JP6537875B2 - Sheet processing apparatus and image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an improvement in the sheet bundle processing equipment to binding processing by integrating sheet over preparative in a bundle.

  In general, an apparatus for stacking sheets discharged from an image forming apparatus on a processing tray, performing a binding process by a binding processing apparatus, and storing the sheets in a downstream stack tray is widely known as a post-processing apparatus. As the post-processing apparatus, the sheet input path of the post-processing apparatus is connected to the sheet discharge port of the image forming apparatus, the processing tray is disposed at the path sheet discharge port, and the sheets on which the image is formed are collated and collected. There is a system in which a structure is adopted in which the binding processing unit disposed at the rear side performs binding processing and then the sheet is accommodated in a stack tray disposed downstream.

  As a binding processing apparatus used for such a post-processing apparatus, one that performs binding processing with staples is widely used. However, since there is a problem in processing of a bound document (such as shredder cutting), various binding processing devices that do not use metal needles have been proposed.

  For example, Patent Document 1 is configured such that the operator selects whether sheets are stacked on the processing tray from the discharge port of the image forming apparatus and staple binding processing or stapleless binding processing is performed on the sheet bundle. A post-processing mechanism is disclosed. The needleless binding process in the post-processing mechanism disclosed in Patent Document 1 uses a device (hereinafter, referred to as a pressure-bonding binding device) having a pressing surface having a concavo-convex shape of a pair of pressing portions that mesh sheet bundles with each other. The sheet bundle is held in close contact by sandwiching the sheet bundle between the pressing surfaces of the pair of pressing parts, so that the sheet bundle is bound, which is a so-called pressure bonding process. More specifically, the sheet bundle is conveyed in a direction (sheet width direction) orthogonal to the sheet discharge direction, positioned between the pressing surfaces of the pair of pressing portions, and the sheet bundle is subjected to crimping and binding processing. By carrying out the sheet bundle in the same direction as the sheet discharge direction, the stapleless binding process is performed.

JP, 2011-190021, A JP, 2015-20339, A

During crimping binding process is for pressing strongly pressing surface of irregular shape of the press pressure portion in sheet, Ru a danger of sheet becomes a state of bite the pressure surface of the pressing portion.

  An object of the present invention is to make it possible to easily peel off a sheet bundle subjected to the binding process from the pressing teeth.

In view of the above-described object, the sheet processing apparatus according to the present invention includes: a sheet placement unit on which a sheet is placed; a binding member that deforms a sheet placed on the sheet placement unit; A peeling member for peeling the sheet and the binding member by applying a rotational force to the sheet bound by the binding member, a first position, and a second position different from the first position; by applying a force to the by the peeling member Ri剥 sheet, to correct the posture of the sheet, comprising: a posture correcting member, wherein the sheet stapled by the stapling member is discharged from the sheet placement portion with respect the sheet width direction orthogonal to the discharge direction during that, the center of the sheet when the sheet is stapled by the binding members, the terms sheet width direction, between the second position and the first position located in The peeling member peels the sheet bound by the binding member from the binding member by moving in the discharging direction, and the posture correction member moves the binding member by the peeling member by moving in the discharging direction. The sheet separated from the member is discharged from the sheet placement portion .

Even if the binding member sheet had bite, it is possible to peel the sheet from the binding member.

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of an entire configuration of an image forming system according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an overall configuration of a sheet processing apparatus which is a post-processing unit in the image forming system shown in FIG. 1; FIG. 3 is an explanatory view schematically showing an internal structure of the sheet processing apparatus shown in FIG. 2; It is explanatory drawing of the sheet carrying-in mechanism in the sheet processing apparatus shown by FIG. 2, (a) shows the state in which a paddle rotary body exists in a standby position, (b) shows the state where a paddle rotary body exists in an engagement position. Indicates FIG. 3 is an explanatory view showing an arrangement relationship between each area and an alignment position in the sheet processing apparatus shown in FIG. 2; FIG. 6 is an explanatory view showing a configuration of side alignment means in the sheet processing apparatus shown in FIG. 2; It is explanatory drawing which shows the moving mechanism of a staple binding unit. It is an explanatory view showing a binding position of a staple binding unit. It is explanatory drawing which shows the multi-binding and left corner binding of a staple binding unit. It is explanatory drawing which shows the state in the binding position of a staple binding unit, (a) shows the state of right corner binding position, (b) shows the state of needle loading position, (c) shows the state of manual binding position . FIG. 3 is an explanatory view of a sheet bundle discharge mechanism in the sheet processing apparatus shown in FIG. 2, in which (a) shows a standby state, (b) shows a relay conveyance state, (c) shows a structure of a second conveyance member, (D) shows a state of discharge to the stack tray. It is an explanatory view of the drive mechanism of a sheet bundle delivery mechanism, (a) is a principal part enlarged view, (b) is a rotating shaft of a sheet bundle delivery mechanism, the state at the time of starting of a transmission cam, (c) is a predetermined angle The state of the rotating shaft and the transmission cam after rotating is shown. FIG. 3 is an explanatory view showing an arrangement of components of a sheet bundle delivery mechanism in the sheet processing apparatus shown in FIG. 2; FIG. 13 is an explanatory view showing another embodiment of the component of the sheet bundle delivery mechanism in the sheet processing apparatus shown in FIG. 2; It is explanatory drawing which shows the various binding processing methods of a sheet bundle. (A) is explanatory drawing which shows the structure of a staple binding unit, (b) is explanatory drawing which shows the structure of a needle-less binding unit. FIG. 3 is an explanatory view showing a configuration of a stack tray in the sheet processing apparatus shown in FIG. 2; FIG. 2 is an explanatory view showing a configuration of a control device in the sheet processing apparatus shown in FIG. 1; It is a flowchart of operation | movement of a staple binding process mode. It is a flowchart of operation | movement of eco binding mode. It is a flowchart of operation | movement of printout mode. It is a flowchart of operation | movement of sort mode. It is a flowchart of common operation at the time of carrying in a sheet on a processing tray. It is a flowchart of operation | movement of a manual staple binding process. It is explanatory drawing explaining other embodiment of the operation | movement of tearing-off by rotation in a sheet processing apparatus, (a) is a state immediately after carrying in of a sheet bundle, (b) is a sheet bundle aligned with the predetermined attitude | position. The states (c) and (d) show the process of moving the sheet bundle to the eco binding position for the stapleless binding process. FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram for explaining another embodiment of the rotation-based peeling operation in the sheet processing apparatus shown in FIG. 2, in which (e) is a state in which the alignment plate is separated from the sheet bundle after the stapleless binding process ( f) shows a state in which the sheet bundle is pulled off by the application of the rotation to the sheet bundle by the rotation applying device, and (g) shows a state in which the sheet bundle is discharged.

The invention will now be described with reference to the preferred embodiments illustrated.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a sheet bundle binding processing mechanism that performs binding processing on a sheet bundle on which an image is formed and partially aligned and accumulated in an image forming system or the like described later. The image forming system shown in FIG. 1 includes an image forming unit A, an image reading unit C, a post-processing unit B, and an automatic document feeding unit. The image reading unit C reads a document image, and the image data thereof The image forming unit A forms an image on a sheet based on the above. Further, the sheet on which the image is formed is collated and stacked in a post-processing unit B (hereinafter referred to as a sheet processing apparatus), subjected to a binding process, and stored in the stack tray 25 on the downstream side. Further, a document sheet can be fed to the image reading unit C by the document automatic feeding unit D.

  A post-processing unit B, which will be described later, is incorporated as a unit in a sheet discharge space (stack tray space) 15 formed in the housing of the image forming unit A, and the image forming sheet sent to the sheet discharge outlet 16 is The inner finisher structure provided with the post-processing mechanism stored in the stack tray arrange | positioned on the downstream side after aligning and stacking and binding processing is shown. The present invention is not limited to this, and the image forming unit A, the image reading unit C, and the post-processing unit B may be configured as independent stand-alone structures, and the respective devices may be connected by a network cable for systematization.

[Image formation unit]
As shown in FIG. 1, the image forming unit A includes a sheet feeding unit 1, an image forming unit 2, a sheet discharging unit 3, and a signal processing unit (not shown), and is incorporated in the device housing 4. The sheet feeding unit 1 is configured of a cassette 5 for storing sheets, and in the illustrated embodiment, includes a plurality of cassettes 5a, 5b, and 5c, and is configured to be able to store sheets of different sizes. There is. In each of the cassettes 5a to 5c, a sheet feeding roller 6 for feeding the sheet, and a separation means (not shown) such as a separation claw and a separation roller for separating the sheets one by one are incorporated.

  In addition, a sheet feeding path 7 is provided in the sheet feeding unit 1 and feeds sheets from each cassette 5 to the image forming unit 2. A registration roller pair 8 is provided at the end of the sheet feeding path 7 to align the leading edge of the sheet fed from each cassette 5 and to wait until the sheet is fed according to the image forming timing of the image forming unit 2.

  As described above, the sheet feeding unit 1 includes a plurality of cassettes according to the device specification, and is configured to feed a sheet of the size selected by the control unit to the image forming unit 2 on the downstream side. Each cassette 5 is detachably mounted to the device housing 4 so as to be able to supply a sheet.

  As the image forming unit 2, various image forming mechanisms for forming an image on a sheet can be adopted. In the illustrated embodiment, an electrostatic image forming mechanism is shown as the image forming unit 2. As shown in FIG. 1, a plurality of drums 9a to 9d, each of which is a photosensitive member (photoconductor), are disposed in the apparatus housing 4 in accordance with color components. A light emitter (laser head or the like) 10 and a developing device 11 are disposed on each of the drums 9a, 9b, 9c, 9d, and latent images (electrostatic images) are formed on the drums 9a to 9d by the light emitter 10. The toner ink is attached by the developing unit 11. The ink images deposited on the respective drums are transferred to the transfer belt 12 for each color component and synthesized. The transferred image formed on the belt is transferred onto the sheet fed from the sheet feeding unit 1 by the charger 13, fixed by the fixing device (heating roller) 14, and then sent to the sheet discharging unit 3.

  The sheet discharge unit 3 includes a sheet discharge port 16 for discharging the sheet to a sheet discharge space 15 formed in the apparatus housing 4 and a sheet discharge path 17 for guiding the sheet from the image forming unit 2 to the sheet discharge port 16 There is. A duplex path 18 to be described later is continuously provided in the sheet discharge unit 3 so that the sheet on which the image is formed on the front side is reversed and fed again to the image forming unit 2.

  The duplex path 18 reverses the sheet on which the image is formed on the front side by the image forming unit 2, and retransmits the sheet to the image forming unit 2. Then, after the image is formed on the back side by the image forming unit 2, the sheet is discharged from the discharge port 16. Therefore, the duplex path 18 includes a switchback path that reverses the transport direction and returns the sheet sent from the image forming unit 2 into the apparatus, and a U-turn path 18a that reverses the sheet returned into the apparatus. ing. The illustrated apparatus forms this switchback path in the sheet discharge path 22 of the post-processing unit C described later.

[Image reading unit and automatic document feeding unit]
The image reading unit C includes a platen 19a and a reading carriage 19b which reciprocates along the platen. The platen 19a is formed of transparent glass, and includes a still image reading surface which scans a still image by the movement of the reading carriage 19b, and a traveling image reading surface which reads an image of a document traveling at a predetermined speed.

  The reading carriage 19 b includes a light source lamp, a reflection mirror that changes reflected light from the document, and a photoelectric conversion element (not shown). The photoelectric conversion element is constituted by a line sensor arranged in the document width direction (main scanning direction) on the platen 19a, and the reading carriage 19b reciprocates in the sub scanning direction orthogonal to this to read the document image in the line order It is supposed to be. Further, an automatic document feeding unit D which causes the document to travel at a predetermined speed is mounted above the traveling image reading surface of the platen 19a. The automatic document feeding unit D is configured by a feeder mechanism which feeds an original sheet set on a sheet feeding tray to the platen 19a one by one, reads an image, and stores the read document sheet in the sheet discharging tray.

[Sheet processing apparatus (post-processing unit)]
The post-processing unit B has an overall structure as shown in FIG. 2 and an internal structure as shown in FIG. 3, the apparatus housing 20, the sheet carry-in path 22 disposed in this housing, and the downstream side of the sheet discharge port 23 of the sheet carry-in path. A processing tray 24 disposed on the side and a stack tray 25 disposed on the downstream side of the processing tray 24 are configured.

  In the processing tray 24, a sheet loading mechanism 35 for loading sheets and a sheet aligning mechanism for stacking the loaded sheets in a bundle are disposed. Furthermore, the processing tray 24 includes a staple binding unit 26 (first binding means) for stapling a sheet bundle, and a needleless binding unit 27 (second binding means) for staple-less binding a sheet bundle. Is arranged. Each configuration will be described in detail below.

