Abstract: A sheet feeder control method for controlling a sheet feeder of an image forming apparatus includes feeding a sheet through a sheet feed path exposable to the exterior of the sheet feeder, detecting the feeding of the sheet at at least a first position on the sheet feed path, discharging the fed sheet to the exterior of the sheet feeder, detecting the discharge of the sheet at a second position downstream of the first position in a sheet feeding direction, detecting a sheet jam during the feeding and discharging of the sheet, and if the jammed sheet is detected at the second position but not at the first position, cancelling a malfunction state due to the sheet jam when the sheet stops being detected at the second position, irrespective of whether the sheet feed path is covered or exposed.

Abstract: A sheet folding apparatus includes: a first sheet conveying unit; a second sheet conveying unit that is disposed downstream of the first sheet conveying unit; a folded part forming unit that forms a folded part on a sheet by nipping a turned-back portion formed on a part of the sheet between the first sheet conveying unit and the second sheet conveying unit; a second conveying path that bifurcates from the first conveying path and in which a sheet with the folded part is conveyed; and a pushing member that is movable between a pushing position at which the pushing member pushes the turned-back portion toward the folded part forming unit and a retracted position. The pushing member also serves as a changing unit that changes a direction of a leading end of the sheet that is conveyed in the first conveying path into a direction toward a second conveying path.

Abstract: There is provided an image recording apparatus including: a main body with first and second transporting paths, a transporting roller pair, a recording portion, a reversal roller pair, a re-transporting roller pair, a transporting motor, first and second transmission mechanisms, and a controller. The second transmission mechanism has: a sun gear, an arm, a pendulum gear, and a gear row. The second transmission mechanism is configured to change a posture between a first posture and a second posture. The controller is configured to determine a position of the sheet, determine a size of the sheet, switch the rotation of the transporting motor under certain conditions, and increase the rotation amount of the transporting motor more for the case that the size of the sheet is determined to be not less than a transport distance than for the case that it is determined to be less than the transport distance.

Abstract: An image reading apparatus having a sheet path, which includes two ejection paths, is provided. The sheet path is switchable between the two ejection paths by a switchable member. An outlet cover arranged on a casing of the image reading apparatus is movable between a closed position and an open position to open and close an outlet of the second ejection path. When the outlet cover moves from the closed position to the open position, and before the switchable member switches the sheet path from the first ejection path to the second ejection path, switching of the sheet path from the first ejection path to the second ejection path is detectable.

Abstract: An image reading apparatus capable of reading an image from a sheet is provided. A sheet path to eject the sheet after being read may be selectively switched between a first ejection path to eject the sheet to an ejection unit and a second ejection path to eject the sheet on an outlet cover, which is openable/closable to a casing of the image reading apparatus. When the outlet cover is moved to open, a flapper arranged in a branch point between the first ejection path and the second ejection path moved in conjunction with the opening motion of the outlet cover, and the sheet path is switched from the first ejection path to the second ejection path. Further, a plurality of arms in a cover motion detector having a linkage mechanism rotate, and the rotating motions are detectable by a detector switch arranged at a terminal of the linkage mechanism.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a transport roller; a reading mechanism; a manuscript sensor configured to detect the manuscript; a transport controller which controls the transport roller; a display unit; and a display controller. The display controller is configured such that the display unit is allowed to display a first screen in a case that the manuscript is not detected by the manuscript sensor; and the display unit is allowed to display a second screen indicating a discharge designator to discharge the manuscript from the image forming apparatus in place of the first screen indicating no discharge designator in a case that the manuscript is detected by the manuscript sensor. The transport controller is configured such that the manuscript interposed by the transport roller is discharged without reading the manuscript by the reading mechanism in a case that an input with respect to the discharge designator is accepted.

Abstract: An image forming device includes an image recording unit for recording an image on a recording sheet, an upper paper feed cassette storage unit arranged above the image recording unit, a lower paper feed cassette storage unit arranged below the image recording unit, a lower paper feed cassette stored in the lower paper feed cassette storage unit, and an upper paper feed cassette stored in the upper paper feed cassette storage unit. The upper paper feed cassette has a larger lateral length than that of the lower paper feed cassette.

