A layboy includes an upper belt section with a plurality of transversely spaced upper belts that extend in a longitudinal direction such that bottom portions of the upper belts lie in a first plane that defines an upper boundary of a transport path through the layboy and a lower belt section having a plurality of transversely spaced lower belts that extend in the longitudinal direction such that top portions of the lower belts lie in a second plane that defines an upper boundary of the transport path. The bottom portion of one of the top belts and/or the top portion of one of the bottom belts extends away from the transport path to define a gap in the transport path at which scrap moving through the layboy can fall out of the transport path.

A layboy includes an upper belt section with a plurality of transversely spaced upper belts that extend in a longitudinal direction such that bottom portions of the upper belts lie in a first plane that defines an upper boundary of a transport path through the layboy and a lower belt section having a plurality of transversely spaced lower belts that extend in the longitudinal direction such that top portions of the lower belts lie in a second plane that defines an upper boundary of the transport path. The bottom portion of one of the top belts and/or the top portion of one of the bottom belts extends away from the transport path to define a gap in the transport path at which scrap moving through the layboy can fall out of the transport path.

A technique by which when printing is initiated, printed sheets remaining in a large-volume stacker and sheets printed in a subsequent job are not mixed in the large-volume stacker is provided. A printing system in which a printing apparatus and a post-processing apparatus for receiving a sheet printed by the printing apparatus and performing post-processing are connected, upon activation of the printing system, when detecting that a sheet is stacked in the post-processing apparatus, instructs the processing apparatus to discharge the remaining sheet.

A technique by which when printing is initiated, printed sheets remaining in a large-volume stacker and sheets printed in a subsequent job are not mixed in the large-volume stacker is provided. A printing system in which a printing apparatus and a post-processing apparatus for receiving a sheet printed by the printing apparatus and performing post-processing are connected, upon activation of the printing system, when detecting that a sheet is stacked in the post-processing apparatus, instructs the processing apparatus to discharge the remaining sheet.

A conveying apparatus includes: receiving trays arranged vertically and has a lowest tray and a first receiving tray; a conveying mechanism; a supporter supporting the receiving trays; and a swing mechanism configured to swing the first receiving tray with respect to the supporter to one of a receiving position at which the first receiving tray receives a medium and an upper position. The swing mechanism is configured to: keep the first receiving tray at the upper position when a first external force directed in a direction in which the first receiving tray is moved from the upper position toward the receiving position is not applied to the first receiving tray located at the upper position; and swing the first receiving tray with respect to the supporter toward the receiving position when the first external force is applied to the first receiving tray.

A conveying apparatus includes: receiving trays arranged vertically and has a lowest tray and a first receiving tray; a conveying mechanism; a supporter supporting the receiving trays; and a swing mechanism configured to swing the first receiving tray with respect to the supporter to one of a receiving position at which the first receiving tray receives a medium and an upper position. The swing mechanism is configured to: keep the first receiving tray at the upper position when a first external force directed in a direction in which the first receiving tray is moved from the upper position toward the receiving position is not applied to the first receiving tray located at the upper position; and swing the first receiving tray with respect to the supporter toward the receiving position when the first external force is applied to the first receiving tray.

A conveying apparatus includes: receiving trays including (i) a lowest tray, (ii) a first receiving tray different from the lowest tray, and (iii) at least one second receiving tray including one second receiving tray disposed just below the first receiving tray; a conveying mechanism; and a supporter supporting the receiving trays. The conveying apparatus further includes a transmission mechanism configured to perform at least one of: transmission of upward movement of the first receiving tray from a receiving position to an upper position, to downward movement of the one second receiving tray from the receiving position to a lower position; and transmission of the downward movement of the one second receiving tray to the upward movement of the first receiving tray.

It is an object to provide a sheet conveying apparatus excellent in productivity, and a sheet conveying apparatus is provided with a sheet conveying section for conveying a sheet in a predetermined conveyance direction, a placement portion to place sheets conveyed by the sheet conveying section, a contact portion for coming into contact with an upstream side end portion in the conveyance direction of placed sheets placed in the placement portion, a sheet discharge section for shifting the contact portion to the downstream side in the conveyance direction and thereby discharging the placed sheets from the placement portion, and a sheet conveyance guide portion for supporting a front end of a next sheet conveyed to the placement portion by the sheet conveying section on the upstream side of the contact portion in the conveyance direction, where the sheet conveyance guide portion is provided with an inclined face for supporting the front end of the next sheet discharged to the placement portion.

A dual-stage rapid sheet stacking system is provided. In one embodiment, the dual-stage rapid stacker comprises a landing platform and a first actuator configured to control a vertical position of the landing platform. A vertical position sensor is configured to monitor the vertical position of the landing platform. A CPU is configured to receive a signal from the vertical position sensor and, in response to the received signal, to send a corresponding command to the first actuator such that the first actuator maintains a minimum sheet drop distance. A sliding catch tray unit, is mounted on a plurality of suspension rails. The dual-stage rapid sheet stacking system comprises a second actuator configured to receive commands from the CPU to control a horizontal position of the sliding catch tray unit. The dual-stage rapid sheet stacking system is configured to stack a plurality of sheets on the landing platform and then discharge, a plurality of sheets through the sliding catch tray unit.

A dual-stage rapid sheet stacking system is provided. In one embodiment, the dual-stage rapid stacker comprises a landing platform and a first actuator configured to control a vertical position of the landing platform. A vertical position sensor is configured to monitor the vertical position of the landing platform. A CPU is configured to receive a signal from the vertical position sensor and, in response to the received signal, to send a corresponding command to the first actuator such that the first actuator maintains a minimum sheet drop distance. A sliding catch tray unit, is mounted on a plurality of suspension rails. The dual-stage rapid sheet stacking system comprises a second actuator configured to receive commands from the CPU to control a horizontal position of the sliding catch tray unit. The dual-stage rapid sheet stacking system is configured to stack a plurality of sheets on the landing platform and then discharge, a plurality of sheets through the sliding catch tray unit.