Abstract: A sheet feeding device includes a sheet tray, an extended bottom plate, a casing, and a support. The sheet tray includes a bottom plate and feeds a sheet placed on the bottom plate, toward an image forming apparatus. The extended bottom plate extends outward from the sheet feeding device and is coupled to an upstream end of the bottom plate of the sheet tray in a sheet conveyance direction in which the sheet is conveyed. The casing is attached to a side face of the sheet feeding device to cover the extended bottom plate. The support is disposed between an inner wall face of the casing and the extended bottom plate to support a weight load of the extended bottom plate.

Abstract: A sheet feeding device includes a body, a sheet tray including a contacted portion, a conveyance roller pair, and a contact-separation mechanism. The conveyance roller pair in the body includes one roller and another roller. The contact-separation mechanism includes a spring and a movable part. The movable part pushed by the spring in a first direction has a contact portion and an elongated guide. The contact portion contacts the contacted portion in response to an insertion of the sheet tray into the body to move the movable part in a second direction opposite to the first direction. The elongated guide changes a position of said another roller in a third direction orthogonal to the first and second directions with respect to the one roller according to a movement of the movable part in the first direction and second direction.

Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus includes a sheet stacker, an air blower, a float regulator, and a controller. The sheet stacker stacks sheets. The air blower blows air to the sheets. The float regulator regulates a floating position of the sheets and is movable between a float regulating position at which the float regulator regulates floating of the sheets and a retracted position. The controller transmits position information of the float regulator to a notification device.

Abstract: A guide ring includes a base member and an oxide layer. The base member has a ring shape, is made of a non-oxide ceramic, and includes a recessed portion. The oxide layer contains an oxide as a main component. The recessed portion has a first surface, and the oxide layer is located on the first surface of the recessed portion.

Abstract: A sheet feeding device includes a sheet tray, an extended bottom plate, a casing, and a support. The sheet tray includes a bottom plate and feeds a sheet placed on the bottom plate, toward an image forming apparatus. The extended bottom plate extends outward from the sheet feeding device and is coupled to an upstream end of the bottom plate of the sheet tray in a sheet conveyance direction in which the sheet is conveyed. The casing is attached to a side face of the sheet feeding device to cover the extended bottom plate. The support is disposed between an inner wall face of the casing and the extended bottom plate to support a weight load of the extended bottom plate.

Abstract: A member for optical glass production apparatus is a member exposed to a gas containing a halogen element in a high temperature environment; the member includes a first member (4) directly or indirectly supporting an optical glass (10) and a second member (5) supporting the first member (4).

Abstract: Provided is a member for optical glass manufacturing apparatus. The member is used for optical glass manufacturing apparatus and exposed to a gas containing a halogen element in a high temperature environment of 1100° C. or higher. The member includes dense ceramics containing silicon nitride as a main component, and a porosity of a surface layer of the member is smaller than a porosity of the inside of the member.

Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus includes a sheet stacker, an air blower, a float regulator, and a controller. The sheet stacker stacks sheets. The air blower blows air to the sheets. The float regulator regulates a floating position of the sheets and is movable between a float regulating position at which the float regulator regulates floating of the sheets and a retracted position. The controller transmits position information of the float regulator to a notification device.

Abstract: An inference device includes a survival period information input unit configured to acquire survival period information indicating a change in a value of a feature amount over a period of time from a plurality of observation subjects for each feature amount, a feature amount change model construction unit configured to construct a feature amount change model, an attribute learning information input unit configured to acquire attribute learning information, a feature amount change inference unit configured to derive a value of each feature amount for each period, an attribute inference model construction unit configured to construct an attribute inference model, and a model evaluation unit configured to derive accuracy of inference of each attribute inference model in each period.

Abstract: A sheet feeding device includes a sheet stacking table, an air blower, a feeder, and an air sucker. The sheet stacking table stacks a bundle of sheets. The air blower blows air to the bundle of sheets to float an uppermost sheet from the bundle of sheets. The feeder feeds the uppermost sheet. The air sucker sucks air in such a direction that a sheet in vicinity of the uppermost sheet moves away from the feeder. The air sucker includes a suction nozzle to suck air, a suction fan to generate a negative pressure, a suction duct to communicate the suction nozzle with the suction fan, and an opening-and-closing mechanism to shut off and release ventilation in the suction duct.

Abstract: A sheet feeding device includes a sheet stacking table, an air blower, a feeder, and an air sucker. The sheet stacking table stacks a bundle of sheets. The air blower blows air to the bundle of sheets to float an uppermost sheet from the bundle of sheets. The feeder feeds the uppermost sheet. The air sucker sucks air in such a direction that a sheet in vicinity of the uppermost sheet moves away from the feeder. The air sucker includes a suction nozzle to suck air, a suction fan to generate a negative pressure, a suction duct to communicate the suction nozzle with the suction fan, and an opening-and-closing mechanism to shut off and release ventilation in the suction duct.

Abstract: A paper sheet conveyance device includes a plurality of conveyance members and conveys a paper sheet while performing temporary stop of conveying and then restart of conveying. Two paper sheets sequential in a conveyance direction stop together in a state of the temporary stop, driving a first transfer member to which a preceding first paper sheet that is one of the two paper sheets is opposed and a second conveyance member to which a following second paper sheet that is the other paper sheet is opposed is stopped and restarted synchronously for the temporary stop and the restart. A stop position information acquisition unit acquires information on a position on the conveyance path at which the second paper sheet stops in the state of the temporary stop, and a timing for stopping the conveying after the conveying is restarted is controlled according to the acquired information.

