Patent Application
20080315490
This application is based on Japanese Patent Application Nos. 2007-163536 filed on Jun. 21, 2007, 2007-164803 filed on Jun. 22, 2007, and 2007-164804 filed on Jun. 22, 2007, which are incorporated hereinto by reference.
The present invention relates to a sheet processing apparatus for conducting a fold processing of a sheet, particularly, relates to an improvement of a sheet ejection section in a small size sheet processing apparatus for conducting the fold processing of a sheet, onto which an image has been formed, by combining an image forming apparatus.
With respect to the ejection section in the image forming apparatus and a sheet processing apparatus, the improvement of stacking sheets onto a stacking tray in the sheet ejection sections of the image forming apparatus in perfect order has been conducted.
The fold-processed sheet tends to become irregular and tends to be irregularly stacked in the sheet ejection section comparing with a flat shaped sheet, to which the fold process has not been applied.
Particularly, in the case of the sheets, to which a multiple-fold such as three-fold has been applied, for example, the sheets, to which the multiple-fold such as a gatefold or a double-parallel fold has been applied, there is a case that the sheets are deformed into a completely different style from a flat plate shape, stacked irregularly in the stacking section and scattered out from the stacking section.
Hitherto, the fold-processed sheets have only been stacked into a box shaped tray. The sheets have been irregularly stacked into the stacking tray.
Unexamined Japanese Patent Application Publication Nos. 2002-255431 and 2001-26360 disclose technologies for putting the fold-processed sheets in order.
According to the technology disclosed in Unexamined Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2002-255431, a roller provided at the edge of the arm, which is capable of freely rotating, and a paddle, which is capable of freely rotating, hold two points of the sheets to be stacked in order to stack the fold-processed sheets onto the stacking tray.
According to the technology disclosed in Unexamined Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2002-26360, a sensor is arranged to detect the uppermost surface of stacked sheets and to lower the stacking tray when the uppermost surface rises.
In the case of the technology disclosed in Unexamined Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2002-255431, since both of the two holding members move up and down, the sheets cannot be stacked in perfect order in the sheet stacking operation where the sheets tend to bulge and the uppermost surface of the sheet to be stacked is able to move up and down just like a fold-processed sheet.
Further, the stacking apparatus disclosed in Unexamined Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2002-255431 does not have a moving mechanism of the stacking tray corresponding to a stacking amount. Thus the stacking apparatus in Unexamined Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2002-255431 is not suitable for stacking a large volume of sheets.
According to the technology disclosed in Unexamined Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2001-26360, it allows the stacking tray to stack a large volume of sheets by lowering and raising the stacking tray by utilizing a motor drive.
According to the mechanism for lowering and raising the stacking tray by a motor drive, which has been disclosed in Unexamined Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2001-26360, a sensor detects the uppermost surface of the sheets and the detected signal controls the motor.
According to the control described above, in the case of stacking the fold-processed sheets, there is a problem that erroneous operations tend to occur due to sheet bulge. Also there is a problem that lack of stability and reliability of the operation occurs.
Further, there is a problem that the motor drive makes a control mechanism complicated and raises the cost of the apparatus.
Unexamined Japanese Patent Application Publication Nos. 2002-274727 and 07-300270 disclose a technology for proving a sheet pressing member for pressing sheets downward to a place adjacent to an ejection section.
Unexamined Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 07-300270 discloses a sheet presser operating member for drawing a sheet pressing member and moving the sheet pressing member onto the upper surface of a newly ejected sheet.
According to Unexamined Japanese Patent Application Publication Nos. 2002-274727 and 07-300270, the structure is not arranged to put the fold-processed sheets in order. The structure is not well designed to stack the sheets in order to stack the fold-processed sheets in order.
According to one aspect of the present invention, a sheet stacking apparatus includes
a stacking tray for stacking a fold-processed and ejected sheet, the stacking tray being arranged to descend corresponding to a mass of stacked sheets, and
a first sheet pressing member for pressing the stacked sheets from an upper side of the stacked sheets at a constant height.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a sheet stacking apparatus includes
a stacking tray for stacking a fold-processed and ejected sheet,
a first sheet pressing member for pressing a trailing edge of a sheet in an ejection direction of the sheet at a constant height, and
a second sheet pressing member for pressing a leading edge of the sheet on the stacking tray in the ejection direction of the sheet,
wherein the second sheet pressing member is supported by a stationary section in an upstream side edge of the sheet in the ejection direction of the sheet and a downstream side edge portion of the second sheet pressing member in the ejection direction of the sheet is a free edge.
