Patent Application
20250121626
Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to an enclosing device, an enclosing-and-sealing apparatus, and an image forming system.
An enclosing device is known that inserts an enclosure into an envelope, and an enclosing-and-sealing apparatus is known that seals the envelope in which the enclosure is inserted. An image forming system is also known that includes an image forming apparatus that forms an image on a sheet and encloses and seals the sheet on which the image is formed as an enclosure.
In an enclosing device, a technology is disclosed in which an envelope body and a leading end portion of a flap are curved in a direction away from each other, a central portion of the envelope is pressed at an upstream position of a configuration for opening the flap to bend the envelope, and a claw member is inserted into a gap between the envelope body and the flap (see PTL 1).
[PTL 1]
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. H07-025198
An object of the technology described in PTL 1 is to reliably open the flap regardless of the material of the envelope or the curl of the flap. Such a technology may adopt complicated configurations such as a configuration in which the envelope is bent and a configuration in which the claw member is inserted into the gap. Thus, the apparatus is likely to be large. That is, in the related art, there is a problem in securely opening the flap with a simple configuration allowing downsizing.
An object of the present disclosure is to provide a technology in which a flap can be stably opened in a simple configuration allowing downsizing.
In order to solve the above-described problem, an enclosing device that inserts an enclosure into an envelope includes an envelope conveyance passage, a first conveyor, a second conveyor, a conveyance guide, and a flap opener. The envelope is conveyed in the envelope conveyance passage. The first conveyor conveys the envelope in the envelope conveyance passage. The second conveyor is positioned downstream from the first conveyor in a conveyance direction of the envelope in the envelope conveyance passage. The conveyance guide is positioned between the first conveyor and the second conveyor in the envelope conveyance passage. The flap opener opens a flap of the envelope. At least one of a part of the conveyance guide or one end of the flap opener is positioned to straddle the envelope conveyance passage.
According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a flap of an envelope can be stably opened in a simple configuration allowing downsizing.
A more complete appreciation of embodiments of the present disclosure and many of the attendant advantages and features thereof can be readily obtained and understood from the following detailed description with reference to the accompanying drawings.
The accompanying drawings are intended to depict embodiments of the present disclosure and should not be interpreted to limit the scope thereof. The accompanying drawings are not to be considered as drawn to scale unless explicitly noted. Also, identical or similar reference numerals designate identical or similar components throughout the several views.
In describing embodiments illustrated in the drawings, specific terminology is employed for the sake of clarity. However, the disclosure of this specification is not intended to be limited to the specific terminology so selected and it is to be understood that each specific element includes all technical equivalents that have a similar function, operate in a similar manner, and achieve a similar result.
Referring now to the drawings, embodiments of the present disclosure are described below. As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.
First, an embodiment of the present disclosure is described below.
The image forming apparatus 200 is an apparatus that forms an image on a sheet-shaped medium by a specified image forming method and ejects the sheet-shaped medium. The sheet-shaped medium on which the image is formed (hereinafter, simply referred to as a “sheet S”) is ejected to the folding apparatus 300.
The folding apparatus 300 performs folding processing on the sheet S ejected from the image forming apparatus 200 based on a setting according to a specified folding type and folding dimension, forms a folded sheet Sf, and ejects the folded sheet Sf. The folding apparatus 300 may eject the sheet S downstream as it is, based on the setting. A setting related to performing or non-performing of the folding processing or a setting used for execution of the folding processing are based on setting information (various adjustment values) notified from the image forming apparatus 200. A mechanism that performs the folding processing adjusts a feed amount of the sheet S based on various adjustment values, forms a crease at a folding position in accordance with the adjustment, and forms the folded sheet Sf. The folded sheet Sf on which the specified folding processing is performed is sent out to the envelope processing apparatus 100.
The folding apparatus 300 performs processing for adjusting a folding dimension so that a trailing end of the folded sheet Sf in an insertion direction when the folded sheet Sf is inserted into the envelope E in the envelope processing apparatus 100 comes to be the “crease” of the folded sheet Sf.
The envelope processing apparatus 100 performs enclosing processing and sealing processing. In the enclosing processing, the folded sheet Sf, which is conveyed after the folding processing is performed in an apparatus (folding apparatus 300) disposed upstream in an entry direction of the sheet S, is inserted and enclosed into the envelope E. In the sealing processing, the envelope E into which the folded sheet Sf is inserted is sealed. The envelope processing apparatus 100 can convey the folded sheet Sf or the sheet S downstream without enclosing the folded sheet Sf or the sheet S into the envelope E. In this case, the folded sheet Sf or the sheet S is sent out to the post-processing apparatus 400 disposed downstream from the envelope processing apparatus 100. The post-processing apparatus 400 is an apparatus that performs post-processing such as staple processing on the conveyed sheet S.
