In one example, a tray to hold sheet media for printing includes: a movable support to support a downstream part of a stack of media sheets in the tray; a barrier near a downstream end of the support, the barrier movable between a closed position in which, when a stack of media sheets is on the support, the barrier blocks a downstream end of the stack and an open position in which, when a stack of media sheets is on the support, the barrier does not block a downstream end of at least part of the stack; and an actuator configured to move the barrier from the closed position to the open position.

According to one embodiment, a sheet cassette includes a sheet placing portion. The sheet placing portion can rotate around a rotation shaft while placing a sheet of a placeable maximum size in a sheet placing area to be flat. The rotation shaft extends to be perpendicular to a discharge direction and a gravity direction of the sheet. The rotation shaft is disposed between a first end portion on a downstream side along the discharge direction in the sheet placing area and a second end portion on an upstream side positioned on a side opposite to the first end portion.

According to one embodiment, a sheet cassette includes a sheet placing portion. The sheet placing portion can rotate around a rotation shaft while placing a sheet of a placeable maximum size in a sheet placing area to be flat. The rotation shaft extends to be perpendicular to a discharge direction and a gravity direction of the sheet. The rotation shaft is disposed between a first end portion on a downstream side along the discharge direction in the sheet placing area and a second end portion on an upstream side positioned on a side opposite to the first end portion.

An image forming apparatus includes a detection unit to detect recording material fed from a stacking unit, a determination unit, a count unit, and a control unit. The determination unit determines that a feeding failure has occurred when the detection unit does not detect the recording material until elapse of a predetermined period. The count unit counts a number of times the feeding operation is performed for a single sheet of the recording material. When the counted number of feeding operation performance times by when the feeding failure has occurred is smaller than a threshold, the control unit restarts the feeding operation that has been stopped without waiting for a user's operation. When the counted number of feeding operation performance times by when the feeding failure has occurred is at least equal to the threshold, the control unit waits for the user's operation while the feeding operation is stopped.

An image forming apparatus includes a detection unit to detect recording material fed from a stacking unit, a determination unit, a count unit, and a control unit. The determination unit determines that a feeding failure has occurred when the detection unit does not detect the recording material until elapse of a predetermined period. The count unit counts a number of times the feeding operation is performed for a single sheet of the recording material. When the counted number of feeding operation performance times by when the feeding failure has occurred is smaller than a threshold, the control unit restarts the feeding operation that has been stopped without waiting for a user's operation. When the counted number of feeding operation performance times by when the feeding failure has occurred is at least equal to the threshold, the control unit waits for the user's operation while the feeding operation is stopped.

A sheet tray includes a sheet storage unit that stores a sheet, the sheet storage unit being capable of being pulled out of a housing in a forward direction and pushed into the housing in a rearward direction to a position such that a gap is provided below the sheet storage unit; and a sheet moving portion fixed to the sheet storage unit, the sheet moving portion moving together with the sheet storage unit when the sheet storage unit is pulled out, thereby moving a sheet that has entered the gap in the forward direction.

A sheet tray includes a sheet storage unit that stores a sheet, the sheet storage unit being capable of being pulled out of a housing in a forward direction and pushed into the housing in a rearward direction to a position such that a gap is provided below the sheet storage unit; and a sheet moving portion fixed to the sheet storage unit, the sheet moving portion moving together with the sheet storage unit when the sheet storage unit is pulled out, thereby moving a sheet that has entered the gap in the forward direction.

A sheet feeder includes a separation roller, a retard roller, and a return latch. The separation roller rotates in a forward direction to separate a sheet and transport the separated sheet in a sheet transport direction. The retard roller forms, together with the separation roller, a nip point and rotates in a reverse direction to return a sheet in a direction opposite to the sheet transport direction. The return latch moves from a retracted position to a protruding position to return a sheet remaining after separation by the separation roller to a position upstream of the nip point in the sheet transport direction. The return latch, when at the retracted position, is retracted from a sheet transport path and, when at the protruding position, protrudes to the sheet transport path.

A sheet feeder includes a separation roller, a retard roller, and a return latch. The separation roller rotates in a forward direction to separate a sheet and transport the separated sheet in a sheet transport direction. The retard roller forms, together with the separation roller, a nip point and rotates in a reverse direction to return a sheet in a direction opposite to the sheet transport direction. The return latch moves from a retracted position to a protruding position to return a sheet remaining after separation by the separation roller to a position upstream of the nip point in the sheet transport direction. The return latch, when at the retracted position, is retracted from a sheet transport path and, when at the protruding position, protrudes to the sheet transport path.

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.