Abstract: A paper ejector unit includes a paper path having a first path, a second path provided in a lower position than the first path, and a guide provided between the first and second paths and including an inclined face to restrict an upward deflection of the paper in transporting the paper forward to the exit slot; an opening formed downward at a forward back end of the second path; a reversible transportation roller assembly in the middle of the second path, configured to be rotated forward to transport the paper forward to the exit slot, to stop rotating to stop transporting the paper, and to be reversely rotated to retreat the paper having been transported to the exit slot; and a third path branching downward from the second path and provided near a forward upstream side of the reversible transportation roller assembly in order to recover the paper.

Abstract: A transferring guide device usable with an image reading sensor unit of a scanning apparatus includes a guide holder installed at the image reading sensor unit and a guide rail installed at a scanning apparatus body. The guide holder slide-contacts the guide rail, and slide contact surfaces on which the guide holder contacts the guide rail are plane. The guide holder point-contacts or line-contacts the guide rail, and as a result, a friction force between the guide holder and the guide rail is weak.

Abstract: A sheet discharger including a pair of rotary bodies to discharge a sheet to a discharge part by rotating while sandwiching the sheet and to hold the sheet, a part of which is discharged and exposed from a discharge exit of the sheet discharger, and a separation unit operatively connected to the pair of rotary bodies, including an operating part provided closer to the discharge exit than the pair of rotary bodies to support the sheet held by the pair of rotary bodies, that separates the pair of rotary bodies from each other by withdrawal of the sheet held by the pair of rotary bodies toward the discharge exit of the sheet discharger.

Abstract: Disclosed is an image forming apparatus incorporating a discharging unit that discharges a printing medium outside the housing of the image forming apparatus, and which stacks the discharged printing medium. The discharging unit includes a discharging part arranged on the transportation path of the printing medium in the housing, a stacking lever rotatably supported on the housing and a driving unit that drives the stacking lever to rotate. The discharging part discharges a printing medium outside the housing, and stacks the discharged printing medium on a stacking unit provided outside the housing. The stacking lever guides the stacking of the printing medium in the stacking unit. A control unit may be provided to control the driving unit so as to vary the revolution position of the stacking lever based on the discharged position of the printing medium discharged by the discharging part.

Abstract: A feed roller assembly includes a shaft, a plurality of rollers, and a plurality of covers. The rollers are fixed to the shaft at intervals along it. The covers are positioned at both ends of the rollers and surround the shaft, without being fixed to it. Paper dust falls from the outer cylindrical surfaces of the rollers and accumulates on the covers, without coming into direct contact with the cylindrical surface of the shaft. Because the covers are not fixed to the cylindrical surface of the shaft, they rotate at a lower speed than the shaft.

Abstract: In a sheet processing apparatus, a pair of regulating members is provided at a pair of joggers so that the regulating members are movable together with the joggers. When the pair of joggers is laterally moved, the pair of regulating members also laterally moves together with the pair of joggers. By moving the pair of joggers to passage positions, the pair of regulating members regulates the lateral ends of a sheet, which falls and is stacked on a first stacking tray.

Abstract: Disclosed is a sheet roller capable of achieving compactness and thinness, and improves space usability and design freedom. The sheet roller includes a roller body coupled with the rotation shaft, a plurality of coupling members coupled with a side surface of the roller body in order to surround a part of an outer peripheral surface of the roller body, and disposed on the outer peripheral surface of the roller body in such a manner as to be spaced apart from one another, and an elastic sheet interposed between the roller body and each of the plurality of coupling members. The roller body is formed to have a predetermined thickness thereof while maintaining a predetermined shape and strength thereof, and thus, improving space usability and the design freedom of an automatic transaction machine where the sheet roller is mounted.

