An image forming apparatus includes an image forming device, a transport route, a purge transport route, an image forming transport route, a transport roller, and a blowing machine. The image forming device forms an image on a sheet. The transport route extends to a predetermined position. The purge transport route extends to a downstream side in a sheet transport direction, from the predetermined position. The image forming transport route is branched from the purge transport route at the predetermined position, and extends toward the image forming device. The transport roller transports the sheet along the transport route, and along one of the purge transport route and the image forming transport route. The blowing machine delivers the sheet to one of the purge transport route and the image forming transport route, by blowing air to the sheet being transported along the transport route.

A feeder includes a conveyance path, a conveyance roller that conveys a sheet along the conveyance path, a transmitter that emits a space propagating energy, a receiver that receives a reflected energy obtained by reflection of the space propagating energy, and an actuator mounted pivotably on a pivot shaft and including first and second legs extending in different directions from the pivot shaft. The first leg is disposed to extend to the conveyance path and abut against the sheet being conveyed along the conveyance path. The second leg has a reflective surface crossing a path of the space propagating energy. The actuator is pivoted by abutment of the sheet against the first leg. The reflective surface is formed so that the reflected energy obtained by the reflection of the space propagating energy on the reflective surface enters the receiver regardless of an angle of pivotal movement of the actuator.

An image forming apparatus includes a sheet accommodation unit, a feed roller to feed a sheet along a conveyance path, a first encoder to detect rotation of the feed roller, a conveying roller downstream of the feed roller, a second encoder to detect rotation of the conveying roller, and a motor to drive the feed roller and the conveying roller. A first clutch switches between connecting and disconnecting the paper feed roller to the motor. A second clutch switches between connecting and disconnecting the motor to the conveying roller. A first sensor detects the sheet at a first position. A second sensor detects the sheet at a second position. A control unit controls the motor based on output from the first encoder when the sheet is at the first position and output from the second encoder when the sheet is at the second position.

An image processing apparatus includes a transmitter, a receiver, a comparison circuit, and a control unit. The transmitter transmits an ultrasonic wave to a conveyance path through which a sheet is conveyed. The receiver faces the transmitter with the conveyance path in between, and receives the ultrasonic wave transmitted by the transmitter. The comparison circuit compares a level signal indicating a reception level of the ultrasonic wave received by the receiver with a threshold signal for determining whether or not the sheet is double-fed in the conveyance path, and outputs a comparison result signal according to the comparison result. The control unit determines whether or not there is a possibility of a defect in the double feed detection function of detecting double feed based on the comparison result signal and the level signal.

An open banknote system comprises a first banknote path plate and a second banknote path plate coupled to a frame, wherein the first banknote path plate and the second banknote path plate are disposed a distance apart, a banknote path disposed in a space between the first banknote path plate and the second banknote path plate, wherein each of a first side and a second side of the banknote path open to an area wider than a central portion of the banknote path, and a plurality of rollers each coupled to one of the first banknote path plate and the second banknote path plate, wherein each one of the plurality of rollers forms a banknote pinch point with another one of the plurality of rollers.

A medium feeding apparatus includes a feed roller that feeds media. A separation roller nips the media together with the feed roller to separate it and is rotated in a first direction to feed the media. A motor applies driving torque to the separation roller in a second direction opposite to the first direction. A torque limiter, when rotation torque applied to the separation roller in the first direction exceeds a preset upper torque limit, causes the separation roller to rotate at idle in the first direction independently of the driving torque. During feeding operations, including feeding of first and second media, a controller that controls the motor provides a break period in which the motor is not driven. The break period contains the timing when a rear edge of the first medium leaves a nip position between the feeding and separation rollers.

A medium conveying apparatus includes a medium tray, a feed roller to feed a medium placed on the medium tray, a brake roller facing the feed roller, a pressing member to press the brake roller to the feed roller side, a processor to detect media multi-feed, and control the feed roller and the brake roller in such a way that the medium is reset to the medium tray when the media multi-feed of media is detected. The processor controls the pressing member in such a way that a pressing force of the brake roller when resetting the medium to the medium tray is greater than a pressing force of the brake roller when feeding the medium.

A medium transport apparatus includes a first roller configured to apply feeding force to a medium in a medium transport path for transporting the medium, a second roller disposed on an upstream side of the first roller in a medium transport direction in the medium transport path, the second roller being configured to apply feeding force to the medium, a third roller configured to be switched between a first position at which the medium is to be nipped with the second roller and a second position at which the nipping of the medium is to be released, a switching section configured to switch a position of the third roller, and at least one protruding member protruding from an outer circumferential surface of the second roller, the protruding member being configured to separate the medium from the outer circumferential surface of the second roller in the medium transport path.

In an image-forming apparatus, when a sheet length of a first sheet is shorter than or equal to a predetermined length, a controller supplies power to an electromagnetic clutch to convey the first sheet and a second sheet so that a sheet gap of the second sheet is equivalent to a first gap. When the sheet length of the first sheet is longer than the predetermined length, the controller supplies power to the electromagnetic clutch to successively convey a first number of sheets so that the sheet gap of each of the first number of sheets is equivalent to the first gap. After the first number of sheets has been conveyed, the controller supplies power to the electromagnetic clutch to convey at least one sheet so that the sheet gap of each of the at least one sheet is equivalent to a second gap greater than the first gap.

A sheet feeding apparatus includes a supporting portion to support a sheet, a feeding portion to feed the supported sheet, and a base member opposed to the supporting portion so the sheet is supported by the supporting portion between the supporting portion and the base member. A regulation unit includes a regulation portion to regulate a position of an edge portion of the supported sheet and moves in a moving direction, and a sensor outputs an output value that changes in accordance with an amount of movement of the regulation unit. The sensor and the regulation unit are supported by the base member, and the sensor is supported by the base member at a position above an abutment position between the sheet supported by the supporting portion and the feeding portion in a gravity direction.