According to still another aspect of the present invention, a sheet stacking apparatus for stacking a fold-processed and ejected sheet includes
a sheet stacking tray for stacking a sheet
a third sheet pressing member for holding a sheet, which has been stacked on the stacking tray, and
a control member for controlling the third sheet pressing member,
wherein the control member selectively positions the third sheet pressing member at either a place where the third sheet pressing member presses the sheet or a retreated place where the third sheet pressing member has retreated from the sheet in response to at least one of a sheet size, a sheet kind, and a kind of fold processing.
According to yet still another aspect of the present invention, a sheet stacking apparatus including a fold processing section for conducting a fold processing of a sheet, an ejection section for ejecting a fold-processed sheet and a sheet stacking apparatus for stacking the sheet, which has been ejected from the ejection section, the sheet stacking apparatus includes,
a stacking tray, which is capable of descending in response to a mass of stacked sheets, to which the fold process has been applied and ejected from the ejection section, and
a sheet pressing member for pressing the stacked sheets from an upper side of the stacked sheet at a constant height.
According to yet still another aspect of the present invention, a sheet processing apparatus including a fold processing section for conducting a fold processing of a sheet, ejection rollers structured by a pair of rollers, an ejection section for ejecting a sheet processed by the fold processing section, and
a sheet stacking apparatus for stacking a sheet ejected from the ejection section, the sheet processing apparatus includes,
a stacking tray for stacking a sheet, to which the fold process has been applied by the fold processing section and ejected from the ejection section,
a first sheet pressing member for pressing a trailing edge of the sheet in an ejection direction of the sheet at a constant height, and
a second sheet pressing member for pressing a leading edge of the sheet on the stacking tray in the ejection direction of the sheet,
wherein the second sheet pressing member is supported by a stationary shaft section in an upstream side edge portion of the sheet in an ejection direction of the sheet and a downstream side edge portion of the second sheet pressing member in the ejection direction of the sheet is a free edge.
a)-3(f) illustrate examples of fold processes.
The present invention will be described by using embodiments of the present invention. However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments.
An image forming system includes an image forming apparatus A, an automatic document feeder DF, a sheet processing apparatus B and a large capacity tray LT.
An image forming apparatus A illustrated in
The automatic document feeder DF is provided on the top of the image forming apparatus A. The sheet processing apparatus B is connected to a sheet ejection section 8 provided on the left side surface of the image forming apparatus A illustrated in
One surface or both surfaces of the document placed on the document table of the automatic document feeder DF is conveyed to be read by the optical system of the image reading section 1 and read into an image sensor 1A.
An image processing section 2 applies an analog process, an A/D conversion, a shading correction and an image compression process to an analog signal, to which photo-electric conversion has been applied by the image sensor 1A. Then the signal is transmitted to an image writing section 3.
In the image writing section 3, emitted laser beam from a semiconductor laser is irradiated onto a photosensitive drum 4A of an image forming section 4 and a latent image is formed on the photosensitive drum 4A. In the image forming section 4, processes such as charging, exposure, development, transfer, separation and cleaning are conducted. A transfer unit 4B transfers an image onto a sheet S, which has been respectively supplied to the first sheet feed sections 6A-6E from sheet feed cassettes 5A-5C, a manual feed tray 5D or a large capacity tray LT. A fixing unit 7 fixes the image onto the sheet S, which carries the image. The sheet S is conveyed to the sheet processing apparatus B from a sheet ejection section 8. Or, the image forming section 4 again applies a dual surface image process to the sheet S, which has been conveyed to an automatic duplex unit 8B by a conveyance path switching plate 8A. Then the sheet S will be ejected from the ejection section 8.
The sheet processing apparatus B is configured by a sheet entrance section 10, a sheet ejection section 20, a sheet adding section (a cover sheet feeding section) 30, a punch processing section (a punching section, a first processing section) 40, a conveyance section 50, a folding section (a second processing section) 60 and a sheet stacking apparatus 100.
