A transport apparatus includes a transport path on which a medium is transported; a transmitter configured to transmit an ultrasonic wave to the medium transported on the transport path; and a receiver configured to receive an ultrasonic wave from the medium, in which the transport path is provided between the transmitter and the receiver, and is provided in a long-distance sound field of an ultrasonic wave transmitted from the transmitter.

A multi-feed detection apparatus includes a conveyance roller, an ultrasonic sensor for generating an ultrasonic signal, an imaging device to image the medium being conveyed by the conveyance roller and sequentially generate a line image, and a processor to detect a width of the medium in each line image for each line image, detect a vertex count of a medium included in the sequentially generated line image based on the width of the media in the each line image, detect a length of the medium in a direction perpendicular to the medium width, estimate a shape of a medium based on the vertex count and the length of the medium, and detecting media multi-feed by comparing the ultrasonic signal with a predetermined threshold value, and change the predetermined threshold value or stop detection of the medium multi-feed, based on the estimated shape of the medium.

The automatic document feeder includes a multi-feed detection sensor unit, a sensor control unit, and a control board on which the sensor control unit is mounted. The multi-feed detection sensor unit includes a transmission board on which a transmission sensor and a detection circuit of a drive current of the transmission sensor are mounted, a reception board on which a reception sensor and an amplifier circuit of a reception signal of the reception sensor are mounted, and a relay board on which a drive circuit of the transmission sensor is mounted. The sensor control unit stores first fault information indicating that the relay board is disconnected if the relay board is disconnected, stores second fault information indicating that the reception board is at fault if an output value of the amplifier circuit is equal to or less than a first threshold, stores third fault information indicating that the transmission board is at fault if the detection circuit does not detect the drive current, and stores fourth fault information indicating that the transmission sensor or the reception sensor is damaged if the output value of the amplifier circuit is equal to or less than a second threshold. If the fault information is stored, the sensor control unit transmits, to an image forming apparatus, an instruction signal for causing the fault information to be displayed.

An image forming apparatus that forms an image on a recording medium, including: a detector that detects a physical property of the recording medium and obtains a detection value; and a hardware processor that controls an operation of the image forming apparatus based on: the detection value detected by the detector, and at least one of: first information that relates to the recording medium and does not include the detection value or a physical property value calculated based on the detection value, and second information that does not relate to the recording medium and is acquired from outside of the image forming apparatus.

An image reading apparatus includes a transport unit which transports a document, and reading units which read an image of the document which is transported. It is assumed that an operation of reading an image when specific setting information is not input to a control device of the image reading apparatus is set to a first reading mode, and an operation of reading an image when specific setting information is input to the control device is set to a second reading mode. In this case, in the second reading mode, image data of an image with a resolution which is equal to that in the first reading mode is generated, while causing the reading units to read an image from a document which is transported by the transport device at a lower speed than that in the first reading mode.

The image reading apparatus includes a separation roller, an imaging device to generate an input image, a conveyance roller to convey the medium separated by the separation roller to the imaging device, a first medium sensor located between the separation roller and the conveyance roller, a second medium sensor located between the conveyance roller and the imaging device, a processor to start imaging by the imaging device in response to detection of the medium by the first medium sensor and generate a cutout image from the input image in response to detection of the medium by the second medium sensor, and an output device to output the cutout image. The processor generates the cutout image based on a position imaged by a predetermined amount before a position imaged at a timing when the second medium sensor detects the medium, in the input image.

A sheet housing device includes: a housing; and a sheet cassette. The sheet cassette has: a detection mechanism; and a pair of cursors. The detection mechanism includes: a detection switch; a first actuator; and a second actuator. A first cursor pushes down a pressed part of the first actuator and a connection part pushes up a connected part of the second actuator, and the second actuator swings in a first rotation direction from a first posture and the second actuator is set to a second posture in which a switch pressing part is capable of pressing a switch pressed part. The switch pressing part has: a first pressing part that is connected to a front end of a pressing arm; and a second pressing part that is disposed to protrude further toward an upstream side in the first rotation direction than the pressing arm does.

A multi-feed detection apparatus includes a conveyance roller, an ultrasonic sensor for generating an ultrasonic signal, an imaging device to image the medium being conveyed by the conveyance roller and sequentially generate a line image, and a processor to detect a width of the medium in each line image for each line image, detect a vertex count of a medium included in the sequentially generated line image based on the width of the media in the each line image, detect a length of the medium in a direction perpendicular to the medium width, estimate a shape of a medium based on the vertex count and the length of the medium, and detecting media multi-feed by comparing the ultrasonic signal with a predetermined threshold value, and change the predetermined threshold value or stop detection of the medium multi-feed, based on the estimated shape of the medium.

A sensor unit includes a sensor device, a holder that holds the sensor device and includes a surface maintained at a reference potential, and a case that houses the holder, in which the case includes a mounting surface in contact with a mounting object, and the mounting surface is provided with a communication portion that causes an inside and an outside of the case to communicate with each other, and the holder includes a protrusion that protrudes from the communication portion and comes in contact with the mounting object.

A system and method for aligning documents for scanning includes a multifunction peripheral with a controller having a processor and associated memory. The controller issues instructions controlling operation of a scanner. A tangible document is placed on a surface of a scanner platen, and a sensor determines its location relative to the platen. An optimal position of the document relative to the platen is determined. The processor then generates a graphical rendering on an associated display indicative of a directed repositioning of the document on the platen in accordance with a determined optimal position of the document relative to the platen.