Paper feeder and image forming apparatus with the same

An image forming apparatus comprising a paper feeder, an apparatus body, and an image forming section, wherein

• the paper feeder includes:
• a cassette capable of being loaded into and unloaded from the apparatus body in a predetermined direction, the cassette being provided internally with a sheet container in which sheets are to be contained;
• a sheet conveyance path which is extended from the sheet container and along which the sheet is to be conveyed in a sheet conveyance direction which is a same direction with a direction of loading and unloading of the cassette;
• a paper feed roller mounted to the cassette at an entrance of the sheet conveyance path and configured to convey the sheet in the sheet conveyance direction;
• an opposed member disposed opposite to the paper feed roller and forming, together with the paper feed roller, a paper feed nip where the sheet enters;
• and
• a restricting member including a first member disposed above the sheet conveyance path and a second member disposed below the sheet conveyance path and across the sheet conveyance path from the first member, wherein the restricting member configured to, in a first state where the cassette is unloaded from the apparatus body, when one or both of the first member and the second member are moved to enter the sheet conveyance path, close off a portion of the sheet conveyance path upstream of the paper feed nip in the sheet conveyance direction to restrict the sheet in the sheet container from entering the paper feed nip upon loading of the cassette into the apparatus body and, in a second state where the cassette has been loaded in the apparatus body and the paper feed roller is capable of conveying the sheet, open the sheet conveyance path to allow the sheet enter the paper feed nip;
• and,
• the apparatus body is capable of loading the cassette therein, and
• the image forming section is disposed in the apparatus body and configured to form an image on the sheet conveyed by the paper feed roller.