Claims
- 1. A sheet feeding apparatus comprising:
- sheet supporting means for supporting sheets;
- supply means for feeding the sheets supported by said sheet supporting means in a sheet feeding direction;
- a separating claw for separating, one-by-one, the sheets fed by said supply means while in a separating position by regulating a front edge of the sheets relative to the sheet feeding direction, said separating claw switchable to a remote position where it is remote from said supporting means to allow loading of the sheets;
- switching means for switching positions of said separating claw between the separating position and the remote position; and
- separating means for separating, one-by-one, the sheets fed by said supply means when said separating claw is in a wait position where it is located below the stacked sheets.
- 2. A sheet feeding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said separating claw can be shifted between the separating and remote positions in a sheet stacking direction, and wherein said switching means includes a regulating member for regulating said separating claw to assume the remote position at which the sheets are loaded on said sheet supporting means, said separating claw regulating the front corners of the sheets after said regulating member has released said separating claw from the remote position.
- 3. A sheet feeding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said separating claw is pivotable.
- 4. A sheet feeding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said separating claw has a claw portion, and wherein said sheet supporting means includes a sheet supporting surface having a recess, the recess for receiving said claw portion such that said claw portion does not protrude from the sheet supporting surface of said sheet supporting means when said separating claw is in the wait position.
- 5. A sheet feeding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said separating claw is disposed at a single side of the front corners of the sheets supported by said sheet supporting means.
- 6. A sheet feeding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said separating claw is positioned in the wait position by said separating claw's own weight.
- 7. A sheet feeding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said separating means comprises a ramp surface against which leading ends of the sheets fed by said supply means are abutted, and by which the sheets are separated one-by-one by causing a sheet to ride over said ramp surface.
- 8. A sheet feeding apparatus comprising:
- a sheet supporting means for supporting sheets;
- supply means for feeding the sheets supported by said sheet supporting means in a sheet feeding direction;
- biasing means for urging the sheets supported by said sheet supporting means against said supply means;
- a separating claw for separating, one-by-one, the sheets fed by said supply means while in a separating position by regulating a front edge of the sheets relative to the a sheet feeding direction, said separating claw switchable to a remote position where it is remote from said supporting means to allow for loading of the sheets;
- switching means for switching positions of said separating claw between the separating position and the remote position; and
- separating means for separating, one-by-one, the sheets fed by said supply means when said separating claw is positioned in a wait position where it is located below the stacked sheets so as not to separate them.
- 9. A sheet feeding apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said separating claw can be shifted between the separating and remote positions in a sheet stacking direction, and wherein said switching means includes a regulating member for regulating said separating claw to assume the separating position when the urging of the sheets against said supply means is released by said pressure releasing means.
- 10. A sheet feeding apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said pressure releasing means comprises a cam means for separating, by a rotation of said cam means, said sheet support from said supply means in opposition to a biasing force of said biasing means.
- 11. A sheet feeding apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said separating claw is maintained in the remote position by said regulating member in response to the releasing of the urging by said cam means.
- 12. A sheet feeding apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said cam means includes a lever for rotating said cam means.
- 13. A sheet feeding apparatus according to claim 12, wherein a rotation of said lever in a first direction causes said cam means to release the urging and causes said regulating member to position said separating claw in the remote position and a rotation of said lever in a second direction causes said cam means to release the urging and causes said regulating member to shift said separating claw to the wait position.
- 14. A sheet feeding apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said separating claw is positioned in the wait position by said supporting claw's own weight.
- 15. A sheet feeding apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said separating claw has a claw portion, and wherein said sheet supporting means includes a sheet supporting surface having a recess, the recess for receiving said claw portion such that said claw portion does not protrude from the sheet supporting surface of said sheet supporting means when said separating claw is in the wait position.
- 16. A sheet feeding apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said separating claw is disposed at a single side of the front corners of the sheets supported by said sheet supporting means.
