JPH0494341A - Stored sheet separating device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To easily return the sheets after a second one to the position it is placed by elasticity through the cancellation of a feeding means by arranging a flexible member so as to make the front end of the sheet which is being fed abutted on the side surface of the flexible member, and by providing a gap between a free end of the flexible member and a sheet guide member, so as to cancel the feeding means. CONSTITUTION:The front end of an elastic plate 26 is put in a withdrawal part 25a of a guide plate 25 from the position separated by a slight gap (d) from the lower surface of a sheet guide surface of the guide plate 25 by elastic power, and is positioned on any part thereof, but is not in contact with any part. When the thickness (t) of the sheet is defined as d<2t, the sheet after the second one will be in contact with the elastic plate 26. When a sheet 8 is under pressure and is fed to the feeding roller 3, the elastic plate 26 is skewed by the sheet, and the sheet is fed out of the gap (d). When the feeding roller 3 is lifted, the sheet after the second one that comes into contact with the elastic plate 26, is returned to the initial position on which it is placed, through the restoring elastic power of the elastic plate 26.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Field of Application] The present invention relates to a separating device for stacked sheets used in paper processing devices such as copying machines and printers, and particularly to a separating device for separating stacked sheets of paper, which is composed of a flexible plate and a guide plate. This invention relates to a stacked paper separating device.

[Prior Art] A device for preventing double feeding of stacked sheets (hereinafter referred to as stacked sheets) consisting of a flexible film-like member and a guide plate is disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 58-6822. ,
The above-mentioned film-like member whose lower part is fixed to the main body of the paper feeder is provided at both ends of the stacked papers placed in the drawer cassette so as to face the paper surface 17 so that the tip of the film-like member is in contact with the guide plate. There is a device. According to this device, when the stacked paper is fed through the paper feed port, the tip of the film-like member that is in contact with the guide plate is curved to create a gap between the inner board and the film-like member. A sheet of paper is fed through the gap, but the sheet is subsequently prevented from being electrically fed (although its progress is blocked by a film-like member).

[Problem to be solved by the invention] However, in the above-mentioned device consisting of a flexible film-like member and a guide plate, although double feeding can be prevented, the -th sheet is fed. After being fed, the second sheet of paper often remains stuck between the guide plates and other film-like members. Therefore, the drawer.

When pulling out the paper cassette from the body in which it was loaded, the paper would remain in the body, and the paper would have to be removed each time.・Also, even if the film-like member and the guide plate are placed on the side of the cassettes for drawers 1 and 2, there will be no residue left on the separation means when the pulled-out cassette is attached to the main body again and paper is fed. If the paper is touched and misaligned, it may cause a skinny or jam, and when replenishing paper into the drawer cassette, remove the paper that is caught between the film-like member and the guide plate before removing the paper. It is predicted that problems will occur, such as the need to replenish the fuel.

The present invention has been made to solve these problems, and provides a stacked paper separation device that can easily return paper left behind in contact with the side wall of a flexible member to a paper stacking position. The purpose is to

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides a method in which the paper fed by a paper feeding means that contacts the stacked papers is provided at a position facing the leading end surface of the stacked papers. flexible member and flexible member 5
In the stacked paper separating device that separates the paper by a paper guide member provided at a position opposite to the free end of the member, the flexible member and the free end of the paper guide member are provided with a gap, and the flexible member A flexible member is arranged so that the leading edge of the paper to be fed comes into contact with the side surface of the free end, and further includes means for releasing contact between the paper feeding means and the stacked paper.

[Operation] According to the present invention, when a sheet is fed by the sheet feeding means that is in contact with the stacked sheets, J: is placed on the leading edge of the sheet.
The flexible member is bent to advance through the gap between the free end of the flexible member and the paper guide member, but the paper following this paper comes into contact with the flexible member and double feeding of paper is prevented. Since the flexible member and the paper guide member are provided with a gap (-), the paper left in contact with the free end side wall of the flexible member after the paper is fed is removed by the release means. By releasing the contact between the paper feeding means and the stack of paper, the flexible member is elastically returned to the position of the stack of paper.

[Example] Hereinafter, an example of the present invention will be described in detail based on the drawings.

1 to 9 show a first embodiment in which the loaded paper separating device of the present invention is applied to a color video printer.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing this color video printer.

