JP2012030956A - Automatic feeding device, and recording apparatus equipped with the same - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an automatic feeding device in which a recording material storage part for housing a recording material is insertably/extractably provided and which enhances operability when the recording material storage part is inserted/extracted.SOLUTION: When an output signal of a cassette sensor 47 is in an OFF-state (step S1:Yes), that is, when a feeding cassette 31 is in an extracted state or when an operation, in which a user extracts the feeding cassette 31 in a predetermined position, is detected, it is determined whether a feeding roller 22 is in a receding position (step S2). When the feeding roller 22 is not in the receding position (step S2:No), that is, when the feeding roller 22 is in an entrance position, the feeding roller 22 is shifted to the receding position and the state is kept as it is (step S3).

Description

  The present invention relates to an automatic feeding apparatus that is provided in a recording apparatus such as an ink jet printer or a laser printer and automatically feeds a recording material into the recording apparatus.

  In general, a recording apparatus such as an ink jet printer or a laser printer is provided with an automatic feeding apparatus that automatically feeds a recording material into the recording apparatus. As an example of a general automatic feeding device, a recording material container (such as a paper feed cassette) provided so as to be insertable / removable, and a recording material in the recording material container through an opening of the recording material container And a feeding roller supported so as to be able to advance and retreat. In the automatic feeding device having such a configuration, the feeding roller is rotated by the driving force of the driving force source from the state in which the feeding roller is in contact with the recording material in the recording material container. The recording material in the recording material container is fed into the recording apparatus.

  By the way, in the automatic feeding device having the above-described configuration, when the feeding roller is inserted into the recording material accommodating portion through the opening provided in the recording material accommodating portion, when the recording material accommodating portion is inserted and removed as it is, In this case, the feeding roller interferes with the recording material container. For this reason, when the recording material container is inserted and removed, the feeding roller needs to be retracted from the recording material container so that the feeding roller does not interfere with the recording material container. As an example of a conventional automatic feeding device, one in which a feeding roller is configured to be displaceable by a cam follower mechanism provided on the main body side of the automatic feeding device is known. More specifically, in the process of inserting / removing the recording material accommodating portion, the cam provided on the recording material accommodating portion side engages with the cam follower mechanism provided on the main body side, and the cam follower mechanism is operated by the insertion / extraction force. Thus, the feeding roller is configured to retract within a range that does not interfere with the recording material accommodation unit (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Japanese Patent No. 4292418

  However, in the automatic feeding device disclosed in Patent Document 1 described above, at the time of an operation of inserting / removing the recording material accommodating portion, at least a cam follower mechanism provided on the main body side of the automatic feeding device is operated to set the feeding roller. The user is required to have an operating force (insertion / extraction force) that can be displaced. In other words, the user must insert and remove the recording material accommodation portion with a strong force of a certain level or more that can move the feed roller by operating the cam follower mechanism. For this reason, conventional automatic feeders are often not good for operability when inserting / removing the recording material container, especially for children, women, elderly people, etc., who have relatively weak arms, and improvements are required. It was done.

  The present invention has been made in view of such a situation, and an object of the present invention is to provide a recording material in an automatic feeding apparatus in which a recording material storage portion in which a recording material is stored is provided so as to be insertable / removable. The object is to improve the operability when inserting and removing the accommodating portion.

<First Aspect of the Present Invention>
According to a first aspect of the present invention, a recording material accommodating portion that accommodates a recording material and is provided so as to be insertable / removable, a feeding roller that is rotated by a driving force of a driving force source, and the recording material accommodating portion A roller support mechanism that displaceably supports the feeding roller so as to be able to take an entry position that can contact the recording material, and a retracting position that does not interfere with the insertion / extraction of the recording material container, and a driving force source A roller displacement mechanism for displacing the feeding roller with a driving force, and when the recording material storage portion is inserted or extracted, or when the recording material storage portion is inserted and extracted. And a control device that maintains a state in which the feed roller is in the retracted position.

  According to such a feature, at least when the recording material accommodating portion is inserted or withdrawn, the state in which the feeding roller is displaced to the retracted position is maintained by the roller displacement mechanism controlled by the control device. . As a result, the recording material container can be inserted and removed without the feeding roller interfering with the recording material container. The roller displacement mechanism that displaces the feeding roller to the retracted position operates with the driving force of the driving force source, so the user's operation load when inserting and removing the recording material container is greater than with conventional automatic feeding devices. Can be reduced. Accordingly, an operational effect that the operability when inserting / removing the recording material accommodating portion can be improved is obtained.

<Second Aspect of the Present Invention>
According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the automatic feeding device according to the first aspect described above, the automatic feeding device includes an insertion / extraction detection device that detects an insertion / extraction state of the recording material accommodation unit, and the control device detects the insertion / extraction detection. An automatic feeding device that controls the roller displacement mechanism based on an output signal of the device.

  According to such a feature, it is possible to detect the insertion / extraction state of the recording material accommodation portion at least when the recording material accommodation portion is inserted or extracted. As a result, during the insertion / extraction operation of the recording material container, the feeding roller can be displaced to the retracted position just before the feeding roller interferes with the recording material container. Accordingly, the state where the feeding roller is in the retracted position can be reliably maintained when the recording material accommodation portion is inserted or extracted.

<Third Aspect of the Present Invention>
According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a recording material storage portion in which the recording material is stored and provided so as to be insertable / removable, a feeding roller that is rotated by a driving force of a driving force source, and the recording material storage portion. A roller support mechanism that displaceably supports the feeding roller so as to be able to take an entry position that can contact the recording material, and a retracting position that does not interfere with the insertion / extraction of the recording material container, and a driving force source A roller displacement mechanism for displacing the feeding roller with a driving force of the recording medium, and when performing a feeding operation of the recording material by rotation of the feeding roller, the feeding roller is displaced to the entry position, and the feeding operation is performed. And a control device that maintains the state where the feeding roller is in the retracted position except when performing.

