Sheet processing device

Abstract

To facilitate sheet jam processing.SOLUTION: A rear end dropping member 250A has a turning shaft 2501 as a turning center arranged closer to a downstream side in a first conveying direction than unprocessed rollers 211A and 212A, which can turn from an upper position which is upper than the unprocessed rollers 211A and 212A to a lower position which is lower than the unprocessed rollers 211A ad 212A with the turning shaft 2501 as the center. The rear end dropping member 250A drops a sheet conveyed by the unprocessed rollers 211A and 212A down into a lower processing tray 220, by turning from the upper position to the lower position. In a state where the rear end dropping member 250A is at the lower position, a tip regulating part 2407 regulates a tip of a sheet S being conveyed towards a nip position, at a place closer to an upstream side in the first conveying direction than the nip position closest to a downstream side in the first conveying direction of a nip region where the unprocessed rollers 211A and 212A hold the sheet.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 16

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a sheet processing apparatus that performs a predetermined process such as stapling on a sheet.

Background Art

[0002] In a sheet processing apparatus, a sheet conveyed from a conveyance path is placed on a processing tray, and a process such as stapling is performed on the sheet on the processing tray. As such a sheet processing apparatus, a configuration has been proposed in which a guide for guiding a sheet downward is provided rotatably above the processing tray (Patent Document 1).

[0003] By rotating, this guide has a function of abutting against a sheet conveyed by a pair of conveyance rollers disposed above the processing tray from above and dropping the sheet onto the processing tray. In the case of the configuration described in Patent Document 1, the rotation center of the guide is disposed on the downstream side in the conveyance direction of the sheet by the pair of conveyance rollers. When dropping the sheet conveyed by the pair of conveyance rollers downward, the tip of the guide rotates about the rotation center from an upper position to a lower position on the downstream side of the pair of conveyance rollers.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] As described above, in the configuration described in Patent Document 1, when the guide (sheet drop section) is in the lower position, the sheet transport path downstream of the pair of transport rollers is blocked by the guide. Therefore, if for some reason the guide is unable to return from the lower position to the upper position, the next sheet being transported will hit this guide and get jammed downstream of the pair of transport rollers. In this way, it is difficult to remove a jammed sheet when the guide is in the lower position and downstream of the pair of transport rollers. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The sheet processing apparatus of the present invention comprises a pair of conveying rotating bodies for conveying a sheet in a first conveying direction; a placement section for temporarily placing the sheet conveyed in the first conveying direction by the pair of conveying rotating bodies; a sheet dropping section having a pivot point downstream of the pair of conveying rotating bodies in the first conveying direction, extending upstream from the pivot point in the first conveying direction, and rotatable around the pivot point from an upper position above the pair of conveying rotating bodies to a lower position below the pair of conveying rotating bodies, and by rotating from the upper position to the lower position, contacting the sheet conveyed by the pair of conveying rotating bodies from above and dropping the sheet onto the placement section; a reverse conveying section for conveying the sheet on the placement section conveyed by the pair of conveying rotating bodies in a second conveying direction opposite to the first conveying direction; and the reverse conveying section The device is characterized by comprising: a stopper portion against which the downstream edge of a sheet conveyed in the second conveying direction abuts; a processing unit that performs a predetermined process on a sheet conveyed in the second conveying direction by the reverse conveying unit and whose downstream edge in the second conveying direction abuts against the stopper portion; a loading unit positioned downstream of the aforementioned loading unit in the first conveying direction and loading the sheet that has been processed by the processing unit; a discharge unit that discharges the sheet that has been processed by the processing unit to the loading unit; and, with the sheet dropping unit in the lower position, a tip restricting unit that restricts the movement of the leading edge of a sheet being conveyed toward the nip position in the first conveying direction, located upstream of the nip position furthest downstream in the first conveying direction among the nip regions where the sheet is held by the pair of conveying rotating bodies. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, the jamming process for sheets can be made easier. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] A schematic cross-sectional view of the image forming system according to the embodiment. [Figure 2] A schematic cross-sectional view of the sheet processing apparatus according to the embodiment. [Figure 3] A schematic perspective view showing the sheet processing apparatus according to the embodiment with the upper cover removed. [Figure 4] (a) A view of the alignment plate on the processing tray as seen from the width direction, (b) A view of the alignment plate as seen from the downstream side in the sheet transport direction, and (c) A perspective view of the alignment plate according to the embodiment. [Figure 5] (a) A perspective view of the area around the processing tray in the home position of the sheet processing apparatus according to the embodiment, and (b) A schematic cross-sectional view of the sheet processing apparatus. [Figure 6] A view from the width direction of (a) the discharge roller, (b) the scraping paddle, and (c) the rear end dropping member in the home position of the sheet processing apparatus according to the embodiment. [Figure 7] A perspective view showing the engagement relationship between the rear end drop member and the scraping paddle according to the embodiment. [Figure 8] (a) A perspective view of the area around the processing tray and (b) A schematic cross-sectional view of the sheet processing device during sheet discharge according to the first embodiment. [Figure 9] A view from the width direction of (a) the discharge roller, (b) the scraping paddle, and (c) the rear end dropping member when a sheet is discharged from the sheet processing device according to the embodiment. [Figure 10] (a) A perspective view of the area around the processing tray and (b) A schematic cross-sectional view of the sheet processing device during sheet feeding according to the embodiment. [Figure 11] A view from the width direction of (a) the discharge roller, (b) the scraping paddle, and (c) the rear end dropping member during sheet scraping of the sheet processing device according to the embodiment. [Figure 12] A perspective view showing the sheet processing apparatus according to the embodiment in its home position, with some parts of the apparatus omitted. [Figure 13] A cross-sectional view showing the sheet processing apparatus according to the embodiment in its home position, with some parts of the apparatus omitted. [Figure 14]Perspective view showing the state during sheet feeding of the sheet processing apparatus according to the embodiment, with a part of the apparatus omitted. [Figure 15] Cross-sectional view showing the state during sheet feeding of the sheet processing apparatus according to the embodiment, with a part of the apparatus omitted. [Figure 16] Schematic cross-sectional view showing how the leading edge of a subsequent sheet is regulated by a feeding paddle in the sheet processing apparatus according to the embodiment. [Figure 17] (a) View of the rear-end dropping member as seen from the upstream side in the first conveyance direction, (b) perspective view of the rear-end dropping member as seen from below, (c) perspective view of the rear-end dropping member as seen from above, according to the embodiment. [Figure 18] Schematic cross-sectional view showing the state where the sheet processing apparatus is separated from the discharge portion of the image forming apparatus main body in the image forming system according to the embodiment. [Figure 19] (a) Schematic diagram, (b) perspective view of the sheet processing apparatus according to the embodiment as seen from the upstream side in the first conveyance direction. [Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention]

[0009] The embodiments will be described using FIGS. 1 to 19(b). First, the schematic configuration of the image forming system of the present embodiment will be described using FIG. 1.

[0010] [Image Forming System] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing the schematic configuration of the image forming system of the present embodiment. The image forming system 1000A includes an image forming apparatus 100, a punching unit 150, and a sheet processing apparatus 200A. The image forming apparatus 100 is a copier, printer, facsimile, or multifunction device having multiple functions thereof, and forms an image on a sheet such as paper or a plastic sheet. In the present embodiment, it is an electrophotographic printer, and the sheet on which the toner image is formed is discharged from the first discharge portion 101 or the second discharge portion 102. Note that the image forming apparatus 100 may be an inkjet type image forming apparatus.

[0011] In the image forming apparatus according to this embodiment, although detailed illustration is omitted, a toner image is formed on a sheet in an image forming unit 103. Briefly described, the surface of a photosensitive drum is charged, and by exposing the surface, an electrostatic latent image is formed on the photosensitive drum. Then, this electrostatic latent image is developed with a developer by a developing device to form a toner image. The toner image formed on the photosensitive drum is transferred onto a sheet, and further, by being heated and pressed by a fixing device, it is fixed onto the sheet. The sheet on which the toner image is fixed passes through a conveyance path 104 and is sent to a first discharge unit 101 or a second discharge unit 102.

