Paper feeding apparatus and image forming system

Abstract

A paper feeding apparatus for feeding paper from a paper-mounting table on which a paper bundle is mounted includes a suctioning conveyor that suctions and conveys uppermost paper among the paper bundle mounted on the paper-mounting table; and a hardware processor that controls the suctioning conveyor, wherein the suctioning conveyor includes a suction region for suctioning paper in a paper width direction orthogonal to a paper conveyance direction, and the hardware processor controls distribution of a suction amount in the paper width direction based on stiffness and a paper width, which is a paper size in the paper width direction, of paper.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A paper feeding apparatus for feeding paper from a paper-mounting table on which a paper bundle is mounted, comprising;
 a suctioning conveyor that suctions and conveys uppermost paper among the paper bundle mounted on the paper-mounting table; and   a hardware processor that controls the suctioning conveyor,   wherein the suctioning conveyor includes a suction region for suctioning paper in a paper width direction orthogonal to a paper conveyance direction, and   the hardware processor controls distribution of a suction amount in the paper width direction based on stiffness and a paper width, which is a paper size in the paper width direction, of paper.   
     
     
         2 . The paper feeding apparatus according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the hardware processor controls distribution of a suction amount in the paper width direction such that a suction amount in a second suction region corresponding to both ends of paper is smaller than a suction amount in a first suction region corresponding to a center of the paper.   
     
     
         3 . The paper feeding apparatus according to  claim 2 ,
 wherein the hardware processor does not perform suction in the second suction region.   
     
     
         4 . The paper feeding apparatus according to  claim 2 , further comprising a blower that blows paper, the blower being connected to the suctioning conveyor,
 wherein the hardware processor suctions paper in the first suction region, and blows paper in the second suction region.   
     
     
         5 . The paper feeding apparatus according to  claim 4 ,
 wherein the hardware processor starts blowing in the second suction region after uppermost paper is attached onto the suctioning conveyor.   
     
     
         6 . The paper feeding apparatus according to  claim 5 , further comprising a paper a leading-end blower that blows a paper bundle from a leading-end side of paper in the paper conveyance direction,
 wherein the hardware processor starts blowing in the second suction region before starting blowing with the leading-end blower.   
     
     
         7 . The paper feeding apparatus according to  claim 4 ,
 wherein the smaller stiffness paper has, the more the hardware processor decreases a blowing amount in the second suction region.   
     
     
         8 . The paper feeding apparatus according to  claim 4 ,
 wherein the larger a paper width is, the more the hardware processor decreases a blowing amount in the second suction region.   
     
     
         9 . The paper feeding apparatus according to  claim 4 ,
 wherein a blowing amount in the second suction region is set such that a blowing amount on a rear-end side of paper is smaller than a blowing amount on a leading-end side of the paper in the paper conveyance direction.   
     
     
         10 . The paper feeding apparatus according to  claim 2 ,
 wherein the smaller stiffness paper has, the more the hardware processor expands a range of the first suction region to both end sides of the paper.   
     
     
         11 . The paper feeding apparatus according to  claim 2 ,
 wherein the larger a paper width is, the more the hardware processor expands a range of the first suction region to both end sides of the paper.   
     
     
         12 . The paper feeding apparatus according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the suctioning conveyor has a projecting shape such that a distance to uppermost paper on a center of paper is larger than that on both ends of the paper.   
     
     
         13 . A paper feeding apparatus for feeding paper from a paper-mounting table on which a paper bundle is mounted, comprising:
 a suctioning conveyor that suctions and conveys uppermost paper among the paper bundle mounted on the paper-mounting table; and   a hardware processor that controls the suctioning conveyor,   wherein the suctioning conveyor includes a suction region for suctioning paper in a paper width direction orthogonal to a paper conveyance direction, and   the hardware processor controls distribution of a suction amount in the paper width direction such that a suction amount in a second suction region corresponding to both ends of paper is smaller than a suction amount in a first suction region corresponding to a center of the paper,   
     
     
         14 . An image forming system comprising:
 a paper feeding apparatus that feeds paper from a paper-mounting table on which a paper bundle is mounted:   an image forming apparatus that forms an image on paper fed from the paper feeding apparatus; and   a hardware processor that controls the paper feeding apparatus and the image forming apparatus,   wherein the paper feeding, apparatus includes a suctioning conveyor that suctions and conveys uppermost paper among the paper bundle mounted on the paper-mounting table,   the suctioning conveyor includes a suction region for suctioning paper in a paper width direction orthogonal to a paper conveyance direction, and   the hardware processor controls distribution of a suction amount in the paper width direction based on stiffness and a paper width, which is a paper size in the paper width direction, of paper.