Patent ID: 7140605

Claim:
A sheet feeding apparatus for feeding sheets, comprising: sheet feeding means for feeding sheets stacked on elevatable sheet stacking means, air blowing means for blowing air against an end face of a sheet stack supported by said sheet stacking means; and sheet position detection means for detecting that a top face of said sheet stack has reached a sheet feeding position whereat a sheet feeding operation to feed the sheet by said sheet feeding means is enabled, wherein, when the sheet feeding operation by the sheet feeding means is not started even if a predetermined waiting time from when said sheet position detection means has detected that said top face of said sheet stack has reached said sheet feeding position has elapsed, said air blowing means starts an air blowing operation and blows air during a predetermined air blowing period, and when the sheet feeding operation is started before the predetermined waiting time has elapsed, said air blowing means does not start the air blowing operation.