Z-folder and standby tray for post processing device

• US 7,344,131 B2
• Filed: 03/22/2005
• Issued: 03/18/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Toshiba Tec Corporation (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toshiba Tec Corporation (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Iijima, Tomomi, Terao, Yasunobu, Taki, Hiroyuki, Yamamoto, Mikio, Sugizaki, Yoshiaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Crawford; Gene O.
• Assistant Examiner(s): NICHOLSON III, LESLIE AUGUST
• Application Number:
  US11/085,240
• Publication Number:
  US 20060066036A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,092 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: 270/58.08
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2801/27 Devices located downstream of office-type machines
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 31/24 multiple or compartmented, e.d. for alternate, programmed, or selective filling
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 31/32 Auxiliary devices for receiving articles during removal of a completed pile
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 37/04 for securing together articles or webs, e.g. by adhesive, stitching or stapling adhering replacement to expiring web during change of web roll B65H19/18

Abstract

Above a processing tray, a standby tray for making sheets of paper P stand by is installed. The sheets of paper P on the standby tray are dropped, fed, and moved to the processing tray, thus the conveying path from the standby tray to the processing tray is shortened. Furthermore, a Z-folding mechanism is arranged above the standby tray, and the sheets of paper P folded in a Z shape are dropped, and are mixed and stapled on the standby tray or processing tray, and even when performing a plurality of post processes for sheets, miniaturization of a sheet post-process system is retained.

Claims

1. A sheet post-process system, comprising:

a first processing mechanism for performing a first post process for sheets ejected from an image forming apparatus;

a standby tray for making the sheets ejected from the image forming apparatus and/or sheets ejected from the first processing mechanism stand by;

a gate for branching the sheets ejected from the image forming apparatus to the first processing mechanism when the first post process is to be performed and to the standby tray when the first post process is not to be performed;

a processing tray arranged under the standby tray for loading the sheets dropped and fed from the standby tray and the sheets ejected from the image forming apparatus or the first processing mechanism not via the standby tray;

a second processing mechanism for performing a second post process for the plurality of sheets loaded on the processing tray; and

a paper ejection tray for directly loading the sheets after ending either the first post process or the second post process,

wherein the standby tray is composed of at least a pair of tray members for respectively supporting both sides of the sheets and slides and moves the tray members to drop and feed the sheets onto the processing tray.

2. The sheet post-process system according to claim 1, wherein the first processing mechanism is arranged above the standby tray.

3. The sheet post-process system according to claim 1, wherein the first processing mechanism is a Z-folding mechanism.

4. The sheet post-process system according to claim 1, wherein the second processing mechanism is a stapler for bundling the plurality of sheets loaded on the processing tray.

5. The sheet post-process system according to claim 1, wherein the standby tray is composed of at least a pair of tray members for respectively supporting both sides of the sheets and rotates and moves the tray members to drop and feed the sheets onto the processing tray.

6. The sheet post-process system according to claim 1, wherein the paper ejection tray can load the sheets ejected from the standby tray not via the processing tray.

7. A sheet post-processing method, comprising:

a first processing step of performing a first post process for sheets ejected from an image forming apparatus by a first processing mechanism;

a standby step of making the sheets ejected from the image forming apparatus and/or sheets finishing the first processing step stand by on a standby tray;

a branching step of branching the sheets ejected from the image forming apparatus to the first processing mechanism when the first post process is to be performed and branching the sheets from the image forming device to the standby tray when the first post process is not to be performed;

a loading step of loading the sheets dropped and fed from the standby tray and the sheets ejected from the image forming apparatus or the first processing mechanism not via the standby tray on a processing tray arranged under the standby tray;

a second processing step of performing a second post process for the plurality of sheets loaded on the processing tray by a second processing mechanism; and

a paper ejection step of directly loading the sheets after ending either the first post process or the second post process on a paper ejection tray,

wherein the loading step slides and moves at least a pair of tray members for respectively supporting both sides of the sheets in the standby tray and drops and feeds the sheets onto the processing tray.

8. The sheet post-processing method according to claim 7, wherein the first processing mechanism is arranged above the standby tray.

9. The sheet post-processing method according to claim 7, wherein the first processing step is Z-folding.

10. The sheet post-processing method according to claim 7, wherein the second processing step is a stapling step of bundling the plurality of sheets.

