Abstract: A controller drives a floating unit and a conveyor to perform a sheet feed operation, during the sheet feed operation, acquires an amount of received light at a detector during floating of sheets floated by the floating unit each time each sheet is conveyed by the conveyor, and perform a following control of lifting a stacking tray upon the acquired amount of received light being less than a threshold value. The controller, after start of the sheet feed operation, samples amounts of received light at the detector during floating of the sheets floated by the floating unit, performs a threshold value determination process of determining the threshold value by using the sampled amounts of received light, and starts the following control upon determining the threshold value.

Abstract: An vacuum device includes a suction pad vacuumed on a to-be-vacuumed surface of a vacuum target, and a bellows tube having the suction pad at one end in a telescopic direction and having an internal space that is expanded and contracted by pressure of air, the telescopic member being elongated and contracted by expansion and contraction of the internal space.

Abstract: An end effector for holding substrates has a multi-layered main body and a fluid channel which is provided in the main body. The main body has a receiving end and a fastening end, and include at least two layers, wherein at least one of the layers is not inherently stable, and is formed from a synthetic material film.

Abstract: An adaptable end effector may include a substrate interface may be configured to support a substrate. The substrate interface may include multiple groups of vacuum openings that are associated with a plurality of types of substrates. A vacuum system may be configured to supply vacuum only to one or more selected groups of vacuum openings that are associated with a given type of substrates when the adaptable end effector supports a substrate of the given type of substrates.

Abstract: Methods, instruments and systems are provided for separating opposite walls of the stomach by extragastric application of suction. Plication of the stomach can be performed between the separated walls after which the separate walls are brought back toward one another. In another aspect, methods, instruments, devices and systems are provided for reducing the effective volume of a stomach by performing one or more extragastric plications of the stomach.

Abstract: Imaging apparatus and methods for bindery systems are disclosed. An example apparatus includes a platform and a separator coupled to the platform. The separator to receive a signature assembly, the separator includes an end to engage the signature assembly to separate a first page from the signature assembly, a first guide to direct the first page toward the platform and a second guide to direct a second page of the signature assembly toward a side of the platform. The apparatus includes a printer positioned above the platform. The printer is to image the first page when the first page is disposed on the platform. The apparatus includes a pump fluidly coupled through the platform to draw the first page toward the platform.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a separating and taking out device has a feeding base, a takeout part, a support part and an ultrasonic vibrator. The feeding base places a piled stack. The piled stack is composed of a plurality of media stacked in a direction. The taking out part takes out the plurality of media one by one from one end in the direction of the piled stack. The support part has a facing surface opposing a side surface of the piled stack. The ultrasonic vibrator has a vibrating surface opposing the end in the direction of the piled stack and one end in the direction of the support part. The ultrasonic vibrator oscillates the vibrating surface along a line connecting the vibrating surface with a gap between the side surface of the piled stack and the facing surface of the support part.

Abstract: A sheet feeder for separating sheets from a stack and for feeding the sheets to a downstream sheet processing machine includes a first suction wheel and a second suction wheel. The first suction wheel is disposed above the stack and the second suction wheel is disposed downstream of the stack and below a sheet travel plane. The first suction wheel separates a respective sheet from the stack and the second suction wheel accelerates the sheet.

Abstract: In the invention, after the last sheet is conveyed from a paper feed tray, the paper feed tray is lifted up so that the paper feed tray is brought into contact with a suction belt. An elastic cleaning member that removes paper particles, or the like, is installed at an area of the paper feed tray where the paper feed tray is in contact with the suction belt. The suction belt is driven while the cleaning member is in contact with the suction belt. The paper particles, or the like, removed from the suction belt by the cleaning member are collected in a paper-particle collecting device from a vacuum chamber via a vacuum duct.

Abstract: A vacuum—actuated handling device including, in the inner space (12) of a hollow body (11) with closed ends, a guide cylinder (13) defining an axial chamber (26) and, with the inner space, an annular compartment (25). In the chamber (26) a piston (14) movable between a rearward position adjacent to a first end and a forward position adjacent to a second end of said body (11) is accommodated. The piston is provided with an axially pierced rod (15), emerging from the second end of the body, carrying a gripping end sucker (27) and it is connected to a return spring (23) aiming to move the piston (14) to the rearward position. The piston (14) divides the chamber (26) in a first part of the chamber (a) adjacent to the first end and a second part of the chamber (b) on the side of said piston rod (15).

