Abstract: A document scanning unit is disposed so that a scanning direction of a document on a table glass by a lamp unit is equal to a longitudinal direction of a photoreceptor drum provided in a mechanism unit. A face-down tray is mounted above the document scanning unit, and a face-up tray is positioned on a side of the apparatus opposite to the face-down tray with respect to the mechanism unit. The discharge-opening switching section switches the discharge openings so that a recording sheet is discharged to the face-down tray in a printer mode, or to the face-up tray in a copy mode. This structure enables a reduction in the size of an image forming apparatus by decreasing the width of the apparatus without increasing the height thereof. Moreover, with this structure, it is possible to perform the discharge of sheets according to operation modes, namely the printer mode and the copy mode.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an open interior space that retains ejected printed sheets. The apparatus includes a scanner that operates in a book-scanning mode of operation and a printer that includes a sheet ejection side wall in which an opening is formed for ejecting a printed sheet there through and a pair of support walls for supporting the scanner thereon. Each of the pair of support walls is orthogonal to the sheet ejection side wall and shorter in length than a length of the scanner in a longitudinal direction. In the image forming apparatus, the scanner is mounted on the sheet ejection side wall and the pair of support walls in a way such that a front part of the scanner projects in a horizontal direction from front edge sides of the sheet ejection side wall and the pair of support walls so that an interior space for handling the printed sheet is formed under a bottom part of the scanner that projects from the front edge sides of the sheet ejection side wall and the pair of support walls.

Abstract: A reading recording apparatus such as a facsimile apparatus is provided with a reading portion which causes an original conveying path to convey an original and reading image information, and a recording portion which causes a recording sheet conveying path to convey a recording sheet and effecting recording thereon, wherin an operating portion is disposed on the upper surface of an apparatus body, a lid member is provided openably and closably relative to the apparatus body, with the lid member, when in its closed position, covering the operating portion, and when in its opened position, supporting the original and the recording sheet so as to be guided by the original conveying path and the recording sheet conveying path, whereby the reading-recording apparatus has a well-balanced and compact structure.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus is provided with a printer section for printing an image on a sheet and a sorter having a plurality of bin trays. Printed sheets discharged from the above printer section are discharged onto the designated bin tray corresponding to the destination of the print job among the plurality of bin trays. There are provided a page number counting section for counting the number of pages of the print job and a capacity changing section for increasing the capacity of the designated bin tray when the number of pages of the print job is greater than a specified number. This image forming apparatus can improve the ease of use in a mail bin mode.

Abstract: Embodiments of a electrophotographic printer with modular scanner/copier attached are shown and described, each embodiment having a paper exit system for collating convenience copies separate from the printed pages from a host device's job, for example, a computer word-processing job. The exit system includes a first paper path and a second paper path joining at a junction, with a rotating member that operates in the junction to direct the paper to the first path or to the second path, either by contacting and turning the paper or by allowing the paper to proceed unobstructed. Preferably, one of the paths is a generally horizontal path, for allowing printed/copied papers to stack horizontally on a table surface or tray. Preferably, one of the paths is a generally vertical path, for allowing the papers to accumulate in a generally vertical storage slot.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus has a fixing unit for fixing a toner image while transporting a sheet at a first transporting speed or a second transporting speed which is slower than the first transporting speed; an ejecting device for ejecting from the apparatus the sheet on which fixing has been performed by the fixing unit; and a holder for holding the sheet between the fixing unit and the ejecting device so that sheets subjected to fixing at the second transporting speed can reach the ejecting device after passing the fixing device. Thus an image processing apparatus which can ejects sheets at a speed which does not interfere with sheet loading, regardless of the transporting speed of the sheets when passing through the fixing unit, can be provided.

Abstract: A unit which detects a discharged condition of each of media with a simple and low-cost structure. For this purpose, this unit is designed to output a signal indicative of the passage of the medium, a signal indicative of a full accumulated condition of the media within the medium discharged section and a signal representative of the occurrence of a jam condition of the medium during the passage of the medium. This unit is applicable to printers such as an electrophotographic type printer.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus, has an image forming unit for forming an image on a sheet, an ejecting unit for ejecting the sheet on which the image is formed by the image forming unit to either a first loading unit or a second loading unit, a detecting unit for detecting that a load quantity of the first loading unit is reached to a predetermined quantity, and a controlling unit for controlling the ejecting unit such that when the detecting unit detects the predetermined load quantity while continuously ejecting a plurality of sheets formed with images of a first job to the first loading unit, the remaining sheets of the first job are also to be ejected to the loading unit, and the sheets formed with images of a second job which is implemented following to the first job are to be ejected to the second loading unit.

