US 12,280,976 B2Granted

Sheet conveyance apparatus and image forming system

AssigneeCanon Kabushiki Kaisha

InventorsHiroyuki Yamano, Hiroharu Tsuji, Koji Miwa

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

A sheet conveyance apparatus is arranged on an upper face portion of an image forming apparatus and conveys a sheet to a sheet processing apparatus. The sheet conveyance apparatus includes a conveyance path including a first path through which the sheet is conveyed toward the sheet processing apparatus and a second path branched from the first path, a switching guide to switch a conveyance route of the sheet between the first and second paths, an air blowing unit to send air toward the conveyance path, and an air intake port provided on an end portion on a front side of the sheet conveyance apparatus. A duct connects the air intake port and the air blowing unit, and an air blowing port blows the air from the air blowing unit to the conveyance path in a sheet conveyance direction.

Claims14

Dependent claims

A sheet conveyance apparatus configured to be connected to an image forming apparatus configured to form an image on a sheet, and a sheet processing apparatus configured to subject the sheet to a processing, the sheet conveyance apparatus being arranged on an upper face portion of the image forming apparatus and configured to receive the sheet from the image forming apparatus and convey the sheet to the sheet processing apparatus, the sheet conveyance apparatus comprising:

a conveyance path including a first path through which the sheet is conveyed toward the sheet processing apparatus and a second path branched from the first path;
a switching guide configured to switch a conveyance route of the sheet between the first path and the second path;
an air blowing unit arranged on a lower portion of the sheet conveyance apparatus and configured to send air toward the conveyance path;
an air intake port provided on an end portion on a front side of the sheet conveyance apparatus;
a duct configured to connect the air intake port and the air blowing unit;
and
an air blowing port configured to blow the air from the air blowing unit to the conveyance path,
wherein the air blowing port is arranged upstream of the switching guide in a sheet conveyance direction of the first path and configured to blow the air toward a downstream side in the sheet conveyance direction.

5 more elements

A sheet conveyance apparatus configured to be connected to an image forming apparatus including a first sheet discharge port configured to discharge a sheet, and a second sheet discharge port arranged at a position different from the first sheet discharge port and configured to discharge a sheet, the sheet conveyance apparatus including a conveyance path through which the sheet discharged through the first sheet discharge port is transferred to a sheet processing apparatus, the sheet conveyance apparatus comprising:

a first air intake port communicated with a first space through which the sheet discharged through the first sheet discharge port passes, the first space being surrounded by a casing of the image forming apparatus and a casing of the sheet conveyance apparatus;
a second air intake port communicated with a second space through which the sheet discharged through the second sheet discharge port passes, the second space being formed between a first surface provided on the casing of the image forming apparatus and a second surface provided on the casing of the sheet conveyance apparatus, the second sheet discharge port being formed on the first surface, the second surface facing the first surface;
a fan configured to rotate and generate an air current;
and
an air discharge port,
wherein the fan takes in air through the first air intake port and the second air intake port and discharges air to an exterior of the sheet conveyance apparatus through the air discharge port.

3 more elements

An image forming system comprising:

an image forming apparatus including:
a first sheet discharge port configured to discharge a sheet;
and
a second sheet discharge port arranged at a position different from the first sheet discharge port and configured to discharge a sheet;
a sheet processing apparatus configured to process a sheet;
and
a sheet conveyance apparatus configured to be connected to the image forming apparatus and includes a conveyance path configured to convey a sheet discharged through the first sheet discharge port to the sheet processing apparatus,
wherein the sheet conveyance apparatus includes:
a first air intake port communicated with a first space through which the sheet discharged through the first sheet discharge port passes, the first space being surrounded by a casing of the image forming apparatus and a casing of the sheet conveyance apparatus;
a second air intake port communicated with a second space through which the sheet discharged through the second sheet discharge port passes, the second space being formed between a first surface provided on the casing of the image forming apparatus and a second surface provided on the casing of the sheet conveyance apparatus, the second sheet discharge port being formed on the first surface, the second surface facing the first surface;
a fan configured to rotate and generate an air current;
and
an air discharge port,
wherein the fan takes in air through the first air intake port and the second air intake port and discharges air to an exterior of the sheet conveyance apparatus through the air discharge port.

11 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.