JP2009220961A - Automatic feeding device, and electronic apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an automatic feeding device capable of uniformly maintaining an angle when the tip of a recording material to be fed intrudes to a separation means regardless of the quantity of recording materials stacked on a loading surface at low cost and with a simple configuration. <P>SOLUTION: A recording paper P1 at the uppermost position touches the peripheral surface of a feeding roller 73 at a part of a downstream side in a feeding direction YF (shown by a mark F) more than a part acted with pressing force E of a hopper 71. Recording papers P1, P2 turn with a part F abutting on the periphery of the feeding roller 73 as a fulcrum in the direction where the pressing force E of the hopper 71 acts, and while part of an upstream side in the feeding direction YF (shown by a mark G), more than a part acted with the pressing force E of the hopper 71, touches the peripheral surface of a regulation roller 76, the turning is regulated and a uniform standing posture can be maintained. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a feeding roller that is rotated by a rotational driving force of a driving force source, a pressing unit that presses a recording material placed on a placement surface against an outer peripheral surface of the feeding roller, and a feeding roller. An automatic feeding apparatus comprising: a separating unit that is disposed further downstream in the feeding direction and separates another recording material from the recording material fed by rotation of the feeding roller; The present invention relates to an electronic device including a feeding device.

  2. Description of the Related Art An electronic device including an automatic feeding device that automatically feeds recording materials such as paper one by one is known. For example, a recording apparatus such as an ink jet printer having means for executing recording of characters and images on the recording surface of the recording material, and reading characters and images recorded on the recording surface of the recording material that has been recorded A facsimile, a copier, a scanner device, and the like provided with the means. An automatic feeding device mounted on such an electronic apparatus is fed by a feeding unit that feeds recording materials stacked on a mounting surface such as a feeding tray and the feeding unit. In general, the apparatus includes separation means for separating another recording material to be fed in a state of being overlapped with the one recording material from the one recording material.

  As an example of the feeding means, for example, one provided with a feeding roller that is rotated by the rotational driving force of a driving force source such as a motor is known. By rotating the feeding roller in a state where the recording material is pressed against the outer peripheral surface of the feeding roller and brought into surface contact, the frictional resistance of the contact surface between the outer peripheral surface of the feeding roller and the recording material is reduced. The recording material is fed in the rotation direction.

  Further, as an example of the separation means, a separation pad having a predetermined frictional resistance surface, a retard roller supported by a predetermined driven rotational resistance, and the like are disposed downstream of the feeding roller in the feeding direction. Things are common. In such a separating means, when the recording material is sandwiched between the outer peripheral surface of the feeding roller and the separation surface (the outer surface of the separation pad and the retard roller), the outer peripheral surface of the feeding roller and the recording material A frictional force that is smaller than the frictional force generated on the contact surface between the recording material and larger than the frictional force generated on the contact surface between the recording materials acts on the contact surface between the separation surface and the recording material. At this time, the recording material in contact with the outer peripheral surface of the feeding roller is fed by the rotation of the feeding roller, and the other recording materials are engaged with the outer peripheral surface of the separation pad or the retard roller near the tip. Stopped. This prevents so-called double feeding in which a plurality of recording materials are fed in a state of being overlapped.

  As a means for pressing the recording material placed on the placement surface against the outer peripheral surface of the feeding roller, a plate-like member pivotally supported by a swing is used as a spring or the like on the outer peripheral surface of the feeding roller. It is common to urge toward. The pressing means having such a configuration has a simple structure, for example, compared to the pressing means configured to translate the plate-like member on which the recording materials are stacked along the stacking direction of the recording materials, Since the plate-like member is stably displaced and an appropriate pressing load can be easily set, it is widely used in general automatic feeding devices (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 to 3).

  By the way, it is desirable that the angle at which the leading edge of the recording material enters the separating means by the rotation of the feeding roller is always an ideal angle to realize stable separation by the separating means. . However, in a general automatic feeding apparatus that swings a plate-like member on which recording materials are stacked and presses the recording materials against the outer peripheral surface of the feeding roller, the recording materials are stacked on the mounting surface. The rocking angle of the plate-like member when the recording material is pressed against the outer peripheral surface of the feeding roller varies depending on the number of recording materials that are present. That is, the conventional general automatic feeding device has different pressing angles of the recording material with respect to the outer peripheral surface of the feeding roller depending on the number of recording materials stacked on the mounting surface of the plate-like member. Come. For this reason, the angle at which the leading edge of the recording material enters the separating means varies depending on the number of recording materials stacked on the mounting surface.

