Abstract: A self-contained no-feed-roll computer controlled corrugated board or paperboard sheet feeder apparatus 200 is configured to upgrade an installed corrugated board processing machine (e.g., 10) and includes a feed table surface 210 for boards (e.g., 2) having drive wheels (222W, 224W, 226W) in an initial variable velocity zone 220 which drives the board in a first motion profile through a first vacuum zone, and a second velocity zone 230 which then drives the board in a second motion profile through a second vacuum zone Retrofittable sheet feeder 200 also includes a controller 300 configured to receive predetermined velocity signals from the host machine 10 and generate (i) a first initial variable velocity control signal for initial variable velocity zone 220 and (ii) a second velocity control signal for second velocity zone 230 in response.

Abstract: A feeding roller structure includes a fastening frame, a transmission component, a transmission roller and a floating coupler. The transmission component is assembled in the fastening frame. The transmission component includes a drive shaft mounted on two sides of the fastening frame. The transmission roller is concentrically arranged around the drive shaft. The floating coupler is mounted to the fastening frame. The floating coupler is coupled between the drive shaft and the transmission roller. Two opposite ends of the floating coupler are adjacent to and spaced from the two sides of the fastening frame to form two gaps. Each gap is formed between one end of the floating coupler and one side of the fastening frame. The two gaps limit an angular displacement of the floating coupler.

Abstract: A paper sheet processing device includes: an accommodating part that accommodates a paper sheet; and a sliding stage part that is provided within the accommodating part and supports the paper sheet accommodated within the accommodating part, the sliding stage part sliding with respect to the accommodating part to cause a portion of the sliding stage part to protrude to outside of the accommodating part, and the sliding stage part sliding with respect to the accommodating part to push the paper sheet to the outside of the accommodating part and cause a leading end of the paper sheet to protrude to the outside of the accommodating part.

Abstract: A first transport roller that is positioned upstream of a reading member and that applies sending force to an original, a second transport roller that is positioned downstream of the reading member and that applies sending force to the original. A first transporting mode is included in a plurality of transporting modes executable by a control member. The first transporting mode includes a period in which a largest set velocity value in transporting the original while in a first state in which reading is performed while the original receives sending force from, among the first transport roller and the second transport roller, the first transport roller alone is set higher than a largest set velocity value in transporting the original while in a second state in which reading is performed while the original receives sending force from both the first transport roller and the second transport roller.

Abstract: A sheet feeding device includes a feeding guide of resin material constituting a sheet feeding path along which a sheet is fed; a feeding roller for feeding the sheet along the feeding path, the feeding roller being provided with a metal shaft; a sheet sensor configured to detect the sheet fed along the sheet feeding path; and a grounding member electrically grounding the shaft. The feeding guide has a guiding surface for guiding the sheet, and the guiding surface is provided with a hole portion for exposing the shaft to the sheet feeding path.

Abstract: A solution for detecting level of a consumable tissue product (201, 301) in a tissue dispenser (103, 106) located in a washroom. This is provided in a number of aspects such as a tissue dispenser, a method, system, and a sensor unit utilizing two sensor elements (420, 430), each arranged to measure light reflected from a reflection field located on the tissue product, reflected directly from the tissue product, or measure the absence of the tissue product. Data from the sensor elements are wirelessly transmitted to a server (901) for further handling, such as for instance notification to a janitor in charge of service of the washroom.

Abstract: An apparatus for separating for franking/printing flat items of mail, which are supplied individually in a feeder or are guided at a front edge lying on one another as a stack and are each gripped at the underside of the stack by a separating device, separated and transported onward in a conveying direction, wherein the separating device is formed to pick up and transport the respectively lowest item of mail at the front end in the conveying direction for onward transport, and includes driven conveying drums, mounted transversely with respect to the conveying direction and arranged one after another underneath the to stack and forming a conveying plane, and forming a passage opening with the lower end of a positioning wall of the feeder and the conveying plane, and a sweeping device acting in a sweeping manner at least on the lowest item of mailafter the passage opening.

