A sheet alignment apparatus includes a supporting portion configured to support a sheet, a first alignment member configured to abut an end portion in a first direction of the sheet supported by the supporting portion and align a position of the sheet in the first direction, a first moving unit configured to move the first alignment member in the first direction, a second alignment member configured to abut an end portion in a second direction of the sheet supported by the supporting portion and align a position of the sheet in the second direction, the second direction being perpendicular to the first direction, and a second moving unit configured to move the second alignment member in the second direction, wherein the first moving unit is disposed below the supporting portion, and wherein the second moving unit is disposed above the supporting portion.

A sheet feeder including: a housing including a mount portion that receives recording media; an open-close portion that is disposed on an upper surface of the housing to close the mount portion and rotates about a first hinge to open or close a mount space over the mount portion; and a manual insertion portion at least part of which is disposed on the open-close portion to receive manually inserted recording media, the manual insertion portion being rotatable about the first hinge or a second hinge disposed parallel to the first hinge to rotate upward from a position where the manual insertion portion overlaps the open-close portion.

Techniques are described herein for reducing bowing effects on a substrate while the substrate is being transported, for example in an elevator mechanism, from a first travel path to a second travel path, where the first travel path is offset from the second travel path so that the first travel path is not collinear with the second travel path. The substrate can be any substrate that is bowed and for which one wishes to eliminate or reduce the bow. One specific substrate that can benefit from the techniques described herein are personalized documents such as plastic cards including but not limited to financial (e.g. credit and debit) cards, drivers' licenses, national identification cards, gift cards, loyalty cards, employee badges, and other plastic cards which bear personalized data unique to the card holder and/or which bear other card or document information.

According to one embodiment, a sheet cassette includes a sheet placing portion. The sheet placing portion can rotate around a rotation shaft while placing a sheet of a placeable maximum size in a sheet placing area to be flat. The rotation shaft extends to be perpendicular to a discharge direction and a gravity direction of the sheet. The rotation shaft is disposed between a first end portion on a downstream side along the discharge direction in the sheet placing area and a second end portion on an upstream side positioned on a side opposite to the first end portion.

A bushing for a web material roll including a body sized to be fitted into the web material roll; the bushing further including a wall extending across the central cavity of the web material roll when the bushing is in the central cavity of the web material roll and defining an opening for receiving a roll support therethrough, the opening being bordered by a roll support contacting surface, the bushing having one or more bearing surfaces for contacting the roll support and supporting the web material roll, the one or more bearing surfaces including at least the roll support contacting surface bordering the opening. A web material roll, a web material roll retention assembly and a method for placing a web material roll in a web material roll dispenser are also provided.

An unwinder (1) of rolls (B1, B2) including a bearing structure (3) and two pairs of arms (11A, 11B; 13A, 13B) supported movable on the bearing structure (3). The unwinder further includes a splicing machine (31). The bearing structure (3) includes a base (5) and an upright (7) extending from the base, on which a cross member (33) is supported. The cross member (33) includes an intermediate portion (33A) rigidly bound to the upright (7) and a pair of lateral supports (33B, 33C) adapted to assume at least one operating position and one non-operating position, with respect to the inter-mediate portion (33A) of the cross member (33).

A liftable transport pinch is provided with a simplified construction to enhance lifetime and productivity. This transport device includes at least one roller mounted on an arm, and an actuator connected to a frame for moving the roller between a first and second position. The arm is mounted onto the frame by means of an elastic hinge element. The elastic hinge element provides a simple, cheap, wear-resistant, and easy-to-assembly alternative to prior art solutions.

A rotary frame construction for web transport control devices, includes a carrier frame and a rotary frame in parallel therewith and carrying input and output rollers for a web and pivotably mounted on the carrier frame about a rotation center defined by control surfaces of one frame, the control surfaces scanned by cam followers on the other frame, the frames held in parallel alignment by support rollers on one frame and run surfaces on the other frame, the frames pivotally connected with one another by a drive system, the control surfaces constituted by three control curves formed at outer edges of a cam plate rigidly held on one frame, two of the control curves located on one side of the cam plate and the third on the opposite side of the cam plate, and the other frame has three cam followers respectively associated with one of the control curves.

A sheet conveying device includes a sheet-discharging roller, a sheet-discharge tray, a sheet-discharge stopper, and a stopper urging portion including a contact member and an urging member. The sheet-discharge stopper has a first surface and a second surface located on a back side of the first surface and is pivotable between a non-use state in which the second surface faces upward and a use state in which the first surface faces upward. The sheet-discharge stopper is pivotable, in the use state, between a first use position and a second use position at which a distal end is lowered from the first use position. The sheet-discharge stopper is in contact with the contact member in the use state, and an area, of the sheet-discharge stopper is located below the second surface in the non-use state.

A feeding device includes a stacked portion on which materials to be fed are stacked, a feeding roller that feeds the materials to be fed stacked on the stacked portion, a cam that performs first rotation in a state of being in contact with a mounting member on which the feeding roller is mounted and raises the feeding roller, an elastic member that lowers the raised feeding roller to the stacked portion while causing the cam that is in contact with the mounting member to perform second rotation with an elastic force acting on the mounting member, and an applying unit that applies a rotation resistance to the cam performing the second rotation.