Patent ID: 7396174
Filing Date: 2008-07-08
Classification: B65H

Abstract:
1. A recording medium supply device for supplying a recording medium to a main body of an image forming device so as to allow the image forming device to form an image on the recording medium, the recording medium supply device comprising: a supply device casing; a mounting plate that is supported in the supply device casing and that receives a recording medium in a stack thereon, at least a part of the mounting plate being movable vertically with respect to the supply device casing; a lifting member that converts a driving force generated by a drive motor into an upward force to cause at least a part of the mounting plate to rise upwardly, thereby raising a topmost recording medium placed on the mounting plate to reach a predetermined target height; a pressing member that applies at least one of the mounting plate and the lifting member with a pressing force against the upward force applied on the mounting plate, the strength of the pressing force increasing as the at least a part of the mounting plate rises, wherein the lifting member includes: wherein the pressing member includes an elastic member that deforms elastically against the first rotational force of the gear to generate an elastic force as the pressing force, and wherein the gear includes a direct-coupled gear that rotates integrally with the rotational shaft, the elastic member deforming elastically in abutment contact with the direct-coupled gear when the direct-coupled gear rotates integrally with the rotational shaft in the first rotational direction.