Abstract: A system is provided for processing documents. In particular, the system is incorporates a feeder for feeding documents to a device for further processing of the documents. For instance, the system finds particular application in the field of document imaging in which a variety of documents of varying sizes and orientation are to be fed to an imaging system, such as a document scanner. The system may provide an input mechanism for easily identifying a characteristic of one of the documents and the system may include features for handling packets of documents.

Abstract: A used paper supply device includes a first paper feed unit and a second paper feed unit for feeding used paper and cleaning unit for cleaning a surface of a roller of the paper feed units, in which when the used paper is fed from the first paper feed unit, the surface of the roller of the second paper feed unit is cleaned.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus, in which a method of correcting a positional deviation of a sheet is performed, includes a detecting device to detect a position of the sheet, a pair of sheet conveying bodies to convey the sheet and correct the positional deviation of the sheet, an image forming device to form an image on the sheet, and circuitry to calculate a first positional deviation amount of the sheet based on a first detection result of the detecting device, cause the pair of sheet conveying bodies to correct the positional deviation of the sheet based on the first positional deviation amount, calculate a second positional deviation amount of the sheet based on a second detection result of the detecting device, and cause the image forming device to correct the positional deviation of an image forming position on the sheet based on the second positional deviation amount.

Abstract: In one example in accordance with the present disclosure, a sheet transport device is described. The sheet transport device includes a pickup roller to insert a sheet into a sheet path. A pair of separation rollers of the sheet transportation device form a nip that advances the sheet along the sheet path. A first separation shaft on which a first separation roller is disposed rotates in a first direction as the sheet is advanced and a second separation shaft on which a second separation roller is disposed also rotates in the first direction as the sheet is advanced. The second separation roller is driven in a second direction via a torque limiter. A motor rotates the shafts. A one-way clutch is disposed on the second separation shaft to disengage the second separation shaft from the motor when the motor is operating in a reverse mode.

Abstract: An inclined type kicker for pushing out a lowermost-layer corrugated cardboard sheet in a plurality of corrugated cardboard sheets stacked in a hopper toward a front gate disposed on the downstream side of a sheet transferring direction in the hopper includes: a push-out face for pushing out the lowermost-layer corrugated cardboard sheet toward a lower end opening side of the front gate in abutment against a rear end of the lowermost-layer corrugated cardboard sheet on the upstream side of the sheet transferring direction; and a rear end lift-up face which is obliquely formed such that the height is gradually increased toward the upstream side of the sheet transferring direction and adapted to lift upward the rear end side of the corrugated cardboard sheet located on the upper layer side of the lowermost-layer corrugated cardboard sheet with an operation of pushing out the lowermost-layer corrugated cardboard sheet.

Abstract: A sheet feeder for feeding printed sheets to a conveying device, with a gripper drum that has at least one gripper for removing the printed sheets one at a time from a stack; a pocket is permanently mounted essentially in the peripheral area of the gripper drum wherein the printed sheets are aligned against a stop with the fold forward and set down on the conveying device with reversal of direction; and with a decelerating device for slowing the speed of the printed sheets downstream towards the stop. The decelerating device has at least one secondary stop, which rotates in the same direction as the gripper drum, has a slower speed than the gripper drum for slowing down the printed sheets, and on which the printed sheets are slowed down upstream of the stop.

Abstract: A transport device includes a feed unit that feeds transport subjects being loaded in a loading portion one by one in a transport direction, a protrusion amount detection unit that detects a protrusion amount of the transport subjects from the loading portion in the transport direction and an overlap feed sign detection unit that detects a sign of occurrence of overlap feed of the transport subjects based on a detection result of the protrusion amount.

Abstract: A media handling device includes a media shingling mechanism having a roller actuator located adjacent an upper portion of a media stack and upstream thereof relative to a predetermined direction of an uppermost sheet from the stack toward a media restraint dam located downstream thereof. The roller actuator undergoes counterclockwise rotation in response to upward moving contact by successive sheets in the upper portion of the stack against a peripheral segment of the roller actuator as the stack is moved vertically upward in a rectilinear direction toward the roller actuator. The counterclockwise rotation of the roller actuator and upward movement of the upper portion of the stack produces a lateral displacement of successive sheets toward the dam so as to produce shingling of successive sheets of the upper portion of the stack relative to one another, providing a uniform inter-page gap between successive sheets.

