JP2020040795A - Sheet feeding device, image reading device and recording device - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a sheet feeding device capable of reducing a return amount of a set medium which is pushed back by a detection member for detecting a medium, and to provide an image reading device and a recording device equipped with the same.SOLUTION: A sheet feeding device feeds a medium S positioned between a pair of guide surfaces on a placing surface 17 along a feeding path F1. The sheet feeding device has a detection lever 57 which is displaced between a non-detection state in which the medium S is not placed at a set position where a feed roller for feeding the medium S can feed the medium S and a detection state in which the detection lever 57 is pushed by the medium S placed at the set position to be displaced in the direction of the feeding path F1. The detection lever 57 has a step part 83 as a return force reducing part for reducing a return force which pushes the medium S back to the opposite side of the feeding direction Y1 on a contact part 81 which comes into contact with the medium S placed at the set position.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 12

Description

  The present invention relates to a feeding device for feeding a medium such as paper, a reading device and a recording device including the feeding device.

  This type of reading device or recording device includes, for example, a feeding device that feeds a medium such as paper or a document (for example, Patent Document 1). Patent Literature 1 discloses a reading device that includes a detection lever that tilts when a medium such as a document is pressed by a leading end thereof, and a sensor that detects the tilting detection lever.

JP-A-10-101249

  In the medium detecting device in such a feeding device, the leading end of the medium is in contact with the slope of the detecting lever, and the detecting lever receives a force to return. That is, the detection lever is trying to push back the medium with a component parallel to the medium. If the medium is large and heavy, the medium is not pushed back, but if the medium is small and light, the medium may be pushed back. For this reason, further improvement is required to reduce the return amount of the medium by the detection member such as the detection lever.

  A recording apparatus that solves the above-mentioned problem is a medium feeding device that feeds a medium placed on a loading surface in a state positioned between a pair of guide surfaces along a feeding path. A feed roller that feeds the medium, a non-detection state when the medium is not placed at the set position where the feeding by the feed roller is possible, and a state where the medium is pushed by the medium placed at the set position. A detection member that is displaced in a detection state that is displaced in a path direction of the feeding path, and the detection member is configured to move the medium on the contact surface that contacts the medium placed at the set position. A return force reducing portion for reducing a return force for pushing back in a direction opposite to the feeding direction in the direction.

A reading device that solves the above problem includes the feeding device, and a reading unit that reads a medium fed by the feeding device.
A recording device that solves the above problem includes the above-described feeding device, and a recording unit that records on a medium fed by the feeding device.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating the recording apparatus according to the first embodiment. FIG. 4 is a front sectional view of the recording apparatus when the carriage is at a home position. FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating the recording apparatus in a state where a cover of the feeding apparatus is opened. FIG. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of a main part of the feeding device in FIG. 3. FIG. 5 is an enlarged perspective view of a main part of the feeding device in FIG. 4. FIG. 3 is a side sectional view showing a feeding device. FIG. 4 is a side sectional view showing a medium detector in the feeding device. FIG. 3 is a side sectional view showing a lock lever in the feeding device. FIG. 4 is a side sectional view showing a feeding unit before a feeding operation is started. FIG. 4 is a side cross-sectional view illustrating a feeding unit during a feeding operation. FIG. 4 is a side sectional view showing a medium detector when a medium is set. FIG. 4 is a side sectional view showing a state where the medium is pushed back by a lever of the medium detector. FIG. 10 is a side cross-sectional view illustrating a state in which the medium according to the second embodiment is pushed back to a detection lever of a medium detector. FIG. 13 is a side cross-sectional view illustrating a state in which a medium according to a third embodiment is pushed back to a detection lever of a medium detector. FIG. 14 is a side cross-sectional view illustrating a state in which a medium according to a fourth embodiment is pushed back to a detection lever of a medium detector. FIG. 16 is a side sectional view showing a state in which the medium is pushed back to a detection lever different from that in FIG. 15. FIG. 17 is a side sectional view showing a state where the medium is pushed back to the detection lever different from that in FIG. 16. FIG. 16 is a side sectional view showing a state where the medium is pushed back to the detection lever of the medium detector in the fifth embodiment. FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing a multifunction peripheral according to a sixth embodiment. FIG. 3 is a side sectional view showing a feeding device and a reading unit.

(1st Embodiment)
Hereinafter, the recording apparatus of the first embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. The recording apparatus is, for example, an ink jet printer that records an image such as a character or a photograph by discharging ink, which is an example of a liquid, onto a recording medium such as paper. Assuming that the recording device 11 is placed on a horizontal plane, the vertical direction is indicated by the Z axis, and the direction along a plane intersecting the Z axis is indicated by the X axis and the Y axis. The X, Y, and Z axes are orthogonal to each other. Therefore, the X axis and the Y axis are along the horizontal plane. In the present embodiment, since the X-axis direction corresponds to the width direction of the medium S supplied to the recording apparatus 11, the width direction X and the Y-axis direction are the directions in which the medium S is conveyed at a position facing the head 31. A certain transport direction Y, Z axis direction is also referred to as a vertical direction Z.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the recording device 11 includes a device main body 12. The apparatus main body 12 is provided with an operation panel 13 operated when a user gives an instruction to the recording apparatus 11. The operation panel 13 includes a display unit 14 for displaying various information, an operation unit 15 such as buttons operated when a user inputs an instruction, and the like.

  The recording device 11 includes a feeding device 100 having a supply port 16 for supplying the medium S to an upper portion of the device main body 12. The supply port 16 is located, for example, at the rear of the upper surface of the apparatus main body 12. The feeding device 100 includes a mounting surface 17 on which the medium S before being supplied is mounted. The mounting surface 17 is formed as an inclined surface that gradually descends toward the supply port 16. On the mounting surface 17, for example, a plurality of media S can be mounted in a stacked state.

  The medium S is placed on the placement surface 17 with its tip inserted into the supply port 16. That is, when the user places the medium S on the mounting surface 17, the user slightly presses the medium S into the supply port 16 along the inclination of the mounting surface 17 so that the leading end of the medium S on the supply destination side becomes the supply port. The medium S is set in a state where it has been inserted from 16 to a predetermined position. The position of the medium S is a position where the feeding device 100 can feed the medium S, and may be hereinafter referred to as a “set position”. Even if the medium S has not reached the set position, the medium S can be supplied as long as the medium S is located at a position where the feeding roller 52 described below can contact. That is, the set position is a position recommended as a position where the user should set the medium S.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the feeding device 100 includes a pair of edge guides 18 for guiding the medium S placed on the placement surface 17. The edge guide 18 is configured to be movable in the width direction X. When the medium S mounted on the mounting surface 17 is sandwiched between the pair of edge guides 18, the medium S is positioned in the width direction and the inclination of the medium S is corrected. Opposite surfaces of the pair of edge guides 18 are a pair of guide surfaces 18A. The medium S is positioned in the width direction by bringing the pair of edge guides 18 close to each other until the pair of guide surfaces 18A come into contact with both ends in the width direction X of the medium S. The feeding device 100 feeds the medium S placed at the set position on the placement surface 17 along the feeding path F1 while being positioned in the width direction X between the pair of guide surfaces 18A. . The feeding apparatus 100 includes a feeding unit 20 that feeds the set medium S one by one into the apparatus main body 12 through the supply port 16. The feeding device 100 includes a feeding motor 21 as a driving source of the feeding unit 20. The feeding device 100 includes a first cover 19 for maintenance that covers the feeding unit 20. The first cover 19 can be opened and closed with the rear end side as a rotation axis. For example, when a jam occurs in which the medium S is jammed in the feeding unit 20 of the feeding device 100, the first cover 19 is opened for maintenance such as removing the medium S from the feeding unit 20.

  On the upper side of the apparatus main body 12, a second cover 22 that can open and close the upper surface with respect to the apparatus main body 12 is provided. The supply port 16 and the edge guide 18 are provided on the upper surface of the apparatus main body 12. The mounting surface 17 is provided so as to straddle the upper surface of the apparatus main body 12 and the second cover 22. That is, a part of the feeding device 100 is assembled to the second cover 22. The second cover 22 can be opened by the user, for example, when a jam of the medium S occurs in the transport system during printing or when performing a maintenance operation for removing the jammed medium S.

  Further, the apparatus main body 12 has a discharge port 23 for discharging the medium S. The discharge port 23 is opened, for example, on the front surface of the apparatus main body 12 and is located below the operation panel 13. The medium S recorded in the apparatus main body 12 is discharged out of the apparatus main body 12 through the discharge port 23.

  The recording device 11 includes a discharge tray 24 on which the recorded medium S is placed. The discharge tray 24 extends forward from the discharge port 23. The medium S discharged from the discharge port 23 is stacked on a discharge tray 24.

