SHEET PROCESSING APPARATUS, LAMINATING APPARATUS, IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, AND IMAGE FORMING SYSTEM

Abstract

To provide a sheet processing device which can increase a sag amount of a sag space generated between two-layered sheets wound around a rotary member and stably insert a peeling member to the space.SOLUTION: A sheet processing device comprises: conveyance means which conveys two-layered sheets; a rotary member around which the two-layered sheets are wound; and a peeling member. The sheet processing device conveys the two-layered sheets in a winding direction, forms a sag space between the two-layered sheets by winding the sheets around the rotary member, inserts the peeling member to the space and peels the two-layered sheets. The conveyance means comprises: a drive roller which rotationally drives; and a driven roller which is in contact with the drive roller and is driven and rotated. The drive roller is on the same side as the rotary member and the driven roller is on the opposite side to the rotary member with the conveyance direction of the conveyed two-layered sheets as a reference. Since the conveyance amount of the sheet on the drive roller side becomes larger than the conveyance amount of the sheet on the driven roller side, the sag space between the sheets becomes larger and the peeling member can be stably inserted thereto.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 20

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a sheet processing apparatus, a lamination processing apparatus, an image forming apparatus, and an image forming system. [Background technology]

[0002] A technology known as lamination involves inserting an inner layer (paper, photographs, etc.) between two sheets that have been stacked and joined (connected) at one side (laminating sheet or laminating film), and then applying heat and pressure to bond the two sheets together.

[0003] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a laminating device in which a laminating film having a connected front end is separated by a separating and releasing means (upper and lower vacuums) and then a protective paper sheet is inserted.

[0004] Moreover, Patent Document 2 discloses an image forming apparatus capable of performing a desired lamination process by controlling the operation of a fixing unit in accordance with the thickness of a laminate sheet.

[0005] Furthermore, Patent Document 3 discloses a sheet peeling device that wraps two overlapping sheets around a rotating member and peels off the two sheets of the two overlapping sheets by creating a difference in winding circumferential length between the inner sheet and the outer sheet based on a geometric relationship. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] The sheet peeling device disclosed in Patent Document 3 has a feature that a gap (slack space) is forcibly generated between two sheets due to the difference in winding circumference between the sheets. However, when the sheets are strongly attached to each other or depending on the type of sheet, the height of this slack space (amount of slack) becomes small. Therefore, there is a risk that the peeling member cannot be inserted into the slack space and the sheet cannot be peeled off.

[0007] SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT DISCLOSURE An object of the present invention is to provide a sheet processing apparatus that can increase the amount of slack in the slack space generated between two overlapping sheets wrapped around a rotating member, and can stably insert a peeling member into that space. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The above problem is solved by a sheet processing apparatus that sandwiches a sheet-like medium between two sheets that are overlapped and partially joined together, the sheet processing apparatus including a conveying means for conveying the two-ply sheet, a rotating member for winding the two-ply sheet, and a peeling member, the sheet processing apparatus conveys the two-ply sheet in a winding direction and winds the two-ply sheet around the rotating member to generate a slack space between the two sheets, and inserts the peeling member into the slack space to peel off the two-ply sheet, the conveying means being a pair of rollers having a drive roller that is driven to rotate and a driven roller that is in contact with the drive roller and rotates in response to the drive roller, The rotating member is disposed on the drive roller side with respect to a common tangent line passing through the nip between the pair of rollers. The above-mentioned problem is solved by a sheet processing apparatus comprising: Effect of the Invention

[0009] In the sheet processing device of the present invention, since the driving roller is on the same side as the rotating member, the conveying amount of the sheet on the driving roller side can be made larger than the conveying amount of the sheet on the driven roller side. In addition to the difference in the winding circumference of the two overlapping sheets, the difference in the conveying amount of each sheet makes the slack space between the sheets larger, so the peeling member can be inserted stably. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram illustrating an overall configuration of a sheet processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram (part 1) showing a main part of the sheet processing apparatus shown in FIG. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a second configuration diagram showing the main parts of the sheet processing apparatus. [Figure 4] FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram (part 3) showing the main parts of the sheet processing apparatus. [Diagram 5]FIG. 4 is a fourth configuration diagram showing the main parts of the sheet processing apparatus; [Figure 6] FIG. 5 is a configuration diagram (part 5) showing the main parts of the sheet processing apparatus. [Figure 7] FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing the main parts of the sheet processing apparatus; [Figure 8] FIG. 7 is a configuration diagram showing the main parts of the sheet processing apparatus; [Figure 9] FIG. 8 is a configuration diagram showing the main parts of the sheet processing apparatus; [Figure 10] FIG. 9 is a configuration diagram showing the main parts of the sheet processing apparatus; [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing the main parts of the sheet processing apparatus; [Figure 12] FIG. 11 is a configuration diagram showing the main parts of the sheet processing apparatus. [Figure 13] 4A and 4B are schematic diagrams of a peeling claw included in the sheet processing apparatus. [Figure 14] 5A and 5B are schematic diagrams illustrating an example of a drive configuration for a peeling claw. [Figure 15] 11 is a perspective view showing a state in which the peeling claw is inserted into the sheet S. FIG. [Figure 16] 9 is a perspective view showing a state of the peeling claw and the sheet S in FIG. 8. FIG. [Figure 17] 9 is a perspective view (part 2) showing the state of the peeling claw and the sheet S in FIG. 8. FIG. [Figure 18] 1A and 1B are schematic diagrams (part 1) illustrating behavior of two overlapping sheets transported by a pair of transport rollers. [Figure 19] 13 is a schematic diagram (part 2) illustrating the behavior of two overlapping sheets transported by a pair of transport rollers. FIG. [Figure 20] FIG. 12 is a configuration diagram showing the main parts of the sheet processing apparatus; [Figure 21] FIG. 13 is a configuration diagram showing the main parts of the sheet processing apparatus. [Figure 22] FIG. 14 is a block diagram showing the main parts of the sheet processing apparatus; [Diagram 23]FIG. 15 is a configuration diagram showing the main parts of the sheet processing apparatus. [Figure 24] This is a modified example of the guide path for the two peeled sheets. [Diagram 25] 1 is an overall configuration diagram showing an example of a lamination processing apparatus including a sheet processing apparatus according to the present invention; [Figure 26] 1 is an overall configuration diagram showing an example of an image forming apparatus equipped with a lamination processing apparatus according to the present invention; [Figure 27] FIG. 11 is an overall configuration diagram showing a modified example of an image forming apparatus including a lamination processing device according to the present invention. [Figure 28] 11 is a flowchart illustrating a series of operations from sheet feeding, inserting an inner sheet, to completing a lamination process. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0011] 1 is an overall configuration diagram of a sheet processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. The sheet processing apparatus 100 of this embodiment separates two stacked sheets (hereinafter referred to as sheets S) from each other, and inserts and holds a sheet-like medium (hereinafter referred to as an inner sheet P) between the separated sheets S.

