In accordance with an embodiment, a sheet processing apparatus comprises a processing tray configured to load sheets to which a post processing is executed; a pair of alignment plates arranged on the processing tray at a predetermined interval and configured to move in a direction orthogonal to a sheet conveyance direction and align the sheets on the processing tray in the sheet width direction; and a controller configured to control the pair of the alignment plates to move towards each other to first alignment positions at which the sheets are aligned in the direction and stop, and control the pair of the alignment plates to move towards each other to second alignment positions without moving the pair of the alignment plates in a reverse direction to align the sheets.

A post-processing device for processing a sheet includes a first post-processing section and a second post-processing section, for processing a sheet; a buffer section for temporarily staying a sheet transferred from a carry-in port; a first conveying section for conveying a sheet at the buffer section to the first post-processing section; and a second conveying section for conveying a sheet at the buffer section to the second post-processing section.

A media accumulator-ejector for use with an imaging apparatus. Rotatable upper and lower roll assemblies are located above and below a media accumulation zone comprised of an accumulation plate and positioned to receive media exiting an imaging device. The roll assemblies are moveable like jaws between an open position where media can accumulate on the accumulation plate without interference with the roll assemblies and a clamping position where the accumulated media is grasped by the upper and lower roll assemblies. The upper and lower roll assemblies are then rotated to eject the accumulated media from the accumulation plate. The upper and lower roll assemblies can also grasp and continuously eject individual sheets of media at a predetermined process speed.

A sheet fed from an image forming device to a path carry-in port is guided to a first accumulating section along a straight path or guided to a second accumulating section along a branch path branched from the straight path. A buffer path section is formed so as to make the sheet temporarily stay between a first sheet discharge roller pair disposed on the straight path side of the branch path at a position downstream of a branch portion and a second sheet discharge roller pair disposed in the branch path. The sheet staying in the buffer path section is conveyed to the first accumulating section by rotation of the first and second conveying rollers in one direction and to the second accumulating section by rotation of the first and second conveying rollers in an opposite direction to the one direction.

In accordance with an embodiment, a sheet processing apparatus comprises a processing tray configured to load sheets to which a post processing is executed; a pair of alignment plates arranged on the processing tray at a predetermined interval and configured to move in a direction orthogonal to a sheet conveyance direction and align the sheets on the processing tray in the sheet width direction; and a controller configured to control the pair of the alignment plates to move towards each other to first alignment positions at which the sheets are aligned in the direction and stop, and control the pair of the alignment plates to move towards each other to second alignment positions without moving the pair of the alignment plates in a reverse direction to align the sheets.

A present sheet post-processing device includes a first tray for stacking a sheet, a processing tray that temporarily stacks conveyed sheets until the number of the sheets reaches a predetermined number, and a discharge mechanism that discharges the sheets stacked on the processing tray onto the first tray. A sheet bundle forming unit divides, when forming a first sheet bundle on the first tray, sheets constituting the first sheet bundle into a plurality of sets and discharges the sheets a plurality of times for each set. At this time, a number of sheets included in a sheet set that constitutes a first sheet bundle and that is discharged at the first time is set smaller than a number of sheets included in a sheet set that constitutes a second sheet bundle and that is discharged at the first time.

The present invention is to provide a sheet discharge device capable of preventing the lowermost sheet on a tray from being displaced. A present sheet post-processing device includes a first tray for stacking a sheet, a processing tray that temporarily stacks conveyed sheets until a number of the sheets reaches a predetermined number, and a discharge mechanism that discharges the sheets stacked on the processing tray onto the first tray. A sheet bundle forming unit divides, when forming a first sheet bundle on the first tray, sheets constituting the first sheet bundle into a plurality of sets and discharges the sheets a plurality of times for each set. At this time, a number of sheets included in a sheet set to be discharged at the first time is smaller than a maximum number of sheets included in sheet sets to be discharged at the second and subsequent times.

A document bundler for a bill validator includes a document path, a transportation unit, and a clamp mechanism. The transportation unit is adapted to move a plurality of documents in series through the document path. The clamp mechanism includes a pushing member. The clamp mechanism is adapted to clamp a first document of the plurality of documents with the pushing member to inhibit movement of the first document by the transportation unit while a second document of the plurality of documents is transported substantially alongside the first document in the document path. The second document residing substantially alongside the first document forms a document bundle. Related apparatus, systems, techniques, and articles are also described.

A media accumulator-ejector for use with an imaging apparatus. Rotatable upper and lower roll assemblies are located above and below a media accumulation zone comprised of an accumulation plate and positioned to receive media exiting an imaging device. The roll assemblies are moveable like jaws between an open position where media can accumulate on the accumulation plate without interference with the roll assemblies and a clamping position where the accumulated media is grasped by the upper and lower roll assemblies. The upper and lower roll assemblies are then rotated to eject the accumulated media from the accumulation plate. The upper and lower roll assemblies can also grasp and continuously eject individual sheets of media at a predetermined process speed.

A media accumulator-ejector for use with an imaging apparatus. Rotatable upper and lower roll assemblies are located above and below a media accumulation zone comprised of an accumulation plate and positioned to receive media exiting an imaging device. The roll assemblies are moveable like jaws between an open position where media can accumulate on the accumulation plate without interference with the roll assemblies and a clamping position where the accumulated media is grasped by the upper and lower roll assemblies. The upper and lower roll assemblies are then rotated to eject the accumulated media from the accumulation plate. The upper and lower roll assemblies can also grasp and continuously eject individual sheets of media at a predetermined process speed.