JP2699396B2 - Paper feeder - Google Patents

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an apparatus for conveying and supplying cut sheets such as recording paper and originals used in image forming apparatuses such as facsimile machines and copiers.

2. Description of the Related Art With the recent development of electronic device technology and digital circuit technology, a screen on a document is scanned and decomposed into pixels,
Facsimile transmission that converts this into an electric signal and obtains a recorded image similar to the original image on the receiving side is widely used.

In a facsimile apparatus that performs such image transmission, it is troublesome for an operator to set a document to be transmitted each time at a scanning position. Therefore, most facsimile apparatuses are equipped with an automatic document feeder, and the operator is required to set a document to be transmitted. Are collectively placed on the document mounting table, and transmission can be performed simply by calling the transmission destination.

In addition, many copiers which can be equipped with an automatic document feeder as an option for speeding up and saving labor are available.

A schematic configuration of a conventional automatic document feeder used in a facsimile apparatus and the like will be described with reference to FIGS. 6 and 7. FIG.

Reference numeral 10 denotes a driving roller which is integrally fixed to the shaft 12 and is driven to rotate in the direction of arrow 14 by driving means (not shown).
Is a driven roller rotatably supported on the shaft 18. An endless belt 20 is wound around the drive roller 10 and the driven roller 16, and on the upper surface of the belt 20 near the drive roller 10 side,
A separation roller 26 integrally fixed to the shaft 22 and rotationally driven in a direction indicated by an arrow 24 by driving means (not shown) is in pressure contact with a predetermined pressure.

Both ends of the shafts 12 and 22 of the drive roller 10 and the separation roller 26 are rotatable via bearings 28, 28 and 32, 32, respectively, and the shaft 18 of the driven roller 16 urges the belt 20 in a direction for applying tension to the belt 20. It is attached to a frame 34 of the main body of the facsimile machine or the like via the urging means 30.

However, when the document 36 is set on a document table (not shown) and a document supply command is issued from a control unit (not shown), the driving roller 10 is driven to rotate, and the belt 20 in contact with the lowermost layer of the document 36 rotates. And the separation roller 26
Is rotated in the direction opposite to the original advancing direction 38, and the supply of the original is started. Here, paying attention to the lowermost document 36a in contact with the belt 20, the feed force received from the belt 20 is larger than the reverse force received from the separation roller 26, so that the document 36a moves in the direction of the document advance direction 38. It will be transported. Other documents cannot pass through the pressure contact portion between the belt 20 and the separation roller 26 because the reverse force received from the separation roller 26 is larger than the feed force received from the belt 20. Documents are sequentially supplied one by one.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention Since parts such as belts are deteriorated by ultraviolet rays, heat, etc.,
They must be replaced regularly or as needed. However, conventionally, since both ends of each shaft of the driving roller and the driven roller around which the belt is wound are respectively attached to the frame of the device (such as a facsimile device) via a bearing or the like, this replacement work is complicated and difficult. Users were not generally able to perform this replacement. For this reason, there has been a problem that a maintenance worker of the maker has to visit each time to perform this work.

Further, it is needless to say that the work is complicated for the maintenance worker, and there is a problem that the number of work steps is large.

The present invention has been made in view of such a point,
An object of the present invention is to make it possible to easily replace the above-described parts such as the belt with a simple configuration.

Means for Solving the Problems A drive belt and a driven roller around which an endless belt is wound are respectively supported on a frame having a curved portion formed on both sides, and a plurality of mounting members are provided on the frame to provide a feed belt. Configure means.

The apparatus (facsimile apparatus or the like) is provided with means for supporting and fixing a plurality of mounting members provided on the frame of the feed belt means on the body of the apparatus, so that the feed belt means is detachably attached to the apparatus body, as described above. Solve the problem.

According to the present invention, a feed belt means formed by winding an endless belt around a driving roller and a driven roller is formed into a cartridge, and this is detachably mounted on the apparatus main body. There is no need to perform a complicated operation such as attaching one component to the frame of the apparatus body one by one, and the replacement operation can be easily performed by the user, and the number of operation steps can be greatly reduced.

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

1 to 4 are views for explaining an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the structure of a feedback means in the form of a cartridge, FIG. 2 is a plan view of the same, and FIG. FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a state where the holder is attached to the main body, and FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the holder shown in FIG.

First, referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, reference numeral 40 denotes a frame having bent portions 40a, 40a formed on both sides thereof; 42, a driving roller integrally fixed to a shaft 44; It is a driven roller rotatably supported. An endless belt 50 is wound around the driving roller 42 and the driven roller 46.

The shaft 44 of the drive roller 42 is rotatably supported by the frame 40 via bearings 52, 52, and a gear 54 is attached to one end of the shaft 44. Pins 52a, 52a are integrally formed on the bearings 52, 52 on the same axis.

