JPS62255331A - Sheet feed device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To eliminate a mechanism of releasing a friction roller and to simplify constitution of a device, by combining a roller which is disposed to the one end of a pivoting arm and positioned so that it can roll within a groove. CONSTITUTION:When a sheet feed table C3 is positioned to the inlet of a sheet feed part, a motor 39 for a drawing device is run to draw out the sheet feed table C3 to the drawing position of the sheet feed part. In this case, a notch part 37 of a disc 36 is positioned in a photo interrupter device 35 to output a stop signal for the motor 39 from the device 35 to a central processing unit, and the motor is rendered inoperative to complete drawing of the sheet feed part. Thereafter, with an elevating device 20 actuated again, an uppermost sheet on the sheet feed table C3 pushes up the roller of a sheet feed means and the shaft thereof, and a holding member is raised until the photo interrupter device 57 is caused to perform a motion of shielding light. During light shielding motion, i.e., when the sheet feed table C3 is positioned in the working position of a suction cylinder 52, the elevating device 20 is rendered inoperative. Thereafter, a valve member 67 is released, and a sheet feed roller 64 is rotated to perform desired feed of a sheet.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a paper feeding device used in an apparatus or machine such as a printer or a copying machine that uses a large number of sheets of paper.
The present invention relates to a paper feeding device having a plurality of paper feeding trays arranged vertically in multiple stages on which sheets of paper of several sizes are stacked.

[Prior Art] In the field of image reproduction devices such as printers and copying machines,
With the expansion of the range of use, image reproduction of various sizes is required, and as a result, it is necessary to have an effective paper feeding device to appropriately feed sheets of paper of a plurality of different sizes into the printer. .

Typical paper feeding devices include a cassette-type device in which a cassette of a desired paper size can be changed manually as needed, or a cassette-type device that accommodates sheet paper of many pre-selected sizes and feeds it mechanically as needed. Paper feed tray type devices are known that select sheet paper of a desired size. The former has the advantage of simplifying the mechanical configuration of the paper feeding device, but it is difficult to store a large number of meters of paper (for example, 500 sheets), and the work of attaching and detaching the cassette is complicated, and if the paper size is A1 or AO. The problem remains that it is unsuitable for large sizes such as. Therefore, the latter is mainly used in printers that require large-volume printing and large-sized printing. The latter has the advantage that the paper size can be selected with one touch by operating a switch on the printer operation panel, making it easy to use.

Conventionally, as this type of device, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 57-1950
As illustrated in Publication No. 49, a plurality of paper feed trays for different paper sizes are arranged in multiple stages on a holding member so that their front ends are aligned in a substantially straight line in the vertical direction, and the holding member is adjusted as appropriate. A configuration is known in which a desired paper feed tray is positioned at the entrance of the paper feed section by moving up and down, and then the paper feed tray is pulled out in a substantially horizontal direction and placed inside the paper feed section.

Such withdrawal is conventionally carried out by arranging a slide plate on the side of the paper feed table and driving a friction roller that engages with the slide plate.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, in the above configuration, there is a mechanism for opening and releasing the friction rollers on both sides when the paper feed tray is moved in the vertical direction, and in addition, there is a mechanism for opening and releasing the friction rollers on both sides when the paper feed tray is moved in the vertical direction. This requires a mechanism to detect and control the device, making the device complex.

The present invention has been made in view of the problems of conventional paper feeding devices as described above, and provides a paper feeding device equipped with a simple and convenient pull-out device that can pull out a desired paper feeding tray as appropriate. The purpose is to

[Means for Solving the Problems] For this reason, the paper feeding device according to the present invention includes a holding member that stores a paper feeding tray loaded with sheet paper in multiple stages vertically so as to be movable in a substantially horizontal direction; an elevating device that moves the holding member vertically on the side of the paper feed section; and a pull-out device that pulls out a paper feed table located at the entrance of the paper feed section in a substantially horizontal direction and guides the paper feed table to the paper feed section. In a paper feeding device having
The pull-out device includes a guide member which is arranged to be movable in a substantially horizontal direction by hooking the paper feed tray and has a guide groove extending in the vertical direction, and a guide member which is arranged at the entrance of the paper feed section and engages with the guide member at the position. and a drive device for pulling out the guide member, the guide member being vertically aligned with the guide member of another paper feed tray to form a continuous path by the guide groove, and the drive device , a roller provided at a free end of a pivot arm having one end pivotally connected and rolling within a guide groove of the guide member;
and means for pivoting the pivot arm.

