Patent Publication Number: US-11655119-B2

Title: Sheet binding apparatus, sheet post processing apparatus having the sheet binding apparatus and image forming system having the sheet binding apparatus

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates to a sheet binding apparatus for pressure bonding and binding sheets fed from an image forming apparatus or the like, a sheet post processing apparatus having the sheet binding apparatus, and an image forming system having the sheet binding apparatus. 
     BACKGROUND ART 
     Conventionally, a stapleless binding apparatus has been used in which a plurality of sheets are stacked and pressure bonded between a pair of concavo-convex pressure-bonding teeth, whereby sheets are pressure bonded to each other to bind a sheet bundle without using a metal staple. However, in such a stapleless binding apparatus, there is a problem that the sheet bundle sticks to the pressure-bonding teeth when the pressure-bonding teeth are to be separated. 
     Patent Document 1 discloses a sheet bundle binding processing apparatus in which a side aligning member for aligning a sheet bundle on a processing tray in a direction orthogonal to a discharging direction is used to feed out a sheet bundle subjected to binding processing from a side, thereby peeling off the sheet bundle from a pressing surface of a stapleless binding means. 
     Patent Document 2 discloses an apparatus in which a configuration for peeling off sheets stuck to pressure-bonding teeth having a concavo-convex shape is provided. 
     PRIOR ART DOCUMENT 
     Patent Document 
     
         
         [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2015-020339 
         [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2014-058368 
       
    
     DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION 
     Problems to be Solved by the Invention 
     In Patent Document 1 described above, since a sheet bundle is fed out in a certain linear direction, there is a fear that it is difficult to peel off the sheet bundle from the concavo-convex pressing surface of the pressure-bonding teeth of the stapleless binding means. 
     In Patent Document 2 described above, since a peeling means is provided only on either the inside or the outside of the binding teeth, there is a fear that sufficient peeling force cannot be exhibited depending on deflection of the sheets and the bound position (such as a corner part), and large force is required for peeling. 
     Accordingly, in view of the above problems in the prior art, the object of the present invention is to provide a sheet binding apparatus and an image forming system including the same, in which a sheet bundle subjected to pressure-bonding binding processing can be easily peeled off from pressure-bonding teeth. 
     Means for Solving the Problem 
     In order to achieve the above objects, the sheet binding apparatus of the present invention is configured to pressure bond and bind sheets by a first binding portion and a second binding portion each having surfaces to be engaged with each other, each of the surface being provided with a plurality of tops and bottoms, and includes a moving means configured to move one of the first binding portion and the second binding portion to bring the first binding portion and the second binding portion into pressure contact with each other, and a plurality of peeling members configured to apply peeling force in a direction opposite to a pressure-bonding direction to peel off a bound portion of the sheets stuck to the surface when the first binding portion and the second binding portion are separated by the moving means after pressure-bonding binding processing is performed. Here, the peeling force is applied by the plurality of peeling members at different timings. 
     The peeling mechanism applies peeling force to the sheets in a stepwise manner in a direction opposite to the direction in which the sheets are pressure bonded by the binding teeth, so that the sheets can be stably peeled off from the binding teeth. 
     Advantageous Effect of the Invention 
     According to the present invention, after pressure-bonding binding is performed, the sheets can be peeled off from the binding teeth with small force. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         FIG.  1    is an explanatory view of a post processing apparatus which incorporates a sheet binding apparatus according to the present invention. 
         FIG.  2    is a detailed explanatory view of a pressure-bonding binding means. 
         FIG.  3    is a side view of the pressure-bonding binding means. 
         FIG.  4    is a view of movable binding teeth and a peeling member of the pressure-bonding binding means viewed from below, and shows a sheet insertion direction to the pressure-bonding binding means and a position of the sheets at the time of binding. 
         FIGS.  5 A to  5 D  are explanatory views of peeling operation in the present apparatus. 
         FIGS.  6 A to  6 D  are schematic explanatory views of the peeling operation in the present apparatus. 