The shaft 48 of the driven roller 46 is loosely fitted into an elongated hole 40b formed in the bent portion 40a of the frame 40, and the coil springs 56, 5
The belt 6 is urged in a direction for applying tension to the belt 50. Curved portion at the end of frame 40 opposite drive roller 42
Pins 58, 58 are attached to 40a, 40a, respectively, and these constitute a feed belt means.

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, the holder 60 has an elastic force, and as shown in FIG. 4, a fitting portion 60a fitted to the pins 52a and 58 respectively attached to the feed belt means.
And 60b are formed in a substantially U-shaped member, and are attached to a frame 62 of a main body of the apparatus (such as a facsimile apparatus) by screws 64 as shown in FIG.

However, when attaching the feed belt means to the apparatus main body, the pins 52a
When the holders 60, 60 are slightly elastically deformed outwardly when inserted from the drive roller 42 side in accordance with the openings of the holes 0, 60, the pins 52a, 52a, 58, 58 are fitted with the fitting portions 60a, 60a, 60, respectively.
b, 60b, so that the feed belt means is fixed at a predetermined position.

When the feed belt means is mounted on the holders 60, 60, although not shown, the separation roller is pressed against the belt 50 of the feed belt means with a predetermined pressure,
A gear 54 attached to the end of the shaft 44 of the drive roller 42 meshes with a gear of a drive means provided in the apparatus main body, and power is transmitted.

Incidentally, the diameter of the fitting portion 60a of the holder 60 (pin 52a) d _1, the diameter of the fitting portion 60b (the pin 58) d _2, the width of the intermediate portion of the holder 60 and the t (see FIG. 4) Sometimes, it is desirable that d ₁ <t <d ₂ .

 FIG. 5 is a view showing another embodiment of the present invention.

Reference numeral 68 denotes a feed belt means, which has the same configuration as that shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, and is denoted by the same reference numerals and description thereof is omitted.

Reference numeral 70 denotes a frame of the main body of the apparatus (such as a facsimile apparatus). The frame 70 of the main body of the apparatus has pin receivers 72, 72 having grooves 72a, 72a formed therein and pin receivers having grooves 74a, 74b formed therein.
74, 74 are installed. Pin receivers 72, 72 and 74,
74 is made of resin or the like. Reference numeral 76 denotes a shaft that is rotationally driven by driving means (not shown). One end of the shaft 76 is rotatably mounted on a frame 70 of the apparatus main body via a bearing 78, and a gear 80 is integrally mounted on the other end. Have been.

However, when the feed belt means 68 is set in the apparatus main body for maintenance or the like, first, the pins 52a, 52a of the feed belt means 68 are received in the grooves 72a, 7 of the pin receivers 72, 72.
2a, and after the gear 54 and the gear 80 are engaged with each other, the feed belt means 68 is rotated around the drive roller 42 as a center of rotation, and the pins 58, 58 are fitted into the grooves 74a, 74a of the pin receivers 74, 74. This can be easily performed. Removal can be easily performed by the reverse procedure.

Effect of the Invention As described in detail above, the present invention constitutes feedback means on a frame independent of the apparatus main body, and provides a mounting member such as a pin on the frame and a means for supporting the mounting member on the apparatus main body. Since the feed belt means is detachable from the main body of the apparatus, it can be easily mounted / removed without using a special tool or the like, thereby reducing man-hours for replacement work and reducing work. Therefore, there is an effect that the user can perform this replacement work.

[Brief description of the drawings]

1 to 4 are explanatory views of one embodiment of the present invention,
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the construction of a feed belt means made into a cartridge, FIG. 2 is a plan view of the same, FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a state in which a holder is attached to an apparatus main body, and FIG. 4 is shown in FIG. It is sectional drawing of a holder. FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the configuration of another embodiment of the present invention, and FIGS. 6 and 7 are explanatory diagrams showing the configuration of the prior art. 40… Frame, 42… Drive roller, 46… Driving roller, 50… Belt, 52a, 58… Pin, 60 …… Holder, 72, 74… Pin receiver.

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] A feed roller having a drive roller, a driven roller, an endless belt wound around the drive roller and the driven roller, and a separation roller for pressing the feed belt means against the belt. A sheet feeding device configured to separate a plurality of stacked sheets one by one and sequentially feed the separated sheets, wherein roller support means having upright portions on both sides are provided, and the roller support means is provided at an upright portion of the roller support means. While supporting the drive roller and the driven roller each wound with the endless belt,
A plurality of first fitting members are attached to the standing portion, and the feed belt means is configured independently of the image forming apparatus main body,
The image forming apparatus main body is provided with a second fitting member elastically connectable to the first fitting member, so that the feed belt means can be freely attached to and detached from the image forming apparatus main body. The paper feeding device, wherein the separation roller is pressed against the belt of the feed belt means by supporting and elastically coupling the first fitting member to the second fitting member.