US 12,410,030 B2
Sheet post-processing device and image forming system including same
Terumitsu Noso, Osaka (JP); Keisuke Egawa, Osaka (JP); Yasunori Ueno, Osaka (JP); Seiichi Shirasaki, Osaka (JP); Takehiko Okada, Osaka (JP); Yusuke Takano, Osaka (JP); and Takuya Nishimura, Osaka (JP)
Assigned to KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc., Osaka (JP)
Filed by KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc., Osaka (JP)
Filed on Jan. 3, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/403,072.
Claims priority of application No. 2023-002391 (JP), filed on Jan. 11, 2023; and application No. 2023-054507 (JP), filed on Mar. 30, 2023.
Prior Publication US 2024/0228212 A1, Jul. 11, 2024
Int. Cl. B65H 31/36 (2006.01); B65H 37/04 (2006.01)
CPC B65H 31/36 (2013.01) [B65H 37/04 (2013.01); B65H 2301/51611 (2013.01); B65H 2404/1114 (2013.01)] 11 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A sheet post-processing device comprising:
a conveying member configured to convey a sheet;
a processing tray configured to stack a plurality of the sheets carried in by the conveying member in a predetermined carry-in direction;
a processing section configured to perform predetermined post-processing on the sheets placed on the processing tray;
a reference plate configured to abut an end edge of the sheet carried in onto the processing tray, on a downstream side in an alignment direction opposite to the carry-in direction, so as to align the sheet in the carry-in direction;
an alignment member including a paddle holder disposed above the processing tray so as to be supported in a swingable manner in the carry-in direction, and an alignment paddle having a paddle main body supported in a rotatable manner at a swinging end of the paddle holder and one or more paddle parts protruding from the paddle main body in a radial direction, so as to move the sheet carried in onto the processing tray in the alignment direction for aiding alignment of the sheets;
a holder drive unit configured to swing the paddle holder, so as to move the alignment paddle in a reciprocating manner between a reference position to retreat the paddle part above a top sheet placed on the processing tray and an acting position to allow the paddle part to contact with the top surface of the sheet; and
a control unit configured to control the holder drive unit,
wherein
when the number of the sheets carried in onto the processing tray is increasing, the control unit continuously moves the acting position of the alignment paddle in a direction separating from the processing tray,
the alignment paddle includes one or more first alignment paddles disposed in a middle part in the sheet width direction, and one or more pairs of second alignment paddles disposed outside the first alignment paddles in the sheet width direction,
the first alignment paddle moves the sheet in the alignment direction while pressing a top surface of the sheet by a first pressing force,
the second alignment paddle moves the sheet in the alignment direction while pressing the top surface of the sheet by a second pressing force, and
the first pressing force is larger than the second pressing force.