Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus includes a sheet supporting portion, a feeding portion, a conveying portion configured to convey the sheet fed by the feeding portion, a separation member, a returning portion, the returning portion pushing the sheet back toward the sheet supporting portion by moving from a retracting position to a protruding position, and a pressing portion including a contact portion configured to contact the sheet. The pressing portion is configured to press the sheet from above via the contact portion such that the sheet is pushed toward the returning portion in a state where the returning portion is positioned at the protruding position and below the sheet.

Abstract: A sheet conveying device includes a sheet tray on which one or more sheets are placed, a pickup roller by which a sheet is picked up from the sheet tray, and an elevating mechanism. The elevating mechanism includes a shaft rotated by a motor, and a cam attached to the shaft and rotated together with the shaft to raise and lower the sheet tray with respect to the pickup roller. The sheet conveying device further includes a load applying mechanism contacting the shaft to apply a load thereto.

Abstract: A feeding device includes a stacked portion on which materials to be fed are stacked, a feeding roller that feeds the materials to be fed stacked on the stacked portion, a cam that performs first rotation in a state of being in contact with a mounting member on which the feeding roller is mounted and raises the feeding roller, an elastic member that lowers the raised feeding roller to the stacked portion while causing the cam that is in contact with the mounting member to perform second rotation with an elastic force acting on the mounting member, and an applying unit that applies a rotation resistance to the cam performing the second rotation.

Abstract: A turnable sheet stopper blocks and passes a sheet conveyed on a sheet guide, and includes a proximal portion, a distal portion connected to the end of the proximal portion, and a folding mechanism that connects the distal portion to the proximal portion. The sheet stopper transitions between first and second positions. In the second position, the proximal and distal portions integrally turn to the downstream side in the sheet conveyance direction to allow the sheet to pass. The sheet stopper transitions from the second position to a third position when a user draws out the sheet from an upstream side. In the third position, the distal portion folds toward the upstream side to allow the sheet to be drawn out. During transition from the second position to the third position, the edge of the distal portion is located on or away from an outer surface of the sheet guide.

Abstract: In the invention described, an actuating solenoid on one side of a printer wall connects to a pawl by a lever component. The lever has a pawl-actuating post extending through a wall window so that it may interface with a flared slot on the clutch's pawl. By extending the post through the wall window, space is saved when the printer door is closed because the solenoid does not need to be on the inside of the wall.

Abstract: A medium-transporting device includes: a medium-mounting section on which a medium is mounted; a feeding unit that includes a feeding roller and that is configured to be displaced between a contact posture and a separation posture; a first restricting member that is provided downstream of the feeding roller in the transport direction and that is configured to switch between a restriction posture in which the first restricting member restricts movement of the medium and a retreat posture in which the first restricting member permits the movement of the medium; a first motor configured to generate power for rotating the feeding roller; and a second motor configured to generate power for switching a posture of the first restricting member, in which an operation of rotating the feeding roller and an operation of switching the first restricting member from the restriction posture to the retreat posture are performed in parallel.

Abstract: A holder supports a separation member. When a sheet cassette is attached to a main body portion, as the sheet cassette is moved in its attachment direction, a moving mechanism causes the holder to move from an initial position to an operation position. When the holder is at the initial position, the separation member is spaced from a feeding member and is able to pass below the feed-out member. When at the operation position, the holder presses the separation member against the feeding member. When the sheet cassette is attached to the main body portion, the moving mechanism causes the holder to move to the operation position after the separation member passes below the feed-out member. When the sheet cassette is drawn from the main body portion, the moving mechanism causes the holder to move to the initial position before the separation member reaches below the feed-out member.