[0012] Here, the sheet S is a two-ply sheet in which two sheets are stacked and a part (or one side) of the two sheets are joined together. For example, a two-ply sheet may be one in which one side is a transparent sheet such as a transparent polyester sheet and the other side is a transparent or opaque sheet, and the two sheets are joined together at one side. A laminate film is also included as a two-ply sheet.

[0013] The inner page P is an example of a sheet-like medium that is inserted between these two stacked sheets. In addition to plain paper, sheet-like media includes cardboard, postcards, envelopes, thin paper, coated paper (coated paper, art paper, etc.), tracing paper, and OHP sheets.

[0014] 1, the sheet processing apparatus 100 includes a sheet tray 102 as a first stacking means for stacking sheets S, a pickup roller 105 for feeding sheets S from the sheet tray 102, and a conveying roller pair 107. The sheet processing apparatus 100 also includes a paper feed tray 103 as a second stacking means for stacking inner sheets P, and a pickup roller 106 for feeding inner sheets P from the paper feed tray 103.

[0015] A transport sensor C1 for detecting the transport position of the sheet S is provided downstream of the transport roller pair 107 in the transport direction, and a transport sensor C2 for detecting the transport position of the inner sheet P is provided downstream of the pickup roller 106 in the transport direction.

[0016] The sheet processing apparatus 100 further includes, downstream of the conveying roller pair 107 and the pickup roller 106, an entrance roller pair 108 as a first conveying means, a winding roller 109 as a rotating member, an exit roller pair 113 as a second conveying means, and a paper discharge tray 104. Between the winding roller 109 and the exit roller pair 113, a peeling claw 116 as a peeling member provided movably in the width direction of the sheet S is provided.

[0017] A transport sensor C3 that detects the transport positions of the sheet S and the inner paper P is provided downstream of the entrance roller pair 108 in the transport direction, and an abnormality detection sensor C4 that detects the state of the sheet S is provided downstream of the winding roller 109 in the transport direction. And a transport sensor C5 that detects the transport position of the sheet S is provided downstream of the exit roller pair 113 in the transport direction.

[0018] The pickup roller 105, the pair of conveying rollers 107, the pair of entrance rollers 108, and the winding roller 109 are an example of a first feeding means, and the pickup roller 106, the pair of entrance rollers 108, and the winding roller 109 are an example of a second feeding means.

[0019] An operation panel 10, which is a display operation means for displaying information on the sheet processing apparatus 100 and receiving operation inputs, is provided on the exterior of the sheet processing apparatus 100. The operation panel 10 also serves as a notification means for issuing a sensory signal to the user. Alternatively, a notification means other than the operation panel 10 may be provided separately in the sheet processing apparatus 100.

[0020] The sheet processing apparatus 100 of this embodiment stacks the sheets S and the inner pages P on separate trays, and while transporting the sheets S, separates and opens the two sheets, and inserts the inner pages P into the opening. Then, the sheets S with the inner pages P inserted therein are discharged and stacked on the discharge tray 104.

[0021] Fig. 2 is a configuration diagram (part 1) showing the main parts of the sheet processing apparatus shown in Fig. 1. As shown in Fig. 2, the entrance roller pair 108 and the exit roller pair 113 are each a pair of rollers that are rotated by a driving means (such as a motor). The entrance roller pair 108 is rotated in one direction, and the exit roller pair 113 is rotated in forward and reverse directions, thereby sandwiching and transporting the sheet S and the inner page P.

[0022] The entrance roller pair 108 transports the sheet S and the inner page P toward the exit roller pair 113. This transport direction is called the forward transport direction (the direction of the arrow A).

[0023] Meanwhile, the pair of exit rollers 113 can switch their rotation between forward and reverse directions. The sandwiched sheet S can be transported toward the discharge tray 104 (see FIG. 1) in the forward transport direction, and can also be transported toward the winding roller 109 in the reverse direction (pull-back direction). This direction of transport toward the winding roller 109 (the opposite direction to the forward transport direction) is called the reverse transport direction (the direction of arrow B).

