Medium feeding device and medium processing apparatus equipped with medium feeding device

Abstract

A medium feeding device includes: a load unit that is loaded with multiple media; a delivering unit that delivers an uppermost medium of the media loaded on the load unit in a predetermined feeding direction; an ascent-descent unit that causes at least a part of the load unit to ascend and descend about a pivot point defined by a position of the load unit located away from a leading edge of the media in the feeding direction; a regulating unit that is provided toward the feeding direction of the media on the load unit and that comes into contact with the leading edge, in the feeding direction, of the media loaded on the load unit to regulate a loading position of the media; and a blocking unit that allows the load unit to ascend and descend and that blocks at least a part of a gap between the load unit and the regulating unit at an arbitrary ascent or descent position of the load unit.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A medium feeding device comprising:
 a load unit that is loaded with a plurality of media;   a delivering unit that delivers an uppermost medium of the media loaded on the load unit in a predetermined feeding direction;   an ascent-descent unit that causes at least a part of the load unit to ascend and descend about a pivot point defined by a position of the load unit located away from a leading edge of the media in the feeding direction;   a regulating unit that is provided toward the feeding direction of the media on the load unit and that comes into contact with the leading edge, in the feeding direction, of the media loaded on the load unit to regulate a loading position of the media; and   a blocking unit that allows the load unit to ascend and descend and that blocks at least a part of a gap between the load unit and the regulating unit at an arbitrary ascent or descent position of the load unit.   
     
     
         2 . The medium feeding device according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the blocking unit includes a suspension element that is disposed in the gap between the load unit and the regulating unit and that is suspended to block the part of the gap.   
     
     
         3 . The medium feeding device according to  claim 2 ,
 wherein the suspension element includes a movable member that is provided in an extendable-retractable manner at a leading end of the load unit in the feeding direction of the media and that extends and retracts in conformity to a change in the gap.   
     
     
         4 . The medium feeding device according to  claim 3 ,
 wherein the movable member includes a plurality of movable members disposed with a distance therebetween in a width direction orthogonal to the feeding direction of the media on the load unit.   
     
     
         5 . The medium feeding device according to  claim 2 ,
 wherein the suspension element includes a rotating member that is provided in a rotatable manner at a leading end of the load unit in the feeding direction of the media and that is disposed in contact with the gap in conformity to a change in the gap.   
     
     
         6 . The medium feeding device according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the blocking unit includes a contact element that maintains the load unit and the regulating unit in contact with each other.   
     
     
         7 . The medium feeding device according to  claim 6 ,
 wherein the contact element includes a movable drawer that enables the load unit to be drawable in the feeding direction of the media, and biases the movable drawer toward the regulating unit.   
     
     
         8 . The medium feeding device according to  claim 6 ,
 wherein the contact element is provided to enable the regulating unit to be extendable and retractable toward the load unit and biases the regulating unit toward the load unit by using a biasing unit.   
     
     
         9 . The medium feeding device according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the regulating unit has a flat surface at a side facing the load unit.   
     
     
         10 . The medium feeding device according to  claim 9 ,
 wherein the regulating unit includes a regulating member formed of a flat plate.   
     
     
         11 . A medium processing apparatus comprising:
 a processing unit that performs a predetermined process on a medium; and   the medium feeding device according to  claim 1  that feeds the medium to the processing unit.   
     
     
         12 . A medium processing apparatus comprising:
 a processing unit that performs a predetermined process on a medium; and   the medium feeding device according to  claim 2  that feeds the medium to the processing unit.   
     
     
         13 . A medium processing apparatus comprising:
 a processing unit that performs a predetermined process on a medium; and   the medium feeding device according to  claim 3  that feeds the medium to the processing unit.   
     
     
         14 . A medium processing apparatus comprising:
 a processing unit that performs a predetermined process on a medium; and   the medium feeding device according to  claim 4  that feeds the medium to the processing unit.   
     
     
         15 . A medium processing apparatus comprising:
 a processing unit that performs a predetermined process on a medium; and   the medium feeding device according to  claim 5  that feeds the medium to the processing unit.   
     
     
         16 . A medium processing apparatus comprising:
 a processing unit that performs a predetermined process on a medium; and   the medium feeding device according to  claim 6  that feeds the medium to the processing unit.   
     
     
         17 . A medium processing apparatus comprising:
 a processing unit that performs a predetermined process on a medium; and   the medium feeding device according to  claim 7  that feeds the medium to the processing unit.   
     
     
         18 . A medium processing apparatus comprising:
 a processing unit that performs a predetermined process on a medium; and   the medium feeding device according to  claim 8  that feeds the medium to the processing unit.   
     
     
         19 . A medium processing apparatus comprising:
 a processing unit that performs a predetermined process on a medium; and   the medium feeding device according to  claim 9  that feeds the medium to the processing unit.   
     
     
         20 . A medium processing apparatus comprising:
 a processing unit that performs a predetermined process on a medium; and   the medium feeding device according to  claim 10  that feeds the medium to the processing unit.