A sheet feeding apparatus includes a disengagement mechanism to disengage a rotary feeding member and a separation member to be apart from each other, a pressing portion to press an upper face of a sheet supported on a sheet supporting portion, and a detector to detect displacement of the sheet pressed by the pressing portion. A controller executes one mode among a plurality of modes to feed the sheet supported on the sheet supporting portion based on a detection result of the detector. In a first feed mode, a leading edge of the sheet passes a position of a separation portion with the rotary feeding member and the separation member disengaged by the disengagement mechanism. In a second feed mode, the leading edge of the sheet passes the separation portion with the rotary feeding member and the separation member engaged.

In accordance with an embodiment, a paper feed apparatus comprises a paper feed section, a separation section, an abutting section and a friction force variable section. The paper feed section feeds an image receiving medium. The separation section is arranged at the downstream side of the paper feed section in a conveyance direction of the image receiving medium. In a case in which a plurality of the image receiving media fed from the paper feed section is overlapped, the separation section separates the plurality of the image receiving media that is overlapped. The abutting section abuts against the image receiving medium fed from the paper feed section. The friction force variable section changes a friction force of the abutting section against the image receiving medium.

In accordance with an embodiment, a paper feed apparatus comprises a paper feed section, a separation section, an abutting section and a friction force variable section. The paper feed section feeds an image receiving medium. The separation section is arranged at the downstream side of the paper feed section in a conveyance direction of the image receiving medium. In a case in which a plurality of the image receiving media fed from the paper feed section is overlapped, the separation section separates the plurality of the image receiving media that is overlapped. The abutting section abuts against the image receiving medium fed from the paper feed section. The friction force variable section changes a friction force of the abutting section against the image receiving medium.

A printer includes: a first fixed printhead; a second fixed printhead positioned downstream of the first printhead relative to a media feed direction; a fixed platen for supporting print media; an input roller assembly positioned upstream of the first printhead, the input roller assembly comprising a pair of input rollers having a first nip force N.sub.1; an output roller assembly positioned downstream of the second printhead, the output roller assembly comprising a pair of output rollers having a second nip force N.sub.2; and an intermediary roller assembly positioned between the first and second printheads, the intermediary roller assembly comprising a pair of intermediary rollers having a third nip force N.sub.3. The nip forces satisfy the relationship N.sub.1>N.sub.2>N.sub.3 for optimal printing results.

A sheet conveyance apparatus includes first and second conveyance regulating portions which are respectively supported pivotably at different positions in a width direction, and an engagement portion provided on one of the first and second conveyance regulating portions and configured to be engaged with the other of the first and second conveyance regulating portions. In a state where a sheet whose length in the width direction is a first width is conveyed through a conveyance path, the sheet abuts the first conveyance regulating portion and pivots only the first conveyance regulating portion. In a state where a sheet whose length in the width direction is a second width that is greater than the first width is conveyed through the conveyance path, the sheet abuts the second conveyance regulating portion and pivots the second conveyance regulating portion while also pivoting the first conveyance regulating portion through the engagement portion.

A sheet conveyance apparatus includes first and second conveyance regulating portions which are respectively supported pivotably at different positions in a width direction, and an engagement portion provided on one of the first and second conveyance regulating portions and configured to be engaged with the other of the first and second conveyance regulating portions. In a state where a sheet whose length in the width direction is a first width is conveyed through a conveyance path, the sheet abuts the first conveyance regulating portion and pivots only the first conveyance regulating portion. In a state where a sheet whose length in the width direction is a second width that is greater than the first width is conveyed through the conveyance path, the sheet abuts the second conveyance regulating portion and pivots the second conveyance regulating portion while also pivoting the first conveyance regulating portion through the engagement portion.

A conveying apparatus includes: a first roller and a second roller configured to convey a print sheet while nipping the print sheet at a nip pressure; an adjustor supporting the first roller and the second roller in a manner capable of adjusting an inter-axial distance between the first roller and the second roller, the adjustor being configured to apply a biasing force biasing the second roller toward the first roller and capable of adjusting the biasing force; and a controller configured to control the nip pressure by driving the adjustor to adjust the biasing force.

A conveying apparatus includes: a first roller and a second roller configured to convey a print sheet while nipping the print sheet at a nip pressure; an adjustor supporting the first roller and the second roller in a manner capable of adjusting an inter-axial distance between the first roller and the second roller, the adjustor being configured to apply a biasing force biasing the second roller toward the first roller and capable of adjusting the biasing force; and a controller configured to control the nip pressure by driving the adjustor to adjust the biasing force.

A handling system (100) for handling stackable flat elements, in particular carton elements. The system (100) includes a supporting table (102) on which at least an edge portion (303) of a stack (101) of flat elements is supportable, a clamping device (103) configured for clamping a first part (113) of the edge portion of the stack (101) to the supporting table (102), and a lifting device (104) configured for lifting a second part (114) of the stack (101) from the supporting table (102). The lifting device (104) and the clamping device (103) are arranged to the supporting table (102) such that the stack (101) is bendable by clamping the first part (113) of the stack (101) onto the supporting table (102) by the clamping device (103) and lifting the second part (114) of the stack (101) from the supporting table (102) by the lifting device (104) at the same time such that the stack (101) is bent around a bending axis (109), wherein the bending axis (109) extends within a plane parallel to a supporting plane (112) of the supporting surface (111).

In accordance with an embodiment, a paper feed apparatus comprises a paper feed section, a separation section, an abutting section and a friction force variable section. The paper feed section feeds an image receiving medium. The separation section is arranged at the downstream side of the paper feed section in a conveyance direction of the image receiving medium. In a case in which a plurality of the image receiving media fed from the paper feed section is overlapped, the separation section separates the plurality of the image receiving media that is overlapped. The abutting section abuts against the image receiving medium fed from the paper feed section. The friction force variable section changes a friction force of the abutting section against the image receiving medium.