Sheet finisher with staple mode select switch

Claim 2

A sheet post-processing apparatus separate from and connectable to a sheet discharging portion of an image forming apparatus without operativity in a binding mode in which discharged sheets are bound, having an automatic document feeder and generating a completion signal indicative of a completion of feeding of a set of originals, said sheet post-processing apparatus comprising: means for stacking sheets discharged from said image forming apparatus; binding means for binding a set of sheets stacked on said stacking means; operation control means for automatically operating said binding means after a last sheet is discharged to said stacking means, when both said completion signal and a binding instruction signal have been generated; and manually operable binding mode selecting means for supplying said binding instruction signal to said operation control means, said binding instruction signal placing said operation control means in a ready state, waiting for generation of said completion signal.

Claim 3

An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said stacking means comprises plural bin trays shiftable step-by-step relative to the sheet discharging portion.

Claim 4

An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said binding mode selecting means is disposed at a position manually and externally operable.

Claim 5

An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising display means for displaying actuation of said binding mode selecting means.

Claim 6

An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said stacking means is in the form of a sorter provided with a plurality of bin trays, and said binding means functions to bind the sheets stacked on the plural bin trays, wherein a sorting mode is set in said sorter by a selecting means of said image forming apparatus.

Claim 7

An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising means for detecting discharge of the last sheet to said stacking means, wherein said operation control means in the ready state operates said binding means in response to an output of said detecting means.

Claim 8

An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising binding control means for controlling said binding means to manually bind when said manually operable binding mode selecting means is depressed after the last sheet is discharged.

Claim 9

An image forming apparatus without operativity in a binding mode in which discharged sheets are bound, comprising image forming means for forming an image on a sheet at an image forming position, an automatic document feeder for feeding originals to an image reading position, a sheet discharging portion for discharging recorded-on sheets from said image forming position to a post-processing apparatus and means for generating a completion signal indicative of a completion of feeding of a set of originals, said post-processing apparatus comprising: means for stacking sheets discharged from said image forming apparatus; binding means for binding a set of sheets tacked on said stacking means; operation control means for automatically operating said binding means after a last sheet is discharged to said stacking means when both said completion signal and a binding instruction signal have been generated; and manually operable binding mode selecting means for supplying said binding instruction signal to said operation control means, said binding instruction signal placing said operation control means in a ready state, waiting for generation of said completion signal, wherein said image forming apparatus further comprises signal control means for supplying a signal indicative of a completion of an image forming operation to said operation control means on the basis of the completion signal indicative of completion of feeding of that set of originals.

Claim 10

An image forming apparatus without operativity in a binding mode in which discharged sheets are bound, comprising image forming means for forming an image on a sheet at an image forming position, an automatic document feeder for feeding originals to an image reading position, a sheet discharging portion for discharging recorded-on sheets from said image forming position to a post-processing apparatus and means for generating a completion signal indicative of a completion of feeding of a set of originals, said post-processing apparatus comprising: means for stacking sheets discharged from said image forming apparatus; binding means for binding a set of sheets tacked on said stacking means; operation control means for automatically operating said binding means after a last sheet is discharged to said stacking means when both said completion signal and a binding instruction signal have been generated; and manually operable binding mode selecting means for supplying said binding instruction signal to said operation control means, said binding instruction signal placing said operation control means in a ready state, waiting for generation of said completion signal, wherein said image forming apparatus further comprises signal control means for supplying a signal indicative of a completion of an image forming operation to said operation control means on the basis of the completion signal indicative of completion of feeding of that set of originals.

Claim 11

An apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said stacking means is in the form of a sorter provided with a plurality of bin trays, and said binding means binds the sheets stacked on the plural bin trays, wherein a sorting mode is set in said sorter by a selecting means of said image forming apparatus.

Claim 12

An apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising binding control means for controlling said binding means to manually bind when said manually operable binding mode selecting means is depressed after the last sheet is discharged.

Claim 13

A sheet post-processing apparatus separate from and connectable to a sheet discharging portion of an image forming apparatus without operativity in a binding mode in which discharged sheets are bound having means for generating a completion signal indicative of such an operation related to image formation for a last sheet of a stack, said sheet post-processing apparatus comprising: means for stacking sheets discharged from said image forming apparatus; binding means for binding a set of sheets stacked on said stacking means; operation control means for automatically operating said binding means when both said completion signal and a binding instruction signal have been generated; and manually operable binding mode selecting means for supplying said binding instruction signal to said operation control means, before generation of said completion signal, said binding instruction signal placing said operation control means in a ready state, waiting for generation of said completion signal and for automatically operating said binding means after generation of said completion signal.

