Sheet material processing apparatus and image forming apparatus

Abstract

To provide a sheet material processor that is allowed to prevent jamming of a sheet material, has preferable alignment accuracy of the sheet material and allowed to reduce damages to the sheet material.SOLUTION: A sheet material processor 133 comprises a sheet-material loading unit 125, aligning means and a bonding unit 126. The bonding unit has an adhesive providing sub-unit 203 that gives adhesive 250 onto a sheet material and a bonding auxiliary sub-unit 215 that is allowed to prevent an adhesion of adhesive onto another sheet material and press a surface of the sheet material. The bonding auxiliary sub-unit is allowed to move between an operable position to perform at least one of pressing a sheet material and preventing the adhesion of adhesive and a standby position not to perform both of pressing the sheet material and preventing the adhesion of adhesive. The adhesive providing sub-unit gives the adhesive to the next sheet material after the bonding auxiliary sub-unit moves from the standby position to the operable position, performs at least one of pressing the sheet material and preventing the adhesion of adhesive in the operable position and returns from the operable position to the standby position.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

[Technical Field]

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

[0002] 2. Description of the Related Art Sheet material processing apparatuses and image forming apparatuses that use staples to bind sheet materials, pressure-bonding mechanisms to bind sheet materials, and adhesives to bind sheet materials are known.

[0003] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a configuration in which a set of sheets is bound with adhesive to prevent separation. According to Patent Document 1, it is possible to reduce the number of times that the recipient has to search for and check the sheets using a facsimile machine and to prevent the sheets from being lost.

[0004] Patent Document 2 discloses that the more sheets there are, the more areas to be glued. Patent Document 2 also discloses that it is possible to prevent the glued areas of the bound sheet stack from becoming thicker than other areas due to the thickness of the glue itself.

[0005] Patent Document 3 discloses that a stapleless binding processing device is provided upstream of the transport path between a staple-based paper processing device and a paper discharge position. According to Patent Document 3, by making it possible to bind multiple groups of paper bundles with different numbers of sheets, manual sorting becomes unnecessary. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] However, the conventional technology is still insufficient in terms of preventing jamming of the sheet material, aligning the sheet material with good accuracy, and reducing damage to the sheet material, and further improvements are required.

[0007] With conventional technology, when stapling several sheets, misalignment of the sheets can occur, making it necessary to ensure alignment accuracy. Furthermore, with conventional technology, after adhesive is applied, when the next sheet is transported, the next sheet can come into contact with (stick to) the adhesive during transport. Contact with the adhesive creates resistance as the sheet moves, raising concerns about jamming and damage to the sheet. Jamming and damage to the sheet occur more frequently depending on the sheet shape (especially back curl), so it is also necessary to be able to adequately accommodate sheet shapes. Furthermore, when applying adhesive, the gluing machine rises (retracts) to bounce up the next sheet, raising concerns about damage to the sheet.

[0008] Therefore, the present invention aims to provide a sheet material processing device that can prevent sheet material from clogging, has good sheet material alignment accuracy, and reduces damage to sheet material in a technology for performing adhesive processing on sheet material using an adhesive. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] In order to solve the above problems, the sheet material processing apparatus of the present invention is a sheet material processing apparatus including a sheet material stacking section for stacking sheet materials, an aligning means for aligning the sheet materials transported to the sheet material stacking section, and an adhesive unit for performing adhesive processing on the sheet materials, wherein the adhesive unit has an adhesive applying section for applying adhesive to at least a part of the sheet material on one side of the sheet material, and an adhesive assistant section for covering at least a part of the adhesive applied to the sheet material, capable of preventing the adhesive from adhering to other sheet materials stacked on the sheet material, and capable of pressing the surface of the sheet material, and at least a part of the adhesive assistant section is Sheet material loading sectionand is capable of being positioned above the sheet material and being movable between an operating position where it performs at least one of pressing the sheet material and preventing adhesive from adhering, and a standby position where it does not perform either pressing the sheet material or preventing adhesive from adhering, and the adhesive application section is characterized in that the adhesive assistant section moves from the standby position to the operating position, performs at least one of pressing the sheet material and preventing adhesive from adhering at the operating position, and applies adhesive to the next sheet material after returning from the operating position to the standby position. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] According to the present invention, in a technology for performing adhesive processing on sheet material using an adhesive, it is possible to provide a sheet material processing device that can prevent clogging of sheet material, has good alignment accuracy of sheet material, and reduces damage to sheet material. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0011] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of an image forming apparatus of the present invention. [Figure 2] 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a sheet processing apparatus according to the present invention. [Figure 3] 1A and 1B are schematic diagrams illustrating an example of a first adhesion auxiliary unit having an adhesion auxiliary part, where 1A is an example of a standby position and 1B is an example of an operating position. [Figure 4] 1A to 1C are schematic diagrams illustrating an example of a second adhesion auxiliary unit having an adhesive applicator, where 1A is a schematic plan view, 1B is a schematic diagram showing an example of a standby position, and 1C is a schematic diagram showing an example of an operating position. [Figure 5] 1A is a schematic diagram for explaining an example of a sheet processing apparatus of the present invention, and FIG. 1B is an enlarged schematic diagram of a main part, showing an example in which a bonding assistant unit is at a standby position. [Figure 6] 6A and 6B are a schematic diagram for explaining an example of the sheet processing apparatus of the present invention and an enlarged schematic diagram of a main part, showing an example in which the bonding assistant part has moved from FIG. 5 to the operating position. [Figure 7] 3A to 3D are schematic diagrams illustrating an example of an adhesion auxiliary part. [Figure 8] 7A and 7B are a schematic diagram (A) and an enlarged schematic diagram (B) of a main part for explaining an example of the sheet processing apparatus of the present invention, showing an example in which the bonding assistant unit has returned from FIG. 6 to the standby position. [Figure 9] 9A and 9B are a schematic diagram for explaining an example of a sheet processing apparatus of the present invention and an enlarged schematic diagram of a main part, showing an example in which an adhesive applying unit has moved from FIG. 8 to an operating position. [Figure 10] 10A and 10B are a schematic diagram for explaining an example of the sheet processing apparatus of the present invention and an enlarged schematic diagram of a main part, showing an example in which the adhesive applying unit has returned from FIG. 9 to the standby position. [Figure 11] 5A and 5B are schematic diagrams for explaining other examples of the adhesion auxiliary part. [Figure 12] 5A and 5B are schematic diagrams for explaining other examples of the adhesion auxiliary part. [Figure 13] 10A is a schematic plan view illustrating another example of the sheet processing apparatus of the present invention, and FIG. 10B is an enlarged schematic view of a main part thereof, showing an example in which a stapler is provided. [Figure 14] 1A is a schematic diagram for explaining another example of the sheet processing apparatus of the present invention, and FIG. 1B is an enlarged schematic diagram of a main part, showing an example of applying adhesive when the adhesive auxiliary part is in the operating position. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0012] The sheet material processing apparatus and image forming apparatus according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited to the following embodiments, and other modifications, additions, corrections, deletions, and other changes can be made within the scope of what a person skilled in the art can conceive. Any embodiment that achieves the functions and effects of the present invention is included in the scope of the present invention.

