Patent ID: 8408536
Filing Date: 2013-04-02
Classification: B65H

Abstract:
1. A sheet feeding apparatus comprising: a tray comprising a base plate defining a mounting hole extending therethrough and a sidewall protruding from the base plate, which cooperatively define a receiving space for holding a stack of paper sheets; a driving assembly disposed above the tray, and comprising at least one roller to move a top one of the sheets; a separating mechanism received in the mounting hole and rotatably connected to the tray for contacting a bottom of the stack of the sheets, and comprising a base board rotatably retained within the mounting hole and at least one retard pad to separate the sheets, wherein the base board comprises a top surface defining at least one recess for receiving the at least one retard pad; and at least one resilient element to provide a spring force to the separating mechanism such that the at least one retard pad creates frictional resistance between the separating mechanism and the stack of the sheets, wherein the separating mechanism is rotated and the frictional resistance is reduced when the tray has only a few sheets left.