Sheet processing apparatus, image forming apparatus, and image forming system

Abstract

To suppress a failure in conveyance of a two-sheet superposed sheet by removing foreign matter sticking on a surface of a cleaning member while conveying the two-sheet superposed sheet by a sheet processing device that thermally press both sides of the two-sheet superposed sheet.SOLUTION: A sheet processing device 100 has a fixation unit 125 which performs thermal pressing processing on a two-sheet superposed sheet having two sheets superposed and joined together in part, wherein the fixation unit 125 comprises a thermal fixation member 120 and a cleaning member 122 abutting on the thermal fixation member 120, and the cleaning member 122 and the thermal fixation member 120 move relatively so that a speed difference is generated between a surface speed of the cleaning member 122 and a surface speed of the thermal fixation member 120.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

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

Background Art

[0002] There is known a lamination technique in which medium papers (papers, photos, etc.) are inserted into a two-sheet stack (laminated sheet or laminated film) in which two sheets are stacked and one side is joined (connected), and heat and pressure are applied to adhere the two-sheet stack.

[0003] However, in the conventional lamination technique, when the glue of the laminated film adheres to the fixing roller, there is no cleaning means for the glue in the apparatus, so it is necessary to pass a cleaning sheet dedicated to cleaning to remove the glue adhering to the fixing roller.

[0004] In addition, cleaning techniques for foreign substances such as toner adhering to a pressure roller or a heating roller are used in fixing devices of existing image forming apparatuses and the like. However, the conventional cleaning techniques do not cope with the removal of the lamination glue. Also, the cleaning roller is installed on one side of the pressure roller or the like, and cleaning is performed with an adhesive roller, or oil is impregnated from a roller with a porous sheet wound around the surface layer. In these cases, it is necessary to additionally provide a blade mechanism for scraping off foreign substances so as not to re-transfer the foreign substances transferred to the cleaning roller side to the opposing roller side, or to add a sheet for further transferring the foreign substances.

[0005] Patent Document 1 discloses a technique for sandwiching and conveying a recording paper between a heating roller and a pressing roller in order to prevent separation, displacement, and wrinkle generation of a laminated sheet member. However, the risk of foreign substances adhering to the surfaces of these rollers is not eliminated.

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0006] Therefore, the present invention aims to suppress poor conveyance of the double-layered sheet by removing foreign matter adhering to the surface of a cleaning member while conveying the double-layered sheet, in a sheet processing apparatus that heat-pressures both sides of a double-layered sheet. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The problem relates to a sheet processing apparatus having a fixing unit for heat-pressure treatment of a double-layered sheet in which two sheets are stacked and partially joined, wherein the fixing unit comprises a heat-fixing member and a cleaning member that contacts and cleans the heat-fixing member, and the cleaning member and the heat-fixing member move relative to each other such that a speed difference is created between the surface speed of the cleaning member and the surface speed of the heat-fixing member. The cleaning member comprises a core metal portion and a strip-shaped surface portion wrapped around the core metal portion, and the surface portion of the cleaning member is a sheet-like nonwoven fabric having multiple layers with a fibrous structure or porous structure formed by compressing aramid fibers. This problem is solved by a sheet processing device characterized by the following features. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] By removing foreign matter adhering to the surface of the cleaning component while transporting the double-layered sheet, it is possible to suppress transport failures of the double-layered sheet. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] This is an overall configuration diagram of a sheet processing device according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] This is a schematic diagram of a fixing unit according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] This is a schematic diagram of the peeling claws provided by a sheet processing device. [Figure 4] This is a schematic diagram showing an example of a drive configuration for a peeling claw. [Figure 5] This is a perspective view showing the detached nail inserted into sheet S. [Figure 6] This is a perspective view showing the condition of the detached nail and sheet S. [Figure 7] This is a perspective view (part 2) showing the condition of the detached nail and sheet S. [Figure 8]It is an overall configuration diagram showing an example of an image forming apparatus including a sheet processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] It is an overall configuration diagram showing an example of an image forming system including a sheet processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 10] It is a schematic diagram showing a case where the adhesive surface of the melted sheet adheres to the heat pressure roller 120. [Figure 11] It is a schematic diagram showing a cleaning image by a cleaning roller. [Figure 12] It is a partial perspective view showing the configuration of the cleaning roller. [Figure 13] It is a partial plan sectional view of the cleaning roller. [Figure 14] It is a perspective view showing the pressing method of the cleaning roller. [Figure 15] It is a front view showing the pressing method of the cleaning roller. [Figure 16] It is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of an elastic member according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 17] It is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of the cleaning roller. [Figure 18] It is a schematic diagram showing the rotation direction of the cleaning roller. [Figure 19] It is a schematic diagram showing the drive of the cleaning roller in the contact state of the cleaning roller. [Figure 20] It is a schematic diagram showing the drive of the cleaning roller in the separated state of the cleaning roller. [Figure 21] It is a schematic diagram showing the drive of the cleaning roller in the permanent state of the cleaning roller. [Figure 22] It is a diagram showing the surface layer of the cleaning roller. [Figure 23] It is a diagram showing the elasticity of the surface layer of the cleaning roller. [Figure 24] It is a diagram showing the arrangement of the cleaning roller. [Figure 25] It is a diagram showing the length of the cleaning roller.

Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0010] FIG. 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 the present embodiment separates two stacked sheets (hereinafter referred to as sheet S), inserts a sheet-like medium (hereinafter referred to as insert sheet P) into the separated sheet S, and sandwiches it. The sheet processing apparatus 100 has a fixing unit 125 having a heat pressure roller 120 for thermally pressing and bonding the sheet S, that is, for laminating. The present invention removes foreign matter adhering to the surface of such a heat pressure roller 120 with a cleaning roller 122 which is a cleaning member contacting the heat pressure roller 120, and is characterized in that the cleaning roller 122 and the heat pressure roller 120 move relatively so that a speed difference occurs between the surface speed of the cleaning roller 122 and the surface speed of the heat pressure roller 120. Thereby, while conveying the sheet S, foreign matter such as paste adhering to the heat pressure roller 120 can be removed using the linear speed difference generated between the cleaning roller 122 and the heat pressure roller 120, and conveyance failure of the sheet S can be suppressed.

[0011] Here, the sheet S is a two-sheet stacked sheet in which two sheets are stacked and a part (or one side) thereof is joined. As the two-sheet stacked sheet, for example, there is 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 they are joined at one side. The two-sheet stacked sheet also includes a laminate film.

