An apparatus for manufacturing the electrode assembly, in which an electrode and a separator are alternately stacked on a stack table, and the separator is folded in a zigzag shape so that the electrode is disposed between the folded separators to manufacture the electrode assembly, has a separator supplier configured to supply the separator to the stack table, and a separator tension adjuster configured to constantly adjust tension of the separator supplied to the stack table. The separator supplier comprises a separator winding roll around which the separator is wound, and the separator tension adjuster adjusts a supply height of the separator winding roll to adjust the tension of the separator.

Systems and methods for detecting the presence of metallic objects in media to be conveyed in a medium transport system are disclosed. One or more induction sensors are included in the medium transport system to detect the presence of metal in the transported media, with detection signals sent from the sensors to a system processing unit. An ultrasonic detector is employed in some embodiments to output another detection signal. One or more microphones may also be included, for detecting the sound created as the medium is being transported. The system processing unit analyzes various detection signals and analyzes computed sound values from the microphones, to determine the presence and location of metal in the media. A position jam detector may assist in determining jams of the media along the medium transport path.

An image reading apparatus includes a feed roller configured to feed paper toward a reading section, and a medium detection section provided along a transport path between the feed roller and the reading section and configured to include a transmitting portion configured to output an output value equivalent to a magnitude of an ultrasonic wave, and determines whether the transport of the paper is to be continued or to be brought to a halt on the basis of a lower limit value and an upper limit value for the output value, which are set in accordance with the kind of the paper. Further, in a case where the output value satisfies a first condition, a transport of the medium is continued, and in a case where the output value satisfies a condition different from the first condition, the transport of the medium is brought to a halt.

A recording medium processing device includes: a movable body including a to-be-pressed section which is to be pressed against one end of a recording medium bundle on which a folding process is performed, the to-be-pressed section being configured to be movable relative to the movable body; and a to-be-operated section which is provided at a position different from a position of the movable body, as well as provided in conjunction with the to-be pressed section, and is operated by an operator when the to-be pressed section is moved relative to the movable body.

A sheet conveying device includes a sheet loader, a loader elevating device, a sheet presence detector to detect a sheet on the sheet loader, and circuitry configured to determine whether the bundle of sheets is loaded on the sheet loader based on a detection result of the sheet presence detector and to control movement of the loader elevating device. The circuitry is configured to cause the loader elevating device to lift the sheet loader to a second position in response to a detection result of the sheet presence detector indicating absence of the sheet on the sheet loader at a first position and not to determine absence of the sheet when the circuitry causes the loader elevating device to lower the sheet loader from the second position to the first position after the circuitry causes the loader elevating device to lift the sheet loader to the second position.

A sheet feeding device includes a sheet stacker configured to stack a sheet bundle; a blower configured to float a sheet on an upper portion of the sheet bundle; a conveyor configured to convey the sheet floated by the blower; a lift configured to lift up and down the sheet stacker; a first reflective optical sensor configured to detect the sheet floated by the blower; a second reflective optical sensor configured to detect the sheet bundle and a side face of the sheet stacker, the side face including a detection region to be detected by the second reflective optical sensor and a non-detection region not to be detected by the second reflective optical sensor; and circuitry configured to control the lift based on a detection result of the first reflective optical sensor and a detection result of the second reflective optical sensor. The circuitry is configured to cause the lift to lift up the sheet stacker in response to a change from a detection state to a non-detection state of the second reflective optical sensor.

A medium processing device includes: a medium conveying mechanism that conveys a sheet-like medium in a medium feeding direction; and a processing unit drive mechanism that includes a support unit that supports a processing unit that processes the medium, the processing unit drive mechanism being capable of executing a first operation of moving the support unit together with the processing unit along the medium in a support unit feeding direction intersecting the medium feeding direction, and a second operation of changing a distance between the medium and the processing unit by rotating the support unit together with the processing unit about a virtual axis along the support unit feeding direction.

An apparatus for steering a web, including a web path having at least one steering roller and an exit roller, each having a mount; wherein the steering roller(s) each have an axis of rotation and wherein the mounts for the steering roller(s) can pivot those axes with a total of two degrees of freedom. An array comprising a plurality of sensors for monitoring the position of the web is present connected to a controller so as to determine the position and angular orientation of the web. The controller adjusts the pivot(s) of the mount(s) so as to control the angular orientation and the lateral position of the web at a particular point along the web path.

An electronic component supply apparatus that transports a component supply tape which has accommodation sections and sprocket holes and which accommodates an electronic component in each of the accommodation sections and is covered with a cover tape, to a component picking-up position and that supplies the electronic component to a component mounting apparatus, the electronic component supply apparatus includes a sprocket hole detecting unit that detects a sprocket hole on the upstream side on a transport path from the component picking-up position; an electronic component detecting unit that detects an electronic component accommodated in the accommodation section on the transport path on the upstream side from the component picking-up position; and a component presence/absence determining unit that determines presence or absence of an electronic component in the accommodation section based on information from the sprocket hole detecting unit and information from the electronic component detecting unit.

An image reading apparatus includes a feed roller configured to feed paper toward a reading section, and a medium detection section provided along a transport path between the feed roller and the reading section and configured to include a transmitting portion configured to output an output value equivalent to a magnitude of an ultrasonic wave, and determines whether the transport of the paper is to be continued or to be brought to a halt on the basis of a lower limit value and an upper limit value for the output value, which are set in accordance with the kind of the paper. Further, in a case where the output value satisfies a first condition, a transport of the medium is continued, and in a case where the output value satisfies a condition different from the first condition, the transport of the medium is brought to a halt.