Sheet feeding device and image forming apparatus

Abstract

To improve the performance of airflow control over the seat. [Solution] The system comprises a blowing unit having a fan for blowing air, a duct through which the air blown from the fan flows, and an outlet positioned on a first side end guide that blows the air that has flowed through the duct toward the end of the sheet in the sheet width direction of the sheet loaded in the loading section, and a control unit that performs an air handling operation in which the blowing unit blows air onto the sheet before the supply unit starts supplying the sheet loaded in the loading section. During the period in which the air handling operation is performed, the control unit controls the blowing unit so that the amount of air blown out from the outlet increases or decreases multiple times.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a sheet feeding device for feeding sheets and an image forming apparatus.

Background Art

[0002] In recent years, even in image forming apparatuses used in offices, there has been an increasing demand for higher image quality and higher definition printer products, and special papers such as coated paper and thick paper that look better than plain paper have come to be used. Sheets with a high smoothness on the surface of the sheet, such as coated paper, are particularly likely to adsorb to each other, and when a plurality of sheets are conveyed together, it may cause conveyance failures such as double feeding.

[0003] Therefore, as a configuration for improving the feeding performance of special papers such as coated paper, a sheet feeding device has been proposed that reduces the adsorption between stacked sheets by performing an air-scattering operation of blowing air onto the side end portions of a stack of sheets loaded on a manual feed tray or the like (see Patent Document 1). This configuration is provided with a fan and an air outlet of the air generated by the fan on a side end regulating plate that regulates the position in the sheet width direction, and blows air onto the side end portions of the sheet to scatter the stack of sheets, thereby eliminating the adsorption between the sheets. As a result, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of double feeding and perform stable continuous feeding.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] However, in the configuration described in Patent Document 1, if the sheets were strongly attracted to each other, there was a risk that even if an air-dissipation operation was performed, the sheets would not separate one by one and would float up while still attracted to each other. In that case, there was a problem that multiple sheets would be fed together, potentially causing transport problems such as double feeding.

[0006] The present invention aims to provide a sheet conveying device and an image forming device that can improve the performance of air handling operations on a sheet. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] One aspect of the present invention includes a loading section on which sheets are loaded, a feeding section for feeding the sheets loaded in the loading section in a feeding direction, a first side end guide having a first restricting surface facing the sheet width direction perpendicular to the feeding direction of the sheets loaded in the loading section and restricting the position of the sheets loaded in the loading section, a second side end guide having a second restricting surface facing the first restricting surface and facing the sheet width direction of the sheets loaded in the loading section and restricting the position of the sheets loaded in the loading section, a fan for blowing air, and a duct for circulating the air blown from the fan. A sheet feeding device comprising: a blowing unit having a duct and an outlet positioned on the first side end guide, which blows air that has flowed through the duct toward the sheet widthwise end of the sheet loaded in the loading section; and a control unit which performs an air blowing operation by blowing air onto the sheet using the blowing unit before the feeding section starts feeding the sheet loaded in the loading section, wherein the control unit controls the blowing unit so that the amount of air blown out from the outlet increases or decreases multiple times during the period in which the air blowing operation is performed.

[0008] One aspect of the present invention includes a loading section on which sheets are stacked, a feeding section for feeding the sheets stacked in the loading section in a feeding direction, a first side end guide having a first restricting surface facing the sheet width direction perpendicular to the feeding direction of the sheets stacked in the loading section and restricting the position of the sheets stacked in the loading section, a second side end guide having a second restricting surface facing the first restricting surface and facing the sheet width direction of the sheets stacked in the loading section and restricting the position of the sheets stacked in the loading section, a fan for blowing air, and a device for circulating the air blown from the fan. A sheet feeding device comprising: a duct; a blowing unit having a blowing outlet positioned in the first side end guide and blowing air that has flowed through the duct toward the sheet widthwise end of the sheet loaded in the loading section; and a control unit that performs an air blowing operation by blowing air onto the sheet using the blowing unit before the feeding section starts feeding the sheet loaded in the loading section, wherein the control unit controls the blowing unit to blow air from the blowing outlet multiple times during the period in which the air blowing operation is performed.

[0009] One aspect of the present invention is an image forming apparatus characterized by comprising the above-described sheet feeding device and an image forming unit for forming an image on a sheet. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] According to the present invention, the performance of the air handling operation on the seat can be improved. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0011] [Figure 1] This is a cross-sectional view showing an image forming apparatus according to the first embodiment. [Figure 2] This is a perspective view showing the manual feed unit according to the first embodiment, where (a) shows the entire unit and (b) shows the unit with the manual feed tray omitted. [Figure 3] This is a block diagram showing the control system in the manual feeding unit according to the first embodiment. [Figure 4]This is a time chart showing the input signals that control the rotation speed of the fan in the manual feeding unit according to the first embodiment, where (a) is the case when the fan is repeatedly switched on and off, and (b) is the case when the fan continues to rotate after feeding has started. [Figure 5] This flowchart shows the processing procedure during feeding in the manual feeding unit according to the first embodiment. [Figure 6] This is a perspective view showing the manual feed tray of the manual feed unit according to the second embodiment omitted. [Figure 7] This is a cross-sectional view showing the state after cutting along line AA in Figure 6. [Figure 8] This is a block diagram showing the control system in the manual feeding unit according to the second embodiment. [Figure 9] This is a time chart showing the input signals for switching the opening and closing of the shutter in the manual feed unit according to the second embodiment, where (a) is the case when opening and closing is repeated, and (b) is the case when the shutter is kept in the open state after feeding has started. [Figure 10] This is a time chart showing the input signals that control the rotation speed of the fan in the manual feeding unit according to the third embodiment. [Figure 11] This is a perspective view showing a manual air supply unit according to the fourth embodiment, where (a) shows the state in which air is being blown out from the first blowing unit, and (b) shows the state in which air is being blown out from the second blowing unit. [Figure 12] (a) is a time chart showing the input signals for switching the opening and closing of the shutter in the manual feed unit according to the fourth embodiment, and (b) is a modified example of (a). [Figure 13] This is a perspective view showing a manual air supply unit according to the fifth embodiment, where (a) shows the state in which air is being blown out from the first and fourth air supply units, and (b) shows the state in which air is being blown out from the second and third air supply units. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0012] <First Embodiment> Hereinafter, the first embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 5. First, the image forming apparatus according to the first embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 1. FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing an image forming apparatus 5 according to the first embodiment. Note that the image forming apparatus 5 described in the present embodiment is a digital color multifunction peripheral, but is not limited thereto, and may be any image forming apparatus such as a printer, a copier, or a commercial printing machine.

