Patent ID: 7490826

Claim:
A sheet feed apparatus comprising: a sheet storage tray that stores a plurality of sheets; a suction belt that suctions an uppermost sheet of the plurality of sheets and conveys the uppermost sheet along a sheet conveyance surface; a nozzle, comprising: first ejection openings that are disposed on side ends across a substantially center portion of the suction belt and eject air toward the plurality of sheets; and a second ejection opening that is disposed at the substantially center portion of the suction belt and ejects air toward the suction belt; a projecting member that projects downwardly with respect to the sheet conveyance surface and contacts the uppermost sheet in a course of a hovering of the uppermost sheet, to form a pocket in a substantially center portion of the uppermost sheet, the projecting member being provided at a position opposite the nozzle with respect to the suction belt; and a sensor that detects a movement of the projecting member, wherein the suction belt suctions the uppermost sheet from a sheet loading surface provided in the sheet storage tray, wherein a lower end of the projecting member is positioned between the sheet conveyance surface and the sheet loading surface, and wherein the projecting member is configured to be movable in a direction perpendicular to the sheet conveyance surface.