JP2013001526A - Sheet processor - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a sheet processor which enables sheets to easily be taken out between one job and another from a sheet tray by a simple method.SOLUTION: The sheet processor includes a sheet folding member for tucking in an image-formed sheet, a sheet tray that stacks sheets tucked in by the sheet folding member to take them out, and a controller for controlling the sheet tray. The controller causes at least one of a plurality of transfer belts to move stepwise to the downstream of the sheet tray so that a sheet discharged from the sheet folding member onto an initial position can be discharged in a manner of being laid over a sheet stacked on a sheet tray, and drives at least one of the plurality of transfer belts to identify an intermission between sheet bundles following the next job when a sheet bundle following the preceding job is stacked on a sheet tray upon carrying out the next job.

Description

  The present invention relates to a sheet processing apparatus that receives a recorded sheet discharged from an image forming apparatus and performs post-processing.

  In recent years, sheet processing apparatuses that receive recorded paper (sheets) discharged from an image forming apparatus such as a printer or a copying machine and perform predetermined post-processing have been widely used.

  Specifically, the sheet processing apparatus is provided with post-processing means such as staple (staple) binding, punching (round hole punching), and paper folding for the paper after image formation.

  Among them, many proposals have been made for a sheet processing apparatus in which a recorded sheet (sheet) discharged from an image forming apparatus is bound and taken out. For example, the sheets discharged and stacked from the image forming apparatus are bound at the center, the sheets are saddle-stitched at the binding position, folded into two, and the book is placed on the sheet tray and taken out. A sheet processing apparatus has been proposed.

  For example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2004-284762 discloses a technique for aligning a large number of sheets on a sheet tray on which sheets discharged from an image forming apparatus are stacked.

  Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 07-125900 discloses a technique for discharging a large number of sheets separately into two parts, an upper table and a lower table.

  On the other hand, when an instruction to execute post-processing of a plurality of sheets is requested as one job, it is desirable that job separation is easy.

  In this regard, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 06-115795 discloses a method for executing job sorting by rotating a tray.

JP 2004-284762 A Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 07-125900 Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 06-115795

  However, the job sorting in the above publication has a problem that the configuration of the apparatus is complicated and costs are increased, such as dividing the table into two or providing a rotation mechanism.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a sheet processing apparatus capable of easily taking out sheets between jobs from a sheet tray by a simple method. To do.

  A sheet processing apparatus according to an aspect of the present invention is a sheet processing apparatus that processes a sheet after an image is formed by an image forming apparatus, and includes a sheet folding unit that folds a sheet after the image is formed, and a sheet folding unit. A sheet tray for stacking the folded sheets and a control unit for controlling the sheet tray are provided. The sheet tray divides an area where the sheet is conveyed from the upstream side toward the downstream side with respect to the sheet conveyance direction into a plurality of areas, and a plurality of conveyance areas which convey sheets provided corresponding to the respective areas. The control unit includes a belt, and the control unit places at least one of the plurality of conveying belts on the downstream side of the sheet tray so that the sheet discharged from the sheet folding unit to the initial position is overlapped with the sheet stacked on the sheet tray. When the next job is executed after step movement, if a stack of sheets according to the preceding job is stacked on the sheet tray, a plurality of transports are performed to determine the break of the sheet bundle according to the next job. Drive at least one of the belts.

  Preferably, the control unit calculates a distance between a leading rear end position and a final rear end position of the sheet bundle based on job information relating to the preceding job, and conveys the sheet bundle based on the calculation result. The amount is determined and at least one of the plurality of conveyor belts is driven.

  Preferably, the job information regarding the preceding job includes information regarding the number of copies of the sheet bundle.

  Preferably, the sheet tray is provided corresponding to each of the plurality of regions, and further includes a plurality of detection units for detecting a bundle of sheets stacked in the corresponding region, and the control unit includes a plurality of detection units. Based on the detection result, at least one of the plurality of transport belts is driven.

  Preferably, the control unit determines the position of the sheet bundle according to the preceding job based on the job information regarding the preceding job and the length of the conveyance belt.

  Preferably, the control unit determines whether it is easy to determine a break of the sheet bundle based on the job information regarding the preceding job and the job information regarding the next job, and based on the determination result, the sheet bundle When it is determined that it is not easy to determine the break of the sheet, when the next job is executed, if a bundle of sheets according to the preceding job is stacked in the most upstream area of the sheet tray, At least one of the plurality of conveying belts is driven to determine the break of the sheet bundle according to the next job.

  In the sheet processing apparatus according to an aspect of the present invention, when a next job is executed and a sheet bundle according to the preceding job is stacked on the sheet tray, the sheet bundle according to the next job is cut. Since at least one of the plurality of conveying belts is driven for the determination, it is possible to easily execute the sheet extraction between jobs from the sheet tray by a simple method.

1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an image forming system including a post-processing device (sheet processing device) FS and an image forming device PA according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a principal part expanded sectional view of the saddle 100 of the post-processing apparatus FS according to embodiment of this invention. It is a figure explaining the middle folding (bi-folding) process according to embodiment of this invention. It is a figure explaining the trifold process according to embodiment of this invention. It is a perspective view of sheet tray 800 according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a schematic diagram of a sheet tray 800 according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a schematic block diagram of an image forming apparatus PA according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a schematic block diagram of post-processing apparatus FS according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a general-view figure of the operation panel 13 according to embodiment of this invention. It is a figure explaining the state which a folded sheet accumulates as a comparative example. It is a figure explaining conveyance control in the sheet tray 800 according to the embodiment of the present invention. It is another figure explaining conveyance control in sheet tray 800 according to an embodiment of the invention. It is another figure explaining conveyance control in the sheet tray 800 according to the embodiment of the present invention. It is a flowchart explaining conveyance control of the sheet tray according to the embodiment of the present invention. It is a flowchart explaining the accumulation conveyance mode according to the embodiment of the present invention. It is a flowchart explaining the job sorting conveyance mode according to the embodiment of the present invention. It is a flowchart explaining conveyance control of the sheet tray according to the modification 1 of embodiment of this invention. It is a figure explaining the specific example at the time of performing conveyance control of the sheet tray according to the modification 1 of embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart explaining conveyance control of the sheet tray according to the modification 2 of embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart explaining the process which judges the necessity of conveyance of the job classification according to the modification 2 of embodiment of this invention. It is a figure explaining the specific example at the time of performing conveyance control of the sheet tray according to the modification 2 of embodiment of this invention.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the following description, the same parts and components are denoted by the same reference numerals. Their names and functions are also the same. Therefore, detailed description thereof will not be repeated.

