Patent Publication Number: US-9884736-B2

Title: Conveying roller, and feeding unit and image forming apparatus provided therewith

Description:
INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE 
     This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from the corresponding Japanese Patent Application No. 2015-232858 filed on Nov. 30, 2015, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
     BACKGROUND 
     The present disclosure relates to a conveying roller that conveys a sheet, and to a feeding unit and an image forming apparatus provided with such a conveying roller. 
     In conventional image forming apparatuses such as copiers and printers, many conveying rollers are provided as a means for conveying sheets. A conveying roller is composed of, for example, a roller member for conveying a sheet by rotating while in contact with the sheet, and a rotary shaft to which the roller member is fitted. The surface of the roller member wears due to friction occurring between it and a sheet or the like. Thus, the conveying roller is preferably configured to be replaceable. 
     As a solution, an image forming apparatus is known in which a conveying roller is configured to be replaceable. This image forming apparatus includes a conveying roller which is extendable/contractible in the axial direction, and a supporting portion which supports the conveying roller on opposite sides in the axial direction. The conveying roller is composed of a roller (roller member) for conveying a sheet by rotating while in contact with the sheet, a main shaft (roller supporting member) to which the roller is fitted, a sub-shaft (first shaft) fitted to be slidable in the axial direction relative to the main shaft, and an elastic member arranged inside the main shaft for biasing the sub-shaft outward in the axial direction. 
     In this image forming apparatus, moving the sub-shaft in the insertion direction relative to the main shaft causes the conveying roller to contract in the axial direction, and this makes it possible to easily mount/dismount a conveying roller relative to a supporting portion. 
     SUMMARY 
     According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a conveying roller is mountably/dismountably supported on a mounting portion. The conveying roller includes a rotary shaft portion, a roller supporting member, and a roller member. The rotary shaft portion is extendable/contractible. The roller supporting member is in a cylindrical shape including an outer circumferential surface with an interior space. The roller member is supported on the outer circumferential surface, and conveys a sheet by rotating while in contact with the sheet. The roller supporting member includes a first side surface including an opening through which the interior space is open, and a second side surface arranged opposite to the first side surface. The rotary shaft portion includes a first shaft arranged at the first side surface, and a second shaft arranged at the second side surface. The first shaft includes one end part thereof inserted into the interior space through the opening of the first side surface, and is movable in the axial direction relative to the first side surface. The first shaft includes a regulating portion which is arranged on the outer circumferential surface thereof and which is displaceable between a permitting position in which the regulating portion permits, as the first shaft moves in the insertion direction relative to the roller supporting member, the movement of the first shaft in the insertion direction without interfering with a rim of the opening and a restricting position in which the regulating portion restricts the movement of the first shaft in the insertion direction relative to the roller supporting member by interfering with the rim. 
     Further features and advantages of the present disclosure will become apparent from the description of embodiments given below. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a diagram showing an image forming apparatus incorporating a sheet feeding roller according to one embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 2  is an exterior perspective view of the image forming apparatus incorporating the sheet feeding roller according to one embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 3  is a sectional view showing a structure around the sheet feeding roller according to one embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view showing a structure of a sheet feeding unit including the sheet feeding roller according to one embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view showing a structure of the sheet feeding roller according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, showing a state where the sheet feeding roller is extended; 
         FIG. 6  is a sectional view showing a structure around the sheet feeding roller according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, showing the state where the feeding roller is extended; 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view showing a structure of the sheet feeding roller according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, showing a state where the sheet feeding roller is contracted; 
         FIG. 8  is a sectional view showing a structure around the sheet feeding roller according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, showing the state where the sheet feeding roller is contracted; 
         FIG. 9  is a perspective view showing a structure of a part where a second shaft of the sheet feeding roller according to one embodiment of the present disclosure and a coupling are connected to each other; 
         FIG. 10  is a sectional view showing a structure around a regulating portion of the sheet feeding roller according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, showing a state where a lever of the regulating portion is not pressed in the axial direction; 
         FIG. 11  is a sectional view showing a structure around the regulating portion of the sheet feeding roller according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, showing a state where the lever of the regulating portion is pressed in the axial direction; 
         FIG. 12  is a diagram showing an example of a structure in which a rotation regulating portion is provided in the regulating portion of the sheet feeding roller according to one embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 13  is a sectional view showing a structure around the regulating portion of the sheet feeding roller according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, showing an example in which a torsion spring is used as a biasing member; 
         FIG. 14  is a sectional view showing a structure around a knob portion of the sheet feeding roller according to one embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 15  is a perspective view showing a structure around the knob portion of the sheet feeding roller according to one embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 16  is a perspective view showing a structure of a sheet feeding roller according to a modified example of the present disclosure; and 
         FIG. 17  is a sectional view showing a structure around a regulating portion of the sheet feeding roller according to the modified example of the present disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. As shown in  FIG. 1 , inside the main body of an image forming apparatus  100 , an image forming portion P is arranged for forming a monochrome image through the processes of electrostatic charging, exposure to light, image development, and image transfer. Here,  FIG. 1  shows a monochrome multifunction peripheral as the image forming apparatus  100 . 