  Further, a medium accommodating portion 25 for accommodating the medium S is inserted into the apparatus main body 12 in a detachable manner from the front side. The medium storage unit 25 can store, for example, a plurality of media S in a stacked state. The medium storage unit 25 is configured as, for example, a cassette that can be attached to and detached from the apparatus body 12. The medium S supplied from the feeding device 100 or the medium storage unit 25 is sent out in the apparatus main body 12 to the back side, and then inverted and transported in the transport direction Y.

  The container housing 26 is detachably inserted into the apparatus main body 12. One or a plurality of containers 27 are accommodated in the container accommodation section 26. The medium storage section 25 and the container storage section 26 are located below the discharge tray 24 in the vertical direction Z. The container accommodating section 26 is located below the medium accommodating section 25.

  The container housing section 26 houses, for example, four containers 27. The container 27 is provided with a liquid container 28 for storing a liquid. The container 27 is configured so that the liquid container 28 can be removed. The liquid stored in the liquid storage unit 28 is used by the recording device 11 to record on the medium S.

  The plurality of liquid storage units 28 store different types of liquids, respectively. The different types of liquids are, for example, inks of different colors such as black, cyan, magenta, and yellow. Also, a combination of two blacks, cyan, magenta, and yellow may be used. The plurality of liquid storage units 28 may store the same type of liquid, for example, may be configured to include only black. The liquid container 28 is, for example, an ink pack. The liquid container 28 may be an ink tank or an ink cartridge.

  The container housing section 26 is covered by a front lid 26 </ b> A that constitutes a part of the front surface of the apparatus main body 12. The front lid 26A is configured to be rotatable around its lower end as a fulcrum. When the front cover 26A is opened, the container 27 in the container housing portion 26 can be attached and detached.

  Next, an internal configuration of the apparatus main body 12 will be described with reference to FIG. As shown in FIG. 2, the recording device 11 includes a recording unit 30 that records on the medium S. The recording unit 30 includes a carriage 32 on which a head 31 that discharges a liquid to record on the medium S is mounted. The carriage 32 is housed in the apparatus main body 12. The carriage 32 is configured to be able to reciprocate in the width direction X. The carriage 32 is mounted so that the head 31 is exposed from the lower part. The head 31 records an image on the medium S by discharging liquid toward the medium S.

  The recording device 11 includes a support portion 33 that supports a portion of the medium S on which the liquid discharged from the head 31 lands. The support part 33 is located to face the head 31. When the recording device 11 performs recording on the medium S, one of the mounting surface 17 and the medium storage unit 25 is selected as a feeding source. The medium S set on the mounting surface 17 is fed into the apparatus main body 12 by driving the feeding unit 20. The feeding section 20 is driven by the power of a feeding motor 21. Further, the medium S is fed from the medium storage unit 25 into the apparatus main body 12. As the driving source for feeding the medium S from the medium storage unit 25, the feeding motor 21 may be shared, or a dedicated feeding motor different from the feeding motor 21 may be used.

  The recording device 11 includes a transport unit 40 that receives and transports the medium S fed from the feeding device 100 or the medium storage unit 25. The transport section 40 includes a transport roller pair 41 as one of its components. The transport roller pair 41 receives the fed medium S and transports the medium S to the support surface 33A of the support unit 33 facing the head 31. The support unit 33 supports the medium S transported from the transport unit 40. The medium S recorded on the support unit 33 by the head 31 is transported in the transport direction Y by a pair of discharge rollers (not shown) constituting the transport unit 40, and then discharged from the discharge port 23. A transport motor 42 that drives a transport roller pair 41 and a discharge roller pair is provided in the apparatus main body 12 as a drive source of the transport unit 40. Further, a feeding motor 21 that outputs power for feeding the medium S from the feeding device 100 is provided in the apparatus main body 12.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the recording apparatus 11 includes a moving mechanism 34 that reciprocates the carriage 32 in the width direction X. The moving mechanism 34 of the present embodiment includes guide portions 35 and 36 for guiding the moving carriage 32, a pair of pulleys 37, an endless belt 38 wound around the pair of pulleys 37, and driving of the moving mechanism 34. And a carriage motor 39 as a source.

  The recording device 11 includes a frame 45 that supports the carriage 32. In this example, the rail-shaped guide portion 35 is formed by bending the lower end portion of the frame 45, and the rail-shaped guide portion 36 is formed by bending the upper end portion of the frame 45. The guide section 35 may be a round bar-shaped guide section extending in the width direction X.

  The pair of pulleys 37 are provided at a portion near one end of the frame 45 and a portion near the other end of the frame 45 in the width direction X, respectively. The carriage 32 is fixed to a part of a belt 38 wound around a pair of pulleys 37. The output shaft of the carriage motor 39 is connected to one of the pair of pulleys 37. The carriage motor 39 is located near the home position HP which is a standby position when the carriage 32 does not perform recording in the width direction X.

  When the carriage motor 39 is driven to rotate forward and reverse, the rotation of the pulley 37 causes the belt 38 to rotate in the forward and reverse directions, so that the carriage 32 reciprocates in the width direction X. As described above, the carriage 32 moves in the width direction X via the moving mechanism 34 by the power of the carriage motor 39. A position closer to one end in the width direction X in the moving range of the carriage 32 is a home position HP where the carriage 32 waits when recording is not performed.

  The recording device 11 includes a tube 46 for supplying the liquid in the liquid container 28 to the head 31. The head 31 discharges the liquid supplied from the liquid storage unit 28 through the tube 46 and records the liquid on the medium S. The lower part, which is the upstream side in the liquid supply direction in which the liquid flows in the tube 46, is supported by the support member 47, so that its drooping is suppressed.

  The liquid is ejected from the head 31 toward the medium S during the reciprocation of the carriage 32 in the width direction X with respect to the medium S supported on the support surface 33A of the support portion 33. Then, the transporting operation of transporting the medium S to the next recording position by the transporting unit 40 and the recording operation of discharging the liquid from the head 31 while the carriage 32 is moving in the width direction X at the next recording position are alternately repeated. Thus, an image or the like is recorded on the medium S.

  The recording device 11 includes a control unit 50 that controls the feed motor 21, the transport motor 42, the carriage motor 39, the head 31, and the like. The control unit 50 controls the recording device 11 overall. The control unit 50 has, for example, a CPU and a memory. The recording device 11 performs various processing operations by the CPU executing a program stored in the memory.

  Next, the feeding device 100 will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 3 shows the recording device 11 with the first cover 19 opened. As shown in FIG. 3, when the first cover 19 is opened, the feeding section 20 is exposed. For this reason, maintenance work on the feeding unit 20 such as removal of the jammed medium S becomes possible. The feeding unit 20 includes a feeding unit 51 assembled on the back surface of the first cover 19.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the feed unit 51 includes a feed roller 52, a separation roller 53, and a support member 54 that rotatably supports these rollers 52, 53. The support member 54 is attached to the back surface of the first cover 19 so as to be tiltable. When the user places the medium S on the mounting surface 17 and inserts the leading end of the medium S into the supply port 16, the leading end of the medium S hits the back surface of the first cover 19. A stopper 55 that regulates the above insertion is provided.

  On the back side of the first cover 19, a detection lever 57 is provided as an example of a detection member that constitutes a medium detector 56 that detects the medium S inserted from the supply port 16. The detection lever 57 is arranged at a position adjacent to the feeding unit 51 on one side in the width direction X. The detection lever 57 is rotatably supported on the back surface of the first cover 19. The stopper 55 is switched between the locked state and the unlocked state in conjunction with a change in the posture of the support member 54 that supports the feeding roller 52 and the separation roller 53.

  A gear 58 is exposed at one end of the back surface of the first cover 19 in the width direction X. When the first cover 19 is closed, the gear 58 meshes with a gear (not shown) that is rotated by the power of the feed motor 21 on the apparatus main body 12 side. Therefore, the gear 58 rotates forward when the feed motor 21 is driven forward, and rotates reversely when driven reversely. The rotation of the gear 58 is transmitted to the power transmission mechanism 59 via a rotation shaft (not shown) coaxial with the rotation shaft of the separation roller 53.

  As shown in FIG. 4, a driven roller 60 is provided on the upper surface of the apparatus main body 12 at a position facing the feed roller. A driven roller 61 is provided on the upper surface of the apparatus main body 12 at a position facing the separation roller. That is, the upper surface of the apparatus main body 12 provided with the driven rollers 60 and 61 serves as a guide surface 62 that supports the fed medium S from below. A transport path F2 through which the medium S is transported into the apparatus main body 12 is opened downstream of the driven roller 60 in the feeding direction Y1 on the guide surface 62.

