JPH05301645A - Sheet lead-in device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To realize a sheet lead-in device specially effective in the case of being applied to a copying machine of front-loading system using regenerated paper while dispensing with current flowing parts such as a connector so as to simplify the structure of the device and attain cost reduction. CONSTITUTION:A lead-in roller 31 is supported on the sheet inlet side of a sheet feed roller 21 by a pair of arms 32a, 32b. The arms 32a, 32b elevate the lead-in roller 31. The rotation of a driving shaft 22 for driving the sheet feed roller 21 is transmitted to the lead-in roller 31 through a first power transmission means 37. The base end part of the arm 32a is pressed, by a spring 38c, to a friction disk 38a rotated together with the driving shaft 22. In association with the rotation of the driving shaft 22, the arms 32a, 32b are rotted to press the lead-in roller 31 to the sheet.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention is used in a sheet feeding unit of an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, and feeds a plurality of stacked sheets one by one to a sheet feeding roller provided in the sheet feeding unit. The present invention relates to a paper loading device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Recently, in the field of copying machines, recycled paper has tended to be used as copy paper from the viewpoint of environmental protection and effective use of resources.

By the way, since recycled paper is more likely to produce paper dust than copy paper that has been used up to now, in order to stably feed recycled paper to the image forming section of the copying machine, the paper inside the paper feed unit is required. Clean the paper feed rollers more often than before,
It will also need to be replaced. For this reason, in a copying machine that uses recycled paper, the ease with which the paper feeding unit can be attached and detached is highlighted.

Here, the paper feeding unit is often attached and detached in a front loading type copying machine. The front loading method is a method in which a paper cassette is taken in and out from the front of the copying machine, and the paper cassette is completely housed inside the copying machine so as not to disturb the use of the copying machine. Therefore, in a front-loading type copying machine, a paper feeding unit is provided deeper in the copying machine than in a side-feeding type in which the paper cassette can be projected from the side surface of the copying machine. Therefore, when performing maintenance, it is necessary to remove the paper feeding unit.

A paper feeding unit in a front loading type copying machine is attached and detached from the side surface or the front surface of the copying machine. To remove the paper feeding unit from the side of the copying machine, open the side panel 61 as shown in FIG.
After removing the cabinets 62, 62 before and after that,
Remove the screws 63, 63 and pull out the paper feeding unit 60 to the side.

On the other hand, from the front of the copying machine, the paper feeding unit 60
When removing the sheet feeding device, as shown in FIG. 6, the screw 64 is removed, and then the sheet feeding unit 60 is pulled out forward. As for workability, the front-removal method of the copier is better because the cabinet is not removable. In particular, if the drawer type connector 65 shown in FIG. 6 is used, the attachment / detachment of the sheet feeding unit 60 becomes easier. However, the drawer type connector 65 is more expensive than an ordinary connector. On the other hand, a normal connector requires a connecting operation that involves attaching and detaching the cabinet. In any case, the conventional paper feeding unit 60 needs a connector, and the connector has been a major bottleneck in attaching and detaching the paper feeding unit.

The main reason why the paper feeding unit needs the connector is that the paper feeding device in the paper feeding unit uses a solenoid. The sheet-calling-in device is a device that calls in the sheets stacked on the entrance side of the sheet feeding roller to the sheet feeding roller one by one. With this type of paper loading device,
As shown in FIG. 7, a pull-in roller 67 that rotates synchronously in the same direction as the paper feed roller 66 is used. The call-in roller 67 is supported by the front end of a support arm 68 extending from the paper feed roller 66 side to the input side. The support arm 68 is configured to rotate around the base end portion, and this rotation causes the invocation roller 67 to move up and down.

When the paper is not fed, the take-in roller 6
7 is separated from the standby position above the sheet P, and when the solenoid is operated during sheet feeding, the support arm 68 rotates downward, and the intake roller 67 is pressed against the sheet P from above. As a result, the stacked sheets of paper P are fed one by one from above between the paper feed roller 66 and the reverse rotation roller 69.

