JPH10194497A - Automatic paper sheet feeding device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To reduce the number of part items on an automatic paper sheet feeding device using a separation click and an operating lever in common. SOLUTION: A holding plate 20 to hold a sheet is energized in the direction to approach a sheet feeding roller 30. A separation click 54 is integrally provided on a head end part of an operating lever 50 to separate the holding plate 20 from the sheet feeding roller 30. The operating lever 50 is energized in the direction where the separation click 54 approaches a sheet holding surface of the holding plate 20. When the operating lever 50 is operated in the direction where the separation click 54 is separated from the sheet holding surface of the holding plate 20, the holding plate 20 is separated from the sheet feeding roller 30 by a cam part 52 of the operating lever 50.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an automatic paper feeder used for a printer or the like to selectively feed a first sheet out of a plurality of stacked sheets.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An automatic sheet feeding apparatus of this type generally uses a separation claw for holding a corner of a plurality of sheets held on a holding plate on a downstream side in a sheet feeding direction. Is sent out selectively. Also, when setting the paper on the holding plate, it is necessary to separate the holding plate from the paper feed roller and create a gap between the paper feed roller and this operation. Lever may be used.

FIG. 2 is a schematic side view of a conventional automatic paper feeder using both a separation claw and an operation lever. A holding plate 2 for holding a sheet is provided in a frame 1 of the automatic sheet feeding device, and a sheet feeding roller 3 is provided on the sheet holding surface side of the holding plate 2. The holding plate 2 is rotatably supported with the upstream side in the sheet feeding direction as a fulcrum, and is urged toward the sheet holding surface by a spring (not shown). On the side of the holding plate 2, a rotatable separation claw support arm 4 having a separation claw 4 a at the tip and a rotatable operation lever 5 for operating the holding plate 2 are provided.

The separation claw support arm 4 is provided with a separation claw 4
a is urged in a direction approaching the sheet holding surface of the holding plate 2, and the urging causes the downstream corners of the plurality of sheets held on the sheet holding surface of the holding plate 2 in the sheet feeding direction to move. , Separation claw 4
a elastically hold by a. The operation lever 5 has a cam portion 5a at the center of rotation, and moves the operation portion 5b from the non-holding surface side of the holding plate 2 to the paper holding surface side to separate the holding plate 2 from the paper feed roller 3. And the separation claw support arm 4 is held at the original position.

That is, when a sheet is set on the sheet holding surface of the holding plate 2 and the operating portion 5b of the operation lever 5 is operated from the opposite side of the holding plate 2 to the sheet holding surface, the cam portion 5a
The stopper 2a provided on the side surface of the holding plate 2 is pushed by the first convex portion 5c, and the holding plate 2 is retracted in the direction away from the paper feed roller 3, whereby the paper is set between the two. To form a gap for At the same time,
The second contact portion 4b of the separation claw support arm 4
When the protrusion 5d hits and the separation claw support arm 4 is held at the original position, a gap δ is formed between the separation claw 4a and the holding plate 2 that has moved away. As a result, even when a large number of sheets are set on the sheet holding surface of the holding plate 2, the sheet is smoothly set on the sheet holding surface of the holding plate 2 without interfering with the separation claw 4a.

[0006]

However, in this type of automatic paper feeder, there has been severe price competition in recent years, and reducing the number of parts has become an important technical problem. From this viewpoint, when the conventional automatic paper feeder is viewed, there are the following problems.

The separating claw 4a needs to move freely because it is necessary to elastically hold the downstream corners of the plurality of sheets held on the sheet holding surface of the holding plate 2 in the sheet feeding direction. Further, when the operation lever 5 is rotated to move the holding plate 2 away from the paper feed roller 3, the separation claw 4
a needs to remain close to its original position. For these reasons, the separation claw support arm 4 is independent of the operation lever 5, but this increases the number of components of the automatic sheet feeder.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and has an operation lever for retracting and holding a holding plate integrated with a separation claw, while maintaining the same function as that of the related art. It is an object of the present invention to provide an automatic sheet feeder capable of reducing the number of sheets.

