A system for handling sheets of flexible material. The system comprises a first roller (5.2) which comprises a plurality of first releasable connectors (3.2) and a second roller (5.3) which comprises a plurality of second releasable connectors. The system further comprises an array of third releasable connectors (2.1) which is displaceable between at least the first and second rollers (5.2, 5.3). The first, second and third releasable connectors releasably attach to a sheet of flexible material in use.

A system for handling sheets of flexible material. The system comprises a first roller (5.2) which comprises a plurality of first releasable connectors (3.2) and a second roller (5.3) which comprises a plurality of second releasable connectors. The system further comprises an array of third releasable connectors (2.1) which is displaceable between at least the first and second rollers (5.2, 5.3). The first, second and third releasable connectors releasably attach to a sheet of flexible material in use.

A medium reversing and discharging device includes a discharger that discharges a medium in a paper discharge direction from a discharge outlet, a holder that holds and reverses the medium, and a driver that moves the holder such that when a first plane along a portion of the medium in contact with the discharge outlet does not intersect with a second plane along a portion of the medium held by the holder on a downstream side in the paper discharge direction of the discharge outlet a moving speed at which the holder moves is lower than a discharge speed at which the medium is discharged from the discharge outlet.

A medium reversing and discharging device includes a discharger that discharges a medium in a paper discharge direction from a discharge outlet, a holder that holds and reverses the medium, and a driver that moves the holder such that when a first plane along a portion of the medium in contact with the discharge outlet does not intersect with a second plane along a portion of the medium held by the holder on a downstream side in the paper discharge direction of the discharge outlet a moving speed at which the holder moves is lower than a discharge speed at which the medium is discharged from the discharge outlet.

A sheet feeding apparatus includes a tray on which a sheet is to be placed, a feeding roller, a separating portion that forms a separation nip to separate sheets, a rotating member provided between the feeding position and the separation nip in a sheet conveying direction, a first detecting sensor, a second detecting sensor, a driving source, and a control portion. The rotating member rotates by being pushed by a leading end of the sheet. The control portion detects a position of a trailing end of a preceding sheet separated by the separating portion by using the second detecting sensor, and detects presence or absence of a subsequent sheet placed on the tray by using the first detecting sensor. Based on detection results of the first detecting sensor and second detecting sensor, the control portion controls the driving source such that the feeding roller starts to feed the subsequent sheet.

A medium feeding device includes: a medium mounting section that a medium is mounted; a feeding unit that feeds the medium in a feeding direction; a separation unit that separates the medium with the feeding unit; an operation detection unit that is disposed at a position facing a surface of the medium in the medium mounting section and detects a movement of the medium in the feeding direction; an interval forming unit that forms an interval in the feeding direction between a trailing end of a first medium which is the lowest medium fed among media mounted on the medium mounting section and a trailing end of a second medium which is bound with the first medium and stacked on the first medium; and a control unit that stops feeding of the medium based on a detection interval by a detection value of the operation detection unit.

A medium feeding device includes: a medium mounting section that a medium is mounted; a feeding unit that feeds the medium in a feeding direction; a separation unit that separates the medium with the feeding unit; an operation detection unit that is disposed at a position facing a surface of the medium in the medium mounting section and detects a movement of the medium in the feeding direction; an interval forming unit that forms an interval in the feeding direction between a trailing end of a first medium which is the lowest medium fed among media mounted on the medium mounting section and a trailing end of a second medium which is bound with the first medium and stacked on the first medium; and a control unit that stops feeding of the medium based on a detection interval by a detection value of the operation detection unit.

An inkjet printing machine for printing individual sheets comprises at least one printing station and a transport system defining a transport track for transporting the individual sheets through the printing station, along a transport direction. The transport system comprises a plurality of gripper conveyors (150) running along the transport track for holding the individual sheets during a printing process in the printing station. Each of the gripper conveyors (150) comprises an energy storage (161) for providing energy for operating a gripper mechanism (171) of the gripper conveyor (150). The printing machine allows for efficient and flexible handling of individual sheets, in particular large format sheets of materials such as corrugated cardboard or other materials that have a certain degree of inherent stability.

An inkjet printing machine for printing individual sheets comprises at least one printing station and a transport system defining a transport track for transporting the individual sheets through the printing station, along a transport direction. The transport system comprises a plurality of gripper conveyors (150) running along the transport track for holding the individual sheets during a printing process in the printing station. Each of the gripper conveyors (150) comprises an energy storage (161) for providing energy for operating a gripper mechanism (171) of the gripper conveyor (150). The printing machine allows for efficient and flexible handling of individual sheets, in particular large format sheets of materials such as corrugated cardboard or other materials that have a certain degree of inherent stability.

An image forming apparatus includes a first supporting member supporting a long sheet, a feeding unit for feeding the long sheet supported by the first supporting member with respect to a feeding direction and a second supporting member, rotatable about a rotational shaft, for supporting the long sheet with the first supporting member. In a state in which the sheet is bent so that a first portion of the long sheet is supported by the first supporting member and a second portion which is a more rear side than the first portion is positioned above the first portion, the second supporting member is movable between a first position where the second supporting member supports the second portion of the sheet and a second position where the center of gravity of the second supporting member is positioned downstream of a rotational center with respect to the feeding direction and the second supporting member maintains an attitude thereof by its own weight.