Embodiments of a system and method for unloading articles from a container of items for use in an automatic stack feeder are disclosed. The automatic stack feeder may comprise a belt, a moveable lower paddle, and a moveable upper paddle, wherein the lower paddle is configured to partially extend through a belt of the automatic stack feeder. The movement of the belt, the lower paddle, and the upper paddle are coordinated such that there is no need to interrupt the operation of the automatic stack feeder to unload the container.

A sheet feeding apparatus includes a sheet storing tray for loading sheets, an apparatus main body to which the sheet storing tray is slidably attached, and a restriction mechanism that restricts a position of the sheet storing tray. The restriction mechanism includes an engagement portion provided in the apparatus main body and a stopper member that is provided in the sheet storing tray and engages with the engagement portion. The stopper member is configured so as to be movable in a crossing direction crossing a direction in which the sheet storing tray slides and determines a position in the crossing direction of the sheet storing tray with respect to the apparatus main body.

A sheet feeding apparatus includes a body portion having a supporting portion configured to support a sheet, a pivoting portion arranged upstream in a sheet feeding direction of the supporting portion and supported pivotably between a first position and a second position with respect to the body portion, the pivoting portion being configured to support the sheet together with the supporting portion at the first position, a slide portion supported slidably on the pivoting portion, a first regulating portion configured to regulate the slide portion from moving downstream in the sheet feeding direction, a second regulating portion configured to regulate a position of the sheet supported on the supporting portion, and a guide portion formed across the supporting portion and the slide portion, and configured to guide the second regulating portion between the supporting portion and the slide portion along the sheet feeding direction.

A sheet feeding device, which is included in an image forming apparatus and includes a device attachment body, includes a sheet container configured to accommodate a sheet, a support configured to support a lower face of the sheet in the sheet container, a sheet width regulator configured to regulate a position of the sheet in a sheet width direction, a conveying force applier configured to apply a sheet conveying force in a sheet conveying direction to the sheet in the sheet container, and a sheet guide disposed above the sheet in the sheet container and configured to regulate movement of the sheet in an upper direction.

A method for handling (flat) objects (10), in particular sanitary articles such as diapers, sanitary napkins or the like, wherein the objects (10) are conveyed along a transport section (12) in a product flow and are then put together in a grouping station to form groups of objects (10). The objects (10) are introduced into the product flow in the region of an inlet station (23) before the objects (10) are put together to form groups.

A method for handling (flat) objects (10), in particular sanitary articles such as diapers, sanitary napkins or the like, wherein the objects (10) are conveyed along a transport section (12) in a product flow and are then put together in a grouping station to form groups of objects (10). The objects (10) are introduced into the product flow in the region of an inlet station (23) before the objects (10) are put together to form groups.

A sheet conveyance apparatus includes: a support member having a support surface configured to support sheets, a feed unit configured to feed the sheets stacked on the support surface in a feed direction, a guide member provided on the downstream side of the support member in the feed direction, and a separating member projecting from an inclined surface of the guide member toward the support surface. The inclined surface is curved such that a separating area where the separating member is provided comes closest to the side of the support surface. The support surface has a first support surface located on the immediate upstream side in the feed direction to correspond to the separating area, and second support surfaces arranged respectively on both sides of the first support surface in a direction orthogonal to the feed direction to be lowered than the first support surface.

A paper sheet handling apparatus has a pickup roller, a stage, a pressure sensor, and a measuring unit. For each feeding process, in which the pickup roller feeds paper sheets until the pressure detected by the pressure sensor becomes less than a predetermined set value, the stage presses paper sheets against the pickup roller until the pressure detected by the pressure sensor reaches another set value. The pickup roller operates at a feeding speed of a first speed if a calculated feeding value is less than a threshold, and operates at a feeding speed of a second speed that is slower than the first speed if the calculated feeding value is equal to or greater than the threshold, the calculated feeding value being calculated based on: the amount of movement of the stage measured by the measuring unit; and the number of paper sheets fed by the feeding process.

A paper sheet handling apparatus has a pickup roller, a stage, a pressure sensor, and a measuring unit. For each feeding process, in which the pickup roller feeds paper sheets until the pressure detected by the pressure sensor becomes less than a predetermined set value, the stage presses paper sheets against the pickup roller until the pressure detected by the pressure sensor reaches another set value. The pickup roller operates at a feeding speed of a first speed if a calculated feeding value is less than a threshold, and operates at a feeding speed of a second speed that is slower than the first speed if the calculated feeding value is equal to or greater than the threshold, the calculated feeding value being calculated based on: the amount of movement of the stage measured by the measuring unit; and the number of paper sheets fed by the feeding process.

A sheet processing apparatus has a main body with an insertion slot for a sheet cassette. The sheet cassette has a moveable pin member. A housing in the main body includes a lever partially rotatable about a first axis. The lever has a pin engagement portion at an end of the lever that rotates about a second axis and has an engagement groove into which the pin member can be inserted from a first pin engagement position and a second pin engagement position when the lever has rotated about the first axis. An elastic member applies a force to the lever to rotate the lever toward the insertion direction of the cassette. The housing includes a chassis having a guide groove extending along the insertion direction. The guide groove includes an inclining portion that is inclined with respect to the insertion direction.