Abstract: A sheet feed cassette includes a bottom portion, a first cursor, a second cursor, and a fixing rack. The second cursor includes a regulating member, a lock member, and a biasing member. The regulating member abuts on the rear end edge of the sheet to regulate a position of the sheet in the mounting direction. The lock member includes a shaft portion extending in a direction intersecting with the mounting direction and an engaging protrusion located below the shaft portion. The biasing member is located and compressed between the regulating member and the lock member above the shaft portion. The gear teeth of the fixing rack and the engaging protrusion of the lock member engage so as to lock a position of the second cursor in the mounting direction. The regulating member and the lock member are separated above the shaft portion in the locked state.

Abstract: A sheet feeding device includes a sheet feeding unit and a feed unit. The sheet feeding unit includes a housing having a pair of wall portions. The feed unit includes a pickup roller and a sheet feed roller. The feed unit includes a holder, a shaft and a pair of bearing portions. The holder has a pair of side walls each having a bearing hole portion. The shaft extends between the pair of side walls. The pair of bearing portions are mounted in the bearing hole portions and rotatably supports the shaft. The housing includes a pair of shaft supporting portions provided on the pair of wall portions and capable of supporting the bearing portions. The feed unit is attached to the housing and the holder swings with the outer peripheral parts of the bearing portions, whereby the pickup roller is vertically movable.

Abstract: A sheet cassette includes a bottom portion, a pair of side walls, a lift plate and an auxiliary supporting portion. The pair of side walls stand from the bottom portion. The lift plate is arranged on the bottom portion, and a sheet to be fed in a conveying direction is placed on the upper surface of the lift plate. The lift plate includes a pair of fulcrum portions arranged on an upstream side in the conveying direction and is moved to a sheet feeding position for feeding the sheet by being moved upward from a bottom position with the fulcrum portions. The auxiliary supporting portion is arranged inwardly of the pair of fulcrum portions in a sheet width direction, is arranged between the lift plate arranged at the bottom position and the bottom portion and supports the lift plate.

Abstract: A sheet feeding device includes a sheet feeding unit and a feed unit. The sheet feeding unit includes a housing having a pair of wall portions. The feed unit includes a pickup roller and a sheet feed roller. The feed unit includes a holder, a shaft and a pair of bearing portions. The holder has a pair of side walls each having a bearing hole portion. The shaft extends between the pair of side walls. The pair of bearing portions are mounted in the bearing hole portions and rotatably supports the shaft. The housing includes a pair of shaft supporting portions provided on the pair of wall portions and capable of supporting the bearing portions. The feed unit is attached to the housing and the holder swings with the outer peripheral parts of the bearing portions, whereby the pickup roller is vertically movable.

Abstract: A sheet feeding device (1) includes a cassette (10), size detector (60), and attachment detector (30). The size detector (60) detects the size of sheets in the cassette (10). The size detector (60) includes an interlocking member (61) and switch unit (81). The interlocking member (61) includes size-detection target portions (64) and slides to sliding of a regulating member (11). The switch unit (81) detects a position of the regulating member (11) based on a state of the switches (82) that detect the size-detection target portions (64). The attachment detector (30) includes an attachment-detection target member (31) and attachment detecting member (41). The attachment detecting member (41) detects the attachment-detection target member (31) in response to attachment of the cassette (10). The controller (70) detects the sheet size based on a state of the switch unit (81) in response to the attachment detector (30) detecting attachment of the cassette (10).

Abstract: A sheet loading apparatus includes: a sheet loading portion that includes a bottom portion on which a sheet is loaded; and a regulating mechanism that butts an end edge of the sheet extending in a first direction to limit a position of the sheet in a second direction. The regulating mechanism includes: a guide portion that is formed on the bottom portion to extend in the second direction; and a limiting member slidable along the guide portion. The guide portion includes: first engaged portions that are formed at predetermined intervals along the second direction; and a second engaged portion that is formed continuously along the second direction. The limiting member includes: a pair of engaging portions that are composed of: a first engagement portion able to engage with one of the first engaged portions; and a second engagement portion which engages with the second engaged portion.

