Sheet feeding device and image forming apparatus incorporating same

A sheet feeding device, comprising:

• a sheet carrying unit to carry a sheet stack thereon;
• an attraction separation device to electrostatically attract an uppermost sheet of the sheet stack and separate the uppermost sheet from the sheet stack, the attraction separation device including
• a plurality of rollers;
• an endless dielectric belt stretched over the plurality of rollers;
• and
• a single elastic member provided inside a loop of the endless dielectric belt and configured to bring the endless dielectric belt into contact with the uppermost sheet, the elastic member being a non-rotatable member;
• a sheet conveying device configured to convey the uppermost sheet separated by the attraction separation device;
• and
• a lifting and lowering device configured to lift and lower the sheet stack carried on the sheet carrying unit,
• the lifting and lowering device lifting the sheet stack to a lift position at which the uppermost sheet contacts with the attraction separation device, and the attraction separation device standing by for a set time to attract the uppermost sheet and starting to convey the uppermost sheet after the set time elapses in a state in which the sheet stack remains at the lift position.