Sheet original feeding apparatus and image forming system

A sheet original feeding apparatus, including:

• a sheet original stacking tray on which sheet originals to be treated are stacked as an original stack, wherein a sheet original is separated one by one from the bottom of the original stack;
• and
• a sheet original feeding means for feeding in a forward direction the sheet original to a first side of an image reading portion, said sheet original feeding means also operable in a reverse direction,
• wheeling said sheet original feeding apparatus is operated in a first feeding mode, wherein the sheet original is ejected form the image reading portion by said sheet feeding means operable in the reverse direction from the first side of the image reading portion and is returned onto the original stack rested on said sheet original stacking tray, and
• wherein said apparatus is operated in a second feeding mode, wherein the sheet original is ejected from said image reading portion by said feeding means operable in the forward direction at a side opposite to the first side from which the sheet original is fed to said image reading portion and is returned onto the original stack rested on said sheet original stacking tray.

A sheet original feeding apparatus including:

• a first feeding mode wherein a sheet original is separated one by one from the bottom of an original stack rested on a sheet original stacking tray and is fed to an image reading portion, and thereafter the sheet original is ejected from said image reading portion at a same side as a side from which the sheet original is fed to said image reading portion and is returned onto the original stack rested on said sheet original stacking tray;
• and
• a second feeding mode wherein the sheet original rested on said sheet original stacking tray is fed to said image reading portion, and thereafter the sheet original is ejected from said image reading portion at a side opposite to a side from which the sheet original is fed to said image reading portion and is returned onto the original stack rested on said sheet original stacking tray;
• and wherein said sheet original stacking tray is rockably supported to vary a stacking angle of the sheet originals, and the angle of said sheet original stacking tray is varied in accordance with the selection of said first or second feeding mode.

An image forming apparatus, comprising:

• a sheet original stacking tray on which sheet originals to be treated are stacked as an original stack;
• a sheet original separating means for separating and supplying the sheet original one by one from the bottom of the original stack stacked on said sheet original stacking tray;
• a sheet original feeding path for directing the sheet original separated by said sheet original separating means;
• a sheet original feeding means for feeding in a forward direction the sheet original directed by said original feeding path to an image reading portion, said sheet original feeding means also operable in a verse direction, wherein said sheet original feeding path is arranged at one side of said sheet original feeding means;
• a first sheet original ejecting path for returning the sheet original fed in the reverse direction by said sheet original feeding means to said sheet original stacking tray from a same side of said sheet original feeding means as said sheet original feeding path;
• a second sheet original ejecting path for returning the sheet original fed in the forward direction by said sheet original feeding means to said sheet original stacking tray, said second sheet original ejection path being arranged at a side opposite to said sheet original feeding means;
• and
• an image forming means for forming an image read in the image reading portion on the sheet original.

A image forming apparatus, including:

• a sheet original stacking tray on which sheet originals to be treated are stacked as an original stack, wherein a sheet original is separated one by one from the bottom of the original stack;
• a sheet original feeding means for feeding in a forward direction the sheet original to a first side of an image reading portion, said sheet original feeding means also operable in a reverse direction;
• and
• reading means for reading an image from the sheet original at the image reading portion,
• wherein said image forming apparatus is operated in a first feeding mode, wherein after the image on the sheet original is read, the sheet original is ejected from the image reading portion by said feed means operable in the reverse direction from the first side of the image reading portion and is returned onto the original stack rested on said sheet original stacking tray, and
• wherein said apparatus is operated in a second feeding mode, wherein the sheet original is ejected from said image reading portion by said feeding means operable in the forward direction at a side opposite to the first side from which the sheet original is fed to said image reading portion and is returned onto the original stack rested on said sheet original stacking tray.

An image forming apparatus including:

• a first feeding mode wherein a sheet original is separated one by one from the bottom of an original stack rested on a sheet original stacking tray and is fed to an image reading portion, and after an image on the sheet original is read, the sheet original is ejected from said image reading portion at a same side as a side from which the sheet original is fed to said image reading portion and is returned onto the original stack rested on said sheet original stacking tray;
• and
• a second feeding mode wherein the sheet original rested on said sheet original stacking tray is fed to said image reading portion, and after the image on the sheet original is read, the sheet original is ejected from said image reading portion at a side opposite to a side from which the sheet original is fed to said image reading portion and is returned onto the original stack rested on said sheet original stacking tray;
• wherein said sheet original stacking tray is rockably supported to vary a stacking angle of the sheet originals, and the angle of said sheet original stacking tray is varied in accordance with the selection of said first or second feeding mode.