A print target support assembly comprising a print platen structure providing an upper surface to support a print target as the print target passes under a print zone. The print zone is arranged across the surface perpendicular to a direction of print target advance. The surface comprises an inner belt area in the direction of print target advance, the inner belt area bounded on each side by an outer non-belt area. A belt advance mechanism, to advance a belt running across the inner belt area of the surface in the direction of print target advance, to advance the print target under the print zone. A flattening arrangement to flatten the print target onto the surface, under the print zone, across the inner belt area and the outer non-belt areas of the surface.

A layboy includes an upper belt section with a plurality of transversely spaced upper belts that extend in a longitudinal direction such that bottom portions of the upper belts lie in a first plane that defines an upper boundary of a transport path through the layboy and a lower belt section having a plurality of transversely spaced lower belts that extend in the longitudinal direction such that top portions of the lower belts lie in a second plane that defines an upper boundary of the transport path. The bottom portion of one of the top belts and/or the top portion of one of the bottom belts extends away from the transport path to define a gap in the transport path at which scrap moving through the layboy can fall out of the transport path.

Disclosed is an automated insert feeding system and related methods, capable of removing bulk-packaged items from a tray or other package, and separating the bulk-packaged items individually for distribution into individual packages in high speed reliable fashion. The disclosed systems can also be loaded with multiple packages of the pre-packaged items for automatic feeding into the system which allows human operators to load several packages and allow the system to work unattended, thereby reducing man-hours spend on the process.

A post-processing device includes a discharge port through which a sheet is discharged, an intermediate tray, a discharge tray and an air sending part. The air sending part includes an upper air sending member, an upper switching member, a lower air sending member, a lower switching member and a controller. The upper air sending member generates a downward air flow from above the discharge port. The upper switching member is distributable the air flow generated by the upper air sending member to above the intermediate tray and to above the discharge tray. The lower air sending member generates an upward air flow from below the discharge port. The lower switching member is distributable the air flow generated by the lower air sending member to below the intermediate tray and to above the discharge tray. The controller controls the upper switching member and the lower switching member.

Conveying belts 1A and 1B have stopping members 6A and 6B. After a sheet bundle is placed on a placement area of the conveying belts, a driving control part controls a guide driving part 4 so that a regulating guide 2 sandwiches the sheet bundle from both sides in the width direction, controls a belt driving part 3 so that the stopping member 6B is made to abut on a first end surface of the sheet bundle and a second end surface is made to abut on the stopping member 1A, and thereafter, controls the driving parts 3 and 4 so that the sheet bundle is conveyed along the regulating guide 2 in a state of being sandwiched from the front and the back by the stopping members 6A and 6B.

A sheet storage device includes a reel around which a tape is wound, a drum onto which a sheet is wound together with the tape, an input and output opening through which the sheet is passed, and a frame that forms at least a portion of a transport path on which the sheet is transported from the input and output opening to the drum, the frame has a first and a second frame part, the first and second frame parts move relative to each other to switch between a state in which the transport path is formed and a state in which at least a portion of the transport path is open, the first frame part supports the reel, and forms a tape path extending from the reel to the drum, the first frame part moves together with the reel and the tape path relative to the second frame part.

Disclosed is an automated insert feeding system and related methods, capable of removing bulk-packaged items from a tray or other package, and separating the bulk-packaged items individually for distribution into individual packages in high speed reliable fashion. The disclosed systems can also be loaded with multiple packages of the pre-packaged items for automatic feeding into the system which allows human operators to load several packages and allow the system to work unattended, thereby reducing man-hours spend on the process.

A paper sheet storing/feeding device (e.g., escrow unit 40) includes a rotary member (e.g., drum 42) to an outer peripheral surface of which one end of a belt-shaped winding member (e.g., tapes 90, 92, 94) that winds a plurality of paper sheets one by one is connected, and a guiding unit (80, 85) that guides a paper sheet to prevent the paper sheet from sandwiching the winding member from both sides when the paper sheet is fed from the rotary member by unwinding the winding member from the rotary member.

A method of feeding a print medium comprises receiving a print medium by a media advance system; transporting the print medium by the media advance system to a print zone wherein the transporting comprises applying a first normal force when the print medium is at a first position of the media advance system and applying a second normal force when the print medium is at a second position of the media advance system, wherein the second normal force is different from the first normal force.

Disclosed is an automated insert feeding system and related methods, capable of removing bulk-packaged items from a tray or other package, and separating the bulk-packaged items individually for distribution into individual packages in high speed reliable fashion. The disclosed systems can also be loaded with multiple packages of the pre-packaged items for automatic feeding into the system which allows human operators to load several packages and allow the system to work unattended, thereby reducing man-hours spend on the process.