Abstract: A card recognition system comprises an imaging device configured to capture a raw image of at least a portion of a card, and a processor operably coupled with the imaging device. The processor is configured to perform an image processing analysis of the raw image to identify measurements of at least one of a rank area around a rank of the card, and a suit area around a suit of the card, and automatically generate a calibration file based, at least in part, on the image processing analysis. A card handling device comprises a card infeed, a card output, and a card recognition system. A method for tuning a card handling device comprises capturing a plurality of images from a deck of cards, storing the images in memory, analyzing the plurality of images for card identification information, and generating a calibration file including parameters associated with the card identification information.

Abstract: A sheet supporting apparatus includes a sheet supporting portion, a regulation member, a flag portion, a detection portion, and a holding portion con. At the holding position, the holding portion supports the flag portion at the upper position in a case where the sheet supporting portion is positioned at the first position, and, at the allowing position, the holding portion allows movement of the flag portion to the lower position in a case where the sheet supporting portion is positioned at the second position. A lower end of the flag portion is positioned above the regulation surface in a case where the flag portion is positioned at the upper position, and is positioned below the regulation surface in a case where the flag portion is positioned at the lower position.

Abstract: Both the inboard and outboard fluffer nozzles of a top vacuum corrugation feeder are configured to allow adjustability in angle of air flow. This is to allow the direction of the air to be angled more towards the lead edge or trail edge of a top few sheets in a stack of specialty sheets. The fluffer nozzles are also adjustable in a horizontal plane for positioning at desired locations along the sheet stack. This allows the air to overcome barriers created by the design of specialty media that would otherwise trap the air and prevent it from being distributed between sheets. The cross-section of the nozzles is also adjustable, providing a smaller or wider throat in order to allow the air velocity to be optimized to best separate the sheets in problem areas.

Abstract: A banknote collecting and recycling box includes a box body including a door body having a banknote inlet, a banknote conveying passage, a conveying mechanism and a banknote stacking plate. The conveying mechanism is close to the banknote inlet and includes a driving shaft roller, a steering shaft roller in interference fit with the driving shaft roller, an outlet driving shaft roller away from the banknote inlet and in interference fit with the steering shaft roller, and a flapping vaned wheel coaxially arranged with the outlet driving shaft roller. The banknote stacking plate is supported by a spring on a bottom plate in the box body and slidable up and down, a side, facing the banknote stacking plate, of the first passage plate is provided with a guiding elastic piece, and a Y-shaped passage is formed by the guiding elastic piece and the banknote stacking plate.

Abstract: In accordance with an embodiment, a sheet conveyance apparatus comprises a roller, an acceleration sensor, and a controller. The roller conveys a sheet. The acceleration sensor is attached to the roller to output a signal indicating a direction of gravitational acceleration applied to the roller at the time the roller rotates. The controller acquires cumulative angle at which the roller rotates based on the signal output by the acceleration sensor. The controller determines whether to replace the roller based on the cumulative angle acquired by the rotation angle acquisition section.

Abstract: An automatic document feeder, which is included in an image reading device and an image forming apparatus, includes first and second document trays, a document output tray, a document conveying passage, multiple document conveying bodies, a drive source, a detector, and a controller. The multiple document conveying bodies include a document holding and conveying body to convey and hold the original document sheet on the second document tray. On detection of the original document sheet on the second document tray while conveying a different original document sheet from the first document tray, the controller stops feeding the different original document sheet, causes the different original document sheet downstream from the document holding and conveying body in a document conveying direction to be conveyed to the document output tray, and stops the drive source after the different original document has been conveyed to the document output tray.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit for forming an image on a recording material, a first detection unit including a transmission unit for transmitting an ultrasonic wave and a reception unit for receiving the transmitted ultrasonic wave, first and second conveyance units for conveying the recording material, and a control unit. The first and second conveyance units form a loop on the recording material by conveying the recording material at different speeds. The control unit controls an image forming condition for forming an image on the recording material by the image forming unit, based on the ultrasonic wave received via the recording material in a period in which no loop is formed on the recording material by the first and second conveyance units.

