Sorter, sheet jogging device, stapling device, and stapling sorter using those devices for copying machine

A sorter for a copying machine, said sorter comprising:

• a plurality of trays 10 having a couple of trunnions 30 and 35 at rear opposite lateral ends;
• a tray supporter 80 for stacking said trays 10 thereon;
• a pair of side walls 120 having a couple of vertical slots 121 and 122 having through holes 123 and 124 at the outlet into which said trunnions 30, 35 are inserted;
• a pair of drive wheel assemblies 100 which are installed opposite said through holes 123 and 124 of said side walls 120 which shift said trunnions 30 and 35 along said through holes 123 and 124;
• a pair of tension springs 126 having one end fixed to upper part of said side wall and the other end fixed to said tray supporter 80, which ascend said trays 10 and said supporter 80 along vertical holes 125 formed at lower part of said side wail 120;
• and
• a tray cover 90 having a pair of restraining means 92 which are extended from the rear lateral end of said cover 90 toward the trunnions 30 and 35 and a connecting member 91 which connects said cover 90 to the tray supporter 80.

A sorter for a copying machine, said sorter comprising:

• a plurality of trays 10 having a couple of trunnions 30 and 35 at rear opposite lateral ends;
• a tray supporter 80 for stacking said trays 10 thereon;
• a pair of side walls 120 having a couple of vertical slots 121 and 122 having through holes 123 and 124 at the outlet into which said trunnions 30, 35 are inserted;
• a pair of drive wheel assemblies 100 which are installed opposite said through holes 123 and 124 of said side walls 120 which shift said trunnions 30 and 35 along said through holes 123 and 124;
• a pair of tension springs 126 having one end fixed to upper part of said side wall and the other end fixed to said tray supporter 80, which ascend said trays 10 and said supporter 80 along vertical holes 125 formed at lower part of said side wall 120;
• and
• a pair of guide members 40 having a plurality of guide holes 41 and a plurality of trays 10 having further a pair of guide pins 20 oppositely and respectively to be inserted into said guide holes 41, wherein said guide pin 20 has a boss 21, said boss having a diameter substantially the same as the distance between adjacent guide holes.

A sheet jogging device for aligning copy sheets comprising:

• a plurality of trays 10 having a oblique hole, respectively;
• a drive means 303 having a driving pulley 306, which is installed on a tray support plate 302;
• a first driven pulley 304 and a second driven pulley 305 which are installed rotationally on the tray support plate 302 and are connected with said driving pulley 306 via a power transmission means;
• a tension change means 320 which changes the tension of said power transmission means by moving the first driven pulley 304;
• and
• an alignment rod 308 which is inserted vertically into the oblique holes 10A of said trays 10 and moved by said power transmission means within said oblique holes 10A, wherein said drive means 303 moves said alignment rod 308 to align copy sheets and the predetermined contact force between said alignment rod 308 and the copy sheets activates said tension change means to prevent said drive means from being overloaded by loosening the power transmission means.

A stapling device for stapling the sorted and aligned copy sheets comprising:

• a stapler assembly 410;
• a guide plate 420 fixed to the inner surface of the side wall portion 402, the guide plate 420, on which said stapler assembly 410 can be attached and detached, rotating pivotally toward the trays 10;
• a driven sector gear 430 which is fixed to said guide plate 420 and rotates said guide plate 420;
• a drive means 448 which transmits torques to sheet discharging roller shaft 449;
• a rotation switching means which selectively transmits torques from said drive means 448 to said sector gear 430;
• and a return means which returns the pivotally rotated sector gear to the initial position, wherein when copy sheets are aligned, the rotation switching means transmits torques from the drive means to said sector gear 430, so that said guide plate 420 and said stapler assembly 410 rotates toward the trays to staple the aligned copy sheets.

A stapling sorter comprising:

• a sorter comprising a plurality of trays 10 having a couple of trunnions 30 and 35 at rear opposite lateral ends, a tray supporter 80 for stacking said trays 10 thereon, a pair of side walls 120 having a couple of vertical slots 121 and 122 having through holes 123 and 124 at the outlet into which said trunnions 30 and 35 are inserted, a pair of drive wheel assemblies 100 which are installed opposite said through holes 123 and 124 of said side walls 120 which shift said trunnions 30 and 35 along the said through holes 123 and 124, and a pair of tension springs 126 having one end fixed to upper part of said side wall and the other end fixed to said tray supporter 80, which ascend said trays 10 and said supporter 80 along vertical holes 125 formed at lower part of said side wall 120;
• a sheet jogging device for aligning the sorted copy sheets, comprising a plurality of trays 10 having a oblique hole, respectively, a drive means 303 having a driving pulley 306, which is installed on a tray support plate 302, a first driven pulley 304 and a second driven pulley 305 which are installed rotationally on the tray support plate 302 and connected with said driving pulley 306 via a power transmission means, a tension change means 320 which changes the tension of said power transmission means by moving the first driven pulley 304, and an alignment rod 308 which is inserted vertically into the oblique holes 10A of said trays 10 and moved by said power transmission means within said through holes 10A, wherein said drive means 303 moves said alignment rod 308 to align copy sheets and the predetermined contact force between said alignment rod 308 and the copy sheets activates said tension change means to prevent said drive means from being overloaded by loosening the power transmission means;
• and
• a stapling device for stapling the sorted and aligned copy sheets, comprising a stapler assembly 410, a guide plate 420 fixed to the inner surface of the side wall portion 402, the guide plate 420, on which said stapler assembly 410 can be attached and detached, rotating pivotally toward the trays 10, a driven sector gear 430 which is fixed to said guide plate 420 and rotates said guide plate 420, a drive means 448 which transmits torque to sheet discharging roller shaft 449, a rotation switching means which selectively transmits torques from said drive means 448 to said sector gear 430;
• and a return means which returns the pivotally rotated sector gear to the initial position, wherein when copy sheets are aligned, the rotation switching means transmits torques from the drive means to said sector gear 430, so that said guide plate 420 and said stapler assembly 410 rotates toward the trays to staple the aligned copy sheets.