(Image forming system)
FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an image forming system including a post-processing apparatus (sheet processing apparatus) FS and an image forming apparatus PA according to an embodiment of the present invention.

(Image forming device PA)
The image forming apparatus PA includes an image reading unit 1, an image processing unit 2, an image writing unit 3, an image forming unit 4, a paper feed cassette 5, a paper feed roller 6, a fixing device 7, and paper discharge. A roller 8 and an automatic double-sided copy paper feeding unit 9 are provided.

  An automatic document feeder 10 is mounted on the upper part of the image forming apparatus PA. Further, a post-processing device FS is connected to the left side of the image forming apparatus PA in the drawing on the paper discharge roller 8 side. The document placed on the document table of the automatic document feeder 10 is transported along the transport path, an image on one or both sides of the document is scanned by the optical system of the image reading unit 1, and is read by the CCD image sensor 1A. .

  The analog signal photoelectrically converted by the CCD image sensor 1A is subjected to analog processing, A / D conversion, shading correction, image compression processing, and the like in the image processing unit 2, and then sent to the image writing unit 3. The semiconductor laser is driven to emit light based on the image data sent to the image writing unit 3 and irradiated onto the photosensitive drum 4A of the image forming unit 4 to form a latent image. In the image forming unit 4, processes such as charging, exposure, development, transfer, separation, and cleaning are performed, and a toner image is formed on the photosensitive drum 4A.

  The recording sheet S fed from the sheet feeding cassette 5 by the sheet feeding roller 6 reaches the photosensitive drum 4A, and the toner image is transferred to the recording sheet S by the transfer unit 4B. The recording paper S carrying the toner image is fixed by the fixing device 7 and sent from the paper discharge roller 8 to the post-processing device FS. In the case of double-sided copying, the recording paper S that has undergone single-sided image processing is sent to the automatic double-sided copy paper feeding unit 9 by the conveyance path switching plate 8A, and after the toner image is transferred and fixed on the back side in the image forming unit 4 Then, the paper is fed from the paper discharge roller 8 to the post-processing device FS.

(Post-processing device FS)
The post-processing device FS includes a paper carry-in unit 20 and a plurality of post-processing units. The post-processing unit includes a punching processing unit 40, a folding unit 50, an end binding (flat binding) processing unit 71, a saddle stitching processing unit 72, and a paper discharge unit 80.

  The recording paper S (also referred to as a sheet) after image formation sent from the paper discharge roller 8 of the image forming apparatus PA to the post-processing apparatus FS is conveyed into the post-processing apparatus FS by the paper carry-in unit 20.

  The punching processing unit 40 is disposed on the left-hand downstream side of the paper carry-in unit 20 and punches holes in the sheet S. Specifically, an entrance sensor 28 is provided in the vicinity of the entrance of the post-processing device FS, and when the sheet S is loaded into the post-processing device FS, the entrance sensor 28 detects the loading of the sheet S. Then, the conveyance of the sheet S is stopped after a predetermined time after the carry-in of the sheet S is detected, and the punching processing unit 40 opens a punch hole in the sheet S (punch processing).

  It is branched into two transport paths H0 and H1 from the downstream of the punching processing unit 40. The conveyance paths H0 and H1 are switched by the conveyance path switching member 30. The conveyance path H <b> 1 branched downward is connected to the saddle 100 via the conveyance roller 23. As will be described later, the saddle 100 includes a saddle stitching processing unit 72 and a folding unit 50, which will be described in detail later.

The other transport path H 0 is connected to the paper discharge unit 80 via the transport roller 24.
In the post-processing device FS, when a large amount of image formation is performed without processing by the post-processing unit, the sheet S passes from the paper carry-in unit 20 through the conveyance path H0 to the discharge paddle 22 of the paper discharge unit 80, and the post-processing device FS. It is discharged to an elevator tray 81 provided at the outlet.

  The elevator tray 81 moves downward as indicated by a chain line in the drawing so that the uppermost surface of the discharged sheet S is always at a constant height. Therefore, thousands of sheets can be stacked on the elevator tray 81. In addition, a paper detection sensor 26 is provided in the conveyance path H0, detects the passage of the sheet S in the conveyance path H0, and executes drive timing control for the conveyance roller 24, the discharge paddle 22, and the like.

  Further, the discharge paddle 22 is configured to be movable between a pressed state and a separated state. When the discharge paddle 22 is in pressure contact, the sheet S is discharged to the elevator tray 81 as described above. On the other hand, when the discharge paddle 22 is separated, the sheet is not immediately discharged to the elevator tray 81, and after the sheet S reaches the discharge paddle 22, the trailing end of the sheet S falls on the accommodation belt 70. The accommodation belt 70 and the accommodation paddle 74 rotate to convey the sheet in the direction in which the end binding processing unit 71 is provided. Then, the process is executed a plurality of times for a plurality of sheets S, the sheet detection sensor 73 detects that a predetermined number of sheets are stored in the end binding processing unit 71, and the end binding process is executed. Thereafter, the accommodation belt 70 and the accommodation paddle 74 convey the sheet bundle bound in the direction of the discharge paddle 22, and the sheet bundle is discharged from the discharge paddle 22 to the elevator tray 81.

  The saddle 100 is disposed obliquely with respect to the horizontal direction downstream of the conveying roller 23, and includes a plurality of guide members and leading end stoppers for guiding the sheet S, a saddle stitching processing unit 72, a folding unit 50, and sheet width alignment. The sheet is processed in each of the half-fold (two-fold) mode, the half-fold / saddle-binding mode, and the three-fold mode for one or more sheets S, and discharged to the sheet tray 800. In the present example, since the saddle 100 is subjected to two-fold or three-fold processing on one or more sheets S, the sheet discharged to the sheet tray 800 is also referred to as a folded sheet.

  FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a main part of saddle 100 of post-processing device FS according to the embodiment of the present invention.

  With reference to FIG. 2, the sheet S is carried in from obliquely upward to obliquely downward. Also, as described in the lower right in the figure, in the following description, the direction going diagonally downward is the X direction, the direction orthogonal to the X direction on the paper is the Y direction, and the direction perpendicular to the paper is the Z direction.

  The guide members constituting the saddle 100 are composed of upstream guide members 101 and 102 and downstream guide members 103 and 104. The sheet width aligning portion 110 is located on the upper side of the upstream guide members 101 and 102, and the upstream side. The saddle stitching processing section 72 is positioned in the middle of the guide members 101 and 102, and the folding section 50 is positioned between the upstream guide members 101 and 102 and the downstream guide members 103 and 104.

  The sheets S carried into the saddle 100 via the conveyance path H1 are detected one by one by the saddle carry-in sensor 62. And the sheet | seat S carried in is conveyed along a guide member with dead weight. At that time, the upper paddle 75 and the lower paddle 76 rotate in contact with the surface of the sheet, whereby the sheets are smoothly conveyed one by one.

The sheet width aligning unit 110 performs alignment in the width direction (Z, reverse Z direction) of the sheet S.
A distal end stopper 105 that is movable along the downstream guide members 103 and 104 is provided downstream of the folding unit 50. The leading end stopper 105 restricts the lower end of the sheet S to a predetermined position, and is moved according to the paper size.

  The upstream guide member 101 and the downstream guide member 103 are located on the lower side (reverse Y direction side) of the saddle 100, and constitute a stack surface on which the sheets S slide down along the surface. Further, the upstream guide member 102 and the downstream guide member 104 are disposed to face the upstream guide member 101 and the downstream guide member 103 at a predetermined interval.

  The saddle stitching processing unit 72 includes a needle receiving mechanism 72a and a needle striking mechanism 72b. The saddle stitching processing unit 72 operates when the central portion in the sheet transport direction of the bundle of sheets S is positioned by the leading end stopper 105, and the bundle of sheets S is saddle stitched. To do. Specifically, the leading end stopper 105 moves in the sheet conveyance direction (X, reverse X direction) of the sheet S, so that the central portion of the plurality of sheets S is aligned with the saddle stitching processing unit 72 and stacked. After a plurality of sheets S are stacked, the bundle of sheets S is saddle-stitched by the saddle stitching processing unit 72. When the saddle stitching processing unit 72 does not perform the saddle stitching process, the sheets S are stacked so that the center portion of the sheet S fits the folding unit 50.

  The folding unit 50 includes a first folding plate 51, a first folding roller 52, a second folding roller 53, a third folding roller 54, a fourth folding roller 56, a fifth folding roller 58, a transport path switching member 55, and a guide member 57. The first folded plate sensor 59, the second folded plate 60, and the second folded plate sensor 61 are provided, and the sheet S is subjected to middle folding (folding) processing or three folding processing.

FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining a half-folding process in accordance with the embodiment of the present invention.
With reference to FIGS. 2 and 3, in the half-folding process, first, the leading end stopper 105 is moved so that the center portion of the length of the sheet S becomes the position of the first folding plate 51. Next, as shown in FIG. 3A, the first folding plate 51 moves the sheet S between the first folding roller 52 and the second folding roller 53 while the first and second folding rollers 52 and 53 rotate. Insert into. Since the first folding roller 52 and the second folding roller 53 are urged to come into pressure contact with each other by a spring member (not shown), the sheet S is folded at the center in FIG. 3B. Then, the sheet S folded by the guide member 57 provided below the transport path switching member 55 is transported to the fourth and fifth folding rollers 56 and 58. As shown in FIG. 3C, the fourth and fifth folding rollers 56 and 58 rotate to convey the folded sheet S. In FIG. 3D, the fourth and fifth folding rollers 56 and 58 discharge the folded sheet S to the sheet tray 800. The first folded plate sensor 59 detects the home position of the first folded plate 51, and the moved first folded plate 51 is returned to the home position.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating tri-fold processing according to the embodiment of the present invention.
With reference to FIGS. 2 and 4, first, in the tri-fold process, the transport path switching member 55 moves and is set to the position indicated by the dotted line in FIG. The sheet S is moved by the leading end stopper 105 so that the position of one third of the length of the sheet S becomes the position of the folding plate 51. Next, as shown in FIG. 4A, the first and second folding rollers 52 and 53 rotate while the first folding plate 51 moves the sheet S between the first folding roller 52 and the second folding roller 53. Insert into. In FIG. 4B, the sheet S is folded and creased at one third of its length. Next, in FIG. 4C, the sheet S is guided upward along the shape of the transport path switching member 55 with the fold as the head. Note that the sheet S guided along the shape of the transport path switching member 55 is stopped by a stop member (not shown). The stop member is used for positioning the sheet S when the second folding plate 60 performs the folding process, and a position where the second folding plate 60 makes a crease at the center of the length of the sheet S subjected to the folding process. Adjust so that

  Next, in FIG. 4D, while the second folding roller 53 and the third folding roller 54 rotate, the second folding plate 60 puts the sheet S between the second folding roller 53 and the third folding roller 54. insert. It is assumed that the second folding roller 53 and the third folding roller 54 are urged so as to be pressed against each other by a spring member (not shown). The folded sheet S is further folded and folded by the second folding plate 60 at the center of the remaining length. In FIG. 4E, the second and third folding rollers 53 and 54 rotate and discharge the folded sheet S to the sheet tray 800. The first folded plate sensor 59 detects the home position of the first folded plate 51, and the moved first folded plate 51 is returned to the home position. The second folded plate sensor 61 detects the home position of the second folded plate 60, and the moved second folded plate 60 is returned to the home position. As for the tri-folding process, the sheet S is first folded at a position that is one third of the length, and the half of the remaining length is creased so that the folded side is folded. A folding process is performed.

  Note that although the two-fold or three-fold processing of one sheet S has been described here, the processing is not limited to one, and the same processing can be performed for a plurality of sheets.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of sheet tray 800 according to the embodiment of the present invention.
Referring to FIG. 5, the sheet tray 800 includes a placement member 820 and a stopper member 822.

