Abstract: A sheet ejecting device includes: a sheet ejecting unit configured to eject a sheet; a stacking unit on which the sheet that is ejected by the ejecting unit is stacked; an aligning unit configured to align the sheet in a direction orthogonal to the direction in which the sheet is ejected; and a blowing unit configured to be provided to the aligning unit and blow a wind toward the ejected sheet.

Abstract: A sheet ejection device includes a sheet tray on which ejected sheets are stacked, a pair of side fences for restricting positions of the ejected sheets along a lateral direction perpendicular to an ejection direction, and at least one rib is formed vertically on each inner side of the side fences. The ribs are configured to contact with side edges of each of the ejected sheets while the each of the ejected sheets falls down to the sheet tray to align the ejected sheet along the lateral direction. The ejected sheets are aligned adequately by the ribs. According to the sheet ejection device, superior sheet ejection performance can be brought without affected by its environment.

Abstract: Provided is a storage device for a mail-handling machine. The storage device includes a mailpiece-receiving deck along a longitudinal edge of which a referencing wall extends, and through which a conveyor belt passes for the purpose of conveying mailpieces along the referencing wall from an inlet of the device towards a sloping surface against which the mailpieces accumulate, and a skid-forming part that is supported by a structure secured to the storage device and that comes to press against said stack of mailpieces substantially over the entire length of said stack, so as to jog the top of the stack.

Abstract: There are provided a sheet stacking apparatus capable of stably stacking a large number of sheets and an image forming apparatus. The sheet stacking apparatus configured to stack sheets includes a plurality of discharge units disposed to an apparatus main body in a vertical direction and configured to discharge sheets, a plurality of sheet stacking units disposed to be independently elevatable on a side surface of the apparatus main body corresponding respectively to the plurality of discharge units and configured to stack thereon the sheets discharged from the discharge units, and an alignment unit disposed between the plurality of sheet stacking units and configured to sequentially align a position in a width direction perpendicular to a discharging direction of the sheets stacked on a lower sheet stacking unit among the plurality of sheet stacking units.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a housing, an image forming unit disposed inside the housing, a discharging portion, a stacking unit and a pressing member. The discharging portion is configured to discharge a sheet medium on which an image is formed by the image forming unit. The stacking unit is configured to stack the sheet medium discharged from the discharging portion. The stacking unit includes a stacking surface portion on which the sheet medium is stacked. The stacking surface portion includes a planar portion formed flat and a protruding portion configured to protrude upwardly from the planar portion. The pressing member is disposed in contact with an upper surface of the sheet medium stacked on the stacking surface portion.

Abstract: A sheet delivery device (80) includes a sheet presser member (61), which is positioned in the vicinity of a sheet delivery port (53) on a downstream side in a sheet delivery direction, for pressing a trailing end of a sheet to be delivered from the sheet delivery port (53). The sheet presser member (61) includes a side surface portion (61a), which is positioned to face a leading end of the sheet to be delivered from the sheet delivery port (53) and a bottom surface portion (61b) which is projected from a lower end of the side surface portion (61a) toward the downstream side in the sheet delivery direction.

Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus according to an embodiment comprises a processing tray configured to receive sheets to be processed, the processing tray having an ejecting side from which sheets are ejected, and a loading tray provided downstream from the processing tray in a sheet ejecting direction and configured to receive sheets ejected from the processing tray. The sheet processing apparatus further comprises a bending restrainer including a restraining member extending almost parallel to the processing tray and covering a portion of the ejecting side of the processing tray, the restraining member configured to restrain bending of sheets ejected from the processing tray to the loading tray.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including a sheet ejection portion, an in-housing ejection space, and a sheet push mechanism. The sheet push mechanism composed of a sheet push member whose lower end portion touches a sheet ejection surface of the in-housing ejection space and which is movable to a downstream side in the sheet ejection direction, and a holder portion which supports movably an upper end portion of the sheet push member with the holder portion positioned on the lower surface and movable between a reference position where the sheet push member pushes the sheet ejected on the sheet ejection surface and an evacuation position away from the reference position in a horizontal direction.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device (10) for handling notes of value, comprising a supply module (1000) for supplying notes of value to a value note receiving region (1004) of a value note cassette (16a to 16d), wherein the notes of value are receivable in a value note receiving region (1004) in the form of a value note stack (1006). The supply module (1000) comprises at least one retaining element (1008, 1010), which, in a retaining position, contacts a front-side note of value of the value note stack (1006) and holds the value note stack (1006) in the value note receiving region (1004). In a supply position, the retaining element (1008, 1010) is arranged such that a note of value is suppliable to the value note stack (1006).