[Device housing]
The device housing 20 is composed of a device frame 20a and an exterior casing 20b, and the device frame 20a is composed of a frame structure that supports each mechanism (route mechanism, tray mechanism, transport mechanism, etc.) described later. The apparatus frame 20a of the illustrated embodiment has a monocoque structure in which a binding mechanism, a transport mechanism, a tray mechanism, and a drive mechanism are disposed on a pair of left and right side frame frames (not shown) facing each other, and integrated by an exterior casing 20b. It consists of

  The exterior casing 20b has a monocoque structure in which left and right side frame frames 20c and 20d and a stay frame (bottom frame frame 20e to be described later) connecting the two side frame frames are integrated by molding of resin or the like. The front side is exposed operationally from the outside.

  That is, the apparatus in which the outer periphery of the apparatus frame 20a is covered with the outer casing 20b is incorporated in the discharge space 15 of the image forming unit A described later. In that state, the exterior casing 20b on the front side of the apparatus is exposed to an operable state from the outside. On the front side of the exterior casing 20b, a staple needle cartridge mounting opening 28 described later, a manual feed set portion 29, and a manual operation button 30 (a switch incorporating a display lamp) is provided.

  The length dimension Lx of the outer casing 20b in the sheet discharge direction and the length dimension Ly of the sheet discharge orthogonal direction are set on the basis of the maximum size sheet, and are set smaller than the sheet discharge space 15 of the image forming unit A described later. ing.

[Sheet loading route (paper output route)]
As shown in FIG. 3, the above-described apparatus housing 20 is provided with a sheet carry-in path 22 (hereinafter, also referred to as “sheet discharge path”) having a carry-in port 21 and a sheet discharge port 23. In the present embodiment, the sheet discharge path 22 is configured to receive the sheet in the horizontal direction from the inlet 21, convey the sheet in a substantially horizontal direction, and discharge the sheet from the sheet discharge outlet 23. The sheet discharge path 22 is formed by an appropriate paper guide (plate) 22a, and incorporates a feeder mechanism for conveying a sheet.

  The feeder mechanism is configured by a pair of transport rollers having a predetermined interval according to the path length, and in the illustrated embodiment, the pair of carry-in rollers 31 near the carry-in port 21 and the sheet discharge near the sheet discharge port 23 A roller pair 32 is disposed. Further, a sheet sensor Se1 for detecting the leading end and / or the trailing end of the sheet is disposed in the sheet discharge path 22.

  As described above, the discharge path 22 is formed in a substantially horizontal linear path so as to cross the device housing 20. This is to avoid stressing the sheet in a curved path, and the path is formed linearly as tolerable from the device layout. The above-described carry-in roller pair 31 and the paper discharge roller pair 32 are configured to be driven by the same drive motor M1 (hereinafter, referred to as a conveyance motor), and convey the sheet at the same circumferential speed.

[Processing tray]
As described with reference to FIG. 3, the processing tray 24 is disposed at the discharge port 23 of the discharge path 22 with a step d formed on the downstream side thereof. The processing tray 24 includes a sheet loading surface 24 a (see FIG. 7) for supporting at least a part of the sheets, in order to stack the sheets sent from the sheet discharge outlet 23 upward and to stack them in a bundle. In the illustrated embodiment, a structure (bridge support structure) in which the sheet front end side is supported by the stack tray 25 described later and the sheet rear end side is supported by the processing tray 24 is adopted. To make it possible.

  The processing tray 24 stacks the sheets sent from the paper discharge port 23 in a bundle, performs binding processing after being aligned in a predetermined posture, and delivers the processed sheet bundle to the downstream stack tray 25. It is configured. For this reason, the “sheet loading mechanism 35”, the “sheet alignment mechanism”, the “binding processing mechanism”, and the “sheet bundle delivery mechanism 60” are incorporated in the processing tray 24.

"Sheet loading mechanism (sheet loading means)"
As described above, the processing tray 24 is disposed on the downstream side of the discharge port 23 with the step d formed, and the sheet loading mechanism 35 for smoothly transporting the sheet on the processing tray 24 in the correct posture is required. Become. In the illustrated embodiment, the sheet loading mechanism 35 includes the paddle rotating body 36 that moves up and down as a friction rotating body, and the paddle rotation is performed when the rear end of the sheet is discharged onto the processing tray 24 from the sheet discharge port 23. The body 36 transfers the sheet in the sheet discharge opposite direction (right direction in FIG. 3) and abuts against the sheet end regulating means 40 described later to align (position) the sheet.

  In addition, a lift arm 37 pivotally supported on the apparatus frame 20a by a support shaft 37x is provided at the sheet discharge outlet 23, and the paddle rotation body 36 is rotatably pivoted at the tip of the lift arm 37. It is supported. Further, the support shaft 37x is equipped with a pulley (not shown), and the above-mentioned transfer motor M1 is connected to this pulley.

  Along with this, a lift motor M3 (hereinafter, also referred to as a paddle lift motor) is connected to the lift arm 37 via a spring clutch (torque limiter), and the rotation of the paddle lift motor M3 causes it to be shown in FIG. The lift arm 37 is configured to be raised and lowered between the upper standby position Wp and the lower operation position (seat engagement position) Ap shown in FIG. 4B. That is, the spring clutch raises the lift arm 37 from the operating position Ap to the standby position Wp by one-way rotation of the paddle lift motor M3, and after striking against a locking stopper (not shown), stands by at the standby position. Further, the spring clutch is loosened by the rotation of the paddle lifting motor M3 in the opposite direction, and the lifting arm 37 is lowered from the standby position Wp to the lower operating position Ap by its own weight and engaged with the uppermost sheet on the processing tray.

  In the sheet processing apparatus according to the illustrated embodiment, as shown in FIG. 5, the paddle rotating body 36 is disposed in a pair in left-right symmetry with a predetermined distance on the basis of the sheet center (center reference Sx). . In addition, a total of three paddle rotating bodies may be arranged on the seat center and both sides thereof, or one paddle rotating body may be arranged on the seat center.

  The paddle rotating body 36 is formed of a flexible rotating body such as a rubber plate member or a plastic blade member. The sheet loading mechanism 35 is not limited to such a paddle rotating body, and can be configured by a friction rotating member such as a roller body or a belt body. Further, in the sheet processing apparatus of the illustrated embodiment, a mechanism is adopted in which the paddle rotating body 36 is lowered from the upper standby position Wp to the lower operation position Ap after the sheet rear end is carried out from the sheet discharge outlet 23 However, it is also possible to adopt the following lifting mechanism.

  In the elevating mechanism different from the illustrated embodiment, for example, when the leading end of the sheet is carried out from the sheet discharge port 23, the friction rotating body is lowered from the standby position to the operating position and is simultaneously rotated in the sheet discharging direction. At the timing when the rear end is carried out from the paper discharge port 23, the rotating body is reversely rotated in the paper discharge opposite direction. By this, it is possible to transport the sheet carried out from the sheet discharge outlet 23 to a predetermined position of the processing tray 24 at high speed without skewing.

"Scrap-in rotating body (scramble-conveying means)"
When the sheet is conveyed to a predetermined position of the processing tray 24 by the sheet loading mechanism 35 (specifically, the paddle rotating body 36) disposed at the sheet discharge outlet 23, the leading edge of the sheet is affected by the curled sheet, skewed sheet, etc. The sheet conveying means 33 is required to guide the sheet to the sheet end regulating means 40 described later provided downstream.

  In the sheet processing apparatus according to the illustrated embodiment, the uppermost sheet of the sheets stacked on the upstream side of the sheet end regulating unit 40 described below below the sheet discharge roller pair 32 is conveyed to the sheet end regulating unit 40 side A scraping and conveying means 33 for applying a force is disposed. In the illustrated embodiment, a ring-shaped belt member 34 (hereinafter, referred to as a "scratch belt") as shown in FIG. The scraping belt 34 is disposed at the upper side, and engages with the uppermost sheet on the sheet mounting surface and rotates in the direction of conveying the sheet to the sheet end regulating means 40 side.

  The scratching belt 34 is made of a flexible material such as rubber and is composed of a belt material (such as a knurled belt) having a high friction force, and as shown in FIG. 4, a drive motor (in the illustrated embodiment) It is nipped supported between a rotating shaft 34x connected to the transport motor M1 and an idle shaft 34y, and a counterclockwise rotational force in FIG. 3 is applied from the rotating shaft 34x. By the rotation applied in this manner, the scraping belt 34 pushes against the sheet edge regulating means 40 on the downstream side while pressing the sheet edge carried in along the uppermost sheet stacked on the processing tray 24. Hit.

  Further, the scraping belt 34 is driven by a belt shift motor M5 (hereinafter referred to as a knurl raising and lowering motor), and is configured to move up and down above the uppermost sheet on the processing tray 24 (the elevating mechanism Is omitted, and at the timing when the front end of the sheet enters between the belt surface and the uppermost sheet, the scraping belt 34 is lowered to engage with the carried-in sheet. Furthermore, when transferring a sheet from the processing tray 24 to the stack tray 25 on the downstream side by the sheet bundle delivery mechanism 60 described later, the knurl raising and lowering motor M5 holds the scraping belt 34 away from the uppermost sheet and stands by above. It is controlled.

"Sheet alignment mechanism"
The processing tray 24 is provided with a sheet alignment mechanism for positioning the carried-in sheet at a predetermined position (processing position) and posture. The sheet alignment mechanism in the illustrated embodiment includes “sheet end regulating means 40” that regulates the position of the sheet end direction (either the front end face or the rear end face) of the sheet fed from the sheet outlet 23; It is configured by “side alignment means 45” that aligns in the sheet orthogonal direction (sheet side direction). This will be described in this order.

"Seat end regulation means"
As illustrated in FIGS. 5 to 7, the sheet end regulating unit 40 in the illustrated embodiment is configured by a rear end regulating member 41 that abuts against the rear end in the sheet discharge direction. The trailing end regulating member 41 includes a regulating surface 41 a that abuts against the rear end edge in the sheet discharging direction of the sheet carried in along the sheet placement surface 24 a on the processing tray 24 and regulates the sheet. Abut the rear end edge of and stop it.

  When multi-stitching is performed by the staple binding unit 26 described later, the staple binding unit 26 moves in the sheet discharge orthogonal direction along the rear end of the sheet. Therefore, in order to prevent the movement of the staple binding unit 26 from being obstructed, (1) a mechanism for advancing and retracting the trailing end regulating member 41 with respect to the movement path (movement locus) of the staple binding unit 26 or ) Adopting a mechanism that moves integrally with the staple binding unit 26 or (3) can be disposed inside the binding space formed by the head and anvil of the staple binding unit 26. The end regulating member 41 is configured.

  In the illustrated embodiment, the rear end regulating member 41 is configured by a plate-like bending member having a U-shaped cross section (channel shape) which can be disposed in the binding space of the staple binding unit 26. Further, as the rear end restricting member 41, the first rear end restricting member 41 is separated from the first rear end restricting member 41 at a position corresponding to the sheet center with respect to the smallest size sheet, and the first rear end The second rear end restricting member 41 and the third rear end restricting member 41 are disposed on the left and right of the restricting member 41 (see FIG. 5). Such a configuration enables movement of the staple binding unit 26 in the sheet width direction.

  As shown in FIG. 5 and FIG. 7, a plurality of rear end regulating members 41 consisting of channel-shaped bent pieces are fixed to the processing tray 24 (screws the tip of the member to the tray rear wall with a screw) Yes). Each rear end regulating member 41 is formed with a regulating surface 41a, and an inclined surface 41b for guiding the sheet end to the regulating surface is continuously provided at the bending tip end portion.

"Side alignment method"
The processing tray 24 is provided with side alignment means 45 for positioning the sheet which abuts against the rear end regulating member 41 in the sheet discharge orthogonal direction (sheet width direction).

  The side aligning means 45 has a different configuration depending on whether the sheets of different sizes are aligned on the processing tray 24 on a center basis or on one side basis. In the sheet processing apparatus shown in FIG. 5, sheets of different sizes are discharged from the discharge port 23 on the basis of the center, and the discharged sheets are aligned on the processing tray 24 by the side aligning means 45 on the center. Thereafter, depending on the type of the binding process, at the time of multi-stitching, the binding process is performed by the staple binding unit 26 which moves the sheet bundle aligned in a bundle at the center reference to the binding position Ma1 and Ma2. In the case of left and right corner binding, the binding processing is performed by the staple binding unit 26 in which the sheet bundle aligned in a bundle at the center reference is offset in the left and right direction by a predetermined amount and moved to binding positions Cp1 and Cp2.

  Therefore, as the side alignment means 45, the side alignment members 46 (46F, 46R) having the restriction surface 46x that protrudes upward from the paper loading surface 24a of the processing tray 24 and engages with the side edge of the sheet are a left-right pair. Are disposed to face each other. The pair of side alignment members 46 are disposed on the processing tray 24 so as to be capable of reciprocating in a predetermined stroke. The movement strokes of the left and right side alignment members 46F and 46R are set based on the size difference between the maximum size sheet and the minimum size sheet and the offset amount for position shift (offset conveyance) of the sheet bundle after alignment in either left or right direction. Do. That is, the movement strokes of the left and right side alignment members 46F and 46R are set based on the movement amount for aligning different size sheets and the offset amount of the sheet bundle after alignment.