[0012] Also, the image forming apparatus 100 according to this embodiment includes an image forming apparatus main body 110 having an image forming unit 103, a conveyance path 104, a first discharge unit 101, and a second discharge unit 102, and an image reading unit 120 disposed above the image forming apparatus main body 110. The image reading unit 120 reads an image on a document and sends the read image signal to the image forming apparatus main body 110. The image forming apparatus main body 110 has a first housing portion 111 in which the image forming unit 103 is disposed, and a second housing portion 112 in which a part of the conveyance path 104, the first discharge unit 101, and the second discharge unit 102 are disposed, and the second housing portion 112 is provided above the first housing portion 111. The image reading unit 120 is provided above the second housing portion 112. Further, an operation panel (not shown) is provided in the second housing portion, and it is possible to input instructions (printing conditions, mode settings, etc.) from a user for the image forming apparatus 100, the punch unit 150, and the sheet processing apparatus 200.

[0013] In this embodiment, by configuring as such, it has an inner body space 130 surrounded by the first housing portion 111, the second housing portion 112, and the image reading unit 120. And it is configured to discharge a sheet from the first discharge unit 101 or the second discharge unit into the inner body space 130. Also, in this inner body space 130, the punch unit 150, the sheet processing apparatus 200A, etc. are made detachable. In this embodiment, the punch unit 150 and the sheet processing apparatus 200A are mounted to constitute an image forming system 1000A, but either one of them, or other apparatuses for performing sheet processing may be mounted.

[0014] The punch unit 150 is connected to the first discharge unit 101 and can receive the sheet discharged from the first discharge unit 101 and perform punching on the sheet. The sheet processing device 200A is connected to the sheet discharge unit of the punch unit 150 and can receive the sheet discharged from the punch unit 150. As will be described in detail later, it is possible to perform predetermined processing such as stapling on the sheet. It is also possible to transfer the sheet to the sheet processing device 200A without performing punching on the punch unit 150, and the sheet processing device 200A can discharge the sheet without performing predetermined processing. The sheet discharged from the second discharge unit 102 is discharged onto the sheet mounting surface 160 above the punch unit 150 and the sheet processing device 200A.

[0015] In the internal space 130 of the drum, rails 131 are arranged along the left-right direction in Figure 1, and the punch unit 150 and the sheet processing device 200 can be attached and detached along the rails 131 in the directions of arrows α1 and α2. Alternatively, the punch unit 150 can be omitted, and the sheet processing device 200A can be directly connected to the first discharge unit 101. Furthermore, by making the punch unit 150 and the sheet processing device 200A detachable in this way, sheet jamming can be handled.

[0016] For example, if a sheet jams in the first discharge section 101, the punch unit 150 and the sheet processing device 200A are pulled out in the direction of arrow α1 to expose the first discharge section 101. Also, if a sheet jam occurs in the punch unit 150, only the sheet processing device 200A is pulled out in the direction of arrow α1 to expose the punch unit 150. When mounting the punch unit 150 and the sheet processing device 200A into the image forming apparatus 100, they are pushed in in the direction of arrow α2. Thus, in this embodiment, since the sheet processing device 200A is placed in the internal space 130 of the cylinder of the image forming apparatus 100, it is required to miniaturize the sheet processing device 200A.

[0017] [Sheet processing device] The configuration of the sheet processing apparatus 200A in this embodiment will be explained using Figures 2 to 11(c). First, the overall configuration of the sheet processing apparatus 200A will be explained using Figures 2 and 3.

[0018] [Overall configuration of the sheet processing device] The sheet processing device 200A includes a transport path 210A, a pair of pre-processing rollers 211A and 212A as transport rotating bodies, a processing tray 220 as a loading section, a pair of discharge rotating bodies (discharge section) consisting of an upper discharge roller (nip member) 230A and a lower discharge roller 230B, a scraping paddle 240A as a reverse transport section, a rear end dropping member 250A as a sheet dropping section, a alignment section 270A as a shift section, a return member 280, a rear end regulating member 290 as a stopper section, a loading tray 300 as a loading section, a sheet pressing paddle 320A, and the like. Sheets received from the image forming apparatus 100 or punch unit 150 are transported to the transport path 210A.

[0019] The sheets transported from the transport path 210A are either directly discharged to the loading tray 300 or placed on the processing tray 220, depending on the mode of processing the sheets. Direct discharge to the loading tray 300 means that the sheets are discharged to the loading tray 300 without being transported back to a position on the processing tray 220 where stapling can be performed. In other words, the sheet processing device 200A has a mode in which sheets that have been stapled by the stapling unit 400 are discharged to the loading tray 300, and a mode in which sheets are discharged to the loading tray 300 without stapling by the stapling unit 400. In this embodiment, sheet alignment is made possible by the alignment unit 270A without placing the sheets on the processing tray 220. Sheet alignment is also possible on the processing tray 220, and stapling is made possible on sheets placed on the processing tray 220 by the stapling unit 400. Furthermore, the sheets or bundles of sheets placed on the processing tray 220 can be discharged to the loading tray 300 by a pair of discharge rotating bodies, such as the upper discharge roller 230A and the lower discharge roller 230B. The configuration of each part will be described in detail below.

[0020] [Transport path] The transport path 210A is a path for transporting the sheet in a first transport direction (a predetermined direction), and includes an upper guide 2101 that guides the upper surface of the sheet being transported, and a lower guide 2102 that guides the lower surface of the sheet. The transport path 210A is arranged with a pair of transport rotating bodies: pre-processing rollers 211A, 212A, and upstream rollers (inlet rollers) 213a, 213b. These are arranged in pairs so as to be spaced apart in the width direction of the sheet (arrow γ direction in Figure 3) that intersects the sheet transport direction (first transport direction, arrow β direction in Figure 2 (left-right direction)).

[0021] The pre-processing rollers 211A and 212A are conveying members and a pair of conveying rotating bodies that transport the sheet, with at least one rotating while gripping the sheet. The upstream rollers 213a and 213b also rotate while gripping the sheet. The upstream rollers 213a and 213b are located at the entrance of the sheet processing device 200A, and receive the sheet transported from the upstream side of the sheet processing device 200A and transport it to the transport path 210A. The sheet that has passed through the transport path 210A then reaches the pre-processing rollers 211A and 212A.

[0022] The pre-processing rollers 211A and 212A form a pre-processing nip section 211a capable of gripping and conveying the sheet. The sheet is then gripped by the pre-processing nip section 211a and conveyed in the first conveying direction, and the sheet is discharged from the conveying path 210A. As will be described later, the pre-processing rollers 211A and 212A can be brought into contact with each other, separated, or the nip pressure can be changed.

[0023] [Processing tray] The processing tray 220, which serves as the sheet placement section, is positioned downstream of the sheet transport direction (first transport direction) of the transport path 210A and vertically below the transport path 210. The processing tray 220 is also inclined with respect to the horizontal plane such that the upstream side in the first transport direction is lower than the downstream side. The processing tray 220 temporarily places sheets that have been transported downstream in the first transport direction by the pre-processing rollers 211A and 212A. The processing tray 220 can also stack multiple sheets, and the alignment section 270A on the processing tray 220 aligns the sheets in the width direction and moves them in the width direction (sheet shifting). At the upstream end of the processing tray 220 in the first transport direction, there is a rear end regulating member 290 which acts as a stopper against which the upstream edge of the sheet in the first transport direction (the downstream edge in the second transport direction, opposite to the first transport direction, the rear end of the sheet) of the sheet placed on the processing tray 220 abuts. Furthermore, a portion of the processing tray 220 (for example, the downstream end in the first transport direction) may protrude vertically upward from the transport path 210A.

[0024] Furthermore, a stapling unit 400, which functions as a processing unit, is positioned upstream of the processing tray 220 in the first transport direction. The stapling unit 400 performs a predetermined stapling process (binding process) on the sheet bundles that have been aligned in the width direction and restricted at the rear end by the processing tray 220. The stapling unit 400 can change the stapling position on the sheet bundle and moves according to the stapling position. Note that the predetermined process may be other processes such as punching, in addition to stapling. The sheets or sheet bundles placed on the processing tray 220 are discharged to the loading tray 300 by the upper discharge roller 230A and the lower discharge roller 230B, as described later.

[0025] [Paddle for digging] The scraping paddle 240A, acting as a reverse conveying unit, conveys the sheets on the processing tray 220 in a second conveying direction opposite to the first conveying direction. The scraping paddle 240A has a paddle section 2401 as a rotating member, a paddle arm 2402 as a support section that supports the paddle section 2401, and a pivot point 2403 that pivotably supports the paddle arm 2402. That is, the paddle arm 2402 is pivotable in the vertical direction around the pivot point 2403, and the paddle section 2401 is rotatably mounted at the tip of the paddle arm 2402.

