A stack of products is moved using a robot. The robot has an articulated arm and grippers on the articulated arm to grip the stack of products. The stack of products is selectively turned in the depositing scheme. Two grippers are used in the method and, upon the deposit, the grippers are removed from the stack of products in the horizontal and in two directions perpendicular to one another. It is possible to move and selectively deposit stacks of product in a turned or unturned orientation.

A medium transporting apparatus including a transport belt that transports a medium while suctioning the medium against a transport surface, a first tray on which the medium transported with the transport belt is mounted, and a transport roller configured to move between a transporting position that nips the medium with the transport belt, and a retracted position that is a position distanced away from the transport belt with respect to the transporting position, in which the transport roller is positioned at the retracted position when a single medium is transported with the transport belt and is positioned at the transporting position when a plurality of mediums in a superposed state are transported with the transport belt.

A medium transporting apparatus including a transport belt that transports a medium while suctioning the medium against a transport surface, a first tray on which the medium transported with the transport belt is mounted, and a transport roller configured to move between a transporting position that nips the medium with the transport belt, and a retracted position that is a position distanced away from the transport belt with respect to the transporting position, in which the transport roller is positioned at the retracted position when a single medium is transported with the transport belt and is positioned at the transporting position when a plurality of mediums in a superposed state are transported with the transport belt.

A medium transport device includes a feed roller pair, a stack portion that receives a medium transported by the feed roller pair between a support surface for supporting the medium in an inclined posture in which a downstream side in a transport direction is directed downward and an opposing surface opposing the support surface and stacks the medium, an alignment portion that aligns a downstream end of the medium stacked in the stack portion, and a control unit that controls a distance between the support surface and the opposing surface, in which the stack portion is configured to be capable of changing the distance and the control unit adjusts the distance according to a condition.

A medium transport device includes a feed roller pair, a stack portion that receives a medium transported by the feed roller pair between a support surface for supporting the medium in an inclined posture in which a downstream side in a transport direction is directed downward and an opposing surface opposing the support surface and stacks the medium, an alignment portion that aligns a downstream end of the medium stacked in the stack portion, and a control unit that controls a distance between the support surface and the opposing surface, in which the stack portion is configured to be capable of changing the distance and the control unit adjusts the distance according to a condition.

A paper stack S supplied between clamping plates 1a, 1b of a carriage clamp 1 is pushed toward a positioning bar 2b by an alignment bar 5. A nip head 7 of a paper stack supplying unit 3 has first and second nip plates 9, 10, and a nip plate drive mechanism 11 moving each nip plate from a protruding position at which the nip plate protrudes from the nip head and a retracted position at which the nip plate retracts into the nip head, and translating the second nip plate taking the protruding position relative to the first nip plate taking the protruding position between a first position at which the first and second nip plates receive the paper stack therebetween and a second position at which the second nip plate cooperates with the first nip plate to grip the paper stack.

A paper stack S supplied between clamping plates 1a, 1b of a carriage clamp 1 is pushed toward a positioning bar 2b by an alignment bar 5. A nip head 7 of a paper stack supplying unit 3 has first and second nip plates 9, 10, and a nip plate drive mechanism 11 moving each nip plate from a protruding position at which the nip plate protrudes from the nip head and a retracted position at which the nip plate retracts into the nip head, and translating the second nip plate taking the protruding position relative to the first nip plate taking the protruding position between a first position at which the first and second nip plates receive the paper stack therebetween and a second position at which the second nip plate cooperates with the first nip plate to grip the paper stack.

An image forming apparatus includes a processing tray, a post-processing controller, and a detection sensor. The processing tray is configured to support a sheet or a sheet bundle on which a post-processing is to be executed. The post-processing controller is configured to execute the post-processing on the sheet positioned on the processing tray. The detection sensor is configured to detect an object in a predetermined detection range including a space above the processing tray. The post-processing controller stops execution of the post-processing when the detection sensor detects the object at a determination timing other than a timing at which passage of the sheet or the sheet bundle through the detection range is estimated.

An image forming apparatus includes a processing tray, a post-processing controller, and a detection sensor. The processing tray is configured to support a sheet or a sheet bundle on which a post-processing is to be executed. The post-processing controller is configured to execute the post-processing on the sheet positioned on the processing tray. The detection sensor is configured to detect an object in a predetermined detection range including a space above the processing tray. The post-processing controller stops execution of the post-processing when the detection sensor detects the object at a determination timing other than a timing at which passage of the sheet or the sheet bundle through the detection range is estimated.

A binding device includes a stacking device configured to receive sheets, a sheet alignment member configured to align the sheets on the stacking device, a binder configured to bind the sheets on the stacking device, a binder moving device configured to move the binder, and a retreat device configured to retreat the sheet alignment member from a range of movement of the binder. The retreat device retreats the sheet alignment member in response to a pressing force acting on the sheet alignment member in a direction of movement of the binder.