A conveying apparatus for feeding sheets into a processing apparatus is discloses which comprises a plurality of nips within which sheets are gripped and driven along a conveying direction towards the processing apparatus, each nip being defined between a respective drive wheel and an opposing reaction surface. The drive wheels are omni-wheels configured to apply a frictional force to advance the sheets in the conveying direction while permitting free movement of the sheets in a direction transverse to the conveying direction, the reaction surfaces permitting free movement of the sheets in the transverse direction, and an elongate guide is arranged on one side of the conveying apparatus, to extend generally parallel to the conveying direction, the conveying apparatus being configured to urge conveyed sheets in the transverse direction into contact with the guide. A control system is provided to move the guide generally in the transverse direction in dependence upon sensed fiducials on the conveyed sheets, to ensure correct alignment of the sheets in the transverse direction with respect to the processing apparatus.

A conveying apparatus for feeding sheets into a processing apparatus is discloses which comprises a plurality of nips within which sheets are gripped and driven along a conveying direction towards the processing apparatus, each nip being defined between a respective drive wheel and an opposing reaction surface. The drive wheels are omni-wheels configured to apply a frictional force to advance the sheets in the conveying direction while permitting free movement of the sheets in a direction transverse to the conveying direction, the reaction surfaces permitting free movement of the sheets in the transverse direction, and an elongate guide is arranged on one side of the conveying apparatus, to extend generally parallel to the conveying direction, the conveying apparatus being configured to urge conveyed sheets in the transverse direction into contact with the guide. A control system is provided to move the guide generally in the transverse direction in dependence upon sensed fiducials on the conveyed sheets, to ensure correct alignment of the sheets in the transverse direction with respect to the processing apparatus.

A cutting device is configured to cut, in an arc shape, an end of a sheet conveyed in a conveyance direction. The cutting device includes an arc-shaped cutting blade; a switching mechanism; and a contact-and-separation mechanism. The switching mechanism is configured to switch a posture of the cutting blade in accordance with a position of the sheet facing the cutting blade. The contact-and-separation mechanism is configured to bring the cutting blade into contact with the sheet in a contact direction orthogonal to a surface of the sheet and away from the sheet in a separation direction opposite the contact direction, to cut the end of the sheet in the arc shape.

A cutting device is configured to cut, in an arc shape, an end of a sheet conveyed in a conveyance direction. The cutting device includes an arc-shaped cutting blade; a switching mechanism; and a contact-and-separation mechanism. The switching mechanism is configured to switch a posture of the cutting blade in accordance with a position of the sheet facing the cutting blade. The contact-and-separation mechanism is configured to bring the cutting blade into contact with the sheet in a contact direction orthogonal to a surface of the sheet and away from the sheet in a separation direction opposite the contact direction, to cut the end of the sheet in the arc shape.

A sheet transport apparatus includes a first direction changing roller arranged along a transport path, wherein a sheet is transported along the transport path; a second direction changing roller disposed on the transport path, wherein the first direction changing roller and the second direction changing roller are next to each other in a direction perpendicular to the transport path, and the first direction changing roller and the second direction changing roller change an orientation of the sheet from a first orientation to a second orientation; and a control circuit configured to control one of the first direction changing roller and the second direction changing roller so that the first direction changing roller rotates slower than the second direction changing roller so as to change the orientation of the sheet from the first orientation to the second orientation.

A method and an apparatus for correcting a feeding distance of a strip or cutting, involves feeding the strip over the feeding distance in a feeding direction towards a cutting line that extends at an oblique cutting angle to the feeding direction; detecting a lateral position of a first longitudinal edge of the strip in a lateral direction perpendicular to the feeding direction; wherein, when the detected lateral position is offset over an offset distance in the lateral direction with respect to a reference position for the first longitudinal edge at the measuring line, and adjusting the feeding distance with a correction distance that is related to the offset distance in a ratio that is defined by the cutting angle.

A rotation device rotates a sheet on an upstream side of, in a sheet conveyance orientation, a working device positioned in a middle of a conveyance path, thereby changing an orientation of the sheet. An information acquiring portion acquires sheet size information and sheet orientation information representing a size and the orientation of the sheet in a sheet storing portion, and working position information representing a working position on the sheet. A rotation control portion controls the rotation device in accordance with the sheet orientation information and the working position information. The working control portion controls the working device in accordance with the orientation of the sheet after passing through the rotation device, and the sheet size information and the working position information.

A method and an apparatus for correcting a feeding distance of a strip or cutting, involves feeding the strip over the feeding distance in a feeding direction towards a cutting line that extends at an oblique cutting angle to the feeding direction; detecting a lateral position of a first longitudinal edge of the strip in a lateral direction perpendicular to the feeding direction; wherein, when the detected lateral position is offset over an offset distance in the lateral direction with respect to a reference position for the first longitudinal edge at the measuring line, and adjusting the feeding distance with a correction distance that is related to the offset distance in a ratio that is defined by the cutting angle.

A sheet transport apparatus includes a first direction changing roller arranged along a transport path, wherein a sheet is transported along the transport path; a second direction changing roller disposed on the transport path, wherein the first direction changing roller and the second direction changing roller are next to each other in a direction perpendicular to the transport path, and the first direction changing roller and the second direction changing roller change an orientation of the sheet from a first orientation to a second orientation; and a control circuit configured to control one of the first direction changing roller and the second direction changing roller so that the first direction changing roller rotates slower than the second direction changing roller so as to change the orientation of the sheet from the first orientation to the second orientation.

A printing system for printing on sheets of media having a non-uniform thickness profile. A user interface is controlled to instruct the operator to load a media tray with a stack of media having a specified pattern of media orientations. A media transport system picks sequential sheets of media from the media tray. A front end supplies sequential image data having orientations in accordance with the specified pattern of media orientations. A printing module sequentially prints the supplied image data on the sheets of media in accordance with the specified pattern of media orientations.