Post-processing apparatus and image formation system provided with the same

Abstract

To provide a post-processing apparatus capable of providing a single unit provided with a function capable of varying scrap width as one of functional units, and to provide an image forming system provided with the same.SOLUTION: A slitter capable of varying cutting scrap width is constituted by having: at least two cutters 23, 24, 25, and 26 disposed in the same unit and disposed at different positions with respect to a conveying direction of a sheet; and a relative position adjusting mechanism capable of adjusting relative positions in a direction orthogonal to the conveying direction of the at least two cutters. The respective cutters 23, 24, 25, and 26 are installed on different tool rests 70, and the respective tool rests 70 can be independently moved in a direction orthogonal to the conveying direction of the sheet.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a post-processing device and an image forming system. [Background technology]

[0002] There is a post-processing device that cuts a sheet of paper formed by an image forming device in the conveyance direction and divides it into multiple pieces in a direction perpendicular to the conveyance direction of the sheet. A cutting device disclosed in Patent Document 1 is known as a conventional post-processing device of this type.

[0003] This system has three or more cutting units arranged in parallel in the conveyance direction, each of which has a slitter that cuts the paper in the conveyance direction by sliding an upper rotary blade against a lower rotary blade, and a slitter movement mechanism that moves the slitter to any position in a direction perpendicular to the conveyance direction.

[0004] Then, based on the cutting waste generation pattern stored in the memory unit, the slitter movement mechanism and the guide member movement mechanism are controlled, and the slitter and guide member can be placed at predetermined set positions. The cutting device and the dust removal device are each unitized. A plurality of cutting device units are arranged on the conveyance path from the paper feed side, and a plurality of dust removal device units are arranged downstream of them.

[0005] By using such a post-processing device, the width of the cut waste can be adjusted to suit the commercial material produced by appropriately adjusting the position of the slitter in each cutting device section and the position of the guide member in each waste removal device section. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2012-91278 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] However, in the above-mentioned paper processing device, multiple cutting device sections (multiple cutting units) are required to provide the function of adjusting the cut-off waste width, which requires installation space for the multiple cutting units. Therefore, when applied to an in-line image forming system in which multiple functional units can be selectively attached and detached, multiple units are occupied to vary the cut-off waste width, which limits the selectable functions.

[0008] The present invention was made in consideration of the above circumstances, and its main objective is to provide a post-processing device that can be equipped with a single unit with the function of varying the cutting chip width as one of its functional units, and an image forming system equipped with the same. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] To achieve the above object, the post-processing device of the present invention is a post-processing device having a transport means for transporting paper and a plurality of functional units for performing different types of processing on the paper transported by the transport means, which are selectively detachable. This post-processing device includes a slitter with a variable scrap width as one of the functional units. The slitter has at least two cutters arranged in the same functional unit at different positions relative to the paper transport direction, and a relative position adjustment mechanism that allows the relative positions of the at least two cutters to be adjusted in a direction perpendicular to the paper transport direction.

[0010] Therefore, one unit is provided with at least two cutters that are arranged at different positions in the paper transport direction and whose relative positions in the direction perpendicular to the paper transport direction are adjusted by a relative position adjustment mechanism, making it possible to provide a single unit with the function of varying the scrap width.

[0011] An image forming system according to the present invention includes an image forming apparatus that forms an image on a sheet of paper, and the above-described post-processing apparatus that processes the sheet of paper on which the image has been formed by the image forming apparatus.

[0012] Therefore, by providing the image forming system with the above-described post-processing device, the inconvenience of occupying a plurality of units to vary the scrap width is eliminated. [Effects of the Invention]

[0013] According to the above configuration, it is possible to provide a post-processing device that can include a single unit with a slitter function that can change the scrap width as one of its functional units, and an image forming system that includes the same. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0014] Advantages and features provided by embodiments of the present invention will be more fully understood from the following detailed description and accompanying drawings, which are given by way of example and are not intended to be limiting of the invention. [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of an image forming system according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram showing a control structure of the image forming system according to the present embodiment. [Figure 3] 1 is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration of a slitter (variable slitter width) according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a cutter used in the slitter according to the embodiment. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a drive mechanism that rotates a rotation shaft of the slitter according to the embodiment. [Figure 6A] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a pair of upper and lower rotary sliding bodies (an upper blade unit and a lower blade unit) used in a cutter of the slitter according to the embodiment. [Figure 6B] FIG. 6B is a cross-sectional view of the rotating slide body of FIG. 6A. [Figure 7A]FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a mechanism for rotating an upper rotary slide body together with a rotary shaft according to the embodiment. [Figure 7B] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a mechanism for rotating a lower rotary slide body together with a rotary shaft according to the embodiment. [Figure 8] 10 is a perspective view of a drive mechanism that drives each cutter in the axial direction of a rotation shaft, as viewed from the downstream side in the paper transport direction. FIG. [Figure 9] FIG. 2 is a plan view showing a drive mechanism that drives each cutter in the axial direction of the rotation shaft. [Figure 10A] 10 is a view of a drive mechanism that drives each cutter on the upstream side in the paper conveyance direction in the axial direction of the rotation shaft, as viewed from the downstream side. FIG. [Figure 10B] 10 is a view of a drive mechanism that drives each cutter on the downstream side in the paper conveyance direction in the axial direction of the rotation shaft, as viewed from the downstream side. FIG. [Figure 11] 10 is a table illustrating a manner in which paper is cut using the slitter according to the present embodiment. [Figure 12A] 1 is a view of a portion of a slitter according to the present invention where a cutter is provided, viewed from the upstream side in the paper conveying direction. [Figure 12B] 1 is a view of a portion of a slitter according to the present invention where a cutter is provided, viewed from the downstream side in the paper conveying direction. [Figure 13A] 1 is a view of an upstream cutter of a slitter according to the present invention, viewed from the upstream side in the paper conveying direction. [Figure 13B] 1 is a view of an upstream cutter of a slitter according to the present invention, viewed from the downstream side in the paper conveying direction. [Figure 14A] 1 is a view of a downstream cutter of a slitter according to the present invention, viewed from the upstream side in the paper conveying direction. [Figure 14B] 1 is a view of a downstream cutter of a slitter according to the present invention, viewed from the downstream side in the paper conveying direction. [Figure 15] 1 is a perspective view showing a housing attached to a cutter (rotary sliding body) used in a slitter according to the present invention, and various members attached thereto. [Figure 16]12A and 12B are cross-sectional views of the slitter according to the present invention taken along line α-α of FIG. 12A and FIG. 12B. [Figure 17] FIG. 12C is a perspective view showing a state cut along line α-α in FIGS. 12A and 12B. [Figure 18A] 10 is a diagram showing a scrap pressing member and a height difference forming means provided on a cutter of the slitter according to the embodiment, as viewed from the downstream side in the conveying direction. FIG. [Figure 18B] 5A and 5B are diagrams illustrating the function of a scrap pressing member provided on a cutter of the slitter according to the embodiment. [Figure 18C] 4A and 4B are diagrams illustrating the function of a height difference forming means provided on a cutter of the slitter according to the present embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0015] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the image forming system 1 according to this embodiment includes an image forming apparatus 100, a relay unit RU, a post-processing apparatus 200, and a finisher FS.