         FIGS.  7 A and  7 B  are explanatory views of operation of a paper guide member, where  FIG.  7 A  is a view of the paper guide member in a standby position and  FIG.  7 B  is a view of the paper guide member in an operating position. 
     
    
    
     MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION 
     Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail based on embodiments shown in the drawings.  FIG.  1    shows a post processing apparatus B which is arranged on the downstream side of an image forming apparatus  50  and aligns and performs binding processing on image-formed sheets. A binding processing unit C (a sheet processing apparatus, the same hereinafter) is incorporated in the post processing apparatus B. 
     [Post Processing Apparatus] 
     Next, the post processing apparatus B shown in  FIG.  1    will be described. The illustrated post processing apparatus B incorporates the binding processing unit C (a pressure-bonding binding means  27 , the same hereinafter) and is configured as a terminal device of an image forming system. 
     The post processing apparatus B in  FIG.  1    includes an apparatus frame  10 , a sheet conveyance path  12  arranged therein, a processing tray  14  (a sheet supporting means, the same hereinafter) arranged on the downstream side of a path discharging port  13  of the sheet conveyance path  12 , and a stack tray  25  arranged on the downstream side thereof. 
     The processing tray  14  is provided with a sheet carry-in means  24  for carrying in a sheet S, and a position regulating means (a sheet end regulating member  16  and a side edge aligning member  17  described later) for positioning the carried-in sheet S to a predetermined post processing position P (binding position). The processing tray  14  is provided with the sheet processing apparatus (the binding processing unit C; the pressure-bonding binding means  27 ) which performs binding processing on the sheet bundle S. Although the configuration of the pressure-bonding binding means  27  will be described later, the pressure-bonding binding means  27  is provided on the rear side (the back side of the apparatus) of the processing tray  14 , and is arranged at a position where a corner part of the sheets are bound. 
     The processing tray  14  is provided with a staple binding means  21  which performs binding processing on the sheets S as well as the pressure-bonding binding means  27 , and the sheets S stacked on the processing tray  14  are subjected to pressure-bonding binding or staple binding by the means designated. 
     The apparatus frame  10  is provided with the sheet conveyance path  12  including a carry-in port  11  and a path discharging port  13  as shown in  FIG.  1   . In  FIG.  1   , the sheet S is received from the horizontal direction and conveyed in a substantially horizontal direction so as to be discharged from the path discharging port  13 . A conveyance mechanism (such as a conveyance roller) for conveying the sheet S is incorporated in the sheet conveyance path  12 . 
     The conveyance mechanism is configured of conveyance roller pairs having a predetermined interval in accordance with a path length, and a carry-in roller pair  18  is arranged in the vicinity of the carry-in port  11 , and a discharging roller pair  19  is arranged in the vicinity of the path discharging port  13 . The carry-in roller pair  18  and the discharging roller pair  19  are connected to the same driving motor (not shown) and convey the sheet S at the same circumferential speed. Further, a sheet sensor Se 1  which detects at least one of the front end and the rear end of the sheet S is arranged at the sheet conveyance path  12 . 
     The processing tray  14  is arranged at the downstream side of the path discharging port  13  of the sheet conveyance path  12  with a step t formed therebetween. The processing tray  14  includes a sheet placement surface  14   a  for supporting at least a part of the sheets S in order to stack the sheets S, fed from the path discharging port  13 , upward in a bundle form. The processing tray  14  is configured to stack the sheets S fed from the path discharging port  13  in a bundle form, to perform binding processing after aligning the sheets S to a predetermined posture, and to discharge the processed sheet bundle to the stack tray  25  on the downstream side. 
     The sheet carry-in means  24  (a paddle rotating body) is arranged at the path discharging port  13 , and conveys the sheet S to a predetermined position of the processing tray  14 . Further, the processing tray  14  is provided with a raking conveyance means  22  for guiding the sheet rear end to the sheet end regulating member  16 . 
