A paper feed system for use in a printing apparatus that detects multi-feeds and separates all sheets while allowing a single sheet to continue is disclosed. The separation system uses a motor for the separator roller that can be torque controlled, allowing varying torques depending on media type and/or user input. The separation system can also detect multi-feeds, correct them, and ultimately feed one sheet at a time through the automatic document feeder.

An embodiment includes an apparatus in an ATM to transport a document. The apparatus includes a feed wheel, a stripping tire, a clutch outer-hub and a clutch inner-hub. The feed wheel may be rotated by a first-rotational driver to move the document in a forward direction while the stripping tire is rotated by movable contact with the feed wheel. The clutch inner-hub prevents the stripping tire from rotating in a direction to cause the document to move in a reverse direction when the first-rotational driver rotates the feed wheel. Alternatively, the stripping tire is rotated by a second-rotational driver to move the document in the reverse direction when the feed wheel is not rotated by a first-rotational driver while the clutch outer-hub prevents the stripping tire from rotating in a direction to cause the document to move in the forward direction.

In one example in accordance with the present disclosure, a sheet transport device is described. The sheet transport device includes a pickup roller to insert a sheet into a sheet path. A pair of separation rollers of the sheet transportation device form a nip that advances the sheet along the sheet path. A first separation shaft on which a first separation roller is disposed rotates in a first direction as the sheet is advanced and a second separation shaft on which a second separation roller is disposed also rotates in the first direction as the sheet is advanced. The second separation roller is driven in a second direction via a torque limiter. A motor rotates the shafts. A one-way clutch is disposed on the second separation shaft to disengage the second separation shaft from the motor when the motor is operating in a reverse mode.

A mail singulator system determines a position of an optical panel to automatically adjust a loading conveyor speed to prevent stacked and overlapped mailpieces in the singulator and large gaps between mailpieces. The optical panel is configured between the front mailpiece of a mail stack on the loading conveyor and the optical sensor. The optical panel changes position with the pressure exerted by the mail stack and provides signals to the controller to adjust the conveyor speed. An optical sensor may detect a far threshold position or limit distance to increase the speed of the conveyor and may detect a near threshold position of limit distance to reduce the speed of the conveyor. The optical panel may have a low friction surface to allow the mail to slide into the conveyor and an optical surface to allow reliable optical sensor detection of the optical panel position.

An embodiment includes an apparatus in an ATM to transport a document. The apparatus includes a feed wheel, a stripping tire, a clutch outer-hub and a clutch inner-hub. The feed wheel may be rotated by a first-rotational driver to move the document in a forward direction while the stripping tire is rotated by movable contact with the feed wheel. The clutch inner-hub prevents the stripping tire from rotating in a direction to cause the document to move in a reverse direction when the first-rotational driver rotates the feed wheel. Alternatively, the stripping tire is rotated by a second-rotational driver to move the document in the reverse direction when the feed wheel is not rotated by a first-rotational driver while the clutch outer-hub prevents the stripping tire from rotating in a direction to cause the document to move in the forward direction.

A mail processing system utilizes a conveyor to shingle or de-shingle mailpieces as they move through the processing system and utilizes belts to move the mailpieces. A first shingling conveyor moves a first mailpiece to overlap with a second mailpiece to create shingled mailpieces. A second shingling conveyor moves a first mailpiece away from a second mailpiece to de-shingle them to create singulated mailpieces. A camera takes images of the mailpieces in the conveyor and image analysis software is used to determine dimensional aspects of the mailpieces that are used to control the belt speeds to move mailpieces with respect to each other. A mail processing system may include a mail processing station that scans addresses, applies postage and/or weighs the mailpieces. Mail may be de-shingled prior to being weighed and then re-shingled for subsequent processing, or mail may be shingled prior to passing through a scale if weighing is not necessary.

A mail singulator system determines a position of an optical panel to automatically adjust a loading conveyor speed to prevent stacked and overlapped mailpieces in the singulator and large gaps between mailpieces. The optical panel is configured between the front mailpiece of a mail stack on the loading conveyor and the optical sensor. The optical panel changes position with the pressure exerted by the mail stack and provides signals to the controller to adjust the conveyor speed. An optical sensor may detect a far threshold position or limit distance to increase the speed of the conveyor and may detect a near threshold position of limit distance to reduce the speed of the conveyor. The optical panel may have a low friction surface to allow the mail to slide into the conveyor and an optical surface to allow reliable optical sensor detection of the optical panel position.

A sheet processing apparatus is described. The sheet processing apparatus includes a housing section, a conveyance mechanism and a controller. The housing section accommodates a sheet. The conveyance mechanism conveys the sheet accommodated in the housing section to a predetermined position at the downstream side in a sheet conveyance direction. The controller controls the conveyance mechanism to remove a needle-free binding section of a sheet bundle if a conveyance jam of the sheet occurs.

A transmission device includes a driving motor, a separation roller module, a correction roller module, a discharging roller module, a first clutch, a second clutch, a third clutch and a plurality of sensors which are mounted to an automatic sheet feeder. The first clutch is disposed between the driving motor and the separation roller module. The second clutch is disposed between the driving motor and the correction roller module. The third clutch is disposed between the driving motor and the discharging roller module. The plurality of the sensors sense signal variations at the time of a leading end or a tail end of each of the documents passing through the plurality of the sensors, and the plurality of the sensors transmit the signal variations to the first clutch, the second clutch and the third clutch.

A mail singulator system determines a position of an optical panel to automatically adjust a loading conveyor speed to prevent stacked and overlapped mailpieces in the singulator and large gaps between mailpieces. The optical panel is configured between the front mailpiece of a mail stack on the loading conveyor and the optical sensor. The optical panel changes position with the pressure exerted by the mail stack and provides signals to the controller to adjust the conveyor speed. An optical sensor may detect a far threshold position or limit distance to increase the speed of the conveyor and may detect a near threshold position of limit distance to reduce the speed of the conveyor. The optical panel may have a low friction surface to allow the mail to slide into the conveyor and an optical surface to allow reliable optical sensor detection of the optical panel position.