[Function] With the above-described configuration, during operation, the pivoting arm of the drive device pivots to pull out the paper feed tray via the roller and the guide member and position the paper feed tray within the paper feed section.

Furthermore, when the paper feed tray is moved in the vertical direction, the rollers are located within the guide grooves of the guide member, so that they do not interfere with the movement of the paper feed tray.

[Example] The illustrated invention will now be described in detail.

FIG. 1 shows an example of a paper feeding device according to the present invention. In this example, the paper feeding device 1 is of a unit type that can be separated from the printer main body 2, and when connected to the printer main body, an appropriate control means is used. The operation is controlled in relation to the operation of the printer main body 2.

The paper feeder 1 has an IC paper feed tray holding member 3 that accommodates a plurality of paper feed trays C1, C2, C3, and C4 stacked with sheets of several sizes in multiple stages vertically at approximately equal intervals. The holding member 3 has a box frame shape that is open in the left and right directions as seen in FIG. 1, and near both ends of the outer surface of the side plate 3a (only one is shown) are slide rails fixed to the side plate 1a of the paper feeder and extending up and down. supported by the device 4, whereby the holding member 3
The whole can move up and down.

On the other hand, in order to execute this movement, sprockets 5, 6, 7, 8, . Further, sprockets 9 located adjacent to sprocket 8 are respectively rotatably arranged, and these sprockets 5, 6, 9, 7, 8, . An endless chain 10 is strung around the ends in that order. This chain 10 is fixed to the side plate 3a of the holding member 3 at its proper position 11, and as the chain moves, the holding member 3 is moved in the vertical direction. Incidentally, the sprockets 5 to 9 and the chain 10 are arranged in a similar configuration on the other side of the holding member 3. As shown in the figure, the sprocket 5 is connected to a drive sprocket 13 via another chain 12, and the drive sprocket 13 is connected to the drive shaft of a forward/reverse motor (not shown) via a suitable reduction gear. . The forward/reverse motor is operated in either the forward or reverse direction by the control means described later based on a signal from the paper feed tray selection switch on the operation panel of the printer main body, and moves the holding member 3 up and down to the desired paper feed tray. on the side of the paper feed section 50 (
(hereinafter referred to as the paper feed section entrance) 51.

In order to detect the vertical position of each paper feed table, dynasty protrusions 14, 15. J: Uni photo interrupter device 17, 18, 19 in which the protrusion 14, 15, 16 can penetrate into the light-shielding path on the opposing portion of the side plate 1a of the paper feeding device.
is located. The photointerrupter device transmits a predetermined signal to a control device, which will be described later, depending on whether the corresponding protrusion is located within the light-blocking path. The protrusions 14, 15 and 16 are arranged at different levels with some parts overlapping in the vertical direction, and depending on the combination of which photointerrupter device these protrusions are located in the light-shielding path, the protrusions are selected. The position of the paper feed table can be detected. For example, if we assume that the paper feed section population 51 is the illumination standard, if the photointerrupter devices 17 and 19 are shielded from light by the protrusions 14 and 16, the uppermost paper feed tray C1 will be located at the paper feed section population 51. Then, when the holding member 3 is raised and only the photo-interrupter device 17 is in a light-shielded state, the paper feed table C1 is at the operating position of the paper feeding means of the paper feed section.

Similarly, when the photo-interrupter devices 17 and 18 are shielded from light, the second paper feed tray C2 is used, and when the photo-interrupter devices 18 and 19 are shielded from light, the third paper feed tray C3 is used. are located at the paper feed section population 51, and when both photointerrupter devices are open, the lowest paper feed tray C4 is located at the paper feed section entrance.