     In the image forming portion P, there are arranged, along the rotation direction of a photosensitive drum  1  (the counter-clockwise direction in  FIG. 1 ), a charging device  2 , an exposure unit  3 , a developing device  4 , a transfer roller  7 , a cleaning device  8 , and a destaticizer (unillustrated). In the image forming portion P, an image forming process is performed with respect to the photosensitive drum  1  while it is rotated in the counter-clockwise direction in  FIG. 1 . 
     The photosensitive drum  1  is, for example, an aluminum drum of which the surface is laid with a photosensitive layer comprising an organic photosensitive substance (OPC). The surface of the photosensitive drum  1  is electrostatically charged by the charging device  2 . When the surface is irradiated with a laser beam from the exposure unit  3 , which will be described later, an electrostatic latent image with attenuated electrostatic charge is formed. 
     The developing device  4  forms a toner image by attaching toner to the electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive drum  1 . Toner is fed to the developing device  4  from a toner container  5  via an intermediate hopper  6 . 
     The transfer roller  7  transfers, without disturbing, the toner image formed on the surface of the photosensitive drum  1  to a sheet conveyed through a sheet conveyance passage  11 . The cleaning device  8  has a cleaning roller, a cleaning blade, or the like that makes line contact with the photosensitive drum  1  in its longitudinal direction. After the toner image is transferred to the sheet, the cleaning device  8  removes toner left unused on the surface of the photosensitive drum  1 . 
     An image reading portion  21  is composed of a scanning optical system incorporating a scanner lamp for illuminating a document during copying and a mirror for changing the optical path of light reflected from the document, a converging lens for converging the light reflected from the document to form an image, a CCD (charge-coupled device) sensor for converting image light of the formed image into an electric signal, etc. (none of these is illustrated). The image reading portion  21  reads a document image and converts it into image data. 
     In a lower part of the main body of the image forming apparatus  100 , there is arranged a sheet feed cassette  10  for storing sheets  18 . In the sheet feed cassette  10 , there is arranged a sheet placement plate  28  on which sheets  18  are stacked. The sheet placement plate  28  is configured to be movable up and down on the downstream side in the sheet feed direction (the right side in  FIG. 1 ) with a swing shaft (unillustrated) serving as a fulcrum on the upstream side in the sheet feed direction. 
     Toward the image forming portion P where a toner image has been formed as described above, a sheet  18  is fed out from the sheet feed cassette  10  by a sheet feeding unit (feeding unit)  12 , and is conveyed via a sheet conveyance passage  11  and a registration roller pair  13 , with predetermined timing, to the image forming portion P. Then, in the image forming portion P, the toner image on the surface of the photosensitive drum  1  is transferred to the sheet  18  by the transfer roller  7 . The sheet  18  having the toner image transferred to it is separated from the photosensitive drum  1 , and is conveyed to a fixing device  9 , where the toner image is heated and pressed so as to be thereby fixed to the sheet  18 . 
     The sheet  18  having passed through the fixing device  9  is distributed between different conveyance directions by a branching portion  16  which branches into a plurality of directions. When an image is formed only on one side of the sheet  18 , the sheet  18  is discharged, as it is, onto a discharge tray  15  by a discharge roller pair  14 . 
