JP2010006522A - Automatic feeder, and recording device provided with the automatic feeder - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To previously prevent paper jam caused by the fact that recording is performed on a material to be recorded with a recording duty exceeding an allowable range in a recording device for an inkjet printer. <P>SOLUTION: The recording paper P1 with high flexibility can advance on a feeding route 75 while displacing it in a direction shown by a symbol B by pressing a switching member 77 against spring force of a twist coil spring 79. Accordingly, the recording paper P1 with high flexibility is fed to the inside of an inkjet printer 50 through the feeding route 75 by rotation of a feeding roller 74 and recording is performed. Besides, since the recording paper with low flexibility cannot press the switching member 77 against the spring force of the twist coil spring 79, it is guided to a delivery guide surface 781 of a delivery tray 78 by the switching member 77 and is delivered in unchanged form to a tray part 782 of the delivery tray 78 by rotation of the feeding roller 74. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an automatic feeding apparatus for feeding a recording material to a recording apparatus, and a recording apparatus provided with the automatic feeding apparatus.

  Examples of recording materials used in recording apparatuses such as inkjet printers include various types of recording materials such as plain paper and photographic paper. Of these, recording materials such as photographic paper used mainly for digital photographic prints are relatively thick and firm, and the surface is coated so that ink is difficult to penetrate inside. It is common to have a structure. Therefore, recording materials such as photographic paper can be recorded by ink even if a large amount of ink is ejected onto the recording surface in order to perform recording with high detail and high image quality by forming many dots on the recording surface. There is almost no risk that the material will be bent or deformed. That is, since the recording material such as photographic paper has the above-described structure, there is an advantage that it is suitable for digital photographic printing with a high recording duty (ratio of the dot formation area to the entire area of the recording surface) in the high image quality mode. On the other hand, there is a demerit that it is more expensive than a recording material such as plain paper.

  On the other hand, recording materials such as plain paper, which are mainly used for recording documents, etc., are relatively thin and weak, and the surface is hardly coated, so that ink or the like easily penetrates inside. It is common to have a structure. For this reason, recording materials such as plain paper have the merit that they are cheaper than recording materials such as photographic paper, but if a large amount of ink is ejected, the recording material will bend or deform. There is a demerit that it is not suitable for digital photo printing with high recording duty in high image quality mode.

For this reason, recording apparatuses such as ink jet printers are known that have a function of changing the content of recording control in accordance with the type of recording material to be recorded, the recording mode, and the like. For example, a mechanism that can detect the waist of the fed recording material is provided to detect the waist of the recording material, and when the recording material is weak, the recording material is applied to the platen with a paper holding plate. An ink jet recording apparatus that can suppress the floating of a recording material due to so-called cockling by bringing it into contact is known (see, for example, Patent Document 1).
JP 2001-341918 A

  By the way, in recent recording apparatuses such as an ink jet printer, a device specialized in a digital photo print function called a so-called photo-dedicated machine has appeared. Such a recording apparatus is functionally compatible only with recording materials such as photographic paper, and it is not planned to use recording materials such as plain paper. That is, in a photo-dedicated machine, recording with a high recording duty is always performed in a high-quality mode that is optimal for a recording material such as photographic paper. Therefore, for example, if an inexperienced user mistakenly executes recording using a recording material such as plain paper, recording is executed at a recording duty exceeding the allowable range of the recording material. A large deflection or deformation occurs in the recording material inside the apparatus, and so-called paper jam occurs with a high probability.

  In addition, in the case of a photo-dedicated machine, a color liquid crystal display panel and a number of operation buttons are provided on the top surface of the housing in order to ensure good operability especially when performing stand-alone digital photo printing. It is common. In many cases, such a recording apparatus cannot be provided with an opening / closing lid for accessing the inside of the recording apparatus on the upper surface of the casing. Therefore, when a paper jam occurs in such a recording apparatus, the user can only manually pull out the paper jammed recording material from the recording material feeding port or the discharge port. For this reason, depending on the degree and position of the paper jam, when the paper jammed recording material is pulled out, a part of the recording material remains in an unreachable part inside the recording apparatus and is no longer removed by the user's hand. You may be unable to do so. If this happens, the recording device cannot be recovered unless it is sent to the manufacturer for repair.

