A center-alignment apparatus for use in an ATM has a transport mechanism to transport a document into the ATM. One or more plates operable in tandem to move the document toward a centerline of a path the document is to travel. Edge-detection sensor(s) on the plate sense an edge of the document when the plate(s) is moved toward the centerline. A translate/rotate mechanism translates and rotates the document while the translate/rotate mechanism transversely moves the document toward the center until another edge-detection sensor detects an edge of the document to create a parallel-aligned document. The control logic controls the plate(s) to centers the parallel-aligned document about the centerline to create a centered document.

A sheet conveying device, which is included in an image forming apparatus, includes a drive device, a pair of sheet holding rollers to convey a sheet in a sheet conveying direction, a gate to which a leading end of the sheet contacts, a first detector disposed upstream from the pair of sheet holding rollers to detect a position of the sheet and a second detector disposed downstream from the pair of sheet holding rollers to detect a position of the sheet. The pair of sheet holding rollers performs a primary correction to detect and correct a lateral displacement amount of the sheet by moving the pair of sheet holding rollers while holding the sheet, and then performs a secondary correction to detect and correct at least one of a subsequent lateral displacement of the sheet and an angular displacement of the sheet.

A sheet conveying apparatus including: a locking member having an abutment surface abutting a sheet to correct skew feed of the sheet; a holding member configured to hold the locking member to rotate from a waiting position when the locking member is pushed by the sheet; a roller pair configured to nip the sheet abutting the abutment surface; a first urging portion configured to urge the holding member to the waiting position; a movable support portion configured to support the locking member in a manner that the locking member is located a retracted position where the locking member contacts a surface of the sheet and allows the sheet to pass; and a second urging portion configured to urge the locking member to a position where the abutment surface abuts a succeeding sheet.

The invention relates to a sheet alignment device (5) for a machine for the processing of sheets (B) consisting of a thin, flat material such as paper, cardboard or film, with a feed section, at least one sensor (30, 32) for determining the position and/or alignment of the sheet (B) and also at least two alignment modules (10), each having an alignment roller (12), to which a drive device (14) is assigned in each case, whereby there is assigned to each alignment module (10) a swivel device (16), with which the alignment roller (10) can be swivelled around a swivel axis (A) perpendicular to the feed section. The invention relates also to a machine for the processing of sheets (B) consisting of a thin, flat material such as paper, cardboard or film, whereby a sheet alignment device (5) of the aforementioned type is provided. The invention relates finally to a method for the aligning of a sheet (B) consisting of thin, flat material such as paper, cardboard or film by means of the following steps: the alignment of the sheet (B) is determined, the sheet (B) is speeded up, turned and/or displaced laterally by means of at least two alignment rollers (12), controllable with regard to circumferential speed and alignment, on a feed section.

A sheet processing apparatus includes a conveyance unit configured to convey a sheet, a creasing unit configured to form a first crease and a second crease different from the first crease on the sheet, and a detection unit configured to detect a direction of the first crease. When the second crease is to be formed after the formation of the first crease by the creasing unit, a direction of the second crease with respect to a widthwise direction of the sheet is controlled based on a detection result of the detection unit.

A paper sheet processing apparatus including a plurality of transport units connected in a transport direction to which a paper sheet is transported, each of the plurality of transport units including a paper sheet detection sensor configured to detect presence/absence of the paper sheet, a transport mechanism configured to transport the paper sheet, driving means configured to drive the transport mechanism, and a controller unit configured to control the driving means, wherein the controller unit controls the driving means so that the paper sheet is transported by the transport mechanism based on a detection result of the paper sheet detection sensor.

A sheet conveying device includes a conveying roller pair, a correction unit, and a control unit. The correction unit includes a correction roller pair and a roller holder. The control unit moves the roller holder from a reference position, and returns the roller holder to the reference position after the sheet is nipped by the correction roller pair, and after this sheet correction operation, the control unit releases the nip of the conveying roller pair. At least either a swing speed vh when returning the roller holder to the reference position, or a deflection amount of the sheet before the roller holder is returned to the reference position, is adjusted so that tension is not applied to the sheet between the conveying roller pair and the correction roller pair.

An image forming apparatus includes: a transfer section including a transfer body that transfers an image onto a sheet in a transfer nip; a belt position correction section that performs operation of correcting misalignment of a position in an axial direction of a transfer belt in the transfer nip; a sheet conveyance member that is provided on the upstream side of the transfer nip in a sheet conveyance direction and conveys the sheet; and a hardware processor that controls the sheet conveyance member so as to displace the sheet along a width direction of the sheet. The hardware processor controls displacement of the sheet conveyance member so as to follow the position in the axial direction of the transfer belt at the transfer nip.

A sheet transport device includes a transport guide for guiding, along its transport surface, a sheet in a transport direction, a first transport roller pair, a second transport roller pair, a skew roller pair, a reference wall, and an actuator. The skew roller pair alone transports, in a skewed manner toward an end of the transport surface in a width direction orthogonal to the transport direction, the sheet spaced from the first transport roller and the second transport roller. The reference wall is positioned at the end of the transport surface in the width direction and extends along the transport direction. The actuator is disposed downstream of the skew roller pair and upstream of the second transport roller pair in the transport direction and between the end and a center of the transport surface in the width direction.

A sheet conveying device, which is included in an image forming apparatus, includes a sheet holding roller to move while holding a sheet, a detector to perform a primary detection to detect a sheet position before the sheet holding roller holds the sheet and a secondary detection to detect a sheet position downstream from the sheet position detected by the primary detection, and a controller configured to cause the sheet holding roller to perform a first drive to move the sheet holding roller in at least one direction of a width direction of the sheet and a rotation direction in a sheet conveying surface based on a result of the primary detection and a second drive to move the sheet holding roller opposite to the at least one direction of the first drive, based on a result of the secondary detection.