Media processing apparatus, image forming apparatus, and image forming system

Abstract

The present invention provides a media processing device that can reduce the load on the media surface when increasing the rigidity of the media. [Solution] A media processing device comprising: a conveying means including a pair of conveying rollers for gripping and conveying a sheet-like medium; a conveying position variable means for varying the position in which the conveying roller pair grips the medium; and a control means for controlling the operation of at least the conveying means and the conveying position variable means, wherein the conveying roller pair is arranged facing each other in a main scanning direction perpendicular to the conveying direction of the medium, grips the vicinity of the end of the medium in the main scanning direction and conveys the medium in the conveying direction, and the conveying position variable means varies the distance between the opposing conveying roller pair based on attribute information of the medium.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a medium processing apparatus, an image forming apparatus, and an image forming system.

Background Art

[0002] There is known a medium processing apparatus that conveys a sheet-like medium and performs predetermined processing. Also, in the process of conveying the medium, there is known a technique for increasing the rigidity of the medium by guiding a part of the medium surface to a position different from the roller sandwiching surface, suppressing the rounding of the leading end of the medium, and eliminating the stacking defect at the time of medium discharge.

[0003] There is known a paper discharge device including a discharge roller that discharges the medium after image formation, a rigidity imparting member that imparts rigidity to the medium, a rigidity imparting member moving means that moves at least a pair of rigidity imparting members in a direction orthogonal to the conveyance direction of the medium, and a medium information acquisition means that acquires information on the medium (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0004] According to the configuration disclosed in Patent Document 1, by providing a position change control means that changes the movement position of the rigidity imparting member according to the acquisition result of the medium information acquisition means, it is possible to impart rigidity according to the paper size and paper thickness.

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] When performing a process such as stacking the conveyed medium, it is desirable to convey and discharge the medium so as to increase the rigidity of the medium, so-called "strengthen the stiffness of the medium". When a strong "stiffness" is required according to the medium size and medium thickness, according to the configuration disclosed in Patent Document Ⅰ, methods such as increasing the amount of indentation of the medium surface to increase the corrugation of the stiffening or changing the stiffening position to enhance the tension in the direction orthogonal to the conveyance direction of the medium are assumed.

[0006] In conventional techniques, applying strong stiffness places a heavy load on the medium. Therefore, in order to impart appropriate stiffness according to the properties of the medium using conventional techniques, a large load may be required, resulting in problems such as damage to the medium or a decrease in the quality of the medium surface. In other words, conventional techniques have the problem of increasing aggression towards the medium surface when stiffening the medium.

[0007] The present invention aims to provide a media processing apparatus that can reduce the load on the media surface when increasing the rigidity of the media. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] To solve the above problems, one aspect of the present invention relates to a media processing apparatus, comprising: a conveying means including a pair of conveying rollers for gripping and conveying a sheet-like medium; a conveying position variable means for varying the position in which the conveying roller pair grips the medium; and a control means for controlling the operation of at least the conveying means and the conveying position variable means, wherein the conveying roller pair is arranged facing each other in a main scanning direction perpendicular to the conveying direction of the medium, grips the vicinity of the end of the medium in the main scanning direction and conveys the medium in the conveying direction, and the conveying position variable means varies the distance between the facing conveying roller pair based on attribute information of the medium. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to the present invention, the load on the media surface when increasing the rigidity of the media can be reduced. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0010] [Figure 1] A diagram showing the overall configuration of an embodiment of the image forming system according to the present invention. [Figure 2] A block diagram illustrating the control configuration of the image forming system according to this embodiment. [Figure 3] A block diagram illustrating an embodiment of the post-processing apparatus according to the present invention. [Figure 4]Hardware configuration diagram of the post-processing device according to the above embodiment. [Figure 5] A diagram illustrating the configuration of the media transport mechanism included in the post-processing device according to the above embodiment. [Figure 6] This figure shows an example of skew correction operation in the media transport mechanism described above. [Figure 7] This figure shows another example of skew correction operation in the media transport mechanism described above. [Figure 8] This figure shows an example of the positional change operation of the transport roller pair in the above-mentioned media transport mechanism. [Figure 9] This figure shows another example of the positional change operation of the transport roller pair in the above-mentioned media transport mechanism. [Figure 10] This figure shows another example of the positional change operation of the transport roller pair in the above-mentioned media transport mechanism. [Figure 11] An example of the bracing operation in the above-mentioned media transport mechanism is shown in the figure. [Figure 12] This figure shows another example of the positional change operation of the transport roller pair in the above-mentioned media transport mechanism. [Figure 13] A diagram showing an example of the transport operation in the above-mentioned media transport mechanism. [Figure 14] This figure shows another example of a mechanism for changing the position of the transport roller pair in the above-mentioned media transport mechanism. [Figure 15] This figure shows another example of a mechanism for changing the position of the transport roller pair in the above-mentioned media transport mechanism. [Figure 16] A flowchart showing an example of the transport control process of the post-processing device described above. [Figure 17] A flowchart showing an example of the transport control process of the post-processing device described above. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0011] [Embodiment of Image Forming System 1] Hereinafter, the image forming system 1 according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the overall configuration of the image forming system 1. The image forming system 1 has an image forming function for forming an image on a sheet-like medium, such as paper P, and a post-processing function for performing predetermined post-processing on the paper P on which the image has been formed. As shown in FIG. 1, the image forming system 1 is configured to operate in cooperation with an image forming apparatus 20 having an image forming function and a post-processing apparatus 10 as a medium processing apparatus having the post-processing function according to the present invention.

