JP2854953B2 - Automatic paper feeder - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Industrial application field) The present invention eliminates the use of an electromagnetic clutch in an automatic paper feed mechanism, and can save space and thereby reduce costs. The present invention relates to an automatic sheet feeding device in a facsimile or a printer.

(Prior Art) FIG. 10 is an explanatory view of a configuration of an automatic paper feeder used in a conventional facsimile machine or the like. A paper feed roller 1 rotating in a paper feed direction and a press contact with the paper feed roller 1 by a spring 10 are shown. The document 12 stacked on the platen 11 by the frictional force
, A power source (not shown) for rotating a paper feed roller shaft 6 provided integrally with the paper feed roller 1, and a driving force transmission system (not shown) between the paper feed roller shaft 6. And an electromagnetic clutch 16 for connecting or disconnecting a driving force transmission system that electrically transmits the rotational force in the paper feeding direction to the paper feeding roller shaft 6.

When the original 12 is fed, the electromagnetic clutch 16 connects the driving force transmission system, so that the feed roller shaft 6 rotates in the feed direction, and the feed roller 1 is stacked on the document table 11. A force in the sheet feeding direction is applied to the document 12 thus fed.

At this time, the separating member 9 discriminates the plurality of originals 12 stacked on the original platen 11 and the one original
Only the sheet 12a is conveyed in the sheet feeding direction, and the document 12a reaches a pressure contact between the document conveying roller 14 and the pressing roller 13 urged by urging means (not shown).

At this time, the electromagnetic clutch 16 shuts off the power transmission system, and the rotation is not transmitted to the paper feed roller shaft 6 immediately after the first document 12a has separated from the pressure contact portion between the paper feed roller 1 and the separating member. Therefore, discrimination of the original is performed without feeding the second and subsequent originals.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) However, in the device having the above configuration, the electromagnetic clutch 16
Therefore, it is necessary to secure a space for mounting the electromagnetic clutch 16, which is disadvantageous for downsizing the device. Further, there is a problem in that the cost of configuring the electromagnetic clutch 16 is high, the cost is not reduced, and electrical control is also required.

This invention is one of the problems of the prior art.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an automatic sheet feeder that solves the problem that an electric control indispensable for the use of an electromagnetic clutch is required and that the space and the cost are hindered from being reduced.

(Means for Solving the Problems) In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides a paper feed roller that rotates in a paper feed direction by contacting a sheet, a paper feed roller shaft that supports the paper feed roller, Separating means for separating sheets one by one when feeding the sheets by the feed roller;
Provided downstream of the paper feed roller in the paper transport direction,
A sheet conveying means having a larger sheet conveying amount than the sheet feeding roller, and a first sheet conveying means provided on the sheet feeding roller shaft and movable in the axial direction with respect to the sheet feeding roller shaft and engaged with the rotating direction.
Is provided rotatably on the paper feed roller shaft and engagable with the first engagement means, and engages with the first engagement means during paper feeding to provide the A second engaging means for rotating a paper roller in a paper feeding direction; and an urging means for urging the first engaging means toward the second engaging means. The engaging means of (2) each has an engaging claw projecting from the plane portion, the engaging claw is smaller than the area of the plane portion, and one end is substantially perpendicular to the plane portion;
The other end is constituted by a slope, and the two engagement means are opposed to each other so that substantially vertical surfaces of both engagement claws are engaged with each other.

(Operation) According to the present invention, since the automatic paper feeder is configured as described above, when paper is fed out by the paper feed roller,
The substantially vertical surfaces of the engagement claws of the first and second engagement means are engaged with each other, and the rotational driving force is reliably transmitted to both the engagement means and the paper feed roller. When the paper fed by the paper feed roller is transported across the paper feed roller and the paper transport means, the paper feed roller rotates rapidly due to the co-rotating frictional force from the paper. And the engaging claw of the second engaging means are relatively separated. In the present invention,
The engaging claws protruding from the flat portion of the both engaging means are configured to be smaller than the area of the flat portion, and the two engaging means move in a direction in which the engaging claws separate from the state in which the engaging claws are engaged. Since the paper feed roller can rotate freely, it is possible to reduce the load on the paper transporting means when the paper feed roller rotates by receiving a force from the paper.

(Embodiment) Hereinafter, an embodiment of the automatic sheet feeder of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view mainly showing the configuration of a sheet feeding roller of the first embodiment, and FIG. 2 is a side view thereof.

1 and 2, reference numeral 21 denotes a paper feed roller, which is rotatably mounted on the outer peripheral surface of a paper feed roller shaft 23 via a cylindrical engaging means 22. Have been.

