JP2009274843A - Feeder of sheet-like object - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a feeder devised so as not to cause a weight increase and a diametrical increase in a feed roller, along with downsizing of a feed roller driving system and reduction in the number of part items. <P>SOLUTION: As a structure of the feeder having the feed roller for applying a feed to recording paper P by contacting with the recording paper P, a piezoelectric element is arranged in positions divided into four equal parts in the circumferential direction among an outer peripheral surface of a tubular body 7 being an elastic shaft body, and progressive bending rotation-bending vibration is generated in the shaft body in responses to an AC signal applied to its piezoelectric element. A rotor 8 having a diameter larger than its shaft body 7 is concentrically brought into pressure contact with both end surfaces of the shaft body 7, and the rotor 8 is rotated as the feed roller with the progressive bending rotation-bending vibration generated by the shaft body 7. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a feeding device that contacts a sheet-like material and feeds the sheet-like material. For example, in addition to a recording paper feeding mechanism in a copying machine, a printer, various printing machines, a facsimile, etc., which are so-called OA equipment, The present invention relates to a feed device suitable for feeding a film-like sheet-like material other than paper.

  As is well known, a feed roller is used as a recording paper picking means in a paper feeding mechanism such as a copying machine. As a rotation driving method thereof, an electromagnetic motor is used as a driving source and a gear train, a pulley and a belt are wound. The combination of hook transmission means dominates, but there has been a demand for downsizing the drive system and reducing the number of parts.

As a countermeasure, for example, as described in Patent Document 1, a stepping motor is disposed concentrically inside a rubber roller itself that feeds recording paper as a feed roller, and the rubber roller is rotated by a so-called direct drive system. Some have been proposed to drive.
Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 5-25979

  However, in the technique described in Patent Document 1 in which the stepping motor as a driving source is built in the roller itself, the number of parts can be reduced, but the weight of the roller and the diameter increase are caused. There is room for improvement.

  The present invention has been made paying attention to such problems, and it is considered that the feed roller drive system is reduced in size and the number of parts, and the weight of the feed roller is not increased and the diameter is not increased. A sheet-like material feeding device is provided.

  In the present invention, as described in claim 1, as a structure of a feed device that feeds a sheet-like material, piezoelectric elements are arranged at least at two locations in the circumferential direction on the outer peripheral surface of a shaft body having elasticity. A sheet-like shape in which the shaft body generates a progressive bending rotation bending vibration in response to an AC signal applied to the piezoelectric element, and the shaft body generates a progressive bending rotation bending vibration generated by the shaft body. It is characterized by giving feed to things.

  Therefore, in the invention described in claim 1, since the piezoelectric element to which an AC signal is applied or applied is disposed on the substrate, the substrate on which the piezoelectric element is disposed functions as a so-called ultrasonic vibration source, A predetermined feed is given to the sheet-like object that receives the progressive bending rotation bending vibration generated by the shaft body and contacts the shaft body.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a feed device having a feed roller that contacts a sheet-like material and feeds the sheet-like material. Piezoelectric elements are provided at at least two locations in the circumferential direction on the outer peripheral surface of the elastic shaft. In response to an AC signal applied to the piezoelectric element, the shaft body generates progressive bending rotation bending vibration, and a concentric rotor is pressed against the end face of the shaft body, The rotor is rotated as a feed roller by a progressive bending rotation bending vibration generated by the shaft body.

  In this case, if the rotor functioning as the feed roller is brought into contact with both end surfaces of the shaft body as described in claim 3, the feeding efficiency is further improved.

  Further, in claims 2 and 3, the shaft body and the rotor functioning as a feed roller are arranged concentrically with each other. However, both are not concentric, and both shaft centers are set parallel to each other. And this is clarified in claim 4.

  That is, in claim 4, as a structure of a feed device having a feed roller that contacts a sheet-like material and feeds the sheet-like material, at least two places in the circumferential direction of the outer peripheral surface of the elastic shaft body are provided. A piezoelectric element is arranged, and in response to an AC signal applied to the piezoelectric element, a progressive bending / rotating / bending vibration is generated in the shaft body, and a rotor is rotatably contacted with the outer peripheral surface of the shaft body. The rotor is rotated as a feed roller by the progressive bending rotation bending vibration generated by the shaft body.

