Sheet feeding apparatus and image forming apparatus

Abstract

A sheet feeding apparatus includes: a sheet containing device for housing sheets; a sheet feeding roller that feed the sheets contained in the sheet containing device; a pushing member for pushing the sheets contained in the sheet containing device against the sheet feeding roller; a separation pad which is provided so as to be capable of abutting against the sheet feeding roller and separates the sheets one by one as the sheets are fed by the sheet feeding roller and the pushing member; and a sheet guide portion arranged between a pushing portion where the sheets are pushed against the sheet feeding roller by the pushing member and an abutting portion where the sheet feeding roller and the separation pad come into abutment against each other. As a result, a sheet feeding apparatus with reduced noise can be realized. In addition, an image forming apparatus with silent operation can be realized by using the sheet feeding apparatus.

Description

[0001] This application claims priority from Japanese Patent Application No. 2003-190395 filed on Jul. 2, 2003, which is hereby incorporated by reference. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] 1. Field of the Invention [0003] The present invention relates to a sheet feeding apparatus that is provided in an image forming apparatus for forming an image on a recording medium such as an electrophotographic copying machine, a printer, a word processor, or a facsimile apparatus. [0004] 2. Related Background Art [0005] A sheet feeding apparatus for automatically feeding a recording medium (hereinafter referred to as sheet) to an image forming portion is mounted on an image forming apparatus. FIGS. 13 to 16 show an example of a conventional image forming apparatus and a sheet feeding apparatus mounted on this image forming apparatus. [0006]FIG. 13 is a schematic sectional view of a laser beam printer (hereinafter referred to as printer) 1 that is a conventional image forming apparatus. FIG. 14...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The present invention aims to provide a sheet feeding apparatus with reduced noise and an image forming apparatus capable of silent operation. The apparatus includes a sheet housing means for housing sheets, a sheet feeding roller for feeding the sheets, pushing means for pushing the sheets against the sheet feeding roller, a separation pad that comes into abutment against the sheet feeding roller and separates the sheets one by another as they are fed, and a sheet guide portion that is arranged between a pushing portion where the sheets are pushed against the sheet feeding roller by the pushing means and an abutting portion where the sheet feeding roller and the separation pad come into abutment against each other.

Problems solved by technology

However, the conventional sheet feeding apparatus disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 08-157110 has a problem in that a trailing edge of a sheet that is fed after being separated jumps as the sheet passes through the separation pad, thus generating noise.

However, the technique disclosed in the laid-open patent application only addresses the problem of trailing edge jumping sound that is caused as the trailing edge of the separated sheet jumps after passing through a press-contact portion between the sheet feeding roller and the separation pad.

The technique does not address the problem of trailing edge jumping sound that is caused when the trailing edge of the separated sheet moves away from a sheet stacking portion.

In particular, this trailing edge jumping sound becomes more noticeable with a stiff sheet such as thick sheet, causing deterioration in the noise level of the printer 1.

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