Paper jam removal mechanism for sheet finishing process device

Abstract

A sheet finishing process device includes: a housing unit which houses a sheet discharged from an image forming unit; a carrying unit which is driven in a first direction toward the housing unit from the image forming unit or in a second direction that is opposite to the first direction, and carries the sheet discharged from the image forming unit, and carries the sheet discharged from the image forming unit; a detection unit which detects a paper jam of the sheet in the carrying unit; and a control unit which controls the carrying unit to be driven in the second direction if the detection unit detects the paper jam of the sheet.

1 . A sheet finishing process device comprising:
 a housing unit which houses a sheet discharged from an image forming unit;   a carrying unit which is driven in a first direction or in a second direction that is opposite to the first direction, and carries the sheet discharged from the image forming unit;   a detection unit which detects a paper jam of the sheet in the carrying unit; and   a control unit which controls the carrying unit to be driven in the second direction if the detection unit detects the paper jam of the sheet.   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the carrying unit is driven in the first direction at a first speed and is driven in the second direction at a second speed that is lower than the first speed. 
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising a first link unit which transmits driving of a driving motor to the carrying unit and drives the carrying unit in the first direction, and a second link unit which transmits driving of the driving motor to the carrying unit and drives the carrying unit in the second direction,
 wherein the first link unit drives the carrying unit at a first speed, and the second link unit drives the carrying unit at a second speed that is lower than the first speed.   
     
     
         4 . The device according to  claim 3 , wherein a torque of the carrying unit that is driven at the second speed is higher than a torque of the carrying unit that is driven at the first speed. 
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising a release unit which releases connection between a frame having the carrying unit and the image forming unit. 
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 5 , wherein the release movement by the release unit is interlocked with the driving of the carrying unit in the second direction. 
     
     
         7 . The device according to  claim 5 , wherein the carrying unit that is driven in the second direction carries the sheet to a space between the image forming unit and the frame. 
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 7 , further comprising a regulation unit which regulates flexure of the sheet that is carried to the space between the image forming unit and the frame. 
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 7 , further comprising a supporting unit which supports the sheet that is carried to the space between the image forming unit and the frame. 
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 9 , wherein the supporting unit is housed between the image forming unit and the frame in a state where the frame is connected to the image forming unit. 
     
     
         11 . The device of  claim 9 , wherein the supporting unit supports the sheet, inclined to be lower toward a front side of the image forming unit. 
     
     
         12 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising a communication unit which notifies the image forming unit of a paper jam of the sheet when a predetermined time passes after the driving of the carrying unit in the second direction is started. 
     
     
         13 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein a frame having the carrying unit is situated in a body part which is hollowed provided in a main frame of the image forming unit and is connected to the main frame. 
     
     
         14 . The device of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 a release unit which releases the connection between the frame and the main frame, interlocked with the driving of the carrying unit in the second direction; and   a slide unit which slides the frame, in the body part, in a direction away from a paper discharge unit of the image forming unit when the connection is released by the release unit.   
     
     
         15 . A paper jam removing method for a sheet finishing process device comprising:
 carrying a sheet discharged from an image forming unit, in a third direction within a frame connected to the image forming unit;   carrying the sheet in a fourth direction that is opposite to the third direction when a paper jam of the sheet occurs while the sheet is carried in the third direction;   releasing the connection between the image forming unit and the frame when a paper jam of the sheet occurs while the sheet is carried in the third direction; and   carrying the sheet carried in the fourth direction, to a space between the image forming unit and the frame.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the sheet is carried in the third direction at a first speed and is carried in the fourth direction at a second speed that is lower than the first speed. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein a release movement of the connection between the image forming unit and the frame is interlocked with the carrying of the sheet in the fourth direction. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein flexure of the sheet carried to the space between the image forming unit and the frame is regulated into a predetermined direction. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the image forming unit is notified of a paper jam of the sheet when a predetermined time passes after the carrying of the sheet in the fourth direction is started. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the frame is connected to the image forming unit in a body part which is hollowed provided in a main frame of the image forming unit, and by a release movement of the connection between the image forming unit and the frame, the frame is slid in the body part in a direction away from a paper discharge unit of the image forming unit.