Abstract: A feeding device according to the present invention holds a pile of sheets of paper in it. Feed force so acts selectively on a specified region of the upper side of the held top sheet as to feed the held sheets one after one in a feed direction. The feeding device includes a flat press plate and a support. The press plate is not smaller in the feed direction and the cross directions perpendicular to the feed direction than the maximum size of the sheets which can be held in the main body. The press plate is not larger in the feed and cross directions than the inner size of the main body. The press plate has a first opening formed over the specified region. The press plate is supported vertically movably above the held sheets by the support.

Abstract: A feeding device according to the present invention includes a box, paper holders, and a shifting mechanism. The box is open at Its top. The paper holders are open at their tops and positioned in the box. Each of the paper holders holds a pile of sheets of paper in it. The shifting mechanism so shifts at least one of the paper holders that the top sheet in one of the paper holders is positioned in a single freed position in the box according to selection data output from the apparatus with which the feeding device is used.

Abstract: A transport path switching unit is provided between transport rollers and pre-registration rollers, and control is performed to switch between a main transport path and an extended transport path of the transport path switching unit such that either the main transport path or the extended transport path is interposed as the part of the paper transport path between the transport rollers and the pre-registration rollers to vary a total length of the paper transport path.

Abstract: An aligning device in accordance with the present invention is arranged in such a manner that a feed section for feeding a sheet and a release section for releasing a pinching force exerted to the sheet by the feed section are driven by a single motor. With this arrangement, it is possible to obtain an aligning device for a sheet on which an image is formed, which is low-cost and has a simple structure.

Abstract: A paper feeder comprises an acquiring device, a driving roller, driven rollers, a driven roller supporter, a driver, and a controller. The acquiring device acquires thickness information on a sheet of paper. The driving roller rotates by being supplied with torque. The driven rollers rotate with the driving roller when in compressive contact with the driving roller. The driven roller supporter so supports the driven rollers that each of them can rotate under a different rotational load. The driver changes the position of the driven roller supporter relative to the driving roller. The controller selects one of the driven rollers on the basis of the thickness information and so activates the driver as to bring the selected roller into compressive contact with the driving roller.

Abstract: A line sensor that detects the edge position of a recording paper is provided on the upstream side of a transfer point where an image formed on a first photosensitive drum is transferred to the recording paper. When performing borderless image formation, the size of the image on the first photosensitive drum to be transferred to the midstream of the recording paper after detection of its edge position is changed to a smaller size based on the detection results by the line sensor, and subsequent image formation to the recording paper continues to be performed according to this image on the photosensitive drum whose size has been changed.

Abstract: A manual sheet feeding mechanism adapted for use in a sheet processing apparatus includes a manual feeding tray and a guiding member. The manual feeding tray is adapted to be mounted on a side wall of the apparatus so as to be pivotable about an axis between an open position and a closed position. The manual feeding tray has a placement surface for placing a sheet to be manually fed into the apparatus. The guiding member is adapted to position a sheet placed on the placement surface and is provided so as to be movable on the placement surface. The manual sheet feeding mechanism also includes a moving member that is adapted, when the manual feeding tray is pivoted toward the closed position, to move the guiding member on the placement surface.

Abstract: An upper surface of a sheet feeding apparatus located below the switch back feeding path is opened. When a relay feeding apparatus is drawn out from the body apparatus, a supporting tray is also drawn out from a switch back feeding path and a lower surface of a switch back feeding path is opened into the sheet feeding apparatus between the supporting tray open end and a holding member and one end of a sheet discharged into the switch back feeding path hangs in the sheet feeding apparatus. An intermediate tray is pulled out on the front of the sheet feeding apparatus and the operator's fingers are inserted into a space in which the intermediate tray is mounted and the sheet discharged into the switch back feeding path is grasped and drawn out on the front of the sheet feeding apparatus and collected.

Abstract: An aligning device in accordance with the present invention is arranged in such a manner that a feed section for feeding a sheet and a release section for releasing a pinching force exerted to the sheet by the feed section are driven by a single motor. With this arrangement, it is possible to obtain an aligning device for a sheet on which an image is formed, which is low-cost and has a simple structure.

Abstract: An upper surface of a sheet feeding apparatus located below the switch back feeding path is opened. When a relay feeding apparatus is drawn out from the body apparatus, a supporting tray is also drawn out from a switch back feeding path and a lower surface of a switch back feeding path is opened into the sheet feeding apparatus between the supporting tray open end and a holding member and one end of a sheet discharged into the switch back feeding path hangs in the sheet feeding apparatus. An intermediate tray is pulled out on the front of the sheet feeding apparatus and the operator's fingers are inserted into a space in which the intermediate tray is mounted and the sheet discharged into the switch back feeding path is grasped and drawn out on the front of the sheet feeding apparatus and collected.