TWM517099U - Sheet-feeding apparatus - Google Patents

Description

Paper feeding device

The present invention relates to a paper feeding device, and more particularly to a paper feeding device having a function of correcting file skew.

The existing automatic paper feeding device is mainly applied to scanning devices such as a flatbed scanner, a paper feeding scanner or a multifunction printer, and the automatic paper feeding device is used for feeding files one by one to the inside of the device to scan or list the files. Printing and other work. If the user places the document obliquely on the automatic paper feeding device, or if the document is skewed during the feeding process, the scanned or printed image will be skewed, and the document may be jammed during the feeding process. Damaged.

Therefore, the main object of the present invention is to provide a paper feeding device capable of correcting a skew state when a document is fed, thereby smoothly and smoothly conveying document movement and avoiding paper jam or damage.

Therefore, the novel paper feeding device is for feeding a file, the paper feeding device comprises a casing, a paper take-up roller assembly, a conveying roller assembly, a plurality of optical sensors, a plurality of swing arms, and a control module .

The casing defines a paper feed passage for guiding the movement of the document The paper take-up roller assembly is disposed on the casing for driving the document to move in the paper feeding passage along a conveying direction, and the conveying roller assembly is disposed on the casing and spaced apart from the paper taking roller assembly, wherein the conveying roller assembly is used Blocking the end edge of the document, the transport roller assembly can rotate the document to move in the paper feed path along the transport direction when the transport roller assembly rotates, and the plurality of optical sensors are disposed in the casing and along a direction perpendicular to the transport The horizontal axis of the direction is spaced apart, and each of the optical sensors includes a light emitting portion and a light receiving portion, the light receiving portion is configured to receive a light beam emitted by the light emitting portion, and the plurality of swing arms are disposed on the machine Between the paper take-up roller assembly and the transport roller assembly, the swing arms are spaced along the horizontal axis and respectively correspond to the optical sensor positions, and each of the swing arms includes a pivotal connection a pivot of the casing, a contact arm disposed on the pivot and extending into the paper feed passage for pushing the edge of the document, and a blocking arm disposed on the pivot The blocking arm is blocked in the corresponding Between the light emitting portion of the optical sensor and the light receiving portion, the light beam emitted by the light emitting portion is blocked, and when the end edge of the document pushes the contact arm portion to cause the swing arm to rotate, The blocking arm is moved away from the light emitting portion and the light receiving portion, such that the light receiving portion receives the light beam and the optical sensor generates a control signal, and the control module is electrically connected to the optical senses The measuring device and the conveying roller assembly, when the control module receives the control signal of the optical sensors, the control module drives the conveying roller assembly to rotate to drive the file to move.

The control module presets a waiting time. When the control module receives the control signal generated by the first optical sensor of the optical sensors, the control module starts counting the waiting time. Control mode When the group receives the control signal generated by the last optical sensor in the optical sensors within the waiting time, the control module drives the conveying roller assembly to rotate, and the control module is within the waiting time The control module does not drive the transport roller assembly to rotate when the control signal generated by the last optical sensor in the optical sensors is not received.

The control module is electrically connected to the pickup roller assembly, and when the control module does not receive the control signal generated by the last optical sensor of the optical sensors within the waiting time, the control The module controls the pickup roller assembly to stop moving the file.

Each of the swing arms further includes a weight that protrudes downward from the pivot and has a center of gravity facing downward.

The effect of the novel is that the feeding device can correct the skew state when the document is fed, thereby smoothly and smoothly conveying the document movement and avoiding paper jam or damage.

