JP2017132563A - Sheet feeding device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a sheet feeding device which varies a conveyance force applied to lower sheets according to a load of a plurality of sheets, and can improve feeding performance.SOLUTION: A sheet feeding device includes: a sheet loading base 12 on which a plurality of sheets 11 are loaded; sheet conveyance means 18 that conveys lower sheets 11 out of the plurality of sheets 11 loaded on the sheet loading base 12 toward a sheet conveyance direction; a sheet tip abutting plate 14 that is provided above the sheet mounting base 12 and abuts each tip in the conveyance direction of the plurality of sheets 11; and sheet feeding means 19 to 21 that are installed in the downstream of the conveyance direction from the sheet tip abutting plate 14 and separate the lower sheets one by one. The sheet feeding device further includes a sheet conveyance auxiliary pair 17 that conveys the lower sheets 11 toward the sheet feeding means 19 to 21 while varying a nip pressure according to the load of the plurality of sheets, between the sheet tip abutting plate 14 and the sheet feeding means 19 to 21.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to a sheet supply apparatus that supplies a plurality of sheets stacked on a sheet stacking table from the lower side toward the downstream in the sheet conveying direction.

  2. Description of the Related Art A sheet supply device that supplies a plurality of sheets stacked on a sheet stacking table from the lower side toward the downstream in the sheet conveying direction is applied.

  There is a label printing pasting machine to which this type of sheet feeding apparatus using the lower feeding method is applied (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

  In the label printing and sticking machine disclosed in Patent Literature 1, although not shown here, a plurality of envelopes (corresponding to one type of sheets) to which labels are attached in the apparatus main body are stacked on the envelope stacker. Yes.

  The envelope stacker described above has a pair of envelope guides that regulate the position of the envelope in the width direction, and an envelope entrance that regulates the position of the tip of the envelope in the conveyance direction and into which the envelope enters between the lower end and the envelope stacker. And a formed envelope tip end abutment guide.

  At this time, the envelope stacker is inclined in a direction in which the envelope entrance is lower than the envelope discharge port, and the leading end of the envelope is abutted against the envelope leading end abutment guide by its own weight.

  In addition, a plurality of pickup rollers that convey lower envelopes are installed on the lower surface side of the envelope stacker, and further, a pair of conveyance rollers and a rolling roller are arranged downstream of the envelope tip end abutment guide in the conveyance direction. It is installed.

  With the above configuration, the lower envelope of the plurality of envelopes stacked on the envelope stacker is sent to the envelope entrance formed on the envelope tip end abutment guide by the plurality of pickup rollers.

  Thereafter, the lower envelopes that have passed through the envelope entrance are separated one by one by the conveying roller and the separating roller and are supplied toward the label processing unit via the envelope conveying path provided downstream.

JP 2012-46236 A

  By the way, in the label printing sticker described in Patent Document 1, as described above, label processing is performed via an envelope conveyance path in which a plurality of envelopes stacked on an envelope stacker are provided downstream from the lower side in the conveyance direction. It is configured to supply towards the unit.

  However, the conventional sheet feeding apparatus adopting the lower feeding method as described in Patent Document 1 has the following problems depending on the stacking amount of a plurality of sheets stacked on the sheet stacking table. Will occur.

  9A and 9B show a case where a plurality of sheets are stacked on the sheet stacking table in the conventional sheet supply apparatus, in which FIG. 9A shows a case where the sheet stacking amount is large, and FIG. 9B shows a case where the sheet stacking amount is small. Each case is shown schematically.

  As shown in FIGS. 9A and 9B, in the conventional sheet supply apparatus 100, a plurality of sheets 101 are stacked on the sheet stacking table 102, and the sheet stacking table 102 includes the sheets 101. It is inclined so that the front end side in the transport direction is lower than the rear end side.

  Further, a sheet front end abutting plate 103 that abuts the front end in the conveying direction of the plurality of sheets 101 is provided above the sheet stacking base 102, and between the lower end and the sheet stacking base 102. In addition, a sheet passage gap S for allowing the lower sheet 101 among the plurality of sheets 101 to pass therethrough is formed.

  Further, on the lower surface side of the sheet stacking table 102, a plurality of driving rollers 104 that convey the lower sheet 101 among the plurality of sheets 101 face a plurality of roller holes 102 a formed through the sheet stacking table 102. Is provided.

  Further, a separation roller 105 is provided downstream of the sheet front end abutting plate 103 in the sheet conveyance direction, and the friction member 106 is pressed against the separation roller 105 with a spring pressure applied by a spring 107. Has been. At this time, the spring 107 may be either a compression spring or a tension spring as long as the friction member 106 can be pressed against the roller 105.

  Then, the lower sheet 101 that has passed through the sheet passage gap S is separated one by one between the rolling roller 105 and the friction member 106 toward the downstream in the sheet conveying direction.

  At this time, the plurality of driving rollers 104 and the rolling roller 105 are rotationally driven clockwise at the same speed by reducing the rotation of the motor M by the gear train G.

  When the conventional sheet supply apparatus 100 is configured as described above, when a large number of sheets 101 are stacked on the sheet stacking table 102 as shown in FIG. Since a large load is applied to the plurality of driving rollers 104, the conveying force applied to the lower sheet 101 becomes strong (large). In other words, the conveying force increases (increases) as the sheet stacking amount stacked on the sheet stacking table 102 increases.

  When the conveying force applied to the lower sheet 101 is increased, the friction member 106 that is in pressure contact with the winding roller 105 is lifted against the spring 107, so that the lower sheet 101 that has passed through the sheet passage gap S More than the expected number of sheets are fed between the rolling roller 105 and the friction member 106, and only one lower sheet 101 cannot be separated.

  As a result, a plurality of lower-order sheets 101 are conveyed together between the rolling roller 105 and the friction member 106, so that double feeding is likely to occur.

  On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 9B, when a small amount of sheets 101 are stacked on the sheet stacking table 102, a small load due to the small amount of sheets 101 is applied to the plurality of drive rollers 104, so The conveying force applied to 101 becomes weak (small). In other words, the conveying force becomes weaker (smaller) as the sheet stacking amount stacked on the sheet stacking table 102 decreases.

  If the conveying force applied to the lower sheet 101 becomes weak, the friction member 106 that is in pressure contact with the roller 105 cannot be lifted by the pressure of the spring 107, and the lower sheet 101 is jammed.

  As a result, the lower sheet 101 cannot be conveyed between the winding roller 105 and the friction member 106, so that jamming is likely to occur.

  From the above, it is necessary to increase the pressure when the load amount of the plurality of sheets 101 stacked on the sheet stacking table 102 is large, while it is necessary to decrease the pressure when the load amount is small. The rolling performance that satisfies the requirements is required.

