Sheet feeding device and image forming apparatus

Abstract

To provide a sheet feeder capable of reducing conveyance resistance of a sheet conveyed through a curved conveying path, and to provide an image forming apparatus provided therewith.SOLUTION: The sheet feeder comprises: a sheet support part for supporting a sheet; a feed rotation body for feeding the sheet supported by the sheet support part; a curved conveying path curved upward, through which the sheet fed by the feed rotation body passes; an upper conveying path merging with the curved conveying path, that is arranged above the sheet support part and arranged so as to allow the sheet to pass; and a driven rotation body for being driven and rotated with respect to the sheet passing through the curved conveying path, that is arranged inward in a curvature direction of the curved conveying path.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a sheet feeding device that feeds sheets and an image forming apparatus including the same. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, an image forming apparatus has been proposed that forms a toner image on a sheet fed from a feeding cassette (see Patent Document 1). This image forming apparatus has a manual feeding section that manually feeds a sheet, and the sheet fed from the manual feeding section passes through a conveying path disposed above the feeding cassette and merges with the conveying path through which the sheet fed from the cassette feeding section passes. The sheet is then conveyed upward by a separation nip section formed by a feed roller and a retard roller. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2016-222439 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In the image forming apparatus described in Patent Document 1, the sheet held by the separation nip is conveyed along a curved conveying path that curves upward. However, when conveying a sheet such as a stiff cardboard, for example, the conveying resistance increases when the sheet passes through the curved conveying path.

[0005] SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT DISCLOSURE In view of the above, an object of the present invention is to provide a sheet feeding device capable of reducing the conveying resistance of a sheet conveyed along a curved conveying path, and an image forming apparatus including the same. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The present invention relates to a sheet feeding device, the sheet feeding device including: a sheet support portion that supports a sheet; a feeding rotor that feeds the sheet supported by the sheet support portion; a conveying rotor that conveys the sheet fed by the feeding rotor; a curved conveying path through which the sheet fed by the feeding rotor passes and which curves upward; an upper conveying path which is disposed above the sheet support portion and through which the sheet can pass and which merges with the curved conveying path; and a conveying path which is disposed inside the curved conveying path in the curvature direction and which rotates in a driven manner relative to the sheet passing through the curved conveying path. No. 1 A driven rotor; a first shaft supporting the first driven rotor, a second driven rotor arranged on the opposite side of the first driven rotor in the rotation axis direction of the feeding rotor with the conveying rotor therebetween and rotates in a driven manner relative to a sheet passing through the curved conveying path, and a second shaft supporting the second driven rotor and separate from the first shaft and arranged at a position away from the first shaft in the rotation axis direction, wherein each of the first driven rotor and the second driven rotor is arranged at a position away from the conveying rotor in the rotation axis direction, and the first shaft and the second shaft are provided so that the first driven rotor and the second driven rotor are arranged coaxially with the conveying rotor. It is characterized by: Effect of the Invention

[0008] According to the present invention, the conveying resistance of the sheet can be reduced. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] 1 is an overall schematic view showing a printer according to a first embodiment. [Diagram 2] FIG. [Diagram 3] FIG. 4 is a side view showing a state in which a sheet is fed from a feeding cassette. [Figure 4] FIG. 11 is a side view showing a state in which a sheet is fed from a manual feed path. [Diagram 5] 11A and 11B are diagrams illustrating how deformation of a sheet passing through a curved conveying path is corrected. [Figure 6] FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing a sheet feeding device according to a second embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 4 is a side view showing a state in which a sheet is fed from a feeding cassette. [Figure 8] FIG. 11 is a side view showing a state in which a sheet is fed from a manual feed path. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0010] <First embodiment> [Overall structure] First, a first embodiment of the present invention will be described. A printer 100 as an image forming apparatus is an electrophotographic full-color laser beam printer. As shown in Fig. 1, the printer 100 has an image forming section 110 that forms an image on a sheet S, a sheet feeding device 200, and a fixing device 400. The image forming section 110 has four process cartridges 10Y, 10M, 10C, and 10K that form toner images of four colors, yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C), and black (K), respectively, and a laser scanner 11.

[0011] The four process cartridges 10Y, 10M, 10C, and 10K have the same configuration except that they form different colors of images. Therefore, only the configuration and image forming process of the process cartridge 10Y will be described, and descriptions of the process cartridges 10M, 10C, and 10K will be omitted.

[0012] The process cartridge 10Y has a photosensitive drum 12, a charging roller 13, and a developing roller 14. The photosensitive drum 12 is formed by coating an organic photoconductive layer on the outer periphery of an aluminum cylinder, and is rotated by a drive motor (not shown). A photosensitive belt may be used instead of the photosensitive drum 12. The image forming unit 110 is provided with an intermediate transfer belt 201 wound around a drive roller 202, a tension roller 205, etc., and the intermediate transfer belt 201 is rotated clockwise in the figure by the drive roller 202. Primary transfer rollers 15Y, 15M, 15C, and 15K are provided inside the intermediate transfer belt 201.

[0013] The fixing device 400 has a fixing film 401 heated by a heater, and a pressure roller 402 that is in pressure contact with the fixing film 401. The sheet feeding device 200 is provided at the bottom of the printer 100, and has a feeding cassette 300 as a drawer section that can be drawn out and attached to the printer main body 100A as the device main body. The sheet feeding device 200 also has a manual feed port 330 through which a sheet is manually inserted.

[0014] Next, a description will be given of an image forming operation of the printer 100 configured as above. When an image signal is input to the laser scanner 11 from a personal computer (not shown) or the like, the laser scanner 11 irradiates a laser beam corresponding to the image signal onto the photosensitive drum 12 of the process cartridge 10Y.

[0015] At this time, the surface of the photosensitive drum 12 is uniformly charged to a predetermined polarity and potential by the charging roller 13, and an electrostatic latent image is formed on the surface by irradiating it with laser light from the laser scanner 11. The electrostatic latent image formed on the photosensitive drum 12 is developed by the developing roller 14, and a yellow (Y) toner image is formed on the photosensitive drum 12.

[0016] Similarly, the laser scanner 11 irradiates the photosensitive drums of the process cartridges 10M, 10C, and 10K with laser light, and magenta (M), cyan (C), and black (K) toner images are formed on the photosensitive drums. The toner images of each color formed on the photosensitive drums are transferred to the intermediate transfer belt 201 by the primary transfer rollers 15Y, 15M, 15C, and 15K, and are transported to the secondary transfer roller 203 by the intermediate transfer belt 201 rotated by the drive roller 202.

[0017] The image forming process for each color is performed at a timing to overlap with an upstream toner image that has been primarily transferred onto the intermediate transfer belt 201. After the toner image for each color is transferred onto the intermediate transfer belt 201, the toner remaining on the surface of the photosensitive drum 12 is removed by a cleaning device (not shown).

[0018] In parallel with this image forming process, the sheet S stored in the feeding cassette 300 of the sheet feeding device 200 or the sheet supplied from the manual feeding port 330 is conveyed toward the nip N2 of the conveying roller pair 321, 322. The conveying roller pair 321, 322 may be composed of a registration roller pair that corrects the skew of the sheet and conveys the sheet at a predetermined conveying timing in accordance with the image forming process. Also, a registration shutter that corrects the skew of the sheet by hitting the leading edge of the sheet may be provided upstream of the nip N2 of the conveying roller pair 321, 322 in the sheet conveying direction.

[0019] The full-color toner image on the intermediate transfer belt 201 is transferred onto the sheet S conveyed by the conveying roller pair 321, 322 by a secondary transfer bias applied to the secondary transfer roller 203. The sheet S onto which the toner image has been transferred is applied with a predetermined heat and pressure by a fixing film 401 and a pressure roller 402 of the fixing device 400, so that the toner is melted and fixed (fixed). The sheet S that has passed through the fixing device 400 is discharged onto a discharge tray 404 by a discharge roller pair 403.

