JP3320163B2 - Sheet feeding device and recording / reading device using the same - 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 supply apparatus for supplying, for example, a sheet to an image recording apparatus or an image reading apparatus, and to record information on a sheet supplied using the sheet supply apparatus, or from the sheet. The present invention relates to a recording and reading device that reads information.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a sheet feeding device is an image recording device,
It is widely used in image reading devices and other various devices, and various structures and methods are known. For example, as shown in FIGS. 15 and 16, the sheet feeding device 1 is disposed above a supply magazine 2 in which a large number of sheet films F are stacked, and is fed to the roller pair 4 one by one while being sucked by the suction cup 3. And sent to an image recording and reading device (not shown). The suction cup 3 is attached to a slide table 5 installed movably in the left-right direction via arms 6, 7 and hinges 8, and the arms 6, 7 are engaged with guide grooves 10 of the slide table 5 via guide pins 9. Have been. The guide groove 10 includes an upper guide groove 10a and a lower guide groove 1
The guide pin 9 is guided to a desired side of the guide grooves 10a and 10b by switching the guide bar 11. When the guide pin 9 is guided to the guide groove 10b,
The suction cup 3 is moved to the sheet film F side, and the guide pin 9 is moved.
Is guided to the guide groove 10a, the suction cup 3 is moved to the roller pair 4 side.

[0003] As described above, the suction cup 3 is utilized by utilizing the link mechanism.
To move the sheet film F to the roller pair 4.
Although those that transport to the hopper are often used, there are also those that use a cam mechanism.

[0004]

However, the above-mentioned prior art has the following problems. (a) When the link mechanism is used, the degree of freedom of movement of the suction cup 3 is small, so that the movement range of the suction cup 3 must be limited, and the roller pair 4 must be installed near the supply magazine 2. No. In addition, since the direction in which the sheet film F is inserted into the roller pair 4 must substantially match the direction of the sheet film F to be laminated, the sheet film F
When the image data is transferred to the image recording and reading apparatus while changing the direction, a large number of roller pairs 4 and guide plates are required, which increases the size of the entire apparatus and increases the cost.

(B) When a cam mechanism is used, the suction cup 3
Can be widened, but the whole apparatus becomes complicated and large.

An object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems, and to provide a small-sized sheet feeding apparatus having a simple structure and a recording / reading apparatus using the same.

[0007]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a recording / reading apparatus for sucking a sheet, and moving the sucker in a direction in which the sheet is transported about a rotation axis. A rotating mechanism for rotating, and a moving mechanism for moving the suction cup in a radial direction of the rotating shaft with respect to the rotating shaft, wherein the rotating mechanism includes a part of the moving mechanism. A cylindrical support member that supports and is disposed around the rotation shaft, and that transmits a first driving force to rotate the cylindrical support member to the cylindrical support member, By rotating the support member about the rotation axis, the suction cup can be rotated about the rotation axis, and the moving mechanism is transmitted to the rotation axis as a rotational force. A transmission mechanism for moving the suction cup in a radial direction of the rotation shaft using a second driving force. The features.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a recording / reading apparatus comprising: a sucker for sucking a sheet; a rotating mechanism for rotating the sucker about a rotation axis in a sheet transport direction; A moving mechanism for moving the suction cup in a radial direction of the rotating shaft with respect to the rotating shaft, wherein the rotating mechanism supports a part of the moving mechanism and is disposed around the rotating shaft. And a first driving force for rotating the cylindrical support member is transmitted to the cylindrical support member to move the cylindrical support member around the rotation axis. By rotating, the suction cup is configured to be able to rotate about the rotation axis, and the moving mechanism uses the second driving force transmitted as a rotation force to the rotation axis to use the suction cup. And a transmission mechanism that moves in the radial direction of the rotating shaft.

[0009]

In the sheet feeding apparatus according to the first aspect of the present invention having the above-described structure, the rotating mechanism is capable of rotating the suction cup around the rotation axis, and the moving mechanism is configured to rotate the suction cup with respect to the rotation axis. Can be moved in the radial direction.

[0010] Further, a recording and reading apparatus according to a second aspect of the present invention comprises:
Information is recorded on the sheet supplied from the sheet supply device according to the first invention, or information is read from the sheet.

[0011]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described in detail with reference to the embodiments shown in FIGS. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the first embodiment, and FIG. 2 is a partial cross-sectional view. Above a sheet film F in which a number of sheets are laminated, a suction cup holding member 11 having a U-shaped cross section moves up and down and rotates around the circumference. It is arranged freely. Sucker holding member 1
Nipples 12 and 13 are fitted and fixed to the bottom wall of the unit 1, and suction cups 14 and 15 are attached to lower ends of the nipples 12 and 13, respectively. Here, the upper ends of the nipples 12 and 13 are
It is connected to a vacuum pump (not shown) via a flexible tube. Opposite pin holding holes 11a and pin guide holes 11b are formed on both side walls of the sucker holding member 11, and a pin 16 is rotatably inserted into the pin holding hole 11a, and a pin 17 is inserted into the pin guide hole 11b. It is rotatably and slidably inserted.

