An image forming apparatus includes an image forming portion, a driving portion configured to rotationally drive the image bearing member, a sheet support portion configured to support the sheet, a sheet blowing portion configured to perform a blowing operation, a sheet feeding portion configured to perform a feeding operation, and a control portion configured to execute a mode in which, in a predetermined period after the sheet fed by the sheet feeding portion passes through a transfer position at which a toner image formed by the image forming portion is transferred to the sheet and before a succeeding sheet fed by the sheet feeding portion passes through the transfer position, the blowing operation is performed in a state where the feeding operation is stopped. The control portion is configured to control the driving portion to stop rotation of the image bearing member during the mode.

A sheet feeding apparatus includes a support portion; a feed unit; an air blowing unit including an air blowing portion, a first air outlet, and a second air outlet; and a control unit, wherein the first air outlet is disposed to blow the air in a case where the sheet is a first sheet or a second sheet shorter than the first sheet, wherein the second air outlet is disposed to blow the air in a case where the sheet is the first sheet, and wherein in a case where the sheet is the first sheet, the control unit controls the amount of fan airflow to a first airflow, whereas in a case where the sheet is the second sheet, the control unit controls the amount of the fan airflow to a second airflow larger than the first airflow.

A sheet feeding apparatus includes a support portion; a feed unit; an air blowing unit including an air blowing portion, a first air outlet, and a second air outlet; and a control unit, wherein the first air outlet is disposed to blow the air in a case where the sheet is a first sheet or a second sheet shorter than the first sheet, wherein the second air outlet is disposed to blow the air in a case where the sheet is the first sheet, and wherein in a case where the sheet is the first sheet, the control unit controls the amount of fan airflow to a first airflow, whereas in a case where the sheet is the second sheet, the control unit controls the amount of the fan airflow to a second airflow larger than the first airflow.

A recording-medium container device includes: a container that contains a recording-medium bundle in which multiple recording media are stacked; a blower that blows air onto the recording-medium bundle contained in the container; multiple light sources that radiate light beams having different wavelengths simultaneously onto at least one of the recording media separated from the recording-medium bundle by the air blown by the blower; and an image capturing unit that performs image-capturing of the at least one recording medium irradiated with the light beams from the multiple light sources, so as to acquire multiple captured images corresponding to the wavelengths of the light beams radiated from the light sources.

A recording-medium container device includes: a container that contains a recording-medium bundle in which multiple recording media are stacked; a blower that blows air onto the recording-medium bundle contained in the container; multiple light sources that radiate light beams having different wavelengths simultaneously onto at least one of the recording media separated from the recording-medium bundle by the air blown by the blower; and an image capturing unit that performs image-capturing of the at least one recording medium irradiated with the light beams from the multiple light sources, so as to acquire multiple captured images corresponding to the wavelengths of the light beams radiated from the light sources.

A sheet transport assembly is provided for transporting a sheet along a process unit configured for applying a process to the sheet. The sheet transport assembly includes: a conveying unit including a transport belt and a deflection element. The transport belt is configured for advancing the sheet in a transport direction along the process unit to the deflection element, the sheet being placed with a contact side on the belt and a process side towards the process unit. The deflection element is arranged in contact with the transport belt to deflect the transport belt downstream in the transport direction relative to the process unit. The sheet transport assembly further includes a separating unit for separating the sheet from the transport belt. The separating unit is connected to an air supply source. The separating unit includes a restrain blowing device arranged for directing a restrain air flow onto the process side of the sheet in a restrain area for urging the sheet towards the transport belt proximate to the deflection element. The separating unit further includes a lifting blowing device arranged for directing a lifting air flow onto the contact side of the sheet in a lifting area for lifting the sheet from the transport belt. The lifting area is arranged extending only over a middle portion of a width of the sheet, the width being a dimension of the sheet in a lateral direction perpendicular to the transport direction.

A sheet transport assembly is provided for transporting a sheet along a process unit configured for applying a process to the sheet. The sheet transport assembly includes: a conveying unit including a transport belt and a deflection element. The transport belt is configured for advancing the sheet in a transport direction along the process unit to the deflection element, the sheet being placed with a contact side on the belt and a process side towards the process unit. The deflection element is arranged in contact with the transport belt to deflect the transport belt downstream in the transport direction relative to the process unit. The sheet transport assembly further includes a separating unit for separating the sheet from the transport belt. The separating unit is connected to an air supply source. The separating unit includes a restrain blowing device arranged for directing a restrain air flow onto the process side of the sheet in a restrain area for urging the sheet towards the transport belt proximate to the deflection element. The separating unit further includes a lifting blowing device arranged for directing a lifting air flow onto the contact side of the sheet in a lifting area for lifting the sheet from the transport belt. The lifting area is arranged extending only over a middle portion of a width of the sheet, the width being a dimension of the sheet in a lateral direction perpendicular to the transport direction.

A method for feeding sheets of paper comprises the following steps: providing a stack of papers on a storage surface of a paper feeding device, providing a flow of air for separating an uppermost sheet of paper from the rest of the stack of papers; determining the vertical position of the uppermost sheet of paper; adjusting the flow of air in dependence on the determined vertical position of the uppermost sheet of paper; and repeating the steps of determining the vertical position of the uppermost sheet of paper and adjusting the flow of air in dependence on the determined vertical position of the uppermost sheet of paper. During continuous operation, the flow of air is controlled in cycles with one part of the cycle, preferably the first part of the cycle, with a higher flow of air, and one part of the cycle, preferably the second part of the cycle, with a lower flow of air. By imparting the uppermost sheet of paper a pulsating movement up and down, the problems associated with electrostatic charging are mitigated.

A method for feeding sheets of paper comprises the following steps: providing a stack of papers on a storage surface of a paper feeding device, providing a flow of air for separating an uppermost sheet of paper from the rest of the stack of papers; determining the vertical position of the uppermost sheet of paper; adjusting the flow of air in dependence on the determined vertical position of the uppermost sheet of paper; and repeating the steps of determining the vertical position of the uppermost sheet of paper and adjusting the flow of air in dependence on the determined vertical position of the uppermost sheet of paper. During continuous operation, the flow of air is controlled in cycles with one part of the cycle, preferably the first part of the cycle, with a higher flow of air, and one part of the cycle, preferably the second part of the cycle, with a lower flow of air. By imparting the uppermost sheet of paper a pulsating movement up and down, the problems associated with electrostatic charging are mitigated.

A sheet feeding apparatus, includes: a loading table on which a plurality of sheets are loaded; a flotation air supply unit that causes the sheets to float by supplying air toward the edge surfaces of the plurality of sheets which are loaded on the loading table; a suction conveying unit that suctions and conveys the topmost sheet among the plurality of sheets which are caused to float by the supply of air; an image capturing unit that captures an image of a flotation state of the plurality of sheets which are caused to float by the supply of air; a control parameter adjusting unit that adjusts control parameters of the flotation air supply unit based on information on the flotation state obtained from the image captured by the image capturing unit; and a control unit that controls the flotation air supply unit based on the control parameters.