Sheet finisher with a punching unit

Abstract

A sheet finisher of the present invention includes a punching unit configured to punch a sheet handed over from an image forming apparatus to the sheet finisher. A scrap conveying unit conveys scraps produced from the sheet punched by the punching unit. A hopper stores scraps conveyed thereto by there scrap conveying unit. The hopper is mounted on the front side of the sheet finisher.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A sheet finisher comprising: 
 punching means for punching a sheet entered said sheet finisher;    scrap conveying means for conveying scraps produced from the sheet by said punching means; and    scrap storing means for storing the scraps conveyed by said scrap conveying means;    wherein said scrap storing means is mounted on a front side of said sheet finisher.    
     
     
         2 . The sheet finisher as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said scrap storing means is positioned in a space available for jam processing.  
     
     
         3 . The sheet finisher as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said scrap storing means comprises a transparent member configured to allow the scraps stored in said scrap storing means to be seen by eye.  
     
     
         4 . A sheet finisher comprising: 
 punching means for punching a sheet entered said sheet finisher;    scrap conveying means for conveying scraps produced from the sheet by said punching means; and    scrap storing means for storing the scraps conveyed by said scrap conveying means;    wherein said scrap storing means is mounted on said sheet finisher at a same side as an operation side of an apparatus from which the sheet is handed over to said sheet finisher.    
     
     
         5 . The sheet finisher as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein said scrap storing means is positioned in a space available for jam processing.  
     
     
         6 . The sheet finisher as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein said scrap storing means comprises a transparent member configured to allow the scraps stored in said scrap storing means to be seen by eye.  
     
     
         7 . A sheet finisher comprising: 
 punching means for punching a sheet entered said sheet finisher;    scrap conveying means for conveying scraps produced from the sheet by said punching means; and    scrap storing means for storing the scraps conveyed by said scrap conveying means;    wherein said scrap storing means is mounted on said sheet finisher at a side parallel to a direction of sheet conveyance and where an openable door for selectively uncovering an inside of said sheet finisher is positioned.    
     
     
         8 . The sheet finisher as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein said scrap storing means is mounted on an inside of said openable door.  
     
     
         9 . The sheet finisher as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein said scrap storing means is removably mounted to said openable door.  
     
     
         10 . The sheet finisher as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein said scrap storing means is mounted on a support member positioned inside and independently of said openable door.  
     
     
         11 . The sheet finisher as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein said scrap storing means is removably mounted to said support member.  
     
     
         12 . The sheet finisher as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein said support member and said openable door are supported by a single shaft.  
     
     
         13 . The sheet finisher as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein said scrap storing means comprises a transparent member configured to allow the scraps stored in said scrap storing means to be seen by eye.  
     
     
         14 . The sheet finisher as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein said openable door comprises a window that allows the scraps stored in said scrap storing means to be seen by eye.  
     
     
         15 . A sheet finisher comprising: 
 punching means for punching a sheet entered said sheet finisher;    scrap conveying means for conveying scraps produced from the sheet by said punching means;    scrap storing means for storing the scraps conveyed by said scrap conveying means; and    sensing means for sensing a condition in which said scrap storing means is unable to be used.    
     
     
         16 . The sheet finisher as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein said sensing means is responsive to whether or not said scrap storing means is present in said sheet finisher.  
     
     
         17 . The sheet finisher as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein said sensing means is responsive to an amount of the scraps piled up in said scrap storing means.  
     
     
         18 . The sheet finisher as claimed in  claim 17 , wherein said sensing means comprises a photosensor configured to sense the amount of the scraps via a window formed in a preselected position of said scrap storing means.  
     
     
         19 . The sheet finisher as claimed in  claim 17 , wherein said sensing means comprises a photosensor, and 
 when said scrap storing means is mounted to said sheet finisher, a member cancels a blocked state of an optical path of said photosensor, whereby said scrap storing means is determined to be present in said sheet finisher.    
     
     
         20 . The sheet finisher as claimed in  claim 17 , wherein said sensing means comprises a photosensor configured to sense the amount of the scraps via a window formed in a preselected position of said scrap storing means, and 
 whether or not said scrap storing means is present in said sheet finisher is determined on the basis of whether or not a member configured to cancel, when said scrap storing means is mounted, a blocked state of an optical path of said photosensor is present, as determined via said window.    
     
     
         21 . The sheet finisher as claimed in  claim 20 , wherein said member and said photosensor are mounted on said scrap conveying means.  
     
     
         22 . The sheet finisher as claimed in  claim 17 , wherein said sensing means is mounted on a body of said sheet finisher.  
     