The envelope processing apparatus 100 performs conveyance processing for enclosing the folded sheet Sf, on which the folding processing has performed, into the envelope E in an appropriate orientation. The envelope processing apparatus 100 also performs processing of adjusting the orientation of the folded sheet Sf in enclosing the folded sheet Sf so that information such as an address formed on the enclosed folded sheet Sf is located at a position where the information can be visually recognized through a transparent window ew formed on the envelope E in advance. This adjustment processing is performed by reversal conveyance processing included in the conveyance processing. Accordingly, the envelope processing apparatus 100 determines whether the orientation of the folded sheet Sf at the time of enclosure is to be reversed from the orientation at the time of entry, based on an image position of the folded sheet Sf at the time of entry and the position of the transparent window ew formed in the envelope E. Then, the conveyance processing and the reversal conveyance processing are performed based on the determination result.
With reference to
Similarly, an axis parallel to the placement surface and orthogonal to the Y axis is defined as an X axis. A depth direction of the print system 1 is an arrow direction of the X axis and is defined as an X direction. An arrow direction of a Z axis orthogonal to the X axis and the Y axis and corresponding to a height direction of the print system 1 is defined as a Z direction. As illustrated in
With reference to
The image forming apparatus 200 is, for example, an apparatus that forms an image on a sheet S by a known electrophotographic process. The image forming apparatus 200 includes a display unit 210, an operation unit 220, a sheet feeder 230, an image forming device 240, a fixing device 250, and a printer controller 260. Note that the image forming process in the image forming apparatus 200 is not limited to an electrophotographic process and may be an inkjet process in which liquid ink is discharged onto a medium to form an image. In addition, any other suitable process than the above-described image forming process may be used.
The display unit 210 displays screens for notifying a user of states of various functions and operation contents. The operation unit 220 corresponds to an operation interface with which the user performs setting a processing operation mode or the number of prints to be processed.
The operations performed via the operation unit 220 include, for example, the setting of a type of folding operation (folding type) or a folding dimension to be performed in the folding apparatus 300, and the setting of requiring reverse conveyance when the sheet S is enclosed in the envelope processing apparatus 100. Information on the settings performed via the operation unit 220 is transmitted from the printer controller 260 to a sheet folding controller 320 or an enclosing-and-sealing controller 190.
The sheet feeder 230 includes a sheet feeding mechanism that stores sheets S, and separates and feeds the sheets S one by one. The image forming device 240 forms a latent image on a photoconductor and transfers an image onto the sheet S. The fixing device 250 fixes the image transferred onto the sheet S. The printer controller 260 controls operations of the above-described functional blocks.
The folding apparatus 300 includes a sheet folding device 310 and the sheet folding controller 320 that controls the entire folding apparatus 300. The sheet folding controller 320 controls folding processing for the sheet S based on a folding type (folding manner) and a folding dimension designated from the printer controller 260 of the image forming apparatus 200 via a communication line 207. The sheet folding controller 320 also controls communication with the printer controller 260, and the enclosing-and-sealing controller 190 connected downstream from the sheet folding controller 320. The sheet folding device 310 performs folding processing on the sheet S conveyed from the image forming apparatus 200 with a designated folding type (folding manner) and a designated folding dimension based on control of the sheet folding controller 320. Note that the sheet S may be conveyed to the envelope processing apparatus 100 without being folded in the sheet folding device 310.
There are multiple types of sheet folding devices 310. Embodiments of the sheet folding device 310 that perform different folding manners are described with reference to
As illustrated in
First, as illustrated in
As illustrated in
Thereafter, as illustrated in
As illustrated in
Thereafter, as illustrated in
A description is given of the sheet folding device 310 of type B. In the sheet folding device 310 of type B, as illustrated in
First, as illustrated in
Subsequently, as illustrated in
Thereafter, as illustrated in
As illustrated in
Thereafter, the second conveying roller pair 326 is rotated in reverse. The folded sheet Sf is conveyed upward by the rotation of a second folding conveying roller 325. The second folding roller 324 and the second folding conveying roller 325 form a second crease. Thus, the outer three creases are completed. In this case, unlike the type A, the image forming surface Ps of the folded sheet Sf is positioned on the upper surface of the sheet S in the conveyance direction unlike in the case of the type A. As described above, even when the same outer three creases are formed by the sheet folding devices 310 of the different types of the type A and the type B, the position of the image forming surface Ps of the folded sheet Sf comes to a different surface with respect to the conveyance direction. The description above is an example in which an image is formed on one surface of the sheet S.