Abstract: Disclosed is a sheet processing apparatus including an intermediate processing tray on which a sheet conveyed by a discharge roller is stacked, a proximal aligning plate and a distal aligning plate moving in a sheet width direction for aligning the sheet conveyed onto the intermediate processing tray, and a finisher controller for moving and controlling the proximal aligning plate and the distal aligning plate to align, when a sheet having a length in the sheet conveyance direction shorter than a predetermined length in the sheet conveyance direction is conveyed, the sheet at a position shifted nearer to a take-out port side A in the sheet width direction than a position in the sheet width direction at which a sheet having a length in the sheet conveyance direction equal to or more than the predetermined length in the sheet conveyance direction is aligned.

Abstract: A holding portion includes a engagement portion which holds a sheet pressing lever which presses from above a sheet discharged into a sheet stacking portion so that the engagement portion moves upward together with an image reading portion rotatably provided above an image forming portion, and an elastic portion which elastically deforms to release the holding of the sheet pressing lever by the engagement portion. If a force is applied to the sheet pressing lever being held by the holding portion in a direction which makes the lever rotate even lower than its lower limit position, the elastic portion elastically deforms to release the holding of the sheet pressing lever by the engagement portion.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including an image forming unit, a discharger, and a presser including a swingable member and a contact member is provided. The contact member is partially attached to the swingable member in a condition to create clearance between an unattached part and the swingable member. Weights of the contact member and the swingable member affect the sheet when the recording medium contacts the contact member and the contact member is moved to swing upward along with the swingable member by the recording medium. Resilient force is provided by the contact member to affect the recording medium when the recording medium contacts the contact member and the contact member is moved in a direction to narrow the clearance.

Abstract: A medium ejection apparatus is provided which may be part of an image forming apparatus. The medium ejection apparatus may include an ejection roller configured to eject a recording medium and a pinch roller disposed opposite to the ejection roller. The pinch roller is configured to move toward and away from the ejection roller and to press a recording medium toward the ejection roller. Also, the medium ejection apparatus may include an elastic member configured to press the pinch roller toward the ejection roller and a lever disposed downstream of the pinch roller in a recording medium transport direction. The lever is configured to be moved between a first position and a second position. When the lever is in the second position, the lever contacts the pinch roller, which causes a force to be applied against the elastic member, and the pinch roller is spaced away from the ejection roller.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a housing, an image forming unit disposed inside the housing, a discharging portion, a stacking unit and a pressing member. The discharging portion is configured to discharge a sheet medium on which an image is formed by the image forming unit. The stacking unit is configured to stack the sheet medium discharged from the discharging portion. The stacking unit includes a stacking surface portion on which the sheet medium is stacked. The stacking surface portion includes a planar portion formed flat and a protruding portion configured to protrude upwardly from the planar portion. The pressing member is disposed in contact with an upper surface of the sheet medium stacked on the stacking surface portion.

Abstract: Discharging a sheet bundle of a sheet N and a sheet N?1 on preceding sheets already stacked on a stacking tray can cause the already-stacked sheets to be pushed out by the front end of the succeeding sheets. By pressing already-stacked sheets with a bundle pressing member when a sheet bundle of succeeding sheets is discharged, it is possible to reduce the likelihood of the already-stacked sheets being pushed out. Employing the bundle pressing member reduces disturbance of sheet alignment that can occur when a sheet bundle is discharged on already-stacked sheets.

