JP3296522B2 - Paper feed mechanism for electronic devices - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a paper feeding mechanism for an electronic apparatus, and more particularly to a paper feeding mechanism for an apparatus having a document reading function and a printing function such as a facsimile and a scanner.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In feeding a document having a document reading function and a printing function, such as a facsimile and a scanner, a paper feed roller feeds a document or a print sheet inserted by a user forward, and arranges the document or print sheet forward in a traveling direction. It is configured to pass through an image sensor and a printer head. Such a conventional apparatus has a configuration in which a document or printing paper is manually or automatically inserted and supplied by a user.

[0003]

As described above, the original or the printing paper is inserted or supplied by the user or automatically, but the insertion is always appropriate, that is, without inclination.
It is not always loaded perpendicularly to the traveling direction, and improper loading with an inclination may be performed. Or, after proper insertion, the paper feed becomes wrinkled for some unexpected reason,
Sometimes it progresses in a tilted state.

However, the conventional paper feeding mechanism does not have a function to cope with such an improper state of loading and inserting a document or printing paper. For this reason, inconveniences such as paper jams, missing characters, printing in an oblique state, and breakage of a document due to advancing the paper feeding in an inappropriate insertion state are likely to occur.

The paper feeding mechanism according to the present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems of the conventional mechanism.
Provided is a paper feed mechanism that can detect a paper feed when inserted at an improper position or angle or when a wrinkle occurs in the paper feed to quickly correct the paper feed and correct the paper feed position or remove wrinkles. With the goal.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, a paper feeding mechanism of an electronic apparatus according to the present invention feeds paper in a traveling direction.
Paper feed roller, and the paper feed roller
At each position where both sides of the paper feed pass, and
Paper feed detecting means provided before and after the feed roller;
A plurality of paper feed correction means disposed near the detection means.
The paper feeding correction means is provided in a direction perpendicular to the paper feeding direction.
Paper correction to send the paper feed outwards in the
Further, based on the output of the paper feed detecting means,
It is characterized by performing a rotating operation .

Further, a paper feeding mechanism of an electronic device according to the present invention is
The paper feed detecting means is an optical type comprising a light emitting unit and a light receiving unit.
A focusing lens between the light emitting section and the light receiving section;
It is characterized by the arrangement of

[0008]

When a sheet is correctly inserted at a predetermined angle and advances in a predetermined direction, a sheet detection is provided at a position where a side parallel to the predetermined direction of sheet feeding passes. The means captures the paper feed, which confirms that the paper feed is correctly positioned and has advanced in a predetermined direction.

On the other hand, when the sheet is not inserted correctly at a predetermined position and moves forward in a predetermined direction while being inserted in an inclined state, the sheet is parallel to the predetermined direction of the sheet feeding. Because the paper feed detection means provided at the position where the side passes does not catch the paper feed, it is confirmed that the paper feed is not set correctly and that it is moving forward in an inclined state. Be started.

[0010] Feed correction means provided near both sides parallel to the direction in which the sheet is advanced sends out the sheet outward in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the sheet is advanced. Here, based on the detection results of the sensors, the respective paper feed correction means operate at different rotation speeds to execute the paper feed position correction in a tilted state or a state skewed in the left-right direction.

Further, the wrinkles that have occurred are repaired, and the paper is always fed outward in the direction perpendicular to the direction of travel to prevent wrinkles.

[0012]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of a paper feed mechanism according to the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is a top view of a first embodiment of a paper feeding mechanism of an electronic apparatus according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram thereof, and FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of a state of the inclined sheet feeding in FIG.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a paper feed mechanism 1 according to a first embodiment includes a paper feed roller 3 for feeding paper 2 in a traveling direction W, and a paper feed roller 3 parallel to the traveling direction W of the paper 2. Sensors A1, A2, B1, B2 provided at positions where both sides of the paper 2 pass and before and after the paper feed roller 3 (feeding detecting means)
And paper correction rollers a1, a disposed near each sensor.
2, b1 and b2 (feed correction means).

