JPH01297277A - Paper feeder - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To issue a recording paper replenishing warning before the exhaustion of recording paper, by providing a detection means capable of detecting a bottom raising plate when the bottom raising plate reaches the height corresponding to several sheets of recording paper. CONSTITUTION:The side part of a bottom raising plate 5 mounted rotatably about a rotating journal so as to press up recording paper 4 against a paper feed means 6 has an arm part extending up to the vicinity of a detection means 11 through a hole 30 of a recording paper cassette 3. The detection means 11 detecting the arm part of the bottom raising plate 5 is mounted from the back of an open part 2 toward the side face of a recording paper cassette 3 and detects the bottom raising plate 5 by the contact of a part of the bottom raising plate 5 with about 3 to 5 sheets of the recording paper 4. In this manner, a recording paper replenishing warning can be issued before the exhaustion of the recording paper 4.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a paper feeding device for an image printer equipped with an automatic paper feeding mechanism.

2. Description of the Related Art In a conventional paper feeding device equipped with an automatic paper feeding mechanism, the third
As shown in the figure, a paper feeding means 6 is disposed above the recording paper cassette 3, and an automatic paper feeding mechanism is provided which lifts the bottom top plate 6 on which a plurality of sheets of recording paper 4 are stacked at the time of paper feeding and feeds the paper. I was prepared. In such a paper feeding apparatus, an opening 2 is provided in the main body 1 of the apparatus, and a recording paper cassette 3 is slidably mounted toward the front of the main body 1 of the apparatus. A bottom plate 5 is attached to the lower part of the opening 2 so as to be rotatable about a pivot shaft 5o so as to push up the recording paper 4 toward the paper feeding means 6. It is energized and presses the recording paper 4 against the paper feeding means e. The paper feeding means 6 has a belt stretched between two rollers, and uses frictional force to transport the upper layer of the recording paper 4 in the paper feeding direction A. It also has a built-in torque limiter and moves the upper layer of the recording paper 4 in the same direction as the rollers of the paper feeding means 6. Only the topmost sheet is conveyed to the recording section by the rotating return means 8, and the remaining sheets are returned by the return means 8 in the opposite direction of paper feeding. Here, a detection means 10 for detecting the presence or absence of recording paper 4 was provided above the recording paper cassette 3.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention However, in the above configuration, the detection means 10 detects that there is no recording paper 4 and turns on the warning LED only when the automatically fed recording paper 4 reaches zero. so that
The user has no information about the number of sheets of recording paper 4 until the recording paper 4 runs out, and automatic paper feeding is interrupted during continuous recording.

In view of the above problems, the present invention provides a paper feeding device with excellent operability that can issue a warning to replenish recording paper before the recording paper runs out.

Means for Solving the Problems In order to solve the above problems, the paper feeding device of the present invention is provided with a detection means that can detect the bottom top plate when the bottom top plate reaches the height of the recording paper number equinox. It has a configuration.

The present invention has the above-described configuration, and provides a paper feeding device with excellent operability that detects the bottom plate when only a few sheets of recording paper remain and can issue a warning to replenish the recording paper before the recording paper runs out. It is possible to provide

Embodiment A paper feeding device according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows the main parts of a paper feeding device in an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, an apparatus main body 1 has an opening 2, and a recording paper cassette 3 is attached to the opening 2 so as to be slidable therein. A bottom plate 6 is attached to the lower part of the opening 2 so as to be rotatable about a pivot shaft so as to push the recording paper 4 up to the paper feeding means 6, and is pushed upward by the pressing means 7 during paper feeding. Pressed, recording paper 4 2
The upper layer of the recording paper 4 is pushed in the paper feeding direction A by the frictional force generated by the compression.
Only the topmost sheet is transported to the recording section by a return means 8 which has a built-in torque limiter and rotates in the same direction as the rollers of the paper feed means 6, and the remaining sheets are transported by the return means 8 in the opposite direction of the paper feed. be returned to. Here, a detection means 10 for detecting the presence or absence of the recording paper 4 is provided above the recording paper cassette 3 and optically detects the recording paper 4 downward. 11 is the bottom top plate 5
This is a detection means for detecting. Note that the recording paper cassette 3 is
Since the arm portion 6o, which is a part of the bottom plate 5, extends, an escape hole 30 is provided from the bottom surface to the side surface.

The relationship between the bottom top plate 6, the recording paper cassette 3, and the detection means 11 will be explained below with reference to FIG. The bottom plate 6 has an arm part 6o on its side that passes through the hole 3o of the recording paper cassette 3 and extends to the vicinity of the detection means 11.
A detection means 11 for detecting 0 is provided from the back side of the opening 2 toward the side surface of the recording paper cassette 3, and detects when a part of the bottom upper plate 6 comes into contact with the recording paper 4 when the number of recording paper 4 decreases from 3 to 6 sheets. Then, the bottom top plate 6 is detected.

As described above, according to this embodiment, the recording paper cassette 3 that stores the recording paper 4, the bottom plate 5 that pushes up the stacked recording papers 4 to the paper feeding means 6, and the recording paper cassette 3 that holds the stacked recording papers 4 up to the paper feeding means 6, and the recording paper cassette 3 that stores the recording papers 4, the bottom plate 5 that pushes up the stacked recording papers 4 to the paper feeding means 6, and the recording paper cassette 3 that stores the recording papers 4, the bottom plate 5 that pushes up the stacked recording papers 4 to the paper feeding means 6, and the recording paper cassette 3 that stores the recording papers 4, the bottom plate 5 that pushes up the stacked recording papers 4 to the paper feeding means 6, and the recording paper cassette 3 that holds 3 to 6 recording papers 4. detection means 11 for detecting the bottom top plate 6 when pushed up by a certain degree;
By providing this, a warning to replenish the recording paper can be issued before the recording paper 4 runs out.

In the above embodiment, the number of recording sheets varies to some extent, but it can be set to any desired number by adjusting the position of the detection means 11 or the shape of the arm 6°.

It goes without saying that by widening the tip of the arm portion 5o and providing a plurality of detection means 11 at different heights, it is possible to detect the number of recording sheets of a plurality of types.

Effects of the Invention As described above, the present invention includes a recording paper cassette that stores recording paper, a bottom plate that pushes up the stacked recording papers to a paper feeding means, and a bottom plate that holds at least one recording paper. By providing a detection means that detects the bottom plate when the plate is pushed up, it is possible to issue a warning to replenish the recording paper before the recording paper runs out, and also to check the number of recording paper sheets being fed. Since the information can be known during the operation of the apparatus, it is possible to provide a paper feeding apparatus with excellent operability, such as being able to replenish recording paper during continuous recording and preventing interruption of automatic paper feeding.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of the main parts of a paper feeding device according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing the main parts of a conventional paper feeding device. 1... Apparatus body, 3... Recording paper cassette, 6... Bottom top plate, 6... Paper feeding means,
11...Detection means. Name of agent: Patent attorney Toshio Nakao and 1 other person 2nd
figure

Claims (1)

[Claims] a paper feeding means for feeding recording paper toward a recording section; a recording paper cassette for storing the recording paper; a bottom top plate for pushing up the stacked recording paper toward the paper feeding means; A paper feeding device comprising: a detection means for detecting the bottom plate when a sheet or more is being pushed up to the bottom plate.