Abstract: Provided are a multi-feed detection apparatus, a control method, and a control program to suitably determine whether or not the multi-feed detection apparatus returns a fed medium to a direction of a medium tray when multi-feed has occurred. A multi-feed detection apparatus includes an ultrasonic sensor to generate an ultrasonic signal, a multi-feed determination module to determine that feeding of the medium is normal when a signal value of the ultrasonic signal is equal to or more than a first threshold value, and determine that a multi-feed of the medium has occurred when the signal value of the ultrasonic signal is less than the first threshold value, and a control module to control the feed module to return the fed medium to a direction of the medium tray when the signal value of the ultrasonic signal is less than a second threshold value smaller than the first threshold value.

Abstract: A motor control apparatus configured to control a motor, includes: a drive circuit of the motor including a semiconductor device and being installed on a different substrate from a substrate of the motor; a load switching unit configured to set a load of the motor in a first state as a first load, and set a load of the motor in a second state as a second load that is smaller than the first load; and a control unit configured to control the drive circuit and the load switching unit, wherein the control unit is configured to control the drive circuit to start rotation of the motor when the load switching unit is in the second state.

Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus includes a sheet supporting portion configured to support a sheet, a feed rotary member configured to feed the sheet supported by the sheet supporting portion, a curved conveyance path through which the sheet fed by the feed rotary member passes and which is curved upward, an upper conveyance path disposed above the sheet supporting portion so as to pass through a sheet and configured to join with the curved conveyance path, and a driven rotary member disposed inside of the curved conveyance path in a curved direction thereof and driven to rotate by the sheet passing though the curved conveyance path.

Abstract: A paper sheet storage device includes a storage unit, a conveyance mechanism including a carry-in path and a carry-out path, a gate member switched between a storage state and a passing state, a lock mechanism including a lock member which restricts a movement of the gate member, and an unlock member that unlocks a locked state. The unlock member is disposed so as to project from a side of one of the carry-in path and the carry-out path to outside of the paper sheet storage device. The lock member is disposed so as to project from a side of the other of the carry-in path and the carry-out path to the outside of the paper sheet storage device. When the paper sheet storage device is connected to another paper sheet storage device, the lock member is moved by the unlock member of the another paper sheet storage device.

Abstract: A sheet conveyance device includes: a first conveyance path configured to allow a sheet to be conveyed along the first conveyance path; a second conveyance path that extends upward from a branch position in the first conveyance path; a third conveyance path that extends downward from the branch position; a first conveyance roller disposed in the second conveyance path and configured to rotate normally and reversely to convey the sheet; a first drive motor disposed below the branch position; and a first belt disposed in a drive transmission path from the first drive motor to the first conveyance roller and configured to transmit a driving force from the first drive motor to the first conveyance roller.

Abstract: A sheet conveyer having a conveyer path to convey a sheet therein, a first path and a second path branched from the conveyer path, a flapper, a pair of pivot-shaft portions, and a supporting section, is provided. The flapper is movable between a first position to guide the sheet from the conveyer path to the first path and a second position to guide the sheet from the conveyer path to the second position. The pivot-shaft portions are located apart from each other in a widthwise direction. The pivot-shaft portions support the flapper pivotably. The supporting section is located between the pair of pivot-shaft portions in the widthwise direction. The supporting section supports the flapper pivotably. The supporting section includes a rotation-shaft portion being rotatable, a bearing portion, in which the rotation-shaft portion is fitted, and a buffer member located between the rotation-shaft portion and the bearing portion.

Abstract: A motor control apparatus configured to control a motor, includes: a drive circuit of the motor including a semiconductor device and being installed on a different substrate from a substrate of the motor; a load switching unit configured to set a load of the motor in a first state as a first load, and set a load of the motor in a second state as a second load that is smaller than the first load; and a control unit configured to control the drive circuit and the load switching unit, wherein the control unit is configured to control the drive circuit to start rotation of the motor when the load switching unit is in the second state.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a sheet conveying device includes a roller, a motor, a clutch, and a torque generator. The roller conveys a sheet. The motor is a driving source. The clutch connects or disconnects drive of the motor with respect to the roller. The torque generator applies a torque to the roller.

Abstract: A sheet guiding device includes a cover unit, a swing guide, a link member, and a contact member. The cover unit is configured to be openably disposed on a housing of an image forming apparatus. The swing guide is configured to move between a guide position at which the swing guide is open to guide a sheet and a retracted position at which the swing guide is closed. The swing guide is configured to move from the retracted position to the guide position along with closing movement of the cover unit. The link member has one end configured to be held by the housing and an opposite end engaged with the swing guide. The contact member is disposed on the cover unit. The contact member is configured to contact the link member to rotate the link member in the closing movement of the cover unit.