  On the back surface of the first cover 19, a first guide portion 64 including a plurality of ribs for guiding the medium S fed from the upper side toward the downstream side in the feeding direction Y1 with the first cover 19 closed. Is provided. On the back surface of the first cover 19, the fed medium S is guided from above to a position downstream of the first guide portion 64 in the feeding direction Y1 with the first cover 19 closed. A second guide portion 65 including a plurality of ribs for guiding to the transport path F2 is provided. Further, one or a plurality of transport rollers 66 for transporting the medium S along the transport path F2 is provided at a position downstream of the driven roller 60 in the feeding direction Y1 on the upper surface of the apparatus main body 12. . The guide surface 62 is formed with a through hole 67 into which the tip of the detection lever 57 of the medium detector 56 can enter. The guide surface 62 is formed with a recess 62A into which the tip of the stopper 55 can enter.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the power transmission mechanism 59 has a tilting mechanism 70 that tilts the feeding unit 51 in accordance with the rotation input via the gear 58. The tilting operation of the feeding unit 51 by the tilting mechanism 70 is performed as follows. The rotation of the feed motor 21 is transmitted from the shaft of the gear 58 to the tilting mechanism 70. The tilting mechanism 70 tilts the support member 54 in a direction corresponding to the input rotation direction. The tilting mechanism 70 includes a clutch mechanism that cuts off further transmission of power to the support member 54 when the support member 54 tilts to the end position of the tilt range. For this reason, even if the drive of the feed motor 21 is continued, the support member 54 is maintained at the end position of the tilt range. In this example, when the feed motor 21 is driven to rotate forward, the feed unit 51 rotates counterclockwise in FIG. 9 and tilts from the standby position shown in FIG. 9 to the feed position shown in FIG. I do. When the feed motor 21 is driven to rotate in the reverse direction, the feed unit 51 rotates clockwise in FIG. 10 and tilts from the feed posture shown in FIG. 10 to the standby posture shown in FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the power transmission mechanism 59 includes gears 71 and 72, a gear train 73, and two one-way clutches 74 and 75 supported by the support member 54. The rotation of the feed motor 21 is transmitted to a gear 71 constituting the feed unit 51. The rotation of the gear 71 is transmitted to the rotation shaft of the separation roller 53 via the one-way clutch 74. The rotation of the gear 71 is transmitted to the gear 72 via a gear train 73. The rotation of the gear 72 is transmitted to the rotation shaft of the feed roller 52 via a one-way clutch 75. Only the rotation of the feed motor 21 during the forward rotation is transmitted to the rollers 52 and 53. The rotation of the feeding motor 21 during the reverse rotation is not transmitted to the rollers 52 and 53.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 5, the main body 55 </ b> A of the stopper 55 is rotatably supported on the back surface of the first cover 19. At a position near the stopper 55, a lock lever 76 is rotatably supported by the support member 54 constituting the first cover 19. The lock lever 76 rotates in conjunction with a change in the attitude of the feeding unit 51, and is disposed at a lock position where the stopper 55 is locked so as not to rotate, and a lock release position where the stopper 55 is allowed to rotate. .

  Further, a detection lever 57 constituting the medium detector 56 is supported on the back surface of the first cover 19 so as to be rotatable around a shaft portion 57A. When the user sets the medium S on the mounting surface 17, the medium detector 56 determines whether the medium S has been set based on the displacement of the detection lever 57 pressed on the leading end of the medium S in the feeding direction. Detect. The detection lever 57 is urged by an elastic member 77 such as a torsion coil spring in a direction from the detection state to the non-detection state. Note that the elastic member 77 may not be provided as long as the detection lever 57 can return to the standby position, which is the non-detection state, due to its own weight.

  As shown in FIG. 6, the feeding device 100 passes through the feeding path F1 of the medium S set on the mounting surface 17 with the leading end inserted into the supply port 16 and the feeding path F1. And a transport path F2 for transporting the fed medium S to the recording unit 30. The feeding path F1 is formed between the guide surface 62 and the first guide portion 64 when the cover 19 is closed.

  A feeding unit 51 supported by the first cover 19 is disposed above the middle position of the feeding path F1. In the state shown in FIG. 6, the feeding unit 51 is in a standby posture when the user sets the medium S before the start of recording, and at this time, the feeding roller 52 is at the raised retracted position. When the feeding unit 51 is at the standby position, the stopper 55 is locked so as not to rotate while blocking the feeding path F1.

  The stopper 55 is located between the feeding roller 52 and the separation roller 53 on the feeding path F1. The user places the medium S on the placement surface 17 and inserts the tip of the medium S from the supply port 16 to set the medium. When the medium S is set, as shown in FIG. 8, the leading end of the medium S abuts on the stopper 55 and is placed at a set position where further insertion is restricted. In the state where the medium S is at the set position, when the feeding unit 51 is tilted from the standby position (see also FIG. 9) indicated by a solid line in FIG. 6 to the feeding position (see FIG. 10), the feeding roller 52 is rotated. The sheet is lowered to the feeding position shown by a two-dot chain line in FIG. 6 and contacts the upper surface of the set medium S. Further, the lock of the stopper 55 is released by the tilting of the feeding unit 51 from the standby position to the feeding position. In this state, the feeding roller 52 feeds the loaded medium S. At this time, as the feeding roller 52 and the separation roller 53 rotate, the medium S that has received the rotational force from the feeding roller 52 pushes up the stopper 55 and is sent out downstream in the feeding direction Y1.

  The medium S sent downstream of the stopper 55 is sandwiched between the separation roller 53 and the driven roller 61 and sent out, so that even if the medium S is double fed, it is separated into one sheet. The medium S separated into one sheet is transferred to the transport roller 66, passes through the transport path F2 by the rotation of the transport roller 66, and onto the support surface 33A of the support unit 33 on which recording is performed by the recording unit 30 illustrated in FIG. Conveyed.

  As shown in FIG. 7, the medium detector 56 is disposed at an intermediate position in the feeding path F1. The medium detector 56 is an example of a detection unit that crosses the feeding path F1 and detects the detection lever 57, and switches between detection and non-detection according to the tilt angle of the detection lever 57. And a sensor 78. The detection lever 57 has a base portion 57A rotatably supported by a support portion 19A, which is a component part of the first cover 19, and when pressed in the feeding direction Y1 by the medium S, the shaft portion 57A. Around the center. The detection lever 57 is biased by its own weight and the elastic force of the elastic member 77 (see FIG. 5) in a direction in which the angle formed with respect to the vertical direction Z becomes smaller.

  As shown in FIG. 7, the sensor 78 is provided in the apparatus main body 12 at a position below the feeding path F1. Here, if the sensor 78 is provided on the first cover 19, it is necessary to take a complicated wiring structure capable of opening and closing the first cover 19. The wiring structure is sufficient. The detection lever 57 has a length that can be detected by the sensor 78. The detection lever 57 is in the non-detection state shown in FIG. 7 when there is no medium S, and is detected by the sensor 78 in this non-detection state. On the other hand, when the set medium S pushes the detection lever 57 and the detection lever 57 is tilted from the non-detection state and is no longer detected by the sensor 78, the detection lever 57 detects the medium S (FIG. 11 and FIG. 12).

  As described above, the detection lever 57 is in the non-detection state when the medium S is not placed at the set position where the feeding by the feeding roller 52 can be performed, and when the medium S placed at the set position is pressed and fed. The detection state is displaced in the direction of the path of the transmission path F1. The sensor 78 outputs a non-detection signal when the detection lever 57 is in the non-detection state, and outputs a detection signal when the detection lever 57 is in the detection state.

  The detection lever 57 is located upstream of the stopper 55 in the feeding direction Y1 in the feeding path F1. For this reason, if the medium S is set until it hits the stopper 55, the medium S pushes the detection lever 57 in the middle and rotates the detection lever 57 from the non-detection state to the detection state. Accordingly, the sensor 78 switches from the non-detection state in which the medium S is not detected by detecting the detection lever 57 to the detection state in which the medium S is detected by not detecting the detection lever 57. Thus, the medium detector 56 detects the presence or absence of the set medium S.

  By the way, when the user sets the medium S, after the detection lever 57 pressed by the medium S rotates to the detection state and then releases the hand from the set medium S, the detection lever 57 is released from the detection state. A phenomenon occurs in which the medium S is pushed back from the set position to the upstream side in the feeding direction Y1 by the urging force to return in the direction toward the detection state. This phenomenon occurs remarkably when one small medium S is placed on the placing surface 17 and the weight of the medium S pushed back by the detection lever 57 is light. In particular, when one medium S having a small size is set, a kicking phenomenon occurs in which the medium S is repelled by the urging force of the detection lever 57 in a direction opposite to the feeding direction Y1. The return amount of the medium S due to the kicking phenomenon tends to increase as the size of the medium S placed on one sheet decreases. In the present embodiment, the kicking phenomenon is suppressed and the return amount of the medium S from the set position is reduced by devising the shape of the contact portion of the detection lever 57 that comes into contact with the medium S.

