Patent ID: 7172192

Claim:
A paper feeding device comprising a base part for supporting paper edges of a plurality of sheets of paper which have been mounted in a stack on a paper mount erected in a slanted shape; a paper feeding load applying unit which extends in a paper feeding direction and includes a plurality of convex portions having a same height and arranged on a surface of the paper feeding load applying unit in parallel in a paper feeding direction; and a paper feeding roller which comes in contact with an uppermost sheet of paper among the sheets of paper whose paper edges are mounted on the paper feeding load applying unit thereby to apply a feeding force to the sheet of paper, wherein: the surface of the paper feeding load applying unit has a rubber face; an area of the surface on which the paper edges of the plurality of sheets of paper are mounted is divided into a front side region and an adjoining back side region with respect to the paper feeding direction; wherein the plurality of convex portions are arranged only on the front side region, and the back side region has a non-sloping flat face, a longitudinal length in the paper feeding direction of the non-sloping flat face of the back side region is greater than a longitudinal length of at least one convex portion on the front side region, whereby paper feeding load generated in the back side region is made smaller than the paper feeding load generated in the front side region; and the paper feeding roller is provided above the paper feeding load applying unit.