Patent Publication Number: US-9834396-B2

Title: Sheet conveyance apparatus, image recording apparatus and feed tray

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     The present application claims priority from Japanese Patent Application No. 2013-252882, filed on Dec. 6, 2013, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a sheet conveyance apparatus separating and feeding a plurality of sheets supported by a support surface, an image recording apparatus provided with the conveyance apparatus, and a feed tray. 
     Description of the Related Art 
     Conventionally, there is known an image recording apparatus provided with a sheet conveyance apparatus in which a plurality of sheets are supported by a support surface in a stacked state and which separates and feeds the topmost one sheet among the plurality of sheets. In such a sheet conveyance apparatus, conveyance direction of the sheets fed from the support surface by a feed unit such as a feed roller is changed by an inclined surface, and the front ends thereof are separated by separating member provided on the inclined surface. 
     The separating member includes, for example, a plurality of metallic projecting pieces which are aligned along the conveyance direction to project respectively from the inclined surface toward the support surface. As the sheets are fed in the conveyance direction, a part of the front end portions of the sheets is bent by abutting against the separating pieces, and passes over the separating pieces because of the intension of the sheets (that is, the resilience of the sheets). In this manner, due to the movement of a part of the front end portions of the sheets passing over the separating pieces, the front end portions of the sheets in the stacked state are separated. In particular, as the topmost sheet is in contact with the feed roller and being fed in the conveyance direction, it passes over the separating pieces and is conveyed further, whereas the underlaid sheets, which are attached to the topmost sheet due to friction force and the like and moved in the conveyance direction, are stopped by the separating pieces and thus cannot pass over the separating pieces. 
     SUMMARY 
     In a manufacturing process of recording sheets as an example of such sheets, a plurality of recording sheets are cut out into a predetermined size in a stacked state. When the plurality of recording sheets are cut out, there is a possibility that burrs are formed at edges of the recording sheets. When the recording sheets with such burrs are packed without being separated and supplied to the market and if the recording sheets are used in a sheet conveyance apparatus or the like, there is a problem that it is difficult to separate the recording sheets in a stacked state. Such difficulty to separate the recording sheets due to the burrs of the recording sheets varies depending on difference in manufacturers, difference in lot numbers, etc. Therefore, on the market, there are types of the recording sheets which are easy to separate and types of the recording sheets which are difficult to separate. 
     For example, in the sheet conveyance apparatus described above, if the separating pieces projecting from the inclined surface are lengthened, then it may improve the ability to separate the recording sheets with the burrs. However, because there are a wide variety of sheets to be conveyed by the sheet conveyance apparatus, if the separating pieces projecting from the inclined surface are lengthened, then the recording sheet less likely to bend (that is, with a higher resilience), such as gloss paper, is liable to suffer a greater damage due to the abutment against the separating pieces. For example, deformation is liable to occur in end portions of the gloss paper, and/or the gloss paper is liable to suffer surface damage. 
     The present teaching is made in view of the problems described above, and an object thereof is to provide a means for improving the ability to separate the sheets which are supported by a support surface and fed. 
     According to a first aspect of the present teaching, there is provided a sheet conveyance apparatus including: a support member having a support surface configured to support sheets in a stacked state; a feed unit configured to feed the sheets stacked on the support surface in a feed direction; a guide member provided on a downstream side of the support member in the feed direction, and having an inclined surface which is inclined with respect to the support surface such that one end on a downstream side in the feed direction is located above the other end on an upstream side in the feed direction and which is configured to abut against the sheets fed by the feed unit and to guide the sheets along the feed direction; and a separating member projecting from the inclined surface toward a side of the support surface and configured to separate the topmost sheet from the other sheets fed by the feed unit, wherein the inclined surface is curved such that a separating area in which the separating member is provided is closest to the side of the support surface, and the support surface includes: a first support surface arranged on a downstream side of the feed unit in the feed direction to be adjacent to the separating area on an upstream side of the separating area in the feed direction, and second support surfaces arranged respectively on both sides of the first support surface in a direction orthogonal to the feed direction and lowered from the first support surface in the gravity direction. 