Abstract: A sheet post-processing apparatus of the present invention comprises: a sheet discharge section that feeds a sheet supplied from an image forming apparatus to a post-processing section and leads the sheet that has passed through the post-processing section to a sheet discharge port; a sheet discharge tray that receives a sheet discharged from the sheet discharge port and can move to a first standby position and a second standby position higher than the first standby position and nearer to the sheet discharge port; and a controller that controls the height position of the sheet discharge tray by identifying the type of the sheet. The controller changes the height position of the sheet discharge tray to allow the sheet discharge tray to receive the discharged sheet at the first standby position in the case where the sheet is a first type while to receive the discharged sheet at the second standby position in the case where the sheet is a second type.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a sheet post-processing apparatus includes a machine body, a first roller pair, a tray, a second roller pair, a driving unit, an inlet sensor, a receiving unit and a control unit. The inlet sensor is configured to detect presence or absence of the sheet in the first roller pair driven by the driving unit. The receiving unit is configured to receive, from an image forming apparatus, sheet length information in the sheet conveying direction of the sheet as a target to which the print job is applied. The control unit is configured to control the driving unit to rotate, if the sheet length information indicates special length and the inlet sensor detects a trailing end of the sheet, at least rollers of the second roller pair a predetermined number of times and stop the rollers, the second roller pair nipping the sheet.

Abstract: A sheet finishing apparatus includes a conveyance section which is disposed in a space section which is surrounded by peripheral walls of an image forming apparatus main body and conveys a recording medium discharged from the image forming apparatus in a paper discharge direction, a frame which is positioned in the space section and contains the conveyance section, and a removal mechanism to bring the conveyance section into a removal mode in synchronization with an operation of extracting the frame from the space section.

Abstract: This disclosure provides a print media rotary transport apparatus and method of operation. The print media transport apparatus comprises a print media rotary path and a print media rotary bypass path, wherein the print media rotary path rotates a print media sheet about an axis orthogonal to the print media sheet.

Abstract: A recording apparatus includes a recording head, a transport driving roller, and a transport driven roller. The recording head discharges ink onto a transported recording medium, thereby performing recording. The transport driving roller is provided on the upstream side of the recording head in the transport direction and includes driving side roller portions and depressed portions. The driving side roller portions are rotationally driven, thereby transporting the recording medium. The diameter of the depressed portions is smaller than that of the driving side roller portions. The driving side roller portions and the depressed portions are arranged in a direction perpendicular to the transport direction of the recording medium in such a manner that at least one driving side roller portion alternates with at least one depressed portion. The transport driven roller is provided opposite the transport driving roller and includes driven side roller portions and presser rollers.

Abstract: A media-sheet post-processing apparatus performs post-processing on a media sheet delivered thereto. The sheet media post-processing apparatus includes a media-sheet conveying unit configured to convey a media sheet while moving in a media-sheet conveying direction; and a move drive unit configured to move the media-sheet conveying unit in the media-sheet conveying direction in such a manner that a difference between an amount that the media sheet is conveyed by the media-sheet conveying unit and an amount that the media-sheet conveying unit is moved is kept constant.

Abstract: A perforation apparatus, having: a perforation device to perforate a sheet by a punch; a pair of aligning members to align the sheet in a sheet width direction; and a contact member to contact with an trailing edge of the sheet, capable of being inserted and retracted with respect to a conveyance path of the sheet, disposed at an upstream side of the punch in the sheet conveyance direction; wherein the sheet is moved and aligned to a sheet aligning position while being grasped by the aligning members, the aligning device is retracted from the sheet aligning position after the aligning operation is completed, subsequently the contact member pushes the trailing edge of the sheet and conveys the sheet to a predetermined position, then the sheet is perforated by the perforation device.

Abstract: A discharge mechanism includes: a rotating shaft that is rotatable; a plurality of roll portions provided around the rotating shaft; an opposing member provided above the roll portions so as to oppose the roll portions, the opposing member holding and conveying a material to be conveyed, in cooperation with the roll portions so that the material to be conveyed is discharged onto a discharge section; and a protrusion formed on an outer periphery of the rotating shaft, the protrusion not protruding beyond the outer diameter of the roll portions.

