Abstract: A sheet material feeding device for sending out sheet materials mounted on a sheet material mounting portion one by one by a feeding roller, includes an elastic member with the angle changed elastically by being abutted against by the sheet materials sent out, for separating the sheet materials by being moved over by the sheet materials, and a return assisting unit to be contacted with the elastic member for facilitating the return of the angle change of the elastic member to the original state.

Abstract: A paper feeding apparatus includes: a frame forming one of a paper stacker and a paper feed tray on which paper is stackable; a paper feed unit disposed above the frame and including a pickup roller which picks up the paper; and an active paper separator disposed at a lower part of the frame in the paper feeding direction thereof, contacting leading ends of sheets disposed in the frame, rotatable in an anti-paper feeding direction opposite the feeding direction so as to actively rub the leading ends and thereby separate and feed the sheets one at a time when the sheets of paper are picked up by the pickup roller.

Abstract: A paper separation mechanism that requires no complicated design or manufacturing and prevents feeding of a plurality of sheets of paper simultaneously to assure sheet-by-sheet feeding of paper, and a paper feed apparatus using such a paper separation mechanism. In the paper feed apparatus, paper is fed sheet by sheet by cooperation of a paper feed roller and the paper separation mechanism which is abutted by the lower end of the paper stacked in an inclined state. The paper separation mechanism is provided with a plurality of projections which are abutted by the lower end of the paper and a plurality of arm portions holding the projections, respectively. Since each projection is not affected by the neighboring projection, load imposed by the paper on the each projection can be controlled independently by the corresponding arm portion.

Abstract: A media separator includes an elongated body having a series of formations thereon. The formations have angular surfaces for engaging a leading edge of sheets advancing therealong. As the leading edges move against the formations, separation between the sheets is enhanced.

Abstract: The present invention provides an automatic paper feed apparatus which can reliably prevent papers from being discharged in an overlapped state in spite of simple construction. The automatic paper feed apparatus comprises a paper feed roller for automatically feeding a plurality of papers in order from an uppermost one, with the plurality of papers being contained in a cassette in a stacked state. A holding member having flexibility is provided so that the holding member comes into contact with the uppermost paper to generate a friction force that is weaker than that between the paper feed roller and the uppermost paper.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for positioning media that in an embodiment includes a plate attached to a wall along a pivot axis. A spring is attached to the wall and to the plate, and the spring expands to push the plate and the media to a picking location.

Abstract: In a sheet-supply device, a substantially T-shaped cutaway portion is provided in a projected portion, which is provided to an inclined wall and at a position corresponding to a sheet-supply roller near a lower end of the inclined wall that holds a stack of sheets loaded to a hopper portion. A first friction member is slidably supported in the cutaway portion so as to slide along the inclined wall from a downstream, normal position to an upstream position in a sheet feed direction. The first friction member includes a base portion and a pad portion, the pad portion is made of corkrubber and adhered to a surface of the base portion. A frictional coefficient ? of the pad portion is relatively high, i.e., frictional coefficient between adjacent sheets (approximately 0.6)???1.0.

Abstract: An auxiliary support plate is connected, by a leaf spring, to a middle portion of a lower end of a sheet holder, in a sheet width direction, so that a lower end part of the auxiliary support plate rotates and retracts below an upper surface of the sheet holder. A sheet feed roller, facing an upper surface of the auxiliary support plate, is rotatably supported by an arm, which can rotate about a drive shaft disposed upstream in a sheet advance direction.

Abstract: A sheet-supply device includes a pair of stopper members provided to a bottom plate of a hopper portion so as to move between a protruding position where upper surfaces of the stopper members protrude from a surface of the bottom plate and a retracted position where upper surfaces of the stopper members retract from the surface of the bottom plate, and a position change mechanism moving the stopper members between the protruding and retracted positions. By changing a timing of ascending the stopper members to the protruding position according to a type of the sheets to be fed, an appropriate resistance is applied to all of the sheets in the hopper portion except a topmost sheet during a sheet feed operation, thereby preventing a multi-feed problem.

Abstract: A paper feeding apparatus in an image forming apparatus including a paper-entering angle varying portion disposed in a frame to vary the angle of a leading end of a sheet entering a paper separating member according to the thickness or stiffness of the paper being fed. The paper-entering angle varying portion includes a paper leading end bending guide formed on the bottom surface of the frame in which paper is stacked. The paper feeding apparatus can prevent a paper feed problem, for example, multi sheet feed or a sheet feed failure by varying the paper-entering angle using the paper leading end bending guide when the paper is picked up according to the stiffness of the paper being fed.

