Beating device, post-processing device and image formation device

Abstract

To suppress misalignment of the media compared to when a single displacement portion is supported by the contact / separation portion via a biasing portion.SOLUTION: A beating device includes: a contact portion that contacts the medium from one side in a transverse direction that intersects with the medium's transport direction; a contact / separation portion that approaches and moves away from the contact portion in the transverse direction; and a displacement portion that is supported on the contact / separation portion via a biasing portion at positions offset from each other in the transport direction so as to be displaceable in the transverse direction and hits the medium in contact with the contact portion from the other side in the transverse direction when the contact / separation portion approaches the contact portion.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a beating device, a post-processing device, and an image forming apparatus. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent document 1 discloses a paper post-processing device that is equipped with a paper alignment member that can move to align the edges of multiple sheets of paper placed on an alignment tray, and that is characterized in that at least one of the edges of the paper alignment member or the edge of the movement path of the paper alignment member is formed lower than the surface of the alignment tray to prevent the edges of the sheets of paper from getting caught on at least one of the edges of the paper alignment member or the movement path of the paper alignment member.

[0003] Patent document 2 discloses a paper post-processing device for an image forming device that is equipped with an intermediate tray into which paper sheets are transported one by one from the image forming device, and which first aligns the paper sheets into bundles using a paper edge alignment means before storing them for post-processing such as stapling.The paper edge alignment means is characterized by having an offset mechanism that offsets the paper stack in a direction perpendicular to the paper transport direction when the paper is discharged from the intermediate tray to the paper stacking tray. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-219885 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-002519 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] A striking device can be considered that includes a contact portion that contacts the medium from one side in a transverse direction that intersects with the medium transport direction, a contact-separation portion that approaches and moves away from the contact portion in the transverse direction, and a displacement portion that is supported on the contact-separation portion so as to be displaceable in the transverse direction via a biasing portion, and that strikes the medium in contact with the contact portion from the other side in the transverse direction as the contact-separation portion approaches the contact portion.

[0006] In the hitting device, if a single displacement portion is supported by the contact / separation portion via a biasing portion, misalignment of the media may occur depending on the length of the media.

[0007] An object of the present disclosure is to suppress misalignment of media regardless of the length of the media, compared to when a single displacement portion is supported by a contact / separation portion via a biasing portion. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The first aspect comprises a contact portion that contacts the medium from one side in a transverse direction that intersects with the medium transport direction, a contact-separation portion that approaches and moves away from the contact portion in the transverse direction, and a displacement portion that is supported on the contact-separation portion via a biasing portion at positions offset from each other in the transport direction so as to be displaceable in the transverse direction, and that strikes the medium in contact with the contact portion from the other side in the transverse direction when the contact-separation portion approaches the contact portion.

[0009] The second aspect comprises a contact portion that contacts the medium from one side in a transverse direction that intersects with the transport direction of the medium, and a hitting portion that hits the medium in contact with the contact portion from the other side in the transverse direction, the hitting portion having an operating portion that performs a hitting operation, and a plurality of displacement portions that are each supported by the operating portion so as to be displaceable in the transverse direction via a biasing portion and contact the medium during the hitting operation, and the number of displacement portions that contact the medium varies depending on the length of the transport direction.

[0010] In a third aspect, in the first or second aspect, the displacement portions each extend in the conveying direction and are supported via the biasing portions that are positioned offset from each other in the conveying direction relative to the contact and separation portions.

[0011] In a fourth aspect, in the third aspect, the displacement portions are supported by a common contact and separation portion.

[0012] In the fifth aspect, in the first aspect, the contact-separation portion has a cylindrical portion formed in a cylindrical shape extending in the intersecting direction, and the displacement portion has an axial body that extends away from the contact portion in the intersecting direction and is inserted into the contact-separation portion with the biasing portion attached to its outer periphery.

[0013] In a sixth aspect, in the first aspect, the displacement portion has a tapered end on the side where the medium is carried in in the transport direction.

[0014] In a seventh aspect, in the sixth aspect, the displacement section has a first displacement section arranged at a position close to the side where the medium is transported in the transport direction, and a second displacement section arranged at a position farther away from the side where the medium is transported than the first displacement section and including the end section.

[0015] A post-processing device according to an eighth aspect includes the beating device according to the first aspect and a processing unit that processes the media aligned by the beating device.

[0016] An image forming apparatus of a ninth aspect includes an image forming unit that forms an image on a medium, and a tapping device of any one of the first to seventh aspects that aligns the medium on which the image has been formed by the image forming unit. [Effects of the Invention]

[0017] According to the first aspect, misalignment of the media is suppressed regardless of the length of the media, compared to when a single displacement portion is supported by the contact / separation portion via a biasing portion.

[0018] According to the second aspect, misalignment of the media is suppressed regardless of the length of the media, compared to when a single displacement portion strikes the media.

[0019] According to the third aspect, misalignment of the media is suppressed compared to a configuration in which the displacement portion is supported relative to the contact / separation portion via a single biasing portion.

[0020] According to the fourth aspect, misalignment of the media is suppressed compared to a configuration in which a plurality of displacement members are independently supported by the contact / separation member.

[0021] According to the fifth aspect, the direction of the hitting by the displacement portion is more stable than in a configuration in which the displacement portion is supported by the contact / separation portion only via the biasing portion.

[0022] According to the sixth aspect, when the medium is carried into the hitting device, the medium is less likely to get caught on the displacement portion compared to a configuration having an end portion that is perpendicular to the medium and is formed only by a surface that follows the medium.

[0023] According to the seventh aspect, a long medium is less likely to get caught on the second displacement portion compared to a configuration having an end portion that is perpendicular to the medium and is formed only by a surface that is along the medium.

[0024] According to the eighth aspect, the media are post-processed in a collected state.

