Vertically Movable Stacker Patents (Class 270/58.28)
  • Patent number: 10662020
    Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus includes an intermediate tray on which a sheet is to be stacked, a stapler to execute stapling processing on the stacked sheet, a discharge tray on which the sheet subjected to the stapling processing by the stapler and discharged from the intermediate tray is to be stacked, a control unit, and a shift unit. The shift unit may shift the sheet to a position on the intermediate tray, wherein the position is outside of a range in which the stapling processing is to be executed. In a state where a first sheet and a second sheet are stacked on the intermediate tray and the second sheet is subject to the stapling processing, the control unit causes the shift unit to shift the first sheet on which the stapling processing is not executed, and causes the stapler to execute the stapling processing on the second sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Ryo Takaba
  • Patent number: 9580267
    Abstract: In a post-processing device (sheet discharge device), a pile thickness calculating section calculates, from a type and the number of paper sheets discharged through a sheet output port, a thickness of a pile, at its leading end, of sets of paper sheets on a sheet output tray (piling section), calculates a thickness of the pile, at its trailing end, of sets of paper sheets on the sheet output tray from an amount of movement of a lifting section, and calculates an angle of inclination of the uppermost set of paper sheets in the pile from the thicknesses of the pile at its leading and trailing ends, a height of inclination of the sheet output tray, and a length of the paper sheets. The control section controls the sheet discharge section to change a manner of discharging a subsequent set of paper sheets according to the calculated angle of inclination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Tatsuo Noda, Jiro Nagira
  • Patent number: 8678368
    Abstract: In an embodiment, a post-processing apparatus includes: a stacking tray; an upward and downward driving unit; a binding unit; and an upward and downward driving control unit. The upward and downward driving unit drives the stacking tray in vertical direction. The binding unit performs binding on recording media on the stacking tray. The upward and downward driving control unit controls such that: descent of the stacking tray is performed before a leading edge of a first sheet among the recording media on which the binding is to be performed reaches a position on the stacking tray; and after the leading edge of the first sheet is positioned on the stacking tray, ascent of the stacking tray is performed before a leading edge of a second sheet among the recording media reaches a position on the stacking tray.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventor: Hiroki Yoshida
  • Patent number: 8672314
    Abstract: A sheet stacking apparatus includes an alignment member to align a sheet stacked on a stacking tray in a width direction perpendicular to a direction in which the sheet is discharged. When stacking a plurality of sheets on the stacking tray, the sheet stacking apparatus lowers the stacking tray, so that a predetermined distance is maintained between the top surface sheet and a sheet discharge port. If the stacking tray is lowered to a predetermined position while the alignment unit is executing an alignment operation at a first position, the sheet stacking apparatus lowers the alignment member to a second position lower than the first position and causes the alignment member to execute the alignment operation at the second position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Mitsuhiko Sato, Toshiyuki Miyake, Shunsuke Nishimura, Takashi Yokoya, Yutaka Ando, Hiromasa Maenishi, Akihiro Arai, Nozomi Kumakura
  • Patent number: 8632065
    Abstract: The sheet processing apparatus processes a sheet having an image formed thereon by an image forming apparatus. The sheet processing apparatus includes a sheet folding unit for folding the sheet having an image formed thereon, a sheet tray loaded with the sheet folded by the sheet folding unit to be taken out, and a control unit for controlling the sheet processing apparatus as a whole. The sheet tray includes a mechanism capable of adjusting an angle with a virtual plane and a detection device detecting a change of the angle with the virtual plane. The control unit prohibits ejection from the sheet folding unit to the sheet tray, based on the detection result of the detection device and the content of the folding processing by the sheet folding unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2014
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Shigeki Nozawa, Ryouta Shibayama, Zen Kayaba
  • Patent number: 8328176
    Abstract: To provide a paper-sheet-loading device that makes it easy to take out booklet or the like loaded on a tray. The paper-sheet-loading device 1 is provided with a discharge-processing portion 7 which discharges the booklet or the like through a discharge portion and a discharged paper stacker 8 having a loading stage 80 on which the booklet or the like discharged from the discharge-processing portion 7 is loaded. The loading stage 80 is provided with a tray 81 on which the booklet or the like is loaded and which can be pulled out from the front side of the device and an auxiliary loading member 80b closing the lower side of a rear side of the tray 81 when the tray 81 is pulled out. The auxiliary loading member 80b has a shape after a loading face 81a of the tray 81 and becomes exposed continuously from the lower side of the tray 81 to the rear side thereof, thereby enabling the booklet or the like to be loaded without losing its balance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: MAX Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Masashi Shimamura
  • Patent number: 8326209
