Patent ID: 7753362
Filing Date: 2010-07-13
Classification: B65H

Abstract:
1. A sheet feeding apparatus for feeding a sheet material by separating the sheet material from a plurality of stacked sheet materials, said apparatus comprising: a pressure plate for stacking the sheet materials thereon; a sheet feeding roller that feeds the sheet material stacked on said pressure plate; a separation roller that abuts said sheet feeding roller to separate the sheet material; a sheet feeding shaft that rotatably supports said sheet feeding roller; a sheet feeding shaft gear that rotates integrally with said sheet feeding shaft, a cam for causing said pressure plate to move to a position abutting said sheet feeding roller and to a position separated from said sheet feeding roller, wherein the cam is arranged coaxially with said sheet feeding shaft that rotates integrally with the cam; an ASF gear that meshes with said sheet feeding shaft gear, wherein the number of teeth of said ASF gear is equal to that of said sheet feeding shaft gear; a sheet feeding roller gear, arranged coaxially with said sheet feeding shaft gear, that rotates integrally with said sheet feeding roller; and an ASF control gear, arranged coaxially with said ASF gear, that rotates integrally with said ASF gear and meshes with said sheet feeding roller gear, wherein the number of teeth of said ASF control gear is larger than that of said sheet feeding roller gear, wherein when the sheet feeding shaft makes one rotation, the cam makes one rotation for one cyclic operation in order to feed one sheet material, while the sheet feeding roller makes a larger amount of rotation than one rotation, wherein said sheet feeding apparatus further comprises a cylindrical sheet feeding roller support means integrally built up with said sheet feeding roller, a cylindrical sheet feeding roller support member being formed with a through-hole penetrated by the sheet feeding shaft, and the sheet feeding roller gear, and wherein the sheet feeding shaft is provided with a support portion inserted through the through-hole of the cylindrical sheet feeding roller support member.