Abstract: A sheet feeder includes a manual feeding tray to stack a sheet, the tray being openable and closable to a main body by rotation about a rotation axis in a direction perpendicular to a sheet feeding direction; a sheet width regulating member provided in the manual feeding tray to regulate a side edge of the sheet in a sheet width direction and to have a variable regulating width; an auxiliary tray that does not move with an opening/closing operation of the manual feeding tray and stacks the sheet with the manual feeding tray; a sheet width regulating member provided in the auxiliary tray to regulate the side edge of the sheet and to have a variable regulating width; a link member interlocking the regulating members; and a feeding roller provided in the main body to individually feed the sheet stacked over the manual feeding tray and the auxiliary tray.

Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus that can prevent changes at the time of mounting a sheet cassette, and deformation and changes of the sheets after the sheet cassette is mounted regardless of a sheet size are provided. A movable side regulating plate provided in a frame, regulates positions of width direction side ends of sheets is provided with sheet pressing portions and that press the side ends of the sheets to press the sheets against a fixed side regulating plate in a biasing manner. An indented configuration against which, when short sheets are pressed by the sheet pressing portion are stacked on a sheet stacking plate, upstream ends of the sheets do not abut is formed upward from a bottom end of the sheet pressing portion to a predetermined dimension at a sheet feeding direction center of the sheet pressing portion.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an apparatus main body with a main conveyance path, a first storage portion including a first conveyance path, a second conveyance path and a joint section. The joint section is a part where an upstream end of the main conveyance path and downstream ends of the first and second conveyance paths join. The first storage portion includes a movable guide at the position of the downstream end of the first conveyance path. The movable guide is displaced to a projecting position where the movable guide projects toward the joint section from the downstream end of the first conveyance path to guide the sheet in a state where the first storage portion is mounted in the apparatus main body and a retracted position substantially retracted from the joint section in a state where the first storage portion is withdrawn from the apparatus main body.

Abstract: Disclosed are a printing media holder and an image forming apparatus including the same. The printing media holder includes an printing media alignment unit capable of moving bidirectionally toward and away from the printing media loaded on the printing media holder, and includes a release mechanism that releases the printing media alignment unit, to allow the printing media alignment unit to move its position for aligning of print media of different sizes, in response to a force received thereto in any of the bidirectional directions.

Abstract: The feeder device comprises a support structure (2) wherein, between a feeder plate (3) and an opposite surface (4), there is defined an input receptacle (5) for the introduction of one or more documents (BC) to be processed, and a motorized aligning and conveying device (6), adapted to engage and urge a document (BC) introduced into the input receptacle (5) towards a lateral stationary aligning surface (50).

Abstract: A medium feeding apparatus includes: a placement portion on which a medium is placed; a feeding unit which feeds the fed medium placed on the placement portion in a feeding direction; an edge guide which makes contact with the medium placed on the placement portion at a side edge in a width direction so as to determine a position of the medium in the width direction; and an adjustment unit which displaces at least a part of the edge guide such that a contact portion of the edge guide with the medium is placed on a line along the feeding direction so as to adjust a posture of the medium with respect to the feeding direction.

Abstract: A vending machine system for stackable goods such as vehicle air fresheners includes a hopper and a reciprocating arm. The hopper is configured to hold a stack of the stackable goods. The hopper has an aperture formed in a base of the hopper for dispensing the stackable goods from the hopper. The reciprocating arm is disposed adjacent the aperture. The reciprocating arm is linearly movable between a retracted position and an extended position. One of the stackable goods is received by the reciprocating arm when the reciprocating arm is in the retracted position, and is pushed from the stack of stackable goods by the reciprocating arm when the reciprocating arm is in the extended position.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an engagement member provided on a sheet supply cassette, a biasing member with a first part, a second part and an elastic part formed of elastic material. The first and second parts are linked with the elastic part. The second part is supported to a apparatus main body with a swing shaft. The first part engaging with the engagement member so that the biasing member maintains a compressed state by the engagement member, and a guide restriction member provided on the apparatus main body restrict a movement of the first part.

