Abstract: A sheet conveying device includes entrance rollers and registration rollers. The entrance rollers convey a sheet received from delivery rollers to the registration rollers. The registration rollers correct skew of the sheet. A conveying path between the delivery rollers and the registration rollers is equal to or slightly longer than a length of a sheet in a maximum allowable size for skew correction in a conveying direction in which the sheet is conveyed on the conveying path.

Abstract: Various embodiments and methods relating to a kicker are disclosed.

Abstract: A feeding tray supports a plurality of media the media thereon. A hopper is provided on the feeding tray so as to be movable in a first direction for pushing the media toward a feeding roller so that a top one of the media comes in contact with the feeding roller, and in a second direction opposite to the first direction. A separator separates a first group including at least one of the media which is situated under the top one of the media from the top one, so that only the top one is fed to the downstream section by rotation of the feeding roller. A returning lever is pivotable interlockingly with the feeding roller and adapted to return a second group including at least one of the media in the first group, which has been proceeded from a prescribed position to the downstream section together with the top one of the media, to the feeding tray. A holder supports a third group including at least one of the media in the first group which is situated under the second group.

Abstract: A friction wheel singler for singling bank notes includes a singler roller 1 with grooves 2, and retaining wheels 14 cooperating with the grooves 2. The retaining wheels 14 have friction areas 14a and sliding areas 14b such that both a sliding area 14b and a friction area 14a cooperate with each groove 2 of the singler roller 1. Such a friction singler is particularly suitable for longitudinal singling of narrow bank notes and prevents skewing of the sheet to be singled during the singling process.

Abstract: A feeder device for feeding a unit of media from a stack of media to a receiving apparatus is provided. The feeder device comprises a drive mechanism for driving the media in a feed direction through an opening defined by a gate apparatus. The opening extends from a first to a second edge of the gate apparatus and defines a fixed height greater than the thickness of the media. A flexible blade member is fixedly engaged with the gate apparatus at a fixed end and is cantilevered with respect to the gate apparatus. The blade member defines a length and extends from the first edge toward the second edge to reduce the opening height. The blade member is further configured to have an adjustable flexibility to allow the feeder device to feed media of varying thickness to the printing apparatus. An associated method is also provided.

Abstract: A paper cartridge of a printer including a cartridge body to load papers to be picked up, and a friction plate to provide a predetermined friction force to a front end of the papers picked up at the cartridge body. The friction plate is sloped at a predetermined angle in the body so that the friction plate can be moved by being pushed by the front end of the paper.

Abstract: A paper feeding device comprises a cover, a roller frame and at least one paper blocking unit. The roller frame has two side walls. The paper blocking unit is placed beside the side wall, having a projection mounted on the side wall of the roller frame and a paper blocking element including a connecting portion, the connecting portion has a positioning pillar rotatablely connected to the cover. The connecting portion extends downwards to form a stopping portion, the stopping portion further extends downwards to form a paper blocking arm, the lower portion of the paper blocking arm defines an opening communicating one side of the paper blocking arm near the side wall. The projection can stops at the stopping portion and passes through the opening of the paper blocking element to allow the document to be fed in, so the cooperation is easy, the paper feeding device works smoothly.

Abstract: A paper sheet takeout apparatus has a memory which has several processing modes, and stores parameters of a supply speed of a supply unit, a pressing force of a delivering roller and a separating force of a separating roller for each processing mode, a setting unit which selects one of several processing modes, and a controller which reads the parameters from the memory in accordance with the processing mode selected by the setting unit and which controls at least one of supply speed of the supply unit, a pressing force of a delivering roller and a separating force of the separating roller, on the basis of the parameters read from the memory.

Abstract: A sheet feeding device comprises a pick roller; a push-up board; a first friction member located in a position on the push-up board opposed to the pick roller with the sheet bundle interposed therebetween; and a second friction member located in a position on the push-up board upstream in a sheet transferring direction and not opposed to the pick roller. In the sheet feeding device, the second friction member has a most protruding part which protrudes to the sheet bundle more than a sheet bundle side surface of the first friction member, and a dynamic friction coefficient of the second friction member to the sheet is larger than that of the first friction member and smaller than that of the pick roller. Accordingly, double-paper feeding can be prevented and even the last one sheet can be fed regardless types of sheets.

Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus comprises a sheet stacking portion for stacking sheets thereon, a sheet feeding rotating member for feeding the sheet stacked on the sheet stacking portion, a stopper for regulating the sheet stacked on the sheet stacking portion, and a rotatable gear adapted to hold the stopper at the regulating position of regulating the sheet stacked on the sheet stacking portion, by engaging with the stopper. In this construction, the engagement of the gear and the stopper is released when the gear is rotated.

Abstract: A sheet feeding roller has an outer circumferential face which includes a generally flat portion and a curved portion. A first pivotable member is movable between a first position and a second position in accordance with the rotation of the sheet feeding roller. The first pivotable member has a first contact face and an extended member extended from a free end portion of the first pivotable member toward a downstream side of a sheet feeding direction. The first pivotable member is moved to the second position when a sheet medium is placed between the sheet feeding roller and the first pivotable member. The first pivotable member is returned to the first position when a trailing end of the sheet medium faces the flat portion of the sheet feeding roller while the extended member of the first pivotable member comes in contact with the sheet medium.

Abstract: Various methods and apparatus are disclosed separating sheets of media.

Abstract: A media separator, that cooperates with a media pick to form a nip in a feed path of a media handling apparatus, supports a separation pad that includes first and second friction regions for movement relative to the media separator, against a bias force, in a feed direction of a sheet of media through the nip. The first and second friction regions selectively engage the sheet of media passing through the nip with a retard/separation force determined by the bias force, to retard and control a feeding operation of the sheet of media through the nip, and to feed plural sheets of media through the nip one at a time.

Abstract: A separation roller includes a body, a shaft assembly and two friction roller assemblies. The shaft assembly is connected to the body. The friction roller assembly is mounted on two ends of the shaft assembly and located on two sides of the body. The friction roller assembly contacts a sheet, and the body is separated from the sheet. The body provides a limiting torque to the friction roller assemblies through the shaft assembly to limit movement of the sheet. A sheet separating mechanism using the separation roller is also disclosed.

Abstract: A paper supply device for reliably delivering sheets of paper one at a time from a stock of multiple sheets even when the leading ends of the sheets are not neatly aligned together.

Abstract: A printing system sheet feeder apparatus and method is provided. The printing system feeder includes a front nudger roll positioned near the leading edge of the top sheet of a sheet stack and the front nudger roll is capable of advancing the top sheet. In addition, the printing system sheet feeder includes a separation nip aligned with the front nudger roll, the front nudger roll being capable of receiving the top sheet advanced by the front nudger roll and advancing the top sheet in a direction away from the front nudger. A rear nudger roll is positioned near the trailing edge of the top sheet and is capable of advancing the sheet directly below the top sheet while the top sheet is being advanced by the front nudger roll and/or separation nip, thereby increasing the overall sheet feeding rate to the printing system.

Abstract: A sheet convey apparatus includes a main feed roller, retard roller, torque limiter, retard roller guide, a pair of bearings, and a spring. The main feed roller rotates in a predetermined direction in contact with one surface of a paper sheet, to give to the sheet a force to convey the sheet in a sheet convey direction. The retard roller is arranged to oppose the main feed roller and gives to the sheet with which the retard roller is in contact a force to convey the sheet in a direction opposite to the sheet convey direction. The torque limiter limits a torque of the retard roller and rotates the retard roller in the sheet convey direction when the torque exceeds a predetermined limit. The retard roller guide includes at least a surface inclined with respect to a plane connecting central axes of the main feed roller and retard roller at an angle in a range of 0° (exclusive) to 90° (inclusive). The inclined surface is located in the vicinity of the central axis of the retard roller.

Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus includes a feeding roller and a separation pad, and the sheet feeding apparatus sequentially separates and feeds a sheet one by one in a nip portion formed by the feeding roller and the separation pad. The sheet feeding apparatus includes a pad mount and an eccentric shaft. The pad mount supports the separation pad, and is movable in a direction in which a nip area by the separation pad is changed. The eccentric shaft moves the pad mount in the direction in which the nip area is changed. The sheet feeding apparatus is characterized in that the eccentric shaft moves the pad mount in the direction in which the nip area by the separation pad is gradually narrowed in separating the sheet one by one.