Claim 14

A sheet post-processing apparatus separate from and connectable to a sheet discharging portion of an image forming apparatus without operativity in a binding mode in which discharged sheets are bound having means for generating a completion signal indicative of such an operation related to image formation for a last sheet of a stack, said sheet post-processing apparatus comprising: means for stacking sheets discharged from said image forming apparatus; binding means for binding a set of sheets stacked on said stacking means; operation control means for automatically operating said binding means when both said completion signal and a binding instruction signal have been generated; and manually operable binding mode selecting means for supplying said binding instruction signal to said operation control means, before generation of said completion signal, said binding instruction signal placing said operation control means in a ready state, waiting for generation of said completion signal and for automatically operating said binding means after generation of said completion signal.

Claim 15

An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said stacking means is in the form of a sorter provided with a plurality of bin trays, and said binding means binds the sheets stacked on the plural bin trays, wherein a sorting mode is set in said sorter by a selecting means of said image forming apparatus.

Claim 16

An apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising binding control means for controlling said binding means to manually bind when said manually operable binding mode selecting means is depressed after the last sheet is discharged.

Claim 17

An image forming apparatus, without operativity in a binding mode in which discharged sheets are bound, comprising image forming means for forming an image on a sheet at an image forming position, a sheet discharging portion for discharging recorded-on sheets from said image forming position to a post-processing apparatus and means for generating a completion signal indicative of such an operation related to image formation for a last sheet of a stack, said post-processing apparatus comprising: means for stacking sheets discharged from said image forming apparatus; binding means for binding a set of sheets stacked on said stacking means; an operation control means for automatically operating said binding means when both said completion signal and a binding instruction signal have been generated; and manually operable binding mode selecting means for supplying said binding instruction signal to said operation control means before generation of said completion signal, said binding instruction signal placing said operation control means in a ready state, waiting for generation of said completion signal and for automatically operating said binding means after generation of said completion signal; wherein said image forming apparatus further comprises a signal control means for supplying a signal indicative of completion of an image forming operation to said operation control means on the basis of the completion signal.

Claim 18

An image forming apparatus, without operativity in a binding mode in which discharged sheets are bound, comprising image forming means for forming an image on a sheet at an image forming position, a sheet discharging portion for discharging recorded-on sheets from said image forming position to a post-processing apparatus and means for generating a completion signal indicative of such an operation related to image formation for a last sheet of a stack, said post-processing apparatus comprising: means for stacking sheets discharged from said image forming apparatus; binding means for binding a set of sheets stacked on said stacking means; an operation control means for automatically operating said binding means when both said completion signal and a binding instruction signal have been generated; and manually operable binding mode selecting means for supplying said binding instruction signal to said operation control means before generation of said completion signal, said binding instruction signal placing said operation control means in a ready state, waiting for generation of said completion signal and for automatically operating said binding means after generation of said completion signal; wherein said image forming apparatus further comprises a signal control means for supplying a signal indicative of completion of an image forming operation to said operation control means on the basis of the completion signal.

Claim 19

An apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said stacking means is in the form of a sorter provided with a plurality of bin trays, and said binding means binds the sheets stacked on the plural bin trays, wherein a sorting mode is set in said sorter by a selecting means of said image forming apparatus.

Claim 20

An apparatus according to claim 14, further comprising binding control means for controlling said binding means to manually bind when said manually operable binding mode selecting means is depressed after the last sheet is discharged.

Claim 21

A sheet post-processing apparatus separate from and connectable to a sheet discharging portion of an image forming apparatus without operativity in a binding mode in which discharged sheets are bound, having a sorting mode instructing means and means for generating a completion signal indicative of such an operation related to image formation for the last sheet of a stack, said sheet post-processing apparatus comprising: means for stacking sheets discharged from said image forming apparatus and having a plurality of bin trays; binding means for binding a set of sheets stacked on said stacking means; operation control means for automatically operating said binding means when both said completion signal and a binding instruction signal have been generated; and manually operable binding mode selecting means for supplying said binding instruction signal to said operation control means, said binding instruction signal placing said operation control means in a ready state, waiting for generation of said completion signal.

Claim 22

A sheet post-processing apparatus separate from and connectable to a sheet discharging portion of an image forming apparatus without operativity in a binding mode in which discharged sheets are bound, having a sorting mode instructing means and means for generating a completion signal indicative of such an operation related to image formation for the last sheet of a stack, said sheet post-processing apparatus comprising: means for stacking sheets discharged from said image forming apparatus and having a plurality of bin trays; binding means for binding a set of sheets stacked on said stacking means; operation control means for automatically operating said binding means when both said completion signal and a binding instruction signal have been generated; and manually operable binding mode selecting means for supplying said binding instruction signal to said operation control means, said binding instruction signal placing said operation control means in a ready state, waiting for generation of said completion signal.

Claim 23

An apparatus according to claim 17, further comprising binding control means for controlling said binding means to manually bind when said manually operable binding mode selecting means is depressed after the last sheet is discharged.

