A sheet feeding device comprises sheet storage for storing a sheet, a merging conveying unit for feeding the sheet from the sheet storage to an image forming apparatus, a transmitting element for transmitting an ultrasonic signal to the sheet conveyed on the merging conveying unit, and a receiving element for receiving the ultrasonic signal having passed through the sheet and outputting an output signal according to strength of the received ultrasonic signal. When the sheet is a Japanese paper, the sheet feeding device detects double feeding of the sheet according to an average value of a plurality of the output signals and variation in a plurality of the output signals obtained for the one sheet. If the sheet is not double fed, the sheet is fed to the image forming apparatus. If the sheet is double fed, the sheet is discharged to the escape tray.

A sheet feeding device, which is included in an image forming apparatus, includes a reference face, a sheet loader, an air blowing device, an air drawing device, and a conveying body. The reference face stands upwardly at a downstream side of a sheet conveying direction. The sheet loader includes a body and a leading end disposed downstream from the body in the sheet conveying direction. The sheet loader moves upwardly to a position where the leading end rotates downwardly to the body. The air blowing device blows air toward a sheet bundle loaded on the sheet loader and lift an uppermost sheet of the sheet bundle. The air drawing device is configured to draw the uppermost sheet. The conveying body conveys the uppermost sheet in the sheet conveying direction while the uppermost sheet is in contact with the air drawing device due to attraction by air.

An image forming system includes a conveying member which conveys a sheet along a conveying direction; and a separation device which separates the sheet from the conveying member at a separation position. The separation device includes an air flow generating part and a duct. The air flow generating part generate an air flow. The duct which blows the air flow generated by the air flow generation part, from a position above the sheet to a downstream side in the conveying direction at the separation position.

A sheet feeding device includes a supporting portion supporting sheets, an air blower blowing an air toward an upstream end from a downstream end of the sheets supported by the sheet supporting portion in a sheet feeding direction, a belt feeding and sucking the uppermost sheet of the sheets to which the air is blown by the air blower, and an upstream suction portion disposed upstream of the feeding belt in the sheet feeding direction and sucking the uppermost sheet. The belt includes a first suction area opposing the uppermost sheet and sucking the uppermost sheet. The upstream suction portion includes a second suction area opposing the uppermost sheet and sucking the uppermost sheet. In a widthwise direction perpendicular to the sheet feeding direction, a width of the second suction area is narrower than a width of the first suction area.

An automated mail tray filling apparatus for taking envelopes from a vertical stacker output of an inserter machine and placing them in mail trays. A vertical stack of envelopes rests on a long stacker table. The mail tray filling apparatus has a track positioned next the vertical stacker table parallel to the length of the vertical stacker table. A mail tray transport is positioned beneath the track and arranged to transport mail trays beneath the track in a direction parallel to the vertical stacker table. A movable mail tray filler is movably mounted on the track to travel in parallel next to the vertical stacker table and above the mail tray transport, and is arranged to withdraw envelopes from the end of the vertical stack in a sideways direction. Envelopes are then redirected into a downward direction and fed into a mail tray positioned beneath the movable mail tray filler.

A sheet feeder device includes: a sheet feed tray configured to store a sheet stack formed with a plurality of paper sheets; an elastic member capable of expanding and contracting; a contact mechanism configured to bring the elastic member into contact with an edge of the sheet stack; an expansion mechanism configured to expand the elastic member in a direction of stacking of the paper sheets; and a control unit configured to cause the expansion mechanism to expand the elastic member while the elastic member is kept in contact with the edge of the sheet stack by the contact mechanism.

A feeder device for feeding mailpieces to a postal sorting conveyor has an unstacker head designed to put the mailpieces in series and on edge on the sorting conveyor, an unstacker plate designed to unstack the mailpieces one-by-one towards the unstacker head, and a mailpiece feed conveyor designed to convey the mailpieces in a stack and on edge against the unstacker plate. The unstacker plate has a stationary portion that extends from the unstacker head, and a moving portion that extends the stationary portion, said moving portion being mounted to pivot from the stationary portion between a first position in which the stationary portion and the moving portion are aligned with each other, and a second position in which the stationary portion and the moving portion are angularly offset relative to each other.

A conveyance apparatus includes a conveyance device including a sheet-bearing member having a curved sheet-bearing surface, the conveyance device conveying a sheet by bearing the sheet with the curved sheet-bearing surface of the sheet-bearing member, and a blower to blow air onto the sheet. The carved sheet-bearing surface of the sheet-bearing member is formed by a plurality of wires defining gaps through which the blower blows air.

A corrugated paperboard sheet feeding apparatus comprises: a plurality of sheet feeding rollers; a grate formed with a plurality of opening portions for receiving the sheet feeding rollers and configured to switch between contact and non-contact states of the corrugated paperboard sheet with respect to the sheet feeding rollers; and a suction box configured to suck the corrugated paperboard sheet downwardly by gaps between the sheet feeding rollers and the opening portions, wherein each of the gaps is formed to be 10 mm or less, and wherein the apparatus further comprises a mat switch for detecting an entry of a person into an area in a sheet feeding section, and a control device for stopping movement of the sheet feeding rollers and/or the grate when the mat switch is turned on.

A device for reducing rotation of an article during singulation of a stack of articles is disclosed. The device may include a torsion element, a rotatable member configured to rotate about an elongated axis of the torsion element between a first position and a second position, and a revolving member coupled to the rotatable member. An outer surface of the revolving member contacts a drive belt in the first position and an article in the second position. The torsion element exerts torque on the rotatable member when it moves from the first position towards the second position. The torque causes the outer surface of the revolving member to apply a frictional force to the article, thereby minimizing rotation of the article. Systems and methods of singulating articles are also disclosed.