Returning to
The sheet conveying device 110 performs specified processing on the folded sheet Sf conveyed from the sheet folding device 310 in accordance with a control mode (including, for example, a type of folding manner, a folding dimension, and a position of the image forming surface Ps) transmitted from the sheet folding controller 320 to the enclosing-and-sealing controller 190 through a communication line 105. The sheet conveying device 110 performs, for example, the conveyance processing for conveying the folded sheet Sf downstream in the conveyance direction or the reversal conveyance processing for reversing ends of the folded sheet Sf in the conveyance direction. The folded sheet Sf is conveyed to the enclosing device 120 or the post-processing apparatus 400 by the conveyance processing or the reversal conveyance processing.
The enclosing device 120 moves the folded sheet Sf to a position where the folded sheet Sf can be enclosed with respect to the envelope E, holds the envelope E in a state where a flap ef for closing an opening for enclosing an enclosure in the envelope E is opened, and performs the enclosing processing of the folded sheet Sf.
The sealing device 130 performs processing of ejecting the sealed envelope E to an ejection tray 137 after the flap ef of the envelope E in which the folded sheet Sf is enclosed is closed.
The enclosing-and-sealing controller 190 controls operations of a plurality of conveying rollers and a plurality of switching claws constituting the sheet conveying device 110, the enclosing device 120, and the sealing device 130. The enclosing-and-sealing controller 190 receives information of the folded sheet Sf (hereinafter, referred to as “enclosing target information”) from the printer controller 260 and the sheet folding controller 320, and then, performs control processing on the folded sheet Sf based on the received information.
The control processing for the folded sheet Sf includes “conveyance processing” in which the ends of the folded sheet Sf in the conveyance direction are not reversed from the time of entry and “reversal conveyance processing” in which the ends are reversed. The “enclosing target information” is information related to the sheet S and the folded sheet Sf as an enclosing target, and includes information for determining whether the end of the folded sheet Sf when enclosed into the envelope E is the leading end or the trailing end at the time of entry. Examples of the enclosing target information include “folding type information” that defines the type of folding processing performed on the folded sheet Sf.
Examples of operation instruction information from the image forming apparatus 200 that is one of upstream side apparatuses includes “reversal necessity information” which defines necessity of the reversal conveyance processing described below. Examples of the operation instruction information also include print surface information indicating an image forming surface on which an image is formed on the folded sheet Sf. Examples of the operation instruction information further include “processing apparatus information” indicating the type (type A or type B) of the sheet folding device 310 that has performed the folding processing is included.
The post-processing apparatus 400 includes a post-processing device 410 and a post-processing controller 420. The post-processing device 410 executes specified post-processing on the sheet S conveyed from the upstream side under the control of the post-processing controller 420. The post-processing controller 420 controls the post-processing operation in the post-processing controller 420 according to the operation mode transmitted from the printer controller 260, the sheet folding controller 320, and the enclosing-and-sealing controller 190 through a communication line 403.
The printer controller 260, the sheet folding controller 320, the enclosing-and-sealing controller 190, and the post-processing controller 420 are connected to each other, and exchange information necessary for control through the communication lines 207, 105, and 403. The controllers 260, 320, 150, and 420 cooperate with each other to share the sheet size and information about the processing mode requested by the user to be performed on the sheet S and the folded sheet Sf. Accordingly, the entirety of the print system 1 shares control information on which each of the mechanisms described above can perform specified processing with specified timing and a specified process. Accordingly, a sealing-state adjustor as a unit for adjusting the sealing-state to be described below is constituted by cooperation of the controllers 260, 320, 150, and 420.
In
Next, a description is given of conveying rollers constituting the sheet conveying device 110, the enclosing device 120, a flap opening mechanism, and the sealing device 130 disposed in the envelope processing apparatus 100, switching claws that switch the conveyance direction of a conveyed object, and conveyance passages on which these components are arranged with reference to
As illustrated in
An entrance roller pair 101 is disposed on the entry passage 1100. The entry passage 1100 is a passage in which the folded sheet Sf ejected from an apparatus located on the upstream side (for example, the folding apparatus 300) is received. The enclosing-and-sealing controller 190 receives the enclosing target information as the information related to the folded sheet Sf from the controller (the printer controller 260 and the sheet folding controller 320) upstream from the enclosing-and-sealing controller 190, and controls the start and stop of the rotation of the entrance roller pair 101.
