Image forming apparatus in use with a sheet post-processing apparatus

Abstract

An image forming apparatus, having a sheet ejection section, provided in an upper portion of the image forming apparatus, for ejecting a recording sheet onto an upper surface portion of the image forming apparatus; a sheet post-processing apparatus for receiving the recording sheet, ejected from the sheet ejection section, so as to perform a post-processing operation upon the recording sheet; and a coupler for coupling the sheet post-processing apparatus with the image forming apparatus so that at least a part of the post-processing apparatus is located on the upper surface portion of the image forming apparatus.

1. An image forming apparatus comprising:
 an image forming device which includes 
 a sheet ejection section, provided in an upper portion of said image forming device, for finally ejecting a recording sheet onto an upper surface portion of said image forming device;  
 a first coupling member;  
 a sheet post-processing apparatus selectively coupled with said sheet ejection section for performing a post-processing operation on said recording sheet ejected from said image forming device,  
 a second coupling member for coupling with said first coupling member;  
 
 wherein said sheet post-processing apparatus is selectively coupled with said sheet ejection section by said first and section coupling members so that at least a part of said post-processing apparatus is located on said upper surface portion of said image forming device.  
 
     
     
       2. The image forming apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said sheet post-processing apparatus includes a sheet conveyance section wherein said sheet conveyance section is provided substantially horizontal and on said upper surface portion of said image forming apparatus when said sheet post-processing apparatus is coupled with said image forming apparatus. 
     
     
       3. The image forming apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said sheet post-processing apparatus is capable of performing at least one of staple processing and shift sorting processing. 
     
     
       4. The image forming apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said sheet post-processing apparatus includes a sheet post-processing section and said sheet post-processing apparatus is coupled with said image forming device so that at least a part of said sheet post-processing section is located on said upper surface portion of said image forming device. 
     
     
       5. The image forming apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein said sheet post-processing section is for performing staple processing. 
     
     
       6. The image forming apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein said sheet post-processing section includes:
 a sheet stacking section for stacking a plurality of recording sheets so that said plurality of recording sheets are subjected to post-processing;  
 a sheet conveyance section for conveying a recording sheet to said sheet stacking section;  
 wherein said sheet stacking section and sheet conveyance section are located on said upper surface portion of said image forming device.  
 
     
     
       7. The image forming apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said sheet post-processing apparatus includes:
 a plurality of movable sheet ejection trays capable of moving vertically when said sheet post-processing apparatus is coupled with said image forming device;  
 wherein said sheet post-processing apparatus is coupled with said image forming device so that said plurality of movable sheet ejection trays are projected from said image forming device at a side thereof.  
 
     
     
       8. The image forming apparatus of  claim 1 , comprising:
 an image reading device for reading an image;  
 wherein said image reading device is located upper than said upper surface portion of said image forming device.  
 
     
     
       9. The image forming apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein said sheet post-processing apparatus is inserted between said image reading device and said upper surface portion of said image forming device so as to be coupled with said image forming apparatus. 
     
     
       10. The image forming apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said post-processing apparatus is capable of being drawn to the front side of said image forming apparatus. 
     
     
       11. The image forming apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said upper surface portion of said image forming device apparatus has a concave space section. 
     
     
       12. The image forming apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said image forming device comprises:
 an image forming section for forming an image on said recording sheet;  
 a sheet-feeding section for feeding said recording sheet toward said image forming section; and  
 a conveyance path for conveying said recording sheet from said sheet-feeding section to said sheet ejection section through said image-forming section;  
 wherein said image forming section is located lower than said sheet ejection section, said sheet-feeding section is located lower than said image forming section, and said conveyance path is provided substantially vertical in said image forming apparatus.  
 
     
     
       13. The image forming apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said image forming device further comprises a sheet ejection tray selectively coupled with said sheet ejection section for receiving said recording sheet ejected from said image forming device, said sheet ejection tray being located on said upper surface portion of said image forming device when said sheet rejection tray is coupled with said image forming device; and
 wherein said sheet ejection tray and said sheet post-processing apparatus are selectively coupled with said image forming device.  
 
     
     
       14. An image forming apparatus comprising:
 ( a )  an image forming device comprising:  
 ( a 1   )  a main body having a space formed in an upper portion of the main body;    
 ( a 2   )  an image forming section for forming an image on a sheet, the image forming section located in the main body; and    
 ( a 3   )  a sheet ejection section for ejecting the sheet into the space, the sheet ejection section located in the main body;    
   ( b )  an image reading device for reading an image on a document, the image reading device mounted to the main body so that the space is located beneath the image reading device; and      ( c )  one of a sheet post - processing apparatus for performing a post - processing operation on the sheet ejected from the sheet ejection section, or a sheet ejection tray for stacking the sheet ejected from the sheet ejection section, wherein the sheet post - processing apparatus and the sheet ejection tray are removably installed in the space.     
     
