JP4631695B2 - Sheet supply apparatus and image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention generally relates to an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a printer, a printing machine, and a facsimile machine, and more particularly to a sheet supply apparatus suitable for use in the image forming apparatus.

  As a sheet conveying method of the image forming apparatus, a method of conveying a sheet with reference to one side end (side edge) of the sheet in a direction (sheet width direction) orthogonal to the sheet conveying direction (hereinafter referred to as “side reference method”). And a method of conveying the sheet based on the center position of the sheet (hereinafter referred to as “center reference method”).

  When the sheet is conveyed by the center reference method, a balanced and stable running property can be ensured by arranging the conveying rolls and the like evenly in the sheet width direction regardless of the sheet size. Due to such superior driving performance, the number of cases using the center reference method for sheet conveyance is increasing recently.

  In recent years, in order to prevent a phenomenon in which a plurality of sheets are fed in a superimposed state (hereinafter referred to as “double feeding”) when transporting coated paper or the like having strong adhesion between sheets, a feed roll is used. In addition to the technique of separating the sheet by the retard roll (or retard pad), a technique of separating the sheet by blowing air has been proposed. Such a sheet separation technique can be applied to both the side reference method and the center reference method described above.

  By the way, in the case of conveying a sheet by the center reference method, the position of the side end portion of the sheet stored in the sheet storage tray differs depending on the sheet size (sheet width). For this reason, as the above-described sheet separation technique, in the type in which air is blown to the side end portion of the sheet stored in the sheet storage tray (hereinafter also referred to as “side spray type”), the side end portion of the sheet in the sheet storage tray In order to keep the positional relationship between the air blowing portion and the air blowing portion constant, it is necessary to move the position of the air blowing portion according to the sheet size.

  On the other hand, for example, as disclosed in Patent Documents 1 and 2 below, in a type in which air is blown to the front end portion of a sheet stored in a sheet storage tray (hereinafter also referred to as “front spraying type”), Since the front end of the sheet is placed at the same position in the storage tray regardless of the sheet size, the positional relationship between the front end of the sheet and the air blowing part can be kept constant without moving the position of the air blowing part. Can do. For these reasons, in the case of conveying a sheet by the center reference method, the front blowing type sheet separating technique is often applied rather than the side blowing type.

JP 2000-344358 A JP 2001-106365 A

  However, in the front blowing type sheet separation technology, an air blowing port is formed in the front wall portion of the sheet storage tray, and air is blown to the front end portion of the sheet through the air blowing port. The air cannot be blown to the front end of the sheet unless it is in the tray. That is, when a sheet is called from the sheet storage tray, air cannot be blown to the front end portion of the sheet after the front end portion of the sheet passes through the front wall portion of the sheet storage tray. Therefore, when a sheet is called in the sheet storage tray without releasing the close contact between the sheets, double feeding occurs in subsequent sheet conveyance.

  The present invention has been made in order to solve the above-described problems, and the object of the present invention is to effectively prevent double feeding of sheets even when the sheets are called up without releasing the close contact between the sheets. An object of the present invention is to realize a sheet feeding device that can be used.

The sheet supply apparatus according to the present invention includes a sheet storing unit that stores sheets in a stacked state, a sheet calling unit that calls a sheet stored in the sheet storing unit, and a sheet that is called by the sheet calling unit while nipping the sheet. A sheet feeding means and a sheet winding means for feeding; and an upper end of a front wall portion in the sheet feeding direction extending obliquely upward from the front wall portion in the sheet accommodation means to the nip position; Sheet guiding means for guiding the sheet called from the storing means to the nip position; and air is blown to the front end portion of the sheet stored in the sheet storing means; and the sheet stacking position and the nip position of the sheet storing means through a plurality of openings provided in said sheet guide means in between, the guide member The equipped to nip position and air blowing means blow air to the front end portion of the sheet to be guided obliquely upward, the shape of the opening is a slit shape Subomi ahead toward the feed direction of the sheet, said opening These side edges are inclined in a direction perpendicular to the sheet supply direction and toward the outside as the sheet supply direction is advanced with reference to the sheet width center position .

  In the sheet supply apparatus according to the present invention, air is blown by the air blowing means to the front end portion of the sheet accommodated in the sheet accommodating means, and also to the front end portion of the sheet called from the sheet accommodating means by the sheet calling means. In addition, air is blown by the air blowing means through the air blowing permission portion provided in the sheet guiding means. For this reason, even when a sheet is called up without the close contact between the sheets being unwound by the sheet storing means, it is possible to blow and separate the front end portion of the sheet between the sheet stacking position and the nip position.

