Paper feeding apparatus, image forming apparatus, image forming system

An image forming apparatus comprising:

• an image forming unit to form an image on a sheet;
• and
• a paper feeding unit to feed sheets to the image forming unit, the paper feeding unit including;
• a sheet loading unit on which a bundle of sheets is loadable,
• a separation unit to separate a topmost sheet of the bundle of sheets from the bundle of sheets, upon the bundle of sheets being loaded on the sheet loading unit
• a conveyance unit to convey the separated topmost sheet,
• an end fence movable in a sheet conveyance direction, to abut trailing ends in the sheet conveyance direction of the bundle of sheets, and to position the bundle of sheets in the sheet conveyance direction, and
• a pressing unit provided to protrude from the end fence, and configured to press the trailing ends in the sheet conveyance direction of at least an upper part of the bundle of sheets,
• wherein, the pressing unit includes a plurality of elastic portions, an elastic force of an elastic portion disposed on a relatively lowest of the plurality of elastic portions of the pressing unit being made relatively stronger than those of other of the plurality of elastic portions, such that the pressing unit is configured to exert different pressing forces at the relatively lowest of the plurality of elastic portions and at the other of the plurality of elastic portions of the pressing unit, a pressing force exertable at the relatively lowest of the plurality of elastic portions being relatively stronger than a pressing force exertable at the other of the plurality of elastic portions.

An image forming system comprising:

• an image forming apparatus including at least an image forming unit configured to form an image on a sheet;
• and
• a paper feeding apparatus configured to feed sheets to the image forming apparatus,
• the paper feeding apparatus including;
• a sheet loading unit on which a bundle of sheets is loadable,
• a separation unit to separate a topmost sheet of the bundle of sheets loaded on the sheet loading unit, from the bundle of sheets,
• a conveyance unit to convey the separated topmost sheet,
• an end fence, movable in a sheet conveyance direction, to abut trailing ends in the sheet conveyance direction of the bundle of sheets, and to position the bundle of sheets in the sheet conveyance direction, and
• a pressing unit, provided to protrude from the end fence, and configured to press the trailing ends in the sheet conveyance direction of at least an upper part of the bundle of sheets,
• wherein, the pressing unit includes a plurality of elastic portions, an elastic force of an elastic portion disposed on a relatively lowest of the plurality of elastic portions of the pressing unit being made relatively stronger than those of other of the plurality of elastic portions, such that the pressing unit is configured to exert different pressing forces at the relatively lowest of the plurality of elastic portions and at the other of the plurality of elastic portions of the pressing unit, a pressing force exertable at the relatively lowest of the plurality of elastic portions being relatively stronger than a pressing force exertable at the other of the plurality of elastic portions.