JPH0532347U - Media detection mechanism - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Abstract] [PROBLEMS] To provide a medium end detection mechanism capable of detecting deformation of a medium while suppressing skew of the medium in an apparatus for feeding the medium. According to the medium end detection mechanism of the present invention, the medium end detection lever 21 is arranged at the center of the lower part of the medium storage portion 11 at a position almost overlapping with the center of gravity of the weight 22. The pressing end portion abuts on the medium 12 and the other end portion 21b is inside the sensor 14, but when the medium 12 disappears or the medium 12 is deformed, the pressing end portion 21a is at the highest position. The other end 21b is the sensor
It goes out of 14 and the medium end is detected.

Description

[Detailed description of the device]

[0001]

[Industrial applications]

 The present invention relates to a medium detection mechanism, and more particularly, to an improvement in a mechanism for detecting the end of medium (medium end) in a medium feeding device in which a deposited medium is fed from below.

[0002]

[Prior Art]

 In a medium feeding device that stacks a plurality of media in a medium storage unit and feeds the media one by one from the bottom of the stack, it is detected that all the media have been fed and the media have run out (called medium end). A mechanism is provided, and by the action of this mechanism, measures such as replenishment of medium are taken. The conventional mechanism is shown in plan view, rear view and right side view in FIGS. 2A, 2B and 2C, respectively, in which 11 is a medium accommodating portion, 12 is a medium and 13 is a medium. A feeding roller, 14 is a sensor, 15 is a medium end detection lever for detecting that the medium has run out, and the medium 11 is fed by the feeding roller 13 in the direction of the arrow in FIG. While the medium 12 is present, the free end of the medium end detection lever 15 that is in contact with the side of the stacked media blocks the optical path of the sensor 14, but when the medium 12 disappears, that is, when the medium end is reached, the medium end detection is performed. The free end of the lever 15 goes out of the optical path of the sensor 14, and the medium end is detected. In FIG. 2B, the medium 12 has disappeared and the free end of the medium end detection lever 15 is located outside the sensor 14.

[0003]

[Problems to be solved by the device]

 In the above-described mechanism, the medium end detection lever 15 is arranged on the side surface of the medium storage portion 11 while the medium 12 is present, as shown in FIG. Reference numeral 15 is a portion of a circle L drawn by a broken line in FIG. 2 (A), which is a load on the medium. Therefore, the fed-out medium may skew, or if the medium is significantly deformed as shown in FIG. 2 (C), the medium cannot be detected. Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a medium end detection mechanism which can reduce the occurrence of skew of the medium and can detect a deformed medium.

[0004]

[Means for Solving the Problems]

 The medium detecting mechanism of the present invention is a mechanism for detecting that the medium is exhausted in a medium feeding device that feeds the media stacked in the medium storing portion from below, and the weight is placed at the center of the lower portion of the medium storing portion. The medium end detection lever is arranged at a position that substantially overlaps with the center of gravity, and the medium end detection lever can rotate about a rotation fulcrum, and when the medium is present, the pressing end of the medium end detection lever contacts the medium. In this state, the other end goes into the sensor, and without the medium, the pressing end is at the highest position and the other end goes out of the sensor to detect the end condition where the medium is gone. It is characterized by being done.

[0005]

[Action]

 That is, in the present invention, since the medium end detection lever is provided in the lower part of the position near the center of gravity of the weight in the center of the medium storage part, the deformed medium can be detected and the occurrence of skewing can be suppressed. is there.

[0006]

【Example】

 Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIG. In Fig. 1, (A) is a plan view, (B) and (C) are right side views, Fig. 2 (B) is a state with a medium, and Fig. 2 (C) is a state without a medium. The same parts as those shown in FIG. 2 are designated by the same reference numerals. In the figure, 21 is a medium end detection lever and 22 is a weight.

As shown in FIG. 1, in the embodiment of the present invention, the medium end detection lever 21 is provided at the center of the lower portion of the medium housing portion 11 and near the center of gravity of the weight 22. Referring to FIG. 1 (B), the medium end detection lever 21 has a pressing end 21 a pressing the bottom of the stacked media 12 by a spring (not shown) about a rotation fulcrum 23, and the other end 21. b intercepts the optical path of the sensor 14 as shown in FIG. 1 (B) when the media 12 are stacked, and the optical path of the sensor 14 when the medium 12 is absent as shown in FIG. 1 (C). It is configured to go outside. Therefore, the medium end detection lever 21 applies a pressing force to the substantially central portion of the medium 12, and this pressing force is kept in balance with the weight of the weight because the medium end detection lever 21 is arranged near the center of gravity of the weight 22. Unlike the conventional example, the skew of the medium is prevented without applying an eccentric force to the medium from the side. The weight 22 is a component for holding the medium 12, and the spring portion 22a extending from the bottom of the weight cooperates with the weight itself to hold the medium.

With the medium 12 shown in FIG. 1B, the pressing end portion 21 a of the medium end detection lever 21 applies an upward pressing force to the medium 12. At that time, the other end 21b enters the sensor 14 to block its optical path and send a signal with medium. As shown in FIG. 1 (C), when the medium runs out, the pressing end portion 21a of the medium end detection lever 21 takes the uppermost position, and at that time, the other end portion 21b goes out of the sensor 14 and the sensor 14 The optical path of is opened, and the signal without the medium is emitted.

Comparing FIG. 1 (B) with FIG. 2 (C), if the medium 12 is deformed as shown in FIG. 2 (C) with the medium in FIG. 1 (B), the medium end The detection lever 21 takes the position shown in FIG. 1 (C), and since a signal indicating that there is no medium is output, it is possible to immediately take countermeasures.

[0010]

[Effect of the device]

 As described above, according to the present invention, since the medium end detection lever is arranged near the center of gravity of the weight at the center of the lower part of the medium storage part, it is possible to detect not only the medium end but also the deformed medium. In addition, the balance between the pressing force of the medium end detection lever and the weight of the weight suppresses skewing of the medium and suppresses media feeding failure.

[Brief description of drawings]

1A and 1B are views showing a medium end detection lever according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1A is a plan view, FIG. 1B is a right side view showing a state with a medium, and FIG. FIG. 4 is a right side view showing a state without a medium.

2A and 2B are views showing a conventional example, in which FIG. 2A is a plan view and FIG.
(B) is a rear view and (C) is a right side view.

[Explanation of symbols]

 11 medium storage part 12 medium 13 feeding roller 14 sensor 15 medium end detection lever 21 medium end detection lever 21a pressing end 21b other end 22 weight 22a spring part 23 rotation fulcrum

Continued Front Page (72) Inventor Naoki Takayama 1776 Yanoguchi, Inagi City, Tokyo Inside Fujitsu Kiden Co., Ltd.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] 1. A medium (12) stacked in a medium storage section (11).
A mechanism for detecting that the medium has run out from the medium feeding device, and the medium end detection lever is located at the center of the lower part of the medium containing part (11) and almost at the center of gravity of the weight (22). (21) is arranged, the medium end detection lever (21) is rotatable around a rotation fulcrum (23), and the pressing end of the medium end detection lever (21) with the medium (12) present. (21a) contacts the medium (12), the other end (21b) enters the sensor (14) in that state, and the pressing end (21a) is at the highest position without the medium (12). The other end portion (21b) is located at the other end portion (21b) of the sensor (14) and the end state in which the medium is exhausted is detected.