  The state where the feeding roller is in the retracted position is maintained except when the recording material is fed by the rotation of the feeding roller. In addition, as long as it is a normal use mode, the recording material accommodating portion is not inserted / extracted during the recording material feeding operation by the rotation of the feeding roller. Therefore, at least when the recording material accommodating portion is inserted or extracted, the state where the feeding roller is displaced to the retracted position is maintained. As a result, the recording material container can be inserted and removed without the feeding roller interfering with the recording material container. The roller displacement mechanism that displaces the feeding roller to the retracted position operates with the driving force of the driving force source, so the user's operation load when inserting and removing the recording material container is greater than with conventional automatic feeding devices. Can be reduced. Accordingly, an operational effect that the operability when inserting / removing the recording material accommodating portion can be improved is obtained.

  Also, except when performing the feeding operation of the recording material by the rotation of the feeding roller, the feeding roller is maintained on the recording material in the recording material container by maintaining the state where the feeding roller is in the retracted position. It is possible to minimize the time required for the contact state. Thereby, for example, when the feeding roller is composed of a rubber roller, it is possible to reduce the possibility that a minute amount of oil contained in the rubber roller adheres to the recording material and the recording material becomes dirty. it can. Further, it is possible to reduce the possibility that the recording material may have a roller contact mark.

<Fourth aspect of the present invention>
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the automatic feeding device according to the third aspect described above, the control device is configured such that when the recording material storage unit is inserted or removed, or The automatic feeding device is characterized in that the state where the feeding roller is in the retracted position is maintained when the recording material container is inserted and withdrawn.

  According to such a feature, in the automatic feeding device according to the third aspect described above, the recording material accommodating portion is inserted / extracted during the feeding operation of the recording material by the rotation of the feeding roller. Even when it is performed, the recording material container can be inserted and removed without the feeding roller interfering with the recording material container.

<Fifth aspect of the present invention>
According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the automatic feeding device according to any one of the first to fourth aspects described above, the roller displacement mechanism uses the elasticity of an elastic member so that the feeding roller is An automatic feeding device including a mechanism for maintaining a state in a retracted position.

  According to such a feature, since the driving force of the driving force source is not required to maintain the state where the feeding roller is at the retracted position, the feeding roller is at the retracted position even when the apparatus is turned off. It becomes possible to maintain the state. Therefore, it is possible to reliably maintain a state in which the recording material container can be inserted and removed without the feeding roller interfering with the recording material container even in the power-off state of the apparatus. Further, for example, since it is not necessary to provide a lock mechanism for locking the feeding roller at the retracted position, the function of maintaining the state where the feeding roller is at the retracted position can be reduced with a simpler configuration even when the apparatus is turned off. Can be realized at cost.

<Sixth aspect of the present invention>
According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the automatic feeding device according to any one of the first to fifth aspects described above, the recording material accommodation portion is provided so that the recording material is accommodated and is detachable. A first storage unit, and a second storage unit that is supported by the first storage unit so that the recording material is stored and the feeding roller is moved forward and backward. 2. The automatic feeding device characterized in that the state where the feeding roller is in the retracted position is maintained during a movement operation of the housing portion.

  In a state where the feeding roller is in contact with the recording material accommodated in the first accommodating portion, the recording material accommodated in the first accommodating portion is fed by the rotation of the feeding roller. On the other hand, in a state in which the recording material stored in the second storage unit is moved to a position where the recording material can come into contact with the feeding roller, the recording material stored in the second storage unit is fed. It becomes possible. In other words, the recording material storage unit of this aspect feeds the recording material stored in the first storage unit by moving the second storage unit and changing the position of the second storage unit, or the second storage unit. It is possible to selectively switch whether to feed the recording material accommodated in the accommodating portion. When the second housing portion is moved, the second housing portion cannot be moved when the feeding roller interferes with the second housing portion. The feeding roller needs to be retracted.

  For this reason, the automatic feeding device according to the sixth aspect of the present invention is fed by the roller displacement mechanism controlled by the control device even during the movement operation of the second storage portion of the recording material storage portion. The state where the roller is displaced to the retracted position is maintained. As a result, the feeding roller can move the second storage unit without interfering with the second storage unit of the recording material storage unit. Since the roller displacement mechanism for displacing the feeding roller to the retracted position operates with the driving force of the driving force source, when performing the moving operation of the second accommodating portion of the recording material accommodating portion rather than the conventional automatic feeding device. Can greatly reduce the user's operational load. Accordingly, an operational effect that the operability when performing the moving operation of the second storage portion of the recording material storage portion can be obtained.

  In the sixth aspect, the recording material accommodation portion is supported by the first accommodation portion so that the second accommodation portion is movable, and the feeding roller is in contact with the recording material of the second accommodation portion. In this case, so-called creep deformation due to the contact force of the feeding roller is likely to occur in the second accommodating portion. However, as described above, in the third aspect of the present invention, the state where the feeding roller is in the retracted position is maintained except when the recording material is fed by the rotation of the feeding roller. Therefore, particularly in the sixth aspect quoting the third aspect of the present invention, it is possible to minimize the time required for the feeding roller to be in contact with the recording material of the second storage portion. Thereby, in the said aspect, the effect that the possibility that the creep deformation | transformation resulting from the contact force of a feeding roller will arise in a 2nd accommodating part can be reduced is also acquired.

