JPH0686269B2 - Recording paper post-processing device - Google Patents

Description

Description: FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a post-processing apparatus for recorded paper, and in particular, aligns a large amount of paper sheets, such as paper, sent from a recording apparatus such as a compound machine or a printing machine. A staple function that sorts and stacks sheets and sorts them by pushing a U-shaped retaining needle called a sorting tray or staple into the bundle of sheets to stop them
The present invention relates to a recorded paper post-processing device having a character shape and a paper folding function of folding in half.

[Conventional technology]

In a sheet post-processing apparatus having a folding device of this kind, when a sheet is folded and discharged, and when the sheet is discharged without folding, or even when folding, half-folding, Z-folding, etc. In the case where different fold forms are discharged, it is more convenient to change the discharge conditions so that a large amount of sheets can be aligned and stacked after discharging. That is, the discharge speed to the tray, the initial position of the tray, the method of lowering the tray, or the like, or a combination thereof can be considered. If there are already sheets in the tray now, when ejecting sheets with different processing forms in the next step, the conventional equipment has the same ejection conditions, so the stackability and consistency are significantly different. In the worst case, there was damage such as falling of the sheet from the tray and paper jam of the sheet.

〔Purpose〕

An object of the present invention is to always satisfy good stacking property and consistency of a tray for stacking a large number of sheets, and more specifically, normal discharge of sheets, half-fold discharge, Z-fold discharge, etc.
Control is performed to maintain good stacking regardless of the sheet processing mode.

〔Example〕

FIG. 1 shows the internal structure of an embodiment of the image recording apparatus of the present invention. In the figure, 100 is a main body having an image reading function and an image recording function, 300 is a circulation type document feeder (hereinafter, referred to as RDF) for automatically feeding documents, and 400 is a paper folding device that folds a paper at a predetermined position. A device and a finisher (post-processing device) having a sorting function and a stapling function,
Each of these 300 to 500 devices can be freely combined and used with the main body 100.

A. Main unit (100) In the main unit 100, 101 is a platen glass on which an original is placed,
103 is an illumination lamp (exposure lamp) for illuminating the original, 105,1
Reference numerals 07 and 109 respectively denote a scanning reflection mirror (scanning mirror) for changing the optical path of the reflected light of the original document, 111 denotes a lens having focusing and variable magnification functions, and 113 denotes a fourth reflection mirror (scanning mirror) for changing the optical path. . 115 is an optical system motor for driving the optical system, and 117, 119 and 121 are sensors.

131 is a photosensitive drum, 133 is a main motor for driving the photosensitive drum 131, 135 is a high-voltage unit, 137 is a blank exposure unit, 139 is a developing device, 141 is a roller charger, 143 is a separation charger, and 145 is a cleaning device. Is.

151 is the upper cassette, 153 is the lower cassette, 155 and 157
Is a paper feed roller, and 159 is a registration roller. Also, 161
Is a conveyor belt that conveys the recording paper on which an image has been recorded to the fixing side, 163 is a fixing device that fixes the conveyed recording paper by thermocompression bonding, and 167 is a sensor used during double-sided recording.

The surface of the above-mentioned photosensitive drum 131 is composed of a photoconductor and a seamless photoconductor using a conductor, and this drum 131 is rotatably supported by a shaft and operates in response to depression of a double-sided start key, which will be described later. The motor 133 starts rotation in the direction of the arrow in this figure. Next, when the predetermined rotation control of the drum 131 and the potential control processing (preprocessing) are completed, the original placed on the original table glass 101 is illuminated by the illumination lamp 103 integrated with the first scanning mirror 105, The reflected light of the original is reflected by the first scanning mirror 105, the second scanning mirror 107, and the third scanning mirror 107.
Operation mirror 109, lens 111, and fourth scanning mirror 113
An image is formed on the drum 131 via the.

