Patent ID: 9067747
Filing Date: 2015-06-30
Classification: B65H

Abstract:
1. A sheet feeding apparatus arranged to an apparatus main body that has a wall portion and a sheet conveying path, comprising: a sheet tray that is installed on the wall portion and constitutes a loading surface on which a sheet to be conveyed in a predetermined conveying direction is placed; a sheet feeding roller that is disposed opposite the loading surface on a downstream side of the sheet tray in the conveying direction, the sheet feeding roller being rotationally driven to feed the sheet to the sheet conveying path; and a pair of link members that have a first end portion and a second end portion each, the sheet tray includes: a tray main body that includes the loading surface and that is openable and closable with respect to the wall portion; and a lifting plate having a pair of first fulcrum portions disposed upstream of the sheet feeding roller in the conveying direction at respective opposite end portions of the lifting plate in a sheet width direction intersecting with the conveying direction, the lifting plate having an upper surface constituting a downstream side, in the conveying direction, of the loading surface, and the downstream side of the lifting plate being rotationally movable up and down around the first fulcrum portions, thereby bringing the sheet into contact with the sheet feeding roller; a pair of sidewalls erected at respective opposite ends of the tray main body in the sheet width direction; and a pair of slot-like openings formed in the respective sidewalls of the pair of sidewalls along the conveying direction, wherein the tray main body has a pair of second fulcrum portions disposed on a downstream side of the tray main body in the conveying direction at respective opposite ends of the tray main body in the sheet width direction, the second fulcrum portions being rotatably supported by the wall portion and being configured to be a pivot point for the opening and closing operation of the tray main body, wherein each of a pair of link members is coupled to the first fulcrum portion at the first end portion and to the wall portion at the second end portion, thereby regulating an opening angle of the tray main body around the second fulcrum portions the first end portion of the link member supports the first fulcrum portion via the opening in such a manner that the first fulcrum portion is rotatable, and the first end portion is slidably movable along the opening, and the tray main body is rotationally moved around the second fulcrum portions and the first end portion of the link member moves to the downstream side in the conveying direction along the opening to open the sheet tray to a predetermined angle to the wall portion and to allow the sheets to be placed on the loading surface, wherein the first fulcrum portions move from an upstream side to a downstream side in the conveying direction along the openings in a slidable manner in conjunction with the opening operation of the sheet tray with respect to the apparatus main body.