SHEET PROCESSING APPARATUS AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS

Abstract

A sheet processing apparatus according to an aspect of the invention can process a first-size sheet having a first length and a second-size sheet having a second length smaller than the first length. The sheet processing apparatus includes an intermediate stacking portion on which the sheets are stacked; a stapler which performs a stapling process to the sheets; a second alignment reference wall and a first jogger which align the sheets with a stapling process position; and a second jogger which is moved toward the second alignment reference wall and first jogger. Irrespective of a sheet size, the second jogger is moved toward the second alignment reference wall and first jogger by an alignment distance necessary to align the second-size sheet with a stapling process position, which allows the stapler to staple the sheets with at least one of two staple legs.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a sheet processing apparatus according to a first embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional side view showing an image forming apparatus of the first embodiment;

FIG. 3 is a sectional side view showing the sheet processing apparatus;

FIG. 4 is a sectional side view showing the sheet processing apparatus;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the sheet processing apparatus;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a sheet alignment member;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the sheet alignment member;

FIG. 8 is a top view of the sheet processing apparatus;

FIG. 9 is a top view of the sheet processing apparatus;

FIG. 10 is a top view of the sheet processing apparatus;

FIG. 11 is a top view of the sheet processing apparatus;

FIG. 12 is a top view of the sheet processing apparatus;

FIG. 13 is a top view of the sheet processing apparatus;

FIG. 14 is a perspective view showing a sheet processing apparatus according to a second embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 15 is a perspective view showing a sheet processing apparatus according to a third embodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 16 is a perspective view of a conventional sheet processing apparatus.

Claims

1. A sheet processing apparatus which processes a sheet after aligning the sheet, the sheet processing apparatus comprising: a stacking portion on which the sheet is stacked;an alignment reference member on which end portions of the sheets stacked on the stacking portion are abutted to align the sheets; andan alignment member which is moved toward the alignment reference member,wherein, in aligning either first-size sheet having a first length in a moving direction of the alignment member or a second-size sheet having a second length smaller than the first length, the alignment member is moved toward the alignment reference member by an alignment distance necessary to align the second-size sheet.

2. The sheet processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the alignment member is moved by the alignment distance at least one time while the plurality of sheets are conveyed to the stacking portion.

3. The sheet processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the alignment member is moved by the alignment distance when the first sheet or the last sheet is conveyed in the plurality of sheets.

4. The sheet processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the alignment member is moved by the alignment distance in each time the plurality of sheets are conveyed.

5. The sheet processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the alignment member includes an abutment portion which elastically abuts on an end portion of the sheet in the moving direction of the alignment member.

6. The sheet processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the alignment member is moved toward the alignment reference member from a standby position where the alignment member does not obstruct conveyance of the sheet to the stacking portion, and changes the standby position in case the sheet to be conveyed is the first-size sheet or the second-size sheet.

7. The sheet processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a stapler which performs a stapling process of stapling the sheets stacked on the stacking portion with a staple having two staple legs;wherein the alignment member is moved toward the reference member by the alignment distance necessary to align the second-size sheet, which allows the stapler to staple the sheets with at least one of the two staple legs.

8. An image forming apparatus comprising: an image forming portion which forms an image on a sheet; andthe sheet processing apparatus according to claim 1 which processes the sheet on which the image is formed by the image forming portion.