U.S. patent application number 11/467608 was filed with the patent office on 2007-03-22 for paper post handling device.
This patent application is currently assigned to KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA. Invention is credited to Takahisa Hirano.
Application Number | 20070063411 11/467608 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 37883276 |
Filed Date | 2007-03-22 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070063411 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Hirano; Takahisa |
March 22, 2007 |
PAPER POST HANDLING DEVICE
Abstract
A paper post handling device includes a stapler to receive a
paper image-formed by an image forming apparatus and perform a
stapling process. The stapler is controlled so as to move in
parallel with a front end of the paper outside a paper width at a
predetermined distance from a neighborhood of a center of a paper
width, then rotate in a less than 45.degree. arc, moreover move
outside the paper width, and perform the stapling process at a
desired position.
Inventors: |
Hirano; Takahisa;
(Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo, JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
AMIN, TUROCY & CALVIN, LLP
1900 EAST 9TH STREET, NATIONAL CITY CENTER
24TH FLOOR,
CLEVELAND
OH
44114
US
|
Assignee: |
KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
1-1, Shibaura 1-chome
Tokyo
JP
TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
2-17-2, Higashigotanda
Tokyo
JP
|
Family ID: |
37883276 |
Appl. No.: |
11/467608 |
Filed: |
August 28, 2006 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
270/58.11 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65H 2511/10 20130101;
B65H 2220/01 20130101; B65H 2511/20 20130101; B65H 2511/20
20130101; B65H 2408/1222 20130101; G03G 2215/00827 20130101; B65H
2511/10 20130101; B42C 1/12 20130101; B65H 2301/1635 20130101; B65H
2220/02 20130101; B65H 2220/11 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
270/058.11 |
International
Class: |
B65H 33/04 20060101
B65H033/04 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Sep 22, 2005 |
JP |
2005-276594 |
Claims
1. A paper post handling device comprising: a stapler to receive a
paper image-formed by an image forming apparatus and perform a
stapling process, wherein the stapler is controlled so as to move
in parallel with a front end of the paper outside a paper width at
a predetermined distance from a neighborhood of a center of a paper
width, then rotate in a less than 45.degree. arc, moreover move
outside the paper width, and perform the stapling process at a
desired position.
2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined
distance of horizontal movement is 1/4 to 1/3 of the paper
width.
3. The device according to claim 1, wherein the angle of less than
45.degree. is 30.degree..
4. The device according to claim 1, wherein the desired position to
be stapled can be set by an operator.
5. The device according to claim 1, wherein on the desired position
to be stapled, appropriate position information is held beforehand
for each paper size.
6. A method for receiving and stapling a paper image-formed by an
image forming apparatus, comprising: moving the stapler in parallel
with a front end of the paper outside a paper width at a
predetermined distance from a neighborhood of a center of the paper
width; rotating the stapler in a less than 45.degree. arc; moving
the stapler outside the paper width; and stapling the paper
image-formed at a desired position by the stapler.
7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the predetermined
distance of horizontal movement is 1/4 to 1/3 of the paper
width.
8. The method according to claim 6, wherein the angle of less than
45.degree. is 30.degree..
9. The method according to claim 6, wherein the desired position to
be stapled can be set by an operator.
10. The method according to claim 6, wherein on the desired
position to be stapled, appropriate position information is held
beforehand for each paper size.
11. A stapler for performing a stapling process, comprising: a
frame; a rail attached to the frame; a mobile body moving back and
forth freely along the rail; a stapler attached to the mobile body;
and a slit board composed of a horizontal portion and a slant
portion with at least one slit formed, wherein the stapler is
joined to the slit, and the stapler moved by the mobile body, when
moving at a predetermined distance across the horizontal portion of
the slit, is positioned so that staples for bundling papers are
positioned in parallel with paper edges, and when moving across the
slant portion of the slit, the staples for bundling papers are
rotated in a less than 45.degree. arc.
