Sheet loading device

Abstract

To provide a sheet loading device capable of improving aligning performance of sheets loaded on a loading part and easily and surely setting a guide position irrespective of types of sheets discharged from an outlet.SOLUTION: A guide control unit is provided with a guide position setting part that sets the position of a side guide in a width direction on the basis of the position of the side edge of a sheet discharged from an outlet, and a first mode for setting the guide position setting part at a position where the upper end of the side guide supports the side edge lower part of the sheet discharged from the outlet.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 11

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a paper stacking device having a loading section that receives and stacks discharged paper, and more specifically, to a device that receives paper that is continuously discharged in one or more rows in the paper travel direction and stacks it on the loading section in the same sorted state. More specifically, the present invention relates to a processing device that cuts paper while transporting it and stacks the processed paper in a sorted state on a loading table equipped with a paper guide. [Background technology]

[0002] In conventional processing devices, for example, as shown in Patent Document 1, the following operation is sometimes performed: the paper is cut while being transported to create lined pieces of paper, and the pieces of paper are separated by side edge guides and then stacked on a loading table. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2017-186142 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, when performing the operation described in Patent Document 1 with a conventional processing device, the sheets processed by the cutting unit and discharged from the discharge outlet by the conveying unit may not be properly stacked on the stacking unit. This is particularly affected by the type of paper being discharged. For example, if the length of the paper in the conveying direction is short, the nip distance of the paper discharged from the discharge outlet by the discharge rollers may not be sufficient, and the paper may not reach the stacking unit properly and may end up piled up haphazardly near the discharge outlet. Furthermore, if the paper is thin, the paper may be piled up on the stacking unit in a wrinkled state.

[0005] In view of the problems of the above-mentioned conventional technology, the object of the present invention is to provide a paper stacking device that can improve the alignment performance of paper stacked in the loading section regardless of the type of paper discharged from the discharge outlet, and that can easily and reliably set the guide position. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the invention described in claim 1 is a paper stacking device comprising: a loading section for loading paper discharged from an outlet by a conveying section that conveys paper; a side guide that regulates the widthwise edge of the paper that intersects with the discharge direction; a guide drive section that moves the side guide in the widthwise direction; and a guide control section that controls the operation of the guide drive section, wherein the guide control section comprises: a guide position setting section that sets the widthwise position of the side guide based on the position of the side edge of the paper discharged from the discharge outlet; and a first mode that sets the guide position setting section to a position where the upper end of the side guide supports the lower side edge of the paper discharged from the discharge outlet.

[0007] The invention described in claim 2 is characterized in that, in the paper stacking device described in claim 1, it is equipped with a level sensor, and when the level sensor detects that the paper stacked in the stacking section has reached a predetermined height, it is equipped with a switching control section that switches to a second mode in which the side guide is changed to a position where it does not contact the paper.

[0008] The invention described in claim 3 is characterized in that, in the paper stacking device described in claim 2, the switching control unit switches to the second mode when the level sensor detects that the paper has continued for a predetermined amount and reached a predetermined height.

[0009] The invention described in claim 4 is characterized in that, in the paper loading device described in claim 2, the side guide comprises a first side guide and a second side guide installed adjacent to each other in the width direction, and in the first mode, the first side guide is positioned in contact with one side edge of the paper, and the second side guide is positioned at a predetermined distance from the other side edge of the paper.

[0010] The invention described in claim 5 is characterized in that, in the paper loading device described in claim 4, the guide control unit is capable of performing a jogger operation to align the side edges of the paper, and before switching from the first mode to the second mode, the first side guide is moved from a position where it contacts one side edge of the paper to a position a predetermined distance away from the side edge of the paper, and then the jogger operation is performed.

[0011] The invention described in claim 6 is characterized in that, in the paper stacking device described in claim 5, the stacking section is provided with a stop guide that regulates the front end of the paper and whose position in the paper transport direction can be changed by the guide control section, and before performing the jogger operation, the stop guide is positioned in a retracted position a predetermined distance away from the front end edge of the paper stacked on the stacking section.

[0012] The invention described in claim 7 is characterized in that, in the paper stacking device described in claim 5, if the level sensor does not detect that the paper has reached a predetermined height after performing the jogger operation, the device switches back to the first mode.

[0013] The invention of claim 8 is characterized in that in the paper stacking device of claim 2, the first mode or the second mode can be selected by a user.

[0014] The invention of claim 9 is a processing device comprising: a conveying section that conveys paper; a cutting section that cuts the paper conveyed by the conveying section along a conveying direction; a stacking section that stacks the paper processed by the cutting section and discharged from a discharge port by the conveying section; a side guide that regulates the edge of the paper in a width direction that intersects with the discharge direction; a guide driving section that moves the side guide in the width direction; and a guide control section that controls the operation of the guide driving section, The guide control unit is characterized by comprising a guide position setting unit that sets the widthwise reference position of the side guide based on the cutting position of the sheet by the cutting unit, and a switching control unit that switches between a first mode in which the guide position setting unit is set to a position where the upper end of the side guide supports the lower side edge of the paper discharged from the discharge outlet, and a second mode in which the side guide is changed to a position where it does not contact the paper when the paper loaded in the stacking unit reaches a predetermined height. [Effects of the Invention]

[0015] According to the invention described in claim 1, the guide control unit is equipped with a guide position setting unit that sets the widthwise position of the side guide based on the position of the side edge of the paper discharged from the discharge outlet, and a first mode that sets the guide position setting unit to a position where the upper end of the side guide supports the lower side edge of the paper discharged from the discharge outlet.Therefore, regardless of the type of paper discharged from the discharge outlet, the alignment performance of the paper loaded on the loading unit can be improved, and the guide position can be set easily and reliably.

[0016] According to the invention described in claim 2, a level sensor is provided, and when the level sensor detects that the paper loaded on the loading section has reached a predetermined height, a switching control section is provided which switches to a second mode in which the side guides are changed to a position where they do not contact the paper.Therefore, the alignment performance of the paper loaded on the loading section can be improved regardless of the amount of paper loaded on the loading section.

[0017] According to the invention described in claim 3, the switching control unit switches to the second mode when the level sensor detects that the paper has continued for a predetermined amount and reached a predetermined height, thereby preventing erroneous detection by the level sensor.

[0018] According to the invention described in claim 4, the side guide comprises a first side guide and a second side guide installed adjacent to each other in the width direction, and in the first mode, the first side guide is positioned so as to contact one side edge of the paper, and the second side guide is positioned so as to be a predetermined distance away from the other side edge of the paper, thereby improving the alignment performance of the paper loaded on the loading section.

[0019] According to the invention described in claim 5, the guide control unit is capable of performing a jogger operation to align the side edges of the paper, and before switching from the first mode to the second mode, the first side guide is moved from a position where it contacts one side edge of the paper to a position a predetermined distance away from the side edge of the paper, and then the jogger operation is performed, thereby further improving the alignment performance of the paper loaded on the loading unit.

[0020] According to the invention described in claim 6, the loading section is provided with a stop guide that regulates the leading edge of the paper and whose position in the paper transport direction can be changed by the guide control section, and before performing the jogger operation, the stop guide is positioned in a retracted position a predetermined distance away from the leading edge of the paper loaded on the loading section, thereby further improving the alignment performance of the paper loaded on the loading section, including the leading edge of the paper.

[0021] According to the invention described in claim 7, if the level sensor does not detect that the paper has reached a predetermined height after performing the jogger operation, the system switches back to the first mode, thereby improving the alignment performance of paper loaded on the stacking section regardless of the type of paper discharged from the discharge outlet by using the first mode.

