Abstract: A mechanism for an ADF having upper and lower trays, a base connecting the trays, and a cover pivotally connected to the upper tray includes a housing provided within the base and movable relative thereto. A transmission has a gripping position for transporting paper along a path from the upper tray to the lower tray and a release position allowing a paper jam along the path to be remedied. The cover is pivotable between a first condition maintaining the transmission in the gripping position and a second condition allowing the housing to move relative to the trays to place the transmission in the release position.

Abstract: A sheet feeder, which is incorporated in an image forming apparatus, includes an endless attraction belt that is rotatably disposed facing a top surface of a sheet stack, a belt charger to attract an uppermost sheet of the sheet stack, and a sheet separator to press the attraction belt against the sheet stack, bend a contact region to which the uppermost sheet is attracted and contacted to the attraction belt, and separate the uppermost sheet from a subsequent sheet or other sheet of the sheet stack. In this configuration, a curvature of a contact surface of the sheet separator with respect to the attraction belt is changeable.

Abstract: A banknote separation device includes a banknote separation wheel set and a reverse wheel set. The reverse wheel set includes a reverse wheel component, a reverse wheel set rotation shaft, a first fixing frame and a second fixing frame. Two ends of the reverse wheel set rotation shaft are fixed on two mounting side plates respectively, the first fixing frame and the second fixing frame are respectively fixedly connected at two ends of reverse wheel component. The first fixing frame is provided with two lash adjusting threaded holes and a first lash adjusting screw, the second fixing frame is provided with a second lash adjusting threaded hole and a second lash adjusting screw cooperating therewith, and radial clearances between two ends of the reverse wheel component and the banknote separation wheel set are adjusted respectively by the two lash adjusting screws.

Abstract: A paper feeding unit of an image forming apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment is provided with a base portion, a guide, a protruding portion, and a roller. The base portion is capable of having the sheet placed thereon. The guide erects with respect to the base portion. The guide regulates a position of the sheet in a width direction which intersects with a transporting direction of the sheet. The protruding portion is provided on the guide. The protruding portion faces an end portion of the sheet in the width direction from a side opposite to the base portion. The roller is provided on the protruding portion. The roller is provided with a circumferential surface facing the end portion of the sheet. The roller is rotatable in the transporting direction of the medium.

Abstract: A separation roller is provided in a first end portion of a separation roller shaft through a torque limiter. The separation roller is provided to be able to come into pressure contact with a conveying roller rotatably supported by a conveying roller shaft. A support portion supports the separation roller in a cantilever condition and is formed to be elastically deformable. The support portion supports the separation roller shaft such that the separation roller shaft is inclined by a predetermined angle with respect to the conveying roller shaft such that the first end portion of the separation roller shaft is positioned upstream in a sheet conveying direction of a second end portion in a state in which the conveying roller is not driven.

Abstract: A flaky medium processing system and a method for detecting a real-time position of a flaky medium. Multiple detection positions are arranged in a medium transfer channel of the flaky medium processing system, and one position sensor is arranged at each detection position for detecting arrival and departure events of the flaky medium in the detection position; and the flaky medium processing system and the method are characterized in that the position sensor arranged at the first detection position along the movement direction of the flaky medium is provided with at least three scattered detection points, each detection point outputs an independent output signal, and each detection point is configured with two timers for obtaining a time attribute of an output signal of each detection point; and the position sensor arranged at each of other detection positions is configured with one timer for obtaining the time attribute of the output signal of the common position sensor.

Abstract: This invention relates to a media multi-feed rejection apparatus, comprising: a plurality of feed rollers; a feed roller driving means operatively connected to one of the plurality of feed rollers; a clutch means operatively connected to the other of the plurality of feed rollers; and a single channel encoder means operatively connected to the clutch means to measure a rotation of the other of the plurality of feed rollers.

Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus comprising: a storage portion; a feeding portion; and a separation portion, wherein the separation portion includes: a separation member which rotates around a rotation center shaft to separate one by one the sheets; an urging portion which applies a force to the rotation center shaft toward the feeding portion; a torque imparting portion to impart a torque to the separation member in a direction opposite to a direction which the separation member rotates; a first and a second support member which supports one end and other end of the rotation center shaft while regulating rotation of the rotation center shaft; and a deviation restraining portion which restrains deviation of a reaction force of the torque applied to the separation member by the torque imparting portion and acting on the first support member and the second support member.

Abstract: A sheet feed device includes a feed unit and a sheet loading cassette. The feed unit includes a separation conveyance portion that is composed of a feed member and a separation member, a separation holder that supports the separation member and is swingable, and a pressing member that presses the separation holder. The sheet loading cassette includes a grip portion, a pressure release member that, in conjunction with an operation of drawing out the sheet loading cassette, comes into contact with the pressing member, an operation lever that is provided at the grip portion. In a state where the sheet loading cassette is inserted in the apparatus main body, the operation lever is gripped together with the grip portion, and thus the pressure release member slides to come into contact with the pressing member, so that the pressing member is released from the separation holder.

Abstract: A sheet feeding portion is provided with a pair of separation rollers that include a feed roller which conveys the sent sheet and a retard roller which applies a rotation force to return the sheet in a direction opposite to a sheet feeding direction through a torque limiter in a state of being pressed against the feed roller. The sheet feeding portion further includes a rotation transmitting mechanism that transmits a rotation of the retard roller, at the time of sending the sheet to the sheet feeding direction, to the pickup roller and a changing mechanism that switches a retard pressure, which allows the retard roller to be pressed against the feed roller, according to a reaction force that is transmitted to the retard roller from the pickup roller.

Abstract: A feed station has a pre-separation region, a separation region and a transport region in succession along a transport path. A first sensor is at the start of the separation region and a second sensor is at the start of the transport region. A control unit processes signals from the sensors and encoders to determine the position of the flat item, and is connected with a separation motor to drive the separation device, so that a flat item is separated from a stack with a predetermined separation velocity. If unacceptably small gaps exist between the flat items, the separation process is stopped when the leading edge of a subsequent flat item reaches the second sensor and is continued when the preceding separated flat item achieves a predetermined clearance from the leading edge of the aforementioned flat item due to its transport.

Abstract: A removable media dam for a media input tray. The removable media dam is mountable in a front wall of the media tray and may contain one or more rollers for feeding media from the media input tray. The removable media dam includes a separator roll positioner for angularly rotating a separator roll between a retracted position and an extended position to adjust the height of the separator roll with respect to a media contact surface thereby varying the media sheet separation force applied by the separator roll to media sheets being fed from the media tray. In one form, the removable media dam is mountable by a user without the use of tools.

Abstract: A sheet take-out apparatus includes a first separation unit, a second separation unit, a drawing roller for drawing sheets from a nip of the second separation unit, and a pinch roller rotating in contact with it. Overlapping sheets which pass the first and second separation units and are not separated are detected to be overlapped in a state that they are clamped by the nip of the drawing roller and pinch roller. When overlapping is detected, in a state that the rear ends of the overlapping sheets in the conveying direction are restricted by the nip, the drawing roller and pinch roller are stopped and the overlapping sheets are re-separated.

Abstract: A feeding apparatus includes a pickup roller arranged to pick and feed a medium downstream along a conveying path, a separating roller arranged downstream to the pickup roller for advancing the medium downstream, a brake roller arranged opposite to the separating roller, and a pressing structure arranged opposite to the pickup roller and operable to swing toward or away from the pickup roller according to the rotating direction of the brake roller. When the brake roller rotates for feeding mediums downstream, the pressing structure moves toward the pickup roller and applies a normal force required for picking the medium. But when the brake roller stops rotating downstream because multiple mediums are fed between the brake roller and the separating roller, the pressing structure moves away from the pickup roller and stops applying normal force, so as to control the medium-picking process.

