SHEET-FEEDING DEVICE, AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS PROVIDED WITH THE SAME

1 . A sheet-feeding device for use in an apparatus main body having a box-shaped apparatus external surface, comprising:

a sheet feeding cassette having an outer side surface and detachably mounted to the apparatus main body; and

an elastic member provided on the outer side surface of the sheet feeding cassette, wherein

the outer side surface of the sheet feeding cassette constitutes a part of the apparatus external surface in a state where the sheet feeding cassette is mounted to the apparatus main body, and

at least a part of the elastic member projects outward from the apparatus external surface farther than the outer side surface.

2 . The sheet-feeding device according to claim 1 , wherein

the sheet feeding cassette has a handle member having a grip portion in the outer side surface, and

the elastic member is formed on a front surface of the grip portion.

3 . The sheet-feeding device according to claim 1 , wherein the elastic member is made of an electrically conductive material.

4 . The sheet-feeding device according to claim 1 , wherein

a plurality of sheet feeding cassettes are provided, and

elastic members of the sheet feeding cassettes have respective colors which are different from one another.

5 . The sheet-feeding device according to claim 1 , wherein the elastic member is detachably mounted to the outer side surface.

6 . The sheet-feeding device according to claim 2 , wherein

the outer side surface of the sheet feeding cassette has a first surface which is substantially flush with the apparatus external surface, and a second surface recessed from the first surface, and

the grip portion is so formed as to cross a front side of the second surface, and a front surface of the grip portion is flush with the first surface.

7 . The sheet-feeding device according to claim 6 , wherein

the grip portion has a horizontally elongated shape and the front surface also has an elongated shape, and

the elastic member includes a horizontally elongated plate member.

8 . An image forming apparatus comprising:

an image forming unit for performing an image forming operation to a sheet;

an apparatus main body for accommodating the image forming unit; and

a sheet-feeding device for storing a sheet to be fed to the image forming unit;

wherein

the apparatus main body has a box-shaped apparatus external surface, and

the sheet-feeding device includes:

a sheet feeding cassette having an outer side surface and detachably mounted to the apparatus main body; and

an elastic member provided on the outer side surface of the sheet feeding cassette, and

the outer side surface of the sheet feeding cassette constitutes a part of the apparatus external surface in a state where the sheet feeding cassette is mounted to the apparatus main body, and

at least a part of the elastic member projects outward from the apparatus external surface farther than the outer side surface.

9 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein

the sheet feeding cassette has a handle member having a grip portion in the outer side surface, and

the elastic member is formed on a front surface of the grip portion.

10 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the elastic member is made of an electrically conductive material.

11 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein

a plurality of sheet feeding cassettes are provided, and

elastic members of the sheet feeding cassettes have respective colors which are different from one another.

12 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the elastic member is detachably mounted to the outer side surface.

13 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein

the outer side surface of the sheet feeding cassette has a first surface which is substantially flush with the apparatus external surface, and a second surface recessed from the first surface, and

the grip portion is so formed as to cross a front side of the second surface, and a front surface of the grip portion is flush with the first surface.

14 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein

the grip portion has a horizontally elongated shape and the front surface also has an elongated shape, and

the elastic member includes a horizontally elongated plate member.