The drum 131 is corona charged by the high voltage unit 135.
After that, the image (original image) irradiated by the illumination lamp 103 is slit-exposed, and an electrostatic latent image is formed on the drum 131 by the known NP method.

Next, the electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive drum 131 is developed by the developing roller 140 of the developing device 139 and visualized as a toner image, and the toner image is transferred onto the transfer paper by the transfer charger 141 as described later. To be taken care of.

That is, the rolled paper in the upper cassette 151 or the lower cassette 153 is sent to the inside of the main body apparatus by the paper feed roller 155 or 157, and is sent to the photosensitive drum 131 with accurate timing by the registration roller 159, and the latent image is transferred. The leading edge of the image and the leading edge of the rolled paper are aligned. After that, transfer charger 141
The toner image on the drum 131 is transferred onto the transfer paper by passing the transfer paper between the roller and the drum 131. After the completion of this rolling, the rolled paper is separated from the drum 131 by the separation charging device 143, guided to the fixing device 163 by the conveyance belt 161, and fixed by pressing and heating, and then the discharge roller 165.
Is discharged to the outside of the main body 100.

The drum 131 after rolling continues to rotate and the surface thereof is cleaned by the cleaning device 145 including a cleaning roller and an elastic blade.

C. RDF (Circulating Document Feeder) (300) In RDF300, 301 is a stacking tray for setting documents. Reference numerals 302 and 303 denote original size detection sensors, which are provided at a predetermined interval in the direction perpendicular to the paper surface of the original. The size of the document in the width direction is determined by both sensors 302 and 303.
It is possible to make a determination by checking whether or not the document is being detected, or whether only one of the sensors 303 (however, the sensor 303 is on the back side of the paper surface) is detecting the document. A more accurate size can be determined by increasing the number of this type of sensor. In addition, the size in the length direction is measured by the sensor.
It can be determined by the time when the document is detected by 303 (or 302).

Also, in this RDF300, from the stack tray 301 to the sheet path 304
The original sent to the exposure surface through the sheet path 305 can be stacked on the stack tray 301 again. Further, 307 is a sensor for detecting a value of the original.

The more detailed operation of the RDF 300 is described in detail in Japanese Patent Application No. 59-206619 filed by the present applicant, but is omitted here because it is not directly related to the present invention.

D. Paper Folding Device (400) The paper folding device 400 performs half-folding in which the recorded rolled paper is folded at approximately the center of the center thereof, and Z-folding in which two cross-sections are folded in a substantially Z-shape at predetermined positions. In this paper folding device 400, 401 is a flapper that guides the rolled paper downward when folding the paper.
Reference numeral 405 is a path (conveyance path), and 407 and 409 are folding rollers.

In the paper folding device 400, when Z-folding is specified by the Z-folding key described later, the flapper 401 is turned on to guide the recorded paper to the lower path 403, and the leading end of the paper is moved to the end of the path 403. When stopped, the sheet portion folded in 1/4 through the roller 407 hits the end of the path 405, and the sheet is folded in 1/2 and guided again from the roller 407 through the roller 409 to the finisher 500. When half-folding is specified by the half-fold key, which will be described later, the recorded paper is folded in half at path 403, and then the roller 4 does not go to path 405.
It is discharged from 09 to FINISHA 500. On the other hand, when the folding key is not designated and the paper is not folded, the flapper 401 is turned off and the recorded paper is directly discharged to the finisher 500.

E. Finisher (500) In the finisher 500 for sorting or stapling recorded paper, 501 is a path switching discharge flapper for selectively switching to one of the sorting path 503 and the staple path 505, and 507 is A staple tray for temporarily stacking and storing recorded sheets before being stapled, 509 a width regulating plate for lateral width regulation provided on the staple tray 507, 511 staples a plurality of recorded sheets whose width is regulated by the width regulating plate 509. Stapler (document binding machine), 513 is a stacker tray for storing stapled recorded paper,
The width aligning plate 509 is driven and controlled by a stepping motor (not shown). Reference numeral 515 is a sorting tray for sorting recording paper that is not stapled.

