In a conveying device, a cover member includes a guide portion and is configured to move relative to a casing between a first position at which the guide portion defines a first conveying path, and a second position at which the guide portion exposes the first conveying path to an exterior of the conveying device. A conveying unit is configured to convey a medium along a second conveying path. A flap is supported by the cover member and pivotable about a pivot axis between a third position and a fourth position. The flap is configured to guide the medium toward the conveying unit. A restricting mechanism is configured to selectively allow and restrict pivoting of the flap to the fourth position.

A recording material feeding device includes a stacking portion, a driving source, a holding member, a torque limiter for limiting transmission of a driving torque from the driving source to the stacking portion in a case that the driving source rotates in a state in which the holding member holds the position of the stacking portion; a storing portion for storing information on a holding state of the holding member; and a controller for controlling the driving source to rotate at a rotational speed slower when the information is information indicating that the holding member holds the position of the stacking portion than when the information is information indicating that the holding member does not hold the position of the stacking portion.

A sheet feeder includes a frame, a roller holder, and a holder stopper. The roller holder includes a feed roller for feeding a sheet. The roller holder is detachably attachable to the frame. The holder stopper is configured to move between a restricting position and a non-restricting position. In a case where the holder stopper is located at the restricting position, the holder stopper restricts the roller holder from moving from an attached position at which the roller holder is fixed to the frame. In a case where the holder stopper is located at the non-restricting position, the holder stopper allows the roller holder to move relative to the frame.

A sheet feeding device includes: a sheet stacking unit that stacks a bundle of sheets; a pick-up roller that is enabled to move up and down and sends a sheet of the bundle of sheets toward downstream side in a carrying direction; a pair of rollers that is arranged at downstream side in the carrying direction, and when multiple sheets are sent out by the pick-up roller, that separates the first sheet from the second sheet or later; a separation member that is arranged between the pick-up roller and the pair of rollers and that is in contact with a leading end of the sheet and limits the number of the sheet carried to the pair of rollers; and a hardware processor that determines a height position of the pick-up roller corresponding to a type of the sheet and sets the pick-up roller to be at the determined height position.

A sheet conveyor, including: a shaft defining an axis that extends in a first direction; an arm pivotable about the axis; a supply roller provided on the arm and configured to supply a sheet; a first frame formed of metal and supporting the shaft; a first conveyance roller configured to covey the sheet supplied from the supply roller; and a second frame formed of metal and supporting the first conveyance roller, wherein the second frame includes (a) a contact plate portion shaped like a plate and having a contact surface that is held in contact with the first frame and (b) a wall portion extending from the contact plate portion in a direction intersecting the contact surface, and wherein the second frame is coupled at the contact plate portion thereof to the first frame.

A sheet feeding apparatus is provided with a pick-up roller that contacts sheets loaded on a load tray to pick up, a paper feed roller that feeds a picked-up sheet, and a separation roller brought into press-contact with the paper feed roller to separate the sheet, where the sheets are separated from the pick-up roller, the separation roller is rotated in a sheet return direction different from a sheet feed direction, and subsequently, the paper feed roller is separated from the separation roller. It is possible to prevent damage to a sheet and sheet jam from occurring in pulling out the load tray loaded with sheets to the front side.

A sheet feeding apparatus includes a sheet presence/absence detection sensor configured to detect presence or absence of a sheet on a stacking device, a sheet surface detection sensor configured to detect that a stacking tray is raised to enable a sheet to be fed, a separation cam, and a control unit. The control unit is configured to determine that the mounting state of a feeding holder to a holder support unit is defective when the sheet surface detection sensor detects that the sheet can be fed when the sheet presence/absence detection sensor detects absence of a sheet before sheet feeding processing by a pickup roller.

A sheet conveying apparatus includes: a casing provided with a first conveying path and a second conveying path; a first feeding tray provided in the casing and having a first supporting surface that supports a sheet; a supporting member that supports the first feeding tray from below in the casing; a first feeding section provided above the first supporting surface; a first guide member having a first guide surface to guide the sheet fed from the first feeding tray; a second feeding tray provided below the supporting member in the casing and having a second supporting surface that supports a different sheet; a second feeding section provided above the second supporting surface; a second guide member having a second guide surface to guide the different sheet fed from the second feeding tray; and a frame made of metal and being installed on a lower surface of the supporting member.

A sheet conveyance device (1) includes a feed tray (20), a feeding unit (50), a stopper (30), a first abutted portion (41), and an impact reducing mechanism (10). Sheets are loaded on the feed tray (20). The feeding unit (50) feeds the sheets. The stopper (30) is rotatably supported on the feeding unit (50) and rotates when pressed by the sheets inserted into the feed tray (20). The stopper (30) comes into contact with the first abutted portion (41) in association with the rotation of the stopper (30). The impact reducing mechanism (10) reduces impact applied to the first abutted portion (41) by the stopper (30).

A feeding device includes a stacking member, a raising device, a feeding member, an interlocking device including a sheet contact portion, a switching device, a holding member, and a movement device. The feeding member is movable between contact and retracting positions, and rotates in contact with a sheet stacked on the stacking member in a state of being located at the contact position. The sheet contact portion contacts the stacked sheet, and moves by being pressed against the stacked sheet where the raising device raises the stacking member. The switching device switches the raising device between a permitted state and a regulated state. The movement device moves the feeding member to the retracting position above the contact position by moving the holding member. The raising device does not change from the regulated state to the permitted state when the movement device moves the feeding member to the retracting position.