An apparatus and method of robotically tying a knot that includes the steps of removing the package from the elevator tray to a knotting head apparatus at the knot-tying location where a knot is tied in a yarn tail of the package to secure the package tail from unraveling in subsequent package handling steps. Correct application of the knot to the yarn tail is either validated, or in the alternative, if the knot is not validated, the package is forwarded to a location for manual reworking to apply a correct knot to the yarn tail.

The rewinding machine (1) includes: a winding station (3) with winding members (5, 7) operated by winding motors (8.1, 8.2); an unwinder (31.1, 31.2) with an unwinding member (35.1, 35.2) operated by at least one unwinding motor (38.1, 38.2); a guide roller (43.1, 43.2) along a feed path (P) of the web material (N, N2). There is associated with the guide roller (43.1,43.2) at least one load sensor (42.1, 42.2), adapted to detect a parameter proportional to the tension of the web material (N; N2) guided around the guide roller (43.1,43.2). There is also provided a control unit (71) adapted to modulate a difference in speed between the winding members (5, 7) and the unwinding member (35.1,35.2) as a function of a signal corning from the load sensor (42.1,42.2).

A sheet conveyance device includes a sheet placing portion, a guide member, a signal obtaining portion, and a notification portion. On the sheet placing portion, a sheet to be conveyed is placed. The guide member is disposed on the sheet placing portion so as to move in a width direction vertical to a sheet conveyance direction, and restricts, in the width direction, a position of the sheet on the sheet placing portion. The signal obtaining portion obtains an electric signal with a value corresponding to a position of the guide member. The notification portion, when a difference between the value and any of thresholds that are set in advance based on each sheet size in the width direction for determination of the size of the sheet, is equal to or smaller than a predetermined reference value, notifies that the sheet is separated from the guide member.

An imaging device having a sheet restraint sensing system is disclosed. The system includes a frame having an opening, a linear sensor strip located on the frame having a length, and a media tray having a sheet restraint that presses against the linear sensor strip when the media tray is located in the opening. The sheet restraint is constrained by the media tray to move relative to the media tray no more than a maximum adjustment displacement. The maximum adjustment displacement is less than the length of the linear sensor strip. Other systems are disclosed.

A measuring system includes a first light emitter that emits light toward a measurement target; a first light receiver that receives light transmitted through the measurement target; a measuring unit that measures at least one of an electrical resistance and a transmittance of ultrasonic waves of the measurement target; and a processor configured to determine, based on a size of the light received by the first light receiver and a result of measurement by the measuring unit, whether or not the measurement target is an object with a high optical transmittance or whether or not the measurement target is present in a measurement region.