Abstract: A method and dot printer for dot printing on a card. A method includes receiving a card on a plate-like element of a carriage in a manner that a lateral movement of the card one of on or above the plate-like element is stopped by an abutment element, moving the plate-like element and card in a direction crosswise to the lateral movement until a main side of the card abuts a first abutment surface of an abutment structure and a main edge of the plate-like carrier abuts a second abutment surface of the abutment structure. The first abutment surface and the second abutment surface are not coplanar. The method also includes transporting the plate-like element and the card in a direction away from the abutment structure to a printing station and activating the printing station for dot printing on the card.

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

Abstract: An inkjet printer 10 includes a platen plate 4 that has recess portions 41 and suction holes 42, and an inkjet type print head that has arrays of ink discharge nozzles right above the recess portions 41. Each suction hole 42 is set to have a first flow rate of air in a first suction path, and a second flow rate of air in a second suction path. The first suction path is made by the suction hole 42, and one of regions extending at a recess portion 41 of the platen plate 4, with the suction hole 42 intervening in between in a transfer direction. The arrays of ink discharge nozzles are disposed in the one region. The second suction path is made by the suction hole 42 and the other region at the recess portion 41. The second flow rate is smaller than the first flow rate.

Abstract: In a first aspect, a method of drying at least a portion of a substrate located within a fluid is provided. The method includes contacting an edge of the substrate that is located within the fluid with a pusher pin. The pusher pin has (a) a shaft portion; and (b) a tip portion having a knife edge of a width of 0.42 inches or less, the tip portion adapted to contact and support the substrate with the knife edge. The method further includes lifting the substrate from the fluid with the pusher pin; and exposing the substrate to a drying vapor as the substrate is lifted from the fluid. Numerous other aspects are provided.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a main body including a printing unit for printing an image on a recording medium and a pickup roller for picking up the recording medium, a paper feeding device, which includes an elevatable knock-up plate on which recording media are stackable and a pressure member for elastically pressing the knock-up plate towards the pickup roller and is removably inserted into the main body, and a variable guide unit, which is supported by the main body, is fixed in a slope state to lower the knock-up plate in a direction against the pickup roller when the paper feeding device is withdrawn from the main body, and moves to maintain a contact state with the knock-up plate due to a rising state of the knock-up plate in a state in which the paper feeding device is inserted into the main body.

Abstract: The carrying apparatus is a carbon fiber-containing resin sheet carrying apparatus for carrying a carbon fiber-containing resin sheet W heated in a heating furnace to a pressing device, comprising a slider 4 that moves between the heating furnace and the pressing device and a sheet holder 10 that is mounted thereon and chucks both the end parts of the carbon fiber-containing resin sheet W to apply tension. The sheet holder 10 can have a structure such that it comprises chuck claws 13, 16 and a tension unit 19 that displaces these chuck claws to the outside. The sheet holder 10 may have a structure such that it comprises a holding metal fitting with a spring, that is arranged inside a holding frame and a chuck claw that chucks this holding frame.

Abstract: An image reading device is provided, which includes a controller configured to, when a carriage reaches a turn-around position in a moving direction, control a motor to once stop, then rotate in a second direction opposite to a first direction such that a planetary gear swings to a position separated from an output gear and that an intermediate gear moves to an engagement position to engage with the output gear, and thereafter again rotate in the first direction so as to transmit a driving force from the motor to the output gear via an input gear, a planetary gear, and the intermediate gear.

Abstract: A friction drive actuator, comprising: a vibration member which is configured to be driven to vibrate by expansion and contraction of a piezoelectric displacement portion which is included in the vibration member and driven by a driving signal; a sliding member which is in contact with the vibration member and is driven by the vibration member in a first direction with respect to the vibration member; a pressing member which causes the vibration member and the sliding member to come into a pressure contact therebetween; and a control member which is provided on each of the vibration member and the sliding member at a contact portion therebetween for controlling a relative movement of the sliding member with respect to the vibration member in a direction perpendicular to the first direction when the vibration member and the sliding member are pressedly contacted with each other by the pressing member.

