JP2012188197A - Development device and image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a stapling device which can suppress buckling of a staple needle in stapling a bunch of paper and an image forming device provided with the stapling device and the paper processing device.SOLUTION: A heating part 603 has a heating area KR which is the area exposed above the peripheral surface of an injection hole 602 of a driver part 60. Stapling is carried out after the heating part 603 drops the rigidity of paper by heating the paper before stapling is performed via the heating area KR.

Description

  The present invention relates to a stapling apparatus that performs stapling processing of a recording medium such as paper, a paper processing apparatus that performs stapling processing of a recording medium discharged from an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a printer, or a facsimile, and the paper processing apparatus. The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus.

  Conventionally, there has been a problem that staples are buckled when a bundle of sheets is bound using a stapling apparatus capable of stapling sheets. Such a problem occurs particularly when the sheet bundle is thick or the rigidity of the sheet is high and the penetration resistance of the staple needle is increased.

  Further, conventionally, there is provided a sheet processing apparatus capable of performing stapling processing on a sheet bundle of sheets discharged from an image forming apparatus that forms an image on a sheet, and performing stapling processing at a central portion of the sheet bundle, and There is a paper processing apparatus that can perform a so-called saddle stitching process in which a booklet is formed by folding the center portion of the paper. In such a paper processing apparatus, there is a problem that the fold is not firmly attached when folding the central portion of the sheet bundle and the folded booklet is opened, so that the user of the booklet is very unusable. was there.

  Regarding the stapling process in such a paper processing apparatus, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-228620 uses a folding roller that heats a staple binding portion, which is a place where the stapling process has been performed, with a heating roller after stapling a sheet bundle. A sheet processing apparatus for folding the staple folding unit is disclosed.

JP 2007-84324 A

  However, the sheet processing apparatus described in Patent Document 1 cannot solve the problem of stapling of staples when binding a bundle of sheets.

  Moreover, since the sheet processing apparatus described in Patent Document 1 is configured to heat the entire width of the sheet bundle (short direction) by the heating roller when the sheet bundle is folded, energy consumption accompanying heating is reduced. There was a problem of being very expensive.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A first object of the present invention is to provide a stapling apparatus capable of suppressing buckling of staples during stapling of a bundle of sheets, the stapling apparatus, and an image forming apparatus including the paper processing apparatus. And

  The present invention also provides a sheet processing apparatus capable of suppressing buckling of staples during stapling of a sheet bundle, and capable of firmly folding the paper bundle after the stapling process with energy saving, and the like. A second problem is to provide an image forming apparatus including a sheet processing apparatus.

In one aspect of the stapling device of the present invention to achieve the first object,
A stapling apparatus that performs a stapling process on paper, wherein the stapling unit is disposed at a position facing the ejection unit, and opposed to bend the tip of the staple needle ejected from the ejection unit. And a heating unit capable of heating a binding region that is a region bound by the staple needle of the paper, and the heating unit is configured to perform the binding before the ejection unit ejects the staple needle. Heat the area.

  In order to achieve the first object, an aspect of the sheet processing apparatus of the present invention includes a sheet holding unit capable of holding a plurality of sheets as a sheet bundle, taking in sheets from the outside, A sheet conveying unit that conveys the sheet to the sheet holding unit, and the stapling device that can staple the bundle of sheets held in the sheet holding unit.

  Furthermore, in order to achieve the second problem, an aspect of the sheet processing apparatus of the present invention includes a folding unit for folding the sheet bundle after the staple processing in the sheet processing apparatus, Folds the sheet bundle such that a crease is formed in the binding region of the sheet bundle.

  In order to achieve the above object, an aspect of the image forming apparatus according to the present invention includes an image forming unit that forms an image on a sheet, and a sheet on which an image is formed by the image forming unit. A sheet processing apparatus capable of stapling a bundle of sheets.

  According to the stapling apparatus of the present invention, the heating unit can reduce the penetration resistance of the staple needle to the sheet bundle by heating the binding area before the ejection unit ejects the staple needle, thereby reducing the sheet bundle. During the binding process, buckling of the staple needle can be suppressed.

