Conveyance apparatus and image forming system including conveyance apparatus

Abstract

A conveyance apparatus includes a change conveyance unit. In a case where a first sheet in a sheet storage unit included in the feeding apparatus is fed in a landscape orientation to the conveyance apparatus, the change conveyance unit changes a conveyance orientation of the first sheet to a portrait orientation. The landscape orientation is an orientation in which a short side of the first sheet is parallel to a sheet conveyance direction of the first sheet. The portrait orientation is an orientation in which a long side of the first sheet is parallel to the sheet conveyance direction. The change conveyance unit changes the conveyance orientation of the first sheet from the landscape orientation to the portrait orientation on a substantially horizontal region between the image forming apparatus and the feeding apparatus.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A conveyance apparatus that is connected to both an image forming apparatus and a feeding apparatus and conveys sheets, the image forming apparatus being configured to convey a sheet in an orientation in which a long side of the sheet is parallel to a sheet conveyance direction and form an image on the conveyed sheet, the feeding apparatus being configured to feed a sheet toward the image forming apparatus, the conveyance apparatus comprising:
 a change conveyance unit configured to change a conveyance orientation of a first sheet to a portrait orientation in a case where the first sheet in a sheet storage unit included in the feeding apparatus is fed in a landscape orientation to the conveyance apparatus, the portrait orientation being an orientation in which a long side of the first sheet is parallel to a sheet conveyance direction of the first sheet, the landscape orientation being an orientation in which a short side of the first sheet is parallel to the sheet conveyance direction,   wherein the conveyance apparatus is disposed on a lower side of the image forming apparatus and on an upper side of the feeding apparatus, and   wherein the change conveyance unit changes the conveyance orientation of the first sheet from the landscape orientation to the portrait orientation on a substantially horizontal region between the image forming apparatus and the feeding apparatus.   
     
     
         2 . The conveyance apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the conveyance apparatus conveys the first sheet in the portrait orientation to the image forming apparatus. 
     
     
         3 . The conveyance apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the change conveyance unit includes a first conveyance unit configured to convey the first sheet conveyed from the feeding apparatus in the landscape orientation, and a reference member configured to be in contact with the first sheet conveyed by the first conveyance unit. 
     
     
         4 . The conveyance apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein the change conveyance unit includes a second conveyance unit configured to convey the first sheet while keeping the first sheet in contact with a guide surface included in the reference member and pivoting the first sheet. 
     
     
         5 . The conveyance apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein the change conveyance unit includes a third conveyance unit configured to convey the first sheet in the portrait orientation along the reference member in a manner moving the first sheet away from the reference member. 
     
     
         6 . The conveyance apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the change conveyance unit includes a first conveyance unit configured to convey the first sheet conveyed from the feeding apparatus in the landscape orientation, and a second conveyance unit configured to convey the first sheet while changing the conveyance orientation of the first sheet from the landscape orientation to the portrait orientation, the second conveyance unit being disposed downstream of the first conveyance unit with respect to the sheet conveyance direction. 
     
     
         7 . The conveyance apparatus according to  claim 6 ,
 wherein the second conveyance unit includes a first conveyance roller pair and a second conveyance roller pair that are disposed in a direction intersecting the sheet conveyance direction, and   wherein a speed at which the first conveyance roller pair conveys the first sheet is different from a speed at which the second conveyance roller pair conveys the first sheet.   
     
     
         8 . The conveyance apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising an adjustment unit configured to adjust, in accordance with a status of the image forming apparatus, a conveyance speed of the first sheet in the portrait orientation to which a conveyance orientation of the first sheet has been changed by the change conveyance unit. 
     
     
         9 . The conveyance apparatus according to  claim 8 ,
 wherein the adjustment unit is disposed in an upper side of the change conveyance unit, and   wherein a sheet conveyance direction of the first sheet by the change conveyance unit is opposite to a sheet conveyance direction of the first sheet by the adjustment unit.   
     
     
         10 . An image forming system comprising:
 an image forming apparatus configured to convey a sheet in an orientation in which a long side of the sheet is parallel to a sheet conveyance direction and form an image on the conveyed sheet;   a feeding apparatus configured to feed a sheet toward the image forming apparatus; and   a conveyance apparatus configured to be connected to both the image forming apparatus and the feeding apparatus and convey a sheet;   wherein the conveyance apparatus is arranged on a lower side of the image forming apparatus and on an upper side of the feeding apparatus,   wherein the conveyance apparatus includes a change conveyance unit configured to change a conveyance orientation of a first sheet to a portrait orientation in a case where the first sheet in a sheet storage unit included in the feeding apparatus is fed in a landscape orientation to the conveyance apparatus, the portrait orientation being an orientation in which a long side of the first sheet is parallel to a sheet conveyance direction of the first sheet, the landscape orientation being an orientation in which a short side of the first sheet is parallel to the sheet conveyance direction, and   wherein the change conveyance unit changes the conveyance orientation of the first sheet from the landscape orientation to the portrait orientation on a substantially horizontal region between the image forming apparatus and the feeding apparatus.   
     
     
         11 . The image forming system according to  claim 10 , wherein the conveyance apparatus conveys the first sheet in the portrait orientation to the image forming apparatus. 
     
     
         12 . An image forming system according to  claim 11 , wherein the change conveyance unit includes a first conveyance unit configured to convey the first sheet conveyed from the feeding apparatus in the landscape orientation, and a reference member configured to be in contact with the first sheet conveyed by the first conveyance unit. 
     
     
         13 . An image forming system according to  claim 12 , wherein the change conveyance unit includes a second conveyance unit configured to convey the first sheet while keeping the first sheet in contact with a guide surface included in the reference member and pivoting the first sheet. 
     
     
         14 . The image forming system according to  claim 13 , wherein the change conveyance unit includes a third conveyance unit configured to convey the first sheet in the portrait orientation along the reference member in a manner moving the first sheet away from the reference member. 
     
     
         15 . The image forming system according to  claim 11 , wherein the change conveyance unit includes a first conveyance unit configured to convey the first sheet conveyed from the feeding apparatus in the landscape orientation, and a second conveyance unit configured to convey the first sheet while changing the conveyance orientation of the first sheet from the landscape orientation to the portrait orientation, the second conveyance unit being disposed downstream of the first conveyance unit with respect to the sheet conveyance direction. 
     
     
         16 . The image forming system according to  claim 15 ,
 wherein the second conveyance unit includes a first conveyance roller pair and a second conveyance roller pair that are disposed in a direction intersecting the sheet conveyance direction, and   wherein a speed at which the first conveyance roller pair conveys the first sheet is different from a speed at which the second conveyance roller pair conveys the first sheet.   
     
     
         17 . The image forming system according to  claim 10 , wherein the conveyance apparatus includes an adjustment unit configured to adjust, in accordance with a status of the image forming apparatus, a conveyance speed of the first sheet in the portrait orientation to which a conveyance orientation of the first sheet has been changed by the change conveyance unit. 
     
     
         18 . An image forming system according to  claim 17 ,
 wherein the adjustment unit is disposed in an upper side of the change conveyance unit, and   wherein a sheet conveyance direction of the first sheet by the change conveyance unit is opposite to a sheet conveyance direction of the first sheet by the adjustment unit.