Abstract: A feeding apparatus includes a feeding rotary member, a conveying rotary member pair, an output unit, a detection unit, and a control unit. The conveying rotary member pair includes first and second rotary members. The control unit stops a feeding operation when the detection unit does not detect the recording material by the time when a threshold time has elapsed after an operation of feeding a recording material is stated. The control unit determines that the recording material is stopped at a position on an upstream side relative to the nip portion in the feeding direction in a case where a rotation speed of the second rotary member, indicated by a state signal output from the output unit at least in a period of time from when the recording material reaches the nip portion to when the feeding operation is stopped, is faster than a threshold speed.

Abstract: A sheet conveying device includes a third pivoting guide member located between a first pivoting guide member on a side of fixed guide members and a second pivoting guide member on a side of an opening/closing member. In a state in which an upstream conveying path and a re-conveying path are formed, the first pivoting guide member pivots toward the third pivoting guide member to expand the upstream conveying path when pushed by a sheet conveyed from the upstream conveying path, and the third pivoting guide member pivots toward the first pivoting guide member to expand the re-conveying path when pushed by a sheet conveyed from the re-conveying path.

Abstract: Systems, devices and methods for receiving an item in a receptacle are disclosed. Features are disclosed for receiving and guiding an item in a receiving space of a receptacle so as to attenuate or remove the impact force of the item on the receptacle. Some embodiments of the disclosure include a bumper having an impact surface which absorbs most or all of the impact force of the item and thereby mitigates or removes the imposition of cyclic impact loads on the receptacle from repeated receipt of items. The bumper may be structurally and/or functionally de-coupled or otherwise physically separated from the receptacle such that an advantageous division of labor is created between absorbing the impact and receiving the item. This disclosure may be useful, for example, in modern industrial operations where a high volume of items are received daily, such as in mail sorting and handling operations.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus, including a main chassis having a discharge tray and a switchback tray in an upper position with respect to the discharge tray; an image forming unit; a discharge roller to discharge a recording sheet conveyed through the image forming unit onto the discharge tray; a duplex conveyer to invert the sheet and convey the inverted sheet to return to the image forming unit; and a switchback roller being rotatable in a normal direction to convey the sheet toward the switchback tray and a reverse direction to convey the sheet to the duplex conveyer; is provided. The main chassis includes a pair of walls, each of which extends in a vertical direction and in a conveying direction of the sheet and is arranged in adjacent to the switchback tray such that the switchback tray is interposed between the pair of walls.

Abstract: A sheet conveying device, which is included in an image forming apparatus and an optional device attachable to the image forming apparatus, includes a sheet container, a sheet feeder, a separator, a guide, and a projection. The sheet container loads multiple sheets. The sheet feeder feeds a sheet out of the multiple sheets in the sheet container. The separator separates the sheet from another sheet fed together with the sheet. The guide having a guide surface to guide the sheet passing the separator such that the sheet is fed in a predetermined sheet conveying direction. An upstream end in the sheet conveying direction of the guide surface of the guide is located lower than a downstream end in the sheet conveying direction of the separator. The projection is disposed facing the separator at the upstream end in the sheet conveying direction of the guide surface.

Abstract: A deskew module of a valuable media depository is selectively controlled ejection processing. Upon detection of a jammed item of media within the deskew module, angled drives are activated to lift a jammed corner of the item off a track base of the deskew module and free the item's jammed corner. Next, straight drives are activated to eject the item from the deskew module.

