Sheet feeding apparatus

Abstract

A sheet feeding apparatus includes a supporting unit, a sheet feeding unit, a separation unit, a moving member, a first sensor, and a control unit. The moving member is configured to move by being pushed by the sheet supported by the supporting unit. The first sensor is configured to detect the sheet based on a position of the moving member. The second sensor is configured to detect the sheet at a position downstream of the separation unit in the feeding direction. The control unit is configured to determine an existence of the sheet supported by the supporting unit based on a detection result of the first sensor, and to control feeding timing at which the sheet feeding unit starts to feed the sheet based on detection results of the first sensor and the second sensor.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A sheet feeding apparatus comprising:
 a supporting unit configured to support a sheet;   a sheet feeding member configured to feed the sheet supported by the supporting unit in a feeding direction;   a separation unit configured to separate sheets fed by the sheet feeding member one by one;   a moving member configured to abut on a leading edge of the sheet, in the feeding direction, stacked on the supporting unit to regulate a position of the leading edge of the sheet before feeding of the sheet is started and configured to move, by being pushed by the sheet, to allow the sheets to pass when the sheet is fed;   a first sensor having a light-emitting portion and a light-receiving portion, the first sensor configured to switch between a first state in which an optical path from the light-emitting portion to the light-receiving portion is interrupted by the moving member and a second state in which the optical path is not interrupted by the moving member;   a second sensor configured to detect the sheet at a position downstream of the separation unit in the feeding direction; and   a control unit configured to control the sheet feeding member so that, after a first sheet is fed, feeding of a second sheet succeeding the first sheet is started based on the second sensor detecting a trailing edge of the first sheet in the feeding direction,   wherein the control unit configured to start feeding the second sheet before the second sensor detects the trailing edge of the first sheet in a case where the first sensor switches from the second state to the first state after the first sheet is fed.   
     
     
         2 . The sheet feeding apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising a regulating unit,
 wherein the sheet feeding member is configured to move to a standby position spaced apart from the sheet supported by the supporting unit, and to a feeding position in which the sheet feeding member is in contact with the sheet supported by the supporting unit, and   wherein the regulating unit is configured to regulate movement of the moving member in a state where the sheet feeding member is located in the standby position, and to permit movement of the moving member in a state where the sheet feeding member is located in the feeding position.   
     
     
         3 . The sheet feeding apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the moving member includes a rotation shaft, a first portion extending in a width direction orthogonal to the feeding direction, a light interrupt portion arranged at an end portion of the first portion in the width direction and interrupting the optical path, and a second portion extending downward from the first portion. 
     
     
         4 . The sheet feeding apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a body unit configured to support the first sensor and the second sensor; and   a cover supported by the body unit and configured to open/close the body unit,   wherein the sheet feeding member and the moving member are movably supported by the cover.   
     
     
         5 . The sheet feeding apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising a reading unit configured to read an image of the sheet fed by the sheet feeding apparatus. 
     
     
         6 . The sheet feeding apparatus according to  claim 5 , further comprising an image forming unit configured to form an image on the sheet.