An image forming apparatus includes a first conveyance unit including an image forming unit to convey a sheet on which an image is formed, and a second conveyance unit including a cover movable between a close position and an open position, the second conveyance unit being movable between a first position where the sheet can be conveyed to the sheet conveyance path and a second position separated from the first position. The first conveyance unit includes a retaining portion to retain the cover at a predetermined position, wherein the cover does not interfere with the retaining portion when the second conveyance unit is positioned at the first position, and the cover is in contact with the retaining portion and retained at the open position in a condition where the second conveyance unit is positioned at the second position and the cover is moved from the close position to the open position.

A sheet feeding device includes a sheet loader, a first conveyor, a second conveyor, and a guide. The sheet loader is configured to load a sheet bundle including a sheet with a flap. The first conveyor is configured to convey the sheet with the flap loaded on the sheet loader. The second conveyor is disposed adjacent to the first conveyor. The guide is disposed below the flap of the sheet to be conveyed, between the second conveyor and the sheet loader in a sheet conveying direction of the sheet, and is configured to guide the sheet.

An image forming apparatus includes a first conveyance unit including an image forming unit to convey a sheet on which an image is formed, and a second conveyance unit including a cover movable between a close position and an open position, the second conveyance unit being movable between a first position where the sheet can be conveyed to the sheet conveyance path and a second position separated from the first position. The first conveyance unit includes a retaining portion to retain the cover at a predetermined position, wherein the cover does not interfere with the retaining portion when the second conveyance unit is positioned at the first position, and the cover is in contact with the retaining portion and retained at the open position in a condition where the second conveyance unit is positioned at the second position and the cover is moved from the close position to the open position.

A printing apparatus includes a stacking portion on which a print medium printed by a printing unit configured to perform printing is stacked, a discharge unit configured to discharge the print medium printed by the printing unit to the stacking portion, a passage forming portion arranged facing the stacking portion and configured to form a discharge passage of the print medium together with the stacking portion, and an outlet port located at a downstream end of the stacking portion and a downstream end of the passage forming portion in a conveying direction of the print medium. The passage forming portion includes an opening/closing portion which is displaceable between a closed position for forming the discharge passage and an open position for opening access to the stacking portion.

According to an embodiment, a sheet feeding mechanism includes a first elastic body. The first elastic body blocks a first reference line and a second reference line. The first elastic body has a first angle formed between the first elastic body and the first reference line, the first angle being an acute angle. The first reference line is a reference line along a take-out direction by the first roller. The second reference line is a reference line connecting a nip between the second roller and the third roller and a contact position of the first roller and a sheet.

A sheet conveying apparatus for conveying a sheet in a conveying direction includes a pair of conveying rollers receiving and conveying a sheet; an endless conveying belt conveying the sheet; a plurality of balls to be rotatable in any direction while nipping the sheet with the conveying surface; a pair of regulating guides disposed on both sides of the conveying belt; a guide moving unit that moves the pair of regulating guides; and a roller moving unit that moves at least one of the pair of conveying rollers to a nip position and a nip release position. Before a rear end of the sheet passes the pair of conveying rollers, the pair of conveying rollers is moved to the nip release position by the roller moving unit, and then, the guide moving unit makes each of the pair of regulating guides reach the guide position from the retracting position.

A sheet discharging apparatus includes a guide member configured to guide a lower surface of a sheet, a discharge roller pair, a stacking portion, and a first moving member and a second moving member each configured to move to a first position and a second position, the first position being a position where the first moving member and the second moving member protrude downstream of the discharge roller pair in the sheet discharge direction, the second position being a position located upstream of the first position in the sheet discharge direction. Support portions of the first moving member and the second moving member in the first position protrude upward in a height direction with respect to a tangent of a lower roller of the discharge roller pair when viewed in a sheet width direction.

A sheet feeder includes an ejection tray, an ejector, an aligner, a pressing member, a friction member, and a switching device. The ejection tray stacks sheets. The ejector ejects a sheet to the ejection tray. The aligner is disposed downstream of the ejector in a direction of ejection of the sheet. The aligner is rotatable in a normal direction and a reverse direction. The pressing member applies pressure between the sheet and the aligner to enable the aligner to convey the sheet by rotation in the normal direction and the reverse direction. The friction member contacts the sheet ejected on the ejection tray to prevent conveyance of the sheet. The switching device switches contact and separation of the friction member with respect to the sheet.

A medium discharging apparatus includes a first tray in which a medium is received and placed, a second tray in which the medium discharged from the first tray is received, a discharging mechanism, a curl suppressing member, a link mechanism, a movement mechanism and a cam mechanism. The discharging mechanism discharges the medium from the first tray toward the second tray. The curl suppressing member suppresses curling of the medium discharged from the first tray to the second tray by the discharging mechanism. The curl suppressing member is provided in the link mechanism. The movement mechanism is configured to move the link mechanism and the curl suppressing member in both the discharge direction and a return direction opposite to the discharge direction. The cam mechanism guides movement of the link mechanism.

A sheet conveying device includes conveyance passage forming bodies to define a sheet conveyance passage, a nip forming body to form a conveying nip region in the sheet conveyance passage, and a flexible plate body having a support portion to be attached to another body and having a downstream-side end portion as a free end in a sheet conveying direction. The support portion of the flexible plate body is located on an upstream side in the sheet conveying direction with respect to the conveying nip region. The free end being located on a downstream side in the sheet conveying direction with respect to the conveying nip region.