JPH08268577A - Automatic paper feeder - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To simplify a structure of a paper feeding cassette, and improve separating performance of recording paper by forming a central separating claw system instead of a both end separating claw system in an automatic paper feeder to separately supply the fixed form recording paper one by one to a printing recorder in a printer, a facsimile and a copying machine. CONSTITUTION: In an automatic paper feeder having a paper feeding roller 1, a recording paper feeding cassette 14 and a hopper plate having an energizing means to press a bundle of recording paper 15 against the paper feeding roller 1 by pushing it up, the paper feeder has pick fins 4 which interlock with the paper feeding roller 1 and have friction rubber on the tip and protrusively bend first recording paper by sandwiching it in the width direction, and has a separating claw 5 lower than a protrusively bending part generated in the recording paper 15 and higher than a bundle of the recording paper 15 in the center in the sending-out direction of the recording paper 15, and has return claws 6 in a slightly backward position slightly higher than a bundle of the recording paper 15 and lower than the separating claw 5 on both ends in the sending-out direction of the recording paper 15.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an automatic paper feeding device for feeding recording paper to a printing / recording device in a printer, a facsimile machine or a copying machine, and more particularly to inserting fixed recording paper in a bundle and separating them one by one. The present invention relates to the structure of an automatic paper feeding device for feeding.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 7 is a schematic structural view of a first prior art of a conventional automatic sheet feeder of this type.

In FIG. 7, a conventional automatic paper feeder is a print recording apparatus using standard recording paper, and includes a paper feed roller 20 having a drive mechanism 16 for feeding the recording paper, and a fixed recording of a single or plural sizes. A paper feed cassette 14 for inserting and holding a bundle 15 of paper, a hopper spring 8 as a biasing means for pushing up the bundle 15 of recording paper against the paper feed roller 20, and
The hopper plate 7 is provided at the bottom of the paper feed cassette 14 and is pushed up by the hopper spring 8, and the separating claws 23 are provided at both ends in the width direction of the leading end of the recording paper 15 in the feeding direction.

The separating claw 23 holds the tip of the bundle of recording papers 15 by its own weight or a spring (not shown), and when the paper feed roller 20 is rotated by its driving mechanism 16, the friction of the paper feed roller 20 and the recording papers become the same. Due to the difference in the friction coefficient, the sending output is applied only to the uppermost recording paper 15, and the recording paper 15 to which the sending output is applied is restricted from being sent out by the separating claw 23, and the sending output is directed upward from the recording paper 15. Let it escape like a convex curve.

When the recording paper 15 is bent to some extent, a displacement in the feeding direction is also applied at the same time, so that the separation pawl 23 is lifted and guided by the escape slope 23a of the separation pawl 23 so as to be bent inward to restore the recording paper. The recording paper 15 is released from the separation claw 23 by the force and the output, and is supplied to a print recording device (not shown).

The bending force of the recording paper 15 is directly applied to the uppermost recording paper 15, but the friction between the recording papers,
Alternatively, the recording paper 15 below it may be attracted by static electricity.
Is also transmitted to

However, due to the elasticity of the recording paper, the force of restoring the recording paper keeps it in the same plane as the stack 15 of the recording papers below, and at the same time, the feeding output added by the paper feed roller 20 is the uppermost recording paper 15. The force is reduced by the friction coefficient with and the force is smaller than the force stopped by the separating claw 23, so that it is not sent out, and it becomes possible to send out the recording papers one by one.

As a second conventional example, Jitsuko Sho 62-200.
The technique described in Japanese Patent No. 31 can be cited.

In the second conventional technique, a recording paper stacking plate for stacking recording papers, a side plate for regulating the side edge of the stacked recording papers, and a pushing-up means for bringing the stacked recording papers into contact with the feed roller are provided. In a recording paper automatic paper feed mechanism having a separation pawl provided on a stacked recording paper stopper, a pushing means uses a spring sandwiched between a case and a recording paper stacking plate, and the separation pawl has an upper end surface on the surface. Inclining toward the tip and forming a ridge at the tip, a step portion is formed on the back surface in the center, and locking bosses are projected, and both sides are locked for locking to the frame body respectively. The stopper is provided with a rectangular stopper main body with protruding claws, a separation claw made of an elastic metal plate having an engagement hole with a locking boss, and a separation claw pressing plate having an engagement hole with a locking boss. At the step on the back of the main unit,
A recording stopper assembly in which the above-described three elements are fixed by stacking separation claws and separation claw pressing plates and fixing means such as a CS ring is used. It is characterized by being engaged.

