Abstract: A sheet conveyance device includes a pair of conveyance rollers, a contact-release mechanism, an alignment mechanism, and a control portion. The contact-release mechanism moves first and second conveyance rollers, constituting the pair of conveyance rollers, into contact with and away from each other. The alignment mechanism aligns a sheet conveyed along the sheet conveyance passage in a sheet width direction. The alignment mechanism includes a pair of alignment members movable toward and away from each other in the sheet width direction and aligning the sheet in the sheet width direction by making contact, from both sides in the sheet width direction, with side edges of the sheet. The control portion controls the contact-release mechanism to move the first and second conveyance rollers away from each other, and aligns the sheet with the pair of alignment members located opposite each other in the sheet width direction.

Abstract: A sheet loading device includes a discharge roller pair, a loading tray, a paddle member, a sheet holding member, a tray lifting-lowering drive portion, a top surface detection sensor, and a control portion. The control portion is capable of performing a lifting-lowering operation to arrange the loading tray at a reference position by lowering the loading tray with the sheet holding member arranged at the holding position to turn the top surface detection sensor into an off state, then lifting the loading tray to turn the top surface detection sensor into an on state, and then lowering the loading tray again to turn the top surface detection sensor into the off state and stopping the loading tray. With the loading tray at the reference position, a predetermined clearance is provided between a top surface of a sheet loaded on the loading tray and a rotational orbit of the paddle member.

Abstract: A sheet stacking device includes a sheet outlet, a lower discharge roller, and a paddle member. The paddle member is disposed coaxially to a rotation shaft of the lower discharge roller, and is driven to rotate independently of the lower discharge roller in the same direction as the lower discharge roller, so as to contact downward an upstream part in a discharging direction of a sheet discharged through the sheet outlet. The paddle member includes a base part in which the rotation shaft is inserted, an arm part protruding in a direction separating from an axis center of the base part, and a paddle elastic part protruding from the arm part. A rotation speed of the paddle member is the same as a rotation speed of a discharge roller pair when the sheet passes through a nip of the discharge roller pair.

Abstract: A sheet post-processing device includes a processing tray, a post-processing mechanism, a discharge roller pair, a bundle discharge member, a loading tray, a sheet holding member, a discharge drive portion, a tray lifting-lowering drive portion, a sheet holding drive portion, and a control portion. In a case where a number A of sheets included in a sheet bundle loaded on the processing tray is smaller than a predetermined number A1, the control portion discharges the sheet bundle onto the loading tray by using the discharge roller pair, with the loading tray arranged at a reference position. In a case where the number A of the sheets included in the sheet bundle is equal to or larger than the predetermined number A1, the control portion discharges the sheet bundle onto the loading tray by using the bundle discharge member, with the loading tray having been lifted above the reference position.

Abstract: A sheet post-processing device includes a processing tray, a post-processing mechanism, a discharge roller pair, a bundle discharge member, a loading tray, a sheet holding member, a discharge drive portion, a tray lifting-lowering drive portion, a sheet holding drive portion, and a control portion. In a case where a number A of sheets included in a sheet bundle loaded on the processing tray is smaller than a predetermined number A1, the control portion discharges the sheet bundle onto the loading tray by using the discharge roller pair, with the loading tray arranged at a reference position. In a case where the number A of the sheets included in the sheet bundle is equal to or larger than the predetermined number A1, the control portion discharges the sheet bundle onto the loading tray by using the bundle discharge member, with the loading tray having been lifted above the reference position.

Abstract: A sheet loading device includes a discharge roller pair, a loading tray, a paddle member, a sheet holding member, a tray lifting-lowering drive portion, a top surface detection sensor, and a control portion. The control portion is capable of performing a lifting-lowering operation to arrange the loading tray at a reference position by lowering the loading tray with the sheet holding member arranged at the holding position to turn the top surface detection sensor into an off state, then lifting the loading tray to turn the top surface detection sensor into an on state, and then lowering the loading tray again to turn the top surface detection sensor into the off state and stopping the loading tray. With the loading tray at the reference position, a predetermined clearance is provided between a top surface of a sheet loaded on the loading tray and a rotational orbit of the paddle member.

