A paper feeder for transporting paper sheets, includes: a head fan that blows air on the paper sheets; a suction fan that applies negative pressure to the paper sheets blown by the head fan; a switching member that changes the direction of the air from the head fan; a head shutter that blocks the flow of the air directed by the switching member; and a hardware processor that determines the blocking time of the airflow, wherein the switching member changes the air direction between a first direction for floating the paper sheets and a second direction toward the suction fan, and the hardware processor determines stop timing of the air blow in the second direction directed by the switching member as the start timing of clocking the blocking time of the airflow, based on the weight and the resistance to an external force of the paper sheets.

A sheet-transporting element includes suction openings for holding print sheets, longitudinal sliders including air passages, and transverse sliders including air passages. The longitudinal sliders and the transverse sliders are disposed in a cross-wise configuration and are movable into different positions corresponding to various sheet formats in the positions blocking selected ones of the suction openings.

Imaging apparatus and methods for bindery systems are disclosed. An example method includes engaging a signature assembly with an end of a separator to cause 1) a first page of the signature assembly to be disposed on a platform and 2) a second page of the signature assembly to be disposed on the side of the platform; drawing the first page toward the platform; and imaging the first page when the first page is on the platform.

A drying device includes a sheet conveyance portion, a warm air blowing portion disposed above and opposite to the sheet conveyance portion and to blow a warm air from a nozzle on the sheet. A first casing accommodates the warm air blowing portion and a second casing accommodates the sheet conveyance portion. The first casing is movable to a closed position opposite to the sheet conveyance portion and an open position for opening the sheet conveyance portion. The first casing positioned in the closed position moves to the open position by being moved upward to the second casing in a vertical direction, and the warm air blowing portion is movable to the first casing in the vertical direction in a state in which the first casing is positioned in the open position.

Deformation is reduced or prevented in a printed print medium during steam treatment by a print medium treatment device for a printer. The print medium treatment device includes a steam treatment unit for treating a first side of a print medium with steam, the steam treatment unit including a steam generator connectable to a steam chamber; and a conveyor for transporting the print medium through the steam chamber. The conveyor includes a holding device for engaging a second side of the print medium opposite the first side, such that the print medium is flattened against the conveyor.

A sheet conveyor includes: a drum to: carry a sheet on a circumferential surface of the drum; and rotate to convey the sheet; and adhering part to adhere the sheet to the circumferential surface of the drum, wherein the drum has: both end parts in an axial direction of the drum, the both end parts each having a first outer diameter in a radial direction orthogonal to the axial direction; and a center part between the both end parts in the axial direction of the drum, the center part having a second outer diameter smaller than the first outer diameter in the radial direction.

A media conveying device includes: a delivery cylinder to rotate on an inner circumferential surface side of a medium conveyed along a curved conveyance path; a first guide disc to rotate integrally with the delivery cylinder on an inner circumferential surface side of the curved conveyance path, the first guide disc having an arc-shaped guide surface to come into contact with a first peripheral area of the medium in a width direction of the medium; a second guide disc to rotate integrally with the delivery cylinder on the inner circumferential surface side of the curved conveyance path, the second guide disc having an arc-shaped guide surface to come into contact with a second peripheral area of the medium in the width direction of the medium; and a slide mechanism to slide the first guide disc and the second guide disc in the width direction of the medium.

An image forming apparatus includes a belt configured to convey a sheet, a plurality of rollers over which the belt is stretched, the plurality of rollers including a drive roller to which a drive force is to be applied, a support portion configured to support at least one of the plurality of rollers in a manner that allows the at least one of the plurality of rollers to rotate, an ejection portion configured to eject ink onto the sheet conveyed by the belt, a movable member placed in a movable manner on an inner circumferential surface side of the belt in order to adjust a distance between the ejection portion and an outer circumferential surface of the belt at a position opposed to the ejection portion, a cam configured to displace a position of the movable member.

A sheet conveying system includes an upstream conveyor section having an endless first conveyor belt movable in a first conveying direction x and extending in a first lateral direction z, the first conveying direction x and the first lateral direction z defining a first conveying plane xz; and a downstream conveyor section having an endless second conveyor belt that adjoins the first conveyor belt and is movable in a second conveying direction x and extends in a second lateral direction z, the second conveying direction x and the second lateral direction z defining a second conveying plane xz. The conveyor sections are adapted to hold the sheets slip-free on the first and second conveyor belts. The second conveyor belt has a shear compliance in the second conveying plane xz that is larger than the shear compliance of the first conveyor belt in the first conveying plane xz.

A card feeding apparatus realizes random and selective feeding of cards of different types or kinds. This apparatus includes a card supplying device, a card holding and feeding device, and a controller. The card holding and feeding device includes a table set having tables on which cards from the card supplying device are held, a table set supporting structure (e.g., a frame), a table set moving device (e.g., a lifting mechanism), and a card conveying device that conveys cards held on the tables. In response to a card feeding signal, the table set supporting structure is temporarily stopped using the table set moving device such that a target table designated from the tables by the said signal is located at the card conveying position, and the card holding and feeding device is activated, thereby feeding a card on the target table by the card conveying device.