  More specifically, as shown in FIG. 6, the side alignment member 46 includes a right side alignment member 46F (apparatus front side) and a left side alignment member 46R (apparatus rear side). The control member 46 is supported by the tray member so as to move in the approaching direction or the separating direction with respect to each other. The processing tray 24 is provided with a slit groove 24x penetrating the front and back, and the side alignment member 46 having a control surface 46x engaged with the sheet side edge slides on the slit groove 24x in a state of projecting on the top surface of the processing tray 24. Movable mated.

  Each side alignment member 46F, 46R has a portion slidably supported by a plurality of guide rollers 49 (which may be rail members) on the back side of the processing tray 24, and a rack 47 is integrally formed. The left and right racks 47 are driven by the alignment motors M6 and M7 via the pinions 48. The left and right alignment motors M6 and M7 are composed of stepping motors, and position sensors (not shown) detect the positions of the left and right side alignment members 46F and 46R. It is configured to be able to move in position by a designated movement amount.

  In the illustrated embodiment, a rack-pinion mechanism is employed as the drive mechanism of the side alignment members 46F and 46R, but other configurations may be employed. For example, the side alignment members 46F and 46R may be fixed to the timing belt, and the timing belt may be driven by a motor via a pulley to cause the side alignment members 46F and 46R to reciprocate left and right. .

  Control means 75 comprising a control CPU 75 described later waits the left and right side alignment members 46F and 46R at a predetermined standby position (sheet width size + α position) based on sheet size information provided from the image forming unit A or the like. In this state, the sheet is carried onto the processing tray 24, and the alignment operation is started at the timing when the sheet end collides with the sheet end regulating member 41. In such alignment operation, the left and right alignment motors M6 and M7 are rotated in the opposite direction (approaching direction) by the same amount. Then, the sheets carried into the processing tray 24 are positioned on the basis of the sheet center and stacked in a bundle. The sheets are collated and collected in a bundle on the processing tray 24 by repeating the sheet loading operation and the aligning operation. At this time, sheets of different sizes are positioned on the basis of the center.

  As described above, the sheets stacked on the processing tray 24 on the basis of the center can be subjected to a multipoint binding process (multi-stitching process) at the sheet rear end edge (or front end edge) at a predetermined interval in that posture. Further, when the sheet corner is to be stapled, one of the left and right side alignment members 46F and 46R is moved and made stationary so that the sheet side end coincides with the designated binding position, and the other side alignment is performed. The members 46R and 46F are also moved in the same direction. The movement amount at this time is calculated according to the sheet size. Thus, the sheet carried onto the processing tray 24 is aligned such that the right edge matches the binding position at the time of right corner binding, and is aligned such that the left edge matches the binding position at the left corner binding position. Ru.

As described above, when the sheet bundle aligned at the predetermined position on the processing tray 24 is offset moved for “eco-stitching process” described later,
(1) With the side alignment members 46F and 46R on the front side in the movement direction retracted to a position away from the expected offset position, the alignment members on the rear side in the movement direction are moved in the direction orthogonal to the preset conveyance.
(2) The drive control is adopted in which the left and right side alignment members 46F and 46R are moved by the same amount in the conveyance orthogonal direction.

  Position sensors (not shown) such as position sensors and encode sensors are disposed on the left and right side alignment members 46F and 46R and the alignment motors M6 and M7 to detect the positions of the side alignment members 46F and 46R. ing. Further, the alignment motors M6 and M7 are configured by stepping motors, the home position of the side alignment members 46F and 46R is detected by a position sensor (not shown), and PWM control is performed on the alignment motors M6 and M7 for relatively simple control. The left and right side alignment members 46F and 46R can be controlled by the configuration.

[Sheet bundle delivery mechanism]
The sheet bundle delivery mechanism 60 will be described with reference to FIGS. 5 and 11 to 14. A sheet bundle delivery mechanism 60 for delivering the sheet bundle subjected to the binding processing to the processing tray 24 by the staple binding unit 26 as the first binding means or the stapleless binding unit 27 as the second binding means to the stack tray 25 on the downstream side. Is arranged. In the processing tray 24 described according to FIG. 5, the first sheet trailing edge regulating member 41 is spaced apart on the left and right of the center reference on the axis (center reference) Sx serving as the sheet discharge reference of the sheet. The sheet rear end regulating members 41 and 41 are disposed, and the stack of sheets on the downstream side is subjected to the binding process by the first binding means or the second binding means after the sheet bundle locked to the sheet rear end limiting member 41 is subjected to binding processing. Take it out.

  In order to carry out such a sheet bundle, a sheet bundle carrying-out means 60 is disposed on the processing tray 24 along the paper loading surface 24a. In the illustrated embodiment, the sheet bundle delivery unit 60 is configured by the first conveyance member 60A and the second conveyance member 60B, and the first section L1 on the processing tray 24 is the first conveyance member 60A. The second conveyance member 60 </ b> B relay-conveys the second section L <b> 2 along the movement axis extending in the sheet bundle discharge direction. Thus, the mechanism of each conveyance member 60A, 60B can be made into a different structure by carrying out conveyance conveyance of a sheet | seat by 1st, 2nd conveyance member 60A, 60B. The sheet trailing end regulating means 40 (specifically, the trailing end regulating member 41) and the member for conveying the sheet bundle from substantially the same start point are constituted by a member (long support member) with little rocking, and the stack at the conveyance end point The member for causing the sheet bundle to fall onto the tray 25 needs to be small (in order to travel the loop locus).

  The first transport member 60A is constituted by a first carry-out member 61 formed of a bent piece having a sectional channel shape, and the first carry-out member 61 has a locking surface 61a for locking the rear end surface of the sheet bundle, A sheet pressing member 62 (elastic film member; mylar piece) for pressing the upper surface of the sheet locked to the locking surface 61 a is provided. As illustrated, the first conveying member 60A is formed of channel-shaped bent pieces, so that it hardly shakes when fixed to a carrier member 65a (belt) described later, and the carrier member 65a (belt The sheet bundle can be moved integrally (into the sheet) in the conveying direction. The first transport member 60A reciprocates the stroke Str1 along a substantially linear trajectory without traveling on a curved loop trajectory as described later.

  The second conveyance member 60B is configured of a claw-shaped second delivery member 63, and is provided with a locking surface 63a for locking the rear end surface of the sheet bundle and a sheet pressing member 64 for pressing the upper surface of the sheet bundle. . The sheet pressing member 64 is pivotally supported by the second carry-out member 63 in a pivotable manner and provided with a sheet pressing surface 64a. The sheet pressing surface 64a is a biasing spring 64b so as to press the upper surface of the sheet bundle. It is energized.

  Further, as shown in the drawing, the sheet pressing surface 64a is constituted by an inclined surface inclined in the traveling direction, and when it moves in the arrow direction of FIG. . At this time, the sheet pressing surface 64a rotates upward (counterclockwise in the figure) in the arrow direction of FIG. 11C against the biasing spring 64b, and the upper surface of the sheet bundle is operated by the biasing spring 64b. Is pressed to the paper loading side.

  The first carry-out member 61 configured as described above is the first carrier member 65a, and the second carry-out member 63 is the second carrier member 65b, and the paper bearing surface extends along the movement axis extending in the sheet bundle discharge direction. Reciprocate from the proximal end of 24a to the outlet end. For this reason, the first drive pulley 66a, the second drive pulley 66b, and the driven pulley 66c are disposed on the paper loading surface 24a at positions separated by the transport stroke. The illustrated 66d and 66e are idle pulleys.

  A first carrier member 65a (in the illustrated embodiment, a toothed belt) is stretched between the first drive pulley 66a and the driven pulley 66c, and between the second drive pulley 66b and the driven pulley 66c. The second carrier member 65b (toothed belt) is stretched over the idle pulleys 66d and 66e. The first drive pulley 66a and the second drive pulley 66b are driven by the drive motor M4, and while the rotation of the drive motor M4 is transmitted to the first carrier member 65a at a low speed, the second carrier member The first drive pulley 65a is formed to have a small diameter and the second drive pulley 65b is formed to have a large diameter so as to be transmitted at a high speed to the shaft 65b.

  That is, by the common drive motor M4, the first conveyance member 60A is driven at low speed and the second conveyance member 60B is driven via the reduction mechanism (belt-pulley, gear connection, etc.) so as to travel at high speed. At the same time, the second drive pulley 66b incorporates a cam mechanism having a structure described later for delaying the drive transmission. This is because the movement stroke Str1 of the first conveyance member 60A is different from the movement stroke Str2 of the second conveyance member 60B, as described later, and the position of the standby position of each member is adjusted.

  The cam structure will be described with reference to FIG. As described above, the rotation of the rotation shaft of the drive motor M4 is transmitted to the drive pulley 66a of the first carrier member (first belt) 65a via the transmission belt. Therefore, the forward and reverse rotation of the drive motor M4 is directly transmitted to the first belt 65a, and the first belt 65a is caused to travel in the sheet bundle delivery direction by forward rotation of the drive motor M4, and the first belt 65a is reversed by reverse rotation of the drive motor M4. Run in the return direction.

  The rotation of the rotation shaft of the drive motor M4 is transmitted to the rotation shaft 67x through the transmission belt, and the rotation of the rotation shaft 67x is transmitted to the drive pulley 66b of the second carrier member (second belt) 65b. The light is transmitted via the projection cam 67a and the recessed cam 67b). By the transmission cam, the rotation of the rotation shaft 67x by the drive motor M4 can be delayed by a predetermined angle and transmitted to the drive pulley 66b.

  FIG. 12 (b) shows the state of the transmission cam interlocked with the rotary shaft 67x when the drive motor M4 is started, and FIG. 12 (c) shows the state of the transmission cam after rotating the drive motor by a predetermined angle. As shown in the figure, a projection cam 67a is integrally formed on the rotation shaft 67x to which the rotation of the rotation shaft of the drive motor M4 is transmitted, and a projection cam 67a is formed on the drive pulley 66b. A concave cam 67b is formed to engage with the projection cam 67a, and a transmission cam is constituted by the projection cam 67a and the depression cam 67b. The play angle η is formed so that the projection cam 67a and the depression cam 67b do not engage within a predetermined angle range and engage after rotation by a predetermined angle. That is, in FIG. 12 (b) showing a state at the start of the rotary shaft 67x interlocked with the rotary shaft of the drive motor M4, the projection cam 67a rotating in the counterclockwise direction has a play angle η Since it is formed, the rotation of the rotation shaft 67x is transmitted to the recessed cam 67b in the state of FIG. 12 (c) after being rotated by the play angle η, and the drive pulley 66b starts to rotate.

  The same applies to the case of returning the second belt 65b by reversely rotating the rotation shaft of the drive motor M4, and the second belt 65b is delayed by a predetermined angle (distance) with respect to the first belt 65a. The vehicle starts traveling and returns to a position delayed by a predetermined distance.

  Therefore, with respect to the first conveying member 60A fixed to the first belt 65a, the second conveying member 60B fixed to the second belt 65b starts moving with a predetermined time delay, and is delayed by a predetermined time. Will return to As a result, it is possible to make the standby position of the second conveyance member 60B different from the rotation timing of the drive motor M4, whereby the second conveyance member 60B is made to stand by on the back side (bottom) of the processing tray 24. It is possible to adjust its position on the

  With the above configuration, the first conveyance member 60A reciprocates along a linear trajectory at the first stroke Str1 from the rear end restricting position of the processing tray 24 along the movement axis extending in the sheet bundle discharge direction, and is within the first stroke Str. The first section Tr1 is set to. In addition, the second conveyance member 60B reciprocates along a half loop locus with a second stroke Str2 from the first section Tr1 to the outlet end of the processing tray 24 along the movement axis extending in the sheet bundle discharge direction, and the second stroke A second section Tr2 is set in Str2.

  During the transport operation, the first transport member 60A is driven by the rotation of the drive motor M4 in one direction to move downstream from the sheet rear end regulated position at a velocity V1 along the movement axis (FIGS. 11A to 11B) And the trailing edge of the sheet bundle is pushed and transported by the locking surface 61a. In addition, the second conveyance member 60B protrudes from the standby position on the back side of the processing tray 24 (the position shown in FIG. 11A) onto the sheet placement surface with a delay from the first conveyance member 60A for a predetermined time. The vehicle travels at the speed V2 in the same direction following the first transport member 60A along the movement axis. Since the velocity V1 <V2, the second conveyance member 60B passes the first conveyance member 60A, and the sheet bundle on the processing tray 24 is taken over from the first conveyance member 60A to the second conveyance member 60B.

  FIG. 11 (b) shows the state of transfer and conveyance, in which the sheet bundle traveling at the speed V1 is overtaken by the second conveyance member 60B traveling at the speed V2. That is, when the first section Tr1 is passed, the first conveyance member 60A is caught by the second conveyance member 60B, the second conveyance member 60B engages with the sheet rear end surface, and the second section Tr2 is conveyed downstream. .

  When the second conveyance member 60B strikes the sheet bundle traveling at the speed V1 at high speed at the transfer point, the sheet pressing member 64 presses the upper surface of the sheet bundle by the sheet pressing surface 64a and the carrier member (belt) 65a. The sheet bundle is carried out toward the stack tray 25 while holding the trailing end of the sheet bundle so as to nip with (65b).

