Paper conveying apparatus, paper finishing apparatus and image forming apparatus

Abstract

There is described a paper conveying apparatus that deflects a conveying direction of a paper at substantially 90 degree relative to a conveyance direction of the paper. The apparatus includes: a first conveying section to convey the paper in a first conveyance direction; a second conveying section that includes a conveyance belt, including a conveying nail, to deflect the conveying direction of the paper and conveys the paper in a second conveyance direction, which is substantially orthogonal to a longitudinal direction of a leading edge of the paper; a stopper member for stopping and releasing a side edge portion of the paper in a width direction of the paper; and a driving section to drive both the conveyance belt and the stopper member. The driving section moves the conveying nail and/or the stopper member from an outside of a paper conveying area, to achieve a width truing operation.

1 . An apparatus for conveying a paper while deflecting a long side and a short side of said paper at substantially 90 degree relative to a current conveyance direction of said paper, said apparatus comprising: 
 a first conveying section to convey said paper in a first conveyance direction;    a second conveying section that includes a conveyance belt to deflect said current conveying direction of said paper so as to convey said paper in a second conveyance direction, which is substantially orthogonal to a longitudinal direction of a leading edge of said paper conveyed in said first conveying section, wherein said conveyance belt includes a conveying nail formed as a protrusion protruded from said conveyance belt;    a stopper member that is movable to stop and release a side edge portion of said paper, conveyed by said first conveying section, in a width direction of said paper; and    a driving section to drive both said conveyance belt and said stopper member;    wherein said driving section moves said conveying nail and/or said stopper member from an external area outside a paper conveying area, so that a width truing operation is achieved by batting said conveying nail and said stopper member against both side edge portions of said paper.    
   
   
       2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , 
 wherein said conveying nail and said stopper member are positioned to a truing position at which said conveying nail and said stopper member are batted against said both side edge portions of said paper, or a standby position at which a gap between said conveying nail and said stopper member is wider than that at said truing position.    
   
   
       3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , 
 wherein said driving section moves said conveying nail and/or said stopper member from said standby position to said truing position in order to conduct said width truing operation, and after said width truing operation is completed, said driving section again moves said conveying nail and/or said stopper member from said truing position to said standby position.    
   
   
       4 . A paper finishing apparatus for applying finish processing to a paper or a plurality of papers while conveying said paper or said plurality of papers, said paper finishing apparatus comprising: 
 a conveying mechanism to convey and stack said paper or said plurality of papers;    a stopper member, being movable, to stop a side edge portion of said paper or said plurality of papers conveyed and stacked by said conveying mechanism so as to achieve a width truing operation;    a truing section that includes a conveying nail, being movable and disposed in parallel with said stopper member in such a manner that said stopper member and said conveying nail oppose to each other;    a driving section to drive both said stopper member and said conveying nail; and    a finish processing section to apply said finish processing to said paper or said plurality of papers trued by said truing section;    wherein said driving section moves said stopper member and/or said conveying nail from an external area outside a paper conveying area, so that said width truing operation is achieved by batting said stopper member and/or said conveying nail against both side edge portions of said paper or said plurality of papers.    
   
   
       5 . The paper finishing apparatus of  claim 4 , 
 wherein said conveying mechanism includes: 
 a first conveying section to convey said paper or said plurality of papers in a first conveyance direction;  
 a second conveying section that includes a conveyance belt to deflect said first conveying direction of said paper or said plurality of papers so as to convey said paper or said plurality of papers in a second conveyance direction, which is substantially orthogonal to a longitudinal direction of a leading edge of said paper or said plurality of papers conveyed in said first conveying section.  
   
   
   
       6 . The paper finishing apparatus of  claim 5 , 
 wherein said conveyance belt includes said conveying nail formed as a protrusion protruded from said conveyance belt.    
   
   
       7 . The paper finishing apparatus of  claim 6 , 
 wherein said conveying nail and said stopper member are positioned to a truing position at which said conveying nail and said stopper member are batted against said both side edge portions of said paper or said plurality of papers, or a standby position at which a gap between said conveying nail and said stopper member is wider than that at said truing position.    
   
   
       8 . The paper finishing apparatus of  claim 7 , 
 wherein said driving section moves said conveying nail and/or said stopper member from said standby position to said truing position in order to conduct said width truing operation, and after said width truing operation is completed, said driving section again moves said conveying nail and/or said stopper member from said truing position to said standby position.    
   
   
       9 . The paper finishing apparatus of  claim 4 , 
 wherein said finish processing section includes: 
 a folding device to fold said paper or said plurality of papers conveyed by said conveying mechanism and trued by said truing section.  
   
   
   
       10 . The paper finishing apparatus of  claim 9 , 
 wherein said folding device applies a folding two processing or a folding three processing to said paper or said plurality of papers trued by said truing section.    
   
