JP7185852B2 - Feeding device, image forming device and image forming system - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a feeding device, an image forming device and an image forming system.

Conventionally, a stacking section for stacking a bundle of conveyed objects, a conveying means for conveying the uppermost conveyed object among the bundle of conveyed objects stacked on the stacking unit, and a conveying unit capable of moving in the conveying direction of the conveyed objects. , and an end fence that abuts against the rear end of the bundle of objects to be conveyed in the conveying direction to regulate the position of the rear end of the bundle of objects to be conveyed.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-200000 describes a feeding device in which a bundle of envelopes as a transported object is set on a feeding tray as a stacking unit, and at least the highest envelope among the bundle of envelopes stacked on the feeding tray is floated. It is described that the uppermost envelope is conveyed by the suction belt. In addition, a trailing end regulating member, which is an end fence, is provided movably in the conveying direction of the envelopes. Abutting to regulate the position of the envelope in the transport direction.

However, there is a problem that it may not be possible to satisfactorily feed a transported object having a large thickness deviation in the transport direction.

In order to solve the above-described problems, the present invention provides a stacking unit capable of stacking a transported object having a thickness deviation in the transport direction, a transport means for transporting the transported object stacked on the stacking unit, and a transported object. an end fence for regulating the position of the rear end of the bundle of objects to be conveyed by abutting the rear end of the bundle of objects in the conveying direction; and an elevating member that moves up and down, wherein the stacking unit is provided on the elevating member, includes a fixed table, and a rotatable movable plate disposed on the upstream side of the fixed table in the conveying direction. and a placing unit on which a bundle of objects to be transported is placed, wherein the movable table rotates as the elevating member rises.

ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the to-be-conveyed body with a large deviation of the thickness in a conveyance direction can be fed satisfactorily.

1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an image forming system according to the present embodiment; FIG. FIG. 4 is a schematic perspective view of the vicinity of the feeding tray; The perspective view of a front air blower. The front view of a front air blower. FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram of a conventional feeding device in which a fan-shaped sheet bundle is set. FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram showing a characteristic part of the feeding device of the present embodiment; FIG. 4 is a schematic perspective view of the vicinity of the feeding tray; FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram of a placement unit; FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a placement unit; 4 is a perspective view of the feed tray as seen from the upstream side in the sheet conveying direction; FIG. FIG. 4 is a schematic configuration diagram when the fixing table reaches the feeding position; FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the feed tray when the fixed base reaches the feed position, as seen from the upstream side in the sheet conveying direction; FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing the state of the mounting unit when the fixed table reaches the feeding position; FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the mounting unit when the fixed table reaches the feeding position; FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional perspective view of the stacking unit as seen from the upstream side in the sheet conveying direction; FIG. 5 is a view for explaining attachment of the placing unit to the sheet placing table; (a) is an enlarged view of part A in FIG. 16 (c), and (b) is an enlarged view of part B in FIG. 16 (c). FIG. 4 is a side view showing a state in which a sheet bundle made up of sheets having thickness deviations in the sheet conveying direction is set. 4A and 4B are perspective views of the sheet feeding tray in which a sheet bundle including sheets having thickness deviations in the sheet conveying direction is set, viewed from different directions; FIG. FIG. 18 is an enlarged view of part A in FIG.

An embodiment of a feeding device to which the present invention is applied will be described below.
FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an image forming system 1 of this embodiment.
As shown in FIG. 1, the image forming system 1 includes an image forming apparatus 100 as image forming means for forming an image on a sheet, and a feeding apparatus 200 for feeding the sheet to the image forming apparatus. The feeding device 200 is provided on the side surface of the main body of the image forming apparatus 100 .

The recording method of the image forming apparatus 100 to which the sheet feeding device of the present embodiment can be applied is not particularly limited, and any method such as an electrophotographic method or an ink jet method can be adopted. A sheet carrying-in section from the sheet feeding device 200 is provided on the right side surface of the main body of the device 100 in FIG. The sheet loading section is provided with an opening for receiving the sheet and a conveying means for conveying the sheet.

The feeding device 200 includes two upper and lower feeding trays . Each feed tray has a sheet stacking table, which is a sheet stacking unit on which a bundle of sheets P is stacked. In this embodiment, each feeding tray can accommodate a maximum of about 2500 sheets.

The sheet as the transported object includes paper, coated paper, label paper, OHP sheet, film, prepreg, and the like. Prepreg is mainly used as a material for laminates and multilayer printed wiring boards. For example, a long base material such as glass cloth, paper, non-woven fabric, or aramid cloth is continuously impregnated with a resin varnish mainly composed of a thermosetting resin such as epoxy resin or polyimide resin, dried by heating, and then cut. Thus, it is processed into a sheet material. Furthermore, the sheet includes bag-like materials such as envelopes and packaging materials .

Sheets stacked on the lower feeding tray pass through the lower conveying path and are conveyed to the main body of the image forming apparatus 100 by the exit roller pair . The sheet stacked on the upper feeding tray is conveyed to the main body of the image forming apparatus 100 by the exit roller pair through the upper conveyance .

FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of the vicinity of the feed tray 10. FIG. In addition, in FIG. 2 , the feeding unit 20 is shown shifted in the direction of the arrow in the drawing from its original location for easy understanding.
Above the feed tray 10 , a feed unit 20 is arranged as a conveying means for sucking and conveying the uppermost sheet of the sheet bundle stacked on the feed tray 10 . The feeding unit 20 includes a suction belt 21 and a suction device 23, which are conveying members.
The suction belt 21 of the feeding unit 20 is stretched by two tension rollers 22a and 22b, and suction holes penetrating from the surface side to the back side of the belt are provided in the entire circumferential direction. A suction device 23 is provided inside the suction belt 21 . The suction device 23 is connected to a suction fan that sucks air through an air duct, which is an air flow path. It acts to let

Further, the feeding tray 10 is provided with an air blowing device 17 that blows air onto the upper sheets of the sheet bundle P. As shown in FIG. This blower 17 has a front blower 12 and a side blower 14 .