  The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and the problem is that paper is caused by recording on a recording material at a recording duty exceeding an allowable range in a recording apparatus such as an ink jet printer. It is to prevent jamming.

  In order to achieve the above object, a first aspect of the present invention includes a main feeding path, a sub feeding path branched from the main feeding path, and a feeding means for feeding a recording material, A recording medium disposed at a branch portion between the main feeding path and the sub feeding path and constituting a part of the main feeding path and a recording material fed by the feeding means A feed path switching member supported so as to be displaceable so as to be able to take a second displacement position guided to the sub feed path, and a biasing means for biasing the feed path switching member to the second displacement position; , An automatic feeding device.

  The feed path switching member supported displaceably at the branch portion between the main feed path and the sub feed path is a second displacement position for guiding the recording material fed by the feeding means to the sub feed path. Is being energized. When the recording material fed by the feeding means is a recording material such as photographic paper, which has a strong waist, the recording material is strong, so that the recording material is fed against the biasing force of the biasing means. The main feed path can be advanced while displacing the feed path switching member to the first displacement position. Therefore, a recording material such as photographic paper that is strong is fed through the main feeding path.

  On the other hand, when the recording material fed by the feeding means is a recording material having a low stiffness such as plain paper, the recording material has a low stiffness and resists the urging force of the urging means. Thus, the feeding path switching member cannot be displaced to the first displacement position. Accordingly, a recording material such as plain paper which is weak is guided to the sub-feed path by the feed path switching member and is fed through the sub-feed path.

  That is, the automatic feeding apparatus according to the first aspect of the present invention includes an automatic recording material sorting mechanism that uses the waist of the recording material to be fed. Therefore, for example, in the above-mentioned photo-dedicated machine, if recording is performed only on the recording material fed from the main feeding path, recording is always performed only on the recording material with strong stiffness such as photographic paper. Therefore, it is possible to reliably avoid the recording with a high recording duty in the high image quality mode on the recording material such as plain paper which is weak. At this time, the recording material, such as plain paper, fed to the sub-feeding path may be discharged out of the apparatus as it is without performing recording.

  Also, for example, when two recording execution means are provided separately and independently in the recording apparatus, one of the recording execution means is a digital photo print in a high image quality mode in which the recording material is fed from the main feeding path. It is also possible to dedicate the other recording execution means to the text recording of a document or the like in which the recording material is fed from the sub feeding path or the recording in the low image quality mode. Even in this way, it is possible to reliably avoid execution of recording with a high recording duty in a high quality mode on a recording material such as plain paper.

  As a result, according to the automatic feeding device described in the first aspect of the present invention, in the recording apparatus such as an ink jet printer, the paper caused by recording on the recording material with a recording duty exceeding the allowable range. The effect that jam can be prevented is obtained.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the automatic feeding apparatus according to the first aspect described above, the recording material guided to the auxiliary feeding path is discharged to the outside by the feeding means. Is an automatic feeding device characterized by
According to such a feature, the recording material having a low waist guided to the sub feeding path can be discharged to the outside in front of the recording apparatus. That is, it is possible to prevent a recording material such as plain paper having a low stiffness from being fed to the recording apparatus. Therefore, it is possible to more reliably prevent paper jam caused by recording on the recording material with a recording duty exceeding the allowable range. Further, since the recording material guided to the sub feeding path is discharged to the outside using the feeding means, a means for discharging the recording material guided to the sub feeding path is provided separately. There is no need. Therefore, the automatic feeding device according to the present invention can be realized at a lower cost.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the automatic feeding device according to the second aspect described above, the feeding means includes a feeding roller that rotates by receiving a rotational driving force of a driving force source. The automatic feeding device is characterized in that the sub-feeding path is provided along an outer peripheral surface of the feeding roller.
Thus, by providing the sub-feed path along the outer peripheral surface of the feed roller, the recording material in the sub-feed path can be brought into contact with the outer peripheral surface of the feed roller. As a result, it is possible to discharge the recording material such as plain paper that is guided to the sub-feeding path to the outside as it is by the rotational force of the feeding roller.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the automatic feeding device according to any one of the first to third aspects described above, a recording material having a predetermined size or less can pass through the feeding path switching member. The automatic feeding device is characterized in that a simple hole is provided.

