Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an apparatus main body, a post-processing device, a first magnetic body, and a second magnetic body. The apparatus main body includes an ejecting part configured to eject a sheet toward an ejecting space. The post-processing device is configured to be slidable between an attached position and a detached position. The post-processing device includes a post-processing part and a movable guide. The movable guide is movable between an ordinary position and an opening position. The first magnetic body magnetically attracts the second magnetic body so as to hold the movable guide at the opening position, in a state where the post-processing device is shifted to the detached position. The first magnetic body separates from the second magnetic body and releases magnetic attraction to the second magnetic body when the post-processing device slides from the detached position to the attached position.

Abstract: A media restraint for a removable media tray and slidably operable without the use of a pinching force. The media restraint slidably positionable on a track in a removable media tray and is operable without pinching. A pair of pivoting latching cams are used to engage the media restraint to the track and have serrated portions pivotally mounted to a bottom of the media restraint. The media restraint is operable by a finger of the user applying a downward force to an actuator that spreads two cam plates apart which in turn pivot the pair of latching cams to release the media restraint from the track and allowing it to be moved along the track. Upon removal of the downward force, a biasing member lifts the actuator to bring the two cam plates back to their first positions thereby pivoting the pair of latching cams back to reengage with the track.

Abstract: A feeding device is disclosed, which comprises a paper passage, a sheet-separating roller, a friction institution, and a stopper. The sheet-separating roller is disposed in the paper passage. The friction institution is disposed in the paper passage opposite to the sheet-separating roller. The stopper is disposed in the upstream side of the sheet-separating roller. The stopper includes an axle, a short arm, and a long arm. The short arm connects to the axle, and the axle acts as a fulcrum. The long arm and the short arm disposed to the axle coaxially. A threshold of the force for pushing the short arm is larger than a threshold of the force for pushing the long arm.

Abstract: When waiting for printing, a cam that rotates together with the rotation of a gear locks a knurl at position on the upstream side in the sheet conveyance direction, which prevents sheets from dropping down. Moreover, during printing, when the cam is rotated 180° from the locked position, the knurl is in a state capable of sliding toward the downstream side. As a result, with the force that returns the knurl to the upstream side being too small, it is possible to prevent feeding overlapping sheet due to the front end of a sheet further on the down side than a sheet being fed from dropping toward the downstream side further than the knurl.

Abstract: Methods, devices and computer program products automatically package an object, such as, for example, whole muscle meat pieces, in a covering material, such as, for example, netting. The devices include a pusher assembly, an electric motor, preferably a servo motor with a gear box, that drives a linear drive assembly. The devices can include a programmably adjustable index and/or speed profile for the pusher assembly.

Abstract: By abutting a positioning member against an abutting surface provided in an image forming apparatus body, positioning in a mounting direction of a sheet storing portion drawably mounted on the image forming apparatus body. A position of the positioning member is changed stepwise by a support portion having a receiving surface abutting against the positioning member, and the shift of the sheet storing portion positioned by the positioning member with respect to the image forming portion is adjusted stepwise.

Abstract: A sheet discharging device includes a shift tray 202 on which a sheet P1 is stacked, a discharging roller 6 that discharges a sheet P2 onto the shift tray 202, a blowing device 230 that sends air to a lower surface of the sheet P2 discharged by the discharging roller 6, a blocking member 231 that blocks air sent to the lower surface of the sheet P2 from a blowing port 230-2 of the blowing device 230, and a control unit that controls the blocking amount of the blocking member 231. The blocking amount is determined based upon sheet information including sheet-type information, sheet-size information, and sheet-thickness information, for example.

Abstract: Sheet media jams are detected along a media transport path by one or more vibration sensors that capture mechanical movements of components along the path that interact with the sheet media for driving or guiding the sheet media along the transport path. The detected vibrations during the advancing of the sheets are analyzed for distinguishing between detected vibrations associated with normal handling of the sheets and detected vibrations associated with abnormal handling of the sheets. An error condition can be signaled to a control system in response to distinguishing the detected vibrations associated with the abnormal handling of the sheets.

Abstract: A control apparatus controls a circulating conveyor having areas each of which stores one of articles. A storage stores inventory information indicating a state of storage of each of the articles. A computer executes a program to perform a controlling process of controlling the conveyor. The controlling process includes a receiving process of receiving an instruction of storing or carrying out an article, a computing process of computing, in response to reception of the instruction by the receiving process, an amount of travel of the conveyor based on the inventory information, the amount of travel being necessary to move one of the areas of the conveyor to a predetermined position at which one of the articles is stored in or carried out of the one of the areas, and a first controlling process of controlling an operation of the conveyor in accordance with the computed amount of travel.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a storing-device body that is drawable from an image-forming-apparatus body, a supporting member attached to the storing-device body and that supports a stack of recording media from below, a feeding member that feeds a top one of the recording media on the supporting member into the image-forming-apparatus body, a moving mechanism that moves the supporting member such that the top one of the recording media on the supporting member comes into contact with the feeding member, a connecting mechanism that connects the moving mechanism to a drive source in conjunction with attaching of the storing-device body to the image-forming-apparatus body, an image forming section that forms an image on the recording medium fed by the feeding member, and a disabling mechanism that disables connection between the drive source and the moving mechanism in conjunction with pushing of the storing-device body into the image-forming-apparatus body.

