Patent ID: 7328896

Claim:
An apparatus for separating a sheet of print media from a stack of sheets, the sheets of the stack being porous and the apparatus including: a sheet conveying means for conveying a topmost sheet of print media which has been separated from the stack to a printing station of a printer; a separating means, associated with the sheet conveying means, for separating the sheet of print media from the stack, the separating means including a fluid delivery means for blowing fluid on to and through a top surface of a topmost sheet of the stack so that the fluid impinges on the sheet underneath the topmost sheet in the stack so as to effect separation of the topmost sheet of print media from the stack; and a capturing means, carried by the sheet conveying means, for capturing at least a part of said separated topmost sheet by suctioning fluid into fluid suction means, the separating and capturing means being alternately operated to first separate the topmost sheet and then capture said separated topmost sheet while the sheet conveying means is operated to convey the topmost sheet to the printing station, wherein said fluid delivery and suction means are movably and resiliently mounted to the sheet conveying means.