SHEET STACKING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS INCLUDING THE SAME
A sheet stacking device includes a sheet stacking section, pairs of ejection rollers, an airflow generator, and an airflow guide. The airflow guide has a center exhaust port and paired side exhaust ports. An airflow is blown out from the center exhaust port toward a central part of the lower surface of the sheet in a sheet width direction perpendicular to a conveyance direction of the sheet. Airflows are blown out from the respective paired side exhaust ports toward respective sides of the lower surface of the sheet. An amount of the airflow blown out from the center exhaust port is larger than those of the airflows blown out from the respective paired side exhaust ports.
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The present application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119 to Japanese Patent Application No. 2016-225060, filed on Nov. 18, 2016. The contents of this application are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
BACKGROUNDThe present disclosure relates to a sheet stacking device for sheet stacking and an image forming apparatus including the sheet stacking device.
A sheet stacking device is known in general that ejects a sheet after image formation onto an exit tray. An image forming apparatus is also known that includes a sheet stacking device including a mechanism that blows wind toward a sheet that is being ejected.
SUMMARYA sheet stacking device according to an aspect of the present disclosure includes a sheet stacking section, pairs of ejection rollers, an airflow generator, and an airflow guide. A sheet is stacked on the sheet stacking section. The pairs of ejection rollers eject the sheet toward the sheet stacking section. The airflow generator generates airflows. The airflow guide guides the airflows toward a lower surface of the sheet ejected from the pair of ejection rollers toward the sheet stacking section. The airflow guide has a center exhaust port and paired side exhaust ports. The center exhaust port is located downstream of the pairs of ejection rollers. An airflow generated by the airflow generator is blown out from the center exhaust port toward a central part of the lower surface of the sheet in a sheet width direction perpendicular to a conveyance direction of the sheet. The paired side exhaust ports are located on respective opposite sides of the central exhaust port in the sheet width direction. Airflows generated by the airflow generator are blown out from the respective paired side exhaust ports toward respective sides of the lower surface of the sheet. An amount of the airflow blown out from the center exhaust port is larger than those of the airflows blown out from the respective paired side exhaust ports.
An image forming apparatus according to another aspect of the present disclosure includes an image forming section and the above sheet stacking device. The image forming section forms an image on the sheet.
The following describes an embodiment of the present disclosure in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
As illustrated in
The main unit 1 includes a main unit casing 100, an image scanning section 2a, an auto document feeder (ADF) 2b, and an operation section 10. The image scanning section 2a is disposed above the main unit casing 100. The auto document feeder 2b is disposed on the upper surface of the image scanning section 2a. The operation section 10 is mounted on a front surface of the image scanning section 2a. The main unit casing 100 accommodates in the interior thereof a sheet feed section 3a, a conveyance path 3b, an image forming section 4a, a fixing section 4b, and a sheet ejecting section 3c (see
The operation section 10 receives user input for various settings and operation instructions to the image forming apparatus S. The operation section 10 includes a numeric keypad 11, a start key 12, and a touch panel 13. The numeric keypad 11 receives numeric input. The numeric keypad 11 receives for example setting of the number of copies. The start key 12 receives input of an instruction to execute a copy operation. The touch panel 13 displays various operation keys and guidance.
The auto document feeder 2b automatically feeds a document sheet that is a copy target toward a predetermined first document scanning position. The predetermined first document position is located at a position where first contact glass 24 is mounted. In a situation in which a user loads a document sheet on a predetermined second document scanning position using the hand, the auto document feeder 2b is opened upward. The predetermined second document position is located at a position where second contact glass 25 is mounted. The auto document feeder 2b includes a document teed tray 21, a document conveyance section 22, and a document exit tray 23. The document sheet is loaded on the document feed tray 21. The document conveyance section 22 conveys the document sheet via an auto document scanning position. The document sheet after being scanned is ejected onto the document exit tray 23.