A third conventional example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 63-63
In the technique described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 101230, a plurality of recording sheets are sandwiched between at least one sheet feeding roller and a hopper, and the pressing force between the sheet feeding roller and the recording sheet is set below the hopper. While getting from the installed load spring,
In an automatic paper feeding device in which a paper feeding roller, to which a driving force is transmitted by an arbitrary means, collides a recording paper with a separation claw fixed in parallel with the paper feeding roller and supplies a required number of sheets to a printer device one by one. A positioning roller is held in parallel with the paper roller in the vicinity thereof, and a hopper is positioned parallel to the separation claw by the paper feeding roller and the positioning roller. It is characterized in that it is placed in a place.

Further, as a conventional technique other than the above, a friction separation method and an electrostatic attraction method, which are not shown, have been proposed.

[0012]

However, in the first conventional automatic paper feeder shown in FIG. 7, a bundle 15 of recording papers is used.
In some parts of the paper, they are attracted to each other by the static electricity that exists irregularly between the recording papers, and the friction coefficient between the recording papers is increased in a pseudo manner. When the number of sheets exceeds the limit, there arises a problem of double feeding the recording paper.

When the elasticity of the recording paper is small or the force of the separating claw 23 for pressing the recording paper is too large, the recording paper 15 cannot be removed from the separating claw 23 and cannot be delivered, resulting in a jam of the recording paper or bending of the recording paper. In some cases, the pressing force of the left and right separating claws 23 becomes uneven, and the recording paper is inclined and sent to a print recording device (not shown).

Further, since the left and right separation claws 23 press the both ends of the bundle of recording papers 15 according to the size of the recording paper, the distance between the paper feed roller 20 and the separation claw 23 is changed, which is suitable for any size of recording paper. It is difficult to make such a design, and the above-mentioned problems are revealed.

Further, structurally, it is necessary that the left and right separating claws 23 press both ends of the bundle 15 of recording papers with high accuracy and uniform force, and the width determining guide 11 of the recording papers is moved according to the size of the recording papers. At that time, the mechanism for interlocking with this was complicated.

The second prior art aims to eliminate the disadvantages of the first prior art, and the method of using two separating claws at both ends of the recording paper is discontinued and one is used at the center. Although the structure is simplified, the above object could not be achieved and the recording paper separating operation was not good.

The third prior art is also made in order to solve the problems inherent in the first prior art like the second prior art. Separation claws are provided at three positions at both ends and the center with respect to the leading edge of the recording paper. Although they are arranged, not only the structure becomes complicated, but also the separating operation of the recording paper could not be expected so much.

The friction separation method is inexpensive, but it is difficult to control the friction coefficient and is not suitable for feeding a large amount of paper.
The electrostatic adsorption method does not compete with the application range of the automatic paper feeder proposed by the present invention because of its complicated structure and high cost.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned conventional circumstances. Therefore, the object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems inherent in the prior art and to reliably separate and supply recording sheets one by one. It is an object of the present invention to provide a new automatic paper feeder having a simple structure that enables the above.

[0020]

In order to achieve the above object, an automatic paper feeding apparatus according to the present invention is a print recording apparatus using fixed size recording paper, and has a drive means for feeding the recording paper. A roller, a paper feed cassette for loading and holding a bundle of single or multiple fixed-size recording sheets, an urging means for pushing the bundle of recording paper up against the paper feeding roller, and a hopper provided at the bottom of the paper feeding cassette. In an automatic paper feeding device having a plate, a friction rubber is provided at the tip in conjunction with a paper feeding roller,
Two opposing pick fins for convexly curving the topmost recording sheet of the bundle of recording sheets in the width direction, and a convex curved portion formed on the recording sheet at the center in the feeding direction of the recording sheet. And a central separation claw higher than the stack of recording sheets (corresponding to claim 1).

In the automatic sheet feeder having the above-described structure, the control section of the apparatus main body is further provided with a solenoid or a plunger which is electrically controlled in association with the sheet feeding roller and drives the pick fin. Claim 3
Corresponding to).

