Sheet feeding apparatus

A sheet feeding apparatus comprising:

• a feeding tray on which a plurality of record sheets are set;
• a first feeding member that feeds at least an uppermost record sheet from the feeding tray;
• a second feeding member that feeds the uppermost record sheet fed by the first feeding member;
• a separating member, wherein a nip portion is formed between the separating member and the second feeding member, and when the uppermost record sheet and at least one of a next record sheets overlapping each other enter the nip portion, the separating member separates the entered at least one of the next record sheets from the entered uppermost record sheet;
• an adjusting unit that changes a force of the separating member acting on the entered at least one of the next record sheets;
• a detecting unit that detects a distance by which the entered at least one of the next record sheets is transported beyond the nip portion;
• and
• a controller that controls the adjusting unit based on a detection value of the detecting unit;
• wherein the separating member has a separating roller rotating in a direction of pushing back the entered at least one of the next record sheets toward the feeding tray, and
• the adjusting unit changes a rotational torque applied to the separating roller;
• wherein the detecting unit has a unit that detects a rotational angle of the separating roller, and
• the detecting unit determines the distance based on the rotational angle of the separating roller.