JP3793470B2 - Paper feed mechanism - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is used in a sheet processing apparatus such as an image forming apparatus, and a plurality of sheets (including sheets other than paper such as an OHP film) stored in a storage position are used as a sheet processing unit such as an image forming unit. The present invention relates to a sheet feeding mechanism that conveys one sheet at a time.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In a paper processing apparatus such as an image forming apparatus that forms an image on paper, a plurality of sheets are stacked and stored in a storage position such as a paper feed cassette, and from the storage position to a paper processing section such as an image forming unit. A sheet feeding mechanism that feeds sheets one by one is used. As such a sheet feeding mechanism, in particular, one used in a relatively small sheet processing apparatus is constituted by a pickup roller and a separating member. The pickup roller rotates with the peripheral surface contacting the upper surface of the uppermost sheet among a plurality of sheets stacked and stored at the paper supply position, and feeds the uppermost sheet from the storage position. Pull out in the direction. The separating member is disposed on the downstream side of the pickup roller in the sheet feeding direction, separates a plurality of sheets fed from the storage position by rotation of the pickup roller, and guides only the uppermost sheet in the sheet feeding direction. .
[0003]
That is, a plurality of sheets stacked and stored in the storage position may be adsorbed to each other by electrostatic force or frictional force, and the sheet positioned at the uppermost position is caused by friction with the peripheral surface of the rotating pickup roller. When the paper is fed out, the paper located below the paper may be fed in the paper feeding direction together with the uppermost paper. If this is left unattended, two or more papers are fed simultaneously to the paper processing unit, Jam occurs in the transport path, and proper processing cannot be performed in the paper processing unit. For this reason, even when a plurality of sheets are fed out from the storage position by the pickup roller, a separating member is provided to feed only one sheet toward the sheet processing unit.
[0004]
A conventional sheeting member includes a sheeting roller positioned on the upper side and a sheeting sheet positioned on the lower side, and is configured by pressing the upper surface of the sheeting sheet from below with a predetermined pressing force against the circumferential surface of the sheeting roller. The sheet is passed between the peripheral surface of the sheet roller rotating in the sheet feeding direction and the upper surface of the sheet. When a plurality of sheets are fed out from the storage position and the plurality of sheets reach between the peripheral surface of the winding roller and the upper surface of the winding sheet, only the uppermost sheet whose upper surface abuts on the peripheral surface of the winding roller Is continuously passed between the separation roller and the separation sheet by the frictional force acting from the peripheral surface of the separation roller, while the sheet located below the uppermost sheet is brought into the sheet feeding direction by contact with the separation sheet. Is prevented from moving between the roller and the sheet. As a result, only the sheet located at the uppermost position in the storage position passes between the sheet roller and the sheet and is fed to the sheet processing unit.
[0005]
However, depending on conditions such as the thickness of the paper stored in the storage position, the amount of paper dust, and the moisture content, the appropriate value of the pressing force of the sheet to the peripheral surface of the roller is changed, and these conditions change. When this occurs, the pressure contact force of the upper surface of the winding sheet with respect to the peripheral surface of the winding roller is insufficient and multiple sheets of paper pass between the winding roller and the rolling sheet, or conversely, the pressing force of the rolling sheet becomes excessive. There is a case where a paper feeding error such as a folding of the front edge of the paper or a delay in paper feeding timing occurs.
[0006]
Therefore, as a conventional paper feeding mechanism, as shown in FIG. 6, a conveyance whose peripheral surface is in pressure contact with the peripheral surface of the winding roller 71 on the downstream side of the winding sheet 72 in the paper feeding direction and is driven by the rotation of the winding roller 71. A configuration including a roller 73 has been proposed. With this configuration, when a plurality of sheets pass between the separating roller 71 and the separating sheet 72, when the plurality of sheets further attempt to pass between the separating roller 71 and the conveying roller 73. The uppermost sheet is surely passed between the separating roller 71 and the conveying roller 73 by the frictional force acting from the peripheral surface of the rotating separating roller 71, and the uppermost sheet is interposed between the separating roller 71. The sheet is reliably prevented from passing between the separation roller 71 and the conveyance roller 73 by the contact with the peripheral surface of the conveyance roller 73 that has stopped driven rotation by passing, and the sheet is processed. It is supposed that one sheet can be fed in a more stable state with respect to the copy.
