Abstract: In a case where feeding of a subsequent sheet by a feed roller is started after the trailing edge of a preceding sheet is detected by a post-registration sensor, a control unit of a sheet feeder controls the feed roller to rotate at a first feeding speed, and in a case where the leading edge of the subsequent sheet has passed through a nip position between the feed roller and a separation roller, the control unit controls the feed roller to rotate at a second feeding speed.

Abstract: A laser exposure system includes an electrically-controlled diffraction grating which can be controlled to be in a first state where the incident light beam is undiffracted and a second state where the incident light beam is diffracted into a plurality of light beams including a zero-order light beam and first and second diffracted light beams. An aperture structure which passes the first and second diffracted light beams while blocking the zero-order light beam. A polarization rotator rotates a polarization state of the second diffracted light, and a polarization beam combiner combines the first diffracted light beam and the polarization-rotated second diffracted light beam onto a common path forming a combined light beam. An optical element focuses the combined light beam onto an imaging medium. A controller controls the state of the electrically-controlled diffraction grating in accordance with pixel data to form a printed image.

Abstract: A paper feeding device includes a lower cover, an upper cover pivotally connected to the lower cover, at least one motor mounted to the lower cover, a feeding roller assembly and a paper skew judging module. The feeding roller assembly is pivotally connected to the lower cover and connected with the at least one motor. The paper skew judging module disposed to the lower cover, has an infrared light emitter, an infrared light receiver, a cantilever arm rotatably assembled to the lower cover, a sensing roller pivotally connected with the cantilever arm, and a lens. The infrared light emitter is mounted to the lower cover. The infrared light receiver is mounted to the lower cover and is disposed opposite to the infrared light emitter. The lens is fastened to the cantilever arm, and disposed between the infrared light emitter and the infrared light receiver. The lens has different photopermeabilities.

Abstract: According to an embodiment, a sheet processing apparatus includes a transport unit and a holding unit. The transport unit transports a first sheet to a first position. The transport unit transports a second sheet, which is transported after the first sheet, to a second position displaced to the upstream side of a sheet transport direction relative to the first position. The transport unit transports a third sheet, which is transported after the second sheet, to a third position displaced to the downstream side of the sheet transport direction relative to the second position. In the case where the second sheet is transported to the second position, the holding unit holds the first sheet at the first position. In the case where the third sheet is transported to the third position, the holding unit holds the second sheet at the second position.

Abstract: A method and device for banknote identification based on thickness signal identification, allowing for simple and highly efficient identification and separation of abnormal banknotes by means of combining two thickness identification methods, namely an upward-facing area identification method and a downward-facing area identification method, for banknote identification.

Abstract: Provided is an estimation apparatus including a storage unit that stores an estimation model for estimating transport failure information pertaining to a transport failure based on information pertaining to a transit time in which each of plural papers with different characteristics passes through a certain transport section in a transport path and information pertaining to a utilization of each of the plural papers for each of plural image processing apparatuses, an acquisition unit that acquires the characteristics of the paper, information pertaining to the transit time of the paper, and information pertaining to the utilization of the paper for the image processing apparatus that is the estimation target, and an estimation unit that estimates the transport failure information using the estimation model based on the acquisition results of the acquisition unit.

Abstract: A sheet stacking apparatus includes a lowering control unit, a determination unit, a notification unit, and a control unit. The lowering control unit lowers a discharge tray based on an amount of sheets discharged to the tray. The determination unit can determine that lowering of the discharge tray has been disabled before the discharge tray reaches a lower end position. The notification unit notifies removal of an object present below the discharge tray when it is determined that the lowering of the discharge tray has been disabled. The control unit executes control so as to raise the discharge tray in response to the determination that the lowering of the discharge tray has been disabled.

Abstract: A sheet transport apparatus includes: a first motor and a second motor; a first roller configured to: rotate upon receiving motive power from the first motor; and transport a sheet in a predetermined transport direction; a second roller which is provided on a downstream side of the first roller in the transport direction and which is configured to: rotate upon receiving motive power from the second motor while nipping the sheet transported by the first roller at a nip position; and transport the sheet further downstream in the transport direction; and a controller. The controller includes a motor control unit configured to perform a first process for rotating the first roller and a second process for rotating the second roller; and a first reaction-force estimating observer configured to calculate a first estimated value which is an estimated value of a reaction force acting on the first motor.

