U.S. patent application number 15/918017 was filed with the patent office on 2018-07-19 for sheet processing apparatus and sheet processing method.
This patent application is currently assigned to Ricoh Company, Ltd.. The applicant listed for this patent is Tomohiro FURUHASHI, Tomomichi HOSHINO, Satoshi SAITO, Michitaka SUZUKI. Invention is credited to Tomohiro FURUHASHI, Tomomichi HOSHINO, Satoshi SAITO, Michitaka SUZUKI.
Application Number | 20180201466 15/918017 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 52807528 |
Filed Date | 2018-07-19 |
United States Patent
Application |
20180201466 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
SAITO; Satoshi ; et
al. |
July 19, 2018 |
SHEET PROCESSING APPARATUS AND SHEET PROCESSING METHOD
Abstract
A sheet is nipped and held by first and second bend forming
rollers of which rotation axes are in a direction perpendicular to
a sheet conveying direction, the conveying speed of the held
portion is made lower than a sheet conveying speed on the upstream
side so that a bend is formed on the sheet, the sheet is conveyed
toward the bend forming rollers such that the sheet conveying
direction to the bend forming rollers passes through a line segment
from the rotation axis of the first bend forming roller to a
predetermined position on a surface of the first bend forming
roller, and the bend formed on the conveyed sheet is pressed from
the surface of the sheet in a position on the opposite side of the
second bend forming roller with respect to the position where the
sheet is in contact with the first bend forming roller.
Inventors: |
SAITO; Satoshi; (Kanagawa,
JP) ; FURUHASHI; Tomohiro; (Kanagawa, JP) ;
SUZUKI; Michitaka; (Kanagawa, JP) ; HOSHINO;
Tomomichi; (Kanagawa, JP) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
SAITO; Satoshi
FURUHASHI; Tomohiro
SUZUKI; Michitaka
HOSHINO; Tomomichi |
Kanagawa
Kanagawa
Kanagawa
Kanagawa |
|
JP
JP
JP
JP |
|
|
Assignee: |
Ricoh Company, Ltd.
Tokyo
JP
|
Family ID: |
52807528 |
Appl. No.: |
15/918017 |
Filed: |
March 12, 2018 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
14644502 |
Mar 11, 2015 |
9944490 |
|
|
15918017 |
|
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65H 2801/27 20130101;
B65H 45/14 20130101; B65H 29/125 20130101; B65H 45/147
20130101 |
International
Class: |
B65H 45/14 20060101
B65H045/14 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Mar 18, 2014 |
JP |
2014-055638 |
Aug 4, 2014 |
JP |
2014-158969 |
Claims
1. (canceled)
2. A sheet processing apparatus comprising: a pair of initial
conveyance rollers configured to convey a sheet, the pair of
initial conveyance rollers defining a virtual line extending along
a conveyance path downstream from a first nip formed therebetween
such that the virtual line delineates a first side and a second
side, the first side and the second side extending perpendicular
from the virtual line in opposite directions; a pair of subsequent
conveyance rollers configured to further convey the sheet after
receiving the sheet from the pair of initial conveyance rollers by
rotating in a forward direction, and to bend the sheet by rotating
in a reverse direction while the pair of initial conveyance rollers
hold the sheet to form a bent sheet, the pair of subsequent
conveyance rollers including a first subsequent conveyance roller
and a second subsequent conveyance roller with a second nip formed
therebetween such that (i) a subsequent line segment (A) intersects
a center of the first subsequent conveyance roller, a center of the
second subsequent conveyance roller and the virtual line and, (ii)
on an upstream side of the pair of subsequent conveyance rollers,
an angle between the virtual line and the subsequent line segment
on the first side forms an acute angle; and a folding line forming
unit configured to fold the bent sheet in a folding nip on the
second side, the folding line forming unit including (I) a first
dedicated folding line forming roller and (II) at least one of (i)
a second dedicated folding line forming roller and (ii) the first
subsequent conveyance roller.
3. The sheet processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the
folding line forming unit comprises: the first dedicated folding
line forming roller and the first subsequent conveyance roller.
4. The sheet processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the
folding line forming unit comprises: the first dedicated folding
line forming roller and the second dedicated folding line forming
roller that are each independent rollers from the pair of
subsequent conveyance rollers.
5. The sheet processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the
pair of initial conveyance rollers are separate rollers from
rollers included in the folding line forming unit.
6. The sheet processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein a
tangent line crosses the virtual line at an intersection point
along a surface of the first subsequent conveyance roller such
that, on the upstream side of the pair of subsequent conveyance
rollers, the tangent line and the virtual line have one of a right
angle and an obtuse angle therebetween.
7. The sheet processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein an
initial line segment intersects a center of the first initial
conveyance roller, intersects a center of the second subsequent
conveyance roller and extends from an upper side of the virtual
line opposite the folding line forming unit such that the initial
line segment intersects the subsequent line segment on the upper
side of the virtual line.
8. The sheet processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein a
first straight lines intersects the first nip and the center of the
first subsequent conveyance roller and a second straight line
intersects the first nip and the second nip such that the virtual
line is between the first straight line and the second straight
line, and the virtual line intersects with a surface of first
subsequent conveyance.
9. The sheet processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the
virtual line and the line segment intersect at an intersection
point such that the intersection point therebetween is positioned
closer to a third nip associated with the folding line forming unit
than the second nip.