  In view of this, the present invention conveys a lower sheet according to the stacking amount of a plurality of sheets when supplying a plurality of sheets stacked on a sheet stacking table from the lower side toward the downstream in the sheet conveying direction. By varying the force and making the conveyance force applied to the lower sheet constant to some extent, it is possible to improve the narrowing of the range of the sheeting performance to the lower sheet, and the lower sheet does not cause double feeding or jamming. It is an object of the present invention to provide a sheet feeding apparatus that can reliably separate sheets one by one by a sheet rolling means.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and the first invention includes a sheet stacking table having a sheet stacking unit for stacking a plurality of sheets,
A sheet conveying means for conveying a lower sheet of the plurality of sheets stacked on the sheet stacking table in a sheet conveying direction;
A sheet passing gap that is provided above the sheet stacking table and abuts each leading end in the conveyance direction of the plurality of sheets, and allows the lower sheet to pass between the lower end and the sheet stacking unit. A sheet tip end abutting plate formed with,
In the sheet supply apparatus that supplies the plurality of sheets stacked on the sheet stacking table from the lower side toward the downstream in the sheet conveying direction,
It is installed downstream of the sheet front end abutting plate in the sheet conveying direction, and the lower sheet is directed downstream in the sheet conveying direction while changing the nip pressure according to the stacking amount of the plurality of sheets. A sheet supply apparatus including a pair of sheet conveyance auxiliary rollers for conveyance.

The second invention includes a sheet stacking table having a sheet stacking unit for stacking a plurality of sheets,
A sheet conveying means for conveying a lower sheet of the plurality of sheets stacked on the sheet stacking table in a sheet conveying direction;
A sheet passing gap that is provided above the sheet stacking table and abuts each leading end in the conveyance direction of the plurality of sheets, and allows the lower sheet to pass between the lower end and the sheet stacking unit. A sheet tip end abutting plate formed with,
A sheet rolling means that is installed downstream of the sheet tip end abutting plate in the sheet conveying direction, and separates the lower sheets that have passed through the sheet passing gap one by one;
In the sheet supply apparatus that supplies the plurality of sheets stacked on the sheet stacking table from the lower side toward the downstream in the sheet conveying direction,
Sheet conveyance that conveys the lower sheet toward the sheet separation means while varying the nip pressure according to the stacking amount of the plurality of sheets between the sheet front end abutting plate and the sheet separation means. A sheet supply apparatus including an auxiliary roller pair.

Further, the third invention is the sheet supply device of the first or second invention described above,
The sheet leading end abutting plate is movable toward the downstream in the sheet conveying direction according to the abutting force by varying the abutting force according to the stacking amount of the plurality of sheets. And
The pair of sheet conveyance auxiliary rollers is a pair of an auxiliary driven roller that is pivotally supported by the sheet leading end abutting plate and an auxiliary drive roller provided on the sheet stacking side, and the stacking amount of the plurality of sheets The nip pressure is weakened in conjunction with the movement of the sheet tip end abutment plate or the nip is released while the nip pressure is increased as the number of sheets is decreased. This is a sheet supply apparatus.

The fourth invention is a sheet stacking table having a sheet stacking unit for stacking a plurality of sheets,
A sheet conveying means for conveying a lower sheet of the plurality of sheets stacked on the sheet stacking table in a sheet conveying direction;
A sheet passing gap that is provided above the sheet stacking table and abuts each leading end in the conveyance direction of the plurality of sheets, and allows the lower sheet to pass between the lower end and the sheet stacking unit. A sheet tip end abutting plate formed with,
A sheet rolling means that is installed downstream of the sheet tip end abutting plate in the sheet conveying direction, and separates the lower sheets that have passed through the sheet passing gap one by one;
In the sheet supply apparatus that supplies the plurality of sheets stacked on the sheet stacking table from the lower side toward the downstream in the sheet conveying direction,
The sheet conveying means includes a conveying force applying member provided so as to be movable up and down while applying a conveying force to the lower sheet, and the conveying force applying member projects upward from the sheet stacking unit. In the sheet feeding device, the amount of protrusion may be varied according to the stacking amount of the plurality of sheets.

Further, a fifth aspect of the present invention is the sheet supply apparatus according to the fourth aspect,
The conveying force application member decreases the protruding amount by decreasing the protruding amount as the stacking amount of the plurality of sheets increases, and increases the protruding amount as the stacking amount of the plurality of sheets decreases. The sheet feeding device is characterized by suppressing a decrease in the conveying force.

Further, a sixth invention is the sheet supply apparatus according to the first or second invention described above,
The sheet conveying means includes a conveying force applying member provided so as to be movable up and down while applying a conveying force to the lower sheet, and the conveying force applying member projects upward from the sheet stacking unit. In the sheet feeding device, the amount of protrusion may be varied according to the stacking amount of the plurality of sheets.

  According to the sheet supply apparatus of the first aspect of the invention, a sheet stacking base, a sheet transporting means, and a sheet leading end abutting plate are provided, and a plurality of sheets stacked on the sheet stacking base are transported from below. When feeding downstream in the direction, the lower sheet is moved downstream in the sheet conveyance direction while changing the nip pressure in accordance with the stacking amount of a plurality of sheets downstream from the sheet leading end abutting plate in the sheet conveyance direction. A sheet conveyance auxiliary roller pair that conveys toward the sheet is provided. As a result, the conveying force applied to the lower sheets by the sheet conveying means can be varied by the sheet conveying auxiliary roller pair according to the stacking amount of a plurality of sheets. In particular, the sheet conveying auxiliary roller pair reduces the sheet stacking amount. It is possible to increase the conveyance force applied to the lower sheet.

  Further, according to the sheet supply apparatus of the second invention, a sheet stacking table, a sheet conveying unit, a sheet leading end abutting plate, and a sheet winding unit are provided, and a plurality of sheets stacked on the sheet stacking unit are provided. When the sheet is fed from the lower side toward the downstream in the sheet conveying direction, the lower nip pressure is varied between the sheet leading end abutting plate and the sheet winding means while varying the nip pressure according to the stacking amount of the plurality of sheets. A sheet conveyance assisting roller pair for conveying the sheet toward the sheet winding means is provided. As a result, the conveying force applied to the lower sheets by the sheet conveying means can be varied by the sheet conveying auxiliary roller pair according to the stacking amount of a plurality of sheets. In particular, the sheet conveying auxiliary roller pair reduces the sheet stacking amount. Since it is possible to increase the conveyance force applied to the lower sheet, the range of the sheeting performance by the sheet rolling means can be narrower than that of the conventional example, and the lower sheets are reliably separated one by one by the sheet rolling means. Can do.

  According to the sheet supply device of the third aspect of the invention, the sheet leading end abutting plate is provided movably downstream in the sheet conveying direction according to the abutting force, and is pivotally supported on the sheet leading end abutting plate. When the sheet conveying auxiliary roller pair is provided by making the auxiliary driven roller and the auxiliary driving roller provided on the sheet stacking table side as a pair, as the sheet stacking amount increases, the sheet is linked with the movement of the sheet leading end abutting plate. Since the nip pressure of the conveyance auxiliary roller pair is weakened or the nip is released, an increase in conveyance force applied to the lower sheet can be suppressed. On the other hand, the smaller the sheet stacking amount, the stronger the nip pressure of the pair of sheet conveyance auxiliary rollers, so that the conveyance force applied to the lower sheets can be increased. Thereby, in particular, the smaller the sheet stacking amount, the more effectively it can function with respect to the conveyance force applied to the lower sheets.

