Abstract: According to one embodiment, a sheet feed device includes a first roller, a second roller, a torque limiter, a holder, and a driving unit. The first roller conveys a sheet in a first direction while being in contact with a first surface of the sheet. The second roller faces the first roller and is in contact with a second surface which is a back side of the first surface of the sheet in a state of sandwiching the sheet between the second roller and the first roller. The torque limiter imparts an anti-torque to the second roller in order to generate a force on the second surface in a direction opposite to the first direction. The holder rotatably supports the second roller. The driving unit moves the holder and biases the holder toward the first roller.

Abstract: A medium transportation device includes a supply roller configured to send a medium downstream, at least one stopper configured to be switched between a blocking state in which the at least one stopper blocks the transportation path and an open state in which the at least one stopper opens the transportation path, and a controller configured to perform skew correction control in which a leading edge of the medium is brought in contact with the at least one stopper in the blocking state to correct skew of the medium. The controller is configured to obtain information about a stiffness of the medium and, when a second medium having a lower stiffness than a first medium is transported, the controller switches the at least one stopper from the blocking state to the open state to end the skew correction control earlier than the skew correction control of the first medium.

Abstract: A sheet feed device includes a pair of sheet feed rollers, a pair of separation pads, and a first contact portion. The pair of sheet feed rollers are provided in alignment with an interval between them in a width direction perpendicular to a feeding direction in which sheets placed on a sheet placing portion are fed, and feed a sheet from the sheet placing portion. When an overlapping sheet overlaps under a target sheet that is in contact with the pair of sheet feed rollers, the pair of separation pads separate the overlapping sheet from the target sheet. The first contact portion is provided on the holder at a position between the pair of separation pads and projecting more than contact surfaces of the pair of separation pads, and comes in contact with the lower surface of the sheet.

Abstract: In a copier, printer, or similar device, paper is loaded in large quantities. To separate a top sheet of a stack of sheets from the next adjacent sheet, a dam is used, which is an element having an inclined surface in the path of the top sheet. This invention addresses devices with variably compliant separation strips, preferably a thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer such as Pellethane®, that are part of the dam, so that the leading edge of a media sheet will strike the inclined surface of the separation strip. By adjusting the compliance of the separation strip, different weights of media may be accommodated while minimizing the multi-feeds that may cause jamming of the device.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a feeding apparatus capable of feeding media sheet. The feeding apparatus includes first feeding assembly comprising first mount frame, first roller and stopper. The stopper is pivotally connected to the first mount frame and movable with the first roller, the stopper has a covering portion configured to stop the media sheet, the first roller is located in the first mount frame and is movable along a straight path; while the stopper is pressing against the first roller and the first roller is moving along the straight path, the stopper is moved with the first roller so that the covering portion of the stopper is moved close to or away from the straight path.

Abstract: A sheet conveying device includes: a tray; a roller; a roller arm; a lever; and a dust proof cover including: a first cover, a second cover, and a pressure piece. The roller arm is movable between an abutment position where the roller abuts on the tray and a separation position where the roller is away from the tray. The second cover is movable between a first position in proximity to the tray and a second position away from the tray. The pressure piece is away from the lever to permit the roller to be positioned in the abutment position when the second cover is in the first position, and presses the lever to move the roller to the separation position when the second cover is in the second position.

Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus can perform appropriate separation corresponding to the type of sheet without an actuator which changes the separation action of a separation unit. For this purpose, a separation unit includes a first inclined part and a second inclined part, each having different inclination angles, and selects, in accordance with the type (stiffness, thickness, or the like) of sheet to be fed, either one of the first inclined part or the second inclined part as an inclined part used in separating sheets by lifting/lowering a tray, and separates sheets, so that appropriate separation can be performed in accordance with the type of sheet with a simple configuration.

