Sheet feeding device and image forming apparatus

Abstract

The sheet feeding device includes a feed roller, a separation pad and a guide part. The feed roller is configured to feed a sheet by being rotated while coming into pressure contact with the sheet. The separation pad is configured to form a separation nip by being in pressure contact with the feed roller and to separate the fed sheet at the separation nip. The guide part is configured to guide a leading edge of the sheet to the separation nip. The apex part is formed along a feeding direction of the sheet on both outer sides of the feed roller in a width direction perpendicular to the feeding direction. The apex part projects in a direction closer to the feed roller than an extension line of the separation nip between a pressure contact position of the feed roller and the sheet and the separation nip.

1 . A sheet feeding device comprising:
 a feed roller configured to feed a sheet by being rotated while coming into pressure contact with the sheet;   a separation pad configured to form a separation nip by being in pressure contact with the feed roller and to separate the fed sheet one by one at the separation nip; and   a guide part formed along a feeding direction of the sheet on both outer sides of the feed roller in a width direction perpendicular to the feeding direction,   wherein the guide part has an apex part configured to guide a leading edge of the sheet to the separation nip, the apex part projecting in a direction closer to the feed roller than an extension line of the separation nip between a pressure contact position of the feed roller and the sheet and the separation nip.   
     
     
         2 . The sheet feeding device according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the guide part is provided on both outer sides of a center of the feed roller in the width direction by 40 mm to 60 mm.   
     
     
         3 . The sheet feeding device according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the guide part includes an upstream inclined part, a downstream inclined part and a parallel part in the order from an upstream side to a downstream side in the feeding direction between the pressure contact position and the separation nip, the upstream inclined part inclining toward the separation nip, the downstream inclined part inclining in a direction separating from the separation nip from the upstream inclined part, the parallel part separating from the feed roller more than the separation nip and extending substantially in parallel with the separation nip from the downstream inclined part,   wherein the apex part is formed between the upstream inclined part and the downstream inclined part.   
     
     
         4 . The sheet feeding device according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein a tangential line of the feed roller at the pressure contact position intersects with the guide part on an upstream side of the apex part in the feeding direction.   
     
     
         5 . The sheet feeding device according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein a cross section of an upper end portion of the guide part along the width direction is formed into an arc shape projecting upward.   
     
     
         6 . The sheet feeding device according to  claim 1 , further comprising a holder configured to support the separation pad, the holder being attachable/detachable. 
     
     
         7 . An image forming apparatus comprising:
 the sheet feeding device as set forth in  claim 1 ; and   an image forming part configured to form an image on a sheet fed by the sheet feeding device.