Sheet post-process apparatus

• US 20060066033A1
• Filed: 12/10/2004
• Published: 03/30/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toshiba Tec Corporation (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toshiba Tec Corporation (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Taki, Hiroyuki, Ise, Tokihiko, Iizuka, Chiaki, Yamamoto, Mikio, Yamamoto, Hajime, Iijima, Tomomi, Murakami, Reiji, Sugizaki, Yoshiaki, Terao, Yasunobu, Sasahara, Katsuya
• Granted Patent: US 7,300,045 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 270/58.110
• CPC Class Codes: B42C 1/12 Machines for both collating or gathering and permanently attaching together the sheets or signatures
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2301/4222 Squaring-up piles
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2301/422615 from opposite part-support elements, e.g. operated simultaneously
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 31/3018 from opposite part-support elements, e.g. operated simultaneously
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 31/32 Auxiliary devices for receiving articles during removal of a completed pile

Abstract

A sheet post-process apparatus includes a waiting tray and a processing tray. The waiting tray is provided in the middle of a conveying path and makes standby sheets in the case where a post-process is required. The processing tray has a function which causes the sheets made standby on the waiting sheet to be dropped by self-weight. With this function, the processing tray receives the sheets moved to be dropped and the sheets conveyed from the conveying path without intervening the waiting tray, before carrying out the post-process. Sheet bundles formed on the processing tray are stacked on a storage tray by a sheet conveying mechanism after they have been post-processed.

Claims

1. A sheet post-process apparatus comprising:

a plurality of rollers which receive and convey sheets conveyed from an MFP main body;

a waiting tray which is provided in the course of a conveying path, and makes standby the sheets conveyed from the rollers in the case where a post-process is required;

a conveying mechanism which causes the sheets made standby on the waiting tray to be dropped and moved by self-weight;

a processing tray which receives the sheets dropped and moved from the waiting tray and the sheets conveyed from the conveying path without intervening the waiting tray, before carrying out a post-process;

a post-process mechanism which carries out a post-process on a bundle of sheets aligned on the processing tray;

a sheet-conveying mechanism which conveys the post-processed bundle of sheets from the processing tray; and

a storage tray which stacks the bundle of sheets conveyed.

2. A sheet post-process apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processing tray is positioned vertically downwardly of the waiting tray.