  Further, according to the sheet processing apparatus of the present invention, by heating a limited area called the binding area TR before the binding process, buckling of the staple needle during the binding process is suppressed, and the binding is performed during the folding process. By using the residual heat heated during processing, it is possible to form a fold firmly with energy saving.

It is a schematic block diagram which shows image forming apparatus GS1 which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a schematic block diagram which shows staple apparatus SS1 which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is the schematic which shows the sheet | seat bundle in which the staple process was performed by stapling apparatus SS1 which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a schematic block diagram which shows staple apparatus SS1 which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a schematic block diagram which shows staple apparatus SS1 which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a schematic block diagram which shows staple apparatus SS1 which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is the schematic which shows the periphery of the staple needle of the sheet | seat bundle in which the staple process was performed by staple device SS1 which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is the schematic which shows the sheet | seat bundle in which the staple process was performed by stapling apparatus SS1 which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is the schematic which shows the sheet | seat bundle in which the staple process was performed by stapling apparatus SS1 which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
Embodiment 1
<Image forming apparatus GS1>

  FIG. 1 shows an image forming apparatus GS1 according to the first embodiment which is an example of the present invention, an apparatus main body 2, an automatic document feeder 3, and a paper processing apparatus according to the first embodiment which is an example of the present invention. YS1 and a stapling apparatus SS1 according to Embodiment 1 which is an example of the present invention. Hereinafter, the image forming apparatus GS1 will be described with reference to FIG.

  The apparatus body 2 includes a scanner unit 5 as an image reading unit that reads an image of a document at an image reading position and generates image data, and a paper feeding unit 6 as a paper storage unit that stores and conveys paper P2 as a recording medium. A printer unit 7 as an image forming unit that forms an image by electrophotography based on image data generated by the scanner unit 5 on the paper P2 conveyed from the paper supply unit 6; A fixing unit 8 positioned on the paper sheet, a paper discharge unit 9 for discharging the paper P2 having passed through the fixing unit 8 to the outside of the apparatus main body 2, a reversing unit 10 for reversing the front and back of the paper P2 having an image fixed on one side, and the apparatus main body 2 is provided with a transport unit 11a for transporting the paper P2.

  The apparatus main body 2 includes a control unit 43 that controls each process such as image formation, and an operation unit 44 that allows the user to make various settings during image formation.

The control unit 43 includes a storage unit 431 that stores information necessary for each process such as image formation, and a count unit 432 for measuring the execution time of each process. As will be described in detail later, the control unit 43 receives the image data generated by the scanner unit 5, performs predetermined processing on the input image data, and outputs it to the printer unit 7 as an image signal.

  The scanner unit 5 includes a document glass 12 on which a document is placed, a slit glass 13 disposed below the image reading position, an image sensor 14 that includes a lens and an image sensor, and generates an image signal. And a mirror group 16 that guides the reflected light of the lamp 15 to the image sensor 14.

  The original glass 12 is a rectangular glass of a predetermined size on which the original P1 can be placed, and the slit glass 13 is an elongated glass extending in the main scanning direction. The lamp 15 and the mirror group 16 are arranged to be movable in the sub-scanning direction by a drive mechanism (not shown).

  The scanner unit 5 can irradiate light on the entire surface of the original P1 placed on the original glass 12 and read the reflected light by the image sensor 14 when reading the original. Further, by positioning the lamp 15 and the mirror group 16 on the lower surface of the slit glass 13, the automatic document feeder 3 irradiates light to the original P 1 conveyed to the image reading position, and the reflected light is reflected by the image sensor 14. Can be read. Although details will be described later, a signal from the image sensor 14 is input to the control unit 43 as image data.

  The scanner unit 5 is operable in a mode for reading a document conveyed by the automatic document feeder 3 and a mode for reading a document placed on the document glass 12.

  The paper feed unit 6 transports the paper feed cassette 17 for storing the paper P2, the feed roller that sequentially feeds the paper P2 from the paper feed cassette 17, and the paper P2 fed from the feed roller to the printer unit 7. And a transport mechanism 18 having a transport roller for supplying the printer unit 7 with a sheet P2 of a predetermined size.

