Sheet feeding apparatus having containing area for feeding sheet and containing area for replenishing sheet, and image forming apparatus

A sheet feeding apparatus comprising:

• a sheet feeding cassette configured to comprise a first containing area in which sheets to be fed are contained, a second containing area that is adjacent to the first containing area and in which replenishing sheets are contained, and a sheet mover capable of transferring the sheets contained in the second containing area to the first containing area;
• a first detector configured to detect whether the sheet mover is at a standby position;
• a second detector configured to detect presence or absence of sheets in the second containing area;
• a third detector configured to detect whether the sheet feeding cassette is in an opened state where housing of new sheets is possible or a closed state where feeding from the first containing area is possible;
• and
• an annunciator configured to issue a warning that prompts return of the sheet mover to the standby position when said first detector detects that the sheet mover is not at the standby position, said second detector detects that there are sheets in the second containing area, and said third detector detects that said sheet feeding cassette is in the closed state.

An image forming apparatus comprising:

• a sheet feeding apparatus configured to comprise:
• a sheet feeding cassette that has a first containing area in which sheets to be fed are contained, a second containing area that is adjacent to the first containing area and in which sheets for replenishing are contained, and a sheet mover that transfers the sheets contained in the second containing area to the first containing area;
• a first detector that detects whether the sheet mover is at a standby position;
• and an annunciator that issues a warning that prompts return of the sheet mover to the standby position when the first detector detects that the sheet mover is not at the standby position;
• and
• an image forming unit configured to form an image on a sheet fed from the first containing area of said sheet feeding apparatus.

An image forming apparatus comprising:

• a sheet feeding apparatus configured to comprise:
• a sheet feeding cassette that has a first containing area in which sheets to be fed are contained, a second containing area that is adjacent to the first containing area and in which replenishing sheets are contained, and a sheet mover capable of transferring the sheets contained in the second containing area to the first containing area;
• a first detector that detects whether the sheet mover is at a standby position;
• a second detector that detects presence or absence of sheets in the second containing area;
• a third detector that detects whether the sheet feeding cassette is in an opened state where housing of new sheets is possible or a closed state where feeding from the first containing area is possible;
• and an annunciator that issues a warning that prompts return of the sheet mover to the standby position when the first detector detects that the sheet mover is not at the standby position, the second detector detects that there are sheets in the second containing area, and the third detector detects that said sheet feeding cassette is in the closed state;
• and
• an image forming unit configured to form an image on a sheet fed from the first containing area of said sheet feeding apparatus.