JP7207968B2 - Media feeder - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a medium feeding device.

Conventionally, as a paper feeding device that supplies paper, which is an example of media, to the printing unit of a printing device, there is a stacking table on which a plurality of papers are stacked, and the highest paper among the multiple papers stacked on this stacking table. and a suction mechanism that sucks the uppermost sheet of paper to the transport mechanism by sucking air.

In addition, by pushing down the topmost sheet of paper with a separation projection protruding from the adsorption surface that adsorbs the topmost sheet of paper on the stacking table, an air gap is created between the topmost sheet of paper and the succeeding sheet (second sheet of paper). A sheet feeding device has been proposed in which a layer of air is formed and separated air is blown onto this layer of air (see, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-100003).

Japanese Patent No. 5163425

By the way, as described above, the separation projection is used to form the air layer on the front end side of the paper in the transport direction, and the top paper is transported on the rear end side in the transport direction of the top paper. As a result, the suction mechanism is exposed. As a result, the second sheet exposed upward as the uppermost sheet is conveyed is sucked by the suction mechanism and is conveyed together with the uppermost sheet. As a result, as in the reference technology described below, the leading edge of the second sheet in the transport direction is folded.

FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining the paper feeding operation in the reference technique.
The sheet feeding device 201 shown in FIG. 6 includes a stacking table 210 , a transport mechanism 220 , a suction mechanism 230 , a floating air blowing mechanism 250 and a separation air blowing mechanism 260 .

A plurality of sheets P are stacked on the stacking table 210 .
The transport mechanism 220 has a transport belt 221 and pulleys 222 and 223 around which the transport belt 221 is stretched, and transports the uppermost sheet P1 among the plurality of sheets P stacked on the stacking table 210 .

The suction mechanism 230 sucks the uppermost paper sheet P1 to the conveying belt 221 by sucking the suction air A11.

The floating air blowing mechanism 250 blows floating air A<b>12 for floating, for example, about 10 sheets P among the plurality of sheets P stacked on the stacking table 210 .

The separation air blowing mechanism 260 blows out the separation air A13 for separating the uppermost sheet P1 and the second sheet P2.

In such a paper feeder 201 , after a plurality of sheets P are floated by floating air A<b>12 of the floating air blowing mechanism 250 , the uppermost sheet P<b>1 is attracted to the conveying belt 221 by suction air A<b>11 of the suction mechanism 230 .

Then, the uppermost sheet P1 sucked by the transport belt 221 is transported by the transport belt 221 in the transport direction D (right side in FIG. 6). While the uppermost sheet P1 is being conveyed in this manner, the second sheet P2 is exposed upward as the uppermost sheet P1 is conveyed, and is conveyed by suction of the suction air A11 by the suction mechanism 230. It will be sucked by the belt 221 . As a result, the second sheet P2 is conveyed together with the uppermost sheet P1 by the conveying belt 221, and the leading edge of the second sheet P2 in the conveying direction D collides with the wall surface of the stacking table 210, causing paper folding P2a. .

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a medium feeder capable of preventing other media from being transported by a transport mechanism together with the uppermost medium stacked on a stacking table.

In one aspect, the medium feeding device includes a stacking table on which a plurality of media are stacked, a transport mechanism for transporting the uppermost medium among the plurality of media stacked on the stacking table, and an air sucking mechanism. and an upper air blowing mechanism disposed above the top medium and blowing air downward.

According to the above aspect, it is possible to prevent other media from being transported by the transport mechanism together with the uppermost medium stacked on the stacking table.

1 is a configuration diagram showing a printing system including a sheet feeding device according to an embodiment; FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a control configuration of a sheet feeding device according to one embodiment; FIG. 5 is a flow chart for explaining a paper feeding operation in one embodiment; FIG. 10 is a diagram (part 1) for explaining the paper feeding operation in one embodiment; FIG. 10 is a diagram (part 2) for explaining the paper feeding operation in one embodiment; FIG. 10 is a diagram (part 3) for explaining the paper feeding operation in one embodiment; FIG. 10 is a diagram (part 4) for explaining the paper feeding operation in one embodiment; FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining a paper feeding operation in a modified example of one embodiment; It is a figure for demonstrating the paper feeding operation|movement in reference technology.