     
       15. The image forming apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the space is open through at least two sides of the main body. 
     
     
       16. The image forming apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the space is open to at least two sides of the main body. 
     
     
       17. The image forming apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the upper portion of the main body includes an upper housing portion located laterally adjacent to the space and a lower housing portion located beneath the space, and wherein the upper housing portion has a width smaller than that of the lower housing portion. 
     
     
       18. The image forming apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the upper housing portion has a side wall facing the space and the side wall has a sheet ejection outlet through which the sheet is ejected to the one of the sheet post- processing apparatus or the ejection tray.   
     
     
       19. The image forming apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the upper housing portion is stepped. 
     
     
       20. The image forming apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the image forming device comprises:
   a sheet feeding section for feeding the sheet towards the image forming section; the sheet feeding section located in the main body below the image forming section and the image forming section is located below the sheet ejection section; and        a conveyance path for conveying the sheet from the sheet feeding section to the image forming section and to the ejection section, and the conveyance path having a substantially vertical orientation in the main body.     
     
     
       21. An image forming apparatus comprising:
 ( a )  an image forming device comprising:  
 ( a 1   )  a main body having a space formed in an upper portion of the main body;    
 ( a 2   )  an image forming section for forming an image on a sheet, the image forming section located in the main body and    
 ( a 3   )  a sheet ejection section for ejecting the sheet into the space, the sheet ejection section located in the main body;    
   ( b )  an image reading device for reading an image on a document, the image reading device mounted to the main body so that the space is located beneath the image reading device; and      ( c )  a sheet post - processing apparatus for performing a post - processing operation on the sheet ejected from the sheet ejection section, wherein the sheet post - processing apparatus is removably installed in the space.     
     
     
       22. The image forming apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein the space is open through at least two sides of the main body. 
     
     
       23. The image forming apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein the space is open to at least two sides of the main body. 
     
     
       24. The image forming apparatus of  claim 23 , wherein the upper portion of the main body includes an upper housing portion located laterally adjacent to the space and a lower housing portion located beneath the space, and wherein the upper housing portion has a width smaller than that of the lower housing portion. 
     
     
       25. The image forming apparatus of  claim 24 , wherein the upper housing portion has a side wall facing the space and the side wall has a sheet ejection outlet through which the sheet is ejected to the sheet post- processing apparatus.   
     
     
       26. The image forming apparatus of  claim 25 , wherein the upper housing portion is stepped. 
     
     
       27. The image forming apparatus of  claim 25 , wherein the post- processing apparatus includes a sheet post - processing section for performing the post - processing operation, and wherein the sheet post - processing section is located in the space.   
     
     
       28. The image forming apparatus of  claim 27 , wherein the post- processing apparatus includes a sheet stacking section for stacking a plurality of the sheets, and wherein the sheet stacking section is located in the space.   
     
     
       29. The image forming apparatus of  claim 28 , wherein the post- processing apparatus is capable of performing at least one of staple processing and width adjusting to the sheets on the stacking section.   
     
     
       30. The image forming apparatus of  claim 27 , wherein the post- processing apparatus comprises a sheet ejection tray section for receiving the sheet from the sheet post - processing section.   
     
     
       31. The image forming apparatus of  claim 30 , wherein at least a part of the sheet is conveyed to the sheet ejection tray section, before the sheet had been stacked in the stacking section. 
     
     
       32. The image forming apparatus of  claim 31 , wherein the sheet ejection tray section has a bin for stacking the sheet, which is movable in a vertical direction. 
     
     
       33. The image forming apparatus of  claim 32 , wherein the sheet ejection tray section is located adjacent one of the two sides of main body open to the space. 
     
     
       34. The image forming apparatus of  claim 32 , wherein the upper portion of the main body has a back wall facing the space. 
     
     
       35. The image forming apparatus of  claim 34 , wherein the image forming device comprises:
   a sheet feeding section for feeding the sheet towards the image forming section; the sheet feeding section located in the main body below the image forming section and the image forming section is located below the sheet ejection section; and        a conveyance path for conveying the sheet from the sheet feeding section to the image forming section and to the ejection section, and the conveyance path having a substantially vertical orientation in the main body.     
     
