Sheet feeding apparatus and image forming apparatus

A sheet feeding apparatus comprising:

• an apparatus body;
• a sheet supporting portion configured to be movably supported with respect to the apparatus body between a sheet supporting position in which the sheet supporting portion is capable of supporting a sheet and a first storage position in which the sheet supporting portion is stored with respect to the apparatus body;
• a sheet feed unit including:
• a sheet feed portion configured to feed the sheet supported by the sheet supporting portion in a sheet feed direction;
• an abutment member configured to regulate a movement of the sheet to the sheet feed direction by abutting against a downstream end, of the sheet, in the sheet feed direction, the sheet feed unit being movably supported with respect to the apparatus body among a sheet feed position in which the sheet feed portion is capable of feeding the sheet by coming into contact with the sheet supported by the sheet supporting portion, a waiting position in which the sheet feed portion is separated from the sheet supported by the sheet supporting portion, and a second storage position in which the sheet feed unit is stored with respect to the apparatus body, the abutment member being positioned in an abutment position in a case where the sheet feed unit is positioned in the waiting position, the abutment member being positioned in a third storage position in a case where the sheet feed unit is positioned in the second storage position, the abutment position being a position in which the abutment member regulates a movement of the sheet supported by the sheet supporting portion to the sheet feed direction, the third storage position being a position in which the abutment member is stored with respect to the apparatus body;
• an engagement member configured to turn into an engagement state and a release state, the engagement state being a state in which the engagement member locks the abutment member in the abutment position, the release state being a state in which the engagement member releases a lock of the abutment member in the abutment position;
• and
• a holding member configured to hold the engagement member in the engagement state in a case where the sheet feed unit is positioned in the waiting position;
• wherein the sheet feed unit is positioned in the sheet feed position or the waiting position and is exposed to an outside of the sheet feeding apparatus in a case where the sheet supporting portion is positioned in the sheet supporting position,
• wherein the sheet feed unit is positioned in the second storage position and is not exposed to the outside of the sheet feeding apparatus in a case where the sheet supporting portion is positioned in the first storage position,
• wherein the abutment member moves together with the sheet feed unit so as to be stored in the apparatus body in a case where the sheet feed unit moves from the waiting position to the second storage position,
• wherein the engagement member turns into the engagement state in a case where the sheet feed unit is positioned in the waiting position, and turns into the release state in a case where the sheet feed unit is positioned in the sheet feed position or the second storage position,
• wherein the sheet feed unit includes a holding member configured to hold the engagement member in the engagement state in a case where the sheet feed unit is positioned in the waiting position,
• wherein the abutment member is configured to be pivotably supported by the holding member, and
• wherein the engagement member turns from the engagement state to the release state by being pressed by the holding member in a case where the sheet feed unit moves from the waiting position to the sheet feed position.

A sheet feeding apparatus comprising:

• an apparatus body;
• a sheet supporting portion configured to be movably supported with respect to the apparatus body between a sheet supporting position in which the sheet supporting portion is capable of supporting a sheet and a first storage position in which the sheet supporting portion is stored with respect to the apparatus body;
• a sheet feed unit including:
• a sheet feed portion configured to feed the sheet supported by the sheet supporting portion in a sheet feed direction;
• and
• an abutment member configured to regulate a movement of the sheet to the sheet feed direction by abutting against a downstream end, of the sheet, in the sheet feed direction, the sheet feed unit being movably supported with respect to the apparatus body among a sheet feed position in which the sheet feed portion is capable of feeding the sheet by coming into contact with the sheet supported by the sheet supporting portion, a waiting position in which the sheet feed portion is separated from the sheet supported by the sheet supporting portion, and a second storage position in which the sheet feed unit is stored with respect to the apparatus body, the abutment member being positioned in an abutment position in a case where the sheet feed unit is positioned in the waiting position, the abutment member being positioned in a third storage position in a case where the sheet feed unit is positioned in the second storage position, the abutment position being a position in which the abutment member regulates a movement of the sheet supported by the sheet supporting portion to the sheet feed direction, the third storage position being a position in which the abutment member is stored with respect to the apparatus body, and
• an engagement member configured to turn into an engagement state and a release state, the engagement state being a state in which the engagement member locks the abutment member in the abutment position, the release state being a state in which the engagement member releases a lock of the abutment member in the abutment position,
• wherein the sheet feed unit is positioned in the sheet feed position or the waiting position and is exposed to an outside of the sheet feeding apparatus in a case where the sheet supporting portion is positioned in the sheet supporting position,
• wherein the sheet feed unit is positioned in the second storage position and is not exposed to the outside of the sheet feeding apparatus in a case where the sheet supporting portion is positioned in the first storage position,
• wherein the abutment member moves together with the sheet feed unit so as to be stored in the apparatus body in a case where the sheet feed unit moves from the waiting position to the second storage position,
• wherein the engagement member turns into the engagement state in a case where the sheet feed unit is positioned in the waiting position, and turns into the release state in a case where the sheet feed unit is positioned in the sheet feed position or the second storage position,
• wherein the engagement member is configured to move in conjunction with the sheet supporting portion, and is separated from the abutment member in a case where the sheet supporting portion moves from the sheet supporting position to the first storage position, and
• wherein the sheet supporting portion includes a pressing portion configured to press the abutment member toward the third storage position in a case where the sheet supporting portion moves from the sheet supporting position to the first storage position.