[0012] In addition, in the present embodiment, an explanation is made on the premise that "paper" is used as the sheet-like medium to be processed in the image forming system 1. However, the object of the processing according to the present embodiment is not limited to paper. For example, any medium on which image formation is possible using a conventionally known image forming process may be used regardless of its type. Further, media that can be the object of folding or binding processing are also included herein, and the material, specifications, etc. are not limited.

[0013] The image forming apparatus 20 forms an image on the paper P. Then, the image forming apparatus 20 discharges the paper P on which the image has been formed to the post-processing apparatus 10. The image forming apparatus 20 includes a storage tray 211 for storing the paper P, a conveyance unit 212 for conveying the paper P stored in the storage tray 211, and an image forming unit 213 for forming an image on the paper P conveyed by the conveyance unit 212. The image forming unit 213 may be an inkjet method for forming an image using ink or an electrophotographic method for forming an image using toner. Further, the image forming apparatus 20 includes an image forming control unit 200 for controlling various operations of the conveyance unit 212 and the image forming unit 213. Since the configuration of the image forming apparatus 20 is already well-known, a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0014] In addition, paper is widely known as an example of a sheet-like medium. Therefore, in this specification, when describing the sheet-like medium as the processing object, "paper P" will be used. Also, when describing a sheet bundle, a "paper bundle Pb" formed by bundling papers as a plurality of media will be used as an example.

[0015] The post-processing device 10 has a function of performing predetermined post-processing on the paper P discharged from the image forming device 20. The paper P subjected to the post-processing is discharged as appropriate. The post-processing device 10 includes a plurality of discharge destinations as the discharge destinations selected according to the type of post-processing. For example, it includes an upper tray 132, a stapler tray 133 (not shown in FIG. 1), and a shift tray 134. In addition, the post-processing that can be executed in the post-processing device 10 includes a punching process (punching process) for punching the paper P, an aligning process for stacking a plurality of sheets of the paper P and aligning the ends, and a binding process for stacking a plurality of sheets of the paper P and binding the ends to create a paper bundle Pb.

[0016] In the embodiment of the post-processing device 10 described below, although specific post-processing is not mentioned, it is assumed that at least one of the listed post-processing is executed, and the conveyance control process described later is also executed.

[0017] [Control Configuration of Image Forming System 1] Next, the control configuration for controlling the operation of the image forming system 1 will be described using the block diagram of FIG. 2. As shown in FIG. 2, the image forming device 20 and the post-processing device 10 are connected so that the image forming control unit 200 provided in the image forming device 20 and the post-processing control unit 100 provided in the post-processing device 10 can communicate with each other. The post-processing device 10 includes a post-processing control unit 100, a conveyance drive unit 110, and a medium detection unit 120. The post-processing control unit 100 is connected to the conveyance drive unit 110 and the medium detection unit 120 of the post-processing device 10 so as to be able to communicate with each other in addition to the image forming device 20.

[0018] The conveyance drive unit 110 is composed of a motor that drives a pair of conveyance rollers for conveying the paper P, and a motor that moves the pair of conveyance rollers in order to change the position where the pair of conveyance rollers contacts the paper P.

[0019] The media detection unit 120 is comprised of a sensor that detects when paper P discharged from the image forming apparatus 20 is fed into the post-processing device 10, a sensor that detects the position of the paper P being transported along the transport path of the post-processing device 10, and a sensor that detects the position of the component members of the mechanism that enables the determination of the positions of each mechanism described later.

[0020] [Control configuration of the post-processing device 10] Next, the control configuration for controlling the operation of the image forming system 1 will be explained using the block diagram in Figure 3. The symbols assigned to each part constituting the transport drive unit 110 and the media detection unit 120 in Figure 3 correspond to the contents shown in Figure 4.

[0021] The post-processing unit 10 has a configuration in which a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 101, RAM (Random Access Memory) 102, ROM (Read Only Memory) 103, HDD (Hard Disk Drive) 104, and I / F 105 are connected via a common bus 109.

[0022] The CPU 101 is the arithmetic unit and controls the operation of the entire post-processing unit 10. The RAM 102 is a volatile storage medium that allows high-speed reading and writing of information and is used as a workspace for the CPU 101 when processing information. The ROM 103 is a read-only non-volatile storage medium that stores programs such as firmware. The HDD 104 is a non-volatile storage medium that allows reading and writing of information and has a large storage capacity, and stores the OS (Operating System), various control programs, application programs, etc.

