JPH0422830B2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] (a) Field of Industrial Application The present invention is applicable to a sheet distributing device that distributes and stacks sheets discharged from an image forming device, particularly a small sorter used attached to a copying machine. In particular, the present invention relates to a configuration for reliably stacking sheets on a bin tray.

(B) Prior Art Recently, small and low-cost sheet dispensing devices have been devised to be attached to image forming apparatuses, especially copying machines. The lightweight and compact sheet distribution device has a large number of bin trays arranged so that they can be vertically transferred by guiding trunnions provided at the base ends of the bin trays into guide grooves extending in the vertical direction. Then, the trunnions of each bin tray are sequentially engaged with the conveying member and transported upward so that the trays are opened and expanded at the position of the sheet kicking rotor that discharges the sheets from the image forming apparatus, and the discharged sheets are moved upward. They were sequentially accepted and accumulated in expanded trays. The inlet end of the bin tray was located on the downstream side of sheet conveyance from the perpendicular line on the downstream side of sheet conveyance of the kick-out rotary body so as not to interfere with the sheet kick-out rotary body when transferring the sheet upward (for example, , JP-A-57-4855 and JP-A-57-160860
(see publication).

(c) Problems to be Solved by the Invention However, in the conventional small-sized sheet distributing device, the opening and expansion intervals between the bin trays are set to be relatively compact, so when stacking a large number of sheets, Sheets conveyed later are likely to be subjected to large resistance from the sheets already accumulated on the tray and the tray above them. As a result, a phenomenon occurs in which the sheet is not completely kicked out and the rear portion of the sheet remains at the entrance end of the tray. Conventionally, in order to solve this phenomenon, the speed of the kick-out rotary body has been increased, but as the rotation speed of the rotor increases, noise is generated and the amount of rotation kick-out when a small amount is accumulated varies. There is a risk that the sheets may become uneven. Due to the small size and low price, the load increases due to the increase in speed ratio when the rotating body drive is received from the main body of a copying machine, etc., and this makes it extremely difficult to accumulate sheets stably.

(d) Means for Solving the Problems The present invention aims to solve the above-mentioned problems, and has a trunnion 15 at the base end, and a guide extending in the longitudinal direction. A multi-stage bin tray 3a to 3e that can be raised by being guided by the groove 36, a sheet kicking rotary body 10 disposed on the base end side and discharging the sheet material S to the bin trays 3a to 3e, and It has a groove 29a that sequentially engages with each trunnion 15a to 15e of the bin trays 3a to 3e and raises each bin tray 3a to 3e in order, and each bin tray 3a to 3
In the sheet distribution device 1, the bin trays 3a to 3, the trunnions 15 of which are engaged with the grooves 29a, and a bin tray transfer/rotation means 29 for sequentially facing the sheet kicking rotary body 10,
e is provided with means 44 and 45 for supporting the sheet material S so as to be movable in the discharge direction of the sheet material S, and the guide groove 36
are the trunnions 15a to 15a of the bin trays 3a to 3e located below the sheet kicking rotary body 10.
15e so that the sheet receiving ends 43 on the rotary body side of the bin trays 3a to 3e that receive the sheet material S discharged from the rotary body 10 are located upstream of the rotary body 10 in the sheet discharge direction. When the bin trays 3a to 3e located below the rotary body 10 are raised by the groove portion 36c, the trunnion 15 is guided and the rotary body side end 4 of the bin trays 3a to 3e is raised.
3 is an oblique deflection guide groove portion 36b that is shifted to the downstream side of the rotary body 10 in the sheet discharging direction;
It is characterized by having the following.

Further, the bin tray transfer rotation means includes a transfer wheel 2.
9, the groove 29a is a slot formed on the outer periphery of the movable wheel.

Further, the bin tray transfer/rotation means is a lead cam, and the groove is a spiral groove.

(e) Effect Based on the above configuration, when the trunnion 15 is below the kicking rotary body 10 that discharges the sheet,
The trunnion is located in the guide groove 36c, and the rotary body side sheet receiving ends 43 of the bin trays 3a to 3e are located upstream of the rotary body 10 in the sheet discharge direction, and the sheets S discharged from the rotary body 10 are To reliably discharge onto a bin tray even when the kicking speed of a rotating body is low. When the bin tray is lifted by the bin tray transfer and rotation means 25, the trunnion 15 of the bin tray is guided by the deflection guide groove 36b, and the bin tray is moved upward so that the end 43 of the bin tray on the rotating body side does not interfere with the rotating body 10. It is shifted in the sheet ejection downstream direction relative to the rotating body 10.

