Sheet conveying device, print system, and sheet cooling method

A print system comprising:

• an image forming apparatus;
• and
• a sheet conveying device that conveys a sheet discharged from the image forming apparatus,
• wherein the sheet conveying device includes:
• an air intake fan that takes in external air;
• an air exhaust fan that discharges internal air;
• a plurality of branched conveying paths which are branched from a conveying path within a range from a sheet entrance to a sheet exit and for which a passing time of the sheet is approximately the same;
• a conveyance motor that independently conveys the sheet to each one of the branched conveying paths;
• a conveying path switching unit that switches among the branched conveying paths;
• and
• a conveying path control unit that causes the conveying path switching unit to sequentially switch among the branched conveying paths every time the sheet is input from the image forming apparatus, and
• wherein the image forming apparatus includes:
• a conveying path determining unit that determines the branched conveying path on which the sheet is to be conveyed;
• and
• a transmission unit that transmits an instruction for the determined branched conveying path to the sheet conveying device.

A sheet cooling method performed in a sheet conveying device that includes:

• an air intake fan that takes in external air;
• an air exhaust fan that discharges internal air;
• a plurality of branched conveying paths which are branched from a conveying path within a range from a sheet entrance to a sheet exit and for which a passing time of the sheet is approximately the same;
• a conveyance motor that independently conveys the sheet on each one of the branched conveying paths;
• and a conveying path switching unit that switches among the branched conveying paths,
• the method comprising:
• causing the conveying path switching unit to sequentially switch among the branched conveying paths every time the sheet is input from the image forming apparatus by using a conveying path control unit.