Abstract: An image forming device with an image scanning capability includes an internal accessible space formed between an image scanning unit and an image forming unit. The internal space is for accommodating a recording medium transported through a vertical paper transportation path and ejected to the internal space by an ejection mechanism. The scanning unit is supported by a support assembly such that the scanning unit overhangs the internal space. The support assembly includes two support sides that connect a main body of the device, but leaves two contiguous sides of the internal space open and unblocked so that a user may easily access the recording medium contained in the internal space.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including a paper cassette loaded with a stack of papers and a paper stacking device for stacking papers carrying images thereon is disclosed. The apparatus has an upper casing part rotatable away from a lower casing part. When the upper casing part is rotated away from the lower casing part, the apparatus successfully prevents the upper casing part from interfering with a tray or similar paper stacking means and prevents papers stacked on the tray from dropping without having its overall length increased. The tray is arranged in the rear portion of the apparatus opposite to the front portion where a control panel is located, thereby reducing the widthwise dimension of the apparatus. Even in such a position, the tray allows papers stacked thereon to be easily picked up.

Abstract: A sorter for sorting a printed sheet discharged from an image forming machine includes a plurality of bins arranged in a vertical direction; a conveyer provided vertically along the plurality of bins to convey the printed sheet vertically downward; an indexer having a guide surface in its upper portion, being vertically movable along a sheet travel route of the conveyer, for peeling the printed sheet off the conveyer with the guide surface and sending the printed sheet in either one of the plurality of bins; a controller connecting for driving the conveyer and the indexer; and an operating panel-connecting to the controller.

Abstract: The apparatus for carrying out the method comprises a plurality of delivery trays arranged in the manner of a circulating bucket lift, which on the basis of user inputs can be freely selected and transported to a loading plane in which an inlet opening for the copy or print jobs also is located. An outlet opening is provided opposite the inlet opening, the individual delivery trays can be moved around a passthrough region which joins the inlet opening to the outlet opening, and each of the delivery trays can, in order to receive copy or print jobs, be slid into a loading position in the passthrough region and receives the copy or print job intended for that selected delivery tray.

Abstract: An image-related device has an image-medium receiving tray. The tray is designed by a method that enables the tray to control the contouring of sheets of image medium during reception. The tray has a planar surface and a curved surface. The curved surface is designed by selecting a series of transverse and longitudinal curves to define a curved surface that is generally concave in the transverse direction while also sloping upward in the longitudinal direction. The combined concave and sloped shape of the curved surface causes the leading-edge region of the image medium to transversely curl and thereby obtain sufficient rigidity to extend beyond the front end of the tray.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus features a document-reading unit mounted to an exterior cover of the apparatus to which at least part of an image-forming unit can be removed from the interior of the apparatus. The exterior cover can be operated without being disturbed by a document-reading unit. Accordingly, attaching and detaching at least part of the image-forming unit readily can be performed. Further, according to another aspect, an image forming apparatus features a common delivery tray, which can be used for both a recording paper and an original document. This saves space within the apparatus and therefore enables the image forming apparatus to be reduced in size. In addition, the recording paper and the original document are delivered to the tray with the image-printed or image-bearing surfaces thereon facing in different directions. Thus the user does not confuse the recording paper with the original document.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus comprises a fusing device for heating and fixing an unfixed image on a recording material while feeding the recording material, reversing device for reversing the recording material after passing the fusing device. The image forming apparatus operates in a first mode in which the recording material which passed the fusing device is ejected to an ejection section directly without being reversed, and a second mode in which the recording material which passed said fusing device is ejected to an ejection section after being reversed by the reversing device. A throughput of the recording material fed and/or the fusing temperature of the fusing device in the first mode being smaller or lower during at least part of an image forming process than in the second mode. With this image forming apparatus, the recording materials can be stacked in the ejection portion with improved quality and an excessive rise of temperature in the vicinity of the ejection portion can be avoided.

Abstract: A sheet is discharged from an image forming apparatus either onto a first discharge tray through a first transport path by sheet entry rollers via first transport rollers without being reversed, or onto a second discharge tray by second discharge rollers as being guided to a branched transport path by a first switching member formed in a midpoint of the transport path and further guided to a second transport path by a second switching member. The first and second transport rollers are capable of rotating in a reverse direction, and the sheet being fed to the first discharge tray is transported by the second transport rollers after being reversed to be discharged onto the first discharge tray in a reversed state. Therefore, in response to an image forming mode, a discharge end of the sheet and a discharge state of the sheet can be set as desired.

