Sheet feeding apparatus and image forming apparatus

A sheet feeding apparatus comprising:

• a sheet loading member including a loading surface on which a sheet is loaded;
• a feeding member configured to feed the sheet loaded on the sheet loading member in a sheet feeding direction and disposed above the loading surface;
• a holding member configured to hold the feeding member and move the feeding member toward and away from the loading surface;
• an urging mechanism configured to urge the holding member to bring the feeding member into contact with an upper surface of the sheet loaded on the sheet loading member;
• a conveyance unit disposed downstream of the feeding member in the sheet feeding direction, the conveyance unit including a separation nip by which the sheet fed from the feeding member is conveyed while being separated one by one;
• and
• a guide portion configured to guide a leading end of the sheet fed by the feeding member to the separation nip to guide the leading end upward from upstream to downstream in the sheet feeding direction,
• wherein the urging mechanism includes:
• a swinging member connected to the holding member;
• a pressing member configured to press the swinging member;
• and
• an urging member configured to urge the pressing member,
• wherein the swinging member and the holding member are configured to swing around a same swinging axis,
• wherein the holding member is configured to be urged in a direction that brings the feeding member into contact with the upper surface of the sheet in a state where the pressing member urged by the urging member presses the swinging member,
• wherein the urging mechanism is configured to urge the holding member so that (i) a first force by which the feeding member presses an upper surface of a sheet, in a first state where a distance between the loading surface and the feeding member is a first distance, is larger than (ii) a second force by which the feeding member presses an upper surface of a sheet, in a second state where the distance between the loading surface and the feeding member is a second distance that is longer than the first distance, and
• wherein, as viewed in a direction of the swinging axis, (i) a first length from the swinging axis to an action line of a third force by which the pressing member presses the swinging member in the first state is larger than (ii) a second length from the swinging axis to an action line of a fourth force by which the pressing member presses the swinging member in the second state.