  The transport mechanism 18 is a part of the transport unit 11 a for transporting the paper P <b> 2 in the apparatus main body 2.

  The printer unit 7 exposes the image carrier 20 on the basis of an image carrier 20 formed of a drum-shaped photoreceptor that is rotated, a charging device 19 that charges the image carrier 20, and an image signal output from the control unit 43. The exposure device 21, the developing unit 22 that forms an image on the image carrier 20 with a developer containing toner and carrier, and the image on the image carrier 20 is transferred to the paper P 2 conveyed from the paper feed cassette 17. And a transfer roller 23 as a transfer portion. A charging device 19, an exposure device 21, a developing unit 22, and a transfer roller 23 are arranged in this order along the rotation direction of the image carrier 20 with respect to the outer peripheral surface of the image carrier 20. Further, an image carrier cleaning means 25 having an image carrier cleaning blade is provided at a position downstream of the transfer roller 23.

  The image carrier 20 has a photosensitive layer made of a resin containing an organic photoconductor on the outer peripheral surface of a drum-shaped metal substrate. The image carrier 20 is rotatably provided by a drive mechanism (not shown). In FIG. 1, the rotation shaft is disposed in a direction perpendicular to the paper surface.

  The charging device 19 is, for example, a scorotron charger having a grid electrode and a discharge electrode, and charges the surface of the image carrier 20.

  The exposure device 21 emits a laser beam based on the image signal of the original read at the image reading position, reflects the laser beam emitted from the laser irradiation device, and irradiates the surface of the image carrier 20. Polygon mirror 21a. Although details will be described later, the image signal of the document is output from the control unit 43 based on the image data input to the control unit 43.

  The polygon mirror 21a rotates at a constant rotation speed, and the main scanning of the laser beam is performed by the rotation of the polygon mirror 21a. Further, the sub scanning of the laser beam is performed by the rotation of the image carrier 20. As a result, an electrostatic latent image is formed on the surface of the image carrier 20. The electrostatic latent image formed on the image carrier 20 is visualized by the developing unit 22.

  Here, the charging device 19 and the exposure device 21 constitute an electrostatic latent image forming unit that forms an electrostatic latent image on the image carrier 20.

  The developing unit 22 includes a developing sleeve 22a that contains a magnet and rotates while holding the developer, and a mechanism that agitates and supplies the stored toner. The developing sleeve 22 a is supplied with a direct current and / or alternating current bias voltage from a voltage applying unit (not shown) during image formation, supplies toner to the image carrier 20, and applies toner to the electrostatic latent image on the image carrier 20. A toner image is formed by adhering. The toner image on the image carrier 20 is transferred from the image carrier 20 to the paper P2 by the transfer roller 23, and the paper P2 on which the toner image is transferred is sent to the fixing unit 8.

  The transfer roller 23 is connected to a transfer current supply device (not shown) composed of a constant current power source, and is provided so as to face the surface of the image carrier 20 and form a transfer nip portion as a transfer region. The transfer roller 23 is supplied with a transfer current by a transfer current supply device (not shown), thereby transferring the toner image formed on the image carrier 20 onto the paper P2 in the transfer nip portion, and a visible image. Turn into.

  The image carrier cleaning unit 25 includes, for example, an image carrier cleaning blade. The image carrier cleaning blade is made of, for example, an elastic material such as urethane rubber. The image carrier cleaning blade is provided such that a base end portion thereof is supported by a support member and a tip portion thereof is brought into contact with the surface of the image carrier 20. . The direction extending from the base end side of the image carrier cleaning blade can be a so-called counter direction, which is a direction opposite to the moving direction due to the rotation of the image carrier 20 at the contact portion. The image carrier cleaning blade scrapes and accommodates toner or the like that is not transferred to the paper P2 and adhered to the surface of the image carrier 20.

  The fixing unit 8 includes, for example, a heating roller, a pressure roller, and a fixing roller, and pressurizes and heats the toner image transferred on the paper P2 to fix it. The paper P2 that has passed through the fixing unit 8 is conveyed to the paper discharge unit 9 along the conveyance path.

  The discharge unit 9 has a pair of discharge rollers that discharges the sheet P2 that has passed through the fixing unit 8 to the outside of the apparatus main body 2 by conveying the sheet P2 to the sheet processing apparatus SY1.

