# US 12,759,831 B2 · Sheet feeding device and image forming apparatus

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- Number: US 12,759,831 B2
- Document ID: US12759831B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 18/911,367
- Filed: 2024-10-10
- Published: 2025-01-30
- Granted: 2026-10-13
- Earliest claimed: 2021-12-02
- Assignees: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
- Applicants: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
- Inventors: Tomoki Katafuchi
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12759831B2

## CPC

- B65H 31/10: and applied at the top of the pile
- B65H 2402/32: Sliding support means
- B65H 2557/20: Calculating means; Controlling methods
- B65H: HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES

## Abstract

A sheet feeding device includes a sheet stacking member, a feeding member provided above the sheet stacking member, and a lifting member to lift up and down the sheet stacking member. An accommodating unit for accommodating the sheet is provided with a supporting frame for supporting the sheet stacking member. A restricting member restricts a position of the sheet stacking member. Movement in a lifting down direction of the sheet stacking member is restricted by the restricting member when the restricting member is attached to the supporting frame in a state in which the sheet stacking member is lifted up to a predetermined position.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A sheet feeding device for feeding a sheet, the sheet feeding device comprising:
a sheet stacking member on which the sheet is stacked;
a feeding member provided above the sheet stacking member and configured to feed the sheet stacked on the sheet stacking member;
a lifting member configured to lift up and down the sheet stacking member;
a frame unit provided with an opening portion and configured to accommodate the sheet, the frame unit being dismountably mounted to a mounting portion of the sheet feeding device; and
a restricting member detachably attached to the opening portion and configured to restrict downward movement of the sheet stacking member by contacting and supporting the sheet stacking member in a state in which the sheet stacking member is at a predetermined position in a vertical direction,
wherein, when the sheet stacking member is at the predetermined position, the restricting member supports the sheet stacking member so as to allow the sheet stacking member to move upward.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

A sheet feeding device according to claim 1, wherein the restricting member is provided with a contacting portion which contacts the opening portion when the restricting member is attached to the opening portion, and
wherein the restricting member is supported by the opening portion via the contacting portion.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

A sheet feeding device according to claim 2, wherein an upper end of the restricting member attached to the opening portion contacts the sheet stacking member, and
wherein the predetermined position is a height adding (1) a height of the opening portion to (2) a height from the upper end of the restricting member to the contacting portion.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

A sheet feeding device according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined position is a height less than or equal to a height of a feedable position where the feeding member is capable of feeding the sheet stacked on the sheet stacking member.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

A sheet feeding device according to claim 1, wherein the restricting member restricts downward movement of the sheet stacking member by contacting and supporting a bottom surface of the sheet stacking member in a state in which the sheet stacking member is at the predetermined position.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

A sheet feeding device according to claim 1, wherein the sheet stacking member is provided with an inserted portion,
wherein the frame unit is provided with a groove in which the inserted portion is inserted, and
wherein the predetermined position is a position at which the inserted portion is closer to an upper end of the groove than to a lower end of the groove in the vertical direction.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

A sheet feeding device according to claim 6, wherein the frame unit is provided with a guide rail for attaching and detaching the frame unit to and from the mounting portion, and
wherein the predetermined position is a position at which the inserted portion is higher than the guide rail.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

A sheet feeding device according to claim 7, wherein the predetermined position is a height adding (1) a height of the guide rail attached to the frame unit to (2) a height from the upper end of the restricting member to the guide rail.

### Claim 9 (depends on 6)

A sheet feeding device according to claim 6, wherein the frame unit includes a first frame having the opening portion and a second frame having the groove.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

A sheet feeding device according to claim 1, wherein the frame unit includes a side frame and a bottom frame, and
wherein the side frame is provided with the opening portion.