     
       36. An image forming apparatus comprising:
 ( a )  an image forming device comprising:  
 ( a 1   )  a main body having a space formed in an upper portion of the main body;    
 ( a 2   )  an image forming section for forming an image on a sheet, the image forming section located in the main body and    
 ( a 3   )  a sheet ejection section for ejecting the sheet into the space, the sheet ejection section located in the main body;    
   ( b )  an image reading device for reading an image on a document, the image reading device mounted to the main body so that the space is located beneath the image reading device; and      ( c )  a sheet ejection tray for stacking the sheet ejected from the sheet ejection section, wherein the sheet ejection tray are removably installed in the space.     
     
     
       37. The image forming apparatus of  claim 36 , wherein the space is open through at least two sides of the main body. 
     
     
       38. The image forming apparatus of  claim 36 , wherein the space is open to at least two sides of the main body. 
     
     
       39. The image forming apparatus of  claim 38 , wherein the upper portion of the main body includes an upper housing portion located laterally adjacent to the space and a lower housing portion located beneath the space, and wherein the upper housing portion has a width smaller than that of the lower housing portion. 
     
     
       40. The image forming apparatus of  claim 39 , wherein the upper housing portion has a side wall facing the space and the side wall has a sheet ejection outlet through which the sheet is ejected to the one of the sheet post- processing apparatus or the ejection tray.   
     
     
       41. The image forming apparatus of  claim 40 , wherein the upper housing portion is stepped. 
     
     
       42. The image forming apparatus of  claim 41 , wherein the image forming device comprises:
   a sheet feeding section for feeding the sheet towards the image forming section, the sheet feeding section located in the main body below the image forming section and the image forming section is located below the sheet ejection section; and        a conveyance path for conveying the sheet from the sheet feeding section to the image forming section and to the ejection section, and the conveyance path having a substantially vertical orientation in the main body.     
     
     
       43. An image forming apparatus comprising:
 ( a )  an image reading device for reading an image on a document;      ( b )  an image forming device located in a main body located beneath the image reading device, the main body having an upper protruded portion which extends towards the image reading device, an image forming section for forming on a sheet and sheet ejection section located in the upper protruded portion and a space defined by the main body, the upper protruded portion and the image reading device;      ( c )  a sheet post - processing apparatus for performing a post - processing operation on the sheet ejected from the sheet ejection section; and      ( d )  a guide member for guiding the sheet post - processing apparatus into the space to a position adjacent a side of the upper protruded portion of the main body and beneath the image reading device, wherein the sheet post - processing apparatus is removably installed in the position utilizing the guide member.     
     
     
       44. The image forming apparatus of  claim 43  wherein the post- processing apparatus comprising a sheet ejection tray section for stacking the sheets after the post - processing operation, and the sheet ejection tray is located at a side of the main body.   
     
     
       45. The image forming apparatus of  claim 44 , wherein the image forming device comprises:
   a sheet feeding section for feeding the sheet towards the image forming section, the sheet feeding section located in the main body below the image forming section and the image forming section is located below the sheet ejection section; and        a conveyance path for conveying the sheet from the sheet feeding section to the image forming section and to the ejection section, and the conveyance path having a substantially vertical orientation in the main body.     
     
     
       46. An image processing system, comprising:
   an image forming apparatus for forming an image on a sheet, the image forming apparatus having a cavity in an upper portion thereof and an outlet for ejecting a sheet from the image forming apparatus; and        a sheet post - processing apparatus for performing at least one post - processing operation on the sheet from the outlet, at least a portion of the sheet post - processing apparatus being removably installed in the cavity of the image forming apparatus.     
     
     
       47. The image processing system of  claim 46 , further comprising a guide rail for positioning the portion of sheet post- processing apparatus in the cavity.   
     
     
       48. The image processing system of  claim 47 , further comprising a roller for engaging the guide rail when positioning the portion of the post- processing apparatus in the cavity.   
     
     
       49. The image processing system of  claim 47 , further comprising an image reading device positioned above the cavity. 
     
     
       50. The image processing system of  claim 47 , wherein the sheet post- processing apparatus has at least one sheet ejection tray for receiving the sheet.   
     
     
       51. The image processing system of  claim 47 , wherein the image forming apparatus has a generally vertical sheet conveyance path therein. 
     
     
       52. The image processing system of  claim 47 , wherein the post- processing operation on the sheet comprises stapling the sheet.   
     
     
       53. The image processing system of  claim 47 , wherein the post- processing operation on the sheet comprising stacking the sheet.