Patent Grant
9387999
1. Field
Aspects of the present invention generally relate to a sheet feeding device and an image forming apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
Image forming apparatuses include sheet feeding devices that feed sheets. A known sheet feeding device includes a lifter mechanism that maintains the level of the upper surface of a stack of sheets on a stacking member to be at substantially constant, and a pickup roller that picks up one of the sheets that is at the substantially constant level.
Specifically, the sheet feeding device includes a sensor that detects whether or not the upper surface of the stack of sheets on the stacking member is at a feedable position (the substantially constant level). On the basis of a signal from the sensor, the stacking member is moved up and down. Thus, the level of the upper surface of the stack of sheets on the stacking member can be maintained to be substantially constant, and a stable sheet feeding operation can be performed.
However, if the stack of sheets is curled, the upper surface of the stack of sheets has level variations. In such a case, the sensor may incorrectly detect the level of the upper surface of the stack of sheets. Hence, a sheet feeding device is disclosed by Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2009-214966 in which, if it has been detected a plurality of times that the upper surface of the stack of sheets is not at the feedable position after the start of the sheet feeding operation, a control operation of lifting the stacking member is performed. Another sheet feeding device is disclosed by Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2009-215041 that includes a curl detecting mechanism and performs a control operation of moving the stacking member up and down in accordance with the size of the curl in the stack of sheets.
In yet another sheet feeding device, a feeding path extending from a manual feed tray (a second pickup member) and a feeding path extending from a cassette (a first pickup member) merge with each other at a position below a pickup roller that picks up one of the sheets in the cassette. In such a configuration, to feed a sheet from the manual feed tray (the second pickup member), the pickup roller that picks up one of the sheets in the cassette needs to be moved upward so that a conveyance path is provided.
The device disclosed by Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2009-214966 cannot be applied to the sheet feeding device in which the feeding path extending from the cassette (the first pickup member) and the feeding path extending from the manual feed tray (the second pickup member) merge with each other as described above.
This is because the device disclosed by Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2009-214966 is to detect the level of the upper surface of the stack of sheets in conjunction with the movement of the pickup roller, whereas the level of the upper surface of the stack of sheets cannot be detected in conjunction with the movement of the pickup roller in the sheet feeding device in which the two feeding paths merge with each other as described above.
In the device disclosed by Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2009-215041, a mechanism of lowering the stacking member at the detection of any curls is necessary, increasing the complexity and the cost of the device.
Aspects of the present invention generally provide a sheet feeding device and an image forming apparatus each including a configuration in which a stacking member is lifted with a pickup roller being moved away, each of sheets can be fed stably even if the sheets are curled, and the increase in the cost of the device or the apparatus is suppressed.
According to an aspect of the present invention, a sheet feeding device includes a stacking member on which a stack of sheets is placed, a lifting unit configured to lift the stacking member, a pickup member that is movable between a pickup position where the pickup member picks up one of the sheets on the stacking member and a moved position where the pickup member is at an upper position higher than the pickup position, a pickup-member-moving unit configured to move the pickup member between the pickup position and the moved position, a first detecting unit configured to detect an upper surface of the stack of sheets on the stacking member in conjunction with the pickup member moving between the pickup position and the moved position, a second detecting unit configured to detect the upper surface of the stack of sheets on the stacking member, wherein the second detecting unit detects at a position below a position of detection by the first detecting unit in a direction in which the stacking member is lifted, and a control unit configured to control the lifting unit based on a result of detection by the first detecting unit and a result of detection by the second detecting unit. If the second detecting unit has detected the upper surface of the stack of sheets without the first detecting unit detecting the upper surface of the stack of sheets when the pickup-member-moving unit has moved the pickup member from the moved position to the pickup position, the control unit controls the lifting unit to lift the stacking member by a first predetermined amount. If the pickup-member-moving unit has moved the pickup member from the moved position to the pickup position without the first detecting unit and the second detecting unit detecting the upper surface of the stack of sheets, the control unit controls the lifting unit to lift the stacking member by a second predetermined amount that is greater than the first predetermined amount.
Further features of the present disclosure will become apparent from the following description of exemplary embodiments with reference to the attached drawings.