  According to the sheet supply apparatus of the fourth aspect of the invention, a sheet stacking table, a sheet conveying unit, a sheet leading end abutting plate, and a sheet winding unit are provided, and a plurality of sheets stacked on the sheet stacking unit are provided. When supplying the sheet from the lower side toward the downstream in the sheet conveying direction, the sheet conveying means has a conveying force applying member provided so as to be movable up and down while applying a conveying force to the lower sheet. The protruding amount by which the force applying member protrudes above the sheet stacking portion is varied according to the stacking amount of a plurality of sheets. As a result, in particular, as the sheet stacking amount increases, the conveyance force applied to the lower sheet can be reduced by the conveyance force applying member, so that the range of the sheeting performance by the sheet rolling means can be narrowed compared to the conventional example, The lower sheets can be reliably separated one by one by the sheet rolling means.

  According to the sheet feeding device of the fifth aspect of the invention, the conveying force applying member reduces the conveying force applied to the lower sheets by decreasing the protruding amount as the stacking amount of the plurality of sheets increases. Since the lower the sheet stacking amount, the larger the protrusion amount and the lowering of the conveying force applied to the lower sheet can be suppressed. Therefore, in particular, the larger the sheet stacking amount, the more effectively the conveying force applied to the lower sheet.

  According to the sheet feeding device of the sixth invention, the technical idea by the sheet conveyance auxiliary roller pair in the first or second invention is combined with the technical idea by the conveyance force applying member in the fourth invention. Therefore, in order to obtain the effects of the first or second invention and the fourth invention, the lower sheets are more reliably separated one by one by the sheet rolling means regardless of the sheet stacking amount. can do.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view illustrating a sheet leading end abutting plate that is rotatably provided on the leading end side in the sheet conveying direction above the sheet stacking table in the sheet supply apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention. In the sheet supply apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention, when a plurality of sheets are stacked on a sheet stacking table, (a) shows a case where the sheet stacking amount is large, and (b) shows a sheet stacking amount. It is the figure which showed typically the case where is small amount. It is a figure for demonstrating various performances in a sheet supply device concerning a 1st embodiment of the present invention compared with a comparative example. FIG. 9 is a perspective view illustrating a sheet leading end abutting plate that is suspended from a sheet stacking base above the sheet stacking direction in the sheet feeding apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present invention. In the sheet supply apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present invention, when a plurality of sheets are stacked on a sheet stacking table, (a) shows a case where the sheet stacking amount is large, and (b) shows a sheet stacking amount. It is the figure which showed typically the case where is small amount. It is a figure for demonstrating various performances in a sheet supply device concerning a 2nd embodiment of the present invention compared with a comparative example. In the sheet supply apparatus according to the third embodiment of the present invention, when a plurality of sheets are stacked on a sheet stacking table, (a) shows a case where the sheet stacking amount is large, and (b) shows a sheet stacking amount. It is the figure which showed typically the case where is small amount. It is a figure for demonstrating the various performance in the sheet supply apparatus which concerns on 3rd Embodiment of this invention compared with a comparative example. In the conventional sheet supply apparatus, when a plurality of sheets are stacked on the sheet stacking table, (a) shows a case where the sheet stacking amount is large, and (b) shows a case where the sheet stacking amount is small. It is the figure shown typically.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of a sheet feeding apparatus according to the present invention will be described in detail in the order of the first embodiment, the second embodiment, and the third embodiment with reference to FIGS.

(First embodiment)
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a sheet leading end abutting plate that is rotatably provided on the leading end side in the sheet conveying direction above the sheet stacking table in the sheet feeding apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2A shows a case where a plurality of sheets are stacked on the sheet stacking base in the sheet supply apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. ) Schematically shows a case where the sheet stacking amount is small.

  In the following explanation, when “the sheet stacking amount is large”, the case “when the sheet stacking amount increases” is simply referred to, while when “the sheet stacking amount is small”, “the sheet stacking amount” The case of “as the number decreases” is referred to in a simplified manner.

  As shown in FIG. 1 and FIGS. 2A and 2B, the sheet supply apparatus 10A according to the first embodiment of the present invention has a plurality of sheets when a plurality of sheets 11 are stacked on the sheet stacking table 12. The lower sheet 11 is supplied from the lower side toward the downstream side in the sheet conveying direction.

  The above-described sheet stacking table 12 is made of a plate material, and the upper surface 12a and the lower surface 12b are both flat and the outer shape is rectangular.

  In addition, a plurality of roller holes 12c are formed in the sheet stacking base 12 at intervals along the sheet conveying direction, and each roller hole 12c is formed at a substantially central portion in the sheet width direction orthogonal to the sheet conveying direction. It is formed through.

  At this time, the upper surface 12a of the sheet stacking table 12 serves as a sheet stacking unit for stacking a plurality of sheets 11, but a plurality of driving rollers 18 provided on the lower surface 12b side of the sheet stacking table 12 are provided as described later. Since each of the roller holes 12c protrudes slightly from the upper surface 12a, the protruding portions of the plurality of driving rollers 18 are substantially sheet stacking portions.

  Further, the sheet stacking table 12 is installed with an inclination of about 10 ° so that the leading end side in the sheet conveying direction is lower than the trailing end side with respect to the gravitational direction. The loading table 12 may be installed substantially horizontally without being inclined.

  At this time, the reason for inclining the sheet stacking table 12 is that an envelope (not shown) in which the sheet thickness differs between the front end portion (thick bottom portion) in the sheet conveying direction and the rear end portion (thin flap portion) on the opposite side. This is because of good loading.

  Further, a pair of left and right side plates 13L and 13R (shown only in FIG. 1) are attached substantially vertically to both side ends of the sheet stacking base 12 in the sheet width direction. Although not shown here, the pair of left and right side fences that regulate the left and right positions in the width direction of the sheet 11 are provided on the inner sides of the pair of left and right side plates 13L and 13R according to the width size of the sheet 11. It is installed movably in the sheet width direction.

  Further, a front plate 13F is stretched along the sheet width direction between upper portions on the leading end side in the sheet conveying direction of the pair of left and right side plates 13L, 13R, and the pair of left and right side plates 13L, 13R and the front The plate 13F is integrally bent using a plate material.

  The above-described front plate 13F is set to have a small height between the upper end and the lower end, and the lower side of the front plate 13F is greatly opened toward the sheet stacking table 12.

  In addition, a pair of shaft support pieces 13a and 13b are formed on the lower portion of the front plate 13F so as to protrude from the left and right sides of the central portion in the sheet width direction with a space therebetween to protrude in the sheet conveying direction. .

  A spring such as a torsion spring or a tension spring is provided between the pair of shaft support pieces 13a and 13b formed at the lower portion of the front plate 13F and the sheet tip end abutting plate 14 is centered on the rotating shaft 15 provided at the upper portion. It is attached so that it can be rotated while being urged clockwise by 16.