[0013] The sheet material processing device of the present invention is a sheet material processing device including a sheet material stacking section for stacking sheet materials, an aligning means for aligning the sheet materials transported to the sheet material stacking section, and an adhesive unit for performing adhesive processing on the sheet materials, wherein the adhesive unit has an adhesive applying section for applying adhesive to at least a part of one side of the sheet material, and an adhesive assisting section for covering at least a part of the adhesive applied to the sheet material, capable of preventing the adhesive from adhering to other sheet materials stacked on the sheet material, and capable of pressing the surface of the sheet material. The adhesive assisting section is capable of positioning at least a portion of the adhesive assisting section on the sheet material stacking section, and is movable between an operating position where it performs at least one of pressing the sheet material and preventing adhesive from adhering, and a standby position where it does not perform either pressing the sheet material or preventing adhesive from adhering, and the adhesive applying section is characterized in that the adhesive assisting section moves from the standby position to the operating position, performs at least one of pressing the sheet material and preventing adhesive from adhering at the operating position, and applies adhesive to the next sheet material after returning from the operating position to the standby position.

[0014] 1 is a diagram showing an example of an image forming apparatus according to the present embodiment. The image forming apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment includes a sheet material processing apparatus 133 according to the present embodiment. As shown in the figure, the image forming apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment includes, for example, an image forming unit 130, an automatic document feeder 131, and a relay unit 132.

[0015] 1 is an example of an image forming apparatus, but it may also be an example of a copying system. The present invention also provides image forming apparatuses such as a copier, printer, facsimile, and a digital multifunction peripheral that combines the functions of these machines. The image forming apparatus of the present invention is equipped with the sheet material processing device of the present invention, which provides the following advantages: it can prevent sheet material jamming, it can align the sheet material accurately, and it can reduce damage to the sheet material.

[0016] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of the sheet material processing apparatus 133 of this embodiment. The conveying paths of the sheet material processing device 133 include, for example, an introduction path 101, an upper conveying path 110, and a lower conveying path 120. The introduction path 101 receives the sheet material on which an image has been formed and which has been discharged from the image forming unit 130. The arrows in the figure schematically indicate the conveying direction of the sheet material.

[0017] The upper conveying path 110 and the lower conveying path 120 are two paths branching off from the introduction path 101. The upper conveying path 110 is a path leading to a proof tray 111, and the lower conveying path 120 is a path leading to a shift tray 121.

[0018] An entrance roller 102 is disposed in the introduction path 101. A sheet punching means 200 is disposed downstream of the entrance roller 102, and the sheet punching means 200 is capable of punching holes in the sheet material. A conveying roller 103 is disposed downstream of the sheet punching means 200, and a branching claw 104 is disposed downstream of the conveying roller 103.

[0019] The branching claw 104 is located at the branching portion at the end of the introduction path 101, and by rotating, sorts the conveying path of the sheet material into an upper conveying path 110 or a lower conveying path 120. The sheet material sorted into the upper conveying path 110 is discharged to a proof tray 111 arranged at the most downstream position.

[0020] During straight transport, the sheet materials sorted onto the lower transport path 120 are discharged onto the most downstream shift tray 121 by transport rollers 122 and discharge rollers 123, and are stacked sequentially. The transport rollers 122 have a shift mechanism, and are shifted by a certain amount by a drive means by moving the transport rollers 122 a certain amount in a direction perpendicular to the transport direction while the sheet materials are being transported. This makes it possible to select whether to perform straight transport or transport in the direction of the staple tray 125 described below.

[0021] The sheet materials sorted to the lower conveying path 120 can be conveyed not only in a straight line but also in the direction of a staple tray 125. During stapling processing, the sheet materials are conveyed to a staple tray 125 (sheet material stacking section) disposed downstream of the conveying rollers 122. An adhesive unit 126 is disposed at the end of the staple tray 125. The adhesive unit 126 can advance and retreat, for example, in a direction perpendicular to the sheet material conveying direction.

[0022] The sheet material conveyed to the lower conveying path 120 drops onto the staple tray 125 when the trailing edge of the sheet material passes through the conveying rollers 122. The sheet material that has dropped onto the staple tray 125 is conveyed to the position of the adhesive unit 126. Next, the adhesive unit 126 performs adhesive processing on the sheet material. As a result, the sheet material is stapled into a bundle, and the bundle of sheet materials is discharged onto the shift tray 121 by the paper discharge rollers 123.

[0023] The location of the sheet material to be adhesively treated is not particularly limited and can be selected as appropriate, for example, the bottom edge of the sheet material. The adhesive unit 126 applies adhesive to the sheet material and performs a process of binding the sheet material (which may also be referred to as stapling). Stapling may or may not involve the use of staples.

