Sheet feeding or delivering – Delivering – To receiver for pack of sheets
Reexamination Certificate
1998-11-11
2001-03-27
Walsh, Donald P. (Department: 3653)
Sheet feeding or delivering
Delivering
To receiver for pack of sheets
C271S213000, C271S215000, C271S224000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06206365
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a sheet post-processing device, incorporated in an image forming apparatus that acts as a copying machine, a facsimile, and a printer, for conducting post-processing, such as stapling, on sheets transported from the image forming apparatus and then ejecting them, and more particularly to the prevention of disturbance to the alignment of the sheets ejected onto an ejection tray at the trailing edges thereof.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Copying machines nowadays are used in combination with various devices including an automatic document feeder and a sheet post-processing device so as to automatically conduct copying and post-processing operations, such as stapling and punching on the sheets on which images are formed. A sheet post-processing device conducts post-processing such as stapling and punching on each set consisting of a predetermined number of sheets ejected out of a copying machine after images are copied thereon.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,407,188 discloses an example of such a sheet post-processing device.
As shown in
FIG. 14
, as sheets
101
are ejected via ejection rollers
102
onto an ejection tray
103
after undergoing post-processing, a sheet post-processing device
100
sorts sheets
101
by reciprocating the ejection tray
103
horizontally and at a right angle to the ejection direction of the sheets
101
.
The ejection tray
103
is formed so that the sheets
101
are ejected diagonally upward. In addition, freely rotatable sheet edge stopper columns
104
for aligning the trailing edges of the sheets
101
stacked on the ejection tray
103
are erected on the trailing side of the ejection tray
103
with respect to the sheet ejection direction.
The ejection tray
103
is lifted and lowered along the sheet edge stopper columns
104
by a lifting and lowering motor (not shown).
With the sheet post-processing device
100
, if while the sheets
101
stacked on the ejection tray
103
are in contact with the sheet edge stopper columns
104
, the ejection tray
103
reciprocates to sort a newly ejected sheet
101
, the sheet edge stopper columns
104
, although freely rotatable, act as immovable objects to the light stacked sheets
101
. Consequently, the stacked sheets
101
are disturbed by the friction between the sheets
101
and the sheet edge stopper columns
104
.
Since the sheets
101
is light in weight, even if the ejection tray
103
moves horizontally, the sheet edge stopper columns
104
exerts frictional forces on the sheets
101
in such a manner to keep the sheets
101
from moving. Here, if the sheet edge stopper columns
104
rotate in response to the horizontal movement of the ejection tray
103
, the alignment of the sheets
101
in the stack can be prevented from being disturbed.
As shown in
FIG. 15
, the sheet post-processing device
100
disclosed in the above-identified patent application includes a sponge rubber
105
provided to the ejection tray
103
so as to be in touch with, and slide on, the sheet edge stopper columns
104
, forcing the sheet edge stopper columns
104
to rotate in response to the horizontal movement of the ejection tray
103
.
With the sheet post-processing device
100
, when the ejection tray
103
moves horizontally, the sheet edge stopper columns
104
are driven to rotate by the movement of the ejection tray
103
. However, when the ejection tray
103
moves vertically, the sheet edge stopper columns
104
exert frictional forces on the ejection tray
103
and interrupt the smooth vertical movement of the ejection tray
103
. Consequently, the stacked sheets
101
are disturbed out of alignment.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the conventional problem detailed above, an object of the present invention is to offer a sheet post-processing device capable of preventing the stacked sheet from being disturbed out of alignment regardless of whether the ejection tray is moved horizontally or vertically.
In order to accomplish the above object, a sheet post-processing device in accordance with the present invention includes:
an ejection section, provided vertically movable, onto which a sheet on which an image is already formed is ejected after undergoing post processing;
a sorting drive section for sorting the sheet in the ejection section by reciprocating the ejection section horizontally and at a right angle to an ejection direction of the sheet;
sheet edge stopper columns, provided to be horizontally freely rotatable, for aligning a trailing edge of the sheet ejected onto the ejection section disposed diagonally upward with respect to the ejection direction; and
a linking section for rotating the sheet edge stopper columns in accordance with a horizontal movement of the ejection section so as to horizontally move the sheets already aligned, and, when the ejection section is moved vertically, lifting and lowering the ejection section smoothly without rotating the sheet edge stopper columns.
With the sheet post-processing device, sheets on which an image is already formed and which have undergone post processing are ejected onto an ejection section disposed diagonally upward with respect to the ejection direction of the sheet and vertically movable, sorted in the ejection section by a sorting drive section reciprocating the ejection section horizontally and at a right angle to the ejection direction, aligned at the trailing edges thereof by sheet edge stopper columns erected to be horizontally freely rotatable. The sheets are then moved horizontally without disturbing the alignment by a linking section rotating the sheet edge stopper columns in accordance with a horizontal movement of the ejection section, and moved vertically without disturbing the alignment by the linking section not rotating the sheet edge stopper columns but moving the ejection section smoothly when the ejection section is to be moved vertically. Accordingly, the sheets ejected onto the ejection section and sorted thereon in the ejection section become movable without disturbing the alignment both horizontally and vertically.
For a fuller understanding of the nature and advantages of the invention, reference should be made to the ensuing detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4311090 (1982-01-01), Dudziak et al.
patent: 4897017 (1990-01-01), Castiglioni
patent: 5056774 (1991-10-01), Kubota et al.
patent: 5190281 (1993-03-01), Cardenas
patent: 5318401 (1994-06-01), Mandel
patent: 5407188 (1995-04-01), Ida et al.
patent: 5460479 (1995-10-01), Neumann et al.
patent: 5499811 (1996-03-01), Hayashi et al.
patent: 5618035 (1997-04-01), Coombs et al.
Josako Takehiko
Nagata Jinichi
Nanba Toyoaki
Tanaka Keiji
Tanaka Tomomi
Renner , Otto, Boisselle & Sklar, LLP
Schlak Daniel K
Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
Walsh Donald P.
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