Abstract: The invention provides a sheet stacking apparatus including a stacking tray whose stacking surface is inclined, a sheet presence/absence detecting sensor that detects presence and absence of a sheet on the stacking surface, an abutting member to which an end of the sheet on the stacking surface abuts, an alignment mechanism that aligns the sheet on the stacking surface widthwise by a pair of aligning members, and a control portion that controls the aligning mechanism. Determining presence of the sheet on the stacking tray from a detected result of the sheet presence/absence detecting sensor, the control portion aligns the sheet by setting a distance between aligning faces of the pair of aligning members as a first distance, and determining absence of the sheet, the control portion sets the distance between the aligning faces of the pair of aligning members as a second distance which is wider than the first distance.

Abstract: In a finisher in which a sheet discharged by a pair of discharge rollers is stacked on a stack tray moveably provided in a sheet stack direction so that the position of a top surface of the sheet is constant and the sheet stacked on the stack tray is aligned by a pair of aligning members moveably provided in a width direction perpendicular to a discharge direction of the sheet, as a stack amount of the sheets stacked on the stack tray, which amount is detected by a stack amount detecting portion, is increased, the pair of aligning members upon the alignment are controlled to approach the top sheet stacked on the stack tray.

Abstract: A medium receiving device includes: a medium holding member having a medium receiving surface that receives a part on the leading edge side in a discharge direction of a cut sheet; a medium edge restricting member including a restricting portion that restricts movement of the leading edge of the cut sheet to the discharge direction and a guidance portion that makes contact with the medium receiving surface so as to guide the leading edge from the medium receiving surface to the restricting portion; and a connecting bar that moves a plurality of medium edge restricting members together between a restricting position where the guidance portion makes contact with the medium receiving surface so as to guide the leading edge to the restricting portion and a non-restricting position where the guidance portion is separate from the medium receiving surface and does not guide the leading edge to the restricting portion.

Abstract: Provided is a sheet stacking apparatus including a discharge roller pair, a stacking tray, a tray drive motor, a sheet surface detecting sensor detecting a position of a topmost sheet on the stacking tray, an alignment portion including front and rear alignment members which are provided above the stacking tray and sandwiching a sheet to align, and a finisher control portion executing: raising/lowering control for raising and lowering the stacking tray so that the topmost sheet is located at a predetermined height in accordance with a detection result obtained from the sheet surface detecting sensor; alignment control for aligning the sheet when the sheet is discharged; and alignment stop control for stopping the alignment of the alignment portion in the case that a movement amount of the stacking tray, at the time when the stacking tray moves in accordance with the detection result, exceeds a predetermined movement amount.

Abstract: A sheet loading device that includes a tray having a sheet loading surface, transports sheets one by one to the tray along a transport path, and loads the sheets one by one onto the sheet loading surface, comprising: a guide member for guiding a sheet to the tray along the transport path; a drive member; a restriction member; and a bias mechanism. Along a course of movement for pressing a loaded sheet against the sheet loading surface, the guide member engages with the restriction member, causes the restriction member to move to a position for restricting forming of a curl on the loaded sheet, and thereby prevents the transport path from being blocked by the curl. When the engagement between the guide member and the restriction member is released, the restriction member returns to an initial position by bias force applied by the bias mechanism.

Abstract: To provide a sheet storage apparatus for enabling a sheet to be aligned so that the length-direction position and width-direction position of the sheet coincide with correct reference positions in positioning and storing the sheet in a predetermined position on a tray, it is configured that a paper feed rotating member in a center portion of a sheet that is carried out onto the tray and a paper-pressing guide in the side portion are disposed swingably up and down in the sheet load direction, and that the paper-pressing guide moves upward integrally with the paper feed rotating member floating a predetermined amount or more from the sheet top surface on the tray corresponding to a curl of the sheet.

Abstract: A sheet stacking apparatus includes an endless belt member onto which sheets are stacked and which moves rotationally to convey the sheets; a plurality of holding members that is provided on the belt member and that holds the sheets down to a sheet stacking surface of the belt member to nip the sheets; and sheet detecting portions which detect presence or absence of sheets between the holding members and the sheet stacking surface of the belt member, the sheet detecting portions each include a light emitting portion that emits light and a light receiving portion that receives the light, and the light emitting portions and the light receiving portions are fixedly provided below the sheet stacking surface of the belt member so that the light emitting portions and the light receiving portions detect presence or absence of a sheet at times when facing the holding members.