A paper feeding device (an example of a medium feeding device) according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing a printing system 100 including a sheet feeding device 1 according to one embodiment.
FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the control configuration of the sheet feeder 1. As shown in FIG.
A printing system 100 shown in FIG. 1 includes a paper feeding device 1 and a printing device 101 .

The paper feeding device 1 supplies the paper P to the printing unit 110 of the printing device 101 . Note that the paper feeding device 1 may be provided integrally with the printing device 101 . Further, the target to which the sheet feeding device 1 supplies the sheet P is not limited to the printing device 101, and may be another device such as a conveying device. Also, the paper P is an example of the medium, and the medium may be another medium such as a film. Alternatively, a plurality of paper feeders 1 may be arranged vertically, for example, and the plurality of paper feeders 1 may supply the paper P to a single printing device 101 .

As shown in FIG. 1, the paper feeder 1 includes a stacking table 10, a transport mechanism 20, a suction mechanism 30, an upper air blowing mechanism 40, a floating air blowing mechanism 50, and a separation air blowing mechanism 60. .

Further, as shown in FIG. 2 , the sheet feeding device 1 includes a control section 71 , a storage section 72 , an interface section 73 , a stacking table elevation drive section 81 , and a transport drive section 82 .

A plurality of sheets P are stacked on the stacking table 10 shown in FIG. The loading table 10 is moved up and down by driving the loading table lifting drive section 81 shown in FIG. As an example, the control unit 71 controls the control unit 71 to control the light emitted by the light-emitting unit of the stacking surface detection sensor (not shown) horizontally at a predetermined height of the stacking surface when the light is no longer blocked by the paper P and is received by the light-receiving unit of the stacking surface detection sensor. It controls the loading table lifting drive unit 81 to raise the loading table 10 . As a result, the height of the uppermost sheet P1 is maintained at a predetermined stacking surface height.

The transport mechanism 20 has a transport belt 21 and pulleys 22 and 23 around which the transport belt 21 is stretched. One of the pulleys 22, 23 is a driving pulley and the other is a driven pulley. The drive pulley is driven by the transport drive unit 82 shown in FIG. 2 to rotate and rotate the transport belt 21 . Thereby, the transport mechanism 20 transports the uppermost sheet P1 in the transport direction D (right side in FIG. 1).

The conveying belt 21 is provided with a plurality of holes through which sucked air A1 sucked by a suction mechanism 30 described later and upper blown air A2 blown by an upper air blowing mechanism 40 described later pass.

As an example, two transport mechanisms 20 (one example of a plurality) are arranged side by side in the width direction of the paper P at the center of the width direction perpendicular to the transport direction D of the paper P. In this case, one suction mechanism 30 and one upper air blowing mechanism 40 , which will be described later, may be arranged for each transport mechanism 20 . Of course, only one transport mechanism 20 may be arranged.

The transport mechanism 20 may have other transport members such as transport rollers instead of the transport belt 21 as transport members. If the transport mechanism 20 has a transport roller, the transport drive unit 82 rotates the drive roller (transport roller) instead of the drive pulley.

The suction mechanism 30 is arranged, for example, in a region surrounded by the transport belt 21 of the transport mechanism 20 . The suction mechanism 30 causes the conveying mechanism 20 to suck the uppermost sheet P1 among the plurality of sheets P stacked on the stacking table 10 by sucking the suction air A1.

The upper air blowing mechanism 40 is arranged above the uppermost sheet P1 and blows the upper blowing air A2 downward. The upper air blowing mechanism 40 is desirably located directly above the stacking table 10 (the plurality of sheets P stacked on the stacking table 10). The upper blowing air A2 may be blown obliquely downward toward the second sheet P2.

In the present embodiment, the upper air blowing mechanism 40 is arranged on the rear side in the conveying direction D of the suction mechanism 30 in the region surrounded by the conveying belt 21, and extends vertically downward from the hole provided in the conveying belt 21. The blowing air A2 is blown out. The amount (air volume) of the upper air blowing air A2 blown by the upper air blowing mechanism 40 is more preferably the total air volume per unit area, and is preferably larger than the suction amount (air volume) of the suction air A1 by the suction mechanism 30.

The floating air blowing mechanism 50 is arranged on the front side in the transport direction D of the plurality of sheets P stacked on the stacking table 10, and is used to float about ten sheets P including the uppermost sheet P1, for example. Blow out floating air A3.

