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.

In some examples, a substrate handling system includes a sheet processing machine and at least one alignment device that includes at least four stops. At least one stop is configured as a front stop, at least one stop is configured as a rear stop, and at least two stops are configured as lateral stops. The at least two lateral stops are arranged opposite one another, and the at least one front stop and the at least one rear stop are arranged opposite one another. The alignment device includes at least one support element that is configured as a propping element for propping at least one partial stack of sheets in the alignment device. Further, at least one respective support element is arranged at the at least two lateral stops and at the at least one rear stop.

A bi-directional paper pickup mechanism includes a pickup roller, a fastening structure, an input shaft, a first ratchet element, a second ratchet element, an actuating unit, a first transmission rotor and a second transmission rotor. The pickup roller has an inner space. The fastening structure is disposed in the inner space. The input shaft is accommodated in the inner space, and one end of the input shaft is pivotally connected to the fastening structure. The first ratchet element is mounted around the input shaft. The second ratchet element is mounted around the one end of the input shaft. The actuating unit is fastened around a middle of the input shaft to synchronously rotate with the input shaft. The first transmission rotor is mounted around the one end of the input shaft. The second transmission rotor is mounted around the other end of the input shaft.

In some examples, a substrate handling system includes a sheet processing machine and at least one alignment device that includes at least four stops. At least one stop is configured as a front stop, at least one stop is configured as a rear stop, and at least two stops are configured as lateral stops. The at least two lateral stops are arranged opposite one another, and the at least one front stop and the at least one rear stop are arranged opposite one another. The alignment device includes at least one support element that is configured as a propping element for propping at least one partial stack of sheets in the alignment device. Further, at least one respective support element is arranged at the at least two lateral stops and at the at least one rear stop.

A bi-directional paper pickup mechanism includes a pickup roller, a fastening structure, an input shaft, a first ratchet element, a second ratchet element, an actuating unit, a first transmission rotor and a second transmission rotor. The pickup roller has an inner space. The fastening structure is disposed in the inner space. The input shaft is accommodated in the inner space, and one end of the input shaft is pivotally connected to the fastening structure. The first ratchet element is mounted around the input shaft. The second ratchet element is mounted around the one end of the input shaft. The actuating unit is fastened around a middle of the input shaft to synchronously rotate with the input shaft. The first transmission rotor is mounted around the one end of the input shaft. The second transmission rotor is mounted around the other end of the input shaft.

An unwinder for rolls of paper web material includes: a support frame; a spindle cylinder, rotationally associated with the frame, supporting a parent roll with a longitudinal axis; unwinder to unwind a paper web from the parent roll; actuator keeping the unwindier contacting the parent roll; a command and control unit; first motor rotating the spindle cylinder; two support and drive rollers; units to measure instantaneous radius of the parent roll, rotational speed of the spindle cylinder, quantity of web unrolled from the parent roll per unit time, and weight unloaded from the parent roll onto the support and drive rollers; second motor synchronously rotating the support and drive rollers; and third motor moving the spindle cylinder vertically. The control unit receives and processes values detected by the measurement unit, causing the motor to maintain the weight force unloaded onto the rollers from the roll as the diameter varies.

An unwinder for rolls of paper web material includes: a support frame; a spindle cylinder, rotationally associated with the frame, supporting a parent roll with a longitudinal axis; unwinder to unwind a paper web from the parent roll; actuator keeping the unwindier contacting the parent roll; a command and control unit; first motor rotating the spindle cylinder; two support and drive rollers; units to measure instantaneous radius of the parent roll, rotational speed of the spindle cylinder, quantity of web unrolled from the parent roll per unit time, and weight unloaded from the parent roll onto the support and drive rollers; second motor synchronously rotating the support and drive rollers; and third motor moving the spindle cylinder vertically. The control unit receives and processes values detected by the measurement unit, causing the motor to maintain the weight force unloaded onto the rollers from the roll as the diameter varies.

Apparatuses include, among other components, a pair of opposing drive rollers, a pair of opposing idle rollers, and a rotatable support operatively connected to the axles of the idle rollers. Axles of the drive rollers and the idle rollers are positioned along a circle. The axles of the drive rollers and the idle rollers alternate along the circle. Also, rotation of the rotatable support moves the idle rollers along the circle until the idle rollers contact the drive rollers. Each of the idle rollers is positioned by the rotatable support to only contact a single drive roller at a time.

A processing apparatus is disclosed comprising a shearing unit that receives the material to be processed from a conveying device upstream and surrenders it to a conveying device downstream, in which the material to be sheared advances with a continuous supply motion, in which each conveying device comprises a variable geometry closed loop slidable flexible element, in which the shearing unit is constrained to move with alternating motion together with two movable portions of the two conveying devices. The apparatus can process web-shaped material for the production of electrical energy storage devices.

The invention relates to an advancing device (10) for advancing a film web (200) in a bag filling installation (100, having a main advancing drive (20) with at least one driven main advancing roller (22) for advancing the film web (200), wherein for an adjustment of the tensile stress of the film web (200) in the transport direction (T) of the film web (200) an auxiliary advancing drive (30) is disposed before the main advancing drive (20) with at least one driven auxiliary advancing roller (32) for advancing the film web (200).