[0024] A filler 124 is provided above the shift tray 121. The filler 124 is provided, for example, near the top of the paper discharge outlet, and is rotatably disposed at a position near the center of the sheet material (or a stack of sheet materials) when stacked on the shift tray 121. The tip of the filler 124 contacts the upper surface of the sheet material on the shift tray 121. By providing the filler 124, the height of the shift tray 121 can be controlled, for example, as follows.

[0025] Although not shown here, an upper surface detection sensor is disposed at the base of the filler 124. The upper surface detection sensor detects the height of the tip of the filler 124 and detects the height of the upper surface of the sheet material stacked on the shift tray 121. As the number of sheets piled up on the shift tray 121 increases, the height of the sheet material rises. When the height of the sheet material reaches a predetermined height, the upper surface detection sensor turns on, and the control unit controls the drive means that moves the shift tray 121 up and down to lower the shift tray 121. When the shift tray 121 descends and the upper surface detection sensor turns off, the descent of the shift tray 121 stops.

[0026] By adjusting the height of the shift tray 121 as described above, it is possible to maintain a constant distance from the clamping portion of the discharge rollers 123 to the sheet stacking portion of the shift tray 121. This makes it possible to maintain a constant contact angle between the sheet material discharged from the discharge rollers 123 and the shift tray 121, thereby stabilizing the alignment quality of the sheet material stacked on the shift tray 121. Furthermore, by adjusting the height of the shift tray 121, it is possible to increase the number of sheets that can be stacked.

[0027] The shift tray 121 repeatedly rises and falls, and when it reaches a specified tray full height, the sheet processing apparatus issues a stop signal to the control unit, and the image forming operation is stopped.

[0028] The sheet material processing device of this embodiment includes a sheet material stacking section (for example, the staple tray 125 described above) for stacking sheet materials, an alignment means for aligning the sheet materials transported to the sheet material stacking section, and an adhesive unit 126 for performing adhesive processing on the sheet materials. The adhesive unit 126 has an adhesive application section that applies adhesive to at least a portion of one side of the sheet material, and an adhesive assist section that covers at least a portion of the adhesive applied to the sheet material, preventing the adhesive from adhering to other sheet materials stacked on top of the sheet material, and that can press against the surface of the sheet material. At least a portion of the adhesive auxiliary part can be positioned on the sheet material stack part, and the adhesive auxiliary part can be moved between an operating position where it presses the sheet material and / or prevents adhesive from adhering, and a standby position where it neither presses the sheet material nor prevents adhesive from adhering.

[0029] 3A and 3B are diagrams for explaining an example of the adhesive auxiliary part in this embodiment, in which Fig. 3A shows an example of the standby position, and Fig. 3B shows an example of the operating position.

[0030] In this embodiment, a configuration will be described as an example in which the first adhesive auxiliary unit 230 has an adhesive auxiliary portion 215. The sheet material processing apparatus 133 of this embodiment includes a sheet material stacking portion (shift tray 121) and an adhesive unit 126, and the adhesive unit 126 has an adhesive applying portion 203 and an adhesive auxiliary portion 215. Therefore, it can be said that the adhesive unit 126 of this embodiment has the first adhesive auxiliary unit 230, and the first adhesive auxiliary unit 230 has the adhesive auxiliary portion 215. The first adhesive auxiliary unit 230 has the adhesive auxiliary portion 215, and further has other members.

[0031] 3(A), a pulley of a drive motor 218 and a cam gear 213 mesh with each other, and the cam gear 213 and a cam portion 217 are in contact with each other. The cam portion 217 is provided on an adhesion assistance portion 215, and can move the adhesion assistance portion 215 via a shaft 216. When the drive motor 218 rotates, the adhesion assistance portion 215 rotates with the shaft 216 as a fulcrum.

[0032] The drive motor 218 uses, for example, a stepping motor and performs pulse control so that the adhesion assistant part 215 moves to a specified position relative to the sheet material. As a result, the adhesion assistant part 215 rotates in a direction that covers the adhesion part of the sheet material (the part where the adhesive is applied), for example, as shown by the arrow in Fig. 3(B).

[0033] When the conveyance of the sheet material is completed, the bonding assistant part 215 returns from the operating position shown in FIG. 3(B) to the standby position shown in FIG. 3(A), for example. As will be described later, the first adhesion auxiliary unit 230 can be pulse-controlled so that it can move to a specified position both in the sheet conveying direction and in a direction perpendicular to the sheet conveying direction. In this case, it becomes possible to freely set the position where the adhesion auxiliary part 215 covers the adhesive part of the sheet.

[0034] Fig. 4 is a diagram for explaining an example of an adhesive applicator in this embodiment. Fig. 4(A) is a top view of a configuration including the adhesive applicator 203, and Figs. 4(B) and 4(C) are side views of Fig. 4(A) as viewed from the side. Fig. 4(B) is an example of a standby position, and Fig. 4(C) is an example of an operating position.

[0035] In this embodiment, a configuration in which the second adhesion auxiliary unit 233 has the adhesive applicator 203 will be described as an example. Therefore, it can also be said that the adhesive unit 126 in this embodiment has the second adhesion auxiliary unit 233, and the second adhesion auxiliary unit 233 has the adhesive applicator 203. Supplementally, it can also be said that the adhesive unit 126 in this embodiment has the first adhesion auxiliary unit 230 and the second adhesion auxiliary unit 233, the first adhesion auxiliary unit 230 has the adhesion auxiliary unit 215, and the second adhesion auxiliary unit 233 has the adhesive applicator 203. The second adhesion auxiliary unit 233 has the adhesive applicator 203 and further has other members.

[0036] 4, the adhesive applicator 203 in this embodiment is fixed to a holding plate 232, and a rack 205 is provided on the holding plate 232. A drive motor 207 is fixed to a frame 234, and the drive motor 207 is engaged with a pulley 206 via a belt, and the pulley 206 is further engaged with the rack 205. The frame 234 shown in FIG. 4(A) is schematically illustrated in a see-through manner so that the inside of the frame 234 can be seen.

