Abstract: This invention relates to a sheet postprocessing apparatus which includes a first crease forming unit for forming a first crease on a sheet in its width direction, a second crease forming unit for forming a second crease parallel to the first crease, a first abutting member against which the leading end of a sheet introduced into the first crease forming unit abuts to position the sheet, a second abutting member against which the first crease abuts to position the sheet, a first driving mechanism for driving the first abutting member, a second driving mechanism for driving the second abutting member, and a control device for controlling the first crease forming unit, first driving mechanism, second crease forming unit, and second driving mechanism, and makes one folding process selected from a center folding process, inward three-fold process, and Z-fold process executable in the same sheet convey path.

Abstract: An apparatus for finishing sheets is provided with a sheet conveyor to convey a sheet in a predetermined sheet conveyance direction on a sheet conveyance path; and a stapling device to conduct an edge stapling processing to put staple pins into an edge portion of sheets and a center stapling processing to put staple pins at a central portion of sheets, the stapling device having a plurality of staplers arranged in a direction perpendicular to the sheet conveyance direction, each of the plurality of staplers constructed in a two-divided piece structure including a driving mechanism provided one side of the sheet conveyance passage so as to put the staple pins into the sheets and a receiving mechanism provided the other side of the sheet conveyance passage so as to clinch the staple pins, and at least one of the plurality of staplers movable in a direction perpendicular to the sheet conveyance direction.

Abstract: A sheet cutter for finishing a booklet by cutting, with a cutter, edges of a bundle of sheets folded double, wherein it is possible to load booklets on a booklet stand of a booklet storing section that stores a plurality of booklets which have been subjected to cutting processing, by overlapping sheet faces, with a folded portion of each booklet facing upward.

Abstract: A sheet finisher includes: a sheet stacking section on which sheets are stacked; a pair of folding rollers for pressing and conveying the sheets; a roller driving device for driving the pair of folding rollers; a protruding member which is protruded toward a nipping position of the pair of folding rollers to fold the sheets stacked on the sheet stacking section in two; and a protruding member driving device for driving the protruding member to protrude toward the nipping position. When the protruding member driving device drives the protruding member toward the nipping position, the roller driving device is suspended to drive the pair of folding rollers to be conveyed.

Abstract: A sheet finishing method in which a sheet delivered from an image forming apparatus main body is conveyed and stacked on a sheet placement table, and the stacked sheets are positioned and aligned, and then folded by a folding means composed of a paired folding rollers and a folding plate. The sheet finishing method is controlled such that a rotation motion of the paired folding rollers is switched between a state to be rotated along with an advancing motion of the folding plate and a state to be stopped in accordance with the number of sheets stacked on the sheet placement table.

Abstract: An image-forming apparatus is provided which can conduct folding processing that is suitable for a process to form an image on a sheet. The image forming apparatus includes a first folding device and a second folding device both of which conduct folding processing while conveying a sheet, a controller to control both of the first folding device and the second folding device, and a selector to select a two-folding mode or a three-folding mode. The controller controls the first folding device so as to eject the sheet after folding the sheet double when the two-folding mode is selected by the selector, while the controller controls the first folding device so as to fold the sheet double, and then, further controls the second folding device so as to eject the sheet after further folding the sheet in three when the selector selects the three-folding mode.

Abstract: The invention concerns a hole-punching processor that forms punched-holes, for binding sheets into a file, on the sheets, which are ejected after images are formed on them from an image forming apparatus such as, for example, a copying machine, a printer, a facsimile machine or a compound machine thereof. The hole-punching processor forms a punched-hole on a sheet residing in a conveying path for conveying the sheet through the hole-punching processor. The hole-punching processor includes a hole-punching device being movable in a direction perpendicular to a conveyance direction of the sheet and a sheet-edge detector to detect a side-edge of the sheet in a direction parallel to the conveyance direction of the sheet. The hole-punching device moves with the sheet-edge detector to a center of the sheet, based on positional information of the side-edge detected by the sheet-edge detector, to punch a hole in the sheet.

