U.S. patent application number 12/870009 was filed with the patent office on 2011-03-17 for media stocker and paper feeder.
This patent application is currently assigned to TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA. Invention is credited to Haruo Hasegawa, Toshiharu Shimosato.
Application Number | 20110062653 12/870009 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 43729712 |
Filed Date | 2011-03-17 |
United States Patent
Application |
20110062653 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Hasegawa; Haruo ; et
al. |
March 17, 2011 |
MEDIA STOCKER AND PAPER FEEDER
Abstract
A media stocker includes a feeder plate configured to maintain a
plurality of recording media in a stacked state thereon, a
vertically elevating device configured to cantilever-support the
feeder plate, and a guide member disposed vertically to face a free
end of the feeder plate and configured to guide the recording media
stacked on the feeder plate. And the media stocker includes a
roller attached to the free end side of the feeder plate and
rotatable around a horizontal shaft, the outer circumferential
surface of the roller being in contact with the guide member at a
position higher than the position of the uppermost support point of
the feeder plate by the elevating device.
Inventors: |
Hasegawa; Haruo; (Shizuoka,
JP) ; Shimosato; Toshiharu; (Shizuoka, JP) |
Assignee: |
TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI
KAISHA
Tokyo
JP
|
Family ID: |
43729712 |
Appl. No.: |
12/870009 |
Filed: |
August 27, 2010 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
271/126 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65H 2402/30 20130101;
B65H 2405/15 20130101; B65H 1/14 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
271/126 |
International
Class: |
B65H 1/08 20060101
B65H001/08; B65H 3/06 20060101 B65H003/06 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Sep 15, 2009 |
JP |
2009-213833 |
Claims
1. A media stocker comprising: a feeder plate configured to
maintain a plurality of recording media in a stacked state thereon;
a vertically elevating device configured to cantilever-support the
feeder plate; a guide member disposed vertically to face a free end
of the feeder plate and configured to guide the recording media
stacked on the feeder plate; and a roller attached to the free end
of the feeder plate and rotatable around a horizontal shaft, the
outer circumferential surface of the roller being in contact with
the guide member at a position higher than the position of the
uppermost support point of the feeder plate by the elevating
device.
2. The stocker of claim 1, wherein the roller is placed into
contact with the guide member when at least a predetermined maximum
number of recording media are loaded on the feeder plate.
3. The stocker of claim 1, wherein a lower end of the guide member
is pivotable around its horizontal shaft, and an upper end of the
guide member is detachable therefrom.
4. The stocker of claim 1, further comprising a separating device
disposed opposite the free end side of the feeder plate, the
separating device being configured to separate only the uppermost
recording media.
5. The stocker of claim 4, further comprising a sensor configured
to detect whether the recording media reaches a position just ahead
of the separating device.
6. The stocker of claim 1, wherein the roller is separated from the
guide member when the recording media are not loaded on feeder
plate, and the roller is placed into contact with the guide member
when the recording media are loaded on feeder plate so as to cause
the feeder plate to incline downward.
7. The stocker of claim 1, wherein the feeder plate is held by one
side.
8. A paper feeder comprising: a feeder plate configured to maintain
a plurality of recording media in a stacked state thereon; a
vertically elevating device configured to cantilever-support the
feeder plate; a guide member disposed vertically to face a free end
of the feeder plate and configured to guide the recording media
stacked on the feeder plate; a roller attached to the free end side
of the feeder plate and rotatable around a horizontal shaft, the
outer circumferential surface of the roller being in contact with
the guide member at a position higher than the position of the
uppermost support point of the feeder plate by the elevating
device; and a pickup roller configured to pick up and convey the
uppermost of recording media stacked on the feeder plate to a paper
feed opening of an image forming apparatus.
9. The feeder of claim 8, further comprising a separating device
disposed opposite the free end side of the feeder plate, the
separating device being configured to separate only the uppermost
from the recording media picked-up and to convey the uppermost of
recording media to the pickup roller.
10. The feeder of claim 9, further comprising a sensor disposed
between the pickup roller and the separating device, the sensor
being configured to detect whether the recording media reaches a
position just ahead of the separating device.
