A medium feeding apparatus includes: a feed tray on which media M are placed; a draw-out unit that draws out an uppermost medium among the media placed on the feed tray; a hanging member that hangs the feed tray; and a load member that applies, when an amount of the media placed on the feed tray is equal to or smaller than a predetermined amount, a downward load to a portion of the feed tray located on an upstream side in a draw-out direction of the media.

The present invention provides, in various embodiments, a batch feeder and a method for stocking and gravity conveying of piece goods made of flat material. A feeder pit comprises an upper opening for inputting the piece goods in batches, a lower opening for extraction of the piece goods, and at least two lateral pit delimitations, which are located opposite to one another, for guiding of the piece goods. As carrying structures for supporting the piece goods on one side, that are arranged on top of each other as floors and that protrude into the feeder pit, are formed on at least one of the pit delimitations, the piece goods can be retained alternatingly on the carrying structures in an easy way and move up respectively for each floor.

A sheet feeder includes a sheet platen, a pickup roller, a feeding roller, a regulating portion, a driving mechanism, a feeding control unit, a sheet sensor, and a determination processing unit. The feeding control unit executes a feeding operation by rotationally driving the pickup roller and the feeding roller in a state where the regulating portion is located at a retreating position. The sheet sensor is located at a downstream side in the feeding direction of the feeding roller. The determination processing unit determines whether the sheet feeding has succeeded or not based on a signal from the sheet sensor. After a start of the feeding operation, when the determination processing unit determines that the sheet feeding has failed, the feeding control unit once moves the regulating portion located at the retreating position to the abutting position and then executes the feeding operation again.

A sheet feeding device includes a feeder, a contact member, a movement restricting member, a moving mechanism, and control circuitry. The feeder is configured to feed a sheet. A leading end of the sheet in a feeding direction is to contact the contact member. The movement restricting member is configured to lock the contact member to restrict movement of the contact member from a contact position where the contact member contacts the sheet. The moving mechanism is configured to move the movement restricting member between a locking position and a lock releasing position. The contact member is configured to take the contact position by gravity or a biasing force of a biasing part. The control circuitry is configured to control the moving mechanism to move the movement restricting member to the lock releasing position and then to the locking position when a feeding operation of the sheet is finished.

A sheet feeding device includes a feeder, a contact member, a movement restricting member, a moving mechanism, and control circuitry. The feeder is configured to feed a sheet. A leading end of the sheet in a feeding direction is to contact the contact member. The movement restricting member is configured to lock the contact member to restrict movement of the contact member from a contact position where the contact member contacts the sheet. The moving mechanism is configured to move the movement restricting member between a locking position and a lock releasing position. The contact member is configured to take the contact position by gravity or a biasing force of a biasing part. The control circuitry is configured to control the moving mechanism to move the movement restricting member to the lock releasing position and then to the locking position when a feeding operation of the sheet is finished.

A sheet transportation device includes a sheet loading table, a feeding unit that feeds a sheet placed on the sheet loading table, a first detection unit that is provided downstream of the feeding unit in a sheet transportation direction and that detects a position of a leading end of the sheet, a second detection unit that is provided upstream of the feeding unit in the sheet transportation direction and that detects a position of a leading end of a small-size sheet which is smaller than the sheet detected by the first detection unit, and a control unit that starts feeding the sheet based on a result of detection performed by any of the first detection unit or the second detection unit in accordance with a size of the sheet.

A sheet conveyance device (1) includes a feed tray (20), a feeding unit (50), a stopper (30), a first abutted portion (41), and an impact reducing mechanism (10). Sheets are loaded on the feed tray (20). The feeding unit (50) feeds the sheets. The stopper (30) is rotatably supported on the feeding unit (50) and rotates when pressed by the sheets inserted into the feed tray (20). The stopper (30) comes into contact with the first abutted portion (41) in association with the rotation of the stopper (30). The impact reducing mechanism (10) reduces impact applied to the first abutted portion (41) by the stopper (30).

A sheet conveyance device (1) includes a feed tray (20), a feeding unit (50), a stopper (30), a first abutted portion (41), and an impact reducing mechanism (10). Sheets are loaded on the feed tray (20). The feeding unit (50) feeds the sheets. The stopper (30) is rotatably supported on the feeding unit (50) and rotates when pressed by the sheets inserted into the feed tray (20). The stopper (30) comes into contact with the first abutted portion (41) in association with the rotation of the stopper (30). The impact reducing mechanism (10) reduces impact applied to the first abutted portion (41) by the stopper (30).

A sheet feeding device includes a stacking tray, a feeding portion, a first restricting member which includes a first restricting surface and a first supporting portion, a second restricting member which includes a second restricting surface and a second supporting portion, and an interrelating portion. In a state in which the first restricting surface and the second restricting surface are brought closest to each other, a part of the first restricting portion is positioned on a second restricting surface side with respect to a center line of the stacking tray, and a part of the second restricting portion is positioned on a first restricting surface side with respect to the center line.

A sheet feeding device includes a stacking tray, a feeding portion, a first restricting member which includes a first restricting surface and a first supporting portion, a second restricting member which includes a second restricting surface and a second supporting portion, and an interrelating portion. In a state in which the first restricting surface and the second restricting surface are brought closest to each other, a part of the first restricting portion is positioned on a second restricting surface side with respect to a center line of the stacking tray, and a part of the second restricting portion is positioned on a first restricting surface side with respect to the center line.