixing device, 6...Platen, 7...Output device, 8...Transport path switching device, 10...Ejection roller, 11...Ejection tray, 13...Stapler device, 14...Operation unit, 15...RAM , 16...
...CPU, 17...Switching device drive section, 18...Counter.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A paper binding tray provided with a paper binding device; a first paper transport path leading directly to the output tray without passing through the paper binding tray; a second paper transport path leading to the output tray; a transport path switching device that switches between the first paper transport path and the second paper transport path; and a counter that counts the number of sheets carried into the transport path switching device. and, while the count value of the counter does not exceed the set number of sheets, the conveyance path switching device is held on the second sheet conveyance path side, and when the count value of the counter exceeds the set number of sheets, the conveyance path switching device is held in the second sheet conveyance path side. If the count value of the counter does not exceed the set value when the paper to be transported into the transport path switching device is finished, the paper binding operation is performed and the paper binding is performed. Bind the paper on the paper tray and output it to the output tray.
An output device for paper binding, comprising: a control device that does not perform a paper binding operation and discharges the paper on the paper binding tray to an ejection tray if the set value is exceeded.