Note that the above-mentioned symbols in brackets are used to indicate the drawings, and do not limit the structure of the present invention in any way.

(F) Embodiments Hereinafter, an embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a sorter attached to a copying machine will be described with reference to the drawings.

The sorter 1, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2,
It has a sorter main body 2, multiple bin trays 3..., and upper and lower carry-in guides 5, 6, and the copying machine is arranged so that the carry-in guides 5, 6 are aligned with a pair of paper discharge kicking rollers 7. It is attached to the paper section 8. Furthermore, a rotary arm type micro switch 9 for detecting the passage of the paper S is installed on the lower carry-in guide 6, and a pair of upper and lower conveyance push-out rollers 10 are installed at the ends of both guides 5 and 6. ing. Further, the sorter body 2 has cases 11 and 11' arranged on both the left and right sides of the trays 3... and the carry-in guides 5 and 6, and these cases 11 and 11' have bin trays 3... placed in the vertical direction. Transfer device 1 to transfer
3 and 13' are built-in, and both transfer devices 13 and 13' are connected by a transmission shaft 14.
Further, a multi-stage bin tray 3...a trunnion 15 installed at its base end portion is guided by both cases 11, 11' of the sorter body 2 so as to be movable in the vertical direction.
Their tips are stacked one on top of the other, and the lowest tray 3e is supported by a support rod 16 fixed across the cases 11, 11'. In addition, in the figure,
Reference numeral 17 denotes a paper press plate made of a highly flexible synthetic resin such as polypropylene.

As shown in detail in FIG. 2, the right transfer device 13' has a motor 25, and a gear 26 fixed to the output shaft of the motor 25 has a transmission shaft 1.
A gear 27' fixed to 4 is in mesh with the gear 27'.
A similar gear 27 is fixed to the left side transfer device 13 portion of the transmission shaft 14, and these gears 27 and 27' are connected to transfer wheels 29 and 2 of the Geneva mechanism.
They are meshed with gears 30 and 30' provided at 9', respectively. Note that these left and right transfer devices 13, 1
3' is configured symmetrically with respect to the left and right sides except for the above-mentioned motor portion, so that from now on, only the left side transfer device 13 will be explained and the explanation of the right side transfer device 13' will be omitted. As shown in detail in FIGS. 3 and 4, the transfer wheel 29 includes two slots 29a, 29a formed at 180 degree intervals, and a scooping protrusion 29b formed facing one side of the slot 29a. ,2
9b, and the gear 30 is integrally fixed or integrally molded with resin. Further, the transfer wheel 29 is rotatably supported by a support shaft 32 fixed to the side plate 11a of the case 11.
A spring receiver collar 33 is fixed to the tip of the cam 34, and an end cam 34 is attached to the side plate 11a.
is fixed. As shown in detail in FIG. 5, the end cam 34 has two mountain-shaped protrusions 34a, 34a spaced apart by 180 degrees. A recessed portion 29c having a shape matching the shape is formed. and,
A spring 35 is compressed between the transfer wheel 29 and the spring receiving collar 33, and the spring 35 urges the transfer wheel 29 so that one side thereof having the recess 29c comes into sliding contact with the end surface cam 34. There is. Further, the outer peripheral edge of the transfer ring 29 is formed of a wide circular arc surface 29d, and the scooping protrusion 29b is formed to protrude in the outer peripheral direction at about 1/2 of the widthwise outer side of the circular arc surface 29d. There is. Therefore, based on the sliding contact with the end cam 34, the transfer wheel 29
The position where the trunnion 15 engages with the protrusion 29b (FIG. 4a) and the position where the trunnion 15 is disengaged from the protrusion 29b and the arcuate surface 29d
(Fig. 4b).