The lower ends of arms 19 and 20 rotatably cross-supported by pins 18 are connected to these pins 16 and 17, respectively. The upper ends of the arms 19 and 20 are held by arm support members 23 via respective pins 21 and 22. Also in this case, the pins 21 are rotatably and slidably inserted into pin guide holes 23a formed opposite to both side walls of the arm support member 23, and the pins 22 are rotatably inserted into the pin holding holes 23b. Have been. As a result, the suction cup holding member 11 is supported in parallel with the arm support member 23 and is movably supported by the arm support member 23 in a direction of approaching and separating from the arm supporting member 23.

The arm support member 23 is provided on the rotating shaft 2.
4 and a rotating shaft 24 is rotatably supported by a frame (not shown). The slider 2 is attached to the rotating shaft 24.
5 is slidably supported in the axial direction. A nut 26 fixed to one end of the slider 25 is screwed into a screw portion 24 a formed on the rotation shaft 24. Slider 25
Is connected to a pin 21 inserted into the pin guide hole 23a. A gear 27 is provided at one end of the arm support member 23.
Is fixed, and the gear 27 is the gear 2 of the first drive source 28.
9 is engaged. A gear 30 is fixed to one end of the rotating shaft 24, and the gear 30 is a gear 32 of a second drive source 31.
Are engaged.

At one corner of the front end of the laminated sheet film F, a sheet separating claw 33 is arranged as shown in the plan view of FIG. 3, and the sheet sucked by the suction cups 14 and 15 and moved upward. The corners of the film F are temporarily bent.

With such a configuration, the first drive source 28
When the second drive source 31 is actuated by disabling, the rotation shaft 24 rotates, the screw portion 24a rotates, and the slider 25 moves in the left-right direction together with the nut 26. Slider 25
Moves, the pin 21 slides in the pin guide hole 23a, the arms 19 and 20 rotate around the support shaft 18, and the suction cup supporting member 11 moves in the vertical direction. On the other hand, when both the first drive source 28 and the second drive source 31 are operated to rotate the rotation shaft 24 and the arm support member 23 at the same angular velocity, the suction cup support member 11 It turns around the turning shaft 24 while keeping the interval constant.

FIGS. 4 to 8 are views for explaining the operation of the process in which the sheet film F is supplied to the pair of rollers 34. The guide plate 3 which is curved between the sheet separating claw 33 and the pair of rollers 34 is shown.
5 and 36 are provided, and one of the guide plates 36 is provided with a notch (not shown) through which the suction cup supporting member 11 and the suction cup 14 pass. FIG. 4 shows an initial step, and FIG.
Is in contact with the uppermost sheet film F. FIG. 6 shows a process in which the suction cup 14 sucks the sheet film F and lifts the sheet film F to a predetermined position. One corner of the sheet film F is bent by the sheet separating claw 33 and only one sheet is separated. FIG. 7 shows a process of inserting the leading end of the sheet film F into the roller pair 34 by rotating the suction cup 14 clockwise together with the arm support member 23. Finally, FIG.
The suction cup 14 releases the sheet film F and guide plate 36
This is the step of retreating inside. By such a process,
The sheet film F inserted into the roller pair 34 is transported by the roller pair 34 to, for example, an image recording and reading device (not shown).

FIG. 9 is a partial sectional view of the second embodiment.
The pin guide hole 42 formed in the suction cup supporting member 41 has an upper horizontal portion 42a, a lower inclined portion 42b having an inclination of about 5 degrees with respect to the horizontal portion 42a, and a connecting portion 42c. . Thereby, the suction cup supporting member 41 is
At a position close to the rotating shaft 24, it is parallel to the rotating shaft 24, and at a position far from the rotating shaft 24, it is inclined with respect to the rotating shaft 24. That is, when the pin passes through the horizontal portion 42a, it goes up and down while being parallel to the rotation shaft 24,
When passing through 2c, it is inclined by α from parallel, and when passing through inclined portion 42b, it rises and falls with the inclination. Therefore, even when the rotating shaft 24 and the pair of rollers (not shown) are installed horizontally, the supply magazine 43 that accommodates the sheet film F can be installed at an angle of the facing angle α from the horizontal position.