[0023] The post-processing unit 10 processes control programs stored in ROM 103, information processing programs (application programs) loaded into RAM 102 from storage media such as HDD 104, etc., using the arithmetic functions of the CPU 101. This processing constitutes a software control unit that includes various functional modules of the post-processing unit 10. The combination of this software control unit and the hardware resources installed in the post-processing unit 10 constitutes a functional block that realizes the functions of the post-processing unit 10. In other words, the CPU 101, RAM 102, ROM 103, HDD 104, and I / F 105 constitute a post-processing control unit 100 (control means) that controls the operation of the post-processing unit 10.

[0024] I / F105 is an interface that connects the entrance sensor 121, entrance transport motor 168, first intermediate transport motor 161, second intermediate transport motor 162, third intermediate transport motor 163, first roller position variable motor 171, second roller position variable motor 181, third roller position variable motor 191, branching claw 123, staple tray discharge sensor 126, shift motor 164, jogger drive motor 166, tapping roller 116, return roller 117, rear end alignment 128, binding means 129, shift discharge roller 118, and shift discharge motor 167 to the common bus 109.

[0025] The inlet conveyor motor 168 drives the inlet conveyor roller 111. The first intermediate conveyor motor 161 drives the intermediate conveyor roller 112. The second intermediate conveyor motor 162 drives the shift roller 113. The third intermediate conveyor motor 163 drives the upper conveyor roller 114.

[0026] The shift motor 164 drives the shift roller 113. The jogger drive motor 166 is the drive source for moving the jogger 127. The shift discharge motor 167 drives the shift discharge roller 118.

[0027] The first roller position variable motor 171 operates the first Scotch yoke mechanism 170 for varying the position in which the inlet conveyor roller 111 grips the medium. The second roller position variable motor 181 operates the second Scotch yoke mechanism 180 for varying the position in which the intermediate conveyor roller 112 and the shift roller 113 grip the medium. The third roller position variable motor 191 operates the third Scotch yoke mechanism 190 for varying the position in which the shift discharge roller 118 grips the medium.

[0028] The post-processing control unit 100 controls the operation of the inlet transport motor 168, first intermediate transport motor 161, second intermediate transport motor 162, third intermediate transport motor 163, first roller position variable motor 171, second roller position variable motor 181, third roller position variable motor 191, branching claw 123, shift motor 164, jogger drive motor 166, tapping roller 116, return roller 117, rear end alignment 128, binding means 129, shift discharge motor 167, and shift discharge motor 167 via the I / F 105. The post-processing control unit 100 also acquires the detection results from the inlet sensor 121 and the staple tray discharge sensor 126.

[0029] As explained above, the post-processing device 10 uses the hardware resources provided by the post-processing control unit 100 to implement a function that controls operations related to the transport operation of the paper P subjected to post-processing, through software (control program) executed by the CPU 101.

[0030] [Embodiment of the post-treatment device 10] Next, the configuration of the post-processing device 10 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Figure 4. Figure 4 shows the configuration of the post-processing device 10 that is most relevant to the embodiment of the present invention.

[0031] The paper P discharged from the image forming apparatus 20 and transported to the post-processing apparatus 10 is received by the entrance guide 131 and transported along the entrance transport path 122 by the entrance transport roller 111 and the intermediate transport roller 112. Subsequently, the paper P proceeds to either the upper transport path 124 or the horizontal transport path 125 depending on the position of the branching claw 123. In other words, the branching claw 123 is a switching member that switches the transport direction of the paper P.

[0032] Paper P transported to the upper transport path 124 is discharged and loaded onto the upper tray 132 by the transport operation of the upper transport roller 114 and upper discharge roller 115. Paper P transported to the horizontal transport path 125 is discharged from the horizontal transport path 125 and loaded onto the shift tray 134 by the transport operation of the shift roller 113 and shift discharge roller 118. Paper P discharged from the horizontal transport path 125 may also be transported and loaded onto the stapler tray 133 by the operation of the tapping roller 116. The stapler tray 133 is equipped with an alignment mechanism consisting of a rear end aligner 128 and a jogger 127. With a predetermined number of sheets of paper P loaded onto the stapler tray 133, the alignment mechanism performs edge alignment processing. After that, a binding process, which is an example of a predetermined process, is performed by the binding means 129. The bound paper stack Pb is discharged onto the shift tray 134.

[0033] Figure 5 is a view from above of the area R enclosed by the dotted line in Figure 4. The direction indicated by arrow A in Figure 5 indicates the direction of paper transport P. The direction indicated by arrow B in Figure 5 is perpendicular to the direction of paper transport P. Note that the direction of arrow B is sometimes referred to as the "main scanning direction".