11. The sheet post-processing method according to claim 7, wherein the loading step rotates and moves at least a pair of tray members for respectively supporting both sides of the sheets in the standby tray and drops and feeds the sheets onto the processing tray.

12. The sheet post-processing method according to claim 7, wherein the paper ejection step loads also the sheets ejected form the standby tray not via the processing tray on the paper ejection tray.

13. A sheet post-process system, comprising:

a first processing mechanism for performing a first post process for sheets ejected from an image forming apparatus;

a standby tray for making the sheets ejected from the image forming apparatus and/or sheets ejected from the first processing mechanism stand by;

a gate for branching the sheets ejected from the image forming apparatus to the first processing mechanism when the first post process is to be performed and to the standby tray when the first post process is not to be performed;

a processing tray arranged under the standby tray for loading the sheets dropped and fed from the standby tray and the sheets ejected from the image forming apparatus or the first processing mechanism not via the standby tray; and

a second processing mechanism for performing a second post process for the sheets loaded on the processing tray,

wherein the standby tray is composed of at least a pair of tray members for respectively supporting both sides of the sheets and slides and moves the tray members to drop and feed the sheets onto the processing tray.

14. The sheet post-process system according to claim 13, wherein the first processing mechanism is arranged above the standby tray.

15. The sheet post-process system according to claim 13, wherein the first processing mechanism is a Z-folding mechanism.

16. The sheet post-process system according to claim 13, wherein the second processing mechanism is a stapler for bundling the sheets loaded on the processing tray.

17. The sheet post-process system according to claim 13, wherein the standby tray is composed of at least a pair of tray members for respectively supporting both sides of the sheets and rotates and moves the tray members to drop and feed the sheets onto the processing tray.

18. A sheet post-process system, comprising:

a first processing mechanism configured to perform a first post process for sheets ejected from an image forming apparatus;

a standby tray configured to make the sheets ejected from the image forming apparatus and/or sheets ejected from the first processing mechanism stand by;

a gate configured to branch the sheets ejected from the image forming apparatus to the first processing mechanism when the first post process is to be performed and to the standby tray when the first post process is not to be performed;

a processing tray arranged under the standby tray configured to load the sheets dropped and fed from the standby tray and the sheets ejected from the image forming apparatus or the first processing mechanism not via the standby tray;

a second processing mechanism configured to perform a second post process for the plurality of sheets loaded on the processing tray; and

a paper ejection tray configured to directly load the sheets after ending either the first post process or the second post process,

wherein the standby tray is composed of at least a pair of tray members for respectively supporting both sides of the sheets and slides and moves the tray members to drop and feed the sheets onto the processing tray.

19. A sheet post-processing method, comprising:

a first processing step configured to perform a first post process for sheets ejected from an image forming apparatus by a first processing mechanism;

a standby step configured to make the sheets ejected from the image forming apparatus and/or sheets finishing the first processing step stand by on a standby tray;

a branching step configured to branch the sheets ejected from the image forming apparatus to the first processing mechanism when the first post process is to be performed and branching the sheets from the image forming device to the standby tray when the first post process is not to be performed;

a loading step configured to load the sheets dropped and fed from the standby tray and the sheets ejected from the image forming apparatus or the first processing mechanism not via the standby tray on a processing tray arranged under the standby tray,

a second processing step configured to perform a second post process for the plurality of sheets loaded on the processing tray by a second processing mechanism, and

a paper ejection step configured to directly load the sheets after ending of the second post process on a paper ejection tray,

wherein the loading step slides and moves at least a pair of tray members for respectively supporting both sides of the sheets in the standby tray and drops and feeds the sheets onto the processing tray.

20. A sheet post-process system, comprising:

a first processing mechanism configured to perform a first post process for sheets ejected from an image forming apparatus;

a standby tray configured to make the sheets ejected from the image forming apparatus and/or sheets ejected from the first processing mechanism stand by;

a gate configured to branch the sheets ejected from the image forming apparatus to the first processing mechanism when the first post process is to be performed and to the standby tray when the first post process is not to be performed;

a processing tray arranged under the standby tray configured to load the sheets dropped and fed from the standby tray and the sheets ejected from the image forming apparatus or the first processing mechanism not via the standby tray; and

a second processing mechanism configured to perform a second post process for the sheets loaded on the processing tray,

wherein the standby tray is composed of at least a pair of tray members for respectively supporting both sides of the sheets and slides and moves the tray members to drop and feed the sheets onto the processing tray.