Abstract: The present disclosure includes a pair of cursor members movable in a width direction, and guide grooves configured to guide the cursor member to move in the width direction. The cursor member includes a cursor base, a cursor rising portion being in contact with or in proximity to an end of the sheet, and a connecting portion. The cursor base has a cursor plane extending in parallel to a sheet loading face with a difference of step with respect to the sheet loading face. An edge in the width direction of the cursor base extends linearly. The connecting portion extends from the sheet loading face side to a reverse side via the guide groove at a portion in the feeding direction of the inside edge of the cursor base. The connecting portion has a face connecting portion which connects the sheet loading face with the cursor plane smoothly.

Abstract: A paper feeder according to the present invention includes a paper entrance block arranged above a flapper on au upstream side of a paper feed roller in a paper feeding direction. The flapper is configured to be capable of swinging in a vertical direction so as to alter its position between a first position in which part of a top face thereof on a downstream side in the paper feeding direction comes into contact with the paper feed roller and a second position in which the part thereof is located lower than the first position. The paper entrance block is configured so that when the flapper is in the first position, the lower end thereof comes into contact with the flapper and when the flapper is in the second position, a clearance is formed in a vertical direction between the paper entrance block and the flapper.

Abstract: A device for aligning a sheet, such as a banknote. The device includes a support area on which at least one sheet to be aligned is supported. The device further includes a first aligning element and a second aligning element. The second aligning element is movable towards and away from the first aligning element. To align the sheet, the second aligning element is moved towards the first aligning element with a drive unit. A sensor is included that detects presence of the sheet in a detection area of the sensor. The drive unit is configured to move the second aligning element based on whether the sensor detects presence of the sheet.

Abstract: An image sensor reads an image from a document sheet disposed on a document holding portion of a platen glass while the image sensor is moving along the platen glass in a predetermined direction or reads an image from a document sheet fed by a document feeder while the image sensor is stopped at the image reading position. A discharge guide member guides a document sheet which has passed the image reading position in a direction downstream from the platen glass. A sliding mechanism slides a first plate that faces the document holding portion selectively between a first position and a second position along the platen glass in a sliding direction parallel to the predetermined direction. The image reading position is within the document holding portion. The first plate, when in the first position, covers the image reading position, and the first plate, when in the second position, is separated from the image reading position.

Abstract: An edge alignment control apparatus for correcting vertical alignment of sheet members is disclosed to include two base units each having multiple first power drives controllable to reciprocate a respective horizontal reciprocating member, and adjustment units arranged between the base units, each adjustment unit having two holder blocks connected to the horizontal reciprocating members of the base units at one same elevation and movable by the respective horizontal reciprocating members horizontally, sheet-transfer rollers pivotally connected between the holder blocks, a bearing board connected between the holder blocks for receiving a sheet member from the sheet-transfer rollers and a suction hood suspending above the bearing board and defining with the bearing board a passage for the passing of a sheet member and controllable to suck up a sheet member from the bearing board for allowing adjustment of the position of the sheet member horizontally subject to the operation of the first power drive.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a body frame, an image forming unit and a transporting unit. The transporting unit includes a transporting tray, a side guide, a plate, a skew roller and an urging member. The transporting tray is configured to support the recording medium which is being transported. The side guide is configured to abut with an end of the recording medium in a width direction. The plate is facing the transporting tray. The skew roller is rotatably supported by the plate and is configured to skew the recording medium toward the side guide. The urging member is configured to urge a portion of the plate toward the transporting tray.

Abstract: A feed device includes a paper tray on which sheets are stacked and a side fence that guides a side edges of a sheet stacked on the paper tray in a sheet feed direction. The feed device feeds an uppermost sheet from the sheets stacked on the paper tray to an image forming apparatus. A plurality of concavities and convexities integrally formed with an identical material to the side fence is formed on a surface of the side fence that is in contact with an edge face of a fed sheet.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for contacting a flexible sheet to a first element with improved lateral alignment. The method includes a step of measuring a first lateral misalignment after establishing a first contact between the flexible sheet and either of the first element and a sheet parking surface called anchor in the first stage. If the 5 misalignment exceeds a predetermined threshold the flexible sheet is parked at the anchor such that it is not in contact with the first element, and the relative position of the first element and the anchor is altered during the second stage for correcting the mismatch during a contact between the flexible sheet and the first element to be established within the next step of the method. During the steps of shifting the contact point to obtain the second stage 10 the contacting process is more accurate and reproducible than the process for establishing the initial contact.