[0024] The sheet processing apparatus 100 also includes a winding roller 109 and a peeling claw 116, which are rotating members, between the pair of entrance rollers 108 and the pair of exit rollers 113. The winding roller 109 is driven to rotate in forward and reverse directions by a driving means (such as a motor), and its rotation can be switched between two directions (clockwise / counterclockwise).

[0025] The winding roller 109 has a roller member 111 and a movable gripping means 110 that is provided on the roller member 111 and grips the sheet S. The movable gripping means 110 is characterized by gripping the leading edge of the sheet S together with the roller member 111. The gripping means 110 may be integrally formed on the outer periphery of the roller member 111, or may be configured as a separate part.

[0026] 1 to 12, a series of operations of the sheet processing device 100, that is, operations from peeling off the sheet S to inserting the inner sheet P, will be described. In addition, in Figs. 3 to 12, the same reference numerals are used for the same parts as in Figs. 1 and 2, and detailed explanations thereof will be omitted.

[0027] 1, the sheets S on the sheet tray 102 are stacked so that a portion of the joined two sheets is located downstream in the feed direction (conveying direction) of the pickup roller 105. Then, the sheet processing apparatus 100 picks up the sheet S on the sheet tray 102 with the pickup roller 105, and conveys it toward the entrance roller pair 108 by the conveying roller pair 107.

[0028] 2, the sheet S is conveyed by the inlet roller pair 108 toward the winding roller 109. Here, the sheet processing apparatus 100 conveys the sheet S with the side where one of the four sides of the sheet S, that is, an end portion, joined, being the downstream side in the forward conveying direction (the direction of the arrow A).

[0029] 3, the sheet processing apparatus 100 temporarily stops conveying the sheet S when the rear end of the sheet S in the forward conveying direction passes the winding roller 109. Note that these operations are triggered by detection of the leading end of the sheet S by the conveying sensor C3, and are performed by conveying the sheet S by a specified amount from the conveying sensor C3.

[0030] Next, as shown in FIG. 4, the sheet processing apparatus 100 opens the gripping means 110, reverses the rotation direction of the pair of outlet rollers 113, and conveys the sheet S toward the opening of the gripping means 110 in the reverse conveying direction (the direction of the arrow B).

[0031] 5, the sheet processing apparatus 100 stops conveying the sheet S when the edge of the sheet S is inserted into the open gripping means 110, and closes the gripping means 110 to grip the edge of the sheet S. These operations are performed by conveying the sheet S by a specified amount.

[0032] 6, the sheet processing apparatus 100 rotates the winding roller 109 counterclockwise to wind the sheet S around the winding roller 109. Here, the sheet S is wound around the winding roller 109 from the side of the two sheets that is not joined together.

[0033] As shown in Fig. 7, when the sheet S is wound around the winding roller 109, the difference in winding circumferential length (difference in winding amount) of the two overlapping sheets causes excess sheet on the inner circumference side, and slack occurs toward the joined end of the sheet S. As a result, a space is created between the two sheets. By inserting the peeling claws 116 into this created space from both sides of the sheet S, it is possible to reliably maintain the space between the two sheets. Note that these operations are triggered by detection of the leading edge of the sheet S by the transport sensor C5, and are performed by transporting the sheet S by a specified amount from the transport sensor C5.

[0034] Here, the peeling claw 116 will be described in more detail.

[0035] Fig. 13 is a schematic diagram of a peeling claw included in the sheet processing apparatus, Fig. 14 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a driving configuration of the peeling claw, and Fig. 15 is a perspective view showing a state in which the peeling claw is inserted into the sheet S.

[0036] 13, the height dimension of the peeling claw 116 increases gradually from the center to the rear end in the width direction when viewed from the upstream side in the transport direction. Also, the height dimension of the peeling claw 116 increases gradually from the front end to the center in the transport direction when viewed from the height direction. And, the peeling claw 116 has a cross-shaped shape when viewed from the width direction.

[0037] As shown in FIG. 14, in this embodiment, two peeling claws 116 are disposed facing each other, and are configured to approach / separate from each other by (a) a belt drive, or (b) a rack and pinion, or the like.

[0038] Specifically, in (a) belt drive, a belt 32 is stretched between a drive pulley 30a and a driven pulley 30b, and two peeling claws 116a, 116b are attached to face each other on the belt 32. Here, one peeling claw 116a is connected to the lower belt 32, and the other peeling claw 116b is connected to the upper belt 32, respectively.

[0039] In addition, the drive pulley 30a is provided with a drive transmission gear 34, and the rotation output of a drive motor 36 is transmitted to this drive transmission gear 34 via a motor output gear 35. In other words, the rotation output of the drive motor 36 is transmitted to the belt 32.

[0040] Therefore, when the drive motor 36 is rotated clockwise (as viewed from the front in the figure), the peeling claws 116a, b can be moved closer to each other, and when the drive motor 36 is rotated counterclockwise, the peeling claws 116a, b can be moved away from each other.

[0041] In the (b) rack and pinion, two racks 42a, b that mesh with one pinion 40 are provided extending in opposite directions, and two peeling claws 116a, b are attached to each of the racks 42a, b facing each other. A drive transmission gear 44 is provided on the pinion 40, and the rotational output of a drive motor 46 is transmitted to the drive transmission gear 44 via a motor output gear 45. That is, the rotational output of the drive motor 46 is transmitted to the racks 42a, b, respectively.

