Patent ID: 8020853

Claim:
An image forming apparatus comprising: an image forming unit which forms an image on a recording sheet; a sheet housing unit which houses the recording sheet so that a recording surface of the recording sheet intersects with a horizontal plane, and which includes an opening portion formed on an upper end side thereof; a cover member configured to open and close the opening portion; a feed roller which feeds the recording sheet housed in the sheet housing unit to the image forming unit; a push member provided in the sheet housing unit configured to push the recording sheet housed in the sheet housing unit toward the feed roller while moving between a distal position spaced apart from the feed roller and a proximal position closer to the feed roller than the distal position; a force application mechanism which provides a push force to the push member; and a cooperation mechanism which displaces the push member from the proximal position to the distal position cooperatively with the cover member being opened, wherein the force application mechanism comprises: a motor which produces a drive force; a plurality of gears which transfer the drive force to the push member; and an active member which is displaced by the drive force supplied by the plurality of gears and is brought into contact with the push member to allow push force to act upon the push member, wherein the plurality of gears comprise: an input gear disposed closer to the motor in a drive force transfer path leading from the motor to the active member; an output gear which directly transfers drive force to the active member; and an intermediate gear which transfers drive force from the input gear to the output gear by meshing with the output gear and comprises a rotational shaft supported to be displaceable, and wherein the cooperation mechanism displaces the intermediate gear to disengage from one of the output gear and the input gear cooperatively with the cover member being opened to interrupt the transfer of drive force.