JPH0626800B2 - Sheet binding device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention mainly relates to a sheet binding device (hereinafter, referred to as a stapler) that binds sheets with binding needles.

[Conventional technology]

Conventionally, a stapler replenishes a staple with a detachable staple cartridge which accommodates a staple connected in a strip shape, and the staple is replaced when a staple missing is detected by a staple detecting means arranged below the cartridge. Further, the belt-shaped staples in the cartridge are sent to the staple driving device by a constant amount for each staple driving stroke of the stapler by the staple feeding device in the stapler.

[Problems to be solved by the invention]

In the above stapler, when the needle cartridges are replaced, the tips of the needles connected in a row do not reach the needle driving means, and even if the needle driving operation is performed as it is, the break is driven into the sheet. Absent. For this reason, the operator has to perform an operation called needle cueing, in which the hammering operation (idle hammering) is repeated several times without the needle being in the hammering means until the tip of the needle is sent to the hammering means. Needle cueing is a monotonous work such as repeatedly pressing a switch for issuing a drive command to the stapler, and since it is not known how many times the needle will come out, it is necessary to drive with the sheet present. However, it was very troublesome for the operator because the needle jam occurred when the needle was driven in without the seat.

In addition, the blanking is also caused by a malfunction of the staple feeding means, but especially in a stapler provided in the system machine that interlocks with an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine and sequentially binds a bundle of sheets on which images are formed, If defective driving occurs due to a defect, the sheet bundle will be scattered within the system machine, resulting in a jam condition.

[Means and Actions for Solving Problems]

The sheet binding device according to the present invention comprises a driving means for sequentially driving the needles connected in a row from the needle at the tip to the sheet material, and a predetermined amount of needles connected to each of the driving means by a predetermined amount for each driving operation of the driving means. The feeding means, the load detecting means for detecting the magnitude of the load generated in the driving means when the needle is driven, and the driving means when the load detected by the load detecting means is equal to or less than the value indicating the load at the time of normal driving. Since it has a driving operation of (1) and a feed control means for carrying out the feeding operation of the feeding means, when an idle driving occurs, the driving is repeated until the needle is actually driven. Therefore, even if a new staple is loaded, if the normal operation is performed, the sheet binding device automatically finds the head. Further, even if blank ejection occurs due to defective feeding of the needle, the driving is repeated until the needle is actually driven into the sheet, and if the defective feeding is eliminated in the subsequent driving, the needle is reliably driven into the sheet.

〔Example〕

 Hereinafter, the illustrated embodiment of the present invention will be described.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the stapler apparatus of this embodiment, and FIG. 3 is a side view. Reference numeral 1 in FIG. 2 is a base that supports the entire stapler 100 apparatus and is fixed. Further, 2 is a lower jaw, which can be rotated around a shaft 2a as a fulcrum. Lower jaw 2
A groove-shaped cam portion 2b is formed at an end portion thereof and is engaged with a caulking shaft 3b fixed to the upper unit 3. Further, the upper unit 3 is swingably supported by a hinge shaft 4 provided on the base. The crank arm 5 is rotatably supported by a part of the base 1 by a shaft 5b provided at an end thereof. The other end is internally fitted with a cam plate 5c eccentrically fixed to the drive shaft 6, and when the stapler gear 7 makes one rotation, the cam plate 5c also rotates around the support shaft 6.
At this time, the base 1 is fixed and the distance between the shaft 5b and the support shaft 6 is also constant, so that the upper unit 3 rotates about the hinge shaft 4 with respect to the base 1. At this time, the body 8 is also pushed from the upper unit by the head portion 105a of the driver attached to the body, and is rotated in the x direction about the hinge shaft 4 (body 8
Is also rotatably supported by the hinge shaft 4. ). At the same time, the groove cam part of the lower jaw engaged with the crimping shaft 3b of the upper unit 3
The lower jaw 2 also rotates in the Y direction about the shaft 2a by the 2b. An anvil 9 for bending the two tips of the U-shaped needle inwardly is attached to the base 1.

A motor 10 which is a drive source of the stapler mechanism is attached to the upper part of the upper unit 3, and the drive is transmitted to the stapler gear 7 via a motor gear 11. Further, reference numeral 12 is a home position sensor constituted by a micro switch for detecting the standby state before the stapler 100 is operated, that is, the home position in which the body 8 and the lower jaw 2 are separated from each other. , When the stapler gear 7 makes one revolution, the sensor cam 13 makes one revolution in synchronization with it.
The convex portion 13a provided on the sensor cam 13 is a micro switch 1
Turning ON 2 detects that the stapler 100 is in the home position. That is, the stapler gear 7
When the stapler makes one rotation, the stapler completes one stapling stroke. Reference numeral 15 is a code for supplying the drive current 5 to the motor 10, and 16 is a current sensor as a load detecting means for detecting the value of the current flowing through the code 15. The current sensor 16 is fixed to a substrate (not shown).

