JPH04169432A - Paper feeding device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To feed a cut paper sheet in each cassette by transmitting the driving power of a driving source to a cassette arranged on the lower stage of the cassette. CONSTITUTION:In each cassette 22, 24, the driving power of a driving source M is transmitted to a cassette arranged on the lower stage of a cassette by a second transmission mechanism G2. The driving power of the driving source M is transmitted to a feeding roller as well as a carrier roller by a first transmission mechanism G1 in each cassette 22, 24. By the command from an image recording device, when the electromagnetic clutch CL of either cassette is operated, the feeding roller and the carrier roller receive the driving power from the first transmission mechanism G1 and are thus rotated in each cassette, and cut paper sheets which are layered and thus stocked are peeled off from each other, and are carried one by one to the image recording device. When a preliminary cassette is arranged below a lowest cassette, the driving power is transmitted also to the preliminary cassette from an upper cassette, and the feeding of cut paper sheet is thus carried out.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to a paper feeding device installed in an image recording device, and more specifically, it operates by receiving driving force from a drive source of the image recording device to feed single sheets. The present invention relates to a paper supply device that transports cut sheets one by one from a cassette that stores sheets in a stack to an image recording device.

[Prior Art] Conventionally, image recording machines such as electronic copying machines and laser printers have been provided with a paper feeding device at the bottom of the main body for feeding slips one by one to an image recording section elsewhere.

In this type of paper supply device, multiple cassettes are stored in the device housing so that they can be taken in and out.Slip sheets (hereinafter simply referred to as paper) are taken out one by one from each cassette on the side of the device housing. The mechanism is equipped with a mechanism for transporting sheets to the image recording section, which operates by receiving driving force from the drive motor of the image recording machine, and is operable to transport sheets from the cassette specified by electric signals from the image recording machine. It is configured to transport sheets one by one to the image recording section.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, in the above device, the number of cassettes that can be stored in the device housing is predetermined by the size of the housing, so it is not possible to add more cassettes. There were problems such as the limited variety of cassettes, which required frequent replacement of cassettes, which was time-consuming, and problems such as an insufficient number of paper sheets when using a large amount of paper of the same size. The purpose was to provide a paper supply device that could accommodate additional paper cassettes.

[Means for Solving the Problems] The gist of the present invention is to provide an image recording device that operates by receiving a driving force from a drive source of the image recording device and records the slips one by one. A paper feeding device for conveying sheets to a paper feed device, which comprises a plurality of stacked cassettes for storing cut sheets in a stacked manner, and
a paper feed roller that peels off the stacked paper sheets one by one and sends them out in the paper feed direction in each of the plurality of cassettes;
A conveyance roller that conveys the cut sheet sent out by the paper feed roller to the image recording device, a first transmission mechanism that transmits the driving force of the drive source to the paper feed roller and the conveyance roller, and a command from the image recording device. an electromagnetic clutch for intermittent transmission of driving force to the paper feed roller by the first transmission mechanism;
The paper supply device is characterized in that it is provided with a second transmission mechanism that transmits the driving force of the drive source to a cassette disposed below the cassette.

[Operation] According to the paper supply device of the present invention configured as described above, in each cassette, the second transmission mechanism transmits the driving force of the driving source to the cassette disposed below the cassette. Therefore, in each cassette, the first transmission mechanism can transmit the driving force of the driving source to the paper feed roller and the conveyance roller.

Then, when the electromagnetic clutch of one of the cassettes is activated in response to a command from the image recording device, the cover feed roller and conveyance roller in that cassette rotate by receiving driving force from the first transmission mechanism, and the stacked sheets are rotated in that cassette. The slips are peeled off one by one and conveyed to the image recording device.

Therefore, for example, if a spare cassette is disposed below the lowest cassette, the driving force is transmitted to that cassette from the upper cassette so that tag sheets can be conveyed.

[Example] Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

First, FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a paper feeding device and an electronic copying machine to which the present invention is applied. FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing the gear arrangement of the electronic copying machine.

As shown in the figure, the electronic copying machine 1o applies high voltage from the charger 12a to the photosensitive surface 1 of the photosensitive drum 12b.
a well-known copying unit 12 that transfers the toner image formed on the toner image formed on the paper sheet P onto the cut paper sheet P; and a cartridge C that is removably inserted into and taken out from the device housing]4 and stores the cut paper sheets P in a stacked manner.
A paper feed unit 16 that conveys the cut sheet P from A to the copying unit]2
It is equipped with In addition, cartridge CA and paper feed section 16
The details will be described later.

Below the electronic copying machine 10 is a paper supply device 20 that conveys the cut sheet P to the copying section 2 instead of the paper feeding section 16.
is installed.

The paper supply device 20 consists of a plurality of paper supply cassettes 22, 24, which are arranged under the electronic copying machine 10 in an orderly stacked state. Note that the paper feed cassettes 22 and 24 are the same, and a spare paper feed cassette (not shown) is also prepared.

