In an automatic cloth feeder that conveys cloth with a feeding conveyor, detects a trailing end of the cloth to hold the trailing end with a keeping-transferring part in the process of conveyance, and feeds the trailing end of the cloth into a process as a leading end, the keeping-transferring part has a pair of unfolding members provided as one set are provided on an outlet side of the feeding conveyor in order to hold the left and right trailing ends of the cloth, and the keeping-transferring part has holding pieces that are opened and closed substantially to the right and the left as seen from the top or from the front, to hold the trailing ends of the cloth but not coming into contact with the lifting means, in an open state and that is at the position of the lifting means in a closed state.

A system includes an image forming station, which is configured to apply droplets of one or more printing fluids to a target substrate, so as to form an image thereon, and a substrate conveyor, which includes one or more perforated plates having multiple openings, and is configured to grip and move the target substrate to and from the image forming station for forming the image, the substrate conveyor includes one or more rotatable elements, which are fitted in the respective openings, and are configured to provide mechanical support to the target substrate, and when the target substrate moves over the one or more rotatable elements, at least one of the rotatable elements is configured to rotate in response to a physical contact with the target substrate.

An image forming apparatus includes: a fixing cylinder, having a groove formed in an outer portion thereof in a rotational radial direction thereof; a delivery cylinder; plural holding members configured to hold a recording medium when it passes around the delivery cylinder toward the fixing cylinder, and arranged in a length direction of a circulating member, each holding member being disposed in the groove when the holding member passes along the outer portion of the fixing cylinder; and a pressure unit applying a pressure to the recording medium as it passes between the pressure unit and the fixing cylinder, the pressure unit coming into contact with an end portion of the groove in a rotation direction of the fixing cylinder before or after a period during a holding operation when one of the holding members holds the recording medium.

A loading device to supply successively with cardboard sheets a station for handling the sheets by folding to form from them boxes for packaging, the handling station having a storage area to receive the successive sheets, optionally grouped in bundles, the device itself having a manipulator that includes: a gripping tool to pick up the sheets; an actuator to move the tool between an inventory of sheets and the receiving storage area of the station; a detection unit for detecting the status of filling of the storage area; and a control unit that directs the action of the device and that receives detection information from the detection unit to do this, the control unit being independent of the control of the handling station and programmable to adapt the operation of the loading device to the type of sheets handled. A corresponding process is also described.

A transport with media hold down is used with an inkjet printer. A plurality of spar links and vacuum links are connected pivotally together to form an endless belt orbiting around drive wheels and driven wheels. Vacuum links have hollow chambers to hold the media sheet against the endless belt using vacuum. At least one spar is received in a slot on a spar link. The spar extends above the link to receive the media sheet. The spar moves into a clamping position by a cam and follower to clamp the media sheet against the spar link. The media sheet will thus pass beneath the inkjet print head without contact. The spar moves into an extended position by the cam and follower to release the media sheet. The spar moves into a retracted position below the spar link surface by the cam and follower to allow the media sheet to exit the transport.

The invention relates to a novel device and a novel method for transporting printable substrates in a precise manner, suitable for various types, sizes and thicknesses of substrate. The invention is also suitable for printing machines that do not come into contact with the substrate, such as ink-jet printing machines.

A loading device to supply successively with cardboard sheets a station for handling the sheets by folding to form from them boxes for packaging, the handling station having a storage area to receive the successive sheets, optionally grouped in bundles, the device itself having a manipulator that includes: a gripping tool to pick up the sheets; an actuator to move the tool between an inventory of sheets and the receiving storage area of the station; a detection unit for detecting the status of filling of the storage area; and a control unit that directs the action of the device and that receives detection information from the detection unit to do this, the control unit being independent of the control of the handling station and programmable to adapt the operation of the loading device to the type of sheets handled. A corresponding process is also described.

To downsize a curved transport route through which a transport target is transported without being deformed. A transport path 401 includes a first curved transport tubular-body unit 415B having a first curved shape in which a bottom surface 411B located beside an air blowing tube 100 bulges into a convex shape toward the air blowing tube. The first curved transport tubular-body unit is configured to increase a distance H between the bottom surface and a top surface 413B opposite to the bottom surface from each end portion toward an intermediate portion in a transport direction x to prevent a banknote P retained by a transport body 500 from coming into contact with the top surface.

A sheet material processing unit (20, 22, 24) comprises a transport system (32) for transporting sheets (12) or parts thereof from a respective input end (20i, 22i, 24i) to a respective output end (20o, 22o, 24o). A gripper unit (46) is releasably coupled to the transport system (32) and is configured for holding at least a part of one of the sheets (12). Additionally, at least one handover mechanism (47d, 47r) is provided being configured for decoupling the gripper unit (46) from the transport system (32) and providing the gripper unit (46) to a neighboring sheet material processing unit (20, 22, 24) and/or receiving a gripper unit (46) from a neighboring sheet material processing unit (20, 22, 24) and coupling the received gripper unit (46) to the corresponding transport system (32). Additionally, a sheet material processing machine (10) is presented which comprises at least two such sheet material processing units (20, 22, 24).