  The stopper member 822 is connected to the mounting member 820 at the end, and can be folded so as to overlap the mounting member 820, and can be housed on the side surface of the post-processing device FS together with the mounting member 820. It is.

  Further, the stopper member 822 is provided with a grip portion 826, and the angle of the sheet tray 800 can be adjusted by holding the grip portion 826.

  In addition, the mounting member 820 is provided with a plurality of conveying belts. In this example, the case where the area | region which conveys the folded sheet in the mounting member 820 is divided into 3 is shown. A conveyor belt is provided for each divided area. Specifically, conveyance belts 827A and 827B are provided in an upstream area (first area) of the mounting member 820. Conveying belts 827 </ b> C and 827 </ b> D are provided in a region (second region) on the midstream side of the mounting member 820. Conveying belts 827E and 827F are provided in a region (third region) on the downstream side of the mounting member 820.

  The folded sheet placed on the sheet tray 800 is transported via the transport belts 827A to 827F.

  The mounting member 820 is provided with a movable member 824. Here, the movable member 824 is not shown. When the folded sheet placed on the sheet tray 800 is conveyed via the conveyance belt, the movable member 824 comes into contact with the movable member 824 and moves downward.

  Further, the placement member 820 is provided with a transport button 825. When the transport button 825 is pressed, the transport belts 827A to 827F can be driven.

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of a sheet tray 800 according to the embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 6A is a view of the sheet tray 800 as viewed from above. FIG. 6B is a cross-sectional view of the sheet tray 800.

  Conveying belts 827A to 827F, which are conveying units for conveying a folded sheet, are installed on the placing member 820 of the sheet tray 800, and the belt conveying rollers 821A to 821F are rotated and conveyed by driving a conveying belt motor (not shown). The belts 827A to 827F are rotated in the direction of arrow c shown in FIG. 5A and in the direction of arrow d shown in FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 6A, the folded sheets discharged to the placing member 820 of the sheet tray 800 are stacked as shown in the figure (the folded sheet stacking state in FIG. 6B is schematically shown). The belt is gradually conveyed by the conveyor belts 827A and 827B.

  The movable member 824 is provided at a position where the folded sheet is discharged so as to cover the movable member 824 when the folded sheet is discharged from the folding unit 50 to the sheet tray 800. That is, it is provided at the end portion on the right side (upstream side) of the mounting member 820.

  Therefore, when the folded sheet is discharged, the movable member 824 is moved to a hidden position inside the placement member 820. In the placement member 820, a detection member (sheet tray entrance sensor) for detecting that the movable member 824 has moved to a position inside the placement member 820 is disposed. By the movement of the movable member 824, the detection member can detect that the folded sheet is discharged to the position, that is, the sheet tray 800.

  Further, a detection sensor for detecting the presence of the folded sheet placed in each of the three divided areas is provided inside the placement member 820. Specifically, the first region detection sensor 828A provided corresponding to the upstream region (first region) of the mounting member 820 and the intermediate flow region (second region) are provided. A second region detection sensor 828B and a third region detection sensor 828C provided corresponding to the downstream region (third region) are provided. The sensor is assumed to be a reflective optical sensor. The mounting member 820 is provided with a hole for receiving reflected light by irradiating light from an internal sensor, and the presence or absence of an object can be detected based on the amount of reflected light.

FIG. 7 is a schematic block diagram of image forming apparatus PA according to the embodiment of the present invention.
Referring to FIG. 7, an image forming apparatus PA includes a main control unit 150 that controls the entire apparatus, an image reading unit 1, an image processing unit 2, an image writing unit 3, an image forming unit 4, and an automatic unit. A document feeder (ADF (Auto Document Feeder)) 10, an operation panel 13, an audio output unit 14, an external device interface 15, and a communication interface 16 are provided.

  The main control unit 150 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 151 for executing various programs including an operating system (OS), and a ROM (Read Only Memory) 152 in which programs executed by the CPU 151 are stored in advance. And a RAM (Random Access Memory) 153 that temporarily stores data necessary for executing the program portion of the CPU 151.

  The main control unit 150 reads the image from the document loaded on the ADF 10 using the image reading unit 1 and converts it into electronic data, and performs various image processing on the read image using the image processing unit 2. Image processing control to be performed, image forming control for forming an image processed image on a sheet by a known electrophotographic process using the image writing unit 3 and the image forming unit 4, and paper for conveying the sheet on which the image is formed Feed control is executed.

  The operation panel 13 has a touch panel, and is configured to be able to set the type of post-processing applied to the sheet, perform operation settings for various other functions, and check the set functions and display various warnings. Has been. As will be described later, for example, a numeric keypad for setting the number of copies, a start key for instructing operation start, a stop key for instructing operation stop, a reset key for initializing various setting conditions, and the like are displayed on the operation panel 13. The

  From the operation panel 13 to the main control unit 150, a job including sheet size information, post-processing type information (presence / absence of folding / binding, their type and number of sheets, etc.), copy number information, and the like is based on a user operation. Entered.

  The main control unit 150 transmits these jobs to the post-processing device FS through the communication interface 16.

  The information is used for post-processing in the post-processing device FS, and in this example, is also used for estimation of an accumulation length described later.

  In this example, a job transmitted from the main control unit 150 to the post-processing device FS is stored in the RAM 203 of the post-processing device FS. Note that the RAM 203 can store information on a plurality of jobs. In this example, it is assumed that information on at least two jobs, the preceding job and the current job, can be stored.

  The sound output unit 14 outputs an error sound when an error such as an operation sound, a warning sound, or a paper jam occurs. An external network 17 is connected to the external device interface 15. Thereby, it is comprised so that communication with the other apparatus on a network is possible.

  The image forming apparatus PA has a copying function, a scanning function for acquiring image data, a printing function for receiving image data from an external device such as a personal computer (not shown), and a facsimile transmission (not shown). It has a fax function that can be used.

FIG. 8 is a schematic block diagram of post-processing device FS according to the embodiment of the present invention.
Referring to FIG. 8, post-processing device FS includes a finisher control unit 200 that controls the entire post-processing device FS, and a communication interface 87 for communicating information with image forming apparatus PA.