Abstract: Embodiments provide methods, apparatuses, and systems for compressing media in a media stack. In various embodiments, a paddle moves between various positions. During the move, the paddle is configured to compress the media stack.

Abstract: A system and method for transporting a sheet of media through a print zone including a media entrance station, a media exit station and a first media transport translatable in a reciprocal manner between the entrance and exit stations. A second media transport transports a sheet onto and off of the first media transport. The second media transport transports the sheet in a first direction as the first media transport is moving in a second opposite direction.

Abstract: In the case of a mail-processing machine having a conveying path (1) which contains a circulating conveying chain and conveys onto a handling station (5), easy changeover to a variety of processing tasks and good adaptability to constricted space conditions are achieved in that, by a switchable actuating arrangement, manipulator fingers (19) articulated on a manipulator hand (13), in the handling station (5), can be switched both into the operating position both for the forward stroke of the manipulator hand and for the return stroke of the manipulator hand and into the return position both for the return stroke of the manipulator hand and for the forward stroke of the manipulator hand.

Abstract: The sheet feeding apparatus of the invention includes a driving roller that is rotated by a predetermined driving source, a driven roller that rotates in response to movement of said driving roller, said driven roller being placed opposite said driving roller and having contact with a roller surface of said driving roller, a pressing member that presses a roller surface of said driven roller toward said roller surface of driving roller at a predetermined pressure, and driven roller holding member that includes an opening being elongated in a tangential direction at a contact point between said driven roller and said driving roller or between said driven roller and a sheet, on a circle forming said roller surface of said driven roller.

Abstract: A transport device which accomplishes transport well by means of a linear motor mechanism well even if a chain is elongated. The transport uses the chain in a first transport section, and the linear motor mechanism in a second transport section. A coupling pin of the chain is disengaged from a chain coupling portion of a table when the table is transferred to the second transport section and the coupling pin is brought into engagement with the chain coupling portion again when the table is transferred to the first transport section. A driving speed at which a pair of rotary members are driven by the chain driving mechanism is corrected in accordance with the elongated condition of the chain, based on a count of driving pulses in the chain driving mechanism during the passage of the coupling pin through the second transport section.

Abstract: A paper sorting apparatus for an electronic device includes a chassis with a control module disposed therein, a paper transporting module accommodated in the chassis, and a plurality of paper trays attached to the chassis. The paper transporting module has a first end, that is pivotable, and a second end, that is attached to the control module. The control module is capable of rotating the second end about the first end and coupling the second end with one of the paper trays.

Abstract: A stepper mechanism for transporting a substrate along a linear transport path, which includes a stationary member and first and second transport members, extending widthwise across the transport path, the stationary member and transport members each being adapted to alternatively grip and release the substrate, and independent drive units are arranged on either side of the transport path for moving the respective ends of the transport members in a transport direction (X), wherein the transport members are movable independently of one another, and at least one of the drive units is adapted to move one end of the first transport member independently of the corresponding end of the second transport member.

Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus for stacking vouchers that has at least one circumferential stacking belt (82). The stacking belt (82) has a circumferential belt body and at least one tongue pair (86a to 86c) provided outwardly on the belt body. The tongue pair (86a to 86c) has a transport tongue (90a to 90c) and a pressure tongue (88a to 88c). The pressure tongue (88a to 88c) and the transport tongue (90a to 90c) are configured and disposed such that the pressure tongue (88a to 88c) applies contact pressure to the transport tongue (90a to 90c) in the direction of the belt body at least in a circumferential area of the stacking belt (82).

Abstract: The invention concerns a method for feeding and removing a board to/from a gap of a periodically operating press. The board to be pressed is fed grip-supported to the gap of the press from one side and a board pressed in the previous operating cycle is removed grip-supported from the same or from the opposite side during the opening cycle of the press. The movement feeding the board to the press and the movement removing the board from the press are performed at least partially staggered with each other.