[0025] According to the ninth aspect, media on which images are formed are prepared. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0026] [Figure 1] 1 is a front view showing an overall outline of an image forming system according to the present disclosure; [Figure 2] FIG. 3 is a side cross-sectional view of the alignment portion of the first embodiment. [Figure 3] 10 is a side cross-sectional view of the aligning unit of the first embodiment in a state where a displacement unit is in contact with the other side of the recording medium. FIG. [Figure 4] 10 is a side cross-sectional view of the aligning unit of the first embodiment in a state where the displacement unit is in contact with the other side of the other recording medium. FIG. [Figure 5] 10 is a view seen from the contact portion side in a state where the displacement portion is in contact with the other side of the recording medium. FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a side cross-sectional view of an alignment portion of the second embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional plan view of an alignment portion of a third embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0027] (Configuration of the first embodiment) An example of an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described below with reference to the drawings.

[0028] <Image forming system> First, a description will be given of the configuration of an image forming system 100 according to this embodiment. Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of an image forming system 100 according to this embodiment.

[0029] Note that the arrow UP shown in the figure indicates the top of the image forming system, and the arrow DO indicates the bottom of the image forming system. Also, the arrow LH shown in the figure indicates the left of the image forming system, and the arrow RH indicates the right of the image forming system. Also, the arrow FR shown in the figure indicates the front of the image forming system, and the arrow RR indicates the rear of the image forming system. These directions are defined for the convenience of explanation, and the system configuration is not limited to these directions. Note that in each direction of the image forming system, the term "image forming system" may be omitted. For example, "above the image forming system" may be simply referred to as "above."

[0030] In the following description, the "up-down direction" may be used to mean "both above and below" or "either above or below." The "left-right direction" may be used to mean "both right and left" or "either right or left." The "left-right direction" may also be referred to as the lateral, transverse, and horizontal directions. The "front-rear direction" may be used to mean "both forward and backward" or "either forward or backward." The "front-rear direction" may also be referred to as the lateral, transverse, and horizontal directions. The up-down direction, left-right direction, and front-rear direction are directions that intersect with each other (specifically, directions that are perpendicular to each other).

[0031] In addition, the symbol "x" inside a "circle" in the figures indicates an arrow pointing from the front to the back of the page. In addition, the symbol "·" inside a "circle" in the figures indicates an arrow pointing from the back to the front of the page. In addition, the dimensional ratios of the parts shown in each figure in the up-down, left-right, and front-to-back directions may differ from the actual dimensional ratios.

[0032] 1 is a system that forms an image on a recording medium P, and includes an image forming apparatus 200 and a post-processing apparatus 300. Each part of the image forming system 100 (specifically, the image forming apparatus 200 and the post-processing apparatus 300) will be described below.

[0033] <<Image forming device>> The image forming apparatus 200 is an apparatus that forms an image on a recording medium P. The image forming apparatus 200 includes a paper feed section 220, an image forming section 240, and a discharge section 260. As the image forming apparatus 200, for example, an electrophotographic image forming apparatus that forms an image on the recording medium P using toner is used.

[0034] The paper feed unit 220 performs processes such as supplying the recording medium P, for example.

[0035] The image forming unit 240 performs various processes, such as charging, exposure, development, transfer onto the recording medium P, and fixing.

[0036] The discharge section 260 performs processes such as discharging the recording medium P on which an image has been formed, and if there is a post-processing process after discharge, supplying the recording medium P to a post-processing device 300, for example.

[0037] Note that the image forming apparatus 200 is not limited to the electrophotographic image forming apparatus 200 described above, but may be, for example, an inkjet image forming apparatus 200, and various other image forming apparatuses 200 can be used. In the inkjet image forming apparatus 200, for example, ink droplets are ejected onto the recording medium P from an ejection unit (not shown) to form an image on the recording medium P.

[0038] <<Post-processing device>> 1 is a device that performs post-processing on recording media P on which an image has been formed by image forming apparatus 200. Specifically, as shown in Fig. 1, post-processing device 300 includes post-processing device main body 13, discharge section 11, first post-processing section 15, conveying mechanism 30, pre-processing section 18, and second post-processing section 90. Below, each section of post-processing device 300, specifically post-processing device main body 13, discharge section 11, first post-processing section 15, conveying mechanism 30, pre-processing section 18, and second post-processing section 90, will be described.

[0039] <<Post-processing device main body 13, discharge unit 11, and first post-processing unit 15>> 1 is a portion where each component of post-processing device 300 is provided. Specifically, post-processing device main body 13 is configured as a housing formed in a box shape (for example, a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape).

[0040] 1, for example, a first post-processing unit 15, a conveying mechanism 30, a pre-processing unit 18, and a second post-processing unit 90 are provided inside the post-processing device main body 13. The discharge unit 11 is provided on the right side surface of the post-processing device main body 13.

[0041] The discharge section 11 is disposed at the upper part on the right side surface of the post-processing device main body 13. To the discharge section 11, the recording medium P that has been subjected to post-processing in the first post-processing section 15 is discharged.

[0042] Here, post-processing refers to processing performed on the recording medium P on which an image has been formed. The post-processing performed by the first post-processing unit 15 includes a binding process in which multiple sheets of the recording medium P are bound together using a stapler. However, the post-processing is not limited to the binding process. The post-processing may also be, for example, a cutting process in which the recording medium P is cut, or a punching process in which holes are made in the recording medium P, as long as it is processing performed on the recording medium P on which an image has been formed.

[0043] <<<Transport mechanism 30>>> As shown in FIG. 1 , the transport mechanism 30 is a mechanism that transports the recording medium P to the discharge unit 11 or the pre-processing unit 18 described below. Specifically, the transport mechanism 30 has a first path 31, a second path 32, a third path 33, transport rolls 34, 35, and 36, a first detector 37, a second detector 38, and a transport roll 39. When the recording medium P is transported to the discharge unit 11, the transport mechanism 30 transports the recording medium P that has passed through the first path 31 to the discharge unit 11 by rotating the transport roll 35 of the second path 32 in the forward direction. On the other hand, when the recording medium P is transported to the pre-processing unit 18, the transport mechanism 30 transports the recording medium P that has passed through the first path 31 to the pre-processing unit 18 by rotating the transport roll 35 of the second path 32 in the reverse direction.

