SHEET TRANSPORT APPARATUS AND SHEET TRANSPORT METHOD

Abstract

Provided is a sheet folding apparatus including: a transport unit configured to transport a sheet bundle in a transport direction; a stopper arranged at a stop position, the front end of the sheet bundle being abutted against the stopper; a restriction part configured to restrict deformation in a height direction of the sheet bundle abutted against the stopper; a pushing roller configured to generate pushing force for pushing the front end of the sheet bundle against a transport face; and a roller motion mechanism configured to move the pushing roller between a protruding position upstream of the stop position and a retracted position spaced apart from the protruding position, and the roller motion mechanism moves the pushing roller from the protruding position to the retracted position after the front end of the sheet bundle transported by the transport unit reaches the pushing roller.

Claims

1. A sheet transport apparatus comprising: a transport unit configured to hold a sheet bundle on a transport face and transport the sheet bundle in a transport direction; a stopper arranged at a stop position in the transport direction, the front end of the sheet bundle transported by the transport unit being abutted against the stopper; a restriction part forming a restriction face, the restriction face being arranged parallel to the transport face from a first position upstream of the stop position in the transport direction to a second position downstream of the stop position in the transport direction, and configured to restrict deformation in a height direction of the sheet bundle abutted against the stopper; a pushing part arranged above the transport unit and configured to generate pushing force for pushing the front end of the sheet bundle against the transport face; and a first motion mechanism configured to move the pushing part between a protruding position upstream of the stop position in the transport direction and a retracted position spaced apart from the protruding position, wherein the first motion mechanism moves the pushing part from the protruding position to the retracted position after the front end of the sheet bundle transported by the transport unit reached the pushing part.

2. The sheet transport apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the pushing part has a roller rotated in contact with the transport face that is moved in the transport direction.

3. The sheet transport apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising a second motion mechanism configured to move, in the transport direction, the stop position at which the stopper is arranged, wherein the first motion mechanism moves the pushing part in the transport direction in response to the second motion mechanism moving the stop position in the transport direction.

4. The sheet transport apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising an abutment part configured to press the rear end of the sheet bundle in the transport direction and abut the front end of the sheet bundle against the stopper after the first motion mechanism moves the pushing part from the protruding position to the retracted position.

5. The sheet transport apparatus according to claim 4 further comprising a sheet folding unit arranged in a width direction orthogonal to the transport direction and configured to fold the sheet bundle at an intermediate position between the front end and the rear end of the sheet bundle.

6. The sheet transport apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the retracted position is a position downstream of the stop position in the transport direction.

7. A sheet transport method to transport a sheet bundle by a sheet transport apparatus, wherein the sheet transport apparatus comprises a transport unit configured to hold the sheet bundle on a transport face and transport the sheet bundle in a transport direction, a stopper arranged at a stop position in the transport direction, the front end of the sheet bundle transported by the transport unit being abutted against the stopper, a restriction part forming a restriction face, the restriction face being arranged parallel to the transport face from a first position upstream of the stop position in the transport direction to a second position downstream of the stop position in the transport direction, and configured to restrict deformation of the sheet bundle abutted against the stopper, and a pushing part arranged above the transport unit and configured to generate pushing force for pushing the front end of the sheet bundle against the transport face, the sheet transport method comprising: a transport step of transporting the sheet bundle in the transport direction toward the stopper by the transport unit; and a retracting step of moving the pushing part from a protruding position upstream of the stop position in the transport direction to a retracted position spaced apart from the protruding position after the front end of the sheet bundle transported in the transport step reached the pushing part.

8. The sheet transport method according to claim 7, wherein the pushing part has a roller rotated in contact with the transport face that is moved in the transport direction.

9. The sheet transport method according to claim 7 further comprising: a first motion step of moving, in the transport direction, the stop position at which the stopper is arranged; and a second motion step of moving the pushing part in the transport direction in response to the first motion step moving the stop position in the transport direction.

10. The sheet transport method according to claim 7 further comprising an abutting step of pressing an abutment part against the rear end of the sheet bundle in the transport direction and abutting the front end of the sheet bundle against the stopper after the retracting step moves the pushing part from the protruding position to the retracted position.

11. The sheet transport method according to claim 10 further comprising a sheet folding step of pressing a sheet folding unit arranged in a width direction orthogonal to the transport direction against the sheet bundle at an intermediate position between the front end and the rear end of the sheet bundle and folding the sheet bundle.

