JP3413083B2 - Sheet processing apparatus and image forming apparatus having the same - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a sheet processing apparatus, and more particularly, to aligning or stapling an image-formed sheet discharged from an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine or a printer on a processing tray. When the sheet is discharged to the stacking means after the sheet processing, the vertical movement of the stacking means is stabilized.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a sheet discharged from an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine or a printer, or a stack of a plurality of sheets is once discharged onto a processing tray for alignment or stapling, and then a bundle. There has been proposed a sheet processing apparatus that discharges onto a stack tray (stacking unit) with a pair of discharge rollers. This sheet processing apparatus has a sample tray (stacking means) capable of stacking sheets that are not subjected to sheet processing such as stapling, and any of the stacking trays can stack a large amount of sheets, and the apparatus main body It is movable along the outer surface of the.

The stacking tray such as the stack tray or the sample tray has a tray elevating motor for vertically moving the stacking tray and the sample tray, respectively. Has a speed change mechanism (usually a speed reduction mechanism) interposed therein, and by engaging a pinion, which is rotated by a forward and reverse rotation operation of a tray lifting motor, with a rack of the apparatus main body, the stacking tray can be moved up and down. ing.

When the tray elevating motor is out of step, the stacking tray and the sheets stacked on it may drop the stacking tray. Therefore, the main output shaft of the tray elevating motor (connected to the speed change mechanism). A brake mechanism that applies a load to the rotation of the tray elevating motor in the tray descending direction is provided on the sub-output shaft on the opposite side of the output shaft on the side where the tray is moved.

[0005]

However, in the above-described sheet processing apparatus, the brake mechanism for applying a load to the tray elevating motor in the direction of resisting the descending direction of the stacking tray is complicated and large in size and has a large stacking tray. There is a problem that a large space is required inside and a stacking tray that moves up and down is heavy. In addition, the gear portion that connects the sub output shaft of the tray elevating motor and the brake mechanism has a problem that the meshing portion resonates due to the vibration of the tray elevating motor to cause abnormal noise.

According to the present invention, the occupied space is small at the time of step-out of the loading means driving means for moving the loading means up and down,
Moreover, it is an object of the present invention to provide a sheet processing apparatus having a braking mechanism capable of preventing the stacking unit from falling while being a mechanism that operates properly.

[0007]

The invention according to claim 1 is
A sheet discharging unit that discharges a sheet, a stacking unit that can stack the sheets discharged by the sheet discharging unit, and can move up and down along the main body of the apparatus, A loading means driving means for moving the loading means up and down by rotating, and a sub-output shaft of the output shaft extending in front of and behind the loading means driving means, which is opposite to the main output shaft portion for outputting the rotational driving force. And a one-way clutch that is provided on a part and that engages with the auxiliary output shaft of the loading means driving means only when the loading means moves in the lowering direction, and the loading means moves down when engaged with the one-way clutch. A torque limiter that applies a load to the loading means driving means only when moving in the direction, the one-way clutch and the torque limiter include the loading means via a support plate. Characterized in that it is integrally constructed motion means.

[0008]

[Operation] Based on the above configuration, the sheets discharged by the sheet discharging means are stacked on the stacking means which can move up and down along the main body of the apparatus. The loading means driving means provided in the loading means for moving the loading means up and down includes a one-way clutch,
By the torque limiter engaged with the one-way clutch, a load is applied in the direction in which the stacking means driving means rotates in the direction in which the stacking means descends. As a result, despite being a one-way clutch and a small torque limiter,
When a load acts on the rotation of the loading means driving means, that is, the movement of the loading means in the descending direction, and the loading means driving means is out of step, the loading means is prevented from falling.

Further, since the one-way clutch and the torque limiter engaged with the one-way clutch are integrated with the loading means driving means via the support plate, even if the loading means driving means vibrates. The torque limiter applies the load to the loading means driving means without being affected by this.

[0011]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Preferred embodiments of a sheet processing apparatus and an image forming apparatus including the same according to the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.

First, an image forming apparatus according to the present invention,
Here, an image forming apparatus including a sheet processing apparatus will be described.

FIG. 21 is an overall sectional view schematically showing a schematic structure of an example of an image forming apparatus (copying apparatus) system including the sheet processing apparatus according to this embodiment.

In the apparatus configuration shown in this figure, the image forming apparatus body (copying apparatus body) 300 is provided with a platen glass or the like for reading a document D automatically fed by an automatic document feeder (RDF) 400. Document table 401,
A document reading unit including a light source 402 and a lens system 403, a sheet feeding unit 500 for a sheet P for image formation, an image forming unit 600, and a pair of discharge rollers on which an image is formed (discharge unit).
The sheet processing apparatus 1 and the like for processing and stacking the image-formed sheets P discharged from the sheet 302 are provided.

Cassettes 501, 5 on which the sheets P are placed in the sheet feeding section 500 and are detachably attached to the main body of the apparatus.
02 and deck 5 placed on the pedestal 503
04 are provided. The image forming unit 600 includes a cylindrical photosensitive drum 601 and a primary charger 60 around the photosensitive drum 601.
2, exposure unit 603, developing unit 604, transfer charger 60
5, a separation charger 606, a cleaner 607, etc. are provided, and the conveyance device 3 is provided on the downstream side of the image forming unit 600.
The fixing device 608 is arranged via 01.

