JP2022095204A - Sheet processing device and image forming system equipped with it - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a sheet processing device that prevents discharge positions from being scattered in multiple locations within the same bundle when the number of sheets in the same bundle exceeds the maximum number of sheets that can be crimp-bound.SOLUTION: When the number of sheets in the same bundle is determined to exceed the maximum number of sheets that can be crimp-bound, the sheet bundle shifted to a crimp binding position is discharged to a crimp binding discharge position without crimping binding, and the subsequent sheets are shifted to the crimp binding position and discharged to the crimp binding discharge position without crimping binding, so that the occurrence of multiple discharge positions in the same bundle can be prevented.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 23

Description

The present invention relates to an improvement of a sheet processing apparatus that collects and shifts sheets to perform a predetermined process.

Generally, a post-processing device (finisher) for aligning and accumulating sheets image-formed by an image forming device on a processing tray and binding them is widely known. As a binding processing method, a stapler device that binds with a staple, a crimp binding device that press-deforms and binds stacked sheets, and the like are known.

In Patent Document 1, the image-formed sheets are connected to the paper ejection port of the image forming apparatus, and the image-formed sheets are carried into the processing tray from the carry-in route and accumulated. The device to be stored in the stack tray of is disclosed. Then, in the same document, the sheet bundle sent from the paper ejection path to the processing tray and accumulated is positioned by abutting the rear end portion in the paper ejection direction, and the matching operation is performed in the sheet width direction, and then the sheet is performed. Disclosed is an apparatus that reduces the displacement of a sheet bundle by shifting the bundle in the width direction and performing a crimp binding process.

Further, Patent Document 2 discloses an apparatus for ejecting a sheet to a position other than the crimp binding discharge position when it is determined that the number of sheets in the same bundle exceeds the maximum number of sheets that can be crimp-bound by the crimp-binding unit.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2015-020823 Japanese Patent No. 6238614

In recent years, as the maximum number of sheets that can be crimp-bound has increased, it has become necessary to divide the same bundle into a plurality of times so as not to exceed the maximum number of sheets that can be bundle-shifted, and to shift the bundle to the crimp-binding unit. .. Therefore, when the maximum number of sheets that can be crimp-bound exceeds the maximum number of sheets that can be crimp-stitched (the bundle is divided into multiple times in the same bundle and the bundle is shifted), and the number of sheets in the same bundle exceeds the maximum number of sheets that can be crimp-bound. Since the sheet bundle that has already been bundle-shifted to the crimp-binding unit exceeds the maximum number that can be bundle-shifted, it cannot be discharged to a position other than the crimp-binding discharge position. Therefore, the bundle-shifted sheet bundle is discharged to the crimp-binding discharge position, and it is known that the number of subsequently received sheets exceeds the maximum number of crimp-binding possible sheets in the same bundle, so the bundle is shifted to the crimp-binding unit. Do not operate and discharge to a position other than the crimp binding discharge position. This causes a problem that there are a plurality of discharge positions in the same bundle.

Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of the problems existing in such a conventional technique, and when the number of sheets in the same bundle exceeds the maximum number of sheets that can be pressure-bonded, there are a plurality of discharge positions in the same bundle. It is an object of the present invention to provide a sheet processing apparatus capable of avoiding the above.

The sheet processing apparatus of the present invention performs a binding process on the sheet without using a needle, the transport means for transporting the sheet in a predetermined direction, the stacking means for accumulating the sheets transported by the transport means, and the sheet. The needleless binding means engages with the edge of the sheet integrated in the stacking means parallel to the transport direction, and the sheet is moved to the needleless binding position where the needleless binding means performs the binding process. A bundle shifting means for moving in a direction orthogonal to the transport direction, a discharging means for discharging the sheet from the collecting means, a loading means for loading the sheet discharged by the discharging means, and a sheet to be accumulated in the collecting means. A sheet number recognizing means for recognizing the number of sheets, a bundle shifting means, and a control means for controlling the discharging means are provided, and the control means moves the sheets accumulated in the collecting means to the needleless binding position. When the sheet number recognizing means recognizes that the number of sheets accumulated in the stacking means exceeds a predetermined number, the sheet that has been moved to the needleless binding position is transferred to the loading means by the discharging means. After discharging, the sheet in the same portion that follows is accumulated in the stacking means, then moved to the needleless binding position by the bundle shifting means, and then discharged to the loading means by the discharging means. It is characterized by controlling the means and the discharging means.

According to the present invention, when it is determined that the number of sheets in the same bundle exceeds the maximum number of sheets that can be pressure-bonded, the sheet bundle shifted to the pressure-bonding position is discharged to the pressure-bonding discharge position without pressure-bonding. After that, the subsequent sheets are bundle-shifted to the crimp-binding position and discharged to the crimp-binding discharge position without crimp-binding, so that it is possible to prevent multiple discharge positions in the same bundle.

Explanatory drawing of the whole structure of the image formation system which concerns on this invention. It is explanatory drawing of the whole structure of the post-processing apparatus in the image formation system of FIG. The enlarged view of the route main part of the apparatus of FIG. Movement trajectory of staple unit and eco-binding means. The explanatory view which shows the arrangement relationship between the alignment position and the staple unit in the apparatus of FIG. Binding means slide mechanism diagram. The explanatory view of the 1st Embodiment of the differential means in the apparatus of FIG. The explanatory view of the 2nd Embodiment of the differential means in the apparatus of FIG. A binding means according to the present invention is shown, (a) is a configuration explanatory diagram of a staple unit, and (b) is a configuration explanatory diagram of an eco-binding unit. The explanatory view of the sheet bundle carrying-out mechanism in the apparatus of FIG. The block diagram which shows the control configuration in the apparatus of FIG. Binding processing paper ejection operation flow chart. Crimping binding operation flow in the device of FIG. Explanatory drawing of small size crimp binding operation (center alignment). Explanatory drawing of small size crimp binding operation (bundle shift). Explanatory drawing of small size crimp binding operation (discharging from binding operation). Large size Explanatory drawing of crimp binding operation (bundle shift) of a predetermined number or less. Large size Explanatory drawing of crimp binding operation (discharging from binding operation) of a predetermined number or less. Large size Explanatory drawing of crimp binding operation (center matching) exceeding a predetermined number of sheets. Large size Explanatory drawing of crimp binding operation (bundle shift / subsequent paper ejection) exceeding a predetermined number of sheets. Large size Explanatory drawing of crimp binding operation (binding operation) exceeding a predetermined number of sheets. Large size Explanatory drawing of crimp binding operation (discharge) exceeding a predetermined number of sheets. Operation flow when the number of sheets that can be crimp-bound is exceeded.

In the present specification, "offset transport of sheet bundle" means to move the sheet bundle carried in from the paper ejection port in a direction orthogonal to (or intersecting with) the sheet transport direction (width-alignment movement). The "offset amount" is the amount of movement. Further, "alignment of sheet bundles" means aligning sheets of different sizes according to a reference (center reference or one-side reference) for the sheets carried in from the paper ejection port. Therefore, "offset after aligning the sheets" means that after aligning the sheets with different sizes as a reference, the position of the entire sheet is moved in the direction orthogonal to the transport direction of the sheets. Further, here, the term “orthogonal” includes not only the case where the crossing is exactly at an angle of 90 ° but also the case where the crossing is at an angle of about 90 ° and the case where the crossing is substantially or substantially orthogonal.

[Image formation system]
Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail according to the preferred embodiments shown in the illustration. The present invention relates to a sheet post-processing device B that performs a binding process, a folding process, and other post-processing on a sheet image-formed by the image forming apparatus A as shown in FIG. 1, and an image forming system including the same.

The image forming apparatus A forms an image on a sheet based on image data read from an image of a copying machine, a facsimile apparatus, a printer apparatus, a printing apparatus, or the like or transferred from the outside. That is, the image forming apparatus A is configured as an image forming unit of a computer network output terminal, a copying machine system, a facsimile system, etc., and forms an image on a sheet based on the data read by the image reading unit in the system (stand-alone). Configuration) and a configuration (network configuration) in which an image is formed on a sheet based on image data created or read in a computer network are adopted. The image forming apparatus A and the sheet post-processing apparatus B will be described in this order according to FIG. 1 showing the network configuration.

[Image forming device]
The image forming apparatus A in the image forming system shown in FIG. 1 will be described. The illustrated image forming apparatus A shows an electrostatic printing mechanism, and is composed of an image forming unit A1, a scanner unit A2, and a feeder unit A3. The device housing 1 is provided with an installation leg 25 to be installed on an installation surface (for example, a floor surface). Further, a paper feeding unit 2, an image forming unit 3, a paper ejection unit 4, and a data processing unit 5 are built in the apparatus housing.

The paper feed unit 2 is composed of cassette mechanisms 2a to 2c for accommodating sheets of a plurality of sizes for forming an image, and feeds a sheet of a size designated by the main body control unit 90 to the paper feed path 6. For this reason, a plurality of cassettes 2a to 2c are detachably arranged in the device housing 1, and each cassette has a built-in separation mechanism for separating the internal sheets one by one and a paper feeding mechanism for feeding out the sheets. The paper feed path 6 is provided with a transport roller 7 for feeding sheets supplied from a plurality of cassettes 2a to 2c to the downstream side, and a resist roller pair 8 for aligning the tips of the sheets at the end of the path. ..

The large-capacity cassette 2d and the manual feed tray 2e are connected to the above-mentioned paper feed path 6, the large-capacity cassette 2d is composed of an optional unit for storing a large amount of sheets, and the manual feed tray 2e is a manual feed tray 2e. It is configured to be able to supply special sheets such as thick paper sheets, coating sheets, and film sheets that are difficult to feed separately.

The image forming unit 3 shows an electrostatic printing mechanism as an example, and has a photophore 9 (drum, belt), a light emitter 10 that emits an optical beam to the photophore, a developer 11 (developer), and a cleaner (non-existent). (Illustrated) is placed around a rotating photophore. The figure shows a monochrome printing mechanism, in which a latent image is optically formed on the photosensitive drum 9 by a light emitter, and toner ink is adhered to the latent image by the developing device 11.

Then, the sheet is sent from the paper feed path 6 to the image forming unit 3 at the timing of image formation on the photoconductor 9, the image is transferred onto the sheet by the transfer charger 12, and the fixing unit (roller) arranged in the paper ejection path 14 is transferred. ) It is fixed at 13. A paper ejection roller 15 and a paper ejection port 16 are arranged in the paper ejection path 14, and the sheet is conveyed to the sheet post-processing device B described later.