Abstract: A sheet stacking part stacks sheets. A first roller applies a force in a conveyance direction to an uppermost sheet among sheets stacked on the sheet stacking part by rotating in a forward direction. A second roller is separated from the first roller on the downstream side in the conveyance direction. The second roller applies the force in the conveyance direction to the uppermost sheet by rotating in the forward direction. A controller controls rotation of the first roller and the second roller so that a second main operation is performed after a first main operation. The first main operation is an operation of rotating only the first roller of the first roller and the second roller in the forward direction. The second main operation is an operation of rotating both the first roller and the second roller in the forward direction.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a portable sublimation printer capable of simultaneously controlling up/down of a platen roller of a portable thermal sublimation printer and up/down of a printing medium pickup roller with a rack and pinion mechanism. A portable sublimation printer having a small thickness and a light weight to a rack apparatus of a portable sublimation printer is provided.

Abstract: A sheet feeding device includes a pickup roller, a lifting/lowering mechanism, and a driver device. The lifting/lowering mechanism includes a restricting member that releasably restricts the pickup roller from being lowered from a lifted position of the pickup roller at the lifted position. In the sheet feeding device, the driver device drives the lifting/lowering mechanism so that the pickup roller is lowered from the lifted position of the pickup roller, and a drive suspend operation is performed in which the driving of the lifting/lowering mechanism by driver device is suspended after a predetermined time during which the pickup roller does not contact a sheet loading tray or a sheet on the sheet loading tray elapses from a time point when the pickup roller is released from being restricted by the restricting member at the lifted position.

Abstract: A medium transport device includes a feeding unit that can be disposed at a contact position and a retracted position, a first restriction member that rotates between a restriction position and a release position, and a transport guide positioned on a side opposite to the feeding unit with a transport path interposed therebetween. When the first restriction member is positioned at the restriction position, the first restriction member maintains a state in which the feeding unit is positioned at the retracted position by the tip end contacting the feeding unit. When the first restriction member is positioned at the restriction position, the tip end thereof is positioned closer to the mounting portion side than the position of the rotation axis of the first restriction member in the transport direction.

Abstract: A sheet conveyer, having a sheet tray, a tray-driving mechanism, a conveyance guide, a feed roller, a conveyer-driving mechanism, a first sensor, and a controller, is provided. The controller controls the tray-driving mechanism and the conveyer-driving mechanism, during a sequential conveying action, when the first sensor detects an upper-surface level being at a lower limit of a correct range, delay a lift-start timing, at which the tray-driving mechanism starts moving the sheet tray upward, to be later at least than a timing, at which the feed roller after feeding one of the sheets completely and pausing resumes rotating for feeding a next one of the sheets, and cause the sheet tray to complete moving to a higher position prior to completion of feeding of the next sheet.

Abstract: In an example, a clamp may include a chassis, a swingarm disposed on the chassis, a clamp wheel disposed on a first end of the swingarm to engage with a drag portion of the chassis, and an auxiliary bias member to exert a force against the clamp wheel to resist a rotation of the clamp wheel. The force may periodically increase in magnitude.

Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus includes a tray on which a sheet is to be placed, a feeding roller, a separating portion that forms a separation nip to separate sheets, a rotating member provided between the feeding position and the separation nip in a sheet conveying direction, a first detecting sensor, a second detecting sensor, a driving source, and a control portion. The rotating member rotates by being pushed by a leading end of the sheet. The control portion detects a position of a trailing end of a preceding sheet separated by the separating portion by using the second detecting sensor, and detects presence or absence of a subsequent sheet placed on the tray by using the first detecting sensor. Based on detection results of the first detecting sensor and second detecting sensor, the control portion controls the driving source such that the feeding roller starts to feed the subsequent sheet.

Abstract: A medium feeding apparatus includes a pickup roller that feeds a medium from a medium mount section. A support member supports a pickup roller and swings around a swing axis to switch between a feeding position and a non-feeding position. A separation roller separates the medium from other media. A feed roller feeds the medium toward the downstream end. The separation and feed rollers are disposed downstream of the pickup roller. A control section controls a position of the support member. After the pickup roller and the feed roller start rotating, when the control section determines that the separation roller stops rotating or returns the medium by rotating in a reverse direction, based on a detection signal from a rotation sensing section configured to detect rotation of the separation roller, the control section causes the support member to switch from the feeding position to the non-feeding position.