     
         23 . An image forming system comprising: 
 an image forming apparatus comprising image forming means for forming an image on a sheet in accordance with input image data; and    a sheet finisher configured to process the sheet handed over from said image forming apparatus;    said sheet finisher comprising: 
 punching means for punching the sheet entered said sheet finisher;  
 scrap conveying means for conveying scraps produced from the sheet by said punching means; and  
 scrap storing means for storing the scraps conveyed by said scrap conveying means;  
   wherein said scrap storing means is mounted on a front side of said sheet finisher.    
     
     
         24 . The system as claimed in  claim 23 , wherein said scrap storing means is mounted on said sheet finisher on a same side as an operation side of said image forming apparatus.  
     
     
         25 . The system as claimed in  claim 24 , wherein at said operation side an operation panel to be operated by an operator is positioned.  
     
     
         26 . An image forming system comprising: 
 an image forming apparatus comprising image forming means for forming an image on a sheet in accordance with input image data; and    a sheet finisher configured to process the sheet handed over from said image forming apparatus;    said sheet finisher comprising: 
 punching means for punching the sheet entered said sheet finisher;  
 scrap conveying means for conveying scraps produced from the sheet by said punching means; and  
 scrap storing means for storing the scraps conveyed by said scrap conveying means;  
   wherein said scrap storing means is mounted on said sheet finisher at a same side as an operation side of said image forming apparatus.    
     
     
         27 . An image forming system comprising: 
 an image forming apparatus comprising image forming means for forming an image on a sheet in accordance with input image data; and    a sheet finisher configured to process the sheet handed over from said image forming apparatus;    said sheet finisher comprising: 
 punching means for punching the sheet entered said sheet finisher;  
 scrap conveying means for conveying scraps produced from the sheet by said punching means; and  
 scrap storing means for storing the scraps conveyed by said scrap conveying means;  
   wherein said scrap storing means is mounted on said sheet finisher at a side parallel to a direction of sheet conveyance and where an openable door for selectively uncovering an inside of said sheet finisher is positioned.    
     
     
         28 . An image forming system comprising: 
 an image forming apparatus comprising image forming means for forming an image on a sheet in accordance with input image data; and    a sheet finisher configured to process the sheet handed over from said image forming apparatus;    said sheet finisher comprising: 
 punching means for punching the sheet entered said sheet finisher;  
 scrap conveying means for conveying scraps produced from the sheet by said punching means;  
 scrap storing means for storing the scraps conveyed by said scrap conveying means; and  
 sensing means for sensing a condition in which said scrap storing means is unable to be used.  
   
     
     
         29 . An image forming system comprising: 
 an image forming apparatus comprising image forming means for forming an image on a sheet in accordance with input image data; and    a sheet finisher configured to process the sheet handed over from said image forming apparatus;    said sheet finisher comprising: 
 punching means for punching the sheet entered said sheet finisher;  
 scrap conveying means for conveying scraps produced from the sheet by said punching means;  
 scrap storing means for storing the scraps conveyed by said scrap conveying means;  
 sensing means for sensing a condition in which said scrap storing means is unable to be used; and  
 control means for causing, when said sensing means senses said condition, said image forming means to stop image formation.  
   
     
     
         30 . A sheet finisher comprising: 
 punching means for punching the sheet entered said sheet finisher;    scrap conveying means for conveying scraps produced from the sheet by said punching means; and    scrap storing means for storing the scraps conveyed by said scrap conveying means;    wherein said scrap conveying means protrudes toward a front side of said sheet finisher over a front side wall to thereby convey the scraps toward said front side over said front side wall.    
     
     
         31 . A sheet finisher comprising: 
 punching means for punching the sheet entered said sheet finisher;    scrap conveying means for conveying scraps produced from the sheet by said punching means;    scrap storing means for storing the scraps conveyed by said scrap conveying means; and    guide means for guiding the scraps from said scrap conveying means to said scrap storing means while dividing said scraps in at least two directions.    
     
     
         32 . The sheet finisher as claimed in  claim 31 , wherein said guide means comprises a guide surface configured such that two slants extend downward from a single ridge.  
     
     
         33 . A sheet finisher comprising: 
 punching means for punching the sheet entered said sheet finisher;    scrap conveying means for conveying scraps produced from the sheet by said punching means;    scrap storing means for storing the scraps conveyed by said scrap conveying means;    guide means for guiding the scraps from said scrap conveying means to said scrap storing means; and    a screen plate mounted on said guide means and configured to selectively allow the scraps to drop from said guide means in interlocked relation to an openable cover, which is mounted on a front side of said sheet finisher.    
     
     
         34 . A sheet finisher comprising: 
 punching means for punching the sheet entered said sheet finisher;    scrap conveying means for conveying scraps produced from the sheet by said punching means;    scrap storing means for storing the scraps conveyed by said scrap conveying means; and    removing means for removing the scraps from said scrap conveying means to thereby forcibly cause said scraps to drop.    
     