10. A sheet processing apparatus comprising: a pair of initial
conveyance rollers configured to convey a sheet, the pair of
initial conveyance rollers including a first initial conveyance
roller and a second initial conveyance roller such that an initial
line segment intersects a center of the first initial conveyance
roller and a center of the second initial conveyance roller, the
pair of initial conveyance rollers defining a perpendicular line
extending along a conveyance path downstream from a first nip
formed therebetween such that the perpendicular line is
perpendicular to the initial line segment and delineates a first
side and a second side, the first side and the second side
extending perpendicular from the perpendicular line in opposite
directions; a pair of subsequent conveyance rollers configured to
convey the sheet conveyed from the pair of initial conveyance
rollers by rotating in a forward direction, and to bend the sheet
by rotating in a reverse direction while the pair of initial
conveyance rollers hold the sheet to form a bent sheet, the pair of
subsequent conveyance rollers including a first subsequent
conveyance roller and a second subsequent conveyance roller with a
second nip formed therebetween such that (i) a subsequent line
segment intersects a center of the first subsequent conveyance
roller, a center of the second subsequent conveyance roller and the
perpendicular line, and (ii) on an upstream side of the pair of
subsequent conveyance rollers, an angle between the perpendicular
line and the subsequent line segment on the first side forms an
acute angle; and a folding line forming unit configured to fold the
bent sheet in a folding nip on the second side, the folding line
forming unit including (I) a first dedicated folding line forming
roller and (II) at least one of (i) a second dedicated folding line
forming roller and (ii) the first subsequent conveyance roller.
11. The sheet processing apparatus according to claim 10, wherein
the folding line forming unit comprises: the first dedicated
folding line forming roller and the first subsequent conveyance
roller.
12. The sheet processing apparatus according to claim 10, wherein
the folding line forming unit comprises: the first dedicated
folding line forming roller and the second dedicated folding line
forming roller that are each independent rollers from the pair of
second conveyance rollers.
13. The sheet processing apparatus according to claim 10, wherein
the pair of first conveyance rollers are separate rollers from
rollers included in the folding line forming unit.
14. The sheet processing apparatus according to claim 10, wherein a
tangent line crosses the perpendicular line at an intersection
point along a surface of the first subsequent conveyance roller
such that, on the upstream side of the pair of subsequent
conveyance rollers, the tangent line and the perpendicular line
have one of a right angle and an obtuse angle therebetween.
15. The sheet processing apparatus according to claim 10, wherein
an initial line segment intersects a center of the first initial
conveyance roller, intersects a center of the second subsequent
conveyance roller and extends from an upper side of the
perpendicular line opposite the folding line forming unit such that
the initial line segment intersects the subsequent line segment on
the upper side of the perpendicular line.
16. The sheet processing apparatus according to claim 10, wherein a
first straight lines intersects the first nip and the center of the
first subsequent conveyance roller and a second straight line
intersects the first nip and the second nip such that the
perpendicular line is between the first straight line and the
second straight line, and the perpendicular line intersects with a
surface of first subsequent conveyance.
17. The sheet processing apparatus according to claim 10, wherein
the perpendicular line and the line segment intersect at an
intersection point such that the intersection point therebetween is
positioned closer to a third nip associated with the folding line
forming unit than the second nip.
18. A sheet processing apparatus comprising: a pair of initial
conveyance rollers configured to convey a sheet, the pair of
initial conveyance rollers including a first initial conveyance
roller and a second initial conveyance roller such that an initial
line segment intersects a center of the first initial conveyance
roller and a center of the second initial conveyance roller, the
pair of initial conveyance rollers defining a perpendicular line
extending along a conveyance path downstream from a first nip
formed therebetween such that the perpendicular line is
perpendicular to the initial line segment; a pair of subsequent
conveyance rollers configured to convey the sheet conveyed from the
pair of initial conveyance rollers by rotating in a forward
direction, and to bend the sheet by rotating in a reverse direction
while the pair of initial conveyance rollers hold the sheet to form
a bent sheet, the pair of subsequent conveyance rollers including a
first subsequent conveyance roller and a second subsequent
conveyance roller with a second nip formed therebetween such that
(i) the perpendicular line intersects the first subsequent
conveyance roller and (ii) the first nip is closer to a center of
the second subsequent conveyance roller than to a center of the
first subsequent conveyance roller; and a folding line forming unit
configured to fold the bent sheet in a folding nip, the folding
line forming unit including (I) a first dedicated folding line
forming roller and (II) at least one of (i) a second dedicated
folding line forming roller and (ii) the first subsequent
conveyance roller.
19. The sheet processing apparatus according to claim 18, wherein
the folding line forming unit comprises: the first dedicated
folding line forming roller and the first subsequent conveyance
roller.
20. The sheet processing apparatus according to claim 18, wherein
the folding line forming unit comprises: the first dedicated
folding line forming roller and the second dedicated folding line
forming roller that are each independent rollers from the pair of
second conveyance rollers.
21. The sheet processing apparatus according to claim 18, wherein
the pair of first conveyance rollers are separate rollers from
rollers included in the folding line forming unit.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser.
No. 14/644,502, filed on Mar. 11, 2015, which claims priority under
35 U.S.C. 119 to Japanese Patent Application No. 2014-055638, filed
on Mar. 18, 2014, and Japanese Patent Application No. 2014-158969,
filed on Aug. 4, 2014, in the Japanese Patent Office, the entire
contents of each of which are hereby incorporated by reference
herein.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a sheet processing
apparatus and a sheet processing method and, more particularly, to
a folding operation on a sheet.
