Abstract: An apparatus for feeding and aligning sheets which are fed to a processing machine, e.g. a printing machine, includes at least two parallel transporting belts which, on a side directed toward the sheet, subject the sheet to different retaining forces, in such a way that the retaining force in outer peripheral regions is greater than in an inner region located therebetween. The transporting belts can be activated individually in dependence on the position of the sheet, and they can therefore align the sheet in its transporting direction and obliquely thereto.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method for successively conveying a series of sheets are disclosed. The apparatus has a first conveyer for conveying a sheet in a sheet conveying direction at a first speed and a second conveyer disposed spaced vertically away from the first conveyer for conveying the sheet in the same direction at a second speed. The second conveyer has a region overlapping with the first conveyer at least for a distance corresponding to a dimension of the sheet, e.g. the width of veneer sheet, as measured in the sheet conveying direction. A suction mechanism is disposed in said overlapping region for transferring by suction the sheet in the entirety of its dimension from the first conveyer to the second conveyer and holding by suction the sheet against the second conveyer. The sheet is further moved by the second conveyer, e.g. to a sheet stacking station.

Abstract: There are provided a sheet conveying apparatus and an image forming apparatus, which enable stable sheet conveyance without depending on sheet size. An air suction portion having a duct portion for air suction is provided inwardly of an endless belt having a plurality of suction holes. Air is taken in through the suction holes of the endless belt and the duct portion for air suction by the air suction portion to absorb a sheet onto the endless belt. When the sheet having a sheet conveying direction length in which a sheet trailing end reaches the endless belt before a sheet leading end reaches a fixing device is conveyed, at least part of the portion of the duct portion through which the sheet trailing end passes before the sheet leading end reaches the fixing portion is closed by a shutter.

Abstract: A vacuum control assembly for use in an image production device is provided. The assembly has a plenum having a vacuum inlet; a perforated plate fluidly connected to the plenum, the perforated plate having a plurality of perforations; a baffle plate connected to an inside of the plenum such that the baffle plate can slide relative to the perforated plate and can pivot relative to the perforated plate; and a protrusion on the inside of the plenum. The baffle plate is capable of sliding relative to the perforated plate between a closed position and an open position, the closed position being where the baffle plate causes the vacuum inlet to be fluidly connected to a first plurality of the perforations, and the open position being where the baffle plate is pivoted away from the perforated plate, causing the vacuum inlet to be fluidly connected to a maximum number of the perforations.

Abstract: A roll feeder reliably produces sheets obtained by cutting a web, as a pack of sheets arranged in a partially overlapping fashion with a quantity of overlap margin of the sheet suitable for use with a printing press and capable of easily controlling overlap. A roll feeder includes a rotary cutter for cutting a web to obtain cut sheets, a lower suction and conveyance belt element for sucking and conveying the sheets cut by the rotary cutter, a lift member for raising upwardly the tail edge of the cut sheet sucked and conveyed by the lower suction and conveyance belt element, and an upper suction and conveyance belt element for sucking the tail edge of the cut sheet raised by the lift member from above and conveying the cut sheet at a speed lower than the speed at which the lower suction and conveyance belt element conveys the cut sheet.

Abstract: An image recording apparatus includes a plurality of linear motor mechanisms for transporting a plurality of tables in a first transport section including at least an area in which an image is recorded on recording media, and an endless transport mechanism for transporting the plurality of tables in at least a second transport section contiguous with the first transport section and capable of transporting the plurality of tables in the first transport section. The image recording apparatus further includes an unused linear motor mechanism determination part for determining an unused linear motor mechanism. When the unused linear motor mechanism is determined, the endless transport mechanism is used as an alternative to transport at least one of the tables which is to be transported in the first transport section but which is able to be transported by none of the plurality of linear motor mechanisms.

