JPH0694332B2 - Sheet folding device - Google Patents

Description

Description: FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a sheet folding apparatus for folding a large sheet, for example, a drawing sheet.

[Conventional technology and its problems]

Conventionally, no practical device is known as a device for folding a large sheet such as various blueprint drawings. A device that folds a sheet by positioning the knife edge along the fold line and then overlapping both ends of the sheet with each other in this state is sometimes used in a printing place or the like, but such a device is very large. It is impossible to configure it as a small one such as a tabletop type.

Further, in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 53-48742, a pair of discharge rollers for feeding a sheet by pinching the sheet, and one discharge roller can be pressed to convey the sheet on the downstream side of the discharge rollers to the other discharge roller. A gripping roller capable of moving to a position where a sheet can pass therethrough, a means for moving the gripping roller to a crease forming position in which the gripping roller is brought into pressure contact with one of the discharge rollers, and is brought closer to the other discharge roller And a means for separating the sheet from the fold forming position, and at the fold forming position, the loop of the sheet formed in the space surrounded by the discharge roller and the gripping roller is held in pressure contact with one discharge roller. An apparatus for forming a fold line on a sheet by gripping the sheet with a folding roller is disclosed.

However, in such a configuration, the gripping roller in the crease forming position is rotated in one direction by the one discharging roller that is pressed against the crease forming position, but the gripping roller and the other discharging roller are simply Was approached,
Although there is a gap between the two, and the moving direction of the gripping roller at this proximity point is the loop forming direction, the moving direction of the other discharge roller is the opposite direction.

Therefore, at the proximity point between the gripping roller and the other discharge roller, the sheet is in the space with a margin between the two rollers moving in the opposite directions. Is extremely unstable even if it acts, and even if a loop is formed on the sheet, the formation state is extremely unstable and uncertain.

Further, the formed loop is gripped between one discharge roller and the gripping roller pressed against the one discharge roller to form a fold, but the relatively large curved head of the loop is at the top. Since it is gripped by both rollers in this state, the position where the fold line is actually formed is not constant, and therefore it is almost impossible to form a clean linear fold line and to control the position where the fold line is formed. It is possible.

[Object of the Invention]

The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and is a sheet folding device that is small in size and can surely form a clean linear fold line on a sheet at an intended position. Is provided.

[Structure of Invention]

The sheet folding apparatus according to the present invention includes a pair of drive rollers that pinch and feed a sheet, a downstream side of the drive rollers, a loop forming roller provided on one drive roller side, and a downstream side of the drive rollers. An operating roller provided so as to be switched between a first position separated from the loop forming roller and pressed against the other driving roller and a second position separated from the other driving roller and pressed against the loop forming roller; A control mechanism, and by being controlled by the control mechanism, the drive roller is normally rotated while the actuating roller is in the first position, so that the sheet sent in the forward direction is a loop forming roller. And the actuating roller are guided between the actuating roller and the loop forming roller so that the sheet is pinched between the actuating roller and the loop forming roller. ,
In this state, the operating roller and the loop forming roller are rotated so as to move in the same direction, the leading end of the fold line forming area of the sheet is fed in the opposite direction, and the rear end of the fold line forming area of the sheet is moved by the drive roller. By being fed in the forward direction, a loop is formed in the space between the actuating roller and the other driving roller, and then the actuating roller is returned to the first position and between the actuating roller and the other driving roller. The neck of the loop is pinched, the drive roller is reversed in this state, and the loop forming part is discharged between the actuating roller and the other drive roller with the loop head at the rear end. A fold line is formed on the sheet as the sheet passes, and the drive roller is rotated in the forward direction.

〔Example〕

FIG. 1 is an explanatory view showing the overall configuration of the sheet folding apparatus of the present invention, in which 1 is a sheet feeding apparatus, 2 is a folding roller apparatus, 3 is a discharge tray, 4 is a guide mechanism, and S is a sheet.