[0026] Such a scraping paddle 240A can swing around a pivot point 2403 between a return position in which the paddle portion 2401 contacts the upper surface of the sheet on the processing tray 220 and the sheet can be transported in the second transport direction, and an upper retracted position in which the paddle portion 2401 is retracted above the return position. The pivot point 2403 is located upstream in the first transport direction from the pre-processing nip portion 211a, which is the nip position where the sheet is gripped by the pre-processing rollers 211A and 212A, and vertically above the pre-processing nip portion 211a. The paddle arm 2402 extends downstream from the pivot point 2403 in the first transport direction, and the paddle portion 2401 is provided at its tip. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 3, a pair of scraping paddles 240A are arranged on both sides in the width direction of the upper discharge roller 230A, which will be described later.

[0027] [Rear end drop member] The rear end dropping members 250A, which serve as sheet dropping sections, are provided in pairs on both sides of the pair of scraping paddles 240A. That is, the pair of rear end dropping members 250A are positioned on both sides of the scraping paddles 240A in the width direction and, as will be described later, move vertically in conjunction with the scraping paddles 240A, so as to contact the upper surface on the upstream side in the first conveying direction of the sheet and operate to drop the upstream end (rear end) of the sheet toward the processing tray 220. The rear end dropping members 250A may also be driven independently of the scraping paddles 240A.

[0028] Such a rear end drop member 250A has a pivot axis 2501 as the pivot center downstream in the first transport direction from the pair of pre-processing rollers 211A and 212A, which act as transport rollers. It extends upstream from the pivot axis 2501 in the first transport direction and is rotatable around the pivot axis 2501 from an upper position above the pre-processing rollers 211A and 212A to a lower position below the pre-processing rollers 211A and 212A. By rotating from the upper position to the lower position, the rear end drop member 250A contacts the sheet transported by the pre-processing rollers 211A and 212A from above, dropping the sheet into the processing tray 220 below.

[0029] [Return component] The return member 280 further transports the sheet, which has been conveyed toward the rear end restricting member 290 by the scraping paddle 240A as described above, toward the rear end restricting member 290, and restricts the position of the rear end of the sheet by bringing the rear end of the sheet into contact with the rear end restricting member 290. Such a return member 280 is made of a knurled belt 281, and by rotating the knurled belt 281, it further scrapes the sheet that has been conveyed toward the upstream side in the first transport direction by the scraping paddle 240A, bringing the rear end into contact with the rear end restricting member 290. The return member 280 is movable between a contact position where it can contact the sheet and a retracted position moved upward from the contact position. When transporting the sheet toward the rear end restricting member 290, it moves to the contact position, and when transporting the sheet on the processing tray 220 toward the loading tray 300, it moves to the retracted position.

[0030] [Discharge roller] The upper discharge roller 230A and the lower discharge roller 230B constitute a pair of discharge rotating bodies and a discharge section, and discharge the sheets that have been conveyed downstream in the first conveying direction by the pre-processing rollers 211A and 212A to a point downstream in the first conveying direction from the processing tray 220. Specifically, the upper discharge roller 230A and the lower discharge roller 230B discharge the sheets that have been stapled by the staple unit 400 to the loading tray 300. The upper discharge roller 230A is movable between a clamping position (contact position) in which it clamps the sheet between itself and the lower discharge roller 230B, and a retracted position which is retracted upward from the clamping position, and clamps the sheet between itself and the lower discharge roller 230B in the clamping position. That is, the upper discharge roller 230A functions as a nipping member that nips the sheet between itself and the lower discharge roller 230B in the clamping position. The upper discharge roller 230A and the lower discharge roller 230B are each arranged in pairs, spaced apart in the width direction of the sheet. In this embodiment, they are positioned inside the width direction of the pair of scraping paddles 240A.

[0031] The upper discharge roller 230A and the lower discharge roller 230B grip a sheet or sheet bundle at the gripping position, and the gripped sheet or sheet bundle is conveyed by the rotation of the lower discharge roller 230B, for example. The upper discharge roller 230A is a driven roller that rotates in accordance with the rotation of the lower discharge roller 230B, but it may also be driven. That is, in this embodiment, the upper discharge roller 230A is the driven rotating body, and the lower discharge roller 230B is the driving rotation. The upper discharge roller 230A also functions as a nip member that can grip a sheet between itself and the lower discharge roller 230B at the gripping position, but this nip member may be another rotating body such as a belt instead of a roller, or it may be a contact member that contacts the sheet without rotating, such as a lever member. The lower discharge roller 230B may be a rotating body other than a roller, such as a belt.

[0032] The upper discharge roller 230A is rotatable around the pivot axis 2301 between the gripping position and the retracted position. In other words, the upper discharge roller 230A is vertically movable between the gripping position and the retracted position. The upper discharge roller 230A is provided at the tip of the discharge arm 2302, which serves as a support. The pivot axis 2301 is provided coaxially with the aforementioned pivot point 2403 and is located upstream in the first conveying direction from the pre-processing nip section 211a, which grips the sheet with the pre-processing rollers 211A and 212A, and vertically above the pre-processing nip section 211a. The discharge arm 2302 extends downstream from the pivot axis 2301 in the first conveying direction, and the upper discharge roller 230A is provided at its tip. The pivot shaft 2301 does not necessarily have to be coaxial with the pivot point 2403, but in this embodiment, the pivot shafts of the upper discharge roller 230A and the scraping paddle 240A are coaxial.

[0033] The pivot shaft 2301 is positioned upstream in the first conveying direction from the discharge nip section where the upper discharge roller 230A nips the sheet between itself and the lower discharge roller 230B in the clamping position. Furthermore, in the retracted position, the upper discharge roller 230A is positioned vertically above the pre-processing nip section 211a where it nips the sheet with the pre-processing rollers 211A and 212A, and the pivot shaft 2301 is positioned vertically above the center of the upper discharge roller 230A in the retracted position.

[0034] As described above, the upper discharge roller 230A has a positional relationship with the pivot axis 2301 and the pre-processing nip portion 211a, so when it is in the retracted position, it allows the sheet that has passed the pre-processing nip portion 211a to move toward the loading tray 300. On the other hand, the upper discharge roller 230A moves downward from the retracted position toward the clamping position by rotating counterclockwise around the pivot axis 2301 in Figure 2. When the upper discharge roller 230A moves toward the clamping position, the sheet can be clamped between the upper discharge roller 230A and the lower discharge roller 230B.

[0035] [Matching part] The alignment section 270A, which functions as a shift section, will be described with reference to Figures 4(a) to 4(c), in addition to Figures 2 and 3. The alignment section 270A moves the sheet in the shift direction by contacting the edge of the sheet that has been conveyed downstream in the first conveying direction by the pre-processing rollers 211A and 212A along the first conveying direction, and moving in the shift direction (width direction) that intersects the first conveying direction. Such an alignment section 270A has a pair of alignment plates 271A arranged to face each other with respect to the shift direction.

[0036] The pair of alignment plates 271A are positioned further downstream than the downstream end of the first transport direction of the transport path 210A, and move in the width direction to contact the widthwise edge of the sheet, thereby aligning the sheet in the width direction. In this embodiment, they are positioned on both sides in the width direction of the sheet placed on the processing tray 220, and are movable in the width direction. The pair of alignment plates 271A also extend from the upstream side to the downstream side in the first transport direction relative to the upper discharge roller 230A and the lower discharge roller 230B. The configuration of the pair of alignment plates 271A is the same. The pair of alignment plates 271A move in the shift direction by the drive of the front (F side) alignment plate moving motor and the rear (R side) alignment plate moving motor, which act as drive units.

[0037] The matching plate 271A is formed so that its vertical width is wider on the downstream side in the first conveying direction. That is, the matching plate 271A has a first plate portion 2701 on the downstream side in the first conveying direction and a second plate portion 2702 formed to be continuous with the first plate portion 2701 on the upstream side in the first conveying direction. The first plate portion 2701 has a larger vertical area than the second plate portion 2702 so that it can come into contact with the sheet even if the leading edge of the conveyed sheet is curled upward or downward. On the other hand, the second plate portion 2702 is formed so that its vertical height is lower than that of the first plate portion 2701 so that it does not interfere with the rear end drop member 250A even if the rear end drop member 250A is in a lower position. In addition, the upper edge of the second plate portion 2702 is inclined so that it becomes lower as it is directed towards the upstream side in the first conveying direction.

