Post-processing device and image forming system

Abstract

To provide a post-processing device capable of saving a space for a device and realizing highly accurate sheet alignment without reducing the number of sheets mountable on loading means.SOLUTION: This post-processing device comprises: binding means 112 for binding sheets conveyed from an image forming device; loading means 114 for loading and processing the sheets; a guiding member 115 that aligns the end surfaces of the sheets mounted on the loading means 114 parallel to a conveying direction; an end fence member 119 which the end edges of the sheets butt; and a paddle member 111 disposed below the loading means 114 to be rotatable forward and backward. The loading means 114 has an opening 114a through which a blade 111a of the paddle member 111 is exposed to the sheet loading surface. When there are loaded sheets yet to be bound on the loading means 114, the paddle member 111 rotates in a direction for conveying the sheets to the binding means 112.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a post-processing device and an image forming system.

Background Art

[0002] In an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a printer, or a printing machine, paper (also referred to as recording paper, sheet, etc.) on which image formation has been performed is conveyed to a post-processing device installed downstream of the image forming apparatus, and post-processing such as binding processing and folding processing is performed. A configuration is known.

[0003] The paper (paper bundle) stacked on the mounting table installed inside the post-processing device is conveyed so as to abut against a fence portion installed on one end side of the tray, for example. After the ends are aligned by abutting against the fence, post-processing such as binding processing is performed. The paper subjected to post-processing is conveyed to the vicinity of the paper discharge port by a claw-shaped member as a conveying means, and then discharged onto a paper discharge tray installed outside the apparatus by a paper discharge roller.

[0004] In recent years, thin paper may be used from the viewpoints of resource saving and cost. Since thin paper has low rigidity of the paper itself, it has low stiffness and is likely to buckle, so it has been difficult to maintain the accuracy of the alignment process in the post-processing device. In response to such problems, a post-processing device that can accurately align the ends of a paper bundle to be edge-bound has been proposed (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0005] Patent Document 1 has an abutting member disposed near the lower end of a paper mounting table formed in an inclined shape, and a discharge claw attached to a rotatable belt that presses and discharges the paper end. When loading paper on the paper mounting table, the discharge belt is driven to rotate in the reverse direction to move the discharge claw and stop it at a predetermined position protruding from the paper mounting table, and the vicinity of the center of the paper bundle loaded on the upper part of the discharge claw is formed in a convex shape upward. A paper post-processing device is disclosed. It is described that this configuration can prevent the curled-up paper bundle from clogging at the paper discharge portion and resulting in misalignment. [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0006] As with the apparatus described in Patent Document 1, a configuration that forms an upward convex shape near the center of the stacked paper bundle is expected to suppress buckling even with thin paper that lacks stiffness. However, a configuration in which the paper is lifted by an ejection claw presents a challenge: the number of sheets of paper that can be stacked on the loading platform is reduced by the amount of height the paper is lifted.

[0007] Furthermore, in configurations where the loading platform on which the paper is stacked before binding is tilted to save space in the device, the thin paper placed on it may buckle due to its own weight, potentially preventing the edges of the paper stack from being aligned with high precision.

[0008] Therefore, the present invention aims to provide a post-processing device that can achieve space savings and high-precision paper alignment without reducing the number of sheets of paper that can be placed on the loading means. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] To solve the above problems, the post-processing device of the present invention comprises: a binding means for binding paper transported from an image forming apparatus; a loading means for loading and processing the paper; a guide member for aligning the end faces of the paper placed on the loading means parallel to the transport direction; an end fence member against which the edges of the paper abut; and a paddle member disposed below the loading means that can rotate in both forward and reverse directions. The loading means has an opening that exposes the blade portion of the paddle member to the surface on which the paper is placed. When the paper is placed on the loading means before binding, the paddle member rotates in a direction that transports the paper toward the binding means. Furthermore, the lower side of the loading means is provided with a sliding member that moves along the direction of transport of the paper, the sliding member has a through hole formed so that the blade portion of the paddle member can be inserted through it, and when the through hole and the opening of the loading means overlap, the blade portion of the paddle member is exposed on the surface on which the paper is placed. It is characterized by the following: [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a post-processing device that can achieve space savings and high-precision paper alignment without reducing the number of sheets of paper that can be placed on the loading means. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0011] [Figure 1] This is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of an image forming system according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] This is an explanatory diagram showing the transport path of a post-processing device according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] This is a schematic diagram of the binding processing unit of a post-processing device according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] This is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the state of paper placed on a loading device. [Figure 5] This is an explanatory diagram showing the rotation direction of the paddle member. [Figure 6] This is an explanatory diagram showing the rotation direction of the paddle member. [Figure 7] This is an explanatory diagram showing the state in which the wing portion is inserted through the through hole of the sliding member. [Figure 8] This is an explanatory diagram showing a state in which the blade portion is not exposed to the mounting surface due to the sliding member. [Figure 9] This is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the state of paper placed on a loading device. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0012] The post-processing apparatus and image forming system of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments shown below, and can be modified, added, altered, or deleted to the extent that a person skilled in the art can conceive of it. Any embodiment that achieves the functions and effects of the present invention is included within the scope of the present invention.