1‧‧ ‧ documents

11‧‧‧ edge

200‧‧‧Feeding device

2‧‧‧Chassis

21‧‧‧ Lower case

211‧‧‧ openings

22‧‧‧Upper casing

23‧‧‧Feeding channel

231‧‧‧ First Channel Department

232‧‧‧Second Channel Department

3‧‧‧ Pickup roller assembly

31‧‧‧First Feed Roller

32‧‧‧Second feed roller

4‧‧‧Transport roller assembly

41‧‧‧First shaft

42‧‧‧First conveyor roller

43‧‧‧second shaft

44‧‧‧Second conveyor roller

5‧‧‧Light sensor

51‧‧‧Light Emitter

52‧‧‧Light Receiving Department

6‧‧‧ swing arm

61‧‧‧ pivot

62‧‧‧Contact arm

63‧‧‧Interrupted arm

64‧‧‧weights

7‧‧‧Control Module

D‧‧‧Transport direction

R‧‧‧Rotation direction

X, Y‧‧‧ horizontal axis

Other features and effects of the present invention will be apparent from the following description of the drawings. FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of an embodiment of the present paper feeding device, illustrating the casing, the pickup roller assembly, FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view of a lower casing of an embodiment of the present paper feeding device; FIG. 3 is a partial view of an embodiment of the present paper feeding device; An exploded view illustrating the structure of the optical sensor and the swing arm; 4 is a block diagram of an embodiment of the present paper feeding device, illustrating that the control module is electrically connected to the pickup roller assembly, the conveying roller assembly and the optical sensor respectively; FIG. 5 is an implementation of the novel paper feeding device. A top plan view of the lower case of the example, illustrating a feeding process in which the document is not skewed when feeding paper; FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of an embodiment of the present paper feeding device, illustrating that the document pushes the contact arm portion to cause the swing arm to rotate to FIG. 7 is a side elevational view showing an embodiment of the present paper feeding device, illustrating that the first conveying roller and the second conveying roller drive the document to move in the second passage portion; FIG. 8 is an implementation of the novel paper feeding device. A top view of the lower case of the example, illustrating a feeding process in which the document is skewed during feeding; FIG. 9 is a side elevational view of an embodiment of the present paper feeding device, illustrating the document pushing the contact arm to urge the swing arm to rotate Figure 10 is a top plan view of the lower casing of an embodiment of the present paper feeding device, illustrating that a portion of the edge of the document abuts between a corresponding set of first and second conveying rollers Figure 11 is a top plan view of the lower casing of an embodiment of the present paper feeding device, illustrating a state in which the skewed portion of the edge of the document has been corrected; and Figure 12 is an embodiment of the present paper feeding device The side view shows that the first conveying roller and the second conveying roller drive the document to move in the second passage portion.

Referring to Figure 1, an embodiment of the present paper feeding device, feeding paper The device 200 is an automatic paper feeding device (ADF) that can be applied to scanning devices such as flatbed scanners, sheet-fed scanners, or multifunction printers. The paper feeding device 200 of the present embodiment is described by using a flatbed scanner as an example. The paper feeding device 200 is configured to feed a document 1 so that the flatbed scanner can scan the image of the document 1.

Referring to FIG. 1 , FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 , the paper feeding device 200 comprises a casing 2 , a pickup roller assembly 3 , a conveying roller assembly 4 , a plurality of optical sensors 5 , a plurality of swing arms 6 , and a control Module 7 (shown in Figure 4). The casing 2 includes a lower casing 21 and an upper casing 22 coupled to the lower casing 21, which together define a paper feed passage 23 for guiding the movement of the document 1. The paper feed passage 23 has a first passage portion 231 extending along a horizontal axis X, and a second passage portion 232 which is bent downwardly from the front end of the first passage portion 231 and has an arc shape. The lower casing 21 is formed with a plurality of openings 211 spaced along a horizontal axis Y and communicating with the first passage portion 231. The horizontal axis Y is perpendicular to the horizontal axis X. The number of the openings 211 of the embodiment is two. For example.

The pickup roller assembly 3 is disposed on the casing 2 and includes a first feeding roller 31 pivotally connected to the lower casing 21, and a second feeding pivotally connected to the upper casing 22 and abutting the top end of the first feeding roller 31. Roller 32. The second feeding roller 32 and the first feeding roller 31 correspond to the upper and lower sides of the first passage portion 231, and the first and second feeding rollers 31, 32 cooperate to drive the document 1 in a conveying direction D for feeding. The first passage portion 231 of the paper passage 23 moves.

The conveying roller assembly 4 is disposed on the casing 2 and the pickup roller set The conveying roller assembly 4 includes a first rotating shaft 41 pivotally connected to the lower casing 21, a plurality of first conveying rollers 42 sleeved and fixed to the first rotating shaft 41 and spaced apart from each other, and a pivoting member a second rotating shaft 43 of the lower casing 21, and a plurality of second conveying rollers 44 that are sleeved and fixed to the second rotating shaft 43 and spaced apart from each other. Each of the second conveying rollers 44 abuts against the front side of the corresponding first conveying roller 42 , and the second conveying roller 44 and the first conveying roller 42 correspond to the front and rear sides of the second passage portion 232 . The first and second conveying rollers 42, 44 cooperate to block the one end edge 11 of the document 1 to restrict the movement of the document 1 in the conveying direction D within the second passage portion 232. Further, when the first and second conveying rollers 42, 44 are rotated, the document 1 can be moved in the conveying direction D in the second passage portion 232 of the paper feeding passage 23.