The inserted paper feed 2 is sent in a traveling direction W by a paper feed roller 3 at a predetermined angle, and sensors A1 and A2 detect the position of one side of the paper feed before and after the paper feed roller 3. The sensors B1 and B2 detect the positions of the other side of the sheet feeding before and after the sheet feed roller 3 respectively.

The paper correction rollers a1 and a2 feed the paper feed 2 outward (in the minus X direction) at positions before and after the paper feed roller 3, and the paper correction rollers b1 and b2 feed paper at the position before and after the paper feed roller 3. 2 outside (plus X
Direction).

As shown in FIG. 1, the paper feed 2 is normally located,
If the side of the paper feed 2 parallel to the traveling direction W is at the reference position, the paper feed 2 correctly passes through all the sensors A1, A2, B1, and B2. 2 proceeds smoothly in the W direction as it is.

However, as shown in FIG. 3, if the paper feed 2 is inclined and the side of the paper feed 2 parallel to the traveling direction W is not at the reference position, the paper feed 2 does not pass through all the sensors, so that Sensors that do not block the light path result.

In the circuit diagram of FIG. 2, each sensor composed of a pair of a light emitting diode and a phototransistor has a configuration in which, when the sheet feeder 2 is not present, most of the light emitted from the light emitting diode is captured by the phototransistor. The amount of received light is large. When the sheet feed 2 passes, the sheet feed 2 blocks the light from the light emitting diode, so that the amount of light received by the phototransistor becomes small.

Therefore, when the paper feed 2 is inserted into the normal position and proceeds, first, the amount of light received by the sensors A2 and B2 behind the paper feed roller changes and becomes small. The light receiving amounts of the sensors A1 and B1 change and become smaller. In the circuit according to the present embodiment, the comparator 13 compares the output voltages VA1 and VB1 of the sensors A1 and B1 and outputs a positive voltage or a negative voltage according to the state of VB1 and VA1.
Is output.

The AMP 11 compares the output voltages VA2 and VB2 of the sensors A2 and B2, and outputs a positive voltage or a negative voltage according to the state of VB2 and VA2, and outputs 0V if they are equal.

The AMP 12 compares the output voltages VA1 and VA2 of the sensors A1 and A2, and outputs a positive voltage or a negative voltage according to the state of VA2 and VA1, and outputs 0V if they are equal.

The control unit 14 includes a comparator 13
And the number of rotations of each paper correction roller is determined based on the output of
A signal for setting the rotation speed is transmitted to the F converters 15 and 16.

There are nine cases of the paper feeding state and the detection result (voltage of each part) of the sensor. FIG. 4 shows this state, and FIGS. 5 to 13 show the state of paper feed 2 in each case. Here, FIG. 5 shows a state in which the sheet feed 2 is normal, and FIGS. 6 and 7 show a state in which the sheet feed 2 is tilted left and right, respectively. 8 and 9 show a state where the sheet 2 has wrinkles at the upper right and lower right, respectively, and FIGS. 10 and 11 show a state where the sheet 2 has wrinkles at the lower left and upper left respectively.
12 and 13 show a state in which the paper feed 2 is biased to the left and right, respectively.

Among them, for example, FIG. 7 corresponds to case number 3 in FIG. 4, and is a top view showing a state in which paper is fed to the right. In this case, the rotation speed of the paper correction rollers a1 and b2 is increased. There is a need to. FIG. 9 corresponds to case number 5 in FIG. 4, and is a top view showing a state in which wrinkles are formed at the lower right of the paper feed. In this case, it is necessary to increase the rotation speed of only the paper correction roller b2. There is. Further, FIG. 12 is a top view corresponding to case number 8 in FIG. 4 and showing a state in which the sheet is biased to the left side.
It is necessary to increase the number of rotations of 1 and b2.

The VF converter 15 determines the number of rotations of the paper correction rollers a2 and b2 based on the signal from the AMP 11, and further determines the rotation speed of the paper correction rollers a2 and b2 based on the signal from the control unit 14. The ratio of the number of rotations is determined, and the corresponding frequencies Ca2 and Cb2 are transmitted to the motor driving units M3 and M4.

