Sheet alignment in sheet conveying device

Abstract

A sheet conveying device includes an aligning roller and a sheet guide. The aligning roller is configured to rotate in a forward direction along a sheet conveying direction, and stop rotation or rotate in a reverse direction to align a sheet conveyed thereto with a nip formed with the aligning roller. The sheet guide is disposed along a sheet conveyance path extending to the nip in the sheet conveying direction, and movable between a first position at which the sheet conveyance path has a first width in a thickness direction of the sheet and a second position at which the sheet conveyance path has a second width in the thickness direction less than the first width. The sheet guide is at the first position when the aligning roller stops rotation or rotates in the reverse direction and at the second position when the aligning roller rotates in the forward direction.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A sheet conveying device comprising:
 an aligning roller configured to rotate in a forward direction along a sheet conveying direction, and stop rotation or rotate in a reverse direction opposite to the forward direction to align a sheet conveyed to a nip formed with the aligning roller; and   a sheet guide disposed along a sheet conveyance path extending to the nip in the sheet conveying direction, and movable between a first position at which the sheet conveyance path has a first width in a thickness direction of the sheet and a second position at which the sheet conveyance path has a second width in the thickness direction less than the first width, wherein   the sheet guide is at the first position when the aligning roller stops rotation or rotates in the reverse direction for sheet alignment and at the second position when the aligning roller rotates in the forward direction for sheet conveyance.   
     
     
         2 . The sheet conveying device according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a first stopper positioned to restrict movement of the sheet guide further than the first position; and   a second stopper positioned to restrict movement of the sheet guide further than the second position.   
     
     
         3 . The sheet conveying device according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a conveying roller disposed upstream the aligning roller in the sheet conveying direction at a position where the conveying roller nips and conveys the sheet when the leading end of the sheet enters the nip.   
     
     
         4 . The sheet conveying device according to  claim 3 , further comprising:
 a first stationary sheet guide disposed between the conveying roller and the aligning roller along the sheet conveyance path and having a flat surface; and   a second stationary sheet guide facing the first stationary sheet guide and having a curved surface protruding away from the sheet conveyance path.   
     
     
         5 . The sheet conveying device according to  claim 4 , wherein the second stationary sheet guide is disposed on a same side of the sheet conveyance path as the sheet guide. 
     
     
         6 . The sheet conveying device according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the sheet guide is attached to the aligning roller, and moves to the second position in accordance with rotation of the aligning roller in the forward direction.   
     
     
         7 . The sheet conveying device according to  claim 1 , wherein the aligning roller rotates in the reverse direction for sheet alignment, and
 the sheet guide is attached to the aligning roller, and moves to the first position in accordance with rotation of the aligning roller in the reverse direction.   
     
     
         8 . The sheet conveying device according to  claim 1 , wherein the sheet guide is movable independently of rotation of the aligning roller. 
     
     
         9 . The sheet conveying device according to  claim 1 , wherein the sheet conveyance path extends along a gravity direction. 
     
     
         10 . The sheet conveying device according to  claim 1 , wherein the sheet conveyance path extends along a horizontal direction and the sheet guide is disposed above the sheet conveyance path. 
     
     
         11 . The sheet conveying device according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a motor configured to cause movement of the sheet guide, and   a controller configured to control the motor to cause the sheet guide to be at the second position when the aligning roller rotates in the reverse direction for sheet alignment and at the first position when the aligning roller rotates in the forward direction for sheet conveyance.   
     
     
         12 . An image forming apparatus comprising:
 a printer; and   a sheet conveying device configured to convey a sheet to or from the printer, the sheet conveying device comprising:
 an aligning roller configured to rotate in a forward direction along a sheet conveying direction, and stop rotation or rotate in a reverse direction opposite to the forward direction to align a sheet conveyed thereto with a nip formed with the aligning roller; and 
 a sheet guide disposed along a sheet conveyance path extending to the nip in the sheet conveying direction, and movable between a first position at which the sheet conveyance path has a first width in a thickness direction of the sheet and a second position at which the sheet conveyance path has a second width in the thickness direction less than the first width, wherein 
 the sheet guide is at the first position when the aligning roller stops rotation or rotates in the reverse direction for sheet alignment and at the second position when the aligning roller rotates in the forward direction for sheet conveyance. 
   
     
     
         13 . The image forming apparatus comprising according to  claim 12 , wherein the sheet conveying device is configured to convey a sheet to the printer. 
     
     
         14 . The image forming apparatus comprising according to  claim 12 , wherein the sheet conveying device is configured to convey a sheet from the printer. 
     
     
         15 . The image forming apparatus comprising according to  claim 12 , wherein the sheet conveying device further includes:
 a first stationary sheet guide disposed between the conveying roller and the aligning roller along the sheet conveyance path and having a flat surface; and   a second stationary sheet guide facing the first stationary sheet guide and having a curved surface protruding away from the sheet conveyance path.   
     
     
         16 . The image forming apparatus comprising according to claim  15 , wherein
 the second stationary sheet guide is disposed on a same side of the sheet conveyance path as the sheet guide.   
     
     
         17 . The image forming apparatus comprising according to  claim 12 , further comprising:
 a motor configured to cause movement of the sheet guide, and   a controller configured to control the motor to cause the sheet guide to be at the second position when the aligning roller rotates in the reverse direction for sheet alignment and at the first position when the aligning roller rotates in the forward direction for sheet conveyance.   
     
     
         18 . A sheet processing apparatus comprising:
 a sheet processing device configured to process a printed sheet conveyed from a printer; and   a sheet conveying device configured to convey a sheet to or from the sheet processing device, the sheet conveying device comprising:
 an aligning roller configured to rotate in a forward direction along a sheet conveying direction, and stop rotation or rotate in a reverse direction opposite to the forward direction to align a sheet conveyed thereto with a nip formed with the aligning roller; and 
 a sheet guide disposed along a sheet conveyance path extending to the nip in the sheet conveying direction, and movable between a first position at which the sheet conveyance path has a first width in a thickness direction of the sheet and a second position at which the sheet conveyance path has a second width in the thickness direction less than the first width, wherein 
 the sheet guide is at the first position when the aligning roller stops rotation or rotates in the reverse direction for sheet alignment and at the second position when the aligning roller rotates in the forward direction for sheet conveyance. 
   
     
     
         19 . The sheet processing apparatus according to  claim 18 , wherein the sheet conveying device is configured to convey a sheet to the sheet processing device. 
     
     
         20 . The sheet processing apparatus according to  claim 18 , wherein the sheet conveying device is configured to convey a sheet from the sheet processing device.