A sheet supplying apparatus, which is capable of winding a sheet tightly, includes a driving unit configured to cause a roll including a wound consecutive sheet to rotate in a first direction for feeding the sheet or a second direction opposite to the first direction, a sensor that detects a leading end portion of the sheet separated from an outer circumferential surface of the roll, and a contact body that presses the outer circumferential surface. Before the sheet is fed, in a state in which the contact body presses the outer circumferential surface, the driving unit causes the roll to continuously rotate in the second direction until a detection cycle of the leading end portion by the sensor is less than a predetermined value.

A sheet supplying apparatus, which is capable of winding a sheet tightly, includes a driving unit configured to cause a roll including a wound consecutive sheet to rotate in a first direction for feeding the sheet or a second direction opposite to the first direction, a sensor that detects a leading end portion of the sheet separated from an outer circumferential surface of the roll, and a contact body that presses the outer circumferential surface. Before the sheet is fed, in a state in which the contact body presses the outer circumferential surface, the driving unit causes the roll to continuously rotate in the second direction until a detection cycle of the leading end portion by the sensor is less than a predetermined value.

Provided are an image forming apparatus and an image forming method capable of coping with a medium exceeding a transport limit of a pair of rollers in image formation in which the medium is transported with the medium interposed between the pair of rollers. In a case where a medium exceeding a transport limit of first transport means to which medium transport using a first roller and a second roller is applied is used, second transport means is used to assist in the medium transport performed by the first transport means. The driving of second driving means for driving the second transport means is controlled using a driving signal applied to the driving control of the first driving means for driving the first transport means. Medium transport in which synchronization is taken between the first transport means and the second transport means is realized.

A foil transfer device which transfers foil onto a sheet is disclosed herein. When a nip/release mechanism moves a first roller and starts causing a foil film to be pressed against a confined surface region on a sheet, located apart from a leading edge of the sheet, a controller executes: a first process of causing a conveyor roller to start conveyance of the sheet, while the first roller is positioned in a separate position; a second process of causing the conveyor roller to stop conveyance of the sheet before a foil transfer area reaches a transfer position; a third process of causing the nip/release mechanism to start moving the first roller from the separate position to a nipping position while the conveyance of the sheet is stopped; and a fourth process of causing the conveyor roller to restart conveyance of the sheet before the first roller reaches the nipping position.

A foil transfer device which transfers foil onto a sheet is disclosed herein. When a nip/release mechanism moves a first roller and starts causing a foil film to be pressed against a confined surface region on a sheet, located apart from a leading edge of the sheet, a controller executes: a first process of causing a conveyor roller to start conveyance of the sheet, while the first roller is positioned in a separate position; a second process of causing the conveyor roller to stop conveyance of the sheet before a foil transfer area reaches a transfer position; a third process of causing the nip/release mechanism to start moving the first roller from the separate position to a nipping position while the conveyance of the sheet is stopped; and a fourth process of causing the conveyor roller to restart conveyance of the sheet before the first roller reaches the nipping position.

A movable curtain disinfection device according to an embodiment of the present invention includes frames installed on an upper portion of a support, spaced apart from each other to face each other, and configured to define a disinfection space for a curtain provided between the frames, rotary rollers provided so that a pair of rotary rollers thereof is mounted on an inner surface of each of the frames, the rotary rollers being configured to rotate so that the curtain passes through the disinfection space, rotary belts each configured to surround an outer portion of each of the pairs of rotary rollers, the rotary belts being configured to guide a movement of the curtain while rotating in conjunction with rotations of the rotary rollers, and disinfection modules disposed between the pairs of rotary rollers and configured to disinfect the curtain passing through the disinfection space.

A movable curtain disinfection device according to an embodiment of the present invention includes frames installed on an upper portion of a support, spaced apart from each other to face each other, and configured to define a disinfection space for a curtain provided between the frames, rotary rollers provided so that a pair of rotary rollers thereof is mounted on an inner surface of each of the frames, the rotary rollers being configured to rotate so that the curtain passes through the disinfection space, rotary belts each configured to surround an outer portion of each of the pairs of rotary rollers, the rotary belts being configured to guide a movement of the curtain while rotating in conjunction with rotations of the rotary rollers, and disinfection modules disposed between the pairs of rotary rollers and configured to disinfect the curtain passing through the disinfection space.

A sheet supplying apparatus, which is capable of winding a sheet tightly, includes a driving unit configured to cause a roll including a wound consecutive sheet to rotate in a first direction for feeding the sheet or a second direction opposite to the first direction, a sensor that detects a leading end portion of the sheet separated from an outer circumferential surface of the roll, and a contact body that presses the outer circumferential surface. Before the sheet is fed, in a state in which the contact body presses the outer circumferential surface, the driving unit causes the roll to continuously rotate in the second direction until a detection cycle of the leading end portion by the sensor is less than a predetermined value.

A sheet supplying apparatus, which is capable of winding a sheet tightly, includes a driving unit configured to cause a roll including a wound consecutive sheet to rotate in a first direction for feeding the sheet or a second direction opposite to the first direction, a sensor that detects a leading end portion of the sheet separated from an outer circumferential surface of the roll, and a contact body that presses the outer circumferential surface. Before the sheet is fed, in a state in which the contact body presses the outer circumferential surface, the driving unit causes the roll to continuously rotate in the second direction until a detection cycle of the leading end portion by the sensor is less than a predetermined value.

A pressing roller is provided including an inner core and a roller cover structure where the roller cover structure is divided into segments. Each roller cover segment may have a rigid inner ring, an elastomeric outer ring, and a deformable coupling structure located between the inner ring and the outer ring. The deformable coupling structure may be formed from a shape memory alloy, a carbon fiber composite, or nylon.