Abstract: An order-picking method includes autonomously routing a plurality of mobile robotic units in an order fulfillment facility and picking articles to or putting articles from the robotic units in the order fulfillment facility. A material-handling robotic unit that is adapted for use in an order fulfillment facility includes an autonomous mobile vehicle base and a plurality of article receptacles positioned on the base. A visual indicator associated with the receptacle facilitates picking articles to or putting articles from the robotic unit.

Abstract: A medication dispensing device comprises a case having a front panel, a back panel and sidewalls. The case defines a medication holding area and a dosage holding area. A first gate is located between the medication holding area and the dosage holding area and is operable to allow the dosage to pass from the medication holding area to the dosage holding area. A second gate is operable to allow the dosage to pass from the dosage holding area to the patient. The device further includes a battery, a patient authentication device and a central processing unit (CPU). Upon proper patient authentication, the CPU instructs the first gate to open to pass the dosage to the dosage holding area, the first gate to close upon passage of the dosage, the second gate to open to dispense the dosage, and the second gate to close.

Abstract: A deflection correcting device includes a banknote running passage formed by a first passage plate and a second passage plate, and a deflection correcting wheel is arranged inside the banknote running passage and has a deflection correcting direction deviated with respect to a reference wall of the banknote running passage. Multiple deflection correcting wheels are dispersedly arranged in a conveying direction of the banknote running passage and are arranged to gradually close to the reference wall. An adjusting wheel having a guide direction along a guide direction of the reference wall is provided at the position of the reference wall, and the adjusting wheel is arranged between a first deflection correcting wheel and a second deflection correcting wheel in the multiple deflection correcting wheels. A linear speed of rotation of the adjusting wheel is greater than a linear speed of rotation of the respective deflection correcting wheel.

Abstract: A custom-content beverage cartridge manufacturing and vending machine has a cabinet housing, a user interface area, and a dispensing area that allows an untrained user to obtain beverage cartridges by entering instructions using aspects of the user interface area. The machine allows the user to quickly and easily produce factory quality beverage cartridges according to the user's particular tastes and preferences.

Abstract: Printing apparatus comprise a printing table, a loader to load sheets of print media to the printing table, and a moveable tray on which at least one row of media sheets can be placed, the tray being moveable between a position in which it is accessible to an operator for placing media sheets thereon and another position in which at least part of the tray is accessible to the loader for picking the print media sheets but inaccessible to the operator.

Abstract: An inventory transfer station is provided in connection with a workspace of an inventory management system. At the inventory transfer station, items are transferred from container holders to empty containers thereby generating containers that may fulfill orders for items. The inventory transfer station may be semi-automatically configured to transfer items from the container holders to the empty containers utilizing a vertical reciprocating conveyor that feeds empty containers to the inventory transfer station via an inbound conveyor lane associated with the inventory management system. Containers that have received items from the container holder may be transferred to an outbound conveyor lane that may, via the vertical reciprocating conveyor, feed fulfilled containers to a shipping area of the workspace.

Abstract: A sheet conveying apparatus includes first and second rotator pairs, a moving member including an abutment portion against which a front end of the sheet conveyed by the first rotator pair abuts and a guide member provided at upstream, in the sheet conveying direction, of a nip portion of a second rotator pair. The guide member configured to be movable to a first position where the guide member guides the sheet toward the moving member in a projection state and to a second position away from the moving member more than the first position and turns to the second position during when the sheet is conveyed by the second rotator pair.

Abstract: The control of second to fourth paths (slave paths) is performed with reference to various settings and the sequence of the first path (master path), instead of various settings and sequences of the second to fourth paths, thus, control of all path groups is centralized by the sequence of the first path.

Abstract: A sheet thickness detector incorporated in an image forming apparatus includes a sheet conveying member to rotate and convey a sheet in a sheet conveyance direction, a driven sheet conveying member to contact the sheet conveying member and form at least one first transfer nip therebetween in a lateral direction and to displace by an amount equivalent to a thickness of the sheet passing through the first transfer nip and rotated with the sheet conveying member in the sheet conveyance direction, a displacement member to contact the sheet conveying member and form a second transfer nip smaller than the first transfer nip in the lateral direction and to displace by an amount equivalent to the thickness of the sheet passing through the second transfer nip and supported at a support member, and a displacement amount detector to detect an amount of displacement of the displacement member.

Abstract: According to an embodiment, a teller cash recycler may comprise: a handling unit including a deposit section in which banknotes are deposited and a withdrawal section in which banknotes are withdrawn; a safe having at least one storage unit in the inside thereof where banknotes are stored; a door for selectively opening and closing the safe; a first transfer unit for transferring banknotes between the handling unit and the storage unit; a cassette mounting unit provided in the outer of the door; and a second transfer unit for transferring banknotes between a cassette mounted on the cassette mounting unit and the handling unit, or the cassette mounted on the cassette mounting unit and the first transfer unit.