The scanner unit A2 described above transfers the platen 17 on which the image document is placed, the carriage 18 that reciprocates along the platen, the light source mounted on the carriage, and the reflected light from the document on the platen to the photoelectric conversion means 19. It is composed of a reduction optical system 20 (a combination of a mirror and a lens) for guiding. FIG. 21 is a second platen (running platen), and an image of the sheet sent from the feeder unit A3 is read by the carriage 18 and the reduction optical system 20 described above. Although the photoelectric conversion means 19 has been photoelectrically converted, the image data is electrically transferred to the image forming unit 3.

The feeder unit A3 is composed of a paper feed tray 22, a paper feed path 23 for guiding the sheet sent out from the paper feed tray to the traveling platen 21, and a paper output tray 24 for storing the original image read by the platen.

The image forming apparatus A is not limited to the above-mentioned mechanism, and a printing mechanism such as an offset printing mechanism, an inkjet printing mechanism, and an ink ribbon transfer printing mechanism (thermal transfer ribbon printing, sublimation type ribbon printing, etc.) can be adopted.

[Sheet post-processing device]
The sheet post-processing device B serves as a device for post-processing the sheet carried out from the paper ejection port 16 of the image forming device A, and has (1) a function of loading and accommodating the image-formed sheet (first and third processing units B1). , B3; printout mode), (2) a function to store image-formed sheets separately (third processing unit B3; jog sorting mode), and (3) image-formed sheets are aligned and integrated. The function of binding processing (first processing unit B1; binding processing mode) and (4) the function of aligning the image-formed sheets, binding processing, and then folding and finishing (second processing unit B2; bookbinding). Processing mode) and.

In the present invention, the sheet post-processing device B does not need to have all the above-mentioned functions, and may be appropriately configured according to the device specifications (design specifications). Also in this case, a processing unit (first processing unit B1) for aligning and accumulating sheets, a first binding means (needle binding unit 47 described later) having a high processing capacity with respect to the number of processed sheets, and a first. It is necessary to have a stack configuration in which a second binding means (needleless binding unit 51, which will be described later), which has a lower processing capacity than the binding means, is provided and is stored after being bound by the selected binding means.

FIG. 2 shows a detailed configuration of the sheet post-processing device B. The sheet post-processing device B has a carry-in port 26 connected to the paper ejection port 16 of the image forming device A, and a storage unit (first stack tray 49, second stack tray 61 described later) after post-processing the sheets carried in from the carry-in port. , Stored in the third stack tray 71). In the device shown in the figure, the sheets sent to the sheet carry-in route 28 are transferred from the first processing unit B1 to the first stack tray 49 (hereinafter referred to as “first tray” or “loading unit”) from the second processing unit B2 to the first. 2 The stack tray 61 (hereinafter referred to as “second tray”) is transferred from the third processing unit B3 to the third stack tray 71 (hereinafter referred to as “third tray”).

The first processing unit B1 is arranged at the route outlet (paper ejection port) 35 of the sheet carry-in route 28, and after the sequentially sent sheets are aligned and collected and bound, the first stack tray (first storage unit) Store in 49. The second processing unit B2 is arranged at the route outlet 62 (the end of the second switchback path described later) branched from the sheet carry-in route 28, and the sheets to be sequentially sent are aligned, accumulated, bound, and then folded. 2 Store in the stack tray (second storage unit) 61. The third processing unit B3 is incorporated in the sheet carry-in path 28, and the sheets to be conveyed are offset by a predetermined amount in the orthogonal direction to be divided and then stored in the third stack tray (third storage unit) 71.
Hereinafter, each configuration will be described in detail.

[Device housing]
As shown in FIG. 2, the sheet post-processing device B includes a device housing 27, a sheet carry-in path 28 which is built in the device housing and has a carry-in inlet 26 and a paper discharge port 35, and a sheet sent from this path. It is provided with a first processing unit B1 and a second processing unit B2 for post-processing, a third processing unit B3, and first, second, and third trays 49, 61, 71 for storing sheets sent from each processing unit. ing. The illustrated device housing 27 is arranged at substantially the same height as the housing 1 of the image forming apparatus A located on the upstream side, and the paper ejection port 16 of the image forming apparatus A and the carry-in entrance 26 of the sheet post-processing apparatus B are arranged from the installation surface. Are concatenated.

[Sheet delivery route (transport route)]
The sheet carry-in route 28 is composed of a straight path that crosses the device housing 27 in a substantially horizontal direction, and is connected to a paper discharge port (main body paper discharge port) 16 of the image forming apparatus A and a carry-in inlet 26, and the device is connected from this carry-in port. It is provided with a paper ejection port 35 located on the opposite side across the board. The sheet carry-in route 28 includes a transport roller 29 (sheet transport means such as a roller and a belt) for transporting the sheet from the carry-in inlet 26 toward the paper discharge port 35, and a paper discharge roller 36 arranged at the paper discharge port 35. (It may be a belt), an inlet sensor S1 for detecting the front and rear ends of the sheet carried into the route, and a paper discharge sensor S2 for detecting the front and rear ends of the sheet at the path discharge port are arranged.

The above-mentioned sheet carry-in route 28 is connected so as to distribute and transfer the sheet from the carry-in inlet 26 to the first processing unit B1 and the second processing unit B2, and the second processing unit B2 is downstream on the upstream side in the route paper ejection direction. The first processing unit B1 is connected to the side. The substantially linear sheet carry-in route 28 is route-branched so as to transfer the sheet from the carry-in inlet 26 toward the second processing unit B2, and then is arranged on the downstream side of the route output port 35. The route configuration is such that the route is guided to the processing unit B1.

Further, a third paper ejection pass (printout paper ejection pass) 30 for guiding the sheet not to be post-processed by the first and second processing units B1 and B2 to the third tray 71 is connected to the above-mentioned sheet carry-in route 28. The sheet is guided to the third tray (overflow tray) 71. A third processing unit B3 is built in the sheet carry-in route 28, and this processing unit sorts the sheets that carry the route by offsetting them in the direction orthogonal to the paper ejection. That is, a third processing unit B3 is built in the sheet carry-in route 28, and the sheets jog-sorted by this processing unit are stored in the third tray 71.

As shown in FIG. 2, the sheet carry-in route 28 is arranged in the order of "third paper discharge pass 30", "second paper discharge pass 32", and "first paper discharge pass 31" on the downstream side from the carry-in entrance 26. , The first path switching means 33 and the second path switching means 34 are arranged at the illustrated positions. Further, the second paper ejection pass 32 and the first paper ejection pass 31 are configured by a switchback pass that reverses the sheet transport direction and guides the sheet to each processing unit.

The third paper ejection pass 30 guides the sheet sent from the carry-in entrance 26 to the third tray, and the second paper ejection pass 32 guides the sheet sent from the carry-in entrance 26 to the second tray 61. The paper ejection pass 31 guides the sheet from the carry-in entrance 26 to the first tray 49. The sheets guided to the third tray 71 are jog-sorted by the third processing unit B3 in the carry-in route, and the sheets guided to the second tray 61 are bound by the second processing unit B2 to be bound by the first tray 49. The sheet guided to the above is bound by the first processing unit B1.

The first path switching means 33 is composed of a flapper guide that changes the seat transport direction, and is connected to a drive means (electromagnetic solenoid, minimotor, etc.) (not shown). The switching means 33 selects whether to guide the sheet from the carry-in entrance 26 to the third paper ejection pass 30 or to the first and second paper ejection passes 31 and 32. The second route switching means 34 selects whether to guide the sheet sent from the carry-in inlet 26 to the second processing unit B2 or to the first processing unit B1 on the downstream side thereof. A driving means (not shown) is also connected to the second path switching means 34. Further, in the sheet carry-in route 28, a punch unit 50 for punching punch holes in the carried-in sheet is arranged.

[First processing unit (mounting unit)]
The first processing unit B1 is composed of a processing tray 37 arranged on the downstream side of the sheet carry-in route 28 for aligning and accumulating sheets sent from the paper ejection port 35, and a binding processing mechanism for binding the accumulated sheet bundles. Will be done. As shown in FIG. 2, a step is formed in the paper ejection port 35 of the sheet carry-in route 28, and the processing tray 37 is arranged below the step, and the paper is conveyed between the paper ejection port 35 and the processing tray from the paper ejection port. A first paper ejection path (switchback path) 31 is formed in which the direction is reversed to guide the sheet onto the tray.

Between the paper ejection port 35 and the processing tray 37, there is a sheet loading mechanism for loading the sheet onto the tray from the paper ejection port, and a positioning mechanism for positioning the sheet at a predetermined binding position on the processing tray 37. A sheet bundle carrying-out mechanism for carrying out the bound sheet bundle to the first tray 49 on the downstream side is arranged. Each configuration will be described later.

The processing tray 37 shown in FIG. 2 bridge-supports the sheet sent from the paper ejection port 35 with the first tray 49 on the downstream side. That is, the sheet sent from the paper ejection port 35 is configured to bridge and support the front end portion on the uppermost sheet of the first tray 49 on the downstream side and the rear end portion on the processing tray 37. There is.

[Second processing unit]
A second paper ejection path (second switchback path) 32 is branched and connected to the upstream side of the first paper ejection path (first switchback path) 31 in the above-mentioned sheet carry-in route 28, and this paper ejection path is connected. Guides the sheet to the second processing unit B2. The second processing unit B2 aligns and accumulates the sheets sent from the sheet carry-in route 28, binds the central portion, and performs an internal folding process (hereinafter referred to as "magazine finish"). A second tray 61 is arranged on the downstream side of the second processing unit B2 to store the bound sheet bundle.

The second processing unit B2 is positioned by a guide member 66 that collects the sheets in a bundle, a regulation stopper 67 that positions the sheet at a predetermined position on the guide member (the one shown in the figure is a tip regulation stopper), and the stopper. It is composed of a staple device 63 (saddle stitch staple unit) that binds the central portion of the sheet to be bound, and a folding mechanism (folding roll pair 64 and folding blade 65) that folds the sheet bundle at the central portion after the binding process. ..

As disclosed in JP-A-2008-184324, JP-A-2009-051644, etc., the saddle-stitched staple unit 63 has a sheet center portion (line) with a sheet bundle sandwiched between a head unit and an anvil unit. ) Is used to move the position along the binding process. Further, as shown in FIG. 2, the folding processing mechanism adopts a configuration in which the creases of the sheet bundle are inserted into the folding roll pairs 64 which are pressed against each other by the folding blade 65 and folded by the rolling of the roll pairs. Such a mechanism is also disclosed in JP-A-2008-184324, JP-A-2009-051644 and the like.