The paper feed cassettes 22 and 24 include a cartridge CA that can be inserted into and taken out from the cassette case CC, and a cartridge CA in which cut sheets P are stored in a stack, and a paper feed roller that separates the cut sheets P one by one from the cartridge CA and sends them out. R1 and conveyance roller R2, and the driving force is transferred to paper feed roller R1 and conveyance roller R.
2] and the driving force from the outside,
first gear mechanism G] and the paper feed cassette (for example, 22
) and a second gear mechanism G2 that transmits the information to the paper feed cassette (for example, 24) disposed below the cartridges CA. , an auxiliary roller R3 that is paired with the transport roller R2 and transports the cut sheet P to the upper paper feed cassette (for example, 22), and a paper feed roller R that transports the cut sheet P.]
a spring SP that urges in the direction of , and a slide S that guides the cut sheet P from the paper feed roller R] to the conveyance roller R2.
L is provided. Further, in the slide SL, there is formed a conveyance space SC which opens on the slope thereof and also opens on the bottom surface of the cartridge CA, so that the cut sheet P can pass therethrough.

In addition, the bottom surface CCa of the cassette case CC and the electronic copying machine 1
The bottom surface 14a of the casing 0 has a cutout ○P that has the same shape as the opening of the transfer space SC, and through the cutout OP,
It is designed to allow the cut sheet P to pass through. In the uppermost paper feed cassette 22, the conveyance roller R2 and the auxiliary roller R3 transport the cut sheets P to the paper feed section 16 of the electronic copying machine]O.
Transport to.

The paper feed roller R] is a rubber roller with a half-moon shape in cross section, and its edge portion ed cooperates with a friction separation member (path shown) to separate the paper sheets P one by one and send them to the conveyance roller R2. hang. The conveyance roller R2 cooperates with an auxiliary roller R3 provided in the cartridge CA to convey the paper sheet P sent from the paper feed roller R upward through the conveyance space SC. The rising cut sheet P is further conveyed upward.

The first gear mechanism G1 is housed in one side box 8a of the cassette case CC together with the second gear mechanism G2, and includes an intermittent gear g1 that is fixed to the shaft of the paper feed roller R1 and has some teeth cut out. , the conveyance roller gear g2 fixed to the shaft of the conveyance roller R2 meshes with the transmission gear glo (described later) of the second gear mechanism 02 to transfer the driving force to the intermittent gear g1.
and a connecting gear group g3 that transmits the driving force to the conveying roller gear g2, and a clutch mechanism CL that connects and disconnects the transmission of driving force from the connecting gear group g3 to the intermittent gear g.

The clutch mechanism CL includes a cam can provided on one shaft of an intermittent gear g, a locking lever that is biased by a traction spring 5prl and locks to a step st of the cam cam, and an electronic copying machine 10. The traction spring 5prO is activated by the electric signal of
and a solenoid SQL that releases the locking lever 1 from engagement with the cam can against the urging force.
When L is in operation, a driving force is transmitted from the connecting gear group g3 to rotate the intermittent gear g1, and when the solenoid SQL is not in operation, the intermittent gear g is stopped.

That is, the rotation of the paper feed roller R1 is controlled by an electrical signal from the electronic copying machine]O.

The second gear mechanism G2 is a combination of four transmission gears glo to g13 arranged in a vertical line, and includes a part of the uppermost transmission gear glo (exposed from side box Ba in the table) It meshes with the lowermost transmission gear g13 of the paper cassette (for example, 22) (or the transmission gear gb provided in the paper feed section 16 of the electronic copying machine 0 as described later).

Further, the top plates of the right side box Ba and the left side box Bb have a cylindrical convex part CNa, and the bottom plate has a concave part CNb.
However, when the label paper feed cassettes 22,24 are stacked, the convex portion CNa fits into the recess CNb, so that the paper feed cassettes 22,24 are arranged in an orderly manner. Furthermore,
These convex portions CNa and concave portions CNb also serve as connectors, and connect the signal lines (paths shown) in the paper cassette (for example, 22) to the signal lines (paths shown) of the upper and lower paper feed cassettes. Further, as will be described later, by connecting the electric signal line (path shown) of the electronic copying machine 10 and the signal line of the paper feeding cassette 22, the signal from the electronic copying machine 10 is transmitted to each paper feeding cassette 22.
．． Make sure to convey this to 24 people.

On the other hand, the paper feed section] 6 of the electronic copy filo includes a cartridge CA that stores the cut sheets P in a stacked manner, a paper feed roller R1 and a conveyance roller R2 that transport the cut sheets P to the copying section 12, and a motor M that drives the cartridge CA. The main components include a drive mechanism 16a that transmits force to the paper feed roller R1 and the conveyance roller R2, and a transmission mechanism 16b that transmits the drive force of the motor M to the paper feed cassette 22.

Cartridge CA, paper feed roller R] and conveyance roller R
2 is exactly the same as that of the paper feed cassette 22.24, and the drive mechanism 16a [; A drive gear gm provided on the rotating shaft of the motor and meshing with the idle gear g1 is added.