[0042] Therefore, when the drive motor 46 is rotated clockwise (as viewed from the front in the figure), the peeling claws 116a, b can be moved closer to each other, and when the drive motor 46 is rotated counterclockwise, the peeling claws 116a, b can be moved away from each other.

[0043] As described above, the peeling claw 116 of this embodiment has the above-mentioned shape and is configured to be movable in the width direction of the sheet S, so that it can be smoothly inserted into the space generated in the sheet S as shown in FIG.

[0044] Returning to the description of the series of operations of the sheet processing apparatus 100, the sheet processing apparatus 100 rotates the winding roller 109 clockwise with the peeling claw 116 inserted into the space created in the sheet S (see FIG. 7), and moves the peeled space of the sheet S to the rear end of the sheet S in the forward conveying direction (direction of arrow A) as shown in FIG. 8. Then, when the designated amount of movement has been reached, the gripping means 110 is released, and the rear end of the sheet S is separated into upper and lower parts.

[0045] In this state, the sheet processing apparatus 100 temporarily stops conveying the sheet S, and then moves the peeling claw 116 further in the sheet width direction to peel off the entire rear end of the sheet S. Note that these operations are triggered by detection of the leading edge of the sheet S by the conveying sensor C5, and are performed by conveying the sheet S by a specified amount from the conveying sensor C5.

[0046] Fig. 16 is a perspective view showing the state of the peeling claw 116 and the sheet S in Fig. 8. The peeling claw 116 also has a shape (function) of a bifurcating claw that guides the peeled sheets S in different directions (see Fig. 13), so that the two sheets of the sheet S are in a position where they can be conveyed along different paths.

[0047] Furthermore, because the peeling claw 116 is configured to be movable in the width direction (see FIG. 14), it can be placed in a position suitable for supporting the posture of the sheet S, as shown in FIG. 17. Therefore, even if the size or stiffness of the sheet S changes, the sheet S can be guided in a desired branching direction. This eliminates the need for a sheet branching member that spans the entire width of the conveying path and a drive device for the branching claw, resulting in lower costs compared to conventional methods.

[0048] 9, the sheet processing apparatus 100 rotates the pair of outlet rollers 113 counterclockwise from the state in which the entire rear end of the sheet S has been peeled off, and conveys the sheet S in the reverse conveying direction (the direction of the arrow B). That is, the two peeled sheets of the sheet S are guided in the vertical direction by the peeling claws 116, and the two sheets are entirely peeled off from each other.

[0049] Then, the sheet processing apparatus 100 temporarily stops conveying the sheet S, and the joint portion of the sheet S is gripped (nipped) by the pair of outlet rollers 113. Therefore, the sheet S is opened widely from the jointed side as an end.

[0050] These operations are triggered by detection of the leading edge of the sheet S by the conveyance sensor C5, and are performed by conveying the sheet S by a designated amount from the conveyance sensor C5.

[0051] Next, the problem to be solved by the present invention will be described.

[0052] 7, when the sheet S is wound around the winding roller 109, the difference in the winding circumference of the two overlapping sheets causes the sheet on the inner circumference to sag, resulting in a space between the two sheets. However, if the sheets are strongly stuck together or depending on the type of sheet (material, etc.), the height of this space (amount of sagging) becomes small. As a result, there is a risk that the peeling claw 116 cannot be inserted into the space, and the sheet S cannot be peeled off.

[0053] In response to this, the present inventors have studied the behavior of the sheet S during conveyance in order to further sag the sheet on the inner circumferential side.

[0054] 18 and 19 are schematic diagrams illustrating the behavior of two stacked sheets transported by a pair of transport rollers. As shown in Fig. 18, the transport roller 50 is composed of two rollers arranged facing each other, one of which is a drive roller 50a that is driven to rotate by a motor or the like, and the other is a driven roller 50b that comes into contact with the drive roller 50a and rotates in response to the drive roller 50a.

[0055] 19, when two overlapping sheets are conveyed by the conveying rollers 50, the sheet Sa on the driving roller 50a side is conveyed in the direction of the arrow A by the action of the rotational force (conveying force) of the driving roller 50a. Meanwhile, the sheet Sb on the driven roller 50b side is conveyed in the direction of the arrow A by the action of the frictional force between the sheet Sa and the driven roller 50b. The driven roller 50b is rotated by the action of the frictional force between the sheet Sb and the driven roller 50b.

[0056] Here, the sheet Sb on the driven roller 50b side and the driven roller 50b are not in direct contact with the drive roller 50a, so the slip ratio is increased compared to the sheet Sa on the drive roller 50a side. In other words, the conveying force acting on the sheet Sb on the driven roller 50b side is reduced compared to the sheet Sa on the drive roller 50a side.

[0057] This causes a difference in the conveyance amount between the two sheets, and as shown in the partial enlarged view of FIG. 19, a deviation (Δd) occurs at the opposite end in the direction of the arrow A.

[0058] This "shift" causes the inner sheet Sa to be left over in addition to the difference in winding circumferential length (difference in winding amount) of the two overlapping sheets, and can further increase the amount of slack in the space caused by winding. Therefore, in the present invention, this behavior (phenomenon) is utilized to cause a shift between the two overlapping sheets and wind them around the winding roller 109.

[0059] The wrapping operation (characteristic configuration) of the sheet S in this embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0060] Fig. 20 is a configuration diagram showing the main parts of the sheet processing apparatus. As shown in Fig. 20, the pair of exit rollers 113, which are conveying rollers, is a pair of rollers having a driving roller 113a that is driven to rotate and a driven roller 113b that is in contact with the driving roller 113a and rotates in response to the driving roller 113a. Here, the driving roller 113a is on the same side as the winding roller 109 with respect to the conveying direction of the sheet S, and the driven roller 113b is on the opposite side to the winding roller 109.