Based on such detection, the holding member is moved up and down so that the selected paper feed tray is located at the entrance of the paper feed section.

Each of the paper feed trays C1 to C4 is arranged so as to be able to slide on the upper surface of each support plate 21 provided in multiple stages between the side plates 3a of the holding member, and its movement in the horizontal direction (left and right direction as seen in FIG. 1) is controlled by the side plates 3a. The paper feed trays 01 to C3 are guided by a horizontally extending guide member (not shown) attached to the inner surface of the holding member 3a, and the paper feed trays 01 to C3 are The paper feed tray C4 can be pulled out only in the right direction. Incidentally, a plurality of rollers 22 are arranged on the side surface of the paper feed table C so as to be able to slide on the support plate 21 to facilitate the above-mentioned withdrawal.

Referring to FIG. 3, the paper feed trays 01 to C3 will be described. The paper feed tray C has a bin member 23 projecting laterally on one side thereof, and the paper feed tray C is held by a holding member 23. As the bin member 23 is stored in the paper feed tray guide member 24
It is latched by a latching device 25, and the paper feed table is housed in a predetermined position.

The guide member 24 has a horizontal arm 26 that is supported movably in the horizontal direction with respect to the holding member 3, and the above-mentioned latching device 25 is disposed on the rear end side of the horizontal arm 26, and a cross section is provided on the front end side. A vertical arm 27 in the shape of an opening is fixed such that its open portion 28 faces outward in the lateral direction with respect to the direction in which the paper feed table is pulled out. The guide member 24 has one side of the vertical arm 27 connected to the support plate 21.
The vertical arm 27 is prevented from moving rightward as seen in FIG. By coming into contact with two short blocking members, movement to the left as seen in FIG. 1 is prevented. As shown in FIG. 1, the blocking member 29 is opened at the paper feed section entrance 51 over a sufficient range to allow the guide member 24 and the paper feed tray C to pass through, so that the paper feed tray is opened at the paper feed section entrance 51. The guide member 24 and paper feed table can be pulled out to the left when viewed in FIG. In the state in which the paper feed trays 01 to C3 are housed in the holding member 3, the respective guide members 24 for the paper feed trays 01 to C3 have their vertical arms 27 aligned in the vertical direction, and the respective open portions 28 form continuous guide groove passages. It is located so as to form a

A pull-out roller 31 is disposed so as to be movable within the passage. The pull-out roller 31 is rotatably provided at the free end of an arm 32, one end of which is pivotally connected to the side plate 1a of the paper feeding device. The surface is arranged so as to be in rolling contact with the inner surface of the vertical arm 27. A crank arm 34, one end of which is pivoted near the outer periphery of a rotary disc 33, is pivotally connected to the center of the arm 32, and the crank arm 34 pivots the arm 32 in accordance with the rotation of the disc 33. ,
As a result, the pull-out roller 31 pulls out the guide member 24 located in the guide portion 51 and its paper feed tray, and positions the front end side of the paper feed tray within the paper feed portion 50 .

In order to detect the withdrawal of the paper feed tray, a photointerrupter device @35 is arranged at the fixed part of the paper feed device so that the outer periphery of the disk 33 can pass through, while Two cut-off parts 36 at 180° opposing positions
．． 3γ is formed and when the notch 36 is located in the photo-interrupter device 35, it is detected that the paper feed table is located in the predetermined paper feed section, and the notch 37 is located in the photo-interrupter device 35. It is detected that the paper feed tray is located at the entrance of the paper feed section when the paper feed table is located at the paper feed section entrance. This detection signal is sent to a control device described later. Incidentally, the reference numeral 39 is a motor for driving the disc.

The drawn-out paper feed tray is located below the working position of the paper feeding device of the paper feeding section (hereinafter referred to as the drawn-out position), and is then raised to the working position by the operation of the lifting device 20.

On the other hand, regarding the lowest paper feed tray C4, the paper feed tray C4 is
4 is normally loaded with the largest size sheet paper, and when it is housed in the holding member 3 as shown in FIG. It is located at the front, and is located at approximately the same position where the paper feed trays 01 to C3 are pulled out. Therefore, when the paper feed tray C4 is selected, the paper feed tray is directly raised to the operating position of the paper feeding means of the paper feed section, and the above-described operation of pulling out the paper feed tray is omitted.

