Sheet conveying device and image forming apparatus incorporating the sheet conveying device

A sheet conveying device comprising:

• a pickup roller configured to:
• contact an uppermost sheet of sheets stacked on a sheet stacker;
• and
• feed the uppermost sheet;
• a separator configured to move the pickup roller between:
• a contact position at which the pickup roller is in contact with the uppermost sheet;
• and
• a separation position at which the pickup roller is separated from the uppermost sheet;
• a conveyor configured to convey the uppermost sheet fed by the pickup roller;
• and
• circuitry configured to:
• control the separator to moves the pickup roller from the contact position to the separation position in a separation operation;
• control the conveyor to convey the uppermost sheet at a first conveyance speed from a start to a completion of the separating operation;
• and
• control the conveyor to convey the uppermost sheet at a second conveyance speed higher than the first conveyance speed after the completion of the separating operation.

A sheet conveying device comprising:

• a pickup roller configured to:
• contact an uppermost sheet of sheets stacked on a sheet stacker;
• and
• feed the uppermost sheet;
• a separator configured to move the pickup roller between:
• a contact position at which the pickup roller is in contact with the uppermost sheet;
• and
• a separation position at which the pickup roller is separated from the uppermost sheet;
• a conveyor configured to convey the uppermost sheet fed by the pickup roller;
• and
• circuitry configured to:
• control the conveyor to temporarily stop conveyance of the uppermost sheet;
• control the separator to move the pickup roller from the contact position to the separation position in response to the temporary stop of the conveyor;
• and
• restart the conveyance of the uppermost sheet in response to a separation of the pickup roller from the uppermost sheet.