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.

A sheet feed device includes a housing, a tray, a feed roller, an arm, a pad, and a protruding portion. The housing has a sheet conveyance path. The tray includes a bottom plate having a sheet support surface that supports a sheet. The sheet conveyance path extends upward from the sheet support surface. The feed roller rotates about a rotational axis and feeds the sheet supported on the sheet support surface in a first direction. The arm rotatably supports the feed roller. The arm swingably moves about an axis parallel to the rotational axis of the feed roller. The pad is disposed on the bottom plate. The pad has a higher friction coefficient than a friction coefficient of the sheet support surface. The protruding portion protrudes upward from the sheet support surface at a position shifted from the pad in a second direction opposite from the first direction.

An image forming apparatus includes a main casing including an image forming unit and a discharge tray, and an optional device configured to be removably attached to the main casing. The main casing includes a conveying path through which a sheet is conveyed from the image forming unit, a discharge path through which the sheet is conveyed toward one of the discharge tray and the optional device, the discharge path diverging from the conveying path, and a return path including a first path through which the sheet is conveyed temporarily out of the main casing via an opening formed in the main casing, and a second path through which the sheet is conveyed toward the image forming unit. The first path diverges from the conveying path. The second path diverges from the first path. The optional device is disposed closer to the discharge tray than the opening.

Disclosed herein is a sheet-folding apparatus which includes transporting rollers, folding rollers, a pushing member provided between the transporting rollers and the folding-rollers, and a guide unit for guiding the sheet to the folding-roller pair by using the pushing member.

A sheet stacking device includes: a sheet discharge unit; a sheet stacking unit; a pair of cursors; and a control unit. The cursors perform widthwise alignment processing in which the cursors contact lateral end surfaces of the sheet to perform widthwise alignment. The control unit, before a leading end of the sheet reaches a sheet stacking surface, executes sheet guiding processing in which the cursors are positioned at a sheet guiding position to contact a bottom surface of the sheet and guide the sheet toward the sheet discharge direction. The control unit, when the leading end of the sheet passes a predetermined position, positions the cursors at a retracted position that is further outward than the lateral end surfaces of the sheet are, and once a trailing end of the sheet passes through the sheet discharge unit and the sheet is placed on the tray, executes the widthwise alignment processing.

An ATM includes a sheet driving system with a sheet path along which sheets travel, and sheet sensors and sheet drive mechanisms adjacent the sheet path. One sheet drive mechanism is disposed apart from another sheet drive mechanism in a direction relative to the sheet path, and each sheet drive mechanism is selectively operative to change relative speed and direction of movement of disposed areas of a sheet as the sheet travels adjacent to the sheet drive mechanisms along the sheet path. A control system is responsive to sensing a sheet with a sensor to selectively actuate a sheet drive mechanism to change the position of the sheet relative to the sheet path.

A sheet feeder includes: a casing; a first roller; a pressing portion; a first spring; and a second spring. The pressing portion is movable between a first position and a second position via a third position. The pressing portion in the first position faces the first roller within a conveying region defined in the casing. The pressing portion in the second position is separated from the first roller farther than in the first position. The third position is located between the first position and the second position. The first roller is exposed to the conveying region. The first spring urges the pressing portion toward the first roller when the pressing portion is disposed between the first position and the second position. The second spring urges the pressing portion toward the first roller when the pressing portion is disposed between the second position and the third position.

A sheet conveying device, which is included in an image forming apparatus and a post processing device, includes a position corrector and either one of a rolling body and a contact resistance reducer. The position corrector is configured to convey a sheet and correct a position of the sheet. The rolling body is disposed at least one of an upstream side and a downstream side of a sheet conveyance passage from the position corrector in a sheet conveying direction and is configured to roll in at least a direction intersecting the sheet conveying direction. The contact resistance reducer is configured to reduce contact resistance generated due to contact of the sheet to a neighboring part when the position of the sheet is corrected by the position corrector.

A system includes an image forming station, which is configured to apply droplets of one or more printing fluids to a target substrate, so as to form an image thereon, and a substrate conveyor, which includes one or more perforated plates having multiple openings, and is configured to grip and move the target substrate to and from the image forming station for forming the image, the substrate conveyor includes one or more rotatable elements, which are fitted in the respective openings, and are configured to provide mechanical support to the target substrate, and when the target substrate moves over the one or more rotatable elements, at least one of the rotatable elements is configured to rotate in response to a physical contact with the target substrate.

A sheet discharge apparatus includes: a discharger that discharges a sheet; a loading part on which the sheet discharged from the discharger is loaded; an abutment member that abuts against a rear end of the sheet in a direction of discharging to align the sheet loaded on the loading part; a pull-back member that performs a pull-back operation by contacting with the sheet discharged from the discharger to pull back the sheet toward the abutment member; and a hardware processor that controls the pull-back member. The hardware processor performs the pull-pack operation on a sheet bundle when determining that the sheet bundle bound by a binder is discharged from the discharger.