Abstract: In order to downsize an overall apparatus without setting the swing angle of a swing member to be unnecessarily large, a pickup roller, which is for feeding a document disposed on a feeding tray, is supported by a pickup arm that is swingable about a rotation shaft. Depending on the rotational direction of the rotation axis, the pickup arm swings between a first position, in which the pickup roller is in contact with the document on the feeding tray, and a second position, in which the pickup roller is above and not in contact with the feeding tray. An arm member is rotated by rotation of the rotation axis after the pickup arm swings to the second position.

Abstract: Provided is a printing apparatus comprising: a discharging unit configured to convey and discharge print media; a tray configured to receive print media discharged in a first direction from the discharging unit; and a drive unit configured to move the tray in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. In discharging print media, the tray is moved in the second direction to thereby receive the discharged print media at a plurality of different positions on the tray. The tray is movable to a take-out position being a position closer in the second direction to a take-out side where print media are taken out than any of the positions at which the tray receives the print media discharged from the discharging unit.

Abstract: A sheet feeding device includes a feeder, a contact member, a movement restricting member, a moving mechanism, and control circuitry. The feeder is configured to feed a sheet. A leading end of the sheet in a feeding direction is to contact the contact member. The movement restricting member is configured to lock the contact member to restrict movement of the contact member from a contact position where the contact member contacts the sheet. The moving mechanism is configured to move the movement restricting member between a locking position and a lock releasing position. The contact member is configured to take the contact position by gravity or a biasing force of a biasing part. The control circuitry is configured to control the moving mechanism to move the movement restricting member to the lock releasing position and then to the locking position when a feeding operation of the sheet is finished.

Abstract: A sheet conveying device includes a sheet supporting portion, a first lever pivotable by contact with a sheet supported by the sheet supporting portion, a hook movable together with the first lever, a first cam configured to, when engaging the hook, stop rotating in a rotation direction of the first cam, a spring configured to urge the first cam in a rotation direction, a sector gear rotatable together with the first cam, a drive gear configured to, when engaging the sector gear, transmit a drive force to the sector gear, a feed roller rotatable in contact with the sheet, and a drive mechanism configured to receive a drive force from the sector gear and move one of the feed roller and the sheet supporting portion toward the other of the feed roller and the sheet supporting portion, to increase contact pressure between the feed roller and the sheet.

Abstract: A sheet folding device includes first and second folding rollers as a pair arranged on a sheet transfer path located downstream of a printing unit and configured to form a fold on a printed sheet. At least the first folding roller includes a small-diameter portion formed at a position corresponding to a range of a width of a separating roller in the sheet width direction, and a large-diameter portion formed at a position other than the position of the small-diameter portion.

Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus, comprising: a feeding rotating member; a cam member; a driving force transfer portion configured to transfer a driving force from a drive source to the cam member and include a one-way clutch the one-way clutch transferring a driving force causing the cam member to rotate in a first direction; a link member configured to press the support member to rotate based on the rotation of the cam member; and a brake unit configured to reduce a rotational torque which is generated by the cam member pressing the link member to cause the cam member to rotate in a first direction in a case where the cam member rotates in the first direction by a driving force transferred from the drive source through the driving force transfer portion to make the feeding rotating member move from the separation position to the feed position.

Abstract: A coupling mechanism of the present disclosure includes a drive transmission member, a coupling member and a biasing member. The drive transmission member includes a shaft portion and an engagement pin. The coupling member includes a plurality of engagement protrusions and a holding protrusion which is smaller than the engagement protrusion. The holding protrusion makes contact with the engagement pin in a state where the engagement pin makes contact with the pressing surface. A load in a reverse rotation direction is applied from the holding protrusion to the engagement pin when the coupling member is reversely rotated.

Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus includes a first rotary member to feed a sheet supported on a sheet supporter, a second rotary member to feed the sheet with a feeding force weaker than the first rotary member, and a third rotary member in contact with a separation member to separate the sheets fed by the first rotary member one by one. A drive transmission switches between a first drive transmission state in which a driving force from a motor to the first rotary member and the third rotary member is transmitted while the driving force from the motor to a second rotary member is cut off, and a second drive transmission state in which the driving force from the motor to the second rotary member is transmitted while the driving force from the motor to the first rotary member and the third rotary member is cut off.

Abstract: A media separation apparatus may include: a pickup roller disposed at one side of the loaded media, and configured to sequentially pick up and transfer the loaded media; a feed roller disposed separately from the pickup roller in a media feeding direction, and configured to feed the media picked up and transferred by the pickup roller toward a transfer path; and a media separator disposed at a position facing the feed roller, having a plurality of separation rollers and a separation belt wound around a part of the circumference of each of the separation rollers, and configured to separate a following medium from a leading medium through friction of the separation belt, the following medium being in close contact with the leading medium fed by the feed roller and transferred at the same time as the leading medium.

Abstract: A pressing unit used for pressing a pressing member into a pressing target includes a plurality of attachment portions to which the pressing member is attached, in a detachable manner; and a pressing force generation mechanism which generates different pressing forces in each of the attachment portions.

Abstract: A medium storage box is provided. The medium storage box includes a first supporting plate for storing first medium, a second supporting plate spaced apart from the first supporting plate, for storing second medium, and a pickup roller, disposed between the first supporting plate and the second supporting plate, for selectively picking up one of the first medium and the second medium.

Abstract: A sheet feeding roller 101 which feeds a sheet S stacked on a sheet supporting plate 110 capable of being lifted and lowered is swingably supported at a swing end of a sheet feeding roller supporting arm 104 which is arranged swingably in an up-and-down direction and a roller biasing member applies a force to the sheet feeding roller supporting arm in a direction that the sheet feeding roller is pressed to sheets S stacked on a sheet stack tray. A swing fulcrum 104a is arranged in a range between a tangential line of the sheet feeding roller at the upstreammost pressing position against the sheet feeding direction and a tangential line of the sheet feeding roller at the downstreammost pressing position out of pressing positions where the sheet feeding roller is pressed to the sheets as being varied in accordance with a sheet stacking state of the sheets.

Abstract: When a sheet is determined to arrive at a registration roller, a motor is temporarily stopped and then, is rotated so as to return a cam to an initial position. When the motor is rotated, in a case where a relation between a rotation angle ? of the cam at the time of stopping the motor and a rotation angle ? of the cam according to the rotation of the motor in a time required for the motor until acceleration up to constant-speed rotation from a stopped state of the motor and until deceleration from the constant-speed rotation and stop after the deceleration is “?<360??”, the motor is rotated at a first speed by controlling acceleration/deceleration of the motor and, in a case where the relation is “?>360??”, the motor is rotated at a constant second speed lower than the first speed.

Abstract: A sheet conveyer comprises a sheet support surface; a first roller to convey sheets; a second roller to separate one by one the sheets to convey a sheet downstream; a holder configured to be swingably supported about a swing center axis, wherein the first roller is attached to the holder to be rotatable; and a guide formed of a separate member and comprising a guide surface extending upstream with respect to an upstream end portion of the holder and the guide guides the sheet to a portion below the holder and the first roller.

Abstract: The moving mechanism of a sheet feeding device has a first moving member and a second moving member. The first moving member is held in a position corresponding to the number of sheets supported by a sheet support member, and when moving in a specific direction can move the sheet support member in the separation direction away from a paper feed roller. The second moving member moves out and back through a specific range of movement in each revolution of the paper feed roller, engages the first moving member and moves the first moving member in the specific direction when moving out, and releases said engagement when moving back.