     
         35 . An image forming system comprising: 
 an image forming apparatus comprising image forming means for forming an image on a recording medium in accordance with input image data; and    a recording medium finisher configured to process the recording medium handed over from said image forming apparatus;    said recording medium finisher comprising: 
 punching means for punching the recording medium entered said recording medium finisher;  
 scrap conveying means for conveying scraps produced from the recording medium by said punching means; and  
 scrap storing means for storing the scraps conveyed by said scrap conveying means;  
   wherein said scrap conveying means protrudes toward a front side of said recording medium finisher over a front side wall to thereby convey the scraps toward said front side over said front side wall.    
     
     
         36 . An image forming system comprising: 
 an image forming apparatus comprising image forming means for forming an image on a recording medium in accordance with input image data; and    a recording medium finisher configured to process the recording medium handed over from said image forming apparatus;    said recording medium finisher comprising: 
 punching means for punching the recording medium entered said recording medium finisher;  
 scrap conveying means for conveying scraps produced from the recording medium by said punching means;  
 scrap storing means for storing the scraps conveyed by said scrap conveying means; and  
 guide means for guiding the scraps from said scrap conveying means to said scrap storing means while dividing said scraps in at least two directions.  
   
     
     
         37 . The sheet finisher as claimed in  claim 36 , wherein said guide means comprises a guide surface configured such that two slants extend downward from a single ridge.  
     
     
         38 . An image forming system comprising: 
 an image forming apparatus comprising image forming means for forming an image on a recording medium in accordance with input image data; and    a recording medium finisher configured to process the recording medium handed over from said image forming apparatus;    said recording medium finisher comprising: 
 punching means for punching the recording medium entered said recording medium finisher;  
 scrap conveying means for conveying scraps produced from the recording medium by said punching means;  
 scrap storing means for storing the scraps conveyed by said scrap conveying means;  
 guide means for guiding the scraps from said scrap conveying means to said scrap storing means; and  
 a screen plate mounted on said guide means and configured to selectively allow the scraps to drop from said guide means in interlocked relation to an openable cover, which is mounted on a front side of said sheet finisher.  
   
     
     
         39 . An image forming system comprising: 
 an image forming apparatus comprising image forming means for forming an image on a recording medium in accordance with input image data; and    a recording medium finisher configured to process the recording medium handed over from said image forming apparatus;    said recording medium finisher comprising: 
 punching means for punching the recording medium entered said recording medium finisher;  
 scrap conveying means for conveying scraps produced from the recording medium by said punching means;  
 scrap storing means for storing the scraps conveyed by said scrap conveying means; and  
 removing means for removing the scraps from said scrap conveying means to thereby forcibly cause said scraps to drop.  
   
     
     
         40 . A sheet finisher comprising: 
 sheet conveying means for conveying a sheet handed over from an image forming apparatus;    punching means for punching the sheet being conveyed by said sheet conveying means; and    scrap conveying means for conveying scraps produced from the sheet by said punching means;    wherein a distance over which said scrap conveying means conveys the scraps is greater than a distance between holes to be formed at opposite ends by said punching means.    
     
     
         41 . The sheet finisher as claimed in  claim 40 , wherein a surface of said scrap conveying means on which the scraps lie is configured to contact said scraps over a small area.  
     
     
         42 . The sheet finisher as claimed in  claim 40 , wherein said scrap conveying means comprises a stripe-like conveying body whose surface on which the scraps lie is formed with projections.  
     
     
         43 . The sheet finisher as claimed in  claim 42 , wherein a distance between said projections is smaller than a diameter of the scraps.  
     
     
         44 . The sheet finisher as claimed in  claim 42 , wherein said projections each extend in a direction substantially perpendicular to a direction of scrap conveyance.  
     
     
         45 . An image forming system comprising: 
 an image forming apparatus configured to form an image on a recording medium; and    a recording medium finisher constructed integrally or separately from said image forming apparatus and configured to process the recording medium handed over from said image forming apparatus;    said recording medium finisher comprising: 
 recording medium conveying means for conveying the recording medium;  
 punching means for punching the recording medium being conveyed by said sheet conveying means; and  
 scrap conveying means for conveying scraps produced from the recording medium by said punching means;  
   wherein a distance over which said scrap conveying means conveys the scraps is greater than a distance between holes to be formed at opposite ends by said punching means.    
     
     
         46 . A sheet finisher comprising: 
 sheet conveying means for conveying a sheet handed over from an image forming apparatus;    punching means for punching the sheet being conveyed by said sheet conveying means; and    scrap conveying means for conveying scraps produced from the sheet medium by said punching means toward an operation side of said image forming apparatus;    wherein said scrap conveying means and said sheet conveying means are driven by a single drive source.    
     