Next, the mechanism of needle feed and needle driving will be described. Fourth
The drawing is a detailed cross-sectional view of the needle feed and needle bending portion in the body 8. Reference numeral 101 denotes a stapler needle, each of which has a central portion bonded to it, and is housed in a cartridge 102 having a continuous strip shape. Reference numeral 103 is a leaf spring needle presser that is fixed to the cartridge as a movement restricting means, and presses a continuous belt-like needle against the guide portion 102a of the cartridge 102 with an appropriate pressure contact force to hold and guide the needle. Reference numeral 105 denotes a driver as a driving means, which disassembles the adhered band-shaped needles, drives them into a sheet bundle (not shown), and pushes them out to the anvil 9. Head portion 105a of the driver 105 is in contact with the upper Yunitsuto 3 as described above, when the upper Yunitsuto 3 rotates, downward fourth driver head portion 105a is FIG x ₁
Pushed in the direction. At this time, the most distal end portion 101a of the band-shaped needle is the groove 109 provided in the needle bending block 109 as shown in FIG.
The central part is held by a. Driver head part 1
When 05a is pushed down, the U-shaped bending block of the needle 1
At the same time, 10 is lowered, and block 110 hits both ends of the needle to bend the needle in a U-shape. When the driver head 105a is pushed further in, the protruding portion 110a of the U-shaped bending block 110 becomes the shaft 104a.
Needle feed member as needle feed means rotatably supported on the
104 is pushed, the needle feeding member bends the spring portion 104b and moves to the position shown by the alternate long and short dash line. Then, the needle feed claw 104a moves in the direction opposite to the needle feed direction. However, at this time, since the needle 101a at the tip is already bent in a U shape, the needle does not go backward and only the feed claw moves in the opposite direction to prepare for the next needle feed.
After that, when the driver head 105a is further moved downward, the block pushing claw 105b of the driver 105 is bent into a U-shape.
It is configured to come off the top of the 10 driver 105
Only come down. Then, the tip 105c of the driver reaches the taper portion of the needle bending block 109, and when it goes further downward, the needle bending block 109 supported by the opening 106a of the block guide 106 is pressed and the spring 107 is deflected to push it away in the direction of the alternate long and short dash line. On the other hand, together with the needle cutting member 108, the needle 101a is driven into the paper while separating one of the U-shaped bent tip needles from the other needles from the other needles. When the driving is completed, the driver head portion 105a is returned to the upper position, the projection 110a is disengaged from the member 104, and the needle feeding claw 104a is returned to the original position. At this time, the needle advances. The needle feed and needle driving are performed in the above process.

FIG. 6 shows the waveform of the current value flowing through the motor 10 in one stroke of the needle striking measured by the current sensor 16.

Is a waveform when the needle is normally ejected, penetrates the sheet and is bent, and is a waveform when the blank is ejected (the staple does not eject even when the stapler is operated). At the time of idle driving, there is no load at the time of bending the needle when the needle penetrates the paper, so the level of the current value becomes small. In addition, if a defective needle driving, a needle jam, or the like occurs, an overload is generally generated, and the current value level rises extremely.

In the case of the apparatus of the present embodiment: When the current level (FIG. 6) is near the I ₀ value (initial setting value), it can be determined that the needle punching is normally performed, and I> I ₀ + C
If (C: is not uniform), it is possible that there is a staple jam, staple ejection failure, or stapler mechanical abnormality. If I <I ₀ −C, it can be determined that there is no shot.

Reference numeral 201 in FIG. 4 is a sensor for detecting the presence or absence of a needle.

Next, the configuration of this embodiment will be described with reference to the electric circuit block diagram of FIG.

In the figure, 301 is a control circuit as a control means, and for example, a well-known microcomputer having a built-in program for controlling the sequence in time series is used. Control circuit
Terminals A and B of 301 are output terminals for rotating the motor 10 in the forward and reverse directions, respectively, and are output to the forward / reverse driver 302, that is, when the A output is ON, a normal needle striking operation is performed, and when the B output is ON. Will perform reverse operation at the time of abnormality. Normally, when the stapler is at the home position, the home position sensor
12 is in the energized state (ON state), and the state is the control circuit 30.
Input to the C terminal of 1. When an ON signal is input from the home position sensor in both the forward and reverse operation of the motor, both outputs of the A terminal and the B terminal of the control circuit 301 are O.
It becomes FF and the motor 10 stops. Lower jaw of stapler 2
In the stopped state, is always located near the bottom end as shown in FIG. That is, a reliable stapling operation and ease of processing after the reverse rotation operation are guaranteed.

The reflection sensor 201 is input to the D terminal of the control circuit 301, but since the input is input as an analog value, a microcomputer having a function of converting the analog value into a digital value is used.

The detection signal of the current sensor 16 is input to the E terminal. Since the detection signal of the current sensor 16 is also an analog value, the control circuit
Converted to a digital signal inside 301. In the case of a micro computer that does not have such a function, an AD converter is interposed and a digitalized signal is input.