The VF converter 16 determines the number of rotations of the paper correction rollers a1 and b1 based on the signal from the AMP 12, and further based on the signal from the control unit 14, the paper correction rollers a1 and a1. The level of the ratio of the number of rotations of b1 is determined, and the corresponding frequencies Ca1, Cb1 are transmitted to the motor driving units M1, M2.

The formula for calculating the number of revolutions is as follows. M (RMS) = 1 / (K * V _AMP1 or V _AMP2 ) Here, M is the rotation speed, and V _AMP1 or V _AMP2 is AMP.
1 or the output voltage of AMP2, and K is a conversion coefficient.

The motor driving units M1 to M4 perform level conversion and the like on the basis of signals sent from the VF converters 15 and 16 to drive the motor.

In the configuration of the present invention, by using two or more sensors on one side of the paper feed, it is possible to reduce the influence of noise and to increase the number of cases of the paper feed state, thereby providing more detailed control. It is possible.

Further, in the configuration of the present invention, the paper feed rollers are provided at both ends of the paper feed, and the both rollers feed the paper outward. The advantage is that the number of rotations is easily controlled. In addition to being able to perform paper position correction, by always feeding paper out, it is possible to prevent wrinkles from occurring, and to enable effective removal of wrinkles that have occurred.
This will be described below with reference to FIG.

FIG. 14 is an explanatory diagram of the rotation voltage applied to the paper correction rollers a1 and b1 disposed on both sides of the paper supply. In FIG. 14A, the paper correction roller b1 feeds the paper feed 2 only in the + X direction perpendicular to the traveling direction W, that is, only in the outward direction. However, since the motor of the paper correction roller b1 is a frequency control type, The rotation speed is controlled by the frequency of the input waveform.

Similarly, the paper correction roller a1 feeds the paper feed 2 only in the minus X direction perpendicular to the traveling direction W, that is, only in the outward direction. However, since the paper correction roller a1 is a frequency control type, its rotation speed is It is controlled by the frequency of the input waveform.

When the paper feed 2 is at a position deviated in the minus X direction, a high frequency waveform Cb1 is sent to the paper correction roller b1 as shown in FIG. The rotation speed is larger (twice in the figure) than the rotation speed of the paper correction roller a1 at which the low-frequency waveform Ca1 is sent. As a result, feed 2 is + X
The paper feed 2 is corrected to the normal position. In addition, during this correction, both sides of the paper feed 2 are applied with a force to send them outward by the two paper correction rollers, so that wrinkles 2A generated on the paper feed 2 are removed.

Further, as shown in FIG. 14C, if the frequencies of the waveforms Ca1 and Cb1 input to the paper correction rollers a1 and b1 are equal, the rotation speeds of the paper correction rollers a1 and b1 become equal, and the same delivery amount Paper feed 2
Travels in the traveling direction W while receiving the same tension in both outward directions perpendicular to the traveling direction by both rollers a1 and b1. Therefore, the paper feed 2 is located at the reference position, and wrinkles 2A generated on the paper feed 2 are removed.

Further, since tension is always applied to the sheet feeder 2 in both directions perpendicular to the traveling direction, wrinkles can be prevented.

Similarly, when the paper feed 2 is at a position deviated in the + X direction, a high-frequency waveform Ca1 is sent to the paper correction roller a1 as shown in FIG. The rotation speed of a1 is larger (twice in the figure) than the rotation speed of the paper correction roller b1 at which the low-frequency waveform Cb1 is sent. As a result, the sheet feed 2 is pulled back in the minus X direction, and the position of the sheet feed 2 is corrected to the normal position. In addition, during this correction, both sides of the paper feed 2 are applied with a force to send them outward by the two paper correction rollers, so that wrinkles 2A generated on the paper feed 2 are removed.

Further, since tension is always applied to the sheet feeder 2 in both directions perpendicular to the traveling direction, wrinkles can be prevented.

FIG. 15 is a perspective view showing a second embodiment of the paper feeding mechanism according to the present invention, and FIG. 16 is an explanatory diagram of the configuration of the position sensor shown in FIG. FIG. 17 is a block diagram of an electric circuit of the paper feeding mechanism of FIG.