Abstract: A medium processing device includes a conveyance guide that forms first, second and third conveyance paths that intersect, a blade configured to be rotatable around a blade center point, and that switches a conveyance route of the medium by connecting any two of the three conveyance paths with each other, and a first pair, second pair and third pair of conveyance rollers that are rotatable and are configured to hand off the medium between two conveyance paths connected by the blade. The first pair of conveyance rollers includes a first roller and a second roller. The second roller is closer than the first roller to the third pair of conveyance rollers. A radius of the second roller is larger than a radius of the first roller. A first center holding distance is different from one or both of a second center holding distance and a third center holding distance.

Abstract: A second roller set is disposed separately from a first roller set in one direction of the conveyance direction, and includes an intermittent roller that generates, during one rotation, a conveyance enabled time of contacting the card and conveying the card and a conveyance disabled time of not contacting the card and not conveying the card. A third roller set is disposed separately from the second roller set. A reference guide wall receives abutments of a first end portion of the card and arranges a position of the card in the width direction at a reference position. An urging guide wall urges a second end portion of the card toward the reference guide wall by a first urging force. A support wall regulates a movement of the reference guide wall toward the urging guide wall at a position serving as the reference position.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a first processor configured to control a transporter that transports a sheet and a first image forming section that forms an image on the sheet transported by the transporter, and a second processor configured to control a second image forming section that forms an image on the sheet transported by the transporter. The first processor and the second processor are contained in a single housing. The first processor is configured to perform transport preparation for transporting the sheet at the transporter and receive, from the second processor, a completion notification corresponding to a preparation command, for performing image formation preparation in the second image forming section, transmitted to the second processor via an inside of the housing, and subsequently cause the transporter to transport the sheet and the first image forming section to form the image.

Abstract: A media transfer system comprising a media drive component and a vent. The media drive component supports and transfers a media in a drive direction. The vent directs air flow towards the leading edge of the media in the drive direction to exert a separating force on the leading edge of the media, the separating force acting on the media away from the media drive component.

Abstract: A paper sheet feeding apparatus includes an inserting unit in which a paper sheet is inserted, a pick-up roller for picking up a paper sheet inserted in the inserting unit, a rotating shaft for rotating the pick-up roller, a detecting member that is supported by the rotating shaft so as to be able to rotate around the rotating shaft and is rotated by a bundling member that bundles paper sheets together, and a first detecting unit that detects rotation of the detecting member.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a first conveying member that nips and conveys a sheet; a guide member rotatable between a first guiding position where the guide member guides a sheet that is conveyed by the first conveying member toward a first direction and a second guiding position where the guide member guides the sheet toward a second direction that is different from the first direction; a second conveying member that conveys a sheet that has been guided toward the first direction; a third conveying member that conveys a sheet that has been guided toward the second direction; a driver that drives the guide member; an acquiring portion configured to acquiring a basis weight of a sheet; and a controller that controls the driver such as to change torque for driving the guide member based on a basis weight of a sheet acquired by the acquiring portion.

Abstract: To provide a printing apparatus and a conveyance apparatus that are capable of preventing a cut position to be cut by a cutting unit from deviating, in a printing apparatus in which printing is performed by a printing unit on a printing medium that is conveyed by a conveyance unit and the printing medium is cut by a cutting unit while being conveyed by the conveyance unit and a conveying force apply unit, the sconveying force apply unit is arranged on an outer side relative to the cutting unit and configured to apply a conveying force to the printing medium in a direction outward in a width direction from an upstream to a downstream in a conveyance direction.

Abstract: A medium conveying apparatus includes a plurality of feed rollers spaced in a direction perpendicular to a medium conveying direction, each of the feed rollers rotating independently at a respective speed to feed a medium, a plurality of brake rollers, each of the plurality of brake rollers being located to face a corresponding one of the plurality of feed rollers, a plurality of torque limiters separately provided between one of rotation shafts of the plurality of brake rollers and a corresponding one of the plurality of brake rollers, and a processor to detect a skew of the medium, and correct the skew of the medium by changing the speed of one of the plurality of feed rollers when the skew of the medium is detected.

Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus includes a drawer unit having a sheet supporting portion, a feeding roller to feed the sheet, a conveyance roller pair, and first and second conveyance guides. An abutment surface, formed integrally with the first conveyance guide, abuts against the sheet and guides the sheet toward the drawer unit. The abutment surface is inclined upstream from a downstream side in a sheet feeding direction toward a downstream side from an upstream side in a drawing direction and overlaps with the second conveyance guide when viewed in the drawing direction.

Abstract: A document transport assistance member for an image processing device including a transport roller and a reading part provided upstream of the transport roller in a transport path, the document transport assistance member including a cover sheet, a support sheet, and a bonding part that serves as a bonding part where the cover sheet and the support sheet are bonded together, and bonds a first end portion at a first direction side along a first axis, wherein a length between a side end of the document transport assistance member at the first direction side and a rear end of the bonding part at the opposite side from the first direction is greater than a length between a reading position where the reading part can read the document and a position of a nipping part where the transport roller performs nip on the document transport assistance member in the transport path.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image forming unit; a first re-conveyance guide that guides a sheet on which an image is formed in a re-conveying direction; a second re-conveyance guide that guides the sheet from the first re-conveyance guide toward the image forming unit; a side guide provided at one end portion of the second re-conveyance guide in a widthwise direction to regulate the sheet; a side chute provided at one end portion of the first re-conveyance guide in the widthwise direction; and an engaging portion provided on the second re-conveyance guide. The engaging portion is engaged with a first engaging portion extending downward from an upstream end portion of the side guide in the re-conveying direction and is engaged with a second engaging portion provided on a downstream end portion of the side chute in the re-conveying direction.

Abstract: A scanner apparatus includes a housing including an insertion port into which a medium is inserted, a discharge port from which the medium is discharged, a conveying roller configured to convey the medium inserted from the scanning insertion port, and a scanning unit configured to scan the medium conveyed by the conveying roller. The scanning insertion port and the discharge port are provided on a +Y direction side of the housing. The housing includes a placement face extending in a ?Y direction from the scanning insertion port. The placement face, when a first end of the medium is inserted into the scanning insertion port, is able to support a portion of the medium on a second end side opposite to the first end. The first end of the medium is discharged from the discharge port in a direction on the +Y direction side or in a ?Z direction.

Abstract: A decoloring apparatus includes a sheet conveying unit, a scanner, a decoloring unit, and a controller. The decoloring unit decolors the image on the sheet conveyed through the sheet conveying unit. The decoloring unit is positioned downstream of the scanner in a sheet conveying direction. A distance along the sheet conveying direction between the scanner and the decoloring unit is shorter than a length of a first predetermined sheet size and longer than a length of a second predetermined sheet size. A controller determines whether the sheet conveyed by the sheet conveying unit is the first predetermined sheet size or the second predetermined sheet size. The controller performs a mode limiting process if the sheet size is determined to be the first predetermined sheet size.

Abstract: Card processing mechanisms and methods whereby after a card has been processed on one surface thereof at a card processing station such as, but not limited to, a card printing mechanism, the card can be recirculated back upstream of the card processing station along a return card travel path that is separate from the primary card travel path through the card processing station where the card can then be reintroduced back into the primary card travel path and transported through the card processing station a second time. As the card is being returned along the return card travel path, the card can be flipped over so that when the card is transported back through the card processing station, the opposite surface of the card can be processed.

Abstract: An image processing system includes a control apparatus and an image processing apparatus to which the control apparatus is connected and that accesses a network via the control apparatus, wherein remote maintenance by an information processing apparatus is performed via the network. The image processing apparatus connects to a server apparatus that relays communication between the control apparatus and the information processing apparatus.

Abstract: A draw-in apparatus having at least two rotatable draw-in rollers for drawing in sheet goods, in particular bank notes, wherein the draw-in rollers are arranged relative to each other with meshing roller profiles respectively extending transversely to the draw-in direction so as to define a draw-in gap for the sheet goods, and wherein the draw-in rollers have axial cross-sectional profiles mutually matched such that a clearance between the draw-in rollers changes periodically upon a rotation of the draw-in rollers.

Abstract: A sheet conveyance apparatus includes a guide member, a holding member, and urging members. The guide member can move between a first position to guide a conveyed sheet toward a first conveyance path and a second position to guide the conveyed sheet toward a second conveyance path. A first urging member applying applies an urging force to the holding member so that the guide member is held at the first position. The second urging member applies, to the guide member, an urging force to move the guide member from the first to the second position. The holding member is movable between a hold position at which the guide member is held and a release position in which the holding member releases the guide member. When the holding member is at the release position, the guide member is held at the second position by the second urging member urging force.