11. A mass media stocker for stacking and holding a plurality of
recording media on a cantilever-supported feeder plate and for
feeding the uppermost of the recording media to a paper feed
opening of an image forming apparatus, the feeder plate capable of
elevating the recording media, the stocker media stocker
comprising: a guide member disposed vertically to face the free end
of the feeder plate so as to guide the recording media stacked on
the feeder plate, wherein when the free end of the feeder plate is
inclined downward due to the weight of the plurality of recording
media stacked and held thereon, the guide member supports the
position where a trajectory according to the downwardly inclining
movement of the free end is convex outwardly from a vertical plane
including the free end at its initial position.
12. The stocker of claim 11, further comprising a separating device
configured to separate only the uppermost recording media.
13. The stocker of claim 12, further comprising a sensor configured
to detect whether the recording media arrived the position just
before the separating device.
14. A feeder comprising: a media stocker configured to stack and
hold a plurality of recording media on a cantilever-supported
feeder plate and further being configured to feed the uppermost of
the recording media to a paper feed opening defined by an image
forming apparatus, the feeder plate being capable of elevating the
recording media, the media stocker comprising a guide member
disposed vertically to face the free end of the feeder plate so as
to guide the recording media stacked on the feeder plate, wherein
when the free end of the feeder plate is inclined downward due to
the weight of the plurality of recording media stacked and held
thereon, the guide member supports the position where a trajectory
according to the downwardly inclining movement of the free end is
convex outwardly from a vertical plane including the free end at
its initial position; and a pickup roller configured to pick up to
convey the uppermost of recording media stacked on the feeder plate
to the paper feed opening of defined by the image forming
apparatus.
15. The feeder of claim 14, further comprising a separating device
disposed opposite the free end side of the feeder plate, the
separating device being configured to separate only the uppermost
from the recording media picked-up and to convey the uppermost of
recording media to the pickup roller.
16. The feeder of claim 15, further comprising a sensor disposed
between the pickup roller and the separating device, the sensor
being configured to detect whether the recording media reaches a
position just ahead of the separating device.
17. A method for controlling the configuration of recording media,
the method comprising: stacking and holding a plurality of
recording media on a cantilever-supported feeder plate, the feeder
plate capable of elevating the recording media; and supporting the
position of the feeder plate so as to prevent a trajectory
according to the downwardly inclining movement of the free end of
the feeder plate from being convex outwardly from a vertical plane
including the free end at its initial position, when the free end
is inclined downwardly due to the weight of the plurality of
recording media stacked and held on the feeder plate.
18. The method of claim 17, further comprising picking up the
recording media to convey the recording media stacked on the feeder
plate.
19. The method claim 17, further comprising separating only the
uppermost recording media picked-up and conveyed to the pickup
roller.
20. The method of claim 19, further comprising sensing to detect
whether the recording media reaches a position just before
separating.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is based upon and claims the benefit of
priority from Japanese Patent Application No. 2009-213833, filed on
Sep. 15, 2009, the entire content of which is incorporated herein
by reference.
FIELD
[0002] Embodiments described herein relates generally to a media
stocker for stacking and holding a recording medium to be fed into
a paper feed opening of an image forming apparatus, the media
stocker provided integrally with or separately from the image
forming apparatus, a paper feeder using the media stocker, and a
method for controlling the configuration of a recording medium
stacked and held in the media stocker or the paper feeder.
BACKGROUND
[0003] A media stocker vertically elevates a feeder plate to allow
a large number of recording media to abut against a pickup roller.
In this construction, the media stocker may stock a number of
recording media, for example, several hundred pieces.
[0004] As such, since the media stocker stocks a large number of
recording media, a large force is applied to the feeder plate. For
this reason, an elevating device for vertically elevating a feeder
plate generally supports the feeder plate by holding both sides of
the feeder plate, which are the upstream side and the downstream
side in the direction of conveying a recording medium.
[0005] However, when a feeder plate is supported by holding both
sides of the feeder plate, i.e., the upstream side and the
downstream side in the direction of conveying a recording medium, a
whole device becomes large-scaled and complicated in structure.
