A post processing apparatus includes a post processing unit that performs a post process on a sheet of paper, a duct, and a blower that blows an airflow to the duct. The post processing apparatus has a transport path through which the sheet is transported toward the post processing unit. The duct is provided in a width direction of the transport path. The duct has a slit formed in a sheet width direction, and the airflow having been blown by the blower is blown through the slit toward the sheet transported to the post processing apparatus.

A medium-transport apparatus includes: an apparatus main body having the transport path for transporting the medium; and a cover CV provided on the side surface of the apparatus main body and configured to be switched between a first state of exposing the transport path and a second state of covering the transport path. The cover CV is divided into: a first cover that has the rotation shaft along a Z-axis and is rotatable with respect to the apparatus main body; and a second cover that is arranged on a Z side of the first cover, has the rotation shaft along a Y-axis on the Z-side, and is rotatable with respect to the apparatus main body.

A medium conveying apparatus includes a pair of conveyance rollers including a first roller and a second roller facing the first roller on an upward side of the first roller, to convey a medium between the first roller and the second roller, and a pair of guides including a lower guide located on an upstream side of the pair of conveyance rollers in a medium conveying direction and an upper guide facing the lower guide, to guide the medium to the pair of conveyance rollers. The upper guide is movably located upwardly according to a conveyance of the medium and the lower guide is movably located downwardly according to the conveyance of the medium so that a space between the pair of guides is changed according to the medium.

An image forming apparatus having a duplex conveyer is provided. The duplex conveyer includes a first roller and a second roller arranged in an area closer to a first side surface of a body rather than a second side surface to align along a widthwise direction, a third roller and a fourth roller arranged to contact the first roller and the second roller respectively, an upper guide supporting the first roller and the second roller, and a lower guide arranged to face the upper guide at a position lower than the upper guide. The upper guide has a recessed portion at a position between the first roller and the second roller. The recessed portion recesses from an end of the upper guide on a side facing the first side surface toward the second side surface beyond an axis of the first roller.

To allow easy access to a jammed sheet when a sheet jam occurs in a sheet processing device installed inside the body of an image forming apparatus. An image forming apparatus is provided with a sheet binding unit that applies binding to sheets. The sheet binding unit has a carry-in port for receiving a sheet to be conveyed to a sheet carry-in path formed thereinside and an openable cover for opening the carry-in port. The end portion of the openable cover on the carry-in port side and an end portion of an operation part for inputting an operational item for the operation carried out in the image forming apparatus are arranged spaced apart from each other at a predetermined distance.

Systems and methods for detecting the presence of metallic objects in media to be conveyed in a medium transport system are disclosed. One or more induction sensors are included in the medium transport system to detect the presence of metal in the transported media, with detection signals sent from the sensors to a system processing unit. An ultrasonic detector is employed in some embodiments to output another detection signal. One or more microphones may also be included, for detecting the sound created as the medium is being transported. The system processing unit analyzes various detection signals and analyzes computed sound values from the microphones, to determine the presence and location of metal in the media. A position jam detector may assist in determining jams of the media along the medium transport path.

An image reading apparatus includes a document platen on which a document is to be stacked, a pressing sheet having flexibility, a conveyance unit provided in a base member, an open portion provided in the base member and rotatable in a first direction with respect to the base member to open at least a part of the conveyance path, and a rotation member rotatable in the first direction with respect to the base member. The pressing sheet presses the document against the document platen. The conveyance unit forms a conveyance path within which the document is to be conveyed. The reading unit reads the document conveyed by the conveyance unit. The open portion retains one end of the pressing sheet in a longitudinal direction. The rotation member retains the other end of the pressing sheet in the longitudinal direction.

A dual nip release mechanism includes: a rigid actuator body including a tail portion with a handle and a pivotally-mounted head portion having a nose member extending therefrom; a rocker arm pivotally mounted about a rocker arm shaft, the rocker arm having a proximal end for engagement with part of the nose member and a distal end engaged with a first shaft; and legs hingedly connected to the tail portion, each leg having a foot engaged with a second shaft and a heel for camming engagement with a fixed plate. During use, actuation of the handle causes simultaneous movement of the first and second shafts from a nip closed position to a nip open position via pivoting of the rocker arm and simultaneous camming engagement of the heel with the fixed plate.

A sheet conveying apparatus includes a cover unit opened and closed with respect to an apparatus body and a guide unit including first and second movable guides respectively movable with respect to the apparatus body. A first conveyance path is formed between the first guide portion and the first movable guide, and a second conveyance path is formed between the second guide portion and the second movable guide. The guide unit is provided with a linking mechanism including an intermediate member for linking the first and second movable guides. The linking mechanism coordinates movements of the first and second movable guides such that the first and second movable guides are respectively moved away from the first and second guide portions along with an opening movement of the cover unit with respect to the apparatus body.

There is provided an intermediate unit including a transportation path along which a medium, on which printing has been performed by a printing unit that performs printing on the medium by using liquid, is transported to a post processing unit that performs post processing on the medium. The transportation path includes first and second inversion paths in which the medium is inverted upside down, respectively, the second inversion path being provided with a decurling unit that corrects curl of the medium, the first inversion path being not provided with the decurling unit, the first and second inversion paths being selectively used to invert the medium upside down according to printing data for the medium.