A sheet stacking device is provided with a hopper unit configured to stack a sheet, a feeding unit configured to feed out the sheet to the hopper unit, a distance detection unit configured to detect an inter-sheet distance, in the vertical direction, between a rear end portion of the sheet that is preceding and a tip end portion of the sheet that is subsequent, and an output unit configured to output a behavior stabilization command for the sheet based on the inter-sheet distance.

A sheet stacking device includes a stacker, a detector, a blower, and a moving device. A sheet is stacked on the stacker. The detector detects a stacking amount of the sheet on the stacker. The blower blows air to the sheet stacked on the stacker. The moving device moves the blower with respect to the stacker based on the stacking amount of the sheet detected by the detector.

A sheet stacking device includes a stacker, a detector, a blower, and a moving device. A sheet is stacked on the stacker. The detector detects a stacking amount of the sheet on the stacker. The blower blows air to the sheet stacked on the stacker. The moving device moves the blower with respect to the stacker based on the stacking amount of the sheet detected by the detector.

A sheet stacking system includes a conveyor for carrying sheets from a conveyor intake end to a conveyor discharge end and a hopper at the discharge end for receiving the sheets and guiding them as they fall in a cascade path onto a platform. The hopper has a backstop facing the discharge end of the conveyor and a first accumulator that includes a carrier and a support extending from the carrier through the backstop. The support is configured to rotate from a retracted position to an extended position relative to the backstop, and the carrier is movable linearly and vertically relative to the backstop with the support in the extended position from a raised location with the support outside the cascade path to a lowered location with the support in the cascade path.

An apparatus and method for the post-processing of successively following, sequentially printed sheets, includes a conveyor, a folding table, a folding sword, a folding roller pair, at least one pressing-down mechanism, and a machine control that is operatively connected to the folding sword and the pressing-down mechanism. The pressing-down mechanism includes at least one mechanical braking element which acts in the region of the back edge onto the top side of the printed sheet to be positioned on the folding table. The stationary folding sword includes a compressed-air device with at least one outlet opening for compressed air which is focused onto a folding roller gap. The folding table forms a gathering device for at least two successively following printed sheets. A sensor, arranged in a region of the conveyor, is operatively connected to the machine control and functions to detect the printed sheets, transported with the conveyor.

A sheet stacker includes a sheet stacking portion, a guide portion, and an air blower. The sheet stacking portion is configured to stack a sheet bundle. The guide portion is configured to receive a leading end of a sheet conveyed toward the sheet stacking portion and guide the sheet downstream in a sheet conveyance direction in which the sheet is conveyed. The air blower is disposed above the sheet stacking portion and configured to blow air toward the sheet on a downstream side, in the sheet conveyance direction, from a position at which the guide portion receives the leading end of the sheet.

A sheet postprocessing device includes a sheet conveying passage, a sheet tray, an inlet guide, a processing device, and a blowing device. Though the sheet conveying passage, a sheet on which an image has been formed is conveyed. The sheet tray is arranged downstream of the sheet conveying passage and has sheets stacked on it. The inlet guide is arranged at the downstream end of the sheet conveying passage and guides a sheet to the sheet tray. The processing device performs predetermined processing on a sheet stacked on the sheet tray. The blowing device blows air, from the upstream side in the sheet conveying direction, between the top face of the top-most sheet in the sheets stacked on the sheet tray and the bottom face of the subsequent sheet sent from the inlet guide into the sheet tray.

A delivery device for a sheet-processing machine, comprises at least one deposition station and a conveyer station, by the use of which, upstream-processed sheets of printed material can be picked up in a transfer location, and can be conveyed through the deposition station via a first conveying system, where they can be deposited optionally to form a stack, or can be conveyed beyond that stack. A holding device, which holds down the uppermost sheet of the stack during the transfer of a sheet to be conveyed against an entrainment or a lifting, is provided with one or with a plurality of holding assemblies which are spaced apart from each other transversely to the transport direction. A sheet-guiding element may be provided, which adjoins the deposition station and which is variable in its vertical position with at least its upstream end by the use of an actuating drive.

A sheet discharge device includes a discharge conveyance path, a pair of discharge rollers, a side wall, a sheet stacking tray, a first fan, and a second fan. The discharge conveyance path communicates with a discharge port through which a sheet having passed through a fixing portion is discharged. The pair of discharge rollers convey the sheet along the discharge conveyance path and discharge the sheet from the discharge port. The side wall extends downward from the discharge port. The sheet stacking tray extends from the side wall in a sheet discharge direction in which the sheet is discharged by the pair of discharge rollers. The first fan is disposed below the discharge conveyance path and blows air toward the discharge conveyance path. The second fan is disposed above the discharge port and blows air from above the discharge port toward the sheet stacking tray.

A first leading end plate and a first rear end plate are provided at an upper part of a rotary table. When a conductor piece contacts the first leading end plate, a first contact detection sensor detects a contact of the conductor piece, and transmits a contact detection signal to a storage control unit. Upon receiving the contact detection signal, the storage control unit drives an air supply device for a predetermined period to spray air toward the conductor piece from a first air nozzle. The air spray brings the conductor piece into a tilted state with the rear end thereof moved downward. Even when the conductor piece contacts the first leading end plate and rebounds, the rear end thereof contacts an inner wall surface of the first rear end plate, thereby preventing the rear end of the conductor piece from getting over the first rear end plate.