Abstract: A sheet feed cassette monitor includes an actuator with another end portion, a detecting circuit, a plurality of protrusions, a signal monitoring circuit, and a signal determining circuit. When the one end portion is in contact with a paper sheet, the other end portion swings in a first direction. When the one end portion is not in contact with the paper sheet, the other end portion swings in a second direction opposite direction to the first direction. The detecting circuit detects the swinging of the other end portion on the actuator. The plurality of protrusions are convexly installed in an asymmetric manner with respect to a putting-in/taking-out direction of the feed cassette. The signal determining circuit determines a presence/absence state of the paper sheet housed in the sheet feed cassette and an open/close state of the sheet feed cassette based on a pattern of change in the monitored signal.

Abstract: A multi-feed detection apparatus for detecting multi-feed of a sheet conveyed along a paper path is provided. The apparatus includes a first movement amount sensor disposed on the paper path to face a first surface of the sheet to detect a movement amount of the sheet; a second movement amount sensor disposed, on the paper path, in a position at which the first movement amount sensor is disposed to face a second surface of the sheet to detect a movement amount of the sheet; and a determination portion configured to determine that a conveyance state of the sheet is multi-feed when a difference between the movement amount of the sheet detected by the first movement amount sensor and the movement amount of the sheet detected by the second movement amount sensor is equal to or greater than a threshold.

Abstract: A sheet feed device includes a removal sheet feed tray, a bottom plate provided in the sheet feed tray, and can be lifted up together with one or more papers stacked thereon so as to make an uppermost paper positioned at an upper limit position, a sheet feeder that feeds out the papers stacked on the bottom plate sequentially from the sheet feed tray, a sheet detection member that detects whether or not at least one paper is stacked on the sheet feed tray, an upper limit detection member that detects whether or not the uppermost paper is positioned at the upper limit position, and an evacuator that evacuates the sheet detection member and the upper limit detection member to an evacuation position where the sheet detection member and the upper limit detection member never interfere a removal and an installation of the sheet feed tray.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit configured to form an image; a drawer unit configured to be pulled out from a body of the image forming apparatus; a first lock unit configured to receive power from a power supply and perform at least one of lock and unlock of the drawer unit with respect to the body; and a second lock unit configured to perform lock and unlock of the drawer unit with respect to the body by a mechanical operation performed by an operator.

Abstract: The present disclosure discloses a media transition unit for altering orientation and/or direction of travel of media that defines a first edge and a second edge, which is shorter than the first edge. The media transition unit includes a first module having a first sensor and a first conveyor belt, and a second module having a second sensor and a second conveyor belt. The first module receives the media traveling along a first direction perpendicular to the first edge. The received media is detected by the first sensor that prompts the first conveyor belt to transport the media at a first speed in a second direction perpendicular to the second edge. Upon detecting the media adjacent to the second module, the second sensor prompts the second conveyor belt to transport the media at a second speed along the second direction. The second speed exceeds the first speed.

Abstract: A sheet interval, serving as the distance between conveyed recording materials, is properly controlled based on a kind of a recording material and any one of a printing ratio, an adhesion amount of toner, and the presence or absence of graphic data, thus allowing printing at throughput suitable for, for example, the kind of the recording material and the printing ratio without changing an image forming condition such that image quality does not vary.

Abstract: Provided are a sheet feeding device and an image forming apparatus that are capable of accurately detecting an abnormality of a feeding state without erroneously detecting when a trailing edge of a preceding sheet and a leading edge of a subsequent sheet are fed in an overlaid state. The sheet feeding device includes ultrasonic wave sensors 6 and 7 that detect an overlaid state of a preceding sheet Sa and a subsequent sheet Sb fed from feeding portions 51, 317 to 319 and a controller 1 that continuously performs a detection of the overlaid state of a sheet fed from the feeding portion at a predetermined number of detecting points along a sheet conveying direction at every predetermined time and determines a number of detecting points where detects. Based on the determined number of detecting points, the controller determines that the overlaid state is normal or abnormal.