Further, in the automatic sheet feeder according to the first or third aspect, the automatic feeding device according to the first or third aspect has a motor which is electrically controlled by the control unit of the apparatus main body and is interlocked with the sheet feeding roller to drive the pick fin ( Further, in the automatic paper feeding device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, at both ends in the feeding direction of the recording paper, it is slightly higher than the bundle of the recording paper and is higher than the central separating claw. It has a return claw at a position which is low and slightly behind (corresponding to claim 5).

Further, in the automatic paper feeding device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, there is provided a pick fin for pinching and bending in a direction in which the recording paper is sandwiched in a direction slightly inclined from the width direction to the feeding direction. 6).

Furthermore, in the automatic sheet feeder according to any one of claims 1 to 6, a pick fin at the center in the width direction and at the leading end in the recording paper feeding direction corresponds to the position where the recording paper is sandwiched by the hopper plate. The portion has a convex curved portion, or the hopper plate has a convex curved portion bent in a V shape (corresponding to claim 7).

[0025]

In the present invention constructed as described above, the uppermost first recording sheet of the bundle of recording sheets is moved in the width direction by the two opposing pick fins interlocking with the sheet feeding roller and having the friction rubber at the tip. The recording paper is rotated by bending when the convex curved portion of the recording paper exceeds the height of the central separating claw at the center in the feeding direction of the recording paper. By applying a force in the feeding direction to the first recording paper, the first recording paper is fed to the print recording device over the central separating claw.

The lower recording paper is transmitted while the force of the pick fin sandwiching the first recording paper is reduced by the friction coefficient between the recording papers and transmitted, and the flatness is maintained by the elastic force of the second recording paper. As a result, there is no convex bending, and therefore, even if the paper feed roller is rotated at this time and a force in the feeding direction is applied to the recording paper, it does not feed because it hits the central separation claw.

Even when the attractive force of the second sheet of paper is large due to the electrostatic attraction to the first sheet of paper, the restoring force due to the elastic force of the second sheet of recording paper is better than this attractive force. By appropriately setting the positions for sandwiching the recording paper so as to be large, it is possible to reliably separate and feed the sheets one by one. This means that the two pick fins facing each other do not displace depending on the size of the recording paper, in view of the conventional method in which the position of the separating claw is changed depending on the width of the recording paper, and therefore, the optimum relationship can always be maintained. .

Therefore, the pick fin may be driven by a mechanism interlocked with the rotation of the paper feed roller, or may be driven by a solenoid, a plunger or a motor. However, when they do not mechanically interlock, it is necessary to electrically interlock them by software of the controller of the apparatus body.

Next, since the uppermost recording sheet of the bundle of recording sheets is pushed in the feeding direction by the paper feed roller, a force in the feeding direction is applied to the recording sheets therebelow, and further to the recording sheets therebelow. This force is also provided with a return pawl for shifting the entire stack of recording papers in the feeding direction to prevent this. The return pawl is placed slightly higher than the stack of recording paper and lower than the separating pawl at a position slightly behind the recording paper, so that the stack of recording paper does not interfere with the delivery of the first recording paper and To prevent shifting to.

Incidentally, by mounting the pick fins so that the pick fins pinch the recording paper and feed it in some direction at the same time, the separated recording papers can more stably pass over the central separating claw.

Further, the central convex bending portion provided on the hopper plate slightly bends the recording paper, which has been put in advance here, upward, so that the direction in which the recording paper bends when the pick fin sandwiches the recording paper is ensured. And

[0032]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Hereinafter, the present invention will be specifically described with reference to the drawings for each of its preferred embodiments.

(First Embodiment) FIG. 1 is a schematic structural diagram showing a first embodiment of an automatic paper feeder according to the present invention. 2 is a side view showing the structure of the pickup unit according to the present invention, FIG. 3 is a front view showing the structure of the pickup unit according to the present invention, and FIG. 4 is an operation explanatory view of the automatic sheet feeder according to the present invention. FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of the separating operation of the present invention.

As shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, the first embodiment of the automatic paper feeding device according to the present invention is a print recording device (not shown) which uses fixed size recording paper, and delivers the recording paper. A paper feed roller 1 having a driving mechanism 16 for driving, a paper feed cassette 14 for loading and holding a bundle 15 of single or plural fixed-size recording papers, and a stack 15 of recording papers pushed up and pressed against the paper feed roller 1. Has a hopper spring 8 as a biasing means,
It has a hopper plate 7 which is provided at the bottom of the paper feed cassette 14 and to which a hopper spring 8 is pushed up.

The first feature of the first embodiment according to the present invention is that the first recording of the uppermost sheet of the bundle of recording papers is carried out by interlocking with the paper feed roller 1 and having a rubber tip 4a made of friction rubber at the tip. Two opposing pick fins 4 that sandwich and bend the paper in the width direction
That is, the central separating claw 5 is provided at the center of the recording paper 15 in the feeding direction, the central separating claw 5 being lower than the convex curved portion formed on the recording paper 15 and higher than the bundle 15 of recording papers.

Furthermore, the second characteristic of the first embodiment according to the present invention is that the front ends of the recording paper 15 in the feeding direction are slightly higher than the bundle 15 of recording papers and lower than the central separating claw 5. It is to have the return claw 6 at a position where it slightly hits after.

The third characteristic of the first embodiment according to the present invention is that the sheet feeding roller 1 is formed into an elliptic circle by returning the sheet feeding roller shaft 3 to transmit the rotational drive, and the elliptic circle is formed. The left and right holding rollers 2 are not fixed with respect to the rotation of the paper feed roller shaft 3 having a radius between the shortest distance and the farthest distance from the central axis.

The pick fin 4 is interlocked with the paper feed roller 1 by a pick fin drive gear 1a provided on the paper feed roller 1 and a pick fin drive gear 4b provided on the pick fin 4, as shown in FIG. When the paper feed roller 1 is at the initial position, the position is 0 ° (see FIG. 4A).
When the paper feed roller 1 rotates from 15 ° to 45 °, the pick fins 4 pinch the uppermost recording paper of the recording paper 15,
The middle of the recording paper is made to be convex. Until the paper feed roller 1 rotates from 0 ° to 45 °, the paper feed roller 1 does not hit the recording paper 15 and the pressing roller 2 holds the bundle 15 of recording papers. A force in the traveling direction is applied to 15. This is (a)-(b) of FIG.
As shown in.

As described above, in the present invention, the recording paper 1
Since the uppermost recording paper of the stack of 5 is pushed out in the feeding direction in a state where the central portion of the recording paper is convexly curved, the uppermost recording paper passes over the central separation claw 5 and only one sheet is provided in the print recording device (not shown). Will be supplied. The second and subsequent recording paper bundles 15 below this are prevented from shifting in the feeding direction by the central separating claw 5 and the return claw 6.

The width determining guide 11 for determining the width according to the size of the recording paper, the rack-and-pinion mechanism 12 for interlocking the left and right guides evenly in the width direction, and the like stably stabilize the bundle 15 of recording paper at a specific position. Effective to hold.

(Second Embodiment) FIGS. 6A and 6B are schematic structural views showing a second embodiment of the automatic paper feeder according to the present invention.

In the structure shown in FIG. 6A, the drive mechanism of the pick fins 4 in the above-described first embodiment is electrically operated so as to be interlocked with the paper feed roller 1 by the control unit of the apparatus main body (not shown). Having a controlled electromagnetic plunger 10,
In addition, it is an example in which the operation direction of the pick fin 4 is inclined to the traveling direction of the recording paper.

The electromagnetic fin 10 causes the pick fin 4
By driving, the degree of freedom in design is improved, and the pick fins 4 are mounted so as to be inclined, so that separation performance is improved.
Regarding the method of interlocking with the paper feed roller 1, it may be sequentially controlled mechatronically by a photo interrupter corresponding to the rotation of the paper feed roller shaft 3.

The configuration shown in FIG. 6 (b) has a hopper plate 7
In the embodiment, a hopper plate 7 is bent at a position corresponding to a position where the pick fin 4 at the center in the width direction and at the front end in the recording paper feeding direction sandwiches the recording paper 15, and a central convex bending portion 9 is formed by forming a convex bending portion. Is. The central convex curved portion 9 uses the recording paper 15 for the pick fins 4.
When the paper is pinched, the uppermost recording paper is more surely bent to improve the separation performance.