Abstract: A sheet deceleration apparatus includes a pair of rotatable rollers, being rotatable about first and second axes, the rollers positioned on opposite sides of the travel path. At least one of the rollers is moveable relative to the other to nip the sheet between the rollers to reduce the travel speed of the sheet. A vacuum conveyor is further provided along the travel path subsequent the pair of rollers to control delivery of the sheet to a stacking hopper. A third rotatable roller, or similar apparatus, may be included in some embodiments, for pushing the sheet of material away from the vacuum conveyor at the appropriate time.

Abstract: An ink jet printer includes: ink jet heads that discharge aqueous ink droplets onto a printing surface of a printing medium that is transported in a predetermined direction; a vapor supply unit that is provided at a downstream side of the ink jet head in a direction in which the printing medium is transported and supplies vapor to a surface of the printing medium opposite the printing surface of the printing medium having the liquid droplets discharged from the ink jet heads in a non-contact manner; and a vapor electrostatic deposition unit that deposits the vapor supplied from the vapor supply unit to the surface of the printing medium opposite the printing surface of the printing medium using electrostatic force.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a supply mechanism is provided. The supply mechanism supplies accumulated paper sheets to a takeout position sequentially. A takeout belt having adsorption hole runs along a surface of the takeout position. An opening of a negative pressure chamber is arranged so as to face the takeout belt. A suction unit sucks air existing at the takeout position via the opening and the adsorption holes. The suction unit causes a negative pressure to act on each of the paper sheets so that each is adsorbed onto an adsorption surface of the takeout belt. The suction unit has an air supply port to supply air into the negative pressure chamber. The air supply port is arranged so that the air supplied via the air supply port is directed to a position and in a direction different from those of the opening.

Abstract: A media dispenser has a delivery module for feeding media, a stacking module for stacking the media, which are fed through the delivery module, on a stacking plate, and a delivery clamp module for clamping the media stacked on the stacking module and delivering the clamped media to the customer, and for feeding the media, which the customer did not take out, to the stacking plate. A path through which the media clamped by the delivery clamp module are fed to a reject box is opened by moving the stacking plate of the stacking module. The method comprises the steps of returning the media onto the stacking plate by a clamp assembly, opening a reject slot by allowing a driving plate to be moved by a driving source and the stacking plate to be moved together with the driving plate, and dropping the media as the clamp assembly unclamps the media through the opened reject slot.

Abstract: A sheet transport method and apparatus are provided for improving the handling of sheets control in printing systems. This automatic sheet transport system and method includes transporting a sheet in the printing machine via a transport belt circulating in a direction of transport, wherein a sheet contact surface of the circulating transport belt is made of an electrically non-conducting material. The method includes placing a sheet on an area of the transport belt and sucking or holding the sheet to the circulating transport belt by a negative pressure applied through the belt and also applying electrical charges to generate electro-static holding forces between the circulating transport belt and the sheet.

Abstract: A liquid droplet discharge apparatus includes a conveyor belt that retains and conveys a recording medium, a liquid droplet discharge head that discharges liquid droplets onto the recording medium retained on the conveyor belt, a discharge belt that moves to a recording medium feeding position of the conveyor belt, receives the recording medium, and retains and conveys the recording medium to a discharge port; and an inversion belt that moves to the recording medium feeding position, receives and retains the recording medium, and feeds the recording medium to an inversion path. By disposing the inversion belt, the conveyance direction of the recording medium can be switched without contacting the recording surface of the recording medium, and even when two-sided printing is to be conducted at a high speed, the inversion belt does not become soiled by the liquid droplets adhering to the recording surface of the recording medium.

Abstract: Embodiments herein include a printing or copying device that includes a media transport belt and a vacuum manifold. The vacuum manifold has an air intake positioned adjacent the media transport belt and has a vacuum blower or other air moving device that forces air out an air outlet of the manifold. The vacuum blower forces air from the vacuum manifold through the air outlet to create vacuum within the manifold. The vacuum manifold also includes transport belt openings that are sized, shaped, and positioned to allow the transport belt to pass into the vacuum manifold. The media transport belt is positioned partially within, and partially outside the vacuum manifold, such that the media transport belt is positioned to move through (within) the vacuum manifold from a first transport belt opening to a second transport belt opening.