Abstract: An image reading apparatus, which includes a housing including a first housing and a second housing; a first opening located in between the first housing and the second housing; a second opening formed to communicate with the first opening through a first path; a third opening, a length of which along the first direction is smaller than a length of the first opening; a fourth opening, including a part of the second opening, formed to communicate with the third opening through a second path; a fifth opening located in a position where a part of the second path and the first path merge with each other; an image reader; a first roller exposed to a part of the first path ranging between the image reader and the fifth opening; and a second roller exposed to a part of the second path ranging between the third opening and the fifth opening, is provided.

Abstract: A sheet conveyance device includes a paper feed section, a separation roller, a registration roller pair arranged downstream of the paper feed section, a conveyance roller pair arranged downstream of the registration roller pair, a multi feed sensor arranged between the paper feed section and the registration roller pair, and a document conveyance controller. When an original document arrives at the conveyance roller pair, the document conveyance controller suspends driving of the paper feed section and starts multi feed determination.

Abstract: Provided is a document conveying device, including: a conveyance guide member which is capable of being opened upward and closed with respect to a contact glass, disposed facing the contact glass along a conveying direction of a document, and guides the document to an upper surface of the contact glass; a reading guide member which is disposed along a width direction of the document, movably supported in an up-and-down direction with respect to the conveyance guide member, and guides the document to a position facing an image reading region in the upper surface of the contact glass; a protruding portion which is protruded outward from at least one end portion of the reading guide member in the width direction; a support portion which is protruded outward from the conveyance guide member along the width direction above the protruding portion; and elastic portions which are protruded downward from the support portion and sandwich the protruding portion so that the protruding portion is movable in the up-and-dow

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a first image forming unit, a second image forming unit. In combined processing to perform two types of processing including one-sided image formation and two-sided image formation, if the one-sided image formation is performed, an image is formed on one side of the sheet by the second image forming unit.

Abstract: A document feeder includes a reverse transporting mechanism that forms a substantially U-shaped document transporting pathway for carrying a document from a feeding tray located at a lower side to a discharging tray located at an upper side through a reading position, a pulling device, a separating-transporting device and a openable pathway cover. The pulling device and the separating-transporting device are arranged at substantially the same horizontal level within the height that is occupied by the reverse transporting mechanism. The pathway cover is capable of opening and closing to cover on the pulling device, the separating-transporting device and the reverse transporting mechanism.

Abstract: A card substrate rotator comprises a substrate support, a rotator mechanism and a lift mechanism. The substrate support is configured to receive a card substrate and comprises a feed roller. The rotator mechanism is configured to rotate the substrate support about an axis. The lift mechanism is configured to move the substrate support and the axis in a vertical plane.

Abstract: A paper inverting device includes a first sensor, a second sensor, a guiding structure, a power mechanism, and a controller. The power mechanism is used for driving rotation of the guiding structure. The first sensor is used for detecting the position of the paper. The second sensor is used for detecting the thickness of the paper. According to the sensing signals from the first sensor and the second sensor, the controller may determine the timing of rotating the guiding structure and the rotating direction and the rotating angle of the guiding structure. Consequently, the guiding structure may be controlled to stop the paper and further invert the paper.

Abstract: An image reader includes a path switching part, located at a branch point that switches between a double-sided path and a single-sided path. The double-sided path defines a conveyance route that passes through a reading position from the branch point to enter a conveyance path that causes a document to make a U-turn, and then again passes through the reading position to be discharged to a paper discharge tray. The single-sided path defines a conveyance route that, without passing through the reading position, merges into the conveyance path from the branch point. Along the double-sided path, document detecting sensors provide detection results so that a collision determination part determines a possibility of a collision between documents, and if such a possibility is determined, the path switching part switches the double-sided path to the single-sided path to prevent the documents from colliding head-on with each other in the vicinity of the reading position.