The separation air blowing mechanism 60 is arranged on the forward side in the transport direction D from the plurality of sheets P stacked on the stacking table 10, and separates the uppermost sheet P1 from the second sheet P2. Blow out A4.

The control unit 71 shown in FIG. 2 has a processor (for example, a CPU: Central Processing Unit) that functions as an arithmetic processing unit that controls the operation of the entire paper feeder 1, and includes the suction mechanism 30, the upper air blowing mechanism 40, and the floating air. It controls the operation of each part such as the blowing mechanism 50, the separation air blowing mechanism 60, the loading table elevation driving part 81, the transport driving part 82, and the like. Note that in the case where the paper feeding device 1 is integrally provided with the printing apparatus 101 , the control section 71 may also serve as the control section of the printing apparatus 101 .

The storage unit 72 is, for example, a ROM (Read Only Memory), which is a read-only semiconductor memory in which a predetermined control program is recorded in advance, and a work storage area as necessary when the processor executes various control programs. A random access memory (RAM), which is a semiconductor memory that can be written and read at any time, is used.

The interface unit 73 exchanges various information with an external device such as a control unit of the printing apparatus 101 . For example, the interface unit 73 receives information such as a paper feed request and a paper feed stop request from the control unit of the printing apparatus 101, and the control unit 71 controls the operation of each unit of the paper feed apparatus 1 based on this information. do.

The loading table elevation drive unit 81 has a motor (an example of an actuator) that moves the loading table 10 up and down.

The transport drive unit 82 has a motor (an example of an actuator) that rotates one of the pulleys 22 and 23 of the transport mechanism 20 .

Next, the printing apparatus 101 will be described.
The printing apparatus 101 includes a printing unit 110, a transport unit 120, a first paper feed unit 130, a second paper feed unit 140, a third paper feed unit 150, transport roller pairs 161 to 165, and a registration roller pair 166 . In FIG. 1, a thick solid line indicates a conveying path R leading from the sheet feeding device 1, the first sheet feeding section 130, the second sheet feeding section 140, and the third sheet feeding section 150 to the printing section 110. indicated by .

The printing unit 110 has, for example, a line head type inkjet head (not shown) for each color used for printing. Note that the printing method of the printing unit 110 may be a printing method other than the inkjet printing method.

The transport section 120 is arranged to face the printing section 110 . The transport unit 120 transports the paper P by a transport belt while sucking the paper P, for example.

The first paper feeding unit 130, the second paper feeding unit 140, and the third paper feeding unit 150 include paper feeding trays 131, 141, and 151, scraper rollers 132, 142, and 152, and pickup rollers 133 and 143. , 153.

A plurality of paper sheets P are stacked on the paper feed trays 131 , 141 , and 151 .
The scraper rollers 132 , 142 , 152 are feeding rollers for feeding and conveying the uppermost paper sheet P among the plurality of paper sheets P stacked on the paper feed trays 131 , 141 , 151 .

The pickup rollers 133 , 143 , 153 transport the paper P fed out by the scraper rollers 132 , 142 , 152 to the transport path R.

The conveying roller pairs 161 to 165 are arranged on the conveying path R between the first sheet feeding section 130 , the second sheet feeding section 140 , and the third sheet feeding section 150 to the registration roller pair 166 .

The paper P conveyed from the paper feeder 1 , the first paper feeder 130 , the second paper feeder 140 , and the third paper feeder 150 abut against the registration roller pair 166 . As a result, the skew of the paper P is corrected.

The paper P printed by the printing unit 110 is transported to a paper discharge tray (not shown) and stacked on the paper discharge tray.

The paper feeding operation of the paper feeding device 1 will be described below with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4A to 4D.
3 is performed by the control unit 71 shown in FIG. 2 upon receiving a signal for starting the paper feeding operation from the control unit of the printing apparatus 101, for example.

First, the control unit 71 starts sucking the suction air A1 by the suction mechanism 30, blowing the floating air A3 by the floating air blowing mechanism 50, and blowing the separation air A4 by the separation air blowing mechanism 60 (step S1). As shown in FIG. 4A, about 10 sheets of paper P including the uppermost sheet P1 and the second sheet of paper P2 are floated by the blowing of the floating air A3 by the floating air blowing mechanism 50 .

Next, the control unit 71 repeatedly determines whether or not there is a paper feed stop request (step S2) and a paper feed request (step S3) from the control unit of the printing apparatus 101. FIG.

