Abstract: A correction structure arranged in a feeding path of a document processing device, comprising: a transmitting means consisted of at least a pair of roller sets which are arranged symmetrically on the two sides of the feeding path for transmitting the card evenly, a correcting means consisted of a platform movably arranged at the downstream to the roller set, a receptacle formed on the platform, an elastic object arranged in the receptacle for returning the platform to a predefined location, a back wall extended from the platform toward the feeding path, an opening formed on the back wall to let a card go through, and a friction pad arranged at the bottom of the opening to partly jam the opening, wherein the width of the friction pad is less than the width of the feeding path so the friction pad only contacts the center of the card while transmitting the card.

Abstract: A sheet feeder especially designed for use in the food and pharmaceutical industries is constructed in a hygienic manner and with suitable materials to permit rapid and effective cleaning and sanitizing thereof. Flexible, liquid impermeable bellows are mounted to the feeder housings in surrounding relation to the apertures through which the machine's several rotary shafts enter the housings. The bellows support bearing isolators that not only seal the housings from fluid entry, but because the bellows can flex, they also permit shaft spacings to be adjusted to adapt the machine to sheets of differing thicknesses and to set infeed belt tension. The sheet feeder's product input hopper and its discharge conveyor are designed to be easily detachable for cleaning in a dipping mode.

Abstract: A deflection correcting device includes a banknote running passage defined by a first passage plate and a second passage plate. Deflection correcting wheels are arranged in the banknote running passage and a deflection correcting direction of the deflection correcting wheels is deflected from a reference side of the banknote running passage. A lateral guiding mechanism is provided at the reference side, and configured to drive a banknote that reaches the reference side to move in the transmission direction of the banknote running passage; and a deflection correcting adjusting wheel is provided at a tail end in a deflection direction of the plurality of the deflection correcting wheels, and a deflection correcting direction of the deflection correcting adjusting wheel is deflected from the reference side. The banknote is prevented from jamming at the reference side and the passage.

Abstract: A polymer membrane is formed around nanotubes by applying either droplets or a thin film of a suspension of the nanotubes over a layer of a solution of the polymer, the suspending medium for the nanotubes and the solvent(s) for the polymer selected such that the suspending agent will evaporate while it is migrating into and dispersing in the solvent. When the polymer is then permitted to coagulate around the nanotubes, the coagulated polymer will fix the orientations of the nanotubes and a high proportion of the nanotubes will protrude from both sides of the resulting membrane to provide through-passages through the membrane.

Abstract: A sheet loading unit includes a main body, a sheet loading plate, a pair of positioning portions, a pair of racks, and a pinion. The sheet loading plate is disposed on an upper surface of the main body. The racks are connected to the positioning portions. The pinion engages with the pair of racks so that the positioning portions move in an interlocking manner. At least one of the racks includes a stopper capable of moving between a first position facing a lower surface of the pinion and a second position not facing the lower surface of the pinion when the rack moves along the width direction.

Abstract: An improved apparatus and method for properly orienting and aligning flat sheets or strip material, such as in the form of folding carton blanks, on a conveying system such as used in carton folders/gluers is disclosed. A moving sheet is engaged on at least one surface by plural non-driven movable casters oriented at an angle relative to the sheet's intended direction of travel, or target direction. The casters apply a lateral force to the sheet so that a linear lateral edge of the sheet is brought into contact with an adjacent guide member aligned with the target direction, with the sheet assuming a predetermined orientation relative to the target direction. Each caster is resiliently biased such as by a spring at a predetermined angle relative to the target direction. With the sheet's lateral edge in intimate contact with the guide member, the moving sheet is in the aforementioned predetermined orientation relative to, and is displaced in, the target direction.

Abstract: An image forming device includes a sheet container, an image former that forms an image on a surface of a sheet conveyed from the sheet container, and a re-conveyor that re-conveys the sheet to the image former which forms another image on an opposite surface of the sheet. The re-conveyor includes a first conveyance roller set and a second conveyance roller set that convey the sheet therebetween. The first conveyance roller set includes a first driving roller that receives a driving force and a first pinch roller that contacts the surface. The second conveyance roller set includes a second driving roller that receives the driving force and a second pinch roller that contacts the surface. The first driving roller has a greater coefficient of friction than the first pinch roller. The second pinch roller has a greater coefficient of friction than the first pinch roller.