2. Description of the Related Art
[0003] In recent years, there has been a tendency to promote
information computerization, and image processing devices, such as
printers or facsimile machines that are used to output computerized
information and scanners that are used to computerize documents,
are essential devices. Such an image processing device has an image
capturing function, an image forming function, a communication
function, or the like, so that it is often configured as a
multifunction peripheral that can be used as a printer, facsimile
machine, scanner, or copier.
[0004] Out of the above multifunction peripherals, there are known
multifunction peripherals that include a folding processing
apparatus that, after an image formation is performed on a fed
sheet so that an image is drawn, performs a folding operation on
the sheet on which the image has been formed.
[0005] In this kind of folding processing apparatuses, when a
folding operation is performed on a sheet on which an image has
been formed, the sheet is conveyed to a dedicated conveyance path
for preparing for a folding operation that is to be performed on
the sheet, and an end of the conveyed sheet is brought into contact
with a stopper that is located on the downstream side of the
conveyance path so that a folding position is adjusted and a bend
is formed. Then, in the folding processing apparatus, while the
sheet is in contact with the stopper on the above-described
dedicated conveyance path, it is further conveyed so that the bent
portion is guided and pushed into a folding processing unit, and
the pushed bend on the sheet surfaces is nipped by the folding
processing unit, whereby a folding operation is performed (see, for
example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No.
2006-117383).
[0006] As described above, conventional folding processing
apparatuses have a problem in that the above-described dedicated
conveyance path or stopper is needed, the space for installing them
is needed so that the size of the apparatus is increased, the
number of driving systems or control systems for driving them is
increased so that the apparatus becomes complicated, and the
initial costs and running costs are increased.
[0007] In view of the above problem, there is a need to provide a
folding processing apparatus that performs a folding operation on
sheets with a small-sized and simple configuration at low
costs.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] It is an object of the present invention to at least
partially solve the problems in the conventional technology.
[0009] According to the present invention, there is provided a
sheet processing apparatus that forms a folding line on a conveyed
sheet, the sheet processing apparatus comprising: a bend forming
unit that uses a first bend forming roller and a second bend
forming roller that rotate around rotation axes that are in a
direction that is perpendicular to a conveying direction of the
sheet and that is parallel to a surface of the sheet to nip and
hold both surfaces of the conveyed sheet and form a bend on the
sheet by making a conveying speed of a held portion lower than a
conveying speed of the sheet on an upstream side; a conveying unit
that conveys the sheet toward the bend forming unit; and a folding
line forming unit that forms a folding line on the sheet, wherein
the conveying unit conveys the sheet toward the bend forming unit
such that a conveying direction of the sheet that is conveyed
toward the bend forming unit passes through a line segment from the
rotation axis of the first bend forming roller to a predetermined
position on a surface of the first bend forming roller, the
predetermined position is, out of a tangent line from a delivery
position for delivering the sheet in the conveying unit to a
surface of the first bend forming roller, a contact point between a
tangent line on a side of the second bend forming roller and a
surface of the first bend forming roller, and the folding line
forming unit is located on an opposite side of the second bend
forming roller with respect to a position where the sheet is in
contact with the first bend forming roller after the sheet is
conveyed toward the bend forming unit, and the folding line forming
unit presses the bend formed on the conveyed sheet from the surface
of the sheet so as to form a folding line on the sheet.
[0010] The present invention also provides a sheet processing
apparatus that forms a folding line on a conveyed sheet, the sheet
processing apparatus comprising: a bend forming unit that uses a
first bend forming roller and a second bend forming roller that
rotate around rotation axes that are in a direction that is
perpendicular to a conveying direction of the sheet and that is
parallel to a surface of the sheet to nip and hold both surfaces of
the conveyed sheet and form a bend on the sheet by making a
conveying speed of a held portion lower than a conveying speed of
the sheet on an upstream side; a conveying unit that conveys the
sheet toward the bend forming unit such that, when a vector in a
conveying direction of the sheet that is conveyed to the bend
forming unit is decomposed into vectors in a direction of a tangent
line at a contact point between a conveyance path of the sheet and
a surface of the first bend forming roller and in a direction
perpendicular to the tangent line, the vector in the direction of
the tangent line includes a component in a direction from the
contact point toward the second bend forming roller; and a folding
line forming unit that is located on an opposite side of the second
bend forming roller with respect to the contact point and that
presses the bend formed on the conveyed sheet from the surface of
the sheet so as to form a folding line on the sheet.
[0011] The present invention also provides a sheet processing
method for forming a folding line on a conveyed sheet, the sheet
processing method comprising: nipping and holding both surfaces of
the conveyed sheet by using a first bend forming roller and a
second bend forming roller that rotate around rotation axes that is
in a direction that is perpendicular to a conveying direction of
the sheet and that is parallel to a surface of the sheet and
forming a bend on the sheet by making a conveying speed of a held
portion lower than a conveying speed of the sheet on an upstream
side; conveying the sheet toward the bend forming unit such that a
conveying direction of the sheet that is conveyed to a bend forming
unit that forms the bend passes through a line segment from the
rotation axis of the first bend forming roller to a predetermined
position on a surface of the first bend forming roller; forming a
folding line on the sheet by pressing the bend formed on the
conveyed sheet from a surface of the sheet in a position on an
opposite side of the second bend forming roller with respect to a
position where the sheet is in contact with the first bend forming
roller after the sheet is conveyed toward the bend forming unit;
and the predetermined position is, out of a tangent line from a
delivery position for delivering the sheet in the conveying unit
that conveys the sheet toward the bend forming unit to a surface of
the first bend forming roller, a contact point between a tangent
line on a side of the second bend forming roller and a surface of
the first bend forming roller.