Accordingly, in one embodiment, a media stocker has a feeder plate
supported by holding one side of the feeder plate, i.e., a
cantilever-supported feeder plate, as shown in FIG. 4.
[0006] In FIG. 4, A denotes a feeder plate which may elevate, and M
denotes recording media. Elevating device E elevates feeder plate A
to press recording media M against pickup roller PU. Pickup roller
PU picks up to convey the uppermost of recording media M. At this
point, separating device S separates only the uppermost of
recording media M from the lower recording media.
[0007] As the number of recording media M stacked and held on
feeder plate A increases, the weight of recording media M
increases. Thus, in the construction of the media stocker, a free
end of feeder plate A is inclined downwardly, as shown in FIG. 4.
Consequently, the uppermost of recording media M stacked and held
on the feeder plate is inclined to have a high position at the
downstream side in the conveying direction.
[0008] However, in the related field to the media stocker, it is
generally known that the desired configuration of the uppermost
recording medium at the pickup position of a pickup roller is to
remain level. If the uppermost of recording media M is inclined,
the direction of picking up recording media M at pickup roller PU
is also inclined, as shown in FIG. 4. Therefore, separation trouble
may occur at separating device S, so as to cause a conveying
failure. For example, the separation trouble at separating device S
may cause a situation where the uppermost portion of recording
media M cannot be properly separated, or skewing may occur in the
structure of separating device S.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0009] FIG. 1 illustrates a front view.
[0010] FIG. 2 illustrates a perspective view showing a feeder plate
and an elevating device viewed from an image forming apparatus
side.
[0011] FIG. 3 illustrates a front view showing a feeder plate and
an elevating device.
[0012] FIG. 4 illustrates a front view showing an example of a
paper feeder in the related art.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0013] According to an embodiment, a media stocker includes a
feeder plate configured to maintain a plurality of recording media
in a stacked state thereon, a vertically elevating device
configured to cantilever-support the feeder plate, and a guide
member disposed vertically to face a free end of the feeder plate
and configured to guide the recording media stacked on the feeder
plate. And the media stocker includes a roller attached to the free
end side of the feeder plate and rotatable around a horizontal
shaft, the outer circumferential surface of the roller being in
contact with the guide member at a position higher than the
position of the uppermost support point of the feeder plate by the
elevating device.
[0014] Now, an exemplary embodiment will be hereinafter described
in detail with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3. FIG. 1 is an entire front
view. In one embodiment, paper feeder 31 includes media stocker 101
combined with pickup roller 41 and a separating device 51. Paper
feeder 31, for example, stocks recording media M in media stocker
101. Pickup roller 41 picks up to convey the uppermost of recording
media M in the media stocker. Separating device 51 separates the
uppermost of recording media M from other recording media to feed
the uppermost to a paper feed opening of an image forming apparatus
(not shown).
[0015] Separating device 51 includes conveying roller 52 and
separating roller 53 with feeding path SP of recording media M
interposed therebetween. Conveying roller 52 is installed above
feeding path SP and separating roller 53 is installed below feeding
path SP. When pickup roller 41 begins to rotate for picking up to
convey the uppermost of recording media M, conveying roller 52
rotates to apply conveying force to the picked one of recording
media M. Separating roller 53 rotates together when conveying
roller 52 begins to rotate. When the picked one of recording media
M reaches a position just ahead of separating device 51, separating
roller 53 pauses to rotate. However, at this point, as well as the
uppermost of recording media M, other recording media of recording
media M that are positioned below the uppermost are frictionally
conveyed to separating device 51 by the pick-up and conveyance of
pickup roller 41. In this respect, separating roller 53 pauses to
rotate just before the picked one of recording media M reaches
separating device 51, thereby other recording media positioned
below the uppermost hit against separating roller 53 may be
blocked. Then, only the uppermost of recording media M is separated
from other recording media, and is conveyed to conveying roller 52
so as to be fed into a paper feed opening (not shown) of an image
forming apparatus. In this case, a conveying force applied to the
uppermost of recording media M by the rotation of conveying roller
52 is larger than a frictional force between the uppermost of
recording media M and the blocked other recording media positioned
just below the uppermost. Consequently, a plurality of recording
media M picked up by pickup roller 41 are processed by separating
device 51 so that only the uppermost of recording media M is
separated to be fed.
