JPS6321871B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention stores paper sheets (hereinafter referred to as sheets) such as copy paper and recording paper that are carried out after being imaged by an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine or other recording equipment. The present invention relates to a paper handling device (hereinafter referred to as a sorter), and particularly relates to a paper handling device that issues a warning when a connection failure with an image forming apparatus is detected.

Traditionally, sorters were installed as a part of copying machines, especially high-end machines, but as the trend towards automation and labor-saving increases, they are now being used in small and popular machines as well. I'm getting old. Also, it has been made optional and is designed to be separated into the main body of the copying machine and the sorter. For this reason, various members have been devised to connect the copying machine and the sorter, and efforts have been made to avoid impairing operability. However, with the various methods to date, there is no way for the operator to know that the copying machine and sorter have been properly connected, and the operator may make a mistake or the copying machine may not work, causing confusion. Many things happened.

The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and its purpose is to simplify the connection operation to an image forming apparatus, and also to prevent various troubles caused by poor connection. The object of the present invention is to provide a paper sheet handling device that is capable of handling paper sheets.

That is, the present invention has a plurality of storage means for storing paper sheets, a paper sheet discharged from an image forming apparatus is stored in one of the plurality of storage means, and the paper sheet discharged thereafter is stored separately. A paper sheet handling device is provided with a selection means for selecting and switching a storage means to be stored in a storage means, wherein the paper sheet handling device is rotatable about a predetermined rotation axis, and the paper sheet handling device is rotatable about a predetermined rotation axis, The paper sheet handling device is rotated to a predetermined position in order to make the paper sheet handling device and the image forming device face each other so as to be in a normal connected state, and the connected state is further detected. a detection means; and a signal output means for outputting a display signal in accordance with an output of the detection means, the detection means detecting that the paper sheet handling device and the image forming device are not in a normal connection state. This provides a sheet handling device characterized in that the signal output means outputs a warning display signal to display a predetermined warning.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a sorter to which the present invention is applied. The sheets to be distributed in the figure are conveyed out from a copying machine (not shown) after forming an image, and are conveyed to the conveyance guide 1 of the sorter.
will be introduced in For example, the corresponding tray 4 is
-6 is stored. Tray group 4-1, 4-2...
4-5, 4-6...4-9, 4-10 are fixed to the tray frame 5, and also fixed to the elevating member 6 thereof. The elevating member 6 moves along the guide groove 8 of the support column 7 at least from tray 4-1 to tray 4-10.
It is possible to move up and down by a distance corresponding to the distance reached. A chain (or wire, etc.) 10 is fixed to the upper end of the chain receiving member 9 fixed to the lifting member 6, and the chain 10 is connected to the idler 11 above.
The other end of the chain 10 is fixed to the lower end of the chain receiving member 9 via a spring 14. This spring is for absorbing changes in the length of the chain 10 and shocks. Therefore, if the motor 12 is rotated clockwise, the tray groups 4-1, 4-2, . . . will rise as one. Furthermore, notch grooves 15 are provided in the elevating member 6 at equal intervals between the trays, and the support columns 7
When a position detection sensor 16 fixedly installed detects an arbitrary notched groove 15, the sheet receiving opening of the tray corresponding to this notched groove 15 coincides with the position of the nip portion of the movable rollers 2 and 3. Further, sheet detection sensors 17 and 18 are arranged between the nip portions of the movable rollers 2 and 3 and the trays across the sheet conveyance path, and detect when a sheet is stored in one of the tray groups. I can do it.

FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the positional relationship between the copying machine and the sorter. 30 is a copying machine, 40 is the aforementioned sorter,
50 is the rotating shaft of the sorter 40, and 60 is the rotating shaft 5.
A holding member 0, 70 is a cam for turning on a micro switch 20, which will be described later, and a rotating shaft holding member 6.
It is set to 0. The sorter 40 is rotatable around a rotating shaft 50, and when the sorter and the copying machine are connected, the micro switch 20 is activated by the cam 70.
turns on.

Next, the operation of the sorter will be explained. When the sorter is connected to the copying machine, the micro switch 20 is turned on. When the sorter select switch 19 is pressed, the internal lamp 26 lights up. First, the rotation of the motor 12 causes the tray groups 4-1...4-10 to
rises and reaches the top, and when the position detection sensor 16 detects that the sheet receiving opening of the tray 4-1 has come to a position corresponding to the nip portion of the movable rollers 2 and 3, the motor 12 stops and the electromagnetic The brakes are applied. Subsequently, the sheet on which the image has been formed is conveyed to the tray 4-1 by movable rollers 2 and 3. The movable rollers 2 and 3 are rotated by a motor 27 operated by a copy start signal from the main body of the copying machine. When the rear end of the sheet is detected by the sheet detection sensors 17 and 18, the motor 12 is rotated counterclockwise so that the sheet receiving opening of the tray 4-2 is at a position corresponding to the nip portion of the movable rollers 2 and 3. When this is detected, that is, when the notch groove 15 corresponding to the tray 4-2 is detected by the position sensor 16,
Motor 12 is stopped and braked again.
The tray 4-2 then becomes ready to receive sheets.

