Abstract: A sheet conveyance apparatus comprises a first sheet accommodation unit, a second sheet accommodation unit, a conveyance path and a controller. The first sheet accommodation unit and the second sheet accommodation unit are both provided with a movable guide plate which determines the size of an accommodated sheet. The conveyance path conveys a sheet between the first sheet accommodation unit and the second sheet accommodation unit. The controller carries out a control processing so as to change, in a case in which the accommodation size of the first sheet accommodation unit is changed, the accommodation size of the second sheet accommodation unit to be the same as that of the first sheet accommodation unit.

Abstract: A separation/collection device is provided in a paper sheet conveyance device for generating an airstream in a conveyance duct and for conveying a paper sheet inserted into the conveyance duct by being pushed from behind by a conveyance subsidiary body moving in the conveyance duct by receiving the airstream. The separation/collection device separates and collects the conveyance subsidiary body and the paper sheet at an ending portion of a conveyance path. The separation/collection device includes a separation unit that passes the paper sheet pushed and conveyed by the conveyance subsidiary body, in a downstream direction, and that stops the conveyance subsidiary body by contacting the conveyance subsidiary body with the separation unit, a tubular path part that receives the paper sheet output from the separation unit, and a rib provided on an inner wall of the path part.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and apparatuses are disclosed for sensing clear or transparent media in printers. In one embodiment, a media conveyance apparatus is provided comprising a light sensor positioned on a first side of a media conveyance path; a light source positioned on a second side of the media conveyance path; and presence determination circuitry. The media conveyance apparatus is configured such that the light sensor and the light source are positioned such that media may pass between the light sensor and the light source along the media conveyance path. The media conveyance apparatus is further configured such that the light sensor provides signals to the presence determination circuitry indicating an amount of light received from the light source and the presence determination circuitry determines a reflection loss based on the signals received from the light sensor and further determines whether the reflection loss satisfies a loss threshold.

Abstract: A draw-in apparatus having at least two rotatable draw-in rollers for drawing in sheet goods, in particular bank notes, wherein the draw-in rollers are arranged relative to each other with meshing roller profiles respectively extending transversely to the draw-in direction so as to define a draw-in gap for the sheet goods, and wherein the draw-in rollers have axial cross-sectional profiles mutually matched such that a clearance between the draw-in rollers changes periodically upon a rotation of the draw-in rollers.

Abstract: A paper feed device includes a plurality of paper feed sections and a selection control section. Selection periods include a specific selection period during which at least two selection signals among a plurality of selection signals are not at a normal level. Non-selection periods include a first normal period, a second normal period, a preceding non-selection period, and a succeeding non-selection period. The preceding non-selection period is between the first normal period and the specific selection period. A specific selection signal among the at least two selection signals is switched from the normal level to a selection level during the preceding non-selection period. The succeeding non-selection period is between the specific selection period and the second normal period. The specific selection signal is switched from the selection level to the normal level during the succeeding non-selection period.

Abstract: A sheet feeder includes: a casing; a first roller; and a pressing portion. The casing defines therein a conveying region through which a sheet is conveyed in a conveying direction. The first roller has a rotation axis extending in an axial direction crossing the conveying direction and rotatable about the rotation axis. The first roller has a portion exposed to the conveying region. The pressing portion is movable in a direction crossing the conveying region between a first position and a second position. The pressing portion is urged toward the first roller to provide the first position. The pressing portion in the first position has a portion disposed within the conveying region and spaced apart from the first roller by a prescribed distance. The pressing portion in the second position is separated from the first roller farther than in the first position.

Abstract: A sheet feeder, which is incorporated in an image forming apparatus, includes an endless attraction belt that is rotatably disposed facing a top surface of a sheet stack, a belt charger to attract an uppermost sheet of the sheet stack, and a sheet separator to press the attraction belt against the sheet stack, bend a contact region to which the uppermost sheet is attracted and contacted to the attraction belt, and separate the uppermost sheet from a subsequent sheet or other sheet of the sheet stack. In this configuration, a curvature of a contact surface of the sheet separator with respect to the attraction belt is changeable.

Abstract: A feed module for feeding value documents, in particular bank notes, to a value-document processing apparatus, has a receiving device in which one or more value documents to be processed can be inserted. The receiving device includes a first aligning element which the value documents lying in the receiving device are aligned to with a first edge of the value documents when the receiving device is in a first state, and a second aligning element which the value documents lying in the receiving device are aligned to with a second edge of the value documents when the receiving device is in a second state. A positioning device through which the receiving device is brought from the first state to the second state.

Abstract: A discharge device which discharges a sheet includes: a driving shaft which is driven to rotate by a driving source; a plurality of driving rotating members which is provided on the driving shaft; a rotating member which is provided on the driving shaft, has a larger outside diameter than an outside diameter of the driving rotating member, is formed by joining at least two divided components, and includes stepped portions that protrude, to a larger extent, in a radial direction in boundary portions of the at least two components on upstream sides of a rotation direction of the rotating member than on downstream sides thereof; and follower rotating members which are pressed against the driving rotating members.

Abstract: An edge detection device that detects an edge position in a width direction orthogonal to a conveying direction of a conveyance object, and includes: a photoelectric converter that is arranged in a conveyance path of the object and includes photoelectric conversion elements aligned along the width direction; a binarizer that binarizes an output from each of the photoelectric conversion elements by threshold comparison; a detector that detects a position of the photoelectric converter at which a binarized value is switched; a storage that stores therein a detection range as a range used for edge detection among the photoelectric conversion elements for each size of the object; and a determiner that reads out the detection range corresponding to the size of the object from the storage and determines a position detected by the detector within the detection range to be an edge position in the width direction of the object.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided that may offer functionalities including printing, scanning and/or copying. The apparatus may include a manual sheet feeding tray disposed at the rear of the apparatus. The height of the sheet feeding tray might not exceed a height of the apparatus, allowing use of the apparatus in spaces having smaller depths. The apparatus may include a sheet guide configured to move in conjunction with the movement of the tray. In some arrangements, a surface of the sheet feeding tray may differ in height between lateral edges of the tray and a central portion. This difference may cause a sheet to be curved in a lateral direction, rendering the sheet more inflexible in a longitudinal direction. According to other aspects, a depressed portion of the tray may match a protrusion extending from the guide in shape such that the two portions may mate in a retracted position.

