Patent ID: 7866649

Claim:
A sheet aligning apparatus, comprising: a sheet outlet for discharging sheets, a tray device for piling and storing the sheets from the sheet outlet, a sheet discharging and delivering device arranged above the tray device for delivering a sheet from the sheet outlet to a sheet discharging direction and then delivering the sheet on the tray device, a reciprocally delivering roller situated near the sheet discharging and delivering device for receiving the sheet discharged in the sheet discharging direction from the sheet discharging and delivering device, and delivering the sheet toward the tray device, a shift device for moving the sheet discharging and delivering device between an operating position of pressing an uppermost sheet with a predetermined pressing force and a non-operating position of lightening or releasing the pressing force, a regulating stopper member for colliding the sheet sent by the sheet discharging and delivering device at a sheet front or back end therewith for regulating a sheet position, an aligning device for regulating the sheet on the tray device in a direction crossing the sheet discharging direction, a sheet pressing member swingably attached to the sheet discharging and delivering device to obliquely extend toward the stopper member, said sheet pressing member contacting the upmost sheet on the tray device to press the sheet thereon, and a control device for controlling the sheet discharging and delivering device, the reciprocally delivering roller, the shift device and the aligning device, wherein the control device: (1) operates the sheet discharging and delivering device to send the sheet discharged from the sheet outlet onto the tray device toward the regulating stopper member, (2) controls the shift device for lightening or releasing a pressing force exerting on the uppermost sheet on the tray device by the sheet discharging and delivering device, (3) operates the aligning device, and moves the sheet on the tray device to regulate a sheet width in a direction crossing the sheet discharging direction, and (4) subsequently, stops the aligning device, and controls the sheet discharging and delivering device again to position and regulate the sheet with respect to the regulating stopper device.