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

An image forming apparatus comprising:

• movable sheet supporting means for supporting a sheet;
• sheet feeding means for urging against the sheet supported by said sheet supporting means and rotating in a sheet feeding direction to feed the sheet;
• a separating roller rotatable in a sheet restoring direction to separate the sheet fed from said sheet feeding means, wherein said separating roller urges against said sheet feeding means;
• conveying means disposed downstream of a separating portion, in which said sheet feeding means is in pressure contact with said separating roller, in the sheet feeding direction for conveying the sheet fed from said sheet feeding means;
• image forming means for forming an image on the sheet conveyed by said conveying means;
• drive transmitting means for transmitting a drive to said sheet feeding means, said drive transmitting means stopping rotation of said sheet feeding means after a leading end of the sheet fed out from said sheet supporting means by said sheet feeding means reaches said separating portion and before the leading end of the sheet reaches said conveying means and then for transmitting a drive to rotate said sheet feeding means in the sheet feeding direction after stopping rotation of said sheet feeding means;
• and
• pressing and retracting means for moving said sheet supporting means to place the sheet into pressure contact with said sheet feeding means and to release the pressure contact between said sheet feeding means and the sheet after the leading end of the sheet fed out from said sheet supporting means by said sheet feeding means reaches said separation portion and before the leading end of the sheet reaches said conveying means.

An image reading apparatus comprising:

• movable sheet supporting means for supporting a sheet;
• sheet feeding means for urging against the sheet supported by said sheet supporting means and rotating in a sheet feeding direction to feed the sheet;
• a separating roller rotatable in a sheet restoring direction to separate the sheet fed from said sheet feeding means, wherein said separating roller urges against said sheet feeding means;
• conveying means disposed downstream of a separating portion, in which said sheet feeding means is in pressure contact with said separating roller, in the sheet feeding direction for conveying the sheet fed from said sheet feeding means;
• image reading means for reading image information on the sheet conveyed by said conveying means;
• drive transmitting means for transmitting a drive to said sheet feeding means, said drive transmitting means stopping rotation of said sheet feeding means after a leading end of the sheet fed out from said sheet supporting means by said sheet feeding means reaches said separating portion and before the leading end of the sheet reaches said conveying means and then for transmitting a drive to rotate said sheet feeding means in the sheet feeding direction after stopping rotation of said sheet feeding means;
• and
• pressing and retracting means for moving said sheet supporting means to place the sheet into pressure contact with said sheet feeding means and to release the pressure contact between said sheet feeding means and the sheet after the leading end of the sheet fed out from said sheet supporting means by said sheet feeding means reaches said separating portion and before the leading end of the sheet reaches said conveying means.