An image forming apparatus includes: one paper cassette configured to accommodate a paper sheet; an image forming section provided above the paper cassette to form an image on the paper sheet; a main conveying path configured to convey the paper sheet; and a reverse conveying path configured to reverse the paper sheet, wherein the reverse conveying path includes: a first reverse conveying path provided side by side with the paper cassette to extend vertically; a second reverse conveying path configured to connect from the first reverse conveying path and extend below the paper cassette; a guide plate configured to open and close the first reverse conveying path and release pressure of a pair of paper conveying rollers; and an entry restricting unit provided at a boundary point between the first reverse conveying path and the second reverse conveying path to open and close a conveying course of the paper sheet.

A sheet detecting apparatus has an abutment member against which a leading edge of a conveyed sheet abuts, a holding member with a positioning portion to hold the abutment member, and an indicator flag moving in association with movement of the abutment member. The abutment member moves between an abutment position and a retracted position, the holding member moves between a first position and a second position retracted from the first position, the abutment member is pushed by the leading edge of the sheet when the holding member is at the first position, with the push moving the holding member to the second position, the holding member is moved in a direction away from the first position so that the leading edge of the sheet is separated from the abutment surface, and the holding member moves from the second position to the first position when the abutment member is pushed by the sheet to the retracted position.

A sheet detecting apparatus has an abutment member against which a leading edge of a conveyed sheet abuts, a holding member with a positioning portion to hold the abutment member, and an indicator flag moving in association with movement of the abutment member. The abutment member moves between an abutment position and a retracted position, the holding member moves between a first position and a second position retracted from the first position, the abutment member is pushed by the leading edge of the sheet when the holding member is at the first position, with the push moving the holding member to the second position, the holding member is moved in a direction away from the first position so that the leading edge of the sheet is separated from the abutment surface, and the holding member moves from the second position to the first position when the abutment member is pushed by the sheet to the retracted position.

A sheet processing apparatus includes a binding portion binding a plurality of sheets stacked on a sheet stacking portion as a bundle by deforming the sheets without a staple. The sheet processing apparatus further includes a moving member moving the sheet bundle bound at a binding position by the binding portion from the binding position and a restricting member restricting the move of the sheet bundle such that a distance between the sheet bundle and the moving member is kept to be less than a predetermined distance in moving the sheet bundle by the moving member.

A sheet processing apparatus includes a binding portion binding a plurality of sheets stacked on a sheet stacking portion as a bundle by deforming the sheets without a staple. The sheet processing apparatus further includes a moving member moving the sheet bundle bound at a binding position by the binding portion from the binding position and a restricting member restricting the move of the sheet bundle such that a distance between the sheet bundle and the moving member is kept to be less than a predetermined distance in moving the sheet bundle by the moving member.

A sheet conveyance apparatus that conveys a sheet along a curved path shorter than the sheet and corrects skew of the sheet, includes: a conveyance roller that sends the sheet into the curved path; a guide that guides the sheet along the curved path; and a gate that is hinders advance of the leading end, generates a moment about a normal of the sheet passing through the leading end, and allows advance of the leading end by being pushed away by the leading end, wherein the guide includes a projection projecting toward a movement space for the sheet on a surface facing the movement space, and the projection abuts a center portion of the sheet in a longitudinal direction and generates a moment about an axis parallel to an advance direction of a portion that has come into contact with the projection.

In a sheet conveyor, a stopper piece of a sheet stopper temporarily stops a sheet supported on a sheet tray, and a pickup roller conveys the sheet from the sheet tray in a sheet conveying direction. A first sheet sensor disposed upstream of a registration roller and downstream of the stopper piece in the sheet conveying direction detects a leading edge of the sheet, and a second sheet sensor disposed downstream of the registration roller detects the leading edge of the sheet. A first contact member of the first sheet sensor receives the leading edge of the sheet. A second contact member of the second sheet sensor receives the leading edge of the sheet. The stopper piece, the first contact member, and the second contact member are offset from each other in a direction perpendicular to the sheet conveying direction and unaligned with each other in the sheet conveying direction.

A sheet conveying apparatus includes a first roller pair conveying a sheet, a second roller pair provided downstream, in a sheet conveying direction, of the first roller pair, and a moving member having an abutment portion. The moving member moves from an abutment position in a sheet conveying path upstream of a nip portion of the second roller pair to a passing position at which the sheet conveyed by the first roller pair is allowed to pass through. In a case where a first sheet and a second sheet are conveyed successively by the first roller pair, when the moving member is at the abutment position in which the abutment portion is pushed by the second sheet while the first sheet is conveyed by the second roller pair, a rear end of the first sheet is located upstream of the nip portion of the second roller pair.

Embodiments are directed at a systems, methods, and apparatuses for automatically aligning the lead edges of a document stack loaded in a scanner system. An automated jogger system includes feeder gate elements which are driven forward and backwards in an oscillating motion. This motion causes the documents in the stack to slide between each other, causing the documents to move and rotate towards the feeder gate elements, aligning the lead edges of the stack prior to being fed into the document scanner.

Embodiments are directed at a systems, methods, and apparatuses for automatically aligning the lead edges of a document stack loaded in a scanner system. An automated jogger system includes feeder gate elements which are driven forward and backwards in an oscillating motion. This motion causes the documents in the stack to slide between each other, causing the documents to move and rotate towards the feeder gate elements, aligning the lead edges of the stack prior to being fed into the document scanner.