Patent ID: 6354586
Filing Date: 2002-03-12
Classification: B65H

Abstract:
A sheet feeder, comprising:a sheet support member that supports thereon a stack of sheets; a sheet feed roller that is rotatably disposed above one end of the sheet support member and separates a single sheet from the stack of sheets and then conveys the separated single sheet; a pushing member that is vertically movable and pushes the sheet support member toward the sheet feed roller between a lower position where the stack of sheets is away from the sheet feed roller and an upper position where the stack of sheets is in contact with the sheet feed roller; an urging member that urges the pushing member from the lower position to the upper position; a lowering device that lowers the pushing member urged by the urging member by a predetermined distance from the upper position when the sheet feed roller conveys the separated single sheet; a halting device that halts the pushing member lowered by the lowering device at a position lower than the upper position and higher than the lower position; and a halt release device that releases the halted pushing member.