Abstract: There is provided a recording medium discharging apparatus including: a support tray; a discharging mechanism configured to discharge the recording media; a detector configured to detect a specific state in which a position of an uppermost surface of the recording media is not lower than a predetermined position; and a controller configured to control the discharging mechanism. When executing a job for continuously discharging the recording media on the support tray at a predetermined discharge interval, the controller is configured to control the discharging mechanism to pause discharge of the recording media on the support tray under a condition that the detector keeps detecting the specific state until a predetermined number of pieces of the recording medium is discharged on the support tray since the detector has detected the specific state, and is configured to set the predetermined number to be greater as the discharge interval is shorter.

Abstract: A sheet feeder picking up and transporting sheets includes a transport unit transporting sheets along a sheet transport path one by one, a gap occurrence detection unit detecting, within a predetermined section of the sheet transport path, occurrence of a gap between sheets, and a controller controlling a timing of the transport of sheets according to a result of the detection. The gap occurrence detection unit includes a first detection unit and a second detection unit. The first detection unit is configured to detect light that is emitted toward the predetermined section, reaches a converging surface thereof across the predetermined section, and converged on a receiving element thereof. The second detection unit is configured to detect light reflected by a sheet passing through the predetermined section. The occurrence of the gap is detected based on outputs from the first detection unit and the second detection unit.

Abstract: Provided are a device and method for controlling a paper interval in a paper feeder of an image forming apparatus, and an image forming apparatus including the device. The device includes: a leading edge sensor configured to detect a leading edge of a sheet of paper when the sheet of paper is picked up and fed as a printing medium; a feed unit configured to accelerate the sheet of paper; and a control unit. If the sheet of paper arrives late at a paper sensing position of the leading edge sensor, the control unit measures a travel time during which the sheet of paper is fed to the paper sensing position, and according to the measured travel time, the control unit varies a time point at which the sheet of paper starts to be accelerated.

Abstract: The invention proposes a method and an installation for monitoring and/or controlling at least one handling apparatus for handling a multiplicity of preferably sheet-like products, in particular printed products, each product being assigned a reference (4). The installation comprises a transporting apparatus for transporting the multiplicity of products at a distance apart from one another along a transporting direction to at least one handling apparatus, or past the same, at least one detecting apparatus (1, 1?) at least for picking up references of the products and for communicating messages belonging to the references, and at least one processing unit (3) for processing the messages. In at least one delay device (5), a number of messages relating to references (4) from a plurality of products are combined to form a message group (6) and are communicated to the processing unit (3) via a communications medium (2) once a delay period (9) has elapsed.

Abstract: In a sheet conveyance device, if a sheet has not been detected at a second position when a predetermined time has elapsed since the sheet has been detected at a first position, a separating portion switches operation thereof from a separating operation to a non-separating operation of conveying the sheet from upstream to downstream in a sheet conveyance path, and a sheet feed portion continues a feeding operation. If the sheet has not been detected at the second position by the time a predetermined time has elapsed since the separating portion has started the non-separating operation, the separating portion and the sheet feed portion stop driving, and if the sheet has been detected at the second position by the time, the separating portion switches operation thereof from the non-separating operation to the separating operation, and the sheet feed portion continues the feeding operation.

Abstract: In an image reading apparatus, it is judged whether an original sheet is a first sheet type, whose sheet length is longer than or equal to a first conveyance distance and shorter than a second conveyance distance, and a second sheet type, whose sheet length is longer than or equal to the second conveyance path, the first conveyance distance being a distance between a first conveyance roller and a second conveyance roller, the second conveyance distance being a distance between a supply roller and the second conveyance roller. At least one of a leading-edge arriving timing; a trailing-edge arriving timing; and a sub-scanning magnification is set dependently on the judged result. An image is read from the original sheet by using an image reading unit and a conveyance unit based on the set at least one of the leading-edge arriving timing; trailing-edge arriving timing; and sub-scanning magnification.