<Seventh aspect of the present invention>
A seventh aspect of the present invention includes a recording apparatus that includes the automatic feeding device according to any one of the first to sixth aspects described above, and that performs recording on a recording material fed from the automatic feeding apparatus. Device.
According to the seventh aspect of the present invention, in the recording apparatus that performs recording on the recording material fed from the automatic feeding apparatus, any one of the first to sixth aspects described above. The effect by this invention can be acquired.

The principal part side view of an inkjet printer. The principal part perspective view which illustrated a part of automatic feeding apparatus. 1 is a schematic block diagram of an inkjet printer. The principal part side sectional view which expanded and illustrated a part of automatic feeder in 1st Example. The flowchart which illustrated the control procedure of the automatic feeding apparatus in 1st Example. The flowchart which illustrated the control procedure of the automatic feeding apparatus in 2nd Example. The perspective view which illustrated the principal part of the feeding cassette in 3rd Example. The principal part side sectional view which expanded and illustrated a part of automatic feeder in 3rd Example. The flowchart which illustrated the control procedure of the automatic feeding apparatus in 3rd Example.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
<First embodiment>
A first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. First, the overall configuration of the inkjet printer 1 will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3, and then the detailed configuration of the automatic feeding device 20 according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5. To do.

FIG. 1 is a side view of an essential part of the ink jet printer 1. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a main part illustrating a part of the automatic feeding device 20.
The inkjet printer 1 as a “recording apparatus” includes a transport driving roller 11, a transport driven roller 12, a recording paper support member 13, a discharge drive roller 14, a discharge driven roller 15, a carriage 16, and a recording head 17.

  The transport driving roller 11 is formed by applying a high friction coating on the outer peripheral surface of the metal shaft, and rotates by receiving the rotational driving force of the PF motor 41 (FIG. 3). The transport driven roller 12 is pivotally supported so as to be driven to rotate in a state of being biased in a direction in contact with the transport drive roller 11. The recording paper support member 13 is a member that supports the recording paper P in contact with the back surface of the recording paper P as a “recording material” in a region where ink is ejected from the recording head 17. The discharge driving roller 14 is rotated by the rotational driving force of the PF motor 41 being transmitted. The discharge driven roller 15 is pivotally supported so as to be driven to rotate and is urged in a direction in which the discharge driven roller 15 contacts the discharge drive roller 14.

  The carriage 16 is supported by a carriage guide shaft 18 and a carriage support frame 19 so as to be able to reciprocate in the main scanning direction X. The main scanning direction X is a direction that intersects the sub-scanning direction Y (the conveyance direction of the recording paper P) along the recording surface of the recording paper P supported by the recording paper support member 13. The carriage guide shaft 18 and the carriage support frame 19 are disposed along the main scanning direction X. The carriage 16 is connected to an endless belt (not shown) that rotates in both directions by the rotational driving force of the CR motor 42 (FIG. 3). The endless belt is hung on a driving pulley and a driven pulley (not shown) of the CR motor 42, and is disposed substantially parallel to the carriage guide shaft 18 and the carriage support frame 19. The carriage 16 can be reciprocated in the main scanning direction X by bidirectionally rotating the endless belt with the driving force of the CR motor 42.

  The recording head 17 is mounted on the carriage 16 so that the head surface faces the recording surface of the recording paper P supported by the recording paper support member 13. The head surface of the recording head 17 is provided with a number of ejection nozzles (not shown) for ejecting ink onto the recording surface of the recording paper P to form dots. Ink is supplied to the recording head 17 from an ink tank (not shown) provided in the main body of the inkjet printer 1 via an ink tube (not shown).

  The inkjet printer 1 includes an automatic feeding device 20 that automatically feeds the recording paper P before recording. The automatic feeding device 20 includes a roller support member 21, a feeding roller 22, a first driving roller 23, a first driven roller 24, an intermediate driven roller 25, a second driving roller 26, a second driven roller 27, and a first rotation transmission. A gear 28, a second rotation transmission gear 29 and a feeding cassette 31 are included.

  The roller support member 21 as a “roller support mechanism” is a member that supports the feeding roller 22, and is supported so as to be swingable in a direction indicated by a symbol A with the shaft portion 211 as a swing shaft. More specifically, the roller support member 21 has a feeding roller so that it can take an entry position where it can enter the feeding cassette 31 and come into contact with the recording paper P, and a retracted position that does not interfere with insertion / extraction of the feeding cassette 31. 22 is displaceably supported. The feeding roller 22 is rotatably supported by the roller support member 21.

  The feeding roller 22 is rotated by the rotational driving force of the ASF motor 43 (FIG. 3) being transmitted through the first rotation transmission gear 28 and other gears (not shown) provided on the roller support member 21. . The first driving roller 23 and the second driving roller 26 are rollers for feeding the recording paper P fed out by the feeding roller 22 to the recording execution area, and are ASF motors via a rotation transmission mechanism (not shown). The rotational driving force 43 is transmitted to rotate. The first driven roller 24, the intermediate driven roller 25, and the second driven roller 27 are pivotally supported so as to be driven to rotate.

  The second rotation transmission gear 29 constitutes a “roller displacement mechanism” together with the gear portion 212 and the RE motor 44 (FIG. 3). The gear portion 212 is formed integrally with the roller support member 21 through the shaft portion 211 of the roller support member 21. The second rotation transmission gear 29 meshes with the gear portion 212 and rotates by receiving the rotational driving force of the RE motor 44. That is, the roller support member 21 swings in the direction indicated by the symbol A by rotating the RE motor 44.

