Sheet stacking apparatus and image forming apparatus

Abstract

A sheet stacking apparatus on which a sheet discharged by a discharge portion is stacked includes a wire including a first supported portion, a second supported portion, and a stacking portion on which the sheet discharged by the discharge portion is stacked and at least a part of which is located between the first supported portion and the second supported portion in a horizontal direction, a first support portion configured to support the first supported portion, and a second support portion configured to support the second supported portion.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A sheet stacking apparatus on which a sheet discharged by a discharge portion is stacked, the sheet stacking apparatus comprising:
 a wire including:   a first supported portion;   a second supported portion; and   a stacking portion on which the sheet discharged by the discharge portion is stacked, at least a part of the stacking portion being located between the first supported portion and the second supported portion in a horizontal direction;   a first support portion configured to support the first supported portion; and   a second support portion configured to support the second supported portion.   
     
     
         2 . The sheet stacking apparatus according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the wire includes a first bent portion that is bent downward, and   wherein the first bent portion is located between the first support portion and the second support portion in the horizontal direction.   
     
     
         3 . The sheet stacking apparatus according to  claim 2 ,
 wherein the stacking portion of the wire is located upstream of the first bent portion in a sheet discharge direction,   wherein the second support portion is located downstream of the first bent portion in the sheet discharge direction, and   wherein the wire includes an inclined portion that is inclined downward toward a downstream side in the sheet discharge direction between the first bent portion and the second supported portion.   
     
     
         4 . The sheet stacking apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the second supported portion of the wire and the second support portion are in line contact with each other. 
     
     
         5 . The sheet stacking apparatus according to  claim 4 ,
 wherein the wire includes a pair of portions extending vertically and located at an interval in a sheet width direction perpendicular to a sheet discharge direction,   wherein the wire further includes a pair of second bent portions located below the pair of portions, respectively, and   wherein the second supported portion in line contact with the second support portion corresponds to a portion of the wire located between the pair of second bent portions and extending in the sheet width direction to connect the pair of portions.   
     
     
         6 . The sheet stacking apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising a retaining member configured to prevent the second supported portion from being detached from the second support portion and moving upward. 
     
     
         7 . The sheet stacking apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising a cover including an opening,
 wherein the wire is inserted into the opening of the cover, and the second support portion is located below the opening of the cover.   
     
     
         8 . An image forming apparatus comprising:
 an image forming portion configured to form an image on a sheet; and   a sheet stacking apparatus according to  claim 1 ,   wherein the sheet having the image formed thereon by the image forming portion is stacked on the sheet stacking apparatus.