Patent ID: 7661671
Filing Date: 2010-02-16
Classification: B65H

Abstract:
1. A sheet stacking apparatus for positioning each of a plurality of sheets sequentially thrown in from a conveying device at a predetermined stacking position and stacking the sheets in layers, the sheet stacking apparatus comprising: a stacking platform having a stacking surface on which the sheet thrown in from the conveying device is placed and a plurality of the sheets are stacked; a front member which is provided at the conveying device side of the stacking platform and is provided with an air blowing device for forming an airflow in the sheet conveying direction under the sheet thrown in from the conveying device; a back member which is provided at a back side of the stacking platform, comes in contact with a front end of the sheet thrown in from the conveying device, and receives the sheet so as to be stacked on the stacking platform; and a pair of side members provided facing each other outside the stacking platform in a width direction thereof; wherein the pair of side members are provided with: a pair of lower side members which is provided with an approximately same distance therebetween as the sheet width and limits a movement in the sheet width direction; a pair of upper side members which is provided above the pair of lower side members, each of which is provided with a movable section movable in the sheet width direction, and on which tapered surfaces are formed facing each other in a generally V shape; and a control device which controls a distance between the pair of upper side members by driving the movable sections of the pair of upper side members so that, immediately after a sheet is thrown in from the conveying device, the distance between the lower ends of the pair of tapered surfaces becomes narrower than the sheet width, the distance between the pair of upper side members gradually extends as the sheet advances in a direction toward the back member, and the distance between the lower ends of the pair of tapered surfaces becomes wider than the sheet width when the sheet advances immediately before being in contact with the back member.