An expansion device includes an unexpended slit sheet roll that is wound on a paper core that is wider than the slit sheet paper. The paper core is placed into a yoke that holds the paper in position on each side of the unexpended slit sheet material. An adjustable downward pressure is exerted on the paper core and the paper core exerts pressure on the yoke. As the paper is pulled, this downward pressure creates the friction required to enable the unexpended slit sheet to be unwind and fed while simultaneously expanding. A blank sheet is formed into a box that stabilizes slit paper sheet wound around a core member.

A paper-sheet counting machine (10) includes: a recognition and counting unit (24) configured to count paper sheets; a stacking unit (26) configured to stack therein the paper sheets that have been counted by the recognition and counting unit (24), an opening being provided in a front face of the stacking unit (26); a rotary guide unit (28) provided to the stacking unit (26) and configured to allow the paper sheets that have been counted by the recognition and counting unit (24) to be stacked in the stacking unit (26); a shutter (40) configured to close the opening provided in the front face of the stacking unit (26); a shutter drive unit (50) configured to drive the shutter (40) to open and close the opening provided in the front face of the stacking unit (26); and a control unit (70) configured to control the shutter drive unit (50).

The present disclosure is to provide a document storage assembly including a housing, a guiding plate, a supporting plate, and a displacement assembly. The supporting plate has at least one engagement structure, in which the guiding plate and the supporting plate define a storage space therebetween. The displacement assembly is configured to move the supporting plate towards or away from the guiding plate along a direction, in which the displacement assembly includes at least one first belt, at least one second belt, and a synchronous transmission assembly. The first belt has an engaging section parallel to the direction and is engaged with the engagement structure. The second belt is located under the storage space and has a supporting section parallel to the direction. The synchronous transmission assembly is configured to drive the engaging section and the supporting section to move at the same speed.

A sheet feeding device includes: a main assembly; a holding unit detachably mountable to the main assembly; a portion-to-be-engaged provided on the main assembly; a rotatable member, provided in the holding unit, for feeding a sheet; and a guiding member for guiding feeding of the sheet. The guiding member is provided in the holding unit and includes an engaging portion engageable with the portion-to-be-engaged. The guiding member is movable between an engaging position where the portion-to-be-engaged and the engaging portion are engaged with each other to guide the sheet and a guiding position where the portion-to-be-engaged and the engaging portion are disengaged from each other to guide demounting and mounting of the holding unit.

An image forming apparatus includes an apparatus body, a wall face of the apparatus body having an ejection opening from which a sheet conveyed in a first direction is ejected, a sheet support to support the sheet discharged from the discharge opening in the first direction, and a mount to mount the sheet support to the apparatus body. The mount includes an abutting portion including an abutting face that contacts a wall face of the apparatus body, and a projection projecting in a second direction opposite to the first direction from the abutting face. The abutting face extends in a vertically downward direction from the projection, and the projection is fixed to the apparatus body in a vertical direction.

If a damper or a magnetic catch is used to make a guide member self-holdable in an opened state, a force is required for holding the weight of the guide member in the opened state. This increases an operation force for closing the guide member and degrades the operability. In contrast, if a mechanical holding mechanism without using the damper is employed, the hold may be disengaged without intention of a user. A sheet conveyance device includes an upper conveyance guide for guiding a conveyed sheet and a holding portion for holding the upper conveyance guide in an opened position with respect to a lower conveyance guide opposed thereto, wherein the upper conveyance guide includes an operation portion for disengaging engagement between the upper conveyance guide and the holding portion, and the holding portion includes an operation portion for disengaging engagement between the upper conveyance guide and the holding portion.

To enable a user, when removing a sheet of paper from a transport mechanism, to easily remove the sheet of paper from the transport mechanism even with structure in which a transport roller is provided at a position inaccessible to a user. A paper-sheet transport device, including: a drive part which drives a transport mechanism transporting a sheet of paper; a cover; a shaft that rotatable in a predetermined direction by drive generated by the drive part, the shaft including a transport roller fixed thereto for transporting the sheet of paper; a lever which is arranged at, at least, a drive part side end out of both ends of the shaft and which, through a part of the cover, receives force due to an opening/closing operation of the cover; and a ratchet via which the lever and the shaft are engaged or disengaged, and which changes from the engaged state to the disengaged state in response to the lever receiving the force due to the opening/closing operation of the cover.

A sheet feeding device includes: a main assembly; a holding unit detachably mountable to the main assembly; a portion-to-be-engaged provided on the main assembly; a rotatable member, provided in the holding unit, for feeding a sheet; and a guiding member for guiding feeding of the sheet. The guiding member is provided in the holding unit and includes an engaging portion engageable with the portion-to-be-engaged. The guiding member is movable between an engaging position where the portion-to-be-engaged and the engaging portion are engaged with each other to guide the sheet and a guiding position where the portion-to-be-engaged and the engaging portion are disengaged from each other to guide demounting and mounting of the holding unit.

A paper-sheet counting machine (10) includes: a recognition and counting unit (24) configured to count paper sheets; a stacking unit (26) configured to stack therein the paper sheets that have been counted by the recognition and counting unit (24), an opening being provided in a front face of the stacking unit (26); a rotary guide unit (28) provided to the stacking unit (26) and configured to allow the paper sheets that have been counted by the recognition and counting unit (24) to be stacked in the stacking unit (26); a shutter (40) configured to close the opening provided in the front face of the stacking unit (26); a shutter drive unit (50) configured to drive the shutter (40) to open and close the opening provided in the front face of the stacking unit (26); and a control unit (70) configured to control the shutter drive unit (50).

To enable a user, when removing a sheet of paper from a transport mechanism, to easily remove the sheet of paper from the transport mechanism even with structure in which a transport roller is provided at a position inaccessible to a user. A paper-sheet transport device, including: a drive part which drives a transport mechanism transporting a sheet of paper; a cover; a shaft that rotatable in a predetermined direction by drive generated by the drive part, the shaft including a transport roller fixed thereto for transporting the sheet of paper; a lever which is arranged at, at least, a drive part side end out of both ends of the shaft and which, through a part of the cover, receives force due to an opening/closing operation of the cover; and a ratchet via which the lever and the shaft are engaged or disengaged, and which changes from the engaged state to the disengaged state in response to the lever receiving the force due to the opening/closing operation of the cover.