Sheet transport device and image forming system

Abstract

This improves the ease of removing internal components from the door. [Solution] A sheet conveying device for conveying sheets comprises a device body 100a and an upper door 100b that is rotatably supported on a pivot axis relative to the device body 100a and is displaceable between a closed position and an open position relative to the device body 100a. The upper door 100b has a frame 101 having an opening that opens upward U when in the closed position, and an escape conveying section 140 housed in the frame 101. The escape conveying section 140 has a first device section 142 and a second device section 143 that can be separated upward U from the first device section 142, and when the second device section 143 is separated from the first device section 142, it can be removed upward U from the opening of the frame 101.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a sheet conveying device for conveying a sheet and an image forming system to which the same is applied.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, in a sheet conveying device for conveying a sheet in an image forming apparatus, when a sheet jam occurs, a configuration is known in which a conveyance guide can be opened together with a door (rotating unit) by opening the door of the image forming apparatus (see Patent Document 1). In this image forming apparatus, the door and the conveyance guide are integrated, and the conveyance guide can be opened at the same time as the door is opened. Therefore, the jammed sheet can be confirmed and removed by opening the door. According to this image forming apparatus, compared with the case where the door and the conveyance guide are separate bodies, the number of user operations in jam processing can be reduced, and workability can be improved.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In recent years, in order to further improve productivity in image forming processing, it has been desired to increase the sheet conveying speed. For this reason, internal devices housed in the door, such as rollers for conveying the sheet, motors for rotating the rollers, and sensors for detecting the conveyed sheet, may become larger, and the door itself for housing these internal devices may also become larger. In this case, in order to increase the rigidity of the door as the door becomes larger, it may be considered to provide a frame inside and unitize the internal devices and house them in the frame.

[0005] However, in the sheet conveying device described in Patent Document 1, the internal components are housed in the door frame, so they must be removed from the frame when replacing them. In recent years, internal components have become larger and are sometimes unitized, and removing such large and heavy units from the frame above the main body of the device is inefficient.

[0006] The present invention aims to provide a sheet transport device and an image forming system that can improve work efficiency when removing internal equipment from a door. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] One aspect of the present invention is a sheet conveying device for conveying sheets, comprising: a support unit; a pivot unit that is rotatably supported by the support unit about a pivot axis and is displaceable between a closed position and an open position relative to the support unit, wherein the pivot unit comprises a frame having an opening that opens upward when in the closed position, and an internal device housed in the frame, wherein the internal device comprises a first device section and a second device section that is divisible upward from the first device section, and the second device section, when separated from the first device section, is removable upward from the opening in the frame, characterized in that the sheet conveying device is such that

[0008] Another aspect of the present invention is an image forming system characterized by comprising an image forming apparatus having an image forming unit for forming an image on a sheet, and the above-mentioned sheet transport apparatus. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to the present invention, the ease of removing internal equipment from the door can be improved. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0010] [Figure 1] This is a cross-sectional view showing an image forming system according to an embodiment. [Figure 2]This is a schematic diagram showing a feeding module according to an embodiment, where (a) is a perspective view, (b) is a front view showing the transport path, and (c) is a front view when two units are connected in the sheet transport direction. [Figure 3] This is a front view showing the feeding module according to the embodiment with the outer cover removed. [Figure 4] This is a front view showing the escape transport device in the feed module according to the embodiment, where (a) is the state before division, (b) is the state after division with the upper device being lifted up, and (c) is the state after the upper device has been removed and the lower device has been removed. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0011] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to Figures 1 to 4(c). In this embodiment, the case in which the image forming system is applied to the inkjet recording system 1 is described. Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the general configuration of the inkjet recording system 1. This inkjet recording system 1 is a sheet-fed inkjet recording system that produces a recording material by forming an ink image on a sheet S using two liquids, a reaction liquid and an ink. As shown in Figure 1, the inkjet recording system 1 consists of a feeding module 100, a print module 200, a drying module 300, a fixing module 400, a cooling module 500, an inversion module 600, and an discharge module 700. The cut sheet S supplied from the feeding module 100 is transported along the transport path, processed in each module, and discharged in the discharge module 700. In this embodiment, the sheet is a recording material and includes paper such as sheets and envelopes, plastic films such as overhead projector sheets (OHP), cloth, etc. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the sheet transport direction D1 is arranged so that it is in the left-right direction of the inkjet recording system 1, and the right side is denoted as right direction R, the left side as left direction L, the front side as forward direction F, the back side as rear direction B, the top side as upward direction U, and the bottom side as downward direction D.