[0037] The drive motor 207 uses, for example, a stepping motor and can move the adhesive applicator 203 to a specified position along the drive shaft 204 using pulse control. When the adhesive applicator 203 moves to the specified position, it moves to the sheet material and can apply adhesive. For example, in FIG. 4(C), the adhesive applicator 203 moves in the direction of the arrow from the state in FIG. 4(B), thereby applying adhesive 250 to the sheet material. Once application of adhesive 250 is complete, the adhesive applicator 203 returns to the standby position shown in FIG. 4(B).

[0038] In the above, it has been explained that Fig. 4(C) is a diagram showing the operating position, but this is not limited thereto and may also be referred to as an adhesive application position, etc. Furthermore, the adhesive 250 shown in Figs. 4(B) and 4(C) is shown only schematically, and the adhesive used in this embodiment is not particularly limited and may be solid or liquid. Furthermore, the adhesive may be, for example, adhesive glue, or may also be, for example, double-sided tape.

[0039] 4(A), the second adhesion auxiliary unit 233 is fixed to a belt 212, and the belt 211 is engaged with a pulley 210 fixed to a frame 231. The opposite side of the frame 231 is also fixed to a frame and pulley (not shown), and the pulley (not shown) is engaged with the belt 211. The second adhesion auxiliary unit 233 may or may not include components such as the belts 211 and 212 and the pulley.

[0040] The pulley 210 is engaged with a drive motor (not shown here), and pulse control can be performed to control the position of the second adhesion auxiliary unit 233, particularly the adhesive applicator 203. This drive motor can move the adhesive applicator 203 in a direction perpendicular to the sheet material conveyance direction, making it possible to freely set the position where the adhesive is applied.

[0041] 4(A), a rack 209 is fixed to a frame 231, and the rack 209 holds a drive motor 208. The drive motor 208 is engaged with a pinion gear (not shown). The drive motor 208 is, for example, a stepping motor, and is pulse-controlled so that the second adhesion auxiliary unit 233 can operate to a specified position in the conveyance direction of the sheet material. This allows the second adhesion auxiliary unit 233, and particularly the adhesive applicator 203, to be positioned freely relative to the conveyance direction of the sheet material.

[0042] Fig. 5 is another schematic side view for explaining the sheet material processing apparatus 133 of this embodiment. Fig. 5(A) is a schematic view for explaining an example in which the first adhesion auxiliary unit 230 and the second adhesion auxiliary unit 233 are mounted on the sheet material processing apparatus 133, and Fig. 5(B) is an enlarged schematic view of a main part of Fig. 5(A) at a.

[0043] 5(A) shows an example of a standby state (standby position), in which the first adhesion auxiliary unit 230 and the second adhesion auxiliary unit 233 are in a standby state. Therefore, the adhesion auxiliary part 215 has moved to the standby position, which is a position where it does not press the sheet material 201 and does not prevent the adhesive 250 from adhering.

[0044] 5A shows a state in which sheet materials 201a and 201b are stacked on the staple tray 125 (sheet material stacking section), and the next sheet material 201c is being conveyed. Note that stacking may also be referred to as stacking.

[0045] An adhesive 250 is applied to the surface of the uppermost sheet 201b of the stacked sheets by an adhesive application unit 203 (see also FIG. 5(B)). When the conveyed sheet 201c comes into contact with (sticks to) the applied adhesive 250, it creates resistance, resulting in clogging and damage to the sheet material. This can occur more frequently depending on the shape of the sheet material (especially back curl). For this reason, in this embodiment, the process shown in FIG. 6 below is performed after the process shown in FIG. 5.

[0046] Fig. 6(A) is a schematic side view showing an example of the case where the device has shifted from the standby position to the operating position in the example shown in Fig. 5. Fig. 6(B) is an enlarged schematic view of the main part at a in Fig. 6(A). Note that the state in the standby position may be referred to as a standby state, and the state in the operating position may be referred to as an operating state.

[0047] 6(A) shows an example of the same movement as that shown in FIG. 3, and as described above, at the operating position, the adhesion assistant portion 215 of the first adhesion assistant unit 230 rotates. As a result, the adhesive 250 applied to the surface of the uppermost sheet 201b of the stacked sheets is at least partially covered by the adhesion assistant portion 215. This prevents the conveyed sheet 201c from coming into contact with the adhesive 250 applied to the sheet 201b, thereby preventing clogging of the sheet material and damage to the sheet material. Therefore, according to this embodiment, it is possible to prevent the adhesive applied to the sheet 201b from adhering to another sheet 201c stacked on top of the sheet 201b.

[0048] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the applied adhesive portion (adhesive portion) is covered by the adhesive assistant portion 215, so clogging of the sheet material can be prevented even for sheet material with a shape that is prone to clogging. For example, it is possible to prevent the adhesive from coming into contact with sheet material with uneven edges, such as a back-curled sheet material. Note that back-curl can be seen in FIG. 5.

[0049] In FIG. 6(A), the adhesion assistant 215 appears to be in contact with the adhesive 250, but in the example shown here, the adhesion assistant 215 and the adhesive 250 are not in contact. As will be described later with reference to FIGS. 7(C) and 7(D), the adhesion assistant 215 in this embodiment is preferably shaped to cover at least a portion of the periphery and the top of the applied adhesive. In this way, by having the adhesion assistant 215 cover the area where the adhesive 250 is applied (also referred to as the adhesive area), the adhesion assistant 215 can be prevented from coming into contact with the adhesive 250. To illustrate this, in FIG. 6(B), the adhesive 250 applied to the sheet material 201b is shown by a dashed line.

[0050] Furthermore, the adhesion assistant part 215 can press against the surface of the sheet material, and the action of the adhesion assistant part 215 covering the adhesive part also serves to press against the sheet material. In the example shown in Fig. 6, the adhesion assistant part 215 presses against the sheet material 201b. This increases the binding force of the adhesive 250 interposed between the sheet material 201a and the sheet material 201b, enabling the sheet materials to be bonded well. It should be noted that the adhesion assistant unit 215 may not press the sheet material at the operating position and may only cover the adhesive, but it is preferable that it press the sheet material at the operating position. Pressing the sheet material at the operating position by the adhesion assistant unit 215 increases the binding strength of the adhesive through the pressure. When the adhesion assistant unit 215 does not press the sheet material, the adhesive application unit 203 may also press the sheet material. Even when the adhesion assistant unit 215 does not press the sheet material at the operating position, it is preferable that it covers the adhesive attached to the sheet material at the operating position.