  In this case, for example, if a pressing unit configured to move the plate-like member on which the recording materials are stacked and to press against the outer peripheral surface of the feeding roller is employed, theoretically, the plate-like member is mounted. Regardless of the number of recording materials stacked on the mounting surface, the pressing angle of the recording material with respect to the outer peripheral surface of the feeding roller can always be made constant. However, in reality, such a pressing means tends to have a complicated structure, and the plate-like member is likely to be twisted or twisted when the plate-like member is displaced. For this reason, the balance of the pressing load and the posture of the plate-like member are likely to become unstable, and the pressing angle of the recording material with respect to the outer peripheral surface of the feeding roller is often not stable. Therefore, in an automatic feeding device employing such a pressing means, there is a possibility that the angle at which the leading edge of the recording material enters the separating means is not constant in practice.

As an example of the prior art that can solve such a problem, for example, there is an automatic feeding device including a mechanism that rotates a separating unit in accordance with a swing angle of a plate-like member on which recording materials are stacked. It is known. According to such a conventional technique, since the separating means rotates according to the swing angle of the plate-shaped member, regardless of the number of recording materials stacked on the mounting surface of the plate-shaped member, etc. It is possible to maintain a constant angle when the leading end of the recording material to be fed enters the separating means (see, for example, Patent Document 2 or 3).
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-220022 JP-A-11-217132 Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-87619

  However, the automatic feeding device in which the separating means rotates according to the rocking angle of the plate-like member interlocks the turning mechanism of the separating means and the turning mechanism of the separating means with the rocking mechanism of the plate-like member. It is necessary to provide a link mechanism or the like. For this reason, the structure of the automatic feeding device becomes large and complicated, and a failure or the like is likely to occur. In addition, the number of parts is greatly increased, and the manufacturing cost of the automatic feeding apparatus may be significantly increased.

  The present invention has been made in view of such a situation, and the problem is that the front end of the recording material to be fed is irrespective of the number of recording materials stacked on the mounting surface. An object of the present invention is to realize an automatic feeding apparatus capable of maintaining a constant angle when entering the separating means with a simple configuration at low cost.

  To achieve the above object, according to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a feeding roller that is rotated by a rotational driving force of a driving force source, and a recording material that is placed on a placement surface. A pressing unit that presses against an outer peripheral surface and a recording medium that is disposed downstream of the feeding roller in the feeding direction and separates the other recording material from the recording material fed by the rotation of the feeding roller. An automatic feeding device including a separating unit, and is engaged with a recording material that is pressed by the pressing unit and is in contact with an outer peripheral surface of the feeding roller to regulate the posture of the recording material. When at least the leading end of the recording material to be fed reaches the separating unit, a regulating member is provided, and the portion to which the pressing force is applied to the recording material by the pressing unit is sandwiched. The recording material is pressed against the outer peripheral surface of the feeding roller on the downstream side in the feeding direction. And the restricting member and the recording medium in the feeding direction of the upstream side are engaged, it is an automatic feeding device which is characterized.

  The recording material placed on the placement surface is pressed against the outer peripheral surface of the feeding roller by the pressing means when the recording material is fed. At this time, the portion of the recording material on the downstream side in the feeding direction from the portion where the pressing force acts on the recording material contacts the outer peripheral surface of the feeding roller. As a result, a force in a direction rotating in the pressing direction of the pressing means acts on the recording material mounted on the mounting surface with the contact portion with the outer peripheral surface of the feeding roller as a fulcrum. That is, the recording material placed on the placement surface rotates in a direction away from the placement surface with the contact portion with the outer peripheral surface of the feeding roller as a fulcrum.