Abstract: In a sheet transport apparatus, first transport guides are provided in pair in parallel to, and spaced from, each other to form a first transport path to convey sheets. The transport guides have one ends engageable with the ends of second transport guides, which are provided in pair to be parallel to, and spaced from, each other to form a second transport path. A supporting member rotatably supports the second transport guides in response to the position of the first transport guides. When the ends of the first and second transport guides are brought into engagement with each other with the one ends of the second transport guides inclined against the first transport guides to displace the ends from each other, both transport paths can be connected to each other without changing the transverse cross-sectional depth thereof, thereby preventing a step or hollow from being formed in the connecting section.

Abstract: An image reader and document conveying method shorten times necessary for a discharge process that discharges a document in being conveyed and for an idle feeding process of a document that is left on a paper feed tray. If during double-sided reading, a stop key is operated to issue an instruction to cancel reading, a conveyance controller outputs a path specifying signal to select a single-sided path, and thereby a conveyance route is switched from a double-sided path to the single-sided path. For this reason, the discharge process that discharges a document being conveyed at the time of the reading cancellation to a paper discharge tray, and the idle feeding process that discharges a document left on a paper feed tray to the paper discharge tray are performed with use of the single-sided path that is shorter than the double-sided path, and therefore the times necessary for the discharge and idle feeding processes can be shortened.

Abstract: An image recording device having a recording unit to record an image on a sheet is provided. The image recording unit includes a feed guide defining a first conveying path; an arm disposed between the recording unit and the tray, the arm having a feed roller rotatably disposed at a free end and configured to feed the sheet in the tray to the first conveying path. The arm pivots between a first arm position, and a second arm position. The return guide pivots between a first return guide position, and a second return guide position. A space occupied by the return guide in the first return guide position overlaps a space occupied by the arm in the second arm position. The return guide is in the second return guide position when the arm is in the second arm position which is retracted from an insertion space occupied by the tray.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image forming unit; a first sheet discharging path having a first dischargeable minimum sheet length; a second sheet discharging path having a second dischargeable minimum sheet length that is shorter than the first dischargeable minimum sheet length; a measuring unit that measures a length of the sheet; and a control unit. When the length of the sheet is shorter than the first dischargeable minimum sheet length in a state in which the first sheet discharging path is selected, the control unit is configured to: control the image forming unit to form the image on the measured sheet; convey the measured sheet downstream in a sheet conveying direction from the image forming unit; and stop conveyance of a sheet subsequent to the measured sheet at a position upstream in the sheet conveying direction from the measured sheet.

Abstract: An imaging architecture and method for duplex printing including a first imaging station operative to mark a first side of a substrate media with a first image, a first media transport module configured and operative to convey the substrate media in proximity with the first imaging station in a process direction along which the substrate media passes through the imaging architecture, and to invert the orientation of the substrate media without interrupting the conveyance of the substrate media in the process direction. A second imaging station is operative to mark the inverted substrate medium on a second side opposing the first side with a second image, and a second media transport module is configured and operative to convey the inverted substrate media in proximity with the second imaging station in the process direction.

Abstract: A sheet conveyance device comprises first and second sheet parallel conveyance paths each having first and second conveyance roller units each to receive and convey a sheet and first and second skew correctors each to correct skew of a sheet therein. A third conveyance path is disposed downstream of the first sheet conveyance path and the second sheet conveyance path, in which those sheet conveyance paths flow into each other. The sheet conveyance device alternately conveys the sheet to first sheet conveyance path and the second sheet conveyance path. One of the first pair of sheet conveyance rollers is one of the second pair of sheet conveyance rollers as a common roller.

Abstract: A media actuated, media diverter mounted on a media guide positioned between the output of a simplex path and the entrance of a duplex path in an imaging device. The media diverter comprises a plate having a media guiding surface and a media contract surface along portions of the edge of the plate. The plate is received within a slot through the guide member such that in a first position the media contact surface extends into the duplex path and when in a second position the media guiding surface extends into the simplex path with the plate biasable in the first position. A media sheet fed into the duplex path contacts the media contact surface actuating the media diverter to move the plate to the second position directing a following media sheet in the simplex path to an exit of the imaging device.