12. The stapler according to claim 11, wherein the predetermined
distance moving across the horizontal portion is 1/4to 1/3 of the
paper width.
13. The stapler according to claim 11, wherein the angle of less
than 45.degree. is 30.degree..
14. The stapler according to claim 11, wherein the mobile body
includes a first pulley and a second pulley driven forward and
backward and an endless belt stretched between the first and second
pulleys.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application is based upon and claims the benefit of
priority from the prior Japanese Patent Application No. 2005-276594
filed on Sep. 22, 2005, the entire contents of which are
incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates to a paper post handling
device for post-handling papers ejected from an image forming
apparatus such as a copier, a printer, or a composite device.
[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0005] In recent years, the image forming apparatus performs post
handling of papers such as classifying and stapling papers after
image forming, so that a paper post handling device may be
installed in the neighborhood of a paper ejection section of the
main body of the image forming apparatus. Such a paper post
handling device, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,142,461, to bundle
image-formed papers, by setting of a user, is formed so at to
perform the stapling process.
[0006] However, various sizes of papers are used to form images, so
that when performing the stapling process, due to the relation to
the movable area of the stapler, the stapling angle is not fixed.
Therefore, in order to properly arrange paper batches after the
stapling process, it is not convenient.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] An object of the present invention is to provide a paper
post handling device capable of stapling papers of any size at the
same angle.
[0008] According to an embodiment of the present invention, there
is provided a paper post handling device comprising a stapler to
receive a paper image-formed by an image forming apparatus and
perform a stapling process, wherein the stapler is controlled so as
to move in parallel with a front end of the paper outside a paper
width at a predetermined distance from a neighborhood of a center
of a paper width, then rotate in a less than 45.degree. arc,
moreover move outside the paper width, and perform the stapling
process at a desired position.
[0009] Furthermore, according to another embodiment of the present
invention, there is provided a method for receiving and stapling a
paper image-formed by an image forming apparatus, comprising moving
the stapler in parallel with a front end of the paper outside a
paper width at a predetermined distance from a neighborhood of a
center of the paper width; rotating the stapler in a less than
45.degree. arc; moving the stapler outside the paper width; and
stapling the paper image-formed at a desired position by the
stapler.
[0010] Further, according to still another embodiment of the
present invention, there is provided a stapler for performing a
stapling process, comprising a frame; a rail attached to the frame;
a mobile body moving back and forth freely along the rail; a
stapler attached to the mobile body; and a slit board composed of a
horizontal portion and a slant portion with at least one slit
formed, wherein the stapler is joined to the slit, and the stapler
moved by the mobile body, when moving at a predetermined distance
across the horizontal portion of the slit, is positioned so that
staples for bundling papers are positioned in parallel with paper
edges, and when moving across the slant portion of the slit, the
staples for bundling papers are rotated in a less than 45.degree.
arc.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0011] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the essential section
of the paper post handling device relating to an embodiment of the
present invention;
[0012] FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram showing the paper post
handling device relating to an embodiment of the present
invention;
[0013] FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the stapler of the
paper post handling device relating to an embodiment of the present
invention;
[0014] FIG. 4 is a schematic view for explaining control of the
stapler of the paper post handling device relating to an embodiment
of the present invention;
[0015] FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the longitudinal
aligning roller relating to an embodiment of the present
invention;
[0016] FIG. 6 is a schematic front view showing the paddle relating
to an embodiment of the present invention;
[0017] FIG. 7 is a schematic perspective view showing the
transversal aligning plate and conveying belt relating to an
embodiment of the present invention;
[0018] FIG. 8 is a schematic front view showing the condition that
a paper on the standby tray or receiving tray relating to an
embodiment of the present invention is pressed out;
[0019] FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing the frame to which the
stapler relating to an embodiment of the present invention is
attached; and
[0020] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the stapler moving
mechanism showing the condition that the stapler relating to an
embodiment of the present invention is attached to the frame shown
in FIG. 9.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS
[0021] Hereinafter, the embodiments of the present invention will
be explained with reference to the accompanying drawings. Further,
to the same parts as those shown in the respective drawings, the
same numerals are assigned and the duplicated explanation will be
omitted. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the essential section
of paper post handling device 7 in which the stapler relating to an
embodiment of the present invention is incorporated and FIG. 2 is a
schematic block diagram showing paper post handling device 7
arranged in the neighborhood of image forming apparatus 5 such as a
copier shown in FIG. 2.