  The recording material that rotates in the direction away from the mounting surface is engaged with the regulating member at the upstream side in the feeding direction from the portion where the pressing force acts on the recording material, and rotates in that state. Is restricted and a certain standing posture is maintained. The standing posture of the recording material at this time is defined by the position where the outer peripheral surface of the feeding roller and the recording material are in contact, and the position where the regulating member and the recording material are engaged. Further, these positions are always constant regardless of the angle of the placement surface. Therefore, the standing posture of the recording material at this time is always constant regardless of the angle of the mounting surface.

  That is, the automatic feeding device according to the first aspect of the present invention always feeds the recording material in a constant standing posture regardless of the number of recording materials stacked on the mounting surface. The sheet can be fed by being fed into a separating means disposed on the downstream side of the feeding roller. As a result, the approach angle of the leading end of the recording material relative to the separating means can always be made constant regardless of the number of recording materials stacked on the mounting surface. Further, in the automatic feeding device according to the first aspect of the present invention, only the regulating member is added to the conventional general automatic feeding device.

  Thereby, according to the automatic feeding device described in the first aspect of the present invention, the leading end of the recording material to be fed is irrespective of the number of the recording materials stacked on the mounting surface. An effect is obtained that an automatic feeding apparatus capable of maintaining a constant angle when entering the separating means can be realized at a low cost with a simple configuration.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the automatic feeding device according to the first aspect described above, the pressing means is pivotally supported so as to be swingable, and serves as a mounting surface described above, and the plate And an urging unit for urging the member in a swinging direction toward the outer peripheral surface of the feeding roller.
According to the automatic feeding device of the second aspect of the present invention, when the recording material is pressed against the outer peripheral surface of the feeding roller by the number of recording materials stacked on the mounting surface. In the automatic feeding device in which the rocking angles of the plate-like members are different, the leading end of the recording material to be fed enters the separating means regardless of the number of recording materials stacked on the mounting surface. The effect that the angle of time can be maintained constant is obtained.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the automatic feeding device according to the first aspect or the second aspect described above, the restriction member is a rotating body that is rotatably supported. It is an automatic feeding device.
According to the automatic feeding device of the third aspect of the present invention, when the recording material is fed by the rotation of the feeding roller, the regulating member of the recording material to be fed comes into contact with the portion. The risk of scratches and the like can be reduced.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a conveyance unit that conveys a recording material in a predetermined conveyance direction, a unit that performs recording on the recording material conveyed by the conveyance unit, or a recording medium conveyed by the conveyance unit. An electronic apparatus comprising: means for reading information recorded on a material; and the automatic feeding device according to any one of the first to third aspects for feeding a recording material to the conveying means. is there.
According to the electronic device according to the fourth aspect of the present invention, the conveyance unit that conveys the recording material in a predetermined conveyance direction, and the unit that performs recording on the recording material conveyed by the conveyance unit or the conveyance unit In the electronic apparatus provided with the means for reading the information recorded on the recording material to be conveyed, the operational effects of the invention according to any one of the first to third aspects described above can be obtained.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described below, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the invention described in the claims, and these are also included in the scope of the present invention. Needless to say.

<Schematic configuration of inkjet printer>
First, a schematic configuration of an inkjet printer 50 as an “electronic device” according to the present invention will be described.
FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of the ink jet printer 50. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional side view of a main part of the ink jet printer 50.

  An operation panel 4 having various operation buttons and a liquid crystal display panel 10 for performing various displays are disposed on the upper surface of the printer body 1. The printer cover 5 is pivotally supported on the operation panel 4 so as to be rotatable about a rotation shaft 6. When the ink jet printer 50 is not used, the printer cover 5 is closed so that the operation panel 4 and the liquid crystal display panel 10 disposed on the upper surface of the printer main body 1 are covered with the printer cover 5 to be protected. . The liquid crystal display panel 10 is pivotally supported on the operation panel 4 so as to be rotatable about a shaft portion 101 as a rotation axis, and can be used while being rotated in the direction indicated by the symbol C to maintain a standing posture. it can. The printer main body 1 is provided with a handle 8 for rotating the inkjet printer 50 so as to be rotatable.

