Abstract: A centralized document system receives a request to merge a first document package associated with a first party and a second document package associated with a second party. The first document package includes a first set of documents and the second document package includes a second set of documents. In response to the request, the centralized document system identifies a first subset of documents included in both the first and second sets of documents and identifies a second subset of documents with conflicts between the first and second sets of documents. The centralized document system rectifies the second subset of documents to cure the conflicts between the first and second sets of documents. The centralized document system generates a merged document package including the first subset of documents and the rectified second subset of documents for execution by the first and second parties.

Abstract: Generally, in accordance with one embodiment, an image forming apparatus includes a stacking section, a sensor, a printing unit, a display and a controller. The stacking section is configured to stack a sheet. The sensor is configured to detect the size of the sheet set on the stacking section. The printing unit is configured to form an image on the sheet. The display is configured to display the image. The controller is configured not to display a sheet size except the sheet size detected based on an output signal from the sensor on a setting screen for the sheet size of an image forming object in a detectable status.

Abstract: This invention relates to a printing system configured to output printing media having undergone print processing by a print apparatus to a plurality of destinations including a specific destination which has a structure allowing an operator to take out the printing media. In the system, output of printing media to the specific destination is restricted while the operator takes out the printing medium outputted to the specific destination, and in case that the number of printing media necessary for a job processed by the print apparatus is smaller than a predetermined number, the system is controlled not to output to the specific destination a printed material formed from printing media smaller in number than the predetermined number. This invention can achieve efficient printing by controlling not to stop the print operation of the system as much as possible.

Abstract: A hybrid processing device having printheads that records on a check conveyed through a medium conveyance path includes a first sensor that detects insertion of a check from the recording medium entrance of the medium conveyance path, a second sensor that detects discharge of the check from the recording medium exit of the medium conveyance path, and a third sensor that detects presence of a check between the first and second sensors. It is determined that the recording medium has been removed from the conveyance path, when the recording medium detectors change from a first state, in which at least one of the recording medium detectors detects that the recording medium is present, to a second state, in which none of the recording medium detectors detect that the recording medium is present.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a conveyance unit configured to convey a document, a first detection unit configured to detect a first deviation amount of the conveyed document by a leading edge of the document, a first correction unit configured to correct deviation of the conveyed document if the first deviation amount is larger than a predetermined value, an input unit configured to read the document the corrected deviation and to input image data, a second detection unit configured to detect a second deviation amount of the conveyed document by a trailing edge of the document, and a second correction unit configured to correct deviation of the document included in the input image data if the second deviation amount is larger than a predetermined value.

Abstract: A detecting member 35 has three substantially rectangular plate-shaped detecting plates 51a, 51b, and 51c formed integrally therewith which are arranged to face an arc-shaped portion 33a of a following member 33. The detecting plates 51a, 51b, and 51c are, at one end, supported on a main portion 50, and are composed of base-end portions R1, with which, at their reverse side, a prop 60 makes contact, and swing portions R2, which are located on the tip-end side of the base-end portions R1 and with which protrusions 43a and 43b on the arc-shaped portion 33a make contact. The base-end portions R1 have a wider elastically deformable range than the swing portions R2.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including an image forming apparatus and an image checking apparatus. The image forming apparatus includes a transport control unit which transports a recording medium at a transport speed, and forms an image on the recording medium. The image checking apparatus includes a transport-speed acquisition unit, a detector, a reading unit, and an operation-state notification unit. The transport-speed acquisition unit acquires transport-speed information from the image forming apparatus. The detector detects a mark shown on the recording medium. The reading unit reads a checking-target image formed by the image forming apparatus at a position distant from the mark, on the basis of the transport-speed information and information concerning a positional relationship between the mark and the checking-target image. The operation-state notification unit notifies the image forming apparatus of an operation state of the image checking apparatus.

Abstract: A paper feeder, a control method thereof, and an image forming apparatus having the same are provided. The paper feeder includes a moving member to push paper loaded on one paper loader to another empty paper loader. With regard to operation of the moving member, the stop time of the moving member may be variable based on a paper size input by a user, which enables a stop position of the moving member to be automatically adjusted based on the paper size, resulting in enhanced user convenience.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for forming images on recording media of different sizes are provided. The image forming procedure may include reading setting information which includes the size of a substitute recording medium for each user from a memory and, when the size of the recording medium specified by the print instruction is not available, executing a print instruction by automatically changing the size of a recording medium to be used to the size of the substitute recording medium based on the setting information. Additional computer-readable storage media storing image forming procedures are also provided.

Abstract: A transport device and a transporting method. The transporting device includes a transporting unit, a plurality of medium sensing units, an encoder, a paper management module, a determining unit, and a transport controller. When the determining unit determines that a transport error has occurred in a succession transport medium based on a count value for an encoder signal, the paper management module stops counting, and the transport controller controls the transporting unit such that the transporting unit continues transporting a previous transport medium.