  As shown in FIG. 8, the first cover 19 is provided with a lock lever 76 for switching the stopper 55 between a locked state and an unlocked state. The lock lever 76 is supported by the first cover 19 so as to be rotatable and vertically displaceable. The lever portion 76A of the lock lever 76 is in contact with the column portion 19B, which is a component of the first cover 19, in a state of being urged only by its own weight or by its own weight and the elastic force of a spring. The lock lever 76 moves up and down in conjunction with the tilting movement of the feeding unit 51. The lock lever 76 is arranged at a lock position shown by a solid line in FIG. 8 when the feeding unit 51 is in the retracted position, and regulates the rotation of the stopper 55 about the shaft 55B. Further, when the feeding unit 51 is in the feeding position, the lock lever 76 is disposed at an unlocked position indicated by a two-dot chain line in FIG. 8, and allows the stopper 55 to rotate around the shaft 55B. Note that the stopper 55 is in a state of crossing the feeding path F1 when its tip enters the recess 62A.

  Next, the tilting operation of the feeding unit 51 will be described with reference to FIGS. In the state where the feeding unit 51 is in the retracted posture shown in FIG. 9, the feeding roller 52 is located above the separation roller 53 and is located at a retracted position where it is retracted upward with respect to the feeding path F1. On the other hand, when the feeding unit 51 is in the feeding posture shown in FIG. 10, the feeding roller 52 is located below the separation roller 53 and abuts on the upper surface of the medium S set at the set position. The feed roller 52 shown in FIG. 10 is at the lowest position, and when the medium S is set, is held at a height in contact with the upper surface of the medium S.

  The tilting operation of the feeding unit 51 is realized by the tilting mechanism 70 tilting the support member 54 that supports the rollers 52 and 53. When the rotation of the feeding motor 21 at the time of the forward rotation driving is input, the tilting mechanism 70 tilts the support member 54 in the counterclockwise direction in FIG. 9 around the rotation axis of the separation roller 53, and moves the feeding roller 52. Lower from the retracted position to the feeding position. At this time, the forward rotation of the feed motor 21 at the time of forward rotation is transmitted to the rollers 52 and 53 via the one-way clutches 74 and 75 (see FIG. 5). Therefore, when the feed roller 52 moves down to the feed position, the feed roller 52 and the separation roller 53 rotate in the medium feeding direction. Therefore, the set medium S is fed in the feeding direction Y1 by the rotation of the feeding roller 52 and the separation roller 53.

  On the other hand, when the feed motor 21 is driven to rotate in the reverse direction, the feed unit 51 in the feed posture shown in FIG. 10 tilts clockwise in FIG. 10 to the standby posture shown in FIG. The feed roller 52 moves up from the feed position shown in FIG. 10 to the retracted position shown in FIG. At this time, the reverse rotation of the feed motor 21 at the time of the reverse rotation drive is not transmitted to the rollers 52, 53 via the one-way clutches 74, 75 (see FIG. 5). For this reason, when the feed motor 21 is driven to rotate in the reverse direction and the feed roller 52 rises to the retracted position, the feed roller 52 and the separation roller 53 do not rotate.

  Next, the configuration of the detection lever 57 will be described with reference to FIG. As shown in FIG. 11, the detection lever 57 has a contact portion 81 in a region where the detection lever 57 can come in contact with the medium S fed along the feeding path F1. The contact portion 81 includes an inclined portion 82 that is inclined with respect to the rotation radial direction of the detection lever 57 located at the distal end portion of the detection lever 57, and a step portion 83 as an example of a return force reducing portion. The step portion 83 is located closer to the shaft portion 57A than the inclined portion 82 in the contact portion 81 of the detection lever 57. The inclined portion 82 is a portion where the leading end of the medium S contacts when the medium S is disposed at the set position where the medium S contacts the stopper 55. When the user inserts the medium S from the supply port 16 to the set position where the tip of the medium S abuts on the stopper 55, the medium S pushes the inclined portion 82 to be inclined, so that the detection lever 57 is displaced from the non-detection state to the detection state. As a result, the medium detector 56 changes from the non-detection state to the detection state, and its output switches from the non-detection signal to the detection signal. As shown in FIG. 11, the inclined portion 82 of the detection lever 57 which is pressed into the medium S at the set position and is in the detection state is greatly inclined with respect to the feeding direction Y1 parallel to the surface of the medium S.

  As shown in FIG. 11, the step portion 83 is formed of a mountain-shaped convex portion that is convex downward with respect to a direction along a predetermined inclination of the inclined portion 82 of the detection lever 57. In other words, the step portion 83 is provided at a position closer to the base of the detection lever 57 than the inclined portion 82 provided at the distal end of the detection lever 57, and protrudes in the direction facing the medium S contacted by the inclined portion 82. Is a convex part. Therefore, a concave portion 84 exists between the inclined portion 82 and the step portion 83 of the detection lever 57. In the step portion 83, the top of the mountain-shaped convex portion is formed on a curved surface.

  As shown in FIG. 12, when the medium S comes into contact with the top of the curved surface of the mountain-shaped projection, the contact position of the medium S that contacts the top of the step 83 on the curved surface of the step 83. The angle formed by the tangent line with the surface of the medium S is equal to or less than half the angle formed by the inclined portion 82 with the medium S. Here, the angle formed by the tangent at the contact position of the medium S on the curved surface of the step portion 83 with the surface of the medium S is, for example, preferably 20 degrees or less, and more preferably 10 degrees or less. In the present example shown in FIG. 12, when the medium S comes into contact with the step portion 83, the angle between the direction of the tangent at the contact position on the curved surface of the step portion 83 and the surface of the medium S in a side view in FIG. , Which is optimally set to 0 degrees. Note that 0 degrees here includes, for example, ± 3 degrees of assembly variation.

Next, the operation of the recording device 11 will be described.
When the medium S is set in the feeding device 100 and recorded on the recording device 11, for example, the user places the medium S on the mounting surface 17 and inserts the leading end of the medium S from the supply port 16 in the feeding direction Y1. To set at the set position. At this time, the feed unit 51 is in the retracted position, the feed roller 52 is raised to the retracted position, the lock lever 76 is in the lock position shown by the solid line in FIG. 8, and the stopper 55 is rotated by the lock lever 76. Locked immovably. For this reason, as shown in FIG. 8, the medium S is positioned at the set position where the leading end of the medium S hits the stopper 55 and further insertion is restricted.

  At this time, in the process of inserting the medium S to the position where it hits the stopper 55, the detection lever 57 of the medium detector 56 is pushed to rotate the detection lever 57 from the non-detection state to the detection state. Therefore, the state is switched from the non-detection state of the medium S in which the sensor 78 is detecting the detection lever 57 to the detection state of the medium S in which the detection lever 57 is not detected. When the user sets the medium S at the set position, the leading end of the medium S at the set position is in contact with the inclined portion 82 of the detection lever 57 as shown in FIG.

  When the user releases his / her hand from the medium S whose leading end contacts the inclined portion 82, the detection lever 57 attempts to return from the detection state to the non-detection state due to its own weight and the urging force of the elastic member 77. At this time, the force Fa shown in FIG. 11 is applied to the leading end of the medium S by the urging force of the detection lever 57, as shown in FIG. This force Fa is divided into a first force Fa1 which is a component in a vertical direction Z perpendicular to the path direction of the feeding path F1 parallel to the feeding direction Y1, and a second force Fa2 which is a component in the path direction. . The second force Fa2 in the feeding direction Y1 is a force that pushes the medium S back in the direction opposite to the feeding direction Y1. When only one medium S has received the second force Fa2 and has a small size, the medium S is pushed back. At this time, if the weight of the medium S is particularly small, a kick-out phenomenon occurs in which the medium S is pushed by the moment when the medium S is pushed back. In this case, if the amount of the medium S returned from the set position is large, the feeding by the feeding roller 52 cannot be performed. Further, even if the return amount is small, the user feels uncomfortable with the phenomenon that the set medium S returns.

  The inclined portion 82 is displaced downward as the leading end of the medium S when one sheet is set is pushed back by the detection lever 57, so that the contact point between the leading end of the medium S and the inclined portion 82 is The medium S gradually moves toward the base, and during this time, the leading end of the medium S slides on the inclined portion 82. When the medium S is returned to some extent, the surface of the medium S comes into contact with the step portion 83 as shown in FIG. Since the step portion 83 is a convex portion that is convex downward, the upper surface of the medium S comes into contact with the top portion formed by the curved surface of the step portion 83. At this time, the direction of the tangent line to the step 83 at the contact position where the surface of the medium S contacts the step 83 has an angle of ± 20 degrees or less, more preferably 10 degrees or less with the surface of the medium S, and is optimal in this example. 0 degrees.

