Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a print portion that prints an image on a sheet passing by a print position, and an inserter that inserts an insert sheet between sheets conveyed one after another. In a print job involving an insert process, the print portion conveys, while securing an insert interval between a preceding sheet, which is a sheet immediately preceding the insert sheet, and a succeeding sheet, which is a sheet immediately following the insert sheet, the preceding sheet and the succeeding sheet one after another. The print portion automatically changes the insert interval according to the length of the insert sheet in the conveyance direction.

Abstract: A feeder device for feeding a stack of value documents to a singler device, and is configured to withdraw individual value documents from the stack. The feeder device includes a stop element having front and back sides; two lateral guide elements provided at the front side of the stop element and configured to guide the stack at two lateral sides of the stack towards the singler device; two support elements, on which the lateral guide elements are mounted; and two or more bearing elements by which the support elements are movably mounted on the stop element to allow the respective positions of the lateral guide elements and/or the distance of the lateral guide elements relative to each other to be changed. The invention further relates to an according method, a singler device, a singler module and a system for processing value documents.

Abstract: The banknote guiding device comprises a first, second and third guide assemblies, each guide assembly being rotatory to be placed in either a first or second position for the guiding of banknotes into channels, wherein the first and second guide assemblies are rotary about a first rotation axis, and the third guide assembly is rotary around a second rotation axis. It provides a banknote guiding device that is as simple as possible while minimizing the gaps between the guide assemblies to avoid banknote jams during travel.

Abstract: An image reading apparatus includes a frame, a conveying roller, a reading section, a first guide member, a second guide member, a supporting section, and a locking section. The conveying roller conveys a sheet along a conveying path. The reading section is supported rotatably around a first turning axis. The reading section reads an image on the sheet in a reading position in the conveying path. The first guide member is provided in the reading section. The second guide member is provided in a position opposed to the first guide member across the conveying path. A first end portion of the supporting section is supported to be rotatable around a second turning axis. The locking section is locked to a portion between the first end portion and a second end portion in the supporting section. The locking section rotates in a first direction around the first turning axis.

Abstract: An image reading apparatus includes a first holding member that is provided with a first holding surface opposed to a placement surface, a second holding member that is provided with a second holding surface opposed to the placement surface, a guide member that is disposed on a front side of the first holding member and the second holding member, and an imaging unit that capture a medium placed on the placement surface, wherein the guide member is provided with a guide surface coupled to the first holding surface and the second holding surface and is disposed such that a distance from the placement surface to a first portion of the guide surface is smaller than a distance from the placement surface to a second portion of the guide surface disposed closer to the front side than the first portion.

Abstract: A sheet feed device comprises a first conveyance path and a second conveyance path which are different sheet conveyance paths, and a conveyance path merging section for merging the first conveyance path and the second conveyance path together. At least one of the first conveyance path and the second conveyance path includes an upstream side roller that feeds sheet to downstream side in a conveyance direction. The conveyance path merging section comprises a conveyance roller pair that conveys the sheet fed from the first conveyance path and the second conveyance path through a nip; a variable mechanism that makes an arrangement angle of one roller of the conveyance roller pair to the other roller thereof variable; and a transmission mechanism that transmits a driving force from the upstream side roller provided in one of the first conveyance path and the second conveyance path to the variable mechanism.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image reading part, an image forming part, and a sheet feeding cartridge. The image reading part reads a document and obtains image data of the document. The image forming part forms an image on a sheet on the basis of the image data. The sheet feeding cartridge stores several kinds of the sheets. In a case where predetermined sheet feeding information is applied on the document, the sheet feeding information is read on the basis of the image data. Conveying of the sheet is controlled so as to convey the sheet corresponding to the sheet feeding information from the sheet feeding cartridge to the image forming part and, on the other hand, to eject the sheet not corresponding to the sheet feeding information from the sheet feeding cartridge without passing through the image forming part.