As shown in FIG. 15, the paper feed mechanism 1 of the second embodiment includes a paper feed roller 3 for feeding the paper 2 in the traveling direction W, and paper provided near both sides parallel to the traveling direction W of the paper 2. Correction rollers a and b (feed correction means), a light-emitting body (photodiode) 20 provided at a position corresponding to a side parallel to the direction of paper feeding proceeding at a normal angle, a focusing lens 21, and a light-receiving body (photograph) Sensor). The light emitter 20, the converging lens 21, and the light receiver form an optical feed position sensor (feed detecting unit). A motor (not shown) is connected to each of the paper feed roller 3 and the paper correction roller 20.

As shown in FIG. 16, when the paper feed 2 does not pass, the light emitted from the light emitting body 20 is diffused at a solid angle φ 1, focused by the focusing lens 21 and captured by the light receiving body 22. At this time, the light receiving amount of the light receiving body 22 is 100%, which is the maximum.

As the paper feed 2 proceeds, the paper feed 2 blocks the light from the light emitting body 20, but since the light diffusion area is wide,
The amount of light received by the photoreceptor 22 gradually attenuates, and eventually reaches the minimum amount of received light of 0%. That is, since the light emitted from the luminous body 20 has a solid angle φ1, the attenuation of the light amount and the fluctuation of the output voltage are moderate.

When this is compared with the configuration of the conventional position sensor shown in FIG. 18, since the conventional position sensor does not have a focusing lens, the change in the amount of light corresponding to the solid angle φ2 is steep with the progress of sheet feeding. It becomes something.

The operation of the second embodiment will be described with reference to the circuit diagram of FIG. 17. The output voltage of the photoreceptor 22 is input to the positive input side of the comparator 23, and the reference voltage Vref is input to the inverting input side of the comparator 23. I do. Here, the reference voltage Vref is a voltage generated by the photoreceptor 22 when the sheet 2 passes over a point that is set in advance as a reference.

The comparator 23 compares the output voltage of the photoreceptor 22 with the above-mentioned Vref. If the output voltage is higher than or equal to Vref, High (inversion) is used.
(Forward rotation) is output as a forward / reverse rotation signal. This forward / reverse rotation signal is transmitted to the motor controller 25.

On the other hand, a VF (voltage-frequency) conversion circuit 24
Compares the output voltage of the photoreceptor 22 with the reference voltage Vref, and converts the output voltage to a rotation speed M defined by the following equation. M (RMS) = k * | Vph (F) -Vref (F) | where Vph is the output voltage of the photoreceptor, Vref is the reference voltage, and k is the conversion coefficient. This oscillation frequency F is input to the motor controller 25 as a rotation speed signal.

The motor controller 25 determines the rotation direction of the roller by the forward / reverse signal from the comparator 23,
A roller drive signal is sent based on the rotation speed signal from the F conversion circuit 24. Thus, the paper correction rollers a and b apply tension to the paper feed 2 and correct the paper feed to a reference position. The operation mechanism of the paper correction rollers a and b at this time is the same as the description based on FIG. 14 of the first embodiment.

However, unlike the case of the first embodiment, in the second embodiment, the change in the amount of light due to the light shielding of the proceeding sheet feed becomes gentler, and thus the change in the rotation speed of the paper correction roller can be made gentler. The change in tension can be mitigated, and damage accidents such as breakage of sheet feeding due to abrupt change in tension, which has tended to occur conventionally, can be avoided.

[0048]

As described above, in the paper feeding mechanism according to the present invention, since the sensors are provided at the positions where both sides parallel to the predetermined traveling direction of paper feeding pass, the paper feeding at an inappropriate angle is performed. When the paper feed advances out of a predetermined angle due to paper insertion or wrinkling during the paper feeding process, one sensor is interrupted by the passage of paper while the other sensor is blocked. Since there is no paper passage, the light beam is not blocked, resulting in a difference between the outputs from the two sensors.