[0051] 6, the adhesion assistant 215 does not come into contact with the adhesive 250 but comes into contact with the sheet material 201b. In this way, the adhesion assistant 215 can prevent the adhesive applied to one sheet material from adhering to other sheets placed on top of the sheet material, and can also press the surface of the sheet material.

[0052] 5 and then the process of Fig. 6, the adhesive assistant unit 215 preferably moves to the operating position before the adhesive applied to one sheet material adheres to another sheet material stacked on top of the sheet material, thereby preventing the applied adhesive from coming into contact with the next sheet material and preventing clogging of the sheet material.

[0053] Although there is no particular limitation on the number of times that the adhesion assistant part 215 presses against one sheet material, it is preferable that the adhesion assistant part 215 presses against one sheet material multiple times. By pressing multiple times, the binding strength of the adhesive interposed between the sheet materials can be further increased.

[0054] The sheet processing device 133 of this embodiment has an alignment means for aligning the sheet material transported to the staple tray 125 (sheet material stacking section). By having the alignment means, it is possible to prevent the sheet material from being misaligned in its bonding position or from being poorly bonded. The alignment means is not limited and can be selected appropriately. For example, the alignment means can have a sheet material stopper provided on the edge side of the sheet material stacking section, and the sheet material can be aligned when the edge of the transported sheet material hits the sheet material stopper. With this configuration, the sheet material can be aligned with a simple configuration.

[0055] The sheet material stopper may be, for example, a reference fence 236. The reference fence 236 is provided on the edge side of the staple tray 125, at the edge in the conveying direction of the sheet material. When the sheet material conveyed to the staple tray 125 hits the reference fence 236, the leading edge of the sheet material can be aligned.

[0056] To achieve this, it is preferable to tilt the staple tray 125 from the horizontal, as shown in, for example, Figures 3 and 5. In this case, the sheet material that has passed through the transport rollers 122 falls onto the staple tray 125, is transported on the staple tray 125, and can strike the reference fence 236. This allows the leading edges of the sheet material to be aligned. For transport on the staple tray 125, a member such as a transport roller may be used, or such a member may not be used.

[0057] As shown in Fig. 6, the timing at which the adhesive assistant part 215 returns to the standby position after pressing the sheet material at the operating position is not limited and can be selected appropriately. For example, from the state shown in Fig. 6, the adhesive assistant part 215 can be configured to return to the standby position when the end of the sheet material 201c hits the reference fence 236. In other words, it is preferable that the adhesive assistant part 215 returns to the standby position when the end of the conveyed sheet material hits a sheet material stopper while in the operating position. In this case, it is possible to shorten the time.

[0058] In the above description, it is described that the adhesion auxiliary part 215 returns to the standby position, but this is not limiting, and it may be said that, for example, the first adhesion auxiliary unit 230 returns to the standby position.

[0059] The shape of the adhesion auxiliary part 215 is not limited and can be changed as appropriate. An example of the adhesion auxiliary part 215 is shown in Fig. 7. Figs. 7(A) to 7(C) are other views of the adhesion auxiliary part 215 shown in Figs. 5 and 6.

[0060] Fig. 7(A) is a side view of the adhesive assisting portion 215, Fig. 7(B) is a view from the b direction of Fig. 7(A), and Fig. 7(C) is a diagram showing the position of the adhesive portion in Fig. 7(B). Fig. 7(D) is a schematic perspective view of the main portion, with the cam portion 217 side omitted. The adhesive assisting portion 215 preferably has a shape that scoops up the sheet material, as shown in Figs. 6 and 7, for example. If it has a shape that scoops up the sheet material, it becomes easier to receive the sheet material and damage to the sheet material can be reduced.

[0061] 7, when the end from which the sheet material is conveyed is defined as the leading end in a side view (FIG. 7(A), FIG. 6, etc.), the adhesive assistant portion 215 preferably has a slope 215a on the leading end side, and is shaped so that the slope 215a scoops up the conveyed sheet material when it is in the operating position (for example, FIG. 6). In this case, the sheet material conveyed to the sheet material stacking portion can be more easily received, and damage to the sheet material can be reduced.

[0062] As shown in Fig. 7, the portion where the adhesion assistant 215 moves to the operating position and comes into contact with the sheet material is indicated by the reference numeral 235. As shown in Fig. 7(C), the adhesion assistant 215 in this embodiment has a shape that covers at least a part of the periphery of the applied adhesive (adhesive portion 251) when it comes into contact with the sheet material at the operating position. This prevents the adhesion assistant 215 from coming into contact with the adhesive, and can prevent the adhesion position of the sheet material from shifting, etc.

[0063] 6 and 7, the adhesion assistant portion 215 is preferably shaped to cover the top of the applied adhesive, which can further prevent the sheet material to which the adhesive is not applied from coming into contact with the adhesive.

[0064] Considering the above, it is preferable that the adhesive assistant 215, when moved to the operating position, covers at least a portion of the periphery and the top of the applied adhesive and presses the stacked sheet material. This prevents the adhesive applied to the stacked sheet material 201b from coming into contact with the next sheet material 201c, regardless of the shape of the next sheet material 201c. This further reduces clogging and damage to the sheet material.

[0065] Fig. 8 is a diagram showing a state where the device has returned from the operating position shown in Fig. 6 to the standby position. Similar to Fig. 6, Fig. 8(A) is a schematic side view showing an example of the standby position, and Fig. 8(B) is an enlarged schematic view of a main part at a in Fig. 8(A). As shown in Fig. 8, according to this embodiment, after adhesive 250 is applied to sheet material 201b, the next sheet material 201c can be loaded without causing problems such as clogging of the sheet material.

