JPS6364779A - Sheet feeder - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Abstract] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION A. INDUSTRIAL APPLICATION The present invention relates to an effective paper feeding device capable of feeding paper at different speeds and applying tension to the paper in its entry and exit paths.

B. Prior Art Conventional computer printers can be divided into two categories. One is a so-called letter quality printer with good printing quality, and the other is a printer whose main purpose is data processing and does not require high quality printing. Each of these printers has used completely different paper handling mechanisms. Letter quality printers were designed to process cut sheets, while data processing printers were designed to process continuous paper. However, as computer printers have evolved, buttons have been designed to combine the functions of both letter quality printing and data processing printing. This has led to the need to design paper handling mechanisms that can feed both sheet and continuous paper.

Two solutions to this problem have recently been proposed. First, U.S. Pat. No. 4,569,610 discloses a paper-fed printer with alternative paths for feeding either sheet or continuous paper. Other printers have disclosed printers with removable paper feeding modules.

The problem with the printer of U.S. Pat. No. 4,569,610 is that
The continuous paper must be removed before operating in sheet feeding mode. Otherwise, continuous paper will be fed while in paper feed mode, wasting paper. On the other hand, in printers having the above-mentioned modules, the operator must manually replace different paper feeding modules depending on the type of paper, which is inconvenient for the operator.

C1 Problems to be Solved by the Invention In a paper feeding device that handles various types of paper, it is necessary to arrange a large number of feeding rollers in a narrow space. There was nothing that could effectively apply tension.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a simple paper feeding device that effectively applies tension to paper.

D6 Means of Solving Problem The present invention provides an at least two speed feed roller mechanism that deforms the compressible material feed roller by different amounts with separate idler rollers opposing it to provide different feed speeds. can be obtained by adopting The feed rate, in this embodiment, is non-linearly related to the amount of deformation or deflection, such that a large deflection causes a small change in the feed rate. This maintains high tension on the paper as it passes through the printing station.

The paper feed mechanism of the preferred embodiment includes a computer system with means for recording information including a platen and a print head.
Intended for use with printers. The print head and platen are disposed in a predetermined spatial relationship to each other so as to define a print station therebetween. The paper feeding device of the present invention includes a first means for storing a blank recording medium, a second means for storing a recording medium on which information is recorded, and a recording of the blank sheet from the first means before printing. and a paper feed path for transporting the media through the printing station and to the second means.

The paper feed path has one inlet path and one outlet path.

The mechanism also includes one compressible feed roller in contact with first and second rigid idler rollers. a first rigid idler roller disposed adjacent the inlet path;
A second hard idler roller is disposed adjacent the exit path. A first hard idler roller is pressed against the compressible feed roller to deform the feed roller to a small radius R1, and a second hard idler roller is pressed against the compressible feed roller. The feed roller is deformed to a small radius R2. Since the radius R1 is also smaller than the radius R2, the recording medium moves along the exit path at a higher feeding speed than when the recording medium moves along the entrance path.

In other embodiments, a recording medium is provided to a printing station;
The paper feeding mechanism for transporting the recording medium to the container includes an improved paper path having a sheet entry path, a continuous paper entry path, and an exit path. The sheet inlet path has means for receiving sheets and the outlet path has means for transferring the printed recording medium to a container for storage.

A compressible feed roller is adjacent to both the sheet entry path and the exit path and has a radius R in the uncompressed state. The compressible feed roller and the first hard idler roller define an inlet nip therebetween and drive the recording medium along a sheet-fed inlet path to high friction roller means downstream thereof. go. The first idler roller is pressed against the compressible feed roller and reduces its uncompressed radius R to the inlet radius R1. A first hard idler roller and a compressible roller of inlet radius R1 feed the recording medium along the sheet inlet path at a feed rate that is equal to or slightly higher than the feed rate of the high friction roller means. The relationship is driven by

The high friction roller means transports the recording medium along the paper path to a printing station.

Opposing roller means cooperating with the high friction roller means drive the recording medium. The opposing roller positioning means moves the opposing roller into and out of contact with the high friction roller means.

The opposing roller positioning means has an engaging position in which the opposing roller is in a driving relationship with the high friction roller means and a non-locking position in which the opposing roller is not in a driving relationship.

