US-12623879-B2 - Sheet processing apparatus and image forming system

US12623879B2US 12623879 B2US12623879 B2US 12623879B2US-12623879-B2

Abstract

A staple-less binding unit 27 is disposed between a front cover 121 and a sheet stacking table 16, and an insertion port 110 is formed on a first surface 121 a of the front cover 121 so that manual binding by the staple-less binding unit 27 can be executed from the front side of the apparatus. The staple-less binding unit 27 is provided at a position overlapping a stapling unit 17 positioned at a replacement position in a front-rear direction.

Inventors

Akira Sugiyama
YUTA GEMMA
Yoshihiko Minagawa
AYA KUMAGAI
Kota HIHARA
Takashi Saito
Fumihide Sakamoto

Assignees

CANON FINETECH NISCA INC.

Dates

Publication Date: 20260512
Application Date: 20231214
Priority Date: 20221223

Claims (9)

1 . A sheet processing apparatus that performs a binding process on a sheet, the sheet processing apparatus comprising: a stacking portion configured to stack the sheet; a first binding unit including a cartridge loaded with staples is detachably attached, the first binding unit being configured to perform a binding process on a plurality of sheets stacked on the stacking portion, the first binding unit being movable between a binding position at which the binding process is performed on the sheets and a replacement position at which the cartridge is replaced, the replacement position being positioned on a front side with respect to the binding position in a front-rear direction of the sheet processing apparatus; a second binding unit configured to bind a plurality of sheets inserted via an insertion port arranged to receive a plurality of sheets from outside of the sheet processing apparatus, the second binding unit configured to bind the sheets without using a staple; a first cover that constitutes a portion of an exterior of the sheet processing apparatus on a front side with respect to the stacking portion in the front-rear direction and is configured to partially cover the second binding unit, the first cover including the insertion port and an opening portion configured to allow access to the first binding unit positioned at the replacement position; and a second cover that is openable and closable with respect to the first cover portion and configured to cover the opening portion, wherein the second binding unit is provided at a position overlapping the first binding unit positioned at the replacement position in the front-rear direction.
2 . The sheet processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first cover includes a passing portion through which the cartridge passes when the cartridge is inserted and removed from the first binding unit, and in a state where the first binding unit is positioned at the replacement position, a portion of the binding unit overlaps the passing portion in the front-rear direction of the sheet processing apparatus.
3 . The sheet processing apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising: an operation button configured to operate by a user for instruct execution of a binding process by the second binding unit, wherein the operation button is provided above the insertion port in a vertical direction.
4 . The sheet processing apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising: a controller that executes the binding process by the second binding unit after the binding process by the first binding unit is completed in a case where the binding process by the second binding unit is to be executed and the binding process by the first binding unit is being executed.
5 . The sheet processing apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein in a case where execution related to the binding process by the second binding unit is received and the binding process by the first binding unit is executed within a predetermined time, the controller preferentially executes the binding process by the first binding unit, and executes the binding process by the second binding unit after the binding process by the first binding unit is completed.
6 . The sheet processing apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising: a pressing portion provided in the insertion port to press the sheet bundle inserted through the insertion port.
7 . An image forming system comprising: an image forming apparatus having an image forming portion forming an image on a sheet; the sheet processing apparatus according to claim 1 performing a binding process on a sheet on which an image is formed by the image forming apparatus; and a housing apparatus that is provided at a position overlapping the sheet processing apparatus in a vertical direction and below the sheet processing apparatus, and accommodates a sheet to be supplied to the image forming apparatus.
8 . The image forming system according to claim 7 , wherein the image forming apparatus further includes a stacking tray which is provided between the sheet processing apparatus and the housing apparatus in the vertical direction and on which a sheet to be conveyed to the image forming portion is stacked.
9 . The sheet processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the second binding unit is configured to bind a plurality of sheets inserted from the insertion port by applying pressure on the plurality of sheets.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a sheet binding apparatus for binding sheets, and relates to a sheet binding apparatus including a binding unit for binding a sheet bundle using staples and a binding unit for binding a sheet bundle without using staples. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a sheet binding apparatus that performs a binding process on a plurality of sheets on which an image is formed by an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine or a printer is known. As such a sheet binding apparatus, a so-called staple binding method of binding a sheet using staples as a binding tool and a so-called staple-less binding method of binding a sheet without using staples as a binding tool are known. In addition, the staple-less binding method includes, for example, a method of binding a sheet by crimping the sheet and entangling fibers of the sheet, and a method of binding a sheet by cutting out a portion of the sheet to form a hole and folding back the cut portion of the sheet to allow the cut portion to pass through the hole. JP 2015-16970 A discloses a sheet binding apparatus including a stapling unit that performs a binding process on a sheet bundle using staples and a staple-less binding unit that performs a binding process on a sheet bundle without using staples, in which the staple-less binding unit is disposed on a rear side of the apparatus. In recent years, there is a demand for manual binding by a staple-less binding unit. In order to meet the demand, an object of the present invention is to provide a sheet binding apparatus capable of performing manual binding by a staple-less binding unit on the front side of the apparatus. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a sheet processing apparatus that performs a binding process on a sheet, the sheet processing apparatus comprising: a stacking portion configured to stack sheet; a first binding unit including a cartridge loaded with staples is detachably attached, the first binding unit being configured to perform a binding process on a plurality of sheets stacked on the stacking portion, the first binding unit being movable between a binding position at which the binding process is performed on the sheets and a replacement position at which the cartridge is replaced, the replacement position being positioned on a front side with respect to the binding position in a front-rear direction of the sheet processing apparatus; a cover that constitutes a portion of an exterior of the sheet processing apparatus on a front side with respect to the stacking portion and the first binding unit in the front-rear direction, the cover including an insertion port into which a sheet bundle can be inserted from an outside of the sheet processing apparatus; and a second binding unit that performs a binding process on the sheet bundle inserted from the insertion port without using staples, wherein the second binding unit is provided at a position overlapping the first binding unit positioned at the replacement position in the front-rear direction. Further features of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of exemplary embodiments with reference to the attached drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of an overall configuration of an image forming system according to the present invention; FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of a configuration of a sheet processing apparatus in the image forming system of FIG. 1; FIG. 3 is a top view of a stack tray and a process tray; FIG. 4 is a top view of the stack tray and the process tray, illustrating a state in which a stapling unit is positioned at a cartridge replacement position; FIG. 5 is a front view of the sheet processing apparatus; FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the sheet processing apparatus; FIG. 7 is a front view of the sheet processing apparatus in a state in which an opening/closing door is open; FIG. 8 is a control block diagram; FIG. 9 is a top view of a stack tray and a process tray; FIG. 10 is a flowchart of a staple-less binding process; FIG. 11 is a front view of a second embodiment; FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the second embodiment; FIG. 13 is a front view of the second embodiment; FIG. 14 is a top view of a third embodiment; FIG. 15 is a perspective view of the third embodiment; FIG. 16 is a top view of the third embodiment; FIG. 17 is an explanatory diagram of an overall configuration of an image forming system according to a fourth embodiment; FIG. 18 is a perspective view of a sheet processing apparatus according to the fourth embodiment; FIG. 19 is a top view of a sheet processing apparatus according to the fourth embodiment; FIG. 20 is a top view of a sheet processing apparatus according to the fourth embodiment, illustrating a state in which an opening/closing door is open; FIG. 21 is a perspective view of a sheet processing apparatus according to t