[0016] Image forming apparatus 100 forms a color image by electrophotography based on image data obtained by reading an image from an original or image data received from an external device. Image forming apparatus 100 has an operation unit 11, a display unit 12, an original reading unit 13, an image forming unit 14, a paper feed unit 15, an image formation control unit 16, a storage unit 17, a controller IF (Interface) 18, and an image processing unit 19.

[0017] The operation unit 11 includes a touch panel formed to cover the display screen of the display unit 12, and various operation buttons such as numeric buttons and a start button, and outputs an operation signal to the image formation control unit 16 based on a user's operation.

[0018] The display unit 12 is configured by an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display), and displays various screens according to instructions of a display signal input from the image formation control unit 16.

[0019] The document reading unit 13 includes an ADF (automatic document feeder), a scanner, etc., and outputs image data obtained by reading an image of a document to the image formation control unit 16.

[0020] Based on the image-processed image data, the image forming unit 14 forms an image on paper supplied from the paper feed unit 15. The image forming unit is configured to include photosensitive drums 141Y, 141M, 141C, and 141K corresponding to the colors yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C), and black (K), an intermediate transfer belt 142, a secondary transfer roller 143, a fixing unit 144, a density sensor 145, and the like.

[0021] After being uniformly charged, the photosensitive drum 141Y is scanned and exposed to a laser beam based on yellow image data, forming an electrostatic latent image. Then, yellow is applied to the electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive drum, and development is performed. The other photosensitive drums 141M, 141C, and 141K undergo the same process as the photosensitive drum 141Y, except that the colors they handle are different.

[0022] The toner images of each color formed on the photosensitive drums 141Y, 141M, 141C, and 141K are transferred one by one (primary transfer) onto the rotating intermediate transfer belt 142. That is, a color toner image in which the toner images of four colors are superimposed is formed on the intermediate transfer belt 142. The color toner images on the intermediate transfer belt 142 are transferred all at once onto a sheet of paper by the secondary transfer roller 143 (secondary transfer). The fixing unit 144 includes a heating roller that heats the paper onto which the color toner image has been transferred, and a pressure roller that presses the paper, and fixes the color toner image onto the paper by applying heat and pressure.

[0023] The paper feed unit 15 includes paper feed trays T11 to T13, and supplies paper to the image forming unit 14. Each of the paper feed trays T11 to T13 stores paper of a paper type and size predetermined for that paper feed tray.

[0024] The image forming control unit 16 is configured to include a CPU, a ROM, and a memory. The CPU reads various processing programs stored in the ROM and, in accordance with the programs, controls the operation of each part of the image forming apparatus 100. When post-processing is to be performed on the output paper, the CPU also issues an instruction to the post-processing device 200 to execute the predetermined post-processing.

[0025] The post-processing device 200 is a device that performs post-processing as needed on the paper sheets output from the relay unit RU. Examples of post-processing include slittering, gutter slittering, CD cutting, creasing, and FD / CD perforation. These post-processing steps are not required, and are performed only when instructed by the image forming apparatus 100. If no post-processing steps are required, the post-processing device 200 simply transports the transported paper sheets to the finisher FS.

[0026] The post-processing device 200 has a paper transport section 210, functional units (post-processing modules) U1 to U4, a purge tray T1 that discharges paper to be purged from the post-processing device 200, and a card tray T2 that discharges paper cut to a predetermined size by the post-processing device 200. The paper transport section 210 transports the paper transported from the relay unit RU to the functional units U1 to U4, and then transports the paper that has undergone post-processing in the functional units to various trays (purged tray T1, card tray T2) or the finisher FS.

[0027] The paper transport section 210 includes a long paper transport section 211 and a purge transport section 212. The paper transport section 210 is configured with multiple transport roller pairs 213 and includes transport paths 214-217 as shown in FIG. 1. Specifically, the paper transport section 210 includes a straight transport path 214 that corrects any skew in the paper being transported to the functional unit U1, and a detour path 215 that detours the long paper being transported to the functional unit U1 to align it in the CD direction (paper width direction). The paper transport section 210 also includes a reversing discharge path 216 that reverses the paper after post-processing by the functional units U1-U4 and discharges it to the finisher FS, and a dual-purpose path 217 that serves as both a discharge path for discharging paper to the purge tray T1 and a reversing path for reversing the paper. The paper transport section 210 transports print paper transported from the image forming apparatus 100 to the post-processing section (functional units U1 to U4) by a plurality of transport roller pairs 213. The paper transport section 210 also transports print paper that has undergone post-processing to the finisher FS. In the finisher FS, the paper after image formation is stapled, folded, punched, etc.

[0028] The functional units U1 to U4 perform post-processing on the transported sheets. The functional units U1 to U4 are manually selected and installed by a service person. For example, the most upstream functional unit U1 may be a top and bottom slitter, and the most downstream functional unit U4 may be a CD cutter (CD cutting unit) for CD cutting. In this case, the functional units U2 and U3 may be selected from among a gutter slitter, a creaser (bottom convex) or a creaser (top convex), an FD perforation or a CD perforation, etc. The gutter cutter has the function of trimming the margins between adjacent products in the direction perpendicular to the paper transport direction along the transport direction. The creaser (convex downward) or creaser (convex upward) has the function of creasing (creasing) the paper. The FD perforation or CD perforation has the function of performing FD / CD perforation processing to make perforations in the paper.

[0029] The functional units U1 to U4 described above are modules selected by the user according to the functions required and detachably mounted on unit housing receivers, so that the required functions can be completed on a module-by-module basis. Of these, the one shown in Figure 3 is a variable-width slitter 20, which is a type of slitter that can cut by adjusting the slitter width.

[0030] The variable slitter width 20 will be described in detail below. Note that the paper transport direction may be referred to as the front-to-rear direction of the paper, the upstream side of the paper transport direction as the front side of the paper, and the downstream side of the paper transport direction as the rear side. Also, the horizontal direction perpendicular to the paper transport direction may be referred to as the left-to-right direction of the paper.

[0031] As shown in FIG. 3, the variable groove width slitter 20 includes a plurality of cutters 23, 24, 25, and 26 for cutting grooves when dividing the paper into a plurality of pieces in the direction perpendicular to the conveyance direction. That is, in the unit housing 21, a plurality of cutters are arranged at different positions in the conveying direction of the paper conveyed by the paper conveying section 210, and a plurality of sets of cutters are provided at different positions in the direction perpendicular to the conveying direction of the paper. In this example, the cutters (23 and 24, 25 and 26) are arranged at two different locations in the paper transport direction. Two pairs of cutters (23 and 24, 25 and 26) are provided, arranged at different positions in the direction perpendicular to the paper transport direction. Therefore, in this embodiment, the cutters 23, 24, 25, and 26 are provided at four locations in the unit housing 21: front, rear, left and right in the paper transport direction.