The opposed roller positioning means further defines a sheet entry path when it is in the engaged position and defines a continuous paper entry path when it is in the disengaged position. Tractor means is arranged to feed continuous paper into the continuous paper entry path.

Downstream of the high friction roller and print station is a second hard idler roller that cooperates with the compressible feed roller to define an exit nip. A second hard idler roller is pressed against the compressible feed roller and reduces the uncompressed radius R to the exit radius R2. The inlet radius R1 is also narrower than the outlet radius R2. A second hard idler roller and a compressible feed roller of exit radius R2 drive the recording medium along the exit path at a feed rate higher than the feed rate of the high friction roller means. In a relationship. It then serves to maintain tension in the recording medium as it passes through the printing station and toward the container.

E. Example FIG. 1 shows a roller arrangement with two feed speeds.

The means for recording information on a recording medium are shown as including a print head 1 and a platen 2. The print head may be a wire, matrix, inkjet, or other type of device that generates characters. The platen is a fixed bar constructed of aluminum or other suitable material.

A printhead 1 and a platen 2 are arranged in a predetermined spatial arrangement to define a printing station 3 therebetween.

The printhead and platen are part of a printer (not shown) configured for the paper feeding apparatus of the present invention.

The separator 10 includes two paper containers 12 for storing blank recording media and an outlet surface 1 for storing recording media on which information has been recorded.
4. Recording media, such as sheets, labels, envelopes, etc., are transferred from the container 12 to the inlet path 22 and returned along the exit path 24 to the exit surface 14 . Entrance route 2
2 and exit path 24 form part of paper path 20 .

Downstream of the separator 10 is a first hard idler roller 3
There is a compressible feed roller 3° in contact with 2. A feed row 230 and an idler row 232 are disposed adjacent to the inlet passageway 22 and define an inlet nip 34 therebetween.

The feed roller 3o is made of a microcellular urethane material that has a low durometer when hardness is measured using the Standard, Shore A method. In the preferred embodiment, the compressible material of the feed roller 60 has a durometer of 20, although materials up to a durometer of 40 have been found to work.

Compressible feed row 230 has a radius R in the uncompressed state. The effect of the hard idler roller 32 pressing against the feed roller 30 is to deform or bias the feed roller 30 at the entrance radius R1'1.

After passing through the inlet clamp 34, the recording medium enters the paper path 20.
along the high friction roller means 40. The high friction roller means 4o includes a metering roller 42 and opposing rollers 42 and 44. High friction roller means 40 accurately meter the recording medium towards recording station 3.

The entrance radius R1 is selected such that the recording medium travels along said entrance path at a speed equal to or slightly faster than the speed at which the recording medium is fed to the printing station 3 by the high friction roller means 40.

A rigid idler roller 36 is pressed against the compressible feed roller 30 near the exit path 24 and defines an exit nip 38 therebetween. The feed roller 230 is compressed by the action of pressing the hard idler roller 36 against the feed roller 30.
is deformed with an exit radius R2-1 that is equal to or smaller than the radius R when uncompressed. The exit radius R2 is the entrance radius R1
Yoshi is also selected to be large. Feeding roller 30 is 1
Since the book rotates at a constant angular velocity on the shaft (not shown), the linear velocity of the recording medium passing through the inlet holding part 64 is
It is higher than the linear velocity when passing through the outlet clamping portion 38.

In order to achieve a high feeding speed at the outlet nipping section 38, the idler roller 66 on the outlet side only needs to apply a lower feeding force to the feed roller 30 than the idler roller 32 on the inlet side. The combination of high feed speed and low feed force has the cooperative effect of keeping the recording medium taut as it passes through the printing station without destroying the metering effect of the high friction roller means 40.

After passing the outlet clamp 38, the recording medium moves along the outlet path 2aK and is conveyed to the separator 10, where it passes through the outlet l11.
114.

Referring now to FIG. 2, it can be seen that an enlarged view of a group of rollers with two feed speeds is shown.

Hard idler rollers 32 and 36 are connected to fixed shaft 5
2 and 54, eliminating the need for spring loading.

