JP2007119123A - Image forming system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image forming system achieving high productivity required by POD even when feeding sheets for insert from an inserter. <P>SOLUTION: This image forming system is provided with an image forming device for forming images on recording sheets; a carrying path for carrying the recording sheets on which images are formed; a paper feeding tray for stacking sheets for insert; and an inserter path for carrying the sheets for insert. The sheets for insert which are being carried on the inserter path are superposed with the recording sheets which are being carried on the carrying path. Even when insertion of the sheets for insert is performed from the inserter, since the sheets for insert are superposed with the recording sheets which are being carried after delivered from the image forming device, this prevents the sheets for insert from occupying the carrying path. As a result, it is unnecessary to interrupt image formation in the image forming device. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming system that performs sorting, binding, stacking, and the like of sheets discharged from an image forming apparatus or the like.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a plurality of image-formed sheets are combined to form a sheet set for bookbinding or the like, and when creating a plurality of sheet sets, a cover mode, a slip sheet mode, etc. Some have a mode. In these modes, an insert sheet different from the image formed as the “cover”, “interleaf”, and “back cover” is inserted on the first page, the last page, or the middle page of the image formed sheet. Therefore, one sheet set is created by mixing insert sheets so as to overlap a plurality of sheets on which images are formed.

  Regarding the processing mode of these insertion sheets, since the method of mixing the insert sheets can be performed by a simple sheet conveying operation, the number of inserted sheets (location) of sheets to be inserted into the image-formed sheet bundle. The number of inserted sheets can be arbitrarily set. Then, for the sheet set in which the insert sheet is inserted, in a post-processing device such as a finisher attached to the image forming apparatus, processing as a bundle, that is, bundle discharge processing, binding processing, folding processing, Post-processing such as bookbinding processing can be performed. Hereinafter, the operation mode of inserting the insert sheet from the insert sheet storage portion into the “front cover”, “interleaf”, and “back cover” is generally referred to as “interleaf mode”.

  As a method of supplying the insert sheet, there is a method of supplying the sheet using one of a plurality of paper feed cassettes provided in the image forming apparatus. Then, the insert sheet is fed from the sheet feeding cassette to the same transport path as the recording path on which the recording sheet on which the image is formed is transported, and the fed insert sheet is image-formed through the transport path. The sheet is discharged and overlaid with the recording sheets in an appropriate order, and thereby a sheet set in which the insert sheet is mixed is made.

  Here, in the middle of the conveyance path, for example, in an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, a fixing unit for fixing a toner image to form an image on the sheet is disposed. Like the sheet to be formed, the sheet is heated and pressed through the fixing unit. Here, when a color image printed original is used as the insert sheet, the quality of the printed image may be impaired due to heat and pressure when the insert sheet passes through the fixing unit.

  In recent years, with the spread of personal computers, color images have increased, and color copy paper / color print paper has been increasingly used as an insert sheet. For this reason, there has been a problem that the quality of bookbinding and the like bundled due to deterioration of the insert sheet is poor.

  Therefore, an inserter for supplying an insert sheet is provided in a post-processing apparatus such as a finisher mounted on the image forming apparatus, and an apparatus for supplying the insert sheet without passing through the image forming apparatus has appeared (for example, a patent). Reference 1).

Furthermore, due to the rapid expansion of the POD (print on demand) market in recent years, a large amount of image forming processing is performed in a system centered on an electrophotographic image forming apparatus. Multi-stage and large capacity paper feeding decks have been achieved. Specifically, the inserter can store a large number of sheets such as preprinted paper, a plurality of colored papers, and tab paper (see, for example, Patent Document 2).
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-221160 JP 2004-051268 A

  However, in the conventional inserter, when the insert sheet is inserted from the inserter, the insert sheet passes through the same conveyance path as the recording sheet discharged from the image forming apparatus, so the insert sheet occupies the conveyance path. In the meantime, the image forming apparatus needs to interrupt the image formation, and the productivity required for the POD is greatly reduced.

  Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an image forming system that realizes high productivity required for POD even when an insert sheet is fed from an inserter.

  In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides an image forming apparatus for forming an image on a recording sheet, a transport path for transporting an image-formed recording sheet, a paper feed tray for stacking insert sheets, and an insert And an inserter sheet that conveys the inserter path and a recording sheet that is conveyed and moved along the conveying path.

  According to the present invention, even when the insert sheet is inserted from the inserter, the insert sheet occupies the conveyance path by superimposing the insert sheet on the recording sheet being moved and conveyed discharged from the image forming apparatus. Therefore, the image forming apparatus does not need to interrupt image formation. Thereby, it is possible to realize an image forming system that realizes high productivity required for POD.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.
(overall structure)
FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view showing the configuration of the main part of an embodiment of the present invention. The image forming apparatus includes an image forming apparatus main body 10, a multi-inserter 40 that is sequentially arranged on the downstream side thereof, and a finisher 60. The image forming apparatus main body 10 includes an image reader 20 that reads a document image and a printer 30 that is an image forming unit.

  The image reader 20 is equipped with an automatic document feeder 5. The automatic document feeder 5 feeds documents set upward on the document tray one sheet at a time in order from the first page, and flows on the platen glass 6 from the left through a curved path to set the reading position. After that, it is conveyed to the right, and then discharged toward the external paper discharge tray 7.

  When the transported document passes through the sink reading position on the platen glass 6 from the left to the right, the document image is read by the scanner unit 21 held at a position corresponding to the sink reading position. This reading method is generally referred to as document scanning. Specifically, when the original passes through the reading position, the original reading surface is irradiated with light from a lamp (not shown) of the scanner unit 21, and the reflected light from the original passes through the mirrors 22a, 22b, and 22c. Guided to the lens 23. The light that has passed through the lens 23 forms an image on the imaging surface of the image sensor 24.

  By transporting the document so that it passes through the flow reading position from the left to the right in this way, the document reading scan in which the direction orthogonal to the document transport direction is the main scanning direction and the transport direction is the sub-scanning direction Done.

  That is, the entire original image is read by conveying the original in the sub-scanning direction while reading the original image by the image sensor 24 line by line in the main scanning direction when the original passes the flow reading position. The read image is converted into image data by the image sensor 24 and output. Image data output from the image sensor 24 is input as a video signal to the exposure control unit 31 of the printer 30 after being subjected to predetermined processing in the image signal control unit.

  It is also possible to read the document by conveying the document onto the platen glass 6 by the document feeder 5 and stopping it at a predetermined position, and scanning the scanner unit 21 from left to right in this state. This reading method is a so-called fixed original reading method.

  When reading a document without using the document feeder 5, first, the user lifts the document feeder 5 to place the document on the platen glass 6 and scans the scanner unit 21 from left to right. Read the original. That is, the original fixed reading is performed even when the original is read without using the original feeding device 5.

  The exposure control unit 31 of the printer 30 modulates and outputs a laser beam based on the input video signal, and the laser beam is irradiated onto the photosensitive drum 32 while being scanned by a polygon mirror. An electrostatic latent image corresponding to the scanned laser beam is formed on the photosensitive drum 32. Here, the exposure control unit 31 outputs a laser beam so that an image that is not a mirror image is formed at the time of document fixed reading.

  In the printer 30, a plurality of paper feed cassettes 33 as image forming sheet feeding trays of the present invention for storing sheets for forming images are provided in the front direction of the apparatus (direction perpendicular to the paper surface of FIG. 1). It is provided so that it can be pulled out. A sheet can be supplied from the paper feed cassette 33 to the printer 30 one by one by a separation paper feed unit 33 a provided corresponding to each paper feed cassette 33.

  Further, when performing so-called double-sided copying in which an image is formed on the back side of a sheet on which an image is formed on one side, a reverse path 34 for inverting the sheet on which the image is formed on one side and the reversed sheet are supplied to the printer 30 again. A double-sided conveyance path 35 is provided.

