Apparatus for feeding sheets separately using an electrostatic separator and separating member

摘要

The present invention relates to an apparatus for feeding sheets separately, the apparatus comprises a feed unit disposed over a stack of sheets for causing a conveyance force upon the uppermost of the stack thereby to feed the uppermost sheet from the stack with the conveyance force being directed in a sheet path direction. The feed unit has an alternating charged pattern on a surface thereof. The apparatus further comprises a separation unit disposed opposite to the feed unit so as to form a sheet path in association with the feed unit for causing a preventive force onto an under face of the fed sheet thereby to prevent the sheet from being fed. The preventive force is set to be less than the conveyance force and greater than a friction force between sheets. The separation unit has another alternating charged pattern on a surface thereof.