An image forming apparatus includes a main body of the image forming apparatus with an opening portion, an image forming unit, an accommodation portion, a stack portion, a sheet moving unit, and a control unit that controls switching between a first mode that moves, with the sheet moving unit, a sheet accommodated in the accommodation portion and stops the sheet when a part of the sheet is exposed external to the main body of the image forming apparatus from the opening portion, and a second mode that moves the sheet, with the sheet moving unit, accommodated in the accommodation portion and that discharges the sheet to the stack portion.

Method of manipulating a sheet of fiber reinforced material built up with parallel longitudinally oriented fibers embedded in a thermoplastic matrix material, wherein at least one face of the sheet is engaged by a friction element that extends substantially transversely to the orientation of the fibers, and that exerts friction onto the face in a direction substantially along the orientation of the fibers. And a device for moving sheets of fiber reinforced material having parallel longitudinally oriented fibers embedded in a thermoplastic matrix material, in particular sheets presenting anisotropic stiffness is disclosed. The device comprises a conveying path for conveying sheets of fiber reinforced material in a direction substantially along the orientation of the fibers, and a drive element arranged substantially transversely to the conveying path to in use engage a face of a sheet of fiber reinforced material to be conveyed along the path, and arranged to exert friction onto the face in a direction substantially along the orientation of the fibers. The device may further include a guide element arranged substantially transversely to the conveying path to in use engage the opposite face of the sheet of fiber reinforced material to be conveyed along the path, the drive element and the guide element being arranged to envelope the conveying path.

Method of manipulating a sheet of fiber reinforced material built up with parallel longitudinally oriented fibers embedded in a thermoplastic matrix material, wherein at least one face of the sheet is engaged by a friction element that extends substantially transversely to the orientation of the fibers, and that exerts friction onto the face in a direction substantially along the orientation of the fibers. And a device for moving sheets of fiber reinforced material having parallel longitudinally oriented fibers embedded in a thermoplastic matrix material, in particular sheets presenting anisotropic stiffness is disclosed. The device comprises a conveying path for conveying sheets of fiber reinforced material in a direction substantially along the orientation of the fibers, and a drive element arranged substantially transversely to the conveying path to in use engage a face of a sheet of fiber reinforced material to be conveyed along the path, and arranged to exert friction onto the face in a direction substantially along the orientation of the fibers. The device may further include a guide element arranged substantially transversely to the conveying path to in use engage the opposite face of the sheet of fiber reinforced material to be conveyed along the path, the drive element and the guide element being arranged to envelope the conveying path.

A sheet conveyance apparatus includes an oblique-feed unit configured to nip and convey a sheet by imparting to the nipped sheet a force in a direction inclined relative to a sheet conveyance direction so that the sheet approaches an abutment surface in the width direction as the sheet proceeds downstream in the sheet conveyance direction; a drive unit configured to drive the oblique-feed unit; a change unit configured to change the force of the oblique-feed unit; and a control unit configured to control the drive unit and the change unit so that, after causing the sheet to abut against the abutment surface in a first state in which the oblique-feed unit is driven at a first speed, the oblique-feed unit is put into a second state in which the oblique-feed unit is driven at a second speed higher than the first speed and the force is weaker than in the first state.

According to one embodiment, an image forming apparatus includes an accommodation unit and at least one driving roller. The accommodation unit accommodates a paper sheet therein. The at least one driving roller is disposed contactably with the paper sheet. A rotation direction of the at least one driving roller with respect to the paper sheet at a contact part between the paper sheet and the roller intersects a carrying direction of the paper sheet.

A sheet conveyance apparatus including: an oblique-feed unit configured to convey a sheet by imparting to the sheet nipped a force in a direction inclined relative to a sheet conveyance direction so that the sheet approaches an abutment surface in the width direction as the sheet proceeds downstream in the sheet conveyance direction; a drive unit configured to drive the oblique-feed unit; a change unit configured to change the force of the oblique-feed unit; and a control unit configured to control the drive unit and the change unit so that, after causing the sheet to abut against the abutment surface in a first state in which the oblique-feed unit is driven at a first speed, the oblique-feed unit is put into a second state in which the oblique-feed unit is driven at a second speed higher than the first speed and the force is weaker than in the first state.

According to one embodiment, an image forming apparatus includes an accommodation unit and at least one driving roller. The accommodation unit accommodates a paper sheet therein. The at least one driving roller is disposed contactably with the paper sheet. A rotation direction of the at least one driving roller with respect to the paper sheet at a contact part between the paper sheet and the roller intersects a carrying direction of the paper sheet.

According to one embodiment, an image forming apparatus includes an accommodation unit and at least one driving roller. The accommodation unit accommodates a paper sheet therein. The at least one driving roller is disposed contactably with the paper sheet. A rotation direction of the at least one driving roller with respect to the paper sheet at a contact part between the paper sheet and the roller intersects a carrying direction of the paper sheet.

According to one embodiment, an image forming apparatus includes an accommodation unit and at least one driving roller. The accommodation unit accommodates a paper sheet therein. The at least one driving roller is disposed contactably with the paper sheet. A rotation direction of the at least one driving roller with respect to the paper sheet at a contact part between the paper sheet and the roller intersects a carrying direction of the paper sheet.

An image forming apparatus includes a main body of the image forming apparatus with an opening portion, an image forming unit, an accommodation portion, a stack portion, a sheet moving unit, and a control unit that controls switching between a first mode that moves, with the sheet moving unit, a sheet accommodated in the accommodation portion and stops the sheet when a part of the sheet is exposed external to the main body of the image forming apparatus from the opening portion, and a second mode that moves the sheet, with the sheet moving unit, accommodated in the accommodation portion and that discharges the sheet to the stack portion.