Sheet stacking apparatus and image forming apparatus

Abstract

A sheet stacking apparatus includes a storage storing a sheet, a conveyance unit, a sealing member, and a holder. The conveyance unit conveys the stored sheet in a conveyance direction. The holder movably holds the storage in a sheet width direction orthogonal to the conveyance direction. The storage includes a first unit and a second unit. The first unit includes a pair of regulating members that regulate both edges of the sheet stored in the storage in the sheet width direction. The second unit includes a second sealing surface disposed opposite to a first sealing surface provided on the holder. The sealing member is disposed between the first sealing surface and the second sealing surface. A relative position between the first unit and the second unit is changeable.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A sheet stacking apparatus comprising:
 a storage configured to store a sheet;   a conveyance unit configured to convey the sheet stored in the storage in a conveyance direction;   a sealing member; and   a holder configured to movably hold the storage in a sheet width direction orthogonal to the conveyance direction,   wherein the storage includes:   a first unit including a pair of regulating members configured to regulate both edges of the sheet stored in the storage in the sheet width direction, and   a second unit including a second sealing surface disposed opposite to a first sealing surface provided on the holder,   wherein the sealing member is disposed between the first sealing surface and the second sealing surface, and   wherein a relative position between the first unit and the second unit is changeable.   
     
     
         2 . The sheet stacking apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the storage is provided with a second positioning member configured to engage with a first positioning member provided in the holder so as to position the storage with respect to the holder in the sheet width direction. 
     
     
         3 . The sheet stacking apparatus according to  claim 2 ,
 wherein the second positioning member is provided on the storage within an area surrounded by the sealing member as viewed in the sheet width direction, and   wherein the first positioning member is provided on the holder within the area surrounded by the sealing member as viewed in the sheet width direction.   
     
     
         4 . The sheet stacking apparatus according to  claim 2 ,
 wherein one of the first positioning member and the second positioning member has a substantially cylindrical shape, and   wherein the other of the first positioning member and the second positioning member has a hook shape engageable with the substantially cylindrical shape.   
     
     
         5 . The sheet stacking apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the first unit has a storage frame configured to store the sheet, and the second unit has a support member attached to the storage frame so that a position of the support member with respect to the storage frame is adjustable in the sheet width direction. 
     
     
         6 . The sheet stacking apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein the second unit includes a front plate attached to the support member, and the relative position between the first unit and the second unit is changeable by adjusting the position of the support member with respect to the storage frame in the sheet width direction. 
     
     
         7 . The sheet stacking apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein a second positioning member is configured to move in the sheet width direction integrally with the support member and the front plate. 
     
     
         8 . The sheet stacking apparatus according to  claim 6 , further comprising an exterior cover fixed to the front plate. 
     
     
         9 . The sheet stacking apparatus according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the storage is supported by the holder so as to be able to be pull out from a closed position in a pullout direction, which is one side of the sheet width direction,   wherein the sealing member is attached to either the first sealing surface or the second sealing surface,   wherein, when the storage is in the closed position, the sealing member contacts the other of the first sealing surface or the second sealing surface, and   wherein, when the storage is pulled out from the closed position in the pullout direction, the sealing member separates from the other of the first sealing surface or the second sealing surface.   
     
     
         10 . The sheet stacking apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the sealing member has elasticity. 
     
     
         11 . The sheet stacking apparatus according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the first unit includes:   a sheet stacking surface on which the sheet is stacked, and   a second regulating member configured to regulate a rear edge of the sheet stacked on the sheet stacking surface in the conveyance direction.   
     
     
         12 . The sheet stacking apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the first unit includes an interlocking unit configured to interlock the pair of regulating members so that, when one of the pair of regulating members is moved a distance in one direction in the sheet width direction, the other of the pair of regulating members is moved by the same distance in a direction opposite to the one direction. 
     
     
         13 . The sheet stacking apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the sealing member is provided on either the first sealing surface or the second sealing surface, and the sealing member is attracted to the other of the first sealing surface or the second sealing surface by a magnetic force. 
     
     
         14 . A sheet stacking apparatus comprising:
 a storage configured to store a sheet;   a holder configured to movably hold the storage;   a second sealing surface provided on the storage and disposed opposite to a first sealing surface provided on the holder; and   a sealing member provided on either the first sealing surface or the second sealing surface, and where the sealing member is attracted to the other of the first sealing surface or the second sealing surface by a magnetic force.   
     
     
         15 . The sheet stacking apparatus according to  claim 14 , further comprising a magnet enclosed within the sealing member,
 wherein the other of the first sealing surface or the second sealing surface is a magnetic material.   
     
     
         16 . The sheet stacking apparatus according to  claim 15 ,
 wherein the sealing member includes an expansion and contraction portion which is expandable and contractable in a direction in which the storage is moved, and   wherein the magnet is enclosed within the sealing member closer to a side of the other of the first sealing surface or the second sealing surface than the expansion and contraction portion.   
     
     
         17 . The sheet stacking apparatus according to  claim 14 , wherein the sealing member has the magnetic force, and the other of the first sealing surface or the second sealing surface is a magnetic material. 
     
     
         18 . An image forming apparatus comprising:
 a sheet stacking apparatus in which a sheet is to be stacked; and   an image forming portion configured to form an image on the sheet conveyed from the sheet stacking apparatus,   wherein the sheet stacking apparatus includes:   a storage configured to store the sheet,   a conveyance unit configured to convey the sheet stored in the storage in a conveyance direction,   a sealing member, and   a holder configured to movably hold the storage in a sheet width direction orthogonal to the conveyance direction,   wherein the storage includes:   a first unit containing a pair of regulating members configured to regulate both edges of the sheet stored in the storage in the sheet width direction, and   a second unit including a second positioning member configured to engage with a first positioning member provided in the holder so as to position the storage with respect to the holder in the sheet width direction, and a second sealing surface disposed opposite to a first sealing surface provided on the holder,   wherein the sealing member is disposed between the first sealing surface and the second sealing surface, and   wherein a relative position between the first unit and the second unit is changeable.