The first processing unit B1 and the sheet carry-in route 28 shown in the figure are arranged in a substantially horizontal direction, and the second paper ejection path 32 for guiding the sheet to the second processing unit B2 is arranged in the vertical direction to align and collect the sheets. The guide member 66 is arranged in a substantially vertical direction. By arranging the sheet carry-in path 28 in the direction crossing the device housing 27 and arranging the processing paths (parts) 32 and B2 in the vertical direction in this way, the device can be slimmed down.

A second tray 61 is arranged on the downstream side of the second processing unit B2, and stores a bundle of sheets folded in a magazine shape. The illustrated second tray 61 is arranged below the first tray 49. This is because the frequency of use of the first tray 49 is higher than the frequency of use of the second tray 61, and the height position at which the sheet on the tray can be easily taken out is set in the first tray 49.

[Third processing unit]
In the sheet carry-in route 28, a third paper discharge pass 30 is formed on the upstream side of the first paper discharge pass 31 and the second paper discharge pass 32, and the sheet is guided to the third tray 71 from the carry-in entrance 26. Then, a roller shift mechanism (not shown) that offsets the sheet to be conveyed by a predetermined amount in the orthogonal direction is arranged in the path for guiding the sheet from the carry-in inlet 26 to the third tray 71 (carry-in path or third paper discharge path). ing.

Then, the sheet to be carried out to the third tray 71 is displaced (offset) in the orthogonal direction and stored on the tray so that the sheet is divided into parts from the carry-in entrance 26. Since various mechanisms are known for this jog sorting mechanism, the description thereof will be omitted.

[Structure of the first processing unit]
Each configuration of the sheet loading mechanism, the sheet positioning mechanism, the binding processing mechanism, and the sheet bundle unloading mechanism of the first processing unit B1 described above will be described.

[Sheet loading mechanism]
As shown in FIG. 3, between the paper ejection port 35 and the processing tray 37, a reverse transfer transport mechanism 41, 42 for switchback transporting the sheet from the paper ejection port in the direction opposite to the paper ejection direction, and a tray for the sheet. A guide mechanism (seat guide member) 44 that guides the seat to the side and a scraping rotating body 46 (hereinafter, “scraping means 46”) that guides the seat to the tip regulating means are arranged.

The reversing transfer mechanism includes an elevating roller 41 that moves up and down between an operating position that engages with a sheet carried onto the processing tray and a standby position that is separated from the sheet, and a paddle rotating body 42 that transfers the sheet in the opposite direction of paper ejection. The elevating roller 41 and the paddle rotating body 42 are attached to the swing bracket 43.

A swing bracket 43 is arranged on the device frame 27a so as to be swingable around a rotary shaft 36x (the one shown is a paper discharge roller shaft), and the rotary shafts of the elevating roller 41 and the paddle rotating body 42 are supported by bearings on this bracket. ing. A lifting motor (not shown) is connected to the swing bracket 43, and the lift roller 41 mounted and the paddle rotating body 42 move up and down between the operating position where the paddle rotating body 42 engages with the seat and the standby position separated from the seat.

Further, a drive motor (not shown) is connected to the elevating roller 41 to the paddle rotating body 42, and the drive is transmitted so that the elevating roller 41 rotates in the forward / reverse direction and the paddle rotating body 42 rotates in the reverse direction (the direction opposite to the paper ejection). ing. Further, in the processing tray 37, a driven roller 48 that is in pressure contact with the elevating roller 41 is arranged, and the sheet is carried out to the downstream side by niping a single sheet or a bundled sheet.

A guide mechanism for guiding the rear end of the sheet carried onto the processing tray toward the regulating means 38 is arranged between the elevating roller 41 and the scraping rotating body 46 described later, and the illustrated one is shown in FIG. It is composed of a sheet guide member 44 that moves up and down from a dotted line state to a solid line state, and this guide member 44 retracts to a dotted line position when the sheet is carried out from the paper ejection port 35, and the rear end of the sheet passes through the paper ejection port 35. Later, the rear end of the sheet is guided onto the processing tray. Therefore, a drive mechanism (not shown) is connected to the sheet guide member 44, and moves up and down according to the timing of guiding the rear end of the sheet from the paper ejection port 35 onto the processing tray. It should be noted that the control of these scraping means is performed by the scraping control means (not shown).

[Sheet positioning mechanism]
Positioning mechanisms 38 and 39 for positioning the seat at a predetermined binding position are arranged on the processing tray 37, and the one shown in the figure is based on the seat edge regulating means 38 for abutting and restricting the rear end of the seat and the seat side edge (the one shown). It is composed of side edge matching means 39 for positioning at a center reference, one side reference) position.

As shown in FIG. 3, the seat edge regulating means 38 is composed of a stopper member that abuts and regulates the rear edge of the seat. Further, the side edge matching member 39 will be described later according to FIG. 5, but in the illustrated device, the sheet is discharged from the sheet carry-in path 28 based on the center reference, and the sheet is positioned based on the same center reference according to the binding mode, or one side reference. Position.

[Side edge matching means (matching means)]
As shown in FIG. 5, the side edge matching plates 39F and 39R have a regulation surface 39x that protrudes upward from the paper mounting surface 37a of the processing tray 37 and engages with the side edge of the sheet, and is arranged so as to face each other in a pair of left and right. do. Then, the pair of side edge matching means 39 is arranged on the processing tray 37 so as to be reciprocating with a predetermined stroke. This stroke is set by the size difference between the maximum size sheet and the minimum size sheet and the offset amount for moving the position (offset transfer) of the sheet bundle after matching in either the left or right direction.

That is, the moving strokes of the left and right side edge matching means 39F and 39R are set by the moving amount for matching different size sheets and the offset amount of the sheet bundle after matching. The offset movement of the side edge matching plates 39F and 39R moves the sheet carried out based on the center reference to the right side when binding the right corner and to the left side when binding the left corner. This offset movement is performed one by one each time a sheet is carried into the processing tray 37 (for each carried-in sheet), or is moved for each bundle for binding processing after aligning the sheets into a bundle. Is adopted.

Therefore, as shown in FIG. 5, the side edge matching means 39 is composed of a right edge matching member 39F (device front side) and a left edge matching member 39R (device rear side), and the side edge matching member has a seat side. The restricting surface 39x that engages with the end is supported by the processing tray 37 so as to move in the approaching direction or the separating direction from each other. The processing tray 37 is provided with a slit groove (not shown) penetrating the front and back surfaces, and the side edge matching means 39 having a regulation surface 39x that engages with the sheet side edge is slidably fitted to the upper surface of the tray from this slit. ing.

The side edge matching members 39F and 39R are slidably supported by a plurality of guide rollers 80 (which may be rail members) on the back surface side of the tray, and the rack 81 is integrally formed. Matching motors M1 and M2 are connected to the left and right racks 81 via pinions 82. The left and right matching motors M1 and M2 are composed of stepping motors, position detection of the left and right side edge matching members 39F and 39R with a position sensor (not shown), and each matching member is placed in either the left or right direction based on the detected value. , It is configured to be able to move the position with the specified movement amount.

It is also possible to adopt a configuration in which each side edge matching member 39F, 39R is fixed to a timing belt and the belt is connected to a motor that reciprocates left and right by a pulley without using the rack-pinion mechanism shown in the figure.

The control means 95, which will be described later with such a configuration, sets the left and right side edge matching members 39F and 39R in a predetermined standby position (sheet width size + α position) based on the sheet size information provided by the image forming apparatus A or the like. Make it wait. Then, in the case of "multi-binding", the sheet is carried onto the processing tray 37, and the matching operation is started at the timing when the sheet edge hits the rear end regulating means 38. In this matching operation, the left and right matching motors M1 and M2 are rotated by the same amount in opposite directions (approaching directions).

Then, the sheets carried into the processing tray 37 are positioned with reference to the seat center and stacked in a bundle. By repeating the loading operation and the matching operation of the sheets, the sheets are aligned and accumulated in a bundle on the processing tray 37. At this time, the sheets of different sizes are positioned with respect to the center. Further, in the case of "corner binding", the sheet is carried onto the processing tray 37, and the matching operation is started at the timing when the sheet edge hits the rear end regulating means 38. This matching operation makes the amount of movement of the matching plate on the binding position side different from that of the matching plate on the opposite side of the binding position. Then, the movement amount is set so that the seat corner is located at the preset binding position.

When the "needleless binding process" described later is performed on the seat corner, the sheet discharged on the processing tray based on the center is center-aligned by the side alignment member 39F and the side alignment member 39R, and is positioned based on the seat center. It is made and stacked in a bundle. After stacking a predetermined number of stitches, the sheets are moved in the side matching member 39R direction while the sheet bundle is sandwiched by the side matching members 39F and 39R, and the bundle is moved to the needleless binding position.

In addition, when "needleless binding processing" is performed on a sheet having a size larger than a predetermined size and exceeding a predetermined number of sheets, the sheet discharged on the processing tray based on the center standard. On the other hand, when the center alignment is performed by the side alignment member 39F and the side alignment member 39R, the seat center is positioned as a reference and the predetermined number of sheets are stacked in a bundle shape, the needle is sandwiched between the side alignment members 39F and 39R. The bundle is moved to the none binding position, and then the side alignment member 39F returns to the sheet receiving position and accepts the ejection of the next sheet while leaving the side matching member 39R in the position where the side alignment member 39R is bundled. Then, when the sheet comes out on the processing tray, the side matching member 39F is positioned and moved in the direction approaching the side matching member 39R. As a result, more than a predetermined number of sheets (sheets ejected after the bundle shift operation) are moved to the needleless binding position one by one.

[Binding processing mechanism]
In the processing tray 37, binding processing mechanisms 47 and 60 for binding the sheet bundles accumulated on the paper mounting surface 37a are arranged. The processing tray 37 is positioned on the paper mounting surface 37a at a predetermined binding position by a positioning mechanism (sheet edge regulating means 38 and side edge matching means 39). The binding processing mechanisms 47 and 51 include a first binding unit 47 (first binding means; the same applies to the "staple unit" and the like) for stitching a bundle of sheets with staples, and a second binding unit 51 (second binding) for binding without staples. Means; “eco-binding unit” and the same applies hereinafter) are configured to be selectively arranged at the binding position.

