Abstract: A sheet feeding unit according to the invention includes a sheet stacking tray on which the sheet is stacked, a sheet feeding device which feeds the sheet stacked on the sheet stacking tray, and a unit frame which supports the sheet stacking tray and the sheet feeding portion and is attached to a apparatus main body. In the sheet feeding unit, the sheet feeding device is pivotable on the unit frame to change a sheet feeding direction.

Abstract: An image reading apparatus includes a guide rod; a housing member having a guide part for abutting a document placed on a document table and positioning one side of the document on a table face of the document table and a first positioning part and a second positioning part projecting to the back side of the document table, when both end parts of the guide rod abut against the first positioning part and the second positioning part, the first positioning part and the second positioning part for positioning the guide rod at a position where the one side of the document positioned by the guide part and the longitudinal direction axis are parallel; a fix unit for pressing the guide rod against the first positioning part and the second positioning part; a carriage being fitted slidably into the guide rod; and a carriage drive section for moving the carriage along the guide rod.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a structure to lift or lower a paper loading tray without a separate drive source while preventing damage to constituent elements even under an abnormal situation in that excessive force is transmitted to the paper loading tray. The image forming apparatus includes a paper feeding cassette including a paper loading tray and a lifting member to lift or lower the paper loading tray, the paper feeding cassette being detachably coupled to the body, a power intermittence device to intermit power to be transmitted from a drive source provided in a body of the image forming apparatus to the lifting member, and a power transmission device to transmit the power transmitted through the power intermittence device to the lifting member by use of at least one worm gear. The image forming apparatus further includes a safety lever having one end to cooperate with a pickup roller assembly.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method for making clips by running a ribbon of material through a stamp that partially cuts the part out of the material. The partially stamped clips stay on the ribbon that is placed on a reel. The reel may then be fed into an assembly machine for inserting the clips into plastic boxes at a rate of at least one per second. The assembly machine breaks the clip off of the reel. The ribbon (and thus the clip) is preferably made of pre-plated or non-corrosive material such as Stainless Steel or Beryllium-Copper.

Abstract: A high performance printing system includes a paper tray for holding the blank paper prior to printing. The printer engine demands that the paper size be selected from a limited set of allowable paper sizes. A paper guide mechanism installed in the paper tray has a configuration that operates to guide a paper size having a reduced width relative to a particular allowed paper size. The paper guide mechanism allows reduced width paper to be used in the paper tray, essentially without otherwise adjusting the printing system, such that the printer engine sees the paper size as a particular allowed paper size when a reduced width paper is being used for printing.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit to form an image on a printable medium; a casing to accommodate the image forming unit; a feeding cassette coupled to the casing and arranged so as to move between a feeding position where the feeding cassette is separated from the casing and used to store the printable medium and a waiting position where the feeding cassette is folded up against the casing; a pick-up roller to feed the printable medium from the feeding cassette to the image forming unit when the feeding cassette is in the feeding position; and a pick-up roller cover coupled to the casing so that the pick-up roller cover can rotate between an open position exposing the sub feeding roller and a closed position covering the pick-up roller.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a chassis, a motor, a drive transmission gear that receives rotational force from the motor, a feed roller rotatably supported by the chassis, an intermediate gear that has a circular bearing, receives rotational force from the drive transmission gear, and transmits rotational force to the feed roller gear, and a gear support axle that is inserted through the bearing of the intermediate gear for rotatably supporting the intermediate gear. The gear support axle is provided with a bearing engagement part. The bearing engagement part has at least one flat section, at least one circular section, and at least two support portions formed between the flat section and the circular section, such that the gear support axle is supported by the bearing at at least one of the two support portions.

Abstract: The present invention provides an object loading apparatus, including: an elastic component positioned at a bottom plate of an object feeding device; a first pivot positioned at a side plate of the object feeding device; an object loading plate rotatably coupled to the first pivot for loading objects, wherein the elastic component provides an elastic force to the object loading plate to rotate the object loading plane; a second pivot positioned at a side plate of the object feeding device; a pressing cam rotatably coupled to the second pivot; and a guiding module coupled to the pressing cam for rotating the pressing cam to make an inclination of the object loading plate of the object feeding device when the object feeding device is at an object feeding position smaller than an inclination of the object loading plate when the object feeding plate is at an object loading position.