    Abstract: A printer includes a main body for printing and outputting paper, a bracket attached to the main body, a driving mechanism, and a tray for receiving the paper. The bracket includes two sidewalls. A retaining member is secured to each sidewall. A first spring member is secured between each retaining member and the corresponding sidewall. The driving mechanisms are secured to the sidewalls. Each driving mechanism includes a sliding member slidable on the sidewall. The tray is received in the bracket. The tray has tray posts. The sliding members are slid to bring the tray. The tray posts slide the retaining members from a first position to a second position before passing across the retaining members, and the retaining members are slid from the second position to the first position by rebounding of the first springs after the tray posts pass across the retaining members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chen-Lu Fan, Chih-Kun Shih, Chun-Hsien Lin
  • Patent number: 8294929
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus is able to select a paper-delivery destination for a print output. The image forming apparatus includes a print-process managing unit that divides a print job into print processes and controls a print output; and a sample-print-output controlling unit that controls execution of a sample print output by causing, in response to a sample-print-output request, an interrupt of a duplicate of a predetermined print process of the print job, with the paper-delivery destination being changed, to be handled by the print-process managing unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventor: Shuko Kuwano
  • Patent number: 8286959
    Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus of the present invention includes a post-processing unit provided inside a housing and configured to perform post-processing on sheets discharged from an image forming apparatus, a sheet discharge unit configured to guide sheets having undergone post-processing to a discharge port, a paper discharge tray configured to accommodate sheets discharged from the discharge port and allowed to ascend and descend within a specific height range lower than the discharge port, and a sheet member disposed directly below the discharge port and configured to move along a wall surface of the housing in association with ascending and descending of the paper discharge tray and receive rear ends of the sheets accommodated in the paper discharge tray, a width of a receiving portion thereof in a height direction varying with a quantity of the sheets accommodated in the paper discharge tray.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiromasa Harashina
  • Patent number: 8272633
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a main housing, a post-processing unit including a pivotable processing tray, and a recording medium discharging outlet. The processing tray includes a lock member, urging member and lock releasing member. The lock member is supported movably between first and second positions. The lock member engages with an engaging hole at the first position and disengages from the engaging hole at the second position. The urging member urges the lock member towards the first position. The lock releasing member resists a force applied by the urging member so as to allow the lock member to travel to the second position. A recording medium depressing member is disposed within a pivotal range of the lock member. A first slope is provided on at least one of a contact portion of the lock member and a contact portion of the recording medium depressing member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2012
    Assignee: Kyocera Mita Corporation
    Inventors: Takeshi Yoshida, Yoshiyuki Asakawa
  • Patent number: 8256759
    Abstract: A sheet post-processing apparatus of the invention includes a sheet guiding unit configured to have plural components including paper carrying components be attached thereto, a tray onto which a sheet of paper is discharged, and a protection cover attached to the sheet guiding unit at a portion in close proximity to the tray side. A protection cover has a cover main body, a screw attachment portion, a screw cover that covers the screw attached to the screw attachment portion, and a slit used for the tip end of the screw cover to be inserted into the cover main body to be fixed thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shouichi Dobashi
  • Publication number: 20120193860
    Abstract: This invention provides a system and method for aligning, feeding, trimming, slitting, rotating, cross-slitting and stacking sheets, each containing one or more discrete page images thereon that allows for greater automation of the overall process so that reduced or no manual intervention is required to generate completed book stacks or “blocks” from a stream or stack of printed sheets. Sheets are fed to a first, upstream trimming station to remove margin edges and optionally separate the sheets relative to the discrete page images. The sheets are then rotated 90 degrees and fed to a second, downstream trimming station that trims the right-angle edges and optionally separates the sheets into a final group of full-bleed pages, removing margins and gutter strips. The sheets are feed to a stacking assembly to be tacked in page order and any rejected, defective sheets or stacks are removed from the order.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2012
    Publication date: August 2, 2012
    Applicant: LASERMAX ROLL SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventors: Steven P. Lewalski, Hans Eliasson
  • Patent number: 8226080
    Abstract: To provide a sheet post-processing apparatus enabling a sheet to be aligned in a predetermined collection position irrespective of the basis weight of the sheet and image formation surface in dropping and collecting the sheet onto a tray from a sheet discharge outlet, the apparatus has a tray for collecting a sheet from the sheet discharge outlet, and a sheet discharge rotating body for transferring the sheet that is carried out to the tray toward a sheet end regulation member, and is configured to be able to adjust the timing of shifting the sheet discharge rotating body to an operation position engaging in the sheet from a withdrawal position above the tray corresponding to image formation conditions of the sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignee: Nisca Corporation