  The feeding cassette 31 as the “recording material storage unit” includes a separation unit 311, a first guide member 312, and a second guide member 313. The feeding cassette 31 is a box-shaped member having an open upper surface as shown in the drawing, and a plurality of recording papers P are stacked on the inner bottom surface and accommodated therein. The separation unit 311 is a known separation mechanism, and locks the other recording paper P to be fed in a state of being overlapped with the recording paper P to be fed by the rotation of the feeding roller 22 to record the recording paper. Prevent double feed of P. The first guide member 312 and the second guide member 313 are members for adjusting the stacking position of the recording paper P with respect to the inner bottom surface of the feeding cassette 31 according to the size of the recording paper P. The first guide member 312 is supported on the bottom surface inside the feeding cassette 31 so as to be slidable in a direction parallel to the sub-scanning direction Y (a direction indicated by reference numeral C). The second guide member 313 is supported on the bottom surface inside the feeding cassette 31 so as to be slidable in a direction parallel to the main scanning direction X (a direction indicated by reference sign D).

  In the inkjet printer 1 having the above-described configuration, the recording paper P fed from the automatic feeding device 20 is supported by the recording paper support member 13, and ink is returned from the head surface of the recording head 17 that reciprocates in the main scanning direction X. The recording is executed on the recording surface by repeating the main scanning operation for forming dots on the recording surface by being ejected and the sub-scanning operation for transporting in the sub-scanning direction Y by a predetermined transport amount. These series of recording controls are executed by the control device 100 including a known microcomputer control circuit.

FIG. 3 is a schematic block diagram of the ink jet printer 1.
The control device 100 includes a ROM 101, a RAM 102, an ASIC (application specific integrated circuit) 103, a CPU (central processing unit) 104, a nonvolatile memory 105, a PF motor driver 106, a CR motor driver 107, a head driver 108, and an ASF motor driver 109. And the RE motor driver 110.

  The ROM 101 stores a recording control program (firmware) and the like necessary for the control of the ink jet printer 1 by the CPU 104. The RAM 102 is used as a work area for the CPU 104 and a storage area for recording data. The ASIC 103 sends the control signal of the PF motor 41 to the PF motor driver 106, the control signal of the CR motor 42 to the CR motor driver 107, the control signal of the recording head 17 to the head driver 108, and the control signal of the ASF motor 43 to the ASF motor. A control signal for the RE motor 44 is sent to the driver 109 to the RE motor driver 110, respectively. The CPU 104 performs arithmetic processing for executing recording control of the inkjet printer 1 and other necessary arithmetic processing. The nonvolatile memory 105 stores data necessary for processing the recording control program.

  Furthermore, the ink jet printer 1 includes a linear encoder 45, a rotary encoder 46, and a cassette sensor 47. These output signals are input to the CPU 104 via the ASIC 103. A known linear encoder 45 is an encoder for detecting the position and moving speed of the carriage 16. When the carriage 16 reciprocates in the main scanning direction X, a pulse signal having a period corresponding to the moving speed is moved. Output the number corresponding to the amount. The known rotary encoder 46 is an encoder for detecting the rotation amount of the transport driving roller 11 and the like, and a pulse signal having a period corresponding to the rotational speed is generated by the rotation of the transport driving roller 11 and the discharge driving roller 14. The number corresponding to the rotation amount is output. The cassette sensor 47 will be described later.

  FIG. 4 is an enlarged side sectional view of a main part of a part of the automatic feeding device 20 according to the first embodiment.

  The automatic feeding device 20 of the first embodiment includes a cassette sensor 47 as an “insertion / extraction detection device”. The cassette sensor 47 is a sensor that detects the insertion / extraction state of the feeding cassette 31. More specifically, the cassette sensor 47 is provided so as to be able to detect a state in which the feeding cassette 31 is inserted to a predetermined position (a position where the recording paper P of the feeding cassette 31 can be fed by the feeding roller 22). ing. The output signal of the cassette sensor 47 is sent to the control device 100 and is ON when the feeding cassette 31 is inserted up to a predetermined position, and when the feeding cassette 31 is at a position other than the predetermined position (the feeding cassette 31). Of course, the state where is extracted is also OFF.

  Further, the automatic feeding device 20 of the first embodiment is provided with a coil spring 213 as an “elastic member”. The coil spring 213 extends between the main body of the automatic feeding device 20 and the roller support member 21. That is, the roller support member 21 is urged in the direction indicated by the symbol E by the spring force of the coil spring 213, and the state where the feeding roller 22 is in the retracted position can be maintained by the spring force. . Here, the state in which the feeding roller 22 is in the retracted position is a state in which the feeding roller 22 is in a position that does not interfere with insertion / extraction of the feeding cassette 31 (the state illustrated in FIG. 4A) as described above. is there.

Such a configuration using the “elastic member” (coil spring 213) is not an essential configuration of the present invention, but by adopting such a configuration, the state where the feeding roller 22 is in the retracted position is maintained. The driving force of the driving force source such as the RE motor 44 is not required. Therefore, even when the power of the inkjet printer 1 is turned off, it is possible to maintain the state where the feeding roller 22 is in the retracted position. In addition, the state in which the feeding cassette 31 can be inserted and removed without interfering with the feeding roller 22, for example, without providing a lock mechanism or the like for locking the feeding roller 22 at the retracted position, is provided. Even in a power-off state, it can be reliably maintained. Thereby, even when the power of the inkjet printer 1 is turned off, the function of maintaining the state where the feeding roller 22 is in the retracted position can be realized with a simpler configuration and at a lower cost.
The “elastic member” is not particularly limited to the coil spring 213, and may be a member having elasticity capable of maintaining the state where the feeding roller 22 is in the retracted position, such as a member made of a leaf spring or elastic rubber. Any member may be used. On the other hand, when adopting a configuration that does not use an “elastic member”, for example, the roller support member 21 can be swung by its own weight to displace the feeding roller 22 from the retracted position to the entry position. There is merit in.