That is, the paper feed roller 21 is rotatably mounted coaxially with the paper feed roller shaft 23 via the engagement means 22, and the right end of the engagement means 22 is brought into contact with the regulating member 24, and the paper feed roller shaft
23 rightward axial movement is restricted.

That is, the regulating member 24 serves as a stopper of the engaging means 22 and is attached to the outer peripheral surface of the sheet feeding roller shaft 23,
It has a brim shape.

Further, the right side of the engaging means 25 is in contact with the left end side of the engaging means 22, and the engaging means 25 is movable on the outer peripheral surface of the paper feed roller shaft 23 in the axial direction thereof. Is provided.

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the sheet feeding roller 21, the engaging means 22, and the engaging means 25. As is apparent from FIG. A claw 22a is provided.

An engagement claw 25a is provided on the right end surface of the engagement means 25. Accordingly, when the paper feed roller shaft 23 is driven in the paper feed direction, the engagement means 25 rotates in the paper feed direction, and when the engagement claw 25a engages with the engagement claw 22a of the engagement means 22, Roller shaft 23
At the same time, the engaging means 22, the sheet feeding roller 21 and the engaging means 25 rotate integrally.

Here, returning to FIG. 1 again, the sheet feeding roller shaft 23
A regulating member 26 is attached to the outer peripheral surface of the engaging member 25 at a predetermined interval from the left end surface of the engaging means 25.

The restricting member 26 has a brim-like shape like the restricting member 24, and is fixed to the outer peripheral surface of the feed roller shaft 23. An urging means 27 is mounted on the outer peripheral surface of the paper feed roller shaft 23 between the regulation member 26 and the left end of the engaging means 25.

As the urging means 27, specifically, for example, a coil spring or the like is used, and the urging means 27 urges the engaging means 25 so as to always press the engaging means 25 in the direction of the engaging means 22. ing.

As a result, the engagement means 25 can slide only in the axial direction of the paper feed roller shaft 23, and is coupled to the engagement means 22 in the rotational direction with the paper supply roller shaft 23 as described above. At the same time, the urging means 27 and the engaging means 22 and 25 have a clutch function.

In addition, as shown in FIG. 2, it is disposed near the paper feed roller 21 and on the opposite side of the paper feed roller 21 from the feeding side.
A plurality of documents 29 are stacked on the document table.

One original 29 to be fed out of the plurality of originals 29
The separating member 30 is pressed against the outer peripheral surface of the sheet feeding roller 21 by the urging means 31 via a. As the urging means 31, for example, a spring or the like is used.

One document 29a that has passed through the separating member 30 is
The document is conveyed while being sandwiched between the document conveying roller 33 and the pressing roller 32 presses the outer peripheral surface of the document conveying roller 33 by urging means (not shown).

The document feed roller 33 is set to have a larger feed amount of one document 29a than the paper feed roller 21.

Next, the operation will be described together with the operation description in FIGS. 4 to 8. First, as shown in FIG.
When a sheet feeding operation is started after a plurality of documents 29 are stacked on the sheet 28, the sheet feeding roller shaft 23 and the document conveying roller 33 are driven by a driving source (not shown) and a driving force transmission system in the direction indicated by an arrow A1 in FIG. A
The engaging means 25 which rotates in the paper feeding direction of No. 2 and engages with the paper feeding roller shaft 23 in the rotation direction on the paper feeding roller shaft 23 also rotates in the paper feeding direction.

As a result, the engaging means 25 rotates in the directions of the arrows A3 and A4 in FIG. 4 and the claws 25a of the engaging means 25, respectively.
As shown in FIG. 6 and FIG. 6, the pawl 22a of the engaging means 22 is engaged.

As a result, as shown in FIG. 6, the paper feed roller shaft 23, which is rotationally connected to the engagement means 25, rotates in the directions of arrows A4 and A6, and is attached to the paper supply roller shaft 23 via the engagement means 22. The supplied paper feed roller 21 starts to rotate in the direction of the solid arrow A5 in FIG.
And a plurality of originals 29 are discriminated by the separating member 30 and a single original abuts against the paper feed roller 21.
Only 29a is fed into the device.

When one document 29a reaches the pressure contact point between the document transport roller 33 and the pressing roller 32, the document transport roller 33
Because the feed amount is set larger than
29a is transported more than the transport distance of the paper feed roller 21.

