Patent ID: 8511674

Claim:
A sheet feeding apparatus comprising: a feed roller which rotates in a sheet conveying direction to feed the sheet; a retard roller which is provided to be rotatable in a reverse direction of the sheet conveying direction and presses to the feed roller to separate sheets one by one at a separating nip portion formed with the feed roller; a driving portion which rotates the retard roller in the reverse direction and in the sheet conveying direction; a supporting portion, swingable supported, which supports the retard roller and can move the retard roller to a first position to cause the retard roller to press to the feed roller and a second position to cause the retard roller to separate from the feed roller; and a holding portion which detachably holds the supporting portion at the second position, wherein when the retard roller is driven in the reverse direction of the sheet conveying direction by the driving portion, a press force may be generated in the supporting portion so as to cause the retard roller to press to the feed roller, and when the retard roller is driven in the sheet conveying direction by the driving portion, a separating force may be generated in the supporting portion so as to cause the retard roller to separate from the feed roller, and the holding portion holds the supporting portion at the second position separated from the feed roller by the separation force.