[0013] [Image forming apparatus] As shown in FIG. 1, the image forming apparatus 5 includes an apparatus main body 1, an image reading unit 2 disposed above the apparatus main body 1, and an original document conveying unit 3 installed above the image reading unit 2. The apparatus main body 1 also has a feeding deck 100, which is an example of a sheet feeding device, a manual feeding unit 400, and an image forming unit 120. In the present embodiment, the feeding direction D1 of the manual feeding unit 400 is arranged to be substantially in the left-right direction of the image forming apparatus 5. Also, the right side toward the apparatus main body 1 is denoted as the right direction R, the left side as the left direction L, the front side as the front direction F, the back side as the back direction B, the upper side as the upper direction U, and the lower side as the lower direction D.

[0014] Note that in the present embodiment, the image forming unit 120 is a tandem type and intermediate transfer type image forming unit that uses an electrophotographic process. The image forming unit 120 can form and output a full-color or monochromatic image on a sheet S based on image data. As the sheet S, various sheets of different sizes and materials can be used, such as paper such as plain paper and thick paper, plastic film, cloth, sheet materials with surface treatment such as coated paper, and special-shaped sheet materials such as envelopes and index paper.

[0015] [Original document conveying unit] The original document conveying unit 3 feeds the original documents set upward on the original document tray 301 one by one in order from the top page, passes them over the platen glass 201 of the image reading unit 2 through a curved path, and then discharges them to the discharge tray 302.

[0016] [Image reading unit] The image reading unit 2 performs image reading processing using a scanner unit 202 held in a predetermined position as the document transported by the document transport unit 3 passes from left to right on the platen glass 201. Specifically, the reading surface of the document is illuminated with light from the lamp 203 of the scanner unit 202, and the reflected light from the document is guided to the lens 207 via mirrors 204, 205, and 206. The light that passes through this lens 207 is formed into an image on the imaging surface of the image sensor 208, converted into an electrical digital signal, and transmitted.

[0017] Furthermore, the image reading unit 2 can also perform image reading by lifting the document without using the document transport unit 3, directly placing the document on the platen glass 201, and scanning the scanner unit 202 from left to right. In other words, the image reading unit 2 does not necessarily have to be equipped with the document transport unit 3, and may be provided with a document holder member to hold down the document placed on the platen glass 201.

[0018] [Image Forming Unit] The image forming unit 120 forms an image on a sheet S fed from the feed deck 100 or the manual feed unit 400. The image forming unit 120 includes an image forming unit 10 having process units PY, PM, PC, and PK for each color: Y (yellow), M (magenta), C (cyan), and K (black). Since the configuration of each color is the same, the process unit PY for Y (yellow) will be explained as an example, and the explanations of the process units PM, PC, and PK for the other colors will be omitted.

[0019] The photosensitive drum 11Y is uniformly charged on its surface by the charging roller 12Y, and then a latent image is formed on it by the laser scanner 13, which is driven based on the transmitted image information signal. The latent image is made visible as a toner image by the developer 14Y. The toner image made visible on the photosensitive drum 11Y is transferred to the intermediate transfer belt 31 by the primary transfer roller 17Y, which applies a predetermined pressure and electrostatic load bias. After the transfer, any small amount of remaining toner on the photosensitive drum 11Y is removed and collected by the photosensitive drum cleaner 15Y, and then prepared again for the next image formation.

[0020] The toner images formed by the process units PY, PM, PC, and PK for each color are sequentially transferred to the intermediate transfer belt 31 by the primary transfer roller 17Y for each color. When forming a full-color image, the primary transfer is performed so that the toner images of each color overlap on the intermediate transfer belt 31, thereby forming a color toner image on the intermediate transfer belt 31.

[0021] [Supply deck] The main body of the device 1 has a feeding deck 100, which is an example of a sheet feeding device that stores multiple sheets S and feeds the sheets S to the image forming unit 120. The feeding deck 100 has a sheet storage section 100A for storing the sheets S, a sheet feeding unit 100B for feeding the sheets, and a pull-out roller 110 for transporting the sheets S that have been fed by the sheet feeding unit 100B.

[0022] In the sheet storage section 100A, the sheets S are stacked as sheet bundles on a loading plate 101, which is an example of a loading section provided on the feeding deck 100. The sheet bundles are positioned by being sandwiched between a pair of side restricting plates 102 in the sheet width direction W (front-to-back direction) perpendicular to the sheet feeding direction, and between the wall surface 100a and rear end restricting plate 104 of the feeding deck 100 in the feeding direction (left-to-right direction). The loading plate 101 is configured to be able to move up and down in the D2 direction (up and down direction), and is raised and lowered by a drive motor (not shown) and a lifting mechanism driven by its driving force so that the top surface of the uppermost sheet among the multiple sheets S stacked on it reaches a predetermined height.

[0023] A pair of side regulating plates 102 are provided so as to face each other in the front-rear direction with the sheet S in between, and are provided so as to be movable in conjunction in the front-rear direction of the figure. When the user places a sheet, they move the pair of side regulating plates 102 to match the width of the sheet. That is, the pair of side regulating plates 102 are an example of a first side end guide and a second side end guide. The first side end guide has a first regulating surface that faces the sheet width direction W which is perpendicular to the feeding direction of the sheet loaded on the loading plate 101, and regulates the position of the sheet loaded on the loading plate 101. The second side end guide has a second regulating surface that faces the first regulating surface and faces the sheet width direction W of the sheet loaded on the loading plate 101, and regulates the position of the sheet loaded on the loading plate 101.

[0024] As a result, the center of the sheet S is set so that it aligns with the transport center, which is the center of the sheet width W, for each transport roller, etc. The rear end regulating plate 104 is movable in the D3 direction (left-right direction) along the guide rail 105, and the user moves it according to the length of the placed sheet. As a result, the sheet S is positioned in the correct position with respect to the feeding direction.

[0025] Furthermore, each of the pair of side restrictor plates 102 is equipped with a fan (not shown in the illustration). The air blown from the fan is directed from the outlet 102a to the side end of a sheet bundle consisting of multiple sheets S. Several sheets S located at the top of the sheet bundle to which the air is blown are lifted by the air and separated one by one as air flows between them. Note that the fan may be provided in only one of the pair of side restrictor plates 102. Also, the number of fans and outlets 102a provided in one of the side restrictor plates 102 may be as follows.