[0022] According to the invention of claim 8, the first mode or the second mode can be selected by the user, so the user can flexibly set the mode depending on the type of paper and the paper loading situation.

[0023] According to the invention described in claim 9, the guide control unit is equipped with a guide position setting unit that sets the widthwise position of the side guide based on the cutting position of the sheet by the cutting unit, and a switching control unit that switches between a first mode that changes the setting of the guide position setting unit to a position where the upper end of the side guide supports the lower side edge of the paper discharged from the discharge outlet, and a second mode that changes the setting of the guide position setting unit to a position where the side guide does not contact the paper when the paper stacked on the loading unit reaches a predetermined height.Therefore, the alignment performance of the paper stacked on the loading unit can be improved regardless of the type of paper discharged from the discharge outlet, and the guide position can be automatically and reliably set based on the cutting position of the sheet by the cutting unit. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0024] [Figure 1] 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing a schematic configuration of a processing apparatus D according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a plan view showing an example of a processing pattern of a sheet. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is an overall perspective view of the paper sorting device 2. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an accumulation / transport section 91. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an accumulation / transport section 91. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an accumulation / transport section 91. [Figure 7] 3 is a schematic diagram showing the sorting operation of the paper sorting device 2. FIG. [Figure 8] 3 is a schematic diagram showing the sorting operation of the paper sorting device 2. FIG. [Figure 9] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the electrical configuration of the processing device D. [Figure 10] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating a state in which sheets are stacked on a stacking unit. [Figure 11]10 is a diagram showing the positional relationship between the cutting position and the side guides in the first mode. FIG. [Figure 12] 10 is a diagram showing the positional relationship between the cutting position and the side guides in the second mode. FIG. [Figure 13] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing a jogger operation. [Figure 14] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing a jogger operation. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0025] [Overall configuration of processing device D] The overall configuration of a processing device D according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following description, the direction perpendicular to the conveying direction F of the conveying section 4 that conveys the paper S is referred to as the width direction W, and the right side when viewed from the upstream side to the downstream side in the conveying direction F is referred to as the right side of the device, and the left side is referred to as the left side of the device. Figure 1 is a schematic vertical cross-sectional view of a processing device D according to the present invention. In Figure 1, the processing device D includes a supply section 3 at the upstream end of the device main body 1 in the conveying direction F for paper S (single sheets), and a paper sorting device 2 at the downstream end in the conveying direction F on which processed single sheets Q are placed. A substantially horizontal conveying path 5 is configured between the supply section 3 and the paper sorting device 2.

[0026] In the present invention, the paper sorting device 2 as a paper stacking device includes at least both a device that simply receives cut sheets continuously discharged in one or more rows in the paper travel direction and stacks them in the sorted state as they are, and a device that receives cut sheets continuously discharged in one or more rows in the paper travel direction, stacks them in sorted units, and then has an accumulation and transfer section 91 that continuously transfers each of the stacked cut sheets downstream. The term "paper" as used herein primarily refers to paper products, but is not limited to purely paper products and includes various plastic sheets and films.

[0027] The conveying path 5 is provided with a conveying section 4 in which a plurality of pairs of upper and lower conveying rollers 9 to 17 are installed. The conveying rollers 9 to 17 are arranged at intervals in the conveying direction F. The conveying rollers 9 to 17 constituting the conveying section 4 are respectively connected to conveying drive sections 41 to 44 via power transmission mechanisms (not shown), and the conveying drive sections 41 to 44 are electrically connected to a control section 45.

[0028] A processing unit 24 that processes the transported paper S is installed on the transport path 5. In FIG. 1, the processing unit 24 includes a cutting unit 19 and a crease processing unit 21 that forms folds perpendicular to the transport direction F. The cutting unit 19 is made up of three slitter processing units 20 and a cutter processing unit 22.

[0029] The slitter processing section 20, crease processing section 21, and cutter processing section 22 are each configured as a detachable unit, and are configured to be detachable in a desired position within the device main body 1 using a cassette system. Therefore, depending on the type of processing, the arrangement order of the processing sections 20, 21, and 22 can be changed, or they can be replaced with or added to other processing sections 24, such as a mechanism for performing crease processing along the conveying direction F, a chamfering mechanism, or a perforation forming mechanism.

[0030] A reading unit 26 and a reject mechanism 25 are disposed upstream of the slitter processing unit 20, and a trimmings removal mechanism 27 is disposed downstream of the slitter processing unit 20. A trimmings collection unit 23 is disposed at the bottom of the device main body 1.

[0031] The conveyance path 5 is further provided with a plurality of optical transmission type detectors 31-35 for detecting the leading edge (downstream edge) Sf or the trailing edge (upstream edge) Sr of the sheet S, each electrically connected to an interface of the control unit 45. The first detector 31, which is the most upstream in the conveyance direction F of the sheet S, is arranged between the suction conveyance unit 62 of the supply unit 3 and the supply roller 8, the next second detector 32 is arranged near the upstream side of the slitter processing unit 20, the next third detector 33 is arranged midway through the slitter processing unit 20, the next fourth detector 34 is arranged near the upstream side of the crease processing unit 21, and the fifth detector 35, which is the most downstream, is arranged near the upstream side of the stacker unit 2.

[0032] The first detection unit 31 detects the leading edge Sf of the paper S that has been suction-conveyed by the suction-conveying unit 62 of the supply unit 3 before being gripped by the supply roller 8, or the trailing edge Sr of the paper S that has been gripped and transported by the supply roller 8, and is used to calculate the position of the paper S that is then transported on the transport path 5 based on the detected position of the paper S.

[0033] The second detection unit 32 and the third detection unit 33 detect jams of paper S during processing. The fourth detection unit 34 is installed as an auxiliary unit to correct the sheet position information obtained by the first detection unit 31 to make the sheet position information more accurate in case the transport path 5 becomes longer and a positional deviation (transport error) accumulates in the transport direction F of the paper S during processing on the transport path 5. The fifth detection unit 35 detects the discharge of cut sheets Q after processing into the paper sorting device 2. The fifth detection unit 35 also detects jams of cut sheets Q in the paper sorting device 2.

[0034] [Supply section 3] The supply unit 3 includes a supply table 61, supply rollers 8, a suction conveying unit 62, and a separation air blowing unit 63. The supply table 61 is provided to have sheets S stacked thereon and to supply the sheets S to the conveying path 5. The supply table 61 can be raised and lowered by an elevating means (not shown). When supplying sheets S, the elevating means raises the supply table 61 from a standby position to a supply position at a predetermined height where the uppermost sheet S can be sucked and conveyed by the suction conveying unit 62 and supplied to the conveying path 5. Thus, the supply table 61 is movable between the standby position and the supply position.

[0035] A pair of upper and lower supply rollers 8 are installed. The suction conveying unit 62 includes a suction fan 67, a conveying belt 64, and a belt roller 65. In the supplying unit 3, a predetermined number of sheets S stacked on the supplying table 61 are supplied to the conveying path 5 one by one, starting from the top, using the suction conveying unit 62 and the pair of upper and lower supply rollers 8.

[0036] The separation air blowing unit 63 blows air toward the leading edge Sf of the sheets S on the supply table 61 using a fan (not shown), separates the uppermost sheet S from the stacked sheets S, and adsorbs and transports it to the suction transport unit 62. One of the belt rollers 65 and the lower supply roller 81 of the supply rollers 8 are connected to the paper feed drive unit 47. The separation air blowing unit 63, the suction fan 67, and the paper feed drive unit 47 are electrically connected to the control unit 45.

