Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus includes: a stacking part capable of stacking a plurality of sheet packs including a bundle of stacked printing sheets being wrapped with a wrapping sheet; a side surface remover that removes the wrapping sheet on a side surface being a wall surface along a stacking direction of the printing sheets among the wall surfaces of the sheet pack for each of the plurality of sheet packs stacked on the stacking part, a sensor that detects whether an uppermost sheet stacked on the stacking part in a detection range is the wrapping sheet; and a conveyer that conveys the detected wrapping sheet to a path different from a path through which the printing sheet is conveyed in a case where the wrapping sheet has been detected by the sensor.

Abstract: Provided is an image forming device in which a wrapped body that is a paper bundle wrapped in wrapping paper is set into a paper housing, the wrapping paper is subsequently removed and the paper bundle is exposed, and paper is conveyed by one sheet in image forming, the image forming device including: a reader that reads an image on the wrapping paper; and a hardware processor that: compares the image on the wrapping paper, the image being read by the reader, and an image on each of various kinds of wrapping paper, the image being stored in a storage; reads, from the storage, paper setting associated to wrapping paper corresponding to the image on the wrapping paper, the image being read by the reader; and sets a conveyance condition and a process condition based on the paper setting.

Abstract: A sheet feeding device has a mounting portion allowing a stack of sheets to be mounted in a top-bottom direction, a suction/transportation portion provided above the mounting portion for attracting a first sheet positioned on top of the stack, and a blowing portion for blowing air to a foremost edge of the first sheet in a transportation direction while the first sheet is being attracted by the suction/transportation portion, thereby separating the first sheet from a second sheet next to the first sheet. After the first sheet is separated from the second sheet, the suction/transportation portion transports the first sheet in the transportation direction. The suction/transportation portion sets a suction force applied to the foremost edge of the first sheet smaller when the blowing portion blows air to the first sheet than when the suction/transportation portion transports the first sheet.

Abstract: To provide a non-aqueous electrolyte storage element including a positive electrode containing a positive electrode active material capable of inserting and eliminating anions, a negative electrode containing a negative electrode active material capable of inserting and eliminating cations, and a non-aqueous electrolyte prepared by dissolving an electrolyte salt in a non-aqueous solvent, wherein the positive electrode active material contains a carbon material, where a distance between (002) planes, d(002), of the carbon material as measured by X-ray diffraction is 0.340 nm or greater but 0.360 nm or less, and the carbon material has a BET specific surface area of greater than 1 m2/g but smaller than 30 m2/g, and the negative electrode active material contains a material capable of inserting and eliminating lithium ions.

Abstract: A sheet conveying device that passes a sheet to a nip portion formed between first and second rotating bodies, and conveys the sheet, the sheet conveying device includes a separation state determining unit configured to determine a separation state between the sheet having passed the nip portion and a surface of the first rotating body, a sheet separating unit configured to allow force to act on the sheet, and a control unit configured to control the force acting on the sheet by the sheet separating unit according to a result of the separation state determining unit, wherein the separation state determining unit includes an illumination unit, an imaging unit, and an acquisition unit, and the separation state between the sheet and the first rotating body is determined based on the acquired positional information of a tip of the sheet.

Abstract: A sheet feeder having: a base portion configured to support thereon a stack of sheets piled on top of another; a blower configured to blow air to the stack of sheets supported on the base portion so as to float one or more sheets in an uppermost portion of the stack of sheets; a suction/feed system located above the base portion, the suction/feed system configured to suck the sheet floated by the blower and to feed the sheet in a predetermined feeding direction; a photographic device configured to take a picture of the one or more sheets floated by the blower; and an illuminating device configured to emit light to the one or more sheets floated by the blower a plurality of times during one exposure process carried out by the photographic device.

Abstract: A sheet feeder having; a base portion configured to support thereon a stack of sheets piled on top of another; a blower configured to blow air to the stack of sheets supported on the base portion so as to float one or more sheets in an uppermost portion of the stack of sheets; a suction/feed system located above the base portion, the suction/feed system configured to suck the sheet floated by the blower and to feed the sheet in a predetermined feeding direction; a photographic device configured to take a picture of the one or more sheets floated by the blower; and an illuminating device configured to emit light to the one or more sheets floated by the blower a plurality of times during one exposure process carried out by the photographic device.

Abstract: A sheet feeding device having; a mounting portion capable of accommodating a stack of sheets; a blowing device that blows air onto the stack placed in the mounting portion, thereby floating at least a top sheet from the stack; a suction/transportation mechanism that includes a suction belt provided above the mounting portion and attracting the top sheet floated by the blowing device to transport the attracted sheet toward a transportation path; an image pickup device disposed so as to capture an image of the floated top sheet and the next sheet therebelow; and an illuminating device that emits light toward an area to be captured by the image pickup device. The light emitted by the illuminating device illuminates a plane in a direction approximately normal thereto, the plane including the closest end surface of the stack of sheets to the image pickup device.

Abstract: A sheet conveying device that passes a sheet to a nip portion formed between first and second rotating bodies, and conveys the sheet, the sheet conveying device includes a separation state determining unit configured to determine a separation state between the sheet having passed the nip portion and a surface of the first rotating body, a sheet separating unit configured to allow force to act on the sheet, and a control unit configured to control the force acting on the sheet by the sheet separating unit according to a result of the separation state determining unit, wherein the separation state determining unit includes an illumination unit, an imaging unit, and an acquisition unit, and the separation state between the sheet and the first rotating body is determined based on the acquired positional information of a tip of the sheet.

Abstract: A sheet supply apparatus includes: a tray on which a stack of sheets can be placed, an air blowing section that blows air towards the stack of sheets to float at least a topmost sheet, a sucking and conveying section, above the tray, that sucks said floating sheet(s) and conveys said sheet(s) in a prescribed direction, and a first light source that emits a first stripshaped slit light having a vertically extending component such that the slit light crosses at least a first edge of a first floating sheet and a second edge of a second floating sheet. An image capture section captures an image of the first slit light, a calculating section calculates a vertical clearance between the first and second sheets, and an air amount adjusting section adjusts an amount of air to be blown by the air blowing section based on the calculated vertical clearance.

Abstract: A sheet feeding device having: a blowing device configured to blow air toward the stack of sheets placed in a predetermined stacking direction, thereby floating at least a top sheet from the stack; a suction/transportation mechanism that includes a suction belt provided above the mounting portion and configured to attract the top sheet floated by the blowing device to transport the attracted sheet in a predetermined transportation direction; and an image pickup device configured to capture images of the top sheet and the next sheet therebelow, and disposed so as to see through an area where a side of the top sheet and the suction belt, when viewed in a plan view in the stacking direction, are close to each other during the floating of the top sheet, to such an extent that the side of the top sheet essentially does not hang downward.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus having; a fusing unit that heats and presses a recording medium with an image transferred thereto, thereby fixing the image thereon; a first duct section in which air that contains emissions generated by the fusing unit flows; an ion generation unit provided away from the first duct section to generate ions; a second duct section in which air that contains the ions generated by the ion generation unit flows; a third duct section connected to the first and second duct sections, such that air flows in from the first and second duct sections, whereby the emissions are charged by the ions; a filter unit provided in the third duct section to trap the charged emissions; and a blowing unit that generates air flows from the connections with the first and second duct sections in the third duct section toward the filter unit.

Abstract: A sheet supply apparatus includes: a tray on which a stack of sheets can be placed, an air blowing section that blows air towards the stack of sheets to float at least a topmost sheet, a sucking and conveying section, above the tray, that sucks said floating sheet(s) and conveys said sheet(s) in a prescribed direction, and a first light source that emits a first stripshaped slit light having a vertically extending component such that the slit light crosses at least a first edge of a first floating sheet and a second edge of a second floating sheet. An image capture section captures an image of the first slit light, a calculating section calculates a vertical clearance between the first and second sheets, and an air amount adjusting section adjusts an amount of air to be blown by the air blowing section based on the calculated vertical clearance.

Abstract: A sheet feeding device has a mounting portion allowing a stack of sheets to be mounted in a top-bottom direction, a suction/transportation portion provided above the mounting portion for attracting a first sheet positioned on top of the stack, and a blowing portion for blowing air to a foremost edge of the first sheet in a transportation direction while the first sheet is being attracted by the suction/transportation portion, thereby separating the first sheet from a second sheet next to the first sheet. After the first sheet is separated from the second sheet, the suction/transportation portion transports the first sheet in the transportation direction. The suction/transportation portion sets a suction force applied to the foremost edge of the first sheet smaller when the blowing portion blows air to the first sheet than when the suction/transportation portion transports the first sheet.

Abstract: A sheet feeding device having; a mounting portion capable of accommodating a stack of sheets; a blowing device that blows air onto the stack placed in the mounting portion, thereby floating at least a top sheet from the stack; a suction/transportation mechanism that includes a suction belt provided above the mounting portion and attracting the top sheet floated by the blowing device to transport the attracted sheet toward a transportation path; an image pickup device disposed so as to capture an image of the floated top sheet and the next sheet therebelow; and an illuminating device that emits light toward an area to be captured by the image pickup device. The light emitted by the illuminating device illuminates a plane in a direction approximately normal thereto, the plane including the closest end surface of the stack of sheets to the image pickup device.

Abstract: A sheet feeding device having: a blowing device configured to blow air toward the stack of sheets placed in a predetermined stacking direction, thereby floating at least a top sheet from the stack; a suction/transportation mechanism that includes a suction belt provided above the mounting portion and configured to attract the top sheet floated by the blowing device to transport the attracted sheet in a predetermined transportation direction; and an image pickup device configured to capture images of the top sheet and the next sheet therebelow, and disposed so as to see through an area where a side of the top sheet and the suction belt, when viewed in a plan view in the stacking direction, are close to each other during the floating of the top sheet, to such an extent that the side of the top sheet essentially does not hang downward.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus having; a fusing unit that heats and presses a recording medium with an image transferred thereto, thereby fixing the image thereon; a first duct section in which air that contains emissions generated by the fusing unit flows; an ion generation unit provided away from the first duct section to generate ions; a second duct section in which air that contains the ions generated by the ion generation unit flows; a third duct section connected to the first and second duct sections, such that air flows in from the first and second duct sections, whereby the emissions are charged by the ions; a filter unit provided in the third duct section to trap the charged emissions; and a blowing unit that generates air flows from the connections with the first and second duct sections in the third duct section toward the filter unit.