     The raking conveyance means  22  is arranged on the upstream side of the sheet end regulating member  16 , and in  FIG.  1   , the raking conveyance means  22  is configured of a ring-shaped belt member. This belt member  22   v  rotates in a direction in which the sheet S is conveyed toward the sheet end regulating member (a position regulating means)  16  while engaging with the uppermost sheet S on the sheet placement surface  14   a.    
     The sheet end regulating member  16  for positioning the sheet S is arranged at a front end part (a rear end portion in the sheet discharging direction in  FIG.  1   ) of the processing tray  14 . Then, the sheet S carried in from the path discharging port  13  by the raking conveyance means  22  is abutted and regulated. The sheet end regulating member  16  aligns the sheets S stacked on the processing tray  14  to the predetermined processing position. 
     Further, the processing tray  14  is provided with a side edge aligning member  17  for positioning, in the width direction, the sheets S positioned by the sheet end regulating member  16  on a reference line. The illustrated side edge aligning member  17  aligns the sheets S in width fed from the path discharging port  13  and positioned by the sheet end regulating member  16  in the direction perpendicular to the sheet discharging direction. The side edge aligning member  17  is configured of a pair of right and left aligning plates, and positions the sheets S on the predetermined reference line (center reference or side reference). 
     The processing tray  14  is provided with the pressure-bonding binding means  27  and the staple binding means  21  which perform binding processing on the sheets S abutted and regulated by the sheet end regulating member  16  and positioned in the width direction by the side edge aligning member  17 . 
     Since a sheet binding processing mechanism and the binding processing operation of the staple binding means  21  are already well known, description thereof will be omitted. The processing tray  14  is provided with the pressure-bonding binding means  27  which performs binding processing on the stacked sheet bundle as well as the staple binding means  21 . The illustrated pressure-bonding binding means  27  shows a binding processing unit (the sheet processing apparatus C) which performs pressure-bonding binding processing on a plurality of sheets (bundle). 
     [Pressure-Bonding Binding Means] 
     The pressure-bonding binding means  27  (the sheet processing apparatus C, the same hereinafter) according to the present invention will be described with reference to  FIGS.  2  and  3   . The pressure-bonding binding means  27  presses and deforms a plurality of sheets stacked in a bundle form so that the sheets are engaged with each other, and binds them. For the above, the pressure-bonding binding means  27  is configured of a mechanism for sandwiching and pressure bonding a plurality of sheets by opposing binding teeth. 
     The pressure-bonding binding means  27  is configured of a pair of first binding teeth  27   b  and second binding teeth  27   c  for pressure bonding the sheet bundle S, a first frame  27   d  which supports the first binding teeth  27   b , and a second frame  27   a  which supports the second binding teeth  27   c.    
     The first frame  27   d  and the second frame  27   a  are mounted to be positionally movable so that the first binding teeth  27   b  and the second binding teeth  27   c  are shifted between a standby posture (non-pressurizing posture;  FIGS.  5 D and  6 D ) in which they are separated and an operating posture (pressurizing posture;  FIGS.  5 A and  6 A ) in which they are pressure contacted. The illustrated second frame  27   a  is fixed to the apparatus frame  10  (unit frame), and the first frame  27   d  is rotatably connected to the second frame  27   a  by a swing rotation shaft  27   x.    
     The first binding teeth  27   b  are attached to a distal end portion of the first frame  27   d  swingably connected by the swing rotation shaft  27   x , and a second block member  42  is attached to a distal end part of the second frame  27   a . Owing to the swing motion of the first frame  27   d  and the second frame  27   a , the first binding teeth  27   b  and the second binding teeth  27   c  are shifted from the standby posture (non-pressurizing posture;  FIGS.  5 D and  6 D ) in which they are separated to the operating posture (pressurizing posture;  FIGS.  5 A and  6 A ) in which they are pressure contacted. 
     The first binding teeth  27   b  and the second binding teeth  27   c  are provided with a plurality of concavo-convex surfaces. In the first binding teeth  27   b  and the second binding teeth  27   c , teeth having concavo-convex tooth patterns which are engaged with each other are arranged in rows with predetermined lengths at predetermined intervals (see  FIGS.  5 A to  6 D ). 