Abstract: A method and system for automated detection and handling of film feeding failures in a high-volume CAD environment. The method provides for batch processing a set of films including multiple film cases including the steps of providing a number count of the number of films corresponding to each film case and identifying a difference between the processed number and the number count as a process error for the film case. The method also provides for batch processing a set of films including multiple film cases including the steps of providing at least one error check on the status of processing the films in the set of films and completing processing of all film cases in the set of films after a process error is identified in one film case.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a feeding roller configured to rotate responsive to drive force received from a motor to convey a recording medium via a manual feed input, and a clutch device configured to be switched between first and second modes in which the motor drive force is transmitted to the feeding roller and prevented from being transmitted to the feeding roller, respectively. The apparatus includes a sensor disposed between the manual feed input and the feeding roller for detecting the recording medium, and a control unit configured to maintain the clutch device in the first mode while controlling the motor to drive the feeding roller to feed the recording medium while the sensor detects that the recording medium is fed through the manual feed input.

Abstract: A stationary working surface of a one roll microcreper member is of plastic resin having low wear and friction properties. As a primary pressing member subject to concentrated force it is 0.040 inch thick. One or both opposed retarder members of a bladed microcreper are of the plastic. Thermoplastics meeting wear and friction limits, e.g. ultra high density polyethylene, are employed. Primary extensions, some having openings, slots or holes serve as flexible retarders to engage treated material. By a load-spreading surface, the thermoplastic primary member is restrained without distortion. By this surface being linear it slideably inserts into a mounting. By this surface being parallel to the roll axis the primary member is free for cross-machine thermal expansion. A primary member shown is sheet form, mounted between sheet metal members, one with a restraint surface. Sheet materials of polyolefins, wood pulp, etc.

Abstract: A feeder for feeding printed products includes a casing comprising a one-piece frame including two spaced apart end plates and a plurality of crosspieces connecting the two end plates. At least one shaft is arranged on the end plates. At least one positioning element is arranged on the end plates to position the shaft on the end plates.

Abstract: A sheet feed mechanism having a multi-layer structure. The multi-layer structure has a wear layer adapted to contact a sheet during sheet feeding and a replacement indicator layer adjacent the wear layer. The replacement indicator layer is adapted to indicate a wear condition of the multi-layer structure upon wear through the wear layer to the replacement indicator layer.

Abstract: A follower roller mounting mechanism for a paper feeding apparatus is provided, which has at least one follower roller and a shaft passing through the follower roller. The follower roller mounting mechanism includes a base having a trough and a hole on a top surface thereof. The trough has a back wall, a bottom wall, and two opposite lateral walls. The bottom wall and the back wall are adjacent to each other. Each of the lateral walls has a sliding slot. The shaft is disposed inside the base passing through the trough via the sliding slot for making the follower roller protruding from the top surface through the hole. An elastic element is disposed between the shaft and the back wall for generating elastic force, pushing the shaft sliding along the sliding slot, and making the follower roller to constantly rise above the top surface through the hole.

Abstract: A sheet feeding unit according to the invention includes a sheet stacking tray on which the sheet is stacked, a sheet feeding device which feeds the sheet stacked on the sheet stacking tray, and a unit frame which supports the sheet stacking tray and the sheet feeding portion and is attached to a apparatus main body. In the sheet feeding unit, the sheet feeding device is pivotable on the unit frame to change a sheet feeding direction.

Abstract: A media supply is provided for use in an imaging device having an entry port. The media supply has a housing defining a media storage area to hold media, an opening to receive media, and a device engagement surface shaped for insertion into the entry port A media enclosure is mounted to the housing and is movable between an open position wherein the media storage area can be accessed through the opening and a closed position blocking the opening. Wherein the media storage area, media enclosure, and engagement surface are arranged so that the media enclosure can be moved between the closed position and the open position when the engagement surface is inserted into the entry port.

Abstract: A stack of alternating sheets includes repeating diecuts offset among the sheets. The sheets may be made from a continuous web using a die to cut the repeating diecuts along the running axis of the web. Individual sheets are cut from the web and stacked with the diecuts offset from each other in turn. The stack of sheets may be loaded into a printer and fed individually therethrough, with the offset diecuts preventing interlocking therebetween.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit which accommodates an image forming module for forming an image on a recording sheet supplied, and a sheet supply unit disposed in parallel with the image forming unit, having one or plural sheet supply trays and feeding recording sheets stocked in the sheet supply trays to the image forming unit side. Sheet feeding paths from at least some of the sheet supply trays to the image forming unit are constructed as a bypass feeding path extending from the farther sides of the trays from the image forming unit, and a cover which is opened or closed and disposed to face the bypass feeding path is provided to the farther side of a unit case, accommodating the trays, from the image forming unit.

