Abstract: A medium transport device includes: a first transport unit that is provided in a first transport path, and nips and transports a medium by a pair of rotating bodies; a second transport unit that is provided in a second transport path different from the first transport path, and nips and transports a medium by a pair of rotating bodies; a first rotation drive unit that rotationally drives the pair of rotating bodies of the first transport unit; a second rotation drive unit that rotationally drives the pair of rotating bodies of the second transport unit; and a pressure contact force adjustment unit that is provided in at least one of the first transport unit or the second transport unit, and adjusts a pressure contact force of the pair of rotating bodies.

Abstract: A medium transporting device includes a positioning and transporting section that transports a medium after positioning a leading end position of the medium, an upstream transporting section that is provided on an upstream side of the positioning and transporting section in a medium transport direction and transports the medium toward the positioning and transporting section, plural detection sections that are provided on a downstream side of the positioning and transporting section in the medium transport direction and detect, at plural places of a reference line intersecting the transport direction of the medium, a timing at which a leading end or a trailing end of the medium passing through the positioning and transporting section passes, and a determination section that determines presence or absence of a wrinkle of the medium using detection results of the plural detection sections.

Abstract: A medium transport device includes: a first transport unit on a front side and a first transport unit on a rear side that are respectively disposed in a front part and a rear part of a region having a length in a transport direction of a medium having a transportable minimum size and that transport the medium while nipping the medium; a second transport unit that is disposed between the first transport units and that transports the medium while nipping the medium and pulling the nipped medium outward in a width direction intersecting the transport direction; and a controller that performs control so that the medium transport device transports the medium while nipping the medium by using only the second transport unit when the medium is a thin medium having a thickness less than or equal to a predetermined thickness and so that the medium transport device transports the medium while nipping the medium by using the first transport units and the second transport unit when the medium is a medium other than the th

Abstract: A medium conveyance device includes: a plurality of roller pairs arranged in a width direction of a recording medium, the plurality of roller pairs including at least two end-side roller pairs respectively located near two ends of the recording medium in the width direction and at least one center-side roller pair located near a center of the recording medium in the width direction, the plurality of roller pairs each including a pair of rollers that convey the recording medium while nipping the recording medium and are individually contactable with and separable from each other; and a contact and separation mechanism that moves a first roller of the pair of rollers of the at least one center-side roller pair in a thickness direction of the recording medium or moves a first roller of the pair of rollers of each of the at least two end-side roller pairs in the thickness direction of the recording medium, to make a difference in separation timing.

Abstract: A sheet transport device includes a sheet storage unit that stores a sheet and that is disposed in a housing having a bottom plate such that a gap is provided between the sheet storage unit and the bottom plate, the gap extending horizontally; a sheet transport unit that feeds the sheet from the sheet storage unit and transports the fed sheet along a transport passage including a reversing transport path along which the sheet is transported downward and then upward to reverse the sheet front to back, the reversing transport path extending vertically and being connected to the gap; and a first gate unit that prevents passage of the sheet that has entered the reversing transport path when the sheet free falls and allows passage of the sheet when the sheet receives a sheet transport driving force from the sheet transport unit.

Abstract: A sheet tray includes a sheet storage unit that stores a sheet, the sheet storage unit being capable of being pulled out of a housing in a forward direction and pushed into the housing in a rearward direction to a position such that a gap is provided below the sheet storage unit; and a sheet moving portion fixed to the sheet storage unit, the sheet moving portion moving together with the sheet storage unit when the sheet storage unit is pulled out, thereby moving a sheet that has entered the gap in the forward direction.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a drawer unit, a sheet inverting unit, a sheet guide plate, and a projection. The drawer unit is drawable from an apparatus body. The sheet inverting unit is disposed in the apparatus body, and pulls a sheet into a lower portion of the drawer unit to invert the sheet. The sheet guide plate is disposed on the sheet inverting unit to face the drawer unit, and includes a recess extending in a pull-out direction of the drawer unit that crosses a direction in which the sheet is transported. The projection protrudes toward the recess from a portion of a lower surface of the drawer unit facing the sheet guide plate near a pull-out start point in the pull-out direction and on a rear of a transport area of the sheet.

Abstract: A sheet transport device includes a sheet storage unit that stores a sheet and that is disposed in a housing having a bottom plate such that a gap is provided between the sheet storage unit and the bottom plate, the gap extending horizontally; a sheet transport unit that feeds the sheet from the sheet storage unit and transports the fed sheet along a transport passage including a reversing transport path along which the sheet is transported downward and then upward to reverse the sheet front to back, the reversing transport path extending vertically and being connected to the gap; and a first gate unit that prevents passage of the sheet that has entered the reversing transport path when the sheet free falls and allows passage of the sheet when the sheet receives a sheet transport driving force from the sheet transport unit.

Abstract: A sheet tray includes a sheet storage unit that stores a sheet, the sheet storage unit being capable of being pulled out of a housing in a forward direction and pushed into the housing in a rearward direction to a position such that a gap is provided below the sheet storage unit; and a sheet moving portion fixed to the sheet storage unit, the sheet moving portion moving together with the sheet storage unit when the sheet storage unit is pulled out, thereby moving a sheet that has entered the gap in the forward direction.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a drawer unit, a sheet inverting unit, a sheet guide plate, and a projection. The drawer unit is drawable from an apparatus body. The sheet inverting unit is disposed in the apparatus body, and pulls a sheet into a lower portion of the drawer unit to invert the sheet. The sheet guide plate is disposed on the sheet inverting unit to face the drawer unit, and includes a recess extending in a pull-out direction of the drawer unit that crosses a direction in which the sheet is transported. The projection protrudes toward the recess from a portion of a lower surface of the drawer unit facing the sheet guide plate near a pull-out start point in the pull-out direction and on a rear of a transport area of the sheet.

Abstract: An orientation correcting device includes a first transporting unit that nips and transports a sheet; a detecting unit that detects a tilt of the sheet that is transported by the first transporting unit; a second transporting unit that nips and transports the sheet that has been transported by the first transporting unit; a flexure forming unit that, with the second transporting unit stopped, forms a flexure in the sheet as a result of causing the sheet that is transported by the first transporting unit to strike against the second transporting unit; and a moving unit that, with the second transporting unit stopped and the flexure formed in the sheet by the flexure forming unit, moves the second transporting unit in a crossing direction that crosses a transport direction of the sheet in accordance with an amount and a direction of the sheet tilt detected by the detecting unit.

Abstract: An orientation correcting device includes a first transporting unit that nips and transports a sheet; a detecting unit that detects a tilt of the sheet that is transported by the first transporting unit; a second transporting unit that nips and transports the sheet that has been transported by the first transporting unit; a flexure forming unit that, with the second transporting unit stopped, forms a flexure in the sheet as a result of causing the sheet that is transported by the first transporting unit to strike against the second transporting unit; and a moving unit that, with the second transporting unit stopped and the flexure formed in the sheet by the flexure forming unit, moves the second transporting unit in a crossing direction that crosses a transport direction of the sheet in accordance with an amount and a direction of the sheet tilt detected by the detecting unit.