[0022] Paper post handling device 7 is basically composed of
standby tray 10, handling tray 12, stapler 14, first receiving tray
16, and second receiving tray 18. Standby tray 10 has a pair of
paper supporting surfaces capable of opening and closing left and
right. When the pair of paper supporting surfaces are opened,
loaded papers drop from standby tray 10 onto handling tray 12.
[0023] Paper P image-formed by image forming apparatus 5 such as a
copier and ejected by a pair of paper ejection rollers 6 is
received by a pair of entrance rollers 22, is supplied to a pair of
paper supply rollers 24, and is sent from paper supply rollers 24
to standby tray 10. Entrance rollers 22 are driven by entrance
roller motor 26. Between entrance rollers 22 and standby tray 10,
paper conveying guide 36 for leading paper P to paper supply
rollers 24 is installed. Entrance rollers 22 are composed of upper
entrance roller 22a and lower entrance roller 22b. Paper supply
rollers 24 are composed of upper paper supply roller and lower
paper supply lower.
[0024] Under standby tray 10, handling tray 12 for loading paper P
dropped from standby tray 10 is arranged.
[0025] Handling tray 12, during stapling paper P by stapler 14
which is a processing mechanism for performing post handling,
aligns and supports loaded paper P.
[0026] As shown in FIG. 3, stapler 14 receives a control signal
from a controller (not drawn) arranged in the paper post handling
device and is positioned by stapler driver 49 so as to control the
stapling process.
[0027] From the image forming apparatus, information on a paper to
be image-formed is sent to the controller of the paper post
handling device. Stapler 14 changes first the position from the
home position so as to be parallel with the front end of paper P
(the paper conveying direction) (the tip thereof) and moves to the
neighborhood of the center of the paper width. Then, stapler 14
moves in parallel with the front end of paper P outside the paper
width at a predetermined distance from the neighborhood of the
center of the paper width. The reason is that the processing time
is shortened by parallel movement. Therefore, the predetermined
distance, for example, is preferably set between 1/4 and 1/3 of the
width of paper P.
[0028] Stapler 14 moved from the neighborhood of the center of the
paper width to the predetermined position, as shown in FIG. 4,
rotates in a less than 45.degree. arc, for example, in a 30.degree.
arc at the predetermined position and furthermore moves outside the
paper width. After moving at the movement distance according to the
paper width, the stapler staples papers P at desired position A1 or
A2. Therefore, even if the paper size is different, staples are
processed at the same angle. Here, the desired position, for
example, is the position set by an operator using the operation
section arranged in the image forming apparatus. Further, when
there is no setting of the designated position of the operator, the
appropriate position information for each paper size which is
prepared beforehand may be set to the desired position.
[0029] Handling tray 12 has a pair of upper longitudinal aligning
roller 38a and lower longitudinal aligning roller 38b shown in FIG.
6 for aligning a plurality of papers P dropped from standby tray 19
in the longitudinal direction which is a conveying direction. Upper
and lower longitudinal aligning rollers 38a and 38b serve as paper
batch conveying rollers for holding and taking out paper batch T
after end of the stapling process from stapler 14. Upper
longitudinal aligning roller 38b is driven by longitudinal upper
aligning roller motor 40 and lower longitudinal aligning roller 38b
is driven by longitudinal lower aligning roller motor 42.