A sheet S, to which an image forming process has been applied by the image forming apparatus A, is guided to the sheet entrance section 10.
The recording sheet entrance position of the sheet entrance section 10 opposes to a recording sheet ejection position of the ejection section 8 of the image forming apparatus A.
The recording sheet S guided to entrance rollers 11 is branched (a branching section) to either the sheet ejection section 20 or the punch processing section 40 by a conveyance path switching member G1.
When a punch process and a fold processing are not set, the conveyance path switching member G1 shuts off the conveyance path to the punch processing section 40 and opens the conveyance path to the sheet ejection section 20.
The recording sheet S, which passes through the first conveyance path P1 heading to the sheet ejection section 20, moves straight while being nipped by the conveyance rollers 21 and 22. Then the recording sheet S is ejected from the ejection section 20 by sheet ejection rollers 23 and stacked on a stacking tray 102 in the sheet stacking apparatus 100.
The recording sheet S, which has been branched upward in
The sheet S, which has been branched by the conveyance path switching member G1 of the sheet entrance section 10, is nipped by the conveyance roller 41 disposed at the lower section of the conveyance path switching member G1, and conveyed to a punch processing section (the first processing section) 40 (second conveyance path p2).
An aligning section 42 disposed on the conveyance path of the downstream side of the punch processing section 40 aligns the sheet width direction of the sheet S, to which the punch processing has not been applied.
A puncher of the punch processing section 40 is configured by a puncher, which is driven by a drive section (not shown), and a dice, which fits the blade section of the puncher. The sheet S, to which a punch processing has been applied, is conveyed to the downstream of a conveyance section 50 (a punching function).
The sheet S, which has been conveyed to a conveyance section 50, is nipped by the conveyance rollers 51, 52, 53 and 54 and conveyed to the fold processing section 60. The conveyance rollers 51, 52, 53 and 54 are configured by a drive roller, which is connected to a drive source and a driven roller, which is pressed and contacted by the drive roller. Each driven roller is connected with a solenoid SOL and arranged to contact to and separate from the drive roller.
The sheet S, to which no fold processing has been applied, among the small size sheets, to which the punch processing has been applied, passes through a third-A conveyance path 3A branched by a conveyance path switching member G3 and conveyed while being nipped by conveyance rollers 600. The large size sheet S, to which the punch processing has been applied, is conveyed to a third-B conveyance path 3B positioned under the branch position of the conveyance path switching member G3 irrespective to whether the fold processing has been applied or not. Then the large size sheet S is conveyed and guided into the fold processing section 60 by the conveyance rollers 53 and 54. Here, the third-A conveyance path 3A and the third-B conveyance path 3B configure the third conveyance path.
A conveyance path switching member 55 is provided in the conveyance section 50. The fold processing can be conducted on two sheets at the same time by storing and conveying two small size sheets. Further, it is apparent that it becomes possible to configure the apparatus so as to conduct the fold processing on each and every one of the sheet S without providing the conveyance path switching member 55.
The sheet S, which has been conveyed to the fold processing section (the second processing section) 60 from the conveyance section 50, is nipped by registration rollers 601. Then the sheet S is conveyed to a first fold section 61, a second fold section 62 and a third fold section 63, where fold processing (folding functions) such as center-folding, Z-folding, outer-three-folding, inner-three-folding and inner-four-folding (also named gate-folding) will be conducted. Then the sheet S will be returned to the first conveyance path P1 through the fourth conveyance path P4.
a)-3(f) illustrate fold-processed sheets S, to which various fold processes such as the center-folding, the Z-folding, the outer-three-folding, the inner-three-folding and the inner-four-folding, have been applied.
The sheet stacking apparatus 100 is attached to the sheet ejection section 20 of the sheet processing apparatus B.
The sheet stacking apparatus 100 includes a frame 101, to which various functional parts are attached, which will be described hereinafter.
The stacking tray 102 is supported by a frame 101 centering on a shaft 102a in the downstream side of the conveyance direction of the sheet S in the left edge section of
In
One end of the spring 104 is attached to the frame 101 and the wire 105 is stretched around a pulley 106.