A plurality of optical sensors 5 are disposed in the lower casing 21 of the casing 2 and located between the pickup roller assembly 3 and the conveying roller assembly 4, and the plurality of optical sensors 5 are arranged along the horizontal axis Y, and the horizontal axis Y is perpendicular to the conveying direction D, and the number of the optical sensors 5 of the present embodiment is exemplified by two. Each of the optical sensors 5 is a light-interrupting sensor, and includes a light emitting portion 51, and a light receiving portion 52 spaced apart from the light emitting portion 51 along the horizontal axis Y, and the light receiving portion 52 is configured to receive A light beam emitted by the light emitting portion 51. When the light receiving portion 52 of the optical sensor 5 receives the light beam emitted from the light emitting portion 51, the optical sensor 5 generates a control signal.

A plurality of swing arms 6 are disposed in the lower casing 21 of the casing 2 and located between the pickup roller assembly 3 and the transport roller assembly 4, and the plurality of swing arms 6 are arranged along the horizontal axis Y and are respectively optically sensible The positions of the detectors 5 correspond to each other. The number of the swing arms 6 of the present embodiment is exemplified by two. Each swing arm 6 includes a pivot 61 pivotally connected to the lower casing 21 of the casing 2, a contact arm portion 62 disposed on the pivot 61, a blocking arm portion 63 disposed on the pivot 61, and a pivoting portion A weight 64 of the shaft 61. The contact arm portion 62 protrudes upward from the pivot 61. The contact arm portion 62 extends through the corresponding opening 211 and protrudes from the top end of the lower housing 21 for pushing the end edge 11 of the document 1. The blocking arm portion 63 is protruded downward by the pivot 61 and adjacent to one end of the pivot shaft 61. The blocking arm portion 63 is shielded between the light emitting portion 51 and the light receiving portion 52 of the corresponding optical sensor 5 for The light beam emitted from the light emitting portion 51 is blocked, so that the light receiving portion 52 cannot receive the light beam emitted from the light emitting portion 51. The weight 64 is projected downward by the pivot 61 and adjacent to the other end of the pivot 61, with the center of gravity of the weight 64 facing downward. By the center of gravity of the weight 64 being lowered, the swing arm 6 can be held in an initial position as shown in FIG. 1. At this time, the contact arm portion 62 projects from the top end of the lower casing 21 and blocks in the first passage portion 231. The blocking arm portion 63 is shielded between the light emitting portion 51 of the corresponding optical sensor 5 and the light receiving portion 52.

It should be noted that in other embodiments, the number of the optical sensors 5 and the number of the swing arms 6 may be two or more, which is not limited to the number disclosed in the embodiment.

Referring to FIG. 1 and FIG. 4 , the control module 7 is electrically connected to the optical sensor 5 , the pickup roller assembly 3 and the conveying roller assembly 4 respectively. The control module 7 receives the control signal generated by the optical sensor 5 and uses it as a basis for determining whether to control the operation of the transport roller assembly 4. When the control module 7 receives the control signals generated by all the optical sensors 5, the control module 7 drives the transport roller assembly 4 to rotate to drive the file 1 to move.

Specifically, in this embodiment, when the control module 7 is simultaneously When the control signals generated by all the optical sensors 5 are received, it indicates that the edge 11 of the file 1 is not skewed, and the control module 7 drives the transport roller assembly 4 to rotate after a period of time to drive the transport roller assembly 4. File 1 is moved. In addition, the control module 7 presets a waiting time, which can be set and adjusted according to actual needs. When the control module 7 receives the control signal generated by the first optical sensor 5 of the optical sensors 5, the control module 7 starts counting the waiting time. If the control module 7 receives the control signal generated by the last optical sensor 5 of the optical sensors 5 within the waiting time, it indicates that the skewed area of the edge 11 of the file 1 has been corrected, so The control module 7 will drive the conveying roller assembly 4 to rotate after a period of time, so that the conveying roller assembly 4 drives the document 1 to move. If the control module 7 does not receive the control signal generated by the last optical sensor 5 within the waiting time, it indicates that the skewed area of the edge 11 of the file 1 is still uncorrected, and the control module 7 does not. The conveying roller assembly 4 is driven to rotate, and the control module 7 controls the pickup roller assembly 3 to stop moving the document 1 to move.

