Patent ID: 7690643
Filing Date: 2010-04-06
Classification: B65H

Abstract:
1. A sheet feeding apparatus comprising: a tray which is lifted and lowered with sheets in a sheet stack being supported; a controller for lifting and lowering of the tray; a sheet feeding member which feeds an uppermost sheet of the sheets on the tray at a feeding position; a first detecting unit which detects an object placed on the tray other than the sheets to be fed by the sheet feeding member and communicates that detection to the controller; and a second detecting unit which detects an uppermost surface of the sheets on the tray, wherein the controller controls so that the tray is lifted based on a detection of the second detecting unit so that the uppermost sheet is lifted to the feeding position; wherein a position of the first detecting unit for detection is above a position of the second detecting unit for detection, and wherein said controller controls lifting and lowering of the tray so that, as the tray is lifted, if the object is detected based on the detection of the first detecting unit before the uppermost sheet is detected based on the detection of the second detecting unit, the lifting of the tray is stopped.