  According to the sheet supply device of the present invention, air is blown by the air blowing means not only to the front end portion of the sheet accommodated in the sheet accommodating means but also to the front end portion of the sheet called from the sheet accommodating means by the sheet calling means. be able to. For this reason, it is possible to enhance the sheet separation effect by the air blowing and effectively prevent the sheets from being double-fed.

  Hereinafter, specific embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration example of an image forming apparatus to which the present invention is applied. The illustrated image forming apparatus 1 includes a receiving unit 5 connected to an image reading device 2 and an external device (such as a personal computer) 3 via a communication line 4, and an image writing unit based on image data received by the receiving unit 5. 6, an image recording control unit 7 that controls 6, a drum-shaped image carrier (photosensitive drum) 8 on which an electrostatic latent image is written by the image writing unit 6, and a circumferential direction of the image carrier 8. A charging device 9, a developing device 10, and a cleaner 11, a transfer roll 12 that transfers a toner image formed on the image carrier 8 to a sheet, a fixing device 13 that fixes the toner image transferred to the sheet, A discharge roll 14 that discharges the sheet on which the toner image has been fixed by the fixing device 13, a discharge tray 15 that receives the sheet discharged by the discharge roll 14, and the opposite of the image carrier 8 and the transfer roll 12. A sheet conveying section 16 that conveys the sheet toward the position, a plurality of sheet accommodating trays 17 that accommodate sheets used for image formation in a stacked state, and a sheet that supplies the sheets accommodated in each sheet accommodating tray 17 The supply section 18 is provided.

  FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating a configuration example of a sheet feeding apparatus to which the present invention is applied. The sheet supply apparatus is configured using a sheet storage tray 17 and a sheet supply unit 18. The sheet storage tray 17 is mounted so as to be able to be taken in and out (inserted / removed) with respect to the image forming apparatus main body. The sheet storage tray 17 has a space in which a predetermined number (a plurality) of stacked sheets (sheet bundles) can be stored, and includes a bottom plate 19 that supports the sheets placed in the space. The bottom plate 19 is supported so as to be movable up and down in a substantially horizontal posture. In the sheet storage tray 17, the sheet is supported in parallel with the main surface (upper surface) of the bottom plate 19. Therefore, the sheet stacking direction in the sheet storage tray 17 is a direction orthogonal to the main surface of the bottom plate 19.

The sheet supply unit 18 is disposed on one side of the sheet storage tray 17 (the side on which the sheet is fed out). The sheet supply unit 18 supplies the sheets 20 placed on the bottom plate 19 of the sheet storage tray 17 in order from the uppermost sheet (hereinafter also referred to as “top sheet”), and includes a pickup roll 21, a feed roll 22 and a retard roll 23. Of these, pick-up roll 21 corresponds to the sheet call means, the feed roller 22 corresponds to the sheet feeding means, retard roll 2 3 is equivalent to a sheet separating means.

  The pick-up roll 21 descends when the sheets 20 stored in the sheet storage tray 17 are sequentially supplied, contacts the uppermost surface of the sheet with a predetermined pressing force, and rotates in the direction of the arrow in this contact state. Thus, the sheet 20 is called from the sheet storage tray 17. The uppermost surface of the sheet refers to the upper surface of the sheet (top sheet) disposed at the uppermost position among the sheets 20 stored in the sheet storage tray 17. The feed roll 22 rotates in the direction of the arrow in the drawing, and feeds the sheet 20 called by the pickup roll 21 toward the sheet conveying unit 16 while being nipped with the retard roll 23. The nip position between the feed roll 22 and the retard roll 23 is set at a position away from the front wall portion 17A of the sheet storage tray 17 by a predetermined distance.

  The retard roll 23 comes into contact with the lower surface side of the sheet 20 called between the feed roll 22 (nip position) by the pickup roll 21 and an appropriate frictional resistance force (braking force) is applied to the lower sheet in this contact state. Is applied to the feed roll 21 one sheet at a time. For example, the retard roll 23 is driven to rotate in the same direction as the feed roll 22 when a rotational torque less than the limit torque set by the torque limiter is applied, and to the feed roll 22 when a rotational torque greater than the limit torque is applied. It rotates in the direction opposite to that of the feed roll 22 in the form of rotation. Note that a retard pad (not shown) can be used as the sheet rolling means instead of the retard roll 23.