[0038] Furthermore, the first plate portion 2701 is formed to span from the upstream to the downstream side in the first transport direction with respect to the upper discharge roller 230A and the lower discharge roller 230B. This ensures that at least the first plate portion 2701 can contact the sheet even when the sheet is discharged by the first shift discharge process described later. The second plate portion 2702 is located on the processing tray 220 and is formed continuously with respect to the first plate portion 2701 in the first transport direction. This ensures that at least the second plate portion 2702 can contact the sheet placed on the processing tray 220 by the second shift discharge process described later.

[0039] Furthermore, the first plate portion 2701 has a curl-holding portion 2703 and a support portion 2704, as shown in Figures 4(a) to 4(c). The curl-holding portion 2703 is located downstream in the first conveying direction from the discharge nip portion 230a (see Figure 8(b), described later), which is the nip position where the sheet is held between the upper discharge roller 230A and the lower discharge roller 230B, and is also located vertically above the discharge nip portion 230a, and holds down the leading edge of the sheet that has curled upward. In this embodiment, the curl-holding portion 2703 is a projection that protrudes inward in the width direction from the upper end of the first plate portion 2701 (the side that contacts the sheet, the right side in Figure 4(b)), and the leading edge of the curled sheet in the width direction contacts it, thereby holding down the leading edge of the sheet. Furthermore, a grooved portion 2705 is provided below the curl-holding portion 2703, and depending on the curl state, the widthwise edge of the sheet can catch on this grooved portion 2705, making it possible to hold down the tip of the curled sheet.

[0040] The support portion 2704 is located downstream in the first conveying direction from the discharge nip portion 230a, which is the nip position where the sheet is gripped by the upper discharge roller 230A and the lower discharge roller 230B, and is also located vertically below the discharge nip portion 230a, thereby supporting the sheet from below. In this embodiment, the support portion 2704 is a projection that protrudes inward in the width direction from the lower end of the first plate portion 2701 (the side that contacts the sheet, the right side in Figure 4(b)). Furthermore, as shown in Figures 4(a) and 4(c), the downstream end of the support portion 2704 in the first conveying direction has an inclined portion 2704a that slopes downward as it goes downstream. This allows the sheet supported by the support portion 2704 to be smoothly guided to the loading tray 300. Furthermore, by supporting the sheet downstream of the discharge nip section 230a in the first conveying direction with the support section 2704, the area in which the pair of matching plates 271A contact the side edge of the sheet can be increased compared to when they are not supported.

[0041] [Loading tray] As described above, the loading tray 300, which serves as the loading section, loads the sheets discharged by the upper discharge roller 230A and the lower discharge roller 230B. The loading tray 300 is located downstream of the processing tray 220 in the first transport direction and is provided to be able to move up and down vertically. Furthermore, the loading tray 300 is inclined with respect to the horizontal plane such that the upstream side in the first transport direction is lower than the downstream side. Such a loading tray 300 is supported, for example, so as to be able to move vertically along rails arranged in the vertical direction, and moves up and down by driving a loading tray lifting motor, which serves as a lifting means.

[0042] At the upstream end of the loading tray 300 in the first transport direction, there is a vertical surface 310a, which serves as a loading-side restricting means for restricting the upstream end (rear end) of a sheet or sheet bundle loaded on the loading tray 300 in a predetermined direction, and a rear end retainer 310b for pressing down on the rear end of a sheet that is in contact with the vertical surface 310a. The rear end retainer 310b is inclined toward the downstream side in the first transport direction as it extends upward, so that even if the rear end of a sheet is curled upward, it can be pressed down by this rear end retainer 310b. In addition, a sheet pressing paddle 320A is provided coaxially with the rotation axis of the lower discharge roller 230B.

[0043] The loading tray 300 can be raised and lowered by a loading tray lifting motor from a first loading position to a second loading position which is lower than the first loading position. The second loading position is the position where the loading tray 300, which was descending when discharging sheets onto the loading tray 300, switches to an upward movement. When discharging sheets, the loading tray 300 moves up and down, and the sheet-holding paddle 320A rotates, pressing down on the sheets or bundles of sheets on the loading tray 300 with the sheet-holding paddle 320A.

[0044] [Drive system configuration for each part] Next, the drive configuration of the upper discharge roller 230A, the scraping paddle 240A, and the rear end drop member 250A will be explained using Figures 5(a) to 11(c). In this embodiment, the upper discharge roller 230A, the scraping paddle 240A, and the rear end drop member 250A are configured to interlock with each other. As shown in Figure 5(a), this drive configuration 600 includes a processing motor 610 as a drive source, a drive transmission mechanism 611, a rotating shaft 612, and a cam mechanism 613. The processing motor 610 can rotate in both forward and reverse directions, and the drive of the processing motor 610 is transmitted to the rotating shaft 612 via the drive transmission mechanism 611. In this embodiment, the drive transmission mechanism 611 is configured with a gear train, but other drive transmission configurations, such as a configuration that transmits drive by a belt, may also be used.

[0045] The rotating shaft 612 is positioned above the upper discharge roller 230A, the scraping paddle 240A, and the rear end drop member 250A, extending in the width direction. The rotation of the rotating shaft 612 causes the cam mechanism 613 to operate. The cam mechanism 613 has a first cam member 620 and a second cam member 630 that rotate together with the rotating shaft 612. The first cam member 620 is positioned between the pair of upper discharge rollers 230A and operates the upper discharge rollers 230A. The second cam member 630 is provided adjacent to each of the pair of scraping paddles 240A and operates the scraping paddles 240A and the rear end drop member 250A.

[0046] As shown in Figure 6(a), the first cam member 620 has a groove 621 formed on its inner side, into which a projection 2303 provided on the discharge arm 2302 of the upper discharge roller 230A can enter. The outer circumferential surface of the groove 621, i.e., the inner circumferential surface of the first cam member 620, is the inner cam surface 622. The inner cam surface 622 is a cam surface whose distance from the rotation center of the rotation shaft 612 differs depending on the phase in the rotation direction. The outer circumferential surface of the first cam member 620 is the outer cam surface 623. The outer cam surface 623 is also a cam surface whose distance from the rotation center of the rotation shaft 612 differs depending on the phase in the rotation direction.

[0047] The discharge arm 2302 of the upper discharge roller 230A has a contact portion 2304 that can contact the outer cam surface 623 of the first cam member 620, in addition to the projection 2303 described above. By rotating together with the rotation shaft 612, the first cam member 620 changes the contact position (phase) between the inner cam surface 622 and the projection 2303, or separates them, and changes the contact position (phase) between the outer cam surface 623 and the contact portion 2304, or separates them, thereby rotating the upper discharge roller 230A around the rotation shaft 2301 from the clamping position to the retracted position, as will be described later.

[0048] As shown in Figure 6(b), the second cam member 630 has a groove 631 formed on its inner side, into which the first projection 2404 provided on the paddle arm 2402 of the scraping paddle 240A can enter. The outer circumferential surface of the groove 631, i.e., the inner circumferential surface of the second cam member 630, is the inner cam surface 632. The inner cam surface 632 is a cam surface whose distance from the rotation center of the rotation axis 612 differs depending on the phase in the rotation direction. By rotating together with the rotation axis 612, the second cam member 630 changes the contact position (phase) between the inner cam surface 632 and the first projection 2404, thereby rotating the scraping paddle 240A around the pivot point 2403 from the return position to the upward retracted position, as will be described later.

[0049] Furthermore, the support portion 2406, which pivots together with the paddle arm 2402 of the scraping paddle 240A around the pivot point 2403 and supports the end of the rotation axis 2401a of the paddle portion 2401, is provided with a second projection 2405 that can enter an engaging recess 2502 formed in the rear end drop member 250A, as shown in Figures 6(c) and 7. The engaging recess 2502 contacts or separates from the second projection 2405, and in conjunction with the rotation of the scraping paddle 240A, it rotates the rear end drop member 250A around the rotation axis 2501 from an upper position to a lower position. The driving of the upper discharge roller 230A, the scraping paddle 240A, and the rear end drop member 250A will be described in detail below.

[0050] [Home position] First, Figures 5(a) to 6(c) show the home position (HP) of the upper discharge roller 230A, the scraping paddle 240A, and the rear end drop member 250A. In the home position, as shown in Figures 5(a) and (b), the upper discharge roller 230A is in the retracted position, the scraping paddle 240A is in the upward retracted position, and the rear end drop member 250A is in the upward position.

[0051] In this state, as shown in Figure 6(a), the projection 2303 of the upper discharge roller 230A contacts the inner cam surface 622 of the first cam member 620 at a position close to the center of the rotation axis 612, thereby supporting the upper discharge roller 230A on the first cam member 620.