Abstract: A sheet feeding device includes a loading section on which sheets are loaded, a delivery section that sequentially delivers the sheets from a top of a stack of the sheets having a side surface loaded on the loading section, a blowing section that has a blowing opening, which opens opposite the side surface of the stack of sheets loaded on the loading section, and that blows air toward the side surface of the stack of sheets through the blowing opening, an inclination section that causes the stack of sheets loaded on the loading section to be inclined in accordance with the quantity of the sheets loaded on the loading section, and a setting section that sets a position of the blowing opening of the blowing section in accordance with an amount of inclination of the stack of sheets that are inclined by the inclination section.

Abstract: A sheet feeding device incorporable in an image forming apparatus includes a sheet holder to hold multiple sheets including an uppermost sheet placed on the sheet holder, a sheet separating and feeding unit disposed above the sheet holder and movable between a first position and a second position, a controller to control operations performed by the sheet separating and feeding unit moving between the first position and the second position, and a sheet regulator disposed downstream from the sheet holder in the sheet feeding direction to regulate movement of the multiple sheets on the sheet holder in the sheet feeding direction. The controller controls the separating and feeding unit to move the uppermost sheet forward to abut against the sheet regulator and backward to its original position on the sheet holder to separate the uppermost sheet from the multiple sheets on the sheet holder.

Abstract: A sheet-handling apparatus is disclosed that reliably separates sheet-like articles and prevents double take-outs, regardless of the thickness of the sheet-like articles that are taken out. The sheet-handling apparatus includes a take-out portion to take out sheet-like articles; a feeding portion to feed the sheet-like articles that have been taken out by the take-out portion; and a separation portion facing the feeding portion across a gap, the separation portion being adapted to separate sheet-like articles that have been taken out by the take-out portion in an overlapping state into individual sheet-like articles; wherein the separation portion is adapted to elastically deform depending on a thickness of the sheet-like articles and vary the size of the gap.

Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus which includes a sheet loading tray for stacking sheets; a suction and conveyance section which is placed above stacked sheets on the sheet loading tray and sucks and conveys a sheet in the sheet conveying direction; an air blowing section which blows air at the stacked sheets on the sheet loading tray and causes the sheet to float up; and a skew correction section which corrects a skew of the sheet conveyed by the suction and conveyance section.

Abstract: A sheet transport apparatus in a sheet processing machine has at least one driven transport belt for the transport of sheet printing materials from a first location to a second location. It being possible for the transport belt to be driven at different transport speeds. The acceptance of the sheet printing materials at the first location is carried out at a relatively low transport speed, and the transfer of the sheet printing materials at the second location is carried out at a relatively high transport speed.

Abstract: A printer assembly (10) adapted for use with a print head comprising a platen (14) operable to move in a first plane; and a vacuum source in fluid communication with the platen (14) to provide a vacuum communication path to draw air through the platen (14) such that a sheet of media arranged on the platen (14) is biased towards it, characterised by a movable aperture (52) in the vacuum communication path between the vacuum source and the platen (14), the movable aperture (52) being arranged to move with the platen (14).

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for determining a condition at an item of media container. The method includes the steps of locating a suction element at a pick up region of a container, selectively connecting a source of negative pressure to the suction element, determining a pressure at the suction element, and determining a condition of the container responsive to the determined pressure.

Abstract: A media loading and unloading system, for use with a media cutting system having a cutting table and cutting apparatus to cut or score media held on a surface of the cutting table, includes an elevator assembly and a bi-directional transport system. The elevator assembly includes a drive and multiple vertically displaced bins that are vertically movable up and down by the drive. The bi-directional transport system transports media in a lateral feed direction from the elevator assembly to the cutting table surface and removes media from the cutting table surface in a lateral direction opposite to the feed direction to the elevator assembly.