  A discharge port 7 through which the recording paper P after execution of recording is discharged is provided on the front surface of the printer body 1, and a discharge tray 3 is disposed so that the discharge port 7 can be opened and closed. The discharge tray 3 is pivotally supported by the printer main body 1 so as to be rotatable. When the inkjet printer 50 is not used, the discharge tray 7 is closed by the discharge tray 3 by closing the discharge tray 3. When the ink jet printer 50 is used, the discharge tray 3 is opened in the direction indicated by the symbol A. The recording paper P after execution of recording discharged from the discharge port 7 is stacked on the open discharge tray 3.

  The ink jet printer 50 includes a transport driving roller 51, a transport driven roller 52, a platen 53, a discharge drive roller 54, and a discharge driven roller 55 as “transport means” that transports the recording paper P in the transport direction Y. The ink jet printer 50 includes a carriage 61 and a recording head 62 in the printer main body 1 as means for executing recording on the recording paper P conveyed by the “conveying means”. Further, the ink jet printer 50 includes an automatic feeding device 70 that automatically feeds the recording paper P one by one toward the means for executing the recording.

  The automatic feeding device 70 includes a hopper 71, an edge guide 72, a feeding roller 73, and a retard roller 74. On the upper surface of the printer main body 1, a feeding opening 2 for feeding the recording paper P by the automatic feeding device 70 is provided. The printer cover 5 that is open in the direction indicated by the reference symbol B functions as a feeding tray on which the recording paper P fed by the automatic feeding device 70 is placed. The hopper 71 is disposed at a position facing the feeding opening 2. A known edge guide 72 is disposed in the hopper 71 so as to be slidable in the width direction X (direction intersecting the transport direction Y) of the recording paper P, and in the width direction of the recording paper P according to the size of the recording paper P. Can be defined. The recording sheet P placed on the opened printer cover 5 is pressed against the outer peripheral surface of the feeding roller 73 by the hopper 71 swinging toward the feeding roller 73, and the feeding roller 73. Is fed toward the transport drive roller 51 by the drive rotation of. At this time, the other recording paper P is separated from the uppermost recording paper P to be fed by the driven rotational resistance of the retard roller 74 as the “separating means”, and the double feeding of the recording paper P is prevented.

  The recording paper P fed by the driving rotation of the feeding roller 73 is sandwiched between the transport driving roller 51 and the transport driven roller 52, and the platen with a predetermined transport amount in the transport direction Y by the driving rotation of the transport driving roller 51. 53 is conveyed. At the bottom of the carriage 61, a recording head 62 that forms dots by ejecting ink onto the recording surface of the recording paper P is disposed. The carriage 61 is supported so as to be able to reciprocate in the width direction X while maintaining a state in which the head surface of the recording head 62 and the recording surface of the recording paper P on the platen 53 are substantially parallel and at a constant interval.

  The recording paper P transported on the platen 53 is configured to form dots by ejecting ink from the head surface of the recording head 62 to the recording surface while the carriage 61 reciprocates in the width direction X, and the transport driving roller 51. Recording on the recording surface is performed by alternately repeating the operation of conveying the sheet in the conveyance direction Y by a predetermined rotation amount by driving rotation. The recording paper P after ink ejection is sandwiched between the discharge drive roller 54 and the discharge driven roller 55 and is conveyed in the conveyance direction Y by the drive rotation of the discharge drive roller 54. The recording paper P after recording is discharged and stacked on the discharge tray 3 opened from the discharge port 7. These series of recording controls are executed by a control circuit (not shown).

<Configuration and Operation of Automatic Feeder 70 According to the Present Invention>
Next, the configuration and operation of the automatic feeding device 70 according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4.
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional side view of the main part of the automatic feeding device 70 according to the present invention. The state when starting is illustrated.

First, the configuration of the automatic feeding device 70 according to the present invention will be described.
The recording paper P fed by the automatic feeding device 70 is stacked on a “loading surface” configured by the printer cover 5 and the hopper 71 in an opened state. The recording paper P is supported by the printer cover 5, the hopper 71, and the abutting portion 75 in a state where the leading end of the feeding direction YF abuts against the abutting portion 75 by its own weight. The “pressing means” that presses the recording paper P against the outer peripheral surface of the feeding roller 73 includes a hopper 71 and a hopper spring 712. A hopper 71 as a “plate member” is pivotally supported by a swing shaft 711 so as to swing in a swing direction indicated by a symbol D by a spring force of a hopper spring 712 as a “biasing means”. It is energized.

