Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus includes a tray configured to support a sheet, a lifting unit configured to raise and lower the tray, an air blowing unit configured to blow air to a side edge of the sheet supported by the tray to float the sheet, an attraction and conveyance unit configured to execute a feeding operation of attracting and feeding the floated sheet, an upper surface detection unit configured to detect a lower state where an upper surface of the sheet is below a detection position, and a control unit configured to control the lifting unit and the attraction and conveyance unit. The control unit is configured to execute a mode in which the tray is raised by the lifting unit for a second time longer than a first time in which the lower state is detected.

Abstract: A sheet feeding device includes a sheet feeding portion, a side end regulating portion, a feeding portion, first and second feeding roller pairs, an abutment member, an obliquely feeding roller pair, and first and second contact-and-separation mechanisms. Feeding of a long sheet is stopped after the sheet is fed to an upstream side of the second feeding roller pair by the feeding portion, and then is resumed in a state in which the first feeding roller pair is changed from a separated state to a feedable state and in a state in which the obliquely feeding roller pair is put in a separated state, and then the sheet is fed to the second feeding roller pair. A short sheet fed by the first feeding roller pair is obliquely fed by the obliquely feeding roller pair and then is fed to the second feeding roller pair.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a first supporting member supporting a long sheet, a feeding unit for feeding the long sheet supported by the first supporting member with respect to a feeding direction and a second supporting member, rotatable about a rotational shaft, for supporting the long sheet with the first supporting member. In a state in which the sheet is bent so that a first portion of the long sheet is supported by the first supporting member and a second portion which is a more rear side than the first portion is positioned above the first portion, the second supporting member is movable between a first position where the second supporting member supports the second portion of the sheet and a second position where the center of gravity of the second supporting member is positioned downstream of a rotational center with respect to the feeding direction and the second supporting member maintains an attitude thereof by its own weight.

Abstract: A sheet accommodating apparatus includes an apparatus body, a first cassette to be drawn out in a draw-out direction with respect to the apparatus body, a second cassette disposed adjacent to the first cassette in a vertical direction, a holder member attached to the apparatus body, and a first light emitting member and a second light emitting member that are supported by the holder member. The first cassette includes a first accommodating container and a first cover. The second cassette includes a second accommodating container and a second cover. The first cover has a first hole in a position opposing the first light emitting member such that the light emitted from the first light emitting member passes therethrough. The second cover has a second hole provided in a position opposing the second light emitting member such that the light emitted from the second light emitting member passes therethrough.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a cassette, an image forming unit configured to form an image on a sheet fed from the cassette a set position, a guide rail configured to draw out the cassette from the set position, and a movable stopper unit that regulates a movement of the cassette in a draw-out direction by abutting with the cassette while the cassette is drawn out from the set position along the guide rail. The movable stopper unit includes a regulating portion movable between a regulating position where the regulating portion regulates a movement of the cassette within a moving trajectory of the cassette in moving in the draw-out direction and a retracting position where the regulating portion is located outside of the moving trajectory and does not regulate the movement of the cassette, and an urging portion configured to urge the regulating portion to the regulating position.

Abstract: A sheet feeding device includes a casing; a door rotatable relative to the casing; a tray configured to stack a sheet thereon and rotatable between a closed position where the tray is closed to the casing, a first open position where the tray opens relative to the casing at a first angle, and a second open position where the tray opens relative to the casing at a second angle larger than the first angle; and a sheet feeding unit provided in the casing and configured to feed the sheet stacked on the tray being in the first position. When the door is opened relative to the casing at an angle exceeding the first angle in a state in which the tray is in the first open position, the door moves the tray to the second open position.