Abstract: An image reading apparatus capable of easily detecting the width of a document is provided that can reduce the number of component parts. A surface to be detected of a moving section that moves in linkage with the movement of a document guide is detected using an image pickup device, so that the width dimension of the document is detected. This allows the image reading apparatus to detect the width dimension of the document by using the image pickup device.

Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus according to the invention includes a conveying portion that conveys a sheet; and an abutment member against which an end of the sheet in a conveying direction abuts, the sheet being conveyed by the conveying portion. Herein, the abutment member is movable so as to change a distance between the abutment member and the conveying portion adjacent to the abutment member based on sheet information about the stiffness of a sheet, when an end of the sheet in the conveying direction is abutted against the abutment member.

Abstract: A pair of discharge rollers is provided at a position most downstream in a conveying direction of a sheet conveying path defined by guide surfaces. The discharge rollers discharge a sheet from the sheet conveying path. A discharge chute portion, including upper and lower discharge guides, guides the discharged sheet toward a discharge tray. An elastic support piece is provided in the discharge chute portion and elastically urges a trailing edge of the discharged sheet toward the upper discharge guide. The pair of discharge rollers is arranged such that a direction in which the drive roller contacts the follower roller is inclined toward upstream in the conveying direction with respect to a direction of a normal line of a lower one of the guide surfaces that is located in the sheet conveying path at a position the most downstream in the conveying direction.

Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a paper discharge device that can sort sheets on a tray. The paper discharge device has paper discharge rollers, a tray and a driving mechanism. The paper discharge rollers are configured to discharge a sheet having an image formed thereon. The tray is configured to be stacked with the sheet discharged from the paper discharge rollers. The driving mechanism is configured to move the tray in a direction approaching the paper discharge rollers and a direction away from the paper discharge rollers and vary a stacking position of the sheet on the tray.

Abstract: A method of a double starwheel unit in multiple rows with a multi-hole manner, an instrument and the like are disclosed. The double starwheel unit has a sleeve and two starwheel parallel-arranged and connecting the sleeve. The instrument has a plate-like assembly fixture and an orientation mechanism. The plate-like assembly fixture has a plurality of strip-like tools. The method combines the strip-like tools with the plate-like assembly fixture and a plurality of module holes, presses an exterior mold on the starwheel onto upper and lower surfaces of the plate-like assembly fixture, and injects a working fluid to shape the double starwheel units. The strip-like tools are engaged or disengaged by the orientation mechanism.

Abstract: The present invention includes a damping device for a media feed mechanism for a peripheral device having a media feedpath having a feed shaft and a downstream exit shaft. In one form a damping hub is mounted on said exit shaft, a resilient biasing member extending between the damping hub and the feed shaft to create a damping force on the damping hub. In another embodiment damping is provided by a brake structure engaging said damping hub. In yet another embodiment, a brake structure is pivotably mounted.

Abstract: An automatic sheet transporting apparatus includes a transporting unit with a discharge roller, the transporting unit discharge a sheet onto a discharge tray configured that support discharged sheets in a stack. A discharge guide, positioned on an upstream side of the discharge tray in a sheet discharging direction, guides a subsequent sheet transported by the transporting unit to a position between the discharge tray and a bottom surface of a previously discharged sheet in the stack. The discharge tray includes at least one rotating member that rotates when the discharge guide guides the subsequent sheet between the discharge tray and the bottom surface of the previously discharged sheet in the stack. The frictional resistance applied to the subsequent sheet is reduced to increase the number of sheets that can be stacked in the discharge tray.

Abstract: An image forming device includes a casing formed with an opening, a pivot member pivotably disposed in the casing so as to be selectively opened and closed, a cover disposed outward of the pivot member, a lock mechanism that maintains a closed state of the pivot member, and a link mechanism. When a first force is applied on the cover to open the cover beyond a predetermined angle, the link mechanism transmits the first force as a second force to the pivot member. The second force is in an opening direction of the pivot member.

