Abstract: A sheet feeding roller is brought into contact with an uppermost sheet stacked on a hopper, and rotates to feed the uppermost sheet to the recording apparatus. A separation pad presses the uppermost sheet against the feeding roller so that the upper most sheet is separated from a next uppermost sheet. A first sheet returner pushes back a first part of the next uppermost sheet situated on the separation pad to the hopper. A second sheet returner pushes back a second part of the next uppermost sheet situated on the separation pad to the hopper. The sheet feeding roller, the separation pad and the first sheet returner are incorporated in a single unit which is disposed at a first position of a sheet feeding passage formed on the hopper. The second sheet returner is solely disposed at a second position of the sheet feeding passage.

Abstract: A pick-up mechanism and a method for performing a pick-up cycle in a reproduction machine. The pick-up mechanism comprises a pick-up control pinion which is firmly coupled to a control cam, and a drive gearing including a first rocker driving gear and a second rocker driving gear. The first and second rocker driving gears are mounted to a rocker device to be alternately engaged into and disengaged from, respectively, the pick-up control pinion. Upon starting the pick-up operation, the second rocker driving gear is drivingly engaged into a toothed section of the pick-up control pinion, and, in the course of the pick-up operation, the first rocker driving gear is drivingly engaged into the toothed section of the pick-up control pinion.

Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus has a sheet support, a feeding rotary member and a separating rotary member. The sheet support, the feeding rotary member, and the separating rotary member are so disposed that an angle formed on a side of the feeding rotary member by intersecting a tangential line of the feeding rotary member at a contacting position between the feeding rotary member and the sheet with a tangential line at the contact portion is an obtuse angle. A conveyance guide is disposed on a side of the separating rotary member with respect to the contact portion for guiding the sheet fed to the feeding rotary member to the contact portion, the conveyance guide having a projection guide for projecting the contact portion on an upstream side in the sheet conveyance direction of the contact portion more toward the side of the feeding rotary member than a guide surface of the contact portion.

Abstract: A paper feeding mechanism with a separator and paper blocking mechanisms. When feeding paper, a lift plate carrying paper is moved up to allow a pick-up roller and the separator to move one sheet from the lift plate. After feeding paper, the lift plate is lowered away from the pick-up roller, and the paper blocking mechanism pushes excess paper back to the lift plate.

Abstract: A sheet feeding device includes a feeding roller that is driven to rotate, and a base plate to stack sheets thereupon. The sheet feeding device is configured to rotate around a supporting axis thereof in directions to contact and separate from the feeding roller. A base plate pressing member is configured to press the base plate toward the feeding roller, such that an uppermost sheet of the stack of sheets stacked on the base plate contacts the feeding roller in order to be fed by the feeding roller. A first friction device is arranged in a vicinity of a first part of an upper surface of the base plate so as to oppose the feeding roller. The first friction device is configured to provide a bottom sheet of the stack of sheets stacked on the base plate with a first frictional resistance greater than a predetermined value.

Abstract: A paper discharging apparatus for a printer includes: a plurality of support plates for supporting the paper and rotating in a direction parallel to a paper proceeding direction; a rotation shaft of a feed roller arranged in a direction perpendicular to the paper proceeding direction, and to which a feed roller contacting the paper is coupled; a power transfer portion having a sector gear installed on the rotation shaft so that the sector gear doe not rotate when the rotation shaft rotates in a forward direction, and the sector gear does rotate when the rotation shaft rotates in a reverse direction; a crank rod having one end connected to the sector gear, and reciprocating when the sector gear rotates; and a cam shaft connected to the crank rod and rotating in correspondence to the reciprocation of the crank rod.