    Inventors: Ryo Morita, Takeharu Takusagawa, Toshikazu Tanaka, Hiroshi Mukoyama, Kazuhito Shimura, Eiji Fukasawa
  • Patent number: 8196922
    Abstract: There is provided a sheet finishing apparatus according to an embodiment that includes an external wall with a discharge port of sheets, a movable tray on which the sheets discharged from the discharge port are stacked and which moves up and down along the external wall according to the number of stacked sheets, and a lubricant supply unit which moves up and down together with the movable tray and applies a lubricant to the external wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2012
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shoichi Dobashi
  • Patent number: 8141863
    Abstract: The sheet processing apparatus is provided with: a sheet aligning part that accumulates and aligns sheets so as to generate a bundle of sheets; an edge stitching processor that performs an edge stitching process by which the generated bundle of sheets is stitched together at one edge of the bundle of sheets; an apparatus housing that includes an opening portion through which the bundle of sheets is discharged to an outside of the apparatus housing; a saddle stitching processor that performs, outside of the apparatus housing, a saddle stitching process by which the discharged bundle of sheets is stitched together at a center portion of the bundle of sheets in a transporting direction of the bundle of sheets; and a stacking tray that is provided below the opening portion and outside the apparatus housing, and on which the bundles of sheets subjected to the edge stitching process and the saddle stitching process are capable of being stacked.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Nakamura, Toshio Kawachidani, Yoshimasa Sasaoka, Ryuuichi Shiraishi, Munetake Nagata
  • Patent number: 8109497
    Abstract: A sheet post-processing apparatus includes a cutting device for cutting a fore-edge portion of a center-folded bunch of sheets disposed in a position spaced from a sheet discharge outlet to eliminate the risk for inflicting a wound on the body of an operator, an end binding device for gathering sheets received from a carry-in entrance and performing binding processing in the end portion of a bunch of sheets, a saddle-stitching device for gathering sheets received from the carry-in entrance and performing binding processing in the center portion of a bunch of sheets, and a center-folding device for performing center-folding processing on the bunch of sheets subjected to the saddle-stitching processing. A cutting device is subjected to the center-folding processing. A second discharge outlet is disposed in the other side face of the apparatus frame to discharge the bunch of sheets subjected to the center-folding processing in the center-folding device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2012
    Assignees: Canon Finetech Inc., Nisca Corporation
    Inventors: Koji Okamoto, Ken Obikane, Jun Kondo
  • Patent number: 8100391
    Abstract: A sheet post-processing apparatus of the present invention comprises: a sheet discharge section that feeds a sheet supplied from an image forming apparatus to a post-processing section and leads the sheet that has passed through the post-processing section to a sheet discharge port; a sheet discharge tray that receives a sheet discharged from the sheet discharge port and can move to a first standby position and a second standby position higher than the first standby position and nearer to the sheet discharge port; and a controller that controls the height position of the sheet discharge tray by identifying the type of the sheet. The controller changes the height position of the sheet discharge tray to allow the sheet discharge tray to receive the discharged sheet at the first standby position in the case where the sheet is a first type while to receive the discharged sheet at the second standby position in the case where the sheet is a second type.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2012
    Assignee: Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yasunobu Terao, Mikio Yamamoto, Sadayoshi Mochida, Hiroyuki Taki
  • Patent number: 8083221
    Abstract: A sheet post-process apparatus according to one example of the present invention includes a movable stack tray for stacking a sheet that is elevated in a vertical direction; a movable tray position detection unit that detects a vertical position of the movable stack tray while a request command for post-processing of the sheet is not received; an upper surface sensor that senses either an upper surface of the movable stack tray or an upper surface of the sheet stacked on the movable stack tray when a first position of the movable stack tray detected by the movable tray position detection unit is lower than or equal to a predetermined first height; and a movable tray moving unit that moves the movable stack tray upward when either the upper surface of the movable stack tray or the upper surface of the sheet stacked on the movable stack tray is not sensed by the upper surface sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2011
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Chiaki Iizuka
  • Patent number: 8066272
    Abstract: A sheet folding apparatus, including: sheet folder configured to fold a sheet bundle; a sheet bundle discharger configured to discharge a folded sheet bundle, folded by the sheet folder, with a folded edge of the folded sheet bundle in the lead; a folded edge support configured to support the folded edge of the folded sheet bundle discharged from the sheet bundle discharger, the folded edge support movable without rotation in a direction declined from a higher side near the sheet bundle provider to a lower side farther from the sheet bundle provider than the higher side; and an undersurface support configured to support an undersurface of the folded sheet bundle so that the folded edge is lower than a trailing edge of the folded sheet bundle, the undersurface support comprising a hill on its upper surface between the folded edge support and the sheet bundle provider, the hill comprising a slope between the folded edge support and the sheet bundle provider, the hill further comprising a valley wall declined st