Abstract: In an image reading apparatus, it is judged whether an original sheet is either one of a first sheet type, whose sheet length is longer than or equal to a first conveyance distance and shorter than a second conveyance distance, and a second sheet type, whose sheet length is longer than or equal to the second conveyance path, the first conveyance distance being distance between a first conveyance roller and a second conveyance roller, the second conveyance distance being distance between a supply roller and the second conveyance roller. The original sheet is conveyed at a separation timing, when the original sheet separates away from the supply roller, at a speed that is smaller for a case where the original sheet is of the first sheet type than for a case where the original sheet is of the second sheet type. An image is read from the conveyed original sheet.

Abstract: A paper sheet conveying apparatus includes: a conveying path in which a paper sheet is conveyed; a plurality of conveying rollers; a plurality of driving motors; an out-of-step detection portion; a stop control portion; and a driving restart control portion. The plurality of conveying rollers are disposed along the conveying path. The plurality of driving motors rotates the conveying rollers. The out-of-step detection portion detects an out-of-step in each of the driving motors. The stop control portion stops each of the driving motors when an out-of-step is detected. The driving restart control portion drives, after each of the driving motors is stopped, a first driving motor in which an out-of-step has occurred, and a second driving motor in which no out-of-step occurs, under a driving start condition that an amount of rotation of the second driving motor is less than an amount of rotation of the first driving motor.

Abstract: The invention proposes a method and an installation for monitoring and/or controlling at least one handling apparatus for handling a multiplicity of preferably sheet-like products, in particular printed products, each product being assigned a reference (4). The installation comprises a transporting apparatus for transporting the multiplicity of products at a distance apart from one another along a transporting direction to at least one handling apparatus, or past the same, at least one detecting apparatus (1, 1?) at least for picking up references of the products and for communicating messages belonging to the references, and at least one processing unit (3) for processing the messages. In at least one delay device (5), a number of messages relating to references (4) from a plurality of products are combined to form a message group (6) and are communicated to the processing unit (3) via a communications medium (2) once a delay period (9) has elapsed.

Abstract: A sheet conveying system includes a sheet inserting apparatus that inserts a second recording medium between first recording media conveyed by a sheet conveying apparatus, and transmits a first time at which second recording media can be successively received hypothetically, and a second time indicating a difference between a conveying time from an accumulating unit of a second recording medium to a merging point at which a second recording medium is inserted and a conveying time from a sheet receiving surface of the sheet inserting apparatus to the merging point. The sheet conveying apparatus sets longer one of the received first time and second time as an insertion interval; and conveys first recording media such that an interval extended by an added value obtained by adding a conveying time corresponding to a length of second recording medium to the insertion interval is provided between the first recording media.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a recording apparatus including a control device which controls a transportation of a medium by controlling a feeding device and a transporting device; under the control of the control device, the feeding device is stopped or decelerated when a previous medium is transported to a predetermined position, and a next medium is accelerated by the feeding device so as to continuously transport the previous medium and the next medium when a gap between those becomes a predetermined distance, the speed of the transporting device is changed from a first transporting speed to a second transporting speed when the previous medium passes through the predetermined position, under a condition that the first transporting speed of the previous medium is different from the second transporting speed of the next medium by the feeding device.

Abstract: An n image forming system includes an image forming apparatus, a sheet processing apparatus including a post-processing unit to perform post-processing of sheets on a processing tray and a retaining channel disposed to accommodate at least a single sheet while the post-processing unit processes the sheets, and a controller that calculates a target interval time between an interval start sheet and an interval end sheet among the sheets output from the image forming apparatus to the sheet processing apparatus based on at least one of sheet data and post-processing data transmitted from the image forming apparatus to the sheet processing apparatus, and adjusts an interval between discharge of the interval start sheet and the interval end sheet from the image forming apparatus to the sheet processing apparatus in accordance with the target interval time.