[0061] When the pair of exit rollers 113 transports the sheet S in the direction of the arrow A, the two sheets are transported in the same direction, but as in the above-mentioned behavior (phenomenon), the transport amount of the sheet Sb on the driven roller 113b side is smaller than that of the sheet Sa on the drive roller 113a side. In other words, a deviation (Δd) occurs in the transport amount between the sheets S.

[0062] Next, as shown in FIG. 21, the sheets S in which a deviation in the conveying amount occurs between the sheets are conveyed in the reverse direction in the direction of the arrow B in this state, and are gripped by the gripping means 110 with the deviation remaining.

[0063] 22, the sheet processing apparatus 100 rotates the winding roller 109 counterclockwise to wind the sheet S around the winding roller 109. Then, due to the difference in the winding circumferential length of the two overlapping sheets and the resulting sheet misalignment (see FIG. 20), the sheet Sa on the inner circumferential side becomes more surplus. This is an amount of slack that is even larger than the amount of slack in FIG. 7, and the peeling claw 116 can be reliably and stably inserted into the space g between the two sheets.

[0064] Assume that the drive roller 113a is disposed on the opposite side of the winding roller 109 with respect to the conveying direction of the sheet S, and the driven roller 113b is disposed on the same side as the winding roller 109 (see FIG. 23). In this case, the conveying amount of the sheet Sb on the driven roller 113b side is greater than that of the sheet Sa on the drive roller 113a side, so the difference in the circumferential length of the wrap is shortened, and the amount of sagging is reduced.

[0065] Next, an advantageous configuration will be described.

[0066] When the sheet S is wound around the winding roller 109, that is, when the winding roller 109 is rotated after the sheet S is gripped by the gripping means 110, it is desirable to rotate the drive roller 113a in the same direction as the winding roller 109. The peripheral speed of the drive roller 113a is preferably equal to or higher than the peripheral speed of the winding roller 109, and more preferably, is faster than the peripheral speed of the winding roller 109.

[0067] This allows a larger amount of the sheet Sa on the driving roller 113a side to be conveyed between the driving roller 113a and the winding roller 109, and the amount of sagging can be further increased.

[0068] However, it should be noted that depending on the circumferential speed of the drive roller 113a and the size of the sheet S, the end of the sheet may slip out of the drive roller 113a (exit roller pair 113) (over-conveyance), and the space generated between the drive roller 113a and the winding roller 109 may be released. Therefore, it is desirable to determine the circumferential speed of the drive roller 113a according to the size of the sheet S.

[0069] Alternatively or additionally, when the sheet S is wound around the winding roller 109, a load torque may be applied to the driven roller 113b to further reduce the conveyance amount of the sheet Sb on the driven roller 113b side. This is advantageous because it creates a further deviation (difference) in the conveyance amount between the sheets S.

[0070] The configuration for applying a load torque to the driven roller 113b can be implemented, for example, by providing an electromagnetic one-way clutch or an electromagnetic brake to the driven roller 113b. By operating the one-way clutch or the brake when the winding of the sheet S around the winding roller 109 starts, the conveying force of the driven roller can be reduced in a timely manner.

[0071] Next, the operation of inserting the inner page into the peeled sheet S will be described.

[0072] Next, as shown in FIG. 10, the sheet processing apparatus 100 rotates the entrance roller pair 108 to transport the inner sheet P transported from the paper feed tray 103 (see FIG. 1) toward the exit roller pair 113 in the forward transport direction (the direction of the arrow A).

[0073] 11, the sheet processing apparatus 100 rotates the pair of outlet rollers 113 to merge the sheet S and the inner page P, and inserts the inner page P into the sheet S that has been opened.

[0074] 12(a), the sheet processing apparatus 100 transports the sheet S with the inserted inner paper P in the forward transport direction (the direction of the arrow A) by the pair of exit rollers 113, thereby overlapping the two sheets of the sheet S again and closing the opening. Then, the sheet S with the interleaved paper P sandwiched therebetween is discharged and stacked on the discharge tray 104 by the pair of exit rollers 113 or a roller (not shown) disposed thereafter (see FIG. 1).

[0075] As an alternative example, when the sheet processing apparatus includes a heat pressurizing device capable of applying heat and pressure to the sheet S, the sheet S may be conveyed to the heat pressurizing device by switching the path using a branching claw 118 as shown in FIG. 12(b).

[0076] In this way, the sheet processing device 100 of this embodiment can open the sheet S widely and insert and clamp the inner paper P therein. Therefore, compared to the laminating device of Patent Document 1 that uses a vacuum device, for example, the configuration is simpler, and the entire device can be simplified and made smaller.

[0077] 1, the sheet processing apparatus 100 of this embodiment can load the sheets S and the inner pages P on separate trays and transport them separately. This eliminates the need to load the sheets S and the inner pages P in a predetermined order, improving convenience. Note that, in this embodiment, the sheets S are loaded on the tray 102 and the inner pages P are loaded on the tray 103, but this is not limiting. The inner pages P may be loaded on the tray 102 and the sheets S may be loaded on the tray 103.

[0078] (Modification) Figure 24 shows modified examples of the guide path for the two peeled sheets. In Figure 9 above, (a) a path is shown in which both the upper and lower sheets are guided in the same direction from the joint of sheet S. In addition to this, the upper and lower sheets may be guided in opposite directions, such as (b) a path that guides them in an inverted S shape, or (c) a path that guides them in an S shape.

