Sheet finish-processing unit in image forming apparatus

Abstract

Image forming apparatus including a sheet finish-processing unit for finish-processing sheets discharged from a copying machine to which the unit is laterally positioned and stored thereby into a plurality of stacks. A sheet stack finish-processing mechanism of the unit, incorporating a stapler, is shiftable by an associated drive mechanism in the widthwise direction along the adjacent end of a positioned stack in storage. A sheet stack handling mechanism therein draws the end of the positioned stack into a finishing locale of the finish-processing mechanism, and subsequent to a finishing (stapling) operation, returns the finished sheet stack into storage. Thereupon, the stack is transversely discharged frontward of the image forming apparatus from storage, during which operation a subsequent finishing operation is concurrently executable; by such discharge a number of copy stacks greater than the number of stacking storages can be processed. The stacks are linearly inserted into and withdrawn from the finish-processing mechanism, eliminating the need for complex movements thereof, and allowing the finish-processing mechanism to be functional at a number of linear positions along the stack end margin. Furthermore, the sheet stacks are discharged to the apparatus front, wherein they are readily accessible for removal by an operator.