Sheet-Supply Device

摘要

A sheet-supply device (10) supplying sheets (P) one at a time from a stack of sheets (P) in a sheet feeding direction. The device includes a slanting plate (12) on which a stack of sheets (P) is mounted. A sheet feed roller (21) is positioned above the slanting plate (12) applying a force to an uppermost sheet (P) in the stack to move the sheet (P) in a sheet feed direction. A fixed separation plate (15) is fixed at a downstream end portion of the slanting plate (12). The separation plate (15) is formed with a slot in which a high friction separation member (31) is disposed. The high friction separation member (31) is held by a resilient support plate 39 supported by the fixed separation plate (15). The resilient support plate (39) has a comb like slats (39a) on which the high friction separation member (31) is held. In a normal condition, the high friction separation member (31) protrudes from the slot toward the leading edges of the sheets (P). When a leading edge of the sheet (P) presses the high friction separation member (31) by the rotation of the sheet feed roller (21), and the sheet (P) has a predetermined stiffness, a part of the high friction separation member (31) sinks into the slot by the deformation of the comb like slats (39a).