A front cover is attached to the front of this device so that it can be opened and closed. When the front cover 1 is opened, a cartridge storage space 4 is found (see FIG. 3). A part of the paper feed roller 3 of the paper feed means 7 is visible from this space.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 4, the cartridge includes two ink sheet cassettes 7 for storing ink sheets and a paper feed cassette 6 for storing unused paper as a paper support.
Consists of the body. These two are rotatable with respect to each other, and one cartridge 5 and the above cartridge storage space 4 are connected to each other.
It can be attached and detached from the front side perpendicular to the paper feeding direction in the state shown in FIG. This cartridge can be folded into a compact size as shown in FIG. 5 when it is not installed in the device.

As shown in FIG. 7(a), the paper feed cassette 6 has a box shape with an enclosed periphery. As shown in FIG. 7(b), paper sheets 8 are stacked and stored on the middle plate 21 in this case. The paper feed cassette 6 has an opening A22 through which the paper feed roller 3 comes into contact with the paper, an opening B23 which is a paper path when the paper is fed, and a tongue 10 through which the paper 8 is brought into pressure contact with the paper feed roller 3. There are three openings, an opening C24. An elastic plate 26 as a flexible member is attached to the front wall 6a facing the leading edge of the paper at a position corresponding to the paper feed roller 3 that contacts the approximate center of the paper 8. The elastic plate 26 has a higher friction coefficient than the friction coefficient between sheets, and is made of, for example, rubber, felt, or the like. The elastic plate 26 is pasted in a cantilevered state with its tip end free. A guide plate 25 is provided as a paper guide member that forms an opening 82B, which is a paper feed path, on the downstream side of the elastic plate 26 and the paper feed roller. The guide plate 25 forms a paper path over the width of the paper,
Only the position facing the elastic plate 26 has a retracted shape 25a so as not to come into contact with the tip of the elastic plate 26.

The tip of the elastic plate 26 enters into the recessed portion 25a of the guide plate 25 by a distance d' from a position spaced apart from the lower surface of the paper guide surface of the guide plate 25 by a slight gap d (see FIG. 1), and It is located at any of the two positions (FIG. 3) that do not contact the retracted portion 25a. If the thickness of the paper is t, then
If the dimensional relationship is d<2t, the second and subsequent sheets will definitely come into contact with the elastic plate. With the above configuration, the elastic plate 26
are arranged so as to block the paper feed opening 823, so when the paper is pressed against the paper feed roller and fed, the paper 8 is fed by bending the elastic plate 26 (see FIG. 9). .

Furthermore, according to FIG. 6, the configuration with the cartridge loaded in the device will be described. cartridge paper 8
There is a paper feed roller 3 on the main body side of the device at a position opposite to the paper feed roller 3.
A tongue 10 is located at a position facing the paper feed roller 3 and sandwiching the cartridge. The tongue 10 rotates about the rotation center 10a, enters the inside of the cartridge through the opening C24 of the cartridge, and functions to bring the paper 8 toward and away from the paper feed roller 3 via the middle plate 21. The platen roller 14 is
It is rotatably supported by a frame of the device (not shown) and driven by a motor 19.

Furthermore, pinch rollers 15 and 16 for conveying paper are in pressure contact with the platen roller 14. Platen roller 14
The head assembly 1 is located opposite to the ink sheet 9 and sandwiching the ink sheet 9.
There is 1. When the head lift lever 12 rotates around the shaft 12a, the head assembly 11 rotates around the shaft 11a, and the head heat generating section is configured to come into pressure contact with the platen 14 with the ink sheet 9 in between. Guide 18 and
The ink sheet cassette 7a of the cartridge 5 forms a paper path for guiding the paper between the platen roller 14 and the pinch roller 16.

Guides 17.18 form a paper path for sheets reciprocated by platen roller 14 and pinch roller 15.16, and are surrounded by guides 17 and 18.
The space located symmetrically to the head assembly 11 with
It communicates with a paper feed roller 3, and a paper discharge pinch roller 2o is pressed against the paper feed roller 3. Therefore, the paper feed roller 3 is used for both paper feeding and paper ejection. The downstream side of the paper ejection pinch roller is a paper ejection tray, which is a space for storing ejected paper, and a portion of the cartridge 5 also serves as the tray.

Next, the operation from feeding the paper to discharging the paper will be explained.

First, the cartridge 5 is loaded into the main body of the apparatus, and an image creation operation is started in response to a print signal. The tongue 10 presses the paper 8 against the paper feed roller 3 via the intermediate plate 21. As the paper feed roller 3 rotates, the paper is fed and the elastic plate 26 is bent. The second and subsequent sheets of paper stop at the position of the elastic board 26 because the bending force and friction coefficient of the elastic board exceed the conveyance force, and only the -th sheet of paper is fed out from the paper feed opening 82B. be done. The lower surface of the paper guide surface of the guide plate 25 presses the paper by the paper pressing force of the elastic plate so that the paper does not separate from the elastic plate.

