Abstract: A device for inscribing identification units, each identification unit including an identification plate or connected single-piece identification plates, each identification plate having an inscription surface, and the inscription surface or a plurality of the inscription surfaces of each identification unit spanning an inscription plane, includes a housing; an inscription device that is arranged in the housing, particularly a laser inscription device; a drop shaft which is arranged in the housing, is accessible via an inlet opening in the housing, is designed for conveying individual identification units to the inscription device, and is delimited by at least one chute for the identification units, the chute being at an incline relative to the horizontal and vertical lines; a support surface which is arranged at the lower end of the drop shaft and spans a support plane in order to support an edge of the identification units; a stopping block that protrudes upwards over the support plane or is arranged over t

Abstract: An apparatus and method for feeding documents within a document processing machine. The feeder apparatus includes a first feeder paddle and a second feeder paddle, each capable of linear translatory motion within the document feed path, the first paddle being outwardly displaceable with respect to the document feed path, each paddle having a document support surface and a plurality of cutout features along the document surface that allow either paddle to singularly support the document stack, and that allow both the first and second paddle document surfaces to simultaneously occupy a common level plane within the document feed path. The method uses a first feeder paddle to feed a first stack of documents and a second feeder paddle to add a second stack of documents to the first stack without interrupting the feeding of the first stack, and using the first feeder paddle to feed the combined stack of documents.

Abstract: A multi-function peripheral having an automatic document feeding device (ADF) suited for being configured in a body of an apparatus is provided. The apparatus has a first and second power sources to drive the ADF to transmit a paper in or out of the body. The ADF includes a limiting structure, a swinging member and a blocking member. The first and second power sources drive the limiting structure and the swinging member to swing respectively. The blocking member has a first end connected to the swinging member and a second end extending toward the limiting structure. When the limiting structure is at a second position and the swinging member swings toward a third position, the second end is trapped into the limiting space. When the limiting structure moves toward a first position and the swinging member swings toward the third position, the second end escapes from the limiting space.

Abstract: A sheet separating and feeding unit incorporable in an image forming apparatus includes an image forming device, a sheet container, a sheet feeding unit including an endless, dielectric belt and an electric potential pattern forming unit, a belt supporting mechanism including a first supporting roller and a second supporting roller, and a moving unit. The first supporting roller rotates to rotatably move the second supporting roller between a sheet attracting position and a sheet feeding position so that the flat portion of the dielectric belt moves between the sheet contact position and the sheet pick-up position.

Abstract: A device and a method for separating printing plates from a stack uses a lifting device for lifting the printing plates and at least one separating element to be moved under the lifted printing plates. The structurally simple device is able to react flexibly to different printing plate formats and, at the same time, avoids damage to a surface to be imaged of the individual printing plates. In order to avoid such problems, the device includes at least three separating elements which, as they move under a lifted printing plate at any time, are continuously disposed at distances from one another having a ratio that always remains constant.

Abstract: A method of automatically pivoting a pick arm assembly away from a media support in a printer by providing a printhead carriage with a sloped feature and providing a linking assembly coupled to the pick arm assembly with a ramped feature wherein pivoting the pick arm assembly away from the media support occurs when the printhead carriage travels along the carriage scan path.

Abstract: A sheet conveying device to convey a sheet in a sheet path is provided. The sheet conveying device includes a separator roller, which is arranged to be rotatably in contact with the sheet to apply conveying force to the sheet, a pad assembly including a separator pad, which is arranged to be in contact with the sheet stack to apply convey resistance to the sheet stack, and a holder, which is swingably attached to a base member and holds the separator pad, the base member being in a fixed position with respect to the separator roller, a spring, which urges the pad assembly toward the separator roller, and a slidable member, which is attached to the pad assembly to be integrally movable with the pad assembly and to be slidably in contact with a first slidable section in the base member.

Abstract: A station for loading plate elements (1, 1a), from an initial pile of elements (3) placed in a storage (4) to an infeed station for a machine for processing the elements, comprises unloading means (7), unloading the elements (1a) from the initial pile (3), intermediate storage means (16), storing the unloaded elements (1) in the form of an intermediate batch (19) and positioned downstream of the unloading means (7), conveyance means (18), conveying the elements (1) from the storage means (16) to the infeed station, and shingling means (21), shingling the elements (1) and positioned downstream of the storage means (16).

Abstract: There are provided a cam 23 which can be rotated by a releasing motor M4, a contact/separation lever 24 which is moved according to the rotation of the cam 23, a light shielding plate 25 and a cam position detecting sensor S7 which detect the rotational position of the cam, and a CPU circuit unit for controlling the rotation of the releasing motor based on the detecting operation by the light shielding plate and the cam position detecting sensor. The CPU circuit unit controls the rotation of the releasing motor M4 in such a manner that the cam is rotated reversely when a state detected by the light shielding plate and the cam position detecting sensor is not varied even if the releasing motor M4 is controlled to be rotated.

Abstract: A device for manipulating sheet stacks in a stack repository includes a sheet feeding device and a mechanism for separating adapted to be moved into the stack repository while a sheet stack is conveyed away from the stack repository. The separating mechanism includes a belt element.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for destacking a stack of flat sheet-like articles, comprising a bearing surface for supporting the stack at a fixed elevation, and a separating arrangement for repeatedly separating the uppermost article from the stack and transferring it laterally onto a removal conveyor. The separating arrangement is mounted for vertical movement so as to float downwardly as the height of the stack decreases, and the separating arrangement can be lifted upwardly at the conclusion of the destacking operation so that a further stack can be fed onto the bearing surface along a lateral feed plane which includes the bearing surface.

Abstract: An apparatus for separating flat products from a pile of flat products, the apparatus including a support and at least one separator for separating a product from a pile of products. The separator is movable with respect to the support and includes a curved surface for contacting an edge of the pile so that a contact point between the separator and the edge of the pile can remain fixed despite adjustments to the penetration depth of the separator.