Usually, the supply magazine 43 is installed horizontally, and the sheet films F1 and F2 having different lengths are
When the sheet films F1 and F2 are stacked in a state where they are in contact with each other, the remaining sheet films F1 and F2 are moved in the opposite direction to the side wall 43a while some of the sheet films F1 and F2 are sucked and transferred by the suction cups 14 and 15. To move out of the operating range of the suction cups 14 and 15, the roller pair, the recording and reading device, and the like. However, in this embodiment, one end of them is provided in the supply magazine 4.
3 is always kept in contact with the side wall 43a,
The sheet films F1 and F2 are stably supplied within the operating range of the suction cups 14 and 15, the roller pair, the recording and reading device, and the like.

FIG. 10 is a partial sectional view of the third embodiment, and FIG.
1 is a side view showing two drive sources 28 of the first embodiment,
31 is one driving source 51. The gear 27 of the arm support member 23 meshes with one gear 53 of the gear shaft 52, and the other gear 54 meshes with a gear 55 of the drive source 51. On the other hand, the gear 30 of the rotating shaft 24 is
, And the other gear 58 is meshed with the gear 55 of the drive source 51. Drive source 51 and gear 5
4, 55, 58 are housed in a gear box 59, and a gear shaft 5
2 and 56 are rotatably supported by a gear box 59. Such a gear box 59 is rotatably connected to a rotation shaft 60 of an actuator (not shown) and can be fixed at a desired position by a stopper mechanism (not shown).
Further, the arm support member 23 can also be fixed at a desired position by a stopper mechanism (not shown). Here, the gear 27 and the gear 53 or the gear 30 and the gear 57 are alternatively meshed.

With such a configuration, the arm supporting member 2
3 is fixed by a stopper mechanism (not shown), and the gear 3
In a state where the gears 27 and 53 are separated by meshing the gears 0 and 57,
When the drive source 51 is operated by being fixed by a stopper mechanism (not shown), the rotation shaft 24 rotates via the gears 55, 58, 57, and 30, and a suction cup (not shown) moves up and down. On the other hand, the fixing of the gear box 59 by the stopper is released,
When the rotating shaft 60 is rotated clockwise by a predetermined angle by operating the actuator, the gear box 59 is rotated to the position shown by the broken line, the gear 57 is separated from the gear 30, and the gear 27 and the gear 53 mesh with each other. . In this state, when the fixing of the arm support member 23 is released and the drive source 51 is operated, the gears 55, 5
The arm support member 23 rotates through 4, 53 and 27. As described above, in the third embodiment, since the number of the driving sources 51 can be reduced to one, the cost can be reduced.

FIG. 12 is a front view of the fourth embodiment, and FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA of FIG. 12. The link mechanism is different from those of the first to third embodiments. ing. First
As in the embodiment, the nipple 6 is attached to the suction cup supporting member 61.
Suction cups 64 and 65 are mounted via 2 and 63, respectively. Gears 68 and 69 which are respectively connected to one ends of the arms 66 and 67 and meshed with each other are rotatably mounted on the arm mounting portion 61a integrally formed on the upper surface of the sucker holding member 61. The other ends of the arms 66 and 67 are connected to the arms 7 via respective pins 66a and 67a.
One ends of 0 and 71 are respectively connected. Arm 7
Gears 72 and 73 are fixed to the other ends of the gears 0 and 71, respectively, and these gears 72 and 73 are engaged with each other to an arm mounting portion 74a integrally formed on the lower surface of the arm support member 74. It is pivoted.

A gear shaft mounting portion 74b is formed on the upper surface side of the arm mounting member 74, and a gear shaft 75 is mounted thereon. One of the gears 76 of the gear shaft 75 is the gear 7
2 and the other helical gear 77 is meshed with one gear 79 of the rotating shaft 78. The rotation shaft 78 is a cylinder 80
The cylindrical body 80 is rotatably supported by a frame (not shown) via bearings 81 and 82. Cylinder 8
A gear 83 is fixed to the right end of the gear 0, and the gear 83 is a first gear.
The gear 85 of the drive source 84 is meshed. Rotating shaft 78
Gear 86 attached to the other end of the second drive source 87
Gear 88.

With such a configuration, the first driving source 84
Is operated, the cylinder 80 rotates via the gears 85 and 83, and finally the suction cups 64 and 65 rotate around the cylinder 80. On the other hand, when the second drive source 87 is operated, the gear 8
The rotation shaft 78 is rotated via the gears 8 and 86, and the gears 79 and 7 are rotated.
The arms 70, 71 rotate via 7, 76, 72, 73. When the arms 70, 71 rotate, the pins 66a, 6
7a, the arms 66, 67 rotate, and the gears 68, 6
9 rotates and the suction cup supporting member 61 moves up and down. In the third embodiment, the moving range of the suction cup supporting member 61 can be made larger than that in the first embodiment.