The leading edge of the paper is guided by the guide 18 and the ink sheet cassette 7a and is brought into contact with the nip portion of the platen roller 14 and the pinch roller 16 to form a loop I2 and is registered, and the rotation of the paper feed roller 3 is stopped. E-1 and 9, the platen roller 4 rotates, and the leading edge of the paper is nipped by the platen roller. In this state, the trailing edge of the paper is still in the cartridge, but the nip with the paper feed roller is released by lowering the tongue and retreating from the ridge. Next, the head assembly 1] rises so as to nip the ink sheet 9 onto the platen roller 4. The paper is again pinched by the pinch roller 16 due to the rotation of the platen roller 14, and then passed through the ink sheets 1 and 9 (
At step 7, the sheet is guided by the rad group here, is conveyed around the platen roller 14, and is nipped by the pinch roller 15. While being further conveyed, the image is transferred to the paper by the head, the leading edge of the paper is guided by the guide 7.18, and the trailing edge is pulled out from the cartridge.

As the paper is pulled out of the cartridge, the elastic plate 2
6 attempts to return to its original state with its elastic force, and 2 pushes the second and subsequent sheets of paper back into the paper feed cassette.

At this time, since the tongue 10 has already been retracted, the second and subsequent sheets fall freely to a place where they do not come into contact with the paper feed roller I7 and are stacked.

On the other hand, the leading edge of the paper to which -color has been transferred is paper feed l:T-
The paper reaches the nip between the roller 3 and the paper discharge pinch roller 20, but the nip between the paper discharge pinch roller 20 is released by a mechanism not shown so as not to interfere with its conveyance.

The trailing edge of the paper is in a position where it does not come off the pinch rollers 16. If you want to transfer more than one color, rotate the platen roller 2 and 4 in the opposite direction, and move the paper to a position where the trailing edge of the paper is guided by the guide] 7 and ]-I8, and the leading edge does not come off the vinyl roller 15. Return 2 Repeat image transfer. When the platen opening 14 is reversed, the current position 1] is
It retreats to a position where it does not touch the platen row 514. ,=
When the transfer of the final color is completed at l- as shown in FIG. The nip of the paper ejection pinch roller 20 is applied by the mechanism. Then, the paper feed roller 3 rotates again to eject the paper 8 onto the paper ejection tray.

At this time, as described above, the paper feed roller 3 and the second and subsequent sheets do not come into contact (2), so the next sheet is not fed.

The operation of the sensor 27 will be explained. The sensor 27 is an optical reflection type sensor, and is inserted from the outside of the guide 17 through the hexagonal coil 7 and the coil 8. Part 7 of cartridge 5
The a-plane is irradiated. The surface 7a is black, and when a white paper is placed here, the detection 0I function is achieved. The leading edge of the paper 8 fed from the cartridge is detected by the sensor 27, and the drive of the paper feed roller 3 is stopped after a period of time long enough to create a loop sufficient for shedding. Also,
Detects the tip and edge of the paper 8 within a certain period of time from the start of paper feeding,
If not, it recognizes that there is a paper feed failure and issues an error signal. Furthermore, after all the transfers were completed and the paper feed low/upper 3rd paper discharge pinch roller 20 started ejecting the paper to the paper ejection port b-, the trailing edge of the paper 8 passed through the sensor 27 within a certain period of time. If no such event is detected, it is recognized as a paper jam and an error signal is output.

The function of the sensor 28 will be explained. The sensor 28 is an optical reflection type sensor, and is used to locate the beginning of the ink sheet 9. 1. The ink sheet 9 consists of a plurality of colors successively constituting one screen, and a plurality of sheets of the ink sheet 9 constituting one screen. It supports multiple screens J32 and 5. In front of each screen color is a black band. The head assembly 11 includes an ink cylinder.
The rotatably supported metal roller 1, which presses the platen roller 14 from the back side, moves up to a position where the metal roller 1b faces the sensor 28. At the beginning of the Inksey River 9.

I do. With the sensor 28 irradiating the metal roller 1]-b, the take-up reel 7b is rotated by an ink sheet winding mechanism (not shown), so that the ink sheet 9 is conveyed and the black band portion is It detects that it has reached the roller part and stops winding.

Next, Table 1 shows the experimental results of this example. The conditions of the experiment were as follows. The thickness t of the paper is 0°2 [mm], the thickness of the elastic plate is 1 [mm], and the material is chloroprene rubber (C
R) (hardness 70°), length is 16 [mm], gl:
mm:] is fixed in a flexible manner. The friction coefficient μp between papers is 0.2, and the friction coefficient μ between paper and the elastic plate 26 is 0.2.
It is 8.

