Abstract: A sheet conveyance device includes: a first conveyance member configured to convey a sheet in a first direction; a second conveyance member configured to convey the sheet in a second direction; a guide disposed between the first conveyance member and the second conveyance member, the guide having a curved face configured to guide the sheet conveyed from the first conveyance member to the second conveyance member; and an adjustment member disposed at an inner position of the curvature of the curved face of the guide, the adjustment member being configured to swing to contact with a curved inner face of the sheet guided by the guide in accordance with a contact force applied by the sheet.

Abstract: A media tray includes a housing and a media restraint assembly mounted in the housing having a position selection mechanism for placing respective floor portions of the housing in a selected one position of a multiplicity of closely spaced apart positions. The position selection mechanism includes an actuator adapted for undergoing movement relative to the floor portions along a first direction between extended and retracted positions and a position securement arrangement adapted for undergoing conversion along a second direction transverse to the first direction between engaged and disengaged conditions in response to movement of the actuator between the extended and retracted positions to correspondingly select and de-select the selected one position of the floor portions and accordingly set the floor portions at and release the floor portions from the selected one position thereof. The media restraint assembly also includes an actuation lever and a lock mechanism for the lever.

Abstract: There are provided a sheet conveying apparatus and an image forming apparatus, which enable stable sheet conveyance without depending on sheet size. An air suction portion having a duct portion for air suction is provided inwardly of an endless belt having a plurality of suction holes. Air is taken in through the suction holes of the endless belt and the duct portion for air suction by the air suction portion to absorb a sheet onto the endless belt. When the sheet having a sheet conveying direction length in which a sheet trailing end reaches the endless belt before a sheet leading end reaches a fixing device is conveyed, at least part of the portion of the duct portion through which the sheet trailing end passes before the sheet leading end reaches the fixing portion is closed by a shutter.

Abstract: A medium conveying device includes a conveyance path that is used for conveying medium; a medium guide that is furnished on the conveyance path and has at least one swing supporting portion; and a supporting section that supports the swing supporting portion to swing along a separation direction separating from the conveyance path so as to make the swing supporting portion support the medium guide to swing.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an apparatus body which includes an attachment portion, a standby tray which is provided adjacent to the attachment portion of the apparatus body and stacks a paper thereon, a paper feeding tray stacks the paper thereon, a movement mechanism which moves the paper from the paper feeding tray located at the mounted position onto the standby tray along the paper conveying path, a holder member which moves to a first position so as to hold the paper at a predetermined position on the paper feeding tray and moves to a second position so as to recede from the paper conveying path, and a lock mechanism which engages with the holder member so as to hold the holder member at the first position when the paper feeding tray is located at the withdrawn position.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, and system for coating, singulating, aligning, ablating, and indexing a number of seeds for testing is described. The apparatus has a carrier designed to hold seeds in a predetermined alignment for ablating a seed sample from a seed portion, the seed portions are indexed to the seed samples. The carrier is then located on the apparatus which delivers the seed samples from the carrier to a collector for laboratory testing.

Abstract: A sheet-conveying device conveys a recording medium to a sheet support surface positioned downstream of the sheet-conveying device in a sheet-conveying direction when recording an image with an image-recording unit. A drive roller and a follower roller define a nip line therebetween. The nip line is positioned above the sheet support surface. A first support member rotatably supports the follower roller. A moving unit moves the first support member from a first position to a second position upstream of the first position in the paper-conveying direction immediately after a trailing edge of the recording medium leaves the sheet-conveying unit.

Abstract: A sheet detection unit of an image forming apparatus includes a light receiving unit including a plurality of light receiving elements arranged in a sheet feeding direction. A computation processing unit shifts signals from the elements in synchronization with a sheet feeding speed and makes additions, increases a signal change level, and stores the signals in buffers in a result storage unit. A sheet position determination unit detects a position of an edge portion of a sheet being fed based on distribution of data stored in the buffers.

Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus of the invention has: a movement blocking unit for blocking a movement of a sheet which is moved to a side edge aligning unit by a moving unit, thereby allowing the moving unit to position adjustment slip move on the sheet so as to adjust a relative position with the sheet; and a block cancelling unit for allowing the movement blocking unit to cancel the block of the movement of the sheet when the moving unit slips and moves by a predetermined distance.

Abstract: An apparatus for aligning sheets in a processing machine includes translationally movable stops or front lays which can be driven through the use of a coupler mechanism or individually actuable electric motors.

Abstract: A sheet conveying apparatus for OCR/VSC integrated systems, which selectively delivers postal items to upper- and lower-side stackers, includes at least one pair of conveyor belts bifurcating from a bifurcation gate to the down-side stackers, and at least one pair of conveyor belts bifurcating from the bifurcation gate to the upper-side stackers. The conveyor belts include a first twisted section, an S-shaped ascending portion, and a second twisted portion. Each postal item is tilted by the first twisted portion, then raised by the S-shaped ascending portion with its tilted attitude maintained, and returned to upright by the second twisted portion.