  The finisher control unit 200 temporarily stores a CPU 201 for executing various programs including an operating system, a ROM 202 in which a program executed by the CPU 201 is stored in advance, and data necessary for executing a program portion of the CPU 201. RAM 203 is provided.

  The finisher control unit 200 controls each unit in the post-processing apparatus FS based on the job output from the image forming apparatus PA.

  The finisher control unit 200 is connected to various sensors. Specifically, the paper detection sensors 26 and 73, the saddle carry-in sensor 62, the inlet sensor 28, the sheet tray inlet sensor 38, the sheet tray leading edge sensor 39, the first folding plate sensor 59, and the second folding plate. The sensor 61, the first region detection sensor 828A, the second region detection sensor 828B, and the third region detection sensor 828C are connected to the finisher control unit 200, and detection signals from various sensors are input.

  The finisher control unit 200 controls the changeover switches 86 and 88. The changeover switches 86 and 88 are connected to the conveyance path switching members 30 and 55, respectively. By switching the changeover switches 86 and 88, the positions of the conveyance path switching members 30 and 55 are changed, and the conveyance paths are switched.

The finisher control unit 200 controls various motors.
Tip stopper 105, upper paddle 75, lower paddle 76, transport rollers 23 and 24, first folding plate 51, folding rollers 52 to 54, 56, 58, discharge paddle 22, transport belts 827A to 827F, elevator tray 81, first tray The two folded plates 60 are respectively a front end stopper motor 90, an upper paddle motor 91, a lower paddle motor 92, a transport motor 93, a first folded plate motor 94, a folding roller motor 95, a discharge paddle motor 96, a transport belt motor 97, and an elevator. The motor 98 and the second folded plate motor 99 are respectively driven.

  The finisher control unit 200 controls the punching processing unit 40, the edge binding processing unit 71, the saddle stitching processing unit 72, the paper width matching unit 110, and the like.

  The conveyor belt motor 97 can drive the conveyor belts 827A to 827F all at once, or can independently drive each of the conveyor belts 827A to 827F, that is, for example, control only the conveyor belts 827A and 827B. It shall be possible.

  Here, in order to simplify the explanation, illustration of motors for driving the accommodation belt 70 and the accommodation paddle 74 is omitted. The same applies to other parts.

FIG. 9 is an overview diagram of operation panel 13 according to the embodiment of the present invention.
Referring to FIG. 9, operation panel 13 according to the embodiment of the present invention includes a display unit 312, a 10 key 302, and a start button 310. Other keys are omitted.

  A touch panel is provided on the display unit 312, and a predetermined operation can be performed on the display unit 312. A 10 key 302 is a button for inputting the number of copies. The start button 310 is a button for instructing execution of processing such as copying / scanning.

  The display unit 312 displays various modes and other displays. And various settings according to the display content can be performed by the touch panel. For example, the display unit 312 is provided with a tab button 314 for basic / applied settings that are normally performed when a copy operation or a scan operation is executed. When each tab button is pressed, a hierarchical screen for performing detailed setting is displayed. In this example, a case where an application tab button is pressed is shown, and detailed setting instructions for various post-processing in the post-processing device FS are possible. Specifically, “booklet mode”, “binding margin mode”, “folding mode”, and “staple mode” can be designated.

  According to the operation panel 13, information such as the size of the sheet constituting the sheet (A4 size, etc.), the type of post-processing such as bi-folding, the number of sheets to be bi-folded at once, the number of copies, and the like are input. It should be noted that not only the paper size but also the data of the paper state (thick paper, plain paper, thin paper) can be input. It is assumed that plain paper is set in the initial state. It is assumed that the sheet thickness data can be acquired from a memory (ROM or the like) in which the sheet thickness data is stored in advance by this setting. Here, a case where three data of three states (thick paper, plain paper, and thin paper) are stored will be described, but the number of data is not limited to three. It should be noted that regarding the paper state, the user may directly input the paper thickness data. In this example, the information is used for calculating the distance of a bundle of folded sheets, which will be described later.

FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a state where folded sheets are stacked as a comparative example.
Referring to FIG. 10, here, a case where a plurality of folded sheets are placed on the placement member 820 of the sheet tray 800 is shown.

  Specifically, the case where three jobs AA, BB, and CC are executed is shown. Since the job is not separated, the user cannot recognize the break of the job, and the user can bundle the folded folded sheets. There is a problem that it is difficult to collect.

  FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating conveyance control in the sheet tray 800 according to the embodiment of the present invention.

  Referring to FIG. 11, in the embodiment of the present invention, a folded sheet job is executed so that a break between a bundle of folded sheets ejected by a preceding job and a folded sheet ejected by a subsequent job can be recognized. Execute transport control to sort. Specifically, a predetermined distance or more is provided between a bundle of folded sheets ejected by a preceding job and a folded sheet ejected by a subsequent job. In this example, a case where a distance B is provided is shown. The distance B is a distance A from the conveying belt length L when the distance A between the trailing edge of the first folded sheet and the trailing edge of the final folded sheet of the bundle of folded sheets discharged by the preceding job is defined as a distance A. Is a value obtained by subtracting. Before discharging the folded sheet of the subsequent job (next job), the bundle of folded sheets discharged by the preceding job is transported by the transport belt based on the distance B.

  FIG. 12 is another diagram illustrating conveyance control in sheet tray 800 according to the embodiment of the present invention.

  Referring to FIG. 12, a case where a subsequent job (next job) is executed from the state of FIG. 11 is shown.

  A case is also shown in which the next job is aligned and output while overlapping folded sheets.

  Here, the conveyance control is executed in a state where the distance between the rear end of the last folded sheet of the preceding job and the rear end of the first folded sheet of the next job is the distance B.

  FIG. 13 is still another diagram illustrating conveyance control in sheet tray 800 according to the embodiment of the present invention.

  Referring to FIG. 13, there is shown a case where the next job is also discharged while being aligned while overlapping folded sheets.

  As shown in the figure, since the conveyance control is executed with the interval of a predetermined distance or more being maintained as the interval of the job unit, the user can easily discriminate the collected folded sheets and collect them. Is possible.