Next, the operation of the image forming apparatus 300 having the above configuration will be described.

When a paper feed signal is output from the control device 310 in the apparatus main body 300, the cassette 50 of the paper feed section 500 is output.
Feeding of the sheet P is started from 1, 502 or the deck 504. On the other hand, the image of the document D placed on the document table 401 is read by the light from the light source 402, and is irradiated onto the surface of the photosensitive drum 601 via the lens system 403.
The photoconductor drum 601 is previously charged by the primary charger 602, an electrostatic latent image is formed on the drum surface by irradiation of the reading light, and the electrostatic latent image is developed by the toner of the developing device 604. As a result, a corresponding toner image is formed.

The sheet P fed from the sheet feeding section 500 is
The skew feeding is corrected by the registration roller 505, and the sheet is fed to the image forming unit 600 at a timed timing.
Next, in the image forming unit 600, after the toner image on the surface of the photoconductor drum 601 is transferred onto the sheet P by the transfer charger 605, the toner image is transferred onto the sheet P.
Is charged to the opposite polarity by the separation charger 606 and separated from the surface of the photoconductor drum 601.

After that, the sheet P is conveyed to the fixing device 608 by the conveying device 301, and the transferred image is permanently fixed by the fixing device 608. Then, the sheet P on which the image is formed in this manner is discharged to the sheet processing apparatus 1 side by the discharge roller pair 302.

Next, the sheet processing apparatus according to the present invention will be described.

<General Description of Sheet Processing Apparatus> First, the main components of the sheet processing apparatus will be described.

FIG. 1 is an overall sectional view schematically showing a schematic structure of a sheet processing apparatus according to this embodiment.

In the structure of the sheet processing apparatus (hereinafter referred to as "finisher") 1 shown in this figure, reference numeral 2 is a pair of inlet rollers for receiving the sheet P discharged from the pair of discharge rollers 302 of the image forming apparatus main body 300, 3 is
A pair of first transport rollers for transporting the received sheet P, 31
Is a sheet detection sensor on the entrance side that detects passage of the sheet P. Further, 50 is a sheet P being conveyed.
This is a punch unit that makes holes near the rear end of the. 5
Is a conveyance large roller 5 (hereinafter, referred to as a “buffer roller”) having a relatively large diameter, which is arranged on the way of conveyance, and presses the sheet P on the roll surface by the pressing rollers 12, 13, 14 arranged around the outside. To transport.

Reference numeral 11 denotes a first switching flapper,
The non-sort path 21 and the sort path 22 are selectively switched. A second switching flapper 10 switches between the sort path 22 and the buffer path 23 for temporarily storing the sheet P. Reference numeral 33 is a sensor for detecting the sheet P in the non-sort path 21, and 32 is a sensor for detecting the sheet P in the buffer path 23.

Reference numeral 6 denotes a second conveying roller pair of the sort path 22, and 129 temporarily stacks the sheets P, aligns the stacked sheets P, and staples the staple unit 10.
A processing tray unit 129 including an intermediate tray (hereinafter referred to as “processing tray”) 130 provided for performing staple processing by the stapler 101 of 0;
On the discharge end side of the processing tray (first stacking tray) 130, one discharge roller forming a bundle discharge roller pair (transfer means), here, the lower bundle discharge roller 18 as a fixed side.
0a is arranged. A first discharge roller pair 7 is arranged on the sort path 22 to discharge the sheet P onto the processing tray (first stacking tray) 130. A pair 9 is arranged on the non-sort path 21 to collect the sheet P on the sample tray. A second pair of discharge rollers for discharging onto 201.

180b is supported by the swing guide 150, and when the swing guide 150 reaches the closed position,
It is an upper discharge roller that is pressed against the lower bundle discharge roller 180a and discharges the sheets P on the processing tray 130 onto the stack tray (second stack tray) 200 in a bundle. Reference numeral 40 denotes a bundle stacking guide that supports a rear end (rear end with respect to the bundle discharge direction) edge of a stack of sheets stacked on the stack tray 200 and the sample tray 201. Also serves as.

<Detailed Description of Staple Unit> Next,
Regarding the staple unit 100, in particular, FIG. 2 (side view corresponding to the main cross section), FIG. 3 (plan view in the direction of arrow a in FIG. 2)
And it demonstrates in detail with reference to FIG. 4 (back view of the arrow b direction of FIG. 2).

A stapler (binding means) 101 is fixed on a movable table 103 via a holder 102. The moving table 103 is a set of stud shafts 10 fixed in parallel to the trailing edge of the sheets stacked on the processing tray 130.
4, 105, each stud shaft 104, 105,
Rolling rollers 106 and 107 are rotatably assembled to the rolling rollers 106 and 107, respectively, and the rolling rollers 106 and 107 are a series of hole-shaped guide rails formed in parallel with the fixed base 108. It is movably engaged in 108a, 108b, 108c.

Each of the rolling rollers 106 and 107 has flanges 106a and 107a having a diameter larger than the hole width of the series of hole-shaped guide rails 108a, 108b and 108c, on the other hand, a movable base 103 for holding the stapler 101. Support rollers 109 are provided at three positions on the lower surface side of the movable table 103, and the movable table 103 includes a series of hole-shaped guide rails 108a and 108a.
It is movable on the fixed base 108 along b and 108c.

