Sheet sorter having non-sorting mode with support expanding capability
AssigneeCanon Kabushiki Kaisha
InventorsNoriyoshi Ueda, Katsuhito Kato
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A sheet sorting apparatus operable in a sorting mode in which sheets are sorted and in a non-sorting mode in which the sheets are not sorted includes a plurality of bins for receiving and sorting the sheets; a stapler for stapling the sheets accommodated in the bins; wherein one of the plural bins functions to receive the sheets in the non-sorting mode; an expander for changing a sheet accommodating space of the bin for receiving the sheets in the non-sorting mode; and a controller for operating the expander to expand the accommodating space when a number of sheets received by the bin is larger than a staplable number of the sheets of the stapler.
Claims14
A sheet sorting apparatus operable in a sorting mode in which sheets are sorted and in a non-sorting mode in which the sheets are not sorted, comprising:
- a plurality of bins for receiving and sorting the sheets;
- binding means for binding the sheets accommodated in said bins;
- wherein one of said plural bins functions to receive the sheets in the non-sorting mode;
- means for changing a sheet accommodating space of said bin for receiving the sheets in the non-sorting mode;
- and
- control means for operating said space changing means to expand the accommodating space when a number of sheets received by said bin is larger than a bindable number of the sheets of said binding means.
An image forming apparatus operable in a sorting mode in which sheets are sorted and in a non-sorting mode in which the sheets are not sorted, comprising:
- a plurality of bins for receiving and sorting the sheets;
- binding means for binding the sheets accommodated in said bins;
- wherein one of said plural bins functions to receive the sheets in the non-sorting mode;
- means for changing a sheet accommodating space of said bin for receiving the sheets in the non-sorting mode;
- and
- control means for operating said space changing means to expand the accommodating space when a number of sheets to be received or received by said bin is larger than a bindable number of the sheets of said binding means.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.