A transport module for flat items comprising at least one transport element borne in a transport element carrier having a drive shaft is designed for installation in a station of an item processing system and, after installation, is borne rotatably around an axis of the drive shaft. It is one of multiple transport modules of an identical design. The transport element has, on one side, a lower friction coefficient than on the other side of an equator and is driven by the drive shaft via transmission means of the transport module. The transport element carrier carries the transmission means of the transport module and has a spring assembly allowing it to be shifted in the direction of gravity and contrary to it.

The invention relates to a device for decurling a web of material, such as a paper web, which device comprises: a first main roller; a second main roller arranged parallel to and at a distance of the first main roller, wherein the first main roller and the second main roller are arranged in a main plane; and a decurling roller arranged parallel to and between the first and second main roller, when viewed in a direction perpendicular to the main plane, wherein the spacing between the first main roller and the second roller is smaller than the diameter of the decurling roller.

An elastic roller includes: a roller shaft; and an elastic member. The elastic roller includes an inner layer side elastic member, and a coating layer. The inner layer side elastic member includes a base layer and an intermediate layer located from the roller shaft in this order. The base and intermediate layers have a rubber hardness of 30 to 80 degrees that is measured by a durometer type A in accordance with the standard of JIS K 6253. The rubber hardness of the base layer is more than that of the intermediate layer. The coating layer is made of a silicone resin, and has a thickness of 10 to 100 m. The silicone resin has a hardness of 20 degrees or less that is measured using a spring-based Asker C type in accordance with SRIS 0101 standard. The inner layer side elastic member has a plurality of internal grooves along a circumferential direction. Each of the internal grooves has a width of 25 to 1,300 m, and has a depth of 25 to 500 m. Each of the internal grooves has a V-shaped in cross section and has a groove angle of 50 to 120 degrees.

A placement station for placing flat items has multiple transport elements extending through a related opening in a placement deck of the placement station. All transport elements are driven by a single drive motor via toothed belt discs and toothed belts. At least one trigger sensor is arranged in the placement station on the exit side of the mail-item flow. The drive motor and the trigger sensor are electrically connected with means for controlling the transport speed of the flat items. Each transport element is carried by a transport module. The placement station has multiple transport modules, each extending with a transport element mounted on its head side through a related opening in a placement deck of the placement station. The transport modules are lowerable below the placement deck in a direction contrary to a spring force. The direction of traction can be changed by turning at least one transport module before or during operation of the placement station. Each transport element has a barrel-shaped body with an equator, wherein different friction values of said body of the transport element are provided on both sides of the equator. The transport modules are directionally positioned such that the half of the body of the transport element with the higher friction value is closest to the alignment wall.

An elastic roller includes: a roller shaft; and an elastic member. The elastic roller includes an inner layer side elastic member, and a coating layer. The inner layer side elastic member has a rubber hardness of 30 to 80 degrees that is measured by a durometer type A in accordance with the standard of JIS K 6253. The inner layer side elastic member has a tear strength of 25 N/mm or more that is measured using an unnicked angle-shaped test piece in accordance with JIS K 6252. The coating layer is made of silicone resin, and has a thickness of 10 to 100 m. The silicone resin has hardness of 20 degrees or less that is measured using a spring-based Asker C type in accordance with SRIS 0101 standard. The inner layer side elastic member has a plurality of internal grooves along a circumferential direction. Each of the internal grooves has a width of 25 to 1,300 m, and has a depth of 25 to 500 m. Each of the internal grooves has a V-shaped in cross section and has a groove angle of 50 to 120 degrees.

An elastic roller includes: a roller shaft; and an elastic member. The elastic roller includes an inner layer side elastic member, and a coating layer. The inner layer side elastic member includes a base layer and an intermediate layer located from the roller shaft in this order. The base and intermediate layers have a rubber hardness of 30 to 80 degrees that is measured by a durometer type A in accordance with the standard of JIS K 6253. The rubber hardness of the base layer is more than that of the intermediate layer. The coating layer is made of a silicone resin, and has a thickness of 10 to 100 m. The silicone resin has a hardness of 20 degrees or less that is measured using a spring-based Asker C type in accordance with SRIS 0101 standard. The inner layer side elastic member has a plurality of internal grooves along a circumferential direction. Each of the internal grooves has a width of 25 to 1,300 m, and has a depth of 25 to 500 m. Each of the internal grooves has a V-shaped in cross section and has a groove angle of 50 to 120 degrees.

An image forming apparatus includes plural medium transport paths that branch at a predetermined branching position and along which a medium is transported in a curved state; a switching member disposed at the branching position and including a guide surface that allows the medium to be transported along one of the medium transport paths, the switching member switching between the medium transport paths; an output unit that outputs the medium toward a stacking portion, on which the medium is to be stacked, while corrugating the medium; and a guide portion that guides the medium from the branching position toward the output unit in a region in which the medium is corrugated.

An elastic roller includes: a roller shaft; and an elastic member. The elastic roller includes an inner layer side elastic member, and a coating layer. The inner layer side elastic member has a rubber hardness of 30 to 80 degrees that is measured by a durometer type A in accordance with the standard of JIS K 6253. The inner layer side elastic member has a tear strength of 25 N/mm or more that is measured using an unnicked angle-shaped test piece in accordance with JIS K 6252. The coating layer is made of silicone resin, and has a thickness of 10 to 100 m. The silicone resin has hardness of 20 degrees or less that is measured using a spring-based Asker C type in accordance with SRIS 0101 standard. The inner layer side elastic member has a plurality of internal grooves along a circumferential direction. Each of the internal grooves has a width of 25 to 1,300 m, and has a depth of 25 to 500 m. Each of the internal grooves has a V-shaped in cross section and has a groove angle of 50 to 120 degrees.

A transporting device includes a first belt, a second belt that transports a medium in cooperation with the first belt, a first shifting member that shifts the first belt in a width direction of the first belt, a second shifting member that shifts the second belt in a width direction of the second belt, a rotatable member that is rotatable around its own axis, and a forming member provided across the first belt and the second belt from the rotatable member and that forms a nip between the first and second belts in cooperation with the rotatable member. The rotatable member and the forming member cooperate to form the nip at a pressure ratio lower than about 1. The pressure ratio is obtained by dividing a pressure applied to each of two axial ends of the rotatable member by a pressure applied to an axial center of the rotatable member.

The sheet conveyance apparatus includes first and second rollers, the second roller coming into contact with the first roller and thereby forming a nip portion, the second rotation axis being inclined with respect to the first rotation axis, wherein the second roller includes a first outer circumferential portion having a first outside diameter, a second outer circumferential portion arranged on one side of the first outer circumferential portion in an axial direction of the second rotation axis and having a second outside diameter larger than the first outside diameter, and a third outer circumferential portion arranged on the other side of the first outer circumferential portion, and wherein an outer circumferential surface of the first roller contacts with at least the first, second and third outer circumferential portions of the second roller, to form the nip portion.