Here, the series of hole-shaped guide rails 10
As is clear from FIG. 3, 8a, 108b, and 108c are the main guide rail hole portion (108a), and the left end guide rail hole portion (108b) and the right end portion side that branch from the left end portion side of the portion and are parallel to each other. It is formed in a shape including a right end guide rail hole portion (108c) that is branched and parallel. Therefore, due to the rail shape of each part, when the stapler 101 is located on the left end side, the rolling roller 106 is inside the left end portion of the rail hole portion 108b, and the rolling roller 107 is inside the left end portion of the rail hole portion 108a. Are respectively moved to the right side and are maintained in the right tilted posture in which they are tilted by a predetermined angle to the right side, and when they are located in the middle part,
The rolling rollers 106 and 107 are both rail hole portions 108a.
It is kept in a non-tilted parallel posture inside,
When located on the right end portion side, the rolling roller 107 is moved into the right end portion of the rail hole portion 108c and the rolling roller 106 is moved into the right end portion of the rail hole portion 108a, respectively, and tilted to the left side by a predetermined angle. The left tilted posture is maintained, and the action of changing the posture is performed by an actuating cam (not shown).

The stapling unit 100 is provided with a position sensor (not shown) for detecting the home position of the stapler 101. Normally, the stapler 101 is at the home position on the left end side which is the front part. Waiting

<Detailed Description of Stapler Moving Mechanism> Next,
The moving mechanism of the stapler 101 will be described in detail.

One rolling roller 106 of the moving base 103
The pinion gear 106b below the flange 106a.
Are integrally formed, and a belt pulley 106c is integrally provided above. The pinion gear 106b is
The output table of the drive motor M100 on the table surface and the belt pulley 106c are connected to each other via a driving belt that is stretched, and the fixing table 108 is provided along the rail hole.
The rack 103 is fixed to the rack gear 110, and the movable table 103 is movable in the seat width direction together with the stapler 101 in response to the forward and reverse rotations of the drive motor M100.

Further, the stud shaft 111 extending downward from the lower surface of the movable table 103 is provided with a stopper tilting roller 112. The stopper tilting roller 112 will be described later in detail, but the stopper tilting roller 112 will be described later. In order to avoid the collision between the rear end stopper 131 and the stapler 101, the rear end stopper 131 has a role of rotating.

<Detailed Description of Trailing Edge Stopper> Next, the trailing edge stopper 131 that abuts and supports the trailing edge of the sheet P on the processing tray 130 will be described in detail.

The rear end stopper 131 is a processing tray 130.
The sheet P is formed by rising vertically to the stacking surface of
It has an abutting support surface 131a that abuts and supports the rear edge of the rear end edge.
On the lower surface side of 0, the pivot pin 131b can be pivotally moved downward as shown by an arrow. Further, the main link 132 having the cam surface 132a which is pressed by the stopper tilting roller 112 is pressed against the abutting plate 136, and the main link 132 is fixed to a frame or the like (not shown).
34 is pivotable against the tension spring 135, and the other end of the connecting link 133 whose one end is pivotally supported by the rear end stopper 131 by the pin 131c while being pivotally movable against the tension spring 135. It is slidably connected to the long hole.

Therefore, in this case, with respect to the trailing edge stopper 131 placed in the interference relationship with the stapler 101 as the movable table 103 moves, the stopper tilting roller 112 of the movable table 103 presses the cam surface 132a of the main link 132. By doing so, it swings to the non-interference position shown by the chain double-dashed line in the figure, thereby avoiding collision with the stapler 101. Then, after the stapling process described below is completed, the movable table 103 returns to the home position position,
The rear end stopper 131 also returns to its original state. Here, regarding the stopper tilting roller 112, the stapler 1
In order to keep the trailing end stopper 131 in the avoidance position during the operation of 01, a plurality (here, three) are arranged in the moving direction of the moving table 103.

A staple stopper (indicated by a chain double-dashed line in FIG. 2) 113 having support surfaces having the same shape as the abutting support surface 131a of the rear end stopper 131 is provided on both side surfaces of the holder 102 for holding the stapler 101. Is attached so that the rear end edge of the sheet can be supported even when the rear end stopper 131 is at the avoidance position.

<Outline of Processing Tray Unit> Next,
Processing tray unit 129 including the processing tray 130
This will be described in detail with reference to FIG.

The processing tray unit 129 includes a processing tray 130, a rear end stopper 131, an aligning means 140,
The rocking guide 150, the pull-in paddle 160, the retractable tray 170, and the bundle discharge roller pair 180 are included.

In this case, with respect to the processing tray 130, the downstream side (upper left side in FIG. 5) is positioned upward and the upstream side (lower right side in FIG. 5) is positioned lower with respect to the discharge direction of the sheet bundle. And the rear end stopper 131 is arranged at the lower end which is the upstream side.
A retracting paddle 160, which will be described later, occupies the left and right positions of the intermediate portion, and an aligning means 140 is disposed. Further, an upper end portion on the downstream side, more specifically, a substantially upper portion of the unit structure, will be described later. A swing guide 150 including a pull-in paddle 160 and a bundle discharge roller pair 180 is disposed,
Further, the upper end portion on the downstream side, specifically, the lower region portion of the unit structure substantially, and the stack tray 20.
Between 0, a retractable tray 170 to be described later is arranged.