Abstract: A document reader has a main conveying path, an auxiliary conveying path, a pickup roller, a first conveying roller, and a second conveying roller. The auxiliary conveying path runs between a first connection point and a second connection point on the main conveying path. The cylindrical surface of the first conveying roller is located partially on the main conveying path and partially on the auxiliary conveying path. While the first conveying roller is under the forward or reverse control, it rotates normally. The cylindrical surface of the second conveying roller is located partially on the main conveying path between the second connection point and a discharge position. A controller switches from the forward control selected during this mode to the reverse control, while a document being conveyed along the main conveying path is out of contact with the first conveying roller.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, an ultrasonic detecting device includes a transmitter arranged at a predetermined angle with respect to a conveying plane on which a sheet is conveyed, the transmitter emitting ultrasonic waves towards the conveying plane; a receiver provided with a plurality of channels for detecting the ultrasonic waves, the receiver detecting the ultrasonic waves incident on the channels; and a dividing member to shield the receiver from diffraction waves of the ultrasonic waves emitted from the transmitter, the diffraction waves being diffracted at an edge of the sheet that delimits the sheet in a direction perpendicular to a conveying direction of the sheet.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus for performing image formation on a fed sheet includes a feeding unit, a detecting unit, a conveying control unit, and a first, second, and third determining unit. The feeding unit feeds a sheet of an irregular size onto a conveyance path. The detecting unit detects timings at which a leading edge and trailing edge of the fed sheet pass through a conveyance path predetermined position. The first determining unit determines a length of the sheet in a width direction. The conveying control unit discharges the sheet to a discharge destination without performing image formation on the sheet. The second determining unit determines a length of the sheet in the conveyance direction. The third determining unit determines a sheet size of the sheet of the irregular size from the length of the sheet in the width direction and the length of the sheet in the conveyance direction.

Abstract: A sheet feeding device comprising a supply roller for feeding sheets mounted on a tray, a drive shaft for supporting the supply roller and rotationally driving the same, first and second supporting arms swingably supported on the drive shaft, a feed roller rotatably supported on the first and second supporting arms, a feed roller transmission mechanism for rotating the feed roller in conjunction with the rotation of the supply roller, first and second transmission mechanisms for swinging the first and second supporting arms, and first and second resilient retaining members which are capable of retaining the first and second supporting arms, the first and second transmission mechanisms shifting the timings that the respective first and second supporting arms are swung against the corresponding resilient retaining members. An automatic sheet transfer device comprising this sheet feeding device. An electrophotographic image forming device comprising this automatic sheet transfer device.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a sheet handling apparatus includes a take-out member to take out a sheet from a take-out position by rotating in a state in which a negative pressure is applied to the sheet at the take-out position and the sheet is adsorbed to the take-out member; a conveyor portion to receive and convey the sheet taken out from the take-out position by the take-out member; and a control portion to control the take-out member such that, when the sheet at the take-out position is being adsorbed to the take-out member, the take-out member is rotated at a circumferential speed that is slower than a conveying speed of the sheet at the conveyor portion, and when the sheet adsorbed to the take-out member is being transferred to the conveyor portion, the take-out member is rotated at a circumferential speed that is the same as a conveying speed of the conveyor portion at that time.

Abstract: A sheet feed device comprises: a retaining section retaining a sheet; a drive section raising the retaining section; a conveyance section conveying a sheet on the raised retaining section; a sheet detection section detecting an end of the conveyed sheet; and a control section. At the time that a sheet feed instruction is received, when a sheet is detected by the sheet detection section, the control section causes the conveyance section to feed the sheet further. When a sheet is not detected, the control section causes the drive section to raise the retaining section and then causes the conveyance section to start conveyance of a sheet.

Abstract: In a paper feed system where a first paper feed mechanism takes out and transfers one by one a plurality of papers placed on a paper feed table in a stack and a second paper feed mechanism transfers the papers transferred by the first paper feed mechanism to an image forming section at a predetermined timing. A paper edge detector is provided between the first and second paper feed mechanisms to detect an edge of the paper, and the first paper feed mechanism is controlled to transfer the papers at a first speed and then at a second speed not higher than the first speed when the paper edge detector detects the leading edge of the paper, the second speed being determined on the basis of the timing at which the leading edge of the paper is detected.

Abstract: An image scanning device includes a scanning specifying unit, at least two document detecting units, a supply timing adjusting unit, and a document supplying unit. The scanning specifying unit specifies one of at least two scanning methods each having a different transportation interval between documents. The document detecting units are at least two in number and arranged to detect a document at different positions on a transportation route. The supply timing adjusting unit is arranged to measure a transportation distance of the document after detection by the document detecting units and to generate a supply signal. The document supplying unit is arranged to supply a document from a paper feed tray based on the supply signal. The supply timing adjusting unit is arranged to generate the supply signal based on a result of detection by the document detecting unit that corresponds to the specified scanning method.