[0037] [Reading unit 26] The reading unit 26 reads the image of the position mark M1 printed on the leading edge corner of the sheet S as shown in Fig. 2, and detects the reference position for processing in the transport direction F of the sheet S and in the width direction W perpendicular to the transport direction F. The reading unit 26 can also be configured as an input unit that automatically reads and sets processing information, separate from the manual input of various processing information using the operation panel 46. Specifically, the reading unit 26 reads the image of the barcode M2 ​​printed on the leading edge of the sheet S as shown in Fig. 2, and obtains various processing information to be applied to the sheet S. The reading unit 26 is configured with a CCD sensor or the like.

[0038] [Rejection mechanism 25] The reject mechanism 25 in Figure 1 is activated when the position mark M1 or barcode M2 ​​printed on the paper S is unclear and cannot be read by the reading unit 26, causing the unreadable paper S to fall and be collected in tray 25a.

[0039] [Slitter processing section 20] The slitter processing unit 20 has three units arranged in the conveying direction F, and each unit has two sets of cutting blades 36, each consisting of an upper and lower rotary cutting blade, spaced apart in the width direction W. The cutting blades 36 are installed so as to be movable in a direction intersecting the conveying direction F of the conveying unit 4, and constitute processing members that perform predetermined processing on predetermined positions of the conveyed paper S. The driving force of the rotation drive unit 48, which serves as a processing member drive unit that drives the processing members, rotates either the upper or lower cutting blade 36 on the conveying path 5, and the other cutting blade 36 is driven to rotate, thereby cutting the paper S along the conveying direction F by the conveying unit 4 and forming a cutting line T on the paper S.

[0040] [Crease processing section 21] The crease processing unit 21 includes a lower die 39 having a recessed portion at the top end and an upper die 38 having a protruding portion at the bottom end that fits into the recessed portion, and the upper die 38 is connected to a folding die drive unit 49 such as a motor via a power transmission mechanism. That is, by lowering the upper die 38 with the driving force of the folding die drive unit 49, a crease is formed in the sheet S in the width direction W that is perpendicular to the conveying direction F.

[0041] [Cutter processing section 22] The cutter processing section 22 extends in the width direction W and includes a pair of opposing cutting blades 69. One cutting blade 69 is composed of an upper movable blade 71, and the other cutting blade 69 is composed of a lower fixed blade 73. The upper movable blade 71 comes into contact with and separates from the lower fixed blade 73 to cut the paper S in the width direction W perpendicular to the conveyance direction F, forming a cutting line K on the paper S. The upper movable blade 71 is connected to a cutting drive section 50 such as a motor via a power transmission mechanism.

[0042] [Paper sorting device 2] The paper sorting device 2 is composed of an accumulation / transport section 91 and a stacker section 92. The accumulation / transport section 91 receives processed single sheets Q continuously discharged from the device main body 1 (processing section) in a loading section 95, stacks them in groups, and continuously transports each stacked stack of single sheets Q' downstream. These stacked single sheets Q are hereafter referred to as stacked single sheets Q'. The stacker section 92 is located downstream of the accumulation / transport section 91 and continuously stacks the stack of single sheets Q' transported from the accumulation / transport section 91 in different positions on the loading surface. Specifically, the accumulation / transport section 91 is provided with transport rollers that load the stack of single sheets Q' onto a plurality of rotating rollers 94 (drive rollers). The stacker section 92 is provided with a loading section 83 that can load the stack of single sheets Q' in different positions on the loading surface. The placement section 83 is provided with a belt conveyor 86 that places the stack of cut sheets Q' on a circulating belt 85. The stack of cut sheets Q' transferred from the accumulation transfer section 91 is placed on the belt conveyor 86 while being conveyed.

[0043] The accumulation and transfer section 91 and the stacker section 92 are driven independently of each other to transport the stack of cut sheets Q'. The roller drive section 40 is electrically connected to the control section 45, and the control section 45 controls the drive amount of the roller drive section 40, thereby adjusting the plurality of rollers 94 to run at a predetermined speed. The conveyor drive section 51 is also electrically connected to the control section 45, and the control section 45 controls the drive amount of the conveyor drive section 51, thereby adjusting the belt conveyor 86 to run at a predetermined speed. The paper sorting device 2 also has, as another drive section, a guide drive section 52 that drives the abutment guide 93 and side guides 961-964 in the loading section 95, and the guide drive section 52 is electrically connected to the control section 45.

[0044] The specific configuration and operation of the paper sorting device 2 will be described later.

[0045] [Cutting Waste Collection Section 23] The trimmings collection section 23 includes a trimmings collection box 54 and guides 59, 60. The trimmings collection box 54 is formed in a rectangular parallelepiped shape with an opening at the top. The trimmings collection box 54 collects and stores the trimmings J that have been cut off in the cutting section 19 and are no longer needed. The guides 59, 60 guide the trimmings J that have been cut off in the cutting section 19 and fall into the trimmings collection box 54.

[0046] [Control Unit 45] FIG. 9 is a block diagram showing the electrical configuration of the processing device D. The device main body 1 in the processing device D is provided with a control unit 45. The control unit 45 includes a calculation unit 451 and a memory unit 452, and controls the operation of the entire processing device D. The calculation unit 451 is, for example, a CPU. The memory unit 452 includes storage media such as ROM, RAM, and EEPROM. The calculation unit 451 realizes each function of the control unit 45 by reading and executing a control program stored in the memory unit 452. This causes the control unit 45 to function as a guide control unit 453. Here, in addition to the main control CPU (calculation unit 451), a control CPU that solely controls the paper sorting device 2 under the control of the main control CPU may be separately provided, and the two CPUs may be configured to communicate with each other.

[0047] The control unit 45 is electrically connected to the operation panel 46 and the reading unit 26, and further connected to the control unit 45 are drive units built into the device main body 1, including a paper feed drive unit 47, a conveying drive unit 41, a conveying drive unit 42, a conveying drive unit 43, a conveying drive unit 44, a rotation drive unit 48, a folding drive unit 49, and a cutting drive unit 50, and further connected to the control unit 45 are drive units built into the paper sorting device 2, including a roller drive unit 40, a conveyor drive unit 51, and a guide drive unit 52.

[0048] The control unit 45 controls the operation of the entire processing device D. The control unit 45 acquires information from the detection units 31 to 35, and controls the driving of the supply unit 3, the transport unit 4, the paper sorting device 2, and each processing unit 24 based on the cutting information of the paper S input by the operation panel 46 or the reading unit 26 as a cutting information input unit, thereby processing the paper S. The operation panel 46 serves both as an input unit for inputting cutting information related to the cutting process of the paper S and as a display unit. The reading unit 26 also constitutes the input unit.

[0049] The control unit 45 includes a calculation unit 451, which functions as a guide control unit 453. The guide control unit 453 includes a guide position setting unit 4531 that sets the widthwise positions of the abutment guide 93 and side guides 961-964 based on the cutting position of the sheet by the cutting unit 19, and a switching control unit that switches between a first mode in which the guide position setting unit changes the setting to a position where the upper ends of the side guides 961-964 support the lower side edges of the cut paper Q discharged from the discharge opening, and a second mode in which the side guides 961-964 change to a position where they do not contact the cut paper Q when the cut paper Q stacked on the loading unit 83 reaches a predetermined height. Specific examples of the first and second modes will be described later.