[0012] The above and other objects, features, advantages and
technical and industrial significance of this invention will be
better understood by reading the following detailed description of
presently preferred embodiments of the invention, when considered
in connection with the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0013] FIG. 1 is a diagram that illustrates the overall
configuration of an image forming apparatus according to an
embodiment of the present invention in a simple manner;
[0014] FIG. 2 is a block diagram that schematically illustrates a
hardware configuration of the image forming apparatus according to
the embodiment of the present invention;
[0015] FIG. 3 is a block diagram that schematically illustrates the
functional configuration of the image forming apparatus according
to the embodiment of the present invention;
[0016] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view that illustrates, in a
main-scanning direction, a folding processing unit that performs a
folding operation in the image forming apparatus according to the
embodiment of the present invention;
[0017] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view that illustrates, in a
main-scanning direction, the folding processing unit that performs
a folding operation in the image forming apparatus according to the
embodiment of the present invention;
[0018] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view that illustrates, in a
main-scanning direction, the folding processing unit that performs
a folding operation in the image forming apparatus according to the
embodiment of the present invention;
[0019] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view that illustrates, in a
main-scanning direction, the folding processing unit that performs
a folding operation in the image forming apparatus according to the
embodiment of the present invention;
[0020] FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view that illustrates, in a
main-scanning direction, the folding processing unit that performs
a folding operation in the image forming apparatus according to the
embodiment of the present invention;
[0021] FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view that illustrates, in a
main-scanning direction, the folding processing unit that performs
a folding operation in the image forming apparatus according to the
embodiment of the present invention;
[0022] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view that illustrates, in a
main-scanning direction, a pair of conveyance rollers and a pair of
forward-reverse rotary rollers of the folding processing unit in
the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment of the
present invention;
[0023] FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view that illustrates, in a
main-scanning direction, the pair of conveyance rollers and the
pair of forward-reverse rotary rollers of the folding processing
unit in the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment of
the present invention;
[0024] FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view that illustrates, in a
main-scanning direction, the pair of conveyance rollers and the
pair of forward-reverse rotary rollers of the folding processing
unit in the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment of
the present invention;
[0025] FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view that illustrates, in a
main-scanning direction, the pair of conveyance rollers and the
pair of forward-reverse rotary rollers of the folding processing
unit in the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment of
the present invention;
[0026] FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view that illustrates, in a
main-scanning direction, the folding processing unit that performs
a folding operation in the image forming apparatus according to the
embodiment of the present invention;
[0027] FIG. 15 is a diagram illustrating examples (a) to (h) of the
form of a folding-processed sheet on which a folding operation has
been performed by the folding processing unit according to the
embodiment of the present invention; and
[0028] FIG. 16 is a cross-sectional view that illustrates, in a
main-scanning direction, the pair of conveyance rollers and the
pair of forward-reverse rotary rollers of the folding processing
unit in the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment of
the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0029] An embodiment of the present invention is explained below in
detail with reference to the drawings. In the present embodiment,
an explanation is given by using, for example, an image forming
apparatus that includes a folding processing unit that, after an
image formation is performed on a fed sheet, such as paper, to draw
an image, performs a folding operation on the sheet on which the
image has been formed.
[0030] First, an explanation is given, with reference to FIG. 1, of
the overall configuration of an image forming apparatus 1 according
to the present embodiment. FIG. 1 is a diagram that illustrates the
overall configuration of the image forming apparatus 1 according to
the present embodiment in a simple manner. As illustrated in FIG.
1, the image forming apparatus 1 according to the present
embodiment includes an image forming unit 2, a folding processing
unit 3, an additional-folding processing unit 4, and a scanner unit
5.
[0031] The image forming unit 2 generates cyan magenta yellow key
plate (CMYK) drawing information based on input image data and, on
the basis of the generated drawing information, conducts an image
formation output on a fed sheet. The folding processing unit 3
performs a folding operation on a sheet that is conveyed from the
image forming unit 2 and that has an image formed thereon.
Specifically, according to the present embodiment, the folding
processing unit 3 serves as a sheet processing apparatus. The
configuration included in the folding processing unit 3 is one of
the aspects according to the present embodiment. The
additional-folding processing unit 4 performs an additional folding
operation on a folding line that is formed on a sheet that is
conveyed from the folding processing unit 3 and on which a folding
operation has been performed.
[0032] The scanner unit 5 computerizes an original document by
reading the original document by using a linear image sensor in
which multiple photo diodes are arranged in a row and, in parallel
to them, light receiving elements, such as charge coupled devices
(CCDs) or complementary metal oxide semiconductor (COMS) image
sensors, are arranged. Furthermore, the image forming apparatus 1
according to the present embodiment is a multifunction peripheral
(MFP) that has an image capturing function, an image forming
function, a communication function, or the like, so that it can be
used as a printer, facsimile machine, scanner, or copier.
[0033] Next, an explanation is given, with reference to FIG. 2, of
a hardware configuration of the image forming apparatus 1 according
to the present embodiment. FIG. 2 is a block diagram that
schematically illustrates a hardware configuration of the image
forming apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment.
Furthermore, in addition to the hardware configuration illustrated
in FIG. 2, the image forming apparatus 1 includes the engines for
implementing a scanner, a printer, a folding operation, an
additional folding operation, or the like.
[0034] As illustrated in FIG. 2, the image forming apparatus 1
according to the present embodiment has the same configuration as
that of a typical server, personal computer (PC), or the like.