The side blower 14 is provided on the pair of side fences 13 and blows air toward the upper side surface of the sheet bundle P in the direction indicated by the arrow b in the drawing. The side blower 14 is provided with a side floating nozzle that guides air in a direction in which the sheet bundle P is loosened and floated, and has a side blower 14a that blows air into this nozzle. The air blown from the side floating nozzle in the direction indicated by the arrow b in the drawing is called side air. The side air is discharged from a side nozzle 13a provided at a portion of each side fence 13 facing the upper portion of the sheet bundle P, and is blown to the side surface of the upper portion of the sheet bundle P. As shown in FIG. Air blown from the front blower 12 and the outlets of the pair of side fences 13 floats the upper sheets of the sheet bundle.

Further, the feed tray 10 is provided with an end fence 25 for aligning the rear ends of the sheet bundles P stacked on the sheet stacking table 11 . The sheet stacking table 11 can be moved up and down in the direction of the arrow A in the figure by an elevating device 19 as elevating means.

3 is a perspective view of the front blower 12, and FIG. 4 is a front view of the front blower 12. As shown in FIG.
The front air blower 12 blows air toward the top end of the sheet stack P (the downstream end in the feeding direction). The front blower 12 includes a floating nozzle 15a for guiding air in a direction to float the sheet bundle P, a separation nozzle 16a for guiding and separating the air between the uppermost floating sheet and the second floating sheet, a sheet A downward suction nozzle 15b is arranged for downwardly sucking air in the vicinity of the leading end of the upper portion of the bundle P. As shown in FIG.

Among the nozzles, the air blown from the floating nozzle 15a is called floating air, and the air blown from the separation nozzle 16a is called separated air. Also, the air sucked from the lower suction nozzle 15b is called lower suction air.

The floating air blows out in the direction of arrow a1 in FIGS . edge). The separation air is blown out in the direction of arrow a2 in FIGS. It is sprayed between the second sheet.

The downward suction air flows in the direction of arrow a3 in FIG . As a result, a force is generated in a direction away from the adsorption belt 21, and the second and subsequent sheets that have floated are quickly dropped into the sheet bundle.

Next, the feeding operation will be described.
When a command to start feeding is received from the host controller of the main body of the image forming apparatus 100 , the lifting device 19 is driven to raise the sheet stacking table 11 . Then, when the sheet detection sensor 31 detects the upper surface of the sheet bundle, the driving of the lifting device 19 is stopped. Next, air blowing by the air blower 17 is started while the suction belt 21 is stopped, and blowing control is started. In addition, suction by the suction device 23 is started, and suction control is started. When the air blower 17 starts blowing air, floating air, separation air, and side air are blown from the floating nozzle 15a, the separation nozzle 16a, and the side nozzle 13a to the front end portion of the upper portion of the sheet bundle.

By blowing the floating air and the side air, the leading edge portions of the plurality of sheets on the upper part of the sheet bundle float, and the suction of the suction device 23 generates negative pressure below the suction belt 21, and the floating uppermost sheet P1 is suctioned. It sticks to the belt 21 . When the uppermost sheet P1 is adsorbed to the adsorption belt 21, separation air is blown from the separation nozzle 16a between the uppermost sheet P1 and the second sheet P2, and the adsorbed uppermost sheet P1 and the second and subsequent sheets are separated from each other. The sheet is separated.

Next, the suction belt 21 is rotated to feed the uppermost sheet P1. At this time, if the second and subsequent sheets float excessively or their behavior is disturbed and come into contact with the uppermost sheet, they may be conveyed together with the uppermost sheet. Therefore, in the present embodiment, when the feeding of the uppermost sheet P1 is started (when the suction belt 21 is rotated), the blowing of the front floating air and the separation air is stopped, and the air is sucked from the lower suction nozzle 15b. Start. As a result, the second and subsequent sheets that have floated are quickly dropped so that they do not come in contact with the uppermost sheet, thereby suppressing multi-feeding.

When a predetermined time elapses from the start of feeding (when the leading edge of the uppermost sheet P1 is fed to a predetermined next process (for example, a conveying roller pair) downstream of the suction belt), suction by the suction device 23 is stopped and suction is performed. The first sheet attached to the belt 21 is released. Also, the driving of the feeding motor is stopped to stop the rotation of the adsorption belt 21 .

When there is a sheet to be fed next, the blowing of the front floating air and the separation air is resumed and the air suction from the lower suction nozzle 15b is stopped so that the sheet to be fed next is floated by the lower suction air. to prevent interference with Next, the sheet suction to the suction belt 21 by the suction device 23 is resumed. After that, the same feeding process as described above is performed.

Next, features of this embodiment will be described.
When forming an image on a sheet having a large thickness deviation in the sheet conveying direction, such as a bag member having a zipper at the opening, the sheet to be fed is generally conveyed on the thin side in consideration of conveyability. It is set on the feed tray 10 with the direction leading edge. This is because if the thicker side is the leading edge in the transport direction, the leading edge of the sheet hits the transport rollers and is not smoothly transported to the nip of the transport roller pair, increasing the risk of jamming.

In such a sheet bundle in which a plurality of sheets having a large thickness deviation in the sheet conveying direction are stacked, the thicker sheet spreads like a fan. When the fan-shaped side of the sheet bundle is set on the sheet feeding tray 10 with the rear end side in the sheet conveying direction, the following problem occurs.

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of a sheet bundle P spread in a fan shape set in a conventional feeding device.
As described above, in order to place the thicker side on the rear side in the transport direction for transportability, as shown in FIG . set. Next, even if the end fence 25 is moved in the sheet conveying direction to restrict the sheet bundle, a gap a is formed between the upper side of the sheet bundle and the end fence 25, and the upper side of the sheet bundle is not at the end. The position is no longer restricted by the fence 25 . When the gap a is created in this way, the uppermost sheet that has risen retreats by the gap a, and the uppermost sheet and the leading edge of the second sheet face the suction belt 21, and the leading edge of the second sheet is attracted to the attraction belt 21 together with the uppermost sheet. As a result, there is a problem that two sheets are conveyed and double feeding occurs.

