JPS6270119A - Sheet feed device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide an easy-to-handle sheet feeder for an electronic copying machine by storing the residual quantity of sheets, which is known through counting of pulses generated with rise and sink of a tray, in a non-volatile memory even when the power is turned off, and by calling up the stored data on a counter when the power is resumed. CONSTITUTION:In a microcomputer 13 is entered information about such factors as a pulse encoder 5, sheet sensor 6, tray upper/lower limit sensor 8, 10, power supply key 11 and tray sink key 12. The microcomputer 13 processes the data according to a specified program, and when the power key 11 is known to be turned on, the residual quantity of sheets stored in a non-volatile memory 14 is set on a residual sheets counter. Together with printing, the residual quantity of sheets shall be counted. When the power key 11 is known to be turned off, the residual quantity given on the counter is written in said non-volatile memory 14. This arrangement eliminates necessity for sinking or lifting the tray when the power is turned on, which should provide an easy-to-handle device.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a paper feeding device for feeding paper such as transfer paper in electronic copiers, printers, and the like.

PRIOR ART Conventionally, paper is placed on a tray that can be raised and lowered, and the tray of the paper feed tray is moved up and down to place the topmost sheet of paper on the tray within a predetermined range. In a paper feeding device that sequentially feeds the upper sheets of paper using paper feed rollers, a pulse encoder that generates pulses in response to the raising and lowering of the tray corresponds to the paper placed on the tray based on the pulses output from the pulse encoder. It is known to calculate the paper remaining amount value using a paper remaining amount value counting means.

However, in this paper feeding device, when the power key is turned off, the value of the paper remaining amount value counter of the paper remaining amount value counting means disappears, so when the power is turned on, in order to calculate the paper remaining amount value,
There is a drawback that it is necessary to lower the tray once to the lower limit position and then raise the tray again to the upper limit position.

Purpose An object of the present invention is to provide a paper feeding device that does not require the tray to be lowered to the lower limit position and then raised to the upper limit position again in order to calculate the remaining paper amount value when the power key is turned on. There is a particular thing.

Structure The present invention is capable of placing and storing paper on a tray that can be raised and lowered, and by raising and lowering the tray of the paper feed tray, the uppermost sheet of paper loaded on the tray is placed in a predetermined range of positions. In a paper feeding device that sequentially feeds the upper sheets of paper using paper feed rollers, as shown in Figure 1, a pulse encoder generates pulses in response to the raising and lowering of the tray, and the pulse encoder outputs pulses. A paper remaining amount value counting means that calculates the paper remaining amount value corresponding to the paper placed on the tray based on the pulse, and a paper remaining amount value of this paper remaining amount value counting means is stored when the power is OFF. and a non-volatile memory for storing the information, and when the power is turned on, the paper remaining amount value stored in the non-volatile memory is entered into the paper remaining amount value counter of the paper remaining amount value counting means. shall be.

Next, specific embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

In FIG. 2, reference numeral 1 indicates a tray.

This tray 1 is used to place paper P, and is disposed inside surrounded by a side plate 2 so as to be movable up and down. A paper feed tray consisting of the tray 1 and the side plate 2 is removably disposed below a paper feed roller 3 placed at a predetermined position.

The tray 1 is raised and lowered by a tray raising and lowering means 4.

As shown in FIG. 3, this tray lifting means 4 includes a motor 4b which is fixed to a support plate 4a integral with the side plate 2 and is rotatable in forward and reverse directions, and a rotating force of a drive shaft 4C of this motor 4b. Drive shaft 4 transmitted through gear 4d and gear 4eQ
f, a drive pulley 4g *4g fixed to both ends of this drive shaft 4f, a plurality of guide pulleys 4h provided on the side plate 2, and these drive boos U 4g and guide boo +74h. two wires attached to
1, and a tray holding shaft 4j having both ends fixed to these wires 41 and holding the tray 1. The rotational force of the drive shaft 4C of the motor 4b generates a worm 4d,
Gear 4e, drive shaft 4f, drive pulley 4g and wire 4
1 to the tray holding shaft 4j, and the tray 1 is raised and lowered.