[0030] Further, at the position where the rear end of paper P is
dropped when paper P is dropped on handling tray 12, rotatable
paddle 44 for aligning uppermost paper P loaded on handling tray 12
in the longitudinal direction is arranged. Paddle 44, as shown in
FIG. 6, includes receiver 44a of papers P dropped on handling tray
12, slapping portion 44b for slapping down papers P on handling
tray 12, and sending away portion 44c for aligning papers P on
handling tray 12 and is driven by paddle motor 46. Paddle 44 is
made of a rubber material which is elastic.
[0031] At the end of handling tray 12 on the side of stapler 14,
stopper 45 for making contact with the rear end of paper P and
controlling the position of the rear end is installed. Almost at
the center of handling tray 12, conveying belt 50 for conveying
paper batch T, which is stapled and taken out from stapler 14 by
upper and lower longitudinal aligning rollers 38a and 38b, to first
receiving tray 16 or second receiving tray 18 is installed. On
conveying belt 50, sending away pawl 50a for catching the rear end
of paper batch T is installed.
[0032] As shown in FIG. 2, the paper supporting surfaces of standby
tray 10 are opened, and papers P can be dropped on handling tray
12, while papers P can be conveyed toward first receiving tray 16
or second receiving tray 18. Conveyance of papers P toward
receiving tray 16 or 18 is executed when standby tray roller 28 for
aligning papers P makes contact with papers P on standby tray 12.
Standby tray roller 28 is controlled vertical movement by standby
tray roller driver 30.
[0033] Standby tray 10, to support paper P in the state that the
front end of paper P is higher than the rear end thereof, is
arranged so that an inclination angle of .theta.1 is obtained.
First receiving tray 16 or second receiving tray 18 is moved up and
down by receiving tray driver 52 and either of them is selected.
First receiving tray 16 or second receiving tray 18, when loading
papers P, is moved up and down almost at the same height as that of
standby tray 10 or handling tray 12, thus the aligning capacity of
papers P to be ejected is improved. Further, first receiving tray
16 or second receiving tray 18, to support paper P in the state
that the front end of paper P is higher than the rear end thereof,
is arranged so that an inclination angle of .theta.2 is
obtained.
[0034] Between standby tray 10 and handling tray 12, transversal
aligning plates 47a and 47b shown in FIG. 7 are installed.
Transversal aligning plates 47a and 47b, when opening the pair of
paper supporting surfaces of standby tray 10 and dropping papers P
on standby tray 10 onto handling tray 12, transversely align papers
P so as to prevent them from disordering in the transverse
direction perpendicular to the conveying direction. Transversal
aligning plates 47a and 47b are installed so as to slide in
accordance with the width of papers P by transversal aligning plate
motor 48.
[0035] Next, the operation of the invention will be explained. When
an image is formed by image forming apparatus 5 and paper P is
ejected from paper ejection rollers 6, paper post handling device 7
performs a different operation depending on whether or not to
perform post handling for paper P or whether preceding paper P is
during execution of the post handling or finishes the post
handling.
[0036] When executing no post handling, for example, first
receiving tray 16 slides and moves to the position indicated by the
dotted line in FIG. 2 and papers P ejected from standby tray 10 can
be loaded in good consistency. When executing no post handling,
papers P conveyed from entrance rollers 22 to paper supply rollers
24 via paper conveying guide 36 are conveyed onto standby tray 10
by paper supply rollers 24. Next, papers P are dropped onto standby
tray 10, are conveyed by standby tray roller 28 rotating in the
direction of arrow f, and are ejected onto receiving tray 16.
[0037] In this way, on first receiving tray 16, papers P are loaded
sequentially. First receiving tray 16 is arranged so as to set the
inclination angle to .theta.2 and the front end of each paper is
higher than the rear end thereof. Therefore, for example, even if
papers P are ejected onto first receiving tray 16 in the state that
they are curved conically as shown by the dotted line in FIG. 8,
preceding paper P loaded on first receiving tray 16 is not pressed
out by contact with the front end of succeeding paper P. Namely,
ejected papers P are sequentially loaded on first receiving tray 16
unless the order is disturbed. Further, even if preceding paper P
is pressed by succeeding paper P and is shifted slightly, since the
inclination angle .theta.2 is provided, paper P drops by its own
weight, thus papers P are loaded on first receiving tray 16 with
the rear ends aligned with each other, and the ejection process of
papers P is completed.