Abstract: A skew feeding correction portion includes a first pair of skew-feed rollers that has rollers, a second pair of skew-feed rollers, a third pair of skew-feed rollers, as skewing at the downstream side of the second pair of skew-feed rollers, and a reference member that is arranged along a sheet conveying direction and that corrects the skew feeding of the sheet in such a manner that a side end of the sheet, which is conveyed as being skewed by the respective pairs of skew-feed rollers, is brought into contact with the reference member, wherein the first pair of skew-feed rollers releases the nip of the sheet by separating the rollers from each other before the sheet is nipped by the third pair of skew-feed rollers after the sheet is nipped by the second pair of skew-feed rollers.

Abstract: A medium alignment apparatus may include an alignment body to form a transfer path is formed for passage of a medium and include an alignment reference surface for alignment of the medium is formed, an alignment roller portion mounted to the alignment body to align the medium while driving the medium simultaneously, and at least one alignment sensor portion to detect whether the medium is aligned by detecting a position of the medium passing along the transfer path. The alignment body may include a first body forming a transfer path for the medium, to which the alignment roller portion is mounted, and a second body disposed at one side of the first body to be movable relative to the first body at a speed corresponding to a transfer speed of the medium, providing a side directed to the first body as the alignment reference surface.

Abstract: A device for aligning a sheet, such as a banknote. The device includes a support area on which at least one sheet to be aligned is supported. The device further includes a first aligning element and a second aligning element. The second aligning element is movable towards and away from the first aligning element. To align the sheet, the second aligning element is moved towards the first aligning element with a drive unit. A sensor is included that detects presence of the sheet in a detection area of the sensor. The drive unit is configured to move the second aligning element based on whether the sensor detects presence of the sheet.

Abstract: A sheet medium transport apparatus has a sheet guide mechanism with drive rollers and reaction rollers mounted for gripping a sheet guided by the guide mechanism. The drive rollers provide a drive component in a transport direction and a transverse drive component for driving a sheet so that a side edge of the transported sheet lodges against a registration plate. Once the sheet is registered against the registration plate, drive from the drive rollers causes the sheet edge to slide past the registration plate in the transport direction with the drive rollers sliding over the sheet.

Abstract: A sheet conveying apparatus has a first pair of rollers which nip and convey a sheet; a second pair of rollers provided on a downstream side of the first pair of rollers in a conveying direction of the sheet, which nip and convey a sheet; and a position detecting sensor which detects a position of a sheet in a width direction which is perpendicular to the conveying direction. When the first pair of rollers and the second pair of rollers nip and convey the sheet, the first pair of rollers and the second pair of rollers are simultaneously moved according to a position detected by the position detecting sensor in the same direction of the width direction which is perpendicular to the conveying direction.

Abstract: A sheet conveying apparatus has a reference guide in which a reference surface that is elongated in a sheet conveying direction and abuts against an end portion of a sheet, an inclined surface which is provided upstream of the reference guide and which is inclined in a width direction intersecting with the sheet conveying direction so that an edge of the sheet is guided, the inclined surface intersecting the reference guide at an intersection, a sheet guide portion, a passage portion having an upstream area which is wider than the sheet guide portion in a vertical direction, a downstream area which is narrower than the upstream area in a vertical direction, and an inclined guide which is provided between the inclined surface and the reference surface, wherein a position of an upstream edge of the downstream area is provided between the intersection and the oblique conveying unit.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus that is capable of reducing a jam and correcting misalignment of a sheet due to a buckling of the sheet certainly. A skew correction unit conveys a sheet while contacting one of side edges of the sheet with a reference member that is arranged in parallel to a conveyance direction in order to correct a skew of the sheet conveyed along a conveyance path. A misalignment correction unit moves the sheet that the skew has been corrected in a width direction perpendicular to the conveyance direction. A sheet position detection unit detects a position of the other of the side edges of the sheet that the skew has been corrected. A moving amount determination unit determines a moving amount by which the misalignment correction unit moves the sheet in the width direction.

Abstract: A paper sheet processing apparatus capable of correcting an inclination to a traveling direction when a paper sheet is inserted into an insertion slot. The paper sheet processing apparatus includes a pair of movable pieces capable of being moved toward a center direction of the traveling route through which the paper sheet is conveyed by a motor. The pair of movable pieces are moved toward the center direction of the traveling route by a driving source such that the distance between one movable piece and the other movable piece becomes shorter than a width of the bill and corrects the inclination of the bill to the traveling direction by regulating side edges of the bill to be conveyed before the bill reaches the movable pieces.

