Organizations and educational institutions are turning towards digitization of their examination processes. The existing devices are costly, time consuming and insecure for scanning the answer sheets. A device for performing secure and automatic flipping and scanning of documents has been provided. The device is configured to be assembled in the form of a box. The device comprising a scanning stand, a page flipping arm, one or more suction cups, one or more rollers, a controller and a mobile device. The controller is configured to control the operation of the scanning stand, the page flipper arm and the roller. The mobile device further comprises a mobile application which is further configured to control controller. The device further configured to scan the handwriting of a candidate to avoid malpractice during the examination.

An original feeding device includes a pick-up roller, a separation feeding unit, a first original presence/absence detecting sensor, a second original presence/absence detecting sensor and a control unit. When an original is detected by the first and second original presence/absence detecting sensors, the control unit discriminates that the original on the original tray has a first width. When the original is detected by the first original presence/absence detecting sensor but is not detected by the second original presence/absence detecting sensor, the control unit discriminates that the original has a second width smaller than the first width. After the control unit discriminates that the original has the second width and then feeding of the original is started, and then the original is detected by the second original presence/absence detecting sensor, the control unit stops the drive of the pick-up roller and the drive of the separation feeding unit.

An image forming apparatus includes a main assembly including a main assembly frame and an image forming portion; a reading unit including a reading frame, a placing portion, a reading portion, and a hinge supporting portion; a hinge; and an openable unit. The hinge supporting portion includes a first fixing portion fixed to the reading frame and a second fixing portion provided adjacent to the main assembly frame and fixed to the main assembly frame.

An image forming apparatus includes a main assembly including a main assembly frame and an image forming portion; a reading unit including a reading frame, a placing portion, a reading portion, and a hinge supporting portion; a hinge; and an openable unit. The hinge supporting portion includes a first fixing portion fixed to the reading frame and a second fixing portion provided adjacent to the main assembly frame and fixed to the main assembly frame.

An image reading apparatus includes an image sensor, a document feeder, and a processor. The document feeder includes a first driving device, a second driving device, a third driving device, a first sensor, and a second sensor. The first driving device includes a pick-up member to move documents from a tray to a document conveying path using a driving force through a first clutch. The second driving device is to move the tray with the documents to a side of the pick-up member using a driving force through a second clutch. The third driving device to move the documents along the document conveying path onto the image sensor using the driving force of the motor The first and second sensors detect the documents on the document conveying path. The processor controls an operation of the first clutch based on the signals of the first and second sensors.

Provided are systems and methods for identifying, isolating, and/or aligning sheets. An identification system can facilitate accurate identification of a sheet by (i) vacating one or more components of the system that are not the sheet from a zone of detection, and/or (ii) determining a reference axis of the sheet. An isolation system can facilitate accurate isolation of a sheet by (i) providing targeted air flow, and/or (ii) introducing a wave into the sheet. Identification systems and/or isolation systems described herein may facilitate isolation of sheets that were previously fastened together by one or more fasteners. An alignment system can facilitate accurate alignment of a first sheet at an upstream location relative to a second sheet at a downstream location via machine learning.

Systems and methods for preparing customer check deposit requests with a mobile device and a reflective surface are described. A check frame is positioned between a customer mobile device with a built-in camera and a mirror such that, when a check is placed in the check frame, the camera can view both sides of the check simultaneously. The camera can take a single picture that includes both sides of the check, process it, and submit it as a check deposit request to the customer's financial institution.

A medium feeding device includes a medium placement portion on which a bunch of media is placed, a feed roller that feeds a lowermost medium of the bunch of media placed on the medium placement portion, a separation roller that is provided at a position facing the feed roller and separates a medium from the bunch of media, and a plurality of restricting portions that are provided on an upstream side of a nip position between the separation roller and the feed roller at an interval in a medium width direction which is a direction intersecting a medium feeding direction and come into contact with leading ends of upper media of the bunch of media excluding at least the lowermost medium such that the leading ends are restricted from coming into contact with the separation roller regardless of whether the separation roller is deformed or not.

An image forming apparatus in which at least part of an image scanner is disposed in an area below an original discharge unit and above an image forming unit.

A sheet feeding apparatus includes an apparatus body including an opening portion, a storage configured to store a sheet, a pickup roller configured to pick up and feed the sheet, a separation conveyance unit including a separation nip, and a guide member including a guiding surface configured to guide the sheet such that the sheet passes under an upper edge of the opening portion while the storage is being drawn out of the apparatus body. A downstream end of the guiding surface in a sheet feeding direction is positioned downstream of the separation nip in the sheet feeding direction. An upstream end of the guiding surface in the sheet feeding direction is positioned upstream in the sheet feeding direction of a leading-edge position of the sheet stored in the storage.