Patent ID: 8923746

Claim:
A sheet feeding mechanism, comprising: a cover unit rotatably attached to one side of a main body of an image forming apparatus to cover a part of a sheet conveyance path; a first feeding member located in the main body of the image forming apparatus; a second feeding member located in the cover unit in a displaceable manner and facing the first feeding member when the cover unit is closed, the first feeding member and the second feeding member sandwiching and conveying a recording medium along the sheet conveyance path; a guide member disposed in the main body to guide the second feeding member; and a rotary arm to support the second feeding member, wherein the guide member guides the second feeding member to move in a first direction that approaches the first feeding member when closing the cover unit, wherein the guide member further guides the second feeding member to move in a second direction that separates from the first feeding member when opening the cover unit, wherein the second feeding member moves in the first direction according to cooperation of the rotary arm and the guide member while the cover unit is closing, wherein the second feeding member moves in the second direction according to cooperation of the rotary arm and the guide member while the cover unit is opening, wherein the second feed member is biased in the first direction by an elastic member while the second feeding member is guided by the guide member, wherein a pressure lever is disposed between the elastic member and the rotary arm, wherein a biasing force of the elastic member is exerted in the first direction via the pressure lever and the rotary arm, and wherein after the second feeding member is supported by the guide member, when the rotary arm and the pressure lever contact, the biasing force of the elastic member is exerted on the second feeding member.