   
       11 . A system for forming an image on a paper or a plurality of papers, comprising: 
 an image forming apparatus that forms said image on said paper or said plurality of papers and ejects said paper or said plurality of papers; and    a paper finishing apparatus that receives said paper or said plurality of papers, ejected by said image forming apparatus, and applies finish processing to said paper or said plurality of papers, while conveying said paper or said plurality of papers;    wherein said paper finishing apparatus includes: 
 a conveying mechanism to convey and stack said paper or said plurality of papers;  
 a stopper member, being movable, to stop a side edge portion of said paper or said plurality of papers conveyed and stacked by said conveying mechanism so as to achieve a width truing operation;  
 a truing section that includes a conveying nail, being movable and disposed in parallel with said stopper member in such a manner that said stopper member and said conveying nail oppose to each other;  
 a driving section to drive both said stopper member and said conveying nail; and  
 a finish processing section to apply said finish processing to said paper or said plurality of papers trued by said truing section;  
   wherein said driving section moves said stopper member and/or said conveying nail from an external area outside a paper conveying area, so that said width truing operation is achieved by batting said stopper member and/or said conveying nail against both side edge portions of said paper or said plurality of papers.    
   
   
       12 . The system of  claim 11 , 
 wherein said conveying mechanism includes: 
 a first conveying section to convey said paper or said plurality of papers in a first conveyance direction;  
 a second conveying section that includes a conveyance belt to deflect said first conveying direction of said paper or said plurality of papers so as to convey said paper or said plurality of papers in a second conveyance direction, which is substantially orthogonal to a longitudinal direction of a leading edge of said paper or said plurality of papers conveyed in said first conveying section.  
   
   
   
       13 . The system of  claim 12 , 
 wherein said conveyance belt includes said conveying nail formed as a protrusion protruded from said conveyance belt.    
   
   
       14 . The system of  claim 13 , 
 wherein said conveying nail and said stopper member are positioned to a truing position at which said conveying nail and said stopper member are batted against said both side edge portions of said paper or said plurality of papers, or a standby position at which a gap between said conveying nail and said stopper member is wider than that at said truing position.    
   
   
       15 . The system of  claim 14 , 
 wherein said driving section moves said conveying nail and/or said stopper member from said standby position to said truing position in order to conduct said width truing operation, and after said width truing operation is completed, said driving section again moves said conveying nail and/or said stopper member from said truing position to said standby position.    
   
   
       16 . The system of  claim 11 , 
 wherein said finish processing section includes: 
 a folding device to fold said paper or said plurality of papers conveyed by said conveying mechanism and trued by said truing section.  
   
   
   
       17 . The system of  claim 16 , 
 wherein said folding device applies a folding two processing or a folding three processing to said paper or said plurality of papers trued by said truing section.    
   
   
       18 . An apparatus for conveying a paper while deflecting a long side and a short side of said paper at substantially 90 degree relative to a current conveyance direction of said paper, said apparatus comprising: 
 first conveying means for conveying said paper in a first conveyance direction;    second conveying means, including a conveyance belt to deflect said current conveying direction of said paper, for conveying said paper in a second conveyance direction, which is substantially orthogonal to a longitudinal direction of a leading edge of said paper conveyed in said first conveying means, wherein said conveyance belt includes a conveying nail formed as a protrusion protruded from said conveyance belt;    stopper means, being movable, for stopping and releasing a side edge portion of said paper, conveyed by said first conveying means, in a width direction of said paper; and    driving means for driving both said conveyance belt and said stopper member;    wherein said driving means moves said conveying nail and/or said stopper means from an external area outside a paper conveying area, so that a width truing operation is achieved by batting said conveying nail and said stopper means against both side edge portions of said paper.    
   
   
       19 . A paper finishing apparatus for applying finish processing to a paper or a plurality of papers while conveying said paper or said plurality of papers, said paper finishing apparatus comprising: 
 conveying means for conveying and stacking said paper or said plurality of papers;    stopper means, being movable, for stopping a side edge portion of said paper or said plurality of papers conveyed and stacked by said conveying means so as to achieve a width truing operation;    truing means that includes a conveying nail, being movable and disposed in parallel with said stopper means in such a manner that said stopper means and said conveying nail oppose to each other;    driving means for driving both said stopper means and said conveying nail; and    finish processing means for applying said finish processing to said paper or said plurality of papers trued by said truing means;    wherein said driving means moves said stopper means and/or said conveying nail from an external area outside a paper conveying area, so that said width truing operation is achieved by batting said stopper means and/or said conveying nail against both side edge portions of said paper or said plurality of papers.    
   
   
       20 . A paper conveying apparatus, wherein, 
 in the paper conveying apparatus that conveys a paper, to be conveyed, by deflecting a long side direction and a short side direction of said paper at  90  degree in a conveyance direction of said paper, there is provided with:    first conveying means for conveying said paper in a first conveyance direction;    second conveying means that includes a conveyance belt for deflecting said conveying direction of said paper so as to convey said paper in a second conveyance direction, which is orthogonal to a leading edge of said paper conveyed in said first conveying section;    a conveying nail formed as a protrusion protruded from said conveyance belt;    a batting member, being movable, for contacting and releasing a side edge portion of said paper, conveyed by said first conveying means, in a width direction of said paper; and    a driving means for driving both said conveyance belt and said batting member; and    said driving means moves said conveying nail and/or said batting member from outside of a paper conveying area, and conducts a width truing operation by batting said conveying nail and said batting member against both side edge portions of said paper.