[0009]

As described above, in the conventional paper feeding device, the solenoid is used to bring the feeding roller 67 into pressure contact with the paper P. For this reason,
It is necessary to provide a connector for the paper feeding unit 60.

As described above, since the normal connector requires a connecting operation for attaching and detaching the cabinet, not only the attaching / detaching operation of the sheet feeding unit 60 is complicated but also the front side of the copying machine in which the cabinet is not attached / detached. It cannot be used with a detachable paper feeding unit.

Therefore, in the front / removal method of the copying machine in which the paper feeding unit 60 can be easily attached / detached, an expensive drawer type connector is required regardless of whether it is preferred or not, and the cost of the entire paper feeding unit is increased. There was a flaw.

The present invention solves the problems of the prior art as described above, and provides a paper-calling-in device that does not require a current-carrying component such as a connector and can simplify the structure of the device and reduce the cost. With the goal.

[0013]

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a paper-feeding device for use in an image forming apparatus, comprising: a paper-feeding roller located above an input side of a paper-feeding roller; The paper feed roller extends from the side of the paper feed roller to the entrance side thereof, supports the call-in roller at its tip, and has a base end rotatably rotatably supported by the feed arm. A biasing unit that biases the sheet feeding roller in a direction away from the sheet, and a first power transmission unit that transmits a rotational force that rotates the sheet feeding roller to the invocation roller, and rotates the invocation roller in the same direction as the sheet feeding roller. And a rotational force for rotating the paper feed roller is transmitted to the base end portion of the support arm via a torque limiter, and the support arm is rotated in a direction in which the take-in roller approaches the paper, The attracting roller And a second power transmission means for pressing the paper, the object is achieved.

[0014]

In the paper feeding device having the above structure, the operation direction of the support arm coincides with the rotation direction of the paper feeding roller when the paper is fed. For this reason, the rotational force that rotates the paper feed roller is transmitted to the base end portion of the support arm, so that the support arm rotates in the paper feed operation direction at the same time as the rotation of the paper feed roller starts, and the take-in roller moves to the paper. Pressed. At the same time, the rotational force is transmitted to the attracting roller, so that the rotation is started. Therefore, sheet feeding to the sheet feeding roller is started.

Here, the pressure contact force with which the drawing roller is pressed against the paper is managed (controlled) by the torque limiter. When the rotation of the paper feed roller stops, the urging force applied to the support arm causes the support arm to rotate in the opposite direction, and the paper feed roller is separated from the paper. As a result, the rotation of the intake roller is stopped.

[0016]

EXAMPLES Examples of the present invention will be described below.

The paper feeding device of the present invention is used, for example, in a paper feeding unit of a front loading type copying machine. In this type of copying machine, as shown in FIG. 1, the paper cassette 11 is taken in and out from the front of the copying machine main body 10. The sheet cassette 11 is housed between the pair of sliders 12 and is pulled out from the inside of the copying machine main body 10 by opening the front cabinet 13 forward.

The paper feeding unit U is a paper cassette 1
As in No. 1, it is of a type that is detached from the front surface of the copying machine body 10 and is fixed to the copying machine body 10 with screws 14. Then, when the screw 14 is removed and the sheet feeding unit U is pulled forward, the sheet feeding unit U slides forward along the guide rails 15 and is pulled out from the copying machine main body 10.
The guide rail 15 is also used as the paper cassette 11 and the paper feeding unit U.

The paper feeding unit U is constructed so that no current-carrying parts are used in order to eliminate the connector. As shown in FIG. 2, the sheet feeding unit U includes a sheet feeding device main body 20 using a sheet feeding roller 21, a sheet feeding device 30 of the present invention assembled in the sheet feeding device main body 20, and a sheet cassette 10 inside the sheet cassette 10. A paper detection mechanism 40 for obtaining information about the paper P is provided. These devices and mechanisms
It is incorporated in the case 50 of the paper feeding unit U.