Abstract: A media transport module is described. The media transport module comprises: an upward transport, a divert transport, and a stacking transport. The upward transport extends from a pick coupling area to a diversion area and is operable to route individual media items from the pick coupling area to the diversion area. The divert transport extends from the diversion area to a diverter port; and the stacking transport extends from the diversion area to a stacking port. A diverter is located at the diversion area and is operable to route media items to either (i) the divert transport, or (ii) the stacking transport, in response to a signal received from a media thickness sensor. A drive gear is provided for receiving rotational motion from an external drive. An electrical connector is also provided for receiving electrical power from an external supply and using the received electrical power to energize the diverter.

Abstract: Provided is a quality inspection apparatus including: gripper units provided to each delivery chain, each gripper unit configured to hold an end portion of a sheet; an arc-shaped track portion provided in a part of a movement track of the gripper units and formed by the movement track; an inspection unit installed at an opposite side of the arc-shaped track portion from an arc center of the arc-shaped track portion; and a vacuum cylinder installed at the same side of the arc-shaped track portion as the arc center. In the apparatus, while running along the arc-shaped track portion, the sheet is inspected by the inspection unit under a guidance of the vacuum cylinder.

Abstract: A printing system comprises a paper path architecture for parallel printing using multiple marking engines. The media path configuration enables all the media feed trays to be located in one place, relative to the marking engines. A cross-over module is located between marking engines. The cross-over module can interleave media sheets that are being transported away from a first marking engine with the sheets being transported to the second marking engine. The cross-over module also includes a straight through path that enables media sheets to be transported directly to a finishing device without going through either marking engine. The marking engines include internal duplex loops such that media can be supplied to each engine in alternate groups. A merge module selectively merges the media which can then be further processed in a finishing transition module prior to communication to a finishing device.

Abstract: A sheet storage apparatus having a sheet conveying portion and a sheet storage portion to receive the sheet as conveyed upward from below by the sheet conveying portion and to store the sheet in a vertical direction. The sheet storage portion includes a guide portion, first and second holding members. The first holding member forms a first nipping portion between the first holding member and the guide surface. The first holding member permits the sheet to be conveyed upward to pass through the first nipping portion, and holds the sheet by restricting the sheet from moving downward at the first nipping portion. The second holding member forms a second nipping portion between the second holding member and the guide surface. The second holding member permits the sheet to be conveyed upward to pass through the second nipping portion, and holds the sheet at the second nipping portion.

Abstract: A method of scanning documents and moving such documents along a path such that after scanning sorting such documents is disclosed. The method includes providing a plurality of documents in an input tray and transporting each document along the path from the input tray at a transport velocity past the scanner to obtain scanned image data. The method further includes providing at least two movable members including two rotatable exit rollers, movable belts, or a movable belt and a rotatable exit roller along the path to provide a nip for the documents; and selectively driving the movable members to provide selectable exit velocities so that such documents are sorted in accordance with their selected exit velocity.