Abstract: A sheet accommodating apparatus includes a first cassette provided so as to be drawn out in a draw-out direction, a second cassette disposed adjacent to the first cassette in a vertical direction, one holder member, and a first light emitting member and a second light emitting member that are supported by the holder member. The first cassette includes a first accommodating container and a first cover. The second cassette includes a second accommodating container and a second cover. The first cover has a first hole provided in a position opposing the first light emitting member in the draw-out direction such that the light emitted from the first light emitting member passes therethrough. The second cover has a second hole provided in a position opposing the second light emitting member in the draw-out direction such that the light emitted from the second light emitting member passes therethrough.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a cassette, an image forming unit configured to form an image on a sheet fed from the cassette a set position, a guide rail configured to draw out the cassette from the set position, and a movable stopper unit that regulates a movement of the cassette in a draw-out direction by abutting with the cassette while the cassette is drawn out from the set position along the guide rail. The movable stopper unit includes a regulating portion movable between a regulating position where the regulating portion regulates a movement of the cassette within a moving trajectory of the cassette in moving in the draw-out direction and a retracting position where the regulating portion is located outside of the moving trajectory and does not regulate the movement of the cassette, and an urging portion configured to urge the regulating portion to the regulating position.

Abstract: A sheet feeding device includes a sheet feeding portion, a side end regulating portion, a feeding portion, first and second feeding roller pairs, an abutment member, an obliquely feeding roller pair, and first and second contact-and-separation mechanisms. Feeding of a long sheet is stopped after the sheet is fed to an upstream side of the second feeding roller pair by the feeding portion, and then is resumed in a state in which the first feeding roller pair is changed from a separated state to a feedable state and in a state in which the obliquely feeding roller pair is put in a separated state, and then the sheet is fed to the second feeding roller pair. A short sheet fed by the first feeding roller pair is obliquely fed by the obliquely feeding roller pair and then is fed to the second feeding roller pair.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a first supporting member supporting a long sheet, a feeding unit for feeding the long sheet supported by the first supporting member with respect to a feeding direction and a second supporting member, rotatable about a rotational shaft, for supporting the long sheet with the first supporting member. In a state in which the sheet is bent so that a first portion of the long sheet is supported by the first supporting member and a second portion which is a more rear side than the first portion is positioned above the first portion, the second supporting member is movable between a first position where the second supporting member supports the second portion of the sheet and a second position where the center of gravity of the second supporting member is positioned downstream of a rotational center with respect to the feeding direction and the second supporting member maintains an attitude thereof by its own weight.

Abstract: A sheet feeding device includes a casing; a door rotatable relative to the casing; a tray configured to stack a sheet thereon and rotatable between a closed position where the tray is closed to the casing, a first open position where the tray opens relative to the casing at a first angle, and a second open position where the tray opens relative to the casing at a second angle larger than the first angle; and a sheet feeding unit provided in the casing and configured to feed the sheet stacked on the tray being in the first position. When the door is opened relative to the casing at an angle exceeding the first angle in a state in which the tray is in the first open position, the door moves the tray to the second open position.

Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus includes a casing; a sheet stacking unit rotatable between a closing position and first and second opening positions; a sheet feeding unit; a link unit provided with a slidable engaging portion; and a spring. The sheet stacking unit includes a first guide; and a second guide branching from the first guide. The first guide includes a first portion, a first supporting portion, and a second portion. The second guide includes a second supporting portion. The engaging portion is guided from the second guide to the first portion of the first guide by the sheet stacking unit being closed from the second opening position, and the engaging portion is guided from the first portion of the first guide to the second portion by way of the branch portion by the sheet stacking unit being opened from the closed state.

Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus includes a casing; a sheet stacking unit rotatable between a closing position and first and second opening positions; a sheet feeding unit; a link unit provided with a slidable engaging portion; and a spring. The sheet stacking unit includes a first guide; and a second guide branching from the first guide. The first guide includes a first portion, a first supporting portion, and a second portion. The second guide includes a second supporting portion. The engaging portion is guided from the second guide to the first portion of the first guide by the sheet stacking unit being closed from the second opening position, and the engaging portion is guided from the first portion of the first guide to the second portion by way of the branch portion by the sheet stacking unit being opened from the closed state.