The sheet P discharged from the first discharging roller pair 7 has its rear end edge abutting and supporting surface of the rear end stopper 131 due to its own weight and the action of the pulling paddle 160 described later. It slides on the processing tray 130 until it abuts against 131a.

Further, at the upper end of the processing tray 130, as described above, one lower bundle discharge roller 180a constituting the bundle discharge roller pair 180 is arranged, and the lower surface of the swing guide 150. At the front end portion, the other upper bundle discharge roller 180b, which comes into contact with and separates from the lower bundle discharge roller 180a, is arranged. Each of these discharge roller pairs 180a, 180b is driven by the drive motor M180 in the forward and reverse direction. It is rotatable.

<Detailed Description of Aligning Means> Next, the aligning means 140 will be described with reference to FIG. 5 and the arrow c view (rear view) of FIG.
Will be described in detail with reference to FIG.

A pair of aligning members 141 and 142 constituting the aligning means 140 are arranged on the surface of the processing tray 130 as shown in FIG.
In the lower part (back side) and the upper part (front side),
The first alignment member (front alignment member) 141 on one front side portion and the second alignment on the other front side portion are independently arranged so as to correspond to both side edges of the sheet P. The member (back alignment member) 142 presses and supports the sheet-side end face of each of the alignment faces 141a and 142a perpendicular to the surface of the processing tray 130, and the rack gear part 141b for supporting the back face of the sheet. , 142b, and each of the rack gear parts 141b, 142b has a lower surface through a pair of guide grooves 130a, 130b parallel to the vertical direction (corresponding to the width direction of the sheet P) opened on the surface of the processing tray 130. It is located on the side.

That is, in summary, with respect to the processing tray 130, the matching surfaces 141a, 14a are formed on the upper surface side of the processing tray 130.
2a are arranged so as to face each other, and the rack gear portions 141b, 142b are assembled on the lower surface side thereof so as to be movable in the alignment direction.

Then, the rack gear parts 141b, 142
For b, each drive motor M141, M1
The individual pinion gears 143 and 144, which are rotatably and rotatably driven by 42, are meshed with each other, whereby the first and second alignment members 141 and 142 are movable in the alignment direction. Here, a position sensor (not shown) that detects the home position of each of the first and second aligning members 141 and 142 is arranged, and in the normal case, the first aligning member 141 is shown in FIG. In, the upper end portion (hand side portion) and the second alignment member 142 stand by at the respective home position positions set at the lower end portion (back side portion).

<Detailed Description of Swing Guide> Next, the swing guide 150 will be described in detail.

As described above, the swing guide 150 is at the front end portion of the lower surface corresponding to the downstream side (left side in FIG. 5) and is in contact with the lower bundle discharge roller 180a of the bundle discharge roller pair 180. The discharge roller 180b is pivotally attached,
Support shaft 1 at the rear end of the lower surface corresponding to the upstream side (right side in FIG. 6)
It is pivotally supported by 51 and is swingably supported, and is swingable by the control drive of the rotary cam 152 by the drive motor M150, and here, the lower bundle discharge roller 180a is also provided.
The closed position in which the upper bundle discharge roller 180b is in contact with is the home position, and this is detected by a position sensor (not shown).

In the usual case, when each individual sheet P is discharged onto the processing tray 130, it is in an open state (lower bundle discharge roller 180a vs. upper bundle discharge roller 180b).
Are separated and the swinging guide 150 is swung upward) so that the operations of ejecting and aligning the sheet P and the retracting paddle operation described below can be performed without any hindrance, and the processing tray When the sheet bundle that has been processed on 130 is discharged onto the stack tray 200,
The state is changed to the closed state (the upper bundle discharge roller 180b abuts against the lower bundle discharge roller 180a, and the swing guide 150 swings downward).

<Detailed Description of Pull-In Paddle> Next, the pull-in paddle 160 will be described in detail.

The pull-in paddles 160 are fixed above the processing tray 130 (FIG. 5) at a plurality of points on the drive shaft 161, and are driven to rotate counterclockwise in FIG. 5 by the drive motor M160 at appropriate timing. The length of each pull-in paddle 160 is set to be slightly longer than the distance to the surface of the processing tray 130, and its home position is from the first discharge roller pair 7 to the processing tray 130. The sheet P is set to a position (solid line display position in FIG. 5) that does not hinder the discharge of the sheet P.

When the sheet P is discharged onto the processing tray 130 in this state, the pull-in paddle 160
Is rotated counterclockwise, so that the processing tray 1
The sheet P discharged onto the sheet 30, and by extension, the trailing edge of the sheet P is pulled in until it abuts against the abutting support surface 131a of the trailing edge stopper 131, and then the pulling paddle waits for a predetermined time. The vehicle is stopped at the home position, which is detected by a position sensor (not shown), with good timing.

<Detailed Description of Emerging / Receiving Tray> Next, the embossing tray 170 will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 5 and FIG. 7 which is a view taken in the direction of arrow d in FIG.

