Claims
- 1. A sheet post-processing apparatus comprising:
- at least one sheet receiving bin for receiving sheets;
- sheet discharging means for discharging sheets into said sheet receiving bins, said discharging means being provided with a path for guiding the sheet to said sheet receiving means, wherein said path has a fixed portion and a movable portion which is faced to said sheet receiving bin;
- post-processing means for post-processing the sheets stored in said sheet receiving bin;
- supporting means for supporting said movable portion of said sheet discharging means, for movement between a first location at a discharging location for discharging the sheets into said sheet receiving bin and a second location at a retract location away from the first location; and
- moving means for moving said movable portion of said sheet discharging means from the first location to the second location when relative movement is imparted between the sheets and said post-processing means so that said post-processing means effects its post-processing operation at a predetermined location along the edges of the sheets in said sheet receiving bins.
- 2. A sheet post-processing means according to claim 1, wherein said post-processing means is movable substantially in parallel with the sheet edge to allow a post-processing operation to be performed on the sheet, at a predetermined point or points along the sheet edge; and wherein when the post-processing operation is performed on the sheet at least at one corner along the sheet edge, said post-processing means is operated with said movable portion of said discharging means at first location, and when the post-processing operation is performed on the sheet, at substantially the center portion along the sheet edge or at the other corner, said post-processing means is operated with said movable portion of said discharging means at the second location.
- 3. A sheet post-processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said post-processing means take a position at one of (i) a first location where said post-processing means performs the post-processing operation and said post-processing means interferes with said sheet-discharging means if said movable portion of said sheet discharging means has not been moved away, (ii) a second location where said post-processing means does not interfere with said sheet discharging means, and (iii) a third location set up between the first and second locations where said post-processing means does not interfere with said receiving tray and the sheet(s) thereon during the movement of said sheet receiving tray.
- 4. A sheet post-processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said apparatus further comprises first detecting means for detecting the presence of said post-processing means at a post-processing location and second detecting means for detecting the presence of said movable portion of said sheet discharging means at the discharging location, and wherein when the presence of said post-processing means at the post-processing location is detected by said first detecting means, the movement of said movable portion of said discharging means from the retract location to the discharging location is prohibited, and when the presence of said movable portion of said discharging means at the discharging location is detected by said second detecting means, the movement of said post-processing means to the post-processing location is prohibited.
- 5. A sheet post-processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the movement of said movable portion of said sheet discharging means from the first location to the second location is caused by linking-driving means which directly links the movement of said movable portion of said sheet discharging means and the movement of said post-processing means, relative to the sheets, for performing the post-processing operation with each other.
- 6. An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said movable portion of said sheet discharging means has a swingable guiding plate and a roller at an end thereof, and said post-processing means includes a member, formed in said stapler, for urging said movable portion of said sheet discharging means when said stapler is moved to a stapling position.
- 7. A sheet post-processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said movable portion of said sheet discharging means is moved from the first location to the second location by electromotive means, wherein said electromotive means moves before occurrence of the relative movement in accordance with a signal related to imparting of the relative movement.
- 8. A sheet post-processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said post-processing means is disposed at a location adjacent to said sheet receiving tray, so as to face said sheet receiving tray, on the discharging means side, and to allow said sheet to be advanced toward or moved away from said sheet receiving tray.
- 9. A sheet post-processing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said apparatus further comprises a supporting member for supporting rotatively said post-processing means, said supporting means being enabled to move substantially parallel to the edge of the sheets on said sheet receiving tray, on the side where the sheets are post-processed, and wherein after said post-processing means is selectively rotated at a predetermined location adjacent to the sheet edge, the sheets and said post-processing means are moved, relative to each other, in such a direction that the sheet edge crosses into the post-processing location so as for the sheet to be post-processed.
- 10. A sheet post-processing apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the location where said post-processing means is selectively rotated is adjacent to at least one of the corners of the sheet edge, and the rotational direction of said post-processing means is such that a substantially triangular shape is formed by the two edges of one of the sheet corners to be post-processed and the line of the staple orientation.