A first conveying roller pair 111 serving as a first conveyor and a first intermediate conveying roller pair 114 are disposed in the first conveyance passage 1101 that is one of a plurality of conveyance passages disposed downstream from the entrance roller pair 101 and branches from the entry passage 1100. A first sheet detection sensor 118 as a first medium sensor that detects an end portion (trailing end) of the conveyed folded sheet Sf is disposed on the first conveyance passage 1101. The first sheet detection sensor 118 is disposed between the first intermediate conveying roller pair 114 and the first conveying roller pair 111.
A second conveying roller pair 112 serving as a second conveyor and a second intermediate conveying roller pair 115 are disposed in the second conveyance passage 1102 that is one of conveyance passages disposed downstream from the entrance roller pair 101 and branches from the entry passage 1100 in a direction different from the direction of the first conveyance passage 1101. A second sheet detection sensor 119 as a second medium sensor that detects an end portion (trailing end) of the conveyed folded sheet Sf is disposed on the second conveyance passage 1102. The second sheet detection sensor 119 is disposed between the second intermediate conveying roller pair 115 and the second conveying roller pair 112.
The sheet conveying device 110 includes the switchback conveyance passage 1103. The switchback conveyance passage 1103 is a conveyance passage that connects a joining position where the conveyance passage joins with the first conveyance passage 1101 at a position downstream from the first conveying roller pair 111 and a branching position where the conveyance passage branches from the second conveyance passage 1102 at a position upstream from the second intermediate conveying roller pair 115. The switchback conveyance passage 1103 switches the conveyance direction of the folded sheet Sf conveyed on the second conveyance passage 1102 in the downstream direction, and the folded sheet Sf is conveyed to the first conveyance passage 1101 by switchback conveyance. A switchback conveying roller pair 113 serving as a third conveyor is disposed in the switchback conveyance passage 1103 serving as a third conveyance passage.
The sheet conveying device 110 includes the sheet exit passage 1109 as a conveyance passage on the downstream side following the first conveyance passage 1101 that sends out the sheet S or the folded sheet Sf, which has passed through the sheet conveying device 110, toward the post-processing apparatus 400 on the downstream side. An exit roller pair 102 is disposed in the sheet exit passage 1109.
When enclosing processing to be described below is not performed on the folded sheet Sf conveyed from the folding apparatus 300, the folded sheet Sf passes through the first conveyance passage 1101 from the entry passage 1100 and is ejected to the apparatus on the downstream side via the sheet exit passage 1109. In the description below, processing in which the sheet S or the folded sheet Sf conveyed from the entrance roller pair 101 is conveyed to the exit roller pair 102 via the first conveyance passage 1101 and is further conveyed downstream may be referred to as “normal conveyance processing”. When the sheet conveying device 110 performs the normal conveyance processing, it is not when an “envelope job” that encloses the sheet S or the folded sheet Sf is performed. It is when a “print job” that conveys the sheet S or the folded sheet Sf to the post-processing apparatus 400 as it is performed.
The sheet conveying device 110 includes the enclosing conveyance passage 1104 as a fourth conveyance passage that branches from the first conveyance passage 1101 on the downstream side of the first conveying roller pair 111 and communicates with an enclosing roller pair 121 that holds the envelope E in which the folded sheet Sf is enclosed. As described below, the enclosing conveyance passage 1104 as an enclosure conveyance passage communicates with an envelope conveyance passage 1105.
The sheet conveying device 110 is provided with a branching claw 10 as a brancher at a branching position for conveying the folded sheet Sf from the entry passage 1100 to either the first conveyance passage 1101 or the second conveyance passage 1102. The branching claw 10 switches a conveyance passage between the first conveyance passage 1101 and the second conveyance passage 1102 based on enclosing target information relating to the folded sheet Sf entering the entry passage 1100 so that the branching claw 10 guides the folded sheet Sf to the first conveyance passage 1101 or the second conveyance passage 1102.
The sheet conveying device 110 is provided with a first switching claw 11 as a first switcher at a joining position where the switchback conveyance passage 1103 joins the first conveyance passage 1101. The first switching claw 11 switches between a state in which the folded sheet Sf conveyed from the entry passage 1100 to the first conveyance passage 1101 is conveyed to the first conveying roller pair 111 and a state in which the folded sheet Sf is conveyed from the switchback conveyance passage 1103 to the first conveyance passage 1101.