Abstract: Disclosed is a sheet discharging apparatus in which an apparatus main body portion is provided with plural discharging rollers for discharging sheets by rotation, and a shaft coaxially fixed to the discharging rollers. The shaft has an outer diameter smaller than an outer diameter of the discharging roller. At the discharging roller side of the shaft is provided a small-diameter portion, with the outer diameter of the small-diameter portion smaller than the outer diameter of another portion. A projection projects from a portion of the apparatus main body portion, a tip end of the projection being disposed in a step between the small-diameter portion and the other portion of the shaft. Also disclosed is an image forming apparatus having the sheet discharging apparatus, in which an image is formed on a sheet, and the sheet on which the image is formed is discharged by the sheet discharging apparatus.

Abstract: Sheets (12, 14) of a print medium kept in a stack (10) are individually fed into an office machine. The edge of the uppermost sheet (12) is raised off the corresponding edge of the following second sheet (14). At least one band (32) is then inserted into the gap formed in this way, which separates the uppermost sheet (12) from the following sheet (14), reducing thereby the friction between the uppermost sheet (12) and the following sheet (14) when the uppermost sheet (12) is pulled off, and minimizing thereby any electrostatic charge of the sheets (12, 14) caused by such friction. The band (32) can be retracted into a band housing (36).

Abstract: A paper feeder 30 includes at ray 5 for placing and holding a bundle of sticky notes 4 formed by stacking plural sticky notes 4P having an adhesive part 4a, an adhesive part side positioning part 32a for pressing the adhesive part 4a of the bundle of sticky notes 4, and a pickup roller 35 located at the side of the free end part of the sticky notes 4P for transporting and bending the sticky notes 4P toward the adhesive part side positioning part 32a to separate them from the bundle of sticky notes 4, and a bottom plate 52 has a horizontal surface part 52a that receives the side of the adhesive part 4a and a slope part 52b that receives the side of the free end part of the sticky notes 4P at respectively different positions in the height direction.

Abstract: Provided is a drum surface scanner with which punched holes and/or cuts can be formed in a plate which has been correctly defined by position, and the plate can be clamped to a recording drum. When a plate P comes in front of movable pins 113, i.e., on a hole punch unit 4 side, the upper roller of a conveyor roller 125 moves down, and conveyor rollers 124 and 125, and conveyor belts 111 all start rotating in the positive direction. Once the plate P moves out of the range covered by a sensor PH159, the movable pins 113 follow the tail end of the plate P at a given distance therefrom. When the front end of the plate P reaches the hole punch unit 4, the movable pins 113 which have been chasing the plate P push the tail end thereof to make the front end thereof abut to the hole punch unit 4. At the same time, based on the movement amount of the movable pins 113 from their original positions to current positions pushing the tail end of the plate P, the plate P is checked for its length Y.

Abstract: A method and system for unloading continuous forms media from an image forming device while utilizing full forms. The full form utilization feature of the present invention is applicable to printing onto sheets having multiple forms. During an automatic unload operation, the last printed form from a print run is unloaded and the first unused form is positioned to be the first printed form on a subsequent run. The full form utilization feature of the present invention reduces or minimizes the number of forms wasted during print runs.

Abstract: Sheet feed apparatus including a scuff feed for reliably transporting sheets from different types of sheet stacks and different types of sheets within the stack. The apparatus comprises a sheet feed roller and a retard device in contact with the feed roller. A nudging device, contacting a paper stack, is used to feed single or multiple sheets into the nip between the feed roller and retard device. The feed roller, retard device, and nudging device all have a surface layer of 35-28092-N-GY-A, which gives them a much longer useful lifetime. A method for maximizing the efficent use of these rollers and of testing and using these rollers is also disclosed.

Abstract: A paper feed apparatus having a pickup mechanism to pick up a plurality of paper sheets stacked on a chute one by one from the bottom and carrying the paper sheets to a predetermined standby position, comprises a gate 2 disposed facing a pickup roller 1 almost vertically with respect to the direction of paper feed to form a predetermined clearance, a paper-sheet separating pad 3 disposed in sliding contact with the pickup roller 1 to pick up the paper placed on the standby position one by one, and a pickup arm 4 that can be driven to be moved upward when setting paper sheets and downward when feeding paper sheets to push from above the paper sheets stacked on a chute 13 near a paper-sheet feed port. The pickup arm 4,when brought into free state as the planetary gear 5 disengages from the drive power transmission system, pushes paper sheets with a pushing force that increases with increases in the number of paper sheets stacked on the chute 13.

Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus has a sheet support, a feeding rotary member and a separating rotary member. The sheet support, the feeding rotary member, and the separating rotary member are so disposed that an angle formed on a side of the feeding rotary member by intersecting a tangential line of the feeding rotary member at a contacting position between the feeding rotary member and the sheet with a tangential line at the contact portion is an obtuse angle. A conveyance guide is disposed on a side of the separating rotary member with respect to the contact portion for guiding the sheet fed to the feeding rotary member to the contact portion, the conveyance guide having a projection guide for projecting the contact portion on an upstream side in the sheet conveyance direction of the contact portion more toward the side of the feeding rotary member than a guide surface of the contact portion.

Abstract: Image recording apparatus for recording an image on a recording plate, the apparatus comprising a plate store (1) for storing a stack (12) of recording plates separated by interleaved sheets; a drum image scanner (6) on which recording plates are located for recordal of an image; and a frictional feed apparatus (2) for withdrawing recording plates from the store (1) and feeding them singly to the drum image scanner (6).

Abstract: A document feeder with overlap protection that prevents the overlap of successive documents moving from a document stack and that utilizes a nudger. An independent motor selectively drives the nudger. Document edge detectors sense the location of documents at the nudger and at other locations fed from the document stack and send control signals to the independent motor so that a proper distance is maintained between successive documents. A document edge detector can be placed at various locations along the path of document travel.

Abstract: A sheet such as paper or hard film can be fed accurately in an intended direction while positively holding the sheet merely by applying plastic processing to a peripheral surface of a metallic rod.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus is disclosed for feeding astride signatures (3) to a collection path. The signatures (3) are removed from a magazine (4) with a conveyor drum (6) and transferred to an opening device (16). The transport speed of the signature lifted from the magazine (4) is first increased relative to a circumferential speed of the conveyor drum, in order to lengthen the time interval until the next signature (3) is removed. Thereafter, the transport speed of the signature (3) is decreased again either before or inside a region of the discharge location or in a capture region of the opening device, whereby the signature (3) is moved again in the opposite direction with respect to the circumference of the conveyor drum.

Abstract: A cleaning sheet suitable for use in cleaning a recording apparatus including a region having an adhesive property provided on at least a part of one surface of a base sheet, and the other surface of the base sheet has a surface roughness ranging from 15 um to 60 um in terms of a ten point mean roughness Rz at a reference length of 8 mm in accordance with JIS B 0601. The surface roughness A um and the adhesive strength of B gf/25 mm satisfy the following relationship:0.05.ltoreq.A/B.

Abstract: To strip laminated foil cuttings, which are provided with incisions in a cover foil adhered to a carrier paper through a self-adhesive bottom layer, an incision forming a separation line is made into the carrier paper of a forward edge of each foil cutting before the edge zone is pulled off from the carrier paper by a transfer means in cooperation with a deflection edge.

Abstract: The present invention provides a sheet feeding apparatus which includes a first conveying device for conveying a sheet stack formed in a stepped fashion by offsetting each sheet by a predetermined distance in a predetermined direction toward the predetermined direction or toward an opposite direction, a separating device disposed at a downstream side of the first conveying means in the predetermined direction and adapted to separate an outermost sheet from the sheet stack being fed by the first conveying device, a second conveying device for conveying the sheet separated by the separating device, and control device for controlling the first conveying device in such a manner that the first conveying device is activated to convey the sheet stack in the predetermined direction and the first conveying device is stopped after the sheet separated by the separating device starts to be conveyed by the second conveying device.

Abstract: This specification discloses a sheet conveying apparatus having piling means for piling sheets with a predetermined amount of deviation in the direction of conveyance provided therebetween, first conveying means for imparting a conveying force to only that surface of the lead-off one of the sheets piled with the predetermined amount of deviation provided therebetween which is not in contact with the other sheets, and movement restricting means disposed upstream of the first conveying means by a distance shorter than the predetermined length of the conveyed predetermined sheet minus the predetermined amount of deviation for restricting the movement of the other sheets than the lead-off sheet.

