JPH0328034Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Technical Field of the Invention] This invention relates to a paper feeding device that supplies stacked and stored sheets one by one to a main body device such as a copying machine.

[Technical background of the invention]

Main unit For example, in a copying machine, a cassette loaded with paper is attached to the cassette loading slot of the copying machine, and the topmost paper loaded and stored in the cassette is engaged with the entrance roller of the copying machine to synchronize with the copying process. is feeding the paper into the device.

Such paper cassettes are usually small, have a limited storage capacity, and have the disadvantage that the user must frequently replenish paper. For this reason, a large-capacity paper feed stacker has recently been added to the cassette loading slot, and a paper feed roller installed on the paper stacker side constantly feeds paper into the cassette loading slot, eliminating the need for paper replenishment over long periods of time. A number of paper feeding devices have been proposed.

[Problems with background technology]

However, when this type of large-capacity paper feeding device is attached to a copying machine by attaching the extended paper ejection section to the cassette loading slot, it will always maintain a constant positional relationship with the inlet roller of the copying machine each time it is attached or removed. However, if the paper fed from the paper feeder engages the entrance rollers in a biased manner, the left and right sides of the paper will be unbalanced when the entrance rollers are driven, and the paper sent to the copying machine may become unbalanced. It has the disadvantage of causing tilting, so-called skew, and easily leading to copy errors.

[Purpose of invention]

In order to feed paper to the main unit in a normal position, this device places side edge guides at the most effective position to prevent paper skew, thereby eliminating the risk of paper skew feeding with a simple structure. The purpose is to provide a paper feeding device that reduces paper loss even in the event of skew.

[Example of idea]

The configuration will be described in detail below based on one embodiment shown in the drawings.

A paper feeder, generally indicated by the symbol A in FIG. 1, is attached to the cassette loading port 11 of the main body B of the copying machine as necessary, and supplies paper into the apparatus in synchronization with the copying process.

In the main body B of the copying machine, as shown in FIG. 2, an entrance roller 12 of a conventional structure is provided at a cassette loading port 11 and connected to a drive system (not shown).

Along with this entrance roller 12, the cassette loading port 11
A switch is provided to detect the presence or absence of paper, and normally a micro switch actuator is installed near the entrance roller 12, or a reflective or transmissive photo sensor is placed near the entrance roller 12. Either method is being adopted.

Therefore, when a cassette corresponding to the paper size is loaded into the cassette loading slot 11, the topmost paper of the papers stored in the cassette is connected to the entrance roller 12 and a switch (not shown) for detecting the presence or absence of paper. When engaged, the paper is separated and fed by the inlet roller 12, and this switch detects a so-called empty state and instructs the user to replenish paper.

Although not shown, a switch for detecting the presence or absence of paper in the cassette loading port 11 is always maintained in a state in which paper is present. For example, in addition to the structure shown in Utility Application No. 167,688 filed by the present applicant, when the paper feeding device A is attached to the main body B of the copying machine, the connector is connected by the attaching operation, and the cassette loading port 11 is connected. The detection switch may be switched to an inoperative state, and a paper out signal is issued when the paper is cut at the entrance roller 12, so that the copying process is not stopped.

The paper feed device A attached to the cassette loading port 11 having such a structure is composed of a paper storage section A1 that stores a large capacity of paper, and a paper ejection section A2 continuous with this paper storage section A1. A2 is configured in a shape that matches the cassette loading port 11 of the copying machine main body B, and the entire paper feeding device A is connected to the copying machine main body B, so that one sheet of paper is always loaded into the cassette from the paper storage section A1. The inlet roller 12 of the opening 11 is prepared so that the copying machine main body B can be supplied with just the right amount of paper.

The paper storage section A1 is composed of a paper storage frame 2, a paper mounting table 3 that can be raised and lowered to the paper storage frame 2, and a paper feeding means 4 connected to a motor or other drive system. Further, the paper delivery section A2 includes a separating means 5 that separates the sheets fed out from the paper feeding means 4 one by one, and a delivery guide 6 that guides the paper from the separating means 5 to the entrance roller 12 of the copying machine body B. It is configured.