Specifically, in the image forming apparatus 1 according to the
present embodiment, a central processing unit (CPU) 10, a random
access memory (RAM) 20, a read only memory (ROM) 30, a hard disk
drive (HDD) 40, and an I/F 50 are connected to one another via a
bus 90. Furthermore, the I/F 50 is connected to a liquid crystal
display (LCD) 60, an operating unit 70, and a dedicated device
80.
[0035] The CPU 10 is a calculating unit, and it controls the
overall operation of the image forming apparatus 1. The RAM 20 is a
volatile storage medium that enables reading and writing of
information at high speed, and it is used as a work area when the
CPU 10 processes information. The ROM 30 is a non-volatile
read-only storage medium, and it stores programs, such as firmware.
The HDD 40 is a non-volatile storage medium that enables reading
and writing of information, and it stores an operating system (OS),
various control programs, application programs, or the like.
[0036] The I/F 50 connects to the bus 90, various types of
hardware, networks, or the like, for a control. The LCD 60 is a
visual user interface by which a user checks the state of the image
forming apparatus 1. The operating unit 70 is a user interface,
such as a keyboard or mouse, by which a user inputs information to
the image forming apparatus 1.
[0037] The dedicated device 80 is the hardware for implementing
dedicated functions with regard to the image forming unit 2, the
folding processing unit 3, the additional-folding processing unit
4, and the scanner unit 5 and, with regard to the image forming
unit 2, it is a plotter device that conducts an image formation
output on a sheet surface. Furthermore, with regard to the folding
processing unit 3, it is a conveying mechanism for conveying sheets
or a folding processing mechanism for folding a conveyed sheet. The
configuration of the folding processing mechanism included in the
folding processing unit 3 is one of the aspects according to the
present embodiment.
[0038] Furthermore, with regard to the additional-folding
processing unit 4, it is an additional-folding processing mechanism
for making an additional folding line of a sheet that is conveyed
after the folding processing unit 3 performs a folding operation.
Moreover, with regard to the scanner unit 5, it is a reading device
that reads an image that is presented on a sheet surface.
[0039] With the above hardware configuration, the RAM 20 reads a
program that is stored in a storage medium, such as the ROM 30, the
HDD 40, or an undepicted optical disk, and the CPU 10 performs a
calculation in accordance with the program that is loaded into the
RAM 20, whereby a software control unit is configured. A functional
block for implementing the functionality of the image forming
apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment is configured by
using a combination of the hardware and the software control unit
that is configured as described above.
[0040] Next, an explanation is given, with reference to FIG. 3, of
the functional configuration of the image forming apparatus 1
according to the present embodiment. FIG. 3 is a block diagram that
schematically illustrates the functional configuration of the image
forming apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment.
Furthermore, in FIG. 3, electric connections are indicated by the
arrows of solid lines, and the flow of a sheet or a bundle of
documents is indicated by the arrows of dashed lines.
[0041] As illustrated in FIG. 3, the image forming apparatus 1
according to the present embodiment includes a controller 100, a
sheet feeding table 110, a print engine 120, a folding processing
engine 130, an additional-folding processing engine 140, a scanner
engine 150, an automatic document feeder (ADF) 160, a paper
ejection tray 170, a display panel 180, and a network I/F 190. The
controller 100 further includes a main control unit 101, an engine
control unit 102, an input/output control unit 103, an image
processing unit 104, and an operation-display control unit 105.
[0042] The sheet feeding table 110 feeds a sheet to the print
engine 120 that is an image forming section. The print engine 120
is an image forming section that is included in the image forming
unit 2, and it conducts an image formation output on a sheet that
is conveyed from the sheet feeding table 110 so as to draw an
image. As a specific form of the print engine 120, it is possible
to use an image forming mechanism that uses an ink jet system, an
image forming mechanism that uses an electrophotographic system, or
the like. The image-formed sheet on which an image has been drawn
by the print engine 120 is conveyed to the folding processing unit
3 or is ejected to the paper ejection tray 170.
[0043] The folding processing engine 130 is included in the folding
processing unit 3, and it performs a folding operation on the
image-formed sheet that is conveyed from the image forming unit 2.
The folding-processed sheet, on which a folding operation has been
performed by the folding processing engine 130, is conveyed to the
additional-folding processing unit 4. The additional-folding
processing engine 140 is included in the additional-folding
processing unit 4, and it performs an additional folding operation
on a folding line that is formed on the folding-processed sheet
that is conveyed from the folding processing engine 130. The
additional-folding processed sheet, on which an additional folding
operation has been performed by the additional-folding processing
engine 140, is ejected to the paper ejection tray 170 or is
conveyed to an undepicted post-processing unit that conducts
post-processing, such as stapling, punching, or bookbinding
processing.
[0044] The ADF 160 is included in the scanner unit 5, and it
automatically feeds an original document to the scanner engine 150
that is an original-document reading section. The scanner engine
150 is included in the scanner unit 5, and it is an
original-document reading section that includes a photoelectric
conversion element that converts optical information into electric
signals; thus, it optically scans and reads an original document
that is automatically fed by the ADF 160 or an original document
that is placed on an undepicted platen glass to generate image
information. After an original document is automatically fed by the
ADF 160 and is read by the scanner engine 150, it is ejected to the
paper ejection tray 170.
[0045] The display panel 180 is an output interface that visually
displays the state of the image forming apparatus 1, and it is also
an input interface that is used as a touch panel for a user to
directly operate the image forming apparatus 1 or for inputting
information to the image forming apparatus 1. Specifically, the
display panel 180 has a function to display an image for which a
user's operation is received. The display panel 180 is implemented
by using the LCD 60 and the operating unit 70 that are illustrated
in FIG. 2.
