JP2705559B2 - Paper feeder - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a paper feeder, and more particularly to a paper feeder provided with an automatic paper feeder using paper feed rollers and an external paper feeder for manual input.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional paper feeder has a push-up plate 5.
A paper path route A for feeding the paper P pressed by the paper feed roller 55 toward the printer main body 3 and a paper path route B for manually feeding the paper P are provided. The paper path route A includes one and the other guide plates 57 and 58 extending toward the printer main body as shown in FIG. Then, one guide plate 5 of A is provided outside the other guide plate 58.
7A is connected to the paper placing portion, and an external paper feeding portion for manual input and a paper path route B connected to the external paper feeding portion are provided outside the other guide plate. Reference numeral 54 denotes a coil spring for urging the push-up plate 53 with a predetermined push-up force.

[0003]

The paper feeder described above is
Two types are required: a path route A on the automatic sheet feeding side where the paper path route is the hopper side, and a path route B by manual feeding. For this reason, the paper path route A on the hopper side for automatic paper feeding becomes narrow due to the mounting relationship with the printer body, and the skew correction method of the paper, which has been conventionally performed, that is,
It is not possible to take a sufficient amount of slack to correct the skew of the paper by abutting the fed paper against the carry-in roller of the printer, and therefore, it is not possible to sufficiently correct the skew of the paper. There was an inconvenience.

Further, since a space for taking up the slack amount cannot be freely provided, a state in which the sheet is pulled by the carry-in roller on the printer side and the sheet-supply roller 55 on the sheet supply device occurs, and the sheet is pulled out. There is a disadvantage that the load increases.

[0005]

An object of the present invention is to improve the disadvantages of the prior art, in particular to reduce the occurrence of skew of the paper, and to manually and automatically feed paper to the printer even in relatively narrow places. It is an object of the present invention to provide a sheet feeding device capable of performing an operation smoothly.

[0006]

According to the present invention, there is provided a paper storage frame provided with a paper mounting portion, a paper feed roller provided in the paper storage frame for feeding out the paper of the paper mounting portion, and a paper feed roller. A paper push-up mechanism, which is provided in the paper stacking section to face the paper stacking section and has a push-up plate that constantly pushes up the entire sheet of the paper stacking section toward the paper feed roller; and a printer that feeds the paper fed by the paper feed roller. One and the other guide plate for guiding toward the main body
Provided, a rotation fulcrum is installed on the upstream side of the supply roller,
The configuration is adopted.

[0007] One guide plate is connected to the paper placing portion. Also, on the outside of the other guide plate,
An external paper feed unit for manual input is provided. The other guide plate is mounted on the above-described paper storage frame so as to be able to move up and down freely around a predetermined position on the paper mounting portion side of the paper storage frame as a rotation fulcrum. This aims to achieve the above-mentioned object.

[0008]

[Operation] In the automatic paper feed mode, first, the paper feed roller 3
Is rotated to feed the paper P in the paper placing section 1A toward the paper path route A, and the leading edge of the paper P comes into contact with a carry-in roller in the printer, thereby temporarily stopping the movement of the leading edge of the paper P. Can be For this reason, the sheet P expands with its center portion rounded. The swelling of the sheet P causes the above-described turning end of the other guide plate 8 to turn in the rising direction, thereby expanding the space area of the sheet running path of the sheet path route A, and allowing the sheet P to smoothly move. Sent into the printer.

In this case, after the central portion of the paper P is rounded and expanded, the carry-in roller of the printer is operated, so that even if the paper is slightly skewed, the leading edge is easily temporarily stopped. You. Therefore, the skew state is immediately corrected.

Next, a case where the paper P is manually input from the external paper feeding unit 9 will be described. First, the other guide plate 8 is rotated by its own weight in a direction to close the paper path route A. As a result, the space of the external paper feeding unit 9, that is, the paper path route B is set large. Such a condition
This is set immediately when the automatic paper feed mode is canceled and the feeding of the paper P is stopped. For this reason, the paper P can be easily inserted from the external paper supply unit 9 to the paper path route B from the outside, so that the operation in the case of manual input becomes easy.

[0011]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A first embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS.

In the first embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a paper storage frame 1 provided with a paper storage section 1A and a sheet P of the paper storage section 1A provided in the paper storage frame 1 are described. A paper feed roller 3 to be fed out, and a paper loading unit 1A provided in the paper loading unit 1A facing the paper feeding roller 3.
A paper lifting mechanism 5 having a lifting plate 5A that constantly pushes the entire paper toward the paper feeding roller 3;
And a paper path route A for guiding the paper P sent out by the printer toward the printer main body. The paper path route A includes one and the other guide plates 7 and 8. Reference numeral 3A denotes a feed roller drive shaft.

