Abstract: According to one embodiment, when a control unit is notified of information in at least one second signal received by one of first and second wireless communication units after the control unit provides the second wireless communication unit with a command to transmit a first signal containing first address information and before a waiting time elapses and when the at least one second signal contains second address information assigned to an authentication apparatus having received the first signal, then the control unit provides the first wireless communication unit with a command to transmit a third signal for a connection request with the second address information set in a destination address.

Abstract: An image reading apparatus includes: an optical unit movably provided to a device main body; a flexible flat cable connected to the optical unit and to the device main body through a curved portion; a first friction surface on which the flexible flat cable abuts on an opposing surface of the device main body opposing the optical unit; and a second friction surface having a frictional force smaller than that of the first friction surface on which the flexible flat cable abuts on the opposing surface, wherein when the optical unit is positioned at an end portion on one side in a moving direction, the flexible flat cable abuts on the first friction surface, and the flexible flat cable further abuts on the second friction surface on a side where the curved portion is formed outside of the first friction surface in the moving direction of the optical unit.

Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus includes a feeding rotating member to feed a sheet, and a separating portion to separate and feed one by one the sheet fed by the feeding rotating member. The separating portion includes a separating rotating member to feed a sheet and a separating member to form a separation nip portion by abutting on the separating rotating member. In addition, a sheet stacking portion on which sheets are stacked is disposed to face the feeding rotating member, and a sheet introducing portion guides the sheet toward the separating portion. The sheet introducing portion being is in a downstream side of the sheet stacking portion and positioned above a tangent line at a contacting point between the feeding rotating member and the sheet stacking portion in a vertical direction.

Abstract: An image reading apparatus includes: an optical unit movably provided to a device main body; a flexible flat cable connected to the optical unit and to the device main body through a curved portion; a first friction surface on which the flexible flat cable abuts on an opposing surface of the device main body opposing the optical unit; and a second friction surface having a frictional force smaller than that of the first friction surface on which the flexible flat cable abuts on the opposing surface, wherein when the optical unit is positioned at an end portion on one side in a moving direction, the flexible flat cable abuts on the first friction surface, and the flexible flat cable further abuts on the second friction surface on a side where the curved portion is formed outside of the first friction surface in the moving direction of the optical unit.

Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus includes: a feeding rotating member configured to feed a sheet; a separating portion configured to separate and feed one by one the sheet fed by the feeding rotating member, the separating portion including a separating rotating member configured to feed a sheet and a separating member configured to form a separation nip portion by abutting on the separating rotating member; and a curving portion configured to curve a sheet fed to the separation nip portion by the feeding rotating member in a sheet width direction perpendicular to a sheet feeding direction.

Abstract: An image reading apparatus is provided with a registration roller configured such that a downstream end in a sheet feeding direction of a sheet abut to correct a skew of the sheet, and a pulling roller that conveys the sheet to the registration roller. The pulling roller is disposed such that a center of an arrangement in a direction orthogonal to the sheet feeding direction of the pulling roller is located on a side of the first restricting plate from a widthwise center of the sheet conveying path.

Abstract: An image reading apparatus that includes an image reading portion, a tray, a first regulation member movable in a width direction on the tray, a second regulation member movable in association with the first regulation member, a first rotating portion and a second rotating portion that are each capable of being rotated by a sheet on the tray, and a sensor portion configured to generate a signal based on rotations of the first and second rotating portions. The first rotating portion is located between the first regulation member and the second regulation member that regulate both edges of a sheet having a minimum width, and the second rotating portion is located between the other edge of a sheet having a smaller width and the first regulation member, when sheets having different widths are supported on the tray with each having one edge aligned with the first regulation member.

Abstract: An image reading apparatus, including: an image reading portion; a tray; a first regulation member movable in a width direction on the tray; a second regulation member movable in association with the first regulation member; a first and a second rotating portions rotated by the sheet on the tray; and a sensor portion configured to generate a signal based on rotations of the first and second rotating portions, wherein the first rotating portion is located between the first regulation member and the second regulation member which regulate both edges of a sheet having a minimum width; and the second rotating portion is located between the other edge of a sheet having a smaller width and the first regulation member when sheets having different widths are supported on the tray with each one edge being aligned with the first regulation member.

Abstract: An image reading apparatus is provided with a registration roller configured such that a downstream end in a sheet feeding direction of a sheet abut to correct a skew of the sheet, and a pulling roller that conveys the sheet to the registration roller. The pulling roller is disposed such that a center of an arrangement in a direction orthogonal to the sheet feeding direction of the pulling roller is located on a side of the first restricting plate from a widthwise center of the sheet conveying path.

Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus includes a winding unit configured to wind a continuous sheet, a binding unit configured to bind the continuous sheet that is wound and stacked by the winding unit, and a first cutting unit configured to cut the continuous sheet that is bound by the binding unit in a state that the continuous sheet is wound by the winding unit.