  Further, in the automatic feeding device 70 according to the present invention, a regulating roller 76 as a “regulating member” is disposed at the illustrated position. The regulating roller 76 is a rotating body that is rotatably supported, and is engaged with the recording paper P1 that is pressed by the hopper 71 and is in contact with the outer peripheral surface of the feeding roller 73, so that the posture of the recording paper P1 is changed. It is a member for regulating.

Next, the operation of the automatic feeding device 70 according to the present invention will be described.
First, the recording paper P stacked on the hopper 71 is swung in the direction indicated by the symbol D by the spring force of the hopper spring 712, and the recording paper P stacked on the hopper 71 is pressed by the feeding roller 73. It is pushed toward the outer peripheral surface. As a result, a plurality of (preferably about 2 to 3) recording sheets P including the uppermost recording sheet P1 are separated from the abutting surface of the abutting portion 75 by the leading end in the feeding direction YF. It enters while falling by its own weight between 75 and the outer peripheral surface of the feeding roller 73. Hereinafter, as shown in the drawing, a state in which the leading ends of the two recording papers P1 and P2 enter between the abutting portion 75 and the outer peripheral surface of the feeding roller 73 will be described as an example.

  At this time, the uppermost recording paper P1 is in contact with the outer peripheral surface of the feeding roller 73 at a portion downstream of the portion where the pressing force E of the hopper 71 acts (portion indicated by a symbol F) in the feeding direction YF. It will be in the state. Accordingly, the recording papers P1 and P2 rise in a direction in which the pressing force E of the hopper 71 acts, that is, in a direction away from the hopper 71, with the contact portion F with the outer peripheral surface of the feeding roller 73 as a fulcrum. It turns. The recording papers P1 and P2 are in a state where a portion upstream of the feeding direction YF from the portion where the pressing force E of the hopper 71 acts (a portion indicated by G) is in contact with the outer peripheral surface of the regulating roller 76. The rotation is restricted and a certain standing posture is maintained. That is, the recording papers P1 and P2 are pressed against the outer peripheral surface of the feeding roller 73 and the outer peripheral surface of the regulating roller 76 by the pressing force E of the hopper 71, so that a certain standing posture is maintained.

  From this state, when the feeding roller 73 is driven and rotated in the rotation direction indicated by the reference symbol H, the recording paper P1 and P2 have an ideal entry angle α (for example, approximately, with respect to the outer peripheral surface of the retard roller 74). (30 degrees), and is sandwiched between the outer peripheral surface of the feeding roller 73 and the outer peripheral surface of the retard roller 74. Then, the uppermost recording paper P1 is fed by the driving rotation of the feeding roller 73, and the recording paper P2 is separated with the vicinity of the leading end locked to the outer peripheral surface of the retard roller 74. At this time, the regulation roller 76 rotates following the feeding of the fed recording paper P1. Note that the swing angle β of the hopper 71 at this time is about 35 degrees in this embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a sectional side view of an essential part of the automatic feeding device 70 according to the present invention, and shows a state when the feeding operation is started from a state where two to three recording sheets P are stacked on the hopper 71. Is illustrated.
Also in this case, the uppermost recording sheet P1 is in contact with the outer peripheral surface of the feeding roller 73 at a portion downstream of the portion where the pressing force E of the hopper 71 acts (portion indicated by F) in the feeding direction YF. It will be in the state. Accordingly, the recording papers P1 and P2 rise in a direction in which the pressing force E of the hopper 71 acts, that is, in a direction away from the hopper 71, with the contact portion F with the outer peripheral surface of the feeding roller 73 as a fulcrum. It turns. The recording papers P1 and P2 are in a state where a portion upstream of the feeding direction YF from the portion where the pressing force E of the hopper 71 acts (a portion indicated by G) is in contact with the outer peripheral surface of the regulating roller 76. The rotation is restricted and a certain standing posture is maintained.