Abstract: A device includes a conveying unit conveying a sheet, a guide, disposed downstream of the conveying unit in a conveying direction, guiding one side end of the conveyed sheet while being in contact with a side end, a feeding unit obliquely conveying the sheet closer to the guide, a pressing unit pressing the conveyed sheet in a direction in which the sheet moves away from the guide, and a control unit controlling the pressing unit and the feeding unit so that the feeding unit nips the pressed sheet to form a loop in the sheet between the conveying unit and the feeding unit and then conveys the sheet while the side end of the sheet is in sliding contact with the guide.

Abstract: A control method for an image forming system capable of preventing reduction of the ability of the system even if a shift transportation function becomes an abnormal condition. An image forming apparatus forms an image on a sheet. A first sheet process apparatus has a first moving unit receiving the sheet on which the image is formed and moving the sheet in a width direction. In a determination step, it is determined whether a second sheet process apparatus having a second moving unit moving the sheet in the width direction is connected to an upstream side of the first sheet process apparatus. In a detection step, it is detected an abnormal condition of the first moving unit. In a sheet movement step, the second moving unit moves the sheet in the width direction if an abnormal condition is detected and the second sheet process apparatus is connected.

Abstract: Provided is a device for the alignment of sheets in a printing machine, said device comprising two pairs of rollers for the alignment of the sheets in their advance direction, for the alignment transverse to their advance direction and with respect to skewing, whereby each pair of rollers consists of a driving roller and of a counter-pressure roller. One drive unit is provided for each of the two driving rollers, whereby each of the drive units consists of a motor and a drive shaft linked therewith, whereby the driving rollers are non-torsionally accommodated on respective drive shafts. The driving rollers can be slid in linear direction on their drive shaft, or the respective drive shafts, and thus the driving rollers accommodated thereon, can be linearly shifted with respect to their drive motors.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a sheet conveyance path in which a sheet is conveyed; at least one sheet feeding mechanism to supply the sheet to the sheet conveyance path; a sheet conveyance mechanism to convey the sheet in a sheet conveyance direction; a detection mechanism to detect a position of a side of the sheet parallel to the sheet conveyance direction; a movement mechanism to move the sheet in a direction perpendicular to the sheet conveyance direction; a memory to store reference position information specific to the at least one sheet feeding mechanism, respectively; and a movement control mechanism to control a movement distance of the movement mechanism based on the detected position and the reference position information specific to a selected one of the at least one sheet feeding mechanism.

Abstract: An oblique feeding roller and a reference guide are provided on a re-conveying path for conveying a sheet in which an image has been formed on one side by an image forming unit to the image forming unit again. The sheet is obliquely fed by the oblique feeding roller. A side edge of the sheet abuts to a reference surface provided for the reference guide along a sheet conveying direction, thereby correcting the oblique motion and a positional deviation of the sheet. The reference guide is moved to a position according to a length in a width direction of the sheet which is conveyed by a movement of a cam.

Abstract: A medium storage device that is covered by a dust cover and that stores a recording medium, includes: a guide member that is extendably and retractably provided in the medium storage device and that restricts a position of an edge part of the recording medium; and a lock member that locks the guide member and that releases the lock status of the guide member when the lock member moves in a first direction so as to allow the guide member to extend and retract, wherein the movement of the lock member in the first direction is restricted by the dust cover so that the guide member is stably locked.

Abstract: A skew roller is disposed near an abutment reference member. A pre-skew roller is disposed on the upstream side of the skew roller at a position corresponding to a conveyance center line. When a sheet conveyed by a pre-registration conveyance roller reaches the skew roller, the pre-registration conveyance roller moves upward to release a nipping force applied on the sheet. At the same time, the pre-skew roller moves downward to start aligning the sheet.

Abstract: A sheet conveying apparatus has a first pair of rollers which nip and convey a sheet; a second pair of rollers provided on a downstream side of the first pair of rollers in a conveying direction of the sheet, which nip and convey a sheet; and a position detecting sensor which detects a position of a sheet in a width direction which is perpendicular to the conveying direction. When the first pair of rollers and the second pair of rollers nip and convey the sheet, the first pair of rollers and the second pair of rollers are simultaneously moved according to a position detected by the position detecting sensor in the same direction of the width direction which is perpendicular to the conveying direction.

