Abstract: In order to reduce the stack failure of a sheet bundle, there is provided a sheet stacking/aligning apparatus comprising: a stack tray for stacking sheets thereon; and a rear end aligning member for pushing and aligning the rear end of a sheet conveyed onto the stack tray. The rear end aligning member includes sheet holding paddle for holding the sheets stacked on the stack tray.

Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus which is capable of securing a sufficient sheet bundle processing time period even with a short sheet conveying path to thereby maintain required capability of processing sheets conveyed at constant intervals. Rollers that convey sheets are controlled such that the conveyance speed of a sheet being conveyed by the rollers is increased in first timing so as to set the sheet at an increased distance from a succeeding sheet being conveyed by the rollers. When a sheet preceding the sheet being conveyed is the last sheet of a set of sheets to be processed by the sheet processing apparatus, the rollers are controlled to increase the conveyance speed of the sheet being conveyed in second timing later than the first timing.

Abstract: An image heating roller for heating a toner image on a recording material. The image heating roller includes a heat generation layer for generating heat by a microwave introduced into a hollow portion of the image heating roller. The image heating roller further includes a blocking layer, provided on the heat generation layer, for substantially blocking passing of the microwave.

Abstract: In order to reduce the stack failure of a sheet bundle, there is provided a sheet stacking/aligning apparatus comprising: a stack tray for stacking sheets thereon; and a rear end aligning member for pushing and aligning the rear end of a sheet conveyed onto the stack tray. The rear end aligning member includes sheet holding paddle for holding the sheets stacked on the stack tray.

Abstract: In order to reduce the stack failure of a sheet bundle, there is provided a sheet stacking/aligning apparatus comprising: a stack tray for stacking sheets thereon; and a rear end aligning member for pushing and aligning the rear end of a sheet conveyed onto the stack tray. The rear end aligning member includes sheet holding paddle for holding the sheets stacked on the stack tray.

Abstract: When the rear end of a sheet bundle S is brought to reach the clamping portion between a rocking roller and a rear end aligning wall by conveyance means, the individual timings, at which the rocking roller and the rear end aligning wall move to the escape position, are controlled to drop said sheet bundle S onto a stack tray, and then the rear end aligning wall is moved from the escape position to the support position thereby to register the rear end of the sheet bundle S dropped on the stack tray.

Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus which is capable of discharging a sheet at the optimum sheet discharging speed without stopping the conveyance of the sheet irrespective of differences in sheet conveying speed according to sheet types. A sheet discharging motor is controlled to drive a discharging roller to convey sheets in selected one of a first state in which the sheets are conveyed at speeds within a first speed range specified by a first maximum speed and a first minimum speed, and a second state in which the sheets are conveyed at speeds within a second speed range specified by a second maximum speed lower than the first maximum speed and a second minimum speed lower than the first minimum speed. The first speed range includes an overlapping range where the first speed range and the second speed range overlap.

Abstract: A sheet treating apparatus for treating a sheet having an image formed thereon is provided, which includes a pair of transport rollers for transporting the sheet upward, a sheet post-treating portion having an intermediate treatment tray, provided to execute post-treatment such as sheet stitching or punching while holding the sheet in a substantially vertical state, and a sheet delivery portion arranged above the sheet post-treating portion. Also, an image forming apparatus is provided, which includes an image reading portion for reading an image, an image forming portion arranged below the image reading portion to form an image on a sheet, a delivery space portion provided in an apparatus housing between the image reading portion and the image forming portion to deliver the sheet, sheet treating portion for treating the sheet while holding it in a substantially vertical state, and an in-body transportation path for transporting the sheet treated by the sheet treating means to the delivery space portion.

Abstract: When the rear end of a sheet bundle S is brought to reach the clamping portion between a rocking roller and a rear end aligning wall by conveyance means, the individual timings, at which the rocking roller and the rear end aligning wall move to the escape position, are controlled to drop said sheet bundle S onto a stack tray, and then the rear end aligning wall is moved from the escape position to the support position thereby to register the rear end of the sheet bundle S dropped on the stack tray.

Abstract: This invention can provide a fixing apparatus capable of determining its own life with high accuracy, and an image forming apparatus using this fixing apparatus. To accomplish this, a fixing apparatus includes a fixing unit whose nip portion is separable, a fixing driving motor which drives the fixing unit, a load detecting unit which detects the load acting on the fixing driving motor, and a determining unit which determines the life of the fixing unit on the basis of the difference between the load while the fixing unit is in a press-contacted state and the load while the fixing unit is in a separated state, which are detected by the load detecting unit.

Abstract: When the rear end of a sheet bundle S is brought to reach the clamping portion between a rocking roller and a rear end aligning wall by conveyance means, the individual timings, at which the rocking roller and the rear end aligning wall move to the escape position, are controlled to drop said sheet bundle S onto a stack tray, and then the rear end aligning wall is moved from the escape position to the support position thereby to register the rear end of the sheet bundle S dropped on the stack tray.