  FIG. 14 is a flowchart illustrating conveyance control of the sheet tray according to the embodiment of the present invention. This process is executed by the CPU 201 controlling the conveyor belt motor 97.

  Referring to FIG. 14, it is first determined whether or not there is an instruction to execute a job (step S1).

  If it is determined that there is a job execution instruction (YES in step S1), it is determined whether the area detection sensor is ON (step S2). Specifically, it is determined whether an object has been detected based on detection signals from the first region detection sensor 828A, the second region detection sensor 828B, and the third region detection sensor 828C. In this example, each area detection sensor determines whether or not a bundle of folded sheets has been detected in the corresponding area.

  If it is determined that the area detection sensor is ON (YES in step S2), a job sorting conveyance mode for sorting jobs is executed (step S10). That is, when it is determined that a bundle of folded sheets is stacked on the sheet tray 800, the job sorting conveyance mode is executed. The job sorting transport mode will be described later.

  If it is determined in step S2 that the area detection sensor is not ON (NO in step S2), the integrated conveyance mode is executed in which folded sheets are aligned and discharged without shifting to the job sorting conveyance mode (step S2). Step S4). When it is determined that a bundle of folded sheets is not stacked on the sheet tray 800, the process immediately shifts to the accumulation conveyance mode. The accumulation conveyance mode will be described later.

Then, the process ends (END).
FIG. 15 is a flowchart illustrating the accumulation conveyance mode according to the embodiment of the present invention.

  In the accumulation conveyance mode according to the embodiment of the present invention, it is first determined whether or not it is the sheet discharge timing (step S12). The CPU 201 determines whether or not the folded sheet processed by the folding unit 50 is the discharge timing.

  If it is determined in step S12 that it is the sheet discharge timing (YES in step S12), the conveyor belt is rotated forward (step S14). Specifically, immediately before the folded sheet comes into contact with the sheet tray 800, the conveyor belt motor 97 is instructed to rotate the conveyor belts 827A and 827B in the forward direction (discharge direction).

  Next, it is determined whether or not the sheet tray entrance sensor 38 is ON (step S16). The CPU 201 determines whether or not the sheet tray entrance sensor 38 provided at the position where the folded sheet is discharged to the sheet tray 800 is ON.

  If it is determined in step S16 that the sheet tray entrance sensor 38 is ON (YES in step S16), the state is maintained, and the sheet tray entrance sensor 38 is turned off while the transport belt is rotated forward. Determine whether or not.

  In step S16, the conveyor belt is rotated forward until the sheet tray inlet sensor 38 is turned off. When the sheet tray inlet sensor 38 is turned off (NO in step S16), the conveyor belt is stopped (step S18). .

  Then, it is determined whether or not the job is finished (step S20). If the job has not ended (NO in step S20), the process returns to step S12 to continue the job and repeat the above processing.

  That is, in the accumulation conveyance mode, when the folded folded sheet reaches the sheet tray 800 at the sheet discharge timing, the above-described movable member 824 moves, so that the sheet tray entrance sensor 38 is turned on. Then, the discharged folded sheet is conveyed by the conveyance belt until the sheet tray entrance sensor 38 is turned off, and when the rear end portion of the discharged folded sheet passes through the movable member 824, the movable member 824 is Return to the initial position. That is, the sheet tray entrance sensor 38 is turned OFF, and the conveyance belt stops at that position. Then, again, at the next sheet discharge timing, the folded folded sheet turns on the movable member 824 and the sheet tray entrance sensor 38. For example, when the movable member 824 is provided in the central portion of the discharged folded sheet, the folded sheet discharged before and the folded sheet discharged next overlap each other by half the length. . By repeating this process, the folded sheets discharged at regular intervals are overlapped and aligned and conveyed. That is, every time a folded sheet is discharged, the folded sheet is conveyed by moving (stepping) the conveying belt by a predetermined distance.

  In the case of a job that executes folding processing of a plurality of copies, the above processing is executed one by one and continues until the job is completed.

  If it is determined in step S20 that the job has ended (YES in step S20), the process ends (return).

  This process makes it easy for the user to collect a stack of folded sheets that are stacked and aligned.

  FIG. 16 is a flowchart illustrating a job sorting / conveying mode according to the embodiment of the present invention. This process is executed by the CPU 201 controlling the conveyor belt motor 97. The job sorting conveyance mode is a conveyance control performed when the area detection sensor is in an ON state.

  Referring to FIG. 16, first, the accumulation position of the previous job is calculated based on the previous (preceding) job (step S30). Specifically, the CPU 201 calculates the stacking position based on the number of copies of the folded sheet bundle based on the previous (preceding) job information. Specifically, the distance A between the leading rear end position of the folded sheet bundle and the final trailing end position after passing through the movable member 824 is calculated based on the number of copies of the folded sheet bundle.

  In the above-described accumulation conveyance mode, the folded sheet to be discharged is conveyed by a predetermined distance by the step movement, and therefore the distance A is calculated by (the number of copies of the bundle of folded sheets−1) × step movement distance.

  Next, the transport distance B is calculated (step S34). Specifically, in this example, the transport distance B is a result of subtracting the distance A from the transport belt length L. Here, the conveying belt length L is a length based on the position of the movable member 824 as a reference.

  Next, it is determined whether or not the transport distance B is greater than or equal to a predetermined distance (step S36).

  If it is determined in step S36 that the transport distance B is equal to or greater than the predetermined distance (YES in step S36), the transport belt motor 97 is instructed to rotate the transport belt in the forward direction (discharge direction) (step S40).

  Then, when the conveyance distance B is moved, the conveyance belt motor 97 is instructed to stop the normal rotation of the conveyance belt.

  Accordingly, the leading rear end of the bundle of folded sheets according to the previous (preceding) job thus reaches the area of the next conveying belt.

  On the other hand, when the transport distance B is less than the predetermined distance in step S36 (NO in step S36), the transport distance B is set to B + L obtained by further adding the transport belt length L (step S42). When the conveyance distance B is less than the predetermined distance, it is difficult to determine the job break even when the conveyance belt is rotated forward by the distance, so the conveyance distance is further increased by the distance L.