Abstract: Each time identification information specific to each of wheels is received, a rotation position of each of the wheels is obtained and accumulated as rotation position data of each wheel with respect to each piece of identification information. Then, with respect to all the identification information, when a first tentative mounting position and a second tentative mounting position are the same in a vehicle width direction and different from each other in a vehicle longitudinal direction, the first and second tentative mounting positions being mounting positions of two of the wheels where a smallest degree of dispersion and a second smallest degree of dispersion are detected, and when the first tentative mounting position determined for each piece of the identification information is different from one another, each first tentative mounting position is determined as the mounting position of each of the wheels corresponding to the identification information, respectively.

Abstract: A sheet feeder, which is included in an image forming apparatus, includes a sheet loader, an air blowing device, a regulator, a sheet attracting device, and a sheet conveying body. The sheet loader loads a sheet bundle including a sheet and a subsequent sheet placed below the sheet. The air blowing device blows air and lifts the sheet over the sheet bundle. The regulator regulates movement of the subsequent sheet, and includes an opposing portion located upper end and separated from the sheet loader toward the downstream side of the sheet conveying direction and an inclined portion upwardly inclined relative to a vertical axis from a same position as the sheet loader to the downstream side of the sheet conveying direction. The sheet attracting device attracts the sheet lifted over the sheet bundle. The sheet conveying body conveys the sheet in a sheet conveying direction.

Abstract: A sheet feeder, which is included in an image forming apparatus, includes a sheet loader, an air blowing device, a regulator, a sheet attracting device, and a sheet conveying body. The sheet loader loads a sheet bundle including a sheet and a subsequent sheet placed below the sheet. The air blowing device blows air and lifts the sheet over the sheet bundle. The regulator regulates movement of the subsequent sheet, and includes an opposing portion located upper end and separated from the sheet loader toward the downstream side of the sheet conveying direction and an inclined portion upwardly inclined relative to a vertical axis from a same position as the sheet loader to the downstream side of the sheet conveying direction. The sheet attracting device attracts the sheet lifted over the sheet bundle. The sheet conveying body conveys the sheet in a sheet conveying direction.

Abstract: A sheet separating device includes: a lifting nozzle configured to blow air against an end portion of a sheet bundle placed on a sheet loading portion to lift sheets; a separating nozzle configured to separate the sheets; a lifting-nozzle shutter member configured to open and close the lifting nozzle; a separating-nozzle shutter member configured to open and close the separating nozzle; a lifting-shutter driving mechanism configured to drive the lifting-nozzle shutter member; a separating-shutter driving mechanism configured to drive the separating-nozzle shutter member; and an open/close control unit configured to control the lifting-shutter driving mechanism and the separating-shutter driving mechanism such that the lifting-nozzle shutter member and the separating-nozzle shutter member are opened or closed simultaneously.

Abstract: Provided are a floating restricting member restricting the floating position of a bundle of sheets; and a holding mechanism holding the floating restricting member relative to a side fence. The floating restricting member includes a sheet contact section being brought into contact with the sheets from above; and a sheet-floating restricting section restricting the floating position of the floating sheet that is floated while air is blown thereto. The holding mechanism sets the floating restricting member in the initial state where the sheet-floating restricting section restricts the floating position of the sheet, in the sheet-placing time retracted state where the sheets are pushed against the sheet contact section so that the floating restricting member is retracted, and in the sheet-ejecting time retracted state where, when the sheets are to be removed, the sheet is pushed against the sheet contact section from below so that the floating restricting member is retracted.

Abstract: A paper sheet conveyance device includes a plurality of conveyance members and conveys a paper sheet while performing temporary stop of conveying and then restart of conveying. Two paper sheets sequential in a conveyance direction stop together in a state of the temporary stop, driving a first transfer member to which a preceding first paper sheet that is one of the two paper sheets is opposed and a second conveyance member to which a following second paper sheet that is the other paper sheet is opposed is stopped and restarted synchronously for the temporary stop and the restart. A stop position information acquisition unit acquires information on a position on the conveyance path at which the second paper sheet stops in the state of the temporary stop, and a timing for stopping the conveying after the conveying is restarted is controlled according to the acquired information.

Abstract: A sheet feeding device includes: a sheet stacking member; an air blowing unit configured to blow air onto the sheet bundle placed on the sheet stacking member to suspend multiple sheets of the sheet bundle; a lifting/lowering unit configured to lift/lower the sheet stacking member; an optical reflection sensor configured to detect a suspended sheet suspended by the air blowing unit; and a control unit configured to control the lifting/lowering unit based on an output value of the optical reflection sensor. The optical reflection sensor is configured to be capable of detecting an area corresponding to multiple sheets in a sheet suspension zone extending between a non-suspended sheet bundle and a conveying member configured to convey an uppermost sheet of the multiple suspended sheets. The non-suspended sheet bundle is made up of sheets not suspended during a period when air is blown by the air blowing unit.

Abstract: Each time identification information specific to each of wheels is received, a rotation position of each of the wheels is obtained and accumulated as rotation position data of each wheel with respect to each piece of identification information. Then, with respect to all the identification information, when a first tentative mounting position and a second tentative mounting position are the same in a vehicle width direction and different from each other in a vehicle longitudinal direction, the first and second tentative mounting positions being mounting positions of two of the wheels where a smallest degree of dispersion and a second smallest degree of dispersion are detected, and when the first tentative mounting position determined for each piece of the identification information is different from one another, each first tentative mounting position is determined as the mounting position of each of the wheels corresponding to the identification information, respectively.