Abstract: A hardcopy printing mechanism and a greeting card feeder retrofit kit therefor, along with a retrofitting method are provided for printing images on a first-sized media, and on both surfaces a second-sized greeting card media without removing the first-sized media from its normal supply tray. The hardcopy device may be an electrophotographic or inkjet printer preferably equipped with a duplexer module which inverts media from a printed first surface to an opposing second surface for printing an image thereon. For a printer having an alignment surface, and a width adjuster to push the first-sized media against the alignment surface, the greeting card feeder includes a biasing member which pushes the card stock against the alignment surface. The retrofit kit includes a supply of pre-scored greeting card stock and a software program with a group of greeting card images for a consumer to select from to print store-bought quality greeting cards.

Abstract: A mobile feeder is presented for separating flat products, in particular folded sheets, flat sheets, cards, inserts and the like, for printed-product processing machines, such as in particular gatherer stitchers, collating machines or inserting machines. The feeder can be positioned variously, as required, in terms of its position in relation to a transport device.

Abstract: An image recording device for exposing a sheet of photosensitive material is disclosed. The device has a plurality of roller pairs disposed upstream and downstream with respect to a conveyance direction of the photosensitive material. The plurality of roller pairs nip and convey the photosensitive material, ensuring flatness of the material at an exposure position. The device also has a support member that supports a back surface of the photosensitive material. The device also has a plurality of pressing members, disposed between pressing roller pairs, which press the photosensitive material against the support member. The device also has a release mechanism which causes the nipping and release of nipping by at least one of the roller pairs and the pressing and release of pressing by the pressing member.

Abstract: An entrance guide for externally fed sheet (4) to printer (1) is configured to bow the sheets. In one embodiment guides (5a, 5aa) within slot 7 have upper and lower configurations which force sheet into a bow. In one embodiment slot (7a) is bowed and is sufficiently narrow in height to only accept a bowed sheet. The bowed sheets do not sag against the printer (1), which aids in sheet registration.

Abstract: A manual paper feeding apparatus comprises a tray for manual paper feeding, a paper feed roller to feed the paper fed manually from the tray, a separation roller which is pressed to contact the paper feed roller, rotated at the pressed contact position in the direction reverse to the paper feed roller, and separates the sheets of paper one by one, a power transmission device to transmit power to the paper feed roller and separation roller, and a reversing device which is provided in the power transmission device, and rotates the paper feed roller in the direction reverse to the paper feeding direction, based on that the paper fed between the paper feed roller and separation roller is pulled in the direction reverse to the manual feeding direction.

Abstract: A device for deflecting a web has at least one turning bar (1; 2) that can be shifted. A first turning bar holding device (11a, 11b; 11a, 11b, 11c) is connected with an axial end of the turning bar. A second turning bar holding device (12) is connected with the other axial end of the turning bar. A first guide is provided, along which the first turning bar holding device (11a, 11b; 11a, 11b, 11c) is guided movably. A second guide (22) is provided, along which the second turning bar holding means (12) is guided movably. An adjusting device (19, 20) is provided, by which at least one (11a, 11b; 11a, 11b, 11c) of the turning bar holding means is adjustable along its guide (21) in order to position it (11a, 11b; 11a, 11b, 11c) for shifting the turning bar (1; 2).

Abstract: An image forming device providing a document image reading mode, image recording mode, copying mode, recording sheet feeding mode, and recording sheet discharge mode. When interruption of feeding of a document or a recording sheet is detected by a sensor, the current driving force transmission path is switched and set to another driving force transmission path corresponding to an operation mode different from the current operation mode at which the interruption occurs.

Abstract: An imaging device is provided including a script setting plate for setting thereon a script to be read, a script positioning plate located near one end of the script setting plate and supported for up-and-down movements, a script positioning plate supporter selectively taking a support position under the script positioning plate, and a script-pressing cover extending over the script positioning plate and the script setting plate to guide a script against the script setting plate.

Abstract: An apparatus for processing binding film is provided. The apparatus comprises a workstation board and a feeder for supplying the binding film, wherein the feeder is disposed at a front-end side of the workstation board. A separating set comprising a metering roller and a plurality of knifes, a slot-flush set comprising a plurality of flushing heads, and a knife set, are disposed at predetermined positions over the workstation board. The slot flushing, separation and cutting process steps are executed in a single step. A receiving section is disposed at a distal end side of the workstation board and behind the knife set. The processed binding film sheets are automatically received and stacked.