Abstract: A transport roller is provided in a transport path in order to transport paper, the transport roller transporting the paper downstream in the transport path by making contact with the paper, and At least one contact portion that makes contact with the paper is provided in the transport roller. The contact portion is deformable in a direction that releases pressing force received from the paper when transporting the paper.

Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus including a cross-directionally moving device for moving a sheet in a direction crossing a sheet discharging direction, and a cross-side restricting member for receiving one side edge of the sheet moved in the crossing direction by the cross-directionally moving device, and restricting the movement of the sheet, wherein the cross-directionally moving device moves the next sheet from a position between the other side edge of the sheet received by the cross-side restricting member and the cross-side restricting member to the cross-side restricting member.

Abstract: In a sheet discharging unit including a pair of sheet discharge rollers which discharges a sheet P, the outer diameter of a sheet discharge drive roller included in the pair of sheet discharge rollers is set so that the outer diameter of a straight portion which is a central portion in the width direction perpendicular to the discharging direction of the sheet P is larger than the outer diameters of both end portions in the width direction. Further, in the sheet discharging unit, the pair of sheet discharge rollers respectively include metal shafts extending in the width direction and elastic layers respectively wound around the metal shafts and continuously formed to be longer in the width direction than the width of a sheet P with a passable maximum size. Further, at least one elastic layer of the pair of sheet discharge rollers is formed of a foamed material.

Abstract: Feed rollers, stopper rollers situated on both outer sides with respect to the feed rollers, each of the stopper rollers having part of the periphery being a highly frictional portion compared with other peripheral portions, and a flexible, radial member in a position on an inner side with respect to the stopper rollers are disposed on a feed roller shaft; and the highly frictional portions of the stopper rollers are in positions at which phases of the highly frictional portions are the same as phases of highly frictional portions of the feed rollers in a rotational direction respectively. On a pick roller shaft, pick rollers, which have highly frictional portions for passing a paper sheet to a paper sheet running-out section, and have flexible, radial members in positions at a side opposite to the highly frictional portions, are disposed in the same or inside positions in an axial direction with respect to both the outside stopper rollers disposed on the feed roller shaft.

Abstract: A device and method for unloading laminar elements from a roll and transferring stacks of such laminar elements, and to the roll used for the same. The method including unloading sheets from a roll with the aid of a barrier; receiving the sheets on a support, such as to form a growing stack; positioning a separator between two adjacent sheets in which the first sheet completes a finished stack on the support and the second sheet is held by the separator in order to begin a new stack; moving the support to an outlet support and pushing the finished stack with the aid of a push element in order to transfer same from the support to the outlet support; moving the support to the position of the separator and removing the separator in order to transfer the growing stack from the separator to the support. The invention also relates to the device used to implement the method.

Abstract: A sheet delivery mechanism including: a first roll; a second roll; and a plurality of convexes formed circumferentially for pushing a rear end of a sheet to be delivered, wherein: a sheet delivery roll pair comprises the first roll and the second roll in contact with each other; at least one of the first roll and the second roll is provided with the plurality of convexes; and one of the plurality of convexes is arranged to be more inside radially than the tangential line drawn from the radial tip of another convex upstream adjacent in the rotating direction to the one convex at issue to the outer periphery of the roll.

Abstract: A decelerator for reducing a speed of rotation of a drive source and transmitting drive of the drive source to an image bearing member of an image forming apparatus includes a drive shaft, a drive transmission member, and a pressure regulator. The drive shaft is rotated by the drive source. The drive transmission member is rotated by the drive shaft and includes a peripheral surface that contacts the drive shaft. The pressure regulator presses the drive shaft against a center of rotation of the drive transmission member and includes an alignment regulator to regulate alignment of the drive shaft in a direction of rotation of the drive transmission member. A drive device for rotating an image bearing member includes a drive source including a drive shaft, and the decelerator. An image forming apparatus includes the drive device and an image bearing member rotated by the drive device.