A pulse encoder 5 for detecting the remaining amount of paper P placed on the tray 1 by detecting the amount of rotation of the drive shaft 4C of the motor 4b and the amount of movement of the tray 1.
is installed. As shown in FIG. 4, this pulse encoder 5 consists of a rotating disk 5 which is fixed to a drive shaft 4C of a motor 4 and has a number of holes 5a formed in its outer periphery.
b, and detecting the hole 5a on the outer periphery of the rotating disk 5b 7
It consists of an Oto coupler 5C.

The tray IK is provided with a paper presence/absence sensor 6 that detects whether or not there is paper P on it. The paper presence/absence sensor 6 includes, for example, an actuator that is displaced by the paper P placed on the tray 1, and a photocoupler that detects the displacement of this actuator.

The shaft 3a of the paper feed roller 3 is supported by a support means (not shown) so as to be rotatable and movable within a predetermined range in the vertical direction. When the paper feed roller 3 is placed in a predetermined range of positions, the paper feed roller 3 comes into pressure contact with the paper P due to its own weight.

When the paper feed roller 3 is rotated in a predetermined direction in this state, the paper feed roller 3 feeds the paper P by rotational force and frictional force.

A detection piece 7 is attached to the shaft 3a of the paper feed roller 3 and moves integrally with the shaft 3a in the vertical direction, and one end of this detection piece 7 is rotatably supported by the support shaft 7a. . A paper upper limit sensor 8 is arranged above the paper feed roller 3. This paper upper limit sensor 8 detects the detection piece 7 and is composed of, for example, a photocoupler. When the tray 1 is raised and the highest sheet of paper P comes into contact with the paper feed roller 3 and pushes up to reach the upper limit of the predetermined range, the paper upper limit sensor 8 moves up together with the paper feed roller 3. It detects the detecting piece 7 coming and turns on.

A detection piece 9 is provided protruding from the bottom of the tray 1. A tray lower limit sensor 10 is disposed below this detection piece 9. This tray lower limit sensor 10 detects the detection piece 9, and is composed of, for example, a photocoupler. When the tray 1 is lowered and reaches the lower limit position, the tray lower limit sensor 10 detects the detection piece 9 and turns ON.

FIG. 5 shows a control device for a paper feeder according to the present invention, which will be explained next.

The above pulse encoder 5, R presence/absence sensor 6. ! In addition to the upper limit sensor 8 and tray lower limit sensor 10, the power supply provided on the operation display panel (not shown) can be turned on or off.
Information such as a power key 11 for F and a tray lowering key 12 for lowering the tray 1 is provided to the input port of the micro combinator 13.

The micro combinator 13 is a CPU ROM.

Consists of RAM and input/output board, R and AM are volatile.
belongs to. RAM of the above microcomputer 13
, information from a paper remaining amount value counter and a paper presence/absence sensor 6 for counting the pulses outputted by the pulse encoder 5 and calculating the remaining paper amount value corresponding to the paper P placed on the tray 1. A tray lift possible flag is provided for storing the case where the tray I can be lifted based on information from the tray lowering key 12.

A drive circuit 4k for the motor 4b is connected to the output port of the micro combinator 13.

A nonvolatile memory 14 is connected to the input/output port of the micro combinator 13.

An example of the operation of the paper feeding device of the present invention described above will be explained based on the sixth section and FIG. 7.

The ROM of the microcomputer 13 stores a program shown in the flowcharts of FIGS. 6 and 7, and the operation of the paper feeding apparatus of the present invention is executed according to this program. FIG. 6 shows the main routine of the flow, and FIG. 7 shows the subroutine of the flow.

First, in step (2), it is checked whether the power key 11 is turned on. When the power key 11 is turned on in step (2), it is checked in step (2) whether or not the tray lower limit sensor 10 is turned on.

If it is determined in step (2) that the tray lower limit sensor 10 is not ON, in step (2), the paper remaining amount value stored in the non-volatile memory 14 is entered into the paper remaining amount value counter, and then in step (2), the [tray lift possible flag] is set. =1. Tray lower limit sensor 10 is turned ON in step ■
If it is determined that this is the case, go to step ■.