[0066] When returning from the operating position shown in FIG. 6 to the standby position shown in FIG. 8, the adhesive assistant 215 rotates, lifting the edge of the sheet material 201c. However, in this embodiment, the area of ​​the portion where the adhesive is applied (the adhesive portion) is small, and therefore the length of the adhesive assistant 215, in other words, the portion covering the adhesive portion, does not need to be large (long). Therefore, when the adhesive assistant 215 returns to the standby position, the height to which the sheet material 201c is lifted is small, and the operation of the adhesive assistant 215 returning to the standby position does not disturb the stacked state of the sheet material, or can minimize the disturbance. Therefore, the adhesiveness of the sheet material or the alignment accuracy of the sheet material is not affected, or can minimize the effect.

[0067] Next, an example in which the adhesive applying unit 203 applies an adhesive will be described. Fig. 9 is a diagram for explaining an example of a process of applying adhesive by shifting from the standby position shown in Fig. 8 to the operating position. Similar to Fig. 8, Fig. 9(A) is a schematic side view showing an example of the operating position, and Fig. 9(B) is an enlarged schematic view of a main part at a in Fig. 9(A).

[0068] 9(A) and 9(B), after the sheet material 201c is conveyed, the adhesive applicator 203 moves in the direction of the arrow in the figure, and applies adhesive 250 to the sheet material 201c. Here, for example, it is described that the adhesive applicator 203 moves to the operating position, but it may also be said that the second adhesion auxiliary unit 233 moves to the operating position. Furthermore, the operating position when applying the adhesive may also be referred to as the adhesive application position, etc.

[0069] In this embodiment, the adhesive applicator 203 applies adhesive to the next sheet material after the adhesive assistant 215 moves from the standby position to the operating position, presses the surface of the sheet material at the operating position, and returns from the operating position to the standby position. This series of processes can be performed in the order shown in Figures 5, 6, 8, and 9, for example. This prevents the next sheet material from clogging and reduces damage to the sheet material, regardless of the form of the sheet material.

[0070] Fig. 10 is a diagram for explaining an example of a transition from the operating position shown in Fig. 9 to the standby position. Similar to Fig. 9, Fig. 10(A) is a schematic side view showing an example of the standby position, and Fig. 10(B) is an enlarged schematic view of the main part at a in Fig. 10(A).

[0071] 10(A) and 10(B), after the adhesive applicator 203 applies adhesive 250 to the sheet material 201c, the adhesive applicator 203 moves in the direction of the arrow in the figure and returns to the standby position. As in the above, the adhesive applicator 203 may return to the standby position, or the second adhesion auxiliary unit 233 may return to the standby position. After the process of FIG. 10 is performed, for example, the process of FIG. 6 is performed.

[0072] In this embodiment, the processes shown in Figures 5, 6, 8, 9, and 10 are repeated every time a sheet material 201 is transported to the staple tray 125. The first adhesion auxiliary unit 230 and the second adhesion auxiliary unit 233 are configured as separate units, and neither unit operates to flip up the sheet material 201, thereby preventing damage to the sheet material 201. Furthermore, because neither unit operates to flip up the sheet material 201, adhesion can be performed without disturbing the stacked state of the sheet material 201.

[0073] In this embodiment, it is preferable that the adhesive assistant unit 215 also presses against the final sheet material to be loaded in the sheet material stacking unit, and that the adhesive applicator 203 does not apply adhesive to the final sheet material. By having the adhesive assistant unit 215 press against the final sheet material to be loaded in the sheet material stacking unit, the final sheet material can be reliably adhered. Furthermore, by not applying adhesive to the final sheet material, unnecessary application of adhesive can be prevented, and for example, when producing a stack of multiple sheet materials, it is possible to prevent one stack of sheet materials from being adhered to another stack of sheet materials.

[0074] As described above, in this embodiment, since the adhesive is used for the bonding process, there is no need to use staples, and the resulting stack of sheets can be shredded as is. Furthermore, in this embodiment, clogging of the sheets can be suppressed and the sheet alignment accuracy can be improved, so a larger number of sheets can be subjected to the bonding process.

[0075] Furthermore, the adhesive application method of this embodiment can prevent damage to the sheet materials without reducing the sheet alignment accuracy. For example, in conventional technology, when applying adhesive, the adhesive application machine raises the sheet materials so that they bounce up, which can disrupt the stacked state of the sheet materials and cause damage to the sheet materials. When the stacked state of the sheet materials is disrupted, the sheet materials are less likely to be aligned, and for example, sheet materials may protrude from the file when filing. This embodiment can produce a high-quality stack of sheet materials.

[0076] Next, other examples of the adhesion assistant part 215 will be described with reference to FIGS. Fig. 11 is a diagram for explaining another example of the adhesion auxiliary part 215, in which the part that comes into contact with the sheet material is an elastic body in this example of the adhesion auxiliary part 215. Fig. 11(A) is a schematic side view of the adhesion auxiliary part 215 of this example, and Fig. 11(B) is a schematic plan view when viewed from direction b of Fig. 11(A).

[0077] 11, by using elastic body 237 at the portion that comes into contact with the sheet material, the load on the surface of the sheet material can be reduced, making it less likely that the sheet material will be damaged. There are no particular restrictions on elastic body 237, and any known elastic body, such as rubber, can be used.

[0078] In the above description, the elastic body 237 is provided at the portion that comes into contact with the sheet material, but other expressions are possible. For example, the elastic body 237 may be provided on the surface of the portion of the adhesion assistant part 215 that comes into contact with and presses the surface of the sheet material.

[0079] 11, the adhesive assisting portion 215 preferably has a slope 215a at the tip end thereof, and is shaped so that the slope 215a scoops up the conveyed sheet material when it is in the operating position, and is illustrated as such. By doing so, the above-mentioned effects, such as the effect of making it easier to smoothly receive the sheet material, can be obtained.

