Abstract: A decurling unit regulates a decurling force so as to be smaller when a sheet is returned from a printing unit to a sheet feeding unit than when the sheet is fed from the sheet feeding unit to the printing unit.

Abstract: With front face printing, the sheet fed from a sheet feeding unit is led into a nipped position between a first pinch roller and a decurling roller from a first direction, and is discharged by decurling force being applied thereto at the decurling roller. On the other hand, the sheet fed from a reverse unit is led into the nipped position from a second direction opposite to the first direction, and is discharged by decurling force being applied thereto at the decurling roller.

Abstract: A device includes a conveying unit conveying a sheet, a guide, disposed downstream of the conveying unit in a conveying direction, guiding one side end of the conveyed sheet while being in contact with a side end, a feeding unit obliquely conveying the sheet closer to the guide, a pressing unit pressing the conveyed sheet in a direction in which the sheet moves away from the guide, and a control unit controlling the pressing unit and the feeding unit so that the feeding unit nips the pressed sheet to form a loop in the sheet between the conveying unit and the feeding unit and then conveys the sheet while the side end of the sheet is in sliding contact with the guide.

Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus includes a sheet stacking portion for stacking thereon a sheet, a sheet feeding portion for axially supporting a sheet feeding roller, and a spring portion actable on the sheet feeding portion. The spring portion acts on the sheet feeding portion so that the sheet feeding roller is pressed against the sheet with a pressing force when a sheet stacking amount is large and so that the pressing force is decreased by canceling moment created by a weight of the sheet feeding portion when the sheet stacking amount is small.

Abstract: A both-side recording apparatus that enables both-side recording on continuous paper using a single recording head, without cutting the continuous paper at an intermediate position, is provided. Reduction in size and costs of the apparatus is achieved by eliminating a conveying path dedicated to both-side recording. The apparatus includes a paper-feeder that feeds continuous paper, a recording head that records an image on the continuous paper, a reversing unit that reverses the continuous paper such that a recording surface of the continuous paper facing the recording head is reversed, and a rewinding mechanism that rewinds the fed continuous paper to the paper-feeder. During both-side recording, recording is performed on the back side of the continuous paper by rewinding the continuous paper by the rewinding mechanism, setting the back side of the continuous paper to oppose the recording head by the reversing unit, and feeding the continuous paper from the paper-feeder.

Abstract: A device includes a conveying roller configured to convey a recording medium, a follower roller configured to press the recording medium against the conveying roller, a detector configured to detect a direction of skew of the conveyed recording medium, and a changer configured to change a state of contact between the recording medium and the conveying roller in accordance with a result of the detection by the detector such that a length of a portion of the conveying roller that is in contact with the recording medium in a conveyance direction is larger on a side toward which the recording medium is skewed than on an opposite side.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a line-type recording head including a plurality of recording elements formed thereon, a holding unit configured to hold a sheet, a conveyance mechanism configured to convey the sheet held by the holding unit to a position of recording by the recording head, a shift mechanism capable of relatively shifting a position of the sheet in a sheet width direction with respect to the recording head while the sheet is fed from the holding unit to the recording position, and a control unit configured to control the conveyance mechanism and the shift mechanism.

Abstract: In a first step, a sheet is conveyed in a direction, whereby a leading end portion of the sheet is fed to a position between a decurl roller and a decurl pinch roller, which are in positions spaced apart from each other. In a second step, the leading end portion of the sheet is curved and held by causing the decurl pinch roller to come close to or press against the decurl roller. In a third step, the leading end portion of the sheet is withdrawn from between the decurl roller and the decurl pinch roller by conveying the sheet in a direction opposed to the conveying direction. After executing the first to third steps, the sheet is conveyed in the conveying direction through the first step while the sheet is curved by the decurl roller.

Abstract: A method includes pulling out and conveying a sheet having splice portions, acquiring information relating to a position of an indentation on the sheet formed in addition to a splice portion, and performing processing on the sheet but a position corresponding to the acquired position of the indentation and its vicinity.