On the other hand, as shown in detail in FIG. 3, the case side plate 11a is formed with a guide groove 36 extending in the vertical direction. The deflection oblique portion 36
b, the lower portion 36c is slightly shifted in the upstream direction of paper conveyance with respect to the upper portion 36a. Further, as shown in FIG. 2, a slide cover 37 made of resin is fitted into the guide groove 36, and the cover 37 smoothly guides the trunnion 15 into the guide groove 36. A rectangular support frame 39 is guided in the cover 37 so as to be movable in the vertical direction. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 6, the support frame 39 has a long hole 39a that penetrates and accommodates a large number of trunnions 15a to 15e. The length of the lower trunnion is determined so as to push the lower trunnion up by the amount that the lower trunnion is pushed up.

In addition, each bin tray 3 is made of a thin steel plate or a synthetic resin plate, as shown in FIGS.
0 is formed, and a notch 41 for removing the paper is formed at the tip thereof, and ears 42, 42 protruding laterally are integrally formed on both sides of the tip of the bin tray. ing. In addition, the base ends of these bin trays 3 are provided with trunnions 15 protruding from both sides, and tongue-shaped rising portions 43 protruding upward are formed at the entrance ends to kick the sheets of the bin trays. It constitutes the sheet receiving end on the output rotating body side. and,
2nd and 4th bin trays 3b and 3d from the top
A support member 44 made of synthetic resin having a predetermined wall thickness is fixed to the upper and lower surfaces of the tray to the ear portion 42 of the tray. It has a shape 44a. In addition, the first stage, the third stage and the fifth stage
A cam portion 45 having a downwardly sloped surface toward the base end of the tray is integrally formed in the ear portion 42 of the bin trays 3a, 3c, and 3e in the tiers. It has a shape that can be aligned and slidably contacted with the shape 44a. Furthermore, the rising portion 43...
As shown in FIG. 7, at the bin tray standby position where the trunnions 15 are located in the lower guide groove portion 36c, which is the untransferred portion, the conveyance kicking roller 1
The trunnions 15...
is located in the upper guide groove portion 36a at the upper transfer position of the bin tray, which is located in the downstream direction of the conveyance from the paper conveyance downstream vertical line vv of the conveyance kick-out roller 10. Also, as shown in Figure 8, the first stage,
In the third and fifth stages, and in the second and fourth stages, the positions of the rising portions 43 are shifted in the lateral direction. Therefore, the bin trays 3... have the first group which has the support member 44 and the rising parts 43b, 43d are in predetermined positions, and the bin trays 3 which do not have the support member and have the rising parts 43a, 43c, 43e in the lateral direction. There are two types: one in the second group and one in a predetermined position shifted from the other. The first group of bin trays 3b, 3d and the second group of bin trays 3a, 3c, 3e are arranged alternately so that the support member 44 is in contact with the cam part 45, and the adjacent rising parts 43... In order to prevent interference, the trays are stacked so that the top end of the trays is higher than the base end based on the support rod 16 that supports the bottom bin tray 3e.

In addition, 46 in FIG. 2 is a micro switch that detects the rotational position of the transfer wheel 29 every 180 degrees, and 47 in FIG. 49 is a sensor arm thereof.

Since the present embodiment has the above-described configuration, prior to the collation operation, the sorter 1 is first set to the home position in which all the bin trays 3a to 3e are located below. In this state, when the copy paper S is kicked out by the kick-out roller 7 of the copying machine paper discharge section 8, the copy paper S is guided by the carry-in guides 5 and 6, and the micro switch 9 for paper passage detection is turned on. , and is further conveyed to the uppermost bin tray 3a by the conveyance push-out rollers 10. At this time, paper press plate 1
7 prevents the copy paper S from curling. In addition, as shown by the solid line in FIG. 7, since the rising portion 43a is located inside the vertical line v-v of the roller 10, even if resistance in the conveying direction is acting on the copy paper S, the kicking roller 10 The rear end portion of the sheet S kicked out by the rising portion 43a
The rising portion 4 is prevented from being caught on top.
The bin tray 3a is accurately placed at a specified position on the inside of the bin tray 3a.