Abstract: A sheet detecting apparatus including: a detection unit including a lever member having an abutment surface abutting a conveying sheet and a holding member configured to hold the lever member, the detection unit moved by the lever member pushed by the sheet; a first urging portion configured to urge the holding member to a waiting position after the sheet is separated from the abutment surface; a support portion configured to support the lever member movable with respect to the holding member to move the lever member to a retracted position for allowing the sheet to pass the lever member contacting a surface of the sheet when the holding member is in the waiting position; and a second urging portion configured to urge the lever member so that the lever member is moved from the retracted position to a position in which the abutment surface abuts a succeeding sheet.

Abstract: A document system and method of moving documents of a stack. The system operates to move documents by rotating a feed wheel and a transport wheel to move a document in a feed direction. The space between documents is maintained by controlling the speed of the feed wheel and the transport wheel independently.

Abstract: A system for conveying mailpieces along a conveyance path and singulating a mailpiece from a stack of mailpieces along the conveyance path. The system includes a first conveyance for conveying mailpieces at a variable velocity and a second conveyance, downstream of the first conveyance, for conveying mailpieces at a constant velocity along the conveyance path. A series of optical sensors extends from the first to the second conveyance and is operative to issue a gap signal indicative of the relative spacing between sequential mailpieces along the conveyance path. A processor is responsive to the gap signal and is operative to control the first conveyance to decrease the relative spacing between sequential mailpieces when the gap signal exceeds a threshold value.

Abstract: A system for conveying mailpieces along a feed path includes a plurality of conveyances. A first conveyance is operative to convey mailpieces along the feed path and includes a singulating and drive belt. The singulating and drive belts define a throat for singulating a mailpiece from the stack of mailpieces. A second conveyance accepts mailpieces from the first conveyance and conveys singulated mailpiece downstream of the first conveyance. The system further includes a series of sensors extending from the first to the second conveyance for issuing a gap signal indicative of the relative spacing between sequential mailpieces along the feed path. Additionally, the system includes a means, responsive to the gap signal, for developing a variable opposing force between the singulating and drive belts to optimize singulation of mailpieces along the feed path.

Abstract: A document conveying device includes a document conveying unit, a controller, first and second document detectors, a pulse count detector, and a determining unit. The first document detector is located on a feeding path along which a document is fed by the document conveying unit, and detects a document leading edge. The second document detector is located at a position different from that of the first document detector in both a document feeding direction and a direction orthogonal thereto, and detects the document leading edge. The determining unit determines whether the number of pulses detected by the pulse count detector during the period from detection of the document leading edge by one of the first and second document detectors to detection of the document leading edge by the other exceeds a predetermined value. If the number of pulses exceeds the predetermined value, the controller stops the document feeding operation.

Abstract: When a trailing edge detection sensor is affected by toner, dust, etc. adhered on an optical path thereof or when the sensor fails, malfunction of the apparatus is prevented from happening by measuring the size of a record material only with a unit for detecting a leading edge. The image forming apparatus has a unit for leading edge detection adapted to detect the leading edge of the record material and a unit for trailing edge detection adapted to detect the trailing edge of the record material, and is configured to, when the unit for trailing edge detection falls in detection capability or fails, form an image and measure the size of the record material only with the unit for leading edge detection.

Abstract: A document conveying device includes a document conveying unit, a controller, first and second document detectors, a pulse count detector, and a determining unit. The first document detector is located on a feeding path along which a document is fed by the document conveying unit, and detects a document leading edge. The second document detector is located at a position different from that of the first document detector in both a document feeding direction and a direction orthogonal thereto, and detects the document leading edge. The determining unit determines whether the number of pulses detected by the pulse count detector during the period from detection of the document leading edge by one of the first and second document detectors to detection of the document leading edge by the other exceeds a predetermined value. If the number of pulses exceeds the predetermined value, the controller stops the document feeding operation.