Abstract: A separation roller is provided in a first end portion of a separation roller shaft through a torque limiter. The separation roller is provided to be able to come into pressure contact with a conveying roller rotatably supported by a conveying roller shaft. A support portion supports the separation roller in a cantilever condition and is formed to be elastically deformable. The support portion supports the separation roller shaft such that the separation roller shaft is inclined by a predetermined angle with respect to the conveying roller shaft such that the first end portion of the separation roller shaft is positioned upstream in a sheet conveying direction of a second end portion in a state in which the conveying roller is not driven.

Abstract: A separation roller is provided in a first end portion of a separation roller shaft through a torque limiter. The separation roller is provided to be able to come into pressure contact with a conveying roller rotatably supported by a conveying roller shaft. A support portion supports the separation roller in a cantilever condition and is formed to be elastically deformable. The support portion supports the separation roller shaft such that the separation roller shaft is inclined by a predetermined angle with respect to the conveying roller shaft such that the first end portion of the separation roller shaft is positioned upstream in a sheet conveying direction of a second end portion in a state in which the conveying roller is not driven.

Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus and an image forming apparatus which can reliably feed even sheets having a non-uniform thickness to prevent excessive stacking. An auxiliary tray 1 is swingably provided on the upper surface of a tray 2 which is provided in a cassette body 3a to be lifted and lowered and stacks sheets thereon. When the sheets are stacked, a swing regulating portion 12 regulates the swing of the auxiliary tray 1 when the tray 2 is in a sheet stacking position and releases the regulation of the swing of the auxiliary tray 1 when the tray 2 is lifted.

Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus includes a sheet stacking unit, a suction conveyance unit configured to convey an uppermost sheet stacked on the sheet stacking unit, a suction unit configured to adsorb the sheets onto the suction conveyance unit, and an adsorption completion detection unit. In the sheet feeding apparatus, when the tab-attached sheets are stacked on the sheet stacking unit and fed such that their tab portions are on the downstream side in a sheet feeding direction, the suction unit starts to adsorb the sheet and the suction conveyance unit starts to convey the sheet immediately after the adsorption completion detection unit detects the completion of the adsorption. When the sheets other than the tab-attached sheets are fed, the suction unit previously adsorbs the sheet onto the suction conveyance unit, and the suction conveyance unit starts to convey the sheet in response to the sheet feeding signal.

Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus and an image forming apparatus which can reliably feed even sheets having a non-uniform thickness to prevent excessive stacking. An auxiliary tray 1 is swingably provided on the upper surface of a tray 2 which is provided in a cassette body 3a to be lifted and lowered and stacks sheets thereon. When the sheets are stacked, a swing regulating portion 12 regulates the swing of the auxiliary tray 1 when the tray 2 is in a sheet stacking position and releases the regulation of the swing of the auxiliary tray 1 when the tray 2 is lifted.

Abstract: A sheet is fed to a registration roller pair by a separation-feeding unit formed by a sheet feeding roller and a separation portion, and is caused to abut a nip portion of the registration roller pair at rest to form a loop in the sheet. Then, when the registration roller pair rotates at a predetermined timing to convey the sheet, a pressurization plate is raised again to bring the sheet into press contact with the sheet feeding roller to thereby impart a conveyance force to the sheet, making it possible to feed the sheet reliably to the registration roller pair.

Abstract: Provided is a sheet feeding device having a sheet surface detecting mechanism installed to be movable up and down between adjacent adsorption conveyance belts 21, and detects a position of the top surface of the sheet by a sheet surface detecting member 61 that moves upward higher than the adsorbing surface of an adsorption conveyance belt 21. The position of the lower surface of the sheet surface detecting member 61 being pushed up by the blown upward sheet is regulated such that the difference in height between the adsorbing surface of the adsorption conveyance belt 21 and the lower surface of the sheet surface detecting member 61 is smaller than the difference in a height direction between the adsorbing surface of the adsorption conveyance belt 21 and the upper surface of a separation nozzle by a sensor abutting portion 62 that regulates upward movement of the sheet surface detecting member 61.