  Then, the process proceeds to step S40. When the conveyance distance B + L is moved, the conveyance belt motor 97 is instructed to stop the normal rotation of the conveyance belt.

  Accordingly, the leading rear end of the bundle of folded sheets according to the previous (preceding) job thus reaches the area of the next transport belt.

  In the job sorting and conveying mode, the previous (preceding) job is conveyed by the conveying belt, and an interval of a predetermined distance or more is secured in the interval from the bundle of folded sheets according to the next job. As described above, since the bundle of folded sheets discharged by the previous (preceding) job is transported by the transport belt preceding the transport distance B, the user can easily determine the breaks of the stacked folded sheets according to the job. And can be recovered.

  Further, when the conveyance distance B is less than the predetermined distance, that is, when the conveyance distance by the conveyance belt is short, it is difficult to easily distinguish the cut even if the folded sheet is conveyed by the conveyance belt by the conveyance distance B. Therefore, it is possible to easily discriminate the breaks of the folded sheets that are collected according to the job by adding the distance L and carrying it.

(Modification 1)
Next, a process when the bundle of the folded sheets that have been collected is collected will be described. Specifically, a case where a bundle of folded sheets according to a part of jobs is collected from the sheet tray 800 when a bundle of folded sheets according to a plurality of jobs is stacked on the sheet tray 800 will be described.

  FIG. 17 is a flowchart illustrating sheet tray conveyance control according to the first modification of the embodiment of the present invention.

  Referring to FIG. 17, it is determined whether there is a change in the area detection sensor (step S50). Specifically, it is determined whether or not the detection signal of any of first region detection sensor 828A to third region detection sensor 828C has changed.

  If it is determined in step S50 that the area detection sensor has changed (YES in step S50), it is next determined whether or not the third area detection sensor has changed from ON to OFF (step S52). That is, it is determined whether or not the detection signal of the third region detection sensor 828C has changed from ON to OFF.

  If it is determined in step S52 that the third region detection sensor has changed from ON to OFF (YES in step S52), the sheet tray transport belt is rotated forward (step S54). Specifically, the conveyor belt motor 97 is controlled to rotate the conveyor belt in the normal direction.

  And it is judged whether the 3rd field detection sensor changed from OFF to ON (Step S56). It is determined whether or not the detection signal of the third region detection sensor 828C has changed from OFF to ON.

  If it is determined in step S56 that the third region detection sensor has changed from OFF to ON (YES in step S56), the sheet tray conveying belt is stopped (step S58).

Then, the process ends (END).
FIG. 18 is a diagram for explaining a specific example when sheet tray conveyance control according to the first modification of the embodiment of the present invention is executed.

  Referring to FIG. 18 (A), here, a situation in which a bundle of folded sheets placed in the downstream area (third area) is collected is shown.

  In this case, the detection signal of the third area detection sensor 828C provided corresponding to the third area changes from ON to OFF.

  Accordingly, since the folded sheets placed in the upstream and middle stream areas (first and second areas) are conveyed to the downstream side, the integrated folding according to the job can be easily identified while the job break is easily identified. A bundle of sheets can be easily collected.

  Referring to FIG. 18B, here, a situation in which a bundle of folded sheets placed in the middle stream side region (second region) is collected is shown.

  In this case, the second area detection sensor 828B provided corresponding to the second area changes from ON to OFF.

  Since the changed area detection sensor is disposed corresponding to the second area, the conveyance belt of the sheet tray 800 is not driven.

  When the bundle of folded sheets placed in the second area is collected, for example, when the bundle of folded sheets placed in the first area is transported downstream, it is placed in the third area In this example, the conveyance belt of the sheet tray 800 is not driven because it may overlap with a bundle of folded sheets and it may be difficult to discriminate between job breaks.

  As a result, when the collected folded sheets are collected, the folded sheets are conveyed downstream while maintaining the discrimination of the folded sheets according to the job by appropriately executing the conveyance control of the remaining folded sheets. Therefore, it is possible to easily collect a bundle of folded sheets.

  If it is determined that the bundle of folded sheets placed in the middle stream area (second area) has been collected, the conveyor belt motor 97 is controlled to control the conveyor belt 827A provided in the first area. The conveyance control may be executed so that only the 827B is rotated forward and the bundle of folded sheets placed in the first area is conveyed to the second area.

(Modification 2)
In the above method, the case where a predetermined distance or more is secured as the interval of the job unit has been described.

  On the other hand, depending on the content (type) of the job, even if the predetermined distance or more is not secured, that is, even when the accumulation transport mode is continued without executing the job sorting transport mode, the folding according to the job is performed. It is possible to easily distinguish sheet breaks.

  For example, if the paper sizes of the job are different, it is possible to easily determine the break of the folded sheet according to the job due to the size difference.

  In the method according to the second modification of the embodiment of the present invention, it is determined whether or not job sorting is necessary based on the contents of the job, and whether or not to execute the job sorting transport mode based on the determination result. Determine whether.

  FIG. 19 is a flowchart illustrating sheet tray conveyance control according to the second modification of the embodiment of the present invention. This process is executed by the CPU 201 controlling the conveyor belt motor 97.

  Referring to FIG. 19, it differs from the flowchart of FIG. 14 in that step S6 and step S8 are added. Specifically, in step S6, it is determined whether or not job sorting is necessary. In step S8, if sorting is necessary, the process proceeds to step S10. If sorting is not required, the process does not proceed to step S10. Then, the process proceeds to step S4.

Since the other points are the same, detailed description thereof will not be repeated.
FIG. 20 is a flowchart for describing processing for determining whether or not it is necessary to transfer job sorting according to the second modification of the embodiment of the present invention.

  Referring to FIG. 20, first, the preceding job and the next job are compared (step S60). Specifically, the information regarding the job of the previous (previous) job and the information regarding the job of the subsequent (next) job are read and compared. Information regarding the job is stored in the RAM 203 of the finisher control unit 200.

  Then, the information regarding the job is compared to determine whether or not the paper sizes are the same (step S62).

