JP2002096945A - Manual paper feeder - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a manual paper feeder capable of inhibiting changes in the angle of the end of a sheet of paper relative to a separation pad and stably feeding sheets of paper. SOLUTION: A slidable operating lever 18 is provided at the center of an auxiliary tray support 15a. The operating lever 18 is operated to vary a position where a receiving part 20 makes contact with an auxiliary tray stacking portion 15b, so as to adjust the angle θof the auxiliary tray stacking portion 15b.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a manual sheet feeder of an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine and a printer.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A manual paper feeder in a conventional image forming apparatus will be described. FIG. 9 is a perspective view of an image forming apparatus as an example. The image forming apparatus 1 is provided with a manual feed stand 2 for feeding the stacked sheets P. Bypass stand 2
Is supported by a fulcrum so as to be opened and closed by the body door 3. The main body door 3 is supported by a fulcrum such that the main body door 3 can be opened and closed by the main body of the image forming apparatus 1. Paper P on bypass stand 2
There is provided an auxiliary tray 15 for supporting and guiding the rear end portion.

FIG. 10 is a main configuration diagram of the manual feed stand 2.
The paper P is loaded on the bottom plate 8, and the paper P is pressed against the paper feed roller 5 by the paper feed spring 4, and the paper P is fed with a paper feed pressure.
Only the uppermost sheet is separated by the separation pad 12 provided immediately thereafter. The separation pad 12 is pressed against the paper feed roller 5 by a separation spring 14.

FIG. 11 is a main configuration diagram showing a mechanism for raising the bottom plate. On the same axis as the roller shaft 6 that drives the paper feed roller 5,
A cam 9 for raising and lowering the bottom plate 8 is provided. Roller shaft 6
The cam 9 is separated from the protrusion 10 provided on the bottom plate 8 by the rotation of the bottom plate 8, the bottom plate 8 is raised, and the cam 9 pushes down the protrusion 10 again, and the bottom plate 8 is lowered. When the paper is not fed, the bottom plate 8 is at the lowered position, and when the paper is fed, the bottom plate 8 is raised, and the paper P is pressed against the paper feed roller 5 and fed.

FIG. 12 is a view of the related components on the roller shaft 6. A clutch 11 is provided at one end of the roller shaft 6, and is driven by the connection. The clutch 11
When the solenoid 13 is turned on, the drive is transmitted to the roller shaft 6 to control the timing. The feeding roller 5 on the roller shaft 6 depends on the ON time of the solenoid 13 or the number of times of ON.
And the number of rotations of the cam 9 is determined, and one or several rotations are made.
As a result, the cam 9 raises the position of the bottom plate 8 and the paper P
Is pressed against the paper feed roller 5 and fed. In addition, cam 9
Is rotated, the bottom plate 8 is lowered, and one rotation of the roller shaft 6 is completed. The position of the roller shaft 6 determines the angle of the paper feed roller 5 and the position of the bottom plate 8.

However, as shown in FIG. 13, even when the bottom plate 8 is lowered, some sheets P remain on the separation pad 12. Since a space is formed below the remaining sheet P, the bending 19 is caused by the weight of the sheet P itself. For this reason, the angle α (FIG. 14) of the leading end of the paper P with respect to the separation pad 12 changes, and when the paper feed roller 5 rotates next, a large number of papers P are not fed one by one and are fed. Failure occurs.

[0007]

As described above, in the above arrangement, the change in the angle of the leading end of the sheet with respect to the separation pad affects the sheet feeding. In view of this problem, an object of the present invention is to provide a manual paper feeder capable of suppressing a change in the angle of the leading end of a sheet with respect to a separation pad regardless of the size of the sheet and capable of feeding a sheet stably. .

