Patent ID: 8292288

Claim:
A feeding device for separating and conveying recording sheets stacked on a stacking portion one by one, the feeding device comprising: a driving motor; a feeding roller configured to convey a recording sheet; a pressing plate on which a plurality of recording sheets can be stacked; an urging unit configured to urge the pressing plate against the feeding roller; a control cam configured to cause the pressing plate to swing between a position at which a recording sheet on the pressing plate is pressed into contact with the feeding roller and a position at which the recording sheet is spaced apart from the feeding roller; a control-cam driving gear configured to drive the control cam; and a drive transmitting unit configured to transmit a driving force from the driving motor to the control-cam driving gear through a plurality of gears, the drive transmitting unit comprising: a sun gear configured to receive a driving force from the driving motor; a transmission gear configured to transmit a drive from the sun gear to the control-cam driving gear; a planetary gear configured to transmit a drive from the sun gear to the control-cam driving gear; a swinging member configured to hold the planetary gear such that the planetary gear can swing around the sun gear and engage with the control-cam driving gear; a retaining unit configured to retain the swinging member in either one of a state in which the swinging member can swing and a state in which the control-cam driving gear and the planetary gear are not engaged; and a releasing unit configured to disengage the planetary gear and the control-cam driving gear and cause them to be spaced apart from each other, wherein the retaining unit is formed of at least a fit section disposed in the swinging member and a lever member that can be fit in the fit section, the releasing unit is formed of at least a cam surface disposed in the control-cam driving gear and a cam follower section disposed in the swinging member so as to be able to engage with the cam surface, the control-cam driving gear includes a toothless part that does not engage with the transmission gear and that is incapable of transmitting a drive, the retaining unit brings the swinging member to the state in which the swinging member can swing from a state in which the transmission gear and the control-cam driving gear are disengaged by the toothless part, and driving the drive motor causes the control-cam driving gear and the planetary gear to engage with each other and rotates the control-cam driving gear, and after the toothless part is passed and the transmission gear and the control-cam driving gear become engaged, the releasing unit disengages the planetary gear and the control-cam driving gear.