[0050] The guide control unit 453 may also be configured to control the adjustment of the set positions of the stop guide 93 and side guides 961-964 based on the position of the position mark M1 read by the reading unit 26. Furthermore, the guide control unit 453 controls the side guides 961-964 to perform a jogger operation that aligns the left and right edges of cut sheets in the paper transport width direction by performing guide control that moves the side guides 961-964 back and forth a predetermined distance from a standby position in the paper transport width direction every time a predetermined number of sheets are discharged.

[0051] [Sheet processing pattern] 2 is a plan view showing an example of a processing pattern for paper S. The processing pattern shown in the figure is designed to produce multiple cut sheets Q from one sheet of paper S. Cutting lines T are set as multiple processing lines extending parallel to the conveying direction F, and cutting lines K are set as multiple processing lines extending in the width direction W perpendicular to the conveying direction F.

[0052] The first cutting lines T1 and T6 shown at the right and left ends in FIG. 2 are formed by unit 20a, which is installed most upstream in the slitter processing unit 20, on the conveying path 5 in FIG. 1. The second and fifth cutting lines T2 and T5, which are formed inside the first cutting line T1 and the sixth cutting line T6, respectively, are formed by unit 20b, which is located in the center in the conveying direction F. The third and fourth cutting lines T3 and T4, which are formed further inside the second cutting line T2 and the fifth cutting line T5, are formed by unit 20c, which is located most downstream in the conveying direction F. The unnecessary strip-shaped trimmings Jb between the second cutting line T2 and the third cutting line T3 and between the fourth cutting line T4 and the fifth cutting line T5 are guided downward by trimmings removal mechanism 27 shown in FIG. 1 and collected in the trimmings collection unit 23.

[0053] In addition, the cutting line K is formed by cutting the paper S parallel to the conveying direction F at cutting lines T1 to T6 and removing the long cutting scraps J cut from the paper S, thereby simultaneously performing cutting processes multiple times on multiple strip-shaped cut pieces aligned in the width direction W.

[0054] In addition, in the processing pattern for the paper S shown in Figure 2, no fold lines are set by the crease processing unit 21, so in the processing unit 24 illustrated in Figure 1, the crease processing unit 21 is left in the receiving unit 6 and is not functioning, so that crease processing is not performed, or it is replaced with a conveying processing unit not shown, or the crease processing unit 21 is detached from the receiving unit 6 and used in an empty state.

[0055] The various processing information to be applied to the paper S for the arrangement pattern of the cut sheets Q after such processing is either set in a processing job created in advance, set by the user using the operation panel 46, or recorded in the barcode M2 ​​on the paper S. This various processing information includes information about the paper S itself, such as the length in specific directions (e.g., the length in the transport direction and the width direction) of the paper S, its thickness, and its type; information about the cut sheets Q, such as the arrangement, number, and dimensions of the cut sheets Q; and information about the processing of the paper S, such as the size and number of unnecessary cuttings J to be cut from the paper S and information about the sorting process of the cut sheets Q. The information regarding the sorting process includes sorting necessity information regarding whether or not to perform the sorting process in the paper sorting device 2, sorting timing information regarding the timing at which the sorting process should be performed, sorting distance information regarding the distance between successively sorted single sheets Q in the loading section 83, sorting loading information regarding the loading method of the single sheets Q to be sorted, such as the overlap length between the preceding single sheet Q and the following single sheet Q, and sorting notification information regarding whether or not to alert with light or sound when sorting.

[0056] Once the setting of the processing information is completed, it can be stored in the memory device of the control unit 45. By assigning a number, a name of the process, a name, etc. to each of a plurality of different processing information, such as the arrangement pattern of cut sheets Q after processing of paper S, and storing the information in the memory device, the user can operate the operation panel 46, which serves as the operation unit, to call up the processing information relating to the required processing content from the memory device and process the paper S.

[0057] [Configuration of Paper Separator 2] Next, a specific configuration of the paper sorting device 2 will be described.

[0058] As shown in FIG. 3, the paper sorting device 2 is comprised of an accumulation / transport section 91 and a stacker section 92, which are driven independently of each other. The accumulation / transport section 91 receives processed single sheets Q, which are continuously discharged in one or more rows in the paper travel direction from the device main body 1 (processing section), in a loading section 95. The accumulation / transport section 91 stacks the processed single sheets Q' in batches and then continuously transports each stack of stacked single sheets Q' downstream. The stacker section 92 is located downstream of the accumulation / transport section 91 and continuously stacks the stack of single sheets Q' transported from the accumulation / transport section 91 in different positions on the loading surface. Specifically, the accumulation / transport section 91 is provided with transport rollers that load and transport the stack of single sheets Q' onto a plurality of rotating rollers 94 (drive rollers). Stacker section 92 is also provided with a loading section 83 that can load stacked cut sheets Q' at different positions on the loading surface. Loading section 83 is provided with a belt conveyor 86 that loads stacked cut sheets Q' onto a circulating belt 85. Stacked cut sheets Q' transferred from accumulation transfer section 91 are transferred and placed on belt conveyor 86.

[0059] Next, we will explain the drive mechanism that rotates belt conveyor 86 in conveyor drive unit 51. Belt conveyor 86 in stacker unit 92 includes endless belt 85, conveyor rollers 87, and conveyor drive unit 51. Belt 85 is stretched across three conveyor rollers 87, spaced a predetermined distance apart in the direction of discharge of stacked cut sheets Q', which is the same direction as conveyance direction F of paper S. Conveyor drive unit 51 is a drive mechanism that rotates endless belt 85 to transport stacked cut sheets Q' downstream in paper conveyance direction F after sorting, and includes drive motor 101, which functions as a drive means, pulley 511 attached to the rotation shaft of drive motor 101, pulley 512 attached to the rotation shaft 513 of conveyor roller 87, and timing belt 514 stretched between pulleys 511 and 512. When the drive motor 101 is driven to rotate, the driving force is transmitted to the rotary shaft 513 of the conveyor roller 87 via the pulleys 511 and 512, causing the conveyor roller 87 to rotate, which in turn rotates the endless belt 85.

[0060] The length of belt 85 in the width direction W is a predetermined length that is approximately the same as or slightly longer than the length of conveying path 5 along which paper S is conveyed, and multiple processed cut sheets Q that are discharged in parallel in the width direction W can be placed on belt 85. Conveyor drive unit 51 is electrically connected to control unit 45, and control unit 45 controls the drive amount of conveyor drive unit 51, thereby adjusting belt conveyor 86 to run at a predetermined speed.

[0061] Next, we will explain the configuration of the accumulation and transfer section 91. As shown in Figure 4, the accumulation and transfer section 91 is composed of a loading section 95 that receives processed slips Q that are continuously discharged in one or more rows in the paper travel direction from the device main body 1 (processing section), and a plurality of rollers 94 (drive rollers) that serve as transport rollers that stack the received slips Q in sections and then continuously transfer them to the stacker section 92. In this embodiment, slips Q are discharged from the device main body 1 in three rows and stacked in three rows in sections.

[0062] This allows the means for loading and transporting the stack of cut sheets Q' to be constructed simply and inexpensively.

[0063] The stacking section 95 is equipped with a stop guide 93 that regulates the leading edge of the slips Q when they are stacked, and side guides 961-964 that regulate the left and right edges of the slips Q in the width direction of the paper transport. Note that the example illustrates a case in which three rows of processed slips Q, as shown in Figure 2, are ejected from the device main body 1 and received by the stacking section 95.

