A sheet conveying device includes: a holding mechanism configured to hold suction members; and a driving device including a rotary shaft which is rotatable about a second axis parallel to the first axis and a connecting mechanism configured to connect the rotary shaft and suction members to each other; and a support mechanism configured to support the holding mechanism and the drive device. The connecting mechanism is connected to the suction members in a state where the suction members are movable in a radial direction of the circle about the first axis. The support mechanism supports the holding mechanism and the drive device such that the holding mechanism and the drive device are relatively movable from each other in a direction orthogonal to the first axis.

A sheet suction device includes a drum including multiple suction holes in a circumferential surface of the drum, the drum configured to bear a sheet on the circumferential surface and rotate, a suction device configured to suck the sheet through the multiple suction holes, a rotary valve between the multiple suction holes of the drum and the suction device, the rotary valve configured to rotate relative to the drum to change a number of the multiple suction holes communicating with the suction device, and a driver configured to relatively rotate the drum and the rotary valve.

Alignment apparatuses include a frame and contact elements connected to the frame. The contact elements contact items that are to be transported in a processing direction relative to the frame. The contact elements are in permeant fixed positions relative to the frame, and do not move relative to the frame. Adjustable mounts are connected to the frame and move the frame in the processing direction and in a perpendicular cross-processing direction. A controller is electrically connected to the adjustable mounts, and the controller is adapted to control the adjustable mounts to simultaneously move the frame and all the contact elements in the cross-processing direction and the processing direction while rotating the frame. Methods laterally shift imaging on sheets that have had rotational correction performed by such alignment apparatuses.

A substrate printing system is disclosed having a perforated conveyor belt adapted for transporting on the same a substrate to be printed, wherein the perforated conveyor belt has a set of perforations; a perforated grill which has a set of perforations and which is configured such that the perforated conveyor belt can be moved over the perforated grill; and a suction chamber which has a suction element, the suction chamber being in communication with the perforated conveyor belt and with the perforated grill such that the suction flow created by the suction element is adapted for passing through perforations of the perforated conveyor belt and of the perforated grill to secure the substrate to the perforated conveyor belt.

A printing apparatus includes a printing head; an airflow generating unit; a first flow path that includes a one-side end coupled to the airflow generating unit and an another-side end coupled to a first discharge port and through which the airflow passes; and a peeling unit configured to partially peel the label from the base sheet. When, the label partially peeled from the base sheet by the peeling unit, at least a portion of a peeled portion peeled from the base sheet is at a position not overlapping with the peeling unit in plan view and a non-peeled portion not peeled from the base sheet is in a state of overlapping with the peeling unit in plan view, the first discharge port is disposed at such a position that the airflow outputted from the first discharge port hits the back surface of the peeled portion.

A vacuum roller system and a method of operation the vacuum roller system can include an assembly of interdigitated rollers, and a vacuum system, wherein the assembly of interdigitated rollers is operably connected to the vacuum system to move sheets of media through a downstream dryer in a printer, wherein a vacuum is drawn between individual rollers among the assembly of interdigitated rollers so that the vacuum is distributed across a sheet of media and is split around the individual rollers. The spacing between the individual rollers among the assembly of interdigitated rollers is variable to vary the vacuum.

A medium discharge unit that discharges a medium subjected to recording by a recording unit, a placement unit at which the medium discharged by the medium discharge unit is placed, the placement unit being inclined with a downstream side in a discharge direction in which the medium is discharged being positioned, in a vertical direction, above an upstream side in the discharge direction, an air blowing unit that blows air from above toward the medium discharged from the medium discharge unit, and a control unit that controls the air blowing unit are included. The control unit can attenuate air blowing by the air blowing unit, based on information of an interval between a preceding medium and a following medium that are to be discharged from a discharge position of the medium discharge unit to the placement unit, when the preceding medium is discharged from the discharge position.

A conveying apparatus includes a conveyor and a conveyed object receptor. The conveyor includes a conveyance surface facing downward and configured to convey a conveyed object having a sheet-like shape. The conveyed object receptor is arranged below the conveyor and configured to receive the conveyed object having fallen from the conveyor.

A sheet suction device includes a drum including multiple suction holes in a circumferential surface of the drum, the drum configured to bear a sheet on the circumferential surface and rotate, a suction device configured to suck the sheet through the multiple suction holes, a rotary valve between the multiple suction holes of the drum and the suction device, the rotary valve configured to rotate relative to the drum to change a number of the multiple suction holes communicating with the suction device, and a driver configured to relatively rotate the drum and the rotary valve.

Embodiments of a system and method for shingulating, singulating, and synchronizing articles in an article feeder system are disclosed. The article feeder system may include a shingulating device configured to receive a stack of articles and to produce a positively lapped stack of articles, a plurality of picking devices configured to pick one or more articles from the positively lapped stack of articles and to produce one or more singulated articles, and one or more synchronization devices configured to deliver the one or more singulated articles to one or more sorter windows.