Abstract: A sheet conveying apparatus according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes a roller drive portion, a first drive portion, a restriction member, a second drive portion, and a drive control portion. Restriction member contacts with rear end of sheet surface, in conveying direction, of uppermost sheet in sheet stack stored in sheet storage portion to restrict feeding of sheet from sheet storage portion. Drive control portion controls roller drive portion, first drive portion, and second drive portion, and causes opposing member to separate from sheet feed roller, and causes restriction member to contact with sheet surface of second sheet to be conveyed immediately after first sheet, after first sheet located on uppermost position of sheet stack is fed by pickup roller and leading end of first sheet in conveying direction passes through sheet feed nip portion.

Abstract: A slide rail includes a plurality of ball retainers, a fixed rail, and a moving rail. The moving rail is capable of being inserted into and drawn out from the fixed rail by being pulled frontward of the fixed rail to be taken out from the plurality of ball retainers or by being inserted into the plurality of ball retainers from front. The plurality of ball retainers are arranged in the sliding direction along the fixed rail. The plurality of ball retainers include a guide retainer arranged on a front end part of the fixed rail. The fixed rail includes a restriction member configured to restrict sliding of the guide retainer rearward of the fixed rail.

Abstract: A sheet feeding device (1) includes a cassette (10), size detector (60), and attachment detector (30). The size detector (60) detects the size of sheets in the cassette (10). The size detector (60) includes an interlocking member (61) and switch unit (81). The interlocking member (61) includes size-detection target portions (64) and slides to sliding of a regulating member (11). The switch unit (81) detects a position of the regulating member (11) based on a state of the switches (82) that detect the size-detection target portions (64). The attachment detector (30) includes an attachment-detection target member (31) and attachment detecting member (41). The attachment detecting member (41) detects the attachment-detection target member (31) in response to attachment of the cassette (10). The controller (70) detects the sheet size based on a state of the switch unit (81) in response to the attachment detector (30) detecting attachment of the cassette (10).

Abstract: A sheet feed cassette includes a cassette main body, a sheet loading plate, a regulating member, and an auxiliary member. The sheet loading plate has a support surface and an opening. The support surface supports a sheet sheaf of one or more sheets. The regulating member is slidable within the opening in a sheet width direction perpendicular to a sheet feed direction. The regulating member regulates the sheet sheaf by coming into contact with an edge of the sheaf. The auxiliary member is supported by the sheet loading plate. The auxiliary member is in contact with the regulating member. The auxiliary member is turnable in parallel to the support surface in accompaniment to sliding of the regulating member. The auxiliary member supports a part of the sheet sheaf located over the opening.

Abstract: A sheet conveying apparatus according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes a roller drive portion, a first drive portion, a restriction member, a second drive portion, and a drive control portion. Restriction member contacts with rear end of sheet surface, in conveying direction, of uppermost sheet in sheet stack stored in sheet storage portion to restrict feeding of sheet from sheet storage portion. Drive control portion controls roller drive portion, first drive portion, and second drive portion, and causes opposing member to separate from sheet feed roller, and causes restriction member to contact with sheet surface of second sheet to be conveyed immediately after first sheet, after first sheet located on uppermost position of sheet stack is fed by pickup roller and leading end of first sheet in conveying direction passes through sheet feed nip portion.

Abstract: A slide rail includes a plurality of ball retainers, a fixed rail, and a moving rail. The moving rail is capable of being inserted into and drawn out from the fixed rail by being pulled frontward of the fixed rail to be taken out from the plurality of ball retainers or by being inserted into the plurality of ball retainers from front. The plurality of ball retainers are arranged in the sliding direction along the fixed rail. The plurality of ball retainers include a guide retainer arranged on a front end part of the fixed rail. The fixed rail includes a restriction member configured to restrict sliding of the guide retainer rearward of the fixed rail.

Abstract: A sheet feeder has a sheet accommodating portion, a lift plate, an actuating plate, and an actuating plate driving member. The lift plate is supported on the bottom face of the sheet accommodating portion such that an end part of the lift plate is rotatable. The actuating plate raises and lowers the lift plate by moving between a first position where it lies flat along the bottom face of the sheet accommodating portion and a second position where it is raised a predetermined angle from the bottom face of the sheet accommodating portion. The actuating plate driving member has the actuating plate fixed thereto. The engagement portion is provided on the reverse face of the lift plate, and engages with the actuating plate when this is in the first position and disengages from the actuating plate as the actuating plate rotates from the first position to the second position.