Abstract: A sheet conveyer, including a first roller to rotate to convey a sheet in a conveying direction; a separator arranged to be opposed to the first roller and configured to nip the sheet and to separate the sheet from other sheets; a multiple sheet sensor arranged in a downstream position with respect to the first roller and configured to sense presence of multiple sheets, the multiple sheet sensor including an emitter and a receiver; and a second roller arranged in a downstream position with respect to the multiple sheet sensor and configured to convey the separated sheet, is provided. A component being at least one of the emitter and the receiver is arranged in an outer side position with respect to the separator, and at least a part of the component is arranged in an inner side position with respect to the second roller.

Abstract: A media transport apparatus and method includes a first media transport having a first drive unit, configured and operative to convey the substrate media through a marking zone to be marked by a print head. A first motion encoder is operatively connected with the first media transport, configured and operative to output a first signal dependent upon the motion of the first media transport surface. A second media transport with a second drive unit and second motion encoder is configured and operative to receive the substrate media from the first media transport and to convey the substrate media. The second drive unit drives the motion of the second media transport with substantially the same surface velocity as the first media transport.

Abstract: A paper delivering device includes a delivering module and a detecting module. The delivering module includes a paper tray for supporting at least one paper, at least one roller attached on the paper tray for delivering the at least one paper, and a blocking member pivotably attached to the paper tray. The detecting module detects whether the at least one paper is placed in a position predetermined as correct. The blocking member is locked at a first position to prevent the sliding movement of the at least one paper when the at least one paper is not placed at the predetermined position, or may be rotated to a second position to allow the forward movement of the at least one paper when the at least one paper is correctly placed.

Abstract: To provide a paper feeding device that can switch setting information only with an easy action of sheet removal and setting in a predetermined position. The paper feeding device includes a first detecting unit that detects whether a sheet is set in a predetermined position, a second detecting unit that detects whether the sheet removal and setting is performed in the predetermined position after the setting of the sheet is detected by the first detecting unit, and a switching unit that switches setting information concerning the sheet when the sheet removal and setting is detected by the second detecting unit.

Abstract: A paper tray of printer is provided, which includes a paper tray body, a slide shaft, a first pick arm, a second pick arm and a paper width guide. The first pick arm is fixed on the slide shaft, and the second pick arm is slidely disposed on the slide shaft. The paper width guide is disposed on the paper tray body and is connected to the second pick arm through a linkage device to drive the second pick arm, so that a position of the second pick arm varies along with a position of the paper width guide. Accordingly, an interval between the first pick arm and the second pick arm can be varied along with a size of a paper, so as to avoid paper skew when the paper is fed.

Abstract: A paper tray of printer is provided, which includes a paper tray body, a slide shaft, a first pick arm, a second pick arm and a paper width guide. The first pick arm is fixed on the slide shaft, and the second pick arm is slidely disposed on the slide shaft. The paper width guide is disposed on the paper tray body and is connected to the second pick arm through a linkage device to drive the second pick arm, so that a position of the second pick arm varies along with a position of the paper width guide. Accordingly, an interval between the first pick arm and the second pick arm can be varied along with a size of a paper, so as to avoid paper skew when the paper is fed.

Abstract: A method for moving a media sheet within an imaging device includes moving a media sheet along a media path by rotating an at least one roller. While the media sheet is moving, a first sensor is activated with the media sheet and then a second sensor is activated with the media sheet. Feedback is received by a processor indicating the number of rotations of the at least one roller. A measured distance DM from the first sensor to the second sensor is calculated. An adjusted distance DA from the second sensor to a feed nip is then calculated. After activation of the second sensor, the roller continues to move the media sheet on the media path and the roller is rotated at least the adjusted distance DA. The media sheet then enters into the feed nip in a substantially deskewed alignment.