Abstract: An apparatus for finishing sheets is provided with a sheet conveyor to convey a sheet in a predetermined sheet conveyance direction on a sheet conveyance path; and a stapling device to conduct an edge stapling processing to put staple pins into an edge portion of sheets and a center stapling processing to put staple pins at a central portion of sheets, the stapling device having a plurality of staplers arranged in a direction perpendicular to the sheet conveyance direction, each of the plurality of staplers constructed in a two-divided piece structure including a driving mechanism provided one side of the sheet conveyance passage so as to put the staple pins into the sheets and a receiving mechanism provided the other side of the sheet conveyance passage so as to clinch the staple pins, and at least one of the plurality of staplers movable in a direction perpendicular to the sheet conveyance direction.

Abstract: A sheet finisher includes: a stacking member for aligning a plurality of recording sheets each on which an image has been recorded and for stacking the plurality of recording sheets thereon; a cover sheet feeding member having a cover sheet loading section for loading a cover sheet, for feeding the cover sheet stacked on the cover sheet loading section to the stacking member; a stapling member for stapling the cover sheet and the recording sheets stacked on the stacking member; and a folding member for folding the cover sheet and the recording sheets into two. The cover sheet feeding member, the stacking member and the folding member are substantially vertically arranged in the order from an upper portion to a lower portion of the sheet finisher.

Abstract: The invention concerns an image-forming apparatus, which conduct folding processing that is suitable for a process to form an image on a sheet. The image forming apparatus includes: a first folding device and a second folding device, both of which conduct folding processing while conveying a sheet; a controller to control both of the first folding device and the second folding device; and a selector that makes it possible to select a two-folding mode or a three-folding mode; wherein the controller controls the first folding device so as to eject the sheet after folding the sheet double when the two-folding mode is selected by the selector, while the controller controls the first folding device so as to fold the sheet double, and then, further controls the second folding device so as to eject the sheet after further folding the sheet in three when the selector selects the three-folding mode.

Abstract: A sheet cutter for finishing a booklet by cutting, with a cutter, edges of a bundle of sheets folded double, wherein it is possible to load booklets on a booklet stand of a booklet storing section that stores a plurality of booklets which have been subjected to cutting processing, by overlapping sheet faces, with a folded portion of each booklet facing upward.

Abstract: An automatic document feeder includes a document stacker for holding documents, a first conveyer for feeding the documents one sheet by one sheet to a platen glass for reading an image on a first side of the conveyed document, a second conveyor for conveying the conveyed document so that the conveyed document is turned over and conveyed to the platen glass again to read an image on the second side, and a discharger for discharging the conveyed document from the platen glass and returning the conveyed document to the document stacker. A third conveyer, located over the platen glass, conveys the conveyed document from at least one of the first conveyor and the second conveyer to the platen glass and conveys the conveyed document from the platen glass to at least one of the first conveyer, the second conveyer, and the discharger.

Abstract: A sheet feed cassette for loading a recording sheet for an image forming apparatus in which the recording sheet can be loaded in a form of U between a lower supporting base and an upper casing member. The cassette further includes a sheet delivery guide member disposed between the supporting base and the casing member, wherein the U-shaped recording sheet is folded around the sheet delivery guide member.

Abstract: A sorter, which sorts sheets transferred from an image forming apparatus to form a plurality of sheet stacks and staples each sheet stacks, is disclosed herewith. The sorter is provided with a plurality of bins arrayed in an upright direction for stacking the sorted sheets, and is provided also with a stapler to staple each sheet stack. The bin is adapted to swing horizontally between a first angular position to stack the sorted sheets and a second angular position to undergo the stapling of the sheet stack by the stapler. The stapler is adapted to move along the upright direction through a plurality of stapling positions, and staples each sheet set at each stapling position.

Abstract: The invention provides a sorting apparatus equipped with a stapler in which a plurality of plate-shaped bins for stacking sheets thereon are attached in tandem at regular intervals to a fixed shaft so that each of said bins rotates around the shaft between a sorting position to stack sheets and a stapling position to provide the stacked sheet to the stapler.

Abstract: An electrophotographic copying apparatus has increased speed in recording sheet conveyance where the conveying path from the sheet feed cassette to the photosensitive member is relatively long. The sheet conveyance apparatus is constructed to equalize the line speed of the photosensitive member, the feed speed of the recording sheet and the conveying speed of the recording sheet. A plurality of sheets serially fed out from a sheet tray are concurrently transported along the sheet path. A sheet is fed out from the sheet tray in response to a timing reference signal generated in response to the scanning operation for a previously fed out sheet.