[0013] (Image forming system) Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of an image forming system according to one embodiment of the present invention. The image forming system 100 in FIG. 1 includes an image forming apparatus 101 and a post-processing apparatus 102 according to the present invention described later, and the image forming apparatus 101 and the post-processing apparatus 102 are connected to be communicable with each other.

[0014] The image forming apparatus 101 such as a copying machine, a printer, or a printing press has a configuration capable of forming an image by, for example, an electrophotographic method, and forms an electrostatic latent image by optical writing on a latent image carrier, performs visible image processing of the latent image with toner, and transfers and fixes the toner image onto a sheet of paper. In addition, it includes an image reading device for reading a document, an automatic document feeder (ADF) for taking in and transporting the document, and the like.

[0015] The electrostatic latent image is processed into a visible image by a developer supplied from a developing device in the image forming unit to form a toner image, and the toner image is transferred onto a sheet of paper fed from the paper feeding unit. The sheet of paper onto which the toner image has been transferred is conveyed to the post-processing apparatus 102 after the toner image has been fixed.

[0016] Although an example of the electrophotographic method has been described for the image forming apparatus 101, the image forming apparatus according to the present embodiment is not limited to a specific image forming method.

[0017] (Post-processing apparatus) FIG. 2 shows a side schematic view of the post-processing apparatus 102 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The post-processing apparatus 102 has an introduction path 1 for receiving the image-formed sheet of paper P discharged from the image forming apparatus 101, a conveyance path 2 for conveying the sheet of paper P to the paper discharge tray 10, and a conveyance path 3 for intermediate stacking of the sheet of paper P, binding it as a stack of sheets, and conveying it to the paper discharge tray 120.

[0018] An inlet roller 4 and an inlet sensor 5 are arranged in the introduction path 1 to detect that the sheet of paper P has been carried into the post-processing apparatus. A paper punching unit 30 is arranged downstream of the inlet roller 4, and conveyance rollers 6 and 8 are arranged downstream of the paper punching unit 30, and through these, the sheet of paper P is conveyed to the conveyance path 3.

[0019] Transport path 2 is the path for transporting paper P to the output tray 10. The paper P, whose direction of travel has been changed by the branching claw 7 from the introduction path 1, is transported to the output tray 10 by the discharge roller 9.

[0020] The transport path 3 is equipped with a paper discharge roller 113 and a paper discharge sensor 16. In sort mode, the transport roller 8, which has a shift mechanism, moves a certain amount in a direction perpendicular to the transport direction during transport by a driving means (not shown). As a result, the paper P is shifted by a certain amount and discharged into the paper discharge tray 120 by the paper discharge roller 113, where it is stacked sequentially.

[0021] The output port of the output tray 120, through which the paper P is discharged, is structured so that the output roller 113 and the driven roller 12 grip and discharge the paper P or a stack of paper (hereinafter simply referred to as paper P). The discharge guide, which has the driven roller 12 in relation to the output roller 113, can selectively switch between a closed state, which grips and discharges the paper P, and an open state, which does not grip the paper P, by moving the discharge guide toward and toward the output roller 113. After the paper shift operation is complete, the paper P is held between the output roller 113 and the driven roller 12 and discharged.

[0022] A filler 13 is provided near the top of the paper output slot. The filler 13 is rotatably positioned near the center of the stacked paper P, with its tip contacting the top surface of the paper P. Near the base of the filler 13 is a top surface detection sensor (not shown) that detects the height of the tip of the filler 13, and these are used to detect the paper height of the stacked paper P.

[0023] As the number of sheets stacked on the output tray 120 increases and the height of the stacked paper P rises, the top detection sensor turns on. When the top detection sensor turns on, the control unit controls the drive means that moves the output tray 120 up and down, causing the output tray 120 to descend. When the output tray 120 descends and the top detection sensor turns off, the descent of the output tray 120 stops. This operation is repeated until the output tray 120 reaches a predetermined full height, at which point the post-processing device 102 sends a stop signal to the image forming apparatus 101, stopping the image forming operation in the image forming system 100.

