| 摘要 |
After the uppermost sheet is separated from a stack of sheets on a pressure plate by a sheet feed roller, a push plate is lowered by a lowering mechanism by a predetermined distance and is halted at a plate standby position higher than the plate lower position by the engagement of a ratchet pawl with a lock pawl. Accordingly, when the pressure plate is lowered after the sheet is separated, it is unnecessary to lower the push plate to the plate lower position. Thus, the moving up/down distance of the pressure plate is shortened when the sheet is separated and conveyed, resulting in a reduction in impact noise generated upon the contact of the sheet and the sheet feed roller. In addition, because the moving distance is shortened, the sheet feed speed per sheet is increased.
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