Abstract: A receiving, holding and/or handling device for two-dimensional objects, with at least two controllable suction grippers. The suction grippers are arranged and connected to free ends of movable cantilever arms, which are elastically deformable at least in some sections. The cantilever arm are mounted and supported on a bridge. The cantilever arms each include at least one lower pull and one upper pull which meet at the free end of the cantilever arm and are connected there. An actuating device is assigned to the upper pull. The actuating device generates a pulling force with at least one horizontal direction component which is approximately parallel to the longitudinal extension direction of the cantilever arm. A method is also disclosed.

Abstract: A medium feeding device includes a medium-accommodating container, a loading member supported within the container and loading a medium thereon, a holding member, and a blocking unit. The holding member has a holding member body, gas suction openings, a peripheral member, a chamber surrounded by the peripheral member, and a suction unit connected to the gas suction openings and performing gas suction. The holding member holds the medium by suction. The gas suction openings include a gas suction opening disposed inside an edge of the peripheral member and outside an edge of the medium. The blocking unit blocks the suction of gas through the aforementioned gas suction opening.

Abstract: Means (17, 22, 23, 24, 25) is provided for intermittently lifting a stack (13) of paper so that the topmost sheet is captured by the suction of a traction device (15) and carried forward by the endless belt of the latter to the input end (21) of a laminating machine. Before the trailing end of the captured sheet has left the traction device (15) the lifting means again lifts the stack (13) so that the next sheet is captured in an overlapping relation to the first.

Abstract: A single sheet handling device (14a to 14d, 30, 200, 252, 270, 350) for the input and the output of rectangular single sheets (38) respectively into and out of a container (12a to 12d). These rectangular single sheets can in particular be banknotes (38). The single sheet handling device (14a to 14d, 30, 200, 252, 270, 350) has a feeding device with feeding elements for the sheet-by-sheet feeding of single sheets (38) and for storing these single sheets (38) in a stack (36) of single sheets in the container (12a to 12d). Further, the single sheet handling device has a separating device with separating elements for the sheet-by-sheet removal of single sheets (38) of the stack (36) from the container (12a to 12d). The feeding elements and the separating elements are arranged separately from the container (12a to 12d).

Abstract: A sheet feed device feeding paper including; a loading platen loaded with sheets; a ventilation section providing a first ventilation port for blowing air to float a first side of a sheet of one sheet of the sheets loaded on the loading platen, and a second ventilation port for blowing air to float a second side opposed to the first side; and a control section for controlling the ventilation section; wherein the first side is a side of a topmost of loaded envelopes, the side of which height is lower than other sides, and when envelopes are to be fed, the control section controls the ventilation section to change air volume of the first ventilation port and the second ventilation port so as to float the first side more greatly than in case when sheets other than envelopes are fed.

Abstract: A vacuum roller assembly adapted to singulate a sheet from a stack of sheets. The vacuum roller assembly comprising a stationary inner plenum having a substantially linear plenum slot disposed in fluid communication with the vacuum source and a rotating vacuum roller disposed over the stationary inner plenum and rotating about a rotational axis. The vacuum roller includes a plurality of apertures disposed in fluid communication with the substantially linear plenum slot and about the periphery in at least one region of the roller. Furthermore, each of the apertures is substantially slot-shaped and defines a major axis. The major axis is off-axis with respect to the substantially liner plenum slot of the inner plenum to reduce audible noise levels produced by the rotating vacuum roller as air flows through each rotating aperture into the stationary linear plenum slot.

Abstract: A device for controlling a pneumatic consumer in a sheet-processing machine, for example a printing press or a diecutter, includes a rotary valve supplying a fluid, such as suction air, to the pneumatic consumer to be driven in a sinusoidal manner in accordance with a cycle of the sheet-processing machine. The rotary valve is drivable by an electric motor for increased flexibility. A rotary printing press or diecutter having the device is also provided.

Abstract: An item transport system includes an input transport for receiving items along a first transport path, an angle transport for conveying the items along a second transport path disposed at an angle with respect to the first transport path, an alignment transport for conveying the items along a third transport path disposed at approximately 90 degrees to the first transport path, and an alignment surface for engaging the items while the items are conveyed in the alignment transport. The alignment transport may include an alignment nip comprising a driven element and an idler element for engaging opposing surfaces of the items, a manifold, a source providing pressurized gas to the manifold, and an orifice in the manifold proximate to the third transport path, wherein the idler element is disposed in the orifice.

