Sheet feeding device capable of using long sheets, method of controlling sheet feeding device, and image forming system

A sheet feeding device comprising:

• a storage configured to be openable and closable, and to store sheets to be used for image formation;
• a feed unit configured to feed sheets from the storage;
• a first lift plate, provided in the storage so as to being capable of stacking the sheets and configured to be capable of being lifted up and down;
• a lifter configured to lift up and down the first lift plate;
• a second lift plate, provided in the storage, side by side with the first lift plate in a sheet feeding direction, and configured to be lifted up and down in accordance with lifting up and down of the first lift plate but not be lifted up and down independently, non-long sheets shorter than or equal to a predetermined length in the sheet feeding direction being stacked on the first lift plate but not being stacked on the second lift plate, and long sheets longer than the predetermined length in the sheet feeding direction being stacked on extending over the first lift plate and the second lift plate;
• a height detector configured to detect whether the first lift plate is at the same height of the home position of the second lift plate;
• and
• a controller configured to determine whether or not an operation concerning storing of the long sheets in the storage has been performed, and to control the lifter, in a case where it is determined that the operation has been performed, to match a position of the first lift plate and a position of the second lift plate by lifting up or down the first lift plate so as to be positioned same height with a home position of the second lift plate;
• wherein the controller controls the lifter so as to being capable of detecting that the first lift plate is positioned at the same height of the home position of the second lift plate.

A sheet feeding device comprising:

• a storage configured to be openable and closable, and to store sheets to be used for image formation;
• a feed unit configured to feed sheets from the storage;
• a first lift plate, provided in the storage so as to being capable of stacking the sheets and configured to be capable of being lifted up and down;
• a lifter configured to lift up and down the first lift plate;
• a second lift plate, provided in the storage, side by side with the first lift plate in a sheet feeding direction, and configured to be lifted up and down in accordance with lifting up and down of the first lift plate but not be lifted up and down independently, non-long sheets shorter than or equal to a predetermined length in the sheet feeding direction being stacked on the first lift plate but not being stacked on the second lift plate, and long sheets longer than the predetermined length in the sheet feeding direction being stacked on extending over the first lift plate and the second lift plate;
• a sheet partition plate configured to be movable in the sheet feeding direction in parallel to sheet stacking surfaces of the first lift plate and the second lift plate in the storage;
• and
• a controller configured to determine whether or not an operation concerning storing of the long sheets in the storage has been performed, and to control the lifter, in a case where it is determined that the operation has been performed, to match a position of the first lift plate and a position of the second lift plate by lifting up or down the first lift plate so as to be positioned same height with a home position of the second lift plate;
• wherein the controller determines that the operation has been performed, in a case where the sheet partition plate is at a position corresponding to the long sheets.

A sheet feeding device comprising:

• a storage configured to be openable and closable, and to store sheets to be used for image formation;
• a feed unit configured to feed sheets from the storage;
• a first lift plate, provided in the storage so as to being capable of stacking the sheets and configured to be capable of being lifted up and down;
• a lifter configured to lift up and down the first lift plate;
• a second lift plate, provided in the storage, side by side with the first lift plate in a sheet feeding direction, and configured to be lifted up and down in accordance with lifting up and down of the first lift plate but not be lifted up and down independently, non-long sheets shorter than or equal to a predetermined length in the sheet feeding direction being stacked on the first lift plate but not being stacked on the second lift plate, and long sheets longer than the predetermined length in the sheet feeding direction being stacked on extending over the first lift plate and the second lift plate;
• and
• a controller configured to determine whether or not an operation concerning storing of the long sheets in the storage has been performed, and to control the lifter, in a case where it is determined that the operation has been performed, to match a position of the first lift plate and a position of the second lift plate by lifting up or down the first lift plate so as to be positioned same height with a home position of the second lift plate;
• wherein when the first lift plate is lifted up and down by the lifter below same height with the home position, the second lift plate stays at the home position, whereas when the first lift plate is lifted up and down above same height with the home position, the second lift plate is lifted up and down as the first lift plate is lifted up and down.

An image forming system including:

• a sheet feeding device, and
• an image forming apparatus that forms images on sheets fed from the sheet feeding device,
• wherein the sheet feeding device comprises:
• a storage configured to be openable and closable, and to store sheets to be used for image formation;
• a feed unit configured to feed sheets from the storage;
• a first lift plate, provided in the storage so as to being capable of stacking the sheets, and configured to be capable of being lifted up and down;
• a lifter configured to lift up and down the first lift plate;
• a second lift plate, provided in the storage, side by side with the first lift plate in a sheet feeding direction, and configured to be lifted up and down in accordance with lifting up and down of the first lift plate but not be lifted up and down independently, non-long sheets shorter than or equal to a predetermined length in the sheet feeding direction being stacked on the first lift plate but not being stacked on the second lift plate, and long sheets longer than the predetermined length in the sheet feeding direction being stacked on extending over the first lift plate and the second lift plate;
• a opening/closing detector configured to detect opening or closing of the storage;
• and
• a controller configured to determine whether or not an operation concerning storing of the long sheets in the storage has been performed, and to control the lifter, in a case where it is determined that the operation has been performed, to match a position of the first lift plate and a position of the second lift plate by lifting up or down the first lift plate so as to be positioned same height with a home position of the second lift plate
• wherein the controller controls the lifter to cause height of the first lift plate and height of the second lift plate to match each other, in a case where closing of the storage as the operation has been detected by the opening/closing detector.

A method of controlling a sheet feeding device, the sheet feeding comprising:

• a storage configured to be openable and closable, and to store sheets to be used for image formation;
• a feed unit configured to feed sheets from the storage;
• a first lift plate, provided in the storage so as to being capable of stacking the sheets, and configured to be capable of being lifted up and down;
• a lifter configured to lift up and down the first lift plate;
• a second lift plate, provided in the storage, side by side with the first lift plate in a sheet feeding direction, and configured to be lifted up and down in accordance with lifting up and down of the first lift plate but not be lifted up and down independently, non-long sheets shorter than or equal to a predetermined length in the sheet feeding direction being stacked on the first lift plate but not being stacked on the second lift plate, and long sheets longer than the predetermined length in the sheet feeding direction being stacked on extending over the first lift plate and the second lift plate;
• and
• a opening/closing detector configured to detect opening or closing of the storage,
• the method comprising:
• determining whether or not an operation concerning storing of the long sheets in the storage has been performed;
• and
• controlling the lifter, in a case where it is determined that the operation has been performed, to match a position of the first lift plate and a position of the second lift plate by lifting up or down the first lift plate so as to be positioned same height with a home position of the second lift plate, and
• controlling the lifter to cause height of the first lift plate and height of the second lift plate to match each other, in a case where closing of the storage as the operation has been detected by the opening/closing detector.