Abstract: An SiC semiconductor device includes an SiC semiconductor layer including an SiC monocrystal and having a first main surface as a device surface, a second main surface at a side opposite to the first main surface, and a side surface connecting the first main surface and the second main surface, a main surface insulating layer including an insulating material, covering the first main surface of the SiC semiconductor layer, and having an insulating side surface continuous to the side surface of the SiC semiconductor layer, and a boundary modified layer including a first region that is modified to be of a property differing from the SiC monocrystal and a second region that is modified to be of a property differing from the insulating material, and being formed across the side surface of the SiC semiconductor layer and the insulating side surface of the main surface insulating layer.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to correct the deviation of a sheet in the width direction occurring on a conveyance path from a sheet correction mechanism (4) to a discharge tray. A sheet shift portion (41, 43, 44) moves a sheet in the width direction. A conveying position detecting portion (45, 46, 47) detects the position of the sheet in the width direction. A discharge position detecting portion (54, 8a) detects a discharge position of the sheet, in the width direction, discharged onto a discharge tray (33) in a sheet discharge portion (31). A control portion (8b) derives an amount of deviation between the discharge position and a discharge reference position based on a detection result of the discharge position detecting portion (54, 8a). Furthermore, the control portion (8b) corrects a conveying position of the sheet in a sheet conveying portion according to the amount of deviation.

Abstract: A sheet conveyance apparatus (26) includes: a first conveyance unit (70a), a second conveyance unit (70b) disposed below the first conveyance unit (70a) and including a second upper conveyance guide (75) and a second lower conveyance guide (77), and an apparatus main body, wherein the second conveyance unit (70b) can be drawn out to a front side of the apparatus main body along a front-and-rear direction perpendicular to a sheet conveyance direction, the second upper conveyance guide (75) includes: a guide main body part (75b) turnable upward and downward with respect to the apparatus main body with a rear end edge as a turning support shaft and a front end edge as a turning end; and a movable guide part (75c) coupled to the turning end of the guide main body part (75b) via a hinge part (75d) in a turnable manner.

Abstract: A postprocessing device is attached to an image forming apparatus. The postprocessing device includes a processing tray, a sheet processor, and a fan. The processing tray is for stacking thereon sheets on which an image has been formed and which is transported from the image forming apparatus. The sheet processor performs predetermined postprocessing on the sheets stacked on the processing tray. The fan forms an air layer between an upper face of the sheets already stacked on the stacking surface of the processing tray and a lower face of a sheet newly placed on the processing tray, by emitting air in a transport direction of the sheet, from an upstream side in the transport direction toward the stacking surface.

Abstract: A postprocessing device performs postprocessing on sheets received from an image forming apparatus. The postprocessing device includes a pair of folding rollers, a folding blade, a transport device, a drive portion, and a drive controller. The drive controller controls the drive portion to match moving speed of a tip portion of the folding blade with moving speed of a circumferential surface of the folding rollers, at a time point that the sheaf of the sheets makes contact with the circumferential surface of the folding rollers, when the image forming apparatus forms the image by ink jet printing, and to match the moving speed of the tip portion of the folding blade with the moving speed of the circumferential surface of the folding rollers, at a time point that the sheaf of the sheets reaches the nip region between the folding rollers.

Abstract: A postprocessing device includes a pair of folding rollers, a folding blade, a transport device, a roller driver, a blade driver, and a drive controller. The drive controller selectively performs one of a first rotation control, including controlling the roller driver to keep rotation speed of the pair of folding rollers constant, while the folding blade is moving away from a nip region, and a second rotation control, including controlling the roller driver to stop the rotation or slow down the rotation speed of the pair of folding rollers, while a tip portion of the folding blade is being withdrawn from a folded portion of a sheaf of sheets folded, and to restore the rotation speed of the pair of folding rollers to original rotation speed, after the tip portion of the folding blade has been removed from the folded portion of the sheaf of sheets folded.

Abstract: The present application discloses a post-processing apparatus including a second tray which receives a sheet stack ejected from a first tray, a pushing mechanism including a pushing portion which pushes the sheet stack against the second tray, a motion detector which detects a motion of the pushing mechanism, and a controller including an ejection controller which controls an ejector. When the ejector ejects the sheet stack, the pushing mechanism moves the pushing portion in a first direction away from the second tray. When the ejector finishes ejection of the sheet stack, the pushing mechanism moves the pushing portion in a second direction which is opposite to the first direction. Unless the motion detector detects the motion of the pushing mechanism moving the pushing portion in the first direction when the ejector ejects the sheet stack, the ejection controller executes interruption control of stopping the ejection of the sheet stack.