[0064] The abutment guide 93 and side guides 961-964 in the placement unit 95 are driven by a guide drive unit 52, and the multiple rollers 94 are driven by a roller drive unit 40. Both drive units are electrically connected to a control unit 45, which controls the drive amount to adjust the position of each guide. The guide drive unit 52 includes a motor 103 for driving the abutment guide 93 in the up and down direction, a motor 102 for driving it in the front-to-rear direction in the conveying direction F, and motors 104-106 for driving the side guides 961-964 in the left and right direction in the conveying width direction. The roller drive unit 40 also includes a motor 108 for driving and rotating the multiple rollers 94. In this embodiment, the motor 101 is configured as a DC gear motor, and the other motors 102 to 108 are configured as stepping motors.

[0065] Next, a drive mechanism in the guide drive unit 52 that moves the abutment guide 93 in the up and down direction will be described. The subframe 522 is configured to be slidable up and down relative to the main frame 521 via guide shafts 5223 installed at two locations in the conveyance width direction. A lead nut 5224 is fixed integrally to the subframe 522, and a lead screw 5225 is threadedly engaged with the lead nut 5224. The lead screw 5225 is fixed integrally to the rotation shaft of the motor 103 fixed to the main frame 521, and by rotating the motor 103, the lead nut 5224 threadedly engaged with the lead screw 5225 drives the subframe 522 in the up and down direction. As a result, the abutment guide 93 can be driven in the up and down direction.

[0066] Figure 4 shows the state in which the stop guide 93 advances downward relative to the conveying path when the cut sheets Q are stacked, and Figure 5 shows the state in which the stop guide 93 retreats upward relative to the conveying path when the stacked cut sheets Q' are transported downstream. This improves the alignment performance in the paper transport direction of cut sheets loaded on the paper sorting device.

[0067] Next, a drive mechanism for sliding the abutment guide 93 in the guide drive unit 52 in the front-to-rear direction of the conveyance direction F will be described. The main frame 521 is installed at two locations across the width of the conveyance of the main frame 521 and is configured to be slidable in the front-to-rear direction of the conveyance direction F via guide shafts 5228 fitted into linear bushings 5229. A lead nut 5226 is integrally fixed to the main frame 521, and a lead screw 5227 is threadedly engaged with the lead nut 5226. The lead screw 5227 is integrally fixed to the rotating shaft of the motor 102. When the motor 102 is driven to rotate, the lead nut 5226 threadedly engaged with the lead screw 5227 drives the entire unit of the main frame 521 and the sub-frame 522 in the front-to-rear direction. As a result, the placement unit abutment guide 93 can be slid in the front-to-rear direction of the conveyance direction F depending on the size of the cut sheets Q to be stacked. In addition, in Figures 3 to 6, one end of the motor 102 and the guide shaft 5228 are depicted as being in the air, but in reality they are integrally fixed to an outer frame (not shown) arranged around the outside of the main frame 521 and the sub-frame 522.

[0068] Next, we will explain the drive mechanism for the left and right directions in the conveyance width direction of the side guides 961 to 964 in the guide drive unit 52. Since the drive mechanisms for the side guides 961 to 964 are all the same configuration, we will explain only one of them, the side guide 961.

[0069] A plurality of side guides 961 are arranged to separate the cut sheets Q between one or more rows of the loading section 95. This allows the cut slips Q that are continuously discharged in one or more rows to be received and stacked in the sorted state as they are.

[0070] The side guide 961 has cutouts 9611 in the side wall portion through which the plurality of rollers pass, and is configured so that the installation position of the side guide 961 in the paper conveyance width direction can be adjusted through the cutouts 9611. This eliminates problems such as paper slipping through the gap between the side wall of the side guide 961 and the multiple rollers 94, and improves the alignment performance in the paper transport width direction of the single sheets of paper Q loaded on the paper sorting device 2.

[0071] Between each of the rollers 94, an auxiliary guide 9612 is provided to compensate for the gap on the paper transport path.

[0072] This can prevent jams from occurring on the paper transport path.

[0073] A lead nut 9613 is fixed integrally to the side guide 961, and a lead screw 9614 is threadedly engaged with the lead nut 9613. The lead screw 9614 is fixed integrally to the rotary shaft of the motor 104, and by rotating the motor 104, the lead nut 9613 threadedly engaged with the lead screw 9614 moves the side guide 961 left and right in the width direction of the paper transport, depending on the size of the cut sheets Q to be loaded. In a similar configuration, by rotating the motor 105, the side guide 962 moves left and right in the width direction of the paper transport, and by rotating the motor 106, the side guide 963 moves left and right in the width direction of the paper transport. By rotating the motor 107, the side guide 964 moves left and right in the width direction of the sheet conveyance.

[0074] When the side guide 961 moves left and right in the paper transport width direction according to the size of the cut paper Q, the abutment guide 93 moves in a state of being retracted upward relative to the transport path. After adjusting the position of the side guide 961, it is possible that one of the multiple guide members 931 may come into contact with the upper end of the side guide 961 as the abutment guide 93 advances downward relative to the conveying path, but because each guide member 931 is configured to be able to move up, down, left, and right under its own weight up to the regulating position of the stopper, the guide member 931 that is coming into contact with the upper end of the side guide 961 can be lifted up and retracted. Alternatively, the guide member 931 that is coming into contact with the upper end of the side guide 961 can avoid the upper end of the side guide 961 by shifting left and right by the amount of clearance between the guide member 931 and the guide folder 5221.

[0075] Next, we will explain the rotation drive mechanism for the multiple rollers 94 in roller drive unit 40. Roller drive unit 40 is a drive mechanism for rotating the multiple rollers 94 to transport the stacked single-sheet paper Q' after sorting processing downstream in the paper conveyance direction F, and is equipped with drive motor 108 which functions as a drive means, pulley 401 attached to the rotation shaft of drive motor 108, pulley 402 attached to the rotation shaft 403 of roller 941, and timing belt 404 stretched between pulley 401 and pulley 402. When drive motor 108 is driven to rotate, the drive force is transmitted to the rotation shaft 403 of roller 941 via pulleys 401 and 402, causing roller 941 to rotate. As shown in FIG. 6, a gear 405 is attached to the roller 941 on the side facing the drive motor 108, and a gear 405 is also attached to each of the other rollers 94 on the same side, and these sequentially mesh with each other, thereby transmitting the rotational drive from the roller 941 to all of the other rollers 94 in turn.

[0076] [Guide position control] Next, guide position control will be described. As described above, the abutment guide 93 and side guides 961 to 964 in the placement unit 95 are driven by the guide drive unit 52. The guide drive unit 52 is electrically connected to the control unit 45, and a guide control unit 453 in the control unit 45 controls the drive amount of the guide drive unit 52, thereby controlling the position of each guide. The guide drive unit 52 is equipped with motors 102 to 107 for driving the abutment guide 93 forward and backward in the conveying direction and the side guides 961 to 964 left and right in the conveying width direction, and can drive the abutment guide 93 and the side guides 961 to 964 independently.

[0077] The guide control unit 453 includes a guide position setting unit 4531 that sets the conveyance direction position of the abutment guide 93 and the width direction positions of the side guides 961-964 based on the cutting position of the paper by the cutting unit 19. Specifically, the processing device executes a processing job in which processing conditions for the paper on which the deliverable is printed are set, in accordance with processing data created in advance. The processing job includes information such as the processing mode, cutting position, and guide position.