Referring to Fig. 4, Fig. 5, Fig. 6, and Fig. 7, a feeding process in which the sheet feeding device 200 of the present embodiment is not skewed when the document 1 is fed is described below. When the user places the document 1 into the first passage portion 231 of the paper feed passage 23, the first and second feed rollers 31, 32 of the pickup roller assembly 3 are rotated to drive the document 1 along the conveying direction D. The inside of the channel portion 231 moves. Since the end edge 11 of the document 1 is not skewed, during the movement of the document 1 in the conveying direction D, the end edge 11 of the document 1 simultaneously pushes the contact arms 62 of all the swing arms 6 to urge the respective swing arms 6 along a direction of rotation R relative to the lower housing 21 Rotate. When the swing arms 6 are rotated in the rotational direction R to a swing position as shown in FIG. 6, the contact arm portion 62 is swung downward into the lower casing 21 so that the document 1 can continue to travel along the contact arm portion 62. The direction D is moved; at the same time, the blocking arm portion 63 is moved away from the position between the light emitting portion 51 (shown in FIG. 3) and the light receiving portion 52 that is blocked by the corresponding optical sensor 5, so that the light receiving portion 52 receives The light beam emitted by the light emitting portion 51 causes the optical sensor 5 to generate a control signal and output it to the control module 7. When the control module 7 receives the control signals generated by all the optical sensors 5 at the same time, the control module 7 drives the first and second conveying rollers 42 and 44 of the conveying roller assembly 4 to rotate after a period of time. The second conveying rollers 42, 44 drive the document 1 to move in the conveying direction D in the second passage portion 232, so that the document 1 is subjected to subsequent scanning.

Referring to Fig. 4, Fig. 8, Fig. 9, and Fig. 10, a feeding process in which the sheet feeding device 200 of the present embodiment is skewed when the document 1 is fed is described below. When the user places the document 1 into the first passage portion 231 of the paper feed passage 23, the first and second feed rollers 31, 32 of the pickup roller assembly 3 are rotated to drive the document 1 along the conveying direction D. The inside of the channel portion 231 moves. Since the end edge 11 of the document 1 is in a skewed state, during the movement of the document 1 in the conveying direction D, the end edge 11 of the document 1 is first pushed up to the contact arm portion 62 of one of the swing arms 6 to urge the pendulum The arm 6 rotates relative to the lower casing 21 in the rotational direction R. When the swing arm 6 is rotated in the rotational direction R to the swing position shown in FIG. 9, the contact arm portion 62 of the swing arm 6 is swung downward into the lower casing 21, so that the document 1 continues over the contact arm portion 62. The conveying direction D moves; at the same time, the blocking arm portion 63 moves away from the corresponding optical sensor 5 The position between the light emitting portion 51 (shown in FIG. 3) and the light receiving portion 52 causes the corresponding optical sensor 5 to generate a control signal and output it to the control module 7. When the control module 7 receives the control signal generated by the first optical sensor 5, the control module 7 then starts counting the waiting time.

In addition, the pickup roller assembly 3 continuously drives the document 1 to move in the conveying direction D when a portion of the end edge 11 of the document 1 abuts at a position between the corresponding one of the first and second conveying rollers 42 and 44. A part of the aforementioned end edge 11 is blocked by the first and second conveying rollers 42, 44 and cannot continue to advance in the conveying direction D.

Referring to FIG. 4, FIG. 11 and FIG. 12, since the first and second feeding rollers 31, 32 of the pickup roller assembly 3 continuously move the document 1 in the conveying direction D, the end edge 11 of the document 1 has not yet abutted. 1. Another portion between the second conveying rollers 42, 44 will gradually approach the remaining first and second conveying rollers 42, 44. During the approach of the other portion of the end edge 11 of the document 1 toward the remaining first and second transport rollers 42, 44, another portion of the end edge 11 of the document 1 is pushed up to the contact arm of the other swing arm 6. 62 to cause the other swing arm 6 to rotate to the swing position. At this time, the document 1 will move over the contact arm portion 62 of the other swing arm 6 and continue to move in the transport direction D, and the other optical sensor 5 will generate a control signal and output it to the control module 7.

When the control module 7 receives the control signal of the other optical sensor 5 (that is, the last optical sensor 5) within the waiting time, it indicates that the skewed area of the edge 11 of the file 1 has been corrected. Therefore, the control module 7 will drive the conveying roller assembly 4 to rotate after a period of time, the first and second losses. The feed rollers 42, 44 will move the document 1 in the transport direction D within the second channel portion 232 to cause subsequent scanning of the document 1. If the control module 7 does not receive the control signal of the other optical sensor 5 within the waiting time, it indicates that the skewed area of the edge 11 of the file 1 is still uncorrected, and the control module 7 does not drive the transport. The roller assembly 4 rotates, and the control module 7 controls the pickup roller assembly 3 to stop moving the document 1 to move, thereby preventing the document 1 from being jammed or damaged due to excessive skew angle.