Abstract: Method of printing individual header cards with a limited amount of information, such as a barcode, employing continuous movement of each of the header cards through a gap defined between a backup roll and a thermal printing head, each header card partially wrapping the backup roll only in the immediate vicinity of the printer head.

Abstract: An image recording material magazine is provided that has a constitution such that a roll-form image recording material rotatably provided within a casing is drawn out through a slot provided along its whole length in the longitudinal direction with a resilient plate having a force pressing it so as to close the slot and with a cloth member abutting against the plate, the plate being fixed to a support part, which is provided within the magazine in the vicinity of the slot, at an angle that allows a force pressing the material in its thickness direction to be generated when the material is drawn out. The plate is formed from a polyolefin based resin plastic sheet having a water absorption of 0.01 wt % or less, has its surface embossed, and has its tip portion formed with a curved surface so that the embossed surface abuts against the image recording material.

Abstract: An option-identifying system identifies the locations of a plurality of options that are electrically connected in cascade and mounted to a main body such that the options are attachable to and detachable from the main body. The main body outputs a location-assigning signal having a plurality of bits to a first one of the plurality of options. Each option tray has a data-storing section and a location-identifying section. The data-storing section stores the locations of the plurality of options and corresponding location data that describes the locations. The location-identifying section receives the location-assigning signal and compares the received location-assigning signal with the location data to identify a location of a corresponding option. The location-identifying section changes the logic level of at least one bit of the received location-assigning signal or changes the number of bits of the received location-assigning signal, then outputs to a immediately lower option tray.

Abstract: A hardcopy printing mechanism and a greeting card feeder retrofit kit therefor, along with a retrofitting method are provided for printing images on a first-sized media, and on both surfaces a second-sized greeting card media without removing the first-sized media from its normal supply tray. The hardcopy device may be an electrophotographic or inkjet printer preferably equipped with a duplexer module which inverts media from a printed first surface to an opposing second surface for printing an image thereon. For a printer having an alignment surface, and a width adjuster to push the first-sized media against the alignment surface, the greeting card feeder includes a biasing member which pushes the card stock against the alignment surface. The retrofit kit includes a supply of pre-scored greeting card stock and a software program with a group of greeting card images for a consumer to select from to print store-bought quality greeting cards.

Abstract: Embodiments are shown and described of an automatic feeder for handling and inserting media, such as paper, into a hole punch machine or other media processing apparatus. The preferred feeder may accomplish a sequence of steps and preferably includes the apparatus, programming, and methods to accomplish the steps, which preferably handle the paper or other media substantially vertically. A generally vertical pile of paper is advanced forward perpendicularly to the plane of the paper sheets, and then a front portion of the pile is picked by a stabber pushing up in-between the sheets. The picked stack of papers is moved vertically downward into a punching die assembly, and then is ejected laterally to a tray. The picking assembly is designed for a high degree of accuracy. The invented feeder system preferably includes features that allow loading and unloading of the feeder without shutting down the feeder or shutting down the hole punch.

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: An image forming apparatus including a scanner, which includes a guide member provided at an inlet of a clearance formed below a cover of the scanner. The guide member has a substantially pentagonal shape as viewed from the top, and may also include a notch formed in the top portion of the pentagon. The guide member also includes an edge portion curled in a semicircle in an upward direction that is arranged at both sides of the notch. Further, the curled edge portion is inclined from a center of the clearance toward an edge in a length direction. When an original document having a curled leading edge is fed to the scanner, a central portion of the curled leading edge of the original document is placed beneath the edge portion of the guide member.

Abstract: A laminating system includes a feeder apparatus, a laminating apparatus, and a trimmer apparatus mounted on a movable support structure that is adapted to maintain alignment in order to enable a user to move the system without upsetting the alignment. Simultaneous and differential speed control components for the feeder apparatus and the laminating apparatus are provided according to a separate aspect of the invention to enable the user to control spacing between individual sheets as they move along a feed path to the laminating apparatus. A guide plate provided on the feeder apparatus according to another aspect of the invention has an upwardly extending surface that faces the leading edges of sheets in a stack of sheets.

Abstract: An apparatus for improving sheet feeding in a direction of movement to a process station, including: a contact surface having ribs spaced along contact surface in the direction of movement, apertures being defined in the space between each rib; a blower; and an air plenum for supplying a vacuum generated by the blower to the contact surface so that when an leading edge of the sheet passes by the contact surface the vacuum pulls the leading edge of the sheet towards contact surface.