[0046] The network I/F 190 is an interface by which the image
forming apparatus 1 communicates with other devices, such as an
administrator-dedicated terminal, via a network, and Ethernet
(registered trademark) or universal serial bus (USB) interface,
Bluetooth (registered trademark), Wireless Fidelity (Wi-Fi), FeliCa
(registered trademark) interface, or the like, are used. The
network I/F 190 is implemented by using the I/F 50 that is
illustrated in FIG. 2.
[0047] The controller 100 is configured by using a combination of
software and hardware. Specifically, control programs, such as
firmware, stored in a non-volatile storage medium, such as the ROM
30 or the HDD 40, are loaded into the RAM 20, and the controller
100 is configured by using a software control unit that is
configured when the CPU 10 performs calculations in accordance with
the programs and hardware, such as an integrated circuit. The
controller 100 serves as a control unit that performs overall
control of the image forming apparatus 1.
[0048] The main control unit 101 performs a function to control
each unit included in the controller 100 and gives a command to
each unit of the controller 100. Furthermore, the main control unit
101 controls the input/output control unit 103 so as to access
other devices via the network I/F 190 and a network. The engine
control unit 102 controls or drives driving units, such as the
print engine 120, the folding processing engine 130, the
additional-folding processing engine 140, or the scanner engine
150. The input/output control unit 103 inputs, to the main control
unit 101, a signal or command that is input via the network I/F 190
and a network.
[0049] Under control of the main control unit 101, the image
processing unit 104 generates drawing information on the basis of
document data or image data that is included in an input print job.
The drawing information is data, such as CMYK bitmap data, and it
is the information for drawing an image that is to be formed during
an image forming operation by the print engine 120 that is an image
forming section. Furthermore, the image processing unit 104
processes captured-image data that is input from the scanner engine
150 and generates image data. The image data is the information
that, as a result of a scanner operation, is stored in the image
forming apparatus 1 or is transmitted to other devices via the
network I/F 190 and a network. The operation-display control unit
105 displays information on the display panel 180 or notifies the
main control unit 101 of the information that is input via the
display panel 180.
[0050] Next, an explanation is given, with reference to FIGS. 4 to
9, of an operation example when the folding processing unit 3
according to the present embodiment performs a folding operation.
FIGS. 4 to 9 are cross-sectional views that illustrate, in a
main-scanning direction, the folding processing unit 3 that
performs a folding operation in the image forming apparatus 1
according to the present embodiment. Furthermore, an operation of
each operating unit that is described below is performed under
control of the main control unit 101 and the engine control unit
102.
[0051] In the folding processing unit 3 according to the present
embodiment, when a folding processing operation is performed, an
image-formed sheet 6 that is conveyed from the image forming unit 2
is firstly delivered by a pair of entry rollers 310 toward a pair
of conveyance rollers 320, as illustrated in FIG. 4.
[0052] Then, in the folding processing unit 3 according to the
present embodiment, as illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6, when a first
end-detection sensor 330 detects an end of the sheet 6 that is
conveyed by the pair of entry rollers 310, the pair of conveyance
rollers 320 is rotated so that the conveyed sheet 6 is delivered
toward a pair of forward-reverse rotary rollers 340. Specifically,
according to the present embodiment, the pair of conveyance rollers
320 serves as a conveying unit. In the present embodiment, an
explanation is given of a case where the pair of conveyance rollers
320 is the conveying unit that conveys the sheet 6 toward the pair
of forward-reverse rotary rollers 340; however, it may be a
conveyance belt, or the like, if it is configured to convey the
sheet 6 toward the pair of forward-reverse rotary rollers 340.
[0053] Here, an explanation is given, with reference to FIG. 10, of
the positional relationship between the pair of conveyance rollers
320 and the pair of forward-reverse rotary rollers 340. FIG. 10 is
a cross-sectional view that illustrates, in a main-scanning
direction, the pair of conveyance rollers 320 and the pair of
forward-reverse rotary rollers 340 of the folding processing unit 3
in the image forming apparatus 1 according to the present
embodiment. Furthermore, in FIG. 10, the direction in which the
pair of conveyance rollers 320 conveys the sheet 6 is indicated by
the arrow of a dotted line.
[0054] As illustrated in FIG. 10, in the folding processing unit 3
according to the present embodiment, the pair of forward-reverse
rotary rollers 340 includes a first forward-reverse rotary roller
341 that rotates around a rotation axis in a direction that is
perpendicular to a conveying direction of the sheet 6 and that is
parallel to a sheet surface of the sheet 6, i.e., in a
main-scanning direction, and includes a second forward-reverse
rotary roller 342 that rotates in the opposite direction of the
first forward-reverse rotary roller 341. Furthermore, as
illustrated in FIG. 10, in the folding processing unit 3 according
to the present embodiment, the pair of conveyance rollers 320, the
first forward-reverse rotary roller 341, and the second
forward-reverse rotary roller 342 are arranged such that, out of a
line segment A that connects between the rotation axes of the first
forward-reverse rotary roller 341 and the second forward-reverse
rotary roller 342, a line segment B that belongs to the first
forward-reverse rotary roller 341 abuts or intersects with a
conveying direction by the pair of conveyance rollers 320.
