Abstract: An image recording device is provided, having a recording unit configured to record an image on a sheet, and a tray disposed below the recording unit. The tray includes a sheet holding surface configured to hold the sheet. Additionally, the image recording device includes a sheet feeder disposed between the recording unit and the tray. The sheet feeder includes a roller for feeding the sheet from the tray. The roller is configured to move between a first roller position in which the roller contacts the sheet holding surface of the tray and a second roller position in which the roller is separated from the sheet holding surface. A return guide, disposed between the recording unit and the sheet feeder, defines a second conveying path to guide the sheet having an image recorded on one side thereof back to the feed guide. The return guide has a first opening configured to accommodate the roller of the sheet feeder when the roller is in the second roller position.

Abstract: A disclosed paper supply unit includes a paper supply cassette having a bottom plate for placing stacked recording media therein and a sending out part. When the paper supply cassette is loaded at a paper supply position, the sending out part faces the bottom plate, the bottom plate is lifted and the recording media come into contact with the sending out part. A support member is rotatably fitted to the paper supply cassette. An elastic member is fastened between the support member and the bottom plate. The support member has plural fastening parts for fastening the elastic member. The elastic force of the elastic member is changeable using the plural fastening parts.

Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus includes a sheet tray, a sheet feeding roller and a pair of link members. The sheet tray constitutes a loading surface. The sheet tray includes a tray main body and a lifting plate. The tray main body is openable and closable with respect to the wall portion. The lifting plate has a pair of first fulcrum portions disposed upstream of the sheet feeding roller. The downstream side of the lifting plate is rotationally movable up and down around the first fulcrum portions. The tray main body has a pair of second fulcrum portions . The second fulcrum portions are configured to be a pivot point for the opening and closing operation of the tray main body. Each of the pair of link members is coupled to the first fulcrum portion and to the wall portion.

Abstract: A sheet transport apparatus includes a first casing in which a transport path is formed; a transport unit which transports a sheet along the transport path; a second casing which is provided to be movable with respect to the first casing; a sheet support unit which is rotatably provided in the first casing at a position on a side to which the second casing is moved, the sheet support unit being changeable between a first state, a second state, and a third state and supporting the sheet at least in the third state; and an urging unit which urges the sheet support unit toward the first state within a range from the first state to the second state and which urges the sheet support unit toward the third state within a range from the second state to the third state.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus, including a chassis with an opening formed on one side thereof; a first placement section, on which a sheet inserted through the opening is placeable; a cover configured to be openable to expose and closable to cover the opening and configured to form, when in a position to expose the opening, an outer part of the first placement section outside the chassis; and a second placement section arranged in an upper position with respect to the first placement section, and on which a sheet inserted through the opening is placeable, is provided. The second placement section is detachably attached to the chassis through the opening.

Abstract: A paper feeding mechanism includes a mechanical frame, a drive assembly mounted to the mechanical frame, an input tray, a pickup assembly driven by the drive assembly, an elevating assembly and a control assembly. The elevating assembly mounted to the mechanical frame and pivoted to a bottom of the rear end of input tray includes a drive shaft, a gear assembly and an elastic element. The rotating shaft defines two cam parts projecting beyond the rotating shaft. The rotating shaft is capable of rotating to make the cam parts press downward on or break away from the input tray so as to drive the input tray to swing downward or swing upward under an elastic push action of the elastic element. The control assembly includes a control system and a paper sensor controlled by the control system for detecting whether there is any paper on the input tray.

Abstract: A sheet feed apparatus has sheet tray, sheet conveyance path, sheet feed roller, lift plate, and guide wall. Sheet feed roller is disposed, downstream of sheet tray in sheet conveyance direction, above central portion of sheet tray in sheet width direction perpendicular to sheet conveyance direction, so as to face central portion. Lift plate is movable upward and downward to allow sheet to contact with sheet feed roller. Guide wall is disposed downstream of lift plate in sheet conveyance direction and spaced from lift plate with predetermined gap, to guide the conveyed sheet in diagonally upward direction intersecting placing surface of sheet tray. Both end portions in sheet width direction in front edge portion, of lift plate, facing guide wall are provided with end guide surfaces, respectively, which are inclined upward relative to central portion in sheet width direction.