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2011
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shoich Dobashi, Yasunobu Terao
  • Patent number: 7988140
    Abstract: A sheet stack loader includes a loading table to support a first folded sheet bundle, an elevator to lift the first folded sheet bundle from the loading table, and a conveyer to convey a second folded sheet bundle into a space between the loading table and the first folded sheet bundle, wherein the space is created by the elevator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2011
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Ken Iguchi
  • Patent number: 7959145
    Abstract: A method for loading a folded sheet bundle provided from a sheet bundle provider with a folded edge of the folded sheet bundle in the lead, including: supporting an undersurface of the folded sheet bundle so that the folded edge is lower than a trailing edge of the folded sheet bundle by a hill, the hill including a slope between a folded edge support and the sheet bundle provider, the hill further including a valley wall declined steeper than the slope from the higher side to the lower side between the slope and the folded edge support; supporting the folded edge of the folded sheet bundle by the folded edge support; and moving the folded edge support without rotation in a direction declined from a higher side near the sheet bundle provider to a lower side farther from the sheet bundle provider than the higher side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2011
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shoichi Dobashi, Yasunobu Terao
  • Patent number: 7874552
    Abstract: A sheet post-process apparatus according to one example of the present invention includes a movable stack tray for stacking a sheet that is elevated in a vertical direction; a movable tray position detection unit that detects a vertical position of the movable stack tray while a request command for post-processing of the sheet is not received; an upper surface sensor that senses either an upper surface of the movable stack tray or an upper surface of the sheet stacked on the movable stack tray when a first position of the movable stack tray detected by the movable tray position detection unit is lower than or equal to a predetermined first height; and a movable tray moving unit that moves the movable stack tray upward when either the upper surface of the movable stack tray or the upper surface of the sheet stacked on the movable stack tray is not sensed by the upper surface sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2011
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Chiaki Iizuka
  • Patent number: 7862027
    Abstract: A sheet loader for loading a folded sheet bundle provided from a sheet bundle provider with a folded edge of the folded sheet bundle in the lead, including: a folded edge support configured to support the folded edge of the folded sheet bundle provided from the sheet bundle provider, the folded edge support movable back and forth in a direction declined from a side near the sheet bundle provider, and an undersurface support configured to support an undersurface of the folded sheet bundle so that the folded edge is lower than a trailing edge of the folded sheet bundle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2011
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shoichi Dobashi, Yasunobu Terao
  • Patent number: 7845628
    Abstract: A sheet loader for loading a folded sheet bundle provided from a sheet bundle provider with a folded edge of the folded sheet bundle in the lead, including: an undersurface support configured to support an undersurface of the folded sheet bundle so that the folded edge is lower than a trailing edge of the folded sheet bundle; a folded edge blocker configured to support the folded edge of the folded sheet bundle supported by the undersurface support, a lower end of the folded edge blocker being held by the undersurface support, and a canceller configured to release the lower end of the folded edge blocker from the undersurface support if a predetermined amount of sheet stacks are loaded on the undersurface support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2010
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shoichi Dobashi, Yasunobu Terao
  • Patent number: 7798481
    Abstract: A sheet post-processing apparatus of the present invention comprises: a sheet discharge section that feeds a sheet supplied from an image forming apparatus to a post-processing section and leads the sheet that has passed through the post-processing section to a sheet discharge port; a sheet discharge tray that receives a sheet discharged from the sheet discharge port and can move to a first standby position and a second standby position higher than the first standby position and nearer to the sheet discharge port; and a controller that controls the height position of the sheet discharge tray by identifying the type of the sheet. The controller changes the height position of the sheet discharge tray to allow the sheet discharge tray to receive the discharged sheet at the first standby position in the case where the sheet is a first type while to receive the discharged sheet at the second standby position in the case where the sheet is a second type.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2010
    Assignee: Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yasunobu Terao, Mikio Yamamoto, Sadayoshi Mochida, Hiroyuki Taki
  • Patent number: 7780160
