JPH047264A - Sheet sorting device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To align and sort sheets using at least two sheet position restraining members of simple structure by synchronizing the swing motion of a sheet discharge table with motion of the position restraining members so that the position restraining members are located in No. 2 position while the sheet discharge table is swinging. CONSTITUTION:A sheet discharge table 2 is supported at an angle alpha rotatably clockwise around the discharge direction X-X' of sheet 1 to be discharged by the base with a shaft 7 as the center. Sheet restraining members 8a, 8b are arranged at a certain spacing, and first in the position (i), the discharged sheet is restrained, and such sheets are stacked one over the other as a. Then the restraining members 8a, 8b are separated from the discharge table 2 as shown in (ii), and the table 2 is rotated alpha degrees clockwise, and then the sheet restraining members 8a, 8b are returned to their original positions, see (iii). In this (iii) condition the discharged sheet is restrained, and sheets are stacked one the other in the (1b) condition inclined alpha degrees to 1a. The discharged sheets 1a, 1b are sorted and stacked.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] Industrial Field of Application The present invention is applicable to office equipment such as copying machines and laser printers that sequentially eject a plurality of sheets from an ejection port. The present invention relates to a stacked sheet sorting device.

Conventional technology As a sheet sorting device for ejected sheets in copying machines, printing devices, etc., as shown in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 54-30835, a paper ejection table is moved in the ejection direction of sheets ejected from an ejection port. Something is being considered to encourage it. In other words, as shown in FIG.
Rotate alternately by a predetermined angle around
The stacking angle of the sheets on the top is changed as la and lb.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention However, as described above, the method of rotating the paper delivery tray 2 by a predetermined angle is not suitable for the sheets stacked on the paper delivery tray 2.
In order to regulate the positions of a and lb to their respective positions,
Two sets of regulating posts or regulating surfaces 3a, 3b, 3c and 4
a, 4b, and 4c, which is inconvenient for taking out sheets from the sheet discharge table 2.

The present invention completely reduces the number of regulating posts and regulating surfaces.

Means for Solving the Problems In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the sheet sorting device of the present invention has a paper ejection tray that receives sheets ejected in a certain direction from an ejection port at a certain angle with respect to the ejection direction. At least two position regulating members that are swingably supported and provided spaced apart from each other are positioned near the leading end of the paper output tray to regulate the stopping position of the sheet discharged onto the paper output tray. The paper ejection tray is supported movably between a first position and a second position that does not impede the movement of the sheet ejected onto the paper ejection tray as the sheet ejects. so that the position regulating member is positioned at the second position during the swinging period of
It consists of a means for synchronizing the swinging operation of the sheet discharge tray and the movement of the position regulating member.

Effects According to the above configuration, the position of the ejected sheet is always regulated by the same position regulating member regardless of the rotating angle of the paper ejection table, so the number of position regulating members is also reduced and the structure is simple. In addition, regardless of the rotating angle of the paper eject table, the leading edge of the ejected sheet is always positionally regulated by at least two position regulating members spaced apart from each other, so that the position of the sheet is There is no need to provide a regulating member for regulating the side surface for this purpose (this makes it easier to take out the sheet).

Embodiment Hereinafter, an embodiment of the sheet sorting device of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a copying machine equipped with a sheet sorting device according to an embodiment of the present invention, and a copied sheet 1 is
The sheets are discharged from the discharge port 5 in a fixed direction shown by an arrow, and are stacked one after another on the paper discharge table 2. The paper discharge table 2 is attached to the base 6 so as to be rotatable left and right within a predetermined angular range about a shaft 7. That is, as shown in FIG. 2, it is rotatably supported from the discharge port 5 by an angle α in the right direction about the discharge direction xx' of the sheet 1 to be discharged. Reference numerals 8a and 8b are sheet regulating members disposed at a predetermined interval, and are located near the tip of the sheet discharge tray 2 that receives the sheets 1 discharged from the discharge port 5 in a fixed direction. The first position (second position) where the leading edge of the ejected sheet comes into contact and the stopping position of the sheet is regulated.
The base is movable between the base (see Figures A and C) and a second position (see Figure 2) that does not impede the movement of sheets discharged onto the paper output tray as the paper output tray swings. 6. That is, in the state shown in FIG. 2A, the sheet discharged from the discharge port 5 is first
8b and are sequentially laminated as 1a.