  In this case, as described in claim 5, it is possible to improve the feeding efficiency by sandwiching a sheet-like material to be fed between the shaft body and the rotor functioning as a feed roller. desirable.

  Therefore, in the inventions according to the second to fifth aspects, since the piezoelectric element to which an AC signal is applied or applied is disposed on the outer periphery of the shaft body, the shaft body in which the piezoelectric element is disposed on the outer periphery is so-called. It functions as an ultrasonic vibrator of an ultrasonic motor or ultrasonic rotary actuator, and the rotor as a feed roller rotates and receives the progressive bending rotation bending vibration generated by the shaft, resulting in its feed A predetermined feed is given to the sheet-like material that the roller contacts.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, since the sheet-like object is directly fed with the bending rotation bending vibration generated by the shaft body, the drive system can be downsized and the number of parts can be reduced.

  Further, according to the invention described in claims 2 to 5, the part that actually rotates is only the rotor that functions as a feed roller, and the rotor is directly driven by the shaft or the substrate. Not only can the drive system be downsized and the number of parts can be reduced, but also the rotor can be made smaller and lighter.

  1 to 4 show a more specific embodiment of a feed device according to the present invention, and here, an example in which the feed device is applied to a recording paper feeding mechanism in a copying machine is shown.

  As is well known, a substantially rectangular sheet feed tray 1 shown in FIG. 1 has a predetermined number of recording sheets P stacked and accommodated on the uppermost recording sheet P of the stack of recording sheets P. An unillustrated rubber delivery roller, for example, is in pressure contact. When the uppermost recording paper P is fed in the direction indicated by the arrow Q by the rotation of the feeding roller, the recording paper P in the middle of feeding is thereafter fed in front of the feeding roller (front side in the feeding direction). It will be taken over by the device 2 and sent out in the direction of arrow Q.

  Although details will be described later, a rotor 8 as a feed roller, which is a main element of the feed device 2, is in pressure contact with a feed tray 1a adjacent to the paper feed tray 1, and the feed tray 1a and the rotor 8 are in contact with each other. The recording paper P is sandwiched therebetween, and the recording paper P is fed out while being guided by the guide 1b.

  Further, the paper feed tray 1 has the remaining recording paper P placed on the bottom plate or the middle so that the uppermost recording paper P is always in pressure contact with a feeding roller (not shown) regardless of the number of recording papers P stacked and contained in the paper feeding tray 1. Well-known urging means such as a spring S pushed up together with the bottom plate is provided.

  FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the details of the feed device 2, in which the corresponding part is depicted upside down from FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA in FIG. 2, and FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of a feeding system of piezoelectric elements 14A and 14B and 15A and 15B described later.

  As shown in FIG. 2 in addition to FIG. 1, stays 3 are fixedly supported at both ends of the feed tray 1 on the delivery side, and a main shaft 5 is rotatable on these stays 3 via bearings 4. Is supported on both ends. The stays 3 and 3 are connected to each other by a bridge portion 6.

  The main shaft 5 is made of a metal that is closed at both ends as a shaft body having elasticity, and a hollow cylindrical tubular body 7 is extrapolated so as not to be relatively rotatable, and is located at both ends of the tubular body 7. An annular rotor (rotor) 8 is extrapolated to the main shaft 5 so as to be rotatable and movable in the axial direction by a minute amount. Although the rotor 8 is concentric with the tubular body 7, the diameter thereof is larger than the tubular body 7 by a predetermined amount, and the rotor 8 functions as a feed roller of the feed device as will be described later.

  Although not shown in FIG. 2, since the rotor 8 functioning as a feed roller is in direct contact with the recording paper P as described above, the rotor that is in direct contact with the recording paper P. At least the surface layer portion of 8 is formed of a material having a large friction coefficient such as rubber.

  The pair of rotors 8 are made of metal (for example, a copper alloy) like the tubular body 7, and a snap ring (E-ring) 9 is attached to the main shaft 5 at a position outside the one rotor 8. In addition, a snap ring 11 is mounted together with a wave washer 10 as an elastic body with respect to the main shaft 5 at a position outside the other rotor 8. Thus, the tubular body 7 and the pair of rotors 8 are prevented from coming off from the main shaft 5, and even if the main shaft 5 and the rotor 8 are relatively rotated, the elastic force of the wave washer 10 is used. Each rotor 8 is pressed against the end face of the tubular body 7. Note that the main shaft 5 is prevented from coming off from the stay 3 by attaching the snap ring 12 to the outside of each bearing 4.

