Abstract: There are provided a sheet processing apparatus which can perform a punching process while suppressing decrease in productivity, and an image forming apparatus including the sheet processing apparatus. In a third carry-in route R3 branching from a first carry-in route, a discharge roller and a buffer roller convey a sheet for which the punching process has been performed by a punching unit, so that an upstream end in a sheet conveyance direction of the sheet for which the punching process has been performed precedes an upstream end in the sheet conveyance direction of a succeeding sheet following the sheet for which the punching process has been performed.

Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus has a process tray onto which a sheet is stacked, an aligning member that conveys the sheet toward a sheet edge regulating member in a contact state in which the aligning member, the sheet edge regulating member regulating the edge of the sheet, and a switching member that switches a state of the aligning member between the contact state where the aligning member is in contact with the sheet, and a non-contact state where the aligning member is spaced apart from the process tray. While the sheet on the process tray is being conveyed toward the sheet edge regulating member by the aligning member, the switching member switches the aligning member from the contact state to the non-contact state, and further switches the aligning member from the non-contact state to the contact state.

Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus nicely performs an aligning operation for a sheet conveyed onto a process tray with a simple configuration. A switching member performs an operation of switching an aligning member from a non-contact state to a contact state before the sheet reaches a contact position on the tray or performs an operation of, while the sheet on the tray is being conveyed toward a sheet edge regulating member by the aligning member, switching the aligning member from the contact state to the non-contact state, and further switching the aligning member from the non-contact state to the contact state. Thus, the sheet processing apparatus reduces an occurrence of a conveyance failure caused by collision of a leading edge of thick paper with a return roller and a return guide member, and maintains good conveyance performance by preventing sheet stick caused by a coating material coated on coat paper.

Abstract: In order to stack a larger number of sheets on trays by reducing a total thickness of the trays and enabling the trays to ascend and descend actually over long distances, a sheet stacking device includes an upper-tray and a lower-tray which are ascendible and descendible and on which sheets delivered from a delivery roller pair are stacked, a motor and a belt for allowing both the trays to ascend and descend, a clutch for disconnecting the upper-tray and the belt from each other, and a claw and a rack for stopping self-weight descent of the upper-tray when the clutch effects the disconnection. A clearance between the upper-tray under the disconnection by the clutch and in the stop of the self-weight descent by the claw engaged with the rack and the lower-tray connected to the belt is adjustable by ascent and descent of the lower-tray by the motor.

Abstract: In order to stack a larger number of sheets on trays by reducing a total thickness of the trays and enabling the trays to ascend and descend actually over long distances, a sheet stacking device includes an upper-tray and a lower-tray which are ascendible and descendible and on which sheets delivered from a delivery roller pair are stacked, a motor and a belt for allowing both the trays to ascend and descend, a clutch for disconnecting the upper-tray and the belt from each other, and a claw and a rack for stopping self-weight descent of the upper-tray when the clutch effects the disconnection. A clearance between the upper-tray under the disconnection by the clutch and in the stop of the self-weight descent by the claw engaged with the rack and the lower-tray connected to the belt is adjustable by ascent and descent of the lower-tray by the motor.

Abstract: There are provided a sheet processing apparatus which can perform a punching process while suppressing decrease in productivity, and an image forming apparatus including the sheet processing apparatus. In a third carry-in route R3 branching from a first carry-in route, a discharge roller and a buffer roller convey a sheet for which the punching process has been performed by a punching unit, so that an upstream end in a sheet conveyance direction of the sheet for which the punching process has been performed precedes an upstream end in the sheet conveyance direction of a succeeding sheet following the sheet for which the punching process has been performed.

Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus including: a saddle stitching stapler including a staple driving portion movable in a sheet width direction and a staple clinching portion arranged at a saddle stitching position, and adapted to staple a middle portion of a sheet bundle by causing the staple driving portion to approach the staple clinching portion after the staple driving portion moves to the saddle stitching position; and a side stitching stapler including a staple driving portion and a staple clinching portion pivoted to each other, and adapted to staple an end portion of the sheet bundle by holding the end portion between the staple driving portion and the staple clinching portion after the staple driving portion and the staple clinching portion move to a side stitching position in the sheet width direction, the side stitching stapler and the saddle stitching stapler being aligned in the sheet width direction.

Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus nicely performs an aligning operation for a sheet conveyed onto a process tray with a simple configuration. A switching member performs an operation of switching an aligning member from a non-contact state to a contact state before the sheet reaches a contact position on the tray or performs an operation of, while the sheet on the tray is being conveyed toward a sheet edge regulating member by the aligning member, switching the aligning member from the contact state to the non-contact state, and further switching the aligning member from the non-contact state to the contact state. Thus, the sheet processing apparatus reduces an occurrence of a conveyance failure caused by collision of a leading edge of thick paper with a return roller and a return guide member, and maintains good conveyance performance by preventing sheet stick caused by a coating material coated on coat paper.

Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus including: a saddle stitching stapler including a staple driving portion movable in a sheet width direction and a staple clinching portion arranged at a saddle stitching position, and adapted to staple a middle portion of a sheet bundle by causing the staple driving portion to approach the staple clinching portion after the staple driving portion moves to the saddle stitching position; and a side stitching stapler including a staple driving portion and a staple clinching portion pivoted to each other, and adapted to staple an end portion of the sheet bundle by holding the end portion between the staple driving portion and the staple clinching portion after the staple driving portion and the staple clinching portion move to a side stitching position in the sheet width direction, the side stitching stapler and the saddle stitching stapler being aligned in the sheet width direction.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a sheet processing apparatus comprising, sheet stacking means for stacking sheet, sheet binding means for binding a sheets and conveying means for conveying the sheet stacked on the sheet stacking means so as to change sheet binding positions. According to the present invention, the sheet binding means, the conveying means can be used commonly, so that the costs for parts can be reduced, and so that a compact sheet processing apparatus can he provided in terms of apparatus capacity.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a sheet processing apparatus comprising, sheet stacking means for stacking sheet, sheet binding means for binding a sheets and conveying means for conveying the sheet stacked on the sheet stacking means so as to change sheet binding positions. According to the present invention, the sheet binding means, the conveying means can be used commonly, so that the costs for parts can be reduced, and so that a compact sheet processing apparatus can be provided in terms of apparatus capacity.

Abstract: The present invention provides a sheet material stacking device comprising a sheet material discharging means for discharging a sheet material, a sheet material stacking means on which the sheet materials discharged by the sheet material discharging means are stacked, and an elongation tray extensibly housed within the sheet material stacking means and capable of extending in accordance with a size of the sheet material, and wherein the elongation tray has an inclined surface at an upstream end thereof in a sheet material stacking direction.

Abstract: A printing medium feeding apparatus comprises a conveying belt, on which a roll-shaped printing medium is placed with the lower surface of the roll being in contact therewith to unwind the outer periphery of the roll. With the arrangement, setup of the roll to the feeding apparatus is completed easily by only placing the roll onto the conveying belt, as compared with a construction in which the center of a roll is rotatably supported. It is also possible to omit or simplify a transmission mechanism such as a train of reduction gears that is necessary for the case of central driving. Further, it is also possible to feed a constant amount of length at a constant drive speed irrespective of radius of the roll.

Abstract: A sheet folding apparatus wherein a set of sheets is fed by a pair of rotatable members, and is folded by nip force between the rotatable members, the improvement residing in that a feeding speed of the sheet set by the rotatable member, is changed in accordance with a thickness of the sheet set.

Abstract: A printing apparatus is capable of freely selecting a plurality of sheet feeding units each having a different controlling method. It is discriminated as to which one among plural kinds of sheet feeding units is fitted, and printing and a motor for a sheet feeding-unit are controlled based on the result of the discrimination from an output from a sensor disposed on the sheet feeding unit. Especially, in the case that a roll shaped paper feeding unit is fitted, it is judged that a printing medium reaches the position where printing can be started when a TOF sensor detects black color, and in the case that a cut sheet feeding unit is fitted, it is judged that the recording medium reaches the position where printing can be started when the TOF sensor detects white color.

Abstract: A sheet bundle folding apparatus causes a bundle of sheets to be rolled into a pair of fold rollers thereby folding the bundle of sheets. The apparatus is provided with a drive source for rotating the pair of fold rollers in a normal direction to roll in the bundle of sheets and in a reverse direction to return the rolled-in bundle of sheets.

Abstract: A print medium conveying unit for conveying a print medium to a plurality of printing positions with a plurality of print heads disposed along a conveyance direction of the print medium includes rotary members provided over the print face of the print medium between print heads. The rotary members suppress displacement from the print face of the print medium.

Abstract: The present invention provides a sheet convey apparatus having a conveyor for conveying a sheet, a guide device for guiding the sheet conveyed by the conveyor along a passage, a detector for detecting thickness of the sheet conveyed by the conveyor, and a control for controlling a conveying speed of the conveyor in accordance with the thickness of the sheet detected by the detector.

Abstract: An original feeding device for feeding OHP originals to the display stage of an overhead projector is capable of transportation control suitable for OHP projection. The originals are transported by a conveying film onto the display stage. In order to stop the original at the center of the display stage, after the original is detected by the registration sensor, the conveying film is advanced by an amount equal to the sum of the distance from the registration sensor to the display stage, a half of the length of the display stage and a half of the length of the original.

Abstract: A laminating apparatus for performing a laminate treatment by sandwiching a laminate object with laminate films, comprising a laminate film containing device for containing laminate films, a sandwiching device for sandwiching a laminate object with the laminate films fed from the laminate film containing device, and a feeding device for feeding the laminate films from the laminate film containing device to the sandwiching device. The laminate film containing device and the feeding device are formed as a unit which is removably mounted on the laminating apparatus.