JPH04129930A - Paper feeding device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent breakage of a motor, noise generation, defective contact, etc., by connecting an elevating tray to the motor by means of a joint in a way of free connection/disconnection. CONSTITUTION:When an elevating tray 7 is drawn out of a paper feeding device body, a joint 5 is disconnected, leading to separation of the elevating tray 7 from a motor 3 which is fixed to the paper feeding device body and drives the elevating tray 7. This means that the elevating tray 7 can be drawn out while the electrical connection between the motor 3 and the paper feeding device body is maintained. And the elevating tray 7 is locked to the paper feeding device body only when the paper P is brought into contact with a paper feeding member 81. When the paper P leaves the paper feeding member 81, the lock is released to allow the elevating tray 7 to be drawn out.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to a paper feeding device for feeding paper to an image forming apparatus, etc., and in particular, to a paper feeding device for feeding paper to an image forming apparatus, etc., and in particular, to a paper feeding device that allows an elevating tray for stacking paper to be pulled out from a main body. Related to paper feeding device.

[Conventional technology]

Conventionally, as shown in FIG. 2, a paper feeder 1 is connected to an image forming apparatus 10 such as a copying machine, and paper is fed to the image forming apparatus 10 by the paper feeder 1. ing.

Such a paper feeding device 1 has a plurality of decks 2, and a fourth
As shown in the figure, papers P are stacked on an elevating tray 7 within each deck 2. And Detsuki 2
By pulling out the tray, it is possible to replenish the elevating tray 7 with paper, clear paper jams, etc.

By the way, the motor 3 that drives the lifting tray 7 up and down by the lifting mechanism 6 is fixed to the deck 2, and the electric connection between the motor 3 and the main body of the paper feeder 1 is made by the drawer 11. If the deck 2 is pulled out while the lifting tray 7 is being raised or lowered, that is, while the motor 3 is being driven, the drawer 11 will be forcibly removed and the power to the motor 3 will be cut off. There is a risk that noise will occur that will affect the image control of the device 10.

Also, while the paper P is being fed from the paper feeder 1 to the image forming apparatus 10, the paper P is in contact with the paper feed roller 81, so if the deck 2 is pulled out in this state, the paper P
There is a risk that the paper feed roller 81 may be damaged.

For this reason, a configuration has been adopted in which the deck 2 cannot be pulled out until after the elevating tray 7 has been lowered to the bottom of the deck 2 and the motor 3 has been stopped.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

However, since the descending speed of the elevating tray 7 is normally set to be low to prevent impact, it takes time for the deck 2 to descend to a position where it can be pulled out. As a result, time is wasted unnecessarily for replenishing paper, clearing jams, and the like.

The present invention solves the above problem and aims to provide a paper feeding device that can shorten the time until the deck can be pulled out.

[Means to solve the problem]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a paper feeder having an elevating tray for placing paper, including a motor fixed to the main body of the paper feeder and driving the elevating tray up and down, and one motor attached to the elevating tray. and a joint, the other of which is provided on the motor side and which connects the elevating tray and the motor in a detachable manner.

Further, in claim 2, a paper feeding member that feeds paper;
a detection means for detecting the presence or absence of contact between the paper feeding member and the paper; a locking means for locking the elevating tray to the main body of the paper feeding device; and a locking means for releasing the locking means when the paper is separated from the paper feeding member. and release means.

[Effect]

According to the paper feeding device configured as described above, when the elevating tray is pulled out from the paper feeding device main body, the joint is disconnected, and the elevating tray is separated from the motor that is fixed to the paper feeding device main body and drives the elevating tray up and down. That is, the elevating tray can be pulled out while maintaining electrical connection between the motor and the main body of the paper feeder.

Further, the elevating tray is locked to the main body of the paper feeding apparatus only when the paper and the paper feeding member are in contact with each other, and when the paper is separated from the paper feeding member, the lock is released and the elevating tray can be pulled out.

〔Example〕

FIG. 1 is a side perspective view of essential parts showing an example of a paper feeding device 1 according to the present invention.

The paper feeding device 1 includes a plurality of decks 2, and paper P of various sizes is fed from each deck 2 to an image forming device 10 (FIG. 2) such as a copying machine as necessary. There is. Further, the deck 2 can be pulled out toward the front of the device (direction A in the figure), and the locking means locks the deck 2 while an upper limit position sensor 82 (described later) is outputting an on signal. It is made so that it cannot be pulled out. That is, the locking means includes, for example, a solenoid (not shown) and a hook section, and the hook section locks the deck 2 when the solenoid is turned on during the on period.

The motor 3 is fixed to the main body of the paper feeder 1, and has a transmission mechanism 4,
An elevating tray 7 is driven up and down via a joint 5 and an elevating mechanism 6. Further, when the upper limit position sensor 82 outputs an ON signal, the lifter 3 stops and prevents the lifting tray 7 from rising. The joint 5 includes a motor side joint 51 and a tray side joint 52, and the motor side joint 51 is connected to the motor 3 via the transmission mechanism 4.

The tray side joint 52 is a pulley 61 of the lifting mechanism 6, which will be described later.
is connected to. The motor side joint 51 and the tray side joint 52 are configured to be detachably connected to each other by irregularities such as a square, trapezoid, sawtooth, or snookiral shape formed on their respective end faces. When the deck 2 is pulled out, the motor side joint 51 and the tray side joint 52 are separated.