Abstract: A medium feeding device including a medium mounting portion where media are mounted; a feeding roller that feeds the media from the medium mounting portion by contacting a bottommost sheet of the media mounted in the medium mounting portion, and rotating; a separator that separates a sheet of the media by nipping the sheet between the feeding roller and the separator; an abutting member that is provided above the feeding roller, is switchable between a closed posture that blocks a feeding path of the media upstream of the separator and an open posture that opens the feeding path, abuts against a leading edge of the media mounted in the medium mounting portion, and includes a friction surface at a position where the abutting member abuts against the leading edge; and a biasing member that biases the abutting member toward the closed posture.

Abstract: In the separation roller, an entire area of a circumferential surface of the separation roller facing the sending roller is exposed to come in direct contact with the banknote, moving from the storage unit, on the storage unit side with respect to a contact portion which is in contact with the sending roller, both end portions in an axial direction of the separation roller are formed of a material having a friction coefficient smaller than that of a central portion thereof, and the diameter of the both end portions is the same as the diameter of the central portion.

Abstract: A paper feed apparatus includes a paper feeding roller and a separating pad for separating paper one by one and feeding the paper. This separating pad is supported by a separating pad holder to be abutted onto the paper feeding roller with a predetermined pressure. Furthermore, the separating pad holder is provided with a weight member in a loosely-fitted state.

Abstract: A medium conveyance device includes: a first conveyance unit that applies a first conveyance force in a conveyance direction to a lowest medium among media on a medium stacker; a second conveyance unit disposed downstream in the conveyance direction of the first conveyance unit and that applies a second conveyance force in the conveyance direction to the medium being conveyed in the conveyance direction; a detector that detects that a rear end of the lowest medium receiving the first conveyance force passes through the first conveyance unit; and a controller that controls the first and second conveyance units. Upon determining that the rear end of the lowest medium receiving the first conveyance force passes through the first conveyance unit, the controller switches the first conveyance unit from a conveyance state of applying the first conveyance force to a non-conveyance state of not applying the first conveyance force.

Abstract: The invention relates to a medium separation device of an automated teller machine (ATM) that includes a pickup roller for sequentially picking up and feeding stacked media through a friction member on a portion of the outer periphery of the pickup roller, a feed roller for feeding the picked-up and fed media toward a transfer path through a friction member provided on a portion of the outer periphery of the feed roller while rotating with the same phase as the pickup roller, and a medium separation unit for separating a following medium simultaneously fed with a preceding medium fed to the feed roller while in close contact with the bottom, from the preceding medium through a separation belt, to pick up and feed media through a partial roller structure partially having a friction member and simultaneously perform the separation of the media through the medium separation unit.

Abstract: A medium processing device including a holding section that includes an opening forming a medium insertion port, and that holds a medium inserted through the insertion port, a medium press section that is capable of moving between a first end side wall and a second end side wall of the holding section, and that presses the medium inserted through the insertion port against the second end side wall of the holding section, and an opening-out section that spans between the medium press section and the first end side wall of the holding section, and that opens out in a medium non-holding area between the medium press section and the first end side wall of the holding section accompanying movement of the medium press section from the first end side to the second end side of the holding section in order to press the medium inserted into a medium holding area between the medium press section and the second end side wall of the holding section against the second end side wall of the holding section.

Abstract: A sheet separating apparatus includes: a stacking part including a sheet support surface; a separation roller; a flexible member; a holding member to which a second end portion of the flexible member is fixed and urging the second end portion toward the separation roller; and an abutting part abuttable on the flexible member at an intermediate position. The flexible member includes an auxiliary support surface, provided upstream from the intermediate position, configured to support a downstream end portion of a sheet supported on the sheet support surface in a conveying direction and bendable in a direction getting away from the separation roller, and a friction surface provided downstream from the intermediate position and faces the separation roller to be contactable with the separation roller for separating the sheet one at a time in cooperation with the separation roller.

Abstract: An exemplary friction feeder includes a hopper configured to accommodate a stack of items, a drive assembly configured to engage and move an item from the stack in a feed direction, and a gate assembly. The gate assembly includes a curved elongate separating member extending in the feed direction and configured to separate the item from other items in the stack as the item passes in the feed direction. The separating member has an item engaging surface biased to a reference point.