The image scanning section 2a has a box casing shape. The first contact glass 24 and the second contact glass 25 are fitted in the upper surface of the image scanning section 2a. The first contact glass 24 is glass for scanning the document sheet automatically fed from the auto document feeder 2b. The second contact glass 25 is glass for scanning the document sheet loaded using the hand. The image scanning section 2a optically scans an image of the document sheet.
As illustrated in
The conveyance path 3b is a conveyance path through which the sheet P is conveyed in the main unit casing 100 from the sheet feed section 3a to an in-body ejection tray 33. The conveyance path 3b is also a conveyance path through which the sheet P is conveyed in the main unit casing 100 from the sheet feed section 3a to the post-printing processing unit 5. A guide plate, conveyance roller pairs 34, and a registration roller pair 35 are provided on the conveyance path 3b. The guide plate guides the sheet P. The conveyance roller pairs 34 rotate to convey the sheet P toward the image forming section 4a. The conveyance roller pairs 34 include a plurality of conveyance roller pairs such as a first conveyance roller pair 34A, a second conveyance roller pair 34B, and a third conveyance roller pair 34C. The registration roller pair 35 temporarily stops the sheet P before the image forming section 4a and feeds the sheet P to the image forming section 4a in synchronization with toner image transfer.
The image forming section 4a generates a toner image and transfers the toner image onto the sheet P. That is, the image forming section 4a forms an image on the sheet P. The image forming section 4a includes a photosensitive drum 41, a charger 42, an exposure device 43, a developing device 44, a transfer roller 45, and a cleaner 46. The charger 42, the exposure device 43, the developing device 44, the transfer roller 45, and the cleaner 46 are disposed around the photosensitive drum 41.
The photosensitive drum 41 forms an electrostatic latent image and an toner image on the circumferential surface of the photosensitive drum 41 by rotating about a shaft of the photosensitive drum 41. The charger 42 uniformly charges the surface of the photosensitive drum 41. The exposure device 43 includes a laser light source and an optical device such as a mirror or a lens. The exposure device 43 irradiates the circumferential surface of the photosensitive drum 41 with a laser beam L based on image data of the image of the document sheet to form an electrostatic latent image. The developing device 44 supplies toner to the circumferential surface of the photosensitive drum 41 to develop the electrostatic latent image formed on the photosensitive drum 41. The transfer roller 45 forms a transfer nip part in cooperation with the photosensitive drum 41 into a toner image. Transfer bias is applied to the transfer roller 45. The toner image on the photosensitive drum 41 is transferred to the sheet P passing through the transfer nip part. The cleaner 46 includes a cleaning roller and cleans the circumferential surface of the photosensitive drum 41 after toner image transfer.
The fixing section 4b fixes to the sheet P the toner image having been transferred to the sheet P. The fixing section 4b includes a heating roller 47 and a pressure roller 48. The heating roller 47 includes a heating element therein. The pressure roller 48 is in press contact with the heating roller 47 to form a fixing nip. When the sheet P to which the toner image has been transferred passes through the fixing nip, toner of the toner image is heated and melt. As a result, the toner image is fixed to the sheet P. The sheet P having being subjected to fixing is fed to the sheet ejecting section 3c.
The sheet ejecting section 3c includes an out-body ejection roller pair 36A and an in-body ejection roller pair 36B. The out-body ejection roller pair 36A feeds the sheet P subjected to image formation toward the post-printing processing unit 5. The in-body ejection roller pair 36B feeds the sheet P subjected to image formation toward the in-body ejection tray 33. The out-body ejection roller pair 36A and the in-body ejection roller pair 36B each are driven to rotate in an ejection operation to eject the sheet out of the main unit casing 100. The sheet ejecting section 3c further includes a switch lever 37 that switches a feed direction of the sheet P. The switch lever 37 turns to guide the sheet P toward an ejection destination specified through the operation section 10.