     The first frame  27   d  and the second frame  27   a  are provided with a driving means as a moving means for moving the first binding teeth  27   b  to an operating position in which the first binding teeth  27   b  and the second binding teeth  27   c  are in pressure contact with each other from a standby position in which they are separated from each other. The driving means is configured of a cam mechanism and a driving motor M 9 . 
     [Driving Means] 
     The first frame  27   d  and the second frame  27   a  described above are axially supported so as to be swingable about the rotation axis line of the swing rotation shaft  27   x , and perform swing motion. The illustrated second frame  27   a  is fixed to the apparatus frame  10 , and the first frame  27   d  is swingably attached by the swing rotation shaft  27   x  as described above to the second frame  27   a  fixed to the apparatus frame  10 . 
     Therefore, the first frame  27   d  is supported swingably with respect to the second frame  27   a . In the present embodiment, one of the first frame  27   d  and the second frame  27   a  is fixed to the apparatus frame  10  and the other is movably supported with respect to the apparatus frame  10 , but both the first frame  27   d  and the second frame  27   a  may be movably supported with respect to the apparatus frame  10 . 
     The driving means will be described. The first frame  27   d  is provided with the first binding teeth  27   b  at the distal end part thereof via the swing rotation shaft  27   x  and a cam follower  27   f  at a base end part thereof. The first binding teeth  27   b  arranged at the distal end part and the cam follower  27   f  are formed to have lever lengths with which leverage (a booster mechanism) acts via the swing rotation shaft  27   x.    
     Further, a cam member  27   e  is arranged at the base end part of the second frame  27   a . The cam member  27   e  is axially supported by the second frame  27   a  in a rotatable manner, and the cam member  27   e  and the cam follower  27   f  are arranged in a positional relationship in which they are engaged with each other. Further, the rotation of the driving motor M 9  is transmitted to the cam member  27   e  via a transmission means, and the cam member  27   e  is connected so as to be rotated forwardly and reversely by forward and reverse rotation of the driving motor M 9 . 
     The driving motor M 9  shown in  FIG.  2    is mounted on the apparatus frame  10  (e.g., the frame of the post processing apparatus), and transmits rotation to the cam member  27   e.    
     As shown in  FIG.  3   , the second frame  27   a  is formed of a sheet metal having a U-shaped cross section, and the first frame  27   d  is swingably supported by the swing rotation shaft  27   x  between opposing side walls of the second frame  27   a.    
     By the way, when the pressure-bonding binding processing as described above is performed, sheets may stick to the binding teeth after the binding processing, which may cause conveyance failure or sheet damage. Further, since the pressure-bonding binding processing generates large pressing force, it is also necessary to enhance safety. The pressure-bonding binding means  27  of the present embodiment includes a plurality of configurations for preventing the sheets and the binding teeth from being fixed to each other, and also serves as a mechanism for ensuring safety. These will be described in detail. 
     As shown in  FIGS.  2  and  3   , the pressure-bonding binding means  27  is provided with a movable binding teeth cover member  161 . The movable binding teeth cover member  161  is fixed to the second frame  27   a , and is arranged so as to surround the periphery of the first binding teeth  27   b  which moves to a position where it is engaged with the second binding teeth  27   c  also fixed to the second frame  27   a . Even when the first binding teeth  27   b  are in the standby position farthest from the second binding teeth  27   c , the movable binding teeth cover member  161  narrows and regulates the opening of the pressure-bonding binding means  27  to a certain height so as to prevent foreign matter from entering between the first binding teeth  27   b  and the second binding teeth  27   c , thereby enhancing safety of the apparatus. 