[0034] As shown in Figure 5, the inlet transport roller 111, intermediate transport roller 112, shift roller 113, and shift discharge roller 118, which serve as transport means, are arranged so that their respective axes of rotation are parallel to the main scanning direction. The inlet transport roller 111, intermediate transport roller 112, shift roller 113, and shift discharge roller upper 118a are composed of a pair of roller members that face each other in the main scanning direction, and each roller member has a pair of roller members in a direction perpendicular to the transport direction and the main scanning direction, that is, in the vertical direction when the post-processing device 10 is in an upright position, so as to be able to grip the paper P. In addition, each roller is positioned at a predetermined interval in the transport direction.

[0035] Each of the inlet transport roller 111, intermediate transport roller 112, shift roller 113, and shift discharge roller 118 has a pair of roller members facing each other in the main scanning direction. Each of these pairs of roller members is rotationally driven by a motor whose operation is controlled by the post-processing control unit 100.

[0036] A gap is provided between the pairs of roller members in the main scanning direction that make up the inlet transport roller 111, intermediate transport roller 112, shift roller 113, and shift discharge roller 118. That is, the inlet transport roller 111, intermediate transport roller 112, shift roller 113, and shift discharge roller 118 are each configured with pairs of roller members arranged in the main scanning direction so as to be symmetrical with respect to the center line of the transport path width of the paper P as the axis of symmetry.

[0037] The inlet conveyor rollers 111 are fixed to a first Scotch yoke mechanism 170, which can change the spacing between a pair of rollers with respect to the center line of the conveyor path width as the axis of symmetry. The first Scotch yoke mechanism 170 comprises a first roller position variable motor 171, a first transmission belt 172 that transmits the rotation of the first roller position variable motor 171, and a first crankpin 173 that rotates due to the first transmission belt 172. Opposing inlet conveyor rollers 111 are fixed to the bearings of the first crankpin 173.

[0038] The first Scotch yoke mechanism 170 has a configuration in which the positions of the opposing first crankpins 173 are shifted by 180 degrees around the rotation axis. That is, when the rotation of the first roller position variable motor 171 is transmitted by the first transmission belt 172 and rotates the first crankpins 173, the position of each bearing moves in the main scanning direction, so the pair of inlet conveying rollers 111 fixed to the bearings move in a direction that moves them relatively closer together or further apart.

[0039] The first Scotch yoke mechanism 170, acting as a means for variable conveying position, allows the inlet conveying roller 111 to vary the width of the corresponding pair of roller members in the main scanning direction.

[0040] The intermediate conveyor roller 112 and the shift roller 113 are fixed to a second Scotch yoke mechanism 180, which can change the spacing between the pair of rollers with respect to the center line of the conveyor path width as the axis of symmetry. The second Scotch yoke mechanism 180 includes a second roller position variable motor 181, a second transmission belt 182 that transmits the rotation of the second roller position variable motor 181, and a second crankpin 183 that rotates due to the second transmission belt 182. The opposing intermediate conveyor roller 112 and the shift roller 113 are fixed to the bearing of the second crankpin 183, respectively.

[0041] The second Scotch yoke mechanism 180 has a configuration in which the positions of the opposing second crankpins 183 are shifted by 180 degrees around the rotation axis. That is, when the rotation of the second roller position variable motor 181 is transmitted by the second transmission belt 182 and rotates the second crankpins 183, the positions of each bearing move in the main scanning direction, so the pair of intermediate transport rollers 112 and shift rollers 113 fixed to the bearings move in directions that move relatively closer to or further apart from each other.

[0042] The second Scotch yoke mechanism 180, acting as a means for variable transport position, allows the intermediate transport roller 112 and the shift roller 113 to vary the width of their corresponding pair of roller members in the main scanning direction.

[0043] Each shift discharge roller 118 is fixed to a third Scotch yoke mechanism 190, which can change the spacing between a pair of rollers with respect to the center line of the transport path width as the axis of symmetry. Each third Scotch yoke mechanism 190 includes a third roller position variable motor 191 and a third crankpin 193 that rotates due to the rotation of the third roller position variable motor 191. Opposing shift discharge rollers 118 are fixed to the bearings of the third crankpins 193.

[0044] The third Scotch yoke mechanism 190 is configured such that the rotation of the third roller position variable motor 191 rotates each third crankpin 193, causing the position of each bearing to move in the main scanning direction. As a result, each shift discharge roller 118 fixed to the bearing moves in a direction that moves relative to or away from each other.

[0045] [Example of skew correction operation according to this embodiment] Next, an example of skew correction operation for the paper P discharged by the image forming apparatus 20 in the post-processing device 10 according to this embodiment will be explained using Figures 6 and 7. Figure 6 is an example where the size of the paper P is relatively large. Figure 7 is an example where the size of the paper P is relatively small. The terms "larger paper P" and "smaller paper P" used as examples in Figures 6 and 7 do not limit the specific size of the paper P, but are expressions used for comparison in order to explain the difference.