The transmission mechanism 16b (& consists of two transmission gears ga, gb arranged in a vertical line and connected, the upper transmission gear ga meshes with the connecting gear group g3 of the drive mechanism 16a, and the lower transmission gear gb is used for paper feeding. It meshes with the transmission gear glo at the top of the cassette 22, and transfers the driving force of the motor M to the paper feeding cassette 2.
Tell 2.

A concave portion CNb is provided in the bottom surface 14a of the casing of the electronic copying machine [10], and the convex portion CNa of the bill paper feed cassette 22.24 is fitted thereinto, thereby fixing the position of the paper feed cassette 22.24 and , electronic copying machine] 0 is connected to the internal signal line of the paper feed cassette 22 and 24.

Next, the operations of the paper feed cassettes 22 and 24 and the paper feed section of the electronic copying machine ]6 will be described.

When the motor M of the electronic copying machine 10 starts, the transport roller R2 of the paper feed section 16 rotates, and the driving force of the motor M is transferred to the first gear of the paper feed cassette 22 via the drive mechanism 16a and the transmission mechanism 16b. It is further transmitted from the second gear mechanism G2 of the paper feed cassette 22 to the first gear mechanism G1 and the second gear mechanism G2 of the paper feed cassette 24.

Therefore, in the paper feed cassette 22.24, the transport roller R2
(Auxiliary roller R3) constantly rotates, and when the solenoid SQL is activated in any of the paper feed cassettes 22, 24 or the paper feed section]6 of the electronic copying machine]O by an electric signal from the electronic copying machine]O, The paper feed roller R] rotates and sends out a single sheet of paper P to the paper feed roller R]. The sent out cut sheet P is transported by the transport roller R2 and the auxiliary roller R3.
The paper is transported upward in the transport space SC from a paper feed cassette (for example, 22) located at the upper stage to the paper feed unit]6.

In this way, the cut sheets P are successively conveyed upward through the conveyance space SC, and are sent to the copying section 12 of the electronic copying machine 10, where images are recorded.

Here, it is assumed that an image is to be recorded on a cut sheet of a size that is not stored anywhere in the cartridge CA provided in the paper feed cassette 22, 24 and the paper feed section 16.

In this case, for example, place a spare paper cassette at the bottom of the paper cassette 24 and stack the paper cassettes in three tiers.Furthermore, if cut sheets of other sizes are required, In the same way, a paper feed cassette is added.The added paper feed cassette is driven by a motor M in the same manner as the driving force is transmitted from the -th paper feed cassette 22 to the second paper feed cassette 24. Since force is transmitted and an electric signal line is also connected, a cut sheet can be supplied to the copying section 12 using an electric signal from the electronic copying machine 10.

As explained above, in this embodiment, the paper feed cassette 22.
Since each of the paper feed cassettes 24 is provided with a second gear mechanism G2 that transmits the driving force of the motor M to the paper feed cassette disposed at the lower stage, the number of paper feed cassettes can be easily added by simply stacking the paper feed cassettes.

Therefore, the limitation of not being able to add more paper cassettes as in the past can be overcome, and the trouble of having to replace paper cassettes many times can also be eliminated, and there is no need to worry about running out of paper when recording a large amount of images. No.

[Effects of the Invention] As described in detail above, according to the present invention, in each cassette, the driving force of the drive source is transmitted to the cassette disposed below the cassette, so that each cassette is capable of transmitting cut sheets. becomes possible. Therefore, the desired number of cassettes can be added by simply stacking the cassettes.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the paper supply device and electronic copying machine of the embodiment, Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing the arrangement of each roller and the transport path of the cut sheet, and Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the paper supply device and the electronic copying machine. It is an explanatory view showing gear arrangement. ]G0...Electronic copying machine 16...Paper feed section 20...Paper supply device 22.24...Paper feed sash/soto CA...Cartridge G1...First
Gear mechanism G2...Second gear mechanism R]...Paper feed roller R2...Conveyance roller R3...
Auxiliary roller CL...clutch mechanism M...
Motor P...Slip paper

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] A paper feeding device that is attached to an image recording device, operates by receiving a driving force from a drive source of the image recording device, and conveys cut sheets one by one to the image recording device, A plurality of cassettes for storing cut sheets in a stack are provided in a stacked state, and each of the plurality of cassettes is provided with a paper feed roller that peels off the cut sheets stored in the stack one by one and sends them out in the paper feeding direction. , a conveyance roller that conveys the cut sheet sent out by the paper feed roller to the image recording device; a first transmission mechanism that transmits the driving force of the drive source to the paper feed roller and the conveyance roller; an electromagnetic clutch that, in response to a command from the image recording device, connects and disconnects the transmission of the driving force to the paper feed roller by the first transmission mechanism; and an electromagnetic clutch that transmits the driving force of the drive source to the cassette disposed below the cassette. A paper supply device characterized by comprising: a second transmission mechanism for transmitting data.