[0012] The feeding module 100 is an example of a sheet transport device that transports sheets S. It is connected to the print module 200 and transports sheets, thereby supplying sheets to the print module 200 and transferring sheets between the two modules. The feeding module 100 has three storage compartments 111, 112, and 113 for storing sheets S. Each of the storage compartments 111, 112, and 113 is an example of a sheet storage section, capable of storing multiple sheets, and is configured to be pull out from the front of the device. Sheets S are fed one by one in each storage compartment 111, 112, and 113 by a separation belt and transport rollers (not shown) and transported to the print module 200. Note that the storage compartments 111, 112, and 113 are not limited to three, but may be one, two, or four or more. The feeding module 100 will be described later.

[0013] The print module 200 is an example of an image forming apparatus and includes a pre-image registration correction unit (not shown), a print belt unit 220, and a recording unit 230, which transport the sheet S. The sheet S transported from the feed module 100 has its tilt and position corrected by the pre-image registration correction unit and is transported to the print belt unit 220. The recording unit 230 is positioned opposite the print belt unit 220 with respect to the transport path. The recording unit 230 is an example of an image forming unit and forms an image on the transported sheet S by performing a recording process (printing) on ​​the sheet S from above using a recording head. Multiple recording heads are arranged along the transport direction. In this embodiment, in addition to the four colors Y (yellow), M (magenta), C (cyan), and Bk (black), there are a total of five line-type recording heads corresponding to the reaction solution. Note that the number of colors is not limited to four, and the number of recording heads is not limited to five. The inkjet method can employ various methods, including those using heating elements, piezoelectric elements, electrostatic elements, and MEMS elements. Each color of ink is supplied to the recording head from an ink tank (not shown) via an ink tube. The sheet S printed in the recording unit 230 is transported by a print belt unit 220, ensuring clearance with the recording head. The sheet S printed in the recording unit 230 is scanned by an inline scanner (not shown) located downstream of the recording unit in the sheet transport direction to detect any misalignment or color density of the image formed on the sheet S. The detection results are used to correct the printed image.

[0014] The drying module 300 includes a decoupling section 320, a drying belt unit 330, and a hot air blowing section 340. It reduces the liquid content of the ink applied to the sheet S by the recording section 230 of the print module 200, thereby improving the adhesion between the sheet S and the ink. The sheet S printed by the recording section 230 of the print module 200 is transported to the decoupling section 320 located upstream of the sheet transport direction in the drying module 300. In the decoupling section 320, the sheet S can be transported from above by air pressure and belt friction, and by weakly holding and transporting the sheet S on the belt, it prevents the sheet S on the print belt unit 220, which forms the ink image, from shifting. The drying belt unit 330 is located below the belt, and the hot air blowing section 340 is located above the belt, facing each other across the belt. The sheet S transported from the decoupling section 320 is transported by suction in the drying belt unit 330, and at the same time, the ink-applied surface is dried by hot air from the hot air blowing section 340. In addition to the method of applying hot air, the drying method may also be configured by combining a method of irradiating the surface of the sheet S with electromagnetic waves (such as ultraviolet or infrared rays) or a conductive heat transfer method using contact with a heating element.

[0015] The fixing module 400 has a fixing belt unit 410. The fixing belt unit 410 has an upper belt unit and a lower belt unit, and the ink can be fixed to the sheet S by passing the sheet S conveyed from the drying module 300 between the heated upper belt unit and the lower belt unit.

[0016] The cooling module 500 has multiple cooling units 510 and cools the high-temperature sheet S that has been transported along the sheet transport path from the fixing module 400. The cooling units 510 are configured to cool the sheet S by drawing in outside air into the cooling box with a fan, increasing the pressure inside the cooling box, and blowing air from nozzles formed in the transport guide onto the sheet S. The cooling units 510 are positioned both above and below the transport path to cool the sheet S from both sides.