Abstract: A feeding apparatus includes a pickup roller arranged to pick and feed a medium downstream along a conveying path, a separating roller arranged downstream to the pickup roller for advancing the medium downstream, a brake roller arranged opposite to the separating roller, and a pressing structure arranged opposite to the pickup roller and operable to swing toward or away from the pickup roller according to the rotating direction of the brake roller. When the brake roller rotates for feeding mediums downstream, the pressing structure moves toward the pickup roller and applies a normal force required for picking the medium. But when the brake roller stops rotating downstream because multiple mediums are fed between the brake roller and the separating roller, the pressing structure moves away from the pickup roller and stops applying normal force, so as to control the medium-picking process.

Abstract: The present invention is for separating upper and lower sheets. The sheet feeder includes a feed roller that conveys the sheet fed by a pickup roller in a sheet feeding direction and a retard roller rotated in a sheet feeding direction at a rotational velocity faster than that of the feed roller by interposing a torque limiter. Meanwhile, the retard roller is rotated at a velocity equal to that of the feed roller when a single sheet is nipped in the roller nip portion. The sheet feeder further includes a controller that performs control such that, when double sheet feeding occurs by the pickup roller, the sheet of the retard roller side projects ahead of the sheet of the feed roller side in the sheet feeding direction by virtue of the torque limiter, and then, the retard roller is rotated in a direction opposite to the sheet feeding direction.

Abstract: A sheet conveying device includes: a separation sheet feeding mechanism having a paper feeding belt and a separation roller; and an adjustment mechanism that changes contact state of the paper feeding belt to the separation roller by changing relative position of the paper feeding belt and the separation roller, and changes and adjusts separation performance of the separation roller for the subsequent sheet, wherein the adjustment mechanism includes a cam follower member changing the relative position of the feeding belt and the separation roller, the cam member includes a first cam face and a second cam face which are formed at each rotation radius position in accordance with the rotation angle position, and are spaced apart in the rotation radius direction, and the cam follower member has a contact unit guided by the first cam face and the second cam face.

Abstract: A method of using a separator roll positioner and separator roll rotational speed to correct media feed errors by angularly rotating a separator roll between a retracted position and an extended position to adjust the height of the separator roll with respect to a media contact surface or by varying separator roll rotational speed thereby varying the media sheet separation force.

Abstract: A fixing device includes two rotary bodies and a recording-medium separation unit. The two rotary bodies are pressed against each other to form a nipping portion. The recording-medium separation unit is disposed at a position downstream from the nipping portion in a direction in which the recording medium is conveyed. The recording-medium separation unit includes a separation plate holder, a separation plate, and a spring. The separation plate holder extends in a longitudinal direction of one of the rotary bodies to hold the separation plate away from the one of the rotary bodies. The separation plate holder has rotation fulcrums and positioning surfaces at both ends in the longitudinal direction. The positioning surfaces are urged by the spring toward the one of the rotary bodies. Each of the positioning surfaces has a bent side to form a flange surface having one of the rotation fulcrums.

Abstract: An image forming device, comprising: a sheet-like medium accommodation unit; a supply member that carries a sheet-like medium; a pair of separation members that separate the sheet-like medium one by one; an image formation unit; a carrying path; a re-carrying unit to move inversely the sheet-like medium whose top face has been subjected to printing; a moving mechanism to move the supply member close to or away from the sheet-like medium and to move the pair of separation members close to or away from each other so that a path for the inversely carried sheet-like medium is formed; and a control unit to control the moving mechanism such that, when back-face printing is performed, the supply member is in a state of being moved away from the sheet-like medium and the pair of separation members are in a state of being moved away from each other.

Abstract: A sheet supply device includes a first separation unit for applying a transportation load to a medium supplied from a stored state with a sheet supply member to separate the medium, and a second separation unit disposed on a downstream side of the first separation unit for separating the medium passing through the first separation unit. The first separation unit is disposed outside an extension area of the second separation unit in a medium transportation direction.

Abstract: A mechanism enables efficiently reducing the size of a check feeding device for separating and feeding checks one at a time. In one embodiment, a check separating and feeding mechanism uses a single drive motor to drive a feed roller, pressure member, and separation roller. When the drive motor turns in a second direction, torque is transferred through a second one-way clutch mechanism to both rollers. When the drive motor turns in this direction, the first one-way clutch mechanism disengages the drive motor from the drive power transfer path to the pressure member, and a tension spring pulls the pressure member in the direction pressing the checks to the feed roller. When the drive motor turns in an opposite first direction, the torque of the drive motor returns the pressure member to the standby position, drive power is not transferred to the rollers, and the rollers do not turn.