Abstract: According to an embodiment of the present invention, a sheet detection apparatus that detects a sheet includes an actuator unit that is rotatable around a rotational axis so as to adopt any of a protruding position in which the actuator unit protrudes into a detection area for detecting the sheet and a retracted position in which the actuator unit is retracted from the detection area, and an operation unit that is capable of switching between a retracted state in which the actuator unit is set to the retracted position and a protruding state in which the actuator unit is set to the protruding position. An image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention includes the sheet detection apparatus, and the sheet detection apparatus is provided in a main body of the image forming apparatus.

Abstract: A sheet discharged from a sheet discharging portion arranged at a distance from a sheet stacking portion, to a stacking portion, is conveyed along the sheet stacking portion while the sheet edge on an upstream side in a sheet discharging direction is held. A shifting unit arranged downstream of the sheet stacking portion in the sheet discharging direction shifts the discharged sheet from the sheet discharging portion toward the downstream side in the sheet discharging direction while a pressing member presses the sheet to the sheet stacking portion.

Abstract: A recording apparatus includes: a holding unit that holds the recorded recording medium fed out from the medium discharge unit in a standing position; and a medium pressing unit that protrudes to the holding unit with respect to a virtual surface in the feeding-out direction of the recording medium by the nip roller of the medium discharge unit, opposite to the holding unit, and presses the recorded recording medium fed out from the medium discharge unit against the holding unit.

Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus includes a control section configured to control a rotating speed of a longitudinal alignment roller, which is set on a recording medium stacking surface of a processing tray and configured to align a recording medium in a longitudinal direction, such that acceleration and deceleration of the rotating speed is performed at least twice during one longitudinal alignment operation and a paddle including a striking paddle configured to strike the recording medium, a dropping paddle configured to drop the recording medium, a draw-in paddle configured to draw the recording medium in a direction of a stopper, a dropping-paddle supporting member configured to support the dropping paddle from the back in a rotating direction of the paddle, and a draw-in-paddle supporting member configured to support the draw-in paddle from the back in the rotating direction.

Abstract: A medium transport device includes a stack portion having a stack surface, a medium being stacked on the stack surface, a guide portion provided at the stack surface, the guide portion extending in a width direction intersecting with a transport direction, the medium being transported in the transport direction, an alignment member supported movably along the guide portion, the alignment member contacting the medium and aligning a position of the medium stacked on the stack surface, and an urging member arranged between the alignment member and the stack portion, the urging member urging the alignment member to the stack surface.

Abstract: A sheet sorter includes a sheet discharge tray, a sheet conveyance unit, and a sheet pressing guide. The sheet conveyance unit is configured to convey sheets in a conveyance direction and configured to be shifted in a shift direction along a sheet plane and in a shift direction that intersects the conveyance direction, so as to sort the sheets loaded onto the sheet discharge tray from the sheet conveyance unit. The sheet pressing guide is configured to contact and press the sheets, configured to move together with the sheet conveyance unit in conjunction with the sheet conveyance unit moving in the shift direction, and configured to contact a topmost sheet among the sheets loaded on the sheet discharge tray only at a downstream edge of the topmost sheet in the conveyance direction.

Abstract: A sheet collecting apparatus includes a sheet discharge outlet for sequentially carrying out a sheet, a sheet collecting device to load and store the sheet from the sheet discharge outlet, a stopper device for regulating a front end position of the sheet loaded on the sheet collecting device, a stopper driving device for shifting a position of the stopper device, and a carry-in guide member for guiding the sheet from the sheet discharge outlet onto an uppermost sheet collected on the sheet collecting device. The carry-in guide member includes a pivot point, a slide-contact guide surface that swings on the pivot point corresponding to a load amount of the sheet collecting device to guide a sheet front end fed from the sheet discharge outlet onto the uppermost sheet, and a sheet pressing portion continued to the slide-contact guide surface and pressing the uppermost sheet on the sheet collecting device.