When the control unit 71 receives the paper feed request (step S3: YES), the control unit 71 determines whether the floating air blowing mechanism 50 blows off the floating air A3 (step S4).

When the floating air A3 has stopped (step S4: YES), the control unit 71 causes the floating air blowing mechanism 50 to blow the floating air A3 (step S5).

Next, the control unit 71 determines whether or not the uppermost sheet P1 is sucked by the conveying belt 21 by the sucking air A1 by the sucking mechanism 30, for example, based on a time such as a predetermined conveying timing ( step S6).

When the control unit 71 determines that the uppermost paper sheet P1 is attracted to the transport belt 21 (step S6: YES), as shown in FIG. S7). Further, the control unit 71 causes the transport mechanism 20 to start transporting the uppermost sheet P1 by driving control of the transport drive unit 82 (step S8).

At this time, since the separation air blowing mechanism 60 blows out the separation air A4, the uppermost sheet P1 and the second sheet P2 are separated, and only the uppermost sheet P1 is conveyed in the conveying direction D. It should be noted that the driving of the transport mechanism 20 by the transport drive unit 82 is stopped after the uppermost sheet P1 is transported by a specified amount.

Next, the control unit 71 determines whether or not the length of the paper P in the transport direction D is equal to or greater than a specified length based on later-described paper information, which is an example of medium information (step S9).

If the length of the paper P in the transport direction D is not equal to or longer than the specified length (step S9: NO), the control section 71 returns to the above-described step S2 and repeats the process from step S2.

When the length of the paper P in the transport direction D is equal to or greater than the specified length (step S9: YES), the control unit 71 determines whether the transport mechanism 20 has transported the uppermost paper P1 by a specified amount (step S10). repeat. As shown in FIG. 4C, this specified amount may be a length until the suction mechanism 30 faces the second sheet P2 while the uppermost sheet P1 is being conveyed. When the second sheet of paper P2 is exposed upward and faces the suction mechanism 30 as the uppermost sheet of paper P1 is conveyed, the second sheet of paper P2 is sucked by the suction mechanism 30 with the suction air A1, and the conveying belt is moved. 21 will be absorbed.

When the transport mechanism 20 transports the uppermost sheet P1 by a specified amount (step S10: YES), the controller 71 controls the transport mechanism 20 to transport the uppermost sheet P1 while the transport mechanism 20 is transporting the uppermost sheet P1, as shown in FIG. 4D. Then, the upper air blowing mechanism 40 is caused to blow the upper blowing air A2 toward the second sheet of paper P2, which is exposed upward as the uppermost sheet of paper P1 is conveyed (step S11). In this manner, the control unit 71 causes the upper air blowing mechanism 40 to supply the upper blowing air A2 to the upper air blowing mechanism 40 so that the second sheet P2 is not attracted to the conveying mechanism 20 while the uppermost sheet P1 is being conveyed by the conveying mechanism 20. blow out.

The control unit 71 causes the upper air blowing mechanism 40 to blow the upper blowing air A2 until the specified time elapses (step S12), and when the specified time elapses (step S12: YES) Blowing of the upper blowing air A2 is stopped (step S13). After that, the control unit 71 returns to the above-described step S2 and performs the processing from step S2 again.

The upper air blowing mechanism 40 continues blowing the upper blowing air A2 until the above specified time elapses, but the upper blowing air A2 may be blown intermittently.

When the control unit 71 receives a paper feed stop request from the control unit of the printing apparatus 101 (step S2: YES), the control unit 71 drives the transport so as to stop the transport mechanism 20 if the transport by the transport mechanism 20 continues. In addition to controlling the unit 82, the suction of the suction air A1 by the suction mechanism 30 and the blowing of the separation air A4 by the separation air blowing mechanism 60 are stopped (step S14), and the processing shown in FIG. 3 is finished.

Here, the determination of whether the length of the paper P based on the paper information in step S9 described above is equal to or longer than the prescribed length is performed by the control unit 71, based on the paper information, the upper air blowing mechanism 40 blows air A2. is an example of determination for adjusting at least one of the presence or absence of the air blowing operation and the air volume. The presence or absence of the air blowing operation of A2 (step S11) is adjusted.

The paper information includes, for example, the size of the paper P, the orientation of the paper P, the type of the paper P, and the like. Note that the paper information is acquired by the control unit 71 based on the print job, for example.