Abstract: A printing apparatus, which includes document data management unit 3 for receiving from a computer document data 5 to be printed and for storing and managing the document data 5, printing unit 1 for printing, on a predetermined sheet of paper, the document data 5 that is output by the document data management unit 3, and document sorting unit 2 for sorting and discharging, onto a sorting tray 22, the sheet of paper that is printed by the printing unit 1, includes: arrangement and editing unit 4 for each destination, for receiving and storing page data for each destination, for employing the page data to calculate a printing number required for each page of a document and for employing the sorting tray 22 for each destination, whereby a printed sheet of a necessary page is discharged onto the sorting tray 22.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus has a paper discharging section provided in its main body. The paper discharging section opens toward the front of the main body. An opening serving as a window for introducing light into the paper discharging section is provided on a side surface of the main body. Light enters the paper discharging section through the opening, so that the paper discharging section is brightened. As a result, it is possible to easily visually confirm whether or not a paper sheet exists in the paper discharging section. Additionally, vent holes adjacent the window opening serve to introduce cooling air along the axis of a fusing roller.

Abstract: An auto document feeder feeds and ejects original documents in order of the pages. A duplex and simplex image forming unit forms an image based upon information of the document read by a reading unit. The simplex or the duplex copy sheets are ejected into an injecting portion formed by an upper wall, a bottom wall and a side wall so that an operator can access the receiving portion from the front side of the image forming apparatus. A copy sheet inverting device between the auto document feeder and the ejection portion causes the copy sheets to be stacked on the receiving portion in order of the pages.

Abstract: A method of ejecting copy sheets from the compiler in a printing apparatus that includes a processing section for transferring a developed image onto a copy sheet and a finishing section with a compiler and a stapler for receiving plural copy sheets to generate a print set. In particular, the level of copy sheets in a compiler tray is sensed, a tag in non-volatile memory indicating a number of allowable extra copy sheets in the compiler is monitored, and a capacity count for sheets to be stapled is referenced. In response, a set of copy sheets may be ejected from the compiler in an unscheduled manner as a function of the level of copy sheets in the compiler tray, the tag in non-volatile memory, and the capacity count for sheets to be stapled. This enables the finisher to complete a set that might have been prematurely ejected or enables the finisher to eject a set before reaching a jam condition.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus is provided with a first sheet enclosing unit to enclose sheets in a first direction, a second sheet enclosing unit to enclose sheets in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, an image forming unit to form an image onto the sheet fed from either one of the first and second sheet enclosing units, a sorter having a plurality of bins for enclosing the sheet on which the image was formed by the image forming unit, and a judging unit to judge an enclosing state of the sheet of each bin of the sorter. The image forming unit selects either one of the first and second sheet enclosing units on the basis of the result of the judgment of the judging unit and allows the selected sheet enclosing unit to feed the sheet.

Abstract: The present invention provides a sheet containing apparatus comprising a sheet introduction inlet portion, containers disposed in a line, and a convey member disposed between the sheet introduction inlet and the containers and movable along the containers and adapted to stack a plurality of sheets discharged from the sheet introduction inlet, to be shifted, after stacking of the sheets, to a position where the convey member is opposed to a selected container and to discharge the stacked sheets thereinto.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus which forms identical images both on a sheet of a first type (overhead projector sheet) and on a sheet of a second type (normal paper sheet). One-side image formation is performed to form images on front sides of OHP sheets which are then discharged into a non-sort bin. Two-side image formation is performed to form images on the both sides of normal paper sheets which are then sorted and discharged into sort bins. Thus, sets of document sheets for presentation can be prepared in a sorted state. Since images are formed on both sides of the normal paper sheets, the normal sheets can be economized and saved.

Abstract: For reducing the curl of the sheets ejected from an electrophotographic printer to a sorter, which is so constructed as to increase the space between a tray currently subjected to sheet storage and an upper adjacent tray and to reduce the spaces of other trays, there is executed control, in response to the end or interruption of the printing operation of the printer, so as to increase the space of the trays not currently subjected to sheet storage operation and to decrease the space of the tray currently subjected to the sheet storage operation, thereby pressing the sheets present on the tray.