"Rotating mechanism and posture correction mechanism"
As another embodiment, the first conveyance member 60A that reciprocates along the movement axis extending in the discharge direction of the sheet bundle is subjected to the needleless binding process (crimp binding process) by the needleless binding unit 27, and then the needle It functions as an extrusion member of a rotation applying mechanism for applying a force to the sheet bundle so as to rotate the sheet bundle around the crimping portion in order to peel the sheet bundle from the crimping tooth members 27b or 27c of the binding unit 27. Further, the second conveyance member 60B that reciprocates along the movement axis extending in the sheet bundle discharge direction abuts on the sheet bundle rotated by the rotation applying mechanism to correct the sheet bundle to a predetermined posture. Functions as a posture correction member of the posture correction mechanism of the present invention.

  As shown in FIG. 13, the first conveying member 60 </ b> A is a moving axis of the first conveying member 60 </ b> A, as shown in FIG. Extends to a position offset from the pair of crimp tooth members 27b and 27c (specifically, the crimp portion formed thereby) (ie, the movement axis of the first conveyance member 60A corresponds to the pair of stapleless binding units 27). They are disposed so as not to pass through the crimp tooth members 27b and 27c. Since the movement axis of the first conveyance member 60A extends to a position offset from the pair of crimp tooth members 27b and 27c, the force that the first conveyance member 60A causes the sheet bundle to act on is the crimp teeth at the crimp portion. The sheet bundle biting on one of the members 27b and 27c is reliably rotated about the crimped portion.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 13, the second conveyance member 60 </ b> B is crimped by the needleless binding unit 27 as shown in FIG. 13 in order to correct and stably maintain the posture of the sheet bundle as the posture correction member of the posture correction mechanism. The sheet bundle is arranged to be applied with force at different positions across a central axis extending in the discharge direction through the barycentric position of the sheet bundle subjected to the binding process. In the illustrated embodiment, two second conveyance members 60B are disposed on opposite sides of a central axis extending in the discharge direction through the center of gravity of the sheet bundle. When one of the second conveyance members 60B abuts on the rotated sheet bundle, the sheet bundle is rotated in the direction in which it abuts on the other second conveyance member 60, and the sheet bundle is corrected to a predetermined posture. . Further, when the second conveying member 60B abuts on the sheet bundle at different positions across the central axis of the sheet bundle, the sheet bundle is conveyed in a state of maintaining its posture without rotating.

  The posture correction member of the posture correction mechanism applies a force to the sheet bundle at a different position across a central axis extending in the discharge direction through the center of gravity position of the sheet bundle subjected to the pressure bonding processing by the needleless binding unit 27 If it is configured, it is not limited to the illustrated embodiment. For example, as shown in FIG. 14, as a posture correction member, in place of or in addition to the second conveyance member 60B, the position adjustment member passes through the barycentric position of the sheet bundle subjected to the crimping process. You may provide plate-shaped member 60 B 'extended so that the both sides of the central axis extended in the discharge direction may be straddled. Even when such a plate-like member 60B 'is used as the posture correction member, when the plate-like member 60B abuts on a part of the sheet bundle which has been rotated, the sheet bundle is in contact with the plate-like member 60B'. The sheet bundle is rotated to a contact direction to correct the sheet bundle to a predetermined posture. Furthermore, when the entire side edge of the sheet bundle abuts on the plate-like member 60B ', the sheet bundle is conveyed in a state of maintaining its posture without rotating.

"Stapling method (stitching position)"
As described above, the sheet sent to the loading port 21 of the sheet discharge path 22 is partially aligned and stacked on the processing tray 24 and aligned (positioned to a position and posture preset by the rear end regulating member 41 and the side alignment member 46) ). Further, at the aligned position, the sheet bundle is subjected to a binding process and is discharged to the downstream stack tray 25. The binding processing method will be described below.

  The sheet processing apparatus according to the illustrated embodiment includes a staple binding unit 26 as a first binding unit that staples a sheet bundle, and a needleless binding unit 27 as a second binding unit that binds a sheet bundle without using a needle. The first feature is that the processing tray 24 can be carried out downstream after the sheet bundle has been subjected to a binding process by the selected first binding means or second binding means by the control means 75 described later. When the sheet bundle is subjected to the binding process with staples, bookbinding can be performed without easy detachment, but depending on the application of the user, convenience may be required to easily separate the bound sheet bundle. In addition, metal needles become a problem when cutting a sheet bundle after use with a shredder or when recycling used paper. From this, "needle", "needle free" binding means can be selected and used.

  Further, the illustrated sheet processing apparatus is external to the apparatus (outside of the system) separately from a series of post-processing operations for carrying out the binding processing after carrying in the sheets from the sheet carry-in path (sheet discharge path) 22 and aligning and stacking them. A second feature is to perform a binding process (hereinafter referred to as “manual stapling process”) on the sheet created in the above.

  For this reason, the manual setting portion 29 for setting the sheet bundle from the outside is provided on the outer casing 20b, and the manual setting surface 29a for setting the sheet bundle is formed on the casing, and the above-described first binding means (staple binding The unit 26) can be moved from the sheet carry-in area Ar of the processing tray 24 to the manual feed area Fr.

  Next, each binding processing method will be described based on FIGS. 5 and 8 to 10. In the illustrated embodiment, “multi-stitching positions Ma1 and Ma2” for binding processing of a plurality of sheets with staples and “corner binding positions Cp1 and Cp2” for binding-stitching sheet corners are manually set. A “manual binding position Mp” for binding a sheet and a “needleless binding position Ep” for binding a sheet corner with no needle are set. The positional relationship of each binding position will be described.

"Multi binding"
As shown in FIG. 5, in the multi-stitching process, an end of a sheet bundle (hereinafter referred to as “alignment sheet bundle”) positioned on the processing tray 24 by the sheet end regulating member 41 and the side alignment member 46. A binding process is applied to the edge (the trailing edge in the illustrated case). FIG. 15A shows an example of a sheet bundle subjected to multi-stitching processing. FIG. 9 shows binding positions Ma1 and Ma2 at which two binding processes are performed at intervals. A staple binding unit 26, which will be described later, moves in the order from the home position to the binding position Ma1 and then to the binding position Ma2, and performs binding processing. In addition, the binding position in the case of these multi-stitching is not limited to two, and may be three or more.

"Corner binding"
In the corner stitching process, the stitching process is performed on the corner (corner) of the aligned sheet bundle stacked on the processing tray 24. FIGS. 15 (b) and 15 (c) show an example of the sheet bundle subjected to the corner binding process. As the position of the corner binding process, as shown in FIG. 8, a right corner binding position Cp1 at which the binding process is performed at the right and left two binding positions, that is, the right corner of the aligned sheet bundle, and the left of the aligned sheet bundle A left corner binding position Cp2 at which a binding process is performed on a corner is set. In the case of the corner binding process, the staple needle is inclined by a predetermined angle (about 30 degrees to about 60 degrees) to perform the binding process (the staple binding unit 26 described later is such that the whole unit is inclined by a predetermined angle at the corner binding position. Mounted on the device frame).

  In the illustrated embodiment, a case where one of the left and right sides of the sheet bundle is selected to perform the binding process and a case where the staples are inclined at a predetermined angle to perform the binding process are shown. However, the configuration for the corner binding process is not limited to that of the embodiment, and the configuration in which the corner binding is performed on only one of the left and right sides, and the configuration in which the binding is performed parallel to the sheet edge without inclining the staples Is also employable.

"Manual binding"
FIG. 15D shows an example of a sheet bundle subjected to manual binding. The manual binding position Mp is set on a manual setting surface 29a (see FIG. 5) formed on the outer casing 20b (part of the device housing 20). The manual setting surface 29a is provided at a height position that forms substantially the same plane as the paper loading surface 24a of the processing tray 24, and is disposed at a position adjacent to the paper loading surface 24a via the side frame 20c (parallel It is arranged. In the illustrated embodiment, both the paper loading surface 24 a of the processing tray 24 and the manual setting surface 29 a support the sheet in a substantially horizontal posture, and are disposed at substantially the same height position.

  In FIG. 5, the manual setting surface 29a is disposed on the right side of the side frame 20, the paper loading surface 24a is disposed on the left side, and the manual binding position Mp is provided on the paper loading surface 24a. It is set on the same straight line as the above-described multiple binding position Ma. This is to enable the common staple binding unit 26 to perform binding processing at both binding positions. As described above, the sheet carry-in area Ar is set in the processing tray 24. The manual feed area Fr is set on the apparatus front side, and the eco-binding area Rr described later is set on the apparatus rear side.

"No needle binding position"
The needleless binding position Ep (hereinafter referred to as “eco binding position”) is set so that the side edge portion (corner portion) of the sheet can be subjected to the binding process as shown in FIG. The illustrated eco binding position Ep is an eco-stitching separated from the sheet loading area Ar of the processing tray 24 to the rear side of the apparatus so that the binding processing can be performed on one position of the sheet bundle discharge side edge The area Rr is set, and the binding process is performed at an angle position inclined by a predetermined angle with respect to the sheet bundle.

"Relationship between each spelling position"
The multi binding positions Ma1 and Ma2 are set in (outside) the carry-out area Ar of the sheet carried into the processing tray 24 from the paper discharge port 23. Further, the corner binding positions Cp1 and Cp2 are on the outside of the sheet carry-in area Ar and on the right or left side of an axis serving as a sheet discharge reference of the sheet (hereinafter referred to as "sheet discharge reference" or "center reference"). A reference position (side alignment reference) separated by a predetermined distance from either one is set. As shown in FIG. 6, the outer side, the right corner binding position Cp1, is shifted to the right by a predetermined amount (δ1) from the side edge of the maximum size sheet that can be subjected to the binding process. The corner binding position Cp2 is set to a position deviated to the left by a predetermined amount (δ2) from the side edge of the maximum size sheet that can be subjected to the binding process. In the illustrated embodiment, the two bias amounts are set to the same distance (δ1 = δ2).

  The multiple binding positions Ma1 and Ma2 and the manual binding position Mp are set on substantially the same straight line. Further, the corner binding positions Cp1 and Cp2 are set to inclination angles (for example, 45-degree angular position) which are symmetrical with respect to the sheet discharge reference Sx.

  The manual binding position Mp is set outside the sheet loading area Ar and in the manual feed area Fr on the device front side Fr, and the eco binding position Ep is outside the sheet loading area Ar and eco binding area on the device rear side Re It is set to Rr. Specifically, the manual binding position Mp is set to a position offset by a predetermined amount (Of1) from the right corner binding position of the processing tray, and the eco binding position Ep is a predetermined amount (Of2) from the left corner binding position of the processing tray 24 It is set to the offset position. As described above, the multi-stitching position Mp is set based on the sheet discharge reference (center reference) of the processing tray 24 to which the sheet is carried in, the corner binding position Cp is set based on the maximum size sheet, and The sheet movement interferes with each other by setting the manual binding position Mp at a position offset by a predetermined amount Of1 from the position to the apparatus front side, and setting the eco binding position Ep at a position offset by a predetermined amount Of2 on the apparatus rear side. The spelling positions can be arranged in order so as not to do so.

  The sheet movement in each binding process will be described. In the multi-stitching process, the sheet is carried to the processing tray 24 at the center reference (may be one-sided reference), and is aligned and subjected to the binding process in that state. After the binding process, the sheet is carried out downstream in that posture. In the corner binding process, the sheet carried onto the processing tray 24 is aligned at the designated side alignment position, and subjected to the binding process. After the binding process, the sheet is carried out downstream in that posture. Further, in the case of the eco-stitching process, the sheets carried in on the processing tray 24 are stacked in a bundle and then offset by a predetermined amount Of2 on the rear side of the apparatus, and subjected to the stitching process after the offset movement. After the binding process, the sheet is carried out downstream without being offset.

  In manual binding, the operator sets a sheet on a manual feed set surface which is separated from the side alignment reference positioned on the front side of the processing tray 24 by a predetermined offset amount Of1. As a result, the set positions of sheets for a plurality of types of binding processing are distributed in the transport orthogonal direction to execute the binding processing, so processing with high processing speed and less sheet jam can be performed.

  In the case of the eco binding process, the control means 75 described later sets the eco binding position Ep at a position where the sheet is offset by a predetermined amount Of3 in the sheet discharging direction from the rear end reference position. This is to avoid interference between the staple binding unit 26 moved to the binding position for left corner binding of the sheet and the stapleless binding unit 27. Therefore, when the staple-less binding unit 27 is attached to the apparatus frame 20 movably between the binding position and the retracted position retracted from the binding position similarly to the staple binding unit 26, it is necessary to offset by the predetermined amount Of3 in the sheet discharge direction It disappears.

  Here, the device front side Fr refers to the front side of the exterior casing 20b which is set at the time of device design and the operator executes various operations. Usually, on the front side of the apparatus, a control panel, a mounting cover (door) of a sheet cassette, or an open / close cover for replenishing the staples of the stapler unit 26 is provided. Further, the device rear side Re means, for example, the side facing the wall surface of the building when installing the device (in design, the installation condition that the wall is on the back surface).