  The electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive drum 32 is visualized as a developer image by a developer supplied from a developing device (not shown). In addition, at a timing synchronized with the start of laser beam irradiation, a sheet is fed from each sheet feeding cassette 33 or the double-sided conveyance path 35, and the sheet is conveyed between the photosensitive drum 32 and the transfer unit 37. The developer image formed on the photosensitive drum 32 is transferred onto the sheet by the transfer unit 37.

  The sheet on which the developer image has been transferred is conveyed to the fixing unit 37, and the fixing unit 37 heats and presses the sheet to fix the developer image on the sheet. The sheet that has passed through the fixing unit 37 is discharged from the printer 30 toward the multi-inserter 40 via the discharge roller 38.

  Here, when the sheet is discharged with its image forming surface facing downward (face-down), the switching operation of a flapper (not shown) provided at a branching portion with the reversing path 34 is performed for the sheet that has passed through the fixing unit 37. Then, the sheet is once guided into the reversing path 34, and after the trailing edge of the sheet has passed through the flapper, the sheet is switched back and discharged from the printer 30 by the discharge roller 38. Hereinafter, this form of paper discharge is referred to as reverse paper discharge. This reverse paper discharge is performed when forming an image sequentially from the first page, such as when forming an image read using the document feeder 5 or when forming an image output from a computer. The sheet order after discharge is the correct page order.

  Further, when a hard sheet such as an OHP sheet is supplied from the manual sheet feeding unit 39 and an image is formed on this sheet, the image forming surface is faced up without leading the sheet to the reverse path 34 (face up). Then, the sheet is discharged by the discharge roller 38. Thus, an image of a sheet that is easily jammed, such as a hard sheet, is formed.

  Further, when double-sided recording for forming an image on both sides of a sheet is set, the double-sided conveyance is performed after the sheet is guided to the reverse path 34 by a switching operation of a flapper (not shown) provided at the branching portion of the reverse path 34. Control is performed so that the sheet conveyed to the path 35 and guided to the double-sided conveyance path 35 is fed again between the photosensitive drum 32 and the transfer unit 36 at a predetermined timing.

The sheet discharged from the printer 30 passes through the main conveyance path 41 of the multi-inserter 40 and is sent to the finisher 60. The multi-inserter 40 is provided with an insert function for feeding a special sheet such as a cover sheet or a slip sheet to be inserted into a sheet on which an image is formed by the image forming apparatus main body 10. The finisher 60 performs various post-processing such as bookbinding processing, binding processing, and punching by bundling sheets on which images are formed by the image forming apparatus main body 10 and insert sheets supplied from the multi-inserter 40.
(Finisher)
The finisher 60 sequentially takes in the sheets from the image forming apparatus main body 10 discharged through the main conveyance path 41 of the multi-inserter 40 or the insert sheets from the multi-inserter 40, aligns the plurality of taken-in sheets 1 Each sheet post-processing such as processing to bind to one bundle, stapling to staple the trailing edge of the bundle of bundled sheets with staples, punching to punch near the trailing edge of the imported sheet, sorting processing, non-sorting processing, bookbinding processing, etc. Do.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the finisher 60 has a pair of inlet rollers 61 for guiding a sheet discharged via the printer 30 or the multi-inserter 40 to the inside. A processing tray path 62 and a bookbinding path 63 are branched downstream of the inlet roller pair 61, and a switching flapper (not shown) is provided at this branching point to switch the path and guide the sheet. ing.

  The sheet guided to the processing tray path 62 is sent toward the buffer roller 64 via a pair of conveyance rollers (not shown). A punch unit 65 is provided in the middle of the finisher path 62, and the punch unit 65 operates as necessary to punch near the rear end of the conveyed sheet.

  The buffer roller 64 is a roller capable of laminating a predetermined number of sheets sent to the outer periphery of the buffer roller 64, and a plurality of pressing rollers (not shown) are arranged on the outer periphery of the roller. Is wound. The sheet wound around the buffer roller 64 is conveyed in the rotation direction of the buffer roller 64.

