The present invention has as its object the provision of a battery material stacking system able to stack sheet-shaped workpieces relating to battery materials continuously at a high speed. The system is comprised of a conveyance mechanism 1 conveying sheet-shaped workpieces W relating to battery materials in a predetermined direction, a placement mechanism 2 placing workpieces W, and a stacking mechanism 3 stacking workpieces W. The placement mechanism 2 comprises a stator 21 of a linear motor having a predetermined running rail, a plurality of movers 22 of a linear motor provided at the stator 21, pickup members 23 provided at the movers 22 and picking up the workpieces W, and a control part 100 controlling running of the movers 22 at the stator 21. The pickup members 23 pick up the workpieces W conveyed from the conveyance mechanism 1 and rotationally convey the workpieces W along with the movers 22 running along the running rail of the stator 21, then stacking the workpieces W on the stacking mechanism 3.

A sheet discharge device includes at least one sheet discharge tray, a sheet discharge position adjustment actuator, and a controller. The sheet discharge tray receives discharged sheets. The discharge position adjustment actuator adjusts discharge positions of the discharged sheets on the at least one sheet discharge tray. The controller compares a first rotation amount of first print data printed on a first sheet with a second rotation amount of second print data printed on a second sheet. In response to a determination that the first rotation amount is different than the second rotation amount, the controller controls the sheet discharge position adjustment actuator to (a) discharge the first sheet to a first discharge position and (b) discharge the second sheet to a second discharge position different than the first discharge position.

A sheet discharge device includes at least one sheet discharge tray, a sheet discharge position adjustment actuator, and a controller. The sheet discharge tray receives discharged sheets. The discharge position adjustment actuator adjusts discharge positions of the discharged sheets on the at least one sheet discharge tray. The controller compares a first rotation amount of first print data printed on a first sheet with a second rotation amount of second print data printed on a second sheet. In response to a determination that the first rotation amount is different than the second rotation amount, the controller controls the sheet discharge position adjustment actuator to (a) discharge the first sheet to a first discharge position and (b) discharge the second sheet to a second discharge position different than the first discharge position.

A sheet conveying device includes a sheet conveying passage, an upper conveying guide provided in the sheet conveying passage and facing the upper surface of a sheet, a lower conveying guide facing the lower surface of the sheet, a conveying member conveying the sheet along the sheet conveying passage, a sheet stack tray arranged above the upper conveying guide. The upper conveying guide is swingable up and down, with one end part of it in the sheet conveying direction or in the sheet width direction perpendicular to the sheet conveying direction serving as a pivot shaft. The sheet stack tray has a movable part making contact with the upper conveying guide at least when it swings, and the movable part is movable between a sheet receiving position where it forms a sheet stack surface and a retracted position where it has swung upward from the sheet receiving position.

A sheet conveying device includes a sheet conveying passage, an upper conveying guide provided in the sheet conveying passage and facing the upper surface of a sheet, a lower conveying guide facing the lower surface of the sheet, a conveying member conveying the sheet along the sheet conveying passage, a sheet stack tray arranged above the upper conveying guide. The upper conveying guide is swingable up and down, with one end part of it in the sheet conveying direction or in the sheet width direction perpendicular to the sheet conveying direction serving as a pivot shaft. The sheet stack tray has a movable part making contact with the upper conveying guide at least when it swings, and the movable part is movable between a sheet receiving position where it forms a sheet stack surface and a retracted position where it has swung upward from the sheet receiving position.

A sheet handling apparatus includes a transport path that includes a first path, a second path, and a curved portion connecting the first path and the second path, the transport path circularly transports a sheet along the transport path in a forward direction or a backward direction. The sheet handling apparatus further includes a rolling body that is disposed at the curved portion and rotates clockwise and counterclockwise, and a plurality of rollers that are opposed to the rolling body and sandwich the sheet between each of the plurality of rollers and the rolling body along the curved portion of the transport path. The rolling body transports the sheet in the forward direction by rotating clockwise and transports the sheet in the backward direction by rotating counterclockwise.

An information processing method performs steps for an information processing apparatus to communicate with an image forming apparatus having first and second sheet output sections. The second sheet output section can be switched between a close position to serve to guide a sheet to the first sheet output section, and an open position not to guide the sheet to the first sheet output section but to stack the sheet. The method inputs a type of sheet, acquires information indicating whether the second sheet output section is in an open or closed state, and transmits image information to the image forming apparatus. When the sheet type recommends the sheet be output to the second sheet output section and the second sheet output section is in the closed state, a message is output to prompt to switch the second sheet output section into the open position before the image information is transmitted.

A pair of regulating guides can guide both end edges in a sheet width direction Y of a sheet being conveyed being nipped by a conveying belt and balls. The pair of regulating guides can move to their respective guide positions each for guiding one of both end edges of the sheet and their respective retracting positions each retracting from one of the both end edges of the sheet by a distance larger than the guide position. A guide moving unit for moving the pair of regulating guides makes each of the pair of regulating guides reach the guide position from the retracting position after the rear end of the sheet passed from a conveying roller pair positioned on the upstream side to the conveying belt passes the conveying roller pair.

A pair of regulating guides can guide both end edges in a sheet width direction Y of a sheet being conveyed being nipped by a conveying belt and balls. The pair of regulating guides can move to their respective guide positions each for guiding one of both end edges of the sheet and their respective retracting positions each retracting from one of the both end edges of the sheet by a distance larger than the guide position. A guide moving unit for moving the pair of regulating guides makes each of the pair of regulating guides reach the guide position from the retracting position after the rear end of the sheet passed from a conveying roller pair positioned on the upstream side to the conveying belt passes the conveying roller pair.

To provide a configuration for allowing a user to easily take out a sheet stopped on a conveying belt. Regulating guides are disposed on both sides of a conveying belt in a sheet width direction Y and can guide both end edges in the sheet width direction of a sheet S being conveyed while being nipped by the conveying belt and the balls. A take-out port is provided on a side close to the regulating guide in the sheet width direction and serves as an opening for taking out the sheet stopped on the conveying belt. The regulating guide on a side away from the take-out port moves in the sheet width direction Y toward the take-out port when the sheet is stopped on the conveying belt.