[0007]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in the sheet feeding mechanism including the conventional roller 71, the sheet 72, and the conveyance roller 73 shown in FIG. 6, the upper surface of the sheet 72 and the circumferential surface of the conveyance roller 73 are individually set with respect to the circumferential surface of the roller 71. Because of the elastic force of the springs 74 and 75, the sheet 72 and the conveying roller 73 move relative to the circumferential surface of the sheet roller 71 only in a state where they are independent from each other. There was a problem that paper errors could not be prevented. Further, when the operation of the sheet processing apparatus is stopped while the sheet is stopped in the sheet feeding mechanism, it is necessary to separate the sheet 72 and the conveying roller 73 from the sheet roller 71 in order to remove the sheet from the sheet feeding mechanism. However, the sheet cannot be pulled out from the inside of the sheet feeding mechanism while the sheet 72 and the conveying roller 73 are individually separated from the sheet roller 71 by a single operator, which wastes resources due to the breakage of the sheet. There was a problem that occurred.
[0008]
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to make it possible to integrally operate a sheet and a conveying roller with respect to the circumferential surface of the roller, and to prevent a paper feeding error by cooperation between the two. Another object of the present invention is to provide a paper feed mechanism that can pull out a sheet from the inside of the paper feed mechanism while separating a paper sheet and a conveying roller from a roller by a single operator, thereby preventing waste of resources.
[0009]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The present invention has the following configuration as means for solving the above problems.
[0010]
  (1) In a paper feed mechanism comprising a paper roller that comes into contact with the top surface of the paper fed from the storage position, and a paper sheet that is pressed against the peripheral surface of the paper roller from below.
  A conveying roller whose circumferential surface is pressed against the circumferential surface of the roller in the paper feeding direction is arranged downstream of the conveying roller, and an axis parallel to the rotation axis of the conveying roller is arranged downstream of the conveying roller in the paper feeding direction. Support the sheet and transport roller on a single swinging member that swings in the center,
  The urging force of the upper surface of the separating sheet against the circumferential surface of the rolling roller is larger than the urging force of the circumferential surface of the conveying roller against the circumferential surface of the separating roller.It is characterized by that.
[0011]
  In this configuration, the rolling sheet whose upper surface is in pressure contact with the circumferential surface of the rolling roller and the conveyance roller whose circumferential surface is in pressure contact with the circumferential surface of the rolling roller are a rotation shaft of the conveyance roller on the downstream side of the conveyance roller in the paper feeding direction. Are arranged in this order from the upstream side to the downstream side in the paper feeding direction in a state of being supported by a single rocking member that rocks about an axis parallel to the sheet. Therefore, the separating sheet and the conveying roller operate integrally with the separating roller via the swing member, and between the circumferential surface of the separating roller and the upper surface of the separating sheet and between the circumferential surface of the separating roller and the conveying roller. The separating function of the scooping sheet and the conveying roller acts in cooperation with the sheet passing through the peripheral surface in this order. Further, both the sheet and the conveying roller are simultaneously separated or pressed against the peripheral surface of the roller by the swing operation of the single swing member.
  Further, the upper surface of the sheet is pressed against the circumferential surface of the rolling roller with a larger urging force than the circumferential surface of the conveying roller. Therefore, a sufficient sheet separation function is exerted between the circumferential surface of the winding roller and the upper surface of the separating sheet, and when a plurality of sheets are fed out simultaneously from the paper feeding position, the plurality of sheets are separated from the separating roller. The frequency of reaching between the separating roller and the conveying roller beyond the space between the sheeting sheets is reduced.
[0012]
(2) The said sheet and conveyance roller are urged | biased by the surrounding surface side of the roller by the elastic force of each separate elastic member, It is characterized by the above-mentioned.
[0013]
In this configuration, the pressing force of the upper surface of the web sheet and the circumferential surface of the conveying roller with respect to the circumferential surface of the web roller is set individually. Therefore, when a plurality of sheets are fed out simultaneously from the paper feeding position, a sheet that separates the sheets by applying a frictional force from the flat upper surface to the lower surface of the sheet, and a frictional force from the peripheral surface to the lower surface of the sheet. The pressure contact force corresponding to each separation function of the conveying roller that separates the paper by acting is set.