[0079] Next, a lamination processing device, an image forming device, and an image forming system each including the sheet processing device according to the present invention will be described.

[0080] 25 is a diagram showing an overall configuration of an example of a lamination processing device equipped with a sheet processing device according to the present invention. The lamination processing device 200 includes the sheet processing device 100 described above, a branching claw 118 for switching the conveyance path of the sheet S, a heat and pressure roller 120 which is a heat and pressure member capable of heating and pressurizing the sheet S, and a discharge roller 121 provided downstream of the heat and pressure roller 120.

[0081] This lamination processing device 200 is configured to perform a series of operations from feeding the sheets S, peeling them, inserting the inner sheets P, and laminating them by heat and pressure, all in one machine. This series of operations can be performed automatically without the need for human labor, making it more convenient than conventional techniques.

[0082] 26 is a general configuration diagram showing an example of an image forming apparatus equipped with a lamination device according to the present invention. The image forming apparatus 300 includes a lamination device 200a therein as a lamination device section.

[0083] Here, the lamination processing device 200a is equipped with a sheet tray 102 for stacking the sheets S or the inner pages P, and is configured to be able to feed the sheets S and / or the inner pages P from the image forming device 300. Therefore, an image can be inserted in-line into the sheets S or the inner pages P by the image forming device 300 (e.g., a printer, a copier, etc.).

[0084] The configuration of the image forming apparatus main body 300 will be specifically described. As shown in Fig. 26, an intermediate transfer device 150 is provided inside the image forming apparatus main body 300. The intermediate transfer device 150 stretches an endless intermediate transfer belt 152 substantially horizontally around a plurality of rollers, and travels counterclockwise.

[0085] Below the intermediate transfer device 150, cyan, magenta, yellow and black imaging devices 154c, 154m, 154y and 154k are arranged in four-part tandem along the stretching direction of the intermediate transfer belt 152. Each imaging device 154 is configured by installing a charging device, a developing device, a transfer device, a cleaning device and the like around a drum-shaped image carrier that rotates clockwise in the figure. Below each imaging device 154, an exposure device 156 is provided.

[0086] A paper feed device 158 is provided below the exposure device 156. The paper feed device 158 includes a first paper feed cassette 160 that stores sheets S, and a second paper feed cassette 162 that stores inner sheets P. The first paper feed cassette 160 is an example of a third stacking means that stacks two-ply sheets, and the second paper feed cassette 162 is an example of a fourth stacking means that stacks sheet-like media.

[0087] A first paper feed roller 166 is provided at the upper right of the first paper feed cassette 160 to feed the sheets S in the first paper feed cassette 160 one by one into the paper transport path 164. Also, a second paper feed roller 168 is provided at the upper right of the second paper feed cassette 162 to feed the inner sheets P in the paper feed cassette one by one into the paper transport path 164.

[0088] The paper transport path 164 is formed from the bottom to the top on the right side of the image forming apparatus main body 300, and leads to a lamination device 200a inside the image forming apparatus main body 300. On the paper transport path 164, a transport roller 170, a secondary transfer device 174 facing the intermediate transfer belt 152, a fixing device 176, a paper discharge device 178 consisting of a pair of paper discharge rollers, and the like are provided in this order.

[0089] The first paper feed roller 166, the transport roller 170, and the paper transport path 164 are an example of a third feeding means that feeds two-ply sheets from the first paper feed cassette 160 (third stacking means). The second paper feed roller 168, the transport roller 170, and the paper transport path 164 are an example of a fourth feeding means that feeds a sheet-like medium from the second paper feed cassette 162 (fourth stacking means). Furthermore, the intermediate transfer device 150, the fixing device 176, and the like are an example of an image forming section that forms an image on a two-ply sheet or a sheet-like medium.

[0090] Next, the operation of performing lamination processing after forming an image on the sheet S in the image forming apparatus 300 of this embodiment will be described.

[0091] When forming an image on the sheet S, first, an original image is read by the image reading device 188, and written by the exposure device 156. Next, a toner image of each color is formed on the image carrier of each of the image forming devices 154c, 154m, 154y, and 154k, and the toner images are transferred in sequence by primary transfer devices 180c, 180m, 180y, and 180k to form a color image on the intermediate transfer belt 152.

[0092] Meanwhile, the image forming apparatus 300 rotates the first paper feed roller 166 to feed the sheet S and place it in the paper transport path 164. Then, the sheet S is transported by the transport roller 170 through the paper transport path 164 and sent to the secondary transfer position at the appropriate timing, and the color image formed on the intermediate transfer belt 152 as described above is transferred to the sheet S by the secondary transfer device 174.

[0093] After the image is transferred to the sheet S, the image is fixed by a fixing device 176, and the sheet S is sent by a paper ejection device 178 to a lamination processing device 200a.

[0094] Further, the image forming apparatus 300 rotates the second paper feed roller 168 to feed the inner sheet P, place it in the paper transport path 164, and send it to the lamination processing apparatus 200a by the paper discharge device 178.

[0095] In this way, the sheet S on which the image is formed and the inner page P are sent to the lamination device 200a, where the lamination process is carried out. Details of the lamination process have been described above and will not be described again.

[0096] Since the image forming apparatus 300 of the present embodiment has the above-mentioned configuration, it is also possible to perform lamination processing by the lamination processing device 200a after forming an image on the inner paper P. Also, it is also possible to perform lamination processing after forming images on the inner paper P and the sheet S.

