Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus includes a stacking surface on which a sheet is stacked, a feed portion configured to feed the sheet in a sheet feeding direction, and first and second detecting portions disposed at positions different from each other in a width direction orthogonal to the sheet feeding direction and so as to overlap with the stacking surface in a view from a height direction orthogonal to the stacking surface. The first and second detecting portions detect height positions which are positions in the height direction of an uppermost sheet. In addition, a control portion stops feeding the sheet by the feed portion based on at least one a height position detected by the first detecting portion and a height position detected by the second portion in feeding the sheet.

Abstract: A sheet stacking apparatus includes a sheet stacking unit having a stacking surface on which a sheet is stacked, a sheet regulating unit, and an opposed member. The sheet regulating unit includes a main body having a regulating surface which regulates a position of the sheet and being movable with respect to the sheet stacking unit, and an operating portion movably supported on a top of the main body and having a pressure surface. The operating portion is movable from a first position to a second position by performing a pressing operation on the pressure surface. The main body is prevented from moving when the operating portion is in the first position, and is allowed to move when the operating portion is in the second position. The opposed member is removably supported on the main body and opposed to at least a part of the pressure surface and an upper surface of the operating portion.

Abstract: A sheet conveying apparatus includes: a first pair of conveying rollers for conveying a sheet; a second pair of conveying rollers against which the leading edge of the sheet conveyed by the first pair of conveying rollers is hit and which conveys the sheet together with the first pair of conveying rollers by rotating after a loop is formed on the sheet; a separating portion for separating the first pair of conveying rollers; a first conveyance path for guiding the sheet; a second conveyance path which is a path different from the first conveyance path and guides the sheet; and a controller which changes a separation timing at which the first pair of conveying rollers is separated after the loop is formed on the sheet, depending on whether the sheet is guided by the first conveyance path or by the second conveyance path.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an apparatus body including an image former that forms an image on a recording material; a covering part that is provided in the apparatus body and leaves an inside of the apparatus body open by being opened in an opening direction with respect to the apparatus body; a reversing unit that is housed by the apparatus body and discharges part of the recording material on which the image is formed by the image former externally of the apparatus body, and reverses a transport direction of the recording material; and a guiding unit that is provided adjacent to a downstream side of the covering part in the opening direction, guides the recording material discharged through the apparatus body by the reversing unit, and when the covering part is opened with respect to the apparatus body, the guiding unit moves relatively with respect to the covering part in an opposite direction of the opening direction.

Abstract: An insert sheet loading device (10) comprising a movable carriage (12; 12?) for inserting insert sheets into a receiving area (2) of a blank-receiving station (500). The movable carriage (12; 12?) has a plurality of longitudinal bars (27a, 27b). At least one longitudinal bar (27a) has a suction channel (35) leading out, via at least one suction opening (30), onto the surface of the longitudinal bar (27a) for receiving an insert sheet, the suction channel (35) is connected to a vacuum source (31) for holding, by suction, the insert sheet transported by the movable carriage (12; 12?). Also a blank-receiving station, a sheet-shaped element processing machine, and a method for transporting an insert sheet in a receiving area of a blank-receiving station are disclosed.

Abstract: A method for loading blanks to a head of the stamping press line includes providing a stack of blanks at a pick-up position; loading blanks from the stack of blanks to the head of the stamping press line; before the stack of blanks is exhausted, creating a buffer by raising a predetermined number of blanks from the top of the stack to a position above the stack; and loading blanks from the buffer to the line while replacing the stack of blanks with a new stack of blanks. A handling system for creating a buffer includes one or more buffer robots with one or more supporting tools on which the blanks can be held, and one or more separating tools to separate one or more blanks at the top of the stack from the underlying blank of the stack.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a haptic pedal (10) for a vehicle (4). The pedal comprises a plurality of piezoelectric actuators (22) operable for providing haptic feedback to a driver through the footrest (18) and sensing means (26) for mapping the area of the footrest in contact with a driver's foot so that haptic feedback is delivered by selective activation of actuators in the mapped area. The invention also comprises a haptic feedback system including the haptic pedal (10) and a controller (6) for receiving an input from the sensing means (26) relating to the area of the footrest in contact with the driver's foot and for delivering an output to selectively activate piezoelectric actuators overlapping the contact area in dependence on a sensed state of the vehicle. The haptic feedback system may be implemented as part of the vehicle's navigation system.

Abstract: A sheet conveying device includes a sheet feed tray with a first guide, a main body with a second guide, a guide member disposed at the sheet feed tray, and a contact portion located at the main body. The sheet feed tray is movable in a first direction. The guide member is movable between a protruding position and a withdrawn position. The guide member at the protruding position is disposed downstream of the first guide in a sheet conveyance direction and upstream of the second guide in the first direction such that the guide member overlaps the second guide in the first direction. The guide member at the withdrawn position does not overlap the second guide in the first direction. The contact portion is configured to, as the sheet feed tray moves from the main body, contact and move the guide member from the protruding position toward the withdrawn position.

Abstract: A drive apparatus according to the present invention includes a first motor that transmits power to a rotating shaft of a conveyance roller for conveying a sheet, a second motor that transmits power to the rotating shaft of the conveyance roller, a storage that stores information indicating the driving force of the second motor during a period in which the conveyance roller conveys the sheet; and a controller that drives the second motor with the driving force indicated by the information during a period when the conveyance roller conveys the sheet, wherein the controller changes the information stored in the storage according to a load applied to the conveyance roller during the period when the conveyance roller conveys the sheet, and drives the second motor with a driving force indicated by the information after the change during a period when the conveyance roller conveys a next sheet.

