SHEET REMOVER, CONVEYING DEVICE, AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This patent application is based on and claims priority pursuant to 35 U.S.C. § 119(a) to Japanese Patent Application Nos. 2022-081536, filed on May 18, 2022, and 2023-035617, filed on Mar. 8, 2023, in the Japan Patent Office, the entire disclosure of each of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein.

BACKGROUND
Technical Field

Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a sheet remover, a conveying device, and an image forming apparatus.

Related Art

When a sheet is jammed in an image forming apparatus during an image forming operation, a door on a housing of the image forming apparatus is opened to open the inside of the apparatus and manually remove the jammed sheet.

SUMMARY

According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a novel sheet remover includes a pair of insertion-part formers and a pair of through-part formers. The pair of insertion-part formers forms an insertion part between the pair of insertion-part formers into which a sheet is inserted. At least one of the pair of insertion-part formers includes an inclined portion inclined in a direction in which a width of the insertion part in a thickness direction of the sheet decreases in a sheet insertion direction in which the sheet is inserted. The pair of through-part formers forms a through part between the pair of through-part formers through which the sheet is inserted. The through part is located downstream from the insertion part in the sheet insertion direction.

According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a novel conveying device includes the sheet remover.

According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a novel image forming apparatus includes the conveying device.

According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a novel image forming apparatus includes the sheet remover.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A more complete appreciation of embodiments of the present disclosure and many of the attendant advantages and features thereof can be readily obtained and understood from the following detailed description with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is an external view of a sheet remover according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the sheet remover of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a leading-end claw of the sheet remover of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a side view of the leading-end claw of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a front view of the leading-end claw of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a plan view of the leading-end claw of FIG. 3;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the leading-end claw of FIG. 3 scooping up a sheet;

FIG. 8 is a partial cross-sectional view of the sheet remover of FIG. 1;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a sheet broken by a sheet remover according to a comparative example:

FIGS. 10A and 10B are plan views of an example conveyance passage;

FIGS. 11A and 11B are perspective views of the conveyance passage of FIGS. 10A and 10B;

FIGS. 12A and 12B are plan views of a conveyance passage different from the conveyance passage of FIGS. 10A and 10B;

FIG. 13 is a view of the sheet remover of FIG. 1 gripped;

FIG. 14 is a view of a sheet inserted in the sheet remover of FIG. 1;

FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional view of the sheet remover of FIG. 1 before winding a sheet;

FIG. 16 is a cross-sectional view of the sheet remover of FIG. 1 after winding the sheet;

FIG. 17A is a perspective view of a sheet remover winding a sheet, according to another comparative example;

FIG. 17B is a plan view of the sheet remover of FIG. 17A;

FIG. 18A is a perspective view of a sheet remover winding a sheet, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 18B is a plan view of the sheet remover of FIG. 18A;

FIG. 19 is a schematic diagram illustrating a configuration of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIGS. 20A and 20B are diagrams illustrating a configuration of an opening and closing portion of the image forming apparatus of FIG. 19;

FIG. 21 is a view of a sheet remover according to a modification of the above embodiments; and

FIG. 22 is a block diagram illustrating a control configuration of the sheet remover of FIG. 21.

The accompanying drawings are intended to depict embodiments of the present disclosure and should not be interpreted to limit the scope thereof. The accompanying drawings are not to be considered as drawn to scale unless explicitly noted. Also, identical or similar reference numerals designate identical or similar components throughout the several views.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In describing embodiments illustrated in the drawings, specific terminology is employed for the sake of clarity. However, the disclosure of this specification is not intended to be limited to the specific terminology so selected and it is to be understood that each specific element includes all technical equivalents that have a similar function, operate in a similar manner, and achieve a similar result.

Referring now to the drawings, embodiments of the present disclosure are described below. As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

For the sake of simplicity, like reference numerals are given to identical or corresponding constituent elements such as parts and materials having the same functions, and redundant descriptions thereof are omitted unless otherwise required.

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a sheet remover 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the sheet remover 1. FIG. 2 illustrates an internal configuration of the sheet remover 1.

The sheet remover 1 is used to hold (particularly, wind in the present embodiment) a sheet jammed on the way in a conveying device and take out the sheet to the outside of the conveying device. In the following description, a sheet P is described as an example of the sheet serving as a recording medium. The sheet or recording medium that is removed by the sheet remover according to the embodiments of the present disclosure is not limited to the sheet P. Examples of the recording medium include, but are not limited to, the sheet P as a sheet of plain paper, thick paper, a postcard, an envelope, thin paper, coated paper such as art paper, tracing paper, an overhead projector (OHP) transparency, a plastic film, a prepreg, and a copper foil.

As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, the sheet remover 1 includes a pair of sheet holding plates 11 as a pair of through-part formers, a pair of leading-end claws 12 as a pair of insertion-part formers, a gap formation plate 13, and a winding guide 14. The sheet remover 1 is a rod-shaped device extending in a direction indicated by a double-headed arrow X, which is a lateral direction in FIG. 1.

Directions X, Y, and Z in FIG. 1 or 2 are perpendicular to each other. The direction X is a longitudinal direction of the sheet remover 1. The direction X is also a direction in which a sheet is inserted into the sheet remover 1. The direction Y is a width direction of the sheet that is inserted. The direction Y is also a width direction of the sheet remover 1 and a width direction of the leading-end claws 12. The direction Z is a thickness direction of the sheet that is inserted. In the following description, a direction indicated by the double-headed arrow X may be referred to as a sheet insertion direction X, or simply as a sheet insertion direction, in which a sheet is inserted into the sheet remover 1. An upstream side of the sheet remover 1 in the sheet insertion direction, which is the left side in FIG. 1 or 2, may be simply referred to as an upstream side whereas a downstream side of the sheet remover 1 in the sheet insertion direction, which is the right side in FIG. 1 or 2, may be simply referred to as a downstream side.