[0020] [Sheet Feeding Device] 1 and 2, the configuration of the sheet feeding device 200 will be described in detail. In the following description, a sheet accommodated in the feeding cassette 300 is referred to as a sheet S1, and a sheet inserted from the manual feeding port 330 is referred to as a sheet S2.

[0021] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the sheet feeding device 200 includes a feeding cassette 300, a pickup roller 311, a swing arm 311a that swingably supports the pickup roller 311, a feed roller 312, and a separation roller 313.

[0022] The feeding cassette 300 has a cassette frame 301 that stores the sheets S1, a sheet stacking plate 302 that is rotatably supported on the cassette frame 301 about a rotation shaft 302a, and a lift arm 303 for rotating the sheet stacking plate 302. The feeding cassette 300 is inserted into the printer body 100A from the front side of the printer 100.

[0023] Sheets S1 inserted into the cassette frame 301 by a user are stacked on a sheet stacking plate 302 serving as a sheet support section, and the sheet stacking plate 302 moves up and down about a pivot shaft 302a as a result of a lift arm 303 driven by a drive source (not shown) swinging. When a print job is started, the lift arm 303 is controlled so that the topmost sheet S1 stacked on the sheet stacking plate 302 is kept at a predetermined height.

[0024] Feed roller 312 as a conveying rotor is fixed to one end of feed roller shaft 314 driven by a feed motor (not shown). Swing arm 311a is swingably supported on feed roller shaft 314, and pickup roller 311 is rotatably supported at the tip of swing arm 311a. Swing arm 311a is provided with a drive train (not shown) that transmits the rotation of feed roller shaft 314 to pickup roller 311.

[0025] Pickup roller 311 as a feeding rotor can be raised and lowered by swing arm 311a between a contact position where it contacts the uppermost sheet S1 on sheet stacking plate 302 and a separation position where it is separated from sheet S1. Pickup roller 311 rotates while positioned at the contact position to transport sheet S1 toward curved transport path CP1 that curves upward, as shown in Fig. 3. Curved transport path CP1 as a first transport path is formed by sheet guide 318 that curves upward toward the downstream in the sheet transport direction. Sheet guide 318 as a curved guide member contacts the lower surface of the sheet and guides the sheet upward.

[0026] The separation roller 313 forms a separation nip N1 together with the feed roller 312, and the sheets S1 fed from the feed cassette 300 by the pickup roller 311 are separated one by one in the separation nip N1 serving as a separation section.

[0027] A torque limiter (not shown) is attached to the separation roller 313, so that when two or more sheets enter the separation nip, the separation roller 313 does not rotate, and when one sheet enters the separation nip, the separation roller 313 rotates following the feed roller 312. Note that a so-called retard roller system may be adopted in which a rotation drive in the opposite direction to the sheet feeding direction is input to the separation roller 313. Also, a configuration may be adopted in which the sheets can be separated one by one on the curved conveying path CP1 by a separation pad or a separation slope.

[0028] On the other hand, sheet S2 (see FIG. 4) manually inserted from manual feed port 330 is guided along manual feed path CP2 formed by manual upper guide 331 as a first guide member and manual lower guide 332 as a second guide member. Manual feed path CP2 as an upper conveyance path and a second conveyance path is disposed above feeding cassette 300 and is provided so that sheet S2 can pass through. Manual feed path CP2 is provided with manual feed roller pairs 333, 334, and 335, and sheet S2 is conveyed by these manual feed roller pairs 333, 334, and 335. Manual feed path CP2 merges with curved conveyance path CP1, and sheet S2 passes through manual feed path CP2 and curved conveyance path CP1 and is conveyed toward secondary transfer roller 203 by nip N2 of conveyance roller pairs 321 and 322.

[0029] 4, when sheet S2 is manually fed from manual feed port 330, pickup roller 311 is located at a distanced position away from sheet S1 and does not obstruct sheet S2 passing through manual feed path CP2. That is, sheet S2 conveyed through manual feed path CP2 passes between pickup roller 311 located at the distanced position and sheet S1 supported by sheet stacking plate 302.

