Sheet feeding apparatus, and reading apparatus and image forming apparatus using the same

A sheet feeding apparatus, comprising:

• a size detecting portion which detects a size of a sheet width direction orthogonal to a conveying direction of a fed sheet;
• a feed rotating member which feeds the sheet stacked on a stacking member;
• a moving portion which is movable to a feed position where the feed rotating member abuts on the sheet stacked on the stacking member, and to a retract position where the feed rotating member is separated from the sheet;
• a conveying portion which conveys the sheet fed by the feed rotating member;
• a leading edge detecting portion which detects a leading edge of the sheet reached the conveying portion;
• and
• a controller which controls a drive of the moving portion,
• wherein the leading edge detecting portion is disposed at a position departing from the conveying portion in the sheet width direction, and
• wherein, based on a sheet size detected by the size detecting portion, in a case where the sheet fed by the feed rotating member to be passe through a detection area of the leading edge detecting portion,
• the controller moves the feed rotating member to the retract position based on the detection of the leading edge detecting portion, and
• in a case where the fed sheet does not to be pass through the detection area,
• the controller moves the feed rotating member to the retract position after a predetermined time elapses since the sheet starts to be fed by the feed rotating member.

A sheet feeding apparatus, comprising:

• a size detecting portion which detects a size of a sheet width direction orthogonal to a conveying direction of a fed sheet;
• a feed rotating member which feeds the sheet stacked on a stacking member;
• a conveying portion which conveys the sheet fed by the feed rotating member;
• a leading edge detecting portion which detects a leading edge of the sheet reached the conveying portion;
• and
• a controller which controls operations of the feed rotating member and the conveying portion,
• wherein the leading edge detecting portion is disposed at a position departing from the conveying portion in the sheet width direction, and
• wherein, based on the detection of the size detecting portion, in a case where the sheet fed by the feed rotating member has a size enough for passing through a detection area of the leading edge detecting portion,
• the controller performs a first drive control based on the detection of the leading edge detecting portion, and
• in a case where the fed sheet has a size not enough for passing through the detection area,
• the controller performs a second drive control not based on the detection of the leading edge detecting portion.

A reading apparatus which feeds a sheet and reads information written in the sheet, comprising:

• a sheet feeding apparatus;
• and
• a reading portion which reads information written in the sheet fed by the sheet feeding apparatus,
• wherein the sheet feeding apparatus includes
• a size detecting portion which detects a size of a sheet width direction orthogonal to a conveying direction of a fed sheet,
• a conveying mechanism, the conveying mechanism including,
• a feed rotating member which feeds the sheet stacked on a stacking member, and
• a conveying portion which conveys the sheet fed by the feed rotating member,
• a leading edge detecting portion which detects a leading edge of the sheet reached the conveying portion, and
• a controller which controls the conveying mechanism,
• wherein the leading edge detecting portion is disposed at a position departing from the conveying portion in the sheet width direction, and
• wherein, based on a sheet size detected by the size detecting portion, in a case where the sheet fed by the feed rotating member to be passe through a detection area of the leading edge detecting portion,
• the controller performs a first control on the conveying mechanism based on the detection of the leading edge detecting portion, and
• in a case where the fed sheet does not to be pass through the detection area,
• the controller performs a second control on the conveying mechanism not based on the detection of the leading edge detecting portion.

An image forming apparatus which feeds a sheet and forms an image in the sheet, comprising:

• a sheet feeding apparatus;
• and
• an image forming portion which forms an image on the fed sheet,
• wherein the sheet feeding apparatus includes
• a size detecting portion which detects a size of a sheet width direction orthogonal to a conveying direction of a fed sheet,
• a conveying mechanism, the conveying mechanism including,
• a feed rotating member which feeds the sheet stacked on a stacking member, and
• a conveying portion which conveys the sheet fed by the feed rotating member,
• a leading edge detecting portion which detects a leading edge of the sheet reached the conveying portion, and
• a controller which controls the conveying mechanism,
• wherein the leading edge detecting portion is disposed at a position departing from the conveying portion in the sheet width direction, and
• wherein, based on a sheet size detected by the size detecting portion in a case where the sheet fed by the feed rotating member to be passe through a detection area of the leading edge detecting portion,
• the controller performs a first control on the conveying mechanism based on the detection of the leading edge detecting portion, and
• in a case where the fed sheet does not to be pass through the detection area,
• the controller performs a second control on the conveying mechanism not based on the detection of the leading edge detecting portion.