What is claimed is:
1. An apparatus comprising:
first and second members having engaged and disengaged modes;
a first velocity controller for controlling the velocity of the first member when it is disengaged from the second member;
a second velocity controller for controlling the velocity of the second member when it is disengaged from the first member;
one of said controllers commonly controlling both of said members when they are engaged.
2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said first member comprises an image transfer member.
3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said image transfer member comprises a belt.
4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said second member comprises a transfuse member.
5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the transfuse member comprises a belt.
6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said first velocity controller controls the velocity of both of said members when they are engaged.
7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the remaining controller provides drive to its respective member.
8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said drive is just about enough to make up for the additional load on said one controller due to the additionally driven member during engagement.
9. A process comprising:
controlling the velocity of a first member;
independently controlling the velocity of a second member when said first and second members are mutually disengaged; and
commonly controlling the velocity of said members when said members are engaged.
10. The process of claim 8, wherein said first member comprises an image transfer member.
11. The process of claim 10, wherein said image transfer member comprises a belt.
12. The process of claim 8, wherein said second member comprises a transfuse member.
13. The process of claim 12, wherein said transfuse member comprises a belt.
14. The process of claim 9, wherein said commonly controlling step comprises the remaining controller providing drive to its respective member.
15. The process of claim 9, wherein said drive is just about enough to make up for the additional load on said one controller due to the additionally driven member during engagement.
16. Xerographic apparatus comprising:
at least one photoreceptor module;
an image transfer member engaging said module;
a transfuse member engagable and disengagable with said image transfer member;
an image transfer member servo controller controlling the velocity of said image transfer member when said members are disengaged; and
a transfuse member servo controller controlling the velocity of said transfuse member when said members are disengaged;
one of said controllers controlling both of said members when they are mutually engaged.
17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein said one controller comprises said image transfer member servo.
18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the remaining controller provides drive to its respective member.
19. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein said drive is just about enough make up for the additional load on said one controller due to the additionally driven member during engagement.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. An apparatus for processing printed sheets connected to an image forming apparatus, the apparatus for processing printed sheets comprising:
a processing tray on which the sheets are aligned with one another in a width direction and a longitudinal direction to form a pile of sheets;
a standby tray having a pair of tray members arranged away from each other in the width direction above the processing tray, the tray members being movable in the width direction, the tray members moving between a first position at which a sheet is placed on the tray members and a second position at which the sheet on the tray members is dropped onto the processing tray;
a tray driving mechanism which moves the pair of tray members between the first and second positions in synchronism with each other,
a roller mechanism placed near a rear end of the standby tray to feed the sheets from the image forming apparatus onto the standby tray;
an assist arm which is movable in a vertical direction around an arm shaft placed near the roller mechanism, the assist arm rising in contact with the sheet being fed from the roller mechanism onto the standby tray, lowering when the sheet has been fed onto the standby tray, and pressing a rear end of the sheet toward the processing tray when the tray members move from the first position to the second position;
a stapler placed behind the processing tray to staple the pile of sheets; and
a paddle mechanism placed near the rear end of the standby tray, the paddle mechanism has a paddle member which rotates around a shaft, and the paddle member strikes the rear end of the sheet when the pair of tray members of the standby tray moves from the first position to the second position, the paddle member having:
a short paddle which strikes the rear end of the sheet downward as the pair of tray members of the standby tray moves from the first position to the second position; and
a long paddle which rubs the sheet on the processing tray toward the stapler.
2. The apparatus for processing printed sheets according to claim 1, wherein the assist arm has a tip which contacts the sheet, and the tip of the assist arm hangs down obliquely toward the standby tray.
3. The apparatus for processing printed sheets according to claim 1, wherein the shaft of the paddle mechanism is provided with a sheet receiving member configured to allow the rear end of the sheet to be placed on the sheet receiving member.
4. The apparatus for processing printed sheets according to claim 1, wherein the paddle member is placed between the processing tray and the roller mechanism.
5. The apparatus for processing printed sheets according to claim 1, wherein the roller mechanism comprises a conveying roller that is rotationally driven and a pinch roller provided above and opposite the conveying roller, and the arm shaft of the assist arm is placed near a rotating center of the pinch roller.
6. The apparatus for processing printed sheets according to claim 1, wherein the assist arm also serves as a guide member which guides the sheet fed from the roller mechanism onto the standby tray, along a top surface of the standby tray toward a front of the standby tray.
7. The apparatus for processing printed sheets according to claim 1, further comprising an arm driving mechanism which carries out the elevation and lowering of the assist arm.
8. The apparatus for processing printed sheets according to claim 7, further comprising a sensor located upstream of the roller mechanism to detect the rear end of the sheet, wherein the arm driving mechanism lowers the assist arm a predetermined time after the sensor has detected the rear end of the sheet.
9. The apparatus for processing printed sheets according to claim 7, further comprising a roller member which discharges a sheet which is not formed into the pile of sheets, from the standby tray to an outside of the apparatus, wherein the arm driving mechanism has power transmitting section for rotating the roller member.
10. The apparatus for processing printed sheets according to claim 7, wherein the assist arm has:
a pair of inner arm elements which press the sheet toward the processing tray with the sheet placed on the standby tray so that short sides of the sheet extend along the arm shaft; and
a pair of outer arm elements which press the sheet toward the processing tray with the sheet placed on the standby tray so that long sides of the sheets extend along the arm shaft.
11. A method for processing printed sheets, the method comprising:
rotating a roller mechanism to feed a sheet from an image forming apparatus onto a standby tray having a pair of tray members;
elevating an assist arm when the sheet is fed onto the standby tray by the roller mechanism, to allow the sheet to pass below the assist arm onto the standby tray;
moving the pair of tray members of the standby tray in a direction in which the tray members are separated from each other, to drop the sheet placed on the standby tray, onto the processing tray;
lowering the assist arm when the sheet falls from the standby tray onto the processing tray, and pressing a rear end of the sheet toward the processing tray;
striking the rear end of the sheet downward by a short paddle when the sheet is dropped onto the processing tray from the standby tray;
rubbing the sheet dropped onto the processing tray by a long paddle towards a stapler which is placed behind the processing tray; and
aligning the sheets with one another in a width direction and a longitudinal direction to form a pile of sheets.
12. The method for processing printed sheets according to claim 11, wherein the assist arm lowers to the sheet on the standby tray owing to the weight of the assist arm.
13. The method for processing printed sheets according to claim 11, wherein the assist arm is lowered by an arm driving mechanism a predetermined time after a sensor which is provided upstream of the roller mechanism has detected the rear end of the sheet.