Abstract: A self-closing device is configured to retract a unit capable of being pulled out with respect to an apparatus main body, to the apparatus main body. The self-closing device includes a plurality of retracting modules configured to retract the unit from a retracting start position towards a retracting end position. The plurality of retracting modules are provided such that retracting strokes from the retracting start position to the retracting end position partially overlap each other and the retracting start positions are different from each other in the retracting direction.

Abstract: A feeding device to feed a conveyed medium stacked on a stacker, includes a first suction unit, a second suction unit, and third suction units. The first suction unit includes a suction chamber; a suction fan to exhaust air from the suction chamber; and a first driver to rotate the suction fan. The suction units are disposed above the conveyed medium stacked on the stacker. The second suction unit includes a rotary fan including a board and a plurality of walls extending from the board; and a second driver to rotate the rotary fan. The second suction unit generates a vortex flow directed to the conveyed medium. The plurality of third suction units is disposed in a direction perpendicular to a conveyance direction of the conveyed medium and attracts ends of the conveyed medium in the direction perpendicular to the conveyance direction.

Abstract: An image recording apparatus, comprising: a recording device; a cassette; a discharge tray; a conveying path; a conveyor; an electrical power supply; a cooling air flow path; an air blower configured to apply a wind-force to air so as to cause the air to flow through the cooling air flow path; and a casing, wherein: the electrical power supply and the cooling air flow path are arranged in a lower region in a vertical direction with respect to the cassette, the conveying path and the recording device; the recording device is located, in regard to the vertical direction, at a position higher than or equal to the cassette; and the electrical power supply and the cassette overlap each other in the vertical direction.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming section, a primary conveyance section, a first diverging section, a sorting ejection section, a secondary conveyance section, and a housing. The first diverging section is located downstream of the image forming section in a paper conveyance direction in the primary conveyance section. The secondary conveyance section diverges from the primary conveyance section at the first diverging section. The sorting ejection section sorts and ejects the paper conveyed thereto by the secondary conveyance section. The housing constitutes an apparatus main body and houses the image forming section, the primary conveyance section, the first diverging section, and part of the secondary conveyance section. One side wall of a plurality of side walls of the housing has an opening. The secondary conveyance section conveys the paper to a proximal end of the sorting ejection section through the opening.

Abstract: A sheet tray includes: a first receiving member; a second receiving member including a first holding portion configured to be pushed into and drawn out from the first receiving member and a third receiving member including a second holding portion configured to be pushed into and drawn out from the second receiving member. The first receiving member covers the second and third receiving members in a state of being pushed into. The second receiving member is configured to expose the second holding portion while maintaining a state in which the third receiving member can be drawn out. The first receiving member is configured to expose the second holding portion while maintaining a state in which the third receiving member can be drawn out.

Abstract: A recording medium ejecting device includes ejecting trays, a guiding member and a switching mechanism. The guiding member is switchable between a first posture to permit ejection of a recording medium on one ejecting tray and a second posture to restrict the ejection of the recording medium on the one ejecting tray. The switching mechanism switches the guiding member between the first posture and the second posture. The switching mechanism includes pulleys, a driving belt and a pressing member. The driving belt is wound around the pulleys. The pressing member presses the guiding member. The driving belt includes a contactable area configured to be contactable with each of the pulleys and a contact restricted area whose contact with each of the pulleys is restricted. The pressing member catches the contact restricted area from both an outer face side and an inner face side.

Abstract: A sheet handling apparatus for a printing system includes a rotary drum having an inner chamber circumferentially surrounded by an outer peripheral wall with perforations formed therein. By means of sucking an air flow through the perforations of the drum to a suction system, sheets are attracted to the peripheral wall of the drum. A stationary shutter member is positioned inside the inner chamber for blocking the flow of air through the perforations when they pass, with the rotation of the drum, through a first predetermined angular range. The shutter member includes protrusions while the rotary drum includes recesses for receiving the protrusions, such that a meandering air flow passage is formed between the shutter member and the rotary drum. As such, friction between the rotary drum and the stationary shutter member is reduced, thereby reducing the power consumption of the suction system.

Abstract: A sheet conveyance apparatus according to an embodiment includes a conveyance roller and a register roller arranged downstream of the conveyance roller along a sheet conveyance path. A sensor unit detects a first deflection amount of the sheet and a second deflection amount of the sheet when the sheet is pressed against the register roller. A movable section is connected to at least one end of the conveyance roller. A control section determines a tilt of a rotation axis of the conveyance roller relative to a rotation axis of the register roller based on a difference in the first and second deflection amounts detected by the sensor unit. The control section controls the movable section to move the conveyance roller so that the rotational axis of the conveyance roller is positioned relative to a rotational axis of the register roller in accordance with the determined tilt.

Abstract: A printing apparatus comprises a print zone and a media handling system for advancing media through a media path and through the print zone, wherein the media handling system comprises a first media driving arrangement positioned downstream of the print zone in the direction of advance of the media, and a second media driving arrangement positioned downstream of the first arrangement, the second media driving arrangement being operable to cause the tension of the media in a deformation zone between the two driving arrangements to be lower than the tension of the media in the print zone.