[0044] The third path 33 is a transport path that transports the recording medium P from the second path 32. A transport roll 36 and a second detection unit 38 are arranged on the third path 33. The second detection unit 38 detects an end (for example, a leading end) of the recording medium P transported on the third path 33.

[0045] The plurality of transport rolls 36 are capable of rotating forward and backward, and are capable of switching back the recording medium P on the third path 33. When the plurality of transport rolls 36 rotate forward, the recording medium P is transported to the pre-processing unit 18, which will be described later.

[0046] Furthermore, by the transport roll 36 rotating in the reverse direction, the recording medium P switched back in the third path 33 is transported to the second path 32. The transport roll 36 can control the transport speed of the recording medium P. Furthermore, the transport roll 36 can control the transport timing at which the recording medium P is transported to the second path 32 based on the detection result of the second detection unit 38.

[0047] The conveying mechanism 30 conveys the recording medium P, which has been conveyed from the image forming apparatus 200 through the first path 31, the second path 32, and the third path 33 in this order, to the pre-processing section .

[0048] The transport roll 39 is a component that transports each of the multiple recording media P transported from the transport mechanism 30.

[0049] In this embodiment, the transport rolls 39 transport the recording medium P downward. Specifically, the transport rolls 39 have a drive roll 39A and a driven roll 39B, and transport the recording medium P sandwiched between the pair of rolls. The drive roll 39A is disposed on the discharge section 11 side (the right side in this embodiment) of the driven roll 39B. The driven roll 39B is disposed on the opposite side of the drive roll 39A from the discharge section 11 (the left side in this embodiment).

[0050] <<<Preprocessing unit 18>>> The pre-processing unit 18 performs pre-processing on the recording media P transported by the transport mechanism 30. Pre-processing refers to aligning the orientations of multiple recording media P in the up-down and front-to-back directions prior to processing by the post-processing unit. The pre-processing unit 18 has a stacking unit 20, a guide unit 40, a support unit 480, an abutment unit 75, and an alignment unit 400.

[0051] <<<<Loading section 20>>>> As shown in FIG. 1, the stacking unit 20 stacks recording media P. In this embodiment, the stacking unit 20 is configured to have a plate-like body that extends diagonally upward (diagonally upward to the right in this embodiment) in a front cross-sectional view. The stacking unit 20 has a stacking surface that faces diagonally upward (diagonally upward to the left in this embodiment) and is provided in a position facing the lower part of the transport roll 39. In the stacking unit 20, the recording media P to which a transport force is applied by the transport roll 39 is loaded on the stacking surface with one end of the recording media P (hereinafter referred to as the lower end D2) facing downward. The stacking unit 20 is formed with a passage hole (not shown) through which the knife 94 passes.

[0052] <<<<Guide section 40>>>> As shown in FIG. 1, the guide section 40 is a component that guides the recording medium P transported by the transport roll 39. In this embodiment, the guide section 40 is configured as a plate-like body that extends diagonally upward (diagonally upward to the right in this embodiment). The guide section 40 has a guide surface that faces diagonally downward (diagonally downward to the right in this embodiment) and faces the loading surface of the loading section 20. In the guide section 40, the guide surface guides the recording medium P to the loading surface of the loading section 20. A passage hole (not shown) through which the knife 94 passes is formed in the guide section 40.

[0053] <<<<Support part 480>>>> As shown in FIG. 1, the support section 480 is a component that supports the lower ends D2 of the recording media P loaded on the loading surface of the loading section 20. The support section 480 is disposed diagonally downward and to the left of the loading section 20. The lower ends D2 of the multiple recording media P loaded on the loading surface of the loading section 20 abut against the support section 480, thereby aligning the lower ends D2. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the support section 480 is movable vertically depending on the size of the recording media. In this embodiment, in addition to the recording media P, a recording medium Q is also used. The recording medium Q is, for example, shorter in the front-to-back and up-down directions than the recording medium P. When the recording medium Q is used, the support section 480 moves upward in the up-down direction to support the lower ends of the recording media Q.

[0054] <<<<Application Department 75>>>> 1, the abutting portion 75 presses the upper end D1 of the recording medium P downward, causing the lower end D2 to abut against the support portion 480. This aligns the upper end D1 of the recording medium P (in other words, the vertical position of the recording medium P). The upper end D1 is the end of the recording medium P opposite the lower end D2.

[0055] In this embodiment, the abutment portion 75 moves from a non-contact position (not shown) where it is not in contact with the recording media P loaded on the loading surface of the loading unit 20, and pushes the upper end D1 of the recording media P downward. The non-contact position is also a position where the abutment portion 75 is separated from the transport path of the recording media P being transported to the loading surface. After abutting the lower end D2 of the recording media P against the support portion 480, the abutment portion 75 returns to the non-contact position.

[0056] <<<<Alignment unit 400>>>> The aligning unit 400 is a component that aligns the side edges of the recording medium P when the surface portion is placed on the stacking unit 20 and the bottom end D2 is placed on the support unit 480, and is disposed below the transport roll 39. The aligning unit 400 is an example of a hitting device. As shown in FIG. 2, the aligning unit 400 has a panel 402, a bracket 404, a contact unit 410, and a hitting unit 420. The up-down direction is an example of the transport direction of the medium.

[0057] The panel 402 is a rectangular plate-like body extending in the front-rear direction, and is disposed on the rear side of the loading section 20. The front-rear direction is an example of an intersecting direction. The panel 402 has an opening 403. The opening 403 is a long hole extending in the front-rear direction, and is a through-hole that penetrates the panel 402 in the thickness direction (left-right direction).

