Sheet conveying apparatus and image forming system

Abstract

A sheet conveying apparatus is connected between an image forming apparatus and a post-processing apparatus to receive the sheet ejected from the image forming apparatus, and to eject the sheet to the post-processing apparatus. The sheet conveying apparatus receives, from the post-processing apparatus, a sheet reception line speed information showing a line speed for the post-processing apparatus to receive the sheet, and receives, from the image forming apparatus, a sheet ejection line speed information showing a line speed for the image forming apparatus to eject the sheet. A conveyance line speed control section controls the conveyance line speed at the time of receiving the sheet from the image forming apparatus based on a sheet ejection line speed information, and controls the conveyance line speed at the time of ejecting the sheet to the post-processing apparatus based on a sheet reception line speed information.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic structural diagram of image forming system 1 in the first embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing functional structures of image forming apparatus 100, sheet conveying apparatus 200 and post-processing apparatus 300 all constituting image forming system 1.

FIG. 3 is a flow chart showing process at the time of power-on in the first embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a flow chart showing process at the time of first image forming in the first embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a diagram for illustrating a method of calculation of sheet interval T₂.

FIG. 6 is a flow chart showing process at the time of second image forming in the second embodiment.

Claims

1. A sheet conveying apparatus which is connected with an image forming apparatus and a post-processing apparatus therebetween, and which receives a sheet ejected from the image forming apparatus and conveys the sheet at a conveyance line speed to eject the sheet to the post-processing apparatus, the sheet conveying apparatus comprising: a first receiving section which receives, from the post-processing apparatus, a sheet reception line speed information indicating a line speed for the post-processing apparatus to receive the sheet;a second receiving section which receives, from the image forming apparatus, a sheet ejection line speed information indicating a line speed for the image forming apparatus to eject the sheet and a sheet size information with reference to each sheet to be ejected from the image forming apparatus;a storing section to store the sheet reception line speed information, the sheet ejection line speed information and the sheet size information;a calculating section for calculating timing for the image forming apparatus to eject the sheet with reference to each sheet based on the information stored in the storing section;a transmitting section for transmitting the timing information to the image forming apparatus;a conveyance line speed control section which controls the conveyance line speed at a time of receiving the sheet from the image forming apparatus based on the sheet ejection line speed information, and which controls the conveyance line speed at a time of ejecting the sheet to the post-processing apparatus based on the sheet reception line speed information.

2. The sheet conveying apparatus of claim 1, wherein the calculating section calculates the timing based on time required for post-processing in the post processing apparatus.

3. The sheet conveying apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: at least two conveyance paths;a switching section for switching the conveyance paths;wherein the switching section switches to the shortest path when the sheet ejection line speed is same as the sheet reception line speed.

4. An image forming system comprising: an image forming apparatus;a post-processing apparatus; anda sheet conveying apparatus which is connected with the image forming apparatus and the post-processing apparatus therebetween, and which receives a sheet ejected from the image forming apparatus and conveys the sheet at a conveyance line speed to eject the sheet to the post-processing apparatus,wherein the image forming apparatus includes a sheet ejection line speed information transmitting section which transmits, to the sheet conveying apparatus, a sheet ejection line speed information indicating a line speed for the image forming apparatus to eject the sheet and a sheet size information with reference to each sheet to be ejected from the image forming apparatus,the post-processing apparatus includes a sheet reception line speed information transmitting section which transmits, to the sheet conveying apparatus, a sheet reception line speed information indicating a line speed for the post-processing apparatus to receive the sheet, andthe sheet conveying apparatus includes: a first receiving section which receives the sheet reception line speed information from the post-processing apparatus,a second receiving section which receives the sheet ejection line speed information and the sheet size information from the image forming apparatus,a storing section which stores the sheet reception line speed information, the sheet ejection line speed information and the sheet size information;a calculating section for calculating timing for the image forming apparatus to eject the sheet with reference to each sheet based on the information stored in the storing section;a transmitting section for transmitting the timing information;a conveyance line speed control section which controls the conveyance line speed at a time of receiving the sheet from the image forming apparatus based on the sheet ejection line speed information and which controls the conveyance line speed at a time of ejecting the sheet to the post-processing apparatus based on the sheet reception line speed information, andwherein the image forming apparatus further includes:a receiving section for receiving the timing information from the sheet conveying apparatus; anda control section for controlling the timing for each sheet based on the timing information.

5. The image forming system of claim 4, wherein the calculating section calculates the timing based on time required for post-processing in the post processing apparatus.

6. The image forming system of claim 4, wherein the sheet conveying apparatus comprises:at least two conveyance paths;a switching section for switching the conveyance paths;wherein the switching section switches to the shortest path when the ejection line speed is same as the reception line speed.