[0046] As shown in Figures 6 and 7, the entrance transport roller 111 has a variable width between the rollers, with the center of the transport path width of the paper P as the axis of symmetry. This roller width is determined based on paper size information notified from the image forming apparatus 20 to the post-processing device 10. That is, the post-processing control unit 100 of the post-processing device 10 receives paper size information from the image forming control unit 200 of the image forming apparatus 20 via an interface.

[0047] Based on the received paper size information, the post-processing control unit 100 calculates the timing at which the downstream end of the paper P in the transport direction will abut against the entrance transport roller 111. After the downstream end of the paper P in the transport direction abuts against the entrance transport roller 111 at the timing calculated by the post-processing control unit 100, the transport operation of the entrance transport roller 111 is stopped. The transport operation of the transport roller pair located upstream of the entrance transport roller 111 in the transport direction is continued. In this way, for example, by having the end in the transport direction abut against the entrance transport roller 111 near the widthwise end of the paper P, skew correction can be applied to correct the skew of the paper P.

[0048] The accuracy of skew correction varies depending on the position in the main scanning direction of the downstream end of the paper P in the transport direction at which the inlet transport roller 111 abuts. Therefore, the post-processing control unit 100 adjusts the spacing of the inlet transport rollers 111 based on the size of the paper P included in the attribute information of the paper P received from the upstream device. In this case, the spacing of the inlet transport rollers 111 in the main scanning direction is set so that each roller can contact the vicinity of the end of the transported paper P.

[0049] In other words, the entrance transport roller 111 is moved to a position where the paper P is more likely to rotate in a direction that corrects the skewness of the paper P by abutting each roller near the edges in the width direction of the paper P.

[0050] Conventionally, since the spacing of the entrance transport rollers 111 in the main scanning direction is fixed, improving the accuracy of skew correction for various paper sizes required increasing the width and number of entrance transport rollers 111. However, increasing the width and number of rollers increases the contact area with the paper P, making the image area more susceptible to damage. Therefore, in this embodiment, by making it possible to control the spacing of the rollers in the main scanning direction without increasing the width or number of entrance transport rollers 111, it is possible to improve the accuracy of skew correction by changing the contact position with the rollers for each paper size.

[0051] [Example of paper transport operation according to this embodiment] Next, an example of the paper transport operation for the paper P discharged by the image forming apparatus 20 in the post-processing device 10 according to this embodiment will be explained using Figures 8 and 9. Figure 8 is an example where the size of the paper P in the main scanning direction is relatively long. Figure 9 is an example where the size of the paper P in the main scanning direction is relatively short. Note that the terms "paper P with a long main scanning direction" and "paper P with a short main scanning direction" used as examples in Figures 8 and 9 do not limit the specific size of the paper P, but are expressions used for illustrative purposes.

[0052] As shown in Figure 8, when transporting a paper P with a long main scanning direction, the second Scotch yoke mechanism 180 and the third Scotch yoke mechanism 190 are operated based on attribute information received by the post-processing control unit 100 from the image forming apparatus 20. This widens the gap between opposing roller members of the intermediate transport roller 112, the shift roller 113, and the shift discharge roller 118. By widening the gap between these roller members, the paper P can be gripped at a suitable position near the end of the paper P in the width direction. In other words, the paper P can be transported at a position that matches its size based on the paper size information included in the attribute information of the paper P.

[0053] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 9, when transporting paper P with a short main scanning direction, the second Scotch yoke mechanism 180 and the third Scotch yoke mechanism 190 are operated based on attribute information received by the post-processing control unit 100 from the image forming apparatus 20. This narrows the gap between opposing roller members of the intermediate transport roller 112, the shift roller 113, and the shift discharge roller 118. By narrowing the gap between these roller members, the paper P can be gripped at a suitable position near the edge of the paper P in the width direction. In other words, based on the paper size information included in the attribute information of the paper P, the paper P can be transported at a position that matches its size.

[0054] [Example of the back-tightening operation according to this embodiment] Next, an example of a stiffening operation performed on the paper P discharged by the image forming apparatus 20 in the post-processing device 10 according to this embodiment will be described. In this embodiment, "stiffening" refers to an operation that increases the rigidity of the paper P by bending it in the transport direction when the paper P is transported and discharged into the shift tray 134 or the like. By increasing the rigidity of the paper P, it is possible to suppress the disruption of the paper P's orientation when the paper P is discharged into the shift tray 134. This also improves the consistency of the paper P.

[0055] As shown in Figure 10, the post-processing control unit 100 determines the transport position of the paper P and the timing when the rear end of the paper P has passed the shift roller 113. After the rear end of the paper P has passed the shift roller 113, the post-processing control unit 100 operates the third Scotch yoke mechanism 190 to move the shift discharge roller 118 in a direction that narrows the distance between the opposing roller members in the main scanning direction. As a result of this operation, the portion of the paper P that is in contact with the shift discharge roller 118 is pushed toward the opposite side by the movement of the shift discharge roller 118. In other words, a part of the paper P moves toward the center in the direction perpendicular to the transport direction (main scanning direction). This causes the paper P to flex, increasing its rigidity.

