Abstract: A medium storage box is provided. The medium storage box includes a first supporting plate for storing first medium, a second supporting plate spaced apart from the first supporting plate, for storing second medium, and a pickup roller, disposed between the first supporting plate and the second supporting plate, for selectively picking up one of the first medium and the second medium.

Abstract: One variation of a method for controlling access to products from a vending machine includes: locking a door of the vending machine; recording an initial inventory of products arranged within the vending machine based on signals received by a radio antenna arranged within the vending machine and read by a radio frequency identification reader; initiating a transaction in response to receiving a cashless payment mechanism from a patron; unlocking the door in response to authentication of the cashless payment mechanism; in response to closure of the door, recording a final inventory of products within the vending machine based on signals received by the radio antenna and read by the radio frequency identification reader; and initiating a payment with the cashless payment mechanism for a difference between the initial inventory and the final inventory to complete the transaction.

Abstract: A system for monitoring inventory for scratch-off lottery tickets to simplify tracking inventory and aid in theft prevention. A computing device communicates with lockable metal ticket dispensers to maintain real-time inventory of product and display product inventory on the product dispensers. Dispensers log ticket inventory information and the identity of users associated with ticket dispensing.

Abstract: An automated high speed multi-bin card collation and buffering system that takes die cut greeting cards at high speeds and diverts them on a customer by customer basis into multiple bins. A series of diverters are included that actuate between customer jobs to divert and collate the jobs independently into the bins. The jobs are moved from the bins and buffered in a buffering zone for a predetermined period of time before being deposited onto a conveyor for conveying downstream for further processing. The buffering of the jobs allows for small jobs to be offset by larger jobs to increase average processing times for downstream systems, such as, banders to operate efficiently.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a body, a paper feed cassette, a rotary operating member, an engaging portion, engaged portions, and a size detection switch. The rotational operating member is rotatable. The engaging portion engages the rotary operating member with the paper feed cassette. Any one of the engaged portions is engaged by the engaging portion. The size detection switch is used to detect the size of a recording medium stored in the paper feed cassette. The rotational operating member includes a pressure portion that activates the size detection switch. The rotational force in the first direction necessary for causing the engagement to be released is greater than the rotational force in the second direction necessary for causing the engagement to be released.

Abstract: Disclosed is a sheet stacking apparatus which includes: a leading-edge regulating member configured to be positionally adjustable depending on a length of a plurality of corrugated paperboard sheets; a sheet stopper installed in the leading-edge regulating member in such a manner as to be movable with respect to a contact surface of the leading-edge regulating member reciprocatingly between a first position and a second position, and contactable with a leading edge of the corrugated paperboard sheet to be stacked in the hopper section; a detection section disposed upstream of the hopper section, and configured to detect a passing of each of the corrugated paperboard sheets; and a synchronization control device configured to reciprocatingly move the sheet stopper according to a detection signal, in such a manner as to allow the leading edge of the corrugated paperboard sheet to come into contact with the sheet stopper.

Abstract: A screen panel for mining and quarrying industries adapted to be mounted on a screen deck includes a screening surface made up of materials such as herein described formed on a reinforcing. The screening surface has apertures of a predetermined shape for allowing materials of predetermined size to pass through the apertures and the reinforcing is an external reinforcing for efficiently screening material passing through the apertures.

Abstract: Embodiments of a document diverter and systems including a document diverter are generally described herein. A document diverter may include a drum, a plurality of document feeders situated around the drum with a document channel between the document feeders and the drum, and a plurality of guiding mechanisms, one guiding mechanism for each of the plurality of document feeders, each of the plurality of guiding mechanisms including a plurality of positions including an first position and a second position.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of selective separation of a granular material comprising a fraction of coarse particles and a fraction of fine particles for separating said fraction of coarse particles from said fraction of fine particles.

Abstract: Printing apparatus comprise a printing table, a loader to load sheets of print media to the printing table, and a moveable tray on which at least one row of media sheets can be placed, the tray being moveable between a position in which it is accessible to an operator for placing media sheets thereon and another position in which at least part of the tray is accessible to the loader for picking the print media sheets but inaccessible to the operator.

Abstract: An apparatus for transporting signatures is provided which includes a moving transport surface for transporting signatures; a pair of eccentric guide rollers, rotatable about respective axes, the pair of guide rollers positioned opposite one another to receive signatures therebetween from the moving transport surface; and a diverter positioned downstream of the guide rollers. The diverter is movable between a first position to divert signatures received from the guide rollers to a first downstream moving transport surface and a second position to divert signatures received from the guide rollers to a second downstream moving transport surface.