[0052] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 6(b), the scraping paddle 240A is supported by the second cam member 630 because the first projection 2404 of the scraping paddle 240A contacts the inner cam surface 632 of the second cam member 630 at a position close to the center of the rotation axis 612.

[0053] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 6(c), the rear end drop member 250A is supported by the scraping paddle 240A via the second projection 2405, as the engaging recess 2502 of the rear end drop member 250A abuts against the second projection 2405 of the scraping paddle 240A.

[0054] [Lower discharge roller] Next, the operation of moving the upper discharge roller 230A from the home position (retracted position) to the clamping position will be explained using Figures 8(a) to 9(c). In order to lower the upper discharge roller 230A from the home position, the processing motor 610 is driven to rotate the rotation shaft 612 in the first direction (counterclockwise in Figures 9(a) and (b)), and the first cam member 620 also rotates in the same direction, causing the projection 2303 to move along the inner cam surface 622. The inner cam surface 622 is formed such that when it rotates counterclockwise from the home position, the distance from the center of the rotation shaft 612 increases. Therefore, this operation causes the upper discharge roller 230A to descend.

[0055] Next, when the upper discharge roller 230A moves to the clamping position and contacts the lower discharge roller 230B, as shown in Figure 9(a), the inner cam surface 622 and projection 2303 of the first cam member 620 separate, and the outer cam surface 623 comes into contact with the contact portion 2304. By bringing the outer cam surface 623 into contact with the contact portion 2304 in this way, the upper discharge roller 230A is pressurized toward the lower discharge roller 230B, thereby applying a predetermined nip pressure between these rollers.

[0056] In this case, the second cam member 630 also rotates together with the rotation shaft 612, but as shown in Figure 9(b), the distance from the center of the rotation shaft 612 to the position where the inner cam surface 632 contacts the first projection 2404 is approximately the same as the distance in the home position. Therefore, even when the second cam member 630 rotates, the scraping paddle 240A is maintained in the home position. Because the scraping paddle 240A is maintained in the home position, the rear end drop member 250A is also maintained in the home position, as shown in Figure 9(c). That is, in this state, as shown in Figure 8(b), the upper discharge roller 230A moves to the clamping position, but the scraping paddle 240A and the rear end drop member 250A are maintained in the home position.

[0057] When raising the upper discharge roller 230A, the motor 610 is driven to rotate the rotating shaft 612 in a second direction opposite to the first direction (counterclockwise in Figures 9(a) and (b)). As a result, the first cam member 620 rotates in the same direction as the rotating shaft 612, causing the projection 2303 to move along the inner cam surface 622, and the upper discharge roller 230A rises. Then it returns to the home position shown in Figure 6(a).

[0058] Here, when the scraping paddle 240A and the rear end drop member 250A return from the state shown in Figures 9(b) and (c) to the state shown in Figures 6(b) and (c), the first projection 2404 moves along the inner cam surface 632 of the second cam member 630. However, the inner cam surface 632 is formed such that the distance from the center of the rotation axis 612 to the position where the inner cam surface 632 contacts the first projection 2404 does not change. Therefore, the scraping paddle 240A remains in its home position. Because the scraping paddle 240A is maintained in its home position, the rear end drop member 250A also remains in its home position.

[0059] [Lowering of the scraping paddle and the rear end drop member] Next, the operation of moving the scraping paddle 240A and the rear end dropping member 250A from the home position (upper retracted position, upper position) to the return position and lower position will be explained using Figures 10(a) to 11(c). In order to lower the scraping paddle 240A and the rear end dropping member 250A from the home position, the motor 610 is driven to rotate the rotation shaft 612 in a second direction opposite to the first direction (clockwise in Figures 11(a) and (b)). As a result, the first cam member 620 also rotates in the same direction, and the projection 2303 moves along the inner cam surface 622. The inner cam surface 622 is formed such that the distance from the center of the rotation shaft 612 does not change significantly even when rotated clockwise from the home position. Therefore, as shown in Figure 11(a), the upper discharge roller 230A is maintained in the home position.

[0060] Meanwhile, the second cam member 630 also rotates in the same direction as the rotation shaft 612, causing the first projection 2404 to move along the inner cam surface 632. The inner cam surface 632 is formed such that when it rotates clockwise from the home position, its distance from the center of the rotation shaft 612 increases. As a result of this movement, the scraping paddle 240A descends and moves to the return position.

[0061] At this time, the rear end drop member 250A also descends together with the scraping paddle 240A. In this embodiment, the rear end drop member 250A has a positioning portion 2503 that, when rotated from an upper position to a lower position, engages with the upper guide 2101 of the transport path 210A to position it in the lower position. The positioning portion 2503 is provided at the upper end of a protruding portion 2504 that is provided to protrude upward from the tip of the rear end drop member 250A (the upstream end in the first transport direction). The protruding portion 2504 also serves to restrict the leading edge of the sheet being transported toward the pre-processing nip portion 211a, upstream of the pre-processing nip portion 211a in the first transport direction, when the rear end drop member 250A is in the lower position.

[0062] The positioning portion 2503 is an engaging portion provided at the upper end of the protrusion 2504 so as to be able to engage with the upper guide 2101, and by contacting the upper surface of the upper guide 2101, it restricts the rear end drop member 250A from descending any further. The engaging recess 2502 is formed to be separated from the second projection 2405 in this state. Therefore, the rear end drop member 250A is in a state where it is disengaged from the scraping paddle 240A and is positioned in a lower position by the positioning portion 2503.

[0063] As a result, even when the scraping paddle 240A reaches the return position, the rear end drop member 250A does not descend further due to the engagement between the positioning part 2503 and the upper guide 2101, and is positioned in the lower position. In this state, as shown in Figure 10(b), the scraping paddle 240A and the rear end drop member 250A move to the return position and the lower position, and the upper discharge roller 230A moves to the home position.

[0064] Note that the aforementioned protrusion 2504 and positioning portion 2053 shown in Figure 11(c) are omitted from Figures 1 to 10(b). Such protrusions 2504 and positioning portion 2053 may be omitted, in which case another positioning mechanism may be provided to position the rear end drop member 250A to a lower position. For example, positioning may be performed by the engagement of the engagement recess 2502 and the second projection 2405 at the lower position.

[0065] When raising the scraping paddle 240A and the rear end drop member 250A, the motor 610 is driven to rotate the rotating shaft 612 in the first direction (counterclockwise in Figures 11(a) and (b)). As a result, the second cam member 630 rotates in the same direction as the rotating shaft 612, causing the first projection 2404 to move along the inner cam surface 632, and the scraping paddle 240A rises. At this time, the second projection 2405 re-engages with the engagement recess 2052, and this engagement also raises the rear end drop member 250A. Then, the scraping paddle 240A and the rear end drop member 250A return to the home position shown in Figures 5(a) to 6(c).

[0066] Here, when the upper discharge roller 230A returns from the state shown in Figure 11(a) to the state shown in Figure 6(a), the projection 2303 moves along the inner cam surface 622 of the first cam member 620. However, the inner cam surface 622 is formed such that the distance from the center of the rotation axis 612 to the position where the inner cam surface 622 contacts the projection 2303 does not change. Therefore, the upper discharge roller 230A remains in its home position.

[0067] In this embodiment, when the rotating shaft 612 is rotated counterclockwise from the home position as shown in Figures 6(a) to 6(c), the upper discharge roller 230A descends, and the scraping paddle 240A and the rear end dropping member 250A are maintained in the home position. On the other hand, when the rotating shaft 612 is rotated clockwise from the home position as shown in Figures 6(a) to 6(c), the upper discharge roller 230A is maintained in the home position, and the scraping paddle 240A and the rear end dropping member 250A descend.

[0068] Furthermore, when the upper discharge roller 230A is in the clamping position shown in Figure 9(a), rotating the rotation shaft 612 clockwise as shown in Figures 9(a) to 9(c) causes the upper discharge roller 230A to rise, and the scraping paddle 240A and the rear end dropping member 250A are maintained in the home position. On the other hand, when the scraping paddle 240A and the rear end dropping member 250A are in the return position and the lower position, rotating the rotation shaft 612 counterclockwise as shown in Figures 11(a) to 11(c) causes the upper discharge roller 230A to be maintained in the home position, and the scraping paddle 240A and the rear end dropping member 250A to rise.