  A reversing unit (ADU) 10 reverses the paper P2 that has passed through the fixing unit 8 and conveys it to the printer unit 7 and reverses the conveyance direction of the paper P2 that has passed through the fixing unit 8 to the paper discharge unit 9. A transfer switching gate 28 that switches between the direction toward and the direction toward the reverse conveyance path 27.

  The conveyance switching gate 28 includes a conveyance switching roller that conveys the paper P2 that has passed through the fixing unit 8, and can convey the paper P2 to the discharge unit 9 or the reversing unit 10 according to the operation mode.

  The transport unit 11 a includes a transport path including the transport mechanism 18 and the reverse transport path 27 described above, and can transport the paper P <b> 2 in the apparatus main body 2. Further, the transport unit 11a includes a sensor group that detects the transport state of the paper P2. For example, the transport unit 11a can include a paper detection sensor 29 that detects the presence or absence of the paper P2 in the reverse transport path 27.

  Next, the configuration of the automatic document feeder (ADF) 3 will be described.

  The automatic document feeder 3 includes a first document tray 30 on which a document, which is a sheet on which an image or the like is formed, is stacked, a second document tray 31 on which a discharged document is stacked, and a document in duplex scanning. A reversing unit 32 that temporarily passes through and a feeding mechanism 33 for feeding the document placed on the first document tray 30 are provided.

  The automatic document feeder 3 is an example of a document transport unit that automatically feeds a plurality of documents and captures the documents from the outside and transports the documents. A document transport unit may be provided as part of the apparatus YS1. Although details will be described later, when a document transport unit is provided as a part of the sheet processing apparatus YS1, the document captured by the document transport unit is transported to the first sheet holding unit or the second sheet holding unit. .

  The feeding mechanism 33 is fed by a feed roller 34 facing the slit glass 13, a paper feeding roller 35 that sequentially feeds the originals P1 placed on the first original tray 30, one by one, and a paper feeding roller. A roller group such as a feed roller for feeding the document P1 is provided.

  Further, the automatic document feeder 3 is provided with a sensor group for detecting the conveyance state of the document P1. For example, as shown in FIG. 1, a document detection sensor 36 that detects the presence or absence of a document P1 in the first document tray 30, a document passage detection sensor 37 that detects the end of feeding, and a document P1 at the image reading position. A document reading detection sensor 38 for detecting the start of reading is provided. The document detection sensor 36 detects whether or not the document P1 is placed on the first document tray 30 while being fed by the paper feed roller 35.

  Next, the configuration of the sheet processing apparatus YS1 will be described.

  The paper processing device YS1 is connected to the first paper discharge tray 50 for stacking paper discharged outside the paper processing device YS1, the staple device SS1 for stapling paper, and the first paper discharge tray 50 or the staple device SS1. A transport unit 11b for transporting the paper, a first paper holding unit 51 for holding the paper transported by the transport unit 11b, and a second paper holding unit 52 for holding the paper transported by the transport unit 11b. A folding processing unit 53 that performs a folding process for saddle stitching on a bundle of sheets sequentially conveyed to the second sheet holding unit 52 (hereinafter referred to as a sheet bundle PP), and the folding processing unit 53 performs the saddle stitching process. A second paper discharge tray 54 from which the discharged paper is discharged.

  On the first paper discharge tray 50, sheets sequentially conveyed through the apparatus main body 2 are stacked without post-processing such as stapling and folding.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the stapling apparatus SS1 includes a driver unit 60 that ejects staples, and a clincher unit 61 that is provided to face the driver unit 60.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the clincher portion 61 has a facing portion 611 for bending the staple needle ejected from the driver portion 60. The clincher unit 61 is configured to be movable toward the driver unit 60 (in the direction of arrow Y1 in FIG. 2) by a known mechanism (not shown) such as a cam mechanism during stapling.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the driver unit 60 is an ejection unit that ejects staples. As shown in FIG. 2, the staple unit accommodating unit 601 that accommodates staples, an ejection hole 602 that ejects staples, and an ejection hole 602. And a heating unit 603 provided on the periphery.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the heating unit 603 has a heating region KR that is an exposed region on the peripheral surface of the injection hole 602 of the driver unit 60. The heating unit 603 can reduce the rigidity of the paper by heating the paper before the stapling process is performed via the heating region KR.