[0017] In addition, the cooling module 500 has a conveyance path switching unit 520, and can switch the conveyance path of the sheet S according to whether the sheet S is conveyed to the inversion module 600 or conveyed to the double-sided conveyance path used during double-sided printing. During double-sided printing, the sheet S is conveyed to the conveyance path below the cooling module 500. In this case, from the cooling module 500, it is further conveyed along the double-sided conveyance paths of the fixing module 400, the drying module 300, the printing module 200, and the feeding module 100. A first inversion unit 420 for inverting the front and back of the sheet S is provided in the double-sided conveyance path of the fixing module 400. Then, again, it is conveyed from the feeding module 100 to the pre-imaging registration correction unit, the printing belt unit 220, and the recording unit 230 of the printing module 200, and is printed by the recording unit 230.

[0018] The inversion module 600 has a second inversion unit 640, can invert the front and back of the conveyed sheet S, and can change the front and back orientation of the discharged sheet S. The discharge module 700 has a top tray 720 and a stacking unit 750, and stacks the sheets S conveyed from the inversion module 600 in an aligned manner.

[0019] [Feeding Module] Next, the configuration of the feeding module 100 will be described with reference to FIGS. 2(a) to (c). FIGS. 2(a) to (c) are schematic diagrams showing the configuration of the feeding module 100. FIG. 2(a) is a perspective view of the feeding module 100, FIG. 2(b) is a front view showing the conveyance path in the feeding module 100, and FIG. 2(c) is a front view when two feeding modules 100 are arranged side by side in the sheet conveyance direction D1.

[0020] As shown in Figure 2(a), the feeding module 100 has a device body 100a in which storage compartments 111 to 113 are housed, and an upper door 100b that is hinged to the rear side B of the device body 100a and opens upward. The device body 100a is an example of a support unit, and the upper door 100b is an example of a rotating unit. That is, the upper door 100b is supported so as to be rotatable with respect to the device body 100a about a pivot axis 100c, and is displaceable between a closed position (see Figure 2(b)) and an open position (see Figure 2(b)) relative to the device body 100a. In this embodiment, the pivot axis 100c is positioned with the sheet transport direction D1 of the sheet to be transported as its axial direction. However, the axial direction of the pivot axis 100c is not limited to the sheet transport direction D1.

[0021] The feeding module 100 includes a horizontal conveying section 120, a vertical conveying section 130, and an escape conveying section 140. The horizontal conveying section 120 has a horizontal conveying path 120a, the vertical conveying section 130 has a vertical conveying path 130a that conveys sheets upward U, and the escape conveying section 140 has a retraction conveying path 140a that conveys sheets upward U. Downstream of the horizontal conveying path 120a in the sheet conveying direction D1, a discharge path 121 is continuously provided, formed by the upper part of the vertical conveying section 130 and the lower part of the escape conveying section 140. The discharge path 121 is an example of a first conveying path and conveys the sheets S horizontally. The retraction conveying path 140a is an example of a second conveying path and branches off from the discharge path 121 to convey the sheets S conveyed in the discharge path 121 upward U for discharge.

[0022] The vertical conveyance unit 130 is an example of a conveyance unit, and conveys the sheet S stored in the storage bins 111, 112, and 113 to the recording unit 230 (see FIG. 1). When supplying the sheet S from the feeding module 100 to the printing module 200 arranged downstream in the sheet conveyance direction D1, the following operations are executed. When printing the first side of the sheet S, the sheet S is supplied from the storage bins 111 to 113. When printing the second side of the sheet S, the sheet S is supplied through the vertical conveyance inlet 131 from the re-conveyance path (see FIG. 1) provided below the printing module 200 and through the vertical conveyance path 130a of the vertical conveyance unit 130. Each supplied sheet S is conveyed from the discharge path 121 through the discharge port 122 to the printing module 200.

[0023] A switching unit 141 is provided in the discharge path 121. The switching unit 141 can switch the conveyance path by rotation, and switches whether to convey the sheet conveyed in the discharge path 121 to the discharge port 122 or to the retraction conveyance path 140a of the escape conveyance unit 140. When a jam or malfunction occurs during printing, the switching unit 141 switches the conveyance path to the retraction conveyance path 140a of the escape conveyance unit 140, and retracts the sheet staying in the conveyance path to the discharge tray provided above the feeding module 100.