[0069] [Restrictions on the front edge of the sheet] As described above, the rear end drop member 250A moves from an upper position to a lower position, dropping the sheets conveyed by the pre-processing rollers 211A and 212A onto the processing tray 220. However, there is a risk that the rear end drop member 250A may become unable to return from the lower position to the upper position due to a malfunction of the mechanism that operates the rear end drop member 250A. If the rear end drop member 250A becomes unable to return to the upper position, the next sheet that is conveyed will hit this rear end drop member 250A and jam downstream of the pre-processing rollers 211A and 212A in the first conveying direction. In this way, it is difficult to remove a jammed sheet when the rear end drop member 250A is in the lower position and downstream of the pre-processing rollers 211A and 212A in the first conveying direction.

[0070] Specifically, when the rear end drop member 250A is in a lower position, the space above the processing tray 220 becomes narrow, making it difficult to insert fingers or other objects. Furthermore, since the mechanism for operating the rear end drop member 250A is located above the processing tray 220, it is difficult to access the space between the pre-processing rollers 211A, 212A and the rear end drop member 250A from above. Moreover, because the sheet is jammed downstream of the pre-processing rollers 211A, 212A in the first transport direction, even if the pre-processing rollers 211A, 212A are manually rotated to return the sheet to the upstream side of the pre-processing rollers 211A, 212A, it is difficult to return the sheet to the entrance of the sheet processing device 200A if the rear end of the sheet has passed through the upstream rollers 213a, 213b upstream of the pre-processing rollers 211A, 212A.

[0071] Therefore, in this embodiment, with the rear end drop member 250A in a lower position, the leading edge of the sheet being conveyed toward the nip position is restricted at a point upstream in the first conveying direction from the furthest downstream nip position in the nip region where the sheet is held by the pre-processing rollers 211A and 212A. That is, the pre-processing nip portion 211a where the sheet is held by the pre-processing rollers 211A and 212A has a nip region with a certain width in the sheet conveying direction due to the elastic deformation of the rollers. The position that restricts the leading edge of the sheet is at least upstream in the first conveying direction from the furthest downstream end in the first conveying direction within this nip region.

[0072] Specifically, the paddle arm 2402 of the scraping paddle 240A, which descends in conjunction with the rear end drop member 250A, is positioned upstream of the pre-processing nip section 211a in the first conveying direction at the return position, thereby restricting the leading edge of the sheet with this paddle arm 2402. That is, in this embodiment, the paddle arm 2402 is provided with a tip restricting section 2407 that restricts the movement of the leading edge of the sheet in the first conveying direction upstream of the nip position. The tip restricting section 2407 is the lower side surface of the paddle arm 2402 when the scraping paddle 240A is in the upward retracted position. The following will be explained in detail using Figures 12 to 16 with reference to Figure 2 and others. Figures 12 to 15 are perspective views and cross-sectional views showing the configuration around the conveying path 210A and the processing tray 220. Figure 16 shows how the leading edge of the sheet is restricted by the paddle arm 2402.

[0073] As shown in Figure 2 above, the scraping paddle 240A can swing around the pivot point 2403 between a return position in which the paddle portion 2401 contacts the upper surface of the sheet on the processing tray 220 and the sheet can be transported in the second transport direction, and an upper retracted position in which the paddle portion 2401 is retracted above the return position. Furthermore, the pivot point 2403 is located upstream of the nip position in the first transport direction and vertically above the nip position. Therefore, when the scraping paddle 240A is in the return position, as shown in Figure 15, the tip restricting portion 2407 of the paddle arm 2402 is located upstream of the nip position in the first transport direction.

[0074] Here, the scraping paddle 240A is positioned away from the pre-processing rollers 211A and 212A with respect to the rotation axis direction (sheet width direction) of the pre-processing roller 211A. Therefore, even if the trajectory of the scraping paddle 240A passes through the pre-processing nip section 211a, there is no interference between the scraping paddle 240A and the pre-processing rollers 211A and 212A. Consequently, when the scraping paddle 240A is in the return position, the tip restricting portion 2407 of the paddle arm 2402 can enter the upstream side of the pre-processing nip section 211a in the first conveying direction.

[0075] As described above, the scraping paddle 240A moves to an upward retracted position and a return position in conjunction with the rotation of the rear end drop member 250A. That is, with the drive configuration 600 described above, the scraping paddle 240A swings in conjunction with the rotation of the rear end drop member 250A. When the rear end drop member 250A is in the downward position, the scraping paddle 240A is in the return position. The return position is upstream of the nip position in the first conveying direction and is also a restricting position in which the leading edge of the sheet being conveyed toward the nip position is restricted by the tip restricting portion 2407 of the paddle arm 2402. On the other hand, when the rear end drop member 250A is in the upward position, the scraping paddle 240A is in the upward retracted position. The upward retracted position is a retracted position that moves away from the restricting position.

[0076] Figures 12 and 13 show the upper discharge roller 230A, scraping paddle 240A, and rear end drop member 250A in their home positions. That is, the upper discharge roller 230A is in the retracted position, the scraping paddle 240A is in the upper retracted position, and the rear end drop member 250A is in the upper position. In this state, the paddle arm 2402 of the scraping paddle 240A has not entered the sheet transport path upstream of the pre-processing nip section 211a in the first transport direction, and the sheet transported from the transport path 210A can reach the pre-processing nip section 211a.

[0077] Figures 14 and 15 show the scraping paddle 240A and the rear end dropping member 250A in their returned and lowered positions, respectively. Specifically, they show the sheet scraping process where the rear end of the sheet conveyed from the pre-processing rollers 211A and 212A is dropped onto the processing tray 220 by the rear end dropping member 250A, and the sheet on the processing tray 220 is conveyed in the second conveying direction by the scraping paddle 240A.

[0078] In this state, the upper discharge roller 230A remains in the retracted position, the scraping paddle 240A moves from the upper retracted position to the return position, and the rear end dropping member 250A moves from the upper position to the lower position. In addition, the paddle arm 2402 of the scraping paddle 240A enters the sheet transport path upstream of the pre-processing nip section 211a in the first transport direction, and the sheet transported from the transport path 210A hits the tip restricting section 2407 of the paddle arm 2402 before reaching the pre-processing nip section 211a.

[0079] As shown in Figure 16, suppose that the rear end drop member 250A remains in the lower position and for some reason cannot return to the upper position, and the subsequent sheet S is transported towards the pre-processing nip section 211a within the transport path 210A. In this case, since the scraping paddle 240A is configured to work in conjunction with the rear end drop member 250A, it is in the return position when the rear end drop member 250A is in the lower position. As described above, in the return position, the paddle arm 2402 has entered the sheet transport path upstream of the pre-processing nip section 211a in the first transport direction, so the leading edge of the subsequent sheet S is restricted by the tip restricting section 2407 of the paddle arm 2402. As a result, the subsequent sheet S will jam upstream of the pre-processing nip section 211a.

[0080] As described above, it is difficult to remove jammed sheets downstream of the pre-processing rollers 211A and 212A in the first conveying direction. Therefore, by jamming subsequent sheets S upstream of the pre-processing nip section 211a, as described above, the removal of these sheets S (jamming) can be easily performed. The jamming of sheets S will be described later.

[0081] [Another example of sheet tip regulation] In the above description, the leading edge of the sheet is restricted by the paddle arm 2402 of the scraping paddle 240A. However, in this embodiment, as described above, the rear end drop member 250A is provided with a protrusion 2504, and this protrusion 2504 also has the function of restricting the leading edge of the sheet. This point will be explained using Figures 11(c) and 17(a) to (c).

[0082] First, in this embodiment, stiffening members (not shown) are arranged on both sides in the width direction of the pre-processing rollers 211A and 212A to give stiffness to the sheet. These stiffening members are positioned to overlap with the rear end drop member 250A in the width direction. For this reason, the rear end drop member 250A is provided with a recess 2505 at its tip so as not to interfere with the stiffening member when it rotates.

[0083] Furthermore, the rear end drop member 250A also serves to guide the sheet on the processing tray 220. That is, after the sheet is dropped onto the processing tray 220 by the rear end drop member 250A, it is conveyed in the second conveying direction toward the rear end regulating member 290 by the scraping paddle 240A. At this time, the upper surface of the sheet is guided by the lower surface of the rear end drop member 250A, allowing the sheet to move smoothly toward the knurled belt 281 and the rear end regulating member 290. At this time, there is a risk that the edge of the sheet may enter the recess 2505 formed at the tip of the rear end drop member 250A.