[0012] The insert sheet P is an example of a sheet-like medium inserted into the two-sheet stacked sheet. The sheet-like medium includes, in addition to ordinary paper, thick paper, postcards, envelopes, thin paper, coated paper (such as coated paper and art paper), tracing paper, OHP sheets, and the like.

[0013] As shown in Figure 1, the sheet processing device 100 includes a paper feed tray 102, which is a first loading means for loading sheets S, a pickup roller 105 for feeding sheets S from the paper feed tray 102, and a first transport roller 107. In addition, the paper feed tray 102 of the sheet processing device 100 is equipped with multiple sensors C11 for detecting the size of the sheets S.

[0014] Once the insert paper has been inserted, the sheet S is discharged and stacked in the output tray 104 by the third transport roller 113 or a roller located thereafter. The output tray 104 is located inside the housing of the sheet processing device 100. This facilitates the vertical transport of the sheet S toward the output tray 104.

[0015] A transport sensor C1 for detecting the transport position of the sheet S is provided downstream of the first transport roller 107 in the transport direction, and a transport sensor C2 for detecting the transport position of the inner paper P is provided downstream of the inlet roller 146 in the transport direction.

[0016] The sheet processing device 100 also includes, downstream of the first conveyor roller 107 in the conveying direction, a second conveyor roller 108, a winding roller 109 as a rotating member, a third conveyor roller 113, a fourth conveyor roller 144, a fifth conveyor roller 145, a discharge roller 121, and a paper discharge tray 104. Between the winding roller 109 and the third conveyor roller 113, there is a peeling claw 116 that is movable in the width direction of the sheet S. The peeling claw 116 is an example of a peeling means for peeling the sheet S.

[0017] A transport sensor C3 for detecting the transport position of the sheet S and the inner paper P is provided downstream of the second transport roller 108 in the transport direction, and an abnormal state detection sensor C4 for detecting the state of the sheet S is provided downstream of the winding roller 109 in the transport direction. Furthermore, a transport sensor C5 for detecting the transport position of the sheet S is provided downstream of the third transport roller 113 in the transport direction.

[0018] The pickup roller 105, the first conveying roller 107, the second conveying roller 108, and the winding roller 109 are examples of the first feeding means.

[0019] In Figure 1, the second conveyor roller 108 and the third conveyor roller 113 are, for example, a pair of rollers, and are rotationally driven by a driving means (such as a motor). The second conveyor roller 108 is rotationally driven in one direction, and the third conveyor roller 113 is rotationally driven in forward and reverse directions, thereby gripping and conveying the sheet S and the inner paper P.

[0020] The second conveyor roller 108 conveys the sheet S and the inner paper P vertically downward toward the third conveyor roller 113.

[0021] On the other hand, the third transport roller 113 can switch its rotation in both forward and reverse directions. The third transport roller 113 can transport the gripped sheet S vertically downward toward the output tray 104, and can also transport the sheet S vertically upward toward the winding roller 109 in the opposite direction (the direction of pulling it back).

[0022] Furthermore, the sheet processing device 100 includes a winding roller 109, which is a rotating member, and a peeling claw 116 between the second conveying roller 108 and the third conveying roller 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 both directions (clockwise / counterclockwise).

[0023] The winding roller 109 includes a roller member 111 and a movable gripping means 110 provided on the roller member 111 for gripping 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. This gripping means 110 may be integrally molded on the outer circumference of the roller member 111, or it may be configured as a separate part.

[0024] Next, using Figure 1, we will explain the series of operations of the sheet processing device 100, that is, the operations from peeling off the sheet S to inserting the inner paper P.

[0025] In Figure 1, the sheets S on the paper feed tray 102 are loaded such that a portion of the joined two sheets is located downstream of the pickup roller 105 in the feeding direction (conveying direction). The sheet processing device 100 then picks up the sheets S on the paper feed tray 102 with the pickup roller 105 and conveys them toward the first conveying roller 107.

[0026] Next, the sheet S is conveyed toward the winding roller 109 by the second conveyor roller 108, which is positioned downstream of the first conveyor roller 107 in the conveying direction. Here, the sheet processing device 100 conveys the sheet S with the side where one of the four sides of the sheet S is joined facing the downstream side in the vertical direction (downward).

[0027] Next, the sheet processing device 100 temporarily stops conveying the sheet S when the rear end of the sheet S in the vertical direction (vertically downward) passes the winding roller 109.

[0028] Next, the sheet processing device 100 opens the gripping means 110 and reverses the rotation direction of the third transport roller 113, and transports the sheet S vertically upward toward the opening of the gripping means 110.

[0029] Next, the sheet processing device 100 stops transporting the sheet S when its end is inserted into the gripping means 110, which has an opening, and closes the gripping means 110 to grip the end of the sheet S. These operations are performed by transporting a specified amount of sheet S.

[0030] Next, the sheet processing device 100 rotates the winding roller 109 clockwise, winding the sheet S onto the winding roller 109. Here, the sheet S is wound onto the winding roller 109 from the side that is not joined to the other sheet.

[0031] When sheet S is wound onto the winding roller 109, the difference in winding circumference (difference in winding amount) between the two stacked sheets causes excess material on the inner side of the sheet, resulting in slack towards the joined end of sheet S. As a result, a space is created between the two sheets. By inserting the peeling claws 116 into this space from both sides of sheet S, the space between the two sheets can be reliably maintained. These operations are triggered by the detection of the leading edge of sheet S by the transport sensor C5, and are performed by transporting a specified amount from the transport sensor C5.

[0032] The sheet processing device 100 inserts the peeling claws 116 into the space created in the sheet S, rotates the winding roller 109 counterclockwise, and moves the peeled space of the sheet S vertically (downward) to the rear end of the sheet S. Then, when it has moved by a specified amount, the gripping means 110 is released, separating the rear end of the sheet S into upper and lower parts.

[0033] In this state, the sheet processing device 100 temporarily stops transporting the sheet S and then moves the peeling claws 116 further in the sheet width direction to peel off the entire rear end of the sheet S. These operations are triggered by the detection of the leading edge of the sheet S by the transport sensor C5 and carried by the transport sensor C5 in a specified amount.

