Sheet finishing apparatus

• US 20060214344A1
• Filed: 03/22/2005
• Published: 09/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toshiba Tec Corporation (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toshiba Tec Corporation (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Terao, Yasunobu, Taki, Hiroyuki, Yamamoto, Hajime, Kawaguchi, Takahiro, Sugizaki, Yoshiaki
• Granted Patent: US 7,364,149 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 270/58.80
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2402/441 movable for facilitating access to area inside the housing, e.g. pivoting or sliding
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2404/63 Oscillating, pivoting around an axis parallel to face of material, e.g. diverting means
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2601/11 Clearing faulty handling, e.g. jams
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2801/27 Devices located downstream of office-type machines
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 29/14 and introducing into a pile
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 31/24 multiple or compartmented, e.d. for alternate, programmed, or selective filling

Abstract

A sheet finishing apparatus of the present invention takes in sheets of paper ejected from an image forming apparatus through a taking-in port and clamping and conveying the sheets of paper by a pair of pinch rollers for post processing, has a sheet guidance member which supports one of the pair of pinch rollers and can rotate between a first position where the one pinch roller and the other pinch roller make contact with each other and a second position where the one pinch roller is released from the other pinch roller, and furthermore includes a tray for loading the sheets of paper conveyed by the pair of pinch rollers and an assist arm which is attached rotatably to the sheet guidance member and when the one pinch roller and the other pinch roller are in contact with each other, is projected in the direction for pressing the sheets of paper in the tray and when the one pinch roller is released from the other pinch roller, is rotated in the opposite direction.

Claims

1. A sheet finishing apparatus for post-processing sheets of paper after image forming comprising:

a conveying path for taking in sheets of paper ejected from an image forming apparatus from a taking-in port and clamping and conveying said sheets of paper by a pair of pinch rollers for post processing,

a sheet guidance member which supports one of said pair of pinch rollers and can rotate between a first position where said one pinch roller and another pinch roller make contact with each other and a second position where said one pinch roller is released from said another pinch roller,

a tray for loading said sheets of paper conveyed by said pair of pinch rollers, and

an assist arm which is attached rotatably to said sheet guidance member and when said sheet guidance member is at said first position, is projected in a first direction for pressing said sheets of paper in said tray and when said sheet guidance member is at said second position, is rotated in a second direction opposite to said first direction.

2. A sheet finishing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

said assist arm has a fulcrum between one end and another end, and said fulcrum is attached inside said sheet guidance member, and said one end operates so as to press said sheets of paper in said tray, and said another end is moved by a rotary central shaft of said one pinch roller, and

when said first and second pinch rollers are in contact with each other, said one end moves in said first direction, and when said first and second pinch rollers are released from a contact condition, said rotary central shaft of said one pinch roller moves a predetermined distance, and said one end of said assist arm is moved in said second direction using said predetermined distance.

3. A sheet finishing apparatus comprising:

a gate for taking in sheets of paper ejected from an image forming apparatus through a taking-in port and switching to either of a first conveying path for post processing or a second conveying path for non-post processing to convey said sheets of paper,

a first tray which is attached to an upper part of said sheet finishing apparatus by a link mechanism and can rotate between a first height position where said sheets of paper conveyed via said second conveying path can be stored and a second height position away from said upper part,

a sheet guidance member which supports one of a pair of pinch rollers for clamping and conveying said sheets of paper passing said first conveying path and can rotate between a first position where said one pinch roller makes contact with another pinch roller and a second position where said one pinch roller is released from said another pinch roller,

a connection member for connecting said link mechanism and said sheet guidance member so as to set said sheet guidance member at said first position when said first tray is at said first height position and set said sheet guidance member at said second position when said tray is at said second height position,

a second tray for loading said sheets of paper conveyed by said pair of pinch rollers at a pre-stage of post processing,

an assist arm which is attached rotatably to said sheet guidance member and when said sheet guidance member is at said first position, is projected in a first direction for pressing said sheets of paper in said tray and when said sheet guidance member is at said second position, is rotated in a second direction opposite to said first direction, and

a processing mechanism for post-processing said sheets of paper loaded on said second tray.

4. A sheet finishing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein:

said sheet guidance member can rotate at an end, as fulcrum on an opposite side of said taking-in port and rotates in connection with said link mechanism by said connection member, and when said first tray is at said first height position, said one pinch roller makes contact with said another pinch roller, and when said first tray is at said second height position, said one pinch roller is released from said another pinch roller.

5. A sheet finishing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein:

said assist arm has a fulcrum between one end and another end, and said fulcrum is attached inside said sheet guidance member, and said one end operates so as to press said sheets of paper in said second tray, and said another end is moved by a rotary central shaft of said one pinch roller, and

when said first and second pinch rollers are in contact with each other, said one end moves in said first direction, and when said first and second pinch rollers are released from a contact condition, said rotary central shaft of said one pinch roller moves a predetermined distance, and said one end of said assist arm is moved in said second direction using said predetermined distance.