The size of the paper P is, for example, A3 (297×420 mm), A4 (210×297 mm), or the like. The orientation of the paper P is vertical in which the longitudinal direction of the paper P is parallel to the transport direction D, or horizontal in which the longitudinal direction of the paper P is orthogonal to the transport direction D. The type of paper P may be plain paper, thick paper, thin paper, or the like, but may also be based on basis weight or the like. The control unit 71 can acquire the length of the paper P in the transport direction D from the size and orientation of the paper P. FIG.

As described above, when the length of the paper P in the transport direction D is equal to or greater than the specified length (step S9: YES), the control unit 71 causes the upper air blowing mechanism 40 to blow the upper blowing air A2. (Step S11) If the length is less than the specified length (Step S9: NO), the upper air blowing mechanism 40 is prevented from blowing the upper blowing air A2.

This is because if the length of the paper P in the transport direction D is short, the second paper P2 (an example of another medium (another paper)) is exposed upward while the uppermost paper P1 is being transported. This is because the second sheet P<b>2 is not attracted to the conveying belt 21 by the suction air A<b>1 by the suction mechanism 30 . However, it can be said that the longer the length of the paper P in the transport direction D, the greater the weight of the second paper P2. may become. Therefore, the controller 71 may prevent the upper air blowing mechanism 40 from blowing the upper blowing air A2 when the length of the sheet P in the transport direction D is equal to or greater than the specified length.

In addition, when the paper P is thick paper, the weight of the second paper P2 increases and it becomes difficult for the conveying belt 21 to adsorb the second paper P2. may not be performed. In this manner, the control unit 71 may prevent the upper air blowing mechanism 40 from blowing the upper blowing air A2 based on the paper information such as the type of the paper P.

Further, the control section 71 may adjust the air volume of the air blowing operation of the upper air blowing air A2 by the upper air blowing mechanism 40 based on the sheet information. For example, when the paper P is thick paper with a relatively large basis weight, the control unit 71 controls the air volume of the upper air A2 blown by the upper air blowing mechanism 40 to be higher than when the paper P is thin paper with a relatively small basis weight. should be weakened. Alternatively, the control unit 71 may adjust the air volume of the air blowing operation of the upper air blowing air A2 by the upper air blowing mechanism 40 depending on the size and orientation of the paper P and the like.

Note that the control unit 71 may adjust the air volume of the floating air A3 by the floating air blowing mechanism 50 and the air volume of the separation air A4 by the separation air blowing mechanism 60 based on the sheet information.

In addition to the paper information described above (or in place of the paper information), the control unit 71 acquires environmental information such as the humidity and airflow of the environment in which the paper feeder 1 is installed from a sensor (not shown). Based on the information, at least one of whether or not the upper air blowing mechanism 40 blows the upper blowing air A2 and the air volume may be adjusted. For example, the lower the humidity, the smaller the weight of the paper P, and the stronger the air current, the easier it is for the second paper P2 to float, so the second paper P2 is more likely to be attracted to the transport mechanism 20 . At least one of whether or not the upper air blowing mechanism 40 blows the upper blowing air A2 and the air volume may be adjusted according to the ease with which the second sheet P2 is attracted to the conveying mechanism 20 .

FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining the paper feeding operation in the modified example of the present embodiment.
In the above description, as shown in FIG. 4D, the upper air blowing mechanism 40 is exposed upward as the uppermost sheet P1 is conveyed while the uppermost sheet P1 is being conveyed by the conveying mechanism 20. An example of blowing the upper blowing air A2 toward the second sheet P2 has been described.

However, as shown in FIG. 5, the upper air blowing mechanism 40 prevents at least a portion of the uppermost sheet P1 from being attracted to the transport mechanism 20 at the rear portion in the transport direction D (rearward from the center portion in the transport direction D). The upper blowing air A2 may be blown toward the uppermost sheet P1 so as to release it. By canceling the suction state of at least part of the top sheet P1 to the transport mechanism 20 in this way, part of the top sheet P1 is pushed below the suction surface (bottom surface) of the transport belt 21, As a result, the second sheet P2 is pushed downward. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the second sheet P<b>2 from being sucked by the conveying mechanism 20 due to the sucking air A<b>1 by the sucking mechanism 30 . That is, the control unit 71 blows the upper blowing air A2 to the upper air blowing mechanism 40 so that the second sheet P2 is not attracted to the conveying mechanism 20 while the uppermost sheet P1 is being conveyed by the conveying mechanism 20. Let

The upper air blowing mechanism 40 starts blowing the upper blowing air A2 toward the uppermost sheet P1, and then continues blowing until the upper blowing air A2 is blown toward the second sheet P2. good.

