The present application claims priority to and incorporates by reference the entire contents of Japanese Patent Application No. 2011-266064 filed in Japan on Dec. 5, 2011.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a punching device that punches a hole in a sheet of paper, a sheet processing apparatus and an image forming apparatus that include the punching device.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a general punching device that punches a hole in a sheet of paper, punch waste, which is a chad of paper generated upon punching, falls freely and is accumulated in a mountain form in a collection container collecting the punch waste. Thus, even when a top of the mountain of the accumulated punch waste reaches a height of the collection container, there remains space around peripheral walls of the collection container that are positioned farther from the top, which lowers the efficiency of collecting punch waste in the collection container. When the efficiency of collecting punch waste in the collection container is lowered, it becomes necessary to frequently dispose punch waste collected in the collection container, thereby deteriorating maintenance conditions.
In the punching device described in Japanese Patent No. 3648356, the collection container is provided therein with a guiding member that has shaft members fixed, at both ends thereof, to inner walls facing each other in the collection container, and roof-formed plate members provided substantially perpendicular to an axis direction of the shaft member and extended diagonally downward to both sides of the shaft member with the shaft member as a top line. With such a guiding member, punch waste falling onto one of inclined faces of the plate member and moving along the inclined face, punch waste falling onto the other inclined face of the plate member and moving along the inclined face, and punch waste falling not onto any of the inclined faces of the plate member, are dispersedly collected in the collection container. In this way, punch waste is dispersedly collected in the collection container by the guiding member, and a depositional surface of the punch waste accumulated in the collection container is a moderately inclined face in a substantially planer state. Thus, it is possible to substantially fill the collection container with punch waste while leaving little space, thereby improving the efficiency of collecting punch waste.
However, scattering directions of punch waste generated upon punching are varied, and thus when only a small amount of punch waste falls on the inclined faces of the plate member, the punch waste is not sufficiently dispersed in the collection container by the guiding member. Consequently, there occurs a problem in which the efficiency of collecting punch waste cannot be improved sufficiently.
Therefore, there is a need for a punching device capable of improving the efficiency of collecting a chad of paper to a collection container, as compared with the conventional punching device, a paper processing apparatus and an image forming apparatus that include the punching device.
According to an embodiment, there is provided a A punching device includes a punching unit that punches a hole in a sheet of paper; a container that receives a chad of paper generated upon punching by the punching unit; a dispersing member that is provided within the container and that is configured to disperse the chad of paper; and a guiding member configured to guide the chad of paper that is generated upon punching by the punching unit and fallen into the container to the dispersing member.
The above and other objects, features, advantages and technical and industrial significance of this invention will be better understood by reading the following detailed description of presently preferred embodiments of the invention, when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings.
Note that the invention can be applied also to the paper processing apparatus 100 having the punching unit 300 as illustrated in
The image forming apparatus 200 has four image forming devices 102Y, 102M, 102C, and 102Bk corresponding to yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C), and black (Bk), respectively, that are arranged along a running direction of an intermediate transfer belt 109. The image forming device 102Y is constituted by a photosensitive drum 103Y as an image carrier, a drum charger 104Y, an exposing unit 105Y, a developing unit 106Y, a transferring unit 107Y, a cleaning unit 108Y, etc. The image forming devices 102M, 102C, and 102Bk also have the same configuration as the image forming device 102Y. The image forming devices 102Y, 102M, 102C, and 102Bk form images with a color different one another. That is, the image forming device 102Y forms yellow images, the image forming device 102M forms magenta images, the image forming device 102C forms cyan images, and the image forming device 102Bk forms black images, for example.
Receiving signals for ordering the start of image forming operation from a control unit (not shown) of the image forming apparatus, the photosensitive drum 103Y starts to rotate in a direction of an arrow B in
When the toner image formed on the photosensitive drum 103Y reaches, with rotation of the photosensitive drum 103Y, a position facing the transferring unit 107Y as a first transferring member, the toner image is transferred onto the intermediate transfer belt 109 rotating in a direction of an arrow A in
Following the image forming device 102Y, the image forming device 102M performs the image forming operation in the same manner. The toner image formed on a photosensitive drum 103M is transferred onto the intermediate transfer belt 109 by action of high voltage applied on a transferring unit 107M.