Further, the height of the sheet bundle stacked on the sheet stacking table 11 is higher on the trailing end side than on the leading end side. An end sensor 32 is provided on the upstream side of the adsorption belt 21 in the sheet conveying direction to detect the presence or absence of the sheet to detect the end of the sheet. The height of the sheet stack stacked on the sheet stacking table 11 is higher on the trailing end side than on the leading end side. , a state in which no sheet is detected occurs, and there is a possibility that a problem such as an inability to correctly perform elevation control may occur.

In addition, since the rear side of the upper sheet of the sheet bundle is greatly curved upward, a restoring force acts downward on the leading edge side of the sheet. As a result, it is difficult for the leading edge of the sheet to float, and the uppermost sheet may not be attracted to the attraction belt 21 .

In this way, when a large number of sheets having thickness deviations in the transport direction are bundled, the fan-shaped spread becomes large, and the above-described problem occurs. Only a few sheet bundles can be set on the feed tray 10, resulting in low productivity.

Therefore, in the present embodiment, even if a sheet bundle made up of a large number of sheets having thickness deviations in the sheet conveying direction is set on the feeding tray 10, the above-described problems do not occur and the sheets can be conveyed satisfactorily. Characteristic portions of the present embodiment will be specifically described below.

FIG. 6 is a schematic configuration diagram showing characteristic parts of the feeding device of the present embodiment, and FIG. 7 is a schematic perspective view of the vicinity of the feeding tray 10. As shown in FIG.
As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 , the end fence 25 of this embodiment includes a support pillar 25a supported by the bottom of the feed tray 10 so as to be movable in the sheet conveying direction. A lower regulating member 35 that abuts against the lower rear end of the sheet bundle and regulates the position of the lower rear end of the sheet bundle and the upper rear end of the sheet bundle are provided on the facing surface of the support 25a facing the sheet bundle. and an upper regulating member 34 for regulating the position of the rear end of the upper side of the sheet bundle.

A pair of belt regulating portions 33 are provided on both sides of each regulating member in the sheet width direction. Each belt regulating portion 33 includes an upper tension roller 33b rotatably supported by an upper regulation member 34, a lower tension roller 33a rotatably supported by a lower regulation member 35, and a tension roller 33a. A belt member 33c as an elastic deformation member stretched around the roller 33b is provided.

The pair of belt regulating portions 33 have the same structure, and the tension of the belt member 33c of the belt regulating portion 33 on one side is the same as the tension of the belt member 33c of the belt regulating portion 33 on the other side. Further, it is preferable that the tension of the belt member 33c is weak. Since the tension of the belt member 33c is weak, the belt member 33c can be easily elastically deformed, and can be made to follow the fan-like spread of the rear end of the sheet bundle. By weakening the tension, the belt member 33 c cannot properly regulate the position of the trailing edge, and the leading edge of the sheet bundle cannot be pressed against the front fence 27 . However, in this embodiment, an upper regulating member is provided, and the position of the trailing end can be correctly regulated by this upper regulating member, and problems such as double feeding do not occur.

Further, at least one of the upper regulation member 34 and the lower regulation member 35 may be provided with a plurality of holes for rotatably supporting the tension rollers arranged vertically so that the tension of the belt member 33c can be adjusted. In such a configuration, the tension applied to the belt member 33c can be adjusted by changing the hole that supports the tension roller.

In addition, since the tension rollers 33a and 33b are rotatably supported by the regulating member, the belt member 33c that hits the trailing edge of the sheet can move endlessly as the sheet rises, as will be described later. ing. Further, the surface of the belt member 33c is a rough surface with unevenness, so that the sheet in contact with the belt member is less likely to slip on the belt surface.

As shown in FIG. 7 , the upper regulating member 34 is attached to the upper portion of the support 25a, and the surface facing the sheet stack is a vertically parallel abutment surface 34b and a lower end of the abutment surface 34b. It has a guiding inclined surface 34a inclined so as to be positioned in a direction away from the sheet bundle as it goes downward.

The lower regulation member 35 has the same shape as the upper regulation member 34 and is attached to the lower part of the support 25a in the upside down direction. Therefore, the guiding inclined surface 35a of the lower regulating member 35 becomes a surface inclined so as to be positioned away from the sheet stack as it goes upward from the upper end of the abutment surface 35b.

In addition, the abutment surfaces 34b and 35b of the regulating members are located on the sheet bundle side by B mm from the stretching area of the belt member 33c on the sheet bundle side.

A stacking unit 40 is attached to the downstream side in the sheet conveying direction of the sheet stacking table 11 as an elevating member. The stacking unit 40 has a fixed table 41 that supports the leading end of the sheet bundle in the conveying direction, and a movable table 42 that is rotated by a link mechanism 48 . The link mechanism 48 has a first rotating member 45 and a second rotating member 46. The first rotating member 45 is provided in a guide groove 27a of the front fence 27 for guiding the sheet stacking table 11. A movable protrusion 45a is provided to move the movable table 42 by coming into contact with the protrusion 51 provided.

8 is a schematic configuration diagram of the mounting unit 40, and FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the mounting unit 40. As shown in FIG.
One end of the first rotating member 45 that constitutes the link mechanism 48 is rotatably supported by the facing surface 41 b that faces the front fence 27 . Also, the other end of the first rotating member 45 is provided with a movable projecting portion 45a. Further, a through hole portion 45c through which the connecting portion 46b of the second rotating member 46 penetrates is provided so as to be adjacent to the movable projection portion 45a.

The opposing surface 41b is provided with a regulation hole 41a for regulating the rotational range of the first rotational member 45. The regulation hole 41a is provided substantially in the center of the first rotational member 45 so as to be bent upstream in the sheet conveying direction. A restricting protrusion 45b formed in a rectangular shape is inserted into the restricting hole 41a. With such a configuration, the rotation range of the first rotation member is restricted to less than 90°.