The recorded paper discharged from the main body 100 or the pedestal 200 is half-folded or Z-folded by the paper folding device 400 according to the designation of the key, and then discharged to the swing-type sorting tray 515 of the finisher 500. Alternatively, the printed sheets ejected to the staple tray 507 and ejected to the staple tray 507 are laterally regulated by the width aligning plate 509 for each part of the designated number of sheets, bound by the stapler 511, and dropped to the stacker tray 513.

That is, when the staple mode is selected by the staple key, which will be described later, in the finisher 500, the discharge flapper 501 is turned on to discharge the recorded paper to the staple tray 507 via the path 505, and when the specified number of sheets is reached. Body 100
The width-shifting plate 509 and the stapler 511 are turned on according to the instruction from, and the recorded paper is stapled. After that, the stapled paper is dropped to the stacker tray 513. By repeating this operation, a plurality of recorded documents which are gathered and stapled are completed. Reference numeral 517 is a sensor for detecting the presence or absence of staples, and for example, a reflection type sensor is used.

When the stapling process is not selected, the discharge flapper 501 is turned off and switched to the sorting side, and the recorded paper is discharged to the sorting tray 515 through the path 503.
At that time, according to an instruction from the main body 100, it is possible to stack the recorded papers by shifting the right and left by 300 mm in units of the number of sheets with good separation. FIG. 2 shows an arrangement configuration example of the operation panel provided in the main body 100 described above. The operation panel has a key group 600 and a display group 700 as described below.

602 is an all reset key, which is pressed to return to the standard mode.

Numeral 604 is a compound start key (copy start key), which is pressed to start compound.

A clear / stop key 605 has a function of a clear key during standby (standby) and a stop key during double-recording. This clear key is pressed to cancel the set number of duplicate images. The stop key is pressed when interrupting continuous compounding. After completion of the recovery process at the time of pushing, the recovery process stops.

Numeral 606 is a ten-key pad, which is pressed when setting the number of duplicate images.

Reference numerals 608 and 609 denote a mixture concentration key, which is pressed when manually adjusting the concentration. 610 is an AE key, which is used to automatically adjust the double density according to the density of the original, or AE
Press to cancel (automatic density adjustment) and switch density adjustment to manual (manual). A cassette selection key 611 is pressed to select the upper cassette 151 and the interrupt cassette 153. Also, when a document is placed on the RDF300,
APS (automatic paper cassette selection) can be selected by this key 611. When APS is selected, a cassette with the same size as the original is automatically selected.

Reference numeral 612 denotes a unity size key, which is pressed to take a compound size of unity size (actual size). Reference numeral 613 denotes an auto scaling key, which is pressed to automatically reduce or enlarge the image of the original according to the designated size of the roll paper. 614 and 615 are zoom keys,
Press to specify any magnification between 142%. 616 and 617 are fixed-size variable keys, which are pressed to specify reduction / enlargement of the fixed size.

Reference numeral 625 denotes a staple key, which is pressed when the sheets after recording are stapled. 626 is a Z-fold key, A3 or B4
Press to fold a size of recorded paper into a Z-shaped cross section.

627 is a half-fold key, which is pressed to fold an A3 or B4 size recorded sheet in half.

Reference numeral 628 denotes a sort key, which is lit in the standard mode when the sorting tray (sorter) 515 is connected. At this time,
Press this key 628 when canceling the sort mode or when setting the sort mode. Reference numeral 629 denotes a group key, which stores a plurality of sheets from one original and stores them in the sorting tray 515 for each bin if the sorting tray 515 is connected.

G. Display Group (700) In FIG. 2, 701 is an LCD (liquid crystal) type message display, for example, one character is formed by 5 × 7 dots and 40 character sentence messages can be displayed.