In the embodiment described above, the paper feeding device 1, which is an example of a medium feeding device, includes a stacking table 10 on which a plurality of sheets P, which are an example of a plurality of media, are stacked, and A conveying mechanism 20 for conveying the uppermost sheet P1 of a plurality of sheets P, a suction mechanism 30 for sucking the uppermost sheet P1 to the conveying mechanism 20 by sucking suction air A1, and the uppermost sheet P1. and an upper air blowing mechanism 40 for blowing the upper blowing air A2 downward. For example, the upper air blowing mechanism 40 is designed to prevent the second sheet P2 (an example of another medium) from being attracted to the conveying mechanism 20 while the uppermost sheet P1 is being conveyed by the conveying mechanism 20. Blow out A2.

As a result, while the top sheet P1 is being transported by the transport mechanism 20, the second sheet P2 is exposed upward as the top sheet P1 is transported, and the second sheet P2 is sucked. The upper air blowing mechanism 40 blows out the upper blowing air A2 to suppress the sucking of the sucking air A1 by the mechanism 30 from being sucked by the conveying belt 21 . Therefore, according to the present embodiment, it is possible to prevent the second sheet P2 from being conveyed by the conveying mechanism 20 together with the uppermost sheet P1 stacked on the stacking table 10 . As a result, the second sheet P2 is conveyed together with the uppermost sheet P1 by the conveying belt 21, and the leading edge of the second sheet P2 in the conveying direction D collides with the wall surface of the stacking table 10, causing paper folding. can also be prevented.

Further, in the present embodiment, the control unit 71 that controls the upper air blowing mechanism 40, while the uppermost sheet P1 is being conveyed by the conveying mechanism 20, causes the uppermost sheet P1 to move upward as the uppermost sheet P1 is conveyed. The upper air blowing mechanism 40 blows the upper blowing air A2 toward the second sheet of paper P2 (an example of another medium) exposed to the outside. As a result, it is possible to more reliably prevent the second sheet P2 from being sucked by the conveying belt 21 due to the sucking air A1 by the sucking mechanism 30 .

Further, in the modified example of the present embodiment, the control unit 71 that controls the upper air blowing mechanism 40 cancels at least a part of the sucked state of the uppermost sheet P1 to the conveying mechanism 20 at the rear portion thereof in the conveying direction D. Then, the upper air blowing mechanism 40 is caused to blow the upper blowing air A2 toward the uppermost sheet P1. In this way, by releasing at least part of the sucked state of the rear portion of the uppermost sheet P1 in the transport direction D, the rear portion of the uppermost sheet P1 in the transport direction D moves below the suction surface of the transport mechanism 20. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the second sheet P<b>2 from being attracted to the transport mechanism 20 . Also, the second sheet P2 is exposed upward as the uppermost sheet P1 is conveyed, and the second sheet P2 is sucked by the conveying mechanism 20 before facing the suction mechanism 30. can be prevented. Furthermore, since it is not necessary to accurately ascertain the timing at which the second sheet of paper P2 is exposed upward and faces the upper air blowing mechanism 40, the second sheet of paper P2 is attracted to the conveying mechanism 20 by simple control. It is possible to suppress the loss.

Further, in the present embodiment, the control unit 71 that controls the upper air blowing mechanism 40 controls the upper air blowing mechanism 40 based on paper information (an example of medium information) of a plurality of papers P stacked on the stacking table 10 . At least one of the presence or absence of the air blowing operation and the air volume is adjusted. As a result, control can be performed according to the ease with which the second sheet P2 is attracted to the transport mechanism 20 due to the size, orientation, type, etc. of the sheet P, so that the second sheet P2 can be transported. Adsorption by the belt 21 can be suppressed more reliably.

It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments as they are, and can be embodied by modifying constituent elements without departing from the scope of the present invention at the implementation stage. Also, various inventions can be formed by appropriate combinations of the plurality of constituent elements disclosed in the above-described embodiments. For example, all the components shown in the embodiments may be combined as appropriate. It goes without saying that various modifications and applications are possible without departing from the spirit of the invention. The invention described in the scope of claims at the time of filing of the present application will be additionally described below.

