Patent Publication Number: US-8113502-B2

Title: Sheet feeding device and image forming apparatus

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims priority from Japanese Patent Application No. 2006-044874, filed on Feb. 22, 2006, the entire subject matter of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     Aspects of the present invention relate to a sheet feeding device that feeds sheets such as cut sheets of a sheet of paper or a synthetic resin sheet (hereinafter, simply referred to as a sheet) one by one, and to an image forming apparatus provided with the sheet feeding device. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Conventionally, there is known a sheet feeding device provided with a feed roller that feeds a sheet to an image forming section of an image forming apparatus, such as an inkjet printer, the feed roller being disposed at a leading end portion of an arm having a base end portion that is rotatably supported by a body of the image forming apparatus. 
     In the sheet feeding device thus configured, the feed roller is pressed, by an urging force of a spring that presses the arm, on an uppermost sheet of a plurality of sheets that are stacked and accommodated in a sheet feed section that is configured by a sheet feeding cassette whose upper surface is opened. 
     The feed roller is driven to be rotated while being pressed on the uppermost sheet, thereby to feed the uppermost sheet toward a sloped separation member that is formed at a position downstream to the stacked sheets in a feeding direction. Accordingly, the uppermost sheet is separated from the stacked sheets by the separation member and fed toward the image forming section (refer to JP-A-2005-247521, which is also published as US 2005/0194732 A1). 
     In the conventional sheet feeding device disclosed in JP-A-2005-247521, the arm is formed by a synthetic resin in a frame shape (or a box shape). The arm is supported by an axis to be rotatable with respect to a drive shaft. The arm is provided with: a driving gear disposed at a position near the base end, the driving gear being configured to rotate integrally with the drive shaft; and a transmission gear train provided at an intermediate portion of the arm in the longitudinal direction, the transmission gear train being configured to transmit power provided from the driving gear to a gear portion that is provided at a side next to the feed roller. 
     Each of the transmission gears (intermediate gear, or transmission roller) of the transmission gear train is formed with an axis hole at an axis of the rotation. A plurality of spindles, each provided for the respective transmission gears and rotatably supports the respective transmission gears fitted therein, are provided to protrude from an inner surface of one of side plates of the arm. 
     An elastic member, such as a leaf spring, is provided in the arm to face a side face of each of the transmission gears fitted in the spindles. The transmission gears are pressed into the spindles against an elastic force of the elastic body, to thereby attach the transmission gears in the spindles. According to this configuration, an attachment of the transmission gears is simplified, and the transmission gears once fitted into the spindles are prevented from easily coming off from the spindles. 
     However, in the configuration disclosed in JP-A-2005-247521, the transmission gears are supported by the spindles protruded from the arm in a cantilevered style. Accordingly, the spindles need to have a considerably large diameter in order to have a rigidity sufficient for withstanding a torque (rotation moment) that acts on the respective spindles when performing a sheet feeding operation. 
     In a case where the spindle is configured to have the diameter of a large size, a sliding (contact) area where contacts with the axis hole of the transmission gear becomes large, resulting in an increase in frictional force, so that efficiency for driving the transmission gear train is lowered. As a result, a size of the arm needs to be larger, and a drive motor used in the feeding operation is required to have larger torque. 
     On the other hand, in a case where the transmission gear is configured to have a pair of spindles that protrude from both sides of the transmission gear while supporting the transmission gear by the arm with the pair of spindles, the following configurations will be necessary be employed. 
     That is, as a first example of the configurations, the arm is configured to be provided with: a first axis hole for supporting one of the pair of spindles is formed on one (first side plate) of side plates of the arm; a second axis hole for supporting the other of the pair of spindles is formed on the other (second side plate) of the side plates that is arranged in parallel with the first side plate; and a means that detachably fix the first and second side plates after the pair of spindles of the transmission gear are inserted into the first and second axis holes. When employing this configuration, the first and the second side plates of the arm need to be formed separable from one another, and the first and second side plates need to be fixed, thereby raising a manufacturing cost. 