[0056] If the leading edge of the paper P droops when it is ejected, the leading edge of the paper P will catch on the loading surface of the shift tray 134, causing the edge of the paper P to curl. As a result, a loading defect occurs. In the post-processing device 10 according to this embodiment, by performing an action to increase the rigidity (rigidification action) when the paper P is ejected, it is possible to prevent the leading edge from drooping when the paper P is loaded onto the shift tray 134, thereby preventing a loading defect.

[0057] Furthermore, the post-processing device 10 includes a stiffening guide member 195 as a bending guide means for restricting the bending direction of the paper P.

[0058] Figure 11 shows the stiffening process applied to the paper P, viewed from the discharge direction. As shown in Figure 11, the stiffening guide member 195 is positioned on either one or the other side of the surface of the paper P being discharged. Here, as shown in Figure 11(a), when the stiffening guide member 195 is positioned below (on one side) the paper P, the direction of bending of the paper P is upward (on the other side). Also, as shown in Figure 11(b), when the stiffening guide member 195 is positioned above the paper P, the direction of bending of the paper P is downward.

[0059] As shown in Figure 11, the shift ejection roller 118 has an upper shift ejection roller 118a and a lower shift ejection roller 118b that grip the paper P. With the upper shift ejection roller 118a and the lower shift ejection roller 118b gripping the paper P at a predetermined position, the paper P can be flexed by moving in the main scanning direction using the third Scotch yoke mechanism 190.

[0060] If the stiffening guide member 195 is not provided, the paper P may bend upwards or downwards, potentially leading to unexpected loading defects. Therefore, by providing the stiffening guide member 195, as in the post-processing device 10, the direction in which the paper P bends is kept constant, enabling stable paper loading with consistent quality.

[0061] In addition, the paper guide surface below the roller clamping surface is provided in the direction of bending the paper P. Furthermore, only one of the stiffening guide members 195 is present, and neither can be present simultaneously. Since the amount of bending of the paper P changes depending on the shift amount of the shift discharge roller 118, it is possible to control the amount of bending according to the type of paper. For example, if there is thin paper and thick paper of the same size, the thin paper is more prone to curling at the tip, so it requires more stiffness. In this case, it is possible to increase the amount of stiffening applied by the shift discharge roller 118 when transporting thin paper compared to when transporting thick paper.

[0062] [Example of shift operation after seating according to this embodiment] Next, an example of a post-stiffening shift operation on the paper P discharged by the image forming apparatus 20 in the post-processing device 10 according to this embodiment will be described. As shown in Figure 12, the shift discharge rollers 118 as a shift transport roller pair are provided with a third Scotch yoke mechanism 190 that varies the position of the paired roller members in the main scanning direction, and a third roller position variable motor 191 that operates independently is provided opposite to it. Since the third roller position variable motor 191 is independently controlled, the paired roller members of the shift discharge rollers 118 are each configured to be able to move in their own direction and by their own amount of movement.

[0063] Therefore, the shift discharge roller 118 can not only change the distance between opposing roller members, but also perform shift transport while keeping the width between the roller members constant.

[0064] By shifting the paper P, the paper can be sorted when loaded onto the loading mechanism, improving convenience. Furthermore, even when the paper P is shifted, it is possible to perform a binding operation based on the center of the paper as shown in Figure 11, thereby reducing the risk of loading defects during shift loading.

[0065] Figure 13 shows the paper transport process where the rollers are pressed against the paper outside the image area. In each operation described above, when moving each roller in the main scanning direction, it is possible to transport the paper without pressing the rollers against the image area when transporting the paper with the midpoint (center) of the width dimension of the paper P as the reference point. In Figure 13, the rectangular shaded area superimposed on the paper P indicates the position of the image forming area as an example.

[0066] [First modified example of the shift discharge roller 118 according to this embodiment] Next, a first modified example of the conveying position variable means for changing the position of the shift discharge roller 118 in the main scanning direction will be described. Figure 14 illustrates a third Scotch yoke mechanism 190a. The third Scotch yoke mechanism 190a is configured to move the roller member by a third timing belt 192. By driving the third timing belt 192 with a third roller position variable motor 191a, the shift discharge roller 118 fixed to the third timing belt 192 moves in the main scanning direction.

[0067] [Second modified example of the shift discharge roller 118 according to this embodiment] Next, a second modified example of the conveying position variable means for changing the position of the shift discharge roller 118 in the main scanning direction will be described. Figure 15 illustrates the third Scotch yoke mechanism 190b. The third Scotch yoke mechanism 190b is configured such that the third roller position variable motor 191b drives the pinion gear 193b, and the pinion gear 193b drives the rack gear 192b.

[0068] A shift discharge roller 118 is attached to the rack gear 192b. Therefore, the rotational drive of the third roller position variable motor 191b causes the rack gear 192b to move linearly in the main scanning direction, and as a result, the shift discharge roller 118 also moves in the main scanning direction.