[0026] A sheet feeding unit 100B is positioned above the sheet storage section 100A, located on the upper part of the feeding deck 100. The sheet feeding unit 100B is an example of a feeding unit, and it sucks up sheets loaded on the loading plate 101 and feeds them in the feeding direction. The sheet feeding unit 100B has a suction belt 106 and a suction fan 107. The suction belt 106 has multiple holes, and the suction fan 107 sucks air through the multiple holes in the suction belt 106, thereby sucking the top sheet S onto the suction belt 106.

[0027] The suction belt 106 can be rotated at any time by a drive source (not shown), and the suction belt 106 is rotated while the sheet S is being held in place by the suction of the suction fan 107, thereby transporting the held sheet S. The sheets S, separated and lifted by the fans 103 provided on the pair of side restricting plates 102, are transported with the uppermost sheet S being held in place by the suction fan 107 and the suction belt 106, and fed one by one toward the extraction roller 110.

[0028] [Sheet feeding] The sheet S, fed from the feed deck 100 to the withdrawal roller 110, is transported to the registration roller pair 23, where its leading edge follows the nip portion of the registration roller pair 23 to form a loop, thereby correcting any skew. Subsequently, the registration roller pair 23 synchronizes with the toner image on the intermediate transfer belt 31 and transports the sheet S between the intermediate transfer belt 31 and the secondary transfer outer roller 35. The color toner image on the intermediate transfer belt 31 is transferred to the sheet S by applying a predetermined pressure and electrostatic load bias at the nip portions of the opposingly positioned secondary transfer inner roller 34 and secondary transfer outer roller 35. After transfer, any small amount of residual toner remaining on the intermediate transfer belt 31 is removed and collected by the cleaning blade 36 and stored in the recovery agent container 37. The image forming unit 120 then prepares for the next image formation. The toner image transferred onto the sheet S is fixed to the sheet S by heating and pressurizing it with the fuser 40. The sheet S is discharged onto the discharge tray 50 by the discharge roller pair 41.

[0029] [Manual feed unit] Next, the manual feed unit 400 according to the first embodiment will be described with reference to Figure 1 and using Figures 2(a) and (b). Figure 2(a) is a perspective view showing the manual feed unit 400 according to the first embodiment, and Figure 2(b) is a perspective view of the manual feed unit 400 with the manual feed tray 401 omitted.

[0030] As shown in Figure 1, a manual feed unit 400 is provided in the right door 80 located on the right side of the main body of the device 1. The manual feed unit 400 comprises a manual feed tray 401, a pair of first side restrictors 402A and second side restrictors 402B, and a sheet feeding unit 406. The manual feed tray 401 is an example of a loading section on which sheets are loaded, and is positioned to open and close relative to the right door 80 of the main body of the device 1. When the manual feed tray 401 is open relative to the right door 80 of the main body of the device 1, a sheet S can be placed on its upper surface, which is the loading surface 401S. In addition, a pair of first side restrictors 402A and second side restrictors 402B are positioned on the open manual feed tray 401, respectively, in the sheet width direction W of the sheet S.

[0031] As shown in Figure 2(a), the first side regulating plate 402A and the second side regulating plate 402B are configured to be movable in the sheet width direction W by an interlocking mechanism such as a rack and pinion mechanism (not shown). As a result, the loaded sheet S is set so that its center coincides with the transport center, which is the center of the sheet width direction W of each transport roller.

[0032] Furthermore, the first side regulating plate 402A has a first regulating surface 402AS that faces the sheet width direction W, which is perpendicular to the feeding direction D1 of the sheet S loaded on the loading surface 401S. That is, the first side regulating plate 402A is an example of a first side edge guide and has a first regulating surface 402AS that faces the sheet width direction W of the sheet loaded on the manual feed tray 401, and regulates the position of the sheet loaded on the manual feed tray 401.

[0033] Similarly, the second side regulating plate 402B has a second regulating surface 402BS that faces the sheet width direction W, which is perpendicular to the feeding direction D1 of the sheet S loaded on the loading surface 401S. That is, the second side regulating plate 402B is an example of a second side end guide, has a second regulating surface 402BS, and regulates the position of the sheet loaded on the manual feed tray 401. The second regulating surface 402BS faces the first regulating surface 402AS and faces the sheet width direction W of the sheet loaded on the manual feed tray 401.

[0034] The first side restricting plate 402A and the second side restricting plate 402B move relative to each other in the sheet width direction W, and the first restricting surface 402AS and the second restricting surface 402BS contact and clamp the end of the sheet S in the sheet width direction W, thereby restricting the position of the sheet loaded on the loading surface 401S. This allows the orientation of the sheet S to be restricted, preventing slanting due to improper loading and slanted movement during the transport process.

[0035] As shown in Figure 2(b), a first fan 403A, which is an example of a fan that blows air, is installed below the manual feed tray 401. The first side restrictor plate 402A forms a first duct 402Ab, which is an example of a duct through which the air blown from the first fan 403A flows. That is, the first duct 402Ab is arranged to pass through the inside of the first side restrictor plate 402A. The first side restrictor plate 402A also has two first outlets 402Aa formed therein. The two first outlets 402Aa are examples of outlets that blow air blown from the first fan 403A and flowing through the first duct 402Ab toward one end in the sheet width direction W of the sheet S loaded on the loading surface 401S. The first outlets 402Aa are located upstream and downstream of the first side restrictor plate 402A in the supply direction D1.

[0036] Furthermore, a second fan 403B for blowing air is installed below the manual feed tray 401. The second side restrictor plate 402B forms a second duct 402Bb through which the air blown from the second fan 403B flows. That is, the second duct 402Bb is arranged to pass through the inside of the second side restrictor plate 402B. In addition, the second side restrictor plate 402B has two second outlets 402Ba formed therein. The two second outlets 402Ba blow the air blown from the second fan 403B and flowing through the second duct 402Bb toward the other end of the sheet S loaded on the loading surface 401S in the sheet width direction W. The second outlets 402Ba are located upstream and downstream of the second side restrictor plate 402B in the supply direction D1.

[0037] Furthermore, the first fan 403A and the second fan 403B are positioned so as to overlap with the loading surface 401S when viewed from a direction perpendicular to the loading surface 401S. This prevents the first fan 403A and the second fan 403B from interfering with the right door 80 when the manual feed tray 401 is opened and closed.

