DOCUMENT FEEDER

Abstract

A document feeder for feeding a plurality of paper sheets one by one includes an engaging module and a detachable roller module. The detachable roller module is detachably mounted on the engaging module and includes a frame, a paper separation roller axel, a fixing element and a paper separation roller. The paper separation roller axel is supported on the frame. The fixing element is pivotally coupled to the paper separation roller axel for positioning the detachable roller module on the engaging module. The paper separation roller is disposed within the fixing element and sheathed around the paper separation roller axel.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1( a) is a schematic perspective view of a conventional document feeder;

FIG. 1( b) is a schematic perspective view illustrating the modular roller used in the document feeder of FIG. 1(a);

FIGS. 2( a), 2(b) and 2(c) are schematic partial views illustrating the roller bogie mounted onto the shaft;

FIG. 3 is a schematic view of a document feeder according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 4( a) and 4(b) are perspective views respectively illustrating detachment and attachment of the engaging module and the detachable roller module; and

FIGS. 5( a) and 5(b) are cross-sectional views respectively illustrating detachment and attachment of the engaging module and the detachable roller module.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIG. 3, a schematic view of a document feeder according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention is illustrated. In this embodiment, the document feeder 30 comprises a document input tray 31, a driving motor (not shown), an engaging module 40, a detachable roller module 50 and a driving shaft 33. The document input tray 31 is used for placing thereon the paper sheets to be fed into the document feeder 30. The engaging module 40 is pivotally coupled to the driving shaft 33.

The engaging module 40 comprises two bearing apertures 42 and two fixing buckle holes 43. Each of the bearing apertures 42 has a first protrusion edge 421. The engaging module 40 is pivotally coupled to the driving shaft 33 and the driving shaft 33 is pivotally mounted on the document input tray 31. The driving shaft 33 is driven by the driving motor to rotate. The driving shaft 33 further comprises a driving gear 331, which is synchronously rotated with the driving shaft 33. The engaging module 40 comprises further comprises an idle gear 41 engaging with the driving gear 331. When the driving shaft 33 is driven by the driving motor to rotate, the idle gear 41 is driven by the driving gear 331 to rotate.

The detachable roller module 50 comprises a frame 51, a paper separation roller axel 52, a paper separation roller 521, a pre-feed roller axel 53, a pre-feed roller 531, a gear set 54 and a fixing element 55. The paper separation roller axel 52 and the pre-feed roller axel 53 are movably supported on the frame 51. The paper separation roller 521 and the pre-feed roller 531 are sheathed around the paper separation roller axel 52 and the pre-feed roller axel 53, respectively, so that the paper separation roller 521 and the pre-feed roller 531 are rotatable within the frame 51. The gear set 54 is mounted on the frame 51 at the location corresponding to the idle gear 41. When the detachable roller module 50 is mounted onto the engaging module 40, the gear set 54 will engage with the idle gear 41. The gear set 54 is composed of several gears pivotally coupled to the paper separation roller axel 52 and the pre-feed roller axel 53. When the idle gear 41 is rotated, the gears of the gear set 54 are driven to rotate so as to permit rotation of the paper separation roller 521 and the pre-feed roller 531, which are mounted on the paper separation roller axel 52 and the pre-feed roller axel 53, respectively. The operation principles of permitting rotation of the paper separation roller 521 and the pre-feed roller 531 are known to those skilled in the art, and are not redundantly described herein.

FIGS. 4( a) and 4(b) are perspective views respectively illustrating detachment and attachment of the engaging module 40 and the detachable roller module 50. FIGS. 5(a) and 5(b) are schematic cross-sectional views respectively illustrating detachment and attachment of the engaging module 40 and the detachable roller module 50.

As shown in FIGS. 4(a) and 5(a), the fixing element 55 includes two fixing buckles 551, a fixing plate 552 and two connecting parts 553. The connecting parts 553 are vertically extended from bilateral sides of the fixing plate 552. Each of the connecting parts 553 has a second protrusion edge 5531 including a notch structure 5531A therein.

As shown in FIGS. 4(b) and 5(b), in order to attach the engaging module 40 with the detachable roller module 50, the first protrusion edges 421 of the engaging module 40 are penetrated through the notch structures 5531A and received within the corresponding second protrusion edges 5531, so that the paper separation roller axel 52 is received in the corresponding bearing apertures 42. After the fixing buckles 551 of the fixing element 55 are engaged with corresponding fixing buckle holes 43, the detachable roller module 50 is securely positioned on the engaging module 40.

During the paper picking operation, the paper separation roller axel 52 and the paper separation roller 521 are rotated to separate the top paper sheet from a stack of paper sheets so as to pick a single paper sheet.

Since the detachable roller module 50 is coupled to the engaging module 40 by the engagement between the connecting parts 553 and the corresponding bearing apertures 42, the bearing apertures 42 will not be abraded upon rotation of the paper separation roller axel 52. Instead, when the paper separation roller axel 52 is rotated, the connecting parts 553 of the fixing element 55 of the detachable roller module 50 are possibly abraded. In other words, if document feeder fails to normally perform the paper picking operation, the detachable roller module 50 can be detached from the engaging module and replaced with a new one. Under this circumstance, the most possibly abraded component, i.e. the fixing element 55, is also replaced because such component is integrated into the detachable roller module 50.

From the above description, the document feeder of the present invention is simplified in structure and the components possibly abraded upon rotation of the roller axel are replaceable. Therefore, the problems as described above will be effectively overcome.

While the invention has been described in terms of what is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention needs not be limited to the disclosed embodiment. On the contrary, it is intended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims which are to be accorded with the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similar structures.

Claims

1. A document feeder for feeding a plurality of paper sheets one by one, said document feeder comprising: an engaging module; anda detachable roller module detachably mounted on said engaging module, and comprising: a frame;a paper separation roller axel supported on said frame;a fixing element pivotally coupled to said paper separation roller axel for positioning said detachable roller module on said engaging module; anda paper separation roller disposed within said fixing element and sheathed around said paper separation roller axel.

2. The document feeder according to claim 1 wherein said paper separation roller and said fixing element are coaxially sheathed around said paper separation roller axel.

3. The document feeder according to claim 2 wherein said engaging module comprises two bearing apertures, each of which has a respective first protrusion edge.

4. The document feeder according to claim 3 wherein said fixing element comprises: a fixing plate; andtwo connecting parts vertically extended from bilateral sides of said fixing plate, each of said connecting parts having a second protrusion edge including a notch structure, wherein said first protrusion edges of said engaging module are penetrated through corresponding notch structures and received within corresponding second protrusion edges.

5. The document feeder according to claim 4 wherein said paper separation roller is arranged between said two connecting parts.

6. The document feeder according to claim 4 wherein said fixing element further comprises a fixing buckle and said engaging module has a fixing buckle hole to be engaged with said fixing buckle.

7. The document feeder according to claim 1 further comprising: a document input tray for placing thereon said plurality of paper sheets; anda driving shaft, wherein said engaging module is pivotally coupled to said driving shaft.

8. The document feeder according to claim 1 wherein said detachable roller module further comprises: a pre-feed roller axel pivotally coupled to said frame;a pre-feed roller sheathed around said pre-feed roller axel; anda gear set mounted on said frame.