[0069] [Paper transport control processing flow] Next, the flow of the transport control processing that can be implemented in the image forming system 1 according to this embodiment will be explained using the flowcharts in Figures 16 and 17. In addition, the predetermined post-processing described above will also be performed in conjunction with the transport control processing described below. The characteristic of this embodiment is that it is not a process that is linked to or caused by any specific post-processing, so the explanation of post-processing will be omitted, and only the flow of the transport control processing will be explained.

[0070] First, as shown in Figure 16, an image forming instruction is given to the image forming control unit 200 to perform image forming processing in the image forming apparatus 20 (S1601). Along with the attribute information of the paper P included in the image forming instruction in the image forming apparatus 20, instructions regarding the content of post-processing for the paper P after image forming processing are notified to the post-processing control unit 100 of the post-processing device 10 (S1602).

[0071] Subsequently, the post-processing device 10 waits for the paper P to be discharged (S1603: NO) before accepting the paper P. When the paper P is discharged from the image forming apparatus 20 to the post-processing device 10 and the post-processing device 10 accepts the paper P (S1603: Yes), the device executes transport control processing to perform the post-processing that has been notified in advance (S1604).

[0072] The process loops until the predetermined post-processing is completed along with the transport control process (S1605: No). When all processing is completed (S1605: Yes), the process terminates.

[0073] Next, the flow of the transport control process will be explained using the flowchart in Figure 17. First, based on the attribute information of the paper P received by the post-processing device 10, it is determined whether or not a process to increase rigidity, i.e., a "rigidity-enhancing process," is necessary (S1701).

[0074] If the paper P to be transported requires "stiffening" (S1701:Yes), then it is determined whether shift ejection is necessary (S1702). If shift ejection is necessary (S1702:Yes), as previously explained, the stiffening operation is performed (S1703), then shift transport is performed (S1704), and the paper is ejected to the shift tray 134 (S1705).

[0075] If the paper P to be processed requires "stiffening" (S1701: Yes) and does not require shift ejection (S1702: No), the stiffening operation is performed (S1706) and the paper is ejected to the shift tray 134 (S1705).

[0076] If the paper P to be processed does not require "stiffening" (S1701: No), then it is determined whether shift ejection is necessary (S1707). If shift ejection is necessary (S1707: Yes), shift transport is performed (S1708) and the paper is ejected to the shift tray 134 (S1705).

[0077] If the paper P to be processed does not require "stiffening" (S1701: No) and shift ejection is not required (S1707: No), the paper P is transported and ejected to the shift tray 134 (S1705).

[0078] As described above, the post-processing device 10 according to this embodiment allows for the stiffening of the paper P without pressing down on the media surface by narrowing the spacing between the multiple roller members that transport the paper P in the main scanning direction. This reduces the load on the media surface, making it possible to eliminate paper loading problems while suppressing damage to the image.

[0079] Furthermore, since the amount of compression is determined by the distance at which the roller components are narrowed, it becomes possible to control the amount of compression according to the size and thickness of the media. This makes it possible to eliminate loading defects regardless of the type of media.

[0080] Furthermore, the control method by the post-processing control unit 100 described above is realized through the cooperation of the computer's hardware resources and the computer software program, as already explained. In other words, the control method is a method in which the computer executes by having the arithmetic unit, memory device, input device, output device, and control device work together based on the program. The program may also be written to a memory device or storage medium and distributed, or distributed via telecommunication lines, etc.

[0081] Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments exemplified above, and various modifications are possible without departing from its technical essence. All technical matters included in the technical concept described in the claims are covered by the present invention. The above embodiments are preferred examples, but those skilled in the art can realize various modifications from the disclosed content. Such modifications are also included in the technical scope described in the claims.

