An image forming apparatus includes an apparatus body including an image forming unit, a unit detachably attached to the apparatus body, a first rotary member provided in the unit, a second rotary member provided in the apparatus body and configured to be coupled with and decoupled from the first rotary member by being moved in a rotation axial direction of the first rotary member, and a restriction member provided in the apparatus body and movable to a first position and a second position. The restriction member includes an engaging portion configured to engage with the second rotary member and is configured to move the second rotary member by the engaging portion so that the second rotary member is decoupled from the first rotary member along with a move of the restriction member from the first position to the second position.

A sheet conveyance device includes a first conveyance member, and a drive transmission mechanism. The first conveyance member is configured to convey a sheet toward a second conveyance member. The drive transmission mechanism is configured to transmit a driving force of a driving source to the first conveyance member. The drive transmission mechanism includes a first drive transmitter and a second drive transmitter disposed coaxially with the first drive transmitter. The driving force is transmitted from the first drive transmitter to the second drive transmitter. The second drive transmitter is rotatable relative to the first drive transmitter within at least a predetermined angular range.

A sheet feeding apparatus includes a storage portion, a sheet supporting portion, a feed portion, a drive portion to output driving force that lifts the sheet supporting portion, and a rotation shaft rotatably supported by the storage portion and including an engaging portion disposed on one end side in an axial direction of the rotation shaft. The engaging portion engages with the drive portion, and a pressing portion is fixed to the rotation shaft and presses the sheet supporting portion from below when the rotation shaft is rotated by the drive portion. A rotary damper joins with the rotation shaft on another end side of the rotation shaft and reduces rotary motion of the rotation shaft. The pressing portion is disposed between the engaging portion and the rotary damper in the axial direction.

A power transmission apparatus includes a drive source, a power transmission switching section configured to switch between a transmission state in which power of the drive source is transmitted to a driven section and a non-transmission state in which power of the drive source is not transmitted to the driven section, a load switching section configured to switch between a first load state, which is a load while the driven section is driven, and a second load state, which is a load smaller than the load of the first load state, and a control section, wherein the control section switches the power transmission switching section from the non-transmission state to the transmission state while the load is in the second load state, and then uses the load switching section to switch the load from the second load state to the first load state.

A sheet feeding apparatus includes a sheet conveyance roller, a retard roller to contact the conveyance roller and separate sheets one by one, a drive input shaft, a retard shaft, and a joint to connect the retard shaft with the drive input shaft and transmit rotary drive force of the drive input shaft to the retard shaft. A first angle formed between a line passing through a first engagement position and the drive input shaft and a line passing through a second engagement position and the retard shaft center is within a range of 80 degrees or greater and 100 degrees or smaller, and a second angle formed between a line passing through the drive input shaft and a first pin axis and a line passing through the retard shaft and a second pin axis is within a range of 50 degrees or greater and 70 degrees or smaller.

An image forming apparatus includes a main body housing, an openable/closable part, a sheet feeding tray, an image forming device, a sheet feeding roller, a first coupling, a drive gear, a second coupling, a biasing member, and a link mechanism. The first coupling is provided in the sheet feeding roller. The second coupling is provided coaxially with the drive gear, rotatable following the drive gear, slidable relative to the drive gear in an axial direction and capable of fitting to the first coupling. The biasing member biases the second coupling to the first coupling to connect the second coupling to the first coupling. The link mechanism disconnects the second coupling from the first coupling against a biasing force of the biasing member so as to block a transmission of the drive force with an opening of the openable/closable part.

A winding machine (10) for winding and/or unwinding band-shaped or strip-like material (12) has at least one rotary plate (16), which is arranged on a pivot arm (24) and can be driven by means of at least two opposite coupling elements (20, 22), at least one coupling element (20) being associated with the rotary plate (16), and the rotary plate (16) being transferrable by means of a pivot device (30) between at least one decoupled state and at least one coupled state. Because the coupling elements (20, 22) can be positioned opposite one another in a coupling position in a sensor-based manner, this allows a coupling process which is as wear-free as possible.

A sheet conveyance apparatus includes a cover unit having a first guide, a base unit to support the cover unit in an openable and closable manner, and having a second guide, the first guide and the second guide forming a conveyance path in a state where the cover unit is closed with respect to the base unit, and a sheet feeding unit detachable from the cover unit. In addition, a cover member is supported by the cover unit to be pivotable between a closed position and covers at least a portion of the feeding unit and an open position where the portion of the feeding unit is exposed. The cover member moves from the closed position to the open position by being pressed by the holder while the feeding unit is detached from the cover unit.

In the invention described, an actuating solenoid on one side of a printer wall connects to a pawl by a lever component. The lever has a pawl-actuating post extending through a wall window so that it may interface with a flared slot on the clutch's pawl. By extending the post through the wall window, space is saved when the printer door is closed because the solenoid does not need to be on the inside of the wall.

A sheet storage device includes a housing, a sheet stacking tray, a shaft, a first pulley, a second pulley, a plurality of wires, and a driving device. The driving device includes a drive portion and a drive transfer portion. The sheet stacking tray ascends as a driving-side coupling rotates in a forward direction, and descends as the driving-side coupling rotates in a reverse direction. When a driven-side coupling stops rotating in the reverse direction, the driving-side coupling rotates idly relative to the driven-side coupling.