Abstract: A sheet material feeding apparatus includes a sheet stacking portion for stacking recording sheets; a feeding roller for feeding the recording sheets from the sheet stacking portion; separating means for separating the recording sheet fed out by the feeding roller; a holder for holding the separating means, the holder being rotatably supported on a main assembly of the apparatus; first urging means for urging the holder toward the feeding roller; a preliminary regulating member, rotatably supported on the holder, for regulating a gap relative to the feeding roller; second urging means for urging the preliminary regulating member toward the feeding roller; a first regulating member, supported by the holder, for regulating rotation of the preliminary regulating member relative to the holder; and a second regulating member, provided in the main assembly of apparatus, for regulating rotation of the preliminary regulating member relative to the main assembly of the apparatus.

Abstract: Sheets are separated one-by-one from their stack placed in a holder by a sheet feed roller and a separation member provided in an inclined separation plate. The separation member can be a flat metal plate, and possibly includes a base portion, arm portions extending from the base portion, separation protrusions provided on the arm portions and capable of contacting a sheet, and elastic legs extending from the base portion. The arm portions, the separation protrusions, and the elastic legs can be arranged along a sheet feeding direction. The inclined separation plate may be provided with window holes on a central portion with respect to a direction perpendicular to the sheet feeding direction. The window holes can allow each separation protrusion or two or more separation protrusions to protrude toward the front surface of the inclined separation plate. Bridge portions can be provided between adjacent window holes.

Abstract: An apparatus for and method of preventing paper double feeding in a paper feeding unit of a printer include a stripper which is installed to be inclined at a predetermined angle and attached to at least one front side of a plurality of paper guides, a lever which is installed at a rear side of the stripper and has a contact surface with paper transferred by a pickup roller, and a lever shaking unit which shakes the lever so that the contact surface intermittently contacts a back side of the paper transferred by the pickup roller. The method includes applying a first paper feeding resistance force to a first sheet of paper which is picked-up by the pickup roller and transferred into the printer, and intermittently applying a second paper feeding resistance to a rear side of a second sheet of paper.

Abstract: A member for preventing feeding of a plurality of sheets at a time including a composition containing a resin component. Not less than 10 parts by mass nor more than 100 parts by mass of a polyester thermoplastic elastomer is contained in 100 parts by mass of the resin component. The polyester thermoplastic elastomer is composed of a hard segment and a soft segment. The hard segment consists of diester groups of aromatic dicarboxylic acid. The soft segment consists of ester groups of aliphatic carboxylic acid or aliphatic polyether groups.

Abstract: A torque limiter includes a shaft assembly, a torque limiting element and two friction rollers. The shaft assembly has a middle section and two ends on two sides of the middle section. The torque limiting element coils around the middle section of the shaft assembly and contacts with the shaft assembly to provide a limiting torque to the shaft assembly. The friction rollers are respectively fixed to the two ends of the shaft assembly.

Abstract: A sheet media feeding device comprising a media feed path for feeding sheet media; and a media separator for separating sheet media that are overlapping when advanced into the media feed path. The media separator includes a separation roller, a retard roller that is pressed against the separation roller and applies a torque load, and a media offsetting member for feeding the sheet media to a nipping part of the separation roller and the retard roller with the sheet media offset to the separation roller side.

Abstract: A paper feed apparatus of the present invention includes a pick mechanism for successively taking out, by use of a pick roller 1, a plurality of sheets of paper stacked on a chute from the bottom side thereof, leading ends of the sheets being aligned by means of a stopper block 2 in a state in which the sheets are stacked on the chute. Moreover, the apparatus includes a roller guide 11 and an abutment guide 12. When the roller guide 11 is raised to a paper setting position in a direction away from the pick roller 1, the roller guide 11 raises the leading ends of the sheets stacked on the chute to thereby prevent contact between the sheets and the pick roller 1. The abutment guide 12 aligns the leading ends of the sheets when the roller guide 11 is raised.

