JP2006103815A - Lateral registration compensation device and image forming device equipped with the same - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a compensation device for displacement caused by dimensional variation that each part constituting an image forming device has. <P>SOLUTION: This lateral registration compensation device compensates lateral registration of a transfer paper P when conveying the transfer paper in a paper feeding tray 1 of an image forming device capable of processing information at an end part position of the transfer paper P detected by a detection sensor 13 in a control part 14, managing protrusion amount of projecting members 9, 10 for pressing the paper feeding tray 1, and changing the protrusion amount as required. In this case, when it is determined that lateral registration of the transfer paper P conveyed from the paper feeding tray 1 is displaced from the information from the detection sensor 13 in a resist part 15 in the control part 14, protrusion amount of the projecting members 9, 10 is changed to correct a fence base 2, side fences 4, 5 attached to it, and a position 16 of the transfer paper P regulated by it and compensate the position 16 of the transfer paper P for image. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a lateral registration correction apparatus for transferring transfer paper in a paper feed tray of an image forming apparatus (copying machine, facsimile, printer, printing machine, etc.) and an image forming apparatus provided with the same.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, it is known that two side fences and end fences that restrict three sides are provided in a paper feed tray of a paper feed device of an image forming apparatus in order to prevent a sheet bundle from being scattered (for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2).
Patent Document 1 discloses a configuration in which a support plate that holds a side fence is movable in a cassette and the center of a transfer sheet is adjusted to a conveyance reference. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-228561 discloses a configuration in which a paper width regulating plate is moved and aligned based on a paper position detected by a paper width sensor.
In general, a direction perpendicular to the transport direction is not fixed to the paper feed tray, and a fence base that is restricted only in the transport direction is attached, and the fence base presses the paper tray toward the back side of the apparatus. Thus, the pressure member is attached from the front side. The previous two side fences are attached to the fence base.
When the paper feed tray is inserted and set in the image forming apparatus, the fence base is pressed by the convex member on the back side of the apparatus, and the fence base is bent by the pressure of the pressure supply member of the paper feed tray. The position in the depth direction is determined.
In such a configuration, the protruding amount of the convex member can be freely changed. A detection sensor for measuring the position of the end of the transfer paper is attached to the resist portion, and the position of the transfer paper sent from the paper feed tray can be detected.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 06-263268 Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 07-128921

However, the transfer paper that is copied and printed by the image forming apparatus is desired to have a highly accurate image position relative to the transfer paper. Even if the position of the image with respect to the apparatus is regulated with high accuracy, it is difficult to regulate the position of the transfer paper from the paper feed tray through the conveyance path, and it is particularly difficult to regulate the lateral resist.
Accordingly, the object of the present invention is to take into account the above-described actual situation, dimensional variation of each part constituting the image forming apparatus, manufacturing (assembly) variation due to the production process, operation variation of the user who operates the image forming apparatus, The shift of the transfer paper relative to the image position due to variations in the lateral registration direction caused by variations in the outer dimensions of the cut sheets loaded on the sheet feed tray is detected by detecting the misalignment amount at the registration unit. An object of the present invention is to provide a lateral registration correction device that corrects lateral registration with high accuracy by correcting the position of the transfer paper as needed, and an image forming apparatus including the lateral registration correction device.

In order to solve the above problems, the invention according to claim 1 is characterized in that the control unit processes information on the edge position of the transfer paper detected by the detection sensor, and the protrusion of the convex member that presses the paper feed tray. In the lateral registration correction device that corrects the lateral registration of the transfer paper during conveyance of the transfer paper in the paper feed tray of the image forming apparatus that can manage the amount and change the protrusion amount as necessary, the detection of the registration portion Based on information from the sensor, a shift determination means for determining that the lateral registration of the transfer paper conveyed from the paper feed tray is shifted, a fence base by changing the protruding amount of the convex member, and a side fence attached to the fence base And a position correcting means for correcting the position of the transfer paper regulated thereby and correcting the position of the transfer paper with respect to the image.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, the convex member has two locations on the upstream side and the downstream side in the transport direction with respect to one fence base, and independently controls the protruding amount of the two convex members. It is characterized by the lateral registration correction apparatus described.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, the lateral registration correction device according to the first aspect is characterized in that the timing of changing the protruding amount of the convex member is when the transfer paper is not fed and conveyed.
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image forming apparatus including a paper feed tray having the lateral registration correcting device according to any one of the first to third aspects.

