Sheet material feeding device and image forming apparatus including the same

A sheet material feeding device comprising:

• a sheet material stacking member that can move sheet material in up and down direction;
• a send-out means that is pressed to contact with the uppermost surface of the sheet material stacked on the sheet material stacking member so as to move the contact surface in a predetermined direction for sending out the sheet material;
• a lifting unit that moves both upward and downward, the sheet material stacking member between a feeding position in which the uppermost surface of the sheet material contacts with the send-out means and a separate position in which the uppermost surface of the sheet material is apart from the send-out means;
• a member to be detected that can move in the up and down direction when the sheet material stacking member moves;
• a detecting member that can output a detection signal when the member to be detected moves to a predetermined position;
• a control portion that stops drive of the lifting unit based on a detection signal output from the detecting member when the sheet material stacking member moves to the feeding position for sending out the sheet material;
• and
• a cassette that supports the sheet material stacking member in a movable manner and can be attached and detached from an apparatus main body,
• wherein the cassette has an engaging portion for moving the member to be detected to the predetermined position when being attached to the apparatus main body, and
• the control portion decides whether or not the detection signal is output from the detecting member when the engaging portion moves the member to be detected to the predetermined position.