Abstract: A semiconductor device comprises a driver provided for a semiconductor element having a control electrode to which a drive voltage is applied, the semiconductor element being switched between the conduction state and the non-conduction state based on the drive voltage, the driver operative to apply the drive voltage to the control electrode; a detector operative to supply a voltage detection signal oscillating at a certain frequency to the control electrode to detect a first voltage having a certain relation to a voltage applied to the semiconductor element; and a controller operative to control the detector based on the first voltage detected at the detector.

Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus includes a driving force transmitting member for transmitting a rotational driving force to a sheet feeding roller, first and second roller supporting members for supporting the sheet feeding roller. The sheet feeding apparatus further includes supporting portions for swingably supporting the first and second roller supporting members. The first and second roller supporting members are integrally movable with respect to a motion about the supporting portions and are independently movable with respect to a motion, at the supporting portions, about an axis normal to a sheet stacking surface.

Abstract: A semiconductor device comprises a driver provided for a semiconductor element having a control electrode to which a drive voltage is applied, the semiconductor element being switched between the conduction state and the non-conduction state based on the drive voltage, the driver operative to apply the drive voltage to the control electrode; a detector operative to supply a voltage detection signal oscillating at a certain frequency to the control electrode to detect a first voltage having a certain relation to a voltage applied to the semiconductor element; and a controller operative to control the detector based on the first voltage detected at the detector.

Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus includes a driving force transmitting member for transmitting a rotational driving force to a sheet feeding roller, first and second roller supporting members for supporting the sheet feeding roller. The sheet feeding apparatus further includes supporting portions for swingably supporting the first and second roller supporting members. The first and second roller supporting members are integrally movable with respect to a motion about the supporting portions and are independently movable with respect to a motion, at the supporting portions, about an axis normal to a sheet stacking surface.

Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus includes a sheet stacking portion for stacking thereon a sheet, a sheet feeding portion for axially supporting a sheet feeding roller, and a spring portion actable on the sheet feeding portion. The spring portion acts on the sheet feeding portion so that the sheet feeding roller is pressed against the sheet with a pressing force when a sheet stacking amount is large and so that the pressing force is decreased by canceling moment created by a weight of the sheet feeding portion when the sheet stacking amount is small.

Abstract: In the rain sensor, the prism includes the first and the second lens surfaces at the light-emitting side and the light-receiving side on optical axes each differently directed. The prism also includes a first reflection wall which reflects the light injecting the first lens surface at the light-emitting side toward the first detection surfaces of the windshield panel, and a second reflection wall which reflects the light injecting from the second lens surface at the light-emitting side to be reflected on second detection surfaces of the windshield panel toward the second lens surface at the light-receiving side. The light reflected on the first detection surface is condensed to inject the light-receiving element from the first lens surfaces, and the light reflected on the second detection surfaces is condensed to inject the light-receiving element from the second lens surface through reflection on the second reflection wall.

Abstract: An electronic flasher system that reduces the ON duty ratio of an intermittent signal inputted to a semiconductor switch device, thereby suppressing electric power imposed on the semiconductor switch device and, hence, heating thereof, in the event of abnormal heating caused in the semiconductor switch device. The flasher system includes a flasher circuit 21A, a semiconductor switch device 21B, and a device-temperature detecting section 21C arranged in one body to constitute a module unit 21. The device-temperature detecting section 21C is connected to the flasher circuit 21A. The flasher circuit 21A transmits an intermittent signal to the semiconductor switch device 21B so that a direction indicator lamp 1R, 1L connected to the semiconductor switch device 21B is caused to turn-signal flash. The device-temperature detecting section 21C detects a temperature of the semiconductor switch device 21B so that, when the temperature becomes high, the ON duty ratio of the intermittent signal is reduced.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method of thermally cracking a heavy petroleum oil by introducing the heavy petroleum oil into a reactor and contacting the heavy petroleum oil thus introduced with a gas, which does not react with the heavy petroleum oil, at a temperature of 400.degree.-2000.degree. C. thereby thermally cracking the heavy petroleum oil. The method uses plural reactors and introduces the heavy petroleum oil into the reactors in a specified manner, and charges the reactor in advance with a specified amount of heavy petroleum oil of a specified temperature.