JPH11314801A - Sheet supplying device and image forming device provided with sheet supplying device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve width detection accuracy of a sheet. SOLUTION: A sheet supplying device 500B is provided with a tray 508 into which sheets of different sizes are loaded, sheet tip part detection means 103, 104 detecting a tip part of a sheet S on the tray 508, a driving means 105 moving at least one of the tray 508 and the sheet tip part detection means 103, 104 to the other, a pulse generation means operating the driving means by pulses and a pulse counting means calculating the size of the sheet S by counting the number of pulses while the sheet tip part detection means 103, 104 detect both ends of the sheet S.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a sheet feeding apparatus for feeding sheets of different sizes such as business cards and postcards to the outside, and an image forming apparatus such as a printer provided with the sheet feeding apparatus.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As shown in FIG. 9, a card printer 500 as an image forming apparatus is provided with a separate sheet feeding apparatus 500.
This is a device for printing on a sheet S supplied from A.

As an example of a sheet, there is a cut sheet such as a business card or a postcard, and a “sheet” is hereinafter referred to as a “cut sheet”.

[0004] The cut sheet supply device 500A is provided with a cut sheet S
And a tray 508 that is loaded with and lifted up and down by a tray lifting motor 512.

The tray 5 on which the cut paper S is set on the upper surface
When 08 is raised to a predetermined position that can be supplied to the card printer 500, the paper surface detection sensor 507 detects the upper surface of the cut sheet S and determines that "there is a cut sheet on the tray". However, when the tray 508 is raised without the cut sheet S set, the upper limit sensor 506 detects the upper surface of the tray, and “there is no cut sheet on the tray”.
Is determined.

The width of the cut sheet S on the tray 508 (the left-right direction in FIG. 8; the direction orthogonal to the cut sheet transport direction)
In order for the card printer 500 to recognize
Move the side regulating plate 403 to the right, and move the tray 508
Is pressed against the fixed stopper wall 515 to align the widthwise ends of the cut paper. Then, the paper side detection sensor 510 attached to the regulating plate 403 detects the side position of the cut sheet. Further, the regulating plate 403
The slide volume 402 that is linked to the printer 1 has a variable resistance value, and notifies the card printer 500 of the sheet width of the cut sheet S via a microcomputer (not shown).

[0007] When it is determined by the paper surface detection sensor 507 that “cut paper is present on the tray”, the cut paper supply device 500A conveys the cut paper S by a supply roller 513 for supplying the card printer 500, and cuts the cut paper S. The skew of the cut sheet S is corrected by abutting the leading end of the sheet S against the shutter 505 for a predetermined time.

In order to supply the cut sheets S one by one, the shutter 505 is lifted by the pickup solenoid 503, and the pickup roller 504 is picked up by the pickup solenoid (not shown). Let it. Thus, the cut sheets S are supplied to the card printer 500 one by one.

The cut sheet S supplied into the card printer 500 by the cut sheet supply device 500A is transported to a printing position by the transport unit 501, and each of the color print heads 514a to 514 of the print head unit 514.
Printed by d. Thereafter, the cut sheet S is discharged out of the apparatus by the transport unit 501. The cut paper S with print discharged outside the apparatus is usually stacked at a predetermined location by a card stacker device (not shown).

Reference numerals 502a to 502d denote cartridges filled with ink of each color used in each of the color print heads 514a to 514d. Also, the stopper wall 5
15 is the substrate unit 4 of the cut supply device 500A.
01 is erected. Further, reference numeral 511 denotes a tray lower limit detection sensor that detects that the tray 508 has descended most.

[0011]

The above-described conventional cut sheet feeding apparatus 500A uses a slide volume 402 to detect the cut sheet width, and the linearity of the change in the resistance value of the slide volume is used. Of paper width reading due to electrical factors such as variations in printing and output, mechanical mounting errors, side regulation plate 40
3 has a problem that the cut sheet width cannot be accurately detected due to an abutment error of the flag of the paper side detection sensor 510 provided in the third embodiment.

If the cut sheet feeding device 500A cannot accurately detect the cut sheet width, the cut sheet feeding device 500A causes the card printer 500 which sets the print width based on the detection signal to perform printing and malfunctions. There is also a problem that the ink is ejected over a wider area, thereby soiling the main body of the card printer.