[0058] As shown in FIG. 2 , the bracket 404 has an L-shaped configuration including a main body portion 404A extending vertically and a branch portion 404B fixed to the upper end of the main body portion 404A and extending in the front-rear direction. The bracket 404 has the branch portion 404B located at the upper end of the panel 402, and the main body portion located at the rear end. A portion of the branch portion 404B slidably fits into the opening 403, and the bracket 404 is able to move back and forth in the front-rear direction relative to the panel 402 by being guided by the edge of the opening 403 in the panel 402. The alignment unit 400 also has a moving unit 490 that moves the bracket 404 back and forth in the front-rear direction relative to the panel 402. The moving unit 490 mainly includes a driving unit 492 fixed to the rear surface of the panel 402 and a converting unit 494 that converts the rotational motion of the driving unit 492 into reciprocating motion in the front-rear direction. In this embodiment, the conversion unit 494 is configured by a pinion 494A attached to the rotary shaft of a motor serving as the drive unit 492, and a rack 494B formed on the branch portion 404B and meshing with the pinion 494A.

[0059] The contact portion 410 is a long plate-like body that extends in the up-down direction and is fixed to the panel 402. The contact portion 410 has a flat contact surface 410A facing rearward in the front-rear direction. The contact surface 410A comes into contact with the side edge of the recording media P loaded on the stacking portion 20. The contact portion 410 has a predetermined height h in the left-right direction. For example, the left-right height of the contact portion 410 is a height that allows for a margin in addition to the thickness of the number of recording media P that can be loaded on the stacking portion 20.

[0060] [Beating section] The hitting unit 420 has a long structure that extends in the vertical direction and is movable in the front-to-rear direction while being supported by the bracket 404. The hitting unit 420 hits the side edge of the recording medium P. The hitting unit 420 has a contact / separation unit 430 and a displacement unit 440. Here, hitting means repeatedly contacting the target surface from a fixed direction.

[0061] [[Contact / separate part]] As shown in Fig. 2, the contact / separation unit 430 has a configuration in which a plurality of cylindrical bodies extending in the front-rear direction are fixed to a long plate-like body extending in the up-down direction. The contact / separation unit 430 is an example of an operating unit. The contact / separation unit 430 approaches and moves away from the contact unit 410 in the front-rear direction. Specifically, the contact / separation unit 430 is fixed to the bracket 404, and approaches and moves away from the contact surface 410A of the contact unit 410 in the front-rear direction as the bracket 404 reciprocates in the front-rear direction due to the rotational movement of the drive unit 492. The contact / separation unit 430 has a plate-like portion 432 and a cylindrical portion 434.

[0062] The plate-shaped portion 432 is a long plate-shaped body extending in the up-down direction, and is the main body of the contact / separation portion 430. The plate-shaped portion 432 is disposed rearward in the front-rear direction from the main body portion 404A of the bracket 404. The plate-shaped portion 432 has fixing portions 436. In this embodiment, the plate-shaped portion 432 has four fixing portions 436. The fixing portions 436 protrude forward in the front-rear direction from the main body portion 404A of the bracket 404. By fixing the fixing portions 436 to the main body portion 404A of the bracket 404, the plate-shaped portion 432 becomes movable together with the bracket 404.

[0063] 3, the tubular portions 434 are cylindrical bodies that protrude rearward in the front-rear direction from the front end of the plate-like portion 432 in the front-rear direction, and a plurality of the tubular portions 434 are lined up and spaced apart from one another in the up-down direction of the plate-like portion 432. The tubular portions 434 and the plate-like portion 432 are integrally formed, and a through-hole that is shared with the plate-like portion 432 is formed in the hollow portion of the tubular portion 434. That is, the contact-separation portion 430 has a through-hole that extends in the front-rear direction at the position where the tubular portion 434 is arranged. In this embodiment, four tubular portions 434 are arranged spaced apart from one another in the up-down direction.

[0064] [[Displacement part]] 2, the displacement portion 440 has a configuration in which a rod-shaped portion extends in the front-rear direction from a long plate-shaped portion extending in the up-down direction. The displacement portion 440 is a member that strikes the side end of the recording medium P from the opposite side of the contact portion 410. The displacement portion 440 has a first displacement portion 450 and a second displacement portion 460.

[0065] Since the first displacement section 450 has the same basic configuration as the second displacement section 460, the first displacement section 450 will be mainly described first, and the configuration unique to the second displacement section 460 will be described next.

[0066] The first displacement section 450 is disposed on the upper side of the contacting / separating section 430 in the up-down direction, and strikes the upper side of the recording media P or the side edge of the recording media Q stacked on the stacking section 20.

[0067] As shown in FIGS. 3 and 5, the first displacement portion 450 has a first flat plate portion 452 and a first rod-shaped portion 454. The first rod-shaped portion 454 is an example of a shaft. As shown in FIG. 3, the first flat plate portion 452 is configured as a long plate extending in the up-down direction, with a plurality of annular grooves 456 that are formed in positions spaced apart from each other in the up-down direction and open rearward in the front-to-rear direction. The first flat plate portion 452 has one end portion 452A, the other end portion 452B, a front end portion 452C, a rear end portion 452D, and, as shown in FIG. 5, a first convex portion 452E and a second convex portion 452F.

[0068] One end 452A is the upper end portion in the vertical direction. The other end 452B is the lower end portion in the vertical direction and constitutes the end opposite to one end 452A. The front end 452C is formed flat and is a surface portion facing the contact portion 410. The rear end 452D is a surface portion opposite to the front end 452C and has an annular groove 456 that opens rearward in the front-to-rear direction.

[0069] 5, the first protrusion 452E is a protrusion that protrudes to the left in the left-right direction (upper in the up-down direction in the figure) from the main body portion that extends in the up-down direction while being spaced apart in the up-down direction (left-right direction in the figure). The second protrusion 452F is a protrusion that protrudes to the right in the left-right direction (lower in the up-down direction in the figure) from the main body portion while being spaced apart in the up-down direction (left-right direction in the figure). The protrusion amounts of both the first protrusion 452E and the second protrusion 452F are determined according to the number of recording media P that can be stacked on the stacking unit 20.

