Patent ID: 9096399
Filing Date: 2015-08-04
Classification: B65H

Abstract:
1. A sheet feeding device comprising: a mounting portion capable of accommodating a stack of sheets placed in a predetermined stacking direction; a blowing device configured to blow air toward the stack of sheets placed in the mounting portion, thereby floating at least a top sheet from the stack; a suction/transportation mechanism that includes a suction belt provided above the mounting portion and configured to attract the top sheet floated by the blowing device to transport the attracted sheet in a predetermined transportation direction; and an image pickup device configured to capture images of the top sheet and the next sheet therebelow, and disposed so as to see through an area where a side of the top sheet and the suction belt, when viewed in a plan view in the stacking direction, are close to each other during the floating of the top sheet, to such an extent that the side of the top sheet essentially does not hang downward, wherein the images of the top sheet and the next sheet captured by the image pickup device are images of their foremost sides in the transportation direction, and the foremost side of the top sheet essentially does not hang downward.