Abstract: A method for aligning a media sheet in a media path of an image forming apparatus includes aligning the media sheet against a first reference edge of an input tray. The media sheet may then move through an alignment nip which is constructed to laterally move the media sheet against a reference edge. The media sheet moves along the reference edge and becomes aligned prior to moving to a transport belt. The media sheet may then move through one or more transfer nips to receive one or more images.

Abstract: A sheet guiding apparatus assembled on a shelf includes two guiding members, two adjusting plates, a first spring, two push bars, a second spring and two rotating members. The guiding member has a base board. A front of the base board defines a guiding portion defining a horizontal recess. Each adjusting plate is pivoted to an outside edge of the base board. The push bars are movably received in the horizontal recesses and capable of sliding in the horizontal recesses to drive the corresponding adjusting plates to rotate upward or free the corresponding adjusting plates therefrom. Each rotating member is pivoted to a front of the guiding portion. When the rotating member is turned down, the rotating member touches the push bar and pushes the push bar to move rearward so that further drives the adjusting plate to rotate upward till being perpendicular to the base board.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus has a sheet stacking apparatus including a tray on which sheets are stacked, and an aligning member aligning the sheets stacked on the tray. The aligning member aligns sheets stacked, on a sheet previously stacked on the tray, with a displacement in an aligning direction of the aligning member with respect to the sheet previously stacked. An aligning operation of the aligning member is changed on the basis of whether or not the number of the sheets stacked on the sheets previously stacked is a predetermined number or less.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a paper feeding apparatus arranged along the left-right direction on one side of an image forming apparatus and configured to feed stacked sheets one by one in order from a top sheet to the image forming apparatus from a paper feeding side adjacent to the image forming apparatus includes: a base plate; a tray on which plural sheets are stacked; a front-side guide member; a rear-side guide member; a paper-feeding-side guide member; an opened section formed by opening one side opposite to the paper-feeding-side guide member; and an auxiliary front guide member configured to regulate a position on the front end side of the sheets. The auxiliary front guide member has a sheet guiding section configured to come into contact with a corner on the front side of the sheets placed deviating from a proper placing state and guide the corner to the auxiliary guide section.

Abstract: A recording apparatus includes: edge guides which move in a width direction of the recording target medium and align side edges of the recording target medium which is stacked; a motor which moves the edge guides; a determining section which determines whether an electric current value when the motor is driven reaches a predetermined threshold value; and a position detecting section which detects a position of the edge guides in the width direction. Here, when the side edges of the recording target medium are aligned, the edge guides move close to the recording target medium and it is determined whether a difference between a position of the edge guides at the time when the electric current value reaches the predetermined threshold value and a position of the edge guides corresponding to the size of the recording target medium is equal to or smaller than a predetermined allowable value.

Abstract: The rear end face of the first upright portion of a trailing edge regulating member is brought into contact with the inner face of a notched sidewall provided in a rear sidewall, and the second upright portion is located above the notched sidewall.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to prevent a sheet tray from opening against the user's will when a cover is in an open state without adding a complicated mechanism.

Abstract: A sheet adjusting device applicable to a sheet holding receptacle, an image forming mechanism, and an image reading mechanism includes a sheet setting plate to place a sheet thereon; first and second regulating member to slidably move in a given direction, and a friction-reducing unit disposed on the sheet setting plate to reduce a frictional force on an underside of the sheet. Alternatively, a sheet adjusting device includes a sheet setting plate, a sheet contact face disposed downstream of the sheet setting plate to cause the leading edge of the sheet abuts against the sheet contact face, first and second regulating member, and a friction-reducing unit disposed on the sheet contact face to reduce a frictional force on the sheet contact face and the leading edge of the sheet.