  For example, in the case of a recording material of a relatively small size, such as a business card size recording material, when recording with a high recording duty is performed in the high image quality mode even if the recording material is weak such as plain paper The amount of deformation and deformation generated in the above is relatively small. In other words, even if the recording material of a predetermined size or less is a recording material that is weak, such as plain paper, the possibility of paper jam is low when recording with a high recording duty is executed in the high image quality mode. it is conceivable that.

  For this reason, in the automatic feeding apparatus according to the fourth aspect of the present invention, a hole through which a recording material having a predetermined size or less can pass is provided in the feeding path switching member. Accordingly, the recording material having a predetermined size or less can enter the main feeding path through the hole of the feeding path switching member at the second displacement position regardless of the strength of the waist. . That is, a recording material with a low stiffness such as plain paper can be further distributed to either the main feeding path or the sub feeding path according to the size of the recording material. Therefore, it is possible to perform recording on a recording material having a predetermined size or less, which is less likely to cause a paper jam even if the recording material is weak.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided the automatic feeding device according to any one of the first to fourth aspects described above, wherein at least one of the main feeding path and the sub feeding path is provided with a recording material. The automatic feeding device is characterized in that a detector is disposed.
By providing a recording material detector at least in either the main feeding path or the sub feeding path, it is possible to determine which feeding path the recording material fed by the feeding means is fed to. It becomes possible to identify. It is also possible to indirectly specify the strength of the waist of the fed recording material. Therefore, appropriate feeding control and recording control can be executed according to the feeding path through which the recording material is fed and the strength of the fed recording material.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided the automatic feeding apparatus according to any one of the first to fifth aspects described above, and means for executing recording on the recording material fed by the automatic feeding apparatus. And a recording apparatus.
According to the recording apparatus described in the sixth aspect of the present invention, in the recording apparatus provided with means for executing recording on the recording material fed by the automatic feeding apparatus, the first to fifth aspects described above are provided. The effect by the invention as described in any of the above can be obtained.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

<Schematic configuration of inkjet printer>
First, a schematic configuration of an inkjet printer 50 as a “recording apparatus” according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.
FIG. 1 is a side view of a main part illustrating a schematic configuration of an ink jet printer 50, and FIG. 2 is a plan view of the main part.

  An ink jet printer 50 as a “recording apparatus” according to the present invention includes an automatic feeding device 70 for feeding a recording paper P as a “recording material” to the inside of the ink jet printer 50. The ink jet printer 50 includes a transport driving roller 51 and a transport driven roller 52 as means for transporting the recording paper P supported by the platen 53 in the transport direction Y. Further, the ink jet printer 50 includes a recording head 62 as means for performing recording by ejecting ink onto the recording surface of the recording paper P supported by the platen 53. Further, the ink jet printer 50 includes a discharge driving roller 54 and a discharge driven roller 55 as means for transporting and discharging the recording paper P after execution of recording in the transport direction Y.

  The automatic feeding device 70 includes a hopper 71, a left edge guide 72, a right edge guide 73, a feeding roller 74, a feeding path 75, and a separation pad 76.

  The hopper 71 is loaded with the recording paper P stacked thereon. The hopper 71 is pivotally supported on the base of the automatic feeding device 70 so as to be swingable toward the feeding roller 74. The left edge guide 72 and the right edge guide 73 are supported by the hopper 71 so as to be slidable in the width direction X (direction intersecting the transport direction Y), and according to the size of the recording paper P placed on the hopper 71. Thus, the placement position in the width direction X is regulated. The feeding roller 74 is formed integrally with a feeding roller shaft 741 that is pivotally supported on the base of the automatic feeding device 70, and the feeding roller is rotated by a rotational driving force of a feeding motor (not shown). The shaft 741 rotates by rotating.

  The recording paper P placed on the hopper 71 comes into contact with the outer peripheral surface of the feeding roller 74 when the hopper 71 swings toward the feeding roller 74. Then, the recording paper P is fed through the feeding path 75 to the portion where the conveyance driving roller 51 and the conveyance driven roller 52 come into contact with each other by the rotation of the feeding roller 74. At this time, the known separation pad 76 prevents the recording paper P from being double fed.

  The transport driving roller 51 has a high friction coating on the surface, and rotates by receiving the rotational driving force of a transport motor (not shown). The transport driven roller 52 is pivotally supported so as to be driven to rotate, and is biased by a biasing means such as a spring (not shown) in contact with the outer peripheral surface of the transport driving roller 51. The recording paper P fed by the automatic feeding device 70 is sandwiched between the transport drive roller 51 and the transport driven roller 52 and is transported in the transport direction Y on the platen 53 by the drive rotation of the transport drive roller 51.

  The recording head 62 is disposed at the bottom of the carriage 61. A large number of ejection nozzles (not shown) for ejecting ink are disposed on the head surface of the recording head 62. The carriage 61 is supported by a carriage guide shaft 56 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. . The carriage 61 is an endless belt (not shown) hung between a driving pulley (not shown) and a driven pulley (not shown) disposed on a rotating shaft of a carriage driving motor (not shown). Are connected, and the rotational driving force of the carriage driving motor is transmitted through the endless belt to reciprocate in the width direction X.

  The platen 53 has a large number of platen ribs formed along the conveyance direction Y of the recording paper P. The recording paper P conveyed on the platen 53 is supported from the back side by the top surface of the platen rib. In the area of the recording paper P supported by the platen 53, dots are formed on the recording surface by ink ejection from the head surface of the recording head 62, and recording is performed. The distance between the head surface of the recording head 62 and the recording surface of the recording paper P is regulated to an appropriate distance by the top surface of the platen rib.

  The recording paper P conveyed on the platen 53 is configured to eject dots from the head surface of the recording head 62 to the recording surface of the recording paper P while the carriage 61 reciprocates in the width direction X, Recording on the recording surface is executed by alternately repeating the operation of conveying in the conveying direction Y by a predetermined conveying amount by the driving rotation of the driving roller 51. The recording paper P after ink ejection is sandwiched between the discharge driving roller 54 and the discharge driven roller 55, conveyed in the conveyance direction Y by the driving rotation of the discharge driving roller 54, and discharged. A series of these recording controls is executed by a control device (not shown) having a microcomputer control circuit.

  Note that the ink jet printer 50 of the embodiment is a so-called photographic-only machine and functionally supports only the recording paper P such as photographic paper, and the recording paper P such as plain paper is expected to be used. The printer is not working. That is, in the inkjet printer 50, recording with a high recording duty is always performed in the high image quality mode that is optimal for the recording paper P such as photographic paper. Therefore, if recording is performed by feeding recording paper P such as plain paper, recording is executed with a recording duty exceeding the allowable range of the recording paper P. As a result, recording is performed inside the inkjet printer 50. The paper P will be greatly bent or deformed, and so-called paper jam will occur with a high probability.

<Configuration of automatic feeding device 70 according to the present invention>
Next, the configuration of the automatic feeding device 70 according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a main part illustrating the entire automatic feeding apparatus 70 according to the present invention, and FIG. 4 is a plan view of the main part. 5 and 6 are enlarged perspective views of the main part showing the vicinity of the feeding path 75 of the automatic feeding device 70. FIG.

  The automatic feeding device 70 according to the present invention includes a switching member in addition to the above-described components (the hopper 71, the left edge guide 72, the right edge guide 73, the feeding roller 74, the feeding path 75, and the separation pad 76). 77, a discharge tray 78, and a torsion coil spring 79.

  The discharge tray 78 includes a discharge guide surface 781 and a tray portion 782. The discharge guide surface 781 constitutes a “sub-feeding path” branched from the feeding path 75 as the “main feeding path”. The trays 782 are stacked with the recording sheets P discharged along the discharge guide surface 781. A plurality of recesses 783 are formed at the end of the discharge guide surface 781.

  The switching member 77 as the “feed path switching member” is a rectangular plate-shaped member that is long in the width direction X. The length of the switching member 77 in the width direction X is set to at least the maximum width (length in the width direction X) of the recording paper P that can be recorded by the inkjet printer 50. Arms 771 are extended at both ends in the width direction X of the switching member 77. A shaft portion 772 is provided at the end of the arm portion 771. A plurality of convex portions 773 are formed at the tip of the switching member 77 in a shape and arrangement capable of engaging with the concave portions 783 of the discharge guide surface 781. Further, a hole 774 is formed in a substantially central portion of the switching member 77.

  The switching member 77 is supported by the base body 701 of the automatic feeding device 70 so as to be swingable about the shaft portion 772 as a swinging shaft, and includes a feeding path 75 (main feeding path) and a discharge guide surface 781 (sub-feeding). Displaces at the branch point with the road. The switching member 77 is biased in the swinging direction indicated by the symbol A by the spring force of the torsion coil spring 79 as “biasing means” disposed on the shaft portion 772, and is upstream of the feeding path 75. Positioning is performed in contact with the bottom of the portion 751. In this state, a series of guide surfaces from the upstream portion 751 to the discharge guide surface 781 (sub-feed path) is configured via the switching member 77 (FIG. 5). At this time, the convex portion 773 of the switching member 77 and the concave portion 783 of the discharge guide surface 781 engage with each other, whereby the leading edge of the recording paper P enters the gap between the switch member 77 and the discharge guide surface 781. Is prevented. On the other hand, in a state where the switching member 77 is swung in the swinging direction indicated by the symbol B, a series of feeding paths (main feeding paths) from the upstream portion 751 to the feeding path 75 are connected via the switching member 77. (FIG. 6).

  That is, the switching member 77 is fed by the rotation of the “first displacement position” (displacement position shown in FIG. 6) constituting a part of the feeding path 75 (main feeding path) and the feeding roller 74. Is supported so as to be able to take a “second displacement position” (displacement position shown in FIG. 5) for guiding the recording paper P to be discharged to the discharge guide surface 781 (sub-feed path) of the discharge tray 78. ing. The switching member 77 is biased to the “second displacement position” by the spring force of the torsion coil spring 79.

  In addition, the hole 774 of the switching member 77 is set to a predetermined size in the width direction X. That is, only the recording paper P whose dimension in the width direction X is equal to or smaller than a predetermined size can pass through the hole 774. For example, the dimension in the width direction X of the hole 774 in the embodiment is smaller than the length in the width direction X of the KG size (about 102 mm) and larger than the length in the width direction X of the L size (about 89 mm). Is set to Thus, the KG size recording paper P cannot pass through the hole 774 of the switching member 77, but the L size recording paper P can pass therethrough.

<Operation of Automatic Feeder 70 According to the Present Invention>
Next, the operation of the automatic feeding device 70 according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional side view of a main part of the automatic feeding device 70 according to the present invention, and shows a state where a stiff recording paper P1 such as a photographic paper is being fed.
The recording paper P1 is a KG size recording paper P such as a photographic paper. The recording paper P <b> 1 is fed through the upstream portion 751 of the feeding path 75 as the feeding roller 74 rotates in the rotation direction indicated by the symbol C. At this time, since the recording paper P1 is strong, the switching member 77 is pushed against the spring force of the torsion coil spring 79 and is moved in the direction indicated by the symbol B to advance in the feeding path 75. Can do. Therefore, the stiff recording paper P1 is fed into the ink jet printer 50 through the feeding path 75 (main feeding path) by the rotation of the feeding roller 74, and recording is performed.

