Patent ID: 7946573

Claim:
A sheet feed device comprising: a tray comprising a holding surface configured to hold a plurality of sheets; a feed unit configured to contact a particular sheet of the plurality of sheets, and feed at least the particular sheet from the tray in a sheet feed direction; and a separation plate positioned at a downstream end of the tray in the sheet feed direction, wherein the separation plate comprises: an inclined surface that is inclined with respect to the holding surface of the tray; a plurality of separation portions configured to separate the particular sheet fed by the feed unit from other sheets of the plurality of sheets held by the tray, wherein at least one of the separation portions projects a first distance from the inclined surface, and the plurality of separation portions is positioned at predetermined intervals in the sheet feed direction; and a particular projection positioned on the inclined surface and configured to project a second distance from the inclined surface, wherein the second distance is greater than the first distance, and the plurality of separation portions comprises a first separation portion positioned upstream of the particular projection in the sheet feed direction, and a second separation portion positioned downstream of the particular projection in the sheet feed direction, wherein the second separation portion projects the first distance from the separation plate, and the separation plate further comprises a further projection positioned on the inclined surface, and the further projection is positioned downstream of the second separation portion in the sheet feed direction, and the further projection projects a third distance from the inclined surface, wherein the third distance is greater than the first distance.