A substantially central portion of the second rotating member 46 is rotatably supported by a base support portion 41c that supports the upstream side of the fixed base 41 in the sheet conveying direction. The connecting portion 46 b that connects to the first rotating member 45 is formed at the downstream end portion of the second rotating member 46 in the sheet conveying direction, as described above. In addition, a contact portion 46 c for contacting the rear surface of the movable table 42 and rotating the movable table 42 is provided at the upstream end portion of the second rotating member 46 in the sheet conveying direction.

By connecting the connecting portion 46b of the second rotating member 46 to the first rotating member 45 whose rotating range is restricted, the rotating range of the second rotating member 46 is also restricted to less than 90°. . In this way, by setting the rotation range of each rotation member constituting the link mechanism 48 to less than 90°, it is possible to suppress the mounting unit 40 from increasing in size.

When the movable projection 45 a is not in contact with the projection 51 , the weight of the movable table 42 pushes the contact portion 46 c of the second rotating member 46 downward to lower the movable table 42 . is in an inclined position. The second rotating member 46 has a posture in which the contact portion 46c is lowered and the connecting portion 46b is raised, and the first rotating member 45 has a posture in which the movable projecting portion 45a is positioned upward. ing.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the feeding tray 10 as seen from the upstream side in the sheet conveying direction.
As shown in FIG. 10 , a front fence 27 against which the leading edge of the sheet bundle on the feed tray 10 abuts to regulate the position of the leading edge of the sheet bundle is provided above the guide groove 27a that guides the elevation of the sheet stacking table 11. As shown in FIG. A stopper member 50 having 51 is screwed.

FIG. 11 is a schematic configuration diagram when the fixed base 41 reaches the feeding position, and FIG. 12 shows the feeding tray 10 when the fixed base 41 reaches the feeding position, as seen from the upstream side in the sheet conveying direction. It is a perspective view. 13 is a schematic diagram showing the state of the mounting unit 40 at that time, and FIG. 14 is a perspective view of the mounting unit 40 at that time.
When the mounting unit 40 attached to the sheet stacking table 11 is raised together with the sheet stacking table 11 , the movable protrusion 45 a hits the protrusion 51 . When the movable projection 45a is further raised from this state, the projection 51 restricts the upward movement of the movable projection 45a. Then, as shown in FIG. 13 , the first rotating member 45 rotates in the direction of the arrow X against the weight of the sheet stack placed on the movable table 42 and the stacking unit 40, and the movable protrusion 45a moves downward relative to the mounting unit 40 . As the first rotating member 45 rotates in the X direction in the drawing, the connecting portion 46b of the second rotating member 46 is pushed down. As a result, as shown in FIGS. 12 and 13 , the second rotating member 46 rotates in the arrow Y direction, and the contact portion 46c lifts the movable table 42. As shown in FIGS. As a result, the movable table 42 rotates in the direction of the arrow Z in the drawing, and the inclination becomes gentle. Then, as shown in FIG. 11 , when the fixed table 41 reaches the feeding position, the movable table 42 assumes a horizontal posture.

In the present embodiment, the link mechanism 48 is provided to rotate the movable table 42 as the sheet stacking table 11 is raised. This eliminates the need for a motor for rotating the movable table 42, thereby reducing the cost of the apparatus. can be improved.

FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional perspective view of the stacking unit 40 as seen from the upstream side in the sheet conveying direction, and FIG . 17 (a) is an enlarged view of part A in FIG. 16 (c), and FIG. 17 (b) is an enlarged view of part B in FIG. 16 (c).
As shown in FIG. 15 , a fixing portion 49 for fixing the mounting unit 40 to the sheet stacking table 11 is provided on the upstream side of the mounting unit 40 in the sheet conveying direction. The fixing portion 49 is formed with an elongated hole 49a extending in the sheet conveying direction.

The mounting unit 40 is attached to the sheet stacking table 11 using a unit fixing plate 47 .
A hook-shaped fixing claw portion 47a and a positioning convex portion 47b are provided at the downstream end portion of the unit fixing plate 47 in the sheet conveying direction.
First, as shown in FIG. 16A , the fixing claw portion 47a of the unit fixing plate 47 is inserted into the elongated hole 49a of the mounting unit 40 from the lower side of the sheet stacking table 11. Then, as shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 16A , the sheet stacking table 11 is formed with a first hole portion 11a and a second hole portion 11b. and insert it into the long hole 49a.

16A and 16B, after the fixed claw portion 47a is abutted against the downstream end portion of the long hole 49a in the sheet conveying direction, the unit is opened with the fixed claw portion 47a as a fulcrum as shown in FIGS. 16A and 16B. The fixing plate is rotated clockwise in the drawing so that the positioning convex portion 47b of the unit fixing plate penetrates the second hole portion 11b of the sheet stacking table 11 and the long hole 49a of the placing unit 40 . The length from the fixing claw portion 47a to the positioning convex portion 47b is the length from the sheet conveying direction upstream end of the first hole 11a of the sheet stacking table 11 to the sheet conveying direction downstream end of the second hole 11b. is approximately equal to Therefore, when the positioning projection 47b is passed through the second hole 11b, the fixing claw 47a comes into contact with the upstream end of the first hole 11a in the sheet conveying direction, as shown in FIG. 17 (a). As shown in FIG. 17B , the positioning projection 47b contacts the upstream end of the second hole 11b in the sheet conveying direction, and the unit fixing plate 47 is positioned in the sheet conveying direction. Then, as shown in FIG . 16C , by screwing the screw 49b into the screw hole 47c of the unit fixing plate 47, the bottom surface of the mounting unit 40 is held by the fixing claw portion 47a and the head of the screw 49b. , is pushed toward the sheet stacking table 11 side. As a result, the stacking unit 40 is clamped between the stacking unit 40 and the unit fixing plate 47 at a portion between the first hole 11 a and the second hole 11 b of the sheet stacking table 11 . It is attached to the sheet stacking table 11 .

By fixing the mounting unit 40 to the unit fixing plate 47 positioned on the sheet mounting table, the mounting unit 40 is positioned and fixed to the sheet mounting table. The stacking unit 40 is an extension unit used when setting a sheet bundle of sheets having a thickness deviation in the sheet conveying direction on the feeding tray 10, and is used to set a sheet bundle of sheets having no thickness deviation in the sheet conveying direction to the feeding tray. When set to 10, it is removed from the device.