     As a second example of configurations, the first and the second side plates of the arm are arranged in parallel with one another to have a predetermined distance therebetween (the distance is configured to be substantially equal to a width of the transmission gear). The first and second axis holes are formed on the first and second side plates, and an axis hole is formed on the transmission gear. After a spindle is inserted into the first and second axis holes and the axis hole that is formed on the transmission gear, a stopper member is attached for preventing the spindle member from coming off. When employing this configuration, a number of components is increased, and the insertion of the spindle member into the three axis holes becomes troublesome, thereby raising a manufacturing cost required for assembling the arm. 
     SUMMARY 
     One of objects of the present invention is to provide a sheet feeding device and an image recording apparatus provided with the sheet feeding device, which has a simple configuration to allow lowering a manufacturing cost including cost required for assembling, and to reduce in size having a high strength, without lowering transmission efficiency by reducing a diameter of a spindle. 
     According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image feeding device including: an arm member that is provided with a drive shaft at a base end thereof, the arm member being configured to swingably rotate around the drive shaft in accordance with an amount of a stacked sheets; a feed roller that is disposed at a leading end of the arm member, the feed roller feeding an uppermost sheet of the stacked sheets by being rotated while pressed on the uppermost sheet; and a transmission mechanism that is provided with one or more transmission rollers that transmit power provided from the drive shaft to the feed roller. Each of the transmission rollers is provided with a spindle that protrudes from both side faces thereof along an rotational axis. The arm member is provided with one or more pairs of bearing members for the respective transmission rollers, each of the pairs of the bearing members being faced with each other and being monolithically formed on the arm member. 
     According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image forming apparatus including: an image forming unit that forms image on a sheet; and a sheet feeding device. The sheet feeding device includes: an arm member that is provided with a drive shaft at a base end thereof, the arm member being configured to swingably rotate around the drive shaft in accordance with an amount of a stacked sheets; a feed roller that is disposed at a leading end of the arm member, the feed roller feeding an uppermost sheet of the stacked sheets to the image forming unit by being rotated while pressed on the uppermost sheet; and a transmission mechanism that is provided with one or more transmission rollers that transmit power provided from the drive shaft to the feed roller. Each of the transmission rollers is provided with a spindle that protrudes from both side faces thereof along an rotational axis, and wherein the arm member is provided with one or more pairs of bearing members for the respective transmission rollers, each of the pairs of the bearing members being faced with each other and being monolithically formed on the arm member. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       In the accompanying drawings: 
         FIG. 1  is an overall perspective view of an image forming apparatus according to an example of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a plan view of a main body case from which an upper case is removed; 
         FIG. 3  is a side sectional view of a left and right center portion of an image forming section; 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the image forming section; 
         FIG. 5  is a plan view showing an frame and components below the frame; 
         FIG. 6  is a partial-cutaway side sectional view along a line VI-VI shown in  FIG. 5 ; 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view from a lower surface side of a feed roller unit and an alienating means; 
         FIG. 8  is a perspective view from an upper surface side of a feed roller unit and the alienating means; 
         FIG. 9  is a side view from a direction shown by a line IX-IX shown in  FIG. 7 ; 
         FIG. 10  is a side sectional view taken along a line X-X shown in  FIG. 8 ; 
         FIG. 11A  is an enlarged sectional view taken along a line XIa-XIa shown in  FIG. 10 , and  FIG. 11B  is an enlarged sectional view taken along a line XIb-XIb shown in  FIG. 11 ; and 
         FIG. 12  is a perspective view of an intermediate gear, as one of transmission rollers, and a bearing member. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION 
     Hereinafter, examples of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. 
     An image forming apparatus  1  according to an example of the present invention is shown in  FIG. 1 . The image forming apparatus  1  is provided with a plurality of functions, such as a fax function, a printer function, a copier function, and a scanner function, so as to be served as a multi-function device (MFD). The image forming apparatus  1  includes a substantially box-shaped main body case  2  that is opened at upper portion thereof, and an upper case  3  that is pivotably attached to the main body case  2  so as to be vertically rotatable around a rotation axis (unillustrated) that is configured by a hinge disposed at a backside along a back face of the main body case  2 . 
     In the description herein, a near side (side where faces to a user) of the image forming apparatus  1  is determined as a front side. A left-and-right direction (primary scanning direction, or Y-axis direction), a back-and-forth direction (secondary scanning direction, X-axis direction), and an up-and-down direction are defined from the front side on the basis of the orientation of the image forming apparatus  1 . 
     The main body case  2  and the upper case  3  are formed by injection-molding a synthetic resin. 
