Abstract: A stacker includes a plurality of sheet stacking units individually movable upward and downward. Sheets are selectively stacked onto either of the stacker trays. To remove the sheets stacked on one of the stacker trays, a door is opened. In a state where the door is open, the stacker trays moved by respective elevation units are movable only downward. In this manner, accidental upward movement of each of the stacker trays caused by a malfunction of a motor or the like is regulated, whereby damage to the stacker is prevented.

Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus includes a sheet accommodating unit which is detachably attached to an apparatus main body and configured to accommodate sheets, a sheet stacking unit which is provided in the sheet accommodating unit and can move while supporting the sheet, a sheet feeding unit configured to feed the sheet stacked on the sheet stacking unit, and a lift unit configured to move the sheet stacking unit toward the sheet feeding unit, wherein, before feeding of the sheet stacked on the sheet stacking unit by the sheet feeding unit, the lift unit increases and then reduces press contact force between the sheet stacked on the sheet stacking unit and the sheet feeding unit.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus is provided that includes a swing member swinging between a first position where a force for moving a pressing plate upward is transmitted to the pressing plate and a second position where transmission of the force is interrupted, a latchet mechanism that forbids the pressing plate to move downward and includes a latchet gear rotating in conjunction with a motion of the pressing plate and a latching member that is movably attached to the swing member and configured to forbid rotation of the latchet gear by engaging with the latchet gear, and a pressing member that applies a pressing force to the latching member when the swing member is in the second position and does not apply the pressing force to the latching member, and render the latching member movable relative to the swing member when the swing member is in the first position.

Abstract: Occurrence of improper sheet-feeding of sheets is reduced. A sheet stacking section is lifted by an amount that is larger when a sheet-feed retry is performed than when an ordinary lifting operation is performed.

Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus includes a sheet accommodating unit which is detachably attached to an apparatus main body and configured to accommodate sheets, a sheet stacking unit which is provided in the sheet accommodating unit and can move while supporting the sheet, a sheet feeding unit configured to feed the sheet stacked on the sheet stacking unit, and a lift unit configured to move the sheet stacking unit toward the sheet feeding unit, wherein, before feeding of the sheet stacked on the sheet stacking unit by the sheet feeding unit, the lift unit increases and then reduces press contact force between the sheet stacked on the sheet stacking unit and the sheet feeding unit.

Abstract: An image forming device includes a pickup roller, a planetary gear mechanism having an input gear, trigger and an output gear, lift mechanism, a cam member, a change-over member, and a stop assembly. The change-over member includes a first arm movable between a first position engaging with the trigger for transmitting rotation of the input gear to the output gear and a second position disengaging from the trigger for stopping transmission of rotation from the input gear to the output gear. The second arm is contactable with the cam member for moving the first arm between the first and second positions with movement of the pickup roller. The stop assembly includes a third arm movable between a third position engageable with and a fourth position disengageable from the output gear, and a fourth arm contactable with the cam member for moving the third arm between the third and fourth positions.

Abstract: A sheet feeding method includes supporting a media stack on an elevator, initiating operation of a pick roll in conjunction with a top most sheet, sensing whether or not the pick roll is operating in conjunction with the top most sheet, and moving the elevator, in response to the pick roll not operating in conjunction with the top most sheet, to overcome occurrence of a media handling failure mode between the pick roll and the top most sheet. The elevator is lowered, in response to the pick roll rotating but the top most sheet not arriving at a sheet arrival sensor, to increase a normal force imposed on the top most sheet to overcome the occurrence of a ‘fails to feed’ failure mode. The elevator is raised, in response to the pick roll not rotating, to decrease the normal force imposed on the top most sheet to overcome the occurrence of a ‘pick roll stall’ failure mode.

Abstract: A sheet feeding device includes a loading portion configured to be loaded with a sheet, a lifting mechanism that lifts the loading portion in an operating state and stops the loading portion in an stopped state, a cam configured to be rotated alternately to a first rotational position for setting the lifting mechanism to the operating state and to a second rotational position for setting the lifting mechanism to the stopped state, a detecting unit having a contact portion movable up and down while contacting the sheet on the loading portion, which detects whether the sheet reaches a first height based upon the movement of the contact portion thereof, and a control unit configured to rotate the cam before the detecting unit detects that the sheet reaches the first height and to stop the cam in the second rotational position in response to the detection by the detecting unit.

Abstract: A cassette having a scissor type linkage for displacing a received substrate payment from an initial receiving guide to a storage arrangement is powered by a two bar drive linkage. The two bar drive linkage has one bar connected to said housing and the free end of the other bar member connected adjacent a central pivot of the scissor type linkage. A link member is connected to the pivot connection of the bars to each other with an opposite end connected to a worm driven crank arm. The drive linkage provides a mechanical advantage as a payment substrate is added to the storage arrangement.

