Sheet feed apparatus, and image forming apparatus and image reading apparatus including the same

摘要

A sheet feed apparatus has sheet tray, sheet conveyance path, sheet feed roller, lift plate, and guide wall. Sheet feed roller is disposed, downstream of sheet tray in sheet conveyance direction, above central portion of sheet tray in sheet width direction perpendicular to sheet conveyance direction, so as to face central portion. Lift plate is movable upward and downward to allow sheet to contact with sheet feed roller. Guide wall is disposed downstream of lift plate in sheet conveyance direction and spaced from lift plate with predetermined gap, to guide the conveyed sheet in diagonally upward direction intersecting placing surface of sheet tray. Both end portions in sheet width direction in front edge portion, of lift plate, facing guide wall are provided with end guide surfaces, respectively, which are inclined upward relative to central portion in sheet width direction.

主权项

1. A sheet feed apparatus comprising:
a sheet tray including a placing surface on which a sheet is placed; a sheet conveyance path which is extended from the sheet tray and through which the sheet is conveyed in a predetermined sheet conveyance direction; a sheet feed roller disposed, downstream of the sheet tray in the sheet conveyance direction, above a central portion of the sheet tray in a sheet width direction perpendicular to the sheet conveyance direction, so as to face the central portion of the sheet tray, the sheet feed roller being rotationally driven to feed the sheet into the sheet conveyance path; a lift plate disposed on the downstream side of the sheet tray in the sheet conveyance direction to support the sheet on a top surface thereof, the lift plate being movable upward and downward to allow the sheet to contact with the sheet feed roller; and a guide wall disposed downstream of the lift plate in the sheet conveyance direction and spaced from the lift plate with a predetermined gap, to guide the sheet conveyed by the sheet feed roller in a diagonally upward direction intersecting the placing surface, wherein both end portions in the sheet width direction in a front edge portion, of the lift plate, facing the guide wall are provided with end guide surfaces, respectively, which are inclined upward relative to a central portion in the sheet width direction.