Abstract: A sheet conveying device includes a sheet conveying passage, an upper conveying guide provided in the sheet conveying passage and facing the upper surface of a sheet, a lower conveying guide facing the lower surface of the sheet, a conveying member conveying the sheet along the sheet conveying passage, a sheet stack tray arranged above the upper conveying guide. The upper conveying guide is swingable up and down, with one end part of it in the sheet conveying direction or in the sheet width direction perpendicular to the sheet conveying direction serving as a pivot shaft. The sheet stack tray has a movable part making contact with the upper conveying guide at least when it swings, and the movable part is movable between a sheet receiving position where it forms a sheet stack surface and a retracted position where it has swung upward from the sheet receiving position.

Abstract: Post-processing apparatus for performing given process subsequently to image forming process by image forming apparatus is disclosed. Post-processing apparatus includes: first ejector which ejects sheet; first tray which temporarily holds sheet; second tray situated downstream of first tray in ejection direction of sheet; a tray driver which moves second tray downwardly from first height position; blower which forms airstream between second tray and lower surface of sheet; and controller which controls blower and tray driver. Controller includes: blower controller which causes blower to blow air over time period in synchronization with first time period from start to end of sheet ejection by first ejector; and tray controller which causes tray driver to move second tray downwardly from first height position after first time period.

Abstract: A sheet conveying device includes a sheet conveying passage, an upper conveying guide provided in the sheet conveying passage and facing the upper surface of a sheet, a lower conveying guide facing the lower surface of the sheet, a conveying member conveying the sheet along the sheet conveying passage, a sheet stack tray arranged above the upper conveying guide. The upper conveying guide is swingable up and down, with one end part of it in the sheet conveying direction or in the sheet width direction perpendicular to the sheet conveying direction serving as a pivot shaft. The sheet stack tray has a movable part making contact with the upper conveying guide at least when it swings, and the movable part is movable between a sheet receiving position where it forms a sheet stack surface and a retracted position where it has swung upward from the sheet receiving position.

Abstract: A sheet stacking device includes a housing, a discharge tray, a lifting mechanism, a first upper surface detection part, a second upper surface detection part and a control part. The housing has a discharge port. On the discharge tray, the sheet discharged from the discharge port in a predetermined discharge direction is stacked. The lifting mechanism supports the discharge tray. The first upper surface detection part detects a first detected surface of the sheet on the discharge tray. The second upper surface detection part detects a second detected surface of the sheet on the discharge tray on a downstream side of the first detected surface in the sheet discharge direction. The control part controls the lifting mechanism based on a detection result of the first upper surface detection part and a detection result of the second upper surface detection part, and adjusts the discharge tray at a predetermined height.

Abstract: A sheet stacking device includes a stacking tray, an aligning mechanism, a pair of alignment members, and a pair of height detectors. The pair of alignment members can move independently in a sheet width direction and in an up and down direction, and contact side edges in the sheet width direction of sheets stacked on the stacking tray, from both sides in the sheet width direction, so as to align the sheets in the sheet width direction. The pair of height detectors allow the pair of alignment members to contact an upper surface of the sheets near side edges of the sheets, so that sheet heights on both sides in the sheet width direction are detected. The sheet stacking device can individually correct heights of the pair of alignment members when aligning the sheets, based on the sheet heights detected by the pair of height detectors.

Abstract: A sheet stacking device includes a housing, a discharge tray, a lifting mechanism, a first upper surface detection part, a second upper surface detection part and a control part. The housing has a discharge port. On the discharge tray, the sheet discharged from the discharge port in a predetermined discharge direction is stacked. The lifting mechanism supports the discharge tray. The first upper surface detection part detects a first detected surface of the sheet on the discharge tray. The second upper surface detection part detects a second detected surface of the sheet on the discharge tray on a downstream side of the first detected surface in the sheet discharge direction. The control part controls the lifting mechanism based on a detection result of the first upper surface detection part and a detection result of the second upper surface detection part, and adjusts the discharge tray at a predetermined height.

Abstract: A chain bending limiting attachment includes first bending limiting members and second bending limiting members. The first and second bending limiting members are detachably attached to a chain to be arranged in a series arrangement direction. Each first bending limiting member includes a first engaging portion. When the chain bends in a first direction, the first engaging portion engages with another first bending limiting member adjacent to the first bending limiting member in the series arrangement direction to limit bending of the chain in the first direction. Each second bending limiting member includes a second engaging portion. When the chain bends in a second direction, the second engaging portion engages with another second bending limiting member adjacent to the second bending limiting member in the series direction to limit bending of the chain in the second direction.