Abstract: A sheet feeder in which a picker member engaging an end sheet of a stack is actuated to drive the end sheet through a feed nip formed by a feed member and a cooperating member. The picker member is actuated in advance of the feed member to prevent other sheets from entering the nip. Preferably, the picker member is preactuated by coupling it directly to the drive source while coupling the feed member to the same drive source through an electrically actuated clutch.

Abstract: Feed roll cleaner for cleaning and renewing the frictional surfaces of the paper feed rolls of a reproducing or printing machine having a relatively rigid lightweight rectangular board fittable within the machine paper tray in place of the copy sheets, the board having discrete patches of abrasive material on the surface thereof opposite the feed rolls such that on actuation of the machine, the feed rolls rub against the patch opposite thereto until the machine misfeed detector responds to the failure to feed a sheet and shuts down the machine.

Abstract: An improved alignment/restraint station for interposition in an automatic document feed path is disclosed. A unitary structure including back-up rollers and sawtooth restraint members is positioned downstream of the document separation station and transverse to the direction of feed. Adjacent either end of the unitary structure are dual purpose edge alignment members. The unitary structure is moveable into and out of position in the feed path and includes guide members for leading a document over the edge alignment members.

Abstract: A stack of sheets such as documents to be fed one by one from the lowermost sheet is clamped between a lower feeding roller rotated in a given direction and an upper pressing roller whose shaft is loosely inserted in an elongated hole formed in a bearing secured to a rotatable arm. A coiled spring is connected between a free end of the arm and a fixed body of the apparatus to rotate the arm in such a manner that the pressing roller is urged against the stack of sheets with a large force due to the strong restoring force of the spring and the gravitational force of the pressing roller. A stopper plate is arranged in a rotational movement path of the arm at such a position that when a thickness of the stacked sheets has decreased to a given value, the rotation of the arm is inhibited by an engagement of the arm and stopper plate.

Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus of the type capable of feeding sheets individually from the lowermost sheet of a stack of sheets placed on a sheet tray, for use in facsimile apparatus, a copying machine or the like, comprises a sheet feed roller rotated in the sheet feeding direction and a sheet separation roller also rotated in the sheet feeding direction and disposed downstream of a sheet feed roller in terms of the sheet feeding direction. A brake member is in contact with the peripheral surface of the sheet separation roller and a pressure application plate is disposed above the sheet feed roller to bring the sheets into pressure contact with the sheet feed roller. The pressure application plate is movable between its pressure application position and a position substantially away from the sheets whereby the pressure plate may be held away from the sheets when they are being driven by the sheet separation rollers.

Abstract: An electrophotographic copier having a recirculating automatic document feeder whereby a stack of original documents are top-fed, one at a time, to the copier's platen for copying, and after such copying, rejoin the stack by operation of means which cyclically lift the stack to enable the returning document to be deposited below the stack, and then lowers the stack to cause such a returned document to become the lowermost document of the stack.

Abstract: Device for separating and feeding sheets in seriatim from a stack to a processing station. The device includes a pin which periodically contacts and forms a pivot point on the stack. A rotary wave generator is disposed to rotate about the pivot point. The rotary wave generator periodically contacts a topmost sheet in the stack and shingles (that is separates) the sheet from the stack. The shingled sheet is fed into a paper sheet aligner and into the processing station.

Abstract: Device for separating and feeding sheets in seriatim from a stack to a processing station. The device includes a pin which periodically contacts and forms a pivot point on the stack. A rotary wave generator is disposed to rotate about the pivot point. The rotary wave generator periodically contacts a topmost sheet in the stack and shingles (that is separates) the sheet from the stack. The shingled sheet is fed into a paper sheet aligner and into the processing station. A variable or ramped force and/or a variable velocity is applied to the shingler. The force and/or velocity begins at a relatively low value and increases until a sheet is sensed downstream from the stack. This enables the feeding of a wide range of paper types and weights.

