U.S. patent application number 11/185404 was filed with the patent office on 2006-01-26 for paper feeding device.
This patent application is currently assigned to Funai Electric Co., Ltd.. Invention is credited to Yoshihiko Imura, Takashi Maeda.
Application Number | 20060017213 11/185404 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 35656313 |
Filed Date | 2006-01-26 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060017213 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Maeda; Takashi ; et
al. |
January 26, 2006 |
Paper feeding device
Abstract
A paper feeding device includes a rotational axis with a groove
shaped cross section and having a web extending in the longitudinal
direction and a flange provided at opposite sides thereof, and a
pickup roller having a concave groove to receive the rotational
axis. One end of the pickup roller is provided with a pair of
engaging pieces that engages with a flange end portion of the
rotational axis respectively, and the other end of the pickup
roller is provided with a hook that is inserted into an insertion
hole provided on the web of the rotational axis. In the paper
feeding device, detachment is easy when the pickup roller is to be
replaced and there is no increase in the number of parts and
manufacturing processes.
Inventors: |
Maeda; Takashi; (Osaka,
JP) ; Imura; Yoshihiko; (Osaka, JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
OSHA LIANG L.L.P.
1221 MCKINNEY STREET
SUITE 2800
HOUSTON
TX
77010
US
|
Assignee: |
Funai Electric Co., Ltd.
Daito-shi
JP
|
Family ID: |
35656313 |
Appl. No.: |
11/185404 |
Filed: |
July 20, 2005 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
271/10.01 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65H 2404/134 20130101;
B65H 2404/1113 20130101; B65H 3/0638 20130101; B65H 2402/515
20130101; B65H 2601/324 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
271/010.01 |
International
Class: |
B65H 5/00 20060101
B65H005/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jul 22, 2004 |
JP |
2004-214359 |
Claims
1. A paper feeding device including a rotational axis with a groove
shaped cross section and having a web extending in a longitudinal
direction and a flange provided at opposite sides thereof, and a
pickup roller having a concave groove to receive said rotational
axis, wherein an end of said pickup roller is provided with a pair
of engaging pieces that engages with a flange end portion of said
rotational axis, another end of said pickup roller is provided with
a hook that is inserted into an insertion hole provided on said web
of said rotational axis, said hook extends outwardly from a body of
said pickup roller and has a stepped shape having an abutting
surface that abuts against an inner surface of said web, a notch
for positioning is provided at a site in said flange end portion
where said engaging piece engages, said engaging piece of said
pickup roller is formed of resin and an end of said engaging piece
is made to engage with said notch of said flange end portion by
elasticity of resin.
2. A paper feeding device including a rotational axis with a groove
shaped cross section and having a web extending in a longitudinal
direction and a flange provided at opposite sides thereof, and a
pickup roller having a concave groove to receive said rotational
axis, wherein an end of said pickup roller is provided with a pair
of engaging pieces that engages with a flange end portion of said
rotational axis, another end of said pickup roller is provided with
a hook that is inserted into an insertion hole provided on said web
of said rotational axis.
3. The paper feeding device of claim 2, wherein said hook extends
outwardly from a body of said pickup roller and has a stepped shape
having an abutting surface that abuts against an inner surface of
said web.
4. The paper feeding device of claim 2, wherein a notch for
positioning is provided at a site in said flange end portion where
said engaging piece engages.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a paper feeding device with
a pickup roller that feeds a sheet of paper in a printer or a
copying machine.
[0003] 2. Description of the Background Art
[0004] In a printer or a copying machine, a pickup roller is used
to feed a sheet of paper. In a commonly used pickup roller, the
surface thereof is formed of an elastic and anti-slip material such
as rubber. The pickup roller is rotated to feed a sheet of paper.
The surface of the pickup roller formed of rubber and the like
gradually wears by the repeated operation of paper feeding.
Therefore, the pickup roller needs to be replaced regularly.
[0005] The pickup roller is rotary driven by a rotational axis. If
the rotational axis is provided so as to penetrate the pickup
roller, the rotational axis itself needs to be detached when the
pickup roller is to be replaced. An end of the rotational axis is
provided with means for transmitting driving force of a gear or a
pulley to drive the rotational axis. Accordingly, it is not easy to
detach the rotational axis that retains the pickup roller.
[0006] Thus, a structure that allows the pickup roller to be
replaced without detaching the rotational axis is proposed. In the
structure shown in FIG. 7 and described in Japanese Patent
Laying-Open No. 10-236673, a pair of collars 72 is provided that is
penetrated by a rotational axis 71. The surface of collars 72
facing a pickup roller body 74 is provided with a rectangular axial
member 73 and the corresponding part of pickup roller body 74 is
provided with a rectangular concave portion 75. When pickup roller
body 74 is to be replaced, one of the pair of collars 72 is shifted
axially and the pickup roller body is also shifted in the same
direction. Thus, rectangular axial member 73 is disengaged from
concave portion 75 so that fixation of pickup roller body 74 is
released. Thus, pickup roller body 74 can be replaced without
detaching rotational axis 71.