[0080] Fig. 12 is a diagram for explaining yet another example of the adhesion auxiliary part 215, in which the inclined surface 215a on the tip side is made of a resin sheet 238. Fig. 12(A) is a schematic side view of the adhesion auxiliary part 215 of this example, and Fig. 12(B) is a schematic plan view when viewed from direction b of Fig. 12(A).

[0081] In the example shown in Fig. 12, the adhesion assistant part 215 has a slope 215a on its tip side, and is shaped so that when it is in the operating position, the slope 215a scoops up the conveyed sheet material. As shown in Fig. 12, the slope 215a on the tip side of the adhesion assistant part 215 is made of a resin sheet 238. This allows for an inexpensive configuration, makes it easier to smoothly accept the sheet material, and reduces damage to the sheet material. There are no particular limitations on the resin sheet 238, and any known resin can be used.

[0082] The sheet material processing apparatus of this embodiment may be provided with a stapler that performs a process of binding sheet materials without using adhesive. In this embodiment, the process of binding sheet materials without using adhesive may be performed using staples, or may be performed without using staples. When provided with a stapler, the sheet material processing apparatus of this embodiment can select whether to perform a bonding process using an adhesive unit or a process of binding sheet materials using the stapler.

[0083] Figure 13 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a sheet material processing apparatus equipped with a stapling means. Figure 13(A) is a schematic diagram of the entire main part of the sheet material processing apparatus of this example when viewed from above, and Figure 13(B) is an enlarged schematic diagram of the main part of Figure 13(A). Note that the stapling means may also be called a stapler or the like.

[0084] 13 shows that the sheet material processing apparatus of this example is equipped with a bonding unit 126 and a stapling means 260. The bonding unit 126 and the stapling means 260 are fixed to a rotating plate 219. A moving plate 220 supports the rotating plate 219 in a configuration that allows the rotating plate 219 to rotate. A belt 224 is fixed to the moving plate 220, and the belt 224 is engaged with pulleys 225 provided on two pairs of frames 226.

[0085] The pulley 225 is driven by a drive motor (not shown) to freely move the moving plate 220 in a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction (arrow in FIG. 13(A)) of the sheet material 201. For example, a stepping motor can be used as this drive motor, and the moving plate 220 can be freely moved to a specified position by pulse control.

[0086] By configuring the movable plate 220 to be movable, the adhesive application area can be increased at any position, thereby improving the binding strength. One way to increase the adhesive application area is to increase the width of the adhesive application in the direction perpendicular to the conveyance direction of the sheet material. Increasing the adhesive application area in this way also makes it possible to obtain good binding strength when the sheet material is, for example, cardboard.

[0087] A pulley 239 is fixed to the rotating plate 219. A drive motor 222 is fixed to the moving plate 220, and the drive motor 222 is engaged with the pulley 239 via a belt 221. A stepping motor, for example, can be used as the drive motor 222, and the adhesive unit 126 and the staple means 260 can be rotated to a predetermined position by pulse control. By controlling the rotation, the adhesive unit 126 and the staple means 260 can change the positions at which they perform the processes of pressing the sheet material, applying adhesive, and binding the sheet material, and can perform the processes at the desired locations.

[0088] Furthermore, by rotating the adhesive unit 126 and the staple means 260 with the drive motor 222, it becomes possible to select whether to perform adhesive processing by the adhesive unit 126 or binding processing of the sheet materials by the staple means 260. As a processing method for the sheet materials 201, it is possible to select a bundling processing using adhesive, a binding processing by the staple means 260, etc., and it becomes possible for the user to select a processing method that suits the purpose of use.

[0089] Furthermore, in this embodiment, in processing by the stapling means 260, it is also possible to perform stapling (binding processing) after applying adhesive by the adhesive unit 126. In this case, when stapling a large number of sheet materials, binding misalignment can be suppressed and alignment accuracy can be improved.

[0090] A rack 228 is fixed to the frame 226, and the rack 228 is in mesh with a pinion gear (not shown). The pinion gear is provided, for example, on a drive motor 227. The drive motor 227 can be, for example, a stepping motor, and can move the frame 226 in the sheet material conveyance direction by pulse control. This allows the adhesive unit 126 and the stapling means 260 to move in the sheet material conveyance direction, making it possible to freely set the positions where adhesive is applied, the positions where stapling is performed, etc.

[0091] By configuring the frame 226 to be movable, the adhesive application area can be increased at any position, thereby improving the binding strength. One way to increase the adhesive application area is to increase the width of the adhesive application area relative to the conveyance direction of the sheet material. Increasing the adhesive application area in this way also makes it possible to obtain good binding strength even when the sheet material is, for example, cardboard.

[0092] In this embodiment, as described with reference to Figures 4 and 13, it is preferable that the adhesive unit 126 be movable in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the sheet material is transported to the sheet material stacking section (staple tray 125) (the sheet material transport direction). This allows adhesive to be applied to any position on the sheet material, and also increases the adhesive application area at any position, thereby further improving the binding force. Also, in this embodiment, as described above, it is preferable that the adhesive unit 126 be movable in the sheet material transport direction. In this case, adhesive can be applied to any position on the sheet material, and the same effect as above can be obtained. Furthermore, it becomes possible to use the device according to the user's purpose.

[0093] Furthermore, in this embodiment, when the stapler 260 is provided, it is preferable that the stapler 260 be movable in the sheet conveying direction and also be movable perpendicular to the sheet conveying direction. This allows stapling to be performed at any position, enabling use according to the user's purpose.

[0094] Next, another embodiment of the present invention will be described. Explanation of matters similar to those in the above embodiment will be omitted. Configurations applicable to the above embodiment can also be applied to this embodiment.

[0095] In the example described in the above embodiment, when applying adhesive, the process shown in FIG. 8 is performed after the process shown in FIG. 6 is performed. That is, the adhesive is applied after the adhesion assistant unit 215 returns to the standby position. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the adhesive may be applied before the adhesion assistant unit 215 returns to the standby position, as in the present embodiment.

