The present invention relates to an alignment system for sheets of material using a sensor to detect reference features in the sheets. The sensor uses components within or on the sheet to accurately position the sheet relative to the sensor and hence relative to a machine.

The present invention provides a recording medium detecting device, an image forming device, an image forming system, a recording medium detecting method, and a non-transitory recording medium storing a computer readable program capable of detecting a grain direction of a recording medium. A recording medium detecting device has: a sensor capable of detecting a recording medium from a first detection direction and a second detection direction different from the first detection direction; and a control unit. The control unit determines a grain direction of a recording medium from first surface property data obtained when the recording medium is detected from the first detection direction and second surface property data obtained when the recording medium is detected from the second detection direction.

An object of the present disclosure is to provide a printing apparatus that is unlikely to damage a printing medium with a detection lever. One embodiment of the present invention is a printing apparatus including: a feeding unit configured to be placed a printing medium and to convey the printing medium in a conveyance direction; and a detection lever configured to rotate about a rotation axis for detecting a printing medium on the feeding unit, wherein in a width direction of a printing medium, which intersects with the conveyance direction, a first position of a contact between the detection lever and the printing medium and a second position of a center of the rotation axis are different.

Example printer finishing apparatus are described herein. An example printer disclosed herein includes an alignment guide, a track to align a sheet relative to the alignment guide, a clamp to move between a raised position and a lowered position relative to the sheet, and a force applicator coupled to the clamp. The force applicator is to cause the sheet to engage the alignment guide when the clamp is in the lowered position.

A sensing apparatus can be configured to detect an edge of a paper that is received by an automated transaction machine (ATM). The paper can move along a path located inside the ATM, the path having opposite first and second sides. The sensing apparatus can include a light emitter and a light detector on the first side of the path, with the light emitter positioned so that it can emit light across the path to the second side. The light detector can be configured to detect light from the light emitter and can emit a signal corresponding to an amount of detected light. The sensing apparatus can also include a control circuit that can control a flow of power to the light emitter, and the control circuit can also receive the signal emitted by the sensor.

The detection unit includes a first contact member, which comes into contact with a first surface of a recording material and a second contact member, which comes into contact with a second surface of the recording material, the first contact member and the second contact member being disposed so as to oppose each other thus being capable of nipping the recording material, and the first contact member and the second contact member are movable in a direction in which the first contact member and the second contact member nip the recording material, and is rotatable about an axis line extending in a predetermined direction, the predetermined direction being orthogonal to the direction in which the first contact member and the second contact member are movable and being orthogonal to a conveyance direction of the recording material.

A sensing apparatus can be configured to detect an edge of a paper that is received by an automated transaction machine (ATM). The paper can move along a path located inside the ATM, the path having opposite first and second sides. The sensing apparatus can include a light emitter and a light detector on the first side of the path, with the light emitter positioned so that it can emit light across the path to the second side. The light detector can be configured to detect light from the light emitter and can emit a signal corresponding to an amount of detected light. The sensing apparatus can also include a control circuit that can control a flow of power to the light emitter, and the control circuit can also receive the signal emitted by the sensor.

An automatic lifting and feeding device includes a main controller, a material thickness detecting device, a material loading mechanism for placing materials and driving the materials to rise and fall, a material taking mechanism for transferring materials and a height detecting mechanism for detecting the height of the materials, wherein, the material thickness detecting device, the material loading mechanism, the material taking mechanism and the height detecting mechanism are respectively connected to the main controller. The height detecting mechanism includes a bracket and the height testing part connected to the bracket, and the detector for detecting the material distance is arranged on the height testing part. The invention also provides an automatic lifting feeding method. The advantage of the invention is that the height does not need to be adjusted manually. The device can automatically detect the height of the material, and achieves high efficiency.

An apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a transducer to transform a load in the housing to an electric current, upon receipt of a load exceeding a load threshold. The apparatus further comprises a light source coupled to the transducer to emit light upon receiving the electric current.

Example printer finishing apparatus are described herein. An example printer disclosed herein includes an alignment guide, a track to align a sheet relative to the alignment guide, a clamp to move between a raised position and a lowered position relative to the sheet, and a force applicator coupled to the clamp. The force applicator is to cause the sheet to engage the alignment guide when the clamp is in the lowered position.