[0038] Next, a case that the stapling process which is post
handling is performed and there is no preceding paper P during the
execution of the stapling process on handling tray 12 will be
described.
[0039] In this case, standby tray 10 opens the pair of paper
supporting surfaces thereof and drops papers P onto handling tray
12. Further, as shown in FIG. 7, transversal aligning plates 47a
and 47b, to align dropped papers P in the transverse direction, are
arranged so as to make the interval between transversal aligning
plates 47a and 47b almost equal to the width of papers P. By doing
this, papers P conveyed by paper supply rollers 24 are dropped onto
handling tray 12 via standby tray 10.
[0040] When papers P are dropped, upper longitudinal aligning
roller 38a is shifted upward and receiver 44a of paddle 44 receives
the rear ends of papers P. Papers P are dropped with both sides
thereof kept in contact with transversal aligning plates 47a and
47b and are aligned in the transverse direction. Next, paddle 44
rotates in the direction of arrow o, drops the rear ends of papers
P from receiver 44a, and slaps down them onto handling tray 12 by
slapping portion 44b. Furthermore, paddle 44 sends papers P by
sending away portion 44c in the direction of arrow q, allows the
rear ends of papers P to make contact with stopper 45, and
completes the longitudinal alignment of papers P. Further, the
longitudinal alignment of papers P on handling tray 12 may be
executed by upper longitudinal aligning roller 38a by moving up and
down upper longitudinal aligning roller 38a each time.
[0041] In this way, image-formed papers P are sequentially aligned
in the transverse direction and longitudinal direction and are
loaded on handling tray 12 via standby tray 19 from paper supply
rollers 24. When papers P reach a predetermined number, stapler 14
firstly changes its position from the home position so as to become
parallel with the front ends of papers P (paper ends in the
conveying direction) and moves to the neighborhood of the center of
the paper width. Then, stapler 14 moves in parallel with the front
ends of papers P outside the paper width at a distance of 1/4 to
1/3 of the width of papers P from the neighborhood of the center of
the paper width. Stapler 14 moved from the neighborhood of the
center of the paper width to the predetermined position, as shown
in FIG. 4, rotates in a less than 45.degree. arc, for example, in a
30.degree. arc at the predetermined position and furthermore moves
outside the paper width. After moving at the movement distance
according to the paper width, the stapler staples papers P on
handling tray 12 at the desired position and bundles them to form
paper batch T.
[0042] Hereafter, upper longitudinal aligning roller 38a moves down
on paper batch T and upper longitudinal aligning roller 38a
rotating in the direction of arrow r and lower longitudinal
aligning roller 38b rotating in the direction of arrow s clamp
paper batch T and convey it toward first receiving tray 16.
[0043] The rear end of paper batch T, when passing through upper
and lower longitudinal aligning rollers 38a and 38b, is caught by
sending away pawl 50a of conveying belt 50 moving in the direction
of arrow t and is conveyed onto first receiving tray 16.
[0044] At this time, first receiving tray 16 slides and moves from
the position indicated by the dotted line in FIG. 2 to the position
indicated by the solid line. First receiving tray 16 is arranged so
as to set the inclination angle to .theta.2 and the front end of
each paper is higher than the rear end thereof, so that preceding
paper P loaded on first receiving tray 16 is not pressed out by
contact with the front end of succeeding paper batch T. Further,
even if preceding paper batch T is shifted slightly by succeeding
paper P, since the inclination angle .theta.2 is provided, paper
batch T drops by its own weight, thus papers P are loaded on first
receiving tray 16 with the rear ends aligned with each other, and
the stapling process of papers P is completed.