Abstract: A CPU of a printing apparatus selects one of a plurality of setting permission information items based on sheet property information in a case in which printing processing is performed employing a specific sheet type. Subsequently, the CPU of the printing apparatus performs a setting regarding each of a plurality of printing setting items so as to obtain a setting permitted in the selected setting permission information item in a case in which printing processing is performed employing a specific sheet type. Thus, a printing apparatus capable of executing the printing settings of a plurality of printing setting items appropriately is provided.

Abstract: A conveyor device includes conveyor unit to convey a sheet along a path, a holder disposed at a downstream end of the path and holding sheets discharged from the conveyor unit in a stack, and a pressing unit. The pressing unit moves between a first position and a third position via a second position, contacts an uppermost sheet in the stack, and rises in an upward direction that approaches the third position as the sheets in the stack increase. The conveyor device also includes an urging member that does not apply an urging force to the pressing unit when the pressing unit is positioned between the first position and the second position; and applies an urging force to the pressing unit to urge the pressing unit toward the first position when the pressing unit is positioned between the second position and the third position.

Abstract: In the case of a non-stop device having load-bearing rods (11,12), the load-bearing rods (11, 12) should be arranged so as to be displaceable to different extents.

Abstract: A sheet collecting apparatus includes a sheet discharge outlet for sequentially carrying out a sheet, a sheet collecting device to load and store the sheet from the sheet discharge outlet, a stopper device for regulating a front end position of the sheet loaded on the sheet collecting device, a stopper driving device for shifting a position of the stopper device, and a carry-in guide member for guiding the sheet from the sheet discharge outlet onto an uppermost sheet collected on the sheet collecting device. The carry-in guide member includes a pivot point, a slide-contact guide surface that swings on the pivot point corresponding to a load amount of the sheet collecting device to guide a sheet front end fed from the sheet discharge outlet onto the uppermost sheet, and a sheet pressing portion continued to the slide-contact guide surface and pressing the uppermost sheet on the sheet collecting device.

Abstract: A medium mounting device includes a medium mounting portion for placing a medium in a stacked state in a first direction, and a medium regulating portion arranged to be rotatable relative to the medium mounting portion. The medium regulating portion is arranged to regulate an edge portion of the medium when the medium regulating portion is in a rising state relative to the medium mounting portion. The medium regulating portion in the rising state is arranged to abut against the medium to rotate and retreat when the medium is taken out in a second direction different from the first direction.

Abstract: A sheet ejection device including: a sheet stacking section; a sheet trailing edge hitting section; a pair of sheet holding members for holding a sheet or plural sheets placed one on top of another at a sheet holding position, and moving the same to the sheet stacking position; and a friction member that is provided on one of the sheet holding members and that comes in contact with the topmost sheet of the sheets stacked on the sheet stacking section; wherein, when the sheet holding members reach the sheet stacking position, one of the sheet holding members is moved upstream in the sheet ejecting direction, whereby the trailing edge of the held sheet is made to hit against the sheet trailing edge hitting section, and the friction member comes in contact with the topmost sheet, and then the topmost sheet is biased toward the sheet trailing edge hitting section.

Abstract: A sheet stacking device and method of stacking sheets, wherein a first pressing member engages with an edge of a new sheet to be deposited on top of a previously deposited sheet on a sheet receiving plane and presses down the edge, while a second pressing member maintains a pressure onto an edge of the previously deposited sheet. The second pressing member engages with the edge of the new sheet and presses down the edge onto the previously deposited sheet on the receiving plane, while the first pressing member maintains a pressure onto the edge of the new sheet. Thus, the sheets may always be pressed down on the edge by at least one of the first and second pressing members.

Abstract: A check processing device accurately detects if the check storage unit is full. The check storage unit 10 of a check processing device 1 has first and second storage pockets 13 and 14. A first vertical pressure plate 54, 64 and a second vertical pressure plate 55, 65 for holding the checks conveyed into the storage pockets 13 and 14 are disposed to the storage pockets 13 and 14. The first vertical pressure plates 54 and 64 are displaced according to the total thickness of the checks stored in the storage pockets 13 and 14. Using detection mechanisms 80 and 90 having an interrupter 81, 91 disposed to the corresponding first vertical pressure plate 54 and 64, and a photosensor 82, 92 for detecting the corresponding interrupter, the total thickness of the checks stored in the storage pockets 13 and 14 can be detected, and whether the storage unit is full can be detected from this total check thickness.

