A medium feeding device includes a medium feeding mechanism switching between a first state in which the medium is fed from the feeding tray and a second state in which the medium is not fed from the feeding tray, a feeding roller rotationally driven in a forward rotation direction, and a separation roller that is rotationally driven in the reverse rotation direction when the feeding roller is rotationally driven in the forward rotation direction, wherein when the separation roller is rotationally driven in the forward rotation direction, the feeding roller is configured to be passively rotatable with respect to the separation roller, and wherein a rotation direction of the first motor when the cam member switches the medium feeding mechanism from the first state to the second state is the same as a rotation direction of the first motor when the separation roller rotates in the forward rotation direction.

A medium feeding device includes a container member that accommodates sheet media, a discharging member located further than the media accommodated in the container member in a discharging direction in which the media are discharged, to discharge the media one by one, a hand-over member disposed above the container member to suck the media accommodated in the container member with air and pass the media to the discharging member, a floating device disposed on a side of the media accommodated in the container member to blow air to an upper area of a side end surface of the media to float the media while an upper portion of the media is separated, a detector that detects a separation state of the medium floated by the floating device, and a controller that controls a medium-feeding operation including a pre-feeding blowing operation and a during-feeding blowing operation, the pre-feeding blowing operation serving as an air blowing operation performed by the floating device before the medium is fed, and the during-feeding blowing operation serving as an air blowing operation performed by the floating device from a start of feeding the medium and an end of feeding the medium. While performing the pre-feeding blowing operation or the during-feeding blowing operation, the controller performs detection with the detector, and on condition that a result of the detection fails to satisfy a preset target range, the controller changes a parameter for the medium-feeding operation including at least one of the pre-feeding blowing operation or the during-feeding blowing operation.

A medium regulating component for use in a medium feeding device feeding sheet media accommodated in an accommodating unit, the component for regulating excessive floating of a medium accommodated in the accommodating unit, the component includes: a regulating member protruding in a horizontal direction from an accommodating unit periphery and contacting the floating medium; a holding member holding the regulating member in a non-contact state with the medium; a first rotating shaft rotatably supporting the regulating member relative to the holding member; and a second rotating shaft rotatably supporting the holding member relative to the accommodating unit, in which when the regulating member receives a pressing force from below in a gravitational direction, rotates about the first rotating shaft in a state where movement of the holding member is suppressed, and pushes the holding member to rotate about the second rotating shaft.

A medium regulating component for use in a medium feeding device feeding sheet media accommodated in an accommodating unit, the component for regulating excessive floating of a medium accommodated in the accommodating unit, the component includes: a regulating member protruding in a horizontal direction from an accommodating unit periphery and contacting the floating medium; a holding member holding the regulating member in a non-contact state with the medium; a first rotating shaft rotatably supporting the regulating member relative to the holding member; and a second rotating shaft rotatably supporting the holding member relative to the accommodating unit, in which when the regulating member receives a pressing force from below in a gravitational direction, rotates about the first rotating shaft in a state where movement of the holding member is suppressed, and pushes the holding member to rotate about the second rotating shaft.

The present invention relates to a cover member for a storing means, a respective storing means and a gripping system, comprising said storing means. Further, the present invention relates to a method for gripping and separating stacked flat elements. The cover member is adapted for being installed on a top side of a storing means for storing a stack of multiple flat elements 100 having a predefined size. The cover member 1 defines a first opening 13 having a rim portion 13a, 13b, wherein the first opening 13 is adapted to be associated with at least one gripping unit 30, so that the gripping unit 30 can access the storing means for gripping and removing a flat element 102 through the first opening 13, when the cover member 1 is installed on the top side of the storing means 10. The first opening is sized so that a gripped flat element 102 abuts the rim portion 13a, 13b when being removed through the first opening 13 from the storing means, so as to be bend and separated from an underlying flat element 104.

A medium-transporting device includes: a medium-mounting section on which a medium is mounted; a feeding unit that includes a feeding roller and that is configured to be displaced between a contact posture and a separation posture; a first restricting member that is provided downstream of the feeding roller in the transport direction and that is configured to switch between a restriction posture in which the first restricting member restricts movement of the medium and a retreat posture in which the first restricting member permits the movement of the medium; a first motor configured to generate power for rotating the feeding roller; and a second motor configured to generate power for switching a posture of the first restricting member, in which an operation of rotating the feeding roller and an operation of switching the first restricting member from the restriction posture to the retreat posture are performed in parallel.

A sheet handling device includes a shaft, a roller, and a joint. The roller is detachably attached on an end portion of the shaft. The joint is mounted on the end of the shaft and has a claw at a tip of the joint. The claw of the joint is configured to position the roller in a thrust direction along the shaft while an inner circumferential surface of the roller is in contact with an outer circumferential surface of the shaft. The inner circumferential surface of the roller has a cylindrical shape.

A sheet handling device includes a shaft, a roller, and a joint. The roller is detachably attached on an end portion of the shaft. The joint is mounted on the end of the shaft and has a claw at a tip of the joint. The claw of the joint is configured to position the roller in a thrust direction along the shaft while an inner circumferential surface of the roller is in contact with an outer circumferential surface of the shaft. The inner circumferential surface of the roller has a cylindrical shape.

According to an embodiment, a sheet feeding mechanism includes a first elastic body. The first elastic body blocks a first reference line and a second reference line. The first elastic body has a first angle formed between the first elastic body and the first reference line, the first angle being an acute angle. The first reference line is a reference line along a take-out direction by the first roller. The second reference line is a reference line connecting a nip between the second roller and the third roller and a contact position of the first roller and a sheet.

A placement method using a placement device provided with a first process of pressing a transfer plate a topmost layer sheet member so as to pick up it when a restraint device is rendered a restraining state, a second process of rendering the restraint device a non-restraining state to render the transfer plate an inclined state while pressing down the plurality of sheet members from above in the stacking direction by a base end part side of the transfer plate rendered the inclined state, a third process of inserting the restraining blade into the space formed between the topmost layer sheet member and the sheet member of the layer below it and again render the restraint device the restraining state, and a fourth process of making the transfer plate retract upward while returning it to the horizontal state and transferring the topmost layer sheet member to the holder.