Abstract: In a mailpiece feed device comprising a mailpiece-receiving deck through which motor-driven conveyor members pass and on which a stack of mailpieces stands, and a monitoring and control circuit for actuating said motor-driven members at a determined drive speed in order to enable said mailpieces to be extracted one-by-one downstream, there is provided a method of controlling said motor-driven conveyor members wherein the drive speed of said motor-driven conveyor members varies as a function of the weight of said stack of mailpieces standing on said mailpiece-receiving deck.

Abstract: A paper tray of printer is provided, which includes a paper tray body, a slide shaft, a first pick arm, a second pick arm and a paper width guide. The first pick arm is fixed on the slide shaft, and the second pick arm is slidely disposed on the slide shaft. The paper width guide is disposed on the paper tray body and is connected to the second pick arm through a linkage device to drive the second pick arm, so that a position of the second pick arm varies along with a position of the paper width guide. Accordingly, an interval between the first pick arm and the second pick arm can be varied along with a size of a paper, so as to avoid paper skew when the paper is fed.

Abstract: A method for moving a media sheet within an imaging device includes moving a media sheet along a media path by rotating an at least one roller. While the media sheet is moving, a first sensor is activated with the media sheet and then a second sensor is activated with the media sheet. Feedback is received by a processor indicating the number of rotations of the at least one roller. A measured distance DM from the first sensor to the second sensor is calculated. An adjusted distance DA from the second sensor to a feed nip is then calculated. After activation of the second sensor, the roller continues to move the media sheet on the media path and the roller is rotated at least the adjusted distance DA. The media sheet then enters into the feed nip in a substantially deskewed alignment.

Abstract: A spacing interval control method is used in a sheet laminating apparatus for controlling a constant spacing interval between any two adjacent ones of multiple documents. The sheet laminating apparatus includes an automatic document feeding mechanism and a sheet laminating mechanism. By means of multiple sensors within the automatic document feeding mechanism, multiple documents are successively transported from the automatic document feeding mechanism to the sheet laminating mechanism at a constant spacing interval between any two adjacent ones of multiple documents. As a consequence, the documents after being heated or pressed by the sheet laminating mechanism will be cut into multiple separate and identical-sized laminated documents.

Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus has a liftable stacking member on which a sheet is stacked, a feeding member which feeds the sheet in abutment against the uppermost one of the sheets placed on the stacking member, the feeding member moving from a separation position to an abutment position, a driving portion which lifts the stacking member, a sensor to detect that an uppermost sheet is below a predetermined position, and a control portion configured to control the driving portion so as to lift the stacking member when a signal from the sensor is received in sequence a plurality of times, which the control portion receives from a sensor due to the feeding member moving from the separation position to the abutment position repeatedly, indicate that the uppermost one of the sheets placed on the stacking member is located below a predetermined position.

Abstract: A measuring device, wherein a feed-out member feeds out an uppermost one of plural sheet-shaped materials stacked on a base by rotating in contact with the uppermost sheet-shaped material, has a detector that detects a force imparted to the base and the sheet-shaped materials not in contact with the feed-out member, the force being generated by feeding-out the uppermost sheet-shaped material.

Abstract: A storing and issuing device (11) for banknotes (12) and/or other flexible documents, for use in an equipment for the automatic processing of banknotes, in which the storing and issuing device includes a taking-up roller (50), a motor (60) for the taking-up roller, at least one transport belt (52) provided for wrapping on the taking-up roller (50) together with the banknotes (12) and holding means (53, 54, 79) actuatable for causing an entering banknote Bn(n) to be engaged with the transport belt (52). The storing and issuing device (11) comprises an electronic unit (65) for the holding means (53, 54, 79) and the motor (60) for the taking-up roller, for causing the entering banknote to be stored on the taking-up roller, with void space queuing providing substantial contact between the input edge of the entered banknote Bn(n) and the output edge of a last stored banknote Bn(n?1).

Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus includes a feeding unit capable of feeding a sheet-like medium, plural speed detecting units capable of respectively detecting a speed of the medium fed by the feeding unit, at plural positions along a width direction of the medium orthogonal to a feeding direction of the medium, and a bound-medium detecting unit capable of detecting the medium having a part thereof bound with another one of the medium, based on the speed detected respectively by the speed detecting units.