The post-printing processing unit 5 (sheet stacking device) stacks the sheet P after performing specific post-printing processing. The post-printing processing unit 5 includes a post-printing processing unit casing 500 (casing) and a post-printing processing section. The post-printing processing unit casing 500 is disposed next to the main unit casing 100. The post-printing processing section is disposed in the interior of the post-printing processing unit casing 500 and performs the post-printing processing on the sheet P.
The post-printing processing unit 5 includes a shaft 51, ejection rollers 52 (ejection roller pairs), driven rollers 53 (upper ejection rollers), a main exit tray 54 (sheet stacking section), and a sub-exit tray 55.
The post-printing processing unit casing 500 has a side surface facing the main unit casing 100 and having an unillustrated conveyance inlet. The post-printing processing unit casing 500 receives the sheet P subjected to image formation through the conveyance inlet. The post-printing processing unit casing 500 has a left surface having a main conveyance outlet and a sub-conveyance outlet from each of which the sheet P is ejected out of the post-printing processing unit casing 500. The left side surface of the post-printing processing unit casing 500 is located opposite to the side surface facing the main unit casing 100. The main exit tray 54 and the sub-exit tray 55 are mounted in correspondence with the main conveyance outlet and the sub-conveyance outlet, respectively, on the left side surface of the post-printing processing unit casing 500 (see
The main exit tray 54 is mounted on the post-printing processing unit casing 500. The main exit tray 54 is a tray on which a sheet P or a sheet set is stacked. The sheet P or the sheet set is for example subjected to stapling, shifting, and width aligning and then ejected onto the main exit tray 54 by the ejection rollers 52. The main exit tray 54 has an inclined surface 54a ascending downstream in a conveyance direction DP of the sheet P. The inclined surface 54a increases in height downstream in the conveyance direction DP of the sheet P.
The sub-exit tray 55 is a tray on which a sheet P ejected from the sub-conveyance outlet is stacked. The sub-exit tray 55 is spaced above the main exit tray 54. A sheet P having been conveyed into the post-printing processing unit casing 500 is selectively ejected onto either the sub-exit tray 55 or the main exit tray 54. For example, either or both a sheet P not subjected to any post-printing processing in the post-printing processing unit 5 and a sheet P subjected to only punching are stacked on the sub-exit tray 55.
The ejection rollers 52 are supported to the post-printing processing unit casing 500 in a rotatable manner. The ejection rollers 52 are supported through the shaft 51 in the present embodiment. The shaft 51 is supported to the post-printing processing unit casing 500 through a unillustrated bearing. The ejection rollers 52 convey in a predetermined conveyance direction (leftward) the sheet P having been conveyed into the post-printing processing unit casing 500 from the sheet ejecting section 3c of the main unit 1. The ejection rollers 52 eject the sheet P toward the main exit tray 54. Specifically, the ejection rollers 52 eject the sheet P, which has been conveyed into the post-printing processing unit casing 500 from the sheet ejecting section 3c of the main unit 1, toward the main exit tray 54. Note that the ejection rollers 52 include four ejection rollers 52 spaced from one another in a sheet width direction (front-back direction) W in the present embodiment, as illustrated in
The driven rollers 53 are supported to the post-printing processing unit casing 500 on the ejection rollers 52 in a rotatable manner. The driven rollers 53 are supported to the post-printing processing unit casing 500 on the ejection rollers 52 in a rotatable manner. Respective nip parts 56 through which the sheet P passes are formed between the driven rollers 53 and the ejection rollers 52. Some of the ejection rollers 52 are each opposite to a corresponding one of the driven rollers 53. The nip parts 56 are formed between the ejection rollers 52 and the driven rollers 53 opposite thereto. Two nip parts 56 are formed in the present embodiment. The driven rollers 53 are spaced from one another in the sheet width direction W. In the present embodiment, the driven rollers 53 are spaced from one another in the front-back direction. The respective nip parts 56 are formed between the ejection rollers 52 and the driven rollers 53 opposite thereto. The sheet P passes through the nip parts 56. Specifically, the sheet P passes through the nip parts 56 and is ejected toward the main exit tray 54.