Abstract: A sheet feeder, which is included in an image forming apparatus, includes a sheet tray on which a recording medium is loaded, a regulating member, a link mechanism, and a guide storage. The regulating member is movably disposed to regulate a position of the recording medium loaded on the sheet tray and has guide portions having a height higher than a maximum possible thickness of a sheet stack loadable on the sheet tray and the height thereof is changeable. The link mechanism rotatably supports the sheet tray with respect to a tray storing position and a sheet feeding position. The guide storage stores the guide portions of the regulating member as the link mechanism moves the sheet tray from the sheet feeding position to the tray storing position and has a depth set to be greater than a length in a height direction of the guide portions.

Abstract: A sheet stacking portion is provided in a sheet storing portion in which sheets are stored. The sheet stacking portion is suspended by a wire which is wound up and wound off. The sheet stacking portion is raised and lowered by winding up and winding off the wire. Then, when the wire is in a slack state, a fixing portion fixes the sheet stacking portion to the sheet storing portion. When the wire is in a tensioned state, the fixing of the sheet stacking portion is released.

Abstract: A sheet feeder includes a feed roller for feeding a sheet and a lifting plate for lifting the sheet to be fed to a feeding height of the feed roller. This sheet feeder further includes a wire for raising the lifting plate and a winding member formed with a winding configuration section for winding the wire. This winding configuration section is provided with a high-position winding section for a high-position side in a lifting height of the lifting plate and a low-position winding section for a low-position side. The high-position winding section is larger in winding radius than the low-position winding section. Accordingly, a sheet feeder having a simple structure capable of rapidly moving down the lifting plate and preventing impact of the lifting plate and an image forming apparatus incorporating the sheet feeder can be provided.

Abstract: A sheet feed device has a tray with holding surface for holding sheets, a feed unit for feeding sheets from the tray, and a separation plate. The separation plate has an inclined surface and two or more separation portions that separate a sheet from the sheets held in the tray. At least one of the separation portions projects a first distance from the inclined surface. The separation plate also has a projection positioned on the inclined surface that projects a second distance from the inclined surface. The second distance is greater than the first distance. A first of the separation portions is positioned upstream of the particular projection in the sheet feed direction, and a second of the separation portions positioned downstream of the particular projection in the sheet feed direction.

Abstract: The sheet feeding apparatus includes a feeding roller that includes an arc-shaped friction portion and a notch portion, and causes the friction portion to feed the sheet; a feeding motor rotationally driving the feeding roller; a separation pad that presses the sheet fed by the friction portion on a surface other than a surface at the friction portion, and separates a double-fed sheet; and a feeding spring that causes the sheet supporting portion to wait below the feeding roller such that the sheet supported on the sheet supporting portion is not in contact with the friction portion until the friction portion reaches the separation pad, and, when the friction portion reaches the separation pad, moves up the sheet supporting portion to an abutting position at which the sheet supported on the sheet supporting portion is pressed against the friction portion and the friction portion feeds the sheet.

Abstract: The present invention provides a sheet feeder, which can reliably feed a sheet without requiring the extra operation of a regulating member, and an image forming apparatus. The sheet feeder comprises an intermediate plate 4 provided in a cassette body 2 so as to rotate in up and down directions around a rotation fulcrum portion 4a. The cassette body 2 has a freely movable rear end regulating member 5. The rear end regulating member 5 has a holding portion 5a which prevents the rotation fulcrum portion 4a of the intermediate plate 4 from being detached from the cassette body 2. In the transportation, the rear end regulating member 5 is set to a position where the holding portion 5a prevents the rotation fulcrum portion 4a of the intermediate plate 4 from being detached from the cassette body 2 and the intermediate plate 4 can rotate.

Abstract: A large capacity automatic printer paper tray operatively mounts a printing device to its upper extent. A paper support is disposed in a frame of the paper tray and is slideably supported by vertical frame rails. A drive screw rotatably secured in the frame is operatively coupled to the paper support. An actuator motor operatively drives the drive screw to raise and lower the paper support. Lower and upper limit sensors control the motor to limit downward and upward movement of the paper support. A paper pick-up interface plate transfers a top paper from the paper support into a paper pick-up roller of the mounted print device, via a feed roller of the print device. A pull-track sensor operates the motor to maintain a top level of paper on the paper support between a minimum and a maximum pull-track threshold.