On the other hand, the paper feed roller 21 abutting on one document 29a is provided integrally with the engagement means 22 rotatable on the paper feed roller shaft 23, and reduces the frictional force that follows the one document 29a. 5, the amount of rotation of the engagement means 25 is larger than that of the solid arrow A7 in FIG. 5 and the solid arrow A8 in FIG. The document is rotated together with the document 29a by the size of the solid arrow A10 in the figure.

For this reason, the engagement claw 22a of the engagement means 22 that is rotatable with the paper feed roller shaft 23 provided integrally with the paper supply roller 21 is engaged with the paper feed roller shaft 23 in the rotation direction. Engagement claw 25
a and θ as shown in FIG.

Next, when the trailing end of the document 29a passes through the pressure contact between the paper feed roller 21 and the separating member 30 by the urging means 31, the paper feed roller 21 loses the frictional force received from one document 29a. Stops, but the engaging means 25 engaging the paper feed roller shaft 23 in the rotation direction continues to rotate, and the engaging claw 25a of the engaging means 25 is moved relative to the engaging claw 22a of the engaging means 22. When rotated by the delayed angle θ, the engagement claw 25a and the engagement claw 22a engage,
The paper feed roller 21 rotates, and among the originals 29 stacked on the document table 28 again, one of the originals 29 that comes into contact with the paper feed roller 21
Feeds a automatically.

At this time, in the case of a document for which automatic paper feeding is guaranteed, the delay angle θ at which the engagement claw 25a is delayed from the engagement claw 22a by the paper feed roller 21 rotating with one document 29a is θ < 36
It is set to be 0 ゜.

When a long document for which automatic paper feeding is not guaranteed is fed, the feeding roller 21 is advanced by one or more rotations by the engaging means 25, and as shown in FIG. A cam (not shown) provided on the opposite side of the engaging portion of the engaging claw 22a comes into contact with the engaging means 22 or the engaging means 25 so that the paper feed roller 21 receives the co-rotating force received from the document. The cam is converted into a force for expanding the engaging means 25 by the cam, and the engaging means 25 urged by the urging means 27 is pushed and expanded in the direction of arrow A15 in FIG. The roller 21 can advance one rotation or more, so that the driving force loss is small even when a long document is used.

FIG. 9 is a sectional view showing the structure of another embodiment of the present invention. In the embodiment of FIG. 9, the paper feed roller 21 is provided integrally with the paper feed roller shaft 23, and the paper feed roller 21
At the left end of the paper feed roller, flange-shaped restricting means 34 and 35 are attached to the outer peripheral surface of the feed roller shaft 23 at a predetermined interval.

The movement of the engagement means 36 in the left axial direction of the paper feed roller shaft 23 is regulated by the regulation means 35.

The engaging means 36 has a brim shape having a T-shaped cross section. The engaging means 36 is rotatable with the outer peripheral surface of the feed roller shaft 23 together with the feed roller shaft 23. Is provided.

At the right end side of the engaging means 36, an engaging means 37 which is engaged with the sheet feeding roller shaft 23 in the rotation direction is attached to the outer peripheral surface of the sheet feeding roller shaft 23.

Further, between the engaging means 37 and the regulating means 34, an urging means 38 such as a coil spring is mounted on the outer peripheral surface of the paper feed roller shaft 23.

The engaging means 37 is urged by the urging means so as to press the engaging means.

The engagement means 36 is rotatable with respect to the paper feed roller shaft 23, but the engagement means 37 is movable in the axial direction of the paper supply roller shaft 23, and The sheet feed roller shaft 23 is engaged only in the rotation direction.

Each of the engagement means 36 and 37 has a claw (not shown), as in the above-described embodiment. The engagement means 36 and 37 are adapted to be engaged. When both engagement means 36 and 37 are engaged, the rotational force of the engagement means 36 is transmitted through the engagement means 37 to the sheet feeding roller shaft 23. To rotate the paper feed roller shaft 23 in the paper feed direction.

In the embodiment of FIG. 9, the paper feed roller 21, the paper feed roller shaft 23, and the engagement means 37 are parts that move integrally with the paper feed roller 21, and are associated with the paper feed roller 21 in the above embodiment. A function corresponding to the combining means 22 is provided.

Further, the engaging means 36 in the embodiment of FIG. 9 is a part for transmitting power to the paper feed roller shaft 23, and has a function corresponding to the engaging means 25 and the paper feed roller shaft 23 in the above embodiment. It is.

Parts such as a document table, a pressing roller, a document conveying roller, and a separating member are configured in the same manner as in FIG.