An unillustrated conveyance roller and an unillustrated driven roller each for ejecting the sheet P onto the sub-exit tray 55 are further provided in the interior of the post-printing processing unit casing 500.
The post-printing processing unit 5 further includes a first fan 71 (airflow generator, first airflow generator), a second fan 72 (airflow generator, second airflow generator), and a duct 73 (airflow guide).
The first and second fans 71 and 72 each generate an airflow DF blowing toward the sheet P. The first and second fans 71 and 72 each are a known sirocco fan in the present embodiment. As illustrated in
The duct 73 is disposed in the interior of the post-printing processing unit casing 500. The duct 73 communicates the first and second fans 71 and 72 with a space above the main exit tray 54. The duct 73 guides the airflows DF toward the downwardly facing sheet surface P1 of the sheet P ejected from the ejection rollers 52 (nip parts 56) toward the main exit tray 54. The sheet surface P1 is a surface of the sheet P that faces downward.
The duct 73 has a center exhaust port 61 and parried side exhaust ports 62 and includes a first duct 73J and a second duct 73K. The center exhaust port 61 and the side exhaust ports 62 are located below the ejection rollers 52, as illustrated in
An airflow D61 is blown out from the center exhaust port 61 toward a central portion P11 of the sheet surface P1 of the sheet P, which is ejected by the ejection rollers 52, in the sheet width direction (front-back direction) W. The side exhaust ports 62 are located on respective opposite sides of the center exhaust port 61 in the sheet width direction W. The side exhaust ports 62 are spaced from each other in the sheet width direction W. Airflows D62 are blown out from the respective side exhaust ports 62 toward respective sides of the sheet surface P1 of the sheet P in the sheet width direction W. One of the airflows D62 is blown out from a corresponding one of the side exhaust ports 62 toward a part of the sheet surface P1 of the sheet P ejected by the ejection rollers 52 that is located on one side thereof in the sheet width direction W. The other of the airflows D62 is also blown out from the other of the side exhaust ports 62 toward another part of the sheet surface P1 of the sheet P ejected by the ejection rollers 52 that is located on the opposite side thereof in the sheet width direction W. The respective airflows D62 are blown out in substantially the same direction from one (first side exhaust port 621) and the other (second side exhaust port 622) of the side exhaust ports 62. When the center exhaust port 61 and the side exhaust ports 62 are viewed from above, a direction in which the airflow D61 is blown out from the center exhaust port 61 and directions in which the airflows D62 are blown out from the respective side exhaust ports 62 are parallel to the conveyance direction DP of the sheet P. However, as will be described later, the direction in which the airflow D61 is blown out from the center exhaust port 61 and the directions in which the airflows D62 are blown out from the respective side exhaust ports 62 each cross the conveyance direction DP of the sheet P at a predetermined angle as viewed in a horizontal direction (front-back direction).
Positions of the center exhaust port 61 and the side exhaust ports 62 will be described further in detail below with reference to
The side exhaust ports 62 each have an outside edge in the sheet width direction W that is substantially aligned in the sheet width direction W with an outside edge of a corresponding one of the ejection rollers 52b of the pair of ejection rollers 52b in the sheet width direction W. The side exhaust ports 62 each have an inside edge in the sheet width direction W that is located more inside in the sheet width direction W than an inside edge of a corresponding one of the ejection rollers 52b of the pair of ejection rollers 52b in the sheet width direction W. In other words, as illustrated in
The first duct 73J divides an airflow generated by the first fan 71 into two airflows and guides the respective airflows to the center exhaust port 61 and one (second side exhaust port 622) of the side exhaust ports 62.
The second duct 73K divides an airflow generated by the second fan 72 into two airflows and guides the respective airflows to the center exhaust port 61 and the other (first side exhaust port 621) of the side exhaust ports 62.
