Sheet stack ejector mechanism for sheet sorter

摘要

A sheet sorter includes a plurality of bins arranged in a vertical direction each of which receives a plurality of sheets discharged from an image recording apparatus and forms thereon a stack of sheets. A sheet transfer mechanism transfers the sheets discharged from the image recording apparatus, and an indexer receives the sheets from the sheet transfer mechanism and distributes the sheets to the respective bins through the sheet inlet ends. A sheet stack ejector mechanism ejects the stack of sheets on each of the bins beyond the sheet inlet end of the bin by a predetermined length, thereby giving a stapler access to the stack of sheets. The ejector mechanism includes a guide rail which extends in a vertical direction through the bins, and a sheet stack ejector member which is mounted on the guide rail to be movable up and down along the guide rail and is adapted to eject the stacks of sheets on the respective bins one by one toward the stapler.