[0034] Next, the sheet processing device 100 rotates the third transport roller 113 counterclockwise to transport the sheet S in the reverse transport direction. The branching claw 118 can be switched when the leading edge of the sheet passes the transport sensor C5. When the sheet S is transported to the non-fixing path, the branching claw 118 remains in the position shown in the diagram, but when the sheet S is transported to the fixing path 128, the branching claw 118 is switched to the fixing path side.

[0035] The two separated sheets of sheet S are guided left and right by the peeling claws 116, and the entire sheets are separated from each other. The sheet processing device 100 then temporarily stops transporting sheet S and holds (nips) the joint of sheet S with the third transport roller 113. As a result, sheet S opens up widely with the joined edge as the end.

[0036] These operations are triggered by the detection of the leading edge of the sheet S by the transport sensor C5, and then carried out by transporting a specified amount from the transport sensor C5.

[0037] Next, the sheet processing device 100 rotates the second transport roller 108 and transports the inner paper P, which was transported from the image forming apparatus side, vertically downward toward the third transport roller 113. The image forming apparatus will be described later with reference to Figure 8.

[0038] Next, the sheet processing device 100 rotates the third transport roller 113 to bring the sheet S and the inner paper P together and insert the inner paper P into the opened sheet S. The above describes the process from peeling off the sheet S to inserting the inner paper P. The opened sheet S is shown in Figure 9.

[0039] Next, the sheet processing device 100 uses the third transport roller 113 to transport the sheet S with the insert paper P inserted vertically downward, thereby overlapping the two sheets of sheet S again and closing the opening. Then, the sheet S with the insert paper P sandwiched inside is transported by the third transport roller 113 or rollers positioned thereafter to the fixing unit 125 which has a heat pressure roller 120.

[0040] The sheet S into which the inner paper P is inserted is heated while being pressed from both sides by the heat pressure roller 120, melting the adhesive component on the inner surface of the sheet and fixing the peeled sheet and the inner paper P together as one unit. The fixed sheet S is pulled downstream by the downstream transport roller and discharged into the output tray 104 while suppressing curling and wrinkling.

[0041] This sheet processing device 100 is configured to perform a series of operations in a single unit, from feeding and peeling the sheet S, to inserting the inner paper P, and laminating it by heat and pressure. This series of operations can be performed automatically without human intervention, improving convenience compared to conventional technology. Since the sheet processing device 100 is equipped with a fixing unit 125 having a heat and pressure roller 120 and can perform lamination, the sheet processing device 100 can be narrowly described as a laminating device.

[0042] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of a fixing unit according to one embodiment of the present invention. The fixing unit 125 includes a heat-pressure roller 120, which is a heat-fixing member, and a cleaning roller 122, which is a cleaning member that contacts the heat-pressure roller 120 to clean it. The sheet S, which has been peeled in the peeling section of the sheet processing device 100 and into which the paper insert has been inserted, is conveyed vertically downward to the fixing unit 125. The heat-pressure roller 120, which is configured inside the fixing unit 125, consists of a first heat-pressure roller 120a and a second heat-pressure roller 120b, which are provided opposite to each other and rotate around the roller axis while contacting each other. The heat-pressure roller 120 nips the sheet S conveyed from upstream, heats it while applying pressure, and conveys it downstream. The conveyed sheet S is nipped by the discharge roller 121, which is provided opposite to it and located on the downstream side in the conveying direction, and is conveyed vertically downward. The discharge roller 121 consists of a first discharge roller 121a and a second discharge roller 121b, which are provided opposite to each other. Thus, the fixing unit 125 has a discharge roller 121 as a discharge means on the downstream side in the conveying direction, and the cleaning roller 122 is positioned upstream of the discharge roller 121 in the conveying direction. By cleaning the heat pressure roller 120 upstream of the discharge roller 121, it is possible to prevent the transfer of adhesive to the roller located downstream. The cleaning roller 122 consists of a first cleaning roller 122a and a second cleaning roller 122b.

[0043] The center of the heat-pressure roller 120 has a hollow core metal structure, and a nichrome wire heater passes inside the hollow inner diameter of the core metal. When an electric current flows through the heater, heat is transferred from the core metal of the heat-pressure roller 120 to the elastic layer and the surface film layer, heating the roller surface.

[0044] The melting point of the laminating film adhesive is approximately 80-90°C. To bond the laminating film, the surface temperature of the heat-pressure roller 120 is increased to 120-180°C depending on the thickness of the film and the inner paper, and the film is nipped to perform lamination bonding.

[0045] Therefore, when conveying with the heat-pressure roller 120, if the adhesive surface of the molten sheet S adheres to the roller surface before it hardens, the adhesive may be transferred from the sheet to the roller surface.

[0046] If adhesive adheres to the surface of the heat-pressure roller 120, the roller surface becomes sticky. This can cause foreign matter such as dust to adhere to the roller surface, or the roller to stick to the sheet S being conveyed later, causing it to stagnate and resulting in conveying problems.

[0047] The sheet S conveyed from the heat pressure roller 120 is detected by the conveyance sensor 126, and it is confirmed that the sheet S has been conveyed to the sensor position within a predetermined time. However, if a conveyance failure occurs, such as the sheet S sticking due to adhesive adhesion on the roller surface, the sheet S will not reach the sensor position. In this case, the device will detect an abnormality and the process will stop, so even if the user wants to laminate multiple sheets consecutively, they will not be able to immediately process the next film or subsequent films.

[0048] In the fixing unit 125 of this embodiment, the transport sensor 126, which is a detection means for detecting the sheet S, is located downstream in the transport direction of the heat pressure roller 120 and the cleaning roller 122. As a result, even if film stagnation occurs when the cleaning function is OFF, during cleaning, or after cleaning, the transport sensor 126 can detect the film stagnation.

[0049] However, the placement of the transport sensor 126 is not limited to this. For example, the transport sensor 126 may be placed downstream of the discharge roller 121 to detect the timing of the leading edge of the sheet S reaching this position. Alternatively, the transport sensor 126 may be placed upstream of the heat pressure roller 120 to detect the timing when the trailing edge of the sheet S passes the transport sensor 126 and becomes undetectable. The detection sensor may be an optical sensor such as a reflective sensor or a transmissive sensor using a filler. The sensor is installed near the transport path.

[0050] Here, I will provide some additional information about the detached nail 116.