Abstract: A system that eliminates return and reset of a pusher in a media collation system includes the use of bidirectional bins that allow accumulated sets of media in the bins to be collated in first or second directions and pushed to either of two banders rather than being restricted to one bander.

Abstract: A sheet conveying device, which is included in an image reading device and an image forming apparatus, includes a passage forming body and a sound absorber. The passage forming body is configured to define a sheet conveying passage through which a sheet passes. The sound absorber includes a hollow portion and a communication portion configured to communication the hollow portion and the sheet conveying passage. A position of the communication portion of the sound absorber is changeable in the sheet conveying passage. The sheet conveying device included in the image reading device includes an original document conveying device configured to convey an original document having an image on a surface. The sheet conveying device included in the image forming apparatus includes a recording medium conveying device configured to convey the recording medium accommodated in a recording medium container to the image forming device.

Abstract: Provided is a sheet conveying apparatus including: a pair of rollers which includes an upper roller and a lower roller and conveys a sheet in a nipping manner; a driving unit which independently drives the upper roller and the lower roller; a conveying unit which is disposed at the upstream of the pair of rollers in the sheet conveying direction and conveys the sheet to the pair of rollers; an overlapping unit which is provided between the pair of rollers and the conveying unit and overlaps a subsequent sheet on a precedent sheet in the conveying direction; and a control unit which controls the driving unit, wherein the control unit controls the driving unit so that: the upper roller and the lower roller are driven before a leading end of the precedent sheet conveyed by the conveying unit reaches the pair of rollers and the driving of the upper roller and the lower roller is stopped before a tail end of the precedent sheet passes the pair of rollers; the pair of rollers is driven again before a leading end of

Abstract: Configuration with paired register rollers cooperative with a downstream head unit on a circulation route to register a print sheet, a feed route extending up to the register rollers, and feeder elements controllable for a downstream feed of print sheet along part of the feed route to the register rollers, the feeder elements being controllable for a change of feed speed or acceleration in accordance with information on a back tension of a print sheet on the circulation route.

Abstract: A paper feeder includes: a cassette including a sheet container; a sheet conveyance path along which a sheet is conveyed in a sheet conveyance direction extending along a direction of loading/unloading of the cassette into/from an apparatus body; a paper feed roller configured to convey the sheet in the sheet conveyance direction; an opposed member, opposite to the paper feed roller, forming together with the paper feed roller a paper feed nip where the sheet enters; and a restricting member configured to, in a first state where the cassette is unloaded, close off a portion of the sheet conveyance path upstream of the paper feed nip in the sheet conveyance direction to restrict the sheet in the sheet container from entering the paper feed nip and, in a second state where the cassette is loaded and the paper feed roller is ready to convey the sheet, open the sheet conveyance path.

Abstract: A system and method are provided for implementing an asynchronous buffering module and/or scheme employing an integrated registration function, particularly for in-line printing in an image forming system. Multiple simplex marking engines are arranged in series and provided with a mechanism that includes an asynchronous buffering module with the capacity to modify the timing of individual sheets of image receiving media passing between the in-line marking engines. The buffering module is augmented with an integrated registration function for the in-line duplex printing. The combined mechanism provides a capacity between the multiple marking engines to effect timing synchronization and re-registration for the sheets exiting the first serial marking engine allowing them to be properly timed and registered for feeding to the second serial marking engine. An asynchronous nature of the combination of media marking engines is synchronized in the feed of the sheets between the media marking engines.

Abstract: A medium feeding apparatus includes a rotating unit, a fixed unit, a separating roller and a conveying roller that are installed in the rotating unit and convey a medium present on a conveying path in a conveying direction, a braking roller and a driven roller that are installed in the fixed unit and come into press contact with the separating roller and the conveying roller on the conveying path, respectively, a lock arm that is installed in the rotating unit, a lock shaft that is installed in the fixed unit and keeps the position of the rotating unit relative to the fixed unit by locking the lock arm, and a position changing unit (a link member and a rotating member) that changes the position of the rotating unit relative to the fixed unit by the movement of the lock shaft in a up-and-down direction.