[0055] With such a configuration, as illustrated in FIG. 10, in the
folding processing unit 3 according to the present embodiment, out
of a tangent line C to the peripheral surface of the first
forward-reverse rotary roller 341 at the intersection point between
the peripheral surface of the first forward-reverse rotary roller
341 and the conveying direction of the sheet 6, a straight line
toward the second forward-reverse rotary roller 342 and the
conveying direction of the sheet 6 form an angle .theta..sub.1 that
is a right angle or an obtuse angle. Such a configuration of the
folding processing unit 3 according to the present embodiment is
one of the aspects. Specifically, according to the present
embodiment, the pair of forward-reverse rotary rollers 340 serves
as a bend forming unit, and the first forward-reverse rotary roller
341 and the second forward-reverse rotary roller 342 serve as a
first bend forming roller and a second bend forming roller,
respectively.
[0056] Therefore, as illustrated in FIG. 5, in the folding
processing unit 3 according to the present embodiment, when the
sheet 6 is conveyed by the pair of conveyance rollers 320 toward
the pair of forward-reverse rotary rollers 340, an
conveying-direction end of the sheet 6 is first brought into
contact with the first forward-reverse rotary roller, and then the
tangent line C at the point where the sheet 6 is in contact with
the first forward-reverse rotary roller and the sheet surface of
the sheet 6 form the angle .theta..sub.1 that is a right angle or
an obtuse angle. Furthermore, as illustrated in FIG. 6, in the
folding processing unit 3 according to the present embodiment,
after the conveying-direction end of the sheet 6 is brought into
contact with the first forward-reverse rotary roller, part of the
force in the conveying direction is distributed over the sheet
surface of the sheet 6 in accordance with the conveyance, whereby
it is bent toward a folding processing roller 350 at a
predetermined position.
[0057] Specifically, here, if the vector of the sheet 6 in the
conveying direction when the conveying-direction end thereof is
brought into contact with the first forward-reverse rotary roller
is decomposed into vectors in a tangential direction at the contact
point between the conveyance path of the sheet 6 and the surface of
the first forward-reverse rotary roller 341 and in a direction
perpendicular to the tangential direction, the vector in the
tangential direction includes a component in a direction from the
above-described contact point toward the second forward-reverse
rotary roller. Therefore, when the conveying-direction end of the
sheet 6 is brought into contact with the first forward-reverse
rotary roller, the sheet 6 is bent toward the folding processing
roller 350.
[0058] Thus, it is possible to ensure that, when the sheet 6 is to
be bent, the folding processing unit 3 according to the present
embodiment bends the sheet 6 in an intended direction without the
need for, for example, a dedicated conveyance path for preparing
for a folding operation that is performed on the sheet 6 or a
stopper for adjusting a folding position or forming a bend when the
end of the conveyed sheet 6 is brought into contact.
[0059] Furthermore, here, as illustrated in FIG. 11, in the folding
processing unit 3 according to the present embodiment, the pair of
conveyance rollers 320, the first forward-reverse rotary roller
341, and the second forward-reverse rotary roller 342 are arranged
such that, out of the line segment A that connects the rotation
axes of the first forward-reverse rotary roller 341 and the second
forward-reverse rotary roller 342, a line segment toward the second
forward-reverse rotary roller 342 and a conveying direction by the
pair of conveyance rollers 320 form an angle .theta..sub.2 that is
a right angle or an acute angle, whereby it is possible to further
ensure that the sheet 6 is bent in an intended direction.
[0060] With the above configuration, as illustrated in FIG. 12, in
the folding processing unit 3 according to the present embodiment,
an inverted "V" shape is formed between a straight line that passes
through the rotation axis of each roller of the pair of
forward-reverse rotary rollers 340 and a straight line that passes
through the rotation axis of each roller of the pair of conveyance
rollers 320, and they intersect with each other in an upper section
of the folding processing unit 3 in FIG. 12.
[0061] Furthermore, as illustrated in FIG. 13, if the folding
processing unit 3 according to the present embodiment has a
configuration such that the conveying direction of the sheet 6 by
the pair of conveyance rollers 320 is located between a straight
line that passes through the nip section of the pair of conveyance
rollers 320 and the rotation axis of the first forward-reverse
rotary roller 341 and a straight line that passes through the nip
section of the pair of conveyance rollers 320 and the nip section
between the first forward-reverse rotary roller 341 and the second
forward-reverse rotary roller 342, it is possible to ensure that
the sheet 6 is bent in an intended direction.
[0062] In the folding processing unit 3 according to the present
embodiment, after a bend is formed on the sheet 6 as described
above, the sheet 6 with a bend formed thereon is further conveyed
by the pair of conveyance rollers 320 and the pair of
forward-reverse rotary rollers 340 while the state is maintained,
as illustrated in FIG. 7, and after it is conveyed for a
predetermined distance, the rotation direction of the pair of
forward-reverse rotary rollers 340 is reversed. An explanation is
given of a case where the folding processing unit 3 according to
the present embodiment has a configuration such that the pair of
conveyance rollers 320 and the pair of forward-reverse rotary
rollers 340 convey the sheet 6 with a bend formed thereon while
maintaining the state; however, a configuration may be such that a
conveying speed of the pair of forward-reverse rotary rollers 340
that is located on the downstream side in a conveying direction is
lower than a conveying speed of the pair of conveyance rollers 320
that is located on the upstream side in a conveying direction so
that the sheet 6 with a bend formed thereon is conveyed while a
bend is further formed.
