An image forming apparatus comprises a first conveyance unit, an image forming unit, a second conveyance unit, a stacking unit, and a control unit. The control unit controls, in a case where a sheet stacking condition of the stacking unit does not satisfy a predetermined stacking condition, the second conveyance unit to convey the sheet at a second conveyance speed that is faster than the first conveyance speed. The control unit controls, in a case where the sheet stacking condition of the stacking unit satisfies the predetermined stacking condition, the second conveyance unit to convey the sheet at a third conveyance speed that is slower than the second conveyance speed.

Provided is a technique that enables proper sorting of discharged print media by suppressing curling of each of the print media sufficiently. A determining unit determines a curling suppressing operation to be executed such that in a case where sorting operation is executed, the suppressing operation having a higher effect of suppressing curling is executed than in a case where the sorting operation is executed. Then, a print control unit controls a print head to perform printing on print media while executing the suppressing operation determined by the determining unit.

A medium conveying apparatus includes a loading tray to place media, a feed roller to separate and sequentially feed the media placed on the loading tray, a motor to drive the feed roller, a sensor located on a downstream side of the feed roller in a medium conveying direction to detect a medium, and a processor to control the motor. In a separation period from a start of medium feeding by the feed roller to detection of a front edge of the first medium by the sensor, when feeding a first medium of a plurality of media placed on the loading tray, the processor controls the motor to rotate the feed roller at a constant speed, and when feeding a second or subsequent medium, the processor controls the motor to rotate the feed roller at a first speed and then at a second speed higher than the first speed.

A medium conveying apparatus includes a loading tray to place media, a feed roller to separate and sequentially feed the media placed on the loading tray, a motor to drive the feed roller, a sensor located on a downstream side of the feed roller in a medium conveying direction to detect a medium, and a processor to control the motor. In a separation period from a start of medium feeding by the feed roller to detection of a front edge of the first medium by the sensor, when feeding a first medium of a plurality of media placed on the loading tray, the processor controls the motor to rotate the feed roller at a constant speed, and when feeding a second or subsequent medium, the processor controls the motor to rotate the feed roller at a first speed and then at a second speed higher than the first speed.

A positioning device (38) for holding a flat flexible part, especially a sheet, on a positioning surface (46) is presented. It comprises a body (44) having a suction opening (50) for aspiring the part and a fluid port (52) being in fluid communication with the suction opening (50). Furthermore, an abutment protrusion (60) is provided on a connection surface (48) for abutting the positioning device (38) against a base part (28) to which it may be mounted. Also a sealing protrusion (64) is arranged on the connection surface (48) for compressing a gasket (42) being interposed between the positioning device (38) and the base part (28). A height (H.sub.a) of the abutment protrusion (60) is bigger than a height (H.sub.s) of the sealing protrusion (64). Additionally, a positioning assembly (24) is presented which comprises at least one such positioning device (38). Furthermore, a sheet material processing machine comprising at least one such positioning assembly (24) is introduced.

Provided is a printing apparatus comprising: a discharging unit configured to convey and discharge print media; a tray configured to receive print media discharged in a first direction from the discharging unit; and a drive unit configured to move the tray in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. In discharging print media, the tray is moved in the second direction to thereby receive the discharged print media at a plurality of different positions on the tray. The tray is movable to a take-out position being a position closer in the second direction to a take-out side where print media are taken out than any of the positions at which the tray receives the print media discharged from the discharging unit.

Provided is a technique that enables proper sorting of discharged print media by suppressing curling of each of the print media sufficiently. A determining unit determines a curling suppressing operation to be executed such that in a case where sorting operation is executed, the suppressing operation having a higher effect of suppressing curling is executed than in a case where the sorting operation is executed. Then, a print control unit controls a print head to perform printing on print media while executing the suppressing operation determined by the determining unit.

Provided is a printing apparatus that prevents a print medium from buckling during discharging, a method of controlling a printing apparatus, and a storage medium. In the case where the print conveyance speed determined by the print mode is higher than or equal to the specified speed, the print medium after printing is conveyed to the discharging tray at the print conveyance speed, and in the case where the print conveyance speed determined by the print mode lower than the specified speed, the print medium after printing is conveyed to the discharging tray at the specified speed increased from the print conveyance speed.

A device for decelerating a transported and flat shaped product includes a brake operable by an air jet supplied by an air jet nozzle. The air jet nozzle is configured to impinge the air jet on a braking force implementing body to exert a braking force on the flat shaped product. The braking force implementing body includes: at least one first element, which has a physical structure for a return-flow of the air jet supplied by the air jet nozzle, and at least one second element, which for the braking force implementation is in an operative connection with the first element. The second element is configured to implement an impulse force caused by the air jet from the air jet nozzle. The impulse force results as the braking force onto the flat shaped product.

A device for decelerating a transported and flat shaped product includes a brake operable by an air jet supplied by an air jet nozzle. The air jet nozzle is configured to impinge the air jet on a braking force implementing body to exert a braking force on the flat shaped product. The braking force implementing body includes: at least one first element, which has a physical structure for a return-flow of the air jet supplied by the air jet nozzle, and at least one second element, which for the braking force implementation is in an operative connection with the first element. The second element is configured to implement an impulse force caused by the air jet from the air jet nozzle. The impulse force results as the braking force onto the flat shaped product.