Sheet conveyance apparatus, image reading apparatus, and image forming apparatus

Abstract

A sheet conveyance apparatus includes a discharge tray that includes first, second, and third support portions. The first support portion includes first and second portions separately disposed in a width direction orthogonal to a discharge direction, and supports a first sheet that is wider than an interval between the first and second portions in the width direction. The second support portion is disposed between the first and second portions in the width direction at a position lower than the first support portion in a vertical direction, and supports a second sheet that is narrower than the interval between the first and second portions in the width direction. The protruding portion protrudes upward from the second support portion, and contacts a lower surface of a sheet supported by the second support portion to separate upward a leading end of the sheet in the discharge direction from the second support portion.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A sheet conveyance apparatus comprising:
 a discharge roller configured to discharge a sheet in a discharge direction; and   a discharge tray on which the sheet discharged by the discharge roller is to be stacked includes a first support portion, a second support portion, and a protruding portion,   wherein the first support portion includes a first portion and a second portion separately disposed in a width direction orthogonal to the discharge direction, and is configured to support a first sheet that is wider than an interval between the first portion and the second portion in the width direction,   wherein the second support portion is disposed between the first portion and the second portion in the width direction and at a position lower than the first support portion in a vertical direction, and is configured to support a second sheet that is narrower than the interval between the first portion and the second portion in the width direction, and   wherein the protruding portion protrudes upward from the second support portion, and is configured to contact a lower surface of the sheet supported by the second support portion to separate upward a leading end of the sheet in the discharge direction from the second support portion.   
     
     
         2 . The sheet conveyance apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein an upper end of the protruding portion in the vertical direction is located at a position lower than the first support portion. 
     
     
         3 . The sheet conveyance apparatus according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the discharge tray further includes a wall portion extending upward from an upstream side end portion of each of the first support portion and the second support portion in the discharge direction, and   wherein a distance from the wall portion to an upper end of the protruding portion in the discharge direction is shorter than a length of a minimum size sheet conveyable by the sheet conveyance apparatus in the discharge direction.   
     
     
         4 . The sheet conveyance apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein the distance from the wall portion to the upper end of the protruding portion in the discharge direction is longer than half the length of the minimum size sheet in the discharge direction. 
     
     
         5 . The sheet conveyance apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein the distance from the wall portion to the upper end of the protruding portion in the discharge direction is longer than 42.5 millimeters (mm) and shorter than 75 mm. 
     
     
         6 . The sheet conveyance apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the discharge tray includes a plurality of the protruding portions disposed in the width direction on the second support portion. 
     
     
         7 . The sheet conveyance apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the protruding portion is formed to extend from the first portion to the second portion in the width direction. 
     
     
         8 . The sheet conveyance apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the protruding portion includes an inclined portion inclining so that a protruding amount of the inclined portion from the second support portion increases toward a downstream side in the discharge direction. 
     
     
         9 . The sheet conveyance apparatus according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the protruding portion is a first protruding portion, and   wherein the discharge tray further includes a second protruding portion that is disposed downstream of the first protruding portion on the second support portion and protrudes upward from the second support portion.   
     
     
         10 . The sheet conveyance apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein an upper end of the second protruding portion is located at a position higher than an upper end of the first protruding portion. 
     
     
         11 . The sheet conveyance apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein a length of the second support portion in the width direction is longer than 55 millimeters (mm) and shorter than 105 mm. 
     
     
         12 . The sheet conveyance apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a feeding tray on which the sheet is to be stacked; and   a feed roller configured to feed the sheet stacked on the feeding tray,   wherein the discharge tray is disposed below the feeding tray in the vertical direction.   
     
     
         13 . An image reading apparatus comprising:
 the sheet conveyance apparatus according to  claim 1 ;   a feeding tray on which the sheet is to be stacked;   a feed roller configured to feed the sheet stacked on the feeding tray; and   a reader configured to read an image on the sheet fed by the feed roller,   wherein the discharge tray is disposed below the feeding tray in the vertical direction.   
     
     
         14 . An image forming apparatus comprising:
 the sheet conveyance apparatus according to  claim 1 ;   a feeding tray on which the sheet is to be stacked;   a feed roller configured to feed the sheet stacked on the feeding tray;   a reader configured to read an image on the sheet fed by the feed roller; and   an image forming unit configured to form an image on a recording medium based on image information for the sheet read by the reader,   wherein the discharge tray is disposed below the feeding tray in the vertical direction.