[0038] Furthermore, the fan is not limited to having two fans, a first fan 403A and a second fan 403B. It may also be arranged on only one side restrictor plate 402, such as only the first fan 403A or only the second fan 403B. In addition, the number of fans and air outlets provided on one side restrictor plate 402 is not limited to that of the first embodiment and can be any number.

[0039] When air is blown onto the sheet bundle from the first outlet 402Aa and the second outlet 402Ba, several sheets S at the top of the sheet bundle are lifted by the air, and air flows between them, separating them one by one. This is air handling, which prevents double feeding when supplying the sheets S.

[0040] In this embodiment, the manual supply unit 400 has a first discharge unit 407A and a second discharge unit 407B. The first discharge unit 407A is an example of a discharge unit and has a first fan 403A, a first duct 402Ab, and a first outlet 402Aa. The second discharge unit 407B has a second fan 403B, a second duct 402Bb, and a second outlet 402Ba.

[0041] As shown in Figure 1, the manual feed unit 400 is equipped with a sheet feeding unit 406 downstream of the manual feed tray 401 in the feeding direction D1. The sheet feeding unit 406 is an example of a feeding unit and feeds sheets loaded on the manual feed tray 401 in the feeding direction D1. The sheet feeding unit 406 is composed of a pickup roller 406a, a feed roller 406b, and a retard roller 406c. The pickup roller 406a is configured to move up and down relative to the manual feed tray 401, and descends to contact the uppermost sheet S that has been handled by air, rotates, and starts feeding the sheet S. The sheet S that has been fed by the pickup roller 406a is fed by the feed roller 406b. At this time, rotational torque from a drive motor is applied in the opposite direction to the feeding direction D1 via a torque limiter (not shown) by the retard roller 406c, which is pressed against the feed roller 406b to form a separation nip. As a result, even if the sheet S is fed in a double feed and the next sheet S is fed, the retard roller 406c separates it and leaves it in the manual feed tray 401. The retard roller 406c is an example of a separating member that separates the sheets by frictional force, and may be a roller member connected to a fixed shaft via a torque limiter, or a pad-shaped elastic member that comes into contact with the feed roller 406b.

[0042] The sheet S, fed from the manual feed tray 401 by the sheet feeding unit 406, is transported by the pair of pull-out rollers 21 located in the main body 1 of the apparatus, and merges with the transport path from the feeding deck 100 at the merging section 22 downstream. It is then transported to the pair of registration rollers 23, and thereafter, image formation is performed on the sheet S in the same manner as when it is fed from the feeding deck 100 as described above.

[0043] [Control System] Next, the configuration and operation of the blowing unit in this embodiment will be explained using Figures 3 to 5. Figure 3 is a block diagram showing the control system of the manual feed unit 400. The main body of the device 1 has an operation unit 6 on which the user can input information related to printing, and a control unit 7. The operation unit 6 is, for example, a touch panel, and the user can input the number of sheets to print and the instruction to start printing. The control unit 7 controls the manual feed unit 400 based on the commands input to the operation unit 6 and the detection results of various sensors. In this embodiment, the control unit 7 controls the first fan 403A of the first blowing unit 407A and the second fan 403B of the second blowing unit 407B. The control unit 7 can perform an air blowing operation by blowing air onto the sheets using the first blowing unit 407A and the second blowing unit 407B at least before the sheet feeding unit 406 starts feeding the sheets loaded on the manual feed tray 401.

[0044] [Coated paper control] First, coated paper control will be explained using Figure 4(a). Coated paper control is a control performed by the control unit 7 when the sheet on which the image is formed is a sheet that requires air handling, such as coated paper. In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 4(a), the control unit 7 outputs command values ​​(set values) to the first fan 403A and the second fan 403B, respectively, to repeatedly rotate and stop, thereby controlling the first fan 403A and the second fan 403B. That is, in coated paper control, the control unit 7 controls the first fan 403A and the second fan 403B so that the amount of air blown out from the first outlet 402Aa and the second outlet 402Ba increases and decreases multiple times during the handling period T0, which is the period during which the air handling operation is performed.

[0045] Here, the control unit 7 commands a first rotational speed V1 such that when the first fan 403A is rotating, the airflow blown out from the first outlet 402Aa is greater than the airflow that would lift at least one of the sheets loaded in the manual feed tray 401. The airflow that would lift at least one of the sheets loaded in the manual feed tray 401 is, for example, the airflow that would lift one sheet of A4-sized coated paper. However, it is not limited to this airflow.

[0046] As a result, the first fan 403A and the second fan 403B operate in a manner that intermittently alternates between blowing air and stopping. When a sheet bundle is placed on the manual feed tray 401, the intermittent air blowing onto the sheet bundle causes several of the upper sheets to repeatedly float up and fall. Subsequently, the control unit 7 starts feeding the sheets at an appropriate timing. This ensures that air is blown again onto the upper sheets of the sheet bundle that have floated up and are no longer receiving air, thereby improving separation and effectively preventing transport defects such as double feeding.

[0047] In this embodiment, the control unit 7 outputs a command value to cause the first fan 403A to repeatedly rotate and stop. That is, during the handling period T0, the control unit 7 increases or decreases the airflow volume of the air blown out from the first outlet 402Aa and the second outlet 402Ba by switching the operation of the first fan 403A and the second fan 403B on and off. However, if the switching is done in a very short time, for example, the fan rotation may not be able to stop completely, in which case it may operate by repeatedly rotating at high speed and low speed. Also, even if the first fan 403A repeatedly rotates and stops, because air has inertia and compressibility, the air blown out from the first outlet 402Aa does not necessarily repeat between blowing and stopping.

[0048] Therefore, in this embodiment, the control unit 7 outputs a command value so that the first fan 403A repeatedly rotates and stops, but the air blown out from the first outlet 402Aa does not necessarily repeat the cycle of blowing and stopping. That is, the control unit 7 controls the first fan 403A so that the amount of air blown out from the first outlet 402Aa increases or decreases multiple times between pressing the print button and the start of feeding. In this way, in coated paper control, the control unit 7 changes the strength of the air blown out from the first outlet 402Aa (strong / weak blowing control). Note that the air blown out from the first outlet 402Aa may also repeatedly blow and stop. In this case, the control unit 7 controls the first fan 403A so that the amount of air blown out from the first outlet 402Aa increases or decreases multiple times, including a complete stop. The same applies to the second fan 403B.