FIG. 14 shows a recording and reading apparatus 91 according to the fifth embodiment.
FIG. A supply magazine 92 is provided below the recording / reading device 91, a sheet supply device 93 according to the first to fourth embodiments is provided above the supply magazine 92, and a receive magazine 94 is provided to the right of the supply magazine 92. Have been. An optical unit 95 that includes a laser light source and a rotating mirror and emits a laser beam L is disposed above the sheet feeding device 93 and the receiving magazine 94. Here, the supply magazine 92 and the receive magazine 94 include a cover 92a,
94a are attached so as to be openable and closable, and the sheet film F accommodated in each is kept light-tight.

The sheet film F accommodated in the supply magazine 92 is fed by a sheet feeder 93 to a pair of rollers 34.
To the receiving magazine 94 by the roller pair 34.
It is discharged toward. Sheet film F is roller pair 34
When the sheet film F is ejected, the laser beam L is emitted from the optical unit 95 onto the sheet film F, and an image is recorded on the sheet film F or an image is read from the sheet film F. The laser beam L is scanned in the horizontal direction as main scanning, and the roller pair 34 is scanned in the vertical direction as sub-scanning.

In this embodiment, by using the sheet feeding apparatus according to the first to fourth embodiments for the recording and reading apparatus 91, the transport system can be simplified, and the apparatus can be reduced in size and cost.
Further, the first to fifth embodiments can be variously modified based on the gist of the present invention.

[0027]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, a small-sized sheet feeding device having a high degree of freedom of suction cup movement, a simple structure, and a simple structure can be obtained.

According to the second aspect, a small-sized recording / reading apparatus can be obtained.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a partial sectional view.

FIG. 3 is a plan view showing a position of a sheet separating claw.

FIG. 4 is an operation explanatory view.

FIG. 5 is an operation explanatory view.

FIG. 6 is an operation explanatory view.

FIG. 7 is an operation explanatory view.

FIG. 8 is an operation explanatory view.

FIG. 9 is a partial sectional view of the second embodiment.

FIG. 10 is a partial sectional view of a third embodiment.

FIG. 11 is a side view.

FIG. 12 is a front view of the fourth embodiment.

FIG. 13 is a sectional view.

FIG. 14 is a configuration diagram of a fifth embodiment.

FIG. 15 is a configuration diagram of a conventional example.

FIG. 16 is a configuration diagram of a conventional example.

[Explanation of symbols]

 11, 41, 61 Suction cup holding members 14, 15, 64, 65 Suction cups 19, 20, 66, 67, 70, 71 Arms 23, 74 Arm support members 24, 78 Rotation axis 25 Sliders 28, 31, 51, 84, 87 Drive source 33 Sheet separation claw 34 Roller pair 43, 92 Supply magazine 80 Cylindrical body 95 Optical unit

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (58) Field surveyed (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) B65H 1/00-3/68 B25J 1/00-21/02

Claims (5)

(57) [Claims] 1. A suction cup for adsorbing a sheet, and the suction cup
A rotating mechanism for rotating the sheet in the sheet transfer direction about a rotating axis, and a moving mechanism for moving the suction cup in the radial direction of the rotating axis with respect to the rotating axis , Said
The rotating mechanism supports a part of the moving mechanism and
Having a tubular support member arranged around the rotation axis,
A first drive for rotating the tubular support member on the tubular support member;
A force is transmitted to rotate the cylindrical support member around the rotation axis.
Moving the suction cup around the rotation axis.
The moving mechanism is configured to be movable.
The second driving force transmitted as rotational force to the
A sheet feeding device comprising a transmission mechanism for moving a board in a radial direction of the rotation shaft . 2. The suction device according to claim 1, wherein the moving mechanism is configured to support the suction cup.
Includes a tilt mechanism for tilting the board support member with respect to the rotation axis.
Sheet feeding apparatus according to no claim 1. 3. The sheet feeding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first and second driving forces are obtained from the same driving source. 4. The sucker sucking the sheet and transferring the sucker.
When moving the moving mechanism in the radial direction of the rotating shaft, a sheet feeding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a corner portion by bending including a sheet separating means for separating the sheets each other of the sheet. 5. A suction cup for adsorbing a sheet, and the suction cup.
A rotating mechanism for rotating the sheet in the sheet transfer direction about a rotating axis, and a moving mechanism for moving the suction cup in the radial direction of the rotating axis with respect to the rotating axis , Said
The rotating mechanism supports a part of the moving mechanism and
Having a tubular support member arranged around the rotation axis,
A first drive for rotating the tubular support member on the tubular support member;
A force is transmitted to rotate the cylindrical support member around the rotation axis.
Moving the suction cup around the rotation axis.
The moving mechanism is configured to be movable.
The second driving force transmitted as rotational force to the
A recording and reading device comprising a transmission mechanism for moving a board in a radial direction of the rotation shaft .