When the RE motor 44 is rotated in a predetermined rotation direction (for example, normal rotation direction) from the state where the feeding roller 22 is in the retracted position, the second rotation transmission gear 29 rotates in the rotation direction indicated by the symbol F. As a result, the gear portion 212 of the roller support member 21 rotates in the rotation direction indicated by the symbol G, and the roller support member 21 swings in the direction indicated by the symbol H against the spring force of the coil spring 213. As a result, the feeding roller 22 enters the feeding cassette 31 and can contact the recording paper P (the feeding roller 22 is in the entering position), that is, feeds the recording paper P of the feeding cassette 31. The roller 22 comes into contact (FIG. 4B).
For detecting the position of the feeding roller 22, for example, a sensor may be provided at a position where the swing position of the roller support member 21 can be detected, or based on a change in the current value of the RE motor 44, etc. A state in which 22 is in contact with the recording paper P (a state at the entry position) may be detected.

  FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a control procedure of the automatic feeding device 20 in the first embodiment.

  In the automatic feeding device 20 having the above-described configuration, the control device 100 has the feeding roller 22 in the retracted position when the feeding cassette 31 is inserted and withdrawn according to the procedure of the flowchart shown in FIG. Control to maintain the state is executed. The procedure is a procedure that is repeatedly executed at regular intervals while the power of the inkjet printer 1 is on. Details will be described below.

  First, it is determined whether or not the output signal of the cassette sensor 47 is OFF (step S1). That is, it is determined whether or not the feeding cassette 31 is in a position other than the predetermined position. If the output signal of the cassette sensor 47 is not OFF, that is, if it is ON (No in step S1), the procedure is terminated as it is. On the other hand, when the output signal of the cassette sensor 47 is OFF (Yes in step S1), that is, when the feeding cassette 31 is extracted (a state before the feeding cassette 31 is inserted). Alternatively, when the user detects an operation of extracting the feeding cassette 31 at a predetermined position (a state immediately after the start of the extracting operation of the feeding cassette 31), it is determined whether or not the feeding roller 22 is in the retracted position. (Step S2).

  When the feeding roller 22 is in the retracted position (Yes in step S2), an operation for inserting and removing the feeding cassette 31 can be performed without the feeding roller 22 interfering. Therefore, in this case, the procedure is finished as it is. On the other hand, when the feeding roller 22 is not in the retracted position (No in step S2), that is, in a state where the feeding roller 22 is in the entering position, the feeding roller 22 interferes during the operation of inserting / removing the feeding cassette 31. Will end up. Therefore, in this case, the feeding roller 22 is moved to the retracted position and the state is maintained (step S3).

  As described above, according to the first embodiment of the present invention, when the feeding cassette 31 is inserted and withdrawn, the state where the feeding roller 22 is displaced to the retracted position is maintained. As a result, it becomes possible to insert and remove the feeding cassette 31 without the feeding roller 22 interfering. Since the “roller displacement mechanism” for displacing the feeding roller 22 to the retracted position operates by the driving force of the RE motor 44, the operation load on the user when inserting and removing the feeding cassette 31 from the conventional automatic feeding device is increased. Can be greatly reduced. Thereby, the operability when inserting / removing the feeding cassette 31 can be improved.

  In the above embodiment, the example in which the feeding roller 22 is maintained in the retracted position both when the feeding cassette 31 is inserted and withdrawn has been described. It is not limited to. For example, the state where the feeding roller 22 is in the retracted position may be maintained only when the feeding cassette 31 is inserted, or only when the feeding cassette 31 is extracted. The state in the retracted position may be maintained. In this case, for example, in the process of inserting and removing the feeding cassette 31, a cam follower mechanism (not shown) provided on the main body side of the automatic feeding device 20 is provided with a cam (not shown) provided on the feeding cassette 31 side. And the cam follower mechanism is operated by the insertion / extraction force, so that the feeding roller 22 is retracted within a range not interfering with the feeding cassette 31.

<Second embodiment>
A second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.
FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a control procedure of the automatic feeding device 20 in the second embodiment.
Here, since the overall configuration of the inkjet printer 1 of the second embodiment and the configuration of the control device 100 are both the same as those of the first embodiment, description thereof will be omitted. The configuration of the automatic feeder 20 of the second embodiment is different in that the cassette sensor 47 is not provided because it is not necessary to detect insertion / extraction of the feeding cassette 31 in the second embodiment. Since the configuration other than is the same as that of the first embodiment, the description thereof is omitted.

  In the second embodiment, the control device 100 displaces the feeding roller 22 to the entry position when performing the feeding operation of the recording paper P by the rotation of the feeding roller 22 according to the procedure of the flowchart shown in FIG. Except when performing an operation, control is performed to maintain the state where the feeding roller 22 is in the retracted position. The procedure is a procedure that is repeatedly executed at regular intervals while the power of the inkjet printer 1 is on. Details will be described below.

  First, it is determined whether or not there is a feed control request for unprocessed recording paper P (step S11). The recording paper feed control request is included in a print job (record command) sent from an information processing apparatus (personal computer, digital camera, etc.) connected to the inkjet printer 1, for example. The recording paper feed control request is generated by a recording control program executed by the control device 100 when the inkjet printer 1 is used in a stand-alone state, for example. If there is a feed control request for unprocessed recording paper P (Yes in step S11), it is determined whether or not the feed roller 22 is in the entry position (step S12).