     A plurality of sheets in a stacked state are supported by the first support surface and the second support surfaces. On an immediate upstream of the inclined surface, the first support surface corresponding to the separating area, at which the separating member is provided, is higher in the gravity direction than the second support surfaces which are arranged respectively on both sides of the first support surface in the direction orthogonal to the feed direction. Therefore, in the immediate upstream of the inclined surface, any of the sheets is bent domically so that a part corresponding to the separating area is heightened and the other parts on the two lateral sides are lowered. If any of the sheets bent in this manner is fed in the feed direction, then the part of the sheet corresponding to the separating area, that is, the peak of the domical shape, comes first to abut against the separating member. Therefore, a force in the feed direction imparted by the feed unit is transmitted efficiently as the force for the sheet to abut against the separating member. 
     According to a second aspect of the present teaching, there is provided an image recording apparatus including: the sheet conveyance apparatus according to the first aspect; and a recording unit configured to record images on the sheets conveyed by the sheet conveyance apparatus. 
     According to a third aspect of the present teaching, there is provided a feed tray including: a support surface configured to support a sheet to be fed in a predetermined feed direction, wherein the support surface includes: a first support surface arranged on one end side in the feed direction; and 
     second support surfaces arranged respectively on both sides of the first support surface in a direction orthogonal to the feed direction and lowered from the first support surface in the gravity direction. 
     According to the present teachings, any of the sheets is domically bent by the first support surface and the second support surfaces such that the peak thereof comes to abut against the separating member at the beginning of the feeding. Therefore, the ability to separate the sheets is improved. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a multifunction peripheral. 
         FIG. 2  is a vertical cross-sectional view schematically depicting an internal structure of a printer unit. 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a feed tray and a discharge tray. 
         FIG. 4  is a plan view of the feed tray, the discharge tray, a guide member, and a feed unit, depicting a state that the feed tray is installed in a case. 
         FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view depicting a cross section along the line V-V of  FIG. 4 . 
         FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional view depicting a cross section along the line VI-VI of  FIG. 4 . 
         FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional view depicting a cross section along the line VII-VII of  FIG. 4 . 
         FIG. 8  is a cross-sectional view depicting a cross section along the line VIII-VIII of  FIG. 4 . 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENT 
     Hereinbelow, an embodiment of the present teaching will be described. Further, it is needless to say that the embodiment described below is merely one example of the present teaching, and thus it is possible to change the embodiment of the present teaching as appropriate without departing from the gist or spirit of the present teaching. Further, in the following description, an up-down direction  7  is defined, with reference to a state in which a multifunction peripheral  10  is operably placed, a front-rear direction  8  is defined with reference to that a portion of the multifunction peripheral  10  on which an opening  13  is provided is a near side (front side), and a left-right direction  9  is defined with reference to a view from a view point in front of the multifunction peripheral  10 . 
     &lt;Overall Configuration of the Multifunction Peripheral  10 &gt; 
     As depicted in  FIG. 1 , the multifunction peripheral  10  includes a printer unit  11  of an ink jet method. The multifunction peripheral  10  has a variety of functions such as facsimile function, print function, etc. The printer unit  11  corresponds to an image recording apparatus provided with the sheet conveyance apparatus. 
     The printer unit  11  has a case  14  formed to have a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape. The opening  13  is formed in a front surface of the case  14 . A feed tray  20  and a discharge tray  21  are provided to be insertable into and removable from the case  14  through the opening  13  in the front-rear direction  8 . Further, the feed tray  20  and the discharge tray  21  may be configured as either can be completely removed from the case  14  or can be drawn out midway from the state of being installed in the case  14  but cannot be completely removed from the case  14 . Recording sheets  12  of a desired size such as the A4 size, the B5 size, or the like according to Japanese Industrial Standards are placed on the feed tray  20  in a stacked state. 
