Sheet feeding apparatus, image reading apparatus and image forming apparatus

A sheet feeding apparatus comprising:

• sheet containing means for containing a plurality of stacked sheets;
• elevation/lowering driving means for elevating and lowering the sheet containing means;
• sheet conveying means for sequentially taking out the sheets from an uppermost layer put in contact with the sheet conveying means by elevating the sheet containing means by the elevation/lowering driving means and conveying the sheets to a predetermined conveyance path;
• regulating means provided so as to be slideable on the sheet containing means for regulating a set position of a sheet;
• position detecting means for detecting a position of the regulating means;
• and
• contact detecting means for detecting a contact state between the uppermost layer of the sheets contained in the sheet containing means and the sheet conveying means,
• wherein the elevation/Lowering driving means lowers the sheet containing means when a change in the position of the regulating means is detected by the position detecting means in a state in which the uppermost layer of the sheets contacts the sheet conveying means;
• and further comprising:
• a receiving unit for receiving information input externally for setting a lowered amount of the sheet container;
• and
• a storage for storing the received information,
• wherein the elevation/lowering driving unit lowers the sheet container by the lowered amount stored in the storage when the position detector detects a change in the position of the regulating unit.

An image reading apparatus comprising:

• a sheet container for containing a plurality of stacked sheets;
• an elevation/lowering driving unit for elevating and lowering the sheet container;
• a sheet conveying unit for sequentially taking out the sheets from an uppermost layer put in contact with the sheet conveying unit by elevating the sheet container by the elevation/lowering driving unit and conveying the sheets to a predetermined conveyance path;
• an image reading unit for reading an image on a sheet conveyed by the sheet conveying unit;
• a regulating unit provided so as to be slidable on the sheet container for regulating a set position of a sheet;
• a position detector for detecting a position of the regulating unit;
• and
• a contact detector for detecting a contact state between the uppermost layer of the sheets contained in the sheet container and the sheet conveying unit,
• wherein the elevation/lowering driving unit lowers the sheet container when a change in the position of the regulating unit is detected by the position detector in a state in which the uppermost layer of the sheets contacts the sheet conveying unit;
• and further comprising:
• a receiving unit for receiving information input externally for setting a lowered amount of the sheet container;
• and
• a storage for storing the received information,
• wherein the elevation/lowering driving unit lowers the sheet container by the lowered amount stored in the storage when the position detector detects a change in the position of the regulating unit.

An image forming apparatus comprising:

• a sheet container for containing a plurality of stacked sheets;
• an elevation/lowering driving unit for elevating and lowering the sheet container;
• a sheet conveying unit for sequentially taking out the sheets from an uppermost layer put in contact with the sheet conveying unit by elevating the sheet container by the elevation/lowering driving unit and conveying the sheets to a predetermined conveyance path;
• an image forming unit for forming an image on a sheet conveyed by the sheet conveying unit;
• a regulating unit provided so as to be slidable on the sheet container for regulating a set position of a sheet;
• a position detector for detecting a position of the regulating unit;
• and
• a contact detector for detecting a contact state between the uppermost layer of the sheets contained in the sheet container and the sheet conveying unit,
• wherein the elevation/lowering driving unit lowers the sheet container when a change in the position of the regulating unit is detected by the position detector in a state in which the uppermost layer of the sheets contacts the sheet conveying unit;
• and further comprising:
• a receiving unit for receiving information input externally for setting a lowered amount of the sheet container;
• and
• a storage for storing the received information,
• wherein the elevation/lowering driving unit lowers the sheet container by the lowered amount stored in the storage when the position detector detects a change in the position of the regulating unit.