Abstract: Fountain solution latent images are provided on an inking blanket without using laser-induced evaporation systems. Approaches include a rotatable charge retentive surface configured to receive an unfused toned electrostatic pattern of toner particles adhered thereto via electrophotography. The toner includes small diameter polymeric or inorganic particles that may have no color pigment to appear transparent or translucent. Fountain solution is disposed on at least one of the toner, the charge retentive surface and a transfer substrate. The transfer substrate is adjacent the charge retentive surface and forms a nip therebetween, with the transfer substrate sandwiching the unfused toned electrostatic pattern of toner particles and fountain solution against the charge retentive surface at the nip.

Abstract: A printer and corresponding method of printing an image on a surface of a plurality of food products by providing a system having a printer with an extendable and retractable receiving arm and a movable food product delivery tray for continuously and automatically providing delivery of unprinted food products which are retracted into the printer, printed on, and returned by the receiving arm to the rotatable delivery tray and the tray further moves to deliver subsequent food products for printing. A motorized base spaced apart from the printer supports the delivery tray during and printing processes.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a rotating body having a recess in an outer peripheral surface thereof; a sprocket provided coaxially with the rotating body to rotate integrally with the rotating body; a chain having plural links, the chain being wound around the sprocket to circulate in a circulating direction so as to shift from a rotary movement in which the chain rotates in an arc shape conforming to an outer periphery of the sprocket along with the sprocket, to a linear movement; a holder fixed to at least one link of the links of the chain, the holder being configured to hold a leading end portion of a recording medium, the holder being configured to transport the recording medium by performing the rotary movement along with the rotating body and the chain in a state of (i) holding the leading end portion of the recording medium placed on the outer peripheral surface of the rotating body and (ii) being located in the recess, and then shifting to the linear movement along with the chain; and an imag

Abstract: An embossing stamp for embossing an identifying mark on a motor vehicle component includes an embossing wheel assembly. The embossing wheel assembly can be set individually for the motor vehicle component being embossed depending on the identifying mark to be stamped. The embossing wheel assembly includes a negative representation of the identifying mark to be stamped. A transmission device is provided to transmit an identification signal characterizing the embossed identifying mark and the motor vehicle component marked with the identifying mark to a computer device external to the embossing stamp.

Abstract: Based on evaporation of fountain solution from a rotating blanket cylinder to create an image that may be inked and printed, a digitally addressable heater array at or just below the blanket surface evaporates deposited fountain solution and forms a fountain solution latent image on the surface. The heater array has controllable heating elements (e.g., field effect transistors, thin film transistors) that provide a transient heat pattern on the surface to evaporate the fountain solution. Heat is generated by current flow in the heating elements, and power developed by the heating circuit is the product of source-drain voltage and current in the channel. Current may be supplied along data lines by an external voltage controlled by digital electronics to provide the desired heat at heating elements addressed by a specific gate line. The heater array may include a current return line that may be a 2-dimensional mesh.

Abstract: There is described a printing press adapted to carry out printing on a sheet-like or web-like substrate, in particular for the production of security documents such as banknotes, comprising a substrate feeding device for feeding the substrate to be treated, at least a printing unit designed to print a first side and/or a second side of the substrate and a delivery unit for receiving the treated substrate. The printing press in the conveying path for the substrate between the feeding device and the delivery unit further comprises an in-line casting device adapted to apply a layer of material acting as an optical medium on a portion of the second side of the substrate and to replicate and form a micro-optical structure in the layer of material acting as optical medium, wherein the printing unit comprises a first printing group comprising a printing cylinder and being adapted to print at least one printed pattern on the first or second side of the substrate in register with the micro-optical structure.

Abstract: A recording material processing apparatus includes: first teeth that are used for binding processing of a recording material bundle; second teeth configured to move toward the first teeth and to press the recording material bundle positioned between the first teeth and the second teeth; a first metal block configured to support the first teeth; and a second metal block configured to support the second teeth.

Abstract: A method and system method for estimating fatigue damage in a structure obtains fatigue damage data collected using at least one sensor associated with the structure during at least one test operation and also obtains structure use parameter data collected during the at least one test operation. The obtained fatigue data and the obtained use parameter data are used to compute coefficients of at least one generic polynomial function that outputs a fatigue damage value based on inputs representing use parameter data. The at least one generic polynomial function is used to output an estimated fatigue damage value based on inputs representing use parameter data collected during use of the structure.

Abstract: A sheet transport device includes a transport roller, a drive source, and a gear train. The transport roller transports a sheet. The gear train transmits rotating force from the drive source to the transport roller. The gear train includes a movable gear and a leaf spring. The movable gear is configured to move between a normal position where transmission of the rotating force to the transport roller is enabled, and a disengaged position where the transmission of the rotating force to the transport roller is interrupted, and also to move in an axial direction, and includes a helical gear that generates force to axially move in one direction, when the movable gear moves from the normal position to the disengaged position. The leaf spring buffers the movement of the movable gear in the one direction.

Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus includes: at least one processing tool that takes a processable state and an unprocessable state; a setting unit that sets operation parameters on the processable state and the unprocessable state; and a control unit that controls an operation of the processing tool based on the set operation parameters, in which the setting unit sets the operation parameters such that: a processable state holding process in which the processing tool holds the processable state, is executed, when a certain portion-to-be-processed is formed in a certain pre-product and then a next portion-to-be-processed of the same type as the certain portion-to-be-processed is formed in a next pre-product; and/or a processing tool selection process in which the processing tool for forming the portion-to-be-processed is selected so that a moving distance of the processing tool is minimized, is executed.

