Sheet alignment device, sheet finishing apparatus including the same, and image processing system including the same

A sheet finishing apparatus comprising:

• a sheet alignment unit including the following,
• an accommodating unit configured to temporarily accommodate a paper sheet and a paper sheet stack including the paper sheet therein, and
• a sheet alignment unit configured to align the sheet stack including the paper sheet in a direction perpendicular to a sheet travel direction,
• the sheet alignment unit having a first alignment member configured to move between a sheet receiving position and a sheet alignment position along the direction perpendicular to the sheet travel direction so as to push the sheet stack and a second alignment member configured to move to a fixed position and remain stationary thereat so as to stop the sheet stack pushed by the first alignment member and the second alignment member returns to the sheet receiving position before the first alignment member moves thereto after the sheet alignment operation;
• and
• a sheet binding unit configured to bind the sheet stack of the accommodating unit.

An image processing system comprising:

• an image-forming unit to form images on sheets, respectively;
• and
• a sheet alignment device including the following,
• an accommodating unit configured to receive sheets from the image-forming unit and to temporarily accommodate a paper sheet and a paper sheet stack including the paper sheet therein, and
• a sheet alignment unit configured to align the sheet stack including the paper sheet in a direction perpendicular to a sheet travel direction,
• the sheet alignment unit having a first alignment member configured to move between a sheet receiving position and a sheet alignment position along the direction perpendicular to the sheet travel direction so as to push the sheet stack and a second alignment member configured to move to a fixed position and remain thereat so as to stop the sheet stack pushed by the first alignment member and the second alignment member returns to the sheet receiving position before the first alignment member moves thereto after the sheet alignment operation.

The image processing system according to claim 17, further comprising:

• a sheet finishing apparatus including the sheet alignment device according to claim 18;
• and
• a sheet binding unit configured to bind the sheet stack of the accommodating unit;
• wherein the sheet stack is processed at a first position arranged by the first alignment member to be closer to the second alignment member from a center portion of the sheet stack stored in the accommodating unit.

A sheet alignment device comprising:

• an accommodating unit configured to temporarily accommodate a paper sheet and a paper sheet stack including the paper sheet therein;
• and
• a sheet alignment unit configured to align the sheet stack including the paper sheet in a direction perpendicular to a sheet travel direction, the sheet alignment unit having first and second alignment members configured to move between a sheet receiving position and a sheet alignment position along the direction perpendicular to the sheet travel direction, wherein one of the alignment members pushes the sheet stack against the other alignment member while the other alignment member remains stationary;
• and
• a controller configured to control the first and second alignment members and set either alignment member as a reference jogger, wherein the controller urges the second alignment member to remain stationary while urging the first alignment member to push the sheet stack against the second alignment member when the first alignment member is set as the reference jogger and urges the first alignment member to remain stationary while urging the second alignment member to push the sheet stack against the first alignment member when the second alignment member is set as the reference jogger.