Further, reference numeral 705 is a multi-fold number display, which displays the multi-fold number or the self-diagnosis code. Reference numeral 706 denotes a cassette to be used, which indicates which one of the upper cassette 151 and the interrupt cassette 153 is selected.

Reference numeral 708 denotes an AE display, which lights up when AE (automatic density adjustment) is selected by the AE key 610. 710 is a ready / weight indicator, which is a two-color LED of green and orange. When ready (when copying is possible), green lights up.
Orange lights when waiting (when copying is not possible).

H. Controller (800) FIG. 3 shows a circuit configuration example of the controller 800 of the embodiment shown in FIG. In FIG. 4, reference numeral 801 is a central processing unit (CPU) that performs arithmetic control for executing the present invention, and is, for example, NEC.
Microcomputer made by (NEC) μCOM8
Use 7AD. Reference numeral 803 denotes a read-only memory (ROM) in which a control procedure (control program) as shown in FIG. 5 and subsequent figures according to the present invention is stored in advance, and the CPU 801 executes the control procedure stored in the ROM via a bus. Control each connected component device. Reference numeral 805 denotes a random access memory (RAM) which is a main storage device used as a storage area for input data, a work storage area, or the like.

807 is an interface (I / O) that outputs a CPU 801 control signal to the load of the main motor 133 or the like, and 809 is an interface that inputs an input signal of the surface tip sensor 121 or the like and sends it to the CPU 801.
811 is an interface for controlling the input / output of the key group 600 and the display group 700. These interfaces
The 807, 809, and 811 use, for example, an NEC input / output circuit port μPD8255.

The display group 700 is each display in FIG.
You are using an ED or LCD. The key group 600 is each key shown in FIG. 2, and the CPU 801 can know which key is pressed by a known key matrix.

CPU801 is RDF300, paper folding device 400, and finisher 500.
Are connected to each other via bus lines and operate each device.

The present invention will be described in detail with reference to the embodiment shown in FIG. Fourth
In FIG. 1, a motor 527 is a drive motor for transporting a sheet in the finisher 500, the sheet passes through a paper path 503, a discharge sensor 521, and a discharge roller pair 5 in which a belt is run.
It is discharged to the sorting tray 515 through 25,526. Roller pair 5
25 and 526 are connected to a drive motor 527 via a clutch 528, and the speed of the roller pair can be varied by energizing the clutch 528. That is, the discharge speed of the sheet to the sorting tray is controlled to be high by energizing the clutch, and the discharge speed is controlled to be low by de-energizing.

The timing control of the speed is controlled by the detection of the discharge sensor 521, which prevents the sheets from jumping too much and maintains the good consistency on the tray without impairing the copy speed.

Although FIG. 4-1 shows a normal sheet stacking state,
The discharge roller pair 526 is configured to be vertically rotatable around the roller pair 525 for a certain distance, and the upper limit position is the upper limit sensor 522.
Detect with. That is, normal sheets are sequentially sorted in the sorting tray 515.
As the sheet is discharged, the roller pair 526 is gradually pushed upward by the sheet thickness and finally detected by the upper limit sensor 522. At this time, the vertical movement motor 524 is driven, and the sorting tray moves downward by a rack and pinion as shown in the figure for a certain period of time, and the same operation is repeated thereafter to realize a large amount of stacking. The upper limit sensor 522 is also used to detect the initial position of the sorting tray at the time of starting the recovery. The stacking detection sensor 523 detects the presence or absence of sheets on the tray.

FIG. 4-2 is a diagram showing a stacked state of folded sheets, and the bulge at the end is larger than that of a normal sheet, and it is difficult to realize a large amount of stacking by the above-described normal sheet stacking control. Therefore, in the case of folded sheets, a control method in which the initial position is lowered in advance by the vertical motor 524 (for example, the home position of the normal sheet is 40 mm below) and the sorting tray is lowered by a certain amount for each certain number of sheets to be stacked is effective.
This is because, as shown in FIG. 4-3, if a normal sheet is discharged at the same height while the Z origami sheets P are stacked on the tray, the next sheet may be inserted during folding and other damage may occur. Is.