     An operation panel  30  is arranged on an upper face of the upper case  3  at a position near to the front face. Various types of buttons such as numeric buttons, a start button, and functional operation buttons are provided on the operation panel  30 . By pressing the buttons, various types of operations are performed by the image forming device  1 . A display unit  31  including a display device, such as a liquid crystal display (LCD), is provided on the operation panel  30 . The display unit  31  appropriately displays configuration status of the image forming apparatus  1  and various types of operation messages. 
     In the upper case  3 , a scanner device (image scanning section)  33  is arranged at a position rear to the operation panel  30 . The scanner device  33  scans images of a document to be transmitted to another fax machine when performing the fax function, or of a document to be copied when performing the copier function. The scanner device  33  is provided with: a flat-bed scanner section that scans images of the document placed on a large-sized glass plate; and a rotatable cover  34  that covers an upper surface of the flat-bed scanner section. 
     Although not shown in the accompanying drawings, a contact image sensor (CIS), which serves as a photoelectric transducer for scanning an image of the document placed on the glass plate, is provided beneath the glass plate in the flat-bed scanner section. The contact image sensor is configured to be movable along a guide shaft that is disposed to extend in a direction parallel to a moving direction (primary scanning direction, Y-axis direction) of a carriage that is described later. 
     The cover  34  is pivotably attached to the hinge disposed at the backside of the image forming device  1  so as to be vertically rotatable around the hinge. 
     Next, a configuration of a printer device (image forming section) will be described. As shown in  FIG. 1 , a sheet feeding cassette  5  is disposed at a lower center portion of the main body case  2  to be removable therefrom at an opening portion  2   a  formed at the front face of the main body case  2 . The sheet feeding cassette  5  stores a plurality of sheets P that are horizontally stacked with one another. 
     A feed roller unit  6 , which serves as a sheet feeding device, is provided in the main body case  2  at a position above the sheet feeding cassette  5 . The feed roller unit  6  is provided with feed rollers  7 , a sheet conveying path, and an image forming unit  10  (see  FIG. 3 ). The sheet conveying path is configured to have a substantially laterally-facing U-lettered shape, when viewed from a side of the image forming device  1 , at the backside of the main body case  2 . The feed roller unit  6  conveys the sheet P stored in the sheet feeding cassette  5  toward the front face of the image forming device  1  along the sheet conveying path. The image forming unit  10  is provided with an inkjet print head  12  that forms image by ejecting ink on the sheet P placed on a platen  11  that is disposed to face the sheet conveying path. The platen  11  serves as a sheet supporting section being formed in a plate shape and supporting the sheet P thereon. 
     A plurality of ink cartridges  26  are disposed in an accommodating section  27  to be removable upwardly therefrom, The ink cartridges  26  supply ink to the print head  12  that performs printing colored image. The accommodating section  27  is provided in the main body case  2  at a position close to the front face and to a right sidewall (Note that the front face of the image forming device  1  is positioned right in  FIG. 2 ). 
     Each of the ink cartridges  26  stores ink for respective colors, which are four colors of black, cyan, magenta, and yellow in the example. The image forming device  1  may be configured to have a larger number of ink cartridges  26 . The ink is supplied from each of the ink cartridges  26  to the print head  12  through a flexible ink tube  28  that connects the ink cartridges  26  and the print head  12 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 2-4 , the image forming unit  10  includes: a carriage  13  that carries the print head  12 ; the platen  11  that is made of a synthetic resin in a plate shape; a CR (carriage) motor  24  that moving the carriage  13  back and forth; a timing belt  25  that is connected to the CR motor  24 ; and a frame  39  that is made of metal plates and supports the members included in the image forming unit  10 . 
     The frame  39  is disposed at the backside in the main body case  2  above the sheet feeding cassette  5 . The frame  39  serves as a support frame, and is equipped with, at an upper side of a main portion having a box shape, a pair of guide plates  40  and  41  that extends in the left-and-right direction (primary scanning direction, Y-axis direction) of the main body case  2 . The guide plates  40  support the carriage  13  that slides thereon. 