     As depicted in  FIG. 2 , the printer unit  11  includes a conveyance roller pair  58  and a discharge roller pair  59  adapted to convey the recording sheet  12 , a recording unit  24  of the ink jet method adapted to record images on the recording sheet  12 , and the like. Further, the recording unit  24  is not limited to the ink jet method, but may apply, for example, an electrophotographic method. 
     A conveyance path  65  is provided inside the case  14 . The conveyance path  65  has a curved portion  33  extending upward from the rear end of the feed tray  20  to reverse frontward, and a linear portion  34  extending frontward from the curved portion  33  along the front-rear direction  8 . The curved portion  33  is defined by an outer guide member  18  and an inner guide member  19  facing each other at a predetermined interval. The linear portion  34  is defined by the recording unit  24 , a platen  42 , and the like. 
     Further, in  FIG. 2 , a conveyance direction  16  is indicated by the arrows on a one-dot chain line. The conveyance direction  16  changes its orientation along the conveyance path  65 . 
     &lt;Feed Unit  15 &gt; 
     As depicted in  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 5 , a feed unit  15  is provided above the feed tray  20 . The feed unit  15  includes a feed roller  25 , a feed arm  26 , a driving force transmission mechanism  27 , and a shaft  22 . However, illustration of the driving force transmission mechanism  27  is omitted in  FIG. 2 . 
     The shaft  22  is provided at one end side of the feed arm  26 . The feed arm  26  is pivotable around the shaft  22  in the directions indicated by arrows  51  and  52 . The feed roller  25  is rotatably supported by the other end of the feed arm  26 . The one end of the feed arm  26  is located obliquely above and at the front side of the other end. The feed arm  26  is biased by its own weight or by a biasing member such as a spring or the like in the direction indicated by the arrow  52 . With this, the feed roller  25  abuts against the topmost sheet of the recording sheets  12  supported on the upper surface of a support plate  81  in a stacked state. 
     The feed roller  25  and the feed arm  26  are provided in the same position as a central portion  86  of a guide member  72  in the left-right direction  9 . With the feed tray  20  installed in the case  14 , the central portion of the guide member  72  coordinates with the central portion of the feed tray  20 . 
     The feed roller  25  is rotated by a driving force transmitted from a motor (not depicted) via the driving force transmission mechanism  27 . On receiving the rotation of the feed roller  25 , the topmost sheet of the recording sheets  12  accommodated in the feed tray  20  is fed in a feed direction  17 . The driving force transmission mechanism  27  is constructed from a gear row formed of a plurality of directly engaged gears. 
     &lt;Guide Member  72 &gt; 
     The guide member  72  is provided on the case  14  at the rear side of the feed tray  20  installed in the case  14 . The guide member  72  may either be attached to the case  14  or be formed integrally with the case  14 . 
     As depicted in  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 4 , the guide member  72  has an inclined surface  67  inclined such that rear side thereof is located above front side thereof in the front-rear direction  8 . The inclined surface  67  is a surface of the guide member  72  at the front side. The inclined surface  67  is adapted to abut against the recording sheet  12  fed by the feed unit  15  in the feed direction  17  to guide the recording sheet  12  along the inclined surface  67  in the conveyance direction  16 . 
     Further, the guide member  72  may be constructed from a plurality of ribs arranged at intervals in the left-right direction  9 . In this case, the inclined surface  67  is constructed from the aggregation of end surfaces of the plurality of ribs. Of course, the inclined surface  67  may be a flat surface, and a plurality of ribs may be provided to stand from that surface. In this case, the end surfaces of the plurality of standing ribs constitute a part of the inclined surface  67 . 
     As depicted in  FIG. 4 , the inclined surface  67  is curved such that the central portion  86  may be at the front side of end portions  87  in the left-right direction  9 . Therefore, with the feed tray  20  installed in the case  14 , in the inclined surface  67 , the central portion  86  is closest to a first support surface  68  of the feed tray  20 . Note that, in  FIG. 4 , an auxiliary line  53  is depicted for illustrating the curvature of the inclined surface  67 . 