[0045] Next, a case that the stapling process which is post
handling is performed and there remain preceding papers P during
the execution of the stapling process on handling tray 20 will be
described.
[0046] In this case, standby tray 10 can support papers P. Further,
standby tray roller 28 is shifted upward so as not to disturb
papers P. Papers P ejected from image forming apparatus 5 and
supplied by paper supply rollers 24, to wait for handling tray 12
to be free, is loaded once on standby tray 10.
[0047] Papers P loaded on standby tray 10 are aligned
longitudinally by standby tray roller 28 rotating in the opposite
direction of the direction of arrow f. Furthermore, standby tray 10
is arranged so as to set the inclination angle to .theta.1 and the
front end of each paper is higher than the rear end thereof, so
that papers P align longitudinally by the own weight.
[0048] Further, standby tray 10 is arranged so as to set the
inclination angle to .theta.1, so that for example, even if papers
P are supplied from paper supply rollers 24 onto standby tray 10 in
the state that they are curved conically, preceding paper P loaded
on standby tray 10 is not pressed out by contact with the front end
of succeeding paper P. Namely, supplied papers P are sequentially
loaded on standby tray 10 unless the order is disturbed. Further,
even if preceding paper P is pressed by succeeding paper P and is
shifted slightly, since the inclination angle .theta.1 is provided,
paper P drops by its own weight, thus papers P are aligned and
loaded on standby tray 10 with the rear ends aligned with each
other.
[0049] During this period, when preceding paper P on handling tray
12 is ejected on the side of first receiving tray 16 and handling
tray 12 becomes free, standby tray 10 drops paper P onto handling
tray 12. At this time, transversal aligning plates 47a and 47b are
arranged so as to set the interval between them to an almost same
width as that of papers P. Therefore, papers P dropped from standby
tray 10 are controlled both sides by transversal aligning plates
47a and 47b and are aligned in the transverse direction.
[0050] Paper P on the lower side of two papers P dropped on
handling tray 12 is sent in the direction of arrow q by lower
longitudinal aligning roller 38b rotating in the opposite direction
of the direction of arrow s, and the rear end of paper P makes
contact with stopper 45, and the longitudinal alignment of the
papers P is completed. Paper P on the upper side of two papers P
dropped on handling tray 12 is sent in the direction of arrow q by
upper longitudinal aligning roller 38a rotating in the opposite
direction of the direction of arrow r, and the rear end of paper P
makes contact with stopper 45, and the longitudinal alignment of
the papers P is completed, and hereafter, upper longitudinal
aligning roller 38a is shifted upward.
[0051] Third and subsequent papers P ejected from image forming
apparatus 5 are dropped directly onto handling tray 12 without
waiting on standby tray 10. Hereafter, third and subsequent papers
P are sequentially aligned on papers P loaded previously on
handling tray 12 by paddle 44.
[0052] When papers P loaded on handling tray 12 reach a
predetermined number, stapler 14 firstly changes its position from
the home position so as to become parallel with the front ends of
papers P (paper ends in the conveying direction) and moves to the
neighborhood of the center of the paper width. Then, stapler 14
moves in parallel with the front ends of papers P outside the paper
width at a distance of 1/4 to 1/3 of the width of papers P from the
neighborhood of the center of the paper width. Stapler 14 moved
from the neighborhood of the center of the paper width to the
predetermined position, as shown in FIG. 4, rotates in a less than
45.degree. arc, for example, in a 30.degree. arc at the
predetermined position and furthermore moves outside the paper
width. After moving at the movement distance according to the paper
width, the stapler staples papers P on handling tray 12 at the
desired position and bundles them to form paper batch T.
[0053] Hereafter, paper batch T is conveyed toward first receiving
tray 16 by upper and lower longitudinal aligning rollers 38a and
38b, and furthermore, the rear end thereof is caught by sending
away pawl 50a of the conveying belt 50 and is conveyed onto first
receiving tray 16, and the stapling process of papers P is
completed.
