# US 2014/0197592 A1 · Sheet feeding device and image forming apparatus

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- Number: US 2014/0197592 A1
- Document ID: US20140197592A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 14/149,069
- Filed: 2014-01-07
- Published: 2014-07-17
- Earliest claimed: 2013-01-11
- Assignees: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
- Applicants: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
- Inventors: Shota Kase; Minoru Kawanishi; Hirotaka Ishii; Keisuke Fujita; Akinori Yokota
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140197592A1

## CPC

- B65H 1/12: comprising spring {(B65H1/022 takes precedence)}
- B65H 3/02: using friction forces between articles and separator
- B65H 3/0607: {cooperating with means for automatically separating the pile from roller or rotary separator after a separation step}
- B65H 3/5207: {Non-driven retainers, e.g. movable retainers being moved by the motion of the article}
- B65H 3/5223: {Retainers of the pad-type, e.g. friction pads}
- B65H 2402/54: Springs, e.g. helical or leaf springs
- B65H 2403/512: involving radial plate cam
- B65H 2403/60: Damping means, shock absorbers
- B65H 2404/1113: C-shape
- B65H: HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES

## Abstract

An image forming apparatus includes a sheet feeding device having a separation pad holding unit, a separation pad fixing unit, and a compression unit while vibration damping unit(such as a sponge member and a Mylar member) that is attached to the compression unit does not contact the separation pad holding unit and the separation pad fixing unit.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A sheet feeding device for feeding a sheet, the sheet feeding device comprising:
a feeding unit configured to feed sheets;
a separation unit configured to separate the sheets fed by the feeding unit one by one;
a holding unit configured to hold the separation unit;
a pressure unit configured to press the holding unit toward the feeding unit while one side of the pressure unit contacts the holding unit;
a fixing unit that contacts another side of the pressure unit; and
a vibration damping unit attached to the pressure unit and configured to reduce vibration of the pressure unit,
wherein the vibration damping unit is arranged at a position where the vibration damping unit does not contact both the holding unit and the fixing unit.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The sheet feeding device according to claim 1, wherein the vibration damping unit is attached to an outer periphery of the pressure unit.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The sheet feeding device according to claim 1, wherein the vibration damping unit is attached to a substantially middle portion of the pressure unit in a pressing direction of the pressure unit.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The sheet feeding device according to claim 1, wherein the pressure unit includes a compression coil spring.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The sheet feeding device according to claim 1, wherein the vibration damping unit includes a sponge member.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The sheet feeding device according to claim 1, wherein the vibration damping unit includes a member having a hole at a center and the pressure unit is arranged to pass through the hole.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The sheet feeding device according to claim 6, wherein in a plane perpendicular to a pressing direction of the pressure unit, a hole length of the hole is smaller than a diameter of the pressure unit.

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

The sheet feeding device according to claim 6, wherein the vibration damping unit includes a top surface and a bottom surface without the hole, and wherein a vibration of the pressure unit is reduced by air resistance of the top surface and the bottom surface.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The sheet feeding device according to claim 1, wherein the vibration damping unit includes a Mylar member having a surface substantially perpendicular to a pressing direction of the pressure unit.

### Claim 10

A sheet feeding device for feeding a sheet, the sheet feeding device comprising:
a feeding unit configured to feed sheets;
a separation unit configured to separate the sheets fed by the feeding unit one by one;
a holding unit configured to hold the separation unit;
a pressure unit configured to press the holding unit toward the feeding unit while one side of the pressure unit contacts the holding unit;
a fixing unit that contacts another side of the pressure unit; and
a vibration damping unit attached to the pressure unit and configured to reduce vibration of the pressure unit,
wherein the vibration damping unit includes a hole, and the pressure unit is arranged to pass through the hole, and the vibration damping unit reduces vibration of the pressure unit by air resistance.

### Claim 11

An image forming apparatus for forming an image on a sheet, the image forming apparatus comprising:
a feeding unit configured to feed sheets;
a separation unit configured to separate the sheets fed by the feeding unit one by one;
a holding unit configured to hold the separation unit;
a pressure unit configured to press the holding unit toward the feeding unit while one side of the pressure unit contacts the holding unit;
a fixing unit that contacts another side of the pressure unit;
a vibration damping unit attached to the pressure unit and configured to reduce vibration of the pressure unit; and
an image forming unit configured to form an image on the sheet fed by the feeding unit,
wherein the vibration damping unit is arranged at a position where the vibration damping unit does not contact both the holding unit and the fixing unit.