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 method of detecting the amount of remaining sheets of paper in a paper feeding cassette of a printing apparatus, wherein the printing apparatus receives a paper feeding cassette having a knock-up plate on which paper is placed, and which pivots as paper is removed therefrom, a pickup roller installed in the printing apparatus which elastically moves up and down within a predetermined range to contact the paper, the pickup roller being made to rotate in close contact with the paper to sequentially feed the paper into the printing apparatus, a lifting mechanism which lifts the knock-up plate step by step according to the consumption of paper, thereby placing the loaded paper against the pickup-roller, calculating a difference in the number of operations of the lifting mechanism for lifting the knock-up plate toward the pickup roller when a maximum number of sheets of paper is loaded into the paper feeding cassette and when only a single sheet of paper is placed in the paper feeding cassette, calculating an am

Abstract: An auto sheet feeder has sheet supporting means provided on the frame of the main body of the apparatus and supporting sheets thereon, and sheet feeding means for feeding out the sheets supported on the sheet supporting means. A reference surface for regulating one side edge of the sheets fed out by the sheet feeding means is formed on each of the frame and the sheet supporting means.

Abstract: A sheet trailing edge restriction member (65) according to the present invention has a main body (68) disposed upright in a sheet holding portion. The main body (68) is provided with a hook (71) for fixing the main body upright to the sheet holding portion. The restriction member is attached to and detached from the sheet holding portion by deforming the hook (71) toward a space (72) defined between the hook and the main body. Unless the hook is deformed toward the space (72), the restriction member cannot be detached from the sheet holding portion. The main body (68) is provided with a rear support plate (70) for supporting a rear end of a sheet stack. The rear support plate (70) is displaceable so as to support the rear end of the sheet stack. An insert (82) is provided integrally with the rear support plate (70). The insert (82) is usually inserted in the space (72) to prevent the deformation of the hook (71).

Abstract: A paper feeder includes a base plate, a movable paper holder for holding papers with a pivot fixed to the base plate and a rotating end positioned above the base plate in a rotatable way, a chute positioned on the bottom or the upper side of the movable holder, and an elastic device or a swing arm with one end positioned within the chute in a slidable way.

Abstract: A sheet feeder separates a stack of sheet materials one by one for securely feeding individual sheet materials without multiple sheet feeding or failure in feeding a sheet material. The leading edge of a sheet material stacked on a bottom board of a cassette is brought into contact with a sheet feed roller. Near the location at which the leading edge of the sheet material comes in contact with the sheet feed roller, a tilt member is pressed onto the sheet feed roller by the action of a compression spring. A contact area of the tilt member with the sheet feed roller is reduced to prevent the sheet feed roller from rotating together with the sheet material. The topmost sheet material is fed by the rotation of the sheet feed roller in the counter-clockwise direction and supplied beyond the tilt member by friction with the sheet feed roller, whereas the next sheet material is blocked by the tilt member due to less friction between the sheet materials, thereby preventing multiple sheet feeding.

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 loose stack of plural recording sheets. 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 sheet feeding apparatus comprising a movable sheet supporting device for supporting a sheet, a sheet feeding roller urged against the sheet supported by the sheet supporting device and adapted to rotate in a sheet feeding direction to feed the sheet, a separating roller opposed to the sheet feeding roller and adapted to rotate in a direction along which the sheet is restored to separate the sheet fed from the sheet feeding roller, a feeding device disposed at a downstream side of the sheet feeding roller in the sheet feeding direction and adapted to feed the sheet fed from the sheet feeding roller, and a pressing and retracting device for moving the sheet supporting device to bring the sheet supported by the sheet supporting device into presser contact with the sheet feeding roller and release the pressure contact, and wherein the sheet supporting device which places the sheet into pressure contact with the sheet feeding roller is moved by the pressing and retracting device to release the pressure contact b

Abstract: After the uppermost sheet is separated from a stack of sheets on a pressure plate by a sheet feed roller, a push plate is lowered by a lowering mechanism by a predetermined distance and is halted at a plate standby position higher than the plate lower position by the engagement of a ratchet pawl with a lock pawl. Accordingly, when the pressure plate is lowered after the sheet is separated, it is unnecessary to lower the push plate to the plate lower position. Thus, the moving up/down distance of the pressure plate is shortened when the sheet is separated and conveyed, resulting in a reduction in impact noise generated upon the contact of the sheet and the sheet feed roller. In addition, because the moving distance is shortened, the sheet feed speed per sheet is increased.