  Unlike the above, a rotation shaft (not shown) is spanned along the sheet width direction on each upper portion of the pair of left and right side plates 13L, 13R, and the leading end of the sheet abuts against the rotation shaft. The plate 14 may be pivotably mounted in a state where it is suspended while being urged clockwise by a spring 16.

  At this time, the sheet leading edge abutting plate 14 hangs down toward the top surface 12 a of the sheet stacking table 12 on the leading edge side in the sheet conveying direction above the sheet stacking table 12, and the sheet leading edge abutting plate 14. The upper portion of the slidable portion is restricted so as to hang vertically toward the direction of gravity by a stopper piece 13c formed between the pair of shaft support pieces 13a and 13b.

  In addition, without using the spring 16 that urges the sheet front end portion abutting plate 14 in the clockwise direction, the weight of the sheet front end portion abutting plate 14 and the auxiliary member that is attached to the lower portion and described later are used. The sheet leading end abutting plate 14 may be hung vertically toward the upper surface 12a of the sheet stacking table 12 by the own weight of the driven roller 17J.

  The above-described sheet leading end abutting plate 14 has a function of abutting each leading end in the conveying direction of the plurality of sheets 11 stacked on the sheet stacking table 12 to regulate the position.

  Further, the abutting force of the leading end abutting plate 14 is changed according to the stacking amount of the plurality of sheets 11 stacked on the sheet stacking table 12, so that the rotation shaft 15 is changed according to the abutting force. Can be turned toward the downstream in the sheet conveying direction.

  In addition, the sheet tip end abutting plate 14 is formed integrally with a pair of roller support pieces 14a and 14b at the lower portion thereof so as to face each other with a space therebetween and toward the sheet conveying direction.

  Further, between the pair of roller support pieces 14a and 14b formed in the lower part of the sheet leading end abutting plate 14, an auxiliary driven roller 17J of the auxiliary sheet drive auxiliary roller pair 17 provided on the sheet stacking base 12 side is provided between the pair of roller support pieces 14a and 14b. It is rotatably supported so as to face and separate from 17K.

  Further, between the lower end 14c of the sheet leading edge abutting plate 14 and the upper surface (sheet stacking portion) 12a of the sheet stacking table 12, about several lower-level sheets 11 stacked on the sheet stacking table 12 ( A sheet passage gap S that can be passed through is formed.

  Further, as shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, on the lower surface 12 b side of the sheet stacking table 12, a plurality of driving rollers 18 are provided as a sheet conveying unit that conveys a lower sheet 11 among the plurality of sheets 11. A plurality of roller holes 12c formed in the sheet stacking table 12 are provided so as to be rotatable.

  In the first embodiment, a roller driving mechanism is used as the sheet conveying means. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the belt is rotatably wound between a pair of pulleys (not shown) instead of the plurality of driving rollers 18. A rotated belt drive mechanism may be used.

  Further, downstream of the plurality of drive rollers 18 in the sheet conveyance direction, an auxiliary driven roller 17J that is pivotally supported at a lower portion of the sheet leading end abutting plate 14, and an auxiliary drive roller 17K that faces the auxiliary driven roller 17J. A pair of sheet conveyance assisting rollers 17 is provided.

  The above-described sheet conveyance assisting roller pair 17 has a function of conveying the lower-level sheets 11 toward the sheet winding means 19 to 21 described below while changing the nip pressure according to the stacking amount of the plurality of sheets 11. Yes.

  Further, downstream of the sheet conveyance auxiliary roller pair 17 in the sheet conveyance direction, a separation roller 19 serving as a sheet separation unit and a friction member 20 that contacts and separates while being biased by the separation roller 19 are installed.

  The above-described roller 19 is rotatably provided while facing the roller hole 12c from the lower surface 12b side of the sheet stacking table 12. A friction member 20 formed in an arc shape using rubber or the like is pressed against the roller 19 while a spring pressure is applied by a spring 21. At this time, the spring 21 may be either a compression spring or a tension spring as long as the friction member 20 can be pressed against the roller 19.

  The lower sheets 11 that have passed through the sheet passing gap S are separated one by one between the rolling roller 19 and the friction member 20.

  At this time, the plurality of driving rollers 18, the auxiliary driving roller 17 </ b> K of the sheet conveyance auxiliary roller pair 17, and the rolling roller 19 are rotationally driven clockwise at the same speed by reducing the rotation of the motor M by the gear train G. Yes.

  When the sheet supply apparatus 10A according to the first embodiment is configured as described above, a large amount of sheets 11 are stacked when a large number of sheets 11 are stacked on the sheet stacking table 12, as shown in FIG. Is applied to the plurality of driving rollers 18, the conveying force applied to the lower sheets 11 becomes stronger (larger) according to the sheet stacking amount.

  When the conveyance force applied to the lower sheets 11 is increased according to the sheet stacking amount, a large abutting force from each leading end of a large number of sheets 11 is applied to the sheet leading end abutting plate 14, and therefore the leading end of the sheet is abutted. The contact plate 14 rotates counterclockwise about the rotation shaft 15.

  At this time, even when the sheet stacking table 12 is installed substantially horizontally, a large abutting force is generated by a strong conveying force from the plurality of driving rollers 18, but the sheet stacking table 12 becomes lower in the sheet conveying direction. If so, the abutting force due to the weight of the large number of sheets 11 accompanying the inclination of the sheet stacking table 12 is further added.

  Thus, in conjunction with the rotation of the sheet leading end portion abutting plate 14, the auxiliary driven roller 17J of the sheet conveyance auxiliary roller pair 17 pivotally supported at the lower portion of the sheet leading end portion abutting plate 14 is moved relative to the auxiliary driving roller 17K. The nip pressure is reduced or the nip is released.

  Accordingly, when the sheet stacking amount is large, the sheet conveyance assisting roller pair 17 hardly acts on the lower sheet 11, so that a large increase in conveying force applied to the lower sheet 11 can be suppressed.

  At this time, the conveyance force applied to the lower sheet 11 is large, but as described with reference to FIG. 3B described later, the improvement in the winding performance in the first embodiment is made to match the improved winding performance. Thus, the lower sheet 11 can be reliably separated one by one between the rolling roller 19 and the friction member 20 by setting the suction pressure.

  On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 2B, when a small amount of sheets 11 are stacked on the sheet stacking table 12, a small load due to the small amount of sheets 11 is applied to the plurality of driving rollers 18, so Is weakened (smaller) depending on the sheet stacking amount.

  When the conveyance force applied to the lower sheet 11 becomes weak according to the sheet stacking amount, a small abutting force from each leading end of a small amount of sheets 11 is applied to the sheet leading end abutting plate 14, but the sheet leading end abutting The backing plate 14 hardly rotates.

  As a result, the auxiliary driven roller 17J of the sheet conveyance auxiliary roller pair 17 pivotally supported at the lower portion of the sheet leading end abutting plate 14 is almost nipped by increasing the nip pressure with respect to the auxiliary driving roller 17K.