In the embodiment of FIG. 9, when the paper feeding operation is started, the engagement means 36 and the document conveying roller 33 rotate in the paper feeding direction indicated by an arrow A2 in FIG. The claws of the engagement means 36 and 37 are engaged with each other, and the engagement means 37
Rotates together with the paper feed roller shaft 23 in the paper feed direction, and the paper feed roller 21 also rotates in the paper feed direction.

As a result, as in the case of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, when one document 29a is discriminated and reaches the pressure contact point between the document conveying roller 33 and the pressing roller 32, the document conveying roller 33
Transports the original 29a more than the paper feed roller 21.

Further, the paper feed roller 21 which is in contact with the original 29a is rotatable with the gear engaging means 36, receives a corotating friction force from the original 29a, and receives a solid arrow A7 in FIG. 5 and a solid arrow in FIG. A8
And the paper feed roller 21 rotates by the size of the solid arrows A9 and A10 in FIGS. 5 and 7, and the pawl of the engagement means 37 It is separated from the pawl of the engagement means 36 by θ as shown in FIG.

When the trailing edge of the original 29a is released from the pressing of the feeding roller 21 and the separating member 39 by the urging means 31, the feeding roller 21 is moved to the original 29a.
And the paper feed roller 21 stops, the engagement means 36 rotatable with respect to the old paper feed shaft 23 continues to rotate, and the claws of the engagement means 36 On the other hand, when rotated by the delayed angle θ (FIG. 7),
The pawls 37 engage again, and the paper feed roller 21 rotates to feed the next document on the document table 28 in the same manner as described above.

(Effects of the Invention) As described in detail above, according to the present invention, when a sheet is sent out by the sheet feeding roller, the first and second sheets are fed.
The substantially vertical surfaces of the engaging claws of the engaging means are engaged with each other, and the rotational driving force is reliably transmitted to both the engaging means and the sheet feeding roller.
When the paper fed by the paper feed roller is conveyed across the paper feed roller and the paper conveyance means, the paper feed roller rotates rapidly due to the co-rotating frictional force from the paper. The engaging claw of the means and the engaging claw of the second engaging means are relatively separated. In the present invention, the engaging claws protruding from the flat portion of the both engaging means are configured to be smaller than the area of the flat portion, and the two engaging means are moved from the state where the engaging claws are engaged to the engaging claws. Can rotate freely in the direction in which the paper feed roller moves away, so that the load on the paper conveying means when the paper feed roller rotates by receiving a force from the paper can be reduced.

Therefore, unlike the related art, an electromagnetic clutch is not required, and a small and inexpensive automatic paper feeder that does not require mounting space for the electromagnetic clutch and does not require electrical suppression can be realized.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of an embodiment of an automatic paper feeder in a facsimile according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a side view including a portion of a document conveying roller and a pressing roller of the embodiment, and FIG. FIG. 4 to FIG. 8 are exploded perspective views showing the paper feed roller and the engagement means in the embodiment.
FIG. 9 is an explanatory view of a sheet feeding state of the embodiment, FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of another embodiment of the automatic sheet feeding apparatus in the facsimile of the present invention, and FIG. FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of a paper feeding state. 21: paper feed roller, 22, 25, 36, 37 ... engaging means, 22a, 25a
... claw, 23 ... paper feed roller shaft, 27, 38 ... urging means, 28
… Original platen, 29… Original, 29a… One original, 30…
Separating member, 32 ... Pressing roller, 33 ... Document conveying roller.

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] (A) a paper feed roller that rotates in the paper feed direction by contacting a paper; (b) a paper feed roller shaft that supports the paper feed roller; and (c) paper is fed by the paper feed roller. (D) a sheet conveying means provided downstream of the sheet feeding roller in the sheet conveying direction and having a larger sheet conveying amount than the sheet feeding roller; (E) first engagement means provided on the paper feed roller shaft, axially movable with respect to the paper feed roller shaft and engaged in the rotational direction; and (f) first paper feed roller shaft. A second rotatable member that is rotatably provided so as to be able to engage with the first engaging means, engages with the first engaging means during paper feeding, and rotates the paper feed roller in the paper feeding direction. (G) urging means for urging the first engaging means toward the second engaging means; (H) The first and second engaging means each have an engaging claw projecting from a flat portion, and the engaging claw is smaller than an area of the flat portion, and is smaller than the flat portion. An automatic sheet feeder, wherein one end is formed with a substantially vertical surface and the other end is formed with a slope, and both engaging means are opposed to each other so that substantially vertical surfaces of both engaging claws are engaged with each other.