    Abstract: A post-processing apparatus having a conveyance device to convey a sheet, a sheet bundle storing device to load and store the sheets conveyed by the conveyance device as a sheet bundle, a moving device to enable the sheet bundle storing device to be movable, a post-processing device to carry out post-process for the sheet bundle accumulated in the sheet bundle storing device, wherein the sheet bundle storing device can be withdrawn to outside the post-processing apparatus main body through the moving device so as to be capable of storing the sheet bundle from outside.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2010
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Hiroyasu Sato
  • Patent number: 7775514
    Abstract: A support member 60 that projects to a sheet conveying direction and supports sheets, which are sorted and discharged, from a rear surface side thereof is provided in a discharge port 7a of a processing tray 12 or a standby tray 10. The support member 60 is installed not to interfere with a shutter 52 when the shutter 52 rises. The support member 60 is installed to be inclined upward at an angle equal to or larger than an installation angle of the processing tray 12 or the standby tray 10. The support member 60 may be formed of a conductor that conducts static electricity and installed in a metal section of the discharge port 7a.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2010
    Assignee: Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Mikio Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 7762541
    Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus of the present invention includes a post-processing unit provided inside a housing and configured to perform post-processing on sheets discharged from an image forming apparatus, a sheet discharge unit configured to guide sheets having undergone post-processing to a discharge port, a paper discharge tray configured to accommodate sheets discharged from the discharge port and allowed to ascend and descend within a specific height range lower than the discharge port, and a sheet member disposed directly below the discharge port and configured to move along a wall surface of the housing in association with ascending and descending of the paper discharge tray and receive rear ends of the sheets accommodated in the paper discharge tray, a width of a receiving portion thereof in a height direction varying with a quantity of the sheets accommodated in the paper discharge tray.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2010
    Assignee: Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiromasa Harashina
  • Patent number: 7694948
    Abstract: In a bookbinding apparatus, an adhesive applying portion applies an adhesive to an end face of a sheet bundle allowed to stand in the substantially vertical direction, a storage portion that gathers and stores the sheet bundle which is applied with the adhesive and bound in the adhesive applying portion while letting the sheet bundle stand in the substantially vertical direction, transport means for conveying the sheet bundle while letting the sheet bundle stand in the substantially vertical direction from the adhesive applying portion to the storage portion along a substantially vertical transport path, and a cutting portion which is provided on the transport path between the adhesive applying portion and the storage portion, and which cuts an end face of the sheet bundle while letting the sheet bundle stand in the substantially vertical direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2010
    Assignees: Canon Finetech Inc., Nisca Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroki Honmochi, Masayoshi Kubo, Toshiaki Nochi, Ken Yonekawa, Yuji Ueno, Keiichi Nagasawa, Hiroshi Nakagomi
  • Patent number: 7690637
    Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus of the invention includes a post-processing unit that applies post-processing to sheets supplied from an image forming apparatus, a conveying tool that guides the sheets subjected to the post-processing to a discharge port, a sheet discharge tray that receives the sheets discharged from the discharge port, and a control unit that controls an operation of the conveying tool and stops a discharge operation for new sheets, when a quantity of the sheets stacked on the sheet discharge tray reaches a full state set in advance. The sheet processing apparatus further includes a pressing unit that temporarily prevents movement of the sheet on the conveying tool, when a sheet is present on the conveying tool in the full state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2010
    Assignee: Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Mikio Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 7654512
    Abstract: Image forming system including at least one image forming apparatus for forming images on sheets on the basis of image data. At least one temporary containing apparatus is disposed downstream of the image forming apparatus for temporarily containing therein the sheets on which the images have been formed. A separating and conveying apparatus separates and conveys the sheets contained in the temporary containing apparatus one by one. A sheet post-processing apparatus conveys the sheets conveyed by the separating and conveying apparatus and the sheets on which the images have been formed by the image forming apparatus and which bypass the temporary containing apparatus in an arbitrary order, in order to effect a set post-process on the conveyed sheets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2010
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Wataru Kawata, Akihiro Sato
  • Patent number: 7571909
    Abstract: The invention is to provide a sheet treating apparatus achieving a space saving and enabling easy identification of an output mode of sheets. The sheet treating apparatus of the invention for treating sheets after image formation is accommodated in a space formed in an image forming apparatus, and includes plural sheet stacking devices which stack treated sheets, and a lifting and lowering device which independently lifts and lowers the plural sheet stacking devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2009
    Assignee: Canon Finetech Inc.
