# US 7,607,652 B2 · Sheet processing apparatus and image forming apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 7,607,652 B2 - Document ID: US7607652B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 12/349,799 - Filed: 2009-01-07 - Published: 2009-05-07 - Granted: 2009-10-27 - Earliest claimed: 2005-12-01 - Assignees: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha - Inventors: Hideki Kushida - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7607652B2 ## CPC - B65H 9/06: Movable stops or gauges, e.g. rising and falling front stops {(B65H11/007 takes precedence)} - B65H 2301/3613: Lateral positioning - B65H 2404/741: movable in operation - B65H 2511/20: Location in space - B65H 2511/414: of mode of operation - B65H 2701/1315: side edges, i.e. regarded in context of transport - B65H: HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES ## Abstract A sheet processing apparatus has: a plurality of conveying paths which convey sheets; and front and back aligning members which perform width alignment in the direction which crosses the sheet conveying direction of the sheets conveyed from the conveying paths. Standby positions when the front and back aligning members approach side edges of the sheets from the standby positions and perform the width alignment of the sheets at the width aligning position are made different every sheet on the basis of discharge position information of the sheets to the plurality of conveying paths. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A sheet processing apparatus comprising: a first conveying path through which a sheet is conveyed; a second conveying path through which a sheet is conveyed; a stacking tray on which the sheets conveyed from said first and second conveying paths are stacked; and an aligning unit which has a pair of aligning members which come into contact with the side edges of the sheets and aligns side edges in a width direction which crosses a sheet conveying direction of the sheets stacked on said stacking tray by movement in the width direction from a standby position where said pair of aligning members are arranged in the outside of the sheets in the width direction to an aligning position where the sheets are aligned, wherein the sheet conveyed from said first conveying path is discharged on a first discharge position of said stacking tray in the width direction, wherein the sheet conveyed from said second conveying path is discharged on a second discharge position of said stacking tray in the width direction, which is different from said first discharge position, and wherein said standby position is dependent on whether a sheet is discharged on said first discharge position or said second discharge position. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said standby position is different for every sheet discharged on said stacking tray. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a shift unit which is provided for at least one of said first and second conveying paths and moves a sheet which is conveyed on said conveying path in the width direction, wherein said standby position is changed in accordance with the position of the sheet shifted by said shift unit. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) An apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said aligning unit has a driving unit which independently moves said pair of aligning members, and wherein, in said pair of aligning members, said standby position of the aligning member on the side opposite to the direction where said shift unit moves the sheet can be changed. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said aligning unit has a driving unit which independently moves said pair of aligning members, and wherein, in said pair of aligning members, said standby position of one of the aligning member is same, and the other can be changed in accordance with each discharge position. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an insertion sheet feeding apparatus which supplies a sheet is connected to at least one of said first and second conveying paths. ### Claim 7 An image forming apparatus comprising: an image forming portion which forms an image onto a sheet; a sheet processing portion including: a first conveying path through which a sheet is conveyed; a second conveying path through which a sheet is conveyed; a stacking tray on which the sheets conveyed from said first and second conveying paths are stacked; and an aligning unit which has a pair of aligning members which come into contact with the side edges of the sheets and aligns side edges in a width direction which crosses a sheet conveying direction of the sheets stacked on said stacking tray by movement in the width direction from a standby position where said pair of aligning members are arranged in the outside of the sheets in the width direction to an aligning position where the sheets are aligned, wherein the sheet conveyed from said first conveying path is discharged on a first discharge position of said stacking tray in the width direction, wherein the sheet conveyed from said second conveying path is discharged on a second discharge position of said stacking tray in the width direction, which is different from said first discharge position, and wherein said standby position is dependent on whether a sheet is discharged on said first discharge position or second discharge position. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) An image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 7, further comprising an insertion sheet feeding apparatus which supplies a sheet is connected to at least one of said first and second conveying paths. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) An image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein said standby position is different for every sheet discharged on said stacking tray. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) An image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 7, further comprising a shift unit which is provided for at least one of said first and second conveying paths and moves a sheet which is conveyed on said conveying path in the width direction of the sheet, wherein said standby position is changed in accordance with the position of the sheet shifted by said shift unit. ### Claim 11 (depends on 7) An image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein said aligning unit has a driving unit which independently moves said pair of aligning members, and wherein, in said pair of aligning members, said standby position of one of the aligning member is same, and the other can be changed in accordance with each of said first and second discharge position. ### Claim 12 A sheet processing apparatus comprising: a first conveying path through which a sheet supplied is conveyed from a first sheet feeding apparatus; a second conveying path through which a sheet supplied is conveyed from a second sheet feeding apparatus; a stacking tray on which the sheets conveyed from said first and second conveying paths are stacked; and an aligning unit which has a pair of aligning members which come into contact with the side edges of the sheets and aligns side edges in a width direction which crosses a sheet conveying direction of the sheets stacked on said stacking tray by movement in the width direction from a standby position where said pair of aligning members are arranged in the outside of the sheets in the width direction to an aligning position where the sheets are aligned, wherein the sheet conveyed from said first conveying path is discharged on a first discharge position of said stacking tray in the width direction, wherein the sheet conveyed from said second conveying path is discharged on a second discharge position of said stacking tray in the width direction, which is different from said first discharge position, wherein when said pair of aligning members align the side edges of the sheets conveyed from said first conveying path, the standby position of said pair of aligning members is a position in accordance with the first discharge position, and wherein when said pair of aligning members align the side edges of the sheets conveyed from said first and second conveying paths, the standby position of one of the aligning members is the position in accordance with the first discharge position, and the standby position of the other is changed in accordance with each of said first and second discharge position. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) An apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the first sheet feeding apparatus is an image forming apparatus which forms an image onto a sheet, and the second sheet feeding apparatus is an insertion sheet feeding apparatus which supplies an insertion sheet. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) An apparatus according to claim 12, further comprising a shift unit which is provided for at least one of said first and second conveying paths and moves a sheet which is conveyed on said conveying path in the width direction, wherein said standby position is changed in accordance with the position of the sheet shifted by said shift unit. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) An apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said aligning unit has a driving unit which independently moves said pair of aligning members.