[0024] As shown in FIG. 2(c), the feeding module 100 can be expanded by connecting a plurality of units in series in the sheet conveyance direction D1. For example, two units, i.e., the first feeding module 100A connected to the printing module 200 and the expanded second feeding module 100B, can be connected in series in the sheet conveyance direction D1. In this case, the sheet supplied from the second feeding module 100B is conveyed through the horizontal conveyance unit 120 of the first feeding module 100A, passes through the discharge path 121, and is discharged to the printing module 200 in the same manner as the sheet supplied from the first feeding module 100A.

[0025] [Upper door] The upper door 100b houses the escape conveying section 140 and the upper part of the horizontal conveying section 120 as internal equipment 150. In the event of jamming or malfunction, opening the upper door 100b (see Figure 2(a)) allows for inspection and removal of jam sheets accumulated in the discharge path 121 and the horizontal conveying path 120a.

[0026] As shown in Figure 2(a), the upper door 100b has a first guide portion 201 that faces the main body 100a when it is in the closed position. The main body 100a has a second guide portion 202 that faces the first guide portion 201 of the upper door 100b when it is in the closed position. The first guide portion 201 and the second guide portion 202 form a discharge path 121 and a horizontal transport path 120a as transport paths for transporting the sheet S between the first guide portion 201 and the second guide portion 202. When the upper door 100b is in the closed position, a portion of the first guide portion 201 is located directly below the frame 101, forming a discharge port 122. In this embodiment, the downstream end of the first guide portion 201 in the sheet transport direction D1 is located directly below the left side L of the frame 101.

[0027] [Internal device] The internal device 150 will be described using Figure 3. The upper door 100b has a frame 101 that constitutes the frame body and an outer cover (not shown) that covers the frame 101 from the outside. The internal device 150 is housed inside the frame 101. The frame 101 has an opening 101a that opens upward when the upper door 100b is in the closed position. In this embodiment, the internal device 150 has an escape transport section 140 and the upper part of the horizontal transport section 120.

[0028] The escape transport unit 140 is suspended from the frame 101 via a suspension member 102. When the upper door 100b is closed, the escape transport unit 140 is subjected to a downward force by its own weight or by a biasing member provided on the suspension member 102, and is positioned relative to the positioning mechanism 151 located on the upper surface of the vertical transport unit 130 provided on the main body 100a of the device. When the upper door 100b is open, the escape transport unit 140 is lifted by the suspension member 102 in conjunction with the frame 101.

[0029] [Escape Transport Unit] Next, the splitting mechanism of the escape transport unit 140 according to this embodiment and the attachment / detachment configuration to the frame 101 will be described. The escape transport unit 140 has various components such as rollers for transporting the sheet S, a motor for rotating the rollers, and a sensor for detecting the sheet S. When these components are being maintained or when they malfunction, it is necessary to remove the escape transport unit 140 from the frame 101.

[0030] As shown in Figure 4(a), the escape transport unit 140 has a frame 101 positioned opposite it to the left (L) and a horizontal transport unit 120 positioned to the right (R). Therefore, the escape transport unit 140 cannot be moved in the left-right direction and is difficult to remove. Furthermore, the frame 101 is stretched across at least a portion of the escape transport unit 140 so as to overlap it horizontally on the side opposite to the pivot axis 100c in the horizontal direction, i.e., the side in the forward direction (F). For this reason, the escape transport unit 140 cannot be moved in the forward direction (F) and is difficult to remove. The same applies to the rear.

[0031] Although the escape transport unit 140 can be removed from the downward direction D, removing the heavy escape transport unit 140 downwards while the upper door 101b is open, as shown in Figure 2(a), is inefficient due to the risk of it falling. Therefore, it is desirable to remove the escape transport unit 140 from the upward direction U.