  Accordingly, the small conveyance force applied to the lower sheet 11 can be increased by the sheet conveyance auxiliary roller pair 17.

  Therefore, when the sheet stacking amount is small, the small conveying force applied to the lower sheet 11 is increased as compared with the conventional example, so that the friction member 20 press-contacted by the lower sheet 11 to the winding roller 19 via the spring 21. Therefore, the lower sheet 11 can be reliably separated one by one between the rolling roller 19 and the friction member 20.

  Here, various performances of the sheet supply apparatus 10A of the first embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 3A and 3B in comparison with the comparative example.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining various performances of the sheet feeding apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention in comparison with a comparative example. FIG. 3A is a comparative example (conventional example) with respect to the first embodiment. Case (b) shows the case of the first embodiment.

  First, as shown in FIG. 3A, in the case of a comparative example (corresponding to the conventional example shown in FIG. 9) with respect to the first embodiment, illustration is omitted here, It is the state suspended without rotating.

  In the case of this comparative example, the conveying force by the plurality of driving rollers 18 applied to the lower sheet 11 among the plurality of sheets 11 stacked on the sheet stacking table 12 is linearly proportional to the sheet stacking amount from zero to the maximum amount Hm. Increase.

  Accordingly, the range of the rolling performance by the rolling roller 19 and the spring-biased friction member 20 needs to cover a wide range from zero to the maximum amount Hm.

  Next, in the case of the first embodiment shown in FIG. 3B, if the sheet stacking amount is small, as described with reference to FIG. 14 hardly rotates and the nip pressure of the sheet conveyance assisting roller pair 17 is strengthened and remains almost nipped. The sheet conveyance assisting roller pair 17 increases a small conveying force applied to the lower sheet 11.

  At this time, within a predetermined small amount range α in which the sheet stacking amount is smaller than a predetermined amount (for example, 150 sheets) set in advance, the sheet leading end abutting plate 14 gradually rotates as the sheet stacking amount increases. Then, the conveyance force generated by the sheet conveyance auxiliary roller pair 17 gradually decreases as shown by the dotted line, and the conveyance force disappears when the amount exceeds the small range α.

  Accordingly, when the sheet stacking amount is within the predetermined small amount range α, the increase amount indicated by the dotted line is added to the value of the conveyance force of the comparative example, thereby obtaining a substantially constant conveyance force Ha as indicated by the solid line.

  On the other hand, if the sheet stacking amount is large, as explained with reference to FIG. 2A, the sheet conveyance auxiliary roller pair 17 is coupled with the nip pressure in conjunction with the rotation of the sheet leading end abutting plate 14. Is weakened or the nip is released, so that a large increase in the conveyance force applied to the lower sheet 11 by the sheet conveyance auxiliary roller pair 17 is suppressed. Inside, the conveying force increases in proportion to the sheet stacking amount from the above-mentioned Ha to the maximum amount Hm.

  Along with this, the conveying force can be made substantially constant within a predetermined small range α, and the separating performance by the separating roller 19 and the spring-biased friction member 20 is determined by the conveying force from Ha to the maximum amount Hm. Therefore, the range of the performance can be narrower than that of the comparative example.

  From the above, in the sheet supply apparatus 10A according to the first embodiment, particularly when the sheet stacking amount is small, the small conveying force applied to the lower sheet 11 can be increased by the sheet transporting auxiliary roller pair 17; It can function effectively with respect to the conveying force applied to the lower sheet 11 sometimes.

  In the first embodiment, the sheet leading edge abutting plate 14 is rotated in the sheet conveying direction according to the sheet stacking amount, and the auxiliary driven roller 17J of the sheet transporting auxiliary roller pair 17 according to the sheet stacking amount. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and other structural forms described below are also possible.

  That is, as another structural form, although not shown here, the sheet front end abutting plate is moved in parallel in the sheet conveying direction according to the sheet stacking amount, and the sheet conveying auxiliary roller is moved by the pushing amount. The auxiliary driven roller 17J of the pair 17 may be lifted.

  From the above, the sheet leading end abutting plate (14) in the first embodiment has the abutting force varied according to the stacking amount of the plurality of sheets 11, so that the sheet conveying direction according to the abutting force is changed. It only needs to be movable toward the downstream.

  As a result, when the auxiliary roller 17J supported on the sheet leading edge abutting plate (14) and the auxiliary driving roller 17K provided on the sheet stacking base 12 side are paired, the sheet conveyance auxiliary roller pair 17 is provided. As the sheet stacking amount increases, the nip pressure of the sheet conveyance auxiliary roller pair 17 is weakened in conjunction with the movement of the sheet leading end abutting plate (14) or the nip is released, so that the conveyance of the lower sheet 11 is performed. The increase in power can be suppressed. On the other hand, since the nip pressure of the sheet conveyance assisting roller pair 17 is increased as the sheet stacking amount is decreased, the conveyance force applied to the lower sheet 11 can be increased.

(Second Embodiment)
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a sheet leading end abutting plate that is suspended above the sheet stacking base and on the leading end side in the sheet conveying direction in the sheet feeding apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5A shows a case where a plurality of sheets are stacked on the sheet stacking base in the sheet supply apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. ) Schematically shows a case where the sheet stacking amount is small.

  The sheet supply apparatus 10B according to the second embodiment of the present invention shown in FIGS. 4 and 5A, 5B is also described with reference to FIGS. 1, 2A, 2B. Similar to the sheet supply apparatus 10A of the embodiment, the lower sheet 11 among the plurality of sheets 11 stacked on the sheet stacking table 12 is supplied from the lower side toward the downstream in the sheet conveying direction. ing.

  The sheet supply apparatus 10B of the second embodiment described above is partially different in structure from the sheet supply apparatus 10A of the first embodiment, and the same reference numerals are assigned to the same components as those in the first embodiment. Therefore, detailed description will be omitted, and the following description will be focused on differences from the first embodiment.

  As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5A, 5B, in the sheet feeding apparatus 10B according to the second embodiment of the present invention, a pair of left and right sides attached to both side ends of the sheet stacking base 12 in the sheet width direction. It is the same as the first embodiment in that the front plate 13F is stretched along the sheet width direction between the upper portions of the leading ends of the plates 13L and 13R (only FIG. 4 is shown).

  Here, the difference from the first embodiment will be described. The upper surface 12a of the sheet stacking table 12 below the sheet front end butting plate 25 is connected to the lower end of the front plate 13F near the center in the sheet width direction. It is erected toward.

  The sheet leading edge abutting plate 25 described above has a function of abutting each leading edge in the conveying direction of the plurality of sheets 11 stacked on the sheet stacking table 12 to regulate the position.

  Further, between the lower end 25a of the sheet leading edge abutting plate 25 and the upper surface (sheet stacking portion) 12a of the sheet stacking table 12, about several lower-level sheets 11 stacked on the sheet stacking table 12 ( A sheet passage gap S that can be passed through is formed.

