Sheet feeding or delivering – Feeding – Separators
Reexamination Certificate
2000-03-06
2001-10-02
Skaggs, H. Grant (Department: 3651)
Sheet feeding or delivering
Feeding
Separators
C271S126000, C271S226000, C271S241000, C399S081000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06296243
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a sheet supply apparatus for supplying record sheet to an image forming apparatus such as a stencil printing machine or the like, particularly to a sheet supply apparatus capable of adjusting print position of print sheet in the left and right direction even in sheet supply operation.
2. Description of the Related Art
An image forming apparatus for forming an image by using record sheet, for example, print sheet for general use, uses the print sheet by loading the print sheet on a sheet supply table. Particularly, in the case of a stencil printing machine, high speed printing can be carried out since the printing operation is carried out by mounting stencil sheet on a print drum at inside of the machine and rotating the print drum. In correspondence therewith, there is constructed a constitution in which a comparatively large number of sheets of print sheet are loaded on the sheet supply table and the large number of sheets of print sheet can continuously be supplied in a short period of time in correspondence with printing speed.
The sheet supply table is constituted such that print sheet disposed at sheet supply position on the topmost face is supplied to a print section at inside of the printing machine sheet by sheet. A scraper roller (sheet supply roller) of the sheet supply section is provided at the sheet supply position and print sheet can continuously be supplied to inside of the apparatus by rotating the scraper roller.
Further, there is constructed a constitution in which the sheet supply table is controlled to elevate in correspondence with supply of the print sheet and print sheet at the topmost face is always brought into contact with the scraper roller.
According to the print sheet, a position thereof in the left and right direction (width direction orthogonal to a transfer direction) is made variable in supplying the print sheet from the sheet supply table to the print section to thereby enable to move an image forming position in the left and right direction on the print sheet. For example, in the case of a stencil printing machine, by making variable a transfer position in the left and right direction of print sheet relative to the print drum, a contact position of the print sheet relative to an image position of stencil sheet mounted to the print drum can be made variable in the left and right direction and the image forming position on the print sheet can be moved in the left and right direction.
FIG. 8
is a perspective view showing a sheet supply apparatus. A sheet supply table
50
loaded with print sheet is provided with a dial
51
for moving the sheet supply table
50
in the left and right direction. By manually adjusting the dial
51
, a screw shaft
52
is rotated, a nut portion
53
fixed to the sheet supply table
50
is moved in the left and right direction and the sheet supply table
50
is moved in the same direction. Thereby, an image forming position on print sheet P can be adjusted to move in the left and right direction.
Print sheet P at the topmost face loaded on the sheet supply table
50
, is brought into contact with a scraper roller
57
a
of sheet supply means
57
provided above the sheet supply table
50
and the print sheet is supplied sheet by sheet from the topmost face to a print section by rotating the scraper roller
57
a.
The sheet supply table
50
is constituted such that the sheet supply table
50
is controlled to elevate gradually in compliance with supply of the print sheet P and the topmost face of the print sheet P is always brought into contact with the scraper roller
57
a
and can be supplied to the print section.
However, according to the above-described constitution, the sheet supply table
50
can be moved in the left and right direction directly by operating the dial
51
. Therefore, when the dial
51
is operated in the printing operation, the print sheet P is supplied in an oblique direction, wrinkle is produced in the print sheet P, or the print sheet P is folded, as a result, sheet supply jam is caused.
Further, the scraper roller
57
a
undergoes damage, which gives rise to deterioration in print function at an early stage.
In the meantime, it is conceivable to move the sheet supply table by electrical drive using a motor or the like in place of the manual operation. However, the above-described problem cannot be solved at all by a constitution in which the sheet supply table is moved in the left and right direction simply by power of the motor.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has been carried out in order to resolve the above-described problems and it is an object of the present invention to provide a sheet supply apparatus capable of always stably supplying sheet without stopping image forming operation and without exerting unnecessary force onto record sheet in adjusting a position of record sheet for forming an image in a left and right direction and by controlling operation of adjusting in the left and right direction in accordance with a sheet supply operational state even in sheet supply operation.
According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a sheet supply apparatus for supplying record sheets to an image forming apparatus, the sheet supply apparatus comprising a sheet supply table for supporting the record sheets stacked thereon, sheet supply means provided above the sheet supply table and contacting a topmost face of the record sheets for supplying the record sheets one by one to the image forming apparatus during one period comprising a sheet supply executing time period for supplying the record sheet to the image forming apparatus and a sheet supply nonexecuting time period for not supplying the record sheet thereto, left and right movement instructing means for instructing to move the sheet supply table in a direction orthogonal to a transfer direction of the record sheet, left and right moving means for moving the sheet supply table in response to an instruction from the left and right movement instructing means, and control means for executing a control of moving the sheet supply table when a sheet supply operation by the sheet supply means is stopped in the sheet supply nonexecuting time period in the case in which the control means is instructed to move the sheet supply table by the left and right movement instructing means.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided the sheet supply apparatus according to the first aspect, further comprising transfer means which is provided on a side of the image forming apparatus and to which the sheet supply means delivers the record sheet, wherein the sheet supply means includes a sheet supply roller and a sheet supply clutch for transmitting a drive force to the sheet supply roller, and wherein the control means moves the sheet supply table in a left and right direction during a time period in which the sheet supply roller is driven to rotate by the record sheet transferred by the transfer means by cutting the sheet supply clutch.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided the sheet supply apparatus according to the first aspect wherein the control means executes a control of moving the sheet supply table by a constant amount in a corresponding direction each time of operating the left and right movement instructing means by one time.
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided the sheet supply apparatus according to the first aspect wherein the control means executes a control of moving the sheet supply table in a left and right direction by a constant amount in a corresponding direction only once in the sheet feed nonexecuting time period within the one period of the sheet supply means regardless of a duration time period of operating the left and right movement instructing means by one time and by an operation of the one time.
According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided the sheet supply apparatus accordin
Kanesaka & Takeuchi
Riso Kagaku Corporation
Skaggs H. Grant
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