Abstract: A system and method to determine a remaining useful life estimation of a material under evaluation. The equipment comprises at least one computer and a material features acquisition system operable to detect a plurality of material features. The features are then evaluated according to rules captured from of experts and inputted into the computer. The computer iterations are processed until an acceptable conclusion is made regarding the condition of the material under evaluation. The remaining useful life estimation capability may also be retrofitted into conventional inspection systems by extracting pertinent features through spectral frequency analysis and sensor normalization and utilizing those features in the autonomous remaining useful life estimation system.

Abstract: Each of the sheets is conveyed by a horizontal conveyance unit in a state of being overlapped with a next sheet from above. Each of the sheets is conveyed out of the horizontal conveyance unit in a state of being folded along a fold line with the fold line oriented upward, the fold line extending in a conveyance direction of the horizontal conveyance unit. An oblique conveyance unit receives the sheet from the horizontal conveyance unit and successively conveys the sheets in an oblique downward direction. A sensor is arranged to detect passage of the sheets at a position where steps pass. Each of the steps is formed by two sheets adjacent to each other diverted to the oblique downward direction by the oblique conveyance unit.

Abstract: A sheet conveying device includes a sheet loader, a sheet feeder, an optical sensor, and a rotary member. The sheet loader is configured to load a sheet. The sheet feeder is configured to feed the sheet loaded on the sheet loader. The optical sensor is configured to detect the sheet at a predetermined position on the sheet loader in a width direction of the sheet and at a predetermined position in a sheet conveyance passage in the width direction of the sheet. The rotary member is configured to rotate to a first position when the sheet is not at the predetermined position on the sheet loader and a second position when the sheet is at the predetermined position. The rotary member has a detection target portion configured to be detected by the optical sensor when the rotary member is located at the first or second position.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit to form an image on a sheet, a conveyance guide unit, and a conveyance unit. The conveyance guide unit conveys the sheet on which the image is to be formed by the image forming unit. The conveyance unit conveys the sheet toward a first conveyance guide unit. The conveyance guide unit includes an urging member, a rotary member to be urged by the urging member and to rotate while abutting the sheet, a holding unit holding the urging member and the rotary member, and the first conveyance guide unit that is detachably attached to the holding unit to guide the sheet. The first conveyance guide unit includes a pressed portion, and the pressed portion is to be pressed by the sheet conveyed by the conveyance unit and has strength less than strength of the holding unit.

Abstract: The aligning device receives a sheet conveyed in a sheet conveyance direction in a stackable manner and aligns a position of the sheet in the sheet conveyance direction. The moving mechanism moves the sheet aligned by the aligning device in the sheet conveyance direction together with the aligning device. The controller selectively executes a first mode in which first post-processing is performed on the sheet and then second post-processing is performed on the sheet and a second mode in which the second post-processing is performed on the sheet without performing the first post-processing on the sheet. The controller, in response to a selection of the first mode or the second mode, causes the moving mechanism to adjust a position of the aligning device in the sheet conveyance direction before the aligning device receives the sheet as a target of the first post-processing or the second post-processing, respectively.

Abstract: Provided are a placement table configured to place a medium onto which liquid is discharged, a perforation member configured to perform perforation by imparting a shear force to the medium placed at the placement table, a die hole provided at the placement table, a perforation member moving section configured to move the perforation member between a standby position above the die hole and a perforating position at which the perforation member enters the die hole, and a control unit configured to control operation of the perforation member moving section, wherein when the control unit obtains perforation failure information during perforating operation in which the perforation member starts moving from the standby position and moves through the perforating position to the standby position, the control unit is configured to control the perforation member moving section so that a shear force is again imparted to the medium.

Abstract: Riser stress-engineering-assessment equipment to verify the integrity and the in-deployment-integrity of a riser string by knowing the status, details and location of each riser joint and by monitoring the deployment parameters. When the failure risk exceeds an acceptable level, the equipment activates a local and/or a remote alarm using voice, sound and lights. The system comprises a computer with communication means, a material properties and geometry detection system, a data acquisition system acquiring deployment and other parameters, a database comprising of riser historical data and captured expert knowledge, a failure-criteria calculation to calculate maximum-stresses under different loads and the combined effects of the different loads to determine if the riser string is still fit-for-deployment.

Abstract: A halftone raster image suitable for rendering a continuous-tone image includes a plurality of spiral dots. The spiral dots include image pixels arranged as a first arc or as a plurality of arcs which together represent a first spiral, and non-image pixels arranged as a second arc or as a plurality of arcs which together represent a second spiral. The spiral dots enable a controlled spreading of the ink within the dot, resulting in a higher image quality, ink saving, and faster drying.

Abstract: There is provided an image recording apparatus having a housing having a front wall and a rear wall, and a right wall and a left wall defining an internal space of the housing, a sheet roll holder configured to hold a sheet roll, a supporting member configured to support the sheet roll, the supporting member extending in an axial direction of the sheet roll and being supported by the sheet roll holder, a sheet conveyer arranged in an internal space of the housing, the sheet conveyer being configured to convey a sheet unwound from the sheet roll, and a recording device configured to record an image on the sheet unwound from the sheet roll and conveyed by the sheet conveyer. The sheet roll holder is configured to be slidable with respect to the housing so as to be detachable from and attachable to the housing.

Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus includes a conveyance unit configured to convey a sheet, a stacking portion on which the sheet conveyed by the conveyance unit is stacked, a first regulation member configured to regulate a position of an edge portion, in a conveyance direction, of the sheet stacked on the stacking portion, a second regulation member configured to regulate a position of an edge portion, in a width direction orthogonal to the conveyance direction, of the sheet stacked on the stacking portion, a binding unit supported movably in the conveyance direction and configured to perform a binding process of binding the sheet stacked on the stacking portion, and a moving unit configured to move the second regulation member in the conveyance direction accompanied with a movement, in the conveyance direction, of the binding unit.