  The heating unit 603 can be, for example, a PCT (Positive Temperature Coefficient) heater, but is not particularly limited. The PCT heater is a contact type heater having a semiconductor ceramic mainly composed of barium titanate, and the heating region KR can be in direct contact with the surface of the paper, so that it can be efficiently heated.

  The staple needle storage unit 601 stores staple needles used for stapling paper, and the staple needles stored in the staple needle storage unit 601 are ejected from the ejection hole 602 by a known mechanism such as a cam mechanism.

  Next, an operation at the time of stapling of the stapling apparatus SS1 will be described by taking a stapling process in saddle stitching as an example. Although description of saddle stitching will be described later, in the staple processing in saddle stitching, staple needles (hereinafter referred to as staple needles SH) that are ejected from the ejection holes 602 and used for the staple processing of paper are shown in FIG. Bind paper bundle PP.

  Note that a region TR (hereinafter, a binding region TR) on the paper around the staple needle SH is a region in contact with the heating region KR. The binding region TR is a region including at least the surface of the paper that comes into contact with the staple when the stapling process is performed, and includes a region around the region in contact with the staple.

  The clincher unit 61 moves toward the driver unit 60 (in the direction of the arrow Y1 in FIG. 2) during stapling, in other words, moves toward the sheet bundle PP held by the second sheet holding unit 52. Details of the second sheet holding unit 52 will be described later.

  As the clincher unit 61 moves, the heating region KR of the heating unit 603 comes into contact with the binding region TR held by the first paper holding unit 51 or the second paper holding unit 52 during the stapling process. After the heating region KR contacts the paper, the heating unit 603 heats the paper before the stapling process is performed. In other words, the driver unit 60 performs the binding process after the heating unit 603 performs the sheet heating process.

  The injection hole 602 of the driver unit 60 drives out the staple after the heat treatment. After the punched staple needle penetrates the paper bundle, the staple is applied to the paper bundle by being bent by the facing portion 611. When the facing portion 611 bends the staple, a force is applied to the facing portion 611 to move the facing portion 611 toward the driver unit 60 by a movable mechanism (not shown). In addition, the driver unit 60 may move to the facing unit 611 side during the stapling process.

  As described above, according to the stapling device SS1, since the binding region TR can be reliably heated by providing the heating unit 603 at the periphery of the ejection hole 602, the staple needles ejected from the ejection holes 602 to the sheet bundle. The penetration resistance can be reduced, and the buckling of the staple needle that occurs when binding a bundle of sheets can be suppressed. In addition, when performing the saddle stitching process of the sheet bundle, the heating unit 603 is provided at the periphery of the injection hole 602 so that the area on the cover side (outside of the booklet) of the booklet after the saddle stitching process can be heated. it can. As a result, it is possible to make a crease firmly on the cover side of the booklet, and to form a booklet with a maintained appearance.

  Further, the heating unit 603 may be provided on both the peripheral edge of the injection hole 602 of the driver unit 60 and the facing unit 611 of the clincher unit 61. According to such a configuration, since the binding region TR of the sheet bundle can be heated from both sides, it is possible to reduce the time required for heating, reduce energy consumption accompanying heating, and saddle stitching. Processing productivity can be improved.

  Further, the transport unit 11b of the paper processing apparatus YS1 includes a transport roller group 112 including a pair of intake rollers 111 that captures and transports paper from the paper discharge unit of the apparatus main body 2, and a transport path of the paper captured by the transport roller pair. And a path switching guide 113 for switching to one of a transport path toward the first paper discharge tray 50 and a transport path toward the stapling apparatus SS1. The transport roller group 112 transports the paper inside the paper processing apparatus YS1.

