US2015210493A1PendingUtilityA1

Sheet feeding apparatus and image forming apparatus

36
Assignee: CANON KKPriority: Jan 30, 2014Filed: Jan 20, 2015Published: Jul 30, 2015
Est. expiryJan 30, 2034(~7.5 yrs left)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Noriaki Tanaka
B65H 7/02B65H 5/26B65H 5/06B65H 3/02B65H 3/56B65H 2701/1313B65H 3/66B65H 2701/1311B65H 2511/214B65H 3/5261
36
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Claims

Abstract

A sheet feeding apparatus includes: a stacking portion on which a sheet is stacked; a sheet feeding portion configured to feed the sheet stacked on the stacking portion; a rotating member provided on a downstream side of the stacking portion in a feeding direction of the sheet and rotates in a direction opposite to the feeding direction; a slope portion of which at least a part is provided on the downstream side of the stacking portion in the feeding direction and on an upstream side of the rotating member, and which is inclining so that the downstream side in the feeding direction become an upper side; and a changing unit configured to change a protruding amount of the rotating member toward a sheet feeding path of the sheet.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
1 . A sheet feeding apparatus comprising:
 a stacking portion on which a sheet is stacked;   a sheet feeding portion configured to feed the sheet stacked on the stacking portion;   a rotating member provided on a downstream of the stacking portion in a feeding direction of the sheet and configured to rotate in a direction opposite to the feeding direction;   a slope portion of which at least a part is provided on the downstream of the stacking portion in the feeding direction and on an upstream of the rotating member, and which is inclining so that the downstream side in the feeding direction becomes higher; and   a changing unit configured to change a protruding amount of the rotating member toward a sheet feeding path of the sheet.   
     
     
         2 . The sheet feeding apparatus according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the rotating member protrudes from the slope portion toward the sheet feeding path.   
     
     
         3 . The sheet feeding apparatus according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the changing unit changes the protruding amount of the rotating member toward the sheet feeding path between a first protruding amount and a second protruding amount, and   wherein the second protruding amount is larger than the first protruding amount.   
     
     
         4 . The sheet feeding apparatus according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the changing unit changes a protruding state of the rotating member toward the sheet feeding path between a state where the rotating member does not protrude toward the sheet feeding path and a state where the rotating member protrudes toward the sheet feeding path.   
     
     
         5 . The sheet feeding apparatus according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein sheets fed by the sheet feeding portion are separated by the slope portion one by one.   
     
     
         6 . The sheet feeding apparatus according to  claim 3 ,
 wherein the changing unit changes, after a leading end of the sheet fed by the sheet feeding portion reaches the rotating member, the protruding amount of the rotating member toward the sheet feeding path from the first protruding amount to the second protruding amount which is larger than the first protruding amount.   
     
     
         7 . The sheet feeding apparatus according to  claim 6 ,
 wherein the changing unit changes, after a rear end of the sheet fed by the sheet feeding portion passes through the rotating member, the protruding amount of the rotating member toward the sheet feeding path from the second protruding amount to the first protruding amount.   
     
     
         8 . The sheet feeding apparatus according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the changing unit changes a contact pressure of the rotating member on the sheet fed by the sheet feeding portion.   
     
     
         9 . The sheet feeding apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a sheet detector configured to detect the sheet fed by the sheet feeding portion,   wherein the changing unit changes the protruding amount of the rotating member toward the sheet feeding path based on a detection result of the sheet detector.   
     
     
         10 . The sheet feeding apparatus according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the changing unit changes the protruding amount of the rotating member toward the sheet feeding path after a predetermined time elapses from a time when the sheet feeding portion starts a feeding operation of the sheet.   
     
     
         11 . The sheet feeding apparatus according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the changing unit is a movement mechanism which moves the slope portion.   
     
     
         12 . The sheet feeding apparatus according to  claim 11 ,
 wherein the movement mechanism includes a cam mechanism which rotates in conjunction with driving of the sheet feeding portion.   
     
     
         13 . The sheet feeding apparatus according to  claim 11 ,
 wherein the movement mechanism includes a driving source configured to generate a driving force and an actuator which is operated by the driving force.   
     
     
         14 . A sheet feeding apparatus comprising:
 a stacking portion on which a sheet is stacked;   a sheet feeding portion configured to feed the sheet stacked on the stacking portion;   a rotating member provided on a downstream of the stacking portion in a feeding direction of the sheet and is rotatable in the feeding direction and in a direction opposite to the feeding direction;   a slope portion of which at least a part is provided on the downstream of the stacking portion in the feeding direction and on an upstream of the rotating member, and which is inclining so that the downstream side in the feeding direction becomes higher; and   a rotation switching mechanism configured to switch a rotation direction of the rotating member, and rotates the rotating member in the opposite direction after a leading end of the sheet fed by the sheet feeding portion passes through the rotating member.   
     
     
         15 . The sheet feeding apparatus according to  claim 14 , further comprising:
 a sheet detector configured to detect the sheet fed by the sheet feeding portion,   wherein the rotation switching mechanism switches the rotation direction of the rotating member based on a detection result of the sheet detector.   
     
     
         16 . The sheet feeding apparatus according to  claim 14 ,
 wherein the rotation switching mechanism switches the rotation direction of the rotating member from a direction to feed the sheet to a direction to return the sheet after a predetermined time elapses from a time when the sheet feeding portion starts to feed the sheet.   
     
     
         17 . The sheet feeding apparatus according to  claim 14 ,
 wherein the rotating member is provided to be movable between a separation position to abut on the fed sheet and a retraction position to be separated from the sheet, moves to the retraction position when the rotating member rotates in the direction to feed the sheet, and moves to the separation position when the rotating member rotates in the direction to return the sheet.   
     
     
         18 . The sheet feeding apparatus according to  claim 17 ,
 wherein the separation position is settable in any one of a plurality of places.   
     
     
         19 . The sheet feeding apparatus according to  claim 14 , further comprising:
 a movement mechanism configured to move the rotating member between a separation position at which the fed sheet is separated and a retraction position moved in a direction to be separated farther from the fed sheet than the separation position.   
     
     
         20 . The sheet feeding apparatus according to  claim 19 ,
 wherein the movement mechanism moves the rotating member to the retraction position when the rotating member rotates in the direction to feed the sheet, and moves the rotating member to the separation position when the rotating member rotates in the direction to return the sheet.   
     
     
         21 . An image forming apparatus comprising:
 the sheet feeding apparatus according to  claim 1 ; and   an image forming portion which forms an image on a fed sheet.   
     
     
         22 . An image forming apparatus comprising:
 the sheet feeding apparatus according to  claim 14 ; and   an image forming portion which forms an image on a fed sheet.

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