When it is determined in step (2) that [tray lift possible flag]=1, it is checked in step (2) whether or not the paper upper limit sensor 8 is ON. In step ■, the paper upper limit sensor 8 is O.
If it is determined to be N, there is no need to raise the tray 1, so the process returns to step (2).

If it is determined in the above step (■) that the paper upper limit sensor 8 is not ON, the tray 1 is raised in step (2), the remaining paper amount value counting routine is performed in step (2), and then in step (2) it is determined whether or not the paper upper limit sensor 8 is ON. Check whether If it is determined in step (2) that the paper upper limit sensor 8 is not ON, the process returns to step (2) and the raising of the tray 1 is continued.

When it is determined that the paper upper limit sensor 8 is ON in step (2), the tray 1 is stopped in step (2), and then it is checked in step [phase] whether or not the power key 11 has changed from ON to OFF. Power key 11 is turned on at step [phase]
If it is determined that the switch has not been turned off, the process returns to step (2). In step [phase], power key 11 changes from ON to O.
If it is determined that it is FF, the value of the paper remaining amount value counter is written in the nonvolatile memory 14 in step 0, and then the process returns to step (2). Step 0 is executed when the power key 11 is turned off and the voltage applied to the RAM of the microcomputer 13 has not fallen to a level that does not erase the value stored in the RAM.

Next, the paper remaining amount value counting routine in step (2) above will be explained based on FIG.

First, in step @, it is checked whether the tray lower limit sensor 10 is ON. If the tray lower limit sensor 10 is ON in step [phase], a paper remaining amount value counter KM is entered in step 0, and then the process returns to the main routine.

This M is the number of sheets P that can be accommodated in the tray 1, that is, the maximum remaining amount of paper.

If it is determined in step @ that the tray lower limit sensor 10 is not ON, it is checked in step 0 whether or not there is a pulse from the pulse encoder 5.

If it is determined in step 0 that there is no pulse encoder 5 or Ranohalska, the process returns to the main routine.

If it is determined in step (2) that there is a pulse from the pulse encoder 5, then in step (2), [remaining paper amount counter) - a is calculated, and then the process returns to the main routine. This a
is the number of sheets P corresponding to the amount of movement of the tray 1 from when one pulse is generated by the pulse encoder 5 until the next pulse is generated when the tray 1 is moved up.

The RAM of the microcomputer 13 can be made of non-volatile gold, and in this case the non-volatile memory 14 is not required.

Effect The purpose of the present invention is to store the paper remaining amount value in non-volatile memory when the power key is OFF, so when the power key is turned ON.
In this case, there is no need to lower the tray once to the lower limit position and then raise it again to the upper limit position in order to calculate the paper remaining amount value.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a partially cutaway front view showing the main parts of a paper feeding device as an embodiment of the invention, and Fig. 3 is a tray lifting means of the same paper feeding device. FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a pulse encoder of the above paper feed device, FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a control device of the above paper feed device, and FIGS. 6 and 7 are a diagram of the above paper feed device. It is a flowchart for explaining operation. 1... Tray, 3... Paper feed roller, 4...
...Tray lifting means, 5...Pulse encoder, 13
...Microcomputer, 14...Nonvolatile memory%10

Claims (1)

[Claims] Paper is placed and stored in a tray that can be raised and lowered. By raising and lowering the tray of the paper feed tray, the uppermost sheet of paper loaded on the tray is placed in a predetermined position, and the uppermost sheet of paper is sequentially placed. In a paper feed device that feeds paper using a paper feed roller, there is a pulse encoder that generates pulses in response to the raising and lowering of the tray, and a pulse encoder that responds to the paper placed on the tray based on the pulses output from this pulse encoder. a paper remaining amount value counting means for calculating a paper remaining amount value to be calculated; and a non-volatile memory for storing the paper remaining amount value of the paper remaining amount value counting means when the power is OFF; A paper feeding device characterized in that a paper remaining amount value stored in a non-volatile memory is entered into a paper remaining amount value counter of a paper remaining amount value counting means when the remaining paper amount value is turned on.