(Paper storage frame structure) The paper storage frame 2 is composed of a housing framework having left and right side frames 21a and 21b facing each other as shown in FIG. 4. A paper width regulation guide 22 is incorporated.

The paper loading table 3 is fitted into guide grooves 23 formed in the left and right side frames 21a and 21b, and supported so as to be able to move up and down (up and down) within the sheet storage frame 2 along the grooves 23. It is supported by a platform support means.

A paper feeding means 4 is disposed above the paper storage frame 2 in a structure that feeds out the paper toward the paper delivery section A2.

In the illustrated example, a rotating shaft 41 is supported by long grooves 24 on the left and right side frames 21a and 21b.
The paper feeding means 4 is constituted by attaching a wood crawler 42 to the paper table 3 and disposing the wood crawler 42 at a position in contact with the center of the width of the uppermost paper of the paper 31 on the paper table 3. Note that the rotation shaft 41 of the wood crawler 42 is
It is connected to a drive motor (not shown).

Further, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, a paper width regulating guide 22 is attached to the bottom plate 21c of the paper storage frame 2 so that its position can be adjusted in the paper width direction. Since the copying machine main body B is centered (aligned with the center of the paper as a reference), a pair of paper width regulating guides 22 are provided facing each other on the left and right sides. Further, the paper width regulating guide 22 has a width slightly wider than the paper size at the left and right intervals.

A guide rail 26 is provided on the bottom plate 21c of the paper storage frame 2 in the width direction of the paper 31 on the paper table 3, and a pair of paper width regulating guides 22 are attached to grooves 27 of the guide rail 26.

The pair of left and right paper width regulating guides 22 are arranged so that the left and right sides are interlocked with each other by a wire 28 and a pulley 29, as shown in the figure, so that they can be adjusted to move by the same amount in the paper width direction.

And this pair of left and right paper width regulation guides 22
is adapted to come into contact with the side edge of the paper 31 on the paper table 3. Incidentally, reference numeral 32 in the figure represents an escape groove formed in the paper mounting table 3, with which the paper width regulation guide 22 engages.

The paper width regulation guide 22 has a slippery guide piece 22a made of synthetic resin attached to the surface of the reinforcing plate 22c that comes into contact with the paper, and the upper layer paper of the paper 31 is sequentially rolled up along the slippery guide piece 22a. A plate spring 22b is attached to regulate the movement. The guides 22 are disposed at two locations, front and rear, as shown in FIG. 7, so that a portion of the side edge of the paper on the paper tray 3 comes into contact with the guides 22.

In addition, 211 in Fig. 2 is a level switch, 212
is an empty switch.

The paper storage frame 2 is provided with an opening/closing door 213.
Although not shown, this opening/closing door 213 is provided with a limit switch.

(Paper loading table elevating structure) As shown in Fig. 2, the left and right side frames 21 of the paper storage frame 2
The paper table 3 is supported by guide grooves 23 in guide grooves 21a and 21b so as to be vertically movable, and is suspended by wires 33 on pulleys 32 provided on the left and right side frames 21a and 21b, respectively.

The paper loading table 3 shown in the figure is supported by guide grooves 23 of left and right side frames 21a and 21b at four locations, front and rear, right and left, so that the front, rear, left and right sides can rise and fall in balance.

This paper mounting table 3 has one end of a wire 33 fixed to an engaging portion 34 with the guide groove 23.
3 is strung across pulleys 32 disposed on the upper, lower, left, and right sides of the side frames 21a, 21b, and the other end of the wire 33 is fixed to the engaging portion 34 of the paper tray 3.

This wire 33 has a fifth wire whose central portions are interlocked with each other.
The winding is fixed to winding rollers 35 and 36 shown in the figure, and one winding roller 35 is driven by a drive motor M.
1 via a worm gear and a worm wheel (not shown).

