In one example, a media support includes a continuous loop belt and multiple suction cups arranged along the outer perimeter of the belt. Each suction cup has a port aligned with a hole in the belt so that air may be evacuated from the suction cup when connected to a vacuum source.

A media registration system includes a puller clamp, and a puller track to support the puller clamp. The puller track is to open and close the puller clamp with movement of the puller clamp along the puller track.

The invention relates to a device for receiving, transporting, and dispensing film bags, comprising a film bag magazine with multiple parallel magazine shafts and two circulating conveyor belt devices which can be driven independently of each other and which comprise film bag receiving areas arranged thereon, said conveyor belt devices circulating about two common axes. The two axes are designed to be drivable independently of each other, and each axis drives one of the two conveyor belt devices. The invention further relates to a method for receiving, transporting, and dispensing film bags by means of the device for receiving, transporting, and dispensing film bags.

A sheet conveying apparatus has a belt with a widthwise side portion extending in a traveling direction of the belt, the widthwise side portion including a portion defining a notch being recessed in a width direction orthogonal to the traveling direction, the notch being defined by less than an entire length, in the traveling direction, of the widthwise side portion, a contacting member arranged to be in contact with an end portion of a sheet to be conveyed, the contacting member being attached to the belt so that at least a part of the contacting member is arranged in the notch of the belt, a regulating portion configured to regulate a position of the belt in the width direction by contacting with the widthwise side portion of the belt, and a driving portion configured to drive the belt.

A sheet stacker includes a tray to store a stack of sheets, a conveyor above the tray, a leading end guide above the tray, and an air exhaust. The conveyor conveys a sheet in a conveyance direction. The leading end guide is downstream from the conveyor in the conveyance direction. The leading end guide guides the sheet from the conveyor to the tray. The air exhaust exhausts air above an upper surface of the stack of sheets on the tray to an upstream from the tray in the conveyance direction. Further, the leading end guide holds a leading end of the sheet conveyed by the conveyor at a holding position and releases the leading end of the sheet at a release position downstream from the holding position in the conveyance direction.

This invention provides a stacker for use in forming stacks of cut sheets received from an upstream utilization device (e.g. a printer, cutter, etc.) that allows for positive driving of sheets into a stack using a stacking unit that includes a series of grippers that are adapted to grip and release a leading edge of each sheet at the appropriate time. In this manner, each sheet is gripped as it arrives from the upstream operation and is passed downstream into the stack, being released so as to properly decelerate at the stack's backstop. The grippers are mounted on a continuous belt between a pair of opposing drive sprockets. An edge sensor located upstream of the stacking unit triggers motion of the belts. The grippers are actuated by a mechanical cam arrangement to selectively grip and release at predetermined positions as the belt is driven.

A sheet conveying apparatus has a belt with a widthwise side portion extending in a traveling direction of the belt, the widthwise side portion including a portion defining a notch being recessed in a width direction orthogonal to the traveling direction, the notch being defined by less than an entire length, in the traveling direction, of the widthwise side portion, a contacting member arranged to be in contact with an end portion of a sheet to be conveyed, the contacting member being attached to the belt so that at least a part of the contacting member is arranged in the notch of the belt, a regulating portion configured to regulate a position of the belt in the width direction by contacting with the widthwise side portion of the belt, and a driving portion configured to drive the belt.

A sheet conveying apparatus with a belt having a cutaway portion at least at one end portion in a width direction orthogonal to a traveling direction and a thickness direction thereof, a claw member and a driving portion driving the belt. The claw member has a pinching portion configured to attach the claw member to the belt by pinching the belt.

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).

A sheet stacker includes: a loader to which a sheet bundle is to be loaded; a guide to receive a leading end of a sheet conveyed to an area above the loader, and guide the sheet along a guide path above the loader in a conveyance direction; a blower disposed above the guide path of the guide to blow air downward to the sheet; and multiple lines: disposed above the guide path of the guide; and extending in a direction inclined relative to the conveyance direction.