  As described above, in the sheet processing apparatus according to the illustrated embodiment, the manual binding position Mp is on the apparatus front side Fr and the eco binding position Ep on the apparatus rear side Re, outside the area with reference to the sheet carry-in area Ar. It is set. At this time, the distance Ofx between the reference (sheet ejection reference Sx) of the sheet carry-in area Ar and the manual binding position Mp is longer than the distance Ofy between the sheet ejection reference Sx and the eco binding position Ep (Ofx> Ofy Is set to).

  Further, the manual binding position Mp is set far away from the discharge reference Sx of the processing tray 24, and the eco binding position Ep is set at a position near the discharge reference Sx, the sheet from the outside at the manual binding position Mp. This is because the convenience in that the operation is easy is taken into consideration when the bundle is set because it is separated from the processing tray 24. At the same time, the reason why the eco binding position Ep is set to a position close to the discharge reference Sx is to reduce the amount of movement when offset moving the sheet (alignment sheet bundle) carried onto the processing tray 24 to the binding position. This is to improve the processing speed of the binding process (to improve the productivity).

"Movement mechanism of staple binding unit"
The staple binding unit 26 (first binding processing means) includes a needle cartridge 39, a staple head 26b, and an anvil member 26c in a unit frame 26a (referred to as a first unit frame), the structure of which will be described later. . The staple binding unit 26 is supported by the apparatus frame 20 a so as to reciprocate along the sheet end surface of the processing tray 24 with a predetermined stroke. The support structure will be described below.

  FIG. 7 shows a front view of the staple binding unit 26 mounted on the apparatus frame 20a, and FIG. 8 shows its plan view. 9 and 10 show a partial explanatory view of a guide rail mechanism for guiding the staple binding unit 26. FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 7, chassis frames 20 e (hereinafter referred to as “bottom frame frames”) are disposed on the left and right side frame frames 20 c and 20 d constituting the device frame 20 a, and the bottom frames The staple binding unit 26 is movably attached to the frame 20 e with a predetermined stroke. On the bottom frame 20e, a traveling guide rail 42 (hereinafter also simply referred to as a "guide rail") and a slide cam 43 are disposed. A traveling rail surface 42x is formed on the guide rail 42, and a traveling cam surface 43x is formed on the slide cam 43. The traveling rail surface 42x and the traveling cam surface 43x cooperate with each other to form a staple binding unit 26 At the same time, the "moving unit" is supported so as to reciprocate with a predetermined stroke, and at the same time, its angular attitude is controlled.

  The rail surface 42x of the traveling guide rail 42 and the slide cam 43 so that the moving unit can reciprocate in the moving range of the moving unit (a range covering the sheet loading area Ar, the manual feeding area Fr, and the eco binding area Rr) SL. And the cam surface 43x is formed (see FIG. 8). The traveling guide rail 42 is formed of a rail member having a stroke SL along the rear end regulating member 41 of the processing tray 24 and, in the illustrated embodiment, is formed of an opening groove formed in the bottom frame 20e There is. A traveling rail surface 42x is formed in the opening groove so as to be in the same straight line as the rear end regulating member 41 of the processing tray and in parallel to each other. Further, the slide cam 43 is disposed at a distance from the traveling rail surface 42x, and in the illustrated embodiment, the slide cam 43 is configured by a groove cam formed in the bottom frame 20e. A traveling cam surface 43x is formed on this grooved cam.

  The moving unit (stapling unit 26) is fixed to a traveling belt 44 driven by a drive motor (traveling motor) M11. The traveling belt 44 is wound around a pair of pulleys axially supported by the bottom frame 20e of the apparatus frame 20a, and one of the pulleys is driven by the drive motor M11. Thus, the staple binding unit 26 can reciprocate on the stroke SL by forward and reverse rotation of the traveling motor M11.

  The above-described traveling rail surface 42x and traveling cam surface 43x have parallel gaps (spans G1) 43a and 43b extending in parallel with each other, narrow swing intervals (spans G2) 43c and 43d, and necks having narrower intervals. An interval is formed in the swing interval portion (span G3) 43e, and is configured to have a relationship of span G1> span G2> span G3. The staple binding unit 26 swings to an angle parallel to the sheet trailing edge in the span G1, to the left or right in the span G2, and to an angle that is more inclined than the span G2 in the span G3. Change the angle.

  The traveling guide rail 42 is not limited to the opening groove structure, and can be configured by a guide rod, a projecting rib, and other various structures. Further, the slide cam 43 is not limited to the groove cam, and various kinds of cam surfaces, such as a projecting rib member, capable of guiding the moving unit (the staple binding unit 26) in a predetermined stroke direction can be used. It is possible to adopt the form of

  The moving unit 26 engages with the traveling guide rail 42 and the slide cam 43 as follows. As shown in FIG. 7, in the moving unit 26, a first rolling roller 50 (rail fitting member) engaged with the traveling rail surface 42 x and a second rolling engaged with the traveling cam surface 43 x A roller 51 (cam follower member) is provided. Furthermore, in the moving unit 26, sliding rollers 52 (in the illustrated embodiment, ball-shaped sliding rollers 52a and 52b are formed at two places) engaged with the support surface of the bottom frame 20e. Further, the moving unit 26 is provided with a guide roller 53 engaged with the bottom surface of the bottom frame 20e to prevent the rising of the moving unit 26 from the bottom frame 20e.

As described above, the moving unit 26 is movably supported by the bottom frame 20e by the sliding rollers 52a and 52b and the guide roller 53. The first rolling roller 50 travels along the rail surface 42x and the cam surface 43x while rotating along the traveling cam surface 43x and the second rolling roller 52 along the traveling cam surface 43x.

  Parallel spacing portions in which the rail surface 42x and the cam surface 43x extend in parallel with the span (distance) G1 are formed at a position 43a facing the multi-stitching positions Ma1 and Ma2 described above and a position 43b facing the manual binding position Mp . At this parallel spacing portion, as shown in FIG. 9 and FIG. 10 (c), the moving unit 26 is held in a posture perpendicular to the sheet edge without swinging. Therefore, at the multi-stitching positions Ma1 and Ma2 and the manual binding position Mp, the sheet bundle is stapled with staples parallel to the sheet edge.

  In addition, a swing interval portion in which the distance between the rail surface 42x and the cam surface 43x is the span G2 is formed at a position 43e facing the right corner binding position Cp1 and a position 43d facing the left corner binding position Cp2. In the swing interval portion, as shown in FIG. 9 and FIG. 10A, the moving unit 26 is in the right inclination angle attitude (for example, right 45 degree inclination) and the left inclination angle attitude (for example, left 45 degree inclination) It is held in an inclined posture.

  In addition, a swing interval portion in which the distance between the rail surface 42x and the cam surface 43x is the span G3 is formed at a position 43c facing the needle loading position. The span G3 is formed at an interval shorter than the span G2, and at the swing interval portion of the span G3, the moving unit 26 is held at the right inclination angle posture (for example, 60 degrees inclination) as shown in FIG. Ru. The reason for changing the angle of the moving unit 26 at the needle loading position is to match the posture of the unit in the angular direction in which the needle cartridge 39 is attached to the unit, and the angle is appropriately determined in relation to the opening / closing cover provided on the outer casing. It is set.

  When the angular orientation of the moving unit 26 is deflected by the traveling rail surface 42x and the traveling cam surface 43x, the second traveling cam surface may be provided or the stopper cam surface may be provided to shorten the moving length. It is preferable from the compactness of the layout that the angle deflection is coordinated with the cam surface.

  The illustrated stopper cam surface will be described. As shown in FIG. 8, in the bottom frame 20e, a part of the moving unit 26 (in order to change the attitude of the moving unit 26 at the right corner binding position Cp1 on the apparatus front side and the manual binding position Mp) In the embodiment shown, stop surfaces 43y, 43z are provided at the positions shown which engage with the sliding rollers 52a). Although it is necessary to correct the inclination of the moving unit 26 inclined at the needle loading position at the manual binding position Mp, changing the angle between only the cam surface and the rail surface described above makes the movement stroke redundant. However, when the moving unit 26 is locked by the stopper surface 43y and is advanced to the manual binding position side, the unit returns from the inclined state to the original state. Further, when the moving unit 26 is returned from the manual binding position Mp in the opposite direction, the stopper surface 43z inclines the unit (forced) to direct it to the corner binding position.

[Staple binding unit]
The staple binding unit 26 is already widely known as a device that performs binding processing with staples. An example thereof will be described with reference to FIG. The staple binding unit 26 is configured as a unit different from the sheet bundle binding processing device B (post-processing device). A box-shaped unit frame 26a, a drive cam 26d pivotally supported by the unit frame 26a in a pivotable manner, and a drive motor M8 for rotating the drive cam 26d are attached to the frame.

  A staple head 26b and an anvil member 26c are disposed opposite to the binding position on the drive cam 26d, and the staple head 26b is a staple position below the standby position from the upper standby position by an urging spring (not shown) Move up and down to The needle cartridge 39 is detachably mounted on the unit frame 26a.

  The needle cartridge 39 contains a linear blank needle, and the needle feed mechanism supplies the blank needle to the staple head 26b. Inside the staple head 26b, a former member for bending a linear needle into a U-shape and a driver for pressing the bent needle into a sheet bundle are incorporated. With such a configuration, the drive cam 26d is rotated by the drive motor M8 and is stored in the biasing spring. When the rotation angle of the drive cam 26d reaches a predetermined angle, the staple head 26b vigorously descends toward the anvil member 26c. By such an operation, the staple needle is bent in a U-shape and then inserted into the sheet bundle by a driver, and the tip of the staple needle is further bent and stapled by the anvil member 26c.

  A needle feed mechanism is built in between the needle cartridge 39 and the staple head 26b, and the needle feed mechanism is provided with a sensor (empty sensor) for detecting the absence of a needle. Further, the unit frame 26a is provided with a cartridge sensor (not shown) for detecting whether or not the needle cartridge 39 is inserted.

In the illustrated embodiment, the needle cartridge 39 adopts a structure in which staple needles connected in a strip shape in a box-shaped cartridge are stacked and stored in a stack and a structure in which the staples are stored in a roll.

  The unit frame 26a is provided with a circuit for controlling each of the above-described sensors and a circuit board for controlling the drive motor M8, and issues a warning signal when the needle cartridge 39 is not stored and when the staple needle is empty. It is supposed to be. Further, the control circuit controls the drive motor M8 to execute the stapling operation by the staple signal and the staple head moves from the standby position to the anvil position and returns to the standby position again. It is configured to emit a signal.

[Stitchless binding unit]
The configuration of the stapleless binding unit 27 will be described with reference to FIG. 13 (b). As a needleless binding mechanism, a bending and binding mechanism (refer to JP2011-256008A) in which several sheets are bound by forming a cutout opening in a binding portion and folding one side thereof, and press-contacting and separating each other There is known a crimping and binding mechanism in which an uneven surface is formed on the pressing surfaces of the flexible crimping tooth members 27b and 27c, and the sheet bundle is crimped and bound to be bound.

  FIG. 13 (b) shows a crimp binding unit as a needleless binding unit, and pivotably supports a movable frame member 27d on a base frame member 27a so that both frames can be press-contacted and separated by a support shaft 27x. Swing. A follower roller 27f is attached to the movable frame member 27d, and a drive cam 27e attached to the base frame 27a is engaged with the follower roller 27f.

  A drive motor M9 provided on the base frame member 27a is connected to the drive cam 27e via a speed reduction mechanism, and the drive cam 27e is rotated by the rotation of the drive motor M9, and the cam surface (the illustrated embodiment) In this case, the movable frame member 27d is rocked by the engagement between the eccentric cam) and the follower roller 27f.

  A lower crimping tooth member 27c is disposed on the base frame member 27a, and an upper crimping tooth member 27b is disposed on the movable frame member 27d. Further, a biasing spring (not shown) is disposed between the base frame member 27a and the movable frame member 27d, and is biased in the direction in which the two crimping tooth members are separated.

  As shown in the enlarged view of FIG. 13 (b), the upper pressure-bonding tooth member 27b and the lower pressure-bonding tooth member 27c have a protrusion formed on one side and a recessed groove engaged with the other on the other. The protrusion and the recessed groove are formed in a rib shape having a predetermined length. Therefore, the sheet bundle pinched by the upper press-contacting tooth member 27b and the lower press-contacting tooth member 27c is deformed into a corrugated plate shape and closely attached. Further, a position sensor (not shown) is provided on the base frame member 27a (unit frame) to detect whether the upper pressure contact tooth member 27b and the lower pressure contact tooth member 27c are in the pressing position or in the separating position. Is configured as.