Abstract: In an image scanning apparatus, when documents on a document tray are sequentially transferred, different control steps are performed according to a scanning speed when an upper surface height of the documents is lowered thereby turning off a height detection sensor. In a first control mode, which is not a high speed scanning, the document tray is elevated little by little during an inter-transfer time between each time one document is transferred until the upper surface height reaches a target height that is higher by a predetermined distance since the height detection sensor is turned on. In a second control mode, in which high speed scanning is performed, the document tray is elevated little by little during the inter-transfer time each time the one document is transferred until the upper surface height reaches a height that is higher by a predetermined distance than a height at a time when the height detection sensor is turned off.

Abstract: A sheet feeder includes a feed tray receiving sheets, a catch tray receiving the sheets ejected thereon, a feeding mechanism conveying the sheets from the feed tray to the catch tray, an ejection mode switching mechanism switching an ejection mode between a first mode in which the sheets are sequentially ejected on a stack of sheets already ejected and a second mode in which the sheets are sequentially ejected and inserted under a stack of sheets already ejected, an ejection detecting sensor detecting a sheet ejected on the catch tray, and a controller configured to, in response to an instruction to start feeding the sheets, forbid driving the feeding mechanism when determining that the ejection mode is set to the second mode and determining with the ejection detecting sensor that a sheet is on the catch tray.

Abstract: Printing sheets (4) are placed on a sheet placing plate (103). A pickup roller (6) contacts a surface of the uppermost printing sheet (4) placed on the sheet placing plate (103) and feeds the printing sheet (4) out of the sheet placing plate (103). A spring (109) resiliently urges the sheet placing plate (103) toward the pickup roller (6). A ratchet (108) moves in accordance with the movement of the sheet placing plate (103). The printing sheets (4) on the sheet placing plate (103) urges the pickup roller (6) upward so that a pickup frame (115) moves upward to a position detected by a position detecting sensor (65). In accordance with the detection signal from the position detecting sensor (65), a solenoid (71) moves a lock lever (110) so that the lock lever (110) engages the ratchet (108) to thereby restrict the movement of the sheet placing plate (103).

Abstract: A media handling mechanism in a printing device includes an input tray for holding a stack of media sheets at a top level. The input tray includes a platform on which the stack of media sheets rests. The media handling mechanism also has a driving means coupled to the input tray for driving the platform upward toward a media pick mechanism of the printing device and a restricting mechanism connected to the input tray. The restricting mechanism stops upward movements of the platform toward the media pick mechanism when the top level of the stack of media reaches a first predetermined level.

Abstract: A card-like article is provided with an elevator assembly that can elevate a stacked array of cards to a discharge station. The elevator assembly can be incrementally advanced by reciprocating operating rods that extends between pairs of rails. The elevator assembly can be releaseably affixed to the rails by a braking assembly.

Abstract: The sheet feeder includes a tray having a pusher mechanism mounted at a rear portion and a feeder mechanism mounted at a forward portion. The pusher mechanism is driven through a spring wrap clutch which includes a ratchet which engages a pawl mounted on the feeder mechanism. When the feeder mechanism is in a first position the pawl is disengaged from the ratchet and the clutch is free to rotate and engage the pusher mechanism which advances the stack of sheets against the feeder mechanism, driving the feeder mechanism back to a second position where the pawl engages the ratchet, disengaging the spring wrap clutch and halting the pusher mechanism. As sheets are fed from the stack a spring urges the feeder mechanism back towards the first position, disengaging the ratchet and engaging the clutch and repeating the cycle. A spring maintains a substantially constant normal force between the feeder mechanism and the stack as the feeder mechanism moves between the first and second positions.

Abstract: The present invention provides a sheet supply apparatus comprising a lifter device for maintaining a height of an upper surface of a sheet stack supported by a sheet supporting device substantially constant by lifting or lowering the sheet supporting device, and a supply device for feeding out an uppermost sheet from the sheet stack maintained in a constant height position by the lifter device, and wherein the lifter device comprises a clutch member for transmitting a predetermined amount of rotation from a drive gear, a rock member for rocking a ratchet pawl by the rotation transmitted by the clutch member, a ratchet gear engageable by the ratchet pawl and rotated by a rocking movement of the ratchet pawl, a lifter member connected to the ratchet gear and adapted to lift the sheet supporting member by rotation of the ratchet gear, and an actuation device shifted in accordance with the height of the upper surface of the sheet stack rested on the sheet supporting device and adapted to actuate the clutch member

Abstract: A sheet feeder for rotary printing machines having a horizontally movable support for a sheet pile, stops for laterally adjusting the sheet pile and vertically disposed guide rails in a forward region of the sheet pile for engaging the leading edge of the sheets, includes a device for mounting the guide rails so that they are freely movable laterally, and automatically follow a movement of the sheet pile.

Abstract: A movable platform supports a stack of sheets, with at least a portion of the stack being in a predetermined feed zone where feeding apparatus engages and feeds the sheets, one-at-a-time, from the feed zone into processing machinery. Biasing means continuously urge the platform toward the feed zone and are responsive to a controller for advancing additional sheets of the stack into the feed zone as the sheets are fed therefrom. A sensor is responsive to removal of sheets from the feed zone to energize the controller for enabling the biasing means to advance the table when sheets are not present in the feed zone and to deenergize the controller for disabling the biasing means and terminating movement of the platform when sheets are present in the feed zone.