Abstract: A sheet storing/feeding device includes a receptacle for holding standing sheets, a stacking and feeding mechanism to successively carry the sheets into the receptacle and to feed a forefront sheet out of the receptacle. A pushing member configured to be optionally advanced and retracted is provided on the side of the forefront sheet in the receptacle, and a holding member is provided to be in contact with a backmost sheet in the receptacle. A retaining member is provided to be optionally advanced and retracted relative to a storage space defined between the stacking and feeding mechanism and the holding member. The retaining member, when advanced, can hold the sheets in the receptacle between the retaining member and the holding member so as to bring them into a temporary holding state, while, when retracted, can release the paper-sheets in the temporary holding state.

Abstract: In order to make the size of the banknote processing device (the number of the stacking units) a minimum configuration, to reduce the number of the banknote sorting processes, and to clearly show to the operator a distinction between the stacking units storing the banknotes that have been able to be sorted and the stacking units storing the banknotes that have failed to be sorted, a banknote processing device 100 that sorts and stacks plural banknotes are provide.

Abstract: An auto document feeder cooperated with an image processing machine defines a feeding path and has a base, a frame and a sensor device. The base has a background under the feeding path. The frame is mounted on the base. The sensor couples with the frame and has a sensor arm. The sensor arm has an optical sensor located in the feeding path and faced to the background of the base. The sensor device recognizes a sheet is present in the feeding path or not by that the optical sensor recognizes the energy of the light reflected from the background and the sheet. The sensor device also recognizes characteristic of the sheet by that the optical sensor recognizes the energy of the light reflected from the sheet. Therefore, the image processing machine executes different processes for the sheet according to the characteristic of the sheet.

Abstract: The present application is directed to methods of determining a width of a media sheet moving along a media path of an image forming apparatus. The methods may include moving the media sheet along the media path and past a media width sensor that includes a shaft with a first upstream paddle positioned away from a reference location of the media path and a second downstream paddle positioned in closer proximity to the reference location. The first paddle is positioned a first distance from the first sensor, and the second paddle is positioned a second distance from the first sensor. As the media sheet moves along the media path, a first signal may be received when the media sheet contacts the first sensor, and a second signal when the media sheet is at the media width sensor. The distance the media sheet travels between contacting the first sensor and being at the second sensor may be determined.

Abstract: A simplified sheet sensor and registration gate for feeding print media sheets from a stack loaded by a user into a receptacle on a photocopier. The gate is pivoted on the mechanism and has a flag attached; and, upon user loading of sheets into the receptacle, the gate is pivoted against a locking arm and the flag is moved to actuate an optic sensor that sheets have been loaded. The locking arm is pivoted on the nudger roll arm and unlocks the gate when the nudger roll is moved down to contact the top sheet in the stack. When the sheet receptacle is unloaded, the gate is pivoted by gravity to the downward position and the locking arm pivots by gravity to reset. If the nudger is raised for sheet jam clearance, the locking arm is pivoted to clear the gate, allowing the gate to drop. The locking resets by gravity.

Abstract: Various edge detection arrangements are disclosed, including an edge detection method and arrangement that utilizes outputs of commonly illuminated reference and edge sensors as the inputs for a comparator. The reference sensor is configured to have a wide field of view and the edge sensor is configured to have a narrow, high gain, field of view. Therefore, the reference sensor has a broad signal response to an edge passage and the edge sensor a steep and narrow signal response. When the two signals are biased to cross each other, the comparator output changes state, indicating passage of an edge. Because the reference sensor provides a base signal level directly related to the real time illumination level that the edge sensor also receives, the reference sensor provides a switch point along the transition ramp of the edge sensor that integrates a majority of the random error sources.

Abstract: Systems and methods of registration system control are provided that compensate for differences in physical properties of various substrates being transported through the system that impact the displacement of the substrate through a given path. Exemplary systems of the invention include at least one roll pair formed by a first, driven roll and a second roll defining a nip therebetween that is part of the transport path through which a substrate is passed. A prestored lookup table includes empirically- or theoretically-derived compensation factors for plural different kinds of substrates, with each compensation factor being based on physical characteristics of the substrate that impact actual travel length of the substrate along the transport path, such as the substrate's mass per unit area, which has been found to have a strong correlation with a substrate's bending stiffness, which has been found to have a strong correlation with detected deviations in linear travel path.

Abstract: A method of an embodiment of the invention is disclosed that advances media sheets through an image-forming device such that each successive pair of media sheets are advanced at least substantially adjacent to one another. The method transmissively optically senses a leading edge of each of the media sheets and a lagging edge of each of the media sheets. The method detects occurrence of an out-of-media sheets situation where a length of time after the lagging edge of one of the media sheets has been optically sensed exceeds a threshold length of time.

Abstract: A system and method for feeding and transporting documents are provided. The system includes a feeder stage including a hopper, a feeder and a separator. The hopper includes a hopper wall extending toward the feeder with a waterfall step along the hopper wall and with the stack of documents engaging the hopper wall including the waterfall step to form a pocket area over a limited distance extending from the waterfall step along the hopper wall toward the feeder. A photo edge detector located in the pocket area faces the stack of documents such that when a feeding document trailing edge passes the waterfall step, the trailing edge is detected by the photo edge detector while in the pocket area. The system further includes a transport stage downstream of the feeder stage for receiving the fed documents.

