A paper feed apparatus for a multifunction image forming apparatus includes a paper feeding portion that sends-out a paper placed in a paper placing tray. The paper feed apparatus comprises a first regulating portion and a second regulating portion arranged in the vicinity of a downstream side of a paper feeding position by the paper feeding portion. The first regulating portion is arranged outside a second width paper passage area to regulate a movement of a first width paper placed in the paper placing tray toward a feeding direction. The second regulating portion is arranged inside the second width paper passage area to regulate a movement of a second width paper placed in the paper placing tray toward a feeding direction. By this arrangement, the second width paper such as a name card can be fed in addition to the first width paper such as A4 paper.

A paper feed apparatus for a multifunction image forming apparatus includes a paper feeding portion that sends-out a paper placed in a paper placing tray. The paper feed apparatus comprises a first regulating portion and a second regulating portion arranged in the vicinity of a downstream side of a paper feeding position by the paper feeding portion. The first regulating portion is arranged outside a second width paper passage area to regulate a movement of a first width paper placed in the paper placing tray toward a feeding direction. The second regulating portion is arranged inside the second width paper passage area to regulate a movement of a second width paper placed in the paper placing tray toward a feeding direction. By this arrangement, the second width paper such as a name card can be fed in addition to the first width paper such as A4 paper.

A scanner for removing paperclips from a sheaf of papers, with a paper lifting tray operable to move the sheaf of papers in a vertical direction, a pushdown bar configured to move in a vertical direction and make contact with the sheaf of papers on the paper lifting tray and apply a force in an opposite direction from the direction in which the paper lifting tray moves, the force being sufficient to hold the sheaf of papers in place, and with a removal bar configured to move in a direction that is coplanar with the paper lifting tray and orthogonal to the vertical direction, wherein the removal bar is configured to come into contact with the sheaf of papers and push a paperclip off of the sheaf of papers.

A scanner for removing paperclips from a sheaf of papers, with a paper lifting tray operable to move the sheaf of papers in a vertical direction, a pushdown bar configured to move in a vertical direction and make contact with the sheaf of papers on the paper lifting tray and apply a force in an opposite direction from the direction in which the paper lifting tray moves, the force being sufficient to hold the sheaf of papers in place, and with a removal bar configured to move in a direction that is coplanar with the paper lifting tray and orthogonal to the vertical direction, wherein the removal bar is configured to come into contact with the sheaf of papers and push a paperclip off of the sheaf of papers.

There is provide a conveying apparatus conveying a sheet including: a main body formed with a conveyance path; a first feed tray installable in the main body at a first position; a discharge tray; and a first regulating section performing regulation for regulating movement of the first tray, in a state of being located at a second position, toward the other side in a first direction. The first regulating section is configured to release the regulation, in a case that the first feed tray, at the second position, is moved upwardly by a first predetermined moving amount. A spacing distance in the up/down direction between the first feed tray and the discharge tray is shorter than the first predetermined moving amount. The discharge tray is configured to be move upwardly by being contacted with the first feed tray in a case that the first feed tray is moved upwardly.

There is provide a conveying apparatus conveying a sheet including: a main body formed with a conveyance path; a first feed tray installable in the main body at a first position; a discharge tray; and a first regulating section performing regulation for regulating movement of the first tray, in a state of being located at a second position, toward the other side in a first direction. The first regulating section is configured to release the regulation, in a case that the first feed tray, at the second position, is moved upwardly by a first predetermined moving amount. A spacing distance in the up/down direction between the first feed tray and the discharge tray is shorter than the first predetermined moving amount. The discharge tray is configured to be move upwardly by being contacted with the first feed tray in a case that the first feed tray is moved upwardly.

A feeder includes a mount board that moves vertically while allowing sheet-shaped media to be stacked thereon; a transport device allows an uppermost one of the sheet-shaped media stacked on the mount board to be sucked by a suction portion to transport the uppermost medium to a transporter and to feed the uppermost medium to a destination; left and right edge air blowers blow air to transportation left and right edge portions of upper ones of the sheet-shaped media stacked; and a tip-end air blower blows air to below the uppermost medium sucked by the suction portion from a position downstream from a transportation leading end of the uppermost medium in a transport direction. When the uppermost medium is sucked by the suction portion, the feeder performs a first operation of spacing an upwardly bent transportation leading-end portion of a second uppermost medium apart downward from the sucked uppermost medium.

A feeder includes a mount board that moves vertically while allowing sheet-shaped media to be stacked thereon; a transport device allows an uppermost one of the sheet-shaped media stacked on the mount board to be sucked by a suction portion to transport the uppermost medium to a transporter and to feed the uppermost medium to a destination; left and right edge air blowers blow air to transportation left and right edge portions of upper ones of the sheet-shaped media stacked; and a tip-end air blower blows air to below the uppermost medium sucked by the suction portion from a position downstream from a transportation leading end of the uppermost medium in a transport direction. When the uppermost medium is sucked by the suction portion, the feeder performs a first operation of spacing an upwardly bent transportation leading-end portion of a second uppermost medium apart downward from the sucked uppermost medium.

A sheet transport device includes a sheet load tray on which a sheet is loaded, a detector that detects whether or not the sheet exists on the sheet load tray, a feeder that feeds the sheet one-by-one from the sheet load tray, and a sheet-load-tray ascend-descend unit that moves the sheet in a sheet loading direction to set an uppermost sheet at a sheet feed position of the feeder, and a controller. In a case where the sheet is detected by the detector, the controller causes the sheet load tray to ascend or descend before the feeder starts to feed the sheet so that ascending-descending operation for moving the sheet load tray between the sheet feed position and a descent position located below the sheet feed position is performed at least once.

A sheet feeding apparatus includes a sheet supporting portion including a supporting surface, an abutment portion against which a leading edge of the sheet abuts, a feeding rotator configured to feed the sheet, and a first friction member provided on the supporting surface so as to face the feeding rotator. The first friction member includes a first friction surface having a static friction coefficient greater than that of the supporting surface, a trailing end supporting portion configured to support a trailing end portion of the sheet curved upward, and a second friction member disposed upstream of the first friction member in the sheet feeding direction on the supporting surface. The second friction member includes a second friction surface which has a static friction coefficient greater than that of the supporting surface and is configured to be in contact with the sheet supported by the supporting surface.