Abstract: A printing apparatus according to the present invention includes a feeding unit, a conveying unit, a printing unit, and a control unit. The control unit performs a successive feeding operation. An operating state of the feeding unit changes between a first operating state and a second operating state in which a feeding stop is more unstable than that in the first operating state, in a period from a start of feeding a printing medium until the printing medium reaches the conveying unit. In the successive feeding operation, a subsequent printing medium is fed without stopping until a leading end of the subsequent printing medium reaches a stoppable position. The stoppable position is arranged on an upstream side of the conveying unit. The subsequent printing medium can be stopped in the first operating state at the stoppable position.

Abstract: To downsize a drying device that blows gas on a sheet to dry the sheet, a printing apparatus that includes a print head of an inkjet type is provided with a drying unit that dries a sheet printed by a print head. The drying unit has a plurality of conveying rollers that support the sheet; a conveying belt that conveys the sheet; and a nozzle that is arranged between the plurality of conveying rollers in a direction of the conveyance of the sheet by the conveying belt and blows gas toward the sheet. The nozzle has a blowout port and the blowout port is tilted with respect to a surface of the sheet, which is supported by the conveying rollers.

Abstract: A sheet conveyance apparatus comprising: a first processing unit including a first sheet conveyance mechanism; a second processing unit including a second sheet conveyance mechanism; a cutting unit, interposed between the first processing unit and the second processing unit, for cutting the sheet; and a controlling unit that controls, in a case of trouble with sheet conveyance, driving of the first sheet conveyance mechanism until an end of the sheet reaches the first processing unit side beyond a cutting position of the cutting unit.

Abstract: A recording medium supply device includes a cassette attachable to and detachable from a main body and capable of stacking recording medium thereon, a feeding roller which feeds the uppermost recording medium to the main body from a leading end of the recording medium, a regulating member which is arranged forward in the direction in which the cassette is removed from the main body as seen from the feeding roller, and a projection preventing member attached adjacent to the tip portion of the cassette facing the leading end of the recording medium. The position of the lower end of the regulating member is higher than the cassette attached to the main body, and lower than the lower end of the feeding roller, and the position of the upper end of the projection preventing member is higher than the position of the lower end of the regulating member.

Abstract: A sheet feeding unit to be inserted between a printer main unit and a sorting unit having a plurality of discharge trays. The sheet feeding unit includes a casing in which a sheet is housed and through which a feed path and a discharge conveyance path extend horizontally. The casing has on a face thereof adjacent to the printer main unit an exit of the feed path and an entrance of the discharge conveyance path, and on a face thereof adjacent to the sorting unit an entrance of the feed path and an exit of the discharge conveyance path. The positions of the exit and entrance of the feed path coincide with each other when seen in a conveyance direction, and the positions of the entrance and exit of the discharge conveyance path coincide with each other when seen in the conveyance direction.

Abstract: The invention provides an apparatus including: a rotatable belt having an outer surface and an inner surface, the outer surface partially coming into contact with a sheet; a plurality of rollers being arranged in a direction of movement of the sheet and including a first roller and a second roller adjacent to each other, the plurality of rollers being pressed against the outer surface and the moving sheet being nipped between the plurality of rollers and the outer surface; a blowing mechanism configured to blow hot air from between the first roller and the second roller toward the sheet; and a heating unit including a heater and a contact surface coming into contact with the inner surface, the heating unit being configured to be able to set the contact surface thereof to have a predetermined non-uniform temperature distribution.

Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus including sheet feeding unit; a pressure plate on which sheets are stacked and which is biased so that an uppermost sheet of the stacked sheets comes in pressure contact with the sheet feeding unit; a first pressing-down mechanism which presses down the pressure plate to separate the uppermost sheet and the sheet feeding unit by a constant distance when the sheet feeding unit is not operated; a second pressing-down mechanism which is adopted to press down the pressure plate when an amount of the sheets stacked on the pressure plate is smaller than a predetermined amount, and is given a load from the pressure plate depending on a position of the pressure plate; and sheet stacking amount detecting unit which measures the load and detects a stacking amount of the sheets stacked on the pressure plate on the basis of the measured load.

Abstract: A recording medium supply device includes a cassette attachable to and detachable from a main body and capable of stacking recording medium thereon, a feeding roller which feeds the uppermost recording medium to the main body from a leading end of the recording medium, a regulating member which is arranged forward in the direction in which the cassette is removed from the main body as seen from the feeding roller, and a projection preventing member attached adjacent to the tip portion of the cassette facing the leading end of the recording medium. The position of the lower end of the regulating member is higher than the cassette attached to the main body, and lower than the lower end of the feeding roller, and the position of the upper end of the projection preventing member is higher than the position of the lower end of the regulating member.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a printing unit and a drying unit. The printing unit performs printing on a sheet using ink. The drying unit dries the sheet on which the ink is applied at the printing unit as the sheet is conveyed in the drying unit. The drying unit causes hot air heated by a heater to circulate through a housing and blows the hot air to the sheet. The housing includes an opening through which movement of gas between inside and outside the housing can be adjusted. When conveyance of the sheet in the drying unit stops, the apparatus is controlled to reduce an output of the heater and to increase the movement of the gas through the opening.

