An image forming apparatus includes a feeder unit, a separating unit, a conveying unit disposed downstream of the separating unit in a sheet feeding direction, an image forming unit disposed downstream of the conveying unit in the sheet feeding direction, a drive unit, and a control unit. The feeder unit feeds a sheet. The separating unit separates sheets fed by the feeder unit one by one. The conveying unit conveys the sheet. The image forming unit forms, while the sheet is being conveyed, an image on the sheet. The drive unit drives the conveying unit. The control unit controls the drive unit. After the conveyed sheet reaches the image forming unit, the control unit reduces a conveyance speed of the sheet conveyed by the conveying unit.

An image forming apparatus includes a feeder unit, a separating unit, a conveying unit disposed downstream of the separating unit in a sheet feeding direction, an image forming unit disposed downstream of the conveying unit in the sheet feeding direction, a drive unit, and a control unit. The feeder unit feeds a sheet. The separating unit separates sheets fed by the feeder unit one by one. The conveying unit conveys the sheet. The image forming unit forms, while the sheet is being conveyed, an image on the sheet. The drive unit drives the conveying unit. The control unit controls the drive unit. After the conveyed sheet reaches the image forming unit, the control unit reduces a conveyance speed of the sheet conveyed by the conveying unit.

The invention relates to a feeder device (1) for feeding mailpieces (2) to a postal sorting conveyor (3), the feeder device comprising an unstacker head (4) designed to put the mailpieces in series and on edge on the sorting conveyor, an unstacker plate (5) designed to unstack the mailpieces one-by-one towards the unstacker head, and a mailpiece feed conveyor (6) designed to convey the mailpieces in a stack and on edge against the unstacker plate. The unstacker plate comprises a stationary portion (5a) that extends from the unstacker head, and a moving portion (5b) that extends the stationary portion, said moving portion being mounted to pivot from the stationary portion between a first position in which the stationary portion and the moving portion are aligned with each other, and a second position in which the stationary portion and the moving portion are angularly offset relative to each other.

The invention relates to a feeder device (1) for feeding mailpieces (2) to a postal sorting conveyor (3), the feeder device comprising an unstacker head (4) designed to put the mailpieces in series and on edge on the sorting conveyor, an unstacker plate (5) designed to unstack the mailpieces one-by-one towards the unstacker head, and a mailpiece feed conveyor (6) designed to convey the mailpieces in a stack and on edge against the unstacker plate. The unstacker plate comprises a stationary portion (5a) that extends from the unstacker head, and a moving portion (5b) that extends the stationary portion, said moving portion being mounted to pivot from the stationary portion between a first position in which the stationary portion and the moving portion are aligned with each other, and a second position in which the stationary portion and the moving portion are angularly offset relative to each other.

An image forming apparatus is provided that forms an image on a sheet material based on a sheet material setting relating to the sheet material. The image forming apparatus includes an accepting unit configured to accept a selection of a sheet material type, a thickness measurement unit configured to measure a thickness of the sheet material, and a setting determination unit configured to determine the sheet material setting that relates to the thickness of the sheet material based on the sheet material type accepted by the accepting unit and the thickness of the sheet material measured by the thickness measurement unit.

A sheet conveyance apparatus includes a control unit (120) that controls driving of a belt drive mechanism (4). The control unit (120) performs control such that the sheet is conveyed from the sheet accumulation area if (a) it is determined that the number of sheets currently accumulated in the sheet accumulation area is two or greater, while the sheet is not conveyed from the sheet accumulation area if (b) it is determined that the number of sheets currently accumulated in the sheet accumulation area is one.

A sheet conveyance apparatus includes a control unit (120) that controls driving of a belt drive mechanism (4). The control unit (120) performs control such that the sheet is conveyed from the sheet accumulation area if (a) it is determined that the number of sheets currently accumulated in the sheet accumulation area is two or greater, while the sheet is not conveyed from the sheet accumulation area if (b) it is determined that the number of sheets currently accumulated in the sheet accumulation area is one.

A sheet feeder including a tray, a feeder roller, a guide, a separator, a motor, a controller, and a sensor, is provided. The sheet feeder separates an object sheet from other sheets in the tray and feed the object sheet through the guide and the separator by rotation of the feeder roller. The controller determines a remaining volume of the sheets in the tray based on a signal from the sensor; generate a velocity profile so that the object sheet is fed at a lower velocity in an earlier first period than a velocity in a later second period; based on the determined remaining volume of the plurality of sheets, modify at least one of a length of the first period and the target velocity in the first period of the velocity profile; and after modification of the velocity profile, control the motor in compliance with the modified velocity profile.

A sheet feeder including a tray, a feeder roller, a guide, a separator, a motor, a controller, and a sensor, is provided. The sheet feeder separates an object sheet from other sheets in the tray and feed the object sheet through the guide and the separator by rotation of the feeder roller. The controller determines a remaining volume of the sheets in the tray based on a signal from the sensor; generate a velocity profile so that the object sheet is fed at a lower velocity in an earlier first period than a velocity in a later second period; based on the determined remaining volume of the plurality of sheets, modify at least one of a length of the first period and the target velocity in the first period of the velocity profile; and after modification of the velocity profile, control the motor in compliance with the modified velocity profile.

A conveying device conveys a sheet selectively along a first conveying path and a second conveying path which are connected at a junction into a common path portion. A reading unit reads an image of a sheet conveyed in the common path portion. A shutter is disposed in the second conveying path at a position upstream of the junction in a sheet conveying direction. The shutter is movable between a first position and a second position. The actuator is disposed in the common path portion and movable between a third position and a fourth position in response to the shutter moving between the first position and the second position, respectively. In a case where a detection sensor detects that the actuator is at the fourth position, a controller controls the conveying device to convey the sheet along the second conveying path.