Abstract: A discharged sheet stacking apparatus is provided with a plurality of trays aligned to stack discharged sheets thereon, and a drive member for moving the trays in the alignment direction. Between at least two of the plural trays, a spacer member moved in the alignment direction by the drive device in the same manner as the trays is interposed to widen the space between the trays. The space between the trays can be arbitrarily changed by the spacer member.

Abstract: In a reproduction system with an output sheet stacking tray system and a slitter with selectable sheet slitting positions in which printed sheets being outputted by the reproduction system may be selectably slit (or not) in their sheet output direction into plural slit sheets of selectably variable sheet widths and stacked in the output tray sheet stacking system; a dual mode output sheet stacking tray system is selectably convertible between a single sheet stacking position mode and a plural slit sheet stacking surfaces mode, wherein in the plural slit sheet stacking surfaces mode the sheet stacking tray system provides plural opposingly transversely sloped sheet stacking surfaces with low friction to assist slit sheets slit from the same printed sheet to transversely slide laterally away from one another, wherein these opposingly sloped surfaces intersect substantially in line with the slitting position of the slitter in the process direction.

Abstract: A sorter for enclosing sheets ejected out from a recording apparatus of an electrophotographic type includes a plurality of movable trays for enclosing the sheets, and a driving unit for driving the tray so as to move the tray. In the present sorter, the driving unit widens a distance between the tray to which the sheet is enclosed and the tray adjacent to the tray and, after the sheet was enclosed to the tray, the driving unit reduces the distance between the tray to which the sheet was enclosed and the tray adjacent to the tray so as to press a curl of the sheet. By vertically moving the plurality of trays, the distance between the trays is changed and the tray to enclose the sheet is changed. Each time a predetermined number of sheets are enclosed to the tray, the plurality of trays are moved upward and, after the elapse of a predetermined time, the plurality of trays are moved downward.

Abstract: A device that allows an operator to unload copy sheets from an output tray of a machine, keep the machine running, and maintain integrity of the copy sheet stack. The output tray is slid to the right with respect to the front of the machine to allow the operator to unload the copy sheet stack. When slid to the right, an `X-shelf` is unfolded to hold the stack of continual copy sheet output. After the tray is emptied, it is slid to the left and back into the original position. The sheets on the `X-shelf` fall into the output tray and the job continues uninterrupted.

Abstract: In a multi-bundle stacker having an inclined bundle-discharging mechanism for frontward discharging of copy-sheet bundles from adjacent upwardly inclined sorting trays of a sorter disposed on the side of a photocopying machine, a stowing bin is provided having a bundle-receiving platform lying at an inclination generally parallel to the inclination of the sorting trays. A bundle discharge/stowing path, that the trailing end nearest the copying machine of a sheet bundle discharged into stowage follows, is defined having a portion generally orthogonal to, and lying between, the bundle-discharging mechanism and the stowing bin. A standing wall extends partially in the discharge/stowing path upward from the stowing bin. A tilted bundle stowing guide is mounted on a triangular foot over the standing wall. A bundle turning guide assembly including a pusher mechanism intersects the bundle discharge/stowing path at an angle below the bundle stowing guide.

Abstract: A transport path is branched into a main pass and a bypass. A deflector is provided at a branch point, for switching the path either to the bypass or to the main pass. Sheet detection switches are respectively provided along the bypass and the main pass, and also on a stapler plate, for controlling the rotation of a transfer roller. In this way, a first sheet being transported through the main pass and a second sheet being transported through the bypass can be discharged onto the stapler plate at the same time. As a result, the problem of the device being made larger or reducing the quality of the sheets can be prevented, and a faster process after copying can be achieved.

Abstract: An original feeding method for resting a plurality of originals on a platen side-by-side by using a recycle original feeding apparatus having a tray (thereby replacing a page sequence of the plural originals) includes the step of replacing a page sequence of the plural originals by resting the originals from the tray on the platen side-by-side in a feeding direction. The plural originals are then returned onto the tray from the platen in a stacking page sequence, and the plural originals returned to the tray and replaced in the stacking page sequence are rested on the platen side-by-side in the feeding direction.

Abstract: A recording sheet finisher in use with an image forming apparatus such as a copier. The recording sheet finisher includes a stacker for stacking recording sheets, an aligning member for aligning the bundle of the recording sheets on the stacker, a counter for counting a number of the recording sheets bundled on the stacker, and a controller for controlling the aligning member so that the aligning member aligns the bundle of recording sheets after a first predetermined time period after the last one of the recording sheets is conveyed onto the other ones when the number of recording sheets bundled on the stacker is 25 or more, and aligns the bundle after a second predetermined time period when the number is not less than 25.