Electrophotography – Document handling – Copy
Reexamination Certificate
1998-10-19
2002-04-16
Chen, Sophia S. (Department: 2852)
Electrophotography
Document handling
Copy
C270S058070, C399S085000, C399S110000, C399S401000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06374077
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a sheet processing apparatus sorting recording sheets and making post-processing and an image forming apparatus having this sheet processing apparatus such as a photocopier and a laser beam printer (LBP), etc.
2. Description of Related Art
A sheet processing apparatus
1001
, such as a sorter that performs sorting or stapling sheets or a finisher, conventionally has a frame, a housing, a controller, and so on, which are separated, as well as an automatic original document feeding apparatus
1002
or the like, from an image forming apparatus
1003
, and such a sheet processing apparatus is constituted to be detachable from the image forming apparatus
1003
.
Such a conventional structure, however, as the whole system, disadvantageously occupies a large installation area, because the sheet processing apparatus
1001
is attached to a side panel of the image forming apparatus
1003
. Moreover, when paper jamming occurs at a sheet transfer portion located between the sheet processing apparatus
1001
and the image forming apparatus
1003
, such a conventional apparatus is required to separate the sheet processing apparatus
1001
far away from the image forming apparatus
1003
to handle the paper jamming, and a space for such handling is also needed as opposing to a scheme of an office automation. Furthermore, since the sheet processing apparatus
1001
and the image forming apparatus
1003
are separated units, the conventional apparatus has increased number of parts, which invites higher costs.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the invention to provide an image forming apparatus, including a sheet processing apparatus, made compact as a whole, installed in a smaller space, and made with reduced costs.
A representative structure of the invention to accomplish the above object is an image forming apparatus having an image forming section for forming images on sheets, characterized in incorporating a sheet processing apparatus in a housing of the image forming apparatus for performing sorting, aligning, stapling and the like of sheets on which images are formed.
For example, the image forming apparatus capable of forming images in a multiple or double-sided way on sheets is characterized in disposing the sheet processing apparatus substantially below a conveying route reintroducing the sheets on which images are formed to the image forming section.
According to such a structure, since the sheet post-processing apparatus for performing sorting, aligning, stapling and the like of sheets on which images are formed is incorporated in an image forming apparatus, and more specifically, since the image forming apparatus capable of forming images in a multiple or double-sided way on sheets is formed in disposing the sheet processing apparatus substantially below a conveying route reintroducing the sheets on which images are formed to the image forming section, the image forming apparatus can render the whole apparatus compact, the installation area small, and costs reduced.
Furthermore, the above sheet processing apparatus is characterized in including a processing tray for collecting once sheets on which images are formed, bundle conveying means for conveying a sheet bundle on the processing tray, a reference member serving as a mounting reference for front ends of sheets in a feeding direction of the sheets mounted on the processing tray, aligning means for aligning the sheets placed on the processing tray in a direction perpendicular to the sheet feeding direction, and stapling means for stapling the sheets on the processing tray.
According to the sheet processing apparatus of the invention, since the sheet post-processing apparatus for performing sorting, aligning, stapling and the like of sheets on which images are formed is incorporated in an image forming apparatus, and more specifically, since the image forming apparatus capable of forming images in a multiple or double-sided way on sheets is formed in disposing the sheet processing apparatus substantially below a conveying route reintroducing the sheets on which images are formed to the image forming section, the image forming apparatus can render the whole apparatus compact, the installation area small, and costs reduced.
Another sheet processing apparatus can have an image forming section for forming images on a sheet surface, a sheet conveying section for conveying sheets on which images are formed at the image forming section, a first sheet delivery section disposed at an end of a first conveying route branching from the sheet conveying section, a second sheet delivery section disposed at an end of a second conveying route branching from the sheet conveying section, a sheet stacking section for stacking the sheets conveyed from the first and second conveying routes, a sheet bundle containing section arranged at a location other than the sheet stacking section for containing a stacked sheet bundle, and conveying speed regulating means for setting sheet conveying speed in the second conveying route faster than sheet conveying speed on an upstream side of the second conveying route and sheet conveying speed from the sheet conveying section to the first sheet delivery section, during a mode for delivering the sheets from the second sheet delivery section onto the sheet stacking section to stack the sheets thereon until the sheet bundle is completely delivered onto the sheet bundle containing section after the sheets are delivered from the first sheet delivery section onto the sheet stacking section to stack the sheets thereon.
With such a sheet processing apparatus, the sheet conveying speed in the second conveying route is set faster than the sheet conveying speed on an upstream side of the second conveying route and the sheet conveying speed from the sheet conveying section to the first sheet delivery section, and therefore, after completion of sheet bundle containing operation, time until the sheets are delivered from the first sheet delivery section after the sheets are delivered from the second sheet delivery section is increased to enable the sheet bundle to be movable to the first sheet delivery section, thereby achieving high productivity of the apparatus itself.
As another sheet processing apparatus, this invention can have an image forming section for forming images on a sheet surface, a sheet conveying section for conveying sheets on which images are formed at the image forming section, a first sheet delivery section disposed at an end of a first conveying route branching from the sheet conveying section, a second sheet delivery section disposed at an end of a second conveying route branching from the sheet conveying section, a sheet stacking section for stacking the sheets conveyed from the first and second conveying routes, and a sheet bundle containing section for containing a sheet bundle brought and stacked at a location other than the sheet stacking section, in having a mode for delivering the sheets from the second sheet delivery section onto the sheet stacking section to stack the sheets thereon until the sheet bundle is completely delivered onto the sheet bundle containing section after the sheets are delivered from the first sheet delivery section onto the sheet stacking section to stack the sheets thereon, and the sheet processing apparatus may further include movable stopper means movable along a sheet stacking surface to regulate front ends of the sheets while the sheets from the first and second delivery sections are stacked, stationary stopper means secured to the sheet stacking surface to regulate the front ends of the sheets while the sheets from either of the first and second delivery sections are stacked, and conveying speed regulating means for setting sheet conveying speed in the second conveying route faster than sheet conveying speed on an upstream side of the second conveying route and sheet conveying speed from the sheet conveying section to the first sheet delivery section.
With such a sheet processing a
Fukuyama Koji
Hirai Katsuaki
Kato Katsuhito
Sato Masa-aki
Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
Chen Sophia S.
Fitzpatrick ,Cella, Harper & Scinto
LandOfFree
Sheet processing apparatus and image forming apparatus... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Sheet processing apparatus and image forming apparatus..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Sheet processing apparatus and image forming apparatus... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2881560