[Appendix 1]
a loading table on which a plurality of media are loaded;
a conveying mechanism that conveys the uppermost medium among the plurality of media stacked on the stacking table;
a suction mechanism that sucks the uppermost medium to the transport mechanism by sucking air;
and an upper air blowing mechanism disposed above the uppermost medium and blowing air downward.

[Appendix 2]
The medium supply according to Supplementary Note 1, wherein the upper air blowing mechanism blows air so that the other medium is not attracted to the conveying mechanism while the uppermost medium is being conveyed by the conveying mechanism. Device.

[Appendix 3]
Further comprising a control unit for controlling the upper air blowing mechanism,
While the uppermost medium is being conveyed by the conveying mechanism, the control unit supplies air to the upper air blowing mechanism toward the other medium exposed upward as the uppermost medium is conveyed. 3. The medium supply device according to appendix 1 or 2, characterized in that it blows out.

[Appendix 4]
Further comprising a control unit for controlling the upper air blowing mechanism,
The control unit causes the upper air blowing mechanism to blow air toward the uppermost medium so as to cancel the adsorption state of at least a part of the rear portion of the uppermost medium in the conveying direction to the conveying mechanism. 3. The medium supply device according to appendix 1 or 2, characterized by:

[Appendix 5]
Further comprising a control unit for controlling the upper air blowing mechanism,
Supplementary note 1, wherein the control unit adjusts at least one of presence/absence of an air blowing operation by the upper air blowing mechanism and an air volume based on medium information of the plurality of media loaded on the stacking table. 3. The medium feeding device according to 2 above.

1 Paper feeder 10 Load table 20 Transport mechanism 21 Transport belts 22, 23 Pulleys 30 Suction mechanism 40 Upper air blowing mechanism 50 Floating air blowing mechanism 60 Separation air blowing mechanism 71 Control unit 72 Storage unit 73 Interface unit 81 Mounting table elevation driving unit 82 transport driving unit 100 printing system 101 printing device 110 printing unit 120 transport unit 130 first sheet feeding unit 140 second sheet feeding unit 150 third sheet feeding unit 131, 141, 151 sheet feeding trays 132, 142, 152 Scraper rollers 133, 143, 153 Pickup rollers 161 to 165 Conveyance roller pair 166 Registration roller pair 201 Paper feed device 210 Stacking table 220 Conveyance mechanism 221 Conveyor belts 222, 223 Pulley 230 Suction mechanism 250 Floating air blowing mechanism 260 Separation air blowing mechanism A1 Suction air A2 Top blowing air A3 Floating air A4 Separation air A11 Suction air A12 Floating air A13 Separation air D Conveyance direction P Paper R Conveyance path

Claims (5)

a loading table on which a plurality of media are loaded;
a conveying mechanism that conveys the uppermost medium among the plurality of media stacked on the stacking table;
a suction mechanism that sucks the uppermost medium to the transport mechanism by sucking air;
an upper air blowing mechanism arranged above the uppermost medium and blowing air downward ,
When the uppermost medium is conveyed by a specified amount by the conveying mechanism, the upper air blowing mechanism starts blowing air.
A medium supply device characterized by: The upper air blowing mechanism starts blowing air so that the other medium is not attracted to the conveying mechanism while the uppermost medium is being conveyed by the conveying mechanism.
2. The medium feeding device according to claim 1, wherein: Further comprising a control unit for controlling the upper air blowing mechanism,
While the uppermost medium is being conveyed by the conveying mechanism, the control unit supplies air to the upper air blowing mechanism toward the other medium exposed upward as the uppermost medium is conveyed. The medium supply device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that it blows out the . Further comprising a control unit for controlling the upper air blowing mechanism,
The control unit causes the upper air blowing mechanism to blow air toward the uppermost medium so as to release at least a partial suction state of the rear portion of the uppermost medium in the conveying direction of the uppermost medium to the conveying mechanism. 3. The medium feeding device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: Further comprising a control unit for controlling the upper air blowing mechanism,
3. The control unit adjusts at least one of presence/absence of an air blowing operation by the upper air blowing mechanism and an air volume based on medium information of the plurality of media loaded on the stacking table. 3. The medium supply device according to 1 or 2.

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