     A plurality of separating teeth  74  are aligned in the up-down direction  7  and project from the inclined surface  67  in the central portion  86  of the inclined surface  67  in the left-right direction  9 . The separating teeth  74  stop, from moving in the feed direction  17 , the recording sheets  12  laid under the topmost recording sheet  12  fed by the feed roller  25  in the feed direction  17 , by contact with the recording sheets  12  fed from the feed tray  20 . The topmost recording sheet  12  fed by the feed roller  25  passes over the separating teeth  74  to come into the conveyance path  65 . The central portion  86  corresponds to the separating area. The separating teeth  74  correspond to the separating member. 
     Eight rollers  90  are rotatably attached to the guide member  72 . The rollers  90  are provided in openings and recesses formed in the guide member  72 , and parts of their circumferential surfaces project from the inclined surface  67 . The rollers  90  are arranged symmetrically in the left-right direction  9  at both sides of the separating teeth  74 . 
     &lt;Recording Unit  24 &gt; 
     As depicted in  FIG. 2 , the recording unit  24  is provided above the platen  42 . The recording unit  24  and the platen  42  define a part of the linear portion  34 . The platen  42  is a member adapted to support the recording sheet  12 . The recording unit  24  includes a carriage  40  and a recording head  38 . 
     The carriage  40  is supported to reciprocate in the left-right direction  9  by two guide rails (not depicted) arranged at an interval in the front-rear direction  8 . The recording head  38  is mounted on the carriage  40 . The recording head  38  is supplied with ink from an ink cartridge (not depicted). Nozzles  39  are provided in a lower surface of the recording head  38 . While the carriage  40  is moving in the left-right direction  9 , the recording head  38  ejects ink droplets from the nozzles  39  toward the platen  42 . Thus, an image is recorded on the recording sheet  12  by letting the ink droplets land on the recording sheet  12  supported by the platen  42 . 
     &lt;Conveyance Roller Pair  58  and Discharge Roller Pair  59 &gt; 
     As depicted in  FIG. 2 , the conveyance roller pair  58  is arranged on the upstream side of the recording unit  24  in the conveyance direction  16 . The discharge roller pair  59  is arranged on the downstream side of the recording unit  24  in the conveyance direction  16 . 
     The conveyance roller pair  58  includes a conveyance roller  60 , and a pinch roller  61  biased toward the conveyance roller  60  by a coil spring or the like (not depicted). The discharge roller pair  59  includes a discharge roller  62 , and a spur roller  63  biased toward the discharge roller  62  by a coil spring or the like (not depicted). 
     A driving force is transmitted from a motor (not depicted) to the conveyance roller  60  and the discharge roller  62  to rotate the same. The recording sheet  12  is nipped by the conveyance roller pair  58  and the discharge roller pair  59  to be conveyed in the conveyance direction  16 . 
     &lt;Feed Tray  20 &gt; 
     As depicted in  FIG. 3  and  FIG. 4 , the feed tray  20  has a box-like shape with an open top. The feed tray  20  has the support plate  81  arranged at the bottom side to support the recording sheet  12 , a pair of side plates  82  standing upward from the two ends of the support plate  81  in the left-right direction  9  to extend in the front-rear direction  8 , and a front plate  83  standing upward from the front end of the support plate  81  to extend in the left-right direction  9 . The support plate  81  corresponds to the support member. 
     The discharge tray  21  is arranged over a front part of the open top of the feed tray  20  in the front-rear direction  8 . The discharge tray  21  is supported by the front plate  83  and the pair of side plates  82  of the feed tray  20 . The discharge tray  21  is pivotable around a shaft  85  with its front end in the front-rear direction  8  as the pivot front-end. The pivot front-end of the discharge tray  21  is pivoted upward to open and close the upper side of the feed tray  20  on which the discharge tray  21  is arranged. 
     The support plate  81  supports the recording sheet  12  on the upper surface thereof in a stacked state. The upper surface of the support plate  81  functions as a support surface for the recording sheet  12 , and is formed into a concave-convex shape. 