[0013] Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a cut sheet feeding apparatus in which the accuracy of the cut sheet is improved by detecting the sheet width of the cut sheet by an optical scanning method instead of the conventional method of changing the resistance value. I do.

[0014]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides the following sheet feeding apparatus for solving the above-mentioned problems.

A tray on which sheets of different sizes are stacked, sheet edge detecting means for detecting an edge of the sheet on the tray, and at least one of the tray and the sheet edge detecting means with respect to the other. Driving means for moving the driving means, a pulse generating means for operating the driving means by a pulse, and a pulse count for calculating the size of the sheet by counting the number of pulses while the sheet end detecting means detects both ends of the sheet. Means.

The sheet edge detecting means is an optical sensor for detecting an edge of the sheet based on a difference in light reflection time between the surface of the sheet and the surface of the tray.

There is provided sheet aligning means for aligning the width of the sheet by sandwiching the sheet on the tray from both sides with a pair of sandwiching members.

The tray is movable in the width direction of the sheets stacked on the tray with respect to the sheet edge detecting means.

The sheet edge detecting means is disposed movably in the width direction of the sheet above the fixed tray.

[Operation] The driving means operates at a constant speed based on the pulse signal from the pulse generating means, and moves at least one of the tray and the sheet end detecting means.

That is, when the tray moves in the width direction of the sheets stacked on the tray with respect to the sheet edge detecting means, and when the sheet edge detecting means moves the sheet width above the fixed tray. To move in the direction
In some cases, both the tray and the sheet edge detecting means move.

The pulse counting means starts counting pulses at the same time as the sheet end detecting means detects one end of the sheet on the tray, and ends counting at the same time as the sheet end detecting means detects the other end. The sheet width is calculated based on the sheet width.

If the sheet edge detecting means is an optical sensor for detecting the edge of the sheet based on the difference in the light reflection time between the sheet surface and the tray surface, the sheet edge can be reliably detected.

If the sheet feeding device is provided with the sheet aligning means, both ends of the sheet on the tray are aligned, and the detection accuracy of the sheet edge by the sheet edge detecting means is improved.

[0025]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention.
7 will be described with reference to FIG.

The same components as those shown in FIGS. 8 and 9 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof will be omitted.

The cut sheet supply devices 500B and 500C (FIGS. 1 and 7) use the optical scanning device 103 before printing so that the card printer 500 can perform printing according to the sheet width L of the cut sheet. This is a device which reads the paper width L of the printer and informs the value to a card printer 500 which is an image forming apparatus, and supplies the cut paper S to the card printer 500.

The cut sheet supply devices 500B and 500B
Since the configuration of the card printer connected to C is the same as that of the related art, illustration and description of the configuration connected to the cut sheet supply devices 500B and 500C are omitted.

[First Embodiment] A cut sheet supply device 500B shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 uses a shift sensor 104 near the sheet supply portion of the cut sheet supply device (card printer 500).
(The portion close to the sheet), and the cut sheet S is moved integrally with the tray 508 so that the cut sheet width can be detected.

The tray 508 of the cut sheet supply device 500B
The cut paper S1 is set on the side, and the end of the cut paper is aligned with the side regulating plate 101. Whether or not the side regulating plate 101 is in contact with the cut sheet is determined based on whether or not the side regulating plate sensor 100 detects the end of the cut sheet. Thereafter, when the door (not shown) of the apparatus 500B is closed, the paper detection sensor 106 detects that the cut sheet S is set on the tray 508. The tray 508 is loaded with the cut sheets S, rises, and stops when the sheet surface detection sensor 507 operates. As a result, the cut sheet supply device 500B enters a cut sheet width detectable state.

The paper detection sensor 106 for detecting the presence or absence of the cut sheet S can detect the presence or absence of the paper based on the difference in the reflected light of the reflection type sensor provided in the tray 508. Has become. Further, when the cut sheet S runs out in the cut sheet supply device 500B, the sheet detection sensor 106 determines that "the sheet is not cut on the tray", and can notify the user of it.

In FIG. 1, when the side regulating plate 101 is moved rightward by the tray paper width direction driving motor 105, the cut sheet S set on the tray 508 is pushed by the side regulating plate 101 and hits the stopper wall 515. The positioning is performed such that the lateral widths are aligned with reference to the stopper wall 515. Whether or not the cut sheet has moved to a regular position where it touches the stopper wall 515 is detected by the sheet setting position sensor 107.

As shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, the cut sheet supply device 500B reads the sheet width L by moving the cut sheet S below the optical scanning device 103. The cut paper S shown in FIGS. 2 to 4 shows a business card as an example, and the longitudinal direction of the business card is directed to the width detection direction. The cut sheet S, which is positioned by being pressed against the stopper wall 515 and having a uniform width, is set on the tray 508 by the tray sheet width direction drive motor 105 from the state of FIG.
In the state shown in (1), it is once moved together with the side regulating plate 101 in a direction away from the stopper wall 515. The side regulating plate 101 can move with respect to the tray 508, and can also move integrally with the tray 508.

Thereafter, the cut sheet S is moved toward the stopper wall as shown in FIGS. While moving from the state of FIG. 2 to the state of FIG. 4 through the state of FIG. 3,
Both ends of the cut sheet S are detected by the displacement sensor 104.

That is, as shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, the displacement sensor 104 detects the end of the cut sheet S based on the difference in the light reflection time depending on the presence or absence of the cut sheet S moving in the paper width direction. ing.

The width of the cut sheet is calculated by the control circuit for detecting the sheet width shown in FIG.

In FIG. 5, the CPU 201 sends a pulse signal to the motor drive circuit 202, and the tray paper width direction drive motor 105, which is a pulse motor, rotates at a constant speed to cut the cut sheet from the state shown in FIG. Move to the state of 3 at a constant speed.

The displacement sensor 10 of the optical scanning device 103
4 detects one end of the cut sheet S as shown in FIG. 2, the signal is sent to the CPU 201 via the amplifier circuit 203. The CPU 201 starts counting pulses while sending a pulse signal to the tray paper width direction drive motor 105. After that, as shown in FIG.
When detecting the other end of the cut sheet S, the CPU 201 stops counting the pulse signal, calculates the width of the cut sheet from the number of pulses, and notifies the card printer 500 of the value. Immediately thereafter, the cut sheet S abuts against the stopper wall 515,
The end of the cut sheet S is detected by the sheet set position sensor 107. Paper set position sensor 107
Sends an enable signal to the motor drive circuit 202 to stop the motor 105. As a result, the cut sheet S returns to the state shown in FIG.

The AND circuit 204 includes a CPU 201
This is a circuit for causing the CPU 201 to count the number of pulses while the optical scan 103 is detecting a cut sheet, that is, in a section where there is a cut sheet, and to recognize the cut sheet width by calculation. That is,
This is a circuit for causing the CPU 201 to recognize a section between T1 and T2 in FIG.

When the number of cut sheets S set on the tray 508 is small, the displacement sensor 104
In some cases, even if the end portion is detected, there is a slight change from when it is not detected. For this reason, as shown in FIG. 5, the difference is amplified by the amplifier circuit 203, and the amplified signal is sent to the CPU 201.

FIG. 6 is a time chart of signals. In FIG. 6, a pulse signal indicated by C2 is constantly output from the CPU 201. Transition sensor 104
Detects one end of the cut sheet S at a time T1, and detects the other end of the cut sheet S at a time T2.
201 counts. The stop of the motor 105 is performed at the time T
3 is performed by the change of the signal C3 when the sheet is detected by the paper setting position sensor 107.

As described above, the cut sheet S whose sheet width has been detected is hit against the shutter 505 for a predetermined time, and
After the skew is corrected, the paper is supplied to the card printer 500 one by one by the supply roller 513.

Since the card printer 500 receives the width of the cut sheet S from the cut sheet supply device 500A, the print width of the color print heads 514a and 514b as image forming means is set based on the width signal. And
An image can be printed on a cut sheet without protruding from the cut sheet.

[Second Embodiment] A cut sheet feeding apparatus 500C shown in FIG. 7 fixes a cut sheet S, detects a cut sheet width by moving a displacement sensor 104 by a tray sheet width direction drive motor 105. It has become.

FIG. 7 shows the displacement sensor 104 of the optical scanning device 103C moved from left to right.
FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a state in which the end of the cut sheet is detected based on the difference in the reflection time of light between the surface having the cut sheet S and the surface having no cut sheet.