  Further, the sheet supply apparatus includes an air blowing unit 24. The air blowing unit 24 separates the sheet 20 by blowing air to the front end portion of the sheet 20 stored in the sheet storage tray 17. More specifically, the air blowing unit 24 blows air between the sheets in the upper layer portion by blowing air from the downstream side in the sheet supply direction Y to the front end portion of the sheet 20 stored in the sheet storage tray 17. They are separated from each other and the adhesion between the sheets is released. The sheet supply direction Y is a direction in which the sheet 20 is supplied (moved) by driving the sheet supply unit 18. Further, the front end portion of the sheet 20 refers to an end portion of the sheet 20 that is arranged facing the downstream side in the sheet supply direction Y.

  The air blowing unit 24 is configured using an air flow generator (not shown) such as a blower or a fan, and a duct 25 that forms a flow path of the air flow generated by the air flow generator. The leading end of the duct 25 is open, and both the air outlet 26 provided in the front wall 17A of the sheet storage tray 17 and the sheet guide 27 extending from the upper end of the front wall 17A. It is connected to the. For this reason, in the front wall portion 17 </ b> A of the sheet storage tray 17, air is blown out in the arrow direction from the air outlet 26 through the duct 25. At this time, the direction of the air blown out from the air outlet 26 is opposite to the sheet supply direction Y. Further, the opening size and opening position of the air outlet 26 in the sheet stacking direction are set under the condition that air is blown onto at least the upper layer portion of the sheet 20 supported in a stacked state on the bottom plate 19.

  The sheet guide 27 corresponds to sheet guiding means, and extends obliquely upward from the upper end of the front wall portion 17A of the sheet storage tray 17. The sheet guide 27 guides the sheet 20 called by the pickup roll 21 to the nip position between the feed roll 22 and the retard roll 23. For this reason, the sheet guide 27 extends from the sheet stacking position P1 of the sheet storage tray 17 toward the nip position P2 of the feed roll 22 and the retard roll 23. The sheet stacking position P1 refers to a position where the front end of the sheet 20 is aligned in the stacked state when the sheet 20 is stacked on the sheet storage tray 17. The nip position P2 is a position where the feed roll 22 and the retard roll 23 are in pressure contact with each other. Although the sheet guide 27 is formed integrally with the sheet storage tray 17 here, the present invention is not limited to this, and the sheet guide 27 may be provided as a member different from the sheet storage tray 17.

  The sheet guide 27 is provided with a plurality of openings 28. The plurality of openings 28 allow air to be blown between the above-described sheet stacking position P1 and nip position P2. That is, the plurality of openings 28 constitutes an air allowing portion. When the sheet guide 27 is viewed in plan, each opening 28 is formed in a circular shape as shown in FIG. Each opening 28 is formed over the entire sheet guide 27. For this reason, in the sheet guide 27, air is blown out from each opening 28 in the direction of the arrow through the duct 25. At this time, the direction of the air blown out from each opening 28 is a direction that obliquely intersects the sheet supply direction Y in a direction opposite to this.

  In the sheet supply apparatus having the above-described configuration, when the sheets 20 stored in the sheet storage tray 17 are sequentially supplied by the sheet supply unit 18, air is blown from the air outlet 26 through the duct 25 by the air blowing unit 24. Thus, air is blown onto the front end portion of the sheet 20 stored in the sheet storage tray 17. Accordingly, the upper layer sheet 20 accommodated in the sheet accommodation tray 17 can be separated by air blowing by the air blowing part 24.

When the pickup roll 21 is brought into contact with the uppermost surface of the sheet 20 stored in the sheet storage tray 17 and rotated, the sheet 20 is called from the sheet storage tray 17 in the sheet supply direction Y accordingly. The front end of the thus called sheet 20 is guided by the sheet guide 27 moves toward the nipping position P2 of the feed b Lumpur 22 and the retard roll 23. At this time, air is blown out from each opening 28 of the sheet guide 27 through the duct 25 by the air blowing unit 24, thereby blowing the sheet 20 between the sheet stacking position P <b> 1 and the nip position P <b> 2 by the air blowing unit 24. Can be separated.

  Therefore, even when a plurality of sheets 20 are called together without releasing the close contact between the sheets in the sheet storage tray 17, the air is passed through the plurality of openings 28 at the front end portion of the sheet 20 moving along the sheet guide 27. Can be delivered to the nip position P2 in a state where each sheet 20 is separated. For this reason, the sheet 20 nipped by the feed roll 22 and the retard roll 23 can be sent out in the sheet supply direction Y while being reliably rolled one by one by the retard roll 23. Further, since the shape of the opening 28 is circular, when the sheet called by the pickup roll 21 moves along the sheet guide 27, the corner portion of the sheet 20 is caught on the opening 28 on the upper surface of the sheet guide 27. It becomes difficult. For this reason, the sheet 20 can be smoothly moved on the sheet guide 27.