Abstract: A sheet loading device positioned in an image forming apparatus includes a frame and a loading plate located on an upper surface portion of the frame. The loading plate, in association with, the upper surface portion allows the sheet to be loaded on thereon. The loading plate includes a sheet loading member that supports a downstream side of the sheet in a sheet feed direction, and can be raised and lowered with respect to a sheet transportation path, and a cover member that is located between the sheet loading member and the upper surface portion. The cover member covers a gap formed between the sheet loading member and the upper surface portion when the sheet loading member is in a raised position.

Abstract: A sheet stacking portion is provided in a sheet storing portion in which sheets are stored. The sheet stacking portion is suspended by a wire which is wound up and wound off. The sheet stacking portion is raised and lowered by winding up and winding off the wire. Then, when the wire is in a slack state, a fixing portion fixes the sheet stacking portion to the sheet storing portion. When the wire is in a tensioned state, the fixing of the sheet stacking portion is released.

Abstract: The present invention relates a sheet feeding apparatus with a lifting and lowering mechanism in a sheet deck 2, which includes abutting portions 101a to 101d which makes wire hanging portions 64a to 64d of a sheet stacking table 52 abut thereon and makes the sheet stacking table 52 lockable with respect to a storing portion 61. The mechanism also includes a pulse motor 27 and a one-way clutch 40. A controller 5 drives the pulse motor 27 to be rotated in a lifting direction of the sheet stacking table 52, further drives the pulse motor 27 to be rotated in the same direction even after the wire hanging portions 64a to 64d abut on the abutting portions 101a to 101d to cause the pulse motor 27 to step out, and renders the pulse motor 27 non-conductive. Thus, the wire hanging portions is locked to abut on the abutting portions.

Abstract: In an imaging apparatus, a removable media tray is operative to hold a plurality of media types of different widths and a pick device includes a pick mechanism and a translation mechanism for moving the pick mechanism to a centerline of a width of one or more media sheets in the media tray. The media tray includes a reference edge surface and a media edge guide moveable to a selected position with respect to the reference edge surface. The one or more media sheets are restrained between the reference edge surface and the media edge guide with the translation mechanism automatically translating the pick mechanism to the centerline of the corresponding media width during insertion of the media tray into the imaging apparatus.

Abstract: A sheet feeder mountable to a body of an apparatus includes a bottom plate on which the sheets are placed and a bottom plate lift unit including a bottom plate pusher disposed beneath the bottom plate, a rack member to rotate the bottom plate pusher vertically by moving horizontally, a pinion gear to move the rack member horizontally, a biasing member to pull the bottom plate pusher toward the rack member, attached therebetween, and a position detector to detect positions of the rack member and the pinion gear. The pinion gear is coupled using projection-and-recess engagement to a rotation transmission device provided to the body, and a quantity of tooth Z1 of the pinion gear by which the rack member is moved by the rotation transmission device, a total tooth number Z2 of the pinion gear, and a coupling division number S of the rotation transmission device satisfy Z1=Z2·(1/S)·N.

Abstract: A paper feeding cassette includes a cassette body having a bottom wall, a front face wall disposed at a front end of the cassette body, a medium-stacking member disposed so as to be swingable about a support shaft relative to the cassette body wherein the medium-stacking member configured to have a medium thereon stacked, and a mechanism configured to move the medium-stacking member away from the bottom wall. The front face wall includes a curved portion.

Abstract: A sheet conveying device includes a sheet stacking portion on which sheets are to be stacked, a sheet conveyance path, a sheet feeding member, a driving unit, a stopper and an interlocking unit. The sheet is conveyed from the sheet stacking portion in a predetermined conveying direction in the sheet conveyance path. The sheet feeding member is arranged at an entrance side of the sheet conveyance path and conveys the sheet by being driven and rotated. The stopper is projectable into and retractable from the sheet conveyance path at a side upstream of the sheet feeding member in the conveying direction and prevents the sheets stacked on the sheet stacking portion from coming into contact with the sheet feeding member in a projecting state. The interlocking unit causes the stopper to project into and retract from the sheet conveyance path in accordance with rotational movements of the sheet feeding member.

