Sheet feeding or delivering – Feeding – Pack holders
Reexamination Certificate
2001-02-28
2003-01-14
Walsh, Donald P. (Department: 3651)
Sheet feeding or delivering
Feeding
Pack holders
C271S171000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06505827
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an urging device, including a multiple loading member that employ springs for urging, at multiples, a member displaced by an external force, and relates to a paper feeding device, including the urging device, that is used for a recording apparatus, such as a printer.
In general, mechanisms employing springs are frequently used to provide mechanical control for devices, for example, for urging mechanical components in a specific direction. Spring urging members having such a function are frequently used for recording apparatuses, such as facsimile machines, copiers and printers. As an example, for a paper feeding device used in a recording apparatus, a paper cassette in which a plurality of sheets are stacked is generally used, and spring urging member is employed for an edge guide mechanism that aligns the side edge of the paper stacked in the cassette.
For the printing of data by a recording apparatus equipped with a paper cassette, sheets are fed individually; successive topmost sheets stacked in the paper cassette are intermittently stripped off by feeding rollers and supplied to immediately adjacent conveying rollers, which carry the sheets to the recording head. To perform high quality printing, since the rotation of the paper feeding rollers and the conveying rollers must be controlled precisely, a DC motor and a stepping motor are employed, and a trailing paper edge pushing member is provided for the paper cassette. The trailing paper edge pushing member pushes against the trailing edge of a sheet, or an edge guide member, to align a side edge and ensure that the top sheet is separated and surely fed.
A demand exists for a structure having a different spring urging mechanism that is designed for use with a wide variety of products; a practical, general purpose device that can be manufactured at a low cost. For the mechanism of a paper supply device for pushing against and aligning the side edges of paper, a sufficient pressing force is required to accurately align and maintain the alignment of the paper edges. But too much force should not be applied in this instance, because force exceeding that required for alignment is converted into a load and is applied to the paper feeding and conveying rollers during the paper supply process. If, however, too little pressing force is applied, paper edges are aligned less accurately and the edge guide effect is reduced, and the paper tends to be fed obliquely. It should be further noted that it is not preferable for pressing force to be exerted against the side edges of paper during the paper feeding process; this force is converted into a load and is imposed on the drive motor.
Structures wherein users are required to position paper side edges manually are commonly used. However, since such an operation is tedious and, depending on the user, the positioning of the paper will differ slightly each time it is performed, this requirement tends to aggravate the above problem.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is one objective of the present invention to provide an urging device, incorporating a multiple loading member, that facilitates the design of an urging mechanism for utilizing the loading member, and that is suitable for widespread employment for general purpose applications.
It is another objective of the present invention to provide a paper feeding device that employs the urging device as a mechanism for the alignment and the maintenance of the alignment of the side edges of sheets stacked in a paper cassette.
It is an additional objective of the present invention to provide a reliable paper feeding device that reduces the number of paper cassette related operations required of users, thereby removing differences attributable to user performance of paper cassette related operations, and that improves the performance of the paper cassette paper setting function.
In order to achieve the above objects, according to the present invention, there is provided an urging device, comprising:
a deforming member, being deformable in accordance with an external force;
a multiple load applier, provided with a plurality of loading members each having an urging ability, for applying an urging force which is generated as a resultant urging force derived from at least one loading member selected from the plural loading members,
wherein the number of selected loading member is multiply changed in accordance with the deformation amount of the deforming member.
In this configuration, a desired urging force can be exerted against the target by an arbitrary combination composed of plural loading members.
Preferably, the plural loading members include at least two loading members whose urging abilities are different from each other.
In this configuration, even when the deformation amount of the deforming member is unchanged, a change in the resultant urging force can be effected.
Preferably, a predetermined deformation amount of the deforming member is associated with each of the loading member. Each of the loading members has no urging ability when the deformation amount of the deforming member is less than the associated predetermined deforming amount.
In this configuration, an arbitrary urging force can be easily generated by the selection of available loading member.
Preferably, the deformation of the deforming member is established by a cam and a cam follower.
In this configuration, the sequence for providing the load is assigned for a function of the cam, so that a transient urging force change can be applied to the target.
According to the invention, there is also provided a paper feeding device, comprising:
a cassette member, in which sheets to be fed are stacked;
a side edge aligner, provided in the cassette member so as to be adjacent to side edges of the stacked sheets;
a plurality of loading members, being deformable so as to respectively provide an urging force to the side edge aligner, such that the side edge aligner aligns the side edges of the stacked sheets at a predetermined position; and
a load controller, for deforming the loading members such that a resultant urging force applied to the side edge aligner is multiply varied.
In this configuration, since the necessary pressing force can be exerted only when the side edges of the sheets are aligned, to feed a sheet from the paper cassette, while reducing the drive load imposed on the paper feed rollers, the pressure is reduced so as to maintain only the state wherein the side edges of the sheets are aligned.
Here, it is preferable that the loading members provide the resultant urging force such that the side edge aligner is separable from the side edges of the stacked sheets.
In this configuration, since the resultant urging force exerted by the loading members is concentrated on the side edges of the sheets, the side edges can be efficiently aligned by the application of a minimum load.
Here, it is preferable that the side edge aligner includes a pair of arm members which are almost linearly arranged. Further ends of the arm members are pivotably supported by the cassette member, and closer ends thereof are coupled with the loading members.
In this configuration, since the resultant urging force is concentrated substantially in the middle in the side edges of the paper, the side edges of the paper can be efficiently aligned by the application of a minimum urging force.
Here, it is preferable that the feeding device further comprises.
an urging member for urging the movable plate toward a first direction which is opposed to the aligning movement of the side edge aligner; and
a stopper for preventing the movable plate from moving toward the first direction.
Here, the movable plate holds the side edge aligner at a position which is separated from the side edges of the stacked sheets, when the movement of the movable plate is restricted by the stopper.
In this configuration, when the cassette member is removed, i.e., when the cassette member is not attached, no load is imposed on the side edge aligner, and therefore, the side edge
Akahane Takashi
Kawakami Kazuhisa
Komuro Kiyoto
Kotaka Toshikazu
Okuda Yasumichi
Bower Kenneth W
Seiko Epson Corporation
Walsh Donald P.
LandOfFree
Urging device provided with multiple loading member and... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Urging device provided with multiple loading member and..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Urging device provided with multiple loading member and... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3001321