Abstract: A paper supply apparatus includes: a placement surface on which paper to be transported is placed; a fixed guide that guides the transport of the paper; a movable guide whose distance to the fixed guide in the widthwise direction of the paper is capable of being adjusted and that guides the transport of the paper; a paper supply roller that abuts the paper in a position, on the side where the fixed guide is located, and that is rotationally driven so as to transport the paper; an abutment member, provided on the movable guide. The abutment member is disposed in a position so that a second abutment point where the abutment member abuts the surface of the paper is further downstream in the transport direction of the paper than a first abutment point where the paper supply roller abuts the surface of the paper.

Abstract: A system for aligning a media sheet in a media path of an image forming apparatus includes an input area with an alignment edge to initially laterally align the media sheet. The media sheet may then move through an alignment nip which is constructed to laterally move the media sheet against a reference edge. The media sheet moves along the reference edge and become aligned prior to moving to a transport belt. The media sheet may then move through one or more transfer nips to receive one or more images.

Abstract: A slide cassette is slidably provided in a main cassette of a sheet cassette. When a sheet with a size larger than that of a sheet which may be stored in the main cassette is stored, the slide cassette is sled and moved to extend the sheet cassette. There is provided a fixing portion which may fix the slide cassette and the main cassette in a state in which the sheet cassette is in a shortened or an extended state by sliding the slide cassette. The fixing portion releases the fixing by an operation in which the slide cassette is sled in a shortening direction or extending direction.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a first unit configured to form an image, in a recording part, on a first surface of a recording medium being fed from a storing member for storing the recording medium, reverse the recording medium and feed it again to the recording part, form an image on a second surface of the recording medium, and eject the recording medium through an outlet; and a second unit disposed above the first unit. The second unit includes a first reading part, the first reading part being movable in a direction perpendicular to the direction of travel of the recording medium. The first unit and the second unit form a first space therebetween, and a length from a front end of the first unit to the outlet is greater than or equal to a length of a maximum sized recording medium capable of being stored in the storing member.

Abstract: In this image generating apparatus, a paper cassette mounted on an apparatus body includes a pressing portion employed for pressing a first side surface of a paper rearward with respect to a first direction for feeding the paper and so arranged that the distance from a second roller is smaller than the length of the paper in the first direction when the paper cassette is mounted on the apparatus body.

Abstract: A removable media input tray for holding a stack of media sheets is provided. The input tray is configured so that it can be fitted into a chassis of a printing apparatus. The input tray includes a reference guide wall and at least two datum members movably attached to the reference guide wall. The reference side wall is formed with at least two openings through which portions of the datum members extend. The input tray also includes a width adjuster, which is configured to bias the stack of media sheets against the datum members. The datum members are brought into contact with a side wall of the chassis when the input tray is inserted into the chassis, thereby causing the datum members to be aligned to the same side wall.

Abstract: A device for aligning flat objects, in particular mail items, has a base face, a side wall, and at least one spindle thread, which is let into the base face. The spindle thread is embodied to transport flat objects lying on the base face in a conveyance direction, thereby pushing them against the side wall. The spindle thread has at least one aligning region. Each aligning region is subdivided respectively into a decompression segment and a compression segment. The pitch of the spindle thread increases along the conveyance direction in each decompression segment and decreases in each compression segment.

Abstract: A feed device includes a paper tray on which sheets are stacked and a side fence that guides a side edges of a sheet stacked on the paper tray in a sheet feed direction. The feed device feeds an uppermost sheet from the sheets stacked on the paper tray to an image forming apparatus. A plurality of concavities and convexities integrally formed with an identical material to the side fence is formed on a surface of the side fence that is in contact with an edge face of a fed sheet.

Abstract: The present invention complies a side end regulating mechanism to regulate a side end position in the width direction of sheets supported by a cassette main body 3 is configured with a side end reference portion 5 which is to be a reference in the width direction for sheet feeding and side end regulating portion 6 which is arranged to be opposed to the side end reference portion 5 with a sheet pressing member 8 to which a force is applied so as to press the sheet elastically toward the side end reference portion 5. Then, an angle adjusting member 14 arranged at the side end reference portion 5 changes an incline angle of a reference surface which is to be a reference in the sheet width direction for sheet feeding by inclining the side end reference portion 5 in the width direction.

Abstract: A method of operating a self-service terminal is described in which a stack of media is presented to a customer. If it is detected that at least some of the stack remains within the terminal, the remaining media is advanced out of the self-service terminal.