     The movable binding teeth cover member  161  further prevents sticking between the sheets and the first binding teeth  27   b . First, the first binding teeth  27   b  and the second binding teeth  27   c  are provided with a peeling spring member  162  in order to prevent the bound sheets from sticking to the pressure-bonding teeth. The peeling spring member  162  is arranged inside the pressure-bonding range of the first binding teeth  27   b  and the second binding teeth  27   c  as shown in  FIGS.  3  and  4   , and is configured of a line spring  162   b  which is fixed to the first frame  27   d  and the second frame  27   a  and a cap portion  162   a  which covers the line spring  162   b . Owing to the spring property, the cap portion  162   a  is kept in a state of protruding from the binding teeth in the teeth height direction. As a result, when the first binding teeth  27   b  and the second binding teeth  27   c  are engaged with each other, the line spring  162   b  is depressed and the binding operation is not interfered, and when the first binding teeth  27   b  and the second binding teeth  27   c  are separated from each other, force to separate the binding teeth and the sheets can be applied simultaneously with the start of separation. 
     However, since the peeling spring member  162  always exerts force opposite to the pressure-bonding direction, if a strong line spring is used, not only the binding operation is interfered but also there is a fear that sheets are damaged in some cases. Therefore, the strength of the spring has to be limited. Therefore, it is difficult to ensure reliable peeling operation only by the peeling spring member  162 . Accordingly, in the present embodiment, reliable peeling operation can be performed in cooperation with the movable binding teeth cover member  161 . 
     The configuration of the movable binding teeth cover member  161  will be described in detail. The movable binding teeth cover member  161  is fixed to the first frame  27   d  as described above, and as shown in  FIG.  4   , is arranged at a position surrounding both ends of the movable binding teeth of the present embodiment, that is, the first binding teeth  27   b  in the longitudinal direction and the sheet receiving direction (sheet insertion direction).  FIGS.  5 A and  6 A  show a state in which the binding teeth are at the pressure-bonding position, and here, the movable binding teeth cover member  161  is at a position separated from the sheets.  FIGS.  5 B and  6 B  show a state in which the first binding teeth  27   b  starts to separate (a state in which the sheets are stuck to the first binding teeth  27   b ), and at this time, peeling force of the peeling spring member  162  is first applied to the sheets, and then the movable binding teeth cover member  161  comes into contact with the sheets to further apply peeling force. 
     In  FIGS.  5 C and  6 C , the first binding teeth  27   b  are retracted to a position hidden inside the movable binding teeth cover member  161 . At this time, the sheets come into contact with the movable binding teeth cover member  161 , and can be peeled off even if the first binding teeth  27   b  and the sheets S are in a bitten state. Thereafter, as shown in  FIGS.  5 D and  6 D , a completely retracted state is obtained. As shown in  FIGS.  3  to  6   , the movable binding teeth cover member  161  is provided with an inclined guide surface  161   a  which is wider on the entrance side than on the back side in the direction in which the sheets enter the opening of the binding teeth. The inclination of the inclined guide surface  161   a  is set such that the distance (L 2  in  FIG.  6 A ) between the movable binding teeth cover member  161  and the second binding teeth  27   c  on the entrance side is larger than the distance (L 1  in  FIG.  6 A ) between the movable binding teeth cover member  161  and the second binding teeth  27   c  on the back side at the time of sheet insertion (i.e., the relation of L 1 &lt;L 2  in  FIGS.  6 A to  6 D  is satisfied). This facilitates guiding and smooth positioning at the time of conveyance in the sheet insertion direction to the binding position, and also provides the peeling effect described later. 
     The inclined guide surface  161   a  arranged on the movable binding teeth cover member  161  will be described with reference to  FIGS.  6 A to  6 D .  FIG.  6 A  shows a state in which the sheets S are bound by the first binding teeth  27   b  and the second binding teeth  27   c , and  FIG.  6 B  shows a state in which the sheets S stuck to the first binding teeth  27   b  start to come into contact with a portion, located at the backmost side (in the sheet insertion direction), of the guide surface  161   a  arranged on the movable binding teeth cover member  161 , and are gradually peeled off along the inclination of the guide surface  161   a . At this time, since the area of the part where the sheets stick to the binding teeth also decreases, the peeling effect by the peeling spring member  162  is also enhanced. Then, peeling gradually proceeds into the state of  FIG.  6 C  and then the state of FIG.  6 D. 