Abstract: A removable media tray assembly for an image forming device according to one embodiment includes a media tray having a bottom surface and a front wall extending upward from the bottom surface. A bottom surface defines a media storage location for storing a stack of media sheets. The assembly includes a housing having an opening therein to receive the media tray. A magnet and a plate provide a latching force FL greater than a pick motor stall force keeping the media tray in a closed position during media picking. A handle assembly including a finger bar and a pivoting link is mounted to the front wall. With the media tray being held closed by the latching force, a user-supplied actuation force FA that is less than 22.2 N applied to the finger bar, pivots the link which acts as a force multiplier providing a release force exceeding the latching force.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus capable of preventing a sheet from falling during jam handling without adding a special mechanism. The apparatus has an openable door forming a guide wall of a first path in a closed state. A first pair of rollers are disposed on the first path for nipping and conveying a sheet in a door closed state, and separated from each other when the door is opened. A second path is connected to the first path, for conveying downstream a sheet from the first path. A second pair of rollers disposed on the second path can keep nipping a sheet even when the door is opened. If a jam occurs, a sheet remaining in the first path is conveyed into the second path using the first roller pair, and is nipped by the second roller pair.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus is provided including an image forming unit configured to form an image on a print medium, and a printed medium post-processing unit configured to receive and post-process printed media on which an image forming process is completed from the image forming unit. The printed medium post-processing unit selectively comprises one of a first stacker module in which a first amount of post-processed printed media is able to be loaded, and a second stacker module in which a second amount of post-processed printed media is able to be loaded. Therefore, it may be possible to flexibly respond to a loading amount of the printed media necessary for the printed medium post-processing unit.

Abstract: There is provided an ink-jet recording apparatus including: a body including a first conveyance route; a recording unit; a switchback conveyance part; a first flap moving between a first state in which the first flap guides, to the switchback conveyance part, a sheet conveyed to one side in a first direction and a second state in which the first flap guides, from the first conveyance route to a second conveyance route, the sheet conveyed to the other side in the first direction; and second flaps moving between a third state in which the second flaps guide, to the switchback conveyance part, the sheet conveyed to one side in the first direction and a fourth state in which the second flaps guide, from the first conveyance route to the second conveyance route, the sheet conveyed to the other side in the first direction.

Abstract: A sheet conveyance device (1) includes a feed tray (20), a feeding unit (50), a stopper (30), a first abutted portion (41), and an impact reducing mechanism (10). Sheets are loaded on the feed tray (20). The feeding unit (50) feeds the sheets. The stopper (30) is rotatably supported on the feeding unit (50) and rotates when pressed by the sheets inserted into the feed tray (20). The stopper (30) comes into contact with the first abutted portion (41) in association with the rotation of the stopper (30). The impact reducing mechanism (10) reduces impact applied to the first abutted portion (41) by the stopper (30).

Abstract: A liquid discharge apparatus includes: a liquid discharge head; a conveyer that supports and conveys a medium; a blower that is disposed on the upstream side of the liquid discharge head or the downstream side of the liquid discharge head and suppresses the change of the posture of the medium by sending the air to the medium; a temperature adjuster that is disposed on the side of the blower opposite to the liquid discharge head in the medium conveying direction and adjusts the temperature of an object to a temperature higher than the ambient temperature of the liquid discharge head or a temperature lower than the ambient temperature of the liquid discharge head; and a blast controller sends an operation stop command or an air reduction command to the blower at a blast region-pass timing at which the medium passes through a blast region of the blower.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a conveyer roller exposed to an attachment space and a drive force transmission mechanism for transmitting a drive force from a drive source. The drive force transmission mechanism includes a plate driving gear exposed to the attachment space, a transmission gear train transmitting a drive force to the conveyer roller and to the plate driving gear, and a switching mechanism. The switching mechanism includes a driven gear transmitting the drive force to the transmission gear train, a pendulum gear revolvable between a coupled position in which the pendulum gear is engaged with the driven gear and an uncoupled position in which the pendulum gear is separated from the driven gear, and a transmission switch movable between a first position for holding the pendulum gear in the uncoupled position and a second position for allowing the pendulum gear to revolve between the coupled and uncoupled positions.