The retractable tray 170 includes a bundle discharge roller pair 18
0 is located below the lower bundle discharge roller 180a, and moves forwards and backwards in the sheet bundle discharge direction (X direction in FIGS. 5 and 7) in a manner that is substantially along the inclination of the processing tray 130. It is supposed to do.

That is, at the projecting position of the retractable tray 170, the tip projects toward the upper side of the stack tray 200 (position indicated by the chain double-dashed line in FIG. 5), and at the retracted position (home position), the tip is ejected from the lower bundle. The roller 180a is retracted while being pulled inward of the roller 180a (position indicated by a solid line in FIG. 5). When the retractable tray 170 is in the protruding state, the center of gravity of the sheet P discharged onto the processing tray 130 does not exceed the position, in other words, the tip end protruding portion side of the sheet P does not hang downward at the protruding position. In addition, the retractable tray 170 is set in position.

The retractable tray 170 includes a pair of guide rails 172 fixed to the support frame 171.
Since the rotating cam roller 173, which is slidably supported on the 172 and is rotated about the rotating shaft 174, is engaged in the lower surface groove 175 of the retractable tray 170,
As the rotary cam roller 173 is rotated by the drive motor M170, the rotary cam roller 173 is retracted and operated as described above, and normally stands by at the home position position detected by a position sensor (not shown).

<Detailed Description of Stack Stack Tray and Sample Tray> Next, the stack tray 200 and the sample tray 201 will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 8 and 9.

The stack tray 200 and the sample tray 201 are used properly depending on the situation. The stack tray 200 arranged below is selected when receiving a sheet bundle for copy output, printer output, etc. The sample tray 201 disposed above is selected when receiving sheets for sample output, interrupt output, stack tray overflow output, function output, job mixed output, and the like.

The stack tray 200 and the sample tray 201 are held by tray base plates 202 and 203, respectively, and mounting frame plates 204 and 20 are attached to the base plates 202 and 203, respectively.
By using the stepping motors (tray lifting motors) M200 and M201 fixed via 5, they can be independently propelled in the vertical ascending / descending directions. In this case, both of them are in substantially the same manner. Being configured,
Here, only the stack tray 200 side will be mainly described.

A pair of frames 250, 250 are provided at both ends of the sheet processing apparatus 1 in the vertical direction, and a rack gear serving also as a vertical guide rail portion for the frames 250, 250, respectively. Member 25
1, 251 are attached. A rear end extending from one of the tray base plates 202 (corresponding to the left end side with respect to the sheet width direction) and a rear end extending from the mounting frame plate 204 facing the same (also corresponding to the right end side) A pair of guide rollers 206 and 207 that are rotatably provided in the
By inserting 207 into each corresponding guide rail portion, the stack tray 200 is held so as to be able to move up and down, and the regulation member 208 is engaged with the folded edge of one frame 250. The rattling in the seat width direction is restricted and regulated.

On the other hand, the rotation output of the stepping motor M200 is transmitted via the timing belt 211 to the drive shaft 213.
Is transmitted to the pulley 212. The drive shaft 213 is provided with a ratchet wheel 215 that is biased by a spring 216 so as to be slidable only in the axial direction. The ratchet wheel 215 is driven in one direction by a drive gear 214 on the shaft. Engageable. Also, the drive gear 214
, One of the idler gears 218, 218 arranged at both ends on the driven shaft 217 is meshed with each other, and each of the idler gears 218, 218 has a lifting gear 219,
The rack gear members 251 and 251 are engaged with each other via 219. That is, the stack tray 200 is
Drive system (transmission mechanism) 18 including these gear trains
It is vertically movable through 0.

The stepping motor M200,
A braking mechanism 271 is provided in 201, and this braking mechanism 271 loads the stepping motors M200 and M201 in the rotational direction so as to prevent the stack tray 200 and the sample tray 201 from moving in the descending direction. When the trays 200, 201 are moved in the ascending direction, the stepping motors M200, M
It functions so as not to load 201. The detailed configuration of the braking mechanism 271 will be described later with reference to FIG.

Further, the drive gear 21 on the drive shaft 213 is
Ratchet wheel 215 unidirectionally biased to
Is provided so as not to damage the drive system by pinching foreign matter or the like when the stack tray 200 is descending. Here, a required urging force is applied to the spring 216. Give it to the stack tray 2
Only at the time of rising of 00, protection is made by idling against the biasing force of the spring 216 in response to a preset condition, and if this idling situation, that is, an abnormality occurs, stepping is immediately performed. Motor M2
In order to stop the driving of 00, the sensor S201 detects a clock slit or the like formed on the flange portion of the drive gear 214. The sensor S2
No. 01 is also used for step-out detection during normal operation.

Next, each sensor arrangement for controlling the vertical position of the stack tray 200 and the sample tray 201 will be described.

The sensor S202 is the sample tray 201.
Is a sensor for detecting the stacking area of the sample tray 201, and detects that the sample tray 201 is located in a range belonging to the area from the ascent end position detection sensor S203a to the processing tray sheet surface detection sensor S205.

The sensor S203b is a sensor for detecting that the number of sheets P discharged onto the sample tray 201 from the second discharge roller pair 9 has reached a predetermined number, and here, a non-sorted sheet surface detection sensor. From S204, the sheets are arranged at a position corresponding to 1000 sheets.