Abstract: A sheet collecting apparatus includes a sheet discharge outlet for sequentially carrying out a sheet, a sheet collecting device to load and store the sheet from the sheet discharge outlet, a stopper device for regulating a front end position of the sheet loaded on the sheet collecting device, a stopper driving device for shifting a position of the stopper device, and a carry-in guide member for guiding the sheet from the sheet discharge outlet onto an uppermost sheet collected on the sheet collecting device. The carry-in guide member includes a pivot point, a slide-contact guide surface that swings on the pivot point corresponding to a load amount of the sheet collecting device to guide a sheet front end fed from the sheet discharge outlet onto the uppermost sheet, and a sheet pressing portion continued to the slide-contact guide surface and pressing the uppermost sheet on the sheet collecting device.

Abstract: A sheet alignment device includes a first alignment arm, a second alignment arm, a first sensor and a controller. The first alignment arm includes a first blocking piece and a second blocking piece. During the sheet-aligning action of each sheet, the first alignment arm is moved for a preset distance from a standby position. Then, the first alignment arm is moved back to the standby position, and a waiting time is required to introduce a next sheet into the sheet placement tray. When the first sensor is no longer interrupted by the second blocking piece of the first alignment arm, the controller starts to calculate the moving distance of the first alignment arm. Since the moving distance of the first alignment arm is calculated at the same start point during the sheet-aligning action of each sheet is performed, the possibility of resulting in the moving distance error is minimized.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus has a sheet stacking apparatus including a tray on which sheets are stacked, and an aligning member aligning the sheets stacked on the tray. The aligning member aligns sheets stacked, on a sheet previously stacked on the tray, with a displacement in an aligning direction of the aligning member with respect to the sheet previously stacked. An aligning operation of the aligning member is changed on the basis of whether or not the number of the sheets stacked on the sheets previously stacked is a predetermined number or less.

Abstract: An apparatus for pulling a paper medium, e.g., a bill or a check in a bundle bill and check acceptor includes a transfer roller unit transferring the paper medium that is vertically introduced into a storage cassette, a transfer belt unit provided to be rotated so that the paper medium that has passed through the transfer roller unit is horizontally transferred to a rear of the storage cassette, and a clamping roller unit having first and second elastic clamps. Each of the clamps is configured to clamp and pull the front end of the paper medium, and release the paper medium at the rear of the storage cassette depending on rotation of the transfer belt unit, so that the paper medium is stacked in the storage cassette.

Abstract: In a sheet discharge device, sheets are sequentially discharged by a sheet discharge roller with a leading end of each of the sheets in the lead in a sheet discharge direction and stacked on a sheet receiving tray inclining relative to a vertical direction. A sheet reverse member is disposed at such a position relative to the sheet receiving tray and the sheet discharge roller that a trailing end of a first sheet discharged by the sheet discharge roller reaches the sheet reverse member before a leading end of a second sheet discharged subsequently to the first sheet collides with the first sheet when a sheet time interval between the trailing end of the first sheet and the leading end of the second sheet is set to a minimum sheet time interval available in continuous sheet discharge in the sheet discharge device.

Abstract: A sheet stacking apparatus includes an alignment member to align a sheet stacked on a stacking tray in a width direction perpendicular to a direction in which the sheet is discharged. When stacking a plurality of sheets on the stacking tray, the sheet stacking apparatus lowers the stacking tray, so that a predetermined distance is maintained between the top surface sheet and a sheet discharge port. If the stacking tray is lowered to a predetermined position while the alignment unit is executing an alignment operation at a first position, the sheet stacking apparatus lowers the alignment member to a second position lower than the first position and causes the alignment member to execute the alignment operation at the second position.