Abstract: A sheet conveyance apparatus includes a sheet conveyance path, a sheet feeding member, a driving mechanism, a stopper, an interlocking portion, a cover member, and an evacuation mechanism. The stopper is configured to change a posture between a projection posture and an evacuation posture. The projection posture is configured to project into the sheet conveyance path so as to prevent the sheet to be loaded on a sheet loading portion from abutting on the sheet feeding member. The evacuation posture is configured to evacuate the stopper from the sheet conveyance path. The evacuation mechanism is configured to: change the stopper to have the evacuation posture, or to be in a posture changeable state where the stopper changes from the projection posture to the evacuation posture by application of external force, in conjunction with a change of the cover member from a closed state to the open state.

Abstract: A paper feeding mechanism includes a mechanical frame, a gear assembly, a paper supply tray, a pickup assembly, a paper pressing assembly and a stopper assembly. The gear assembly includes a drive gear and a transmission gear. The paper pressing assembly includes a paper pressing frame, a paper pressing tray, a gear shaft, at least one swing arm and an elastic element. The stopper assembly includes a blocking element and a connecting element. The drive gear drives the transmission gear and the gear shaft to rotate, the connecting element drives the blocking element to move downward to make the blocking element realize a paper blocking function, and the drive gear breaks away from the drive gear, the elastic element pushes against the paper pressing tray to move downward, the blocking element breaks away from the paper supply tray to raise up for making the paper blocking function disappeared.

Abstract: A sheet feeding portion is provided with a pair of separation rollers that include a feed roller which conveys the sent sheet and a retard roller which applies a rotation force to return the sheet in a direction opposite to a sheet feeding direction through a torque limiter in a state of being pressed against the feed roller. The sheet feeding portion further includes a rotation transmitting mechanism that transmits a rotation of the retard roller, at the time of sending the sheet to the sheet feeding direction, to the pickup roller and a changing mechanism that switches a retard pressure, which allows the retard roller to be pressed against the feed roller, according to a reaction force that is transmitted to the retard roller from the pickup roller.

Abstract: A removable media dam for a media input tray. The removable media dam is mountable in a front wall of the media tray and may contain one or more rollers for feeding media from the media input tray. The removable media dam includes a separator roll positioner for angularly rotating a separator roll between a retracted position and an extended position to adjust the height of the separator roll with respect to a media contact surface thereby varying the media sheet separation force applied by the separator roll to media sheets being fed from the media tray. In one form, the removable media dam is mountable by a user without the use of tools.

Abstract: There is disclosed a sheet feeding device which feeds a plurality of stacked sheet-like recording media one by one from a tray containing the recording media, including a sheet feeding roller which comes in contact with the uppermost layer of the recording media contained in the tray, and rotates to feed the recording medium; an inclined member including an inclined surface which is positioned on a downstream side in a feeding direction of the recording media, and inclined at an obtuse angle to the feeding direction of the recording media, and on which the fed recording media abuts; and a separating member having an uneven surface, to separate the one fed recording medium, wherein the separating member is configured to be movable between a position projecting to the inclined member and a position retreated from the projecting position, while maintaining the same inclining angle as that of the inclined member.

Abstract: A sheet conveying device includes: a separation sheet feeding mechanism having a paper feeding belt and a separation roller; and an adjustment mechanism that changes contact state of the paper feeding belt to the separation roller by changing relative position of the paper feeding belt and the separation roller, and changes and adjusts separation performance of the separation roller for the subsequent sheet, wherein the adjustment mechanism includes a cam follower member changing the relative position of the feeding belt and the separation roller, the cam member includes a first cam face and a second cam face which are formed at each rotation radius position in accordance with the rotation angle position, and are spaced apart in the rotation radius direction, and the cam follower member has a contact unit guided by the first cam face and the second cam face.

