Patent ID: 6729837
Filing Date: 2004-05-04
Classification: B65H

Abstract:
A sheet feeder in which plate-shaped members and sheet materials in a state of being alternately stacked are removed one by one, comprising:a pair of side plates; a suction portion having at least one sucker and which is supported between said side plates in a movable manner in a direction perpendicular to at least one of the plate-shaped members and the sheet materials placed in a stack, and adheres to at least one of the plate-shaped members and the sheet materials due to negative pressure; a suction fan which is supported between said side plates in a movable manner in a direction perpendicular to at least one of the plate-shaped members and the sheet materials placed in a stack, and when the sheet material is disposed at the uppermost position, said suction fan being operated at a position adjacent to the sheet material and sucking in air in the vicinity of the surface of the sheet material; an elevator which moves said suction portion and said suction fan in a direction perpendicular to at least one of the plate-shaped members and the sheet materials placed in a stack to thereby elevate at least one of a plate-shaped member and a sheet material, stuck to said suction portion; and a sensor which is provided between said side plates so as to be movable in a direction substantially parallel to a direction in which said suction portion is movable, and detects and determines a state in which said suction portion and at least one of the plate-shaped member and the sheet material contact each other, wherein when the sheet material is disposed at the uppermost position, said suction fan is operated in a state of being moved close to the sheet material so as to adhere the sheet material while the sheet material is pressed by said sucker, and thereafter, negative pressure is applied to said sucker at a predetermined timing to allow said sucker to adhere to the sheet material.