     The guide plate  41 , which is disposed on a downstream side in a conveying direction, is provided with a linear encoder (encoder strip)  38  so as to extend along a longitudinal direction  15  (primary scanning direction) of the guide plate  41 . A position of the carriage  13  in the Y-axis direction (primary scanning direction) is detected by the linear encoder  38 . The linear encoder  38  is configured so that a detection surface (the surface where slits are formed at fixed intervals in the Y-axis direction) is disposed vertically. 
     An ink receiving unit  35  and a maintenance unit  36  are respectively disposed at each of side areas next to an area where the sheet P is conveyed having a width (shorter side edge) of the sheet P. In the present example, the ink receiving unit  35  is disposed on the main portion of the frame  39  at a position close to a left side plate  39   b , and the maintenance unit  36  is disposed at a position near to a right side plate  29   c.    
     The print head  12  periodically ejects ink, to prevent a nozzle from clogging, during a image forming operation at a flushing position defined in the ink receiving unit  35 , and the ink receiving unit  35  receives the ejected ink. 
     In the maintenance unit  36 , a position where the carriage  13  is located at rightmost in  FIG. 4  in the primary scanning direction (Y-axis direction) is defined as an original position. A position where the carriage  13  is moved leftward from the original position in the Y-axis direction is defined as a maintenance position that also serves as a standby position. 
     At the maintenance position, a cap (unillustrated) is disposed in the maintenance unit  36  to cover a nozzle surface of the print head  12  from below the print head  12 . 
     An LF motor  42 , which is disposed in the maintenance unit  36 , is driven to actuate a suction pump (unillustrated) so as to selectively suction ink from the nozzle and perform a recovering treatment for removing air bubbles in a buffer tank on the print head  12 . When the carriage  13  moves from the maintenance unit  36  toward an image forming area in the Y-axis direction (primary scanning direction), a cleaning member (wiper blade), which is not shown, wipes and cleans the nozzle surface of the print head  12 . 
     A pair of registration rollers (conveyance rollers)  20  is arranged at an upstream side in the conveying direction with respect to the platen  11 , the registration rollers  20  being configured to convey the sheet P to a lower surface of the print head  12 . A pair of discharge rollers  21  is arranged at a downstream side in the conveying direction with respect to the platen  11 , the discharge rollers  21  being configured to convey the printed sheet P toward a sheet discharge section (see an arrow B shown in  FIG. 3 ). 
     One of the registration rollers  20  is configured as a driving roller  20   a  that is applied with a driving force, and the other of the registration rollers  20  is configured as a driven roller  20   b  that is disposed below the driving roller  20   a . One of the discharge rollers  21  is configured as a driving roller  21   a  that is applied with a driving force, and the other of the discharge rollers  21  is configured as a driven roller  20   b  that is disposed above the driving roller  21   b.    
     Both end portions of the driving roller  20   a  and both end portions of the driving roller  21   a  are rotatably supported by axis support portions provided on the pair of side plates  39   b  and  39   c  of the frame  39 . The sheet P is nipped between the driving roller  20   a  and the driven roller  20   b , and between the driving roller  21   a  and the driven roller  21   b , when conveyed along the sheet conveyance path. 
     A gear transmission mechanism  43  transmits driving force provided by a single LF motor (sheet conveying motor)  42  to the driving roller  20   a , the driving roller  21   a , and the maintenance unit  36  (see  FIG. 4 ). The LF motor  42  is disposed at a position near the side plate  39   b  that is disposed at a side opposite to that where the maintenance unit  36  is disposed. 
     The driving force (torque) provided by the LF motor  42  is transmitted from one end of the driving roller  20   a  to a gear  46  (see  FIGS. 5 and 7 ) of a drive shaft  14  in the feed roller unit  6  via a power transmission switching mechanism (not shown) for switching the transmission of the driving force to the maintenance unit  36 . 
     A rotary encoder is disposed at a part of the gear transmission mechanism  43 . The rotary encoder detects a conveyance amount of the sheet P conveyed by the pair of conveying rollers  20 . The CR motor  24  and LF motor  42  are both configured to be rotatable bi-directionally. 
     Next, referring to  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 5  to  FIG. 10 , a structure of the feed roller unit  6 , which serves as a sheet feeding device, will be described in detail. 
     The feed roller unit  6  is provided with: an arm member  44  that is formed by molding a synthetic-resin material; the drive shaft  14 ; the feed rollers  7 ; and a transmission mechanism  45  that is assembled in the arm member  44 . The transmission mechanism  45  transmits the torque of the drive shaft  14  to the feed rollers  7 . The transmission mechanism is provided with a  25  plurality of transmission rollers as will be described later. 