     
         47 . The sheet finisher as claimed in  claim 46 , further comprising control means for controlling said punching means, said scrap conveying means, said sheet conveying means and said drive source, wherein when said punching means punches the sheet, said control means causes said scrap conveying means to continuously operate until the scraps being conveyed all have been released from said scrap conveying means.  
     
     
         48 . The sheet finisher as claimed in  claim 47 , wherein said control means varies, based on whether or not said punching means should operate, an interval between a time when a last sheet of a single job is conveyed and a time when said scrap conveying means stops being driven.  
     
     
         49 . The sheet finisher as claimed in  claim 46 , wherein said scrap conveying means is constructed into a scrap conveying unit capable of being inserted into said sheet finisher from a front side, and 
 said scrap conveying unit becomes ready to be driven by said drive source when fully inserted into said sheet finisher.    
     
     
         50 . The sheet finisher as claimed in  claim 49 , wherein when said scrap conveying unit is fully inserted into said sheet finisher, a timing pulley for driving a scrap conveying belt and drive transmitting means driven by said drive source are brought into mesh with each other.  
     
     
         51 . An image forming system comprising: 
 an image forming apparatus for forming an image on a recording medium; and    a recording medium finisher constructed integrally or separately from said image forming apparatus and configured to process the recording medium handed over from said image forming apparatus;    said recording medium finisher comprising: 
 recording medium conveying means for conveying the recording medium handed over from said image forming apparatus;  
 punching means for punching the recording medium being conveyed by said recording medium conveying means; and  
 scrap conveying means for conveying scraps produced from the recording medium by said punching means toward an operation side of said image forming apparatus;  
   wherein said scrap conveying means and said recording medium conveying means are driven by a single drive source.    
     
     
         52 . A sheet finisher comprising: 
 punching means for punching a sheet being conveyed by suitable means;    scrap conveying means for conveying scraps produced from the sheet by said punching means;    scrap storing means for storing the scraps conveyed by said scrap conveying means; and    guide means for guiding the scraps on said scrap conveying means to thereby cause said scraps to drop into said scrap storing means;    wherein said scrap conveying means is reversely driven to convey the scraps thereon by a preselected distance in a direction opposite to a direction in which said scrap conveying means conveys said scraps toward said guide means.    
     
     
         53 . The sheet finisher as claimed in  claim 52 , wherein the recording medium is handed over from an image forming apparatus to said sheet finisher and then punched by said punching means.  
     
     
         54 . The sheet finisher as claimed in  claim 53 , wherein after the sheet has been driven out of said image forming apparatus, said scrap conveying means is reversibly driven in said direction.  
     
     
         55 . The sheet finisher as claimed in  claim 52 , wherein said scrap conveying means is reversely driven in said direction when starting being driven.  
     
     
         56 . The sheet finisher as claimed in  claim 52 , wherein said scrap storing means is mounted on said sheet finisher at an operation side.  
     
     
         57 . The sheet finisher as claimed in  claim 56 , further comprising an door openable to uncover an inside of said sheet finisher, wherein said scrap storing means is mounted on an inside of said door and conveys the scraps in a direction perpendicular to said door.  
     
     
         58 . The sheet finisher as claimed in  claim 57 , wherein said scrap storing means is removably mounted to the inside of said door.  
     
     
         59 . The sheet finisher as claimed in  claim 57 , wherein said door is openable about a shaft.  
     
     
         60 . The sheet finisher as claimed in  claim 57 , wherein when said door is opened, said scrap conveying means is reversely driven in said direction.  
     
     
         61 . The sheet finisher as claimed in  claim 52 , wherein said punching means is of either one of a press punching system and a rotary punching system.  
     
     
         62 . The sheet finisher as claimed in  claim 61 , wherein assuming that a distance between an end of said scrap conveying means opposite to said scrap storing means and a punch adjoining said end is Da and that the distance over which said scrap conveying means is reversely driven is Db, then there holds a relation of Db<Da.  
     
     
         63 . An image forming apparatus comprising: 
 a body configured to form an image on a sheet in accordance with input image data; and    a sheet finisher configured to punch the sheet handed over from said body;    said sheet finisher comprising: 
 punching means for punching the sheet being conveyed by suitable means;  
 scrap conveying means for conveying scraps produced from the sheet by said punching means;  
 scrap storing means for storing the scraps conveyed by said scrap conveying means; and  
 guide means for guiding the scraps on said scrap conveying means to thereby cause said scraps to drop into said scrap storing means;  
   wherein said scrap conveying means is reversely driven to convey the scraps thereon by a preselected distance in a direction opposite to a direction in which said scrap conveying means conveys said scraps toward said guide means.    
     
     
         64 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 63 , wherein an operation side of said sheet finisher is coincident with a side of said body where an operation panel is positioned.