An outer circumferential surface of the sheet remover 1 includes an outer circumferential face 14a of the winding guide 14. The outer circumferential face 14a of the winding guide 14 is a winding portion along which the sheet is wound.

An operator holds a holding part 21, which is a right portion of the sheet remover 1 in FIG. 1. Specifically, in the sheet remover 1, the holding part 21 is located to the right of a contact face 13a as a contact part, which is a left end of the gap formation plate 13 in FIG. 2. The pair of leading-end claws 12 is disposed at the left end of the sheet remover 1 in FIG. 1. A space between the pair of leading-end claws 12 is an insertion part 22 into which the sheet is inserted. The insertion part 22 includes an insertion port at an upstream end of the sheet remover 1 in the sheet insertion direction and a downstream portion extending downstream from the insertion port in the sheet insertion direction. The sheet is inserted into the insertion port of the insertion part 22 and further inserted downstream in the sheet insertion direction through the downstream portion. Each of the leading-end claws 12 includes a curved leading end 31a having a curved surface. The leading end 31a is an upstream end of each of the leading-end claws 12 in the sheet insertion direction. The insertion part 22 (or each of the leading-end claws 12) includes an inclined portion 31d that decreases, in the sheet insertion direction, the width of the insertion part 22 in the direction Z.

The pair of sheet holding plates 11 is disposed downstream from the pair of leading-end claws 12 in the sheet insertion direction. A space between the pair of sheet holding plates 11 is a through part 23 through which the sheet is inserted from the insertion part 22. In other words, the sheet that is inserted from the insertion part 22 passes between the pair of sheet holding plates 11 and is held between the pair of sheet holding plates 11. The pair of sheet holding plates 11 sandwich the gap formation plate 13 therebetween away from the pair of leading-end claws 12 in the longitudinal direction of the sheet remover 1. In the following direction, the longitudinal direction of the sheet remover 1 may be referred to as a longitudinal direction X. The through part 23 is located downstream from the insertion part 22 in the sheet insertion direction.

The sheet remover 1 has an entire length X0 in the longitudinal direction of the sheet remover 1 preferably in a range of from 500 mm to 600 mm, and more preferably, in a range of from 500 mm to 550 mm, in a case where the width of the sheet P along a direction perpendicular to a conveyance direction of the sheet P is equal to or smaller than 13 inches (about 330 mm). The entire length X0 of the sheet remover 1 equal to or greater than 500 mm is sufficient for an operator to hold the holding part 21 with both hands without difficulty to hold the sheet P as appropriate and wind the sheet P. The aforementioned upper limit of the entire length X0 of the sheet remover 1 limits the weight of the sheet remover 1 and enhances the operability when the operator uses the sheet remover 1. As illustrated in FIG. 15, the sheet remover 1 has a length Y1 in the direction Y and a length Z1 in the direction Z1. Each of the length Y1 and the length Z1 is preferably in a range of from 30 mm to 40 mm to allow the operator to hold the sheet remover 1 with one hand. In the present embodiment, the entire length X0 of the sheet remover 1 is about 550 mm. A length X1 in the longitudinal direction of the sheet remover 1 between an end of the leading-end claw 12 (i.e., a longitudinal end of the sheet remover 1) and the contact face 13a of the gap formation plate 13 is about 350 mm. A length X2 of the holding part 21 as a distance between the contact face 13a and the other longitudinal end of the sheet remover 1 is about 200 mm. The length Y1 and the length Z1 of the sheet remover 1 are 32 mm and 39 mm, respectively.

According to the present embodiment, the pair of sheet holding plates 11 and the pair of leading-end claws 12 are fixed at the respective positions in the sheet remover 1 and do not perform an operation such as pinching a sheet when removing the sheet. A description of how to remove the sheet is deferred.

Referring now to FIGS. 3 to 6, a description is given of a detailed configuration of the pair of leading-end claws 12.

FIGS. 3 to 6 are views of the single leading-end claw 12.

Specifically, FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the leading-end claw 12. FIG. 4 is a side view of the leading-end claw 12. FIG. 5 is a front view of the leading-end claw 12. FIG. 6 is a plan view of the leading-end claw 12.

The leading-end claw 12 includes a scooping part 31, an intermediate part 32, and a delivery part 33 in this order in the sheet insertion direction. The scooping part 31 is an end part including the upstream end of the leading-end claw 12 in the sheet insertion direction. The scooping part 31 scoops a sheet stuck to a conveyance guide plate in the conveying device. The sheet first passes by the scooping part 31 and thus is inserted into the sheet remover 1. The intermediate part 32 is interposed between the scooping part 31 and the delivery part 33 to guide the sheet from the scooping part 31 as an upstream part to the delivery part 33 as a downstream part in the sheet insertion direction. The delivery part 33 delivers the sheet from the leading-end claw 12 to the sheet holding plate 11.

As illustrated in FIG. 5, the curved leading end 31a of the scooping part 31 includes round portions corresponding to corners on both sides in the direction Z. The curved leading end 31a prevents the leading end of the sheet P from being caught by the leading end 31a when the scooping part 31 scoops the sheet P as illustrated in FIG. 7. The curved leading end 31a thus allows the scooping part 31 to easily scoop the sheet P.

As illustrated in FIG. 6, the scooping part 31 includes an upstream widthwise inclined portion 31b at each end in the direction Y as a side face in the width direction of the scooping part 31. The upstream widthwise inclined portion 31b is inclined in a direction in which the width of the leading-end claw 12 increases in the sheet insertion direction. The upstream widthwise inclined portion 31b gradually increases an area by which the sheet P entering the insertion part 22 and the through part 23 (see FIG. 2) from the leading end 31a of the scooping part 31 is scooped, as illustrated in FIG. 7. The upstream widthwise inclined portion 31b thus allows the scooping part 31 to gently bend and scoop the sheet P.

As illustrated in FIG. 3, the scooping part 31 includes a plurality of guide ribs 31e extending in the direction X between the upstream widthwise inclined portions 31b at the opposed ends in the width direction of the scooping part 31.

