One embodiment of the present disclosure provides a post-processing apparatus for an image forming apparatus which arranges paper ejected from an ejection part of an image forming apparatus on a fence for post-processing. The post-processing apparatus includes a paddle guide which includes a paddle arm to which a paddle wing is coupled and a pusher positioned adjacent to the ejection part and stands by at a home position until the paper is ejected, a driving part which vertically moves the paddle guide, rotates when the paper is ejected from the ejection part to move the paddle guide downward so that the pusher presses the paper downward and drops the paper on a stacking base, and a paddle wing which vertically moves according to a vertical movement of the paddle guide, moves downward according to a downward movement of the paddle guide, arranges the paper dropped on the stacking base toward the fence positioned adjacent to the stacking base, and then, moves upward with an upward movement of the paddle guide according to operation of the driving part, wherein vertical movements of the pusher and the paddle wing are performed by a vertical movement of the paddle guide performed due to single unit periodic operation of the driving part.

A sheet supplying apparatus includes an alignment member pivotable to an alignment location for blocking and aligning fore-ends of media contained on a loading table, and a transport-allowing location for allowing a medium picked up by a pickup member to be transported, a cam gear including a gear portion partially including a tooth-omitted portion, and a cam portion for switching the alignment member between the alignment location and the transport-allowing location at first and second rotating locations, a swing arm pivotable about a same axis as a rotation axis of a main gear, and first and second swing gears supported by the swing arm to interlock with the main gear, selectively interlocking with the gear portion according to a rotating direction of the main gear, and rotating the cam gear to the first and second rotating locations.

The invention relates to a turning apparatus for a production plant (2) for sanitary products, in particular adult or baby diapers, the turning apparatus having a drum (12) which rotates about a geometrical drum rotational axis (11), and at least one plate (14) which is spaced apart radially from the drum rotational axis (11) and is coupled to the drum (12), which plate (14) comprises a suction face (15) for the transport of sanitary material pieces (16), which suction face (15) holds the respective sanitary material piece (16) by means of a vacuum during the transport, the plate (14) having a geometrical vertical axis (17) which runs radially with respect to the drum rotational axis (11), the plate (14) receiving the sanitary material piece (16) with a first orientation about the vertical axis (17) in a first transfer region (18), and transporting the sanitary material piece (16) from the first transfer region (18) to a second transfer region (20) along a setpoint transfer path (19) which runs in the circumferential direction around the drum rotational axis (11), the suction face (15) being rotated with the sanitary material piece (16) about the vertical axis (17) during the transport, the plate (14) outputting the sanitary material piece (16) in the second transfer region (20) with a second orientation which is different than the first orientation about the vertical axis (17). It is proposed that, during the receiving and/or outputting, the plate (14) carries out a non-linear compensation movement relative to the drum (12) with a radial movement component.

A medium conveying apparatus includes a feed roller to feed a medium, a separation roller opposed to the feed roller, a motor to generate driving force by being supplied with electric power, a cam member rotated in a first direction by the driving force to press the separation roller toward the feed roller, and a driving force transmitting mechanism between the motor and the cam member, the driving force transmitting mechanism being configured to transmit the driving force from the motor to the cam member and provided such that the cam member keeps pressing the separation roller toward the feed roller without rotating the cam member in a second direction opposite to the first direction even if electric power supply to the motor is shut off.

A sheet conveyance device of an embodiment includes a carrying-in unit feeds a sheet to a stacking unit; a lower conveyance unit applies a force to a lower side of a sheet stacked on the stacking unit to move the sheet; a lifting and lowering unit lifts and lowers at least an end of the lower conveyance unit on a side close to the carrying-in unit in at least three stages (lower, middle, and upper); an upper conveyance unit faces the lower conveyance unit and applies a force to the upper side of a sheet pinched between the upper conveyance unit and the lower conveyance unit that is moved to the upper stage to move the sheet; and a stopper protrudes above the lower conveyance unit placed at the lower stage by the lifting and lowering unit, and the downstream end in the feeding direction of a sheet abuts on the stopper.

A sheet separation device separates a non-bonding portion of a two-ply sheet in which two sheets are overlapped and bonded together at one end of the two-ply sheet. The sheet separation device includes a separator that includes a first separator and a second separator. The first separator is inserted into a gap between the two sheets of the two-ply sheet. The second separator is inserted between the two sheets at said another end of the two-ply sheet that is opposite to the one end of the two-ply sheet and moves in a width direction of the two-ply sheet after the first separator is inserted into the gap and relatively moves from the one end to said another end.

A sheet separation device separates a non-bonding portion of a two-ply sheet in which two sheets are overlapped and bonded together at one end of the two-ply sheet. The sheet separation device includes a separator that includes a first separator and a second separator. The first separator is inserted into a gap between the two sheets of the two-ply sheet. The second separator is inserted between the two sheets at said another end of the two-ply sheet that is opposite to the one end of the two-ply sheet and moves in a width direction of the two-ply sheet after the first separator is inserted into the gap and relatively moves from the one end to said another end.

A sheet feeding apparatus includes a regulator to regulate a position of leading edges of first and second sheets supported on a sheet support. A drive transmission drives a return for returning the second sheet toward the sheet support and the regulator by a driving force, wherein the return includes a first cam follower, a first pivot shaft, and a claw supported pivotably around the first pivot shaft. The drive transmission includes a first cam to drive the return by engaging with the first cam follower and rotating, and the regulator includes a second pivot shaft that is parallel to the first pivot shaft. The regulating member includes the regulating surface and is arranged such that at least a portion of the regulating member is overlapped with the claw in an axial direction of the second pivot shaft.

A feeding apparatus includes a knock-up plate to be rotatably installed on a main body of an image forming apparatus and install a paper, a knock-up spring to elastically apply pressure to the knock-up plate in a direction of a pickup roller, a cam to be fixed at one end of a knock-up shaft and downwardly apply pressure to the knock-up plate, and a driving force transfer member to transfer a rotating force of the knock-up shaft to the pickup roller.

A sheet conveying device includes a sheet tray on which one or more sheets are placed, a pickup roller by which a sheet is picked up from the sheet tray, and an elevating mechanism. The elevating mechanism includes a shaft rotated by a motor, and a cam attached to the shaft and rotated together with the shaft to raise and lower the sheet tray with respect to the pickup roller. The sheet conveying device further includes a load applying mechanism contacting the shaft to apply a load thereto.