Abstract: Apparatus shown for feeding documents of selected width singly from a stack in alignment without buckling. Guides are provided at either side of a bin for holding a stack of documents. One guide is fixed and the other adjustable in order that the bin may hold stacks having documents of selected widths. A shingler (combing wheel) shingles the documents forward to a separator/restraint station, which feeds the documents singly. In order to properly align the sheets for separation, the adjustable guide is connected by an adjustment device to the shingler wheel. The adjustment device (e.g., cable and pulley) is arranged to move the shingler wheel half the distance the adjustable guide is moved. This keeps the shingler wheel centered with respect to the documents. The separator/restraint station is positioned so as to always be to the side of the shingler wheel towards the fixed guide to abut each separated sheet against an alignment edge thereof for precise alignment thereof.

Abstract: A self-compensating stripper assembly cooperating with a feed roller for separating sheets from a stack and feeding them one-at-a time to facilitate counting, examining and endorsing operations on each individual sheet. Said assembly has a pivotally mounted stripper member positioned upon the free end of a swingable arm. A resilient element urges the swingable arm toward the feed roller and an adjustable stop limits the movement of the stripper assembly toward the feed roller. An additional independent resilient member urges the stripper member toward the feed roller and is yieldable to accommodate changes in sheet thickness. The shape of the stripper member facilitates the stripping operation by shaping the stack of sheets prior to entry into the stripping operation. Separate stops are provided for limiting the pivotal movement of the stripper member about its pivotal mounting.

Abstract: A document feed mechanism for feeding original documents to a copier imaging station. A bottom feed shingler wheel generates a shingled stack of original documents in a tray having a crowned shape, the tray crest being located forward of the shingler wheel. The shingled stack is supplied to a nip formed by an intermittently operated feed roll and a restraint roll which is rearwardly biased via a magnetic hysteresis slip clutch. The normal force on a sheet in the nip and the rearward bias force of the restraint roll are specifically controlled. The feed and restraint rolls intermittently supply single sheets to an imaging station feed mechanism.

Abstract: Disclosed is a compact sheet feed apparatus suitable for attachment to a printer or the like, including a removable cartridge for holding a stack of sheets. The cartridge provides an intergral edge aligner surface and second sheets restraint during lateral shingling of sheets prior to feeding in a direction transverse to shingling.

Abstract: A paper feeding apparatus adapted to feed paper sheets one by one by the rotational force of feed rollers acting on the uppermost surface of stacked paper sheets, including a linkage arrangement for moving the feed rollers transverse to the direction of paper sheet feed.

Abstract: A multibin, cut-sheet xerographic copier capable of operating in a simplex or a duplex mode, wherein sheets are fed from a selected sheet stack, one at a time, to the copier's transfer station, by a sheet feeding structure which includes a resilient combing wheel. The combing wheel is of a unique resilient construction, such that it exhibits a spring rate and damping factor which minimizes acoustical noise and enhances reliable, repeatable shingling of the top sheet of a stack to a closable sheet drive nip.

Abstract: The edges of the upper portion of a stack of sheets are driven horizontally into the high friction periphery of a rotating roll which raises the edge portions from the stack in succession. The rotating roll is then pivoted about an external axis until it is supportingly disposed under the raised batch. A second roll or roller is then lowered onto the batch so that the raised edge portion is confined between it and the lower rotating roll. A nip is thereby formed and the entire batch of sheets is then driven therethrough for use downstream.

Abstract: A multibin, cut-sheet xerographic copier capable of operating in a simplex or a duplex copy mode, wherein sheets are fed from a selected sheet stack, one at a time, to the copier's transfer station, by a sheet feeding means which includes a combing wheel. The combing wheel shingles the top few sheets, and particularly the single top sheet's leading edge, to a normally open feed nip. This nip is closed by copier logic to feed the top sheet to the transfer station. The feed nip comprises a fixed position, continuously rotating feed roller adapted to cooperate with the top surface of the top sheet. A solenoid controlled, nip-closing, composite pad is pivotable upward to press the top sheet against the feed roller. This composite pad includes a first low friction, nonresilient pressure pad cooperating with the feed roller, and a second, reduced thickness, resilient pad cooperating with the leading edge of the shingled sheets under the top sheet.

