Sheet transport apparatus and image forming apparatus

A sheet transport apparatus comprising:

• a sheet supply tray for accommodating a plurality of sheets;
• a separation roll that separates out the sheets one by one by applying a transport resistance to the sheets transported from the sheet supply tray;
• a support body configured to rotatably support the separation roll such that the support body and the separation roll are detachable as one unit;
• and
• a separation roll accommodation portion formed in a transport path along which the sheets are transported, and accommodating the support body supporting the separation roll such that the support body supporting the separation roll is detachable from a transport surface side of the transport path,
• wherein the separation roll accommodation portion is a container which closes an opening connected with the inner portion of the apparatus and which is open to the transport path surface side.

A sheet transport apparatus comprising:

• a sheet supply tray for accommodating a plurality of sheets;
• a separation roll that separates out the sheets one by one by applying a transport resistance to the sheets transported from the sheet supply tray;
• a support body configured to rotatably support the separation roll such that the support body and the separation roll are detachable as one unit;
• and
• a separation roll accommodation portion formed in a transport path along which the sheets are transported, and accommodating the support body supporting the separation roll such that the support body supporting the separation roll is detachable from a transport surface side of the transport path,
• wherein a torque limiter is attached to a rotation shaft of the separation roll.

A sheet transport apparatus comprising:

• a sheet supply tray for accommodating a plurality of sheets;
• a separation roll that separates out the sheets one by one by applying a transport resistance to the sheets transported from the sheet supply tray;
• a support body configured to rotatably support the separation roll such that the support body and the separation roll are detachable as one unit;
• and
• a separation roll accommodation portion formed in a transport path along which the sheets are transported, and accommodating the support body supporting the separation roll such that the support body supporting the separation roll is detachable from a transport surface side of the transport path,
• wherein the support body is formed of a frame body which integrally surrounds the separation roll, the frame body having a pair of support plates supporting the separation roll at both end sides in an axial direction of an axis about which the support body rotates, an overhanging portion overhanging toward an outer side of the separation roll in the axial direction, and a pair of connecting portions extending in the axial direction of the separation roll and connecting the pair of support plates.

An image forming apparatus comprising:

• a sheet transport apparatus comprising:
• a sheet supply tray for accommodating a plurality of sheets;
• a separation roll that separates out the sheets one by one by applying a transport resistance to the sheets transported from the sheet supply tray;
• a support body configured to rotatably support the separation roll such that the support body and the separation roll are detachable as one unit;
• and
• a separation roll accommodation portion formed in a transport path along which the sheets are transported, and accommodating the support body supporting the separation roll such that the support body supporting the separation roll is detachable from a transport surface side of the transport path;
• an image reading apparatus comprising an image reading portion that reads an image of the sheet transported by the sheet transport apparatus;
• an image recording apparatus that records the image on a recording medium, on the basis of the image read by the image reading apparatus;
• a cover detachably provided at the separation roll accommodation portion and having an opening exposing a surface of the separation roll accommodated in the separation roll accommodation portion;
• and
• a pressing member that presses the separation roll to the sheet fed from the sheet supply tray and lifts up the cover from the transport path surface.

An image forming apparatus comprising:

• a sheet transport apparatus comprising:
• a sheet supply tray for accommodating a plurality of sheets;
• a separation roll that separates out the sheets one by one by applying a transport resistance to the sheets transported from the sheet supply tray;
• a support body configured to rotatably support the separation roll such that the support body and the separation roll are detachable as one unit;
• and
• a separation roll accommodation portion formed in a transport path along which the sheets are transported, and accommodating the support body supporting the separation roll such that the support body supporting the separation roll is detachable from a transport surface side of the transport path;
• an image reading apparatus comprising an image reading portion that reads an image of the sheet transported by the sheet transport apparatus;
• and
• an image recording apparatus that records the image on a recording medium, on the basis of the image read by the image reading apparatus,
• wherein the separation roll accommodation portion of the sheet transport apparatus is a container which closes an opening connected with the inner portion of the apparatus and which is open to the transport path surface side.

A sheet transport apparatus comprising:

• a sheet supply tray for accommodating a plurality of sheets;
• a separation roll that separates out the sheets one by one by applying a transport resistance to the sheets transported from the sheet supply tray;
• a support body configured to rotatably support the separation roll such that the support body and the separation roll are detachable as one unit;
• and
• a separation roll accommodation portion formed in a transport path along which the sheets are transported, and accommodating the support body supporting the separation roll such that the support body supporting the separation roll is detachable from a transport surface side of the transport path,
• wherein the separation roll rotates around an axis during the transportation of the sheets,
• wherein the separation roll has a pair of ends which are provided at a distance from each other along an axial direction of the axis around which the separation roll rotates, and
• wherein the support body supports the separation roll at both of the ends of the separation roll.

A sheet transport apparatus comprising:

• a sheet supply tray for accommodating a plurality of sheets;
• a separation roll that separates out the sheets one by one by applying a transport resistance to the sheets transported from the sheet supply tray;
• a support body configured to rotatably support the separation roll such that the support body and the separation roll are detachable as one unit;
• and
• a separation roll accommodation portion formed in a transport path along which the sheets are transported, and accommodating the support body supporting the separation roll such that the support body supporting the separation roll is detachable from a transport surface side of the transport path,
• wherein the separation roll rotates around an axis during the transportation of the sheets, and
• wherein a space is not provided at a distance away from the separation roll in an axial direction of the axis around which the separation roll rotates which allows the separation roll to move in the axial direction while being detached.