Abstract: An automatic paper feeding system has a paper-grabbing device and paper-separating device, with a paper tray having a front end that can move up and down. A paper-feeding channel is in front of the front end of the paper tray. The paper-grabbing device is installed on the paper tray and moves paper in the paper tray into the paper-feeding channel. The paper-separating device has a paper-separating roller and a paper-separating friction disk which are respectively installed above and below the paper-feeding channel. These elements together permit only a single sheet of paper to move forward. An actuator mechanism installed under the paper-feeding channel lifts up or pulls down the front end of the paper tray and the paper-separating friction disk. Finally, a driving device drives the paper-grabbing device, the paper-separating device and the actuator mechanism.

Abstract: A sheet feeding roller is brought into contact with an uppermost sheet stacked on a hopper, and rotates to feed the uppermost sheet to the recording apparatus. A separation pad presses the uppermost sheet against the feeding roller so that the upper most sheet is separated from a next uppermost sheet. A first sheet returner pushes back a first part of the next uppermost sheet situated on the separation pad to the hopper. A second sheet returner pushes back a second part of the next uppermost sheet situated on the separation pad to the hopper. The sheet feeding roller, the separation pad and the first sheet returner are incorporated in a single unit which is disposed at a first position of a sheet feeding passage formed on the hopper. The second sheet returner is solely disposed at a second position of the sheet feeding passage.

Abstract: A sheet feeding device includes a feeding roller that is driven to rotate, and a base plate to stack sheets thereupon. The sheet feeding device is configured to rotate around a supporting axis thereof in directions to contact and separate from the feeding roller. A base plate pressing member is configured to press the base plate toward the feeding roller, such that an uppermost sheet of the stack of sheets stacked on the base plate contacts the feeding roller in order to be fed by the feeding roller. A first friction device is arranged in a vicinity of a first part of an upper surface of the base plate so as to oppose the feeding roller. The first friction device is configured to provide a bottom sheet of the stack of sheets stacked on the base plate with a first frictional resistance greater than a predetermined value.

Abstract: A sheet feeder includes a cassette for containing a plurality of stacked sheets, a holding member for holding sheets from above, a pickup roller which contacts the uppermost sheet from above during one rotation, thereby feeding and transporting the uppermost sheet, a rotatable subsidiary holding member which is rotated in synchronization with a rotation of the pickup roller and in the same rotating direction as the pickup roller, and contacts and holds the sheets from above during each rotation before the pickup roller contacts the uppermost sheet. The distance between a rotation axis and that surface of the rotatable subsidiary holding member which contacts the uppermost sheet is equal to, or greater than the distance between a rotation axis and that surface of the pickup roller which contacts the sheet.

Abstract: The present invention provides a sheet supplying apparatus comprising a sheet supporting means for supporting a sheet, a sheet supply means supported to contact with and separate from the sheet supported by the sheet supporting means and adapted to feed out the sheet by contacting with the sheet, a first biasing means for biasing the sheet supporting means toward the sheet supply means, and a second biasing means for biasing the sheet supply means toward the sheet supported by the sheet supporting means.

Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus has a pair of feeding roller and separating roller an inter-shaft distance changing mechanism for the pair of rollers, and sheet detecting means, and a sheet fed is rammed against the surface on which the feeding roller and the separating roller overlap each other to thereby correct skew feeding, and the feeding roller and the separating roller are moved away from each other to thereby feed the sheet. When the passage of the fed sheet between the feeding roller and the separating roller is detected the feeding roller and the separating roller assume a state in which sheet feeding is impossible. By the above-described operation being performed for each sheet, the correction of skew feeding and the separation of a sheet are effected by the feeding roller and the separating roller.

Abstract: The invention is a sheet feeder for engaging and removing a sheet of paper or other material from a stack and feeding it along a path. The sheet feeder can include a sheet separator designed for advancing the engaged sheet while retarding any adjacent sheets. The separator has a driven advancing roller nipped with a driven retarding roller coupled to its drive by a friction clutch. The clutch normally slips and permits the retarding roller to be driven forward by the advancing roller when one or no sheets are engaged between the advancing and retarding rollers. The clutch engages and drives the retarding roller backward so long as a multifeed of two or more sheets is engaged between the advancing and retarding rollers.