- 17. A sheet feeding apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said separating claw comprises a ramp surface against which leading ends of the sheets fed by said supply means are abutted, and by which the sheets are separated one-by-one by causing a sheet to ride over said ramp surface.
- 18. An image forming apparatus comprising:
- sheet supporting means for supporting sheets;
- supply means for feeding the sheets supported by said sheet supporting means in a sheet feeding direction;
- a separating claw for separating, one-by-one, the sheets fed by said supply means while in a separating position by regulating a front edge of the sheets relative to a sheet feeding direction, said separating claw switchable to a remote position where it is remote from said supporting means to allow for loading of the sheets;
- switching means for switching positions of said separating claw between the separating position and the remote position;
- separating means for separating, one-by-one, the sheets fed by said supply means when said separating claw is positioned in a wait position where it is located below the stacked sheets; and
- image forming means for forming an image on the sheet separated by one of said separating claw and said separating means.
- 19. An image forming apparatus according to claim 18, wherein said separating means separates sheets which have a rigidity greater than that of the sheets separated by said separating claw.
- 20. An image forming apparatus according to claim 19, wherein said image forming means comprises an ink jet type in which ink is discharged by a growth of a bubble caused by film boiling of the ink to form the image.
- 21. An image forming apparatus comprising:
- a sheet supporting means for supporting sheets;
- supply means for feeding the sheets supported by said sheet supporting means in a sheet feeding direction;
- biasing means for urging the sheets supported by said sheet supporting means against said supply means;
- a separating claw for separating, one-by-one, the sheets fed by said supply means while in a separating position by regulating a front edge of the sheets relative to the sheet feeding direction, said separating claw switchable to a remote position where it is remote from said supporting means to allow for loading of the sheets;
- switching means for switching positions of said separating claw between the separating position and the remote position;
- separating means for separating, one-by-one, the sheets fed by said supply means when said separating claw is positioned in a wait position where it is located below the stacked sheets so as not to separate them; and
- image forming means for forming an image on the sheet separated by one of said separating claw means and said separation means.
- 22. An image forming apparatus according to claim 21, wherein said separating means separates sheets which have a rigidity greater than that of the sheets separated by said separating claw.
- 23. An image forming apparatus according to claim 22, wherein said image forming means comprises an ink jet type in which ink is discharged by a growth of a bubble caused by film boiling of the ink to form the image.
- 24. A sheet feeding apparatus, comprising:
- sheet supporting means for supporting sheets;
- supply means for feeding the sheets supported by said sheet supporting means in a sheet feeding direction;
- a separating claw for separating, one-by-one, the sheets fed by said supply means by regulating a front edge of the sheets relative to the sheet feeding direction;
- switching means for shifting said separating claw between a separating position where said separating claw regulates the sheets supported on said sheet supporting means, and a waiting position where said separating claw does not regulate the sheets, said separating claw being located under the sheets supported by said supporting means when said separating claw is in the waiting position; and
- separating means for separating, one-by-one, the sheets fed by said supply means when said separating claw is shifted to the waiting position by said switching means.
- 25. A sheet feeding apparatus according to claim 24, wherein said separating claw has a claw portion, and wherein said sheet supporting means includes a sheet supporting surface having a recess, the recess for receiving said claw portion such that said claw portion does not protrude from the sheet supporting surface of said sheet supporting means when said separating claw is in the waiting position.
- 26. A sheet feeding apparatus according to claim 24, wherein said separating means separates sheets which have a rigidity greater than that of the sheets separated by said separating claw.
- 27. An image forming apparatus, comprising:
- sheet supporting means for supporting sheets;
- supply means for feeding the sheets supported by said sheet supporting means in a sheet feeding direction;
- a separating claw for separating, one-by-one, the sheets fed by said supply means by regulating a front edge of the sheets relative to the sheet feeding direction;
- switching means for shifting said separating claw between a separating position where said separating claw regulates the sheets supported on said sheet supporting means, and a waiting position where said separating claw does not regulate the sheets, said separating claw being located under the sheets supported by said supporting means when said separating claw is in the waiting position;
- separating means for separating, one-by-one, the sheets fed by said supply means when said separating claw is shifted to the waiting position by said switching means; and
- image forming means for forming an image on the sheet separated by one of said separating claw and said separating means.
