Sheet finisher and image forming system using the same

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(11)

EP 1 386 874 A8

(12)	CORRECTED EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION

(48)	Corrigendum issued on:
	12.05.2004 Bulletin 2004/20

(43)	Date of publication:
	04.02.2004 Bulletin 2004/06

(21)	Application number: 03016654.0

(22)	Date of filing: 31.07.2003

(51)	International Patent Classification (IPC)⁷: B65H 45/18, G03G 15/00

(84)	Designated Contracting States:
	AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR HU IE IT LI LU MC NL PT RO SE SI SK TR
	Designated Extension States:
	AL LT LV MK

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Priority:

31.07.2002 JP 2002223879
31.07.2002 JP 2002223915
31.07.2002 JP 2002223935
17.09.2002 JP 2002270364
03.03.2003 JP 2003056234
03.03.2003 JP 2003056261

(71)	Applicant: Ricoh Company Ltd.
	Tokyo 143-8555 (JP)

(72)	Inventors:
	Yamada, Kenji Tokyo (JP) Nagasako, Shuuya Musashino-shi, Tokyo (JP) Tamura, Masahiro Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa (JP) Suzuki, Nobuyoshi Tokyo (JP) Saitoh, Hiromoto Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa (JP) Okada, Hiroki Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa (JP) Iida, Junichi Kawasaki-shi, Kanagawa (JP) Andoh, Akihito Kawasaki-shi, Kanagawa (JP) Kikkawa, Naohiro Tokyo (JP) Tokita, Junichi Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa (JP)

(74)	Representative: Schwabe - Sandmair - Marx
	Stuntzstrasse 16 81677 München 81677 München (DE)

(54)	Sheet finisher and image forming system using the same

(57) A sheet finisher of the present invention is included in an image forming system and folds a stack of sheets sequentially transferred from an image forming apparatus thereto. The sheet finisher includes a fold roller pair for holding the stack of sheets being conveyed via a nip thereof. A reinforce roller reinforces the fold of the folded sheet stack in cooperation with a guide plate. A drive mechanism causes the reinforce roller to move in a direction perpendicular to a direction of sheet conveyance. A shock absorbing member is located at a position where the reinforce roller and guide plate contact each other.