Sheet processing apparatus and image forming apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10040662-B2
Application number	US-201815874219-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 18, 2018
Priority date	Sep 20, 2012
Publication date	Aug 7, 2018
Grant date	Aug 7, 2018

Abstract

A sheet processing apparatus in which a sheet bundle including a plurality of sheets discharged onto an intermediate processing tray is received in a receiving portion of a stapler and bound with use of a staple, and a sheet bundle including a plurality of sheets discharged onto the intermediate processing tray is received in a receiving portion of a staple-less binding unit having a gap in the thickness direction of the sheets smaller than that of the receiving portion of the stapler and bound without using a staple, wherein when the stapler performs the binding process, the staple-less binding unit is arranged in a position shifted in a width direction orthogonal to a sheet discharge direction from a region on the intermediate processing tray, through which the sheets discharged by a sheet discharging portion pass.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A sheet processing apparatus, comprising:
a support surface on which a sheet is supported;
a first aligning member configured to contact a first edge on one side, in a sheet width direction, of the sheet supported on the support surface;
a second aligning member configured to contact a second edge on the other side, in the sheet width direction, of the sheet supported on the support surface;
an abutment portion configured to contact a third edge, parallel to the sheet width direction, of the sheet supported on the support surface;
a first binding unit configured to bind first sheets, which are positioned by the abutment portion, the first aligning member, and the second aligning member, with a staple; and
a second binding unit configured to bind second sheets, which are positioned by the abutment portion, the first aligning member, and the second aligning member, without using a staple,
wherein the first binding unit is movable in the sheet width direction to a plurality of positions, the first binding unit binding the first sheets at a selected position among the plurality of positions, the plurality of positions including a position at which the first binding unit is located when the first binding unit binds a first part in a corner portion, on the one side in the sheet width direction and on a side of the third edge contacting the abutment portion, of the first sheets positioned by the abutment portion, the first aligning member, and the second aligning member,
wherein the second binding unit is configured to bind a second part in a corner portion, on the one side in the sheet width direction and on the side of the third edge contacting the abutment portion, of the second sheets positioned by the abutment portion, the first aligning member, and the second aligning member, and
wherein at least a part of the first binding unit and at least a part of the second binding unit overlap each other in a direction along the support surface and perpendicular to the sheet width direction as viewed along the sheet width direction at a time when the first binding unit binds the first part in the corner portion, on the one side in the sheet width direction and on the side of the third edge contacting the abutment portion, of the first sheets positioned by the abutment portion, the first aligning member, and the second aligning member.

2. A sheet processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first edge on the one side, in the sheet width direction, of the sheet is positioned closer to the other side than the second binding unit is, at the time when the first binding unit binds the first part in the corner portion, on the one side in the sheet width direction and on the side of the third edge contacting the abutment portion, of the first sheets positioned by the abutment portion, the first aligning member, and the second aligning member.

3. A sheet processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein at least a part of the first binding unit and at least a part of the second binding unit overlap each other in the direction along the support surface and perpendicular to the sheet width direction as viewed along the sheet width direction at a time when the second binding unit binds the second part in the corner portion, on the one side in the sheet width direction and on the side of the third edge contacting the abutment portion, of the second sheets positioned by the abutment portion, the first aligning member, and the second aligning member.

4. A sheet processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the second part to be bound by the second binding unit in the corner portion, on the one side in the sheet width direction and on the side of the third edge contacting the abutment portion, of the second sheets positioned by the abutment portion, the first aligning member, and the second aligning member is, in the sheet width direction, closer to the one side than a position of the second sheets contacting the abutment portion is and is, in a direction along the first edge, closer to the side of the third edge than a position of the second sheets contacting the first aligning member is.

5. A sheet processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the second binding unit seizes the second sheets with a pair of members having concave and convex portions and pressurizes the second sheets to bind the second sheets.

6. A sheet processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the second binding unit forms a half-blanking shape in the second part of the second sheets to bind the second sheets.

7. A sheet processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein a home position of the first binding unit is closer to the other side in the sheet width direction than a position of the first binding unit, at the time when the first binding unit binds the first part in the corner portion, on the one side in the sheet width direction and on the side of the third edge contacting the abutment portion, of the first sheets positioned by the abutment portion, the first aligning member, and the second aligning member, is.

8. A sheet processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein a home position of the first binding unit is closer to the other side in the sheet width direction than the second edge on the other side of the sheet supported on the support surface is.

9. A sheet processing apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a conveyance path through which a sheet is conveyed; and
a discharge portion configured to discharge the sheet passing through the conveyance path to the support surface.

10. A sheet processing apparatus according to claim 9 , further comprising a conveyance unit configured to contact a topmost sheet of a sheet bundle discharged by the discharge portion and supported on the support surface to convey the topmost sheet toward the abutment portion with the third edge being a downstream edge in a conveyance direction.

11. A sheet processing apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a stacking portion on which a sheet bundle after binding is stacked,
wherein a sheet bundle bound by the first binding unit does not pass through the second binding unit while being moved so as to be stacked on the stacking portion.

12. A sheet processing apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a controller configured to control an operation of the first aligning member, an operation of the second aligning member, an operation of the first binding unit, and an operation of the second binding unit.

13. A sheet processing apparatus, comprising:
a support surface on which a sheet is supported;
a first aligning member configured to contact a first edge on one side, in a sheet width direction, of the sheet supported on the support surface;
a second aligning member configured to contact a second edge on the other side, in the sheet width direction, of the sheet supported on the support surface;
an abutment portion configured to contact a third edge, parallel to the sheet width direction, of the sheet supported on the support surface;
a first binding unit configured to bind first sheets, in a state positioned by the abutment portion, the first aligning member, and the second aligning member, with a staple; and
a second binding unit configured to bind second sheets, in the state positioned by the abutment portion, the first aligning member, and the second aligning member, without using a staple,
wherein the first binding unit is movable in the sheet width direction to a plurality of positions, the first binding unit binding the first sheets at a selected position among the plurality of positions, the plurality of positions inclu

Assignees

• Canon Kk

Inventors

• Abe Hideto
• Obuchi Yusuke

Classifications

• B65H31/34

  Apparatus for squaring-up piled articles · CPC title

• B65H37/04 Primary

  for securing together articles or webs, e.g. by adhesive, stitching or stapling (adhering replacement to expiring web during change of web roll B65H19/18) · CPC title

• G03G15/6541

  Binding sets of sheets, e.g. by stapling, glueing · CPC title

• B65H5/068

  between one or more rollers or balls and stationary pressing, supporting or guiding elements · CPC title

• G03G15/00

  Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern (G03G16/00, G03G17/00 take precedence) · CPC title