The sensor S203c is a sensor for detecting that the number of sheets P discharged from the processing tray 130 onto the sample tray 201 has reached a predetermined number, and similarly, from the sheet surface detection sensor S205, the number of stacked sheets 2
It is arranged at a position equivalent to 000 sheets.

The sensor S203d is used for the stack tray 20.
Reference numeral 0 denotes a sensor for limiting the height of the stacking amount when the sheets P are received from the processing tray 130, and is arranged at a position corresponding to 2000 sheets stacked from the sheet surface detection sensor S205.

The sensor S203e is used for the stack tray 20.
It is a sensor that sets the lower limit position of 0.

Further, the stack tray 200 and the sample tray 201 respectively have a sheet presence / absence detection sensor 2
06a and 206b are arranged.

Of these sensors, only the sheet surface detection sensors S204 and S205 are set to the light transmission type which detects the presence or absence of the sheet P by the light transmission from one side edge to the other side edge. Here, as the sheet surface detection method, each sheet surface detection sensor S20 is used.
4, the state in which the trays 200 and 201 are raised from the lower side of S205 to a position covering them is the initial,
After the sheets are stacked, the sensor optical axis is lowered until it appears, and then the sensor optical axis is raised again until the sensor optical axis is covered again.

<Detailed Description of Flow of Sheet P> When the user wants to specify the non-sort mode on the operation unit (not shown) of the image forming apparatus main body, as shown in FIG.
The entrance roller pair 2, the transport roller 3, and the transport large roller 5 as a buffer roller rotate, and the image forming apparatus main body 300
The sheet P conveyed from is conveyed. Flapper 11
Rotates to the position shown in the figure by the action of a solenoid (not shown), and conveys the sheet P to the non-sort path 21. When the sensor 33 detects the trailing edge of the sheet P, the roller 9
The sheet P is rotated at a speed suitable for stacking and the sheet P is discharged to the sample tray 200.

Next, the operation when the user specifies the staple sort mode will be described.

As shown in FIG. 11, a pair of entrance rollers 2,
The conveyance roller 3 and the conveyance large roller 5 rotate to convey the sheet P conveyed from the image forming apparatus main body 300.
The flappers 10 and 11 are stopped at the positions shown in the figure. The sheet P is discharged to the processing tray 130 by the first discharge roller pair 7 along the sort path 22. At this time, since the retractable tray 170 is in the projecting position, it prevents the leading end of the sheet P being discharged by the discharge roller 7 from hanging down and causing a return failure, and improves the alignment of the sheets on the processing tray. There is.

The discharged sheet P begins to move to the rear end stopper 131 by its own weight, and the paddle 160 which has stopped at the home position is rotated counterclockwise by the drive of the motor M160, and the sheet P is discharged. Facilitate the movement of. When the trailing edge of the sheet P surely contacts the stopper 131 and stops, the rotation of the paddle 160 is also stopped, and the aligning member aligns the discharged sheets.

When all the sheets of the first set are discharged onto the processing tray 130 and aligned, the swing guide 150 comes down as shown in FIG. 12, and the upper bundle discharge roller 180b rides on the sheet bundle. The stapler 101 staples the sheet bundle.

Meanwhile, in the meantime, the image forming apparatus main body 300
As shown in FIG. 12, the sheet P ₁ discharged from the sheet is wound around the large conveyance roller 5 by the rotation of the flapper 10 and stopped at a position a predetermined distance from the sensor 32. When the next sheet P ₂ advances a predetermined distance from the paper detection sensor 31, the large conveyance roller 5 rotates and the second sheet P ₂ is more predetermined than the _first sheet P ₁ as shown in FIG. The sheets are superposed so as to precede by a distance, wound around the large conveyance roller 5 as shown in FIG. 14, and stopped at a predetermined distance. On the other hand, the sheet bundle on the processing tray 130 is discharged onto the stack tray 200 as shown in FIG.

However, at this time, the retractable tray 170 moves to the home position before the sheet bundle passes through the bundle discharge rollers in order to drop the sheet bundle onto the stack tray 200. As shown in FIG. 15, when the third sheet P ₃ reaches a predetermined position, the large conveyance roller 5 rotates, the sheets P ₃ are shifted by a predetermined distance and overlapped, and the flapper 10 rotates to rotate the three sheets. The sheet P is conveyed to the sort path 22.

As shown in FIG. 16, while the swing guide 150 is lowered, the bundle discharge rollers 180a and 180b receive the three sheets P, and as shown in FIG. 17, the rear end of the sheet P is the first discharge roller. After exiting Pair 7, the bundle discharge roller 180
a and 180b reversely rotate, and before the rear end abuts the rear end stopper 131, the swing guide rises as shown in FIG.
The roller 8 separates from the sheet surface. The fourth and subsequent sheets P pass through the sort path similarly to the operation of the first copy, and are discharged onto the processing tray. After the third copy, the same operation as the second copy is performed, and the set number of sheet bundles are stacked on the stack tray 200, and the process ends.

In stacking and conveying the plurality of sheets,
Each sheet P is offset in the transport direction, the sheet P ₂ is offset downstream from the sheet P ₁ , and the sheet P
₃ is offset downstream with respect to sheet P ₂ .