  The step portion 83 is a component in the path direction with respect to a first force Fb1 which is a component of the force received by the medium S from the detection lever 57 in the vertical direction Z that is a vertical direction perpendicular to the path direction parallel to the feeding direction Y1. Of the second force Fb2, which is a portion other than the stepped portion 83 of the detection lever 57, is changed to be smaller. In this example, the force Fb that the medium S receives from the step portion 83 is the first downward force Fb1 in the vertical direction Z perpendicular to the surface of the medium S. The second force Fb2, which is a component of the force Fb in the feeding direction Y1, has a value of zero or a very small value. Therefore, the medium S is not pushed back any more. As a result, even if the medium S is pushed back to the detection lever 57 when the hand is released from the medium S set at the set position, the amount of return can be suppressed to a small value. Therefore, the medium S is returned from the set position too much, so that the feeding by the feeding roller 52 becomes impossible, or when the amount of return is small, the push-back phenomenon that makes the user feel uncomfortable can be eliminated. Therefore, when the user sets the medium S on the mounting surface 17 and releases his / her hand, it is possible to suppress the returning phenomenon or the kicking phenomenon in which the medium S is pushed back in the direction opposite to the feeding direction Y1.

  Thereafter, when the recording device 11 receives a print job, the feed motor 21 is driven to rotate forward. The feeding unit 51 tilts from the standby posture shown in FIG. 9 to the feeding posture shown in FIG. As a result, the feed roller 52 comes into contact with the upper surface of the set medium S. The rotation of the feeding motor 21 is transmitted to a gear 71 constituting the feeding unit 51 via a power transmission mechanism 59. The rotation of the gear 71 is transmitted to the rotation shaft of the separation roller 53 via the one-way clutch 74. The rotation of the gear 71 is transmitted to the gear 72 via a gear train 73, and the rotation of the gear 72 is transmitted to the rotation shaft of the feed roller 52 via a one-way clutch 75. Therefore, when the feed motor 21 rotates forward, the rollers 52 and 53 rotate, and the medium S is fed in the feed direction Y1. The fed medium S is transported onto the support 33 through the transport path F2. An image or the like is recorded on the medium S by the head 31 discharging the liquid toward the medium S while the carriage 32 reciprocates in the width direction X. For example, when a plurality of media S are set on the mounting surface 17, when the feeding of one media is completed, the second media S is subsequently fed and fed one by one in order. The medium S after recording is sequentially stacked on the discharge tray 24 through the discharge port 23.

According to the above embodiment, the following effects can be obtained.
(1) The feeding device 100 feeds the medium S mounted on the mounting surface 17 along the feeding path F1 while being positioned between the pair of guide surfaces 18A. The feeding device 100 includes a feeding roller 52 that feeds the placed medium S. Also, the feeding device 100 detects the non-detection state when the medium S is not placed at the set position where the feeding by the feeding roller 52 is possible, and the feeding device 100 is pushed by the medium S placed at the set position. A detection lever 57 is provided as an example of a detection member that is displaced into a detection state that is displaced in the path direction of the transmission path F1, and a sensor 78 is provided as an example of a detection unit that detects the detection lever 57 as a detection target. The sensor 78 outputs a non-detection signal when the detection lever 57 is in the non-detection state, and outputs a detection signal when the detection lever 57 is in the detection state. The detection lever 57 is an example of a return force reducing unit that reduces a return force that pushes the medium S back in a direction opposite to the feeding direction Y1 in the path direction to the contact unit 81 that contacts the medium S placed at the set position. As a step 83. Accordingly, after the user sets the medium S on the mounting surface 17 in a state where the medium S is inserted to the set position, when the user releases his / her hand from the medium S, the detection lever 57 is moved by its own weight or the urging force of the elastic member 77 such as a spring. A return force is generated that pushes S back in the direction opposite to the feeding direction Y1. At this time, the medium S is pushed back while being in contact with the contact portion 81 of the detection lever 57, and the contact position of the medium S with the contact portion 81 of the detection lever 57 changes in the process of being pushed back. When the position where the medium S comes into contact with the contact portion 81 reaches the step portion 83, the return force of the detection lever 57 for pushing back the medium S is reduced. That is, when the medium S reaches the step portion 83, the direction of the force that the detection lever 57 acts on the medium S at the step portion 83 becomes smaller in the force component in the path direction as compared with the portion other than the previous step portion. Change in direction. As a result, after the user sets the medium S at the set position, when the user releases his / her hand from the medium S, the amount by which the medium S is pushed back from the set position can be reduced.

  (2) The ratio of the second force, which is a component in the path direction of the feeding path F1, to the first force, which is a component in the vertical direction perpendicular to the path direction, of the force acting on the medium S from the detection lever 57 is equal to the medium. When the state where the medium S comes into contact with the step 83 from the state where it comes into contact with the part other than the step 83 changes to a state where the medium S comes into contact with the step 83, the state changes slightly. Therefore, when the position on the contact portion 81 where the medium S contacts the detection lever 57 reaches the step portion 83 from a portion other than the step portion 83, the force that the medium S receives from the step portion 83 of the detection lever 57 in the path direction is reduced. The change is small, and further pushing back of the medium S by the detection lever 57 can be stopped.

  (3) The detection lever 57 is provided to be rotatable around a shaft portion 57A located above the feeding path F1. Therefore, when the medium S is inserted to the set position, the detection lever 57 pressed by the medium S rotates from the non-detection state to the detection state by rotating about the shaft 57A above the feeding path F1. Displace. When the user releases his / her hand from the medium S, the detection lever 57 is returned, for example, only by its own weight or by the own weight and the urging force of the elastic member 77 such as a spring. In the configuration in which the weight of the detection lever 57 acts as a force in the return direction, the return force from the detection lever 57 cannot be eliminated. However, when the contact position between the medium S and the detection lever 57 reaches the step portion 83, the return force of the detection lever 57 is weakened, and further pushing back of the medium S can be restricted. Further, the detection lever 57 extends across the feed path F1, and a sensor 78 that detects the detection lever 57 is disposed at a position opposite to the shaft section 57A with respect to the feed path F1. Therefore, by providing the sensor 78 in the apparatus main body 12, a simple wiring structure is sufficient.

  (4) The return force reducing portion is a stepped portion 83 provided at a position closer to the base than the inclined portion 82 in the detection lever 57 and formed of a convex portion that is convex in a direction facing the medium S. When the user releases his / her hand from the medium S set at the set position, the medium S contacting the contact portion 81 of the detection lever 57 is pushed back. When the contact position at which the medium S contacts the detection lever 57 in the process of being pushed back reaches the step portion 83 from a portion other than the step portion 83, the force acting on the medium S from the detection lever 57 in the vertical direction perpendicular to the path direction. The ratio of the second force, which is a component in the path direction of the feeding path F1, to the first force, which is the component of the first path, changes slightly. As a result, when the medium S reaches the step portion 83, the pushing back of the medium S by the detection lever 57 stops. As a result, the return amount of the medium S can be reduced as compared with the configuration in which the detection lever 57 does not have the stepped portion 83.

  (5) The printer includes the feeding device 100 and a recording unit 30 that records on the medium S fed by the feeding device 100. Therefore, in the feeding device 100 of the recording device 11, the same effect as that of the feeding device 100 can be obtained.

(2nd Embodiment)
Next, a second embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. In this embodiment, the configuration of the detection lever 57 is different from that of the first embodiment. Other configurations of the recording device 11 are the same as those of the first embodiment.

  As shown in FIG. 13, the contact portion 81 of the detection lever 57 as an example of the detection member includes a slope portion 82 formed at a portion closer to the front end and a plurality of portions formed at a position closer to the base portion than the slope portion 82. And a step portion 83 as an example of the return force reducing portion. The shape of the step portion 83 is basically a downwardly convex mountain-shaped protrusion similar to the step portion 83 shown in FIGS. 11 and 12 in the first embodiment, and the top portion thereof is viewed from the side in FIG. It has a curved surface. Since a plurality of steps 83 are formed, one size of the steps 83 is smaller than that of the first embodiment.

  The contact position at which the leading end of the medium S contacts the detection lever 57 changes depending on the position where the user inserts the medium S before the set position. When the user releases the hand, the position where the leading end of the medium S contacts the contact portion 81 is slid upward by being pushed back by the detection lever 57, and further pushed back when reaching the nearest step 83. Stops. That is, when the medium S reaches the step 83, the direction of the force acting on the medium S at the step 83 by the detection lever 57 is smaller in the direction of the path of the feeding path F <b> 1 than in the portion other than the step 83. The force component changes in a direction to decrease. For this reason, compared with the first embodiment, the return amount of the medium S pushed back from the position where the user sets the medium S can be suppressed to be smaller.

According to the second embodiment, the following effects can be obtained in addition to the effects (1) to (5).
(6) The detection lever 57 is provided with a plurality of steps 83. Therefore, regardless of the position where the medium S is set up to the set position, in the process in which the medium S is pushed back by the detection lever 57, the return amount until the medium S reaches any one of the plurality of steps 83 is obtained. I'm done. Therefore, the return amount of the medium S can be reduced.

(Third embodiment)
Next, a third embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. In this embodiment, the configuration of the detection lever 57 is different from that of the first embodiment. Other configurations of the recording device 11 are the same as those of the first embodiment.

