Sheet processing apparatus

Abstract

A sheet processing apparatus according to this invention is for sorting and discharging papers supplied from an image forming apparatus, and includes an alignment device configured to shift the papers transported from the image forming apparatus into a direction orthogonal to the direction of the transport and thus align the papers in the direction of width, and a paper discharge unit configured to guide the aligned and shifted papers to a discharge port and discharge the shifted papers from the discharge port and at different angles from each other.

1 . A sheet processing apparatus capable of sorting and discharging papers supplied from an image forming apparatus, comprising:
 an alignment device configured to shift the papers sequentially transported from the image forming apparatus into a first direction orthogonal to the direction of the transport and a second direction opposite to the first direction, and thus align the papers in the direction of width;   a paper discharge unit configured to guide the papers aligned by the alignment device to a discharge port and discharge the papers shifted to the first direction and the second direction, from the discharge port and at different angles from each other; and   a paper discharge tray configured to receive the papers discharged from the discharge port.   
     
     
         2 . The sheet processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the paper discharge unit discharges the papers shifted to the first direction and the second direction, into angular directions dispersing from each other. 
     
     
         3 . The sheet processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the paper discharge unit discharges the papers shifted to the first direction and the second direction, into angular directions crossing each other. 
     
     
         4 . The sheet processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the paper discharge unit has a first roller member that guides the papers aligned by the alignment device to the discharge port, and plural discharge rollers arranged on a shaft orthogonal to the direction of discharge of the papers, the plural discharge rollers including a first discharge roller that supports a central part of the papers to be discharged and second and third discharge rollers that support both side of the papers to be discharged, and
 the papers guided by the first roller member are transported to the discharge port by rotations of the first, second and third discharge rollers, and in the course of the transport, the rotation speeds of the second and third discharge rollers are relatively switched with reference to the rotation speed of the first discharge roller.   
     
     
         5 . The sheet processing apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein the paper discharge unit alternately switches the rotation speeds of the second and third discharge rollers every time the paper shifted to the first direction and the paper shifted to the second direction are discharged. 
     
     
         6 . The sheet processing apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein the paper discharge unit stops the rotation of the first, second and third discharge rollers immediately before the papers shifted to the first direction and the second direction are discharged to the paper discharge tray. 
     
     
         7 . The sheet processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the paper discharge tray is arranged at a predetermined inclination angle, and is provided with a slip preventing member for reducing slip of the papers discharged at a predetermined angle to the paper discharge tray because of the inclination angle. 
     
     
         8 . The sheet processing apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein the slip preventing member includes a pin that can protrude on a paper stacking surface of the paper discharge tray when sorting and discharging the papers. 
     
     
         9 . The sheet processing apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein the slip preventing member includes a pin that can protrude from the discharge port side to a paper stacking surface of the paper discharge tray when sorting and discharging the papers. 
     
     
         10 . The sheet processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the paper discharge tray has an angular-adjustable paper stacking surface, and the paper stacking surface becomes closer to a flat surface when sorting and discharging the papers. 
     
     
         11 . The sheet processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the alignment devices includes a pair of lateral alignment plates that align the papers in the direction of width, and alternately shifts the papers sequentially transported from the image forming apparatus into the first direction and the second direction by moving the pair of lateral alignment plates. 
     
     
         12 . A sheet processing apparatus capable of sorting and discharging papers supplied from an image forming apparatus, comprising:
 an alignment device including a pair of alignment plates that align the papers in the direction of width, and capable of shifting the papers sequentially transported from the image forming apparatus into a first direction orthogonal to the direction of the transport and a second direction opposite to the first direction;   a paper discharge unit including a first discharge roller that is arranged near a paper discharge port and that supports a central part of the papers to be discharged, and second and third discharge rollers that support both sides of the papers to be discharged;   a paper discharge tray configured to receive the papers discharged from the discharge port;   a first control unit configured to shift the pair of alignment plates to the first direction and the second direction; and   a second control unit configured to control rotation states of the first, second and third discharge rollers, transport the shifted papers to the discharge port, relatively switch the rotation speeds of the second and third discharge rollers with reference to the rotation speed of the first discharge roller, and thus control discharge angle of the papers.   
     
     
         13 . The sheet processing apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein the second control unit rotates the first, second and third discharge rollers to transport the papers shifted to the first direction and the second direction, to the discharge port, and relatively switches the rotation speeds of the second and third discharge rollers in the course of the transport, thus controlling the discharge angle of the papers. 
     
     
         14 . The sheet processing apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein the paper discharge unit alternately switches the rotation speeds of the second and third discharge rollers every time the paper shifted to the first direction and the paper shifted to the second direction are discharged. 
     
     
         15 . The sheet processing apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein the paper discharge unit stops the rotation of the first, second and third discharge rollers immediately before the papers shifted to the first direction and second direction are discharged to the paper discharge tray.