Patent ID: 7850166

Claim:
A sheet delivery/guide apparatus comprising: a convey device which holds and conveys a sheet; a first pile device on which the sheet released from said convey device piles; a first blowing device which is arranged above said first pile device and blows toward said first pile device; air control means for selectively performing switching between an air supply state of supplying the sheet with on air and an air supply stop state of stopping the air supply for the sheet; a guide member which is supported movably and guides the sheet that passes said first pile device while being held by said convey device; guide member switching means for switching said guide member between a guide position to enter a sheet falling path, extending from said convey device to said first pile device, to guide the sheet, and a retreat position to retreat from said sheet falling path; control means for controlling said air control means and said guide member switching means on the basis of a convey speed of said convey device, so that in a first mode in which the sheet piles on said first pile device, the air supply state of said first blowing device is effected and said guide member is positioned at the retreat position, and in a second mode in which the sheet passes said first pile device and is conveyed downstream in a sheet convey direction, the air supply stop state of said first blowing device is effected and said guide member is positioned at the guide position; speed detection means for detecting a rotational speed of a machine corresponding to the convey speed of said convey device; and phase detection means for detecting a phase of said machine, wherein the control means controls operation start timings of the air control means and the guide member switching means in accordance with outputs of the speed detection means and the phase detection means.