Abstract: The present application discloses a post-processing apparatus including a second tray which receives a sheet stack ejected from a first tray, a pushing mechanism including a pushing portion which pushes the sheet stack against the second tray, a motion detector which detects a motion of the pushing mechanism, and a controller including an ejection controller which controls an ejector. When the ejector ejects the sheet stack, the pushing mechanism moves the pushing portion in a first direction away from the second tray. When the ejector finishes ejection of the sheet stack, the pushing mechanism moves the pushing portion in a second direction which is opposite to the first direction. Unless the motion detector detects the motion of the pushing mechanism moving the pushing portion in the first direction when the ejector ejects the sheet stack, the ejection controller executes interruption control of stopping the ejection of the sheet stack.

Abstract: The present application discloses a post-processing apparatus including a second tray which receives a sheet stack ejected from a first tray, a pushing mechanism including a pushing portion which pushes the sheet stack against the second tray, a motion detector which detects a motion of the pushing mechanism, and a controller including an ejection controller which controls an ejector. When the ejector ejects the sheet stack, the pushing mechanism moves the pushing portion in a first direction away from the second tray. When the ejector finishes ejection of the sheet stack, the pushing mechanism moves the pushing portion in a second direction which is opposite to the first direction. Unless the motion detector detects the motion of the pushing mechanism moving the pushing portion in the first direction when the ejector ejects the sheet stack, the ejection controller executes interruption control of stopping the ejection of the sheet stack.

Abstract: A post-processing apparatus includes a loading tray, a post-processing unit for performing predetermined post-processing on a sheet before ejecting the sheet onto the loading tray, and a drawing paddle for sending the sheet conveyed toward the loading tray in a direction opposite to the conveying direction to draw the sheet to a predetermined position on a processing tray. The drawing paddle includes a paddle rotation shaft disposed above the processing tray with a predetermined distance from the processing tray, and a paddle blade fixed to the paddle rotation shaft. The paddle blade is a laminated body including an elastic sheet to be in contact with the sheet to be post-processed and a reinforcing sheet reinforcing the elastic sheet. The elastic sheet has a first length longer than the predetermined distance and the reinforcing sheet has a second length shorter than the predetermined distance.

Abstract: A post-processing unit in an image forming apparatus includes a stapler, an exit tray, a height detector, and a shifting controller. The stapler staples a sheet sheaf. The exit tray is configured to be elevated and lowered and to receive the sheet sheaf stapled by the stapler. The height detector detects a height of the sheet sheaf on the exit tray. The shifting controller shifts the sheet sheaf to be ejected in a situation in which the stapler staples one location at a trailing end of the sheet sheaf in a conveyance direction of the sheet sheaf. The shifting controller shifts the sheet sheaf in a front-rear direction, which is a direction perpendicular to a vertical direction and to the conveyance direction of the sheet sheaf, so that the stapled location in the sheet sheaf on the exit tray matches a detection point of the height detector.

Abstract: A post-processing apparatus includes a loading tray, a post-processing unit for performing predetermined post-processing on a sheet before ejecting the sheet onto the loading tray, and a drawing paddle for sending the sheet conveyed toward the loading tray in a direction opposite to the conveying direction to draw the sheet to a predetermined position on a processing tray. The drawing paddle includes a paddle rotation shaft disposed above the processing tray with a predetermined distance from the processing tray, and a paddle blade fixed to the paddle rotation shaft. The paddle blade is a laminated body including an elastic sheet to be in contact with the sheet to be post-processed and a reinforcing sheet reinforcing the elastic sheet. The elastic sheet has a first length longer than the predetermined distance and the reinforcing sheet has a second length shorter than the predetermined distance.

Abstract: The present application discloses a post-processing apparatus including a second tray which receives a sheet stack ejected from a first tray, a pushing mechanism including a pushing portion which pushes the sheet stack against the second tray, a motion detector which detects a motion of the pushing mechanism, and a controller including an ejection controller which controls an ejector. When the ejector ejects the sheet stack, the pushing mechanism moves the pushing portion in a first direction away from the second tray. When the ejector finishes ejection of the sheet stack, the pushing mechanism moves the pushing portion in a second direction which is opposite to the first direction. Unless the motion detector detects the motion of the pushing mechanism moving the pushing portion in the first direction when the ejector ejects the sheet stack, the ejection controller executes interruption control of stopping the ejection of the sheet stack.