Abstract: Disclosed are a sheet feeding apparatus and an image forming apparatus capable of reliably separating and feeding sheets one by one without delay and damage to a sheet for a high speed of a printer or the like. A sheet feeding portion has a nip guide member having a sloped guide surface sloped so as to guide a leading end of a sheet to a separation nip portion such that a guide leading-end is biased to a feed roller with a predetermined distance from the feed roller. A support member supports the nip guide member not to recede from the feed roller when a thickness of a sheet bundle bumping into the sloped guide surface is smaller than a predetermined distance between the feed roller and the guide leading-end and supports the nip guide member to recede from the feed roller when the thickness is larger than the predetermined distance.

Abstract: In an electrophotographic sheet-fed front/back printing machine which is capable of duplex printing and which can be installed in a reduced space, sheets of paper fed from a sheet supply are fed out by a sheet transport conveyer onto an impression cylinder of an electrophotographic printing section in which each of the sheets are printed on one side. The sheets printed on one side are turned over from front to back by a sheet turnover transport unit and are allowed to fall and be supplied onto the sheet transport conveyer. The sheets are each fed again onto the impression cylinder and printed on the remaining other side. Sheets printed on both sides are transported by a printed-sheet transport unit to a print output receptacle in which they are received.

Abstract: A sheet feed device of an image forming apparatus includes an inside cover and a lock mechanism for locking the inside cover to a housing. The lock mechanism includes a locking member and a locked member. When the inside cover is operated in a closing direction toward a closing position, the locking member abuts the locked member. At this time, a driven roller is in no contact with a conveying roller until a projection of the locking member climbs over an apex of the locked member. After the inside cover is further operated toward the closing position and the projection climbs over the apex, the driven roller contacts the conveying roller.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a sheet feeding unit, an image forming unit, a first conveyance path configured to guide the sheet fed from the sheet feeding unit, a second conveyance path configured to guide the sheet on one surface of which an image has been formed by the image forming unit to the first conveyance path again, a document feeding unit configured to feed a document to the second conveyance path, an image reading unit configured to read the document, a third conveyance path branching off from the second conveyance path and configured to guide the document, a switch back conveyance unit configured to convey the document in the third conveyance path, a fourth conveyance path configured to guide the document conveyed by the switch back conveyance unit, and a document discharge unit configured to discharge the document guided by the fourth conveyance path.

Abstract: A fixing unit which may be disposed in an image forming apparatus includes a heating roller, at least one pressure roller being in pressure contact with the heating roller to form a nip together with the heating roller, and a pressure releasing member partially restricting application of pressure to the nip. The nip includes an effective fixing section used for fixing. The pressure releasing member includes a pair of pressure releasing parts inserted into sections of the nip other than the effective fixing section, a connection part connecting the pair of pressure releasing parts, and guide parts extending from the connection part in the same direction as the pair of pressure releasing parts. The pressure releasing member prevents deformation of a portion of an elastic layer formed on the heating roller which corresponds to the effective fixing section.

Abstract: A method includes receiving multiple biased measurements associated with a property of a sheet of material, where the biased measurements correspond to multiple known sheet geometries. The method also includes determining an unbiased measurement associated with the property of the sheet using the biased measurements, where the unbiased measurement corresponds to a nominal sheet geometry. The method further includes storing and/or outputting the unbiased measurement. Determining the unbiased measurement could include performing regression using the biased measurements and their corresponding sheet geometries to identify an estimated value of the property of the sheet at the nominal sheet geometry. The biased measurements can be generated using one or more sensors, and the sheet may not be stabilized during the biased measurement generation. Additional sheet geometries can also be created, such as by varying a tilt angle, a curvature, and/or a position of the sheet.

Abstract: A media alignment device is described. The device comprises: a media drive turret including a drive member; and a controller. The controller is operable to: receive information about a lateral position of a media item as the media item is transported longitudinally along a transport path, rotate the media drive turret to an angular position required to drive the media item to an aligned position, and activate the drive member to move the media item in a direction transverse to the transport path.

Abstract: In a cross section perpendicular to an axial direction of a discharge roller, a rotation center of the discharge roller is provided at a position out of a straight line that connects a rotation center of a discharge driven roller and a rotation center of a duplex driven roller. The discharge roller that receives forces from the discharge driven roller and the duplex driven roller is held by a discharge roller presser.

Abstract: The present disclosure discloses a media transition unit for altering orientation and/or direction of travel of media that defines a first edge and a second edge, which is shorter than the first edge. The media transition unit includes a first module having a first sensor and a first conveyor belt, and a second module having a second sensor and a second conveyor belt. The first module receives the media traveling along a first direction perpendicular to the first edge. The received media is detected by the first sensor that prompts the first conveyor belt to transport the media at a first speed in a second direction perpendicular to the second edge. Upon detecting the media adjacent to the second module, the second sensor prompts the second conveyor belt to transport the media at a second speed along the second direction. The second speed exceeds the first speed.