    Inventors: Naoto Saeki, Hiroshi Suzuki, Atsushi Takada, Akihito Nagayama
  • Patent number: 7549621
    Abstract: A sheet post-processing apparatus is constructed to apply post-processing to sheets successively supplied from an image forming apparatus and received into an apparatus main body, and includes a main discharge tray onto which the sheets that have passed through the apparatus main body are discharged. The sheet post-processing apparatus further has an elevating mechanism for moving the main discharge tray up and down and a control unit for controlling an elevation control of the elevating mechanism. The control unit controls the elevating mechanism to move the main discharge tray up and down in synchronism with the discharge of the sheet onto the main discharge tray. The control unit carries out the elevation control of the main discharge tray so as not to adversely affect the discharge of a succeeding sheet even if the sheet discharged from the apparatus main body is curled up or down.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2009
    Assignee: Kyocera Mita Corporation
    Inventor: Takashi Kotani
  • Patent number: 7445203
    Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus includes a receiver, an aligner, a stapler, a loading table, and a pusher. The receiver is configured to receive sheets. The aligner is configured to align the sheets. The stapler is configured to staple the aligned sheets. The loading table is configured to load the stapled sheets. The pusher is configured to push the stapled sheets from the stapler toward the loading table.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2008
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Tamaki Kaneko
  • Publication number: 20080237965
    Abstract: An image forming system which is capable of preventing paper jam from occurring in a sheet processing apparatus to thereby maintain the stability of the system. An alignment plates of an alignment unit movable in a lateral direction each sheet are brought into abutment with opposite side edges of sheets stacked on the sheet stack unit to laterally align the sheets. A lateral registration sensor unit detects a lateral position of the sheet being conveyed. When the detected lateral position of the sheet is beyond a predetermined position, the CPU of the apparatus changes the standby positions of the alignment plates such that spacing therebetween in the lateral direction the sheet is widened by a predetermined amount, and extends the conveying interval of sheets in the image forming apparatus by a predetermined time period.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2008
    Publication date: October 2, 2008
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Moriyama, Hitoshi Kato, Yasuo Fukatsu, Naoki Ishikawa
  • Patent number: 7416009
    Abstract: A wall mounted printer comprising a main chassis, a pivoting media tray disposed on a front upper portion of the main chassis, a removable collection tray disposed at the base of the main chassis for receiving printed and bound media exiting from the main chassis, a printhead unit disposed within the main chassis, and a binding assembly disposed within the main chassis downstream of a printing zone of the printhead unit, the binding assembly comprising a support chassis downstream of a printing zone of the printer, the support chassis defining a glue application and binding zone in which printed sheets of media are received in a feed direction; and an elongate glue applicator mounted on the chassis and positioned substantially at right angles to said feed direction, the applicator being displaceable towards and away from the sheets of media to apply a strip of glue to a transverse edge of each of said consecutive sheets of media.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2008
    Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd
    Inventors: Kia Silverbrook, Tobin Allen King
  • Patent number: 7404551
    Abstract: An improved method for monitoring stack quality in a finisher of a printer includes examining the net displacement of a compiling tray after each set has been ejected. A deviation from the normal increments of displacement for each set triggers a “tray full” condition which alerts a user to empty the tray.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2008
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Robert H. Brown, Raymond M. Ruthenberg, Wayne R. Jordan, Richard Biasutto, Michel Loiselle, Perry C. Dong, Mathieu King
  • Publication number: 20080150214
    Abstract: A sheet post-processing apparatus includes a saddle tray on which are stacked bundles of sheets having undergone center folding processing and a movable tray that ascends and descends while sheets having undergone post-processing other than center folding are stacked thereon. The saddle tray is coupled to the movable tray and a mechanism to allow the saddle tray to ascend and descend in association with the movable tray is provided. The movable tray is driven to a lower position before the bundles of sheets are discharged for the bundles of sheets to be stacked on the saddle tray. After the bundles of sheets are discharged, the movable tray is driven to an upper position for the stacking portion of the saddle tray to standby at a high position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2006