Abstract: An automated banking machine (10) includes at least one of sheet dispensing mechanisms (34, 36, 38, 40, 210). Each sheet dispensing mechanism includes a picking member (72, 212). The picking member rotates, and with each rotation generally causes an end note to be picked from a stack (42, 264) of sheets. The picking member (212) includes an arcuate projecting portion (258) that reduces the risk of damage to the leading edge areas of sheets due to opposed picking and stripping forces.

Abstract: A feeder device is provided, comprising a drive mechanism for driving a media unit in a feed direction, the media unit being provided from a stack of media units by a hopper including upstream and downstream hopper members. A directing member associated with the upstream hopper member engages the trailing edge of the media unit to direct the same to the drive mechanism, reduces an adhesive force between the media unit and remaining media units in the stack, and engages the trailing edge of one other media unit to direct the same toward the downstream hopper member and to partially support the weight of the remaining media units. A biased member urges the media unit against the drive mechanism, thereby increasing a driving force on the media unit, and prevents remaining media units from being fed to the receiving apparatus, also reducing the adhesive force. Associated methods are also provided.

Abstract: A printer apparatus and method for sequentially withdrawing sheets loaded into a cassette and printing images on the sheets is provided. The printer includes: a pickup roller for picking up a sheet from a plurality of sheets in the cassette; a resistance member for contacting a front end of the sheets such that the top sheet is separated based on stiffness and picked up from the cassette; and an angle change unit for changing a tilt angle of the resistance member about the front end of the sheets from a first tilt angle to a second tilt angle in a process of picking up the top sheet, and allowing the tilt angle to return to the first tilt angle when the top sheet has been completely picked up.

Abstract: A paper feeding unit of an image forming apparatus, which includes: a pickup roller; a first feed roller to feed the paper in a required direction; and a reverse roller to prevent a plurality of sheets of paper from being fed by rotating in an opposite direction to the first feed roller and to separate the paper into individual sheets, wherein the first feed roller has a contact section in contact with the reverse roller and a non-contact section where the first feed roller is apart from the reverse roller and the first feed roller feeds the paper by making a one-time rotation and stops rotating with the non-contact section facing the reverse roller. Since the feed roller and the reverse roller are put apart from each other in a waiting mode, the rollers can be protected from abrasion and paper can be fed smoothly.

Abstract: A document feeder for feeding a plurality of paper sheets one by one includes an engaging module and a detachable roller module. The detachable roller module is detachably mounted on the engaging module and includes a frame, a paper separation roller axel, a fixing element and a paper separation roller. The paper separation roller axel is supported on the frame. The fixing element is pivotally coupled to the paper separation roller axel for positioning the detachable roller module on the engaging module. The paper separation roller is disposed within the fixing element and sheathed around the paper separation roller axel.

Abstract: A sheet feeder includes a separation roller, a friction roller, a shaft and an energy storing element. The energy storing element stores energy when the friction roller is driven by the separation roller to rotate in the sheet-feeding direction and releases energy to make the friction roller rotate in a direction opposite to the sheet-feeding direction.

Abstract: An automatic paper feed apparatus includes a paper pickup roller (21), a paper feed roller (31) and a paper separation device (10). The paper separation device is a compound gear consisting of a first paper separation gear (11) and a second paper separation gear (12). The first and second paper separation gears are rotatably and mutually drivably coupled with each other by the engagement between a projection (13) and a protrusion (14) respectively formed thereon. The paper pickup roller and the paper feed roller are respectively actuated to rotate by the second and first paper separation gears through a paper pickup gear mechanism (23) and a paper feed gear mechanism (33, 34) each mounted on a same shaft and engaged therebetween. At the initial stage, the first paper separation gear drives the second paper separation gear to rotate, and thus the paper pickup roller and the paper feed roller are respectively actuated to rotate by the second and first paper separation gears.

Abstract: A document separator for use in a document processing machine. The document separator has a flexible loop of material adjacent to a document transport mechanism so that it holds one or more documents back from being transported along a transport path while allowing a single document to be moved forward.