Abstract: A system includes a sheet holder configured to hold a sheet of blanks, the sheet of blanks including a first blank and a second blank attached to the first blank. A conveyor mechanism is configured to transport the sheet of blanks from the sheet holder to a separator mechanism. The separator mechanism is configured to apply a pulling force to the first blank. A resistance component is configured to apply a resistance force to the second blank to resist the pulling force. The pulling force and the resistance force are configured to separate the first blank from the second blank.

Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus includes a sheet accommodating unit which is detachably attached to an apparatus main body and configured to accommodate sheets, a sheet stacking unit which is provided in the sheet accommodating unit and can move while supporting the sheet, a sheet feeding unit configured to feed the sheet stacked on the sheet stacking unit, and a lift unit configured to move the sheet stacking unit toward the sheet feeding unit, wherein, before feeding of the sheet stacked on the sheet stacking unit by the sheet feeding unit, the lift unit increases and then reduces press contact force between the sheet stacked on the sheet stacking unit and the sheet feeding unit.

Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus of the present invention includes a feeding apparatus body, a storage case body, a storage case caster which movably supports the storage case body in a pull-out direction, and a drop-out preventing units having a pull-out stopper which regulates a pull-out position of the storage case body from the feeding apparatus body, a storage case stopper which is provided at a rear end in the pull-out direction of the storage case body, an upper-face rail portion which is formed in the feeding apparatus body to guide the storage case stopper into the pull-out direction, and a drop-out stopper which is engaged with the storage case stopper at the rear end in the pull-out direction compared to the pull-out stopper to regulate a movement of the storage case body toward the pull-out direction, if the storage case body is rotated with a predetermined angle or more.

Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus has a sheet accommodating portion, a sheet stacking portion, a lift mechanism, a driving portion provided, and a damper portion. The lift mechanism can be engaged with and disengaged from the driving portion, and if the engagement between the lift mechanism and the driving portion is released, the lift mechanism lowers the sheet stacking portion, the damper portion is engaged with the lift mechanism, and if the engagement between the lift mechanism and the driving portion is released, the damper portion exerts damper effect on the lift mechanism to reduce a lowering speed of the sheet stacking portion, and wherein the damper portion does not exert the damper effect on the lift mechanism until the sheet stacking portion is lowered by a predetermined amount after the engagement between the lift mechanism and the driving portion is released.

Abstract: A sheet feeder includes: an attraction separation unit including an attraction belt stretched between rollers and facing the upper surface of a sheet bundle to attract an uppermost sheet thereof, rotatably supported by a support member at a position upstream of the attraction belt in a sheet feeding direction, and supporting the rollers to be released from the support upon contact of the rollers with the uppermost sheet via the attraction belt; and a swing device for swinging the attraction separation unit around the support member as a pivot to move the attraction belt between an attraction position and a feed position more distant from the sheet bundle than the attraction position, and swinging, after the uppermost sheet has been attracted to the attraction belt at the attraction position, the attraction belt to the feed position to be rotated to feed the uppermost sheet.

Abstract: The sheet feeding apparatus includes an apparatus body, a sheet cassette, a positioning member which includes a positioning pin arranged at one of the apparatus body and the sheet cassette and a positioning hole arranged at the other of the apparatus body and the sheet cassette and which performs positioning of the sheet cassette owing to fitting of the positioning pin with the positioning hole when the sheet cassette is slidingly moved to an attached position, and a restriction member which performs restriction of movement of the sheet cassette in the horizontal direction being perpendicular to a sliding direction from a drawn position to a fitting beginning position where fitting of the positioning member begins and which releases restriction of the movement of the sheet cassette in the horizontal direction from the fitting beginning position to the attached position.

Abstract: A sheet loading device positioned in an image forming apparatus includes a frame and a loading plate located on an upper surface portion of the frame. The loading plate, in association with, the upper surface portion allows the sheet to be loaded on thereon. The loading plate includes a sheet loading member that supports a downstream side of the sheet in a sheet feed direction, and can be raised and lowered with respect to a sheet transportation path, and a cover member that is located between the sheet loading member and the upper surface portion. The cover member covers a gap formed between the sheet loading member and the upper surface portion when the sheet loading member is in a raised position.

