Abstract: A device (110) for sampling sheet elements (20) in a sorting unit (100) comprises: transport means (111, 112) defining a plane (P0) and able to move (A) a sheet element (20) longitudinally upstream to downstream, an axis (R1) situated at the level of the transport means (111, 112) and extending transversely, a diversion part (113) rotatable about the axis (R1) and having at least one end (114) so that during the rotation of the diversion part (113) through a first angular sector (S1) the horizontal projection of the end (114) remains below the plane (P0) and during the rotation through a second angular sector (S2) complementary to the first angular sector the horizontal projection of the end (114) moves above the plane (P0) so as to divert a sheet element (20) in a direction different from the plane (P0) and thus to sample the sheet element (20).

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming part configure to form an image on a sheet of paper; and a paper ejection tray, provided above an image forming part, including a supporting part configured to support the sheet of paper ejected after having the image formed thereonto by the image forming part, and a radiation opening configured to radiate therethrough heat from the image forming part to the outside air. The radiation opening is provided lower than the supporting part.

Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus includes a processing tray configured to stack a sheet to be processed, a sheet overlap unit configured to allow a sheet fed while the sheet to be processed is stacked on the processing tray, to be overlaid and made to wait, first and second bundle conveyance rollers configured to convey the sheet to the processing tray from the sheet overlap unit, and a sheet processing apparatus control unit configured to control an overlap operation in the sheet overlap unit, wherein the sheet processing apparatus control unit determines, based on sheet information relating to the sheet fed to the sheet overlap unit, whether a sheet to be then fed is overlaid on the sheet fed to the sheet overlap unit.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including a control section which detects an offset of a recording sheet being conveyed, the offset being in a main scanning direction perpendicular to a conveyance direction of the recording sheet; performs an offset regulation control which adjusts a main scanning direction image area signal in accordance with the offset; and forms a patch at a non-transfer area on an image carrier, wherein the control section performs a first control based on the offset of the recording sheet for the offset regulation control while a sub scanning direction image area signal is active for image forming on the recording sheet, and performs a second control for the offset regulation control while the image area signal in the sub scanning direction is inactive.

Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus capable of maintaining alignment of sheets of a sheet bundle on a processing tray even in a job uses sheets including particular sheets. In the sheet processing apparatus (finisher), a sheet conveyed along a conveying path is retained in a buffer path. The sheet and the following sheet are stacked on a processing tray in a state superposed with a shift in a conveying direction. A finisher controller determines in advance, before a conveyed sheet reaches the buffer path, whether or not the sheet is a particular sheet having a protrusion. When the sheet retained in the buffer path and the following sheet are to be superposed one upon the other, the amount of the shift between the sheets in the conveying direction is controlled according to a result of the determination by the finisher controller.

Abstract: In a recording medium output apparatus that is assembled to an image forming apparatus and outputs a sheet-like recording medium being transported onto a stack tray on which recording media are stacked, the recording medium output apparatus includes an output unit and a drive unit. The output unit is free to move in a recording medium width direction intersecting the transport direction of the recording medium being transported and outputs the recording medium toward the stack tray at a position higher than that of the stack tray, and the drive unit moves the output unit in the recording medium width direction before and after the trail edge of the recording medium to be output from the output unit leaves the output unit.

Abstract: A discharge unit is disposed downstream of a principal transport path of a compound machine, and a shifter function is provided in this discharge unit. By shifting the paper passage position relative to a photosensitive drum when printing the front side and the paper passage position relative to the photosensitive drum when printing the back side, the region in which the surface electric potential of the photosensitive drum increases is diminished, and the region in which photographic fog is generated is made smaller. Thus, when printing the second and subsequent sheets, even when a slight amount of displacement of the transport position of the recording paper occurs, it is possible to suppress that recording paper making contact in the photographic fog region on the photosensitive drum, and defective printing can be prevented.

Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus according to this invention is for sorting and discharging papers supplied from an image forming apparatus, and includes an alignment device configured to shift the papers transported from the image forming apparatus into a direction orthogonal to the direction of the transport and thus align the papers in the direction of width, and a paper discharge unit configured to guide the aligned and shifted papers to a discharge port and discharge the shifted papers from the discharge port and at different angles from each other.