In this embodiment, since the mounting unit 40 is attached to the sheet stacking table 11 with one screw, the mounting unit 40 can be easily attached to and detached from the sheet stacking table 11 . . Therefore, it is possible to easily extend the apparatus to be able to set a sheet bundle of sheets having a thickness deviation in the sheet conveying direction on the feed tray 10 .

FIG. 18 is a side view showing a state in which a sheet bundle pf made up of sheets having a thickness deviation in the sheet conveying direction is set, and FIG. Figure 2 is a viewed perspective view;

In the present embodiment, when the number of sheets in the sheet bundle pf is large and the fan-shaped opening on the rear end side is large, the sheet stacking table 11 is positioned at the lower side as shown in FIG . The movable protrusion 45 a is separated from the protrusion 51 . Therefore, at this time, the movable table 42 is tilted. Therefore, as shown in FIGS. 18 and 19 , the trailing edge side of the lower sheet of the sheet bundle is inclined following the inclination of the movable table 42 . As a result, fan-shaped spreading of the rear side of the sheet bundle upper sheet can be suppressed more than the conventional example shown in FIG . As a result, although the end sensor 32 detects the presence of a sheet, the sheet detection sensor 31 can prevent the occurrence of a situation in which the absence of a sheet is detected. .

In addition, since it is possible to suppress the bending of the rear side of the upper sheet of the sheet bundle, it is possible to reduce the restoring force downward of the leading end side of the sheet, so that the uppermost sheet can be satisfactorily floated and attracted to the attraction belt 21 . can be made

Further, in this embodiment, the end fence 25 is provided with a belt restricting portion 33 .
As a result, even if the position of the rear end of the sheet in the sheet conveying direction varies in the vertical direction due to the rear side of the sheet bundle expanding in a fan shape, the belt member 33c as the elastically deformable member of the belt restricting portion 33 is positioned at the rear side of the sheet bundle. The end fence 25 can be elastically deformed following the fan-like shape, and the end fence 25 can be brought into contact with the rear end of the sheet bundle without any gap.

In the present embodiment, the tilt of the movable table 42 cannot completely absorb the fan-shaped spread on the rear side. , and the lower portion are widened, and the central portion of the sheet bundle is positioned on the most upstream side in the sheet conveying direction.

In the present embodiment, elastically non-deformable regulating members are provided at the upper and lower portions of the end fence 25 and protrude beyond the belt member 33c. It is configured like this. As a result, the central portion in the vertical direction where the trailing end is positioned furthest upstream in the sheet conveying direction comes into contact with the belt member 33c, and the belt member 33c is elastically deformed so as to be recessed toward the upstream side in the sheet conveying direction. As a result, the end fence 25 can be moved downstream in the sheet conveying direction even after the central portion in the vertical direction comes into contact with the belt member 33c, and the abutment surface 34b of the upper regulation member 34 can be positioned at the top of the sheet bundle. The rear end can be abutted, and the abutment surface 35b of the lower regulating member 35 can be abutted against the rear end of the sheet at the bottom of the sheet bundle.

Further, since the tension of the belt members 33c of the pair of belt regulating portions 33 is the same, the elastic force applied to the sheet bundle when the end fence 25 abuts against the sheet bundle can be made the same, thereby suppressing bending of the sheets. be able to.

In addition, since the tension of the belt member 33c is adjustable, the tension of the belt member 33c can be weakened, for example, in the case of a sheet with low stiffness, and the elastic force of the belt member 33c can bend the sheet. can be suppressed.

Further, in this embodiment, the belt member 33c is endlessly movably supported by the tension rollers 33a and 33b. Therefore, when the sheet stacking table 11 is lifted to feed the sheets from the state shown in FIG . Rotate clockwise. As a result, the sheet bundle can be smoothly lifted.

In the present embodiment, since the central portion of the belt member 33c in the vertical direction is recessed toward the upstream side in the sheet conveying direction, the upper side of the belt member 33c is inclined toward the downstream side in the sheet conveying direction, thereby resisting the upward movement of the sheet bundle. becomes. Moreover, the belt member 33c is made of rubber and has a large sliding resistance with respect to the sheet. Therefore, if the belt member 33c does not move endlessly, there is a possibility that the trailing edge of the sheet may be bent downward when the sheet bundle is raised. Therefore, by configuring the belt member 33c so as to be endlessly movable as in the present embodiment, and by endlessly moving the belt member 33c as the sheet bundle rises, problems such as the rear end of the sheet being bent downward occur. It is effective in preventing

Furthermore, in the present embodiment, the belt surface is roughened to have an uneven surface, so that the belt member 33c can be reliably moved endlessly as the sheet bundle rises, and the sheet bundle can be smoothly raised. can do.

Further, in the present embodiment, the abutment surface 34b of the upper regulation member 34 is located closer to the sheet stack than the belt member 33c. Therefore, the contact of the rear end of the rising sheet bundle is switched from the belt member 33c to the upper regulating portion.

In this embodiment, the lower end of the abutting surface 34b of the upper restricting member 34 has a guiding inclined surface 34a located upstream in the sheet conveying direction as it goes downward.

20 is an enlarged view of part A in FIG. 18. FIG .
As shown in FIG. 20 , since the upper regulating member 34 has the guiding inclined surface 34a, the sheet is smoothly transferred from the belt member 33c to the upper regulating member 34, and transferred from the belt member 33c to the upper regulating member 34. At this time, it is possible to prevent the rear end of the sheet from being caught by the upper regulation member 34 and the rear end of the sheet being bent downward.

As for the lower regulating member 35, as the sheet bundle rises, contact with the trailing edge of the sheet bundle is switched from the lower regulating member 35 to the belt member 33c. In the present embodiment, since the lower regulation member 35 is also provided with the guiding inclined surface 35a positioned upstream in the sheet conveying direction as it goes upward, the sheet can be transferred from the lower regulation member 35 to the belt member 33c satisfactorily. can be done in

When the uppermost sheet of the sheet bundle reaches the feeding position and the sheet bundle stops rising, the trailing edge of the upper sheet of the sheet bundle is regulated by the abutment surface 34b of the upper regulation member 34 which cannot be elastically deformed. be done. As a result, the abutment surface 34b can reliably regulate the rear end position of the sheet, prevent the floating uppermost sheet from retreating, and as described above, the second sheet and the uppermost sheet can be prevented from moving backward. It is possible to suppress the occurrence of double feeding due to the adsorption of the upper sheet to the adsorption belt.