Thereafter, the above-mentioned operation is repeated a necessary number of times and then returned to the initial state by a return signal.

FIG. 3 shows a control circuit for the sorter. 19 is the aforementioned sorter select switch and the internal lamp 26
20 is a switch for detecting that the above-mentioned sorter and the copier main body are properly connected; 28 is a control section including a microcomputer, gate, driver, etc.; It controls the operation.

Now, when the pushbutton switch 19 is pressed and its contacts are closed, one input terminal of the NOR gate 23 becomes "L". This signal is also input to the control section 28 and operates the motors 12, 27, etc. as described above to start the sorter operation. At this time, if the copying machine main body and the sorter are connected correctly, the switch 20 will be closed and the AND gate 22 and NOR gate 2 will be closed.
"L" is applied to one input terminal of 3. Therefore, the output of the NOR gate 23 becomes "H", and the lamp 26 is turned on by the driver 25, indicating that it is operating in the sorter mode. AND gate 2
The output of the oscillator 21 is input to the other input terminal of the oscillator 2. This oscillator 21 constantly oscillates by repeatedly turning on and off every second, for example. Since the switch 20 is closed, the output of the AND gate 22 is "L", and the driver 24 is not driven, so the lamp 26 remains lit.

Here, if the copying machine main body and the sorter are not connected properly, the switch 20 will be open.
“H” is input to the AND gate 22 and the NOR gate 23. As a result, the output of the NOR gate 23 changes to "L", and the driver 25 is no longer driven and the lamp 26 goes out. Further, since "H" is also input to the AND gate 22, the same signal as the output of the oscillator 21 is outputted from the AND gate 22. This drives the driver 24 to cause the lamp 26 to blink at the same timing as the oscillator.
If the sorter is not properly connected to the main body of the copying machine in this manner, the lamp 26 flashes to warn the operator.

Further, a signal indicating that the switch 20 is open is also input to the control section 28, and necessary control such as stopping the motor 12, for example, is performed.

In the above embodiment, the sorter mode switch 1
Although the internal lamp 26 in 9 is used as a warning display lamp, a separate warning display lamp may be provided. Alternatively, an electronic buzzer or the like may be sounded or flickered for a certain period of time to provide audible warning.

Further, if it is detected that the sorter and the copying machine main body are not properly connected, an abnormal signal is sent to the copying machine main body as well, and paper feeding is stopped and interrupted so that sheets are not wasted.

Further, by providing a plurality of switches for detecting the connection state of the sorter, it is possible to detect the levelness, so that connection failures due to inclination or the like can be detected, and the connection between the sorter and the copying machine can be ensured.

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to properly connect the paper sheet handling device to the image forming device by the simple operation of rotating the sheet handling device to a predetermined position, and even if a connection failure occurs, Since a warning display signal is output, it is possible to prevent various troubles caused by this.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a sorter to which the present invention is applied, and FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the positional relationship between the copying machine and the sorter.
FIG. 3 is a control circuit diagram of the sorter. 1 is a conveyance guide, 2 and 3 are movable rollers, 4-1
4-10 is a tray, 12 is a motor, 19 is a sorter mode switch, 20 is a connection state detection switch, and 26 is a sorter mode display lamp.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A plurality of storage means for storing paper sheets; a paper sheet discharged from an image forming apparatus is stored in one of the plurality of storage means, and the paper sheet is then discharged. a selection means for selectively switching a storage means to store the paper sheet in another storage means, the paper sheet handling device is rotatable about a predetermined rotation axis, and the paper sheet handling apparatus is rotatable about a predetermined rotation axis, By rotating the sheet handling device to a predetermined position around , the sheet handling device and the image forming device are configured to face each other and are in a normal connected state;
The apparatus further includes a detection means for detecting the connection state, and a signal output means for outputting a display signal according to an output of the detection means, and the paper sheet handling device and the image forming device are not in a normal connection state. 2. A paper sheet handling apparatus, wherein when the detection means detects this, the signal output means outputs a warning display signal to display a predetermined warning display.