Sheet feeding apparatus

Details Sheet feeding apparatus Sheet feeding apparatus

2002-08-30

2004-01-06

Walsh, Donald P. (Department: 3653)

Sheet feeding or delivering

Feeding

Separators

C271S121000, C271S167000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06672580

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a sheet feeding apparatus used in facsimile machines, printers, copying machines, and the like for separating a plurality of sheet media such as originals and recording paper into individual sheets and transporting the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, facsimile machines, printers, copying machines, and the like have been coming into widespread use even in homes and development of smaller sized and lower priced ones is demanded.
FIG. 9
is a side view schematically showing an example of a conventional article. Sheet feeding apparatus
110
shown in the drawing is what is disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Registration No. 3045808 and it has sheet feed roller
120
for delivering sheet
200
. Above this sheet feed roller
120
, there are disposed pressure structure
130
being a plate spring for pressing sheet
200
against sheet feed roller
120
and separation structure
140
for separating the one sheet that is in contact with sheet feed roller
120
from a plurality of sheets in a stack, which are about to be transported by sheet feed roller
120
, and allowing the one sheet to be fed into sheet feed roller
120
.
Separation structure
140
is made up of flexible separation pad
141
made of rubber, silicone, or the like and plate spring
142
for pressing separation pad
141
against sheet feed roller
120
.
The position where pressure structure
130
is in contact with sheet feed roller
120
is located upstream the sheet feeding direction from the position where separation pad
141
is in contact with sheet feed roller
120
, i.e., forwardly of that position with respect to the rotating direction of sheet feed roller
120
. Therefore, a plurality of sheets
200
transported from sheet supply tray
150
toward sheet feed roller
120
are pressed, at their ends, against sheet feed roller
120
by pressure structure
130
and, hence, the plurality of stacked sheets tend to be fed forward with the rotation of sheet feed roller
120
. Since separation structure
140
separates only one sheet in contact with sheet feed roller
120
from sheets
200
in the stack, only the one sheet
200
is fed downstream the sheet feeding direction with the rotation of sheet feed roller
120
.
In conventional sheet feeding apparatus
110
, however, when a plurality of sheets
200
are inserted with a rush from sheet supply tray
150
toward sheet feed roller
120
, the plurality of sheets
200
that are stacked are fed into the position where separation pad
141
and sheet feed roller
120
are in contact and, hence, they are inserted between separation pad
141
and sheet feed roller
120
. Thus, there has been a multipicking problem that a plurality of stacked sheets
200
are fed out from sheet feed roller
120
.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has been made to avoid the multipicking by a sheet feed roller even when a plurality of sheets in a stack are rushed to be inserted. Accordingly, the invention comprises a pressure plate rotatably supported so as to be separated from a sheet feed roller by a force applying thereto when sheets are inserted and a first resilient member acting so as to bring the pressure plate into contact with the sheet feed roller and it, further, comprises a rotatable separation plate disposed downstream the sheet feeding direction from a pressure portion where the sheet is pressed against the sheet feed roller and a second resilient member for pressing the separation plate in the direction of the sheet feed roller.


REFERENCES:
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patent: 5823524 (1998-10-01), Kawada
patent: 6050564 (2000-04-01), Tamehira
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patent: 6318716 (2001-11-01), Okuda
patent: 2002/0113360 (2002-08-01), Tokuda
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patent: 07-12349 (1995-02-01), None
patent: 3045808 (1997-11-01), None
patent: 2001-063854 (2001-03-01), None

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