  In the embodiment described above, a plurality of circular openings 28 are provided in the sheet guide 27 as the air blowing permission portion, but the present invention is not limited to this. 4 to 8 are views showing other examples of the structure of the sheet guide 27. FIG.

  In the sheet guide 27 shown in FIG. 4, the shape of each opening 28 is a slit shape that is tapered toward the sheet supply direction Y. That is, in the sheet supply direction Y, each opening 28 forms a slit shape having an isosceles triangle in plan view, and extends straight from the sheet stacking position P1 toward the nip position P2. The slit width of each opening 28 gradually decreases from the sheet stacking position P1 toward the nip position P2. In the vicinity of the nip position P2, the slit tip of each opening 28 has a sharp shape. Further, in the direction orthogonal to the sheet supply direction Y, the openings 28 are arranged in a horizontal row at substantially constant intervals.

  In the sheet guide 27 shown in FIG. 5, the shape of each opening 28 is a slit shape with a tip, similar to FIG. 4. However, in the sheet supply direction Y, the plurality of openings 28 are provided in two rows with their positions shifted in the front-rear direction. That is, in the sheet supply direction Y, the first row (upstream side) openings 28 are formed in a slit shape from the sheet stacking position P1 to the intermediate position of the sheet guide 27, and the second row (downstream side) openings 28 are formed. Is formed in a slit shape from the intermediate position of the sheet guide 27 to the nip position P2. Further, the opening 28 in the first row and the opening 28 in the second row are formed so as to be displaced from each other in the direction orthogonal to the sheet feeding direction Y.

  As described above, when the opening shape of the sheet guide 27 is a slit-shaped slit, the side edges of the respective openings (slits) 28 are arranged in a direction inclined with respect to the sheet supply direction Y. On the other hand, for example, when the slit shape of the opening 28 is rectangular, the side edges of the opening 28 are arranged in a direction along the sheet supply direction Y. In such a case, in the case of the rectangular slit shape, when the side edge of the opening 28 and the side edge of the sheet overlap in a direction orthogonal to the sheet feeding direction Y, the side edge of the sheet is rubbed and deformed by the side edge of the opening 28. The corner portion of the sheet is easily caught on the corner portion of the opening 28. On the other hand, when the slit shape of the tip is adopted, the side edge of the sheet is not rubbed against the side edge of the opening 28, so that the corner portion of the sheet is not easily caught by the corner portion of the opening 28. For this reason, the sheet 20 can be smoothly moved on the sheet guide 27.

  In the sheet guide 27 shown in FIG. 6, the shape of each opening 28 is a slit shape with a tapered tip at the tip. Further, the side edge of each opening 28 is inclined in the direction perpendicular to the sheet supply direction Y with reference to the feed roll 22 disposed at the sheet width center position. That is, with the feed roll 22 as the center, the side edge of the opening 28 formed on the right side in the figure is inclined rightward (clockwise direction), and the side edge of the opening 28 formed on the left side in the figure is leftward (counterclockwise). Direction). Even when the side edge of the opening 28 is inclined in this manner, the sheet corner portion is less likely to be caught by the corner portion of the opening 28 for the same reason as described above, so that the sheet 20 can be smoothly moved on the sheet guide 27. it can.

  On the other hand, the sheet guide 27 shown in FIGS. 7A and 7B is provided with a plurality of guide ribs 29. Each guide rib 29 is formed so as to protrude in the thickness direction of the sheet guide 27 so as to contact the lower surface side of the sheet guided and moved by the sheet guide 27. Each guide rib 29 is formed straight from the sheet stacking position P1 toward the nip position P2. Therefore, the direction of each guide rib 29 is parallel to the sheet supply direction Y. In the direction orthogonal to the sheet supply direction Y, the guide ribs 29 are arranged at a predetermined interval. In contrast, each opening 28 is formed at a position retracted from the guide rib 29 in the thickness direction of the sheet guide 27 (a position recessed by one step). In the direction orthogonal to the sheet supply direction Y, the openings 28 and the guide ribs 29 are alternately arranged.

  Thus, in the sheet guide 27 provided with the opening 28 and the guide rib 29, the sheet moving along the sheet guide 27 contacts the guide rib 29, and the opening 28 is maintained in a non-contact state with the sheet. For this reason, the sheet is not caught in the opening 28. Therefore, the sheet 20 can be smoothly moved on the sheet guide 27 regardless of the shape and orientation of the opening 28.