Abstract: Aligning of banknotes is carried out without using an aligning device. A medium conveyance mechanism includes an upper belt (2) entrained around two rollers (3a, 3b), a lower belt (5) entrained around two other rollers (6a, 6b) and disposed so as to overlap the upper belt (2), and an aligning guide (15) disposed at one side of the upper belt (2) and the lower belt (5) at a distance therefrom, which aligning guide (15) has an inclined surface (16) for carrying out aligning of a banknote and a conveyance reference surface (17) formed at an end side of the inclined surface (16). When the banknote being conveyed abuts the inclined surface (16) of the aligning guide (15) for aligning, one side of the banknote is guided by the conveyance reference surface (17) while the banknote is slipped with respect to the upper belt (2) and the lower belt (5) in a direction orthogonal to a direction in which the banknote is conveyed.

Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus including a cross-directionally moving device for moving a sheet in a direction crossing a sheet discharging direction, and a cross-side restricting member for receiving one side edge of the sheet moved in the crossing direction by the cross-directionally moving device, and restricting the movement of the sheet, wherein the cross-directionally moving device moves the next sheet from a position between the other side edge of the sheet received by the cross-side restricting member and the cross-side restricting member to the cross-side restricting member.

Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus that processes sheets transported in a transport direction and stacked on a tray, including: a sheet moving device configured to be brought into contact with an upper surface of a sheet stacked on the tray and to be moved in a width direction intersecting with the transport direction to move the sheet in the width direction; an alignment member against which a side edge of the sheet moved in the width direction by the sheet moving device is brought into abutment, to align the sheet; and a guide member configured to hold down the sheet between the sheet moving device and the alignment member with the sheet moving device in contact with the upper surface of the sheet, wherein the guide member is moved integrally with the sheet moving device in the width direction.

Abstract: A sheet finishing apparatus includes: a conveying roller configured to convey a sheet to a storage tray; a positioning stopper provided in parallel to a conveying path for the sheet; an aligning roller configured to convey the sheet, move the sheet in a lateral direction orthogonal to a direction of the conveyance, and press the sheet against the stopper to laterally align the sheet; and a moving mechanism configured to move the position of the aligning roller in the conveying direction. The sheet finishing apparatus controls the position of the aligning roller according to a size of the sheet.

Abstract: A sheet conveyance apparatus capable of detecting a sheet end portion in a short time period even if sheets are conveyed at a narrow interval and at high speed, thus making it possible to expedite the start timing of a subsequent sheet alignment operation. In accordance with results of detection by lateral registration detection sensors performed when a sheet reaches a lateral registration detection sensor unit, the sensor unit is moved in a width direction for sheet end detection. Based on a moving distance of the sensor unit from a standby position to a position where the sheet end is detected, a shift amount to be shifted the sheet in the width direction, i.e., a lateral registration error, is computed.

Abstract: An apparatus for registering sheet material while being conveyed along a feed path including: (i) a conveyance deck for conveying sheet material along a support surface, (ii) a registration member defining an abutment surface operative to align an edge of the sheet material as the sheet material is conveyed along the support surface of the conveyance deck, and (iii) a drive mechanism disposed adjacent to the registration member and along the conveyance deck. The drive mechanism includes a flexible belt disposed about and supported by at least two rolling elements, and a means for driving the flexible belt about the rolling elements. The flexible belt includes a twisted section defining a plurality of spiral edge segments operative to (i) frictionally engage a surface of the sheet material to urge the sheet material against the abutment surface and (ii) convey the sheet material along the conveyance deck.

Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus of the invention has: a movement blocking unit for blocking a movement of a sheet which is moved to a side edge aligning unit by a moving unit, thereby allowing the moving unit to position adjustment slip move on the sheet so as to adjust a relative position with the sheet; and a block cancelling unit for allowing the movement blocking unit to cancel the block of the movement of the sheet when the moving unit slips and moves by a predetermined distance.

Abstract: A transport device includes: a positioning member provided in a sheet transport path, used for positioning of a print sheet in a direction orthogonal to a sheet transport direction; and a skewed roller that transports the print sheet while skewing the print sheet toward a direction of the positioning member, a transport roller being provided in a position different from the skewed roller in the sheet transport direction.