[0030] 1, the separation roller 313 is supported by a separation arm 313a so as to be able to swing, and during manual feeding, the separation roller 313 is separated from the feed roller 312. Therefore, the sheet S2 is conveyed toward the nip N2 of the conveying roller pair 321, 322 without being nipped by the feed roller 312 and the separation roller 313.

[0031] [Conveyor roller] Here, the conveying rollers 315 and 316, which are the main part of the present invention, will be described. As shown in FIG. 2, the conveying roller 315 as a driven rotor and a first driven rotor is rotatably supported on the feed roller shaft 314. A shaft 317 is provided coaxially with the feed roller shaft 314 and on the opposite side of the feed roller shaft 314 in the axial direction AD of the pickup roller 311 across the feed roller 312. A conveying roller 316 as a second driven rotor is rotatably supported on the shaft 317. That is, the feed roller 312 and the conveying rollers 315 and 316 are arranged on the same axis. The conveying rollers 315 and 316 are immovable in the axial direction AD as the rotation axis direction, for example, by an E-ring or a surrounding guide member.

[0032] The conveying rollers 315 and 316 are disposed approximately symmetrically with respect to the feed roller 312 in the axial direction AD, and are disposed on the inner side in the curved direction of the curved conveying path CP1. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 5, the outer diameter D1 of the conveying rollers 315 and 316 is set to be smaller than the outer diameter D2 of the feed roller 312.

[0033] 3, when the sheet S1 is fed from the feeding cassette 300, the sheet S1 is guided upward while being bent along the sheet guide 318. At this time, the upper surface side of the sheet S1 passing through the curved conveying path CP1 comes into contact with the feed roller 312 and the conveying rollers 315 and 316.

[0034] The conveying rollers 315 and 316 are rotatably supported by the feed roller shaft 314 and shaft 317, respectively, and thus rotate following the conveyed sheet S1. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the conveying resistance of the sheet S1 conveyed along the curved conveying path CP1, as compared to, for example, a case in which the upper surface side of the sheet S1 is in sliding contact with a fixed guide member. Therefore, for example, it is possible to reduce the size and cost of the feed motor that drives the feed roller shaft 314.

[0035] 4, during manual feeding, sheet S2 is conveyed along manual feed path CP2. Manual feed path CP2 is inclined downward toward the downstream in the sheet conveying direction, and sheet S2 that has passed manual feed path CP2 is guided upward while being bent along sheet guide 318. At this time, sheet S2 is bent with a smaller radius of curvature than sheet S1 fed from feeding cassette 300 because manual feed path CP2 is inclined downward, and there is a risk of a larger conveying resistance being generated.

[0036] For example, in a configuration without the conveying rollers 315 and 316, the conveyed sheet S2 is largely deformed into a V-shape with the contact point with the feed roller 312 as the lowest point. In this way, the sheet S2 deformed in the sheet thickness direction as viewed in the sheet conveying direction is less likely to deform in the sheet thickness direction as viewed in the axial direction. That is, the sheet S2 deformed into a V-shape is less likely to be guided upward by the sheet guide 318, and there is a risk of a large conveying resistance being generated. In addition, the lowest point of the sheet S2 deformed into a V-shape locally comes into contact with the sheet guide 318, and there is a risk of damage being generated at the leading edge of the sheet S2.

[0037] However, as shown in FIG. 5, the sheet S2 passing through the curved conveying path CP1 comes into contact with the conveying rollers 315 and 316 arranged on both outer sides of the feed roller 312 in the axial direction AD. Since the outer diameter D1 of the conveying rollers 315 and 316 is set smaller than the outer diameter D2 of the feed roller 312, the sheet S2 is deformed gently into a V-shape with the contact point with the feed roller 312 as the lowest point, and the V-shape deformation of the sheet S2 is corrected. Therefore, the sheet S2 is easily bent upward along the sheet guide 318 starting from the conveying rollers 315 and 316, and the conveying resistance of the sheet S2 can be reduced. In addition, the leading edge of the sheet S2 does not come into local contact with the sheet guide 318, and damage to the sheet S2 can be reduced.