The scooping part 31 includes a round end 31c corresponding to a corner as a downstream end of the scooping part 31 in the sheet insertion direction and an end in the width direction of the scooping part 31. The round end 31c prevents the sheet P from being caught between the scooping part 31 and the intermediate part 32.

The intermediate part 32 includes a plurality of guide ribs 32a extending in the direction X.

The intermediate part 32 is narrower than the scooping part 31. Such a configuration reduces an area of contact between the leading-end claw 12 and the sheet P and thus reduces the resistance when the sheet P enters the sheet remover 1. Particularly, in the present embodiment, the width of the intermediate part 32 is substantially uniform in the sheet insertion direction.

As illustrated in FIG. 4, the intermediate part 32 has a curved surface at each round sidewall 32c in the width direction of the intermediate part 32. The curved surface prevents the sheet P that is guided by the intermediate part 32 from being broken or worn when contacting the sidewall 32c.

The scooping part 31 includes the inclined portion 31d that is inclined in the thickness direction of the sheet P in the sheet insertion direction. The intermediate part 32 includes a downstream inclined portion 32b that is inclined in the thickness direction of the sheet P in the sheet insertion direction. The inclined portion 31d corresponds to the upstream widthwise inclined portions 31b and the plurality of guide ribs 31e. The downstream inclined portion 32b corresponds to the plurality of guide ribs 32a.

As illustrated in FIG. 8, the inclined portion 31d and the downstream inclined portion 32b decrease, in the sheet insertion direction, the width of the insertion part 22 in the direction Z in the sheet remover 1 of the present embodiment. The leading end of the sheet P that is inserted into the insertion part 22 is guided by the inclined portion 31d and the downstream inclined portion 32b to relatively move downstream in the sheet insertion direction and be inserted into the through part 23. With such a shape of the insertion part 22 in which the gap between the leading-end claws 12 gradually narrows, the sheet remover 1 smoothly guides the leading end of the sheet P that has been inserted into the insertion part 22 to the through part 23. In other words, simply by inserting the leading end of the sheet P into the insertion part 22 and moving the sheet remover 1 toward the sheet P, an operator can insert the sheet P through the through part 23. Accordingly, the operator can easily wind the sheet P and remove the sheet P from the conveying device with the sheet remover 1 as described later. In the present embodiment, each of the leading-end claws 12 includes the inclined portion 31d and the downstream inclined portion 32b. Alternatively, either of the leading-end claws 12 may include the inclined portion 31d and the downstream inclined portion 32b. The scooping part 31 and the intermediate part 32 may or may not include the inclined portion 31d and the downstream inclined portion 32b, respectively.

Particularly, in the present embodiment, the downstream inclined portion 32b has an angle of inclination greater than an angle of inclination of the inclined portion 31d. Since the inclined portion 31d upstream from the downstream inclined portion 32b in the sheet insertion direction has an angle of inclination smaller than the angle of inclination of the downstream inclined portion 32b, the sheet P is gently guided while being inserted toward the back of the sheet remover 1. The downstream inclined portion 32b having an angle of inclination greater than the angle of inclination of the inclined portion 32b reduces the distance of the downstream inclined portion 32b in the direction X to guide the sheet P toward the through part 23 that is higher than the intermediate part 32 in the direction Z. In short, the sheet remover 1 is shortened in the direction X compared with a typical sheet remover. Accordingly, the sheet remover 1 attains sufficient strength.

Providing the inclined portion 31d or the downstream inclined portion 32b gradually increases the cross-sectional area of the sheet remover 1 in the sheet insertion direction. In particular, the inclined portion 31d having an angle of inclination smaller than the angle of inclination of the downstream inclined portion 32b gradually increases the bending of the sheet P entering the insertion part 22, as illustrated in FIG. 7.

By contrast, as illustrated in FIG. 9, a leading-end claw 112 according to a comparative example includes an upstream inclined portion (i.e., an inclined portion at a leading end portion of the leading-end claw 112) having an angle of inclination greater than an angle of inclination of a downstream inclined portion that is located downstream from the upstream inclined portion in the sheet insertion direction. In this case, when the sheet P is scooped with the leading-end claw 112 and inserted from the insertion part 22, the difference in bending becomes too large between a portion of the sheet P inserted in the insertion part 22 and a portion of the sheet P not inserted in the insertion part 22. As a result, the sheet P may be broken.

By contrast, the configuration of the present embodiment described above prevents a sudden increase in bending of a scooped portion of the sheet P and thus prevents the scooped or bent portion of the sheet P from being broken. In particular, an angle α (see FIG. 1) of the end of the leading-end claw 12 with respect to the longitudinal direction X is preferably equal to or smaller than 13.5 degrees. In this case, the sheet remover 1 smoothly scoops the sheet P regardless of the thickness of the sheet P and prevents the sheet P from being broken as illustrated in FIG. 9. Note that FIGS. 8 and 9 simplify the shape of the leading-end claws 12.

As illustrated in FIG. 6, the delivery part 33 includes a downstream widthwise inclined portion 33a at each end in the width direction of the delivery part 33. The distance between the downstream widthwise inclined portions 33a increases in the sheet insertion direction. The downstream widthwise inclined portion 33a includes a curved top face 33a1. The curved top face 33a1 prevents an excessive force from being applied to the sheet P between the leading-end claw 12 and the sheet holding plate 11 and thus prevents the sheet P from being broken or worn. A part of the downstream widthwise inclined portion 33a in the sheet insertion direction faces the sheet holding plate 11. A downstream portion of the downstream widthwise inclined portion 33a in the sheet insertion direction is closer to the center of the leading-end claw 12 in the direction Z, in other words, the center of the insertion part 22 and the through part 23 in the direction Z, than an upstream portion of the downstream widthwise inclined portions 33a in the sheet insertion direction.