  Next, when it is determined in step S62 that the paper sizes are the same (YES in step S62), information regarding the job is compared to determine whether the paper state is the same (step S64). Specifically, the paper state is compared such as whether the paper state is folded in two, tri-folded, or stapled.

  Next, when it is determined in step S64 that the paper state is the same (YES in step S64), the information regarding the job is compared to determine whether the copy difference is small (step S66). In this example, it is determined whether there is a difference of 10 copies or more as the copy number difference. If it is determined that there is no difference in the number of copies of 10 or more, it is determined that the difference in the number of copies is small.

  Next, when it is determined in step S66 that the copy difference is small (YES in step S66), it is determined that sorting is necessary (step S68).

Then, the process ends (END).
On the other hand, if it is determined in step S62 that the paper sizes are not the same (NO in step S62), it is determined that sorting is not required (step S70). Then, the process ends (return). This is because if the paper sizes are different, it is possible to determine the break of the job.

  If it is determined in step S64 that the paper state is not the same (NO in step S64), it is determined that sorting is not required (step S70). Then, the process ends (return). This is because if the paper state is different, it is possible to determine the break of the job.

  If it is determined in step S66 that the difference in the number of copies is not small (NO in step S66), it is determined that sorting is unnecessary (step S70). In this example, as an example, the difference in the number of copies serving as a threshold is 10 copies. Then, the process ends (return). This is because if the difference in the number of copies is large, it is possible to determine the break of the job. In particular, the value is an example, and other values may be used.

  FIG. 21 is a diagram for explaining a specific example when sheet tray conveyance control is executed according to the second modification of the embodiment of the present invention.

  Referring to FIG. 21, here, a case where five jobs are executed is shown. Specifically, jobs AA, BB, CC, DD, and EE.

  In the job AA, the paper size is A4 size, the paper state is half-folded (two-fold), and the number of copies is three. In the job BB, the paper size is A3 size, the paper state is half-folded, and the number of copies is three. In the job CC, the paper size is A3 size, the paper state is tri-fold, and the number of copies is three. In the job DD, the paper size is A4 size, the paper state is half-folded, and the number of copies is two. In the job EE, the paper size is A4 size, the paper state is half-folded, and the number of copies is 20.

  When each job is executed, in the process of determining whether or not the job sorting conveyance in FIG. 20 is necessary, when the job AA and the job BB are compared, it is determined that the sorting is unnecessary because the paper sizes are different. Further, when the job BB and the job CC are compared, it is determined that the sorting is unnecessary because the paper state is different. When the job CC and the job DD are compared, it is determined that the sorting is unnecessary because the paper size and the paper state are different. When the job DD and the job EE are compared, it is determined that the sorting is unnecessary because the difference in the number of sheets is not small.

  Therefore, between these jobs, the stacking and conveying mode is continuously executed without executing the job sorting and conveying mode. With this processing, it is possible to determine whether or not it is necessary to sort the job based on the contents of the job, and to efficiently execute the folding sheet conveyance control according to the job.

  The embodiment disclosed this time should be considered as illustrative in all points and not restrictive. The scope of the present invention is defined by the terms of the claims, rather than the description above, and is intended to include any modifications within the scope and meaning equivalent to the terms of the claims.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Image reading part, 2 Image processing part, 3 Image writing part, 4 Image formation part, 5 Paper feed cassette, 6 Paper feed roller, 7 Fixing device, 8 Paper discharge roller, 8A Conveyance path switching board, 9 Automatic duplex copy Paper feed unit, 10 automatic document feeder, 13 operation panel, 14 audio output unit, 15 external device interface, 16, 87 communication interface, 17 network, 20 paper carry-in unit, 22 discharge paddle, 23, 24 transport roller, 26, 73 Paper detection sensor, 28 entrance sensor, 30 transport path switching member, 38 sheet tray entrance sensor, 40 punching processing unit, 62 saddle carry-in sensor, 70 storage belt, 71 edge binding processing unit, 72 saddle stitching processing unit, 80 discharge Paper section, 81 Elevate tray, 86, 88 changeover switch, 90 tip stopper motor, 100 saddle , 150 main controller, 200 finisher controller.

Claims (6)

A sheet processing apparatus for processing a sheet after an image is formed by an image forming apparatus,
A sheet folding section for folding the sheet after the image formation;
A sheet tray that is stacked to take out the sheets folded by the sheet folding unit;
A control unit for controlling the sheet tray,
The sheet tray divides an area in which the sheet is conveyed from the upstream side toward the downstream side in the conveyance direction of the sheet into a plurality of areas, and conveys the sheet provided corresponding to each area. Including a plurality of conveyor belts,
The controller is
Stepping at least one of the plurality of transport belts to the downstream side of the sheet tray so that a sheet discharged from the sheet folding portion to an initial position overlaps and discharges the sheet stacked on the sheet tray;
When the next job is executed, if the bundle of sheets according to the preceding job is stacked on the sheet tray, the plurality of transports is performed to determine the break of the bundle of sheets according to the next job. A sheet processing apparatus that drives at least one of the belts. The controller is
Based on the job information relating to the preceding job, the distance between the leading rear end position and the final rear end position of the sheet bundle is calculated,
The sheet processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a transport amount for transporting the bundle of sheets is determined based on a calculation result, and at least one of the plurality of transport belts is driven.   The sheet processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the job information regarding the preceding job includes information regarding the number of copies of the sheet bundle. The sheet tray further includes a plurality of detection units provided corresponding to the plurality of areas, respectively, for detecting the bundle of sheets stacked in the corresponding area,
The sheet processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit drives at least one of the plurality of transport belts based on detection results of the plurality of detection units.   5. The sheet according to claim 1, wherein the control unit determines a position of the sheet bundle according to the preceding job based on job information regarding the preceding job and a length of the conveyance belt. Processing equipment. The controller is
Determining whether it is easy to determine a break in the bundle of sheets based on job information related to the preceding job and job information related to the next job;
Based on the determination result, when it is determined that it is not easy to determine the break of the bundle of sheets, when the next job is executed, the preceding job is followed in the most upstream area of the sheet tray. 6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when the bundle of sheets is stacked, at least one of the plurality of transport belts is driven to determine a break of the bundle of sheets according to a next job. The sheet processing apparatus according to the description.

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