  When the feeding roller 22 is in the approach position (Yes in step S12), the feeding roller 22 is in contact with the recording paper P of the feeding cassette 31, and therefore the recording paper due to the rotation of the feeding roller 22 is recorded. P feeding operation can be performed. Therefore, in this case, the procedure is finished as it is. On the other hand, when the feeding roller 22 is not in the entry position (No in step S12), that is, in a state where the feeding roller 22 is in the retracted position, the recording paper P can be fed by the rotation of the feeding roller 22. Can not. Therefore, in this case, the feeding roller 22 is moved to the entry position, and the state is maintained (step S13).

  If there is no feed control request for unprocessed recording paper P (No in step S11), it is determined whether or not the feed roller 22 is in the retracted position (step S14). When the feed roller 22 is in the retracted position (Yes in step S14), an operation for inserting and removing the feed cassette 31 can be performed without the feed roller 22 interfering. Therefore, in this case, the procedure is finished as it is. On the other hand, when the feeding roller 22 is not in the retracted position (No in step S14), that is, in a state where the feeding roller 22 is in the entering position, the feeding roller 22 interferes during the operation of inserting / removing the feeding cassette 31. It will end up. Therefore, in this case, the feeding roller 22 is moved to the retracted position and the state is maintained (step S15).

  As described above, according to the second embodiment of the present invention, the state where the feeding roller 22 is in the retracted position is maintained except when the recording paper P is fed by the rotation of the feeding roller 22. . Further, as long as it is a normal use mode, the insertion / extraction operation of the feeding cassette 31 is not performed during the feeding operation of the recording paper P by the rotation of the feeding roller 22. Therefore, at least when the feeding cassette 31 is inserted or removed, the state where the feeding roller 22 is displaced to the retracted position is maintained. As a result, it becomes possible to insert and remove the feeding cassette 31 without the feeding roller 22 interfering. As in the first embodiment, the “roller displacement mechanism” for displacing the feeding roller 22 to the retracted position is operated by the driving force of the RE motor 44. Therefore, the feeding cassette 31 is moved more than the conventional automatic feeding device. The user's operation load during insertion / extraction can be greatly reduced. Thereby, the operability when inserting / removing the feeding cassette 31 can be improved.

  In the second embodiment, the state where the feeding roller 22 is in the retracted position is maintained except when the recording paper P is fed by the rotation of the feeding roller 22. Therefore, in the second embodiment, the time required for the state where the feeding roller 22 is in contact with the recording paper P of the feeding cassette 31 (the state where the feeding roller 22 is at the entry position) can be minimized. . Thereby, for example, when the feeding roller 22 is composed of a rubber roller, the possibility that a trace amount of oil contained in the rubber roller adheres to the recording paper P and the recording paper P becomes dirty is reduced. Can do. Further, it is possible to reduce the possibility that the recording paper P has contact marks of the rollers. Further, it is possible to reduce the possibility of creep deformation or the like in the feeding cassette 31 due to the contact load of the feeding roller 22 with respect to the recording paper P.

<Third embodiment>
A third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.
FIG. 7 is a perspective view illustrating the main part of the feeding cassette 30 in the third embodiment. FIG. 8 is an enlarged side sectional view showing a part of the automatic feeding device 20 according to the third embodiment.
Here, the overall configuration of the ink jet printer 1 of the third embodiment and the configuration of the control device 100 are both the same as those of the first embodiment, and thus the description thereof is omitted. The configuration of the automatic feeding device 20 according to the third embodiment is the same as that of the automatic feeding device 20 according to the first embodiment except for the portions described below.

  The feeding cassette 30 in the third embodiment includes a first feeding cassette unit 31 as a “first housing unit” and a second feeding cassette unit 32 as a “second housing unit”. Since the first feeding cassette unit 31 has the same configuration as the feeding cassette 31 of the first embodiment, the same reference numerals are given and description thereof is omitted. The second feeding cassette section 32 is a box-shaped member having an open upper surface as shown in the drawing, and a plurality of recording papers P are stacked and accommodated on the inner bottom surface thereof, and the feeding roller 22 is provided. The first feeding cassette unit 31 is supported by the first feeding cassette unit 31 so as to be movable to a region that advances and retracts. More specifically, the second feeding cassette unit 32 is supported on the upper side of the first feeding cassette unit 31 so as to be slidable in the same direction as the insertion / extraction direction B of the first feeding cassette unit 31.

  In the feeding cassette 30 according to the third embodiment having such a configuration, a recording paper P having a relatively large size such as A4 size is accommodated in the first feeding cassette unit 31, for example, an L size size, a business card size or the like. The recording paper P having a relatively small size is stored in the second feeding cassette unit 32. The feeding cassette 30 of the third embodiment is accommodated in the first feeding cassette unit 31 by the user sliding the second feeding cassette unit 32 and changing the position of the second feeding cassette unit 32. It is possible to selectively switch between feeding the recorded recording paper P and feeding the recording paper P stored in the second feeding cassette section 32.

  More specifically, in a state where the second feeding cassette portion 32 is slid in the pulling direction J1 (FIG. 8A), the first feeding cassette 22 is displaced to the entry position by displacing the feeding roller 22 to the entry position. The feeding roller 22 comes into contact with the recording paper P stored in the section 31. And the recording paper P accommodated in the 1st feeding cassette part 31 can be fed by rotating the feeding roller 22 from the state. On the other hand, when the second feeding cassette unit 32 is slid in the pushing direction J2 (FIG. 8B), the feeding roller 22 is displaced to the entry position to be accommodated in the second feeding cassette unit 32. The feeding roller 22 comes into contact with the recording paper P that has been printed. Then, by rotating the feeding roller 22 from this state, the recording paper P stored in the second feeding cassette unit 32 can be fed.