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: In one embodiment a media ejection system is disclosed for a printer having a stationary print head and a moveable shuttle configured to hold print media via vacuum pressure while moving the print media past the print head. The media ejection system includes a vacuum release valve, actuable to release vacuum pressure in the shuttle, and a lifter, coupled to the vacuum release valve. The lifter is actuable to mechanically lift the print media from the shuttle, and to simultaneously open the vacuum release valve. In another embodiment, a method for ejecting print media from a moveable shuttle is disclosed. The method includes mechanically lifting the print media from the shuttle and simultaneously substantially equalizing pressure above and below the print media.

Abstract: A slip-sheet compactor for an imaging device with automatic media handling capabilities provides a two-stage compaction for a slipsheet removed from a media sheet to be imaged. A pair of rollers advances the slipsheet into a pre-compression chamber effecting a first compression or folding operation. In a second compression, a plunger sweeps the pre-compression chamber, which is narrowed towards an exit aperture thus effecting a second compression on the slipsheet material.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and a device for distributing a predetermined number of sheets (410, 412, 414, 416) from a group of sheets in which a plurality of sheets is arranged in a shingled mode of arrangement in a sheet transport direction (P) in such a way that the leading edges of the sheets in the paper transport direction are spaced apart by a certain length of displacement (X), wherein the group of sheets is moved in the sheet transport direction (P) by a predetermined distance which depends on the number of sheets to be distributed and on the sheet displacement, a respective sheet constituting the leading sheet in the sheet transport direction (P) being distributed from the group of sheets as soon as the respective leading sheet has reached a distributing unit (504) as a result of the movement.

Abstract: A method, an apparatus, and a loader for moving (e.g., transporting) a printing plate into an exposer for printing plates and, after exposure, out of the exposer and into a processor, for example, saves space in the region of the exposer when moving the printing plate. In the method, the movement of the printing plate into the exposer takes place, at least in a path segment of the movement run, at a first level and the movement of the printing plate out of the exposer takes place, at least in a path segment of the movement run, at a second level that differs from the first level. The path segments of the movement run at the two different levels are each located on the same side of the exposer.

Abstract: A glass supporting device of a scanner comprises an upper cover, a lower cover, a front cover, and a glass sheet. The upper and lower covers, and the front cover can be integrated. The lateral sides of the upper cover are installed with a plurality of sliding tracks. The sliding tracks and the edges of the top of the upper cover are formed with a shape track. Therefore, the glass sheet can be slid into the track manually for being positioned therein. The track serves for supporting the glass sheet. In the present invention, the glass sheet is easily assembled and detached. The upper cover and glass sheet is updated independently. Therefore, the assembling work is performed quickly and the cost for detaching parts are low.

Abstract: The invention relates to a delivery table (1) for flat material (2), in particular sheet paper, with a safeguard so that the material (2) does not slide on the delivery table (1). Exact and stable positioning of the flat material (2) is achieved in that the safeguard to prevent sliding of the flat material (2) is constructed as a surface (5) disposed in the back area (4) of the delivery table (1), exhibiting high friction vis-à-vis the flat material (2).

Abstract: A pre-gripper driving device for a pre-gripper cyclically driven oscillatingly and serving for transporting individual sheets in a sheet-processing machine, includes sheet grippers disposed at a free end of a rocking lever pivotable about a pivot pin fixed to a frame, the sheet grippers being movable relative to a gripper support about a gripper shaft aligned parallel to the pivot pin, for closing and opening the sheet grippers, and an activatable and regulatable drive for producing the movement of the grippers, the drive, on one hand, being connected to the sheet grippers and, on the other hand, being supported on one of the rocking lever and the frame; and a printing unit, a digital printing unit, a rotary printing machine and a multicolor rotary printing machine, respectively including the pre-gripper driving device.

Abstract: A paper feeder for use in an image forming apparatus is disclosed. The paper feeder applies vibration to paper sheets being paid out together to thereby reduce an adhering force acting between them. The paper feeder therefore reduces the simultaneous feed of two or more papers to a noticeable degree. An image forming apparatus including the paper feeder is also disclosed.

