Patent ID: 8857809
Filing Date: 2014-10-14
Classification: B65H

Abstract:
1. A sheet separation/conveyance device comprising: an attraction/separation unit including an endless belt on which a region of attraction and a region of no attraction that divides the region of attraction are aligned in a sheet conveying direction, the endless belt configured to hold an uppermost sheet placed on top of a sheet stack contained in an image forming apparatus by using electrostatic attraction; a charger configured to charge a surface of the endless belt, the charger comprising: a sheet conveying unit configured to convey the uppermost sheet held by the electrostatic attraction; wherein the detection result is one of a group consisting of a positive charge and a negative charge; a controller configured to control the sheet conveying unit, wherein, based on a detection result obtained by the detector of a change of a charged condition of the surface of the endless belt when the at least one electrode contacts the endless belt, the controller controls the sheet conveying unit so that the region of no attraction of the endless belt does not face the sheet while the uppermost sheet is being attracted to the endless belt.