Abstract: A media loading and separation system includes a spring pick block with an inclined surface having a lower end; an indentation, formed near the lower end of the inclined surface, having a substantially vertical surface; and a spring arm movably disposed in response to a media stack with respect to the inclined surface between rearward and forward positions. The media separation system can also include a corner media separator to engage a corner of the media stack.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a separation member in contact with a sheet for separating the sheet with frictional force, comprising plurality of protrusion members, each structured of a supporting portion upright from an operation surface for the sheet and a distal end portion formed at a distal end of the supporting portion capable of contacting to the sheet. The supporting portion of the protrusion member is inclined toward a downstream side in a sheet feeding direction with respect to a direction perpendicular to the operation surface of the sheet.

Abstract: A method and a device for transferring at least two sheets, which are arranged in a shingled mode of arrangement in a sheet transport direction, to a sheet handling machine in which the at least two sheets are moved at a first speed after the transfer, a first and a second sheet being spaced by a certain length of displacement in the sheet transport direction. The two sheets are first supplied to the sheet handling machine at a second speed which is higher than the first speed. As soon as the first sheet is decelerated to the first speed in the sheet handling machine, the second sheet is decelerated to a third speed which is lower than the second speed.

Abstract: A fixed separating plate, having a separating strip, is provided to a middle of a lower end portion of a sheet holder, which holds a plurality of sheets, in a sheet width direction. A pair of first and second movable separating plates are provided on each side of the fixed separating plate. The first and second movable separating plates are upwardly urged and can descend lower than the fixed separating plate. The first and second movable separating plates independently rotate downward when the first and second movable separating plates are pressed by leading edges of the sheets that are subjected to a sheet feeding force from the sheet feed roller. With this structure, the degree of the inclined angles of the movable separating plates, which receive the leading edges of the side areas of the sheets to be fed, can be changed in accordance with the size and rigidity of the sheets stacked on the sheet holder.

Abstract: A media block system for the input tray of a media processing device. A barricade is provided in the input tray and is movable between blocking and retracted positions. The barricade is moved by an arm and a lever connected to a feed roll shaft whereby rotation of the feed roll shaft moves the barricade.

Abstract: A paper separating guide of a paper feeding cassette for a printing apparatus in which a picking error does not occur when a thick printing paper is stacked in a cassette. In the paper separating guide, a surface friction coefficient varies depending on a position of the printing papers. The friction coefficient is linearly varied depending on the contact position.

Abstract: A paper tray assembly for providing imaging media to an imaging apparatus, includes a base cassette and an insert cassette. The base cassette defines a first receptacle to receive at least a portion of the insert cassette, and the insert cassette defines a second receptacle to receive the imaging media.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a sheet media input structure comprises a sheet media supporting surface and a movable feature downstream from the supporting surface along a media path that extends from the supporting surface to and along the movable feature. The feature is configured to separate a top sheet on a stack of sheets supported on the supporting surface from a next-to-top sheet in the stack. The feature movable between a first position in which the feature impedes a leading edge of sheets fed from the stack along the media path to separate a top sheet from a next-to-top sheet and a second position in which the feature does not impede the leading edge of sheets fed along the media path.

Abstract: A card hopper for holding a stack of identification cards that are to be printed or in other ways processed has an outlet opening on one end through which the cards are fed. The outlet opening is adjustable in size to accommodate cards of different thicknesses by using a control gate that is slidably mounted relative to the hopper and can be adjusted through the use of a cam actuator to change the opening size of the outlet opening. Manual operation is shown using both rotating and sliding cams.

Abstract: In connection with a method for automatically inserting documents to be displayed on a display device and/or copied in a digitizing device, such as microfiches, microfilm jackets or the like, in which process one document at a time is transported from a stack of documents to be processed to a document support and from there to a deposit magazine for the processed documents, provision is made according to the invention that the top document of a stack of documents contained in the holding magazine is pulled up by suction to about the level of the document support and the remaining stack is subsequently retained by suction acting in the opposite direction; the document pulled up by suction is transported sideways to the document support, and deposited on said support by terminating the suction effect, and the document is then picked up by suction again after it has been processed, and is transported to the deposit magazine.