     Since the movable binding teeth cover member  161  performs peeling from one end in the longitudinal direction toward the other end after peeling force of the peeling spring member  162  is applied to the sheets instead of peeling off the stuck part between the sheets and the binding teeth at once, damage such as tearing due to sudden application of force to the sheets and binding failure such as bundle separation can be prevented, and binding processing with high quality can be performed. In addition, since the change in the application of force becomes gradual and the load on the apparatus is small, it is unnecessary to provide excessive rigidity, and it is possible to reduce the cost and size of the apparatus. 
     Further, since the movable binding teeth cover member  161  is arranged so as to reach the outside of both end parts of the first binding teeth  27   b  in the longitudinal direction, when the corner part of the sheets are bound, the sheets are peeled off mainly using the inclined part of the guide surface  161   a  as described above, and when the sheets are bound along the side (so-called two-position binding or the like), the sheets are peeled off with both end parts of the binding teeth in the longitudinal direction also simultaneously acting. Thus, even if the binding teeth and the sheets are strongly fixed (stuck) to each other, reliable peeling operation can be performed. Further, in addition to the peeling mechanism described above, it is also possible to perform rotating peeling operation as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2016-199396 and the like. 
     [Paper Guide Mechanism] 
     The processing tray  14  is provided with a paper guide mechanism  80 , for guiding sheets, between the first binding teeth  27   b  and the second binding teeth  27   c  of the pressure-bonding binding means  27  when the sheet bundle is moved to the binding position. 
       FIGS.  7 A and  7 B  shows the paper guide mechanism  80 . The apparatus frame  10  is provided with a paper guide member  81  which guides the sheets to the binding position arranged above the processing tray  14  and on the upstream side of the pressure-bonding binding means  27  in the sheet insertion direction described above. The paper guide member  81  has a paper guide surface  81   a  for guiding the sheet bundle between a pair of vertically opposed pressing surfaces  27   b  and  27   c  of the binding processing unit  27 . 
     When the sheets are conveyed onto the processing tray  14 , the paper guide member  81  is retracted above the processing tray  14  so as not to interfere the conveyance, and when moving the sheets to the binding position after placement of the sheets, the guide surface  81   a  is swingable about a shaft  81   x  provided at the apparatus frame  10  so as to guide the upper surface of the sheets. Thus, the paper guide member  81  is arranged to be capable of changing the height position. 
     The paper guide member  81  can be moved by a driving means (not shown) between an operating position (as in the state of  FIG.  7 B ) where the paper guide member  81  is engaged with the upper surface of the sheets on the processing tray  14  and a standby position (as in the state of  FIG.  7 A ) where the paper guide member  81  is retracted above the processing tray  14 . 
     As shown in  FIG.  7 B , when the paper guide member  81  is positioned at the operating position, the paper guide member  81  is inclined at substantially the same angle (about 45 degrees) as a sheet receiving angle of the movable binding teeth cover member  161  described above, and is in an overlapping positional relationship, so that the area for guiding the sheets is widened. By causing the paper guide member  81  and the movable binding teeth cover member  161  to cooperate with each other in this manner, it is possible to reliably insert the sheets to the binding position. 
     In the above, the present invention has been described with reference to the preferred embodiment. However, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and it is obvious that various changes or modifications can be made within the technical scope of the present invention. For example, the problem of sticking between the pressure bonded and bound sheets and the pressure-bonding member is not limited to that with the binding teeth having the concavo-convex shape described in the present embodiment, and the same problem may occur in the case of binding by applying a binding substance such as an adhesive or adhesive toner to the surface of the sheets, or in the case of binding by applying moisture to the sheets. Even in such a case, the effects of the present invention can be obtained. 
     This application claims the benefit of Japanese Patent Application No. 2020-116156 which is incorporated herein by reference.