JPH054773A - Image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [Object] To provide an image forming apparatus having a sorter which has good alignability even for transfer papers of different sizes and has good operability when taking out the transfer papers. [Structure] The inclination of the transfer paper storage bin installed at the top
A feeding means is provided which is larger than the inclination of the storage bin disposed at the lower portion and feeds the transfer paper to any of the bins depending on the size of the transfer paper.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus provided with post-treatment of transfer paper.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An example of a conventional transfer paper post-processing device (hereinafter referred to as a sorter) 6 provided in an image forming apparatus is as shown in FIG. 7, in which transfer paper 28 storage bins 18 to 21 have the same size. A large number of them are provided with the same inclination and are arranged in a row at a required interval to form a multi-layer structure. The transfer paper 28 discharged from the discharge roller 2 of the image forming apparatus 1 is provided with a transport path having a transport belt 30, a transport roller, or other transport means, and is provided at the inlets of the bins 18 to 21 arranged on this transport path. Correspondingly, switching members 11 to 14 for switching the transport path to the storage bin direction are provided, and these switching members are used for the image forming apparatus 1.
A drive device (not shown) is operated in response to a signal from the main body of the device, and the transfer paper is taken into a desired storage bin by the discharge rollers 7 to 10, and the transfer paper corresponding to the size of the transfer paper is stored. No bottles or storage were used. In FIG. 7, 3 is a heat fixing device, 4 is a sheet re-feeding device, 5 is a table, 15 is a conveyor belt roller, 16 is a driven roller, 29 is a sorter input guide plate, and 30 is a conveyor belt.

[0003]

In the image forming apparatus having the conventional sorter as described above, (1) the transfer paper 28 discharged from the image forming apparatus 1 and conveyed to the sorter 6 is stored in the storage bin 18. At this time, the transfer paper of a small size has a strong elasticity and a strong ejection force. Therefore, if the inclination angle β of the storage bin is small, the storage positions of the transfer paper are not aligned and there is a problem of poor alignment. Therefore, as a measure to solve this, it is possible to increase the inclination angle β, but when this is done, when large size transfer paper is used, it causes rounded edges and slack in the leading edge, which deteriorates the storage performance and the number of stored sheets. There was another problem such as being limited.

(2) Further, the storage bin 18 of the conventional sorter 6 described above.
Since ~ 21 is a size that can be stored up to the maximum copy size, for small-sized transfer paper, if the inclination angle β is smaller for the storage bins 20 and 21 arranged at the bottom, the operability of taking out is poor. There was a problem.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to solve the problems of the image forming apparatus having the conventional sorter as described above,
(1) An object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus having a sorter having a good alignment property in which small-sized transfer papers are stored in a uniform storage position and has a good alignment property, and a large-sized sheet does not cause a rounded tip or a slack in the middle. Further, (2) to provide an image forming apparatus having a sorter that can be easily taken out from a storage bin arranged in the lower portion.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention is directed to an image forming apparatus as described above, wherein the inclination of the storage bin disposed at the upper portion is changed to the storage bin disposed at the lower portion. And a feeding means for feeding the transfer paper to any one of the bins depending on the size of the transfer paper. In addition, a small size storage bin is arranged above the large size storage bin. Further, the storage bins differ depending on the size of the transfer paper, and the size of each storage bin corresponds to the transfer size, and there is provided a delivery means for delivering the transfer paper to one of the bins depending on the size of the transfer paper. It is characterized by being present. Further, the inclination angle of the storage bin arranged below is gradually increased, and a delivery means for delivering the transfer paper to any of the bins is provided according to the size of the transfer paper.