[0070] The first rod-shaped portion 454 is rod-shaped and shares a center with the annular groove 456. The first rod-shaped portion 454 extends rearward in the front-rear direction from the rear end portion 452D of the first flat plate portion 452, and has a groove formed on the outer periphery on the rear end side in the front-rear direction. A snap ring 442, which will be described later, is attached to the groove. The first rod-shaped portion 454 is disposed corresponding to the tubular portion 434 of the contact / separation portion 430. The first rod-shaped portion 454 has a length in the front-rear direction that is longer than the length (height of the cylinder) of the tubular portion 434 in the front-rear direction, and an outer diameter that is smaller than the inner diameter of the hollow portion of the tubular portion 434. In this embodiment, the first rod-shaped portion 454 is formed integrally with the first flat plate portion 452.

[0071] As shown in FIG. 3 , the coil spring 470 is a compression coil spring having an inner diameter larger than the outer diameter of the first rod-shaped portion 454 and an outer diameter larger than the diameter of the through-hole of the tubular portion 434 of the contact-separation portion 430. The coil spring 470 is disposed between the contact-separation portion 430 and the first flat plate portion 452 of the first displacement portion 450, and biases the first displacement portion 450 toward the contact-separation portion 430. The coil spring 470 is an example of a biasing portion. The front end of the coil spring 470 in the front-rear direction is positioned in the annular groove 456. Furthermore, the rear end of the coil spring 470 is positioned in contact with the front end of the contact-separation portion 430 in the front-rear direction. When the coil spring 470 is attached to the outer periphery of the first rod-shaped portion 454 and the first rod-shaped portion 454 is inserted into the cylindrical portion 434 of the contact / separation portion 430, and the retaining ring 442 is attached to the groove of the first rod-shaped portion 454, the coil spring 470 is held in a compressed and deformed state (initial attached state). In this embodiment, a coil spring 470 is attached to each of the two first rod-shaped portions 454 of the first displacement portion 450.

[0072] With the above configuration, the first displacement portion 450 is supported in the front-rear direction by the contact / separation portion 430 via the coil spring 470.

[0073] Next, the second displacement section 460 will be described. The second displacement section 460 has a basic configuration equivalent to that of the first displacement section 450. As shown in Fig. 2, the second displacement section 460 is disposed vertically below the contact / separation section 430, at a distance GP apart from the first displacement section 450 and at a position offset from the first displacement section 450 in the vertical direction, and strikes the underside of the recording media P stacked on the stacking section 20 (see Fig. 3). The second displacement section 460 is not disposed in a position where it strikes the side edge of the recording media Q.

[0074] The second displacement portion 460 has a second flat plate portion 462 and a second rod-shaped portion 464. The second flat plate portion 462 corresponds to the first flat plate portion 452, the second rod-shaped portion 464 corresponds to the first rod-shaped portion 454, and the annular groove 466 corresponds to the annular groove 456, and are equivalent in shape and function. The second flat plate portion 462 has one end portion 462A, the other end portion 462B, a front end portion 462C, and a rear end portion 462D. The other end portion 462B and the rear end portion 462D are equivalent in shape and function to the other end portion 452B and the rear end portion 452D, respectively.

[0075] A taper facing upward in the vertical direction is formed at the corner between one end 462A and the front end 462C of the second displacement portion 460. In addition to the above, the second displacement portion 460 is supported in the front-rear direction by the contact / separation portion 430 via the coil spring 470 by the coil spring 470 and the retaining ring 442.

[0076] As described above, the hitting portion 420 has the contacting and separating portion 430 and the displacement portion 440.

[0077] The above constitutes the aligning unit 400.

[0078] <<<Second Post-Processing Unit 90>>> 1 is a component that performs post-processing on recording media P loaded on the loading surface of the loading unit 20. The second post-processing unit 90 is an example of a processing unit. In this embodiment, the second post-processing unit 90 binds multiple sheets of recording media P and performs a process of folding the multiple sheets of recording media P as post-processing.

[0079] 1, the second post-processing section 90 has a binding section 91, a pair of folding rolls 92 and 93, a knife 94, and a discharge roll 96. The binding section 91 is a so-called stapler, and binds the multiple recording media P loaded on the loading surface of the loading section 20 by driving staples into the vertical center of the multiple recording media P.

[0080] The pair of folding rolls 92, 93 are arranged side by side along an upper right side on the lower right side of the passage hole in the loading surface of the loading unit 20. The folding rolls 92, 93 each rotate.

[0081] The knife 94 is longer than the length of the recording medium P in the front-rear direction, and is tapered toward the tip.

[0082] The knife 94 pushes in the recording medium P, thereby folding the recording medium P. Specifically, the knife 94 moves diagonally downward to the right, perpendicular to the guide unit 40, and presses its tip against the vertical center portion of the multiple sheets of recording medium P, which will become the fold line, and pushes the center portion between the pair of folding rolls 92, 93, whereby the multiple sheets of recording medium P are sandwiched between the pair of folding rolls 92, 93 and folded.

[0083] As the pair of folding rolls 92, 93 rotate, the folded recording medium P is transported to the discharge roll 96. Furthermore, the discharge roll 96 transports the multiple sheets of recording medium P folded by the pair of folding rolls 92, 93 and the knife 94, and discharges them to a discharge section (not shown).

[0084] The post-processing performed by the second post-processing unit 90 is not limited to the above-described processes. The post-processing may be, for example, only one of a binding process for binding multiple sheets of recording media P and a folding process for folding multiple sheets of recording media P. The post-processing may also be a cutting process for cutting the recording media P or a punching process for punching holes in the recording media P, and may be any process performed on the recording media P on which an image has been formed.

[0085] <Action and effect> When post-processing device 300 performs post-processing, alignment unit 400 aligns the front-to-rear positions of recording media P or Q loaded on stacker 20. In this embodiment, the state in which recording media P are aligned is described with reference to FIG. 3, and the state in which recording media Q are aligned is described with reference to FIG. 4. Note that positions P1, P2, P1U, P2U, and P2L are all absolute positions relative to alignment unit 400, are aligned from rear to front in the front-to-rear direction, and are determined according to the size of recording media P or Q. Specifically, position P1 is the position of contact / separation unit 430 before striking recording medium P, and position P2 is the position of first displacement unit 450 and second displacement unit 460 before striking recording medium P. Furthermore, position P1U is the position of the contact / separation portion 430 before striking the recording medium Q, position P2U is the position of the first displacement portion 450 before striking the recording medium Q, and position P2L is the position of the second displacement portion 460 when the first displacement portion 450 is located at position P2U.

