Sheet feeding apparatus and image forming apparatus

Abstract

The present invention provides a sheet feeding apparatus and an image forming apparatus which can suppress generation of sheet skew feeding by a simple configuration and a pair of side edge regulating portions 30 r and 30 l is provided opposite each other in a sheet storage portion in order to regulate positions of side edges in a width direction orthogonal to a sheet feeding direction of the stored sheet S. At least one of the side regulating plates 30 r and 30 l can be moved in the width direction, and abutting portions 301 r and 301 l are provided opposite each other on inner wall surfaces of the side regulating plates 30 r and 30 l to abut on side edges of the sheet S.

1 . A sheet feeding apparatus comprising:
 a sheet storage portion which stores sheets;   a sheet feeding roller which feeds the sheet stored in the sheet storage portion;   a pair of side edge regulating portions which is provided opposite each other in the sheet storage portion so as to regulate positions of side edges in a width direction orthogonal to a sheet feeding direction of the stored sheet, and at least one of the pair of side edge regulating portions can be moved in the width direction; and   projection portions provided opposite each other on inner wall surfaces of the side edge regulating portions so as to abut on the side edges of the sheet, respectively.   
     
     
         2 . The sheet feeding apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 a projection amount of the projection portion is set such that the projection portion abuts on each side edge of the sheet even if the pair of side edge regulating portions is most inclined with respect to the sheet feeding direction.   
     
     
         3 . The sheet feeding apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 a length of the projection portion of the side edge regulating portion is set to a range of 0.5 (mm)≦X′≦30 (mm).   
     
     
         4 . The sheet feeding apparatus according to  claim 1 , comprising
 a sheet conveying portion which conveys the sheet fed by the sheet feeding roller while nipping the sheet,   wherein the projection portion is provided at a position at which the projection portion abuts on each side edge of the sheet until the sheet reaches the sheet conveying portion.   
     
     
         5 . The sheet feeding apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein
 the plurality of sheet conveying portions is provided in the width direction.   
     
     
         6 . The sheet feeding apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 a regulating portion is provided on the inner wall surface of the side edge regulating portion and on an upstream side in the sheet feeding direction of the projection portion, the regulating portion abutting on the sheet to regulate inclination of the sheet when the sheet is bent by abutting on the projection portion.   
     
     
         7 . The sheet feeding apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 at least one of the pair of side edge regulating portions is configured to elastically abut on the side edge of the sheet.   
     
     
         8 . An image forming apparatus comprising:
 a sheet feeding apparatus in which a sheet stored in a sheet storage portion is fed by a sheet feeding roller;   an image forming portion which forms an image in the sheet fed by the sheet feeding apparatus; and   a pair of side edge regulating portions which is provided opposite each other in the sheet storage portion so as to regulate positions of side edges in a width direction orthogonal to a sheet feeding direction of the stored sheet,   wherein at least one of the pair of side edge regulating portions can be moved in the width direction, and projection portions are provided opposite each other on inner wall surfaces of the side edge regulating portions so as to abut on the side edges of the sheet, respectively.   
     
     
         9 . The image forming apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein
 a projection amount of the projection portion is set such that the projection portion abuts on the side edges of the sheet even if the pair of side edge regulating portions is most inclined with respect to the sheet feeding direction.   
     
     
         10 . The image forming apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein
 a length of the projection portion of the side edge regulating portion is set to a range of 0.5 (mm)≦X′≦30 (mm).   
     
     
         11 . The image forming apparatus according to  claim 8 , comprising
 a sheet conveying portion which conveys the sheet fed by the sheet feeding roller while nipping the sheet,   wherein the projection portion is provided at a position at which the projection portion abuts on each side edge of the sheet until the sheet reaches the sheet conveying portion.   
     
     
         12 . The image forming apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein
 the plurality of sheet conveying portions is provided in the width direction.   
     
     
         13 . The image forming apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein
 a regulating portion is provided on the inner wall surface of the side edge regulating portion and on an upstream side in the sheet feeding direction of the projection portion, the regulating portion abutting on the sheet to regulate inclination of the sheet when the sheet is bent by abutting on the projection portion.   
     
     
         14 . The image forming apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein
 at least one of the pair of side edge regulating portions is configured to elastically abut on the side edge of the sheet.