JPH0588676B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Field of Industrial Application) The present invention relates to a paper feeding mechanism, and more particularly to a paper feeding mechanism used in printers, facsimile machines, copying machines, etc., for feeding paper.

(Prior art) Paper feeding mechanisms used in conventional printers, facsimile machines, copying machines, etc. transmit the rotation of a motor to a rubber roller for paper feeding through a reduction mechanism such as a gear or a belt. was used to feed paper.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) The conventional paper feeding mechanism described above requires a motor, a speed reduction mechanism, a rubber roller, etc., and has the disadvantage that it has a complicated structure and the device is large in relation to the size of the paper. .

An object of the present invention is to provide a paper feeding mechanism that can feed paper without using a motor, a speed reduction mechanism, a rubber roller, or the like.

(Means for Solving the Problem) The paper feeding mechanism of the present invention includes an elastic body whose elliptical motion is excited by an elastic traveling wave or a standing wave, and a paper pressing member disposed opposite to the surface of the elastic body. A piezoelectric ceramic element that operates in synchronization with the reciprocating motion of the paper pushing member is formed on the paper pushing member.

(Operation) The present invention uses the principle of an ultrasonic motor using vibrations excited by an ultrasonic vibrator. As is well known, an ultrasonic motor uses a piezoelectric ceramic vibrator or the like to generate a traveling wave or a standing wave that combines longitudinal and transverse vibrations in an elastic body, and causes an elliptical motion on the surface of the elastic body as the movement of a mass point. The rotor, which is pressed against the elastic body, is rotated by the force of the elliptical motion.

In the present invention, a pressing member is placed on the surface of an elastic body where elliptical motion is excited. The pressing member is supported by a spring, a slider guide, or a fulcrum so that it can reciprocate along the direction of the elliptical motion generated on the surface of the elastic body. Further, a piezoelectric ceramic element is bonded to the pressing member so as to be movable toward the surface of the elastic body.

With this configuration, paper is sandwiched between the elastic body and the pressing member, and the paper is fed by synchronizing the elliptical motion and the pressure contact of the pressing member against the paper by the piezoelectric ceramic element. That is, an elliptical motion is occurring on the surface of the elastic body, and the pressing member is made to press against the paper when the elliptical motion locus is in the upper semicircle state. At this time, the paper is fed in the direction of the elliptical motion on the elastic body due to the frictional force with the elastic body, and the pressing member is also simultaneously fed due to the frictional force with the paper. On the other hand, when the elliptical motion is in a lower semicircle, the pressing member is released from being pressed against the paper. At this time, the elliptical motion is a movement in the direction of returning the paper to its original position, but since there is no pressing force acting on the paper, the paper may stop due to slippage with the elastic body, or be fed by a slight inertia force of the paper itself and return in the direction. will not be sent to Further, the pressing member returns to its original position by the return force of a spring or the like when the pressure contact with the paper is released. Next, when the elliptical motion is in an upper semicircular state, the pressing member presses against the paper and the paper is fed.

In this way, a piezoelectric ceramic element is bonded to the pressing member so that the pressing member can move toward the surface of the elastic body in synchronization with the operating direction of the elliptical motion, and paper is pressed or non-pressured by the excitation deformation of the piezoelectric element. .

That is, the paper can be fed by the elliptical movement of the surface of the elastic body and the pressure contact between the piezoelectric ceramic element and the pressing means in synchronization with the movement.

(Example) The present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of the present invention.
Figures a and b are schematic sectional views for explaining the principle and operation, Figure 1 c is a schematic perspective view for explaining the pressing member, and Figure 1 d is a schematic perspective view of the paper feeding mechanism. be. In FIGS. 1a and 1b, a piezoelectric ceramic element (hereinafter referred to as an excitation element 12) as an excitation source is bonded to the elastic body 11, and due to the excitation of the excitation element 12, longitudinal vibration is generated in the elastic body 11. Causes transverse vibration. These vibrations are generated by a plurality of excitation elements 12, and by exciting each excitation element 12 with a phase difference, a traveling wave is generated in the elastic body 11. A standing wave is generated by exciting the elastic body 11 including the elastic body 12 by resonance. In both of these traveling wave and standing wave systems, the elastic body 1
Elliptical motion 13 can occur on the surface of 1 as a motion of a mass point. Place paper 14 on top of the elastic body 11,
A pressing member 15 is placed above it. The pressing member 15 is supported by a slider mechanism 16 so that there is a gap between the pressing surface 17 of the pressing member 15 and the paper 14, and is placed at a predetermined position by a return spring 18. Further, a piezoelectric ceramic element (hereinafter referred to as a pressure contact element 19) is bonded to the pressing member 15, and is formed into a thin plate so that the pressure contact surface 17 can be elastically deformed by the excitation of the pressure contact element 19.
In such a configuration, an elliptical motion 13 is generated on the surface of the elastic body 11 due to the excitation of the excitation element 12, and the pressure welding element 19 is excited at the upper semicircle of the locus of the elliptical motion 13. , pressing member 1
The pressing surface 17 of 5 is convex downward, that is, it is in a state where it presses against the paper 14. Due to this pressure contact, the elliptical motion 13 is transmitted to the paper 14 due to the frictional force with the elastic body 11,
Paper 14 is fed in the direction of arrow A. Further, at this time, the pressing member 15 is sent in the same direction of arrow B as the paper 14 due to the frictional force with the paper 14. On the other hand, when the locus of elliptical motion 13 is in the lower semicircle, elliptic motion 1
3 is the direction in which the paper 14 is returned to its original state, but the amplitude is negative and the pressing force against the paper 14 becomes small, so the paper 14 does not return to its original state. Moreover, by releasing the excitation of the pressure-welding element 19, the pressing member 15 moves the paper 14
is released and returns to the direction of arrow C by means of the return spring 18. By repeating such operations, the paper 14 is fed by the elliptical movement 13 generated on the surface of the elastic body 11 and the pressing force of the pressing member 15.