Abstract: A feeding device includes a carrying roller to carry a top sheet of sheets in a conveying direction, a reverse roller to transfer subsequent sheets beneath the top sheet in a direction opposite to the conveying direction while being moved in the conveying direction with the top sheet, and an end fence to restrict rear end positions of the subsequent sheets. The end fence includes an upper contacting member to come into contact with an upper surface of the top sheet, and a restricting member extending from the upper contacting member along a rear end surface of the sheets to stop rear ends of the sheets in its entire width direction, the upper contacting member and the restricting member being arranged such that a width dimension of the end fence is changeable in the width direction, and the end fence being arranged above the top sheet.

Abstract: A medium feeding device 1 includes a separating power generating device 7 which causes a brake roller 4 to generate a rotational load in a direction counter to a conveying direction. The device 7 includes a torque limiter 17 which generates a load of a predetermined upper limit torque T1, a torque limiter 18 which is arranged in series with the torque limiter 17 on a power transmission path to the brake roller 4 and generates a load of an upper limit torque T2 smaller than the torque T1, and an electromagnetic clutch 22 which switches between connection and disconnection between the power transmission path and a bypass route which bypasses the torque limiter 18. The device 7 can change the rotational load of the brake roller 4 to the torque T1 or the torque T2 by the switching of the electromagnetic clutch 22.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a sheet handling apparatus includes a conveying path to convey a sheet, a processing portion to perform a predetermined process on the sheet while conveying the sheet on the conveying path, a separable roller pair that is arranged at a certain distance from the processing portion on an upstream side or a downstream side in conveying direction, the separable roller pair being adapted to hand over the sheet between the conveying path and the processing portion by holding the sheet with a nip and rotating, a separating mechanism to separate the separable roller pair, and a controller that controls the separating mechanism such that the separable roller pair is separated before or after processing is started with the processing portion on a sheet that is conveyed on the conveying path.

Abstract: A sheet conveying apparatus includes: a sheet housing unit that houses sheets in a stacked manner; a sheet conveying unit that conveys a sheet to a predetermined conveyance target position; a sheet pick-up unit that picks up outermost one of the sheets housed in the sheet housing unit for conveying to a sheet conveying unit side; a separating and conveying unit that separates the next sheet from the outermost sheet, and conveys only the outermost sheet to the sheet conveying unit; and a sheet-conveyance-movement detecting unit that detects presence or absence of movement of a sheet in the conveying direction. The sheet-conveyance-movement detecting unit is arranged at a position at which the outermost sheet and the next sheet may overlap each other, and a separation portion is located downstream of the pick-up position and is an area where a separation action of the separating and conveying unit works.

Abstract: The feeding device includes a storage unit, a feeding roller which rotates while contacting the uppermost sheet stored in the storage unit to move the uppermost sheet forward, a separation plate disposed forward in the movement direction of the uppermost sheet and provided with an inclined surface inclined with respect to the movement direction, and a separation auxiliary member is disposed along the inclined surface of the separation plate and operated by a force received when the uppermost sheet comes in contact. The separation auxiliary member includes a rotation shaft parallel with the inclined surface, and a first resistance part rotating about the rotation shaft as the center from an initial position projecting from the inclined surface to an embedded position embedded in the inclined surface as a friction coefficient of the first resistance part is higher than that of the inclined surface and the received force is increased.

Abstract: A recording apparatus including: a roller disposed at a set position and configured to convey a recording medium; a shaft member configured to support the roller located at the set position, wherein the roller is disengageable from the shaft member by moving in a direction toward one of opposite ends of the shaft member; a roller moving mechanism configured to move the roller in the direction toward the one end by applying a force to the roller in the direction toward the one end; and a movement inhibiting and allowing member configured to: inhibit the roller from moving in the direction toward the one end by being positioned at a first position at which the roller is positioned where the roller has been moved in the direction toward the one end; and allow the roller to move in the direction toward the one end by moving from the first position to a second position different from the first position.

