Paper feeding cassette and image forming apparatus

Abstract

According to one embodiment, a paper feeding cassette includes a sheet storing section, side guides, and a sheet tray. The sheet storing section stores a sheet to be fed. The side guides move in the width direction orthogonal to a sheet feeding direction from the sheet storing section and regulate movement of a sheet end at least to one side in the width direction. The sheet tray lifts a downstream side end in the sheet feeding direction from the inside of the sheet storing section on the lower surface of the sheet stored in the sheet storing section. A through-hole including at least a passing area in the width direction of the side guides is provided in the sheet tray. At least a part of an edge that is present on the downstream side in the sheet feeding direction, faces the through-hole, and extends in the width direction moves closer to the sheet feeding direction as the part of the edge moves further away from the sheet center in the width direction to an end side.

1 . A paper feeding cassette comprising:
 a sheet storing section configured to store a sheet to be fed;   side guides configured to move in a width direction orthogonal to a sheet feeding direction from the sheet storing section and regulate movement of a sheet end at least to one side in the width direction; and   a sheet tray configured to lift a downstream side end in the sheet feeding direction from an inside of the sheet storing section on a lower surface of the sheet stored in the sheet storing section, a through-hole including at least a passing area in the width direction of the side guides being provided in the sheet tray and at least a part of an edge that is present on the downstream side in the sheet feeding direction, faces the through-hole, and extends in the width direction moving closer to the sheet feeding direction as the part of the edge moves further away from a sheet center in the width direction to an end side.   
     
     
         2 . The paper feeding cassette according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the sheet tray includes a supporting section main body configured to support the sheet and a sheet guide section that extends downward from the supporting section main body, and   the edge is an edge of the sheet guide section.   
     
     
         3 . The paper feeding cassette according to  claim 2 , wherein a lower end face of the sheet guide section faces down and is parallel to the supporting section main body. 
     
     
         4 . The paper feeding cassette according to  claim 3 , wherein
 the sheet guide section tilts downward from the supporting section main body, and   an angle formed by the supporting section main body and the sheet guide section is 145° in sectional view of the sheet guide section taken along in the sheet feeding direction.   
     
     
         5 . The paper feeding cassette according to  claim 3 , wherein the sheet guide section curves downward from the supporting section main body. 
     
     
         6 . The paper feeding cassette according to  claim 3 , wherein the sheet guide section extends downward vertically from the supporting section main body. 
     
     
         7 . The paper feeding cassette according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the sheet tray has a flat plate shape, and   the edge in contact with the through-hole is an end face of the sheet tray that faces a side.   
     
     
         8 . The paper feeding cassette according to  claim 1 , further comprising a sheet sensor configured to emit light to the downstream side in the sheet feeding direction on the sheet on the sheet tray and receive reflected light, wherein
 an opening for sensor through which the light emitted from the sheet sensor passes is provided on the downstream side in the sheet feeding direction of the edge in the sheet tray.   
     
     
         9 . The paper feeding cassette according to  claim 8 , wherein
 a section of the edge corresponding to the sheet center side in the width direction is present further on the upstream side in the sheet feeding direction than the opening for sensor, and   a section of the edge corresponding to the sheet end side in the width direction is present on the width direction from the opening for sensor.   
     
     
         10 . The paper feeding cassette according to  claim 1 , wherein at least a pair of the side guides are provided and the side guides are opposed to each other in the width direction and regulate movement of sheet both ends in the width direction. 
     
     
         11 . The paper feeding cassette according to  claim 1 , wherein a cushion material is provided on at least one of the upstream side in the sheet feeding direction on a lower surface of the sheet tray and a bottom of the paper feeding cassette opposed to the upstream side in the sheet feeding direction on the lower surface of the sheet tray. 
     
     
         12 . The paper feeding cassette according to  claim 1 , wherein the paper feeding cassette is drawn out in the width direction from an apparatus that houses the paper feeding cassette. 
     
     
         13 . An image forming apparatus comprising:
 a sheet storing section configured to store a sheet to be fed;   side guides configured to move in a width direction orthogonal to a sheet feeding direction of the sheet stored in the sheet storing section from an inside of the sheet storing section and regulate movement of a sheet end at least to one side in the width direction; and   a sheet tray configured to lift a downstream side end in the sheet feeding direction from the inside of the sheet storing section on a lower surface of the sheet stored in the sheet storing section, a through-hole being formed in an area including at least a passing area in the width direction of the side guides and at least a part of an edge that is present on the downstream side in the sheet feeding direction of the through-hole and extends in the width direction moving closer to the sheet feeding direction as the part of the edge moves further away from a sheet center in the width direction to an end side.   
     
     
         14 . The apparatus according to  claim 13 , wherein
 the sheet tray includes a supporting section main body configured to support the sheet and a sheet guide section that extends downward from the supporting section main body, and   the edge is an edge of the sheet guide section.   
     
     
         15 . The apparatus according to  claim 14 , wherein a lower end face of the sheet guide section faces down and is parallel to the supporting section main body. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus according to  claim 15 , wherein
 the sheet guide section tilts downward from the supporting section main body, and   an angle formed by the supporting section main body and the sheet guide section is 145° in sectional view of the sheet guide section taken along in the sheet feeding direction.   
     
     
         17 . The apparatus according to  claim 15 , wherein the sheet guide section curves downward from the supporting section main body. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus according to  claim 15 , wherein the sheet guide section extends downward vertically from the supporting section main body. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus according to  claim 15 , wherein
 the sheet tray has a flat plate shape, and   the edge in contact with the through-hole is an end face of the sheet tray that faces a side.   
     
     
         20 . The apparatus according to  claim 13 , further comprising a sheet sensor configured to emit light to the downstream side in the sheet feeding direction on the sheet on the sheet tray and receive reflected light, wherein
 an opening for sensor through which the light emitted from the sheet sensor passes is provided on the downstream side in the sheet feeding direction of the edge in the sheet tray.