[0049] Furthermore, depending on conditions such as the switching speed and airflow, the first fan 403A and the second fan 403B can be operated to repeatedly rotate and stop, causing the air blown out from the first outlet 402Aa and the second outlet 402Ba to repeatedly blow and stop. In this case, the control unit 7 controls the first discharge unit 507A and the second discharge unit 507B to blow out air multiple times from the first outlet 402Aa and the second outlet 402Ba during the handling period T0.

[0050] In this embodiment, the control unit 7 controls the timing of the output of command values ​​so that the first fan 403A and the second fan 403B are synchronized. Therefore, the timing of the increase or decrease in the airflow rate blown out from the first outlet 402Aa and the timing of the increase or decrease in the airflow rate blown out from the second outlet 402Ba coincide.

[0051] [Plain paper control] Next, I will explain plain paper control. Plain paper control is the control performed by the control unit 7 when the sheet used for image formation is plain paper. In this case, because it is plain paper, air blowing is either not performed, or if it is performed, air blowing with a constant airflow (constant blowing control) is performed.

[0052] [Operation of the manual feed unit] Next, the operation of feeding sheets using the manual feeding unit 400 described above will be explained according to the flowchart shown in Figure 5. Here, the operation of the manual feeding unit 400 as a sheet feeding device will be explained, but the operation of the feeding deck 100 can be similarly applied.

[0053] The control unit 7 determines whether the print button has been pressed (S1). If the control unit 7 determines that the print button has not been pressed (S1; NO), it performs the determination again (S1). If the control unit 7 determines that the print button has been pressed (S1; YES), it determines whether the sheet type is coated paper (S2). Here, the control unit 7 performs the determination based on the sheet type that the user has previously entered into the operation unit 6 or a higher-level computer. If the control unit 7 determines that the sheet type is coated paper (S2; YES), it performs coated paper control (S3). That is, as shown in Figure 4(a), the control unit 7 outputs command values ​​(set values) to the first fan 403A and the second fan 403B at the same timing to repeat rotation and stopping.

[0054] In this embodiment, the control unit 7 performs coated paper control during the handling period T0. Here, the handling period T0 is the period from when the print button is pressed until, for example, the end of the image forming job. The control unit 7 continues coated paper control from the moment the print button is pressed until the end of printing in the image forming job. That is, the control unit 7 controls the first blowing unit 407A and the second blowing unit 407B to continue the air handling operation even after the sheet feeding unit 406 starts feeding the sheets loaded in the manual feed tray 401. This is preferable as a control method for sheets that tend to stick together, such as coated paper, where it is desirable to avoid contact between sheets as much as possible depending on conditions such as sheet size, temperature, and humidity. In this case, the air handling operation after the start of feeding can be performed by increasing or decreasing the airflow, or by maintaining the first rotation speed V1 to keep the airflow constant. Alternatively, the unit may be rotated at a rotation speed different from the first rotation speed V1. The process terminates when printing of all sheets in the image forming job is complete.

[0055] In this embodiment, the control unit 7 controls the first blowing unit 407A and the second blowing unit 407B to continue the air venting operation even after the sheet feeding unit 406 has started feeding the sheets loaded on the manual feed tray 401, but it is not limited to this. The control unit 7 may also stop the air venting operation even after the sheet feeding unit 406 has started feeding the sheets loaded on the manual feed tray 401. In this case, if the sheets are not significantly stuck together, the feeding can be stabilized.

[0056] If the control unit 7 determines that the sheet type is not coated paper (S2; NO), it executes plain paper control (S4). That is, based on pre-set conditions, the control unit 7 either does not perform airflow control, or if it does, it performs airflow control with a constant airflow rate. In this case, for example, the first rotation speed V1 may be maintained and the airflow rate set to a constant amount, or the rotation speed may be set to a different rotation speed from the first rotation speed V1. When printing of all sheets in the image forming job is completed, the process is terminated.

[0057] As described above, according to this embodiment, in coated paper control, the control unit 7 controls the first fan 403A and the second fan 403B so that the airflow rate of the air blown out from the first outlet 402Aa and the second outlet 402Ba increases and decreases multiple times during the handling period T0. When a sheet bundle is placed on the manual feed tray 401, air is intermittently blown onto the sheet bundle, causing several of the upper sheets to repeatedly float up and fall. As a result, air is blown again onto the upper sheets of the sheet bundle that have floated up and are no longer receiving air, improving separation and effectively preventing transport defects such as double feeding. Therefore, the performance of the air handling operation on the sheets can be improved.

[0058] In the embodiment described above, the control unit 7 was described as starting to feed the sheets at an appropriate timing while increasing or decreasing the blowing amount in coated paper control, but it is not limited to this. For example, as shown in Figure 4(b), the first fan 403A and the second fan 403B may be driven at all times from a predetermined time before the start of sheet feeding until the start of feeding. In this case, the upper sheets of the sheet bundle remain floating even after feeding has started, so the feeding performance can be made more stable.

[0059] <Second Embodiment> Next, a second embodiment will be described using Figures 6 to 9. This embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that the airflow is increased or decreased by opening and closing a shutter rather than by the operation of the first fan 403A and the second fan 403B. However, the other components are the same as in the first embodiment, so the same reference numerals are used and detailed explanations are omitted.

[0060] In the first embodiment, the airflow velocity blown onto the sheet bundle is changed by controlling the first fan 403A and the second fan 403B. Therefore, as shown in Figure 4(a), even if on / off values ​​are input as set values ​​for the first fan 403A and the second fan 403B, the actual amount of air blown out increases and decreases gradually due to the acceleration and deceleration of the fan rotation. Therefore, when the fans are switched on and off at high speed, the difference between the increase and decrease in the amount of air blown out becomes significantly smaller than the set value, and it may become impossible to obtain the desired air handling effect. Thus, the second embodiment provides a configuration suitable for application to high-speed machines in which the fans are switched on and off at high speed.

[0061] Figures 6 to 8 show the first discharge unit 507A and the second discharge unit 507B of the manual feed unit 500 in this embodiment. Figure 6 is a perspective view showing the first discharge unit 507A and the second discharge unit 507B, Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view showing the state when cut along line AA in Figure 6, and Figure 8 is a block diagram showing the control system in the manual feed unit 500.