The sheet conveying device 110 is provided with a second switching claw 12 as a second switcher at a branching position where the switchback conveyance passage 1103 branches from the second conveyance passage 1102. The second switching claw 12 switches between a state in which the folded sheet Sf conveyed from the entry passage 1100 to the second conveyance passage 1102 is conveyed to the second conveying roller pair 112 and a state in which the folded sheet Sf is conveyed in a switchback manner from the second conveyance passage 1102 to the switchback conveyance passage 1103.
The sheet conveying device 110 is provided a third switching claw 13 as a third switcher at a branching position where the enclosing conveyance passage 1104 branches from the first conveyance passage 1101. The third switching claw 13 switches between a state in which the folded sheet Sf conveyed by the first conveyance passage 1101 is conveyed to the enclosing conveyance passage 1104 and a state in which the folded sheet Sf is conveyed to the sheet exit passage 1109.
The folded sheet Sf conveyed to the first conveyance passage 1101 is conveyed to the first conveying roller pair 111 by the first intermediate conveying roller pair 114. The first conveying roller pair 111 conveys the conveyed folded sheet Sf downstream. When the third switching claw 13 is in a state illustrated in
A driving source for operating each conveying roller pair included in the envelope processing apparatus 100 individually supplies a driving force to each conveying roller pair. For example, a motor serving as a driving source corresponding to each conveying roller pair is individually provided. Rotation control of each motor is individually performed. As a result, the control is performed such that a specific conveying roller pair is rotated and the other conveying roller pairs are stopped. A plurality of roller pairs may be driven by a single motor. Even in this case, rotation and non-rotation of each roller (roller pair) may be individually controlled.
The folded sheet Sf conveyed to the second conveyance passage 1102 is conveyed to the second conveying roller pair 112 by the second intermediate conveying roller pair 115. When the trailing end of the conveyed folded sheet Sf is detected by the second sheet detection sensor 119 and conveyed by a specified distance, the second conveying roller pair 112 is temporarily stopped and then rotated in reverse. As a result, the folded sheet Sf is ready to be conveyed to the switchback conveyance passage 1103 in a switchback manner. At this time, before or simultaneously with the reverse rotation of the second conveying roller pair 112, the second switching claw 12 is rotated at a timing at which the trailing end of the folded sheet Sf has passed through the second switching claw 12 (this operation is also determined based on the detection result of the second sheet detection sensor 119). Thus, the second switching claw 12 is switched to a state in which the folded sheet Sf is conveyed to the switchback conveyance passage 1103.
When the folded sheet Sf is guided from the second conveyance passage 1102 to the switchback conveyance passage 1103, the folded sheet Sf is conveyed toward the first conveyance passage 1101 by the switchback conveying roller pair 113.
As illustrated in
The envelope E before the enclosure is inserted is placed on an envelope set tray 127. The envelope E placed on the envelope set tray 127 via the envelope conveyance passage 1105 is conveyed from an envelope entry passage 1107, which is described below, to the envelope conveyance passage 1105, and is conveyed to the enclosing position disposed along the envelope conveyance passage 1105.
When the envelope E is conveyed from the envelope entry passage 1107 to the envelope conveyance passage 1105, the flap ef of the envelope E is opened. The envelope E with the flap ef opened is conveyed to the enclosing position. This series of operations is described below.
The sealed envelope E, which has been conveyed to the enclosing position and into which the enclosure has been enclosed, is sealed in a sealing conveyance passage 1106 on the way to an envelope ejection tray 134. The sealed envelope E is conveyed to the envelope ejection tray 134 and ejected. The envelope conveyance passage 1105 is also used as a conveyance passage at the time of ejection.
This series of switching of the conveyance direction of the envelope E is performed by a claw-shaped member that appropriately operates according to the position of the envelope E being conveyed. A roller pair constituting the envelope conveyance passage 1105 switches the conveyance direction depending on the position of the envelope E. Thus, a switchback conveying operation is performed in which the envelope E is conveyed in a direction opposite to the direction in which the envelope E is once conveyed. The enclosure is conveyed to the envelope conveyance passage 1105 directly connected to the enclosure conveyance passage 1104 branched from the first conveyance passage 1101. As a result, a part of the envelope conveyance passage 1105 also functions as a conveyance passage for the enclosure.