[0032] As shown in Figure 4, each of the cutters 23, 24, 25, and 26 is attached to a pair of upper and lower rotation shafts (31 and 32, 33 and 34) that extend in a direction perpendicular to the paper transport direction. Two sets of upper and lower rotation shafts (31 and 32, 33 and 34) are provided at a predetermined interval in front of and behind the paper transport direction. The rotation shafts are arranged parallel to each other.

[0033] Upper blade units 231, 241, 251, 261 as rotary sliders having upper cutter blades 231a, 241a, 251a, 261a are provided on the upper rotary shafts 31, 33 so as to be movable in the axial direction of the rotary shafts 31, 33. Lower blade units 232, 242, 252, 262 as rotary sliders having lower cutter blades 232a, 242a, 252a, 262a are provided on the lower rotary shafts 32, 34 so as to be movable in the axial direction of the rotary shafts 32, 34.

[0034] An upper housing 71 is attached around the upper blade units 231, 241, 251, and 261. A lower housing 72 is attached around the lower blade units 232, 242, 252, and 262. The upper housing 71 and the lower housing 72 are connected by a connecting member 73 (shown in FIG. 3). This allows the upper blade units 231, 241, 251, and 261 and the lower blade units 232, 242, 252, and 262 to slide integrally on the rotation axis. The upper housing 71 and the lower housing 72 form a tool rest 70 that rotatably houses the upper cutter blades 231a, 241a, 251a, 261a (upper blade units 231, 241, 251, 261) and the lower cutter blades 232a, 242a, 252a, 262a (lower blade units 232, 242, 252, 262), which are paired vertically.

[0035] As shown in FIG. 5, the rotary shafts 31, 32, 33, and 34 are simultaneously rotated by a drive motor 35, which is a common power source. The drive motor 35 is installed on the outside of one of the pair of side walls 21a, 21b that form a longitudinal direction of the unit housing 21. The motor shaft 35a of the drive motor 35 protrudes into the unit housing 21 through the side wall 21a. The four rotary shafts 31 to 34 are arranged below the motor shaft 35a at predetermined intervals in the paper transport direction (front-to-back direction) and in the up-down direction. The rotary shafts 31 to 34 are arranged parallel to the longitudinal direction of the unit housing 21. The rotary shafts 31 to 34 are rotatably supported by the pair of side walls 21a, 21b that face each other in the longitudinal direction of the unit housing 21. The rotary shafts 31 to 34 are simultaneously rotated by a series of gears.

[0036] The drive motor 35 has a drive gear 36 attached to its motor shaft 35a that meshes with a large-diameter gear 37a of a reduction gear 37, which is formed by a large-diameter gear 37a and a small-diameter pinion 37b that are concentrically integrated. The pinion 37b meshes with transmission gears 41 and 43 that are fitted onto the upper rotating shafts 31 and 33 of two pairs of rotating shafts (31 and 32, 33 and 34) that form upper and lower pairs. The upper transmission gears 41 and 43 mesh with transmission gears 42 and 44 that are fitted onto the lower rotating shafts 32 and 34 of the two pairs of rotating shafts that form upper and lower pairs.

[0037] Therefore, when the drive motor 35 rotates, the rotational power of the drive motor 35 is transmitted to the upper transmission gears 41 and 43 via the reduction gear 37. The rotational power is further transmitted to the lower transmission gears 42 and 44 via the upper transmission gears 41 and 43. This causes the four rotary shafts 31 to 34 to rotate simultaneously. As a result, the upper and lower pairs of cutter blades 231a, 232a, 251a, and 252a on the upstream side cut one side of the groove of the paper conveyed between them. Meanwhile, the upper and lower pairs of cutter blades 241a, 242a, 261a, and 262a on the downstream side cut the other side of the groove of the paper conveyed between them.

[0038] As shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B, the upper blade units 231, 241, 251, and 261 are made up of the following components: A cylindrical main body 51 is fitted to the upper rotating shafts 31 and 33 so as to be slidable in the axial direction. Bearing portions 52 fitted onto both ends of the main body portion 51 A cutter blade holding tube 53 is attached to the middle of the main body 51. Cutter blades 231a, 241a, 251a, and 261a press-fitted to the outer circumferential surface of the cutter blade holding cylinder 53 A retaining ring 54 is pressed onto the outer surface of the cutter blade retaining cylinder 53 to maintain the cutter blade in its attached state. The cutter blade holding cylinder 53 has a flange portion 53a at one end. The cutter blades 231a, 241a, 251a, and 261a are fitted to the cutter blade holding cylinder 53 so as to abut against this flange portion 53a. The cutter blades are fixed so as to be sandwiched between the flange portion 53a of the cutter blade holding cylinder 53 and the holding ring 54.

[0039] As shown in FIG. 7A , screw holes 55 are formed radially through the flange portion 53a. Furthermore, through holes 56 are formed in the main body portion 51 at positions that align with the screw holes 55. Furthermore, grooves 57 extending in the axial direction are formed on the circumferential surfaces of the rotating shafts 31, 33 that align with the through holes 56. Power transmission screws 58 are threaded into the screw holes 55 so that they are inserted into the grooves 57 via the through holes 56. Furthermore, a plurality of positioning holes 59 are formed through the flange portion 53a of the cutter blade holding tube 53, with the positions of the screw holes 55 offset from each other. Set screws 50 are threaded into the positioning holes 59. The cutter blade holding tube 53 and the main body portion 51 are firmly fixed together by the set screws 50.

[0040] Therefore, when the rotating shafts 31 and 33 rotate, the power is transmitted to the flange portion 53a of the cutter blade holding cylinder 53 via the power transmission screw 58, rotating the cutter blades 231a, 241a, 251a, and 261a press-fitted and fixed in the cutter blade holding cylinder 53. Furthermore, since the flange portion 53a is fixed to the main body portion 51 via the set screw 50, the power transmitted to the flange portion 53a is also transmitted directly to the main body portion 51. As a result, the upper cutter blades 231a, 241a, 251a, and 261a rotate together with the main body portion 51. The upper housing 71 attached to the upper blade units 231, 241, 251, 261 is locked to the outer circumferential surface of the bearing portion 52 (attached so as not to impede the rotation of the upper blade units 231, 241, 251, 261).