On the rear surface of the case 50, two positioning bosses 51, 51 are provided so as to project. Positioning bosses 51, 5
1 is a positioning hole 16 provided on the copying machine main body 10 side,
16 and the paper feeding unit U is positioned at a predetermined position in the copying machine main body 10.

The paper feed roller 21 of the paper feed device main body 20 is connected to a drive shaft 22. The drive shaft 22 is a case 50.
It extends rearward from the inner front portion, and the rear end portion projects rearwardly of the case 50. This rear end is connected to a coupling 17 provided on the main body side when the paper feeding unit U is inserted into the main body 10 of the copying machine. Coupling 17
Are connected to a motor (not shown) via an electromagnetic clutch 18. The motor rotates the drive shaft 22 so that the paper feed roller 21 rotates in the paper feed direction.

Below the paper feed roller 21, the reverse rotation roller 2 is provided.
3 is provided. The reverse rotation roller 23 is the paper feed roller 2.
A spring 24 is biased upward so as to make pressure contact with 1 from below. The reverse rotation roller 23 has a drive shaft 22.
Is transmitted via the three gears 25a to 25c and the rotary shaft 26. As a result, the reverse rotation roller 23 is rotated in the opposite paper feeding direction. That is, it is rotated in the opposite direction to the paper feed roller 21. The paper P in the paper cassette 11 set in the copying machine main body 10 is located at a portion located on the paper entry side of the reverse rotation roller 23 (see FIG. 4). As shown in FIG. 3, it has a call-in roller 31 provided on the paper entry side of the paper feed roller 21. The attracting roller 31 is used for the paper cassette 11
A pair of arms 32a, 32 extending from the side of the paper feed roller 21 toward the entrance side so as to be located above the leading edge of the paper P inside.
It is supported between the tip portions of b. More specifically, it is rotatably supported by the rotating shaft 33.

The base ends of the arms 32a and 32b are rotatably assembled to a drive shaft 22 that rotates the paper feed roller 21. Therefore, when the arms 32a and 32b rotate about the drive shaft 22 as a fulcrum, the intake rollers 31 are moved up and down on the leading edge of the paper P. Then, one arm 32a is urged in a direction in which the attracting roller 31 rises by a spring 35 having an intermediate portion supported by a roller 34, and the tip end portion is stopped by a stopper 36 (see FIG. 2), The attracting roller 31 is held at a predetermined height.

In addition, the sheet ingesting device 30 transmits the rotation of the drive shaft 22 to the ingesting roller 31 and rotates the inviting roller 31, and the rotation of the drive shaft 22 is one arm. It has a second power transmission means 38 which is transmitted to the base end portion of 32a and operates the arm 32a in the direction in which the invocation roller 31 rotates downward.

The first power transmission means 37 is the gear 3 in the middle.
The gear train is composed of three gears 37a to 37c having an idle gear 7b. The first gear 37a is
It is connected to the drive shaft 22 between the paper feed roller 21 and one arm 32a. The second gear 37b is rotatably attached to the arm 32a, and transmits the rotation of the first gear 37a to the third gear 37c connected to the rotating shaft 33. Therefore, the attracting roller 3
1 is rotated in the same direction as the paper feed roller 21 (paper feed direction) by the rotation of the drive shaft 22.

On the other hand, the second power transmission means 38 has a friction disk 38a interposed between the gear 37a connected to the drive shaft 22 and the base end of the arm 32a. The friction disk 38a is made of cork, for example, and is attached to the end surface of the gear 37a. The base end of the arm 32a is
The drive shaft 22 is guided so that it can move in the axial direction. Then, a spring 38c interposed between the stopper 38b connected to the drive shaft 22 and the base end of the arm 32a presses the base end inward with a predetermined pressure and presses the friction disc 38a. Has been done. The frictional force generated between the base end of the arm 32a and the friction disc 38a is generated by the spring 35.
It is made larger than the biasing force applied to 2a. Therefore, the rotation of the drive shaft 22 causes the base end portion of the arm 32a to rotate in the same direction as the paper feed roller, which causes the take-in roller 31 to descend and the paper P stacked in the paper cassette 11 from above. Pressed.