Abstract: A sheet feeder comprising: a cassette; a feed roller; a sloping separation plate provided on a downstream side of the cassette in a sheet feeding direction; and a separation member that includes a first separation claw and second separation claw, the first separation claw being closer a bottom surface of the cassette than the second separation claw, the separation member and the feed roller cooperating with each other to separate and feed the sheets, sheet by sheet; wherein the sloping separation plate has openings so as to allow distal projecting portions of the first separation claw and second separation claw to project through the sloping separation plate, respectively, and wherein, a first angle formed between the distal projecting portion of the first separation claw and the sloping separation plate is larger than a second angle formed between the distal projecting portion of the second separation claw and the sloping separation plate.

Abstract: A second support member supports a first support member so that the first support member is movable between a predetermined first position and a second position at an upstream side of the first position in a conveying direction of a recording medium. The first support member is moved to the first position during conveyance of the recording medium by a first conveying section. The first support-member is moved to the second position during non-conveyance of the recording medium by the first conveying section.

Abstract: A check processing device conveys checks into branch paths without the check jamming. The downstream end of the check transportation path 7 of the check processing device 1 is split by a diversion unit 18 into first and second branch paths 11 and 12. The diversion unit 18 has diversion unit guide surfaces 18a and 18b that diverge to the right and left, and a diversion unit top 18c that connects the top edges of the diversion unit guide surfaces 18a and 18b. A branch switching lever or flapper 19 is located at the branching position A. The diversion unit top 18c slopes upward from the lever top 19c in the diversion direction on both right and left sides, and also slopes upward from the top edges of the diversion unit guide surfaces 18a and 18b perpendicularly to the diversion direction.

Abstract: The invention describes a process and apparatus producing a dense coke fraction from a first particulate coke fraction having a first average density and a first average particle size distribution, stratifying the coke fraction in a density separator into at least two fractions, the at least two fractions comprising a light coke fraction and the dense coke fraction. The dense fraction having an average density greater than the first average density and a particle size distribution substantially equivalent to the first average particle size distribution. The apparatus includes an inclined oscillating table comprising a gas-pervious deck, and a gas mover.

Abstract: A system, methodology, and product to sort, organize and store individual members of building/construction toy sets utilizing a multi-level system of bins with sieves at different heights using user applied forces and gravity to automatically sort and organize pieces into bins, while providing a fun hands-on sorting experience for kids. The location, size and shape of the sieves can be designed to optimize sorting speed and user experience for specific toy manufacturer brands including Lego™ bricks made by Lego Corporation. The system also functions as a storage unit for the pieces, during and after sort. A flexible binding mechanism holds the system together during sort. The system is designed with see-through materials to monitor the status of the sort and find specific pieces in respective bins. A set of wheels enables mobility. The “hands-on” involvement in sorting also makes this an entertaining and educational apparatus for kids.

Abstract: Various embodiments of a system and method for directing indicator-based sortation of shipments are described. In various embodiments, a control system may be configured to utilize indicators to direct the sortation of items in a materials handling facility, such as an order fulfillment center tasked with fulfilling customer orders for one or more items. For a given unsorted item, the control system may cause an indicator to indicate to which of multiple sorting slots the given item is to be placed, thereby sorting the item to its respective shipment assigned to the sorting slot. In various embodiments, the shipment sorting units may be serviced from a rebin side as well as a pack side. The control system may be configured to prioritize the processing of such shipments by utilizing indicators associated with respective shipment sorting slots on the pack side to indicate a priority for processing a given shipment.

Abstract: A first detecting unit S1 for detecting a conveyed sheet at a first detecting position and a second detecting unit S2 for detecting the sheet at a second detecting position are provided. A calculation unit calculates a distance between the first and second detecting positions based on detection signals from the first detecting unit and the second detecting unit at the time when a reference sheet having a known length has been conveyed and a length of reference sheet.

Abstract: A sheet feeding device includes a loading portion configured to be loaded with a sheet, a lifting mechanism that lifts the loading portion in an operating state and stops the loading portion in an stopped state, a cam configured to be rotated alternately to a first rotational position for setting the lifting mechanism to the operating state and to a second rotational position for setting the lifting mechanism to the stopped state, a detecting unit having a contact portion movable up and down while contacting the sheet on the loading portion, which detects whether the sheet reaches a first height based upon the movement of the contact portion thereof, and a control unit configured to rotate the cam before the detecting unit detects that the sheet reaches the first height and to stop the cam in the second rotational position in response to the detection by the detecting unit.

Abstract: The invention describes an image recording device having a sheet supplying device that supplies sheets. The sheet supplying device has a first tray and a second tray that hold sheets, and a first and second shaft positioned over the first and second trays. A first rotating member contacts a sheet in the first tray, and a second rotating member contacts a sheet in the second tray. A first arm extends from the first shaft to the first rotating member, and a second arm extends from the second shaft to the second rotating member. A transmission device is coupled to the first arm member and the second arm member, and transmits selectively a rotational drive force from the first shaft to either the first or second rotating members. A recording unit records an image on the sheet supplied by the sheet supplying device.