JPH1179541A - Image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [PROBLEMS] To improve usability when a bundle of recording paper discharged in a page order to each of a plurality of bins is stapled. SOLUTION: When a copy number designation staple mode display section / key 8 is touched, a copy number designation staple mode is set in which the number of sheets to be stapled in the staple mode is manually set. Displayed on the display unit 9. In the staple mode, when the staple mode display unit / key 10 is touched, the mode is set to the mode in which the number of copies displayed on the set copy number display unit 4 is all stapled. In S / S2, the staple control is repeated until the staple of the number N of copies set by the staple mode display unit / key 8 or the staple mode display unit / key 10 is completed. When the staple of the number N is completed, the staple processing is performed. finish.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus having a sorting function and a stapling function.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, an image forming apparatus having a sort function and a staple function is configured to discharge recording paper to each of a plurality of bins in a page order in a sort mode, and to perform a sort function in a staple mode. , The bundle of recording papers discharged in the order of pages to each of the plurality of bins is bound by staples (staples). Conventionally, this type of image forming apparatus is configured to bind all of the previously input number of copies in the staple mode.

[0003]

By the way, in a business process of a company or a government office, it is common to bind all the bundles of recording sheets discharged in the order of pages to each of a plurality of bins by a sorting function, but the frequency is limited. Depending on the number of business processes, a small number of sheets may be divided into a bundle of recording papers and a bundle of recording papers not to bind. For example, only one copy may be copied as a document without binding. However, in the above conventional example,
In the staple mode, all the previously input copies are stapled. For example, when only one copy is stapled and a copy is used as a document, it is necessary to remove the staples, which is rather inconvenient. .

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned conventional problems, and has as its object to provide an image forming apparatus capable of improving usability when a bundle of recording sheets discharged in a page order to each of a plurality of bins is stapled. Aim.

[0005]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image forming apparatus having a sort function and a stapling function, wherein a copy number setting means for setting the number of copies is provided. Means for setting a designated number of copies staple mode for binding a number of copies other than the number of copies set by the number of copies setting means, staple number setting means for setting the number of copies to be bound in the designated number of copies staple mode, and the designated number of copies Staple means for binding the number of copies set by the staple copy number setting means in the staple mode.

The second means further comprises means for setting a total number staple mode for binding all of the number of copies set by the number of copies setting means in the staple mode in the first means, wherein the stapling means is provided. In the total number staple mode, all the number of copies set by the copy number setting means are bound.

[0007]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. 1 is an external view showing an embodiment of the image forming apparatus according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is an explanatory view showing the touch panel of FIG. 1, FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a control system of the image forming apparatus of FIG. FIG. 5 is a configuration diagram showing the sorter / stapler bin of FIG. 1, FIG. 5 is a configuration diagram showing a bin of the sorter / stapler of FIG. 4, and FIG. 6 is a configuration diagram showing a bin rear end fence release mechanism of the sorter / stapler of FIG. 7 is a configuration diagram showing a moving mechanism of the staple unit in FIG. 4, and FIG. 8 is a flowchart for explaining a staple operation of the image forming apparatus in FIG.

The image forming apparatus shown in FIG. 1 schematically includes a plain paper copier (PPC) 1 and a sorter / stapler (S / S).
2, the PPC 1 is provided with an ADF 1a for automatically feeding a document onto a contact glass. PPC1
In addition, a hard key such as a start key or a numeric keypad (not shown) is provided as an operation unit, and a touch panel 3 as shown in FIG. 2 is provided. The touch panel 3 includes a set copy number display unit 4, a sort mode display unit / key 5, a stack mode display / key 6, a staple mode display / key 7, a copy number designation staple mode display / key 8,
A staple designation copy number display section 9 and a total staple mode display section / key 10 are provided.

When the sort mode display section / key 5 is touched, the sort mode is set. When the staple mode display section / key 7 is touched, both the sort mode and the staple mode are set. When the copy number designation staple mode display section / key 8 is touched in the staple mode, the copy number designation staple mode is set in which the number of sheets to be stapled in the staple mode is manually set. Displayed on the display unit 9. Further, when the all staple mode display section / key 10 is touched in the staple mode, the mode is set to the mode of binding all copies displayed on the set copy number display section 4.

PPC1 and S / S2 are connected via a serial interface as shown in FIG.
It has a PC control board 11. S / S2 is the S / S control plate 12
And various motors and solenoids 13 and various sensors 14
And sorts and staples sheets by controlling various motors and the solenoid 13 based on control signals from the PPC 1 and detection signals from various sensors 14.