As described above, the upstream side in the sheet conveyance direction of the stacking tray 102 is held by the wire 105 so as to be capable of moving up and down. As described later, when the sheet S is stacked on the stacking tray 102 and as the mass of the stacked sheets S increases, the effect of the downward force against the stacking tray 102 descends the stacking tray 102.
Numeral 103 is a rotary member as a first sheet pressing member, which is attached to a shaft fixed onto a predetermined position of a frame 101, which is a stationary section, so as to freely rotate. The rotary member 103 guides the sheet S, which is ejected from the sheet ejection section 20 of the sheet processing apparatus B, to beneath the rotary member 103. At the same time, the rotary member 103 is a sheet pressing member for pressing the sheet S. The rotary member 103 touches the sheet S to be ejected and conveyed, and rotates according to the movement of the sheet S.
As illustrated in
Based on the disposition and the configuration of the rotary member 103, the leading edge of the sheet S, which is ejected and conveyed from the sheet ejection section 20, hits the rotary member 103. However, since the center of the rotation shaft 103a of the rotary member 103 is located in the upper side of the extended line L and the surface of the rotary member 103, which the leading edge of the sheet S hits, declines downward, the sheet S is securely guided under the lower side of the rotary member 103.
When the sheet S has left from the sheet ejection section 20, the rotary member 103 presses the sheet S at a constant height. Based on the pressing action of the rotary member 103, the trailing edge Sa of the sheet S is pressed down below the sheet ejection mouth of the sheet ejection section 20.
As described above, the sheet S, which has been folded and ejected, is securely stacked in a well aligned state onto the stacking tray 102 in an ejected order from the sheet ejection rollers 23 and stacked.
In order to set apart the trailing edge Sa, in the ejection direction of the sheet S, from the sheet ejection roller 23, it is preferable that the rotary member 103 be placed close to the sheet ejection rollers 23 as close as possible.
When the rotary member 103 is away from the sheet ejection rollers 23, the sheet S is bent between the sheet ejection rollers 23 and the rotary member 103 and even when the sheet S is pressed downward by the rotary member 103, there is a case that the trailing edge Sa of the sheet will not come apart from the sheet ejection rollers 23 and this may cause a sheet ejection jam.
The distance between the sheet ejection rollers 23 and the rotary member 103 is to be “D”, which is the distance between the center point “P” of the nip of a pair of rollers structuring sheet ejection rollers 23 (the center point in the sheet conveyance direction) and the shaft 103a of the rotary member 103, the distance “D” is determined based on the relationship with the radius of the rotary member 103. When the radius of the rotary member is to be “R”, according to an example, distance “D” is set about three times of radius “R”. The relationship between “R” and “D” is as is illustrated in
The sheet S is continuously ejected and conveyed from the sheet ejection section 20.
The rotary member 103 guides the ejected sheet S downward. Then the ejected sheet S runs on the stacking tray 102 in the left direction.
When the trailing edge Sa of the sheet S has left the sheet ejection rollers 23, the trailing edge Sa of the sheet S descends due to the effect of the rotary member 103. Then the sheet S immediately stops due to the pressing action of the rotary member 103.
Succeeding sheet S is stacked onto the preceded sheet S, which the rotary member 103 has held and pressed to move downward.
When the sheet S has been stacked on the stacking tray 102, the mass of the sheets S increases. Since the thickness of the stacked sheets increases, the sprig 104 extends corresponding to the increase of the mass of the sheets S. As a result, the right edge section of the stacking tray 102 descends.
Even when the folding condition of the sheet S is irregular, the right edge section of the stacking tray 102 descends corresponding to the mass of the sheets S. Thus, the stacking tray securely descends in response to the stacked amount of the sheets S.
Since the uppermost surface of the stacked sheets S is pressed by the pressing surface of the rotary member 103 at a constant height, the phenomenon that the stacked sheets largely bulge can be prevented.
When the right edge section of the stacking tray 102 has reached to the lowest limit position, an actuator 108 rotates and a sensor SE provided in the sheet processing apparatus B detects the rotation. Then, the full filling of the sheets is notified.
Based on the full filling detection signal, the display section of the image forming system (not shown) displays an instruction for taking out sheets from the stacking tray and the operation stops at the same time.