The paper feeding section 50 will be described with reference to FIG.
2, a space is formed below the suction cylinder 52 in which paper feed trays C1 to C4 pulled out from the holding member 3 can be moved in the vertical direction.

The intake cylinder 52 has a guide sleeve 54 fixed to its rear wall 53 and extending vertically, and within the guide sleeve 54 is a shaft 56 that rotatably supports a roller 55 at its lower end and is guided so that it can move up and down. has been done.

The roller 55 comes into contact with the uppermost sheet paper on the paper feed tray C, and causes the shaft 56 to respond to the vertical movement of the paper feed tray. The upper end of @56 can penetrate from below into the light-blocking path of the photointerrupter device 57 attached to the rear wall 53 of the intake cylinder 52, and when the paper feed table C reaches the operating position of the intake cylinder 52. At times, the upper end of the shaft 56 is positioned within the light-blocking path of the photo-interrupter device 57 to perform a light-blocking operation, and a signal generated by this light-blocking is sent to a later-described control device for the paper feed table to stop upward movement of the paper feed table. It is supposed to be done.

The intake cylinder 52 has a rear wall 53, a front wall 58, and a lower end thereof.
It has an intake chamber 62 defined by a bottom wall 59 and an inclined wall 61, and the inclined wall 61 has an intake opening 6 extending laterally.
3 is formed. A paper feed roller 64 whose outer circumference is covered with a rubber ring is disposed within the intake chamber 62 so that a portion of its outer circumferential surface protrudes outward from the opening 63 .
It is connected to a suitable rotary drive device via a screwdriver so that it can be rotated at a predetermined speed in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in FIG.

The intake cylinder 52 forms a valve chamber 66 in the upper part of the intake chamber 62, and the valve chamber 66 has a rotary valve member 67 mounted therein, so that the flow of air within the intake chamber can be blocked. ing. The upper portion of the intake cylinder 52 is connected to a suitable negative pressure generating device 68 (shown in FIG. 1), such as a blower, to maintain the intake section 62 at a pressure lower than atmospheric pressure. As a result, when the paper feed tray is in the suction cylinder working position, the uppermost sheet paper on the paper feed tray is moved to the suction tube 5 by the intake air from the opening 63.
2 and then roller 64 rotates to feed the top sheet of paper to feed roller 69. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 71 denotes an air blowing device, which blows air substantially parallel to the surface of the sheet of paper to separate the uppermost sheet from the following sheets.

Next, with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6, control of movement of the paper feed table will be described. Such control is performed, for example, by a control circuit 80 shown in FIG. 5, and the v control circuit 80 is a fixed storage device containing a control program! (ROM>81,
ROM 81 includes a central processing unit (CPLJ) 82 that processes information according to a control program, a constant-speed access memory (RAM) 83 that temporarily stores calculation results and data, and signals from each switch and detection means. It has an input interface circuit 84 and an output interface circuit 85 for.