Abstract: To downsize a drying device that blows gas on a sheet to dry the sheet. A printing apparatus is provided with: a print head of an inkjet type; and a drying unit that dries a sheet printed by a print head. The drying unit has: a plurality of conveying rollers that support the sheet; a conveying belt that conveys the sheet; and a nozzle that is arranged between the plurality of conveying rollers in a direction of the conveyance of the sheet by the conveying belt and blows gas toward the sheet. The nozzle has a blowout port and the blowout port is tilted with respect to a surface of the sheet, which is supported by the conveying rollers.

Abstract: A printer has a separating unit, such as a depressing cam and a depressing slider, which presses a middle plate against the biasing force of a spring and separates a sheet on the middle plate from a sheet feeding roller by a predetermined distance, a separation driving unit, such as a DC motor, which moves the separating unit, a measuring unit which measures the driving load applied to the separation driving unit when the separation driving unit drives the separating unit, and a load imparting unit, such as a brake plate, which imparts load to the middle plate, the separating unit, or the like. The brake plate or the like imparts load when a sheet is separated from the sheet feeding roller by the separating unit, and the brake plate or the like changes the load to be imparted, according to the turning angle of the middle plate.

Abstract: A sheet feeding unit to be inserted between a printer main unit and a sorting unit having a plurality of discharge trays. The sheet feeding unit includes a casing in which a sheet is housed and through which a feed path and a discharge conveyance path extend horizontally. The casing has on a face thereof adjacent to the printer main unit an exit of the feed path and an entrance of the discharge conveyance path, and on a face thereof adjacent to the sorting unit an entrance of the feed path and an exit of the discharge conveyance path. The positions of the exit and entrance of the feed path coincide with each other when seen in a conveyance direction, and the positions of the entrance and exit of the discharge conveyance path coincide with each other when seen in the conveyance direction.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a printing unit and a drying unit. The printing unit performs printing on a sheet using ink. The drying unit dries the sheet on which the ink is applied at the printing unit as the sheet is conveyed in the drying unit. The drying unit causes hot air heated by a heater to circulate through a housing and blows the hot air to the sheet. The housing includes an opening through which movement of gas between inside and outside the housing can be adjusted. When conveyance of the sheet in the drying unit stops, the apparatus is controlled to reduce an output of the heater and to increase the movement of the gas through the opening.

Abstract: The invention provides an apparatus including: a rotatable belt having an outer surface and an inner surface, the outer surface partially coming into contact with a sheet; a plurality of rollers being arranged in a direction of movement of the sheet and including a first roller and a second roller adjacent to each other, the plurality of rollers being pressed against the outer surface and the moving sheet being nipped between the plurality of rollers and the outer surface; a blowing mechanism configured to blow hot air from between the first roller and the second roller toward the sheet; and a heating unit including a heater and a contact surface coming into contact with the inner surface, the heating unit being configured to be able to set the contact surface thereof to have a predetermined non-uniform temperature distribution.

Abstract: At least one of processing units is capable of being pulled out of a main body of an apparatus during the occurrence of a sheet conveyance jam. A first cutter and a second cutter are arranged in the vicinity of the processing unit. The first cutter is configured to cut the sheet on an upstream of the processing unit. The second cutter is configured to cut the sheet on a downstream thereof. When the processing unit is pulled, the sheet is cut on the upstream and downstream of the processing unit.

Abstract: A recording medium supply device includes a cassette attachable to and detachable from a main body and capable of stacking recording medium thereon, a feeding roller which feeds the uppermost recording medium to the main body from a leading end of the recording medium, a regulating member which is arranged forward in the direction in which the cassette is removed from the main body as seen from the feeding roller, and a projection preventing member attached adjacent to the tip portion of the cassette facing the leading end of the recording medium. The position of the lower end of the regulating member is higher than the cassette attached to the main body, and lower than the lower end of the feeding roller, and the position of the upper end of the projection preventing member is higher than the position of the lower end of the regulating member.

Abstract: A printer has a separating unit, such as a depressing cam and a depressing slider, which presses a middle plate against the biasing force of a spring and separates a sheet on the middle plate from a sheet feeding roller by a predetermined distance, a separation driving unit, such as a DC motor, which moves the separating unit, a measuring unit which measures the driving load applied to the separation driving unit when the separation driving unit drives the separating unit, and a load imparting unit, such as a brake plate, which imparts load to the middle plate, the separating unit, or the like. The brake plate or the like imparts load when a sheet is separated from the sheet feeding roller by the separating unit, and the brake plate or the like changes the load to be imparted, according to the turning angle of the middle plate.

Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus including sheet feeding unit; a pressure plate on which sheets are stacked and which is biased so that an uppermost sheet of the stacked sheets comes in pressure contact with the sheet feeding unit; a first pressing-down mechanism which presses down the pressure plate to separate the uppermost sheet and the sheet feeding unit by a constant distance when the sheet feeding unit is not operated; a second pressing-down mechanism which is adopted to press down the pressure plate when an amount of the sheets stacked on the pressure plate is smaller than a predetermined amount, and is given a load from the pressure plate depending on a position of the pressure plate; and sheet stacking amount detecting unit which measures the load and detects a stacking amount of the sheets stacked on the pressure plate on the basis of the measured load.