Abstract: Loader of signatures or sheets with scale-shaped arrangement comprising a retractable plane (10) onto which a small stack (7) of signatures or sheets (3) is deposited, which is unloaded onto the plane (2′) of a feeder (2) after the retractable plane (10) has moved back. The latter is located at a minimum difference in height relative to the horizontal upper part (5′) of a conveyor belt (5) of the signatures or sheets (3) coming from the loader (1) and at a short distance from the plane (2′) of the feeder (2).

Abstract: A trimming apparatus for a booklet maker is described which provides a compact and low cost booklet maker for desktop publishing. The booklet maker includes a sheet receiving tray for receiving a stack of sheets to be stapled into a booklet, a stapler unit arranged to staple the stack of sheets, and a trimming system for trimming the sheets in a sheet wise manner. The trimming system includes first and second pick and separate mechanisms arranged to separate each of the sheets in the stack of sheets and first and second cutters arranged to cut each of the separated sheets after the have been separated by the first and second pick and separate mechanisms. A controller positions the sheets and controls the trimming system to cut each of the separated sheets at a location determined based on a trimming schedule. The trimming schedule varies the position of the cut depending on a position of the sheet in the booklet and a thickness of the sheets.

Abstract: A sheet supply device is formed of a sheet supply stacker, a supply path for guiding a sheet stacked on the sheet supply stacker, a sheet process portion situated in the supply path, and a switch-back path positioned on a downstream side of the sheet process portion. The switch-back path guides the sheet which has passed through the sheet process portion again to the supply path by switching back the sheet. The sheet having passed through the sheet process portion is ejected onto a sheet ejecting stacker. After a first supply of the sheet to the sheet process portion is made, the sheet is reversed by the switch-back path to make a second supply to the sheet process portion; the sheet having been subjected to the second supply is again reversed by the switch-back path to make a third supply to the sheet process portion, and then ejected onto the sheet ejecting stacker. A first supply of a next sheet to the sheet process portion is made between the second and third supplies of the preceding sheet.

Abstract: The present invention provides a sheet material stacking device comprising a sheet material discharging means for discharging a sheet material, a sheet material stacking means on which the sheet materials discharged by the sheet material discharging means are stacked, and an elongation tray extensibly housed within the sheet material stacking means and capable of extending in accordance with a size of the sheet material, and wherein the elongation tray has an inclined surface at an upstream end thereof in a sheet material stacking direction.

Abstract: An ADF (Automatic Document Feeder) for an image forming apparatus includes a drive roller and a driven roller constituting document send-out means located downstream of a contact glass for sending out a document. The driven roller is movable into and out of contact with the drive roller. The driven roller is spaced from the drive roller when a document sensor does not sense the arrival of the leading edge of the document at the document send-out means. When the document sensor senses the leading edge of the document, the driven roller is moved toward the drive roller in order to convey the document in cooperation with the drive roller. The ADF insures accurate reading of the document without varying the document conveying speed at an image reading position.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus is provided with an automatic document feeder. Even if a document is jammed in the automatic document feeder, what is required of the user is to set all documents on a document tray once again, including the jammed document, documents from which image information have already been copied, and documents from which image information have not yet been copied. Of the documents re-set on the document tray, the documents from which image information have been copied are discharged onto a discharge tray, without executing a copying operation. In other words, a copying operation is executed only for the documents from which image information have not been copied. The number of documents from which image information are copied is counted by checking the outputs from an alignment sensor.

Abstract: The invention pertains to a hopper loader apparatus for separating and forming an overlapping shingled stream of individual signatures of sheet materials from a vertically aligned, parallelepiped shaped stack of such signatures for subsequent handling operations. The hopper loader has a slippage resistant belt which engages a bottom edge of each signature and assists in preventing the signatures from slipping by keeping them upstanding. Preferably the slippage resistant belt has an array of projections extending upwardly from a belt surface which secures the signatures in place. This produces a smooth, regular, even signature stream. Individual signatures flow reliably, one-by-one off of the downward conveyor to another conveyor.

Abstract: A method for controlling an intermediate stacking device for flat shipments, in particular in letter sorting facilities, comprising a stacking device (SR) on a movable stacking cart (SW), a bottom transporting belt (UB) on which the shipments are positioned crosswise to the belt movement direction, and a separating device with a withdrawal means (AR), as well as a shipment sensor (FH2), which detects the shipments at the separating device. In order to correct without problems a slanted position of the shipment stack at the separating device, the normal operational control of the intermediate stacking device becomes invalid if a predetermined time interval during which no shipments are detected at the withdrawal means (AR) is exceeded, the supply of shipments to the intermediate stacking device is interrupted, the bottom transporting belt (UB) is stopped, and the stacking cart (SW) is put into motion in the direction of the separating device.