Abstract: A sheet feeder has a sheet accommodating portion, a lift plate, an actuating plate, and an actuating plate driving member. The lift plate is supported on the bottom face of the sheet accommodating portion such that an end part of the lift plate is rotatable. The actuating plate raises and lowers the lift plate by moving between a first position where it lies flat along the bottom face of the sheet accommodating portion and a second position where it is raised a predetermined angle from the bottom face of the sheet accommodating portion. The actuating plate driving member has the actuating plate fixed thereto. The engagement portion is provided on the reverse face of the lift plate, and engages with the actuating plate when this is in the first position and disengages from the actuating plate as the actuating plate rotates from the first position to the second position.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus is provided that includes a swing member swinging between a first position where a force for moving a pressing plate upward is transmitted to the pressing plate and a second position where transmission of the force is interrupted, a latchet mechanism that forbids the pressing plate to move downward and includes a latchet gear rotating in conjunction with a motion of the pressing plate and a latching member that is movably attached to the swing member and configured to forbid rotation of the latchet gear by engaging with the latchet gear, and a pressing member that applies a pressing force to the latching member when the swing member is in the second position and does not apply the pressing force to the latching member, and render the latching member movable relative to the swing member when the swing member is in the first position.

Abstract: A transport device includes a transporting member that transports an object that is wound around an outer peripheral surface thereof by rotating; a holding unit that is rotatably supported by the transporting member at a first end thereof, the holding unit holding a leading end of the object in a transport direction by gripping the leading end between a second end thereof and the outer peripheral surface when the object enters a space between the second end and the outer peripheral surface; and a positioning unit disposed on the transporting member or the holding unit so as to be movable downstream in a direction in which the object enters the space. The positioning unit contacts the leading end of the object that has entered the space and positions the object in the transport direction when the holding unit moves to hold the object.

Abstract: The present invention provides a sheet feeder, including: a support member which can be rotated around a pivot at upstream side thereof in a sheet feeding direction and supports sheets; a driving unit rotating the support member upwardly; a feeding portion feeding the sheets; a first detection unit detecting the sheets on the support member at a first detection position above the support member; a second detection unit detecting the sheets on the support member at a second detection position located at upstream of the first detection position and below the first detection position; and a stacking amount determining portion determining a stacking amount of the sheets on the support member, based on a period of time between a time when the second detection unit detects the sheets and a time when the first detection unit detects the sheets while the support member is upwardly rotated by the driving unit.

Abstract: A recording medium feeding device includes a lower stage side tray which stores a recording medium, an upper stage side tray which is provided above the lower stage side tray and stores the recording medium, a first separation inclined surface which is opposite to a tip of the recording medium which is stored in the lower stage side tray and the upper stage side tray and extends along a feed path of the recording medium, and a second separation inclined surface in which a trailing end in the feed path is positioned below a bottom surface of the upper stage side tray, and thus, which is opposite to the tip of the recording medium which is stored in the lower stage side tray and is not opposite to the tip of the recording medium which is stored in the upper stage side tray.

Abstract: A sheet loading device includes a sheet tray, a lift plate, a restricting part, and an auxiliary restricting member. The restricting part is movable to a plurality of predetermined fixed positions and restricts a position of the sheets in a sheet width direction. The auxiliary restricting member is disposed on the one edge side of the restricting part. The auxiliary restricting member restricts, with first biasing force, the side edge of the sheets lifted by the lift plate when the number of sheets housed in the sheet tray is a first number of sheets, and restricts, with second biasing force that is greater than the first biasing force, the side edge of the sheets lifted by the lift plate when the number of sheets housed in the sheet tray is a second number of sheets that is greater than the first number of sheets.

Abstract: A sheet feeder includes: an attracting and separating device disposed above a leading end portion in a sheet-feeding direction of a sheet stack, attracting and holding an uppermost sheet of the sheet stack with electrostatic force and separating the uppermost sheet from the sheet stack, a sheet loading device carrying the sheet stack, and including a first bottom plate carrying a rear-side portion of the sheet stack and a second bottom plate separated from the first bottom plate and carrying the leading end portion of the sheet stack below the attracting and separating device; and a lifting device lifting and lowering the sheet loading device, and including a first lifting device lifting and lowering the first bottom plate and a second lifting device lifting and lowering the second bottom plate to move the leading end portion of the sheet stack toward and away from the attracting and separating device.

