Image forming apparatus

Abstract

An image forming apparatus of an intra-body paper discharge type includes: a sheet discharge port for discharging a sheet to an intra-body space; a movable tray on which the sheet discharged from the sheet discharge port can be stacked, the movable tray having a guided section guided when the movable tray moves with respect to the sheet discharge port; and a guide section provided on a sidewall parallel to a sheet discharging direction from the sheet discharge port among sidewalls forming the intra-body space, the guide section being configured to guide the guided section of the movable tray such that the movable tray can move between a receiving position for receiving the sheet discharged from the sheet discharge port and a retracted position for allowing the sheet discharged from the sheet discharge port to drop to a floor surface of the intra-body space.

1 . An image forming apparatus of an intra-body paper discharge type comprising:
 a sheet discharge port configured to discharge a sheet to an intra-body space;   a movable tray on which the sheet discharged from the sheet discharge port can be stacked, the movable tray having a guided section guided when the movable tray moves with respect to the sheet discharge port; and   a guide section provided on a sidewall parallel to a sheet discharging direction from the sheet discharge port among sidewalls forming the intra-body space, the guide section being configured to guide the guided section of the movable tray such that the movable tray can move between a receiving position for receiving the sheet discharged from the sheet discharge port and a retracted position for allowing the sheet discharged from the sheet discharge port to drop to a floor surface of the intra-body space.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the movable tray projects from a side of the image forming apparatus in the retracted position. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the movable tray is movable from the receiving position to the retracted position while being guided by the guide section in a state in which sheets are stacked thereon. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the movable tray has, in a position where the sheet discharged from the sheet discharge port comes into contact with the movable tray when the movable tray is located in the retracted position, a sheet guide section configured to guide the sheet downward. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the apparatus includes, in the intra-body space, a finishing apparatus configured to be capable of executing predetermined finishing, and   the sheet discharge port is a sheet discharge port of the finishing apparatus.   
     
     
         6 . An image forming apparatus of an intra-body paper discharge type comprising:
 a sheet discharge port configured to discharge a sheet to an intra-body space;   first and second movable trays on which the sheet discharged from the sheet discharge port can be stacked, the movable trays having guided sections guided when moving with respect to the sheet discharge port; and   a guide section provided on a sidewall parallel to a sheet discharging direction from the sheet discharge port among sidewalls forming the intra-body space, the guide section being configured to guide the guided sections of the first and second movable trays such that, when one of the first and second movable trays is located in a receiving position for receiving the sheet discharged from the sheet discharge port, the other can be located in a retracted position for allowing the sheet discharged from the sheet discharge port to drop to a floor surface of the intra-body space.   
     
     
         7 . The apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein the guide section guides the guided sections of the first and second movable trays to move both the first and second movable trays to the retracted position for allowing the sheet discharged from the sheet discharge port to drop to the floor surface of the intra-body space. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein the first and second movable trays have, in positions where the sheet discharged from the sheet discharge port comes into contact with the movable trays when the movable trays are located in the retracted position, sheet guide sections configured to guide the sheet downward. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein the first and second movable trays are movable from the receiving position to the retracted position while being guided by the guide section in a state in which sheets are stacked thereon. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein
 the apparatus includes, in the intra-body space, a finishing apparatus configured to be capable of executing predetermined finishing, and   the sheet discharge port is a sheet discharge port of the finishing apparatus.   
     
     
         11 . The apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein the guide section is formed to prevent a first guide surface for guiding the guided section of the first movable tray and a second guide surface for guiding the guided section of the second movable tray from crossing each other. 
     
     
         12 . A driving method of a movable tray in an image forming apparatus of an intra-body paper discharge type including a sheet discharge port configured to discharge a sheet to an intra-body space, and the movable tray on which the sheet discharged from the sheet discharge port can be stacked, the movable tray having a guided section guided when the movable tray moves with respect to the sheet discharge port,
 the method comprising:   guiding the guided section of the movable tray such that the movable tray can move between a receiving position for receiving the sheet discharged from the sheet discharge port and a retracted position for allowing the sheet discharged from the sheet discharge port to drop to a floor surface of the intra-body space by a guide section provided on a sidewall parallel to a sheet discharging direction from the sheet discharge port among sidewalls forming the intra-body space.   
     
     
         13 . The method in an image forming apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein the movable tray projects from a side of the image forming apparatus in the retracted position. 
     
     
         14 . The method in an image forming apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein the movable tray is movable from the receiving position to the retracted position while being guided by the guide section in a state in which sheets are stacked thereon. 
     
     
         15 . A driving method of movable trays in an image forming apparatus of an intra-body paper discharge type including a sheet discharge port configured to discharge a sheet to an intra-body space, and first and second movable trays on which the sheet discharged from the sheet discharge port can be stacked, the movable trays having guided sections guided when moving with respect to the sheet discharge port,
 the method comprising:   guiding the guided sections of the first and second movable trays such that, when one of the first and second movable trays is located in a receiving position for receiving the sheet discharged from the sheet discharge port, the other can be located in a retracted position for allowing the sheet discharged from the sheet discharge port to drop to a floor surface of the intra-body space by a guide section provided on a sidewall parallel to a sheet discharging direction from the sheet discharge port among sidewalls forming the intra-body space.   
     
     
         16 . The method in an image forming apparatus according to  claim 15 , wherein the guide section guides the guided sections of the first and second movable trays to move both the first and second movable trays to the retracted position for allowing the sheet discharged from the sheet discharge port to drop to the floor surface of the intra-body space. 
     
     
         17 . The method in an image forming apparatus according to  claim 15 , wherein the first and second movable trays have, in positions where the sheet discharged from the sheet discharge port comes into contact with the movable trays when the movable trays are located in the retracted position, sheet guide sections configured to guide the sheet downward. 
     
     
         18 . The method in an image forming apparatus according to  claim 15 , wherein the first and second movable trays are movable from the receiving position to the retracted position while being guided by the guide section in a state in which sheets are stacked thereon. 
     
     
         19 . The method in an image forming apparatus according to  claim 15 , wherein
 the apparatus includes, in the intra-body space, a finishing apparatus configured to be capable of executing predetermined finishing, and   the sheet discharge port is a sheet discharge port of the finishing apparatus.   
     
     
         20 . The method in an image forming apparatus according to  claim 15 , wherein the guide section is formed to prevent a first guide surface for guiding the guided section of the first movable tray and a second guide surface for guiding the guided section of the second movable tray from crossing each other.