  As shown in FIG. 14, the contact portion 81 of the detection lever 57 as an example of the detection member has a first inclined portion 85 and a second inclined portion 86 as an example of a return force reducing portion. The angle formed by the first inclined portion 85 with respect to the feeding direction Y1 of the medium S, ie, the surface of the set medium S, is larger than the angle formed by the second inclined portion 86. That is, the detection lever 57 has a bent shape in which a portion closer to the front end has a larger angle with respect to a path direction parallel to the feeding direction Y1 than a portion closer to the base portion. The detection lever 57 has a shape bent between the first inclined portion 85 and the second inclined portion 86.

  Therefore, when the set medium S is pushed back to the detection lever 57, the contact position of the leading end of the medium S with respect to the detection lever 57 shifts from the first inclined portion 85 to the second inclined portion 86. When the portion where the leading end of the medium S contacts the detection lever 57 is the first inclined portion 85, the angle between the first inclined portion 85 and the surface of the medium S is large, so that the force received by the medium S from the detection lever 57 Is large and the medium S is pushed back.

  When the portion where the leading end of the medium S contacts the detection lever 57 slides from the first inclined portion 85 to the second inclined portion 86, the angle formed by the contact position between the detection lever 57 and the medium S decreases. At this time, the force Fc received by the medium S from the detection lever 57 when the leading end of the medium S is in contact with the second inclined portion 86 is a component in the vertical direction Z that is a direction perpendicular to the path direction of the feeding path F1. And a second force Fc2 which is a component in a path direction parallel to the feeding direction Y1. The second force Fc2, which is a component of the force Fc applied to the medium S from the detection lever 57 in the feeding direction Y1 when the leading end of the medium S is in contact with the second inclined portion 86, 85 is smaller than the force which is a component of the force applied to the medium S from the detection lever 57 in the feeding direction Y1. That is, the second inclined portion 86 is a component of the force applied to the medium S from the detection lever 57 in the path direction with respect to the first force Fc1, which is a vertical component perpendicular to the path direction parallel to the feeding direction Y1. The ratio of a certain second force Fc2 is changed to be smaller than that of the first inclined portion 85, which is a portion of the detection lever 57 other than the second inclined portion 86. Therefore, the return amount of the medium S when the user releases his / her hand from the medium S set at the set position can be reduced.

According to the third embodiment, the following effects are obtained in addition to the effects (1) to (3) and (5).
(7) The detection lever 57 has a shape in which the angle formed with respect to the path direction of the feeding path F1 is greater at the portion closer to the tip than at the portion closer to the base. Therefore, for example, the space occupied by the rotation range when the detection lever 57 rotates can be relatively small. For this reason, since the occupied space is reduced, a large space for arranging other members or other components can be secured, or the freedom of layout of the detection lever 57 and the sensor 78 is improved.

(Fourth embodiment)
Next, a fourth embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. In this embodiment, the configuration of a detection lever 57 is different from each of the above embodiments. Other configurations of the recording device 11 are the same as those of the first embodiment.

  As shown in FIGS. 15 to 17, a friction imparting member 87 is attached to a portion of the detection lever 57 as an example of the detection member closer to the tip than the return force reducing portion. More specifically, the detection lever 57 is provided with a frictional coefficient having a larger friction coefficient μ than the other parts of the detection lever 57 at a portion corresponding to the inclined portion 82 or the first inclined portion 85 at the tip of the contact portion 81. The member 87 is stuck. That is, when the user removes his / her hand from the medium S set at the set position, a portion of the detection lever 57 where the medium S comes into contact and is kicked off is provided with a friction coefficient having a larger friction coefficient μ than the base material of the detection lever 57. The member 87 is stuck. In this example, for example, a rubber material is attached as the friction applying member 87. Here, the application of the friction applying member 87 includes, in addition to the application with an adhesive, the formation of a coat layer by applying a synthetic resin liquid.

  The detection lever 57 shown in FIG. 15 has a friction imparting member 87 attached to an inclined portion 82 of the detection lever 57 in the first embodiment. The detection lever 57 shown in FIG. 16 has a friction imparting member 87 attached to an inclined portion 82 of the detection lever 57 in the second embodiment. In FIGS. 15 and 16, the step portion 83 in which the direction of the force applied to the medium S is only the force in the vertical direction perpendicular to the path direction is preferably smaller in frictional force. 87 is pasted.

  The detection lever 57 shown in FIG. 17 has a friction imparting member 87 attached to a first inclined portion 85 of the detection lever 57 in the third embodiment. That is, in the detection lever 57 shown in FIG. 17, the friction applying member 87 is attached to the steeply inclined first inclined portion 85 on the slope near the front end. The frictional applying member 87 is not attached to the second inclined portion 86 having a gentle angle so as not to be caught when the medium S is fed.

  The medium S is pushed back by the detection lever 57 while the contact position of the leading end of the medium S is relatively slid upward while the detection lever 57 rotates in the restoration direction by the urging force. At this time, the presence of the friction applying member 87 increases the sliding frictional resistance between the tip of the medium S and the inclined portion 82 or the first inclined portion 85 near the tip of the detection lever 57. The rotation speed in the restoring direction becomes slow, and the kicking phenomenon of the detection lever 57 flipping the medium S is less likely to occur.

  Here, whether the medium S is pushed back or not due to the restoring force of the detection lever 57 is determined by the angle formed by the friction applying member 87 with respect to the horizontal plane and the friction coefficient μ in the detection lever 57. The angle of the detection lever 57 is the same in the first to third embodiments, and the medium S does not slide on the detection lever 57 because the friction coefficient μ of the friction applying member 87 is larger than the other parts. However, if the friction of the contact portion 81 of the detection lever 57 is too large, the medium S is caught when the medium S is fed by the feeding roller 52 or the like. Is set to As described above, when two types of materials are used for the detection lever 57, the ease of forming the detection lever 57 having different characteristics is improved.

  According to the fourth embodiment, the effects (1) to (5) in the first embodiment, the effect (6) in the second embodiment, and the effect (7) in the third embodiment. In addition to the same effects, the following effects can be obtained.

  (8) A friction applying member 87 is attached to the detection lever 57 at a portion closer to the tip than the return force reducing portion. Therefore, when the medium S inserted to the set position is pushed back by the detection lever 57, the medium S comes into contact with the friction applying member 87 in the process of reaching the return force reducing portion, so that the medium S at the contact portion between the medium S and the friction applying member 87 The return speed of the detection lever 57 is reduced by the large frictional force. As a result, kicking of the medium S by the detection lever 57 is suppressed. Therefore, the return amount of the medium S can be reduced.

(Fifth embodiment)
Next, a fifth embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. In this embodiment, the arrangement position of the detection lever is different from each of the above embodiments. Other configurations of the recording device 11 are the same as those of the first embodiment.

  As shown in FIG. 18, a detection lever 91 as an example of a detection member constituting the medium detector 56 is rotatable about a shaft 92 located below the feeding path F1. It is supported by. In the example illustrated in FIG. 18, the detection lever 91 is in the non-detection state in which the medium S is not detected at the position P1 by the sensor 78 disposed at a position above the feeding path F1. Further, the detection lever 91 enters a detection state in which the medium S is detected at the positions P2 and P3 without being detected by the sensor 78. The detection lever 91 is urged by an elastic member such as a spring (not shown) in a direction from the detection state to the non-detection state.

  The detection lever 91 has an inclined portion 93 located closer to the front end, which is a portion that can be contacted by the medium S when being set, and an upwardly convex step 94 located closer to the base than the inclined portion 93. ing. In detail, the step portion 94 has a curved surface in which the surface on which the medium S is placed is convex upward, and the force acting on the medium S has a component force in the vertical direction Z orthogonal to the surface of the medium S. The force of the component in the push-back direction, which occupies most of the medium S and is opposite to the feeding direction Y1, is zero or considerably small.

  The position P2 corresponds to the position of the detection lever 91 when the medium S is at the set position where the user has inserted the medium S to a position where the tip of the medium S hits the stopper 55 (see FIG. 8). When the user releases his / her hand from the medium S at the set position, the medium S is pushed back to the detection lever 91 if the medium S is a small one. When the detection lever 91 returns to the position P3, the medium S is placed on the step 94, and receives a large upward force from the step 94 in the vertical direction Z orthogonal to the surface of the medium S, which is opposite to the feeding direction Y1. The force of the component in the push-back direction, which is the direction of, is zero or considerably small. Further, when the step 94 of the detection lever 91 comes into contact with the lower surface of the medium S that is in contact with the lower surface of the first guide portion 64, further rotation of the detection lever 91 in the counterclockwise direction in FIG. Be regulated. As a result, the medium S is not further pushed back by the detection lever 91. Therefore, the detection lever 91 stops at the position P3, and the return amount of the medium S from the set position is small. As in the case of FIG. 16, a plurality of steps 94 may be provided at a position closer to the base of the detection lever 91 than the inclined portion 93 that can contact the medium S at the set position.