As described above, since the configuration that conveys the envelope E for the enclosing operation and the sealing operation and the configuration that conveys the enclosure with respect to the envelope E are arranged in the vertical direction with respect to the placement surface of the envelope processing apparatus 100, the installation area of the envelope processing apparatus 100 can be reduced. The print system 1 including the envelope processing apparatus 100 can also be downsized.
The envelope conveyance passage 1105 includes an envelope holding mechanism that conveys the envelope E to an enclosing position as a specified position and holds the envelope E so that an enclosure is enclosed. The envelope conveyance passage 1105 is connected to the sealing conveyance passage 1106 for performing sealing processing on the envelope E in which the enclosure is enclosed.
A first vertical conveying roller pair 122 and a second vertical conveying roller pair 123 as an envelope conveyor for conveying the envelope E to a position where the folded sheet Sf is received are disposed in the envelope conveyance passage 1105. “The enclosing roller pair 121 serving as an enclosure conveyor that conveys and supplies an enclosure to the envelope E is disposed above the first vertical conveying roller pair 122 (in the +Z direction) in the envelope conveyance passage 1105.
The enclosing roller pair 121 conveys the enclosure in the enclosing direction (−Z direction) to perform the enclosing operation with respect to the envelope E conveyed to and held at the enclosing position by the first vertical conveying roller pair 122 and the second vertical conveying roller pair 123.
An enclosure pusher 160 is disposed between the enclosing roller pair 121 and the first vertical conveying roller pair 122 and on the side of the envelope conveyance passage 1105, and performs an operation of pushing the trailing end of the enclosure toward the opening of the envelope E during the enclosing operation.
A flap opening mechanism 128 is disposed at a connection position of a conveyance passage extending from the envelope conveyance passage 1105 to the sealing conveyance passage 1106 and a connection position of an envelope entry passage 1107 that conveys the envelope E taken out from the envelope set tray 127 to the envelope conveyance passage 1105. The flap opening mechanism 128 has a configuration for opening the flap ef when the envelope E taken out from the envelope set tray 127 as an envelope holding tray is conveyed to the envelope conveyance passage 1105. The flap opening mechanism 128 also has a configuration for switchback conveyance in which the conveyance direction is switched such that the envelope E with the flap ef opened is conveyed to the enclosing position.
An envelope switchback switching claw 21 serving as a conveying guide in the flap opening mechanism 128 is disposed at a junction where the envelope conveyance passage 1105 and the envelope entry passage 1107 join each other.
A flap opening roller pair 124 constituting the flap opening mechanism 128 is disposed below a first branch position (in the −Z direction) that is a position where the envelope entry passage 1107 and the envelope conveyance passage 1105 join.
The flap opening roller pair 124 includes a pair of a drive roller and a driven roller. The envelope E is nipped between outer circumferential surfaces of the drive roller and the driven roller and is conveyed by rotation of the drive roller. A flap opening-and-scooping claw 40 serving as a flap opener is attached to a drive shaft to rotate coaxially with a rotation shaft of the drive roller.
A first vertical conveying roller pair includes the flap opening roller pair 124 disposed below the first branch position, and the first vertical conveying roller pair 122 and the second vertical conveying roller pair 123 disposed above the first branch position.
A separation roller pair 125 and an envelope conveying roller pair 126 are disposed in the envelope entry passage 1107 that joins the envelope conveyance passage 1105. A part of the stacked envelope E is taken out from the envelope set tray 127 by the separation roller pair 125. The envelope E is supplied to the envelope conveyance passage 1105 by the separation roller pair 125 and the envelope conveying roller pair 126 as an envelope supplier.
As illustrated in
When the envelope E is ejected from the envelope set tray 127, the leading end of the envelope E in the conveyance direction corresponds to the bottom portion of the envelope E. The trailing end of the envelope E in the conveyance direction is the flap ef in a folded state.
Accordingly, in the present embodiment, when an envelope E is separated from envelopes E stacked in the envelope set tray 127 and conveyed through the envelope entry passage 1107 toward the flap opening roller pair 124, the downstream side of the envelope E in the conveyance direction is the bottom portion of the envelope E. The upstream side of the envelope E in the conveyance direction is the flap ef of the envelope E. In other words, the bottom portion of the envelope E conveyed in the envelope entry passage 1107 corresponds to the “leading end in the conveyance direction” in the envelope entry passage 1107. The flap ef corresponds to the “trailing end in the conveyance direction” in the envelope entry passage 1107.