[0062] As shown in Figures 6 to 8, the first discharge unit 507A is an example of a discharge unit and includes a first fan 403A, a first duct 402Ab, a first outlet 402Aa, a first shutter 508A, and a first solenoid 509A. The first shutter 508A is an example of a restricting part and is displaced between an open state that allows air to flow through the first duct 402Ab (dotted line in Figure 7) and a closed state that restricts air flow through the first duct 402Ab (solid line in Figure 7). In this embodiment, the first shutter 508A closes the first duct 402Ab and blocks the airflow when in the closed state.

[0063] In this embodiment, the case in which the first shutter 508A closes and blocks the first duct 402Ab is described, but it is not limited to this. For example, the first shutter 508A may not block the first duct 402Ab, but rather operate to restrict the flow rate. Even with such control, the flow rate discharged from the outlet can be increased or decreased.

[0064] The first solenoid 509A is an example of a drive unit and opens and closes by displacing the first shutter 508A between an open state and a closed state. The control unit 7 controls the first solenoid 509A so that the first shutter 508A can be opened and closed at any timing. A sealing member is attached to the tip of the first shutter 508A in the direction away from the center of rotation. The sealing member contacts the inner surface of the first duct 402Ab when the first shutter 508A is in the closed state, thereby blocking the airflow path f1. Similarly, the second discharge unit 507B includes a second fan 403B, a second duct 402Bb, a second outlet 402Ba, a second shutter 508B (see Figure 8), and a second solenoid 509B.

[0065] As shown in Figure 7, the air blown out from the first fan 403A is introduced into the first duct 402Ab along the flow path f1. Below the first side regulating plate 402A, the first shutter 508A is rotatably supported so as to be displaced in the D4 direction between an open state (dotted line) and a closed state (solid line) within the first duct 402Ab.

[0066] As shown in Figure 9(a), in the coated paper control of this embodiment, the control unit 7 causes the first fan 403A and the second fan 403B to rotate continuously at, for example, a first rotational speed V1 from the time the print button is pressed. The control unit 7 then switches the first shutter 508A and the second shutter 508B between the open and closed states, thereby increasing or decreasing the airflow from the first outlet 402Aa and the second outlet 402Ba multiple times. That is, during the handling period T0, the control unit 7 opens and closes the first shutter 508A and the second shutter 508B using the first solenoid 509A and the second solenoid 509B while the first fan 403A and the second fan 403B are driven. This increases or decreases the airflow from the first outlet 402Aa and the second outlet 402Ba.

[0067] On the other hand, in plain paper control, the first shutter 508A and the second shutter 508B may be kept open at all times to continue blowing, or the first fan 403A and the second fan 403B may be stopped while feeding is started. In that case, the control is the same as in the first embodiment.

[0068] As described above, according to this embodiment, by switching the first shutter 508A and the second shutter 508B between an open state and a closed state, the airflow rate of the air blown out from the first outlet 402Aa and the second outlet 402Ba is increased or decreased multiple times. By using the first shutter 508A and the second shutter 508B in this way, the blowing and blocking of floating air can be performed immediately, so it can be handled in a shorter time compared to the first embodiment. Furthermore, in the configuration of the first embodiment, the airflow rate and static pressure increase gradually from the start of blowing, but in the configuration of the second embodiment, the airflow rate and static pressure are large from immediately after the start of blowing, so the handling performance can be further improved.

[0069] In the above-described embodiment, the control unit 7 was described as starting the feeding of sheets at an appropriate timing while increasing or decreasing the blowing amount in coated paper control, but it is not limited to this. For example, as shown in Figure 9(b), the first shutter 508A and the second shutter 508B may be kept open from a predetermined time before the start of sheet feeding until the start of feeding. In this case, the upper sheets of the sheet bundle remain floating even after feeding has started, so the feeding performance can be made more stable.

[0070] <Third Embodiment> Next, a third embodiment will be described using Figure 10. This embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that the increase or decrease in airflow is achieved by adjusting the airflow rather than by turning the first fan 403A and the second fan 403B on and off. However, the other components are the same as in the first embodiment, so the same reference numerals are used and detailed explanations are omitted.

[0071] In the first embodiment, the airflow performance was improved by stopping the air blown onto the sheet from the first fan 403A and the second fan 403B, but the airflow performance can also be improved by changing the wind speed. Figure 10 shows the control of the first fan 403A and the second fan 403B in the third embodiment. The control unit 7 controls the first fan 403A and the second fan 403B to alternately repeat two set values ​​of rotational speed, a first rotational speed V1 and a second rotational speed V2. The first rotational speed V1 corresponds to the first airflow rate, and the second rotational speed V2 corresponds to a second airflow rate that is smaller than the first airflow rate. That is, during the airflow period T0, the control unit 7 increases or decreases the airflow rate blown out from the first outlet 402Aa and the second outlet 402Ba by switching the airflow rates of the first fan 403A and the second fan 403B between the first airflow rate and the second airflow rate and continuously blowing air.

[0072] The control unit 7 repeatedly increases or decreases the airflow rate of the air blown out from the first outlet 402Aa and the second outlet 402Ba between a first airflow rate greater than the airflow rate required to levitate at least one of the sheets loaded on the manual feed tray 401, and a second airflow rate smaller than the first airflow rate. The first airflow rate is the airflow rate when driven at a first rotational speed V1, and the second airflow rate is the airflow rate when driven at a second rotational speed V2. The second rotational speed V2 is set to a rotational speed smaller than the levitation rotational speed V0, which is the minimum rotational speed required for levitation. It is desirable that the second rotational speed V2 is such that the air velocity at the first outlet 402Aa and the second outlet 402Ba is less than or equal to that at the first rotational speed V1.

[0073] As described above, according to this embodiment, by changing the airflow velocity blown onto the sheet from the first fan 403A and the second fan 403B, the amount of air blown out from the first outlet 402Aa and the second outlet 402Ba is increased or decreased multiple times. As a result, air is blown again onto the sheets above the sheet bundle that have floated up and are no longer receiving air, improving separation and effectively preventing conveying defects such as double feeding. Therefore, the performance of the air handling operation on the sheet can be improved.

[0074] In the embodiment described above, the case where there are two rotation speed settings was explained, but it is not limited to this and there may be three or more. In this case, there must be at least one rotation speed greater than the floating rotation speed V0 and at least one rotation speed less than the floating rotation speed V0. By performing such rotation speed control, the sheet bundle can be processed multiple times.

