Patent ID: 7712732

Claim:
A sheet folding apparatus comprising: a folding process unit for folding sequentially delivered sheets into a predetermined form defining a crease orientation; a folded sheet stacking unit for stacking and stowing folding-processed sheets from said folding process unit; and conveyance means, provided between, for cooperative operation with, said folding process unit and said folded sheet stacking unit, for conveying one folding-processed sheet at a time from said folding process unit into said folded sheet stacking unit, said conveyance means comprising an upstream, first conveyance means constituted by a pair of rollers for nipping and thereby conveying sheets, said first conveyance means therein for conveying folding-processed sheets from said folding process unit in a direction approximately orthogonal to the crease orientation, and a downstream, second conveyance means including a tray member for bearing folding-processed sheets from said first conveyance means, and a shift member, provided so as to circulate around the front and back sides of the tray member along an engagement slot formed in said tray member, extending along the sheet-crease orientation, said shift member being configured to engage the trailing edges of folding-processed sheets on said tray member to convey the sheets along the tray member in the crease orientation into said folded sheet stacking unit, and being configured to be free to bob so that coming into contact with sheets on said sheet stacking unit in the course of the circulating of said shift member topples it.