  Further, the automatic feeder 20 of the third embodiment includes a first cassette sensor 47, a second cassette sensor 48, and a third cassette sensor 49. Since the first cassette sensor 47 is the same as the cassette sensor 47 of the first embodiment, the same reference numerals are given and description thereof is omitted. Both the second cassette sensor 48 and the third cassette sensor 49 are sensors that can detect the slide position of the second feeding cassette unit 32. More specifically, the second cassette sensor 48 is provided on the front side (downstream in the sub-scanning direction Y) of the feeding roller 22. That is, when the second cassette sensor 48 slides the second feeding cassette part 32 in the pushing-in direction J2, the second feeding cassette part 32 is in front of the second feeding cassette part 32 interfering with the feeding roller 22 at the entry position. The feed cassette unit 32 is provided at a position where it can be detected. The third cassette sensor 49 is provided on the back side (upstream side in the sub-scanning direction Y) from the feeding roller 22. That is, the third cassette sensor 49 slides the second feeding cassette unit 32 in the push-in direction J2 to a predetermined position (a position where the recording paper P of the second feeding cassette unit 32 can be fed by the feeding roller 22). It is provided at a position where the detected state can be detected.

  The output signals of the second cassette sensor 48 and the third cassette sensor 49 are both ON when the second feeding cassette unit 32 is detected, and are OFF when the second feeding cassette unit 32 is not detected. It becomes. The output signals of the second cassette sensor 48 and the third cassette sensor 49 are sent to the control device 100 in the same manner as the output signal of the first cassette sensor 47.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating a control procedure of the automatic feeding device 20 according to the third embodiment.
In the third embodiment, the control device 100 performs control for maintaining the state where the feeding roller 22 is in the retracted position during the slide movement operation of the second feeding cassette unit 32 according to the procedure of the flowchart illustrated in FIG. 9. . The procedure is a procedure that is repeatedly executed at regular intervals while the power of the inkjet printer 1 is on. Details will be described below.

First, it is determined whether or not the output signal of the first cassette sensor 47 is OFF (step S21). That is, it is determined whether or not the first feeding cassette unit 31 is in a position other than the predetermined position. When the output signal of the first cassette sensor 47 is OFF (Yes in step S21), that is, when the first feeding cassette unit 31 is extracted, or the first feeding cassette at a predetermined position. If an operation for the user to extract the unit 31 is detected, the process proceeds to step S22. It is confirmed whether or not the feeding roller 22 is in the retracted position (step S22). If the feeding roller 22 is not in the retracted position (No in step S22), the feeding roller 22 is moved to the retracted position, That state is maintained (step S23).
Steps S22 and S23 are the same as steps S2 and S3 in the flowchart (first embodiment) shown in FIG.

  When the output signal of the first cassette sensor 47 is OFF, that is, when it is ON (No in Step S21), it is subsequently determined whether or not the output signal of the second cassette sensor 48 is ON (Step S21). S24). When the output signal of the second cassette sensor 48 is OFF (No in step S24), there is no possibility of interfering with the second feeding cassette unit 32 even if the feeding roller 22 is in the entering position. The procedure ends. On the other hand, when the output signal of the second cassette sensor 48 is ON (Yes in step S24), it is subsequently determined whether or not the output signal of the third cassette sensor 49 is OFF (step S25).

  When the output signal of the third cassette sensor 49 is ON (No in step S25), there is no possibility of interfering with the second feeding cassette unit 32 even if the feeding roller 22 is in the entering position. The procedure ends. On the other hand, when the output signal of the third cassette sensor 49 is OFF (Yes in step S25), if the feeding roller 22 is in the entering position, the feeding roller 22 interferes with the second feeding cassette unit 32. There is a risk of this. In this case, it is confirmed whether or not the feeding roller 22 is in the retracted position (step S22). If the feeding roller 22 is not in the retracted position (No in step S22), the feeding roller 22 is retracted. It moves to a position and maintains that state (step S23).

  As described above, according to the third embodiment of the present invention, in addition to the insertion / extraction operation of the feeding cassette 30, the feeding roller is also operated during the slide movement operation of the second feeding cassette portion 32 of the feeding cassette 30. The state where 22 is displaced to the retracted position is maintained. As a result, the slide movement operation of the second feeding cassette unit 32 can be performed without the feeding roller 22 interfering. Similarly to the first embodiment, the “roller displacement mechanism” for displacing the feeding roller 22 to the retracted position is operated by the driving force of the RE motor 44, so that the second feeding cassette is more than the conventional automatic feeding device. The user's operation load when performing the slide movement operation of the unit 32 can be greatly reduced. Thereby, in the third embodiment, in addition to the operational effects obtained in the first embodiment, the operability when performing the sliding movement operation of the second feeding cassette section 32 can be further improved.

<Other embodiments and modifications>
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.

  For example, in the second embodiment described above, the cassette sensor 47 is further provided in the same manner as in the first embodiment, and the feeding cassette 31 is inserted in the same procedure (the flowchart shown in FIG. 5) as in the first embodiment. Control may be performed to maintain the state in which the feeding roller 22 is in the retracted position at the time or when it is withdrawn. According to such an embodiment, the feeding cassette 31 is inserted / extracted during the feeding operation of the recording paper P by the rotation of the feeding roller 22 while obtaining the operation and effect peculiar to the second embodiment. Even in this case, the feeding cassette 31 can be inserted and removed without the feeding roller 22 interfering.

