Sheet processing apparatus and sheet processing method

Abstract

A sheet processing apparatus includes a stapler that applies post-processing to sheets conveyed from an image forming apparatus, a vertical aligning unit that conveys the sheets to the stapler and brings an edge of the sheets into contact with a movable stopper arranged in a conveying path for the sheets to align the sheets in a conveying direction, and a horizontal aligning unit that holds the sheets with a pair of movable aligning plates from both sides along the conveying direction to align the sheets in a direction orthogonal to the conveying direction. The sheet processing apparatus further includes a control unit that switches a position of the stopper according to a size of the sheets and controls the aligning plates to be located on both sides close to the center of the sheets when the sheets are brought into contact with the stopper. The stapler applies the post-processing to the sheets aligned.

1 . A sheet processing apparatus that applies post-processing to sheets conveyed from an image forming apparatus, comprising:
 a processing tray on which it is possible to place the sheets conveyed from the image forming apparatus;   a stapler of a fixed type that applies stapling to a corner of the sheets placed on the processing tray;   a first aligning unit configured to convey the sheets on the processing tray in a first direction toward the stapler and bring an edge of the sheets into contact with a movable stopper, which is arranged to be orthogonal to the first direction, to align the sheets in a vertical direction;   a second aligning unit configured to include a pair of movable aligning plates, which hold the sheets from both sides along the first direction, to align the sheets in a horizontal direction;   a control unit configured to discriminate a size of the sheets to be processed by the stapler on the basis of input information from an operation unit provided in the image forming apparatus and switches a position of the stopper according to a size of the sheets discriminated, and control the pair of aligning plates to be located on both sides close to a center of the sheets when the sheets are brought into contact with the stopper, and control the stapler to apply stapling to the sheets aligned, the control unit switches, when the corner of the sheets aligned in the vertical direction and the position of the stapler deviate from each other, the position of the stopper and control a position of the end of the sheets to coincide with the position of the stapler, and moves the pair of aligning plates of the second aligning unit and guides the sheets to the stapler; and   a sheet discharging unit configured to discharge the sheets stapled by the stapler.   
     
     
         2 . A sheet processing method of applying post-processing to sheets conveyed from an image forming apparatus, comprising:
 placing sheets conveyed from the image forming apparatus on a processing tray;   conveying the sheets on the processing tray in a first direction toward a stapler of a fixed type that applies stapling to a corner of the sheets and brings an edge of the sheets into contact with a movable stopper, which is arranged to be orthogonal to the first direction, to align the sheets in a vertical direction;   holding the sheets from both sides along the first direction with a pair of movable aligning plates to align the sheets in a horizontal direction;   discriminating a size of the sheets to be processed by the stapler on the basis of input information from an operation unit provided in the image forming apparatus;   switching a position of the stopper according to a size of the sheets discriminated and controlling the pair of aligning plates to be located on both sides near a center of the sheets when the sheets are brought into contact with the stopper;   switching the position of the stopper, when the corner of the sheets aligned in the vertical direction and a position of the stapler deviate from each other, the position of the edge of the sheets is controlled to coincide with the position of the stapler;   moving the pair of aligning plates to guide the sheets to the stapler;   discharging the sheets stapled by the stapler.