[0016]
  (3) An extension line in the paper feeding direction of the paper sheet is a range on the side of the paper sheet divided by a line connecting the rotation shaft of the paper roller and the rotation shaft of the transport roller on the peripheral surface of the transport roller, and The crossing is made on the range of the roller side divided by the diameter of the conveying roller perpendicular to this line.
[0017]
In this configuration, the extension line of the sheet feeding direction of the rolled sheet intersects the range facing the sheet feeding direction on the peripheral surface of the conveying roller. Accordingly, the leading edge of the sheet that has passed between the separating roller and the separating sheet comes into contact with the range facing the sheet feeding direction on the peripheral surface of the conveying roller, and the sheet that has passed between the separating roller and the separating sheet is separated from the separating roller. The paper is reliably fed via between the transport roller.
[0018]
  (4) The transport roller is characterized by having a hardness higher than that of the roller.
[0019]
In this configuration, the conveying roller is less likely to be deformed compared to the rolling roller. Therefore, the peripheral surface of the roller is deformed so as to protrude toward the rotating shaft side of the roller at the pressure contact portion between the roller roller and the roller roller, and passes between the roller and the roller roller. The wound paper is prevented from being wound around the circumferential surface of the roller.
[0020]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, a case where the paper feed mechanism according to the embodiment of the present invention is applied to an image forming apparatus that is a paper processing apparatus including an image forming unit as a paper processing unit will be described as an example. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of an image forming apparatus to which a paper feed mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied. The image forming apparatus 100 includes an image reading unit 110 at the top, an image forming unit 210 at the center, and a paper feeding unit 250 at the bottom. On the original glass platen 111 placed on the upper surface of the image forming apparatus 100, an automatic feeding of a plurality of originals set on the original document set tray onto the original platen 111 one by one automatically. A document conveying device 112 is provided. A post-processing unit 260 is mounted on one side surface of the image forming unit 210, and a multi-stage paper feeding unit 270 that also serves as a mounting table is disposed below the paper feeding unit 250.
[0021]
The image reading unit 110 located below the document table 111 includes a first scanning unit 113, a second scanning unit 114, an optical lens 115, and a CCD line sensor 116 as a photoelectric conversion element. The image of the document placed on the document table 111 is relatively scanned and read at a predetermined exposure position. The first scanning unit 113 is equipped with an exposure lamp unit that exposes the original surface and a first mirror that reflects a reflected light image from the original in a predetermined direction. The second scanning unit 114 includes a second mirror and a third mirror that guide the reflected light from the document reflected by the first mirror to the CCD line sensor 116 that is a photoelectric conversion element. The optical lens 115 forms an image of the reflected light from the original on the light receiving surface of the CCD line sensor 116.
[0022]
The document image read by the document reading unit 110 is sent as image data to an image data input unit (not shown), and after predetermined image processing is performed on the image data, it is temporarily stored in the memory of the image processing unit. In response to the output instruction, it is read out from the memory and transferred to the image forming unit 210.
[0023]
The image forming unit 210 emits laser light on the photosensitive drum 222 according to image data transferred from the charger 223 that charges the photosensitive drum 222 to a predetermined potential, the document reading unit 110, or an external device. Laser writing unit 227 for forming an electrostatic latent image, developer 224 for supplying toner to the electrostatic latent image formed on the photosensitive drum 222 and developing it into a toner image, formed on the photosensitive drum 222 A transfer device 225 for transferring the toner image to the paper, a cleaning device 226 for collecting the toner remaining on the photosensitive drum 222 after the transfer process, and a peeling device 229 for peeling the paper from the photosensitive drum 222 after the transfer process. Is provided. Further, the image forming unit 210 is provided with a fixing unit 217 that heats and pressurizes the paper on which the toner image is transferred to fix the toner image on the paper. Further, on the discharge side of the fixing unit 217, a switchback path 221 that reverses the front and back of the paper in a double-sided image forming mode in which images are formed on both sides of the paper is formed.
[0024]
The paper on which the toner image has been fixed in the fixing unit 217 is guided to the post-processing device 260 by the paper discharge roller 219 through the switchback path 221 as necessary, where post-processing such as stapling or punching is performed. After being applied, it is discharged onto the tray 261.