[0051] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of the peeling claws of a sheet processing device, and Figure 5 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the drive configuration of the peeling claws. Figure 6 is a perspective view showing the peeling claws inserted into the sheet S.

[0052] As shown in Figure 3, when viewed from the upstream side in the conveying direction, the height dimension of the peeling claw 116 gradually increases from the center in the width direction towards the rear end. Also, when viewed from the height direction, the dimension in the conveying direction gradually increases from the front to the center. Furthermore, when viewed from the width direction, the peeling claw 116 has a cross shape.

[0053] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 4, in this embodiment, two peeling claws 116 are arranged facing each other, and are configured to move closer to / away from each other by (a) belt drive or (b) rack and pinion or the like.

[0054] Specifically, (a) in the belt drive, a belt 32 is stretched between a drive pulley 30a and a driven pulley 30b, and two peeling claws 116a and 116b are attached to the belt 32 facing each other. 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.

[0055] Furthermore, a drive transmission gear 34 is provided on the drive pulley 30a, and the rotational output of the drive motor 36 is transmitted to this drive transmission gear 34 via a motor output gear 35. In other words, the rotational output of the drive motor 36 is transmitted to the belt 32.

[0056] Therefore, rotating the drive motor 36 clockwise (when viewed from the front in the diagram) brings the peeling claws 116a and 116b closer together, and rotating the drive motor 36 counterclockwise moves the peeling claws 116a and 116b further apart.

[0057] In addition, (b) in the rack and pinion system, two racks 42a and 42b that mesh with one pinion 40 are provided, extending in opposite directions from each other, and two release claws 116a and 116b are attached to each rack 42a and 42b, facing each other. A drive transmission gear 44 is provided on the pinion 40, and the rotational output of the drive motor 46 is transmitted to this 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 and 42b, respectively.

[0058] Therefore, rotating the drive motor 46 clockwise (when viewed from the front in the diagram) brings the peeling claws 116a and 116b closer together, and rotating the drive motor 46 counterclockwise moves the peeling claws 116a and 116b further apart.

[0059] As described above, the peeling claw 116 of this embodiment has the shape described and is configured to be movable in the width direction of the sheet S, so it can be smoothly inserted into the space created in the sheet S, as shown in Figure 5.

[0060] Returning to the description of the sheet processing device 100's operation, the sheet processing device 100 inserts the peeling claws 116 into the space created in the sheet S, rotates the winding roller 109 clockwise, and moves the peeled space of the sheet S to the rear end in the forward transport direction (direction of arrow A). Then, when it has moved by a specified amount, the gripping means 110 is released, separating the rear end of the sheet S into upper and lower halves.

[0061] In this state, the sheet processing device 100 temporarily stops transporting the sheet S and then moves the peeling claws 116 further in the sheet width direction to peel off the entire rear end of the sheet S. These operations are triggered by the detection of the leading edge of the sheet S by the transport sensor C5 and carried by the transport sensor C5 in a specified amount.

[0062] Figure 6 is a perspective view showing the state of the peeling claws 116 and the sheet S. The peeling claws 116 also have the shape (function) of branching claws that guide the peeled sheets S in different directions, so that the two sheets of sheet S are in a position where they can be transported along different paths.

[0063] Furthermore, since the peeling claw 116 is configured to be movable in the width direction, it can be positioned in a location suitable for supporting the posture of the sheet S, as shown in Figure 7. Therefore, even if the size or stiffness of the sheet S changes, the sheet S can be guided in the desired branching direction. This eliminates the need for sheet branching members and branching claw drive devices that extend across the entire width of the transport path, resulting in lower costs compared to conventional methods.

[0064] Next, the sheet processing device 100, having peeled off the entire rear end of the sheet S, rotates the third conveying roller 113, which is the outlet roller pair, counterclockwise to convey the sheet S in the reverse conveying direction (direction of arrow B). That is, the two peeled sheets of sheet S are guided vertically by the peeling claws 116, and the entire two sheets are peeled off from each other.

[0065] The sheet processing device 100 then temporarily stops transporting the sheet S and holds (nips) the joint of the sheet S with the third transport roller 113. As a result, the sheet S opens up widely with the joined side as its end.

[0066] These operations are triggered by the detection of the leading edge of the sheet S by the transport sensor C5, and then carried out by transporting a specified amount from the transport sensor C5.

[0067] Figure 8 is an overall configuration diagram showing an example of an image forming apparatus equipped with a sheet processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. This image forming apparatus 300 includes an image forming unit that forms images on a sheet of paper P or the like, and an external sheet processing apparatus 100 as a sheet processing unit. The sheet processing apparatus 100 is equipped with a paper feed tray 102 for loading sheets S, and is configured to be able to feed the sheet of paper P from the image forming apparatus 300 via a relay device 310. Therefore, the image forming apparatus 300 (for example, a printer, copier, etc.) can insert images inline into the sheet of paper P inserted into the sheet S. As a result, the image forming apparatus 300 can perform a series of operations from feeding the sheet S to peeling, inserting the sheet of paper, and laminating by heat and pressure without requiring manual intervention.

[0068] An operation panel 10, which is a display and operation means for displaying information and receiving operation inputs for the image forming apparatus 300, is installed on the exterior of the image forming apparatus 300. This operation panel 10 also serves as a notification means for emitting perceptual signals to the user. Alternatively, the image forming apparatus 300 may be configured to have a notification means other than the operation panel 10.

[0069] Figure 9 is an overall configuration diagram showing an example of an image forming system equipped with a sheet processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. The image forming system includes an image forming apparatus 300, a relay device 310, a sheet processing apparatus 100, and a post-processing apparatus 400. This image forming system is configured to allow paper to be fed from the image forming apparatus 300 via a relay device 310, and by installing another post-processing device 400 downstream of the image forming apparatus 300, it can be used by users without reducing the efficiency of print jobs that do not require lamination.

[0070] In the case of print jobs that do not involve lamination, the paper sheets P fed from the image forming apparatus 300 are received by the inlet roller 146 of the sheet processing apparatus 100 and transported to the post-processing apparatus 400 located downstream of the sheet processing apparatus 100 by the discharge roller 147, which is located downstream of the inlet roller 146 in the transport direction. The post-processing apparatus 400 can perform post-processing such as stapling on the sheets S that have not undergone lamination. The paper sheets P are stacked in the discharge tray 150 of the post-processing apparatus 400.