In S / S2, as shown in FIG.
When the sheet ejected from the printer reaches the switching claw 22 via the entrance sensor 21, the switching claw 22 branches downward and conveys the sheet in the sort mode, the stack mode, and the staple mode. And is conveyed and discharged onto the proof tray 23. The sheet conveyed downward passes over the rear fence 25a of the bin 25 via the punch unit 24 and passes through the bin 2
5, and returns to the rear end fence 25a by its own weight to align the rear end.

As shown in FIG. 5, the bin 25 and the auxiliary bin 2
5-1 is provided in a plurality arranged in the vertical direction,
It is configured to be movable along the helical cam shaft 27 integrally by a bin lift motor 26-1 and a bin pulse sensor 26-2. In the vicinity of the rear end fence 25a of the bin 25, a staple unit 28 for stapling the sheet bundle on the bin 25 with a staple and a chuck unit 29 for chucking the sheet bundle on the bin 25 and conveying the sheet bundle to the staple position are arranged. ing.

Here, the chuck unit 29 is
As shown in FIG. 6, the rear end release motor 30-1 and the bin rear end release open sensor 30- so as not to obstruct the rear end fence 25a when the upper sheet bundle is conveyed to the staple position while being chucked. 2. Bin part rear end release closing sensor 3
0-3, a bracket (BKT) 30-4, etc., so that the rear end fence 25a is retracted. Normal,
The bin rear end fence 25b is lifted by a spring in order to stack sheets, and the bin rear end fence 25a is released by the rear end release motor 30-1 during stapling. That is, when the last sheet is discharged to the bin 25, the bin 25 moves down to the stapling position. At this time, the pin 25b of the bin 25 enters between the image forming apparatuses BKT30-4, the rear end release motor 30-1 is turned on, and the bin rear end fence 25a is released. The staple unit 28 is configured to be movable in the width direction of the sheet P along the rail 28a as shown in FIG. 7 so as to bind the set position of the sheet bundle.

In such a configuration, in the sort mode, the stack mode, the staple mode, etc.
A plurality of originals set in F1a are automatically fed, the number of copies is set by PPC1, and the recording paper is conveyed to S / S2.

The recording paper is discharged on the same bin 25 in the sort order in the page order, and is discharged on the same bin 25 in the stack mode in the same page. Further, the stapling process is not performed in the stack mode but performed in the sort mode because it is meaningless to bind a bundle of recording sheets of the same page.

The stapling operation will be described with reference to FIG. When the copying operation is started in step S1, the process proceeds to step S2, in which the bin 25 is moved up and down for each page to execute a sorter transport control for discharging the pages in the same bin 25 in order of the pages, and all the copying is completed. The sorter transport control is repeated until the operation is completed (step S3 → S2).

When all copying is completed, it is determined whether or not the staple mode is set (step S3 → S
4) If the staple mode has not been set, this process ends (step S5), and if the staple mode has been set, staple control is executed (step S6). Then, the staple mode display / key 8 or the staple mode display / key 10
The stapling control is repeated until the stapling of the number N of copies set by (step S7 → S6),
When the stapling of the number N of copies ends, this processing ends (step S8).

[0018]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, it is possible to set the designated number staple mode in which the number of copies other than the set number of copies is bound in the staple mode. Usability can be improved when binding.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, it is possible to set the total number stapling mode in which all of the set number of copies are bound in the staple mode, so that the user who binds all of the set number of copies does not need to specify the number of copies. Therefore, usability can be improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an external view illustrating an embodiment of an image forming apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing the touch panel of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a control system of the image forming apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram showing the sorter / stapler of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a configuration diagram illustrating a bin of the sorter / stapler of FIG. 4;

6 is a configuration diagram illustrating a bin rear end fence release mechanism of the sorter / stapler of FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is a configuration diagram showing a moving mechanism of the staple unit of FIG. 4;

FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating a stapling operation of the image forming apparatus of FIG. 1;

[Explanation of symbols]

 4 Set copy number display area 5 Sort mode display area / key 6 Stack mode display area / key 7 Staple mode display area / key 8 Number of copies specified staple mode display area / key 9 Staple specified number of copies display area 10 Staple mode display area / key

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. An image forming apparatus having a sort function and a stapling function, a copy number setting means for setting a copy number, and a designation for binding a number other than the copy number set by the copy number setting means in a staple mode. Means for setting the number of copies staple mode; staple number setting means for setting the number of staples to be bound in the designated number of staples mode; staple means for binding the number of staples set in the designated number of staples mode in the designated number of staples mode An image forming apparatus comprising: 2. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising means for setting a total staple mode in which all of the number of copies set by the number of copies setting means are set in the staple mode.
2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the stapling unit binds all of the number of copies set by the number-of-copies setting unit in the all-number staple mode.