  Further, switching flappers 66 and 67 are disposed in the vicinity of the outer peripheral conveyance path of the buffer roller 64. The upstream switching flapper 66 is a flapper for peeling the sheet wound around the buffer roller 64 from the buffer roller 64 and guiding it to the non-sorting path 68 or the sorting path 69, and the downstream switching flapper 67 is connected to the buffer roller 64. This is a flapper for separating the wound sheet from the buffer roller 64 and leading it to the sort path 69 or to the buffer path 70 in a state where the sheet wound around the buffer roller 64 is wound.

  The sheet guided to the non-sort path 68 by the switching flapper 66 is discharged onto the sample tray 71 through a pair of discharge rollers (not shown). In the middle of the non-sort path 68, a paper discharge sensor (not shown) for jam detection or the like is provided.

  The sheets guided to the sort path 69 by the switching flapper 66 are stacked on the processing tray 72 via a conveyance roller (not shown). The sheets stacked in a bundle on the processing tray 72 are subjected to alignment processing, stapling processing, and the like as necessary, and then discharged onto the stack tray 73 by a discharge roller (not shown). A stapler 74 is used for stapling processing for binding sheets stacked in a bundle on the processing tray 72. The stack tray 73 is configured to be movable in the vertical direction, and moves according to the stacking amount of the sheet bundle.

  On the other hand, the sheet from the bookbinding path 63 is stored in the storage guide 76 by the transport roller pair 75 and is further transported until the leading end of the sheet comes into contact with a sheet positioning member 77 that can move up and down. Further, a pair of left and right staplers 78 are provided in the middle of the storage guide 76 and are configured to bind the center of the sheet bundle.

  A folding roller pair 80 is provided at a downstream position of the stapler 78. A protruding member 81 is provided at a position facing the pair of folding rollers 80. By projecting the protruding member 81 toward the sheet bundle stored in the storage guide 76, the sheet bundle is pushed between the folding roller pair 80, folded by the folding roller pair 80, and then the folded sheet discharge roller 82. Is then discharged to the saddle discharge tray 83.

Further, when the sheet bundle bound by the stapler 78 is folded, the positioning member 77 is lowered by a predetermined distance so that the staple position of the sheet bundle becomes the center position of the folding roller pair 80 after the staple processing is finished.
(Inserter)
The multi inserter 40 is provided on the downstream side of the printer 30. As described above, there is a substantially horizontal main conveyance path 41 for receiving a sheet on which an image discharged from the image forming apparatus main body 10 is formed and conveying it to the finisher 60 on the downstream side near the center of the apparatus. ing.

  A plurality of large-capacity paper feed trays 42 and 43 serving as insert sheet feeding trays are pulled out toward the front of the apparatus (in a direction perpendicular to the paper surface of FIG. 1) below the multi-inserter 40 across the main conveyance path 41. It is provided as possible. A plurality of large-capacity paper feed trays 44 and 45 are also provided above the multi-inserter 40.

  The large-capacity paper feed trays 42, 43, 44, and 45 sequentially separate a sheet bundle that forms a cover sheet and a slip sheet stacked on each tray, and convey the sheet bundle to the finisher 60 via the main conveyance path 41. Here, special sheets are stacked on the large-capacity paper feed trays 42, 43, 44, 45 of the multi-inserter 40. The special sheet referred to here is a sheet required in the POD market, and refers to various materials such as colored paper, cover, and color preprinted paper. 42, 43, 44, and 45 are loaded in a state where the surface is directed upward (face-up state) or in a state where the surface is directed downward (face-down state).

  The insert sheets on the large-capacity paper feed trays 42, 43, 44, and 45 are sequentially separated and fed one by one from the uppermost sheet by the separation paper feeding units 42a, 43a, 44a, and 45a. A drawing roller pair (not shown) is disposed downstream of the separation sheet feeding units 42a, 43a, 44a, and 45a, and the insert sheet separated by the drawing roller pair is stably supplied to the feeding paths 47 and 48. Guided and sent to the main transport path 41.