12. The sheet transport method according to claim 7, wherein the retracted position is a position downstream of the stop position in the transport direction.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

[0035] FIG. 1 is a front view illustrating a sheet folding apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention and illustrates a state before the front end of a sheet bundle reaches a stopper.

[0036] FIG. 2 is a front view illustrating the sheet folding apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention and illustrates a state where the front end of the sheet bundle has reached the stopper.

[0037] FIG. 3 is a plan view of the sheet folding apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1 when viewed from above.

[0038] FIG. 4 is a front view illustrating the sheet folding apparatus in a state where a sheet folding unit folds the sheet bundle.

[0039] FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a sheet folding method performed by the sheet folding apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0040] A sheet folding apparatus (sheet transport apparatus) 100 according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a front view illustrating the sheet folding apparatus 100 according to one embodiment of the present invention and illustrates a state before the front end 201 of a sheet bundle 200 reaches a stopper 20. FIG. 2 is a front view illustrating the sheet folding apparatus 100 according to one embodiment of the present invention and illustrates a state where the front end 201 of the sheet bundle 200 has reached the stopper 20. FIG. 3 is a plan view of the sheet folding apparatus 100 illustrated in FIG. 1 when viewed from above. FIG. 4 is a front view illustrating the sheet folding apparatus 100 in a state where a sheet folding unit 60 folds the sheet bundle 200.

[0041] The sheet folding apparatus 100 of the present embodiment is an apparatus that transports the sheet bundle 200 in the transport direction TD, stops the sheet bundle 200 at a predetermined position, and folds the sheet bundle 200 at an intermediate position 203 between the front end 201 and the rear end 202 of the sheet bundle 200. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the sheet folding apparatus 100 of the present embodiment includes a transport unit 10, a stopper 20, a stopper motion mechanism (second motion mechanism) 25, a restriction part 30, a pushing roller (pushing part) 40, a roller motion mechanism (first motion mechanism) 45, an abutment part 50, a sheet folding unit 60, and a control unit 90.

[0042] The transport unit 10 is a device that transports the sheet bundle 200 in the transport direction TD. The transport unit 10 has an upstream transport mechanism 11 arranged upstream in the transport direction TD and a downstream transport mechanism 12 arranged downstream in the transport direction TD.

[0043] The upstream transport mechanism 11 has a transport belt 11a, a driving roller 11b, and a driven roller 11c. The upstream transport mechanism 11 rotates the driving roller 11b to rotate the transport belt 11a stretched around the driving roller 11b and the driven roller 11c and transports the sheet bundle 200 in the transport direction TD. The transport belt 11a holds the sheet bundle 200 on the transport face 11a1 to transport the sheet bundle 200 in the transport direction TD.

[0044] The downstream transport mechanism 12 has a transport belt 12a, a driving roller 12b, and a driven roller 12c. The downstream transport mechanism 12 rotates the driving roller 12b to rotate the transport belt 12a stretched around the driving roller 12b and the driven roller 12c and transports the sheet bundle 200 in the transport direction TD. The transport belt 12a holds the sheet bundle 200 on the transport face 12a1 to transport the sheet bundle 200 in the transport direction TD.

[0045] The stopper 20 is a member that is arranged at a stop position Xs in the transport direction TD and against which the front end 201 of the sheet bundle 200 is abutted so that the sheet bundle 200 transported by the transport unit 10 is not transported downstream of the stop position Xs in the transport direction TD. The stopper 20 is a member for defining a position of the front end 201 of the sheet bundle 200 in the transport direction TD.

[0046] The stopper motion mechanism 25 is a mechanism that moves, in the transport direction TD, the stop position Xs at which the stopper 20 is arranged. The stopper motion mechanism 25 moves the stopper 20 to the stop position Xs determined based on a control instruction transferred from the control unit 90. The stop position Xs is determined by the control unit 90 in accordance with the length of the sheet bundle 200 in the transport direction TD folded at the sheet folding unit 60.

[0047] The restriction part 30 is a plate-like member for restriction so that deformation in the height direction HD of the sheet bundle 200 abutted against the stopper 20 is not excessively large. The restriction part 30 forms a restriction face 30a arranged parallel to the transport face 11a1 and the transport face 12a1 from a first position X1 upstream of the stop position Xs in the transport direction TD to a second position X2 downstream of the stop position Xs in the transport direction TD.