The sheet feeding device 1 is a first roller device provided on the upstream side.
11 and a second roller device 12 provided on the downstream side thereof. As shown in FIG. 2, the first roller device 11 has an upper roller mechanism 13 located on the upper surface side of the fed sheet S and a lower roller mechanism 14 located on the lower surface side of the sheet S. The upper roller mechanism 13 is provided with a plurality of rollers 132, 132 that rotate about the rotating shaft 131, separated from each other, and the lower roller mechanism 14 separates a plurality of rollers 142, 142 that rotate about the rotating shaft 141 from each other. However, the roller 132 and the roller 142 are axially separated from each other, and the outer peripheral surfaces of the rollers 132 and 142 are inward of the other outer peripheral surface levels. That is, the lower end level of the outer peripheral surface of the roller 132 of the upper roller mechanism 13 is located below the upper end level of the outer peripheral surface of the roller 142 of the lower roller mechanism 14.

Further, as shown in FIG. 3, the second roller device 12 has rollers 15 and 15 vertically opposed to each other. A gap 151 is formed between the rollers 15 and 15, and the width of the gap is 15. The size corresponds to the thickness of the sheet to be sent.

The folding roller device 2 is the second one of the sheet feeding device 1.
The guide mechanism 4 is provided downstream of the roller device 12 of FIG. The folding roller device 2 has a pair of drive rollers 20 and 21 that are arranged horizontally on the downstream side of the guide mechanism 4 and that constitute a pinch roller. Below one of the drive rollers 20, a rotatable loop forming roller 22 is in pressure contact with a position displaced outward from the position directly below the drive roller 20, and the other drive roller 21 is similarly rotatable. The roller 23 is pressed against the loop forming roller 22 at a position displaced outward from immediately below, and the operating roller 23 is further separated from the other driving roller 21 and pressed against the loop forming roller 22. It can be switched to the position where

For example, FIG. 4 shows an example of an actuating roller support mechanism 50 having such a switching function. In this example, 51 is a machine frame plate, and 52 is a drive roller 20, 2 provided on the machine frame plate 51.
A cam that rotates in synchronism with 1 is an arm, and 53 is an arm. This arm 53 is composed of a bent main arm 531 and a tip arm 532 rotatably provided at its tip, and the main arm 531 surrounds the fulcrum X. A follower 54 is rotatably provided on the machine frame plate 51, and a follower 54 is rotatably provided on the base side of the machine frame plate 51.
Constrained to always face 52. The operation roller 23 is rotatably provided at the tip of the tip arm 532. Although not shown, a guide mechanism is provided for appropriately guiding the operating roller 23 and positioning it at a predetermined position with high accuracy.

In this operation roller support mechanism 50, when the follower 54 is in contact with the outer periphery of the cam 52 other than the operation cam 521, the main arm 531 resists the tensile force of the tension spring 55 and the operation roller. 23 holds it in a position where it is pressed against the other drive roller 21, i.e. in the first position. When the cam 52 rotates and the follower 54 comes into contact with the operating cam surface 521 of the cam 52, the main arm 531 is rotated by the tensile force of the tension spring 55 to rotate the operating roller 23 as shown by the chain line. The it has a loop forming roller
It is held in a position in which it is pressed against 22, that is, in the second position. 56
Is a stopper that abuts the tip arm 532 in the second position to strictly regulate the position of the actuating roller 23.

Then, each roller of the folding roller device 2 is drive-controlled, and the folding of the sheet S is achieved as follows.

First, as shown in FIG. 5 (a), the sheet S is fed in the forward direction by the drive rollers 20 and 21 that rotate in the forward direction while the operating roller 23 is in the first position. Then, when a portion having a predetermined length passes the drive rollers 20 and 21 according to the size of the sheet S to be folded, the position of the operation roller 23 is changed from the first position to the second position as shown in FIG. The sheet S that has been switched to the position and has entered between the separated operation roller 23 and loop forming roller 22.
Is clamped by both rollers. However, since the loop forming roller 22 is in contact with and driven by the one roller mechanism 20, as shown in FIG. 5C, the fold line formation of the sheet S nipped by the loop forming roller 22 and the operating roller 23 is performed. The leading end SF of the region is fed back in the opposite direction by the actuating roller 23 and the loop forming roller 22 which are both rotated so as to move in the opposite direction, and at this time, the trailing end of the folding line forming region of the sheet S is also returned. The part is kept in the state of being fed in the forward direction by the drive rollers 20 and 21, and as a result,
The sheet portion in the fold line forming region between the drive rollers 20 and 21 and the loop forming roller 22 and the operating roller 23 forms a loop R in the space between the operating roller 23 and the other driving roller 21.
To form.

