EP2330064B1 - Dispositif de transport de feuille et appareil de formation d'image l'incluant - Google Patents

Dispositif de transport de feuille et appareil de formation d'image l'incluant Download PDF

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Publication number
EP2330064B1
EP2330064B1 EP10192388.6A EP10192388A EP2330064B1 EP 2330064 B1 EP2330064 B1 EP 2330064B1 EP 10192388 A EP10192388 A EP 10192388A EP 2330064 B1 EP2330064 B1 EP 2330064B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
sheet
uppermost
uppermost sheet
contact roller
stack
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Not-in-force
Application number
EP10192388.6A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Other versions
EP2330064A2 (fr
EP2330064A3 (fr
Inventor
Tetsuya Ohfuchi
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Ricoh Co Ltd
Original Assignee
Ricoh Co Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Ricoh Co Ltd filed Critical Ricoh Co Ltd
Publication of EP2330064A2 publication Critical patent/EP2330064A2/fr
Publication of EP2330064A3 publication Critical patent/EP2330064A3/fr
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP2330064B1 publication Critical patent/EP2330064B1/fr
Not-in-force legal-status Critical Current
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical

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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H1/00—Supports or magazines for piles from which articles are to be separated
    • B65H1/08—Supports or magazines for piles from which articles are to be separated with means for advancing the articles to present the articles to the separating device
    • B65H1/14—Supports or magazines for piles from which articles are to be separated with means for advancing the articles to present the articles to the separating device comprising positively-acting mechanical devices
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H3/00—Separating articles from piles
    • B65H3/08—Separating articles from piles using pneumatic force
    • B65H3/12—Suction bands, belts, or tables moving relatively to the pile
    • B65H3/124—Suction bands or belts
    • B65H3/128—Suction bands or belts separating from the top of pile
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H7/00—Controlling article feeding, separating, pile-advancing, or associated apparatus, to take account of incorrect feeding, absence of articles, or presence of faulty articles
    • B65H7/02—Controlling article feeding, separating, pile-advancing, or associated apparatus, to take account of incorrect feeding, absence of articles, or presence of faulty articles by feelers or detectors
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H2511/00—Dimensions; Position; Numbers; Identification; Occurrences
    • B65H2511/10—Size; Dimensions
    • B65H2511/13—Thickness
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H2511/00—Dimensions; Position; Numbers; Identification; Occurrences
    • B65H2511/20—Location in space
    • B65H2511/21—Angle
    • B65H2511/212—Rotary position
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H2511/00—Dimensions; Position; Numbers; Identification; Occurrences
    • B65H2511/20—Location in space
    • B65H2511/22—Distance
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H2511/00—Dimensions; Position; Numbers; Identification; Occurrences
    • B65H2511/30—Numbers, e.g. of windings or rotations
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H2553/00—Sensing or detecting means
    • B65H2553/60—Details of intermediate means between the sensing means and the element to be sensed
    • B65H2553/61—Mechanical means, e.g. contact arms

Definitions

  • Exemplary embodiments of the present patent application relate to a sheet conveying device that attracts a sheet on top of a sheet stack and conveys the sheet to a subsequent device for image formation, and an image forming apparatus incorporating the sheet conveying device.
  • Sheet conveying devices are provided to an image forming apparatus such as a digital copier, printer, facsimile machine, offset printing machine and the like and used to convey a sheet of a recording medium (hereinafter, "sheet") through the image forming apparatus.
  • image forming apparatus such as a digital copier, printer, facsimile machine, offset printing machine and the like and used to convey a sheet of a recording medium (hereinafter, "sheet") through the image forming apparatus.
  • sheet conveying devices attract the sheet electrostatically or with air suction.
  • the sheet conveying device (101, 201) includes a sheet container (111, 211), a sheet attraction and conveyance unit (112, 212), an air suction unit (113, 213), an air blowing unit (114, 214), a reference position detector (115, 215), an upstream position detector (116, 216), a driving unit (117, 217), and a tray elevator (118, 218).
  • the sheet container includes a sheet stacking tray (111A, 211A) on which multiple sheets (102, 202) (hereinafter, also “sheet stack") are loaded thereon.
  • a sheet (102A, 202A) placed on top of the sheet stack is hereinafter referred to as an uppermost sheet.
  • the sheet attraction and conveyance unit is disposed above the sheet container, and includes a first roller (112A, 212A) and a second roller (112B, 212B), a sheet conveyance belt (112C, 212C) wound around the two rollers, and an air suction unit (113, 213).
  • an air suction unit 113, 213
  • multiple holes are formed in the surface of the sheet conveyance belt so that the uppermost sheet can be attracted to the sheet conveyance belt by action of the air suction unit.
  • the sheet attraction and conveyance unit attracts sheets of the sheet stack horizontally loaded on the sheet stacking tray.
  • the air suction unit suctions the uppermost sheet placed on top of the sheet stack in a vertical direction to separate the sheet from the other sheets of the sheet stack, attract the uppermost sheet to the sheet conveyance belt, and convey the uppermost sheet to a predetermined position.
  • the air blowing unit is disposed at a downstream side of the sheet conveying device in a direction of conveyance of sheets (hereinafter, a "sheet conveyance direction D"), which is on the right side of FIG. 1 to FIG. 4 .
  • the air blowing unit blows air toward one end of the sheet stack to separate the sheets in a vicinity of the uppermost sheet from each other.
  • the upstream position detector is disposed at an upstream side of the sheet conveying device in the sheet conveyance direction D, which is on the left side of FIG. 1 to FIG. 4 and is not affected by the air supplied from the air blowing unit. Details of the upstream position detector will be described later.
  • the driving unit is connected to the first roller to rotate the sheet conveyance belt.
  • the sheet lifting driver is connected to the sheet stacking tray to move the sheet stacking tray in the vertical direction.
  • the difference between the sheet conveying devices 101 and 201 is in the configurations of the upstream position detectors 116 and 216.
  • the upstream position detector 116 includes a position sensor 116A and a top surface detection lever 116B.
  • the sheet stack 102 moves up along with elevation of the sheet stacking tray 111A, so that the uppermost sheet 102A contacts the top portion of the detection lever 116B. This action exerts an upward force on the bottom surface detection lever 116B, thereby enabling the position of the uppermost sheet 102A to be detected.
  • the upstream position detector 216 of the sheet conveying device 201 includes an angle detection sensor 216A, a top surface position detecting lever 216B, a fulcrum 216C, and a driven contact roller 216D.
  • the driven contact roller 216D contacts the uppermost sheet 202A at an upstream side in the sheet conveyance direction D and is rotated with the movement of the uppermost sheet 202A.
  • the top surface position detecting lever 216B has one end supporting the driven contact roller 216D and the other end movable about the fulcrum 216C.
  • the upstream end detector 216 detects the position of the uppermost sheet 202A based on the angle detected by the angle detection sensor 216A.
  • the uppermost sheet is located at an appropriate position to be attracted to the sheet conveyance belt and that the correct position of the uppermost sheet is detected.
  • one solution involves the sheet conveying device that uses a reference position detector (115, 215) disposed at a downstream side of the sheet conveying device in the sheet conveyance direction.
  • the reference position detector detects that the uppermost sheet moved up by the sheet lifting driver has reached a given position to be attracted by the sheet conveyance belt, and the position of the uppermost sheet is stored in an analog-type upstream position detector, disposed upstream from the reference position detector, as disclosed, for example, in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2007-045630 ( JP-2007-045630-A1 ).
  • the position of the uppermost sheet is not detected in a downstream area where the uppermost sheet may be affected by attraction to the sheet conveyance belt and/or rise of the leading edge thereof due to air blow, but can be controlled by a position (height) of the trailing end in an upstream area. Therefore, multiple sheet feeding error and no sheet feeding can be prevented effectively.
  • Another solution involves a detecting unit that is provided to detect the position of an uppermost sheet of a sheet stack at ends of the extreme upstream portion and the extreme downstream portion. According to detection signals of the detecting unit, the height of the sheet stack can be controlled.
  • a detecting unit that is provided to detect the position of an uppermost sheet of a sheet stack at ends of the extreme upstream portion and the extreme downstream portion. According to detection signals of the detecting unit, the height of the sheet stack can be controlled.
  • the uppermost sheet is constantly pressed downward by the upstream position detector. Therefore, when the uppermost sheet becomes attracted to the sheet conveyance belt, the uppermost sheet is constantly embossed or has convex and concave portions. Therefore, a greater suction force may be necessary depending on sheet size, sheet basis weight, and sheet type, and therefore it was likely to cause adverse affect to the size of the apparatus, the amount of power consumption, noise, etc.
  • JP-H11-322101-A1 requires an even greater suction force than that required by the technique in JP-2007-045630-A1 , which is also likely to adversely affect to the size of the apparatus, the amount of power consumption, noise, etc.
  • the present patent application provides a novel sheet conveying device that can reduce the entire size of an image forming apparatus, the amount of power consumption, and the amount of noise caused by the action of a conventional sheet conveying device.
  • a sheet conveying device includes a sheet container, an elevator, a sheet attraction and conveyance unit, a first detector, a second detector, and a controller.
  • the sheet container contains a sheet stack including an uppermost sheet of multiple recording sheets on a sheet stacking tray.
  • the elevator raises and lowers the sheet stacking tray.
  • the sheet attraction and conveyance unit attracts the uppermost sheet placed on top of the sheet stack and conveys the attracted uppermost sheet to an image forming device in which an image is formed and transferred onto a sheet.
  • the first detector is disposed downstream of the sheet container in a sheet conveying direction to detect a position of the uppermost sheet without contacting the uppermost sheet before the uppermost sheet is attracted to the sheet attraction and conveyance unit.
  • the second detector is disposed upstream of the sheet container in the sheet conveying direction to detect a position of the uppermost sheet in a vertical direction, and includes a driven contact roller contactable with the upstream end of an upper surface of the uppermost sheet in the sheet conveying direction and rotatably driven with a movement of the uppermost sheet, the top surface position detection member swingably disposed to support the driven contact roller, and the angle detector to detect an angle of the top surface position detection member so that the position of the uppermost sheet can be obtained based on the angle.
  • the controller includes a processing unit to cause the first detector to detect the uppermost sheet, the elevator to lift and stop the sheet stack at a position where the sheet attraction and conveyance unit attracts the uppermost sheet thereto, and the second detector to detect the position of the uppermost sheet of the stopped sheet stack and store the detection result as a reference position in the controller.
  • the controller performs a primary operation in which the sheet attraction and conveyance unit attracts the uppermost sheet for a given number of times and conveys the uppermost sheet while the second detector is contacting the uppermost sheet that is located at the reference position, and the controller calculates a variation amount of the angle detected by the second detector to convert to a thickness of M sheets, where "M" represents a positive integer, and stores the result, and a secondary operation in which the driven contact roller of the second detector is retreated from a detecting position where the driven contact roller contacts the uppermost sheet to a non-detecting position where the driven contact roller is spaced from the uppermost sheet, and, each time the sheet attraction and conveyance unit attracts the uppermost sheet by N sheets from the sheet stack and conveys the N sheets, where "N” represents a positive integer, the elevator moves up the sheet stack by a sheet amount calculated based on the thickness of M sheets stored in the controller, satisfying a relation of N ⁇ XM, where "X" indicates a positive integer greater than 1.
  • the above-described sheet conveying device may further include an air blowing unit to blow air toward the sheet stack from a downstream side of the sheet stack in the sheet conveyance direction to lift up at least the uppermost sheet on an upper portion of the sheet stack to separate the uppermost sheet and contiguous sheets from each other.
  • the controller may change an attractive force exerted by the sheet attraction and conveyance unit to attract the uppermost sheet during a time period between when the driven contact roller is located at the detecting position and when the driven contact roller is located at the non-detecting position.
  • the position of the base portion of the driven contact roller in the vertical direction at the non-detecting position may be equal to the position of the base portion of the sheet attraction and conveyance unit.
  • the controller may cause the sheet attraction and conveyance unit to attract the uppermost sheet for one time and convey the uppermost sheet to be detected while the second detector is contacting the uppermost sheet that is located at the reference position, calculates the variation amount of the angle detected by the second detector to convert to the thickness of M sheets, and stores the result.
  • the controller may change an attractive force exerted by the sheet attraction and conveyance unit to attract the uppermost sheet during a time period between when the driven contact roller is located at the detecting position and when the driven contact roller is located at the non-detecting position according to a sheet size of the sheet stack accommodated in the sheet container.
  • the controller may change an attractive force exerted by the sheet attraction and conveyance unit to attract the uppermost sheet during a time period between when the driven contact roller is located at the detecting position and when the driven contact roller is located at the non-detecting position according to a sheet basis weight of the sheet stack accommodated in the sheet container.
  • the controller may change an attractive force exerted by the sheet attraction and conveyance unit to attract the uppermost sheet during a time period between when the driven contact roller is located at the detecting position and when the driven contact roller is located at the non-detecting position according to a sheet type of the sheet stack accommodated in the sheet container.
  • an image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit to form an image and the above-described sheet conveying unit.
  • the above-described sheet conveying unit may further include an air blowing unit to supply air toward the sheet stack from a downstream side of the sheet stack in the sheet conveyance direction to lift up at least the uppermost sheet on an upper portion of the sheet stack to separate the uppermost sheet and contiguous sheets from each other.
  • spatially relative terms such as “beneath”, “below”, “lower”, “above”, “upper” and the like may be used herein for ease of description to describe one element or feature's relationship to another element(s) or feature(s) as illustrated in the figures. It will be understood that the spatially relative terms are intended to encompass different orientations of the device in use or operation in addition to the orientation depicted in the figures. For example, if the device in the figures is turned over, elements describes as “below” or “beneath” other elements or features would hen be oriented “above” the other elements or features. Thus, term such as “below” can encompass both an orientation of above and below. The device may be otherwise oriented (rotated 90 degrees or at other orientations) and the spatially relative descriptors herein interpreted accordingly.
  • first, second, etc. may be used herein to describe various elements, components, regions, layers and/or sections, it should be understood that these elements, components, regions, layer and/or sections should not be limited by these terms. These terms are used only to distinguish one element, component, region, layer or section from another region, layer or section. Thus, a first element, component, region, layer or section discussed below could be termed a second element, component, region, layer or section without departing from the teachings of the present patent application.
  • the present patent application includes a technique applicable to any image forming apparatus, and is implemented in the most effective manner in an electrophotographic image forming apparatus.
  • FIG. 5 is a schematic view of an image forming apparatus 51 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present patent application.
  • the image forming apparatus 51 is an electrophotographic digital copier and includes a document reading device 52 to read (scan) original document data, an image forming device 53 to form an image based on the data scanned by the document reading device 52, and a sheet conveying device 1 to separate an uppermost sheet (recording sheet) 2A from a sheet stack 2 on top of which the uppermost sheet 2A is placed and convey the uppermost sheet 2A to the image forming device 53.
  • a document reading device 52 to read (scan) original document data
  • an image forming device 53 to form an image based on the data scanned by the document reading device 52
  • a sheet conveying device 1 to separate an uppermost sheet (recording sheet) 2A from a sheet stack 2 on top of which the uppermost sheet 2A is placed and convey the uppermost sheet 2A to the image forming device 53.
  • the image forming apparatus 51 may be a copier, a facsimile machine, a printer, a multifunction printer having at least one of copying, printing, scanning, plotter, and facsimile functions, or the like.
  • the image forming apparatus 51 may form an image by an electrophotographic method, an inkjet method, or any other suitable method.
  • the image forming apparatus 51 functions as a copier for forming an image on a recording medium by the electrophotographic method.
  • the uppermost sheet 2A fed from the sheet conveying device 1 is held and conveyed by a pair of conveyance rollers 58 provided in a sheet conveyance path in the image forming device 53.
  • a toner image formed in the image forming device 53 is transferred onto the uppermost sheet 2A by an image transfer unit 59, then fixed onto the upmost sheet 2A by a fixing unit 60 by application of heat and pressure, and discharged by a pair of sheet discharging rollers 61 to a sheet discharging tray 62.
  • the sheet conveying device 1 includes a sheet container 11, a sheet attraction and conveyance unit 12, an air suction unit 13, an air blowing unit 14, a driving unit 17, a sheet lifting unit 18, a downstream end detector 15, and an upstream end detector 16.
  • the sheet conveying device 1 further includes a controller 19 including a processing unit that controls the air suction unit 13, the air blowing unit 14, the driving unit 17, and the sheet lifting unit 18 based on detection signals transmitted from the downstream end detector 15 and the upstream end detector 16, as illustrated in FIG. 10 .
  • the sheet container 11 includes a sheet stacking tray 11A that has a horizontal bottom plane on which the sheet stack 2 including multiple sheets is loaded.
  • the sheet container 11 is connected to the sheet lifting unit 18 that is connected to the controller 19.
  • the sheet lifting unit 18 drives to lift the sheet stacking tray 11A, and the sheet stack 2 accommodated within the sheet container 11 rises along with the elevation of the sheet stacking tray 11A.
  • the sheet lifting unit 18 that serves as an elevator includes a stepping motor and a servo motor with an encoder attached so as to lift the sheet stacking tray 11A in any given increment.
  • the sheet attraction and conveyance unit 12 is connected to the driving unit 17 that is connected to the controller 19, and includes two rollers 12A and 12B and a sheet attraction conveyance belt 12C entrained around the two rollers 12A and 12B. As illustrated in FIG. 8 , the sheet attraction and conveyance belt 12C has multiple suction holes 12D formed across a surface thereof.
  • the air suction unit 13 is provided in a space formed inside a loop of the sheet attraction and conveyance belt 12C for suctioning air through the multiple suction holes 12D.
  • the air suction unit 13 is connected to the controller 19. As illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8 , by suctioning air under control of the controller 19, the uppermost sheet 2A that is placed vertically on top of the sheet stack 2 loaded on the sheet container 11 is separated from the other sheets of the sheet stack 2 and attracted to the sheet attraction and conveyance belt 12C. With the uppermost sheet 2A attached to the attraction and conveyance belt 12C, the driving unit 17 is driven by the controller 19 to rotate the sheet attraction and conveyance belt 12C, thereby conveying the uppermost sheet 2A from the sheet conveying device 1 to the image forming device 53 of the image forming apparatus 51.
  • the sheet stack 2 has a rectangular shape defined by a first pair of opposed first and second sides 2B and 2C and a second pair of opposed third and fourth sides 2D and 2E. Both the third side 2D and the fourth side 2E extend in a direction that connects the two rollers 12A and 12B of the sheet attraction and conveyance unit 12.
  • the first side 2B is disposed at a downstream side, which is on the right side of FIG. 6 , in the sheet conveyance direction.
  • the second side 2C is disposed at an upstream side, which is on the left side of FIG. 6 , in the sheet conveyance direction.
  • the air blowing unit 14 is disposed in a vicinity of the first side 2B of the uppermost sheet 2A, facing the first side 2B, and is connected to the controller 19.
  • the air blowing unit 14 supplies air toward the sheet stack 2 to lift up the uppermost sheet 2A and some other upper sheets of the sheet stack 2 in the vicinity of the first side 2B to separate them from each other.
  • the air blowing unit 14 is disposed only at a position facing the first side 2B.
  • an additional air blowing unit can be disposed at positions facing the third side 2D and/or the fourth side 2E.
  • the downstream end detector 15 that serves as a first detector is a non-contact-type digital sensor such as a reflection-type optical photosensor, and is connected to the controller 19.
  • the downstream end detector 15 is disposed on the first side 2B of the sheet stack 2, in an upper position in the vertical direction of the uppermost sheet 2A. With this configuration, the downstream end detector 15 detects whether or not the uppermost sheet 2A is located at an optimum position in the vertical direction for the air suction unit 13 to suction the uppermost sheet 2A.
  • the controller 19 drives the sheet lifting unit 18 to lift the sheet stack 2.
  • the downstream end detector 15 detects the end portion of the uppermost sheet 2A on the first side 2B, and the sheet lifting unit 18 stops driving.
  • the upstream end detector 16 that serves as a second detector includes a driven contact roller 16D, a top surface position detecting lever 16B, and an angle detection sensor 16A.
  • the top surface position detecting lever 16B has one end supporting the driven contact roller 16D and the other end movable about a fulcrum 16C.
  • the driven contact roller 16D contacts an upper surface of the uppermost sheet 2A at an upstream side in the sheet conveyance direction D and is rotated with the movement of the uppermost sheet 2A.
  • the angle detection sensor 16A detects an angle of movement of the fulcrum 16C of the top surface position detecting lever 16B.
  • the upstream end detector 16 detects the position of the uppermost sheet 2A based on the angle detected by the angle detection sensor 16A.
  • the position of the uppermost sheet 2A is obtained based on the length of the top surface position detecting lever 16B and the angle detected by the angle detection sensor 16A of the top surface position detecting lever 16B with respect to the movement of the sheet stack 2 in the vertical direction, and is converted to the position of the driven contact roller 16D in the vertical direction.
  • the upstream end detector 16 is connected to the controller 19 that recognize the position of the uppermost sheet 2A on the second side 2C in the vertical direction constantly according to the detection signal of the upstream end detector 16.
  • the sheet lifting unit 18 stops. Then, the upstream end detector 16 detects the position of the uppermost sheet 2A and stores that position as reference position data that indicates that the uppermost sheet 2A is located at a reference position.
  • the driven contact roller 16D presses the end portion at the upstream side of the uppermost sheet 2A to prevent uplift of the uppermost sheet 2A, and therefore the upstream end detector 16 can recognize the position of the end portion at the un-lifted upstream end of the uppermost sheet 2A. Therefore, based on the reference position data stored in the controller 19, the sheets can be attracted and conveyed reliably.
  • the controller 19 causes the sheet lifting unit 18 to lift the sheet stack 2.
  • the controller 19 then causes the sheet lifting unit 18 to stop the sheet stack 2 at an optimum position for air suction by the air suction unit 13.
  • the upstream end detector 16 detects the position of the uppermost sheet 2A so that the controller stores the position as a reference position of the uppermost sheet 2A.
  • the upstream end detector 16 can detect the position of the uppermost sheet 2A on the second side 2c where the uppermost sheet 2A is not attracted to the sheet attraction and conveyance belt 12C. Then, the controller 19 causes the sheet lifting unit 18 to lift the sheet stack 2 so that the position of the uppermost sheet 2A detected by the upstream end detector 16 assumes the reference position. By so doing, the sheets can be conveyed reliably.
  • the sheet stack 2 generally accommodates sheets of paper that are commercially available and packed by wrapping paper. Even if such sheets have slight deviations, the size, basis weight, and type of the sheets are all within a constant acceptable deviation range, and therefore the thickness of the sheets can also be substantially identical. Accordingly, in this exemplary embodiment, in addition to the above-described basic control operations the following control operations are also conducted.
  • the controller 19 converts the variation amount of the angles detected by the upstream end detector 16 each time the sheet attraction and conveyance unit 12 attracts the uppermost sheet 2A from the sheet stack 2 into the thickness of one sheet, and stores that data. After a predetermined number of sheets (for example, 10 sheets) has been conveyed, each time the sheet attraction and conveyance unit 12 attracts and conveys the uppermost sheet 2A of the sheet stack 2, the controller 19 causes the sheet lifting unit 18 to lift the sheet stacking tray 11A by an amount equivalent to the thickness of one sheet as calculated and stored in the controller 19.
  • the controller 19 After storing the reference position detected by the upstream end detector 16, the controller 19 detects and stores the thickness per sheet of the sheet stack 2. Then, the controller 19 drives the sheet lifting unit 18 to lift up the sheet stack 2 by an amount equal to the stored thickness per sheet each time one uppermost sheet 2A is picked up from the sheet stack 2.
  • the thickness of one sheet is calculated based on the variation amount of the angles detected by the upstream end detector 16 and the length of the top surface position detecting lever 16B previously obtained when the uppermost sheet 2A is conveyed one by one in the sheet conveying operation.
  • calculation of the thickness per sheet based on a predetermined number of sheets is designed to increase the accuracy of the calculated thickness of a sheet by removing variations in thickness between sheets and detection errors by calculating the thickness per sheet based on the average thickness of the predetermined number of individual sheets. Accordingly, while the lowest number of the "predetermined number" is one, the highest number thereof is determined based on the required accuracy.
  • the thickness per sheet can be calculated based on the maximum and minimum average values of five sheets, for example. Further, in other cases, the thickness per sheet can be adjusted or changed according to the required accuracy for the sheet conveyance operation.
  • the controller 19 causes the driven contact roller 16D to retreat from a detecting position at which the driven contact roller 16D contacts the uppermost sheet 2A to a non-detecting position at which the driven contact roller 16D is withdrawn from and does not contact the uppermost sheet 2A.
  • the controller 19 drives the sheet lifting unit 18 to lift the uppermost sheet 2A based on the stored thickness per sheet
  • the driven contact roller 16 of the upstream end detector 16 is lifted up so as not to contact the uppermost sheet 2A and is retracted to the non-detecting position so as not interfere with the uppermost sheet 2A to be attracted to the sheet attraction and conveyance belt 12C by the air suction unit 13, as illustrated in FIG. 9 .
  • the uppermost sheet 2A can be moved up to the reference position while the driven contact roller 16 of the upstream end detector 16 stays retracted to the non-detecting position, thereby conveying the uppermost sheet 2A and other sheets reliably.
  • the upstream end detector 16 retreats to the non-detecting position, the driven contact roller 16D does not press against the uppermost sheet 2A. Therefore, the suction force exerted by the air suction unit 13 can be reduced compared to a conventional device in which the sheet lifting unit 18 is driven while the upstream end detector 16 detects the uppermost sheet 2A, thus reducing the amount of noise generated.
  • the position of the bottom portion of the driven contact roller 16D in the vertical direction at the non-detecting position is equal to the position of the bottom portion of the sheet attraction and conveyance unit 12. That is, the non-detecting position of the driven contact roller 16D of the upstream end detector 16 is located at a position where the base portion (i.e., the contact portion with the uppermost sheet 2A) of the driven contact roller 16D in the vertical direction is located at the same height as the bottom portion (i.e., the sheet attracting surface) of the sheet attraction and conveyance belt 12C. Accordingly, as illustrated in FIG. 9 , fluttering of the uppermost sheet 2A caused by the air suction unit 13 and/or the air blowing unit 14 can be prevented, thereby conveying the uppermost sheet 2A and other sheets reliably.
  • the controller 19 stores the thickness per sheet at the start of sheet conveyance operation, that is, when the sheet attraction and conveyance unit 12 starts sheet attraction and conveyance. Namely, when the first given number of sheets of the sheet stack 2 is conveyed, the controller 19 does not cause the upstream end detector 16 to be retracted. That is, as in the conventional way, the upstream end detector 16 contacts the uppermost sheet 2A to detect the position thereof, elevates the sheet stack 2, and conveys the predetermined number of sheets. At the same time, the controller 19 calculates and stores the thickness per sheet, the driven contact roller 16D of the upstream end detector 16 is lifted upward, the upstream end detector 16 is retracted, and the subsequent sheets of the sheet stack 2 are moved up based on the stored thickness per sheet. Therefore, the suction force of the air suction unit 13 can be reduced reliably.
  • the controller 19 stores the thickness per sheet at the start of sheet conveyance of the replacement sheet stack. According to this operation, an accurate thickness per sheet can be obtained for the replacement sheet type, so that the sheet stack 2 can be lifted by the correct amount.
  • controller 19 changes the attractive force exerted by the sheet attraction and conveyance unit 12, depending on the position of the driven contact roller 16D at the detecting position or at the non-detecting position, according to the size, basis weight, and type of sheets of the sheet stack 2 accommodated in the sheet container 11.
  • the suction force exerted by the air suction unit 13 is determined according to the sheet size (a, b, or c), sheet basis weight (x, y, or z), and sheet type (coated sheet or non-coated sheet), and stored in the controller 19.
  • the suction force exerted by the air suction unit 13 is set selectively between when the position of the uppermost sheet 2A is detected and when the driven contact roller 16D is retracted. That is, the setting of the suction force is prepared for the detecting position at which the driven contact roller 16D of the upstream end detector 16 contacts the uppermost sheet 2A and the non-detecting position at which the driven contact roller 16D of the upstream end detector 16 does not contact the uppermost sheet 2A.
  • the image forming apparatus 51 is not limited to the electrophotographic digital copier as described above, but can be another type of digital copier employing an inkjet method and the like. Furthermore, the image forming apparatus 51 is not limited to the digital copier as described above, but can be a printer, facsimile machine, or offset printing machine.
  • the controller 19 detects and stores the thickness of one sheet by conveying a first batch of a predetermined number of sheets of the sheet stack 2 with the same operation method as that of a conventional image forming apparatus. Specifically, the controller 19 causes the sheet lifting unit 18 to lift the sheet stack 2 with the driven contact roller 16D of the upstream end detector 16 constantly contacting the uppermost sheet 2A. At this time, an angle of the top surface position detecting lever 16B detected by the angle detection sensor 16A becomes equal to the angle corresponding to the reference position stored in the uppermost sheet 2A of the first batch of the sheet stack 2. Also at this timing, the controller 19 detects the thickness of one sheet according to the variation amount of the angle detected by the angle detection sensor 16A obtained each time one sheet is conveyed, and stores that value.
  • the controller 19 elevates the driven contact roller 16D to the non-detecting position and causes the sheet lifting unit 18 to lift the sheet stack 2 only by an amount equivalent to the stored thickness of one sheet each time one sheet is conveyed.
  • the controller 19 controls the sheet attraction and conveyance unit 12, that is, the controller 19 adjusts the attractive force exerted when the driven contact roller 16D is at the non-detecting position, according to the size, basis weight, and type of sheets of the sheet stack 2.
  • the above-described structure can store not only a thickness of one sheet but also a thickness of multiple sheets such as M sheets.
  • the sheet stacking tray 11A can be lifted each time N sheets are conveyed.
  • the relation of M and N is expressed by "N ⁇ XM", where "N" and “M” represent positive integers and "X” represents a positive integer greater than 1.
  • N is dividable by M, and therefore the calculation can be performed easily, which can reduce a margin of error.
  • the controller 19 includes a processing unit to cause the downstream side sheet detector 15 to detect the uppermost sheet 2A, the sheet lifting unit 18 to lift and stop the sheet stack at a position where the sheet attraction and conveyance unit 12 attracts the uppermost sheet 2A for a predetermined number of times and convey the uppermost sheet 2A to be detected while the upstream side sheet detector 16 is contacting the uppermost sheet 2A that is located at the reference position, calculates the variation amount of the angle detected by the upstream side sheet detector 16 and convert the variation amount to the thickness of M sheets, where "M" represents a positive integer, and stores the result.
  • the controller 19 causes the driven contact roller 16D to be retracted from the detecting position where the driven contact roller 16D contacts the uppermost sheet 2A to a non-detecting position where the driven contact roller 16D is spaced from the uppermost sheet 2A.
  • the sheet attraction and conveyance unit 12 attracts the uppermost sheet 2A by N sheets from the sheet stack 2 and conveys the N sheets, where "N" is a positive integer
  • the sheet lifting unit 18 lifts the sheet stacking tray 11A with the sheet stack 2 by a sheet amount calculated based on the thickness of M sheets stored in the controller 19, satisfying the relation of N ⁇ XM, where "X" indicates a positive integer equal to or greater than 1.
  • the sheet stacking tray 11A is raised by the sheet lifting unit 18 based on the stored data of the thickness of M sheets, thereby disposing the uppermost sheet 2A at the reference position. And at the same time, the load of the driven contact roller 16D to the uppermost sheet 2A can be reduced to convey sheets such as the uppermost sheet 2A reliably.
  • the sheet attraction and conveyance unit 12 Accordingly, even if the attractive force exerted by the sheet attraction and conveyance unit 12 is reduced, the sheet can be conveyed reliably, thereby enabling the entire apparatus size, the amount of power consumption, and the amount of noise to be reduced.
  • controller 19 of the sheet conveying device 1 can change the amount of attractive force exerted by the sheet attraction and conveyance unit 12 to attract the uppermost sheet 2A during a time period between when the driven contact roller 16D is located at the detecting position and when the driven contact roller 16D is located at the non-detecting position.
  • the entire apparatus size, the amount of power consumption, and the amount of noise can be reduced.
  • the position of the base portion of the driven contact roller 16D in the vertical direction at the non-detecting position is equal to the position of the base portion of the sheet attraction and conveyance unit 12.
  • the driven contact roller 16D can prevent fluttering of the sheets.
  • the controller 19 causes the sheet attraction and conveyance unit 12 to attract the uppermost sheet 2A for a predetermined number of times and convey the uppermost sheet 2A to be detected while the upstream side sheet detector 16 is contacting the uppermost sheet 2A that is located at the reference position, calculates the variation amount of the angle detected by the upstream side sheet detector 16 and convert the variation amount to the thickness of M sheets, and stores the result.
  • the controller 19 stores the thickness of M sheets as soon as the sheet attraction and conveyance unit 12 starts sheet attraction and conveyance, the attractive force exerted by the sheet attraction and conveyance unit 12 to attract the uppermost sheet 2A can be reduced reliably.
  • the controller 19 changes an attractive force exerted by the sheet attraction and conveyance unit 12 to attract the uppermost sheet 2A during a time period between when the driven contact roller 16D is located at the detecting position and when the driven contact roller 16D is located at the non-detecting position according to a sheet size of the sheet stack 2 accommodated in the sheet stacking tray 11A of the sheet container 11.
  • the attractive force exerted by the sheet attraction and conveyance unit 12 to attract the uppermost sheet 2A when the driven contact roller 16D is at the non-detecting position can be more reduced than that when the driven contact roller 16D is at the detecting position. Therefore, the entire apparatus size, the amount of power consumption, and the amount of noise can be reduced.
  • the controller 19 changes an attractive force exerted by the sheet attraction and conveyance unit 12 to attract the uppermost sheet 2A during a time period between when the driven contact roller 16D is located at the detecting position and when the driven contact roller 16D is located at the non-detecting position according to a sheet basis weight of the sheet stack 2 accommodated in the sheet stacking tray 11A of the sheet container 11.
  • the attractive force exerted by the sheet attraction and conveyance unit 12 to attract the uppermost sheet 2A when the driven contact roller 16D is at the non-detecting position can be more reduced than that when the driven contact roller 16D is at the detecting position. Therefore, the entire apparatus size, the amount of power consumption, and the amount of noise can be reduced.
  • the controller 19 changes an attractive force exerted by the sheet attraction and conveyance unit 12 to attract the uppermost sheet 2A during a time period between when the driven contact roller 16D is located at the detecting position and when the driven contact roller 16D is located at the non-detecting position according to a sheet type of the sheet stack 2 accommodated in the sheet stacking tray 11A of the sheet container 11.
  • the attractive force exerted by the sheet attraction and conveyance unit 12 to attract the uppermost sheet 2A when the driven contact roller 16D is at the non-detecting position can be more reduced than that when the driven contact roller 16D is at the detecting position. Therefore, the entire apparatus size, the amount of power consumption, and the amount of noise can be reduced.
  • the image forming apparatus 51 includes the sheet conveying device 1 therein.
  • the image forming apparatus 51 including the sheet conveying device 1 can reduce the entire apparatus size, the amount of power consumption, and the amount of noise.
  • the image forming apparatus 51 can correspond to a digital copier.
  • the image forming apparatus 51 serving as a digital copier can reduce the entire apparatus size, the amount of power consumption, and the amount of noise.
  • the image forming apparatus 51 can correspond to a printer.
  • the image forming apparatus 51 serving as a printer can reduce the entire apparatus size, the amount of power consumption, and the amount of noise.
  • the image forming apparatus 51 can correspond to a facsimile machine.
  • the image forming apparatus 51 serving as a facsimile machine can reduce the entire apparatus size, the amount of power consumption, and the amount of noise.
  • the image forming apparatus 51 can correspond to an offset printing machine.
  • the image forming apparatus 51 serving as an offset printing machine can reduce the entire apparatus size, the amount of power consumption, and the amount of noise.
  • the sheet conveying device that employs an air suction method.
  • the sheet conveying device is also applicable with an electrostatic sheet conveying method in which an uppermost sheet of a sheet stack is attracted electrostatically to an endless belt so that the uppermost sheet can be conveyed for an image forming operation.
  • the sheet conveying device and the image forming apparatus can achieve a reduction in the entire apparatus size, the amount of power consumption, and the amount of noise. Therefore, the sheet conveying device that separate and convey an uppermost sheet by suctioning the uppermost sheet from a sheet stack and the image forming apparatus that incorporates the sheet conveying device are industrially useful and important.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Sheets, Magazines, And Separation Thereof (AREA)

Claims (10)

  1. Dispositif de transport de feuille (1) caractérisé en ce qu'il comprend :
    un bac à feuilles (11) pour contenir une pile de feuilles (2) comprenant la feuille la plus haute (2A) d'une pluralité de feuilles d'enregistrement sur un plateau d'empilement de feuilles (11A) ;
    un élévateur (18) pour faire monter et descendre le plateau d'empilement de feuilles (11A) ;
    une unité d'attraction et de transport de feuille (12) pour attirer la feuille la plus haute (2A) placée sur le sommet de la pile de feuilles (2) et transporter la feuille la plus haute (2A) attirée jusqu'à un dispositif de formation d'image (53) dans lequel une image est formée et transférée sur une feuille ;
    un premier détecteur (15) disposé en aval du bac à feuilles (11) dans une direction de transport de feuille (D) afin de détecter une position de la feuille la plus haute (2A) sans entrer en contact avec la feuille la plus haute (2A) avant que la feuille la plus haute (2A) ne soit attirée vers l'unité d'attraction et de transport de feuille (12) ;
    un second détecteur (16) disposé en amont du bac à feuilles (11) dans la direction de transport de feuille (D) afin de détecter une position de la feuille la plus haute (2A) dans une direction verticale, le second détecteur (16) comprenant :
    un rouleau de contact entraîné (16D) pouvant être mis en contact avec l'extrémité en amont d'une surface supérieure de la feuille la plus haute (2A) dans la direction de transport de feuille (D) et entraîné en rotation avec un mouvement de la feuille la plus haute (2A) ;
    un élément de détection de position de surface supérieure (16B) disposé de manière oscillante afin de supporter le rouleau de contact entraîné (16D) ; et
    un détecteur d'angle (16A) pour détecter un angle de l'élément de détection de position de surface supérieure (16B) de sorte que la position de la feuille la plus haute (2A) peut être obtenue en fonction de l'angle ; et
    un organe de commande (19) comprenant une unité de traitement pour amener le premier détecteur (15) à détecter la feuille la plus haute (2A), l'élévateur (18) à lever et à arrêter la pile de feuilles (2) dans une position dans laquelle l'unité d'attraction et de transport de feuille (12) attire la feuille la plus haute (2A) vers elle, et le second détecteur (16) à détecter la position de la feuille la plus haute (2A) de la pile de feuilles (2) arrêtée et à stocker le résultat de détection en tant que position de référence dans l'organe de commande (19),
    l'organe de commande (19) réalisant une opération principale dans laquelle l'unité d'attraction et de transport de feuille (12) attire la feuille la plus haute (2A) pendant un nombre de fois donné et transporte la feuille la plus haute (2A) alors que le second détecteur (16) est en contact avec la feuille la plus haute (2A) qui est positionnée dans la position de référence, et l'organe de commande (19) calcule une quantité de variation de l'angle détecté par le second détecteur (16) pour la convertir en une épaisseur de M feuilles, où « M » représente un entier positif, et stocke le résultat, et une opération secondaire dans laquelle le rouleau de contact entraîné (16D) du second détecteur (16) recule de la position de détection dans laquelle le rouleau de contact entraîné (16D) est en contact avec la feuille la plus haute (2A) jusqu'à une position sans détection dans laquelle le rouleau de contact entraîné (16D) est éloigné de la feuille la plus haute (2A) et chaque fois que l'unité d'attraction et de transport de feuille (12) attire la feuille la plus haute (2A) par N feuilles de la pile de feuilles (2) et transporte les N feuilles, où « N » représente un entier positif, l'élévateur (18) fait monter la pile de feuilles (2) selon une quantité de feuilles calculée en fonction de l'épaisseur des M feuilles stockées dans l'organe de commande (19), satisfaisant une relation de N ≥ XM, où « X » indique un entier positif égal ou supérieur à 1.
  2. Dispositif de transport de feuille (1) selon la revendication 1, caractérisé en ce qu'il comprend en outre une unité de soufflage d'air (14) pour souffler l'air vers la pile de feuilles (2) à partir d'un côté en aval de la pile de feuilles (2) dans la direction de transport de feuilles (D) pour soulever au moins la feuille la plus haute (2A) sur une partie supérieure de la pile de feuilles (2) afin de séparer la feuille la plus haute (2A) et les feuilles contiguës les unes des autres.
  3. Dispositif de transport de feuille (1) selon la revendication 1, caractérisé en ce que l'organe de commande (19) modifie une force d'attraction exercée par l'unité d'attraction et de transport de feuille (12) pour attirer la feuille la plus haute (2A) pendant une période de temps entre le moment où le rouleau de contact entraîné (16D) est positionné dans la position de détection et le moment où le rouleau de contact entraîné (16D) est positionné dans la position sans détection.
  4. Dispositif de transport de feuille selon la revendication 1, caractérisé en ce que la position de la partie de base du rouleau de contact entraîné (16D) dans la direction verticale dans la position sans détection est égale à la position de la partie de base de l'unité d'attraction et de transport de feuille (12).
  5. Dispositif de transport de feuille (1) selon la revendication 1, caractérisé en ce que l'organe de commande (19) amène l'unité d'attraction et de transport de feuille (12) à attirer la feuille la plus haute (2A) une fois et transporter la feuille la plus haute (2A) à détecter alors que le second détecteur (16) est en contact avec la feuille la plus haute (2A) qui est positionnée dans la position de référence, calcule la quantité de variation de l'angle détecté par le second détecteur (16) pour convertir en épaisseur de M feuilles et stocke le résultat.
  6. Dispositif de transport de feuille (1) selon la revendication 1, caractérisé en ce que l'organe de commande (19) modifie une force d'attraction exercée par l'unité d'attraction et de transport de feuille (12) pour attirer la feuille la plus haute (2A) pendant une période de temps entre le moment où le rouleau de contact entraîné (16D) est positionné dans la position de détection et le moment où le rouleau de contact entraîné (16D) est positionné dans la position sans détection selon une taille de feuille de la pile de feuilles (2) logée dans le bac à feuilles (11).
  7. Dispositif de transport de feuille (1) selon la revendication 1, caractérisé en ce que l'organe de commande (19) modifie une force d'attraction exercée par l'unité d'attraction et de transport de feuille (12) pour attirer la feuille la plus haute (2A) pendant une période de temps entre le moment où le rouleau de contact entraîné (16D) est positionné dans la position de détection et le moment où le rouleau de contact entraîné (16D) est positionné dans la position sans contact selon un poids de base de feuille de la pile de feuilles (2) logée dans le bac à feuilles (11).
  8. Dispositif de transport de feuille (1) selon la revendication 1, caractérisé en ce que l'organe de commande (19) modifie une force d'attraction exercée par l'unité d'attraction et de transport de feuille (12) pour attirer la feuille la plus haute (2) pendant le période de temps entre le moment où le rouleau de contact entraîné (16D) est positionné dans la position de détection et le moment où le rouleau de contact entraîné (16D) est positionné dans la position sans détection selon un type de feuille de la pile de feuilles (2) logée dans le bac à feuilles (11).
  9. Appareil de formation d'image (51) caractérisé en ce qu'il comprend :
    un dispositif de formation d'image (53) pour former une image ; et
    le dispositif de transport de feuille (1) selon la revendication 1.
  10. Appareil de formation d'image (51) selon la revendication 9, caractérisé en ce que l'unité de transport de feuille (1) comprend en outre une unité de soufflage d'air (14) pour amener l'air vers la pile de feuilles (2) à partir d'un côté en aval de la pile de feuilles (2) dans la direction de transport de feuille (D) pour lever au moins la feuille la plus haute (2A) sur une partie supérieure de la pile de feuilles (2) afin de séparer la feuille la plus haute (2A) et les feuilles contiguës les unes des autres.
EP10192388.6A 2009-12-04 2010-11-24 Dispositif de transport de feuille et appareil de formation d'image l'incluant Not-in-force EP2330064B1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
JP2009276481 2009-12-04
JP2010251987 2010-11-10

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EP2330064A2 EP2330064A2 (fr) 2011-06-08
EP2330064A3 EP2330064A3 (fr) 2013-07-10
EP2330064B1 true EP2330064B1 (fr) 2015-06-03

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* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN106628857A (zh) * 2017-02-22 2017-05-10 东莞裕保电子精密设备有限公司 吸附式风道送料装置

Family Cites Families (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5645274A (en) * 1993-09-22 1997-07-08 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Sheet supply apparatus
JPH11322101A (ja) 1998-05-12 1999-11-24 Canon Inc シート給送装置およびこれを備えた画像読取り装置
EP1403200A3 (fr) * 2002-09-26 2005-04-06 Eastman Kodak Company Procédé pour côntroler l'avance d'une pile dans un appareil de reproduction
JP4516504B2 (ja) 2004-09-13 2010-08-04 株式会社リコー 給紙装置
JP5283966B2 (ja) 2008-05-14 2013-09-04 キヤノン株式会社 光偏向装置、及び画像形成装置
JP2010251987A (ja) 2009-04-14 2010-11-04 Toshiba Corp 信号監視方法及びマルチパス等化装置

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EP2330064A3 (fr) 2013-07-10

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