  From this state, when the feeding roller 73 is driven to rotate in the rotation direction indicated by the reference symbol H, the recording paper P1 and P2 have an ideal entry angle α (see FIG. 3) with respect to the outer peripheral surface of the retard roller 74. Nipping between the outer peripheral surface of the feeding roller 73 and the outer peripheral surface of the retard roller 74 while abutting at the same angle as the approach angle α). Then, the uppermost recording paper P1 is fed by the driving rotation of the feeding roller 73, and the recording paper P2 is separated with the vicinity of the leading end locked to the outer peripheral surface of the retard roller 74. At this time, the regulation roller 76 rotates following the feeding of the fed recording paper P1. Note that the swing angle β of the hopper 71 at this time is about 50 degrees in this embodiment.

  Here, in order to make the features of the automatic feeding device 70 according to the present invention easier to understand, further explanation will be given while comparing with the conventional automatic feeding device.

FIG. 5 is a side sectional view of an essential part illustrating an example of a conventional automatic feeder 100.
The conventional automatic feeder 100 is the same as the automatic feeder 70 according to the present invention in that it includes a hopper 71, a feeding roller 73, a retard roller 74, and a butting portion 75. The hopper 71 is pivotally supported by a swing shaft 711 so that the hopper 71 is urged in the swing direction indicated by the symbol D by the spring force of the hopper spring 712.

  However, in the conventional automatic feeding apparatus 100 (FIG. 5), the pressing force E of the hopper 71 acts on the recording paper P, as in the conventional techniques described in Patent Documents 1 to 3. The relative positional relationship between the hopper 71 and the feeding roller 73 is set so that the position and the position at which the uppermost recording paper P1 contacts the outer peripheral surface of the feeding roller 73 are substantially coincident with each other. Is normal. Therefore, the recording paper P stacked on the hopper 71 cannot normally stand up by the pressing force E of the hopper 71 (takes a standing posture). For this reason, the uppermost recording paper P 1 comes into contact with the outer peripheral surface of the feeding roller 73 at the same angle as the swing angle of the hopper 71 and enters the outer peripheral surface of the retard roller 74 as it is. Thereby, the approach angle of the recording paper P with respect to the outer peripheral surface of the retard roller 74 varies with the fluctuation of the swing angle of the hopper 71, that is, depending on the number of recording papers P stacked on the hopper 71. Become.

  On the other hand, the automatic feeding device 70 (FIGS. 3 and 4) according to the present invention is a portion on the downstream side in the feeding direction YF from the portion where the pressing force E of the hopper 71 acts (the portion indicated by reference numeral F). Thus, the relative positional relationship between the hopper 71 and the feeding roller 73 is set so that the uppermost recording paper P1 contacts the outer peripheral surface of the feeding roller 73. Yes. As a result, the recording papers P1 and P2 rotate in the direction in which the pressing force E of the hopper 71 acts, with the contact portion F with the outer peripheral surface of the feeding roller 73 as a fulcrum. Then, the rotation positions of the recording papers P1 and P2 are regulated by the regulating roller 76 disposed on the upstream side in the feeding direction YF, and the recording papers P1 and P2 are in a state where a certain standing posture is maintained.

  As described above, the automatic feeding device 70 according to the present invention is configured so that at least the leading end of the fed recording paper P1, P2 in the feeding direction YF reaches the outer peripheral surface of the retard roller 74, the recording paper P1, P2 A certain standing posture is maintained. At this time, the position where the outer peripheral surface of the feeding roller 73 and the recording paper P1 are in contact (contact portion F) and the position where the regulation roller 76 and the recording paper P1 are in contact (portion indicated by G) are hoppers. Regardless of the rocking angle β of 71, it is always constant. Accordingly, the standing posture of the recording sheets P1 and P2 at this time is 2 to 2 in the state where a relatively large number (about 30 to 50 sheets) of recording sheets P are stacked on the hopper 71 (FIG. 3). In any state where the three recording papers P are stacked (FIG. 4), the recording paper P is always constant.

  That is, in the automatic feeding device 70 according to the present invention, regardless of the number of recording sheets P stacked on the hopper 71, the recording sheets P are always in a constant standing posture, and the feeding rollers 73 The ink enters the outer peripheral surface of the retard roller 74 disposed on the downstream side and is fed. As a result, regardless of the number of recording sheets P stacked on the hopper 71, the approach angle α of the leading end of the recording sheet P with respect to the outer peripheral surface of the retard roller 74 can be made constant at all times.

