JP2005156722A - Image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image forming apparatus equipped with a postprocessing device having a printing/postprocessing function of easily enabling filing with holes punched such that a user folds output paper inward to obtain a desired finish size and holes for easy filing are punched by a function of printing images of two pages of front and back covers to enable bookbinding in a center two-folded state and boring two arrays of punch holes one over the other on fold sides of inward folding. <P>SOLUTION: The image forming apparatus C equipped with a main body B of the image forming apparatus that allocates images of two pages to the top and reverse of one sheet of output paper and outputs the images so that the images are in correct page order when the paper is folded in the center and a punch unit 3 which bores punch holes as post processing has a punch function for center holding which bores two arrays of punch holes at an equal distance from the center of the output paper to be folded inward. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus such as a printer, a copier, or a fax machine that assigns images to the front and back sides of output paper.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine or a printer or a post-processing apparatus has been known that has a staple or punch function (see, for example, Patent Document 1).
Further, as a related document, Patent Document 2 discloses that the alignment operation in the conveyance direction of the sheet discharged to the alignment tray is optimized. Patent Document 3 discloses that a plurality of punch processes are performed on the central portion of the recording paper in the case of a special copy mode. Furthermore, Patent Document 4 discloses that a plurality of sheets are discharged to a punch processing unit in a aligned state.
JP 7-137927 A JP 2000-169019 A JP 2000-198612 A JP 2000-355457 A

However, the number of staples that can be stapled is limited due to the size of the needle, the structure of the device, etc., and several tens of sheets are generally used, and in order to bind a printed material exceeding that number, punch holes are opened and filing is performed. Easy to do and commonly used.
However, a general-purpose staple or punch unit has a limit on the paper size that can be passed, and few staples and punches can be made for all paper sizes that can be printed by the image forming apparatus. Many staples and punches cannot be processed.
For these reasons, the only way to bind an original with a small finished paper size and a large number of papers is to punch the printed output paper several times with a separate punch device and bundle them together. .
However, in this method, it is troublesome to open a punch hole with another punch device, and further, it is difficult to finish beautifully because there are many failures such as displacement in manual punching.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to print an image of two pages on each of the front and back sides so that bookbinding can be performed in a state of being folded in the center, and a total of two rows so that punch holes overlap with the sides that become the folds when folded in half. Provided is an image forming apparatus including a post-processing device having a printing / post-processing function with a punch hole that can be easily filed by a user having a desired finishing size by folding the punch hole by a function of opening a punch hole. There is to do.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the invention according to claim 1 is directed to image forming means for allocating two pages of images on the front and back of one sheet of output paper and outputting them so that the page order matches when folded in half. In the image forming apparatus provided with a punch unit for opening punch holes as post-processing, the punch units are provided with two rows of punch holes at equal distances from the center where the output paper is folded in the middle. An image forming apparatus having a punching function for half-folding to open is characterized.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided the image forming apparatus according to the first aspect, wherein the punch unit has a bag binding punch function in which two rows of punch holes are opened at equal distances from both ends of the output paper. It is characterized by.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided the image forming apparatus according to the first aspect, wherein the punch unit has a punch function of opening two rows of punch holes at the same end position of each image of two pages. .
Further, the invention according to claim 4 folds when punch designation printing is instructed to output paper in a size or setting direction in which punching is impossible due to restrictions of the main body or the post-processing device. 4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein punching can be performed on output paper having the same size when the output paper is used, and the output paper is changed according to output conditions. 5.
In the invention according to claim 5, although it is impossible to punch to the specified size, it is determined that punching to the specified output paper is impossible to output or to cancel the punch. The image forming apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the image forming apparatus notifies the user by display on an operation screen at the time when the user can select the image forming apparatus.
In the invention according to claim 6, punching to the specified size is impossible, but the user can set in advance whether to perform output or cancel punching, and the specified output. 5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 4, wherein a predetermined operation is performed without stopping printing when it is determined that punching on the paper is impossible.