[0086] As shown in FIG. 3, when aligning the recording media P, the recording media P are set along the contact portion 410. Next, the bracket 404 is moved by the drive unit 492 (see FIG. 2) so that the contact / separation portion 430 is positioned at position P1 and the first displacement portion 450 and the second displacement portion 460 are positioned at position P2. Furthermore, the drive unit 492 is operated to cause the bracket 404 to reciprocate in the front-to-back direction, and the contact / separation portion 430 begins a tapping operation. As a result, the contact / separation portion 430 repeatedly presses the first displacement portion 450 and the second displacement portion 460 against the side edges of the recording media P via the coil spring 470, i.e., taps them. The first displacement portion 450 and the second displacement portion 460, which are repeatedly pressed against the side edges of the recording media P, compress and deform the coil spring 470, thereby aligning the recording media P in the front-to-back direction.

[0087] As shown in FIG. 4, when aligning the recording media Q, the recording media Q are set along the contact portion 410. Next, the bracket 404 is moved by the drive unit 492 (see FIG. 2) so that the contact / separation portion 430 is located at position P1U, the first displacement portion 450 is located at position P2U, and the second displacement portion 460 is located at position P2L. Furthermore, the drive unit 492 is operated to cause the bracket 404 to reciprocate in the front-to-rear direction, and the contact / separation portion 430 begins a tapping motion. As a result, the contact / separation portion 430 repeatedly presses the first displacement portion 450 against the side edge of the recording media Q via the coil spring 470, i.e., taps the recording media Q. The first displacement portion 450, which is repeatedly pressed against the side edge of the recording media Q, compresses and deforms the coil spring 470, thereby aligning the recording media Q in the front-to-rear direction.

[0088] On the other hand, since the recording medium Q is shorter in the vertical direction than the recording medium P, the second displacement portion 460 does not come into contact with the recording medium Q. Therefore, the coil spring 470 between the contact / separation portion 430 and the second displacement portion 460 does not receive a reaction force from the recording medium Q, and repeats a reciprocating movement in the front-to-back direction in accordance with the hitting action of the contact / separation portion 430 while maintaining the initial attachment state.

[0089] In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, the alignment unit 400 includes a contact portion 410 that contacts the recording medium Q from the front side in the front-to-rear direction, a contact-separation portion 430 that moves toward and away from the contact portion 410 in the front-to-rear direction, and a displacement portion 440 that is supported by the contact-separation portion 430 via a coil spring 470 at positions offset from each other in the vertical direction so as to be displaceable in the front-to-rear direction, and that strikes the recording medium in contact with the contact portion 410 from the rear side in the front-to-rear direction when the contact-separation portion 430 moves toward the contact portion 410.

[0090] In other words, the alignment unit 400 comprises a contact portion 410 that contacts the recording medium Q from the front side in the front-to-back direction, a hitting portion 420 that hits the recording medium Q that is in contact with the contact portion 410 from the front side in the front-to-back direction, a contact / separation portion 430 that performs the hitting action, and the hitting portion 420 having first displacement portions 450 and second displacement portions 460 that are each supported by the operating portion so as to be displaceable in the front-to-back direction via coil springs 470 and that contact the recording medium Q during the hitting action, and the number of first displacement portions 450 and second displacement portions 460 that contact the recording medium Q varies depending on the length in the up-to-down direction.

[0091] According to this configuration, misalignment of the recording medium Q is suppressed regardless of the length of the recording medium, compared to when a single displacement portion of a size capable of striking the recording medium P from top to bottom is supported by the contact portion via multiple biasing portions spaced apart in the vertical direction, or when the single displacement portion strikes the recording medium.

[0092] Furthermore, in the alignment unit 400 of this embodiment, the first displacement unit 450 and the second displacement unit 460 each extend in the recording medium transport direction (the vertical direction in FIG. 3), and are supported via coil springs 470 that are positioned offset from each other in the transport direction relative to the contact / separation unit 430. This configuration reduces misalignment of the recording medium compared to a configuration in which the displacement units are supported relative to the contact / separation unit via a single coil spring.

[0093] Furthermore, in the alignment unit 400 of this embodiment, the first displacement unit 450 and the second displacement unit 460 are supported by a common contact / separation unit 430. This configuration reduces misalignment of recording media compared to a configuration in which multiple displacement units are independently supported by contact / separation units.

[0094] 2, the contact / separation portion 430 has a cylindrical portion 434 formed in a cylindrical shape extending in the front-rear direction, and the first displacement portion 450 and the second displacement portion 460 have a first rod-shaped portion 454 that extends away from the contact portion 410 in the front-rear direction and has a coil spring 470 (see FIG. 3) attached to the outer periphery thereof and is inserted into the contact / separation portion 430. With this configuration, the striking direction is restricted compared to a configuration in which the displacement portion is supported by the contact / separation portion only via a coil spring, and therefore the striking direction by the first displacement portion 450 and the second displacement portion 460 is stabilized.

[0095] Furthermore, in the alignment unit 400 of this embodiment, the second displacement unit has a taper formed at the corner between the one end 462A and the front end 462C. With this configuration, when the recording medium P is carried into the alignment unit 400, the recording medium is less likely to get caught on the second displacement unit 460 compared to a configuration having an end that is perpendicular to the recording medium and is formed only with a surface that follows the recording medium.

[0096] Furthermore, in the aligning unit 400 of this embodiment, the displacement unit 440 has a first displacement unit 450 arranged in a position close to the top in the vertical direction, and a second displacement unit 460 arranged in a position further down in the vertical direction than the first displacement unit 450 and including a corner between one end 462A and a front end 462C. With this configuration, a long recording medium is less likely to get caught on the second displacement unit 460 compared to a configuration having an end that is perpendicular to the recording medium and is formed only by a surface that follows the recording medium.