As illustrated in the enlarged view of FIG. 8, the downstream widthwise inclined portion 33a projects toward the sheet P, in other words, toward the vertical center of the sheet remover 1 in FIG. 8, beyond a sheet holding face 11a of the sheet holding plate 11. In other words, a width A of a gap between the upper and lower downstream widthwise inclined portions 33a is smaller than a width B of a gap between the sheet holding faces 11a of the sheet holding plates 11. In other words, each of the pair of leading-end claws 12 includes, at opposed ends in the width direction of the delivery part 33, portions that narrow the gap between the delivery parts 33 of the pair of leading-end claws 12. The portions that narrow the gap function as portions that prevent the sheet P inserted through the through part 23 from coming off leftward in FIG. 8. The downstream widthwise inclined portion 33a projecting toward the sheet P beyond the sheet holding face 11a smoothly delivers the sheet P from the leading-end claw 12 to the sheet holding plate 11. The sheet holding face 11a is planar parallel to the direction X.

As illustrated in FIG. 3, the upstream widthwise inclined portions 31b, the guide ribs 31e, the guide ribs 32a, and the downstream widthwise inclined portions 33a extend in the direction X and function as guides that guide the sheet P downstream in the sheet insertion direction. Note that all or some of the upstream widthwise inclined portions 31b, the guide ribs 31e, the guide ribs 32a, and the downstream widthwise inclined portions 33a guide the sheet P. All or some of the upstream widthwise inclined portions 31b, the guide ribs 31e, the guide ribs 32a, and the downstream widthwise inclined portions 33a are included in the leading-end claws 12. The number of guides is not particularly limited. For example, although the leading-end claw 12 includes the two guide ribs 31e arranged in the widthwise direction of the leading-end claw 12 in the present embodiment, the number of the guide ribs 31e may be one or three or more. The guides on both sides of the leading-end claw 12 guide laterally equally the sheet P inserted into the insertion part 22 downstream in the sheet insertion direction.

Referring now to FIGS. 10A to 12B, a description is given of an opening and closing configuration in the conveying device in which the sheet P is jammed.

FIGS. 10A to 11B are diagrams illustrating a sheet P jammed on the way along a conveyance passage 91 in a conveying device 90.

As illustrated in FIGS. 10A and 11A, the conveyance passage 91 is defined by a pair of conveyance guide plates 92 and 93 as a pair of conveyance passage formers. In other words, a gap between the conveyance guide plates 92 and 93 is part of the conveyance passage 91 through which the sheet P is conveyed. The conveyance guide plate 93 can be opened and closed by access from the outside.

As illustrated in FIG. 10A, the sheet P is jammed while being sandwiched at an area of contact, which may be called a nip, between rollers of a conveyance roller pair 94 and at an area of contact (i.e., nip) between rollers of a conveyance roller pair 95. The conveyance roller pairs 94 and 95 are aligned as upstream and downstream conveyance roller pairs along the conveyance passage 91 as illustrated in FIG. 10A.

When the conveyance guide plate 93 that is accessible from the outside of the conveying device 90 is opened from the state illustrated in FIG. 10A to the state illustrated in FIG. 10B, a part of the conveyance passage 91 becomes open to the outside of the conveying device 90 as illustrated in FIGS. 10B and 1I B.

The sheet remover 1 is inserted into the conveying device 90 from the opened space to remove the jammed sheet P to the outside of the conveying device 90.

Although FIGS. 10A to 11B illustrate a case where the shaft of the conveyance guide plate 92 is parallel to the conveyance direction of the sheet P, the shaft of the conveyance guide plate 92 may be perpendicular to the conveyance direction of the sheet P as illustrated in FIGS. 12A and 12B.

Now, a detailed description is given of how to wind and remove the sheet P with the sheet remover 1 described above.

First, as illustrated in FIG. 13, an operator holds the holding part 21 of the sheet remover 1. Then, as illustrated in FIG. 14, the pair of leading-end claws 12 of the sheet remover 1 is brought close to the sheet P to insert the sheet P into the insertion part 22 between the leading-end claws 12 as illustrated in FIG. 8.

The leading end of the sheet P that has been inserted into the insertion part 22 as illustrated in FIG. 8 is guided by the inclined portion 31d and the downstream inclined portion 32b of the leading-leading-end claw 12 as described above to relatively move to the back of the insertion part 22 and be inserted into the through part 23. In other words, simply by inserting the leading end of the sheet P into the insertion part 22 and moving the sheet remover 1 toward the sheet P, the operator can insert the sheet P through the through part 23.

Since the leading-end claws 12 are in a bilaterally symmetrical shape with respect to the central axis of the sheet remover 1 as illustrated in FIG. 6, the force is applied laterally equally to the sheet P inserted into the insertion part 22 with respect to the central axis of the sheet remover 1. Thus, the sheet P is prevented from being inclined and is smoothly guided to the through part 23.

As illustrated in FIG. 2, the contact face 13a of the gap formation plate 13 is located at a longitudinal end of the through part 23. The operator moves the sheet remover 1 toward the sheet P until the leading end of the sheet P contacts the contact face 13a.

As the gap formation plate 13 is sandwiched between the sheet holding plates 11, a gap is formed between the sheet holding plates 11. In other words, in the present embodiment, the width B of the through part 23, which is illustrated in FIG. 8 as the gap between the sheet holding faces 11a of the sheet holding plates 11, is specified by the thicknesses of the gap formation plate 13. The width B is greater than the maximum thickness of a sheet that is handled by the sheet remover 1. Accordingly, even a sheet having the maximum thickness is smoothly inserted into the through part 23.

