Abstract: There is described a printing press (100) comprising a printing group (2) adapted to apply on a substrate at least one ink or varnish vehicle containing magnetic or magnetisable flakes and at least one magnetic orientation unit (10) located downstream of the printing group (2) along a path of the substrate, which magnetic orientation unit (10) includes at least one magnetic-field-inducing device (12) adapted to orient the magnetic or magnetisable flakes contained in the ink or varnish vehicle applied on the substrate to induce an optically-variable effect in the ink or varnish vehicle. The printing press (100) further comprises a drying/curing unit (15) located along the path of the substrate and cooperating with the magnetic orientation unit (10), which drying/curing unit (15) is adapted to dry or cure the ink or varnish vehicle applied on the substrate following orientation of the magnetic or magnetisable flakes.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a sheet post-processing apparatus includes: a standby unit configured to put a sheet on standby, the standby unit including a tray member on which the sheet is placed; a corrugation forming unit configured to form a corrugation in a direction orthogonal to a conveying direction on the sheet in the standby unit, the corrugation forming unit integrally provided with the tray member; and a processing unit disposed below the standby unit and configured to process the sheet supplied from the standby unit, wherein the corrugation forming unit includes: a projecting roller projecting upward from a conveyance reference plane in the standby unit; and a housing unit configured as a part of the tray member to house the projecting roller below the conveyance reference plane.

Abstract: An insertion device which inserts a second recording medium into a conveyance path to convey a plurality of first recording media fed from a feeding device includes: a loading unit in which the second recording medium is loaded; a separating unit which separates the second recording medium, which is loaded in the loading unit; a detection unit which detects time of separation of the second recording medium performed by the separating unit; a calculation unit which calculates first feed timing to feed a following first recording medium, which is conveyed in the conveyance path after the second recording medium, to the conveyance path; a notification unit which notifies the first feed timing to the feeding device; and an inserting unit which conveys the second recording medium separated by the separating unit to a converging point in the conveyance path and to insert the second recording medium into the conveyance path.

Abstract: A printer apparatus includes a print head, a platen roller, a recording paper guide configured to guide recording paper placed between the print head and the platen roller, and a spring configured to press the print head toward a direction of the platen roller, wherein the spring has a first part and a second part, the first part being in contact with the recording paper guide, the second part having a head contact at an end thereof that is in contact with the print head, the spring exerting a restoring force in such a direction as to narrow a space between the first part and the second part.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus may comprise a first feeding unit, a second feeding unit, a feeding control unit, an image forming unit, a reversal unit, a post-processing unit, and a post-processing control unit. Based on a post-processing time amount notified from the post-processing control unit, the feeding control unit does not allow a sheet to wait in the reversal unit and adjusts a feed time of a sheet fed from the first feeding unit so that the sheet fed from the first feeding unit does not contact with a sheet waiting in the second feeding unit.

Abstract: A curl correcting apparatus includes rollers, a motor, and a clutch portion. The rollers are curl correction-use rollers which are arranged in parallel to each other in a pressure-contact state and which are different in hardness. The motor is a motor capable of rotating in forward and reverse directions relative to a correction-amount adjusting portion that changes and adjusts a distance to the rollers as a result of an eccentric cam that integrally rotates in accordance with a rotation amount of a rotation shaft, pressing against the rollers. The clutch portion transmits a rotary driving force of the motor to the rollers during the forward rotation and to a rotation shaft during the reverse rotation.

Abstract: An apparatus and method cleans rollers on printing presses that print indicia on three dimensional objects such as candies, confectionaries and other comestible items. The cleaning apparatus moves in three axes to position itself alternately opposite an engraved roller and a blanket roller. The cleaning apparatus dry cleans one roller and dry and/or wet cleans the other roller. The apparatus has a cleaning pad that extends toward a web of cleaning material to press the cleaning material against a roller. The apparatus moves across the roller to wipe ink and/or debris from the surface of the roller.

Abstract: A screen cleaning apparatus (2) and method, wherein: a screen cleaning head (3) is operative to contact a surface of a printing screen (PS), the screen cleaning head (3) includes a screen contact element (17) over which a cleaning sheet (7) is in use disposed, the screen contact element (17) comprises a first section (17a), which is configured to support one of a dry section or a wet section of the cleaning sheet (7) thereabove, a second, vacuum section (17b), at which a vacuum is provided to draw a vacuum therethrough, and a third section (17c), which is configured to support the other of a wet section or a dry section of the cleaning sheet thereabove; and a support (11) to which the cleaning head (3) is supported and which is movable over the surface of the printing screen (PS) to provide for cleaning of the same.

Abstract: An image scanning apparatus includes a document table that forms a document mounting surface, a cover body that covers and uncovers the document table, and a hinge mechanism which has an angle retainer that retains an opening angle of the cover body and which allows the cover body to be lifted up and down. The hinge mechanism includes a case that is inserted into an insertion portion provided in the document table so that the case is displaceable in lift up/down directions of the cover body. The case includes an arm portion which extends in a direction that includes a lift up/down direction component and which is elastically deformable in a direction that intersects the lift up/down directions. The arm portion elastically contacts a contact portion provided in the insertion portion so that the cover body is retained in position in the lift up/down directions.