Abstract: A method of singulating and feeding a random mix of thick and thin flat articles includes: (a) sensing whether a flat article is positioned on a feed conveyor in a position for removal from the feeder conveyor with a sensor, (b) advancing the feed conveyor with a first motor an incremental step to place a series of flat articles positioned on edge in a position for removal from the feed conveyor each time the sensor detects the absence of a flat article for removal from the feed conveyor, (c) counting each incremental advance of the feed conveyor, (d) incrementally advancing the stack of flat articles with a jogger driven by a second motor after the feed conveyor has moved a predetermined number of incremental steps to load additional flat articles on the feed conveyor, the jogger tending to edge the flat articles for removal from the feed conveyor; and (e) repeating steps (a)-(d) while sequentially removing flat articles from the feed conveyor on a one-by-one basis as the feed conveyor is advanced.

Abstract: A pre-gripper driving device for a pre-gripper cyclically driven oscillatingly and serving for transporting individual sheets in a sheet-processing machine, includes sheet grippers disposed at a free end of a rocking lever pivotable about a pivot pin fixed to a frame, the sheet grippers being movable relative to a gripper support about a gripper shaft aligned parallel to the pivot pin, for closing and opening the sheet grippers, and an activatable and regulatable drive for producing the movement of the grippers, the drive, on one hand, being connected to the sheet grippers and, on the other hand, being supported on one of the rocking lever and the frame; and a printing unit, a digital printing unit, a rotary printing machine and a multicolor rotary printing machine, respectively including the pre-gripper driving device.

Abstract: A method for separating a respective sheet from a sheet pile and transporting it to a sheet processing machine, wherein the respective sheet is lifted by at least one lifting suction device to a transfer level lying above a suction air intake level, and the respective sheet is taken over by at least one forwarding suction device at the transfer level, includes thereafter transporting the respective sheet by the forwarding suction device on the transfer level in a direction towards the sheet processing machine, and after transferring the sheet from the lifting suction device to the forwarding suction device, lifting the lifting suction device to an elevation level above the transfer level; a device for performing the method; and rotary printing machine and method of operation including the foregoing.

Abstract: In a method for intermediately storing documents being supplied in a supply cycle by an upstream system to an intermediate storage device, the documents supplied by the upstream system to a downstream system are transferred in a transfer cycle that is independent of the supply cycle. The intermediate storage device for performing the method has an input side and an output side and a transport device for transporting the documents from the input side to the output side in a transport direction through the intermediate storage device. The transport device has a first transport unit and a second transport unit. The first transport unit is arranged at the input side and is configured to be continuously driven. The second transport unit is arranged at the output side and is driven in a cycled operation.

Abstract: An indexing mechanism for advancing a substrate in a first direction is disclosed. The mechanism includes a guide for guiding the substrate along a substrate path and an urging member. The urging member is movable in a direction skewed with respect to the substrate path. The urging member cooperates with the guide to displace a portion of the substrate so that an end of the substrate advances in the first direction.

Abstract: A shuttling media movement system moves media in a hardcopy device, such as an inkjet printing mechanism, a facsimile machine or a multi-function device. The shuttling media movement system has a first member with a first set of fingers for periodically supporting the media, and a second member having a second set of fingers for periodically supporting the media. A motor drive is coupled to the second member to periodically interleave the second set of fingers into and out of engagement with the first set of fingers to move the media with respect to the first member in the interaction zone. Vacuum forces or electrostatic forces are used to periodically grip the media against the sets of fingers. A hardcopy device is provided with such a shuttling media movement system, along with a method for moving media in an interaction zone of a hardcopy device.

Abstract: A device for transporting to a printing press, sheets singly separated from a sheet pile, includes an electromagnetic linear drive mechanism; and a method of operation of the device.

Abstract: An arrangement for feeding sheets from a sheet store to either one of a plurality of stations includes a movable carriage which receives sheets fed from the store and which has driving cogwheels for coaction with a fixed cog railway outside the carriage.The fixed cog railway includes a path selection slide that includes cog segments that can fit into the cog railway. The selector slide can be switched to either one of two possible positions by means of a processor-controlled, motor-driven arm.

