Abstract: An alignment device for aligning multiple beams for a spar cap of a wind turbine blade of a wind turbine with respect to each other is provided. The alignment device includes a support plate, which is configured so that the multiple beams can be placed on a top side of the support plate, two limit stops, which are configured to partially enclose the multiple beams, at least one bending apparatus attached to the support plate and configured to bend the support plate, a vibration apparatus attached to the support plate and/or the at least one bending apparatus, whereby the vibration apparatus is configured to vibrate the support plate and/or the bending apparatus, so that the multiple beams become aligned with respect to each other is provided. A method for aligning multiple beams for a spar cap of a wind turbine blade of a wind turbine is also provided.

Abstract: A discharge tray includes a main tray having a support face that supports discharged paper, and an extension tray being supported by the main tray, and being capable of movement between a storage position in which the extension tray is stored in the main tray and an extended position in which the extension tray has been moved to extend along a discharge direction of the paper from a leading end side of the main tray in the discharge direction. A pair of first projections is provided to both ends at the discharge direction leading end side of the main tray, and a pair of second projections that project upward is provided to both ends at the discharge direction leading end side of the extension tray. The pair of second projections are positioned to the inside of the pair of first projections in a width direction orthogonal to the discharge direction.

Abstract: An object of the invention is to provide a sheet materials separation-aiding apparatus capable of creating a gap between a specific sheet material and a sheet material coming into contact with the lower surface thereof even when the location precision of a stack of laminated sheet materials is low in the height direction of the stack of laminated sheet materials and in the direction orthogonal to the height direction.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an ejecting port, an ejected sheet tray and a guiding member. The ejected sheet tray has a sheet stacking face inclined upwardly towards a downstream side from a lower side of the ejecting port. The guiding member is provided at a position on the sheet stacking face to contact with a tip end of the ejected sheet at the position. The guiding member includes a base member attached to the sheet stacking face, a movable guide for stacking the ejected sheet and a biasing member. The movable guide is turnably supported on the base member around a supporting shaft. The biasing member is interposed between the base member and the movable guide at an upstream side from the supporting shaft to bias the movable guide upwardly. The movable guide is turned downwardly against a biasing force of the biasing member by weight of stacked sheets.

Abstract: A post-processing device for applying a post-process to a sheet fed from a device of a preceding stage is provided. The post-processing device includes a holding tray; an alignment mechanism; an output mechanism; and a control unit. In the case where a first sheet and a second sheet are different in size, the control unit performs a control in such a manner that, when the first sheet is fed, the alignment mechanism or the output mechanism shifts the first sheet to match the side edge of the first sheet and the side edge of the second sheet to be fed following the first sheet, and that, after the second sheet is fed, the output mechanism outputs the sheet bundle.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for automated aerating and handling a sub stack of a stack of rectangular paper sheets where the sub stack is gripped near or at opposed corners of a common edge of the sub stack by means of two robotic grippers (A, B) having two opposed gripping fingers (A1, A2, B1, B2), lifting and rotating the corners in mutually opposite first directions such that the work stack achieves an upwards concave form, gripping the corners by the robotic grippers (A, B), and rotating the grippers in second directions opposite to the first directions such that the upper sheet of the sub stack has a curvature smaller than the bottom sheet of the sub stack, preferably a substantially plane form.

Abstract: Described herein is a novel process for separating individual lubricated aluminum sheets from a stack of lubricated aluminum sheets as they enter a stamping press for fabrication. The process involves placing a lift underneath a stack of aluminum sheets and lifting the center upwards. This in turn causes the edges of the stack to bend downwards, creating a concave bending curvature facing the lift. The induced curvature is sufficient to provide the inter-sheet shear necessary to break the adhesion caused by the lubricant.

Abstract: Provided is a transport device including a first roller that is driven to rotate by a driving section, and transports a recording medium, a second roller that includes a second rotating shaft and a second rotating section, and pushes the transported recording medium against the first roller, the second rotating section including a first member that comes into contact with the recording medium, and a second member that comes into contact with the second roller when the recording medium having a predetermined size is transported, and a measurement unit that measures speed at which second rotating shaft rotates, wherein a force with which the first member rotates the second rotating shaft is greater than a force with which the second member rotates the second rotating shaft.