Abstract: An improved front type of automatic paper feeding apparatus having a paper aligning device for preventing a skewing of a paper to be fed.

Abstract: An auxiliary roller is disposed in the proximity of sides of feed rollers and in the proximity upward from a separation pad. At the print time, the auxiliary roller is slightly projected toward the side of print sheet from roller faces of the feed rollers. The auxiliary roller is displaced as paper is displaced in a stack direction of the paper, and can be freely rotated. A hopper is moved up, paper is pressed against the feed rollers, and the separation pad abuts the feed rollers. Then, the feed rollers and a transport roller are rotated forward for feeding the paper to the transport roller. Further, the paper is sent from the transport roller at a distance equal to or greater than the length along the feeding path between the position of the front end of paper placed in a paper feed tray and the abutment center point of the separation pad and the feed rollers. Subsequently, the feed rollers and the transport roller stop, the hopper is moved down, and the separation pad is brought away from the feed rollers.

Abstract: A paper feeding mechanism with a separator and paper blocking mechanisms. When feeding paper, a lift plate carrying paper is moved up to allow a pick-up roller and the separator to move one sheet from the lift plate. After feeding paper, the lift plate is lowered away from the pick-up roller, and the paper blocking mechanism pushes excess paper back to the lift plate.

Abstract: The invention relates to when the printing medium, such as paper are separated one at a time by a separation piece, the engagement of a projected part of a paper supporting plate and a contact part of a pressure applying part is released and the separation piece is pressed by a separation piece contact part. Thereby, the separation piece contacts the paper supplying roller with a large urging force from the first and second pressing springs. When the paper is transferred after the separation of the paper by the separation piece, the projected part of the paper supporting plate contacts the contact part of the pressure applying part to release the pressure of the separation piece from the separation piece contact part. Thereby, the pressure power generated between the paper supplying roller and the separation piece is selectively switched. When the paper is separated, the pressure power is increased to prevent overlapped transferring of the papers.

Abstract: A document feeder includes a nudger located at a first side of a document stack. The nudger applies a nudger force to the first side of the document stack. An adjustable hopper positions the document stack next to the nudger. The adjustable hopper has a hopper floor that is an inclined plane supporting a flag. The flag adjustably rests against a side of the document stack opposite the nudger and applies a variable flag force to the document stack. The flag force changes according to the incline angle of the hopper floor. The flag has a weight, and as the incline of the hopper floor increases, the flag applies an increasing force caused by the weight to the document stack. The flag force is transmitted through the document stack. The document stack applies a force to the nudger and the nudger applies a reactionary force normal to the nudger. A feedback control is coupled between the nudger and adjustable hopper so that the nudger force can be changed by adjusting the incline of the hopper floor.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for delivery of sheet media to a printer includes a chassis, a drive motor, a media tray with elevatable pressure plate, a plurality of pick rollers situated opposite movable pinch rollers that come into contact with the pick rollers to form a roller assembly therebetween when in an extended position. A movable separator forms a throat between one of the pick rollers and the leading edge of the separator when it is in an extended position. A common transmission is used to simultaneously position the pinch rollers, separator, and the pressure plate. The apparatus also includes a media retarder for preventing multiple sheets of media from advancing through the apparatus at the same time. The method includes delaying the rotation of the pick rollers until a stack of media has been raised to press against the pick rollers, and the pinch rollers and separator are in an extended position.

Abstract: A sheet-material feeding device individually separating and sequentially feeding a bundle of sheets of a sheet material mounted on a sheet-material mount. The device includes a detector for detecting the presence of the sheet material on the sheet-material mount, and a pressing member for pressing the sheet material on the sheet-material mount when the presence of the sheet material has been detected by the detetector. A sheet-mounting angle of the sheet-material mount can be changed so that an upstream portion of the bundle of sheets is lower than a portion where the sheets are separated.

