Medium feeding device and image forming apparatus

A medium feeding device comprising:

• a loading member on which mediums are loaded;
• a holding member that includes
• a holding-member body that faces the loading member and is supported in such a manner as to be movable in a medium transport direction, the holding-member body having a gas suction opening facing the mediums, and
• a suction device that is connected to the gas suction opening and performs suction of gas,
• the holding member being configured to attract and hold each of the mediums while gas suction opening is performed by the suction device;
• a holding-member-moving mechanism that moves the holding member between a suction position where each of the mediums on the loading member is attracted to the holding member and a feed position on a downstream side in the medium transport direction with respect to the suction position;
• a transport member that transports the medium held by the holding member that is at the feed position toward the downstream side;
• a suction-force-changing mechanism that changes a suction force with which the medium is attracted to the holding member, the suction force being reduced after the medium is attracted to the holding member and before a trailing end, in the medium transport direction, of the medium attracted to the holding member passes over the gas suction opening;
• a closing member facing the gas suction opening, the closing member being movable between a closed position where at least part of the flow path is closed and an open position where the flow path is open;
• and
• an opening-and-closing mechanism that opens and closes the flow path by moving the closing member between the closed position and the open position,
• wherein the suction-force-changing mechanism reduces the suction force by controlling the opening-and-closing mechanism such that the closing member is moved from the open position to the closed position after the medium is attracted to the holding member and before the trailing end of the medium attracted to the holding member passes over the gas suction opening.