     Within the upper surface of the support plate  81 , the first support surface  68  is provided on an immediate upstream side portion in the feed direction  17  corresponding to the central portion  86  in the left-right direction  9  of the inclined surface  67  of the guide member  72 . The first support surface  68  has such a shape as to expand widthwise in the left-right direction  9  such that its downstream end in the feed direction  17  is wider than its upstream end in the feed direction  17 . The maximum length of the first support surface  68  in the left-right direction  9  is set to be shorter than the length of the recording sheet  12  of the smallest size in the left-right direction  9  among the recording sheets  12  accommodated in the feed tray  20  to be fed. The first support surface  68  extends up to the rear end of the support plate  81  in the front-rear direction  8 . 
     The first support surface  68  is provided with a friction pad  77  in such a position as spaced apart from the inclined surface  67  toward upstream side in the feed direction  17 . The friction pad  77  is constructed of a material with a higher friction coefficient than the material of which the first support surface  68  is constructed. For example, the first support surface  68  is formed of synthetic resin whereas the friction pad  77  is formed of cork. The friction pad  77  has an elongated shape elongated in the left-right direction  9 , and is fixed on the support plate  81  to project a little above the first support surface  68 . The friction pad  77  is arranged in the central portion of the support plate  81  in the left-right direction  9 , and arranged in such a position as contactable with the feed roller  25  of the feed unit  15  in the front-rear direction  8 . 
     Within the upper surface of the support plate  81 , second support surfaces  69  are provided respectively on both sides of the first support surface  68  in the left-right direction  9  to dent downward in the up-down direction  7  below the first support surface  68  on the immediate upstream side of the inclined surface  67  of the guide member  72  in the feed direction  17 . Each of the second support surfaces  69  extends from the vicinity of the center of the support plate  81  to the rear end in the front-rear direction  8 . Between the first support surface  68  and each of the second support surfaces  69 , a step surface  70  is formed to extend along the up-down direction  7 . Each of the second support surfaces  69  extends up to the left end or the right end of the support plate  81  in the left-right direction  9 . 
     At rear end sides of the respective second support surfaces  69  in the front-rear direction  8 , inclined surfaces  71  are provided respectively to be inclined in the front-rear direction  8  such that rear side thereof is located above front side thereof. Each of the inclined surfaces  71  is provided over the entire range, in the left-right direction  9 , of the rear end of the corresponding second support surface  69 . The lower ends of the inclined surfaces  71  are in respective continuity with the second support surfaces  69 . The upper ends of the inclined surfaces  71  are located a little below the first support surface  68 . 
     The inclination angle at the side of a dihedral angle formed between each of the inclined surfaces  71  and a virtual plane including the corresponding second support surface  69  is smaller than the inclination angle at the side of another dihedral angle formed between the inclined surface  67  of the guide member  72  and the virtual plane. That is, the inclined surfaces  71  are inclined more gently than the inclined surface  67  with respect to the virtual plane. The inclined surfaces  71  are configured to abut against the recording sheet  12  fed in the feed direction  17  by the feed unit  15  and guide the recording sheet  12  to the inclined surface  67 . Note that, the inclined surfaces  71  may be formed respectively of a plurality of ribs arranged at intervals in the left-right direction  9  to stand upward from the second support surfaces  69 . The inclined surfaces  71  correspond to the guide surface. 
     The support plate  81  is provided with a pair of side guides  78  movable in the left-right direction  9 . Each of the side guides  78  has a support portion  88  superimposed on one of the second support surfaces  69  and guide portion  89  projecting upward from the support portion  88 . The support portions  88  support the recording sheets  12  on upper surfaces thereof. The upper surfaces of the support portions  88  are situated above the second support surfaces  69  in the up-down direction  7 , and at the same height as or a little below the first support surface  68 . Each of the guide portions  89  projects upward in the up-down direction  7  from the one of the left end and the right end of the support portions  88  in the left-right direction  9 . The pair of guide portions  89  contact respectively with the two ends, of the recording sheet  12  supported by the support plate  81 , in the left-right direction  9 , so as to guide the two ends of the recording sheet  12  to be fed along the feed direction  17 . Note that, although not depicted in detail in each drawing, if one of the pair of side guides  78  is moved along the left-right direction  9 , then the other associatively moves contrariwise in the left-right direction  9 . 