In summary, the feeding device 200 of the present embodiment, by the design of the optical sensor 5, the swing arm 6 and the control module 7, when the document 1 is in a skewed feeding state, the edge 11 of the document 1 will Firstly, one of the swing arms 6 is pushed to rotate to the swing position, so that the control module 7 receives the control signal of the first optical sensor 5, and the control module 7 starts counting the waiting time and does not The conveying roller assembly 4 is driven to rotate. If the control module 7 receives the control signal of the last optical sensor 5 within the waiting time, it indicates that the edge 11 of the file 1 has pushed the other swing arm 6 to rotate to the swing position, and the file 1 The skewed area of the end edge 11 has been corrected, and the control module 7 drives the transport roller assembly 4 to rotate after a period of time, so that the transport roller assembly 4 can smoothly and smoothly move the document 1. If the control module 7 does not receive the control signal of the last optical sensor 5 within the waiting time, it indicates that the skewed area of the edge 11 of the file 1 is still uncorrected, and the control module 7 does not drive the transport. The roller assembly 4 rotates, and the control module 7 controls the pickup roller assembly 3 to stop moving the document 1 to stop, thereby preventing the paper 1 from being jammed or damaged due to excessive skew angle, so that the present invention can be achieved. purpose.

However, the above description is only for the embodiments of the present invention, and the scope of the present invention cannot be limited thereto, that is, the simple equivalent changes and modifications made by the present patent application scope and the contents of the patent specification are still It is within the scope of this new patent.

1‧‧ ‧ documents

11‧‧‧ edge

200‧‧‧Feeding device

2‧‧‧Chassis

21‧‧‧ Lower case

22‧‧‧Upper casing

23‧‧‧Feeding channel

231‧‧‧ First Channel Department

232‧‧‧Second Channel Department

3‧‧‧ Pickup roller assembly

31‧‧‧First Feed Roller

32‧‧‧Second feed roller

4‧‧‧Transport roller assembly

42‧‧‧First conveyor roller

44‧‧‧Second conveyor roller

5‧‧‧Light sensor

52‧‧‧Light Receiving Department

6‧‧‧ swing arm

61‧‧‧ pivot

62‧‧‧Contact arm

63‧‧‧Interrupted arm

64‧‧‧weights

D‧‧‧Transport direction

X‧‧‧ horizontal axis

Claims (4)

A paper feeding device for feeding a document, the paper feeding device comprising: a casing defining a paper feeding passage for guiding the movement of the document, and a paper take-up roller assembly disposed on the casing for driving the paper The document moves in the paper feeding path along a conveying direction, and a conveying roller assembly is disposed on the casing and spaced apart from the paper take-up roller assembly for blocking one end edge of the document, the conveying roller When the component rotates, the document can be moved in the feeding path along the conveying direction, and a plurality of optical sensors are disposed in the casing and arranged along a horizontal axis perpendicular to the conveying direction, each of the optical The sensor includes a light emitting portion and a light receiving portion, the light receiving portion is configured to receive a light beam emitted by the light emitting portion, and the plurality of swing arms are disposed in the casing and located in the pickup roller assembly Between the transport roller assemblies, the swing arms are spaced along the horizontal axis and respectively correspond to the optical sensor positions, and each of the swing arms includes a pivot pivotally connected to the casing, and a The pivot and wear a contact arm portion for pushing the end edge of the document into the paper feed passage, and a blocking arm portion disposed on the pivot shaft, the blocking arm portion blocking the corresponding optical sensor The light emitting portion and the light receiving portion block the light beam emitted by the light emitting portion, and when the edge of the document pushes the contact arm portion to urge the swing arm to rotate, the blocking arm portion Moving between the light emitting portion and the light receiving portion such that the light receiving portion receives the light beam and The optical sensor generates a control signal, and a control module is electrically connected to the optical sensor and the transport roller assembly, respectively, when the control module receives the control signal of the optical sensor The control module drives the transport roller assembly to rotate to drive the document to move. The paper feeding device of claim 1, wherein the control module presets a waiting time when the control module receives the control signal generated by the first optical sensor of the optical sensors The control module starts counting the waiting time. When the control module receives the control signal generated by the last optical sensor in the optical sensors within the waiting time, the control module drives the control module. When the conveying roller assembly rotates, the control module does not receive the control signal generated by the last optical sensor of the optical sensors within the waiting time, the control module does not drive the conveying roller assembly to rotate. . The paper feeding device of claim 2, wherein the control module is electrically connected to the pickup roller assembly, and the control module does not receive the last one of the optical sensors within the waiting time. When the control signal generated by the optical sensor is controlled, the control module controls the pickup roller assembly to stop moving the file. The paper feeding device of claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein each of the swing arms further comprises a weighted block projecting downward from the pivot and having a center of gravity facing downward.