Abstract: In a paper sheet storing apparatus housed in a paper sheet handling apparatus, a storage part stores paper sheets. An ejection port ejects a paper sheet of the paper sheets stored in the storage part. A first roller is arranged near the ejection port, and is rotated in a predetermined direction by transmission of rotation caused by drive of a drive shaft so as to send out the paper sheet from the ejection port. A driven shaft is rotated in the predetermined direction following the rotation of the first roller. A second roller is arranged in a position farther from the ejection port than a first roller, and is rotated in the predetermined direction by transmission of rotation of the driven shaft so as to sequentially feed, to the first roller, the paper sheets from a paper sheet positioned in a lowest layer among the paper sheets.

Abstract: A sheet conveying device has a supporting frame that supports a pick-up roller and that moves downward when a sheet is fed, a stepping motor that rotates the pick-up roller and moves the supporting frame downward, and a control portion that starts driving the stepping motor when a job is started and then increases a frequency of the pulse signal to a target frequency. The control portion keeps the frequency of the pulse signal not more than ½ of the target frequency at least until the pick-up roller touches the sheet first.

Abstract: An integrated bicycle control device has a handlebar portion of a bicycle handlebar assembly. The handlebar portion has a body with a gripping portion adjacent a distal end of the body and a transition portion spaced from the gripping portion. A compartment may be formed in the transition portion and an opening in the body may permit access to the compartment. An actuator is disposed near the distal end of the gripping portion. A control element and/or other elements or circuitry may be disposed within the compartment.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a flywheel system (1), comprising a ring-shaped flywheel rotor (3), arranged on a rotation axis (7); and a substantially cylindrical casing (2), enveloping the flywheel rotor (3) at least in a radial direction to contain the flywheel (3) in case of a calamity. The flywheel system (1) further exhibits the feature that the casing (2) comprises and having at least one inward protruding bumper (8) defining a variation from the circular shape in cross section of the casing wall (5) surrounding the flywheel rotor (3). The casing wall (5) may itself be circular and the bumper (8) can define a deviation relative to the circular shape thereof, to enhance deceleration of the flywheel rotor (3), if, in case of an accident or calamity, the flywheel rotor (3) comes loose.

Abstract: Examples disclosed herein relate to a device including a bail arm to rotate and oscillate. Examples include a shaft coupled above an output tray; and a bail arm to rotate and oscillate about a central axis of the shaft. In examples, the bail arm is to provide a downward force on the output tray.

Abstract: A Cantilever Beam Linkage is disclosed for a mechanism and structural support to power and control a cantilever beam in reciprocal motions, by adopting and using planar 4-bar parallelogram linkages, typically for drive mechanisms, into mechanisms to function as guided roller supports, free to translate but fixed for rotational motions; and as load separators where forces and moments are separated. A Cantilever Beam Linkage is applicable for a cantilever beam in reciprocal motions to have its powering and controlling applied forces confined within narrow bodies, to have the cantilever beam extends out multiple times the narrow body width, and to have applied forces equal to response forces; and is particularly suitable for applications such as: a rowing boat oar and a flying machine flapping wing.

Abstract: A workpiece transfer apparatus includes a mounting surface, a non-contact chuck, and an extracting mechanism. The mounting surface receives workpieces stacked one above the other. The non-contact chuck is located above the workpieces to draw the uppermost workpiece. The extracting mechanism extracts the uppermost workpiece drawn by the chuck by laterally sliding the uppermost workpiece in a predetermined extracting direction.

Abstract: A spur gear transmission has at least two toothed spur gears, the toothings of which are in meshing engagement with one another and which are each rotatable about an axis of rotation. An enveloping wall encloses the two spur gears in a circumferential direction and in the direction of the axes of rotation. The enveloping wall has an inner contour which is adapted to the outer diameters of the spur gears such that ring-shaped gaps that merge into one another are formed between the enveloping wall and the spur gears. Each ring-shaped gap is arranged at least substantially concentrically with respect to a respective axis of rotation. The enveloping wall is formed by a multi-part housing which is closed along a parting joint. The parting joint extends partially or entirely substantially within a plane in which one of the two axes of rotation or both axes of rotation run.

Abstract: A sheet feeding device comprises a bottom plate, an auxiliary tray and a tilt table. The bottom plate is configured to move along a vertical axis. The auxiliary tray is disposed on the bottom plate. The tilt table includes a lower table disposed on the bottom plate, an upper table rotatably connected to the lower table at one end of the upper table by a pivot, and a resilient member disposed between the upper table and the lower table, the resilient member configured to press the upper table upward. The auxiliary tray and the upper table are configured to receive and hold sheets in a stack.

Abstract: A multi-appliance power unit (100) selectively driving one of a plurality of power driven appliances (114) from one relocatable power plant (102). The modular power plant (102) is entrapped on a platform (108) and is movable therealong to any one of the appliances (114) fastened to the platform (108), which appliance (114) can then be driven by the power plant (102). A modular power plant and power driven appliance kit (200) includes a wheeled chassis (204) having a handle (220), a removable modular power plant (202 or 212), and a removable modular power driven appliance (212 or 202). A flexible drive shaft (300), is optionally integrated with a power plant or a powered appliance. The flexible drive shaft (300) includes an outer flexible sheath (310), roller type bearings (308), and a multifilament torque conducting flexible core (306) held spaced apart from the outer flexible sheath (310) by the bearings (308).

Abstract: A sheet accommodating device includes a housing; a sheet accommodating portion configured to accommodate a sheet and detachably mountable in the housing, the accommodating portion including, a supporting member supporting the accommodating portion so as to be rotatable relative to the housing, a movable member movable relative to the supporting member along the supporting member, a first urging member urging the movable member in a moving direction of the supporting member, a regulating member movable in a direction crossing with the moving direction of the movable member, and a second urging member urging the regulating member so as to protrude it from the movable member. The housing is provided with an engageable member engaged with the regulating member.