Abstract: An image heating roller for heating a toner image on a recording material, the image heating roller includes a heat generation layer for generating heat by micro-wave introduced into a hollow portion of the image heating roller; and a blocking layer, provided on the heat generation layer, for substantially blocking passing of the micro-wave.

Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus which is capable of securing a sufficient sheet bundle processing time period even with a short sheet conveying path to thereby maintain required capability of processing sheets conveyed at constant intervals. Rollers that convey sheets are controlled such that the conveyance speed of a sheet being conveyed by the rollers is increased in first timing so as to set the sheet at an increased distance from a succeeding sheet being conveyed by the rollers. When a sheet preceding the sheet being conveyed is the last sheet of a set of sheets to be processed by the sheet processing apparatus, the rollers are controlled to increase the conveyance speed of the sheet being conveyed in second timing later than the first timing.

Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus which is capable of securing a sufficient sheet bundle processing time period even with a short sheet conveying path to thereby maintain required capability of processing sheets conveyed at constant intervals. Rollers that convey sheets are controlled such that the conveyance speed of a sheet being conveyed by the rollers is increased in first timing so as to set the sheet at an increased distance from a succeeding sheet being conveyed by the rollers. When a sheet preceding the sheet being conveyed is the last sheet of a set of sheets to be processed by the sheet processing apparatus, the rollers are controlled to increase the conveyance speed of the sheet being conveyed in second timing later than the first timing.

Abstract: A sheet stacking apparatus which is capable of reliably sandwiching or catching sheets, and also capable of providing control so as to ensure reliable conveyance of succeeding sheets during the catching operation. A stack tray is provided downstream of a processing tray that stacks sheets. A position on the stacking surface of the stack tray at which the leading end of a sheet having its trailing end passing a discharging section, which discharges sheets toward the processing tray, contacts the stacking surface is lower in level than the highest portion of the processing tray. A swinging arm that discharges the sheets stacked on the processing tray to the stack tray is capable of selectively assuming a catching state in which a sheet discharged to the processing tray is caught by the swinging arm, and a non-catching state in which a sheet discharged to the processing tray is not caught by the swinging arm.

Abstract: A sheet treating apparatus for treating a sheet having an image formed thereon is provided, which includes a pair of transport rollers for transporting the sheet upward, a sheet post-treating portion having an intermediate treatment tray, provided to execute post-treatment such as sheet stitching or punching while holding the sheet in a substantially vertical state, and a sheet delivery portion arranged above the sheet post-treating portion. Also, an image forming apparatus is provided, which includes an image reading portion for reading an image, an image forming portion arranged below the image reading portion to form an image on a sheet, a delivery space portion provided in an apparatus housing between the image reading portion and the image forming portion to deliver the sheet, sheet treating portion for treating the sheet while holding it in a substantially vertical state, and an in-body transportation path for transporting the sheet treated by the sheet treating means to the delivery space portion.

Abstract: A motor drive control apparatus which are capable of improving quietness during operation of a motor without the need of modifying the motor driving circuit and without increasing the load torque on the motor. The motor drive control apparatus is connected to a pulse motor via a driving gear disposed on an output side of the motor, and a driven gear engaging the driving gear. The motor drive control apparatus performs drive control in which the motor is driven to transmit a driving force of the motor to a load via the driving gear and the driven gear, and performs position control in which the driving gear is moved by a predetermined amount such that a gap formed between the driving gear and the driven gear is reduced or removed, before the drive control is performed. The drive control is performed when a predetermined period of time has elapsed after the position control is performed.

Abstract: A sheet treating apparatus for treating a sheet having an image formed thereon includes a pair of transport rollers for transporting the sheet in a substantially vertical direction, a sheet post-treating portion having an intermediate treatment tray, provided to execute post-treatment, such as sheet stitching and punching, while holding the sheet in a substantially vertical state, and a sheet delivery portion arranged above the sheet post-treating portion. The sheet delivery portion delivers the sheet, which is vertically-transported from the sheet post-treating portion, and stacks the sheet. The sheet treating apparatus may be included in an image forming apparatus.

Abstract: In order to reduce the stack failure of a sheet bundle, there is provided a sheet stacking/aligning apparatus comprising: a stack tray for stacking sheets thereon; and a rear end aligning member for pushing and aligning the rear end of a sheet conveyed onto the stack tray. The rear end aligning member includes sheet holding paddle for holding the sheets stacked on the stack tray.

Abstract: In order to reduce the stack failure of a sheet bundle, there is provided a sheet stacking/aligning apparatus comprising: a stack tray for stacking sheets thereon; and a rear end aligning member for pushing and aligning the rear end of a sheet conveyed onto the stack tray. The rear end aligning member includes sheet holding paddle for holding the sheets stacked on the stack tray.