Abstract: A printing apparatus according to this invention contains a moving unit for moving a feed unit or a recording medium stacked on a stacking unit in a direction to separate them from one another or in a direction to render one in contact with the other based on a result of comparison between information, relating to the recording medium, included in image information and information, relating to the recording medium, input with an information input unit. With such the printing apparatus, a user can replace the recording medium stacked on the stacking unit in a short time without waiting for a feed unit or a recording medium to be moved, even where the information input with the information input unit differs from the information included in the image information.

Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus which feeds each of sheets lifted by blowing air, wherein the amount of movement of a tray from the detection of the tray which stacks a plurality of sheets by a lower position detecting sensor to the detection of the uppermost position of the sheets on the tray by a sheet surface detecting sensor is m, wherein the amount of movement of the tray until the sheet on the tray is positioned within a predetermined range when the sheet on the tray is outside from between the lifting lower limit sensor and the lifting upper limit sensor (the predetermined range) is q, wherein the amount of the sheets stacked on the tray is calculated from the amount of movement m+q of the tray and is then displayed on a remaining amount displaying portion.

Abstract: Provided is a document feeding device including: a document feeding portion for feeding a document; a document set detecting portion for detecting presence/absence of a set document; a determination portion for determining whether power supply to the device is started by turning-on of main power or by cancellation of a power saving mode; an initial operation portion for performing an initial operation of initializing the document feeding portion when the power supply to the document feeding device is started by the turning-on of the main power, and restricting execution of the initial operation when the power supply to the document feeding device is started by the cancellation of the power saving mode; and a display portion for displaying, when there is a set document at the start of the power supply, a request to reset the document.

Abstract: A sheet conveying device includes a controller having a processing unit to cause a first detector to detect an uppermost sheet, an elevator to lift and stop a sheet stack at a reference position, and a second detector to detect and store the position. In a primary operation of the controller, the uppermost sheet is attracted and conveyed for a given number of times while the second detector contacting it, a variation amount of angle is calculated and converted to a thickness of M sheets. With a driven contact roller retracted in a secondary operation, the sheet stack is lifted each time the uppermost sheets by a thickness of N sheets are attracted and conveyed based on the stored thickness of M sheets under N=XM (“M” represents a positive number, “N” represents a positive integer, and “X” represents a positive number of 1 or greater).

Abstract: A sheet feeding method includes supporting a media stack on an elevator, initiating operation of a pick roll in conjunction with a top most sheet, sensing whether or not the pick roll is operating in conjunction with the top most sheet, and moving the elevator, in response to the pick roll not operating in conjunction with the top most sheet, to overcome occurrence of a media handling failure mode between the pick roll and the top most sheet. The elevator is lowered, in response to the pick roll rotating but the top most sheet not arriving at a sheet arrival sensor, to increase a normal force imposed on the top most sheet to overcome the occurrence of a ‘fails to feed’ failure mode. The elevator is raised, in response to the pick roll not rotating, to decrease the normal force imposed on the top most sheet to overcome the occurrence of a ‘pick roll stall’ failure mode.

Abstract: The present disclosure includes an apparatus for feeding a stack of sheet stock in blocks. The apparatus includes a backstop, a block pusher plate, and at least one sensor for determining a height differential between the stack at generally near a lead edge of the stack and the stack at generally near a trail edge of the stack. The apparatus automatically adjusts for warp in the sheet stock. The present disclosure further includes a method comprising obtaining a first measurement at generally near a lead edge side of the stack, obtaining a second measurement at generally near a trail edge side of the stack, comparing the first and second measurements, and pushing the portion of sheet stock from the stack with a block pusher plate when the second measurement is within a predetermined tolerance of the first measurement.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for adjusting the height of a media stack in an image production device is disclosed. The method may include setting the height of the media stack using a default multiplier, determining if printing has started, wherein if it is determined that printing has started, measuring the thickness of media sheets in the media stack, counting the number of media sheets fed to an image production section of the image production device, determining if the media stack height is below a predetermined threshold using the one or more media stack height sensors, wherein the one or more media stack height sensors determine that the media stack height is below the predetermined threshold, calculating a next multiplier using the measured paper thickness and counted number of sheets fed, and setting the next media stack height using the calculated next multiplier.

