The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Feb. 27, 2007
Filed:
Nov. 04, 2004
Yoji Sasai, Nagano, JP;
Norihiro Yamashita, Nagano, JP;
Yoichi Kobayashi, Nagano, JP;
Hirotomo Tanaka, Nagano, JP;
Yoji Sasai, Nagano, JP;
Norihiro Yamashita, Nagano, JP;
Yoichi Kobayashi, Nagano, JP;
Hirotomo Tanaka, Nagano, JP;
Seiko Epson Corporation, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
A paper feed unit includes a hopper on which sheets are stacked and which is turned around a rotation shaft. The hopper is turned to move apart from or move to a paper feed roller. The paper feed unit has three modes: a large release mode in which the hopper is turned to be most apart from the paper feed roller, a non-release mode in which the printing sheet is abutted against the paper feed roller, and a small release mode in which the printing sheet, is slightly separated from the paper feed roller, and is at a medium level between the above two modes. When a paper feeding job is still present, a state that the uppermost printing sheet is slightly separated from the paper feed roller is retained by the small release mode, whereby a swing range of the hopper is minimized.