Medium feeding device, recording apparatus

Abstract

A medium feeding device is provided in order to address the problem of double feeding which occur when feeding media to be fed having different hardness. A medium feeding device includes an arm that supports a feeding roller and a placement section wherein a portion of the placement section that opposes the feeding roller is displaceable in directions to come into contact with and be separated from the feeding roller. The medium feeding device is configured such that, when the feeding roller receives a force from the medium as a reaction force against a force acting on the medium by the feeding roller, which causes the arm to move in a direction that causes the feeding roller to move toward the medium, the portion of the placement section is displaced if a pressing force of the feeding roller against the medium exceeds a predetermined amount of force.

1 . A medium feeding device comprising:
 a placement section where the medium are placed;
 feeding means that feeds the medium to the downstream region in the feeding direction, the feeding means having a feeding roller that is in contact with the top medium of the stack of media stacked in the placement section, and an arm that is mounted to be movable about a point located above the feeding roller in the stack direction and provided with the feeding roller for rotation at the free end of the arm; and 
 separation means that is provided with an inclined plane so that the leading edge of the medium placed in the placement section abuts the inclined plane and separates the top medium from the subsequent media, wherein a portion of the placement section which opposes the feeding roller is displaceable in directions that allow the portion of the placement section to come into contact with and be separated from the feeding roller, and the feeding roller receives a force from the medium, which causes the arm to move in a direction that causes the feeding roller to move toward the medium, thereby increasing a pressing force of the feeding roller against the medium, such that the portion of the placement section is displaced when the pressing force of the feeding roller against the medium exceeds a predetermined amount of force. 
   
     
     
         2 . The medium feeding device according to  claim 1 , wherein the medium feeding device is configured to feed a first medium and a second medium having a hardness higher than that of the first medium, and wherein the portion of the placement section is not displaced by the pressing force when feeding the first medium, and the portion of the placement section is displaced by the pressing force when feeding the second medium. 
     
     
         3 . The medium feeding device according to  claim 1 , further comprising bias means that biases the portion of the placement section in a direction so as to move the portion of the placement section toward the feeding roller. 
     
     
         4 . The medium feeding device according to  claim 3 , further comprising a regulation member that regulates the position at the side close to the feeding roller within the range through which the portion of the placement section is displaced. 
     
     
         5 . The medium feeding device according to  claim 1 , wherein the portion of the placement section is configured to be movable about a position in the downstream area in the feeding direction. 
     
     
         6 . The medium feeding device according to  claim 1 , wherein the portion of the placement section is configured to be displaced while maintaining its posture. 
     
     
         7 . The medium feeding device according to  claim 1 , wherein the placement section is configured such that a portion of the placement section at the downstream area in the feeding direction which opposes the feeding roller is displaceable and an area upstream in the feeding direction relative to the downstream area in the feeding direction is not displaceable. 
     
     
         8 . A recording apparatus comprising the medium feeding device according to  claim 1  and a recording unit that performs recording on the medium which has been fed by the medium feeding device.