  Further, as shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B, a lower sheet is disposed on the upstream side in the sheet conveying direction among the plurality of driving rollers 18 serving as a sheet conveying unit provided on the lower surface 12 b side of the sheet stacking table 12. 11 has at least one conveying force application member 18A (18) provided so as to be movable up and down while applying a conveying force.

  The conveying force applying member 18A described above is at least one driving roller installed on the upstream side in the sheet conveying direction among the plurality of driving rollers 18.

  One drive roller 18A is urged upward by a spring 26 such as a compression spring or a tension spring so as to be movable up and down, and the first gear M1 rotates the first motor M1. It is decelerated and driven to rotate clockwise.

  One drive roller 18 </ b> A is configured to vary the protruding amount that protrudes upward from the upper surface (sheet stacking portion) 12 a of the sheet stacking table 12 according to the stacking amount of the plurality of sheets 11.

  Further, driven rollers 27A and 27B which are replaced with driving rollers and are not connected to a driving source are rotatably installed behind and in front of one driving roller 18A. These driven rollers 27 </ b> A and 27 </ b> B can support the lower sheet 11, although no conveying force is applied to the lower sheet 11.

  Further, there is a first gap between the other driving roller 18B and the separating roller 19 provided downstream of the sheet leading end abutting plate 25 and the friction member 20 that is in pressure contact with the separating roller 19 via a spring 21. The sheet conveyance auxiliary roller pair as described in the embodiment is not provided.

  The other driving roller 18B and the rolling roller 19 are driven to rotate clockwise by decelerating the rotation of the second motor M2 by the second gear train G2.

  At this time, one drive roller 18A, the other drive roller 18B, and the roller 19 are driven to rotate at the same speed.

  In the second embodiment, one drive roller 18A is driven by the first motor M1, while the other drive roller 18B and the rolling roller 19 are driven by the second motor M2. However, the present invention is not limited to this. Alternatively, one drive roller 18A, another drive roller 18B, and the roller 19 can be driven by one motor.

  In this case, although illustration is omitted here, one drive roller 18A is mounted on an arm with another drive roller 18B as a fulcrum, and this one drive roller 18A is the same motor as the other drive roller 18B. By rotating the one driving roller 18A upward while being driven at, the protruding amount of one driving roller 18 can be varied without changing the distance between the rollers.

  Further, as another method, the protrusion amount of one drive roller 18 may be varied by connecting with a gear and using the intermediate gear as a fulcrum.

  When the sheet supply apparatus 10B according to the second embodiment is configured as described above, when a large number of sheets 11 are stacked on the sheet stacking table 12, as illustrated in FIG. One drive roller 18 </ b> A provided so as to be able to move up and down by a large load due to is moved down against the biasing force of the spring 26.

  As a result, one drive roller 18A reduces the amount of protrusion with respect to the upper surface (sheet stacking portion) 12a of the sheet stacking table 12, so that one drive roller 18A moved downward, the other drive roller 18B, and the driven The rollers 27 </ b> A and 27 </ b> B have substantially the same height and are in contact with the lower sheet 11.

  Along with the above, a large load due to the large number of sheets 11 is distributed to one drive roller 18A, the other drive roller 18B, and the driven rollers 27A and 27B. Can be reduced.

  Therefore, if the large conveying force applied to the lower sheet 11 decreases when the sheet stacking amount is large, the force for lifting the friction member 20 that is in pressure contact with the winding roller 19 via the spring 21 with the lower sheet 11 also decreases. The lower sheets 11 can be reliably separated one by one between the roller 19 and the friction member 20.

  On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 5B, when a small amount of sheets 11 are stacked on the sheet stacking table 12, one drive roller 18 </ b> A provided so as to move up and down by a small load by the small amount of sheets 11 is a spring. It moves up with 26 urging forces.

  Therefore, when the sheet stacking amount is small, one drive roller 18A increases the protruding amount with respect to the upper surface (sheet stacking portion) 12a of the sheet stacking table 12, so that one drive roller 18A moved downward is a driven roller. A convex state is formed upward from 27A and 27B.

  As a result, the lower sheet 11 is not attached to the driven rollers 27A and 27B, but the lower sheet 11 is attached to one drive roller 18A and the other drive roller 18B.

  In connection with the above, since the load of a small amount of the sheet 11 is supported only by one drive roller 18A and the other drive roller 18B, the load of the small amount of the sheet 11 can be prevented from being dispersed elsewhere. It is possible to suppress a small decrease in conveying force applied to the sheet 11.

  Therefore, by suppressing the decrease in the small conveying force applied to the lower sheet 11, the lower sheet 11 can be reliably separated one by one between the rolling roller 19 and the friction member 20.

  Here, various performances of the sheet supply apparatus 10B of the second embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 6A and 6B in comparison with the comparative example.

  FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining various performances of the sheet feeding apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present invention in comparison with a comparative example. FIG. 6A is a comparative example (conventional example) with respect to the second embodiment. Case (b) shows the case of the second embodiment.

  First, in the case of a comparative example (corresponding to the conventional example shown in FIG. 9) with respect to the second embodiment shown in FIG. 6A, the first embodiment described above with reference to FIG. Since it is the same as the case of the comparative example, the description here is omitted and only illustrated.

  Next, in the case of the second embodiment shown in FIG. 6B, if the sheet stacking amount is large, as described above with reference to FIG. The large load of the large amount of sheets 11 is distributed to one drive roller 18A, another drive roller 18B, and driven rollers 27A and 27B.

  As a result of the downward movement of one drive roller 18A, the conveying force linearly decreases with respect to the sheet stacking amount as indicated by the dotted line.

  Therefore, by subtracting the amount of decrease indicated by the dotted line from the conveyance force value of the comparative example according to the sheet stacking amount, the inclination becomes gentler than that of the comparative example as indicated by the solid line, and according to the sheet stacking amount. The conveyance force increases linearly from zero to Hb lower than the maximum value Hm.

  Along with this, the rolling performance by the rolling roller 19 and the spring-biased friction member 20 only needs to cover the conveying force from zero to Hb, so that the range of the rolling performance can be made narrower than the comparative example. .

  On the other hand, if the sheet stacking amount is small, as described with reference to FIG. 5B, since one driving roller 18A is moving upward, one driving roller 18A and the other driving roller 18B. Since only a small amount of the load of the sheet 11 is supported, it is possible to prevent a small decrease in the conveyance force applied to the lower sheet 11 in order to prevent the load of the small amount of the sheet 11 from being dispersed elsewhere.

  From the above, in the sheet supply apparatus 10B of the second embodiment, particularly when the sheet stacking amount is large, it is possible to reduce the large conveyance force applied to the lower sheet 11 by the conveyance force applying member (one drive roller) 18A. Therefore, it can function effectively with respect to the conveying force applied to the lower sheet 11 when a large amount of sheets are loaded.