Abstract: A method of using a separator roll positioner and separator roll rotational speed to correct media feed errors by angularly rotating a separator roll between a retracted position and an extended position to adjust the height of the separator roll with respect to a media contact surface or by varying separator roll rotational speed thereby varying the media sheet separation force.

Abstract: Even in printing apparatus that make use of a plurality of kinds of sheets, the degradation of image quality is reduced. A sheet conveying apparatus includes: a sheet stacking unit; a sheet conveying unit being in contact with the sheet stacked on an uppermost portion, of the stacked sheets, and conveying the sheet; a separation unit separating the sheets into only one sheet of the uppermost portion by a separation slope that abuts a tip portion of the sheet conveyed by the sheet conveying unit; and a guide unit connected to the separation unit and guiding the sheet, in which an angle between the sheet stacking unit and the separation slope is switched to a first angle and a second angle smaller than the first angle by a rotation center of the separation unit provided in a vicinity of a connection portion of the separation unit and the guide unit.

Abstract: A medium feeding device 1 includes a feeding roller 3 which conveys a medium S1 in a conveying direction, a brake roller 4 that is arranged to press the feeding roller 3 with a predetermined pressure, and a separating power generating device 7 which is connected to the brake roller 4 and generates rotational load in a direction counter to the conveying direction with respect to the brake roller 4. The separating power generating device 7 includes a torque limiter 19 which generates an upper limit torque T1 which is a fixed load as a first load generating unit, and an electromagnetic brake 23 which can change the generated load as a second load generating unit. The torque limiter 19 and the electromagnetic brake 23 are connected in parallel to the brake roller 4.

Abstract: An image forming device, comprising: a sheet-like medium accommodation unit; a supply member that carries a sheet-like medium; a pair of separation members that separate the sheet-like medium one by one; an image formation unit; a carrying path; a re-carrying unit to move inversely the sheet-like medium whose top face has been subjected to printing; a moving mechanism to move the supply member close to or away from the sheet-like medium and to move the pair of separation members close to or away from each other so that a path for the inversely carried sheet-like medium is formed; and a control unit to control the moving mechanism such that, when back-face printing is performed, the supply member is in a state of being moved away from the sheet-like medium and the pair of separation members are in a state of being moved away from each other.

Abstract: There is provided a recording apparatus including: a first member having a first sliding surface formed into a comb shape along the direction of movement of an object; a second member having a second sliding surface formed into a comb shape opposing the first sliding surface of the first member with the intermediary of a viscous member, the second member sliding between a first position which causes a restricting member to be positioned at a restricting position and a second position which causes the restricting member to be positioned at the releasing position in a state of engaging the restricting member; and a urging device configured to apply an urging force which causes the second member to slide from the first position to the second position, the urging device being arranged at least partly between tips and roots of teeth of the comb shape of the second sliding surface.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus having a structure to prevent print defects caused by residual paper. The image forming apparatus includes a main body, a paper feeding cassette separably mounted to the main body, a pickup member to pick up paper from the paper feeding cassette, and a paper separating member including a plurality of links to apply pressure to the pickup member when the paper feeding cassette is mounted to the main body and to release the pressure applied to the pickup member when the paper feeding cassette is separated from the main body. The paper separating member includes a first link to be pressed by the paper feeding cassette, a second link provided with a separating unit to press the pickup member, and an elastic member between the first link and the second link to allow the first link to press the second link.

Abstract: A sheet conveying device to convey a sheet in a sheet path is provided. The sheet conveying device includes a separator roller, which is arranged to be rotatably in contact with the sheet to apply conveying force to the sheet, a pad assembly including a separator pad, which is arranged to be in contact with the sheet stack to apply convey resistance to the sheet stack, and a holder, which is swingably attached to a base member and holds the separator pad, the base member being in a fixed position with respect to the separator roller, a spring, which urges the pad assembly toward the separator roller, and a slidable member, which is attached to the pad assembly to be integrally movable with the pad assembly and to be slidably in contact with a first slidable section in the base member.