Abstract: A conveyor device is mounted on an image forming apparatus having an image forming section. The conveyor device has: a first conveyance path for conveying the sheet after an image is formed on a side of a sheet by the image forming section; a reverse conveyance path branched from the first conveyance path; a second conveyance path branched from the reverse conveyance path and for conveying the sheet back to the image forming section. The conveyor device includes a reversing section and a decurling section that are disposed on the reverse conveyance path. The reversing section reverses a conveyance direction of the sheet fed into the reverse conveyance path so as to feed the sheet into the second conveyance path. The decurling section applies decurling by urging the sheet in a direction of forming a convex curl with a side opposite to the image-formed side facing outward.

Abstract: A web-guiding system for guiding a web of media travelling from upstream to downstream along a transport path in an in-track direction, including a web-guiding structure and a vacuum system. The web-guiding structure includes an exterior surface having a pattern of recesses formed into the exterior surface, wherein the web of media travels past the web-guiding structure with a first side of the web of media contacting at least some non-recessed portions of the exterior surface of the web-guiding structure. The vacuum system is positioned such that the web of media passes between the web-guiding structure and the vacuum system, the vacuum system being adapted to provide a vacuum force to pull the second side of the web of media toward the vacuum system, thereby lifting portions of the web of media overlying the recesses away from the exterior surface of the web-guiding structure.

Abstract: A web-guiding system for guiding a web of media travelling from upstream to downstream along a transport path in an in-track direction, including a web-guiding structure and an air source. The web-guiding structure includes an exterior surface having a pattern of recesses formed into the exterior surface, wherein the web of media travels past the web-guiding structure with a first side of the web of media contacting at least some non-recessed portions of the exterior surface of the web-guiding structure. The air source provides an air flow between the first side of the web of media and the exterior surface of the web-guiding structure thereby providing a lifting force to lift portions of the web of media overlying the recesses away from the exterior surface of the web-guiding structure.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for automated aerating and handling a sub stack of a stack of rectangular paper sheets where the sub stack is gripped near or at opposed corners of a common edge of the sub stack by means of two robotic grippers (A, B) having two opposed gripping fingers (A1, A2, B1, B2), lifting and rotating the corners in mutually opposite first directions such that the work stack achieves an upwards concave form, gripping the corners by the robotic grippers (A, B), and rotating the grippers in second directions opposite to the first directions such that the upper sheet of the sub stack has a curvature smaller than the bottom sheet of the sub stack, preferably a substantially plane form.

Abstract: There is provided an image forming apparatus including separating members in a conveyance direction of sheets conveyed from a paper tray, the separating members being configured to separate the sheets one by one. The separating members include an upward regulating member configured to regulate a central part of a sheet in a width direction in a manner that the central part of the sheet points upward, and downward regulating members on both sides of the upward regulating member, the downward regulating members each being configured to regulate both ends of the sheet in the width direction in a manner that both ends of the sheet point downward. A position of an upper end of the upward regulating member is higher than a position of a lower end of each downward regulating member.

Abstract: To suppress the bending of sheets, a sheet conveying apparatus comprising: a sheet conveying portion including an abutting portion for abutting against an end portion of the sheet supported by a supporting portion and which conveys the sheet being abutted against the abutting portion by moving in a predetermined moving direction; and a pressing portion which is provided on the sheet conveying portion such that the pressing portion is movable in a thickness direction of the sheet and which presses the sheet toward the supporting portion, wherein the pressing portion includes: an inclined portion arranged to be closer to the supporting portion at an upstream side than a downstream side; and a contacting portion configured to contact a surface of the sheet being abutted against the abutting portion to press the sheet to the supporting portion at a position distant from the abutting portion.

Abstract: Disclosed is a device for correcting an edge portion of a sheet material, including a first roller provided in a sheet material conveying path, a second roller including a center shaft and side rollers provided at both sides thereof, the center shaft having an outer diameter less than a minimum diameter of the side rollers, each of the side rollers having an outer diameter increasing from a center side to an outer side thereof, and a pressing unit configured to cause the second roller to bend toward the first roller to press the side rollers of the second roller against the first roller.