  The tubular body 7 and the rotor 8 do not necessarily need to be made of metal, and are made of non-ferrous metal or a material other than metal as long as the vibration characteristics are equivalent to those of a metal, in other words, it has elasticity. All you need is material.

  As shown in FIG. 2, a flat portion 13 is formed in the outer peripheral surface of the tubular body 7 in the form of a so-called two-surface width portion at a quarterly position in the circumferential direction, and these four flat portions 13 are The tubular body 7 is formed along the longitudinal direction leaving both ends. For example, ceramic film-like or band-like piezoelectric elements (electrostrictive elements) 14A, 14B and 15A, 15B are bonded and fixed to the four flat portions 13 over their entire length, respectively. As will be described later, 14A, 14B and 15A, 15B function as a vibration drive source that generates progressive bending rotation bending vibration with respect to the tubular body 7 as a shaft body.

  Of course, the piezoelectric elements 14A, 14B and 15A, 15B can be attached over the entire length of the tubular body 7, and instead of attaching the piezoelectric elements 14A, 14B and 15A, 15B to the flat portion 13. Alternatively, the piezoelectric elements 14A, 14B and 15A, 15B may be embedded in grooves formed in the tubular body 7 in advance.

  As shown in FIG. 4 in addition to FIG. 3, these four piezoelectric elements 14A, 14B and 15A, 15B are opposed to each other in the cross section of the tubular body 7 in order to impart bending vibration to the tubular body 7. The piezoelectric elements 14A and 14B and 15A and 15B whose positions are shifted by 180 degrees in the circumferential direction of the tubular body 7 are polarized so as to bend in the same direction indicated by an arrow in FIG.

  Then, as shown in FIG. 4, the piezoelectric elements 14A, 14B facing each other and the piezoelectric elements 15A, 15B facing each other are connected to each other, and then the piezoelectric elements 14A, 14B facing each other independently. A high-frequency AC voltage from a high-frequency AC power supply 16 is applied between the tubular body 7 and a high-frequency AC voltage from a high-frequency AC power supply 17 between the other piezoelectric element 15A, 15B and the tubular body 7 facing each other. Is applied. The high-frequency AC voltage applied to one piezoelectric element 14A, 14B and the high-frequency AC voltage applied to the other piezoelectric element 15A, 15B are, for example, the same in amplitude and frequency but with a time phase shift of 90 degrees. It shall have.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, a pair of pressing plates 18 made of spring steel or the like are erected on both sides of the tubular body 7 from the bridge portion 6 side. The presser plate 18 has a tip that is in contact with a portion of the tubular body 7 where the piezoelectric elements 14A, 14B and 15A, 15B are not attached, and is 180 degrees out of position in the circumferential direction. The tubular body 7 is restrained by this pressure contact. The pressing plate 18 also serves as an electrode plate, and simultaneously functions as a ground electrode (see FIG. 4).

  Therefore, according to such a structure, a high-frequency AC voltage from the high-frequency AC power supply 16 is applied between the piezoelectric elements 14A and 14B facing each other and the tubular body 7, and the other piezoelectric elements 15A and 15B facing each other. A high-frequency AC voltage from a high-frequency AC power supply 17 is applied between the tubular body 7. When the high-frequency alternating voltage is applied in this way, the tubular body 7 bends in the direction of the arrow a in FIG. The tubular body 7 is bent together with the other piezoelectric elements 15A and 15B facing each other, for example, in the direction of arrow b in FIG.

  Since these bends are repeated according to the applied AC characteristics, the tubular body 7 is composed of a circular motion like a skipping rope centering on its own axis, that is, longitudinal vibration and lateral vibration. Bending, rotating and bending vibration due to the bent is performed. This bending rotation bending vibration is a traveling wave type surface acoustic wave based on the bending vibration of the tubular body 7, and is a combination of the longitudinal vibration and the lateral vibration which are 90 degrees out of phase as described above. Therefore, it becomes a progressive elliptical rotational motion and propagates along the longitudinal direction of the tubular body 7 which is an elastic body.