The cut sheet supply device 500B according to the first embodiment detects the right end of the cut sheet S first, and then detects the left end, and the end of the width detection operation. The cut sheet width detecting operation is terminated when the sheet set position sensor 107 detects the end of the cut sheet. However, the cut sheet supply device 500C of the second embodiment shown in FIG. Is detected first, and then the right end is detected, and the end of the width detection operation is determined by a sensor (not shown) detecting the displacement sensor 104 that has moved, thereby detecting the cut sheet width. Is to end.

Accordingly, the configuration of the cut sheet supply device 500C of the second embodiment is different from the configuration of the cut sheet supply device 500B of the first embodiment in that a sensor for judging the end of the width detection operation is different. Therefore, illustration and description of the configuration of the cut sheet supply device 500C of the second embodiment are omitted.

Further, in the cut sheet supply devices 500B and 500C of the first and second embodiments, the cut sheet or the displacement sensor is moved, but both may be moved. In this case, the displacement sensor and the cut sheet are relatively moved by a common tray sheet width direction drive motor.

[0049]

According to the sheet feeding apparatus of the present invention, when detecting the sheet width, the moving means is operated by the pulse signal, so that the moving tray or / and the sheet end detecting means are moved at a constant speed. In addition to the above, the pulse width of the moving tray or / and the moving distance of the sheet end detecting means is counted by the pulse counting means to calculate the sheet width, so that the sheet width can be accurately detected. .

In the sheet feeding apparatus according to the present invention, if the sheet end detecting means is an optical sensor, the sheet end can be reliably detected.

When the sheet feeding device of the present invention is provided with the sheet aligning means, both ends of the sheet on the tray can be aligned, and the detection accuracy of the sheet edge by the sheet edge detecting means can be improved.

The image forming apparatus of the present invention forms an image on a sheet by the image forming means based on a sheet width signal from a sheet feeding apparatus capable of accurately detecting the sheet width. By moving, the inside of the image forming apparatus is not stained with, for example, ink.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a configuration of a cut sheet supply device of the present invention, in a direction orthogonal to a cut sheet conveying direction.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an operation of detecting an end of a cut sheet.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an operation of detecting an end of a cut sheet.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an operation of detecting an end of a cut sheet.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a control system of paper width detection in the cut paper supply device.

FIG. 6 is a time chart illustrating a detection effective range of a sheet width.

FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram during a sheet width detecting operation of a cut sheet supply device of another embodiment.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an operation of detecting an end of a cut sheet orthogonal to a cut sheet conveying direction, showing a configuration of a conventional cut sheet feeding apparatus.

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of a card printer and a conventional cut sheet feeding device in a cut sheet conveying direction.

[Explanation of symbols]

S Cut paper (sheet) L Cut paper width (sheet width) 101 Side regulating plate (sheet alignment means) 103, 103C Optical scanning device (sheet end detection means) 104 Transition sensor (sheet end detection means) 105 Tray paper width Direction drive motor (drive means) 201 CPU (pulse generation means, pulse count means) 500 Card printer (image forming apparatus) 500A, 500B, 500C Cut sheet supply apparatus (sheet supply apparatus) 508 Tray 515 Stopper wall (sheet alignment means) 514a to 514d Print head (image forming unit) 501 Transport unit (image forming unit) 502a to 502d Cartridge filled with ink (image forming unit)

Claims (6)

[Claims] A tray on which sheets of different sizes are stacked; a sheet edge detecting unit for detecting an edge of the sheet on the tray; and at least one of the tray and the sheet edge detecting unit. And a pulse generating means for operating the driving means with a pulse; and calculating the size of the sheet by counting the number of pulses while the sheet end detecting means detects both ends of the sheet. A sheet feeding device, comprising: pulse counting means. 2. The sheet supply according to claim 1, wherein the sheet edge detecting means is an optical sensor that detects an edge of the sheet based on a difference in a reflection time of light between the surface of the sheet and the surface of the tray. apparatus. 3. The sheet feeding apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a sheet aligning unit that sandwiches the sheet on the tray from both sides with a pair of sandwiching members and aligns the width of the sheet. 4. The sheet feeding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the tray is movable in a width direction of the sheets stacked on the tray with respect to the sheet edge detecting unit. . 5. The sheet feeding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said sheet end detecting means is disposed movably in a width direction of said sheet above a fixed tray. 6. A sheet supply apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: an image forming unit configured to form an image on a sheet supplied from the sheet supply apparatus. Image forming device.