Paper cassette for image forming apparatus

A paper separator for use in a paper cassette, having a base plate which supports paper in the cassette and an alignment plate which aligns the paper, comprising:

• a body pivotably connected to a side of the alignment plate and pivotable between a first position and a second position about a pivot point located substantially at a pivot end of the body;
• a pressing portion connected to the body at a pressing end opposite the pivot end;
• a travel limiter disposed between the pivot end and the pressing end, which limits the pivotable travel of the body to between the first position and the second position;
• and
• a biasing unit disposed between the travel limiter and the pivot end which urges the body,
• wherein at least a portion of the base plate is urged substantially upwardly and the biasing unit urges the body substantially downwardly.

A paper cassette having a cassette body, the paper cassette comprising:

• a support plate movably disposed within the cassette body and on which paper is stackable;
• a pair of aligning plates disposed on opposing sides of the cassette body and movable in a widthwise direction to align paper stacked on the support plate in the widthwise direction;
• paper separating fingers pivotably disposed on the aligning plates, an end of each of the paper separating fingers movable through a range of travel and pressable against a corner of a leading edge of an uppermost sheet of paper stacked on the support plate;
• and
• a biasing unit connected to at least a side of one of the paper separating fingers, increasing a relative downward pressure exerted by the paper separating finger on the uppermost sheet of paper stacked on the knock up plate.