Abstract: In an image scanning apparatus, documents on a document tray are transferred one by one, and an upper surface height of the documents is lowered to turn off a height detection sensor. Different kinds of control modes are performed according to a document scanning mode. In an image-quality-priority scanning mode, a transfer unit suspends transfer of the document, the document tray is elevated until the upper surface height reaches a target height that is higher by a predetermined distance after the height detection sensor is turned on, and the transfer unit resumes the transfer of the document. In a speed-priority scanning mode, while the transfer of the document is continued by the transfer unit, the document tray is elevated until the document tray reaches the target height.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an image forming apparatus. The image forming apparatus can include an apparatus body, a cassette detachably mounted to the apparatus body, the cassette being configured to hold print media, and a sensor unit configured to sense whether the cassette is mounted, whether the print media are loaded, and/or whether the print media is properly positioned in the cassette.

Abstract: A remaining sheet volume detecting apparatus includes a loading unit that loads a sheet; a driving unit that lifts up the loading unit to a feed position of a loaded sheet; a feeding unit that feeds a sheet from the loading unit that has reached the feed position; a load thickness detecting unit that detects a load thickness of sheets within the loading unit based on a movement amount of the loading unit until the loading unit reaches the sheet feed position; a sheet thickness detecting unit that detects a thickness of a sheet fed by the feeding unit from the loading unit that has reached the feed position; and a remaining sheet volume calculating unit that calculates remaining sheet volume within the loading unit.

Abstract: The invention provides an image forming apparatus an image forming portion for forming an image on a sheet, a stack portion for stacking a sheet, a discharge portion for discharging the sheet, on which an image is formed by the image forming portion, to the stack portion, a sheet detection portion for detecting a conveying condition of the sheet on which an image is formed, a fully stacked condition detection portion for detecting whether the sheets stacked in the stack portion are in a fully stacked condition, and a determining portion for determining an abnormal condition of the sheet in the stack portion, based, after the detection of a sheet passing by the sheet detection portion, on a result of detection by the fully stacked condition detection portion as to whether the sheets stacked in the stack portion are in a fully stacked condition.

Abstract: A sheet feeding device includes a loading portion configured to be loaded with a sheet, a lifting mechanism that lifts the loading portion in an operating state and stops the loading portion in an stopped state, a cam configured to be rotated alternately to a first rotational position for setting the lifting mechanism to the operating state and to a second rotational position for setting the lifting mechanism to the stopped state, a detecting unit having a contact portion movable up and down while contacting the sheet on the loading portion, which detects whether the sheet reaches a first height based upon the movement of the contact portion thereof, and a control unit configured to rotate the cam before the detecting unit detects that the sheet reaches the first height and to stop the cam in the second rotational position in response to the detection by the detecting unit.

Abstract: A method for measuring dimensions of a stack of medium in a media input location of an imaging system, includes emitting light along a direction that is at a predetermined angle with respect to the normal of the planar surface of the media input location. An array of photosensors are disposed along an array direction that lies in a plane defined by the direction of the light and the normal of the planar surface. The photosensors receive a spatially-varying pattern of light reflected from a surface that is substantially parallel to the planar surface of the media input location to provide corresponding electronic signal data from the photosensor array for subsequent transmission to a printing system controller. The varying electronic signal data is used to provide a measurement of the one or more dimensions corresponding to the stack of medium.

Abstract: In paper feeder apparatus, the combination comprising first means including a support for a paper stack and transfer elements for successively transferring paper sheets from the top of the stack upwardly and laterally to a delivered position, and optical control means to determine the level of an upper paper or papers in the stack to control the vertical positioning of papers on the stack, to enable said upwardly and laterally sheet delivering as the stack height diminishes, and a controller for cyclically controlling said transfer elements to integrate cyclic upward and lateral movement of successive sheets transferring from the stack.

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 including sheet feeding unit; a pressure plate on which sheets are stacked and which is biased so that an uppermost sheet of the stacked sheets comes in pressure contact with the sheet feeding unit; a first pressing-down mechanism which presses down the pressure plate to separate the uppermost sheet and the sheet feeding unit by a constant distance when the sheet feeding unit is not operated; a second pressing-down mechanism which is adopted to press down the pressure plate when an amount of the sheets stacked on the pressure plate is smaller than a predetermined amount, and is given a load from the pressure plate depending on a position of the pressure plate; and sheet stacking amount detecting unit which measures the load and detects a stacking amount of the sheets stacked on the pressure plate on the basis of the measured load.

Abstract: Occurrence of improper sheet-feeding of sheets is reduced. A sheet stacking section is lifted by an amount that is larger when a sheet-feed retry is performed than when an ordinary lifting operation is performed.

Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus and a sheet take-out apparatus that prevents a sheet conveyed by a take-out portion from hanging-down and falling, when the take-out portion is stopped due to an emergency. If a take-out emergency process state occurs during the take-out of sheets, the sheet take-out apparatus stops upward movement of a backup plate, moves down feed stoppers, and presses a sheet bundle from above to prevent the sheet on the uppermost surface from being taken out. The sheet take-out apparatus also keeps a rotor air valve on and takes out the sheet caught in a sheet take-in port. When residual sheets on the backup plate are later detected, the sheet take-out apparatus moves down the position of the backup plate, turns off air valves for the rotor, fixed absorbing unit, and handling, and loads a hanging-down sheet on the backup plate, to prevent the sheet from scattering.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for non-contact measurement of a media stack in an image production device is disclosed that may include detecting the position of an unfluffed media stack, setting a desired media stack height by changing a media elevator position using a media elevator control unit based on the detected unfluffed media stack position, determining if printing and fluffing has started, wherein if it is determined that printing and fluffing has started, detecting the position of the transition between the fluffed and unfluffed portions of the media stack using the one or more sensors, determining if the position of the transition between the fluffed and unfluffed portions of the media stack is below a predetermined threshold, wherein if it is determined that the position of the transition between the fluffed and unfluffed portions of the media stack is below the predetermined threshold, setting the desired media stack height by changing the media elevator position based on the detected position of the tr

Abstract: A method for dynamically lifting an elevator includes picking a sheet from a stack to feed to a media process where the stack is on a platform that can be lifted by an elevator, performing the media process, sensing a top of the stack to detect presence or absence of the stack at a media home position, sensing the top of the stack to detect presence or absence of the stack on the platform, sensing the platform to detect its presence or absence at a maximum elevator level, and indexing the stack at least once by lifting the platform through a given distance, during the media process and not during picking a sheet, unless presence of the top of the stack at the media home position is sensed or absence of media sheets on the elevator platform is sensed or presence of the elevator platform at the maximum elevator level is sensed.

Abstract: A feeding device includes a feeding unit configured to be driven while being in contact with a recording sheet to feed the recording sheet, and a stacking unit configured to stack a plurality of the recording sheets and to press or release the stacked recording sheets to or from the feeding unit. Also, the feeding device includes a separating unit configured to separate the plurality of recording sheets fed by the feeding unit, one by one, a detecting unit configured to detect the recording sheet in an area downstream of the separating unit, and a control unit configured to control each of the units. The control unit switches a feeding operation between at least two feeding operations in accordance with a drive time of the feeding unit from when the feeding unit is started to be driven to when the detecting unit detects the recording sheet.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for providing paper stack level calibration in a reproduction apparatus. According to various aspects of the invention, methods are provided for continuous feeding with a transition from one supply to another, and leaving a controlled number of sheets in the prior supply.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including a sheet bundle boundary detecting unit which detects a boundary of sheet bundles added to a sheet storage case, and a control unit which controls a feeding condition of sheet feeding unit based on a detection result of the sheet bundle boundary detecting unit. With this, overlapping-feeding and misfeeding at the boundary between the sheet bundles are reliably prevented.

Abstract: A transporting device moves sheet-like objects. The transporting device has an elevator plate mounted to be liftable and lowerable on a loading surface to load an object to be moved; a drive part to lift and to lower the elevator plate via gears; and a controller to execute a preparatory operation to operate the drive part in a direction only by a drive amount corresponding to the gear backlash during the time after the drive part has completed an elevator plate drive operation in one direction until the start of an elevator plate drive operation in another direction.

Abstract: A paper feeder comprising an actuator and a sensor mounted on a main body, the actuator being capable of contacting an upper surface of a sheet placed on a bottom plate provided in a sheet tray as the bottom plate is raised, thereby allowing the sensor to detect that the sheet is present. The paper feeder further comprises a through bore formed in the bottom plate for receiving the actuator when a sheet is absent from the sheet tray, so that the sensor may detect that the sheet is absent, and a push-out guide provided on peripheries of the through bore for contacting the actuator in the through bore as the sheet tray is pulled out, thereby pushing the actuator upward out of the through bore.