  According to the present invention, when the discharged output paper is folded in half, printing for two pages and two rows of punching are performed on one side so that the page order and punch holes are aligned. Thus, it is possible to obtain an output result that can be bound to half the size of the paper used for printing. This simplifies bookbinding to a paper size that cannot be punched due to restrictions on the functions of the apparatus.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing a post-processing apparatus capable of stapling and punching. The outline of the post-processing apparatus A will be described with reference to FIG. In FIG. 1, an image forming apparatus C is composed of a post-processing apparatus A and an image forming apparatus main body B.
The thick line in the figure indicates the output paper conveyance path, and the output paper printed by the main body B is fed from the right side of the figure, and punching and stapling are executed in accordance with the instructions and output to the paper discharge tray 10. The conveying rollers of each part are schematically indicated by reference numerals 1, 4, 5, and 6, respectively.
After the leading edge or trailing edge of the output paper is detected by the inlet sensor 2, a punch hole is opened at a predetermined position by operating the punch unit 3 after a predetermined time. It is also possible to pass the paper without punching.
Depending on the presence / absence of a stapling instruction, the conveying path is switched by the switching means 7, and when stapling is designated, output paper is stored in the stacker 9.
FIG. 2 is a schematic view showing a rotary punch unit used as a punch unit. The punch portion 3a and the die portion 3b are disposed across the conveyance path of the output paper, and each of them is rotated in the opposite direction, and the protruding portion of the punch portion 3a is inserted into the hole portion of the die portion 3b, thereby punching the output paper. Can be opened.
In the state shown in the figure, the punch portion 3a and the die portion 3b are separated from each other. By not rotating the punch portion 3a, the output paper can be passed through the punch unit without opening a punch hole.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart for explaining a first embodiment of the flow of punching work by the punch unit. This will be described with reference to FIG. First, a flag used in this embodiment is initialized (S1).
The center folding punch function of the present invention is designated (S2). The designation method can be designated from a command or operation panel. It is determined whether the paper size to be used can be punched due to punch unit restrictions (S3). If punching is not possible, normal printing is performed.
In the case of a paper size that can be punched for half-folding, a flag is set, the page order is changed for half-folding, images are assigned two pages on one side of the output paper, and duplex printing is performed (S4 to S6). If the flag is set (S7), a punch for half-folding is executed (S8).
FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing punches in the first sheet executed in accordance with the flowchart of FIG. FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing the first back punch executed in accordance with the flowchart of FIG.
FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing punches in the second table executed in accordance with the flowchart of FIG. FIG. 7 is a schematic view showing a second back punch executed in accordance with the flowchart of FIG.

FIG. 8 is a schematic view showing a first example of the punching operation. FIG. 9 is a schematic view showing a second example of the punching operation. FIG. 10 is a schematic view showing a third example of the punching operation.
Explaining the punching operation, after detecting the leading edge of the output paper, that is, the portion 11 in FIG. 8 by the inlet sensor 2 in FIG. 1, the punching holes are opened at the positions 12 and 13 in FIG. This is realized by controlling the operation timing of the punch unit 3 of FIG.
For example, in a device that cannot punch to A5, if you want to specify a punch that binds to the long side of A5, you can print and punch the A4 output paper, and the user wants it to be folded Results can be obtained.
In the second embodiment of the punch work flow by the punch unit, the flowchart is the same as that of the first embodiment, and therefore only the differences from the first embodiment will be described.
Because of single-sided printing for bag binding, the page order is not changed as in the first embodiment in step (S5) of FIG. Assign.
An output result that can be bound to one-half of the paper size used for printing can be obtained, which enables bookbinding to a small paper size that cannot be punched due to functional limitations of the device. It will be easy.
FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram showing a first punch executed in accordance with the second embodiment. FIG. 12 is a schematic view showing a second punch executed in accordance with the second embodiment.
FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram showing a first punch of the third embodiment executed by the user cutting the output paper from the center. FIG. 14 is a schematic diagram showing a first punch of the third embodiment executed by the user cutting the output paper from the center.
As an example of the punching operation, after detecting the leading edge of the output paper (portion 11 in FIGS. 9 and 10) by the inlet sensor 2 in FIG. 1, punch holes are opened at positions 12 and 13 in FIGS. This is realized by controlling the operation timing of the punch unit 3 in FIG. 1 according to the paper size.

