Method and apparatus for sheet feeding and image forming apparatus incorporating the same
US6948710B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Feb 7, 2003 |
| Grant date | Sep 27, 2005 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 28, 2023 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
- CPC primaryB65H2301/42324
- WIPO fieldHandling
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A method for feeding sheet materials is disclosed, which is implemented by forwarding a plurality of sheet materials loaded on a loading plate with a rotating feeding roller toward a separation unit, for the leading edge of the sheet materials to be collided with a tapered face of taper member, and subsequently separating the uppermost of the loaded sheet materials through frictional force from the feeding roller after climbing over the taper member to be forwarded further to an image forming unit by way of a nip forming portion, while other underlying sheet materials are halted by the taper member owning to smaller frictional forces there between, thereby obviating the multiple feeding. In addition, the conditions suitable for sheet feeding can be satisfied for various sheet materials different in size and thickness by adjusting the distance between the point of contact of the uppermost sheet material with the feeding roller and that of nip formation, such that modulus values are equated to various sheet materials. As a result, considerably high sheet separation qualities are obtained obviating undue non-feeding or multiple feeding, and various kinds of sheet materials different i…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.