  The air outlet 26 formed in the front wall portion 17A of the sheet storage tray 17 lifts and separates the sheets 20 stored in the stacked state in the sheet storage tray 17 by blowing air. The opening 28 formed in the sheet 27 is for separating the sheet 20 moving on the sheet guide 27 by blowing air. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 8, the sheet width area (area corresponding to the sheet width) with reference to the feed roll 22 arranged at the sheet width center position in the direction (left-right direction in the figure) orthogonal to the sheet supply direction Y. ) Is divided into a plurality of areas, for example, the center area CE and the side areas SE1, SE2 on both sides thereof, the front wall portion 17A of the sheet storage tray 17 covers the entire area of the center area CE and the side areas SE1, SE2. An air outlet 26 is formed, and an opening 28 is formed in the sheet guide 27 only in the side regions SE1 and SE2 excluding the center region CE.

  As a result, air is blown from the air outlet 26 provided in the front wall portion 17A of the sheet storage tray 17 to the entire sheet width region in a direction orthogonal to the sheet supply direction Y, and thus is stored in the sheet storage tray 17. The sheet becomes easier to float by blowing air. Further, air is blown from the opening 28 provided in the sheet guide 27 to a part of the sheet width region in a direction orthogonal to the sheet supply direction Y. Therefore, the sheet moving along the sheet guide 27 is blown by air. It becomes easy to break apart. As a result, it is possible to efficiently separate the sheets by blowing air.

  Here, the sheet width region is divided into three regions CE, SE1, and SE2, and the opening 28 is provided only in the side regions SE1 and SE2. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the opening 28 is provided only in the center region CE. It may be provided. Further, the sheet width region may be divided into four or more regions, and the opening 28 may be provided only in a part of the region.

1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a configuration example of an image forming apparatus to which the present invention is applied. It is the schematic which shows the structural example of the sheet supply apparatus with which this invention is applied. It is a top view which shows the structural example of a sheet guide. FIG. 10 is a diagram (part 1) illustrating another configuration example of the sheet guide. FIG. 10 is a second diagram illustrating another configuration example of the sheet guide. FIG. 10 is a third diagram illustrating another configuration example of the sheet guide. FIG. 11 is a diagram (part 4) illustrating another configuration example of the sheet guide. FIG. 10 is a fifth diagram illustrating another exemplary configuration of the sheet guide.

Explanation of symbols

  1 Image forming apparatus. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 17 ... Sheet storage tray, 18 ... Sheet supply part, 21 ... Pickup roll, 22 ... Feed roll, 23 ... Retard roll, 24 ... Air spraying part, 25 ... Duct, 26 ... Air outlet, 27 ... Sheet guide, 28 ... Opening 29, guide rib, P1, sheet stacking position, P2, nip position

Claims (2)

Sheet storage means for storing sheets in a stacked state;
Sheet calling means for calling a sheet stored in the sheet storing means;
Sheet feeding means and sheet rolling means for feeding the sheet called by the sheet calling means while nip; and
The sheet storage means extends obliquely upward from the upper end of the front wall portion in the sheet supply direction to the nip position, and the sheet called from the sheet storage means by the sheet calling means to the nip position. Sheet guiding means for guiding;
The guide member passes through a plurality of openings provided in the sheet guide unit between the sheet stacking position and the nip position of the sheet storage unit, while blowing air to the front end portion of the sheet stored in the sheet storage unit. Air blowing means for blowing air to the front end portion of the sheet guided obliquely upward to the nip position by
The shape of the opening is a slit shape with a concavity toward the supply direction of the sheet,
The sheet supply apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a side edge of the opening is inclined in a direction perpendicular to the sheet supply direction and outward as the sheet supply direction proceeds with respect to a sheet width center position . A sheet accommodating means for accommodating in a loading state shea over bets used in the image formation,
Sheet calling means for calling a sheet stored in the sheet storing means;
Sheet feeding means and sheet rolling means for feeding the sheet called by the sheet calling means while nip; and
The sheet storage means extends obliquely upward from the upper end of the front wall portion in the sheet supply direction to the nip position, and the sheet called from the sheet storage means by the sheet calling means to the nip position. Sheet guiding means for guiding;
The guide member passes through a plurality of openings provided in the sheet guide unit between the sheet stacking position and the nip position of the sheet storage unit, while blowing air to the front end portion of the sheet stored in the sheet storage unit. and a air blowing means blow air to the front end portion of the sheet to be guided obliquely upwards into the nip position by,
The shape of the opening is a slit shape with a concavity toward the supply direction of the sheet,
A side edge of the opening is inclined in a direction orthogonal to the sheet supply direction and toward the outer side as the sheet supply direction proceeds with respect to the sheet width center position.
An image forming apparatus characterized by comprising a sheet feeding apparatus you wherein a.

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