  The first paper holding unit 51 is configured to be movable between a first holding position H1 that is a position that blocks the paper conveyance path and a retreat position that is a position that is retreated from the paper conveyance path. For example, when the user sets the saddle stitching process by operating the operation unit, the first sheet holding unit 51 retreats to the retreat position. Note that the stapling device SS1 can perform a so-called flat binding process, which is a process of binding the vicinity of the upstream edge of the sheet in the conveyance direction with a staple needle, on the sheet held at the first holding position H1.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the first sheet holding unit 51 is in a state of being moved to the first holding position H1 during the side stitching process, and is downstream in the conveyance direction of the sheet conveyed by the conveyance unit 11b at the first holding position H1. The paper is sequentially held by regulating the side edge. Note that the sheet bundle held by the first sheet holding unit 51 is aligned by an alignment member (not shown) that is movable in a direction orthogonal to the sheet conveyance direction.

  The sheet bundle of sheets held by the first sheet holding unit 51 is stapled by the stapling device SS1 in the same manner as the staple process in saddle stitching. That is, the side stitching process is performed after the heating process is performed by the heating unit 603. The sheet bundle that has undergone the side stitching process is discharged to the first discharge tray 50 by a transport mechanism (not shown).

  As shown in FIG. 5 and FIG. 6, the second sheet holding unit 52 is a position that blocks the sheet conveyance path and performs the sheet saddle stitching process and the folding processing unit 53. It is configured to be movable between a third holding position H3 that is a position where the sheet folding process is performed.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the second paper holding unit 52 is in a state of being moved to the second holding position H2 during the saddle stitching process, and is downstream in the conveyance direction of the paper conveyed by the conveyance unit 11b at the second holding position H2. The paper is sequentially held by regulating the side edge. The sheet bundle PP held by the second sheet holding unit 52 is aligned by an alignment member (not shown) that is movable in a direction orthogonal to the sheet conveyance direction. The second paper holding unit 52 has a regulating surface that regulates an end portion on the downstream side in the paper transport direction.

  Here, the second holding position H2 is a position where the distance d1 from the injection hole 602 to the regulating surface is equal to the distance from the downstream end in the paper transport direction to the center of the paper. The sheet bundle PP is held by the second sheet holding unit 52 at the second holding position H2 so that the injection hole 602 is positioned at the center of the sheet.

  The folding processing unit 53 forms a booklet by performing folding processing on the sheet bundle PP that has been stapled by the stapling device SS1. As shown in FIG. 1, the folding processing unit 53 is folded by the folding knife 531, which is folded in contact with the sheet bundle PP held by the second sheet holding unit 52 in the third holding position H 3, and the folding knife 531. And a folding roller pair 532 for taking in the central portion of the sheet. Although details will be described later, a folding line OM is formed in the sheet bundle PP by the folding knife 531 and the folding roller pair 532.

  Here, as shown in FIG. 6, the third holding position H3 is such that the distance d2 from the nip portion of the pair of folding rollers 532 to the regulating surface is from the downstream end in the paper transport direction to the central portion of the paper. The position is equal to the distance. The sheet bundle PP is held by the second sheet holding unit 52 at the third holding position H3 so that the nip portion of the folding roller pair 532 is positioned at the center of the sheet.

  Next, the operation during the saddle stitching process of the sheet processing apparatus YS1 will be described.

  When the sheet bundle PP held by the second sheet holding unit 52 is saddle-stitched, the stapling device SS1 performs the stapling process on the central portion in the longitudinal direction of the sheet bundle PP as described above.

  After the stapling process of the sheet bundle PP is completed, the second sheet holding unit 52 is moved to a third holding position H3 that is a position where the folding process of the sheet bundle PP is performed by a cam mechanism (not shown).

  The folding knife 531 is moved to the folding roller pair 532 side (in the direction of arrow Y2 in FIG. 1) by a movable mechanism (not shown) after the second paper holding unit 52 is moved to the third holding position H3, and is moved to the third holding position. Abutting on the sheet bundle PP held at H3, the sheet bundle PP is projected to the folding roller side. The pair of folding rollers 532 ejects the sheet bundle PP to the second sheet ejection tray 54 by rotating while sandwiching the leading end portion of the sheet bundle PP projected by the folding knife 531.

