In a copier, printer, or similar device, paper is loaded in large quantities. To separate a top sheet of a stack of sheets from the next adjacent sheet, a dam is used, which is an element having an inclined surface in the path of the top sheet. This invention addresses devices with variably compliant separation strips, preferably a thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer such as Pellethane®, that are part of the dam, so that the leading edge of a media sheet will strike the inclined surface of the separation strip. By adjusting the compliance of the separation strip, different weights of media may be accommodated while minimizing the multi-feeds that may cause jamming of the device.

A paper feed apparatus. The paper feed apparatus can include a stack of paper, the stack of paper having an uppermost sheet of paper and a second sheet of paper being disposed below the uppermost sheet of paper. A driven pick roller is suitably arranged in contact with the uppermost sheet of paper and is suitably rotatable in a first roller direction to convey the uppermost sheet of paper in a first paper direction. A nip defined by a driven feed roller and a separation roller is suitably disposed downstream from the pick roller, the nip having a gap sufficient for the uppermost sheet of paper to pass through, the gap being sufficient for the separation roller to be in frictional engagement with the second sheet of paper to prevent it from passing through the nip. A rotating element having a plurality of radially extending brush elements is suitably disposed between the driven pick roller and the driven feed roller and rotatable in a second direction opposite the first roller direction to urge the second sheet of paper under the influence of the plurality of radially extending brush elements in a second paper direction opposite the first paper direction.

In a copier, printer, or similar device, paper is loaded in large quantities. To separate a top sheet of a stack of sheets from the next adjacent sheet, a dam is used, which is an element having an inclined surface in the path of the top sheet. This invention addresses devices with variably compliant separation strips, preferably a thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer such as Pellethane, that are part of the dam, so that the leading edge of a media sheet will strike the inclined surface of the separation strip. By adjusting the compliance of the separation strip, different weights of media may be accommodated while minimizing the multi-feeds that may cause jamming of the device.

A paper sheet handling apparatus includes an insertion slot to which a banknote is inserted, a conveyor mechanism that conveys the paper sheet inserted through an insertion slot, and a corrective member that has an elastic deformation portion designed to contact the paper sheet inserted to the insertion slot and corrects a direction of conveyance of the paper sheet inserted through the insertion slot using the elasticity of the elastic deformation portion. The corrective member is disposed at least on both ends in the width direction of the insertion slot, along a face of the banknote inserted to the insertion slot, or at positions, on a conveyor line for the paper sheet inserted through the insertion slot, facing the ends in the width direction of the insertion slot.

An image forming apparatus includes plural medium transport paths that branch at a predetermined branching position and along which a medium is transported in a curved state; a switching member disposed at the branching position and including a guide surface that allows the medium to be transported along one of the medium transport paths, the switching member switching between the medium transport paths; an output unit that outputs the medium toward a stacking portion, on which the medium is to be stacked, while corrugating the medium; and a guide portion that guides the medium from the branching position toward the output unit in a region in which the medium is corrugated.