FIG. 15 is a flowchart for explaining a fourth embodiment of the flow of punch work by the punch unit. In FIG. 15, two flags are prepared in order to distinguish between the normal punch and the double punch of the first embodiment, and these are initialized (S11).
The user designates only the punch without distinguishing between the normal punch and the double punch (S12). If the paper size allows normal punching (S13), flag 1 is set for normal punching (S14).
Punching to the specified paper size is not possible, but according to the first embodiment, punching can be performed by punching two pages of images on each side and each image, which is twice the specified size. If there is output paper, flag 2 is set (S15, S16).
Next, the output paper used for printing is changed (S17), the page order is changed (S18), and printing is performed (S19). If none of the flags are set (S20), punching is not performed. If flag 2 is set (S21), double punching is performed (S23), and if only flag 1 is set, normal punching is performed (S22).
In the flowchart of FIG. 15, only the flag 2 is used as the double punch flag in the description. However, when a plurality of functions are possible, the flags 3 and 4 are prepared, and the flags 2 to 4 and the first embodiment are used. Correspond functions.
Then, any one of flags 2 to 4 is set according to the priority order determined in step (S16), flags 3 and 4 are also checked in steps (S20) and (S21), and are set in step (S23). A plurality of punch functions can be selectively used according to conditions by executing a double punch corresponding to the flag.
When punching is instructed to output paper of a small size that cannot be punched due to restrictions on the function of the apparatus, when output to a paper size capable of punching is possible according to the first embodiment Automatically changes the output paper and executes printing and punching according to the first embodiment.
Therefore, even if the user is not conscious of the punchable size for the apparatus or the punching method of the first embodiment, the output in the first embodiment can be performed according to the punchable conditions.

FIG. 16 is a flowchart for explaining a fifth embodiment of the flow of punch work by the punch unit. In FIG. 16, four flags are prepared in order to distinguish between the normal punch and the double punch of the first embodiment, and these are initialized (S31).
The user designates only the punch without distinguishing between the normal punch and the double punch (S32). If the paper size allows normal punching (S33), flag 1 is set for normal punching (S34).
If punching is possible by changing to double punching (S35), a message to that effect is displayed on the operation panel (S36). There is provided a selection means for changing from the display state to each double punch of the first embodiment by key input or the like, or canceling the punch and continuing the normal printing.
Only when the user selects double punching (S37), the double punching process after step (S38) is performed (S39, S40, S41, S42, S43, S44 and S45).
When changing to the punch type of the first embodiment using the output paper of double size under the condition that punching to the designated output paper is impossible, a message is displayed once to display the desired punch type, or Since the user can select punch release, it is possible to obtain an output result desired by the user.

FIG. 17 is a flowchart for explaining a sixth embodiment of the flow of punch work by the punch unit. Differences from the fifth embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.
The user selects in advance the type of double punch or release of punch (S51). As a selection method, there is a method of selecting a punch setting type from an operation panel and storing it in a memory.
If it is determined that double punching is possible (S55, S56), the type of the double punch set in step (S51) is referred to without waiting for the user's input, and one of the corresponding flags 2 to 4 is set. Stand up.
A punch function or punch set in advance by the user when executing the punch function of the first embodiment using the output paper of double size under the condition that punching to the designated output paper is impossible Since the release is performed, even when the output paper or the punch type is changed, the printing of the subsequent job can be continuously performed without stopping the printing without stopping the printing.
For large-scale printing on a small paper size that cannot be punched, use double-punchable output paper that has the same finished size when folded in half, and fold it in half at the center. Print two pages of images on the front and back sides so that bookbinding can be performed.
With the function of opening a total of two rows of punch holes so that the punch holes overlap with the side of the crease when folded in half, the user can fold it to the desired finished size and open punch holes that can be easily filed. A post-processing apparatus having a printing / post-processing function is provided (see FIGS. 4 to 7 for output results).
The invention of claim 1 can be realized only by an image forming apparatus capable of duplex printing. For this reason, a post-processing device having a post-processing function for opening a punch hole whose end is a bag binding is provided in an apparatus incapable of duplex printing.
As a result, punch designation for a paper size that cannot be punched is output by performing punching for bag binding to a paper size that can be punched, and a user can obtain a printed result that is bound to a desired finished size by bag binding. (See FIG. 11 and FIG. 12 for output results).