When the length of the sheet S forming the loop R becomes a predetermined length or longer, as shown in FIG. 5D, when the operating roller 23 is returned from the second position to the first position, the loop R is formed. At the neck portion, a pressure is applied between the restored actuating roller 23 and the other driving roller 21. When the driving rollers 20 and 21 are reversed at this point, the loop R becomes smaller because the curved head is ejected with its curved head at the rear end, and as shown in FIG. 5 (e). The top of the loop forming part is the other drive roller
As a result, the sheet S on which the folding line F is formed is simply pressed by the drive rollers 20 and 21. From this state, the drive rollers 20 and 21 are again driven to rotate in the forward direction, which is the feeding direction, so that the sheet S is discharged onto the discharge tray 3. However, since the sheet S has the folding line F formed therein, the sheet S is actually folded and can be discharged onto the discharge tray 3 as being folded.

In the above description, the distance from the leading end where the folding line F is formed on the sheet S is determined from the time when the leading end of the sheet S hits the driving rollers 20 and 21 to the first position of the actuating roller 23 by, for example, a stepping motor. It can be determined by controlling the feed amount of the sheet S by the drive rollers 20 and 21 from the position to the time of switching to the second position. However, when the actuating roller 23 is returned to the first position, the loop R needs to be pinched between the actuating roller 23 and the other driving roller 21.

Further, after forming one fold line F, the same fold line is formed again, so that a plurality of fold lines can be formed on the same sheet S so as to be separated from each other.

The control of each roller required for the above operation, particularly the control of the driving rollers 20 and 21, can be achieved by utilizing various control mechanisms currently known. However, the seat S
Step of forming fold line F from loop R (see FIG. 5D)
, It needs to be sent in the opposite direction,
It is necessary that the rear part of the sheet S allow the reverse movement as a result.

Such a request can be achieved by various mechanisms, but the sheet feeding device shown in FIG. 2 is also preferably used. That is, according to this sheet feeding device, the sheet S is the first roller device 11 and the second roller device provided on the downstream side.
In the first roller device 11, since the lower end of the outer peripheral surface of the roller 132 of the upper roller mechanism 13 is located below the upper end of the outer peripheral surface of the roller 142 of the lower roller mechanism 14, the sheet S The rollers 15 and 15 which are sent in a wavy shape and are then provided with the gap 151 of the second roller device 12
The feed by this sheet feeder is not a compulsory feed as it is fed to the drive rollers 20,21 by a light frictional force due to, so that the rollers 132,142 and 15,15 slide accordingly when there is a large resistance. Because,
It does not hinder the backward movement of the sheet S.

In addition, the sheet S needs to be fed in a posture aligned with the drive rollers 20 and 21, but according to the above-described sheet feeding device, the sheet S tentatively enters the drive rollers 20 and 21.
When one side end of the front edge of the sheet S hits 20,21, the resistance on the side related to the one side end increases, and as a result, the feeding action is exerted only on the other side. The posture of the sheet S is automatically adjusted.

〔effect〕

According to the sheet folding apparatus of the present invention, as described above, basically, only by the operation of the roller, the loop can be reliably formed in the area of the sheet where the folding line is to be formed, and the loop is opened. After the rollers are positioned between the rollers, the rollers are pressed against each other, thereby pinching the neck of the loop, and then the rollers are reversed so that the curved head of the loop becomes the rear end. As it is discharged, its top is passed between rollers, which forms a fold line on the sheet. The fold line can be reliably formed at the desired position, and as a result, a large sheet can be reliably and cleanly folded.