Abstract: There is provided a sheet feeding device in which a sheet is discriminated at preliminary loosening before feeding, and is set to be controlled according to the type of the sheet by a simple configuration without requiring a special configuration. In the sheet feeding device in which air is blown onto a sheet stack, and a sheet floating at the uppermost level by the blowing is absorbed and conveyed, a sheet type is discriminated, based on a moving amount of the tray, at preliminary loosening before sheet feeding after setting the sheet in a tray.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for adjusting the height of a media stack in an image production device is disclosed. The method may include setting the height of the media stack using a default multiplier, determining if printing has started, wherein if it is determined that printing has started, measuring the thickness of media sheets in the media stack, counting the number of media sheets fed to an image production section of the image production device, determining if the media stack height is below a predetermined threshold using the one or more media stack height sensors, wherein the one or more media stack height sensors determine that the media stack height is below the predetermined threshold, calculating a next multiplier using the measured paper thickness and counted number of sheets fed, and setting the next media stack height using the calculated next multiplier.

Abstract: The sheet feeding apparatus includes a sheet stack tray on which sheets to be fed are stacked, a drive motor for moving up the sheet stack tray, a detection sensor for detecting the position of an uppermost sheet stacked on the sheet stack tray, and a control part for controlling the function of the drive motor, wherein, when the detection sensor detects that the uppermost sheet reaches a predetermined height while the drive motor executes a drive so as to move up the sheet stack tray, the control part tentatively stops or decelerates the drive motor and thereafter drives the drive motor so as to move up the sheet stacked on the sheet stack tray to a feed position.

Abstract: In an image scanning apparatus, when documents on a document tray are sequentially transferred, different control steps are performed according to a scanning speed when an upper surface height of the documents is lowered thereby turning off a height detection sensor. In a first control mode, which is not a high speed scanning, the document tray is elevated little by little during an inter-transfer time between each time one document is transferred until the upper surface height reaches a target height that is higher by a predetermined distance since the height detection sensor is turned on. In a second control mode, in which high speed scanning is performed, the document tray is elevated little by little during the inter-transfer time each time the one document is transferred until the upper surface height reaches a height that is higher by a predetermined distance than a height at a time when the height detection sensor is turned off.

Abstract: A method and an arrangement for feeding out end sheets from a stack of sheets comprises that a driver acting against the end sheet of the stack (1) first displaces the end sheet in the plane thereof toward a support for elastic bulging of the end sheet, and then displaces the buckled end sheet away from the support, to a separating arrangement for the separation of sheets that unintentionally are accompanying the end sheet (21) fed out. The driver being carried by a spring arrangement, which offers an increasing support force to the driver upon the advancement of the stack by means of a pusher acting against the rear end of the stack. A sensor detects the displacement position of the driver, and activates the driver for a sheet-outfeed operation when the distance sensor detects a displacement position of the driver corresponding to a predetermined abutment force of the driver against the end sheet. Between the sheet-outfeed operations, the pusher is unloaded.

Abstract: A store for storing value sheets such as banknotes in a stack and for dispensing the value notes from the stack. When more than a single value sheet is dispensed from the stack, the store returns all but one of the value sheets to the stack while moving the stack to reduce friction between the returning value sheet and the topmost value sheet of the stack. Means for securing the stack are also provided: a support for the stack is anchored and/or extra pressure is applied to the stack. The store includes means for indicating when the stack contains more than a predetermined number of value sheets and means for preventing securing of the store when the predetermined number of value sheets is exceeded. A value sheet store with part of a sidewall integrally formed with the lid. A value sheet store which includes a lid attached to a housing by a hinge located on an edge of the housing. Apparatus and a method for determining the height of a stack of value sheets.

Abstract: An apparatus for processing envelopes. A support plates and a pressure sensing lever support a stack of envelopes in a generally upright orientation. The pressure sensing lever pivots in accordance with pressure exerted by the stack of envelopes. A feeding apparatus is operatively coupled to a sensor such that pivotal movement of the pressure sensing lever is detected by the sensor and the feeding apparatus changes the pressure exerted against the stack of envelopes.

Abstract: A sheet feeding device includes a sheet storing unit in which sheets are stacked; a lifting unit that lifts and lowers the sheets; an air blowing unit that blows air to an end faces of the stacked sheets; a feeding roller that is pressed against an upper surface of an uppermost sheet of the sheets and feeds the uppermost sheet by rotating; and a supplying roller that supplies the uppermost sheet, wherein the lifting unit is driven so that height of the uppermost sheet, which is fed by the feeding roller while air is blown by the air blowing unit, is set to be lower than height of the uppermost sheet, which is fed by the feeding roller while air is not blown by the air blowing unit.

Abstract: There is provided an apparatus provided with a tray which goes up and down with sheet stack being supported, a pickup roller which feeds the sheet on the tray a first detecting sensor which detects a object placed on the tray other than the sheets to be fed by the pickup roller, as the tray goes up.