  Next, a detailed description will be given of a control method for superposing the recording sheet being moved and conveyed, which is a feature of the present invention, and the insert sheet fed from the inserter.

  2 to 5 are diagrams showing the flow of sheets when the cover mode is performed by the multi-inserter 40. FIG. As an example, four sheets of a cover sheet (first sheet), a recording sheet (second sheet), a recording sheet (third sheet), and a back cover (fourth sheet) are bundled together on the processing tray of the finisher 60. The flow when performing sort processing is shown.

  First, the large-capacity paper feed tray 43 disposed on the lower side of the main transport path 41 for the front cover (first sheet), and the large-capacity paper feed tray disposed on the upper side of the main transport path 41 for the back cover (fourth sheet). Set to 45.

  When the job is started, feeding of the cover sheet (first sheet) from the large-capacity sheet feeding tray 43 is started, and after the cover sheet (first sheet) is turned on the feeding path sensor 51, the sheet is conveyed when a predetermined amount is conveyed. Stop. At this time, if there is no sheet in the feeding path 48, the back cover (fourth sheet) is also fed in advance from the large-capacity sheet feeding tray 45 and the feeding path sensor 52 is turned on. When the fixed amount is conveyed, the conveyance is stopped (FIG. 2).

  Next, the recording sheet (second sheet) image-formed by the image forming apparatus 10 is conveyed into the multi-inserter 40, and when the conveyance path sensor 53 is turned on, the conveyance of the cover sheet (first sheet) is resumed (FIG. 3). The recording sheet (second sheet) that is being conveyed is overlapped with the main conveyance path 41 and conveyed to the processing tray 72 of the finisher 60.

  Further, when the image-formed recording sheet (third sheet) is conveyed into the multi-inserter 40 and the conveyance path sensor 53 is turned on, conveyance of the back cover (fourth sheet) is resumed (FIG. 4). The recording sheet (second sheet) is superimposed on the main conveyance path 41 and conveyed to the processing tray 72 of the finisher 60 (FIG. 5). The finisher 60 performs alignment processing on the four sheet bundles stacked on the processing tray 72 and then stacks them on the stack tray 73.

  In addition, when the sheet bundle is a cover sheet (first sheet), a recording sheet (second sheet), and a back cover sheet (third sheet), the cover sheet (first sheet) is transferred to the recording sheet (second sheet) being transported. Eye) and the back cover (third sheet) may be overlapped at a time.

  Further, when one bundle is a cover sheet (first sheet), a slip sheet (second sheet), and a recording sheet (third sheet), a cover sheet (first sheet) is placed on the large-capacity paper feed tray 42, a large capacity A slip sheet (second sheet) is set in the sheet feed tray 43, and a cover sheet (first sheet) and a slip sheet (second sheet) are overlapped in advance on the feed path 47, and then the main transport path 41 Then, the cover sheet (first sheet) and the slip sheet (second sheet) may be overlapped with the recording sheet (third sheet) being conveyed.

  As described above, the insert sheet fed from the multi-inserter 40 is transported while being superposed on the recording sheet being moved and transported, so that only the insert sheet does not occupy the main transport path 41. Therefore, it is not necessary to widen the image formation interval on the recording sheet, and high productivity image formation can be realized.

  A simple inserter 90 is disposed above the finisher 60, and a paper feed tray 92 as an insert sheet feeding tray is provided. The sheet feed tray 92 sequentially separates the cover sheet stacked on the tray and the sheet bundle forming the slip sheet, and is guided to the processing tray path 62 and the bookbinding path 63 via the inserter path 91, and in the cover sheet mode and the slip sheet mode, respectively. Sheet post-processing such as sort processing and bookbinding processing is performed.

  6 and 7 are diagrams illustrating the flow of sheets when performing the cover mode in the bookbinding process using the simple inserter 90. FIG. As an example, a flow when a bookbinding process is performed on a two-sheet bundle of a cover sheet (first sheet) and a recording sheet (second sheet) is shown.