Abstract: A recording sheet package containing a pile of recording sheets in a box-shaped casing. The casing has a paper feed-out opening formed in one end thereof, and a feed roller entrance formed through a top wall of the casing in connection to the paper feed-out opening, for allowing feed rollers to access a topmost one of the piled recording sheets. The recording sheets are piled up on the movable bottom plate that is disposed on a bottom wall of the casing, so as to be able to flap up and down relative to the bottom wall. A push-up plate entrance is formed through the bottom wall in connection to the paper feed-out opening, for allowing a push-up plate of a paper feeding cassette to push up the movable bottom plate and press the topmost recording sheet onto the feed roller. A pressing plate is disposed under the top wall so as to be able to flap up and down relative to the top wall.

Abstract: In a sheet material feed assembly, a sheet material tray including a movable support component is provided. Also provided is a spring adapted to bias the support component in a predetermined direction. A selectively movable sheet retention member is operatively connected to the spring, whereby movement of the sheet retention member automatically affects variation in the biasing force of the spring. The spring can be provided as a pivotable cantilever spring including a central aperture. The sheet retention member can include a ramp member passing through the cantilever spring aperture. The ramp member includes an inclined portion, and a flat portion contiguous with the inclined portion. The sheet retention member can be provided in the form of a rear adjust for accommodating various sheet material lengths within the tray. The movable support component can be mounted for pivoting movement within the tray, and can be provided as a sheet material lift plate.

Abstract: A sheet feeder includes a support plate inclined backward and a feed roller for feeding one by one the sheets of paper stacked on the plate. A first support surface and a second support surface are formed at or near the bottom of the plate to support the front ends of the sheets. The second surface is lower in frictional resistance than the first surface. The second surface can be moved by an operating lever between a first position, where it is protruded from the first surface toward the sheets, and a second position, where it is retracted from the first surface away from the sheets. If the sheets are relatively rigid, their front ends are supported by the second surface in the first position, and they can therefore be fed smoothly.

Abstract: A sheet feeding device and an image forming apparatus including an auxiliary pusher section, disposed at a sheet loading plate, for pushing one end of each sheet loaded on a rotatable sheet loading plate towards a sheet feeding section. The auxiliary pusher section includes a pusher member for contacting each of the sheets, and a spring for biasing the pusher member towards the sheet feeding section. The auxiliary pusher section pushes the sheets against the sheet feeding section to allow reliable feeding of the sheets.

Abstract: A sheet supplying apparatus includes a sheet supporter for supporting sheets, a supply rotary device for feeding out the sheets supported by the sheet supporter, a separation member for separating sheets fed by the supply rotary device one by one by elastically changing an inclination angle of the separation member when the sheets fed by the supply rotary means abut against and ride over the separation member, and a sheet guide member removably disposed above the sheet supporting means and adapted to guide the sheet in such a manner that the sheet is subjected to resistance of the separation member smaller than resistance from the separation member to the sheet when the sheets are supplied from the sheet supporter.

Abstract: A paper supply tray of a printer, including: a main body, for receiving sheets of paper or other printable material, insertable into and detachable from the printer; a guide, for supporting an edge of the received sheet, capable of sliding in the main body; a locking mechanism for immovably locking the guide; and a plurality of position determining holes formed in the main body along a path where the guide is slidable.

Abstract: A sheet feeding mechanism for a digitizing scanner particularly adapted to feed transparent and translucent film sheets provides two pairs of feed rollers each located on an opposing side of the scanner camera's image line. A tray for supporting a feed stack is provided. The tray pivots into and out of engagement with a pick roll at predetermined times during the feed cycle. The pick roll rotates to feed the top sheet of the stack into the feed rollers. The top sheet must climb a curved stripper that resists downstream movement of the next sheets in the stack. A pair of edge sensors are located upstream of the upstream feed rollers and downstream of the downstream feed rollers. The sensors sense, respectively, the trail edge and the lead edge of the sheet, respectively and enable a central processing unit to automatically determine the length of the sheet. The sheet can, thereby, be reversed and scanned fully over its entire length.