According to the fifth embodiment, the following effects are obtained in addition to the effects (1) to (5) of the first embodiment.
(9) Since the detection lever 91 is provided on the apparatus main body 12, the detection lever 91 can be provided even when a space for disposing the detection lever 91 cannot be secured in the first cover 19.

(Sixth embodiment)
Next, a sixth embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. This embodiment is an example in which the feeding device is applied to a reading device that reads a document D. In the example shown in FIG. 19, the reading apparatus is applied to a multifunction peripheral 110 having both a reading function and a recording function. The MFP 110 illustrated in FIG. 19 includes a reading unit 120 that reads a document D as an example of a medium, a feeding device 100 that supplies the document D to the reading unit 120, and a medium such as a sheet supplied from a medium storage unit 25. And a recording unit 130 for recording in S. The feeding device 100 is arranged above the reading unit 120. The multifunction peripheral 110 includes a platen cover 111 on the upper side of the apparatus main body 12 and is attached to the platen cover 111. The recording unit 130 includes the recording unit 30 and the transport unit 40 illustrated in FIG. The multifunction peripheral 110 has a reading function in which the reading unit 120 reads the document D, a recording function in which the recording unit 130 records on the medium S such as paper, and an image based on image data obtained by reading the document D by the reading unit 120. The recording unit 130 has a copy function of recording on the medium S.

  As shown in FIG. 19, the feeding device 100 includes a feeding tray 101 as an example of a placement unit, a feeding unit 20 that feeds the originals D set on the feeding tray 101 one by one to a reading unit 120, A discharge tray 102 from which the document D after the unit 120 has read the image is discharged. The supply tray 101 includes a placing surface 17 on which the document D is placed, and a pair of edge guides 18 used for positioning the document D placed on the placing surface 17 also in the width direction X.

  As illustrated in FIG. 20, the feeding apparatus 100 feeds the document D on a transport path that discharges the document D set on the supply tray 101 to the discharge tray 102 via the reading position of the reading unit 120. . The feeding device 100 includes a medium detector 56 having a detection lever 57 as an example of a detection member disposed in the middle of a feeding path F1 for feeding the document D set on the placing surface 17. The feeding unit 20 feeds the topmost one of the originals D set on the placing surface 17 (see FIGS. 5 and 6), and is fed from the feeding roller 52. A separation roller 53 for separating the document D into one sheet; The feeding device 100 also includes a conveyance roller 66 that conveys the document D fed along the feeding path F1 along the conveyance path F2, and a document D read at a reading position in the middle of the conveyance path F2. And a discharge roller 103 that discharges the paper toward the discharge tray 102 along the transport path F2.

  The reading unit 120 illustrated in FIG. 20 includes a carriage 121 that reads a document D. The carriage 121 has a reading unit 122 including a line sensor in which a plurality of sensors are arranged in the width direction X and a light source. The carriage 121 is provided so as to be capable of reciprocating in a sub-scanning direction that intersects the main scanning direction with the width direction X, which is the line direction in which the reading unit 122 reads one line, as the main scanning direction. In the example illustrated in FIG. 20, the direction parallel to the transport direction Y of the medium S at the position where the recording is performed by the recording unit 30 (see FIG. 2), that is, the horizontal direction in FIG.

  The multifunction peripheral 110 includes a document table 123 that is exposed when the document table cover 111 is opened. The document table 123 has a glass plate 124 on which the document D is placed, and a window 125 into which a glass plate used when reading the fed document D is incorporated. When the document D is set on the loading surface 17 of the feeding device 100 and the control unit 50 of the multifunction peripheral 110 receives a reading instruction in a state where the medium detector 56 detects the document D, the control unit 50 Moves the carriage 121 to the reading position shown in FIG. The control unit 50 feeds the originals D on the placing surface 17 one by one by driving the feed motor 21 to rotate forward.

  In the example shown in FIG. 20, the detection lever 57 as an example of the detection member has the same configuration as the detection lever 57 shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, and has one step portion 83 in the contact portion 81. The user sets the document D on the mounting surface 17 of the supply tray 101. The medium detector 56 detects the document D set on the supply tray 101. For example, even if a user sets a small original D and then releases his / her hand, the original D is pushed back by the urging force of the detection lever 57, and the return amount of the original D at that time is reduced. Can be.

  In the MFP 110, the detection lever 57 is replaced with the detection lever 57 having one step 83 shown in FIGS. 11 and 12 in the first embodiment, as shown in FIG. 13 in the second embodiment. The detection lever 57 having a plurality of steps 83 may be used. Further, the detection lever 57 may be replaced with the detection lever 57 having the first inclined portion 85 and the second inclined portion 86 shown in FIG. 14 in the third embodiment. That is, the configuration may be such that the angle formed by the detection lever 57 with respect to the rotational radial direction is smaller in the second inclined portion 86 near the base portion than in the first inclined portion 85 near the distal end portion. Further, the detection lever 57 may be replaced with the detection lever 57 in which the friction applying member 87 shown in FIGS. 15 to 17 in the fourth embodiment is attached to the inclined portion 82 or 85 near the tip of the detection lever 57. Good. Further, the detection lever 57 may be replaced with the detection lever 91 shown in FIG. 18 in the fifth embodiment. That is, even if the shaft portion 92 of the detection lever 91 is supported by the apparatus main body 12 at a position lower than the feeding path F1, and the detection lever 57 is disposed upward with the tip portion positioned above the shaft portion 92. Good. In the configuration in which the detection lever 91 is arranged upward as described above, a plurality of step portions 94 as an example of the return force reducing portion are provided, and the angle formed with respect to the rotation radial direction of the detection lever 91 is the third position closer to the distal end. The second inclined portion closer to the base portion may be made smaller than the one inclined portion, and the second inclined portion may be configured as an example of the return force reducing portion.

  According to the sixth embodiment, even in a configuration in which the feeding apparatus 100 is applied to the multifunction peripheral 110, the effects (1) to (5) in the first embodiment and the (6) in the second embodiment can be achieved. ), The effect (7) in the third embodiment, the effect (8) in the fourth embodiment, and the effect (9) in the fifth embodiment are similarly obtained. The effect of is obtained.

  (10) As an example of the reading device, the present invention is applied to the MFP 110 having the reading unit 122. The detection lever 57 for detecting the document D as an example of the medium can reduce the return amount of pushing back the document D inserted to the set position. The multifunction peripheral 110 as an example of the reading device includes the feeding device 100 and a reading unit 122 that reads the medium S fed by the feeding device 100. Therefore, also in the present embodiment in which the feeding apparatus 100 is applied to the multifunction peripheral 110 which is an example of a reading apparatus, for example, the detection lever 57 which detects the original D which is an example of a medium pushes back the set original D. The amount can be reduced.

The above embodiment can be changed to the following forms.
In the detection lever 57 shown in FIG. 14 in the third embodiment and FIG. 17 in the fourth embodiment, one or more step portions 83 may be provided in the second inclined portion 86.

  In the detection lever 57 shown in FIG. 14 in the third embodiment and FIG. 17 in the fourth embodiment, a first inclination portion 85 and a second inclination portion 86 which form different inclination angles with respect to the rotation radial direction of the detection lever 57. Is provided and bent at one place, but a plurality of inclined portions having different inclination angles may be provided and bent at a plurality of places.

  The detection lever 57 shown in FIGS. 11 to 17 in the first to fourth embodiments is provided with a shaft portion 57A in the apparatus main body 12 in the same manner as the detection lever 91 shown in FIG. 18 in the fifth embodiment. The lever 57 may be arranged upward with its tip end located above the shaft portion 57A. In this case, the sensor 78 may be provided on the first cover 19, but is preferably provided on the apparatus main body 12 to simplify the wiring structure.

  11 and FIG. 12 in the first embodiment, FIG. 13 in the second embodiment, FIG. 15 and FIG. 16 in the fourth embodiment, and the detection lever 57 in FIG. 14 or the fourth embodiment in the third embodiment. As shown in FIG. 17, a portion closer to the tip may be formed to have a larger angle with respect to the path direction than a portion closer to the base. That is, the detection lever 57 is provided with the first inclined portion 85 and the second inclined portion 86, and the angle formed with respect to the feeding direction Y1 is made larger for the first inclined portion 85 than for the second inclined portion 86, and the detection is performed. With the lever 57 at the tip, the portion of the first inclined portion 85 is largely bent with respect to the portion of the second inclined portion 86.

  The present invention is not limited to the so-called off-carriage type in which the liquid container 28 is provided in the apparatus main body 12, but may be applied to a so-called on-carriage type in which the liquid container 28 is mounted on the carriage 32.

The feeding device 100 is not limited to the configuration provided on the upper portion of the device main body 12, and may be a feeding device 100 having a supply tray extending from a side surface of the device main body 12.
-The pair of guide surfaces 18A is not limited to a movable type that can move in the width direction X, and may be a fixed type that is fixed at a fixed interval.