As shown in FIG. 2, the processing tray 37 is provided with binding processing mechanisms 47 and 51 for binding the rear ends of the sheets carried in from the paper ejection port 35, and the binding mechanism is the processing tray 37 as shown in FIG. It is composed of a staple unit (first binding unit) 47 and an eco-binding unit (second binding unit) 51 that can be moved in position along the rear end of the paper mounting surface 37a.

FIG. 4 shows a staple unit (first binding unit) 47 and an eco-binding unit (second binding unit) 51 arranged on the processing tray. In the illustrated device, the binding position Cp1 is set in the seat corner located on the left side in the drawing. The first binding unit 47 and the second binding unit 51 reciprocally move to the binding position Cp1.

Therefore, the first binding unit 47 moves along the first traveling rail 53 and the second traveling rail 54 formed on the device frame 27b with a predetermined stroke SL1, and the second binding unit 51 is similarly arranged on the device frame 57. It is arranged so as to move with the stroke SL2 along the first guide rod 56a and the second guide rod 56b (see FIG. 10).

FIG. 5 shows the sheet carried into the processing tray 37 and the moving strokes of the first and second binding units 47 and 51. Sheets of different sizes are carried into the processing tray 37 from the maximum size sheet to the minimum size sheet based on the center. A pair of left and right side edge matching members 39F and 39R align this sheet with reference to the binding side edge of the sheet (the left edge in the figure) (so that sheets of different sizes match). Therefore, the left and right matching members 39F and 39R are connected to different drive motors M1 and M2, respectively, and the control means 95 described later sets the amount of movement of the left and right matching members 39F and 39R according to the seat size.

The control means 95, which will be described later, aligns the sheets with reference to the center in a binding process other than the sheet corner binding process, for example, in the multi-binding mode described later. In this case, the left and right matching members 39F and 39R position the seat at the binding position by moving the same amount from the standby position toward the seat center.

Explaining according to FIG. 5, the first binding unit 47 is the first stroke SL1 between the standby position Wp1 (first standby position) and the binding position Cp1, and the second binding unit 51 is the standby position Wp2 (second standby position). It moves in the second stroke SL2 between the binding position Cp1 and the binding position Cp1. That is, the first binding unit 47 reciprocates between the standby position Wp1 and the binding position Cp1 along the traveling rails 53 and 54 (guide grooves, guide rods, etc.), and the second binding unit 51 reciprocates along the guide rods 56a and 56b (guide rods 56a and 56b). It reciprocates between the standby position Wp2 and the binding position Cp1 along the guide groove).

The binding position Cp1 is set in the seat corner (hereinafter referred to as "set binding position"), and the following relationship is established between the first standby position Wp1 and the second standby position Wp2 with respect to this position.
(1) Setting The first standby position Wp1 and the second standby position Wp2 are set to be located on opposite sides of the binding position Cp1.
(2) The first standby position Wp1 is the binding processing position farthest from the set binding position Cp1 on the outside of the maximum size sheet to be bound on the processing tray or on the processing tray (multi-binding position Ma or manual binding position described later). Set to any of Mp (maximum remote binding position).
(3) The second standby position Wp2 is set to the outside of the sheet side edge (outside the sheet mounting area on the paper mounting surface) that matches the set binding position.
(4) The first stroke length SL1 between the first standby position Wp1 and the set binding position Cp1 is set to be larger (longer) than the second stroke length SL2 between the second standby position Wp2 and the set binding position Cp1. do.

By setting the first standby position Wp1 and the second standby position Wp2 on opposite sides with respect to the set binding position Cp1 in this way, when one unit approaches, the other unit moves in the direction away from each other (reciprocal evacuation approach). motion). Further, by setting SL1> SL2, the binding processing position (multi-binding position Ma described later) of the first binding unit 47 can be set relatively freely. On the other hand, the second binding unit 51 performs binding processing only at a preset binding position. As a result, the total movement stroke length of the first and second binding units 47 and 51 can be set small, and the device can be miniaturized.

Then, in the control means 95 described later, when the first binding unit 47 is the set binding position Cp1, the second binding unit is in the standby position Wp2, and when the second binding unit 51 is the set binding position Cp1, the first binding unit is in the standby position Wp1. Move both units reciprocally so that they are located at. That is, when the sheet is bound by one binding unit, the position of the other binding unit is set to the outside (outside) of the sheet carry-in area of the sheet carried into the processing tray 37 (the sheet bound by one binding unit), that is, the processing tray. It is set to the outside of the sheet on 37 (a state in which the sheet bound by one binding unit does not enter the opening of the other binding unit). With such a configuration, when the first binding unit 47 performs the binding process, the opening of the second binding unit 51 does not interfere with the sheet bundle and the posture of the sheet bundle is not disturbed. Further, the number of sheets to be bound by the first binding unit 47 is not limited by the binding processing capacity of the second binding unit 51 having a low processing capacity.

The reciprocal position movements of the first and second binding units 47 and 51 can be either (1) different rotation amounts according to the movement stroke with independent drive motors, or (2) the first binding unit with the same drive source. Either method is adopted in which the movement amounts of the 47 and the second binding unit 51 are different.

FIG. 6 shows a mode in which the first binding unit 47 and the second binding unit 51 are moved differently with the same drive source. A pair of left and right pulleys 58a and 58b are arranged on the device frame 27b along the moving region of the first unit (horizontal direction in FIG. 6), and a timing belt 59 (toothed belt) is bridged between the two pulleys. A drive motor M3 (stepping motor) is connected to the pulley 58a of the above.

A transmission pinion 75 is connected to the other pulley 58b via a differential means (transmission means) 74, and a rack 76 fixed to the frame of the second binding unit 51 meshes with this pinion. The differential means 74 is either a gear mechanism having a transmission ratio suitable for the stroke difference between the first and second strokes SL1 and SL2 (the first embodiment below) or a slip clutch mechanism (the second embodiment below). It is composed of a combination of these two mechanisms.

[First Embodiment of Differential Means]
FIG. 7 shows a first embodiment of the differential means 74, and when the drive motor M3 rotates in a predetermined manner by the transmission mechanism shown in the perspective configuration in FIG. 6, the first binding unit 47 has the first stroke SL1 at the rotation amount. The second binding unit 51 moves linearly back and forth, and the transmission ratio is different so that the second binding unit 51 moves linearly back and forth with the second stroke SL2.

For example, the device shown in the figure has a gear ratio and a gear ratio of the gear G1 connected to the drive motor M3 because the second stroke length SL2 is set to 1/5 with respect to the first stroke length SL1. The gear ratio of the gear G3 that meshes with the rack via G2 is set to 5 times. In FIG. 7B, a transmission gear G1 is provided on a pulley (driven side pulley) 58b connected to the drive motor M3, and the gear G2 driven by the gear is coaxial with the rack 76 and the meshed gear G3. They are connected so as to rotate integrally. The gear ratios of the gears G1 and the gears G2 and G3 are set to match the stroke ratios of the first and second stroke lengths SL1 and SL2.

Therefore, when the drive motor M3 is rotated by a predetermined amount, the first binding unit 47 moves between the first strokes SL1 and at the same time, the second binding unit moves between the second strokes SL2. The moving direction is set to the same direction.

[Second Embodiment of Differential Means]
As shown in the perspective configuration in FIG. 6, the timing belt 59 of the first binding unit 47 is connected to the drive motor M3. At this time, as described above, the moving stroke SL1 of the first binding unit 47 is set longer than the moving stroke SL2 of the second binding unit 51. Therefore, in the differential means 77 shown in FIG. 8, the slip clutch means 78 is arranged as the transmission means of the second binding unit 51 having a short moving distance.

FIG. 8A shows an example of the slip clutch mechanism. A transmission gear G4 is provided integrally with the pulley shaft 58x of the timing belt 59 that is connected to the drive motor M3 and reciprocates the first binding unit 47, and the gear G5 that meshes with this gear is integrally attached to the transmission rotation shaft 79. Has been done. A transmission pinion G6 is rotatably loosely fitted on the outer periphery of the transmission rotation shaft 79. A rack 76 fixed to the second binding unit 51 is connected to the transmission pinion G6 so as to mesh with the transmission pinion G6.

The load torque transmitted to the transmission pinion G6 by the clutch spring 73 exceeds a predetermined value between the transmission rotation shaft 79 connected to the drive motor M3 and the transmission pinion G6 loosely fitted to the rotation shaft. Occasionally, a sliding motion is provided between the transmission rotation shaft 79 and the transmission pinion G6.

As shown in FIGS. 8B, 8C and 8D, the free ends 73a and 73b of the clutch spring 73 are adapted to engage with the protrusions G6a and G6b provided on the transmission pinion G6 side. The clutch spring 73 and the transmission rotation shaft 79 are frictionally engaged with each other. Regarding the frictional relationship, when the load torque of the transmission pinion G6 exceeds a predetermined value, the spring relaxes and slip occurs between the transmission rotation shaft 79 and the transmission pinion G6, and when the load torque is equal to or less than the predetermined value, FIG. The rotation is transmitted in the state of b). When the load torque acting on the second binding unit 51 exceeds a predetermined value, slippage occurs between the transmission rotation shaft 79 and the transmission pinion G6 during rotation in the direction of the arrows in FIGS. 8 (c) and 8 (d).

In such a configuration, when the first binding unit 47 is moved from the set binding position Cp1 to the standby position Wp1 by the rotation of the drive motor M3, the clutch spring 73 interlocks the second binding unit 51 in the state of FIG. 8B. It moves from the standby position Wp2 toward the set binding position Cp1. When the second binding unit 51 reaches the set binding position Cp1 and hits the locking stopper (not shown), a load torque close to infinity acts on the transmission pinion G6. When the load torque is exceeded, the clutch spring 73 forms a gap with the transmission rotation shaft 79 and slides. Then, the first binding unit 47 moves toward the standby position Wp1 due to the subsequent rotation of the drive motor M3.

The transmission rotation and the sliding rotation by the clutch spring 73 perform the same interlocking action when the first binding unit 47 is moved from the standby position Wp1 to the set binding position Cp1 (rotation in the opposite direction of the motor). In this way, the first binding unit 47 reciprocates between the first stroke SL1 by the forward and reverse rotation of the drive motor M3, and at the initial stage of the movement, the second binding unit 51 is interlocked to reciprocate between the second stroke SL2. After that, the rotation of the drive motor M3 is transmitted only to the first binding unit 47.