Figures 1c and 1d show specific examples of the paper feeding mechanism as described above, where figure c is a perspective view seen from the pressure contact side of the pressing member, and figure 1d is an embodiment of the paper feeding mechanism. The pressing member 15 is a pressure contact surface 1 of a thin plate that is elastically deformed.
7 and a press-contacting element 19 bonded to the back surface thereof. Further, the elastic body 11 as a vibrator has a shape in which two rings are combined, and a traveling wave is excited on its surface.

The traveling wave splits into two outer rings from the center of the elastic body 11 and returns to its original state. An elliptical motion 13 occurs on the surface of such an elastic body 11, and the paper 1 is placed on the elastic body 11.
A pressing member 15 is supported by a slider mechanism 16, and a return spring 18 is placed on top of the pressing member 15.
is placed in a predetermined position. The pressure contact surface 17 of this pressing member 15 is an outer ring of the elastic body 11 in which the traveling waves move in the same direction, and has two pressure contact surfaces 17 corresponding to the outer ring. With such a configuration, the paper 14 is fed by the elliptical movement 13 and the pressure contact of the pressing member 15. Further, in this embodiment, the outer ring of the elastic body 11 is pressed, but the paper 14 can be fed even if only the center portion of the elastic body 11 is pressed.

With the above configuration, a small and thin paper feeding mechanism with a simple structure can be obtained.

FIG. 2 shows a second embodiment of the invention. In FIG. 2, an elastic body 1 to which an excitation element 12 is connected
1, a pressing member 22 is provided which is rotatably supported by a means such as a pin 21 via a paper 14 and supported by a return spring 18. A pressure contact element 19 is joined to the pressure contact surface 23 of the pressing member 22 to a thin plate that can be elastically deformed so as to be deformed in the direction of the paper 14. In such a configuration, the paper 14 is fed in the direction of arrow A by pressure contact of the paper 14 due to the elliptical motion 13 in the elastic body 11 and the excitation of the pressure contact element 19 synchronized with the motion. Further, the pressing member 22 moves in the same direction as the paper 14 when pressed against the paper 14,
Further, when there is no pressure contact, the return spring 18 causes a movement as indicated by arrow B to return to the original position. Even in such a configuration, the configuration of the present invention can be achieved.

FIG. 3 shows a third embodiment of the invention. In FIG. 3, an elastic body 11 to which an excitation element 12 is bonded
A pressing member 31 is placed on top with the paper 14 interposed therebetween. The pressing member 31 is an integral member having a rigid base plate 32 and a constricted portion 33.
3 is elastically deformable and has spring properties. Therefore, the pressing member 31 can perform a rotational motion similar to a reciprocating motion as shown by arrow B around the constricted portion 33. Further, a pressure contact element 19 is joined to the pressure contact surface 34 of the pressing member 31. In such a configuration, the paper 14 is fed in the direction of arrow A by the elliptical motion 13 of the elastic body 11 and the excitation of the pressure contact element 19 in synchronization with the motion. Even in such a configuration, the effects of the present invention can be exhibited.

FIG. 4 shows a fourth embodiment of the invention. In FIG. 4, an elastic body 1 to which an excitation element 12 is bonded
A pressing member 41 is provided on the paper 14 with a paper 14 interposed therebetween. The pressing member 41 is rotatably supported by a pin 21 or the like, and is placed in a predetermined position by a return spring 18. Further, a pressure contact element 42 using a piezoelectric element having a vertical effect is joined to the pressing member 41, and a pressure contact surface 43 is provided at the tip thereof. This pressure contact element 42
is deformed toward the paper 14 due to its excitation,
The pressure contact surface 43 can perform pressure contact and non-pressure contact operations with the paper 14. In such a configuration, the elliptical movement 13 of the elastic body 11 and the pressure welding element 42 synchronized with the movement
The paper 14 is fed in the direction of arrow A by the excitation of
The pressing member 41 performs the movement indicated by the arrow B by the pin 21 and the return spring 18. Even in such a configuration, the effects of the present invention can be exhibited.

In the present invention, the structure is made up of an elastic body whose mass points on the surface move in an elliptical manner, and a pressing member that can press or non-press the paper in synchronization with the elliptical movement.
A thin paper feeding mechanism can be obtained. In the present invention,
The elastic body used as a vibrator can be of either a traveling wave type or a standing wave type.

(Effects of the Invention) As described above, according to the present invention, a small and thin paper feeding mechanism can be obtained using an elastic body that vibrates ultrasonically and a pressing member that presses against the elastic body in synchronization with the vibration of the elastic body.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Figures a, b, c and d show a first embodiment of the present invention, a and b are schematic sectional views for explaining the principle and operation, and c and d are diagrams of the paper feeding mechanism of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view, and FIGS. 2 to 4 are schematic cross-sectional views showing embodiments of the present invention. Each symbol in the figure indicates the following content. 11...
... Elastic body, 12 ... Excitation element, 13 ... Elliptical movement, 14 ... Paper, 15, 22, 31, 41 ... Pressing member, 16 ... Slider mechanism, 17, 23, 3
4, 43... pressure contact surface, 18... return spring, 19,
42... Pressure contact element, 21... Pin, 32... Substrate, 33... Constriction.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1.Equipped with an elastic body whose elliptical motion is excited by an elastic traveling wave or a standing wave, and a paper pressing member disposed opposite to the surface of the elastic body, the paper pressing member has a mechanism that moves in synchronization with the reciprocating motion of the elastic body. A paper feeding mechanism characterized in that it is formed with a piezoelectric ceramic element.