[0075] <Fourth Embodiment> Next, the fourth embodiment will be described using Figures 11(a) to 12(b). This embodiment differs from the second embodiment in that the timing of discharge from the first outlet 402Aa and the second outlet 402Ba is staggered rather than synchronized. However, the other components are the same as in the second embodiment, so the same reference numerals are used and detailed explanations are omitted. Although this description focuses on the application to the second embodiment which has a shutter configuration, it can also be applied to the first embodiment which does not have a shutter configuration, etc.

[0076] In the state shown in Figure 11(a), the second shutter 508B is closed and the first shutter 508A is open. On the other hand, in the state shown in Figure 11(b), the second shutter 508B is open and the first shutter 508A is closed. As shown in Figure 12(a), the first shutter 508A and the second shutter 508B are controlled so that their opening and closing phases are inverse. By controlling them in this way, the sheet moves up and down in a wave-like motion in the sheet width direction W, which further improves the handling performance.

[0077] As described above, according to this embodiment, the control unit 7 controls the first discharge unit 507A and the second discharge unit 507B so that the timing of the increase and decrease in the airflow volume of the air discharged from the first discharge outlet 402Aa and the second discharge outlet 402Ba is staggered. As a result, the sheet moves up and down in a wave-like motion in the sheet width direction W, which further improves the handling performance.

[0078] In the above-described embodiment, the timing of the increase and decrease in the airflow volume blown out from the first outlet 402Aa and the second outlet 402Ba is shifted by staggering the opening and closing timings of the first shutter 508A and the second shutter 508B. However, this is not the only way; for example, the timing of the increase and decrease in the airflow volume blown out from the first fan 403A and the second fan 403B may be shifted by staggering the timing of the increase and decrease in the airflow velocity blown out from the first outlet 402Aa and the second outlet 402Ba.

[0079] Furthermore, in the embodiment described above, the opening and closing timings of the first shutter 508A and the second shutter 508B are shifted to reverse each other, but this is not the only option. For example, as shown in Figure 12(b), the phase may be shifted by, for example, 1 / 4 of a second.

[0080] <Fifth Embodiment> Next, a fifth embodiment will be described using Figures 13(a) and (b). This embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that an independent fan is connected to each of the four outlets, and the timing of airflow from each outlet can be controlled independently. However, the other components are the same as in the first embodiment, so the same reference numerals are used and detailed explanations are omitted.

[0081] In this embodiment, the manual feed unit 600 includes a first discharge unit 607A, a second discharge unit 607B, a third discharge unit 607C, and a fourth discharge unit 607D. The first discharge unit 607A includes a first fan 403A for blowing air, a first duct (not shown), and a first outlet 402Aa that blows the air that has flowed through the first duct toward the end of the sheet in the sheet width direction W of the sheet loaded on the manual feed tray 401. The second discharge unit 607B includes a second fan 403B for blowing air, a second duct (not shown), and a second outlet 402Ba that blows the air that has flowed through the second duct toward the end of the sheet in the sheet width direction W of the sheet loaded on the manual feed tray 401. The third discharge unit 607C includes a third fan 403C for blowing air, a third duct (not shown), and a third outlet 402Ca for blowing air that has flowed through the third duct toward the end of the sheet in the sheet width direction W of the sheet loaded on the manual feed tray 401. The fourth discharge unit 607D includes a fourth fan 403D for blowing air, a fourth duct (not shown), and a fourth outlet 402Da for blowing air that has flowed through the fourth duct toward the end of the sheet in the sheet width direction W of the sheet loaded on the manual feed tray 401.

[0082] In this embodiment, the first outlet 402Aa and the third outlet 402Ca are located on the first side restrictor plate 402A, and the second outlet 402Ba and the fourth outlet 402Da are located on the second side restrictor plate 402B. Furthermore, the first outlet 402Aa is located downstream of the third outlet 402Ca in the supply direction D1, and the second outlet 402Ba is located upstream of the fourth outlet 402Da in the supply direction D1. During the handling period T0, the control unit 7 controls the first discharge unit 607A and the second discharge unit 607B so that the airflow rate from the first outlet 402Aa and the second outlet 402Ba increases and decreases multiple times, respectively. Similarly, during the handling period T0, the control unit 7 controls the third discharge unit 607C and the fourth discharge unit 607D so that the airflow volume of the air blown out from the third discharge outlet 402Ca and the fourth discharge outlet 402Da increases and decreases multiple times.

[0083] In this embodiment, the control unit 7 controls the first discharge unit 607A, the second discharge unit 607B, the third discharge unit 607C, and the fourth discharge unit 607D as follows. First, the control unit 7 controls the timing of the increase and decrease in the airflow rate blown out from the first discharge port 402Aa to coincide with the timing of the increase and decrease in the airflow rate blown out from the second discharge port 402Ba. The control unit 7 also controls the timing of the increase and decrease in the airflow rate blown out from the third discharge port 402Ca to coincide with the timing of the increase and decrease in the airflow rate blown out from the fourth discharge port 402Da. Furthermore, the control unit 7 controls the timing of the increase and decrease in the airflow rate blown out from the first discharge port 402Aa and the second discharge port 402Ba to be offset from the timing of the increase and decrease in the airflow rate blown out from the third discharge port 402Ca and the fourth discharge port 402Da. The shift here could be, for example, by inverting the phase, or by shifting the phase by 1 / 4. Alternatively, the timing of air being blown out from all four outlets could be shifted, or they could all be synchronized.

[0084] As described above, according to this embodiment, by alternately blowing air onto the sheet S from air nozzles arranged diagonally across the manual feed tray 401, the sheet behaves in three dimensions, thereby improving handling performance. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0085] 1...Main unit, 5...Image forming apparatus, 7...Control unit, 100...Feeding deck (sheet feeding device), 100B...Sheet feeding unit (feeding section), 101...Loading plate (loading section), 102...Side regulating plate (first side end guide, second side end guide), 120...Image forming section, 400, 500, 600...Manual feed feeding section (sheet feeding device), 401...Manual feed tray (loading section), 401S...Loading surface, 402A...First side regulating plate (first side end guide), 402Aa...First air outlet, 402Ab...First duct (duct), 402AS...First regulating surface, 402B...Second side regulating plate (second side end guide), 402BS...Second regulating surface, 402Ba ...Second air outlet, 402Bb...Second duct, 403A...First fan, 403B...Second fan, 403C...Third fan, 402Ca...Third air outlet, 402Cb...Third duct, 403D...Fourth fan, 402Da...Fourth air outlet, 402Db...Fourth duct, 406...Sheet supply unit (supply section), 407A, 507A, 607A...First discharge unit (discharge unit), 407B, 507B, 607B...Second discharge unit, 508A...First shutter (regulating section), 607C...Third discharge unit, 607D...Fourth discharge unit, V1...First rotation speed (first airflow rate), V2...Second rotation speed (second airflow rate)