[Staple unit movement mechanism]
As shown in FIG. 3, the staple unit 47 is movably mounted on the device frame (chassis frame) 27b with a predetermined stroke. A first traveling rail 53 and a second traveling rail 54 are arranged on the device frame 27b. A traveling rail surface 53x is formed on the first traveling rail 53, and a traveling cam surface 54x is formed on the second traveling rail 54. The traveling rail surface 53x and the traveling cam surface 54x cooperate with each other to form a staple unit 47 (hereinafter referred to as this item). The "moving unit") is supported so that it can reciprocate with a predetermined stroke, and at the same time, its angular posture is controlled.

The first traveling rail 53 and the second traveling rail 54 are formed with a rail surface 53x and a traveling cam surface 54x so as to reciprocate within the moving range of the moving unit (see FIG. 5). A timing belt 59 connected to the drive motor (traveling motor) M3 is fixed to the moving unit 47 (staple unit). The timing belt 59 is wound around a pair of pulleys 58a and 58b pivotally supported by the device frame 27b, and a drive motor M3 is connected to one of the pulleys. Therefore, the staple unit 47 reciprocates with the stroke SL1 by the forward and reverse rotation of the drive motor M3.

The traveling rail surface 53x and the traveling cam surface 54x have an interval between a parallel interval portion (span I1) parallel to each other, a narrow swing interval portion (span I2), and a narrower interval swing interval portion (span I). It is formed. Then, it is configured in the relationship of span I1> span I2> span I3. In the span I1, the unit is changed to a posture parallel to the rear edge of the seat, in the span I2, the unit is tilted to the left or right, and in the span I3, the unit is changed to a further tilted angle posture.

The moving unit 47 is engaged with the first and second traveling rails 53 and 54 as follows. As shown in FIG. 3, the moving unit 47 includes a first rolling roller 83 (rail fitting member) that engages with the traveling rail surface 53x and a second rolling roller 84 (a second rolling roller 84 (rail fitting member) that engages with the traveling cam surface 54x. A cam follower member) is provided. At the same time, the moving unit 47 has a sliding roller 85 that engages with the support surface of the frame 27b (in the figure, ball-shaped sliding rollers 85a and 85b are formed at two points). Further, the moving unit 47 is formed with a guide roller 86 that engages with the bottom surface of the bottom frame portion frame to prevent the moving unit 47 from floating from the bottom frame frame 27b.

From the above configuration, the moving unit 47 is movably supported by the bottom frame frame 27b by the sliding roller 85 and the guide roller 86. At the same time, the first rolling roller 83 travels on the traveling rail surface 53x, and the second rolling roller 84 travels along the traveling cam surface 54x while following the rail surface 53x and the cam surface 54x.

Therefore, the distance between the traveling rail surface 53x and the cam surface 54x is such that the parallel spacing portion (span I1) is formed at the above-mentioned multi-binding positions Ma1 and Ma2 and the manual binding position Mp. In this span I1, as shown in FIG. 4, the moving unit 47 is held in a posture orthogonal to the seat edge without swinging. Therefore, in the multi-binding position and the manual binding position, the sheet bundle is bound with a staple needle parallel to the edge of the sheet.

Further, the distance between the traveling rail surface 53x and the cam surface 54x is such that the swing interval (span I2) is formed at the right corner binding position Cp2 and the left corner binding position Cp1. As shown in FIG. 4, the moving unit 47 is held in a posture tilted to the right (for example, tilted 45 degrees to the right) and a posture tilted to the left (for example, tilted 45 degrees to the left).

Further, the distance between the traveling rail surface 53x and the cam surface 54x is such that the swing interval (span I3) is formed at the needle loading position. The spans I3 are formed at intervals shorter than the spans I2, and in this state, the moving unit 47 is held in a right tilt angle posture (for example, 60 degree tilt) as shown in FIG. The angle of the moving unit 47 is changed at the needle loading position in order to match the unit posture in the angle direction in which the needle cartridge 52 is mounted on the unit, and the angle is set in relation to the opening / closing cover arranged in the outer casing.

When the angular posture of the moving unit is deflected by the traveling rail surface 53x and the traveling cam surface 54x, a second traveling cam surface is provided or a stopper cam surface is provided to shorten the traveling length. It is preferable to deflect the angle in cooperation with the compact layout.

The illustrated stopper cam surface will be described. As shown in FIG. 4, the bottom frame frame 27b has a right corner binding position Cp2 on the front side of the device and a part of a moving unit (the one shown is a sliding roller 85) for changing the unit posture at the manual binding position Mp. The engaging stopper surfaces 27c and 27d are arranged at the positions shown in the figure. As a result, it is necessary to correct the inclination of the unit inclined at the needle loading position at the manual binding position Mp, but changing the angle only on the cam surface and the rail surface described above makes the movement stroke redundant.

Therefore, when the moving unit 47 is locked on the stopper surface 27c and advanced to the manual binding side, the unit returns from the tilted state to the original state. Further, when the moving unit 47 is returned from the manual binding position in the opposite direction, the stopper surface 27d tilts the unit (forcibly) toward the corner binding position.

[Structure of staple unit]
The configuration of the above-mentioned staple unit (first binding unit) will be described with reference to FIG. 9A. The staple unit 47 is configured as a unit separately from the seat post-processing device B. A box-shaped unit frame 47a, a drive cam 47d swingably supported by the frame, and a drive motor M4 that rotates the drive cam are mounted on the unit frame 47a.

The staple head 47b and the anvil member 47c are arranged on the drive cam 47d so as to face each other at the binding position, and the staple head 47b is attached to the drive cam 47d by an urging spring (not shown) from the upper standby position to the lower staple position (anvil member). ) Moves up and down. A needle cartridge 52 is detachably attached to the unit frame.

A straight blank needle is housed in the needle cartridge 52, and the needle is supplied to the staple head 47b by the needle feed mechanism. The staple head portion 47b contains a former member that bends a straight needle into a U shape, and a driver that press-fits the bent needle into a bundle of sheets. With such a configuration, the drive cam 47d is rotated by the drive motor M4 and is stored in the urging spring. Then, when the rotation angle reaches a predetermined angle, the staple head portion 47b vigorously descends toward the anvil member 47c. In this operation, the staple needle is bent into a U shape and then inserted into the sheet bundle with a screwdriver. The tip is bent by the anvil member 47c and stapled.

Further, a needle feed mechanism is built in between the needle cartridge 52 and the staple head 47b, and a sensor (empty sensor) for detecting no needle is arranged in the needle feed portion. Alternatively, a cartridge sensor (not shown) for detecting whether or not the needle cartridge 52 is inserted is arranged on the unit frame 47a.

The illustrated needle cartridge 52 employs a structure in which staple needles connected in a band shape to a box-shaped cartridge are stacked and stored in a stacked manner, and a structure in which the staple needles 52 are stored in a roll shape. Further, the unit frame 47a is provided with a circuit for controlling each of the above-mentioned sensors and a circuit board for controlling the drive motor M4, and emits a warning signal when the needle cartridge 52 is not housed or when the staple needle is empty. It has become. Further, this staple control circuit controls the drive motor M4 so as to execute the staple operation by the staple needle signal, and when the staple head moves from the standby position to the anvil position and returns to the standby position again, the "operation end signal" is obtained. Is configured to send.

[Structure of needleless binding unit (crimp binding means)]
The configuration of the second binding unit (needleless binding unit) 51 described above will be described with reference to FIG. 9 (b). As a needleless binding means for binding a sheet bundle without using a metal needle, a means for binding the sheet bundles from the front and back with a pressure member having an uneven surface that meshes with each other (press bind binding device). A means for forming a slit-shaped notch in the sheet bundle and folding and binding the paper sheets to each other (cut-and-fold binding device; see Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2011-256008) and a means for binding with a vegetable resin string (see Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2011-256008). Resin string binding device) and the like are known. These binding methods are known as eco-binding binding methods because they are bound using a sheet bundle without using a metal needle. The press binding mechanism will be described below as an example.

As a press-binding mechanism, uneven surfaces are formed on the pressure surfaces 51b and 51c that can be pressed and separated from each other, and the sheet bundles are pressed from the front and back to deform and bind the sheets. FIG. 9B shows a press-bind unit 51, in which a movable frame member 51d is oscillatingly supported on a base frame member 51a, and both frames are oscillated so as to be pressure-contacted and separated by a support shaft 51x. A follower roller 60 is arranged on the movable frame member 51d, and a drive cam 68 arranged on the base frame member 51a is engaged with the follower roller.

A drive motor M5 arranged on the base frame member 51a is connected to the drive cam 68 via a reduction mechanism, the drive cam 68 rotates due to the rotation of the motor, and the movable frame is on the cam surface (the one shown is an eccentric cam). The member 51d is configured to swing.

The lower pressurizing surface 51c is arranged on the base frame member 51a, and the upper pressurizing surface 51b is arranged on the movable frame member 51d at positions facing each other. Although not shown, an urging spring is arranged between the base frame member 51a and the movable frame member 51d, and the pressing surfaces are urged in a direction in which they are separated from each other.

As shown in the enlarged view shown in FIG. 8B, the upper pressurizing surface 51b and the lower pressurizing surface 51c are formed with protrusions on one side and recessed grooves compatible with the protrusions on the other side. The protrusions and recessed grooves are formed in the shape of ridges (ribs) having a predetermined length. Therefore, the sheet bundle sandwiched between the upper pressurizing surface 51b and the lower pressurizing surface 51c is deformed into a corrugated sheet shape and comes into close contact with each other. A position sensor (not shown) is arranged on the base frame member 51a (unit frame), and is configured to detect whether the upper and lower pressurizing surfaces 51b and 51c are in the pressurizing position or the separated position.

The press-bind unit (eco-binding unit; second binding unit) 51 configured in this way can be moved to the first and second guide rods 56a and 56b (which may be grooves) arranged in the device frame 57. It reciprocates between the set binding position Cp1 and the second standby position Wp of the sheets arranged on the processing tray 37 and accumulated on the processing tray 37 as described above.

[Sheet bundle carry-out mechanism]
The processing tray 37 described above is provided with a sheet bundle unloading mechanism for carrying out the bound sheet bundle toward the first tray 49 on the downstream side. As a means for transporting the sheet bundle to the downstream side, a method of transporting the sheet bundle by a roller pair (discharge means) that presses against each other and a conveyor means that pushes out the rear end of the sheet by an extrusion member that moves from the upstream side to the downstream side along the tray surface. It has been known. The device shown in the figure employs both means.