[0071] In the case of a printing job that requires lamination, the sheet processing device 100 feeds the sheets S from the paper feed tray 102, which stacks the sheets S, via the pickup roller 105 and the first transport roller 107. The peeled sheet SR is held by the third transport roller 113, and the interleaving paper P fed from the image forming apparatus 300 is received by the inlet roller 146 of the sheet processing device 100 and merged with the sheet S by the second transport roller 108. The sheet S is then laminated by pressure and heat applied by the heat pressure roller 120. The laminated sheet SG is loaded onto the output tray 104 via the discharge roller 121.

[0072] Figure 10 is a schematic diagram showing a case in which the adhesive side of the molten sheet adheres to the heat pressure roller 120. Cases in which the molten adhesive surface of the sheet adheres to the heat pressure roller 120 mainly include cases where adhesive oozes out from the rear end of the remaining three sides of a laminate sheet with one side connected and adheres (Figure 10(a)), cases where adhesive oozes out from both sides of the sheet and adheres (Figure 10(b)), and cases where adhesive adheres during irregular transport when the sheet is carried with the adhesive surface exposed (Figure 10(c)).

[0073] Figure 11 is a schematic diagram showing the cleaning process using a cleaning roller. As shown in Figures 10(a) and 10(b), when adhesive adheres to a laminate sheet with one edge connected due to overflow from the remaining three edges, the adhesive adheres in the form of lines or dots, and the amount of adhesive adhering to the surface of the heat pressure roller per sheet is minute. If the sheet is A4 film, the length of the sheet in the transport direction (longitudinal direction) is approximately 300 mm, so with a roller of about 30 mm in diameter, the amount of material accumulated will be equivalent to about 3 rotations.

[0074] Therefore, in this invention, conveying failures are prevented by cleaning the adhesive adhering to the surface of the heat-pressure roller with the cleaning roller 122 before it accumulates on the surface of the heat-pressure roller.

[0075] As shown in Figure 11, at least one cleaning roller 122 is positioned opposite and in contact with each heat pressure roller 120. In this embodiment, one cleaning roller 122 is positioned for each roller, but two or more cleaning rollers 122 may be positioned. In Figure 11, the first heat-pressure roller 120a and the second heat-pressure roller 120b of the heat-pressure roller 120 are always in contact, so adhesive adhering to one may be transferred to the other. However, by arranging multiple cleaning rollers 122, regardless of whether adhesive is adhering to the first heat-pressure roller 120a or the second heat-pressure roller 120b, it is possible to clean either the first cleaning roller 122a or the second cleaning roller 122b that is in contact with the respective roller.

[0076] Furthermore, the outer diameter of the cleaning roller 122 is smaller than the outer diameter of the heat-pressure roller 120. This allows for a reduction in the overall size of the device. However, the outer diameter of the cleaning roller 122 may be the same as or larger than that of the heat-pressure roller 120. The larger the outer diameter of the cleaning roller 122, the less the total rotational distance of the cleaning roller itself is reduced, and the longer the roller's lifespan.

[0077] Figure 12 is a partial perspective view showing the configuration of the cleaning roller, and Figure 13 is a partial plan cross-sectional view of the cleaning roller. In the cleaning roller 122 of this embodiment, a metal core 201 rotates around its axis. The core 201 of the cleaning roller 122 has a central portion 202 located in the longitudinal center and shaft portions 203 provided at both ends (Figure 13).

[0078] In the metal core 201, the shaft portions 203 provided at both ends of the shaft have a smaller diameter than the central portion 202. Both ends of the core 201 are attached to the support member 204 (Figure 12) via bearing members 205 such as metal or resin sliding bearings or ball bearings, thereby allowing the cleaning roller 122 to rotate. The core 201 is made of a metal such as stainless steel, iron, or aluminum. The central portion 202 may also be hollow. If it is hollow, the specific gravity is lower, making the cleaning roller 122 lighter, thus reducing the overall weight of the unit. In this case, the core 201 can be made into an integrated structure by press-fitting or welding the shaft portions 203 at both ends, which are made of a material that wears less due to rotation, into the cylindrical central portion 202, which is made of a material with a relatively low specific gravity, or by fixing them with screws.

[0079] Figure 14 is a perspective view showing the method of applying pressure to the cleaning roller, and Figure 15 is a front view showing the method of applying pressure to the cleaning roller. In this embodiment, the core metals 201 at both ends of the cleaning roller 122 are pressed toward the heat-pressure roller 120 by an elastic member 206. The elastic member 206 is, for example, a torsion spring. By attaching the pressurizing elastic member 206, the cleaning roller 122 can always be kept in contact with the heat-pressure roller 120. In this case, bearing members 205 are provided at both ends of the shaft of the core metal 201 of one cleaning roller 122, and the elastic member 206 is positioned to be pressed so as to be biased by the bearing member 205 and the support member 204 that supports the bearing member 205. As a result, the ends of the cleaning roller 122 are pressed by springs to apply a constant pressure to the heat-pressure roller 120, thereby improving cleaning performance.

[0080] In Figure 14, if one end of the shaft of the cleaning roller 122 is at the front of the device F and the other end is at the rear of the device R, then by pressing both ends of the shaft with the same pressure using the elastic member 206, the cleaning roller 122 can be pressed evenly against the heat pressure roller 120 without causing any front-to-back deviation.

[0081] Figure 16 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of an elastic member according to one embodiment of the present invention. One method for installing the torsion spring, which is the elastic member 206, is to press-fit a screw into the support member 204 and pass the cylindrical portion 206a of the torsion spring through it. In this embodiment, a stepped screw 207 is fastened and fixed to the support member 204. The stepped screw 207 has a threaded portion 207a provided at the tip of the screw, a sliding portion 207b from the end of the threaded portion to the base of the screw head, and a screw head. The sliding portion 207b is one step larger in diameter than the threaded portion 207a.

[0082] By fixing the stepped screw 207 to the support member 204 through the cylindrical portion 206a of the torsion spring on the sliding portion 207b, the cylindrical portion 206a of the torsion spring and the sliding portion 207b of the stepped screw 207 slide against each other, and the sliding portion 207b rotates in the rotational direction around the axis of the sliding portion 207b.

