Sheet feeding device and image forming apparatus using the sheet feeding device

An image forming apparatus, comprising:

• an image forming unit configured to form a toner image on a photoconductor;
• and
• a sheet feeding device including a sheet tray configured to accommodate stacked sheets and a sheet feeding unit configured to feed the stacked sheets in the sheet tray one by one toward the image forming unit so the toner image is transferred onto each sheet at the image forming unit, the sheet feeding unit including,
• a feeding roller configured to be driven to rotate in a sheet feeding direction in which each of the sheets is fed,
• a separation roller configured to be pressed against the feeding roller when feeding each of the sheets and to be driven to rotate, via a torque limiter, in a direction opposite the sheet feeding direction, the separation roller being rotated by rotation of the feeding roller in the sheet feeding direction when a single sheet of the stacked sheets is sandwiched between the feeding roller and the separation roller,
• a conveying member arranged downstream from the feeding roller in the sheet feeding direction,
• a driving source configured to drive the feeding roller, the separation roller, and the conveying member, and
• a driving force transmission mechanism configured to transmit a driving force of the driving source to each of the feeding roller, the separation roller and the separation member so the separation roller and the conveying member are driven in conjunction with each other.

An image forming apparatus, comprising:

• an image forming unit configured to form a toner image on a photoconductor;
• and
• a plurality of sheet feeding devices, each including a sheet tray configured to accommodate stacked sheets and a sheet feeding unit configured to feed the stacked sheets in the sheet tray one by one toward the image forming unit so the toner image is transferred onto each sheet at the image forming unit, each of the plurality sheet feeding unit including,
• a feeding roller configured to be driven to rotate in a sheet feeding direction in which each of the sheets is fed,
• a separation roller configured to be pressed against the feeding roller when feeding each of the sheets and to be driven to rotate, via a torque limiter, in a direction opposite the sheet feeding direction, the separation roller being rotated by rotation of the feeding roller in the sheet feeding direction when a single sheet of the stacked sheets is sandwiched between the feeding roller and the separation roller,
• a conveying member arranged downstream from the feeding roller in the sheet feeding direction,
• a driving source configured to drive the feeding roller, the separation roller, and the conveying member, and
• a driving force transmission mechanism configured to transmit a driving force of the driving source to each of the feeding roller, the separation roller and the conveying member so the separation roller and the conveying member are driven in conjunction with each other.

A sheet feeding device, comprising:

• means for accommodating stacked sheets;
• and
• feeding means for feeding the stacked sheets in the sheet accommodating means one by one, the sheet feeding means including,
• feeding roller means for rotating in a sheet feeding direction in which each of the stacked sheets is fed,
• separation roller means for pressing against the feeding roller means when feeding each of the stacked sheets and for rotating in a direction opposite the sheet feeding direction, the separation roller means being rotated by rotation of the feeding roller means in the sheet feeding direction when a single sheet of the stacked sheets is sandwiched between the feeding roller means and the separation roller means,
• means for conveying the sheet, arranged downstream of the feeding roller means in the sheet feeding direction,
• means for driving the feeding roller means, the separation roller means, and the conveying means, and
• means for transmitting a driving force of the driving means to each of the feeding roller means, the separation roller means and the conveying means so the separation roller means and the conveying means are driven in conjunction with each other.

An image forming apparatus, comprising:

• means for forming a toner image on a photoconductor;
• and
• sheet feeding means for feeding stacked sheets accommodated in a sheet accommodating means one by one toward the image forming means so the toner image is transferred onto each sheet at the image forming means, the sheet feeding means including,
• feeding roller means for rotating in a sheet feeding direction in which each of the stacked sheets is fed,
• separation roller means for pressing against the feeding roller means when feeding each of the stacked sheets and for rotating in a direction opposite the sheet feeding direction, the separation roller means being rotated by rotation of the feeding roller means in the sheet feeding direction when a single sheet of the stacked sheets is sandwiched between the feeding roller means and the separation roller means,
• means for conveying the sheet, arranged downstream of the feeding roller means in the sheet feeding direction,
• means for driving the feeding roller means, the separation roller means, and the conveying means, and
• means for transmitting a driving force of the driving means to the feeding roller means, the separation roller means and the conveying means so the separation roller means and the conveying means are driven in conjunction with each other.

An image forming apparatus, comprising:

• means for forming a toner image on a photoconductor;
• and
• a plurality of sheet feeding means for feeding stacked sheets accommodated in a sheet accommodating means one by one toward the image forming means so the toner image is transferred onto each sheet at the image forming means, the sheet feeding means including,
• feeding roller means for rotating in a sheet feeding direction in which each of the stacked sheets is fed,
• separation roller means for pressing against the feeding roller means when feeding each of the stacked sheets and for rotating in a direction opposite the sheet feeding direction, the separation roller means being rotated by rotation of the feeding roller means in the sheet feeding direction when a single sheet of the stacked sheets is sandwiched between the feeding roller means and the separation roller means,
• means for conveying the sheet, arranged downstream of the feeding roller means in the sheet feeding direction,
• means for driving the feeding roller means, the separation roller means, and the conveying means, and
• means for transmitting a driving force of the driving means to each of the feeding roller means, the separation roller means and the conveying means so the separation roller means and the conveying means are driven in conjunction with each other.