(Third embodiment)
7A and 7B show a case where a plurality of sheets are stacked on the sheet stacking base in the sheet supply apparatus according to the third embodiment of the present invention, in which FIG. Each of the cases where the sheet stacking amount is small is schematically shown. FIG. 8 is a view for explaining various performances in the sheet feeding apparatus according to the third embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 8A shows a comparative example with respect to the third embodiment, and FIG. The case of 3 embodiment is shown.

  The sheet feeding apparatus 10C according to the third embodiment of the present invention shown in FIGS. 7A and 7B includes a technical idea by the sheet conveyance auxiliary roller pair 17 in the first embodiment described above and the second concept. In combination with the technical idea of the conveying force applying member (one drive roller) 18A that can move up and down in the embodiment, the lower sheet 11 of the plurality of sheets stacked on the sheet stacking table 12 is viewed from the lower side. It is configured to supply toward the downstream in the sheet conveying direction.

  That is, as shown in FIGS. 7A and 7B, in the sheet feeding apparatus 10C according to the third embodiment of the present invention, the first description has been given with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2A and 2B. The technical idea of one embodiment is applied.

  That is, in the third embodiment, the sheet leading end abutting plate 14 is rotatably provided on the leading end side in the sheet conveying direction above the sheet stacking table 12, and a lower portion of the sheet leading end abutting plate 14 is provided. An auxiliary driven roller 17J that is pivotally supported by the auxiliary driving roller 17K and an auxiliary driving roller 17K that is opposed to the auxiliary driven roller 17J are installed.

  In the sheet supply apparatus 10C of the third embodiment, the technical idea of the second embodiment described above with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5A and 5B is applied.

  That is, in the third embodiment, at least one conveying force applying member (one driving roller) 18A installed on the upstream side in the sheet conveying direction among the plurality of driving rollers 18 provided on the lower surface 12b side of the sheet stacking table 12 is provided. It can be moved up and down.

  When the sheet feeding apparatus 10C of the third embodiment is configured as described above, when a large number of sheets 11 are stacked on the sheet stacking table 12 as shown in FIG. As in the case of the first embodiment described with reference to FIG. 2A, the sheet leading end abutting plate 14 rotates counterclockwise about the rotation shaft 15.

  Thus, in conjunction with the rotation of the sheet leading end portion abutting plate 14, the auxiliary driven roller 17J of the sheet conveyance auxiliary roller pair 17 pivotally supported at the lower portion of the sheet leading end portion abutting plate 14 is moved relative to the auxiliary driving roller 17K. The nip pressure is reduced or the nip is released.

  Therefore, when the sheet stacking amount is large, the sheet conveyance assisting roller pair 17 does not act on the lower sheet 11, so that an increase in a large conveyance force applied to the lower sheet 11 can be suppressed.

  Further, when the sheet stacking amount is large, one drive provided so as to be movable up and down by a large load due to a large amount of sheets 11 as in the case of the second embodiment described above with reference to FIG. The roller 18A moves downward against the biasing force of the spring 26.

  Along with the above, a large load due to the large number of sheets 11 is distributed to one drive roller 18A, the other drive roller 18B, and the driven rollers 27A and 27B. Can be reduced.

  On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 7B, when a small amount of sheets 11 are stacked on the sheet stacking table 12, as in the case of the first embodiment described above with reference to FIG. The sheet leading edge abutting plate 14 hardly rotates, and the nip pressure of the sheet conveyance auxiliary roller pair 17 is strengthened so that the sheet is almost nipped.

  Accordingly, the small conveyance force applied to the lower sheet 11 can be increased by the sheet conveyance auxiliary roller pair 17.

  Further, when the sheet stacking amount is small, as in the case of the second embodiment described above with reference to FIG. 5B, one drive provided so as to move up and down with a small load by the small amount of sheets 11. The roller 18A is moved up by the biasing force of the spring 26.

  As a result, the load of a small amount of the sheet 11 is supported by only one drive roller 18A and the other drive roller 18B. Therefore, in order to prevent the load of the small amount of sheet 11 from being distributed to other parts, 11 can suppress a decrease in the small conveying force.

  From the above, according to the sheet feeding apparatus 10C of the third embodiment, the effects of the first and second embodiments can be obtained by combining the technical ideas of the first and second embodiments. Regardless of the degree, the lower sheet 11 can be more reliably separated one by one between the rolling roller 19 and the friction member 20.

  Here, various performances of the sheet supply apparatus 10 </ b> C of the third embodiment will be described using FIGS. 8A and 8B in comparison with the comparative example.

  FIG. 8 is a diagram for explaining various performances of the sheet feeding apparatus according to the third embodiment of the present invention in comparison with a comparative example. FIG. 8A shows a comparative example (conventional example) relative to the third embodiment. Case (b) shows the case of the third embodiment.

  First, in the case of a comparative example (corresponding to the conventional example shown in FIG. 9) with respect to the third embodiment shown in FIG. 8 (a), description will be made with reference to FIGS. 3 (a) and 6 (a). Since this is the same as the comparative example (conventional example) for the first and second embodiments, the description here is omitted, and only the illustration is shown.

  Next, in the case of the third embodiment shown in FIG. 8B, if the sheet stacking amount is small, the front end of the sheet is abutted as described with reference to FIG. The plate 14 hardly rotates and the nip pressure of the sheet conveyance assisting roller pair 17 is increased and remains almost nipped. The sheet conveyance assisting roller pair 17 increases a small conveyance force applied to the lower sheet 11.

  At this time, within the predetermined small amount range α in which the sheet stacking amount is set in advance, the sheet leading end abutting plate 14 gradually rotates as the sheet stacking amount increases. Then, the conveyance force generated by the sheet conveyance auxiliary roller pair 17 gradually decreases as shown by the dotted line, and the conveyance force disappears when the amount exceeds the small range α.

  Therefore, when the sheet stacking amount is within the predetermined small amount range α, the increase amount by the sheet conveyance auxiliary roller pair 17 indicated by the dotted line is added to the conveyance force value of the comparative example.

  On the other hand, if the sheet stacking amount is large, as described with reference to FIG. 5A, one driving roller 18A moves down, and a large load of a large number of sheets 11 is applied to one driving roller. 18A, the other driving roller 18B, and the driven rollers 27A and 27B are dispersed.

  As a result of the downward movement of one drive roller 18A, the conveying force linearly decreases with respect to the sheet stacking amount as indicated by the dotted line.

  Accordingly, in accordance with the sheet stacking amount, the amount of decrease by the single drive roller 18A indicated by the dotted line is subtracted from the value of the conveyance force of the comparative example.

  Overall, the amount of increase in the conveyance force value of the comparative example, which is increased by the pair of sheet conveyance auxiliary rollers 17 indicated by the dotted line, is within the predetermined small range α as in FIG. 3B. In addition, the reduction amount reduced by one drive roller 18 that can be moved up and down, indicated by a dotted line, is subtracted in the same manner as in FIG.

  As a result, as indicated by the solid characteristic indicated by the solid line, when the sheet stacking amount is within a predetermined small amount range α, the conveying force linearly drops from Ha to Hc slightly lower than Ha, and the sheet stacking amount. However, within a large amount range β that is greater than or equal to a predetermined small amount range, the conveying force increases in proportion to the sheet stacking amount from Hc described above to Hb lower than the maximum amount Hm.