Abstract: Disclosed is a sheet amount indicator for use in a sheet-feeding tray. The sheet-feeding tray includes a sheet stacking part having a base plate where sheets are stacked, and the base plate is configured to rise up for feeding of a topmost sheet stacked. The sheet amount indicator includes a viewing part disposed on an outer surface of the sheet stacking part, an indicator member configured to move as seen through the viewing part, a cooperative mechanism configured to move in accordance with a vertical movement of the base plate, and an amplifying mechanism disposed outside the sheet stacking part and connected to the cooperative mechanism so as to amplify the movement of the cooperative mechanism to transmit the amplified movement to the indicator member.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a main body including a printing unit for printing an image on a recording medium and a pickup roller for picking up the recording medium, a paper feeding device, which includes an elevatable knock-up plate on which recording media are stackable and a pressure member for elastically pressing the knock-up plate towards the pickup roller and is removably inserted into the main body, and a variable guide unit, which is supported by the main body, is fixed in a slope state to lower the knock-up plate in a direction against the pickup roller when the paper feeding device is withdrawn from the main body, and moves to maintain a contact state with the knock-up plate due to a rising state of the knock-up plate in a state in which the paper feeding device is inserted into the main body.

Abstract: An image forming device includes: a feeding roller; a support shaft; a support portion; a drive shaft; a planetary gear unit; and a driving force transmission unit. The support portion rotatably supports the feeding roller and is pivotally movably supported to the support shaft. The drive shaft is rotatable upon receipt of a driving force from a motor. The planetary gear unit includes a sun gear rotatable integrally with the drive shaft, and a planetary gear swingably movable about the sun gear while maintaining meshing engagement therewith. The transmission unit includes an input gear meshingly engageable with the planetary gear when the drive shaft rotates. The transmission unit transmits the driving force to the feeding roller through the drive shaft, the sun gear, the planetary gear, and the input gear.

Abstract: A sheet feeder has a sheet accommodating portion, a lift plate, an actuating plate, and an actuating plate driving member. The lift plate is supported on the bottom face of the sheet accommodating portion such that an end part of the lift plate is rotatable. The actuating plate raises and lowers the lift plate by moving between a first position where it lies flat along the bottom face of the sheet accommodating portion and a second position where it is raised a predetermined angle from the bottom face of the sheet accommodating portion. The actuating plate driving member has the actuating plate fixed thereto. The engagement portion is provided on the reverse face of the lift plate, and engages with the actuating plate when this is in the first position and disengages from the actuating plate as the actuating plate rotates from the first position to the second position.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus is provided that includes a swing member swinging between a first position where a force for moving a pressing plate upward is transmitted to the pressing plate and a second position where transmission of the force is interrupted, a latchet mechanism that forbids the pressing plate to move downward and includes a latchet gear rotating in conjunction with a motion of the pressing plate and a latching member that is movably attached to the swing member and configured to forbid rotation of the latchet gear by engaging with the latchet gear, and a pressing member that applies a pressing force to the latching member when the swing member is in the second position and does not apply the pressing force to the latching member, and render the latching member movable relative to the swing member when the swing member is in the first position.

Abstract: An apparatus for use with a store for storing value sheets in a stack having at least one variable dimension. In one aspect, the apparatus can include a plate that is adapted to engage the stack for movement therewith in the direction of the variable dimension. The apparatus can also include an indicator that is disposable between a first, operational position and a second, rest position. The plate engages the indicator such that the indicator alternates between the rest position and the operational position in response to crossing of a predetermined position by the plate.

Abstract: In a sheet feeding cassette which lifts up and lifts down a bottom plate each time when a paper is fed, a recording material sensor detects that no recording materials exist when the bottom plate rises over a predetermined position. Accordingly, by measuring a period of time when it is detected that no recording materials exist during a sheet feeding operation, a stacking amount of the recording materials in a sheet feeding cassette can be detected.