The offset amount of the sheet P and the swing guide rising timing depend on the sheet settling time by the returning speed of the bundle discharge rollers, that is, the processing capacity of the image forming apparatus main body 300, and in the present embodiment. Is the sheet conveyance speed of 750 mm / s, and the offset amount (b = 2
0 mm) and the bundle discharge roller return speed is 500 mm / s, the separated position of the bundle discharge rollers is set at the timing when the value (a) is reached 40 mm or less before the sheet P ₁ contacts the stopper.

<Detailed explanation of sort mode>
Set the original on the RDF400, specify the sort mode on the operation unit (not shown), and press the start key (not shown).
N The entrance roller 2 and the conveyance roller 3 rotate as shown in FIG.
Are loaded on the processing tray 130. The matching means 140 is
After stacking a small number of sheets on the processing tray 130 while aligning the sheets P on the processing tray 130, as shown in FIG. 20, the swing guide 150 comes down and conveys a bundle of a small number of sheets in a bundle.

Next, the sent sheet P passes over the flapper 10 and is wound around the large conveying roller 5 in the same manner as the operation described in the staple sort mode, and is discharged onto the processing tray 130 after the bundle discharge is completed. To be done. It is desirable that the number of the small number of bundles ejected from the bundle is 20 or less according to an experiment. Regarding the number of sheets, the number of originals ≧ the number of sheets discharged in a bundle ≦ 20 is satisfied. Therefore, when the number of sheets to be discharged in the bundle is set to 5 when the program is set up, when the number of originals is 4, the bundle is discharged every 4 sheets. The number of manuscripts is 5
When the number of sheets is equal to or more than one, for example, when the number of sheets is 14, the sheets are divided into 5 sheets + 5 sheets + 4 sheets, aligned, and discharged in a bundle.

The second copy is aligned at an offset position, and a small number of sheets are discharged in the same manner as the first copy. When the second copy is completed, the front alignment member 141 and the back alignment member 142
Returns to the position where the first copy is aligned and aligns the third copy.

<Detailed Description of Movements of Stack Tray 200 and Sample Tray 201> In FIGS. 8 and 9, the sample tray 201 and the stack tray 200 are normally located at respective sheet surface detection sensor positions (normal stacking positions) before the operation is started. S2
It waits in 04 and S205.

In the above description, it is the stack tray 200 that normally stacks copies or printer outputs, and may receive a stack processed by the above-mentioned stapler 101 or the like, or a bundle that is unbound and discharged in small numbers. You can
It is possible to stack a maximum of 2000 sheets, which is detected by the sensor 203d.

At this time, when the output of the printer for copying still continues, the stack tray 200 is moved down from the sensor S203d by a position corresponding to 1000 sheets (the position of S203d '). Subsequently, the sample tray 201 is lowered to the sheet surface / paper surface detection S205 for the sample tray, and sheet reception is started again. At this time, the sample tray 201
The sensor can load up to 1000 sheets at maximum.
3c detects it.

Next, after the job of 2000 sheets or less is completed, the processing operation cannot be performed when the next job is started without interrupting the sheets on the stack tray 200 or when interrupting the current job. However, it is possible to load from the non-sort discharge path 21 using the sample tray 201.

Depending on the normal state, the non-sort discharge path 21
As a mode for outputting to the sample tray 201 by using, a sample output is performed without processing only one copy, a sample tray output is set by function sorting, or the like.

Next, with respect to the tray elevating / lowering motor section including the pulse motor according to the main part of the present invention of the sheet processing apparatus,
This will be described with reference to FIGS. Since the stack tray motor M200 of the stack tray 200 and the sample tray motor M201 of the sample tray 201 have the same configuration, here, the stack tray motor M2 is used.
The 00 part will be described.

The stack tray motor (loading means driving means) M200 provided in the stack tray 200 has a main output shaft 200a on the front side (drive system 280 side) for outputting the rotational driving force, and this main output The auxiliary output shaft 200b is provided on the opposite side of the shaft 200a. The drive system 280 is attached to the timing pulley 260 fixed to the main output shaft 200a.
The timing belt 211 included in is wound,
The stack tray 200 moves up and down by driving the drive system 280 by the forward and reverse rotations of the stack tray motor M200.

A supporting plate 265 is fixedly provided on the rear side of the stack tray motor M200, and the stack tray motor M200 extending from the supporting plate 265 is extended.
The sub output shaft 200b is provided with a gear 263 via a one-way clutch 262. The one-way clutch 262 engages with the sub output shaft 200b when the stack tray motor M200 rotates in the direction in which the stack tray 200 descends, and idles with respect to the sub output shaft 200b when the stack tray 200 rises. It has become.

A support shaft 267 of a torque limiter 270 is rotatably mounted on the support plate 265 and a cover 266 fixed thereto, and the torque limiter 270 is attached.
The gear 269 is engaged with the gear 263 of the one-way clutch 262.

The one-way clutch 262, the torque limiter 270, the gears 263, 269 and the like described above apply a braking mechanism 27 that applies a load to the stack tray motor M200.
1 is configured. Due to the action of the one-way clutch 262, the torque limiter 270 of the braking mechanism 271 applies a load to the stack tray motor M200 in the direction in which the stack tray 200 descends, and when the stack tray 200 rises. ,
Since the one-way clutch 262 idles, the stack tray motor M200 can rotate without being affected by the load of the torque limiter 270.