A first embodiment will now be described with reference to the attached drawings. Herein, a laser beam printer is taken as an exemplary image forming apparatus. In the exemplary image forming apparatus, toner images in different colors that have been formed on respective photosensitive drums are sequentially transferred to a belt, and the toner images on the belt are collectively transferred to a recording material.
An outline configuration of the image forming apparatus will first be described with reference to
Photosensitive drums 111, 112, 113, and 114 as image carrying members included in an image forming portion each rotate in the counterclockwise direction in
The toner images thus formed on the photosensitive drums 111, 112, 113, and 114 are transferred to an intermediate transfer belt 130. If a color image is to be formed, the electrostatic latent images are developed into toner images in yellow, magenta, cyan, and black on the photosensitive drums 111, 112, 113, and 114, respectively, and are sequentially transferred to the intermediate transfer belt 130. The toner images thus transferred to the intermediate transfer belt 130 are collectively transferred to the sheet 8 that has been conveyed to the nip portion between the in-belt roller 105 and the transfer roller 122. A tension is applied to the intermediate transfer belt 130 by a tension roller 121.
The sheet 8 to which the toner images have been transferred is conveyed to a nip portion formed between a fixing film 107 and a pressure roller 108, where the toner images are heated and pressed, thereby being fixed to the sheet 8. The sheet 8 to which the toner images have been fixed is discharged to a discharge tray by a discharge roller 109 and a discharge runner 110. The discharge tray is provided on the outside of the image forming apparatus 101.
Configuration of Sheet Feeding Device
Mechanism of Sheet Cassette
The sheet feeding device according to the first embodiment employs a retard roller method in which feeding from the sheet cassette 201 is performed by using a backward rotating roller that rotates in a direction opposite to the direction of sheet conveyance. As illustrated in
The pickup roller 202 picks up a sheet 8 while being in contact with the upper surface of the stack of sheets 8 on the stacking plate (stacking member) 206 provided in the sheet cassette 201. When feeding is not performed, the pickup roller 202 is at an upper position. That is, the pickup roller 202 is movable between a pickup position where the pickup roller 202 picks up one of the sheets 8 on the stacking plate 206 and a moved position where the pickup roller 202 is at a position higher than the pickup position.
To feed a sheet 8, a voltage is applied to the solenoid 270, and a rotation preventing member 269 that prevents the rotation of a partially toothless feed gear 267 is disabled, whereby the supporting member 205 and the pickup roller 202 are rotated downward (lowered) about the center of the feed roller 203. That is, the solenoid 270 is switched on the basis of whether or not to transmit a driving force generated by the motor 264 to the pickup roller 202 so as to move the pickup roller 202. If the driving force is transmitted to the downstream side of the partially toothless feed gear 267, the feed roller 203 rotates. That is, the motor 264 and the solenoid 270 constitute a pickup-member-moving unit that moves the pickup roller 202 up and down.
When the supporting member 205 is lowered, the pickup roller 202 comes into contact with the upper surface of the stack of sheets 8 and picks up one of the sheets 8. The sheet 8 thus picked up is fed into a nip portion formed between the feed roller 203 and a retard roller 204. The pickup roller 202 is kept at the upper position until the next feeding operation is performed. That is, the pickup roller 202 moves between the moved position and the pickup position for every feeding of a sheet 8.
A drive shaft for the retard roller 204 is provided with a torque limiter (not illustrated). The pickup roller 202, the feed roller 203, and the retard roller 204 rotate by receiving the driving force transmitted from the motor 264.
The sheet feeding device includes idler gears 261, 262, and 266, a pickup roller gear 263, a feed-roller-driving gear 265, a stepped gear 268, and a lever pressing spring 272 that presses a lever 271.
An operation of separating one sheet 8 from the other sheets 8 in the sheet feeding device employing the retard roller method will now be described.
As described above, the pickup roller 202 that is under rotation picks up one of the sheets 8 that are stacked on the stacking plate 206. If only a single sheet 8 is picked up, a large running torque is applied to the retard roller 204, which forms the nip portion in combination with the feed roller 203, with the sheet 8 interposed therebetween, whereby the torque limiter is disabled. Hence, a driving force for rotating the retard roller 204 in the backward direction is not transmitted to the retard roller 204, and the retard roller 204 rotates by following the movement of the sheet 8 that is conveyed.
