Sheet processing apparatus and image forming apparatus

A sheet processing apparatus comprising:

• a plurality of intermediate trays for temporarily stacking sheets discharged by a discharging means;
• processing means for processing the sheets;
• at least one accommodating tray for receiving and accommodating the sheets from the intermediate trays;
• control means for feeding the sheets from one of said intermediate trays after the sheets thereon are processed by said process means;
• means for moving another one of said intermediate trays between a home position for receiving the sheets from an image forming apparatus and a position for the processing by said processing means to permit the sheets to be stacked, while the sheets on said one of said intermediate trays are processed or fed to said accommodating tray.

A sheet processing apparatus comprising:

• a plurality of intermediate trays for temporarily stacking sheets discharged by a discharging means;
• processing means for processing the sheets;
• at least one accommodating tray for receiving and accommodating the sheets from the intermediate trays;
• control means for feeding the sheets from one of said intermediate trays after the sheets thereon are processed by said process means;
• wherein when the sheets have a relatively small size, the intermediate tray receives the sheets at a position other than at the processing means, and feeds the sheets, after a predetermined number of sheets are received thereon, to said processing means, which processes the sheets, which are in turn discharged to said accommodating tray;
• wherein next sheets are received by another one of said intermediate trays;
• wherein when the sheets have a relatively large size, said intermediate tray moves to said processing means to receive the sheets by said intermediate tray and said accommodating trays so that the sheets bridge therebetween, and after a predetermined number of sheets are received, the sheets are processed by said processing means, and are discharged to said accommodating tray.

A sheet processing apparatus comprising:

• a plurality of intermediate trays for temporarily stacking sheets discharged by a discharging means;
• processing means for processing the sheets;
• at least one accommodating tray for receiving and accommodating the sheets from the intermediate trays;
• control means for feeding the sheets from one of said intermediate trays after the sheets thereon are processed by said process means;
• wherein when the sheets have a relatively small size, the intermediate tray receives the sheets at a position other than at the processing means, and feeds the sheets, after a predetermined number of sheets are received thereon, to said processing means, which process the sheets, which are in turn discharged to said accommodating tray;
• wherein next sheets are received by another one of said intermediate trays;
• wherein when the sheets have a relatively large size and are not to be processed by said processing means, said intermediate tray moves to said processing means to receive the sheets by said intermediate tray and said accommodating trays so that the sheets bridge therebetween, and the sheets are discharged to said accommodating tray without being processed by said processing means.

A sheet processing apparatus, comprising:

• a plurality of sheet discharging means for discharging sheets;
• a plurality of intermediate trays for temporarily stacking the sheets discharged by said discharging means;
• processing means for processing the sheets;
• at least one accommodating tray for receiving and accommodating the sheets from the intermediate trays;
• control means for stacking the sheets on one of said intermediate trays from one of said discharging means and moving the intermediate tray to permit the sheets to be processed by said processing means;
• then stacking the sheets, during processing of the sheets on said one of the intermediate trays, one another one of said intermediate trays from another one of said discharging means;
• then returning, after processing the sheets thereon, said one of the intermediate trays to said one of the discharging means;
• then moving the another one of said intermediate tray to permit the sheets to be processed by said processing means.

A sheet finishing apparatus, comprising:

• a plurality of sheet discharging means for discharging sheets;
• a plurality of intermediate trays for temporarily stacking the sheets discharged by said discharging means;
• processing means for processing the sheets;
• at least one accommodating tray for receiving and accommodating the sheets from the intermediate trays;
• control means for stacking the sheets on one of said intermediate trays from one of said discharging means and moving the intermediate tray to permit the sheets to be processed by said processing means;
• then stacking the sheets during processing of the sheets on said one of the intermediate trays, on the another one of said intermediate trays from another one of said discharging means;
• then returning, after discharging the sheets from said one of the intermediate trays to the at least one accommodating tray after processing the sheets thereon, said one of the intermediate trays to said one of the discharging means;
• then moving the another one of said intermediate tray to permit the sheets to be processed by said processing means;
• and
• discharging the processed sheets to said accommodating tray.

A sheet finishing apparatus, comprising:

• a plurality of sheet discharging means for discharging sheets;
• a plurality of intermediate trays for temporarily stacking the sheets discharged by said discharging means;
• processing means for processing the sheets;
• at least one accommodating tray for receiving and accommodating the sheets from the intermediate trays;
• control means for stacking the sheets on one of said intermediate trays from one of said discharging means and moving the intermediate tray to permit the sheets to be processed by said processing means;
• then stacking the sheets, during processing of the sheets on said one of the intermediate trays, on another one of said intermediate trays from another one of said discharging means;
• then returning, after processing the sheets thereon, said one of the intermediate trays to said one of the discharging means;
• then moving the another one of said intermediate tray to permit the sheets to be processed by said processing means.