  Along with this, the conveying force can be made constant to some extent within a predetermined small range α, and the rolling performance by the roller 19 and the spring-biased friction member 20 covers the conveying force from Hc to Hb. Therefore, the range of the rolling performance can be made narrower than that of the comparative example.

  From the above, in the sheet feeding apparatus 10C according to the third embodiment, by combining the first embodiment and the second embodiment, it is possible to squeeze the leading end of the sheet that can rotate, especially when the sheet stacking amount is small. By providing the sheet conveyance auxiliary roller pair 17 interlocked with the backing plate 14, the sheeting performance is improved, and the conveyance force applying member (one drive roller) 18 </ b> A is provided for a case where the sheet stacking amount is large. By providing it so that it can move up and down, it improves the performance.

  In the sheet supply apparatuses 10A, 10B, and 10C according to the first, second, and third embodiments described in detail above, the load of the plurality of sheets 11 is applied to the plurality of driving rollers 18 (including 18A and 18B) to stack the sheets. As the amount increases (in the case of a large amount), the conveying force of the lower sheet 11 by the plurality of drive rollers 18 increases (increases), while as the sheet stacking amount decreases (in the case of a small amount), the conveying force decreases (smaller). Is used to improve the rolling performance of the roller 19 and the spring-biased friction member 20, so that the structure can be made cost effective without introducing new control. it can.

10A: a sheet feeding apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention,
10B: a sheet feeding apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present invention,
10C: a sheet feeding apparatus according to a third embodiment of the present invention,
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11 ... Sheet, 12 ... Sheet stacking base, 12a ... Upper surface (sheet stacking part), 12b ... Lower surface,
12c ... roller hole,
13L, 13R ... a pair of left and right side plates, 13F ... a front plate,
13a, 13b ... a pair of shaft support pieces, 13c ... a stopper piece,
14 ... Sheet tip end butting plate in the first and third embodiments,
14a, 14b ... a pair of roller support pieces, 14c ... lower end,
15 ... rotating shaft, 16 ... spring,
17 ... Sheet conveyance auxiliary roller pair, 17J ... Auxiliary driven roller, 17K ... Auxiliary drive roller,
18: A plurality of drive rollers (sheet conveying means) in the first embodiment,
18A ... conveying force application member (one drive roller) in the second and third embodiments,
18B ... Other driving rollers in the second and third embodiments,
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 19 ... Rolling roller, 20 ... Friction member, 21 ... Spring, 19-21 ... Sheet rolling means,
25 ... Sheet tip end abutting plate in the second embodiment, 25a ... Lower end,
26 ... spring, 27A, 27B ... follower roller,
M ... motor, M1 ... first motor, M2 ... second motor,
G ... gear train, G1 ... first gear train, G2 ... second gear train,
S: Sheet passing gap.

Claims (6)

A sheet stacking unit having a sheet stacking unit for stacking a plurality of sheets;
A sheet conveying means for conveying a lower sheet of the plurality of sheets stacked on the sheet stacking table in a sheet conveying direction;
A sheet passing gap that is provided above the sheet stacking table and abuts each leading end in the conveyance direction of the plurality of sheets, and allows the lower sheet to pass between the lower end and the sheet stacking unit. A sheet tip end abutting plate formed with,
In the sheet supply apparatus that supplies the plurality of sheets stacked on the sheet stacking table from the lower side toward the downstream in the sheet conveying direction,
It is installed downstream of the sheet front end abutting plate in the sheet conveying direction, and the lower sheet is directed downstream in the sheet conveying direction while changing the nip pressure according to the stacking amount of the plurality of sheets. A sheet supply apparatus comprising a pair of sheet conveyance auxiliary rollers for conveyance. A sheet stacking unit having a sheet stacking unit for stacking a plurality of sheets;
A sheet conveying means for conveying a lower sheet of the plurality of sheets stacked on the sheet stacking table in a sheet conveying direction;
A sheet passing gap that is provided above the sheet stacking table and abuts each leading end in the conveyance direction of the plurality of sheets, and allows the lower sheet to pass between the lower end and the sheet stacking unit. A sheet tip end abutting plate formed with,
A sheet rolling means that is installed downstream of the sheet tip end abutting plate in the sheet conveying direction, and separates the lower sheets that have passed through the sheet passing gap one by one;
In the sheet supply apparatus that supplies the plurality of sheets stacked on the sheet stacking table from the lower side toward the downstream in the sheet conveying direction,
Sheet conveyance that conveys the lower sheet toward the sheet separation means while varying the nip pressure according to the stacking amount of the plurality of sheets between the sheet front end abutting plate and the sheet separation means. A sheet feeding apparatus comprising an auxiliary roller pair. The sheet leading end abutting plate is movable toward the downstream in the sheet conveying direction according to the abutting force by varying the abutting force according to the stacking amount of the plurality of sheets. And
The pair of sheet conveyance auxiliary rollers is a pair of an auxiliary driven roller that is pivotally supported by the sheet leading end abutting plate and an auxiliary drive roller provided on the sheet stacking side, and the stacking amount of the plurality of sheets The nip pressure is weakened in conjunction with the movement of the sheet tip end abutment plate or the nip is released while the nip pressure is increased as the number of stacked sheets decreases. The sheet supply apparatus according to claim 1 or 2. A sheet stacking unit having a sheet stacking unit for stacking a plurality of sheets;
A sheet conveying means for conveying a lower sheet of the plurality of sheets stacked on the sheet stacking table in a sheet conveying direction;
A sheet passing gap that is provided above the sheet stacking table and abuts each leading end in the conveyance direction of the plurality of sheets, and allows the lower sheet to pass between the lower end and the sheet stacking unit. A sheet tip end abutting plate formed with,
A sheet rolling means that is installed downstream of the sheet tip end abutting plate in the sheet conveying direction, and separates the lower sheets that have passed through the sheet passing gap one by one;
In the sheet supply apparatus that supplies the plurality of sheets stacked on the sheet stacking table from the lower side toward the downstream in the sheet conveying direction,
The sheet conveying means includes a conveying force applying member provided so as to be movable up and down while applying a conveying force to the lower sheet, and the conveying force applying member projects upward from the sheet stacking unit. A sheet feeding apparatus characterized in that a protruding amount is varied in accordance with a stacking amount of the plurality of sheets.   The conveying force application member decreases the protruding amount by decreasing the protruding amount as the stacking amount of the plurality of sheets increases, and increases the protruding amount as the stacking amount of the plurality of sheets decreases. The sheet feeding apparatus according to claim 4, wherein a decrease in the conveying force is suppressed.   The sheet conveying means includes a conveying force applying member provided so as to be movable up and down while applying a conveying force to the lower sheet, and the conveying force applying member projects upward from the sheet stacking unit. The sheet feeding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a protruding amount is varied according to a stacking amount of the plurality of sheets.

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