The invention relates to a device and a method for stacking card-like data carriers. The device comprises (i) a conveying device for transporting individual card-like data carriers downstream along a conveying path and (ii) a stacking unit for selectively transferring and stacking card-like data carriers conveyed along the conveying path. The conveying device is arranged to convey the card-like data carriers in such a way that they are fixed to it in a hanging mode of transport. The stacking unit is arranged to selectively release certain ones of the card-like data carriers conveyed along the conveying device from the latter in order to transfer them directly—i. e. in particular without intermediate processing, intermediate transport or intermediate storage—into a card magazine and to stack them therein when the card magazine is arranged in a stacking area at a stacking position which, in relation to the direction of gravity, is situated below the conveying path.

A medium processing device includes a first, second and third conveyance path, a classification section, a first, second and third switching unit, a first, second and third storage box and a controller. Each of the first, second and third conveyance paths has two ends. One end of the first conveyance path is connected to one end of the third conveyance path. One end of the second conveyance path is connected to the other end of the third conveyance path at a second side of the classification section opposite to the first side. The other end of the first conveyance path is connected to the other end of the second conveyance path. The controller controls the first conveyance path and the second conveyance path so that the first and second conveyance paths are driven independently from each other.

A conveyor includes a first conveyance path along which a sheet is conveyed in a first direction, a second conveyance path along which the sheet is conveyed in a second direction different from the first direction, a switching part configured to switch a conveyance direction of the sheet between the first direction and the second direction, a sheet detector configured to detect the sheet at the switching part, a conveyance system driver configured to convey and stop the sheet, and circuitry configured to control the conveyance system driver to stop conveyance of the sheet in a predetermined condition, control the sheet detector to detect the sheet at the switching part, and control the switching part to switch the conveyance direction of the sheet from the first direction to the second direction when the sheet detector does not detect the sheet at the switching part.

A conveyor includes a first conveyance path along which a sheet is conveyed in a first direction, a second conveyance path along which the sheet is conveyed in a second direction different from the first direction, a switching part configured to switch a conveyance direction of the sheet between the first direction and the second direction, a sheet detector configured to detect the sheet at the switching part, a conveyance system driver configured to convey and stop the sheet, and circuitry configured to control the conveyance system driver to stop conveyance of the sheet in a predetermined condition, control the sheet detector to detect the sheet at the switching part, and control the switching part to switch the conveyance direction of the sheet from the first direction to the second direction when the sheet detector does not detect the sheet at the switching part.

A sheet placement device includes a placement member on which a sheet is placed; a limiter that is movable with respect to the placement member to limit a position of an end of the sheet placed on the placement member; a contact member provided in the limiter and to be displaced by contacting with the end of the sheet; and a detector that detects displacement of the contact member. The detector is provided in the placement member.

A sheet placement device includes a placement member on which a sheet is placed; a limiter that is movable with respect to the placement member to limit a position of an end of the sheet placed on the placement member; a contact member provided in the limiter and to be displaced by contacting with the end of the sheet; and a detector that detects displacement of the contact member. The detector is provided in the placement member.

Provided are a post-processing apparatus, an image forming apparatus, and a post-processing method capable of avoiding the occurrence of a malfunction due to a failure to discharge a sheet bundle after a binding process. A plurality of sheets is loaded on a stack tray. A staple unit binds the plurality of sheets. A discharge roller discharges the sheet bundle bound by the staple unit from the stack tray. Each time a sheet is conveyed to the stack tray, an aligning unit moves between a first position in contact with the sheet loaded on the stack tray and a second position separating from the sheet. A detection processing unit detects a failure of discharging the sheet bundle by the discharging roller. A stop processing unit can stop the operation of the aligning unit when the discharge failure is detected by the detection processing unit.

Provided are a post-processing apparatus, an image forming apparatus, and a post-processing method capable of avoiding the occurrence of a malfunction due to a failure to discharge a sheet bundle after a binding process. A plurality of sheets is loaded on a stack tray. A staple unit binds the plurality of sheets. A discharge roller discharges the sheet bundle bound by the staple unit from the stack tray. Each time a sheet is conveyed to the stack tray, an aligning unit moves between a first position in contact with the sheet loaded on the stack tray and a second position separating from the sheet. A detection processing unit detects a failure of discharging the sheet bundle by the discharging roller. A stop processing unit can stop the operation of the aligning unit when the discharge failure is detected by the detection processing unit.

A finisher apparatus includes an actuator to control a component of the finisher apparatus to perform a finishing operation on a print medium. A sensor is provided to sense the print medium in a print-medium path in the finisher apparatus. A processor is coupled to the actuator and the sensor. The processor is to execute instructions. The instructions are to actuate the actuator to eject the print medium from the print-medium path in response to a signal from the sensor indicative of a jam of the print medium in the finisher apparatus.

A printing apparatus includes: a conveyor including a first pair of conveyance rollers and a second pair of conveyance rollers each configured to nip and convey a sheet; a first jam releaser configured to separate rollers of the first pair of conveyance rollers from each other; a second jam releaser configured to separate rollers of the second pair of conveyance rollers from each other; and a controller configured to control the conveyor. In stopping sheet conveyance by the conveyor upon occurrence of a failure, the controller controls the conveyor to prevent a sheet from being nipped only by the first pair of conveyance rollers prior to separation of the rollers of the first pair of conveyance rollers from each other by the first jam releaser.