FIG. 10 shows the sheet bundle unloading mechanism, and moves the extrusion protrusion 38 to be transferred from the binding position (processing position) located on the upstream side along the processing tray 37 to the stack tray (first tray) 49 on the downstream side. Conveyor means is composed of a conveyor belt 38v and a drive motor M6 thereof. A driven roller 48 is arranged on the processing tray 37 at the carry-out port (the boundary between the paper mounting surface 37a and the first tray 49), and the elevating roller 41 that presses against the driven roller is arranged to face each other in the above-described configuration. The 48 and the elevating roller 41 constitute a carry-out roller means.

Therefore, the processing tray 37 is provided with conveyor means 38, 38v for transferring the sheet bundle so as to push it from the upstream side to the downstream side, and unloading roller means 48, 41 for niping the sheet bundle and carrying it out. .. FIG. 10A shows a state in which the sheet bundle is located at the binding position on the processing tray, and at this time, the conveyor means 38, 38v and the unloading roller means 48, 41 are placed in the operating state. FIG. 3B shows a state in which the sheet bundle is being transferred from the processing position to the downstream side, and the sheet bundle is sent to the downstream side by moving the position of the extrusion protrusion 38 and rotating the carry-out roller means 48 and 41. FIG. 3C shows a state immediately before the sheet bundle is carried out to the first tray 49 on the downstream side, and the sheet bundle is gradually moved to the downstream side (low speed) by the rotation of the carry-out roller means 48 and 41 on the processing tray. Will be sent. At this time, the extruded protrusion 38 stands by at the indicated position and returns to the initial position (backward movement).

[Structure of folding roll means]
The folding position Y arranged on the downstream side of the second processing unit B2 is provided with a folding roll means 64 for folding the sheet bundle and a folding blade 65 for inserting the sheet bundle at the nip position of the folding roll means. ..

The pair of folding rolls 64a and 64b are made of a material having a relatively large coefficient of friction, such as a rubber roller. This is because the sheet is transferred in the rotational direction while being bent by a soft material such as rubber, and may be formed by lining the rubber material.

The pair of folding rolls 64a and 64b are located on the curved or bent protruding side of the guide member 66, and a folding blade 65 having a knife edge is provided at a position facing the sheet bundle supported by the guide member. ..

[Sheet bundle folding finish mode]
In this mode, the image forming apparatus A forms an image on the sheet, and the sheet post-processing apparatus B finishes it in a booklet shape. The sheet sent to the sheet carry-in route 28 is guided to the paper ejection roller 36, where the control CPU 95 ejects the paper at the timing when the sheet rear end passes through the path switching piece based on the signal detected by the sheet sensor S1 at the sheet rear end. Stop the roller 36. Then, the paper ejection roller 36 is reversed. Then, the sheet that has entered the sheet carry-in path 28 is reversed in the transport direction, and is guided from the path switching piece to the second paper ejection path 32. Then, it is guided to the guide member 66 by the transport roller arranged in this path.

The control CPU 95 moves the position of the regulation stopper 67 at the timing when the sheet is carried from the second paper ejection path 32 to the guide member 66. Then, the entire sheet is supported by the guide member 66.

Therefore, when the control CPU 95 receives the job end signal, it moves the regulation stopper 67 and positions and sets the center of the seat at the binding position. Then, the control CPU 95 operates the saddle stitching stapler device 63 to staple one or a plurality of places in the center of the sheet. Upon the completion signal of this operation, the control CPU 95 moves the regulation stopper 67, positions and sets the center of the sheet at the folding position Y, folds the sheet bundle, and then carries out the sheet bundle to the second stack tray 61.

[Explanation of control configuration]
The control configuration in the image forming system of FIG. 1 will be described with reference to FIG. The image forming system shown in FIG. 11 includes a control unit 90 of the image forming apparatus A (hereinafter referred to as “main body control unit”) and a control unit 95 of the sheet post-processing device B (hereinafter referred to as “binding processing control unit”). .. The main body control unit 90 includes a print control unit 91, a paper feed control unit 92, and an input unit 93 (control panel).

Then, the "image formation mode" and the "post-processing mode" are set from the input unit 93 (control panel). The image formation mode sets mode settings such as color / monochrome printing and double-sided / single-sided printing, and image formation conditions such as sheet size, sheet quality, number of printouts, and enlarged / reduced printing. Further, the "post-processing mode" is set to, for example, "printout mode", "staple binding processing mode", "eco-binding processing mode", "jog sorting mode" and the like. The device shown in the figure is provided with a "manual binding mode", in which the sheet bundle binding processing operation is executed offline separately from the main body control unit 90 of the image forming apparatus A.

Further, the main body control unit 90 transfers data to the binding processing control unit 95, such as the post-processing mode, the number of sheets, the number of copies information, and the paper thickness information of the sheet forming the image. At the same time, the main body control unit 90 transfers the job end signal to the binding processing control unit 75 each time the image formation is completed.

Explaining the post-processing mode described above, in the “printout mode”, the sheets from the paper ejection port 35 are accommodated in the stack tray 49 via the processing tray 37 without binding processing. In this case, the sheets are stacked on the processing tray 37 and stacked, and the stacked sheet bundle is carried out to the stack tray 49 by the jog end signal from the main body control unit 90.

In the "staple binding processing mode", the sheets from the paper ejection port 35 are collected on the processing tray, aligned, and the sheet bundle is bound and then stored in the stack tray 49. In this case, the sheet to be image-formed is, in principle, designated by the operator as a sheet having the same paper thickness and the same size. This staple binding processing mode is specified by selecting one of "multi-binding", "right-corner binding", and "left-corner binding". Each binding position is as described above.

The above-mentioned "jog sorting mode" is divided into a group in which the sheets image-formed by the image forming apparatus A are offset and accumulated, and a group in which the sheets are accumulated without offset, and the stack tray is alternately offset. Sheet bundles that are not offset are stacked.

[Manual binding mode]
The outer casing is provided on the front side of the device with a manual feed set portion for setting a bundle of sheets to be bound by the operator. A sensor for detecting the set sheet bundle is arranged on the set surface of the manual feed set unit, and the binding processing control unit 95, which will be described later, moves the stapler unit 47 to the manual binding position by a signal from this sensor. Then, when the operator presses the operation switch, the binding process is executed.

Therefore, in this manual binding mode, the binding processing control unit 95 and the main body control unit 90 are controlled offline. However, when the manual binding mode and the staple binding mode are executed at the same time, the mode is set so that either one has priority.

[Binding processing control unit (control means)]
The binding processing control unit 95 operates the sheet post-processing device B according to the post-processing mode set by the image formation control unit 90. The illustrated binding processing control unit 95 is composed of a control CPU (hereinafter, simply referred to as a control means). The ROM 96 and the RAM 97 are connected to the control CPU 95, and the paper ejection operation described later is executed by the control program stored in the ROM 96 and the control data stored in the RAM 97. Therefore, the control CPU 95 is connected to the drive circuits of all the drive motors described above, and each motor is controlled to start, stop, and forward / reverse.

[Paper ejection operation mode]
The control unit (main body control unit) 90 of the image forming apparatus A sets a post-processing (finishing processing) mode of the image-formed sheet at the same time as the image forming conditions. The illustrated device is set to "staple binding mode", "eco binding mode", "jog sorting mode", "bookbinding finishing mode", "printout mode", "interruption mode", and "manual binding mode". The operation of each mode will be described below.

FIG. 12 is an explanatory diagram of an operation flow in which the sheet bundles accumulated in the processing tray 37 of the first processing unit B1 are staple-bound or eco-bound and stored in the first tray 49 on the downstream side. FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram of a paper ejection mode in which a sheet is jog-divided for each portion, and is offset in the paper ejection orthogonal direction by a jog mechanism (roller shift mechanism; not shown) of the third processing unit (sheet carrying path) B3. It is explanatory drawing of the operation flow which is stored in the 3rd tray 71 on the downstream side later. FIG. 14 is an explanatory diagram of a bookbinding processing paper ejection mode in which the sheet is bound and finished by the second processing unit B2.

[Staple binding mode and eco-binding mode in the first processing unit]
Explaining according to FIG. 12, the post-processing mode is set on the control panel 93 of the image forming apparatus A (St01). The control means 95 of the sheet post-processing device moves the binding unit when the staple binding process is specified based on the post-processing mode setting information (St04). The binding unit is also moved when the eco-binding process is denied (St05).

When the staple binding process is performed, the first binding unit 47 is sometimes moved to the set binding position Cp1, and the second binding unit is moved to the second standby position Wp2. When this unit position is set as the home position, it is confirmed whether each unit is home and moves.

Next, the image forming apparatus A forms an image and ejects the sheet (St07, St08). The sheet post-processing device B receives the image forming sheet sent to the carry-in port 26 and conveys it to the downstream side (St09). At this time, when the punching process is specified (St10), the control means 95 temporarily stops the sheet at the drilling position (St11). Then, the punch unit 50 is moved in the direction orthogonal to the paper ejection, the side edge of the sheet is detected by the sensor to determine a predetermined punching position, and then the punching unit 50 is stopped to execute the punching operation (St13).

When the punching process is not specified, the control means 95 accepts the carry-in inlet side sheet and conveys it to the route paper ejection port. Then, it is carried into the processing tray 37 and positioned at a predetermined position by the positioning means (St15). The control means 95 stacks and stores the sheets sent to the paper ejection port 35 on the paper mounting surface of the processing tray 37 (St07 to St15). Then, when the jog end signal is received from the image forming apparatus A (St16), the control means 95 transmits a binding processing instruction signal to the first binding unit 47 or the second binding unit 51. Then, the first binding unit 47 or the second binding unit 51 executes the binding process (St17).

When the control means 95 receives the binding processing end signal from the first (or second) binding units 47 and 51, the control means 95 stores the sheet bundle processed by the sheet bundle unloading means in the first tray 49 on the downstream side (St18). .. Then, the load height is detected by a paper level detection sensor (not shown) arranged on the first tray 49, and when the predetermined angle is exceeded, the first tray 49 is moved down (St20). Next, the control means 95 determines whether or not there is a next job (St21), and completes the operation.

[Eco binding mode]
Hereinafter, the details of the eco-binding mode operation will be described with reference to FIG. 13 of the flowchart showing the NS binding (eco-binding) operation.