[Stack tray]
The configuration of the stack tray will be described with reference to FIG. The stack tray 25 is disposed downstream of the processing tray 24 and stacks and stores the sheet bundle stacked on the processing tray 24. The stack tray 25 is provided with a tray elevating mechanism so as to be sequentially advanced according to the loading amount. The stacking surface (uppermost sheet height) of the stack tray 25 is controlled to a height position which is substantially flush with the sheet mounting surface of the processing tray 24. Further, the stacked sheets are inclined at an angle at which the rear end edge in the sheet discharge direction abuts against the tray alignment surface 53 (standing surface) by its own weight.

  Specifically, the elevating rails 54 are fixed to the apparatus frame 20a vertically in the stacking direction, and the tray base 25x is slidably engaged with the elevating rails 54 by the slide rollers 55 and the like. ing. Further, a rack 25r is integrally formed on the tray base 25x in the elevating direction, and a drive pinion 56 axially supported by the apparatus frame 20a meshes with the rack 25r. Further, a lift motor M10 is connected to the drive pinion 56 via a worm gear 57 and a worm wheel 58.

  Therefore, when the lift motor M10 is rotated in the forward and reverse direction, the rack 25r connected to the drive pinion 56 moves upward and downward of the apparatus frame 20a. With such a configuration, the tray base 25x is lifted and lowered in a cantilever state. Besides the rack and pinion mechanism, a pulley suspension belt mechanism may be employed as the tray lifting mechanism.

  A stack tray 25 is integrally attached to the tray base 25x, and is configured to load and store sheets on the loading surface 25a. In the apparatus frame 20a, a tray alignment surface 20f for supporting the rear end edge of the sheet is formed to extend in the stacking direction (vertical direction) of the sheet, and in the illustrated embodiment, the outer casing 20b. A tray alignment surface is formed.

  In addition, the stack tray 25 integrally attached to the tray base 25x is formed to be inclined in the illustrated angular direction, and an angle (for example, the stack alignment) is set so that the rear end thereof abuts the tray alignment surface 20f by its own weight. The setting of 20 degrees to 60 degrees is made.

[Sheet holding mechanism]
The stack tray 25 is provided with a paper pressing mechanism 78 for pressing the uppermost sheet of the stacked sheets. The illustrated paper pressing mechanism 78 has a predetermined angle between an elastic pressing member 78a for pressing the uppermost sheet, a pivotal support member 78b for pivotally supporting the resilient pressing member 78a on the apparatus frame 20a, and a pivotal support member 78b. It comprises a drive motor M2 rotating in the direction and its transmission mechanism. In the illustrated embodiment, the drive motor M2 is drivingly connected using the drive motor of the sheet bundle discharge mechanism 60 as a drive source, and when the sheet bundle is carried in (out of) the stack tray 25, the elastic pressing member 78a is The tray is retracted outward, and after the rear end of the sheet bundle is stored on the uppermost sheet of the stack tray 25, it rotates from the standby position in the counterclockwise direction shown in FIG. Press.

  Further, the elastic pressing member 78 a retracts from the surface of the uppermost sheet on the stack tray 25 to the retracted position by the initial rotation operation of the drive motor M 2 for discharging the sheet bundle on the processing tray 24 toward the stack tray 25.

[Level sensor]
A level sensor (not shown) for detecting the sheet height of the uppermost sheet is disposed on the stack tray 25. The elevation motor M10 is rotated by the detection signal of the level sensor to raise and raise the stacking surface 25a. Although various such level sensor mechanisms are known, in the illustrated embodiment, detection light is irradiated from the tray alignment surface 20f of the device frame to the upper side of the tray, and the reflected light is detected A detection method is employed which detects whether or not a sheet is present at a height position.

[Loaded sheet amount sensor]
Similar to the level sensor, the stack tray 25 is provided with a sensor that detects that a sheet has been removed from the stack tray 25. Although the structure is not described in detail, for example, a sensor lever which is integrally rotated with the elastic pressing member 78a of the paper pressing mechanism 78 is provided, and a sheet is present on the loading surface 25a by detecting the sensor lever with a sensor element. It can be detected whether or not. Further, when the height position of the sensor lever is changed (changed) before and after the sheet bundle is discharged, the control means 75 described later stops the sheet discharging operation or raises the tray to a predetermined position, for example. Such an operation is an abnormal operation, which is a problem that occurs when the user carelessly removes a sheet from the stack tray 25 while the apparatus is in operation. Further, a lower limit position is set on the stack tray 25 so that the tray is not abnormally lowered, and a limit sensor Se3 for detecting the stack tray 25 is disposed at the lower limit position.

[Description of control unit]
The configuration of the control unit of the image forming system described above will be described with reference to the block diagram of FIG. The image forming system shown in FIG. 18 includes a control unit 70 of the image forming unit A (hereinafter referred to as “main unit control unit”) and a control unit of the post-processing unit B (sheet bundle processing apparatus; the same applies hereinafter) 75 (hereinafter referred to as "binding processing control unit"). The main body control unit 70 includes a print control unit 71, a paper feed control unit 72, and an input unit 73 (control panel).

  By using the input unit 73 (control panel), it is possible to set the “image forming mode” and the “post-processing mode”. In the image forming mode, mode settings such as color / monochrome printing, both sides / one side printing, and image forming conditions such as sheet size, sheet paper quality, number of printouts, and enlargement / reduction printing are set. Further, the “post-processing mode” is set to, for example, “print-out mode”, “staple binding process mode”, “eco binding process mode”, “jog sorting mode” or the like. In the illustrated embodiment, the “manual binding mode” is provided, and in this manual binding mode, the sheet bundle binding processing operation is executed offline in addition to the main body control unit 70 of the image forming unit A. be able to.

  The body control unit 70 also transfers data such as post-processing mode information, the number of sheets, the number of copies, and the sheet thickness information of the sheet on which an image is formed to the binding processing control unit 75. At the same time, the main control unit 70 transfers a job end signal to the binding process control unit 75 each time image formation is completed.

  The above-described post-processing mode will be described. In the “print-out mode”, the sheets from the sheet discharge outlet 23 are accommodated in the stack tray 25 via the processing tray 24 without being subjected to the binding process. In this case, the sheets are stacked and stacked on the processing tray 24, and the sheet bundle after stacking is discharged to the stack tray 25 in response to a jog end signal from the main body control unit 70.

  In the “staple binding process mode (second paper discharge mode)”, the sheets from the sheet discharge port 23 are stacked on the processing tray 24 and partially aligned, and the sheet bundle is stapled and stored in the stack tray 25. . In this case, the sheet to be imaged is basically designated by the operator to the same size sheet with the same sheet thickness. In the staple binding process mode, one of "multi binding", "right corner binding" and "left corner binding" is selected and designated. Each binding position is as described above.

  The “jog sorting mode” is divided into a group in which sheets formed by the image forming unit A are offset and stacked on the processing tray 24 and a group in which the sheets are stacked without offset, and are alternately stacked in the stack tray 25. An offset sheet bundle and an unoffset sheet bundle are stacked. In the illustrated embodiment, an offset area (refer to FIG. 5) is provided on the front side Fr of the apparatus, and the sheet discharged at the center reference (sheet output reference) Sx from the sheet discharge outlet 23 on the processing tray 24 Similarly, the sheet carried out at the center reference Sx is divided into a group in which the front side Fr of the apparatus is offset by a predetermined amount and accumulated.

  As described above, the offset area is provided on the apparatus front side Fr in order to secure work areas such as a manual binding process and a needle cartridge replacement process on the apparatus front side Fr. Further, this offset area is set to a dimension (about several centimeters) for dividing the sheet bundle.

"Manual binding mode"
In the outer casing 20b, on the front side Fr of the apparatus, a manual feed setting unit 29 is provided for setting a sheet bundle to be subjected to a binding process by the operator. A sensor for detecting the set sheet bundle is disposed on the set surface 29a of the manual feed setting unit 29, and a binding processing control unit 75 described later with a signal from this sensor positions the staple binding unit 26 at the manual binding position. Moving. In this state, when the operator presses the operation switch 30, the binding process is performed.

  Therefore, in the manual binding mode, the binding process control unit 75 and the main body control unit 70 are controlled off-line. However, when the manual binding mode and the staple binding mode are simultaneously executed, the mode is set such that either one takes priority.

[Binding processing control unit]
The binding process control unit 75 operates the post-processing unit B in accordance with the post-processing mode set by the main body control unit 70. In the illustrated embodiment, the binding process control unit 75 is configured by a control CPU (hereinafter, the binding process control unit and the control CPU are also simply described as “control means”). A ROM 76 and a RAM 77 are connected to the control CPU 75, and a paper discharge operation described later is executed based on the control program stored in the ROM 76 and the control data stored in the RAM 77. For this reason, the control CPU 75 is connected to the drive circuits of all the drive motors described above, and controls each drive motor to start, stop, and perform normal / reverse rotation.

[Description of post-processing operation]
The control unit 75 including the control CPU 75 executes the operations of the flowcharts of FIGS. Hereinafter, the operation in each binding process will be described according to each flowchart. For convenience of explanation, the "stapler" is the staple binding unit 26, the "paddle" is the sheet carrying-in means (the paddle rotating body 36, etc.), and the "knurl" is the scraping conveyance means (scratching rotating body) 33, "alignment plate" means the side alignment member 46, "assist" means the first and second conveying members 60A, 60B, "button" means the operation switch of the stapling device, and "LED" means the staple Means an indicator lamp whose action is being performed.

"Staple binding process mode"
Referring to FIG. 19, the final sheet for image formation is subjected to image formation and carried out of the upper part of the image forming unit A (main body) (St01). At this time, a job end signal is issued from the image forming unit A, and the control means 75 positions the paddle 36 at a predetermined position based on the job end signal and makes it stand by (stand by paddle blade) (St 02) The alignment plates 46R and 46F are moved to the standby position (St03). Next, the sheet fed out from the discharge port 16 of the image forming unit A is carried in from the carry-in port 21 of the sheet carry-in path (sheet discharge path) 22, and the sheet sensor Se1 carries out the sheet rear end from the sheet discharge roller 32 Is detected (St04).

  When the sheet rear end leaves the sheet discharge roller 32, the control means 75 lowers the paddle rotating body 36 waiting above the processing tray 24 (St05). This operation is performed by activating the paddle lifting motor M3. At the same time as the paddle lowering operation, the control means 75 raises the scraping and conveying means 33 to retract upward from the uppermost sheet on the processing tray 24 (St08).

  By the above operation, the sheet sent from the image forming unit A is sent to the sheet carry-in path 22, and after the rear end of the sheet passes the discharge roller 32, the scraping conveyance means 33 is retracted above the tray. In the state, by rotating the paddle rotating body 36 in the opposite direction to the paper discharge, the sheet is conveyed back. As a result, the sheet fed to the sheet carry-in path 22 is reversed in the conveyance direction at the paper discharge outlet 23 and stored in the processing tray 24 at the lower side of the paper discharge outlet.

  Next, the control means 75 back-conveys the sheet from the sheet discharge outlet 23 in the direction opposite to the sheet discharge direction, and after a predetermined time, raises the paddle rotating body 36 to retract it from the sheet (St06). At the same time, the scraping conveyance means 33 rotating in the direction opposite to the sheet discharge direction is lowered from the standby position and engaged with the sheet carried on the processing tray 24 (St09).

  By the above-described operation, the sheet is sent out from the sheet discharge port 23 by the sheet discharge roller 32, is reversely conveyed from the sheet discharge port 23 by the paddle rotating body 36 in the opposite direction to the sheet discharge direction, and carried onto the processing tray 24. . Further, the sheet carried onto the processing tray 24 is conveyed by the scraping conveyance means 33 toward a predetermined position (rear end regulating member 41) of the processing tray 24. In the above-described sheet discharging operation, sheets of different sizes can be discharged from the sheet discharge outlet 23 at the center reference Sx. Although it is possible to carry out the sheet ejection from the sheet discharge port 23 on the one-side basis, for convenience of explanation, the case where the sheet is discharged at the center standard Sx will be described.

  Next, based on the detection signal of the discharge sensor Se1, the control means 75 estimates that the trailing edge of the sheet carried onto the processing tray 24 is expected to abut against the predetermined trailing edge regulating stopper (rear edge regulating member) 41. , And moves the paddle rotation body 36 to the standby position (home position (HP)) (St07). Also, the scraping transport means 33 is similarly moved to the standby position (home position (HP)) (St10).

  Next, the control means 75 causes the side aligning member 46 to align the sheet in a state in which the rear end abuts on the rear end regulating member 41. In this alignment operation, the sheet alignment position is different between when the “multi-stitching mode (two-point binding mode)” is specified and when the “corner binding mode (one-point binding mode)” is specified. There is.

  When the “multi-stitching mode” is specified, the control means 75 aligns the sheet carried in on the processing tray 24 with the size width according to the paper discharge reference (in the illustrated embodiment, the center reference Sx) The left and right side alignment members 46F and 46R are reciprocated between the position and the standby position away from the alignment position (center alignment). That is, based on the sheet size information sent from the image forming unit A, the control unit 75 moves the side alignment members 46F and 46R from the standby position wider than the sheet width to the alignment position compatible with the sheet width. Alignment is performed (St11 to 13).