Abstract: An automated banking machine (10) includes a deposit accepting apparatus (44) which is capable of accepting and authenticating instruments, as well as accepting envelopes deposited into the machine by a user. A transport section (46) is operative to engage and transport deposited items selectively from an inlet (48) to an outlet (50). A deposit holding module (90) includes compartments (98, 106) which are operative to hold different types of deposits. The machine operates to selectively move a compartment into communication with the outlet based on the particular type of item being deposited. The depository apparatus is further operative to acquire image and magnetic profile data from deposited instruments, to manipulate the image and profile data and to analyze and resolve characters in selected areas thereof. The data from deposited instruments is used for determining if a user is authorized to conduct certain requested transactions at the machine.

Abstract: A hardcopy printing mechanism and a greeting card feeder retrofit kit therefor, along with a retrofitting method are provided for printing images on a first-sized media, and on both surfaces a second-sized greeting card media without removing the first-sized media from its normal supply tray. The hardcopy device may be an electrophotographic or inkjet printer preferably equipped with a duplexer module which inverts media from a printed first surface to an opposing second surface for printing an image thereon. For a printer having an alignment surface, and a width adjuster to push the first-sized media against the alignment surface, the greeting card feeder includes a biasing member which pushes the card stock against the alignment surface. The retrofit kit includes a supply of pre-scored greeting card stock and a software program with a group of greeting card images for a consumer to select from to print store-bought quality greeting cards.

Abstract: A paper feeding device includes a back plate, a first bracket, a second bracket, a shaft, and a friction roller. The first bracket is arranged on the back plate and formed of a first socket. The second bracket is arranged on the back plate and formed of a second socket. The shaft has a first end and a second end opposite to the first end. The first end of the shaft is rotatably mounted in the first socket. The second end of the shaft is rotatably mounted in the second socket. At least one of the first and second sockets is an open-ended socket for facilitating both the insertion and removal of the shaft. The friction roller wraps around the shaft for conveying a piece of paper.

Abstract: A sheet supply system includes a sheet support table which is movable up and down and on which a stack of a plurality of sheets are supported, a sheet feed-out roller which feeds out the sheets on the sheet support table one by one from the uppermost one, and a table drive mechanism which moves the sheet support table up and down relative to the sheet feed-out roller. A level sensor detects the level of the uppermost sheet on the sheet support table, and a sheet feed-out level at which the uppermost sheet is kept during sheet supply operation of the system is set by use of an entry key. A controller actuates the table drive mechanism to move upward the sheet support table when the level of the uppermost sheet on the sheet support table as detected by the level sensor lowers by a predetermined value from the sheet feed-out level and stops the table drive mechanism when the level of the uppermost sheet on the sheet support table as detected by the level sensor reaches the sheet feed-out level.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a guide unit for guiding sheets fed by a sheet feed unit to an image forming unit, a discharge guide unit for discharging the sheets onto which images are formed, by the image forming unit, a re-transportation guide unit for branching the sheets from the discharge guide unit and guiding them through the image forming apparatus again, and a plurality of sheet sensors disposed in the re-transportation guide unit at intervals in a sheet transportation direction for determining positions at which the sheets are placed in a standby state, wherein the number of sheets, which are placed in the standby state is selected based on sheet size information so that more sheets are placed in the standby state when a sheet size is short than when it is long. Accordingly, the throughput of short sheets can be increased when images are recorded on both sides thereof.

Abstract: In the case where since there is no recording paper in an upper stage cassette in which recording papers of an optimum size (for example, A4 size) should be enclosed, a lower stage cassette in which recording papers of another size are enclosed is used as a temporary paper feeding unit and a paper feed is performed, whether there is a status change such as supply of recording papers, removal of output papers from a paper ejecting unit, or the like or not is discriminated on the basis of a status change signal, whether the recording papers of the A4 size have been supplied to the upper stage cassette or not is discriminated, and whether an automatic paper feeding mode has been set or not is discriminated. Thus, when the recording papers of the A4 size are supplied to the upper stage cassette and the automatic paper feeding mode has been set, the paper feeding unit is switched from the lower stage cassette to the upper stage cassette.

Abstract: A sheet guide in an image reading apparatus guides a sheet fed from a pair of rollers to a scanning point on a contact glass includes a pair of notched portions for bearing forces applied by at least one of the rollers, a sheet bearing portion for guiding the sheet fed by the rollers, wherein the image bearing portion guides the sheet fed out from the rollers to lower an angle incidence which the sheet forms with the contact glass. The sheet bearing edge is positioned toward a lower position of a nip between the rollers and changes the angle of incidence to become closer to horizontal with respect to the contact glass, than if the sheet were unguided.