[Explanation of eco-binding operation]
The eco-binding processing operation will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 13 and the corresponding operation diagrams of FIGS. 14 and later. When the control means 95 receives a signal from the image forming unit A that the crimp binding processing mode is selected, the control means 95 starts the crimp binding job. Based on the paper ejection start signal sent from the image forming apparatus main body or the tip detection signal from the sheet sensor S1 (St22), at least before the first sheet of the target sheet to be pressure-bonded is discharged to the processing tray 37. , The paddle rotating body 42 is positioned at the standby position, and the side alignment means 39F and 39R are positioned at the standby position wider than the width of the sheet to be discharged (located outside the width direction of the sheet width) (St23). ..

Next, the control means 95 lowers the paddle rotating body 42 from the upper standby position to the operating position at the timing (St24, FIG. 14A) when the rear end of the sheet passes through the paper ejection roller 36, and at the same time, the knurled rotating body 46. (Knurled belt 46) is lowered from the standby position above the paper mounting surface to the operating position on the paper mounting surface (St25). At this time, both the paddle rotating body 42 and the knurling rotating body 46 are rotating in the direction opposite to the paper ejection direction.

The control means 95 raises the paddle rotating body 42 from the operating position to the standby position when a predetermined time (estimated time when the rear end of the seat reaches the position where the knurled rotating body 46 is scraped) has elapsed). Further, the control means 95 raises the knurled rotating body 46 by a small amount after a predetermined time (estimated time when the front end of the seat reaches the rear end regulating member) has elapsed. The amount of rise of the knurled rotating body 46 is set in advance, and is set based on experimental values so that the pressing force on the seat is reduced. As a result, the rear end of the seat in the transport direction is in contact with the seat regulating means 38 (FIG. 14 (b)).

Next, the control means 95 makes the control different depending on the size of the conveyed sheet (St27). When the size of the sheet discharged to the processing tray 37 is a small size (A4 or letter), the first sheet is aligned with the side alignment members 39F and 39R, and the sheet is aligned with the center (St26, FIG. 14 (c)). .. In order to convey the second sheet to the processing tray 37, the side matching members 39F and 39R are moved to the sheet receiving position (St29, FIG. 14 (d)).

In the crimp binding device in this embodiment, the maximum number of sheets to be bound is set to 10, and the upper limit of the number of bundle shiftable sheets in the small size is set to 10. Therefore, has the set number of sheets n reached 10 or less? (St28) (may be recognized by the number of sheets information received from the image forming apparatus main body), and the above-mentioned sheet unloading and center alignment are repeated until this is reached (from FIGS. 15 (e) and (f) St24). St29).

Next, the control means 95 moves the knurled rotating body 46 to a standby position (a position that does not touch the seat bundle) (St30), and moves the knurled rotating body 46 to the rear side with the seat bundle sandwiched between the side matching member 39F and 39R. , Move the bundle to the crimp binding position (St31, FIG. 15 (g)).

The sheet bundle moved to the crimp binding position is subjected to the alignment operation in the width direction by the side alignment member 39F at the crimp binding position Ep (St32), and then the knurled rotating body 46 is placed on the paper mounting surface from the standby position above the paper mounting surface. It is lowered to the upper operating position (St33). At this time, after the knurled rotating body 46 is rotated and positioned in the direction opposite to the paper ejection direction (FIG. 16 (h)), the crimp binding process is performed by the crimp binding means 51 (St34, FIG. 16 (i)), and the bound sheet bundle is bound. Is moved toward the downstream side in the sheet transport direction to complete the sheet ejection operation (St35, FIG. 16 (j)). At this time, the side alignment members 39F and 39R remain positioned at the alignment position or slightly from the sheet. Move to the retracted position.

Next, the size of the sheets discharged to the processing tray 37 is the large size (A3 or leisure), and the set number of bound sheets is the upper limit number of bundle shiftable sheets in the large size (in this embodiment, the large size is up to 5 sheets). The following case (St36) will be described.

The control means 95 aligns the first sheet of the sheet discharged from the processing tray 37 with the side alignment members 39F and 39R so that the sheet is aligned with the center (St26, FIG. 17A). In order to convey the second sheet to the processing tray 37, the side matching members 39F and 39R are moved to the sheet receiving position (St29, FIG. 17B).

In the crimp binding device in this embodiment, the maximum number of sheets to be bound is set to 10, but due to the driving force of the matching plate, the number of large size bundles that can be shifted is 10 or less (5 sheets). It is detected whether the set number of sheets n or less has been reached (St28), and the above-mentioned sheet unloading and center alignment are repeated until the number of sheets n is reached (St24 to 29). Subsequent operations are the same as the small size operations described above (St30 to St35, FIGS. 17 (c) to (d), FIGS. 18 (e) to (g)).

In this embodiment, the set number of sheets for processing the large size is set to 5, but this is a value that is about 1/2 of the device load (of the matching plate) when 10 small size sheets are bundle-shifted. It is set based on the original, and it is possible to set the maximum number of tables in more detail according to the size and basis weight, and make the operation different. Further, when the number of sheets loaded in the center exceeds the number of sheets that can be pressure-bonded, the binding operation is canceled and the sheet is discharged.

Next, a case where the size of the sheet discharged to the processing tray 37 is a large size and the set number of bound sheets exceeds the upper limit number of bundle shiftable sheets in the large size (St37) will be described.

The control means 95 aligns the first sheet of the sheet discharged from the processing tray 37 with the side alignment members 39F and 39R so that the sheet is aligned with the center (St26, FIG. 19A). In order to convey the second sheet to the processing tray 37, the side matching members 39F and 39R are moved to the sheet receiving position (St29, FIG. 19 (d)).

As described above, the maximum number of sheets of the crimp binding device in this embodiment is 10, but the maximum number of bundle shifts in the case of a large size is 5. When forming a sheet bundle, it is advantageous to form the bundle in the center alignment as much as possible and perform the bundle shift in terms of the alignment of the sheets. Therefore, until the number of sheets reaches 5, the same as the above-mentioned control contents, the sheets (St24 to 29, FIGS. 19 (c), (d)).

Next, the control means 95 moves the knurled rotating body 46 to a weak nip position (a position between the standby position and the scraping position, where the knurled rotating body barely touches the seat) (St38, FIG. 20). (E)), the sheet bundle is moved to the rear side with the sheet bundle sandwiched between the side matching members 39F and 39R, and the bundle is moved to the crimp binding position (St39, FIG. 20 (f)). Then, the sheet bundle moved to the crimp binding position moves the side alignment member 39F in the side alignment member 39R direction at the crimp binding position Ep to perform the alignment operation in the width direction (St40), and then crimps the side alignment member 39R. The side alignment member 39F is moved to the sheet receiving position while being positioned at the binding position Ep, and the next sheet is received. (St41, FIG. 20 (g)). Each time the next sheet is conveyed to the processing tray 37 (St42, FIG. 20 (h)), it is moved to the crimp binding position by the side matching member 39F (one sheet shift) (St44, FIG. 21 (i)). At this time, the knurled rotating body 46 is moved to the above-mentioned weak nip position (St43, FIG. 20 (e)). Then, it is detected whether the number of sheets set to be bound has reached the nth sheet (nth sheet: n≤10 sheets) (St45), and the sheets are transferred to the processing tray and the crimp binding position for each sheet until the nth sheet is reached (St45). Is repeatedly moved (St41 to St45).

It is moved to the crimp binding position for each sheet, and it is confirmed whether the number is within the upper limit of the number of sheets that can be crimp-bound (10 sheets in this embodiment) (St46) (the cancel operation will be described later).

Next, the control means 95 moves the side alignment member 39F to a position away from the sheet bundle moved to the crimp binding position up to the nth sheet to be bound (St47), and the knurled rotating body 46 stands by above the paper mounting surface. The sheet is scraped by moving it from the position to the operating position (scratching position) on the paper mounting surface (St48). Then, the knurling body 46 is moved to a standby position (a position that does not touch the sheet bundle) (St49), and the side matching members 39F and 39R perform matching operations in the width direction at the crimp binding position Ep (St32), and then the knurling. The rotating body 46 is lowered from the standby position above the paper mounting surface to the operating position (scratching position) on the paper mounting surface (St33). At this time, both the paddle rotating body 42 and the knurled rotating body 46 are rotated and positioned in the direction opposite to the paper ejection direction (scraping direction) (FIG. 21 (k)), and then the crimp binding process is performed by the crimp binding means 51 (St34). 21 (k)), the bound sheet bundle is moved toward the downstream side in the sheet transport direction to complete the sheet ejection operation (St35, FIG. 22 (l)).

The upper limit of the number of bundles that can be shifted may be replaced with the total count number α of the counts set for each sheet size, and sheets of the same width and size difference (small size: A4 horizontal, large size: A3 vertical) may be replaced. It is possible to perform optimum control with good alignment when mixed loading and binding. This is when the count number of one small size sheet is 60, the count number of one large size sheet is 120, and the total count number of the sheets discharged to the processing tray 37 reaches the predetermined total count number 600. Then, the bundles are moved to the crimp binding position by the side matching members 39F and 39R, and after that, control (St38 or later) is performed when the number exceeds the predetermined number of large sizes described above. For example, in the case of mixed loading of 9 sheets of A4 (small size) and 1 sheet of A3 (large size), the count value of A4 x 9 sheets is 540, and if the paper information of the next sheet is A3, the count value 120 is added. The total is 660, so either the method of shifting the sheet bundle when the 10th A3 sheet is accepted and scraped in, or the count value 600 is set when the information that the next sheet is A3 comes. Since it is judged that the amount exceeds the limit, one of the methods of shifting the A4 (bundle of 9 sheets) already scraped into the processing tray 37, then discharging the A3 (only one sheet) to the processing tray 37 and shifting is executed. do.

Although this embodiment has been described in the eco-binding mode, it can be applied not only to the eco-binding mode but also to needle binding and other post-processing as long as the sheet is offset. In addition, the shift operation after the number of shiftable sheets has been exceeded has been explained for the operation of shifting one sheet at a time. However, depending on the driving force of the matching plate, the tilt angle and shape of the processing tray, etc. It is also possible to make every shift.

[Operation / cancel operation when the number of sheets that can be crimped and bound is exceeded]
In St46 of the flowchart of FIG. 13, when the number of sheets that can be crimp-bound is exceeded and the sheets are ejected to form the same bundle (shift to the flow of FIG. 23), the crimp-binding canceling operation is executed.