     As depicted in  FIG. 7 , at the side of the front end of the support plate  81  in the front-rear direction  8 , a rear guide  91  is provided to project upward from the upper surface of the support plate  81 . The rear guide  91  is movable relative to the support plate  81  in the front-rear direction  8 . With respect to the recording sheet  12  supported by the support plate  81 , the respective guide portions  89  of the pair of side guides  78  contact with the two ends in the left-right direction  9 , while the rear guide  91  contacts with the front end in the front-rear direction  8 , such that the recording sheet  12  of various sizes may be positioned on the support plate  81 . The center of the recording sheet  12  positioned on the support plate  81  coordinates with the center of the support plate  81  in the left-right direction  9 . That is, the recording sheet  12  in the feed tray  20  is positioned on a centering basis. 
     As depicted in  FIG. 3 , the feed tray  20  has a pair of projections  75  provided to stand upward from the rear end of the support plate  81 , that is, the end on the downstream side in the direction for the feed tray  20  to enter the case  14 . The respective projections  75  are arranged in symmetrical positions in the left-right direction  9  with respect to the center of the support plate  81 . The length of space between the pair of projections  75  in the left-right direction  9  is shorter than the length of the recording sheet  12  of the smallest size in the left-right direction  9  among the various sizes of recording sheets  12  placed on and fed from the feed tray  20 . 
     Each of the projections  75  extends rearward from the rear end of the support plate  81  in the front-rear direction  8  to form an L shape extending upward in the up-down direction  7  from its extended end. In a state that the feed tray  20  is removed from the case  14 , each of the projections  75  prevents the recording sheet  12  supported by the support plate  81  from popping out of the rear-end side. 
     As depicted in  FIG. 4 , in a state that the feed tray  20  is installed in the case  14 , the projections  75  are respectively embedded in recesses  76  formed in the guide member  72 . In this state, each of the projections  75  is located at the rear side from the inclined surface  67  of the guide member  72  in the front-rear direction  8 . Therefore, in the state that the feed tray  20  installed in the case  14 , neither of the projections  75  may contact with the recording sheet  12  fed along the inclined surface  67 . 
     &lt;Image Recording Operation&gt; 
     A description will be made below on an operation of the printer unit  11  in which an image is recorded on the recording sheet  12  fed from the feed tray  20 . 
     As depicted in  FIG. 8 , a plurality of recording sheets  12  supported on the support plate  81  of the feed tray  20  are supported by the first support surface  68  and the second support surfaces  69  of the support plate  81 . On the immediate upstream of the inclined surface  67  of the guide member  72  in the feed direction  17 , the first support surface  68  is situated on the upside (higher) in the up-down direction  7  while the second support surfaces  69  are situated on the downside (lower) in the up-down direction  7 . Therefore, on the immediate upstream of the inclined surface  67  in the feed direction  17 , the recording sheets  12  are bent domically (to form an upward convex shape) such that central portions are heightened while left side portions and right side portions are both lowered in the left-right direction  9 . Note that, in  FIG. 8 , while the recording sheets  12  are illustrated by a thick line, this thick line represents a plurality of recording sheets  12  in a stacked state. 
     When the image recording operation is started, the feed unit  15  feeds, in the feed direction  17 , the topmost recording sheet  12  among the plurality of recording sheets  12  supported by the support plate  81  of the feed tray  20 . If the recording sheets  12  bent as described above are fed in the feed direction  17 , then the separating teeth  74  first contact with such a part of the recording sheets  12  as to correspond to the central portion  86  of the guide member  72 , that is, the peak of the domical shape, with respect to the inclined surface  67  curved such that the central portion  86  is situated at the front side of the end portions  87  in the left-right direction  9 . Therefore, the force in the feed direction imparted by the feed roller  25  is transmitted efficiently as the force for the recording sheet  12  to abut against the separating teeth  74 . 