This drive motor M1 is electrically connected to a level switch 211 on the top of the paper stack 3 and an empty switch 212 on the paper stack 3, and the level switch 211 detects the gradual decrease of the paper 31 on the paper stack 3. , the drive motor M1 is started to raise the paper tray 3, and when there is no paper 31 on the paper tray 3, the empty switch 212 lowers the paper tray 3 to the lowest position, that is, the paper replenishment position. I'm starting to let them do it.

(Structure of paper delivery section) The paper 31 fed out from the paper storage section A1 by the paper feeding means 4 is delivered to the paper delivery section A2 which engages with the entrance roller 12 of the copying machine main body B, and is separated one by one by the separation means 5. The sheet is then sent to the entrance roller 12, and the sheet discharge section A2 is configured as follows.

First, the unloading guide 6 from the paper feeding means 4 of the paper storage section A1 to the entrance roller 12 of the copying machine main body B is
It constitutes a normal paper conveyance path. Further, as shown in FIG. 2, FIG. 3, and FIG. 4, the conveyance guide 6 intersects with the paper feed path that advances straight from the paper feed means 4 so as to deflect and guide the paper sent from the paper feed means 4. The paper is guided to the entrance roller 12, which is provided so as to be inclined as shown in FIG. This discharge guide 6 is provided with a separation means 5 at a position shorter than the minimum paper size in the feeding direction from the entrance roller 12. This separation means 5 is
It consists of a roller 51 that rotates clockwise in the paper feeding direction, that is, in FIG. 2, and a fixed (non-rotating) roller 52 that is pressed against this roller 51.

Therefore, the paper from the paper feeding means 4 is separated by the separating means 5.
At the same time that the sheets are separated one by one, the separating means 5 sends them to the entrance roller 12 of the main body B of the copying machine.

By the way, the roller 51 has a function of relaying and conveying the paper sent out by the paper feeding means 4 to the entrance roller 12 as shown in FIGS. 9A and 9B. Therefore,
This roller (relay roller) 51 may be a normal feed roller.

On the other hand, a side edge guide 66 for regulating the side edge of the sheet is provided in the unloading guide 6 between the sheet feeding means 4 and the roller 51 for relay conveyance. This side edge guide 6
Reference numeral 6 indicates a position where the leading edge of the paper fed out from the paper feeder 4 contacts the inclined delivery guide 6 and deflects the traveling direction of the paper, that is, the position between the delivery guide 6 and the paper feed path in the straight direction from the paper feeder. It is provided at the paper deflection guide section which is the intersection. (Figures 3 and 4) Note that the paper feeding device A shown in the figure is structured to feed large and small size sheets into the copying machine body B with the center in the width direction as a reference (center reference). A pair of left and right guides 6 are arranged facing each other. The illustrated side edge guide 66 is adjustable in position in the paper width direction according to the size of the paper stored in the paper storage frame 2.

That is, as a guide means for the side edge guide 66, a slit 66' is bored in the paper width direction in the unloading guide 6, and the side edge guide 66, which has a substantially L-shaped cross section, is supported by a screw in this slit 66'. , slit 6
The position of the side edge guide 66 can be adjusted by moving inside the side edge guide 6' together with the screw and fixing with the screw.

In addition, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the fixed roller 52
A bracket 53 supporting the roller 51 can be freely moved toward and away from the roller 51 by a solenoid 54. That is, a bracket 53 supported on the machine frame by a pin 55 is connected to an actuator of a solenoid 54 by an inclined slit 56, and is always urged in the pressure direction (the state shown in FIG. 3) by a biasing spring 57.