Respective parts of the airflows generated by the first and second fans 71 and 72 are merged together. Accordingly, the amount of the airflow D61 blown out from the center exhaust port 61 is larger than those of the airflows D62 blown out from the respective side exhaust ports 62. As such, the amount of the airflow D61 blown out from the center exhaust port 61 is set larger than those of the airflows D62 blown out from the respective side exhaust ports 62. Specifically, the amount of the airflow D61 blown out from the center exhaust port 61 is set larger than that of the airflow D62 blown out from the first side exhaust port 621 and that of the airflow D62 blown out from the second side exhaust port 622.
The airflow generated by the first fan 71 and the airflow generated by the second fan 72 are each blown out from the center exhaust port 61 and a corresponding one of the side exhaust ports 62 in the present embodiment. Specifically, the airflow generated by the first fan 71 and the airflow generated by the second fan 72 are each blown out leftward from the center exhaust port 61 and a corresponding one of the side exhaust ports 62. The airflow generated by the first fan 71 and the airflow generated by the second fan 72 are blown at specific angles relative the conveyance direction DP of the sheet P. The opening length of the center exhaust port 61 in the sheet width direction (front-back direction) W is double the opening length of each of the side exhaust ports 62 in the sheet width direction W. The opening length in a height direction (up-and-down direction) of the center exhaust port 61 is a half of the opening length of each of the side exhaust ports 62 in the height direction. The center exhaust port 61 has an upper edge aligned in the height direction with the upper edges of the respective side exhaust ports 62. The center exhaust port 61 has a lower edge located above the lower edges of the respective side exhaust ports 62. In the above configuration, the amount of the airflow D61 blown out from the center exhaust port 61 is larger than the amounts of the airflows D62 blown out from the respective side exhaust ports 62.
Specifically, the center exhaust port 61 and the side exhaust ports 62 are directed (see
The main exit tray 54 has the inclined surface 54a ascending downstream in the conveyance direction of the sheet P, as described above. The respective side exhaust ports 62 are directed such that the first and second blowing angles G1 and G2 between the conveyance direction DP of the sheet P and the blowing directions of the airflows D62 blown out from the respective side exhaust ports 62 are larger than a blowing angle G3 made by the inclined surface 54a of the main exit tray 54 and the conveyance direction DP of the sheet P. Specifically, the respective side exhaust ports 62 are directed such that the first and second blowing angles G1 and G2 each are larger than the blowing angle G3. In other words, the blowing directions of the airflows D62 blown out from the respective side exhaust ports 62 ascend downstream in the conveyance direction DP at a larger angle than inclination of the inclined surface 54a of the main exit tray 54. That is, angles of elevation of the blowing directions of the airflows D62 blown out from the respective side exhaust ports 62 are larger than that of the inclined surface 54a of the main exit tray 54.
The sheet P is liable to be charged when being conveyed into the main unit 1 and the post-printing processing unit 5 of the image forming apparatus S. Accordingly, when the sheet P having the sheet surface P1 that has been electrostatically charged is ejected by the ejection rollers 52, a leading edge P2 of the sheet P is attracted to the main exit tray 54, as illustrated in
The duct 73 has the three exhaust ports 61 and 62 through which the airflows are blown out in the present embodiment in order to obviate failure as above. The airflows blown out from the duct 73 strike on the sheet surface P1 of the sheet P facing downward and enters a space between the sheet P and the main exit tray 54, as indicated by an arrow DF in
The amount of the airflow (arrow D61 in
In particular, the airflow D61 blown out from the center exhaust port 61 ascends downstream in the conveyance direction DP at a larger angle than the airflows D62 blown out from the respective side exhaust ports 62 in the present embodiment, as illustrated in
Furthermore, the blowing directions of the airflows D62 blown out from the respective side exhaust ports 62 ascend downstream in the conveyance direction DP at a larger angle than the inclination of the inclined surface 54a of the main exit tray 54. In the above configuration, a situation in which the airflows D62 blown out from the respective side exhaust ports 62 strike hard on the inclined surface 54a of the main exit tray 54 before striking on the sheet surface P1 of the sheet P can be prevented. Accordingly, airflow turbulence can hardly occur between the ejected sheet P and the main exit tray 54, thereby achieving improved sheet alignment.