Abstract: A paper feed apparatus capable of properly feeding various types of sheets is described. The paper feed apparatus includes a plurality of paper feed units, and a control unit which determines the printing suitability of a combination of the sheet and the paper feed unit on the basis of the size and stiffness of the sheet stored in the paper tray. Each of the paper feed units includes a paper tray, a paper feeding device for feeding sheets, and conveyance rollers for conveying sheets fed from the paper feeding device. The plurality of paper feed units include at least one first paper feed unit configured in order that a sheet enters the conveyance rollers through a conveying route which is curved, and at least one second paper feed unit configured in order that a sheet enters the conveyance rollers through a conveying route which is linear.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an apparatus main body with a main conveyance path, a first storage portion including a first conveyance path, a second conveyance path and a joint section. The joint section is a part where an upstream end of the main conveyance path and downstream ends of the first and second conveyance paths join. The first storage portion includes a movable guide at the position of the downstream end of the first conveyance path. The movable guide is displaced to a projecting position where the movable guide projects toward the joint section from the downstream end of the first conveyance path to guide the sheet in a state where the first storage portion is mounted in the apparatus main body and a retracted position substantially retracted from the joint section in a state where the first storage portion is withdrawn from the apparatus main body.

Abstract: A medium processor is provided with a medium storage which can house two small storing boxes next to each other and has plural slots into which the two small storing boxes can be detachably loaded. Thus, the two small storing boxes can be loaded in a space equivalent to one conventional bill storing box, and the small storing boxes can be detached for servicing even when there are two small storing boxes loaded in one slot. Thus, various kinds of media can be handled without impairing maintainability.

Abstract: An image forming system includes the following elements. An image forming apparatus forms images on plural sheets sequentially transported with a spacing therebetween. A sheet transport apparatus includes a transport section which receives and transports the plural sheets farther downstream. The sheet transport apparatus supplies a different type of sheet from a different-type-of-sheet supply device, inserts it into the spacing, and transports the sheets. The sheet transport apparatus includes the following elements. A transport information obtaining unit obtains information concerning transporting of sheets. A different-type-of-sheet stop unit supplies the different type of sheet, on the basis of the information concerning transporting of sheets, and stops the different type of sheet at a position before the transport section.

Abstract: Methods, apparatuses, and systems that facilitate common feed path printing devices to discern between original media and blank media are described herein. The novel systems may include, among other things, a print and a scan mechanism having a common input path to receive a first and a second media, the first media being original media to be scanned by the scan mechanism, and the second media being blank media to be printed on by the print mechanism. The system may further include a divider and a first sensor. The divider being configured to provide to the common feed path the first and the second media by defining a first and a second input slot to locate the first and the second media, respectively, wherein the divider to provide the first and the second media to the common feed path via the first and second input slots. The first sensor may detect absence of the first media in the first input slot.

Abstract: An image reading apparatus, which includes a housing including a first housing and a second housing; a first opening located in between the first housing and the second housing; a second opening formed to communicate with the first opening through a first path; a third opening, a length of which along the first direction is smaller than a length of the first opening; a fourth opening, including a part of the second opening, formed to communicate with the third opening through a second path; a fifth opening located in a position where a part of the second path and the first path merge with each other; an image reader; a first roller exposed to a part of the first path ranging between the image reader and the fifth opening; and a second roller exposed to a part of the second path ranging between the third opening and the fifth opening, is provided.

Abstract: A sheet conveying apparatus according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes a housing, a sheet storage portion, a sheet conveying path, and a guide member. Housing is mounted to apparatus body that includes bottom portion having opening portion, and main sheet conveying path extending upward from opening portion to convey sheets, and includes top face portion arranged opposing bottom portion. Sheet conveying path extends from sheet storage portion to top face portion, and is configured to be capable of communicating with main sheet conveying path. Sheets are conveyed on sheet conveying path. Guide member is pivotably supported by housing, and is configured to be capable of changing its position between a first position where guide member follows along top face portion and a second position where guide member projects upward from top face portion to guide sheet toward main sheet conveying path from sheet conveying path.

