Sheet support device and image forming apparatus

Abstract

A sheet support device includes a supporting portion, a first regulating unit, a second regulating unit, an electric fan, a duct, a cable, a fan-side holding portion, and a supporting portion-side holding portion. The duct is provided inside a first regulation plate, and air blown from the electric fan flows in the duct and is blown to a sheet supported by a supporting surface in a width direction. The cable connects to the electric fan. The fan-side holding portion secures a path of the cable in the width direction with respect to the electric fan. The supporting portion-side holding portion secures the path of the cable in the width direction with respect to the supporting portion. The supporting portion-side holding portion is positioned between two end portion imaginary planes orthogonal to the width direction at each of both end portions of a movement range of the fan-side holding portion.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A sheet support device comprising:
 a supporting portion including a supporting surface configured to support a sheet;   a first regulating unit including a first moving unit supported with respect to the supporting portion below the supporting surface to be movable in a width direction orthogonal to a conveying direction of a sheet, and a first regulation plate connected to the first moving unit and configured to regulate a position of a first end portion in the width direction of a sheet supported by the supporting surface;   a second regulating unit including a second moving unit supported with respect to the supporting portion below the supporting surface to be movable in the width direction, and a second regulation plate connected to the second moving unit and configured to regulate a position of a second end portion in the width direction of a sheet supported by the supporting surface, the second regulating unit being interlocked with the first regulating unit such that the first regulating unit and the second regulating unit move in opposite directions in the width direction;   an electric fan attached to the first moving unit to blow air;   a duct that is provided inside the first regulation plate and in which air blown from the electric fan flows and is blown to a sheet supported by the supporting surface in the width direction;   a cable connected to the electric fan;   a fan-side holding portion securing a path of the cable in the width direction with respect to the electric fan; and   a supporting portion-side holding portion securing the path of the cable in the width direction with respect to the supporting portion,   wherein the supporting portion-side holding portion is positioned between two end portion imaginary planes orthogonal to the width direction at each of both end portions of a movement range of the fan-side holding portion.   
     
     
         2 . The sheet support device according to  claim 1 , wherein the supporting portion-side holding portion is positioned such that at least a part of the supporting portion-side holding portion overlaps a central imaginary plane orthogonal to the width direction at a central portion of the movement range of the fan-side holding portion. 
     
     
         3 . The sheet support device according to  claim 1 , wherein the supporting portion-side holding portion has a shape that surrounds an outer surface of the cable with a gap from the outer surface. 
     
     
         4 . The sheet support device according to  claim 3 , further comprising:
 a covering member disposed to cover the outer surface of the cable and disposed in a range sliding on at least the supporting portion-side holding portion in a direction along the cable.   
     
     
         5 . The sheet support device according to  claim 1 , wherein the supporting portion-side holding portion has a shape that binds and holds an outer surface of the cable. 
     
     
         6 . The sheet support device according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a pinion gear,   wherein the first moving unit includes a first rack whose longitudinal direction is the width direction,   the second moving unit includes a second rack whose longitudinal direction is the width direction, and   the pinion gear meshes with the first rack and the second rack, and allows the first regulating unit and the second regulating unit to interlock with each other in opposite directions in the width direction.   
     
     
         7 . The sheet support device according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the electric fan is a first electric fan,   wherein the duct is a first duct,   wherein the cable is a first cable,   wherein the fan-side holding portion is a first fan-side holding portion,   wherein the supporting portion-side holding portion is a first supporting portion-side holding portion,   wherein the sheet support device further comprises:
 a second electric fan attached to the second moving unit to blow air; 
 a second duct that is provided inside the second regulation plate and in which air blown from the second electric fan flows and is blown to a sheet supported by the supporting surface in the width direction; 
 a second cable connected to the second electric fan; 
 a second fan-side holding portion securing a path of the second cable in the width direction with respect to the second electric fan; and 
 a second supporting portion-side holding portion securing the path of the second cable in the width direction with respect to the supporting portion, and 
   wherein the second supporting portion-side holding portion is positioned between two end portion imaginary planes orthogonal to the width direction at each of both end portions of a movement range of the second fan-side holding portion.   
     
     
         8 . The sheet support device according to  claim 1 , wherein at least a part of the electric fan is disposed to overlap the first regulation plate when viewed in a direction orthogonal to the supporting surface. 
     
     
         9 . An image forming apparatus comprising:
 the sheet support device according to  claim 1 ; and   an image forming unit configured to form an image on a sheet supported by the sheet support device.   
     
     
         10 . The image forming apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein the supporting portion of the sheet support device is a manual feed tray to which a sheet is manually set.