When the number of sheets accumulated in the crimp binding means 51 exceeds the maximum number of sheets that can be crimped and bound, the cancellation process is performed without performing the crimp binding process by the crimp binding means 51. In this canceling operation, when the maximum number of sheets that can be crimp-bound is exceeded, the shifted sheet bundle for which the bundle shift of the crimp-binding position Ep has been completed is discharged to the stack tray 49 without performing the binding process. After discharging the shifted sheet bundle, the succeeding sheets that should have formed this bundle are discharged after performing the shift operation described later.

Due to the increase in the maximum number of sheets that can be pressure-bonded, when the maximum number of sheets that can be pressure-bonded exceeds the maximum number of sheets that can be pressure-bonded, the stack tray 49 has a plurality of discharge positions. This will be described using an example. Although the maximum number of sheets that can be crimped and bound in this embodiment is set to 10, it is conceivable that the number of sheets in the same bundle exceeds the upper limit of 10 sheets that can be crimped and bound. For example, when the number of originals read by the scanner unit A2 exceeds 10, and the number of sheets in the same bundle is unknown at the stage when reading starts, the number of sheets in the same bundle can be the number of sheets that can be pressure-bonded. May exceed.

When there are 10 subsequent sheets of the same bundle in a state where the number of sheets that are bundle-shifted and at the crimp binding position Ep is the maximum number of sheets that can be crimp-bound, in this embodiment, the sheets at the crimp-binding position Ep are crimp-bound. The crimp binding canceling operation of discharging the sheet to the outside of the machine is performed without performing the crimp binding process by the means 51. This crimp binding canceling operation will be described in detail along the flow of FIG.

First, when the number of sheets counted at the crimp binding position Ep is 10, and the subsequent sheets of the same bundle are further conveyed from the image forming apparatus A, the sheets are transferred into the sheet processing apparatus B. Triggered by the fact that the image has been carried in (detection signal of the inlet sensor S1), the operation shifts to the crimp binding cancel operation (FIG. 13St46 and FIG. 23St100).

In the crimp binding canceling operation, the sheet processing device B moves the bundle of 10 sheets at the crimp binding position Ep to the first stack tray 49 side by the sheet edge regulating means 38 (extruded protrusion 38) and pushes it out. Following this, the elevating roller 41 is lowered to the pressure contact position, the sheet bundle is nipped together with the driven roller 48, the sheet bundle is transferred to the outlet of the processing tray 37, and the bundle is discharged to the stack tray 49 (St100). This is a necessary operation because the frontage is narrow due to the structure of the crimp binding means 51 and it is difficult to accept the succeeding paper. At this time, since the sheet bundle remains shifted to the crimp binding position Ep located on the rear side of the device, the discharge position on the first stack tray 49 is also shifted to the rear side of the device.

Since the subsequent 11th and subsequent sheets are not subjected to the crimp binding process, the device can be ejected to the first stack tray 49 in the same position (center position) as it was ejected from the paper ejection port 35 onto the processing tray 37. However, it is inconvenient because the ejection position is different from that of the preceding sheet bundle, which was originally supposed to form the same bundle, and it is difficult for the user to take it out when binding it. Therefore, in this embodiment, the succeeding seat is also shifted, and this operation will be described in detail below.

Subsequent 11th and subsequent sheets are not subject to crimp binding, but each time the sheet is discharged from the paper ejection roller 36 (St101), the sheet edge is restricted by the rotation of the elevating roller 41 and the paddle rotating body 42. The means 38 is stacked on the feed processing tray 37. Further, in accordance with this stacking process, the side edge matching means 39 is applied from both sides in the sheet width direction to align the sheets with the center of the processing tray 37 in the width direction. When the number of such stacked sheets reaches the maximum number of sheets that can be bundle-shifted or the subsequent sheets are exhausted (St102), the sheets are bundle-shifted to the crimp-binding position Ep of the crimp-binding means 51 (St103), and the sheets are bundle-shifted to the crimp-binding means 51. A certain sheet bundle is moved to the processing tray outlet side by the sheet edge regulating means 38 (extruded protrusion 38) and pushed up. Subsequently, the elevating roller 41 is lowered to the pressure contact position, the sheet bundle is nipped together with the driven roller 48, the sheet bundle is transferred to the processing tray outlet side, and the sheet bundle is discharged to the stack tray 49 (St104).

This control repeats loading the sheets discharged from the image forming apparatus A on the processing tray 37 for all the sheets in the same bundle, shifting the bundle by the side edge matching means 39, and discharging the sheets discharged from the elevating roller 41 to the stack tray 49. (St105).

In the bundle shift operation of the succeeding sheets to the crimp binding position Ep by the side edge matching means 39, the number of sheets to be bundle-shifted is shifted by how many sheets as long as the driving force of the side edge matching means 39 is equal to or less than the maximum number. This may be done, or the subsequent sheets may be shifted one by one each time they are ejected.

Further, as the number of sheets to be bundle-shifted, a count value by weighting in consideration of the basis weight of the above-mentioned bundle-shifting sheet may be used, and the bundle shift may be performed when the integrated count value exceeds a predetermined value. .. As a result, it is possible to avoid a movement failure due to insufficient driving force of the side edge matching means 39 at the time of bundle shift.

In the present invention, when the number of sheets in the same bundle exceeds the maximum number of sheets that can be pressure-bonded, the sheets are prevented from being ejected to different positions of the stack tray 49, and the above-mentioned operation is performed for the purpose of not impairing usability. However, on the other hand, there may be a case where you want to finish the job whose binding was canceled as soon as possible (priority is given to productivity). Therefore, even after the number of sheets in the same bundle exceeds the maximum number of sheets that can be crimp-bound, the user can select whether to shift the bundle to the crimp-binding position Ep and eject the sheet, or to discharge the sheet by center ejection until the ejection is completed. It may be provided and it may be decided whether or not to perform the bundle shift to the crimp binding position Ep according to the result of the selection means.

When the above-mentioned cancellation process is performed, it is known that the subsequent sheet bundles in the same job also exceed the maximum number of sheets that can be crimp-bound by the recognition means, so that the bundle number over flag is ON (in the same job). It is desirable that the bundles following the above are also crimp-bound) and discharged to the stack tray 49 without performing the bundle shift after center alignment.

As described above, according to each of the above-described embodiments, there is provided a sheet processing apparatus that does not divide the discharge position on the first stack tray 49 into a plurality of sheets even when the number of sheets in the same bundle exceeds the maximum number of sheets that can be pressure-bonded. It will be possible to do.

It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications can be made without departing from the present invention, and all the technical matters included in the technical idea described in the claims are the present invention. It is the subject of the invention. Although the embodiments so far have shown suitable examples, those skilled in the art can realize various alternative examples, modified examples, modified examples, or improved examples from the contents disclosed in the present specification. These are included in the technical scope set forth in the appended claims.

A Image forming device B Sheet post-processing device B1 1st processing unit B2 2nd processing unit B3 3rd processing unit 26 Carry-in entrance 28 Sheet carry-in route 30 Printout paper discharge pass (3rd paper discharge pass)
31 1st switchback pass (1st paper ejection pass)
32 Second switchback pass (second paper ejection pass)
35 Paper ejection port 36 Paper ejection roller 37 Processing tray 38 Sheet edge regulating means 39 Side edge matching means (side matching member)
39F Front side matching member 39R Rear side side matching member 41 Lifting roller (reversing transfer mechanism)
42 Paddle rotating body (reversing transfer mechanism)
46 Knurled belt (knurled rotating body)
47 Stapler unit (first binding means)
48 Driven roller 49 1st stack tray (1st storage unit)
51 Crimping binding means (second binding means) (second binding unit)
53 1st running rail 54 2nd running rail 56a 1st guide rod 56b 2nd guide rod 61 2nd stack tray (2nd storage part)
71 3rd stack tray (3rd storage)
74 Differential means (transmission means)
S1 Sheet sensor 95 Control means (recognition means)

Claims (5)

A transport means for transporting the sheet in a predetermined direction and
An accumulation means for accumulating the sheets conveyed by the transfer means, and
Needleless binding means for binding the sheet without using a needle, and
A direction that engages with the edge of the sheet accumulated in the stacking means parallel to the transport direction and is orthogonal to the transport direction to the needleless binding position where the needleless binding means performs the stitching process. Bundle shift means to move to
Discharging means for discharging the sheet from the accumulating means and
A loading means for loading the sheet discharged by the discharging means, and a loading means.
A sheet number recognition means for recognizing the number of sheets to be accumulated in the accumulation means, and a sheet number recognition means.
The bundle shifting means and the control means for controlling the discharging means are provided.
When the control means moves the sheets accumulated in the accumulation means to the needleless binding position, the control means recognizes that the number of sheets accumulated in the accumulation means exceeds a predetermined number by the sheet number recognition means. At this point, the sheet that has been moved to the needleless binding position is discharged to the loading means by the discharging means, the sheet in the same portion that follows is accumulated in the collecting means, and then the needleless by the bundle shifting means. A sheet processing apparatus characterized in that the bundle shifting means and the discharging means are controlled so as to be discharged to the loading means by the discharging means after moving to a binding position. The sheet processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control means controls to move the sheets to the needleless binding position by the bundle shift means after the sheets are stacked in the stacking means in a predetermined number. The control means is
It is equipped with a basis weight recognition means for recognizing the basis weight of the sheet.
When the total of the basis weights of the sheets accumulated in the accumulation means, which is recognized by the basis weight recognition means, reaches a predetermined value, the bundle shift means moves the sheet to the needleless binding position. The sheet processing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, which is controlled accordingly. When the sheets accumulated in the collecting means are moved to the needleless binding position, the needle is recognized by the sheet number recognizing means when the number of sheets accumulated in the collecting means exceeds a predetermined number. The sheet that has been moved to the none-binding position is discharged to the loading means by the discharging means, the sheet in the same portion that follows is accumulated in the collecting means, and then the sheet is moved to the needleless binding position by the bundle shift means. After that, the first mode of discharging to the loading means by the discharging means and
When the sheet number recognizing means recognizes that the number of sheets accumulated in the collecting means exceeds a predetermined number, the sheets that have been moved to the needleless binding position are discharged to the loading means by the discharging means. After that, a second mode in which the sheet in the same portion that follows is accumulated in the collecting means and then discharged to the loading means by the discharging means without being moved to the needleless binding position by the bundle shifting means.
The sheet processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a selection means for selecting. An image forming system comprising the sheet processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

Images