Abstract: In a paper feeding device capable of separately transporting paper without reversely rotating a retard roller being provided with feed rollers and retard rollers which separately transport, sheet by sheet, paper fed from paper feed trays by pickup rollers, a rotary drive unit for rotating the feed rollers in a paper transporting direction, and a pressing unit for pressing the retard rollers against the feed rollers. In the paper feeding device, a retard roller braking unit which supports the retard rollers so as to rotate together with the rotation of the peripheral surface of the feed rollers when the retard rollers are pressed against the rotating feed rollers, and which applies a braking force to the rotating retard rollers.

Abstract: A compact image formation apparatus forms an image on an image support, discharges the image support supporting an image to an outside of the apparatus and facilitates jam removal. The image formation apparatus has all operation portions for performing operations from the outside of the image formation apparatus located on three operation faces including a top face, a front, and either a left side face or a right side face of the image formation apparatus. A rear face and the other of the left side face or right side face of the image formation apparatus are set to be non-operation faces.

Abstract: A paper feeding apparatus for use in an image forming apparatus which transfers a toner image onto a paper, the paper feeding apparatus comprising paper feed device for feeding paper into a paper feed path, a paper sensor device provided adjacent to the paper feed path for detecting paper on the paper feed path to produce a detection information signal, a control device responsive to the detection information signal from the paper sensor device for controlling movement of the paper wherein the paper is fed into an image transfer portion of the image forming apparatus in proper timing with the operation of an image carrying body of the image forming apparatus and wherein the feeding of paper into the image transfer portion is temporarily stopped until the proper timing occurs with the operation of the image carrying body.