The invention relates to a device for providing a three-dimensional cushioning material for cushioning an void volume in a transport container, comprising a converting apparatus for converting a flat web-like starting material into the three-dimensional cushioning material and a receiving means for receiving at least regions of a stack of the web-like starting material folded in a zigzagging manner. The receiving means has a first lateral contact means for a first stack type, which has a first width (B1), and a second lateral contact means for a second stack type, which has a second width (B2), such that either a stack of the first stack type or a stack of the second stack type can be arranged in the receiving means in a centered manner relative to the same central axis

A sheet feed device has a tray with holding surface for holding sheets, a feed unit for feeding sheets from the tray, and a separation plate. The separation plate has an inclined surface and two or more separation portions that separate a sheet from the sheets held in the tray. At least one of the separation portions projects a first distance from the inclined surface. The separation plate also has a projection positioned on the inclined surface that projects a second distance from the inclined surface. The second distance is greater than the first distance. A first of the separation portions is positioned upstream of the particular projection in the sheet feed direction, and a second of the separation portions positioned downstream of the particular projection in the sheet feed direction.

A sheet feeder comprises a sheet stacking unit which stacks sheets, a sheet pickup unit which picks up a sheet from one side of the stacked sheets on the sheet stacking unit, a sheet separating and feeding unit which separately feeds sheets one by one to a conveyance path, an orientation holding unit which holds a feed orientation of a sheet, and a biasing unit which biases the orientation holding unit from a retracted position to a projecting position. A projection amount of the orientation holding unit from an inclined surface increases as the number of stacked sheets decreases, and the projection amount from the inclined surface decreases as the number of stacked sheets increases.

A sheet feeding device includes a device body including a stopper portion and a feeding tray detachably mounted to the device body. The feeding tray includes a stopper, a lock assembly, and an operating member. The stopper includes a stopped portion movable between a stop position at which the stopped portion is stopped by the stopper portion and a release position. The lock assembly prevents drawing of the feeding tray from the device body. An operating member rotates from an initial state by a predetermined angle to move the stopped portion from the stop position to the release position. The lock assembly restricts rotation of the operating member when the lock assembly is locked. The stopped portion is movable from the stop position to the release position with an operation of mounting the feeding tray to a mount position of the device body without rotation of the operating member.

A sheet feeding device includes a device body including a stopper portion and a feeding tray detachably mounted to the device body. The feeding tray includes a stopper, a lock assembly, and an operating member. The stopper includes a stopped portion movable between a stop position at which the stopped portion is stopped by the stopper portion and a release position. The lock assembly prevents drawing of the feeding tray from the device body. An operating member rotates from an initial state by a predetermined angle to move the stopped portion from the stop position to the release position. The lock assembly restricts rotation of the operating member when the lock assembly is locked. The stopped portion is movable from the stop position to the release position with an operation of mounting the feeding tray to a mount position of the device body without rotation of the operating member.

A stacking unit includes a processing tray, an alignment section, a transport section, and a moving section. The processing tray has a placement area in which one or more paper sheets are placed. The alignment section aligns leading edges of the paper sheets. The transport section transports the paper sheets to the alignment section. The moving section moves the paper sheets in X directions. The alignment section includes: a first alignment surface having a first friction coefficient; and a second alignment surface having a second friction coefficient. The second alignment surface is positioned upstream of the first alignment surface in a +A direction and closer to a center of the placement area in the X directions than the first alignment surface is.

A sheet feed device has a tray with holding surface for holding sheets, a feed unit for feeding sheets from the tray, and a separation plate. The separation plate has an inclined surface and two or more separation portions that separate a sheet from the sheets held in the tray. At least one of the separation portions projects a first distance from the inclined surface. The separation plate also has a projection positioned on the inclined surface that projects a second distance from the inclined surface. The second distance is greater than the first distance. A first of the separation portions is positioned upstream of the particular projection in the sheet feed direction, and a second of the separation portions positioned downstream of the particular projection in the sheet feed direction.

An image recording apparatus includes: an apparatus casing in which a transport path for transporting a sheet is formed; a first sheet support unit having a first support surface configured to support the sheet; a feed unit configured to feed the sheet supported by the first support surface to the transport path; a second sheet support unit having a second support surface configured to support the sheet; a transport unit configured to transport the sheet from the first and second sheet support units via the transport path; and a recording unit configured to record an image on the sheet transported by the transport unit in the transport path. The first and second sheet support units are arranged on one side surface of the apparatus casing, and the first and second support surfaces are configured to incline with respect to a placement surface on which the apparatus casing is placed.

A sheet feed device has a tray with holding surface for holding sheets, a feed unit for feeding sheets from the tray, and a separation plate. The separation plate has an inclined surface and two or more separation portions that separate a sheet from the sheets held in the tray. At least one of the separation portions projects a first distance from the inclined surface. The separation plate also has a projection positioned on the inclined surface that projects a second distance from the inclined surface. The second distance is greater than the first distance. A first of the separation portions is positioned upstream of the particular projection in the sheet feed direction, and a second of the separation portions positioned downstream of the particular projection in the sheet feed direction.

An image recording apparatus includes a housing in which a conveyance path is formed, a feed tray insertable into and removable from the housing, configured to accommodate sheet media, and including a first accommodating portion, an image recording portion, a guide member configured to guide one of the sheet media, a stopper movable between a restriction state in which the stopper abuts against a leading end of the sheet medium to prevent the sheet medium from reaching a bank provided and a retraction state in which the stopper is separated from the leading end to allow the sheet medium to reach the guide member, when the feed tray is inserted into the housing, and a flap provided above the sheet media and movable in an up-down direction by pivoting about a given rotation axis.