[0082] [Aspects of the present invention] The contents of this invention are, for example, as follows: <1> A conveying means including a pair of conveying rollers for gripping and conveying a sheet-like medium, A conveying position variable means that changes the position in which the conveying roller pair grips the medium, At a minimum, control means for controlling the operation of the transport means and the transport position variable means, Equipped with, The transport roller pair is arranged facing each other in the main scanning direction perpendicular to the transport direction of the medium, and grips the vicinity of the end of the medium in the main scanning direction to transport the medium in the transport direction. The conveying position variable means varies the distance between the opposing conveying roller pairs based on the attribute information of the medium. This is a media processing apparatus characterized by the following features. <2> The aforementioned medium is equipped with a bending guide means that restricts the direction in which the medium bends in order to increase its rigidity. The deflection guide means is positioned on either one side > or the other side with respect to the direction of the surface of the medium as the axis of reference. The conveying position variable means reduces the distance between the opposing pairs of conveying rollers, thereby causing the medium to bend on the side opposite to the side where the bending guide means is located. The aforementioned <1> This is the media processing apparatus described above. <3> The transport means are arranged in multiple locations in the transport direction of the medium, The control means stops the transport operation of the transport roller pair on the downstream side in the transport direction when the medium strikes the transport roller pair on the downstream side in the transport direction, and continues the transport operation of the transport roller pair on the upstream side in the transport direction. Based on the attribute information, the distance between the opposing pairs of conveying rollers on the downstream side in the conveying direction is set. The aforementioned <1> or <2> This is the media processing apparatus described above. <4> One of the transport means comprises a pair of shift transport rollers that move the medium in the main scanning direction, The control means sets the amount of movement of the shift transport roller pair in the main scanning direction based on the attribute information. The aforementioned <1> or the above <3> This is a media processing device described in any one of the following. <5> The conveying position variable means varies the distance between opposing pairs of conveying rollers so that each pair of conveying rollers grips the outside of the image forming region on the medium to be conveyed, where an image is formed. The aforementioned <1> or the above <4> This is a media processing device described in any one of the following. <6> The attribute information is information relating to the size of the medium. The aforementioned <1> or the above <5> This is a media processing device described in any one of the following. <7> The attribute information is information relating to the thickness of the medium. The aforementioned <1> or the above <6> This is a media processing device described in any one of the following. <8> The attribute information is information relating to the rigidity of the medium. The aforementioned <1> or the above <7> This is a media processing device described in any one of the following. <9> An image forming unit that forms an image on a sheet-like medium, The aforementioned <1> or the above <8> A media processing apparatus described in any one of the following, This is an image forming apparatus characterized by comprising the following: <10> An image forming apparatus that forms an image on a sheet-like medium, The process of applying the image to the medium on which the image has been formed by the image forming apparatus <1> or the above <8> A media processing apparatus described in any one of the following, This is an image forming system characterized by comprising the following features. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0083] 1: Image forming system 10: Post-processing equipment 20: Image forming apparatus 100: Post-processing control unit 110: Conveyor drive unit 111: Entrance conveyor roller 112: Intermediate conveyor roller 113: Shift Roller 118: Shift ejection roller 120: Media detection unit 133: Stapler Tray 134: Shift tray 161: First intermediate transport motor 162: Second intermediate transport motor 163: Third intermediate transport motor 164: Shift motor 170: First Scotch York Mechanism 171: First roller position variable motor 172: First transmission belt 173: First crankpin 180: Second Scotch York Mechanism 181: Second roller position variable motor 182: Second transmission belt 183: Second crankpin 190: Third Scotch York Mechanism 190a: Third Scotch York Mechanism 190b: Third Scotch York Mechanism 191: Third roller position variable motor 191a: Third roller position variable motor 191b: Third roller position variable motor 192: Third timing belt 192b: Rack gear 193: Third crankpin 193b: Pinion gear 195: Stiffening guide member [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0084] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2011-102157

Claims

1. A conveying means including a pair of conveying rollers for gripping and conveying a sheet-like medium, A conveying position variable means that changes the position in which the conveying roller pair grips the medium, At a minimum, control means for controlling the operation of the transport means and the transport position variable means, Equipped with, The transport roller pair is arranged facing each other in the main scanning direction perpendicular to the transport direction of the medium, and grips the vicinity of the end of the medium in the main scanning direction to transport the medium in the transport direction. The conveying position variable means varies the distance between the opposing conveying roller pairs based on the attribute information of the medium. A media processing apparatus characterized by the following:

2. The aforementioned medium is equipped with a bending guide means that restricts the direction in which the medium bends in order to increase its rigidity. The deflection guide means is positioned on either one side or the other side with respect to the direction of the surface of the medium as the axis of reference. The conveying position variable means reduces the distance between the opposing pairs of conveying rollers, thereby causing the medium to bend on the side opposite to the side where the bending guide means is located. The media processing apparatus according to claim 1.

3. The transport means are arranged in multiple locations in the transport direction of the medium, The control means stops the transport operation of the transport roller pair on the downstream side in the transport direction when the medium strikes the transport roller pair on the downstream side in the transport direction, and continues the transport operation of the transport roller pair on the upstream side in the transport direction. Based on the attribute information, the distance between the opposing pairs of conveying rollers on the downstream side in the conveying direction is set. The media processing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2.

4. One of the transport means comprises a pair of shift transport rollers that move the medium in the main scanning direction, The control means sets the amount of movement of the shift transport roller pair in the main scanning direction based on the attribute information. The media processing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2.

5. The conveying position variable means varies the distance between opposing pairs of conveying rollers so that each pair of conveying rollers grips the outside of the image forming region on the medium to be conveyed, where an image is formed. The media processing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2.

6. The attribute information is information relating to the size of the medium. The media processing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2.

7. The attribute information is information relating to the thickness of the medium. The media processing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2.

8. The attribute information is information relating to the rigidity of the medium. The media processing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2.

9. An image forming unit that forms an image on a sheet-like medium, The media processing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2. The media processing apparatus described above, An image forming apparatus characterized by comprising:

10. An image forming apparatus that forms an image on a sheet-like medium, A media processing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, which performs processing on the medium on which an image has been formed by the image forming apparatus, An image forming system characterized by comprising the following features.

Images