Abstract: The present invention aims at avoiding a stacking failure of sheets on a discharge tray. A conveyance mechanism (51) conveys a sheet along a conveyance path (500), and further discharges the sheet from a discharge port (500a) of the conveyance path (500). A discharge tray (56) is disposed below the discharge port (500a) on a downstream side of a discharge direction of the sheet, and receives the sheet discharged from the discharge port (500a). A blower (58) is disposed above the discharge tray (56) or above the discharge port (500a), and blows air downwardly onto the sheet on the discharge tray (56).

Abstract: A sheet conveying device includes a sheet placement table, a sheet discharge table, a conveyance mechanism, raising/lowering mechanism, and a raising/lowering control portion. The sheet discharge table is located below the sheet placement table. The conveyance mechanism conveys a sheet placed on the sheet placement table onto the sheet discharge table via an execution position at which image processing is executed by an image processing portion. The raising/lowering mechanism raises and lowers the sheet placement table. The raising/lowering control portion controls the raising/lowering mechanism in accordance with a clearance that is defined by a height from the sheet on the sheet discharge table to the sheet placement table, so as to maintain the clearance to be equal to or higher than a set value.

Abstract: A sheet conveying device includes a sheet placement table, a sheet discharge table, a conveyance mechanism, raising/lowering mechanism, and a raising/lowering control portion. The sheet discharge table is located below the sheet placement table. The conveyance mechanism conveys a sheet placed on the sheet placement table onto the sheet discharge table via an execution position at which image processing is executed by an image processing portion. The raising/lowering mechanism raises and lowers the sheet placement table. The raising/lowering control portion controls the raising/lowering mechanism in accordance with a clearance that is defined by a height from the sheet on the sheet discharge table to the sheet placement table, so as to maintain the clearance to be equal to or higher than a set value.

Abstract: A drive controller includes a first drive circuit, a first capacitance element and a first processing part and a second processing part. The first drive circuit supplies a current output from a power source to a first load. The first capacitance element is connected to a power supply path between the power source and the first drive circuit. The first processing part is configured to apply a charge from the power source and to charge the first capacitance element before power supply to the first load is started. The second processing part is configured to supply a current output from the power source and a current corresponding to a charge charged in the first capacitance element to the first load through the first drive circuit after the first capacitance element is charged.

Abstract: A drive controller includes a first drive circuit, a first capacitance element and a first processing part and a second processing part. The first drive circuit supplies a current output from a power source to a first load. The first capacitance element is connected to a power supply path between the power source and the first drive circuit. The first processing part is configured to apply a charge from the power source and to charge the first capacitance element before power supply to the first load is started. The second processing part is configured to supply a current output from the power source and a current corresponding to a charge charged in the first capacitance element to the first load through the first drive circuit after the first capacitance element is charged.

Abstract: A punching device includes a punching unit, a driving unit, an edge detecting unit, a punching position setting unit, and a punching controlling unit. The punching unit punches three holes in a transported sheet along its transport direction. The driving unit moves the punching unit in an orthogonal direction. The edge detecting unit detects, in at least two locations separated from each other in the transport direction, an edge position of an edge of the sheet on one side in the orthogonal direction. The punching position setting unit sets a punching position corresponding to a hole to be punched by the punching unit in the orthogonal direction, on the basis of an amount of change in the orthogonal direction between the two edge positions. The punching controlling unit causes the punching unit to move to the punching position and punch a hole in the sheet.

Abstract: A sheet sensor is provided on a downstream side of a punching portion in a sheet conveyance direction and detects punch holes. A supplied pulse number counting portion counts a number of supplied pulses which is a number of pulses that are supplied to a sheet conveying portion while a preceding punch hole made in a sheet by the punching portion at a punching position on a conveyance path moves from the punching position to a detection position of the sheet sensor. A required pulse number calculating portion calculates a required number of pulses which is a number of pulses required for a punch target position on the sheet corresponding to a succeeding punch hole to move to the punching position, based on the number of supplied pulses and an interval between the punching position and the detection position.

Abstract: A sheet conveying portion conveys a sheet along a conveyance path by a conveyance amount corresponding to a number of pulses in a pulse signal supplied to the sheet conveying portion. A punching portion makes a punch hole in the sheet. The supplied pulse number counting portion counts the number of pulses supplied to the sheet conveying portion while a predetermined part of the sheet moves from a first position to a second position on the conveyance path. A required pulse number calculating portion calculates the number of pulses required for a punch target position on the sheet to move to a punching position on the conveyance path, based on the counted number of supplied pulses and an interval between the first position and the second position. A conveyance control portion supplies a pulse signal to the sheet conveying portion, based on the calculated required number of pulses.