When the copy paper S is placed, the motor 25 rotates based on the detection by the paper passage detection switch 9, and the left and right transfer devices 13, 13' rotate at the same speed. Then, due to the meshing of the gears 27 and 30, the transfer wheel 29 moves in the direction indicated by the arrow A, as shown in FIG. 6a.
The trunnion 15a of the uppermost bin tray 3a, which is located at a position facing the slot 29a of the transfer wheel, is scooped up by the scooping protrusion 29b and engaged with the slot 29a. Furthermore, as shown in FIGS. 6b and 6c, as the transfer wheel 29 rotates, the trunnion 15a is transferred upward along the guide groove 36 by the slot 29a. At this time, at the starting position of the transfer wheel 29 shown in FIG. 6a, the recess 29c on one side of the transfer wheel is in a position that coincides with the protrusion 34a of the end cam 34, and the width is narrow, as shown in FIG. 4a. The scooping projection 29b engages with the trunnion 15a, but as the transfer wheel 29 rotates, the recess 29c
comes off the protrusion 34a of the end cam 34, the fourth
As shown in figure b, the transfer wheel 29 has a spring 35
The scooping protrusion 29b is slid in the direction of arrow B against the trunnion 15a, and the scooping protrusion 29b is removed from the end surface of the trunnion 15a. As shown in FIG. 6d, when the trunnion 15a is rotated approximately 90 degrees and removed from the slot 29a of the transfer wheel 29, the trunnion 15 is removed from the protrusion 29b and positioned on the arcuate surface 29d. is held in the upper position.

In addition, as the uppermost bin tray 3a is moved upward, the second bin tray 3a is moved upward as shown by the solid line in FIG.
The cam portion 45 of the tray 3a that was aligned on the support member 44 of b is moved upward along the cam shape 44a of the support member 44, as shown by the chain line in FIG.
The tip portion of the bin tray 3a is also transferred upward.
As a result, the space between the uppermost bin tray 3a and the second bin tray 3b is widened to prepare for stacking the next copy paper.

At this time, the guide groove 36 is located at its upper portion 36a.
Since the bin tray 3a is located downstream of the lower portion 36c of the paper conveyance, the bin tray 3a is also moved rearward as it is moved upward, and is moved upward by sliding contact with the cam shape 44a of the support member 44 of the cam portion 45. Furthermore, as shown by the chain line in FIG. 7, the rising portion 4 of the bin tray 3a is
Although 3a is inside the roller 10,
The rising portion 43a is transferred upward without interfering with the roller 10.

Then, when the trunnion 15a is moved upward, the trunnion 15a comes into contact with the upper surface of the support frame 39 and slides upward on the support frame 39 by the diameter of the trunnion. Then, the lower trunnion 15b~
15e is also lifted by the support frame 39, and the trunnion 15b of the second bin tray 3b is held at a position close to the transfer wheel 29. Then, the transfer wheel 29
When the other slot 29b reaches the position facing the trunnion 15b after rotating 180 degrees, the microswitch 46 stops the rotation of the left and right transfer devices 13, 13'. In this state, kick-out rollers 7 and 1
When the next copy sheet S is conveyed and placed on the second bin tray 3b by 0, the transfer wheel 29 rotates as described above, and the trunnion 15b of the second bin tray 3b is transferred upward and further supported. The frame 39 holds the trunnion 15c of the third bin tray 3c in a position close to the transfer wheel 29. In this way, the bin trays 3 are sequentially transferred upward,
Predetermined copy sheets S are conveyed and placed on each bin tray 3 from kick-out rollers 10, respectively.

When the predetermined number of copies have been collated, the motor 25 is reversed to rotate the left and right transfer devices 13, 13' in opposite directions. Then, the transfer wheel 29 is also reversed, and the trunnions 15 in contact with the circular arc surface 29d of the transfer wheel 29 are sequentially engaged with the slots 29a and transferred downward due to gravity, and all the bin trays 3 are
When the trunnions 15a to 15b of a to 3e are moved downward, the micro switch 47 is activated via the sensor arm 49, and the reverse rotation of the motor 25 is stopped. As a result, all bin trays 3a~
3e returns to the lower home position and prepares for the next collation operation.

In the above-mentioned embodiment, the lower trunnion is lifted up by the support frame 39, and the uppermost one of the lower trunnions is attached to the scooping projection 2 provided on the transfer wheel 29.
9b, the transfer wheel 29 is not provided with a scooping protrusion, and the lowermost trunnion 15e is moved upward by a spring. The trunnion may be biased to engage the transfer groove 29a of the transfer wheel, or a conventionally known lead cam (see JP-A-57-156960 as an example) like a feed screw may be used. Of course.

