| CPC B65H 7/02 (2013.01) [B65H 3/0684 (2013.01); B65H 9/002 (2013.01); B65H 2404/1521 (2013.01); B65H 2701/1311 (2013.01)] | 13 Claims | 

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               13. A sheet conveying device comprising: 
            a pickup roller configured to: 
                contact an uppermost sheet of sheets stacked on a sheet stacker; and 
                  feed the uppermost sheet; 
                a separator configured to move the pickup roller between: 
                a contact position at which the pickup roller is in contact with the uppermost sheet; and 
                  a separation position at which the pickup roller is separated from the uppermost sheet; 
                a conveyor configured to convey the uppermost sheet fed by the pickup roller; and 
                circuitry configured to: 
                control the conveyor to temporarily stop conveyance of the uppermost sheet; 
                control the separator to move the pickup roller from the contact position to the separation position in response to the temporary stop of the conveyor; and 
                restart the conveyance of the uppermost sheet in response to a separation of the pickup roller from the uppermost sheet. 
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