  First, a cover (first sheet) is set on the paper feed tray 92. Then, when the job is started, feeding of the cover sheet (first sheet) from the sheet feeding tray 92 is started, and after the cover sheet (first sheet) is turned on the inserter path sensor 93, the conveyance is stopped when a predetermined amount is conveyed. (FIG. 6).

  Next, the recording sheet (second sheet) on which the image is formed by the image forming apparatus 10 is transported into the multi-inserter 40. When the entrance sensor 94 of the finisher 60 is turned on, transport of the cover sheet (first sheet) is resumed. The moving recording sheet (second sheet) is superposed on the entrance conveyance path 95 and conveyed to the bookbinding path 63 (FIG. 7).

  The sheet bundle from the bookbinding path 63 is stored in the storage guide 76 by the conveyance roller pair 75, and is further conveyed until the leading end of the sheet bundle contacts the sheet positioning member 77 that can move up and down. By projecting the protruding member 81 toward the sheet bundle stored in the storage guide 76, the sheet bundle is pushed out between the folding roller pair 80, folded by the folding roller pair 80, and then the folded sheet discharge roller 82 is moved. To the saddle discharge tray 83.

  In this way, like the multi-inserter 40, the insert sheet fed from the simple inserter 90 is superposed and conveyed with the recording sheet being moved and conveyed on the image, so that only the insert sheet has the entrance conveyance path 95. Since it does not occupy, it is not necessary to widen the image formation interval on the recording sheet, and high productivity of image formation is realized.

1 is a diagram illustrating an image forming system including an image forming apparatus, a multi-inserter, and a post-processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is the figure which showed the flow of the sheet | seat at the time of performing cover sheet mode using the multi inserter in embodiment of this invention. It is the figure which showed the flow of the sheet | seat at the time of performing cover sheet mode using the multi inserter in embodiment of this invention. It is the figure which showed the flow of the sheet | seat at the time of performing cover sheet mode using the multi inserter in embodiment of this invention. It is the figure which showed the flow of the sheet | seat at the time of performing cover sheet mode using the multi inserter in embodiment of this invention. It is the figure which showed the flow of the sheet | seat at the time of performing cover page mode using the simple inserter in embodiment of this invention. It is the figure which showed the flow of the sheet | seat at the time of performing cover page mode using the simple inserter in embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Image forming apparatus main body 30 Printer 33 Paper feed cassette 33a Separation paper feed part 40 Multi inserter 42-45 Large capacity paper feed tray 41 Main conveyance path 60 Finisher

Claims (7)

  An image forming apparatus for forming an image on a recording sheet, a conveyance path for conveying the image-formed recording sheet, a paper feed tray for stacking the insert sheet, and an inserter path for conveying the insert sheet, An image forming system, wherein an insert sheet that is transported in the inserter path is superposed on a recording sheet that is transported in the transport path.   A plurality of inserter paths that convey the insert sheet; a first insert sheet that is conveying and moving the first inserter path; a second insert sheet that is conveying and moving the second inserter path; The image forming system according to claim 1, wherein the recording sheets being transported are superimposed on the transport path.   3. The image forming system according to claim 2, wherein after the first insert sheet and the second insert sheet are overlapped, the recording sheet that is being transported in the transport path is overlapped.   The image forming system according to claim 2, wherein the first inserter path is disposed above the transport path, and the second inserter path is disposed below the transport path.   A post-processing device that performs stacking of sheets and stapling, punching, bookbinding, and the like on the sheets is provided, and the paper feed tray is disposed at a downstream position of the image forming apparatus and at an upstream position of the post-processing apparatus. Item 5. The image forming system according to any one of Items 1 to 4.   The image forming system according to claim 1, further comprising a post-processing device that performs stacking of sheets, stapling, punching, bookbinding processing, and the like on the sheet, and the paper feed tray is disposed on an upper portion of the post-processing device. .   7. The image according to claim 5, wherein the post-processing apparatus includes a buffer unit that temporarily holds a sheet, and the conveyance path and the inserter path are arranged at an upstream position of the buffer unit. Forming system.

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