If two or more sheets 8 are picked up at a time by the pickup roller 202, only a frictional force produced between the sheets 8 is transmitted to the retard roller 204. Hence, the torque limiter is not disabled, and the driving force for rotating the retard roller 204 in the backward direction is transmitted to the retard roller 204. Thus, the retard roller 204 rotates in the backward direction. Consequently, all the sheets 8 but the one that is in contact with the feed roller 203 are returned toward the upstream side in the direction of sheet conveyance.
As described above, according to the first embodiment, only one of the sheets 8 can be assuredly fed while being separated from the other sheets 8 by the backward rotation of the retard roller 204. The sheet 8 thus separated from the others is conveyed by conveying rollers 250a, 250b, 250c, and 250d and counterpart conveying rollers 252a, 252b, 252c, and 252d. The conveying rollers 250a, 250b, 250c, and 250d rotate about a conveying roller shaft 251. The counterpart conveying rollers 252a, 252b, 252c, and 252d rotate about a counterpart conveying roller shaft 253.
Manual Feeding Mechanism
As illustrated in
The sheet cassette 201 includes a cassette frame 207, the stacking plate 206 attached to the cassette frame 207 and being rotatable, and a lifting arm 208 that lifts the stacking plate 206. The sheet cassette 201 is inserted into a main body from the front side (the right side in
To lift the stacking plate 206, the control unit applies a voltage to the solenoid 219, thereby disabling a rotation preventing member 218 that prevents the rotation of a partially toothless gear 216. Consequently, a driving force from the motor 227 is transmitted to the downstream side of the partially toothless gear 216, the lifting arm 208 rotates together with a lifting-arm-driving gear 209, and the stacking plate 206 on which the sheets 8 are stacked is rotated upward about a rotating shaft 213. That is, the solenoid 219 is switched on the basis of whether or not to transmit the driving force generated by the motor 227 to the stacking plate 206 so as to move the stacking plate 206. That is, the motor 227 and the solenoid 219 constitute a lifting unit that lifts the stacking plate 206.
The sheet feeding device includes interface gears 210 and 217, an idler gear 220, a driving gear 221 provided for the lifting unit, a stepped gear 228, a bearing 211 provided for the lifting arm 208, and a lever pressing spring that presses a lever 214.
When the sheet cassette 201 is drawn out of the main body, the stacking plate 206 is lowered. The sheet cassette 201 has a grip 212 to be gripped when the sheet cassette 201 is drawn.
Now, a first detecting unit and a second detecting unit that detect the upper surface of the stack of sheets 8 on the stacking plate 206 will be described.
The first detecting unit includes a first-sensor-detected member 302 and the first detection sensor 300. The second detecting unit includes a second-sensor-detected member 303 and the second detection sensor 301.
The first-sensor-detected member 302 is rotatably provided on the supporting member 205 and switches the signal of the first detection sensor 300, which is a photosensor, between on (a state where light is blocked) and off (a state where light is allowed to travel). Hence, the first-sensor-detected member 302 rotates together with (operates in conjunction with) the supporting member 205 that supports the pickup roller 202. In the state where the pickup roller 202 is at the upper position by the supporting member 205, the first-sensor-detected member 302 keeps the first detection sensor 300 on. If the upper surface of the stack of sheets 8 on the stacking plate 206 is below a feedable position when the pickup roller 202 is lowered by the supporting member 205, the first-sensor-detected member 302 turns the first detection sensor 300 off (the first-sensor-detected member 302 does not turn the first detection sensor 300 on). If the upper surface of the stack of sheets 8 on the stacking plate 206 is above the feedable position when the pickup roller 202 is lowered by the supporting member 205, the first detection sensor 300 is on because the first-sensor-detected member 302 is pushed up by the stack of sheets 8.