[0041] As shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B, the lower blade units 232, 242, 252, and 262 are made up of the following components: A cylindrical main body 61 is fitted to the lower rotary shafts 32 and 34 so as to be slidable in the axial direction. Bearing portions 62 fitted onto both ends of the main body portion 61 A cutter blade holding tube 63 is attached to the middle of the main body 61. The cutter blades 232a, 242a, 252aa, and 262a are press-fitted to the outer circumferential surface of the cutter blade holding cylinder 63. A retaining ring 64 is pressed onto the outer surface of the cutter blade retaining cylinder 63 to maintain the cutter blade in its attached state. The cutter blade holding cylinder 63 has a flange portion 63a. The cutter blades 232a, 242a, 252aa, and 262a are mounted on the cutter blade holding cylinder 63 so as to abut against the flange portion 63a. The cutter blades 232a, 242a, 252aa, and 262a are fixed so as to be sandwiched between the flange portion 63a of the cutter blade holding cylinder 63 and the holding ring 64.

[0042] As shown in Fig. 7B, a screw hole 65 is formed in the flange portion 63a so as to penetrate in the radial direction. Furthermore, a through hole 66 having a larger diameter in the axial direction of the rotary shaft is formed in the main body 61 at a position aligned with the screw hole 65. Furthermore, a groove 67 extending in the axial direction is formed in the rotary shafts 32, 34 at a position aligned with the through hole 66. A power transmission screw 68 is threaded into the screw hole 65 so as to be inserted into the groove 67 via the through hole 66. A plurality of positioning holes 69 are formed in the flange portion 63a of the cutter blade holding tube 63 so as to be out of phase with the screw holes 65. However, in this example, the positioning holes 69 are not particularly used (no set screws are attached).

[0043] Therefore, when the rotating shafts 32, 34 rotate, the power is transmitted to the flange portion 63a of the cutter blade holding cylinder 63 via the power transmission screw 68, rotating the cutter blades 232a, 242a, 252aa, and 262a press-fitted and fixed in the cutter blade holding cylinder 63. Furthermore, since the flange portion 63a is not fixed to the main body 61, when the power transmission screw 68 begins to rotate in conjunction with the rotation of the rotating shafts 32, 34, the inner circumferential surface of the through-hole 66 of the main body 61 abuts against the bottom of the power transmission screw 68, causing the main body 61 to rotate together. As a result, power is transmitted to the cutter blade holding cylinder 63 and the main body 61 via the power transmission screw 68, and the cutter blades 232a, 242a, 252aa, and 262a rotate together with the main body 61. The lower housing 72 attached to the lower blade units 232, 242, 252, 262 is locked to the outer peripheral surface of the bearing portion 62 (attached so as not to impede the rotation of the lower blade units 232, 242, 252, 262).

[0044] The cutter blade holding cylinder 63 is not fixed to the main body 61, but is slidable in the axial direction of the rotation shafts 32 and 34. A spring (not shown) is elastically mounted between the cutter blade holding cylinder 63 and the bearing 62, which is disposed on the opposite side of the upper cutter blades 231a, 241a, 251a, and 261a with respect to the lower cutter blades 232a, 242a, 252a, and 262a. This biases the lower cutter blades 232a, 242a, 252a, and 262a so as to press them axially against the upper cutter blades 231a, 241a, 251a, and 261a. Therefore, even if there is a tolerance in the fixed positions of the upper cutter blades 231a, 241a, 251a, and 261a, the cutting edges of the upper cutter blades 231a, 241a, 251a, and 261a and the cutting edges of the lower cutter blades 232a, 242a, 252a, and 262a abut in the axial direction, thereby preventing any interference with paper cutting.

[0045] (Drive mechanism for upper blade unit and lower blade unit) The upper blade units 231, 241, 251, 261 and the lower blade units 232, 242, 252, 262 that form pairs above and below are linked in the axial position of the rotation shaft by a connecting member 73 attached to the upper housing 71 and the lower housing 72. Therefore, the upper cutter blades 231a, 241a, 251a, 261a and the lower cutter blades 232a, 242a, 252a, 262a are able to slide axially on the rotation shaft while remaining in a state where they are not separated from each other in the axial direction. The upper blade units 231, 241, 251, 261 and the lower blade units 232, 242, 252, 262, which are paired vertically, are slidable in the axial direction of the rotary shafts 31 to 34 by a drive belt (an endless belt, described later) fixed to the upper housing 71, which is engaged with the upper blade units.

[0046] The left and right cutters 23 and 25 on the upstream side in the conveying direction and the left and right cutters 24 and 26 on the downstream side in the conveying direction are belt-driven by separate drive motors 311, 321, 331, and 341 as power sources, as shown in FIGS. Of the cutters 23 and 25 on the upstream side in the conveying direction, the drive mechanism A that drives the right cutter 23 as viewed from the downstream side has the following configuration, as also shown in FIG. 10A. (1) The first drive motor 311 is provided on the right side of the upper center of the unit housing 21 when viewed from the downstream side. (2) A first drive pulley 312 fixed to the motor shaft of the first drive motor 311 (3) A first intermediate pulley 313 is disposed near one end of the unit housing 21 in the longitudinal direction (the right side when viewed from the downstream side), above the upper rotary shaft 31 and below the first drive pulley 312, and is disposed rotatably around an axis parallel to the motor shaft of the first drive motor 311. (4) A first end pulley 314 is disposed above the upper rotary shaft 31 at approximately the center of the longitudinal direction of the unit housing 21, and is disposed rotatably around an axis parallel to the motor shaft of the first drive motor 311. (5) A first endless belt 315 stretched between the first driving pulley 312 and the first intermediate pulley 313 (6) A second endless belt 316 stretched between the first intermediate pulley 313 and the first end pulley 314

[0047] The upper part of the upper housing 71, which is engaged with the upper blade unit 231 constituting the cutter 23, is fixed to the second endless belt 316. Therefore, the axial position of the rotation shafts 31 and 32 of the right-hand cutter 23 as viewed from the downstream side of the upstream side in the conveying direction is adjusted by controlling the first drive motor 301.

[0048] Of the cutters on the upstream side in the conveying direction, the drive mechanism B that moves the left cutter 25 as seen from the downstream side has the following configuration, as also shown in FIG. 10A. (1) The second drive motor 321 is provided on the left side of the upper center of the unit housing 21 when viewed from the downstream side. (2) A second drive pulley 322 fixed to the motor shaft of the second drive motor 321 (3) A second intermediate pulley 323 is disposed near the other end of the unit housing 21 in the longitudinal direction (the left side when viewed from the downstream side), above the upper rotary shaft 31 and below the second drive pulley 322, and is disposed rotatably around an axis parallel to the motor axis of the second drive motor 321. (4) A second end pulley 324 is disposed above the upper rotary shaft 31 at approximately the center of the longitudinal direction of the unit housing 21, and is disposed rotatably around an axis parallel to the motor shaft of the second drive motor 321. (5) A third endless belt 325 stretched between the second driving pulley 322 and the second intermediate pulley 323 (6) A fourth endless belt 326 stretched between the second intermediate pulley 323 and the second end pulley 324

[0049] The upper part of the upper housing 71, which is engaged with the upper blade unit 251 constituting the cutter 25, is fixed to the fourth endless belt 326. Therefore, the axial position of the rotation shafts 31 and 32 of the left cutter 25, as viewed from the downstream side of the upstream side in the conveying direction, is adjusted by controlling the second drive motor 321.