Abstract: A high speed sheet stacker includes a plurality of vacuum transport sub-assemblies interdigitated with an adjacent sub-assembly and provided with a spatial pitch that is less than or equal to a predetermined shingle distance. The collective vacuum transport assembly can thus acquire shingled sheets and transport the shingled sheets as a set, with each sheet being offset by at least one shingle distance. As a result, speed and acceleration requirements for the vacuum transport and the sheets being transported are greatly reduced compared to conventional vacuum transports that essentially transport sheets singularly. A shingled transport zone may be provided upstream of the vacuum transport system to accommodate sheets of varying size. In various embodiments, three to five vacuum transport sub-assemblies are provided to transport three to five sheets as a set.

Abstract: Vacuum belt conveying device for guiding a moving web, in particular a web threading strip of a paper or board web, having an air-permeable transport belt guided endlessly in a loop with an upper run and a lower run, and a device arranged within the loop for applying a vacuum to the inner side of one of the runs of the transport belt in order to hold the web firmly on the transport belt, in which the device for applying a vacuum is formed by means of at least one long-gap ejector, which in each case has an air jet injector having a large number of air outlet nozzles along the inlet side of the long gap and, on the inlet side, is positioned at a distance under the inner side of the run which is provided to hold the web firmly.

Abstract: Assume that a paper feed width of a sheet of paper of a predetermined size that is smaller than the maximum paper feed width W is W1. Then, when a sheet of paper having a width larger than the paper feed width W1 is transported, to stabilize the transportation thereof, first, second, and third fans 26a to 26c are all so rotated as to stick the entire sheet of paper to a transportation unit 25. On the other hand, when a sheet of paper having a width equal to or smaller than the paper feed width W1 is transported, only the first and third fans 26a and 26c are made to rotate to prevent an increase in the temperature of non-paper feeding areas 30a and 30b formed at the edges of a fuser roller pair 14a.

Abstract: According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a sheet feeding device including: a tray holding sheets; a chamber having an opening and generating a negative pressure thereinside; a suction belt that suctions and conveys a first sheet from the sheets and that is configured to be rotatable along with the chamber and deformable into a concave shape along with the opening; a regulating member disposed inside the opening to regulate a concaving amount of the suction belt; a sheet gate disposed in a sheet feeding passage to be opposed to the suction belt and configured to retreat when contacted by the suction belt; and a nozzle that blows air toward the sheet and toward the suction belt.

Abstract: A vacuum deck for a mailpiece insertion module including a plurality of friction drive belts, a support plate slideably supporting the drive belts, a repositionable backstop assembly disposed along the feed path of the envelope for arresting the motion of the envelope when disposed in a first position and permitting the conveyance along the feed path when disposed in a second position, a means for developing a pressure differential across the envelope for urging the envelope into frictional engagement with the friction drive belts, and a breaker plate disposed over and across an upstream portion of the friction drive belts to reduce friction drive forces developed along an upstream end portion of the envelope. In another embodiment of the invention, the pressure differential means is bifurcated such that the pressure differential developed across the breaker plate is lower than the pressure differential developed along the support plate and downstream of the breaker plate.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for conveying sheetlike articles, in particular printed sheets, by which conveyed sheetlike articles may optionally be fed to various conveying routes, various delivery stacks being provided in particular at the end of the conveying routes. The device includes at least one conveying module (1, 2, 3, 4) having at least one continuously revolving suction belt (11) which exerts a negative pressure on the underside of an article (200) to be conveyed, and which conveys the article (200) from the start to the end of the conveying module (1, 2, 3, 4). At least one conveying module (2) is designed as a mechanical switch point in order to reroute a conveyed sheetlike article (200) in its conveying route. The invention further relates to a method for operating such a device.