The envelope E conveyed from the envelope set tray 127 by the separation roller pair 125 is conveyed by the envelope conveying roller pair 126 to a position beyond the envelope switchback switching claw 21. The envelope switchback switching claw 21 beyond which the envelope E has passed is rotated to a position where the conveyance direction is switched.
The envelope switchback switching claw 21 is held in either a position for temporarily conveying the envelope E from the envelope set tray 127 to the sealing conveyance passage 1106 or a position for conveying the envelope E toward the sheet conveying device 110 in the envelope conveyance passage 1105. That is, the envelope switchback switching claw 21 is a member that switches the conveyance direction of the envelope E.
The first vertical conveying roller pair 122 and the second vertical conveying roller pair 123 convey and hold the envelope E to a specified position in the envelope conveyance passage 1105. As described below, the specified position is a position where the position of the opening of the envelope E (the position of the flap ef) is lower than the enclosing roller pair 121 and higher than the first vertical conveying roller pair 122.
The enclosing roller pair 121 is a type of conveying roller that rotates in a direction in which the folded sheet Sf conveyed from the sheet conveying device 110 is enclosed in the envelope E.
As illustrated in
A second vertical conveying roller pair includes the third vertical conveying roller pair 131 and the fourth vertical conveying roller pair 132. The third vertical conveying roller pair 131 and the fourth vertical conveying roller pair 132 convey and hold the envelope E at a specified position of the sealing conveyance passage 1106.
The envelope ejection switching claw 31 rotates between a position at which the envelope E is conveyed from the flap opening roller pair 124 to the third vertical conveying roller pair 131 in the enclosing conveyance passage 1104 and a position at which the envelope E is conveyed from the enclosing conveyance passage 1104 to the envelope ejection passage 1108. The envelope ejection switching claw 31 is a member that switches the conveyance direction of the envelope E.
A sealing mechanism 135 as a sealer that performs “sealing processing” of closing the flap ef is disposed in the sealing conveyance passage 1106. If the flap ef of the envelope E conveyed by the third vertical conveying roller pair 131 and the fourth vertical conveying roller pair 132 is open, the sealing mechanism 135 performs processing of closing the flap ef.
The envelope ejection roller pair 133 is a roller pair that ejects the envelope E toward the envelope ejection tray 134.
The envelope ejection tray 134 serving as an envelope stacker is a tray on which the ejected envelope E is placed.
As described above, the conveyance passages that convey the folded sheet Sf from the sheet conveying device 110 to the enclosing device 120 and the sealing device 130 are disposed to be connected in the vertical direction (Z direction) in the envelope processing apparatus 100. This connected conveyance passage, which serves as both a conveyance passage for the folded sheet Sf and a conveyance passage for the envelope E, corresponds to a vertical conveyance passage in which the envelope conveyance passage 1105 of the enclosing device 120 and the sealing conveyance passage 1106 of the sealing device 130 are connected in the vertical direction (Z direction).
Next, an example of a series of processes of the enclosing operation and the sealing operation in the envelope processing apparatus 100 is described with reference to
First, as illustrated in
Subsequently, as illustrated in
Subsequently, as illustrated in
As illustrated in
In the control that conveys the envelope E to the enclosing position, the processing that calculates the conveyance amount of the envelope E from the rotation amount of each conveying roller is executed after the separation roller pair 125 takes out the envelope E. In addition, the position of the envelope E in the enclosing conveyance passage 1104 can be determined based on the calculated length of the envelope E and the length of the flap ef, the conveyance amount of the envelope E, and the length of the conveyance passage passing through the envelope entry passage 1107 and the envelope conveyance passage 1105.
Subsequently, as illustrated in
Subsequently, as illustrated in
Thereafter, as illustrated in
Subsequently, as illustrated in
After the flap ef has reached the position where the flap ef passes through the envelope ejection switching claw 31, as illustrated in
Thereafter, as illustrated in
As a result, as illustrated in
Next, a description is given of the flap opening mechanism 280 including the flap opening-and-scooping claw 40 as a flap opener below. A direction indicated by a black thick arrow h illustrated in
The flap opening-and-scooping claw 40 is rotatably attached to the rotation shaft of one of the roller pairs included in the flap opening roller pair 124.
