FR2863601A1 - Stopper for document loader, has end contacting with base of trough and wall constituting obstacle to insertion of sheet in trough, when stopper is in down position, where stopper is activated between up and down positions by spigot - Google Patents

Abstract

The stopper (112) has an arm (114) pivoted around an axle (113) that is parallel to axles (102, 108) of paper driving rollers. An end (116) contacts with a base of a trough (117) and a wall (115) constitutes an obstacle to the insertion of paper sheet in the trough, when stopper is in down position. The arm contacts a spigot (118) of a support (103) of a loader, where the spigot activates the stopper between up and down position.

Description

Stopper device for a document feeder

  TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to a stopper device for a document feeder.

  The field of the invention is that of scrolling scanners. More particularly, the field of the invention is that of devices for loading and insertion of paper into the paper drive circuit of such scrolling scanners.

  An object of the invention is to protect a paper drive circuit, and in particular a deliassage system, a scanner device scrolling abrupt introductions and or important documents.

  Another object of the invention is to simplify the paper loading mechanism of a scrolling scanner to make its manufacture and assembly simpler.

  Another object of the invention is to make the loading mechanism of the paper more reliable in a scrolling scanner.

  Another object of the invention is to reduce the manufacturing costs of a paper loading device for a scroll scanner.

  In the state of the art, devices are known to prevent the introduction of paper into a scroll scanner paper drive circuit. US Pat. No. 5,984,298 A discloses the use of a linear stopper freely movable in rotation about an axis. A sheet of paper can therefore move such a stopper during its journey, unless the stopper is locked by an element of the mechanism. This element is either a spring (Figure 3 of the document) or a much more complex device (Figure 4 of the document) implementing a clutch. The document US 5,984,298 A thus describes two complex implementations, because they recommend the use of a spring or a clutch, which are difficult parts to implement. These implementations are also unreliable. Indeed the stiffness of the spring changes with time which decreases their efficiency in the blocking function that is his. A clutch is a complex piece with multiple possibilities of blocking and premature wear.

  This solution of the state of the art is therefore complex to implement, 2863601 2 expensive, and unreliable.

  In the state of the art is also known document US 2001/015519 A1 which also teaches a charger device optionally having a paper insertion limiter. However this limiter is controlled by means of at least one set of gears and an actuator arm, which makes its installation during the assembly of the scanner, and its maintenance when using the scanner , complicated.

  It therefore appears that the solutions of the state of the art to limit the large or sudden introduction of documents into a paper drive circuit of a scrolling scanner are all complex, expensive or even fragile.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

  In the invention, these problems are solved by means of a stopper which is located at the end of a pivoting arm about an axis parallel to the axes of the paper drive rollers. The axes of the rollers are fixed to a support whose position changes during the paper drive cycle. In the invention this support comprises a lug which is in direct contact with the arm supporting the stopper. Each movement of the support then involves a movement of the arm supporting the stopper by direct transmission of the movement of the support via the lug.

  In practice, the lug is an integral part of the support, both being from the same mold during manufacture. The same applies to the arm and the stopper, which are one and the same piece generally called a stopper.

  In the invention, therefore, a stopper is provided which limits the abrupt and / or important introduction of paper into the paper drive circuit in one piece. In addition, in the invention, the kinematics of the stopper is provided without additional parts since the support, in direct contact with the stopper, is in any case necessary for the operation of the charger.

  The subject of the invention is therefore a stopper device for a document loader, the loader having a support movable around a first axis, characterized in that the stopper device is movable about a second axis parallel to the first axis, the stopper device being moveable between at least two positions: 2863601 3 - a low position in which one end of the stopper prevents the insertion of document into a loader deliming system, - a high position in which a sheet driven by loader rollers penetrates the feeder system of the feeder, the stopper device passing from the high position to the low position by being actuated directly by a lug of the loader support.

  Advantageously, the invention is also characterized in that when the support is in the high position, the stopper is in the low position.

  Advantageously, the invention is also characterized in that an end of the stopper brought, during a paper drive cycle, to be in contact with the paper, or the bottom of a tray of the loader, has a profile adapted to not damage the paper.

  Advantageously, the invention is also characterized in that the stopper device descends by gravity, the lug of the support countering the descent of the stopper, the position of the stopper being determined by the position of the support.

  Advantageously, the invention is also characterized in that the position of the support is determined by the direction of rotation of a motor.

  Advantageously, the invention is also characterized in that the end of the stopper for blocking documents moves between axes of drive rollers.

  Advantageously, the invention is also characterized in that the lug is a protrusion of the support, this protrusion being molded at the same time as said support.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

  Figures 1 to 8: illustrations, views of profiles, elements of a charger according to the invention and their cooperation during a paper drive cycle 30.

  Figures 9 and 10: illustrations, views of profiles, a variant of a charger according to the invention.

  DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION FIG. 1 shows the paper feeder portion of a scroll scanner viewed in profile in its home position. Figures 2 to 8 show identical elements but at different times of a paper drive cycle in the scroll scanner. Identical references therefore designate identical elements.

  For this description we consider a loader of a scanner scrolling device, referred to here as the scanner. Such an apparatus comprises a charger device for introducing into a drive circuit paper document which must be obtained a digital copy. In practice, a stopper device according to the invention can be used on any device requiring a document loading device. Similarly, documents are considered to be a bundle of paper. The first element of the document driving circuit is therefore a deliassage system for separating the sheets of paper forming the bundle. The invention makes it possible in particular to protect this system of deliassage against the brutal and or important introductions of documents.

  FIG. 1 shows a cylindrical roller 101 rotatable about an axis 102 fixed to a support 103 of the device 104 for driving the paper of the loader part. The shaft 102 is also called a shaft 102. The shaft 102 has on its outer periphery a key 105 cooperating with a key 106 of the inner periphery of the roller 101 for the rotational drive of the roller 101.

  Figure 1 shows a cylindrical roller 107 rotatable about an axis 108 fixed to the support 103. The roller 107 materializes the entrance of the feeder system of the feeder device. The shaft 108 is also called a shaft 108. The shaft 108 has on its outer periphery a key 109 cooperating with a key 110 of the inner periphery of the roller 107 for the rotational drive of the roller 107.

  The shafts 102 and 108 are parallel and rotated by a motor 111. In practice the motor 111 drives one of the two shafts, for example the shaft 108 which in turn drives the shaft 102 through a set of gears (not shown) whose reduction ratio is such that the roller 107 rotates faster than the roller 101. The two rollers, at a given moment, have the same direction of rotation.

  The elements 101-103 and 105-110 constitute scanner scanner drive device 104.

  The axis 108 is also fixed to the not shown frame of the scanner, which makes the support 103 mobile in rotation about the axis 108.

  Figure 1 shows a stopper 112 attached to an axis 113 parallel to the axes 102 and 108. The axis 113 is fixed to the scanner frame. The stopper 112 is formed by a longitudinal arm 114 extending, perpendicular to the axis 113, at least from the axis 113 to between the axes 102 and 108. The end of the arm 114 opposite the axis 113 comprises a wall 115 forming an angle of about 90 with the arm 114. In practice this angle is such that when the device 104 is in the high position the end 116 of the stopper 112 opposite the axis 113 is in contact with the bottom a paper tray 117 of the scanner. The stopper 112 is never in contact with the axes 102, 108, or with the rollers 101, 107. In practice the angle of 90 can therefore vary by plus or minus 20%.

  Figure 1 shows that the support 103 has a lug 118 on its outer surface. The lug 118 is located under the arm 114, in contact therewith, and between the axes 108 and 113. In practice, the lug 118 is an outgrowth of the support 103. In other words, the lug 118 and the support 103 forms a single piece.

  Figure 1 corresponds to a state of rest in the paper drive cycle. It is when the scanner is in this state that a user can introduce sheets 119 and 120 into the tray 117 of the scanner. In this example only two sheets are presented, but in practice the tray 117 can contain any number of sheets, typically up to 50.

  In the state of rest the support 103 is thus in the high position which allows a user to introduce leaves into the space thus created between the roller 101 and the bottom of the tray 117. As the support 103 is in the up position , the pin 118, from its position relative to the axis 108 of rotation of the support, is it in the low position. Indeed the roller 101 and the lug 118 are located on either side of the axis 108 around which the support 103 moves. When the roller 101 descends, the pin 118 rises, and vice versa. The role of the lug 118 is to lift the stopper 112 according to the movements of the support 103. By mounting, the stopper 112 moves under the effect of its own weight which, by driving it downwards, keeps it in position. contact with 2863601 6 the pin 118. The stopper 112 is therefore permanently driven downwards, and is stopped only by the lug 118. In the idle state, the stopper 112 is therefore in its most low which is such that the end 116 of the stopper 112 is in contact with the bottom of the tray 117. In this position the stopper 112, and in particular its wall 115, is an obstacle to the insertion of sheets in the tray 117. A user thus introduces sheets into the tray 117 until these sheets come into abutment on the wall 115 of the stopper 112.

  Figure 2 corresponds to the start of the scanner. The motor 111 then rotates in a clockwise direction, driving the support 103 downwards until the roller 101 comes into contact with the sheet 119. During the lowering of the support 103, the lug 118 rises, bringing with it the stopper. When the roller 101 comes into contact with the sheet 119 the stopper is in the up position, and nothing hinders the introduction of a sheet of paper into the paper drive circuit of the scanner. FIG. 2 shows that the roller 101 driven by its shaft frictionally engages the sheet 119 towards the roller 107.

  For the description of FIGS. 3 to 7, the motor 111 drives the shafts 102 and 108 in rotation in the clockwise direction.

  FIG. 3 shows that the roller 107, driven by its shaft 108, in turn drives the sheet 119 by friction. The reduction ratio existing between the shafts 108 and 102 causes the shaft 108 to rotate faster than the shaft 108. 102. The sheet 119, driven by the roller 107, therefore drives the roller 101 at a speed greater than that imposed by its shaft 102. The roller 101 is advanced relative to the shaft 102.

  Figure 4 shows that the sheet 119 is taken by a rolling mill 121 located beyond the roller 107 and the axis 113, in the paper drive circuit of the scanner. The drive speed of the mill 121 is greater than that of the roller 107, which thereby rotates faster than its drive shaft 108. The roller 107 advances in relation to the shaft 108.

  Figure 5 shows that when the rear edge 122 of the sheet 119 leaves the roller 101, the latter stops rotating. This stop allows the shaft 102 to catch up on the roller 101. The support 103, due to the disappearance of the sheet 119 goes down a little more, which brings the roller 101 in contact with the sheet 120 which was initially located under sheet 119.

  In practice, the more the number of sheets decreases, the more the support 103 goes down, and the more the stopper 112 rises.

  Figure 6 shows that when the rear edge 122 of the sheet 119 leaves the roller 107, the latter stops rotating. This stop allows the shaft 108 to catch up on the roller 107.

  FIG. 7 shows that the shaft 102 which has finally caught up again causes the roller 101 to frictionally drive the sheet 120 towards the roller 107. During this time, the shaft has to catch up and the drive cycle continues. as in Figure 2.

  Figure 8 shows that a scanner has a sensor 123 for detecting the presence of a sheet in the paper drive circuit. This detection is timed, which means that if, after a predetermined time, the sensor no longer detects a sheet, it means that the tray 117 is empty and the scanning operation is completed. This predetermined time is of the order of one second This triggers the reversal of the direction of rotation of the motor 111, which has the effect of lifting the support 103, and therefore the lowering of the lug 118. As the lug 118 descends, the stopper 112, which bears on the lug 118, also descends until its end 116 is in contact with the bottom of the tray 117, thus preventing the abrupt introduction or important, paper in the paper drive circuit.

  The charger device is then returned to a state of rest as described for FIG.

  For the example of Figures 1 to 8, the axis 113 is located downstream of the axis 108 on the path of the paper. In this example, the lug 118 is located between the axes 113 and 108 so as to act on the part of the stopper located between the axes 113 and 108. Thus, movements of the stopper 112 and the support 103 are reversed. When the support 103 goes up, the stopper 112 goes down, and vice versa.

  Figures 9 and 10 illustrate a variant of the invention wherein an axis 901, equivalent to the axis 113, is located upstream of the axis 108 on the path of the paper. In FIGS. 9 and 10, identical references designate identical elements. FIG. 9 shows a stopper 902, equivalent to the stopper 112, fixed to the axis 901. The stopper 902 comprises a wall 903, equivalent to the wall 115, which extends an arm 904 of the stopper 2863601 8902. The arm 904 is extends from the axis 901 to the axis 108, the wall 903 forming an angle of about 90 with the arm 904. The wall 903 rests on the bottom of the tray 117, between the axis 108 and the axis 102, when the base 103 is in the high position, that is to say when the charger is at rest. The stopper 902 also comprises an arm 905 which extends in a direction opposite to the arm 904. The arm 905 then cooperates with a lug 906 of the support 103 for the displacement of the stopper 902. FIG. 9 shows a loader in the rest position, that is with the support 103 in the high position. When the loader is in this position, the stopper 902 descends by gravity, and the wall 903 comes into contact with the bottom of the tray 117. The stopper 906 is located upstream of the axis 901 on the path of the paper.

  Figure 10 shows the support 103 in the low position. During the passage of the support 103 from the high position to the low position, the lug 906 rests on the top of the arm 905, causing the rotation of the stopper 902 about the axis 901, and thus the mounting of the arm 904 and the 903 wall as the arm 905 descends under the pressure of the support 103, pressure applied via the lug 906.

  With different positioning of the stopper and ergot elements, the result is identical and sought after. This result is a means of sealing the access to the paper drive circuit, and in particular to the system of displacement, depending on the position of the support 103 of a document feeder. As for the first variant, the lug 906 is molded at the same time as the support 103.

  In practice it is possible that during the paper drive cycle the stopper descends to the level of the sheets that are stored in the tray 117. Such an event occurs for example in case of interruption of the procedure of This type of event also occurs with rectoverso scanners that sometimes need to reverse the direction of paper flow in their drive circuit. This inversion is obtained by reversing the direction of rotation of the motor 111, which also has the effect of raising the support 103, and thus down the stopper 112. So that these contacts between the end 116 of the stopper 112 and the paper does not damage the paper, the end 116 is softened, either by rounding its profile, or using a non-abrasive material.

  With the invention it is therefore possible to implement a stopper whose positioning during the paper drive cycle is directly provided by the charger device, without having to resort to intermediate parts between the stopper 112 and the support 103. It is therefore an implementation simplified to the extreme because it does not require any room other than the stopper itself.

Claims (7)

  1 - Stopper device (112, 902) for a document loader, the loader having a support (103) movable about a first axis (108), characterized in that the stopper device is movable about a second axis ( 113, 901) parallel to the first axis, the stopper device being movable between at least two positions: - a low position in which one end of the stopper prevents the introduction of document into a loader unloading system, - a high position in wherein a sheet driven by loader rollers enters the loader clearing system, the stopper device passing from the up position to the down position by being actuated directly by a lug (118, 906) of the loader support.   2 - Stopper device according to claim 1, characterized in that when the support is in the high position, the stopper is in the low position.   3 - Stopper device according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that an end (116) of the stopper brought, during a paper drive cycle, to be in contact with the paper, or the bottom of a loader tray, has a profile adapted to not damage the paper.   4 - Stopper device according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the stopper device descends by gravity, the lug of the support against the descent of the stopper, the position of the stopper being determined by the position of the support.   5 - Stopper device according to claim 4, characterized in that the position of the support is determined by the direction of rotation of a motor (111).   6 - Stopper device according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the end of the stopper for blocking documents moves between axes of drive rollers.   7 - Stopper device according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the lug is a protrusion of the support, this protrusion being molded at the same time as said support.