[0032] In contrast, in this embodiment, the downstream end of the first guide section 201 in the sheet transport direction D1 is located directly below the left side L of the frame 101, forming the discharge port 122. Therefore, the escape transport section 140 cannot move upward because it comes into contact with the frame 101 directly above the discharge port 122 on the left side L. While this can be avoided by reducing or making smaller the frame 101, doing so would reduce the overall strength of the upper door 100b, making it difficult to properly hold the transport device and other internal equipment.

[0033] Furthermore, various parts used in the escape transport section 140 and other components tend to be standardized to improve productivity. As the internal device 150 becomes larger, the movement trajectory when the frame 101 is rotated from the closed position to the open position overlaps with the internal device 150 when the upper door 100b is in the closed position. In this case, suppose the internal device 150 is removed from the frame 101 when the upper door 100b is in the closed position, and the internal device 150 is supported by the device body 100a, and the frame 101 is rotated toward the open position. In this case, the frame 101 interferes with the internal device 150 and does not reach the open position.

[0034] Therefore, in this embodiment, the escape transport section 140 is configured to be divisible into two parts at the dividing line 145. If the escape transport section 140 is pulled upward U without being divided, the discharge port 122 portion will come into contact with the frame 101 directly above it. For this reason, as shown in Figure 4(a), the dividing line 145 is provided horizontally above the discharge port 122 of the discharge path 121, with the portion below the dividing line 145 being the first device section 142 and the portion above being the second device section 143. That is, the escape transport section 140 has a first device section 142 and a second device section 143 that can be divided upward relative to the first device section 142. The first device section 142 is fitted with a first guide section 201 that forms the upper part of the discharge path 121, and the second device section 143 has a retraction transport path 140a. The first device section 142 and the second device section 143 are connected by a connecting member 144 and integrated as an escape transport section 140.

[0035] By using this configuration, the upper second device section 143 can be removed by lifting it upward U without contacting the frame 101, as shown in Figure 4(b), after the connecting member 144 has been removed in the state shown in Figure 4(a). In other words, when the second device section 143 is separated from the first device section 142, it can be removed upward U from the opening 101a of the frame 101. The lower first device section 142 has a larger range of movement due to the removal of the second device section 143, as shown in Figure 4(c), so it is rotated to lift the upstream side in the sheet transport direction D1. Then, by pulling up the right end R of the first device section 142 upward U, it can be removed from inside the frame 101. At this time, the first device section 142 is lighter than the entire weight of the escape transport section 140 by the amount of the second device section 143 removed. Therefore, work efficiency can be improved compared to removing the heavy escape transport section 140.

[0036] In this embodiment, the first device unit 142 is described as being removed by pulling it upward U from the frame 101, but this is not the only method. For example, after removing the second device unit 143 upward U with the upper door 100b closed, opening the upper door 100b leaves the first device unit 142, which is not connected to the frame 101, above the vertical transport unit 130. That is, the movement trajectory when the frame 101 is rotated from the closed position to the open position does not overlap with the first device unit 142 when the upper door 100b is in the closed position. Therefore, even when this procedure is used, the first device unit 142 can be removed without interfering with the frame 101.

[0037] As described above, according to this embodiment, when the second device section 143 is separated from the first device section 142, it can be removed upward U through the opening 101a of the frame 101. Therefore, the first device section 142 can be rotated and removed upward U, or removed while remaining in the downward position. As a result, even if the escape transport section 140 is difficult to remove as is, by dividing it, the individual miniaturized and lightweight device sections can be removed, thereby improving the workability when removing the internal device 150 from the upper door 100b. In other words, even in a configuration in which the escape transport section 140, which has an outlet 122 on the side, is housed in the upper door 100b, the workability when removing it from inside the frame 101 can be improved without reducing the strength of the upper door 100b provided by the frame 101.

[0038] In the embodiment described above, the case in which the dividing line 145 dividing the escape transport section 140 is horizontal was explained, but this is not the only case. As long as the second device section 143 is detached upward U, the dividing line may be vertical or inclined.