Abstract: A sheet stacking apparatus includes an alignment unit configured to align a sheet stacked on a stacking tray in a width direction which is orthogonal to a direction in which the sheet is discharged. The alignment unit includes first and second alignment members configured to move in the width direction. The first and second alignment members come into contact with side ends in the width direction of the sheet stacked on the stacking tray to align the sheet. When a second sheet of a different length in the width direction from that of a first sheet is stacked while shifted in the width direction on the first sheet which is already stacked on the stacking tray, the sheet stacking apparatus prohibits an alignment operation of the alignment unit on the second sheet.

Abstract: When information about weight of a sheet indicates weight less than a predetermined weight, a sheet stacking apparatus configured to align sheets to be stacked on a stacking tray discharges the sheet onto the stacking tray while overlapping the sheet with another sheet by an overlapping unit, and, when the information about the weight of the sheet indicates weight not less than the predetermined weight, the sheet stacking apparatus discharges the sheet onto the stacking tray without overlapping the sheet with another sheet by the overlapping unit.

Abstract: A media presenter is described. The media presenter comprises: a chassis including a central track; a nose coupled to the chassis at a nose end of the chassis; and a carriage. The nose includes a presenting end distal from the chassis, and a nose track arranged to couple to the central track to provide a presenting track extending from the chassis to the presenting end. The carriage is mounted on the presenting track for movement therealong, and comprises a carriage body and a carriage plate movable between an open position at which media items can be placed on the carriage plate, and a closed position for clamping media items between the carriage plate and the carriage body.

Abstract: A finisher is provided with a transport paddle and a control portion. The transport paddle freely moves to a first position where the transport paddle is on standby while protruding above a lower stack tray, a second position where the transport paddle sandwiches the sheet in between and, at the same time, is transported to abut the sheet against the abutment portion, and a third position where the transport paddle retracts in a finisher body 400. The control portion makes the transport paddle be on standby at the first position at least at the start of a job, moves the transport paddle between the first position and the second position for each discharge of the sheet by the bundle discharge roller pair, and moves the transport paddle to the third position after termination of the alignment processing for a last sheet of the job.

Abstract: There are provided a sheet stacking apparatus capable of stably stacking a large number of sheets and an image forming apparatus. The sheet stacking apparatus configured to stack sheets includes a plurality of discharge units disposed to an apparatus main body in a vertical direction and configured to discharge sheets, a plurality of sheet stacking units disposed to be independently elevatable on a side surface of the apparatus main body corresponding respectively to the plurality of discharge units and configured to stack thereon the sheets discharged from the discharge units, and an alignment unit disposed between the plurality of sheet stacking units and configured to sequentially align a position in a width direction perpendicular to a discharging direction of the sheets stacked on a lower sheet stacking unit among the plurality of sheet stacking units.

Abstract: A finisher 100 includes a pair of bundle discharge rollers 130, a lower stack tray 137, and a width-direction aligning portion 200. The width-direction aligning portion includes a pair of aligning members 1 and a driving motor. The aligning member includes a pair of first aligning members 91 that is rotatably supported while being movable in the sheet width direction orthogonal to the discharge direction and a pair of second aligning members 92. The driving motor rotates the pair of first aligning members and moves the pair of first aligning members in the width direction. When the pair of first aligning members rotates and one of the pair of second aligning members abuts on the sheet, the pair of second aligning members forms opposite surfaces in which the sheet can be aligned in the width direction, and the pair of first aligning members align the sheet by the opposite surfaces.

Abstract: A sheet loading device that includes a tray having a sheet loading surface, transports sheets one by one to the tray along a transport path, and loads the sheets one by one onto the sheet loading surface, comprising: a guide member for guiding a sheet to the tray along the transport path; a drive member; a restriction member; and a bias mechanism. Along a course of movement for pressing a loaded sheet against the sheet loading surface, the guide member engages with the restriction member, causes the restriction member to move to a position for restricting forming of a curl on the loaded sheet, and thereby prevents the transport path from being blocked by the curl. When the engagement between the guide member and the restriction member is released, the restriction member returns to an initial position by bias force applied by the bias mechanism.