In the present embodiment, the pick fin 4 is shown as an oblate circular shape, but it may be any one that achieves a mechanism for sandwiching the recording paper.

Since the operation is the same as that of the first embodiment, description thereof will be omitted.

[0047]

As described above, according to the present invention,
A printing and recording apparatus that uses fixed-size recording paper such as printers, facsimiles, and copiers, and reliably separates and feeds the recording paper one by one, skewing, double feeding, recording paper jam, and recording paper edge breakage. It is possible to easily provide an automatic paper feeder having a simple structure that does not have such a structure.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic structural diagram showing a first embodiment of an automatic paper feeder according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view showing the structure of a pickup section according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a front view showing the structure of a pickup unit according to the present invention.

4 (a) to 4 (d) are operation explanatory views of the automatic paper feeder according to the present invention.

5A to 5C are explanatory views of the separating operation of the present invention.

6 (a) and 6 (b) are schematic structural views showing a second embodiment of the automatic paper feeder according to the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a schematic structural diagram of a conventional automatic paper feeder.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 ... Paper Feed Roller 1a ... Pick Fin Drive Gear 2 ... Pressing Roller 3 ... Paper Feed Roller Shaft 4 ... Pick Fin 4a ... Rubber Tip 4b ... Pick Fin Drive Gear 5 ... Central Separation Claw 6 ... Return Claw 7 ... Hopper Plate 8 ... Hopper spring 9 ... Central convex curved portion 10 ... Electromagnetic plunger 11 ... Width determining guide 12 ... Rack and pinion mechanism 13 ... Depth determining 14 ... Paper feeding cassette 15 ... Recording paper 16 ... Driving mechanism 20 ... Paper feeding roller 21 ... Pressing roller 22 ... Paper feed roller shaft 23 ... Separation claw 23a ... Relief slope

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁶ Identification code Internal reference number FI Technical indication H04N 1/00 108 H04N 1/00 108B

Claims (8)

[Claims] 1. A print recording apparatus using a fixed size recording paper, comprising a paper feed roller having a driving means for feeding the recording paper,
A paper feed cassette for inserting and holding a single or plural size fixed recording paper bundle, an urging means for pushing up and pressing the recording paper bundle against a paper feeding roller, and a hopper plate provided at the bottom of the paper feeding cassette. In the automatic sheet feeding device having two opposing pick fins, which interlock with the sheet feeding roller and have a friction rubber at the tip, sandwich the uppermost first recording sheet of the bundle of recording sheets in the width direction and make a convex curve. An automatic paper feeding device comprising: a central separating claw that is lower than a convex curved portion formed on the recording paper and higher than a stack of the recording paper in the center of the recording paper feeding direction. 2. The pick fin is further linked with the paper feed roller by a first drive gear provided on the paper feed roller and a second drive gear provided on the pick fin. The automatic paper feeder according to claim 1. 3. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a solenoid or a plunger electrically controlled by the control unit of the apparatus main body, the solenoid or the plunger being driven, and the solenoid or the plunger driving the pick fin. 1. The automatic paper feeder according to 1. 4. The motor according to claim 1, further comprising a motor which is electrically controlled by the control unit of the apparatus main body and is interlocked with the paper feed roller, and the motor drives the pick fin. Automatic paper feeder. 5. A return pawl is provided at both ends in the feeding direction of the recording paper at positions slightly higher than the bundle of recording paper and lower than the central separation pawl so as to slightly hit the recording paper later. The automatic sheet feeder according to any one of 1 to 4. 6. The recording medium according to claim 1, wherein the pick fin sandwiches the recording paper in a direction in which the recording paper is sandwiched in a direction slightly inclined from the width direction of the recording paper in the feeding direction of the recording paper. The automatic paper feeder according to the item 1. 7. The hopper plate has a convex curved portion at the center in the width direction of the recording paper and at the position corresponding to the position where the pick fin sandwiches the recording paper at the tip in the recording paper feeding direction, or the hopper plate is The automatic sheet feeder according to claim 1, further comprising a convex curved portion that is bent in a V shape. 8. The feed roller is formed into an oblong shape so that the rotation driving force is transmitted through the feed roller shaft and the pick fin does not come into contact with the recording sheet when the pick fin is in operation. The automatic paper feeder according to any one of claims 1 to 7.