[0048] As illustrated in FIG. 3, in the restriction part 30, four first openings 31 and two second openings 32 are formed apart from each other in the width direction WD that is orthogonal to the transport direction TD and also is the horizontal direction. The first openings 31 are formed extending in the transport direction TD and the stopper 20 is arranged protruding from below to above. The second openings 32 are formed extending in the transport direction TD, and the pushing roller 40 is arranged protruding from above to below. The restriction part 30 forms a restriction face 30a in a region other than the region in which the first openings 31 and the second openings 32 are formed.

[0049] The pushing roller 40 is a rotating body that is arranged above the transport face 12a1 of the transport unit 10 and generates pushing force for pushing the front end 201 of the sheet bundle 200 against the transport face 12a1. The pushing roller 40 is rotated in contact with the transport face 12a1 that is moved in the transport direction TD. The surface of the pushing roller 40 is formed of a rubber material, for example.

[0050] As illustrated in FIG. 3, the pushing rollers 40 are arranged at two positions in the width direction WD in which the pair of second openings 32 are arranged. The downward pushing force generated by the pushing roller 40 is applied by its own weight and/or a pushing force generation member such as a spring.

[0051] The roller motion mechanism 45 is a mechanism that moves the pushing roller 40 between a protruding position upstream of the stop position Xs in the transport direction TD (the position illustrated by solid lines in FIG. 1 to FIG. 4) and a retracted position downstream of the stop position Xs in the transport direction TD (the position illustrated by dotted lines in FIG. 1 to FIG. 4). The roller motion mechanism 45 moves the pushing roller 40 from the protruding position to the retracted position after the front end 201 of the sheet bundle 200 transported by the transport unit 10 has reached the pushing roller 40.

[0052] For example, the position in the height direction HD of the protruding position at which the pushing roller 40 is arranged is preferably adjusted in accordance with the thickness of the sheet bundle 200 so that the larger the thickness of the sheet bundle 200 is, the higher the position in the height direction HD is. Further, the position in the transport direction TD of the protruding position at which the pushing roller 40 is arranged is preferably adjusted in accordance with the thickness of the sheet bundle 200, the transport speed of the sheet bundle 200, or the like. Further, the strength of the pushing force for pushing the sheet bundle 200 against the transport face 12a1 by the pushing roller 40 is preferably adjusted in accordance with the thickness of the sheet bundle 200, the transport speed of the sheet bundle 200, or the like.

[0053] The roller motion mechanism 45 moves the pushing roller 40 in the transport direction TD in response to the stopper motion mechanism 25 moving the stop position Xs in the transport direction TD. In a state where the sheet bundle 200 is not abutted against the stopper 20, the roller motion mechanism 45 moves the pushing roller 40 in the transport direction TD so that pushing roller 40 is arranged at the protruding position upstream of the stop position Xs in the transport direction TD.

[0054] The abutment part 50 is a mechanism that presses the rear end 202 of the sheet bundle 200 in the transport direction TD and abuts the front end 201 of the sheet bundle 200 against the stopper 20 after the roller motion mechanism 45 moves the pushing roller 40 from the protruding position to the retracted position. The abutment part 50 includes an abutment member 51, a motion mechanism (not illustrated) that moves the abutment member 51 in the transport direction TD, and a sheet bundle sensor 52 that detects the position of the rear end of the sheet bundle 200 (see FIG. 3). The abutment member 51 and the sheet bundle sensor 52 are controlled to be moved to a position corresponding to the size of the sheet bundle B in the transport direction TD in response to the control instruction transferred from the control unit 90.

[0055] As illustrated in FIG. 2, the abutment member 51 is moved by a motion mechanism from a position illustrated by the solid line to a position illustrated by the dotted line in a state where the front end 201 of the sheet bundle 200 has reached the stopper 20, thereby presses the rear end 202 of the sheet bundle 200 in the transport direction TD, and abuts the front end 201 of the sheet bundle 200 against the stopper 20. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the abutment member 51 swings from a state illustrated by the dotted line to the state illustrated by the solid line when the sheet bundle 200 passes by due to its own weight of the sheet bundle 200. The abutment member 51 swings from the state illustrated by the solid line to the state illustrated by the dotted line when the sheet bundle 200 has passed by due to the pushing force of a spring (not illustrated).

