Patent ID: 7020429

Claim:
A sheet supplying apparatus for supplying a sheet, comprising: a sheet feeding stacker for storing the sheet, a sheet discharging stacker arranged parallel to the sheet feeding stacker in a vertical direction for receiving the sheet, a processing platen for processing the sheet, separating means disposed adjacent to the sheet feeding stacker for separating the sheet on the sheet feeding stacker, register means disposed adjacent to the separating means for temporarily stopping the sheet transported from the separating means and conveying the sheet toward a downstream side, sheet feeding means disposed adjacent to the processing platen for conveying the sheet from the register means to the processing platen, sheet conveying means disposed adjacent to the processing platen for conveying the sheet from the processing platen toward a downstream side, sheet discharging means disposed adjacent to the sheet conveying means for discharging the sheet from the sheet conveying means to the sheet discharging stacker, a U-shape conveying path disposed between the sheet feeding stacker to the sheet discharging stacker for guiding the sheet, said U-shape conveying path including a sheet delivering path extending from the separating means to the register means, a sheet feeding path extending from the register means to the processing platen, a sheet processing path extending from the sheet feeding means to the sheet conveying means, and a sheet discharging path extending from the sheet conveying means to the sheet discharging means, an inner guide member disposed inside the U-shape path forming the sheet delivering path, sheet feeding path, and sheet processing path, first idle rollers disposed in the inner guide member of the U-shape conveying path for contacting the sheet to rotate, an outer guide member disposed outside the U-shape path forming the sheet discharging path, and at least one second idle roller disposed in the outer guide member for contacting the sheet to rotate.