After that, as shown in the opening of FIG.
, 8b are separated from the sheet discharge tray 2, and the sheet discharge tray 2 is rotated to the right by α degrees, and then the sheet regulating members 8a, 8b are returned to their original positions (see the opening in FIG. 2).

In this state as shown in FIG.
The sheets 1b are stacked one after another with the sheets 1b tilted by a degree, and the discharged sheets 1a and 1b are separated and stacked. Next, a driving mechanism for the paper discharge tray 2 and the sheet regulating members 8a and 8b will be explained.

In FIG. 3, reference numeral 6 denotes a base provided protrudingly from the main body 28 of the apparatus, and the paper ejection tray 2 is mounted rotatably around a shaft 7 provided on the base 6. A gear 10 has cam grooves 11 and 12 configured as described below on its upper and lower surfaces, respectively, and is rotatably attached to a shaft 13 provided on the base 6. Reference numeral 14 denotes a motor fixed to the base 6, which rotationally drives the gear 10 via a worm gear 15 connected to the drive shaft of the motor 14 by a reduction gear 27. A cam follower 16 protrudingly provided on the lower surface of the paper ejection table 2 is engaged with a cam groove 11 of the gear 10, and the paper ejection table 2 is configured to rotate as the gear 10 rotates. has been done. Note that 17 is a roller that comes into contact with the bottom surface of the distal end of the paper ejection tray 2 and rotatably supports the paper ejection tray 2. 18a.

18b are guide support stands 19 each fixed to the base 6;
The rod is slidably supported by a rod, and its ends are integrally connected by a connecting plate 20. The cam follower 9 provided at the center of the connecting plate 20 is engaged with a cam groove 12 (see FIG. 4) provided on the lower surface of the gear 10, and as the gear 10 rotates, the cam follower 9 18a and 18b are configured to slide back and forth. A member 21 forming the sheet regulating members 8a, 8b is connected to a connecting member 22 at the other end of the rods 18a, 18b.
Fixed by Further, on the base 6, light sources 23a are arranged adjacent to each other.

23b and light receiving elements 24a and 24b.
Two sets of photoelectric detectors are arranged. Further, as shown in FIG. 4, first and second shielding plates 25 and 26 having different widths are fixed to the back surface of the gear 10 at symmetrical positions about the rotation center of the gear 10. As shown in FIG. 4C, the narrow shielding plate 25 is configured to shield the first light source detector consisting of the light source 23a and the light receiving element 24a, and the other wide shielding plate Board 2
6 is configured to simultaneously shield the first and second light source detectors as shown in FIG.

In the above configuration, first, the swinging operation of the paper ejection table 2 will be explained. As shown in FIG. 5, the cam groove 11 of the gear 10 has a circular arc-shaped portion 11a separated by R1 from the center of rotation.
2 (R2<R+) It consists of a circular arc portion 11b and a portion connecting the two. When the cam follower 16 provided on the back side of the sheet discharge tray 2 is in position llb in FIG. 5A, the sheet discharge tray 2 is in the state shown in FIG. 2A. At this time, the second shielding plate 26 attached to the gear 10 is at the position shown in FIG. 4, shielding the first and second light source detectors. From now on, when power is supplied to the motor 14 in response to a command from an operation switch (not shown), the reduction gear 27. The gear 10 rotates in the direction of the arrow via the worm gear 15 until the first shielding plate 25 shields the first detector consisting of the light source 23a and the light receiving element 24a, and then stops. At this time, the position of the cam follower 16 is as shown in FIG. 5A, and the paper discharge table 2 is in the position as shown in FIG. 2.

The sheets 1 to be discharged thereafter are sorted by an angle α and stacked. When the motor 14 is rotated again by a command from this state, the second shielding plate 26 rotates until it shields the first detector as shown in FIG. 4, returning to the original state as shown in FIG. It stops at the state shown in Figure 2 (a).