[0083] By using the stepped screw 207, the elastic member 206 can be detached by removing the stepped screw 207. When the elastic member is removed, the biasing force is released, and the cleaning roller 122, which was in contact with the heat-pressure roller 120, separates from the heat-pressure roller 120 due to its own weight. In other words, the elastic member 206 is detachable from the core metal 201 of the cleaning roller 122, and the cleaning roller 122 can move in and out of contact with the heat-pressure roller 120. By using such a detachable torsion spring, it is possible to switch the cleaning ON / OFF. Switching the cleaning ON / OFF can be used, for example, when you want to extend the roller life by turning off the cleaning function and not operating the cleaning roller 122 when cleaning is not required for a certain period of time.

[0084] Even if the cleaning function is turned off and adhesive accumulates on the surface of the heat-pressure roller 120, causing the film to stagnate during transport, the transport sensor 126 (Figure 2) can detect the stagnation of the film. This allows for notification of an abnormality.

[0085] Regarding the pressurization configuration of the cleaning roller 122, the spring biasing is not limited to a torsion spring; a compression coil spring may be used to press the bearing member 205 from the support member 204. Alternatively, a tension coil spring may be used to bias the bearing member 205 of the cleaning roller 122 or the shaft portion 203 of the core metal 201 against the core metal of the heat-pressure roller 120. Alternatively, instead of a spring, an elastic member 206 such as rubber or cushioning material may be used for pressing, or a rack and pinion type retaining member may be used for pressing.

[0086] Figure 17 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of the cleaning roller. The cleaning roller 122 has a core metal 201 and a strip-shaped surface layer 208 that is spirally wound around the core metal 201. The adhesive adhering to the surface of the heat-pressure roller 120 is cleaned by the surface layer 208 of the cleaning roller 122. If the surface layer 208 is wound around the cleaning roller 122 in the circumferential direction, the adhesive on the heat-pressure roller 120 may not come into contact with the very slight steps that occur between the strips. Therefore, by spirally winding the strip-shaped aramid fibers around the core metal 201, a portion of the surface of the wound aramid fibers is guaranteed to come into contact with the adhesive. In other words, when the cleaning roller 122 scrapes off the adhesive on the heat-pressure roller 120, it comes into contact with the entire surface of the heat-pressure roller 120. Because the surface layer 208 overlaps the cleaning roller 122 at an angle with respect to the circumferential direction, there are no areas that the surface layer 208 does not come into contact with.

[0087] It is preferable to use aramid fibers for the surface layer 208 of the cleaning roller. The composition can be either meta-aramid fibers or para-aramid fibers. This is because the maximum heating temperature of the heat-pressure roller 120 is a high temperature of approximately 180°C, so a material with heat-resistant temperature characteristics that can withstand this is required. Therefore, it is not limited to aramid fibers; any material with high heat resistance and durability is acceptable. By using a material with such high heat resistance and high strength, thermal effects are suppressed, allowing the cleaning roller to be in contact with the heat-pressure roller for a long period of time.

[0088] The surface layer of the cleaning roller 122 is integrally formed by wrapping the cleaning surface layer 208 (aramid fiber in this embodiment) around the central part 202 of the core metal 201. In other words, the surface layer 208 and the core metal 201 of the cleaning roller 122 are integrally formed. The back surface of the surface layer 208 and the front surface of the core metal 201 are integrated by welding using adhesive or by fixing members such as double-sided tape. Therefore, even when it is necessary to replace the surface layer of the cleaning roller 122, the cleaning roller 122 can be detached together with the surface layer 208 by removing the bearing member 205 from the support member 204 of the fixing unit 125. Because the cleaning roller 122 can be removed as a whole, good maintainability and ease of replacement are achieved.

[0089] Figure 18 is a schematic diagram showing the rotation direction of the cleaning roller. In conventional technology, a cleaning roller 122 in contact with a heat-pressure roller 120 applied impregnating oil and cleaned off foreign matter such as toner by rotating in conjunction with the heat-pressure roller 120 (Figure 18(a)). In this case, there is no difference in linear velocity between the cleaning roller 122 and the heat-pressure roller 120. However, in the case of molten film adhesive, its high viscosity makes it difficult to remove the film adhesive by rotating in conjunction with the roller.

[0090] As shown in Figure 18(a), when the cleaning roller 122 presses against the heat-pressure roller 120 and rotates together, the surface velocity of the heat-pressure roller 120 is v1, and the surface velocity of the cleaning roller 122, which rotates in the opposite direction at the same velocity due to the rotation together, is -v1.

[0091] In an embodiment of the present invention, as shown on the right side of Figure 18(b), the rotation direction of the cleaning roller 122 is the same as the rotation direction of the heat pressure roller 120 (for example, the CCW direction), that is, the cleaning roller 122 rotates in the same direction as the rotation direction of the heat pressure roller 120. By the cleaning roller 122 rotating in the same direction as the heat pressure roller 120 without rotating along with it, a difference in linear velocity is created between the cleaning roller 122 and the heat pressure roller 120, friction is generated between them, and the adhesive adhering to the heat pressure roller 120 can be scraped off, improving the foreign matter removal power. As shown on the right side of Figure 18(b), when the surface velocity of the heat-pressure roller 120 is v1, the surface velocity of the cleaning roller 122, which rotates at the same speed and in the same direction, is also expressed as v1.

[0092] On the other hand, in the embodiment shown in Figure 18(c), the cleaning roller 122 rotates at a surface speed different from that of the heat-pressure roller 120, and in the opposite direction to the rotation of the heat-pressure roller 120. In this way, the adhesive can be scraped off by creating a difference in linear velocity by making the rotation direction of the cleaning roller 122 opposite to the rotation direction of the heat-pressure roller 120 (for example, the CCW direction) (in this case, the CW direction). As a result, although the cleaning roller 122 rotates in the opposite direction to the heat-pressure roller 120, it does not rotate together with it, and a difference in linear velocity is created, and the foreign matter removal force is improved by the friction caused by the difference in linear velocity.

[0093] A linear velocity difference can be created whether the surface velocity of the cleaning roller 122 is faster or slower than that of the heat-pressure roller 120. As shown in Figure 18(c), a different surface velocity is expressed as v2, relative to the surface velocity v1 of the heat-pressure roller 120.

[0094] Another method involves stopping only the cleaning roller 122 while the heat-pressure roller 120 rotates to scrape off the adhesive. However, in this case, adhesive accumulates at the stopping position of the cleaning roller 122 (the contact position with the heat-pressure roller 120). Therefore, by stopping the cleaning roller 122 for a certain period of time, then starting its rotation, and repeating the stopping and rotating process, cleaning can be performed without adhesive accumulating on any part of the cleaning roller 122.

