Patent ID: 7832722

Claim:
A paper feeding device for an image formation apparatus, the paper feeding device comprising: a supporting base adapted to support paper sheets and having a supporting surface, an inclined supporting plane extending upwardly from one end of the supporting surface, and a slot located at the supporting surface; a feeding element disposed above the inclined supporting plane and adapted to drive the paper sheets to move from the inclined supporting plane to the supporting surface; a paper dividing element disposed on the supporting surface to divide the paper sheets; a paper arranging module comprising: a guiding structure fixed to the supporting base and disposed under the supporting surface; a paper-pushing structure slidably disposed on the guiding structure; a first elastic element interconnected between the paper-pushing structure and a fixed end; and a gear disposed on the guiding structure adjacent the paper-pushing structure and configured to rotate in a single direction, wherein the gear comprises a first engaging part and a non-engaging part, when the gear rotates such that the first engaging part engages with the paper-pushing structure and drives the paper-pushing structure to slide relative to the guiding structure against the elastic force of the first elastic element, a portion of the paper-pushing structure protrudes beyond the supporting surface via the slot and moves toward the inclined supporting plane along the slot to thereby push the paper sheets to the inclined supporting plane; when the gear rotates such that the non-engaging part corresponds to the paper-pushing structure, the paper-pushing structure moves relative to the guiding structure under the elastic force of the first elastic element, causing the portion of the paper-pushing structure protruding beyond the supporting surface to move away from the inclined supporting plane to below the supporting surface.