     On the other hand, when images are formed on both sides of the sheet  18 , the sheet  18  having passed through the fixing device  9  is first conveyed in the direction of the discharge roller pair  14 . After the tail end of the sheet  18  passes through the branching portion  16 , the discharge roller pair  14  is rotated in the reverse direction, and the conveyance direction of the branching portion  16  is switched so that the sheet  18  is, starting with its tail end, distributed into a reverse conveyance passage  17 , and the sheet  18  is, with the image side reversed, conveyed once again to the registration roller pair  13 . Then, the next image formed on the photosensitive drum  1  is transferred by the transfer roller  7  to the side of the sheet  18  on which no image has yet been formed. The sheet  18  is then conveyed to the fixing device  9 , where the toner image is fixed, and is then discharged onto the discharge tray  15 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , on the top surface of the image reading portion  21 , there are arranged a document placement stage (unillustrated) fitted with a transparent glass plate (contact glass), and an operation panel  22  protruding to the front face side of the main body of the image forming apparatus  100  (in the front direction in  FIG. 1 ). Moreover, over the top surface of the image reading portion  21 , a platen (document presser)  23  is openably/closably supported that presses and thereby holds a document placed on the document placement stage. 
     On the front face side of a housing  100   a , a front cover  24  is openably/closably arranged. Opening the front cover  24  allows the maintenance and exchange of the members inside the housing  100   a  to be performed. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the sheet feeding unit  12  is fitted to the main body of the image forming apparatus  100  in the vicinity of the downstream-side end part (the left end part in  FIG. 3 ) of the sheet feed cassette  10  in the sheet feed direction.  FIGS. 3 and 4  show a state as seen from the rear side with respect to the plane of  FIG. 1 . The sheet feed cassette  10  is mountable/dismountable in the direction perpendicular to the plane of  FIG. 3 . 
     The sheet feeding unit  12  includes a sheet feeding roller (conveying roller)  30  for feeding a sheet  18  out from the sheet feed cassette  10  by making pressed contact with the sheet  18 , a separation pad (separation member)  40  for separating the sheet  18  by holding it at a nip with the sheet feeding roller  30 , and a case  41  for holding these. 
     The separation pad  40  is, so as to face the sheet feeding roller  30 , fixed to an inclined surface portion  41   a  of the case  41 . The inclined surface portion  41   a  is biased toward the sheet feeding roller  30  by a compression spring  41   b . The separation pad  40  is formed of such a material that generates a comparatively large friction force with a sheet  18 . Thus, as a result of the sheet feeding roller  30  rotating while in contact with a bundle of sheets  18  stacked on the sheet placement plate  28 , only the topmost sheet  18  is separated between the sheet feeding roller  30  and the separation pad  40  to be fed out. 
     The sheet feeding roller  30  has an extendable/contractible rotary shaft portion (a first shaft  33  and a second shaft  32   b , which will be described later), and is mountably/dismountably supported on a mounting portion (a bearing member  42  and a coupling  43 , which will be described later). Specifically, of the sheet feeding roller  30 , one end part (the left end part in  FIG. 4 , the left end part of the first shaft  33  as will be described later) is rotatably supported on the bearing member  42  (see  FIG. 6 ); the other end part (the right end part in  FIG. 4 , the second shaft  32   b  of a roller supporting member  32  as will be described later) is connected to the coupling  43  (see  FIG. 6 ). The coupling  43  is formed at one end of a drive shaft  45  that extends up to an end part (the right end part in  FIG. 4 ) in the opposite direction from the sheet feeding roller  30  and that transmits a rotation driving force. An end part (the right end part in  FIG. 4 ) of the drive shaft  45  in the direction opposite from the coupling  43  is fitted with an input gear (unillustrated) to which a rotation driving force is fed. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 5 to 8 , the sheet feeding roller  30  is configured to be extendable/contractible in its axial direction (the longitudinal direction, the left/right direction in  FIG. 6 ). The sheet feeding roller  30  is composed of a pair of cylindrical roller members  31 , a cylindrical roller supporting member  32 , a first shaft  33 , a regulating portion  34 , a compression spring (second biasing member)  35 , and a knob portion  36 . The rotary shaft portion of the sheet feeding roller  30  is composed of a first shaft  33  and a second shaft  32   b , of which the latter will be described later. The roller supporting member  32 , the first shaft  33 , the regulating portion  34 , and the knob portion  36  are made of resin. 
