Patent ID: 8864132

Claim:
A paper feeder comprising: a paper feed roller configured to pick up a sheet loaded on a paper feed tray and convey the sheet in a conveyance direction; a registration roller arranged downstream of the paper feed roller in the conveyance direction and configured to convey the sheet conveyed from the paper feed roller; a detection unit configured to detect the sheet at a position between the paper feed roller and the registration roller; and a controller configured to control the paper feed roller and the registration roller, wherein the controller performs control for each sheet of a plurality of sheets to be fed such that the paper feed roller is started to convey the sheet for a specified conveyance distance so that the sheet is slacked with a leading end of the sheet hitting against the registration roller, the paper feed roller is stopped after the sheet is conveyed for the specified conveyance distance, after the paper feed roller is stopped, the registration roller is started to convey the sheet, and the registration roller is stopped after the sheet exits the registration roller, wherein upon continuous feeding of the plurality of sheets, the controller performs control such that the paper feed roller is started to feed a subsequent sheet while the registration roller conveying a precedent sheet is being driven, wherein a timing of starting the registration roller for the plurality of sheets is predetermined, and wherein upon continuous feeding of the plurality of sheets, and upon detection of the leading end of the sheet by the detection unit before an elapse of a first time after a start of the paper feed roller, the controller further performs control such that a paper conveyance speed of the paper feed roller is set lower than a paper conveyance speed of the registration roller, and the paper feed roller is stopped after conveying the sheet having the leading end detected for the specified conveyance distance before a next timing of starting the registration roller.