Abstract: A multibin, cut-sheet xerographic copier capable of operating in a simplex or a duplex copy mode, wherein sheets are fed from a selected sheet stack, one at a time, to the copier's transfer station, by a sheet feeding means which includes a combing wheel.The combing wheel shingles the leading edge of the stack's top sheet to an open feed roller nip, to be sensed thereat by a pneumatic sensor. Sensing of this leading edge causes the combing wheel to be lifted off the stack. Subsequently, at a time determined by the copier's control logic, the drive nip closes to thereby feed the top sheet to the copier's paper registration gate, and then to its transfer station. As soon as this sheet's trailing edge has cleared the pneumatic sensor, and the drive nip has opened, the next sheet is staged at the shingled position, in the open drive nip.Means are provided to deshingle the stack when the copier's paper supply drawer is opened, as for reloading paper.

Abstract: A sheet delivery apparatus includes a sheet delivering revolving member in abutting relationship with a sheet separating member, which members cooperate to deliver the lowermost one of sheets in a stack through a nip therebetween while maintaining the forward edge face of the sheets in an inclined position.

Abstract: A sheet film magazine for an X-ray film exchanger includes a housing with a chamber, a drum rotatably mounted in the chamber with a portion urged toward the cylindrical surface with the teeth resting thereon. A leading end of each sheet inserted into the chamber is guided between the cylindrical surface and the belt. Thd drum and belt are driven in a stepwise manner with the distance of movement of the surface of the drum and the belt being equal to the distance between adjacent teeth on the belt.

Abstract: A data card feeding station in which a stack of cards is aligned and removed one-by-one from the stack by a feed roll and a pressure applying spring under the control of a card engaging plate which is actuated on command to allow engagement of a card between the feed roll and the spring.

Abstract: Photocopy machine having a feed module for successively feeding individual original documents from a stack thereof. Cooperating portions of the feed module and of the photocopying machine form a straight line original document feed path having an entryway that is accessible for conventional insertion of original documents. The feed module includes apparatus for successively feeding original documents from a stack along a direction reversing path that leads to the above entryway of the straight line feed path. The feed module can be pivoted to afford access to the straight line original document path and to permit copying of original documents which cannot be sheet fed. The feed module includes an original document separating arrangement wherein a feed tire and flanking retarder bars are cooperatively disposed so as to obviate need for any adjustment of the arrangement to afford proper feeding of documents of variable thickness.

Abstract: In the arrangement, a batch or stack of vertically oriented recording media sheets is supported on edge on a horizontal vibrating table which is vibrated by a vibrating conveyor and the sheets are advanced singly, starting with the leading or frontmost sheet, through a separating slot between a pair of endless belts constituting a transporting arrangement. A first rotating suction drum is mounted at the rear end of the vibrating table and is formed with circumferentially spaced suction bores for operative relation with a rotary slide valve to connect the suction bores intermittently to a suction system. A second rotating suction drum is arranged within the range of the separating slot and serves as a separating drum, and a hold-back suction drum is also arranged within the range of the separating slot and serves as a hold-back device, the hold-back suction drum having the same design as the first rotating suction drum.

Abstract: A sheet separating device is disclosed for separating a single sheet from a stack of sheets in an inclined supply hopper of a document feeder or the like. Spaced drive rollers are located above the stack and are operative to engage the uppermost sheet of the stack. During rotation of the drive roller, the sheets are separated one at a time from the stack and are fed to a work station, for instance, a printing station. Means is provided for equalizing the pressure of the separator upon the stack of sheets as its height decreases.

Abstract: Apparatus for feeding individual sheets from a hopper, including a rotating prefeed member positioned near the exit end of the hopper and having projections for repeatedly beating the next sheet to be fed from the stack of sheets, to help separate the sheets and to urge the next sheet out of the hopper.

Abstract: Paper inserts, such as statements, payroll checks, and the like, are stacked on the downward sloping bottom of a hopper behind inward extending front stop plates that form a clearance over the hopper bottom. A pair of pinch rollers are constantly driven in front of the stop plates to pass on inserts delivered thereto. At least one front feed roller is disposed substantially below the stop plates and two rear feed rollers are disposed behind the stop plates. The front and rear feed rollers are of resilient material and project upward above the bottom of the hopper. A cylindrical gate is adjustably positioned above the front feed roller so that an intermittent rotation of the feed rollers advances the lowermost insert of the stack under the gate to be engaged by the pairs of constantly driven pinch rollers.