[0063] Here, in the folding processing unit 3 according to the
present embodiment, the above-described predetermined distance is
measured by measuring the distance for which the first
forward-reverse rotary roller 341 or the second forward-reverse
rotary roller 342 rotates after a second end-detection sensor 360
detects the end of the sheet 6 that is conveyed by the pair of
conveyance rollers 320 and the pair of forward-reverse rotary
rollers 340. The predetermined distance is determined on the basis
of, for example, the length of the sheet 6 in a conveying direction
or the type of folding, and it is previously stored in a
non-volatile storage medium, such as the ROM 30. Furthermore, the
folding processing unit 3 according to the present embodiment may
have a configuration such that the sheet 6 is continuously conveyed
after the second end-detection sensor 360 detects the
conveying-direction end of the conveyed sheet 6 until the degree of
protrusion of the end of the sheet 6 from the nip position between
the first forward-reverse rotary roller 341 and the second
forward-reverse rotary roller 342 becomes an arbitrary degree of
protrusion .DELTA.1. Furthermore, the degree of protrusion .DELTA.1
is determined on the basis of the length of a sheet and the type of
folding, and a configuration may be such that it is determined on
the basis of the distance for which the second forward-reverse
rotary roller 342 rotates.
[0064] In the folding processing unit 3 according to the present
embodiment, after the rotation direction of the pair of
forward-reverse rotary rollers 340 is reversed, the sheet 6 is
conveyed by the pair of conveyance rollers 320 and the pair of
forward-reverse rotary rollers 340 as illustrated in FIG. 8 so that
the bend formed on the sheet 6 is pushed into the nip section
between the first forward-reverse rotary roller 341 and the folding
processing roller 350 without changing the position of the
bend.
[0065] Then, in the folding processing unit 3 according to the
present embodiment, as illustrated in FIG. 9, while the folding
processing roller 350 is pressed against the first forward-reverse
rotary roller 341, it is rotated in the direction opposite to the
rotation direction of the first forward-reverse rotary roller 341,
whereby the pushed bend is caught and nipped so that a folding line
is formed at a predetermined position of the sheet 6. Thus, the
folding processing unit 3 according to the present embodiment is
configured to fold the sheet 6 by using a nipping and reversing
method. Then, the folding processing unit 3 according to the
present embodiment completes the folding processing operation. That
is, according to the present embodiment, the folding processing
roller 350 serves as a folding line forming unit.
[0066] An explanation is given of a case where the folding
processing unit 3 according to the present embodiment is configured
to form a folding line at a predetermined position of the sheet 6
by using the folding processing roller 350 and the first
forward-reverse rotary roller 341 as illustrated in FIG. 9;
however, a configuration may be such that, as illustrated in FIG.
14, a folding line is formed at a predetermined position of the
sheet 6 by using a pair of folding processing rollers 370 that
includes a first folding processing roller 371 that rotates around
the rotation axis in a direction that is perpendicular to a
conveying direction of the sheet 6 and that is parallel to a sheet
surface of the sheet 6, i.e., in a main-scanning direction, and
includes a second folding processing roller 372 that rotates in the
opposite direction of the first folding processing roller 371. With
such a configuration, the pair of folding processing rollers 370
serves as a folding line forming unit, and the rollers included in
the pair of folding processing rollers 370 serve as a first folding
line forming roller and a second folding line forming roller,
respectively. Furthermore, in the present embodiment, an
explanation is given of a case where a folding line forming unit
that forms a folding line is the folding processing roller 350 or
the pair of folding processing rollers 370; however, it may not be
a roller or a pair of rollers if it is configured to form a folding
line by pressing a formed bend on a sheet surface. Furthermore, in
the folding processing unit 3 according to the present embodiment,
a stopping member may be provided on a conveyance path of the
folding processing roller 350.
[0067] As described above, during the operations that are
illustrated in FIGS. 4 to 9, the folding processing unit 3
according to the present embodiment is configured to form a folding
line at a predetermined position of the sheet 6.
[0068] Examples of the form of the sheet 6 on which a folding
operation has been performed as described above are illustrated in
FIG. 15. FIG. 15 is diagram that illustrate examples (a) to (h) of
the form of the folding-processed sheet 6 on which a folding
operation has been performed by the folding processing unit 3
according to the present embodiment.
[0069] Furthermore, in the present embodiment, an explanation is
given of a configuration in which the image forming unit 2, the
folding processing unit 3, the additional-folding processing unit
4, and the scanner unit 5 are included in the image forming
apparatus 1; however, each unit may be configured as a different
independent unit, and these units may be connected to one another
so as to configure an image forming system.
[0070] Furthermore, as illustrated in FIG. 16, the folding
processing unit 3 according to the present embodiment may have a
configuration such that a conveying direction by the pair of
conveyance rollers 320 intersects with a conveying direction by the
pair of forward-reverse rotary rollers 340 and, in the interval
between the pair of conveyance rollers 320 and the pair of
forward-reverse rotary rollers, the conveying direction by the pair
of forward-reverse rotary rollers 340 is located closer to a nip
section between the first forward-reverse rotary roller 341 and the
folding processing roller 350 compared to the conveying direction
by the pair of conveyance rollers 320. As the folding processing
unit 3 according to the present embodiment has the above
configuration, it is possible to ensure that the sheet 6 is bent at
a target position toward the first forward-reverse rotary roller
341. Thus, as the folding processing unit 3 according to the
present embodiment has the above configuration, it is possible to
ensure that the sheet 6 is bent in an intended direction, and it is
possible to improve the accuracy of the position where a bend is
formed.
[0071] According to the present invention, it is possible to
provide a folding processing apparatus that performs a folding
operation on sheets with a small-sized and simple configuration at
low costs.
[0072] Although the invention has been described with respect to
specific embodiments for a complete and clear disclosure, the
appended claims are not to be thus limited but are to be construed
as embodying all modifications and alternative constructions that
may occur to one skilled in the art that fairly fall within the
basic teaching herein set forth.
* * * * *