Here, the timing at which the image formed by the image forming device 102Y and transferred onto the intermediate transfer belt 109 reaches the transferring unit 107M is matched to the timing at which the toner image formed on the photosensitive drum 103M is transferred onto the intermediate transfer belt 109, whereby the toner images formed by the image forming device 102Y and the image forming device 102M are overlapped on the intermediate transfer belt 109. Similarly, the toner images formed by the image forming device 102C and the image forming device 102Bk are overlapped on the intermediate transfer belt 109. Thus, a full color image is formed on the intermediate transfer belt 109.
At the same time as the full color image reaches a paper transferring unit 110 as a second transferring member, paper P as a recording medium transferred in a direction of an arrow C of
The fixing device 114 has a fixing roller 114a, and a pressing roller 114b pressed against the fixing roller 114a. The fixing roller 114a and the pressing roller 114b are in contact with each other, thus forming a fixing nip. The paper P is bound into the fixing nip. The fixing roller 114a has therein a heat source 114c as a heating unit, and the heat source 114c generates heat to heat the fixing roller 114a. The heated fixing roller 114a transfers heat to the paper P bound by the fixing nip to heat it. Due to the influence of such heating and nip pressure, the full color image on the paper P is fixed.
However, after the full color image passes the paper transferring unit 110, toner that is not transferred remains on the intermediate transfer belt 109. The remaining toner is removed from the intermediate transfer belt 109 by a belt cleaning device 113.
In the above description, the drive speed or the speed at which the paper P is conveyed of the photosensitive drum 103, the intermediate transfer belt 109, etc. is one determined for each image forming apparatus (hereinafter referred to as linear speed), and the unit of [mm/sec] is generally used as a moving distance for one second.
The paper P passing through the fixing device 114 is conveyed on a different path depending on a discharge mode. In case of single-sided printing, the paper P is discharged in a face-up state in which a side with the full color image fixed is a front face, or in a face-down state in which a side with the full color image fixed is a back face. In face-up discharge, the paper P passing through the fixing device 114 is conveyed as it is from the image forming apparatus 200 to the paper processing apparatus 100, as indicated by an arrow D in
In case of duplex printing, the paper P passing through the fixing device 114 is conveyed to the reversing unit 115, and conveyed from the reversing unit 115 to a duplex conveying path 116 as indicated by an arrow F in
Next, the paper processing apparatus 100 is described.
The paper processing apparatus 100 is fixed to the left side of the image forming apparatus 200. The paper processing apparatus has the punching device 100a that punches a hole in the paper P with an image formed thereon that is discharged from the image forming apparatus 200, and a finisher device 100b that stitches a plurality of sheets of paper P with an image formed thereon.
First, the configuration of the punching unit 300 provided in the punching device 100a is described by exemplifying a case of two-hole punching.
As illustrated in
The two die holes 201a and 201b correspond to two punch pins 301a and 301b, respectively, and, with the reciprocating motion of the punch pins 301a and 301b relative to the die holes 201a and 201b, two holes are punched in the paper P at a given pitch.
As illustrated in
A driving motor 212 is a DC brush motor, for example. The rotational driving force of the driving motor 212 is transmitted to the driving gears 211a and 211b through a reduction gear train 214 connected to a driving motor gear 213. The number of times of rotation (rotation amount) necessary for punching holes in the paper P is detected by a sensor filler 215 attached in an integrated or unified manner to the driving gear 211b, and a home position sensor 216. The driving motor 212 is controlled by the control unit (not shown) so as to have an appropriate rotation speed in accordance with the number of pulses detected by a pulse count sensor 217.
An upper part of
When the driving gear 211b is rotated in a counterclockwise direction, the convex portion 241 of the driving gear 211b presses the linear section of the D-formed groove 240 on the sliding arm 210, so that the sliding arm 210 is reciprocated.
With the reciprocating motion of the sliding arm 210, the links 209a and 209b are rotated. Then, with the reciprocating motion of the punch pins 301a and 301b, two holes are punched in the paper P.