Abstract: A device for controlling blast and/or suction air in a sheet processing machine, especially a printing press, includes a rotary valve for making ready different positive and negative pressure levels during a work cycle. The rotary valve is connected as a bypass parallel to a supply line between a consumer or load and a positive and negative pressure source. The rotary valve is connected at an input side thereof with the ambient air.

Abstract: In a sheet collecting apparatus having a collecting table on which a sheet charged by a charging means is collected, a suctioning/transporting means for suctioning and transporting the sheet charged by the charging means along a charging direction and releasing the sheet above the collecting table, back stoppers for receiving the sheet transported by the suctioning/transporting means downstream of the collecting table along a transport direction of the sheet, and a back guide disposed downstream of the collecting table along the transport direction of the sheet for regulating a position along the transport direction of the sheet received by the back stoppers, the sheet collecting apparatus positions the sheet charged by the charging means at a predetermined position and stacks it in a layer state.

Abstract: Of suction holes formed on a medium transporting surface, the areas of the suction holes formed in positions corresponding to ends of a medium which is being transported are set larger than the areas of other suction holes. Hereby, since large air flow is obtained under the both side ends or the leading end of the medium, the medium is transported in a state where the both side ends or the leading end are attracted into the suction holes, and a stain due to contact with a recording head can be prevented.

Abstract: A vacuum belt conveyor for transferring a web threading tail in a web manufacturing machine has a frame construction (15) and an air permeable belt loop (20), which is arranged around rolls (16, 17). The vacuum belt conveyor also has a first vacuum means (22) for creating a vacuum effect for the part of the belt loop (20) that transports the web threading tail (14) and a second vacuum means (23) for creating a vacuum effect in connection with the first roll (16). The second vacuum means (23) is arranged in the frame construction (15) for creating a vacuum to be introduced to the first roll (16) inside the belt loop (20).

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for supplying a shingled or overlapping sheet stream from a stack of sheets of a sheet feeder to a feed table of a sheet-processing machine with a belt table. The belt table is provided with at least one revolvingly driven suction belt, which is in operative connection with at least two suction boxes that can be acted upon by negative pressure. The invention can include a device for taking hold of the sheets. The invention also relates to altering a device so that, independently of the material to be processed, a last sheet of a sheet stream can be easily aligned. This objective is accomplished as follows: after the last sheet is detected and its front edge has been placed against the front guide stops, the operation of the suction belt is stopped.

Abstract: The invention concerns a device (01) for aligning at least along one edge several stacked sheets (09) into a book, while maintaining the serial order of sheets, said device comprising an editing table (11), having on one of its sides, a front stop (13) for aligning the edges of the sheets (09). The invention is characterized in that upstream of the editing table (11) is provided a support plate (02), whereon the sheet (09) can be set into a bound book with non-aligned edges, and is further provided in the device (01), a sheet feeder (08, 04, 06) whereby the sheets can be conveyed from the support plate (02) towards the front stop (13) of the editing table (11), while forming a stream of subjacent webs.

Abstract: A vacuum belt feeder comprising a means of conveyance having a pitch, for retrieving items from a supply zone, and then distributing them at target locations in a discharge zone.

Abstract: A sheet handling device for wide format sheets including a sheet support plate having a top surface containing suction holes which are connected to at least one suction chamber, the at least one suction chamber being divided into compartments that are connected, though an opening, to a suction device adapted to create a subatmospheric pressure in the compartments, wherein at least one internal wall between adjacent ones of the compartments defines a flow restriction orifice, and at least one of the compartments is directly connected to the suction device, and at least another one of the compartments is indirectly connected to the suction device through the orifice.