Abstract: According to an embodiment, a sheet discharging device includes: a first conveying path configured to guide a sheet to be conveyed; a second conveying path branched from the first conveying path at a branch point of the first conveying path; a sorting section configured to sort a sheet being conveyed on the first conveying path into either a downstream side of the branch point on the first conveying path or the second conveying path; a first discharge tray configured to receive a sheet discharged from the first conveying path at a first sheet loading surface; and a second discharge tray placed below the first discharge tray and configured to receive a sheet discharged from the second conveying path at a second sheet loading surface whose distance to the first sheet loading surface increases toward a downstream side thereof in a sheet discharging direction.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus with a double-face printing function is provided. The image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit, a sheet feeding path including a regular feeding path and a return-feeding path and capable of accommodating a plurality of recording sheets, a sheet-ejection controller to eject the recording sheet out of the sheet feeding path through a sheet outlet. The sheet-ejection controller controls a recording sheet closer to the sheet outlet in the direction of sheet-conveyance along the sheet feeding path to be ejected prior to a recording sheet further from the sheet outlet when cancellation of the print job is entered during a double-face printing operation, in which the images are formed on one side of N pieces of recording sheets continuously and the other side of M pieces of recording sheets thereafter, whilst M is smaller than or equal to N.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus which may include an apparatus body, a feed tray, an image forming unit, an eject section and a first transport mechanism forming a first transport path extending between the feed tray and the eject section via the image forming unit. The image forming apparatus may also include a second transport mechanism forming a second transport path that extends between a branch position located downstream of the image forming unit on the first transport path and a merge position located upstream of the image forming unit on the first transport path. The second transport mechanism may be configured to transport the recording medium along the second transport path and reintroduce the recording medium to the first transport path from the merge position. At least one part of the second transport mechanism and the feed tray may be incorporated in a detachable unit.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a main body. The main body includes an image forming unit configured to form an image on a medium, and a media conveyance mechanism configured to convey the medium to the image forming unit. A media conveyance unit is attached to the main body and is configured to convey the medium to the media conveyance mechanism. A media retreat path is defined by opposed surfaces of the media conveyance unit and the main body which are opposed to each other. The media retreat path is configured to receive at least a part of the medium being retreated. The media retreat path inclines in a way that a height level of the media retreat path gradually becomes lower from its entrance side to its back-end side.

Abstract: A media retraction and recycler system for use with image processing devices such as automatic document feeders and printers that concurrently supports two media sheets for duplex printing or scanning in a partial overlapping configuration in a variable nip pressure exit roll assembly allowing use of a media path that is shorter than the total media length of the two media sheets to facilitate an increased throughput during duplex scanning or printing operations.

Abstract: An image recording apparatus includes a recording unit configured to record an image on a sheet, a tray on which the sheet is placed, a first roller configured to feed the sheet placed on the tray, a first guide member configured to guide the sheet fed from the first roller to the recording unit, a second guide member configured to guide the sheet passed through the recording unit, a second roller configured to feed the sheet guided by the second guide member, a third guide member configured to guide the sheet fed from the second roller to the recording unit, a common roller configured to transmit a rotation force to the first roller and the second roller, and a second-roller arm including the second roller at a distal end thereof and configured to be pivotable about an axis.

Abstract: A diverter for receiving printed products in a single stream and diverting the printed products into a plurality of streams is provided. The diverter includes a first rotating body rotating about a first axis and including first, second and third circumferential sections positioned around the first axis. Each circumferential section of the first rotating body extends radially a different distance from the first axis. The diverter also includes a second rotating body rotating about a second axis and including first, second and third circumferential sections positioned around the second axis. Each circumferential section of the second rotating body extends radially a different distance from the second axis. The first and second rotating bodies divert the printed products into three separate streams at a diverting area between the first and second axes. The diverter also includes a steeple positioned downstream of the diverting area.

Abstract: An automatic document feeder includes a first roller portion on the first transportation path to feed an original to a scanning position to scan a first face of the original, a second roller portion on a second transportation path to transport the scanned original, a third roller portion on the second transportation path to feed the original to the scanning position to scan a second face of the original, a fourth roller portion on the first transportation path to transport the scanned original, and a transporting speed adjusting unit gaining a circumferential velocity of the second roller portion than the one of the first roller portion and gaining a circumferential velocity of the fourth roller portion than the one of third roller portion, when the original is transported from the first transportation path to the second transportation path and from the second transportation path to the first transportation path, respectively.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention are directed to a dual hopper assembly (104) for use in a credential processing device (100), a credential processing device (100) that includes a dual hopper assembly (104), and methods of feeding substrates in a credential processing device (100). One embodiment of the dual hopper assembly (104) comprises an upper hopper (106) configured to support one or more card substrates (102), a lower hopper (108) configured to support one or more card substrates and an input feed roller (140). The input feed roller is positioned between the upper and lower hoppers and is movable between a first position (132), in which the input feed roller engages a bottom substrate (102A) supported in the upper hopper, and a second position (134), in which the input feed roller is displaced from the bottom substrate.