Abstract: In an image forming apparatus, a recording medium is temporarily stopped at an upstream of a fixing unit when the recording medium needs to be stopped for a longer time between the fixing unit and a curved path.

Abstract: Provided are a high-quality sheet feeding apparatus which can detect multifeeding of sheets in a wide range of the sheet conveying direction and realize a stable conveying state, and an image forming apparatus therewith. A CPU controls a multifeeding detection sensor to detect multifeeding of sheets at a plurality of transmission points P1 to P5 of the multifeeding detection sensor. This CPU sets a plurality of transmission points across the front end and rear end of a sheet moving in the sheet conveying direction, based on size information of the sheet read from a storage portion and the timing of detection passing of the sheet in a horizontal path first sensor. This enables detection of multifeeding across the front end and rear end of a preceding sheet in the sheet conveying direction, and also enables detection of unseparated multifeeding that a subsequent sheet follows overlapping the preceding sheet.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus which can prevent decrease in useful lives of components for air sheet feeding without bringing about throughput degradation when performing an image forming operation using a plurality of sheet supply units. When a sheet is fed from a first sheet supply unit having a fan that is driven so as to supply sheets, then a sheet is supplied from a second sheet supply unit, and then a sheet is supplied form the first sheet supply unit again, and in a case where a suspension time period over which no sheet is supplied from the first sheet supply unit is longer than a preparation time period from when driving of the fan is started to when the fan is brought into a driving state required to supply a sheet, driving of the fan is temporarily stopped.

Abstract: A finisher includes: a holding unit; a stapling unit; a discharge unit; and a control unit. The finisher forms a part of a second sheet bundle subsequent to a first sheet bundle until discharging the first sheet bundle. The holding unit receives a sheet of the first sheet bundle and the subsequent sheet within a first period. The holding unit receives the last sheet of the first sheet bundle and a first sheet of the second sheet bundle within a second period as same length as the first period. The holding unit receives a sheet of the second sheet bundle and the subsequent sheet within a third period different from the second period in time length.

Abstract: In a sheet processing apparatus that, for example, sorts or staples sheets after image formation, when preceding finishing is not completed on a processing tray, a third sheet fed anew into awaiting tray of a sheet placing member configuring a sheet waiting unit, which temporarily puts a sheet conveyed thereto on standby, is stacked to be shifted such that leading ends of second and third sheets are located further on a conveying direction upstream side than a leading end of a first sheet. Consequently, longitudinal alignment in the processing tray after that is surely performed.

Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus includes a sheet-table unit, a sheet-separating unit, a discharge unit, a sheet processing unit placed between the sheet-separating unit and the discharge unit, and a speed sensor arranged at the upstream end of the sheet-separating unit, and close to a convey path. The sheets are separated and conveyed downstream by the sheet-separating unit one by one. The speed sensor is capable of detecting the movement start time of each sheet on the convey path and the leaving time of each sheet therefrom, and sending corresponding signals to a system controller. The system controller delays predetermined times according to the received signals to control the sheet processing unit to start and stop processing the sheet which is passing through the sheet processing unit at an even speed.

Abstract: A document processing apparatus comprises a document transport path which extends from an upstream end to a downstream end, a low speed drive disposed at the upstream end of the document transport path and for transporting a document along the document transport path from the upstream end towards the downstream end, a high speed drive disposed at the downstream end of the document transport path and for receiving a document being transported along the document transport path from the low speed drive, an actuatable document processing device disposed at the downstream end of the document transport path and for, when actuated, performing a downstream processing operation on a document being transported along the document transport path, a sensor for (i) sensing speed of movement of a document which is being transported along the document transport path from the upstream end to the downstream end, and (ii) providing a first electrical signal which is indicative of speed of movement of the document, and a control

Abstract: Systems and methods are described that facilitate correcting for paper process direction arrival errors during a print job in a marker module of a print engine. Paper sheet arrival time is determined at a first registration point in a print engine or marker module thereof, and an average arrival time is compared to an expected arrival time to determine whether the pages are arriving on time, early, or late. The arrival time error is used to generate or look up a correction factor, which is added to an expected arrival time at a second registration point in the marker module or print engine to generate an updated expected arrival time. Print engine control parameters (e.g., sheet feeder timing, toner application, paper path speed, etc.) are adjusted according to the updated expected arrival time at the second registration point.