Abstract: A copying machine performs a panel operation necessary for copying at a step S601 and performs ACS determination for determining whether an original image is a color image, a monochrome image or an indefinite image at a step S603. Then, the copying machine performs copying at a step S605 according to a print mode responsive to a result of ACS determination. At this time, a printed paper for an indefinite image is discharged to a discharge position different from that for another printed paper. The copying machine displays the result of the ACS determination on an operation panel at a step S607. Therefore, an original determined as the indefinite image can be recognized at a glance so that a countermeasure can be immediately taken if reprinting is necessary.

Abstract: A method and apparatus forms stacks of paper sheets. Each stack is offset from adjacent stacks. The method and apparatus prevent the top sheet of a first stack of paper from being frictionally dragged out of position when the initial sheet of paper in a second stack slides over the top sheet of the first stack. The method and apparatus clamp the forward edge of the top sheet in the first stack to hold the top sheet in position when the initial sheet of paper in the second stack slides over the top sheet.

Abstract: A photosensitive material discharging apparatus includes a discharge roller pair 41, 43 disposed in an outlet for discharging for a photosensitive material, and a plurality of transport roller pairs 70a, 70b arranged on a transport path upstream of the discharge roller pair. The discharge roller pair has a first roller 41 rotatable at a higher peripheral speed than the transport roller pairs, and a second roller 43 disposed to pinch the photosensitive material with the first roller. The second roller is freely rotatable to cause slippage between the first roller and the photosensitive material when the photosensitive material is pinched by both transport roller pairs and discharge roller pair, and to allow the photosensitive material to be transported reliably by drive of the first roller when the photosensitive material is pinched only by the discharge roller pair.

Abstract: A stream of signatures is delivered by a conveyer belt to an angled conveyer. The angled conveyor grips a set of signatures from the stream. The gripped set of signatures is transported by the angled conveyer to a third conveyer belt, and deposited on the third conveyer belt. By transporting the set of signatures at an angle, a lateral offset between the individual signatures within the set of signatures is created. A diverter on the third conveyer belt grips the laterally offset signatures, separating the signatures into substreams.

Abstract: A sheet conveyed into a sheet discharge processing device is conveyed through a straight convey path by first convey rollers and then is discharged onto a first discharge tray by second convey rollers and first discharge rollers. Second discharge rollers are arranged on a reverse convey path. A second discharge tray and a fan for applying an external force to the rear surface of a sheet are placed below the reverse convey path. When the trailing end of a sheet is detected by a second detection sensor, the fan is driven for a predetermined period of time to blow air against the rear surface of the discharged sheet. When sheets conveyed into the sheet discharge processing device are guided to a post-processing convey path by the first convey rollers so as to be subjected to post-processing, and are sequentially conveyed to a sheet stored section by convey rollers from the last or start page, the sheets are guided along one of guide plates constituting the sheet storing section to be aligned.

Abstract: A sheet stacking offsetting system with a stacking tray offsetting movement system with which printed sheets from a reproduction apparatus are stacked offset relative to one another, with a simple rotary drive of an eccentrically rotated extending pin cam which reciprocally drives a simple two part cam follower providing a variable width cam follower slot positively engaging the eccentrically rotated cam to smoothly reciprocate the sheet stacking tray. The slot width is automatically reduced by spring loading movement of one of the two parts of the cam follower so that both sides of said slot directly engage the eccentrically rotated cam at all times. The cam follower slot is also open ended and beveled to easily assemble the pin cam into that open end.

Abstract: A photosensitive material transporting apparatus includes a transport passage for transporting a plurality of developed photosensitive materials in parallel with each other with a phase difference therebetween in a transporting direction thereof, a photosensitive material receiving mechanism disposed downstream of the transport passage for receiving the photosensitive materials, and a transport conveyer disposed between an exit of the transport passage and the photosensitive material receiving mechanism and having a conveying passage extending substantially normal to a discharging direction of the photosensitive materials discharged from the exit.