[0025]
The sheet feeding unit 250 includes a manual feed tray 254, a duplex unit 255, a sheet feeding tray 251, and sheet feeding trays 252 and 253 provided in the multistage sheet feeding unit 270. Further, these paper feed trays 251 to 254 are storage positions of the present invention, and a plurality of sheets are stacked and stored. The sheet feeding trays 251 to 254 are provided with conveying means such as rollers for conveying the sheet fed from the sheet feeding trays 251 to 254 to the transfer position between the photosensitive drum 222 and the transfer unit 225 in the image forming unit 210. The double-sided unit 255 communicates with a switchback path 221 that reverses the paper, and temporarily stores the paper whose front and back surfaces are reversed in the double-sided image forming mode. Note that the duplex unit 255 is replaceable with a normal paper feed tray.
[0026]
Each of the paper feed trays 251 to 254 is provided with a paper feed mechanism including the pickup roller 5, the paper roller 1, and the paper sheet 2. The pickup roller 5 is configured so as to be able to selectively come into pressure contact with the upper surface of the uppermost sheet among a plurality of sheets stored by stacking the circumferential surface thereof in each of the paper feed trays 251 to 254. The pickup roller 5 rotates in pressure contact with the upper surface of the uppermost sheet at a timing synchronized with the image reading process of the image reading unit 110 and the image forming process of the image forming unit 210, and the friction force of the peripheral surface is changed to the upper surface of the sheet. The uppermost sheet is fed out in the sheet feeding direction.
[0027]
The separation roller 1 and the separation sheet 2 are located downstream of the pickup roller 5 in the sheet feeding direction, and the sheet fed by the pickup roller 5 is disposed between the peripheral surface of the separation roller 1 and the upper surface of the separation sheet 2. To pass through. As an example, the roller 1 rotates by receiving a rotational force from a drive motor that is shared with the pickup roller 5. The sheet 2 has a flat plate shape, and the upper surface is pressed against the peripheral surface of the roller 1 with a predetermined pressing force. As will be described later, on the downstream side of the sheet 2 in the paper feeding direction, a cylindrical conveying roller 3 whose peripheral surface is pressed against the peripheral surface of the roller 1 with a predetermined pressing force is rotated by the roller 1. It is arranged so as to be rotatable about a rotation axis parallel to the axis. For this reason, the conveyance roller 3 rotates following the rotation of the roller 1.
[0028]
FIG. 2 is an external view showing a configuration of a main part of the paper feed mechanism of the present invention. The sheet 2 and the conveying roller 3 constituting the sheet feeding mechanism 10 of the present invention are supported by a holder 4 which is a swing member of the present invention. The holder 4 is disposed below the winding roller 1 and constitutes the lower surface of the paper feed path by the ribs 4b, 4c and 4d exposed on the upper surface. The holder 4 supports the sheet 2 and the conveying roller 3 in this order from the upstream side to the downstream side in the paper feeding direction indicated by the arrow A. The holder 4 is swingable about a shaft 4 a parallel to the rotation shaft 3 a of the transport roller 3 at a position downstream of the transport roller 3 in the paper feeding direction. The sheet 2 is supported by the holder 4 with the upper surface exposed at the upper surface of the holder 4 and the conveying roller 3 is exposed at the upper surface of the holder 4 respectively. The upper surface of the separating sheet 2 and the peripheral surface of the conveying roller 3 are in contact with the peripheral surface of the separating roller 1.
[0029]
FIG. 3 is a schematic side view of the main part of the paper feed mechanism. As described above, the sheet feeding mechanism 10 of the present invention includes the separation roller 1, the separation sheet 2, the conveyance roller 3, and the holder 4, and is the topmost of the sheet feeding trays 251 to 254 that are fed out by the pickup roller 5. Only the upper sheet is guided in the sheet feeding direction indicated by the arrow A. That is, depending on the paper quality and environmental conditions of a plurality of sheets stacked and stored in the storage position, the sheets may be firmly adsorbed. In such a case, the peripheral surface of the pickup roller 5 that rotates When the uppermost sheet is brought into contact with the upper surface, a single sheet or a plurality of sheets positioned below the uppermost sheet may be fed out simultaneously. Therefore, in the paper feeding mechanism 10 according to the present invention, the uppermost sheet is separated from the lower sheet by the separating roller 1, the separating sheet 2, and the conveying roller 3, and only the uppermost sheet is accurately detected by the image forming unit 210. Can be transported.