Abstract: A sheet feeder including a hopper that holds a sheet in a stack, a sheet feed roller that touches the sheet on the hopper and feeds the sheet in a sheet feed direction, a face provided on a front end of the hopper with respect to the sheet feed direction so that a leading edge of the sheet being fed bumps into the face, and a plurality of protrusions that are disposed on the face and that bumps into the leading edge of the sheet when the sheet is fed, wherein protrusions are placed on a plurality of lines parallel to the sheet feed direction, only one of the protrusions is placed on each on of the lines, and each one of the protrusions is separated from each other in a direction perpendicular to the sheet feed direction.

Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus, comprising a pad base, a groove along the central line of the pad base, and a spring embedded in the groove, is disclosed. The top of the spring protrudes above the top surface of base and a series of inclined protrusions are formed at two sides of the groove. The sheets are driven by rollers and rise gradually along the protrusions such that the sheets are separated one-by-one. Moreover, a radial arrangement of the ribs and the sheet-separating pad allows the lower edge of each sheet to move smoothly so that paper jams can be prevented.

Abstract: A paper returner is placed in the vicinity of an end portion of a hopper for stacking a plurality of sheets of paper which faces a paper feeding roller, so as to be pivotable between a first position where the paper returner constitutes a part of the paper transporting passage, and a second position where the paper returner is isolated from the paper transporting passage. A separation pad is provided on a first face of the paper returner. The separation pad has a friction coefficient which is higher than a friction coefficient of the first face of the paper returner. The paper returner is placed at the first position so that a top sheet of paper in the hopper is abutted against the paper feeding roller, and is separated from other sheets of paper by the separation pad. The paper returner is placed at the second position so that the first face of the paper returner returns sheets of paper, which are entered in the paper transporting passage together with the sheet of paper to be fed, to the hopper.

Abstract: A paper pick-up device of an image forming apparatus has a rack member disposed on a pickup bracket supporting a pickup roller to pick-up a paper sheet, and a pinion engaged with rack member. The pickup bracket reciprocally moves with according to the paper characteristics set by a printing command, so that the pickup roller moves to one position among at least two positions which are pre-set in accordance with the paper characteristics and picks-up the paper sheet. Accordingly, since the paper pick-up device prevents slip, multiple-transferring, and paper jam from occurring, the paper sheet is accurately picked-up and transferred.

Abstract: A paper separating guide of a paper feeding cassette for a printing apparatus in which a picking error does not occur when a thick printing paper is stacked in a cassette. In the paper separating guide, a surface friction coefficient varies depending on a position of the printing papers. The friction coefficient is linearly varied depending on the contact position.

Abstract: A method for dismantling a stack (1) of flat objects (2, 3) piece by piece, in which the top object (2) of the stack (1) is moved in its plane, gripped at its freed edge and removed from the stack (1). The top object (2) is moved against a stop (5), at least in the region of one of its corners (2b), by a movable separating element (6, 6′) and, as a result of further movement, is bent in such a way that it escapes from the stop (5) and is moved out of the stack (1). The invention further relates to an apparatus for dismantling a stack (1) of flat objects (2, 3) piece by piece.

Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus comprises a pressure plate disposed at a position where sheets first hit the same and a separation plate for separating the sheets. The pressure plate and the separation plate are rotatable independently of each other. The pressure plate is pressed by one spring, while the separation plate is pressed by another spring, against sheet feed roller independently of each other.

Abstract: An apparatus for separating flat products from a pile of flat products, the apparatus including a support and at least one separator for separating a product from a pile of products. The separator is movable with respect to the support and includes a curved surface for contacting an edge of the pile so that a contact point between the separator and the edge of the pile can remain fixed despite adjustments to the penetration depth of the separator.

Abstract: An automatic document feeding apparatus comprises a paper case, a dividing unit, and a paging document-feeding device. The paper case has an open space, for containing a plurality of papers. The dividing unit is disposed at proper location inbeing the open space, for dividing said plurality of papers into paper of a first zone and those of a second zone. The paging document-feeding device is connected with the paper case for feeding a single paper from papers of the first zone.

Abstract: A paper tray assembly for providing imaging media to an imaging apparatus, includes a base cassette and an insert cassette. The base cassette defines a first receptacle to receive at least a portion of the insert cassette, and the insert cassette defines a second receptacle to receive the imaging media.

Abstract: A media feed system with a self-contained propulsion system is provided. A singulator is used to feed a single media piece and a sensor determined when to disengage propulsion.

Abstract: A paper feeding cassette for an image forming apparatus includes an inclined supporter including an inclined plate fixedly disposed in a cassette body and a support plate for reciprocating, a separation guide including a fixing guide fixedly supported on the inclined plate and a moving guide movably supported on the support plate, and a reciprocating unit reciprocating the support plate. Accordingly, the moving guide selectively comes into contact with a sheet such that a friction resistance generated at a front end of the sheet varies in a degree in accordance with a type of the sheet.

