Opening and closing tray for sheet processing tray

• US 7,172,188 B2
• Filed: 12/10/2004
• Issued: 02/06/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Toshiba Tec Corporation (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toshiba Tec Corporation (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Taki, Hiroyuki, Yamamoto, Hajime, Murakami, Reiji, Sugizaki, Yoshiaki, Terao, Yasunobu
• Primary Examiner(s): MACKEY, PATRICK HEWEY
• Application Number:
  US11/008,349
• Publication Number:
  US 20060066031A1
• Time in Patent Office: 788 Days
• Field of Search: 270/58.08, 270/58.11, 270/58.12, 270/58.14, 270/58.18, 399/410, 271/189, 271/190, 271/191, 271/192
• US Class Current: 270/58.18
• CPC Class Codes: B42C 1/12 Machines for both collating or gathering and permanently attaching together the sheets or signatures
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2220/02 indicating an entity which is controlled, adjusted or changed by a control process, i.e. output
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2220/11 indicating that the input or output entities exclusively relate to machine elements
• 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 2511/214 Inclination
• 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 waiting tray is provided in a sheet-conveying path and holds sheets if the sheets need to be post-processed. A processing tray receives sheets conveyed from the waiting tray. It may receive sheets conveyed through the sheet-conveying path and coming not via the waiting tray, before the sheets are post-processed. A conveying mechanism is provided, which causes the sheets to fall, due to gravity, from the waiting tray onto a processing tray. A sheet-aligning mechanism aligns the sheets on the processing tray, at their transverse edges and longitudinal edges. On the processing tray, the sheets are post-processed, forming a bundle. The conveying mechanism conveys the bundle of sheets to a storage tray. The waiting tray has an angle of inclination.

Claims

1. A sheet post-process apparatus, comprising:

a plurality of rollers which receive sheets from a multi-function peripheral and convey the sheets forward;

a processing tray that holds a bundle of sheets to be post-processed;

an opening and closing tray provided above the processing tray that receives sheets from the rollers, the opening and closing tray holding sheets conveyed without being post-processed and holding some of the sheets forming the bundle of sheets before being post-processed when in a closed position;

a storage tray which holds the bundle of sheets conveyed from the processing tray after being post-processed; and

an adjustable angle of inclination mechanism that adjusts an angle of inclination of the group consisting of the processing tray and the opening and closing tray.

2. The sheet post-process apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the angle of inclination is adjusted based on a speed that the sheets are conveyed.

3. The sheet post-process apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the angle of inclination is adjusted based on a type of sheet conveyed.

4. The sheet post-process apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the adjustable angle of inclination mechanism adjusts an angle of inclination of the storage tray.

5. The sheet post-process apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the adjustable angle of inclination mechanism includes a shaft and a screw member.

6. The sheet post-process apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a roller adjustment mechanism that adjusts the plurality of rollers when the angle of inclination of the opening and closing tray is adjusted.

7. The sheet post-process apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising a base member that holds the plurality of rollers.

8. The sheet post-process apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the roller adjustment mechanism includes a shaft and a lack.

9. The sheet post-process apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the adjustable angle of inclination mechanism includes a shaft and a lack.

10. The sheet post-process apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processing tray holds the some of the sheets forming the bundle of sheets from the opening and closing tray and other sheets forming the bundle of sheets conveyed without being held on the opening and closing tray.

11. The sheet post-process apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising a post-process mechanism that performs a post-process on the bundle of sheets on the processing tray.

12. A sheet post-process apparatus, comprising:

a plurality of rollers which receive sheets from a multi-function peripheral and convey the sheets forward;

a processing tray that holds a bundle of sheets to be post-processed;

an opening and closing tray provided above the processing tray that receives sheets from the rollers, the opening and closing tray holding sheets conveyed without being post-processed and holding some of the sheets forming the bundle of sheets before being post-processed when in a closed position;

a storage tray which holds the bundle of sheets conveyed from the processing tray after being post-processed; and

means for adjusting an angle of inclination of the group consisting of the processing tray and the opening and closing tray.

13. The sheet post-process apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the angle of inclination is adjusted based on a speed that the sheets are conveyed.

14. The sheet post-process apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the angle of inclination is adjusted based on a type of sheet conveyed.

15. The sheet post-process apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the means for adjusting an angle of inclination adjusts an angle of inclination of the storage tray.

16. The sheet post-process apparatus according to claim 12, further comprising a roller adjustment mechanism that adjusts the plurality of rollers when the angle of inclination of the opening and closing tray is adjusted.

17. The sheet post-process apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the processing tray holds the some of the sheets forming the bundle of sheets from the opening and closing tray and other sheets forming the bundle of sheets conveyed without being held on the opening and closing tray.

18. The sheet post-process apparatus according to claim 17, further comprising a post-process mechanism that performs a post-process on the bundle of sheets on the processing tray.

19. A method for post-processing sheets, comprising:

receiving sheets from a multi-function peripheral;

conveying the sheets forward;

holding sheets on an opening and closing tray conveyed without being post-processed and holding some of the sheets forming a bundle of sheets before being post-processed when the opening and closing tray is in a closed position;

conveying the some of the sheets forming the bundle sheets from the opening and closing tray and other sheets forming the bundle of sheets to a processing tray to be post-processed;

conveying the bundle of sheets from the processing tray to a storage tray after being post-processed; and

adjusting an angle of inclination of the group consisting of the processing tray and the opening and closing tray.

20. The method for post-processing sheets according to claim 19, further comprising adjusting an angle of inclination of the storage tray.