Abstract: A controller of a sheet stacking device executes tray elevating processing and sheet stacking processing. The tray elevating processing is processing in which when a sensor detects an uppermost sheet, the controller once lowers a stacking tray, and lifts the stacking tray until the sensor detects the uppermost sheet. The sheet stacking processing is processing in which the controller arranges a guide arm at an advanced position to guide the sheet, arranges the guide arm at a retracted position before a rear end of the sheet passes the sheet discharge portion, and stacks the sheet on the stacking tray after the rear end of the sheet passes the sheet discharge portion. The controller executes the tray elevating processing in a state where the guide arm is disposed at the advanced position during the execution of the sheet stacking processing.

Abstract: A sheet stacking device includes a sheet outlet, a lower discharge roller, and a paddle member. The paddle member is disposed coaxially to a rotation shaft of the lower discharge roller, and is driven to rotate independently of the lower discharge roller in the same direction as the lower discharge roller, so as to contact downward an upstream part in a discharging direction of a sheet discharged through the sheet outlet. The paddle member includes a base part in which the rotation shaft is inserted, an arm part protruding in a direction separating from an axis center of the base part, and a paddle elastic part protruding from the arm part. A rotation speed of the paddle member is the same as a rotation speed of a discharge roller pair when the sheet passes through a nip of the discharge roller pair.

Abstract: A sheet stacking device includes: a pair of sheet discharge rollers having a drive roller; a stacking tray for stacking sheets; a blade member; and a controller. The controller executes: stop processing in which the blade member is stopped at a stop position during discharging of the sheet; and rotation processing in which the blade member is rotated by one turn before a rear end of the sheet passes through the pair of sheet discharge rollers and the sheet is placed on the stacking tray. The blade is configured, in the rotation processing, to make the sheet fall on the stacking tray by beating a rear end portion of the sheet from above, and to be brought into contact with the rear end portion of the sheet which falls on the stacking tray from above while pulling the sheet toward an upstream side in the sheet discharge direction.

Abstract: A sheet stacking device includes: a pair of sheet discharge rollers having a drive roller; a stacking tray for stacking sheets; a blade member; and a controller. The controller executes: stop processing in which the blade member is stopped at a stop position during discharging of the sheet; and rotation processing in which the blade member is rotated by one turn before a rear end of the sheet passes through the pair of sheet discharge rollers and the sheet is placed on the stacking tray. The blade is configured, in the rotation processing, to make the sheet fall on the stacking tray by beating a rear end portion of the sheet from above, and to be brought into contact with the rear end portion of the sheet which falls on the stacking tray from above while pulling the sheet toward an upstream side in the sheet discharge direction.

Abstract: A controller of a sheet stacking device executes tray elevating processing and sheet stacking processing. The tray elevating processing is processing in which when a sensor detects an uppermost sheet, the controller once lowers a stacking tray, and lifts the stacking tray until the sensor detects the uppermost sheet. The sheet stacking processing is processing in which the controller arranges a guide arm at an advanced position to guide the sheet, arranges the guide arm at a retracted position before a rear end of the sheet passes the sheet discharge portion, and stacks the sheet on the stacking tray after the rear end of the sheet passes the sheet discharge portion. The controller executes the tray elevating processing in a state where the guide arm is disposed at the advanced position during the execution of the sheet stacking processing.

Abstract: In a sheet discharge device, upon a discharge of a sheet bundle onto a discharge tray, a lowering control portion lowers the discharge tray by a predetermined lowering distance. After the discharge tray is lowered by the lowering control portion, a lifting control portion waits until a front end of an initial sheet of a next sheet bundle becomes in a state of protruding from a discharge port, and then lifts the discharge tray until an upper-surface detection sensor detects that an upper surface of sheet bundles stacked on the discharge tray has reached a predetermined height.

Abstract: When a discharge count has exceeded a specified number of sheets, a sheet discharge device executes a process of moving down a discharge tray by a specified quantity and thereafter moving up the discharge tray until a top-surface detection part outputs a top-surface detection signal, while clocking a move-up time lasting from a move-up start of the discharge tray until output of the top-surface detection signal by the top-surface detection part. When the move-up time is equal to or less than a reference time, the sheet discharge device makes a next sheet discharged while the top-surface detection part outputs the top-surface detection signal; on the other hand, when the move-up time is more than the reference time, the sheet discharge device executes a correction process of moving down the discharge tray before making the next sheet discharged.