     The pair of roller members  31  is, for example, made of rubber, and conveys a sheet  18  by rotating while in contact with it. 
     The roller supporting member  32  has a cylindrical body  32   a  around the outer circumferential surface of which the roller members  31  are fitted, a second shaft  32   b  which extends from the body  32   a  in the axial direction and to which the coupling  43  is fixed. As a rotation driving force is fed in from the coupling  43 , the roller supporting member  32  rotates together with the roller member  31 . 
     The body  32   a  has an interior space  32   c , a first side surface  32   f  having an opening  32   i  through which the interior space  32   c  is open, and a second side surface  32   g  which is arranged opposite the first side surface  32   f  and which is provided with the second shaft  32   b . The interior space  32   c  has one end part of the first shaft  33  inserted into it, and is formed so as to extend in the axial direction. The first side surface  32   f  has an opening  32   i  and a rim  32   j . In the body  32   a , there is formed an engagement hole  32   d  engaged with an engaging portion  33   b , which will be described later, of the first shaft  33 . In the second shaft  32   b , there is formed an engagement hole  32   e  engaged with an engaging portion  36   c , which will be described later, of the knob portion  36 . As shown in  FIG. 9 , on the inner circumferential surface of the second shaft  32   b , there are formed a plurality of (here three) engaging protrusions  32   h  protruding inward in the radial direction (the direction orthogonal to the axial direction) so as to engage with a plurality of engaging concavities  43   a  formed in the coupling  43 . Thus, the rotation driving force of the coupling  43  is transmitted to the second shaft  32   b.    
     The first shaft  33  is arranged about the same axis as the roller supporting member  32  so as to be slidable in the axial direction relative to the roller supporting member  32 . The first shaft  33  has a first flange  33   a , which protrudes radially outward from the outer circumferential surface of the first shaft  33 , is arranged opposite the first side surface  32   f , and is fitted with the regulating portion  34 , and an engaging portion (locking portion)  33   b , which is elastically deformable in the radial direction. The engaging portion  33   b  has an arm  33   c  having formed in it cuts at opposite sides extending in the axial direction, and a claw  33   d  protruding from a tip end of the arm  33   c  in a radial direction to engage with the engagement hole  32   d  of the body  32   a . The engaging portion  33   b  is formed into a so-called snap-fit structure. The engaging portion  33   b  allows the movement of the first shaft  33  in the insertion direction (the rightward direction) from the state in  FIG. 6 , but restricts the movement in the draw-out direction (the leftward direction). 
     As shown in  FIGS. 7 and 10 , the regulating portion  34  is swingably fitted in a cut part formed by cutting out a part of the first flange  33   a  of the first shaft  33 . The regulating portion  34  has a lever  34   a  which is a plate-form piece extending parallel to the first flange  33   a , and a contact piece  34   b  which is formed integrally with the lever  34   a  and which extends in the axial direction to make contact with the rim  32   j  (the left end in  FIG. 10 ) of the body  32   a  of the roller supporting member  32 , and is formed substantially in an L-shape. In an inner part of the lever  34   a  in a radial direction, a fulcrum  34   d  is arranged protruding from opposite side edges in the circumferential direction. In an inner side surface of the cut part of the first flange  33   a , a shaft hole (unillustrated) is formed for swingably supporting the fulcrum  34   d . In a first side surface  32   f -side end part (the right end part in  FIG. 10 ) of the contact piece  34   b , a protruding portion  34   c  is formed protruding in a radial direction. 