Abstract: A sheet width regulating device includes a base plate, a regulating member, a first moving cursor, a first guiding portion, a second guiding portion, a first guidable portion, a second guidable portion, and a synchronizing member. The regulating member regulates one end of the sheet. The first moving cursor regulates the other end of the sheet, and is movable in the way perpendicular to a direction along the other end of the sheet that the first guiding portion extends. The second guiding portion extends in parallel with the first guiding portion. The first guidable portion is attached to the first moving cursor and guided by the first guiding portion. The second guidable portion is attached to the first moving cursor and guided by the second guiding portion. The synchronizing member synchronizes a movement of the first guidable portion and the second guidable portion.

Abstract: A sheet width regulating device includes a base plate, a regulating member, a first moving cursor, a first guiding portion, a second guiding portion, a first guidable portion, a second guidable portion, and a synchronizing member. The regulating member regulates one end of the sheet. The first moving cursor regulates the other end of the sheet, and is movable in the way perpendicular to a direction along the other end of the sheet that the first guiding portion extends. The second guiding portion extends in parallel with the first guiding portion. The first guidable portion is attached to the first moving cursor and guided by the first guiding portion. The second guidable portion is attached to the first moving cursor and guided by the second guiding portion. The synchronizing member synchronizes a movement of the first guidable portion and the second guidable portion.

Abstract: A sheet feeder has a tray on which a sheet to be fed is to be placed. A lift plate is at a feeding end of the tray and has a first end at an upstream side in a feeding direction connected rotatably to the tray. The lift plate is displaceable between a feeding posture where a second end at a downstream side in the feeding direction is lifted up and a retracted posture where the second end is lower than in the feeding posture due to its own weight. A biasing member gives a biasing force to an elevating member in a direction to lift the lift plate to the feeding posture. A lowering mechanism gives a pressing force against the force of the biasing member to lower the lift plate to the retracted posture.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus is provided with an image bearing member for bearing a toner image in conformity with specified image information, a transfer belt mounted on a plurality of rollers for transferring the toner image on the image bearing member to the outer surface thereof or a recording sheet placed on the outer surface thereof, a bending roller whose outer circumferential surface presses the outer surface of the transfer belt to bend the belt inwardly, a torque limiter having a specified cutoff torque and mounted on a rotary shaft of the bending roller, a drive motor for giving a driving force to the bending roller via the torque limiter, and a drive controller for driving the drive motor such that the circumferential speed of the bending roller is faster than the rotating speed of the transfer belt.

Abstract: A sheet feeder has a tray on which a sheet to be fed is to be placed. A lift plate is at a feeding end of the tray and has a first end at an upstream side in a feeding direction connected rotatably to the tray. The lift plate is displaceable between a feeding posture where a second end at a downstream side in the feeding direction is lifted up and a retracted posture where the second end is lower than in the feeding posture due to its own weight. A biasing member gives a biasing force to an elevating member in a direction to lift the lift plate to the feeding posture. A lowering mechanism gives a pressing force against the force of the biasing member to lower the lift plate to the retracted posture.

Abstract: A stapling unit 5 includes a stapler 10 for stapling an edge part of a stack of sheets of paper P and a carriage 11 on which the stapler 10 is mounted, and the carriage 11 is formed in such a way that it can move along a guide axis 13 that is fitted in a frame 12 in a direction (X-X? direction) perpendicular to the paper transport direction. On the carriage 11, a pair of first stoppers 16a and 16b that abut and thereby align the edge of the stack of sheets of paper P are fixed one at each side of the stapler 10 so as to be capable of shuttling in the directions indicated by arrows X and X? together with the stapler 10. Outward of the first stoppers 16a and 16b, a pair of second stoppers 17a and 17b are further provided.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus is provided with an image bearing member for bearing a toner image in conformity with specified image information, a transfer belt mounted on a plurality of rollers for transferring the toner image on the image bearing member to the outer surface thereof or a recording sheet placed on the outer surface thereof, a bending roller whose outer circumferential surface presses the outer surface of the transfer belt to bend the belt inwardly, a torque limiter having a specified cutoff torque and mounted on a rotary shaft of the bending roller, a drive motor for giving a driving force to the bending roller via the torque limiter, and a drive controller for driving the drive motor such that the circumferential speed of the bending roller is faster than the rotating speed of the transfer belt.