A sheet conveying device includes a conveying body, a pressing body, and an attracting device. The conveying body conveys a sheet. The pressing body presses the sheet to a circumferential surface of the conveying body at an upstream side from an operation start position at which an operation with respect to the sheet starts, in a sheet conveying direction. The attracting device sucks and attracts the sheet onto the conveying body. The attracting device includes an attracting unit having an attracting region extending shorter than a distance between the pressing body and the operation start position. The attracting unit rotate together with the conveying body.

A printer includes a platen including a loading surface on which a target printing medium is loaded and in which through holes are formed, a printing unit performing printing on the target printing medium, a platen stand on which the platen is loaded, the platen stand including air chambers communicating with the through holes, communication tubes that individually communicate with the air chambers, an air blower configured to suck and exhaust air in the air chambers, and suction opening/closing valves individually provided in the communication tubes, the suction opening/closing valves configured to open and close communication between the air blower and the plurality of air chambers. The plurality of air chambers are provided at different positions adjacent to one another in a length direction and a width direction of the target printing medium loaded on the loading surface.

Methods and apparatuses for moving and/or transferring discrete articles are described. In particular, the methods and apparatuses relate to flexible arrangements to move and/or transfer discrete articles that vary in size and/or shape with minimal to no change in equipment.

A medium-suction apparatus includes a conveyer to convey a medium in a conveyance direction, a first suction unit to perform suction operation on the medium to attract the medium to the conveyer, and a second suction unit to perform the suction operation on the medium to attract the medium to the conveyer. The second suction unit being disposed next to the first suction unit in a width direction perpendicular to the conveyance direction. The second suction unit starts the suction operation after the first suction unit starts the suction operation.

The disclosure relates to a method and apparatus for uncut material detection while lifting from an automated cutting table select pieces of thin, flexible material. The apparatus comprises a structured energy source and a structured energy sensor. The structured energy can be used to detect undesired lifting of a peripheral portion of the flexible material resulting from the presence of uncut material.

Methods and apparatuses for moving and/or transferring discrete articles are described. In particular, the methods and apparatuses relate to flexible arrangements to move and/or transfer discrete articles that vary in size and/or shape with minimal to no change in equipment.

A printing system includes a driving belt configured to drive media through the printing system relative to one or more print heads and a vacuum conveyor system. The vacuum conveyor system includes a vacuum chamber cover having a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface, as well as a plurality of slots through the cover that form openings from the first surface to the second surface. A seal, disposed within and extending along at least a portion of a length of a respective slot, is drivable to open or close the respective slot. A vacuum chamber below the second surface of the vacuum chamber cover is configured to apply a vacuum to the media through the plurality of slots. The applied vacuum constrains the media on the driving belt by flattening it against the driving belt.

Apparatus, methods, and systems for a vacuum conveyor for inkjet printing with adjustment to the covered area are disclosed. In some embodiments, a controller of a vacuum conveyor expands first one or more actuators of multiple first actuators of a substrate transportation system to decrease a suction width of an area of suction provided by the vacuum conveyor in accordance with a substrate width of a substrate being inkjet printed using the vacuum conveyor. A second one or more actuators of the multiple first actuators being retracted. The controller retracts multiple second actuators of the vacuum conveyor to increase the suction length of the area of suction while the substrate transportation system moves the substrate along the vacuum conveyor for inkjet printing of the substrate. The controller expands the retracted actuators of the multiple first actuators to increase the suction length as the substrates exit the vacuum conveyor.

The disclosure relates to a method and apparatus that separates and efficiently captures from an automated cutting table select pieces of thin, flexible material in an orderly manner which prevents damage to the selected piece while preventing the undesired lifting or movement of the surrounding material. The apparatus comprises a pick head assembly including a cylinder with a plurality of orifices that communicates with the selected piece to maintain contact between the selected piece and the cylindrical surface while the selected piece is being removed.

Methods and apparatuses for moving and/or transferring discrete articles are described. In particular, the methods and apparatuses relate to flexible arrangements to move and/or transfer discrete articles that vary in size and/or shape with minimal to no change in equipment.