Abstract: A sheet conveying device includes a sheet conveying path, a first conveying roller pair, a second conveying roller pair and a sheet guiding member. The sheet conveying path conveys a sheet in a first direction, and then, conveys the sheet in a second direction. The first conveying roller pair conveys the sheet in the first direction. The second conveying roller pair is located at a downstream side from the first conveying roller pair to convey the sheet to the second direction from the first direction. The sheet guiding member is located between the first conveying roller pair and second conveying roller pair so as to advance and retreat to the sheet conveying path, and then, in an advance state, to come into contact with a sheet face of the sheet conveyed while being bridged across the first conveying roller pair and second conveying roller pair.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including an electrophotographic process is disclosed. The image forming apparatus detects a load angle of a motor associated with conveying of an n-th sheet. In accordance with the detected load angle, current values for motors associated with conveying of the n-th sheet, a current value for a motor associated with feeding of sheets following the n-th sheet, and a current value for a motor associated with conveying of the sheets following the n-th sheet are set. Such control is executed when power is turned ON or the like.

Abstract: Provided is an image forming apparatus capable of improving operation performances. Sheet feeding cassettes and having sheet stacking portions SS1 and SS2 and sheet feeding portions, which are engaged and provided on the upstream side of the sheet stacking portions SS1 and SS2 in a pulling-out direction in an engaging and disengaging manner and feed the sheet stored in the sheet stacking portions SS1 and SS2, are vertically disposed at a plurality of positions in an image forming apparatus main body so that the sheet feeding cassette can be pulled out. Moreover, when the sheet feeding operation using the lower sheet feeding cassette is performed, only the sheet stacking portion SS1 of the sheet feeding cassette is pulled out, and when the sheet feeding operation stops, the sheet stacking portion SS1 and the sheet feeding portion of the sheet feeding cassette are integrally pulled out.

Abstract: A sheet conveying apparatus includes a casing, a first conveying path, a second conveying path, a joining conveyance path, and a guide member. The joining conveyance path is connected to a junction portion of the first conveying path and the second conveying path, and extends downward in a sheet conveying direction. The guide member is disposed in the junction portion of the first conveying path and the second conveying path, and shifted to a position between a first position to guide the first sheet from the first conveying path to the joining conveyance path and a second position to guide the second sheet from the second conveying path to the joining conveyance path. The guide member includes a supporting point portion disposed at a central part or around thereof in a lengthwise direction, so as to change in position by pivoting around the supporting point portion.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus which prevents lowering of productivity when sets of tab sheets are used in one print job. The apparatus includes first sheet feeding units storing tab sheets, and a second sheet feeding unit storing plain paper. The apparatus produces print products in each which at least part of each set of tab sheets and plain paper are mixed. A print job processor causes print products to be produced by repeating a sequence of processing for feeding the at least part of each set of tab sheets and feeding plain paper. The processor causes surplus tab sheets to be discharged which have not been used for the print products and remaining in the first sheet feeding units, after a print product is produced through sheet feeding from a last one of the first sheet feeding units in order.

Abstract: In a conveying apparatus, a support member supports a second guide member such that the second guide member is pivotable between a first position and a second position, a downstream-side edge of the second guide member in a sheet conveying direction being closer to a first guide member than to a fourth guide member when the second guide member is in a first position, the downstream-side edge of the second guide member being closer to the fourth guide member than to the first guide member when the second guide member is in the second position.

Abstract: To provide a recording device that can inhibit the occurrence of a recording media jam state in a shared passage part that is shared as a recording media shared path with a plurality of media supply paths, this is equipped with a plurality of conveyance paths for supplying paper, a shared passage part, a moving unit that moves the paper, a printing unit that performs printing on the paper, an insertion port that is able to insert paper in the conveyance path by paper being inserted, an opening and closing lid provided so that the insertion port can be opened and closed, a detection sensor for detecting an open lid state when the opening and closing lid opens the insertion port, and a movement control unit that, when the detection sensor detects the open lid state.