[0097] The post-processing device 300 of this embodiment includes an alignment unit 400, a first post-processing unit 15 that processes the recording media aligned by the alignment unit, and a second post-processing unit 90. With this configuration, the recording media are post-processed in an aligned state.

[0098] (Configuration of the second embodiment) An example of the second embodiment of the present disclosure will be described below with reference to FIGS.

[0099] The present embodiment and the first embodiment share a basic configuration, but the aligning unit 600 of the present embodiment is attached at a different position from the aligning unit 400 of the first embodiment. Specifically, the aligning unit 600 of the present embodiment is a component (jogger) that aligns recording media on which images have been formed by hitting them inside the image forming apparatus 200.

[0100] 6, the aligning unit 600 has a contacting unit 610 and a hitting unit 620. The hitting unit 620 has a contact / separation unit 630 and a displacement unit 640 (a first displacement unit 650 and a second displacement unit 660). Each of these components has the same function as the corresponding component in the first embodiment.

[0101] When recording medium P or Q is carried in to the left side in the left-right direction (the bottom side in the drawing), the aligning unit 600 aligns the recording medium P or Q, and then uses an inversion mechanism (not shown) to carry out the recording medium P or Q to the right side in the left-right direction (the top side in the drawing). The inversion mechanism is used, for example, when images are formed on both sides of the recording medium P or Q.

[0102] (Action and effect) The image forming apparatus 200 according to this embodiment includes an image forming unit 240 that forms an image, and an arranging unit 600 that aligns the recording media on which the image has been formed by the image forming unit 240. According to this configuration, the recording media on which the image has been formed are aligned.

[0103] (Configuration of the third embodiment) An example of the third embodiment of the present disclosure will be described below with reference to FIGS.

[0104] The present embodiment and the first embodiment share a basic configuration, but the aligning unit 700 of the present embodiment is attached at a different position from the aligning unit 400 of the first embodiment. Specifically, the aligning unit 700 of the present embodiment is configured to align recording media on which images have been formed by hitting them in the discharge unit 260 of the image forming apparatus 200 (side tamper, side fence).

[0105] 7, the aligning unit 700 has a contacting unit 710 and a hitting unit 720. The hitting unit 720 has a contact / separation unit 730 and a displacement unit 740 (a first displacement unit 750 and a second displacement unit 760). Each of these components has a function in common with the corresponding component in the first embodiment.

[0106] The aligning unit 700 aligns the recording medium P or Q by hitting it when the recording medium P or Q on which an image has been formed is discharged from the discharge unit 260. The recording medium P or Q aligned by the aligning unit 700 is discharged from the discharge unit 260 from the right side in the left-right direction (the upper side in the up-down direction in the drawing).

[0107] (Action and effect) The image forming apparatus 200 according to this embodiment includes an alignment unit 700 that aligns recording media, and a discharge unit 260 that discharges the recording media aligned by the alignment unit 700. With this configuration, the recording media to be discharged are aligned.

[0108] (Variation) Although the present disclosure has been described in detail with respect to specific embodiments, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the present disclosure is not limited to such embodiments and that the present disclosure can take on various other embodiments within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0109] Although the contact portion 410 is fixed to the panel 402 in the above embodiment, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the contact portion 410 may be supported so as to be movable in the front-rear direction relative to the panel 402. In this case, it is preferable that the contact portion 410 moves in the front-rear direction in accordance with the linear movement of the bracket 404 by the drive portion 492 (see FIG. 2).

[0110] the displacement portions extend in the conveying direction and are supported via the biasing portions that are disposed at positions shifted from the contact and separation portions in the conveying direction;

[0111] In the alignment section 400, the first displacement section 450 and the second displacement section 460 each extend in the transport direction of the recording medium (the up and down direction in Figure 3), and are supported via coil springs 470 that are positioned at positions offset from each other in the transport direction relative to the contact / separation section 430, but this is not essential.

[0112] In the aligning section 400, the first displacement section 450 and the second displacement section 460 are supported by the common contact / separation section 430, but this is not essential.

[0113] As shown in Figure 2, the contact / separation portion 430 has a cylindrical portion 434 formed in a cylindrical shape extending in the front-to-rear direction, and the first displacement portion 450 and the second displacement portion 460 have a first rod-shaped portion 454 that extends in the front-to-rear direction away from the contact portion 410 and has a coil spring 470 attached to its outer periphery and is inserted into the contact / separation portion 430, but these are not required.

[0114] In the alignment section 400, the second displacement section 460 is formed with a taper at the corner between the one end 462A and the front end 462C, but this is not essential. For example, a taper may be formed on the first displacement section 450 instead of the second displacement section 460, or a taper may be formed on both the first displacement section 450 and the second displacement section 460. In fact, neither the first displacement section 450 nor the second displacement section 460 need be formed with a taper.

[0115] In the alignment unit 400, the displacement unit 440 has a first displacement unit 450 arranged in a position close to the upper side in the vertical direction, and a second displacement unit 460 arranged in a position further away from the lower side in the vertical direction than the first displacement unit 450 and including a corner between one end 462A and a front end 462C, but these are not required.

[0116] In addition, the alignment unit is applied to the post-processing device 300 subsequent to the image forming apparatus 200, the inside of the image forming apparatus 200, and the discharge unit 260 in the image forming apparatus 200, but is not limited to this. The alignment unit may be applied to, for example, the paper feed unit 220 of the image forming apparatus 200 or a manual feed unit (not shown).

[0117] Although the recording medium Q has been described as being shorter in the front-to-back and up-to-down directions than the recording medium P, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the recording medium Q may be shorter in either the front-to-back direction or the up-to-down direction than the recording medium P, and the recording medium Q may be a recording medium P with its orientation rotated.