Abstract: A separator includes a housing, a feeder mounted in the housing for feeding documents along a feed path and a retard mechanism mounted in the housing along the feed path and opposite to the feeder. The retard mechanism includes a body and a pad attached to the body. The body is mounted at first and second pivot points such that the body and pad can rotate around the first and second pivot points.

Abstract: An automatic paper feeder for an image-scanning device with a pressure-adjustable mechanism for adjusting the paper feeding roller of the automatic paper feeder is disclosed. A pressure from paper sheets stacked on a paper tray of the automatic paper feeder is detected by a paper tray pressure detecting mechanism and transferred to a roller pressure adjusting mechanism to change a pressure between the paper feeding roller and a paper separating plate and adjust a feeding angle of the movable paper tray.

Abstract: A printer comprises a loader (2) for supports (1) to be printed, a printing device (9) and transfer elements delimiting a series of gripping regions (8) forming a transport path (8A) to lead sequentially the printed supports (1) from the outlet (5) of the loader (2) to the printing device (9) and from the printing device (9) toward collection elements disposed below the loader (2). At least the portion of a wall (7) with an opening (4) of the loader (2) is inclined at a positive angle relative to the transport path (8A) to give to the support (1) to be printed an inclination in the inlet direction of a first gripping region (8) of the transport path (8A). The inlet is provided with a deflector (11).

Abstract: An automatic paper feeder with an integrated paper presser and stopper is disclosed. The integrated paper presser and stopper includes a fixing section, a paper pressing section downward extended from the fixing section at an inclined angle toward a paper-out end of the paper tray, a first bent section formed at a lower end of the paper pressing section to define a first gap, a paper stopping section downward extended from the first bent section at an inclined angle toward the paper-out end of the paper tray, and a second bent section formed at a lower end of the paper stopping section to define a second gap which is smaller than the first gap.

Abstract: A sheet feeding device for an image forming apparatus includes a plurality of separator pads each having a particular coefficient of friction with respect to sheets for separating the sheets one by one. An automatic switching mechanism automatically replaces the separator pads. The automatic switching mechanism includes a pad pressure switching section, a pad angle switching section, a ball screw with a worm wheel mounted thereon, a ball nut meshing with the ball screw, a worm meshing with the worm wheel for moving a movable member in the widthwise direction of the sheets via the ball screw, a pad motor for causing the worm to rotate, and a sensor responsive to the position of the movable member. The device automatically selects one of the separator pads and an angle thereof in order to set up optimal sheet feed conditions matching with environmental conditions including temperature and humidity.

Abstract: A card hopper includes a control gate that reliably allows cards of varying thicknesses to be fed individually through an outlet opening without adjustment. The hopper is configured to hold a stack of plastic cards or similar, fairly rigid, substrates. The control gate is positioned at the outlet opening and includes a flexible blade that reduces a height of the outlet opening to less than a thickness of an end card of the stack, whereby the flexible blade flexes in response to the end card when driven through the outlet opening. Also disclosed is a card feeder assembly that includes the above-described hopper.

Abstract: A device for preventing a slip-down of sheets of paper contained in an automatic sheet feeding section obliquely mounted in an ink jet printer is provided. The device includes a buckler body having a plate in contact with a bottom of sheets loaded in the automatic sheet feeding section, a guide projection formed at one side of an upper surface of the buckler body for jumping up a sheet located at the top of the loaded sheets, and at least one or more jack buckler having a plurality of teeth each having a slide side and a threshold side, the slide side guiding the sheet located at the top loaded sheets while the threshold side holds remaining sheets beneath the sheet guided by the slide side.

Abstract: A device for separating or singling sheets, which have been piled up to form a stack, in a feeder of a sheet-processing machine, having a transport element with a guide edge, includes a device for matching the shape of the guide edge to the contour of the topmost sheet at a front side of the stack, as viewed in a sheet transport direction.

Abstract: All the constituent members of a tray 1, for example, a side guide 30, a paper separating claw 50, a tray body 10, a drawing handle member 70, a member for regulating an end guide 40, and a holding member for holding a retard roll 60 each have a snap-fit structure. Therefore, the assembling and disassembling of the tray can be easily performed. The tray is formed only from members that enable all the steps of processes of assembling and disassembling the tray to be performed from the same direction without changing the orientation of the tray.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a sheet feeding apparatus in which double-feeding of thin sheets can be prevented positively and a thick sheet can be fed positively. To achieve the above object, the present invention provides a sheet feeding apparatus comprising sheet feeding means abutting against a sheet contained in sheet containing means to feed out the sheet, and a separating inclined surface for separating and feeding the sheet fed out by the sheet feeding means one by one, wherein the separating inclined surface can be shifted along a sheet advancing direction with the sheet fed out by the sheet feeding means.

