Post-processing device and image forming apparatus

A post-processing device comprising:

• a unit that performs post-processing;
• a guide unit that guides the unit to a position at which the unit performs the post-processing, and has a first guide portion extending in a width direction of a medium, a second guide portion that is disposed at an end portion of the first guide portion, is inclined with respect to the width direction of the medium, and guides the unit to a corner of the medium, a third guide portion that is disposed at the end portion of the first guide portion and branches off from the second guide portion to extend, and a fourth guide portion that connects the second guide portion to the third guide portion;
• and
• a branching unit that is disposed at a portion at which the second guide portion and the third guide portion branch off from each other, and is movable between a first branch position at which the unit is guided from the first guide portion toward the second guide portion and a second branch position at which the unit is guided from the third guide portion toward the first guide portion,
• wherein the branching unit is elastically biased toward a branch position that guides the unit from the first guide portion toward the second guide portion, and wherein, during movement of the unit from a standby position toward a post-processing position, the unit directly contacts and elastically deforms the branching unit to permit the unit to pass the branching unit and enter the first guide portion without using a motor or solenoid.

A post-processing device comprising:

• a unit that performs post-processing;
• guiding means for guiding the unit to a position at which the unit performs the post-processing, the guiding means having a first guide portion extending in a width direction of a medium, a second guide portion that is disposed at an end portion of the first guide portion, is inclined with respect to the width direction of the medium, and guides the unit to a corner of the medium, a third guide portion that is disposed at the end portion of the first guide portion and branches off from the second guide portion to extend, and a fourth guide portion that connects the second guide portion to the third guide portion;
• and
• branching means for guiding the unit from the first guide portion toward the second guide portion, and guiding the unit from the third guide portion toward the first guide portion, the branching means being disposed at a portion at which the second guide portion and the third guide portion branch off from each other,
• wherein the branching means is elastically biased toward a branch position that guides the unit from the first guide portion toward the second guide portion, and wherein, during movement of the unit from a standby position toward a post-processing position, the unit directly contacts and elastically deforms the branching means to permit the unit to pass the branching means and enter the first guide portion without using a motor or solenoid.