Abstract: A diverter and on-edge stacker for diverting and on-edge stacking of envelopes comprises: an envelope conveying path; a device for selectively diverting a conveyed envelope by intercepting a lateral portion of the leading envelope edge and thereby skewing the envelope; a stepper-motor-driven spider wheel having legs and gaps therebetween for receiving diverted envelopes; revolving rollers to capture and drive the skewed envelope away from the conveying path into a gap of the momentarily stationary spider wheel; and, a sensor to sense an envelope that has been driven into a spider wheel gap and, consequently, to control rotation of the spider wheel by one gap pitch.

Abstract: A sheet post-processing apparatus includes plural bins positioned at predetermined intervals for accommodating discharge sheets, and a sheet discharger for discharging the sheets into the bins. An offset device is provided for selectively offsetting the sheets in one of the bins to a second aligning position which is different from a first aligning position to which the sheets are discharged by the sheet discharger, and a controller is provided for selectively operating the offset device.

Abstract: A first conveying member (11) has a gap (11) which is engaged by the front end of a second conveying member. This second conveying member conveys obliquely in respect to the first conveying member and has a lower and an upper draw-off belt (14). The front end of the upper draw-off belt (14) can be telescopically adjusted.

Abstract: The exposed photosensitive materials are staggered into two lines, while being fed to the developing unit, for higher efficiency in development. The carrier unit B has a staggering unit and a parallel carrier path having a pair of parallel paths. The staggering unit staggers the photosensitive materials into each of two parallel paths alternately while moving in a direction perpendicular to the direction of feed.

Abstract: Gaps which naturally exist in the output of printed copy sheets from a duplex paper path due to duplex printing are selectively combined with interset interval skipped pitches so as to provide an appropriate interset interval between each set of printed copy sheets output from a printer, while minimizing the number of skipped pitches which actually need to be scheduled.

Abstract: A mail document sorting device includes a document input feeder, and at least one singulation device for orienting and singulating the documents so that indicia on their faces can be disposed at a predetermined level about a data reference plane. Single documents pass to an indicia reader, which generates indicia indicating signals. An electronic/computer mechanism processes the indicating signals, and provides for sorting the read documents into bins. A plurality of the bins is located in side-by-side horizontal array, with an elongated belt disposed along the array of bins for moving documents received therefrom. The elongated belt has an inboard edge adjacent the array of bins and an outboard edge remote from the array of bins.

Abstract: A belt conveyor (10) leads past two branch-off points (12,12') arranged behind one another, viewed in a conveying direction (F). Removal conveyors (14, 14'), whose conveying-away direction (W) runs at an angle to the conveying direction (F), lead away from the branch-off points (12, 12'). The printing products (18) are arranged on the belt conveyor (10) in an imbricated formation (S) in which each printing product (18) lies on the preceding one. In addition, the edges (20 and 26) of the printing products (18) run at an angle to the conveying direction (F), the leading folded edges (20) being oriented perpendicular to the conveying-away direction (W). The printing products (18) fed to the branch-off point (12, 12') may be selectively conveyed past the relevant branch-off point (12, 12') without any change in their position with respect to the conveying direction (F) or deflected in a branch-off direction (A).

Abstract: A transporting device for articles to be transported and a sorter with the same. The transporting device includes transporting rollers arranged in a transportation passage so as to contact the articles to be transported for transportation in a forward direction. The transporting rollers are supported for rotation about an axis which is swingable in a substantially horizontal plane. The axis of each transporting roller is selectively changed by a direction changing mechanism between one direction to transport the articles to be transported in the forward direction and another direction to obliquely transport the articles to be transported toward a side wall. The side wall is provided along the forward direction at an article reception position in the transportation passage.

Abstract: An apparatus for forming an indicium in a stream of moving signatures, consisting of a signature displaced laterally from the stream and corresponding to a predetermined count of signatures, comprises an idler roller mechanism connected with a rotatable idler roller shaft and a series of vacuum heads located adjacent to and downstream of the idler roller mechanism. The vacuum heads are mounted to a vacuum head shaft laterally movable with respect to the signatures. A detector such as a laser detector coupled with a counter is used to actuate the system. When a predetermined count is reached as determined by the detector and counter, the idler roller shaft is caused to rotate to lower the idler roller and the signature corresponding to the count contacts the tops of each vacuum head. Simultaneously, a partial vacuum is formed in the recessed vacuum chamber of each head binding the targeted signature to the heads.