- 28. A sheet feeding apparatus, comprising:
- sheet supporting means for supporting sheets;
- supply means for feeding the sheets supported by said sheet supporting means in a sheet feeding direction;
- biasing means for urging the sheets supported by said sheet supporting means against said supply means;
- pressure releasing means for releasing the urging force against said supply means by said biasing means;
- a separating claw for separating, one-by-one, the sheets fed by said supply means while in a separating position by regulating a front edge of the sheets relative to the sheet feeding direction, said separating claw switching to a remote position at which said separating claw is remote from said sheet supporting means to allow for loading of the sheets;
- first switching means for switching said separating claw between the remote position and the separating position;
- second switching means for switching said separating claw between the separating position and a wait position where it is located below the stacked sheets so as not to separate them; and
- separating means for separating, one-by-one, the sheets fed by said supply means when said separating claw is in the waiting position.
- 29. A sheet feeding apparatus according to claim 28, wherein said second switching means is operated when said separating means separates sheets which have a rigidity greater than that of the sheets separated by said separating claw.
- 30. An image forming apparatus, comprising:
- sheet supporting means for supporting sheets;
- supply means for feeding the sheets supported by said sheet supporting means in a sheet feeding direction;
- biasing means for urging the sheets supported by said sheet supporting means against said supply means;
- pressure releasing means for releasing the urging force against said supply means by said biasing means;
- a separating claw for separating, one-by-one, the sheets fed by said supply means while in a separating position by regulating a front edge of the sheets relative to the sheet feeding direction, said separating claw switching to a remote position at which said separating claw is remote from said sheet supporting means to allow for loading of the sheets;
- first switching means for switching said separating claw between the remote position and the separating position;
- second switching means for switching said separating claw between the separating position and a wait position where it is located below the stacked sheets so as not to separate them;
- separating means for separating, one-by-one, the sheets fed by said supply means when said separating claw is in the waiting position; and
- image forming means for forming an image on the sheet separated by one of said separating claw and said separating means.
- 31. A sheet feeding apparatus comprising:
- sheet supporting means for supporting sheets;
- supply means for feeding the sheets supported by said sheet supporting means in a sheet feeding direction;
- a separating claw for separating the sheets fed by said supply means one-by-one, said separating claw switchable among a separating position for regulating a front edge of the sheets to separate the sheets, a non-separating position so as not to regulate the front edge of the sheets, and a sheet loading position for allowing loading of the sheets;
- switch means for switching said separating claw among the separating position, non-separating position and sheet loading position; and
- separating means for separating the sheets fed by said supply means, one-by-one, when said separating claw is switched to the non-separating position by said switching means.
- 32. An image forming apparatus comprising:
- sheet supporting means for supporting sheets;
- supply means for feeding the sheets supported by said sheet supporting means in a sheet feeding direction;
- a separating claw for separating the sheets fed by said supply means, one-by-one, said separating claw switchable among a separating position for regulating a front edge of the sheets to separate the sheets, non-separating position so as not to regulate the front edge of the sheets, and a sheet loading position for allowing loading of the sheets;
- switch means for switching said separating claw among the separating position, non-separating position and sheet loading position;
- separating means for separating the sheets fed by said supply means, one-by-one, when said separating claw is switched to the non-separating position by said switching means; and
- image forming means for forming an image on the sheet separated by said separating claw or separating means.
Priority Claims (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
Kind |
3-186398 |
Jul 1991 |
JPX |
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Parent Case Info
This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 07/916,676, filed Jul. 22, 1992, now abandoned.
US Referenced Citations (5)
Foreign Referenced Citations (2)
Number |
Date |
Country |
0251819 |
Jan 1988 |
EPX |
2276737 |
Nov 1990 |
JPX |
Continuations (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
916676 |
Jul 1992 |
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