Abstract: An apparatus to separate out printed products from a stack including a pushing device to separate out a respective printed product from the stack. The pushing device includes a first rotary drive. The apparatus further includes a downstream-arranged removal device to convey away the respective separated out printed product. The removal device also includes a second rotary drive separate from the first rotary drive.

Abstract: The feeding device includes a storage unit, a feeding roller which rotates while contacting the uppermost sheet stored in the storage unit to move the uppermost sheet forward, a separation plate disposed forward in the movement direction of the uppermost sheet and provided with an inclined surface inclined with respect to the movement direction, and a separation auxiliary member is disposed along the inclined surface of the separation plate and operated by a force received when the uppermost sheet comes in contact. The separation auxiliary member includes a rotation shaft parallel with the inclined surface, and a first resistance part rotating about the rotation shaft as the center from an initial position projecting from the inclined surface to an embedded position embedded in the inclined surface as a friction coefficient of the first resistance part is higher than that of the inclined surface and the received force is increased.

Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus is provided, including a separation roller configured to apply a feeding force to a sheet, a pad assembly configured to pivot about a pivot axis in a direction close to or away from a supporting unit, and an elastic member configured to press the pad assembly toward the separation roller. The pad assembly includes a separation pad disposed facing the separation roller configured to apply a resistive force to a sheet, a holder holding the separation pad, and a first engaging portion disposed on a side of a distal end. The supporting unit includes a second engaging portion. The first and second engaging portions are configured to engage each other to restrict the pad assembly such that the distal end is not separated from the supporting unit more than a specified distance when the separation roller is separated from the separation pad.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a structure comprises a pliable sheet and first and second stationary supports extending along and supporting the sheet. The supports are oriented relative to one another such that a distance between the supports at one part of the sheet is greater than a distance between the supports at another part of the sheet. In another embodiment, a sheet media input structure comprises a sheet media supporting surface and a media sheet separator downstream from the supporting surface along a media path that extends from the supporting surface to and along the separator. The separator is configured to separate a top sheet on the stack from a next-to-top sheet in the stack by resisting the movement of sheets along the media path and the degree of resistance varies along the length of the separator.

Abstract: In an apparatus for singling sheet material, multiple picks are avoided by a retaining device ensuring that sheet material entrained with the sheet to be singled is retained not only on one side but also on the other side of the sheet to be singled. While the first retaining device is located opposite a singling gap of the singling device and is continually effective, the second retaining device acts before, or in, the singling gap from the other side of the singling gap and is only activated after the sheet to be singled is reliably grasped by the singling device, and deactivated when it has left the singling gap.

Abstract: A paper stopper mechanism for paper-feeding apparatus, which has simplified structure and commonly uses one motor to stop papers. The paper stopper mechanism includes a rotary shaft driven by a drive shaft via a gear assembly, a stopper plate disposed on the rotary shaft, which is movable between a first position and a second position along with the rotation of the rotary shaft, and a resilient member positioned between the rotary shaft and a transmission gear of the gear assembly. There is frictional force between the rotary shaft and the transmission gear, whereby the transmission gear can drive the rotary shaft to rotate. When the stopper plate and the rotary shaft stop at the second position, the transmission gear can still transmit power to a pickup roller to feed a paper into the paper-feeding apparatus without any error.

Abstract: A stopper, a paper feeding device including an inner and outer cases, a first and second axels, a first and second rollers, a pair of stoppers and a tray, and a multi-function printer are provided. The outer case has two side walls and two protrusions disposed on the side walls. The inner case is between the two side walls. The first axel pivots the inner case and the side walls. The first roller covers the first axel. The stoppers are disposed at outer side of the side walls, wherein each of the stoppers has a C-ring, a connecting portion and a stopping portion. Each C-ring pivoted to the first axel has a first and second ends, and the protrusions prop against to the first ends. The second axel pivots the inner case, and the second roller covers the second axel. The tray is disposed below the first roller.