[0056] The sheet folding unit 60 is a device that folds the sheet bundle 200 at an intermediate position 203 between the front end 201 and the rear end 202 of the sheet bundle 200 in a state where the front end 201 of the sheet bundle 200 is abutted against the stopper 20 and the sheet bundle 200 is positioned in the transport direction TD.

[0057] The sheet folding unit 60 has a plate-like knife unit 61 arranged extending in the width direction WD orthogonal to the transport direction TD, a knife unit motion mechanism 62 that moves the knife unit 61 in the height direction HD, and a pair of folding rollers 63, 64 that interpose an intermediate position 203 of the sheet bundle 200 that has been moved from below to above in the height direction HD and form a crease by the knife unit 61.

[0058] The control unit 90 is a device that controls respective units of the sheet folding apparatus 100 including the transport unit 10, the stopper motion mechanism 25, the roller motion mechanism 45, the abutment part 50, and the sheet folding unit 60. The control unit 90 executes a control program stored in a storage unit (not illustrated) to perform processes for controlling respective units of the sheet folding apparatus 100.

[0059] Next, a sheet folding method (sheet transport method) performed by the sheet folding apparatus 100 of the present embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating the sheet folding method performed by the sheet folding apparatus 100 according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0060] In step S101, the control unit 90 controls the stopper motion mechanism 25 to adjust the position of the stopper 20 in the transport direction TD so that the stopper 20 is arranged at the stop position Xs in accordance with the length in the transport direction TD of the sheet bundle 200 folded by the sheet folding unit 60. The stopper motion mechanism 25 moves the stopper 20 at the stop position Xs determined based on a control instruction transferred from the control unit 90.

[0061] Further, in step S101, the control unit 90 controls the motion mechanism of the abutment part 50 to arrange the abutment member 51 at a position in accordance with the length in the transport direction TD of the sheet bundle 200 folded by the sheet folding unit 60.

[0062] In step S102, the control unit 90 controls the roller motion mechanism 45 to move the pushing roller 40 in the transport direction TD in response to the stopper motion mechanism 25 moving the stop position Xs in the transport direction TD. The roller motion mechanism 45 moves the pushing roller 40 in the transport direction TD so as to arrange the pushing roller 40 at the protruding position upstream of the stop position Xs in the transport direction TD.

[0063] In step S103, the control unit 90 controls the transport unit 10 to transport the sheet bundle 200 in the transport direction TD.

[0064] In step S104, the control unit 90 determines whether or not the front end 201 of the sheet bundle 200 has reached the stopper 20, and the control unit 90 proceeds with the process to step S105 if the determination is YES or repeats the process of step S103 if the determination is NO. When the sheet bundle sensor 52 that is moved in the transport direction TD in synchronization with the abutment member 51 detects the rear end 202 of the sheet bundle 200, the control unit 90 determines that the front end 201 of the sheet bundle 200 has reached the stopper 20.

[0065] Note that, although in step S104 described above, the control unit 90 determines whether or not the front end 201 of the sheet bundle 200 has reached the stopper 20 and proceeds with the process to step S105 if the determination is YES, the determination may be made in other manners. For example, the control unit 90 may determine whether or not the front end 201 of the sheet bundle 200 has reached the pushing roller 40 and proceed with the process to step S105 if the determination is YES. In such a case, the control unit 90 controls the motion mechanism of the abutment part 50 so that the sheet bundle sensor 52 is arranged at a position at which the rear end 202 of the sheet bundle 200 is detected when the front end 201 of the sheet bundle 200 has reaches the pushing roller 40.

[0066] In step S105, the control unit 90 controls the roller motion mechanism 45 to move the pushing roller 40 from the protruding position to the retracted position. When the pushing roller 40 is moved from the protruding position to the retracted position, the pushing force from the pushing roller 40 toward the transport face 12a1 is not transferred to the sheet bundle 200.

[0067] In step S106, the control unit 90 controls the abutment part 50 to press the rear end 202 of the sheet bundle 200 in the transport direction TD and abut the front end 201 of the sheet bundle 200 against the stopper 20 after the roller motion mechanism 45 has moved the pushing roller 40 from the protruding position to the retracted position. The front end 201 of the sheet bundle 200 is abutted against the stopper 20 and positioned in the transport direction TD.

