An image forming apparatus includes a stacking portion including a lifting portion, a feeding member feeding a sheet stacked on the lifting portion to a conveyance passage, a position detector detecting movement of the sheet stacked on to a feedable position to the conveyance passage, a driver including a motor and performing the lifting operation of the lifting portion, a rotation detector detecting rotation of the motor, and a controller. The controller determines a factor that the position detector does not detect the movement of the sheet stacked on the lifting portion to the feedable position within a predetermined time based on a detection result of the rotation detector while controlling the driver to lift up the lifting portion.

An image forming apparatus includes a stacking portion including a lifting portion, a feeding member feeding a sheet stacked on the lifting portion to a conveyance passage, a position detector detecting movement of the sheet stacked on to a feedable position to the conveyance passage, a driver including a motor and performing the lifting operation of the lifting portion, a rotation detector detecting rotation of the motor, and a controller. The controller determines a factor that the position detector does not detect the movement of the sheet stacked on the lifting portion to the feedable position within a predetermined time based on a detection result of the rotation detector while controlling the driver to lift up the lifting portion.

The present invention provides, in various embodiments, a batch feeder and a method for stocking and gravity conveying of piece goods made of flat material. A feeder pit comprises an upper opening for inputting the piece goods in batches, a lower opening for extraction of the piece goods, and at least two lateral pit delimitations, which are located opposite to one another, for guiding of the piece goods. As carrying structures for supporting the piece goods on one side, that are arranged on top of each other as floors and that protrude into the feeder pit, are formed on at least one of the pit delimitations, the piece goods can be retained alternatingly on the carrying structures in an easy way and move up respectively for each floor.

The present invention provides, in various embodiments, a batch feeder and a method for stocking and gravity conveying of piece goods made of flat material. A feeder pit comprises an upper opening for inputting the piece goods in batches, a lower opening for extraction of the piece goods, and at least two lateral pit delimitations, which are located opposite to one another, for guiding of the piece goods. As carrying structures for supporting the piece goods on one side, that are arranged on top of each other as floors and that protrude into the feeder pit, are formed on at least one of the pit delimitations, the piece goods can be retained alternatingly on the carrying structures in an easy way and move up respectively for each floor.

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 storage device includes a case, a lift plate, and a lift attachment. The lift attachment is fixed, in a detachable manner, to a central portion of the lift plate in a width direction. The lift attachment supports a lower surface of the sheets stacked on the lift plate at a position higher than the upper surface of the lift plate. The lift attachment includes a base portion and a pair of arm portions. The pair of arm portions are respectively formed to extend from an end portion of the base portion that is on a downstream side in the sheet feed direction, to opposite directions in the width direction.

Provided is a paper sheet loading device including a paper sheet loading unit having a bottom plate and a front wall, a feed roller that comes in contact with a bottom surface of a lowermost paper sheet of a batch of paper sheets and rotates to feed the lowermost paper sheet to outside of the paper sheet loading unit, and a load adjusting member arranged so as to protrude into the paper sheet loading unit and retreat to outside of the paper sheet loading unit. At a time of protrusion of the load adjusting member, the load adjusting member presses a front side face of the batch of paper sheets by a pressing surface to displace the front side face to an innermost part, and receives a load from the batch of paper sheets by the pressing surface, thereby reducing the load applied to the feed roller from the batch of paper sheets.

Provided is a paper sheet loading device including a paper sheet loading unit having a bottom plate and a front wall, a feed roller that comes in contact with a bottom surface of a lowermost paper sheet of a batch of paper sheets and rotates to feed the lowermost paper sheet to outside of the paper sheet loading unit, and a load adjusting member arranged so as to protrude into the paper sheet loading unit and retreat to outside of the paper sheet loading unit. At a time of protrusion of the load adjusting member, the load adjusting member presses a front side face of the batch of paper sheets by a pressing surface to displace the front side face to an innermost part, and receives a load from the batch of paper sheets by the pressing surface, thereby reducing the load applied to the feed roller from the batch of paper sheets.

A sheet feeding device includes a sheet feeding cassette, which is detachable with respect to a sheet feeding cassette mounting portion provided on an image forming device body. The sheet feeding cassette includes a storage portion that stores a paper sheet, a first regulator provided on a bottom portion of the storage portion that regulates the position of a paper sheet, and a movable placement plate that upwardly pushes a paper sheet stored in the storage portion. The movable placement plate includes a second regulator that regulates the position of a paper sheet having a different size to the size of a paper sheet that can be regulated by the first regulator.

A sheet feeding device includes a sheet feeding cassette, which is detachable with respect to a sheet feeding cassette mounting portion provided on an image forming device body. The sheet feeding cassette includes a storage portion that stores a paper sheet, a first regulator provided on a bottom portion of the storage portion that regulates the position of a paper sheet, and a movable placement plate that upwardly pushes a paper sheet stored in the storage portion. The movable placement plate includes a second regulator that regulates the position of a paper sheet having a different size to the size of a paper sheet that can be regulated by the first regulator.