A sheet processing machine stores sheets transported by a transport unit. The sheet processing machine includes: a reel on which a first end side of a tape is wound; a first stepper motor that rotates the reel about a rotation axis of the reel; a drum configured to wind up a second end side of the tape together with the sheets to form a winding body together with the tape and the sheets; a second stepper motor that rotates the drum about a rotation axis of the drum; and circuitry configured to change an interval between the sheets wound on the drum by controlling a rotation of the first stepper motor and the second stepper motor based on a parameter indicating a condition of the winding body.

A sheet stacking device includes a sheet stacker, an image capturing device, and circuitry. The sheet stacker stacks a sheet. The image capturing device captures an image of a whole face of the sheet stacked in the sheet stacker. The circuitry detects a size of the sheet stacked in the sheet stacker, whether the sheet stacked in the sheet stacker is a last sheet, or whether an image is formed on an image forming face of the sheet, based on image data of the image captured by the image capturing device.

In some examples, a substrate handling system includes a sheet processing machine and at least one alignment device that includes at least four stops. At least one stop is configured as a front stop, at least one stop is configured as a rear stop, and at least two stops are configured as lateral stops. The at least two lateral stops are arranged opposite one another, and the at least one front stop and the at least one rear stop are arranged opposite one another. The alignment device includes at least one support element that is configured as a propping element for propping at least one partial stack of sheets in the alignment device. Further, at least one respective support element is arranged at the at least two lateral stops and at the at least one rear stop.

Provided are a medium conveying apparatus, a control method, and a control program is to enable further reduction in the time required for conveying the medium while suppressing the occurrence of the conveyance abnormality of the medium. A medium conveying apparatus includes a conveying mechanism to convey a medium, a determination module to determine whether a conveyance abnormality of the medium has occurred, and a control module to control the conveying mechanism so as to increase a conveyance speed of the medium to be conveyed thereafter, or reduce a conveyance interval of the medium to be conveyed thereafter if the conveyance abnormality of the medium has not occurred when a predetermined number of medium is conveyed.

Provided are a medium conveying apparatus, a control method, and a control program is to enable further reduction in the time required for conveying the medium while suppressing the occurrence of the conveyance abnormality of the medium. A medium conveying apparatus includes a conveying mechanism to convey a medium, a determination module to determine whether a conveyance abnormality of the medium has occurred, and a control module to control the conveying mechanism so as to increase a conveyance speed of the medium to be conveyed thereafter, or reduce a conveyance interval of the medium to be conveyed thereafter if the conveyance abnormality of the medium has not occurred when a predetermined number of medium is conveyed.

A post-processing apparatus includes a post-processing device, an ejection device, and an ejection tray. The post-processing device executes post-processing on a medium on which an image is formed by an image forming apparatus. The ejection device ejects the medium on which the post-processing is executed by the post-processing device. The ejection tray holds the medium ejected by the ejection device. The ejection tray includes a main tray having an upper face inclined downward in an ejection direction, and a movable tray being rotatably supported by the main tray between a stacking position at which the medium ejected by the ejection device remains stacked on the upper face of the main tray and an ejection position at which the medium ejected by the ejection device slides along the upper face of the main tray.

A post-processing apparatus includes a post-processing device, an ejection device, and an ejection tray. The post-processing device executes post-processing on a medium on which an image is formed by an image forming apparatus. The ejection device ejects the medium on which the post-processing is executed by the post-processing device. The ejection tray holds the medium ejected by the ejection device. The ejection tray includes a main tray having an upper face inclined downward in an ejection direction, and a movable tray being rotatably supported by the main tray between a stacking position at which the medium ejected by the ejection device remains stacked on the upper face of the main tray and an ejection position at which the medium ejected by the ejection device slides along the upper face of the main tray.

An image forming apparatus includes a sensor, a tray, a gear, a protruding portion, and a processor. The sensor has a light transmitting unit and light receiving units and is configured to generate an output signal in accordance with an amount of light received by the light receiving units. The gear is configured to rotate in accordance with an amount of sheets stacked on the tray. The protruding portion is configured to rotate with the gear and move into a light path of light emitted from the light emitting unit to the light receiving units to partially block the light, the protruding portion having a width that determines how much light in the light path is blocked and varies gradually from a first end thereof to a second end thereof. The processor is configured to determine the amount of sheets stacked on the tray based on the output signal.

A stacker module includes a lift table, a stacker configured to place sheets that are successively supplied thereto onto the top of a stack forming on the lift table, a controller configured to lower the lift table as the stack grows, a height-adjustable eject table, and an eject mechanism configured to transfer a completed stack from the lift table onto the eject table. The eject mechanism is height-adjustable for transferring stacks onto the eject table in different height positions of the lift table.

A stacker module includes a lift table, a stacker configured to place sheets that are successively supplied thereto onto the top of a stack forming on the lift table, a controller configured to lower the lift table as the stack grows, a height-adjustable eject table, and an eject mechanism configured to transfer a completed stack from the lift table onto the eject table. The eject mechanism is height-adjustable for transferring stacks onto the eject table in different height positions of the lift table.