- 11. A sheet post-processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a sheet set is moved to the post-processing location.
- 12. A sheet post-processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said receiving tray is moved to the post-processing location.
- 13. An image forming apparatus comprising a sheet post-processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the sheets on which images are formed with the use of image forming means are delivered to said sheet post-processing means to be post-processed.
- 14. An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of said sheet receiving bins arranged substantially vertical, said plurality of sheet receiving bins being shifted so that each of said plurality of sheet receiving bins are faced to said movable portion of said sheet discharging means, said movable portion having a swingable guide and a roller at an end thereof, and said post-processing means including a stapler for stapling the sheets on said plurality of sheet receiving bins placed adjacent said roller.
- 15. A sheet post-processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of said sheet receiving bins, said plurality of sheet receiving bins arranged substantially vertically, said plurality of sheet receiving bins being shifted so that each of said plurality of sheet receiving bins are faced to said sheet discharging means, said post-processing means including a stapler and taking a position at one of a first location at which a post-processing operation is performed and at which said post-processing means interferes with said sheet discharging means if said moving means has not moved said movable portion of said sheet discharging means, a second location where said post-processing means does not interfere with said sheet discharging means, and a third location between the first and second locations at which said post-processing means does not interfere with said plurality of sheet receiving bins and the sheets thereon during movement of said plurality of sheet receiving bins, so that when the sheets on said plurality of sheet receiving bins are to be stapled, said stapler moves between the first location and the third location in accordance with the shifting movement of said plurality of sheet receiving bins.
- 16. An apparatus according to claim 15, wherein when said stapler takes one of the first location and the third location, said movable portion of said sheet discharging means takes the second location.
- 17. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said movable portion comprises a swingable guide plate having a discharging roller at its end.
- 18. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said moving means comprises a mechanical mechanism for transmitting movement of said post-processing means to said movable portion.
- 19. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said moving means comprises a motor for moving said movable portion.
- 20. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said post-processing means comprises gripping means for gripping and feeding the sheets.
- 21. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said post-processing means comprises a stapler.
- 22. An apparatus according to claim 21, wherein said stapler is movable toward said receiving bin to staple the sheets.
- 23. An apparatus according to claim 21, wherein the sheets on said receiving bin move toward said stapler.
- 24. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein there are provided a plurality of said sheet receiving bins arranged substantially vertically, and said sheet discharging means being disposed for each of said plurality of said sheet receiving bins, and said post-processing means moves substantially vertically relative to said sheet receiving bins.
- 25. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said movable portion comprises a swingable guide plate having a discharging roller at its end, wherein said post-processing means includes stapler movable between a stapling position and a retracted position, and wherein said moving means constitutes a part of said stapler, and is effective to swing said swingable plate to the retracted position together with the discharging roller in cooperation with movement of said stapler to the stapling position before movement of said stapler to its stapling position.
- 26. An apparatus according to claim 25, wherein there are provided a plurality of said sheet receiving bins arranged vertically and movable step-by-step to face said discharging roller, wherein said stapler is at such a level so as to staple the sheets in a bin facing said discharging roller.
- 27. A sheet post-processing apparatus comprising:
- at least one sheet receiving bin for receiving the sheets;
- sheet discharging means for discharging the sheets into said sheet receiving bins, said discharging means being provided with a path for guiding the sheet to said sheet receiving means, wherein said path has a fixed portion and a movable portion which is faced to said sheet receiving bin;
- post-processing means for post-processing the sheets stored in said sheet receiving bin;
- supporting means for supporting said movable portion of said sheet discharging means, for movement between a first location for discharging the sheets into said sheet receiving bin and a second location at a retracted location distance away from the first location; and
- moving means for moving said movable portion of said sheet discharging means from the first location to the second location in cooperation with movement of said post-processing means.