  According to the present invention, the intermediate transfer method is advantageous for obtaining high image quality with a color machine, but the intermediate transfer method takes time from image formation of the first color to transfer. Therefore, it is necessary to correct the position of the transfer paper in accordance with. By changing the transfer paper stacking position on the apparatus, it is possible to perform lateral registration correction in accordance with the image.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram showing the configuration of a lateral registration correction apparatus according to the present invention. In FIG. 1, the lateral registration correction device in the paper feed tray 1 is configured such that information on the edge position of the transfer paper detected by the detection sensor 13 is processed by the control unit 14.
It is possible to manage the protruding amount of the convex members 9 and 10 that press the paper feeding tray 1 and change the protruding amount as necessary. When the control unit 14 determines from the information from the detection sensor 13 of the registration unit 15 that the lateral registration of the transfer paper P conveyed from the paper feed tray 1 is shifted, the protruding amount of the convex members 9 and 10 is as follows. Is changed to correct the position 16 of the transfer paper P relative to the image by correcting the fence 16 and the side fences 4 and 5 attached thereto and the position 16 of the transfer paper P restricted thereby.
FIG. 2 is a plan view showing a paper feed tray provided with a lateral registration correction device according to the present invention. There are two side fences 4 and 5 and an end fence 3 that regulate three sides in order to prevent the sheet (transfer sheet P) bundle from being scattered in the sheet feed tray 1.
In addition, a direction perpendicular to the conveyance direction is not fixed to the paper feed tray 1, and a fence base 2 regulated by guides 6 and 8 that regulate only the conveyance direction is attached. A pressure member 7 is attached from the front side so as to press 2 toward the back side of the housing device.
The previous two side fences 4 and 5 are attached to the fence base 2. In the figure, reference numeral 11 denotes a transport roller, 12 denotes a paper feed roller, and 17 denotes an image forming apparatus.
When the paper feed tray 1 is inserted into the image forming apparatus 17 and set, the fence base 2 is pressed by the convex members 9 and 10 on the back side of the image forming apparatus 17 and the pressure member 7 of the paper feed tray 1 is pressed. The position of the fence base 2 in the depth direction relative to the image forming apparatus 17 is determined by the amount of bending.

FIG. 3 is a schematic front view showing the convex member and its drive system. FIG. 4 is a side view showing the convex member of FIG. 3 and its drive system. 3 and 4, the configuration of the convex members 9, 10 is such that the drive of the electromagnetic motor 18 is decelerated by the gear trains 20, 21 including the worm gear 19, and the convex members 9, 10 are driven to determine the amount of protrusion. .
Thus, the protruding amount of the convex members 9 and 10 can be freely changed, and even if the convex members 9 and 10 are pressed, the protruding amount is not changed by the rotational load torque of the worm gear 19.
An optical detection sensor for measuring the position of the end of the transfer paper is attached to the resist unit 15 (FIG. 1), and the position of the transfer paper sent from the paper feed tray 1 (FIG. 1) can be detected. .

FIG. 5 is a schematic perspective view showing the configuration of the detection sensor. FIG. 6 is a graph showing the output characteristics of the detection sensor. In FIG. 5, an optical detection sensor 13 is composed of a light emitting sensor 13a and a light receiving sensor 13b, and is a transmissive type that can obtain a high degree of detection accuracy. The optical detection sensor 13 preferably has a detection range of about 10 mm width.
The attachment position of the detection sensor 13 is set to a position where the theoretical transfer paper edge matches the center of the detection range. Information on the edge position of the transfer paper detected by the detection sensor 13 is processed by the control unit 14 (see FIG. 1), and the amount of protrusion of the convex members 9 and 10 pressing the paper feed tray 1 (see FIG. 1) is determined. Manage and change the amount of protrusion as needed.
As described above, the lateral registration of the transfer sheet conveyed from the paper feed tray 1 is measured by the detection sensor 13 of the registration unit 15, and when the control unit 14 determines that the deviation has occurred, the control unit 14 An amount for correcting the deviation amount is calculated.
Then, the motor 18 that drives the convex members 9 and 10 is operated to change the amount of protrusion thereof, and the positions of the fence base 2, the side fences 4 and 5 attached thereto, and the transfer paper regulated thereby are corrected (see FIG. 1). ).
Further, the convex members 9 and 10 have two locations on the upstream side and the downstream side in the conveying direction with respect to one fence base 2, and the protruding amounts of the two convex members 9 and 10 are independently controlled to detect the resist portion 15. By performing the detection timing of the transfer paper edge by the sensor 13 a plurality of times, the inclination of the transfer paper being conveyed can also be detected.
That is, when the detection sensor 13 of the registration unit 15 detects a skew in addition to the horizontal registration, the two convex members 9 and 10 are changed to different protruding amounts in accordance with an instruction from the control unit 14, and the stacked transfer sheets are loaded. By tilting, the registration portion 15 can eliminate the tilt of the transfer paper.
The timing at which the motor 18 is activated to change the protruding amount of the convex members 9 and 10 is performed when the transfer paper is not conveyed from the paper feed tray 1. As described above, it is possible to prevent the operation of the convex members 9 and 10 from adversely affecting the transfer paper being conveyed from the paper feed tray 1.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart for explaining the lateral registration correction operation. The position of the transfer paper conveyed from the paper feed tray 1 is measured by the detection sensor 13 of the registration unit 15 (S1), and the information enters the control unit 14 (S2). It is judged (S3).
If there is no defect in the lateral resist and there is no inclination defect, the process is terminated. If there is an abnormality, the sensor output is judged (S4). If the sensor output is lower by x, the protrusion amount is increased (S5), and the operation is terminated. If the sensor output is higher by y, the amount of protrusion is reduced (S6), and the operation is terminated.
FIG. 8 is a timing chart for explaining the timing at the time of skew detection. FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram for explaining the + inclination and −inclination in FIG. FIG. 10 is a flowchart for explaining the operation at the time of skew correction. FIG. 11 is a timing chart for explaining the operation timing of the protruding amount of the convex member.
8 to 11, first, when the lateral resist is defective, it is (−) defective nearer to the reference position, or (+) defective closer to the rear than the reference position. Judge whether or not.
Further, at the time of skew detection, that is, when the inclination is poor, it is determined whether the inclination is gradually approaching (−) or the inclination is gradually approaching (+). 8 and FIG. 9).

