JPH0423741A - Automatic paper feeding device and usage thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To facilitate setting and carrying of multiple pieces of sheets by operating a means for moving an initial carrying spring to a position for separating from the sheet and a position for pressing the sheet when a sensor detects that multiple sheets are set in a paper feeding frame under the horizontal condition. CONSTITUTION:A sheet detecting sensor 12 is provided in the upstream side of a paper feeding roller 13. Sheets 3 are set in a paper feeding frame 11 under the horizontal condition, and the paper feeding roller 13 is rotated normally by the sensor 12. A reversing roller 17 is rotated with the rotation of the paper feeding roller 13 and while is fallen to a predetermined position, and an initial carrying spring 16 pressed by the reversing roller 17 is fallen to press the top face of the sheets 3, and the sheets 3 are carried by a separating pad 14 one by one. When the sensor 12 detects that the sheet 3 does not exist on the frame 11, the paper feeding roller 13 is rotated reversely for a certain time, and the reversing roller 17 is fixed and raised to push the spring 16 up. Consequently, multiple pieces of sheets 3 can be set easily.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Summary] In a facsimile (hereinafter referred to as FAX) device or an electronic printer (hereinafter referred to as printer) device, sheet-like media (hereinafter referred to as sheet) such as a plurality of stacked originals or recording paper are To provide an automatic paper feeding device that automatically feeds sheets one by one and a method of using the same, which smoothly and reliably feeds sheets one by one without the need to wedge the sheets even when feeding a large number of sheets. The paper feed frame has a substantially horizontal paper feed frame, and a paper feed that protrudes slightly upward from the top surface of the paper feed frame and contacts the bottom surface of the sheet set on the paper feed frame. a sensor for detecting a sheet provided upstream of the paper feed roller with respect to the sheet feeding direction; and an initial conveyance sensor provided above the paper feed roller that presses the top surface of the sheet with a predetermined pressure. a spring; a means for moving the initial conveyance spring between a lower position in contact with the upper surface of the sheet and an upper position away from the sheet; and contact with the paper feed roller downstream from the pressing area of the initial conveyance spring in the sheet traveling direction; an automatic paper feeder comprising a separation pad for detecting a sheet; and a control device for operating the moving means in response to the sensor detecting a sheet.

[Industrial application field]

The present invention is an automatic machine that automatically feeds sheet-like media (hereinafter referred to as sheets) such as stacked manuscripts or recording paper one by one in a facsimile (hereinafter referred to as FAX) device or an electronic printer (hereinafter referred to as printer) device. Learn about paper feeding devices and how to use them.

Recently, it has become necessary to improve the reliability of automatic paper feeders for fax or printer devices, that is, to be able to reliably and smoothly feed a large number of stacked sheets one by one, and to have a simple sheet setting method. is required.

[Conventional technology]

FIGS. 5 and 6 show conventional automatic paper feeding devices in FAX or printer devices. In these figures, 1 is the main body of the apparatus, 2 (2a) is a paper feed frame tilted downward in the direction of movement for placing sheets, 3 (3a) is a large number of sheets, 4 and 5 are auxiliary rollers, and 6 (6a) is a paper feed roller, 7 is a separation pad, 8 is a pressure spring, 9 (9a) is an initial conveyance spring, and IO is a guide plate.

When there are a large number of sheets 3, as shown in the enlarged view of FIG. 6, the tips of the sheets 3 are placed in a wedge shape on the inclined frame 2, and the sheets 3 are set so as to be slid thereon. The set sheet 3 is transported between a paper feed roller 6 arranged so as to protrude slightly upward from the frame 2, and this paper feed roller 6.
It is clamped between the initial conveyance spring 9 and the initial conveyance spring 9, which presses it diagonally against the initial conveyance spring 9. When the paper feed roller 6 rotates, the bottom sheet is sent out. The fed sheet passes between the paper feed roller 6 and the separation pad 7, further passes through the guide plate 10, and is sent in the traveling direction A by a pair of auxiliary rollers 4 and 5.

The separation pad 7 is pressed against the paper feed roller 6 with an appropriate pressure by a pressure spring 8 downstream of the initial conveyance spring 9 in the advancing direction. Therefore, when two or more sheets advance beyond the initial conveyance spring 9, the separation pad 7 holds the upper sheet, and the paper feed roller 6 allows only the lower sheet to pass.