[0054] Next, the moving mechanism for moving stapler 14 will be
explained in detail by referring to FIGS. 9 and 10.
[0055] As shown in FIG. 9, frame 60 to which stapler 14 is attached
has a long and narrow box shape. Extending across one side brim 61
of frame 60 and the other side brim 62, round cylindrical rail 63
is arranged. Furthermore, almost at the central part of frame 60,
first pulley 64 is installed in the neighborhood of side brim 61
and second pulley 65 is installed in the neighborhood of side brim
62. First pulley 64 is connected to a motor not drawn so as to be
driven forward and backward. Between first pulley 64 and second
pulley 65, endless belt 66 is stretched. On the opposite side of
rail 63 across endless belt 66, slit board 67 is installed. On slit
board 67, slit 68 for controlling the movement of stapler 14 is
formed.
[0056] Slit 68, as shown in FIG. 9, is composed of one slit in
which from the left of the drawing, first end 68a, first slant
portion 68b, first horizontal portion 68c, second slant portion
68d, second horizontal portion 68e, third slant portion 68f, third
horizontal portion 68g, and second end 68h are continued. First
slant portion 68b, second slant portion 68d, and third slant
portion 68f are inclined at an angle of 30.degree. (less than
45.degree.) with first horizontal portion 68c, second horizontal
portion 68e, and third horizontal portion 68g.
[0057] Stapler 14 moves through the length of slit 68. Namely,
stapler 14 is swingably attached to movable plate 69. To one end of
stapler 14, a pin not drawn is fixed and the pin is inserted into
slit 68. Therefore, stapler 14 swings along the shape of slit 68 so
as to be inclined at a predetermined angle. Movable plate 69 on
which stapler 14 is loaded is attached movably to rail 63 via
support pipe 70 fixed to the bottom of movable plate 69.
[0058] Movable plate 69 is attached to endless belt 66. Namely, by
the forward and backward rotations of first pulley 64 on which
endless belt 66 is stretched, endless belt 66 rotates in the first
and second directions, thus movable plate 69 moves in the first
direction and second direction which is an opposite direction.
[0059] When stapler 14 starts from first end 68a of slit 68 by the
rotation of endless belt 66, it rotates in a 30.degree. arc at the
part where it changes from first slant portion 68b to first
horizontal portion 68c. The condition of rotation in 30.degree. arc
indicates the condition of stapler 14 at the position shown by A1
in FIG. 4 and at the corner of wide papers P, stapler 14 can
staple. When stapler 14 changes from first horizontal portion 68c
to second slant portion 68d to staple at the corner of wide papers
P, it rotates again in a 30.degree. arc. The condition of rotation
in 30.degree. arc indicates the condition of stapler 14 at the
position shown by A2 in FIG. 4 and at the corner of wide papers P,
stapler 14 can staple.
[0060] Further, on second horizontal portion 68e, stapler 14 is
positioned in parallel with the edges of papers P and operates so
as to shoot a pair of staples on papers P. Further, the moving
speed of stapler 14 between the pair of staples is about 310 mm/s.
The first moving speed of stapler 14 to the one-spot stapling
position or the two-spot stapling positions is about 110 mm/s. The
moving speed of stapler 14 up to the sensor which is set initially
and at the home position is about 90 mm/s.
[0061] According to the moving mechanism of the stapler
aforementioned, it is possible to move stapler 14 to a
predetermined position along the shape of slit 68 only by one
driver and rotate it at a predetermined angle, so that the
structure is simple. Namely, there is no need to install another
driver for rotating stapler 14 at the predetermined angle.
[0062] In this embodiment structured like this, papers of any size
can be stapled at the same angle, so that the throughput of the
paper post handling can be increased.
[0063] The present invention is not limited to the embodiments
aforementioned and can be modified variously within the scope of
the invention stated in the claims and it goes without saying that
they come within the scope of the present invention.
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