Abstract: A sheet feeder is provided with a sheet accommodating portion, an elevating plate and an inclining mechanism. The sheet accommodating portion includes a bottom plate and a plurality of side plates provided perpendicular to the bottom plate, and can accommodate a plurality of sheets. The sheets accommodated in the sheet accommodating portion are successively fed to the outside from the uppermost one. The elevating plate is movable upward and downward and used to stack the sheets in the sheet accommodating portion. The inclining mechanism inclines the elevating plate such that the front ends of the sheets with respect to a sheet feeding direction are inclined downward during sheet feeding.

Abstract: A media handling system includes a platform, a bin supporting the platform below and for undergoing movement toward and away from a sheet feeding position, a first motion transmitting assembly coupled between the platform and bin and tailored to counterbalance the weight of the platform and any stack such that as the weight decreases the platform is lifted toward the sheet feeding position to maintain the stack top below a lower limit position thereof, a control mechanism to sense the position of the stack top relative to a given range between the lower limit position to an upper home position, and a second motion transmitting assembly drivingly coupled to the platform via the first motion transmitting assembly and responsive to the control mechanism sensing to cause the first motion transmitting assembly to further lift the platform to and maintain the stack top position within the given range.

Abstract: An apparatus, method and system for a feeding a sheet in a document reproduction machine. A feedbox is contained within a document reproduction machine. Within the feedbox, an elevator moves at least one sheet to the upper portion of the feedbox, to a stack height finger, for feeding the sheet into a feed device. At least one sensor, located at the upper portion of the feedbox, detects the location of the sheet. The location information is sent from the sensor to a data processing device. The data processing device sends information to an actuating device. The actuating device may cause one or more plungers to move through apertures in the elevator. The plungers will result in a substantially flat sheet. The sheet is then fed into the feed device.

Abstract: In an image scanning apparatus, when documents on a document tray are sequentially transferred, different control steps are performed according to a scanning speed when an upper surface height of the documents is lowered thereby turning off a height detection sensor. In a low scanning speed, the document tray is elevated one time until the upper surface height becomes a target height which is higher by a predetermined distance since a height detection sensor is turned on at an inter-transfer time between completion of document transfer and start of a subsequent document transfer. In an intermediate scanning speed, the document tray is elevated little by little in each transfer of one document at the inter-transfer time until the upper surface height reaches the target height. In a fast scanning speed, the transfer of the document is tentatively interrupted, the document tray is elevated one time until the upper surface height reaches the target height, and the transfer of the document is resumed.

Abstract: An air blowing portion blows air to the end of sheets supported by a lifting and lowering tray. The sheets blown up by the air from the air blowing portion are sucked and conveyed by a sucking and conveying portion. The sheets are preliminarily blown up above the suckable rang. Then, the sheets are lowered to the suckable range before a sucking and conveying operation is started. In the above operation, the tray is lifted, and thereafter the tray is lowered until the sheets reach the suckable range while repeating a step operation of performing a lowering operation and a stop operation based on detection of the upper surface of the sheets by a sheet detecting mechanism.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for maintaining density and positioning of a grouped sheet articles, such as for feeding of sheet articles from or into the group. One or more pneumatic sensing systems can be used to monitor and control pressure of sheet articles within the group. Dynamic adjustment can be made to the density and position of the sheet articles in the group such as by controlling a motorized belt to move at least a portion of the group of sheet articles in response to an indication to do so from a controller in communication with the pneumatic sensor.

Abstract: A sheet feeding device includes a stacking plate, a moving mechanism, a pick-up device, a detection plate, a detecting device, and a control section. The stacking plate is movably supported inside the sheet feeding device. The mechanism moves the stacking plate up and down. The pick-up device sends a top one of sheets stacked on the stacking plate, out in a direction from a sheet feeding position within a predetermined level range. The detection plate is mounted above the position and below a top inner surface of the sheet feeding device, with a lower surface thereof facing an object to be placed on the stacking plate. The detection plate is movably supported at a support portion provided at a predetermined location in an upper surface thereof. The detecting device detects upward and downward displacement of the detection plate. According to the detection result, the section controls operation of the mechanism.

