Sheet feed device and image forming apparatus including the same

摘要

A sheet feed device according to an aspect of the present disclosure includes an apparatus body, a cassette, a sheet conveying path, a pickup roller, a feeding portion, a lift plate, and a regulation member. Feeding portion conveys sheet fed from pickup roller downstream in sheet conveying direction while holding sheet at nip portion. Lift plate is changeable in position between first position and second position. When cassette is removed from apparatus body and lift plate is positioned in first position, regulation member protrudes to sheet conveying path on upstream side in sheet conveying direction relative to nip portion to thereby regulate entering of sheet stored in sheet storage portion into nip portion. When cassette is mounted into apparatus body and lift plate is positioned in second position, regulation member retreats from sheet conveying path thereby to cause sheet conveying path to become open.

主权项

1. A sheet feed device comprising:
an apparatus body; a cassette configured to be detachably mounted to the apparatus body along a sheet conveying direction, the cassette having a sheet storage portion that stores therein sheets; a sheet conveying path extending from the sheet storage portion toward the apparatus body, the sheet conveying path being configured to convey each of the sheets; a pickup roller disposed on an inlet side of the sheet conveying path in such a manner as to oppose the sheet storage portion, the pickup roller being configured to come in contact with the sheet stored in the sheet storage portion to thereby feed the sheet; a feeding portion including a sheet feed roller disposed on a downstream side in the sheet conveying direction relative to the pickup roller, and a separation roller that is in contact with the sheet feed roller to thereby form a nip portion, the feeding portion being configured to convey the sheet fed from the pickup roller downstream in the sheet conveying direction while holding the sheet at the nip portion; a lift plate disposed in the sheet storage portion so as to allow the sheets to be placed thereon, the lift plate being changeable in position between a first position which is along a bottom portion of the cassette and a second position which is upper than the first position and at which an end of the sheet stored in the sheet storage portion, the end being on the downstream side in the sheet conveying direction, is caused to come in contact with the pickup roller; and a regulation member disposed in the apparatus body, the regulation member being configured, when the cassette is removed from the apparatus body and the lift plate is positioned in the first position, to protrude to the sheet conveying path on an upstream side in the sheet conveying direction relative to the fed-sheet nip portion to thereby regulates entering of the sheets stored in the sheet storage portion into the fed-sheet nip portion, and configured, when the cassette is mounted into the apparatus body and the lift plate is positioned in the second position, to retreat from the sheet conveying path thereby to cause the sheet conveying path to become open.