  In the sixth embodiment, a configuration may be adopted in which the document D being conveyed on the transport path F2 is read by a reader provided at a position along the transport path F2 instead of or in addition to the reader 122 provided on the carriage 121. For example, when another reading unit is added to the reading unit 122, it is preferable to provide the other reading unit in a direction in which both sides of the document D can be read.

The medium S is not limited to paper, but may be a synthetic resin film or sheet, cloth, nonwoven fabric, laminate sheet, or the like.
The recording apparatus 11 is not limited to a liquid ejection method such as an ink jet method, but may be a dot impact method or an electrophotographic method. Further, the recording device 11 may be a printing device.

Hereinafter, technical ideas grasped from the embodiment and the modified examples will be described together with effects.
In a feeding device that feeds a medium placed on a placement surface along a feeding path while being positioned between a pair of guide surfaces, a feed roller that feeds the placed medium, The non-detection state when the medium is not placed at the set position where the feeding by the feed roller is possible, and the medium is pushed by the medium placed at the set position and is displaced in the path direction of the feeding path. A detection member that is displaced to a detection state, wherein the detection member contacts the medium that is placed at the set position with a contact portion that contacts the medium in the direction opposite to the feeding direction in the path direction. It has a return force reduction unit that reduces the return force to push back.

  According to this configuration, when the user places the medium in a state where the medium is inserted to the set position on the feeding path, the detection member pressed by the medium is displaced from the non-detection state to the detection state. When the user removes his / her hand from the set medium, the detecting member pushes the medium back in the direction opposite to the feeding direction due to the weight of the detecting member or the urging force of an elastic member such as a spring. At this time, the medium is pushed back while being in contact with the contact portion of the detection member, and in the process of returning, the contact position of the medium with the detection member changes. When the position where the medium comes into contact with the detection member reaches the return force reduction unit, the return force of the detection member trying to push back the medium is reduced. That is, when the medium reaches the return-force reducing unit, the direction of the force acting on the medium by the detection member in the return-force reducing unit is smaller than that of the portion other than the previous return-force reducing unit. Changes in a certain direction. As a result, it is possible to reduce the return amount of the detection member that detects the medium to push back the set medium.

  In the feeding device, the return force reducing unit may be a component in the path direction with respect to a first force that is a component in a vertical direction perpendicular to the path direction in a force received by the medium from the detection member. The ratio of the force of 2 may be changed to be smaller than that of the portion other than the return force reducing portion of the detection member.

  According to this configuration, when the contact position at which the medium comes into contact with the detection member reaches the return force reducing unit from a portion other than the return force reducing unit, the contact position with respect to the first force, which is a component in the vertical direction perpendicular to the path direction, , The ratio of the second force, which is a component in the path direction, changes slightly. As a result, the pushing back of the medium by the detecting member is stopped. Therefore, the return amount of the medium by the detection member can be reduced.

In the feeding device, the detection member is provided so as to be rotatable around a shaft located above the feeding path.
According to this configuration, when the medium is inserted to the set position, the detection member pressed by the medium rotates around the shaft located above the feeding path, and displaces from the non-detection state to the detection state. I do. When the user releases his / her hand from the set medium, the detection member rotates around the shaft and returns in the path direction. At this time, the detection member is returned only by its own weight, or by its own weight and the urging force of an elastic member such as a spring. As described above, even in the configuration in which the weight of the detecting member acts as a force in the returning direction, when the contact position of the medium on the detecting member reaches the returning force reducing portion, the returning force is weakened, and further returning can be regulated.

  In the above-described feeding device, the return force reducing unit is preferably a stepped portion that is convex in a direction facing a medium provided at a position closer to a base of the detection lever than an inclined portion provided at a distal end of the detection member. It may be.

  According to this configuration, after the medium inserted to the set position pushes and displaces the detection member, when the user releases the medium, the medium is pushed back by the detection member. When the medium reaches the step in the process of being pushed back, the ratio of the second force, which is a component in the path direction, of the force received by the medium from the contact portion to the first force, which is a component in the vertical direction perpendicular to the path direction, is increased. , Change small. Therefore, the returning force of the medium by the detecting member is reduced. As a result, the return amount of the medium can be reduced as compared with the configuration in which the detecting member does not have the step portion as an example of the return force reducing portion.

In the feeding device, the detection member may include a plurality of the steps.
According to this configuration, it is sufficient to return the medium to any one of the plurality of steps, regardless of the position where the medium is inserted up to the set position. Therefore, the return amount of the medium can be reduced.

In the feeding device, a friction imparting member may be attached to the detection member at a portion closer to a tip than the return force reducing unit.
According to this configuration, when the medium inserted to the set position is pushed back to the detection member, the medium comes into contact with the friction applying member in the process of reaching the return force reducing portion, so that a large portion at the contact portion between the medium and the friction applying member. The return speed of the detection member is reduced by the frictional force. As a result, kicking of the medium by the detection member is suppressed. Therefore, the return amount of the set medium can be reduced.

In the feeding device described above, the detection member may have a shape in which a portion formed closer to the front end has a larger angle with respect to the path direction than a portion formed closer to the base.
According to this configuration, the detection member has a shape that is bent toward the medium side closer to the front end than to the base portion. For example, the occupied space occupied by the displacement trajectory when the detection member is displaced is relatively large. To be small. For this reason, a large space for arranging other members or other components can be secured, or the degree of freedom of the layout of the detection members is improved.

  The reading device includes the feeding device described above and a reading unit that reads a medium fed by the feeding device. According to this configuration, the same effect as the above-described feeding device can be obtained in the feeding device of the reading device.

  The recording device includes the above-described feeding device, and a recording unit that records on a medium fed by the feeding device. According to this configuration, the same effect as the above-described feeding device can be obtained in the feeding device of the reading device.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11 ... Recording device, 12 ... Device main body, 17 ... Mounting surface, 18 ... Edge guide, 18A ... Guide surface, 20 ... Feeding part, 21 ... Feeding motor, 30 ... Recording part, 31 ... Head, 32 ... Carriage Reference numerals 33, a support portion, 40, a transport portion, 41, a transport roller pair, 42, a transport motor, 50, a control portion, 51, a feed unit, 52, a feed roller, 53, a separation roller, 54, a support member, 55 ... stopper, 56 ... medium detector, 57 ... detection lever as an example of a detection member, 57A ... shaft part, 59 ... power transmission mechanism, 60 ... driven roller, 61 ... driven roller, 62 ... guide surface, 64 ... first Guide section, 65: second guide section, 66: transport roller, 70: tilt mechanism, 76: lock lever, 77: elastic member, 78: sensor, 81: contact section, 82: inclined section, 83: return force reducing section of Step as an example, 85... A first inclined portion, 85... A first inclined portion, 86... A second inclined portion as an example of a return force reducing portion, 87. Lever, 92: shaft portion, 93: inclined portion, 94: step portion as an example of a return force reducing portion, 100: feeding device, 110: multifunction device as an example of a reading device, 111: platen cover, 120 ... Reading unit, 121: carriage, 122: reading unit, 130: recording unit, S: medium, D: original as an example of medium, F1: feeding path, F2: conveying path, X: width direction, Y1: feeding Direction, Y: transport direction, Z: vertical direction, Fa: force, Fa1: first force, Fa2: second force, Fb: force, Fb1: first force, Fb2: second force, Fc ... Force, Fc1... First force, Fc2.

Claims (9)

In a feeding device that feeds a medium placed on a loading surface in a state positioned between a pair of guide surfaces along a feeding path,
A feeding roller for feeding the loaded medium,
The non-detection state when the medium is not placed at the set position where the feeding by the feed roller is possible, and the medium is pushed by the medium placed at the set position and is displaced in the path direction of the feeding path. A detection member that is displaced to a detection state;
With
The detection member has a return portion for reducing a return force for pushing back the medium in a direction opposite to a feeding direction in the path direction in the contact portion that contacts the medium placed at the set position, A feeding device characterized by the above-mentioned.   The return force reducing unit is configured to calculate a ratio of a second force that is a component in the path direction to a first force that is a component in a vertical direction perpendicular to the path direction in a force received by the medium from the detection member. The feeding device according to claim 1, wherein the detection member is changed smaller than portions other than the return force reducing portion.   3. The feeding device according to claim 1, wherein the detection member is provided rotatably about a shaft located above the feeding path. 4.   The return force reducing unit is a step that is convex in a direction facing the medium provided at a position closer to the base of the detection member than an inclined portion provided at the tip of the detection member, The feeding device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that:   The feeding device according to claim 4, wherein the detection member includes a plurality of the step portions.   The feeding member according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein a friction imparting member is attached to a portion of the detection member closer to a tip than the return force reducing portion. Feeder.   The detecting member according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein a portion closer to the distal end has a larger bent angle with respect to the path direction than a portion closer to the base. A feeding device as described. A feeding device according to any one of claims 1 to 7,
A reading unit for reading a medium fed by the feeding device. A feeding device according to any one of claims 1 to 7,
A recording unit for recording on a medium fed by the feeding device.