Further, the trailing edge of the lower sheet of the sheet bundle is also regulated by the abutment surface 35b of the lower regulating member 35 which cannot be elastically deformed. As described above, the rear side of the lower sheet of the sheet bundle Pf is inclined downward following the inclination of the movable table 42 . Therefore, although the lower sheet of the sheet stack may fall down due to its own weight, the abutment surface 35b of the lower regulating member 35 can firmly regulate such a downward movement.

In this way, by firmly regulating the position of the trailing end of the end fence with the regulating member, the tension of the belt member 33c contacting the central portion of the sheet bundle can be weakened so that it can be easily elastically deformed. can. As a result, it is possible to achieve both good feeding by regulating the trailing edge position and the function of following the fan-shaped spread of the trailing edge of the sheet bundle.

Further, as the sheet feeding progresses and the number of sheets remaining in the sheet bundle Pf decreases, the fan-shaped spread at the rear side of the sheet bundle decreases. Therefore, if the movable table 42 has the same inclination as the initial stage, the rear side of the uppermost sheet of the sheet bundle is lowered following the inclination of the movable table 42 when the number of sheets in the sheet bundle becomes small. As a result, when the uppermost sheet is floated, the uppermost sheet may retreat and cause double feeding.

However, in the present embodiment, as described above, as the sheet stacking table 11 rises, the movable protrusion 45a comes into contact with the protrusion 51 and the movable table 42 rotates, and the inclination of the movable table 42 gradually becomes gentle. becomes. As a result, the inclination of the movable table 42 can be moderated in accordance with the decrease in the fan-shaped spread of the rear side of the sheet bundle as the number of sheets in the sheet bundle is reduced. As a result, it is possible to suppress the rear side of the uppermost sheet of the sheet bundle from lowering, and it is possible to suppress the uppermost sheet from retreating when the uppermost sheet floats. As a result, the occurrence of double feeding can be suppressed.

As described above, in the present embodiment, even if the sheet bundle is made of sheets having a large thickness deviation in the sheet conveying direction, such as a bag member provided with a zipper on one side of the sheet conveying direction, and the rear side thereof spreads out like a fan. Good feeding can be achieved.

In addition, as the conveying means for conveying the sheets, a configuration is used in which the sheets of the sheet bundle are separated by air, and the sheet is conveyed by being attracted to the adsorption belt by negative pressure, but the configuration is not limited to this, and the sheet bundle is not limited to this. The sheet may be separated and electrostatically attracted to an attraction belt to be conveyed. Alternatively, the sheet bundle may be separated and conveyed by rollers as the conveying means.

Further, in the above description, an embodiment in which the present invention is applied to the feeding device 200 has been described, but the present invention may be applied to a feeding section included in the image forming apparatus 100 .

What has been described above is only an example, and each of the following aspects has a unique effect.
(Aspect 1)
A stacking unit such as a feed tray 10 for stacking a bundle of conveyed objects such as sheets, and a conveying means such as a feed unit 20 for conveying the uppermost conveyed object among the bundle of conveyed objects stacked on the stacking unit. and an end fence 25 which is movable in the conveying direction of the objects to be conveyed and abuts against the rear end of the bundle of the objects to be conveyed in the conveying direction to position the bundle of the objects to be conveyed in the conveying direction. , an elastically deformable member such as a belt member 33c is arranged in a predetermined portion of the end fence 25 excluding at least the upper portion thereof.
When conveyed objects having a large thickness deviation in the conveying direction are bundled, the thicker side spreads out like a fan. In this manner, when the objects to be transported are set on the stacking section with the fan-shaped side being the rear end in the transport direction, the rear end of the upper side of the bundle of transported objects is positioned downstream in the transport direction relative to the other rear ends. Located in Therefore, even if the user moves the end fence and hits the trailing end of the bundle of objects to be conveyed in the conveying direction, a gap is generated between the upper side of the bundle of objects to be conveyed and the end fence. As a result, there is a possibility that the upper side of the bundle of objects to be conveyed retreats during feeding, causing a problem in feeding or a delay in feeding, and there is a possibility that good feeding cannot be performed.
Therefore, in mode 1, the elastically deformable member is provided at least in a predetermined portion of the end fence except for the upper portion. As a result, when the end fence is moved and the elastic deformation member comes into contact with the rear end of the bundle of transported objects set in the stacking section and whose rear end side in the conveying direction spreads like a fan, the elastic deformation member spreads like a fan. The end fence can be elastically deformed so as to follow and move the end fence further toward the transported object. As a result, the upper part of the end fence can be brought into contact with the transported object on the upper side of the transported object bundle, especially the rear end of the transported object set at the top. Therefore, the rear end position of the object on the upper side of the bundle can be well regulated by the end fence, and the retreat of the object on the upper side of the bundle can be suppressed during feeding. can be done. As a result, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of feeding failures and feeding delays, and to perform good feeding.

(Aspect 2)
2. A device according to claim 1, wherein said predetermined portion is a vertically central portion of said end fence.
According to this, by setting the predetermined portion to be the center portion of the end fence in the vertical direction, it is possible to stack the sheet bundle more stably.

(Aspect 3)
In mode 2, the stacking unit such as the feed tray 10 includes a lifting member such as the sheet stacking table 11 for lifting and lowering the stacked objects to be conveyed, and the elastically deformable member such as the belt member 33c faces at least the objects to be conveyed. The facing portion is configured to be vertically movable.
According to this, as described in the embodiment, the elastically deformable member such as the belt member 33c can be vertically moved together with the bundle of the objects to be conveyed, and the rear end of the bundle of the objects to be conveyed in the conveying direction is A bundle of objects to be carried can be moved up and down smoothly compared to a device that moves up and down while sliding on an elastic deformation member.