In this case, the conveying force of the paper feed roller 6 is set larger than the braking force of the separation pad 7. That is, if the coefficient of friction between the paper feed roller 6 and the sheet is μ0, the coefficient of friction between the sheet and the separation pad 7 is μ2, and the coefficient of friction between the sheets is μ, then the relationship μ,〉μ2〉μ. is set so that it holds true.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

With the conventional automatic paper feeder described above, you only need to set a small number of sheets with their edges aligned, but when you have a large number of sheets, you have to unravel them into a wedge shape, which requires skill and requires a lot of skill. 3 and the initial conveyance spring 9 have an acute angle, so the clamping by the initial conveyance spring 9 is limited, and when a large number of sheets are set, the sheets cannot be smoothly fed out one by one. was there.

Therefore, the present invention provides an automatic paper feeder and a method for using the same, which can smoothly and reliably feed sheets one by one without the need to wedge the sheets even when feeding a large number of sheets. The purpose is to provide.

[Means to solve the problem]

In order to solve such problems, according to the first invention, as shown in FIG.
), a paper feed roller (13) that protrudes slightly upward from the top surface of the paper feed frame and contacts the bottom surface of the sheet (3) set on the paper feed frame, and a sheet feed direction (A ), a sheet detection sensor (12) provided upstream of the paper feed roller, and an initial conveyance spring (16) provided above the paper feed roller that presses the top surface of the sheet with a predetermined pressure. a means (17) for moving the initial conveyance spring between a lower position in contact with the upper surface of the sheet and an upper position away from the sheet; and a means (17) for moving the initial conveyance spring between a lower position in contact with the upper surface of the sheet and an upper position away from the sheet; a separation pad (14) in contact with the sheet; and a control device (30) for actuating the moving means in response to the sensor detecting a sheet.
An automatic paper feeder is provided comprising:

According to the second invention, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3,
A substantially horizontal paper feed frame (11), and a paper feed roller (13) that protrudes slightly upward from the top surface of the paper feed frame and contacts the bottom surface of the sheet (3) set on the paper feed frame. and a sheet detection sensor (12) provided upstream of the paper feed roller with respect to the sheet feeding direction (A).
), an initial conveyance spring [16] provided above the paper feed roller that presses the upper surface of the sheet with a predetermined pressure, and an initial conveyance spring [16] at a lower position in contact with the upper surface of the sheet and an upper position away from the sheet. means (17) for moving between;
a separation pad (14) that contacts the paper feed roller downstream from the pressing area of the initial conveyance spring in the sheet traveling direction; and a control device (14) that operates the moving means in response to the sensor detecting the sheet. 30), the sensor (12) detects the trailing edge of the sheet (3) and after a first predetermined time (E) has elapsed, the initial conveyance spring (16) is raised; An automatic sheet feeding device characterized in that the sensor (12) detects the leading edge of the sheet (3) and lowers the initial conveyance blade (16) after a second predetermined time (F) has elapsed. How to use is provided.

[For production]

According to the first aspect of the invention, since the paper feeding frame (11) is substantially horizontal, there is no need to wedge the sheets even when setting a large number of sheets (3). Further, since the initial conveyance spring (8) moves up and down in response to the sheet detection sensor (12), sheet setting and sheet feeding are performed smoothly.

According to the second invention, the sensor (12) is attached to the seat (3).
After detecting the rear end of and elapse of the first predetermined time (E),
That is, since the initial conveyance spring (16) is raised when there is no sheet on the paper feed frame (11), the next sheet to be set can be easily inserted.

Then, after the sensor (12) detects the leading edge of the next sheet (3) and a second predetermined time (F) has elapsed, that is, the initial conveyance is performed with the next sheet completely set in the predetermined position. The spring (16) is lowered to apply a pressing force to the sheet, thus allowing reliable and smooth automatic paper feeding.

〔Example〕

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing an embodiment of the automatic paper feeder of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the invention.

In the embodiment, a document (sheet) supply unit in a printer device or a FAX device is shown. In these figures, 11
is a substantially horizontal sheet feeding frame, on which a large number of sheets 3 are stacked and set.

12 is a sensor provided on the paper feeding frame 11;
When the sheet 3 is set in the direction of arrow A, the leading edge of the sheet 3 is detected, and the trailing edge of the last sheet is also detected. 13 is a paper feed roller that protrudes slightly above the top surface of the paper feed frame 11. When the sheet 3 is set on the paper feed frame 11, the bottom surface of the sheet 3 is placed on this paper feed roller 13. Contact. Note that the sensor 12 is provided immediately upstream of the paper feed roller 13 in the sheet feeding direction A.