Further, the kicking roller 10 may not be provided in the sorter 1, but may also be used as the sheet discharge kicking roller 7 on the copying machine 8 side. Furthermore, although a simple cylindrical rubber roller may be used as the kick-out roller 10, as shown by the chain line in FIG. It is also possible to discharge the paper to the bin tray 3.

Furthermore, the rising portions 43 constituting the rotation side receiving end of the bin tray do not have to stand up vertically, but may stand up obliquely upward as shown in FIG. 9, and in this case as well. , the tip m of the rising portion 43 is the paper conveyance downstream vertical line v-v of the kicking roller 10
Of course, the conveyance is shifted by a predetermined amount a in the upstream direction.

(G) Effects of the Invention As explained above, according to the present invention, the sheet receiving end on the rotating body side of the bin tray that receives the sheet material discharged by the sheet kicking rotating body is located further in the sheet discharging direction than the rotating body. Since it is located on the upstream side, the kicked out sheets are reliably stored in the bin tray. That is, it is possible to prevent the phenomenon in which the rear end of the sheet gets caught on the sheet receiving end side portion of the bin tray and remains there.

In addition, since it is not necessary to increase the rotational speed of the kicking rotor, it is possible to accumulate sheets at a predetermined position even when a small amount is accumulated, thereby eliminating sheet misalignment, and to increase the rotational speed of the kicking rotor. The accompanying noise generation and increase in load can be avoided.

Further, according to the present invention, when the bin tray is raised, the bin tray is shifted downstream in the sheet discharge direction, so that the bin tray can be raised smoothly without being hindered by the kicking rotary body.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a partially cutaway front view showing one embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a partially cutaway plan view thereof, and FIG.
The figure is a front view showing the transfer device, FIGS. 4a and 4b are partially cutaway side views of the transfer device showing different states, FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the end cam, and FIGS. b, c, d are schematic front views showing the operation of the transfer device in different states, FIG. 7 is a sectional view showing the inlet end of the bin tray, FIG. 8 is a perspective view thereof, and FIG. 9 is a partially modified view. FIG. 1... Sheet distribution device (sorter), 3a to 3e
... Bin tray, 8 ... Image forming device (copying machine)
Paper ejection unit, 10... Kick-out rotating body (roller), 1
3, 13'... Transfer device, 15a-15e... Trunnion, 29... Transfer member (transfer wheel), 36...
...Guide groove, 36a...Transfer part, 36b...Deflection part, 36c...Guide groove part (untransferred part), 43
a~43e...Bin tray rotation side end (rising part),
44, 45...Means for movably supporting (supporting member, cam portion), v-v...Vertical line on the downstream side of sheet conveyance of kicking rotor, S...Sheet (copy paper).

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A multi-stage bin tray that has a trunnion at its base end and can be raised by guiding the trunnion through a guide groove extending in the vertical direction; , a sheet kicking rotary body for discharging sheet material to the bin tray, and a groove that sequentially engages with each trunnion of the bin tray to raise each bin tray in sequence, the sheet kicking rotary body discharging each bin tray to the sheet kicking rotary body in sequence. a sheet distributing apparatus comprising opposing bin tray transfer and rotation means, the trunnion comprising means for movably supporting the bin tray engaged with the groove in the sheet material discharge direction; A sheet receiving end on the rotating body side of the bin tray that guides the trunnion of the bin tray located below the sheet kicking rotating body and receives the sheet material discharged from the rotating body is located upstream of the rotating body in the sheet discharging direction. and a guide groove portion for guiding a trunnion when a bin tray located below the rotating body is raised by the bin tray transfer rotation means, so that the end of the bin tray on the rotating body side is located downstream of the rotating body in the sheet discharge direction. a sheet distributing device comprising: an oblique deflection guide groove portion that shifts in a direction; 2. The sheet distributing device according to claim 1, wherein the bin tray transfer/rotation means is a transfer wheel, and the groove is a slot formed on the outer periphery of the moving wheel. 3. The sheet distributing device according to claim 1, wherein the bin tray transfer/rotation means is a lead cam, and the groove is a spiral groove.