Abstract: A method for providing increased performance in fully active retard feeders includes driving a feed roll and retard roll pair of a reprographic apparatus backwards periodically at the start of the machine or during idle periods to compensate for contamination buildup and/or roll “set” when left in position overnight.

Abstract: A drop in performance can be easily resolved when the retard roller becomes worn. A hopper disposed to a main unit stores sheets in a stack. A conveyance path conveys sheets from the hopper. A feed roller is disposed facing the conveyance path. A retard unit has a retard roller is disposed opposite the feed roller with the conveyance path therebetween, and a torque limiter connected coaxially to the retard roller. An urging means urges the retard unit so that the retard roller presses against the feed roller. The retard unit is removably installed to the main unit.

Abstract: A mechanism enables efficiently reducing the size of a check feeding device for separating and feeding checks one at a time. In one embodiment, a check separating and feeding mechanism uses a single drive motor drive to drive a feed roller, pressure member, and separation roller. When the drive motor turns in a second direction, torque is transferred through a second one-way clutch mechanism to both rollers. When the drive motor turns in this direction, the first one-way clutch mechanism disengages the drive motor from the drive power transfer path to the pressure member, and a tension spring pulls the pressure member in the direction pressing the checks to the feed roller. When the drive motor turns in an opposite first direction, the torque of the drive motor returns the pressure member to the standby position, drive power is not transferred to the rollers, and the rollers do not turn.

Abstract: A sheet feeding device and an image forming apparatus which can stably separate sheets even when the position of a pressing portion is changed are provided. A guide portion supports sheets from below and guides the sheets to a pressing portion between a sheet feeding roller which is biased in the direction pressing the sheet feeding roller onto the sheets stacked on a sheet stacking portion and a separating member which separates the sheets fed from the sheet feeding roller one by one. The guide portion is linearly lowered together with the separating member with the downward movement of the sheet feeding roller biased by a roller biasing member.

Abstract: A retard roller and a retard roller module are provided. The retard roller is used in an automatic document feeder for providing a frictional force to separate plural documents from each other. Unidirectional rotation of the retard roller is permitted. Due to the unidirectional rotation, the contact surface of the retard roller can be switched. During the sheet-feeding process, the document is contacted with a specified contact surface. By rotating the retard roller, the document is contacted with another contact surface.

Abstract: A device for processing and for transporting flat mail items such as documents and/or letters inserted into envelopes, samples, cards, etc., includes a transport route, formed by transport rolls (5, 6, 7) of a transport mechanism (3), one end of this route being configured to load a separation unit (9) with mail items (2) for individual processing. The device includes a separation unit (9), which is designed with a drive roll (6), supported rotatably on a horizontal axis of rotation and extending transversely to the transport direction. The drive roll acts frictionally on the bottom surface of the mail item (2) and cooperates with a queuing mechanism (11), which is installed above (6) and offset from the drive roll in the downstream direction to hold back excess mail items.

Abstract: When a retard roller is rotating in a sheet feeding direction, the rotation is transmitted to a pickup roller and the pickup roller rotates in a direction for conveying the sheet. When the retard roller is rotating in a direction opposite to the sheet feeding direction or is stationary, the pickup roller does not feed the sheet. Therefore, in a successive feeding operation, the sheet to be fed next is always conveyed such that the leading end thereof reaches a nip position between a feed roller and the retard roller. Therefore, the intervals between the sheets are uniform in the successive feeding operation.

Abstract: A sheet separating mechanism is disclosed, which comprises a frame (380), at least one set of transferring rollers (110), a separating roller (120), a reverse rotating roller (130), an eccentric adjusting means (310), a driving component, and an elastic component (320). The at least one set of transferring rollers and the separating roller are connected to the frame through a first rotating shaft (210,220), respectively. The eccentric adjusting means includes an eccentric plate (311) and an eccentric adjusting plate (312). The eccentric plate has an outer ring (315) and an inner ring (314) adapted to move inside the outer ring. The inner ring is connected with a second rotating shaft (230) that is connected with the reverse rotating roller. The reverse rotating roller is separated from the separating roller to form a separation gap. The driving component drives the first and the second rotating shafts to rotate.