  Further, when the “corner binding mode” is designated, the control means 75 moves the side alignment member on the binding position side to the binding position among the left and right side alignment members 46F and 46R based on the sheet size information. The other side alignment member is moved from the standby position retracted to the alignment position based on the size width of the sheet carried into the processing tray 24. The alignment position of this moving side alignment member (the alignment member on the opposite side to the binding position side) is in a relation of opening the distance matching the sheet width with the alignment position of the stationary side alignment member (binding position side alignment member). It is set (corner binding position alignment). Therefore, at the time of corner binding processing, one side alignment member is moved to the left or right specified binding position and made to stand, and after the sheet enters the processing tray 24, the opposite side alignment member conforms to the sheet width. The position is moved by the required amount and aligned (one-sided reference). (St14 to St16)

  The control means 75 makes the number of alignment operations by the side alignment members 46F and 46R different according to the number of sheets carried onto the processing tray 24 (see FIG. 19). This is intended to improve the integrity of sheets exceeding a predetermined number of sheets. More specifically, when the number of sheets carried in on the processing tray 24 detected by the discharge sensor Se1 exceeds a predetermined number, the side alignment members 46F and 46R are moved to the alignment reference position again after the normal alignment operation. Let me be consistent.

  Further, the threshold value of the predetermined number of sheets is made different depending on the sheet size, and control is performed to make the above-mentioned alignment operation different even for a small number of sheets which are relatively hard to move (difficult to align). For example, the sheets having a size smaller than the predetermined size carry out the alignment operation again from the 21st sheet carried into the processing tray 24 and the sheets having the predetermined size are carried into the processing tray 24 from the 11th sheet. The above-mentioned alignment operation is performed again. The count of the number of discharged sheets may be determined based on the number of sheets information received from the main body of the image forming apparatus, in addition to the discharge sensor Se1.

  Next, the control means 75 executes the binding operation (St17). At the time of multi-stitching, the staple binding unit 26 which has previously stopped at the binding position is operated to perform binding processing at that position, and then the staple binding unit 26 is moved along the sheet rear edge by a predetermined distance to 2 Stitching processing is performed at the binding position (St18 to St20). At the time of corner binding, the staple binding unit 26 which has previously stopped at the binding position is operated to perform binding processing.

  Next, when the control means 75 receives a signal indicating the completion of the binding process from the staple binding unit 26, the sheet bundle delivery means 60 is operated, and the downstream side from the processing tray 24 by the first delivery member 60A and the second delivery member 60B. The sheet bundle is carried out toward the stack tray 25 (St21). When the sheet bundle delivery operation is completed, the control means 75 causes the sheet bundle delivery means 60 (specifically, the first delivery member 60A and the second delivery member 60B) to return to the initial position (St22), and at the same time, the side The alignment member 46 is returned to the initial position (standby position for receiving the sheet carried into the processing tray 24) (St23).

  Further, the control means 75 rotates the paper pressing mechanism (elastic pressing member) 53 disposed on the stack tray 25 by the drive motor (in the illustrated embodiment, the same drive motor M2 as the paddle rotating body 36). Then, the uppermost sheet of the sheet bundle carried into the stack tray 25 is pressed and held (St 25).

"Eco stitching process mode"
In the eco-stitching processing mode, as in the operation of the staple binding processing mode, the control unit 75 positions the sheet carried onto the processing tray 24 against the trailing edge regulating member 41 and positions it from step St01 to step St10. The operation is the same as the operation in the staple processing binding processing mode, so the same reference numerals are given and the description is omitted.

  When the eco-stitching processing mode is designated, the control means 75 brings the left side aligning member 46R located on the side of the stapleless binding unit 27 close to the eco binding position Ep before loading the sheet onto the processing tray 24. The position is moved to the alignment position (eco-stitch alignment position Ap2), and is kept in a stand-by state (St26). Simultaneously with this operation, the control means 75 moves the sheet bundle guide from the retracted position above the processing tray 24 to the operation position on the processing tray 24 (St27). In the illustrated embodiment, the shift of the sheet bundle guide height is interlocked with the position movement of the staple binding unit 26, and the height position of the sheet bundle guide surface is from the high retraction position to the low operation position. It is configured to move. For this reason, the control means 75 moves the staple unit 26 from a predetermined position (home position) to a position where it engages with the sheet bundle guide. The present application is set to engage with the sheet bundle guide when it is at position Gp between Ma2 (the left multi-stitching position in the figure) and CP2 (the left corner-stitching position in the figure) in FIG. ing.

  Thereafter, the control means 75 moves the opposite opposite right side alignment member 46F to the standby position away from the side edge of the sheet carried onto the processing tray 24 (St 28), drives the alignment motor, and The side alignment member 46F is moved to the alignment position (St29). The alignment position is set at a position where the distance to the left side alignment member 46R, which is stationary at the eco-stitch alignment position, matches the sheet size width.

  As described above, the sheet processing apparatus is characterized in that the sheet carried in on the processing tray 24 is aligned with the eco-binding alignment position Ap2 away from the binding position without aligning the sheet transported into the processing tray 24 during the eco-binding processing. And If this eco-stitch alignment position Ap2 is set to match the sheet delivery reference (for example, the center reference) from the sheet discharge outlet 23, it becomes the same as the alignment position of the multi-stitch processing. On the other hand, if the eco binding alignment position Ap2 is set close to the eco binding position Ep, the sheet does not interfere with the stapleless binding unit 27 to cause a sheet jam when aligning, and the eco binding position Ep after alignment. The distance for moving the sheet bundle can be shortened. Therefore, it is preferable to set the eco-stitch alignment position Ap2 as close to the stapleless binding unit 27 as possible as long as the sheet does not interfere with the stapleless binding unit 27.

  Next, the control means 75 offset-moves the sheet bundle aligned to the eco-stitch alignment position Ap2 to the eco-stitch position Ep by the side alignment member 46 (St30), and locates the side alignment member 46F located on the apparatus front side. The fixed amount is retracted away from the sheet (St 31). Further, the control means 75 drives the sheet bundle discharge mechanism 60 (specifically, the first conveying member 60A and the second conveying member 60B) to move the sheet bundle downstream in the sheet discharge direction by a predetermined amount (St32). And the staple binding unit 26 is moved to the initial position to cause the sheet bundle guide (not shown) to stand by at the retracted position above the processing tray 24 (St33). Next, the control means 75 moves the right side alignment member 46F to the initial position (St34).

  Next, the control means 75 transmits a command signal to the stapleless binding unit 27 to execute the stapleless binding processing operation (St35). Further, the control means 75 performs a peeling operation from the needleless binding unit 27 (St 37). Specifically, the peeling operation can be performed using the side alignment member 46 and the first conveyance member 60A of the sheet bundle delivery mechanism 60.

  The case of using the side alignment member 46R will be described as an example of the peeling operation. In this case, first, the control means 75 causes the side alignment member 46R to back swing to a position away from the position where it engages with the side edge of the sheet bundle. The back swing amount is set in consideration of the rise time (self-excitation time) of the alignment motor M6. That is, the run-up time is provided to the alignment member 46R, and the overrun amount is set as the rise time for the alignment motor M6 to reach a predetermined output torque. The backswing movement can also be performed during the separation operation of the upper pressing surface 27b and the lower pressing surface 27c after the binding processing operation.

  Therefore, when the control means 75 receives a signal indicating the completion of the binding process from the stapleless binding unit 27, it drives the alignment motor M6 of the left side alignment member 46R to move the left side alignment member 46R by a predetermined amount toward the sheet center Let The sheet bundle pinched and pressed by the pair of crimping tooth members 27b and 27c of the needleless binding unit 27 by this operation is kicked toward the sheet center from the state in which the sheet bundle is in close contact with the uneven pressing surface of the crimping tooth members 27b and 27c As a result, the crimp tooth members 27b and 27c are peeled off and offset to the seat center side.

  As another example of the tearing-off operation, a case will be described in which a sheet bundle subjected to the stapleless binding process is rotated by using a rotational force application mechanism having a pushing member. In this case, as the push-out member of the rotational force application mechanism, it is possible to use the first transport member 60A movable in the sheet bundle discharge direction.

  In the tearing-off operation by the rotational force application mechanism, the needleless binding processing operation is completed for the first conveyance member 60A moved to a position away from the position engaging with the side edge of the sheet bundle prior to the binding processing operation. Later, the sheet bundle is moved along the movement axis extending in the discharge direction of the sheet bundle to abut the side edge of the sheet bundle to apply a rotational force to the sheet bundle. If the binding portion (crimping tooth members 27b and 27c) of the moving axial needleless binding unit 27 of the first conveyance member 60A is not disposed, that is, the movement axis of the first conveyance member 60A corresponds to the crimping tooth member 27b, If the sheet bundle is arranged to extend to a position offset from 27c, the sheet bundle is such that the crimped portion formed by the crimped teeth 27b, 27c bites the crimped teeth 27b, 27c and acts like a fixed point, The rotation is reliably generated around the crimped portion. Thus, by relatively rotating the crimping tooth members 27b and 27c and the sheet bundle, the sheet bundle is peeled off one by one from the end of the row of crimping teeth of the crimping tooth members 27b and 27c, and the kicker operation by the aligning plate Thus, it is possible to perform the peeling operation with a smaller force than in the case of peeling.

  As described above, when the peeling operation is performed using the rotation applying mechanism, the sheet bundle is inclined from the aligned position, and if the sheet bundle is discharged with this inclined posture, a cause is caused. It could be Therefore, after the peeling operation, the control means 75 corrects the rotated sheet to a predetermined posture by using a posture correction mechanism having a posture correction member. In this case, two second transport members 60B movable in the sheet bundle discharge direction can be used as the posture correction members.

  In the posture correction operation by the posture correction mechanism, after the peeling operation by the rotation application mechanism is completed, the second conveyance member 60B as a posture correction member is moved in the sheet bundle discharge direction, and the first conveyance member 60A as an extrusion member Is carried out in contact with the sheet bundle in the form of passing the sheet bundle in the discharge direction (see FIG. 26E). By the peeling operation by the rotation applying mechanism, the sheet bundle is inclined such that the side away from the needleless binding unit 27 in the width direction advances in the discharging direction (see FIG. 26F). If the two second conveying members 60B are disposed on the opposite side of the central axis extending in the discharge direction through the center of gravity of the sheet bundle, the second conveyance toward the sheet bundle in the inclined state by rotation is performed. When the member 60B moves, first, the second conveyance member 60B positioned on the side of the stapleless binding unit 27 with respect to the central axis of the sheet bundle contacts the sheet bundle, and the side of the stapleless binding unit 27 in the sheet bundle width direction discharges The second conveying member 60B passes the first conveying member 60A, and the needleless binding unit 27 positioned opposite to the needleless binding unit 27 with respect to the central axis of the sheet bundle also abuts the sheet bundle. Thus, the two second conveying members 60B come into contact with the end of the sheet bundle, and the sheet bundle is corrected to a predetermined posture (see FIG. 26 (g)). Further, since the two second conveyance members 60B are disposed on the opposite side of the central axis extending in the discharge direction through the center of gravity of the sheet bundle, the two second conveyance members 60B are in contact with each other. In this case, the sheet bundle is conveyed while maintaining a predetermined posture without rotating. As described above, productivity can be enhanced by performing both the peeling operation by rotation and the operation of correcting the posture of the rotated sheet bundle and returning it in the series of sheet bundle discharging operations.

  After the first conveying member 60A abuts the sheet bundle, the second conveying member 60B abuts the sheet bundle so as to pass the first conveying member 60A even when the same driving source is used, for example, as shown in FIG. And can be realized by a sheet bundle delivery mechanism 60 having a structure as shown in FIG. Of course, it is also possible to realize by driving the first transport member 60A and the second transport member 60B by independent drive sources.

  In the above, the second conveyance member 60B is used as the posture correction member, but instead of the second conveyance member 60B or in addition to the second conveyance member 60B, the sheet bundle subjected to the stapleless binding process A plate-like member 60B 'extending so as to straddle both sides of a central axis extending in the discharge direction through the center of gravity may be provided, and the plate-like member 60B' may be used as a posture correction member.

  The force necessary when the first conveying member 60A peels off the sheet bundle biting it from the crimping tooth members 27b and 27c as the pushing member is the sheet bundle after the second conveying member 60B is peeled off as the posture correction member It is greater than the force required to correct the posture. Therefore, it is preferable that the torque for driving the first transport member 60A as the push-out member is set to be larger than the torque for driving the second transport member 60B as the posture correction member. Further, as described above, since the second conveyance member 60B as the posture correction member needs to abut on the sheet bundle after the first conveyance member 60A as the pushing member abuts on the sheet bundle, the sheet bundle delivery mechanism In the case where the first conveyance member 60A and the second conveyance member 60B of 60 are also used as the pushing member and the posture correction member, the movement speed of the second conveyance member 60B is faster than the movement speed of the first conveyance member 60A. It is necessary to set it.