[0078] The guide control unit 453 may also be configured to adjust the setting of the processing mode, the cutting position, and the positions of the abutment guide 93 and the side guides 961 to 964 based on the information of the barcode M2 ​​read by the reading unit 26. The user may also be configured to adjust the setting of the processing mode, the cutting position, and the positions of the abutment guide 93 and the side guides 961 to 964 by operating the operation panel 46 as an operation unit.

[0079] In addition, the guide control unit 453 further includes a switching control unit 4532 that switches between a first mode in which the guide position setting unit 4531 sets the setting to a position where the upper ends of the side guides 961 to 964 support the lower side edges of the cut sheet paper Q discharged from the discharge outlet, and a second mode in which the side guides 961 to 964 are changed to a position where they do not come into contact with the cut sheet paper Q when the cut sheet paper Q loaded on the loading unit 83 reaches a predetermined height.

[0080] (1) First mode 11 is a diagram showing the relationship between cutting positions T1' to T6' and side guides 961 to 964 when the processing content of FIG. 2 is used. Positions Ga, Gb, Gc, and Gd are set corresponding to positions T1' to T6' obtained by a pre-created processing job. The guide control unit 453 then controls the side guides 961, 962, 963, and 964 so that they move to positions Ga, Gb, Gc, and Gd, respectively.

[0081] As shown in FIG. 11, in the first mode, the guide control unit 453 sets the positions of the side guides 961-964 so that when the processed slip paper Q is discharged, one side edge QS1 of the slip paper Q is supported from below by one of the side guides 961-963, slides along the upper ends 961a-963a of the side guides 961-963, and the slip paper Q falls under its own weight from the other side edge QS2 of the slip paper Q toward the loading surface of the loading unit 95.

[0082] This improves the alignment performance of the sheets stacked on the stacking section 95 regardless of the type of sheets discharged from the discharge port, and also allows the guide position to be set simply and reliably.

[0083] The side guides 961 to 964 comprise a first side guide and a second side guide that are installed adjacent to each other in the width direction, and in the first mode, the first side guide is positioned so as to contact one side edge of the cut sheet Q, and the second side guide is positioned so as to be a predetermined distance away from the other side edge of the cut sheet Q.

[0084] As a result, even if the length of the cut sheets Q in the transport direction is short and the nip distance of the paper discharged from the discharge outlet by the discharge rollers is insufficient, one side edge QS1 of the cut sheets Q is supported from below by one of the side guides 961-963, so the cut sheets Q will not be piled up haphazardly near the discharge outlet because they do not reach the stacking section 95 sufficiently, but will be stacked stably and evenly. Similarly, even if the paper is thin, one side edge QS1 of the cut sheets Q will be supported from below by one of the side guides 961-963, so the cut sheets will be stacked on the stacking section 95 without wrinkling. Moreover, the alignment performance of the sheets stacked on the stacking section 95 can be improved.

[0085] In this case, for example, if the distance between side guides 961 and 962 is too narrow as shown in Figure 10(a), one side of the cut sheets Q may get caught on side guide 961, preventing the cut sheets Q from being properly loaded. However, in the present invention, the positions of side guides 961 to 964 are not manually adjusted, but are automatically adjusted according to the type of paper, so this is not a problem.

[0086] (2) Second mode Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 10(b), if the one-sided contact mode continues, the slips Q may pile up, one side of the slips Q may get caught on the side guide 961, and the slips Q may not be stacked properly.

[0087] 12 is a diagram showing the relationship between cutting positions T1' to T6' and side guides 961 to 964 when the processing content of FIG. 2 is used. Positions Ga, Gb, Gc, and Gd are set corresponding to positions T1' to T6' obtained by a processing job created in advance. The guide control unit 453 then controls the side guides 961, 962, 963, and 964 so that they move to positions Ga, Gb, Gc, and Gd, respectively.

[0088] 12, the above problem can be solved by providing optical level sensors 201a and 201b, for example, and when level sensors 201a and 201b detect that cut sheets Q loaded on stacker 95 have reached a predetermined height, switching control unit 4532 switches to second mode, which changes the position of side guides 961-964 so that they do not come into contact with the stack edge of cut sheets Q. Compared to first mode, second mode has a gap on both sides between the stack edge and side guides 961-964, effectively preventing one side of cut sheets Q from getting caught on side guide 961.

[0089] This makes it possible to improve the alignment performance of the sheets stacked on the stacking section 95 regardless of the amount of sheets stacked on the stacking section 95.

[0090] The switching control unit 9532 is configured to switch to the second mode when the level sensors 201a and 201b detect that the paper has continued to reach a predetermined height for a predetermined amount. The predetermined amount may be the stack amount, the number of sheets to be discharged, or time.

[0091] This can prevent erroneous detection by the level sensors 201a and 201b.

[0092] The first mode and the second mode may be configured to be selectable by the user.

[0093] This allows the user to flexibly set the mode depending on the type of paper and the paper stacking situation.

[0094] [Jogger movement] Next, the jogger operation will be described. As described above, the guide control unit 453 controls the guide drive unit 52 to perform guide control to move the side guides 961-964 back and forth a predetermined distance in the paper transport width direction from the standby position for each predetermined number of sheets to be discharged, thereby performing a jogger operation to align the left and right edges of the cut paper Q in the paper transport width direction.

[0095] The guide control unit 453 can perform a jogger operation to align the side edges of the cut slip Q. Before switching from the first mode to the second mode, the guide control unit 453 moves the first side guide from a position where it contacts one side edge of the cut slip Q to a position a predetermined distance away from the side edge of the paper, and then performs the jogger operation. Specific examples will be described later.

[0096] This allows the alignment performance of the sheets stacked on the stacking section 95 to be further improved.

[0097] If the level sensors 201a and 201b do not detect that the cut slip Q has reached the predetermined height after the jogger operation, the mode is switched back to the first mode.

[0098] This can prevent false detection by the level sensors 201a and 201b due to paper getting caught.

[0099] In addition, the loading section 95 is provided with a stop guide 93 that regulates the front end of the cut sheets Q and whose position in the paper transport direction can be changed by the guide control section 453, and before performing the jogger operation, the stop guide 93 is positioned in a retracted position a predetermined distance away from the front edge of the cut sheets Q loaded on the loading section 95.

[0100] This can further improve the alignment performance of the sheets of paper stacked on the stacking section 95, including the leading edges of the sheets of paper.

[0101] [Example of jogger movement] Next, a specific example of the jogger operation when the number of columns of cut sheets Q loaded on the loading section 95 is three will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0102] (1) As shown in Figure 13(a), a first mode is executed in which the upper ends of the side guides 961 to 963 are set to a position that supports the lower side edges of the single sheet paper Q discharged from the discharge outlet based on the position of the side edge of the single sheet paper Q, and the single sheet paper Q is stacked on the stacking section 95.

[0103] (2) Next, as shown in FIG. 13(b), before switching from the first mode to the second mode and before performing the jogger operation, the first side guide 961 is moved from a position where it contacts one side edge of the cut sheet paper Q to a position a predetermined distance away from the side edge of the cut sheet paper Q.

[0104] (3) Next, as shown in FIG. 13(c), first, a pair of side guides 961, 962 and a pair of side guides 963, 964 are selected and closed in the direction of the arrow so that their inner surfaces abut the left and right edges of the cut sheets Qa and Qc.