Abstract: A recording apparatus includes a support unit that supports a recording medium; a feed roller that feeds the medium by rotating in contact with the recording medium supported on the support unit; and a swing member that displaces the feed roller comes in contact with and separates from the recording medium, and is provided to support the feed roller and be able to swing with a swing shaft, in which the swing member includes a regulating portion that is able to attain a first state separated from the support unit in a state in which the feed roller is in contact with the recording medium, and a second state that regulates a number of recording media set on the support unit by relatively approaching the support unit more closely than in the first state in a state in which the feed roller is separated from the recording medium.

Abstract: A sheet feeder, which is included in an image forming apparatus, includes a sheet bypass member openably closable to one side surface of a body of the image forming apparatus, a pickup roller to feed and convey a sheet loaded on the sheet bypass member, and an arm to hold the pickup roller and to open and close with the pickup roller. The arm includes a contact portion extending in a shape of projection toward an upstream side from the pickup roller in a sheet conveying direction of the sheet bypass member. As the sheet bypass member is rotated upward to be closed and stored to the side surface of the body, the contact portion of the arm contacts the sheet bypass member to rotate the arm upward to cause the sheet bypass member to approach to the side surface of the body.

Abstract: A sheet conveying device such as a feed mechanism includes a pick-up roller and a cover member. The pick-up roller feeds, into an apparatus, a sheet such as a document on a placing table such as a document placing table on which the sheet is placed. The cover member such as a pick-up cover covers the pick-up roller. The cover member is supported at both ends thereof on a shaft of the pick-up roller or on shaft bearings that receive the shaft of the pick-up roller.

Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus includes a stacking plate configured to stack sheets, a sheet feeding unit configured to feed the sheets by contacting the sheets stacked on the stacking plate, an elevating unit configured to elevate the stacking plate by a drive transmitted from a drive unit, a drive transmission unit configured to transmit the drive from the drive unit to drive the sheet feeding unit, and a clutch mechanism configured to cause the drive transmission unit to transmit the drive from the drive unit to the sheet feeding unit after the elevating unit urges the sheets stacked on the stacking plate toward the sheet feeding unit by elevating the stacking plate.

Abstract: A scan mechanism and a scan module are provided. The scan mechanism adapted to be used in a scan module includes a rack and a scan unit. The rack has an engaging surface, a bottom surface and a plurality of teeth disposed on the engaging surface. Each of the teeth comprises a top end, wherein the distance between the centers of any two adjacent top ends is W, the shortest distance from the top end of each tooth to the bottom surface of the rack is D, and W/D is from 0.56 to 0.79. The scan unit includes a gear engaged with the teeth of the rack and adapted to roll along the engaging surface of the rack, wherein the scan unit is slidably disposed on the rack through the gear.

Abstract: The present invention provides a printing apparatus and a printing method, in which a very thick and rigid printing medium such as board paper can be conveyed with stable conveyance accuracy, and in which a high-quality image can be printed thereon. In order to achieve this, paper on a front tray is conveyed onto a rear tray approximately along a plane containing a position on a platen, and then the paper is conveyed onto the front tray through the position on the platen. When the paper passes through the position on the platen, an image is printed on the paper.

Abstract: An automatic document feeder includes an upper cover, a pick-up arm, a restriction element, and a document stopper. The pick-up arm is movable between a first position and a second position. A rotating shaft of the restriction element is pivotally coupled to the pick-up arm. A rotating shaft of the document stopper is pivotally coupled to the upper cover. Moreover, the rotating shaft of the restriction element and the rotating shaft of the document stopper are not in parallel with each other. When the pick-up arm is located at the first position, a swinging action of the document stopper is limited by the restriction element. When the pick-up arm is located at the second position, the swinging action of the document stopper is no longer limited by the restriction element, so that the document stopper can be freely swung.