Abstract: A lock structure is constituted of a gear and an engagement/disengagement switching section. The gear is disposed concentric with a turning center of an operating lever. The engagement/disengagement switching section is provided with an engagement pawl such that the engagement pawl can move toward and away from the gear. The engagement pawl is connected to a switching lever to form a substantially T-like shape, and the switching lever is pivotally supported by a body section of the engagement/disengagement switching section. A locking operation of the switching lever switches between the locked state and unlocked state of the operating lever. In an engaged state, a gap having an opening angle of ? in a direction in which the operating lever loosens is formed between a tooth groove of the gear and the engagement pawl.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a mechanism (10) for transmitting a torque applied to a handle (12). The mechanism (10) comprises a torque transmitter (18). The torque transmitter (18) is for transmitting the torque applied to the handle (12) coupled thereto. The mechanism (10) comprises a torque transmitter stop (40) within the housing (14). The torque transmitter (18) and the torque transmitter stop (40) are cooperatively arranged for the torque transmitter stop (40) and the torque transmitter (18) to engage to arrest a torque transmitter rotation. The torque transmitter (18) and the torque transmitter stop (40) are cooperatively arranged for the torque transmitter stop (40) and the torque transmitter (18) to disengage when the torque so applied exceeds a predetermined torque value. Also disclosed herein is a method for operating the mechanism (10) for transmitting a torque applied to the handle (12).

Abstract: A sheet feeder includes a first rotary member, a separation member that cooperates with the first rotary member in holding the sheet between the separation member and the first rotary member to define a separation nip, a conveyance unit disposed downstream of the separation nip in a conveyance direction of the sheet, a driving unit, and a control unit. The first rotary member feeds a sheet. The conveyance unit conveys the sheet. The driving unit drives the first rotary member. The control unit controls the driving unit to stop driving the first rotary member when a leading edge of the sheet reaches the conveyance unit, and controls the driving unit to restart driving the first rotary member when a trailing edge portion of the sheet comes out of the separation nip.

Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus includes a transport path to transport a sheet to a first tray, a branch path branched off from the transport path to transport a sheet to a second tray, a first transport roller positioned in the transport path on a downstream side of a branch position of the transport path and the branch path to transport a sheet in either direction of the first tray or the branch path, a second transport roller positioned on the branch path to transport a sheet in either direction of the second tray or the transport path, and a control section recognizing a transport length of the sheet transported by the first transport roller and the second transport roller, and controlling the first transport roller and the second transport roller. The control section performs first and second transports for switchback-transporting a sheet.

Abstract: A balancer mechanism for a rotating shaft is configured to prevent deviation of the axis of the rotating shaft. The balancer mechanism (20) has an assistance torque generation device (21) for generating an assistance torque. The assistance torque generation device (21) includes a cam member (24) fixed to the rotating shaft (4), a cam follower member (25) and a gas spring (27). The balancer mechanism has a reaction force generation device (22) provided for generating, a balancing moment on the rotating shaft that cancels out a tilting moment that tilts the rotating shaft (4) around a bearing member (9) in a direction to separate it from the assistance torque generation device (21) and which is caused by the biasing force of the gas spring (27).

Abstract: A bicycle handlebar includes a top section, a first hook and second hook extending downward from each end of the tops section, and a first drop and a second drop extending rearward from an end, opposing the top section, of the first hook and second hook, respectively. The first width of the top section may be greater than a second width between each of the first drop and the second drop.

Abstract: A bicycle operating device includes a base member, a positioning ratchet, a positioning member, a release member and a release pawl. The positioning ratchet pivots about a pivot axis in first and second directions. The positioning member moves between a holding position that prevents pivoting of the positioning ratchet in the first direction, and a releasing position that releases the positioning ratchet to pivot in the first direction. The release member moves the positioning member from the holding position to the releasing position as the release member moves with respect to the base member. The release pawl is movably mounted with respect to the base member to move the release member. The release pawl includes first and second pawl parts that selectively contact the release member as the release pawl moves with respect to the base member. The first and second pawl parts are different from each other.

Abstract: Both the inboard and outboard fluffer nozzles of a top vacuum corrugation feeder are configured to allow adjustability in angle of air flow. This is to allow the direction of the air to be angled more towards the lead edge or trail edge of a top few sheets in a stack of specialty sheets. The fluffer nozzles are also adjustable in a horizontal plane for positioning at desired locations along the sheet stack. This allows the air to overcome barriers created by the design of specialty media that would otherwise trap the air and prevent it from being distributed between sheets. The cross-section of the nozzles is also adjustable, providing a smaller or wider throat in order to allow the air velocity to be optimized to best separate the sheets in problem areas.

