Patent ID: 6869070

Claim:
A sheet feeding apparatus for separating and feeding sheets supported on a sheet supporting portion one by one, comprising: a separating and feeding portion for separating and feeding the sheets one by one, said separating and feeding portion having sheet feeding means provided downstream of the sheet supporting portion for feeding the sheets, and separating means brought into pressure contact with the sheet feeding means and rotatable in the same direction as or a direction opposite to a rotational direction of the sheet feeding means; and a transport restriction guide provided in a vicinity of the separating means so as to protrude toward the sheet feeding means for restricting a number of sheets coming into a pressure contact portion between the sheet feeding means and the separating means, wherein the transport restriction guide is formed by a flexible member, and is provided so as to be pressed by the sheets coming into between the sheet feeding means and the separating means and be flexible toward the separating means side, and the transport restriction guide is flexed so as to abut against the separating means.