Sheet feeding apparatus and image forming apparatus

An image forming apparatus including a sheet feeding apparatus for feeding sheets stacked on the sheet stacking face of the sheet stack tray and an image forming unit for forming images on the sheets fed by the sheet feeding apparatus,

• wherein the sheet feeding apparatus comprises:
• a feeding roller configured to feed the sheets;
• a driving motor configured to rotate the feeding roller;
• a lifting member configured to move at least edges of the sheets in a direction of the feeding roller;
• a sheet-shaped member connected to a front end of the lifting member at a downstream side of the sheet conveyance direction;
• and
• a counter member disposed opposite to the feeding roller and facing the feeding roller across the sheet-shaped member to pinch the sheet-shaped member;
• wherein, when the feeding roller is rotated, the sheet-shaped member pinched between the feeding roller and the counter member is moved to a downstream side in the sheet conveyance direction to cause the lifting member to move and, when the sheets are brought into contact with the feeding roller, the contacted uppermost sheet on the sheet stacking face of the sheet stack tray is fed by the feeding roller.