A document conveyance apparatus includes a first conveyance path, a first image reading part, a second conveyance path, a third conveyance path and a branch guide. The first conveyance path extends linearly. The first image reading part reads an image on one face of the document conveyed along the first conveyance path. The second conveyance path branches from the first conveyance path at a branch point on a downstream side of the first reading part in a conveyance direction of the document and is formed to be curved. The third conveyance path branches from the first conveyance path at the branch point and extends linearly in a same extending direction as an extending direction of the first conveyance path. The branch guide is provided at the branch point and guides the document to the second conveyance path or to the third conveyance path.

A sheet conveying device, which is included in an image reading device and an image forming apparatus, includes a passage forming body and a sound absorber. The passage forming body is configured to define a sheet conveying passage through which a sheet passes. The sound absorber includes a hollow portion and a communication portion configured to communication the hollow portion and the sheet conveying passage. A position of the communication portion of the sound absorber is changeable in the sheet conveying passage. The sheet conveying device included in the image reading device includes an original document conveying device configured to convey an original document having an image on a surface. The sheet conveying device included in the image forming apparatus includes a recording medium conveying device configured to convey the recording medium accommodated in a recording medium container to the image forming device.

A sheet conveying device, which is included in an image reading device and an image forming apparatus, includes a passage forming body and a sound absorber. The passage forming body is configured to define a sheet conveying passage through which a sheet passes. The sound absorber includes a hollow portion and a communication portion configured to communication the hollow portion and the sheet conveying passage. A position of the communication portion of the sound absorber is changeable in the sheet conveying passage. The sheet conveying device included in the image reading device includes an original document conveying device configured to convey an original document having an image on a surface. The sheet conveying device included in the image forming apparatus includes a recording medium conveying device configured to convey the recording medium accommodated in a recording medium container to the image forming device.

A method and an apparatus for holding down a sheet on a feed table of a sheet-processing machine include a lowerable smoothing bar which can be driven according to a speed profile in time with the sheet-processing machine, which results in a targeted deflection of the smoothing bar. The deflection is preserved for the purpose of smoothing the sheet from the middle to the side.

A method and an apparatus for holding down a sheet on a feed table of a sheet-processing machine include a lowerable smoothing bar which can be driven according to a speed profile in time with the sheet-processing machine, which results in a targeted deflection of the smoothing bar. The deflection is preserved for the purpose of smoothing the sheet from the middle to the side.

A sheet transfer assembly is provided for transferring a sheet from a supplying conveyor to a receiving conveyor. The receiving conveyor includes a transport belt having a support surface for supporting the sheet on a contact side of the sheet. The supplying conveyor is arranged for advancing the sheet in a transport direction towards the receiving conveyor. The sheet transfer assembly includes a sheet guidance element arranged downstream of the supplying conveyor in the transport direction for guiding the sheet towards the receiving conveyor, the sheet guidance element includes a guidance surface for supporting the sheet at its contact side; wherein the guidance surface includes two guide faces. Both guide faces extending in the transport direction over the support surface of the transport belt and being cooperatively arranged for supporting both side edge portions at the sides of the sheet in a lateral direction, which is substantially perpendicular to the transport direction, thereby forming a space in between one another allowing a middle portion of the sheet to move towards the support surface of the transport belt.

A paper sheet handling apparatus (banknote handling apparatus 100) includes: a housing 12; a transport path forming member 711 disposed inside the housing and configured to form a transport path that transports paper sheets while sandwiching each paper sheet in a direction of the thickness of the paper sheet; and a handing unit (non-bundling stacker module 54) disposed at a predetermined position inside the housing. When jamming of paper sheets occurs in the middle of the transport path, the transport path forming member is displaced so as to open the transport path, in a state where the inside of the housing is opened by an opening and closing unit being opened. The handling unit disposed adjacent to the transport path is movable from the predetermined position so as to form a space that allows the transport path forming member to be displaced.

An object of the present disclosure is to provide a conveyance apparatus whose detection unit of a printing medium is unlikely to be damaged. One embodiment of the present invention is a conveyance apparatus including: a first guide that is fixed to a main body; a second guide capable of moving to a position at which the second guide forms, together with the first guide, a conveyance path through which a printing medium is conveyed and a position at which the second guide opens the conveyance path; a first lever that is provided to the main body and which detects whether or not the printing medium exists in the conveyance path; and a second lever that shields light, wherein the first lever and the second lever can swing integrally or independently in accordance with the position of the second guide.

An object of the present disclosure is to provide a conveyance apparatus whose detection unit of a printing medium is unlikely to be damaged. One embodiment of the present invention is a conveyance apparatus including: a first guide that is fixed to a main body; a second guide capable of moving to a position at which the second guide forms, together with the first guide, a conveyance path through which a printing medium is conveyed and a position at which the second guide opens the conveyance path; a first lever that is provided to the main body and which detects whether or not the printing medium exists in the conveyance path; and a second lever that shields light, wherein the first lever and the second lever can swing integrally or independently in accordance with the position of the second guide.

An image forming apparatus includes an image forming portion, a sheet feeding portion, a first guiding member, a second guiding member, a driving portion, a detecting portion, and a controller. When a leading end of a sheet is detected by the detecting portion, in a case that information on a thickness of the sheet fed by the sheet feeding portion is a first thickness, the controller controls the driving portion so that a distance in a sheet feeding passage with respect to a thickness direction is a first distance, and in a case that the information on the thickness of the sheet fed by the sheet feeding portion is a second thickness thinner than the first thickness, the controller controls the driving portion so that the distance in the sheet feeding passage with respect to the thickness direction is a second distance shorter than the first distance.