16 is an initial conveyance spring provided above the paper feed roller.

This initial conveyance spring 16 is positioned at a lower position (where it contacts the upper surface of the sheet 3 and presses the upper surface of the sheet downward with a predetermined pressure).
It is possible to move between the position indicated by the solid line in FIG. 1) and the upper position away from the sheet 3 or paper feed roller 13 (position W indicated by the two-dot chain line in FIG. 1). 17 is the initial conveyance spring 16
It is a reversing roller that serves as a means to move the A ratchet (not shown) or the like is incorporated so as to idle when a rotational force in the direction of arrow C is applied. Reversing roller 1
7 is attached to the free end of an arm 18 so as to be in constant contact with the paper feed roller 13 with appropriate pressure, and this arm 18 is supported on a fixed shaft 19 by a long base 20 thereof.

Therefore, when the paper feed roller 13 rotates by a predetermined angle in the negative direction, the reversing roller 17 is locked in its own rotation and is raised from the solid line position in FIG. 1 to the chain line position.

On the other hand, when the paper feed roller 13 rotates in the positive direction, that is, in the paper feed direction, the reversing roller 17 also rotates at the same time and descends along the surface of the paper feed roller 13. Then, the arm 17 reaches a position regulated by the elongated hole 20 (ie, the solid line position in FIG. 1) and stops. After that, even if the paper feed roller 13 rotates in the positive direction, the reverse rotation roller 17 simply idles on the paper feed roller 13.

The initial conveyance spring 16 is constantly biased downward, for example in the area of the paper feed roller 13. Then, the reversing roller 17
is in constant contact with the lower surface of the initial conveyance spring 16. Therefore, when the reversing roller 17 is raised as described above, the initial conveyance spring 16 resists its biasing force and moves upward (the position indicated by the two-dot chain line in FIG. 1), and the reversing roller 17 is lowered. When this occurs, the initial conveying spring 16 descends by its biasing force and presses the upper surface of the sheet 3 set on the sheet feeding frame 11 (the position indicated by the solid line in FIG. 1). In this case, the reversing roller 17 separates from the initial conveyance spring 16 and further descends.

Next, the operation of the embodiment of the present invention will be explained with reference to FIG. First, when the three sheets are not set, the initial conveyance spring 16 is in its raised position (the position indicated by the two-dot chain line in FIG. 1).
It is in. When a large number of sheets 3 are set while sliding on the paper feed frame 11 in the direction of arrow A, the leading edge of the sheets 3 rotates an actuator attached to the tip of the sensor 12, turning the sensor 12 ON. . Sensor 12 is O
N, and after a predetermined time E (for example, 2 seconds) has elapsed, a motor (not shown) rotates based on a command from the control device 30, and the paper feed roller 13 rotates in the direction of pressure by a predetermined angle or more. As a result, as described above, the reverse rotation roller 17 idles and descends, and the initial conveyance roller 13 descends, presses the upper surface of the sheet 3, and clamps the sheet 3 (solid line position in FIG. 1). In this case, the above-mentioned predetermined time E is set to be a sufficient time from when the sensor 12 detects the leading edge of the sheet 3 to when the setting of the sheet is completed.

After that, based on the paper feeding command from the device main body, the sheet 3
are sequentially fed one by one by the paper feed roller 13 starting from the bottom one. At this time, the idling reversing roller 17 acts as an auxiliary roller for paper feeding, and the sheet 3 passes between the paper feeding roller and the reversing roller 17.

With respect to the traveling direction of the sheets 3, the separation pad 14, which is pressed against the paper feed roller 13 by the pressure spring 15 downstream of the pressure region of the initial conveyance spring 16, is moved when two or more sheets 3 are fed. It is to be separated so that there is no problem. In this case, the friction coefficient between the paper feed roller 13 and the sheet 3 is set to μm, and the friction coefficient between the sheet 3 and the separation pad 14 is As in the conventional case, the friction coefficient μ2 between the sheets 3 and the friction coefficient μ between the sheets 3 are set so that the relationship μm>μ2>μm holds true.