Abstract: A sheet conveying system includes a sheet inserting apparatus that inserts a second recording medium between first recording media conveyed by a sheet conveying apparatus, and transmits a first time at which second recording media can be successively received hypothetically, and a second time indicating a difference between a conveying time from an accumulating unit of a second recording medium to a merging point at which a second recording medium is inserted and a conveying time from a sheet receiving surface of the sheet inserting apparatus to the merging point. The sheet conveying apparatus sets longer one of the received first time and second time as an insertion interval; and conveys first recording media such that an interval extended by an added value obtained by adding a conveying time corresponding to a length of second recording medium to the insertion interval is provided between the first recording media.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes first and second units including first and second feeding members respectively for feeding a medium, and a medium feeding path provided between the first and second units. The second unit is movable between a closing position where the medium feeding path is formed between the first unit and the second unit and an opening position where the second unit separates from the first unit to open the medium feeding path. The second feeding member has a second gear that meshes with a first gear of the first feeding member when the second unit is in the closing position. When the second unit moves to the closing position, a shift mechanism holds one of the first gear and the second gear at a retracted position where the first gear and the second gear do not mesh with each other.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a printing device may include first and second printers respectively having first and second controllers. The first and second printers may be configured to share a common paper path with each other. The first controller in the first printer may enable the first printer to operate if the common paper path is not in use by the second printer. In this case, the first controller may inform the second printer that the common paper path is in use by the first printer. On the other hand, the second controller in the second printer may enable the second printer to operate if the common paper path is not in use by the first printer. In this case, the second controller may inform the first printer that the common paper path is in use by the second printer.

Abstract: A printing medium supplying apparatus for an image forming apparatus includes an apparatus main body, and a printing medium aligning unit which is disposed on the apparatus main body to move between an aligning position at which the printing medium aligning unit aligns a printing medium and a distanced position at which the printing medium aligning unit is distanced from the aligning position.

Abstract: A printing media loading apparatus includes a first printing media loading unit detachably disposed in an image forming apparatus; a second printing media loading unit disposed above the first printing media loading unit; a first lever assembly rotatably disposed in the first printing media loading unit; a second lever assembly disposed in the second printing media loading unit to selectively rotate the first lever assembly; and a detecting sensor disposed in the image forming apparatus to detect action of the first lever assembly, wherein, when at least one printing medium is loaded on the second printing media loading unit and there is no printing medium loaded on the first printing media loading unit, the second lever assembly is rotated and the first lever assembly is rotated by rotation of the second lever assembly to activate the detecting sensor.

Abstract: A sheet tray for feeding a sheet toward an image forming part of an image forming apparatus. The sheet tray is detachably attachable to the image forming apparatus in a sheet feeding direction and includes a tray portion, a detachable cover member provided apart from the tray portion with a gap interposed therebetween through which the sheet passes in an engaged state in which the tray portion and the cover member are engaged with each other, a lock assembly that engages the tray portion and the cover member with each other in the engaged state and disengages the cover member and the tray portion from each other in a disengaged state, and a switching mechanism that puts the lock assembly into the engaged state in absence of the sheet within the gap and into the disengaged state at presence of the sheet within the gap.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus according to an embodiment includes an image forming unit which forms an image on a recording medium, and a carrying unit which guides the recording medium to the image forming unit via a first carrying path or a second carrying path. A media sensor is arranged at a part where the first carrying path and the second carrying path merge together, to discriminate the type of the recording medium. The media sensor is movable toward the first carrying path or toward the second carrying path where the recording medium passes.

