Abstract: A device for conveying and transferring flexible, flat objects with a gripper conveyor including a plurality of grippers that are movable along a conveying path in a conveying direction, and further with a conveying-way device that forms a conveying rest that, in a transfer region, is arranged below the conveying path such that objects that are released from grippers in the transfer region are deposited onto the conveying rest. The device includes a pressing circulatory device that acts upon the transfer region and has a plurality of outwardly directed pressing arms. The pressing circulatory device is designed, in the transfer region, to press the objects to be transferred with the pressing arms onto the conveying rest such that the objects can be deposited onto the conveying rest in a guided and controlled manner.

Abstract: 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 paper sheet conveyance device includes an air volume adjustment unit that adjusts a strength of the airstream according to a position of the conveyance subsidiary body moving in the conveyance path.

Abstract: A sheet conveyance apparatus includes a rotation unit including a shaft portion and configured to rotate by being pushed by a sheet conveyed, a sensor configured to generate a signal according to a position of the rotation unit in a rotational direction, a first supporting portion configured to rotatably support the shaft portion, a second supporting portion configured to rotatably support the shaft portion, an elastic portion connected to the shaft portion, and configured to extend in an axial direction of the shaft portion, and be elastically deformable in a direction intersecting with the axial direction of the shaft portion, a regulation portion configured to regulate a movement of the rotation unit supported by the first supporting portion and the second supporting portion in the axial direction of the shaft portion by contacting the elastic portion.

Abstract: A sheet storage device has a rotation restriction portion configured to restrict a rotation of an end cursor from a first posture to a second posture. The rotation restriction portion has: a restriction piece situated on the end cursor and configured to be brought into contact with a guide rail so as to restrict the rotation of the end cursor from the first posture to the second posture; and an engagement recess formed at a given position of the guide rail, the restriction piece being fitted in the engagement recess. The end cursor is allowed to rotate from the first posture to the second posture when the restriction piece is fitted in the engagement recess at the given position of the guide rail.

Abstract: A conveyor comprises a first conveyor roller unit and a side position adjustment mechanism. The side position adjustment mechanism includes a guide member and a position adjustment roller unit. The position adjustment roller unit includes a first position adjustment roller and a second position adjustment roller which holds a sheet-shaped medium with the first position adjustment roller. An angle between a rotational axial line of the first position adjustment roller and a part of a guide face of the guide member which part is on the downstream of an intersection between the rotational axial line of the first position adjustment roller and the guide face is an acute angle. The conveyor further comprises a first support member which supports a first driven roller of the first conveyor roller unit to allow a rotational axial line of the first driven roller to be swingable.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and apparatus for separating a media item from a bunch of media items. The apparatus comprises at least one first roller located on a first side of a transport path along which a media item is transported and at least two further rollers located on a further side of the transport path opposite the first side, said at least two further rollers being spaced apart to receive a portion of said at least one first roller therebetween, wherein in an advance mode of operation said first and further rollers rotate in the same direction and in a reject mode of operation said first and further rollers rotate in opposite directions.

Abstract: In a case where, for example, a certain sheet feeding operation by one of sheet delivery portions is an operation that continues from a sheet feeding operation by another one of the sheet delivery portions in a sheet feed device, a control portion delays output timing, to a feed clutch, of a control signal for feeding a first one of recording sheets, as compared to output timing of control signals for sequentially feeding a second and the following ones of the recording sheets from the same sheet delivery portion.

Abstract: A sheet stacking apparatus includes a body, a stacking portion which a sheet is stacked, a width regulating portion configured to move between a first position and a second position closer to a center of the stacking portion in a width direction orthogonal to a sheet feeding direction than the first position, and including a regulating surface configured to regulate a position, in the width direction, of the sheet stacked on the stacking portion, and a supporting portion pivotably supporting the stacking portion. The supporting portion is disposed on the body and closer to the center of the stacking portion in the width direction, than the regulating surface of the width regulating portion positioned at the first position.

Abstract: There is provided a printing apparatus for conveying an envelope set in a paper feed unit and performing printing on the envelope and a method of controlling the printing apparatus. The printing apparatus determines whether or not attaching of an attachment to the paper feed unit is necessary in accordance with the type of envelope to be used, and, if it is determined that attaching of the attachment is necessary, the printing apparatus displays a message prompting attaching of the attachment.

Abstract: A sheet ejection device includes: a paper ejection chain (22b) for conveying paper (W); a first pile (26) or a second pile (26b) having loading plates (27a or 27b) arranged in a multistage manner and used for loading the paper ejected from the paper ejection chain; a first beam sensor (62a or 62b), a second beam sensor (63a or 63b), and a third beam sensor (64a or 64b) for detecting an intrusion into the first pile or the second pile. The sheet ejection device further comprises: a plate upper-limit position detection sensor (58a or 58b) for detecting that the loading plate has been positioned at a plate upper-limit position (L2); and a control device (50) for, based on the detection signal of the plate upper-limit position detection sensor, neglecting (disabling) a command for stopping a driving device (printing machine), the command is issued by the first to third beam sensors.

