A sheet discharge apparatus includes a sheet stacking portion on which a sheet discharged by a discharging portion is stacked, and a control portion configured to control a moving unit such that a height position of an uppermost sheet stacked on the sheet stacking portion becomes a first height position. In a case where a sheet detection portion detects that the height position of the uppermost sheet is above a second height position, the control portion sets a sheet discharge speed of the discharging portion to a first sheet discharge speed. In a case where the sheet detection portion detects that the height position of the uppermost sheet becomes lower than the second height position, the control portion controls the sheet discharge speed to be a second sheet discharge speed faster than the first sheet discharge speed.

A sheet discharge apparatus includes a sheet stacking portion on which a sheet discharged by a discharging portion is stacked, and a control portion configured to control a moving unit such that a height position of an uppermost sheet stacked on the sheet stacking portion becomes a first height position. In a case where a sheet detection portion detects that the height position of the uppermost sheet is above a second height position, the control portion sets a sheet discharge speed of the discharging portion to a first sheet discharge speed. In a case where the sheet detection portion detects that the height position of the uppermost sheet becomes lower than the second height position, the control portion controls the sheet discharge speed to be a second sheet discharge speed faster than the first sheet discharge speed.

There is provided a sheet post-processing device that has a first tray, outlet rollers, and a control section. The first tray holds sheets for post-processing with respect to the sheets supplied from an image forming device. The outlet rollers discharge the sheet to the first tray. The control section controls a rotational speed of the outlet rollers to be decelerated after a leading end portion of the sheet passes through the outlet rollers and before the leading end portion of the sheet comes into contact with the first tray.

There is provided a sheet post-processing device that has a first tray, outlet rollers, and a control section. The first tray holds sheets for post-processing with respect to the sheets supplied from an image forming device. The outlet rollers discharge the sheet to the first tray. The control section controls a rotational speed of the outlet rollers to be decelerated after a leading end portion of the sheet passes through the outlet rollers and before the leading end portion of the sheet comes into contact with the first tray.

In a sheet discharge mechanism for enabling a wide range of sheets stored on a sheet discharge tray from a processing section, a brake lever for reducing a velocity of a sheet fed from a sheet discharge outlet is held detachably relative to an attachment frame above the sheet discharge tray, and it is possible to select whether brake action is made corresponding to sheet discharge conditions. A sheet discharge mechanism includes a sheet discharge path having a sheet discharge outlet, a sheet discharge tray disposed on the downstream side of the sheet discharge outlet with a level difference, and a brake section of a sheet carried out at the sheet discharge outlet, wherein the brake section includes a lever member in which its base end portion is axially supported by an attachment frame, and its front end portion moves up and down corresponding to a load amount of sheets.

In a sheet discharge mechanism for enabling a wide range of sheets stored on a sheet discharge tray from a processing section, a brake lever for reducing a velocity of a sheet fed from a sheet discharge outlet is held detachably relative to an attachment frame above the sheet discharge tray, and it is possible to select whether brake action is made corresponding to sheet discharge conditions. A sheet discharge mechanism includes a sheet discharge path having a sheet discharge outlet, a sheet discharge tray disposed on the downstream side of the sheet discharge outlet with a level difference, and a brake section of a sheet carried out at the sheet discharge outlet, wherein the brake section includes a lever member in which its base end portion is axially supported by an attachment frame, and its front end portion moves up and down corresponding to a load amount of sheets.

According to one embodiment, a paper conveyance apparatus includes: a paper feed section on which paper is placed; a first roller configured to be arranged at the upstream side of a reading position where the paper is read to convey the paper at a first speed; a second roller configured to be arranged between the first roller and the paper feed section to convey the paper at a second speed faster than the first speed; a motor; a fourth roller configured to be arranged between the first roller and the reading position and driven by the motor to convey the paper to the reading position at the first speed; and a transmission section configured to always transmit a rotation driving force of the motor to the first roller and the fourth roller.

This invention provides a stacker for use in forming stacks of cut sheets received from an upstream utilization device (e.g. a printer, cutter, etc.) that allows for positive driving of sheets into a stack using a stacking unit that includes a series of grippers that are adapted to grip and release a leading edge of each sheet at the appropriate time. In this manner, each sheet is gripped as it arrives from the upstream operation and is passed downstream into the stack, being released so as to properly decelerate at the stack's backstop. The grippers are mounted on a continuous belt between a pair of opposing drive sprockets. An edge sensor located upstream of the stacking unit triggers motion of the belts. The grippers are actuated by a mechanical cam arrangement to selectively grip and release at predetermined positions as the belt is driven.

This invention provides a stacker for use in forming stacks of cut sheets received from an upstream utilization device (e.g. a printer, cutter, etc.) that allows for positive driving of sheets into a stack using a stacking unit that includes a series of grippers that are adapted to grip and release a leading edge of each sheet at the appropriate time. In this manner, each sheet is gripped as it arrives from the upstream operation and is passed downstream into the stack, being released so as to properly decelerate at the stack's backstop. The grippers are mounted on a continuous belt between a pair of opposing drive sprockets. An edge sensor located upstream of the stacking unit triggers motion of the belts. The grippers are actuated by a mechanical cam arrangement to selectively grip and release at predetermined positions as the belt is driven.

An apparatus and method for forming a stack with advertising material compilations respectively consisting of an envelope with inserts therein, and having a common, leading folded edge. The apparatus includes a feed conveyor, a transfer conveyor and a stacking device. The transfer conveyor comprises a central wheel that rotates around a first rotational axis, a carrier wheel that rotates around a second rotational axis oriented parallel to the first rotational axis, and a number of pivoting arms with respectively one gripper. The second rotational axis is arranged below a horizontal plane extending through the first rotational axis. The grippers are respectively positioned on the pivoting arm to rotate around an axis. The grippers take over the advertising material compilations in a takeover region from the feed conveyor, transfer the adverting compilations in a transfer region to the stacking device which extends into the transfer region and deposit these on the stacking device.