- 28. An apparatus according to claim 27, wherein said movable portion comprises a swingable guide plate having a discharging roller at its end.
- 29. An apparatus according to claim 27, wherein said moving means comprises a mechanical mechanism for transmitting movement of said post-processing means to said movable portion.
- 30. An apparatus according to claim 27, wherein said post-processing means comprises a gripping means for gripping and feeding the sheets.
- 31. An apparatus according to claim 27, wherein said post-processing means comprises a stapler.
- 32. An apparatus according to claim 31, wherein said stapler is movable toward said receiving bin to staple the sheets.
- 33. An apparatus according to claim 31, wherein the sheets on said receiving bin move toward said stapler.
- 34. An apparatus according to claim 27, wherein there are provided a plurality of said sheet receiving bins arranged substantially vertically, and said sheet discharging means being disposed for each of said bins, and said post-processing means moves substantially vertically relative to said sheet receiving bins.
- 35. An apparatus according to claim 27, wherein said movable portion comprises a swingable guide plate having a discharging roller at its end, wherein said post-processing means includes a stapler movable between a stapling position and a retracted position, and wherein said moving means constitutes a part of said stapler, and is effective to swing said swingable plate to the retracted position together with the discharging roller in cooperation with movement of said stapler to the stapling position.
- 36. An apparatus according to claim 35, wherein there are provided a plurality of such sheet receiving bins arranged vertically and are movable step-by-step to face said discharging roller, wherein said stapler is at such a level so as to staple the sheets in a bin facing said discharging roller.
- 37. A sheet post-processing apparatus comprising:
- at least one sheet receiving bin for receiving the sheets;
- sheet discharging means for discharging the sheets into said sheet receiving bins, said discharging means being provided with a path for guiding the sheet to said sheet receiving means, wherein said path has a fixed portion and a movable portion which is faced to said sheet receiving bin;
- post-processing means for post-processing the sheets stored in said sheet receiving bin;
- supporting means for supporting said movable portion of said sheet discharging means,for movement between a first location at a discharging location for discharging the sheets into said sheet receiving bin and a second location at a retracted location distance away from the first location; and
- moving means for moving said movable portion of said sheet discharging means from the first location to the second location to permit said post-processing means to move to its operating position.
- 38. An apparatus according to claim 37, wherein said moving means comprises an electromotive means, and wherein said post-processing means moves to its operative position when it is detected that said movable portion reaches the retracted location.
- 39. An apparatus according to claim 38, wherein said movable portion comprises a swingable guide plate having a discharging roller at its end.
- 40. An apparatus according to claim 38, wherein said post-processing means comprises a gripping means for gripping and feeding the sheets.
- 41. An apparatus according to claim 38, wherein said post-processing means comprises a stapler.
- 42. An apparatus according to claim 38, wherein there are provided a plurality of said sheet receiving bins arranged substantially vertically, and said sheet discharging means being disposed for each of said bins, and said post-processing means moves substantially vertically relative to said sheet receiving bins.
- 43. An apparatus according to claim 38, wherein said movable part comprises a swingable guide plate having a discharging roller at its end, wherein said post-processing means includes a stapler movable between a stapling position and a retracted position, and wherein said moving means is effective to swing said swingable plate to the retracted position together with the discharging roller before movement of said stapler to the stapling position.
- 44. An apparatus according to claim 43, wherein there are provided a plurality of said sheet receiving bins arranged vertically and are movable step-by-step to face to said discharging roller, wherein said stapler is at such a level so as to staple the sheets in the bin facing said discharging roller.
Priority Claims (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
Kind |
5-284523 |
Oct 1993 |
JPX |
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Parent Case Info
This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 08/545,056 filed Oct. 19, 1995, now abandoned, which is a continuation of application Ser. No. 08/324,965 filed Oct. 18, 1994, abandoned.
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Continuations (2)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
545056 |
Oct 1995 |
|
Parent |
324965 |
Oct 1994 |
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