Abstract: Systems and methods for positioning a sheet in a feed path including at least one sheet drive roller driven in a rotational direction by a drive shaft in which the drive shaft translates in a lengthwise direction along the axis of the drive shaft. A power shaft rotates about the same axis as the drive shaft and is driven by a power source that is fixedly mounted in the system. The power shaft is fixed to the drive shaft by a flexible coupling that allows the drive shaft and the power shaft to move relative to one another in the lengthwise direction along the axis while maintaining corresponding rotational motion between the power shaft and the drive shaft.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus in which with a guide surface that is disposed upstream of a reference guide and is oblique so as to come close to a central portion in a width direction orthogonal to a sheet conveying direction of a re-conveying path as it extends from upstream to downstream, a sheet having been conveyed with deviated on the opposite side to the central portion side in the re-conveying path from a reference surface of the reference guide, is guided while being changed its orientation to the direction of the reference guide side. Furthermore, with a guide portion disposed along the guide surface, there is formed with respect to the guide surface a space acting to flex an edge portion of the sheet when the sheet is contacted with the guide surface.

Abstract: A document processing machine including a document feeder including a support intended to receive a stack of documents, and a unit for extracting documents from the stack of documents and transferring the extracted documents onto a horizontal support of a downstream processing unit, wherein the support of the document feeder is inclined relative to the horizontal is described.

Abstract: The present invention includes apparatus and methods for handling mailpieces. A mailpiece handling device includes a substantially horizontal deck for receiving a mailpiece. The device also includes a substantially vertical registration wall that extends upwardly from an edge of the deck. The device further includes a disk mounted for rotation in a circular opening in the deck adjacent the registration wall. The disk has a substantially horizontal surface. In addition, the device includes an arm mounted above the disk so as to be pivotable in a horizontal direction. Also, the device includes a steering member mounted at a free end of the arm. The steering member is for applying downward pressure to a mailpiece that is in contact with the disk.

Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus including a cross-directionally moving device for moving a sheet in a direction crossing a sheet discharging direction, and a cross-side restricting member for receiving one side edge of the sheet moved in the crossing direction by the cross-directionally moving device, and restricting the movement of the sheet, wherein the cross-directionally moving device moves the next sheet from a position between the other side edge of the sheet received by the cross-side restricting member and the cross-side restricting member to the cross-side restricting member.

Abstract: A skew roller is disposed near an abutment reference member. A pre-skew roller is disposed on the upstream side of the skew roller at a position corresponding to a conveyance center line. When a sheet conveyed by a pre-registration conveyance roller reaches the skew roller, the pre-registration conveyance roller moves upward to release a nipping force applied on the sheet. At the same time, the pre-skew roller moves downward to start aligning the sheet.

Abstract: The image forming apparatus includes a chassis, a paper guide, a paper feed roller, and a paper supply portion from which the paper feed roller is configured to supply paper. The paper guide is supported within the chassis and has a base portion and a first separation portion that projects from the base portion. The paper feed roller is rotatably supported by the chassis. The paper supply portion has a guide projection on its first lateral side portion. The widthwise center of the paper feed roller is offset toward the first lateral side relative to the widthwise center of the first separation portion.

Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus to which a cassette accommodating a sheet is detachably mountable includes supplying means for supplying the sheet from the cassette; a reference member having a reference surface for regulating a position of a lateral edge of the sheet being fed in a predetermined feeding direction by the supplying means; feeding means for feeding the sheet in a direction inclined relative to the feeding direction toward the reference surface to abut the lateral edge of the sheet to the reference surface; and moving means for selectively moving the reference member in response to mounting of the cassette such that reference member is placed at a position corresponding to a width of the sheet accommodated in the cassette.

Abstract: A sheet-holding-down member provided in a sheet feeding section of a printing press has a sheet-holding-down member that has a sheet-holding-down part that holds down from above an oncoming sheet to prevent a lateral edge of the sheet from being curled upward when the sheet abuts a lateral-edge abutment member. The sheet-holding-down member is pivotally movable about a roller support shaft so as to allow the sheet-holding-down part to be movable close to and away from an upper surface of a feeder board, on which the sheet is placed. An adjustment screw has a lower end that limits movement of the sheet-holding-down member so as to prevent the same from moving close to the upper surface of the feeder board as passing a predetermined height limit. The sheet-holding down member is urged downward by a coil spring.

Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus includes a driving force transmitting member for transmitting a rotational driving force to a sheet feeding roller, first and second roller supporting members for supporting the sheet feeding roller. The sheet feeding apparatus further includes supporting portions for swingably supporting the first and second roller supporting members. The first and second roller supporting members are integrally movable with respect to a motion about the supporting portions and are independently movable with respect to a motion, at the supporting portions, about an axis normal to a sheet stacking surface.