[0105] (4) Next, as shown in Figure 14(d), a pair of side guides 962 and 963 are selected and closed in the direction of the arrow so that their inner surfaces abut the left and right edges of the cut paper Qb. Note that side guides 961 and 964 open in the direction of the arrow.

[0106] (5) Next, as shown in FIG. 14(e), a pair of side guides 962, 963 is selected and moved in the direction of the arrow to a position where the inner surfaces are a predetermined distance away from the left and right edges of the cut paper Qb. From this point on, the operation continues as the second mode, and cut sheets Q are stacked on the stacker 95. If the level sensors 201a and 201b do not detect cut sheets Q at this time, the operation may be configured to switch back to the first mode.

[0107] This ensures that the jogger action is performed reliably on all target slips, thereby improving the alignment of the slips on the stacking section.

[0108] [Sorting operation of paper sorting device 2] Next, the sorting operation of the paper sorting device 2 will be described.

[0109] When using the processing device D, the user inputs various processing information, for example, from the operation panel 46 shown in Fig. 1. When executing the same processing as that already registered and stored in the storage device, the user operates the operation panel 46 as an operating unit and inputs the number, name of the processing, name, etc. to call up the necessary processing information from the storage device. The user then inputs the number of sheets S to be processed and the number of cut sheets Q to be divided into (dividing unit) after processing using the operation panel 46, and then performs an operation to start the processing.

[0110] At this time, the set positions of the stop guide 93 and side guides 961-964 are automatically adjusted in advance according to the size of the processed slips Q, which is included in the input processing information. The stop guide 93 regulates the leading edge of the processed slips Q as they are discharged from the device main body 1 (processing section) in the conveying direction F, so that the slips Q are loaded on the stacker 95 with their leading edges aligned. The side guides 961-964 also align the left and right edges in the width direction W, which is perpendicular to the conveying direction F. At this time, the stop guide 93 is set to extend downward relative to the conveying path. The stop guide 93 and side guides 961-964 may also be configured to be capable of jogger operation.

[0111] When the user operates to start processing, the paper sheets S loaded in the supply unit 3 of the processing device D are supplied to the conveying path 5 of the device main body 1, and the paper sheets S undergo predetermined processing at a predetermined position in the processing unit 24. After processing, the cut sheets Q are discharged from the device main body 1 toward the paper sorting device 2.

[0112] The paper sorting device 2 is composed of an accumulation / transport section 91 and a stacker section 92. The processed single sheets Q discharged from the device main body 1 are first received by the loading section 95 of the accumulation / transport section 91, stacked in sorting units, and then successively transported to the downstream stacker section 92, one by one, one by one. In this embodiment, the accumulation / transport section 91 is provided with conveying rollers that load the stack of single sheets Q' onto a plurality of rotating rollers 94. Note that the accumulation / transport section 91 may also be configured to be provided with a belt conveyor 88 that loads the stack of single sheets Q' onto a circulating belt, instead of the plurality of rollers 94.

[0113] The stacker unit 92 successively stacks the stack of single cut sheets Q' transferred from the accumulation / transfer unit 91 at different positions on the placement surface 83. The control unit 45 controls the stack of single cut sheets Q' transferred to the stacker unit 92 by the accumulation / transfer unit 91 so that a predetermined gap is formed between the preceding stack of single cut sheets Q' and the succeeding stack of single cut sheets Q'. The stacker unit is provided with a belt conveyor 86 that moves in a circular motion and transfers the stack of single cut sheets Q'.

[0114] The accumulation and transfer section 91 can hold multiple stacks of single sheet paper Q' in the transport direction, and in the accumulation and transfer section 91, the control section 45 at least receives the single sheet paper Q in a stopped state when the single sheet paper Q is stacked, stacks it in sections, and then accumulates the stacked single sheet paper Q' in stages, shifting and transferring it while stopping along the way, and controls the stacked single sheet paper Q' to be passed from the accumulated stack of single sheet paper Q' to the stacker section 92 in stages.

[0115] As a result, the efficiency of the sorting process can be improved.

[0116] Next, a specific example will be given to explain the sorting operation of the paper sorting device 2. Figures 7 and 8 are schematic diagrams showing the sorting operation of the paper sorting device 2. Note that side guides 961 to 964 are omitted in Figures 7 and 8.

[0117] The sorting operation of the paper sorting device 2 in this embodiment describes a series of sorting operations when paper S having the processing pattern shown in Figure 2 is discharged from the device main body 1 as single sheets Q after processing.

[0118] (1) As shown in Figure 7(a), processed slips Q are continuously discharged from the conveying rollers 17 of the device body 1 toward the stacking section 95 of the accumulation and transfer section 91, and the slips Q are stacked in a state aligned by the abutment guide 93 and side guides 961-964. The number of slips Q discharged from the device body 1 is counted by the fifth detection section 35.

[0119] (2) Next, after the number of cut sheets Q loaded on the loading section 95 reaches the sorting number (sorting unit), as shown in Figure 7(b), the abutment guide 93 is retracted upward, and then the roller drive section 40 rotates the rollers 94 to move the stacked cut sheets Q'1 downstream a predetermined distance (roughly the length of the cut sheets Q in the conveying direction plus the thickness of the abutment guide 93), and the rotational drive is stopped. At this time, the discharge of cut sheets Q from the conveying rollers 17 of the device main body 1 is stopped.

[0120] (3) Next, as shown in FIG. 7(c), after the abutment guide 93 again advances downward relative to the conveying path, the discharge of the cut sheets Q from the conveying rollers 17 of the device main body 1 is resumed.

[0121] (4) Next, after the number of cut sheets Q loaded on the loading section 95 reaches the number of cut sheets (sorting unit), 7(d), after the abutment guide 93 is retracted upward, the roller drive unit 40 rotates the rollers 94 to transport the stacked cut sheets Q'1 and Q'2 downstream a predetermined distance, and then the rotation is stopped. At this time, the discharge of cut sheets Q from the conveyor rollers 17 of the device body 1 is stopped.

[0122] (5) Next, as shown in Figure 8(e), after the abutment guide 93 again advances downward relative to the conveying path, the discharge of the cut sheets Q from the conveying rollers 17 of the device main body 1 resumes.

[0123] (6) Next, after the number of cut sheets Q loaded on the loading section 95 reaches the number of cut sheets (sorting unit), As shown in Figure 8(f), after the abutment guide 93 is retracted upward, the roller drive unit 40 rotates the rollers 94 to transport the stacked single-cut sheets Q'1, Q'2, and Q'3 downstream a predetermined distance, and then the rotation is stopped. At this time, only Q'1 is transferred from the accumulation / transfer unit 91 to the placement unit 83 (belt conveyor 86) of the stacker unit 92. The conveyor drive unit 51 rotates the belt conveyor 86 while transferring the stacked single-cut sheets Q'1, Q'2, and Q'3, and stops after transferring the stacked single-cut sheet Q'1 from the accumulation / transfer unit 91 to the stacker unit 92. At this time, the discharge of single-cut sheets Q from the transport rollers 17 of the device main body 1 is stopped.

[0124] (7) Next, as shown in Figure 8(g), after the abutment guide 93 again advances downward relative to the conveying path, the discharge of the cut sheets Q from the conveying rollers 17 of the device main body 1 resumes.