Abstract: A device is described for directing sheets (2) which has at least two inlets for the sheets, a first inlet (A1) and a second inlet (A2), associated respectively to a first sheet infeeder line (L1) and a second sheet infeeder line (L2), and an outlet (AU) for the sheets. A support member is associated to the first inlet (A1) in order to restingly receive at least one sheet (2) which enters the first inlet (A1)) for transfer of the sheet (2) towards the outlet (AU). A guide and transfer element (D2) is associated to the second inlet (A2) for guiding at least an entering sheet into the second inlet (A2) and to transfer the sheet towards the outlet (AU). The guide and transfer element (D2) and the support member (S) are reciprocally arranged for conveying the sheets (2) towards the outlet along a common outlet direction (DAU).

Abstract: A recording apparatus according to an aspect of the invention includes a sheet feeding cassette that can accommodate a stack of recording materials; a pick-up roller that comes into contact with the top recording material of the recording materials accommodated in the sheet feeding cassette to feed the recording material; a roller holder that is supported at a base end so as to be rotatable and has the pick-up roller at a tip, the pick-up roller being pressed against the recording material; and a lever that is supported at a base end so as to be rotatable and has a pressing portion at a tip, the pressing portion being pressed against the recording material. The lever is disposed on the roller holder and is supported coaxially with the roller holder.

Abstract: A sheet conveying device, that can be included in an image forming apparatus, includes a first sheet conveying path, a second sheet conveying path, a third conveying path, and a belt-type sheet conveying unit. The first sheet conveying path has a curved portion, and feeds and conveys a sheet therethrough. The second sheet conveying path has a curved portion and different from the first sheet conveying path, and feeds and conveys the sheet therethrough. The third sheet conveying path is provided from a confluence of the first sheet conveying path and the second sheet conveying path. The belt-type sheet conveying unit is disposed on one side of the third sheet conveying path corresponding to an outer side of the curved portion of the first sheet conveying path and an inner side of the curved portion of the second sheet conveying path.

Abstract: An image recording device includes a housing, a tray unit mounted in the housing and configured to hold thereon sheets, a feeder configured to feed a sheet from the tray unit, a recording unit configured to record an image on the sheet fed by the feeder, and a discharging unit configured to discharge the sheet after the recording unit records the image on the sheet. The tray unit includes a first tray including a first holding surface for holding thereon a first sheet, a second tray includes a second holding surface for holding thereon a second sheet and configured to move above the first holding surface between a first position and a second position, and a third tray supported by the first tray and disposed above the second tray in the second position, and configured to receive the sheet discharged by the discharging unit.

Abstract: A sheet guide is rotationally supported by a shaft member to rotate freely on the shaft member. The sheet guide includes a support part that supports the sheet guide on the shaft member, a guide part that contacts sheets and guides sheets in a predetermined direction, and a weight, which has a predetermined weight, is arranged on an opposite side of the support part from the guide part, wherein the weight causes the guide part to rotate to a predetermined position when an external force applied to the guide part is released.

Abstract: An elastic sponge roller is provided at a confluence portion where a first sheet conveyance path joins in a second sheet conveyance path and a leading edge and a rear edge of a sheet are brought into contact with the sponge roller when the sheet is conveyed from the first conveyance path to the second conveyance path. Further, the sponge roller is connected to drive via a one-way clutch. Such a configuration reduces a sound produced at the confluence portion and prevents the leading edge of the sheet from being bent in colliding with the sponge roller to stabilize the conveyance of the sheet.

Abstract: In a sheet conveyance apparatus, a sponge roller is provided at a joining portion in which a first sheet conveyance path joins a second sheet conveyance path. A leading edge of a sheet or tailing edge of a sheet abuts at the sponge roller when the sheet is conveyed from the first conveyance path to the second conveyance path. In a projection surface in a direction orthogonal to a sheet conveyance direction in the second sheet conveyance path, an outer periphery of the sponge roller and an outer periphery of a conveyance roller, which is positioned in a downstream side, are partially overlapped in the second conveyance path. Further the sponge roller is rotatably arranged. With such a configuration, the noise generated in the joining portion can be reduced, and effect to reduce the noise can be continued.

