Feeding apparatus

Abstract

A feeding apparatus which is capable of increasing the number of stacked sheets without increasing a size of an apparatus is provided. The feeding apparatus includes a stopper member which is in contact with a leading edge of a sheet placed on a sheet stacking plate and blocks the sheet from entering a separation unit, and an actuating member which presses the stopper member in conjunction with a rotation of a holding member, and a movement distance of the actuating member is longer than a movement distance of the holding member.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A feeding apparatus comprising:
 a feed roller configured to feed a sheet placed on a sheet stacking plate;   a separation unit configured to separate the sheets fed from the feed roller;   a holding member configured to hold the feed roller and the separation unit, and move the feed roller into a position to contact a sheet placed on the sheet stacking plate and a position separated from the sheet;   a stopper member that is in contact with a leading edge of a sheet placed on the sheet stacking plate and configured to block the sheet from entering the separation unit; and   an actuating member configured to move the stopper member according to a movement of the holding member, wherein a movement distance of the actuating member is greater than a movement distance of the holding member.   
     
     
         2 . The feeding apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a first shaft configured to rotatably support the holding member; and   a second shaft configured to rotatably support the actuating member,   wherein if a distance from the first shaft of the holding member to a portion where the stopper member is pressed by the actuating member is set to “a”, a distance from the first shaft to a portion where the holding member is engaged with the actuating member is set to “b”, a distance from the second shaft to the pressed portion is set to “C”, and a distance from the second shaft to the engaged portion is set to “D”, an expression of (b/a)×(C/D)>1 is satisfied.   
     
     
         3 . The feeding apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the portion where the stopper member is pressed by the actuating member is provided downstream of the second shaft in a sheet feeding direction. 
     
     
         4 . The feeding apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the stopper member and the actuating member are provided only at a side of the holding member in a sheet width direction. 
     
     
         5 . The feeding apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the feed roller, the holding member and the actuating member are provided on an opposite side to the sheet stacking plate with respect to a sheet feeding path. 
     
     
         6 . The feeding apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising a cover member configured to open and close a sheet feeding path,
 wherein the feed roller, the holding member, and the actuating member are provided on the cover member.   
     
     
         7 . The feeding apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the stopper member swings in a direction perpendicular to a sheet feeding direction.