FIG. 1 shows a state in which the second paper feed tray C2 is in the operating position of the suction cylinder 52, but in this state, the third paper feed tray C3
Assume that you select . When paper feed tray C3 is selected by the paper feed tray selection switch 86 on the operation panel of the printer body, the signal 87 is sent to the input interface circuit 84.
is input to the CPU 82 via the . Based on this signal,
Data indicating that the paper feed tray C3 should be located at the entrance of the paper feed section is read out. On the other hand, a signal 88 indicating the current position of the paper feed tray C3 is inputted to the CPU 82 from the paper feed tray position detection means, that is, the photointerrupter device 17, 18, 19, through the input interface circuit 84, and the CPU 82 receives these signals. Compare the signals 87 and 88, and if the signals indicate different paper feed tray positions, operate the lifting device 20 to lower the paper feed tray C2 from the working position of the suction pipe 52 and position it at the draw-out position. Then, the motor 39 of the pull-out device is operated to return the paper feed tray C2 to the paper feed section entrance. On the other hand, the CPU 82 determines whether or not the selected paper feed tray C3 is above the current paper feed tray C2, and accordingly operates the lifting device 20 again in either the forward or reverse direction and holds it in this case. (operates to raise the member 3), and paper feed tray position detection means 17.18.1
9 causes the holding member 3 to rise until it is detected that the paper feed tray C3 has reached the paper feed section entrance. After the paper feed tray C3 is located at the entrance of the paper feed section, the motor 39 of the pull-out device is activated to pull out the paper feed tray C3 to the pull-out position of the paper feed section. A stop signal for the motor 39 is issued from the device 35 to the dPU located at the automatic interrupter device 35, and the motor is deenergized to complete the withdrawal. Then, the lifting device 20 is operated again,
The topmost sheet of paper on the paper feed tray C3 is transferred to the O-ra 55 of the paper feeding means.
and the photointerrupter device 5 by pushing up its shaft 54.
7 until the light shielding operation is performed, and the elevating device 20 is deenergized during the light shielding operation, that is, when the paper feed section 03 is located at the operating position of the suction cylinder 52. Valve member 67 then releases and paper feed roller 64 rotates as the sheet of paper decreases to shaft 5.
4 is out of the light-blocking path of the photointerrupter device 57, the lifting device is operated again to raise the paper feed platform and maintain the level of the uppermost sheet in the working position of the suction cylinder.

The operation of the paper feed trays described above is performed in the same manner for all of the paper feed trays C1 to C3.

On the other hand, when the lowest paper feed tray C4 is selected, the paper feed tray C2 located in the suction section is returned to the paper feed section entrance as described above, and then the lifting device 20 is operated to raise the paper feed tray. The holding member 3 is raised until the top sheet of paper C4 moves through the rollers and shafts of the paper feed section and activates the photointerrupter device 57.

In the above example, the suction tube was used as the paper feeding means, but
Other feeding means such as a paper feed roller may also be used. Also, paper feed tray position detection means 17.18.19 drawer detection means 35
Although a photo-interrupter device is used as the sheet feeding unit detection means 57, mechanical detection means such as a micro switch may also be used.

[Effects of the Invention] With the configuration described above, the present invention has a guide member that forms a guide groove in the vertical direction, and a roller that is disposed at one end of the pivot arm and is rotatably positioned within the guide groove. By combining them, it is possible to simplify the configuration of the device without requiring additional mechanisms such as conventional mechanisms for releasing friction.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of an example of a paper feeding device according to the present invention, and FIG.
The figure is a side view showing the paper feed tray position detection means of the apparatus shown in FIG.
Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing an example of the drawer device of the device shown in Fig. 1, Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view of the paper feed section of Fig. 1, and Fig. 5 shows a control circuit for the operation of the paper feed tray. The block diagram shown in Figure 6 is
3 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure in the control circuit shown in the figure. 1... Paper feeding device, 3... Holding member, 20...
- Lifting device, 24...Paper feed tray guide member, 50...
- Paper feeding section, 51... Paper feeding section entrance, 80... Control means. 211 Figure 5 Figure 3

Claims (1)

[Claims] a holding member that is movable in a substantially horizontal direction and stores a paper feed tray loaded with sheet paper in multiple stages in the vertical direction; a lifting device that moves the holding member in the vertical direction on a side of the paper feed unit; and a paper feed unit. In a paper feeding device having a drawer device that pulls out a paper feed tray located at an entrance in a substantially horizontal direction and guides the paper feed tray to a paper feeding section, the drawer device latches the paper feed tray and pulls out the paper feed tray in a substantially horizontal direction. It has a guide member that is movably arranged and has a guide groove extending in the vertical direction, and a drive device that is arranged at the entrance of the paper feed section and engages with the guide member at the position to pull out the guide member. , the guide member is vertically aligned with the guide members of other paper feed trays to form a continuous passage through the guide groove, and the drive device is provided at a free end of a pivot arm having one end pivotally connected. A paper feeding device further comprising: a roller that rolls within a guide groove of the guide member; and means for pivoting the pivot arm.