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.

A reading device includes a visible light source to irradiate a subject with light having a visible wavelength; an invisible light source to irradiate the subject with light having an invisible wavelength; first and second image sensors to receive reflected light from the subject being irradiated with the light having the visible wavelength and the light having the invisible wavelength, and circuitry. The first image sensor generates visible image data containing a first invisible component, and the second image sensor generates invisible image data of a second invisible component. The circuitry removes the first invisible component contained in the visible image data using the invisible image data. The circuitry multiplies the invisible image data with the correction coefficient that absorbs an individual variation in removal of the first invisible component, and the correction coefficient is generated based on the visible image data and the invisible image.

An image reading apparatus includes a light source to emit at least light in a first wavelength range and light in a second wavelength range, a background member having different light reflectances in the first and second wavelength ranges, an imaging device, and circuitry. The imaging device receives reflected light from the background member irradiated with the light in the first wavelength range, and generates first read information. The imaging device further receives reflected light from the background member irradiated with the light in the second wavelength range, and generates second read information. The circuitry detects presence or absence of a first foreign substance based on a difference in reading level of the first read information generated by the imaging device; and detect presence or absence of a second foreign substance based on a difference in reading level of the second read information generated by the imaging device.

A display device includes a non-translucent cover, a light source provided inside the cover, and a translucent light display that is transmissive to light from the light source. The light display has a protrusion disposed in a through opening of the cover. The protrusion fitted into the through opening from the inside spans a first side surface and a second side surface of the cover, and protrudes outward from the outer surface of the cover to form a light guide. The light guide has a smaller thickness in a corner portion corresponding to a connection region between the first side surface and the second side surface than in other portions thereof.

An image reading device includes a placement section on which a subject is placed, an image capturing unit that is disposed above the placement section and captures an image of the subject, an irradiating unit that is disposed above the placement section and irradiates the subject with light, and a display unit that is disposed between the placement section and the image capturing unit and between the placement section and the irradiating unit, the display unit being located at a position outside an image capturing range of the image capturing unit and an irradiation range of the irradiating unit.

An image scanning device includes a casing, a paper feeding wheel, a transparent plate, a light bar, and an elastic support member. The transparent plate includes a first surface and a second surface, and the first surface faces the paper feeding wheel. The light bar is located on the second surface of the transparent plate and includes a plurality of light-emitting elements. A position at which the paper feeding wheel is tangent to the first surface defines a tangent position, a position at which the light-emitting elements are projected onto the first surface in a normal direction of the first surface defines a scanning position, and a scanning spacing exists between the tangent position and the scanning position. The elastic support member pushes the light bar and the transparent plate toward the paper feeding wheel. An image scanning equipment with an image scanning device is also provided.

There are provided a line sensor (110) including two first sensor pixel rows (11a, 111b) and a second sensor pixel row (112a); an image obtaining unit (140) to obtain, from electrical signals obtained by scanning an original in a sub-scanning direction with the two first sensor pixel rows (111a, 111b), two first read image data items, and obtain, from electrical signals obtained by scanning the original in the sub-scanning direction with the second sensor pixel row (112a), a second read image data item; and an image processor (150) to incorporate one or more pixel data items of one or more pixels included in an interval between the two first sensor pixel rows (111a, 111b) out of the second read image data item into the two first read image data items, thereby generating a line image data item in which the one or more pixels in the interval are not vacant.

There are provided a line sensor (110) including two first sensor pixel rows (11a, 111b) and a second sensor pixel row (112a); an image obtaining unit (140) to obtain, from electrical signals obtained by scanning an original in a sub-scanning direction with the two first sensor pixel rows (111a, 111b), two first read image data items, and obtain, from electrical signals obtained by scanning the original in the sub-scanning direction with the second sensor pixel row (112a), a second read image data item; and an image processor (150) to incorporate one or more pixel data items of one or more pixels included in an interval between the two first sensor pixel rows (111a, 111b) out of the second read image data item into the two first read image data items, thereby generating a line image data item in which the one or more pixels in the interval are not vacant.

In a scanner, a pulse generator generates a pulse signal, a transmissive optical sensor includes a light projector that projects pulsed light corresponding to the pulse signal and a light receiver disposed so as to face the light projector, a peak hold circuit holds a peak value of a voltage value indicating a light reception amount of the pulsed light in the light receiver, and a first current supply circuit increases a light projection amount of the pulsed light projected from the light projector by increasing a current supplied to the light projector when the peak value is smaller than a reference value and decreases the light projection amount of the pulsed light projected from the light projector by decreasing the current supplied to the light projector when the peak value is larger than the reference value.

According to an embodiment, a reading device that reads an object to be read in an image forming apparatus includes a lens array and a light guide. The lens array is provided in a posture in which an optical axis follows a height direction intersecting a reading surface. The light guide is adjacent to the lens array in a sub-scanning direction intersecting both the height direction and a main scanning direction, and locates maximum illuminance of illumination light illuminating the object to be read on a side opposite to the lens array with respect to a deepest position of a depth of field of the lens array in the height direction.