A post-processing device for applying a post-process to a sheet fed from a device of a preceding stage is provided. The post-processing device includes a holding tray; an alignment mechanism; an output mechanism; and a control unit. In the case where a first sheet and a second sheet are different in size, the control unit performs a control in such a manner that, when the first sheet is fed, the alignment mechanism or the output mechanism shifts the first sheet to match the side edge of the first sheet and the side edge of the second sheet to be fed following the first sheet, and that, after the second sheet is fed, the output mechanism outputs the sheet bundle.

A sheet binding method involves holding a tape in at least two different locations of the tape; guiding a sheet bundle to between the two different locations of the tape; bending and holding the tape so as to be convex with respect to a conveying direction on a downstream side of the sheet bundle; and contacting the convex tape with the sheet bundle to bind the sheet bundle.

A sheet discharge device includes at least one sheet discharge tray, a sheet discharge position adjustment actuator, and a controller. The sheet discharge tray receives discharged sheets. The discharge position adjustment actuator adjusts discharge positions of the discharged sheets on the at least one sheet discharge tray. The controller compares a first rotation amount of first print data printed on a first sheet with a second rotation amount of second print data printed on a second sheet. In response to a determination that the first rotation amount is different than the second rotation amount, the controller controls the sheet discharge position adjustment actuator to (a) discharge the first sheet to a first discharge position and (b) discharge the second sheet to a second discharge position different than the first discharge position.

An image forming system includes an image forming unit, an inspection unit, a conveyance unit configured to convey a sheet to the inspection unit, a controller configured to execute a first inspection mode in which a sheet having an image formed thereon is conveyed by the conveyance unit to the inspection unit and is inspected, and a second inspection mode in which, without executing image forming by the image forming unit, a sheet is conveyed by the conveyance unit to the inspection unit and is inspected, and a setting unit configured to set a recovery process. The setting unit permits the setting of the recovery process in the first inspection mode and prohibits the setting of the recovery process in the second inspection mode.

A control method for forming an image includes receiving a pending image-forming job, and obtaining pending image-forming data and image-forming configuration information in the pending image-forming job, the image-forming configuration information including total page number corresponding to the pending image-forming job; performing image-forming operation on an image-forming medium according to the pending image-forming data and the image-forming configuration information; under satisfied predetermined conditions, controlling a discharge distance of at least one page of the image-forming medium of the pending image-forming data to be different from a discharge distance of other pages of the image-forming medium, or controlling a discharge distance of at least one page of the image-forming medium of the pending image-forming job to be different from a discharge distance of the image-forming medium of a previous image-forming job.

A sorting device includes a base portion, a tray portion, and a tray driving portion. The tray driving portion includes a motor, a supporting shaft, an input member, an output member, a link mechanism, and an urging member. The input member includes a first boss portion movably supported on the supporting shaft, and is reciprocatable up and down along the supporting shaft. The output member has a second boss portion coupled with the first boss portion via a ratchet mechanism. The link mechanism converts a rotary motion of the output member to a linear motion of the tray portion. The ratchet mechanism operates such that, when a predetermined or heavier load is applied to the output member via the tray portion, the input member is pushed down against the urging force of the urging member and engagement between the first and second ratchet teeth is released.

A sheet conveying device can selectively execute a first conveyance process of conveying sheets on a first tray and discharging the sheets onto a second tray, a second conveyance process of conveying the sheets on the first tray and discharging the sheets onto a third tray, or a third conveyance process of conveying the sheets on the third tray and discharging the sheets onto the second tray. A control device records conveyance history information indicating by which conveyance processes each of the sheets on the first tray has been conveyed in a storage device. Furthermore, the control device causes the sheet conveying device to sequentially select the first conveyance process or the third conveyance process for each of the sheets based on the conveyance history information and execute the selected process.

A recording material processing apparatus includes a guide shaft of which an axial direction extends in a recording material width direction intersecting a discharge direction of a recording material, and an alignment unit that moves along the guide shaft, in which the alignment unit includes a bearing portion that is movably fitted onto the guide shaft, an alignment portion that is provided to be exposed at an outer side in the discharge direction and comes into contact with an end surface of the recording material that is parallel to the discharge direction from an outer side of the recording material to align a position of the end surface, an arm portion that connects the bearing portion and the alignment portion to each other, and a protruding portion that protrudes from a surface of the arm portion to a position outside the recording material in the axial direction of the guide shaft and comes into contact with a surface of a device main body, which is parallel to the discharge direction, in a case where an external force is applied to the alignment unit with the alignment unit being at a position close to the surface.

An image forming apparatus includes a first transport unit, a second transport unit, a cover, a flap, a drive unit for moving the flap, a first sensor for detecting opening and closing of the cover, a second sensor for detecting a position of a sheet, and a controller. The controller switches the drive unit to move the flap to the second position, upon determining it is necessary to move the flap to the second position, subsequent to determining that the cover is opened based on a detection result by the first sensor. The controller switches the drive unit to move the flap from the second position to the first position, upon determining, based on a detection result by the second sensor, that a leading edge of the sheet reaches a position downstream, in a sheet transport direction, of a swing end portion of the flap at the second position.

An image forming apparatus includes a first unit, a second unit fixed to the first unit at a portion upstream of the first unit in a conveyance direction in which the sheet is conveyed, and an electric board. In the image forming apparatus, a disposition of the electric board is restricted by the first unit and the second unit.