FIG. 8 is a side cross-sectional view of the main part of the automatic feeding device 70 according to the present invention, and illustrates a state in which the recording paper P2 such as plain paper is weakly fed.
The recording paper P2 is a KG size recording paper P that is weak, such as plain paper. The recording paper P <b> 2 is fed through the upstream portion 751 of the feeding path 75 as the feeding roller 74 rotates in the rotation direction indicated by the symbol C. At this time, since the recording paper P <b> 2 is weak, the switching member 77 cannot be pushed against the spring force of the torsion coil spring 79. Accordingly, the recording paper P2 having a low stiffness is guided to the discharge guide surface 781 (sub-feed path) of the discharge tray 78 by the switching member 77, and is directly discharged to the tray portion 782 of the discharge tray 78 by the rotation of the feed roller 74. Is done. That is, the recording paper P2 having a low stiffness is not fed into the ink jet printer 50 and recording is not executed.

FIG. 9 is a side cross-sectional view of the main part of the automatic feeding device 70 according to the present invention, and shows a state in which the recording paper P3 having a predetermined size or less is being fed.
The recording paper P3 is, for example, a recording paper P having an L size smaller than the KG size. The recording paper P3 is fed through the upstream portion 751 of the feeding path 75 as the feeding roller 74 rotates in the rotation direction indicated by the symbol C. At this time, since the horizontal width of the recording paper P3 is smaller than the dimension of the hole 774 in the width direction X, the recording paper P3 can enter the feeding path 75 through the hole 774 of the switching member 77. Therefore, the recording paper P3 is always fed into the ink jet printer 50 through the feeding path 75 and recording is performed regardless of the strength of the recording paper P3.

  As described above, the automatic feeding device 70 according to the present invention can automatically select and feed the recording paper P according to the strength of the waist by using the waist of the recording paper P to be fed. it can. Here, the degree of waist strength used as a reference can be freely set by adjusting the spring force of the torsion coil spring 79. The stiff recording paper P1 is fed into the ink jet printer 50 through the feeding path 75 and recording is performed. On the other hand, the recording paper P <b> 2, such as plain paper, is discharged to the discharge tray 78 without being fed into the ink jet printer 50. Accordingly, in the inkjet printer 50 as a dedicated photo machine, recording can be executed only on the recording paper P1 which is stiff, such as photographic paper, and the recording duty of the recording paper P2 which is stiff, such as plain paper, in the high image quality mode. It can be reliably avoided that high recording is performed.

  In this way, according to the automatic feeding device 70 according to the present invention, a paper jam caused by recording on the recording paper P with a recording duty exceeding an allowable range in a recording apparatus such as an ink jet printer is not detected. Can be prevented.

  Further, in the automatic feeding device 70 according to the present invention, the hole 774 of the switching member 77 is not an essential component, but is preferably provided as in the above embodiment. Accordingly, the recording paper P3 having a predetermined size or less is fed into the ink jet printer 50 and recording is performed regardless of the strength of the recording paper P3. Therefore, it is possible to perform recording on the recording paper P3 having a predetermined size or less, which is less likely to cause a paper jam even if the recording paper P is weak.

  Further, in the automatic feeding device 70 according to the present invention, the discharge guide surface 781 of the discharge tray 78 is preferably provided along the outer peripheral surface of the feed roller 74 as in the above embodiment. Accordingly, the recording paper P on the discharge guide surface 781 can be discharged to the discharge tray 78 by the rotational force of the feeding roller 74. Furthermore, a driven roller or the like that presses the recording paper P against the outer peripheral surface of the feeding roller 74 may be provided on the discharge guide surface 781. Accordingly, the recording paper P on the discharge guide surface 781 can be more reliably discharged to the discharge tray 78 by the rotational force of the feeding roller 74.