Abstract: An improved apparatus and method for accumulating sheets having a horizontal transport deck. Inserts are fed from an insert feeder positioned above the deck. Driven accumulator nip rollers are positioned to receive accumulations of sheets transported on the horizontal deck, and they are also positioned close enough to the insert feeder to receive inserts fed from the insert feeder. A recessed accumulation deck is positioned immediately downstream of the accumulator nip rollers. When a first sheet rests in the recessed accumulation deck, a subsequent second sheet will be placed on top of the first sheet when it enters the recessed deck. The process is controlled whereby insert sheets are released by the insert feeder prior to arrival of an accumulation on the deck. The released insert is driven by the accumulator nip rollers onto the recessed accumulator deck. Then when the accumulation arrives, it is deposited on top of the insert resting there.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a first and a second image forming sections, a paper feeding section, and a paper output section. The image forming sections form an image on paper independently. The apparatus is laterally dividable into a first and a second portions where the first and second image forming sections are respectively positioned. The feeding section is arranged below the first image forming section in the first portion. The output section is arranged above the second image forming section in the second portion. The apparatus has two simple transport paths that run vertically through the image forming sections, respectively, without intersecting each other and detouring around the second or first image forming section.

Abstract: An image forming device includes a plurality of medium feed units configured to feed a recording medium on respective carrying routes, an image forming unit configured to form an image on the recording medium fed from one of the plurality of medium feed units, a first roller provided on a common route of the carrying routes, the first roller being configured to rotate at a first circumferential velocity and carry, to the image forming unit, the recording medium fed from one of the plurality of medium feed units, and a control unit configured to control the first circumferential velocity of the first roller depending on from which of the plurality of medium feed units the recording medium is fed.

Abstract: Printing systems, printing apparatuses and methods of forming images on media are provided.

Abstract: To provide an image forming apparatus that can highly accurately position and convey, even if an inter-sheet distance of sheets to be conveyed is reduced, the sheets from registration rollers to a transfer position when a toner image on an image bearing member moving at process speed is transferred onto the sheet in the transfer position. A sheet fed from a paper feeding cassette by a pulse-motor driven paper feeding roller is conveyed to pulse-motor driven registration rollers by pulse-motor driven conveying rollers. When the sheet is conveyed to the transfer position according to restart of the registration rollers, the sheet is conveyed by the registration rollers at sheet conveying speed different from the process speed before the leading end of the sheet reaches the transfer position and is conveyed at the process speed after that.

Abstract: A removable media input tray assembly comprising a housing for receiving a removable media input tray. One or more housing assemblies stackable beneath an image forming device. The assembly having a substantially continuous media reference surface extending the height of a media feed path formed by two vertically aligned plates, one plate mounted on the removable media input tray and the other mounted on the housing and extending into the removable media input tray when installed in the housing, the arrangement of plates minimizing any gaps in the media reference surface within the assembly and adjacent assemblies and the image forming device.

Abstract: A postal sorting machine comprising an automatic feed station (8) with an unstacker device (2), a manual feed station (9), and a sorting conveyor adapted to move mailpieces in series one behind another in a conveying direction (31), the automatic feed station being designed to feed the conveyor automatically with mailpieces from a stack of mailpieces, the manual feed station (9) being adapted to receive mailpieces inserted individually and to place them in the conveyor. The manual feed station (9) comprises a protective cover forming a sort of tunnel over the conveyor, and an insertion slot (26) provided in the protective cover and through which a mailpiece can be inserted into the tunnel, said slot being in vertical alignment with a mailpiece receiving and handling space (34) for receiving and handling a mailpiece in the conveyor, which space is funnel-shaped.

Abstract: A sheet feeding device having a first sheet feeding path and a second sheet feeding path through which a sheet is configured to be fed. A first sheet-guiding member is disposed between the first sheet feeding path and the second sheet feeding path. The first sheet-guiding member is configured to move between a first position and a second position. A second sheet-guiding member is disposed opposite the first sheet feeding path. The second sheet-guiding member is configured to move between a third position and a fourth position. A connecting member is configured to selectively couple the first sheet-guiding member to the second sheet-guiding member.