     A plurality of (four, in the present example) intermediate gears  47  (individually, denoted with reference symbols  47   a ,  47   b ,  47   c , and  47   d ) serves as a transmission rollers that are attachable to the arm member  44 . Each of the intermediate gears  47  is formed by molding a synthetic resin, such as polyamide resin. Each of the intermediate gears  47  is provided with: a main body portion  49  that is formed with teeth at an outer circumferential surface thereof; a boss portion  50  that is formed to have a large diameter and to protrude from both of left and right face of the main body portion  49 ; and a spindle  51  that is formed to protrude from both ends of the boss portion  50  to have an axis same with that of the boss portion  50  (see  FIG. 11A  and  FIG. 12 ). 
     An axis hole  52  is formed at a base end of the arm member  44  for rotatably supporting the drive shaft  14 . A rotating shaft  53 , on which a driven gear  53   a  is monolithically formed, is provided at a front end side (leading end side) of the arm member  44  to be rotatably supported by an axis hole  54 . The pair of feed rollers  7  are attached to both ends of the rotating shaft  53  (see  FIGS. 7 ,  8 , and  10 ). 
     A gear box  55  having an open structure is provided in the arm member  44  at a position halfway in a longitudinal direction of the arm member  44 . The intermediate gears  47   a ,  47   b ,  47   c , and  47   d  are rotatably supported in the gear box  55  to be engaged one another. The gear box  55  is provided with a pair of bearing members  60  that support both ends of the spindle  51  of each of the intermediate gears  47 , the bearing members  60  being formed monolithically with the gear box  55 . 
     The first intermediate gear  47   a  of the transmission mechanism  45  is kept to be engaged with the driving gear  14   a  that integrally rotates with the driving shaft  14 . The torque applied to the first intermediate gear  47   a  is transmitted to the driven gear  53   a  of the feed roller  7  via the second intermediate gear  47   b , the third intermediate gear  47   c , and the fourth intermediate gear  47   d.    
     Each of the bearing members  60  is formed in a pillar shape, and is provided with, at a leading end side thereof, an axis support groove  61  that supports at least a part of the circumferential surface of each side of the spindle  51 . The axis support groove  61  is formed to have a U-lettered shape in cross-section, and is formed with an opening  62  that allows each of the intermediate gears  47  attachable and detachable in a direction that is orthogonal to an axis A 1  of each of the intermediate gears  47 , and toward a leading end of each of the bearing members  60  (see  FIGS. 10 ,  11 A, and  12 ). 
     The opening  62  formed in each of the bearing members  60  are also opened to a side opposed to the mating one of the bearing members  60 . 
     Each of the intermediate gears  47 , is pressed toward a bottom of the axis support groove  61  of the respective bearing members  60  in a direction that is orthogonal to the axis A 1 , while inserting the spindle  51  between the bearing members  60 , whereby both sides of the spindle  51  are supported by the pair of axis support grooves  61 . 
     As described above, each of the intermediate gears  47  has the spindle  51  protruding from both side faces along the axis A 1 , and the pair of bearing members  60  are formed in the arm member  44  to oppose with each other for rotatably supporting the spindle  51  at its both ends. Accordingly, the spindle  51  is configured to have a small diameter while maintaining adequate rigidity for transmitting torque, whereby a frictional resistance at the axis support grooves  61  is kept small to improve efficiency of the transmission mechanism  45  in transmitting torque. 
     A retaining piece  63  is monolithically formed on each of the bearing members  60  at a position adjacent to the axis support groove  61  and the opening  62  (see  FIGS. 11A and 12 ). The retaining piece retains the spindle  51  in the axis support groove  61  by abutting a part of the outer circumferential surface of the spindle to prevent the spindle  51  from dropping out toward a direction orthogonal to the axis A 1 . 
     By setting a distance D 1  in a height direction between a retaining face  63   a  of the retaining piece  63  and a bottom surface  61   a  at a bottom portion of the axis support groove  61  so as to be slightly larger than a diameter D 0  or equal to each other (see  FIG. 11B ), the spindle  51  can be supported in a freely rotatable condition. 