Abstract: A method and device disclosed herein controls the movement of media sheets within an image forming device using a pick mechanism that contacts and moves a media sheet from an input area into a media path. One embodiment controls the rotational speed of the pick mechanism based on a filtered combination of a pick mechanism signal and an encoder signal. An encoder roller positioned to contact the media sheets in the input area senses the movement of the media sheet to generate the encoder signal.

Abstract: A banknote feeding apparatus 10 comprises a first kicker roller 16 configured to be in contact with a surface of one banknote of a plurality of banknotes stored in the banknote storage unit 101, and further configured to be continuously rotated; a second kicker roller 18 provided upstream relative to the first kicker roller 16 in a feed direction of the banknotes, and configured to be continuously rotated, in the same direction of rotation, at approximately the same peripheral velocity, as those of the first kicker roller 16; and a feed roller 12 adapted for feeding each banknote kicked by the first kicker roller 16. The first kicker roller 16 has a high friction unit 16a adapted for kicking each banknote and partly provided in the outer circumference of the first kicker roller 16.

Abstract: An interlock switch is switched according to the movement of a relay reversal unit rather than the movement of a front cover. The relay reversal unit is connected to a driver substrate by a drawer connector. The change-over of the interlock switch according to the movement of the relay reversal unit is turned off when margin time elapses after a cover detection switch is turned off.

Abstract: A pick roller picks a sheet stacked in a hoper and transports the sheet toward a separating section at which a separator roller and a brake roller is provided. The separator roller and the brake roller transport the sheet one by one. A first unit is provided on the brake roller and is adapted to detect a rotation of the brake roller. A second unit is provided in the separating section and is adapted to detect a speed of the sheet. A controller is operable to determine an entry state of the sheet with respect to the separator roller based on presence or absence of the sheet in the separating section determined from the speed of the sheet in the separating section and whether or not the brake roller is rotating, and to optimally control a force acting in separation for the sheet.

Abstract: A manual paper feed device includes: a manual feed tray on which sheets are stacked; a paper feeding roller that feeds the sheets on the manual feed tray into an image forming unit; a pressing tray that is, with the sheets stacked thereon, rotatably supported and a downstream side of which in a conveying direction of the sheets is biased to the paper feeding roller side; a bias releasing member that separates and holds the pressing tray in a direction opposed to the bias direction and releases the biasing; and a sensor that detects at least one of presence or absence of the sheets on the manual feed tray and a bias releasing state of the pressing tray. The manual paper feed device prohibits paper feeding operation when the bias releasing state of the pressing tray is detected regardless of presence or absence of sheets stacked on the pressing tray.

Abstract: A sheet feed device includes a first sheet cassette including an accommodating portion configured to accommodate a first plurality of sheets, and a second sheet cassette disposed on the first sheet cassette and including a holding portion configured to hold a second plurality of sheets, in which one or more characteristics of the first plurality of sheets is different than one or more characteristics of the second plurality of sheets. The sheet feed device also includes a sheet feeder including a sheet feed roller, and the sheet feed device is configured to selectively feed the first plurality of sheets and the second plurality of sheets in a sheet feed direction toward a recording unit. Moreover, the sheet feed device includes a sheet separator configured to separate, one by one, the sheets fed by the sheet feeder.

Abstract: Imaging target media stacked in a tray are bent in a width direction orthogonal to a transmission direction so that rigidity of the imaging target media in the transmission direction increases than the rigidity before bending. Consequently, even though a separation imaging-target medium is bound together with a transportation imaging-target medium using a binding member, the separation imaging-target medium is transmitted to an imaging unit along with the transportation imaging-target medium by transporting rollers without bending in the transmission direction. A superimposed-transmission of the imaging target media is detected by sensors and rotation of the transmitting roller is stopped. Due to this, the superimposed-transmission of the imaging target media is stopped just before the imaging unit.