Abstract: A system and method are described for aligning a sheet for simultaneous modification of a plurality of areas of the sheet. The sheet may be received by an alignment device from a feeder. The alignment device may angularly align the sheet, which may cause the sheet to become flush to the alignment device. The alignment device may adjust the sheet to correct for an offset alignment which may cause the sheet to be aligned with the direction of travel of the sheet. The alignment device may also align the sheet with a plurality of print heads. A conveyor may then pass the sheet beneath the plurality of print heads. The plurality of print heads may simultaneously modify the plurality of areas of the sheet.

Abstract: Positioning in the width direction of a sheet is performed by a skew correcting unit which is provided on a re-conveying path for reversing the sheet and conveying it again to an image forming unit and which has a reference surface that is come into contact with a side edge of the sheet and a plurality of diagonal feed units which obliquely convey the sheet so as to be come into contact with the reference surface. The pressures in nip portions of the other diagonal feed units excluding one of the plural diagonal feed units are reduced or cancelled by a reducing/cancelling unit according to a length in the sheet conveying direction of the sheet which is conveyed.

Abstract: A banknote conveyor which includes moveable means for transporting a banknote, the means engaging frictionally with the banknote at at least three points so that the force driving the banknote is dependent on the rigidity of the note. The banknote can further swivel about one of the points to align the note with a desired path. Also provided is a means for limiting the movement of the banknote if the force required to convey the banknote exceeds a predetermined limit and means for preventing the insertion of banknotes or other foreign objects into the conveyor when not in use.

Abstract: An ink jet printing apparatus that can print high quality images under simple control includes a conveying roller disposed upstream of a printing section to convey a print medium, a pinch roller that rotates in cooperation with the conveying roller and discharging rollers that convey the print medium downstream of the printing section. The pinch roller, before a trailing end of the print medium reaches a nip portion between the conveying roller and the pinch roller, moves from a pressure contact position with respect to the conveying roller. A conveyance amount of the print medium varies between before and after separation of the pinch roller from the conveying roller.

Abstract: A skew roller is disposed near an abutment reference member. A pre-skew roller is disposed on the upstream side of the skew roller at a position corresponding to a conveyance center line. When a sheet conveyed by a pre-registration conveyance roller reaches the skew roller, the pre-registration conveyance roller moves upward to release a nipping force applied on the sheet. At the same time, the pre-skew roller moves downward to start aligning the sheet.

Abstract: A sheet processing device wherein sheets are deposited in a staggered configuration relative to one another, which includes a paper path, a first and second sheet edge guide fitted substantially parallel to one another in the feed-through direction, and a transportation device arranged to convey a sheet through the paper path in the feed-through direction and the lateral direction, where the first and second sheet edge guides are arranged statically relative to the paper path and in a staggered configuration relative to one another in the lateral direction, and a switchable control mechanism is fitted to adopt a first and second configuration, allowing a sheet edge to be conveyed into respective first and second sheet edge guides during operation.

Abstract: A device for aligning flat objects, in particular mail items, has a base face, a side wall, and at least one spindle thread, which is let into the base face. The spindle thread is embodied to transport flat objects lying on the base face in a conveyance direction, thereby pushing them against the side wall. The spindle thread has at least one aligning region. Each aligning region is subdivided respectively into a decompression segment and a compression segment. The pitch of the spindle thread increases along the conveyance direction in each decompression segment and decreases in each compression segment.

Abstract: An alignment device for substantially aligning a plurality of signatures of a book block comprising a projection and an actuator coupled to the projection. The actuator may be actuable to move the projection within a path of the book block such that the projection contacts an edge of at least one of the plurality of signatures and positions the at least one of the plurality of signatures into substantial alignment with the other signatures of the book block.

Abstract: A sheet-conveying device includes a sheet conveying path along which a sheet is conveyed, a conveying roller, an inclined roller, an inclined-roller-supporting member that supports the inclined roller such that the inclined roller can rotate around a rotational axis that is inclined with respect to a rotational axis of the conveying roller, and a sheet contact member having a contact surface with which an edge portion of the sheet comes into contact. The inclined-roller-supporting member moves between a position where the inclined roller comes into pressure contact with the conveying roller and a position where the inclined roller is separated from the conveying roller. The sheet contact member moves between a position where the edge portion of the sheet can come into contact with the contact surface and a position where the contact surface cannot restrict the position of the edge portion of the sheet.