Abstract: A configuration for the transport and simultaneous alignment of sheets has a straightedge, at least one conveyor belt disposed slightly at an angle to the straightedge in the direction of movement of the sheets, and an air suction device. The conveyor belt exhibits open transverse slots on its upper side carrying the sheets. The upper half of the conveyor belt runs in a guide channel that is open in an upward direction, and the transverse slots are connected to the air suction device in such a way as to permit the flow to take place. A controller is provided to control the supply of air in the area of the transverse slots.

Abstract: A sheet material feeder includes a sheet material holder for holding a pile of sheet material, a rotating drum for transporting the sheet material from the pile, and an acceleration device receiving the sheet material from the rotating drum at a first speed and releasing the sheet material at a second speed greater than the first speed. Also disclosed is a sheet material feeder with a sheet material holder for holding a pile of sheet material; and a rotating drum for transporting the sheet material from the pile, the rotating drum including at least one sucker rotating with the drum for contacting the sheet material.

Abstract: A rippler may be installed on a paper deliverer used in conjunction with a paper sheeter, in between the vacuum belts of the sheeter. The rippler includes an upwardly projecting ridge, causing paper passing over it to develop a ripple, thereby increasing the rigidity of the paper. This increased rigidity of the paper resists the tendency of the paper to fly upward as it is being transported by the deliverer.

Abstract: A self-valving vacuum distribution system for a belt-driven sheet conveyor utilizes the sheets to automatically open vacuum control valves sequentially in a downstream direction as the sheet is carried on the belts. The system also automatically adjusts for varying sheet widths to automatically apply vacuum holding force only to the belt conveyor area covered by the sheet.

Abstract: A device for transporting sheets to a sheet processing machine includes a feed table, and at least one suction belt endlessly revolvable over the feed table. The suction belt is subjectible to vacuum from suction regions of different pressure levels disposed behind one another in a direction of sheet transport and the suction regions are producible by a single vacuum source. The suction belt is formed with through openings, and the feed table is formed with suction openings and ventilation openings, both of which correspond with the through openings formed in the suction belt.

Abstract: An apparatus for conveying sheets in a printing press makes reliable sheet guiding possible with a low outlay on material and at low cost and includes an apparatus for conveying sheets in a printing press having at least one conveyor element for a sheet along a conveying path and at least one guide element for the sheet in the conveying direction, at least one elongate spring element being provided as a guide element.

Abstract: A conveying apparatus for transporting sheets to a sheet processing machine, in particular a printing press, has a suction belt table between a sheet in-feed and the sheet-processing machine. A transport belt of the suction belt table is formed with at least two rows of suction openings that exert a holding force on the sheet. Ventilation openings that reduce a frictional force of the suction belt on the feed table are provided below the transport belt in a region between the rows of suction openings.

Abstract: An air diffusing vacuum transport belt including a first perforated layer and a second non-perforated layer is provided for transporting image carrying substrates without vacuum belt induced image defects. The first perforated layer includes a top surface and a bottom surface, solid areas, and perforated hole areas interspersing the solid areas for directing pressurized airflow from the top surface through to the bottom surface. The air diffusing vacuum transport belt also includes a second non-perforated layer formed over the top surface of the first perforated layer and covering the solid areas and the perforated hole areas. The second non-perforated layer has an inner surface positioned over the top surface of the first perforated layer, and an outer surface for uniformly supporting substrates.

Abstract: A method for segregating and transferring a product from a web of material includes the steps of conveying the web of material between a punching roll and a counter pressure roll, the punching roll having at least one cutting edge and at least one suction orifice; punching-out the product from the web with the cutting edge; adhering the punched-out product on the punching roll under a vacuum connected to the at least one suction orifice; rotating the punching roll to position the punched-out product proximate to a conveyor belt; detaching the punched-out product from the punching roll; and transferring the punched-out product onto the conveyor belt. In certain embodiments, the suction orifice of the punching roll is ventilated with a gas stream to facilitate detachment of the punched-out product; and a vacuum is applied to the conveyor belt to draw the detached product thereto and hold it thereon under suction.