Abstract: A loading device includes a disposing unit to dispose the recording media, and a detector to detect the disposed recording media. The disposing unit includes a loading member on which the recording media are loaded, a pair of guide members movable in width directions of the recording media that are mounted on the loading member, and a guide driver to move the guide members. The end detector detects positions at which the guide members are in contact with the recording media as the ends of the recording media. The guide driver further moves the guide members in the width direction to cause the recording media to form flexures, subsequently moves the guide members to separate from the recording media, and then moves the guide members to be in contact with the recording media again.

Abstract: A sheet conveying device (30) includes a plurality of first conveyance rollers (31) and a plurality of second conveyance rollers (32). The sheet conveying device (30) includes stiffening rollers (34). The stiffening rollers (34) are disposed coaxially with at least one conveyance rollers (32) among the first and second conveyance rollers (31) and (32), and have diameters larger than diameters of the conveyance rollers (32). The stiffening rollers (34) includes first stiffening rollers (34a), which apply conveying forces to a sheet (P), and second stiffening rollers (34b), which apply smaller conveying forces to the sheet (P) than the conveying forces to the sheet (P) in the first stiffening rollers (34a).

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an image forming apparatus. The image forming apparatus includes a fixing device configured to fix a visible image transferred on a printing medium, a decurl device configured to correct a curl produced on the printing medium, a discharging device configured to discharge the printing medium to a space outside of a main body of the image forming apparatus, and a guide device disposed between the fixing device and the discharging device. The guide device guides the printing medium around the decurl device when a transport direction of the printing medium is reversed for duplex printing.

Abstract: Provided is a sheet storing apparatus including a processing tray and a stack tray arranged respectively at the downstream side of a path sheet discharging port of a sheet discharging path and at the downstream side of the processing tray as forming a step respectively, and a reversing roller arranged at a tray sheet discharging port as being capable of rotating forwardly and reversely to convey a sheet conveyed from the path sheet discharging port selectively to the processing tray and the stack tray, so that a sheet to be conveyed to the processing tray from the path sheet discharging port is conveyed in a state of having corrugations formed thereon and a sheet to be conveyed to the stack tray from the sheet discharging port is stored at the stack tray in a flat shape as having the corrugations corrected after passing through the reversing roller.

Abstract: A paper sheet seasoning apparatus includes a mount on which a plurality of sheet-like recording media are loaded. A central portion of the mount is curved in a convex shape when seen in a first direction. The apparatus also includes a blowing member that blows air in the first direction onto end portions of the recording media loaded on the mount. The apparatus further includes a pair of side panels that support both end portions in a direction that intersects the first direction of the recording media on the mount, and a top panel disposed with a gap in a vertical direction between the top panel and the uppermost recording medium on the mount. On at least one of the side panels, there is disposed an approaching surface that approaches the opposing side panel as the approaching surface heads upward in the vertical direction.

Abstract: A media cassette comprises: a base on which a stack of media items may be placed, a pusher plate biased towards the base and a plurality of drive rollers located beneath the profiled surface and partially protruding through apertures defined in the profiled surface. The base includes a profiled surface extending from a central low region disposed along an axis of the base to higher regions on opposing sides of the central low region. The pusher plate is operable to urge a stack of media items onto the profiled surface. The plurality of drive rollers are operable to drive a media item in contact with the profiled surface out of the media cassette.

Abstract: When a sheet is fed, a feeding roller is rotated in the direction opposite to the direction in which the sheet is fed to draw out the uppermost sheet from a separation claw, and then the sheet is fed in such a manner that the feeding roller is rotated in the direction in which the sheet is fed to feed the drawn out sheet along the upper surface of a separation claw. When the sheet is fed, a curvature formation portion curves downward both ends in the width direction of the second and subsequent sheets to integrally lower pressing portions for pressing both ends in the width direction of the sheet along with the curved sheets and to separate the pressing portions from the uppermost sheet, thereby preventing the leading end of the uppermost sheet from catching the pressing portions.