Abstract: A paper stopper mechanism for paper-feeding apparatus, which has simplified structure and commonly uses one motor to stop papers. The paper stopper mechanism includes a rotary shaft driven by a drive shaft via a gear assembly, a stopper plate disposed on the rotary shaft, which is movable between a first position and a second position along with the rotation of the rotary shaft, and a resilient member positioned between the rotary shaft and a transmission gear of the gear assembly. There is frictional force between the rotary shaft and the transmission gear, whereby the transmission gear can drive the rotary shaft to rotate. When the stopper plate and the rotary shaft stop at the second position, the transmission gear can still transmit power to a pickup roller to feed a paper into the paper-feeding apparatus without any error.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus, comprising: a feed roller; a separation unit; a position detection part includes: a detection member that can move to a retracted position, and a detector which detects that a image formation target material is disposed at the feed position or the feed setup position in a case of having detected that the detection member is at the retracted position; and a restricting member that is disposed at a restricting position that restricts the detection member from moving from the initial position to the retracted position by abutting the detection member, in a detached state in which the separation unit is detached from the mounting part.

Abstract: The present invention provides a sheet feeder and an image forming apparatus that can prevent a sheet from being broken, bent, or remaining in an apparatus when a sheet containing portion is pulled out. In association with a cassette pulling operation, a separation mechanism separates a separation roller that is brought into press-contact with a feed roller in a manner in or out of contact with the feed roller, and lowers a lifter plate. A restricting portion constituted of a feed roller separation arm and a feed roller separation spring restricts the feed roller being applied a force by a feed roller pressurizing spring from following the separation roller separated from the feed roller and the lowering lifter plate when the cassette is pulled out.

Abstract: A system for singulating mailpieces including a first conveyance including a pair of opposing belts for singulating a mailpiece from a stack of mailpieces. The system includes an actuation mechanism operative to apply a force pulse through one of the belts to momentary separate mailpieces of the stack and augment singulation of the mailpiece from the stack by the first conveyance.

Abstract: There is provided a feeding guide unit that slides according to a width size of the feeding material in a receiving unit that receives a plurality of feeding materials, and a separation unit having an inclined surface structure that abuts on a tip of the fed feed material so that a separating load is exerted, and separates the following feed material to feed only the feed material at the uppermost position. The separating load of the separation unit is changed to at least two stages in conjunction with a movement in a width direction of the feeding guide unit.

Abstract: A mailpiece selector device comprising a guide co-operating with at least one opposing selector roller to separate mailpieces one-by-one from a stack of mailpieces and to transport them downstream, said guide having at least two adjacent selector fingers having different lengths, it being possible for each of said selector fingers to pivot independently from the other(s) about a common pivot axis and against respective associated resilient return means.

Abstract: A sheet feeder includes a separation roller having a circumferential surface that contacts a first sheet to be fed first among stacked sheets and picks up the first sheet and one or more second sheets adjacent to the first sheet, a separation arm that is closer to the circumferential surface of the separation roller downstream in a feeding direction and configured to apply higher frictional resistance to the second sheets than the first sheet to feed the first sheet ahead of the second sheets, and a guide member including a guide portion that has a lower-friction surface than the separation arm and extends from the separation arm with a distal end thereof in contact with or close to the circumferential surface of the separation roller. The guide portion guides the first and second sheets along the circumferential surface of the separation roller.

Abstract: A sheet feeder includes a casing having a loading surface, a supply roller, a drive mechanism, a blocking member, and an interlocking mechanism. The supply roller is configured to feed recording sheets on the loading surface toward the image forming unit. The drive mechanism is configured to move the supply roller. The blocking member is disposed upstream from the supply roller in a sheet feed direction and includes a block surface configured to be moved between a first position and a second position. The block surface is configured to block insertion of a recording sheet to a downstream side when in the first position, and configured to allow insertion of the recording sheets on the loading surface when in the second position. The interlocking mechanism is configured to receive a drive force from the drive mechanism to move the blocking member.