Abstract: A flexible sheet to which manufacturing processes are to be applied is tensioned within a carrying fixture having tacky surfaces to which the flexible sheet is fastened. One version of the fixture includes an "L"-shaped attachment surface on a frame member and two tensioning members deflected toward the frame member in mutually perpendicular directions. When the flexible sheet has been fastened to the carrying fixture, the tensioning members are allowed to return toward their undeflected positions while applying tensioning forces to the flexible sheet. Another version of the fixture includes "L"-shaped attachment surfaces on both a frame member and a tensioning member. A loading station includes a stack of unprocessed flexible sheets, a fixture for deflecting tensioning member(s) within the carrying fixture, and a robot arm moving a transport fixture capable of carrying a flexible sheet and a carrying fixture.

Abstract: Controlled cilia are provided to move an object. Each of the cilia, which are made of an elastic material, are fixed over a substrate and moved between a relaxed position away from the substrate and a retracted position near the substrate to move an object relative to the substrate. The cilia are moved between the relaxed and retracted positions by an electrostatic force or heating of the cilia. The cilia are formed from a material that is initially fixed to a substrate and has an inherent stress gradient. A portion of the material is released from the substrate and the inherent stress gradient forces a free portion of the cilia away from the substrate.

Abstract: The device comprises a transfer unit with a block (44) containing wells (48) in which suckers (50) are located. The wells (48) comprise a border (72) made of a sealing and friction material. The peripheral wall (60) of the sucker (50) is flexible enough to permit axial movement of the lip (62) between an expanded position in which the lip (62) projects above the border (72) of the well (48) and a contracted position in which the lip (62) is coplanar with this border. The internal space of the sucker (50) and the internal space (70) of the well (48) around the sucker are both connected to a vacuum source by respective narrow channels (64,68) whose cross sections are approximately the same as each other. The size of the cross sections of the narrow channels (64,68) is such that there is negligible loss of vacuum inside the sucker (50) when a work piece is placed against the lip (62) but not against the border (72) of the well (48).

Abstract: Apparatus for feeding and unloading sheets of material, including a first sheet attraction device for lifting a topmost sheet from a stack; a device for checking that only a single sheet has been lifted; and a second sheet attraction device movable between operable and inoperable positions, whereby when in the operable position the second sheet attraction device can be attached to a sheet adhering beneath the topmost sheet, the first and second sheet attraction devices can be moved apart to separate the adhering sheets, and the topmost sheet suspended beneath the first sheet attraction device can be carried away.

Abstract: A U-turn high capacity sheet feeder including: a sheet storing tray for holding a stack of sheets of paper, having a stack advancing spring for advancing a stack of sheets of paper; a transfer roll; a feed roll and a drive mechanism controlled to separate an individual sheet of paper from the sheet storing tray to the transfer roll for allowing it to be further driven by the transfer roll to a host machine; a U-turn baffle channel for guiding an individual sheet of paper moving away from the sheet storing tray to the transfer roll; a pivotable baffle channel for guiding an individual sheet of paper from the U-turn baffle channel to the host machine and for supporting the individual sheet of paper against the feed roll of the host machine; a control mechanism for determining the timings of the engagement of the feed roll and the drive mechanism for transporting individual sheets of paper one by one into the feed zone of the host machine in conjunction with feeding cycle of the host machine; and a housing, whic

Abstract: An image input device is provided with an engagement assembly that releasably engages a document to hold the document on a carriage against the bias force of a biasing member. The engagement assembly includes a stop assembly that releasably engages the document and a release mechanism for releasing the original document from the stop assembly permitting the biasing member to urge the document in a discharge direction. The engagement can be operated either manually or by motor. The document can then be removed from the input device at any time except during the scanning operation.

Abstract: The printing apparatus or the sheet feeding apparatus disclosed here which employs vibration driven actuators as driving sources has a circuit for detecting the characteristics of the actuator during preparatory operation performed previous to the regular operation. Information detected by said circuit is used to control the actuators during the regular operation. As a result, a printing apparatus or a sheet feeding apparatus capable of reducing wasteful or unnecessary operation can be obtained.