Claim 24

An image forming apparatus, without operativity in a binding mode in which discharged sheets are bound, comprising, image forming means for forming an image on a sheet, a sorting mode instruction means, a sheet discharging portion for discharging recorded on sheets from said image forming position to a post-processing apparatus and means for generating a completion signal indicative of such an operation related to image formation for a last sheet of a stack, said post-processing apparatus comprising: means for stacking sheets discharged from said image forming apparatus and having a plurality of bin trays; binding means for binding a set of sheets stacked on said stacking means; operation control means for automatically operating said binding means when both said completion signal and a binding instruction signal have been generated; and manually operable binding mode selecting means for supplying said binding instruction signal to said operation control means, said binding instruction signal placing said operation said operation control means in a ready state waiting for generation of said completion signal; wherein said image forming apparatus further comprises signal control means for supplying a signal indicative of completion of image forming operation to said operating means on the basis of the completion signal.

Claim 25

An image forming apparatus, without operativity in a binding mode in which discharged sheets are bound, comprising, image forming means for forming an image on a sheet, a sorting mode instruction means, a sheet discharging portion for discharging recorded on sheets from said image forming position to a post-processing apparatus and means for generating a completion signal indicative of such an operation related to image formation for a last sheet of a stack, said post-processing apparatus comprising: means for stacking sheets discharged from said image forming apparatus and having a plurality of bin trays; binding means for binding a set of sheets stacked on said stacking means; operation control means for automatically operating said binding means when both said completion signal and a binding instruction signal have been generated; and manually operable binding mode selecting means for supplying said binding instruction signal to said operation control means, said binding instruction signal placing said operation said operation control means in a ready state waiting for generation of said completion signal; wherein said image forming apparatus further comprises signal control means for supplying a signal indicative of completion of image forming operation to said operating means on the basis of the completion signal.

Claim 26

An apparatus according to claim 19, further comprising binding control means for controlling said binding means to manually bind when said manually operable binding mode selecting means is depressed after the last sheet is discharged.

Claim 27

A sheet post-processing apparatus separate from and connectable to a sheet discharging portion of an image forming apparatus without operativity in a binding mode in which discharged sheets are hound, generating a completion signal indicative of an operation related to image formation for a last sheet of a stack, said sheet post-processing apparatus comprising: means for stacking sheets discharged from said image forming apparatus; binding means for binding a set of sheets stacked on said stacking means; operation control means for automatically operating said binding means, when both said completion signal and a binding instruction signal have been generated; and manually operable binding mode selecting means for supplying said binding instruction signal to said operation control means, said binding instruction signal placing said operation control means in a ready state, waiting for generation of said completion signal.

Claim 28

A sheet post-processing apparatus separate from and connectable to a sheet discharging portion of an image forming apparatus without operativity in a binding mode in which discharged sheets are hound, generating a completion signal indicative of an operation related to image formation for a last sheet of a stack, said sheet post-processing apparatus comprising: means for stacking sheets discharged from said image forming apparatus; binding means for binding a set of sheets stacked on said stacking means; operation control means for automatically operating said binding means, when both said completion signal and a binding instruction signal have been generated; and manually operable binding mode selecting means for supplying said binding instruction signal to said operation control means, said binding instruction signal placing said operation control means in a ready state, waiting for generation of said completion signal.

Claim 29

An apparatus according to claim 21, further comprising binding control means for controlling said binding means to manually bind when said manually operable binding mode selecting means is depressed after the last sheet is discharged.

Claim 30

An image forming apparatus, without operativity in a binding mode in which discharged sheets are bound, comprising image forming means for forming an image on a recording medium at an image forming position, a sheet discharging portion for discharging recorded on sheets from said image forming position to a post-processing apparatus and means for generating a completion signal indicative of an operation related to image formation for a last sheet of a stack, said post-processing apparatus comprising: means for stacking sheets discharged from said image forming apparatus; binding means for binding the sheets stacked on said stacking means; operation control means for automatically operating said binding means when both said completion signal and a binding instruction signal have been generated; and manually operable binding mode selecting means for supplying said binding instruction signal to said operation control means, said binding instruction signal placing said operation control means in a ready state, waiting for generation of said completion signal, wherein said image forming apparatus further comprises signal control means for supplying a signal indicative of completion of image forming operation to said operation control means on the basis of the completion signal.

Claim 31

An image forming apparatus, without operativity in a binding mode in which discharged sheets are bound, comprising image forming means for forming an image on a recording medium at an image forming position, a sheet discharging portion for discharging recorded on sheets from said image forming position to a post-processing apparatus and means for generating a completion signal indicative of an operation related to image formation for a last sheet of a stack, said post-processing apparatus comprising: means for stacking sheets discharged from said image forming apparatus; binding means for binding the sheets stacked on said stacking means; operation control means for automatically operating said binding means when both said completion signal and a binding instruction signal have been generated; and manually operable binding mode selecting means for supplying said binding instruction signal to said operation control means, said binding instruction signal placing said operation control means in a ready state, waiting for generation of said completion signal, wherein said image forming apparatus further comprises signal control means for supplying a signal indicative of completion of image forming operation to said operation control means on the basis of the completion signal.

Claim 32

An apparatus according to claim 23, further comprising binding control means for controlling said binding means to manually bind when said manually operable binding mode selecting means is depressed after the last sheet is discharged.