FIG. 3 shows a preferred embodiment of the two-speed roller group. Compressible feed roller 30 includes a central roller 31 and
It supports side rollers 33 and 35 to maintain a recording medium (not shown) in contact therewith and urged against idler rollers 32 and 36. central roller 31
By making the width of the inlet holding part 3 as small as possible,
4 and the outlet holding portion 5B are also smaller, and the driving force required to rotate the shaft 50 is also smaller. Supporting side rollers 36 and 35 need not be constructed of the same compressible material as central roller 31, although in the preferred embodiment they are constructed of the same material. central roller 31
The width of the idler roller is slightly narrower than the width of the idler roller, and preferably less than half the width of the idler roller. Idler rollers 32 and 36
are constructed of acetal, nylon, and other similar hard materials. In the preferred embodiment, four two speed rollers are disposed on shaft 50.

The multimode paper feed mechanism is shown in FIG. 4 in sheet feed mode and in FIG. 5 in continuous paper feed mode. FIG. 5 shows a paper path 20 of this feeding mechanism, which includes an entrance path 22, a continuous paper path 2
3 and an exit path 24.

Please refer now to FIG. This opposing roller positioning means is in the state in sheet feeding mode. In the sheet feeding mode, the counter roller 46 remains in contact with the high friction roller to transport the recording medium along the paper path through the printing station 3 and meter the amount of transport.

The swing arm means 202 for guiding the recording medium is positioned to define a sheet entry path.

The swinging arm means 202 has two positions: a rest position 206 for the sheet feed mode and a detect position 208 (see FIG. 7) for the continuous paper feed mode. Therefore, the position is determined. Cam means 204 is positioned by a biasing knob (not shown) or other suitable mechanical or electronic means well known to those skilled in the art.

The cam means 204 connects the idler gear 212 to the drive gear 20.
0 and is coupled to a clutch link mechanism 21o for shifting to an engaged state or a disengaged state. Idler gear 21
2 is constantly engaged with the tractor gear 214 of the tractor means 100. Referring now to FIG. 7, cam means 2
04 is at the detect position 208, and the idler gear 212
is driven by the drive gear 200 and the tractor gear 214
to drive. The tractor gear 214 feeds the continuous paper through the continuous paper inlet path KG. The roller 42 is the driving gear 200
is driven by. Drive gear 200 is driven by a stepper motor (not shown) or other suitable means.

F0 Effects of the Invention According to the present invention, the inlet side idler roller and the outlet side idler roller are engaged with one compressible feeding roller, so that the radius R1 on the inlet side is larger than the radius R2 on the outlet side. The structure was designed so that the paper feeding speed was faster on the exit side than on the entrance side, so that sufficient tension was obtained for the paper between them, and the feeding roller and its space were It has the effect of saving money.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a roller device with two feeding speeds according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line A--A in FIG. 1. FIG. 3 shows a preferred embodiment of a dual feed, speed roller system. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a state in which sheets are fed. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a state in which continuous paper is fed. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating the opposing roller positioning mechanism engaged for sheet feeding. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an opposing roller positioning mechanism configured to feed continuous paper. 1...Print head, 2...Latin, 3...
・Printing station, 12...Paper container, 14...
- Outlet device, 20...paper path, 22...inlet path, 24...outlet path, 60...compressible feed roller, 32.34...idler roller. Applicant: I.N.T.F73TJ.BusinessMasi.Z.K.Representative: Patent Attorney: Oka 1
) Next student (1 other person) N2 figure 3

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) A paper feeding device used in combination with a printer having an information recording means including a platen defining a printing station therebetween and a print head for printing, and storing paper before printing. means for storing paper after printing; a paper feed path for transporting said paper from said first means via said printing station to said second means; and a paper feed path in said paper feed path. The first one is located adjacent to the entrance route.
a compressible feed roller in common contact with a hard idler roller of the paper feed path and a second hard idler roller disposed adjacent an exit path in the paper feed path, the first The radius R1 of the feeding roller of the portion deformed by the pressing of the second idler roller is
A paper feeding device comprising: a radius R2 of the portion deformed by the pressing of the roller, which is smaller than the radius R2 of the feeding roller. (2) The width of the compressible feeding roller is the same as that of the idler.
The paper feeding device according to claim 1, wherein the width is less than or equal to the width of the roller.