[0118] <Additional Notes> (((1))) a contact portion that contacts the medium from one side in a direction intersecting the medium transport direction; a contact / separation portion that approaches and separates from the contact portion in the intersecting direction; displacement portions supported on the contacting and separating portions via biasing portions so as to be displaceable in the transverse direction at positions offset from each other in the transport direction, and which strike the medium in contact with the contacting portion from the other side in the transverse direction when the contacting and separating portions approach the contacting portion; A beating device comprising: (((2))) a contact portion that contacts the medium from one side in a direction intersecting the medium transport direction; a hitting unit that hits the medium in contact with the contact unit from the other side in the transverse direction, the hitting unit having an operating unit that performs a hitting operation, and a plurality of displacement units that are supported by the operating unit via a biasing unit so as to be displaceable in the transverse direction and that contact the medium during the hitting operation, and the number of the displacement units that contact the medium varies depending on the length of the medium in the transport direction; A beating device comprising: (((3))) the displacement portions extend in the conveying direction and are supported via the biasing portions disposed at positions shifted from each other in the conveying direction with respect to the contact and separation portions; A beating device according to any one of (((1))) or (((2))). (((4))) The displacement portion is supported by a common contact and separation portion. The beating device according to any one of (((1))) to (((3))). (((5))) The contact / separation portion has a cylindrical portion formed in a cylindrical shape extending in the intersecting direction, the displacement portion extends away from the contact portion in the intersecting direction, and includes a shaft body that is inserted into the contact-separation portion with the biasing portion attached to an outer periphery thereof. The beating device according to any one of (((1))) to (((4))). (((6))) The displacement portion has a tapered end portion on a side where the medium is carried in the transport direction. The beating device according to any one of (((1))) to (((5))). (((7))) The displacement section has a first displacement section arranged at a position close to the side where the medium is carried in the transport direction, and a second displacement section arranged at a position farther from the side where the medium is carried in than the first displacement section and including the end section. The beating device according to any one of (((1))) to (((6))). (((8))) A beating device according to any one of (((1))) to (((7))), a processing unit for processing the media aligned by the beating device; A post-processing device comprising: (((9))) an image forming unit that forms an image on a medium; a hitting device according to any one of (((1))) to (((7))) that aligns the medium on which the image is formed by the image forming unit; An image forming apparatus comprising: According to (((1))), misalignment of the media is suppressed compared to when a single displacement portion is supported by the contact / separation portion via a biasing portion. According to (((2))), misalignment of the media is suppressed compared to when a single displacement portion strikes the media regardless of the length of the media. According to (((3))), misalignment of the media is suppressed compared to a configuration in which the displacement portion is supported relative to the contact / separation portion via a single biasing portion. According to (((4))), misalignment of the media is suppressed compared to a configuration in which a plurality of displacement members are independently supported by the contact / separation member. According to (((5))), the direction of the strike by the displacement portion is more stable than in a configuration in which only the biasing portion of the displacement portion is supported by the contact and separation portion. According to (((6))), when the medium is carried into the hitting device, the medium is less likely to get caught on the displacement portion compared to a configuration having an end portion that is perpendicular to the medium and is formed only by a surface that is along the medium. According to (((7))), a long medium is less likely to get caught on the second displacement portion compared to a configuration having an end portion that is perpendicular to the medium and is formed only by a surface that is along the medium. According to (((8))), the media is post-processed in its entirety. According to (((9))), the image-formed medium is prepared. [Explanation of symbols]

[0119] 100 Image forming system 200 Image forming device 220 Image forming unit 240 Media supply section 260 Discharge section 300 Aftertreatment device 400, 600, 700 Alignment unit (example of beating device) 402 Panel 403 Opening 404 Bracket 410, 610, 710 contact parts 420, 620, 720 hammering section 430, 630, 730 Contact and separation part (Example of contact and separation part, operating part) 440, 640, 740 displacement section 450, 650, 750 First displacement part (an example of a displacement part) 460, 660, 760 Second displacement part (an example of a displacement part) 480 Support part P, Q recording media (example of media)

Claims

1. a contact portion that contacts the medium from one side in a direction intersecting the medium transport direction; a contact / separation portion that approaches and separates from the contact portion in the intersecting direction; displacement portions supported on the contacting and separating portions via biasing portions so as to be displaceable in the transverse direction at positions offset from each other in the transport direction, and which strike the medium in contact with the contacting portion from the other side in the transverse direction when the contacting and separating portions approach the contacting portion; A beating device comprising:

2. a contact portion that contacts the medium from one side in a direction intersecting the medium transport direction; a hitting unit that hits the medium in contact with the contact unit from the other side in the transverse direction, the hitting unit having an operating unit that performs a hitting operation, and a plurality of displacement units that are supported by the operating unit via a biasing unit so as to be displaceable in the transverse direction and that contact the medium during the hitting operation, and the number of the displacement units that contact the medium varies depending on the length of the medium in the transport direction; A beating device comprising:

3. the displacement portions extend in the conveying direction and are supported via the biasing portions disposed at positions shifted from each other in the conveying direction with respect to the contact and separation portions; The beating device according to claim 1 .

4. The displacement portion is supported by a common contact and separation portion.

4. The beating device according to claim 3.

5. The contact / separation portion has a cylindrical portion formed in a cylindrical shape extending in the intersecting direction, the displacement portion extends away from the contact portion in the intersecting direction, and includes a shaft body that is inserted into the contact-separation portion with the biasing portion attached to an outer periphery thereof. The beating device according to claim 1 .

6. The displacement portion has a tapered end portion on a side where the medium is carried in the transport direction. The beating device according to claim 1 .

7. The displacement section has a first displacement section arranged at a position close to the side where the medium is carried in the transport direction, and a second displacement section arranged at a position farther away from the side where the medium is carried in than the first displacement section and including the end section.

7. The beating device according to claim 6.

8. The beating device according to claim 1 ; a processing unit for processing the media aligned by the beating device; A post-processing device comprising:

9. an image forming unit that forms an image on a medium; a beating device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, which aligns the medium on which the image is formed by the image forming unit; An image forming apparatus comprising:

Images