Abstract: A sheet conveyance device comprises first and second sheet parallel conveyance paths each having first and second conveyance roller units each to receive and convey a sheet and first and second skew correctors each to correct skew of a sheet therein. A third conveyance path is disposed downstream of the first sheet conveyance path and the second sheet conveyance path, in which those sheet conveyance paths flow into each other. The sheet conveyance device alternately conveys the sheet to first sheet conveyance path and the second sheet conveyance path. One of the first pair of sheet conveyance rollers is one of the second pair of sheet conveyance rollers as a common roller.

Abstract: A bidirectional bill transmission channel device (02) with multi-path steering, which is arranged between an upper core (01) having functions of recognizing and separating bill and a lower core (03) for storing bill, is used for transmitting and separating bill in a reversing way. The device (02) comprises a channel bracket (0200), a power shaft (0203) mounted on the channel bracket (0200), a transmission belt (0202), channel boards (02041, 02042), an auxiliary transmission wheel set (0205) and a corner guide plate (0210), wherein floating wheels (0211, 0211?) are provided in a steering transmission route formed by the corner guide plate (0210) and the power shaft (0203), the floating wheels (0211, 0211?) correspond to the power shaft (0203) for transmission belt (0202), and form rolling friction assembly with the belt (0202).

Abstract: A document transport apparatus for transporting a document sheet to a predetermined position that includes a first switchback portion for switching back each of the document sheets of which the front side is read in the document reading portion to transport to the document reading portion and a second switchback portion for switching back each of the document sheets of which both sides are read in the document reading portion to discharge to the sheet discharge tray. The first switchback member provided in the first switchback portion transports two document sheets in mutually different directions and the first switchback member has a first switchback path and a first switchback roller pair each for guiding overlapping two document sheets in the mutually different directions or the same direction. The second switchback member provided in the second switchback portion transports two document sheets in mutually different directions.

Abstract: An image recording device includes a first arm configured to pivot between a first position and a second position in response to mounting and removal of a tray to and from the image recording device, a first driving roller attached to an end of the first arm and configured to convey a sheet from the tray toward a first conveying path, a recording unit configured to record an image on the sheet conveyed along the first conveying path, a second arm configured to pivot between a third position and a fourth position, and a second driving roller attached to an end of the second arm and configured to convey the sheet having an image recorded on one side thereof, along a second conveying path toward the first conveying path. The second arm pivots from the third position to the fourth position when the first arm pivots from the first position to the second position.

Abstract: A sheet conveying apparatus includes a curve-shaped conveying path conveying a sheet from a first conveyance direction toward a second conveyance direction, a drive conveying portion conveying the sheet in the second conveyance direction by a pair of mutually-pressed rollers, and a belt conveying portion conveying the sheet toward the drive conveying portion by an endless belt member, wherein the belt conveying portion is configured to include a first belt support roller which is arranged coaxially with one of the pair of rollers and a second belt support roller which is arranged at an upstream side of the drive conveying portion from the first belt support roller, to wind the belt member around the first and second belt support members, and to set an outer diameter of the first belt support roller including the belt member to be smaller than an outer diameter of the one roller.

Abstract: To convey a following sheet toward a discharge tray together with a preceding sheet made to wait in a buffer path, while a switch member provided at a branch portion of the path is maintained at a lower position, the following sheet conveyed from an upstream side of the branch portion toward the discharge tray is guided by a second guide face of the switch member at the lower position, made to meet the waiting sheet on a downstream side of the switch member, and conveyed toward the discharge tray in a sheet bundle.

Abstract: A switch back path is connected to a sheet feed path through a branch portion. A plurality of pairs of forward and backward rotating rollers are disposed along the switch back path from the branch portion. A driving portion selectively supplies rotation of a forward rotation direction or of a backward rotation direction to a plurality of pairs of forward and backward rotating rollers. A separation mechanism separates a first pair of forward and backward rotating rollers from each other. A control portion controls operation of the driving portion and the separation mechanism so that a sheet to be fed into the switch back path and a sheet to be fed out of the switch back path pass each other in the switch back path.