The sheet stacking apparatus 100 is attached onto the sheet ejection section 20 of the sheet processing apparatus B.
The sheet stacking apparatus 100 includes a frame 101, onto which various kinds of functional parts have been attached, which will be described below.
The frame 101 supports the stacking tray 102 at the shaft 102a of the left edge section in
One end of the wire 105 is attached onto the right edge section of the stacking tray 102 and the other edge of the wire 105 is connected to the pull type spring 104 as shown in
One end of the spring 104 is attached to the frame 101 and the wire 105 is stretched around a pulley 106.
As described above, the right edge section of the stacking tray 102 is held by the wire 105 so as to be capable of moving up and down. As described later, by the sheet S stacked onto the stacking tray 102, the effect of the downward force against the stacking tray 102 descends the stacking tray 102.
Numeral 103 is a rotary member as a sheet pressing member, which is attached to a shaft fixed on a predetermined position of a frame 101, which is a stationary section, so as to freely rotate. The rotary member 103 structures the first sheet pressing member for pressing the sheet S ejected from the sheet ejection section 20 of the sheet processing apparatus B. The rotary member 103 touches the sheet S to be ejected and conveyed, and rotates according to movement of the sheet S.
As illustrated in
Based on the disposition and the configuration of the rotary member 103, the leading edge of the sheet S, which is ejected from the sheet ejection section 20, hits the rotary member 103. The sheet S is securely guided beneath the rotary member 103 after the leading edge of the sheet S hits the rotary member 103.
As described above, the rotary member 103 presses and holds the sheet S by the pressing surface including the lower edge 103b having a constant height.
Numeral 107 denotes a pressing sheet as a second sheet pressing member.
The pressing sheet 107 includes a layered structure formed by polyethylene sheet whose lower surface, which contacts the sheet S, has been roughed and a PET (polyethylene terephthalate) sheet as a lining layer. The pressing sheet 107 is a sheet shaped member having an elastic characteristic. The right edge section of the pressing sheet 107, which is in the upstream side of the ejection direction of the sheet S, is fixed onto the frame 101. On the other hand, the left edge of Figure, which is positioned downstream side of the ejection direction of the pressing sheet 107, is movable. The surface, which contacts the sheet S of polyethylene, is formed into a rough surface having a friction resistor so as to prevent the sheet S to protrude from the stacking tray 101. The PET sheet enhances the rigidity of the pressing sheet 107 and strengthens the pressing action against the sheet S.
A rigid body sheet, which is supported so as to be capable of freely rotating as a pressing sheet 107 and biased by a spring, may also be used.
The left edge of the pressing sheet 107 is a free edge and the center portion of the stacking tray 102 is cut out as illustrated in
When the sheet S has set apart from the sheet ejection section 20, the trailing edge Sa of the sheet S is pressed down below the ejection sheet mouth by the pressing action of the rotary member 103.
The conveyance of the sheet S is regulated to the left direction by the pressing 107. At the same time, the floating of the leading edge Sb of the sheet S is also regulated by the pressing sheet 107.
According to a kind of fold processing, there is a case that the sheet S, on which a multiple layered section is formed at the leading edge of the sheet in the conveyance direction by the fold processing, or there is a case that the sheet S, on which a multiple layered section is formed at the trailing edge of the sheet in the conveyance direction by the fold processing, is stacked. However, the floating of the multiply piled section in the leading edge section can be regulated by the pressing sheet 107, and the floating of the multiply piled section in the trailing edge can be regulated by the rotary member 103.
As described above, the folded sheet S is piled on the stacking tray 102 in the ejected order from the stacking tray sheet ejection section 20 and stacked in an aligned state.
The pressing sheet 107 as illustrated in
In order to set apart the trailing edge in the ejection direction of the sheet S from the sheet ejection rollers 23, it is preferred to place the rotary member 103 and the sheet ejection rollers 23 close by as much as possible.
The sheet S is continuously ejected and conveyed from the sheet ejection section 20.
The ejected sheet S is guided by the rotary member 103 in the downward direction and runs on the stacking tray 102 in the left direction along the lower surface of the pressing sheet 107.
