Sheet feeding apparutus and image forming apparatus

Abstract

The present invention complies a side end regulating mechanism to regulate a side end position in the width direction of sheets supported by a cassette main body 3 is configured with a side end reference portion 5 which is to be a reference in the width direction for sheet feeding and side end regulating portion 6 which is arranged to be opposed to the side end reference portion 5 with a sheet pressing member 8 to which a force is applied so as to press the sheet elastically toward the side end reference portion 5. Then, an angle adjusting member 14 arranged at the side end reference portion 5 changes an incline angle of a reference surface which is to be a reference in the sheet width direction for sheet feeding by inclining the side end reference portion 5 in the width direction.

1 . A sheet feeding apparatus, comprising:
 a sheet supporting portion which supports a plurality of sheets;   a side end regulating mechanism which is arranged in a width direction perpendicular to a sheet feeding direction and regulates a position of the sheets supported by the sheet supporting portion by contacting an end part of the sheets in the width direction; and   a sheet feeding portion which feeds the top sheet of the sheets supported by the sheet supporting portion and regulated by the side end regulating mechanism,   wherein the side end regulating mechanism includes a reference side regulating portion having a reference surface to be a reference in the sheet width direction for sheet feeding, a side end regulating portion which is arranged to be opposed to the reference side regulating portion with a sheet pressing member to apply a force to the sheets toward the reference surface, and   an adjusting portion which changes an incline angle of the reference surface which is supported to be capable of inclining at the lower side of the reference surface as a fulcrum.   
     
     
         2 . The sheet feeding apparatus according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the reference surface and the reference side regulating portion are integrally arranged; and   the adjusting portion changes the angle of the reference surface by inclining the reference side regulating portion while an angle adjusting member proceeds between the reference side regulating portion and the sheet supporting portion.   
     
     
         3 . The sheet feeding apparatus according to  claim 2 ,
 wherein a stepped portion which changes the angle of the reference surface by inclining the reference side regulating portion stepwise is provided at the reference side regulating portion engaged with the angle adjusting member.   
     
     
         4 . The sheet feeding apparatus according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the reference surface is arranged to be projected toward the sheets which are supported by the sheet supporting portion.   
     
     
         5 . An image forming apparatus, comprising:
 a sheet supporting portion which supports a plurality of sheets;   a side end regulating mechanism which is arranged in a width direction perpendicular to a sheet feeding direction and regulates a position of the sheets supported by the sheet supporting portion by contacting an end part of the sheets in the width direction;   a sheet feeding portion which feeds the top sheet of the sheets supported by the sheet supporting portion and regulated by the side end regulating mechanism,   wherein the side end regulating mechanism includes a reference side regulating portion having a reference surface to be a reference in the sheet width direction for sheet feeding, a side end regulating portion which is arranged to be opposed to the reference side regulating portion with a sheet pressing member to apply a force to the sheets toward the reference surface,   an image forming portion which forms an image on the sheet fed from the sheet feeding portion; and   an adjusting portion which changes an incline angle of the reference surface which is supported to be capable of inclining at the lower side of the reference surface as a fulcrum.   
     
     
         6 . The image forming apparatus according to  claim 5 ,
 wherein the reference surface and the reference side regulating portion are integrally arranged; and   the adjusting portion changes the angle of the reference surface by inclining the reference side regulating portion while an angle adjusting member proceeds between the reference side regulating portion and the sheet supporting portion.   
     
     
         7 . The image forming apparatus according to  claim 6 ,
 wherein a stepped portion which changes the angle of the reference surface by inclining the reference side regulating portion stepwise is provided at the reference side regulating portion engaged with the angle adjusting member.   
     
     
         8 . The image forming apparatus according to  claim 5 ,
 wherein the reference surface is arranged to be projected toward the sheets which are supported by the sheet supporting portion.