Abstract: A sheet feeding mechanism including a singulating assembly and mechanism for accumulating sheets in a stack adjacent the singulating assembly. The singulating assembly comprises a retard roller and a guard adjacent thereto. The retard roller has a first bearing surface at a lower position. A mechanism is provided for feeding single sheets from the stack past the bearing surface of the retard roller and beneath it. The retard roller is adjustable to move the first bearing surface away from its lower position and replacing it with a second bearing surface at the lower position.

Abstract: A thermal printer includes a thermal printer component for image recording to a thermosensitive recording sheet. There is a loading opening through which the thermal printer component is supplied with the recording sheet. Plural guiding projections position the recording sheet in the loading opening. A recording sheet package includes a packaging case for containing a stack of plural recording sheets with looseness. The loading opening is loadable with the packaging case. A package outlet is formed in the packaging case for passage of each recording sheet, and set directed toward the thermal printer component. Plural cutouts are formed in a periphery of the packaging case, and receive the guiding projections. Blocking portions of a blocking frame are disposed inside the packaging case, and close the cutouts. The blocking portions are shiftable inwards from the cutouts by the guiding projections.

Abstract: A card device comprises a card-dispensing stop board which is provided with two racks mounted thereon. The stop board can be adjusted in position by a gear shaft of the card device. The gear shaft is provided with two gears mounted on both ends thereof such that the two gears are meshed with the two racks of the stop board. The gear shaft is provided at one end with a rotary knob for actuating the gear shaft to drive the stop board to displace upward or downward.

Abstract: A card hopper includes a control gate that reliably allows cards of varying thicknesses to be fed individually through an outlet opening without adjustment. The hopper is configured to hold a stack of plastic cards or similar, fairly rigid, substrates. The control gate is positioned at the outlet opening and includes a flexible blade that reduces a height of the outlet opening to less than a thickness of an end card of the stack, whereby the flexible blade flexes in response to the end card when driven through the outlet opening. Also disclosed is a card feeder assembly that includes the above-described hopper.

Abstract: A pile restrictor includes a restrictor body and a restricting blade attached to the body, the restricting blade being adjustable angularly with respect to the body during an operating mode of a sheet feeder. The present invention also provides a pile feed device having a front guide and at least one pile restrictors, each of the pile restrictors connected to the front guide and including a body and a restricting blade attached to the body, the blade being adjustable angularly with respect to the body during the operating mode. Also disclosed is a method of restricting a sheet pile comprising the steps of placing a pile of sheets in a feeder so that the nose of the pile is restricted by a restrictor; and adjusting an angle of the restrictor furing operation of the feeder.

Abstract: The pile of cut sheets (11) are fed one by one, being separated by a friction member (33) which is backed away by a cut sheet (11) advanced thereto by the action of a feeding roller (31). The static friction coefficient between the friction member (33) and a standard sheet of fine paper is set to be 1.0 to 1.5, so as to provide enough amount of frictional force to the interface between the friction member (33) and the cut sheets (11) to ensure the separation of the cut sheets (11).

Abstract: The paper supply device according to the present invention includes a paper support member for supporting paper, a pick-up roller which is in contact with the paper and takes the paper out of the paper support member in a specified direction, and a removing member which is kept in contact with the pick-up roller and removes adherents to the pick-up roller and such a paper supply device is used to feed paper in an image forming apparatus.

Abstract: A paper feeder has a sheet stacking surface for stacking sheets, a paper feeding roller which is in contact with the uppermost surface of the sheets stacked on the sheet stacking surface to feed sheets, a movable separation slope surface against which the stacked sheets abut and which is rotatable between a first position and a second position that differ in the inclination angle made between it and the sheet stacking surface, and a separation control cam for rotating the movable separation slope surface between the first position and the second position. The angle made by the movable separation slope surface and the sheet stacking surface is set to be smaller than the angle when the sheets are separated so that the forward end portion of the pile of sheets stacked will not deform and when the sheets are fed by the paper feeding roller, the angle is set to be the angle when the movable separation slope surface separates the sheets by using the separation control cam.