PAPER FEEDING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a paper feeding device feeding a paper sheet without bending to prevent jam, when the paper feeding device is separately installed to an image forming apparatus and feeds the paper sheet to the image forming apparatus. SOLUTION: The paper feeding device 1 has paper sheet storage parts 1a, 1b, 1c in which the paper sheets are vertically loaded on paper placement plates 2a, 2b, 2c. Each uppermost paper sheet stored in the storage parts is fed by pickup rollers 3a, 3b, 3c. To feed the paper sheet to the image forming apparatus 100 in its attitude, carrying ports 7a, 7b, 7c are separately provided to a paper feeding device 1 side. Carrying passages 114, 113, 115 are provided to an image forming apparatus 100 side corresponding to the carrying ports 7a, 7b, 7c, and the paper sheet from the paper feeding device 1 is carried to an image forming process part of the image forming apparatus 100. COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI