Sheet feeder capable of suppressing paper jam

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10124972-B2
Application number	US-201615054383-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 26, 2016
Priority date	Feb 27, 2015
Publication date	Nov 13, 2018
Grant date	Nov 13, 2018

Abstract

A sheet feeder includes: a casing; a first roller; and a pressing portion. The casing defines therein a conveying region through which a sheet is conveyed in a conveying direction. The first roller has a rotation axis extending in an axial direction crossing the conveying direction and rotatable about the rotation axis. The first roller has a portion exposed to the conveying region. The pressing portion is movable in a direction crossing the conveying region between a first position and a second position. The pressing portion is urged toward the first roller to provide the first position. The pressing portion in the first position has a portion disposed within the conveying region and spaced apart from the first roller by a prescribed distance. The pressing portion in the second position is separated from the first roller farther than in the first position.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A sheet feeder comprising:
a casing defining therein a conveying region through which a sheet is conveyed in a conveying direction;
a first roller having a rotation axis extending in an axial direction crossing the conveying direction and rotatable about the rotation axis, the first roller having a portion exposed to the conveying region;
a pressing portion linearly movable in a direction crossing the conveying region between a first position nearest the first roller and a second position farthest from the first roller, the pressing portion being urged toward the first roller to provide the first position, the pressing portion including:
a nearest end portion positioned nearest the first roller, the nearest end portion being positioned within a projection plane of the first roller when projected in a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction and the axial direction, the nearest end portion being disposed within the conveying region and being out of contact with the first roller when the pressing portion is in the first position, the nearest end portion, when the pressing portion is in the second position, being separated from the first roller farther than when the pressing portion is in the first position;
a second roller rotatably supported at the nearest end portion of the pressing portion;
a holder including the nearest end portion and rotatably supporting the second roller; and
a stopper provided at the holder and configured to be in contact with a portion of the casing when the pressing portion is in the first position for maintaining the pressing portion at the first position, the stopper being configured to be out of contact with the portion of the casing when the pressing portion is not in the first position;

a separation member contacting the first roller within the conveying region and having a furthest upstream end in the conveying direction, the nearest end portion of the pressing portion being positioned upstream relative to the furthest upstream end of the separation member in the conveying direction when the pressing portion is in the first position;
a cam portion configured to rotate in one direction and in another direction, the cam portion contacting the pressing portion to move the pressing portion from the first position to the second position when the cam portion rotates in the one direction, the cam portion separating from the pressing portion to allow the pressing portion to move from the second position to the first position when the cam portion rotates in the other direction; and
a spring urging the holder toward the first roller.

2. The sheet feeder according to claim 1 , wherein the sheet is conveyed through the conveying region along an imaginary surface, the imaginary surface extending in the conveying direction and being contained within the conveying region, the portion of the first roller exposed to the conveying region having a top that protrudes furthest into the conveying region, the top verging on the imaginary surface,
wherein the second roller has a nearest end positioned nearest the first roller, and
wherein, when the pressing portion is in the first position, the nearest end of the second roller interferes with the imaginary surface.

3. The sheet feeder according to claim 1 , wherein the sheet is conveyed through the conveying region along an imaginary surface, the imaginary surface extending in the conveying direction and being contained within the conveying region, the portion of the first roller exposed to the conveying region having a top that protrudes furthest into the conveying region, the top verging on the imaginary surface,
wherein the second roller has a nearest end positioned nearest the first roller, and
wherein, when the pressing portion is in the first position, the nearest end of the second roller verges on the imaginary surface.

4. The sheet feeder according to claim 1 , wherein the pressing portion includes a restricting part extending downstream in the conveying direction from the nearest end portion of the pressing portion toward a position outward of the separation member in the axial direction.

5. The sheet feeder according to claim 4 , wherein the second roller has a nearest end positioned nearest the first roller,
wherein the restricting part has a nearest end positioned nearest the first roller, and
wherein the nearest end of the second roller is closer to the first roller than the nearest end of the restricting part to the first roller.

6. The sheet feeder according to claim 1 , wherein the sheet is conveyed through the conveying region along an imaginary surface, the imaginary surface extending in the conveying direction and being contained within the conveying region, the portion of the first roller exposed to the conveying region having a top that protrudes furthest into the conveying region, the top verging on the imaginary surface, and
wherein the separation member contacts the first roller at a contact point, the contact point being positioned downstream in the conveying direction relative to an imaginary reference plane that is orthogonal to the imaginary surface.

7. The sheet feeder according to claim 1 , wherein the first roller is positioned opposite to the pressing portion with respect to the conveying region.

8. The sheet feeder according to claim 1 , wherein the casing has a first surface and a second surface, the conveying region being defined by the first surface and the second surface,
wherein the first roller has a portion protruding from the first surface into the conveying region, and
wherein the pressing portion in the first position has a portion protruding from the second surface into the conveying region.

9. The sheet feeder according to claim 2 , further comprising a tray having a tray surface positioned upstream relative to the first roller in the conveying direction, the tray including a plurality of contact members each having a portion protruding from the tray surface, each of the plurality of contact members having a farthest portion that protrudes farthest from the tray surface, the farthest portions of the plurality of contact members defining part of the imaginary surface.

10. A sheet feeder comprising:
a casing including:
a first casing having a first surface; and
a second casing connected to the first casing and movable relative to the first casing between an open position and a closed position, the second casing having a second surface, the second surface facing the first surface with a gap between the first surface and the second surface when the second casing is at the closed position,

the casing defining a conveying path between the first surface and the second surface when the second casing is at the closed position;
a first roller having a portion protruding from the first surface, the first roller being configured to convey a medium in a conveying direction along the conveying path;
a pressing portion linearly movable in a direction crossing a conveying region between a first position nearest the first roller and a second position farthest from the first roller when the second casing is at the closed position, the pressing portion being urged toward the first roller to provide the first position, the pressing portion in the first position having a portion disposed within the conveying path, the pressing portion in the first position facing the first roller and being out of contact with the first roller, the pressing portion in the second position being separated from the first roller farther than in the first position, the pressing portion including:
a second roller; and
a holder rotatably supporting the second roller;

a cam portion being configured t

Assignees

• Brother Ind Ltd

Inventors

• Kuriki Yuichiro

Classifications

• B65H5/062 Primary

  between rollers or balls · CPC title

• B65H2405/1118

  Areas with particular friction properties, e.g. friction pad arrangement · CPC title

• B65H2402/46

  Table apparatus · CPC title

• B65H2404/54

  Surface including rotary elements, e.g. balls or rollers · CPC title

• B65H2405/324

  between operative position and non operative position · CPC title