In the flap opening mechanism 280 illustrated in
In the flap opening mechanism 280 illustrated in
Next, a description is given of a process of an operation of the flap opening mechanism 280 according to a first embodiment with reference to
Subsequently, as illustrated in
As illustrated in
When the leading end of the envelope E in the conveyance direction comes into contact with the flap opening-and-scooping claw 40 and the envelope E is further conveyed, the flap opening-and-scooping claw 40 is rotated as illustrated in
Subsequently, when the envelope E is conveyed, as illustrated in
As illustrated in
Next, a description is given of a process of the operation of the flap opening mechanism 280 according to a second embodiment with reference to
Subsequently, as illustrated in
As illustrated in
As a result, the flap ef is away from the main body of the envelope E, and the flap ef is triggered to open.
Subsequently, when the envelope E is conveyed, as illustrated in
Then, as illustrated in
Next, a description is given of a configuration of the flap opening-and-scooping claw 40 with reference to
A surface connecting the flap opening trailing end 40r that is an upstream end portion of the flap opening-and-scooping claw 40 in the conveyance direction and the flap opening leading end 40t that is a downstream end portion of the flap opening-and-scooping claw 40 in the conveyance direction, in other words, a surface of the flap opening-and-scooping claw 40 facing the envelope conveyance passage 1105 is a substantially flat surface. When the conveyed envelope E comes into contact with a portion of the flat surface that is closer to the flap opening leading end 40t, the flap opening-and-scooping claw 40 rotates in a direction against the biasing force of the spring 45.
When a virtual plane along the envelope conveyance passage 1105 and passing through the flap opening roller pair 124 is assumed, a state where the flap opening leading end 40t is disposed at a position facing the drive shaft 124R is normal based on the virtual plane. When the envelope E is conveyed and pushes the flat surface portion located at the position straddling the envelope conveyance passage 1105, the flap opening leading end 40t moves to the position on the side of the drive shaft 124R with the drive shaft 124R as the center of rotation. As a result, the flap opening trailing end 40r moves to a position where the flap opening trailing end 40r straddles the envelope entry passage 1107, and the flap ef is opened.
Without providing the spring 45, the position of the rotation axis of the flap opening-and-scooping claw 40 may be shifted from the center of gravity so that the state illustrated in
It is preferable that the flap opening trailing end 40r of the flap opening-and-scooping claw 40 has thickness in the direction of the envelope entry passage 1107 and has a curved shape in order to reduce the load when the flap ef is opened.
Next, a description is given of a process of the operation of the flap opening mechanism 280 according to the third embodiment with reference to
The process of the operation of the flap opening-and-scooping claw 40a according to the third embodiment is as illustrated in
As illustrated in
The timing at which the flap opening-and-scooping claw 40a starts rotating may be appropriately adjusted based on the length of the envelope E in the conveyance direction and the length of the flap ef in the conveyance direction. This is because the timing at which the flap ef engages with the flap opening-and-scooping claw 40 varies depending on the length of the envelope E and the length of the flap ef. If the flap opening-and-scooping claw 40 is rotated at a timing different from the timing at which the flap ef is engaged with the flap opening-and-scooping claw 40, the flap ef would be conveyed in a state where the flap ef is not firmly engaged with the flap opening trailing end 40r. Thus, the flap ef would be conveyed in a state where the flap ef is closed.
The step illustrated in
Even if the flap opening-and-scooping claw 40a moves to straddle the envelope entry passage 1107 in a state where the leading end (bottom portion) of the envelope E is nipped by the flap opening roller pair 124 and the trailing end (the side of the flap ef) of the envelope E is nipped by the envelope conveying roller pair 126, the flap ef is not sufficiently opened with respect to the envelope E since the trailing end of the envelope E remains nipped by the envelope conveying roller pair 126. As a result, the flap ef cannot be reliably engaged with the flap opening-and-scooping claw 40a.
Accordingly, the flap ef can be reliably engaged with the flap opening-and-scooping claw 40a by rotating the flap opening-and-scooping claw 40a at an appropriate time according to the conveyance position of the envelope E and moving the flap opening-and-scooping claw 40a so that the flap opening-and-scooping claw 40a straddles the envelope entry passage 1107. As a result, the flap ef can be reliably opened.
The above-described embodiments are illustrative and do not limit the present invention. Thus, numerous additional modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings. For example, elements and/or features of different illustrative embodiments may be combined with each other and/or substituted for each other within the scope of the present invention.
This patent application is based on and claims priority to Japanese Patent Application No. 2022-021568, filed on Feb. 15, 2022, in the Japan Patent Office, the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-021568 | Feb 2022 | JP | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/IB2023/050483 | 1/20/2023 | WO |