[0030]
For this reason, the sheet feeding mechanism 10 includes a spring 6 that urges the sheet 2 fixed to the holder 4 together with the holder 4 toward the sheeting roller 1, and a conveyance roller 3 that is pivotally supported by the holder 4 at the end of the rotating shaft 3 a. A spring 7 is provided to urge the roller 1 toward the side of the roller. The spring 6 and the spring 7 are elastic members of the present invention. As described above, the holder 4 is swingable in the directions of arrows B and C around the axis 4a parallel to the rotation axis 3a of the conveyance roller 3 on the downstream side of the conveyance roller 3 in the paper feeding direction. . Therefore, the holder 4 is urged to the side of the winding roller 1 together with the winding sheet 2 by the elastic force of the spring 6 unless an external force is applied.
[0031]
With the above configuration, in the paper feeding mechanism according to this embodiment, the paper feeding of the paper fed out from the storage position on the upper surface of the sheet 2 supported by the holder 4 as a single member and the peripheral surface of the conveying roller 3 is performed. A plurality of sheets which are brought into pressure contact with the peripheral surface of the winding roller 1 in this order along the direction and are simultaneously fed out from the storage position are placed between the peripheral surface of the winding roller 1 and the upper surface of the winding sheet 2 and the rolling roller 1. It can isolate | separate in two places between the surrounding surface of this and the surrounding surface of the conveyance roller 3. FIG. As a result, the sheet 2 and the conveying roller 3 operate integrally with the sheet roller 1 via the holder 4, and between the peripheral surface of the sheet roller 1 and the upper surface of the sheet 2 and between the sheet roller 1. The separating function of the rolled sheet 1 and the conveyance roller 3 can be caused to cooperate with the sheet passing between the circumferential surface and the circumferential surface of the conveyance roller 3 in this order. Therefore, even when a plurality of sheets fed out at the same time have a strong adsorbing force between the sheets and the plurality of sheets pass between the peripheral surface of the separating roller 1 and the upper surface of the separating sheet 2, these sheets are again separated by the separating roller. Since the separation can be made between the circumferential surface of 1 and the circumferential surface of the conveying roller 3, only the uppermost sheet can be accurately passed in the sheet feeding direction.
[0032]
Note that the pressing force of the sheet 2 against the winding roller 1 is stronger than the pressing force of the conveying roller 3 against the winding roller 1. As a result, a sufficient separation action is exerted between the separating roller 1 and the separating sheet 2, and even when a plurality of sheets are fed out simultaneously from the storage position, the peripheral surface of the separating roller 1 and the upper surface of the separating sheet 2. The number of sheets passing between the two at the same time can be reliably reduced. For this reason, even if a plurality of sheets simultaneously pass between the circumferential surface of the rolling roller 1 and the upper surface of the rolling sheet 2, the number of sheets is sufficiently small, and the circumferential surface of the rolling roller 1 and the conveying roller 3 The uppermost sheet can be reliably separated from other sheets with respect to the peripheral surface, and only one sheet positioned at the uppermost part can be accurately guided from the sheet feeding mechanism 10 in the sheet feeding direction. it can.
[0033]
Further, in the holder 4, the rotating shaft 3 a of the transport roller 3 abuts on the holder 4 on the opposite side of the peripheral roller roller 1 side in the normal direction at the contact portion of the peripheral surface of the transport roller 3 with the peripheral surface of the roller 1. Not. That is, the holder 4 is not in contact with the rotating shaft 3a of the conveyance roller 3 in the direction in which the conveyance roller 3 is urged toward the roller 1 side, and the holder 4 is attached to the roller 1 side together with the sheet 1. The elastic force of the energizing spring 6 does not act on the conveying roller 3. For this reason, by increasing the elastic force of the spring 6 as compared with the elastic force of the spring 7, the pressing force of the sheet 2 against the roller 1 is made stronger than the pressing force of the conveying roller 3 against the roller 1. Can do.
[0034]
FIG. 4 is a schematic side view for explaining the operation of the main part of the paper feed mechanism. In the paper feed mechanism 10 of the present invention, the holder 4 that supports the rolled sheet 2 and the transport roller 3 swings in the directions of arrows B and C around the shaft 4a disposed on the downstream side of the transport roller 3 in the paper feed direction. It is made movable. As shown in FIG. 3, when the holder 4 is swung in the direction of arrow B from the state in which the upper surface of the sheet 2 and the peripheral surface of the conveying roller 3 are in contact with the peripheral surface of the roller 1 with a predetermined pressure contact force, As shown in FIG. 4, a gap is formed between the upper surface of the sheet 2 and the peripheral surface of the conveying roller 3 and the peripheral surface of the roller 1.