Abstract: A feeding device includes a tray for stacking sheet-like conveyance-target media, a first pressing unit, and a second pressing unit. The first and second pressing units face and apply a first and second pressing force, respectively, on a circumferential surface of a pick roller so that a first contact area and a second contact area overlap each other. The first pressing unit includes a first pressing unit separation roller, and the first contact area is defined wherein the first pressing unit and the pick roller make contact with each other. The second contact area is defined wherein the second pressing unit and the pick roller make contact with each other such that the first contact area and the second contact appear to partly overlap each other when viewed from an axial direction of the pick roller.

Abstract: Disclosed is a sheet feeding device capable of prolonging the durability life span of the retard roller with a simple structure with ease and an image forming apparatus which includes the sheet feeding device. The sheet feeding device includes a feed roller 102 which rotates in a sheet feed direction, a retard roller 103 which is able to rotate in a reverse direction to the sheet feed direction which forms a separation nip portion. A torque limiter 202 which is interposed between a drive shaft 202b and a roller shaft 103b of the retard roller 103 to transfer a predetermined torque of the reverse direction to the retard roller 103; and a speed changing device 301 which is interposed between an output shaft 202a of the torque limiter 202 and the roller shaft 103b to change a magnitude of the predetermined torque transferred to the retard roller 103.

Abstract: Provided are an apparatus for feeding sheets, booklets or the like having a wider adjustable range according to the thickness of the object than the conventional apparatus, and a system for sorting forwarding documents with the foregoing feeding apparatus. In the feeding apparatus, a moving shaft is supported by a fixed sleeve so as to be movable upward and downward. A main compression coil spring is located between the moving shaft and the fixed base and imparts a main spring force to the moving shaft in order that an overlap feed limiting member is pressed against a conveying belt. A sub compression coil spring imparts an oppositely directed sub spring force to the moving shaft. A position of a pressing washer is displaced downward by a threading engagement of an upper end adjusting bolt, so that even when the spring force of the main compression coil spring is increased, an increased amount is cancelled by an increase in the spring force of the sub compression coil spring.

Abstract: A bill discriminating and counting apparatus in which a plurality of bills with different sizes are filled between side hopper members and fed into a transport path by a feeding mechanism. The feeding mechanism comprises a plurality of rollers disposed in a bilaterally symmetrical state. The plurality of rollers are arranged so that, when a distance between the side hopper members is adjusted according to the longitudinal dimension of a bill with the maximum dimension in the longitudinal direction and a bill with the minimum dimension in the longitudinal direction is disposed at a position where the bill is brought into contact with one of the side hopper members, at least a part of the rollers installed on the opposite side of the side hopper member where the bill is brought into contact therewith is brought into contact with the bill. Also, the feeding mechanism comprises a guide member guiding the bill to the inlet of the transport path.

Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus capable of obtaining a sufficient conveying force for pulling back double-fed overlapping sheets to a stacking tray side. A sheet feeding member feeds sheets incoming from a stacking tray which stacks the sheets into a conveying pass. A separating member separates the sheets fed to the conveying pass by the sheet feeding member one by one. A double feed detection sensor generates an output for detecting double feed of sheets fed to the conveying pass. A rotatable member contacts the fed sheet. A driving unit rotationally drives at least the rotatable member in a rotational direction for reverse feeding of sheets. A control unit controls the driving unit when the double feed of sheets is detected based on the output of the double feed detection sensor, such that the rotatable member is rotationally driven in the rotational direction for reverse feeding of sheets.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus is provided. The image forming apparatus includes a body including a conveyance path into which a sheet is conveyed and a feed tray. The feed tray includes a separation pad, which is provided at a widthwise center of the feed tray; and a holding member, which is provided downstream of the separation pad in a direction of conveyance of the sheet, the holding member comprising a driven roller, which is wider than the separation pad, and at least two guide members, one guide member arranged on each side of the driven roller.

