Internal warming-up method and sheet post-processing apparatus including warming-up device

A warming-up device comprising:

• a fan that is provided in a sheet post-processing apparatus disposed adjacent to an image forming apparatus and sucks and discharges warm exhaust air of the image forming apparatus;
• a temperature sensor that detects temperature in the sheet post-processing apparatus;
• an exhaust port provided to be opposed to the fan;
• a housing that surrounds constituent members of a post-processing mechanism of the sheet post-processing apparatus;
• a first duct connected to the fan to lead the warm exhaust air sucked from the image forming apparatus into the housing;
• a second duct provided to lead the warm exhaust air discharged into the housing by the fan or ambient Air in the housing to the fan;
• and
• a control section to control the temperature in the housing equal to or higher than proper operation temperature.

A sheet post-processing apparatus comprising:

• a waiting tray on which a sheet conveyed from an image forming apparatus is temporarily stacked;
• a processing tray on which the sheet conveyed from the image forming apparatus is stacked;
• a temperature sensor provided a predetermined space apart from the processing tray;
• a fan that sucks and discharges warm exhaust air of the image forming apparatus;
• an exhaust port provided in a position along a wind direction of the warm exhaust air discharged by the fan;
• a housing that surrounds the waiting tray, the processing tray, and mechanical members of the sheet post-processing apparatus;
• a first duct connected to the fan to lead the warm exhaust air sucked from the image forming apparatus into the housing;
• a second duct provided to lead the warm exhaust air discharged into the housing by the fan or ambient Air in the housing to the fan;
• and
• a control section to control temperature in the housing equal to or higher than proper operation temperature.

An internal warming-up method comprising:

• sucking warm exhaust air from an image forming apparatus;
• discharging the sucked warm exhaust air into a housing;
• and
• controlling the temperature in the housing equal to or higher than proper operation temperature.