Abstract: A recording medium ejecting device includes ejecting trays, a guiding member and a switching mechanism. The guiding member is switchable between a first posture to permit ejection of a recording medium on one ejecting tray and a second posture to restrict the ejection of the recording medium on the one ejecting tray. The switching mechanism switches the guiding member between the first posture and the second posture. The switching mechanism includes pulleys, a driving belt and a pressing member. The driving belt is wound around the pulleys. The pressing member presses the guiding member. The driving belt includes a contactable area configured to be contactable with each of the pulleys and a contact restricted area whose contact with each of the pulleys is restricted. The pressing member catches the contact restricted area from both an outer face side and an inner face side.

Abstract: In a sheet discharge device, upon a discharge of a sheet bundle onto a discharge tray, a lowering control portion lowers the discharge tray by a predetermined lowering distance. After the discharge tray is lowered by the lowering control portion, a lifting control portion waits until a front end of an initial sheet of a next sheet bundle becomes in a state of protruding from a discharge port, and then lifts the discharge tray until an upper-surface detection sensor detects that an upper surface of sheet bundles stacked on the discharge tray has reached a predetermined height.

Abstract: When a discharge count has exceeded a specified number of sheets, a sheet discharge device executes a process of moving down a discharge tray by a specified quantity and thereafter moving up the discharge tray until a top-surface detection part outputs a top-surface detection signal, while clocking a move-up time lasting from a move-up start of the discharge tray until output of the top-surface detection signal by the top-surface detection part. When the move-up time is equal to or less than a reference time, the sheet discharge device makes a next sheet discharged while the top-surface detection part outputs the top-surface detection signal; on the other hand, when the move-up time is more than the reference time, the sheet discharge device executes a correction process of moving down the discharge tray before making the next sheet discharged.

Abstract: A recording medium ejecting device includes ejecting trays, a guiding member and a switching mechanism. The guiding member is switchable between a first posture to permit ejection of a recording medium on one ejecting tray and a second posture to restrict the ejection of the recording medium on the one ejecting tray. The switching mechanism switches the guiding member between the first posture and the second posture. The switching mechanism includes pulleys, a driving belt and a pressing member. The driving belt is wound around the pulleys. The pressing member presses the guiding member. The driving belt includes a contactable area configured to be contactable with each of the pulleys and a contact restricted area whose contact with each of the pulleys is restricted. The pressing member catches the contact restricted area from both an outer face side and an inner face side.

Abstract: A sheet post-processing device includes a tray, an evacuating member, a regulating member mounted on the tray, and a feed mechanism. The tray can receive sheets thereon. The evacuating member temporarily evacuates, from a conveyance path, sheets being conveyed, stacks the evacuated sheets into a pile, and conveys the pile of sheets onto the tray through the conveyance path. The feed mechanism includes a spongy elastic member and moves the pile of sheets along the tray toward the regulating member. When stacking three or more sheets into a pile, the evacuating member performs the stacking such that, in the pile conveyed to the tray, an edge of each intermediate sheet protrudes toward the regulating member beyond an edge of an uppermost sheet and an edge of a lowermost sheet.

Abstract: A sheet post-processing device includes a tray, an evacuating member, a regulating member mounted on the tray, and a feed mechanism. The tray can receive sheets thereon. The evacuating member temporarily evacuates, from a conveyance path, sheets being conveyed, stacks the evacuated sheets into a pile, and conveys the pile of sheets onto the tray through the conveyance path. The feed mechanism includes a spongy elastic member and moves the pile of sheets along the tray toward the regulating member. When stacking three or more sheets into a pile, the evacuating member performs the stacking such that, in the pile conveyed to the tray, an edge of each intermediate sheet protrudes toward the regulating member beyond an edge of an uppermost sheet and an edge of a lowermost sheet.

Abstract: A sheet post-processing device includes: a temporary holding unit temporarily holding a sheet supplied by an image forming apparatus; and a shifting unit performing a shifting operation on a sheet bundle, the sheet bundle including two or more sheet, wherein an extra sheet not included in the sheet bundle is supplied to the shifting unit without temporarily holding the extra sheet in the temporary holding unit or by shortening a holding duration time in the temporary holding unit; and when the shifting operation is not completed on a sheet in queue immediately before the extra sheet when the extra sheet is received, the shifting unit is set to a waiting condition until the extra sheet is supplied to the shifting unit.