[0084] In this implementation, the surfaces of the recess 2505 are inclined surfaces 2505a, 2505b, and 2505c, respectively, to prevent the sheet from getting caught in the recess 2505 even if the edge of the sheet enters the recess 2505. Specifically, the recess 2505 has a first surface on the downstream side in the first conveying direction, and second and third surfaces that face each other in the width direction intersecting the first conveying direction. The first surface is an inclined surface 2505a that slopes towards the upstream side in the first conveying direction as it goes upwards. The second and third surfaces are inclined surfaces 2505b and 2505c that slope in a direction that moves closer to each other as they go upwards.

[0085] By making the inner surface of the recess 2505 such inclined surfaces 2505a, 2505b, and 2505c, when the sheet moves with its edge entering the recess 2505 from below, the portion that has entered is more easily guided downward by one of the inclined surfaces. As a result, it is possible to prevent the sheet from getting caught inside the recess 2505.

[0086] The protruding portion 2504 is provided so as to protrude above the recess 2505 and to extend upward from the upper ends of the inclined surfaces 2505b and 2505c on both sides in the width direction of the recess 2505. That is, the protruding portion 2504 is formed from side wall portions 2504a and 2504b on both sides in the width direction and a connecting portion 2504c that connects the upper ends of the side wall portions 2504a and 2504b. A positioning portion 2503 is provided on the connecting portion 2504c for positioning the rear end drop member 250A in a lower position. That is, the positioning portion 2503 is provided at the upper end of the protruding portion 2504. As described above, when the rear end drop member 250A rotates from an upper position to a lower position, the positioning portion 2503 engages with the upper guide 2101 of the transport path 210A, thereby positioning the rear end drop member 250A in a lower position.

[0087] The protruding portion 2504 is provided integrally with the rear end drop member 250A and operates together with the rotation of the rear end drop member 250A. When the rear end drop member 250A is in the lower position, the side walls 2504a and 2504b of the protruding portion 2504 enter the sheet transport path upstream of the pre-processing nip portion 211a in the first transport direction. As a result, the leading edge of the sheet transported towards the pre-processing nip portion 211a within the transport path 210A is restricted by the side walls 2504a and 2504b of the protruding portion 2504. In other words, the protruding portion 2504 of the rear end drop member 250A corresponds to a tip restricting portion that restricts the leading edge of the sheet being transported toward the nip position upstream of the nip position in the first transport direction, and if the tip restricting portion 2407 of the paddle arm 2402 is considered the first tip restricting portion, then the protruding portion 2504 corresponds to the second tip restricting portion.

[0088] Thus, in this embodiment, both the paddle arm 2402 of the scraping paddle 240A and the protruding portion 2504 of the rear end drop member 250A make it possible to restrict the leading edge of the sheet upstream of the nip position. However, either one may be omitted. For example, the protruding portion 2504 of the rear end drop member 250A may be omitted, and the leading edge of the sheet may be restricted by the paddle arm 2402 alone. Alternatively, for example, the shape of the scraping paddle may be changed so that the paddle arm does not enter the upstream side of the pre-processing nip portion 211a when the scraping paddle is in the return position, and the leading edge of the sheet may be restricted by the protruding portion 2504 of the rear end drop member 250A alone.

[0089] [Jam processing] Next, the jamming of sheets jammed upstream of the pre-processing nip section 211a by the paddle arm 2402 and the protrusion 2504 will be explained using Figures 18 to 19(b). In this embodiment, as described above, the sheets are jammed in the transport path 210A upstream of the pre-processing nip section 211a, so the jamming is performed in this transport path 210A. Specifically, as shown in Figure 18, the sheet processing device 200A is moved away from the first discharge section 101 of the image forming apparatus body 110. In this embodiment, since there is a punch unit 150, the sheet processing device 200A is moved away from the punch unit 150 in the direction of arrow α1. This allows the operator to reach between the sheet processing device 200A and the punch unit 150 and jam the sheets that have jammed in the transport path 210A.

[0090] As shown in Figures 19(a) and (b), an inlet 210Aa of the transport path 210A is formed on the side of the sheet processing device 200A that is connected to the punch unit 150, that is, the upstream side in the first transport direction. Also, adjacent to the inlet 210Aa on the upstream side of the sheet processing device 200A in the first transport direction, an opening 400b of a space 400a in which the staple unit 400 is installed is formed. A jam release dial 215, which serves as a manual operation part, is provided in space 400a. Therefore, as shown in Figure 18, when the sheet processing device 200A is separated from the punch unit 150, the inlet 210Aa and the opening 400b are exposed, and it is possible to remove the sheet from the inlet 210Aa, replace the staples of the staple unit 400, and operate the jam release dial 215.

[0091] The jam release dial 215 is configured to manually drive either one of the pre-processing rollers 211A and 212A, which serve as the first conveying roller, and either one of the upstream rollers 213a and 213b, which serve as the second conveying roller. That is, by rotating the jam release dial 215, the pre-processing roller and the upstream roller rotate in conjunction. In this embodiment, as described above, the sheet is jammed upstream of the pre-processing nip portion 211a, so the roller rotated by the jam release dial 215 only needs to be at least the upstream roller among the pre-processing roller and the upstream roller.

[0092] In this embodiment, when jamming a sheet upstream of the pre-processing nip section 211a, the sheet processing device 200A is first separated from the punch unit 150 to expose the inlet 210Aa and opening 400b. Then, by rotating the jam release dial 215, the pre-processing roller and the upstream roller are rotated to manually transport the jammed sheet to the inlet 210Aa. Finally, the sheet transported to the inlet 210Aa is removed.

[0093] In the above explanation, the paddle arm 2402 and the protrusion 2504 restrict the leading edge of the sheet upstream of the pre-processing nip section 211a. However, the position where the sheet is restricted only needs to be upstream in the first conveying direction from the nip position furthest downstream in the first conveying direction within the nip region. In other words, the leading edge of the sheet may be located within the pre-processing nip section 211a. Even in this case, by rotating the jam release dial 215, the pre-processing roller rotates together with the upstream roller, allowing the sheet to be conveyed to the inlet 210Aa.

[0094] Thus, in this embodiment, even if the rear end drop member 250A is unable to return from the lower position to the upper position, the sheet is restricted upstream in the first conveying direction from the nip position furthest downstream in the first conveying direction among the nip regions of the pre-processing rollers 211A and 212A. Therefore, when the rear end drop member 250A is in the lower position, it is possible to prevent the sheet from jamming downstream in the first conveying direction of the pre-processing rollers 211A and 212A, which is a position where sheet jamming is difficult to perform.

[0095] Furthermore, sheets jammed upstream of the first conveying direction from the nip position furthest downstream in the first conveying direction can be easily removed by operating the jam release dial 215 to convey the sheets to the entrance 210Aa of the conveying path 210A. Therefore, according to the configuration of this embodiment, jamming of sheets can be made easier.

[0096] [Other embodiments] In the above-described embodiment, the sheet processing apparatus 200A is arranged within the internal space 130 of the image forming apparatus 100. However, the sheet processing apparatus of the present invention may be configured, for example, to be mounted on the side of the image forming apparatus. Furthermore, the sheet processing apparatus may be controlled by a control unit provided in the image forming apparatus.

