JP2798146B2 - 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 sheet feeding device for feeding a sheet material to a facsimile machine, a copying machine, or the like, and more particularly, to a sheet feeding position in the width direction of the sheet material according to the size of the sheet material. The present invention relates to a sheet feeding device having a width regulating slider for regulating.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art First, the prior art will be described with reference to FIG. 1. Reference numeral 1 denotes an apparatus main body such as a copying machine, to which a sheet stacking section 2 is attached. When the sheet material 3 is stacked on the sheet material stacking section 2, the sheet material 3 is sequentially fed into the apparatus main body 1 by the sheet feeding roller 5 from the uppermost sheet material.

In the sheet stacking section 2, width regulating sliders 6 and 8 are configured to be slidable in the width direction A of the sheet 3 according to the size of the sheet. Specifically, the width regulating slider 6 is configured to be slidable along guide holes 7 and 14 formed in the sheet material stacking section 2, and serves as a central reference for regulating the side end of the sheet material 3. ing. Each of the width regulating sliders 6 and 8 has a loading regulating portion 9 formed at a predetermined height. The stacking regulating section 9 is formed so as to protrude to a position where the sheet materials 3 are stacked, and regulates the number of sheets that can be stacked.

In such a paper feeder, the loading regulating section 9
Is fixed to the width regulating sliders 6, 8, and the regulating amount is always constant regardless of the size (B5, B4, etc.) of the sheet material 3.

[0005]

By the way, the sheet material 3
Is larger, the frictional resistance between the sheet materials generated during feeding increases. Accordingly, if the loading regulation amount is constant regardless of the size of the sheet material 3, when a large-sized sheet material is loaded up to the regulation amount, the frictional resistance becomes too large, so that the sheet Is not fed, and there is a possibility that paper feeding failure, skewing, or jam occurs.

[0006] Such a problem is particularly remarkable in a small-sized machine for saving space. That is, in the case of a small-sized machine, the size of the sheet material stacking portion 2 is not sufficiently large, so that when a large sheet material 3 is stacked, the rear end of the sheet material 3 protrudes from the sheet material stacking portion 2 and hangs down. . In such a case, in addition to the original frictional resistance generated due to the size of the sheet material 3, the frictional resistance due to the bending of the sheet material 3 is added.

In addition to the apparatus shown in FIG. 5 which feeds the uppermost sheet material 3 to the apparatus main body 1, when the lowermost sheet material 3 is fed, the lowermost sheet material is fed to the lowermost sheet material. Since all the weight of the paper is added, the transport load is further increased, and the above problem is likely to occur.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a sheet feeder in which the stacking height of the sheet material is changed according to the size of the sheet material so as to prevent poor feeding, skew, or occurrence of jam. It is the purpose.

[0009]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and has a sheet material stacking portion for stacking a sheet material fed by a paper feed roller, and a sliding member which slides in the width direction of the sheet material. A sheet feeder having a slider disposed on the sheet stacking portion so as to be freely movable, and a stacking limiter disposed on the slider to limit a stackable height of the sheet material, wherein A linking means is provided slidably in the up and down direction, and a linking means is provided in which the height of the loading regulating portion changes according to the position of the slider. Further, a pair of the sliders are provided for regulating the width of the sheet material, and as the distance between the pair of sliders is increased, the stackable height regulated by the stacking regulating portion disposed on the slider is reduced. It is characterized by the following.

[0010]

According to the above construction, when the slider is slid to an appropriate position in accordance with the size of the sheet material to be stacked, the stacking regulating portion is moved to a desired height in accordance with the height of the linking means at the sliding position. Is held.

[0011]

[0012]

Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. The same parts as those shown in FIG. 5 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof will be omitted.

Reference numeral 10 denotes a loading regulating portion inserted into the through hole 6a of the slider 6 so as to be slidable in the vertical direction, and reference numeral 11 denotes a two-layer structure similar to that shown in FIGS. The protrusions are formed on the bottom surface 2a of the sheet material stacking unit 2 having the structure, and are formed along the width direction of the sheet material 3. As shown in the drawing, the loading regulating portion 10 is urged downward by a spring 12, and the lower end edge 10 a of the regulating portion 10 passes through a long hole 2 b formed in the upper surface of the sheet material loading portion 2 so as to be convex. Is configured to be in sliding contact with the upper end edge of. In addition, the height of the convex portion 11 continuously changes along the width direction of the sheet material 3, and the height of the stacking regulation portion 10 takes a desired value according to the width of the sheet material 3. Have been.

According to the above configuration, when the slider 3 is slid to an appropriate position in accordance with the size of the sheet material 3 placed on the sheet material stacking portion 2, the slider 3 is moved in accordance with the height of the projection 11 at that position. Thus, the loading regulating section 10 is held at the desired height. Therefore, if the height of the convex portion 11 is set in consideration of the number of sheets that can be fed in accordance with the width of the sheet material, the sheet material 3 having an arbitrary size is placed on the sheet material stacking section 2. Even in the case of feeding, only the simple operation of sliding the slider 6 according to the width of the sheet material 3 causes the number of sheets that can be stacked to be different from the number of sheets that can be fed according to the size of the sheet material 3 or more. It can be regulated so as not to become. As a result, there is an effect that it is possible to prevent a sheet feeding failure of the sheet material 3 to the apparatus main body 1, skew, or occurrence of jam.