Abstract: An image-forming apparatus has a limitation pad 31c and a retard roller 34, which separately feed recording paper P on an elevation tray 31 in an MPT cover 30 by bringing the recording paper P against an outer peripheral surface 33a of the feeding roller 33. In this image-forming apparatus (paper feeder), when the feeding roller is stopped by passing recording paper to be separately fed to a pair of relay transport rollers, the elevation tray is lowered before stoppage of the feeding roller, thereby separating an extremity of the recording paper from the outer peripheral surface of the feeding roller.

Abstract: According to an aspect of the invention, there is provided a sheet feeder including; an air blowing unit floating and separating an upper portion of sheet of paper laid on a tray; and a transfer belt adsorbing and transferring uppermost sheet of paper laid on the tray; an optical analog sensor sensing an upper face of the uppermost sheet of paper and comprising a sensing face including a light receiving surface; a shield plate movable with the sheet, the shield plate detecting a position of upper face of the sheet of paper so as to keep a position of the uppermost sheet at a constant position and comprising; an elastic shield member having a C-character shape, a surface of the elastic shield member where the elastic shield member is contact with the light receiving surface of the optical analog sensor being in the same plane of a surface of the elastic shield member where the elastic shield member is contact with the shield-plate.

Abstract: Print sheets 7 stacked up are inserted into a package member 8 so that the sheets 7 in this state can be set in a printer together with the package member 8. The package member 8 is provided with an identification mark 31 while the printer is equipped with a reflective sensor so that the identification mark 31 will be placed in a reading area of the reflective sensor only when the sheet package 9 is loaded in the printer in a correct direction.

Abstract: A method and device for feeding sheets to a user machine, whereby the sheets, arranged in a stack along a channel having a substantially horizontal longitudinal axis, are fed to a single-sheet pickup member by dividing the stack into an output portion, an intermediate portion, and an input portion; pushing the output portion towards the pickup member at a given constant first pressure; compressing the input portion at a given second pressure; transferring sheets from the intermediate portion to the output portion to compensate for the withdrawn sheets and keep a length of the output portion substantially constant and equal to a given value; and transferring sheets from the input portion to the intermediate portion to keep the density of the sheets along the intermediate portion substantially constant and equal to a given value.

Abstract: A document feeder includes a tray for holding one or more document sheets and a first flag disposed adjacent to the tray so as to engage a document sheet in the tray. A second flag is disposed adjacent to the tray to engage the document sheet so that the first and second flags produce balanced amounts of friction on the document sheet.

Abstract: A detecting device for detecting the presence or absence of a sheet contained in a sheet containing portion includes a rotatable arm portion brought into contact with the sheet contained in the sheet containing portion, a stopper portion rotatable in association with the arm portion for determining the position of the arm portion when there is no sheet in the sheet containing portion and whose rotation is regulated when there is no sheet in the sheet containing portion. And when the sheet in a conveying path is to be pulled out, the arm portion is retreated from a position determined by the stopper portion due to the pressure of the sheet being pulled out.

Abstract: A paper feeding apparatus includes a paper loading plate, a paper feeding section with a pick-up roller to pick up and to feed the papers loaded on the paper loading plate one by one, a lifter to lift the paper loading plate to a pick-up roller side of the paper feeding section, a position sensor unit to sense whether an uppermost one of the papers is positioned at a pick-up position, a paper quantity sensor unit to sense the quantity and/or weight of the papers loaded on the paper loading plate, and a controller to control a lift driving time period T of the lifter to drive the lifter from a time that the uppermost one of the papers is positioned at the pick-up position to a point of time where the lifter is stopped.

Abstract: A sheet elevating apparatus for use in a sheet tray cassette detachably installable to an image forming apparatus includes an elevation driving source, a first coupling, an elevation member, a second coupling, and an elevation controller. The elevation driving source is mounted to the image forming apparatus. The first coupling is connected to the elevation driving source and has a home position. The elevation member elevates a plurality of recording sheets placed on an elevating base plate of the sheet tray cassette. The second coupling is connected to the elevation member and is engaged with the first coupling set at the home position when the sheet tray cassette is installed in the image forming apparatus. The elevation controller drives the elevation driving source to set the first coupling to the home position when the sheet tray cassette is pulled out.

Abstract: An image generating apparatus capable of effectively suppressing double paper feeding and reducing the number of components is obtained. This image generating apparatus comprises a paper feed roller feeding papers, a push-up member pressing the papers against the paper feed roller and a control portion controlling driving of the paper feed roller and the push-up member. The control portion carries the papers in a paper feed direction by rotating the paper feed roller, thereafter carries the papers oppositely to the paper feed direction by a prescribed distance while lifting the push-up member, and thereafter lowers the push-up member.