Feeding device and image forming system including same

A feeding device comprising:

• a set plate on which a sheet is set;
• a feeding unit that feeds the sheet from the set plate;
• a fan that blows air to the sheet on the set plate;
• a heater that heats the air to be blown to the sheet on the set plate;
• a control unit that controls the feeding of the sheet performed by the feeding unit;
• and
• a temperature and humidity sensor that detects an internal temperature and an internal humidity of the feeding device,
• wherein when the control unit receives a feeding start command from a feeding destination of the sheet, if the sheet to be fed by the feeding unit is coated paper, the control unit
• recognizes an internal environment of the feeding device based on an output of the temperature and humidity sensor and
• performs condition determination processing to determine whether the internal environment satisfies a predetermined condition,
• when the control unit determines that the predetermined condition is satisfied in the condition determination processing, the control unit
• starts driving of the fan and the heater and
• then causes the feeding unit to start the feeding of the sheet,
• when the feeding of the sheet in a state where the fan and the heater are driven is completed, the control unit
• stops the driving of the heater and continues the driving of the fan regardless of whether the internal environment satisfies the predetermined condition,
• wherein the control unit measures a second elapsed time that is a time which has elapsed since a stop of the driving of the heater,
• when the second elapsed time reaches a second threshold time after the stop of the driving of the heater before reception of a feeding start command subsequent to the feeding start command, the control unit stops the driving of the fan,
• the feeding device further includes:
• a cover that is supported to be openable and closable;
• and
• an opening/closing sensor that detects opening and closing of the cover,
• the cover is opened to cause a region on the set plate to be exposed such that the sheet can be set, and the cover is closed to cover the region on the set plate,
• the control unit causes the feeding unit to feed the sheet in a state where the cover is closed and
• when the control unit detects that the cover has been opened based on an output of the opening/closing sensor after the stop of the driving of the heater, before the reception of the feeding start command subsequent to the feeding start command and before the second elapsed time reaches the second threshold time, the control unit drives the fan at a rotation speed lower than a rotation speed before the cover has been opened.