The friction coefficient μg of the paper feed roller 3 is 1.4, and the contact force between the paper feed roller and the paper is approximately 300 (gfl). Two types of paper were confirmed: synthetic paper (YUPO)-based and paper-based.
The gap d was set in the range d<2tSd'<2Cmm].

In Table 1, width and thickness indicate the width and thickness of the elastic plate 26, d is the width of the gap between the free end of the elastic plate 26 and the guide plate, and d- is the width of the guide plate 25. This is the length up to a position 29 (FIG. 3) where it enters into the retracted portion 25a and does not come into contact with the retracted portion 25a.

Table 1 1,0 d' = 1.0・Paper feed failure As can be seen from Table 1, the width of the elastic plate is 15 to 30 [
:mm) was optimal. Also, d>2t (for example, d=
0.5), the elastic plate 26 is placed at a position where the paper 8 always comes into contact with the tip of the elastic plate 26, and the thickness of the elastic plate is
For example, by increasing the diameter to 1.5 [mm], good separation became possible.

With the above configuration and operation, it is possible to reliably separate and feed the stacked sheets with a simple configuration, and also return the second and subsequent sheets to the original stacking position without installing a special mechanism. As a result, it is possible to make a disposable cartridge with a separation mechanism on the cartridge side, and as a cartridge 5 that integrates the ink sheet cassette 7 and the paper feed cassette 6, it can be used from a direction perpendicular to the paper feeding direction. It is now possible to attach and detach it from the main body of the device. Furthermore, even if the cartridge is carried around when it is not installed, the elastic plate 26 is provided to block the paper feed path, so there is no risk of paper spilling out of the cartridge.

In the first embodiment, an example was described in which the paper guide member 25 and the elastic plate 26 were provided on the paper feed cassette side of the cartridge, but if the positional relationship between the paper feed roller 3 and the paper 8 is satisfied, It may also be provided on the ink sheet cassette side.

Further, in the first embodiment, the guide 2 facing the elastic plate 26
Although the retracting portion 25a is provided in the guide 25, this portion
The notch may be a hole, as long as the tip of the elastic plate 26 can protrude from the paper guide surface 25b and does not come into contact with other members.

Furthermore, in the first embodiment, the separation mechanism of the present invention was explained using as an example a color video printer that transfers an image onto paper by overlapping an ink sheet with paper. This method is not limited to any specific method, and can be applied to all paper processing apparatuses that separate and feed stacked sheets of paper.

Note that the general shape of the elastic plate 26, 36 is determined under the following conditions.

・Friction coefficient between papers μp ・Friction coefficient between paper and paper feed roller μg ・Friction coefficient of elastic plate
μ ・Contact force between the paper and paper feed roller F ・Free length of the elastic plate ＠V moment of inertia of the elastic plate ■z ・Width of the elastic plate B ・Bending force of the elastic plate P ・Tongue modulus of the elastic plate E・Resistance force exerted by the elastic plate on the paper R ・Thickness of the elastic plate T ・Buckling force of the paper W ・Amount of deflection of the elastic plate 6 The following formula holds, -th paper conveyance force F (1) - μgxp (a) Two-sheet paper conveyance force F(2)-μJ)XF (b) P=3EIzδ L (c) R is a function of P1μ R=f(P, μ) (d) 1z is B, Function I of T z=h (B, T) (e) If R is taken within the following range I, only the -th sheet is fed, separated from the second and subsequent sheets, and the paper is not buckled. F(2)<R<F(1), and R<WR (c), which does not cause
From equations (d) and (e), it can be expressed as R=q(E, μ, δ, L, B, T). E, μ are physical property values of the elastic plate, L, B, T
is the shape. Further, since δ is the bending line when the paper passes through, it is determined by the positional relationship between the paper feed roller 3, the elastic plate 26, and the guide 25. , 2, according to the characteristics of the paper, elastic plate 2
By optimally setting the shape, material, and arrangement of 6, good separation is possible even under conditions other than the above example.

FIG. 10 shows a stacked paper separation device according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

A middle plate 34 is rotatably provided at one end of the paper feed cassette 31, and stacked papers 32 are placed on the middle plate 34. An opening 37 is provided at the bottom of the paper feed cassette 3]-, and when the paper feed cassette 31 is loaded into the paper feed device main body, the tongue 33 provided on the paper feed device main body is rotated around the shaft 33a. The paper feed row 30 is rotatably supported on the main body side into which the paper feed cassette 31 is loaded.The main body faces the leading end surface of the paper feed side of the paper 32. An elastic plate 36 and a paper guide member 35 are installed on the side, and a gap is provided between the free end of the elastic plate 36 and the paper guide member 35. In this embodiment, the gap is located at the lower surface of the paper guide member. It is set in.