[0125] (8) Next, after the number of cut sheets Q loaded on the loading section 95 reaches the number of cut sheets (sorting unit), As shown in Figure 8(h), after the abutment guide 93 is retracted upward, the roller drive unit 40 rotates the rollers 94 to transport the stacked single-cut sheets Q'2, Q'3, and Q'4 downstream a predetermined distance, and then the rotation is stopped. At this time, only Q'2 is delivered from the accumulation / transfer unit 91 to the placement unit 83 (belt conveyor 86) of the stacker unit 92. The conveyor drive unit 51 rotates the belt conveyor 86 while transporting the stacked single-cut sheets Q'2, Q'3, and Q'4, and stops after delivering the stacked single-cut sheet Q'2 from the accumulation / transfer unit 91 to the stacker unit 92. At this time, the discharge of single-cut sheets Q from the transport rollers 17 of the device main body 1 is stopped.

[0126] The stacking transfer unit 91 and the stacker unit 92 are configured to be independently driven from each other. The gap X1 between the stacked single-ticket papers Q' on the stacking transfer unit 91 and the gap X2 between the stacked single-ticket papers Q' on the stacker unit 92 are specially controlled by the roller drive unit 40 and the conveyor drive unit 51 via the control unit 45. Regarding X1, generally, it is a gap obtained by adding a margin for the smooth advancement and retreat of the abutting guide 93 to the thickness of the abutting guide 93, and a gap of about 10 mm may be sufficient. Regarding X2, it is a gap necessary for easy extraction when the operator takes out the stacked single-ticket paper on the belt conveyor, and a gap of about 20 mm to 50 mm is a guide. The two have a relationship of X1 < X2, and the conveyance speeds V1 and V2 of the stacked single-ticket papers Q' of the stacking transfer unit 91 and the stacker unit 92 also have a relationship of V1 < V2. That is, when delivering (shifting and transferring) the stacked single-ticket paper Q' from the stacking transfer unit 91 to the stacker unit 92, control is performed to accelerate the conveyance speed and widen the gap from X1 to X2. In the embodiment, the number of stacked single-ticket papers Q' arranged on the stacking transfer unit 91 is described as 3, but it is not limited to this, and it may be 1 or 3 or more. Also, the number of stacked single-ticket papers Q' arranged on the stacker unit 92 is described as 2, but it is not limited to this, and it may be 1 or 2 or more.

[0127] According to the above, as long as the minimum gap X1 between the stacked single-ticket papers Q' on the stacking transfer unit 91 is ensured, and then, while shifting and transferring to the stacker unit 92 and delivering, control is automatically performed independently of the stacking transfer unit 91 to widen the gap to X2 where the stacked single-ticket paper Q' can be easily taken out. Therefore, the stop time of the stacking transfer unit 91 can be minimized, and the working efficiency is good. In the prior art, since the discharged single-ticket paper Q is transferred downstream while being stacked in a predetermined number on a single (one-drive) belt conveyor while opening a predetermined gap, it is necessary to stop the stacking operation (discharge operation) of the subsequent discharged paper during the transfer of the preceding paper (while the belt conveyor is running) until the predetermined gap is opened on the downstream side, and the working efficiency is poor.

[0128] By combining the paper sorting device 2 of the present invention with the processing device 1, it is possible to improve the efficiency of the sorting work and also improve the alignment performance in the paper transport direction of cut sheets loaded on the paper sorting device 2. Furthermore, it may be combined with other paper processing devices that perform sorting processes for printed matter, cards, mail, signatures, etc., or may be installed in the middle of a general paper transport device.

[0129] It is clear that the present invention is not limited to the present embodiment, and that within the scope of the technical concept of the present invention, the present embodiment may be modified as appropriate in addition to the modifications suggested in the present embodiment. Furthermore, the number, position, shape, etc. of the components are not limited to the present embodiment, and the number, position, shape, etc. of the components may be any number, position, shape, etc. suitable for implementing the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0130] D. Processing equipment F Conveying direction K cutting line Q Single sheet paper S seat T cutting line 1. Device body 2 Paper sorting device 40 Roller drive unit 45 Control Unit 46 Operation Panel 51 Conveyor drive unit 52 Guide drive unit 83 Placement section 85 Belt 86 Conveyor Belt 87 Conveyor Roller 88 Conveyor Belt 91 Accumulation and Transfer Section 92 Stacker section 93 Stop guide 94 Drive roller 95 Placement section 104 Motor 105 Motor 106 Motor 201 Level Sensor 451 Arithmetic section 452 Storage section 453 Guide control unit 961 Side guide 962 Side Guide 963 Side Guide 964 Side Guide

Claims

1. a stacking section for stacking the paper sheets discharged from a discharge port by a conveying section for conveying the paper sheets; A paper stacking device comprising: a side guide that regulates an edge of the paper in a width direction intersecting a direction in which the paper is discharged; a guide drive unit that moves the side guide in the width direction; and a guide control unit that controls an operation of the guide drive unit, A paper stacking device characterized in that the guide control unit includes a guide position setting unit that sets the widthwise position of the side guide based on the position of the side edge of the paper discharged from the discharge outlet, and a first mode that sets the guide position setting unit to a position where the upper end of the side guide supports the lower side edge of the paper discharged from the discharge outlet.

2. The paper stacking device according to claim 1, further comprising a level sensor, and a switching control unit that switches to a second mode in which the side guide is changed to a position where it does not contact the paper when the level sensor detects that the paper stacked in the stacking section has reached a predetermined height.

3. 3. The sheet stacking device according to claim 2, wherein the switching control unit switches to the second mode when the level sensor detects that the sheet has continued to be conveyed for a predetermined amount and has reached a predetermined height.

4. 3. The paper stacking device of claim 2, wherein the side guide comprises a first side guide and a second side guide installed adjacent to each other in the width direction, and in the first mode, the first side guide is positioned so as to contact one side edge of the paper, and the second side guide is positioned so as to be a predetermined distance away from the other side edge of the paper.

5. The paper stacking device of claim 4, characterized in that the guide control unit is capable of performing a jogger operation to align the side edges of the paper, and before switching from the first mode to the second mode, moves the first side guide from a position where it contacts one side edge of the paper to a position a predetermined distance away from the side edge of the paper, and then performs the jogger operation.

6. 6. The paper stacking device according to claim 5, further comprising a stop guide in the stacking section that regulates the leading edge of the paper and whose position in the paper transport direction can be changed by the guide control section, and before the jogger operation is performed, the stop guide is positioned in a retracted position a predetermined distance away from the leading edge of the paper stacked on the stacking section.

7. 6. The paper stacking device according to claim 5, wherein, if the level sensor does not detect that the paper has reached a predetermined height after the jogger operation, the device switches back to the first mode.

8. 3. The sheet stacking device according to claim 2, wherein the first mode or the second mode is selectable by a user.

9. A processing device comprising: a conveying unit that conveys paper; a cutting unit that cuts the paper conveyed by the conveying unit along a conveying direction; a loading unit that stacks the paper processed by the cutting unit and discharged from a discharge port by the conveying unit; side guides that regulate the edges of the paper in a width direction that intersects with the discharge direction; a guide driving unit that moves the side guides in the width direction; and a guide control unit that controls the operation of the guide driving unit, The processing processing device is characterized in that the guide control unit is equipped with a guide position setting unit that sets the widthwise position of the side guide based on the cutting position of the sheet by the cutting unit, and a switching control unit that switches between a first mode in which the guide position setting unit is set to a position where the upper end of the side guide supports the lower side edge of the paper discharged from the discharge outlet, and a second mode in which the side guide is changed to a position where it does not contact the paper when the paper loaded in the stacking unit reaches a predetermined height.

Images