An image rendering apparatus and method of operating a center tray of an image rendering apparatus. The image rendering apparatus includes a cavity, and a center tray having a home position located within the cavity and a retrieval position located outside the cavity. The image rendering apparatus further includes a retraction mechanism that is attached to the center tray and an interior wall of the cavity. The retraction mechanism is configured to allow for the extension of the center tray from the home position to the retrieval position, and from the retrieval position to the home position.

A sheet feeding apparatus includes a first tray on which sheets are stacked, a sheet feeder, a second tray on which sheets to be supplied to the first tray are stacked, wherein the second tray is disposed adjacently to the first tray, a sheet mover, an abnormality detector, and a controller. The sheet feeder feeds the sheets stacked on the first tray. The sheet mover moves the sheets stacked on the second tray. The sheet mover is movable between a first position for stacking sheets on the second tray and a second position for supplying the sheets stacked on the second tray to the first tray. The abnormality detector may detect an abnormality in the sheet mover. When the abnormality detector detects an abnormality in the sheet mover, the controller inhibits the sheet mover from operating and permits the sheet feeder to feed a sheet.

In a sheet stacking device, a first sheet storage portion and a second sheet storage portion are arranged in alignment in a width direction of a housing, and supported by the housing so as to move in a front-rear direction perpendicular to the width direction. Biasing members are respectively provided on opposite side surfaces of the first and second sheet storage portions, the opposite side surfaces being adjacent and face each other in the width direction. In a first state where the first and second sheet storage portions are moved frontward from the housing, the biasing members abut on each other and bias the first and second sheet storage portions in directions in which the first and second sheet storage portions separate from each other along the width direction.

An assembly of a device having a component, the assembly including a damper having a damper gearwheel coupled to a damper member. The damper member has a first condition restricting motion of the component of the device to a first rate in a first direction and a second condition restricting motion of the component of the device to a second rate in the first direction slower than the first rate. The damper gearwheel is rotationally fixed relative to the damper member when the damper is in the first condition. The damper gearwheel is rotatable relative to the damper member when the damper is in the second condition.

In a paper sheet handling apparatus, communication part or parts (29) are arranged in a bottom part of an upper assembly (12) and communication part or parts (42) are arranged in an upper part of a lower assembly (14) for exchanging banknotes between the upper assembly (12) and the lower assembly (14). The number of the communication part or parts (29) of the upper assembly (12) and the number of the communication part or parts (42) of the lower assembly (14) are same. The position or positions of the communication part or parts (29) of the upper assembly (12) and the position or positions of the communication part or parts (42) of the lower assembly (14) match when the upper assembly (12) or the lower assembly (14) is reversed.

An image forming apparatus of the invention includes an image forming unit configured to form an image on a sheet; a plurality of storage portions each configured to store the sheet with the image formed thereon by the image forming unit; an opening configured to expose the sheet stored in the storage portion to the outside; and a sheet moving unit configured to move the sheet until a leading edge of the sheet stored in the storage portion passes the opening and a portion of the sheet is exposed from the opening to the outside. The sheet moving unit exposes sheets stored in a plurality of the storage portions in a stacked manner from the opening.

A sheet feeding apparatus includes a first tray on which sheets are stacked, a sheet feeder, a second tray on which sheets to be supplied to the first tray are stacked, wherein the second tray is disposed adjacently to the first tray, a sheet mover, an abnormality detector, and a controller. The sheet feeder feeds the sheets stacked on the first tray. The sheet mover moves the sheets stacked on the second tray. The sheet mover is movable between a first position for stacking sheets on the second tray and a second position for supplying the sheets stacked on the second tray to the first tray. The abnormality detector may detect an abnormality in the sheet mover. When the abnormality detector detects an abnormality in the sheet mover, the controller inhibits the sheet mover from operating and permits the sheet feeder to feed a sheet.

A gear engagement mechanism of a life device includes a lifting member interlocking with a lifting tray to linearly move in a vertical direction, and a gear train having a pinion engaged with the rack to transmit a rotary motion to the rack and transmitting the rotation torque of a lift motor M to the pinion. When the lifting member has over-run an upper limit stop position and a lower limit stop position, engagement of the pinion and the rack is released.

A printing apparatus includes: a printing unit; an operation unit configured to be able to rotate about a rotation axis to a first operation position and a second operation position; a paper discharge tray configured to be able to move in a front-rear direction; a movement unit configured to move the paper discharge tray; a rotating mechanism configured to cause the operation unit from the first operation position to the second operation position in association with movement of the paper discharge tray; and a control unit, in which the paper discharge tray is able to move to an accommodating position, a loading position, and a stand-by position, when a position of the operation unit is the first operation position and the paper discharge tray moves between the accommodating position and the stand-by position, the rotating mechanism causes the operation unit to rotate from the first operation position to the second operation position, and when a position of the paper discharge tray is the accommodating position and the first condition is satisfied, the control unit performs first control in which the paper discharge tray is moved to the stand-by position. In the printing apparatus, the paper discharge tray, which is able to move in the front-rear direction, is able to move to the accommodating position, the loading position, and the stand-by position. When the position of the operation unit is the first operation position and the paper discharge tray moves between the accommodating position and the stand-by position, the rotating mechanism, which causes the operation unit to rotate from the first operation position to the second operation position in association with movement of the paper discharge tray, causes the operation unit to rotate from the first operation position to the second operation position. When the position of the paper discharge tray is the accommodating position and the first condition is satisfied, the control unit causes the paper discharge tray to move to the stand-by position.