Sheet feeding or delivering – Feeding – By means to convey sheet
Reexamination Certificate
2000-07-07
2001-10-09
Bollinger, David H. (Department: 3651)
Sheet feeding or delivering
Feeding
By means to convey sheet
C271S274000, C271S275000, C271S314000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06299162
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a paper feeding mechanism for a printer and, in particular, to a paper feeding mechanism for a printer capable of appropriately feeding a paper having a large width dimension.
2. Description of the Related Art
As the output apparatuses of computers, word processors, facsimile apparatuses, etc., various printers, such as thermal transfer printers, page printers or the like are generally used.
And, in these conventional printers, there is provided a paper supplying mechanism for supplying one by one a plurality of recording paper sheets stacked together and accommodated by a paper supplying roller, and there is provided a paper feeding mechanism for conveying the recording paper sheets fed from the paper supplying mechanism to a predetermined recording position. Or, there is provided a paper supplying mechanism for continuously supplying a roll of recording paper by a paper supplying roller, and there is provided a paper feeding mechanism for conveying recording paper fed from the paper supplying mechanism to a predetermined recording position.
In such a conventional paper feeding mechanism, there is provided a paper feeding roller which is rotatable by a paper feeding motor, and there are provided a plurality of press contact rollers which are in press contact with the paper feeding roller. And, the recording paper supplied from the paper supplying mechanism is conveyed while being held by the paper feeding roller and the press contact rollers.
Recently, however, a printer is in demand which is capable of performing recording on a recording paper not smaller than A3. In such a printer it is necessary for the length of the paper feeding roller to be made long in accordance with the width of the recording paper.
As a result, the paper feeding roller is deflected due to the weight of the paper feeding roller itself and the press contact force of the press contact rollers, making it impossible to perform rotation with a fixed rotation axis. When the paper feeding roller is thus deflected, a deviation is generated in the conveyance of the recording paper even when the paper feeding roller is accurately rotated, making it impossible to perform accurate conveyance. Further, since the paper feeding roller is rather long, it is difficult to accurately produce a well-balanced paper feeding roller which does not easily involve runout during the rotation thereof. To prevent deflection of the paper feeding roller and reduce runout thereof, the diameter of the paper feeding roller might be increased. However, when the diameter of the paper feeding roller is increased, the production cost of the paper feeding roller increases. Further, the so-called bottom margin (blank area that does not allow printing) cannot be reduced, resulting in a deterioration in the paper feeding performance.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has been made in view of the above problems. It is an object of the present invention to provide a paper feeding mechanism for a printer capable of reliably preventing the deflection of the paper feeding roller and runout thereof, thereby making it possible to perform stable paper feeding free from feeding deviation.
To achieve the above object, there is provided, according to the present invention, a paper feeding mechanism for a printer, comprising a paper feeding roller rotatable by a paper feeding motor, and one or more press contact rollers held in press contact with the paper feeding roller and arranged in the axial direction of the paper feeding roller, recording paper supplied being fed while being held between the paper feeding roller and the press contact roller, wherein there is arranged on the opposite side of the press contact roller with respect to the paper feeding roller at least one support block which is in contact at two positions with the peripheral surface of the paper feeding roller.
According to the present invention, a support block is arranged on the opposite side of the press contact roller with respect to the paper feeding roller, and the support block is brought into contact with the peripheral surface of the paper feeding roller at two positions, and the paper feeding roller is rotated, with the paper feeding roller being supported by the support roller, whereby recording paper supplied from the paper supplying mechanism is conveyed while being held between the paper feeding roller and the press contact roller, conveying the paper to a predetermined recording position. In accordance with the present invention, the support block is held in contact with the peripheral surface of the paper feeding roller at two positions to support the paper feeding roller, so that even when the paper feeding roller is elongated, it is possible to reliably prevent deflection or runout of the paper feeding roller. Furthermore, since only two positions of the peripheral surface of the paper feeding roller is supported by a cutout portion of the support block, it is possible to greatly reduce the friction when the paper feeding roller rotates, making it possible to rotate the paper feeding roller with a small driving force.
Further, according to the present invention, there is provided a paper feeding mechanism for a printer, wherein a support roller rolling while in contact with the peripheral surface of the paper feeding roller is rotatably supported by the support block.
According to the present invention, the support roller of the support block is held in rolling contact with the paper feeding roller to support the paper feeding roller, so that even when the paper feeding roller is elongated, it is possible to reliably prevent deflection or runout of the paper feeding roller. Further, since the paper feeding roller is supported by the support roller in rolling contact with the paper feeding roller, the support roller does not constitute a rotation resistor when the paper feeding roller is rotated, and it is possible to rotate with paper feeding roller with a small driving force and rotate the paper feeding roller at high speed.
According to the present invention, there is provided a paper feeding mechanism for a printer, comprising a paper feeding roller rotatable by a paper feeding motor, and one or more press contact rollers held in press contact with the paper feeding roller and arranged in the axial direction of the paper feeding roller, recording paper supplied being fed while being held between the paper feeding roller and the press contact rollers, wherein there is arranged on the opposite side of the press contact rollers with respect to the paper feeding roller a support block by which a support roller rolling while in contact with the peripheral surface of the paper feeding roller is rotatably supported.
According to the present invention, a support block is arranged on the opposite side of the arrangement position of the press contact roller with respect to the paper feeding roller, and the paper feeding roller is rotated, with the paper feeding roller being supported by the support roller while holding the support roller of the support block in rolling contact with the peripheral surface of the paper feeding roller, whereby recording paper supplied is conveyed while being held between the paper feeding roller and the press contact roller to convey it to a predetermined recording position. In accordance with the present invention, the support roller of the support block is held in rolling contact with the paper feeding roller to support the paper feeding roller, so that even when the paper feeding roller is elongated, it is possible to reliably prevent deflection or runout of the paper feeding roller. Further, since the paper feeding roller is supported by the support roller in rolling contact with the paper feeding roller, the support roller does not constitute a rotation resistor when the paper feeding roller is rotated, and it is possible to rotate the paper feeding roller with a small driving force, and rotate the paper feeding roller at high speed.
Accor
Alps Electric Co. ,Ltd.
Bollinger David H.
Brinks Hofer Gilson & Lione
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