[0007] In the structure shown in FIG. 8 and described in Japanese
Patent Laying-Open No. 04-075934, rotational axis 81 is provided
with a pair of rectangular holes 85 and a pair of round holes 86.
Pickup roller 82 is provided with a pair of engaging pieces 83 and
a pair of positioning pins 84 at respective corresponding
positions.
[0008] When pickup roller 82 is to be mounted, positioning pin 84
of pickup roller 82 is inserted into round hole 86 to position
pickup roller 82. By the insertion, engaging piece 83 engages with
rotational axis 81 so that pickup roller 82 is fixed to rotational
axis 81. For a removing operation, pickup roller 82 can be removed
by pulling pickup roller 82 to pull out positioning pin 84 while
releasing engagement of pair of engaging pieces 83.
[0009] In the mounting structure of the pickup roller described in
Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 10-236673, there is a problem of
increase in the number of parts since the pickup roller is formed
of three parts, i.e. pickup roller body 74 and the pair of collars
72 provided at opposite sides thereof. Further, there is also a
problem of increase in the number of manufacturing processes, since
the pair of collars 72 needs to be mounted to rotational axis 71
and then pickup roller 74 needs to be mounted to the mounted pair
of collars 72 when manufacturing a printer and the like.
[0010] In the mounting structure of the pickup roller described in
Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 04-075934, there is a problem of
difficulty of operation and reduced working efficiency since both
of positioning pins 84 must penetrate respective round holes 86 of
rotational axis 81 simultaneously.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0011] An object of the present invention is to provide a paper
feeding device in which detachment is easy when a pickup roller is
to be replaced and that does not increase the number of parts and
manufacturing processes.
[0012] A paper feeding device according to the present invention
includes a rotational axis with a groove shaped cross section
having a web extending in the longitudinal direction and a flange
provided at opposite sides thereof, and a pickup roller having a
concave groove to receive the rotational axis. An end of the pickup
roller is provided with a pair of engaging pieces that engages with
a flange end portion of the rotational axis respectively, and the
other end of the pickup roller is provided with a hook that is
inserted into an insertion hole provided on the web of the
rotational axis.
[0013] Preferably, in the paper feeding device, the hook extends
outwardly from the body of the pickup roller and forms a stepped
shape having an abutting surface that abuts against the inner
surface of the web.
[0014] Preferably, in the paper feeding device, a notch for
positioning is provided at a site in the flange end portion where
the engaging piece engages.
[0015] Further, preferably, in the paper feeding device, the
engaging piece of the pickup roller is formed of resin and an end
of the engaging piece is made to engage with the flange end portion
by elasticity of resin.
[0016] In the paper feeding device of the present invention,
detachment is easy when the pickup roller is to be replaced and
there is no increase in the number of parts and manufacturing
processes.
[0017] The foregoing and other objects, features, aspects and
advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from
the following detailed description of the present invention when
taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0018] FIG. 1 is a perspective view from one end of a pickup roller
in an embodiment according to the present invention.
[0019] FIG. 2 is a perspective view from the other end of the
pickup roller in an embodiment according to the present
invention.
[0020] FIG. 3 is a front view of a rotational axis in an embodiment
according to the present invention.
[0021] FIG. 4 is a front view showing a process in which the pickup
roller is attached to the rotational axis.
[0022] FIG. 5 is a front view showing a state in which the pickup
roller has been attached to the rotational axis.
[0023] FIG. 6 shows the pickup roller in a used state in an
embodiment according to the present invention.
[0024] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a mounting structure of the
pickup roller in the prior art.
[0025] FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the mounting structure of
the pickup roller in the prior art.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0026] A paper feeding device in one embodiment of the present
invention now will be described referring to FIGS. 1-6.
[0027] A paper feeding device of the present embodiment includes a
rotational axis 41 with a groove shaped cross section, and having a
web 41w extending in the longitudinal direction and a flange 41f
provided at opposite sides thereof. The paper feeding device
further includes a pickup roller 1 having a concave groove 25 to
receive rotational axis 41. One end of pickup roller 1 is provided
with a pair of engaging pieces 21 that engages with an end portion
of flange 41f of pickup roller 1 respectively, and the other end of
pickup roller 1 is provided with a hook 15 that is inserted into an
insertion hole 43 provided on web 41w of rotational axis 41. Hook
15 extends outwardly from a pickup roller body 11 and has a stepped
shape having an abutting surface 15a that abuts against the inner
surface of web 41w. A notch 45 for positioning is provided at a
site in an end portion of flange 41f where engaging piece 21
engages. Engaging piece 21 of pickup roller 1 is formed of resin so
that an end of engaging piece 21 is made to engage with notch 45 of
the end portion of flange 41f by elasticity of resin.