[0009]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An automatic sheet feeding apparatus according to the present invention holds a plurality of stacked sheets, and includes a movable holding plate urged toward a sheet holding surface and a movable holding plate. A paper feed roller that is arranged on the paper holding surface side and is driven to rotate in the paper feeding direction while being pressed against the first sheet of the plurality of papers held on the paper holding surface, and held along the holding plate A plurality of sheets, which are rotatably provided on the sides of the plate, are urged in the direction in which the leading end thereof approaches the paper holding surface of the holding plate, and are held on the leading end by the paper holding surface of the holding plate. A separation claw that holds a corner portion on the downstream side in the paper feeding direction of the sheet is integrally provided, and when the separation claw is rotated in a direction away from the paper holding surface of the holding plate, the rotation claw is associated with the rotation operation And an operation lever for moving the holding plate in a direction away from the sheet feeding roller.

Since the operating lever is biased in the direction in which the leading end approaches the paper holding surface of the holding plate, when the operating lever is not operated, that is, when the operating lever is at the initial position, the separating claw of the leading end is separated. Resiliently holds the corners of the plurality of sheets held on the sheet holding surface of the holding plate on the downstream side in the sheet feeding direction. When the separation lever operates the operation lever in a direction away from the sheet holding surface of the holding plate against the urging force, the holding plate retreats in a direction away from the sheet feeding roller. In other words, when the operating lever is operated to retreat the holding plate away from the paper feed roller, the separation claw does not follow the retreating holding plate, but instead actively moves in the direction away from the paper holding surface of the holding plate. To retreat. Therefore, the same function as the conventional one is maintained even though the separation claw is integrated with the operation lever for retracting the holding plate.

[0011]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic side view of an automatic sheet feeder according to an embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 1, the automatic paper feeder according to the embodiment of the present invention has a holding plate 20 incorporated in a frame 10 of the automatic paper feeder, and a paper holding surface side of the holding plate 20. The paper feed roller 30 is positioned and incorporated in the frame 10, and the frame 1 is positioned so as to be located on the side of the holding plate 20.
And an operation lever 50 attached to one of the side plates 11.

The holding plate 20 is inclined at a predetermined angle, is rotatably supported by a support shaft provided on the upstream side (upper side) in the paper feeding direction, and has a spring (not shown) on the side of the paper holding surface (feeding side). (Toward the paper roller 30).
As a result, when no paper is set on the paper holding surface of the holding plate 20, the paper holding surface of the holding plate 20 elastically contacts the paper feed roller 30. When a sheet is set on the sheet holding surface of the holding plate 20, the first sheet comes into contact with the sheet feeding roller 30, and in this state, the sheet feeding roller 30 is driven to rotate in the sheet feeding direction. The second sheet is fed in the sheet feeding direction.

The operation lever 50 disposed on the side of the holding plate 20 is a rotating lever extending along the holding plate 20.
A cam portion 52 is provided in the vicinity of the center of rotation supported by the support shaft 51, and a separation claw 54 integrally formed is provided at a distal end portion protruding from the cam portion 52 toward the downstream side in the sheet feeding direction.

The operation lever 50 is biased by a spring 60 disposed between the front end portion and the frame 10 in a direction in which the front end portion approaches the paper holding surface of the holding plate 20, and a cam portion 52 is provided. The operating portion 53 extending from the sheet feeding direction to the upstream side in the sheet feeding direction is operated from the sheet holding surface side of the holding plate 20 to the opposite holding surface side against the urging force of the spring 60. Here, the operation direction of the operation lever 50 is opposite to the operation direction of the operation lever provided in the conventional automatic paper feeder (see FIG. 2).

The cam portion 52 of the operation lever 50 is
When the user moves the holding plate 20 from the paper holding surface side of the holding plate 20 to the non-holding surface side, the holding plate 20 is pressed toward the non-holding surface side. To form a gap between them for setting a sheet.

The separation claw 54 integrally provided at the tip of the operation lever 50 is elastically pulled in a direction approaching the paper holding surface of the holding plate 20 by the urging force of the spring 60. Therefore, when no operation force is applied to the operation lever 50, the sheet is elastically brought into contact with the downstream corner of the sheet set on the sheet holding surface of the holding plate 20 in the sheet feeding direction, and is held. When a sheet is not set on the sheet holding surface of the holding plate 20, the sheet is held at the initial position by hitting a stopper 22 provided on a side surface of the holding plate 20.