The second-sensor-detected member 303 is rotatable about a shaft 260 of the feed roller 203 and switches the signal of the second detection sensor 301, which is a photosensor, between on (a state where light is blocked) and off (a state where light is allowed to travel). The second-sensor-detected member 303 hangs down under its own weight. Therefore, when the stack of sheets 8 is lifted together with the stacking plate 206, the second-sensor-detected member 303 is pushed up and rotated upward by coming into contact with the upper surface of the stack of sheets 8. When the level of the upper surface of the stack of sheets 8 becomes higher, the second-sensor-detected member 303 switches the signal of the second detection sensor 301 from off (the state where light is allowed to travel) to on (the state where light is blocked).
As illustrated in
In the first embodiment, the position of the stacking plate 206 in the height direction where the second-sensor-detected member 303 turns the second detection sensor 301 on is set to a position lower than the position in the height direction where the first-sensor-detected member 302 turns the first detection sensor 300 on.
When the sheet cassette 201 containing sheets 8 is inserted into the image forming apparatus 101, the attaching detecting unit 70 outputs an on signal. On the basis of the signal from the attaching detecting unit 70, the control unit activates the motor 227, thereby lifting the stacking plate 206 (step 1). Since the stacking plate 206 is lifted, the upper surface of the stack of sheets 8 on the stacking plate 206 pushes up the second-sensor-detected member 303, whereby the second detection sensor 301 is turned on (a state illustrated in
If the second detection sensor 301 is not turned on after a first predetermined time from when the motor 227 has started to lift the stacking plate 206, the control unit stops the sheet feeding device and notifies the occurrence of a failure (step 15). The term “failure” used herein refers to a possibility of either a failure of the lifting unit or a failure of the second detecting unit.
When a second predetermined time has elapsed after the second detection sensor 301 has been turned on, the control unit stops the application of the voltage to the solenoid 219 and stops lifting the stacking plate 206 (step 3). Thus, the stack of sheets 8 on the stacking plate 206 is set to the feedable position.
Subsequently, the control unit applies a voltage to the solenoid 270, thereby lowering the pickup roller 202 and bringing the pickup roller 202 into contact with the upper surface of the stack of sheets 8 so that the feeding operation is started (step 4). When the pickup roller 202 rotates, one of the sheets 8 is picked up.
After lowering the pickup roller 202, the control unit checks whether or not the signal of the first detection sensor 300 is off (step 5). Furthermore, the control unit checks whether or not the signal of the second detection sensor 301 is off (step 6). More specifically, the control unit checks the outputs of the signals generated by the first detection sensor 300 and the second detection sensor 301 with the pickup roller 202 having been lowered.
In steps 5 and 6, if the first detection sensor 300 and the second detection sensor 301 are both on, the stack of sheets 8 is regarded as being at the feedable position. Therefore, one of the sheets 8 is expected to be picked up normally. The sheet 8 thus picked up is conveyed to the nip portion between the feed roller 203 and the retard roller 204 and is further conveyed to the nip portion between the conveying roller 250 and the counterpart conveying roller 252 by the feed roller 203.
When a conveyance-sensor-detected member 254 is rotated by the sheet 8, a conveyance sensor 255 is turned on. If the conveyance sensor 255 is turned on within a third predetermined time after the start of the feeding operation (step 9) and if the job has not been finished (step 12), the next feeding operation is started after a fourth predetermined time has elapsed (the process returns to step 4). The conveyance-sensor-detected member 254 and the conveyance sensor 255 constitute a conveyance detecting unit. The conveyance detecting unit detects that the sheet 8 has reached a position immediately on the downstream side of the nip portion formed between the pair of registration rollers.
As the number of sheets 8 that have been fed increases and the level of the upper surface of the stack of sheets 8 becomes lower, the first detection sensor 300 is eventually turned off in step 5. If the first detection sensor 300 is off in step 5 but the second detection sensor 301 is on in step 6, the control unit lifts the stacking plate 206 by 1 mm (step 8).
In some cases, as illustrated in
In such a state, since the stack of sheets 8 is pushed down, the first detection sensor 300 and the second detection sensor 301 are turned off in step 5 and in step 6, respectively. In this case, the control unit lifts the stacking plate 206 by 3 mm (step 7).
Furthermore, since no pick has occurred in the above state, no sheet 8 reaches the conveyance sensor 255 within the third predetermined time (step 9). In such a case, if the number of trials of the re-feeding operation has not reach three (step 10), the control unit starts the re-feeding operation (step 11).