Abstract: A retard roller and a retard roller module are provided. The retard roller is used in an automatic document feeder for providing a frictional force to separate plural documents from each other. Unidirectional rotation of the retard roller is permitted. Due to the unidirectional rotation, the contact surface of the retard roller can be switched. During the sheet-feeding process, the document is contacted with a specified contact surface. By rotating the retard roller, the document is contacted with another contact surface.

Abstract: A sheet feeder is provided with a storing section for storing transfer sheets, a feed roller for feeding the transfer sheets stored in the storing section one by one from the uppermost one; a separation roller arranged to face the feed roller; a transport roller arranged downstream of the feed roller in a transport direction; and a transfer sheet guide for guiding the transfer sheet to the transport roller, wherein the transfer sheet guide includes a guide face formed to extend from the storing section along the transport direction of the transfer sheet on or in a vicinity of an extension of a line tangent to the feed roller and the transport roller on the side of transporting the transfer sheet, the guide face being formed in an area between the storing section and the separation roller.

Abstract: A torque limiting roller includes a shaft, a frictional unit, a roller assembly, a fixing unit and an elastic unit. The shaft includes a first end and a second end. The frictional unit is mounted on the first end of the shaft. The roller assembly is rotatably mounted on the shaft and includes a first end and a second end. The first end of the roller assembly is in frictional contact with the frictional unit. The fixing unit is mounted on the second end of the shaft. The elastic unit is mounted on the shaft, disposed between the fixing unit and the roller assembly, and contacts with the second end of the roller assembly and the fixing unit to provide a normal force between the roller assembly and the frictional unit and thus to provide limiting torque. A medium separating mechanism using the torque limiting roller is also disclosed.

Abstract: An apparatus and method are disclosed for separating print jobs. Print jobs may be separated by alternating between outputting entire print jobs in straight and askew orientations. Print jobs may also be separated by outputting jobs in a straight orientation and outputting a separator page between each print job in an askew orientation. In one embodiment, separator pages may be input from a specified input tray that may contain sheets of a different color than that used for print jobs.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, an image forming apparatus includes a retaining roller, a nipping device, a retaining device, an image forming head, and a controller. The retaining roller retains a recording medium and rotates. The nipping device is capable of operating to open and close and holds the recording medium between the nipping device and the surface of the retaining roller to mechanically retain the recording medium. The retaining device retains the recording medium on the surface of the retaining roller. The controller controls, on the basis of a condition for use of the recording medium, the nipping device to nip the recording medium between the nipping device and the surface of the retaining roller.

Abstract: A feeder that stores a sheet used to form an image in an image forming apparatus main body and that is configured to be drawn out from the image forming apparatus main body in a perpendicular direction to a sheet conveying direction. The feeder includes: a separation member that is in press-contact with a sheet feed member disposed in the image forming apparatus main body for separating a stored sheet in cooperation with the sheet feed member; an arm part that is attached to the separation member, the separation member being rotatably attached through the arm part; and a rotation mechanism that rotates the separation member downward through the arm part and releases the press contact with the sheet feed member when the feeder is drawn out from the image forming apparatus main body.

Abstract: A recording medium supply apparatus includes: a conveyance member that conveys a recording medium; a retard member, in contact with the conveyance member, that forms a contact portion between the conveyance member and the retard member and retards the recording medium by holding the recording medium in the contact portion; and a buckling prevention unit, configured to contact with the recording medium on the upstream side of the contact portion between the conveyance member and the retard member in a conveyance direction of the recording medium, that prevents buckling of the recording medium in the conveyance direction.

Abstract: An automatic paper feeder for an image-scanning device with a pressure-adjustable mechanism for adjusting the paper feeding roller of the automatic paper feeder is disclosed. A pressure from paper sheets stacked on a paper tray of the automatic paper feeder is detected by a paper tray pressure detecting mechanism and transferred to a roller pressure adjusting mechanism to change a pressure between the paper feeding roller and a paper separating plate and adjust a feeding angle of the movable paper tray.