Abstract: A a sheet supplying apparatus includes a sheet holding member adapted to hold a plurality of sheets and having a regulating wall for regulating movement of the sheets in a sheet supplying direction, a sucker member for absorbing with a vacuum force an uppermost sheet among the sheets held by the sheet holding member, and a pressure reducer for reducing pressure in the sucker. In addition, a driver drives the sucker member to convey the sheet absorbed by the vacuum, a height detector detects a height position of the uppermost sheet, and a sheet urging member urges the sheets in a sheet stacking direction and moves the sheet toward the regulating wall. The sheet member urges means urging the uppermost sheet with predetermined pressure on the basis of the detected height position.

Abstract: A document feeder including an operation panel configured to receive a feed start signal and a mode of operation designation from an operator; a stacking device configured to hold a stack of documents; a sensor configured to sense the stack of documents set on the stacking device; a motor configured to raise a leading edge portion of the stack of documents to a preselected position; and a controller configured to start the motor at a time dependent on the mode of operation designated by the operator.

Abstract: A paper-loading mechanism for a document duplicating machine, which is driven by a reciprocating part in a document duplicating machine and performs periodical paper-loading control on a paper loader of the document duplicating machine, comprises an actuating unit, a transmitting unit, a paper-feeding pushrod, and a torsion spring. The actuating unit is utilized to provide reciprocating motion for the paper-loading mechanism for a document duplicating machine and is pushed by the reciprocating part along a line parallel and adjacent to one end of the trajectory of the reciprocating part. The transmitting unit is connected with the actuating unit and is used to transfer the reciprocating motion from the actuating unit to the feeding pushrod. The paper-feeding pushrod is located along one side of the paper loader of the document duplicating machine and is rotated along its own longitudinal central axis.

Abstract: A paper-feeding mechanism for a document duplicating machine, which is driven by a single power source and performs intermittent paper-loading control and continuous paper-conveying operation on a paper loader of the document duplicating machine, comprises a driving device capable of both clockwise and counterclockwise running operation, a paper-loading device for carrying out the intermittent paper sheet retrieval from the paper loader, a paper-conveying device for performing forwarding of the paper sheet retrieved from the paper loader, and a paper-conveying-and-loading control device for separating the paper-conveying and paper-loading operation of the paper-feeding mechanism.

Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus has a support for supporting sheets, a feed roller disposed at a downstream side of the supported sheets and adapted to feed out the sheet by rotating while contacting with the sheet, and a separation roller disposed at a downstream side of the sheet supporting device in the sheet feeding direction and in a confronting relation to the sheet feed device. A slip device generates slip between the feed roller and the sheet within a predetermined range when the feed roller starts to rotate, thereby preventing the feeding of the sheet and rotating the separation roller in the sheet feeding direction.

Abstract: A roller control device is provided that both sets sheets for printing and feeds them into an electrophotographic apparatus. The roller control device is may be constructed using a pickup roller that is mounted on a central axle and is used for feeding sheets of paper from a paper tray into an electrophotographic apparatus. A disk may be installed on the central axle between the pickup gear and the pickup roller. A solenoid may be mounted to the housing of the apparatus underneath the disk to modulate the movement of the disk using a latch that is interposed between the disk and the solenoid. A cam is installed on the central axle between the disk and the pickup roller to slidably contact a lift plate to set sheets of paper. The roller control device is usable in a compact apparatus, is economical to manufacture, and is easy to repair and maintain.

Abstract: A media feed apparatus for a printer, with a motorized media pick mechanism and a media support plate movable toward and away from the pick element, so that a stack of media on the plate may be brought into contact with the pick mechanism. A lifter assembly is continuously movable between a first position and a second position, and has a cam surface supportably contacting the media support plate. A first cam surface portion contacts the support plate when the lifter assembly is in the first position, and a second cam surface portion contacts the support plate when the lifter assembly is in the second position. The support plate may have a protrusion over which the cam surface slides, and the cam may pivoted to provide a selectable lever arm, depending on the point of contact.