[0007]

In the present invention as described above, when the transfer paper is conveyed to the sorter, the transfer means for sending the transfer paper to any of the bins according to the transfer paper size preset by the operation key of the image forming apparatus. Thus, it is selectively delivered to a desired storage bin and stocked. At this time, if the inclination of the storage bin disposed at the upper portion is made larger than that of the storage bin disposed at the lower portion, the small size transfer paper is delivered to the upper storage bin and the large size transfer paper is They are delivered and stored in the storage bins at the bottom.
If the size of each storage bin is different depending on the size of the transfer paper, it will be delivered to the corresponding storage bin depending on the size of the transfer paper. In the case where the corners are gradually increased, the delivery means delivers and stocks the transfer paper according to preset conditions.

[0008]

1 is a block diagram of an embodiment of the present invention shown in the drawings.
3 to 3 and the other 2 to 4 embodiments are common in many parts, the same reference numerals as those in the first embodiment are used for these parts and the description thereof is omitted. However, mainly different parts will be described. The sorter 6 according to the present invention is docked with a sorter inlet guide plate 29 joined to a position facing the discharge outlet of the transfer paper 28 of the image forming apparatus 1. Then, the copy-completed transfer paper 28 discharged from the discharge roller 2 from the image forming apparatus 1 is conveyed to the sorter 6 along the entrance guide plate 29.

In the first embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 1, the size of the transfer paper 28 used is set by a key of an operation unit (not shown) of the image forming apparatus 1. The signal of the set conditions is input to the sorter control device 27 of the sorter 6. Therefore, when the transfer paper 28, which has been copied, is conveyed to the sorter entrance guide plate 29 of the sorter 6, the paper passing sensor 17 provided at the entrance of the sorter 6 detects that the transfer paper 28 has been conveyed and passes it. The output of the printed paper is input to the sorter control device 27. At this time, for example, if the B5 size transfer paper is set as the condition, the pick claw 11 is moved to the position shown in FIG.
The solenoid 25 of the transport path switching mechanism shown in FIG. 2 is operated by the output from the sorter control device, and is switched by the plunger 26 in the direction of the solid line shown in FIG. It is sent to the size storage bin 18 and stocked. There are multiple storage bins, for example, 1st to 5th tiers for small sizes, 6
For large size from the 10th stage to the 10th stage, the storage conditions are programmed in the CPU and non-volatile memory provided in the sorter control device 27, and automatically stored according to the transfer paper during the copying operation. Control is performed so that the transfer paper is stored in the bin. Similarly, in the case of a large-sized transfer paper, the
The pick claw 11 shown in FIG. 6 is moved to the position indicated by the dotted line by the control of the sorter control device 27, and the transfer paper passes through without passing through the direction and is conveyed downward. Storage bin for large size transfer paper 21
Transport to and store. In addition, the transfer paper conveyed to the sorter 6
28 is conveyed by the conveyor belt 10, but the speed of the conveyor belt 10 is set to be faster than the discharging speed of the transfer paper 28 of the image forming apparatus 1 in order to convey the paper without jamming. In this first embodiment, the storage bins have the same dimensions as shown in FIG.
Is larger than the inclination of the storage bins 20 and 21 arranged in the lower part, and small transfer paper is stored in the upper storage bins 18 and 19 and large size is stored in the lower storage bins 20 and 21. It is controlled to store the transfer paper. The control flow of the transfer paper delivery of the image forming apparatus 1 and the sorter 6 is as shown in FIG. 3, and when the transfer paper size is set by the paper selection key of the operation unit of the image forming apparatus 1 (step 31), A transfer paper size signal is output (step 32). This output is input to the control device provided in the image forming apparatus, the control device outputs a tray selection signal to the image forming apparatus 1 (step 34), and drives the paper feed tray roller to image the desired transfer paper 28. Paper is fed to the forming device. On the other hand, the control device is a sorter 6
The storage bin selection signal is input to the sorter control device 27 (step 36). The sorter control device 27 has a CPU and a non-volatile memory, and a transfer paper delivery program is input. According to the storage bin selection signal and the paper passage sensor signal (steps 36 and 37), the set program is followed. The output is supplied to the designated storage bin solenoid (steps 38 and 39), and the pick claw is operated to selectively deliver the transfer paper 28 to the desired storage bin for storage.