[0095] As shown in the embodiment of Figure 18(d), the surface speed of the cleaning roller 122 is set to v0 (stop: speed 0) → v1 → v0 → v1 relative to the heat pressure roller 120 which rotates at a surface speed v1. The length of the stop time is arbitrary. The rotational speed v1 is also arbitrary, and the rotational speed can be fast or slow as long as the contact position between the rollers can be changed. This also causes the cleaning roller 122 and the heat pressure roller 120 to move relative to each other so that a speed difference is created between the surface speed of the cleaning roller 122 and the surface speed of the heat pressure roller 120.

[0096] Figure 19 is a schematic diagram showing the operation of the cleaning roller when it is in contact with the surface. Figure 20 is a schematic diagram showing the operation of the cleaning roller when it is separated from the surface. The first heat-pressure roller 120a and the second heat-pressure roller 120b each have a drive gear 301 attached to the end of the core metal and driven together. As the first drive gear 301a and the second drive gear 301b rotate, each roller rotates, heating and conveying the nipped sheet S. The first drive gear 301a and the second drive gear 301b are driven by the same drive source, and the second heat-pressure roller 120b rotates at the same speed as the first heat-pressure roller 120a.

[0097] The first idler gear 302a and the second idler gear 302b are arranged to mesh with the first drive gear 301a and the second drive gear 301b, respectively. The third drive gear 303a, which is integrally fixed to the core metal 201 of the first cleaning roller 122a, and the fourth drive gear 303b, which is integrally fixed to the core metal 201 of the second cleaning roller 122b, are arranged to mesh with the first idler gear 302a and the second idler gear 302b, respectively. As a result, when the heat pressure roller 120, which is in contact with the cleaning roller 122, is driven and rotates, the cleaning roller 122 also rotates in the same direction. Furthermore, the second cleaning roller 122b rotates at the same speed as the first cleaning roller 122a.

[0098] Ultimately, the third drive gear 303a and the fourth drive gear 303b, which are drive members fixed to the cleaning roller 122, and the first drive gear 301a and the second drive gear 301b, which are drive members fixed to the heat pressure roller 120, are connected, and these drive members are driven by the same drive source. As a result, the cleaning roller 122 rotates and acts in accordance with the rotation of the heat pressure roller 120.

[0099] Furthermore, the cleaning roller 122, positioned opposite the heat-pressure roller 120, is rotated by the same drive source as the heat-pressure roller 120. By rotating the cleaning roller 122 and the heat-pressure roller 120 simultaneously with the same drive source, space saving and prevention of operational misalignment are achieved.

[0100] As shown in Figure 19, for example, if the first heat pressure roller 120a rotates in the CW direction and the second heat pressure roller 120b rotates in the CCW direction, the first cleaning roller 122a rotates in the CW direction and the second cleaning roller 122b rotates in the CCW direction.

[0101] As shown in Figure 20, when the cleaning roller 122 is separated, the third drive gear 303a and the fourth drive gear 303b, which are integrally formed with the core metal 201, also separate from the first idler gear 302a and the second idler gear 302b, and are disconnected from the drive train. Therefore, even if the drive source is rotated, the cleaning roller 122 will not rotate. This is used when a method is selected that does not provide a cleaning function in the separated state.

[0102] Figure 21 is a schematic diagram showing the operation of the cleaning roller in its permanently installed state. If the cleaning roller 122 is always in contact with the heat-pressure roller 120, it is not necessary to fix the drive members of the third drive gear 303a and the fourth drive gear 303b shown in Figure 19 to the core metal 201 of the cleaning roller 122. In this embodiment, the first pulley 305a and the second pulley 305b are used as drive members for the cleaning roller 122, and the first idler gear 302a and the second idler gear 302b are not used. These pulleys may be connected to and driven by the first drive gear 301a and the second drive gear 301b, respectively, by the first timing belt 306a and the second timing belt 306b. As a result, the first heat-pressure roller 120a and the second heat-pressure roller 120b are driven to rotate in the same direction as the first cleaning roller 122a and the second cleaning roller 122b, respectively.

[0103] In this embodiment, the heat-pressure roller 120 and the cleaning roller 122 are rotated by the same drive source, but each roller may have its own drive source and rotate independently. However, this would require additional space in the device layout.

[0104] Figure 22 shows the surface layer of the cleaning roller. The surface layer of the cleaning roller 122 is a nonwoven fabric made by compressing aramid fibers into a sheet. The surface layer of the cleaning roller 122, which is made up of randomly intertwined fibers, has a fibrous structure or a porous structure because it is a nonwoven fabric. Therefore, the adhesive 401 scraped off before it accumulates on the heat-pressure roller 120 penetrates deeper through the gaps between these porous fibers. Thus, the sheet-like aramid fibers need to be thick enough for the molten adhesive 401 to penetrate. When using a φ20 cleaning roller 122, the nonwoven fabric has a thickness of 2 mm, so that the molten adhesive scraped off by the first surface layer L1 of the nonwoven fabric is pressurized and penetrates further into the second and third surface layers L2 and L3 inside, where it settles. As a result, the molten adhesive taken in from the surface is not exposed or released to the outside, and cleaning can be continued without accumulating on the surface of the cleaning roller and being retransferred to the heat-pressure roller 120.

[0105] Figure 23 shows the elasticity of the surface layer of the cleaning roller. As shown in Figure 23(a), when the nip portion contacts a highly hard surface layer, such as the core metal 201 (Figure 23(a)), the nip portion does not collapse and makes line contact. On the other hand, as in the embodiment shown in Figure 23(b), when the surface layer of the cleaning roller 122 has elasticity resulting from wrapping the fiber material around it, the nip portion collapses and can make surface contact. The elasticity of the surface layer of the cleaning roller 122 allows for a wider nip area between the cleaning roller 122 and the heat-pressure roller 120, enabling the cleaning roller surface to be in contact with the heat-pressure roller surface for a longer period of time. A longer contact time with the heat-pressure roller surface increases the time available to scrape off the adhesive adhering to the surface per rotation of the heat-pressure roller, thereby improving the efficiency of removing the molten adhesive from the surface.