Abstract: A system for supplying and setting two separate base materials in a neat condition ready to be sewn by a sewing machine, which includes a supplying mechanism and a setting mechanism. A first one of the two base materials is automatically supplied by operation of the supplying mechanism to a movable guide plate movable toward the sewing machine, and then automatically set at a predetermined position thereon by operation of the setting mechanism, after which, another of the two base materials is likewise automatically set and juxtaposed on the thus-set first base material. The supplying mechanism includes a robot-hand unit for catching one of the two base materials and a transfer element for transferring the robot-hand unit to the movable guide plate.

Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus includes a vibration member having an upper surface, a bottom surface, an inner circumferential portion and an outer circumferential portion, and further having a first portion in press contact with the sheet being fed and a second portion substantially out of contact with the sheet while the sheet is being fed. An electromechanical energy conversion element is provided on the bottom surface of the vibration member and generates a vibration wave in the first portion of the vibration member in response to an applied electrical signal, the vibration wave creating a driving force for moving the sheet.

Abstract: A device for moving an object, such as a sheet of paper or other substrate, includes a base element, a drive mechanism to move the base element in first and second directions, such as by vibration, and a plurality of flexible ratchets fixedly secured to the base element. As the base element vibrates, the ratchets advance the sheet of paper in a direction perpendicular to the direction of vibration of the base element. Pluralities of base elements and drive mechanisms can be provided to direct movement of the substrate in various directions.

Abstract: A printing apparatus is provided. A vibrator comprising an elastic member and an electric/mechanical energy converting device jointed to the elastic member is attached to a carriage on which a printing head is mounted. The vibrator generates a progressive vibrating wave. The vibrator is partially come into frictional contact with a rail-shaped stator and moves along the rail-shaped stator by the progressive vibrating wave. An object to be driven is frictionally come into contact with a portion of the vibrator which is not in contact with the rail-shaped stator. The object to be driven is driven by the progressive vibrating wave. By providing a motion converting mechanism for the carriage, driving operations other than the carriage feeding operation are also executed by the vibrator.

Abstract: A fabric panel loader for automatically feeding a fabric panel from a stack of fabric pieces to a work station. The apparatus includes a fabric pickup assembly for removing the fabric panel from the stack of fabric pieces and transferring the panel to a smoothing table. The smoothing table receives the fabric panel and automatically moves the fabric panel from the stack of fabric pieces to a predetermined orientation. A panel loader removes the fabric panel from the table and transfers the panel to the work station.

Abstract: The exposed photosensitive materials are staggered into two lines, while being fed to the developing unit, for higher efficiency in development. The carrier unit B has a staggering unit and a parallel carrier path having a pair of parallel paths. The staggering unit staggers the photosensitive materials into each of two parallel paths alternately while moving in a direction perpendicular to the direction of feed.

Abstract: Successive or selected sheets of a series of exposed sheets of photosensitive material which are to enter a developing machine are shifted sideways through identical distances or through randomly selected distances so that each next-following sheet partially registers with one or more preceding sheets. The series can consist of a single row or of plural rows of exposed sheets. Such lateral staggering of the sheets ensures that the sheets contact each portion of each advancing roll in the developing machine so that the rolls cannot gather layers of impurities which could affect the quality of next-following sheets. The sheets of the series have identical formats.

Abstract: An applying apparatus for applying films to a panel includes a film feed device for feeding leading edges of the films to a tentative applying position of applying the edges to the panel, an applying device for applying the films to the panel, and a movable panel conveyance device which is moved together with the applying device.

Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus in which vibration members of the running track type to form travelling waves are arranged in the vertical direction so as to face each other and a sheet sandwiched between them is fed by frictional forces is disclosed. In order to reduce the number of parts of a circuit to drive the upper and lower vibration members, the polarizing directions in the A-phase piezoelectric transducer portions of the piezoelectric transducers for the upper vibration member are opposite to the polarizing directions in the A-phase piezoelectric transducer portions of the piezoelectric transducers for the lower vibration member. Further, the polarizing directions in the B-phase piezoelectric transducer portions for the upper vibration member are the same as the polarizing directions in the B-phase piezoelectric transducer portions for the lower vibration member.