The carry-out guide 6 is provided with a movable guide piece 61 that can move toward and away from the entrance roller 12 of the main body B of the copying machine. This means that when the entrance roller 12 of the main body B of the copying machine is stopped, the paper from the paper feeder A will reliably enter between this roller 12 and the guide 6, and when the entrance roller 12 starts rotating, it will be ensured that the paper enters between the roller 12 and the guide 6. This is to press the paper against the rollers 12 and feed the paper into the copying machine main body B using the conveyance force.

The illustrated movable guide piece 61 is swingably supported on the machine frame by a pin 62, and is connected to an operating solenoid 63 and a return spring 64. In particular, the illustrated movable guide piece 61 has a soft member such as rubber, felt, or sponge attached to the surface that comes into pressure contact with the entrance roller 12.

This is to prevent the movable guide piece 61 from being tilted in the axial direction of the entrance roller 12 due to rattling or other causes, so-called uneven contact (skewed conveyance of paper).

Note that S1 and S2 in FIGS. 3 and 4 are paper detection sensors.

In the above configuration, the paper feeding operation of this apparatus is performed as follows. (See FIG. 8) When the paper is not prepared on the entrance roller 12 of the main body B of the copying machine, this is detected by the sensor S2, and the paper feeding means 4 and the roller 51 are activated. Then, several sheets of paper are fed out from the paper tray 3 and held in the separating means 5 in the state shown in FIG.

Next, when the paper is separated into one sheet by the separating means 5, this is detected by the sensor S1, and the paper feeding means 4 is stopped. When the leading edge of the paper enters the entrance roller 12, the sensor S2 detects this and stops the separating means 5 with the signal, and at the same time turns on the solenoid 54.
Turn on the roller 51 and the fixed roller 52, and at the same time turn off the operating solenoid 63.
The paper is engaged between the movable guide piece 61 and the entrance roller 12, and the copying machine body B waits for a paper feed instruction signal in the state shown in FIG.

When receiving a paper feed instruction signal from the copying machine main body B, the entrance roller 12 rotates and the paper is taken into the copying machine main body B.

The rear end of this paper is the entrance roller 12 sesansa S2
, the signal activates the solenoid 54.
OFF, the operating solenoid 63 is turned ON, and the paper feeding means 4 and separation means 5 are activated in the state shown in FIG.

Next, the effects of this embodiment will be discussed. First, the cause of the inclination of the paper fed to the main body B of the copying machine, so-called skew, will be investigated.

(1) Since the paper loading table 3 containing a large amount of paper moves up and down with respect to the paper feeding means, the paper 31 fed out due to vibration or unbalanced vertical movement comes into contact with the paper feeding means 4 at an angle, Skew is likely to occur when the paper feeding means 4 feeds out the paper.

(2) The paper advancing almost straight from the paper feeding means 4 is deflected by the inclined discharge guide 6 and guided to the entrance roller 12, but when the leading edge of the paper is deflected by the discharge guide 6, Both ends of the paper do not reach the deflecting portion of the carry-out guide 6 at the same time, and at that time, the paper tends to hit one side and skew occurs.

(3) In order to attach the paper feeder A to the cassette loading port 11 of the main body B of the copying machine, the paper fed from the paper feeding device A is loaded onto the inlet roller 1 of the cassette loading port 11.
When the paper is introduced into the copying machine main body B by the entrance roller 12, skew is likely to occur.

However, when the paper skew occurs due to the uneven contact of the paper feed roller 4 in (1) above, the paper is transferred to the relay roller 51.
It is corrected by the side edge guide 66 before being gripped by the feed roller. (Situation shown in Fig. 9A) Also, the skew due to one-sided contact of the paper when the paper contacts the ejection guide 6 and is deflected in (2) above, occurs when the leading edge of the paper abuts the ejection guide 6 and the paper feed means 4
This is corrected by a side edge guide 66 located at a position that intersects the paper feed path of the paper fed from the paper.

