# US 2014/0151951 A1 · Postprocessing apparatus, and image forming apparatus and image forming system including the postprocessing apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0151951 A1 - Document ID: US20140151951A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/091,613 - Filed: 2013-11-27 - Published: 2014-06-05 - Earliest claimed: 2012-12-03 - Assignees: Ricoh Company, Ltd. - Inventors: Yuusuke SHIBASAKI; Nobuyoshi SUZUKI; Katsuhiro KOSUGE; Takashi SAITO; Shingo MATSUSHITA; Akihiro MUSHA; Ikuhisa OKAMOTO; Wataru TAKAHASHI; Takuya MORINAGA; Ryuji YOSHIDA - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140151951A1 ## CPC - B42C 1/12: Machines for both collating or gathering and permanently attaching together the sheets or signatures - B42C 1/00: Collating or gathering sheets combined with processes for permanently attaching together sheets or signatures or for interposing inserts (collating or gathering sheets or signatures without permanently attaching them together B65H39/00) - B65H 9/04: Fixed or adjustable stops or gauges (gauge pins B65H9/02) - B65H 9/103: {acting by friction or suction on the article for pushing or pulling it into registered position, e.g. against a stop} - B65H 31/02: with stationary end support against which pile accumulates - B65H 31/34: Apparatus for squaring-up piled articles - B65H 37/04: for securing together articles or webs, e.g. by adhesive, stitching or stapling (adhering replacement to expiring web during change of web roll B65H19/18) - G03G 15/6538: {Devices for collating sheet copy material, e.g. sorters, control, copies in staples form} - B65H 2301/3613: Lateral positioning - B65H 2301/3621: perpendicularly to a first direction in which the material is already in registered position - B65H 2301/363: of material in pile - B65H 2301/4213: of a limited number of articles, e.g. buffering, forming bundles - B65H 2404/1424: moving in parallel to their axis - B65H 2404/1523: moving in parallel to its axis - B65H 2404/166: reverse roller - B65H 2801/27: Devices located downstream of office-type machines - B42C: BOOKBINDING (cutting or perforating machines, devices or tools B26; folding sheets or webs B31F; ornamenting books B44) - B65H: HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES - G03G: ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY ## Abstract A postprocessing apparatus includes a stacking unit that stacks a sheet, an abutting unit that corrects a conveying direction of the sheet, a return roller that abuts the sheet against the abutting unit, a shift conveying unit that shifts the sheet in a width direction, and a width direction detector that detects a width direction position of the sheet. When the sheet is shifted by the shift conveying unit by a predetermined amount, passed to the return roller, and abutted against the abutting unit, distances A and B are nearly the same, where the distance A is a distance from a conveying direction position of a side of the sheet to a rear end of the sheet and the distance B is a distance from the return roller to the abutting unit. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A postprocessing apparatus, comprising: a stacking unit configured to stack and process a sheet; an abutting unit that is provided on the stacking unit and configured to abut a rear end of the sheet to correct a conveying direction of the sheet; a conveying unit comprising a rotating body that conveys the sheet to abut the sheet against the abutting unit on the stacking unit; a shift conveying unit that is provided at an upstream side of the stacking unit and configured to shift the sheet in a width direction and conveys the sheet; and a width direction detector configured to detect a width direction position of the sheet, wherein when the sheet is shifted by the shift conveying unit by a predetermined amount until a side of the sheet is detected by the width direction detector, conveyed onto the stacking unit, passed to the conveying unit, and abutted against the abutting unit, distances A and B are nearly the same, where the distance A is a distance from a conveying direction position of the side of the sheet detected by the width direction detector to the rear end of the sheet and the distance B is a distance from the conveying unit on the stacking unit to the abutting unit. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The postprocessing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the conveying unit is provided at a width direction center of the sheet. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The postprocessing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the conveying unit is a rotating body that rotates with a rotation axis thereof pointing in the width direction of the sheet. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The postprocessing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the conveying unit is a pair of rotating bodies that are provided right and left in the width direction from the width direction center of the sheet. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The postprocessing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the conveying unit is provided at a position close to the abutting unit. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The postprocessing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the stacking unit bundles and stacks sheets and discharges the sheets to a discharge tray. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The postprocessing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the stacking unit bundles and stacks sheets, performs binding processing on the sheets with a binder, and discharges the sheets to the discharge tray. ### Claim 8 An image forming apparatus comprising a postprocessing apparatus, wherein the postprocessing apparatus comprises: a stacking unit configured to stack and process a sheet; an abutting unit that is provided on the stacking unit and configured to abut a rear end of the sheet to correct a conveying direction of the sheet; a conveying unit comprising a rotating body that conveys the sheet to abut the sheet against the abutting unit on the stacking unit; a shift conveying unit that is provided at an upstream side of the stacking unit and configured to shift the sheet in a width direction and conveys the sheet; and a width direction detector configured to detect a width direction position of the sheet, wherein when the sheet is shifted by the shift conveying unit by a predetermined amount until a side of the sheet is detected by the width direction detector, conveyed onto the stacking unit, passed to the conveying unit, and abutted against the abutting unit, distances A and B are nearly the same, where the distance A is a distance from a conveying direction position of the side of the sheet detected by the width direction detector to the rear end of the sheet and the distance B is a distance from the conveying unit on the stacking unit to the abutting unit. ### Claim 9 An image forming system comprising a postprocessing apparatus, wherein the postprocessing apparatus comprises: a stacking unit configured to stack and process a sheet; an abutting unit that is provided on the stacking unit and configured to abut a rear end of the sheet to correct a conveying direction of the sheet; a conveying unit comprising a rotating body that conveys the sheet to abut the sheet against the abutting unit on the stacking unit; a shift conveying unit that is provided at an upstream side of the stacking unit and configured to shift the sheet in a width direction and conveys the sheet; and a width direction detector configured to detect a width direction position of the sheet, wherein when the sheet is shifted by the shift conveying unit by a predetermined amount until a side of the sheet is detected by the width direction detector, conveyed onto the stacking unit, passed to the conveying unit, and abutted against the abutting unit, distances A and B are nearly the same, where the distance A is a distance from a conveying direction position of the side of the sheet detected by the width direction detector to the rear end of the sheet and the distance B is a distance from the conveying unit on the stacking unit to the abutting unit.