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.

A printing apparatus includes a feeding units, a detecting unit, a designating unit, and a control unit. The detecting unit detects a respective operation on each of the feeding units. The designating unit designates, in response to a user operation via a display, which of the feeding units is to be used for printing. The control unit executes, in response to a command to execute predetermined printing, a process based on a first feeding unit on which an operation has been last detected by the detecting unit and a second feeding unit designated by the designating unit. Based on that the first and second feeding units are different, the control unit displays, as the process, a predetermined screen on the display. Based on that the first and second feeding units are the same, the control unit executes, as the process, the predetermined printing on a second feeding unit fed sheet.

A document transport assistance member for an image processing device including a transport roller and a reading part provided upstream of the transport roller in a transport path, the document transport assistance member including a cover sheet, a support sheet, and a bonding part that serves as a bonding part where the cover sheet and the support sheet are bonded together, and bonds a first end portion at a first direction side along a first axis, wherein a length between a side end of the document transport assistance member at the first direction side and a rear end of the bonding part at the opposite side from the first direction is greater than a length between a reading position where the reading part can read the document and a position of a nipping part where the transport roller performs nip on the document transport assistance member in the transport path.

A sheet feeding device includes a roller pair being mutually non-separable; and a roller pair being mutually separable. The sheet feeding device temporarily stops a sheet in a registration position of the non-separable roller pair and then resumes feeding the sheet. The sheet feeding device feeds sheets such that a following sheet reaches the registration position from the separable roller pair after completion of ejection of a preceding sheet.

An image processing apparatus includes: an automatic document feeder; a document placement table; a document detector provided on at least one of the automatic document feeder and the document placement table, the document detector being configured to detect a document; and circuitry to cause a display to display one of a first screen that receives an input for selecting an orientation of a document placed on the automatic document feeder and a second screen that receives an input for selecting the orientation of the document placed on the document placement table, based on a detection result of the document detector.

A document reader includes a reading unit that reads an image of a document medium, a second driving roller pair that nips and transports the document medium downstream of a read-enabling position of the reading unit, and a control unit that controls rotation of the second driving roller pair. The control unit stops the rotation of the second driving roller pair in a state in which the document medium is not positioned in the read-enabling position and in a state in which the document medium is nipped by the second driving roller pair.

A document transport assistance member for an image processing device including a transport roller and a reading part provided upstream of the transport roller in a transport path, the document transport assistance member including a cover sheet, a support sheet, and a bonding part that serves as a bonding part where the cover sheet and the support sheet are bonded together, and bonds a first end portion at a first direction side along a first axis, wherein a length between a side end of the document transport assistance member at the first direction side and a rear end of the bonding part at the opposite side from the first direction is greater than a length between a reading position where the reading part can read the document and a position of a nipping part where the transport roller performs nip on the document transport assistance member in the transport path.

An image reading apparatus, including a feed tray, a conveyance guide, a conveyor, a reading sensor, a first housing, a first driving source, a first driving train, a second driving source, and a second driving train, is provided. The first housing accommodates at least the conveyance guide and the conveyor and has a first outer face and a second outer face facing opposite to each other in a widthwise direction. The first driving source and the first driving train are accommodated in the first housing on a side toward the first outer face. The first driving train transmits a driving force from the first driving source to the conveyor. The second driving source and the second driving train are accommodated in the first housing on a side toward the second outer face. The second driving train transmits a driving force from the second driving source to the movable plate.

An image forming apparatus includes a sheet feeding part, a sheet conveying path, an image forming unit, a document feeding part, a document conveying path, an image reading unit, and a common discharge part. The sheet conveying path extends from the sheet feeding part to a downstream side in the sheet conveying direction. The image forming unit is disposed on the sheet conveying path. The document feeding part is disposed at a different position from the sheet feeding part, to send out a document. The document conveying path extends from the document feeding part to a downstream side in the document conveying direction. The image reading unit is disposed on the document conveying path. The common discharge part is disposed at a junction of the sheet conveying path and the document conveying path, to discharge the sheet after image formation and the document after reading.

A recording apparatus includes: a recording unit that performs recording on a medium; a medium discharging section that discharges the medium on which recording has been performed; a medium receiving section that receives the medium discharged by the medium discharging section; a face-down discharge path that guides, to the medium discharge section, the recorded medium with a recorded side thereof facing downward; a document movement path that is provided at an upper part of a housing constituting an outer casing of the recording apparatus and along which a document moves; and a reading unit provided in the document movement path to read the document. The medium receiving section also serves as a support tray that supports the document to be inserted into the document movement path or the document exiting from the document movement path.