Sheet supply apparatus with control based on detected sheet length

A sheet supply apparatus comprising:

• a sheet supply means for supplying a sheet one by one from a sheet stack;
• a convey means for conveying the sheet supplied by said sheet supply means;
• a detection means for detecting a length of the sheet supplied by said sheet supply means, in a sheet supplying direction;
• a memory means for storing the length of the sheet detected by said detection means;
• and
• a control means for operating said sheet supply means after the sheet is conveyed by said convey means, on the basis of information regarding the length of the sheet stored in said memory means,
• wherein said sheet supply means has a rotary member rotating and contacting with the sheet stack, and a separation member for preventing an advancing movement of sheets other than a sheet contacted with said rotary member.

A sheet supply apparatus comprising:

• a first convey means for conveying a sheet;
• a second convey means for conveying the sheet conveyed by said first convey means;
• a detection means for detecting a length of the sheet conveyed by said first convey means, in a sheet supplying direction;
• a memory means for storing the length of the sheet detected by said detection means;
• and
• a control means for varying a time period for operating said first convey means while the sheet is being conveyed by said second convey means, on the basis of information regarding the length of the sheet stored in said memory means.

A sheet supply apparatus comprising:

• a first convey means for conveying a sheet;
• a second convey means for conveying the sheet conveyed by said first convey means;
• a detection means for detecting a length of the sheet conveyed by said first convey means, in a sheet supplying direction;
• a memory means for storing the length of the sheet detected by said detection means;
• and
• a control means for changing a time period for operating said first convey means for a first sheet from a time period for operating said first convey means for a second sheet, on the basis of information regarding the length of the sheet stored in said memory means.

A sheet supply apparatus having a sheet supply means for supplying sheets one by one, comprising:

• a first convey means for conveying a sheet;
• a second convey means for conveying the sheet conveyed by said first convey means;
• a detection means for detecting a length of the sheet conveyed by said first convey means, in a sheet supplying direction;
• a memory means for storing the length of the sheet detected by said detection means;
• and
• a control means for changing a time period for operating said first convey means for a first sheet from a time period for operating said first convey means for a second sheet, on the basis of information regarding the length of the sheet stored in said memory means,
• wherein when a first sheet is supplied, the length of the sheet is detected by said length detection means and the detected length of the sheet is stored in the memory means, and, when second, third, fourth sheets and so on are supplied, said sheet supply means is operated on the basis of information regarding the sheet length stored in the memory means.

An image forming apparatus comprising:

• a first convey means for conveying a sheet;
• a second convey means for conveying the sheet conveyed by said first convey means;
• a detection means for detecting a length of the sheet conveyed by said first convey means, in a sheet supplying direction;
• a memory means for storing the length of the sheet detected by said detection means;
• a control means for changing a time period for operating said first convey means for a first sheet from a time period for operating said first convey means for a second sheet, on the basis of information regarding the length of the sheet stored in said memory means;
• and
• an image forming means for forming an image on the sheet supplied by said sheet supply apparatus,
• wherein when a first sheet is supplied, the length of the sheet is detected by said length detection means and the detected length of the sheet is stored in the memory means, and, when second, third, fourth sheets and so on are supplied, said sheet supply means is operated on the basis of information regarding the sheet length stored in the memory means.

An image forming apparatus having a sheet supply apparatus including a sheet supply means for supplying sheets one by one, a scan means for scanning an original, and an image forming means for forming an image on the sheet supplied by said sheet supply apparatus, comprising:

• a first convey means for conveying a sheet;
• a second convey means for conveying the sheet conveyed by said first convey means;
• a detection means for detecting a length of the sheet conveyed by said first convey means, in a sheet supplying direction;
• a memory means for storing the length of the sheet detected by said detection means;
• and
• a control means for changing a time period for operating said first convey means for a first sheet from a time period for operating said first convey means for a second sheet, on the basis of information regarding the length of the sheet stored in said memory means,
• wherein when a first sheet is supplied, the length of the sheet is detected by said length detection means and the detected length of the sheet is stored in the memory means, and, when second, third, fourth sheets and so on are supplied, said sheet supply means is operated on the basis of information regarding the sheet length stored in the memory means, and wherein an original scanning speed of said scan means for the first sheet is changed from that for the second, third, fourth sheets and so on.

A sheet supply apparatus comprising:

• a containing means for containing at least one sheet;
• a presence/absence detection means for detecting presence/absence of the sheet in said containing means;
• a first convey means for conveying a sheet;
• a second convey means for conveying the sheet conveyed by said first convey means;
• a detection means for detecting a length of the sheet conveyed by said first convey means, in a sheet supplying direction;
• a memory means for storing the length of the sheet detected by said detection means;
• and
• a control means for changing a time period for operating said first convey means for a first sheet from a time period for operating said first convey means for a second sheet, on the basis of information regarding the length of the sheet stored in said memory means.