[0050] Of the cutters on the downstream side in the conveying direction, the drive mechanism C that moves the right cutter 24 as seen from the downstream side has the following configuration, as also shown in FIG. 10B. (1) The third drive motor 331 is provided in the upper portion of the unit housing 21 near the right end when viewed from the downstream side in the longitudinal direction. (2) A third drive pulley 332 fixed to the motor shaft of the third drive motor 331 (3) A third intermediate pulley 333 is disposed near the right end of the unit housing 21 when viewed from the downstream side in the longitudinal direction, above the upper rotary shaft 33 and below the third drive pulley 332, and is disposed rotatably around an axis parallel to the motor axis of the third drive motor 331. (4) A third end pulley 334 is disposed above the upper rotary shaft 33 at approximately the center of the longitudinal direction of the unit housing 21, and is disposed rotatably around an axis parallel to the motor axis of the third drive motor 331. (5) A fifth endless belt 335 stretched between the third drive pulley 332 and the third intermediate pulley 333 (6) A sixth endless belt 336 stretched between the third intermediate pulley 333 and the third end pulley 334

[0051] The upper part of the upper housing 71, which is engaged with the upper blade unit 241 constituting the right cutter 24 as seen from the downstream side in the downstream conveyance direction, is fixed to the sixth endless belt 336. Therefore, the axial position on the rotation shafts 33, 34 of the right cutter 24 as seen from the downstream side in the downstream conveyance direction is adjusted by controlling the third drive motor 331.

[0052] Of the cutters on the downstream side in the conveying direction, the drive mechanism D that drives the left cutter 26 as seen from the downstream side has the following configuration, as also shown in FIG. 10B. (1) A fourth drive motor 341 provided at the upper portion near the left end of the unit housing 21 when viewed from the downstream side in the longitudinal direction. (2) A fourth drive pulley 342 fixed to the motor shaft of the fourth drive motor 341 (3) A fourth intermediate pulley 343 is disposed near the left end of the unit housing 21 when viewed from the downstream side in the longitudinal direction, above the upper rotary shaft 33 and below the fourth drive pulley 342, and is disposed rotatably around an axis parallel to the motor axis of the fourth drive motor 341. (4) A fourth end pulley 344 is disposed above the upper rotary shaft 33 at approximately the center of the longitudinal direction of the unit housing 21, and is disposed rotatably around an axis parallel to the motor axis of the fourth drive motor 341. (5) A seventh endless belt 345 stretched between the fourth drive pulley 342 and the fourth intermediate pulley 343 (6) An eighth endless belt 346 stretched between a fourth intermediate pulley 343 and a fourth end pulley 344

[0053] The upper part of the upper housing 71, which is engaged with the upper blade unit 261 constituting the left cutter 26 as seen from the downstream side in the downstream conveyance direction, is fixed to the eighth endless belt 346. Therefore, the axial position on the rotation shafts 33, 34 of the left cutter 26 as seen from the downstream side in the downstream conveyance direction is adjusted by controlling the fourth drive motor 341.

[0054] In this example, the first intermediate pulley 313 is a double-type pulley on which the first endless belt 315 and the second endless belt 316 are wound. The second intermediate pulley 323 is a double-type pulley on which the third endless belt 325 and the fourth endless belt 326 are wound. The third intermediate pulley 333 is a double-type pulley on which the fifth endless belt 335 and the sixth endless belt 336 are wound. The fourth intermediate pulley 343 is a double-type pulley on which the seventh endless belt 345 and the eighth endless belt 346 are wound. The first end pulley 314, the second end pulley 324, the third end pulley 334, and the fourth end pulley 344 are provided coaxially and independently rotatably.

[0055] In the above configuration example, two pairs of cutters (an upstream cutter and a downstream cutter) are arranged at two different locations in the paper transport direction, in a direction perpendicular to the transport direction, and each cutter in each pair can move independently in a direction perpendicular to the transport direction. Therefore, by controlling at least one of the first drive motor 311 and the third drive motor 331, the width of one of the ditch can be adjusted by the pair of cutters 23, 24 on the left side in the conveying direction (the right side when viewed from the downstream side). Also, by controlling at least one of the second drive motor 321 and the fourth drive motor 341, the width of the other ditch can be adjusted by the pair of cutters 25, 26 on the right side in the conveying direction (the left side when viewed from the downstream side). Also, when only the upstream cutters 23, 25 or the downstream cutters 24, 26 are used, it is possible to cut the paper without a ditch.

[0056] The variable slit width slitter 20 described above enables various cutting patterns by combining two cutters 23, 25 on the upstream side of the paper conveyance direction with two cutters 24, 26 on the downstream side. For example, as shown in Fig. 11, if you want to divide a product into two adjacent pieces in a direction perpendicular to the conveyance direction, you can simply place one of the cutters (in this example, the upstream cutter 25) at the dividing position. Also, if you want to divide a product into three adjacent pieces in a direction perpendicular to the conveyance direction, you can simply place two of the cutters (in this example, the two upstream cutters 23, 25) at the dividing position.

[0057] Furthermore, if it is necessary to form a gutter at the dividing point, the gutter width (narrow or wide) can be adjusted by adjusting the relative positions of the pair of upstream and downstream cutters in the direction perpendicular to the conveying direction, as shown in the figure. In this case, by using a pair of cutters (for example, cutters 25 and 26) that move back and forth in the conveying direction, it is possible to form a line of gutter with any desired width at any position on the paper. Furthermore, by using two pairs of cutters (23 and 24, 25 and 26) that move back and forth in the conveyance direction, it is possible to form two rows of grooves with any groove width at any position on the paper. Therefore, according to the above-described configuration, it is possible to adjust the gap width and cut the paper using a single unit (variable gap width slitter 20), so that it is possible to produce commercial materials of various sizes from a single paper size without using multiple units.

[0058] Incidentally, as mentioned above, when two cutters (23 and 24, 25 and 26) are placed at different positions relative to the transport method within one unit (unit housing), it is necessary to transport the paper appropriately to each cutter over a short distance. It is also necessary to properly dispose of the scraps and cut paper (body). For this reason, the following accessories are provided.

[0059] (Paper guide member) As shown in FIGS. 12 to 17, the cutters 23, 24, 25, and 26 of the variable slitter 20 are provided with paper guide members 401, 402, 403, and 404 between the upper and lower housings 71 and 72 of the tool rest 70, respectively. 13 to 18 show the upstream cutter 24 and downstream cutter 24 on the left side of the paper transport direction (the right side when viewed from the downstream side of the variable slitter width 20), but the cutter on the right side of the transport direction has essentially the same configuration, except that the shape is reversed left and right relative to the paper transport direction.