Abstract: A paper sheet obverse and reverse side arranging device according to the present invention, includes: a reversible conveying section which includes a rotor reversibly conveying paper sheets in two directions opposite to each other, and two inlet and outlet sections provided in front of the two directions, respectively; a sorting section which is provided in an upstream conveying path upstream from the reversible conveying section, and which sorts paper sheets to either one of the two inlet and outlet sections; two guiding sections which are provided in the two inlet and outlet sections, respectively, and which guide paper sheets conveyed from the reversible conveying section; two guide conveying sections which convey paper sheets guided from the reversible conveying section by the two guiding sections towards a downstream conveying path provided downstream; and a control section which controls the reversible conveying section and the sorting section.

Abstract: A laser printer forms images on a recording sheet fed from a paper cassette. A conveying gap between consecutively fed recording sheets is adjusted such that a conveying gap between consecutively fed thin sheets is larger than a conveying gap between consecutively fed thick sheets.

Abstract: A sheet feeding device includes a sheet feed tray, a chute having first and second guides, first and second rollers arranged on the first guide, first and second contact members protruded from the second guide and urged to contact the first and second rollers, respectively, and a sheet sensor arranged between the first roller and the second roller. A controller controls a motor to rotate the first and second rollers in a first direction in which the sheet is fed from the second roller to the first roller when the controller receives a signal from the sensor, and controls the motor to stop the rotation of the first and second rollers when the signal from the sensor is terminated, and then rotate the first and second rollers in a second direction in which the sheet is fed from the first roller to the second roller.

Abstract: To provide a sheet take-out apparatus for preventing double feed of sheets and controlling gaps to a desired value, a sheet processing apparatus, and a sheet take-out method. A take-out apparatus includes a supply structure for supplying postal matter to a take-out position, a take-out structure for taking out the postal matter from the take-out position, and a conveying structure for receiving and conveying the postal matter taken out on a conveying path. When a leading edge of the postal matter is held by the conveying structure, an absorbing operation of a vacuum pump is stopped and a moving speed of a take-out belt is reduced. Furthermore, when the postal matter is detected by a sensor, the take-out belt is stopped.

Abstract: According to an embodiment, a drive control unit which drive-controls a movable tray on which a sheet discharged from a predetermined sheet discharge port is stacked, in such a manner that the movable tray sequentially descends according to a sheet discharge operation; an arrival position acquisition unit which acquires, in predetermined timing, arrival position information indicating an actual arrival position of the movable tray when the movable tray is drive-controlled by the drive control unit using a predetermined lower limit position as a target position; a fullness setting unit which sets a full position in the sheet stacking, of the movable tray, on the basis of the arrival position information acquired by the arrival position acquisition unit; and a fullness notification unit which gives a notification that the movable tray is full according to the arrival of the movable tray at the full position, are provided.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device and a method for monitoring the separation of a sheet product, particularly of banknotes. The invention is based on a device and a method for monitoring the separation of a sheet product, particularly of banknotes, by means of a separator (1, 2, 3) having a drive (4, 7) and a controller (8) for monitoring and controlling the angular speed (w) of the separator, and is based on monitoring of the angular speed of the separator by the controller for changes and the determination of faulty separation, if the change of the angular speed is greater than a permitted deviation, or if the angular speed falls below a threshold value (S).

Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus includes a sheet-table unit, a sheet-separating unit disposed at a downstream end of the sheet-table unit along a convey direction of the sheets, a convey unit arranged at a downstream end of sheet-separating unit, a discharge unit located at a downstream end of the convey unit, an sheet processing unit placed between the convey unit and the discharge unit, a speed sensor arranged at an upstream end of the sheet-separating unit for detecting a movement of each sheet for forming a sheet interval between two adjacent sheets, and an edge sensor located between the sheet-separating unit and the sheet processing unit. The edge sensor detects a front edge and a rear edge of each sheet passing therethrough, and sends corresponding control signals to a system controller which delays a predetermined time according to the control signals to control the sheet processing unit to start and stop processing.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image forming unit that forms an image on a first sheet; a fixing unit that fixes the image on the first sheet; a discharging unit that discharges the first sheet and a second sheet; a first transporting path that transports the first sheet on which the image is fixed to the discharging unit; a branch path that is branched from the first transporting path downstream of the fixing unit in a sheet transporting direction, the first sheet being transported to the branch path from the first transported path; a second transporting path that transports the second sheet in a direction opposite to the sheet transporting direction to the discharging unit; a plurality of sheet stock units in which sheets are stocked; a first sheet feed unit that feeds the first sheet from at least one of the plurality of sheet stock units to the first transporting path; and a second sheet feed unit that feeds the second sheet from at least one of the plurality of sheet stock units to the second tr