[0008]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the invention according to the first aspect of the present invention is directed to a bottom plate for loading paper, a paper feed roller for feeding paper, and a roller for transmitting drive to the paper feed roller. In a manual paper feeder having a shaft, a cam that moves up and down a bottom plate provided on the same axis as the roller shaft, a clutch that drives the roller shaft, and a solenoid that controls the clutch, an operation lever that adjusts the angle of the auxiliary tray is provided. Manual paper feeder. According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided the manual sheet feeder according to the first aspect, wherein the back fence also serves as an operation lever. The invention according to claim 3 is
Controls the bottom plate on which the paper is loaded, the paper feed roller that feeds the paper, the roller shaft that transmits the drive to the paper feed roller, the cam that moves up and down the bottom plate provided coaxially with the roller shaft, the clutch that drives the roller shaft, and the clutch In a manual sheet feeding device having a solenoid, a sheet supporting member that can be elastically deformed is provided on a bottom plate. According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided the manual sheet feeder according to the third aspect, wherein a friction member is provided on a surface of the sheet supporting member. Claim 5
The invention described in (1) is a manual paper feeder according to claim 1, which is a manual paper feeder having the function described in claim (3). According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided the manual sheet feeding apparatus according to the fifth aspect, wherein the manual sheet feeding apparatus has the function of the second aspect. According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, there is provided the manual sheet feeding apparatus according to the sixth aspect, wherein the manual sheet feeding apparatus has the function described in the fourth aspect.

[0009]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

(First Embodiment) FIG. 1 is a view showing a configuration of an auxiliary tray of a manual sheet feeder according to a first embodiment.
The auxiliary tray includes an auxiliary tray support portion 15a and an auxiliary tray stacking portion 15b that has a fulcrum and is rotatably supported by the auxiliary tray support portion 15a. Slide rails 16 are provided on both sides of the auxiliary tray support portion 15a, and can be put in and out of a manual feed stand (not shown). Operation lever 1 slidable in the center
Eight. 2 and 3 show the auxiliary tray support 15a.
FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating the operation of the auxiliary tray loading section 15b. The operation lever 18 is provided with a receiving portion 20 that receives the auxiliary tray stacking portion 15b. The receiving portion 20 has an inclined shape, and the position of contact with the auxiliary tray stacking portion 15b is changed by operating the operation lever 18 to change the position of the auxiliary tray stacking portion 15b.
b can be adjusted. When the sheet size is small, since the contact area of the auxiliary tray stacking section 15b is small, the auxiliary tray stacking section 15b is prevented from slipping.
The angle θ of b is reduced. When the paper size is large, since the contact area of the auxiliary tray stacking portion 15b is large,
The angle θ is increased so that the conveyance resistance due to the weight of the paper does not become too large. Further, the adjustment of the angle θ of the auxiliary tray stacking portion 15b can adjust the fluctuation of the conveyance resistance due to the weight of the paper, so that the paper feeding operation can be performed according to the type of paper and the environmental conditions in addition to the size of the paper. Can be stabilized.

Second Embodiment FIGS. 4 and 5 are views showing the operation of an auxiliary tray of a manual sheet feeder according to a second embodiment. A slidable back fence 21 for regulating the rear end of the paper P is provided on the auxiliary tray stacking portion 15b, and the other end of the back fence 21 is in contact with the receiving portion 20 of the auxiliary tray support 15a. The receiving portion 20 has an inclined shape, and when the paper size is large, the auxiliary tray stacking portion 1
5b is large and the paper size is small, the angle θ of the auxiliary tray stacking portion 15b becomes small. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the paper P from slipping without an erroneous operation in accordance with the paper size, so that the paper feeding operation can be stabilized.

(Third Embodiment) FIGS. 6 and 7 are diagrams showing the operation of the manual sheet feeder of the third embodiment. An elastically deformable paper support member 22 such as a film is provided on the bottom plate 8.
Is provided. The paper support member 22 is at the raised position and supports the paper P even when the bottom plate 8 is lowered. For this reason, it is possible to prevent bending caused by a space formed below the sheet remaining on the separation pad 12. When the bottom plate 8 rises, the paper support member 22 is deformed by its elasticity, and comes into close contact with the paper P and the bottom plate 8 to become parallel.