The elevating mechanism 6 consists of pulleys 61, 62 and a belt 63 stretched over these pulleys, and is arranged on the deck 2 so that it can be pulled out together with the deck 2.

A suitable position of the belt 63 is connected to the elevating tray 7, and the rotating force of the motor 3 is transmitted to the pulley 61 via the joint 5, so that the elevating tray 7 is moved up and down. This elevating tray 7 is for stacking papers P, is supported by the deck 2, and is adapted to be pulled out together with the deck 2. Furthermore, when the motor-side joint 51 and the tray-side joint 52 are separated, the elevating tray 7 is configured to descend by its own weight.

Further, a paper feeding unit 8 is provided in the main body of the paper feeding device 1 . The paper feeding unit 8 has a plurality of paper feeding members such as paper feeding rollers 81 and the like, and feeds the paper P to the image forming apparatus 10 by rotationally driving the paper feeding rollers 81. The paper feed roller 81 is shown in FIGS. 3(a) and 3(b).
As shown in FIG. 2, the support member 80 is rotatably supported on one end side, and the support member 80 is supported so as to be swingable about a fulcrum 83, and as a result of this swinging, the support member 80 is formed on the other end side. Upper limit position sensor 82 (described later) by detection piece 84
can be turned on and off.

That is, when the elevating tray 7 is driven upward and the paper feeding roller 81 is pushed up by the paper P and reaches a predetermined paper feeding position, the upper limit position sensor 82 detects the detection piece 84. The upper limit position sensor 82 is composed of a photo sensor or the like, and when it is shielded from light by the detection piece 84, it instructs the locking means to lock and outputs an on signal to instruct the motor 3 to stop driving. . Also,
This on signal is also used as a signal indicating that paper can be fed to the image forming apparatus 10. On the other hand, when the paper P starts descending and leaves the paper feed roller 81, the upper limit position sensor 82 is turned off.

Note that the width adjustment member 9 is for arranging the papers P on the elevating tray 7 according to the size.

Next, the operation of the paper feeding device 1 will be explained.

That is, when an operation switch (not shown) is operated to lower the elevating tray 7 for jam clearance, paper replenishment, etc., the motor 3 is driven to rotate, and this rotational force is transmitted to the elevating mechanism 6 via the joint 5, and the elevating tray 7 is lowered. Tray 7 begins to descend. Then, as the paper P descends, the paper feed roller 81
rotates downward due to its own weight, and the paper P is transferred to the paper feed roller 81.
When the user leaves the deck 2, the upper limit position sensor 82 is turned off and the deck 2 is unlocked, allowing the deck 2 to extend its bow even while descending. By pulling out the deck 2, jam removal etc. can be performed immediately.

Further, after the deck 2 is pulled out and the motor-side joint 51 and the tray-side joint 52 are separated, the elevating tray 7 continues to descend under its own weight, descends to the bottom of the deck 2, and stops. Therefore, the elevating tray 7 can be easily replenished with paper P.

After jam removal, paper replenishment, etc. are completed and the deck 2 is stored in the paper feeder 1, the operation switch is operated to rotate the motor 3 to raise the elevating tray 7. It rises to the paper position and stops, and then paper can be fed to the image forming apparatus 10.

〔Effect of the invention〕

In the present invention, since the elevating tray and the motor are removably connected by a joint, even if the elevating tray is pulled out from the paper feeder, the electrical connection between the motor and the main body of the paper feeder is not interrupted, and therefore the motor damage, noise generation, poor contact, etc. can be prevented. Furthermore, the elevating tray can be pulled out before it descends to the bottom, reducing the time required for jam removal, paper replenishment, etc.

Furthermore, since the motor is fixed to the main body of the paper feeder, the elevating tray is lighter and it is easier to take it in and out, compared to a conventional structure in which the elevating tray and motor are directly connected and pulled out together.

In addition, since the elevating tray cannot be pulled out from the paper feeder main body only when the paper is in contact with the paper feed member, it is possible to prevent damage to the paper and the paper feed member, and also to prevent paper from being pulled out from the paper feed member. As soon as you leave, you can pull out the elevating tray.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a side perspective view of a main part showing an example of a paper feeding device according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a paper feeding device and an image forming apparatus according to the present invention, and FIG. 3(a). (b) is a configuration diagram showing an example of a paper feeding unit, and FIG. 4 is a side perspective view of a main part showing a conventional paper feeding device. 1...Paper feeder, 2...Deck, 3...Motor,
4... Transmission mechanism, 5... Joint, 6... Lifting mechanism,
7... Elevating tray, 8... Paper feeding unit, 10...
- Image forming device, 51... Motor side joint, 52...
Tray side joint, 81...Paper feed roller (paper feed member), 82
...Upper limit position sensor, 84...Detection piece, P...Paper patent applicant Mita Kogyo Co., Ltd. Agent Patent attorney Etsushi Kotani
Patent Attorney Chief 1) Masamukai Patent Attorney Takao Ito (a) Part (b)

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A paper feeding device having an elevating tray on which paper is placed, including a motor fixed to the main body of the paper feeding device and driving the elevating tray up and down, one of which is provided on the elevating tray side; A paper feeding device comprising: a joint, the other of which is provided on the motor side, and which connects the elevating tray and the motor in a detachable manner. 2. The paper feeding device according to claim 1, further comprising: a paper feeding member for feeding paper; a detection means for detecting whether or not the paper feeding member is in contact with the paper; A paper feeding device comprising: a locking means for locking the paper; and a releasing means for releasing the locking means when the paper is separated from the paper feeding member.