Note that the first and second fans 71 and 72 each start blowing the airflows DF before the leading edge P2 of the sheet P passes through the respective nip parts 56 between the ejection rollers 52 and the driven rollers 53 in the present embodiment. Furthermore, the first and second fans 71 and 72 each stop generating the airflows DF before a trailing edge P3 of the sheet P passes through the nip parts 56. In the above configuration, the leading edge P2 of the sheet P can warp in a secure manner. The airflows strike not so hard on the trailing edge P3 of the sheet P having passed through the nip parts 56. As a result, stacking failure caused due to a lift of the trailing edge P3 of the sheet P can be avoided. The leading edge P2 of the sheet P refers to an edge of the sheet P located downstream in the conveyance direction DP. The trailing edge P3 of the sheet P refers to an edge of the sheet P located upstream in the conveyance direction DP.
As illustrated in
As illustrated in
The side exhaust ports 62 are located blow the respective ejection rollers 52b disposed outside in the sheet width direction W among the four ejection rollers 52 (see
The outside edges (first and second outside edges L1 and L2) of the respective side exhaust ports 62 in the sheet width direction W are substantially aligned in the sheet width direction W with the outside edges (third and fourth outside edges Q1 and Q2) of the respective ejection rollers 52b in the sheet width direction W that are disposed outside in the sheet width direction W. The inside edges (first and second inside edges M1 and M2) of the respective side exhaust ports 62 in the sheet width direction W are each located inside in the sheet width direction W from the inside edge (third and fourth inside edges R1 or R2) of a corresponding one of the corresponding ejection rollers 52b in the sheet width direction W. In the above configuration, respective parts of the airflows D62 blown out from the side exhaust ports 62 flow inside in the sheet width direction W to be merged with the airflow D61 blown out from the center exhaust port 61. Accordingly, the sheet P having passed through the nip parts 56 can warp upward and in the conveyance direction in a secure manner.
One embodiment of the present disclosure has been described so far in detail. In the above configuration, remarkable resilience can be imparted to the sheet P being ejected onto the main exit tray 54, thereby achieving sheet alignment in a secure manner. Furthermore, an air layer is formed between sheets P, with a result that adhesion (or sticking) between the sheets P can be reduced. Note that the present disclosure is not limited to the above embodiment. The present disclosure can be changed for example to any of the following alterations.
(1) The above embodiment describes the post-printing processing unit 5 as an example of the sheet stacking device, which however should not be taken to limit the present disclosure. The present disclosure is adaptable to any device that can eject and stack a sheet P on which an image has been formed.
(2) The above embodiment describes the post-printing processing unit 5 having the single center exhaust port 61 and the two side exhaust ports 62, which however should not be taken to limit the present disclosure. The post-printing processing unit 5 may have a single center exhaust port 61 and four or any other plural number of side exhaust ports 62 located outside of the center exhaust port 61 in the sheet width direction W.
(3) The four ejection rollers 52 are provided in the above embodiment. However, two pairs of ejection rollers 52 and driven rollers 53 may be spaced in the front-back direction so as to nip the central part of the sheet P in the sheet width direction W. In the above configuration, it is possible that the center exhaust port 61 is located below a region between the two pairs of the rollers and the respective side exhaust ports 62 are located below the respective two pairs of the rollers.
(4) The ejection rollers 52 and the driven rollers 53 in the above embodiment correspond to the lower ejection rollers and the upper ejection rollers, respectively, in the present disclosure. However, it is possible that the ejection rollers 52 and the driven rollers 53 may be the upper ejection rollers and the lower ejection rollers, respectively, in the present disclosure.
