A sheet feeding apparatus includes a sheet stacker, an air blower, a float regulator, and a controller. The sheet stacker stacks sheets. The air blower blows air to the sheets. The float regulator regulates a floating position of the sheets and is movable between a float regulating position at which the float regulator regulates floating of the sheets and a retracted position. The controller transmits position information of the float regulator to a notification device.

A media-sheet stacking system (10) for stacking media sheets on a device output tray (OT) comprises a kicker (25) to advance a media sheet along the output tray by pushing a trailing edge of the media sheet as it exits the device, and a movable element (32a) arranged to face the output tray across a space that receives media sheets exiting the device. A drive mechanism (33) is provided to drive the movable element in the direction of advance of the media sheet along the output tray.

A sheet feeding device, which is included in an image forming apparatus, includes a sheet container to accommodate a recording medium, a sheet feeding body to press a surface of the recording medium in the sheet container and feed the recording medium in a sheet conveying direction, a pair of sheet position regulators to regulate a position of the recording medium in a sheet width direction perpendicular to the sheet conveying direction, and a load applier to contact the surface of the recording medium and apply a load to the recording medium at the surface. The recording medium is brought to move toward one of the pair of sheet position regulators while the recording medium is being fed. A lower face position in a standby state of the sheet feeding body is lower than a lower face position in a standby state of the load applier.

A sheet regulating portion includes a body portion including a regulating surface facing an edge of a sheet, a pressing member having a pressing portion capable of projecting out of the body portion, an upper portion formed integrally with an upper part of the pressing portion so as to project to a sheet side and regulating an upward move of the sheet, and an urging member to urge the pressing member so that the pressing portion presses the edge of the sheet. In addition, a holding portion holds the pressing portion movably from a projecting position where the pressing portion projects out of the body portion to a retracting position where the upper portion enters within the body portion while inclining the pressing portion with respect to the regulating surface by resisting against the urging member when the upper portion is pressed from above.

Examples include a device for offsetting printing media in a printer input tray. The device comprises a support, a movable arm extended along the media advance direction, a spring for generating a spring force urging the movable arm against the support, and a releasable actuator for compensating the spring force and for selectively offsetting the movable arm away from the support in a plane parallel to a base of the input tray. The movable arm is maintained parallel to the media advance direction during movement of the movable arm.

A sheet tray, including a tray body having a bottom plate, and a sheet guide, is provided. The sheet guide includes a guide plate to align sheets at a predetermined position, a lever, a swingable device having a boss and a guide groove, and a stopper pivotably connected with a hinge. The boss guided in the guide groove moves the lever between a first position, wherein the boss is in a first section in the guide groove and the stopper is lowered to an engaged position, with an engageable part being engaged with the bottom plate; and a second position, wherein the boss is in a second section in the guide groove and the stopper is uplifted to a separated position with the engageable part being separated from the bottom plate. When the lever moves from the first position to the second position, the lever tilts by ascending and pivoting.

A sheet regulating portion includes a body portion including a regulating surface facing an edge of a sheet, a pressing member having a pressing portion capable of projecting out of the body portion, an upper portion formed integrally with an upper part of the pressing portion so as to project to a sheet side and regulating an upward move of the sheet, and an urging member to urge the pressing member so that the pressing portion presses the edge of the sheet. In addition, a holding portion holds the pressing portion movably from a projecting position where the pressing portion projects out of the body portion to a retracting position where the upper portion enters within the body portion while inclining the pressing portion with respect to the regulating surface by resisting against the urging member when the upper portion is pressed from above.

A sheet size specification system for specifying size of a sheet on a sheet stacking tray of an image forming device, by using an image capture unit of a portable terminal. The system includes an analyzer and a size specifier. The analyzer analyzes image data captured by the image capture unit, the image data indicating the sheet stacking tray and the sheet thereon. The size specifier acquires, from the analyzed image data, first position data indicating positions of predefined feature points of the sheet stacking tray and second position data indicating positions of an outline of the sheet, and specifies size of the sheet on the sheet stacking tray based on the first position data and the second position data.

The present invention provides a sheet feeding apparatus capable of feeding sheets at a proper position without a regulating member being bent even if a cassette unit is closed in a state in which a large volume of sheets are stacked. A large-volume feeding deck includes a non-reference-side regulating plate, an external casing plate, and positioning members, which are movable relative to the cassette unit.

A feeding apparatus includes a stacking member provided to a feeding cassette, a feeding member, a contact portion provided on a regulating member provided on the feeding cassette, a movement unit, and a switching unit. The movement unit raises the feeding member when the feeding cassette is pulled out and lowers the feeding member when the feeding cassette is inserted. The switching unit switches a positional relationship between the feeding and stacking member. After the feeding member is lowered and before the feeding member performs a sheet feeding operation, the switching unit switches the relationship to the second positional relationship from the first. When a stacked sheet amount is equal to or more than a predetermined amount, the contact portion is disposed in contact with the stacked sheets and when the amount is smaller than the predetermined amount, the contact portion is disposed not in contact with the stacked sheets.