A method for franking mail items fed to a franking machine. The mail items are drawn from the underside of a stack for separation or are fed individually on a conveying section upstream of the franking machine to a printing unit for franking, after franking, are discharged in the opposite direction from the printing unit. The mail items are fed via a diverter section to the conveying section, after franking, are conveyed via the diverter section which is switched over to change the conveying direction into a depositing apparatus below the diverter section. The mail items are guided in the opening region of the franking machine into the printing position and are returned out of the printing position. The printing position of a mail item fed to the printing unit is determined by a print head movement-controlled from a readiness position pursuant to the format length of the mail item.

A method for franking mail items fed to a franking machine. The mail items are drawn from the underside of a stack for separation or are fed individually on a conveying section upstream of the franking machine to a printing unit for franking, after franking, are discharged in the opposite direction from the printing unit. The mail items are fed via a diverter section to the conveying section, after franking, are conveyed via the diverter section which is switched over to change the conveying direction into a depositing apparatus below the diverter section. The mail items are guided in the opening region of the franking machine into the printing position and are returned out of the printing position. The printing position of a mail item fed to the printing unit is determined by a print head movement-controlled from a readiness position pursuant to the format length of the mail item.

A sheet stacking device is provided with a hopper unit configured to stack a sheet, a feeding unit configured to feed out the sheet to the hopper unit, a distance detection unit configured to detect an inter-sheet distance, in the vertical direction, between a rear end portion of the sheet that is preceding and a tip end portion of the sheet that is subsequent, and an output unit configured to output a behavior stabilization command for the sheet based on the inter-sheet distance.

A sheet stacking device is provided with a hopper unit configured to stack a sheet, a feeding unit configured to feed out the sheet to the hopper unit, a distance detection unit configured to detect an inter-sheet distance, in the vertical direction, between a rear end portion of the sheet that is preceding and a tip end portion of the sheet that is subsequent, and an output unit configured to output a behavior stabilization command for the sheet based on the inter-sheet distance.

An image forming apparatus includes a print portion that prints an image on a sheet passing by a print position, and an inserter that inserts an insert sheet between sheets conveyed one after another. In a print job involving an insert process, the print portion conveys, while securing an insert interval between a preceding sheet, which is a sheet immediately preceding the insert sheet, and a succeeding sheet, which is a sheet immediately following the insert sheet, the preceding sheet and the succeeding sheet one after another. The print portion automatically changes the insert interval according to the length of the insert sheet in the conveyance direction.

An image forming apparatus includes a print portion that prints an image on a sheet passing by a print position, and an inserter that inserts an insert sheet between sheets conveyed one after another. In a print job involving an insert process, the print portion conveys, while securing an insert interval between a preceding sheet, which is a sheet immediately preceding the insert sheet, and a succeeding sheet, which is a sheet immediately following the insert sheet, the preceding sheet and the succeeding sheet one after another. The print portion automatically changes the insert interval according to the length of the insert sheet in the conveyance direction.

A method for manufacturing an electrode assembly includes a first combination step of combining a first electrode with an upper portion of a first separator to form a first combination, and a second combination step of combining the first combination so that a second electrode faces the first electrode with the first separator therebetween after the second electrode is stacked on a second separator, wherein the first combination step comprises a first electrode cutting process of moving the first electrode in an X-axis direction that is a progress direction to cut the first electrode to a predetermined size, a first electrode transfer process of transferring the cut first electrode, a first first-electrode position detection process of measuring a Y-axis position of the first electrode, a first separator meandering correction process of moving the first separator, a first stacking process of stacking the first electrode on the first separator.

A method for manufacturing an electrode assembly includes a first combination step of combining a first electrode with an upper portion of a first separator to form a first combination, and a second combination step of combining the first combination so that a second electrode faces the first electrode with the first separator therebetween after the second electrode is stacked on a second separator, wherein the first combination step comprises a first electrode cutting process of moving the first electrode in an X-axis direction that is a progress direction to cut the first electrode to a predetermined size, a first electrode transfer process of transferring the cut first electrode, a first first-electrode position detection process of measuring a Y-axis position of the first electrode, a first separator meandering correction process of moving the first separator, a first stacking process of stacking the first electrode on the first separator.

A system (300) is provided having a printer (4) to print printing liquid onto a web (6) of media (8). The system (300) has a winding roller (10) on which to roll the web (6) of media (8) after printing. A tensioner (12) to vary the tension in a portion (14) of the web (6) of media (8) is also provided. The portion (14) is a portion of web which is being rolled onto the winding roller (10). Also provided is controller (16) to control the tensioner (12) to vary the tension based on the time taken for the printed printing liquid on the web (6) of media (8) to dry.

A system (300) is provided having a printer (4) to print printing liquid onto a web (6) of media (8). The system (300) has a winding roller (10) on which to roll the web (6) of media (8) after printing. A tensioner (12) to vary the tension in a portion (14) of the web (6) of media (8) is also provided. The portion (14) is a portion of web which is being rolled onto the winding roller (10). Also provided is controller (16) to control the tensioner (12) to vary the tension based on the time taken for the printed printing liquid on the web (6) of media (8) to dry.