After bringing the leading end of the sheet P into contact with the contact face 13a of the gap formation plate 13, the operator rotates the sheet remover 1 as indicated by arrows in FIG. 15 while holding the holding part 21. At the initial stage of the rotation, the sheet P contacts the lateral ends of the sheet holding plates 11 or the side of the winding guide 14 at two portions Pa and Pb. Since the positions of the portions Pa and Pb are fixed with respect to the sheet remover 1 by the rigidity of the sheet P, the sheet P hardly falls off from the sheet remover 1 when the sheet remover 1 rotates. By rotating the sheet remover 1, the operator winds the sheet P around the outer circumferential face 14a of the winding guide 14 as illustrated in FIG. 16. Note that FIGS. 15 and 16 simplify the shapes of the sheet holding plate 11 and the winding guide 14.

As the sheet P is wound up, the sheet P is pulled out from the nip between the conveyance roller pair 94 and the nip between the conveyance roller pair 95. Thus, the leading and trailing ends of the sheet P in the conveyance direction of the sheet P are accommodated in the space that is open to the outside as the conveyance guide plate 93 is opened. In this state, the operator moves the sheet remover 1 in a direction perpendicular to the surface of the paper on which FIG. 16 is drawn, opposite to the direction in which the sheet remover 1 is inserted, to remove the sheet P wound around the sheet remover 1 to the outside of the conveying device 90.

As described above, the sheet remover according to the present embodiment includes an insertion part and a through part that is located downstream from the insertion part in the sheet insertion direction. When an operator simply moves the sheet remover toward a sheet (e.g., sheet P) so that the sheet is inserted into the sheet remover, the sheet is inserted into the through part via the insertion part. Thus, the operator can easily remove the sheet from a device such as a conveying device. Since the operator does not have to touch the sheet or the position where the sheet is jammed in the device by hand, the hand of the operator does not get dirty or is not injured by touching, for example, a sheet metal. In addition, for example, when removing the sheet that has passed through a heating device such as a fixing device, the operator can remove the sheet without touching the heated sheet by hand.

In particular, since the sheet remover of the present embodiment does not require an operation such as opening and closing the sheet remover to hold the sheet in the sheet remover, the operator can remove the sheet in a narrower space with the sheet remover of the present embodiment, as compared with a typical sheet remover that is to be opened and closed to hold the sheet. For this reason, the sheet remover of the present embodiment can be used at increased places as compared with the typical sheet remover. In addition, the sheet remover of the present embodiment facilitates the removal of sheets and enhances the user-friendliness of the sheet remover.

Further, the sheet remover of the present embodiment is disposed as a separate component independent of a device such as a conveying device in which a sheet is jammed.

Thus, for example, as compared with a sheet remover that is fixed to the conveying device, the sheet remover of the present embodiment can be used at any place into which the sheet remover can be inserted as described above. Thus, the user-friendliness of the sheet remover is enhanced. Since a plurality of sheet removers does not have to be disposed for a plurality of positions where a sheet is jammed, the present embodiment reduces the cost of a device such as a conveying device.

In particular, the sheet remover of the present embodiment includes a winding guide at the outer circumferential surface of the sheet remover. Specifically, in the present embodiment, the operator rotates the sheet remover while keeping the sheet inserted in the through part to wind the sheet and remove the sheet to the outside of the device. Thus, the operator can easily remove the sheet even when the sheet is sandwiched between a conveyance roller pair. If the operator removes the sheet sandwiched between the conveyance roller pair by hand, the operator has to pull and remove the sheet by hand or wind the sheet by hand and remove the sheet from the nip between rollers of the conveyance roller pair. However, when the operator pulls and removes the sheet by hand, the operator may have some difficulties in pulling and removing the sheet or may bump the hand in a relatively narrow space in the device. When the operator winds the sheet by hand and removes the sheet from the nip between the rollers of the conveyance roller pair, the operator may have some difficulties in winding and removing the sheet in a relatively narrow space in the device.

In addition, since the sheet can be rotated by only 180 degrees each time by hand, it takes time to wind the sheet that is relatively long in the conveyance direction of the sheet. By contrast, the sheet remover 1 of the present embodiment allows the operator to easily remove the sheet in a narrower space, as compared with a case where the operator removes the sheet by hand.

The sheet remover of the present embodiment is shaped like a rod extending in the longitudinal direction of the sheet remover parallel to the direction in which the sheet remover is inserted into a device such as a conveying device and the direction in which a sheet is inserted into the sheet remover. The rod shape of the sheet remover decreases a cross-sectional area perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the sheet remover and allows the sheet remover to be inserted into a relatively narrow space. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 13, the cross-sectional area perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the sheet remover according to the present embodiment is significantly smaller than the size of a human hand. For this reason, the operator can insert the sheet remover even into a narrow place where inserting a hand is difficult and remove a sheet. Thus, the sheet remover of the present embodiment enhances the user-friendliness for the operator to remove the sheet.

As illustrated in FIG. 8, an outer circumferential face 12d of the leading-end claw 12 is planar, parallel to the longitudinal direction of the sheet remover 1, which is the lateral direction in FIG. 8. In other words, the outer circumferential surface of the sheet remover 1 includes a planar portion at the leading end of the sheet remover 1 adjacent to the insertion part 22, more specifically, at a position around the insertion part 22 in the longitudinal direction of the sheet remover 1. When the sheet that is jammed in the conveying device is in close contact with one of the conveyance guide plates (for example, the conveyance guide plate 92 illustrated in FIG. 15), the operator inserts the leading end of the sheet remover 1 between the conveyance guide plate and the sheet while keeping the outer circumferential surface at the leading end of the sheet remover 1 in contact with the conveyance guide plate.

At this time, since the planar outer circumferential face 12d is hardly caught by the conveyance guide plate, the sheet is smoothly inserted into the insertion part 22 and the through part 23.

As illustrated in FIG. 16, the outer circumferential face 14a of the winding guide 14 as a part of the outer circumferential surface of the sheet remover 1 according to the present embodiment has a planar portion 14a1 resulting from cutting off a part of an ellipse. Since the outer circumferential surface of the sheet remover 1 includes a planar portion extending in the longitudinal direction of the sheet remover 1 at a position not around the insertion part 22 (i.e., a position other than the position around the insertion part 22) in the longitudinal direction of the sheet remover 1, the sheet remover 1 can be placed at a given position on a placement surface of, for example, a conveying device.