Next, a description will be given of a method of use and operation of the automatic sheet feeder according to the embodiment of the present invention.

When the paper is set on the paper holding surface of the holding plate 20, as shown in FIG. 1, the operating portion 53 of the operating lever 50 is pressed against the urging force of the spring 60 to hold the paper. The rotation operation is performed from the surface side to the non-holding surface side. Then, the holding plate 20 is pushed by the cam portion 52 of the operation lever 50, and retreats in a direction away from the sheet feeding roller 30 against the urging force of the spring. This allows
A sufficient gap for setting a sheet is formed between the holding plate 20 and the sheet feeding roller 30.

On the other hand, the separation claw 54 provided at the distal end of the operation lever 50 is moved by the above operation of the operation lever 50.
It moves in a direction away from the paper holding surface of the holding plate 20. That is, with the operation of the operation lever 50, the holding plate 20 and the separation claw 54 move in opposite directions. Therefore, the separation claw 54
Does not follow the retracting holding plate 20,
0 positively moves away from the paper holding surface. Therefore, even when a large number of sheets are set on the sheet holding surface of the holding plate 20, the sheet is smoothly set on the sheet holding surface of the holding plate 20 without interfering with the separation claw 54.

After the paper is set, the operation lever 50
The operation force applied to the operation unit 53 is removed. Then, the operation lever 50 is pulled by the spring 60 and rotates in the direction of the initial position. As a result, the holding plate 20 on which the paper is set returns to the paper feed roller 30 side,
The feed roller 30 elastically presses the first sheet of paper set on the sheet holding surface of the holding plate 20. Further, the separation claw 54 elastically abuts on the downstream corner in the sheet feeding direction. In this state, the sheet set on the sheet holding surface is sequentially sent out from the first sheet by rotating the sheet feeding roller 30 in the sheet feeding direction.

When all the sheets set on the sheet holding surface of the holding plate 20 have been consumed, the sheet holding surface of the holding plate 20 directly contacts the surface of the sheet feeding roller 30. The separation claw 54 abuts on the stopper 22 provided on the side surface of the holding plate 20.

[0023]

As described above, in the automatic paper feeder according to the present invention, the separation claw is integrated with the operation lever used for retracting the holding plate from the paper feed roller during paper setting. A separation claw support arm for supporting the separation claw is not required, and parts and assembly costs can be reduced by omitting the parts. Also, the operating lever is urged in a direction in which the separation claw approaches the paper holding surface of the holding plate,
With the operation of retracting the holding plate from the paper feed roller, the separation claw is separated from the paper holding surface of the holding plate.
In spite of the fact that the separation claw is integrated with the operation lever, the separation claw is retracted at the time of setting the sheet, and the corner of the sheet can be elastically formed as a hole by the separation claw during paper feeding.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic side view of an automatic sheet feeder according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic side view of a conventional automatic sheet feeder using both a separation claw and an operation lever.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10 Frame 20 Holding plate 22 Stopper 30 Feed roller 50 Operation lever 52 Cam section 53 Operation section 54 Separation claw

Claims (1)

[Claims] A movable holding plate urged toward a sheet holding surface, holding a plurality of stacked sheets, and disposed on the sheet holding surface side of the holding plate, and holding the sheet on the sheet holding surface. A paper feed roller rotatably driven in the paper feeding direction in a state of being pressed against the first sheet of the plurality of sheets, and a tip end portion rotatably provided on the side of the holding plate along the holding plate. Is urged in a direction approaching the paper holding surface of the holding plate, and the leading end thereof holds a downstream corner in the paper feeding direction of the plurality of sheets held on the paper holding surface of the holding plate. An operation in which a separation claw is provided integrally, and when the separation claw is rotated in a direction away from the paper holding surface of the holding plate, the holding plate is moved in a direction away from the paper feed roller with the rotation operation An automatic paper feeder comprising a lever.