Image forming apparatus have a plurality of models including a common control board and different in number of electrical components used. The image forming apparatus includes a wire harness including: a third connector removably connected to a first connector provided to the control board; fourth connectors removably connected to second connectors provided to the electrical components; and a plurality of cables connecting the third connector and the fourth connectors. In all of the plurality of models, cables are connected to pins located at both ends of the third connector. In a model in which the number of the plurality of cables is smaller than the number of pins of the third connector, pins of the third connector to which the plurality of cables are not connected are arranged at a central portion in a longitudinal direction of the third connector or near the central portion.

A sheet conveyance apparatus includes a first conveyor, a second conveyor provided downstream of the first conveyor, a first motor configured to drive the first conveyor, a second motor configured to drive the second conveyor, a speed determining unit configured to determine a rotation speed of a rotor of the second motor, a command determining unit configured to determine a command speed representing a target speed of the rotor of the second motor, and a controller configured to control a drive current flowing through a winding of the second motor so that a deviation between the command speed determined by the command determining unit and the rotation speed determined by the speed determining unit is decreased. The command determining unit determines the command speed based on a value corresponding to a rotation speed of a rotor of the first motor.

A dispenser, apparatus, system and method for automatically dispensing portable or sterile items from a continuous length of packages of items ideally packaged as a stack, including a support shaped and configured to support the stack, a feed mechanism arranged in flow communication relative to the support for feeding the stack towards a dispensing point, a separation means extending from the feed mechanism, shaped and configured for separating an item from the stack at the dispensing point, an electric motor configured to drive the feed mechanism; and a sensor shaped and configured to detect a dispensing parameter, wherein in use, the dispenser is activated by a user providing the dispensing parameter to the sensor thereby activating the feed mechanism to automatically feed the stack towards the dispensing point such that the separation means separates the item from stack thereby allowing for the item to be dispensed.

The present disclosure is in one aspect to a dispenser for rolled sheet materials. The dispenser includes a feed roller that is rotatably mounted to a housing of the dispenser housing, and that is configured to feed a predetermined amount of sheet material from the supply of sheet material through a discharge provided along the housing of the dispenser. The dispenser also has a feed roller drive assembly with a drive motor, and a belt transmission assembly. The belt transmission assembly has a drive belt coupled to the drive motor and to the feed roller such that rotation of the feed roller is driven by operation of the drive motor.

A medium conveying apparatus includes a motor, a medium tray, a roller, and a processor to control the motor so that the medium tray is located at a position at which the medium placed on the uppermost side of the media placed on the medium tray abuts on the roller each time a particular number of media of the media placed on the medium tray is conveyed, and detect a position of the placing surface. The processor sets the torque of the motor to a first torque when a position of the placing surface is a first position, and sets the torque of the motor to a second torque smaller than the first torque when a position of the placing surface is a second position above the first position.

A driving force transmitting apparatus includes first and second planetary gear units and switching and urging members. The first planetary gear unit includes a first mesh gear and a first locked gear provided with first locked portions. The second planetary gear unit includes a second locked gear provided with second locked portions, and a second mesh gear meshing with the first mesh gear. The switching member includes first and second locking portions and can move to (i) a first stop position at which the first locking portion stop the first locked gear, and, urged by the urging member, (ii) a second stop position at which the second locking portion stops the second locked gear. An interval between the second locked portions in a rotational direction of the second locked gear is larger than an interval between the first locked portions in a rotational direction of the first locked gear.

A method of operating a device to receive a print medium is disclosed. Rotation of a receiving device to receive a print medium is detected, whereby the rotation is caused by an external force. An assisting force is applied to further rotate the receiving device in response to the detected rotation.

The present disclosure is in one aspect to a dispenser for rolled sheet materials. The dispenser includes a feed roller that is rotatably mounted to a housing of the dispenser housing, and that is configured to feed a predetermined amount of sheet material from the supply of sheet material through a discharge provided along the housing of the dispenser. The dispenser also has a feed roller drive assembly with a drive motor, and a belt transmission assembly. The belt transmission assembly has a drive belt coupled to the drive motor and to the feed roller such that rotation of the feed roller is driven by operation of the drive motor.

A dispenser for dispensing sheet product is provided. The dispenser includes a housing with an outlet through which sheet product is dispensed. A knife drum is rotatable with respect to the housing. A knife is movable between a retracted position within the knife drum and an extended position where the knife protrudes outside of the knife drum to cut the sheet product. A cam follower surface is fixed with respect to the housing. A cam follower is attached to the knife and operable to engage the cam follower surface and travel therealong to transition the knife between the retracted position and the extended position. A spring assembly biases the knife drum during rotation toward a predetermined position. The spring assembly comprises a first spring and a second spring. The spring assembly is attached at a single mount position that is fixed with respect to the housing.

An image forming apparatus includes a sheet accommodation unit, a feed roller to feed a sheet along a conveyance path, a first encoder to detect rotation of the feed roller, a conveying roller downstream of the feed roller, a second encoder to detect rotation of the conveying roller, and a motor to drive the feed roller and the conveying roller. A first clutch switches between connecting and disconnecting the paper feed roller to the motor. A second clutch switches between connecting and disconnecting the motor to the conveying roller. A first sensor detects the sheet at a first position. A second sensor detects the sheet at a second position. A control unit controls the motor based on output from the first encoder when the sheet is at the first position and output from the second encoder when the sheet is at the second position.