The paper correction rollers provided near both sides parallel to the paper feed direction rotate based on the outputs of the sensors, and therefore operate at different rotational speeds. The paper feed advances and retreats at right angles to the paper feed direction, enabling easy automatic correction of the paper position. Further, tension is applied to the paper feed at right angles to the advancing direction to enable removal and repair of the wrinkles generated.

Even if the paper feed is proceeding at a normal angle, each paper correction roller keeps feeding the paper outward in a direction perpendicular to the traveling direction, so that the paper correction roller always feeds the paper in a direction perpendicular to the traveling direction. By applying an appropriate tension to the sheet feeding, wrinkles can be prevented.

Further, since the focusing lens provided between the light-emitting portion and the light-receiving portion of the optical position sensor captures light rays over a wider area, the light quantity change due to the light shielding of the proceeding paper feed becomes gentle. Therefore, since the change in the rotation speed of the paper correction roller can be moderated, the change in the tension applied to the paper feed can be reduced, and damage such as breakage of the paper feed can be avoided.

As described above, it is possible to easily detect an improper paper feeding state and easily correct an appropriate paper feeding state. Therefore, it is possible to prevent paper jams and wrinkles from occurring before printing. In addition to maintaining the quality, it is possible not only to prevent the loss of the print data but also to prevent the document from being damaged and the paper from being lost.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a top view of a first embodiment of a sheet feeding mechanism according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram of an electric system of the sheet feeding mechanism of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a top view showing an inclined state of sheet feeding in the sheet feeding mechanism of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating the progress of sheet feeding and the voltage of each section.

FIG. 5 is a top view showing a normal state of sheet feeding in the sheet feeding mechanism of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a top view showing a state in which the sheet feeding in the sheet feeding mechanism of FIG. 1 is tilted to the left.

FIG. 7 is a top view showing a state in which the sheet feeding in the sheet feeding mechanism of FIG. 1 is tilted to the right.

FIG. 8 is a top view showing a state in which wrinkles are formed on the upper right of the sheet feeding in the sheet feeding mechanism of FIG. 1;

FIG. 9 is a top view showing a state in which wrinkles occur at the lower right of the sheet feeding in the sheet feeding mechanism of FIG. 1;

FIG. 10 is a top view showing a state in which wrinkles occur at the lower left of the sheet feeding in the sheet feeding mechanism of FIG. 1;

FIG. 11 is a top view showing a state in which wrinkles occur at the upper left of the sheet feeding in the sheet feeding mechanism of FIG. 1;

12 is a top view showing a state in which the sheet feeding in the sheet feeding mechanism of FIG. 1 is biased to the left.

FIG. 13 is a top view showing a state in which the sheet feeding in the sheet feeding mechanism of FIG. 1 is biased to the right.

FIG. 14 is an explanatory diagram of a rotation voltage of a paper correction roller.

FIG. 15 is a perspective view of a sheet feeding mechanism according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 16 is an explanatory diagram of a configuration of the position sensor of FIG.

FIG. 17 is a circuit diagram of an electric system of the sheet feeding mechanism of FIG.

FIG. 18 is an explanatory diagram of a configuration of a conventional position sensor.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Paper feed mechanism 2 Paper feed 3 Paper feed roller A1, A2, B1, B2 Sensor (feed detection means) a1, a2, b1, b2 Paper correction roller (feed correction means) W Feeding direction

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] A paper feed roller for feeding paper in a traveling direction;
Both sides of the paper feed parallel to the direction of the paper feed pass
At each position and before and after the paper feed roller,
A plurality of paper feed detecting means, and disposed near the paper feed detecting means.
A plurality of paper feeding correction means,
Is to feed the paper in a direction perpendicular to the direction of the paper feed.
Paper correction to be sent to the outside
A paper feed mechanism for an electronic device, wherein the paper feed mechanism performs different rotation operations based on the output of a stage . 2. The paper feed detecting means includes a light emitting unit and a light receiving unit.
Optical sensor comprising the light emitting unit and the light receiving unit
2. The focusing lens according to claim 1, wherein a focusing lens is provided between the lenses.
Paper feed mechanism of the on- board electronic equipment.