In accordance with an embodiment, a label printer comprises a transmission type sensor configured to enable a first light emitting element to emit light to irradiate a printing medium with the light and to detect light transmitted through the printing medium; a reflection type sensor configured to enable a second light emitting element to emit light to irradiate a printing medium with the light and to detect light reflected by the printing medium; and a light emission control module configured to alternately switch a single light emission period in which either the first light emitting element or the second light emitting element emits light and a both light emission period in which both the first light emitting element and the second light emitting element emit light.

An unwinding system includes a detector assembly configured to detect a position of a fiber unwound from a bobbin and the presence of fuzz. The system further includes a controller configured to adjust at least one of a lateral position or a rotational speed of the bobbin based on at least one of the position of the fiber tow or the presence of fuzz.

A paper conveying device, used in a paper processing device to perform predetermined processing on paper, includes a conveying portion, a holding portion, a detection portion, and a control portion. The conveying portion conveys, in a conveying direction, the paper to a processing portion of the paper processing device. The holding portion is disposed downstream of the processing portion in the conveying direction and holds the paper processed by the paper processing device. The detection portion detects a change of an orientation of the paper held by the holding portion. The control portion releases the paper held by the holding portion in a case where an amount of the detected orientation change reaches a predetermined amount.

An image forming apparatus includes first and second light emitting units, a light receiving unit for receiving light of the first light emitting unit when it is reflected, and receiving light of the second light emitting unit when it is not reflected, to output a signal of a predetermined level, and a control unit for starting light emission of the first light emitting unit before a front end of a paper sheet reaches an area, stopping light emission of the first light emitting unit while starting light emission of the second light emitting unit before a rear end of the paper sheet passes the area, and detecting a length of the paper sheet based on time after the output signal becomes a predetermined level during light emission of the first light emitting unit until the output signal becomes the predetermined level during light emission of the second light emitting unit.

A sheet feeding device includes a sheet tray, a blower, a feeder, an illuminator, an imager, and circuitry. The sheet tray stacks sheets. The blower blows air to the sheets stacked on the sheet tray and floats an uppermost sheet of the sheets. The feeder feeds the uppermost sheet. The illuminator illuminates the uppermost sheet floating. The imager captures an image including the uppermost sheet illuminated by the illuminator. The circuitry adjusts an imaging condition based on the image captured by the imager.

A system and control method are provided for determining an amount of a product dispensed from or added to a product formation. At defined intervals, a mark is projected with a light source imager onto an aspect of the product formation that changes as the amount of product is depleted or added to the product formation. A digital image is taken of the aspect of the product formation that captures the projected mark and is transmitted to a digital imager processor, wherein a feature of the projected mark is analyzed that changes as the product formation decreases or increases in size as the product is dispensed or added. The analyzed feature is compared with a predetermined value of the feature at a predefined size of the product formation to determine an actual amount of the product on the product formation, or amount of product depleted from or added to the product formation.

A system for in-line treatment of thread for use with a thread consuming device is provided. The system comprises at least one treatment unit being configured to dispense one or more coating substances onto the at least one thread when activated and a thread speed sensor being driven by the motion of the at least one thread. A method is further provided.

A sheet conveying apparatus includes a curved sheet conveyance path through which a sheet passes, and a sensor that is disposed in the sheet conveyance path and detects the passing sheet. The sensor includes a light-emitting portion that collects light from a light source and irradiates the passing sheet in an irradiating range which is broader in a sheet conveyance direction than a width direction, and a light-receiving portion that receives the light arriving at and reflected from the sheet.

A medium conveying apparatus includes a first optical sensor located on an upper part of the housing and in a central part of the housing in a direction perpendicular to a medium conveying direction, a second optical sensor located on an upper part of the housing and on a side of the first optical sensor in the direction perpendicular to the medium conveying direction, and a processor to detect a folding of a medium based on the first signal or the second signal, and stop feeding of the medium by the feed roller in accordance with a detection result of the folding of the medium. The first light emitter emits first light toward a downstream side of the medium in the medium conveying direction, and the second light emitter emits second light toward an upstream side of the medium in the medium conveying direction.

A sheet conveying device includes a tray, a device body having a conveying route of a sheet and supporting the tray, a side guide supported by the tray to be movable in a first direction intersecting with a conveying direction of the sheet and contacting an end portion in the first direction of the sheet placed on the tray, a cover rotatable with respect to the device body and covering the conveying route, and a lock lever locking the cover to the device body and provided in a position overlapping the side guide in a second direction intersecting with the conveying direction and the first direction. The lock lever is rotatable between a lock position where the cover is locked and a release position where the cover is released. The side guide includes a first notched portion facing a rotation track of the lock lever with a gap.