  As a result, a progressive elliptical rotational motion is also generated at both ends of the tubular body 7, and the pair of rotors 8 that are in pressure contact with both ends of the tubular body 7 are affected by the traveling wave and have a specific characteristic together with the main shaft 5. Will rotate in the direction.

  That is, as shown in FIG. 1, the rotor 8 functioning as the feed roller is in contact with the recording paper P, so that the recording paper P is sent out at a predetermined speed by the rotation of the rotor 8. become.

  Here, the rotor 8 rotates with the main shaft 5, but it is of course possible to rotate only the rotor 8 with the main shaft 5 fixed.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 5, even when two sets of the tubular body 7 as shown in FIG. 1 and the rotor 8 at both ends thereof are arranged in parallel in the axial direction, A similar function will be exhibited.

  Further, in the example of FIGS. 1 and 5, the remaining recording paper P is pushed up together with the bottom plate or the middle bottom plate by an urging means such as a spring S so that the uppermost recording paper P is always pressed against a feeding roller (not shown). However, instead of this, for example, in addition to a feed roller (not shown), the tubular body 7 may be pressed against the recording paper together with the rotor 8 by a biasing means such as a spring S.

  FIGS. 6-8 is a figure which shows 2nd Embodiment of the said feed apparatus, The same code | symbol is attached | subjected to the part which is common in FIGS. 1-4 demonstrated previously.

  In the second embodiment, a rotor 28 that functions as a feed roller and a tubular body 27 that functions as a backup roller are arranged in parallel to each other, and the cylindrical outer peripheral surfaces of both are pressed against each other. The recording paper P is sandwiched between the two so as to be fed.

  FIGS. 7 and 8 are diagrams showing details of the feed device 2 of FIG. 6. In addition to the mutual relationship between the tubular body 27 as a shaft body and the main shaft 5 and the pressing plate 18, the tubular body 27 and the piezoelectric elements 14 </ b> A and 14 </ b> B and The mutual relationship with 15A and 15B is the same as that in FIGS. 2 and 3, and the main shaft 5 is supported on both ends of the stay 3 so as not to rotate with a snap ring 12.

  In addition to the main shaft 5, there is a sub shaft 25 parallel to the sub shaft 25, and a rotor (rotor) 28 that functions as a feed roller through a bearing (not shown) at the center in the longitudinal direction of the sub shaft 25. Is rotatably supported. The rotor 28 is in contact with the cylindrical outer peripheral surface of the tubular body 27 at a portion other than the piezoelectric elements 14A, 14B and 15A, 15B.

  The sub shaft 25 is supported on both ends so as to be displaceable by a minute amount in the vertical direction of FIG. 7 with, for example, a long hole with respect to the stay 3, and a tension coil spring is interposed between the sub shaft 25 and the main shaft 5. 19 is stretched. As a result, a preload is applied to the rotor 28 supported by the sub shaft 25, and as a result, the rotor 28 is in pressure contact with the cylindrical outer peripheral surface of the tubular body 27.

  Therefore, according to this structure, when a high-frequency AC voltage is applied to each of the piezoelectric elements 14A, 14B and 15A, 15B on the outer periphery of the tubular body 27 as shown in FIG. It is exactly the same as in the previous case that a flexible bending rotation bending vibration (elliptical rotation motion) occurs.

  Since the rotor 28 is in pressure contact with the outer peripheral surface of the tubular body 27, the rotor 28 rotates in a specific direction in response to a traveling wave type elliptical rotational motion. Therefore, if the recording paper P is sandwiched between the tubular body 27 and the rotor 28, the recording paper P is fed with the rotation of the rotor 28.

  Note that the tension coil spring 19 for applying a surplus pressure to the rotor 28 is not necessarily required. For example, the tension coil spring 19 may be brought into pressure contact with the tubular body 27 with its own weight.

  In addition, for example, when the recording paper P can adhere to the tubular body 27 by itself, for example, when the weight of the recording paper P is relatively large, the rotor 28 can be eliminated. That is, in this case, the progressive bending, rotating and bending vibration that causes the tubular body 27 to be generated is directly propagated to the recording paper P, so that the recording paper P is fed with the thrust. become. This is the same even if the vertical relationship between the recording paper P and the tubular body 27 is reversed.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 9, even when two sets of the tubular body 27 and the rotor 28 shown in FIG. 6 are arranged in parallel in the axial direction, the same function as the above embodiment is exhibited. It goes without saying that it is done.