Abstract: A sheet feeder mountable to a body of an apparatus includes a bottom plate on which the sheets are placed and a bottom plate lift unit including a bottom plate pusher disposed beneath the bottom plate, a rack member to rotate the bottom plate pusher vertically by moving horizontally, a pinion gear to move the rack member horizontally, a biasing member to pull the bottom plate pusher toward the rack member, attached therebetween, and a position detector to detect positions of the rack member and the pinion gear. The pinion gear is coupled using projection-and-recess engagement to a rotation transmission device provided to the body, and a quantity of tooth Z1 of the pinion gear by which the rack member is moved by the rotation transmission device, a total tooth number Z2 of the pinion gear, and a coupling division number S of the rotation transmission device satisfy Z1=Z2·(1/S)·N.

Abstract: A sheet supplying apparatus, comprising a housing; and a sheet-supply tray which supports a plurality of sheets and which is insertable into the housing. The sheet-supply tray includes at least one first engageable portion. The housing includes at least one second engageable portion which is engaged, in a state in which the sheet-supply tray is inserted in the housing, with the at least one first engageable portion of the sheet-supply tray. The sheet-supply tray further includes a guide portion having an inclined guide surface which guides a movement of each of the sheets supplied from the sheet-supply tray, and at least a portion of the at least one first engageable portion is provided in a rear space located in rear of the guide portion.

Abstract: A sheet feeder is disclosed for feeding sheets from a stack by one sheet in a sheet feeding direction, the one sheet being an uppermost sheet of the sheet stack. The sheet feeder includes: a sheet stacker for accommodating the sheet stack therein; a side fence to regulate side ends of the sheets and movable in a direction perpendicular to the sheet feeding direction; a slide shaft arranged in the side fence and extending in a vertical direction; a link member that swings as the side fence moves, a first end of the link member configured to be slidable along the slide shaft, and a second end of the link member configured to be pivotable about a pivot point, which is arranged on a side wall of the sheet stacker at a position lower than the first end; and a swing stopper unit that stops swing of the link member.

Abstract: In a sheet feeding apparatus, an image reading apparatus and an image forming apparatus, an original document tray on which sheets are accommodated along the sheet feeding direction includes a placing plate on which the sheets are placed and which can be lifted and lowered and to move the sheets to a position at which the sheets can be fed by a pickup roller, a detection unit which detects that sheets are placed on the placing plate, and a curl suppressing member which presses a central portion in a width direction perpendicular to the sheet feeding direction of the accommodated sheets to suppress upward curl of downstream edges in the sheet feeding direction of the sheets.

Abstract: A sheet feeding device may include a tray, a sheet feeder, a pressurizing unit, a height detection unit, a weight detection unit, and a control unit. The tray may be raised and lowered. The sheet feeder sends out a sheet stacked on the tray. The pressurizing unit urges the tray to pressurize the sheet stacked on the tray against the sheet feeder. The control unit adjust pressure force of the pressurizing unit per change in height of sheets stacked on the tray on a basis of weight per unit height of the sheets, calculated on a basis of an initial total weight of the sheets stacked on the tray detected by the weight detection unit before a feeding operation is started and on a basis of the initial height of sheets stacked on the tray detected by the height detection unit before a sheet feeding operation is started.

Abstract: A method of feeding a planar medium, includes providing a host tray having a feed edge adjacent to which the medium is extracted by a feeder, and having a spring plate for lifting the medium; nesting a media carrier in the host tray, wherein the media carrier includes a print biasing edge which forms an acute angle with the spring plate through the travel of the spring plate, so that the print biasing edge and the feeder together impose an angular acceleration on a planar medium disposed between the print biasing edge and the spring plate, so that the medium is rotated away from the print biasing edge; disposing a planar medium in the host tray over the spring plate; and extracting the planar medium at the feed edge using the feeder.

Abstract: A media tray includes a cleaning mechanism that is fed into the media feed system of a printer automatically when the media tray is emptied of print media and then retracted when the media tray is accessed.

Abstract: A sheet feeder includes a tray on which sheets are to be placed, a rope connected to the tray, a pulley which includes a shaft and on which the rope is taken up such that the winds thereof are aligned in an axial direction of the shaft, and a motor for moving the tray upward by rotating the pulley about the shaft in a direction to take up the rope to locate the uppermost sheet on the tray at a sheet pickup position. A sheet remaining amount detection device applied to this sheet feeder includes a position detector for detecting a present position which is a present take-up position of the rope on the pulley in the axial direction, and a remaining amount detecting section for detecting the remaining amount of the sheets on the tray based on the present position detected by the position detector.