(Aspect 4)
In mode 3, the surface of the elastically deformable member such as the belt member 33c is uneven.
According to this, the frictional force between the elastic deformation member such as the belt member 33c and the rear end of the bundle of the objects to be conveyed can be increased, and the elastic deformation member can be reliably moved up and down together with the elevation of the object to be conveyed. can.

(Aspect 5)
In mode 3 or 4, the elastic deformation member is belt member 33c supported by the end fence so as to be endlessly movable on the surface.
According to this, with a simple structure, at least the facing portion of the elastically deformable member that faces the object to be conveyed can be vertically moved.

(Aspect 6)
In aspect 5, an adjusting mechanism capable of adjusting the tension of the belt member is provided.
According to this, as described in the embodiment, it is possible to adjust the tension to an optimum one according to the stiffness of the conveyed body. , it is possible to suppress problems such as bending of the sheet due to tension.

(Aspect 7)
In any one of modes 1 to 6, elastically deformable members such as belt members 33c are arranged on both sides of the end fence 25 in the width direction of the transported object.
According to this, the trailing edge of the sheet bundle can be regulated by the pair of elastically deformable members such as the belt members 33c, and the position of the trailing edge can be stably regulated.

(Aspect 8)
In aspect 7, the elastic forces of the elastic deformation members arranged on both sides of the end fence 25 are the same.
According to this, as described in the embodiment, the elastic force applied from the elastic deformation member applied to one width direction side and the other width direction side of the bundle of the objects to be carried can be made the same, and bending of the objects to be carried can be suppressed. can be done.

(Aspect 9)
In any one of modes 1 to 8, the elastically deformable member moves in the conveying direction integrally with the end fence 25 .
According to this, when the end fence 25 abuts against the trailing edge of the sheet bundle, the elastic deformation member can abut against the trailing edge of the sheet bundle.

(Mode 10)
In any one of modes 1 to 9, the upper part of the end fence 25 protrudes to the side of the transported objects stacked on the stacking unit from the elastic deformation member, and the position of the rear end of the transport direction of the transported object on the upper part of the bundle of the transported objects is adjusted. An upper regulation member 34 for regulation is provided.
According to this, as described in the embodiment, the position of the rear end can be regulated more reliably than when the upper rear end of the bundle of conveyed objects such as a sheet bundle is regulated by an elastic deformation member. It is possible to reliably prevent the object to be conveyed above the sheet bundle from retreating.

(Aspect 11)
In aspect 10, an inclined portion such as a guiding inclined surface 34a is provided at the lower portion of the upper regulating member 34 so as to move away from the transported objects stacked on the loading portion as it goes downward.
According to this, as described in the embodiment, when the sheet bundle is raised, the contact transition from the elastically deformable member such as the belt member 33c at the rear end of the sheet bundle to the upper regulation member can be smoothly performed. can.

(Aspect 12)
In any one of the modes 1 to 11, the end fence 25 protrudes toward the transported object from the elastically deformable member such as the belt member 33c, and regulates the position of the transport direction rear end of the transported object under the bundle of the transported objects. A lower regulating member is provided.
According to this, as described in the embodiment, compared with the case where the position of the rear end of the lower portion of the sheet bundle is regulated by an elastically deformable member such as the belt member 33c, the position of the rear end of the lower portion of the sheet bundle can be reliably positioned. can be regulated.

(Aspect 13)
In the twelfth aspect, the upper portion of the lower regulation member 35 is provided with an inclined portion such as a guiding inclined surface 35a inclined so as to move away from the conveyed objects such as sheets stacked on the stacking portion as it goes upward.
According to this, as will be described in the embodiment, when the sheet bundle is raised, contact transition from the lower regulating member 35 at the rear end of the sheet bundle to the elastically deformable member such as the belt member 33c can be smoothly performed. can.

(Aspect 14)
In any one of modes 1 to 13, the stacking unit such as the feed tray 10 is provided on an elevating member such as the sheet stacking table 11 for raising and lowering the bundle of conveyed objects. A mounting unit having a rotatable movable table 42 arranged on the upstream side and on which a bundle of objects to be transferred is mounted,
The movable table 42 rotates as the elevating member rises.
According to this, as described in the embodiment, the number of transported bodies constituting a bundle of transported bodies made up of sheets having deviations in the transport direction of the transported bodies is large, and the rear side of the bundle of transported bodies is When the fan-like spread is large, the movable table 42 is tilted to release the spread, thereby suppressing the fan-like spread of the upper portion of the bundle of objects to be transported. As a result, deterioration in transportability of the transported object can be suppressed.
When the elevating member is lifted as the number of sheets forming the bundle to be conveyed decreases, the movable table 42 rotates and the inclination of the movable table 42 can be loosened. As a result, as the number of sheets forming the bundle to be conveyed decreases, the fan-shaped spread of the bundle to be conveyed on the rear side in the conveying direction decreases. It is possible to prevent the rear side of the transported object from lowering. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the uppermost conveying member from retreating from the specified position, and it is possible to maintain good conveying performance.

(Aspect 15)
In Aspect 14, the movable table 42 rotates so that the upstream end portion of the movable table 42 in the conveying direction rises as the elevating member such as the sheet stacking table 11 moves up and down.
According to this, as described in the embodiment, the inclination of the movable table is moderated in accordance with the decrease in the fan-shaped spread of the bundle to be conveyed on the rear side in the conveying direction accompanying the decrease in the number of sheets constituting the bundle to be conveyed. It is possible to suppress the lowering of the rear side of the uppermost transported object of the transported bundle.

(Aspect 16)
In mode 14 or 15, the mounting unit 40 is an expansion unit attached to an elevating member such as a sheet mounting table when feeding a transported object having a thickness deviation in the transport direction.
According to this, when feeding an object to be transported which has no thickness deviation in the transport direction, the placing unit 40 is removed from the lifting member such as the sheet stacking table 11, thereby preventing the thickness deviation in the transport direction. When the object to be conveyed has a thickness deviation in the conveying direction, the mounting unit 40 can be attached to an elevating member such as a sheet mounting table so that the thickness in the conveying direction can be adjusted. can be fed satisfactorily.