Abstract: According to an example structure, an image forming apparatus includes a belt having a conveying surface on which a recording sheet is conveyed; an image forming unit disposed opposite to the belt and forming an image on a surface of the recording sheet conveyed by the belt; a conveying unit conveying the recording sheet onto the belt; and a guiding member disposed opposite to the conveying surface of the belt and configured to at least partly guide the recording sheet toward the conveying surface of the belt while the guiding member comes into contact with a first back surface opposite to a surface of which the recording sheet comes into contact with the conveying surface of the belt. The recording sheet is guided by the guiding member while being bent at a center of tip end portion with respect to a width direction orthogonal to a conveying direction of the recording sheet so as to protrude toward the conveying surface of the belt.

Abstract: An air blowing apparatus includes: a paper stack accommodating section which forms a paper stack accommodating space for accommodating a stack of paper; and an air blowing device which blows air toward an edge of each sheet of paper of the stack of paper accommodated in the paper stack accommodating space, wherein the paper stack accommodating section includes a curved surface which faces a paper surface of the stack of paper, and the curved surface extends in an air blowing direction of the air blowing device and has a curvature in a direction perpendicular to the air blowing direction of the air blowing device.

Abstract: A paper-feeding apparatus for a printing apparatus includes a paper input port, a first paper holding tray and a second paper holding tray. The paper input port curves the sheets of paper fed into it so as to increase the rigidity of the stack and the friction between each sheet. The additional rigidity of the stack allows the use of a lightweight paper tray in holding the stack.

Abstract: A sheet separator and apparatus utilizing the same for separating media sheets in an image forming device. The apparatus includes a supporting member for supporting a stack of media sheets, a pick assembly to pick media sheets and to feed the media sheets to a processing assembly of the image forming device, and a media dam having at least one sheet separator. Each sheet separator includes a casing inclined at a predetermined angle to the supporting member, a biasing member and a base member slidable within the casing. A plurality of detents in the form of steps or teeth are provided on a sheet receiving surface of the base member and the biasing member act to separate a top most media sheet from an adjacent media sheet to prevent double feeding of media sheets.

Abstract: A paper-feeding apparatus for a printing apparatus includes a paper input port, a first paper holding tray and a second paper holding tray. The paper input port curves the sheets of paper fed into it so as to increase the rigidity of the stack and the friction between each sheet. The additional rigidity of the stack allows the use of a lightweight paper tray in holding the stack.

Abstract: To provide a paper feeding device that can stably feed a recording media of an angle bottomed envelope or the like with a non-uniform thickness in which defects such as feeding failure, oblique feeding, dog ears and paper jamming or the like are not generated, a paper feeding device of the present invention includes a bottom plate 41 that sends up a recording media stacked thereon to a paper feeding position, a feeding device 24 that feeds an uppermost piece of the recording media sent up to the paper feeding position in which an auxiliary member 50 with a curved surface is disposed at least within a width directional area occupied by the paper feeding device 24 and atop an upper surface of the bottom plate 41, a height from each point of the curved surface of the auxiliary member 50 to the bottom plate 41 is non-uniform.

Abstract: A roller storage system for storing sheet-type objects, in particular bank notes, is proposed, comprising a first film drum (3), which can be rotatably driven by a motor, with a first strip-shaped film (7) as a storage strip, comprising a second film drum (4), which can be rotatably driven by a motor, with a second strip-shaped film (11) as a cover strip, and comprising a winding drum (1), which can be rotatably driven by a motor. The films (7, 11), for the reception of the sheet-type objects (20), can be wound from the two film drums (3, 4) onto the winding drum (1) and, for the dispensing of the sheet-type objects (20), can be wound from the winding drum (1) onto the two film drums (3, 4). A first deviating roller (9) between the first film drum (3) and the winding drum (1) serves for the diversion of the first film (7). A second deviating roller (13) between the second film drum (4) and the winding drum (1) serves for the diversion of the second film (11).

Abstract: A tier sheet dispensing apparatus for a conveyor system stores a stack of tier sheets and sequentially dispenses the tier sheets, one at a time, onto the top of a two-dimensionally arrayed layer of objects that is being conveyed on a conveyor system. The tier sheet dispensing apparatus has a curved surface that supports the stack of tier sheets. The curved surface bends the stack of tier sheets in a convex curve that facilitates the removal of a single sheet from the top of the stack. The apparatus also has a lift mechanism that moves vertically over the stack of tier sheets to selectively attach to the top tier sheet in the stack and raise the top tier sheet from the stack. The lift mechanism also moves transversely relative to the stack of tier sheets to position the attached tier sheet over the conveyor for placement of the tier sheet on the layer of objects conveyed by the conveyor.

