Patent ID: 8439349
Filing Date: 2013-05-14
Classification: B65H

Abstract:
1. A sheet feeding apparatus comprising a tray which supports sheets and enables lifting and lowering, an air blowing portion which blows air toward the sheets supported on the tray to blow up the sheet, and an adsorbing and conveying mechanism which adsorbs and conveys the blown-up sheet, the adsorbing and conveying mechanism including: an adsorbing and conveying portion which adsorbs and conveys the sheet blown up by the air blowing portion; a negative pressure generating portion which generates negative pressure to make the adsorbing and conveying portion adsorb the sheet; an adsorption switching portion which switches the adsorbing and conveying portion between an adsorbing state to adsorb the sheet by the negative pressure generated at the negative pressure generating portion and a non-absorbing state to not adsorb the sheet; and a timing controlling portion which controls a timing of a switching between the adsorbing state and the non-adsorbing state of the adsorption switching portion, wherein while a preceding sheet is conveyed by the adsorbing and conveying portion, the adsorbing and conveying portion is switched to the non-adsorbing state and thereafter the adsorbing and conveying portion is switched to the adsorbing state so that a subsequent sheet is overlapped partially with the preceding sheet adsorbed by the adsorbing and conveying portion.