The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Sep. 04, 2001
Filed:
Dec. 14, 1998
Kazuhiro Hirota, Hachioji, JP;
Hisao Hosoya, Hachioji, JP;
Satoru Endo, Hachioji, JP;
Kazuyoshi Omi, Kawagoe, JP;
Yuji Kanazawa, Musashino, JP;
Takanori Yoshida, Toda, JP;
Mamoru Tomotsune, Asaka, JP;
Yukihiko Nishimoto, Akiruno, JP;
Konica Corporation, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
A sheet processing apparatus has a function of stapling sheets together, wherein the sheets are fed from an image forming apparatus one by one after images are formed on the sheets. The sheet processing apparatus includes a stapler to staple the sheets together, a sheet guide which guides the sheets along a sheet transporting path from the image forming apparatus to a position at which the sheets are stapled by the stapler, and a reference surface against which edges of the sheets are butted to stop movement of the sheets. The sheets are guided along the sheet transporting path by the sheet guide and the edges of the sheets are butted against the reference surface at a same position relative to a sheet conveying direction, irrespective of whether the sheet processing apparatus is in a stapling mode in which the stapler staples the sheets or a non-stapling mode in which the stapler does not staple the sheets, and irrespective of sizes of the sheets.