Patent · US Active

Sheet-feeding mechanism, sheet-feeding device, and image forming apparatus

US7866659B2 · kind B2 · utility

6Cited by
10References
10Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJul 2, 2008
Grant dateJan 11, 2011
Priority date
Expiry dateApr 8, 2029

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
  • CPC primaryB65H2801/06
  • WIPO fieldHandling
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

An object of the present invention is to improve separability with respect to other sheet without damaging sheets in a sheet-feeding mechanism used in an image forming apparatus. For the purpose of accomplishing the object, the sheet-feeding mechanism includes: a feeding roller (10) which rotates in a sheet-conveying direction, at least a contact member (12) is made of material having elasticity; and a retard roller (20) having a plurality of press-contact rollers (21) which comes in contact with the feeding roller (10) at a predetermined pressure to form a plurality of press-contact surfaces (311), and a hardness of the contact member (12) of the feeding roller (10) is different from that of the press-contact roller (21) of the retard roller (20).

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.