Claims
1. A sheet stacking device comprising:
- a sheet stacking section on which a sheet is stacked;
- pairs of ejection rollers that eject the sheet toward the sheet stacking section;
- an airflow generator configured to generate airflows; and
- an airflow guide configured to guide the airflows toward a lower surface of the sheet ejected from the pairs of ejection rollers toward the sheet stacking section, wherein
- the airflow guide has: a center exhaust port that is located below the pairs of ejection rollers and from which an airflow generated by the airflow generating section is blown out toward a central part of the lower surface of the sheet in a sheet width direction perpendicular to a conveyance direction of the sheet; and paired side exhaust ports that are located on respective opposite sides of the center exhaust port in the sheet width direction and from which airflows generated by the airflow generator are blown out toward respective sides of the lower surface, and
- an amount of the airflow blown out from the center exhaust port is larger than those of the airflows blown out from the respective paired side exhaust ports.
2. The sheet stacking device according to claim 1, wherein
- the center exhaust port and the paired side exhaust ports are directed such that a first blowing angle made by the conveyance direction and a blowing direction of the airflow blown out from the center exhaust port is larger than a second blowing angle made by the conveyance direction and a blowing direction of the airflow blown out from each of the paired side exhaust ports.
3. The sheet stacking device according to claim 2, wherein
- the sheet stacking section has an inclined surface ascending downstream in the conveyance direction, and
- the paired side exhaust ports are directed such that the second blowing angle is larger than a third blowing angle made by the conveyance direction and the inclined surface of the sheet stacking section.
4. The sheet stacking device according to claim 1, wherein
- the airflow generator starts blowing the airflows before a leading edge of the sheet passes through the pairs of ejection rollers and stops blowing the airflows before the trailing edge of the sheet passes through the pairs of ejection rollers.
5. The sheet stacking device according to claim 1, wherein
- the airflow generator includes a first airflow generator and a second airflow generator,
- the airflow guide includes a first duct and a second duct,
- the first duct divides an airflow generated by the first airflow generator and guides respective divided airflows to the center exhaust port and one of the paired side exhaust ports, and
- the second duct divides an airflow generated by the second airflow generator and guides respective divided airflows to the center exhaust port and the other of the paired side exhaust ports.
6. The sheet stacking device according to claim 1, wherein
- the pairs of ejection rollers includes: a plurality of lower ejection rollers spaced from one another in the sheet width direction; and a plurality of upper ejection rollers each disposed opposite to a corresponding one of the lower ejection rollers,
- the lower ejection rollers include: paired inside rollers disposed in a central part of the sheet stacking device in the sheet width direction and spaced from each other; and paired outside rollers disposed adjacently outside of the respective inside rollers in the sheet width direction,
- the center exhaust port is located blow a region where the paired inside rollers are located, and
- the paired side exhaust ports are located below the respective paired outside rollers.
7. The sheet stacking device according to claim 6, wherein
- the paired side exhaust ports each have an outside edge in the sheet width direction that is substantially aligned in the sheet width direction with an outside edge of a corresponding one of the paired outside rollers in the sheet width direction, and
- the paired side exhaust ports each have an inside edge in the sheet width direction that is located inside in the sheet width direction from an inside edge of a corresponding one of the paired outside rollers in the sheet width direction.
8. The sheet stacking device according to claim 6, wherein
- the airflows generated by the airflow generator are blown out from the respective paired side exhaust ports toward regions of the lower surface of the sheet that are being located downstream of the respective pairs of ejection rollers in the conveyance direction.
9. An image forming apparatus comprising:
- the sheet stacking device according to claim 1; and
- an image forming section configured to form an image on the sheet.
Type: Application
Filed: Nov 15, 2017
Publication Date: May 24, 2018
Applicant: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc. (Osaka)
Inventors: Rina OKADA (Osaka-shi), Terumitsu NOSO (Osaka-shi), Yasunori UENO (Osaka-shi)
Application Number: 15/814,018