[0038] The above-described configuration provides the following advantages. In this embodiment, the pickup roller 311 and the feed roller 312 are configured to be relatively short in the axial direction AD compared to the width of the conveying path in order to reduce costs. In addition, the radius of curvature of the curved conveying path CP1 is reduced in response to the demand for a more compact printer 100.

[0039] As a result, particularly for sheets with high stiffness such as cardboard, the resistance to conveyance tends to be high when passing through the curved conveyance path CP1. However, since the upper surfaces of the sheets S1 and S2 passing through the curved conveyance path CP1 come into contact with not only the feed roller 312 but also the conveyance rollers 315 and 316, it is possible to effectively reduce the resistance to conveyance of the sheets while reducing costs and downsizing the printer 1. In addition, it is possible to prevent the leading edge of the sheet S2 from locally coming into contact with the sheet guide 318, thereby reducing damage to the sheet S2.

[0040] <Second embodiment> Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described, which is configured by providing movable members 385, 386 in addition to the configuration of the first embodiment. Therefore, configurations similar to those of the first embodiment will be described by omitting illustrations or by assigning the same reference numerals in the drawings.

[0041] [Sheet Feeding Device] As shown in Fig. 6, the sheet feeding device 200B according to the second embodiment has conveying rollers 365 and 366. The conveying roller 365 as a driven rotor and a first driven rotor is rotatably supported on the feed roller shaft 314. Also, the conveying roller 366 as a second driven rotor is rotatably supported on the shaft 317. That is, the feed roller 312 and the conveying rollers 365 and 366 are arranged coaxially. The conveying rollers 365 and 366 are immovable in the axial direction AD by, for example, an E-ring or a surrounding guide member.

[0042] The conveying rollers 365, 366 are disposed approximately symmetrically with respect to the feed roller 312 in the axial direction AD, and are disposed on the inside in the curved direction of the curved conveying path CP1. Furthermore, the outer diameter D1 of the conveying rollers 365, 366 is set to be equal to the outer diameter (D1) of the conveying rollers 315, 316 in the first embodiment, and smaller than the outer diameter D2 of the feed roller 312.

[0043] As in the first embodiment, the upper surfaces of the sheets S1 and S2 passing through the curved transport path CP1 contact not only the feed roller 312 but also the transport rollers 365 and 366, so that the transport resistance of the sheets can be reduced.

[0044] The conveying roller 365 is provided with an abutment boss 365b that is formed integrally with the conveying roller 365 and has an outer diameter D3 (see FIG. 7) that is smaller than the outer diameter D1. Similarly, the conveying roller 366 is provided with an abutment boss 365b that is formed integrally with the conveying roller 366 and has an outer diameter D3.

[0045] [Movable parts] 6 and 7, movable members 385 and 386 serving as connection guides are supported rotatably about rotation shafts 385a and 386a, respectively, in the manual-feed lower guide 332. The movable member 386 is disposed on the opposite side to the movable member 385 in the axial direction AD across the feed roller 312. The movable members 385 and 386 extend downstream of the upstream end 318a of the sheet guide 318 in the sheet conveying direction.

[0046] These movable members 385, 386 are provided so as to be movable between a retracted position shown in Fig. 7 and a protruding position shown in Fig. 8. Below the movable members 385, 386, pressing members 387, 388 are disposed which press the movable members 385, 386 from below, respectively, and the movable members 385, 386 are biased to the retracted positions by the pressing members 387, 388 which serve as biasing sections.

[0047] The movable members 385, 386 are biased upward by the pressing members 387, 388, and positioned at the retracted position by their tips abutting against the abutment bosses 365b, 366b, respectively. The movable members 385, 386 are retracted upward from the curved conveying path CP1 at the retracted position, and protrude into the curved conveying path CP1 at the protruding position. In other words, the movable members 385, 386 are positioned so as not to overlap the curved conveying path CP1 at the retracted position, as viewed in the axial direction AD, and are positioned so as to overlap the curved conveying path CP1 at the protruding position.

