A sheet conveying apparatus of an embodiment includes a conveyance path along which a sheet can be conveyed, and a plurality of conveyance rollers configured to move a sheet along the conveyance path. A wireless tag reader/writer is configured to read information from, and write information to, a wireless tag of a sheet on the conveyance path. A phase change detector is configured to detect a phase change in response waves received by the wireless tag reader/writer from a wireless tag. A tag specifying unit is configured to identify whether a wireless tag is moving along the conveyance path based on the detected phase change in response waves from the wireless tag. A controller controls the wireless tag reader/writer to write information to the wireless tag identified as moving along the conveyance path.

A sheet conveying apparatus of an embodiment includes a conveyance path along which a sheet can be conveyed, and a plurality of conveyance rollers configured to move a sheet along the conveyance path. A wireless tag reader/writer is configured to read information from, and write information to, a wireless tag of a sheet on the conveyance path. A controller is configured to detect a phase change in response waves received by the wireless tag reader/writer from a wireless tag. The controller is also configured to identify whether a wireless tag is moving along the conveyance path based on the detected phase change in response waves from the wireless tag. The controller controls the wireless tag reader/writer to write information to the wireless tag identified as moving along the conveyance path.

Systems and methods for printing data on a substrate including a color-changeable material are provided. One system includes a processing circuit and a device including an energy source. At least a portion of a printed publication is printed on the substrate using a commercial printing press based on fixed data. The device including the energy source is configured to add variable data to the substrate. The processing circuit is configured to receive the variable data and to control the energy source to change a color of the color-changeable material based on the variable data to provide at least a portion of the printed publication. The processing circuit is configured to control the energy source to change the color of the color-changeable material in-line with a flow of the substrate through one of a printing line, a finishing line, or a packaging line of the commercial printing press.

A sheet processing apparatus includes circuitry configured to acquire a size of a two-ply sheet, in which two sheets are bonded together at one end, and a size of an insertion sheet; and control a sheet processing operation based on the size of the two-ply sheet and the size of the insertion sheet. The sheet processing operation includes inserting the insertion sheet in the two-ply sheet.

A sheet conveying apparatus of an embodiment includes a conveyance path along which a sheet can be conveyed, and a plurality of conveyance rollers configured to move a sheet along the conveyance path. A wireless tag reader/writer is configured to read information from, and write information to, a wireless tag of a sheet on the conveyance path. A phase change detector is configured to detect a phase change in response waves received by the wireless tag reader/writer from a wireless tag. A tag specifying unit is configured to identify whether a wireless tag is moving along the conveyance path based on the detected phase change in response waves from the wireless tag. A controller controls the wireless tag reader/writer to write information to the wireless tag identified as moving along the conveyance path.

A sheet separation device separates a non-bonding portion of a two-ply sheet in which two sheets are overlapped and bonded together at one end of the two-ply sheet. The sheet separation device includes a separator that includes a first separator and a second separator. The first separator is inserted into a gap between the two sheets of the two-ply sheet. The second separator is inserted between the two sheets at said another end of the two-ply sheet that is opposite to the one end of the two-ply sheet and moves in a width direction of the two-ply sheet after the first separator is inserted into the gap and relatively moves from the one end to said another end.

An image forming method for an image forming apparatus having a fixing rotator and a pressure rotator opposite the fixing rotator includes transferring white toner and color toner onto a surface of a metallic sheet. The metallic sheet has a thermal conductivity of 0.34 W/m.Math.K or less as measured by hot-wire method. The transferring process forms an unfixed color toner layer layered on an unfixed white toner layer on the metallic sheet. Further, the method includes conveying the metallic sheet, with the surface on which the white toner layer and the color toner layer being transferred facing the fixing rotator, between the fixing rotator heated and the pressure rotator to fix the white toner layer and the color toner layer onto the metallic sheet.

An image forming method for an image forming apparatus having a fixing rotator and a pressure rotator opposite the fixing rotator includes transferring white toner and color toner onto a surface of a metallic sheet having a thermal conductivity of 0.34 W/m.Math.K or less as measured by hot-wire method to form an unfixed color toner layer layered on an unfixed white toner layer on the metallic sheet and conveying the metallic sheet, with the surface on which the white toner layer and the color toner layer are transferred facing the fixing rotator, between the fixing rotator heated and the pressure rotator to fix the white toner layer and the color toner layer onto the metallic sheet.

The present invention generally relates to a method of glass article laser printing of photo images (with 3D or emboss effect) (1), comprising steps of: pre-treating said glass article with acid or alkali solution (12), coating a layer of composition on said article (14), ageing said article surface under room or ambient temperature, laser-printing on said glass article surface (16) with at least a laser printing means, and surface finishing said glass article surface by heating process (18). Alternatively, said surface finishing can be achieved by ultra-violet light irradiation, washing with fluid, lamination, or a combination thereof.

An apparatus and methods of decorating a metallic container are provided. More specifically, the present invention relates to apparatus and methods used to provide a decoration or indicia on a predetermined portion of an outer surface of a metallic container body. The decorator includes at least one digital print unit, a transfer blanket, and a support element. The digital print unit transfers a decorating material to the transfer blanket to form a decoration on the transfer blanket. The support element then moves a metallic container into contact with the transfer blanket. In this manner, the decorating material is transferred to an exterior surface portion of the metallic container to decorate the metallic container. In one embodiment, the digital print unit is an electrophotographic system which transfers a toner material to the transfer blanket. In another embodiment, the digital print unit includes an inkjet print head which transfers an ink to the transfer blanket.