Paper feeding device

Abstract

A paper feeding device includes a supporting base and a paper arranging module. The supporting base has a supporting surface, an inclined supporting plane, and a slot located at the supporting surface. The paper arranging module includes a guiding structure fixed under the supporting surface, a paper-pushing structure slidably disposed on the guiding structure, an elastic element interconnected between the paper-pushing structure and a fixed end, and a gear disposed on the guiding structure. The gear has an engaging part for engaging with and driving the paper-pushing structure to move toward the inclined supporting plane along the slot for arranging the paper sheets supported on the supporting base, thus facilitating subsequent paper dividing. When a non-engaging part of the gear corresponds to the paper-pushing structure, the paper-pushing structure is restored to an original position by an elastic force of the elastic element.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0001]1. Field of the Invention[0002]The present invention relates generally to a paper feeding device, and more particularly, to a paper feeding device suitable for a multi-function peripheral.[0003]2. Description of Related Art[0004]In the informationized society, offices are equipped with automatic equipments such as a scanner, a photocopier or a printer. Users can perform various document processing operations through the use of these automatic equipments. If these automatic equipments are individually disposed in the office, they may occupy a considerable amount of space. Accordingly, a multi-function peripheral (MFP) which integrates the function of photocopying, printing and scanning has been developed to solve the foregoing problem.[0005]The user usually places a stack of paper sheets in the MFP for photocopying, printing or scanning. In order to enable the MFP to pick up one single sheet of paper each time, the paper feeding module typically inclu...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0016]In view of the foregoing, in the present invention, under the driving of the engaging part of the gear, the paper-pushing structure can push the paper sheets to the inclined supporting plane to arrange the paper sheets. When the non-engaging part of the gear corresponds to the paper-pushing structure, the elastic element interconnected between the paper-pushing structure and the fixed end can restore the paper-pushing structure to its original position, such that the paper sheets can be delivered toward the supporting surface by the feeding element to be divided. The arranged paper is divided by the paper dividing element and as such, the probability of successfully feeding the paper sheet by sheet is increased.

Problems solved by technology

If these automatic equipments are individually disposed in the office, they may occupy a considerable amount of space.

However, this way of paper separation has an operation limitation, i.e., the paper sheet is required to be disposed at a particular range of angle with respect to the paper separating member for effective paper separation.

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