[0097] Next, a modified example of an image forming apparatus including a sheet processing apparatus according to the present invention and an image forming system will be described.

[0098] Fig. 27 is a diagram showing an overall configuration of a modified image forming apparatus equipped with a lamination device according to the present invention. This image forming apparatus 400 differs from the image forming apparatus 300 in Fig. 26 in that it is equipped with a main body discharge roller 122 and a main body paper discharge tray 123 on the image forming apparatus main body side.

[0099] When the image forming apparatus 400 does not perform lamination processing, the recording medium on which an image has been formed can be discharged to the main body discharge tray 123 using the main body discharge rollers 122. Therefore, when the image forming apparatus 400 does not perform lamination processing, the output speed of the image formation is not reduced.

[0100] The image forming apparatus 400 may be configured to include the lamination device 200a removably inside the image forming apparatus 400. That is, the lamination device 200a may be removed from the image forming apparatus 400 when lamination is not required.

[0101] In addition, the removed lamination processing device 200a may be equipped with a paper feed tray 103 for loading the inner sheets P and a pickup roller 106 for feeding the inner sheets P from the paper feed tray 103, and may be used as a standalone lamination processing device similar to that shown in FIG. 25.

[0102] The image forming apparatus 300 shown in Fig. 26 and the image forming apparatus 400 shown in Fig. 27 may be configured to include a sheet processing apparatus instead of the laminating machine. Also, the image forming apparatus 400 shown in Fig. 27 may be configured to have a detachable sheet processing apparatus.

[0103] The image forming system may also be a system including an image forming apparatus, and a sheet processing apparatus 100 or a lamination processing apparatus 200 detachably connected to the image forming apparatus. Furthermore, a system including a paper feeder (stacker) and / or a case binding apparatus may also be configured. When the sheet S passes through the fixing device 176, the sheet S is not bonded at the fixing temperature, but is bonded by applying heat at a higher temperature than the fixing temperature.

[0104] Furthermore, the image forming devices 300 and 400 use an electrophotographic method for forming images on the sheet S and the inner paper, but this is not limited to this, and known image forming methods such as an inkjet method or a stencil printing method may also be used.

[0105] 28 is a flowchart for explaining a series of operations from sheet feeding, inserting the inner sheet, to completing the lamination process. The explanation will be given while indicating the numbers of the drawings corresponding to the flowchart.

[0106] First, in step S11, the sheet processing apparatus 100 starts feeding the sheet S (see FIG. 1). Next, in step S12, it is determined whether the leading edge of the sheet S has reached the transport sensor C3 (see FIG. 2). In step S13, when the sheet processing apparatus 100 determines that the sheet S has been transported a designated amount from the transport sensor C3, it temporarily suspends the transport.

[0107] In step S13, the conveyance amount of the sheet Sb on the driven roller 113b side is smaller than that of the sheet Sa on the driving roller 113a side, so that a deviation (Δd) in the conveyance amount between the sheets S occurs (FIG. 20).

[0108] Subsequently, in step S14, the gripping means 110 is opened, and in step S15, the sheet S is conveyed in the reverse conveying direction (see FIG. 4).

[0109] In step S16, when the sheet processing apparatus 100 determines that the sheet S has been conveyed a designated amount, in step S17, it temporarily stops conveying the sheet S. Then, in step S18, the gripping means 110 is closed to grip the edge of the sheet S (see FIG. 21).

[0110] Next, in step S19, the sheet processing apparatus 100 rotates the winding roller 109 counterclockwise to wind the sheet S around the winding roller 109.

[0111] In step S13, the difference in winding circumferential length of the two overlapping sheets and the resulting sheet misalignment (see FIG. 20) causes a larger excess of the inner sheet Sa, forming a slack space larger than before.

[0112] Next, in step S20, it is determined whether the leading edge of the sheet S has arrived at the conveyance sensor C5. In step S21, when the sheet processing apparatus 100 determines that the sheet S has been conveyed by a designated amount from the conveyance sensor C5, in step S22, the sheet processing apparatus 100 detects the state of the sheet S using the abnormal state detection sensor C4.

[0113] The abnormal state detection sensor C4 is an abnormality detection unit that detects whether the dimension of the space generated between two sheets of the sheets S exceeds a predetermined threshold value. In step S23, when the sheet processing apparatus 100 determines that the state of the sheets S is normal (the dimension of the space is equal to or larger than the predetermined threshold value) based on the detection result of the abnormal state detection sensor C4, it proceeds to step S24a.

[0114] On the other hand, if it is determined in step S23 that the state of the sheet S is abnormal (the spatial dimension is below the predetermined threshold), the process proceeds to step S24b, where the sheet processing apparatus 100 notifies of the abnormality and stops sheet processing.

[0115] When proceeding to step S24a, the sheet processing apparatus 100 inserts the peeling claws 116 into the resulting space from both sides of the sheet S (see FIG. 7). As described in step S13, a relatively large slack space is formed in the sheet S, so that the peeling claws 116 can be stably inserted.

[0116] Next, in step S25, the sheet processing apparatus 100 rotates the winding roller 109 clockwise in a state in which the peeling claws 116 are inserted from both sides of the sheet S, and transports the sheet S in the forward transport direction.

[0117] Next, in step S26, it is determined whether the leading edge of the sheet S has reached the transport sensor C5. In step S27, when the sheet processing apparatus 100 determines that the sheet S has been transported a designated amount from the transport sensor C5, it opens the gripping means 110 in step S28.