The control circuit 301 detects the signal of the current sensor 16 input, i.e. to monitor the current value I flowing through the motor 10, during the predetermined time t ₂ than after the predetermined time t ₁ has elapsed from the start staple operation shown in FIG. 6 When the peak current value I _P is I _P > I ₀ + C, it is judged that the staple is abnormal, and when I _P <I ₀ −C, it is judged that the blanking has occurred.

The F terminal sends a marking signal to the marking device 303, and the marking device 303 performs marking such as "staple abnormality" according to the marking signal.

Next, the operation will be described with reference to the flow chart shown in FIG.

When it is determined in step S _{1 that the} stapling operation has started, the output of the A terminal is turned on in step S ₂ to rotate the motor in the normal direction. When a predetermined time t _{1 has} elapsed after the stapling operation started at step S ₃ , and the needle driving operation starts, the current value I flowing to the motor 10 input to the E terminal at step S ₄ is monitored and the peak current value I _P is _calculated . Ask. In steps S ₅ and S ₆ , it is determined whether or not I _P is abnormal, and if not, it is confirmed in S ₇ that the stapler has returned to the home position,
Stop the motor 10.

If I _P > I ₀ + C at step S ₅ , that is, if I _P is abnormally large, it means that a needle jam or the like has occurred.
OFF the output of the A terminal in S _9, to reverse the motor 10 to output the B terminal as ON.

The stapler by marking device 303 at step S ₁₀ is asserted, indicating that the abnormality. After confirming that the stapler has returned to the home position at step S ₁₁ , the motor 10 is stopped. If the home position does not return to the home position even after the lapse of a predetermined time T after the motor reverses, it means that the stapler has stopped halfway due to the needle jam.
Step S ₁₂ advances to step S ₈ to stop the motor.

[Other Examples]

The stapler having the configuration of this embodiment can be effectively used in a general electric stapler, but is connected to, for example, a finisher or a sorter with an automatic stapler that is automatically connected to a copying machine or the like to perform a staple operation. If used, more effective utilization is possible.

In the present embodiment, it is determined whether the staple is hit or idle depending on the level of the current value at the time of driving the staple, but it is also possible to make a determination based on the level of the voltage value of the motor section other than the current value. Further, it is also possible to detect the blank ejection by attaching a load cell 401 (FIG. 2) or the like to the stapler portion and checking whether or not the impact load when the needle is driven is applied.

Further, although the means is different, by using the reflection sensor 201 which is the needle detecting means in the present embodiment, the waveform of the voltage level when the needle is normally fed and the waveform when the needle is not properly fed (Fig. 8) are shown. Compare. In a normal state, the output from the needleless sensor is reduced at each seam at the joint between the needles and becomes a wavy shape as shown in the figure. However, if the needle is not fed, the output from the sensor does not change, so that the needle feed failure can be detected.

When it is determined that the staple feeding has failed, an abnormal signal may be generated to stop the apparatus, or the stapling operation may be repeated again. That is, the fact that the needle has not been fed means that the needle has not reached the predetermined position where it is driven in, and in many cases it will result in idle firing.

〔The invention's effect〕

As described above, in the present invention, the load generated in the driving means at the time of driving the needle is detected, and when the detected load is equal to or less than the value indicating the load at the time of normal driving, the needle driving and the feeding are performed again. If runaway occurs,
The driving is repeated until the needle is actually driven.
Therefore, even immediately after loading a new needle, if the normal operation is performed, the sheet binding device automatically performs cueing, and the operator is freed from the troublesome needle cueing work. In addition, even if blank ejection occurs due to defective feeding of the needle, the driving is repeated until the needle is actually driven into the sheet, and if the defective feeding is resolved in the subsequent driving, the needle is reliably driven into the sheet, and the sheet binding device Improves reliability.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an embodiment of the present invention, FIGS. 2 and 3 are structural views of a stapler, FIGS. 4 and 5 are explanatory views of main parts of the stapler, and FIG. 6 is a detection signal of a current sensor. Showing the figure,
FIG. 7 is a flow chart, and FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a detection signal of the reflection sensor. 10 …… motor, 12 …… home position sensor 16 …… current sensor, 201 …… reflection sensor 301 …… control circuit, 302 …… forward / reverse driver 303 …… marking device 401 …… load cell

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A driving means for driving a needle connected to an example into a sheet sequentially from a needle at the tip, and a feeding means for feeding a predetermined amount of the connected needle to the driving means for each driving operation of the driving means. And a load detecting means for detecting the magnitude of the load generated in the driving means when the needle is driven, and when the load detected by the load detecting means is less than or equal to a value indicating the load at the time of normal driving, the driving of the driving means is performed. A sheet binding device comprising: an operation; and a control unit that re-executes the feeding operation of the feeding unit. 2. The sheet binding device according to claim 1, wherein the load detecting means is a current detecting means for detecting a magnitude of an operating current flowing through the driving means.