Patent ID: 7621523
Filing Date: 2009-11-24
Classification: B65H

Abstract:
1. A feeding apparatus comprising: a feeding roller for conveying a sheet in a sheet feeding direction; a separation roller for conveying the sheet in a reverse direction against the sheet feeding direction based on a rotational force transmitted through a torque limiter, the separation roller being opposed to the feeding roller; a transmission mechanism for transmitting the rotational force to the feeding roller; a limited force reverse transmission mechanism for transmitting the rotational force to the separation roller through the torque limiter; a forced reverse transmission mechanism for transmitting the rotational force to the separation roller without passing through the torque limiter; a temperature detector for detecting ambient temperature; wherein the feeding apparatus is configured to perform a sheet feeding operation, and wherein a start of the sheet feeding operation occurs when the transmission mechanism begins to rotate the feeding roller and the limited force reverse transmission mechanism begins to rotate the separation roller; and a controller for selecting a sheet separating operation or a sheet detection operation based on detected information from the temperature detector; wherein the sheet separating operation is to rotate the feeding roller by applying the transmission mechanism and to rotate the separation roller by applying the forced reverse transmission mechanism for a first predetermined time interval after the limited force reverse transmission mechanism transmits the rotational force to the separation roller, and the sheet detection operation is to determine whether a leading edge of the sheet reaches a predetermined place within a second predetermined time interval which is measured from the start of the sheet feeding operation, or from a predetermined time after the start of the sheet feeding operation, and wherein if the sheet has reached the predetermined place, the sheet feeding operation is continued, and wherein if the sheet has not reached the predetermined place, the rotational force is re-transmitted to the separation roller after the transmission of the rotational force to the separation roller is temporarily stopped, and the separation roller rotates following the feeding roller.