Here,
In the punching unit 300, three punch pins 301a are used for three-hole punching, and two punch pins 301b are used for two-hole punching. As illustrated in
As illustrated in
As illustrated in
The driving motor 212 is a DC brush motor, for example. As illustrated in
As illustrated in
When the driving motor 212 rotates the driving gear 211a (driving gear 211b), the rotation of the driving gear 211a (driving gear 211b) slides the sliding arms 210a and 210b connected to the respective driving gears 211 to a direction of arrows in
When punching operation is performed once, the driving gears 211a and 211b are rotated by 180°. For example, the driving gear 211a in a posture of a home position, as illustrated in the state (a) of
As illustrated in
As illustrated in
The punch waste detection hole 351 formed on the punch waste collection container 350 is covered by a diffuse reflection sheet 352. The diffuse reflection sheet 352 makes light from the reflecting optical sensor pass into the punch waste collection container 350, while it makes a part of light reflected on the surface of the diffuse reflection sheet 352 reflect diffusely. Thus, when punch waste accumulated does not reach the height of the punch waste detection hole 351, light from the reflecting optical sensor that passes through the diffuse reflection sheet 352 is not reflected, and reflected light that is reflected on the diffuse reflection sheet 352 is also reflected diffusely. Consequently, the reflecting optical sensor does not detect light, that is, the reflecting optical sensor does not detect that the punch waste collection container 350 is filled with punch waste.
However, when punch waste is accumulated and reaches the height of the punch waste detection hole 351, light from the reflecting optical sensor that passes through the diffuse reflection sheet 352 is reflected by punch waste, and detected by the reflecting optical sensor. That is, the reflecting optical sensor detects that the punch waste collection container 350 is filled with punch waste.
The finisher device 100b has an introduction path 1 that receives the paper P already subjected to punching operation by the punching device 100a, or the paper P conveyed without being subjected to punching operation by the punching device 100a. The introduction path 1 separates to three paths of an upper conveying path A toward a proof tray 6, a straight conveying path B toward an edge stitching unit 3 that performs shift processing, edge stitching, and two-position stitch, and a lower conveying path C toward a saddle stitching unit 4 that performs saddle stitching.
An entrance roller 10 and an entrance sensor 13 are arranged on the introduction path 1, and the fact that the paper P is conveyed into the finisher device 100b is detected by the entrance sensor 13. In the downstream of the entrance roller 10, a first carriage roller 11 is arranged. In addition to the first carriage roller 11, a first bifurcating claw 7, a second bifurcating claw 8, etc. are also provided on the introduction path 1. A second carriage roller 12 is arranged on the straight conveying path B in the downstream in a sheet conveying direction of the second bifurcating claw 8. When a tip of the first bifurcating claw 7 is on the upper conveying path A, the paper P is conveyed to the straight conveying path B. When the tip of the first bifurcating claw 7 is on the introduction path 1, the paper P is conveyed to the upper conveying path A.
In order to convey the paper P from the introduction path 1 to the lower conveying path C, the rotation of the second carriage roller 12 is stopped once the trailing end of the paper P passes through the second bifurcating claw 8, and the tip of the second bifurcating claw 8 is positioned on the introduction path 1. Concretely, paper size information is received from the image forming apparatus 200 and, based on the received paper size information, time required until the trailing end of the paper P passes through the second bifurcating claw from the detection of the leading end of the paper P by a paper leading end detection sensor 14 provided in the downstream end of the straight conveying path B, is calculated. Once the calculated time has passed since the paper leading end detection sensor 14 detects the leading end of the paper P, the rotation of the second carriage roller 12 is stopped, and the tip of the second bifurcating claw 8 is positioned on the introduction path 1. When the tip position of the second bifurcating claw 8 is shifted, the second carriage roller 12 is rotated reversely, and the paper P is switched back and conveyed to the lower conveying path C.
A staple tray 21 as a carrying unit is provided at a diagonally lower position from the second carriage roller 12 and arranged in the downstream of the straight conveying path B. The paper P is discharged from the straight conveying path B onto the staple tray 21.
The paper carrying face of the staple tray 21 is inclined so as to be vertically upward on the paper discharge side. At the left end of the staple tray 21 in
The discharging roller 26, and a driven roller 27 that can be brought into contact with or separate from the discharging roller 26 have a pair configuration, and sandwich the paper P on the staple tray 21 therebetween to discharge it onto the discharge tray 5. With the pair configuration, it is possible, by displacing a discharging guide (not shown) supporting the driven roller 27, to select a closed state in which the paper P is sandwiched between the discharging roller 26 and the driven roller 27 to discharge it, or an open state in which the paper P is not sandwiched between the discharging roller 26 and the driven roller 27.