[0024] The transport path 3 is equipped with a staple tray 114, which is a loading means, and a tapping roller 11. At the end of the transport path 3, there is a binding unit 112, which is a binding processing means that moves back and forth in a direction perpendicular to the paper surface (main scanning direction). Furthermore, there is a jogger fence 115, which is a guide member that aligns the end faces of the paper P placed on the loading means so that are parallel to the transport direction. The paper P is aligned by the jogger fence 115 moving back and forth in a direction perpendicular to the paper surface (main scanning direction).

[0025] During the stapling mode, when paper P is transported along the transport path 3, it is discharged onto the staple tray 114 by the tapping roller 11 and aligned in the width direction by the jogger fence 115. Furthermore, the tapping roller 11 performs a pendulum motion to contact the upper surface of the paper P, thereby switching the paper P back towards the binding unit 112, and aligning the position of the paper P in the transport direction by abutting the rear end of the sheet against the end fence member 119. In this way, the aligned paper P is bound at the appropriate points along the edges by the binding unit 112 moving in a direction perpendicular to the paper surface (main scanning direction) during edge binding mode. The bound paper P is then gripped and transported by the output roller 113 and the driven roller 12 and ejected onto the output tray 120.

[0026] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the binding section of a post-processing device according to one embodiment of the present invention, and Figure 4 is a diagram illustrating the state in which paper P is loaded on the staple tray 114, and is a schematic cross-sectional view taken from the direction of transport of the paper P.

[0027] The post-processing device 102 according to this embodiment includes a binding unit 112, which is a binding processing means for binding paper P transported from the image forming apparatus 101; a staple tray 114, which is a loading means for loading and processing paper P; a jogger fence 115, which is a guide member for aligning the end faces of the paper P placed on the loading means parallel to the transport direction; an end fence member 119 against which the edges of the paper P abut; and a paddle member 111 that can rotate in both forward and reverse directions and is disposed below the loading means. The staple tray 114, which is a loading means, has an opening 114a that exposes the blade portion 111a of the paddle member 111 to the surface on which the paper P is placed. When the paper P before stapling is placed on the staple tray 114, which is the loading means, the paddle member 111 rotates in a direction that transports the paper P toward the stapling unit 112, which is the stapling means.

[0028] After the paper P is stacked in the staple tray 114, it is stapled by the stapling unit 112, transported by the release claw 116 and paper output roller 113, and discharged into the paper output tray 120. The discharge claw 116 is a claw-shaped member installed on a belt member 118a that travels in a predetermined direction, and is configured to move along the mounting surface of the staple tray 114 from one end to the other. The belt member 118a is stretched and supported by a roller member 118b. The discharge claw 116 functions as a conveying means that transports the paper P loaded on the staple tray 114 diagonally upward toward the paper discharge roller 113.

[0029] By arranging the staple tray 114 at an angle so that it is nearly vertical, the post-processing device 102 can be made more compact and cost-effective. However, in the configuration in which the staple tray 114 is tilted, if the stacked paper P is thin paper, its lack of rigidity may cause buckling due to its own weight, and there is a risk that the binding unit 112 will perform the binding process with the edges of the paper P not aligned.

[0030] In contrast, the post-processing device 102 of this embodiment has multiple paddle members 111 arranged on both sides of the discharge claw 116, along the direction of transport of the paper P, approximately in the center of the width direction (direction perpendicular to the transport direction of the paper P) of the staple tray 114, in order to prevent buckling.

[0031] The paddle member 111, which can rotate in both forward and reverse directions, exposes its blade portion 111a through the opening 114a of the staple tray 114 and comes into contact with the first sheet of paper P (in the lowest position) that is placed on it. As shown in Figure 4, a convex shape is formed on the paper P that comes into contact with the blade portion 111a, and the rotation of the paddle member 111 scrapes it off in the direction of the end fence member 119. This suppresses buckling of the paper P and allows the binding process to be performed with the edges of the paper P aligned with high precision. In Figure 4, the axis of rotation of the paddle member 111 is indicated by 111b.

[0032] The blade portion 111a of the paddle member 111 is preferably made of an elastic material such as rubber and is flexible. Because the wing portion 111a is flexible, it provides stiffness to thin paper and other materials that lack rigidity. On the other hand, when thick cardboard that does not require stiffness is stacked, the weight of the cardboard causes it to easily deform and collapse, thus preventing a reduction in the number of sheets that can be stacked due to the wing portion 111a protruding.

[0033] Figures 5 and 6 are explanatory diagrams illustrating the rotation direction of the paddle member 111. In the figures, the rotation direction is indicated by an arrow. Figure 5 shows the paper P before binding is placed on the staple tray 114, which is the loading means, and the paddle member 111 rotates in the direction of transporting the paper P to the end fence member 119.

[0034] As shown in Figure 5, the tapping roller 11 rotates in the direction of the arrow to strike the paper P against the end fence member 119, thereby transmitting power to the multiple paddle members 111 via the timing belt 123 and gear 121. A one-way clutch is attached to the rotating shaft of the gear 121, so that if the rotation direction of the paddle member 111 is reversed, the drive is not transmitted to the striking roller 11.

