Kyocera Mita Corporation

Masaki Higashiyama

Masami Fuchi

Kiyonori Yamamoto

Mitsuhiro Goda

Yoshihiro Yamaguchi

Nobuyuki Kashiwagi

Yukio Hashimoto

Yasuyuki Hirai

A paper feeder comprises a paper-stacking mechanism having a paper-stacking plate on which the papers are to be stacked, and a width-limiting member for limiting the position of the papers stacked on said paper-stacking plate in the direction of width of the papers; a suction/feed mechanism disposed above the paper-stacking mechanism to feed by suction the uppermost paper stacked on the paper-stacking plate; and an air-blowing mechanism disposed on the front side of the paper-stacking means in the direction in which the papers are conveyed and including an air duct extending in a direction at right angles with the direction in which the paper is conveyed, said air duct having plural nozzles for jetting out the air against an upper portion at the front end of the papers stacked on said paper-stacking means, and a fan connected to an end of said air duct. The width-limiting member is provided with a closure member for closing the nozzles located on the outer sides of the width-limiting member, of the plural nozzles.

Paper feeder

A paper feeder is able to properly separate and convey the uppermost sheet of paper from sheets stacked beneath it in a paper bin while effectively preventing multiple paper sheet feeds and other paper feed problems. The paper feeder includes a paper separator for lifting upper sheets, and separating the uppermost sheet from the sheet immediately beneath it by blowing air against an upper-forward end of a stack of paper loaded in a paper bin, and a vacuum paper carrier for holding the uppermost sheet by suction and carrying it. The paper separator has lifting nozzles for lifting side ends of the upper sheets, by blowing air toward side portions, excluding a central portion, of the stack of paper loaded in the paper bin.

Paper feeder for use in image forming apparatus

A feeder apparatus arranged on a side of a main body of an image forming apparatus is provided with a top door and a vertical door. The top door is provided in an opening defined above a sheet stacker, and the vertical door is provided in an opening defined on a side of the sheet stacker to enable an operator to replenish sheets inside the feeder apparatus. Switches are provided to detect as to whether the top door or the vertical door is opened. The feeder apparatus is constructed in such a manner that upward movement of the sheet stacker is suspended when the top door is detected to be opened and that upward and downward movement of the sheet stacker is suspended when the vertical door is detected to be opened.

Paper feeder apparatus for use with image forming apparatus

Growing community of inventors

Osaka, Japan

Masaki Higashiyama