Moreover, the finisher device 100b has a shift mechanism that moves the second carriage roller 12 in a sheet width direction (direction orthogonal to a paper face). In a classification mode, the shift mechanism moves the second carriage roller 12 that is conveying sheets in a sheet width direction by a specific amount, so that the paper P is shifted in a sheet width direction by the specific amount, and discharged onto the discharge tray 5 by the discharging roller 26.
A discharged paper backing mechanism 85 is provided, above the discharge tray 5, as a unit striking the upper face of the paper discharged onto the discharge tray 5 by pendular movement to back the paper up to the side of the device. The discharged paper backing mechanism 85 is constituted by a discharged paper arm 85b supported by the device in a rockable manner, a discharged paper backing roller 85a supported at the tip of the discharged paper arm 85b in a rotatable manner, and a rocking unit (not shown) rocking the discharged paper arm 85b.
A pair of discharged paper jogger fences 81 and 82 are attached movably in the up and down directions above the discharge tray 5 on the discharging side face of the device (left side face in
In a classification mode, once the paper P is discharged onto the discharge tray 5, the paper P is adjusted regarding the position in a width direction by the discharged paper jogger fences 81 and 82. The discharged paper backing roller 85a is moved in a pendular manner to strike the upper face of the paper, thus facilitating the movement of the paper P, with self-weight, toward a reference fence (not shown) provided on the device side of the discharge tray 5. Then, the end of the paper is brought into contact with the reference fence (not shown), and the paper P is thus adjusted regarding the position in a longitudinal direction. Once a given number of pieces of paper P is discharged onto the discharge tray 5, the bundle of pieces of paper P is adjusted by the discharged paper jogger fences 81 and 82, and the discharged paper backing roller. Then, the discharged paper jogger fences 81 and 82 are moved upward and shifted in a sheet width direction by a given amount, and the shift mechanism moves the second carriage roller 12 by a specific amount. The pieces of paper P constituting the following paper bundle are being accumulated at a position deviated in a sheet width direction on the discharge tray 5. Subsequently, the paper bundles are adjusted by the discharged paper jogger fences 81 and 82, and the discharged paper backing roller 85a, in the same manner as described above.
A discharged paper filler 40 is provided in the vicinity of the upper portion of the discharge port. The discharged paper filler 40 is arranged in a rotatable manner near the center of the paper P stacked on the discharge tray 5, and the tip of the discharged paper filler 40 is in contact with the upper face of the paper P.
An upper face detection sensor (not shown) detecting a height position of the tip of the discharged paper filler 40 is provided near the base of the discharged paper filler 40. These components detect a height of the paper face of the paper P on the discharge tray 5. As the upper face detection sensor, a transmission type optical sensor can be used, for example. When there is no paper P on the discharge tray 5, the discharged paper filler 40 is positioned between a light-emitting element and a light-receiving element of the upper face detection sensor, and the output of the upper face detection sensor is off.
As the height of the paper bundle increases with the increase of the number of pieces of paper accumulated on the discharge tray 5, the discharged paper filler 40 rotates in a clockwise direction in
The staple tray 21 is provided with a stapler 50, which is a stitching unit as a post-processing unit divided to a driver and a clincher that move forward and backward in a direction orthogonal to the paper face. The staple tray 21 is provided with a pair of stapling jogger fences 22 and 23 arranged in a paper width direction movable in a paper width direction, to adjust the position of accumulated pieces of paper P regarding the width direction. Furthermore, the staple tray 21 is provided with two edge stitching reference fences 24 and 25 aligned in a paper width direction to adjust the position of the accumulated pieces of paper P regarding the longitudinal direction (paper conveying direction) in a manner that the leading end of the paper is brought into contact with the edge stitching reference fences 24 and 25.
A stapling backing roller 41 striking the upper face of the paper by pendular movement is provided above the staple tray 21. Moreover, the staple tray 21 is provided with an ejecting belt 30. The ejecting belt 30 is extended between the discharging roller 26, and a driven roller 30a provided on the stapler side.
