A card stacker includes a stack support that supports a stack of card substrates, a card lift mechanism, a card feed mechanism, and a retraction mechanism. The card lift mechanism is configured to support the card substrate in a lift position below the stack support, and drive the card substrate to a raised position, in which the card substrate is supported on the stack support at the bottom of the stack. The card feed mechanism includes a first transport roller having a feed position, in which the first transport roller engages a top surface of the card substrate in the lift position, and a retracted position when the card substrate is in the raised position, in which the first transport roller is on the bottom side of the stack support. The retraction mechanism is configured to move the first transport roller between the feed and retracted positions.

A sheet storage cassette includes a cassette base and inner rails. The cassette base has side plates facing each other parallel to insertion/withdrawal directions of the sheet storage cassette. The inner rails each have positioning bosses that protrude from each of different positions on the inner rails in a longitudinal direction thereof and a hook portion that protrudes in an L-shape in cross section toward the cassette base and is formed between the positioning bosses. On the side plates of the cassette base, there are provided mounting holes that receive the positioning bosses fitted thereinto at the time of mounting the cassette base to the inner rails, positioning surfaces that comes into contact with two locations on each of the inner rails in a longitudinal direction thereof, and fitted portions that are fitted together with the hook portion in a direction orthogonal to the insertion/withdrawal directions.

A sheet stacking apparatus includes an ejector, a stacker, a wall, and an upper surface detector. The ejector ejects a sheet, and the stacker stacks the sheet ejected from the ejector. The wall contacts a trailing end of the sheet ejected from the ejector in an ejection direction to align the sheet. The upper surface detector detects an upper surface on a trailing end side of the sheet stacked on the stacker in the ejection direction. When the sheet moves toward the wall, the upper surface detector moves from a home position in which the upper surface detector detects the upper surface of the sheet to a retracted position in which the upper surface detector does not contact the sheet moving toward the wall.

A sheet transport device includes a transport unit, a load section, and a sheet accommodation section. The transport unit has a transport path along which a sheet read at a read position is transported to an output unit. The sheet output by the output unit is loaded onto the load section. The sheet accommodation section is disposed downstream in an output direction of the sheet from an inner wall surface extending upward adjacent to the load section and has a recess capable of accommodating a sheet of a predetermined minimum size. A retrieval space through which the sheet accommodated in the sheet accommodation section is retrievable is provided by exposing the transport path in a direction opposite to a loading direction of the sheet.

A detecting device, which is included in an image forming apparatus, includes a detector configured to optically detect at least one of a position of a sheet, a position of an image formed on the sheet, and the image formed on the sheet, and a rotary body disposed at a position opposed to the detector and having a shaft, the rotary body being rotatable about the shaft in a sheet conveying direction of the sheet. The sheet is conveyed to space between the detector and the rotary body. The rotary body has a reference plane on an outer circumferential surface, a line formed on the reference plane and extending in a width direction perpendicular to the sheet conveying direction. The detector detects the line on the reference plane while the rotary body is rotating when the sheet does not intervene between the detector and the rotary body.

An image recording apparatus for recording an image on a sheet includes a recording section which records the image on the sheet in a transport passage for transporting the sheet in a transport direction and multiple plates which are spaced apart from each other in a widthwise direction. These multiple plates include a first type of plate and a second type of plate. Plates of a first type of plate are configured to overlap a sheet when viewed in a direction perpendicular to the transport direction and the widthwise direction, while plates of the second type of plate do not.

A media roll holder assembly a web-based printing system comprises a support for rotatably supporting the roll in an operative position, a holding element for rotatably holding the roll on the support, and a pivotable arm on which the holding element is provided. The pivotable arm is formed and positioned to position the holding element on the roll, such that a lifting force for lifting the roll from the support results in a holding force on the holding element in the first angular direction for holding the roll in the operative position on the support. The roll is then rotatably secured in its operative without excess angular forces acting on the roll. As the rotation of the roll is substantially unimpeded, the medium may be transported with great precision, resulting in high quality printing.

A card stacker includes a stack support that supports a stack of card substrates, a card lift mechanism, a card feed mechanism, and a retraction mechanism. The card lift mechanism is configured to support the card substrate in a lift position below the stack support, and drive the card substrate to a raised position, in which the card substrate is supported on the stack support at the bottom of the stack. The card feed mechanism includes a first transport roller having a feed position, in which the first transport roller engages a top surface of the card substrate in the lift position, and a retracted position when the card substrate is in the raised position, in which the first transport roller is on the bottom side of the stack support. The retraction mechanism is configured to move the first transport roller between the feed and retracted positions.

A sheet post-processing apparatus includes an output tray on which a sheet ejected from a sheet outlet is stacked; a wall disposed downstream from the output tray in a sheet ejection direction; and an alignment member configured to contact and move the sheet on the output tray, to bring a rear end of the sheet in the sheet ejection direction into contact with the wall for alignment. The alignment member is selectively set at three positions of: an alignment position protruding beyond the wall toward the output tray to contact the sheet on the output tray; a withdrawn position inward of the wall; and a home position between the alignment position and the withdrawn position.

A medium stacking device includes an intermediate stacker that receives a medium treated by a treatment portion, and a first alignment member as an example of a contact portion, that is configured to move between a first position for performing an alignment operation on the medium on the intermediate stacker, and a second position that is separated further from the leading edge of the medium than is the first position. Furthermore, the medium stacking device is provided with a stacking portion that stacks the medium discharged from the intermediate stacker. The medium discharged from the intermediate stacker is stacked on the stacking portion after a leading edge contacts the first alignment member positioned at the second position.