In the cross-section of the winding guide 14 in the direction perpendicular to the sheet insertion direction illustrated in FIG. 16, diagonal portions of the outer circumferential face 14a of the winding guide 14 are curved. Particularly, in the present embodiment, four corners of the outer circumferential face 14a are curved. Such a shape of the winding guide 14 increases the winding angle of the sheet P and facilitates the winding of the sheet P, as compared with a case where the four corners are right angles. In the present embodiment, the shape of the outer circumferential face 14a of the winding guide 14 is not a circular shape but an elliptical shape having a long diameter portion and a short diameter portion. Such a shape of the winding guide 14 allows an operator to easily hold the sheet remover 1 and enhances the workability.

The contact face 13a of the gap formation plate 13 is a surface perpendicular to the longitudinal direction X. When the leading end of a sheet (e.g., sheet P) contacts the contact face 13a, the posture and inclination of the sheet with respect to the sheet remover 1 is corrected. Since the correction of the inclination of the sheet prevents distortion of the sheet while the sheet is wound, the operator easily winds the sheet around the winding guide 14. However, the operator does not always have to insert the sheet into the sheet remover 1 until the leading end of the sheet contacts the contact face 13a. For example, when there is no sufficient space for inserting the sheet remover 1 into an open space of a device such as a conveying device, the operator may wind the sheet with the sheet remover 1 while the leading end of the sheet is not in contact with the contact face 13a.

When the sheet remover 1 winds the sheet, the entire width between opposed ends of the sheet in the sheet insertion direction does not have to be accommodated in the through part 23 and the insertion part 22 of the sheet remover 1. In other words, even when a part of the sheet is outside the sheet remover 1, the part of the sheet outside the sheet remover 1 is wound as the sheet in the sheet remover 1 is wound. For example, the sheet remover 1 can wind a sheet having a length 1.5 times the length X1 between the end of the leading-end claw 12 and the contact face 13a of the gap formation plate 13 of the sheet remover 1 illustrated in FIG. 2. The length X1 is preferably equal to or less than the sum of half the length of the conveyance passage in the width direction of the sheet at a position where the sheet is jammed and half the width of the sheet. Accordingly, the sheet can be inserted to the back of the through part 23 so that the leading end of the sheet can contact the contact face 13a as appropriate.

According to the present embodiment, the cross-sectional shape, perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the sheet remover 1, of a portion including the through part 23 of the sheet remover 1 in the longitudinal direction of the sheet remover 1 is substantially the same along the longitudinal direction of the sheet remover 1. Accordingly, the operator can easily wind the sheet with the sheet remover 1.

FIGS. 17A and 17B illustrate a sheet remover 1′ according to another comparative example.

The sheet remover 1′ includes a cross-sectional area gradually increasing from a leading-end claw to the back of the sheet remover 1′. When the sheet remover 1′ having such a shape winds the sheet P, the sheet P is twisted in the longitudinal direction X as illustrated in FIG. 17B. For this reason, a greater force is required in this case, as compared with the embodiment described above.

FIGS. 18A and 18B illustrate the sheet remover 1 according to the present embodiment.

Unlike the sheet remover 1′ described above, the sheet remover 1 does not twist the sheet P in the longitudinal direction X due to the above-described shape when winding the sheet P, as illustrated in FIG. 18B. Thus, the operator can easily wind the sheet with the sheet remover 1.

Now, a description is given of an image forming apparatus that includes a conveying device and the sheet remover 1 described above.

The image forming apparatus according to the present embodiment includes a storage 200 for accommodating the sheet remover 1. Alternatively, the sheet remover 1 may be attached to the image forming apparatus or may be placed on a given planar surface of the image forming apparatus without a dedicated portion for accommodating or attaching the sheet remover 1.

As illustrated in FIG. 19, an image forming apparatus 100 includes, for example, a photoconductor 150, an exposure device 160, a sheet feeding device 151, a conveying device 140, a transfer device 152, a fixing device 153, and an output roller 154.

The sheet feeding device 151 includes a plurality of input trays 155 and a plurality of sheet feeding rollers 156. The sheet feeding roller 156 feeds the sheet P from the corresponding input tray 155 to a conveyance passage 101.

A plurality of conveyance roller pairs are disposed along the conveyance passage 101 and a reverse conveyance passage 102.

The transfer device 152 includes, for example, a primary transfer roller 157, an intermediate transfer belt 158, and a secondary transfer roller 159. A primary transfer nip is formed between the photoconductor 150 and the primary transfer roller 157. A secondary transfer nip is formed between the intermediate transfer belt 158 and the secondary transfer roller 159. A toner image is transferred from the photoconductor 150 onto the intermediate transfer belt 158 at the primary transfer nip.

The sheet P that has been fed from the sheet feeding device 151 to the conveyance passage 101 is conveyed downstream in the conveyance direction of the sheet P, by a plurality of conveyance roller pairs disposed in the conveying device 140, to the secondary transfer nip. After the toner image is transferred onto the sheet P at the secondary transfer nip, the image on the sheet P is fixed by the fixing device 153. The sheet P bearing the fixed image is further conveyed downstream in the conveyance direction of the sheet P and ejected to the outside of the image forming apparatus 100 by the output roller 154.

When images are to be formed on both sides of the sheet P, the sheet P is conveyed to the reverse conveyance passage 102 at a position downstream from the fixing device 153 in the conveyance direction of the sheet P. On the reverse conveyance passage 102, the front and back sides of the sheet P are reversed. Then, the sheet P is conveyed to the conveying device 140 again so that another image is formed on the back side of the sheet P in the same manner as the front side of the sheet P. The sheet P bearing images on both sides of the sheet P is ejected to the outside of the image forming apparatus 100 by the output roller 154.