     At least one of the pair of bearing members  60  is formed to be elastically bendable in a direction to which the rotational axis A 1  extends. That is, an interval between the pair of the bearing members  60  is expandable at the leading end (free end) of the bearing members  60  due to the elastic characteristic of the synthetic resin material of which the bearing members  60  are made, while the base end of the bearing members  60  is monolithically formed on the arm member  44  being fixed thereto. 
     According to this configuration, each of the intermediate gears  47  is attached into to the pair of bearing members  60  extremely simply by applying an external force to expand the interval between the pair of bearing members  60  at the leading end. The external force is applied by pushing the intermediate gear  47  in between the pair of openings  62  so that both sides of the spindle  51  proceed in the direction substantially orthogonal to the axis A 1 . 
     An inclined guide face  64  that guides the spindle  51  toward an inserting direction (direction substantially orthogonal to the axis A 1 ) is formed on each of inner surfaces of at least one of the respective openings  62  and the respective retaining piece  63  (see  FIGS. 10 ,  11 A, and  12 ). The inclined guide face  64  easily allows inserting the both ends of the spindle  51  into the pair of axis support grooves  61  formed on the pair of bearing members  60 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 10 ,  11 A,  11 B, and  12 , a bottom portion (bottom surface  61   a ) of the axis support groove  61  is formed at a side to support an external force that acts in the direction orthogonal to the axis A 1  on each intermediate gear  47  when the feed rollers  7  performs feeding the sheet P. 
     For example, referring to  FIG. 7 , in a case where the feed rollers  7  rotate clockwise for feeding the sheet P, the drive shaft  14  rotates counterclockwise, and the first intermediate gear  47   a  rotates clockwise. In sequence, the rotation direction reverses alternately, such that the second intermediate gear  47   b  rotates counterclockwise, the third intermediate gear  47   c  clockwise, the fourth intermediate gear  47   d  rotates counterclockwise, and the driven gear  53   a  of the feed rollers  7  rotates clockwise. 
     A driving torque acts in the rotation direction on the spindle  51  of the each of the intermediate gears  47 . In order to accept the driving torque, the bearing members  60  are arranged so that the bottom portions (bottom surface  61   a ) of the axis support grooves  61  that respectively support the first intermediate gear  47   a  and the third intermediate gear  47   c  are located above the spindles  51 , while the bearing members  60  are arranged so that the bottom portions (bottom surface  61   a ) of the axis support grooves  61  that respectively support the second intermediate gear  47   b  and the fourth intermediate gear  47   d  are located below the spindles  51  (see  FIG. 10 ). Thereby, each of the intermediate gears  47  can be reliably supported even when configured that the spindle  51  is removable from the leading end of each of the axis support grooves  61  due to existence of the opening  62 . 
     The driving torque, which acts on an arbitrary one of the intermediate gears  47  at the time of normal rotation for feeding the sheet P, is far greater than the driving torque, which acts on the same one of the intermediate gears  47  at the time of reverse rotation for performing non-feed operation. Accordingly, by forming the bearing members  60  on the arm member  44  so that the bottom portions (bottom surface  61   a ) of each of the axis support grooves  61  are located at the side to receive the driving torque when feeding the sheet P, a size of each of the bearing members  60  having a pillar shape can be reduced while keeping a required strength for the pair of bearing members  60 , whereby the arm member  44  can be reduced in size. 
     By inserting the spindle  51  of each of the intermediate gears  47  from the side that requires no supporting strength by the spindle  51  of each of the intermediate gears  47 , from the side where the opening  62  is formed, it becomes possible to attach the intermediate gears  47  to the arm member  44  with a small number of components while having the structure to have the spindle  51  supported  51  at its both ends. 
     Furthermore, the configuration, in which the free end side (side where the opening  62  exists) of the bearing members  60  is configured to be bendable, also provides an advantage that all of the intermediate gears  47  are attached easily into the respective bearing members  60 . 
     Positions where the axis support grooves  61  are formed are biased so that, with respect to a position of the spindle  51  in the intermediate gear  47  disposed at an upstream side in the transmission of the torque, a position of the spindle  51  in the intermediate gear  47  disposed at a downstream side adjacent thereto is offset at an appropriate amount (T 1 ) in a direction opposite a direction of a rotation moment applied by the adjacent transmission roller disposed at upstream side. 