Abstract: A sheet conveying apparatus includes a first conveying path through which a sheet is conveyed; a reversal conveyance driving unit which drives to reversely convey the sheet conveyed through the first conveying path; a second conveying path which branches off with the first conveying path and through which the sheet reversely conveyed by the reversal conveyance driving unit is conveyed; and a movable unit which causes a branch position between the first conveying path and the second conveying path to move on a downstream side in a conveying direction of the sheet which is conveyed through the first conveying path, after a trailing end of the sheet which is conveyed through the first conveying path passes the movable unit.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an ejecting roller assembly for use in an automatic document feeder to adaptively adjust the nip force between the follower roller and the driving roller in response to input and output of the paper sheet, there effectively preventing the paper sheet from getting jammed. The ejecting roller assembly includes a swing lever, a follower roller, a friction-generating element and a driving roller. The swing lever is coupled to the follower roller for adaptively adjusting the nip force. The friction-generating element is arranged between the swing lever and the follower roller for facilitating increasing the friction force between the swing lever and the follower roller. The driving roller is used for controlling input and output of the paper sheet.

Abstract: A medium discharging mechanism includes a first roller, a second roller, and a resiliently deformable member. The second roller is in pressure contact with the first roller to form a nip between the first roller and the second roller. The resiliently deformable member is formed of a resiliently deformable material and is rotatable about a rotating shaft of one of the second roller. The resilient member has a larger diameter than the second roller. The resilient member deforms at the nip such that a surface of the resilient ring is flush with the nip.

Abstract: A spiral slot stacker (1) has a stacker wheel (4) for accommodating sheet material (6, 7, 8), a stripper (2) for stripping off the accommodated sheet material (6, 7, 8) and a stack deposit (9) for stacking the stripped-off sheet material (6, 7, 8). The stacker (2) is movable and in a first position strips off the sheet material (6, 7, 8) from the stacker wheel (4) in such a manner that it is intermediately stacked between the stacker wheel circumference and a guideway (3). When the stripper (2) is moved to a second position, it stacks the intermediately stacked sheet material (7) on the stack deposit (9), and subsequent sheet material (6, 7, 8) is directly stacked on the stack deposit without intermediate stacking.

Abstract: A sheet ejection mechanism including a sheet ejection roller capable of rotating along a selective direction and having an arc portion and a plane portion, the arc portion and the plane portion forming a D-shape cross-section, and a pinch member configured at a position adjacent to the sheet ejection roller, wherein a recording medium is clamped and conveyed between the pinch member and the arc portion of the sheet ejection roller, and a gap is formed between the plane portion and the pinch member for allowing the recording medium to pass. Also, the present invention provides a duplex sheet feeding system having the sheet ejection mechanism.

Abstract: The invention concerns a gathering device (10) with a revolving body (14) for the formation of sheet stacks (34, 35) from individually delivered sheets (30, 31). Thanks to a device (23) for generating a holding force, preferably by electrostatic charging, which is arranged essentially outside the outer surface (16) of the revolving body (14), the sheets (30, 31) can be secured to the revolving body (14) without the revolving body (14) needing to have receiving positions dictated by mechanical means. Therefore, the receiving positions can be adapted as desired to the particular requirements.

Abstract: The present subject matter relates to a feed roller system for high speed image scanning equipment, which improves the feeding of documents, and in particular, thin or ultra-thin documents, into the scanner equipment. The feed roller system comprises a pick roller and a feed roller, each associated with its own clutch, allowing the pick roller and feed roller to be selectively driven together, independently, and/or not at all. Initially, both rollers are driven to feed a document. Drive to the pick roller is disabled by the pick roller clutch when the leading edge of the document reaches a gap control sensor, downstream of the rollers. Drive to the feed roller continues until it is disabled by the feed roller clutch when the leading edge of the document reaches a page entry sensor, downstream of the gap control sensor and the first transport rollers.

