Ricoh Company, Ltd.

Ricoh Elemex Corporation

Nobuyoshi Seki

Masatoshi Hosoi

Yuji Ueno

Yoshihide Sugiyama

Goro Mori

Nobuyuki Morii

Masahiro Minato

Takashi Komada

Tsutomu Ichinose

Yuichi Fujii

Masashi Shimada

Toshiyuki Kikuchi

Mitsuru Ichikawa

Shin Umeda

Atuhisa Hujiwara

Hirobumi Yoshino

Yoshiaki Ushirogata

Tetsuji Watanabe

Kenji Mori

Tetsuji Watanbe

A finisher system for an image formed sheet transported from an image forming apparatus. A finisher finishes the image formed sheet. A direct sheet feeding path feeds the image formed sheet to a sheet stacker. The sheet finishing path is branched from the direct sheet path for transporting the image forming sheet to the sheet stacker by way of the finisher, and the sheet finishing path can include a turning point. A sheet piling system set in the sheet finishing path piles up the image formed sheets. Further, a stopper is set in the finishing path for temporarily trapping the image formed sheets. The sheet piling system can include plural sheet suspending paths which each suspend a transported sheet and which each include a sheet transport device, and such that the stopper is set between the turning point and the sheet transport devices. The direct sheet feeding path can also be straight and the stopper may be configured to be positioned into and out of the sheet finishing path.

Image-formed sheet transport system for an image-forming apparatus which can simultaneously transport plural sheets

A finisher system for image formed sheets transported from an image forming apparatus. A finisher finishes the image formed sheets. A direct sheet feeding path feeds the image formed sheets to a sheet stacker. A sheet finishing path branches from the direct sheet path and transports the image forming sheets to the sheet stacker by way of the finisher. A sheet piling system is set upstream from a turning point at which the sheet finishing path branches from the direct sheet feeding path along the sheet transport direction and piles up the image formed sheets. A stopper is set upstream from the turning point to temporally trap the image formed sheets.

Sheet transport system for an image-forming apparatus including a plural path sheet piling system

A finisher for finishing sheets for use in a copier, printer or similar image forming apparatus having a sorter for sorting sheets on a plurality of bins, and further having a stapler or a punching device. A bin moving member is provided for moving the plurality of bins to predetermined positions in which the bin moving member moves the bins to a positioning relationship such that an interval A between a first bin for accepting the discharged sheets from a discharging member and a third bin located at a position immediately over the first bin, an interval B between the first bin and a second bin located at a position immediately under the first bin, and an interval D between the third bin located at a position immediately over the first bin and a fifth bin located at a position immediately over the third bin are broader than an interval E between other adjacent regular bins.

Finisher for image forming apparatus

A finisher for binding paper sheets sequentially driven out of an image forming apparatus. A finisher moves along an edge of a stack of sheets and curves around a corner. A pair of individualy operated gripper fingers grabs the stack of sheets and moves the stack into position for finishing.

Movable finisher device with multiple stack gripping fingers

A paper handing apparatus having a plurality of bins, a chuck unit and a stapler unit movable up and down along the bins, and a sorting unit. The sorting unit distributes a number of paper sheets received from a copier or similar image forming apparatus to the bins, while the stapler unit binds an end portion of each of the stacks of paper sheets loaded in the individual bins. The stapler is movable between and lockable at a position for binding a paper stack and a position for supplying staples. The stapler unit is removable from the sorting unit. Doors such as a stapler door are provided on the housing of the apparatus. When a door other than the stapler door is opened when the stapler is performing a stapling operation, the stapling operation is continued until it completes.

Paper handling apparatus

A paper positioning device having a paper positioning member which is pivotable in abutment against one edge of a paper sheet loaded on a receptacle for moving the paper sheet to a positioning position for thereby positioning the paper sheet. By a simple mechanism and control, the movement of the paper positioning member is slowed down at the positioning position and accelerated until the positioning member reachines it. The paper positioning member performs a pivoting movement twice while a drive shaft associated therewith performs a reciprocating movement once. The device is, therefore, no only durable but also positions paper sheets efficiently and positively without damaging the paper sheets.

Paper positioning device

A paper handling apparatus having a plurality of bins and a chuck unit and a stapler which are movable along the bins and causing the stapler to bind an end portion of a stack of paper sheets which have been received from a copier or similar image forming apparatus, sorted, and then loaded on any one of the bins. The chuck unit has an upper and a lower chuck. After the stapler has bound a stack of paper sheets a push bar independent of the chucks of the chuck unit pushes the end of the stack to return it into the bin. Both the upper and lower chucks are movable up and down. The force which the chucks exert on a stack of paper sheets is controlled in matching relation to the thickness of the stack.

Growing community of inventors

Nagoya, Japan

Nobuyoshi Seki