A sheet laminator includes a thermal fixing roller pair, a first heater, a second heater, multiple temperature detectors, and a driver. The thermal fixing roller pair includes a first thermal fixing roller and a second thermal fixing roller facing the first thermal fixing roller. The thermal fixing roller pair thermally fixes and conveys a two-ply sheet and a sheet medium nipped between two sheets of the two-ply sheet. The first heater heats the first thermal fixing roller. The second heater heats the second thermal fixing roller. The multiple temperature detectors are at different positions along an axial direction of the thermal fixing roller pair. The multiple temperature detectors detect a surface temperature of the thermal fixing roller pair. The driver drives the thermal fixing roller pair.

A sheet laminator includes a fuser pressure member, a conveyor, and a guide. The fuser pressure member thermally fixes a two-ply sheet and a sheet medium inserted between two sheets of the two-ply sheet. The conveyor conveys the two-ply sheet toward the fuser pressure member in a sheet conveyance direction. The guide guides the two-ply sheet in a sheet conveyance passage between the conveyor and the fuser pressure member. At least one of the fuser pressure member or the conveyor is operable to guide the two-ply sheet outside the sheet conveyance passage in response to an occurrence of an abnormal stop of the sheet laminator.

The invention relates to a laminating foil having an initial roughness on at least one side, which makes the laminating foil matte, wherein the laminating foil has a marking configured as a surface pattern with surface portions on the matte side or at least on one of the matte sides, wherein the roughness of the surface portions is different from the initial roughness. The invention furthermore relates to a laminating foil set comprising the laminating foils, a method for hot laminating sheet material using such laminating foils, a laminating unit for using the laminating foil, and eventually a laminating system including the laminating unit and the laminating foils.

A sheet processing device includes a conveyor, a rotator, a separator, and control circuitry. The conveyor conveys a two-ply sheet in which two sheets are overlapped and bonded together at a portion of the two-ply sheet. The rotator winds the two-ply sheet. The control circuitry causes the conveyor to convey the two-ply sheet in a winding direction to wind the two-ply sheet around the rotator such that a sagging space is created in the two-ply sheet, and causes the separator to insert into the sagging space to separate the two-ply sheet into two sheets. The control circuitry causes the conveyor to convey the two-ply sheet in a direction opposite the winding direction before an insertion of the separator into the sagging space.

A sheet processing apparatus includes a main conveyance passage, a first branched conveyance passage in a first direction, a second branched conveyance passages in a second direction, a sheet separation device, and a winder. The sheet separation device conveys a first sheet to the first branched conveyance passage, and a second sheet to the second branched conveyance passage to rotate and wind one of the first sheet and the second sheet. The winder is disposed on at least one of the first or second branched conveyance passage and includes a gripper attached to the winder to grip a leading end, in one of first and second directions, of one of the first and second sheets conveyed to corresponding one of the first and second branched conveyance passages.

A sheet laminator includes a sheet ejection roller pair, a sheet ejection tray, a presser, and circuitry. The sheet ejection tray has a receiving face to receive the two-ply sheet standing in the sheet ejection tray, and a stacking face facing the receiving face and inclined with respect to the vertical direction. The presser has a leading end to move the two-ply sheet on the receiving face toward the stacking face, and press the two-ply sheet onto the stacking face. The circuitry is to perform a first operation to move the leading end of the presser from the receiving face to an intermediate position beyond the extension line and before the stacking face, perform a second operation to move the leading end of the presser from the intermediate position to the stacking face, and press the two-ply sheet against the stacking face with the leading end of the presser.

A sheet processing apparatus includes a conveyance passage, a sheet separation device, and a conveyance roller pair. The conveyance passage conveys a two-ply sheet having two sheets overlapped and bonded together in a conveyance direction and includes a first branched conveyance passage branched in a first direction, and a second branched conveyance passage branched in a second direction different from the first direction. The sheet separation device separates a non-bonding portion of the two-ply sheet, conveys a first sheet of the two sheets separated from each other to the first branched conveyance passage, and conveys convey a second sheet of the two sheets separated from each other to the second branched conveyance passage. The conveyance roller pair has two rollers that are separable from and contactable with each other, and are disposed on at least one of the first branched conveyance passage or the second branched conveyance passage.

A heating device including, an endless belt, a heater, a temperature detector, a high thermal conductor including a hole or a notch, a holder restricts a movement of the high thermal conductor in at least at a downstream of the first direction, a first gap along the first direction formed between an upstream surface in the first direction of the temperature detector and an upstream surface in the first direction of the hole or the notch of the high thermal conductor, a second gap along the first direction formed between a downstream surface in the first direction of the high thermal conductor and a downstream surface in the first direction of the housing portion, wherein a size A of the first gap and a size B of the second gap satisfy a relationship of A>B.

The present invention discloses a preheating-free laminator, wherein, the rubber feeding detection device, feed drive device, rubber feeding roller set, and heating component are electrically connected to the control device respectively; the feed drive device that receives the feeding signal drives the rubber feeding roller set for feeding fit, the laminated substance passes the rubber feeding channel and enters the rubber roller set under the feeding action of the rubber feeding roller set, and its feeding time is t1; after receiving the preheating signal, the heating component runs to generate heat, so that the rubber roller set is heated to the lamination temperature, and its heating time is t2; and the feeding time t1 and the heating time t2 meet the condition that t1 is greater than or equal to t2. Compared with the prior art, it can realize the functions of preheating-free and automatic shutdown of the laminator, which is convenient to use, energy saving and environmentally friendly.

A substrate de-bowing mechanism, system and method are described. The mechanism can include a substrate support, one or more stationary contact members, and one or more dynamic or movable contact members that are adapted to contact the substrate and bend the substrate in a desired direction to reduce or eliminate bowing of the substrate. The mechanism is controlled by a CPU or other controller that can adjust the de-bow parameters of the de-bowing mechanism based on input settings that can be dynamic and/or static settings. The mechanism can be used to de-bow a variety of substrates including plastic cards, passports, and passport pages.