In the edge stitching mode, the driven roller 27 is spaced from the discharging roller 26, and the operation of the discharging roller 26 (ejecting belt 30) is stopped. The paper carrying face of the staple tray 21 is inclined so that the edge stitching reference fences 24 and 25 are on the lower sides. Thus, the paper P conveyed to the staple tray 21 is moved, with self-weight, to the sides of the edge stitching reference fences 24 and 25. Furthermore, the stapling backing roller 41 strikes the paper P on the staple tray 21 toward the edge stitching reference fences 24 and 25, thus facilitating the movement of the paper P, with self-weight, to the side of the edge stitching reference fences 24 and 25. In this manner, with the self-weight of the paper and the stapling backing roller 41, the paper P is moved to the side of the edge stitching reference fences 24 and 25, and stopped when the end of the paper is brought into contact with the edge stitching reference fences 24 and 25.
That is, in the embodiment, the configuration in which the edge stitching reference fences 24 and 25 are on the lower side of the paper carrying face of the staple tray 21, and the stapling backing roller 41 constitute a paper movement mechanism. When the paper P is moved to the side of the edge stitching reference fences 24 and 25, the stapling jogger fences 22 and 23 are driven to adjust the position of the paper P in a width direction.
The paper bundle of a given number of pieces of paper P accumulated on the staple tray 21 (ejecting belt 30) is subjected to edge stitching by the stapler 50. The stapler 50 is moved in a paper width direction to staple the paper bundle at an appropriate position of the lower edge thereof, as edge stitching.
Once the edge stitching is completed, the discharging roller 26 is driven to rotate, and the ejecting belt 30 is moved endlessly. The ejecting belt 30 is provided with an ejecting claw 29 projecting on the circumference of the ejecting belt. When the ejecting belt 30 is rotated in a counterclockwise direction in
Moreover, the driven roller 27 is moved downward, and the discharging roller 26 and the driven roller 27 sandwiches the paper P, thereby discharging the paper P onto the discharge tray 5. That is, in the embodiment, the discharging unit is constituted by the ejecting belt 30, the ejecting claw 29, etc.
In the saddle stitching unit 4, saddle stitching carriage rollers 61, 62, and 63, and a saddle stitching stapler 51 are arranged along the lower conveying path C. The paper P introduced from the introduction path 1 to the lower conveying path C is conveyed to a saddle stitching position by the saddle stitching carriage rollers 61, 62, and 63, brought into contact with a saddle stitching reference fence (not shown), and then stacked. Once a given number of pieces of paper P is stacked at the saddle stitching position, the paper bundle of pieces of paper P is subjected to adjustment processing by a saddle stitching jogger fence (not shown), etc. and then to stitching at the middle of the paper bulk by the saddle stitching stapler 51.
Next, the saddle stitching reference fence (not shown) is opened. After that, the paper bundle that is already subjected to saddle stitching is conveyed to a paper folding stopper 64 in the saddle stitching unit 4 by the saddle stitching carriage rollers 62 and 63, and folded in the middle by a paper folding blade 71 and a paper folding plate 72. Then, the folded paper bundle is discharged onto a saddle stitching tray 9 by a folded paper discharging roller 73.
Configuration 1
Next, the punching unit 300 of the punching device 100a, which is a characteristic of Configuration 1, is described.
The scattering direction restricting unit 302 has a scattering direction restricting member 302a and a scattering direction restricting member 302b, which are a pair of plate-form members, and is arranged so that the tip of the scattering direction restricting member 302a and the end of the scattering direction restricting member 302b face each other with given space provided therebetween. Similarly, the scattering direction restricting unit 303 has a scattering direction restricting member 303a and a scattering direction restricting member 303b, which are a pair of plate-form members. The tip of the scattering direction restricting member 303a and the tip of the scattering direction restricting member 303b are arranged so as to face each other with given space provided therebetween. The scattering direction restricting member 302a, the scattering direction restricting member 302b, the scattering direction restricting member 303a, and the scattering direction restricting member 303b are attached on the guiding member 304 provided in the puncher 320 with an adhesive double-sided tape, for example.