[Other Examples]

In the present invention, various changes can be made. For example, in addition to the folding line F, the loop forming roller 22 in the above-described embodiment is structured and supported in the same manner as the actuating roller 23, so that the folding line F is different from the folding line F. A fold line having an opposite direction can be formed in a subsequent portion of the fold line F. Therefore, by alternately repeating the formation of the fold line F and the formation of the fold line in the opposite direction, a sheet folded in a zigzag shape can be obtained. In this case, of course, it is preferable to control the distance between the folding lines so that the folding can be performed in an optimum state. In this case, for example, in the example of FIG. 4, the loop forming roller 22 can be supported by the same arm as the other actuating roller in a state symmetrical to the actuating roller 23, and the tension spring 55 is provided at the base of both arms. It may be connected between the tips.

Further, in the illustrated embodiment, the loop forming roller 22 does not have to be a driven roller that is in contact with one of the driving rollers 20, and may be configured by an independently driven roller.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory view showing the overall structure of a sheet folding apparatus of the present invention, FIG. 2 is an explanatory view of a first roller device of a sheet feeding apparatus, and FIG. 3 is a second roller of a sheet feeding apparatus. FIG. 4 is an explanatory view of the apparatus, FIG. 4 is an explanatory view showing an example of the operating roller support mechanism, and FIGS. 5 (a) to (e) are explanatory views sequentially showing the operation of the sheet folding apparatus of the present invention. 1 ... Sheet feeding device, 2 ... Folding roller device 3 ... Ejection tray, 4 ... Guide mechanism S ... Sheet, 11 ... First roller device 12 ... Second roller device 13 ... Upward Roller mechanism, 14 …… Lower roller mechanism 15 …… Roller, 20,21 …… Drive roller 22 …… Loop forming roller 23 …… Actuating roller, 50 …… Actuating roller support mechanism 51 …… Machine frame plate, 52 …… Cam 53 …… Arm, 54 …… Follower 55 …… Tension spring, R …… Loop F …… Fold line

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A pair of driving rollers for nipping and feeding a sheet, a loop forming roller provided on one driving roller side downstream of the driving roller, and a loop forming roller downstream of the driving roller. A first position spaced apart from the roller and pressed against the other driving roller; and a second position spaced apart from the other driving roller and pressed against the loop forming roller.
An actuating roller arranged to be switched between positions and
A control mechanism, and by being controlled by the control mechanism, the drive roller is normally rotated while the actuating roller is in the first position, so that the sheet sent in the forward direction is a loop forming roller. And the actuating roller are guided between the actuating roller and the loop forming roller, and the sheet is nipped between the actuating roller and the loop forming roller.
In this state, the operating roller and the loop forming roller are rotated so as to move in the same direction, the leading end of the fold line forming area of the sheet is fed in the opposite direction, and the rear end of the fold line forming area of the sheet is moved by the drive roller. By being fed in the forward direction, a loop is formed in the space between the actuating roller and the other driving roller, and then the actuating roller is returned to the first position and between the actuating roller and the other driving roller. The neck of the loop is pinched, the drive roller is reversed in this state, and the loop forming portion is discharged between the actuating roller and the other drive roller with the head of the loop being the rear end. The sheet folding device is characterized in that a folding line is formed on the sheet by passing in such a manner, and the drive roller is further rotated in the normal direction. 2. A sheet feeding device is provided on the upstream side of the drive roller, and the sheet feeding device comprises a first roller device provided on the upstream side and a second roller device provided on the downstream side. The first roller device has one roller mechanism located on one surface side of the sheet and the other roller mechanism located on the other surface side of the sheet. The one roller mechanism and the other roller mechanism are different from each other. 2. The sheet folding device according to claim 1, wherein the second roller device is provided so as to be inward of the roller outer peripheral surface level, and the second roller devices are rollers opposed to each other with a gap therebetween.