[0035] Figure 6 shows the stapled paper P placed on the staple tray 114, which is the loading means, and the paddle member 111 rotates in the direction of transporting the paper P to the output tray 120.

[0036] As shown in Figure 6, the paper output roller 113 rotates in the direction of the arrow to discharge the paper P to the paper output tray 120, thereby transmitting power to multiple paddle members 111 via the timing belt 124 and relay shaft 122. A one-way clutch is attached to the relay shaft 122, and if the rotation direction of the paddle member 111 is reversed, the drive is not transmitted to the paper discharge roller 113.

[0037] Figures 7 to 9 illustrate an embodiment in which a slide member 117 that moves along the transport direction of the paper P is provided on the lower side of the staple tray 114, which is a loading means. The slide member 117 has a through hole 117a formed to allow the blade portion 111a of the paddle member 111 to pass through. When the through hole 117a and the opening 114a of the loading means overlap, the blade portion 111a of the paddle member 111 is exposed on the surface on which the paper P is placed.

[0038] Figure 7(A) is a cross-sectional view showing the state in which the through hole 117a of the slide member 117 and the opening 114a of the loading means overlap, and Figure 7(B) is a schematic diagram showing an enlarged view of the main part. If the paper P loaded onto the staple tray 114 is not stiff enough and is prone to buckling, the slide member 117 is positioned so that the through hole 117a of the slide member 117 overlaps with the opening 114a of the loading means, as shown in Figure 7, and the wing portion 111a is exposed and brought into contact with the paper P.

[0039] Figure 8(A) is a cross-sectional view showing a state where the through hole 117a of the slide member 117 and the opening 114a of the loading means do not overlap and the opening 114a is closed; Figure 8(B) is a schematic diagram with the main part enlarged; and Figure 9 is a schematic cross-sectional view taken from the direction of transport of the paper P. If the paper P loaded onto the staple tray 114 has sufficient rigidity and there is little risk of buckling, the slide member 117 is positioned so that the through hole 117a of the slide member 117 and the opening 114a of the loading means do not overlap, as shown in Figures 8 and 9, and the wing portion 111a is housed on the lower side of the staple tray 114. This maximizes the amount of paper that can be loaded onto the staple tray 114.

[0040] As described above, the post-processing device according to the present invention ensures that the bottom sheet of paper P loaded on the staple tray 114 is reliably struck against the end fence member 119 by the rotation of the paddle member 111, thereby achieving highly accurate paper alignment even if the paper P is thin paper with low stiffness. Furthermore, since the blade portion 111a of the paddle member 111 is flexible and the blade portion 111a can be appropriately housed under the staple tray 114a, the number of sheets of paper P that can be placed on the staple tray 114 is not reduced. In addition, since the staple tray 114 can be positioned at a near-vertical incline, the overall space saving (miniaturization) and cost reduction of the post-processing machine can be achieved. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0041] 100 Image Forming Systems 101 Image forming apparatus 102 Post-processing equipment 111 Paddle Member 111a Blade section 112 Binding processing means 114 Loading method (staple tray) 114a opening 115 Guide member 113 Paper output roller 116 Release claw 117 Sliding member 117a Through hole 119 End fence component 120 Paper Output Tray [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0042] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2003-20154

Claims

1. A binding means for binding paper transported from an image forming apparatus, A loading means for stacking and processing the aforementioned paper, A guide member that aligns the end faces of the paper placed on the loading means parallel to the transport direction, An end fence member against which the edge of the aforementioned paper abuts, The loading means comprises a paddle member that can rotate in both forward and reverse directions and is disposed below the loading means, The loading means has an opening that exposes the blade portion of the paddle member to the surface on which the paper is placed. When the paper before binding is placed on the loading means, the paddle member rotates in a direction that transports the paper to the binding means. The lower side of the loading means is provided with a sliding member that moves along the direction in which the paper is transported, The slide member has a through hole formed to allow the blade portion of the paddle member to be inserted, A post-processing device characterized in that when the through hole and the opening of the loading means overlap, the blade portion of the paddle member is exposed on the surface on which the paper is placed.

2. The post-processing device according to claim 1, characterized in that a plurality of paddle members are arranged in substantially the center of the width direction of the loading means, along the direction of transport of the paper.

3. It is equipped with an output tray from which the paper is discharged after the binding process, The post-processing device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that when the paper after binding is placed on the loading means, the paddle member rotates in a direction that transports the paper to the output tray.

4. The post-processing device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the blade portion of the paddle member is flexible.

5. An image forming system comprising an image forming apparatus and a post-processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

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