Patent ID: 6375181
Filing Date: 2002-04-23
Classification: B65H,G03G

Abstract:
A finisher comprising:(a) a conveyance means for conveying sheets; (b) an intermediate stacker on which conveyed sheets are stacked; (c) a stapler for stapling a stacked package of sheets; (d) a sheet delivery means for delivering the stapled package sheets or non-stapled sheets; (e) an up-and-down sheet exit tray on which the delivered package of sheets is stacked and which can move up and down; (f) a driving means for driving the up-and-down sheet exit tray; (g) a first upper limit detector for detecting a first upper limit position of a surface of an uppermost non-stapled sheet which Is stacked on the up-and-down sheet exit tray where the surface of the uppermost non-stapled sheet is in contact with a plurality of lower rollers of the sheet delivery means; (h) a second upper limit detector for detecting a second upper limit position, which is lower than the first upper limit position, of a surface of an uppermost stapled sheet which is stacked on the up-and-down sheet exit tray where the surface of the uppermost stapled sheet is spaced at a predetermined gap apart from the plurality of lower rollers; and (i) controller for controlling the driving means, wherein when a staple mode is selected, the controller drives the up-and-down sheet exit tray to temporarily move to the second upper limit position, and when the sheet delivery means finishes delivering the stapled package of sheets, the controller drives the up-and-down sheet exit tray to move up to the second upper limit position for the surface of the uppermost stapled sheet so that the predetermined gap is maintained.