As shown in FIG. 2, the paper detection mechanism 40 of the paper feed unit U includes two rotary shaft type actuators 4 as shown in FIG.
1 and 42. One actuator 41 is
The presence or absence of the paper P in the paper cassette 11 is detected. The structure is as follows. A lever 41 a extending at a right angle from the actuator 41 is connected to a contact facing the inside of the paper cassette 11. The rear end of the actuator 41 is the sensor 4
1b, it projects to the rear of the case 50 of the sheet feeding unit U.

The other actuator 42 is for detecting the height of the paper P in the paper cassette 11, and its lever 42a is connected to the contact facing the paper cassette 11, and the sensor 42b is a case. It projects to the rear of 50.

The photosensors 19a and 19b combined with the sensitive elements 41b and 42b are provided on the side of the copying machine main body 10 in order to exclude electric parts from the paper feeding unit U. When the paper feeding unit U is set in the copying machine main body 10, the photosensors 19a, 19 are moved to the photosensors 41b, 42b.
respectively connected to b. Then, the actuators 41 and 42 rotate depending on the state of the paper P in the paper cassette 11, and the sensor 41 to the photosensors 19a and 19b.
The positions of b and 42b change.

Next, a method of attaching / detaching the paper feeding unit U to / from the copying machine main body 10 and an operation of the paper feeding device 30 provided in the paper feeding unit U will be described.

When removing the paper feeding unit U, the screw 1
4 is removed, and the paper feeding unit U is pulled out from the copying machine main body 10 to the front side thereof. When mounting the drawn paper feeding unit U on the copying machine main body 10, the paper feeding unit U is pushed into the copying machine main body 10 from the front side and is fixed to the copying machine main body 10 by the screw 14. ..

When the sheet feeding unit U is pushed into the main body 10 of the copying machine, the positioning bosses 51, 51 are moved to the main body 10 of the copying machine.
Are inserted into the positioning holes 16 and 16 respectively, and thereby the paper feeding unit U is set at a predetermined position in the copying machine main body 10. Further, at this time, the drive shaft 2 of the main body 20 of the sheet feeding device
The tip of 2 is inserted into the coupling 17. As a result, the drive shaft 22 is connected to the motor via the electromagnetic clutch 18. Further, the sensitive elements 41b and 42b of the actuators 41 and 42 are connected to the photosensors 19a and 19b, respectively.

At this time, the call-in roller 31 of the paper-calling-in device 30 is at a standby position above and separated from the paper P stacked in the paper cassette 11.

When a paper feed operation is instructed via a control circuit (not shown), the motor connected to the electromagnetic clutch 18 is driven, and the electromagnetic clutch 18 repeats ON / OFF at the timing of paper feed. Electromagnetic clutch 18
When is turned on, the drive shaft 22 starts rotating, and the paper feed roller 21 starts rotating. At the same time, the rotation of the drive shaft 22 is transmitted to the reverse rotation roller 23, and the reverse rotation roller 23 starts rotating in the opposite direction.

At this time, in the sheet taking-in device 30, since the rotation of the drive shaft 22 is transmitted to the rotating shaft 33 through the first power transmission means 37, the taking-in roller 31 starts to rotate in the sheet feeding direction. Further, the rotation of the drive shaft 22 is transmitted to the friction disc 38a of the second power transmission means 38 via the gear 37a of the first power transmission means 37, and the base end portion of the arm 32a pressed against the friction disc 38a. Is rotated in the same direction as the paper feed roller 21. As a result, the arms 32a and 32b rotate in the direction in which the attraction roller 31 descends, and the attraction roller 31 is pressed against the leading end of the sheets P stacked in the sheet cassette 11 from above.

