A method moves a stack of products by a robot. The robot has an articulated arm and at least one gripper disposed on the articulated arm to grip the stack of printed products and the stack of products selectively being turned. The method includes pivoting the stack of products through an effective angle ?1< >180? and subsequently pivoting the stack through an effective angle ?2=180???1 or pivoting the stack back through an effective angle ?2=??1. This method of moving stacks of products is performed in an automated way and in particular of depositing them in a turned or unturned arrangement.

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.

Apparatuses, systems, and methods are provided for print media buffering and sorting. An apparatus for performing at least one of buffering and sorting during an operation includes an enclosure, a storage section within the enclosure, an input section configured to receive at the enclosure at least a portion of a printed element, a gripper associated with the input section, the gripper configured to selectively transport the at least a portion of the printed element from the input section to the storage section and to selectively transport the at least a portion of the printed element from the storage section within the enclosure, and an output section configured to selectively transfer the at least a portion of the printed element from the enclosure.

A sheet transporting mechanism transports a sheet from a storage tray to a stacking tray, and includes: a first transporter that moves between initial and first positions to transport the sheet from the initial position toward the stacking tray; a second transporter that transports the transported sheet by the first transporter to the stacking tray; a single motor that drives the first and second transporters; a guide rail that guides movement of the second transporter; a first transmission gear that transmits a driving force of the single motor to move the first transporter between the initial and first positions; a second transmission gear that transmits the driving force of the single motor to move the guide rail in an upward and downward direction; and a third transmission gear that transmits the driving force of the single motor to allow the second transporter to be guided by the guide rail.

A sheet storage apparatus (for example, a banknote storage mechanism 32) includes an entering unit (for example, a pushing unit 46) configured to enter into a storage bag (for example, a banknote storage bag 34) supported by a supporter (for example, holding members 36) and a controller 80 configured to control the driving unit (for example, a motor 54) for driving the entering unit. The controller 80 controls the driving unit such that the entering unit enters into the storage bag supported by the supporter and comes in contact with the sheet stored in the storage bag to detect an upper end position of the sheet stored in the storage bag.

A sheet loading apparatus for carrying a sheet loaded in a first tray to a second tray includes: a grip portion configured to grip the sheet; a sliding portion configured to move the grip portion between a sheet gripping position and a sheet release position; a lift portion configured to move the grip portion and cause the grip portion to emerge from the sheet loading surface; and a common power transmission portion configured to transmit power to both the sliding portion and the lift portion, wherein in one cycle, after the sliding portion moves the grip portion to a downstream side, the lift portion moves the grip portion downward of the sheet loading surface to cause the grip portion to reach the release position, and after the sliding portion moves the grip portion to the upstream side, the lift portion moves the grip portion to the gripping position.

Apparatuses, systems, and methods are provided for print media buffering and sorting. An apparatus for performing at least one of buffering and sorting during an operation includes an enclosure, a storage section within the enclosure, an input section configured to receive at the enclosure at least a portion of a printed element, a gripper associated with the input section, the gripper configured to selectively transport the at least a portion of the printed element from the input section to the storage section and to selectively transport the at least a portion of the printed element from the storage section within the enclosure, and an output section configured to selectively transfer the at least a portion of the printed element from the enclosure.

Apparatuses, systems, and methods are provided for print media buffering and sorting. An apparatus for performing at least one of buffering and sorting during an operation includes an enclosure, a storage section within the enclosure, an input section configured to receive at the enclosure at least a portion of a printed element, a gripper associated with the input section, the gripper configured to selectively transport the at least a portion of the printed element from the input section to the storage section and to selectively transport the at least a portion of the printed element from the storage section within the enclosure, and an output section configured to selectively transfer the at least a portion of the printed element from the enclosure.

Gripping device adapted for gripping a stack of flat-folded cartons, where the gripping device comprises a first gripping jaw and a second gripping jaw arranged adjacent each other and enclosing a holding space, where the gripping device is provided with a first open state in which the distance between the gripping jaws is greater than the height of a flat-folded carton, and where the gripping device is provided with a second closed state in which the distance between the gripping jaws is less than the height of a flat-folded carton, and that the gripping device is adapted to displace one side of the stack of flat-folded cartons in a longitudinal direction, such that each flat-folded carton of the stack of flat-folded cartons will be held in an angled state by the gripping device. The advantage of the invention is that a stack of flat-folded cartons can be held in a secure way, where the height of the stack is reduced when the stack is held.

Disclosed is a post-processing apparatus couplable to an image forming apparatus. The post-processing apparatus comprises: a paper discharging roller to convey, from a conveying path, a first paper discharged from the image forming apparatus, to a standby path connected to the conveying path, and convey the first paper from the standby path and a second paper discharged from the image forming apparatus from the conveying path, to an intermediate loading part, in a state in which a leading end of the first paper toward the intermediate loading part protrudes more than a leading end of the second paper toward the intermediate loading part to process the first paper and the second paper.