The sheet feeding apparatus includes a sheet supporting portion, a sheet feeding portion configured to feed the sheet, a lifting unit including an urging portion and a shaft portion, wherein the damping unit includes a first gear supported rotatably on the shaft portion, a base portion, a second gear, and a damping portion, the damping unit being configured to be switched, in a state where the shaft portion is rotating, between a first state in which the damping unit damps the rotation of the shaft portion and a second state in which the damping unit does not damp the rotation of the shaft portion, and a distance between a center of rotation of the first gear and a center of rotation of the second gear is fixed regardless of whether the damping unit is in the first state or in the second state.

Disclosed is a sheet conveying apparatus, including: a first guide member for restricting a movement of an end portion of a sheet in a sheet width direction; a second guide member for restricting a movement of the other end portion of the sheet in the sheet width direction; and a moving portion, wherein when one guide member of the first guide member and the second guide member is moved in the sheet width direction, the moving portion moves the other guide member in a direction opposite to a direction in which the one guide member is moved while being interlocked with a movement of the one guide member in a first area of a moving area, and allows the one guide member to be moved without being interlocked with a movement of the other guide member in a second area of the moving area.

Disclosed is a sheet conveying apparatus, including: a first guide member for restricting a movement of an end portion of a sheet in a sheet width direction; a second guide member for restricting a movement of the other end portion of the sheet in the sheet width direction; and a moving portion, wherein when one guide member of the first guide member and the second guide member is moved in the sheet width direction, the moving portion moves the other guide member in a direction opposite to a direction in which the one guide member is moved while being interlocked with a movement of the one guide member in a first area of a moving area, and allows the one guide member to be moved without being interlocked with a movement of the other guide member in a second area of the moving area.

A medium feeding device includes a storage unit that stores media in a form of a sheet, a delivery unit that is disposed downstream in a medium delivery direction relative to the media stored in the storage unit and that delivers the media individually, a transfer unit that is disposed above the storage unit and that adheres by suction to each of the media stored in the storage unit and transfers the media to the delivery unit, and a fluffing unit that is disposed beside the media stored in the storage unit in a direction intersecting the medium delivery direction. The fluffing unit fluffs an upper-side region of the media in a state of being separated, by blowing air toward a side of the media during a feeding job of the media and during a post-feeding period that is a predetermined period after completion of the feeding job. The medium feeding device further includes a suppression unit that suppresses movement of the media toward the delivery unit side during air blowing performed by the fluffing unit in the post-feeding period.

A medium feeding device includes a storage unit that stores media in a form of a sheet, a delivery unit that is disposed downstream in a medium delivery direction relative to the media stored in the storage unit and that delivers the media individually, a transfer unit that is disposed above the storage unit and that adheres by suction to each of the media stored in the storage unit and transfers the media to the delivery unit, and a fluffing unit that is disposed beside the media stored in the storage unit in a direction intersecting the medium delivery direction. The fluffing unit fluffs an upper-side region of the media in a state of being separated, by blowing air toward a side of the media during a feeding job of the media and during a post-feeding period that is a predetermined period after completion of the feeding job. The medium feeding device further includes a suppression unit that suppresses movement of the media toward the delivery unit side during air blowing performed by the fluffing unit in the post-feeding period.

A paper feeder including: a push-up mechanism that pushes up an end portion of a tray below a leading end of a stack of sheets; a paper feed roller that intersects a locus fitted to motion of the end portion of the tray or an extension of the locus in the direction of the motion, and applies a conveying force to a sheet that the push-up mechanism presses against the paper feed roller to move the sheet in a conveyance direction; a separation member that forms a nip with the paper feed roller and applies a resistance force in a direction opposite the conveyance direction to the sheet; and an auxiliary roller upstream in the conveyance direction from the locus that applies a conveying force in the conveyance direction to the sheet, maintaining a state of contact between the sheet and the paper feed roller.

A paper feeder including: a push-up mechanism that pushes up an end portion of a tray below a leading end of a stack of sheets; a paper feed roller that intersects a locus fitted to motion of the end portion of the tray or an extension of the locus in the direction of the motion, and applies a conveying force to a sheet that the push-up mechanism presses against the paper feed roller to move the sheet in a conveyance direction; a separation member that forms a nip with the paper feed roller and applies a resistance force in a direction opposite the conveyance direction to the sheet; and an auxiliary roller upstream in the conveyance direction from the locus that applies a conveying force in the conveyance direction to the sheet, maintaining a state of contact between the sheet and the paper feed roller.

An image reading device includes: a controller which performs a first drive operation for rotating the discharge roller, and a second drive operation for moving the discharge guide between the third position and the fourth position. The controller stops the first drive operation when performing the second drive operation, and stops the second drive operation when performing the first drive operation.

A tray unit assembly includes a housing, a separating/stacking unit, a tray unit and an elevating member. The separating/stacking unit includes a separating roller unit and a stacking roller unit provided in the housing. The tray unit is provided to be inserted into the housing and includes a first tray body fixed to the housing when the tray unit is inserted into the housing, and a second tray body connected to the first tray body to be slidable in a vertical direction and having a media stacking space formed therein. The elevating member is disposed to be movable up and down and configured to be in contact with a bottom surface of the second tray body to move the second tray body toward the stacking roller unit or the separating roller unit.

A tray unit assembly includes a housing, a separating/stacking unit, a tray unit and an elevating member. The separating/stacking unit includes a separating roller unit and a stacking roller unit provided in the housing. The tray unit is provided to be inserted into the housing and includes a first tray body fixed to the housing when the tray unit is inserted into the housing, and a second tray body connected to the first tray body to be slidable in a vertical direction and having a media stacking space formed therein. The elevating member is disposed to be movable up and down and configured to be in contact with a bottom surface of the second tray body to move the second tray body toward the stacking roller unit or the separating roller unit.