(Aspect 17)
In any one of aspects 14 to 16, the placement unit 40 includes a link mechanism 48 that rotates the movable table 42 .
According to this, the force for rotating the movable table 42 can be transmitted to the movable table 42 by the link mechanism, and the movable table 42 can be rotated.

(Aspect 18)
In aspect 17, the rotation range of the plurality of links (the first rotation member 45 and the second rotation member 46 in this embodiment) forming the link mechanism 48 is less than 90°.
According to this, as described in the embodiment, it is possible to reduce the size of the mounting unit 40 .

(Aspect 19)
In an image forming apparatus comprising image forming means for forming an image on a conveyed body such as a sheet and feeding means for feeding the conveyed body toward the image forming means, aspects 1 to 18 are provided as the feeding means A feeding device according to any one of the paragraphs was used.
According to this, even if a bundle of objects to be conveyed having thickness deviation in the conveying direction is set, good feeding can be performed.

(Aspect 20)
In an image forming system comprising an image forming apparatus having at least an image forming means for forming an image on a conveyed body and a feeding device for feeding the conveyed body toward the image forming apparatus, , the feeding devices of modes 1 to 18 were used.
According to this, even if a bundle of objects to be conveyed having thickness deviation in the conveying direction is set, good feeding can be performed.

1: Image forming system 10: Feed tray (stacking unit)
11: Sheet stacking table (elevating member)
11a: first hole 11b: second hole 12: front blower 13: side fence 13a: side nozzle 14: side blower 14a: side blower 15a: floating nozzle 15b: lower suction nozzle 16a: separation nozzle 17: blower Device 19: lifting device 20: feeding unit (conveying means)
21 : Adsorption belt 23 : Suction device 25 : End fence 25a : Post 27 : Front fence 27a : Guide groove 31 : Sheet detection sensor 32 : End sensor 33 : Belt regulation section 33a : Lower tension roller 33b : Upper tension roller 33c: belt member (elastic deformation member)
34: Upper regulating member 34a: Guide inclined surface (inclined portion)
34b: abutting surface 35: lower restricting member 35a: guiding inclined surface (inclined portion)
35b: abutment surface 40: mounting unit 41: fixed base 41a: regulation hole 41b: facing surface 41c: base support portion 42: movable base 45: first rotating member 45a: movable projection 45b: regulation projection 45c: Through hole portion 46 : Second rotating member 46b : Connecting portion 46c : Abutting portion 47 : Unit fixing plate 47a : Fixed claw portion 47b : Positioning convex portion 47c : Screw hole 48 : Link mechanism 49 : Fixing portion 49a : Long hole 49b: screw 50: stopper member 51: projection

JP-A-8-169632

Claims (15)

a loading unit capable of loading a transported object having a thickness deviation in the transport direction;
a conveying means for conveying the object to be conveyed loaded on the stacking section;
an end fence that abuts against the rear end of the bundle of objects to be conveyed in the conveying direction to regulate the position of the rear end of the bundle of objects to be conveyed;
A feeding device comprising an elevating member that moves up and down in a vertical direction orthogonal to the conveying direction of the objects to be conveyed stacked on the stacking unit,
The stacking unit is provided on the lifting member and has a fixed table and a rotatable movable table arranged on the upstream side of the fixed table in the conveying direction. A feeding device comprising a placement unit, wherein the movable table rotates as the elevating member rises. The feeding device according to claim 1, wherein
The feeding device, wherein the movable table rotates such that an upstream end portion of the movable table in the conveying direction rises as the elevating member rises. 3. In the feeding device according to claim 1 or 2,
The feeding device, wherein the placing unit includes a link mechanism for rotating the movable table. In the feeding device according to claim 3,
A feeding device, wherein a rotation range of a plurality of links constituting the link mechanism is less than 90 degrees. In the feeding device according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
The end fence includes a lower regulating member for regulating the position of the rear end of the bundle of conveyed objects, and a lower regulating member arranged vertically above the lower regulating member to prevent the rear end of the bundle of conveyed objects from being positioned. an upper regulating member that regulates its position; and an elastically deformable member that is disposed on both sides of the upper regulating member and the lower regulating member in the width direction of the transported object and spans the lower regulating member and the upper regulating member. A feeding device comprising : In the feeding device according to claim 5,
A feeding device according to claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the elastically deformable member facing the object to be conveyed is configured to be vertically movable. In the feeding device according to claim 6 ,
The feeding device, wherein the surface of the elastically deformable member is uneven. In the feeding device according to claim 6 or 7 ,
The feeding device, wherein the elastically deformable member is a belt member supported by the end fence so as to be endlessly movable on its surface. In the feeding device according to claim 8 ,
A feeding device comprising an adjusting mechanism capable of adjusting the tension of the belt member . In the feeding device according to any one of claims 5 to 9 ,
A feeding device, wherein elastic forces of elastically deformable members arranged on both sides of the upper regulation member and the lower regulation member are the same. In the feeding device according to any one of claims 5 to 10 ,
The feeding device, wherein the elastically deformable member moves in the conveying direction integrally with the end fence. In the feeding device according to any one of claims 5 to 11 ,
A feeding device, comprising: a slanting portion which is slanted so as to move away from the transported objects stacked on the loading portion toward the lower portion of the upper regulating member. In the feeding device according to any one of claims 5 to 12 ,
A feeding device, comprising: a sloping portion that is slanted upwardly away from the transported objects stacked on the stacking portion in an upper portion of the lower regulating member. an image forming means for forming an image on a transported body;
An image forming apparatus comprising feeding means for feeding a transported object toward an image forming means,
An image forming apparatus, wherein the feeding device according to any one of claims 1 to 13 is used as the feeding means. an image forming apparatus comprising at least an image forming means for forming an image on a transported object;
In an image forming system comprising a feeding device for feeding an object to be conveyed toward an image forming device,
An image forming system using the feeding device according to any one of claims 1 to 14 as the feeding device.

Images