Abstract: A device for conveying an imbricated stream of sheets from a sheet pile to a sheet-processing machine includes a conveying table provided with at least one revolvingly drivable, air-permeable conveyor belt. The belt has a top strand with an underside slidable over the conveying table, and a plurality of suction chambers arranged behind one another for subjecting the conveyor belt to negative pressure, so that the conveyed sheets are retained on the conveyor belt until they are transferrable to the sheet-processing machine. It further includes a common negative-pressure supply provided for negative-pressure activation of all of the suction chambers, and at least one throttle via which the suction chambers, respectively, are pneumatically connected to the common negative-pressure supply.

Abstract: A device for conveying sheets through a printing machine, in particular through an ink jet printing apparatus, permits adaptation to different printing material thicknesses and ensures reliable transport. The conveying device has a conveyor belt which runs over deflection rollers and guide elements and to which sheets can be fed individually one after another. An apparatus enables setting the distance between the surface to be printed of a sheet and a print head. At least three conveying segments are arranged one after another, the print head being fastened to a holding device opposite a central conveying segment. Each conveying segment is assigned at least one guide element and it is possible to adjust the height of the guide element opposite the print head in accordance with the thickness of the sheets.

Abstract: A sheet-processing machine includes a revolving sheet holding device for aiding in transporting sheets to be processed. A device for producing suction air or air blast has a movable air delivery element accommodated on the revolving sheet holding device. An actuating element cooperatively engages with the air delivery element for driving the air delivery element. The actuating element is either fixed to a frame of the machine or is movable relative to the sheet holding device.

Abstract: A new and improved article or mail-piece conveyor system has a vacuum plenum system integrally incorporated therein which effectively withdraws ambient air ahead or downstream of the oncoming conveyed articles or mail pieces such that the oncoming conveyed articles or mail pieces will not be subjected to tip vortices and/or other disruptive aerodynamic forces. In this manner, the articles or mail pieces will not be subjected to destabilizing aerodynamic circulation, currents, downflow, downwash, or momentum forces so as not to, in turn, exhibit flutter, fluctuations, or oscillation movements. Accordingly, extremely high speed conveyance of the articles or mail pieces, within the range of, for example, two hundred inches per second (200 ips) can in fact be achieved.

Abstract: Vertical pocket feeder signature handling equipment which supplies signatures in an on-edge orientation one at a time to bindery equipment. The vertical pocket feeder particularly cooperates with a hopper loader apparatus which transfers and separates individual signatures of sheet materials from a vertically aligned, stack of such signatures. The separated, individual signatures may then be subjected to bindery operations such as stapling or stitching.

Abstract: A banknote store can remove banknotes individually from a stack by light air pressure extending over a substantial area of the banknote, the banknote then being transportable without needing to move the source of the reduced pressure. Banknotes are added individually by using reduced pressure to hold them against a transport belt before they are deposited on the stack.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a device for lateral movement of sheets (2) during transport thereof to a stacking device (11) such that the sheets (2) or stacks of sheets occupy laterally displaced positions relative to each other in the stacking device (11). A high-speed printer (6) is provided for printing the sheets (2) or a continuous web which is then cut to sheets (2). A vacuum generating device has vacuum means (12, 13) with vacuum openings located within vacuum holes (20) in conveyor belts (14), and is provided to generate a vacuum in said vacuum openings and vacuum holes (20) that said conveyor belts (14) can grip or engage and transport the sheets (2).

Abstract: An image forming apparatus of this invention is provided with a conveying guide that is curved in the direction reverse to the curved shape of a nip portion of a fixing unit in order for leading sheet paper that is vertically conveyed at the time of fixing in the horizontal direction and the top of the curved portion of the conveying guide is constructed with a guide belt. The contacting force of the curl correction unit with the guide belt of the curl correction unit is adjusted according to amount of curl of sheet paper produced at the time of fixing and corrects the curve of sheet paper properly.