Abstract: A sheet feed mechanism having a multi-layer structure. The multi-layer structure has a wear layer adapted to contact a sheet during sheet feeding and a replacement indicator layer adjacent the wear layer. The replacement indicator layer is adapted to indicate a wear condition of the multi-layer structure upon wear through the wear layer to the replacement indicator layer.

Abstract: A document feeding apparatus includes a driven roller and a feed roller rotatable with a drive shaft, an idle roller gearing with the driven roller and a document feeder. The document feeder includes a pick-up roller having a shaft portion, a cam slipping into the shaft portion and a driven gear gearing with the idle roller, a protrusion disposed on the shaft portion, one end of the cam being a spiral shape defining an end thereof, and another end defining a first engaging portion and a second engaging portion thereof, a lump disposed at a lateral of the driven gear. The feeding apparatus keeps in separation of the document from a next feed-in document and prevents the documents from overlapping.

Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus includes a transport unit that transports a recording sheet from a storage unit, a separation unit, when stacked plural recording sheets are transported by the transport unit, separates a first recording sheet from the other recording sheets, and a push-back unit that can pivot from a separation action point to an end point of the storage unit and that pushes back ends of the other recording sheets to the storage unit during transport of the first recording sheet by applying to the other recording sheets a larger force in the direction opposite to the transport direction than a force applied to the other recording sheets in the transport direction, at a same time by applying to the first recording sheet a smaller force in the direction opposite to the transport direction than a force applied to the first recording sheet in the transport direction.

Abstract: A device for paper separating and guiding is provided for separating a first paper sheet from a plurality of second paper sheets, and guiding the first paper sheet into a paper-feeding apparatus. The device includes a first inclined surface and a second inclined surface adjacent to each other. The first inclined surface is used for arranging the first paper sheet and a part of the second paper sheets stepwise, so that the first paper sheet located at the top layer is protruding forwards. The second inclined surface is used for blocking the other second paper sheets to maintain the paper sheets on the first inclined surface to be arranged stepwise, so that the process for paper separating and guiding is accomplished.

Abstract: A sheets separation/conveying apparatus has a pick-up roller to take out sheets in the piled up state on the conveying path. The sheets taken out on the conveying path are checked when passing the first roller and plural sheets being conveyed in the overlapped state are detected by a detector and separated each other by the second roller.

Abstract: A sheet handling assembly includes a frame, a first assembly, and a second assembly, each assembly rotatably supported by the frame and configured to contactingly transport sheet media. A member is configured to rotate the second assembly in response to rotation of the member in a first direction. The frame is configured to pivot in the first direction in response to rotating the member in the first direction, and pivot in a second direction, opposite the first direction, in response to rotating the member in the second direction.

Abstract: A sheet feeding device that draws out a sheet from a pile of sheets, including: a sheet tray on which the pile of sheets is placed; a sheet feeding roller whose peripheral surface is pressed to abut on a top surface of an uppermost sheet in the pile of the sheets at a downstream end in a sheet feeding direction of the pile of sheets; a friction pad disposed oppositely to the sheet feeding roller to form a nip portion for the sheet with the sheet feeding roller; and a pushing member that pushes the friction pad in a direction opposite to the sheet feeding direction.

Abstract: A paper feed portion for an image forming apparatus has a simple structure capable of generating a carrying force and preventing double feeding effectively. A paper feed roller 1 and a carrying auxiliary portion 2 are arranged symmetrically with respect to the paper feed path, that is, above the paper feed path on the upstream side and below the paper feed path on the downstream side, respectively. In the carrying auxiliary portion 2, a carrying force generating rib 22 is at the center of the width direction and positioned facing the contact member 10a of the paper feed roller 1. Double feed preventing ribs 23a and 23b are arranged symmetrically widthwise with respect to the carrying force generating rib 22.

Abstract: A paper sheet separation and transfer apparatus has a take-out roller which takes out stacked paper sheets onto a transfer path, a first separation unit, and a second separation unit. When the front end of a first paper sheet in the transfer direction reaches a nip of the second separation unit, the take-out roller and first feed roller are “decelerated”.

