Sheet post-process system and sheet post-processing method

• US 7,494,116 B2
• Filed: 10/22/2007
• Issued: 02/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• 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
• Assistant Examiner(s): NICHOLSON III, LESLIE AUGUST
• Application Number:
  US11/976,140
• Publication Number:
  US 20080061490A1
• Time in Patent Office: 491 Days
• Field of Search: 270/32, 270/37, 270/58.07, 270/58.08, 270/58.09, 270/58.11, 270/58.12, 270/58.14, 270/58.18
• US Class Current: 270/37
• 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 Z-folding mechanism configured to perform a Z-fold process for sheets;

a standby tray arranged under the Z-folding mechanism configured to catch the sheets dropped from the Z-folding mechanism, and load other sheets which are provided after the sheets;

a processing tray arranged under the standby tray configured to load the sheets dropped from the standby tray and the sheets which are provided after the sheets dropped from the standby tray and the sheets which are provided after the sheets or the Z-folding mechanism not via the standby tray; and

a processing mechanism configured to perform a post process for the sheets loaded on the processing tray before the standby tray drops the other sheets onto the processing tray.

2. 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 slides and moves the tray members to drop and feed the sheets onto the processing tray.

3. A sheet post-process system, comprising:

a first processing mechanism configured to perform a first post process for sheets;

a standby tray arranged under the first processing mechanism configured to catch the sheets dropped from the first processing mechanism, and load other sheets which are provided after the sheets;

a processing tray arranged under the standby tray configured to load the sheets dropped from the standby tray and the sheets which are provided after the sheets or the first processing mechanism not via the standby tray;

a second processing mechanism configured to perform a second post process for the sheets loaded on the processing tray before the standby tray drops the other sheets onto the processing tray; and

a gate configured to branch the sheets to either of the first processing mechanism and to the standby tray.

4. A sheet post-process system, comprising:

a first processing mechanism configured to perform a first post process for sheets;

a standby tray arranged under the first processing mechanism and is composed of at least a pair of tray members for respectively supporting both sides of the sheets configured to catch the sheets dropped from the first processing mechanism, and load other sheets which are provided after the sheets and slides and moves the tray members to drop and feed the sheets onto the processing tray;

a processing tray arranged under the standby tray configured to load the sheets dropped from the standby tray and the sheets which are provided after the sheets or the first processing mechanism not via the standby tray;

a second processing mechanism configured to perform a second post process for the sheets loaded on the processing tray before the standby tray drops the other sheets onto the processing tray; and

a gate configured to branch the sheets to either of the first processing mechanism and to the standby tray, wherein the standby tray is moved to a position which does not disturb a dropping of the sheets not to be performed the first post process during the gate branches the sheets to the standby tray and the standby tray drops the sheets onto the processing tray.

5. A sheet post-processing method, comprising:

performing a Z-fold process for sheets by a Z-folding mechanism;

catching the sheets dropped from the Z-folding mechanism, and loading other sheets which are provided after the sheets on a standby tray;

loading the sheets dropped from the standby tray and the sheets which are provided after the sheets or the Z-folding mechanism not via the standby tray on a processing tray; and

performing a post process for the sheets loaded on the processing tray, before the standby tray drops the other sheets onto the processing tray.

6. A sheet post-processing method, comprising:

performing a first post process for sheets by a first processing mechanism;

catching the sheets dropped from the first processing mechanism, and loading other sheets which are provided after the sheets on a standby tray;

loading the sheets dropped from the standby tray and the sheets which are provided after the sheets or the first processing mechanism not via the standby tray on a processing tray;

performing a second post process for the sheets loaded on the processing tray, before the standby tray drops the other sheets onto the processing tray; and

making branch the sheets to either of the first processing mechanism and to the standby tray.

7. The sheet post-processing method according to claim 6, 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.

8. A sheet post-processing method, comprising:

performing a first post process for sheets by a first processing mechanism;

catching the sheets dropped from the first processing mechanism, and loading other sheets which are provided after the sheets on a standby tray which 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;

performing a second post process for the sheets loaded on the processing tray, before the standby tray drops the other sheets onto the processing tray; and

branching the sheets to either of the first processing mechanism and to the standby tray, wherein the standby tray is moved to a position which does not disturb a dropping of the sheets not to be performed the first post process during the gate branches the sheets to the standby tray and the standby tray drops the sheets onto the processing tray.