Abstract: There is provided an image forming apparatus that can suppress the formation of creases when forming images on both surfaces of a sheet and can greatly reduce the incidence of unprinted areas. The image forming apparatus has a sheet stacking section in which sheets are stacked, a sheet conveying section that conveys a sheet, an image forming section that forms an image on the sheet while the sheet is conveyed, a re-conveying section that again conveys the sheet with the image formed on a first surface thereof to the image forming section, and a sheet feeding section that feeds a sheet from the sheet stacking section or the re-conveying section to the image forming section.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a transport device for transporting sheets (2) in a plant comprising a high-speed printer which is provided for printing the sheets (2) or a continuous web which is cut to sheets (2). The transport device includes at least one vacuum means (9b) having at least one vacuum opening (9c, 9d) and at least one conveyor belt (9a) with vacuum holes (9e) which communicates with the vacuum opening (9c, 9d), and a vacuum generating device (VA) for generating a vacuum in the vacuum opening (9c, 9d) of the vacuum means (9b) and in the vacuum holes (9e) of the conveyor belt (9a) such that said conveyor belt (9a) can engage and transport the sheets (2). The vacuum generating device comprises a compressor-air generating device (9f) from which compressed air is fed or supplied to at least one ejector (9g) such that a jet (D) of compressed air therein generates a vacuum in the vacuum openings (9c, 9d) in the vacuum means (9b) and the vacuum holes (9e) in the conveyor belts (9a).

Abstract: A device for separating an imbricated formation (2) of continuously conveyed printing products (1) into a succession of spaced printing products (1), comprises a first conveyor (3) driven at a first velocity (v1), a second conveyor (4) arranged after the first conveyor (3) and driven at a second velocity (v2) which is higher in relation to the first velocity, and a de-imbricating device (5, 6) for accelerating the leading printing product (1) of the imbricated formation (2) to the second velocity (v2) and for maintaining the imbricated arrangement of the following printing products (1) being conveyed in the imbricated formation (2) at the first velocity (v1). The de-imbricating device comprises two suction belt conveyors (5, 6), the first suction belt conveyor (5) driven at the first velocity (v1), that the second suction belt conveyor (6) is driven at the second velocity (v2).

Abstract: A method and apparatus for increasing the efficiency of a vacuum-assisted, fuser entrance guide in a marking engine by varying the vacuum on the guide as a sheet of marking medium moves thereacross wherein a low vacuum is applied on the guide while the sheet of marking medium is being transported across the guide solely by the vacuum transport and is then increased once the lead edge of the sheet enters the nip between the fuser rollers and the sheet becomes driven by the more powerful force of the fuser rollers. The higher vacuum provides a greater attraction force on the sheet, which, in turn, prevents the trail edge of the sheet from sagging or drooping from the guide's surface.

Abstract: A device for holding a sheetlike article on a movable underlying surface for transporting the sheetlike article in at least one direction selected from the group consisting of a direction into and a direction out of an operating station having a printing unit, includes a member having a surface underlying the sheetlike article, the sheetlike article being retainable by pneumatic pressure on the surface, a screening device disposed locally fixedly with respect to an operating station, the screening device serving for reducing an airflow in a region of the printing unit at least with respect to adjacent regions, the reduction in the airflow resulting from the sheetlike article being held on the underlying surface.

Abstract: A new and improved article or mail-piece conveyor system has a vacuum plenum system integrally incorporated therein which effectively withdraws ambient air ahead or downstream of the oncoming conveyed articles or mail pieces such that the oncoming conveyed articles or mail pieces will not be subjected to tip vortices and/or other disruptive aerodynamic forces. In this manner, the articles or mail pieces will not be subjected to destabilizing aerodynamic circulation, currents, downflow, downwash, or momentum forces so as not to, in turn, exhibit flutter, fluctuations, or oscillation movements. Accordingly, extremely high speed conveyance of the articles or mail pieces, within the range of, for example, two hundred inches per second (200 ips) can in fact be achieved.