<Other embodiments>
In addition to the above embodiment, the automatic feeding device 70 according to the present invention is provided with a detector capable of detecting the recording paper P in either the feeding path 75 (downstream from the branching portion) or the discharge guide surface 781. May be. Alternatively, a detector that can detect the swing position of the switching member 77 may be provided. By providing such a detector, it becomes possible to identify which feeding path the recording paper P fed by the rotation of the feeding roller 74 is fed. It is also possible to indirectly identify the strength of the fed recording paper P. Therefore, appropriate feeding control and recording control can be executed according to the feeding path through which the recording paper P is fed and the strength of the fed recording paper P. For example, when the recording paper P is discharged to the discharge tray 78 through the discharge guide surface 781, an error display can be made or the recording paper P can be re-fed.

  Further, the automatic feeding device 70 according to the present invention is provided with two recording execution units separately and independently in the inkjet printer 50, and the fed recording paper P is sent to any recording execution unit according to the strength of the waist. It can also be distributed. For example, one recording execution unit of the inkjet printer 50 is dedicated to digital photo printing in the high image quality mode in which the recording paper P is fed from the “main feeding path”, and the other recording execution unit is started from the “sub feeding path”. It is also possible to dedicate to text recording such as a document to which the recording paper P is fed or recording in the low image quality mode.

  The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, 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.

The principal part side view which illustrated schematic structure of the inkjet printer. The principal part top view which illustrated schematic structure of the inkjet printer. The principal part perspective view which illustrated the whole automatic feeding apparatus which concerns on this invention. The principal part top view of the automatic feeding apparatus which concerns on this invention. The principal part perspective view which expanded and illustrated the vicinity of the feeding path | route of an automatic feeding apparatus. The principal part perspective view which expanded and illustrated the vicinity of the feeding path | route of an automatic feeding apparatus. FIG. 3 is a side sectional view of the automatic feeding device according to the present invention (feeding a recording paper having a strong waist). FIG. 3 is a side sectional view of the automatic feeding device according to the present invention (feeding a recording paper having a low waist). FIG. 3 is a side sectional view of the automatic feeding device according to the present invention (feeding a recording paper having a predetermined size or less).

Explanation of symbols

50 Inkjet printer, 51 Conveyance drive roller, 52 Conveyance driven roller, 53 Platen, 54 Discharge drive roller, 55 Discharge driven roller, 56 Carriage guide shaft, 70 Automatic feeding device, 71 Hopper, 72 Left edge guide, 73 Right edge guide , 74 Feed roller, 75 Feed path (main feed path), 76 Separation pad, 77 Switching member, 78 Discharge tray, 79 Torsion coil spring, 774 hole, 781 Discharge guide surface (sub feed path), P, P1 to P3 Recording paper, X width direction, Y transport direction

Claims (6)

The main feeding path,
A sub-feed path that branches off from the main feed path;
A feeding means for feeding the recording material;
A first displacement position that is disposed at a branch portion between the main feeding path and the sub feeding path and that constitutes a part of the main feeding path and a recording material fed by the feeding means are A feed path switching member supported so as to be displaceable so as to be able to take a second displacement position for guiding to the sub feed path;
And an urging means for urging the feeding path switching member to the second displacement position.   2. The automatic feeding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the recording material guided to the sub feeding path is discharged to the outside by the feeding means. 3. The automatic feeding device according to claim 2, wherein the feeding means includes a feeding roller that rotates when a rotational driving force of a driving force source is transmitted.
The automatic feeding device, wherein the sub-feeding path is provided along an outer peripheral surface of the feeding roller.   The automatic feeding device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the feeding path switching member is provided with a hole through which a recording material having a predetermined size or less can pass. The automatic feeding device featured.   5. The automatic feeding device according to claim 1, wherein a recording material detector is disposed in at least one of the main feeding path and the sub feeding path. The automatic feeding device featured. The automatic feeding device according to any one of claims 1 to 5,
A recording apparatus comprising: means for performing recording on the recording material fed by the automatic feeding apparatus.

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