Furthermore, the paper skew caused by uneven contact of the entrance roller 12 (3) is prevented by regulating the trailing edge of the paper whose leading end is held by the entrance roller 12 by the side edge guides 66. After being gripped by the registration rollers (not shown) of the copying machine main body B provided in front of the entrance roller 12 in the feeding direction, there is no need to worry about skew. Furthermore, even in the event of skew, the side edges of the paper are guided only by the portion that deflects the paper, so the side edges of the paper are not damaged.

The side edge guide 66 of this embodiment corrects the paper skew caused by the paper feeding means 4 when the paper is fed into the output guide 6, and feeds the paper to the entrance roller 12 while maintaining this posture with the relay roller 51.
Paper skew caused by the entrance roller 12 can be avoided by regulating the trailing edge of the paper, which has a large skew correction moment, with a side edge guide 66 and feeding it into the registration rollers of the copying machine main body B. This has the effect of preventing paper skew that frequently occurred in the paper feeder A attached to the paper feeder A.

[Modified example]

One embodiment of this invention has been explained above,
This invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiment. For example, when the paper feeding device is configured with a so-called one-sided reference, a fixed side edge guide 66 is provided on the side edge side that is the reference, and a fixed side edge guide 66 is provided on the side edge side that is the reference, and In other words, the side edge guide 66 can be positioned on different sides depending on the paper size.
may be provided.

[Effect of idea]

As explained above, the side edge guide of this invention has the following features: (1) Paper skew caused by the paper feeding means can be corrected and corrected during the process of paper being fed into the discharge guide, and then fed to the entrance roller.

(2) The paper skew that occurs when the paper is fed by the paper feeding means 4 and the leading edge of the paper is deflected by the discharge guide is corrected at the position where the paper is deflected and then fed. Further, since the deflected paper is bent and stiffened at the deflection guide portion and this bent portion is restricted, skew does not occur during the feeding process.

(3) Skew caused by the entrance roller can be controlled at the trailing edge of the paper where the skew correction moment is large.

(4) Since the movement can be adjusted according to the paper width, different sizes of paper can be transported without skew.

(5) Furthermore, since the paper feeding device is removable, there is some wobbling between it and the main unit when the device is installed, and uneven contact between the main body entrance roller and the unloading guide causes the side edge guide to run along the entire length of the unloading guide. When the paper is taken in by the inlet roller, there is a risk that the side edges of the paper may be skewed or damaged due to the skew of the paper. Since side edge guides are provided on each side, even if the paper skews, the side edges will not sag or be damaged.

It has the following effects.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

The drawings show one embodiment of this invention, in which Fig. 1 is an overall perspective view, Fig. 2 is an explanatory longitudinal view, Fig. 3 is an explanatory view of the paper supply section, and Fig. 4 is an explanatory view of its operating state. Figure 5 shows the wire winding roller 3 for supporting the paper table.
5 and 36, FIGS. 6 and 7 are explanatory views of the paper width regulation guide, FIG. 8 is an explanatory view of paper feeding timing, and FIGS. 9A and 9B are explanatory views of the main parts. A... Paper feeding device, B... Copying machine body, A2...
Paper unloading section, B... Paper storage frame, 4... Paper feeding means, 6... Outgoing guide, 11... Cassette loading port, 12... Entrance roller, 51... Roller, 66
...Side edge guide.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claim for Utility Model Registration] A paper transport section A2 extending from the paper storage frame 2 is removably attached to the loading port of the main unit B, and the sheets stacked in the paper storage frame 2 are transferred to the paper feeding means 4. In the paper feeding device that sequentially feeds out the paper to the paper conveying section A2 and supplies the paper to the entrance roller 12 of the main unit B, a sheet is provided so as to be inclined transversely to the traveling direction of the paper fed out by the paper feeding means 4. a roughly slant-shaped unloading guide 6 which guides the paper to the entrance roller 12 on the main unit B side; A side edge guide 6 that restricts the side edge of the sheet to be deflected is provided only in the sheet deflection guide section located transversely to the traveling direction of the sheet to be deflected.
6; and a guide means 66' for movably supporting the side edge guide 66 in the paper width direction.