When the trailing edge Sa in the ejection direction of the sheet S has left the sheet ejection rollers 23, the trailing edge Sa of the sheet S descends due to the effect of the rotary member 103. Then the sheet S immediately stops due to the pressing action of the pressing sheet 107.
Succeeding sheet S is stacked on the preceded sheet S, which the rotary member 103 has held and pressed to move downward.
As described above, since the sheet S securely leaves the sheet ejection rollers 23 just after the sheet S has been ejected, in the case of continuous ejection, a succeeding sheet is ejected and surely placed on the preceding sheet. The sheet is securely piled in ejected order on the stacking tray 102. Thus, sheets S are securely stacked in the ejection order from the sheet ejection section 20 and a page order will not be out of order when being stacked.
When the sheets S have been stacked on the stacking tray 102, the mass of the sheets S increases and the thickness of the stacked sheets also increase. Thus, the right edge section of the stacking tray 102 descends.
When the right edge section of the stacking tray 102 has reached to the lowest limit position, an actuator 108 rotates and a sensor SE provided in the sheet processing apparatus B rotates and detects the rotation. Then, the full fill of the sheets is notified.
Based on the full filling detection signal, the display section of the image forming system (not shown) displays an instruction for taking out sheets from the stacking tray and the operation stops at the same time.
The sheet stacking apparatus 100 is attached to the sheet ejection section 20 having a pair of sheet ejection rollers 23 of the sheet processing apparatus B.
The sheet stacking apparatus 100 includes a frame 101, to which various functional parts are attached, which will be described hereinafter.
The stacking tray 102 is supported by the frame 101 on a shaft 102a, at the left edge portion of
One end of the wire 105 is attached to the right edge portion of the stacking tray 102 in
One edge of the spring 104 is attached to the frame 101 and at the same time the wire 105 is stretched around a pulley 106.
As described above, the right edge section of the stacking tray 102 is held by the wire 105 so as to be capable of moving up and down. As described later, since the sheet S is stacked onto the stacking tray 102, the effect of the downward force against the stacking tray 102 descends the stacking tray 102.
Numeral 103 denotes a rotary member attached to the shaft fixed on the frame 101 so as to be capable of freely rotating. The rotary member 103 guides the sheet S, which has been ejected from the sheet ejection section 20 of the sheet processing apparatus B, and structures a first sheet pressing member for pressing the sheet S. The rotary member 103 contacts the sheet S and rotates according to the movement of the sheet S.
As illustrated in
Based on the disposition and the configuration of the rotary member 103, the leading edge of the sheet S, which is ejected and conveyed from the sheet ejection section 20, hits the circumference of the rotary member 103. After the sheet S hits the circumference surface of the rotary member 103, the sheet S is securely guided beneath the rotary member 103.
Numeral 207 is a third sheet pressing member for pressing the sheet S. The third sheet pressing member 207 is structured by a leading edge stopper 207a, which regulates the protuberance of the leading edge of the sheet S, and a sheet pressing section 207b for pressing sheet S from the above of the sheet S.
The leading edge stopper 207a is parallel with a trailing edge support wall 101a for supporting the trailing edge in the conveyance direction of the sheet S on the stacking tray 102 formed on the frame 101.
As described above, due to the structure that the leading edge stopper 207a is parallel with the trailing edge support wall 101a, the sheet S is stacked on the stacking tray 102 in perfect order without bending.
Here, “parallel” does not mean that the angle formed by two lines is precisely 180° but also includes a case where the angle formed by two lines is slightly off from 180°.
The third sheet pressing member 207 is capable of moving to a retreated position, which is illustrated in a dotted line, and a pressing position, which is illustrated in a solid line.
The leading edge of the sheet S, which is ejected from the sheet ejection rollers 23, contacts the rotary member 103. Then the leading edge of the sheet S is guided beneath the rotary member 103. As the leading edge of the sheet S comes in contact with the third pressing member 207, the sheet S is stopped.
The rise of the leading edge in the conveyance ejection direction of the sheet S is regulated by the sheet pressing member 207b and, at the same time, extend to the downstream in the conveyance ejection direction will be prevented by the leading edge stopper 207a.
The trailing edge of the sheet S is pressed downward by the rotary member 103 just after the sheet has left the sheet ejection rollers 23.