Next, the operation based on the above configuration will be explained.

The tongue 33 rotates about the rotation center 33a, pushes the middle plate 31 upward by 17, and presses the loaded paper 32 against the paper feed roller 30. As the paper 32 is pressed against the paper 32, the uppermost paper is pushed out toward the paper feed side by the rotation of the paper feed roller 30.
The tip bends the elastic plate 36, climbs over its free end, and is sent out from the gap with the guide plate 35 toward the main body.

At the same time, the sheets from the second sheet onward stop at the position of the elastic plate 36 because the bending force and friction coefficient of the elastic plate 36 exceed the conveyance force, and the sheets cannot pass beyond the elastic plate 36.
Paper is prevented from being sent out to the paper feed side.

Next, when the tongue 33 descends relative to the paper 32 and the paper feed roller 30 is released from contact with the paper 32, the paper that was in contact with the paper-side surface of the elastic plate 36 is removed from the elastic plate 36. 36
The paper is returned to the paper loading position by its elastic return.

In this way, in this embodiment, the number of sheets after the second sheet slot is prevented from being sent out to the paper feed side, so double feeding is prevented, and the sheets are easily returned by the elastic return of the elastic plate 36. Since the paper is returned to the paper loading position, no paper remains on the main body side when the paper feed cassette 31 is taken out, and the effort of taking out the remaining paper on the main body side as in the past can be saved. There is.

Note that in the second embodiment, the tongue 33 is lowered relative to the paper 32 so that the paper feed roller 30 is released from contact with the paper 32;
The above-mentioned cancellation may be performed by increasing the value relative to the value.

[Effects of the Invention] The present invention allows even if the next sheet of paper is left in contact with the side wall of the flexible member after a sheet is fed, it is possible to avoid this by releasing the contact between the sheet feeding means and the stacked sheets. The flexible member elastically returns and the paper can be easily returned to the paper stacking position. Therefore, it becomes easy to replenish paper, and problems such as skew and jam caused by touching the paper left on the separating means and causing positional shift are prevented.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

1 to 9 are diagrams showing a first embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a video color printer, and FIG. 1 is a partially sectional front view showing an example of the arrangement relationship between a flexible member and a paper guide member; Figure 2 is a front view showing the external appearance of the printer, Figure 3 is a front view showing the printer with the front cover open, Figure 4 is a front sectional view showing the cartridge can be installed, and Figure 5 is a front view of the printer. FIG. 6 is a front sectional view showing the printer in a non-installed state; FIG.
The figures are a plan view (a) and a front sectional view (b) showing the paper feed cassette of the cartridge, FIG. 8 is a partial sectional front view showing another example of the arrangement relationship between the flexible member and the paper guide member, and FIG. 9 10 is a partially sectional front view showing the paper separation state, and 10th
The figure is a front sectional view showing a second embodiment in which the present invention is applied to another paper feeding device. 3.30... Paper feed roller 6.31... Paper feed cassette 8.32... Loaded paper 10.33... Tongue 25.35... Guide plate 26.36... Elasticity Board. Figure 5 Figure 10

Claims (4)

[Claims] (1) A flexible member provided at a position facing the leading end surface of the stacked paper feeds the paper fed by the paper feeding means that contacts the stacked paper, and a flexible member facing the free end of the flexible member. In the stacked paper separating device, the free end of the flexible member and the paper guide member are provided with a gap between them, and a side surface of the free end of the flexible member A stacked paper separating device characterized in that the flexible member is arranged so that the leading edge of the fed paper comes into contact with the flexible member, and further includes means for releasing the contact between the paper feeding means and the stacked paper. (2) A portion of the paper guide member facing the free end of the flexible member is formed by retreating so that the tip of the free end of the flexible member protrudes beyond the paper guide surface of the paper guide member. 2. The stacked paper separating device according to claim 1, wherein the stacked paper separating device is arranged in a. (3) A support base on which the stacked sheets are placed is detachably provided to the main body of the paper feeder, and the flexible member and the guide member are provided on the support base. Stacked paper separation device according to item 1. (4) The support base on which the stacked paper is placed is detachably provided to the main body of the paper feeding device, and the flexible member and the guide member are provided to the main body of the paper feeding device. 2. The loaded paper separating device according to claim 1.