The second embodiment shown in FIG. 4 is the same as the first embodiment except that a small storage bin 23 for small size is arranged above the large storage bins 20, 21 for large size.

In the third embodiment shown in FIG. 5, the sizes of the storage bins 21 to 24 are different depending on the size of the transfer paper 28, and the size of each storage bin corresponds to the size of the transfer paper. In the first embodiment, the small size to the large size are arranged in order from the top, the inclination angles are the same, and the program of the sorter control device 27 is also adapted to that. There is no difference.

In the fourth embodiment shown in FIG. 6, the inclination angles of the storage bins 18 to 21 arranged below are gradually increased, and the program of the sorter control device 27 is also adapted to the first embodiment. There is no difference from the example.

[0013]

The present invention is as described above, and the inventions of claims 1 and 2 are as described above, and the inclination of the transfer paper storage bin disposed at the upper portion is set as follows. Since the paper storage bin is inclined more than the transfer paper size, the transfer paper storage bin is inclined more than the transfer paper size, and the transfer paper is sent to one of the bins depending on the size of the transfer paper. By sending the small-sized transfer paper to the upper storage bin with a large inclination and the large-size transfer paper to the lower storage bin with a small inclination by the sending means, the small transfer paper with a high rigidity can be inclined to the storage bin. Is large,
Even if you move away from the outlet, it aligns near the outlet by its own weight, and because the large-sized transfer paper has a small inclination of the storage bin, the discharged transfer paper is stored without rounding the tip of the transfer paper and slack in the storage bin. It has the effect that it can be made equivalent to a small size one, can be stored in good alignment, and that the transfer paper can be easily taken out. Further, the invention of claim 3 is as described above, wherein the transfer paper storage bin is different for each size of the transfer paper, and the size of each transfer paper storage bin corresponds to the size of the transfer paper. According to the size of the transfer paper, the delivery means for delivering the transfer paper to any one of the bins is provided, so that the delivery paper is delivered by the delivery means to the bin having a size corresponding to the size. When the transfer paper is taken out from the bin, since the inclination of the transfer paper storage bin arranged below is gradually increased, and a delivery means for delivering the transfer paper to one of the bins is provided depending on the size of the transfer paper, It has an excellent operability that it is easy to take out.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a main part of a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of a main part of a transport path switching mechanism according to the above embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a flow chart of the above control.

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of a main part of a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view of an essential part of a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a main part of a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a main part of an image forming apparatus including a conventional sorter.

[Explanation of symbols]

17 Paper sensor 22-24 storage bins 25 solenoid 26 Plunger 27 Sorter controller

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. An image forming apparatus having a post-processing device for a transfer sheet discharged by a copying operation, wherein an inclination of a transfer sheet storage bin disposed at an upper portion of a transfer paper storage bin disposed at a lower portion of the transfer sheet storage bin. An image forming apparatus comprising: a feeding unit that is larger than the inclination and that feeds the transfer sheet to any bin depending on the size of the transfer sheet. 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a transfer paper storage bin of a smaller size is arranged above a storage bin of transfer paper for a larger size. 3. An image forming apparatus equipped with a post-processing device for transfer paper discharged by a copying operation, wherein the transfer paper storage bin is different depending on the size of the transfer paper, and the size of each transfer paper storage bin is different. It corresponds to the size of the transfer paper,
An image forming apparatus comprising: a feeding unit that feeds the transfer sheet to one of the bins depending on the size of the transfer sheet. 4. In an image forming apparatus equipped with a post-processing device for transfer paper discharged by a copying operation, the inclination of a transfer paper storage bin disposed below is gradually increased, and the transfer paper is transferred depending on the size of the transfer paper. An image forming apparatus comprising: a sending unit that sends a sheet to one of the bins.