[0060] The paper guide members 401, 402, 403, and 404 are attached to the bottom of the upper housing 71 and the top of the lower housing 72, respectively, by appropriate fastening means such as screws. The upstream ends of the paper guide members 401, 402, 403, and 404 are provided with tapered portions 401a, 402a, 403a, and 404a that vertically increase the size of the paper receiving opening toward the upstream side. That is, the paper guide members 401 and 403 attached to the bottom of the upper housing 71 have tapered portions 401a and 403a formed at their upstream ends that slope upward toward the upstream side. Similarly, the paper guide members 402 and 404 attached to the top of the lower housing 72 have tapered portions 402a and 404a formed at their upstream ends that slope downward toward the upstream side.

[0061] The paper guide members 401, 402, 403, and 404 are formed from at least the upstream end faces of the upper and lower housings 71 and 72 to the portions facing the conveyance path A between the upper blade units 231 and 241 and the lower blade units 232 and 242. That is, the paper guide members 401 and 403 provided on the upper housing 71 are attached so as to cover at least the upstream end face of the upper housing 71 to the lower opening of the upper housing 71 without interfering with the upper cutter blades 231a and 241a. The paper guide members 402 and 404 provided on the lower housing are attached so as to cover the upstream end face of the lower housing 72 to the upper opening of the lower housing 72 without interfering with the lower cutter blades 232a and 242a.

[0062] The shapes of the paper guide members 401, 402, 403, and 404 are adjusted appropriately to avoid interference with other members on the upstream and downstream sides, the upper and lower housings, and the right and left sides in the conveying direction. It is preferable to provide a plurality of these paper guide members 401, 402, 403, and 404 at the bottom of each upper housing 71 and at the top of each lower housing 72 along the axial direction of the rotation shafts 31, 32, 33, and 34.

[0063] Therefore, by installing these paper guide members 401, 402, 403, and 404, paper transported from the upstream side is reliably guided by tapered portions 401a, 402a, 403a, and 404a of the upper and lower paper guide members to transport path A between upper blade units 231, 241, 251, and 261 and lower blade units 232, 242, 252, and 262. Also, by adjusting the distance between the opposing upper and lower guide members, the paper can be held when it is cut by the cutter, allowing the paper to be cut smoothly.

[0064] (Dust discharge member) By adjusting the relative positions of the upstream cutters 23 and 25 and the downstream cutters 24 and 26 in the direction perpendicular to the conveyance direction, cutting waste of the desired width is formed. These cutting wastes move downstream as the paper is conveyed, but they must be properly discharged separately from the book body. Therefore, a waste discharge member 410 equipped with a waste discharge port 411 for discharging the cutting waste is provided downstream of the location where the cutting waste is generated.

[0065] The dust discharge member 410 is fixed to the downstream end surface of the lower housing 72, which is engaged with the lower blade units 242, 262 that constitute the downstream cutters 24, 26. The dust discharge port 411 is formed in a position facing the lower blade units 242, 262, below the cutting position of the pair of cutter blades. Furthermore, a dust discharge claw 412 that guides cut dust to the dust discharge port 411 is provided above the dust discharge port 411 of the dust discharge member 410. This dust discharge claw 412 is located close to the cutter blades 241a, 242a and extends obliquely upward from the upper edge of the dust discharge port 411 of the dust discharge member 410 toward the upstream side in the conveyance direction. Furthermore, the dust discharge claw 412 extends to the vicinity of the cutting positions of the pair of upper and lower cutter blades 241a, 242a, but its tip is located downstream of the cutting positions of the cutter blades and above the cutting positions of the cutter blades 241a, 242a.

[0066] Therefore, the waste cut by the pair of upper and lower cutter blades 241a, 242a moves downstream as the paper is transported, but comes into contact with the underside of the waste discharge claw 412 of the waste discharge member 410, and is pushed by this waste discharge claw 412 and guided downward to the waste discharge opening 411. The cut waste is then discharged from the waste discharge opening 411 to the downstream side of the waste discharge member 410 and falls into a waste bin (not shown).

[0067] (Waste transport member) The dust cut by the upstream cutters 23 and 25 in the conveying direction and the downstream cutters 24 and 26 is directed toward the dust discharge port 411 by the dust discharge claw 412, but there is a concern that some of the dust may not be discharged from the dust discharge port 411 and may fall into the lower housing 72. To prevent this situation and to reliably discharge the cut dust from the dust discharge port 411 of the dust discharge member 410, a dust transport member 420 is attached to the lower housing 72 of the downstream cutters 24 and 26. This dust transport member 420 is formed to cover the periphery, except for the lower part, of the cutter blade holding tube 63 that is mounted on the exterior of the middle of the main body 61 of the lower blade units 242, 262. This dust transport member 420 has a protruding part 421 that protrudes rearward (downstream) at a part that faces the dust discharge port 411 provided in the dust discharge member 410. This protruding part 421 protrudes so as to cover the lower peripheral edge of the dust discharge port 411 from the inside. Furthermore, in this example, an upright wall 72a protruding upward from the bottom wall is provided inside the lower housing 72. The lower end of the debris transport member 420 is fixed in contact with this upright wall 72a, thereby reliably preventing debris from entering the interior of the lower housing 72 (inside the debris transport member 420).

[0068] Therefore, by providing such a scrap transport member 420, cutting scraps guided downstream along the surface of the scrap transport member 420 are reliably discharged from the scrap discharge port 411 to the outside of the cutters 24, 26, in combination with the guide function of the scrap discharge claw 412.

[0069] (static elimination material) Incidentally, the cutting waste guided to the waste discharge port 411 is electrically charged and therefore tends to adhere to and accumulate on the periphery of the waste discharge port 411. To prevent this, a brush-like charge removal member 430 is provided at the waste discharge port 411. This charge removal member 430 is fixed to the back surface of the waste discharge member 410, above the waste discharge port 411, and is configured with a charge removal brush hanging down from this portion. Therefore, the cutting waste guided to the waste discharge port 411 is neutralized by the neutralization member 430 and can be smoothly discharged without adhering to the periphery of the waste discharge port 411 .

[0070] (Dust holding member) After the paper is separated into the main body and the cutting waste by the cutter, the cutting waste is guided downward by the waste discharge claw 412 and discharged to the outside through the waste discharge port 411. However, because the variable-gauge-width slitter 20 of this embodiment is designed to have a variable gauge width, the placement area of ​​the scrap discharge claw 412 is limited to accommodate narrower gauge widths. As shown in FIG. 18B , because the trimming waste P2 is formed adjacent to the book body P1 formed by the upstream cutter, it is necessary to ensure that the narrow trimming waste does not interfere with the transport of the book body. Therefore, the scrap discharge claw 412 is narrow and positioned as close as possible to the cutter blade. Therefore, if the trimming waste width is set wide, when the scrap discharge claw 412 guides the trimming waste P2 downward, the scrap discharge claw 412 locally presses one side of the trimming waste P2. This makes the trimming waste P2 prone to tilting (floating), which can cause it to come into contact with the book body P1, resulting in a jam due to a scrap jam. Therefore, as shown in Figures 18A and 18B, a chip pressing member 440 is provided to press down the cutting chips generated during cutting at a position different from the chip discharge claw 412, and to suppress the inclination of the cutting chips P2 even for wide cutting chips, thereby stabilizing the posture of the cutting chips P2.

[0071] This debris holding member 440 is provided adjacent to the cutting position by the pair of upper and lower cutter blades 241a, 242a on the side where cutting debris is generated. The debris holding member 440 is provided to extend from the upstream side to the downstream side in the conveyance direction, and a debris holding piece 441 with a flat lower surface is provided to protrude downward from the side edge closest to the cutter blade. The lower surface of this debris holding piece 441 is positioned at approximately the same height as the upper surface of the cutting debris P2 cut by the pair of upper and lower cutter blades, and holds down the cutting debris immediately after cutting to prevent it from tilting (floating up).

[0072] Therefore, the tilt of the cut scraps P2 is prevented by the pressing piece 441 of the scrap pressing member 440. As a result, the cut scraps P2 can be discharged while maintaining a horizontal position without coming into contact with the main body P1. This makes it possible to avoid jams caused by scrap clogging.

[0073] (Height difference forming means) When one side of the gap in the paper (one side of the gap) is cut by the upstream cutters 23, 25 (a pair of upper and lower cutter blades 231a and 232a, 251a and 252a), the paper is separated into main body P1 and cut sheet P4 with the gap remaining. Of these, the cut sheet P4 with the gap is further separated by the downstream cutters 24, 26 into cutting waste P2 and main body P3. If the main body P1 separated by the upstream cutters 23, 25 and the cut sheet P4 are transported downstream at the same height, the cutting waste P2 formed by the downstream cutters 24, 26 will tend to tilt as the gap width increases, as mentioned above, and will therefore be more likely to interfere with the main body P1 being transported from the upstream side. For this reason, means are provided to transport the main body P1 separated upstream and the cut sheet P4 with the gap integrated downstream at a height difference.

[0074] As shown in Figure 18A, this height difference forming means is configured by providing a main body transport member 450 adjacent to the scrap transport member 420. This main body transport member 450 has an upper surface The groove width adjusting member 450 is formed higher than the cutting points of the pair of upper and lower cutter blades (241a and 242a, 261a and 262a) on the downstream side. Therefore, the book body P1 cut by the upstream cutters 23, 25 is guided to the top surface of the book body conveying member 450 and conveyed downstream at a higher position than the cut sheet P4. The height difference between the book body P1 cut upstream and the cut sheet P4 with the integrated groove is adjusted during the assembly process of the variable groove width slitter 20 of this embodiment.

[0075] By providing such height difference forming means, in combination with the function of preventing the cutting scraps P2 from tilting by the scrap pressing member 440, it is possible to reliably prevent the cutting scraps P2 from coming into contact with the main body P1 formed upstream. This makes it possible to stabilize the position of the cutting scraps and prevent jams caused by scrap clogging.

[0076] In the above embodiment, an example of a processing device equipped with two cutters (23 and 24, 25 and 26) arranged at different positions in the paper transport direction is shown, but it may also be equipped with three or more cutters arranged at different positions. In this case, it is not necessary to provide the dust discharge member 410, dust transport member 420, static elimination member 430, dust holding member 440, and main body transport member 450 to all downstream cutters, and it is sufficient to provide them to the cutter that discharges cutting dust. In addition, an example has been shown in which belt-driven drive mechanisms A, B, C, and D are provided as relative position adjustment mechanisms that enable adjustment of the relative positions of multiple cutters in a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction, but other drive mechanisms, such as a rack and pinion, may also be used.

[0077] As described above, the post-processing device 200 of this embodiment has a transport means (paper transport section 210) that transports paper, and is configured to selectively attach and detach multiple functional units that perform different types of processing on paper transported by the transport means. One of the multiple functional units is a slitter (variable slitter width 20) that can vary the width of the scrap. This slitter (variable slitter width 20) has at least two cutters (23 and 24, 25 and 26) that are arranged within the same functional unit and at different positions relative to the paper transport direction. The slitter also has a relative position adjustment mechanism (drive mechanisms A, B, C, and D) that can adjust the relative positions of the at least two cutters in a direction perpendicular to the paper transport direction. Therefore, it is possible to provide a slitter function that can change the scrap width in a single unit, which eliminates the need to provide the same function in multiple units and the inconvenience of limiting other functions that can be installed.

[0078] Here, the slitter (variable slitter width 20) has at least two cutters (23 and 24, 25 and 26), each of which has two cutter blades (231a and 232a, 241a and 242a, 251a and 252a, 261a and 262a) that form a pair above and below the paper transport surface. Each cutter (variable slitter width 20) is formed by two cutter blades that form a pair above and below, so by guiding the paper between the two cutter blades that form a pair above and below, the paper can be cut smoothly.

[0079] When using a cutter having two cutter blades that form a pair above and below, the slitter preferably has a single cutter blade power source (drive motor 35) that rotates and drives the pair of cutter blades (231a and 232a, 241a and 242a, 251a and 252a, 261a and 262a) of each cutter (23, 24, 25, 26). In such a configuration, the rotation of each cutter blade can be controlled by a single cutter blade drive source (drive motor 35), which simplifies the control.

[0080] Furthermore, at least two cutters (23 and 24, 25 and 26) each have a different tool rest 70 (upper housing 71, lower housing 72), and each of the tool rests 70 can move independently in a direction perpendicular to the paper transport direction. Therefore, by independently moving each of the blade rests in a direction perpendicular to the paper feed direction, the positions of the upstream and downstream cutters in the feed direction can be independently adjusted, making it possible to freely change the bleed width at any position in the direction perpendicular to the paper feed direction.

[0081] To achieve this configuration, the slitter (variable slitter width 20) has tool post power sources (first drive motor 311, second drive motor 321, third drive motor 331, fourth drive motor 341) that individually drive each tool post 70 in a direction perpendicular to the conveyance direction. Each tool post 70 and the tool post power source may be connected via a power transmission mechanism (pulleys and endless belts).

[0082] The blade rest 70 (upper housing 71, lower housing 72) is engaged with rotary sliders (upper blade units 231, 241, 251, 261 and lower blade units 232, 242, 252, 262) that rotate and slide the two cutter blades that make up a pair above and below in a direction perpendicular to the paper feed direction. The blade rest 70 is preferably movable together with the rotary sliders in the direction perpendicular to the paper feed direction. With this configuration, the cutter blade can be treated as a part of the rotary slide body, and the tool rest can be locked to the rotary slide body, which makes it easy to assemble and handle the cutter.

[0083] Furthermore, the slitter according to this embodiment has multiple tool rests at different positions in the paper transport direction, and each tool rest has a paper guide member that holds the paper when the paper is cut by the cutter. By providing this paper guide member, the paper conveyed from the upstream side is held when it is cut by the cutter, which prevents paper jams from occurring and enables smooth cutting of the paper.