  As described above, according to the first and second embodiments, the only part that actually rotates is the rotor 8 or 28 that functions as a feed roller, and the rotor 8 or 28 has only a pressure contact and is a shaft body. Since it is directly driven by 7 or 27, the drive system can be reduced in size and the number of parts can be reduced, and the rotor 8 or 28 can be reduced in diameter and weight.

  Here, in each of the above-described embodiments, the case where the piezoelectric elements 14A, 14B and 15A, 15B are respectively arranged at the quarterly-divided positions in the circumferential direction of the tubular body 7 or 27 has been described, but at least two in the circumferential direction are described. If a piezoelectric element is arranged at a location, the same function is exhibited.

  Further, in each of the above embodiments, the case where the feed device is applied to the paper feeding mechanism of the copying machine is illustrated, but it goes without saying that the present invention can also be applied to the same type of paper feeding function other than the copying machine. The present invention can be similarly applied to a feeding device that applies feeding to a film-like sheet-like material other than paper.

1 is a diagram illustrating a first embodiment of a feed device according to the present invention, and is a schematic perspective view when applied to a paper feed mechanism of a copying machine. FIG. Explanatory drawing which shows the structure of the principal part of the feed apparatus in FIG. Cross-sectional explanatory drawing which follows the AA line of FIG. Explanatory drawing of the electric power feeding system of the piezoelectric element in FIG. FIG. 6 is a schematic perspective view showing a modification of the paper feeding mechanism in FIG. 1. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a second embodiment of a feed device according to the present invention, and is a schematic perspective view when applied to a paper feed mechanism of a copying machine. Explanatory drawing which shows the structure of the principal part of the feed apparatus in FIG. Cross-sectional explanatory drawing which follows the BB line of FIG. FIG. 7 is a schematic perspective view showing a modification of the paper feeding mechanism in FIG. 6.

Explanation of symbols

2 ... Feed device 3 ... Stay 5 ... Main shaft 7 ... Tubular body (shaft body)
8 ... Rotor (feed roller)
14A, 14B ... Piezoelectric element 15A, 15B ... Piezoelectric element 16 ... High frequency AC power source 17 ... High frequency AC power source 19 ... Tension coil spring 25 ... Subshaft 27 ... Tubular body (shaft body)
28 ... Rotor (feed roller)
P: Recording paper as a sheet

Claims (5)

A structure of a feed device for feeding a sheet-like material,
Piezoelectric elements are arranged in at least two locations on the outer circumference of the elastic shaft body in the circumferential direction, and progressive bending, rotational, and bending vibrations are generated in the shaft body in response to an AC signal applied to the piezoelectric element. Let
A sheet-like material feeding device characterized in that feed is given to a sheet-like material in contact with the shaft body with progressive bending rotation bending vibration generated by the shaft material. A structure of a feed device having a feed roller that contacts and feeds a sheet-like material,
Piezoelectric elements are arranged in at least two locations in the circumferential direction of the outer peripheral surface of the elastic shaft body, and a progressive bending, rotating, and bending vibration is generated in the shaft body in response to an AC signal applied to the piezoelectric element. With
A concentric rotor is brought into contact with the end surface of the shaft body,
A sheet-like material feeding device, wherein the rotor is rotated as a feed roller by a progressive bending rotation bending vibration generated by the shaft.   3. The sheet-like material feeding device according to claim 2, wherein the rotor functioning as the feed roller is brought into contact with both end faces of the shaft body. A structure of a feed device having a feed roller that contacts and feeds a sheet-like material,
Piezoelectric elements are arranged in at least two locations in the circumferential direction of the outer peripheral surface of the elastic shaft body, and a progressive bending, rotating, and bending vibration is generated in the shaft body in response to an AC signal applied to the piezoelectric element. With
The rotor is brought into contact with the outer peripheral surface of the shaft body in a rotatable manner,
A sheet-like material feeding device, wherein the rotor is rotated as a feed roller by a progressive bending rotation bending vibration generated by the shaft.   5. The sheet-like material feeding device according to claim 4, wherein a sheet-like material to be fed is sandwiched between the shaft and a rotor functioning as a feed roller.

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