A sheet post-processing apparatus and image forming apparatus

Claim 2

A sheet post-processing apparatus, comprising: stacking means for stacking sheet materials discharged; processing means for processing the sheet materials stacked on said stacking means; discharging means for discharging from said stacking means the sheet materials processed by said processing means when a processing mode is selected; accommodating means, movable substantially vertically, for accommodating sheet materials discharged by said discharging means; and second discharging means for discharging, in the processing mode, the sheet materials so that the sheet materials are bridged between said stacking means and said accommodating means, and for discharging, in a non-processing mode, the sheet materials so that they are stacked on said accommodating means.

Claim 3

An apparatus according to Claim 1, wherein said second discharging means includes a first rotatable member for directing the sheet materials to said stacking means and a second rotatable member for directing the sheet materials to said accommodating means.

Claim 4

An apparatus according to Claim 2, wherein said stacking means and accommodating means are inclined upwardly toward downstream with respect to a movement direction of the sheet materials, and wherein said first rotatable member is disposed upstream of said stacking means, and said second rotatable member is disposed downstream of said stacking means so as to direct the sheet materials to said accommodating means, skipping said stacking means.

Claim 5

An apparatus according to Claim 3, wherein said second rotatable member is non-operable in the processing mode, and is made operable in the non-­processing mode.

Claim 6

An apparatus according to Claim 4, wherein said second rotatable member includes a pair of rollers, which are separated in the processing mode, and is contacted to convey the sheet material in the non-processing mode.

Claim 7

An apparatus according to Claim 1, wherein said second discharging means includes a first discharging member for discharging the sheet materials to said stacking means, and a second discharging member for discharging the sheet materials to said accommodating means, said second discharging member is movable between its operative position and non-­ operative position, said apparatus further comprising means for detecting a position of said second discharging member, and control means, responsive to a signal from said detecting means, for allowing operation of said processing means when said second discharging member is at its non-operative position.

Claim 8

An apparatus according to Claim 6, wherein said second discharging member includes a pair of rollers which can take a first position wherein they are separated, and a second position wherein they are contacted.

Claim 9

An apparatus according to Claim 7, further comprising driving means for controlling separation and contact between the rollers, and control means, responsive to selection of the processing mode, for controlling said driving means to separate the rollers.

Claim 10

An apparatus according to Claim 1, wherein said first discharging means is a part of said second discharging means.

Claim 11

An apparatus according to Claim 1, wherein said first discharging means functions to push out the sheet materials.

Claim 12

An apparatus according to Claim 9, wherein said second discharging means includes a pair of rollers which are contactable and separable relative to each other, wherein they are separated in the processing mode, and are contacted during the sheet discharging to convey the sheet materials.

Claim 13

An apparatus according to Claim 10, wherein said pushing means functions also as aligning means for aligning edges of the sheet materials when they are accommodated in said stacking means.

Claim 14

A sheet post-processing apparatus, comprising: stacking means for stacking sheet materials discharged, said stacking means is inclined upwardly toward downstream with respect to a movement direction to the sheet materials to impart returning movement to the discharged sheet materials; stapling means for stapling the sheet materials stacked on said stacking means; discharging means for discharging from said stacking means the sheet materials stapled by said stapling means when a processing mode is selected; accommodating means, movable substantially vertically, for accommodating sheet materials discharged by said discharging means, wherein said accommodating means is disposed to downstream of said stacking means; second discharging means for discharging, in the stapling mode, the sheet materials so that the sheet materials are bridged between said stacking means and said accommodating means, and for discharging, in a non-stapling mode, the sheet materials so that they are stacked on said accommodating means; and wherein said second discharging means includes a first pair of rotatable members upstream of said stacking means and a second pair of rotatable members separable from and contactable with each other.

Claim 15

A sheet post-processing apparatus, comprising: stacking means for stacking sheet materials discharged, said stacking means is inclined upwardly toward downstream with respect to a movement direction to the sheet materials to impart returning movement to the discharged sheet materials; stapling means for stapling the sheet materials stacked on said stacking means; discharging means for discharging from said stacking means the sheet materials stapled by said stapling means when a processing mode is selected; accommodating means, movable substantially vertically, for accommodating sheet materials discharged by said discharging means, wherein said accommodating means is disposed to downstream of said stacking means; second discharging means for discharging, in the stapling mode, the sheet materials so that the sheet materials are bridged between said stacking means and said accommodating means, and for discharging, in a non-stapling mode, the sheet materials so that they are stacked on said accommodating means; and wherein said second discharging means includes a first pair of rotatable members upstream of said stacking means and a second pair of rotatable members separable from and contactable with each other.

Claim 16

An image forming apparatus, comprising: image forming means for forming an image; stacking means for stacking sheet materials discharged after image formation thereon by said image forming means; processing means for processing the sheet materials stacked on said stacking means; discharging means for discharging from said stacking means the sheet materials processed by said processing means when a processing mode is selected; accommodating means, movable substantially vertically, for accommodating sheet materials discharged by said discharging means; second discharging means for discharging, in the processing mode, the sheet materials so that the sheet materials are bridged between said stacking means and said accommodating means, and for discharging, in a non-­processing mode, the sheet materials so that they are stacked on said accommodating means.

Claim 17

An image forming apparatus, comprising: image forming means for forming an image; stacking means for stacking sheet materials discharged after image formation thereon by said image forming means; processing means for processing the sheet materials stacked on said stacking means; discharging means for discharging from said stacking means the sheet materials processed by said processing means when a processing mode is selected; accommodating means, movable substantially vertically, for accommodating sheet materials discharged by said discharging means; second discharging means for discharging, in the processing mode, the sheet materials so that the sheet materials are bridged between said stacking means and said accommodating means, and for discharging, in a non-­processing mode, the sheet materials so that they are stacked on said accommodating means.

Claim 18

An image forming apparatus, comprising: image forming means for forming an image; stacking means for stacking sheet materials discharged after image formation thereon by said image forming means, said stacking means is inclined upwardly toward downstream with respect to a movement direction to the sheet materials to impart returning movement to the discharged sheet materials; stapling means for stapling the sheet materials stacked on said stacking means; discharging means for discharging from said stacking means the sheet materials stapled by said stapling means when a processing mode is selected; accommodating means, movable substantially vertically, for accommodating sheet materials discharged by said discharging means, wherein said accommodating means is disposed to downstream of said stacking means; second discharging means for discharging, in the stapling mode, the sheet materials so that the sheet materials are bridged between said stacking means and said accommodating means, and for discharging, in a non-stapling mode, the sheet materials so that they are stacked on said accommodating means; and wherein said second discharging means includes a first pair of rotatable members upstream of said stacking means and a second pair of rotatable members separable from and contactable with each other.

Claim 19

An image forming apparatus, comprising: image forming means for forming an image; stacking means for stacking sheet materials discharged after image formation thereon by said image forming means, said stacking means is inclined upwardly toward downstream with respect to a movement direction to the sheet materials to impart returning movement to the discharged sheet materials; stapling means for stapling the sheet materials stacked on said stacking means; discharging means for discharging from said stacking means the sheet materials stapled by said stapling means when a processing mode is selected; accommodating means, movable substantially vertically, for accommodating sheet materials discharged by said discharging means, wherein said accommodating means is disposed to downstream of said stacking means; second discharging means for discharging, in the stapling mode, the sheet materials so that the sheet materials are bridged between said stacking means and said accommodating means, and for discharging, in a non-stapling mode, the sheet materials so that they are stacked on said accommodating means; and wherein said second discharging means includes a first pair of rotatable members upstream of said stacking means and a second pair of rotatable members separable from and contactable with each other.