Abstract: The image forming apparatus including a sheet conveying path which is arranged at the sheet inserting device and which conveys the sheets on which the images are formed at the image forming apparatus main body and the insertion sheet to the post-processing device and a sheet conveying portion which is arranged at the sheet conveying path and which conveys the sheets being capable of accelerating and decelerating is controlled to accelerate sheet conveying speed of the sheets from the image forming apparatus main body from a predetermined conveying speed at the sheet conveying path, to insert the insertion sheet so as to follow a preceding sheet which is accelerated, and to convey the sheets from the image forming apparatus main body and the insertion sheet to the post-processing device after being decelerated to the predetermined conveying speed.

Abstract: The image forming apparatus including a sheet conveying path which is arranged at the sheet inserting device and which conveys the sheets on which the images are formed at the image forming apparatus main body and the insertion sheet to the post-processing device and a sheet conveying portion which is arranged at the sheet conveying path and which conveys the sheets being capable of accelerating and decelerating is controlled to accelerate sheet conveying speed of the sheets from the image forming apparatus main body from a predetermined conveying speed at the sheet conveying path, to insert the insertion sheet so as to follow a preceding sheet which is accelerated, and to convey the sheets from the image forming apparatus main body and the insertion sheet to the post-processing device after being decelerated to the predetermined conveying speed.

Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus includes a winding unit configured to wind a continuous sheet, a binding unit configured to bind the continuous sheet that is wound and stacked by the winding unit, and a first cutting unit configured to cut the continuous sheet that is bound by the binding unit in a state that the continuous sheet is wound by the winding unit.

Abstract: When a top sheet of a sheet stack stacked on a sheet tray capable of moving up and down is fed by sheet feeding device, air is blown to the end face of the sheet stack by air blowing device for improving a separation characteristic. The quantity of blown air for the top sheet to rise by a specified amount is determined based on a signal from rising sheet detecting device for detecting the top sheet rising by air blown by the air blowing device, and air is blown based on the determined air quantity when the sheet is fed by the sheet feeding device.

Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus for feeding sheets supported by sheet stacking means capable of ascending and descending by sheet feeding means is provided. The sheet feeding apparatus includes sheet position detection means for detecting that an upper surface of a sheet stack supported by said sheet stacking means reaches a position whereat it can be fed by said sheet feeding means, blowing means for blowing air on an end portion of sheets stacked on said sheet stacking means, and control means for controlling said blowing means, wherein at least, either when it has been detected by said sheet position detection means that the sheets reach a position whereat they can be fed, or before a sheet feeding operation by said sheet feeding means is started, said control means performs a blowing operation by said blowing means during predetermined time.

Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus for feeding sheets supported by sheet stacking means capable of ascending and descending by sheet feeding means is provided. The sheet feeding apparatus includes sheet position detection means for detecting that an upper surface of a sheet stack supported by said sheet stacking means reaches a position whereat it can be fed by said sheet feeding means, blowing means for blowing air on an end portion of sheets stacked on said sheet stacking means, and control means for controlling said blowing means, wherein at least, either when it has been detected by said sheet position detection means that the sheets reach a position whereat they can be fed, or before a sheet feeding operation by said sheet feeding means is started, said control means performs a blowing operation by said blowing means during predetermined time.

Abstract: It is one objective of the present invention to provide a sheet feeding apparatus that can steadily separate and feed individual sheets without causing an image detect, such as a transfer failure. The sheet feeding apparatus, for employing a sheet feeding portion to feed sheets stacked on elevatable sheet stacking means, includes an air blowing portion for blowing air against an end face of a sheet stack supported by the sheet stacking means, a sheet position detector for detecting that a top face of the sheet stack has reached a position whereat a sheet feeding operation by the sheet feeding portion is enabled, wherein, when the sheet position detector has detected that the top face of the sheet stack has reached the position for sheet feeding, or when the sheet feeding portion starts the sheet feeding operation, and when a sheet is not actually fed after a predetermined waiting time has elapsed, the air blowing portion starts an air blowing operation during a predetermined air blowing period.

Abstract: When performing a punching operation for each of sheets individually conveyed to a predetermined punching position within a conveying path, each of the individually conveyed sheets is positioned at the predetermined punching position before performing the punching operation.

Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus for feeding sheets supported by sheet stacking means capable of ascending and descending by sheet feeding means is provided. The sheet feeding apparatus includes sheet position detection means for detecting that an upper surface of a sheet stack supported by said sheet stacking means reaches a position whereat it can be fed by said sheet feeding means, blowing means for blowing air on an end portion of sheets stacked on said sheet stacking means, and control means for controlling said blowing means, wherein at least, either when it has been detected by said sheet position detection means that the sheets reach a position whereat they can be fed, or before a sheet feeding operation by said sheet feeding means is started, said control means performs a blowing operation by said blowing means during predetermined time.

Abstract: When a top sheet of a sheet stack stacked on a sheet tray capable of moving up and down is fed by sheet feeding device, air is blown to the end face of the sheet stack by air blowing device for improving a separation characteristic. The quantity of blown air for the top sheet to rise by a specified amount is determined based on a signal from rising sheet detecting device for detecting the top sheet rising by air blown by the air blowing device, and air is blown based on the determined air quantity when the sheet is fed by the sheet feeding device.