Abstract: A sheet feeding device and an image forming apparatus which can stably separate sheets even when the position of a pressing portion is changed are provided. A guide portion supports sheets from below and guides the sheets to a pressing portion between a sheet feeding roller which is biased in the direction pressing the sheet feeding roller onto the sheets stacked on a sheet stacking portion and a separating member which separates the sheets fed from the sheet feeding roller one by one. The guide portion is linearly lowered together with the separating member with the downward movement of the sheet feeding roller biased by a roller biasing member.

Abstract: A medium supplying apparatus includes a separation mechanism that separates one medium at a time from a plurality of sheet-shaped media stacked in a loading rack and transports the medium, an irradiation unit that emits light onto a surface of the medium, and a light receiving unit that receives reflected light that is acquired by allowing the light emitted by the irradiation unit to be reflected from the surface and detects a reflected light intensity that is an intensity of the reflected light. The separating force of the separation mechanism that is used for separating a next medium is controlled based on the reflected light intensity detected by the light receiving unit.

Abstract: A sheet feeder includes a sheet tray configured to support one or more sheets stacked thereon in a slanted state, a feed roller disposed to face a lower end of a top one of the sheets stacked on the sheet tray, the feed roller being configured to feed the sheets, a supporter disposed under the sheet tray movably relative to the feed roller, the supporter being configured to support, on an upper surface thereof, lower ends of the sheets stacked on the sheet tray, and a displacement mechanism configured to displace the supporter farther from the feed roller depending on a pressure which the feed roller applies to the sheets when rotating.

Abstract: A sheet feeder includes a loading surface, a supply roller configured to feed recording sheets loaded on the loading surface, an overload prevention member disposed upstream from the supply roller in a sheet feed direction, and a movable member disposed downstream from the overload prevention member in the sheet feed direction. The overload prevention member includes a restriction surface configured to be moved between a first position and a second position. The movable member is configured to be moved from a third position to a fourth position by being pushed by leading ends of the recording sheets. The movable member and the overload prevention member are configured to interlock each other such that, when the movable member is in the third position, the restriction surface is in the first position, and when the movable member is in the fourth position, the restriction surface is in the second position.

Abstract: A sheet feed device includes: a sheet accommodation unit; a separation roller that applies conveyance force to sheets; and a separation resistance body including a friction portion facing the separation roller for separating the sheets one at a time. The sheet accommodation unit includes a guide portion provided at an upstream of the separation roller in a sheet feed direction for guiding the sheet. The separation resistance body includes an extension portion, which is pressed toward the separation roller while being supported to be contacted/separated to/from the separation roller, and which is extended upstream in the sheet feed direction from an upstream end portion of the separation resistance body. The guide portion and the extension portion are arranged in a line in a width direction. An upstream end portion of the extension portion is retreated with regard to a guide surface of the guide portion when feeding the sheets.

Abstract: An automatic document feeder includes a sheet pick-up module and a floating shock-absorbing structure. The floating shock-absorbing structure is arranged at a feeding entrance. The sheet pick-up module includes a sheet pick-up roller and a sheet separation roller. When the sheet pick-up module is rotated to a sheet feeding position, the sheet pick-up roller is contacted with the floating shock-absorbing structure to feed the sheet into the internal portion of the automatic document feeder. By the floating shock-absorbing structure, the possibility of causing excessive shock and noise when the sheet pick-up arm strikes the feeding entrance will be minimized or eliminated.

Abstract: A sheet feeding device, which is configured to feed stacked sheets one by one in a sheet feed direction, is provided with a sheet tray configured to accommodate the stacked sheets, a feed-out roller protruded from the sheet tray and configured to feed the stacked sheets from the sheet tray, a feed-out nip member arranged above and opposite to the feed-out roller, the feed-out nip member being configured to contact an uppermost sheet of the stacked sheets and bias the sheets toward the feed-out roller, a separation unit located on a downstream side, in the sheet feed direction, of the feed-out roller, the separation unit separating a lowermost sheet from the stacked sheets fed by the feed-out roller, and a friction member configured to contact the uppermost sheet of the stacked sheets at a position different from a position where the feed-out nip member contacts the uppermost sheet.