Next, as the gear 10 rotates, the sheet regulating member 8 a
The operation of +8b will be explained in relation to the cam groove 12. As shown in FIG. 4, the cam groove 12 has an elliptical shape centered on the cam shaft 13, and is shaped so that its major diameter direction is perpendicular to the radial direction of the arcuate portions 11a and 11b of the cam groove 11. It is configured. The position shown at the opening in FIG. 5 is the position shown in FIG. 6A, and since they are integrated by the gear 10, the cam grooves 11 and 12 are always synchronized. Therefore, when the motor 14 rotates from the state shown in Fig. 6A, the gear 3
0.15, the gear 10 rotates, and the cam follower 9 provided on the connecting plate 20 initially moves in the direction of arrow B as shown in the opening of FIG. 6, and at the same time the connecting plate shown in FIG. 2
0 also moves, rod 18a.

18b and connecting member 22. Sheet regulating material 8a via member 21 forming sheet regulating materials 8a, 8b.

8b moves toward the mouth position shown in FIG. When the cam follower 9 is located at the center 12b of the short diameter portion of the elliptical cam groove 12, the sheet regulating members 8a and 8b are located at the farthest position from the paper discharge table 2 (opening state in Figure 2). ). At this time, the cam follower 16 of the paper discharge table 2
The arcuate portion 11 shown from the arcuate portion 11a shown in A in the figure to the mouth.
b, and the paper discharge tray 2 is tilted by an angle α. Furthermore, since the motor is continuously rotating, the cam follower 9 further moves beyond the center 12b of the short diameter part of the cam groove 12, and with this movement, the sheet position regulating members 8a and 8b move closer to the paper output table 2. When the cam follower 16 reaches the circular arc portion 11a, the cam follower 9 is displaced to the position shown in FIG.
The light source detector is shielded, and the motor stops, resulting in the position C shown in FIG. At this time, since the second detector is not shielded, it detects that the paper discharge tray 2 is tilted by α. That is, the motor is configured to rotate only in the same direction, the first light source detector is stopped, and the second light source detector is configured to detect the position of the paper ejection table 2. As described above, one rotation of the gear 10 causes the paper discharge tray 2 to rotate once, and the sheet position regulating members 8a, 8b
will make two reciprocations, and since the operating times are synchronized with each other as described above, the sheet 1 on the paper output tray 2 can rotate by α without being hindered by the sheet position regulating members 8a and 8b. This is possible, and the subsequently discharged sheets 1 are reliably regulated by the sheet position regulating members 8a and 8b, and are alternately and neatly sorted.

Effects of the Invention As described above, according to the present invention, the sheet regulating member operates so as not to obstruct the sheet before the angle of the paper ejection tray is changed by a command, and the sheet position is regulated when the rotation of the paper ejection tray is completed. Since the member returns to its original position, the sheets 1 that are constantly discharged are regulated by the sheet position regulating member, and the sheets are arranged and sorted using at least two simple sheet position regulating members. This mechanism allows sorting to be done at a lower cost. Further, adjustment means can be made according to the length of the sheet.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a sheet sorting device according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is an operation explanatory diagram for explaining the synchronized operation of the sheet regulating member and the rocking of the sheets, and FIG. 3 is an illustration of the sheet sorting device according to the embodiment. 4 is an exploded perspective view, FIG. 4 is a perspective view and a plan view of essential parts for explaining the operation of the same embodiment, and FIGS. 5 and 6 are plan views of essential parts for explaining the operation of the embodiment. , FIG. 7 is a plan view of essential parts for explaining the operation of a conventional sheet sorting device. 1...sheet, 2...paper output stand, 7...
...Rotation shaft, 8a, 8b... Seat position regulating member. Sheet IF paper base Sheet Voice 1 Word 11 Material 2-1!1 Figure 1 Ward Figure Diarrhea Figure

Claims (1)

[Claims] A paper ejection table for receiving sheets ejected in a certain direction from an ejection port is supported so as to be able to swing at a certain angle with respect to the sheet ejection direction, and at least two position regulating members provided spaced apart from each other are arranged to support the ejector. a first position located near the leading end of the paper tray and regulating the stopping position of the sheet discharged onto the paper discharge tray; and a second position that does not obstruct the movement of the sheet discharged onto the paper discharge tray. and synchronizes the swinging operation of the paper output tray and the movement of the position regulating member so that the position regulating member is positioned at the second position during the swinging period of the paper output tray. A sheet sorting device characterized by: