Ricoh Company, Ltd.

Furuno Electric Company Limited

Kenji Hari

Ryo Suzuki

Keisuke Sugiyama

Nagayasu Yoshida

Manabu Yamanaka

Yuusuke Shibasaki

Junya Suzuki

Kei Sasaki

Yasuo Niikura

Hisayoshi Sugawara

Yuuta Mori

Koji Furuta

Ryohei Morisaki

Ikumi Takashima

Kazuki Mishina

Katsuji Yamaguchi

Chisa Kato

Toshihisa Takada

Shinya Komatsu

Akihiro Tsuno

Eiji Hara

Hirotaka Hayashi

A sheet feeding device feeds a sheet in a feed direction. The sheet feeding device includes a loading portion, a feeler, and a first detection sensor. The sheet is to be placed on the loading portion. The feeler rotates from a reference position to a pushed position around a support shaft in response to a push by a downstream end of the sheet, which is placed on the loading portion, in the feeding direction. The first detection sensor detects a rotation of the feeler from one of the reference position and the pushed position to the other of the reference position and the pushed position. The loading portion includes a second detection sensor to detect a state in which the sheet is placed on the loading portion.

Sheet feeding device and image forming apparatus

A sheet processing apparatus is configured to press a fold line that is formed on a sheet. The sheet processing apparatus includes: a sheet supporting unit configured to support the sheet in a pressing direction for pressing the fold line; a pressing unit configured to press the fold line that is formed on the sheet that is supported by the sheet supporting unit; and a pressing-force generating unit configured to generate a pressing force for pressing the sheet supporting unit against the pressing unit at a central part in a direction along which the fold line is formed.

Sheet processing apparatus and image forming system

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.

Sheet stacking apparatus, post-processing apparatus, and image forming system

A binding device includes a stacking device configured to receive sheets, a sheet alignment member configured to align the sheets on the stacking device, a binder configured to bind the sheets on the stacking device, a binder moving device configured to move the binder, and a retreat device configured to retreat the sheet alignment member from a range of movement of the binder. The retreat device retreats the sheet alignment member in response to a pressing force acting on the sheet alignment member in a direction of movement of the binder.

Binding device, post-processing apparatus, and image forming system

A fold-enforcing assembly includes a fold-enforcing device, a moving device to move the fold-enforcing device in a direction of a fold of a sheet bundle, and control circuitry. The fold-enforcing device includes a pressing member pair to nip and press the fold of the sheet bundle in a direction of thickness, a pressing mechanism to pressurize and depressurize the pressing member pair, and a driver to drive the pressing mechanism. Controlled by the control circuitry, the moving device moves the fold-enforcing device in accordance with a size of the sheet bundle in the direction of the fold; pressing mechanism pressurizes the pressing member pair to press a first end portion of the sheet bundle in the direction of the fold; the moving device moves the fold-enforcing device to a second end portion of the sheet bundle; and pressing mechanism depressurizes the pressing member pair in the second end portion.

Fold-enforcing assembly, post-processing apparatus, and image forming system

Pressing unit for sheet folding device

A sheet conveying device, which is included in an image forming apparatus, includes a first guide, a second guide, and a lever. The first guide is fixedly disposed to the sheet conveying device. The second guide is disposed opposite the first guide and defining a sheet conveyance passage with the first guide and is configured to rotate about a support shaft thereof operable to open and close the sheet conveyance passage. The lever is configured to rotate about a rotation shaft thereof operable to rotate the second guide. The second guide is configured to change from a closed state in which the sheet conveyance passage is closed to an open state in which the sheet conveyance passage is open, after an angle of rotation of the lever exceeds a threshold value.

Sheet conveying device and image forming apparatus incorporating the sheet conveying device

Sheet processing apparatus for pressing a fold line and image forming system

A solenoid device including a plunger, a solenoid configured to cause a displacement of the plunger, and a driving control unit configured to control driving of the solenoid. The driving control unit supplies current pulses to the solenoid and changes a pulse interval of the current pulses.

Solenoid device, automatic document feeder, and image forming apparatus

An image reading apparatus includes a body and an auto document feeder. The body includes an exposure glass, a reader for reading an image of an original sheet through the exposure glass, and a guide disposed on the exposure glass and configured to support the original sheet. The auto document feeder is swingably moved between an open position and a closed position relative to the body and feeds the original sheet onto the exposure glass when situated at the closed position. The auto document feeder includes a press and a regulator. The press presses the original sheet onto the exposure glass. The regulator is mounted to the press and contacts the guide when the auto document feeder is situated at the closed position so as to form a slit between the exposure glass and the press. The slit is barely enough to allow the original sheet to pass therethrough.

Image reading apparatus capable of reading an image with improved accuracy

Growing community of inventors

Kanagawa, Japan

Kenji Hari