A rubbing alcohol dispenser apparatus for applying rubbing alcohol includes a casing having a casing dispense aperture and a thumb slot extending through to a casing inside. A cartridge housing has a housing dispense aperture and a pin slot extending through to a cartridge inside. The cartridge housing is slidably engageable within the casing inside. A dispense plunger and a lift plunger are coupled within the cartridge inside to manipulate a plurality of alcohol pads through a plurality of pad tracks towards the housing dispense aperture. The dispense plunger has a thumb pin extending through the pin slot and accessible through the thumb slot to reset the dispense plunger and allow the lift plunger to advance the plurality of alcohol pads. The housing dispense aperture aligns with the casing dispense aperture to release rubbing alcohol as needed.

A reusable media shell has a frame to hold sheets of media in an interior. A removable cap connects to the frame and its manipulation unveils the media for picking by an imaging device. The cap resides on a terminal end of the frame so the frame covers a majority of the media. A lift plate in the interior forces upward the sheets for picking. Two magnets on the frame magnetically secure the frame to magnets in a base of the imaging device and position the sheets in the base. Upstanding walls, a lid and bottom define the interior of the frame. Inserts attached to the walls allow adjustment to accommodate various sizes of the media.

A recording apparatus includes a recording head, a loading unit, a feeding unit, a cover, a detection unit, and a determination unit. The feeding unit feeds a recording medium loaded on the loading unit to a recording position where the recording head performs the recording. The cover moves between an opening state and a closing state. The determination unit determines a size of the loaded recording medium based on a result of a width detection operation. The recording head records an image per a determination result. If the cover closing is detected before the recording is performed, the determination unit performs the width detection operation to determine the recording medium size loaded on the loading unit. If the cover opening is detected and the recording apparatus receives a recording instruction, the determination unit performs the width detection operation to determine the recording medium size loaded on the loading unit.

A method of processing mailpieces in a sorting installation including a feed inlet magazine (4) in which the mailpieces (1) for sorting are placed in a stack and on edge so as to be put in series in a sorting conveyor (5), the mailpieces (1) in series and on edge in the sorting conveyor being directed towards sorting outlets having respective stackers (6). The mailpieces (1) for sorting that arrive at the feed inlet magazine while stored in a tray (3) are taken in handfuls from the storage tray to be positioned in a stack and on edge in order to be put into series. The mailpieces (1) sorted into a stacker of a sorting outlet (6) are also transferred in handfuls from the stacker towards a storage tray (3) for the purpose of being recycled to the feed inlet magazine (4) from the sorting outlet (6) having a stacker.

A method of processing mailpieces in a sorting installation including a feed inlet magazine (4) in which the mailpieces (1) for sorting are placed in a stack and on edge so as to be put in series in a sorting conveyor (5), the mailpieces (1) in series and on edge in the sorting conveyor being directed towards sorting outlets having respective stackers (6). The mailpieces (1) for sorting that arrive at the feed inlet magazine while stored in a tray (3) are taken in handfuls from the storage tray to be positioned in a stack and on edge in order to be put into series. The mailpieces (1) sorted into a stacker of a sorting outlet (6) are also transferred in handfuls from the stacker towards a storage tray (3) for the purpose of being recycled to the feed inlet magazine (4) from the sorting outlet (6) having a stacker.

A device for reducing rotation of an article during singulation of a stack of articles is disclosed. The device may include a torsion element, a rotatable member configured to rotate about an elongated axis of the torsion element between a first position and a second position, and a revolving member coupled to the rotatable member. An outer surface of the revolving member contacts a drive belt in the first position and an article in the second position. The torsion element exerts torque on the rotatable member when it moves from the first position towards the second position. The torque causes the outer surface of the revolving member to apply a frictional force to the article, thereby minimizing rotation of the article. Systems and methods of singulating articles are also disclosed.

An automated system for transferring articles from a container. An item transfer system includes retainers configured to secure a first tray and a second tray, a movable paddle assembly, a frame, and a plurality of actuators. The system is configured to transfer articles from the first tray to the second tray by an automated process including securing the articles within the first tray with the paddle assembly, rotating the frame by approximately 90 to 100, moving the paddle assembly in a series of linear translations to remove the items from the first tray and place the items into the second tray, rotating the frame back to its initial orientation, and releasing the items into the second tray.

There is provided a feed apparatus including a support unit having a support surface, a feed roller, a first arm to support the feed roller, a recess portion on the support surface, a second arm swingable, with a side of the one end as a swing shaft, between a first position at which the other end of the second arm is in the recess portion and a second position at which the other end is outside the recess portion; and a biasing member. In a case that the second arm is the first position, a guide surface of the second arm is positioned on an upstream side of the feed roller in the feed direction and in a case that the second arm is the second position, the other end of the second arm is positioned on a downstream side of the feed roller in the feed direction.

There is provided a feed apparatus including a support unit having a support surface, a feed roller, a first arm to support the feed roller, a recess portion on the support surface, a second arm swingable, with a side of the one end as a swing shaft, between a first position at which the other end of the second arm is in the recess portion and a second position at which the other end is outside the recess portion; and a biasing member. In a case that the second arm is the first position, a guide surface of the second arm is positioned on an upstream side of the feed roller in the feed direction and in a case that the second arm is the second position, the other end of the second arm is positioned on a downstream side of the feed roller in the feed direction.

A mail processing system utilizes a conveyor to shingle or de-shingle mailpieces as they move through the processing system and utilizes belts to move the mailpieces. A first shingling conveyor moves a first mailpiece to overlap with a second mailpiece to create shingled mailpieces. A second shingling conveyor moves a first mailpiece away from a second mailpiece to de-shingle them to create singulated mailpieces. A camera takes images of the mailpieces in the conveyor and image analysis software is used to determine dimensional aspects of the mailpieces that are used to control the belt speeds to move mailpieces with respect to each other. A mail processing system may include a mail processing station that scans addresses, applies postage and/or weighs the mailpieces. Mail may be de-shingled prior to being weighed and then re-shingled for subsequent processing, or mail may shingled prior to passing through a scale if weighing is not necessary.