A sheet supply apparatus detachably attached to an image forming apparatus is configured to receive a drive force from the image apparatus to supply sheet to the image forming apparatus. The sheet supply apparatus includes a sheet supply tray, a sheet supply roller, a first transmission mechanism configured to transmit a drive force from the image forming apparatus to the sheet supply roller, a second transmission mechanism including an output member and configured to transmit a drive force supplied from the image forming apparatus to the output member, a clutch mechanism configured to intermittently transmit a drive force from the image forming apparatus to the second transmission mechanism, a latch member pivotable between a restriction position and an allowance position, a change cam, a sector gear, a rotational force applying member, an engaging member, a first engagement portion, a second engagement portion, and an electromagnetic solenoid.

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.

A medium conveyance route switching device includes a support unit, a gate assembly, and a rotation mechanism. The support unit is located at a branching point of a first conveyance path, a second conveyance path and a third conveyance path where conveyance directions of a medium converge in three directions. The gate assembly includes a first to a third gate positioned on one ends of the first to the third conveyance path to guide at the branching point the medium to other conveyance paths than a conveyance path from which the medium is conveyed. The rotation mechanism includes a first actuator rotating the first gate to switch the medium conveyed from the first conveyance path to the second conveyance path or the third conveyance path, and a second actuator, when the first gate is rotated, rotating the second gate and the third gate in associated with the second gate.

A driving force transmission device includes a drive gear, a driven gear, which includes a gear portion and a partially toothless gear portion, rotates by the gear portion meshing with the drive gear, stops rotating in response to the partially toothless gear portion facing the drive gear, a first cam member and a second cam member which operate in conjunction with the driven gear, a first elastic member for urging the first cam member, a follower member to which urging force is applied by a second elastic member and which is moved by the second cam member, and a contact portion for coming into contact with the first cam member by urging force of the first elastic member. The first cam member includes a home cam surface for coming into contact with the contact portion so that rotation of the driven gear is limited.

A paper processing device includes a casing and a paper pressing mechanism. The casing includes a paper placement platform. The paper placement platform is extended externally from the casing so as to support the plural papers. The paper pressing mechanism includes a pressing bar, a driving mechanism and a linking mechanism. The pressing bar includes a pressing structure. The linking mechanism is connected between the driving mechanism and the pressing bar. While the linking mechanism is driven by the driving mechanism, the pressing bar is moved with the linking mechanism and rotated relative to the paper placement platform, so that the pressing structure is moved from an initial position to a target position. When the pressing structure is moved to the target position and contacted with the plural papers, a guiding channel is defined between the pressing structure and the paper placement platform.

A medium conveyance route switching device includes a support unit, a gate assembly, and a rotation mechanism. The support unit is located at a branching point of a first conveyance path, a second conveyance path and a third conveyance path where conveyance directions of a medium converge in three directions. The gate assembly includes a first to a third gate positioned on one ends of the first to the third conveyance path to guide at the branching point the medium to other conveyance paths than a conveyance path from which the medium is conveyed. The rotation mechanism includes a first actuator rotating the first gate to switch the medium conveyed from the first conveyance path to the second conveyance path or the third conveyance path, and a second actuator, when the first gate is rotated, rotating the second gate and the third gate in associated with the second gate.

In an example, a load stop may comprise a stop paddle, a paddle link, a swingarm engaged with a motive element, and a cam gear to engage the swingarm with the paddle link. The paddle link may move the stop paddle from a locked position, to a gathering position, and to a stowed position. The swingarm may transfer the motion of the motive element to the cam gear such that the cam gear is to move in a first direction, the cam gear to drive the paddle link to move the stop paddle from the locked position, to the gathering position, and to the stowed position when the motive element moves in a first drive direction, and the swingarm moves the cam gear in the first direction.

A feeding apparatus includes a knock-up plate to be rotatably installed on a main body of an image forming apparatus and install a paper, a knock-up spring to elastically apply pressure to the knock-up plate in a direction of a pickup roller, a cam to be fixed at one end of a knock-up shaft and downwardly apply pressure to the knock-up plate, and a driving force transfer member to transfer a rotating force of the knock-up shaft to the pickup roller.

A paper processing device includes a casing and a paper pressing mechanism. The casing includes a paper placement platform. The paper placement platform is extended externally from the casing so as to support the plural papers. The paper pressing mechanism includes a pressing bar, a driving mechanism and a linking mechanism. The pressing bar includes a pressing structure. The linking mechanism is connected between the driving mechanism and the pressing bar. While the linking mechanism is driven by the driving mechanism, the pressing bar is moved with the linking mechanism and rotated relative to the paper placement platform, so that the pressing structure is moved from an initial position to a target position. When the pressing structure is moved to the target position and contacted with the plural papers, a guiding channel is defined between the pressing structure and the paper placement platform.

A drive transmission device includes a rotatable driving member; a rotatable follower member, and an elastic member. The drive transmission device includes a first rotatable member and a second rotatable member. The first rotatable member includes first and second driving portions and a limiting portion. The second rotatable member includes a first driven portion, a second driven portion and a contact portion contacting the limiting portion. The second driving portion is adjacent to the limiting portion with respect to a rotational axis direction of the first rotatable member. The second driven portion is adjacent to the contact portion with respect to a rotational direction of the second rotatable member.