     When arranged in a restricting position (the position in  FIG. 10 ) where the protruding portion  34   c  makes contact (interferes) with the rim  32   j  of the opening  32   i  of the roller supporting member  32 , the regulating portion  34  restricts the movement of the first shaft  33  in the insertion direction (the rightward direction in  FIG. 10 ) relative to the roller supporting member  32 . On the other hand, as a result of the lever  34   a  being pressed in the axial direction (the direction of the first side surface  32   f ), the regulating portion  34  is displaced (swings) in a radial direction from the restricting position while maintaining its L-shape as shown in  FIG. 11  to be arranged in a permitting position (the position in  FIG. 11 ) so that the contact (interference) between the regulating portion  34  and the rim  32   j  of the roller supporting member  32  is released. In this state, as shown in  FIGS. 7 and 8 , the first shaft  33  can move up to a contracted position (the position in  FIGS. 7 and 8 ) with respect to the interior space  32   c  of the roller supporting member  32 , thereby reducing the length of the sheet feeding roller  30  in the axial direction. 
     The sheet feeding roller  30  is provided with a first biasing member  37  for biasing the regulating portion  34  in the direction of the restricting position when the regulating portion  34  is arranged in the permitting position shown in  FIG. 11 . The first biasing member  37  holds the regulating portion  34  in the restricting position (the position in  FIG. 10 ) in a state where the regulating portion  34  is not pressed in the axial direction. For example, there may be provided a rotation regulating portion  34   e  (see  FIG. 12 ) for regulating the rotation of the regulating portion  34  such that the first biasing member  37  extends no farther than in the state in  FIG. 10 . The first biasing member  37  may be a coil spring arranged between the contact piece  34   b  and the outer circumferential surface of the first shaft  33  as shown in  FIGS. 10 and 11 , or may be a torsion spring arranged around the swing fulcrum of the regulating portion  34  as shown in  FIG. 13 . This, however, is not meant as any limitation. 
     As shown in  FIG. 6 , the compression spring  35  is arranged in the interior space  32   c  of the roller supporting member  32 . A tip end part of the first shaft  33  in the insertion direction (the rightward direction in  FIG. 6 ) serves as a spring supporting portion for supporting the compression spring  35 . Around the spring supporting portion, a flange portion  33   e  is formed for receiving the biasing force of the compression spring  35 . The first shaft  33  is biased in the draw-out direction (the leftward direction in  FIG. 6 ) by the compression spring  35 . Thus, after the sheet feeding roller  30  is compressed in the axial direction from the state shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6 , when the compression force is released, the sheet feeding roller  30  extends so that the engaging portion  33   b  of the first shaft  33  engages with the engaging hole  32   d  of the body  32   a , returning to the state shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6 . 
     The knob portion  36  is fixed to the outer circumferential surface of the second shaft  32   b  of the roller supporting member  32 . The knob portion  36  has a cylindrical portion  36   a  and a second flange  36   b  which protrudes radially outward from the cylindrical portion  36   a  and which is arranged opposite the second side surface  32   g . On the side surface of the cylindrical portion  36   a , as shown in  FIGS. 14 and 15 , the engaging portion  36   c  is formed which engages with the engagement hole  32   e  of the second shaft  32   b . The engaging portion  36   c  has an arm  36   d  having formed in it cuts at opposite sides extending in the axial direction, and a claw  36   e  protruding radially inward from a tip end of the arm  36   d  to engage with the engagement hole  32   e  of the second shaft  32   b . The engaging portion  36   c  is formed into a so-called snap-fit structure. The knob portion  36  is slid along the outer circumferential surface of the second shaft  32   b  from the right side in  FIG. 14 , and thereby the engaging portion  36   c  engages with the engagement hole  32   e  so that the knob portion  36  is fixed to the second shaft  32   b . An operator can, by hooking fingers on the second flange  36   b  of the knob portion  36  and on the regulating portion  34 , easily release the engagement of the regulating portion  34  with the roller supporting member  32  and easily shorten the sheet feeding roller  30  in the axial direction. 
     In this embodiment, as described above, the regulating portion  34  is provided for restricting the movement of the first shaft  33  in the insertion direction relative to the roller supporting member  32 . Thus, during jam handing or the like, when a sheet  18  is stuck in a part of the sheet feeding roller  30 , even when the sheet  18  is pulled such that a force is applied in the axial direction (the direction orthogonal to the sheet conveyance direction), the regulating portion  34  can restrict the movement of the first shaft  33  in the insertion direction relative to the roller supporting member  32 . This prevents the sheet feeding roller  30  from contracting in the axial direction and thereby disengaging from the bearing member  42  and the coupling  43 , and it is thus possible to suppress falling-off of the sheet feeding roller  30 . 