Abstract: A recording medium transport device has: a transport roller unit that nips a recording medium and transports it to a recording area, the transport roller unit including a transport roller and plural pinch rollers for nipping and transporting the recording medium; a pinch roller holder body that pivotally supports the plural pinch rollers to be pressed to the transport roller, the pinch roller holder body including a base part to be attached to a frame and plural support parts for supporting the pinch rollers respectively, the base part and the support parts being integrally formed and integrally connected to each other through thin coupling parts long in a width direction of the recording medium; and plural urging units provided on the support parts respectively for elastically urging a tip side of each of the support parts toward the transport roller.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus has a chassis, a feed roller rotatably supported by the chassis, a feed roller gear relatively unrotatably coupled to the feed roller, a motor that drives the feed roller, a drive gear that receives driving force from the motor, and an intermediate gear having a gear portion that engages the drive gear and the feed roller gear and an axle portion that is rotatably supported to the chassis via intermediate gear bearings. At least one of the intermediate gear bearings includes a substantially circular inner surface and a stepped portion that is depressed from the circular inner surface. The axle portion of the intermediate gear is supported by the stepped portion while the intermediate gear transmits driving force the motor from the drive gear to the feed roller gear during printing.

Abstract: A drive apparatus for driving media sheets in a printing device is disclosed. The drive apparatus includes a fuser drive train, a duplexer drive train, an exit roll gear and a bell crank. The bell crank is at least partially disposed in-between the fuser drive train and the duplexer drive train and is capable of swinging to assume one of a first position and a second position. The bell crank in the first position couples the fuser drive train to the exit roll gear driving the exit roll gear in the first direction for driving a media sheet into an output bin of the printing device. The bell crank in the second position couples the duplexer drive train with the exit roll gear driving the exit roll gear in the second direction for driving the media sheet along a redrive path into the printing device.

Abstract: A sheet conveying apparatus for conveying a sheet having an image formed thereon includes: a first rotator; a second rotator that comes into pressure contact with the first rotator and contacts a surface of the sheet having the image formed thereon; and a plurality of ribs that are formed on a circumferential surface of the second rotator and disposed in an axial direction so as to be continuous in a circumferential direction. Among the plurality of ribs, the ribs disposed at both ends of the second rotator in the axial direction have a diameter that is smaller than those of the other ribs.

Abstract: A device for conveying a sheet through a typographic or printing technology machine reliably transfers a sheet from a cylinder to a trailing-edge gripper system and includes a chain conveyor, grippers for holding and taking over the leading margin of the sheet from a cylinder and grippers fixed to endless chains for holding the trailing, rear margin of the sheet. When the grippers for the trailing margin pass the cylinder, the grippers are guided in a closed state along a path outside a revolution contour of a support surface and, having passed the cylinder, the grippers are guided in an open state along a path to a radial level of the rear margin held in auxiliary grippers.

Abstract: A shifting mechanism includes a guide plate, a bearing, a rotating shaft, a delivery roller, and a bearing unit. The shifting mechanism delivers a sheet of paper along a delivery passage and offsets the sheet horizontally and perpendicularly to the passage while delivering it. The guide plate has an opening forming part of the delivery passage and an end hole formed through the front end of the plate horizontally and perpendicularly to the passage. The rotating shaft extends through the end hole. The delivery roller is fixed to the rotating shaft. The sheet passes through the nip between the delivery roller and the guide plate. The bearing unit extends movably through the end hole and includes a sleeve, which supports the rotating shaft horizontally and perpendicularly to the delivery passage. The bearing unit rotates the rotating shaft.

Abstract: A sheet ejecting device having a pair of ejection rollers, a strengthener provided in a sheet ejection route, a tray for receiving ejected sheets and a driver for lifting up and down the tray. A sheet is ejected via the ejection rollers while being strengthened by the strengthener. A specified time after the sheet comes into contact with a stack of sheets on the tray, the tray is lifted up so that the contact point between the currently ejected sheet and the stack of sheets on the tray becomes nearer to the pair of ejection rollers.