[0106] Furthermore, the surface layer of the cleaning roller 122 has higher elasticity than the surface layer of the heat-pressure roller 120. As a result, the surface layer of the cleaning roller 122 is softer than the surface layer of the heat-pressure roller 120, which increases the surface area for scraping off adhesive and improves the removal of foreign matter.

[0107] Furthermore, the surface layer of the heat-pressure roller is made of an elastic material such as rubber or foamed urethane.

[0108] Figure 24 shows the arrangement of the cleaning rollers. As shown in Figure 24(a), the cleaning roller 122 may be positioned so that its center is vertically below the axis of the heat pressure roller 120. In this case, for example, when the heat pressure roller 120 moves away horizontally (perpendicular to the conveying direction), it maintains contact with the cleaning roller 122 while shifting the nip position. In this arrangement, the conveying path becomes longer. In this embodiment, the vertical length is increased, resulting in a larger device height.

[0109] As shown in Figure 24(b), let P be the line passing through the axial centers of the opposing heat-pressure rollers 120. The rollers are arranged so that the outer diameters of the heat-pressure rollers 120 and the cleaning rollers 122 are in contact, and lines are drawn connecting the axial centers of the first heat-pressure roller 120a and the second heat-pressure roller 120b to the axial centers of the first cleaning roller 122a and the second cleaning roller 122b, which are positioned opposite them. Let these lines be Q1 and Q2, respectively. In this case, the angles R1 formed by line Q1 and Q2 with respect to line P and R2 formed by line Q2 are both acute angles.

[0110] As shown in Figure 2, a transport sensor 126 is positioned downstream of the heat-pressure roller 120. Therefore, by shifting the position of the cleaning rollers 122 away from the center of the transport path (horizontally, connecting the centers of the heat-pressure rollers) relative to the axis centers of the heat-pressure rollers 120, and making R1 and R2 acute angles, this direction avoids contact with the transport sensor 126 downstream of the heat-pressure rollers, thus shortening the transport path.

[0111] Figure 25 shows the length of the cleaning roller. As shown in the figure, the width W2 of the cleaning roller 122 is larger than the width W1 of the sheet S (laminate film) being passed through. If W1 < W2, even if the adhesive protrudes from the sheet S due to the nip of the hot pressure roller 120 and adheres to the surface of the hot pressure roller, the cleaning roller surface layer can clean the adhesive and foreign matter. Also, it is possible to clean all of the sheet passing range of the hot pressure roller 120 at once, eliminating the need for lateral shifting for cleaning. Strictly speaking, since it is assumed that the sheet S is conveyed while tilted, by setting the length W2 of the cleaning roller 122 to be the width obtained by adding the skew amount, cleaning can be surely performed.

[0112] As described above, the sheet processing apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention is characterized in that the cleaning roller 122 and the hot pressure roller 120 move relative to each other such that a speed difference occurs between the surface speed of the cleaning roller 122 and the surface speed of the hot pressure roller 120. Thereby, foreign matter adhering to the surface of the cleaning roller can be removed while conveying the sheet S, and conveyance failure of the sheet S is suppressed.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0113] 100 Sheet processing apparatus 120 Hot pressure roller (heat fixing member) 121 Discharge roller (discharge means) 122 Cleaning roller (cleaning member) 125 Fixing unit 126 Conveyance sensor (detection means) 201 Core metal part<null>206 Elastic member<null>208 Surface layer part 300 Image forming apparatus 3... 303a, 303b Third drive gear, fourth drive gear (drive member) S Sheet (two - sheet stack)

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0114] [License 1] Special Announcement No. 10-016351

Claims

1. A sheet processing apparatus having a fixing unit that heat-pressures a double-layered sheet, in which two sheets are stacked and a portion of the sheets is joined together, The fixing unit comprises a heat fixing member and a cleaning member that contacts and cleans the heat fixing member. The cleaning member and the heat fixing member move relative to each other such that a speed difference is created between the surface speed of the cleaning member and the surface speed of the heat fixing member. The cleaning member has a core metal portion and a strip-shaped surface portion wrapped around the core metal portion. The sheet processing apparatus is characterized in that the surface layer of the cleaning member is a sheet-like nonwoven fabric having multiple layers having a fibrous structure or a porous structure formed by compressing aramid fibers.

2. The sheet processing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the cleaning member rotates in the same direction as the rotation direction of the heat fixing member.

3. The sheet processing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the surface layer of the cleaning member is spirally wound around the core metal portion.

4. The sheet processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the surface layer portion and the core metal portion of the cleaning member are integrally formed, and the cleaning member is detachable from the fixing unit.

5. The sheet processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the core metal portions at both ends of the cleaning member are pressed toward the heat fixing member by an elastic member.

6. The sheet processing apparatus according to claim 5, characterized in that the elastic member is detachable from the core metal portion, and the cleaning member is detachable from the heat fixing member.

7. The sheet processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the surface layer of the cleaning member is elastic.

8. The sheet processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the surface layer of the cleaning member has higher elasticity than the surface layer of the heat fixing member.

9. The sheet processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that a drive member fixed to the cleaning member and a drive member fixed to the heat fixing member are connected, and these drive members are driven by the same drive source.

10. The sheet processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the cleaning member, which is positioned opposite the heat fixing member, is rotated by the same drive source as the heat fixing member.

11. The sheet processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the cleaning member rotates at a surface speed different from the surface speed of the heat fixing member and in the opposite direction to the rotation direction of the heat fixing member.

12. The sheet processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that the angle formed by the line connecting the axis of the heat fixing member and the axis of the cleaning member positioned opposite it, with respect to the line connecting the axis of the opposing heat fixing members, is an acute angle.

13. The fixing unit has a discharge means on the downstream side in the transport direction, The sheet processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that the cleaning member is positioned upstream of the discharge means in the conveying direction.

14. The sheet processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that the width of the cleaning member is greater than the width of the two stacked sheets.

15. The sheet processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 14, characterized in that the outer diameter of the cleaning member is smaller than the outer diameter of the heat fixing member.

16. The sheet processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 15, characterized in that a detection means for detecting a double-layered sheet is provided on the downstream side in the transport direction of the heat fixing member and the cleaning member.

17. The sheet processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 16, characterized in that at least one of the cleaning members is arranged opposite each of the heat fixing members.

18. A sheet processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 17, An image forming apparatus characterized by having an image forming unit that performs image formation.

19. An image forming system characterized by having a sheet processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 17.

Images