     By abutting against the separating teeth  74 , the topmost recording sheet  12 , to which the force in the feed direction  17  is imparted by the feed roller  25 , passes over the separating teeth  74 , and is guided by the inclined surface  67  of the guide member  72  to move from the feed direction  17  to the obliquely rearward and upward direction (to the conveyance direction  16 ). If the underlaid recording sheets  12  are entrained by the topmost recording sheet  12  to move in the feed direction  17  due to friction, static electricity, or the like, then the underlaid recording sheets  12  come to contact with the separating teeth  74  to be stopped from moving in the feed direction  17 . 
     On the other hand, being supported by the second support surfaces  69  in the feed tray  20 , the recording sheet  12  is bent obliquely rearward and upward by the inclined surfaces  71  at the sides of the left and right ends and at the side of the downstream end in the feed direction  17 . Both left end side and right end side of the topmost sheet  12 , on which the force in the feed direction  17  is imparted by the feed roller  25 , abut against the inclined surface  67 , which is curved such that the central portion  86  is situated at the front side of the end portions  87  in the left-right direction  9 , at such an angle as to form a gentler slope than the central portion of the recording sheet  12  supported by the first support surface  68 . Then, the inclined surface  67  also guides the parts of the topmost recording sheet  12  at the sides of the left and right ends from the feed direction  17  to the obliquely rearward and upward direction (to the conveyance direction  16 ). 
     Because the recording sheet  12  is guided by the inclined surface  67  of the guide member  72  to come into the conveyance path  65  and then conveyed along the curved portion  33 , the conveyance direction  16  changes from the obliquely rearward and upward direction to an approximately upward direction. Thereafter, when the recording sheet  12  is conveyed along the curved portion  33  to reach the linear portion  34 , the conveyance direction  16  for the recording sheet  12  changes from the approximately upward direction to a frontward direction. Then, the recording unit  24  records an image on the recording sheet  12  conveyed along the linear portion  34 . The discharge roller pair  59  transports the recording sheet  12  with the image recorded thereon in the frontward direction (in the conveyance direction  16 ) to discharge the same to the discharge tray  21 . 
     Effects of the Embodiment 
     According to the above embodiment, the recording sheet  12  on the support plate  81  of the feed tray  20  is domically bent by the first support surface  68  and the second support surfaces  69  such that its peak comes to contact with the separating teeth  74  at the beginning of the feeding. Therefore, the ability to separate the recording sheets  12  in the feeding is improved. 
     Further, because the step surfaces  70  are formed between the first support surface  68  and the second support surfaces  69  to bend the recording sheet  12  domically due to the boundaries between the first support surface  68  and the step surfaces  70 , it is easy to design the bending flexure of the recording sheet  12  on the support plate  81 . 
     Further, because the feed tray  20  is provided with the pair of side guides  78 , the peak of the domically bent recording sheet  12  is constantly in contact with the separating teeth  74 . 
     Further, the side guides  78  have the support portions  88  supporting the recording sheet  12 , and the upper surfaces of the support portions  88  are situated below the first support surface  68  in the up-down direction  7 . Therefore, even if the recording sheet  12  has a high rigidity as with gloss paper for example, or even if the pair of side guides  78  have a narrow interval, both sides of the recording sheet  12  in the left-right direction  9  will still never rise above the central part supported by the first support surface  68 . 
     Further, because the support plate  81  of the feed tray  20  is formed with the inclined surfaces  71  on the immediate upstream of the support plate  81  in the feed direction  17  and at both sides of the first support surface  68  in the left-right direction  9 , the inclined surface  67  of the support plate  81  may smoothly guide both side portions, of the recording sheet  12  supported by the second support surfaces  69 , in the left-right direction  9 .