Abstract: A paper feeding device 200 provided in an image forming apparatus 1A according to one embodiment of the present invention is provided with a loading member 201 in which sheets P can be stacked and a central bending section 210 configured to upwardly raise a sheet transport direction X central area P2 of the sheet P for sheets P stacked in the loading member 201.

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: A sheet conveyance device includes: a first conveyance member configured to convey a sheet in a first direction; a second conveyance member configured to convey the sheet in a second direction; a guide disposed between the first conveyance member and the second conveyance member, the guide having a curved face configured to guide the sheet conveyed from the first conveyance member to the second conveyance member; and an adjustment member disposed at an inner position of the curvature of the curved face of the guide, the adjustment member being configured to swing to contact with a curved inner face of the sheet guided by the guide in accordance with a contact force applied by the sheet.

Abstract: An air blowing apparatus includes: a paper stack accommodating section which forms a paper stack accommodating space for accommodating a stack of paper; and an air blowing device which blows air toward an edge of each sheet of paper of the stack of paper accommodated in the paper stack accommodating space, wherein the paper stack accommodating section includes a curved surface which faces a paper surface of the stack of paper, and the curved surface extends in an air blowing direction of the air blowing device and has a curvature in a direction perpendicular to the air blowing direction of the air blowing device.

Abstract: A feeding device includes a mounting portion which mounts media thereon, a feeding roller which feeds the mounted media, an edge-guide which moves in a widthwise direction of the mounted media which traverses a feeding direction of the mounted media and aligns both sides of the mounted media, and a curve-imparting portion which imparts a curve to the mounted media in a direction which intersects a moving direction of the edge-guide.

Abstract: A sheet stacking apparatus for storing a plurality of sheets is disclosed having a storage chamber having a first transverse dimension, a platform located within the storage chamber for storing a plurality of sheets in a substantially vertical stack thereon, a feeder for feeding a top sheet from the stack, and means for moving the platform upwards to hold the stack in operative contact with the feeder, wherein the platform comprises a support portion having a second transverse dimension which is less than the first transverse dimension, for allowing sheets stacked on the platform to droop below the support portion in at least one overhanging region.

Abstract: A low-profile document feeding machine includes a feeder, a hopper, at least one processing device, and an output pocket. The feeder feeds documents one at a time from a document stack in the hopper for processing by the at least one processing device and reception by the output pocket. The hopper includes a floor-wall construction for holding the document stack. The floor-wall construction is configured to column-form documents in the document stack. The column-forming provides increased stiffness in the vertical direction and prevents documents from falling/folding over due to top-heaviness.

Abstract: A low-profile document feeding machine includes a feeder, a hopper, at least one processing device, and an output pocket. The feeder feeds documents one at a time from a document stack in the hopper for processing by the at least one processing device and reception by the output pocket. The hopper has a hopper floor including a hopper floor extension that extends beyond a footprint of the low-profile document feeding machine so as to better support longer documents. The hopper floor extension extend a to a sufficient extent such that a total length of the hopper floor is at least about 5.5 inches.

Abstract: The invention describes a sheet feed device having a sheet tray having a bottom plate defining a first portion of a storing portion that receives sheets therein, a feed roller, a separation plate, and a recessed portion formed in the separation surface. The feed roller moves to contact a sheet of the sheets, and to feed the sheet. The separation plate is disposed at a downstream end of the sheet tray and extends in a width direction. The separation plate has a separation surface which is inclined with respect to the bottom plate of the sheet tray, and defines at least a second portion of the storing portion. The recessed portion is formed in the separation surface and extends toward a downstream end of the separation surface. The separation plate is configured to separate the sheet from the sheets as the feed roller feeds the sheet.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for separating and aerating sheets of material arranged in a stack include a stack support member on which the stack is retained in a generally flat condition, and a clamping member which clamps onto an edge portion of the stack. Upper and lower rollers are positioned above and below the stack of sheet material, and an adjustment member converges and diverges the same into and out of engagement with the stack. A conveyor member shifts the stack of sheet material between the upper and lower rollers. The upper roller and lower roller are arranged in a staggered relationship, such that an imaginary plane extending between the two rollers is disposed at an angle with respect to both the horizontal and the vertical.