  Here, when the folding knife 531 comes into contact with the sheet bundle PP, the fold OM1 is formed along the staple needle SH bound in the binding region TR as shown in FIGS. This is because when the folding knife 531 is brought into contact with the paper bundle PP, the binding region TR has a residual heat due to heating during stapling, and the paper bundle comes into contact with the staple needle SH formed in the binding region TR by the residual heat. This is due to the fact that the rigidity of PP is reduced, so that a force is applied along the longitudinal direction of the sheet bundle PP that contacts the staple needle SH that binds the sheet bundle in the binding region TR. After the fold line OM1 is formed, as shown in FIG. 9, the leading end portion of the sheet bundle PP protruded by the folding knife 531 is sandwiched between the folding roller pair 532, so that the entire sheet bundle PP in the width direction is formed. The fold OM2 is formed over

  As described above, according to the sheet processing apparatus YS1, by heating a limited area called the binding area TR before the staple process, the buckling of the staple needle SH during the staple process is suppressed, and at the time of the folding process, By using the residual heat heated at the time of stapling, it is possible to form a straight crease firmly with energy saving.

  Here, the heating process and the binding process will be described more specifically by taking the sheet bundle PP as an example.

  The storage unit 431 of the control unit 43 stores a heating time corresponding to the number of sheets bundle PP. The control unit 43 sets the number of sheet bundles PP based on the number of documents fed by the automatic document feeder 3 or the number of images formed in an image forming job received from a PC (not shown). The heating time is set according to the number of the sheet bundle PP. Here, the heating time is set to become longer as the number of sheets PP increases, but is not limited thereto. For example, the heating time may be set according to the type of paper on which the paper bundle PP is formed. More specifically, the heating time may be set to become longer as the basis weight of the paper forming the paper bundle PP increases.

  The control unit 43 moves the clincher unit 61 to the driver unit 60 side (arrow Y1 in FIG. 2) when the set number of sheets sequentially conveyed to the second sheet holding unit 52 positioned at the second holding position H2 is reached. After the heating region KR of the heating unit 603 comes into contact with the sheet, the power of the heating unit 603 is turned on and the counting unit 432 starts counting.

  The control unit 43 performs the binding process of the sheet bundle PP when the counting unit 432 counts until the set heating time is reached.

  Here, the heating temperature during the heat treatment by the heating unit 603 is set so that the surface temperature of the sheet bundle PP is about 100 ° C. The heating temperature during the heat treatment by the heating unit 603 is preferably set between 60 ° C. and the glass transition temperature of the toner.

  Further, the control unit 43 may control not to perform the heat treatment when the number of sheets forming the sheet bundle PP is small. When the paper bundle PP is formed from plain paper (for example, paper having a basis weight of 60 g / m 2 to 70 g / m 2), the control unit 43 determines that the number of plain papers forming the paper bundle PP is 50 or more. By controlling to perform the heat treatment, energy consumption during the heat treatment can be reduced.

  In addition, the control unit 43 sets the sheet conveyed in the first half of the sheets forming the sheet bundle PP to the second sheet holding unit 52 after the sheet conveyed in the second half is held in the second sheet holding unit 52. The heating temperature by the heating unit 603 may be controlled to be increased until it is held. According to such a configuration, the sheet conveyed in the initial stage is heated to such an extent that the remaining heat at the time of fixing by the fixing unit 8 is maintained, and the surface temperature of the sheet bundle PP is stapled as the sheet is conveyed. Since it can heat so that it may approach the target temperature (for example, about 100 degreeC) at the time, the energy consumption at the time of heat processing can be reduced further.

  The stapling device SS1, the paper processing device YS1, and the image forming device GS1 are merely examples, and do not limit the present invention. Accordingly, the present invention can be variously improved and modified without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, the stapling device SS1 is not configured to perform stapling processing on paper conveyed from the image forming apparatus GS1, but is configured to be portable by the user. For example, the stapling device SS1 is replaced with a known mechanism such as a cam mechanism. By compressing with palm, the clincher unit 61 may be moved to the driver unit 60 side during stapling to perform stapling of a bundle of sheets.

  The heating unit 603 is not limited to a contact heater, and may be a non-contact heater using a halogen heater or the like. Further, the heating unit 603 is not limited to being provided in the stapling apparatus SS1, and may be provided in, for example, a conveyance guide in the conveyance unit 11b.

