Sheet separating apparatus

A sheet separating apparatus comprising:

• a chute member comprising a stacking part including a sheet support surface configured to support a sheet;
• a separation roller configured to convey the sheet supported on the sheet support surface toward a downstream side in a conveying direction;
• a flexible member having flexibility and comprising:
• a first end portion positioned upstream in the conveying direction and being displaceable;
• a second end portion positioned downstream in the conveying direction and facing the separation roller, a first surface of the flexible member facing the separation roller;
• and
• a hole extending in the conveying direction at the first end portion;
• a holding member to which the second end portion of the flexible member is attached;
• an abutting part configured to abut on a second surface, which is opposite to the first surface, of the flexible member at an intermediate position between the first end portion and the second end portion in the conveying direction;
• and
• a protrusion protruding from the chute member toward the flexible member and being inserted into the hole of the flexible member such that the first end portion of the flexible member is allowed to move in the conveying direction within a predetermined range,
• wherein the flexible member comprises:
• an auxiliary support surface provided upstream from the intermediate position in the conveying direction and configured to support a downstream end portion of the sheet supported on the sheet support surface in the conveying direction, wherein the auxiliary support surface is bendable in a direction getting away from the separation roller in response to the flexible member being moved in the conveying direction while the abutting part maintains abutting on the second surface of the flexible member;
• and
• a friction surface provided downstream from the intermediate position in the conveying direction and configured to face the separation roller to be contactable with the separation roller, wherein the friction surface is configured to separate the sheet one at a time in cooperation with the separation roller.