    Publication date: June 26, 2008
    Applicant: TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Ken Iguchi
  • Publication number: 20080099975
    Abstract: A sheet stack loader includes a loading table to support a first folded sheet bundle, an elevator to lift the first folded sheet bundle from the loading table, and a conveyer to convey a second folded sheet bundle into a space between the loading table and the first folded sheet bundle, wherein the space is created by the elevator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2007
    Publication date: May 1, 2008
    Applicants: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Ken Iguchi
  • Patent number: 7364149
    Abstract: A sheet finishing apparatus of the present invention takes in sheets of paper ejected from an image forming apparatus through a taking-in port and clamping and conveying the sheets of paper by a pair of pinch rollers for post processing, has a sheet guidance member which supports one of the pair of pinch rollers and can rotate between a first position where the one pinch roller and the other pinch roller make contact with each other and a second position where the one pinch roller is released from the other pinch roller, and furthermore includes a tray for loading the sheets of paper conveyed by the pair of pinch rollers and an assist arm which is attached rotatably to the sheet guidance member and when the one pinch roller and the other pinch roller are in contact with each other, is projected in the direction for pressing the sheets of paper in the tray and when the one pinch roller is released from the other pinch roller, is rotated in the opposite direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2008
    Assignee: Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yasunobu Terao, Hajime Yamamoto, Takahiro Kawaguchi, Yoshiaki Sugizaki, Hiroyuki Taki
  • Patent number: 7328894
    Abstract: A sheet finishing apparatus of the present invention has a gate for taking in sheets of paper ejected from an image forming apparatus through a taking-in port and switching to either of a conveying path for post processing or a conveying path for non-post processing to convey the sheets of paper and a tray attached to the upper part of the sheet finishing apparatus by a link mechanism, and the tray can rotate between the height position for storing sheets of paper and the height position away from the upper part and keeps the angle of inclination thereof constant at either of the height positions, and furthermore, sheets of paper taken in from the taking-in port are clamped and conveyed by a pair of rollers, and one of the pair of rollers is supported by a sheet guidance member, and the sheet guidance member rotates in connection with the link mechanism and can cope with paper jamming, if any.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2008
    Assignee: Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yasunobu Terao, Tomomi Iijima, Mikio Yamamoto, Takahiro Kawaguchi, Hiroyuki Taki
  • Patent number: 7325800
    Abstract: An improved sloped stack detection system for a multi-function finisher includes a reflective sensor which suspends the conveying of stapled sets to an output tray when staple build-up in small stapled sets causes the stacked output to become sloped.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2008
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Robert H. Brown, Raymond M. Ruthenberg, Michel Loiselle, Perry C. Dong
  • Patent number: 6450934
    Abstract: A sheet post processing machine has a first shelf for assembling a number of sheets without causing any inhibition to the speed of sheet delivery from a host printer or copier, and the assembled sheets are dumped from the first shelf to a second shelf at which the sheets are collected in sets, jogged into edge alignment, stapled at the corners or along an edge, the sets are offset from one another, and finally, dumped from the second shelf onto a stacker tray.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2002
    Assignee: Gradco Japan
    Inventor: Peter M. Coombs
  • Patent number: 6302389
    Abstract: A sheet treating apparatus includes a tray liftable and lowerable while sheets are stacked on the tray. A sheet pressing member is movable between a pressing position in which the sheets on the tray are pressed by the sheet pressing member and a retracted position. A sheet pressing member driving device retracts the sheet pressing member when the tray is lowered and for moving the sheet pressing member to the pressing position when the tray is lifted. A detecting device detects a height position of the sheets on the tray to stop lifting the tray.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2001
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Katsuhito Kato, Yoshinori Isobe