     To replace the sheet feeding roller  30 , the regulating portion  34  is displaceable to the permitting position to release the contact of the regulating portion  34  with the rim  32   j  of the roller supporting member  32 . Thus, the first shaft  33  can be moved in the insertion direction relative to the roller supporting member  32 , and thereby the sheet feeding roller  30  can be contracted in the axial direction. Thus, the sheet feeding roller  30  can be easily mounted on and dismounted from the bearing member  42  and the coupling  43 , and thus the sheet feeding roller  30  can be easily replaced. 
     As described above, the first biasing member  37  is provided for biasing the regulating portion  34  in the direction of the restricting position when the regulating portion  34  is arranged in the permitting position. This allows the contact piece  34   b  to more reliably make contact with the rim  32   j  of the roller supporting member  32  with the sheet feeding roller  30  fitted to the bearing member  42  and the coupling  43 . 
     As described above, the regulating portion  34  has a lever  34   a  extending in a radial direction, and a contact piece  34   b  extending in the axial direction to make contact with the rim  32   j  of the roller supporting member  32 . Thus, by pressing the lever  34   a  in the axial direction, it is possible to displace the contact piece  34   b  in the radial direction and thus to easily release the contact of the contact piece  34   b  with the rim  32   j  of the roller supporting member  32 . 
     As described above, on the roller supporting member  32 -side end part of the contact piece  34   b , the protruding portion  34   c  is formed protruding in a radial direction. This allows the roller supporting member  32 -side end part of the contact piece  34   b  to reliably make contact with the rim  32   j  of the roller supporting member  32 . 
     As described above, by providing the engaging portion  33   b  for permitting the movement of the first shaft  33  in the insertion direction and restricting the movement in the draw-out direction ascribable to the compression spring  35 , it is possible to easily configure the sheet feeding roller  30  to be extendable/contractible while preventing the first shaft  33  from falling off from the second shaft  32  with respect to a single sheet feeding roller  30 . 
     As described above, the sheet feeding roller  30 , in particular, used in the sheet feeding unit  12  wears easily and needs to be replaced frequently, and thus it is particularly effective to apply the present disclosure to the sheet feeding roller  30  of the sheet feeding unit  12 . 
     It should be understood that the embodiments disclosed herein are in every aspect illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the present disclosure is defined not by the description of embodiments given above but by the appended claims, and encompasses many modifications and variations made in the sense and scope equivalent to those of the claims. 
     For example, although an example has been dealt with in which the present disclosure is applied to a monochrome copier, this is not meant as any limitation. Needless to say, the present disclosure is applicable to various image forming apparatuses provided with a conveying roller for conveying a sheet, examples including, color copiers, monochrome printers, color printers, digital multifunction peripherals, facsimile machines, etc. 
     Although the above-described embodiment has dealt with an example where the regulating portion  34  is formed separately from the first shaft  33 , it is also possible, for example, like the sheet feeding roller  30  according to a modified example shown in  FIGS. 16 and 17 , to form the lever  34   a  of the regulating portion  34  as a plate-form piece that is formed by cutting the outer circumferential surface of the first flange  33   a  of the first shaft  33  from two places, apart from each other across an interval, toward the first shaft  33  and that is elastically deformable in the axial direction (the direction of the first side surface  32   f ) about a base end part (an inner part in the radial direction)  34   f  connected to the first flange  33   a . With this configuration, it is possible to eliminate the need for the first biasing member  37 , and thus to reduce the number of components. Even with no first biasing member  37 , the regulating portion  34  is arranged in the restricting position with the sheet feeding roller  30  fitted to the bearing member  42  and the coupling  43  (with the regulating portion  34  not pressed in the axial direction); this allows the contact piece  34   b  to make contact with the rim  32   j  of the roller supporting member  32 . 
     Although the above-described embodiment has dealt with an example where the present disclosure is applied to a sheet feeding roller  30  that feeds out sheets  18  stored in the sheet feed cassette  10 , this is in no way meant to limit the present disclosure. For example, the present disclosure may be applied to a sheet feeding roller that feeds out sheets stacked on a manual tray.