The present invention provides an inspection apparatus including a reading unit configured to read a document. The inspection apparatus compares a read image obtained by the reading unit reading a chart including a mark for acquiring distortion information printed by a printing apparatus and a reference image serving as a correct image of the chart, and generates distortion information when reading by the reading unit; and corrects, using the generated distortion information, an inspection target image obtained by the reading unit reading a printed matter from the printing apparatus; aligns the first corrected image corrected in the correcting with a reference image of the printed matter; and compares a second corrected image aligned in the aligning with a reference image of the printed matter to inspect a defect of the printed matter.

An image reading apparatus includes a stacking tray, a feeding roller, a restricting member configured to move to a restricting position and a retracted position, a reading sensor, a reversing roller configured to perform a reversing operation, a first conveyance path, a second conveyance, and a controller. The controller is configured to permit the reversing operation if the controller receives an execution instruction of a double-sided reading job on a sheet having a first size, and prohibit the reversing operation if the controller receives an execution instruction of the double-sided reading job on a sheet having a second size smaller than the first size.

A medium feed device includes edge guides provided at a medium placement part including a placement surface on which a medium is placed and including guide surfaces that guide edges in a direction intersecting with a feed direction of the medium; and a restriction part configured to take a position between the edge guides such that a position of the restriction part in a direction normal to the placement surface is a position at which the restriction part suppresses a lift of the medium from the placement surface and a position at which the restriction part suppresses separation of the edges of the medium from the guide surfaces. The position of the restriction part at which the restriction part suppresses the lift is located on a placement surface side with respect to an intermediate position between upper ends of the guide surfaces and the placement surface.

A sheet alignment apparatus includes a sheet leading-end aligning device, a sheet side-end aligning device. The sheet leading-end aligning device is configured to align a leading end of a sheet bundle in a sheet conveyance direction. The sheet side-end aligning device is configured to align a side end of the sheet bundle in the sheet conveyance direction and move the sheet bundle to a predetermined position. The sheet leading-end aligning device is configured to maintain contact with the leading end of the sheet bundle when the sheet leading-end aligning device retracts from a movement path of the sheet side-end aligning device along which the sheet side-end aligning device moves the sheet bundle to the predetermined position.

A robotic document feeder system may comprise a robotic arm coupled to a Bernoulli cup assembly powered by a vacuum source; a base disposed over an imaging surface of a document scanner, wherein the base comprises a designated scan area through which a document may be imaged by the document scanner; an input bin for storing at least one document to be imaged by the document scanner; and an output bin for storing the at least one document after it has been imaged by the document scanner. The system may further comprise an alignment mechanism in proximity to the designated scan area and configured to align the document substantially over the imaging surface of the document scanner; at least one automated door configured to close the designated scan area after the document has been placed in the designated scan area; and a camera positioned above the designated scan area for imaging a second side of the document.

A printing apparatus includes a first feeding roller, a feeding motor configured to drive the first feeding roller, a second feeding roller, a conveyance roller, a conveyance motor configured to drive the conveyance roller, a printing unit configured to print the printing sheet, a detection sensor configured to detect the leading edge of the printing sheet, and a control unit configured to, when the printing unit performs a printing operation on a preceding sheet, drive the feeding motor in synchronization with the conveyance motor before the detection sensor detects the leading edge of a succeeding sheet, and continuously drive the feeding motor so that the conveying speed of the succeeding sheet by the feeding motor becomes higher than that of the preceding sheet after the detection sensor detects the leading edge of the succeeding sheet.

A reading device includes a housing, an imaging unit, a reading lighting unit, a guiding unit, and a guiding lighting unit. The housing has an opening covered with a transparent opening cover. An imaging unit is disposed inside the housing. The reading lighting unit illuminates the opening cover from inside the housing. The guiding unit is provided on the same plane as the opening cover at a position separated from the opening cover. The guiding lighting unit emits light from the guiding unit to the outside of the housing.

Method and systems of automated document processing described herein include activating in sequence a plurality of illumination modules of an illumination source to illuminate a document, where the plurality of illumination modules are located at different positions relative to the document. The document can be imaged each time the document is illuminated by an illumination module to provide a plurality of images. A shadow profile of the document can be obtained based on the plurality of images. One or more of a boundary of the document and presence of a fastener attached to the document can be identified using the shadow profile. Any fasteners present may be removed using a robot arm.

An image processing apparatus includes a selector and an instructor. The selector selects an image. The instructor provides an instruction if an aspect ratio of the selected image exceeds a maximum ratio of a range of predetermined aspect ratios. The instruction is an instruction to remove an end portion of the selected image in a width direction so that the aspect ratio of the selected image will be contained within the range of the predetermined aspect ratios. The instructor also provides an instruction if the aspect ratio of the selected image is smaller than a minimum ratio of the range of the predetermined aspect ratios. The instruction is an instruction to add a margin to an end portion of the selected image in the width direction so that the aspect ratio of the selected image will be contained within the range of the predetermined aspect ratios.

A cutting device includes a cutter, a drive mechanism, a counting module, a determination module, and a detection module. The cutter has a movable piece that is configured to cut a medium. The drive mechanism is configured to change a position or posture of the movable piece. The counting module is configured to count a number of times the position or posture of the movable piece changes. The determination module is configured to variably determine a reference speed according to the number of times. The detection module is configured to detect an operation error of the cutter according to a comparison result between a speed at which the position or posture of the movable piece is changed and the reference speed.