Sheet feeding or delivering – Delivering – Multiple discharge
Reexamination Certificate
1999-09-07
2001-07-10
Olszewski, Robert P. (Department: 3651)
Sheet feeding or delivering
Delivering
Multiple discharge
C271S279000, C271S287000, C271S289000, C271S292000, C271S297000, C271S298000, C271S303000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06257572
ABSTRACT:
This application is based on application No. 10-255770 filed in Japan, the contents of which is hereby incorporated by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to image forming apparatus and, more particularly, to such an image forming apparatus as a page printer having a sheet post-processing unit such as a sorter or mail bin into which sheets printed by the image forming apparatus are discharged.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a conventional image forming apparatus such as a page printer, a sheet post-processing unit such as a sorter or mail bin for sorting printed recording sheets is connected to the main body of the image forming apparatus, thereby reducing the operation to be performed by the operator. As an example of this type of image forming apparatus, there is one in which a sheet post-processing unit is disposed on and fixed to one side of the main body of the image forming apparatus. In the case of disposing the sheet post-processing unit on the side of the main body of the image forming apparatus, however, an installation area is increased disadvantageously. As an image forming apparatus free from the disadvantage, there has been known one in which the sheet post-processing apparatus is disposed on and fixed to the top of the main body of the image forming apparatus, whereby the installation area is reduced (see, e.g., Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication SHO No. 62-201775, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication SHO No. 63-160972, and Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication HEI No. 8-208108).
However, the conventional image forming apparatus is allowed to have only one configuration in which the sheet post-processing unit is fixed either to the side or to the top of the main body of the image forming apparatus. In the image forming apparatus, therefore, it is automatically determined whether sheets are discharged with their printed faces facing upward or downward so that a sheet inverting mechanism is required to be switchable between the sheet discharge mode in which the printed faces of discharged sheets face upward and the sheet discharge mode in which the printed faces of discharged sheets face downward. This increases the complexity of the structure, leading to higher cost. In the latter image forming apparatus wherein the sheet post-processing unit is disposed on the top of the main body of the image forming apparatus, if an optional device such as an additional sheet supply cassette is mounted to the bottom, the height of the overall apparatus is increased and the operability of a sheet discharge portion of the sheet post-processing apparatus is degraded, which prevents the apparatus from being placed on a desk.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has been achieved in order to solve the above-mentioned problems. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an image forming apparatus having a sheet discharge portion with excellent operability, which can be embodied in a proper form in accordance with an installation place. The image forming apparatus is switchable between the configuration in which a sheet post-processing unit is disposed on the top of the main body of the image forming apparatus and the configuration in which the sheet post-processing unit is disposed on the side of the main body of the image forming apparatus such that switching is performed between the sheet discharge mode in which the printed faces of discharged sheets face upward and the sheet discharge mode in which the printed faces of discharged sheets face downward.
To attain the foregoing object, a first feature of the present invention is an image forming apparatus comprising: a main body including, an image forming unit which forms images on sheets, a first discharge path which discharges the image formed sheets, a second discharge path which discharges the image formed sheets, the second discharge path being different from the first discharge path, a first mounting portion and a second mounting portion; and a sheet post-processing unit including, a first sheet receiving path and a second sheet receiving path each connecting to a common sheet transport path, the sheet receiving paths receiving sheets discharged from the main body, a first mounting portion and a second mounting portion; wherein said first discharge path is connected to the first sheet receiving path by coupling the first mounting portion of the main body to the first mounting portion of the sheet post-processing unit, the second discharge path being connected to the second sheet receiving path by coupling the second mounting portion of the main body to the second mounting portion of the sheet post-processing unit.
By way of example, the first and second mounting portions of the main body are provided in the top and side of the main body in an embodiment.
A second feature of the present invention is an image forming apparatus comprising: a first discharge path; a first mounting portion for mounting a sheet post-processing unit, the first mounting portion being disposed corresponding to the first discharge path; a second discharge path; a second mounting portion for mounting the sheet post-processing unit, the second mounting portion being disposed corresponding to the second discharge path; a discharge path selecting member which selects a discharge path from the first and second discharge paths; a detector which detects whether said sheet post-processing unit is mounted on the first mounting portion or the second mounting portion; and a controller which controls the selecting member based on the result of detection by the detector.
A third feature of the present invention is a sheet post-processing apparatus to be connected to the image forming apparatus, the sheet post-processing apparatus comprising: a first receiving path which receives sheets discharged from the image forming apparatus; a first mounting portion which connects with the image forming apparatus, the first mounting portion being disposed corresponding to the first receiving path; a second receiving path which receives sheets discharged from the image forming apparatus; a second mounting portion which connects with the image forming apparatus, the second mounting portion being disposed corresponding to the second receiving path; a transport path which transports sheets inserted via the first and second receiving path; and a tray which accommodates the sheets transported along the transport path.
These and other objects, advantages and features of the invention will become apparent from the following description thereof taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings which illustrate specific embodiments of the invention.
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Matsumoto Shinji
Takarabe Yuuji
Yamada Kou
McDermott & Will & Emery
Minolta Co. , Ltd.
Olszewski Robert P.
Ridley Richard
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