As described above, the sheet S is stacked on the stacking tray 102 in aligned state as illustrated in
When executing a continuous ejection operation, as the successive sheet S is guided by the rotary member against the preceded sheet S stacked on the sheet stacking tray 102, the leading edge stops at the step where the leading edge contacts the third sheet pressing member 207 and piled on the preceded sheet S.
As described above, the sheets S are stacked in the ejected order from the sheet ejection rollers 23 and a page order will not be out of order when stacked.
In response to the increase of stacking amount, the right edge section of the stacking tray 102 descends. However, when the stacking amount has reached the maximum stacking amount, the stacking tray 102 presses and rotates the actuator 109. Then, the sensor SE detects the rotation and outputs the full fill signal.
In the embodiments, a leading edge sheet pressing member for pressing the leading edge in the conveyance direction of the sheet is provided. The members other than the leading edge sheet pressing member are the same as the embodiments illustrated in
As illustrated in
There are various kinds of forms of the fold-processed sheet S. For example, in the case of the Z-folding as illustrated in
In the case of this kind of sheet, the pressing sheet 107 regulates the rise of the leading edge of the sheet S. At the same time, the sheet pressing member 207 also regulates the leading edge. Thus, the sheets S are stacked on the sheet ejection tray 102 in an aligned state.
The pressing sheet 107 includes a layered structure formed by polyethylene sheet whose lower surface contacts with the sheet S and has been roughed, and a PET (polyethylene terephthalate) sheet as a lining member. The right edge section of the
A rigid body sheet, which is supported so as to be capable of freely rotating and biased by a spring, may also be used as a pressing sheet 107.
The sheet pressing member 207 positions at the retreated position as shown by a dotted line in
Based on an operation command transmitted from the image forming apparatus A (STEP 1), determination of whether it corresponds to M or N is conducted in STEP 2.
In Table 1, the thin sheet of paper denotes a sheet of paper having not more than comparative weight of 71 g/mm2, the small size denotes a sheet having a length of not more than 297 mm in a conveyance direction of a sheet, to which the fold processing has not been applied yet, such as A4 size, and a multiple fold denotes a folding method having not less than triple fold, such as gate-folding and double parallel folding.
Examples in Table 1, in the case of a thin sheet of paper of not more than A4 size, the sheet S has been stacked in perfect order by positioning the third sheet pressing member 207 at the pressing position.
In the case of the sheets other than the thin sheet of paper of not more than A4 size, based on the aligning effect of the rotary member 103, even though the sheet pressing member has been retreated, sheets have been stacked in perfect order.
The determination illustrated in Table 1 is an example. The determination illustrated in Table 1 will be modified into various ways. The third sheet pressing member 207 can be selectively positioned at the pressing position or the retreated position corresponding to at least one of the modifications in the sheet size, a sheet kind and a fold kind.
Further, the examples illustrated in Table 1, an image forming apparatus controller 200 controls the sheet pressing member 107 in response to the comparative weight of the sheet according to the kinds of sheets S. However, it is also possible to be sorted out by the rank based on the kinds of sheets S, such as a normal sheet of paper and a coated sheet of paper, which includes quality of a sheet of paper.
A sheet processing apparatus controller 110 communicates with the image forming apparatus controller 200 to conducts the determination illustrated in Table 1 in STEP 2 according to the setting in the sheet type setting section 210a and a setting section of fold processing 210b of an operation section 210 in the image forming apparatus A.
When conducting a print operation and a fold processing based on the command from the external apparatus (not shown), the information pertaining to the sheet size, the sheet kinds and kinds of fold processing will be given by receiving the information at a communication section 211 for communicating with external apparatuses.
When the sheet corresponds to M (M in STEP 2), motor 111 will be activated (started) to set the sheet pressing member 207 at a solid line position as illustrated in
When having set the third sheet pressing member 207, having conducted sheet stacking and having completed the jobs (STEP 4: YES), the motor 111 is activated to return the third sheet pressing member 207 to the retreated position illustrated by a dotted line (STEP 5).
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| JP2007-163536 | Jun 2007 | JP | national |
| JP2007-164803 | Jun 2007 | JP | national |
| JP2007-164804 | Jun 2007 | JP | national |
