The present disclosure provides an apparatus to support a sheet and configured to stably detect a presence of the sheet with a simple arrangement, and an image forming apparatus including such apparatus. A sheet discharging apparatus includes an apparatus body, a discharge member provided in the apparatus body and configured to discharge a sheet, a movable tray movable with respect to the apparatus body and including a sheet supporting surface configured to support the sheet discharged by the discharge member, a movable member supported by the movable tray and configured to move by being pressed by the sheet supported on the sheet supporting surface, and a detecting portion provided in the apparatus body and configured to detect a presence of the sheet supported on the sheet supporting surface in response to a position of the movable member.

A sheet feeding apparatus includes a first feeder, a second feeder, and processing circuitry. The first feeder includes a sheet stacker, an air blower, a suction feeder, and a remaining amount detection sensor. The air blower blows air to float an uppermost sheet. The suction feeder sucks and feeds the sheet. The remaining amount detection sensor detects a remaining amount of sheets stacked. The processing circuitry determines whether the remaining amount of sheets in the first feeder is smaller than a threshold, causes the first feeder to perform a feeding operation of feeding the sheet floated by the air blower to the suction feeder in response to a determination that the remaining amount is equal to or greater than the threshold, and causes the second feeder to feed a sheet instead of the first feeder in response to a determination that the remaining amount is smaller than the threshold.

A device and method for the processing of printed products with one or more transport systems for transporting the printed products between processing stations comprises a transport path lighting system that is divided into segments, wherein the type of illumination of such a segment is with respect to its color, intensity and/or variation in time defined by certain properties of the product located in this section or its production history.

A sheet feeder includes a controller configured to control an emitter to emit an ultrasonic wave toward a target sheet being fed along a sheet guide, control a measurer to measure a first reception intensity of a first component of the ultrasonic wave received by a receiver during a first period of time, control the measurer to measure a second reception intensity of a second component of the ultrasonic wave received by the receiver during a second period of time, and determine a feeding state of the target sheet in a detectable area between the emitter and the receiver within the sheet guide, based on the first reception intensity and the second reception intensity.

A sheet feeder includes a controller configured to control an emitter to emit an ultrasonic wave toward a target sheet being fed along a sheet guide, control a measurer to measure a first reception intensity of a first component of the ultrasonic wave received by a receiver during a first period of time, control the measurer to measure a second reception intensity of a second component of the ultrasonic wave received by the receiver during a second period of time, and determine a feeding state of the target sheet in a detectable area between the emitter and the receiver within the sheet guide, based on the first reception intensity and the second reception intensity.

In one example, a media flag is disclosed. The media flag can rotate between a first position and a second position. The media flag translates parallel with the axis of rotation as the media flag rotates from the first position to the second position.

According to one embodiment, a sheet conveying device includes a placement tray, a presence detection sensor, and a control unit. The placement tray places a sheet thereon. The presence detection sensor detects the presence or absence of the sheet on the placement tray. The control unit delays a determination timing of the presence or absence of the sheet placed on the placement tray to a predetermined timing when a condition indicating that the remaining sheets placed on the placement tray are only a few is satisfied.

A sheet feeding device having sheet feed tray configured to support multiple sheets be movably inserted to a main body. A sheet feed roller is configured to contact the sheet supported by the sheet feed tray and rotate to apply a feeding force to feed the sheet in a sheet feed direction. The sheet feed roller is configured to contact the sheet feed tray when there is no sheet on the sheet feed tray. A push latch mechanism is arranged on a downstream side with respect to the sheet feed roller in the sheet feed direction. A state of the push latch mechanism is alternately switched between an engaged state and a disengaged state every time when a pressing force is applied to the push latch mechanism. A first spring is configured to exert an elastic force to move the sheet feed tray toward a near side.

A sheet feeding device having sheet feed tray configured to support multiple sheets be movably inserted to a main body. A sheet feed roller is configured to contact the sheet supported by the sheet feed tray and rotate to apply a feeding force to feed the sheet in a sheet feed direction. The sheet feed roller is configured to contact the sheet feed tray when there is no sheet on the sheet feed tray. A push latch mechanism is arranged on a downstream side with respect to the sheet feed roller in the sheet feed direction. A state of the push latch mechanism is alternately switched between an engaged state and a disengaged state every time when a pressing force is applied to the push latch mechanism. A first spring is configured to exert an elastic force to move the sheet feed tray toward a near side.

A document conveyance apparatus includes a loading portion having a loading surface for a document, a rotating member, a detection unit, a feeding roller, and a support portion. The rotating member includes a front end portion protruding from the loading surface and rotates about a rotary shaft by being in contact with the loaded document. The detection unit detects rotation of the rotating member and detects presence or absence of the loaded document. The feeding roller feeds the document by being in contact with the document loaded on the loading surface. The support portion rotatably supports the rotary shaft. When the rotary shaft is viewed from an axial direction, the rotary shaft includes a recessed portion recessed from an outer periphery section of the rotary shaft toward a shaft center of the rotary shaft. The support portion is in contact with the recessed portion to rotatably support the rotating member.