  The peeling operation by the rotation applying mechanism described above and the posture correction operation by the posture correction mechanism are not limited to the operation in the eco-stitching processing mode shown in FIG. It can be applied after the binding process. For example, it can be applied after the needleless binding process as shown in FIG. In the stapleless binding process shown in FIG. 25, the control means 75 first accumulates the sheets carried in on the processing tray 24 as shown in FIG. As shown in b), the width of the sheet is increased by moving the left and right side alignment members 46F and 46R from the standby position wider than the width of the sheet to the alignment position matching the width of the sheet based on the sheet size information. Align closely. Next, as shown in FIG. 25C, the control means 75 has a direction perpendicular to the sheet bundle discharge direction toward the needleless binding unit 27 while keeping the side alignment members 46F and 46R at an interval. As shown in FIG. 25D, the sheet bundle is moved downstream by a predetermined amount in the discharge direction by the first transport member 60A of the sheet bundle discharge mechanism 60, as shown in FIG. The sheet bundle of the state is arranged at the eco binding position Ep. When the sheet bundle is arranged at the eco binding position Ep, the needleless binding unit 27 applies the needleless binding process to the sheet bundle.

  The control means 75 retracts the side alignment members 46F and 46R to a position away from the side edge of the sheet bundle after the sheet bundle is subjected to the needleless binding process by the needleless binding unit 27, as shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 26 (f), rotation is given to the sheet bundle as an extrusion member of the rotation applying mechanism by further moving the first conveyance member 60A in the discharge direction, as shown. The sheet bundle is pulled off from the press-contacting tooth member 27 b or 27 c of the staple-less binding unit 27. When the sheet bundle is pulled away from the pressing tooth member 27b or 27c, the control means 75 brings the second conveying member 60B into contact with the sheet bundle so as to pass the first conveying member 60A, as shown in FIG. As described above, the sheet bundle in the posture inclined by the rotation is corrected to a predetermined posture and discharged in the discharge direction. Thereafter, the first transport member 60A and the second transport member 60B are moved back to the initial position.

"Print out discharge"
The operation in the printout mode will be described with reference to FIG. When the sheet is discharged from the image forming unit A (St40), the paddle rotating body 36 is moved to the standby position based on the detection of the leading end by the sheet sensor (St41). At the same time, the side alignment member 46 is moved to the standby position (St42). Next, when the rear end of the sheet passes the sheet discharge roller 32 (St43), the control means 75 lowers the paddle rotating body 36 to the operation position (St44) and raises and retracts the scraping conveyance means 33 together with it (St44). St 45).

  Next, the control means 75 raises the paddle rotating body 36 and moves it to the retracted position (St 46) when a predetermined time has elapsed after the sheet rear end has passed the paper discharge roller 32 (S46) 33 is lowered to the operating position, and the sheet is transported toward the trailing end regulating member 41 (St47). The control unit 75 moves the paddle rotation body 36 to the standby position (home position (HP)) at the estimated time when the sheet rear end reaches the regulating member 41 (St48). Also, the scraping transport means 33 is similarly moved to the standby position (home position (HP)) (St 49).

  Next, the control means 75 moves the side alignment member 46 to the alignment position to execute the alignment operation. In this alignment operation, sheets of different sizes are accumulated on the basis of the sheet center, and are sent to the stack tray 25 in a subsequent unloading operation. When a large-sized sheet is carried onto the processing tray 24 in such a print-out sheet discharging operation, an out-of-specification size sheet discharging operation to be described later is executed.

The control means 75 aligns and stacks the sheets on the processing tray 24 and discharges the sheet bundle to the downstream stack tray 25. The operation is performed by moving the first conveyance member 60A of the sheet bundle delivery mechanism 60 in the sheet discharge direction (St50). Next, the paper pressing mechanism 78 is moved to the standby position (St51). Furthermore, at the timing when the sheet bundle is carried onto the stack tray 25, the paper pressing mechanism 78 is rotated by a predetermined angle to press the uppermost sheet (St 52).
. Thereafter, the control means 75 returns the side alignment member 46 to the sheet loading position (St53).

"Sort (jog) mode"
Since the jog mode is executed in substantially the same steps as the printout mode described above, the same steps will be assigned the same reference numerals and descriptions thereof will be omitted, and only different steps will be described. When a sheet is carried onto the processing tray 24, the control means 75 accumulates the sheet at the center reference Sx at different positions at the group aligning the sheet at the center reference Sx and the group aligning the sheet at the right side reference (St 54). The stack tray 25 is moved downstream. The sheet is aligned on the right side basis because the processing tray 24 is disposed at a position biased to the front side of the apparatus, and the sheet on the sheet placement surface 24a is stacked on the center basis sheet and the right side basis closer to the operator. Thus, the sheet bundle can be easily taken out of the stack tray 25.

"Operation common to each mode"
A common operation of loading a sheet onto the processing tray 24 when executing the above-described post-processing modes will be described with reference to FIG. When the sheet is discharged from the image forming unit A (St60), the control means 75 positions the paddle rotating body 36 at the standby position by the leading edge detection signal from the sheet sensor Se1 (St61), and the side alignment member 46 is specified. Move to the standby position of (St62). When moving the side alignment member 46 to the standby position, based on the sheet size information sent from the image forming unit A, the distance between the side alignment members 46 is set to be slightly larger than the width of the sheet. Position in the standby position.

  Next, the control means 75 lowers the paddle rotating body 36 from the upper standby position to the lower operation position (St64) at a timing (St63) at which the sheet rear end passes the sheet discharge roller 32 (S64). The means 33 is lowered from the standby position above the paper loading surface to the working position on the paper loading surface (St65). At this time, both the paddle rotating body 36 and the scraping belt 34 of the scraping conveyance means 33 are rotating in the direction opposite to the sheet discharging direction.

  Next, the control means 75 raises the paddle rotating body 36 from the operating position to the standby position when a predetermined time (a predicted time for the trailing end of the sheet to reach the scratching belt position of the scratching and unloading means 33) has elapsed St 65). The control means 75 raises the scraping belt 34 by a small amount after a predetermined time (expected time when the sheet front end reaches the rear end regulating member 41) elapses (St69). The amount by which the scratching belt 34 is raised is set in advance, and is set based on an experimental value by which the pressing force on the sheet is reduced.

Next, the control means 75 moves the side alignment member 46 to the alignment position (St70). The alignment position is set to a different position in the binding processing mode, and the sheets are accumulated at the reference position described above for each mode.
That is, (1) in the case of multi-stitching in the staple binding processing mode, the sheet carried onto the processing tray 24 is aligned on the basis of the center. Further, in the case of right corner binding, the sheet carried in on the processing tray 24 is aligned with the right side reference Ap1, and in the case of left corner binding, the sheet carried in on the processing tray is aligned with the left side reference Ap2. In either case, the staple binding unit 26 stands by at the binding position and prepares for the subsequent binding processing operation.
(2) In the stapleless binding processing mode (eco binding processing mode), the control means 75 sets the stapleless alignment position (eco binding offset position) Ap3 determined from the staple binding position (eco binding position) to the sheet center. Or conform to either center criteria.
(3) In the printout processing mode, the control means 75 is aligned on the basis of the center.
(4) In the jog processing mode, the control means 75 alternately and repeatedly aligns the group aligned on the center reference and the group aligned on the right side reference, and discharges the stack tray 25 at that posture.

  After completing the above-mentioned alignment operation, the control means 75 moves the side alignment member 46 to the initial position (St71), and then lowers the scraping belt 34 of the scraping transport means 33 in the direction to press the sheet ( Along with St72), the paddle rotating body 36 is raised to the standby position (home position (HP)) and held at that position (St73).

"Manual staple operation"
The manual stapling operation will be described according to the flowchart of FIG. The manual feeding set unit 29 is provided with a sheet presence sensor, and when the sheet presence sensor Sm (hereinafter referred to as a sensor "Sm") detects a sheet, the control means 75 executes a staple binding operation. .

  The control means 75 determines whether or not the staple binding unit 26 is executing the binding processing operation by the ON signal (St80) of the sensor Sm. When it is determined that the binding processing operation can be interrupted, the staple binding unit 26 is moved to the manual binding position Mp (stills when the staple binding unit 26 is located at the binding position) (St 81), and the manual operation is being executed. Turn on the LED lamp which shows that is (St 82).

  Next, after confirming that the sensor Sm is ON (St83), the control means 75 determines whether the operation button 30 has been operated (St84). When the sensor is ON, and when the sensor is OFF for a predetermined time (set to 2 seconds in the illustrated embodiment) from lighting the LED lamp (St 85), the LED lamp is turned on again (St 86), After confirming that the sensor Sm is ON (St 87), it is further determined whether or not a predetermined time has elapsed after the LED lamp is turned on, and staple binding processing operation is executed (St 88).

  Next, when the sensor Sm is in the ON state after execution of the staple binding processing operation, the control means 75 returns to the predetermined step and executes the staple binding processing operation again. This is to perform the binding process on the number-changed portion of the sheet bundle. Further, when the sensor Sm detects the absence of paper and the absence of paper continues even if a predetermined time has elapsed, the staple binding unit 26 is returned to the home position as a sheet removed from the set surface. When the staple binding unit 26 has set the manual feed position at the home position, the position is maintained at that position (St 93).

  In the sheet processing apparatus according to the present embodiment, the manual stapling operation is performed while the printout process, the jog sorting process, and the stapleless binding process are being performed on the process tray 24 or during the preparation thereof. Start execution of processing operation by OFF signal. Further, during execution of the multi-stitching operation on the processing tray 24 and during execution of the corner binding operation, manual stapling is performed when the jog end signal is not transmitted from the image forming unit A while the operation of stacking the sheets is being executed. It is possible to perform an action. In addition, even when the jog end signal is issued, when the interrupt processing is instructed, the manual stapling operation is performed.

  As described above, either of the manual stapling operation and the stapling operation of the processing tray 24 should be prioritized at the time of device design, or the priority execution key may be arranged to be selected by the operator, or any means may be adopted. Is preferred.

  As described above, the present invention is characterized in that the stapleless binding unit 27 is disposed on the device rear side Re of the processing tray 24 and the sheet bundle is guided to the binding position (eco binding position Ep) as follows. There is. Sheets of different sizes are discharged from the sheet discharge path 22 to the processing tray 24 with reference to the center, and this sheet is aligned by the alignment means (side alignment member 46) with the sheet side edge close to the eco binding position Ep as the reference (one side reference) Do. Further, the sheet bundle accumulated at the alignment position Ap2 is moved to the eco binding position Ep and set, and after the binding process, the sheet bundle is transported (back transport) in the direction of the sheet center and carried out.

  In such a configuration, the sheet alignment position on the processing tray 24 is set to the corner binding position Cp2 of the staple binding unit 26 (the sheet side edge matches). As a result, the sheet bundle aligned on the processing tray 24 is stapled, or the sheet bundle is offset by a predetermined amount and eco-stitched, or selectable. Further, when setting the sheet bundle at the eco binding position Ep, the sheet bundle accumulated at the alignment position Ap2 is moved by a predetermined amount in the sheet discharge orthogonal direction (offset movement) and simultaneously moved by the predetermined amount in the sheet discharge direction. Set to Eco spell position Ep.

  Further, the sheet bundle subjected to the binding process at the eco binding position Ep is moved by a predetermined amount (offset back) in the sheet center direction and is discharged in the sheet discharge direction. As a result, it is possible to prevent the sheet bundle to be discharged from the pressure-bonding tooth members 27b and 27c of the needleless binding unit 27 from rubbing against each other.

24 processing tray 27 needleless binding unit 27b crimp tooth member 27c crimp tooth member 45 side aligning means 46 side aligning member 60 sheet bundle delivery mechanism 60A first conveying member 60B first conveying member

Claims (6)

A sheet placement unit on which the sheet is placed;
A binding member that deforms a sheet placed on the sheet placement unit and staples without a needle;
A peeling member for peeling the sheet and the binding member by applying a rotational force to the sheet bound by the binding member;
A first position, in a second position different from the first position, by the action of force on the peeling sheet Ri剥 has been by the members, to correct the posture of the sheet, the posture correcting member And
With respect the sheet width direction orthogonal to the discharge direction when the sheets stapled by the stapling member is discharged from the sheet placement portion, the center of the sheet when the sheet is stapled by the binding members, the seat width with respect to the direction, located between said second position and said first position,
The peeling member peels the sheet bound by the binding member from the binding member by moving in the discharge direction.
The posture correction member discharges the sheet peeled from the binding member by the peeling member from the sheet placement portion by moving in the discharge direction.
Sheet processing device. The posture correction member includes two conveyance member movable in the discharge direction of the sheet, positioned opposite to each other each of the two conveyance member across the center with respect to the sheet width direction The sheet processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein Higher than the torque of the peeling member is the torque of the posture correcting member, the sheet processing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2. The sheet processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the peeling member and the posture correction member are driven by the same drive source. The sheet processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the posture correction member is set to move at a higher moving speed than the peeling member. An image forming apparatus comprising an image forming unit for forming an image on a sheet, comprising:
The sheet processing according to any one of claims 1 to 5 , wherein a sheet bundle obtained by accumulating the sheets supplied from the image forming unit onto the processing tray is subjected to post-processing in alignment with a predetermined posture, and discharged. An image forming apparatus further comprising an apparatus.

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