Patent ID: 8706019
Filing Date: 2014-04-22
Classification: G03G

Abstract:
1. A recording material post-processing device that (i) is installed to an image forming device having a branched transport path branched in two through which a recording material is transported to be discharged and (ii) performs a post-process for the recording material on which an image is formed by the image forming device, the recording material post-processing device comprising: a post-processing mechanism that performs a post-process for the recording material transported from one branched transport path of the image forming device; an additional post-processing mechanism that performs an additional post-process other than the post-process performed by the post-processing mechanism for the recording material transported from the other branched transport path of the image forming device; an operation unit that selectively operates one of three modes, wherein the three modes comprise: a first mode wherein the post-process is performed by the post-processing mechanism; a second mode wherein the additional post-process is performed by the additional post-processing mechanism; and a third mode wherein the post-process and the additional post-process are performed by the post-processing mechanism and the additional post-processing mechanism, respectively; and a transport control unit that controls transport of the recording material such that: in a case of the first mode, the recording material is led to the one branched transport path by a shift unit and further transported to the post-processing mechanism so that the post-process is performed to the recording material; in a case of the second mode, after the recording material is led to the one branched transport path by the shift unit and stopped, the shift unit is shifted to connect the one branched transport path and the other branched transport path, and the recording material is transported to the additional post-processing mechanism so that the additional post-process is performed to the recording material; and in a case of the third mode, after the recording material is led to the one branched transport path by the shift unit and stopped, the shift unit is shifted to connect the one branched transport path and the other branched transport path, and the recording material is transported to the additional post-processing mechanism so that the additional post-process is performed to the recording material, and after that, the recording material is transported to the post-processing mechanism so that the post-process is performed to the recording material, wherein the additional post-processing mechanism is disposed on an outer side of at least one of an image forming device casing of the image forming device and a post-processing device casing of the image forming device, wherein the transport control unit transports the recording material to the one branched transport path, and then performs the post-process by using the additional post-processing mechanism with a state that a portion of the recording material is discharged outside at least one of the image forming device casing and the post-processing casing maintained, wherein the additional post-process is a folding line process performed by the additional post-processing mechanism and the post-process is a stapling process performed by the post-processing mechanism.