[0048] During cassette feeding in which the sheet S1 is fed from the feeding cassette 300, the movable members 385 and 386 remain held at the retracted positions as shown in Fig. 7. The sheet S1 is guided upward by the sheet guide 318 without coming into contact with the movable members 385 and 386.

[0049] 8, during manual feeding, sheet S2 that has passed through manual feed path CP2 and merged with curved feed path CP1 presses movable members 385, 386 to the protruding positions against the biasing forces of pressing members 387, 388. As a result, movable members 385, 386 enter recessed portions 389 formed in sheet guide 318, and sheet S2 is smoothly guided to sheet guide 318 by movable members 385, 386 positioned at the protruding positions.

[0050] Here, it is preferable that the pressing members 387, 388 press the movable members 385, 386 with as little force as possible within a range in which the movable members 385, 386 can be urged upward. This makes it possible to press the movable members 385, 386 toward the protruding positions against the urging force of the pressing members 387, 388 even when a sheet with low rigidity, such as thin paper, is manually fed.

[0051] Furthermore, sheet S2 being conveyed along manual conveying path CP2 slides on movable members 385, 386 located at the retracted position, and its leading edge hits feed roller 312 and conveying rollers 365, 366. It is assumed that sheet S2 then operates to press movable members 385, 386 down to the protruding position. In this case, if the angle θ formed by the tangent to the outer circumferential surface of feed roller 312 at the contact point between sheet S2 and conveying rollers 365, 366 and the upper surfaces of movable members 385, 386 is large, there is a risk that damage will occur to the leading edge of sheet S2.

[0052] For this reason, in this embodiment, the tip ends of the movable members 385, 386 are abutted against the abutment bosses 365b, 366b, and the retracted positions of the movable members 385, 386 are set so that the angle θ does not become large. In other words, the abutment bosses 365b, 366b as positioning portions position the movable members 385, 386 located at the retracted positions so as to overlap the conveying rollers 365, 366, as viewed in the axial direction AD. The angle θ is preferably, for example, 80 degrees or less. And, since the movable members 385, 386 are accurately positioned at the appropriate retracted positions in this manner, damage to the tip end of the sheet S2 can be reduced.

[0053] <Other embodiments> In any of the above-described embodiments, the outer diameter D1 of the conveying rollers 315, 316, 365, and 366 is set to be smaller than the outer diameter D2 of the feed roller 312. However, this is not limited to this. For example, the outer diameter D1 of the conveying rollers 315, 316, 365, and 366 may be set to be equal to the outer diameter D2 of the feed roller 312.

[0054] In addition, in any of the above-described embodiments, the conveying rollers 315, 316, 365, and 366 are arranged coaxially with the feed roller 312, but this is not limiting. For example, the conveying rollers 315, 316, 365, and 366 may be supported on a shaft different from the feed roller shaft 314 and configured to rotate around a rotation axis different from that of the feed roller 312.

[0055] In addition, in any of the above-described embodiments, the pickup roller 311 is configured to rise and fall, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the uppermost sheet stacked on the sheet stacking plate 302 may be moved toward or away from the pickup roller 311 by the rise and fall of the sheet stacking plate 302. Also, instead of the pickup roller 311, the sheet may be fed by another rotating body such as a belt.

[0056] In addition, in any of the above-described embodiments, the printer 100 has the feeding cassette 300, but is not limited to this. For example, the printer may be configured such that the user directly sets the sheets in a sheet storage space provided inside the printer main body 100A without using the feeding cassette 300.

[0057] In addition, in each of the above-described embodiments, the electrophotographic printer 100 has been used for explanation, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the present invention can also be applied to an inkjet type image forming apparatus that forms an image on a sheet by ejecting ink liquid from a nozzle.