Abstract: A sheet processing system includes a sheet processing device that includes a post-processing unit that performs a predetermined post-processing on a sheet member and a sheet supplying device that supplies the sheet member to the sheet processing device. The post-processing unit has two waiting positions including a first position that is a normal waiting position and a second position that is a position filling items to be used in the post-processing in the post-processing unit. When the post-processing unit moves from the second position to a post-processing position to perform the post-processing in response to a post-processing request, the sheet supplying device sets a supply time for supplying the sheet member to the sheet processing device longer than a time that is required for the sheet processing device to move from the first position to the post-processing position by a predetermined time.

Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus includes a sheet stacking unit, a suction conveyance unit configured to convey an uppermost sheet stacked on the sheet stacking unit, a suction unit configured to adsorb the sheets onto the suction conveyance unit, and an adsorption completion detection unit. In the sheet feeding apparatus, when the tab-attached sheets are stacked on the sheet stacking unit and fed such that their tab portions are on the downstream side in a sheet feeding direction, the suction unit starts to adsorb the sheet in response to a sheet feeding signal, and the suction conveyance unit starts to convey the sheet immediately after the adsorption completion detection unit detects the completion of the adsorption. When the sheets other than the tab-attached sheets are fed, the suction unit previously adsorbs the sheet onto the suction conveyance unit, and the suction conveyance unit starts to convey the sheet in response to the sheet feeding signal.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a sheet storage unit, a sheet feeding unit, a conveyance path for conveying a sheet to the image forming unit, a plurality of sheet detection sensors disposed along the conveyance path, a determination unit for determining whether predetermined time elapses from a detection of a front end of the sheet until a detection of a rear end of the sheet and a discharge unit. When the determination unit determines that the predetermined time has elapsed based on the detection by the sheet detection sensor disposed in the furthest upstream position among the plurality of sheet detection sensors, the sheet is discharged from the discharge unit, and when the determination unit determines that the predetermined time has elapsed based on the detection by the sheet detection sensors other than that disposed in the furthest upstream position, the sheet is stopped.

Abstract: A medium conveying apparatus includes: a medium conveying member that conveys a medium; a rotation start position detecting unit as defined herein; a driving start timing determining unit that determines whether a time reaches a driving start timing when rotation driving by the medium conveying member is started or not; and a medium conveying member controlling unit that controls the rotation driving of the medium conveying member, and that, in case the driving start timing determining unit determines that the time reaches the driving start timing and the rotation driving is started from one of the rotation start positions, the rotation driving is stopped at another one of the rotation start positions that is different from the rotation start position where the rotation driving is started, based on a result of the detection by the rotation start position detecting unit.

Abstract: A sheet conveyer device to convey a sheet in a conveyer path, including a first roller pair arranged in an intermediate position in the conveyer path, a feeder to feed the sheet toward the first roller pair during a feeding operation, a discharge portion, on which the sheet is discharged, a second roller pair arranged in the conveyer path in a position closer to the discharge portion than the first roller pair, a control unit to control the first and the second roller pairs to rotate synchronously, and a judging system to judge whether a sheet feeding error has occurred in the feeder, is provided. The control unit controls the first and the second roller pairs to rotate synchronously in a second direction during the feeding operation and in a first direction when the judging system judges that the sheet feeding error has occurred during the feeding operation.

Abstract: A sheet is placed on a sheet feed unit. A main-scanning sensor detects first detection information for identifying a sheet size in a main-scanning direction and a sub-scanning sensor detects second detection information for identifying a sheet size in a sub-scanning direction. A sheet sensor detects presence of the sheet on the sheet feed unit. It is monitored whether the sheet sensor has detected a sheet and a timer starts counting a first elapsed time from a time point at which the sheet sensor detects a sheet. A size identifying unit identifies, when the first elapsed time exceeds a first predetermined set time, a sheet size based on the first and the second detection information.