[0068] In step S107, the control unit 90 controls the sheet folding unit 60 to fold the sheet bundle 200 at an intermediate position 203 between the front end 201 and the rear end 202 of the sheet bundle 200 in a state where the front end 201 of the sheet bundle 200 is abutted against the stopper 20 and the sheet bundle 200 is positioned in the transport direction TD. The sheet folding unit 60 moves the knife unit 61 in the height direction HD by the knife unit motion mechanism 62. The pair of folding rollers 63, 64 interpose the intermediate position 203 of the sheet bundle 200 that has been moved from below to above in the height direction HD and form a crease by the knife unit 61. The sheet bundle 200 folded by the sheet folding unit 60 is transported to a transport destination (not illustrated).

[0069] In step S108, the control unit 90 sequentially determines whether or not there is a sheet bundle 200 to be processed by the sheet folding unit 60, and the control unit 90 ends the process of the flowchart if the determination is YES or performs the process of step S101 again if the determination is NO.

[0070] The effects and advantages achieved by the sheet folding apparatus 100 of the present embodiment described above will be described.

[0071] According to the sheet folding apparatus 100 of the present embodiment, since deformation in the height direction HD of the sheet bundle 200 abutted against the stopper 20 is restricted by the restriction part 30, it is possible to suppress a defect that a folding position folded by the sheet folding unit 60 is shifted from a desired position due to bending of the sheet bundle 200. Further, since the front end 201 of the sheet bundle 200 reaches the pushing roller 40 arranged to the protruding position and the front end 201 of the sheet bundle 200 is pushed against the transport face 12a1 before the front end 201 of the sheet bundle 200 is abutted against the stopper 20, the front end 201 of the sheet bundle 200 can be abutted against the stopper 20 while a load is applied. Accordingly, it is possible to suitably suppress shifting of the position and inclination of the sheet bundle 200 in the transport direction TD and the width direction WD due to rebound when the front end 201 of the sheet bundle 200 is abutted against the stopper 20.

[0072] Further, according to the sheet folding apparatus 100 of the present embodiment, since the pushing roller 40 is retracted from the protruding position to the retracted position after the front end 201 of the sheet bundle 200 has reached the pushing roller 40, when the front end 201 of the sheet bundle 200 is abutted against the stopper 20, a state where the front end 201 of the sheet bundle 200 is pushed against the transport face 12a1 by the pushing roller 40 is suitably released. This makes it possible to suitably perform a folding process on the sheet bundle 200 whose front end is aligned at the stop position Xs by the stopper 20.

[0073] According to the sheet folding apparatus 100 of the present embodiment, the pushing roller 40 rotated in contact with the transport face 12a1 is spaced apart from the transport face 12a1 after the front end 201 of the sheet bundle 200 has reached the pushing roller 40, and the pushing force toward the transport face 12a1 can be suitably applied from the pushing roller 40 to the front end 201 of the sheet bundle 200.

[0074] According to the sheet folding apparatus 100 of the present embodiment, by moving the stop position Xs in the transport direction TD by the stopper motion mechanism 25 and moving the pushing roller 40 in the transport direction TD by the roller motion mechanism 45, it is possible to arrange the stopper 20 and the pushing roller 40 at suitable positions in accordance with the length of the sheet bundle 200 in the transport direction TD.

[0075] According to the sheet folding apparatus 100 of the present embodiment, after a state where the front end 201 of the sheet bundle 200 is pushed against the transport face 12a1 by the pushing roller 40 is released, the rear end 202 of the sheet bundle 200 is abutted against the stopper 20 by the abutment part 50 in the transport direction TD, and thereby the front end 201 of the sheet bundle 200 can be suitably aligned at the stop position Xs.

[0076] According to the sheet folding apparatus 100 of the present embodiment, the sheet bundle 200 can be folded at the intermediate position 203 between the front end 201 and the rear end 202 of the sheet bundle 200 by the sheet folding unit 60.

Other Embodiments

[0077] Although the apparatus of the present embodiment described above relates to an apparatus including the sheet folding unit 60, the apparatus may be of other forms. For example, the apparatus of the present embodiment may be another apparatus including no sheet folding unit 60. For example, the apparatus of the present embodiment may be applied to an apparatus including a cutting unit for cutting the sheet bundle 200 or an apparatus including a punching unit for making a hole in the sheet bundle 200 instead of including the sheet folding unit 60 for folding the sheet bundle 200.