Patent ID: 7068969

Claim:
An image forming apparatus, comprising: an image forming mechanism for forming an image on a preceding sheet and a succeeding sheet; and a sheet transfer apparatus for transferring the preceding sheet and the succeeding sheet successively to the image forming mechanism, the sheet transfer apparatus, comprising: a sheet tray containing the preceding sheet and the succeeding sheet; a pick-up roller configured to successively feed the preceding sheet and the succeeding sheet from the sheet tray without a sheet interval therebetween; a separator arranged downstream of the pick-up roller and configured to separate the preceding sheet and the succeeding sheet; a first transfer roller arranged downstream of the separator and configured to transfer forward the preceding sheet and the succeeding sheet; a second transfer roller arranged downstream of the first transfer roller and configured to transfer forward the preceding sheet and the succeeding sheet; a first sensor provided between the first transfer roller and the second transfer roller and configured to detect the presence of the preceding sheet and the succeeding sheet; and a controller configured to generate a desired sheet interval between the preceding sheet and the succeeding sheet, wherein the desired sheet interval includes a first sheet and the succeding sheet interval and the controller generates the first sheet interval by stopping the first transfer roller for a first time period.