In FIG. 10, the position of the transfer paper conveyed from the paper feed tray 1 is measured by the detection sensor 13 of the registration unit 15 (S11), and the information enters the control unit 14 (S12). Or whether the inclination is poor (S13).
If there is no defect in the lateral resist and there is no inclination defect, the process is terminated. If there is an abnormality, the reason for the abnormality is judged (S14), and if it is a lateral registration, a lateral registration correction operation is performed (S15).
If the reason for the abnormality in (S14) is skew, the inclination direction is determined (S16), and if it is + inclination, the amount of protrusion of the convex members 9, 10 is increased or decreased (S17), and the process ends. -If it is an inclination, it adjusts by increasing / decreasing the protrusion amount of the convex members 9 and 10 (S18), and complete | finishes.
The transfer paper in the paper feed tray 1 is moved in the depth direction by changing the protruding amount of the convex members 9 and 10 corresponding to the defect determined by the control unit 14, and the transfer paper is moved by the registration unit 15. Correct so that it is straight.
The operation timings of the paper feed roller 12 (see FIG. 2) and the convex members 9 and 10 are as shown in FIG. 11, and the operation time changes according to the correction amount.
When the detection sensor 13 of the resist unit 15 detects the skew, the skew can be corrected by changing the protruding amounts of the two protruding members 9 and 10. In addition, an adverse effect on the transfer paper being conveyed from the paper feed tray 1 can be prevented by changing the protruding amount of the convex members 9 and 10.

1 is a schematic block diagram showing the configuration of a lateral registration correction apparatus according to the present invention. FIG. 3 is a plan view showing a paper feed tray provided with a lateral registration correction device according to the present invention. The front schematic diagram which shows a convex member and its drive system. The side view which shows the convex member of FIG. 3, and its drive system. The schematic perspective view which shows the structure of a detection sensor. The figure which shows the output characteristic of a detection sensor with a graph. The flowchart explaining the operation | movement of horizontal registration correction | amendment. 6 is a timing chart for explaining timing at the time of skew detection. Schematic explaining + inclination and-inclination in FIG. The flowchart explaining the operation | movement at the time of skew correction | amendment. The timing chart explaining the operation | movement timing of the protrusion amount of a convex member.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Paper feed tray, 2 Fence base, 4 Side fence, 5 Side fence, 9 Convex member, 10 Convex member, 13 Detection sensor, 14 Control part, 15 Registration part (registration roller), 16 Transfer paper position, P transfer paper

Claims (4)

  An image in which the information on the edge position of the transfer paper detected by the detection sensor is processed by the control unit, the protrusion amount of the convex member pressing the paper feed tray is managed, and the protrusion amount can be changed as necessary. In a lateral registration correction device that corrects lateral registration of transfer paper during transfer paper transport in a paper feed tray of a forming apparatus, information on the transfer paper transported from the paper feed tray is determined based on information from the detection sensor in the registration unit. Displacement judging means for judging that the lateral resist is displaced, a fence base by changing the protruding amount of the convex member, a side fence attached to the fence base, and a position of the transfer paper restricted thereby, and the transfer paper with respect to the image A lateral registration correction apparatus comprising: position correction means for correcting the position of the horizontal registration.   2. The lateral registration correction apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the convex member has two locations on the upstream side and the downstream side in the transport direction with respect to one fence base, and independently controls the protruding amount of the two convex members. .   2. The lateral registration correction apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the timing of changing the protruding amount of the convex member is when the transfer paper is not fed and conveyed. An image forming apparatus comprising a paper feed tray having the lateral registration correction device according to claim 1.

Images