Abstract: An image recording device having a recording unit to record an image on a sheet is provided. The image recording unit includes a feed guide defining a first conveying path; an arm disposed between the recording unit and the tray, the arm having a feed roller rotatably disposed at a free end and configured to feed the sheet in the tray to the first conveying path. The arm pivots between a first arm position, and a second arm position. The return guide pivots between a first return guide position, and a second return guide position. A space occupied by the return guide in the first return guide position overlaps a space occupied by the arm in the second arm position. The return guide is in the second return guide position when the arm is in the second arm position which is retracted from an insertion space occupied by the tray.

Abstract: A recording medium feeding device includes a first support member that supports a feed roller and is configured to be swingable about a pivot shaft so that the first support member swings to displace the feed roller in directions to and away from the recording medium, a first engagement section that includes a gear that swings with the first support member, and a second engagement section that is engageable with the first engagement section when the first support member swings to move the feed roller away from the recording medium, wherein engagement of the first engagement section and the second engagement section is maintained in a state where a power in a swing direction is not transmitted to the first support member, and engagement of the first engagement section and the second engagement section is released when the power in the swing direction is transmitted to the first support member.

Abstract: A document conveying device of the present disclosure includes a feeding unit, a stopper, and a restriction surface. The feeding unit is swingably supported on a first swinging fulcrum and is disposed selectively at a paper feeding position or at a retracted position. The stopper is swingably supported on a second swinging fulcrum, and has a document restriction portion and an engagement piece. The restriction surface is provided on the main body side of the document conveying device, and extends downward from a position coinciding with a first trajectory toward an inner side of the first trajectory, while extending downward from a position coinciding with a second trajectory toward an inner side of the second trajectory. When the feeding unit is at the retracted position, the engagement piece is engaged with the restriction surface, and when the feeding unit is at the paper feeding position, the engagement therebetween is released.

Abstract: An image reader is provided, which includes a feed tray that has a loading surface and is swingable around a first swing axis parallel to a width direction of a document sheet placed on the feed tray between a first position where the loading surface is directed downward above a housing and a second position where the loading surface is directed upward at an upstream side relative to the housing in the feeding direction, a first opening formed between the housing and the feed tray placed in the second position, the first opening being configured such that an inside of the housing communicates with an outside of the housing therethrough, a second opening formed in a position higher than a power supply unit and lower than the first opening inside the housing, and a communication path through which the first opening communicates with the second opening.

Abstract: A sheet feeder includes a sheet placing portion, a feeding member, a supporting body, a driver, an electromagnetic clutch and a retraction controller. The supporting body is capable of changing a posture between a sheet feeding posture of the feeding member and a retracting posture for retracting the feeding member. The electromagnetic clutch is capable of changing a state between an engaged state in which a drive force is transmitted to the supporting body and a disengaged state in which the drive force is not transmitted to the supporting body. The retraction controller stops the output of a drive force after the electromagnetic clutch is set in the engaged state and the supporting body is set to the retracting posture by the drive force, and sets the electromagnetic clutch in the disengaged state when an engagement keeping time elapses after the output of the drive force is stopped.

Abstract: A paper-feeding device and a multi-function printer (MFP) using the paper-feeding device are provided. The MFP includes a housing with the paper-feeding device installed thereon. The paper-feeding device includes an outer case, an inner case and a retainer. The outer case has first side-walls, openings and slots, in which each opening and each slot on the opening are correspondingly disposed on each first side-wall. The inner case is located beside the first side-walls of the outer case and has a second side-wall. The second side-wall has a position-limiting rib protruding towards the first side-walls. The retainer is located between the first side-walls and has a body, a protrusion and a pivot, in which the protrusion is disposed at a top-portion of the body and correspondingly located in the slots, and the pivot is located between the protrusion and a retaining-portion of the body and correspondingly locked in the openings.