As an example, the conveying device 140 according to the present embodiment includes a merging portion 103 at which the reverse conveyance passage 102 merges with the conveyance passage 101, at a position on the conveyance passage 101 upstream from the second transfer nip in the conveyance direction of the sheet P.

When a door 104 on a housing of the image forming apparatus 100 is opened to the front side of the paper on which FIG. 19 is drawn, the merging portion 103 and the surrounding area of the merging portion 103 become open to the outside of the image forming apparatus 100. Then, the sheet remover 1 according to the present embodiment can remove the sheet P jammed at the merging portion 103 or in the surrounding area of the merging portion 103. The sheet remover 1 according to the present embodiment may remove the sheet P jammed at a position other than the merging portion 103 or the surrounding area of the merging portion 103 in the image forming apparatus 100. For example, the sheet remover 1 may remove the sheet P jammed at a position downstream from the fixing device 153 in the conveyance direction of the sheet P. The conveying device 140, which conveys the sheet P that may be jammed and removed by the sheet remover 1 of the present embodiment, is a device that includes a conveyance roller pair on the conveyance passage 101 or the reverse conveyance passage 102 in the image forming apparatus 100 and may be an appropriate part or all of the device. The entire image forming apparatus 100 may be a conveying device.

When the door 104 is opened, as illustrated in FIG. 20A, the merging portion 103 and part of the conveyance passage 101 and the reverse conveyance passage 102 around the merging portion 103 become open to the outside of the image forming apparatus 100 via an opening 105 of the housing of the image forming apparatus 100. Specifically, FIG. 20A illustrates a range surrounded by the one-dot chain line as the opening 105 that is opened to the outside of the image forming apparatus 100. For example, an operator accesses the limited space to remove the jammed sheet P.

A part of the conveyance passage 101 is defined by conveyance guide plates 106 and 107 as conveyance passage formers. Another part of the conveyance passage 101 including the merging portion 103 is defined by a conveyance guide plate 109 and a conveyance guide plate 108 that is continuous to the conveyance guide plate 106. The conveyance guide plates 108 and 109 serve as conveyance passage formers.

The conveyance guide plate 106 is rotatable about a rotary shaft 106a. The conveyance guide plate 108 is rotatable about a rotary shaft 108a. A restraint 110 is attached to the conveyance guide plate 106. When the conveyance guide plate 106 is closed as illustrated in FIG. 20A, the restraint 110 contacts the conveyance guide plate 108 and restrains the conveyance guide plate 108 to be closed.

A restraint lever 111 is disposed to restrain the conveyance guide plate 106 to be closed. The restraint lever 111 includes a rotary shaft 111a and a restraint portion 111b. The rotary shaft 111a is fixed to the housing of the image forming apparatus 100. The restraint lever 111 is rotatable about the rotary shaft 111a.

In FIG. 20A, the restraint portion 111b is in contact with the conveyance guide plate 106 and restrains the conveyance guide plate 106 to be closed. In this state, when the restraint lever 111 is rotated about the rotary shaft 111a, the restraint portion 111b is separated from the conveyance guide plate 106. Thus, the conveyance guide plate 106 is released from the restraint by the restraint portion 111b. As a result, as illustrated in FIG. 20B, the conveyance guide plate 106 rotates about the rotary shaft 106a by the weight of the conveyance guide plate 106 and opens the conveyance passage between the conveyance guide plates 106 and 107. The rotation of the conveyance guide plate 106 separates the restraint 110 from the conveyance guide plate 108. As a result, the conveyance guide plate 108 rotates about the rotary shaft 108a and opens the conveyance passage between the conveyance guide plates 108 and 109.

After the conveyance passage between the conveyance guide plates 106 and 107 and the conveyance passage between the conveyance guide plates 108 and 109 are thus opened, the above-described sheet remover 1 enters from the opening 105 and is inserted between the conveyance guide plates 106 and 107 or between the conveyance guide plates 108 and 109. Then, the sheet remover 1 removes the sheet P jammed in the conveying device 140.

In the present embodiment, the opening 105 and the conveyance guide plate 107 or the conveyance guide plate 109 are arranged such that the sheet remover 1 can contact the conveyance guide plate 107 or the conveyance guide plate 109 through the opening 105. Note that both the conveyance guide plate 107 and the conveyance guide plate 109 are not opened or closed. When the operator removes the sheet P with the sheet remover 1, such an arrangement allows the operator to insert one of the pair of leading-end claws 12 between the sheet P and the conveyance guide plate 107 or the conveyance guide plate 109 while bringing the leading end of the sheet remover 1 into contact with the conveyance guide plate 107 or the conveyance guide plate 109, to insert the leading end of the sheet P into the insertion part 22 of the sheet remover 1.

A sheet detector may be disposed to detect the sheet P at a position on a conveyance passage that is accessible through an opened door. The sheet detector detects jamming of the sheet P. According to the detection, a notifier provides information that the sheet P is jammed at the position accessible through the opened door. As the notifier, for example, a light emitting element such as a light emitting diode (LED) may be disposed near an opening and closing guide. Alternatively, such information may be notified through an operation screen of the image forming apparatus 100.

In a configuration in which the sheet P is sandwiched between rollers of upstream and downstream conveyance roller pairs disposed along a conveyance passage and temporarily stopped and in which a door is disposed near the position where the sheet P is temporarily stopped such that the position can be accessed, the sheet P is preferably stopped at a position beyond the downstream conveyance roller pair in the conveyance direction of the sheet P. When the sheet P is stopped at the position beyond the downstream conveyance roller pair in the conveyance direction of the sheet P, the sheet P is sandwiched between the rollers of the upstream and downstream roller pairs disposed along the conveyance passage. Accordingly, the sheet P is easily inserted into the insertion part 22 of the sheet remover 1.

Referring now to FIGS. 21 and 22, a description is given of a sheet remover according to a modification of the embodiments described above.

The sheet remover according to the present modification enhances usability when an operator, particularly, a general user uses the sheet remover.

