Sheet feeding or delivering – Feeding – Separator and conveyor
Reexamination Certificate
2001-09-07
2003-05-13
Walsh, Donald P. (Department: 3653)
Sheet feeding or delivering
Feeding
Separator and conveyor
C271S162000, C271S127000, C271S279000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06561505
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a paper feeding apparatus used in an apparatus such as a manuscript moving type image scanner, and more particularly to a paper feeding apparatus which can stably feed a manuscript paper even if the paper is thick.
Conventionally, there has been widely used an image scanner in which a manuscript paper is fed and an image thereon is read and computerized. In this image scanner, the manuscript papers are placed on a hopper and fed one by one to a paper conveying passage by means of a paper feeding roller, and then the image on the paper is read by an image reader provided on the paper conveying passage.
FIG. 3
is a schematic view of the conveying structure for a manuscript paper in a conventional image scanner, in which manuscript papers P are placed on a hopper
51
and a paper feeding roller
52
is disposed above the hopper
51
so as to contact with the uppermost manuscript paper P. On the downstream side of the paper feeding roller
52
, there are disposed a separating roller
53
for preventing overlapped feeding of the manuscript papers P, and a retard roller
54
with a torque limiter therein. Further, on the downstream side of those, a plurality of pairs of conveying rollers
55
a
and
55
b
are disposed for nipping and conveying the manuscript paper P. In the middle of a conveying passage provided with the conveying rollers
55
a
and
55
b
, image reader
56
and
57
are disposed for optically reading a manuscript image on the manuscript paper P.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In the case of the paper feeding structure shown in
FIG. 3
, the manuscript paper P on the hopper
51
and the conveying passage are arranged substantially on a straight line, and the conveying passage including the conveying rollers
55
a
and
55
b
is horizontally arranged, so that the length of the conveying passage in the right and left direction (horizontal direction) in the drawing is long. Thus, the total length of the apparatus also becomes long, and the miniaturization of the apparatus is limited.
Accordingly, by inclining the conveying passage so that the left end side thereof tends upward, the plane length of the conveying passage becomes short, so that the apparatus is miniaturized, and besides, it is possible to install equipment such as a power source in the space under the conveying passage, so that the design flexibility is improved.
In the case that the conveying passage is inclined, however, a bending portion is formed in the paper feeding passage between the paper feeding roller
52
on the manuscript paper P placed on the hopper
51
, and the separating roller
53
and retard roller
54
provided on the downstream side of the paper feeding roller
52
. In this case, although thin paper can pass thorough the bending portion without trouble since it follows the bend, thick paper may not pass along the bend, that is, the paper may not be fed. Accordingly, in an image scanner for reading a manuscript image on various kinds of manuscript papers, it is impossible to read an image on the thick paper if the conveying passage is inclined for the miniaturization of the apparatus.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a paper feeding apparatus which is miniaturized by inclining a conveying passage and can feed a manuscript paper quickly, even if the paper is thick.
According to the invention, there is provided a paper feeding apparatus comprising a hopper for holding a sheet thereon, a conveying passage connected with the hopper, and a feeding device for feeding the sheet from the hopper to the conveying passage, wherein the conveying passage is inclined in the height direction so that the hopper side thereof is downward.
Preferably, the hopper is inclined in the height direction so that the hopper is substantially aligned with the conveying passage. Alternately, the inclination angle of the hopper may be variable between the horizontal angle and an angle at which the hopper is substantially aligned with the conveying passage.
The apparatus may further comprise a first passage branching upward from the upper end of the conveying passage, a second passage extending straight from the upper end of the conveying passage at the same inclination angle, and a switching device provided at the branch point for switching the passages.
The hopper may hold a plurality of sheets thereon, and the feeding device may comprise a feeding roller pressed on the uppermost one of the sheets for feeding the sheet one by one from the hopper to the conveying passage.
According to the present invention, since the conveying passage is inclined, the plane length of the apparatus can be shortened. Further, since the inclination angle of the hopper can be varied in correspondence with that of the conveying passage so that the sheet conveying direction becomes straight, the apparatus can quickly feed the sheet even if the sheet is a thick manuscript.
A preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.
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Itoh Yoshihiro
Takaki Kosuke
Matsushita Electric - Industrial Co., Ltd.
Walsh Donald P.
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