Abstract: The document conveying apparatus includes a separation roller, a conveying roller, a driving force generation module configured to be capable of generating a first driving force with a rotation in a first direction, and capable of generating a second driving force with a rotation in a second direction opposite to the first direction, a driving force transmission module, a determination module for determining whether a document has passed the separation roller, and a control module for switching a driving force from the first driving force to the second driving force in accordance with a determination result. The driving force transmission module performs separation operation by transmitting the first driving force to the separation roller, and conveys the documents by transmitting the second driving force to the conveying roller and cuts off transmission of the second driving force to the separation roller, in accordance with the switching.

Abstract: A cut-out is provided in a lower guide so as to permit a return claw to move between a retracted position and a protruded position. Furthermore, an upper surface of the return claw positioned in the protruded position functions as a guide portion that guides an underside of a sheet that has been manually fed.

Abstract: When an operating lever is moved from an operation position to a stand-by position, a standard size fixing member is lowered in advance of a non-standard size fixing member, so that a regulating member for regulating a position of an end portion of a sheet can be set to a desired position, enabling stable sheet feeding.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for processing documents are provided. The apparatus includes a feeder for receiving a packet of a plurality of documents and separating the documents to serially feed the documents to a scanner. A retard adjacent the feeder is operable in first and second positions. In the first position the retard forms a nip with the feeder so that the retard is operable to impede the progress of one or more documents in the packet while the feeder feeds one of the documents in the packet. In the second position, the retard is spaced apart from the feeder to form a gap between the feeder and the retard. The system further includes a sensor for detecting a characteristic of the documents in a packet indicative of whether the number of documents in the packet exceeds a predetermined threshold. A drive mechanism automatically drives the retard pad between the first and second positions in response to the detected characteristic.

Abstract: In an image forming apparatus, a tray having first and second receiving portions is configured to move between a first position, at which at least part of the tray is positioned inside an apparatus body, and a second position, at which the tray is outside the apparatus body. The tray in the first position allows a first recording medium to be conveyed from the first receiving portion. When the tray is in the first position, the second receiving portion is configured to move between a third position, which is at an upstream side relative to a first opening of the apparatus body in a second direction, and a fourth position, which is at a downstream side relative to the third position in the second direction. The second receiving portion at the third position allows a second recording medium to be conveyed from the second receiving portion in the second direction.

Abstract: There is provided a sheet conveyance apparatus, including: a casing; a sheet support unit including a first surface inclined to a placement surface; a separation unit arranged in the sheet support unit on a side of the placement surface and abutting against edges of the sheets supported by the first surface; a first plate member including a second surface arranged in the sheet support unit on a side opposite to the separation unit and faces in the same direction as the first surface; and a feed unit which feeds the sheet supported by the first surface and the distal end of the second surface to the conveyance path while slidably moving the sheet with respect to the separation unit.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a discharging slot provided for discharging a recording medium on which an image is formed; a discharge tray including a supporting surface supporting the recording medium discharged from the discharging slot; a discharge mechanism configured to discharge the recording medium to the discharge tray through the discharging slot; and a press down mechanism including an abutting surface which is provided for pressing down the upper surface of the recording medium supported by the supporting surface of the discharge tray. The press down mechanism is rotatable about a rotation center provided on the upstream of the discharging slot in a discharge direction in which the recording medium is discharged from the discharging slot, and the abutting surface contacts with the supporting surface when no recording medium is supported by the discharge tray.

Abstract: A sheet conveyer device, including a transmitter to transmit ultrasonic waves arranged on a conveyer path to face a first side of a sheet; a receiver to receive the ultrasonic waves arranged on the conveyer path to face a second side of the sheet; a measurement unit to measure an intensity of the received ultrasonic waves; and a determination unit to determine a condition of a range in the conveyer path between the transmitter and the receiver among a first condition, wherein no sheet is present in the range, a second condition, in which a sheet is present in the range, and a third condition, in which a plurality of sheets are present in the range, based on intensities of the ultrasonic waves measured by the measurement unit in a plurality of periods separately after transmission of the ultrasonic waves, is provided.

Abstract: Provided is an image forming apparatus, including: a manual feed tray on which a recording material is stacked; a first detecting unit; a second detecting unit arranged on an upstream side of the first detecting unit; a third detecting unit arranged on an upstream side of the second detecting unit; a fourth detecting unit detecting a length of the recording material; a display portion; and a control portion determining a size of the recording material based on detection results and causing the display portion to display a first screen displaying the determined size, wherein the control portion causes the display portion to display a second screen for designating the size, when, among the first to third detecting units, a detecting unit located on a downstream side does not detect presence of the recording material and another detecting unit located on an upstream side of the detecting unit, detects the presence.

Abstract: The conveyance apparatus includes a first engaging portion of a first planetary gear unit and a second engaging portion of a second planetary gear unit, and a stopping member movable to a first stop position to stop a first engaged gear, and to a second stop position to stop a second engagement gear, in which a pivot fulcrum of the stopping member is arranged at an intersection between an extension line of a vector of a force that the first engaging portion receives from the first engaged portion under a state in which the stopping member is at the first stop position, and an extension line of a vector of a force that the second engaging portion receives from the second engaged portion under a state in which the stopping member is at the second stop position.