[0096] The sheet material processing apparatus of this embodiment is a sheet material processing apparatus including a sheet material stacking section for stacking sheet materials, an aligning means for aligning the sheet materials transported to the sheet material stacking section, and an adhesive unit for performing adhesive processing on the sheet materials, wherein the adhesive unit has an adhesive applying section for applying adhesive to at least a part of one side of the sheet material, and an adhesive assisting section for covering at least a part of the adhesive applied to the sheet material, capable of preventing the adhesive from adhering to other sheet materials stacked on the sheet material, and capable of pressing the surface of the sheet material, The adhesive assisting section is capable of positioning at least a portion of the adhesive assisting section on the sheet material stacking section, and is capable of moving between an operating position where it performs at least one of pressing the sheet material and preventing adhesive from adhering, and a standby position where it does not perform either pressing the sheet material or preventing adhesive from adhering, and the adhesive applying section applies adhesive to the next sheet material after the adhesive assisting section moves from the standby position to the operating position and performs at least one of pressing the sheet material and preventing adhesive from adhering at the operating position, and then returns from the operating position to the standby position.

[0097] Fig. 14 is a schematic diagram for explaining the processing of the sheet material processing apparatus of this embodiment. Fig. 14 is a diagram for explaining the processing after Fig. 6, Fig. 14(A) is a schematic side view, and Fig. 14(B) is an enlarged schematic view of the main part at a in Fig. 14(A).

[0098] 14, before the adhesion assistant 215 returns from the operating position to the standby position, the adhesive 250 is applied to the next sheet material 201c. In other words, the adhesive applicator 203 applies adhesive to the next sheet material 201c while the next sheet material 201c remains on the adhesion assistant 215.

[0099] The timing for the adhesive assistant unit 215 to return to the standby position can be selected as appropriate. For example, it is preferable that the adhesive assistant unit 215 presses the sheet material at the operating position, and then returns to the standby position after the next sheet material is conveyed and the adhesive applicator 203 applies adhesive to the next sheet material. In this case, it is possible to avoid the adhesive assistant unit 215 colliding with the adhesive applicator 203.

[0100] In this embodiment, it is possible to shorten the time until application of the adhesive is completed. In this embodiment, for example, after the adhesive application unit 203 applies the adhesive to the sheet material 201c, when the adhesive application unit 203 starts to return to its standby position, the adhesion assistant unit 215 also starts to return to its standby position. This makes it possible to shorten the time until application of the adhesive is completed.

[0101] As described above, the configurations described in the above embodiments can be applied to this embodiment. For example, the configurations and preferred configurations of the adhesive assistant unit 215, adhesive applicator 203, stapler 260, etc. can be applied. Also, in this embodiment, it is preferable that the adhesive assistant unit 215 also presses the final sheet material stacked on the sheet material stacking unit, and the adhesive applicator unit 203 does not apply adhesive to the final sheet material. In this case, in this embodiment, after pressing the sheet material just before the final sheet material, the adhesive assistant unit 215 returns to the standby position, and after the final sheet material is transported, it presses the final sheet material. Therefore, these two sheets are pressed consecutively. [Explanation of symbols]

[0102] 100 Image forming device 125 Staple Tray 126 Adhesive Unit 130 Image forming unit 133 Sheet processing device 201, 201a, 201b, 201c Sheet material 203 Adhesive application section 215 Adhesion auxiliary part 230 First adhesive auxiliary unit 233 Second adhesive auxiliary unit 236 Standard Fence 250 adhesive 251 Adhesive part 260 Stapling means [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0103] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 1-303270 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2015-063394 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2014-105066

Claims

1. a sheet material loading section for loading sheet materials; an alignment means for aligning the sheet material conveyed to the sheet material stacking section; a bonding unit for performing a bonding process on a sheet material, The adhesive unit has an adhesive applying section that applies adhesive to at least a portion of one surface of the sheet material, and an adhesive assisting section that covers at least a portion of the adhesive applied to the sheet material, is capable of preventing the adhesive from adhering to other sheet materials stacked on the sheet material, and is capable of pressing the surface of the sheet material, the adhesive assisting portion is capable of being at least partially positioned on the sheet material stacking portion, and is capable of moving between an operating position where at least one of pressing the sheet material and preventing adhesive from adhering and a standby position where neither pressing the sheet material nor preventing adhesive from adhering is performed, The adhesive application unit is characterized in that the adhesive assistance unit moves from the standby position to the operating position, performs at least one of pressing the sheet material and preventing adhesive from adhering at the operating position, and applies adhesive to the next sheet material after returning from the operating position to the standby position.

2. 2. The sheet processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the adhesive assistant unit moves to the operating position before the adhesive applied to the sheet material adheres to another sheet material stacked on top of the sheet material.

3. 3. The sheet material processing device according to claim 1, wherein the adhesive assistant section covers at least a portion of the periphery and the top of the applied adhesive when moved to the operating position, and presses the stacked sheet material.

4. 4. The sheet material processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the adhesive assistant unit presses against one sheet material a plurality of times.

5. the adhesive assistant section also presses against the final sheet material to be loaded on the sheet material loading section, 5. The sheet material processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the adhesive applying section does not apply adhesive to the final sheet material.

6. 6. The sheet material processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the adhesive assistant portion has an elastic body at a portion that comes into contact with the sheet material.

7. The sheet material processing device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that, when viewed from the side, the adhesive auxiliary portion has a slope on the tip side when the side from which the sheet material is transported is the tip side, and is shaped so that the slope scoops up the sheet material being transported when in the operating position.

8. 8. The sheet material processing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the inclined surface on the leading end side is made of a resin sheet.

9. 9. The sheet material processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the adhesive unit is movable in a direction perpendicular to a direction in which the sheet material is transported to the sheet material stacking portion.

10. A stapler is provided for binding sheet materials without using adhesive, 10. The sheet material processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein it is possible to select whether to perform a bonding process by the bonding unit or a binding process of the sheet material by the stapling means.

11. The aligning means has a sheet material stopper provided on an end side of the sheet material stacking section, 11. The sheet processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the sheet is aligned by an end of the conveyed sheet hitting the sheet stopper.

12. An image forming apparatus comprising the sheet material processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 11.

Images