Abstract: The present invention relates to using soft photopolymer plates in a printing process, and more specifically, to an apparatus and methods of using soft photopolymer materials to decorate an exterior surface of cylindrical metallic containers with high definition graphics and other indicia.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a feeding unit, a regulation member, a detection unit, and a control unit. The feeding unit feeds a recording material from a storage unit to a conveying path. In the storage unit, the regulation member controls a trailing edge of the recording material in a feeding direction. The detection unit detects time until the recording material reaches a predetermined position along the conveying path after the feeding unit begins to feed the recording material. The control unit determines a state of the regulation member based on the detected time. Where the time detected by the detection unit is a value between a first threshold and a second threshold, which is larger than the first threshold, the control unit determines that the regulation member is shifting from a position corresponding to a size of the recording material in the feeding direction.

Abstract: A fixing apparatus includes: a heating member that has an outer circumferential surface to be driven in a circulative manner and heats a sheet; a heat radiation suppression member that covers a part of an outer circumferential surface of the heating member to have a predetermined gap and suppresses heat radiation, wherein the heat radiation suppression member has a movable part capable of moving to a first position and a second position more distant than the first position from a part covered by the heating member; a moving unit that moves the movable part to the first position or the second position; a jam detection unit that detects a jam of a sheet in the vicinity of the downstream side end portion of the nip part; and a control unit that controls the moving unit such that the movable part is moved from the first position to the second position.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus capable of preventing a sheet from falling during jam handling without adding a special mechanism. The apparatus has an openable door forming a guide wall of a first path in a closed state. A first pair of rollers are disposed on the first path for nipping and conveying a sheet in a door closed state, and separated from each other when the door is opened. A second path is connected to the first path, for conveying downstream a sheet from the first path. A second pair of rollers disposed on the second path can keep nipping a sheet even when the door is opened. If a jam occurs, a sheet remaining in the first path is conveyed into the second path using the first roller pair, and is nipped by the second roller pair.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a process unit to form an image onto a sheet. A fixer fixes the image to the sheet. A reverse roller makes a positive rotation to convey the sheet in a forward direction from the fixer, and makes an opposite rotation to convey the sheet in an opposite direction. A returner returns the sheet to the process unit. A branching member guides the sheet from the reverse roller to the returner. A first sensor detects the sheet. The controller controls the reverse roller to make the positive rotation at a circumferential speed higher than a speed of the sheet conveyed by the fixer, controls the reverse roller to wait for predetermined waiting time after the first sensor has detected a rear end of the sheet, and makes the waiting time shorter as a length of the sheet is greater.

Abstract: A micro-fiber cleaning plate comprising: a micro-fiber sheet including fibers that extend outward from a surface of the microfiber sheet in a uniform direction; a leading edge locking strip connected to the micro-fiber sheet along a first edge; and a rear edge locking strip connected to the micro-fiber sheet along a second edge opposite the first edge, wherein the leading edge locking strip engages to the rear edge locking strip to secure the micro-fiber cleaning plate to a roll of an anilox print system.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a feeder including a tray and a pickup member, a size determiner, a sheet type setter, and a controller. The tray stacks a sheet thereon, and the pickup member feeds a contacted sheet. The feeder switches between a first state where the pickup member and the stacked sheet are in contact and a second state where the pickup member and the stacked sheet are separate. The size determiner determines a stacked sheet size. The sheet type setter sets a stacked sheet type. Where the type of the set sheet is a first type, the feeder switches from the second state to the first state when the size of the sheet is determined. Where the type of the set sheet is a second type, the feeder refrains from switching from the second state to the first state even when the size of the sheet is determined.

Abstract: A fixture for a photosensitive seal machine is deposited on a transfer paper on the photosensitive seal machine to locate at least one stamp, and the fixture has a frame. The frame has a top surface, a bottom surface, multiple locating recesses and multiple retaining faces. The bottom surface is opposite to the top surface. The locating recesses are formed through the top surface of the frame. The retaining faces are formed in the frame and respectively surround the locating recesses of the frame. Each stamp is located well by the fixture to increase the exposure effect of the stamps and raise the yield rate of the stamps.

Abstract: A sheet guide device has a crumpling prevention unit disposed to a movable part with a guide surface that guides a side edge of die-cut label paper conveyed over the top of a feed plate, and prevents crumpling the side portion of the die-cut label paper of which the side edge contacts the guide surface. The crumpling prevention unit includes a pressure-bearing base unit disposed protruding from the top of the feed plate and causing the side portion of the passing die-cut label paper to rise to the side; a sheet presser part that presses the die-cut label paper to the conveyance path surface at the same or adjacent position to the pressure-bearing base unit; and a side presser member that the side edge of the die-cut label paper inclined by the pressure-bearing base unit contacts.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image-forming mechanism; a reconveying roller; an electric motor; and a transmission mechanism. The transmission mechanism is configured to operate in one of a reverse-rotation transmission mode for reversing a direction of a rotational force received from the electric motor to transmit the reversed rotational force to the reconveying roller and a normal-rotation transmission mode for transmitting the rotational force to the reconveying roller without reversing the direction of the rotational force. The transmission mechanism includes an interrupting unit for interrupting transmission of a rotational force from the reconveying roller to the electric motor at least when a sheet is being conveyed in the image-forming mechanism. The transmission mechanism is configured to interrupt transmission of the rotational force received from the electric motor to the reconveying roller when a sheet is being conveyed in the image-forming mechanism.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus and a control method are provided. The image forming apparatus includes fusing rollers that fuse a developer at a printing medium, and a transporting guide that guides the printing medium being transported toward the fusing rollers. The transporting guide is movably installed to move between a first position to guide the printing medium, and a second position spaced apart from the first position. Thus, a friction between the transporting guide and the printing medium as well as the subsequent generation of static electricity may be reduced.