Abstract: A punching device includes a punching unit, a driving unit, an edge detecting unit, a punching position setting unit, and a punching controlling unit. The punching unit punches three holes in a transported sheet along its transport direction. The driving unit moves the punching unit in an orthogonal direction. The edge detecting unit detects, in at least two locations separated from each other in the transport direction, an edge position of an edge of the sheet on one side in the orthogonal direction. The punching position setting unit sets a punching position corresponding to a hole to be punched by the punching unit in the orthogonal direction, on the basis of an amount of change in the orthogonal direction between the two edge positions. The punching controlling unit causes the punching unit to move to the punching position and punch a hole in the sheet.

Abstract: A sheet conveying device includes upstream side rollers; discharge rollers located downstream from the upstream side rollers in the feeding direction of sheets, to discharge sheets to a discharge tray; a reflective optical detector located between the discharging rollers and the upstream side rollers, to emit light and to receive light reflected off of the sheets; and a recognizing unit to detect, based on output of the detector, whether or not a sheet is present at a detection region of the detector. When a sheet is fed over a conveying path inclined with respect to a detection face of the detector, the discharge rollers feed the sheet in a bent state between the upstream side rollers and the discharge rollers, so that the sheet is close to the detector or the sheet is close to being perpendicular to an optical axis of the detector.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a punching time measuring unit, a stapling time estimating unit, and a sheet-bundle interval time setting unit. The punching time measuring unit measures a punching processing time to perform punching processing. The stapling time estimating unit calculates an estimated stapling processing time to perform stapling processing by using the punching processing time measured by the punching time measuring unit. The sheet-bundle interval time setting unit sets a sheet-bundle interval time, which is a time from when the last sheet forming a sheet bundle subjected to the punching processing is fed until when the first sheet forming a subsequent sheet bundle subjected to the punching processing is fed.

Abstract: A sheet conveying device includes upstream side rollers; discharge rollers located downstream from the upstream side rollers in the feeding direction of sheets, to discharge sheets to a discharge tray; a reflective optical detector located between the discharging rollers and the upstream side rollers, to emit light and to receive light reflected off of the sheets; and a recognizing unit to detect, based on output of the detector, whether or not a sheet is present at a detection region of the detector. When a sheet is fed over a conveying path inclined with respect to a detection face of the detector, the discharge rollers feed the sheet in a bent state between the upstream side rollers and the discharge rollers, so that the sheet is close to the detector or the sheet is close to being perpendicular to an optical axis of the detector.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a punching time measuring unit, a stapling time estimating unit, and a sheet-bundle interval time setting unit. The punching time measuring unit measures a punching processing time to perform punching processing. The stapling time estimating unit calculates an estimated stapling processing time to perform stapling processing by using the punching processing time measured by the punching time measuring unit. The sheet-bundle interval time setting unit sets a sheet-bundle interval time, which is a time from when the last sheet forming a sheet bundle subjected to the punching processing is fed until when the first sheet forming a subsequent sheet bundle subjected to the punching processing is fed.

Abstract: An image forming unit may include a capability of determining whether paper conveyed through the unit is bending. In some embodiments, an amount of bending of the conveyed paper may be determined. An embodiment of an image forming apparatus may include a paper feeding unit, an image forming unit, a skew correcting roller pair, a rotary member pair, sensors, signal processing units, and a control unit. A rotary member pair may convey a sheet to the skew correcting roller pair. Sensors may be disposed at various positions along the conveying path. In some embodiments, the sensors may include transmitting units and/or receiving units. These units may be positioned such that a conveyed sheet passes through therebetween. Signal processing units and control units may allow for the determination of the bending of conveyed sheets.

Abstract: An image forming unit may include a capability of determining whether paper conveyed through the unit is bending. In some embodiments, an amount of bending of the conveyed paper may be determined. An embodiment of an image forming apparatus may include a paper feeding unit, an image forming unit, a skew correcting roller pair, a rotary member pair, sensors, signal processing units, and a control unit. A rotary member pair may convey a sheet to the skew correcting roller pair. Sensors may be disposed at various positions along the conveying path. In some embodiments, the sensors may include transmitting units and/or receiving units. These units may be positioned such that a conveyed sheet passes through therebetween. Signal processing units and control units may allow for the determination of the bending of conveyed sheets.

Abstract: A paper transportation device 100 is provided with an obliquely transported condition detection unit 404 and a sensor movement controller 402. The obliquely transported condition detection unit 404 is configured to detect an obliquely transported condition of a sheet of paper based on a detection result of the travel-directional front end of the sheet of paper by obliquely transported condition detection sensors 113a and 113b. The obliquely transported condition detection sensors 113a and 113b are arranged in predetermined positions on a document transportation path. The sensor movement controller 402 is configured to move the obliquely transported condition detection sensors 113a and 113b in accordance with the width size of the sheet of paper.