Abstract: An image-forming apparatus includes multiple sheet discharge trays arranged on a downstream of a fixing unit in a layer structure, and multiple sheet-receiving units provided corresponding to the multiple sheet discharge trays arranged in the layer structure. Each of the sheet-receiving units respectively includes a climbing slope from a sheet discharge direction start point to a sheet discharge direction end point, and an angle of the climbing slope of a sheet-receiving unit is close to plane, as the sheet-receiving unit is arranged on a further downstream. It is thus possible to provide the image-forming apparatus in which discharged sheets of paper are not piled up on the sheet-receiving unit in a curled state or the discharged sheet does not push out the sheet piled on the sheet-receiving unit.

Abstract: A medium tray (101) comprises a medium support (1) connected to a medium feeding section (100) of an image recording apparatus (200) and receiving record medium (P), and a medium guide (5) extending from the medium support (1) and supporting the record medium (P) such that an angle of a rear portion of the record medium (P) is changed. A lengthy record medium (P) having a length greater than the medium support (1) is supported by the medium guide (5) with the rear portion thereof directed at a different angle so that the length record medium (P) is loaded in the medium tray (101) without enlarging an area projecting from the image recording apparatus (200).

Abstract: In an automatic document feeder (ADF) paper feed tray, in a state where a sheet is placed, a center portion of the sheet in the width direction is supported by a first support portion, an outside portion of the sheet in the width direction is supported by a second support portion, and both side portions of the sheet in the width direction hang down substantially uniformly. By this arrangement, the ADF paper feed tray can be made small. As a result, in the case where the sheet is discharged below the ADF paper feed tray, the confirmation of the discharged sheet can be facilitated.

Abstract: A paper feeding device 200 provided in an image forming apparatus 1A according to one embodiment of the present invention is provided with a loading member 201 in which sheets P can be stacked and a central bending section 210 configured to upwardly raise a sheet transport direction X central area P2 of the sheet P for sheets P stacked in the loading member 201.

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: The present sheet separation technique provides easy means to separate thin sheets of paper. Slight bulges of various forms that do not nest together with adjacent sheets are formed in the sheets so that each sheet stands slightly free from its neighbors at or near such bulges so long as a sheet is not weighted down significantly. When weighted significantly, such as by numerous overlying pages, the sheet becomes flat as in the usual present form not having such features. In a preferred form, parts of at least some of the bulges extend to, or near, one or more edge locations.

Abstract: According to an aspect of the invention an adjustable sheet feeder for use in an apparatus for feeding sheets from the top of a sheet supply stack is shown. The sheet supply stack has a center and marginal edges, each having a top. The adjustable sheet feeder comprises a sheet supply stack support, a sheet feed head assembly, a curl sensing device which senses the position of the stack edges relative to the position of the stack center top and provides feedback, an adjustment device, and a feed back display which displays the curl sensing device feedback. The adjustment device adjusts the position of the stack center top relative to the position of the stack marginal edges top based on the curl sensing device feedback.

Abstract: A decurler to decurl a curled printing media being transported into a release area, the decurler comprising: a) at least one guide arm against which the printing media presses, positioned and adapted to bend the printing media along an axis substantially in a direction of transport thereof; and b) a hinge on which the guide arm is mounted, the hinge being oriented at an angle of between 0.25 degrees and 20 degrees from vertical, wherein a reaction force that the guide arm exerts on the printing media is suitable for decurling the printing media. Another deculer with a flexible strip which hangs down and presses against a middle portion of the printing media.

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: A paper handling apparatus includes a tray for supporting a stack of cut paper sheets. The tray includes at least one hinged portion. A feed roller is disposed above the tray for selectively feeding sheets seriatim from the stack of cut paper sheets. The paper handling apparatus further includes a stack flexing mechanism for pivoting the hinged portion of the tray to flex the stack of paper without bringing the paper into contact with the feed roller. This conditioning of the paper stack may reduce misfeeds or multifeeds from the paper stack.