Sheet discharge device and image forming apparatus

Abstract

A sheet discharge device includes a discharge tray that accommodates a discharged sheet with an end portion on an upstream side along a discharging direction of the sheet abutting against a wall surface and a plurality of exhaust passages that are provided in the wall surface of the discharge tray and that are inclined to extend outward of both end portions along a width direction intersecting the discharging direction of the sheet toward a lower side of the wall surface.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A sheet discharge device comprising:
 a discharge tray that accommodates a discharged sheet with an end portion on an upstream side along a discharging direction of the sheet abutting against a wall surface; and   a plurality of exhaust passages that are provided in the wall surface of the discharge tray and that are inclined to extend outward of both end portions along a width direction intersecting the discharging direction of the sheet toward a lower side of the wall surface.   
     
     
         2 . The sheet discharge device according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the plurality of exhaust passages are provided in a symmetrical shape with a reference position as a center.   
     
     
         3 . The sheet discharge device according to  claim 2 ,
 wherein the reference position is at a center in a direction intersecting the discharging direction of the sheet.   
     
     
         4 . The sheet discharge device according to  claim 2 ,
 wherein the plurality of exhaust passages are formed by protruding portions or slit portions provided in the wall surface of the discharge tray.   
     
     
         5 . The sheet discharge device according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the discharge tray has an inclined surface that is formed such that the end portion on the upstream side along the discharging direction of the sheet is lowest.   
     
     
         6 . The sheet discharge device according to  claim 5 ,
 wherein the sheet is discharged along the inclined surface of the discharge tray due to a weight of the sheet in a state where the end portion on the upstream side along the discharging direction of the sheet has abutted against the wall surface.   
     
     
         7 . An image forming apparatus comprising:
 an image forming section that forms an image on a sheet; and   a sheet discharge section that discharges the sheet on which the image is formed by the image forming section,   wherein the sheet discharge device according to  claim 1  is used as the sheet discharge section.   
     
     
         8 . An image forming apparatus comprising:
 an image forming section that forms an image on a sheet; and   a sheet discharge section that discharges the sheet on which the image is formed by the image forming section,   wherein the sheet discharge device according to  claim 2  is used as the sheet discharge section.   
     
     
         9 . An image forming apparatus comprising:
 an image forming section that forms an image on a sheet; and   a sheet discharge section that discharges the sheet on which the image is formed by the image forming section,   wherein the sheet discharge device according to  claim 3  is used as the sheet discharge section.   
     
     
         10 . An image forming apparatus comprising:
 an image forming section that forms an image on a sheet; and   a sheet discharge section that discharges the sheet on which the image is formed by the image forming section,   wherein the sheet discharge device according to  claim 4  is used as the sheet discharge section.   
     
     
         11 . An image forming apparatus comprising:
 an image forming section that forms an image on a sheet; and   a sheet discharge section that discharges the sheet on which the image is formed by the image forming section,   wherein the sheet discharge device according to  claim 5  is used as the sheet discharge section.   
     
     
         12 . An image forming apparatus comprising:
 an image forming section that forms an image on a sheet; and   a sheet discharge section that discharges the sheet on which the image is formed by the image forming section,   wherein the sheet discharge device according to claim  6  is used as the sheet discharge section.