[0084] The slitter also has multiple tool holders at different positions relative to the paper transport direction, and the tool holder located downstream is provided with a scrap discharge member 410 for discharging cutting scraps discharged from the tool holder toward the scrap discharge port. The cutting waste formed by the downstream cutter moves downstream as the paper is transported, but by providing a waste discharge member 410, the cutting waste can be moved toward the waste discharge outlet 411 and discharged from the waste discharge outlet 411.

[0085] Furthermore, the slitter may be provided with a scrap transport member 420 on the tool rest for transporting the cut scraps toward the scrap outlet 411 . By providing such a chip transport member 420, cutting chips guided downstream along the surface of the chip transport member 420 can be discharged from the chip discharge port 411 to the outside of the cutters 24, 26 (tool rest 70).

[0086] The dust outlet may be provided with a charge eliminating member 430 for eliminating electricity from the cutting dust. The cutting waste guided to the waste discharge port 411 is electrically charged and therefore tends to adhere to and accumulate on the periphery of the waste discharge port 411. However, by providing the discharge member 430 at the waste discharge port 411, it is possible to prevent the waste from adhering to and accumulating on the periphery of the waste discharge port 411.

[0087] The scrap discharge member 410 is provided with a scrap discharge claw 412 that changes the conveying direction of the cutting scraps toward the scrap discharge port 411. The slitter also includes a scrap pressing member 440 on the blade rest 70 that prevents the cutting scraps from tilting. With this configuration, the cutting scraps P2 tend to tilt when pushed by the scrap discharge claw 412, but this tilt is prevented by the scrap holder 440. This allows the cutting scraps P2 to be discharged while maintaining a horizontal position without coming into contact with the book body. This makes it possible to avoid jams caused by scrap clogging.

[0088] Furthermore, the slitter may be provided with a body transport member 450 for transporting the body of the cut paper adjacent to the scrap transport member 420 on the blade rest 70, and the height of one of the body transport member 450 and the scrap transport member 420 may be adjustable relative to the height of the other. This configuration allows for a difference in height between the body of the paper separated by the upstream cutter and the cut paper where the ditch remains. Therefore, even if the cutting waste formed by the downstream cutter tilts, the waste can be prevented from coming into contact with the body formed upstream. As a result, the orientation of the waste can be stabilized, making it possible to prevent jams caused by waste clogging.

[0089] The image forming system according to this embodiment includes an image forming apparatus that forms an image on paper, and the above-described post-processing apparatus that post-processes the paper on which the image has been formed by the image forming apparatus. Therefore, by employing the above-described post-processing apparatus, it is possible to form an inline image forming system that incorporates a slitter with a variable scrap width as a separate functional unit.

[0090] <Supplementary information> Although the embodiments and modifications of the post-processing device and the image forming system equipped therewith according to the present invention have been described, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments and modifications. The present invention also includes forms obtained by various modifications that would occur to those skilled in the art to the above-described embodiments and modifications, and forms realized by arbitrarily combining the components and functions of the embodiments and modifications within the scope of the spirit of the present invention. The scope of the present invention should be interpreted by the appended claims. [Industrial Applicability]

[0091] The present invention is useful as a technology for providing a single unit with a slitter function that can change the scrap width. [Explanation of symbols]

[0092] 1. Image forming system 20 Variable width slitter 23.24.25.26 Cutter 35 Drive motor 70 Tool rest 71 Upper case 72 Lower case 100 Image forming device 200 Aftertreatment device 210 Paper transport unit 231a, 241a, 251a, 261a Upper cutter blade 231,241,251,261 Upper blade unit 232a, 242a, 252a, 262a Lower cutter blade 232,242,252,262 Bedknife Unit 311 First drive motor 321 Second drive motor 331 Third drive motor 341 4th drive motor 401, 402, 403, 404 Paper guide members 410 Waste discharge member 411 Waste outlet 412 Waste ejection claw 420 Waste transport member 430 Antistatic material 440 Dust holder 450 Body transport member U1, U2, U3, U4 Functional units

Claims

1. A post-processing device having a conveying means for conveying paper, and a plurality of functional units for performing different types of processing on the paper conveyed by the conveying means being selectively detachable, One of the plurality of functional units includes a slitter that changes the width of scraps, The slitter At least two cutters are arranged in the same functional unit and at different positions with respect to the conveyance direction of the paper; a relative position adjustment mechanism that can adjust the relative positions of the at least two cutters in a direction perpendicular to the conveyance direction; A post-processing device comprising:

2. The post-processing device according to claim 1 , wherein each of the at least two cutters of the slitter has two cutter blades that are paired above and below the conveying surface of the paper.

3. The post-processing device according to claim 2 , wherein the slitter has a single cutter blade power source that rotationally drives the pair of cutter blades of each of the at least two cutters.

4. 2. The post-processing device according to claim 1, wherein the at least two cutters each have a different tool rest, and each of the tool rests is independently movable in a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction.

5. 5. The post-processing device according to claim 4, wherein the slitter has a tool post power source that individually drives each of the tool posts in a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction, and each of the tool posts and the tool post power source are connected via a power transmission mechanism.

6. The slitter has at least two cutters, each of which has two cutter blades that are paired above and below the conveying surface of the paper; 6. The post-processing device according to claim 5, wherein the tool rest is engaged with a rotary slider that rotates and moves each of the two cutter blades in a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction, and the tool rest is movable together with the rotary slider in the direction perpendicular to the conveying direction.

7. 5. The post-processing device according to claim 4, wherein the slitter includes a plurality of the tool rests at different positions in a paper transport direction, and each tool rest has a paper guide member that holds the paper when the paper is cut by the cutter.

8. 5. The post-processing device according to claim 4, wherein the slitter has a plurality of the blade holders at different positions relative to the paper transport direction, and the blade holder located downstream is provided with a scrap discharge member for discharging cutting scraps discharged from the blade holder toward a scrap discharge port.

9. The post-processing device according to claim 8 , wherein the slitter includes a scrap transport member on the tool rest that transports the cut scraps toward the scrap outlet.

10. 9. The post-processing device according to claim 8, wherein the waste discharge port is provided with a charge eliminating member for eliminating electricity from the cutting waste.

11. 9. The post-processing device according to claim 8, wherein the scrap discharge member is provided with a scrap discharge claw for changing the conveying direction of the cutting scraps toward the scrap discharge port, and the slitter is provided with a scrap pressing member on the blade rest for suppressing the inclination of the cutting scraps.

12. 10. The post-processing device according to claim 9, wherein the slitter has a body transport member on the tool post adjacent to the scrap transport member for transporting the body of the cut paper, and the height of one of the body transport member and the scrap transport member is adjustable relative to the height of the other.

13. 13. An image forming system comprising: an image forming apparatus that forms an image on a sheet; and a post-processing apparatus according to claim 1 that post-processes the sheet on which the image has been formed by the image forming apparatus.

Images