Abstract: A vending machine for scrubs may include a housing configured to store different sized scrubs. The vending machine also may include a scrub dispenser, a labeler, and a controller carried by the housing. The controller may be configured to cooperate with the scrub dispenser to dispense a selected sized scrub. The controller may also be configured to cooperate with the labeler to generate a time expiring badge for the selected sized scrub.

Abstract: Provided are a sheet feeding apparatus and an image forming apparatus, which can set a sheet feeding interval to be short. The controller determines whether a sheet surface height of an uppermost sheet becomes a predetermined sheet surface height, based on a detection signal from a lower limit detection sensor, when a pickup roller abuts the uppermost sheet. When determining that the sheet surface height of the uppermost sheet becomes the predetermined sheet surface height, the controller feeds a predetermined number of sheets without performing detection by the lower limit detection sensor, and then controls a motor such that the uppermost sheet is located with an appropriate range by lifting a tray when feeding a next sheet.

Abstract: A medium supply device includes a medium cassette that accommodates a medium, a dial that is rotatable around a predetermined rotation shaft, an angle-holding part to hold the dial, a subsidiary arm including arm parts that are independently displaceable, and a detection switch with switch parts that are pressed by arm parts of the subsidiary arm. The dial includes a display part on which display elements illustrating a medium size are arranged in a circumferential direction around the rotation shaft, a rotation lock part configured to be locked by the angle-holding part, and a projection formation part that includes projection parts configured to press the arm parts of the subsidiary arm in a circumferential direction around the rotation shaft. The projection parts selectively contact and displace the arm parts in accordance with the rotation angle of the dial to selectively press the switch parts of the detection switch.

Abstract: Method and system for x-ray detection of flaws in containers or their contents wherein containers are conveyed on a circular path around a central axis upon which an x-ray source is situated below the plane of the base of the containers. The x-ray source emits x-ray radiation obliquely upwards through the containers to a plurality of imaging x-ray detectors. Analysis of the images provided by these x-ray detectors determines the presence of a flaw in a container or its contents and is used to command a rejection mechanism to reject the container in question.

Abstract: A device and a method for raising and positioning an object, for example a sheet from a sheet stack, uses a whirlwind to generate a negative pressure for generating a retaining force and uses interference air for releasing the retaining force.

Abstract: When a sheet is determined to arrive at a registration roller, a motor is temporarily stopped and then, is rotated so as to return a cam to an initial position. When the motor is rotated, in a case where a relation between a rotation angle ? of the cam at the time of stopping the motor and a rotation angle ? of the cam according to the rotation of the motor in a time required for the motor until acceleration up to constant-speed rotation from a stopped state of the motor and until deceleration from the constant-speed rotation and stop after the deceleration is “?<360??”, the motor is rotated at a first speed by controlling acceleration/deceleration of the motor and, in a case where the relation is “?>360??”, the motor is rotated at a constant second speed lower than the first speed.

Abstract: A sheet discharging device includes a shift tray 202 on which a sheet P1 is stacked, a discharging roller 6 that discharges a sheet P2 onto the shift tray 202, a blowing device 230 that sends air to a lower surface of the sheet P2 discharged by the discharging roller 6, a blocking member 231 that blocks air sent to the lower surface of the sheet P2 from a blowing port 230-2 of the blowing device 230, and a control unit that controls the blocking amount of the blocking member 231. The blocking amount is determined based upon sheet information including sheet-type information, sheet-size information, and sheet-thickness information, for example.

Abstract: A fixing device includes two rotary bodies and a recording-medium separation unit. The two rotary bodies are pressed against each other to form a nipping portion. The recording-medium separation unit is disposed at a position downstream from the nipping portion in a direction in which the recording medium is conveyed. The recording-medium separation unit includes a separation plate holder, a separation plate, and a spring. The separation plate holder extends in a longitudinal direction of one of the rotary bodies to hold the separation plate away from the one of the rotary bodies. The separation plate holder has rotation fulcrums and positioning surfaces at both ends in the longitudinal direction. The positioning surfaces are urged by the spring toward the one of the rotary bodies. Each of the positioning surfaces has a bent side to form a flange surface having one of the rotation fulcrums.

Abstract: To introduce a mixture to be processed, in which powder and granular material with relatively large specific gravity and hardness and accompanying lightweight foreign substances are mixed together, inside a system and separate the same by a dry method. Disclosed is a powder and granular material separation processing device X that is connected to an external suction machine such as a dust collection device and an electric vacuum cleaner, introduces by suction a mixture to be processed into a separation processing container 1, and discharges lightweight foreign substances to the outside of a system while collecting powder and granular material inside the system.