Sheet feed device and image forming apparatus including the same

A sheet feed device, comprising:

• a feed unit that is provided in an apparatus main body;
• and
• a sheet loading cassette that is mounted so as to be insertable in or drawable from the apparatus main body,
• the feed unit includes:
• a feed-out member that is brought into pressure contact with an upper surface of a sheet loaded in the sheet loading cassette and causes the sheet to move in a predetermined direction so that the sheet is fed out one after another;
• a separation conveyance portion that is composed of a feed member that is disposed on a downstream side of the feed-out member in a sheet conveyance direction and a separation member that is disposed to be opposed to the feed member, and conveys a sheet fed out by the feed-out member one by one;
• a separation holder that supports the separation member and is swingable in such a direction that the separation member comes into contact with or is separated from the feed member;
• and
• a pressing member that presses the separation holder in such a direction that the separation member comes into contact with the feed member,
• the sheet loading cassette includes:
• a grip portion that is used to perform an operation of inserting or drawing out the sheet loading cassette;
• a pressure release member that, in conjunction with the operation of drawing out the sheet loading cassette, comes into contact with the pressing member and thus releases the pressing member from the separation holder;
• an operation lever that is protrudably and retractably provided at the grip portion;
• and
• a first biasing member that biases the operation lever in a protruding direction of the operation lever,
• wherein
• in conjunction with an operation in which the operation lever protrudes or retracts, the pressure release member is slidable with respect to the sheet loading cassette, and
• in a state where the sheet loading cassette is inserted in the apparatus main body, the operation lever is gripped together with the grip portion, and thus the pressure release member slides to come into contact with the pressing member, so that the pressing member is released from the separation holder.