  In the first embodiment described above, the “insertion / removal detection device” that detects insertion / removal of the feeding cassette 31 is not particularly limited to the cassette sensor 47. For example, a lock mechanism that can lock the insertion / extraction of the feeding cassette 31 may be provided, and a push button or the like for releasing the lock mechanism may be provided. In this case, the control device 100 can detect that the user is about to perform the insertion / extraction operation of the feeding cassette 31 by detecting that the user has operated the push button, for example. That is, as the control by the control device 100, for example, on the condition that the user operates the push button, the feeding roller 22 is displaced to the retracted position, and then the feeding cassette 31 is unlocked. . Thereby, the feeding cassette 31 can be inserted and removed without the feeding roller 22 interfering.

  Further, in the third embodiment described above, the mode in which the user manually performs the sliding movement of the second feeding cassette unit 32 has been described. However, for example, the second feeding cassette is driven by the driving force of a separately provided motor. You may comprise so that the slide movement of the part 32 may be performed automatically. In such an aspect, since the motor load when the second feeding cassette unit 32 is slid can be greatly reduced, the motor serving as the driving force source for the sliding movement of the second feeding cassette unit 32. Can be further reduced in size. Further, the automatic feeding device 20 according to the present invention can be realized at a lower cost by downsizing the motor.

  In the second embodiment described above, the feeding cassette 30 of the third embodiment can also be adopted. Here, the feeding cassette 30 of the third embodiment has a structure in which the second feeding cassette unit 32 is supported by the first feeding cassette unit 31 so as to be slidable. In a state where the feeding roller 22 is in contact with P, creep deformation due to the contact force of the feeding roller 22 is likely to occur in the second feeding cassette unit 32. However, in the third embodiment, the state where the feeding roller 22 is in the retracted position is maintained except when the recording paper P is fed by the rotation of the feeding roller 22. Therefore, the time required for the feeding roller 22 to be in contact with the recording paper P of the second feeding cassette unit 32 can be minimized. Accordingly, it is possible to reduce the possibility that creep deformation caused by the contact force of the feeding roller 22 occurs in the second feeding cassette portion 32.

  In the first to third embodiments described above, there is provided a lock mechanism or the like that can lock the swinging of the roller support member 21 when the feeding roller 22 is in the retracted position or in the entering position. May be. More specifically, for example, a lock member that can be advanced and retracted to a position where the roller support member 21 is locked at the retracted position or the entry position is provided, and a mechanism is provided so that the lock member is advanced and retracted by turning on / off the solenoid. The solenoid ON / OFF may be controlled by the control device 100. By providing such a lock mechanism or the like, it is possible to more reliably maintain the state where the feeding roller 22 is in the retracted position or the state where the feeding roller 22 is in the entry position. Furthermore, since the driving force of the RE motor 44 becomes unnecessary when maintaining the state where the feeding roller 22 is in the retracted position or the approaching position, the power consumption of the automatic feeding device 20 can be reduced. .

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Inkjet printer, 20 Automatic feeder, 21 Roller support member, 22 Feed roller, 28 1st rotation transmission gear, 29 2nd rotation transmission gear, 31 Feed cassette (1st feed cassette part), 32 2nd Feed cassette section, 43 ASF motor, 44 RE motor, 47 Cassette sensor (first cassette sensor), 48 Second cassette sensor, 49 Third cassette sensor, 100 Control device, 211 Roller support member shaft section, 212 Roller support Gear portion of member, 213 coil spring, P recording paper, X main scanning direction, Y sub-scanning direction

Claims (7)

A recording material storage portion in which the recording material is stored and provided so as to be insertable / removable,
A feeding roller that rotates with the driving force of the driving force source;
The feeding roller is supported in a displaceable manner so that it can take an entry position where it can enter the recording material container and come into contact with the recording material, and a retract position that does not interfere with insertion / extraction of the recording material container. A roller support mechanism;
A roller displacement mechanism for displacing the feeding roller with a driving force of a driving force source;
When the recording material storage unit is inserted or extracted, or when the recording material storage unit is inserted or extracted, the feeding roller is maintained in the retracted position. And an automatic feeding device including a control device. The automatic feeding device according to claim 1, comprising an insertion / extraction detection device for detecting an insertion / extraction state of the recording material accommodation unit,
The automatic feeding device, wherein the control device controls the roller displacement mechanism based on an output signal of the insertion / extraction detection device. A recording material storage portion in which the recording material is stored and provided so as to be insertable / removable,
A feeding roller that rotates with the driving force of the driving force source;
The feeding roller is supported in a displaceable manner so that it can take an entry position where it can enter the recording material container and come into contact with the recording material, and a retract position that does not interfere with insertion / extraction of the recording material container. A roller support mechanism;
A roller displacement mechanism for displacing the feeding roller with a driving force of a driving force source;
When performing the feeding operation of the recording material by the rotation of the feeding roller, the feeding roller is displaced to the entry position, and the feeding roller is in the retracted position except when performing the feeding operation. And a control device for maintaining the automatic feeding device.   The automatic feeding device according to claim 3, wherein the control device is connected when the recording material storage portion is inserted or extracted, or when the recording material storage portion is inserted or extracted. The automatic feeding device is characterized in that the feeding roller maintains a state of being in the retracted position when being moved.   5. The automatic feeding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the roller displacement mechanism includes a mechanism that maintains a state where the feeding roller is in the retracted position by using elasticity of an elastic member. 6. An automatic feeding device characterized by that. The automatic feeding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the recording material storage unit stores a recording material, and a first storage unit provided so as to be insertable / removable, and a recording material is stored therein. And a second accommodating portion supported by the first accommodating portion so as to be movable to a region where the feeding roller advances and retreats,
The automatic feeding device, wherein the control device maintains a state in which the feeding roller is in the retracted position during a movement operation of the second housing portion.   A recording apparatus comprising the automatic feeding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the recording apparatus executes recording on a recording material fed from the automatic feeding apparatus.

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