Abstract: A sheet conveyer device is provided. The sheet conveyer device includes a sheet tray, a feeder roller, a separator roller, a roller holder to rotatably support the feeder roller and to be coupled with the separator roller, spreading from a separator roller side toward a feeder roller side, to be movable between a first position and a second position, a manipulation arm configured to be coupled to the roller holder and to manipulate the roller holder to move between the first position and the second position, and a driving unit to drive the manipulation arm to move the roller holder. The manipulation arm is coupled to the roller holder at a coupled section, which is in a position between the feeder roller and the separator roller and in a position between two tangent planes which are common to the feed roller and the separator roller.

Abstract: ADF includes a pickup roller, an arm, a regulatory member, a drive motor and a control section. The pickup roller is supported at shaft thereof by the arm swung between a lowered position and a raised position. The drive motor supplies a driving force for the swing to the arm. The regulatory member constrains the arm from moving upward across the raised position. The control section sets a setting-speed of the drive motor to a first speed by which much importance is attached to the reduction of driving noise of the drive motor when a first driving factor causing the arm to move from the neighborhood of the raised position occurs, and sets the setting-speed to a second speed by which much importance is attached to the reduction of contact noise with the regulatory member when a second driving factor causing the arm to move from the lowered position occurs.

Abstract: A link member is rotatably supported by a lifting plate. When the lifting plate moves upward and downward, the movement of the link member is guided by a guide portion provided on a link guide hole. Before sheet feeding starts, the movement of the link member is regulated by a holding portion provided on a lower end of the guide portion so as to hold the lifting plate in a standby position against a biasing force of a feed spring. When the sheet is fed, a feed cam rotating integrally with a feed roller presses the link member to release the link member from being locked by the holding portion of the link guide hole to thereby make the link member movable along the guide portion.

Abstract: A pick mechanism is described. The pick mechanism comprises: a movable pick component; a stepper motor; and, a stepper motor controller. The stepper motor is operably connected to the pick component to drive the pick component in a sequence of movements, and each movement involves the pick component travelling in one direction between one position and another position in a required time. The controller produces control signals that control the motor such that the pick component is driven during a movement at or close to the minimum rate of acceleration required to complete the movement in the required time.

Abstract: A sheet material feeding device includes a send-out means that is pressed to contact with the uppermost surface of the sheet material stacked on the sheet material stacking member to move the contact surface in a predetermined direction for sending out the sheet material, a lift up/down means that moves the sheet material stacking member between a feeding position and a separate position, a member to be detected that can move in the up and down direction when the sheet material stacking member moves, a detecting member that can output a detection signal when the member to be detected moves to a predetermined position, and a cassette that supports the sheet material stacking member and can be attached and detached from an apparatus main body. The cassette has an engaging portion for moving the member to be detected to the predetermined position when being attached to the apparatus main body.

Abstract: When a sheet is fed, a feeding roller is rotated in the direction opposite to the direction in which the sheet is fed to draw out the uppermost sheet from a separation claw, and then the sheet is fed in such a manner that the feeding roller is rotated in the direction in which the sheet is fed to feed the drawn out sheet along the upper surface of a separation claw. When the sheet is fed, a curvature formation portion curves downward both ends in the width direction of the second and subsequent sheets to integrally lower pressing portions for pressing both ends in the width direction of the sheet along with the curved sheets and to separate the pressing portions from the uppermost sheet, thereby preventing the leading end of the uppermost sheet from catching the pressing portions.

Abstract: A sheet feeder includes a pickup roller for feeding a sheet on a tray toward a predetermined processing position, an arm member rotatably supporting the pickup roller, a rotary shaft supported on the housing to be rotatable about an axis thereof, a coupling member for coupling the arm member and the rotary shaft, a pivoting mechanism for pivoting the arm member via the rotary shaft so that the pickup roller shifts its position between a feeding position and a retracted position, and a controller for controlling the operation of the pivoting mechanism. The controller controls the arm member to pivot in such a direction that the pickup roller moves toward the retracted position when a sheet is placed on the tray.