Abstract: A paper feeding device that includes, in a drive transmission mechanism to a paper feeding roller that delivers paper, a drive member provided on an apparatus body side as a member to transmit torque in a given direction for delivery of paper from a conveying motor to the paper feeding roller and a driven member provided on the paper feeding roller side. By relatively rotating the drive member and the driven member to form a coupling state of the members before an instruction to start the delivery of paper is output, the rotation of the paper feeding roller is started without a time lag when the instruction to start the delivery of paper is output.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a sheet bundle housing unit that houses recording sheets piled as a sheet bundle; a swing member having a sheet contact portion on one end side, and swinging between a projection position at which the sheet contact portion projects above a sheet placement surface of the housing unit and a non-projection position at which the sheet contact portion does not project above the sheet placement surface, the swing member moving from the projection position to the non-projection position by the sheet bundle; a sheet detection unit that detects the sheet bundle in the housing unit using the swing member; and an interlocking mechanism that moves the swing member to the non-projection position, regardless of presence or absence of the sheet bundle in the housing unit, by interlocking with the housing unit being pulled out from an apparatus body.

Abstract: A paper feeding device that includes, in a drive transmission mechanism to a paper feeding roller that delivers paper, a drive member provided on an apparatus body side as a member to transmit torque in a given direction for delivery of paper from a conveying motor to the paper feeding roller and a driven member provided on the paper feeding roller side. By relatively rotating the drive member and the driven member to form a coupling state of the members before an instruction to start the delivery of paper is output, the rotation of the paper feeding roller is started without a time lag when the instruction to start the delivery of paper is output.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a sheet bundle housing unit that houses recording sheets piled as a sheet bundle; a swing member having a sheet contact portion on one end side, and swinging between a projection position at which the sheet contact portion projects above a sheet placement surface of the housing unit and a non-projection position at which the sheet contact portion does not project above the sheet placement surface, the swing member moving from the projection position to the non-projection position by the sheet bundle; a sheet detection unit that detects the sheet bundle in the housing unit using the swing member; and an interlocking mechanism that moves the swing member to the non-projection position, regardless of presence or absence of the sheet bundle in the housing unit, by interlocking with the housing unit being pulled out from an apparatus body.