Abstract: A medium discharge device includes a discharge roller pair that is provided with a discharge driving roller and a discharge driven roller which drivably rotates in contact with the discharge driving roller, and a medium receiving tray which receives the medium that is fed and discharged by the discharge roller pair, in which the medium receiving tray includes a guide member which guides such that a tip end of the medium which is discharged from the discharge roller pair enters the medium mounting surface at a predetermined angle, and the guide member is provided to be elastically displaceable in an advancing and retreating direction with respect to the medium mounting surface of the medium receiving tray and is displaced in a direction coming close to the medium mounting surface according to raising of a pressing load due to the medium that is discharged to the medium receiving tray.

Abstract: There is provided a conveyance apparatus including: a main body including a drive source, and a conveyance portion to which a drive force is transmitted from the drive source; an equipped unit including a drive portion to which the drive force is transmitted from the drive source in the main body; a first gear provided in the main body and rotated by the drive force transmitted thereto from the drive force; a first gear holder provided swingably in the main body to support the first gear; a second gear provided in the equipped unit to transmit the drive force to the drive portion; a second gear holder provided swingably in the equipped unit to support the second gear; and a third gear supported by a connecting shaft connecting the first and second gear holders to engage respectively with the first and second gears.

Abstract: A remote controller comprises a shifter lever structure, a controller, and a signal emission device. The shifter lever structure comprises a base, a press key movably connected to the base, a shifter lever arranged surrounding the press key and movably connected to the base, and a sensor coupled to the press key and the shifter lever and configured to obtain moving state information about the press key and the shifter lever. A movement mode of the shifter lever is different from a movement mode of the press key. The controller is electrically coupled to the sensor. The signal emission device is electrically coupled to the controller. The controller is configured to receive the moving state information from the sensor and emit a control signal corresponding to the moving state information via the signal emission device.

Abstract: A lever unit is provided with a start lever rotatably provided on a securing shaft, a ratchet mechanism that restricts a movement direction of the start lever to one direction, and a reset mechanism that releases the restriction on the movement direction by the ratchet mechanism, wherein the ratchet mechanism is provided with a rotation plate that rotates integrally with the start lever and on which multiple teeth are formed on an outer edge thereof, and multiple latch pieces having engaging portions that mesh with tooth depression portions between the teeth of the rotation plate, wherein the multiple latch pieces are set in an array along an outer edge of the rotation plate so that each time the rotation plate moves a single pitch portion of the teeth, the engaging portions of all of the latch pieces mesh alternately with one of the tooth depression portions.

Abstract: A sheet feeding device comprising: a stacking member on which a sheet is stacked; a first conveying portion that conveys a sheet stacked on the stacking member; a second conveying portion that separates and conveys a sheet conveyed by the first conveying portion; a stopper member that stops a sheet whose front end is abutted against the stopper member at an upstream of the second conveying portion in a sheet conveying direction, wherein the stopper member can be at a first position where the sheet can be stopped and a second position where the sheet can pass the stopper member, and wherein the stopper member can move from the first position toward the second position such that a sheet conveyed by the first conveying portion reaches the second conveying portion while maintaining a state where the front end of the sheet is abutted to the stopper member.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus, including a reference guide, an oblique conveyer roller, and a curve guide, is provided. The reference guide is arranged on one side in a widthwise direction with respect to a widthwise center in a sheet conveyer path and regulates a widthwise position of the sheet. The oblique conveyer roller applies a conveying force acting in a direction toward downstream along a conveying direction and toward the reference guide to the sheet. The curve guide is arranged upstream with respect to the oblique conveyer roller along the conveying direction and forms a curve. The curve guide includes an inner guide and an outer guide. The outer guide has a constant curvature throughout a width regardless of a widthwise position therein. The inner guide has a protrusive portion protruding toward the outer guide at a position on the other side in the widthwise direction with respect to the widthwise center.