A recording material feeding device includes a stacking portion, a driving source, a holding member, a torque limiter for limiting transmission of a driving torque from the driving source to the stacking portion in a case that the driving source rotates in a state in which the holding member holds the position of the stacking portion; a storing portion for storing information on a holding state of the holding member; and a controller for controlling the driving source to rotate at a rotational speed slower when the information is information indicating that the holding member holds the position of the stacking portion than when the information is information indicating that the holding member does not hold the position of the stacking portion.

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 be shingled prior to passing through a scale if weighing is not necessary.

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 be shingled prior to passing through a scale if weighing is not necessary.

An automatic document feeding device includes a conveyance unit, an image reading unit, a color reference member, a moving assembly, and a drive source. The drive source includes a rotation output shaft to drive the conveyance unit and the moving assembly. The drive source changes the rotation output shaft from a forward rotation direction to a reverse rotation direction to reversely rotate the rotation output shaft to a set reverse rotation angle set in advance, according to a condition of conveyance of the document. In a rotation transmission route from the rotation output shaft to the moving assembly, the movement regulator is disposed in a first reverse rotation drive region from when a rotation direction of the rotation output shaft is changed to the reverse rotation direction to when a rotation angle of the rotation output shaft after the change in the reverse rotation direction reaches the set reverse rotation angle.

An automatic document feeding device includes a conveyance unit, an image reading unit, a color reference member, a moving assembly, and a drive source. The drive source includes a rotation output shaft to drive the conveyance unit and the moving assembly. The drive source changes the rotation output shaft from a forward rotation direction to a reverse rotation direction to reversely rotate the rotation output shaft to a set reverse rotation angle set in advance, according to a condition of conveyance of the document. In a rotation transmission route from the rotation output shaft to the moving assembly, the movement regulator is disposed in a first reverse rotation drive region from when a rotation direction of the rotation output shaft is changed to the reverse rotation direction to when a rotation angle of the rotation output shaft after the change in the reverse rotation direction reaches the set reverse rotation angle.

A printer includes a casing, a print mechanism disposed inside the casing, and a paper tray. A conveying route extends from the tray to the print mechanism, with a first roller disposed adjacent the tray to feed a sheet from the tray to the conveying route. A second roller is disposed in the conveying route and conveys the sheet fed by the first roller to the print mechanism. A driving source provides a driving source to the first roller and the second roller. A controller is configured to, in response to a printing request, apply the driving force from the driving source to the first and second rollers such that the first and second rollers rotate. In response to a magnitude of a load of the driving source, the controller applies the driving force to the second roller such that the second roller rotates, and the controller does not apply the driving source to the first roller such that the first roller does not rotate.

A printing system adapted to supply printed materials from a printing apparatus to a first stacking unit of a first sheet processing apparatus and a second stacking unit of a second sheet processing apparatus is provided. The system includes a receiver and controller, the receiver receiving via a user interface unit a specified instruction allowing the printing system to perform a first type operation that both the first stacking unit and the second stacking unit can be used in printing a job to be processed, the controller causing the printing apparatus to perform the first type operation wherein the specified instruction is received, and the controller causing the printing apparatus to perform a second type operation wherein the specified instruction is not received, the second type operation wherein one of the first stacking unit and the second stacking unit can be used in printing a job to be processed.

A printing system adapted to supply printed materials from a printing apparatus to a first stacking unit of a first sheet processing apparatus and a second stacking unit of a second sheet processing apparatus is provided. The system includes a receiver and controller, the receiver receiving via a user interface unit a specified instruction allowing the printing system to perform a first type operation that both the first stacking unit and the second stacking unit can be used in printing a job to be processed, the controller causing the printing apparatus to perform the first type operation wherein the specified instruction is received, and the controller causing the printing apparatus to perform a second type operation wherein the specified instruction is not received, the second type operation wherein one of the first stacking unit and the second stacking unit can be used in printing a job to be processed.

An image forming apparatus includes feeding, conveying, and separating members, and detecting, image forming, and control units. The feeding member feeds a recording material placed on a tray. The separating member and the conveying member separate recording materials at a nip. The detecting unit detects that the recording materials have been fed to the nip. The image forming unit forms an image on fed recording material. The control unit switches between a first and second control. Under the first control, the feeding member starts feeding a recording material placed on the tray, and ends feeding before a recording material trailing end passes through the feeding member. Under the second control, the feeding member starts feeding a recording material placed on the tray, and ends feeding after a recording material trailing end passes through the feeding member when the detection unit detects that the recording materials are fed to the nip.

An image forming apparatus includes an accommodation unit, feeding, conveying, and separating members, and detecting, control, image forming, and regulating units. The conveying member conveys a fed recording material. The separating member forms a nip and separates recording materials. The detecting unit detects that the recording material has been fed to the nip. The feeding member starts feeding an accommodated recording material and, where a recording material is fed to the nip, causes the feeding to be finished. An image is formed on a fed recording material. The regulating unit regulates an end on an upstream side. The control unit measures a period from a recording material feeding to detection that a recording material is fed to the nip. Based on the measured period, information is output indicating that a position of the regulating unit is deviated from a position according to a size of the accommodated recording materials.