(Fourth Embodiment) FIG. 8 is a view showing a sheet supporting member of a manual sheet feeder according to a fourth embodiment.
The paper support member 22 has a friction member 23 on its upper surface. When the bottom plate is lowered, papers other than the lowermost paper are in contact with the paper below it, but the lowermost paper is in contact with the paper support member 22, so that the transport resistance conditions are different from those other than the lowermost paper. Therefore,
By providing the friction member 23 on the upper surface of the paper support member 22, the coefficient of friction with the bottom sheet is adjusted, and the magnitude of the conveyance resistance of the bottom sheet is optimized, thereby stabilizing the sheet feeding operation. Can be. Here, the friction coefficient of the friction member 23 is usually set to a friction coefficient of the paper P or a friction coefficient slightly higher than the friction coefficient of the paper P because the area is smaller than that of the paper P.

[0014]

Since the present invention has the above-described structure and function, in the manual paper feeder according to any one of claims 1, 2, 5, 6, and 7, the angle of the auxiliary tray attached to the manual feed tray is adjusted. Thus, it is possible to suppress a change in the angle of the leading end of the sheet with respect to the separation pad regardless of the size of the sheet, and to obtain a stable sheet feeding operation. Further, since the fluctuation of the conveyance resistance due to the weight of the paper can be adjusted, the paper feeding operation can be stabilized according to the type of paper and the environmental conditions other than the size of the paper. According to the fourth and seventh aspects of the present invention, by providing the friction member 23 on the upper surface of the paper supporting member, the magnitude of the transport resistance of the lowermost paper can be optimized, thereby stabilizing the paper feeding operation. .

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of an auxiliary tray of a manual sheet feeder according to a first embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the operation of an auxiliary tray supporter 15a and an auxiliary tray stacker 15b according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating the operation of an auxiliary tray supporter 15a and an auxiliary tray stacker 15b according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an operation of an auxiliary tray of the manual sheet feeder according to the second embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an operation of an auxiliary tray of the manual sheet feeder according to the second embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating the operation of the manual sheet feeder according to the third embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an operation of the manual sheet feeder according to the third embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating a sheet supporting member of a manual sheet feeder according to a fourth embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a sheet feeding device of a conventional image forming apparatus.

FIG. 10 is a main configuration diagram of a manual feed stand of a conventional paper feeding device.

FIG. 11 is a main configuration diagram showing a bottom plate elevating mechanism of a conventional sheet feeding device.

FIG. 12 is a view of related components on a roller shaft of a conventional sheet feeding device.

FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating a state of a sheet when sheet feeding is completed in a conventional sheet feeding apparatus.

FIG. 14 is a diagram illustrating an angle of a leading end of a sheet with respect to a separation pad.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 	 Image forming apparatus 2 	 Bypass stand 3 	 Door 4 	 Feeding spring 5 	 Feeding roller 6 	 Roller shaft 8 	 Bottom plate 9 	 Cam 10 	9; protrusion 11 	 clutch 12 	 separation pad 13 	 solenoid 14 	 separation spring 15 	 auxiliary tray 15a 	 auxiliary tray support part 15b 	 auxiliary tray stacking part 16 	 Slide rail 18 	 Operation lever 19 	 Flexure 20 	 Receiving part 21 	 Back fence 22 	 Paper support member 23 	 Friction member

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. A bottom plate for loading paper, a paper feed roller for feeding paper, a roller shaft for transmitting drive to the paper feed roller, a cam for moving up and down a bottom plate provided coaxially with the roller shaft, and driving a roller shaft. 1. A manual paper feeder having a clutch and a solenoid for controlling the clutch, the manual paper feeder having an operation lever for adjusting an angle of an auxiliary tray. 2. The manual sheet feeding device according to claim 1, wherein the back fence also serves as an operation lever. 3. A bottom plate for loading paper, a paper feed roller for feeding paper, a roller shaft for transmitting drive to the paper feed roller, a cam for moving up and down a bottom plate provided coaxially with the roller shaft, and driving a roller shaft. 1. A manual sheet feeding device having a clutch and a solenoid for controlling the clutch, wherein a sheet supporting member elastically deformable is provided on a bottom plate. 4. The manual sheet feeding device according to claim 3, wherein a friction member is provided on a surface of the sheet supporting member. 5. The manual paper feeder according to claim 1, wherein the manual paper feeder has the function according to claim 3. Description: 6. The manual paper feeder according to claim 5, wherein the manual paper feeder has the function of claim 2. 7. The manual paper feeder according to claim 6, wherein the manual paper feeder has the function according to claim 4. Description: