JP2004231368A - Sheet material feeding device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To very easily assemble a sheet material loading part while miniaturizing a device body when assembling the sheet material loading part into a sheet material feeding device through a pulling spring. <P>SOLUTION: In this sheet material feeding device, the pulling spring 53 for energizing the sheet material loading part 7 toward a feeding roller 9 is attached to the sheet material loading part while holding it at the attitude where it is put down toward a spring hooking part 71a on a device body 71 side by a guide part 7d provided in the sheet material loading part, and the other end hook part of the pulling spring 53 is merely hooked to the spring hooking part 71a on the device body side when assembling to complete assembly. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO&NCIPI

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to, for example, a recording device (printer) as an information output device in a personal computer or the like, an image forming device such as a copying machine or a facsimile, or a reading device or a sheet material processing device, or other various devices using a sheet material. , The sheet material (recording paper, transfer paper, photosensitive paper, electrostatic recording paper, printing paper, OHP sheet, envelope, postcard, sheet original, etc.) loaded on the sheet material loading section is recorded, read, or processed by The present invention relates to a sheet material feeding device for feeding a sheet material to a sheet material processing unit.
[0002]
[Prior art]
2. Description of the Related Art In a sheet material feeding device that feeds sheet materials stacked on a sheet material stacking unit, a function of reliably separating and feeding (feeding) one by one from a plurality of stacked sheet materials is required. I have.
2. Description of the Related Art In a sheet material feeding device used in a recording device such as a general-purpose printer, a cam means (a cam member and a cam driven member) is used as a sheet material feeding device for feeding a sheet material to a recording unit, a reading unit, a processing unit, or the like. Switching means for switching the sheet material stacking section (actually, the stacked sheet materials) into contact with and separating from the feeding roller by the sheet feeding section and the sheet material stacking section with the feeding roller. A device that is configured to feed the sheet material by a frictional force applied to the sheet material on the sheet material stacking unit by rotating the feed roller is widely used.
[0003]
The above-mentioned sheet material feeding device is configured to contact the sheet material stacking portion with the feeding roller at the time of feeding the sheet material from the sheet material stacking portion, and to separate the sheet material stacking portion from the feeding roller after the feeding is completed. A switching means operable, the switching means being biasing means such as a tension spring for biasing the sheet material stacking portion in a direction in which the sheet material abuts on the feeding roller; and a feeding roller against the biasing means. And a cam means (a cam member and a cam follower) for separating the sheet material stacking portion from the sheet material.
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, such a sheet material feeding apparatus has the following technical problems to be solved. That is, in a sheet material processing apparatus in which a sheet material feeding device for feeding a sheet material such as a recording material or a document is mounted, such as a recording device, a reading device, or a sheet material processing device, space saving is required. In view of this, there is an increasing demand for miniaturization, and demands for recording devices and reading devices that emphasize portability are also increasing. Therefore, as the size of sheet material processing equipment such as recording devices is reduced, the mounting density inside the sheet material processing equipment will inevitably increase, and even if the components of the equipment itself can be arranged, the sheet material loading section There may be technical problems such as the incorporation of removable parts becoming impossible or very difficult.
[0005]
The present invention has been made in view of such a technical problem, and an object of the present invention is to reduce the size of an apparatus main body in a configuration in which a sheet material stacking unit is incorporated into a sheet material feeding device via an urging means. It is an object of the present invention to provide a sheet material feeding device which can easily incorporate a sheet material stacking section into a sheet material feeding device.
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a sheet material feeding apparatus for feeding a sheet material stacked on a sheet material stacking unit by a feeding roller, wherein the sheet material stacking unit is biased in a direction in which the sheet material stacking unit comes into contact with the feeding roller. And a cam member for separating the sheet material stacking portion from the feeding roller against the urging device, and when the sheet material is fed, the sheet material stacking portion abuts on the feeding roller. Switching means operable to separate the sheet material stacking portion from the feeding roller when the sheet material is not fed,
The urging means includes a tension spring attached between a locking portion provided on the sheet material stacking portion and a locking portion provided on the apparatus main body side, and the tension spring is configured to engage the sheet material stacking portion. When the sheet material stacking portion is assembled by the guide portion provided in the locking portion of the sheet material stacking portion in a state where the sheet material stacking portion is locked to the locking portion and not locked to the locking portion on the apparatus body side. The apparatus is characterized in that it is attached to the sheet material stacking section while being guided and supported in a direction toward the locking section on the apparatus body side.
[0007]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be specifically described with reference to the drawings. In the drawings, the same reference numerals indicate the same or corresponding parts.
FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view showing one embodiment of a recording apparatus equipped with a sheet material feeding device to which the present invention is applied, and FIG. 2 shows one embodiment of a sheet material feeding device to which the present invention is applied. It is a typical perspective view. FIG. 1 illustrates a case where the recording apparatus equipped with the sheet material feeding apparatus is an ink jet recording apparatus.
[0008]
In FIG. 1, the recording apparatus (inkjet recording apparatus) includes a sheet material feeding device (sheet material feeding means) 101, a sheet material conveying means 102, a recording means 103, and a recovery means 104. The sheet material P (see FIGS. 4 to 9) stacked on the pressure plate 7 of the sheet material feeding means (sheet material feeding device) 101 is fed by a feeding roller (feed roller) driven by a feeding motor 8. The paper is then separated and sent out one by one by 9, and sent into the conveying means 102. The pressure plate 7 constitutes a sheet material stacking section. The feed roller (feed roller) 9 is provided with a feed roller rubber (feed roller rubber) 10 that generates a pushing force by being pressed against the surface of the uppermost layer of the stacked sheet materials P. The sheet material P sent to the conveying means 102 is sent out onto a platen 13 by a conveying roller 11 driven by a conveying motor 12.
[0009]
An image (including characters and symbols) is formed on the sheet material P sent out onto the platen 13 by the recording head 2 of the recording unit 103, that is, the recording head 2 having the ink tanks 51 and 52 mounted on the carriage 1. Be recorded. The driving force of the carriage motor 6 is transmitted to the carriage 1 via the carriage belt 5, and the carriage 1 is reciprocated along the guide shaft 4 by the driving force of the carriage motor 6. By repeating the recording operation of the recording head 2 performed in synchronization with the reciprocating movement (main scanning) of the carriage 1 and the feeding (sub-scanning) of the sheet material P at a predetermined pitch, the recording of the entire sheet material P is performed. Then, the sheet material P on which the recording is completed is sent out to the paper discharge roller 15 by the transport roller 11, and is discharged by being sandwiched between the spur 16 and the sheet material.
[0010]
The drive of the transport motor 12 is also transmitted to the discharge roller 15 via a discharge belt 14, and the discharge roller 15 is driven to rotate simultaneously with the transport roller 11. At this time, by setting the peripheral speed (conveying speed) of the discharge roller 15 slightly higher than the peripheral speed (conveying speed) of the conveying roller 11, an appropriate tension is applied to the conveyed sheet material P.
The recovery means 104 is for maintaining and recovering the recording quality to a normal (good) state by eliminating clogging or the like of the recording head (inkjet head) 2 in the inkjet recording apparatus. Pump means (not shown) for sucking or ejecting ink from the printer, cap means (not shown) for covering the ejection port, and wiping means (not shown) for wiping and cleaning the ejection port surface. I have.
[0011]
FIG. 3 is a schematic side view showing a state in which one sheet material P is separated by the sheet material feeding device 101 of FIG. 2 by feeding the sheet material by the feed roller 9, and FIG. FIG. 4 is a schematic side view illustrating a state in which a sheet material P sent out by a feeding roller 9 in a sheet material feeding device 101 is fed between a conveyance roller 11 and a pinch roller 25 and is pinched.
2 to 4, a plurality of sheet materials P are stacked on a pressure plate 7 as a sheet material stacking portion during use, and the sheet materials on the pressure plate 7 are positioned by a paper guide 18. The pressure plate 7 is biased toward the paper feed roller 9 by pressure plate springs (biasing means) 53, 53 locked on both sides thereof, and a protrusion (cam follower) integrally provided on both sides of the pressure plate 7 is provided. The parts 7a, 7a can be brought into contact with cam members (feed roller cams) 32, 32 on both sides which rotate integrally with the paper feed roller 9 at a predetermined timing.
[0012]
In other words, when the cam members (feed roller cams) 32, 32 rotate together with the paper feed roller 9, the cam members 32, 32 and the protrusions 7a, 7a are separated from each other at a predetermined timing and come into contact with each other. The sheet stacking portion 7 (the sheet P on the pressure plate 7) can be switched so as to abut and separate from the feed roller 9 (feed roller rubber 10) at a predetermined timing. Further, a separation sheet 19 for generating a relatively large frictional force with the sheet material P is provided on a portion of the pressure plate 7 on the paper feed roller 9 facing the paper feed roller rubber 10. The separation sheet 19 prevents the double feeding of the sheet material P during the feeding operation (during the sheet feeding operation) by applying a frictional force between the sheet material P and the pressure plate 7.
[0013]
That is, in the sheet material feeding device (means) 101, when the sheet material is fed, the sheet material stacking portion (pressure plate) 7 is brought into contact with the feeding roller 9 by the cam member 32 rotating together with the feeding roller 9. A switching means is provided which operates so as to bring the sheet material stacking portion 7 away from the feeding roller 9 after the sheet material is fed and the sheet material feeding is completed. The switching means includes a pressure plate spring 53 as urging means for urging the sheet material stacking portion 7 in a direction in which the sheet material stacking portion 7 abuts on the feed roller 9, and the switching member opposes the urging force of the pressure plate spring 53. A cam member (feed roller cam) 32 for separating the sheet material stacking section 7 from the feed roller 9.
2 to 4, a feeding roller (sheet feeding roller) 9 is rotatably supported on a chassis 71 via a bearing 23, and the driving force of the feeding motor 8 is controlled by idle gears 20, 21 and the feeding gear. The rotation is driven by being transmitted via the feed roller gear 22.
[0014]
FIG. 5 is a schematic perspective view seen from above to show the relationship between the chassis 71 and the sheet material stacking section 7 of the sheet material feeding device 101 to which the present invention is applied, and FIG. 6 is a sheet material to which the present invention is applied. FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating a state in which a pressure plate spring 53 is attached to a sheet material stacking unit 7 in the feeding device 101. 5 and 6, the pressure plate springs 53 as urging means for urging the sheet material stacking portion 7 toward the feed roller 9 are constituted by tension springs (tensile coil springs). One (lower) hook portion 53a, 53a of each pressure plate spring 53 is locked to the spring hooking portions (locking portions) 7c, 7c on both sides of the portion 7. When assembling the sheet stacking section 7 into the sheet feeding apparatus 101, the other (upper side) of each of the tension springs 53, 53 previously locked to the spring hooks 7c, 7c on both sides of the sheet stacking section 7, respectively. The sheet material stacking portion 7 is attached to the chassis 71 by engaging (hooking) the hook portions 53b, 53b) with spring hook portions (locking portions) 71a, 71a provided on both sides of the chassis 71.
[0015]
FIG. 7 is a partial perspective view schematically showing a state in which a pressure plate spring is being mounted on a sheet material loading section in one embodiment of the sheet material feeding apparatus to which the present invention is applied, and FIG. 8 is a sheet material loading apparatus of FIG. It is a partial perspective view which shows typically the state after attaching a pressure plate spring to a part. In FIG. 6 to FIG. 8, a pressure plate spring 53 as an urging means for bringing the sheet material stacking portion 7 into contact with the feeding roller 9 is a tension coil having hook portions 53 a and 53 b formed at both ends in this embodiment. It is formed by a spring (a kind of extension spring). As described above, on both sides of the sheet material stacking portion 7, the spring hooking portions (locking portions) 7c for locking (hooking) one hook portion 53a of the pulling spring (pressure plate spring) 53 are provided. I have.
[0016]
The other hook portions 53b, 53b of the respective tension springs (pressure plate springs) 53, 53 are attached to the respective spring hook portions 7c, 7c. The corresponding spring hook portions (locking portions) 71a, 71a of the chassis 71 at the time of assembly. The guide portions 7d, 7d for guiding and supporting the pull springs 53, 53 (in the example shown in the drawing, holding them in an inverted position) are provided so as to be directed in the direction of.
When attaching the pressure plate spring (tension spring) 53 to the sheet material loading portion 7, as shown in FIG. 7, one hook portion 53a of the pressure plate spring 53 is guided by a guide on the spring hook portion 7c of the sheet material loading portion 7. Then, as shown in FIG. 8, the hook portion 53a is hooked (locked) on the spring hook portion 7c. In the state after attachment (after assembly) in FIG. 8, the pressure plate spring 53 is held in an inverted posture with its coil inner diameter portion supported by the guide portion 7d.
[0017]
According to the above-described configuration, when the sheet material stacking unit 7 is assembled into the sheet material feeding device 101, the tension spring 53, which is an elastic member, can be assembled in a state of being attached to the sheet material stacking unit 7. The sheet stacking section 7 can be incorporated into the apparatus main body side (chassis) 71 while the pull spring 53 is held in an inverted posture toward the locking section 71a on the apparatus main body 71 side. The assembly can be completed only by hooking the other hook portion 53b of the pressure plate spring 53 to the locking portion 71a of the apparatus main body 71, and the assembling work can be greatly facilitated.
[0018]
That is, in order to incorporate the sheet material stacking unit 7 into the sheet material feeding device 101, when the tension spring 53 as the urging means is attached to the sheet material stacking unit 7 in advance, the tension spring 53 is attached to the sheet material stacking unit 7. Since the guide portion 7d is provided so as to be guided and supported in the direction toward the locking portion 71a of the apparatus main body side (chassis) 71 when the sheet material stacking portion 7 is assembled, the urging means 53 is provided. When the sheet material stacking unit 7 is assembled into the sheet material feeding device 101 through the above, the urging means 53 can be attached to the sheet material stacking unit 7 in a posture in which the urging means 53 is guided and supported in the mounting direction in advance. The sheet material stacking section 7 can be very easily incorporated into the sheet material feeding device while reducing the size of the apparatus body (chassis) 71.
[0019]
The tension spring (pressure plate spring) 53 is formed of a tension coil spring having hook portions 53a and 53b at both ends, and an inner diameter portion thereof is guided and supported by the guide portion 7d. Are formed so that the sheet loading section 7 is not substantially in contact with the pulling spring 53 when the sheet loading section 7 is incorporated in the sheet feeding apparatus 101. Therefore, when the sheet material stacking section 7 is incorporated in the sheet material feeding device 101, the guide section 7d does not interfere with the tension spring 53, and therefore, the sheet material stacking section (including the stacked sheet materials) 7 The spring characteristic (load characteristic) of the pressure plate spring (tension spring) 53 for obtaining the feeding force by contacting the sheet with the feeding roller 9 (its roller rubber 10) with a predetermined pressing force is maintained at a predetermined normal value. And a normal feeding operation (paper feeding operation) can be realized.
[0020]
According to the embodiment described above, when assembling the sheet material stacking unit 7 into the sheet material feeding device 101 via the urging means 53, the sheet material stacking unit is guided in advance in the assembling direction. The sheet material feeding device and the sheet material, in which the sheet material stacking portion can be incorporated into the sheet material feeding device very easily while reducing the size of the apparatus body. A sheet material processing device (a recording device, a reading device, a sheet material processing device, or the like) using a feeding device is provided.
[0021]
In the embodiments described above, embodiments of the present invention as described below are described.
Embodiment 1: In a sheet material feeding apparatus for feeding out a sheet material stacked on a sheet material stacking unit by a feeding roller, an urging means for urging the sheet material stacking portion in a direction of contacting the sheet material with the feeding roller, and the sheet A cam member for separating the sheet stacking portion from the feeding roller against the urging means, and when feeding the sheet material, bringing the sheet stacking portion into contact with the feeding roller to feed the sheet material. Switching means operable to separate the sheet material stacking portion from the feed roller when not in use, wherein the urging means includes a locking portion provided on the sheet material loading portion and a locking portion provided on the apparatus body side. The tension spring is fixed to the locking portion of the sheet material stacking portion and is not locked to the locking portion of the apparatus main body side. By the guide part provided in the locking part The apparatus main body side sheet material feeding apparatus characterized in that it is attached to the sheet material stacking portion while being guided and supported in a direction towards the engagement portion of the case incorporating the sheet stacking unit.
[0022]
According to the configuration of the first embodiment, when assembling the sheet material stacking unit into the sheet material feeding device via the urging means, the sheet material stacking unit is attached to the sheet material stacking unit in a posture in which the urging means is guided and supported in the assembling direction in advance. Accordingly, there is provided a sheet material feeding device in which the sheet material stacking section can be very easily incorporated into the sheet material feeding device while reducing the size of the apparatus main body.
[0023]
Embodiment 2: The tension spring is attached by locking hook portions formed at both ends thereof to a locking portion of the sheet material stacking portion and a locking portion of the apparatus main body side. The sheet material feeding device according to aspect 1.
Embodiment 3: The sheet feeding device according to Embodiment 1 or 2, wherein the guide section does not substantially contact the pull spring when the sheet stacking section is incorporated.
Embodiment 4: The seat according to any one of Embodiments 1 to 3, wherein the tension spring is a tension coil spring having hook portions at both ends, and an inner diameter portion thereof is guided and supported by the guide portion. Material feeding device.
According to the configuration of the third or fourth embodiment, in addition to the above-described effects, the guide portion does not interfere with the extension spring when the sheet material stacking portion is incorporated, so that the spring characteristic of the extension spring is set to a predetermined normal value. Can be maintained.
[0024]
Embodiment 5: In a recording apparatus having recording means for performing recording on a sheet material fed from a sheet material feeding apparatus, the sheet material feeding apparatus has the configuration according to any one of Embodiments 1 to 4. Characteristic recording device.
According to the configuration of the fifth embodiment, when assembling the sheet material stacking section into the sheet material feeding device via the urging means, the sheet material stacking section is attached to the sheet material stacking section in a posture in which the urging means is guided and supported in the assembling direction in advance. Accordingly, a recording apparatus having a sheet feeding device capable of extremely easily incorporating the sheet stacking portion into the sheet feeding device while reducing the size of the apparatus main body is provided. Is done.
[0025]
In the above embodiment, the case where the present invention is applied to a sheet material feeding device of a recording apparatus (an inkjet recording apparatus in the illustrated example) is described as an example. However, the present invention is applied to a sheet material stacking unit. The loaded sheet materials (printing paper, transfer paper, photosensitive paper, electrostatic recording paper, printing paper, OHP sheets, envelopes, postcards, sheet documents, etc.) are transferred to the sheet processing section such as the recording section, reading section or processing section. If the sheet material feeding device is used for feeding, for example, a recording device (printer) as an information output device in a personal computer or the like, an image forming device such as a copying machine or a facsimile, or other various devices using sheet materials And the like, and the present invention also includes such a sheet processing apparatus and a sheet feeding apparatus within the scope thereof.
[0026]
Further, in the above embodiment, the serial type recording apparatus (a kind of sheet material processing apparatus) in which the recording means is mounted on the carriage moving along the sheet material has been described as an example. In addition to other recording devices, reading devices, and sheet material processing devices that use, processing such as recording, document reading, and processing on the sheet material is performed only by feeding (sub-scanning) the sheet material without using a carriage. The present invention can be similarly applied to a line type (including a full line type) sheet material processing apparatus, and these are also included in the range.
[0027]
【The invention's effect】
As is apparent from the above description, according to the present invention, in the sheet material feeding device for feeding the sheet material stacked on the sheet material stacking portion by the feeding roller, the direction in which the sheet material stacking portion is brought into contact with the feeding roller. And a cam member for separating the sheet stacking portion from a feeding roller against the biasing portion, and the sheet stacking portion is fed when feeding the sheet material. Switching means operable to abut the sheet material and to separate the sheet material stacking portion from the feeding roller when the sheet material is not fed, wherein the urging means includes a locking portion provided on the sheet material stacking portion and a device. A pulling spring mounted between the locking portion provided on the main body side and locking the locking portion on the sheet material stacking portion and locking on the locking portion on the apparatus main body side; Do not load the sheet material A configuration in which the guide portion provided on the locking portion of the apparatus is attached to the sheet material stacking portion while being guided and supported in the direction toward the locking portion on the apparatus body side when the sheet material stacking portion is assembled. So,
When assembling the sheet material stacking section into the sheet material feeding device via the urging means, the urging means can be attached to the sheet material stacking section in a posture in which the urging means is guided and supported in the assembling direction in advance. Provided is a sheet material feeding device in which a sheet material stacking section can be very easily incorporated into a sheet material feeding device while reducing the size of the main body.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view showing one embodiment of a recording apparatus equipped with a sheet feeding apparatus to which the present invention is applied.
FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view showing one embodiment of a sheet feeding apparatus to which the present invention is applied.
FIG. 3 is a schematic side view showing a state where one sheet material is separated by a sheet material being fed by a feeding roller in the sheet material feeding device of FIG. 2;
FIG. 4 is a schematic side view showing a state in which the sheet material sent out by a feeding roller in the sheet feeding device of FIG.
FIG. 5 is a schematic perspective view seen from above to show a relationship between a chassis and a sheet material stacking portion in one embodiment of the sheet material feeding apparatus to which the present invention is applied.
FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a state in which a pressure plate spring is attached to a sheet material stacking portion of one embodiment of the sheet material feeding apparatus to which the present invention is applied.
FIG. 7 is a partial perspective view schematically showing a state in which a pressure plate spring is being mounted on a sheet material stacking section in one embodiment of the sheet material feeding apparatus to which the present invention is applied.
8 is a partial perspective view schematically showing a state after a pressure plate spring is attached to the sheet material stacking section in FIG. 7;
[Explanation of symbols]
1 carriage 2 recording means (recording head)
4 Guide shaft 5 Timing belt 6 Carriage motor 7 Sheet material loading section (press plate, press plate and sheet material on the press plate)
7a Cam follower (projection)
7b Engagement part (boss)
7c Spring hook part (locking part)
7d guide portion 8 feed motor 9 feed roller 10 feed roller rubber 11 transport roller 12 transport motor 15 paper discharge roller 18 paper guide 19 separation sheet 25 pinch roller 27 guide member 51 ink tank 52 ink tank 53 biasing means (pulling spring) , Pressure plate spring)
53a hook portion 53b hook portion 71 chassis 71a spring hook portion (locking portion)
101 sheet material feeding device (sheet material feeding means)
102 sheet material conveying means 103 recording means 104 recovery means P sheet material

Claims (1)

In a sheet material feeding device for feeding a sheet material stacked on a sheet material stacking unit by a feeding roller,
A sheet material comprising: urging means for urging the sheet material stacking portion in a direction in which the sheet material stacking portion abuts on the feeding roller; and a cam member for separating the sheet material stacking portion from the feeding roller against the urging means. When feeding the sheet material, the sheet material stacking portion is brought into contact with the feeding roller, and when the sheet material is not fed, switching means is provided which operates to separate the sheet material stacking portion from the feeding roller.
The urging means includes a tension spring attached between a locking portion provided on the sheet material stacking portion and a locking portion provided on the apparatus main body side,
The pulling spring is locked by the locking portion of the sheet material stacking portion, and is not locked by the locking portion of the apparatus main body, and is guided by a guide portion provided at the locking portion of the sheet material stacking portion. A sheet feeding device which is attached to the sheet stacking portion while being guided and supported in a direction toward the locking portion of the apparatus main body when the sheet stacking portion is assembled.

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