A contact-and-separation system includes a first roller, a second roller, and a contact-and-separation device. The first roller contacts a belt. The second roller is opposed to the first roller. The contact-and-separation device contacts or separates the belt to or from the second roller via a sheet conveyed. The contact-and-separation device includes an eccentric cam, a motor, and a circuitry. The eccentric cam is mounted on an end of a rotation shaft of the first roller. The motor rotates the eccentric cam. The circuitry controls the motor to rotate the eccentric cam to contact or separate the belt to or from the second roller via the sheet conveyed. The circuitry controls the motor to decelerate a rotation speed of the motor on contact or separation of the belt to or from the second roller between the first roller and the second roller.

A winding device for winding a web-shaped material, preferably a plastic film, has a reel for receiving the web-shaped material, a contact roller for feeding and pressing the web-shaped material against the reel, a device for rotationally driving a still empty reel, and a device for feeding the still empty reel to the contact roller. The device for rotationally driving the still empty reel and the device for feeding the still empty reel to the contact roller can act simultaneously on the still empty reel.

Systems and methods for aligning preprinted images on a roll of substrate to the moving components of a web press are disclosed. A method in accordance with one embodiment includes determining the speed of the moving components of the press, determining the speed of the web of preprinted images and adjusting the speed of the web of preprinted image to match the speed of the web. In particular embodiments, a press which produces rolls of preprinted material can be modified to change the equivalent cutoff length of the press. In further embodiments, a method of pasting new rolls of material to expiring rolls of material is accomplished by modulating the drive speed of the new roll of material to match the expiring roll of material while at the same time aligning the images on the new roll with the expiring roll.

Systems and methods for aligning preprinted images on a roll of substrate to the moving components of a web press are disclosed. A method in accordance with one embodiment includes determining the speed of the moving components of the press, determining the speed of the web of preprinted images and adjusting the speed of the web of preprinted image to match the speed of the web. In particular embodiments, a press which produces rolls of preprinted material can be modified to change the equivalent cutoff length of the press. In further embodiments, a method of pasting new rolls of material to expiring rolls of material is accomplished by modulating the drive speed of the new roll of material to match the expiring roll of material while at the same time aligning the images on the new roll with the expiring roll.

Systems and methods for aligning preprinted images on a roll of substrate to the moving components of a web press are disclosed. A method in accordance with one embodiment includes determining the speed of the moving components of the press, determining the speed of the web of preprinted images and adjusting the speed of the web of preprinted image to match the speed of the web. In particular embodiments, a press which produces rolls of preprinted material can be modified to change the equivalent cutoff length of the press. In further embodiments, a method of pasting new rolls of material to expiring rolls of material is accomplished by modulating the drive speed of the new roll of material to match the expiring roll of material while at the same time aligning the images on the new roll with the expiring roll.

Systems and methods for aligning preprinted images on a roll of substrate to the moving components of a web press are disclosed. A method in accordance with one embodiment includes determining the speed of the moving components of the press, determining the speed of the web of preprinted images and adjusting the speed of the web of preprinted image to match the speed of the web. In particular embodiments, a press which produces rolls of preprinted material can be modified to change the equivalent cutoff length of the press. In further embodiments, a method of pasting new rolls of material to expiring rolls of material is accomplished by modulating the drive speed of the new roll of material to match the expiring roll of material while at the same time aligning the images on the new roll with the expiring roll.

A sheet conveying device includes: a sheet discharge roller disposed in a conveying path of sheets so as to discharge a sheet being conveyed to a sheet discharge tray; a conveying unit that conveys sheets on a side of the conveying path closer to an upstream side than the sheet discharge roller; a motor that rotates at a constant system speed during conveying of sheets to drive the conveying unit; a transmission mechanism that transmits power of the motor to the sheet discharge roller to rotate the sheet discharge roller; and a controller that controls an operation of the transmission mechanism, wherein the transmission mechanism changes a circumferential speed of the sheet discharge roller, and the controller performs speed reduction control of controlling the operation of the transmission mechanism to temporarily reduce the circumferential speed of the sheet discharge roller when a sheet is discharged to the sheet discharge tray.

A lifter gear that is engaged with a drive gear when a sheet feeding cassette is mounted, and that releases the engagement with the drive gear when the sheet feeding cassette is dismounted, wherein when the engagement with the drive gear is released and when the lift plate is lowered, braking force caused by frictional force is applied to the lifter gear from a brake unit and a buffer member absorbs force exerted to the lifter gear.

A contact-and-separation system includes a first roller, a second roller, and a contact-and-separation device. The first roller contacts a belt. The second roller is opposed to the first roller. The contact-and-separation device contacts or separates the belt to or from the second roller via a sheet conveyed. The contact-and-separation device includes an eccentric cam, a motor, and a circuitry. The eccentric cam is mounted on an end of a rotation shaft of the first roller. The motor rotates the eccentric cam. The circuitry controls the motor to rotate the eccentric cam to contact or separate the belt to or from the second roller via the sheet conveyed. The circuitry controls the motor to decelerate a rotation speed of the motor on contact or separation of the belt to or from the second roller between the first roller and the second roller.

A dynamic tension control system is described herein for driving linear material off a roll in a controlled manner. The dynamic tension control system may include a frame, a shaft for holding a roll of linear material, a motor for driving the shaft, and a dancer tensioning control system for controlling the motor. The dancer tensioning control system may include an actuator assembly through which the linear material passes and a proximity sensor for detecting whether the actuator assembly is proximate to the proximity sensor. When the linear material is pulled from the roll, tension is created in the linear material, which lifts the actuator assembly away from the proximity sensor. The dynamic tension control system may be configured to command, based on detecting that the actuator assembly is not proximate to the proximity sensor, the motor to drive the shaft to unwind linear material from the roll.