Patent ID: 7412200

Claim:
A sheet feed unit for use in an image forming apparatus and used for storing and feeding a recording medium, the sheet feed unit comprising: a sheet feed unit body, including: a first frame, a first contact face being provided on the first frame; and a sheet cassette configured to be withdrawable from the sheet feed unit body, including: a second frame, a second contact face being provided on the second frame and being configured to be attached to the first contact face when the sheet cassette is positioned in the sheet feed unit body; and a separator configured to be inserted between the first contact face and the second contact face to separate the sheet cassette and the sheet feed unit body when the sheet cassette is withdrawn from being positioned in the sheet feed unit body, and configured to be disengaged from the first contact face and the second contact face to set the sheet cassette when positioned in the sheet feed unit body when the sheet cassette is inserted so as to be positioned in the sheet feed unit body.