[0016] In this respect, the pause of the rotation of separating
roller 53 is performed by a one-way clutch (not shown). In
addition, for example, whether the picked one of recording media M
reaches a position just ahead of separating device 51 is determined
by using a sensor 61 disposed between pickup roller 41 and
separating device 51. In one embodiment, the sensor 61 may be a
transmission type sensor, but not limited.
[0017] Moreover, separating device 51 is not limited the type as
described above. For example, separating device 51 may be a reverse
roller type.
[0018] Next, media stocker 101 is described. Media stocker 101 has
feeder plate 103 attached to a sheet of base template 102 with
feeder plate 103 being capable of elevating. Feeder plate 103 is
cantilever-supported by base template 102 and is capable of
elevating. Feeder plate 103 has a free end FE at a side opposite to
the cantilever-supported side. Elevating device 104 elevates feeder
plate 103. Thus, feeder plate 103 will be described after elevating
device 104 is described.
[0019] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of feeder plate 103 and
elevating device 104 viewed from an image forming apparatus aside.
FIG. 3 is a front view of feeder plate 103 and elevating device 104
according to an exemplary embodiment. Elevating device 104 includes
a pair of opposing elevating rollers 105 attached to a lower
portion of feeder plate 103 to share a common horizontal line with
rotatable around its horizontal shaft, and a pair of opposing
rear-surface elevating rollers 106 opposite to feeder plate 103
with base template 102 interposed therebetween. The pair of
opposing rear-surface elevating rollers 106 is mounted to single
roller holding member 107 to share a common horizontal line with
rotatable around its horizontal turning shaft. Also, base template
102 has three connecting holes 108 vertically extended with an
elongated slot shape so that feeder plate 103 and roller holding
member 107 are connected with each other through connecting holes
108. Thus, feeder plate 103 may elevate along base template 102
while being supported by opposing elevating roller pair 105
disposed on the front surface of base template 102 and opposing
rear-surface elevating roller pair 106 disposed on the rear surface
of base template 102. From the perspective of a support point where
feeder plate 103 is supported, a portion where elevating roller
pair 105 abut against base template 102 is support point LP
positioned at the lowermost position, and a portion where
rear-surface elevating roller pair 106 abut against base template
102 is support point UP positioned at the uppermost position (see
FIG. 3).
[0020] In addition, elevating device 104 includes a pair of belt
winding devices 109 disposed at both sides of base template 102.
Each of belt winding devices 109 has endless belt 111 stretched
between a pair of upper and lower pulleys 110. The lower pulley
receives rotary force from a driving source (not shown) to rotate,
which causes endless belt 111 to turn. In this respect, elevating
device 104 has connecting section 112 provided on roller holding
member 107 with connected to each of endless belts 111. Thereby,
rotary force of endless belts 111 is transmitted to roller holding
member 107 to elevate feeder plate 103.
[0021] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, media stocker 101 includes guide
member 113 disposed vertically to face a free end of the feeder
plate. Guide member 113 guides recording media M stacked on the
feeder plate. Guide member 113 is attached to pivoting support
member 116, and is pivotable about its horizontal shaft. Pivoting
support member 116 is fixed to stud 115 mounted uprightly on bottom
frame 114 of media stocker 101. Since guide member 113 is pivotable
around its horizontal shaft, it may be opened to expose a space for
receiving and dispensing recording media M with respect to feeder
plate 103. An upper end of guide member 113 is detachable to a
frame (not shown) of media stocker 101.
[0022] Bottom frame 114 of media stocker 101 also supports base
template 102 to secure rigidity together with other frames of media
stocker 101. Accordingly, bottom frame 114 and guide member 113
fixed at the upper end implement a strong and firm structure with
rigidity.