  In this way, the present invention can be used when the leading edge of the fed recording paper P1 enters the separating means such as the retard roller 74 regardless of the number of recording papers P stacked on the hopper 71. The automatic feeding device 70 capable of maintaining the angle α constant can be realized at a low cost with a simple configuration.

  The “regulating member” can be any member as long as it can regulate the standing posture of the recording papers P1 and P2, but the present invention can be implemented. As described above, it is preferable to employ the regulating roller 76 formed of a rotating body that is rotatably supported. Thereby, when the recording paper P1 is fed by the rotation of the feeding roller 73, it is possible to reduce the possibility that the recording paper P1 is damaged. Further, the regulation roller 76 is disposed at a position substantially coincident with the feeding roller 73 in the width direction X in order to maintain the standing posture of the recording papers P1 and P2 more stably and constantly. preferable.

<Other examples>
In the automatic feeding device 70 according to the present invention, the “separating means” is disposed downstream of the feeding roller 73 in the feeding direction YF and is fed by the rotation of the feeding roller 73. Needless to say, the means is not limited to the retard roller 74 as long as it is a means capable of separating the other recording paper P2 from the medium. For example, the present invention can be carried out also in an automatic feeding device provided with a known separation pad or the like, and the effects of the present invention can be obtained.

  Further, the application range of the automatic feeding device 70 according to the present invention is not particularly limited to the ink jet printer, and it goes without saying that the automatic feeding device 70 can be applied to all “electronic devices” equipped with the automatic feeding device. . For example, the present invention can be implemented in all recording apparatuses including an automatic feeding apparatus such as a laser printer and a dot impact printer, and the effects of the present invention can be obtained. Further, in electronic devices such as scanners, copiers, and facsimiles equipped with means for reading the information recorded on the recording paper while the recording paper fed by the automatic feeding device is conveyed by the “conveying means” The present invention can be implemented, and the effects of the present invention can be obtained.

1 is an external perspective view of an inkjet printer according to the present invention. FIG. 3 is a side sectional view of a main part of the ink jet printer according to the present invention. The principal part side sectional drawing of the automatic feeder 70 which concerns on this invention. The principal part side sectional drawing of the automatic feeder 70 which concerns on this invention. The principal part side sectional view which illustrated an example of the conventional automatic feeding apparatus.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Printer main body, 50 Inkjet printer, 51 Conveyance drive roller, 52 Conveyance driven roller, 53 Platen, 54 Discharge drive roller, 55 Discharge follower roller, 61 Carriage, 62 Recording head, 70 Automatic feeder, 71 Hopper, 72 Edge guide 73, roller for feeding, 74 retard roller, 75 abutting part, 76 regulating roller, P recording paper, X width direction, Y recording paper transport direction, YF feeding direction

Claims (4)

A feeding roller that is rotated by the rotational driving force of the driving force source, a pressing unit that presses the recording material placed on the placing surface against the outer peripheral surface of the feeding roller, and a feeding roller that feeds the recording material. In an automatic feeding apparatus provided with a separating unit that is disposed on the downstream side in the feeding direction and separates another recording material from the recording material fed by the rotation of the feeding roller,
A regulating member that regulates the orientation of the recording material by engaging with the recording material that is pressed by the pressing means and is in contact with the outer peripheral surface of the feeding roller;
When at least the leading end of the recording material to be fed reaches the separating unit, the downstream side in the feeding direction sandwiches the portion where the pressing force acts on the recording material by the pressing unit. The recording material is pressed against the outer peripheral surface of the feeding roller, and the regulating member and the recording material are engaged on the upstream side in the feeding direction.   2. The automatic feeding device according to claim 1, wherein the pressing means is pivotally supported so as to be able to swing, and the plate-like member serving as the placement surface, and the plate-like member to the outer peripheral surface of the feeding roller. And an urging means for urging in a swinging direction.   3. The automatic feeding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the regulating member is a rotating body that is rotatably supported. Conveying means for conveying the recording material in a predetermined conveying direction;
Means for executing recording on the recording material conveyed by the conveying means or means for reading information recorded on the recording material conveyed by the conveying means;
An electronic apparatus comprising: the automatic feeding device according to claim 1, wherein the recording material is fed to the conveying unit.

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