     For example, as shown in  FIGS. 9 and 10 , with regard to the first intermediate gear  47   a  that rotates clockwise, the second intermediate gear  47   b  at the downstream side engaged therewith receives a counter clockwise rotation moment (torque). Moreover, with regard to the second intermediate gear  47   b  at the driving upstream side, the third intermediate gear  47   c  at the driving downstream side receives a clockwise rotation moment. The same applies to the following intermediate gears  47   d . In this case, with the offset as described above, as a result of an arrangement so as to have the distance T 1  in downward from the center of the spindle  51  of the second intermediate gear  47   b  to a line connecting centers of the spindles  51  of the first intermediate gear  47   a  and the third intermediate gear  47   c , the dimension of a diameter of a reference pitch circle of the second intermediate gear  47   b  is slightly larger than the distance between both spindles  51  of the first intermediate gear  47   a  and the third intermediate gear  47   c . Accordingly, tooth engagement of the adjacent intermediate gears  47  with each other can be prevented from loosening. 
     However, when a load (overload), which is larger than that predetermined, is acted on any one of the intermediate gears  47 , an elastic deformation occurs so as to expand the interval between the pair of bearing members  60  at the leading end. Consequently, the intermediate gear  47  sinks down between the pair of bearing members  60  toward the base end side of the bearing members  60 . When the overload is acted, a circumferential surface of the boss portion  50  of the intermediate gears  47  contacts with a stepped portion  65  (see  FIGS. 11A and 12 ) monolithically formed on the inner surface of the pair of bearing members  60 , whereby the intermediate gear  47  is prevented from sinking down toward the base end side of the bearing members  60 , and moreover, damage to the bearing members  60  can be avoided. 
     The main body portion of the frame  39  is equipped with the feed roller unit  6  so as to be freely rotatable around the drive shaft  14 . The arm member  44  is urged to swing downward by an urging member, such as a torsion spring. When feeding the sheets P separately one by one from the sheets stacked in the feeding cassette  5 , the LF motor  43  reversely rotates, and the drive shaft  14  normally rotates (clockwise direction in  FIG. 3 ) via the maintenance unit  36 . 
     Since the arm member  44  is urged to swing downward by the urging force of the urging member, the feed rollers  7  disposed at the leading end of the arm member  44  are pressed on the uppermost sheet P of the sheets stacked in the sheet feeding cassette  5 , and the feed rollers  7  are rotated in the feeding direction (counterclockwise direction in  FIG. 3 ) by the transmission mechanism  45  provided in the arm member  44 . 
     The feed rollers  7  rotate clockwise in  FIG. 6  by the transmission mechanism  45  and the driven gear  53   a  so as to engage the sheet P to an inclined separating plate  5   b  arranged at the front end (an end portion shown left in  FIG. 6 ) of the sheet feeding cassette  5 . Only the uppermost sheet P is separated by an elastic separation pad (which is made of a leaf spring in the present example), which serves as a separating member, provided at a center part in the inclined separating plate  5   b . Thereafter, the sheet P is conveyed to the image forming section along the sheet conveying path  9 . 
     When not performing the feeding of the sheet P, the LF motor  42  normally rotates to rotate the drive shaft  14  reversely, and the arm member  44  lifts up from the stacked sheets against the urging force of the urging member such as a torsion spring. 
     The present invention is not limited to the example described above, and various modifications can be made within a scope not deviating from the spirit of the present invention. 
     For example, as the feed roller, a pair of left and right feed rollers  7  or only one feed roller  7  may be employed, Moreover, the outer circumferential surface of the feed roller  7  may be formed of a member having a large friction coefficient such as rubber, and in a bottom plate  5   a  of the sheet feeding cassette  5 , at a position facing the outer circumferential surface of each feed roller  7 , a base pad  67  formed likewise of a high-friction coefficient member (for example, cork or the like) may be fixedly attached (adhered) (see  FIG. 6 ). 
     Furthermore, as the transmission roller, a friction wheel may be employed besides a gear. Moreover, as a matter of course, the invention can also be applied to a plate-like feed section provided in an inclined standing condition in the rear of the main body case  2 , besides the sheet feeding cassette  5  arranged so as to be movable to be inserted and removed in a roughly horizontal direction with respect to the main body case  2  described above.