A sheet flipping device includes a receiving member for receiving a sheet, a flipping volume being the volume which in operation is defined by the flipping movement of the sheet, and a flipping element for flipping the sheet around an axis of rotation within the flipping volume onto the receiving member. The sheet flipping device further includes an air vortex ring generator having an air vortex ring exit nozzle defining a translational direction of a generated air vortex ring when the generated vortex ring is in operation generated from the air vortex ring exit nozzle. The air vortex ring generator is mounted such that in operation the sheet is urged onto the receiving member by the air vortex ring during the flipping motion of the sheet through the flipping volume. A sheet stacking device and a printing apparatus include the sheet flipping device.

The present invention concerns a device for handling flat elements for a printing machine (M), the device comprising a supporting structure (12) defining a supporting surface (14) and at least one arm (22) provided with pick-up means (24), configured to grip a flat element and to move it between the supporting surface (14) and loading and unloading positions and to turn said flat element over if necessary.

Provided is a sheet processing apparatus including: a sheet processing section that performs sheet processing on a conveyed sheet along a width direction orthogonal to a conveyance direction of the conveyed sheet; and a hardware processor that sets a sheet processing position from a leading end or a trailing end in the conveyance direction and that reverses the set sheet processing position in the conveyance direction of the sheet according to a direction of a face of the conveyed sheet.

A method for moving a stack of products by a robot. The robot has an articulated arm and at least one gripper disposed on the articulated arm for gripping the stack of products. The stack of products is turned, before being moved by the robot, with a pivoting device that is separate from the robot. The stack of products is turned about a horizontal axis and the stack of products, while out of the horizontal orientation, is aligned and/or straightened in one direction and/or straightened in two mutually orthogonal directions and/or vibrated and/or aerated and/or modified from a fanned-out stack of products to become an unfanned stack of products. The robot then takes the stack from the pivoting device and subsequently moves the stack.

In an example, a media handling device (100) comprises a media catcher (110) defining a first media collecting width (112) along a lateral direction. The device also comprises a first board section (120) defining a second media collecting width (122) along the lateral direction, the second media collecting width exceeding and at least partially overlapping the first media collecting width, and a second board section (130), whereby the first board section is at least partially located between the second board section and the media catcher, the first and second board sections forming an apex (125) along the second media collecting width to support media. The device further comprises an abutment (140) at a distal end of the first board section away from the apex, the abutment being located between the first board section and the media catcher.

A sheet conveying apparatus includes: a first conveying portion in which a band-shaped sheet including a first surface and a second surface is conveyed with the first surface facing downward; a turning portion located downstream of the first conveying portion and flips the sheet with the first surface facing inward; and a second conveying portion located downstream of the turning portion. The turning portion includes a convex curve along which the sheet is flipped. The convex curve includes a first and a second air ejection portions. The first air ejection portion is located in an upstream end region and ejects air toward the first surface of the sheet. The second air ejection portion is located downstream of the upstream end region and ejects air toward the first surface. The first air ejection portion ejects air to generate flotation larger than that of the second air ejection portion.

A sheet conveying device in an embodiment includes a first roller unit, a first conveyance path, a guide mechanism, and a control section. The first roller unit rotates and conveys a sheet. The first conveyance path conveys the sheet to the first roller unit. The guide mechanism is disposed along the first conveyance path and guides the conveyance of the sheet. The guide mechanism is capable of changing a conveyance path width. The control section sets the conveyance path width at a time when a leading end of the sheet passes a first position of the guide mechanism to first width. The control section sets the conveyance path width at a time when a trailing end of the sheet passes the first position to second width smaller than the first width.

A transport apparatus includes a transport device, a detention device, a reversing device, and a switching device. The transport device sequentially transports sheets, each having an image formed on an upper face thereof, from an image forming apparatus in a predetermined direction. The detention device accommodates therein the sheet delivered from the transport device. The reversing device reverses upper and lower faces of the sheet delivered from the transport device. The switching device switches a destination of the sheet from the transport device, between the detention device and the reversing device. The reversing device includes a reversed sheet supply route through which the reversed sheet is supplied to the image forming apparatus, and a delivery route through which the reversed sheet is discharged.