Since the inventions of claims 1 and 2 are filing with the output paper folded, they often do not meet the user's wishes. Therefore, when the user cuts from the center of the output paper, a print result having an original desired finished size can be obtained (see FIGS. 13 and 14 for the output result).
When punching is instructed to output paper of a size or setting direction in which punching is not possible, the user can use the output paper capable of punching according to claims 1 to 3 even if the output paper can be substituted. The desired output result cannot be obtained unless the paper size and the punch position are correctly specified by knowing the information of the punchable size for.
Therefore, the output paper can be changed and output can be performed according to claims 1 to 3 as long as the user can punch without being aware of the substitute output according to the first to third aspects of the invention.
According to claim 4, when it is not preferable to change the output paper to a different output paper from the designated output paper, or the output paper needs to be folded or cut, the paper size according to claims 4 to 6 is changed. In some cases, the punching operation does not match the user's desire.
Therefore, in the condition where the output is possible according to claim 4, the user can select whether to cancel punching or change the paper size to perform punching.
According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, since the printing is temporarily stopped before the punching according to the first to third embodiments is performed after changing the paper, and the user input is waited for, the subsequent job is not printed without the user input. As a result, productivity decreases.
Therefore, when the substitute output is possible according to the first to third aspects of the invention, the printing is not stopped and the punch is performed by the punch function according to any one of the first to third aspects desired by the user. Yes.

Schematic which shows the post-processing apparatus which can staple and punch. Schematic which shows the rotary punch unit used as a punch unit. The flowchart explaining 1st Embodiment of the flow of the punch work by a punch unit. Schematic which shows the punch of the 1st sheet | seat performed according to the flowchart of FIG. FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing a first back punch executed in accordance with the flowchart of FIG. 3. Schematic which shows the punch of the table | surface of the 2nd sheet | seat performed according to the flowchart of FIG. Schematic which shows the punch of the back of the 2nd sheet performed according to the flowchart of FIG. Schematic which shows the 1st example of punch operation | movement. Schematic which shows the 2nd example of punch operation | movement. Schematic which shows the 3rd example of punch operation | movement. Schematic which shows the 1st sheet | seat punch performed according to 2nd Embodiment. Schematic which shows the 2nd punch performed according to 2nd Embodiment. Schematic which shows the 1st punch of 3rd Embodiment performed by a user cut | disconnecting output paper from the center. Schematic which shows the 1st punch of 3rd Embodiment performed by a user cut | disconnecting output paper from the center. The flowchart explaining 4th Embodiment of the flow of the punch work by a punch unit. The flowchart explaining 5th Embodiment of the flow of the punch work by a punch unit. The flowchart explaining 6th Embodiment of the flow of the punch work by a punch unit.

Explanation of symbols

A Post-processing device B Image forming device main body C Image forming device 3 Punch unit

Claims (6)

  Image forming means comprising image forming means for allocating two pages of images on the front and back of one sheet of output paper and outputting the pages in order when they are folded in half, and a punch unit for opening punch holes as post-processing 2. An image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said punch unit has a punching function for half-folding in which two rows of punch holes are formed at equal distances from a center that becomes a fold when folding said output paper.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the punch unit has a bag binding punch function that opens two rows of punch holes at equal distances from both ends of the output paper.   2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the punch unit has a punch function of opening two rows of punch holes at the same end position of each image of two pages.   Due to restrictions on the main body or the post-processing device, when printing is specified for punching on an output paper that cannot be punched or set in the set direction, output paper that has the same size when folded in half The image forming apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the output sheet is changed according to an output condition.   Punching to the specified size is not possible, but the user determines whether to output or cancel punching by displaying on the operation screen when it is determined that punching to the specified output paper is impossible. The image forming apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the image forming apparatus is made selectable by the user. When punching to the specified size is not possible, but it is possible for the user to set in advance whether to output or to cancel punching, and when it is determined that punching to the specified output paper is not possible 5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 4, wherein a preset operation is performed without stopping printing.

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