One of the guide plates 7 is provided on the paper placing portion 1.
A is connected to the paper storage frame 1 constituting A. Outside the other guide plate 8, an external paper feed unit 9 for manual input is provided.

The other guide plate 8 is provided at a predetermined position of the paper storage frame 1 on the side of the paper mounting portion 1A to rotate the fulcrum 1
0, the paper storage frame 1 described above so as to be able to move up and down freely.
Is equipped with In this embodiment, the rotation fulcrum 10 is located at a position deeper than the feed roller 3 described above, that is, the feed roller 3.
1 is located farther from the printer in the upper right direction in FIG.

Reference numeral 11 denotes a front cover. The front cover 11 moves along the sheet P
It is equipped detachably outside the.

The paper lifting mechanism 5 is provided with a coil spring 5B that constantly urges the above-described lifting plate 5A toward the above-described paper feed roller 3. The coil spring 5B and a part of the push-up plate 5A are connected to the sheet push-up mechanism housing 1 formed on the sheet housing frame 1 described above.
B. This paper lifting mechanism storage section 1B
Is formed in a concave shape as shown in FIG.
The above-described push-up plate 5A and the paper P
It is designed to be transported smoothly toward.

In the place where the sheet lifting mechanism housing section 1B is connected to the above-mentioned one guide plate 7, the sheet placing section 1 is provided.
An inclined guide surface 7a for feeding the sheet P of A to the sheet path route A is provided. As a result, the paper P in the paper loading section 1A is sent out to the printer by the action of the paper lifting mechanism 5 and the paper feed roller 3, and the leading end of the paper P smoothly moves along the inclined guide surface 7a to the paper path route A. You will be guided.

Next, the operation of the above embodiment will be described.

First, when the automatic paper feed mode is set in the state shown in FIG. 1, the paper feed roller 3 rotates to feed the paper P in the paper loading section 1A toward the paper path route A. And
The leading edge of the paper P is a carry-in roller (not shown) in the printer.
, The movement of the leading edge of the sheet P is temporarily stopped. For this reason, as shown in FIG. 1, the center of the sheet P is rounded and swells. For this reason, the swelling of the sheet P causes the turning end of the other guide plate 8 to turn in the direction of the arrow a in FIG. The area is expanded, and the paper P is smoothly fed into the printer.

Also, in this case, since the carry-in roller of the printer operates after the central portion of the sheet P is rounded and expanded, even if the sheet P is slightly skewed, the leading edge can easily and temporarily become temporary. Stopped. For this reason, the skew state is immediately corrected. In this regard, even if the above-described paper path route A is set relatively narrow, a relatively wide paper travel path taking into account the paper path route B during actual operation. (Approximately doubled by simple calculation).

Next, the case where the paper P is manually input from the external paper supply unit 9 will be described. In the case of FIG. 1, the other guide plate 8 is moved by its own weight in the direction of arrow b (in the direction of closing the paper path route A). Rotate. As a result, the external paper feeding unit 9
, That is, the paper path route B is set large. In this state, the automatic sheet feeding mode is canceled and the sheet P
It is set immediately when the sending of the data stops.

For this reason, the sheet P can be easily inserted from the outside into the sheet path route B from the external sheet feeding section 9 in FIG. 1, and therefore, there is an advantage that the operation in the case of manual input is facilitated.

Next, a second embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.

The second embodiment shown in FIG. 3 and FIG.
In addition to the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 described above, the present embodiment is characterized in that plate pressing means 8A is provided at the end of the other guide plate 8 opposite to the printer main body.

The plate pressing means 8A operates integrally with the other guide plate when the above-described paper feed roller 3 is operated, and pushes down the push-up plate 5A.
Plate pressing portions 8Aa and 8Ab.

The first plate pressing portion 8Aa includes a pair of projecting portions projecting in the direction of pushing down the push-up plate 5A so as to straddle the paper P. The first plate pressing portion 8A, which is a pair of projecting portions.
a, the recess 5 is provided in the push-up plate 5A described above.
Aa is provided. The first plate pressing portion 8Aa functions so as to directly contact the first plate and push down the push-up plate 5A when the amount of paper P on the push-up plate 5A is reduced.

The second plate pressing portion 8Ab is provided between the pair of projecting first plate pressing portions 8Aa and is shorter than the projecting portion of the first plate pressing portion 8Aa. It is constituted by a bent plate portion that is laid horizontally. The second plate pressing portion 8Ab acts when the sheet P remains thick on the push-up plate 5A in a thick state, and together with the sheet P, the push-up plate 5A
Works like a pressed gel.