As illustrated in FIG. 21, the sheet remover 1 includes a contact sensor 35 on the contact face 13a of the gap formation plate 13. The sheet remover 1 further includes an LED lamp 36 as a light and a restart button 37 on the outer circumferential surface of the sheet remover 1.

The detection state of the contact sensor 35 is changed when the sheet P contacts the contact face 13a. Thus, the contact sensor 35 detects that the sheet P is in contact with the contact face 13a. As illustrated in FIG. 22, when a change in the detection state of the contact sensor 35 is transmitted to a controller 40 of the sheet remover 1, the controller 40 turns on the LED lamp 36. Accordingly, an operator ascertains that the sheet P has been inserted into the back of the sheet remover 1 and winds the sheet P as appropriate to remove the sheet P from the image forming apparatus 100. Instead of or in addition to the lighting of the LED lamp 36, the sheet remover 1 may notify the operator by sound that the sheet P has been inserted into the back of the sheet remover 1.

The controller 40 of the sheet remover 1 can communicate with a controller 190 of the image forming apparatus 100, which is or includes a conveying device, by wireless communication through, for example, BLUETOOTH or WI-FI connection. When the operator presses the restart button 37, a signal indicating that the restart button 37 is pressed is transmitted from the controller 40 of the sheet remover 1 to the controller 190 of the image forming apparatus 100. Thus, the printing operation on the sheet P that has been interrupted by the paper jam and the subsequent printing operation are resumed. Information indicating, for example, the number and frequency of removal of the sheet P by the sheet remover 1 and the time taken for jam clearance is stored in the controller 40 of the sheet remover 1 or the controller 190 of the image forming apparatus 100. When the frequency is relatively high, a message prompting the repair or replacement of components is displayed on a display panel 191 of the image forming apparatus 100. Alternatively, the repair or replacement of components is proposed to the outside such as a service center.

Although a sheet that is jammed in a conveying device in an image forming apparatus is removed in the above description, the device for which the sheet remover of the embodiments of the present disclosure is used is not limited to the conveying device described above provided that the device is a conveying device that conveys sheets.

Now, a description is given of some aspects of the present disclosure.

According to a first aspect, a sheet remover includes a pair of insertion-part formers and a pair of through-part formers. The pair of insertion-part formers forms an insertion part between the pair of insertion-part formers into which a sheet is inserted. At least one of the pair of insertion-part formers includes an inclined portion inclined in a direction in which a width of the insertion part in a thickness direction of the sheet decreases in a sheet insertion direction in which the sheet is inserted. The pair of through-part formers forms a through part between the pair of through-part formers through which the sheet is inserted. The through part is located downstream from the insertion part in the sheet insertion direction.

According to a second aspect, in the sheet remover of the first aspect, the inclined portion of one of the pair of insertion-part formers faces the inclined portion of the other of the inclined portion facing each other.

According to a third aspect, in the sheet remover of the first or second aspect, the at least one of the pair of insertion-part formers includes a curved upstream end in the sheet insertion direction.

According to a fourth aspect, in the sheet remover of any one of the first to third aspects, at least one of the pair of insertion-part formers includes a widthwise inclined portion at an end in a width direction of the at least one of the pair of insertion-part formers. The widthwise inclined portion is inclined in a direction in which a width of the at least one of the pair of insertion-part formers increases in the sheet insertion direction.

According to a fifth aspect, in the sheet remover of the fourth aspect, the at least one of the pair of insertion-part formers includes an end part. The end part includes an upstream end in the sheet insertion direction and an upstream widthwise inclined portion in the sheet insertion direction as the widthwise inclined portion.

According to a sixth aspect, in the sheet remover of the fifth aspect, the at least one of the pair of insertion-part formers includes a plurality of upstream widthwise inclined portions including the upstream widthwise inclined portion, in the width direction of the at least one of the pair of insertion-part formers.

According to a seventh aspect, in the sheet remover of any one of the fourth to sixth aspects, the at least one of the pair of insertion-part formers includes a downstream widthwise inclined portion in the sheet insertion direction as the widthwise inclined portion at a position where the at least one of the pair of insertion-part formers faces at least one of the pair of through-part formers.

According to an eighth aspect, in the sheet remover of the seventh aspect, the downstream widthwise inclined portion includes a curved top face.

According to a ninth aspect, in the sheet remover of the seventh or eighth aspect, the at least one of the pair of insertion-part formers includes a plurality of downstream widthwise inclined portions including the downstream widthwise inclined portion, in the width direction of the at least one of the pair of insertion-part formers.

According to a tenth aspect, in the sheet remover of any one of the first to ninth aspects, the at least one of the pair of insertion-part formers includes a downstream inclined portion downstream from the inclined portion in the sheet insertion direction. The downstream inclined portion has an angle of inclination greater than an angle of inclination of the inclined portion. The downstream inclined portion decreases the width of the insertion part in the thickness direction of the sheet.

According to an eleventh aspect, in the sheet remover of the tenth aspect, the at least one of the pair of insertion-part formers has a smaller width at a part including the downstream inclined portion in the sheet insertion direction than at a part including the inclined portion.

According to a twelfth aspect, a conveying device includes the sheet remover of any one of the first to eleventh aspects.

According to a thirteenth aspect, an image forming apparatus includes the conveying device of the twelfth aspect.

According to a fourteenth aspect, an image forming apparatus includes the sheet remover of any one of the first to eleventh aspects.

According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a sheet can be easily removed.

The above-described embodiments are illustrative and do not limit the present invention. Thus, numerous additional modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings. For example, elements and/or features of different illustrative embodiments may be combined with each other and/or substituted for each other within the scope of the present invention.

Number	Date	Country	Kind
2022-081536	May 2022	JP	national
2023-035617	Mar 2023	JP	national

SHEET REMOVER, CONVEYING DEVICE, AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS

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CPC

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Abstract

Description

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Priority Claims (2)