[0028] Pickup roller 1 is formed of a body 11 of pickup roller of
synthetic resin, and a non-slip material 31 of rubber provided on
the perimeter thereof. Non-slip material 31 occupies about
two-thirds of the area of the perimeter surface of pickup roller
body 11. As shown in FIG. 6, non-slip material 31 is pressed
against the surface of a sheet 53 of paper and sends out sheet 53
in the paper feeding direction when pickup roller 1 is rotated.
Thus, a material that has a certain degree of elasticity as well as
frictional force with respect to a sheet of paper is selected.
[0029] Pickup roller body 11 serves to retain non-slip material 31
and is fixed to rotational axis 41. Pickup roller body 11 is
provided with concave groove 25 extending to the center of pickup
roller body 11. Concave groove 25 also extends in the longitudinal
direction (the axial direction) of pickup roller body 11 and is
exposed at the opposite sides thereof as shown in FIGS. 1 and
2.
[0030] One end of pickup roller body 11 is provided with pair of
engaging pieces 21. As shown in FIG. 1, engaging pieces 21 are
formed as a cantilever that are pendent downwardly from opposite
sides of a base portion 22 protruding horizontally from an end
surface of pickup roller body 11. As shown in FIG. 1, the end
portion of engaging piece 21 has a crochet hook shape and the end
portion engages with the end portion of flange 41f of rotational
axis 41 from the outside. Pickup roller body 11 and engaging piece
21 are formed of synthetic resin so that the end portion of
engaging piece 21 can be made to engage with flange 41f of
rotational axis 41 by elasticity of resin.
[0031] The other end of pickup roller body 11 is provided with hook
15, as shown in FIG. 2. Hook 15 is formed to have a stepped shape
protruding outwardly from pickup roller body 11. With pickup roller
body 11 mounted to rotational axis 41, the upper surface of an end
portion of hook 15 forms an abutting surface 15a that abuts against
the inner surface of web 41w of rotational axis 41.
[0032] Rotational axis 41 shown in FIG. 3 is made of metal and
includes web 41w and flange 41f provided at opposite sides thereof
and has a groove shaped cross section. A paper feeding cam 47
formed of synthetic resin is provided at opposite ends of
rotational axis 41. Near the center of rotational axis 41 is
provided an insertion hole 43 into which hook 15 of pickup roller
body 11 is inserted. Insertion hole 43 is formed as a rectangular
hole provided on web 41w. Further, at a position in the end of
flange 41f away from insertion hole 43 by a predetermined distance
is provided a notch 45 where engaging piece 21 of pickup roller 1
engages to determine an engaging position of engaging piece 21.
[0033] Then, a procedure to mount pickup roller 1 to rotational
axis 41 will be described. First, as shown in FIG. 4, hook 15 of
pickup roller 1 is inserted into insertion hole 43 of rotational
axis 41. Next, mounting of pickup roller 1 is completed by pressing
down the opposite side of pickup roller 1 to engage engaging piece
21 with notch 45 of the end of flange 41f from the outside. Thus,
in the pickup roller 1 of the present embodiment, pickup roller 1
can be mounted very easily.
[0034] In the mounting structure of the pickup roller described in
Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 04-075934, it is necessary to
insert a pair of positioning pins into the rotational axis
simultaneously, rendering positioning very difficult. However, in
pickup roller 1 of the present embodiment, hook 15 is latched into
rotational axis 41 and then engaging piece 21 of the opposite side
is engaged so that the positioning is completed by just inserting
hook 15 into insertion hole 43. Thus, pickup roller 1 can be
mounted to rotational axis 41 very easily. This effect is evident
in the process where pickup roller 1 is replaced as well as in the
process where pickup roller 1 is mounted to rotational axis 41 in
manufacturing a printer and the like.
[0035] Further, rotational axis 41 is provided with notch 45 where
engaging piece 21 engages so that pickup roller 1 can be positioned
more securely. More specifically, as shown in FIG. 4, in pickup
roller 1 of the present embodiment, hook 15 is inserted into
insertion hole 43 from an oblique direction. Accordingly, insertion
hole 43 needs to have some play. The end portion of engaging piece
21 of pickup roller 1 and notch 45 are formed to exactly fit
together so that backlash of pickup roller 1 after installing can
be eliminated. It is to be noted that notch 45 may be omitted and
engaging piece 21 may directly engage with the end of flange 41f of
rotational axis 41 if backlash of pickup roller 1 after installing
is not considered as a serious problem.
[0036] When pickup roller 1 is to be removed, first the side of
engaging piece 21 is pulled upwardly. At this stage, the engagement
can be easily released since engaging piece 21 engages through
elasticity of resin. Then, hook 15 is pulled out from insertion
hole 43 to complete the removal. Thus, pickup roller 1 can be
removed very easily, too.
[0037] Although the present invention has been described and
illustrated in detail, it is clearly understood that the same is by
way of illustration and example only and is not to be taken by way
of limitation, the spirit and scope of the present invention being
limited only by the terms of the appended claims.
* * * * *