A main object of the invention is to provide a sheet material separation-aiding apparatus that ensures that there can be a gap produced stably between a specific sheet material from a stack of sheet materials and a sheet material just below it, and that achieves size reductions, reduced energy consumptions and a decreased parts count. As shown in FIG. 4, the sheet material separation-aiding apparatus 1 comprises a rotating means 2 including an abutment portion 21 that is capable of coming in abutment on an end of the uppermost sheet material 101, a supporting means 3 that supports the rotating means 2 in a rotatable manner and is capable of moving in a vertical direction, a biasing means 4 that biases the supporting means 3 in a downward direction, and a lifting means 5 that lifts up an end 23 of the rotating means 2 in opposition to the abutment portion 21. As the end 23 is lifted up, it causes the rotating means 2 to rotate with the abutment portion 21 coming in abutment on the end of the sheet material 101, and as the end 23 is further lifted up, it causes the supporting means 3 and rotating means 2 to keep on going up while the rotating means 2 is kept from rotation by a counterforce that the abutment portion 21 receives from the sheet material 101.

User labor relating to determining on an alignment condition is reduced and a stable conveying operation is realized by aligning a sheet bundle also when a sheet bundle is added. A sheet bundle composed of multiple sheet materials is placed on a loading platform. An encoder pulse unit detects the amount of the sheet bundle placed on the loading platform based on the opening amount of a pressure plate. A control unit determines on an alignment condition according to the amount of the sheet bundle. Rotating members align the sheet bundle in accordance with the alignment condition. When it is determined that another sheet bundle has been added to the loading platform, the control unit updates the alignment condition according to the total amount of the other sheet bundle and the sheet bundle remaining on the loading platform.

User labor relating to determining on an alignment condition is reduced and a stable conveying operation is realized by aligning a sheet bundle also when a sheet bundle is added. A sheet bundle composed of multiple sheet materials is placed on a loading platform. An encoder pulse unit detects the amount of the sheet bundle placed on the loading platform based on the opening amount of a pressure plate. A control unit determines on an alignment condition according to the amount of the sheet bundle. Rotating members align the sheet bundle in accordance with the alignment condition. When it is determined that another sheet bundle has been added to the loading platform, the control unit updates the alignment condition according to the total amount of the other sheet bundle and the sheet bundle remaining on the loading platform.

An image forming apparatus includes an accommodation unit, feeding, conveying, and separating members, and detecting, control, image forming, and regulating units. The conveying member conveys a fed recording material. The separating member forms a nip and separates recording materials. The detecting unit detects that the recording material has been fed to the nip. The feeding member starts feeding an accommodated recording material and, where a recording material is fed to the nip, causes the feeding to be finished. An image is formed on a fed recording material. The regulating unit regulates an end on an upstream side. The control unit measures a period from a recording material feeding to detection that a recording material is fed to the nip. Based on the measured period, information is output indicating that a position of the regulating unit is deviated from a position according to a size of the accommodated recording materials.

An image forming apparatus includes an accommodation unit, feeding, conveying, and separating members, and detecting, control, image forming, and regulating units. The conveying member conveys a fed recording material. The separating member forms a nip and separates recording materials. The detecting unit detects that the recording material has been fed to the nip. The feeding member starts feeding an accommodated recording material and, where a recording material is fed to the nip, causes the feeding to be finished. An image is formed on a fed recording material. The regulating unit regulates an end on an upstream side. The control unit measures a period from a recording material feeding to detection that a recording material is fed to the nip. Based on the measured period, information is output indicating that a position of the regulating unit is deviated from a position according to a size of the accommodated recording materials.

A sheet feeder device includes: a sheet feed tray configured to store a sheet stack formed with a plurality of paper sheets; an elastic member capable of expanding and contracting; a contact mechanism configured to bring the elastic member into contact with an edge of the sheet stack; an expansion mechanism configured to expand the elastic member in a direction of stacking of the paper sheets; and a control unit configured to cause the expansion mechanism to expand the elastic member while the elastic member is kept in contact with the edge of the sheet stack by the contact mechanism.

A sheet feeder device includes: a sheet feed tray configured to store a sheet stack formed with a plurality of paper sheets; an elastic member capable of expanding and contracting; a contact mechanism configured to bring the elastic member into contact with an edge of the sheet stack; an expansion mechanism configured to expand the elastic member in a direction of stacking of the paper sheets; and a control unit configured to cause the expansion mechanism to expand the elastic member while the elastic member is kept in contact with the edge of the sheet stack by the contact mechanism.

A sheet supplying device is provided. The sheet supplying device includes a separator to separate sheets one by one. The separator includes a separation pad, a spring, and a separation pressure adjuster. The separation pad contacts each of the sheets. The spring applies a separation pressure to the separation pad. The separation pressure adjuster adjusts the separation pressure to one of separation pressure values variable in multiple steps.

A sheet supplying device is provided. The sheet supplying device includes a separator to separate sheets one by one. The separator includes a separation pad, a spring, and a separation pressure adjuster. The separation pad contacts each of the sheets. The spring applies a separation pressure to the separation pad. The separation pressure adjuster adjusts the separation pressure to one of separation pressure values variable in multiple steps.

A card feeding apparatus realizes random and selective feeding of cards of different types or kinds. This apparatus includes a card supplying device, a card holding and feeding device, and a controller. The card holding and feeding device includes a table set having tables on which cards from the card supplying device are held, a table set supporting structure (e.g., a frame), a table set moving device (e.g., a lifting mechanism), and a card conveying device that conveys cards held on the tables. In response to a card feeding signal, the table set supporting structure is temporarily stopped using the table set moving device such that a target table designated from the tables by the said signal is located at the card conveying position, and the card holding and feeding device is activated, thereby feeding a card on the target table by the card conveying device.