[0035]
In this way, the pressure contact state of the upper surface of the sheet 2 and the peripheral surface of the conveying roller 3 with respect to the peripheral surface of the roller 1 can be released only by swinging the holder 4 as a single member. For this reason, when the operation of the image forming apparatus 100 is stopped while the sheet is passing through the sheet feeding mechanism 10, when the sheet is removed from the sheet feeding mechanism 10, the operator holds the holder with one hand. 4 can be swung in the direction of arrow B, and the paper can be pulled out with the other hand, improving workability and preventing waste of resources due to paper damage.
[0036]
FIG. 5 is a schematic side view illustrating an arrangement state of the separation roller, the separation sheet, and the conveyance roller in the sheet feeding mechanism. In the sheet feeding mechanism 10 of the present invention, the extension line La on the upper surface of the sheet 2 is divided by the line L1 connecting the rotation center of the roller 1 and the rotation center of the conveyance roller 3 on the peripheral surface of the conveyance roller 3. In the range on the side of the winding sheet 2 and intersects with the angle range of 90 °, which is the range on the side of the winding roller 1 divided by the diameter L2 of the conveying roller 3 orthogonal to the line L1.
[0037]
With this configuration, the leading edge of the sheet that has passed between the circumferential surface of the rolling roller 1 and the upper surface of the sheet 2 comes into contact with the range of the circumferential surface of the conveying roller 3 facing the sheet feeding direction, and the sheet is rolled. It is possible to reliably pass between the roller 1 and the conveyance roller 3, and it is possible to feed the sheet to the image forming unit 210 in a stable state by preventing the occurrence of paper breakage at the leading end of the sheet.
[0038]
The hardness of the conveying roller 3 is higher than the hardness of the roller 1. For this reason, the conveying roller 3 is less likely to be deformed than the rolling roller 1, and the circumferential surface of the rolling roller 1 is the rotation shaft of the rolling roller 1 at the press-contact portion between the circumferential surface of the rolling roller 1 and the circumferential surface of the conveying roller 3. It is deformed so as to be convex to the side (inner side). Therefore, a sheet conveyance path is formed in a direction away from the circumferential surface of the separation roller 1 at the press-contact portion between the circumferential surface of the separation roller 1 and the circumferential surface of the conveyance roller 3, and between the separation roller 1 and the conveyance roller 3. It is possible to prevent the paper that has passed through the peripheral surface of the winding roller 1 from being wrapped and to reliably feed the paper from the paper feeding mechanism 10.
[0039]
In the above embodiment, the image forming apparatus has been described as an example of the sheet processing apparatus to which the sheet feeding mechanism according to the present invention is applied. However, for each of the sheets stacked and stored in the storage position, The paper feed mechanism according to the present invention can be similarly applied to other paper processing apparatuses that perform predetermined processing in the paper processing unit.
[0040]
【The invention's effect】
According to the present invention, the following effects can be obtained.
[0041]
(1) A roll sheet whose upper surface is pressed against the circumferential surface of the roller and a conveyance roller whose circumferential surface is pressed against the circumferential surface of the roller are parallel to the rotation axis of the conveyance roller on the downstream side of the conveyance roller in the paper feeding direction. By arranging in this order from the upstream side to the downstream side in the paper feeding direction in a state where it is supported by a single rocking member that rocks about a specific axis, the rolled sheet and the conveying roller can move the rocking member. To the paper that passes between the peripheral surface of the paper roller and the upper surface of the paper sheet and between the peripheral surface of the paper roller and the peripheral surface of the conveying roller in this order. On the other hand, the separating function of the rolled sheet and the conveying roller can be operated in cooperation. Further, by swinging the single swinging member, both the sheet and the conveying roller can be simultaneously separated or pressed against the peripheral surface of the sheeting roller, and when the sheet stopped in the sheet feeding mechanism is removed. In addition, the operation can be easily performed by swinging the swing member with the other hand of the operator who holds the sheet to be pulled out with one hand.