[0118] Next, in step S29, the sheet processing apparatus 100 temporarily stops the conveyance of the sheet S, and in step S30, the peeling claw 116 is further moved in the sheet width direction (see FIG. 8). As a result, the rear end of the sheet S is separated into upper and lower parts.

[0119] In step S31, the sheet processing apparatus 100 conveys the sheet S in the reverse conveying direction. Then, in step S32, it is determined whether the leading edge of the sheet S has reached the conveying sensor C5. In step S33, when the sheet processing apparatus 100 determines that the sheet S has been conveyed a designated amount from the conveying sensor C5, it temporarily stops the conveying in step S34 (see FIG. 9). This completes the peeling of the sheet S.

[0120] Next, in step S35, the sheet processing apparatus 100 determines whether or not to form an image (inline) on the inner sheet P to be inserted into the sheet S. If inline, the process proceeds to step S36, where the sheet processing apparatus 100 causes the image forming apparatus to start a print job and forms an image on the inner sheet P. Then, the process proceeds to step S37.

[0121] On the other hand, if it is not inline in step S35, the process proceeds to step S37.

[0122] In step S37, the sheet processing apparatus 100 conveys the inner sheet P in the forward conveying direction, and inserts the inner sheet P into the opened sheet S (see FIGS. 10 and 11).

[0123] Next, in step S38, the path is switched by the branching claw 118. In step S39, the sheet S with the inner paper P sandwiched therein is transported to a heat and pressure device (fixing Md), where heat and pressure are applied, completing the lamination process (see FIG. 12(b)).

[0124] In the case of inline printing (YES in step S35), the start of a print job is notified to the image forming apparatus after sheet peeling is complete, and printing and transport of the inner pages P are carried out. In this case, the sheet processing apparatus is in a waiting state until the printed inner pages P are transported and reach the transport sensor C1. Therefore, taking into consideration the transport time of the printed inner pages P, the start of a print job may be notified to the image forming apparatus after the operation of the peeling claw 116 shown in FIG. 7 is completed, for example. This can improve productivity.

[0125] The present invention has been described in detail above using the embodiment. This embodiment is merely an example, and various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. For example, the embodiment and the modifications can be combined with each other. [Explanation of symbols]

[0126] 10 Operation Panel 30a Drive pulley 30b Driven pulley 32 Belt 34, 44 Drive transmission gear 35, 45 Motor output gear 36, 46 Drive motor 40 Pinion 42a, 42b rack 50 Conveyor roller 50a Drive roller 50b driven roller 100 Sheet processing device 102 Sheet Tray 103 Paper feed tray 104 Output tray 105, 106 Pickup roller 107 Transport roller pair 108 Entrance roller pair 109 Winding roller 110 Gripping means 111 Roller member 113 Exit roller pair 113a Drive roller 113b driven roller 116 Peeling Claw 118 Branch Claw 120 Heat and pressure roller 121 Discharge roller 122 Main body ejection roller 123 Main unit paper output tray 150 Intermediate transfer device 152 Intermediate transfer belt 154c, 154k, 154m, 154y imaging device 156 Exposure Equipment 158 Paper feeder 160 First paper feed cassette 162 Second paper feed cassette 164 Paper transport path 166 1st feed roller 168 2nd feed roller 170 Transport roller 174 Secondary transfer device 176 Fixing device 178 Paper ejection device 180c, 180k, 180m, 180y Primary transfer device 188 Image reader 200, 200a Lamination processing equipment 300, 400 Image forming device C1, C2, C3, C5 Transport Sensor P Medium paper S sheet (2-ply sheet) Sa, Sb sheet g space [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0127] [Patent Document 1] JP 2006-160429 A [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 09-164593 [Patent Document 3] JP 2020-121868 A

Claims

1. A sheet processing apparatus that sandwiches a sheet-like medium between two sheets that are overlapped and partially joined together, comprising: A conveying means for conveying the two-ply sheet; A rotating member around which the two-ply sheet is wound; A peeling member, The two-ply sheet is transported in a winding direction and wound around the rotating member to generate a slack space between the two-ply sheet; A sheet processing apparatus which inserts the peeling member into the slack space to peel off the two-ply sheet, The conveying means is a pair of rollers including a drive roller that is driven to rotate and a driven roller that is in contact with the drive roller and is driven to rotate, The sheet processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the rotating member is disposed on the drive roller side across a common tangent line passing through the nip between the pair of rollers.

2. 2. The sheet processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the driving roller rotates in the same direction as the rotating member when the two-ply sheet is wound around the rotating member.

3. 3. The sheet processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the peripheral speed of the drive roller is equal to or higher than the peripheral speed of the rotating member.

4. 4. The sheet processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a load torque is applied to the driven roller when the two-ply sheet is wound around the rotating member.

5. 5. The sheet processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the driven roller is provided with a one-way clutch or an electromagnetic brake for applying the load torque.

6. A sheet processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5, A heat and pressure member capable of heating and pressing the two-ply sheet; A lamination processing device comprising:

7. an image forming unit that forms an image; The sheet processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5 or the lamination processing apparatus according to claim 6; An image forming apparatus comprising:

8. An image forming apparatus; The sheet processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5 or the lamination processing apparatus according to claim 6; An image forming system comprising:

9. 7. An image forming system, comprising: the sheet processing apparatus according to claim 1; or the lamination processing apparatus according to claim 6, which is configured to be detachable from an image forming apparatus.

Images