[0097] Furthermore, the disclosure of this embodiment includes the following configuration. (Composition 1) A pair of conveying rotating bodies that convey the sheet in a first conveying direction, A mounting section for temporarily placing sheets that have been conveyed in the first conveying direction by the pair of conveying rotating bodies, A sheet dropping section having a pivot point downstream in the first conveying direction from the pair of conveying rotating bodies, extending upstream from the pivot point in the first conveying direction, and rotatable about the pivot point from an upper position above the pair of conveying rotating bodies to a lower position below the pair of conveying rotating bodies, and which, when rotated from the upper position to the lower position, contacts the sheet conveyed by the pair of conveying rotating bodies from above and drops the sheet into the aforementioned dropping section, A reverse conveying unit that conveys the sheet on the aforementioned mounting unit, which has been conveyed by the pair of conveying rotating bodies, in a second conveying direction opposite to the first conveying direction, A stopper portion against which the downstream edge of the sheet conveyed in the second conveying direction by the reverse conveying portion abuts in the second conveying direction, A processing unit that performs a predetermined process on a sheet that has been conveyed in the second conveying direction by the reverse conveying unit and whose downstream edge in the second conveying direction abuts against the abutting unit, A loading section is located downstream of the aforementioned loading section in the first transport direction and loads the sheets that have undergone the predetermined processing by the processing unit, A discharge unit for discharging the sheet that has undergone the predetermined processing by the processing unit to the loading unit, With the sheet drop section in the lower position, a tip restricting section is provided that restricts the movement of the leading edge of the sheet being conveyed toward the nip position in the first conveying direction, located upstream of the furthest downstream nip position in the first conveying direction among the nip regions where the sheet is held by the pair of conveying rotating bodies, A sheet processing apparatus characterized by comprising the following features. (Configuration 2) The sheet processing apparatus according to configuration 1, characterized in that the tip restricting portion operates together with the rotation of the sheet dropping portion so that, when the sheet dropping portion is in the lower position, it is positioned at a restricting position upstream of the nip position in the first conveying direction from the nip position, and at a retraction position where it retracts from the restricting position when the sheet dropping portion is in the upper position. (Composition 3) The reverse transport section comprises a rotating member, a support portion for supporting the rotating member, and a pivot point that pivotably supports the support portion, and the rotating member is pivotable around the pivot point between a return position in which it contacts the upper surface of the sheet on the aforementioned placement portion and transports the sheet in the second transport direction, and an upper retracted position in which the rotating member is retracted above the return position. The pivot point is located upstream of the nip position in the first conveying direction and vertically above the nip position. The sheet processing apparatus according to configuration 1 or 2, characterized in that the tip restricting portion is provided on the support portion. (Composition 4) The sheet processing apparatus according to configuration 3, characterized in that the reverse conveying section swings in conjunction with the rotation of the sheet dropping section so that it is positioned in the return position when the sheet dropping section is in the lower position, and in the upper retracted position when the sheet dropping section is in the upper position. (Composition 5) The aforementioned advanced regulatory section is the first advanced regulatory section, The sheet processing apparatus according to configuration 3 or 4, characterized in that the sheet dropping section, when in the lower position, together with the first tip restricting section, has a second tip restricting section that restricts the movement of the tip of the sheet being conveyed toward the nip position toward the first conveying direction, upstream of the nip position in the first conveying direction. (Composition 6) A transport path is provided upstream of the nip position in the first transport direction, and the sheet is transported toward the nip position, the transport path comprising an upper guide that guides the upper surface of the sheet and a lower guide that guides the lower surface of the sheet, The aforementioned seat drop section has a positioning section that is positioned in the lower position by engaging with the upper guide when it rotates from the upper position to the lower position, The sheet processing apparatus according to configuration 5, characterized in that the positioning portion is provided at the upper end of the second tip restricting portion. (Composition 7) The sheet processing apparatus according to configuration 1 or 2, characterized in that the tip restricting portion is provided in the sheet dropping portion. (Composition 8) A transport path is provided upstream of the nip position in the first transport direction, and the sheet is transported toward the nip position, the transport path comprising an upper guide that guides the upper surface of the sheet and a lower guide that guides the lower surface of the sheet, The aforementioned seat drop section has a positioning section that is positioned in the lower position by engaging with the upper guide when it rotates from the upper position to the lower position, The sheet processing apparatus according to configuration 7, characterized in that the positioning portion is provided at the upper end of the tip restricting portion. (Composition 9) The aforementioned conveying rotating body is a first conveying roller, A pair of second conveying rollers, located upstream of the first conveying roller in the first conveying direction, convey the sheet toward the first conveying roller, A sheet processing apparatus according to any one of configurations 1 to 8, comprising a manual operation unit capable of manually driving at least the second conveyor roller among the first and second conveyor rollers. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0098] 200A... Sheet processing device 210A... Transport path 210Aa...Entrance 2101... Upper guide 2102...Lower guide 211A, 212A... Rollers before processing 211a...Nip section before processing 213a, 213b... Upstream roller 215... Jam release dial 220... Processing tray 230A... Upper discharge roller 230B... Lower discharge roller 240A... raking paddle 2401...Paddle section 2402...Paddle Arm 2407...Advanced Regulation Department 2403...Pivot point 250A...Rear end drop member 2503...Positioning section 2504...Protrusion 270A...Matching section 271A...Matching plate 280...Return parts 290...Rear end restricting member 300... Loading tray 400 staple unit

Claims

1. A pair of conveying rotating bodies that convey the sheet in a first conveying direction, A mounting section for temporarily placing sheets that have been conveyed in the first conveying direction by the pair of conveying rotating bodies, A sheet dropping section having a pivot point downstream in the first conveying direction from the pair of conveying rotating bodies, extending upstream in the first conveying direction from the pivot point, and rotatable around the pivot point from an upper position above the pair of conveying rotating bodies to a lower position below the pair of conveying rotating bodies, and which, when rotated from the upper position to the lower position, contacts the sheet conveyed by the pair of conveying rotating bodies from above and drops the sheet into the aforementioned dropping section, A reverse conveying unit that conveys the sheet on the aforementioned mounting unit, which has been conveyed by the pair of conveying rotating bodies, in a second conveying direction opposite to the first conveying direction, A stopper portion against which the downstream edge of the sheet conveyed in the second conveying direction by the reverse conveying portion abuts in the second conveying direction, A processing unit that performs a predetermined process on a sheet that has been conveyed in the second conveying direction by the reverse conveying unit and whose downstream edge in the second conveying direction abuts against the abutting unit, A loading section is located downstream of the aforementioned loading section in the first transport direction and loads the sheets that have undergone the predetermined processing by the processing unit, A discharge unit for discharging the sheet that has undergone the predetermined processing by the processing unit to the loading unit, With the sheet drop section in the lower position, a tip restricting section is provided that restricts the movement of the leading edge of the sheet being conveyed toward the nip position in the first conveying direction, located upstream of the furthest downstream nip position in the first conveying direction among the nip regions where the sheet is held by the pair of conveying rotating bodies, A sheet processing apparatus characterized by comprising the following features.

2. The sheet processing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the tip restricting portion operates together with the rotation of the sheet dropping portion so that, when the sheet dropping portion is in the lower position, it is positioned at a restricting position upstream of the nip position in the first conveying direction from the nip position, and at a retraction position where it retracts from the restricting position when the sheet dropping portion is in the upper position.

3. The reverse transport section comprises a rotating member, a support portion for supporting the rotating member, and a pivot point that pivotably supports the support portion, and the rotating member is pivotable around the pivot point between a return position in which it contacts the upper surface of the sheet on the aforementioned placement portion and can transport the sheet in the second transport direction, and an upper retracted position in which the rotating member is retracted above the return position. The pivot point is located upstream of the nip position in the first conveying direction and vertically above the nip position. The sheet processing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the tip restricting portion is provided on the support portion.

4. The sheet processing apparatus according to claim 3, characterized in that the reverse conveying section swings in conjunction with the rotation of the sheet dropping section so that it is positioned in the return position when the sheet dropping section is in the lower position, and in the upper retracted position when the sheet dropping section is in the upper position.

5. The aforementioned tip regulating section is the first tip regulating section, The sheet processing apparatus according to claim 3, characterized in that the sheet dropping section, when in the lower position, together with the first tip restricting section, has a second tip restricting section that restricts the movement of the tip of the sheet being conveyed toward the nip position toward the first conveying direction, upstream of the nip position toward the first conveying direction.

6. A conveying path is provided upstream of the nip position in the first conveying direction, and the sheet is conveyed toward the nip position, and the conveying path comprises an upper guide that guides the upper surface of the sheet and a lower guide that guides the lower surface of the sheet. The aforementioned seat drop section has a positioning section that is positioned in the lower position by engaging with the upper guide when it rotates from the upper position to the lower position, The sheet processing apparatus according to claim 5, characterized in that the positioning portion is provided at the upper end of the second tip restricting portion.

7. The sheet processing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the tip restricting portion is provided in the sheet dropping portion.

8. A conveying path is provided upstream of the nip position in the first conveying direction, and the sheet is conveyed toward the nip position, and the conveying path comprises an upper guide that guides the upper surface of the sheet and a lower guide that guides the lower surface of the sheet. The aforementioned seat drop section has a positioning section that is positioned in the lower position by engaging with the upper guide when it rotates from the upper position to the lower position, The sheet processing apparatus according to claim 7, characterized in that the positioning portion is provided at the upper end of the tip restricting portion.

9. The aforementioned conveying rotating body is a first conveying roller, A pair of second conveying rollers, located upstream of the first conveying roller in the first conveying direction, convey the sheet toward the first conveying roller, The sheet processing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a manual operation unit capable of manually driving at least the second conveyor roller among the first conveyor roller and the second conveyor roller.

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