Abstract: A sheet feeding device includes a sheet supporting portion which supports sheets, a restricting member which is movably disposed in the sheet supporting portion and is moved to a position according to the sheet supported by the sheet supporting portion, to restrict the position of the sheet; and a lock mechanism including a lock projection which is disposed in the restricting member so as to be pivotable in a movement direction of the restricting member and a plurality of lock grooves which are formed on a side of the sheet supporting portion and disengageably engage with the lock projection, so as to restrict movement of the restricting member in a direction reverse to a sheet restricting direction. The pivotal center of the lock projection in the lock mechanism is located downward of the position of an engaging portion between the lock projection and the lock groove.

Abstract: A medium containing cassette includes: a container case for containing media; a stack plate movable in the container case and configured to stack the media thereon; a separator provided on the container case and configured to separate the media one by one; and a bias member configured to bias the stack plate toward the media stacked on the stack plate. The bias member is disposed to have a greater distance from the stack plate than the separator, in a direction from the stack plate to the separator, on a plane substantially perpendicular to a bias direction of the bias member.

Abstract: An automatic sheet transporting apparatus includes a transporting unit with a discharge roller, the transporting unit discharge a sheet onto a discharge tray configured that support discharged sheets in a stack. A discharge guide, positioned on an upstream side of the discharge tray in a sheet discharging direction, guides a subsequent sheet transported by the transporting unit to a position between the discharge tray and a bottom surface of a previously discharged sheet in the stack. The discharge tray includes at least one rotating member that rotates when the discharge guide guides the subsequent sheet between the discharge tray and the bottom surface of the previously discharged sheet in the stack. The frictional resistance applied to the subsequent sheet is reduced to increase the number of sheets that can be stacked in the discharge tray.

Abstract: An apparatus for aligning sheet stacks in a feeder of sheet processing machines includes a motor-driven aligning plate and a movement converter situated between a motor drive and the aligning plate. The movement converter forces a movement describing approximately a circular path onto the aligning plate. A vertical speed component of the aligning plate during aligning corresponds to an upward speed of a feeder stack. A method for aligning sheet stacks in a feeder of a sheet processing machine as well as a sheet processing machine, are also provided.

Abstract: At the time when an aligning unit collects and aligns a recording sheet, the front portion of a movable supporting member of a collecting tray is moved toward the recording sheet to close a space in the collecting tray. Moreover, the front portion of the movable supporting member abuts against the front end of the recording sheet. As a result, the front end of the recording sheet does not hang loose in the space.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit, a feeder unit, and a frame unit. The frame unit includes a pair of plate-like metal frames, each plate-like metal frame having an inner surface extending in a parallel direction to a sheet feeding path and in a perpendicular direction of a surface of a recording sheet, and a plurality of connecting frames connecting and holding the metal frames to be apart from each other. The image forming unit is arranged in space defined by the connecting frames and held by the metal frames to be substantially fitted in between the metal frames. The feeder unit is attached to an end of each of the metal frames by an attachment system provided on each widthwise side of the feeder unit. The attachment system fixes the feeder unit along a direction in parallel with the inner surfaces of the metal frames.

Abstract: A sheet feeding device for manually feeding a sheet to a specified apparatus such as an image forming apparatus is provided with a manual feed tray for guiding a sheet being manually fed, and a pair of cursors provided on the manual feed tray and movable in opposite directions along a sheet width direction normal to a sheet conveyance direction in accordance with the width of the sheet. The pair of cursors are operable such that the front end positions and/or the rear end positions thereof with respect to the sheet conveyance direction are shifted along the sheet conveyance direction.

Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus including a feeder for feeding sheets stacked up in a sheet stock unit, a leading end regulator for regulating the leading ends in a feeding direction of sheets stacked up in the sheet stock unit, and a driver for moving the leading and regulating member.

Abstract: A system and method for accumulation of media invention includes a series of upper and lower transport belts for feeding media seriatim along a path of travel. An accumulator pocket is positioned between the upper and lower drive belts along the path of travel. An upper and a lower accumulator ramp is positioned adjacent the accumulator pocket are moveable between a first position and a second position. The first accumulator ramp position is such that the lower ramp is positioned to engage media moved seriatim along the path of travel to guide the media to form a forward accumulation of media in the accumulator pocket. The upper accumulator ramp second position is such that the upper accumulator ramp is positioned to engage media moved seriatim along the path of travel to guide the media to form a reverse accumulation of media in the accumulator pocket.