Abstract: The image forming apparatus includes a first guide that defines a conveyance path and rotates about a fulcrum with the opening of the cover, the fulcrum being provided at a lower portion of the first guide, the conveyance path extending upward and downward and through which the sheet is conveyed; and a second guide that defines the conveyance path in combination with the first guide, the second guide being rotatable with the cover being open. The second guide moves in a direction away from the fulcrum with the opening of the cover.

Abstract: An image reading apparatus includes a reading unit which reads an image on a document while being conveyed, a cover movable between an opened position where the reading unit is opened and a closed position where the reading unit is covered, a metal pressing member held by the cover and configured to face the reading unit and press the document toward the reading unit when the cover is at the closed position, a metal frame supporting the conveyor and configured to face the pressing member when the cover is at the closed position, and a ground member directly connected to the frame and configured to be separated from the pressing member when the cover is at the opened position, and to be in contact with the pressing member when the cover is at the closed position.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit configured to form an image on a sheet, a duplex conveyance path through which the sheet having the image formed by the image forming unit on a first side passes when an image is formed on a second side that is a back side of the first side, a guiding member provided along the duplex conveyance path, a reversing roller pair capable of rotating in a forward direction and in a reverse direction, h, and a conveyance roller pair provided on the duplex conveyance path, wherein at least one of the reversing roller pair is inclined to the width direction so that, in the width direction, the side end of the sheet being conveyed by the reversing roller pair rotating in the reverse direction moves closer to the contact portion.

Abstract: A recording apparatus includes a apparatus main body, and a unit body that forms a medium transportation path, and is configured to be attachable and detachable with respect to the apparatus main body. The unit body includes a feeding roller that transports a medium, and a driven transportation unit that transmits the drive force of the drive transportation unit to the feeding roller. The unit body is displaceable between a first position at which the driven transmission unit is connected to the drive transmission unit and a second position at which the driven transmission unit is separated from the drive transmission unit. When a user pulls out the medium, the unit body retained at the first position moves from the first position to the second position.

Abstract: A conveying apparatus including a conveying path with a curved path through which a sheet is passed, a main conveying roller provided downstream of the conveying path in a conveying direction of the sheet, the roller being rotated in a first direction to perform a conveying operation of conveying the sheet in the conveying direction and being rotated in a second direction opposite to the first direction to perform an skew correcting operation of forming a loop of the sheet, and an auxiliary guide member which supports the sheet using an inner side of a curvature of the conveying path and which is tilted toward the conveying direction side during the conveying operation when subjected to a force of the sheet which is stronger than during the skew correcting operation.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a conveyance path configured to guide a recording sheet conveyed from a sheet placement portion, passing through a sheet feeder unit, a nip portion between a photoconductor and transfer member, a fixing device, and a sheet ejection unit in this order; and a re-conveyance path configured to guide the sheet conveyed from the fixing device to an upstream-side path which constitutes part of the conveyance path extending upstream from the photoconductor. The re-conveyance path branches off from the conveyance path at a position downstream from the fixing device and extends to pass through a space between the photoconductor and the exposure device. The re-conveyance path includes a switchback mechanism configured to reverse a traveling direction of a sheet conveyed along the re-conveyance path after passing through the space between the photoconductor and the exposure device and to convey the sheet toward the upstream-side path.

Abstract: A Self-Service Terminal (SST) or deposit module for an SST and a method of use are disclosed for transporting an item of media along a transport path. The SST includes a guide surface comprising a first region in which an item of media is transported in a first orientation with respect to a respective direction of transport, and a further region in which an item of media is transported in a further orientation with respect to a respective direction of transport. The SST also includes a re-orientation module that transports an item of media between the first and further regions and rotates an item of media received at a one of the first and further regions into an orientation associated with a remainder one of the first and further regions.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a relay unit and a guide plate. The relay unit is detachably mounted in the in-body discharge section and receives a sheet discharged from the first exit port and conveys the sheet. The guide plate switches a conveyance path for the sheet discharged from the first exit port between a first path via the relay unit and a second path other than the first path. The relay unit includes a conveyance roller and a drive device. The conveyance roller conveys the sheet. The drive device rotates the conveyance roller. The drive device changes the posture of the guide plate between a first posture corresponding to the first path and a second posture corresponding to the second path.