Specifically, for example, when 100 sheets can be fed in A4 size paper and up to 50 sheets can be fed in B4 size paper, when the slider 6 is adjusted to the width of A4 size paper, the stacking restriction is made. The height of the unit 10 is a height at which 100 sheets can be stacked, and in the case of B4 size paper, it is a height at which 50 sheets can be stacked.

Accordingly, it is possible to restrict stacking of the sheet material to a number larger than the number of sheets that can be fed, and accordingly, it is possible to prevent a sheet feeding failure, skewing or jamming to the apparatus main body 1.

Further, in the case of a small-sized machine in which the sheet material stacking portion is small and the rear end of the sheet material hangs down, the convex portion 11 is considered in consideration of an increase in frictional resistance due to the bending of the sheet material.
By determining the height of the sheet, it is also possible to achieve prevention of paper feeding failure and the like.

In the above-described embodiment, the sliders 6 and 8 are used as the center reference for regulating both sides of the sheet material. However, the same applies to the one-side reference where the slider 6 is provided on only one side and one side is fixed. Applicable.

Next, another embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. The same parts as those in the previous embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof will be omitted.

FIGS. 3 and 4 are cross-sectional views of the entire apparatus. The sheet material stacking section 2 has a box structure as shown in the figure, and is provided with an extension tray 13 which can be pulled out through a slit 2a opened at the rear end (right end in the figure). Above the convex portion 11 provided inside the box structure of the sheet material stacking portion 2, that is, at a position where the stacking restricting portion 10 can be brought into contact with the convex portion, the load regulating portion 10 is supported by the slider 6 in a vertically slidable state. Have been. The stacking regulation unit 10 is configured to protrude into the sheet stacking unit 2 through the slit 2b.

In a state where the extension tray 13 is accommodated in the sheet material stacking section 2, that is, in the state shown in FIG. 3, the lower end of the stacking regulation section 10 abuts on the extension tray 13, and the projection section 11 has It is configured not to abut. Therefore, when the extension tray 13 is stored, the
0 is located above the extension tray 13 in contact with the extension tray 13, so that a large amount of sheets can be stacked, and even if the slider 6 is moved in accordance with the width of the sheet 3, the height of the stacking regulation unit 10 is increased. Does not change. On the other hand, when the extension tray 13 is pulled out for stacking the sheet material 3 having a large size in the length direction, the lower end of the stacking regulation unit 10 comes into contact with the projection 10 as shown in FIG. Therefore, in this state, as a whole, the stacking restriction unit 10 is located below, and when the sheet material is controlled to a small stacking amount and the slider 6 is moved according to the width of the sheet material 3, the stacking control unit 10 The portion 10 has a height corresponding to the width of the sheet material 3.

As described above, in this embodiment, since the size of the sheet is considered not only in the width direction but also in the length direction, the number of sheets that can be fed with the sheet material 3 is more accurately regulated. it can.

The above embodiments may be applied to a document feeder for a read original such as a facsimile or a copying machine.

Further, in both of the above embodiments, the sheet is fed from the highest one of the stacked sheet materials 3, but the sheet may be fed sequentially from the lowest sheet material. In the latter case, assuming that the stacking height is constant, the larger the size of the sheet material 3 is, the greater the pressing force applied to the lowermost fed sheet material 3 is, and the poor feeding is likely to occur. Therefore, it is highly necessary to appropriately adjust the stacking height according to the size of the sheet material. In this regard, it is particularly effective to apply this embodiment.

[0025]

According to the present invention, even when a sheet material of an arbitrary size is placed on the sheet material stacking section and fed, only a simple operation of sliding the slider according to the width of the sheet material is performed. Thus, the number of sheets that can be stacked can be regulated so as not to exceed the number of sheets that can be fed according to the size of the sheet. As a result, there is an effect that sheet feeding failure, skew, or occurrence of jam can be prevented. Further, it is possible to prevent a sheet feeding defect due to the bending of the sheet material as in the case of the above-described small machine.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a main part in the vicinity of a loading regulating unit.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing a state where an extension tray 13 is stored in another embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing a state where an extension tray 13 is pulled out.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a conventional technique.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Apparatus main body 2 Sheet material loading part 3 Sheet material 5 Feeding roller 6 Slider 7 Guide hole 9 Loading regulation part 10 Loading regulation part 10a Linking means (lower edge) 11 Linking means (convex part) 12 Spring 13 Extension tray

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A sheet material stacking portion for stacking a sheet material fed by a sheet feeding roller, a slider disposed on the sheet material stacking portion so as to be slidable in a width direction of the sheet material, and a sheet material. And a loading regulating portion disposed on the slider to regulate the height at which the loading is possible. The loading regulating portion is disposed slidably in the vertical direction, and the position of the slider A sheet feeding device provided with a linking means that changes the height of the stacking control portion in accordance with the height of the sheet. 2. A pair of sliders are provided for regulating the width of a sheet material. As the distance between the pair of sliders increases, the stackable height regulated by a stacking regulation portion disposed on the sliders decreases. The sheet feeding device according to claim 1, wherein the sheet feeding device is configured as follows.