Abstract: An apparatus for fabricating a multi-sheet mailpiece including a compiler, and axial and radial deformation binding mechanisms. The compiler includes a sheet feeding apparatus and registration device for accepting multiple individual sheets. The sheet feeding apparatus lays the sheets onto a compiler tray to form a multi-sheet stack having face sheets and content sheets disposed therebetween. The registration device includes first and second registration gates for aligning the edges of the sheets, such that at least one edge of the content sheets is disposed inboard of the face sheets to define a peripheral edge. A controller positions the first and second registration gates from a registration position to a release position as the sheet material is laid upon the compiler tray. Finally, the multi-sheet stack is fed to the axial and radial deformation binding mechanisms to secure the peripheral edge of the multi-sheet stack to form mailpiece enclosure.

Abstract: Provided is a removably detachable portable media cassette for a printing apparatus. The media cassette of a printing apparatus includes a loading case to load a first medium. A spacer is detachably installed on the loading case to guide two or more media having different sizes from that of the first medium.

Abstract: In a sheet feeding mechanism wherein a spring can be used to properly regulate a sheet feeding position, sheets are not deformed in spite of the urging force of the spring, and a required conveying force is prevented from being increased after sheet feeding. Specifically, immediately before a sheet is fed, a driving mechanism is used to move a slide plate leftward. A driving portion of the slide plate pushes an arm of a lever to rotate the lever counterclockwise against a tension spring. Thus, a connecting portion of the lever pushes an interlocking portion of a biasing plate downward. That part of the biasing plate rotates clockwise against the force exerted as a set spring portion is urged counterclockwise. In conjunction with this rotation, a biasing portion rotates clockwise to urge printing sheets to press them against a reference surface of a case.

Abstract: The present invention provides a work sheet conveying device having a traveling member with a compact work sheet holder, making it possible to improve work sheet conveying speed and to reduce the time required for acceleration and deceleration, the work sheet conveying device further making it possible to improve the efficiency with which small work sheet's are conveyed. The work sheet conveying device includes a plurality of traveling members 13, 14 that can travel independently along a plurality of tracks 11, 12 installed parallel to one another between a work sheet processing machine 1 and a work sheet placement portion. Each of the traveling members has a work sheet holder 19, 20 that holds a work sheet. A part of the work sheet holder 19, 20 is configured as an expanding portion 26 the position of which can be changed to a traveling area R1, R2 for the traveling member traveling along the adjacent track.

Abstract: A versatile paper feeding device of an image forming apparatus includes a pick-up roller, a paper support tray under the pick-up roller to stack paper on, a paper support expansion tray to be able to freely slide toward or away from the paper support tray to support the trailing edge of the paper, a forward positioned paper alignment guide on the paper support tray to align a leading end portion of the paper, and a second paper alignment member formed on the paper support expansion tray to align a following end portion of the paper. When the versatile paper feeding device is used to print images on paper of various sizes, the paper can be properly positioned and straightly fed without skewing.

Abstract: A sheet transporting apparatus, includes: a sheet transportation path; a predetermined number of transport members disposed in a sheet transportation path; a side position regulating mechanism which regulates a position of a side edge of a sheet in the sheet transportation path, the side position regulating mechanism having a reference member configured to change a sheet regulation position; a base member on which at least the reference member is mounted; a first adjusting mechanism which adjusts a position of the reference member; and a second adjusting mechanism which adjusts a position of a base member.

Abstract: A slide cassette is slidably provided in a main cassette of a sheet cassette. When a sheet with a size larger than that of a sheet which may be stored in the main cassette is stored, the slide cassette is sled and moved to extend the sheet cassette. There is provided a fixing portion which may fix the slide cassette and the main cassette in a state in which the sheet cassette is in a shortened or an extended state by sliding the slide cassette. The fixing portion releases the fixing by an operation in which the slide cassette is sled in a shortening direction or extending direction.