Abstract: In a driving apparatus, a drive force interruption/transmission device transmits or interrupts a drive force from a drive source, a load unit is operated by the drive force transmitted from the drive force interruption/transmission device, a torque control unit varies the output torque of the drive source, a drive force interruption control unit controls the operation of the drive force interruption/transmission device, and a drive timing control unit for controls the torque control unit and the drive force interruption/transmission control unit. After the output torque of the drive force is increased the drive force from the drive source is transmitted to the load unit.

Abstract: There is provided a sheet discharging apparatus and an image forming apparatus, in which even a curled sheet can properly be discharged to and stacked on a sheet stacking portion. A projection is provided in a central portion in a width direction of a tailing end regulating portion while projected toward an upstream side in a sheet discharge direction. The tailing end regulating portion regulates a tailing end position of the sheet stacked on the sheet stacking portion. The tailing end position of the sheet discharged to the sheet stacking portion is supported by the projection, and the both end portions in the width direction of the sheet are pushed down below an upper surface of the projection by pressing portions at both ends of a full load detecting flag, thereby bending the sheet.

Abstract: A printing apparatus comprises: a first paper discharge roller unit 411 and a second paper discharge roller unit 412 which are configured to transport a print sheet to a discharge port; a upper transportation roller unit 401 configured to transport the print sheet to the first paper discharge roller unit 411; a drive control unit 302 configured to determine a transportation speed; an upper side paper discharge drive unit 270 configured to drive both the paper discharge roller units at the determined transportation speed after starting transportation of the print sheet until the print sheet leaves the upper transportation roller unit 401, and drive both the paper discharge roller units at a discharge speed which is determined independently from the transportation speed until the print sheet leaves the second paper discharge roller unit 412.

Abstract: A sheet carrying device has a mechanism that prevents a sheet from being fed backward into a carriage path after once discharged from the device, and the sheet carrying device includes a carriage surface that guides a sheet, a reverse roller attached to a rotation shaft of a sheet discharging portion, whose rotation direction is switchable between forward and backward, and a backward-feed prevention valve that prevents an edge of a discharged sheet from entering into a nip portion of the reverse roller, and the backward-feed prevention valve includes a resin sheet and an elastic member disposed at one end on the sheet discharging side of the resin sheet, and the elastic member has one surface supported by the rotation shaft of the reverse roller and the other surface pressing the resin sheet against the carriage surface.

Abstract: A paper discharge device for a printer according to the present invention includes a paper guide 4 that has a paper holding end 41 for pressing paper P against a paper guide surface 3 at a nip at a longitudinally intermediate position A of the paper guide surface 3 in front of a paper feed roller 1 while the paper P passes through the nip in the feed direction “a”. The paper guide 4 is formed by a resin plate piece, one surface of the plate piece being utilized as a paper discharge surface 42. An extension portion 43 of the plate piece is provided opposite and below a paper discharge roller 5 to bias the paper P running on to the paper discharge surface 42 into contact with the circumferential surface 51 of the paper discharge roller 5 by its elasticity. Thus, one surface of the paper guide is utilized as a paper discharge surface, and the paper guide is also used as a paper pressing member for pressing paper against the paper discharge roller.

Abstract: A paper-discharging apparatus used with an image-forming device provided with one or more paper-discharging rollers and one or more idle rollers includes a supporting plate installed in the paper-discharging port side of the body of the image-forming device, a supporting bracket rotatably supporting the one or more idle rollers, and a spacing adjustment unit allowing a spacing distance between the supporting bracket and the supporting plate to be variable in response to the shape deformation of the supporting plate. The spacing adjustment unit is provided with an elastic member to restrain a magnitude of a contact pressure generated between the paper-discharging roller and the idler roller from being changed even if a shape of the supporting plate is deformed.