Abstract: A sheet feeder including (1) a sheet storing unit in which a plurality of sheets are stacked, (2) a sheet feed roller that abuts an uppermost one of the sheets stacked in the sheet storing unit and conveys the sheets in a predetermined conveying direction, (3) a friction member provided in the bottom plate, that abuts a lowermost one of the sheets stacked in the sheet storing unit, and (4) a rotation suppressing member that suppresses rotation of the friction member. Wherein the friction member is a roller member including a roller portion, and a plurality of fibrous members arranged at an outer peripheral surface of the roller portion. Wherein the bottom plate of the sheet storing unit has an opening that houses the friction member. Wherein the sheet feed roller abuts the friction member when there is no sheet in the sheet storing unit.

Abstract: A kicker system comprises a rotatable roller for advancing media along a media path toward a print zone. A kicker is mounted on the roller for pivotal movement transverse to the rotational axis of the roller. A cam surface configured to engage the kicker during a portion of a rotation of the roller to thereby pivotably retract the kicker out of the media path. The kicker can be selectively actuated by controlling the relative rotation of the roller and the cam surface.

Abstract: A sheet-feeding apparatus with a paper stopper includes a sheet-feeding base having a sheet-placing stand for placing sheets, a roller shell located on the sheet-feeding base having two side walls, a preliminary feeding roller unit and a feeding roller unit contained in the roller shell, a stopper member rotationally attached to the side wall of the roller shell and a follower member rotationally attached to the feeding roller unit and located at the downstream side of the stopper. Before starting a feeding operation, the stopper member is pushed by a sheet in the sheet-feeding base to move forward and presses on the follower member. The follower member would not move any further because the follower member is restricted by an upright wall of the sheet-feeding base.

Abstract: A sheet separator includes an advancing roller driven to rotate to move a sheet forwards along a sheet path, and a reversing roller driven to rotate to move a sheet backwards along the path. The reversing roller and advancing roller are mounted adjacently and are relatively movable between a pinched position and a separated position. The reversing roller has a torque limiter for allowing the reversing roller to slip and counter-rotate with the advancing roller when friction applied by the advancing roller on the pinched reversing roller exceeds a preset value. Overriding roller mounted therein allows a sheet to pass over a roller when the rollers are separated and to remain idle when the rollers are pinched.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes a sheet picking mechanism drive unit that includes a sheet pick gear train for driving a sheet picking mechanism to transport a sheet from a stack of print media along the sheet feed path. A print media dam is pivotably coupled at an axis to the imaging apparatus. The print media dam has at least one dam member and a first gear. Each dam member has a media engaging surface. A drive mechanism is drivably coupled between the sheet picking drive mechanism and the first gear to move the dam member between an extended position and a retracted position. When the dam member is in the extended position, the media engaging surface is positioned to interrupt the sheet feed path. When the dam member is in the retracted position, the media engaging surface is positioned to not interrupt the sheet feed path.

Abstract: This invention provides an automatic paper folder with the adjustable distance between a retarder and a feeding wheel assuring the consistency of the automatic feed for most types of paper. The automatic paper folder includes a paper feed assembly that combines the functions of a retractable retarder and a retractable tension block, assuring the automatic feed of a stack of paper, and a bypass for the manual feed of the stapled sets.

Abstract: A paper feeder includes a sheet supply unit that feeds sheets placed on a sheet placing part, a separating roller the separates the sheets fed by the sheet supply unit one sheet at a time and supplies each sheet to a sheet transportation path, a transportation roller that transports the sheets provided downstream of the separating roller and a link mechanism connected to the transportation roller via a transmitting unit. When the transportation roller rotates in a sheet transporting direction, the link mechanism swings so that a shutter opens the sheet transportation path and maintains an opened state. When the transportation roller rotates in a direction opposite to the sheet transporting direction, the link mechanism swings so that the shutter closes the sheet transportation path.

Abstract: An automated banking machine (10) includes at least one of sheet dispensing mechanisms (34, 36, 38, 40, 210). Each sheet dispensing mechanism includes a picking member (72, 212). The picking member rotates, and with each rotation generally causes an end note to be picked from a stack (42, 264) of sheets. The picking member (212) includes an arcuate projecting portion (258) that reduces the risk of damage to the leading edge areas of sheets due to opposed picking and stripping forces.