Abstract: A universal paper cassette for feeding paper sheets comprising a case, a pair of side guide members installed within the case to be parallel to the side walls of the case and to be slidable widthwise according to the width of the paper sheets for supporting both sides of received paper sheets, finger members assembled to the respective side guide members to move together therewith, a lengthwise guide member installed within the case to be slidable lengthwise according to the length of the paper sheets for supporting the front ends of the paper sheets, a paper pressing plate assembled to both sides of the case by pins to vertically pivot, and at least one spring installed within the case for elastically biasing the paper pressing plate upward. The universal paper cassette further comprises an elastic unit for connecting the side guide members or the lengthwise guide member with the paper pressing plate and controlling an elastic force against the paper pressing plate.

Abstract: An automatic paper feeding device in a multifunction machine including a recording medium cassette, a document cassette and a paper feeding unit. The document cassette is separated rotatably from the feeding unit. When performing either a printing or a copying function in the multifunctional machine, an automatic document feeding (ADF) rubber of the document cassette is separated from an automatic document feeding (ADF) roller of the paper feeding unit. When performing a fax function in the multifunctional machine, the ADF rubber of the document cassette is contacted to the ADF roller of the paper feeding unit.

Abstract: An automatic paper feeder comprises: a pick roller for picking out paper accommodated in a paper cassette; a separation roller to which a torque limiter is connected, and which separates the paper picked out by the pick roller to feed the paper one sheet at a time; means for moving the separation roller into contact with or away from the pick roller; a lifter for lifting the paper accommodated in the paper cassette to cause the paper to be moved into contact with or away from the pick roller; and means for driving the lifter. The means for moving the separation roller into contact with or away from the pick roller and the means for driving the lifter are realized by a single driving means.

Abstract: Sheet feeding apparatus and method for reliably feeding sheets from a column of sheets. The sheet feeding apparatus includes separation tangs each having a step-wise topography of reduced contact area for the sheets in order to reduce frictional drag on the sheets as the sheets are fed into an imaging apparatus. This allows for reliable feeding of the sheets because the reduced contact area of the separation tangs reduces contact time, as well as frictional drag, with the separation tangs. Moreover, the step-wise topography of the tangs individually separates each sheet from the column of sheets to be fed into the imaging apparatus in order to avoid multiple-feeding of the sheets.

Abstract: A sheet supplying apparatus includes a stacker on which a plurality of sheets can be stacked as a sheet stack, a supply system for supplying the sheet on the stacker, and an adjusting system for adjusting a supplying force of the supply system in response to a shifted amount of the stacker. The stacker may be shifted dependent on a weight of the sheet stack, but independent of the thickness of the sheet stacker. Alternatively, the stacker may be shiftable in a stacking direction in response to sheet size and weight. The adjusting system may adjust the supplying force irrespective of the size of the sheets.

Abstract: A paper feed apparatus for low profile printer including a rotatable paper feed drive shaft which is mounted for rotation in a printer housing which supports a first belt drive pulley or roller. The belt drive pulley engages a continuous belt mounted thereon of rubber or other flexible belt material. A paper supply tray having paper is selectively biased against the belt with the paper in contact therewith. The opposite end of the continuous belt is mounted to a idler roller or roller on a rotatable idler shaft which supports the continuous belt such that the 1 portion of said belt between the drive pulley and the idler roller which is in contact with the paper is disposed generally, (the belt run) to a paper path. On motion of the belt at least one sheet of paper is moved out of the paper supply tray. An inclined paper separator is mounted below the termination belt shaft and is selectively biased against the continuous belt at a point on the belt between the drive roller and the idler roller.

Abstract: A drive transmitting device having a partly untoothed gear partly having an untoothed portion, and a driven gear capable of meshing which the partly untoothed gear, and transmitting rotation from the partly untoothed gear to the driven gear is characterized in that in the partly untoothed gear, of a predetermined number of continuous teeth positioned on a side on which the partly untoothed gear starts to mesh which the driven gear when it rotates from a state in which the untoothed portion and the driven gear are opposed to each other, the odd teeth from the untoothed portion side are formed with odd tooth inclined surfaces cut away from the tooth top of the front tooth surface in the direction of rotation of the partly untoothed gear toward the root of the rear tooth surface, and the even teeth are formed with even tooth inclined surfaces cut away from the root of the front tooth surface in the direction of rotation toward the tooth top of the rear tooth surface.