[0039] Furthermore, although the above-described embodiment described a configuration in which the escape transport section 140 is divided into two parts, it is not limited to this. For example, it may be divided into three or more parts. In that case as well, by removing a part of it upward in the U direction, the other parts can also be removed from above or below, and the escape transport section 140 can be removed. Also, in the above-described embodiment, the internal device 150 includes the upper part of the horizontal transport section 120 in addition to the escape transport section 140, so the internal device 150 has an escape transport section 140 that is divided vertically and a horizontal transport section 120 that is divided horizontally. That is, the internal device 150 is an example of a third device section and is arranged side by side with at least one of the first device section 142 and the second device section 143 in the axial direction of the pivot shaft 100c.

[0040] Furthermore, although the above-described embodiment described the application to the feeding module 100 as an example of a sheet transport device, it is not limited to this. For example, it may be applied to the printing module 200, or to other modules such as the inversion module 600 or the discharge module 700. Moreover, the sheet transport device can be applied to an inspection device that reads and inspects the image of the sheet after image formation, or an automatic document feeder that feeds the original document from which the image is read, etc.

[0041] Furthermore, although the above-described embodiment described the case in which the image forming system is applied to an inkjet recording system 1 of the inkjet recording method, it is not limited to this and may also be applied to an electrophotographic image forming apparatus. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0042] 1... Inkjet recording system (image forming system), 100... Feeding module (sheet transport device), 100a... Device body (support unit), 100b... Top door (rotating unit), 100c... Rotating shaft, 101... Frame, 101a... Opening, 111, 112, 113... Storage compartment (sheet storage section), 120... Horizontal transport section (third device section), 120a... Horizontal transport path (transport path), 121... Discharge path (transport path, first transport path), 130... Vertical transport section (transport section), 140a... Retraction transport path (second transport path), 142... First device section, 143... Second device section, 150... Internal device, 200... Print module (image forming device), 201... First guide section, 202... Second guide section, 230... Recording section (image forming section), D1... Sheet transport direction, S... Sheet

Claims

1. In a sheet transport device that transports sheets, Support unit and The system comprises a pivot unit that is rotatably supported by the support unit about a pivot axis and is displaceable between a closed position and an open position relative to the support unit, The rotating unit comprises a frame having an opening that opens upward when in the closed position, and an internal device housed within the frame. The internal device comprises a first device section and a second device section that is divisible upward from the first device section. The second device section, when separated from the first device section, can be removed upward from the opening of the frame. A sheet conveying device characterized by the following features.

2. The rotating unit has a first guide portion that faces the support unit when it is in the closed position, The support unit has a second guide portion that faces the first guide portion of the rotating unit when it is in the closed position. The first guide section and the second guide section form a transport path for transporting the sheet between the first guide section and the second guide section. The sheet conveying device according to feature 1.

3. The first guide section is attached to the first device section. The sheet conveying device according to feature 2.

4. The first guide portion, when the rotating unit is in the closed position, has a portion of it located directly below the frame. The sheet conveying device according to feature 3.

5. The frame is stretched across at least a portion of the internal device so as to overlap horizontally on the side opposite to the pivot axis in the horizontal direction. The sheet conveying device according to feature 1.

6. The internal device has a third device section arranged alongside at least one of the first device section and the second device section in the axial direction of the pivot shaft. The sheet conveying device according to feature 1.

7. The movement trajectory when the frame is rotated from the closed position to the open position coincides with the internal device when the rotating unit is in the closed position. The sheet conveying device according to feature 1.

8. When the internal device is removed from the frame while the rotating unit is in the closed position, and the internal device is supported by the support unit, and the frame is rotated toward the open position, the frame interferes with the internal device and does not reach the open position. The sheet conveying device according to feature 1.

9. It is equipped with a first transport path for horizontally transporting the sheet, The internal device has a second transport path that branches off from the first transport path and transports the sheets being transported in the first transport path upward for discharge. The sheet conveying device according to feature 1.

10. A seat storage section that accommodates multiple seats, The system comprises an image forming unit that forms an image on a sheet, and a transport unit that transports the sheet stored in the sheet storage unit. The sheet conveying device according to feature 1.

11. The aforementioned pivot shaft is positioned with the sheet transport direction of the sheet being transported as its axial direction. The sheet conveying device according to feature 1.

12. An image forming apparatus having an image forming unit that forms an image on a sheet, A sheet transport device comprising: An image forming system characterized by the following features.

Images