A sheet feeding apparatus includes a sheet supporting portion including a supporting surface, an abutment portion against which a leading edge of the sheet abuts, a feeding rotator configured to feed the sheet, and a first friction member provided on the supporting surface so as to face the feeding rotator. The first friction member includes a first friction surface having a static friction coefficient greater than that of the supporting surface, a trailing end supporting portion configured to support a trailing end portion of the sheet curved upward, and a second friction member disposed upstream of the first friction member in the sheet feeding direction on the supporting surface. The second friction member includes a second friction surface which has a static friction coefficient greater than that of the supporting surface and is configured to be in contact with the sheet supported by the supporting surface.

A controller performs a positioning operation by driving an elevator motor before starting a paper feed operation using a paper feed roller unit. While the controller performs the paper feed operation using the paper feed roller unit after an upper limit sensor is brought into an on-state by the positioning operation, when the upper limit sensor is brought into an off-state, the controller performs a paper feed position following operation by driving the elevator motor to raise a paper feed tray until the upper limit sensor is brought into the on-state. The controller controls the elevator motor with setting a current limit in the positioning operation such that a current flowing to the elevator motor does not exceed a predetermined current limit value and controls the elevator motor without the current limit in the paper feed position following operation.

A controller performs a positioning operation by driving an elevator motor before starting a paper feed operation using a paper feed roller unit. While the controller performs the paper feed operation using the paper feed roller unit after an upper limit sensor is brought into an on-state by the positioning operation, when the upper limit sensor is brought into an off-state, the controller performs a paper feed position following operation by driving the elevator motor to raise a paper feed tray until the upper limit sensor is brought into the on-state. The controller controls the elevator motor with setting a current limit in the positioning operation such that a current flowing to the elevator motor does not exceed a predetermined current limit value and controls the elevator motor without the current limit in the paper feed position following operation.

An image recording device is provided, having a recording unit configured to record an image on a sheet, and a tray disposed below the recording unit. The tray includes a sheet holding surface configured to hold the sheet. Additionally, the image recording device includes a sheet feeder disposed between the recording unit and the tray. The sheet feeder includes a roller for feeding the sheet from the tray. The roller is configured to move between a first roller position in which the roller contacts the sheet holding surface of the tray and a second roller position in which the roller is separated from the sheet holding surface. A return guide, disposed between the recording unit and the sheet feeder, defines a second conveying path to guide the sheet having an image recorded on one side thereof back to the feed guide. The return guide has a first opening configured to accommodate the roller of the sheet feeder when the roller is in the second roller position.

An image recording device is provided, having a recording unit configured to record an image on a sheet, and a tray disposed below the recording unit. The tray includes a sheet holding surface configured to hold the sheet. Additionally, the image recording device includes a sheet feeder disposed between the recording unit and the tray. The sheet feeder includes a roller for feeding the sheet from the tray. The roller is configured to move between a first roller position in which the roller contacts the sheet holding surface of the tray and a second roller position in which the roller is separated from the sheet holding surface. A return guide, disposed between the recording unit and the sheet feeder, defines a second conveying path to guide the sheet having an image recorded on one side thereof back to the feed guide. The return guide has a first opening configured to accommodate the roller of the sheet feeder when the roller is in the second roller position.

A sheet feeding device includes a sheet loader, a sheet feeder, and an end fence. The sheet loader is configured to load a sheet bundle including sheets. The sheet feeder is configured to feed an uppermost sheet of the sheet bundle loaded on the sheet loader. The end fence is disposed movable in a sheet feeding direction of the uppermost sheet and is configured to contact a trailing end of the sheet bundle in the sheet feeding direction to regulate a position of the trailing end of the sheet bundle. The end fence includes an elastic body configured to contact the trailing end of the sheet bundle at a portion other than at least an upper portion of the end fence.

A sheet feeding device includes a sheet loader, a sheet feeder, and an end fence. The sheet loader is configured to load a sheet bundle including sheets. The sheet feeder is configured to feed an uppermost sheet of the sheet bundle loaded on the sheet loader. The end fence is disposed movable in a sheet feeding direction of the uppermost sheet and is configured to contact a trailing end of the sheet bundle in the sheet feeding direction to regulate a position of the trailing end of the sheet bundle. The end fence includes an elastic body configured to contact the trailing end of the sheet bundle at a portion other than at least an upper portion of the end fence.

A recording-material-storing device includes a detection object whose position is to be detected, a pressing portion that is movable toward and away from a side of a recording material placed in the recording-material-storing device and is to be pressed against the side, and a moving portion that moves the detection object by undergoing a relative motion with respect to the pressing portion when the pressing portion is moved.

A recording-material-storing device includes a detection object whose position is to be detected, a pressing portion that is movable toward and away from a side of a recording material placed in the recording-material-storing device and is to be pressed against the side, and a moving portion that moves the detection object by undergoing a relative motion with respect to the pressing portion when the pressing portion is moved.

An image reading apparatus includes a reading unit and a medium feeding apparatus. The medium feeding apparatus includes: a medium placement portion on which a medium before being fed is placed; a feed roller that feeds the medium placed on the medium placement portion; and at least one pressing portion that presses the medium placed on the medium placement portion onto the medium placement portion at a position upstream of the feed roller in a medium feeding direction. Since the pressing portion presses the medium placed on the medium placement portion, friction occurs between sheets of the medium, thereby preventing or reducing a skew.