Claims

1. The loading section where the sheets are loaded, A feeding unit that feeds the sheets loaded in the loading unit in the feeding direction, A first side end guide has a first regulating surface that faces the sheet width direction perpendicular to the feeding direction of the sheet loaded in the loading section, and regulates the position of the sheet loaded in the loading section, A second side end guide has a second regulating surface that faces the first regulating surface and faces the width direction of the sheet loaded in the loading section, and regulates the position of the sheet loaded in the loading section, A blowing unit having a fan for blowing air, a duct through which the air blown from the fan flows, and an outlet positioned in the first side end guide and blowing the air that has flowed through the duct toward the end of the sheet in the sheet width direction of the sheet loaded in the loading section, The system includes a control unit that performs an air handling operation by blowing air onto the sheets using the blowing unit before the feeding unit starts feeding the sheets loaded on the loading unit, The control unit controls the air outlet unit so that the airflow rate blown out from the outlet increases or decreases multiple times during the period in which the air handling operation is performed. A sheet feeding device characterized by the following features.

2. The control unit increases or decreases the amount of air blown out from the outlet by turning the fan on and off during the period in which the air handling operation is performed. The sheet feeding device according to feature 1.

3. The discharge unit has a restricting part that can be displaced between an open state that allows air to flow in the duct and a closed state that restricts air to flow in the duct, and a drive part that opens and closes the restricting part. During the period in which the air handling operation is performed, the control unit increases or decreases the amount of air blown out from the outlet by opening and closing the restricting unit with the drive unit while the fan is driven. The sheet feeding device according to feature 1.

4. The regulating part closes the duct in the closed state. The sheet feeding device according to feature 3.

5. During the period in which the air handling operation is performed, the control unit increases or decreases the amount of air blown out from the outlet by continuously switching the airflow rate of the fan between a first airflow rate and a second airflow rate smaller than the first airflow rate. The sheet feeding device according to feature 1.

6. The control unit increases or decreases the airflow rate blown out from the outlet multiple times between a first airflow rate greater than the airflow rate required to lift at least one of the sheets loaded in the loading section, and a second airflow rate less than the first airflow rate. The sheet feeding device according to feature 1.

7. The control unit controls the blowing unit so that the air venting operation continues even after the feeding unit has started feeding the sheets loaded in the loading unit. The sheet feeding device according to feature 1.

8. The fan is the first fan, the duct is the first duct, the outlet is the first outlet, and the discharge unit is the first discharge unit. The second discharge unit comprises a second fan for blowing air, a second duct through which the air blown from the second fan flows, and a second outlet positioned in the second side end guide, which blows the air that has flowed through the second duct toward the end of the sheet loaded in the sheet width direction on the loading section. The control unit controls the second discharge unit so that the airflow rate of the air blown out from the second outlet increases or decreases multiple times during the period in which the air dissipation operation is performed. The sheet feeding device according to feature 1.

9. The control unit controls the first and second air outlet units such that the timing of the increase or decrease in the airflow volume blown out from the first air outlet and the timing of the increase or decrease in the airflow volume blown out from the second air outlet are staggered. The sheet feeding device according to feature 8.

10. A third discharge unit having a third fan for blowing air, a third duct through which the air blown from the third fan flows, and a third outlet positioned in the first side end guide and blowing the air that has flowed through the third duct toward the end of the sheet in the sheet width direction of the sheet loaded in the loading section, The fourth discharge unit comprises a fourth fan for blowing air, a fourth duct through which the air blown from the fourth fan flows, and a fourth outlet positioned in the second side end guide, which blows the air that has flowed through the fourth duct toward the end of the sheet loaded in the sheet width direction on the loading section. The control unit controls the third discharge unit so that the airflow rate blown out from the third discharge unit increases or decreases multiple times during the period in which the airflow operation is performed, and controls the fourth discharge unit so that the airflow rate blown out from the fourth discharge unit increases or decreases multiple times. The sheet feeding device according to feature 8.

11. The control unit controls the first, second, third, and fourth air outlet units so that the timing of the increase or decrease in the airflow rate blown out from the first air outlet coincides with the timing of the increase or decrease in the airflow rate blown out from the second air outlet, and the timing of the increase or decrease in the airflow rate blown out from the third air outlet coincides with the timing of the increase or decrease in the airflow rate blown out from the fourth air outlet. The sheet feeding device according to feature 10.

12. The first outlet is located downstream of the third outlet in the supply direction. The second outlet is located upstream of the fourth outlet in the supply direction. The sheet feeding device according to feature 10.

13. The aforementioned loading section has a loading surface on which sheets are loaded, The fan is positioned so as to overlap with the loading surface when viewed from a direction perpendicular to the loading surface. The duct is arranged to pass inside the first side end guide, The sheet feeding device according to feature 1.

14. The aforementioned loading section is a manually operated tray that can be opened and closed relative to the main body of the device, and in the open state, sheets are loaded onto it. The sheet feeding device according to feature 1.

15. The loading section where the sheets are loaded, A feeding unit that feeds the sheets loaded in the loading unit in the feeding direction, A first side end guide has a first regulating surface that faces the sheet width direction perpendicular to the feeding direction of the sheet loaded in the loading section, and regulates the position of the sheet loaded in the loading section, A second side end guide has a second regulating surface that faces the first regulating surface and faces the width direction of the sheet loaded in the loading section, and regulates the position of the sheet loaded in the loading section, A blowing unit having a fan for blowing air, a duct through which the air blown from the fan flows, and an outlet positioned in the first side end guide and blowing the air that has flowed through the duct toward the end of the sheet in the sheet width direction of the sheet loaded in the loading section, The system includes a control unit that performs an air handling operation by blowing air onto the sheets using the blowing unit before the feeding unit starts feeding the sheets loaded on the loading unit, The control unit controls the blowing unit to blow air out of the outlet multiple times during the period in which the air handling operation is performed. A sheet feeding device characterized by the following features.

16. A sheet feeding device according to any one of claims 1 to 15, It comprises an image forming unit that forms an image on a sheet, An image forming apparatus characterized by the following features.

Images