With this configuration, the paths through which punch waste falling into the punch waste collection container 350 from the punching unit passes can be mainly as follows. As the first path, punch waste falls into the punch waste collection container 350 through an opening portion formed, in a punch waste falling direction from the puncher 320, by the scattering direction restricting member 302a and the scattering direction restricting member 302b. As the second path, punch waste fallen onto a side face of the scattering direction restricting member 302a from the puncher 320 slides down the side face and falls into the punch waste collection container 350 through the opening portion. As the third path, punch waste fallen onto a side face of the scattering direction restricting member 302b from the puncher 320 slides down the side face, and falls into the punch waste collection container 350 through the opening portion. It is preferable that the opening portion is slightly larger than an outer diameter of the punch pin 301b, at least.
In this configuration, the scattering direction restricting member 302a, and the scattering direction restricting member 302b can restrict scattering directions of punch waste fallen from the puncher 320 to given directions, thus making it easier that the punch waste falls into given positions in the punch waste collection container 350. In this configuration, the scattering direction restricting unit 302 restricts scattering directions of punch waste so that the punch waste falls onto the dispersing member provided in the punch waste collection container 350, which is described later, and thus the punch waste is guided to the dispersing member.
Meanwhile, in order to restrict scattering directions of punch waste using the scattering direction restricting unit 302, two or more scattering direction restricting members may be arranged so as to face each other to form the opening portion.
As illustrated in
With this configuration, the paths through which punch waste falling into the punch waste collection container 350 from the puncher passes can be mainly as follows. As the first path, punch waste falls into the punch waste collection container 350 through an opening portion formed, in a punch waste falling direction from the puncher 320, by the scattering direction restricting member 302a and the scattering direction restricting member 302b. As the second path, punch waste fallen onto a side face of the scattering direction restricting member 302a from the puncher 320 slides down the side face, and directly falls into the punch waste collection container 350 through the opening portion, or, after sliding down the side face, hits a side face of the scattering direction restricting member 302b once and then falls into the punch waste collection container 350 through the opening portion. As the third path, punch waste fallen onto a side face of the scattering direction restricting member 302b from the puncher 320 slides down the side face, and falls into the punch waste collection container 350 through the opening portion.
In this manner, when the tip of the scattering direction restricting member 302a and the side face of the scattering direction restricting member 302b face each other with given space provided therebetween, the scattering direction restricting unit 302 can further restrict scattering directions of punch waste fallen from the puncher 320.
The punch waste collection container 350 is provided therein with a dispersing member 306 and a dispersing member 307 that disperse accumulated positions of punch waste in the punch waste collection container 350. The dispersing member 306 disperses accumulated positions of punch waste generated in punching performed by the punch pin 301b, while the dispersing member 307 disperses accumulated positions of punch waste generated in punching performed by the punch pin 301a. The dispersing member 306 and the dispersing member 307 are attached in the punch waste collection container 350 with an adhesive double-sided tape, for example.
When punch waste is accumulated and reaches a detection area 309 that is set at a given height between the dispersing member 306 and the dispersing member 307 in the punch waste collection container 350, the full-state detecting unit 308 detects the height of punch waste, and detects that the punch waste collection container 350 is filled with punch waste.
In the punch waste collection container 350, punch waste generated in two-hole punching performed by the punch pin 301b, and punch waste generated in three-hole punching performed by the punch pin 301a are being accumulated. Thus, the full-state detecting unit 308 is provided, in the punch waste collection container 350, at a position where a height of accumulated punch waste generated in both punching operations can be detected. In this manner, the single full-state detecting unit 308 detects a height of accumulated punch waste generated in both punching operations, which can reduce costs, as compared with a case in which two or more full-state detecting units are provided in order to detect a height of accumulated punch waste separately in two-hole punching and in three-hole punching.
When the volume of the punch waste collection container 350 is small, it is required to secure that a certain amount of punch waste can be collected in the punch waste collection container 350. Thus, the punch waste collection container 350 is provided with the dispersing member 306 and the dispersing member 307 that have an inclined or arched face relative to the position of the detection area 309 of the full-state detecting unit 308, where the lower side of the face is positioned farther from the detection area 309 than the upper side thereof. In this way, it is possible, with the dispersing member 306 and the dispersing member 307, to control a position in the punch waste collection container 350 at which punch waste is accumulated initially to be a position farther from the full-state detecting unit 308. Therefore, it is possible to increase a collection amount of punch waste until punch waste reaches the detection area 309 of the full-state detecting unit 308, as compared with a case in which a position at which punch waste is accumulated initially is arranged near the detection area 309 of the full-state detecting unit 308.