Abstract: In a paper feeder, an air hole that allows air to pass through is formed on a paper transport belt, a fan for breathing and exhausting air and an exhaust duct having an opening for exhausting air. Air is exhausted from the fan through the exhaust duct, the fan and an air intake duct for breathing air are connected to each other, and air is breathed from the air hole through the air intake duct towards the fan. This paper feeder includes: an air state detection unit for detecting at least one of an air pressure and an air flow rate in the air intake duct; an opening and closing unit provided to the air intake duct for opening and closing the opening; and a control unit for opening and closing the opening based on a result of detection by the air state detection unit.

Abstract: A seasoning apparatus includes: a table on which a stack of paper sheets is loaded; a ceiling plate which is arranged above the table to cover an upper side of the paper stack on the table; a front side plate and a rear side plate which are arranged to oppose to each other at front and rear sides of the paper stack on the table, at least one of the front and rear side plates being advanceable and retractable relatively to each other; a right-hand side plate and a left-hand side plate which are arranged to oppose to each other at a right-hand side and a left-hand side of the paper stack on the table, at least one of the right-hand and left-hand side plates being advanceable and retractable relatively to each other; and an air blowing device which blows air horizontally toward the paper stack on the table.

Abstract: Air is taken in through air holes of a paper transfer belt and through air inlets of an air intake duct, and a recording sheet of paper is sucked onto front surfaces of the paper transfer belts, forming the recording sheet of paper into a curved (waved) shape along the front surfaces of the paper transfer belts.

Abstract: A sheet feeder attracts a topmost sheet on a sheet conveyor belt as a conveying member and conveys the sheet toward an image forming unit in a subsequent step. The sheet feeder includes a vane rotation direction control unit that serves as a suction direction control unit controlling a direction in which a suction blower as an air suction unit sucks air to be reversed as a positive pressure generating unit that generates a positive pressure in a sheet suction unit. The vane rotation direction control unit controls the direction in which the suction blower sucks air to be reversed immediately after a feeding operation ends to generate the positive pressure in the sheet suction unit.

Abstract: A medium feeding device includes a loading member; a holding member that includes a movable holding-member body having a gas suction opening, and a suction device connected to the gas suction opening, the holding member being configured to attract and hold each of mediums on the loading member while the suction device performs suction; a holding-member-moving mechanism that moves the holding member between a suction position where the medium is attracted to the holding member and a feed position on a downstream side with respect to the suction position; a transport member that transports the medium held by the holding member at the feed position toward the downstream side; and a suction-force-changing mechanism that reduces a suction force after the medium is attracted to the holding member and before a trailing end of the medium attracted to the holding member passes over the gas suction opening.

Abstract: A medication delivering device includes a delivering unit and a negative pressure unit. The delivering unit includes a cylinder, a retractable part and a tip element. The cylinder has a first opening and a second opening. The retractable part connects the cylinder with the tip element. The tip element has a first end, a second end and a channel. The first end passes through the first opening and is received within the cylinder. The second end is located at an outlet of a pill container. The channel penetrates from the first end to the second end to link with the interior of the cylinder. The negative pressure unit connects to the second opening for providing negative pressure to the interior of the cylinder and the channel of the tip element, so that the tip element sucks up a pill on the outlet of the pill container.

Abstract: A system for transporting an object between stations, for example, from a magazine to a conveyor is provided having a rotary apparatus having two arms, wherein a first arm rocks back and forth between two positions and a second arm rotates about an axis on the first arm. The second arm can be fixedly connected to a holder having one or more suction heads for grasping the object. Preferably, the holder is arranged parallel to the object and moved in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the object as the object is removed from the magazine. Additionally, the holder is preferably displaced above the conveyor and positioned to be parallel to the conveyor, after which the holder is moved toward the conveyor in a path that is perpendicular to the plane of the conveyor. Therefore, the lateral force, shearing force, and friction exerted on the object during removal from the magazine and deposition onto the conveyor can be minimized.

Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus which includes a sheet loading tray for stacking sheets; a suction and conveyance section which is placed above stacked sheets on the sheet loading tray and sucks and conveys a sheet in the sheet conveying direction; an air blowing section which blows air at the stacked sheets on the sheet loading tray and causes the sheet to float up; and a skew correction section which corrects a skew of the sheet conveyed by the suction and conveyance section.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for feeding media sheets in an image production device is disclosed. The method may include applying a downward airflow to a top of a leading edge of a media sheet located at a top of a media stack that is to be fed to an image production section of the image production device, and applying a vacuum airflow to the top of the leading edge of the media sheet located at the top of the media stack that is to be fed to the image production section of the image production device, the applied downward airflow and the applied vacuum airflow causing the top media sheet to separate from the media stack, and feeding the separated top media sheet to the image production section.

Abstract: There is provided a sheet feeding device in which a sheet is discriminated at preliminary loosening before feeding, and is set to be controlled according to the type of the sheet by a simple configuration without requiring a special configuration. In the sheet feeding device in which air is blown onto a sheet stack, and a sheet floating at the uppermost level by the blowing is absorbed and conveyed, a sheet type is discriminated, based on a moving amount of the tray, at preliminary loosening before sheet feeding after setting the sheet in a tray.

Abstract: A sheet loading and handling apparatus that suppress anomalies in sheet supply operation and feed sheets in a stable manner is disclosed. The sheet loading unit includes a supply mechanism that moves a plurality of stacked sheets in a direction toward a feeding position located at an end of the loading unit, a feeding mechanism that individually feeds sheets to the feeding position, and a control unit controlling a plurality of sensors, which detect whether there is a sheet at the feeding position. The supply mechanism operates based on detection information of the sensors. The control unit monitors a relationship between signal information of the optical sensor and that of another sensor, and if a signal relationship that is not normal as compared to that of normal feeding occurs, the unit retracts the signal information of the optical sensor and uses only the signal information of the other sensor.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for feeding media sheets in an image production device is disclosed. The method may include applying air downward to a top of a trailing edge of a media sheet located at a top of a media stack that is to be fed to an image production section of the image production device, the applied air causing the top media sheet to separate from the media stack, and feeding the separated top media sheet to the image production section.

Abstract: A sheet take-out apparatus includes a supplying structure configured to move a plurality of sheets supplied in a stacking state in a stacking direction and supply a sheet at a leading edge thereof in a movement direction to a take-out position, a take-out structure configured to make contact with the sheet supplied to the take-out position and rotate, thereby taking out the sheet in a direction almost orthogonal to the stacking direction, and move the sheet to a conveying route, a suction structure configured to generate an air current to suck the sheet at the leading edge in the movement direction to the take-out position on an upstream side of a position where the take-out structure makes contact with the sheet in the sheet take-out direction by the take-out structure, and a controller configured to control an operation of the suction structure so as to decrease suction force by the suction structure when the sheet at the leading edge in the movement direction is not taken out by the take-out structure.

Abstract: A pick unit is described. The pick unit comprises: a frame and a picking assembly. The frame comprises (i) one or more guides for receiving a currency cassette, (ii) a tortuous pathway for guiding and supporting a cam follower, and (iii) a detent. The picking assembly comprises: (i) a guide edge configured to abut the detent when the picking assembly is moved to an initial alignment position, (ii) a cam follower configured to align with the pathway when the removable picking assembly is moved from the initial alignment position to an engagement position, and (iii) a gear train configured to engage with an upper gear external to the pick unit when the removable picking assembly is moved to an engaged position at which the cam follower has reached an end of the tortuous pathway.

Abstract: This invention provides a system and method for aligning, feeding, trimming, slitting, rotating, cross-slitting and stacking sheets, each containing one or more discrete page images thereon that allows for greater automation of the overall process so that reduced or no manual intervention is required to generate completed book stacks or “blocks” from a stream or stack of printed sheets. Sheets are fed to a first, upstream trimming station to remove margin edges and optionally separate the sheets relative to the discrete page images. The sheets are then rotated 90 degrees and fed to a second, downstream trimming station that trims the right-angle edges and optionally separates the sheets into a final group of full-bleed pages, removing margins and gutter strips. The sheets are fed to a stacking assembly to be tacked in page order and any rejected, defective sheets or stacks are removed from the order.