[0058] In the second embodiment, a pair of movable members 385 and 386 are provided, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the number of movable members may be one, or three or more. [Explanation of symbols]

[0059] 100: image forming apparatus (printer) / 110: image forming section / 200, 200B: sheet feeding device / 302: sheet support section (sheet stacking plate) / 311: feeding rotor (pickup roller) / 312: conveying rotor (feed roller) / 315: driven rotor, first driven rotor (conveying roller) / 316: second driven rotor / 318: curved guide member (sheet guide) / 318a: upstream end / 331: first guide member (Manual feed upper guide) / 332: Second guide member (Manual feed lower guide) / 365b, 366b: Positioning portion (butt boss) / 385, 386: Connection guide (movable member) / 387, 388: Pressing portion (pressing member) / AD: Rotation axis direction (axial direction) / CP1: Curved conveying path, first conveying path / CP2: Upper conveying path, second conveying path (Manual feed conveying path) / D1, D2: Outer diameter / N1: Separation portion (separation nip) / S1, S2: Sheet

Claims

1. A seat support portion that supports the seat; a feeding rotor that feeds the sheet supported by the sheet supporting portion; a conveying rotor that conveys the sheet fed by the feeding rotor; a curved conveying path through which the sheet fed by the feeding rotary body passes and which curves upward; an upper conveying path that is disposed above the sheet supporting portion and through which a sheet can pass, the upper conveying path joining the curved conveying path; a first driven rotor that is disposed on an inner side of the curved conveying path in a curved direction and that is rotated in response to the sheet passing through the curved conveying path; A first shaft supporting the first driven rotor; a second driven rotor that is disposed on an opposite side of the first driven rotor with respect to the conveying rotor in a rotation axis direction of the feeding rotor and that rotates in response to the sheet passing through the curved conveying path; a second shaft supporting the second driven rotor, separate from the first shaft and disposed at a position spaced apart from the first shaft in the rotation axis direction; each of the first driven rotor and the second driven rotor is disposed away from the conveying rotor in the rotation axis direction; The first shaft and the second shaft are provided such that the first driven rotor and the second driven rotor are arranged coaxially with the conveying rotor. A sheet feeding device comprising:

2. a separating unit capable of separating the sheets one by one in the curved conveying path, 2. The sheet feeding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the sheet feeding apparatus comprises:

3. The outer diameters of the first driven rotor and the second driven rotor are smaller than the outer diameter of the conveying rotor.

3. The sheet feeding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the sheet feeding device is a sheet feeder.

4. the feeding rotor is provided to be swingable about the first shaft between a contact position where the feeding rotor contacts the sheet supported by the sheet support portion and a separation position where the feeding rotor is separated from the sheet supported by the sheet support portion; the sheet conveyed on the upper conveying path passes between the feeding rotating body located at the separated position and the sheet supported by the sheet supporting portion; 4. The sheet feeding device according to claim 1, wherein the sheet feeding device is a sheet conveying device.

5. the upper conveying path is inclined downward toward the downstream in the sheet conveying direction, 5. The sheet feeding device according to claim 1, wherein the sheet feeding device is a sheet conveying device.

6. the curved conveying path is formed by a curved guide member that contacts a lower surface of the sheet and guides the sheet upward; the upper conveying path is formed by a first guide member and a second guide member disposed below the first guide member, a connecting guide that is supported by the second guide member, extends downstream of the upstream end of the curved guide member in the sheet conveying direction, and guides the sheet conveyed on the upper conveying path to the curved guide member; 6. The sheet feeding device according to claim 1, wherein the sheet feeding device is a sheet conveying device.

7. the connection guide is movable between a retracted position where the connection guide is retracted from the curved transport path and a protruding position where the connection guide is protruding into the curved transport path, The connecting guide further includes a biasing portion that biases the connecting guide to the retracted position.

7. The sheet feeding apparatus according to claim 6,

8. a positioning portion that positions the connection guide in the retracted position so as to overlap the first driven rotor and the second driven rotor as viewed in the rotation axis direction, 8. The sheet feeding apparatus according to claim 7,

9. A sheet feeding device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, an image forming unit that forms an image on the sheet fed from the sheet feeding device, 1. An image forming apparatus comprising:

Images