Patent classifications
B65H2301/41387
Sheet feeding device and image forming apparatus incorporating same
A sheet feeding device includes a sensor, a roller, a support, circuitry, and a spool. The sensor detects a step at a leading end of a sheet roll. The roller and the sensor are disposed at different positions in a circumferential direction of the sheet roll. The support supports the sensor and the roller to bring the sensor and the roller into contact with the sheet roll. The circuitry acquires a sensor signal. The spool is insertable through a sheet tube of the sheet roll to rotate the sheet roll. The sensor and the roller face an axial center of the spool. The support is pivotable within a range in which the sensor does not contact the spool. The circuitry detects first and second inclinations of the sensor signal when the leading end passes by the roller and the sensor, respectively, to determine whether the leading end is present.
A FABRIC SPREADING MACHINE
A fabric spreading machine has a chassis, an unspooling cradle of opposing proximal and distal drive belt assemblies and a tilting actuator interfacing the cradle and the chassis. The tilting actuator is configured to position the cradle in an unspooling position wherein the cradle is raised to provide clearance under the cradle for piled fabric lengths as the chassis traverses the fabric spreading table in use and in a loading position wherein the cradle is lowered and a proximal drive belt assembly is lowered towards the fabric spreading table to a lesser angle to allow a replacement spool to be more easily loaded into the cradle.
Film roll supply device
A film roll replacement device supplies a film roll to a bag making and packaging machine. The film roll replacement device includes a holding section, a driving unit, and a controller. The holding section is at least temporarily located adjacent to a supporting shaft to support the film roll in the bag making and packaging machine, and the holding section holds a first film roll supplied to the bag making and packaging machine. The driving unit moves the holding section in an up-down direction. The controller controls an action of the driving unit to move the holding section to a position where a height position of a center of the first film roll held by the holding section is aligned with the height of a center of the supporting shaft of the bag making and packaging machine.
Sheet supply device and image forming apparatus
A sheet supply device includes a supporter, a rotation device, a guide, a support shaft, a biasing member, a sensor, a roller, and control circuitry. The sensor is disposed to protrude from the facing portion toward the roll and biased in a direction to contact the outer peripheral surface of the roll. The sensor outputs a detection signal at a level corresponding to an amount at which the sensor protrudes from the facing portion. The roller is supported by the facing portion, to contact the outer peripheral surface of the roll at a position different from a position of the sensor in a circumferential direction of the roll. The control circuitry controls the rotation device based on a signal change rate that is a change amount of the level of the detection signal per unit time. The control circuitry causes the rotation device to rotate the spool in the winding direction, and stops an operation of the rotation device when the signal change rate based on a change in relative positions between the outer peripheral surface and the sensor without passage of a leading end of the sheet through the position of the sensor does not exceed a predetermined reverse set threshold value.