When there is only one remaining sheet (original) 3 on the paper feed frame 11 and its trailing edge passes the sensor 12, the sensor 12 is turned off. After the sensor 12 is turned off and a predetermined time F (for example, 2 seconds) has elapsed, a motor (not shown) is rotated by a command from the control device 30, and the paper feed roller 13 is rotated by a predetermined angle in the negative direction. As a result, the reversing roller 17 that has been appropriately pressed against the paper feed roller 13 is lifted along the surface of the paper feed roller 13 while being prevented from rotating. At the same time, the initial conveyance spring 16 that is in pressure contact with the reversing roller 17 is lifted (2 in Fig. 1).
At the position indicated by the dotted chain line), the next sheet 3 is ready to be received. In this case, the above-mentioned predetermined time F is set so as to be a sufficient time after the sensor 12 detects the trailing edge of the last sheet 3 until the sheet 3 completely leaves the paper feed roller 13.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, according to the present invention, since the paper feed frame 11 is made substantially horizontal, it is possible to set a large capacity of sheets, and there is no need to unravel the sheets into a tree shape, making it easy to set the sheets. It is. Furthermore, the front edge of the sheet, particularly the lowermost sheet, is no longer folded or caught, as shown in FIG. 4, and the accuracy of automatic sheet feeding is improved.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing an embodiment of the automatic paper feeder of the present invention;
Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 3 is a diagram showing the operation of the embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 4 is a diagram showing the state of a document (sheet) being caught, and Fig. 5 is a diagram of the conventional automatic FIG. 6 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the paper feeding device, and is an enlarged view of the portion marked ■ in FIG. 5. 3... Original (sheet), 11... Paper feed roller, 1
2...Sensor, 13...Paper feed roller,
14... Separation pad, 15... Pressure spring, 1
6...Initial conveyance roller, 17...Reverse rotation roller, 1
8...Arm, 19...Axis, 20...
Long hole, 30...control device. Embodiment 1 of the present invention S1 FIG. 11...Paper feed frame 12...Sensor 13...Paper feed row 5 14...Separation pad 15...Pressure spring 16...Initial conveyance spring 17...・・Perspective view of the reverse 0-ra embodiment s2 FIG. 20 ・Long document caught state FIG. 4 Operation of the embodiment FIG. 3

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A substantially horizontal paper feed frame (11), and a frame that protrudes slightly upward from the top surface of the paper feed frame and is attached to the bottom surface of the sheet (3) set on the paper feed frame. A paper feed roller (13) in contact with the paper feed roller (13) and a sheet detection sensor (
12), an initial conveyance spring (16) provided above the paper feed roller that presses the upper surface of the sheet with a predetermined pressure, and a lower position where the initial conveyance spring touches the upper surface of the sheet and an upper position where the initial conveyance spring is away from the sheet. Means for moving between (17)
a separation pad (14) that contacts the paper feed roller downstream from the pressing area of the initial conveyance spring in the sheet traveling direction; and a control that operates the moving means in response to the sensor detecting the sheet. An automatic paper feeder comprising a device (30). 2. Means (1) for moving the initial conveyance spring (16) up and down
7) is held in pressure contact with the paper feed roller (13) at all times, and when the paper feed roller rotates in the negative direction, its own rotation is locked and rises; It consists of a reversing roller (17) that rotates idly and descends when the roller rotates in the positive direction, and the lower surface of an initial conveyance spring (16) that is urged downward comes into contact with the reversing roller. The automatic paper feeder according to claim 1, characterized in that: 3. A substantially horizontal paper feed frame (11), and a paper feed roller (which protrudes slightly upward from the top surface of the paper feed frame and contacts the bottom surface of the sheet (3) set on the paper feed frame). 13) and a sheet detection sensor (
12), an initial conveyance spring (16) provided above the paper feed roller that presses the upper surface of the sheet with a predetermined pressure, and a lower position where the initial conveyance spring touches the upper surface of the sheet and an upper position where the initial conveyance spring is away from the sheet. Means for moving between (17)
a separation pad (14) that contacts the paper feed roller downstream from the pressing area of the initial conveyance spring in the sheet traveling direction; and a control that operates the moving means in response to the sensor detecting the sheet. an automatic sheet feeder comprising a device (30), in which the sensor (12) detects the trailing edge of the sheet (3) and raises the initial conveyance spring (16) after a first predetermined time (E) has elapsed; and the initial conveyance spring (16) is lowered after the sensor (12) detects the leading edge of the sheet (3) and a second predetermined time (F) has elapsed. How to use paper equipment.