Abstract: A sheet transport apparatus includes a sheet transport portion that transports a sheet in a first transport direction and a second transport direction, a bending member that bends without breaking the sheet by corrugating the sheet in an orthogonal direction, and a restriction member that restricts, in a perpendicular direction, a corrugation in the sheet bent by the bending member. The restriction member is provided on an upstream side in the first transport direction of the bending member.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus comprises a sheet feeding cassette, a printing unit, and a sheet ejection tray. A first conveyance unit feeds the recording sheet from a front side of the sheet feeding cassette and inverts and conveys it to the printing unit. A path of a switchback conveyance unit extends from the printing unit to let the recording sheet switch back after the printing in an opposite direction to that the recording sheet is conveyed to the printing unit. A front and back side inversion conveyance unit conveys the printing sheet to the sheet ejection tray with a printed surface of the printing sheet facing down. Both of the sheet feeding position on the conveyance unit and the front and back side inversion conveyance unit are arranged on the front side in the image forming apparatus.

Abstract: An automatic document feeder of the present invention is provided with a turning/discharging path in a reversing path in order to read images on both sides of documents in lengths less than the main size and discharge in a discharging tray. Further, an aligning wall is provided to bump ends of documents discharged from the turning/discharging path against it. Thus, the documents of which both sides are read are discharged in the sequentially collated state at a high-speed and the aligned state.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a fixing device including a pair of first rotating members; a first transport path having a curved portion where a recording medium is curved, the first transport path being for transporting the recording medium to which the image is fixed by the pair of first rotating members; a first transporting section including a pair of second rotating members provided downstream from the curved portion of the first transport path; and a controller that controls so that, while the recording medium is interposed between the pair of first rotating members and the pair of second rotating members, a peripheral velocity of the second rotating members and a peripheral velocity of the first rotating members are reduced at the same time, or the peripheral velocity of the second rotating members is reduced before reducing the peripheral velocity of the first rotating members.

Abstract: An auto-document feeder includes: a paper feeding section configured to feed original documents one by one; a first feeding section configured to feed the fed original document through a first feeding path; a second feeding section configured to feed the fed original document through a second feeding path; a third feeding section configured to alternately nip one by one the fed original documents; a determining section configured to determine that the original document is nipped by the third feeding section; and a document diverting and feeding section configured to alternately divert and feed, into the first feeding path and the second feeding path, the fed original documents and, if the preceding original document is present, after the preceding original document is detected by the determining section, feed the following original document into the first or second feeding path into which the preceding original document is not fed.

Abstract: An image forming device includes a sheet container, an image former that forms an image on a surface of a sheet conveyed from the sheet container, and a re-conveyor that re-conveys the sheet to the image former which forms another image on an opposite surface of the sheet. The re-conveyor includes a first conveyance roller set and a second conveyance roller set that convey the sheet therebetween. The first conveyance roller set includes a first driving roller that receives a driving force and a first pinch roller that contacts the surface. The second conveyance roller set includes a second driving roller that receives the driving force and a second pinch roller that contacts the surface. The first driving roller has a greater coefficient of friction than the first pinch roller. The second pinch roller has a greater coefficient of friction than the first pinch roller.

Abstract: An image forming device includes a sheet conveyor, an image former that forms an image on a surface of a sheet conveyed by the sheet conveyor, and a re-conveyor that re-conveys the sheet to the image former which forms another image on an opposite surface of the sheet. The re-conveyor includes a guide member including upper and lower conveyance members, a regulation member that regulates a position of the sheet, a conveyer roller set that conveys the sheet therebetween, an urger that urges a pinch roller toward a driving roller, and a roller holder disposed above the upper conveyance member. The upper conveyance member has ends which are secured independently to the lower conveyance member. The roller holder secures the pinch roller overlaps the upper conveyance member in a vertical direction, and secures the pinch roller, such that the pinch roller contacts the sheet through the upper conveyance member.