[0042]
As a result, it is possible to integrally operate the sheet and the conveying roller with respect to the circumferential surface of the sheet roller, and to prevent a paper feeding error by cooperation of the two, and a sheet of paper by a single operator. The paper can be pulled out from the inside of the paper feed mechanism while separating the paper roller and the conveying roller from the roller, and waste of resources due to paper damage can be prevented.
[0043]
(2) By setting the pressure contact force of the upper surface of the winding sheet and the peripheral surface of the conveying roller with respect to the peripheral surface of the winding roller individually, a flat plate is formed on the lower surface of the paper when a plurality of sheets are fed out simultaneously from the paper feeding position. Pressure contact force according to the separation function of the separating sheet that separates the paper by applying a frictional force from the upper surface of the sheet and the conveying roller that separates the paper by applying the frictional force from the peripheral surface to the lower surface of the paper Can be set.
[0044]
(3) A sufficient amount of paper is provided between the circumferential surface of the winding roller and the upper surface of the separating sheet by pressing the upper surface of the separating sheet with a larger urging force than the circumferential surface of the conveying roller against the circumferential surface of the separating roller. When multiple sheets are fed out from the paper feed position at the same time, the multiple sheets pass between the separation roller and the separation sheet and between the separation roller and the conveyance roller. Therefore, it is possible to reliably feed only one sheet located at the uppermost position.
[0045]
(4) By extending an extension line of the sheet feeding direction of the sheet to the range facing the sheet feeding direction on the peripheral surface of the conveyance roller, the leading edge of the sheet that has passed between the sheet roller and the sheet is moved. The sheet can be brought into contact with the sheet feeding direction on the circumferential surface of the conveyance roller, and the sheet that has passed between the separation roller and the separation sheet can be brought into contact with the separation roller and the conveyance roller without causing paper breakage at the leading edge. The paper can be reliably fed via between the two.
[0046]
(5) By making it difficult to deform the conveying roller compared to the roller, the peripheral surface of the roller is protruded toward the rotating shaft side of the roller at the pressure contact portion between the peripheral surface of the roller and the peripheral surface of the conveying roller. The paper can be stably fed by preventing the paper that has passed between the paper roller and the conveying roller from being wrapped around the peripheral surface of the paper roller.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a configuration of an image forming apparatus to which a paper feed mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied.
FIG. 2 is an external view showing a configuration of a main part of a paper feed mechanism according to the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a schematic side view of a main part of the paper feed mechanism.
FIG. 4 is a schematic side view for explaining the operation of the main part of the paper feed mechanism.
FIG. 5 is a schematic side view showing an arrangement state of a separation roller, a separation sheet, and a conveyance roller in the sheet feeding mechanism.
FIG. 6 is a side view illustrating a configuration of a main part of a conventional paper feed mechanism.
[Explanation of symbols]
1-Roller
2-sheets
3- Conveyor roller
4-holder (swinging member)
5-Pickup roller
6,7-spring (elastic member)
10-paper feeding mechanism
100-Image forming apparatus (paper processing apparatus)
210-Image forming unit (paper processing unit)
2251-254-paper feed tray (storage position)

Claims (4)

In a paper feed mechanism comprising a rolling roller that comes into contact with the upper surface of the paper fed from the storage position, and a paper sheet that presses against the peripheral surface of the paper rolling roller from below.
A conveying roller whose circumferential surface is pressed against the circumferential surface of the roller in the paper feeding direction is arranged downstream of the conveying roller, and an axis parallel to the rotation axis of the conveying roller is arranged downstream of the conveying roller in the paper feeding direction. Support the sheet and transport roller on a single swinging member that swings in the center ,
2. The sheet feeding mechanism according to claim 1, wherein an urging force of the upper surface of the sheet to the peripheral surface of the roller is greater than an urging force of the peripheral surface of the conveying roller to the peripheral surface of the roller. . 2. The sheet feeding mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the swinging member and the conveying roller are urged toward the peripheral surface side of the winding roller by an elastic force of an individual elastic member. The extension line in the paper feeding direction of the paper sheet is a range on the side of the paper sheet divided by a line connecting the rotary shaft of the paper roller and the rotary shaft of the transport roller on the peripheral surface of the transport roller, and The sheet feeding mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the sheet feeding mechanism intersects with a range on the side of the separating roller divided by the diameter of the conveying roller perpendicular to the line . The paper feeding mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the conveyance roller has a hardness higher than that of the roller .

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