In the second embodiment, the rotation fulcrum of the guide plate 8 is moved to the roller drive shaft 3 of the paper feed roller 3 described above.
The feature is that it also serves as A. Reference numeral 11 denotes a manual input side guide cover. Other configurations are almost the same as those of the embodiment of FIG.

This embodiment has the same functions and effects as those of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, and further has the following functions and effects.

That is, in the automatic paper feed mode, when the other guide plate 8 is rotated in the direction of arrow a in FIG. 4), the plate pressing means 8A is simultaneously operated, and the lifting plate 5A of the paper lifting mechanism 5 is moved to the position shown in FIG.
In the direction of arrow D. For this reason, since the leading edge of the paper P comes into contact with the carry-in roller in the printer and the push-up plate 5A is pressed down soon, the paper P is fed from the paper feed roller 3 at substantially the same timing as the operation of the paper being pulled into the printer main body by the carry-in roller. The sheet P is separated. Then, when the paper P is absorbed in the printer,
The guide plate 8 returns to the original position shown in FIG. 3 and secures the paper path route B for manual feeding.

Therefore, it is possible to reliably avoid a situation in which the sheet P, which occurs in the above-described conventional example, is attracted by the paper feed roller 3 and the carry-in roller of the printer.
For this reason, the load on the paper feed roller 3 can be reliably eliminated, and in this respect, there is an advantage that the paper P can be more smoothly fed to the printer body.

[0032]

As described above, according to the present invention, according to the first aspect, the paper path route for automatic paper feeding and the paper path route for manual feeding are separated by the other guide plate, and the other guide plate is used. The guide path of the paper feed path on the manual feed side is set to the closed state during automatic paper feeding, and the paper path route on the automatic feed side is set to the closed state during manual paper feed. Automatic paper feed and manual paper feed can coexist even in a narrow place. For example, at the time of automatic paper feed, the paper path route set for automatic paper feed can be extended to almost twice the space. Therefore, it is possible to generate a sufficient amount of slack with respect to the paper to be fed, and therefore, it is possible to effectively prevent skew that tends to occur during automatic paper feeding, and Be any of the automatic paper mode or the manual paper feed mode, it is possible to provide an excellent paper feeding device unprecedented that can make the sheet feeding smoothly.

Further, according to the second aspect, in addition to the operation and effect of the first aspect, it is possible to further greatly reduce the paper pulling load, and therefore, the paper feeding operation can be performed. It is possible to provide an unprecedented excellent paper feeder that can be further smoothly performed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing a main part of a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the entire device containing the main parts of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing a main part of a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing the operation of the embodiment shown in FIG.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view showing a main part of a conventional example.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Paper storage frame 1A Paper loading part 3 Paper feed roller 5 Paper lifting mechanism 5A Push-up plate 7 One guide plate 8 The other guide plate 8A Plate pressing means 8Aa First plate pressing part 8Ab Second plate pressing part 9 External Paper feed unit 10 Rotating fulcrum P paper

 ────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-5-208756 (JP, A) JP-A-5-186404 (JP, A) Jpn 61-65036 (JP, U)

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] A sheet storage frame provided with a sheet mounting portion; a paper feed roller mounted on the sheet storage frame for feeding out the paper of the paper mounting portion; and a sheet mounting surface opposed to the paper feed roller. A sheet push-up mechanism provided in the unit and having a push-up plate that pushes up the entire sheet of the sheet placement unit toward the sheet feed roller, and one and the other for guiding the sheet fed by the sheet feed roller toward the printer main body. A guide plate, wherein one of the guide plates is connected to a sheet mounting portion, and an external paper feed portion for manual input is provided outside the other guide plate. the guide plate, the sheet stacking section side of the sheet storing frame equipped in the sheet storing frame freely undulating rotate pivot point, said pivot point on said feed roller Paper feeding apparatus being characterized in that installed on the side. 2. A paper storage frame having a paper mounting portion, a paper feed roller mounted on the paper storage frame and feeding out the paper of the paper mounting portion, and the paper mounting frame opposed to the paper feed roller. A sheet push-up mechanism that is provided in the unit and constantly pushes up the entire sheet of the sheet placement unit toward the sheet feed roller, and one and the other guide plates that guide the sheet fed by the sheet feed roller toward the printer body. A sheet feeding device, wherein the one guide plate is connected to a sheet placement portion, and an external sheet feeding portion for manual input is provided outside the other guide plate. The paper storage frame is mounted on the paper storage frame so that the paper storage frame is rotatable up and down around a predetermined position on the paper placement portion side of the paper storage frame, and the printer is mounted on the other guide plate The end opposite to the body, the paper and the other by the operation of the paper feed roller
Guide plates were sometimes operates the other guide plate integrally with and pushes up the sheet feeding apparatus characterized in that a plate pressing unit to push down the push-up plate.