In the state (a) of
In the state (d) of
In the state (c) of
Note that the scattering direction restricting units 302 and 303, and the dispersing members 306 and 307 are formed of a neutralizing material on which punch waste is hardly attached, which is effective for restricting scattering or dispersion of punch waste.
Configuration 2
The full-state detecting unit 308 detects an accumulated height of punch waste generated by the punch pins 301b in both two-hole punching and four-hole punching. The guiding member 304 is provided with the scattering direction restricting unit 302 that restricts scattering directions of punch waste generated when a hole is punched in the paper P by the punch pin 301b. Moreover, the punch waste collection container 350 is provided therein with a dispersing member 311 that disperses accumulated positions of punch waste generated in punching performed by the punch pin 301b.
The techniques described in Configuration 1 can be applied to Configuration 2, with regard to the restriction of scattering directions of punch waste by the scattering direction restricting unit 302, the dispersion of punch waste in the punch waste collection container 350 by the dispersing member 311, and the method of efficiently accumulating punch waste in the punch waste collection container 350 so that the full-state detecting unit 308 detects an accumulated height of punch waste. Thus, the descriptions thereof are omitted in Configuration 2.
The above embodiments are explained by way of example only. The invention can achieve various effects specific to each embodiment as described below.
A punching device includes a punching unit that punches a hole in a sheet of paper; a container that receives a chad of paper generated upon punching by the punching unit; a dispersing member that is provided within the container and that is configured to disperse the chad of paper; and a guiding member configured to guide the chad of paper that is generated upon punching by the punching unit and fallen into the container to the dispersing member. Thus, the efficiency of collecting punch waste into the container can be improved, as described in the above embodiments.
In the embodiment A, the guiding member may include a pair of plate-form members that are arranged so that a tip of one plate-form member and a side face of the other plate-form member face each other with given space provided therebetween. Thus, the efficiency of collecting punch waste into the container can be improved, as described in the above embodiments.
In the embodiment A, the punching device may further include an accumulated height detecting unit configured to detect an accumulated height of the punch waste collected in the container, and may detect that the container is filled with the punch waste based on a detected result of the accumulated height detecting unit. Thus, the efficiency of collecting punch waste into the container can be improved while suppressing the punch waste from spilling from the container, as described in the above embodiments.
In the embodiment C, the dispersing member may have an inclined or arched face relative to a given detection position at which the accumulated height detecting unit detects an accumulated height of the chads of paper, and a lower side of the face may be positioned farther from the given detection position than the upper side thereof. Thus, it is possible to increase a collection amount of punch waste until the punch waste reaches the given detection position, as compared with a case in which a position at which punch waste is accumulated initially is arranged near the given detection position.
In the embodiment A, at least one of the guiding member and the dispersing member may be formed of a neutralizing material. Thus, as described in the above embodiments, punch waste is hardly attached on the guiding member and the dispersing member, which is effective for restricting the scattering or the dispersion of punch waste.
A paper processing apparatus includes a paper processing unit that performs given processing on a sheet of paper; and the punching device according to the embodiment A. Thus, the efficiency of collecting punch waste into the container can be improved, as described in the above embodiments.
An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit that forms an image on a sheet of paper, and the punching device according to the embodiment A for punching a hole in the sheet of paper on which the image is formed by the image forming unit. Thus, the efficiency of collecting punch waste into the container can be improved, as described in the embodiment.
An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit that forms an image on a sheet of paper, and the paper processing unit according to the embodiment F for performing given processing on the sheet of paper on which the image is formed by the image forming unit, as described in the above embodiments.
In the present invention, the guiding member guides chads of paper to the dispersing member. Thus, it is possible, with the dispersing member, to efficiently disperse the chads of paper in a collection container, as compared with a case in which chads of paper is not guided by the guiding member. Therefore, the efficiency of collecting chads of paper in a collection container can be improved.
Although the invention has been described with respect to specific embodiments for a complete and clear disclosure, the appended claims are not to be thus limited but are to be construed as embodying all modifications and alternative constructions that may occur to one skilled in the art that fairly fall within the basic teaching herein set forth.
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Number | Date | Country | |
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