If the size of the curl in the stack of sheets 8 is about 3 mm, it is regarded that the level of the upper surface of the stack of sheets 8 on the stacking plate 206 is higher than that in the normal case by 3 mm. Therefore, as illustrated in
In the first embodiment, two trials of the re-feeding operation are allowed at the maximum. Therefore, even if the stack of sheets 8 has a curl of about 6 mm, such sheets 8 are feedable without the occurrence of a jam. If no sheet 8 is fed after two trials of the re-feeding operation (step 10), the control unit stops the sheet feeding device and notifies the failure as a jam (step 14).
There may be a rare case where a sheet 8 is fed despite the second detection sensor 301 being off in step 6 (with no trial of the re-feeding operation). In such a case, the sheet 8 is stopped by the pair of registration rollers.
The first embodiment concerns a case where the stacking plate 206 is lifted by 1 mm in step 8 and by 3 mm in step 7. Alternatively, the position of detection by the second-sensor-detected member 303 may be lowered, and the amount of lifting in step 7 may be increased instead. Moreover, the number of trials of the re-feeding operation is to be determined on the basis of restrictions and conditions specified for the sheet feeding device.
While the first embodiment concerns a case where the user inserts a sheet 8 into the manual feeding slot 312, this embodiment is not seen to be limiting. In another embodiment, the configuration can include a rotatable manual-feed stacking member and a pickup roller that picks up one of sheets on the manual-feed stacking member.
A sheet feeding device according to a second embodiment will now be described. In the first embodiment, the amount of lifting of the stacking plate 206 is determined on the basis of the results of detection by the first detecting unit and the second detecting unit.
In the second embodiment, another detecting unit, i.e., a third detecting unit, is provided. According to the second embodiment, the control unit determines the amount of lifting of the stacking plate 206 on the basis of the results of detection by the three detecting units. Therefore, the detection accuracy is improved in a case where the stack of sheets 8 is curled in a direction orthogonal to the direction of sheet conveyance. In the second embodiment, description of elements and operations that are common to those described in the first embodiment is omitted.
The flowchart according to the second embodiment is the same as the flowchart according to the first embodiment, except steps 2 and 6. Hence, description of steps that are the same as those of the first embodiment is omitted according to need. If the stack of sheets 8 is curled in the width direction, the second detection sensor 301 and the third detection sensor 304 are turned on at different timings during the lifting of the stacking plate 206. The following description concerns a case where the size of the curl in the stack of sheets 8 is larger on the side corresponding to the second-sensor-detected member 303 than on the side corresponding to the third-sensor-detected member 305.
After the stacking plate 206 starts to be lifted in step 1, the upper surface of the stack of sheets 8 first pushes up the second-sensor-detected member 303 and then pushes up the third-sensor-detected member 305. That is, as illustrated in
As illustrated in
As illustrated in
Thus, in the second embodiment, even if the stack of sheets 8 is curled in the width direction, the probability that a sheet 8 can be fed by performing the re-feeding operation is increased. In the above exemplary case, even if the size of the curl in the stack of sheets 8 is about 3 mm at a position corresponding to the third-sensor-detected member 305 and about 6 mm at a position corresponding to the second-sensor-detected member 303, a pressing force that is necessary for feeding can be applied to the stack of sheets 8 as illustrated in
While the present disclosure has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments, it is to be understood that these exemplary embodiments are not seen to be limiting. The scope of the following claims is to be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent structures and functions.
This application claims the benefit of Japanese Patent Application No. 2013-251321, filed Dec. 4, 2013, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013-251321 | Dec 2013 | JP | national |
| Number | Name | Date | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4871160 | Yoshino | Oct 1989 | A |
| 7823876 | Okumura et al. | Nov 2010 | B2 |
| 20090079126 | Hattori | Mar 2009 | A1 |
| Number | Date | Country |
|---|---|---|
| 59-78021 | May 1984 | JP |
| 3-26637 | Feb 1991 | JP |
| 6-56305 | Mar 1994 | JP |
| 2009-214966 | Sep 2009 | JP |
| 2009-215041 | Sep 2009 | JP |
| Entry |
|---|
| Machine translation of JP6-56305. |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20150151935 A1 | Jun 2015 | US |