[0023] Feeder plate 103 will now be described hereinafter. Feeder
plate 103 includes roller 117 attached to free end FE. Roller 117
is rotatable around roller shaft 118, which is arranged
horizontally, so as to be in contact with guide member 113. As
shown in FIG. 3, roller 117 is in contact with guide member 113 at
a position higher than the position where opposing rear-surface
elevating roller pair 106 abut against base template 102. As
described above, from perspective of a support point where feeder
plate 103 is supported, a portion where rear-surface elevating
roller pair 106 abut against base template 102 is support point UP
positioned at the uppermost position. Thus, contact position CP
where roller 117 attached to free end FE of feeder plate 103 abuts
against guide member 113 is positioned higher than the position of
the uppermost support point UP of feeder plate 103 by elevating
device 104.
[0024] The outer circumferential surface of roller 117 is disposed
to be in contact with guide member 113. In this respect, the
contact between roller 117 and guide member 113 may be a constant
contact or temporary contact which occurs when a stack of recording
media M are loaded on feeder plate 103. In other words, roller 117
may be slightly separated from guide member 113 when recording
media M are not loaded on feeder plate 103, and may be in contact
with guide member 113 when recording media M are loaded on feeder
plate 103 to make feeder plate 103 inclined downwardly due to its
weight. In this case, roller 117 may be in contact with guide
member 113 when at least a predetermined maximum number of
recording media M should be loaded on feeder plate 103.
[0025] From the foregoing, as shown in FIG. 3, a triangle is formed
by the uppermost support point UP of feeder plate 103 where
rear-surface elevating roller pair 106 abut against base template
102, the lowermost support point LP of feeder plate 103 where
elevating roller pair 105 abut against base template 102, and
contact position CP where roller 117 abuts against guide member
113. In this case, the triangle is an obtuse angled triangle in
which an angle formed by a side between support point LP and
support point UP and a side between support point UP and contact
position CP is an obtuse angle.
[0026] Under such a construction, media stocker 101 stocks and
stores a large number of recording media M so as to prepare for the
pickup and conveyance of recording media M by pickup roller 41.
Recording media M are placed on feeder plate 103 for stock. As
such, a plurality of recording media M are stacked and stored by
feeder plate 103, which may elevate recording media M.
[0027] Subsequently, as the number of the stacked recording media M
increases, free end FE of feeder plate 103 may be inclined
downwardly due to the weight of recording media M. At this point, a
turning trajectory according to the downwardly inclining movement
of free end FE is convex outwardly from a vertical plane including
free end FE at its initial position. This is because the triangle
formed by support point UP, support point LP and contact position
CP has an obtuse angle formed by a side between support point LP
and support point UP and a side between support point UP and
contact position CP. Accordingly, roller 117 abuts against guide
member 113 so that free end FE of feeder plate 103 can be prevented
from being inclined downwardly.
[0028] In this respect, when free end FE of feeder plate 103 starts
to be inclined downwardly due to the weight of the plurality of
recording media M stacked and held on the feeder plate, guide
member 113 supports the position where a turning trajectory
according to the downwardly inclining movement of free end FE is
convex outwardly from a vertical plane including free end FE at its
initial position.
[0029] As described above, according to the exemplary embodiment,
since the downwardly inclining movement of feeder plate 103 is
prevented by guide member 113, although feeder plate 103 is
cantilevered, the configuration of the uppermost of recording media
M stacked on feeder plate 103 can be maintained level. As a result
of maintaining level the configuration of the uppermost of
recording media M, pickup roller 41 pick up and convey recording
media M with maintaining level, so that separating device 51 may
separate and feed without causing problems. Accordingly, a failure
in conveying recording media M can be prevented.
[0030] While certain embodiments have been described, these
embodiments have been presented by way of example only, and are not
intended to limit the scope of the inventions. Indeed, the novel
media stocker, paper feeder using the media stocker, and method for
controlling the configuration of a recording medium described
herein may be embodied in a variety of other forms; furthermore,
various omissions, substitutions and changes in the form of the
media stocker, the paper feeder using the media stocker, and the
method for controlling the configuration of a recording medium
described herein may be made without departing from the spirit of
the inventions. The accompanying claims and their equivalents are
intended to cover such forms or modifications as would fall within
the scope and spirit of the inventions.
* * * * *