Abstract: An axially shiftable sheet gripper assembly includes cooperating gripper fingers and gripper abutment surfaces mounted on an axially slidable carriage. The carriage is located in a groove in a sheet transfer drum and carries a control roller at one end. The control roller rides on a control surface of a pivotable control disk. This control disk is movable toward and away from a side face of the sheet transfer drum to regulate the axial movement of the sheet transfer mechanism carriage.

Abstract: Cut paper electrophotographic printers with continuous paper feed mechanisms including a pickup roll, a photosensitive drum, a charging unit, an optical unit, a host controller, a developing unit, a transfer unit and fixing rolls. Further included are first and second branch passages for providing alternate feeding paths to continuously feed cut paper sheets to the photosensitive drum.

Abstract: A recording apparatus records an image impression of an original on a sheet. The recording apparatus comprises a flip lever arranged to oppose a distal end of a first convey path for conveying the sheet recorded by a recording mechanism. The flip lever is movable between the first position where the sheet conveyed along the first convey path is guided in a second convey path and a second position where the sheet is guided in a third convey path. A temporary stacking tray is arranged to oppose a distal end of the second convey path and temporarily stacks the sheet guided by the flip lever from the first convey path to the second convey path while the first surface of the sheet faces upward. In front of the temporary stacking tray, an inverting mechanism is provided for conveying the sheet temporarily stacked on the temporary stacking tray to the third convey path through a fourth convey path without passing through the flip lever while the second surface opposing the first surface faces upward.

Abstract: The invention provides a sheet stacker for receiving paper from a printer, copier and the like. The stacker includes a base, and an elevator mechanism contained in the base. A hopper sits on the base and includes a floor moveable within the hopper and supported by the elevator mechanism. As paper enters the hopper a sensor is used in conjunction with an activator to maintain the floor of the hopper at a level to ensure that each sheet slides essentially horizontally onto the stack to avoid curling of the sheet on the stack. The stacker also includes a paper positioning device above the stacker and operable by a controller to engage selected sheets as they enter the stacker. This engagement deflects the sheets to one side so that these sheets are staggered with respect to the other sheets in the pile for ease of identification in the finished pile.

Abstract: A printing apparatus including a sorter and an offsetting device. The offsetting device is positioned within the printer and is adapted to translate sheets in route to the sorter alternately front and rearward such that copy sheets are offset before they are driven into the sorter with subsequent copy sheet sets being offset from each other within bins of the sorter.

Abstract: A sheet stacker, e.g. for a photocopier, providing accurate trail edge registration includes co-acting driven output rollers associated with a sheet guide for directing sheets in an upwardly inclined direction. An output tray for receiving sheets exiting the output rollers has a support face inclined upwardly in the direction of sheet travel at an angle greater than that imparted to the approaching sheets such that the leading edges of the sheet contact the support face before the trail edges exit the output rollers. The output tray also includes a base edge support which, in the plane of the support face, is inclined downwardly and comprises at the lower end a corner registration stop. A fulcrum is provided at the upper end of the base edge support and is arranged such that after exiting the output rollers the sheets slide under their own weight, trail edge first, down the support face and abut the fulcrum intermediate their edges remote from the registration corner stop and the center of the sheets.

Abstract: A recording apparatus records an image impression of an original on a sheet. The recording apparatus comprises a flip lever arranged to oppose a distal end of a first convey path for conveying the sheet recorded by a recording mechanism. The flip lever is movable between the first position where the sheet conveyed along the first convey path is guided in a second convey path and a second position where the sheet is guided in a third convey path. A temporary stacking tray is arranged to oppose a distal end of the second convey path and temporarily stacks the sheet guided by the flip lever from the first convey path to the second convey path while the first surface of the sheet faces upward. In front of the temporary stacking tray, an inverting mechanism is provided for conveying the sheet temporarily stacked on the temporary stacking tray to the third convey path through a fourth convey path without passing through the flip lever while the second surface opposing the first surface faces upward.