  In addition, the control unit 43 may perform control so that an image is not formed in an area on the sheet heated by the heating unit 603. According to such a configuration, even when a toner having a relatively low glass transition temperature is used in the image forming apparatus GS1, it is possible to prevent image alteration and deformation due to heating.

  In addition, the fixing unit 8 includes a cooling fan that cools the sheet after fixing, and the control unit 43 may perform control so as to suppress cooling by the cooling fan when performing the stapling process. According to such a configuration, for example, even when toner having a relatively low glass transition temperature is used in the image forming apparatus GS1, if the stapling process is not performed, the paper after fixing is cooled by the cooling fan. By cooling, toner can be prevented from adhering to the transport roller group 112 and the like of the transport unit 11b, and energy consumption during the heat processing by the heating unit 603 can be suppressed when performing stapling processing.

  In addition, the binding region TR may be heated during the side binding process by the sheet processing apparatus YS1.

  Further, the binding region TR may be heated by providing the heating unit 603 only in the facing unit 611.

  The present invention can also be applied to tandem color copiers, monochrome copiers, printers, fax machines, and multi-function machines thereof.

GS1 image forming apparatus 2 apparatus main body 3 automatic document feeder (ADF)
5 Scanner unit 6 Paper feed unit 7 Printer unit 8 Fixing unit 9 Paper discharge unit 10 Reversing unit (ADU)
11a Conveying section 12 Original glass 13 Slit glass 14 Image sensor 15 Lamp 16 Mirror group 17 Paper feed cassette 18 Conveying mechanism 19 Charging device 20 Image carrier 21 Exposure device 21a Polygon mirror 22 Developing unit 22a Developing sleeve 23 Transfer roller 25 Image carrier Cleaning means 27 Reverse transfer path 28 Transfer switching gate 29 Paper detection sensor
30 First document tray 31 Second document tray 32 Reversing unit 33 Feed mechanism 34 Feed roller 35 Feed roller 36 Document detection sensor 37a Document passage detection sensor 37b Document reading detection sensor 43 Control unit 431 Storage unit 432 Count unit 44 Operation unit 47 Sensor group 48 Feed drive unit 78 LAN (local area network) I / F
79 Controller control CPU
P2 paper P1 document YS1 paper processing device 50 first paper discharge tray 11b transport unit 111 take-in roller pair 112 transport roller group 113 path switching guide 51 first paper holding unit 52 second paper holding unit 53 folding processing unit 531 folding knife 532 Folding roller pair 54 Second discharge tray SS1 Staple device 60 Driver unit 601 Staple needle storage unit 602 Ejection hole 603 Heating unit 61 Clincher unit 611 Opposing unit H1 First holding position H2 Second holding position H3 Third holding position KR Heating region TR binding area PP sheet bundle OM1 first fold OM2 second fold

Claims (6)

A stapling apparatus that performs stapling processing of paper,
An ejection unit from which staples are ejected;
A facing portion that is provided at a position facing the ejection portion and for bending the tip of the staple needle ejected from the ejection portion;
A heating unit capable of heating a binding area that is an area bound by the staple needle of the paper,
The stapling apparatus, wherein the heating unit heats the binding area before the ejection unit ejects the staple. The injection part is
An ejection hole through which the staple is ejected;
The stapling apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the heating unit is provided at a peripheral portion of the ejection hole.   The stapling apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the heating unit is provided in the facing unit. A paper holding section capable of holding a plurality of paper as a bundle of paper,
A paper transport unit that takes in the paper from the outside and transports the paper to the paper holding unit;
The stapling apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the staple processing of the bundle of sheets held in the sheet holding unit is possible.
A sheet processing apparatus comprising: A folding unit for folding the sheet bundle after the staple processing;
The sheet processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the folding unit folds the sheet bundle so that a fold is formed in the binding region of the sheet bundle. An image forming unit for forming an image on paper;
The paper processing apparatus according to claim 4 or 5, wherein a paper on which an image is formed by the image forming unit can be captured, and a paper bundle of the paper can be stapled.
An image forming apparatus comprising:

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