The method of lowering the tray during stacking of normal sheets is performed by the detection of the upper limit sensor 522 as described above, but in the case of folded sheets, a method of lowering a constant amount every time a constant number of sheets are discharged to the tray is desirable. For example, in the case of discharging a Z-folded sheet, it may be lowered by about 2 mm every time it is discharged onto a tray of three sheets, and in the case of a half-folded sheet, it may be lowered by about 2 mm after discharging five sheets. Further, it is convenient to discharge the Z-folded and half-folded sheets to the tray a little faster than the normal sheet discharging speed. This is because folded sheets have greater air resistance and friction between sheets, but in order to increase the discharging speed, drive motor 52
The control to increase the rotation speed of 7 is performed.

According to the present invention, when the copy is started, if there is no sheet on the sorting tray, the normal copy is executed. If there is a sheet on the sorting tray, copying is continued if the next copy job is the same as the processing form of the previous sheet, but if the processing form is different, control is performed to prohibit copying.

The operation will be described below with reference to the flow chart of FIG.

First, when the copy button is pressed, the tray sheet detection sensor 523 on the tray determines whether or not there is a sheet at step K1, and if there is a sheet, it goes to step K2, and the sheet processing mode of the previous job and the current job is determined. Determine if they are the same. If not, the process moves to step K4 and the fact is displayed on the display section of the main body of the compound machine. For example, LCD701 in display group 700
Then, perform a message display to the effect of "Please remove the sheets on the sorting tray", and confirm that the paper on the tray has been removed by the tray sheet detection sensor 523 before starting the job. If there is no paper on the tray at step K1, go to step K3 to perform copy processing according to the mode, and even if there is paper on the tray, if it is judged at step K2 that it is the same sheet processing form as before. Still goes to step K3 and continues the copy process.

According to the above-described embodiment, since the discharge speed of the sheet to the tray and the vertical movement of the tray are controlled according to the type of the sheet and the processing mode, it is possible to always obtain stable stackability and consistency, and At the start of processing, the presence / absence of sheets on the tray is checked and the processing mode of the sheets on the tray is checked to determine whether or not a double-sided movement is possible, so a stable sheet is always provided without bothering the operator. Processing becomes possible.

[Effects of the Invention] As described above in detail, according to the present invention, the presence or absence of the paper on the tray is checked, and the operation and the non-operation of the double fault are discriminated after comparing with the previous sheet processing mode. Therefore, stable stackability and consistency on the tray are always possible.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a structure of a recording paper post-processing apparatus and an image recording apparatus body embodying the invention, FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an operation panel of the image recording apparatus body, and FIG. 3 is a recording system embodying the invention. Control block diagrams of the paper post-processing apparatus and the image recording apparatus main body, FIGS. 4-1, 4-2, and 4-3 are structural views of essential parts of an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. It is a control flow chart of an Example. 400: Paper folding device 500: Finisher 507: Staple tray 511: Stapler 515: Sorting tray

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A sheet folding unit capable of processing a sheet produced by an image forming apparatus in a plurality of processing modes, a selection unit capable of selectively driving one of the processing modes, and a processing driven by the selection unit. A sheet post-processing apparatus having a storage unit for storing the completed processing form and a sheet stacking tray capable of vertically moving the sheet discharged from the folding unit and having a detection unit for detecting the presence or absence of stacked sheets In the image forming apparatus including the image forming apparatus, when the presence of the sheet is detected by the detecting unit at the start of image forming, the contents of the storage unit and the contents of the selecting unit to be processed are compared to start or not to start the image forming operation. A recording paper post-processing device characterized by determining 2. The recording paper post-processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image forming apparatus is operable only when the contents of the storage unit and the selection unit match. 3. The recording paper post-processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of processing forms include a normal sheet discharge form without folding.