Abstract: This paper feeder brings the uppermost paper sheet of a plurality of stacked paper sheets into contact with paper feed rollers and feeds out the paper sheet in a paper feeding direction by the drive thereof. Side fences for guiding both side edges of the paper sheet on a paper feeding table are provided with a pair of blowing units for blowing air to both side edges of the paper sheet, whose air quantity can be controlled independently of each other. When skewing occurs, the blowing units are controlled to blow a larger quantity of air to the paper side edge having larger friction against a lower paper sheet as compared with the quantity of air to the other paper side edge. In paper feeding, problems such as skewing, multi-feeding and idle feeding can be addressed.

Abstract: A sheet separation mechanism including a compressed air generator, a first nozzle to eject compressed air onto a leading edge of a sheet, a control valve provided between the compressed air generator and the first nozzle to control a flow of the compressed air, and a second nozzle provided between the control valve and the first nozzle. The control valve controls the compressed air to be simultaneously ejected from both the first nozzle and the second nozzle.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and apparatus separating a media combination from a stack of interleaved slip-sheets and printing plates and relates to image recording systems such as, for example, computer-to-plate (CTP) systems. Image recording systems include imaging systems that image an image recordable material in response to imaging information. Image recordable materials can include, for example, printing plates. Image recording systems can include integrated systems that additionally process the image forming materials. Additional processing can include, but is not limited to materials punching, materials bending, exposure to non-imaging radiation, chemical development and materials drying. The present invention relates to a materials handling system that separates a media combination from a media stack that includes image recordable materials. A slip-sheet separates each of the image recordable materials from one another in the media stack.

Abstract: In a sheet conveying device comprising at least one conveying arrangement with a porous conveyor belt that can be moved in a circulating manner, at least one vacuum source and at least one air line whose one end is connected to the vacuum source and whose other end abuts against the porous conveyor belt, a simple and automatic control of the suction pressure for different sheets is achieved by at least one constant pressure controller in the air line in order to essentially maintain constant a pressure differential between the interior space of the air line and its environment.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a flow channel opening and closing device includes a first rotating plate provided rotatably along a face which crosses two adjacent flow channels, having a first fluid passing hole which overlaps with each of the two flow channels midway during rotation, which fully opens the one flow channel and blocks the other flow channel at a region except the first fluid passing hole by making the first fluid passing hole overlap with the one flow channel, and a second rotating plate provided adjacent to the first rotating plate and rotatably along a face which crosses the two flow channels, having a second fluid passing hole which overlaps with each of the two flow channels midway during rotation, which rotates to a position where the second fluid passing hole overlaps at least partially with the one flow channel when the first rotating plate rotates to a position where the first fluid passing hole fully opens the one flow channel.

Abstract: A sheet guiding apparatus with a sheet diverter function, a production system with a printer and a folding machine for printed products, in which such a sheet guiding apparatus is used, and a method for producing printed products with the production system, permit productivity to be raised without increasing the operating speed of the folding machine.

Abstract: An air blowing apparatus includes: a paper stack accommodating section which forms a paper stack accommodating space for accommodating a stack of paper; and an air blowing device which blows air toward an edge of each sheet of paper of the stack of paper accommodated in the paper stack accommodating space, wherein the paper stack accommodating section includes a curved surface which faces a paper surface of the stack of paper, and the curved surface extends in an air blowing direction of the air blowing device and has a curvature in a direction perpendicular to the air blowing direction of the air blowing device.

Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus is constituted from a sheet loading section having a raising and lowering plate, sheet side surface regulating members that regulate side surfaces of sheets, and an air blowing section that blows air towards the side surface of sheets in a top part, a sheet suction and conveying section, a reflection type sensor which detects the upper limit position of the sheets in the sheet loading section, a control section which, when an output of the reflection type sensor becomes an output indicating the state between the sheets that are put in the floating state due to the air flow blown out from an air blowing section and the sheets that are maintaining the stacked state, carries out control so as to raise the raising and lowering plate.

Abstract: A film handling system is described, including: a supply container for supporting a plurality of sheets of film; a film receiver; and a transport mechanism for retrieving a sheet of film from the supply container and transporting the sheet of film to the receiving mechanism, said transport mechanism comprising a vacuum head for adhering the sheet of film to the vacuum head; wherein the film receiver comprises a feed mechanism for conveying the sheet of film received by the film receiver, said feed mechanism including a sprocket for mating with at least one of a plurality of sprocket holes in the sheet of film transported by the transport mechanism.