Abstract: A sheet separator for a printer includes a plurality of inclined separator strips, with a feed mechanism for urging a sheet from a stack toward the separator strips. The separator strips are oriented at an obtuse angle relative to the sheets of the stack, and at least one of the inclined separator strips is a retard separator strip. The retard separator strip includes a first separator surface closer to the stack, and a second separator surface farther from the stack. The second separator surface has a higher coefficient of friction than the first separator surface. The plane of at least a portion of the first separator surface is above the plane of the second separator surface of the same retard separator strip. The proximal portion of the first separator surface nearer to the stack of sheets forms a larger obtuse angle with respect to the sheets than does a distal portion of that first separator surface.

Abstract: A sheet separator for a printer includes a plurality of inclined separator strips, with a feed mechanism for urging a sheet from a stack toward the separator strips. The separator strips are oriented at an obtuse angle relative to the sheets of the stack, and at least one of the inclined separator strips is a retard separator strip. The retard separator strip includes a first separator surface closer to the stack, and a second separator surface farther from the stack. The second separator surface has a higher coefficient of friction than the first separator surface. The plane of at least a portion of the first separator surface is above the plane of the second separator surface of the same retard separator strip. The proximal portion of the first separator surface nearer to the stack of sheets forms a larger obtuse angle with respect to the sheets than does a distal portion of that first separator surface.