When the attracting roller 31 is pressed against the sheet P, the first sheet, that is, the uppermost sheet is ejected from the sheet cassette 11 by the rotation thereof and is fed between the sheet feeding roller 21 and the reverse roller 23. It The sheet P caught between the rollers 21 and 23 has a larger rotational force than the sheet feeding roller 2
1 further conveys to the front. Accidentally multiple sheets P
Is ejected from the paper cassette 11 and the rollers 21, 23
When the sheet P is caught in between, the lower sheet P is returned to the sheet cassette 11 side by the reverse rotation roller 23. During feeding, the friction disc 38a idles and applies a predetermined rotational torque to the base end of the arm 32a. Friction disc 38a
Composes a torque limiter in cooperation with the spring 38c.

On the other hand, when the electromagnetic clutch 18 is turned off,
The rotation of the drive shaft 22 is stopped, and the rotations of the paper feed roller 21, the reverse rotation roller 23, and the invocation roller 31 are stopped. At the same time, the urging force of the spring 35 causes the low load 3
The arms 32a and 32b rotate in the direction in which 1 moves up, and the pull-in roller 31 separates from the paper P. As described above, in the paper feeding device 30 according to the present invention, the feeding roller 3 is used without using a current-carrying component such as a solenoid.
The rotation of 1 and the pressure contact operation with respect to the paper P, that is, the paper feed operation can be executed. Therefore, it is not necessary to provide the paper feed unit U with a connector.

[0038]

Since the above-described paper feeding device of the present invention has a structure in which the feeding roller is mechanically pressed against the paper by utilizing the rotational force for rotating the paper feeding roller, the paper feeding unit is provided with the connector. No need. Therefore, although it is easy to attach and detach the paper feeding unit until now,
There is an advantage that the cost of the paper feeding unit installed in the front loading type copying machine, which has been forced to use an expensive drawer type connector, can be significantly reduced.
Further, since an electrical wiring structure is not required, there is an advantage that the device configuration can be simplified.

Further, when it is used in the paper feeding unit of this type of copying machine, there is an advantage that the connecting work is unnecessary and the paper feeding unit can be easily attached and detached.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the outer appearance of a paper feeding unit using a paper feeding device of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a sheet feeding unit using the sheet feeding device of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a sheet taking-in device of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a schematic side view showing a sheet feeding device of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the copying machine for explaining the attaching / detaching operation of the paper feeding unit in the front loading type copying machine.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a copying machine showing another attachment / detachment method.

FIG. 7 is a schematic side view showing a conventional sheet drawing device.

[Explanation of symbols]

U Paper feed unit P Paper 10 Copy machine main body 18 Electromagnetic clutch 20 Paper feeder main body 21 Paper feed roller 22 Drive shaft 23 Reverse rotation roller 30 Paper call-in device 31 Call-in rollers 32a, 32b Arm 35 Arm biasing spring 37 First Power transmission means 38 Second power transmission means 38a Friction disk 38c Spring (spring forming a torque limiter by cooperation with friction disk) 40 Paper detection mechanism

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A sheet feeding device used in an image forming apparatus, wherein a feeding roller is located above a sheet stacked on an input side of a sheet feeding roller, and extends from the side of the sheet feeding roller to the input side. A supporting arm that supports the invoking roller at its leading end and has its base end rotatably supported, and a biasing means that biases the supporting arm in the direction in which the paper feed roller moves away from the paper. A first power transmitting means for transmitting a rotational force for rotating the sheet feeding roller to the invoking roller and rotating the inviting roller in the same direction as the sheet feeding roller; and a rotational force for rotating the sheet feeding roller. It transmits to the base end part of the said support arm via a torque limiter, and this support arm is
A sheet entraining device, comprising: a second power transmission means for rotating the entraining roller in a direction approaching the sheet to bring the inviting roller into pressure contact with the sheet.