US 12,280,977 B2
Sheet conveying apparatus and sheet post-processing apparatus
Tadahisa Kishimoto, Osaka (JP); and Koji Murata, Osaka (JP)
Assigned to KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc., Osaka (JP)
Appl. No. 18/263,959
Filed by KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc., Osaka (JP)
PCT Filed Jan. 28, 2022, PCT No. PCT/JP2022/003294
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Aug. 2, 2023,
PCT Pub. No. WO2022/168751, PCT Pub. Date Aug. 11, 2022.
Claims priority of application No. 2021-016541 (JP), filed on Feb. 4, 2021; and application No. 2021-187067 (JP), filed on Nov. 17, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2024/0300766 A1, Sep. 12, 2024
Int. Cl. B65H 45/14 (2006.01); B65H 29/60 (2006.01); B65H 45/12 (2006.01); B65H 45/18 (2006.01)
CPC B65H 29/60 (2013.01) [B65H 45/18 (2013.01); B65H 2301/45 (2013.01); B65H 2404/1441 (2013.01)] 10 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A sheet conveying apparatus, comprising:
a first sheet conveyance passage along which a sheet is conveyed;
a second sheet conveyance passage that branches from a branch section on the first sheet conveyance passage to extend in a direction intersecting the first sheet conveyance passage and along which the sheet is conveyed;
a switch guide that switches a conveyance direction of the sheet in the branch section;
a pair of feed rollers that is disposed upstream of the branch section with respect to a sheet conveyance direction in the first sheet conveyance passage and that conveys the sheet toward the branch section;
a first pair of conveyance rollers that is composed of a first roller and a second roller disposed opposite each other downstream of the pair of feed rollers with respect to the sheet conveyance direction in the first sheet conveyance passage, upstream of the branch section, and that conveys the sheet along the first sheet conveyance passage;
a second pair of conveyance rollers that is composed of the first roller and a third roller disposed opposite each other downstream of the branch section with respect to a sheet conveyance direction in the second sheet conveyance passage and that conveys the sheet having the conveyance direction thereof switched from the first sheet conveyance passage to the second sheet conveyance passage by the switch guide in a direction away from the branch section;
a contact-release mechanism that moves the second roller closer to and away from the first roller; and
a controller that controls driving of the pair of feed rollers, the first pair of conveyance rollers, the second pair of conveyance rollers, the switch guide, and the contact-release mechanism,
wherein
when, in the branch section, the sheet is conveyed from upstream with respect to the sheet conveyance direction in the first sheet conveyance passage toward the second sheet conveyance passage, the controller arranges the switch guide in a predetermined position, makes the contact-release mechanism move the second roller away from the first roller, and makes the pair of feed rollers convey the sheet.