By configuring the tray elevating / lowering motor parts such as the stack tray motor and the sample tray motor as described above, even when the stack tray motor M200 is out of step, braking is performed by the cooperation of the torque limiter 270 and the one-way clutch 262. Due to the braking action of the mechanism 271, it is possible to prevent the stack tray 200 from being suddenly dropped, and a small torque limiter 270 is provided.
And a one-way clutch 262 for a small braking mechanism 27
Since it is configured as 1, the space in the stack tray 200 can be omitted.

Further, the torque limiter 270 is attached to the support plate 26.
The torque limiter 270 and the one-way clutch 2 are integrated by being integrated with the stack tray motor M200 via
62, the positional relationship between the stack tray motor M200 and the stack tray motor M200 is always accurate, and the vibration of the stack tray motor M200 and the generation of resonance and noise due to the vibration are prevented.

[0098]

As described above, according to the present invention,
Since the loading means driving means for moving the loading means up and down is provided with the load means composed of the one-way clutch and the torque limiter, the loading means driving means is loaded in the direction in which the loading means descends. Even if the means goes out of step, it is possible to prevent the loading means from falling,
Space saving and weight saving of the loading means can be realized. In addition, one-way clutch and torque limiter,
By integrating with the loading means driving means via the support plate,
The positional relationship between the torque limiter and the one-way clutch and the loading means driving means is always accurate, so that the loading means driving means is prevented from vibrating and the resonance and noise caused thereby.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view showing the overall configuration of a sheet processing apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the stapler and the processing tray portion.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the stapler moving mechanism in the same manner as in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a rear view of the stapler as seen from the view b of FIG.

FIG. 5 is a vertical sectional side view of the swing guide and the processing tray.

FIG. 6 is a rear view of the processing tray and the alignment wall moving mechanism.

FIG. 7 is a plan view of the retractable tray.

FIG. 8 is a plan view of the stack tray moving mechanism.

FIG. 9 is a sensor layout diagram around the stack tray.

FIG. 10 is an operation diagram of the sheet processing apparatus in the non-sort mode.

FIG. 11 is an operation diagram of the sheet processing apparatus in the staple sort mode.

FIG. 12 is an operation diagram of the sheet processing apparatus in the staple sort mode.

FIG. 13 is an operation diagram of the sheet processing apparatus in the staple sort mode.

FIG. 14 is an operation diagram of the sheet processing apparatus in the staple sort mode.

FIG. 15 is an operation diagram of the sheet processing apparatus in the staple sort mode.

FIG. 16 is an operation diagram of the sheet processing apparatus in the staple sort mode.

FIG. 17 is an operation diagram of the sheet processing apparatus in the staple sort mode.

FIG. 18 is an operation diagram of the sheet processing apparatus in the staple sort mode.

FIG. 19 is an operation diagram of the sheet processing apparatus in the same sort mode.

FIG. 20 is an operation diagram of the sheet processing apparatus in the same sort mode.

FIG. 21 is a front view of an image forming apparatus to which the sheet processing apparatus according to the invention can be applied.

FIG. 22 is a plan view showing a tray raising / lowering motor unit and a braking mechanism unit thereof of the sheet processing apparatus according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

P sheet, sheet bundle M200 stack tray motor (stacking means driving means) M201 sample tray motor (stacking means driving means) 1 sheet processing apparatus 4 sheet processing apparatus control apparatus (control means) 7 first discharge roller pair 9 second discharge Roller pair (sheet discharge means) 130 Processing tray 140 Alignment means 150 Swing guide 170 Swing-out tray 180 Bundle discharge roller pair (sheet discharge means) 180a Lower bundle discharge roller 180b Upper bundle discharge roller 200 Stack tray (second sheet stacking means) ) 200a Main output shaft of stack tray motor 200b Sub output shaft of stack tray motor 201 Sample tray 262 One-way clutch 263, 269 Gear 270 Torque limiter 271 Braking mechanism 280 Drive system (shift mechanism) 300 Image forming apparatus main body 302 Discharge roller (Discharge means) 600 image forming unit control apparatus (image forming means) 310 image forming apparatus main body (control means)

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (58) Fields surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) B65H 31/18 G03G 15/00

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A and sheet discharging means for discharging the sheet, a possible stacking the sheets discharged by said sheet discharging means, and vertically movable stacking means along the device body, provided in the stacking means The loading means driving means for moving the loading means up and down by rotating in the forward and reverse directions, and the output shaft extending before and after the loading means driving means.
The sub output on the opposite side of the main output shaft that outputs the rotational drive force
A one-way clutch which is engaged to the secondary output shaft of the loading unit drive means only when said stacking means provided on the shaft portion moves in the direction of downward, have engaged with the one-way clutch, said stacking means have a, a torque limiter for applying a load to said stacking means driving means only when moving in the downward direction, the one-way clutch and the torque limiter, supported
It is integrally configured with the loading means driving means via a holding plate.
Sheet processing apparatus characterized by that. A sheet processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the claim 1, an image forming means for forming an image on a sheet, a discharging means for discharging the sheet formed by the image forming means to the sheet processing apparatus, having An image forming apparatus characterized by.