Sheet feeding apparatus

A sheet feeding apparatus comprising:

• a feeding unit which abuts on a sheet and feeds the sheet;
• a pressure plate having sheets stacked thereon;
• a biasing unit which biases the pressure plate in order to bring the sheets stacked on the pressure plate into pressure contact with the feeding unit;
• a separating unit which depresses the pressure plate against the biasing force of the biasing unit and separates the sheet from the feeding unit by a predetermined distance;
• a separation driving unit which drives the separating unit;
• and
• a load imparting unit which imparts load to at least any one of the pressure plate, the separating unit, and the separation driving unit;
• a measuring unit which measures the driving load applied to the separation driving unit when the separation driving unit drives the separating unit,
• wherein the load imparting unit imparts load when the sheet is separated from the feeding unit by the separating unit, and the load imparting unit imparts load when the distance between the pressure plate and the feeding unit is greater than a predetermined distance, and
• wherein information on the amount of the sheets stacked on the pressure plate is issued according to the driving amount of the separation driving unit until the load imparted by the load imparting unit exceeds a predetermined threshold value after the separation driving unit starts driving.