Feeding device, image forming system, and conveyed medium inspection system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10399803-B2
Application number	US-201715411113-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 20, 2017
Priority date	Jan 25, 2016
Publication date	Sep 3, 2019
Grant date	Sep 3, 2019

Abstract

A feeding device includes a plurality of suction units, disposed above a conveyed medium stacked on a stacker, to attract the conveyed medium. At least one of the plurality of suction units includes a rotary fan including a board and a plurality of walls extending from the board; and a driver to rotate the rotary fan. The at least one of the plurality of suction units generates a vortex air with a side of the board with the plurality of walls directed to the conveyed medium. The at least one of the plurality of suction units being a suction unit generates a vortex air.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A feeding device comprising:
a conveyance device to convey a conveyed medium in a conveyance direction of the conveyed medium;
a first suction unit disposed and configured to apply a suction force to attract a leading edge of the conveyed medium from a stacked position of the conveyed medium towards the conveyance device, the first suction unit including:
a suction chamber;
a suction fan disposed downstream in an air flow direction of, and external to, the suction chamber, to draw air from the suction chamber;
a first driver to rotate the suction fan; and

a second suction unit disposed upstream, in the conveyance direction, of the first suction unit and configured to generate a vortex air directed to the conveyed medium, the second suction unit including:
a rotary fan including
a board having a planar surface and
a plurality of walls attached on the planar surface of the board; and

a second driver to rotate the rotary fan,

wherein the first suction unit and the second suction unit are different types of suction devices and are disposed above the conveyed medium stacked on a stacker to attract the conveyed medium,
operation of the suction fan, which is downstream in the air flow direction of, and external to, the suction chamber, causing a negative pressure to be generated in the suction chamber and thereby drawing air flow to apply the suction force attracting the leading edge of the conveyed medium from the stacked position of the conveyed medium, and
the second suction unit generating a suction force that is stronger than that generated by the first suction unit, and
wherein the second suction unit is disposed (i) laterally to the conveyance device in a direction parallel to the conveyance direction.

2. The feeding device according to claim 1 , further comprising a moving device to retain the second suction unit to be movable in parallel with the conveyance direction of the conveyed medium.

3. The feeding device according to claim 2 , further comprising:
a size detector to detect size information of the conveyed medium; and
a controller to control operation of the moving device until the second suction unit takes a predetermined position based on the size information of the conveyed medium.

4. The feeding device according to claim 3 , further comprising:
a shift amount control unit to arbitrarily set a shift amount of the moving device,
wherein the controller controls operation of the moving device until the moving device moves by the shift amount set in the shift amount control unit.

5. An image forming system comprising:
an image forming section; and
the feeding device according to claim 1 , to feed the conveyed medium to the image forming section.

6. A conveyed medium inspection system comprising:
an inspection device to inspect the conveyed medium; and
the feeding device according to claim 1 , to feed the conveyed medium to the inspection device.

7. The feeding device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a moving device to move the second suction unit in a direction parallel to the conveyance direction of the conveyed medium; and
a controller to control operation of the moving device until the second suction unit takes a predetermined position within a range where a suction force is exerted on an upstream end, in the conveyance direction, of the conveyed medium.

8. The feeding device according to claim 1 , wherein the first suction unit further includes:
a suction duct via which the suction fan draws air by air aspiration from the suction chamber; and
a shutter device to control flow of the air drawn through the suction duct to the suction fan.

9. The feeding device according to claim 1 , further comprising a fan disposed at the first suction unit to blow air to an end of the conveyed medium before suction.

10. A feeding device to feed a conveyed medium stacked on a stacker and to be conveyed in a conveyance direction away from the feeding device, the feeding device comprising:
a first suction unit disposed and configured to apply a suction force to attract a leading edge of the conveyed medium from a stacked position of the conveyed medium, the first suction unit including:
a suction chamber;
a suction fan disposed downstream in an air flow direction of, and external to, the suction chamber to draw air from the suction chamber; and
a first driver to rotate the suction fan;

a second suction unit disposed upstream, in the conveyance direction, of the first suction unit and configured to generate a vortex air directed to the conveyed medium, including:
a rotary fan including
a board having a planar surface and
a plurality of walls attached on the planar surface of the board; and

a second driver to rotate the rotary fan;

a moving device to move the second suction unit in a direction parallel to the conveyance direction of the conveyed medium; and
a controller to control operation of the moving device until the second suction unit takes a predetermined position within a range where a suction force is exerted on an upstream end, in the conveyance direction, of the conveyed medium,
wherein the first suction unit and the second suction unit are different types of suction devices and are disposed above the conveyed medium stacked on the stacker to attract the conveyed medium,
operation of the suction fan, which is downstream in the air flow direction of, and external to, the suction chamber, causing a negative pressure to be generated in the suction chamber and thereby drawing air flow to apply the suction force attracting the leading edge of the conveyed medium from the stacked position of the conveyed medium, and
the second suction unit generating a suction force that is stronger than that generated by the first suction unit, and
wherein the second driver of the second suction unit is attached to a surface of the moving device which opposes at least a portion of the conveyed medium stacked on the stacker.

11. The feeding device according to claim 10 , further comprising a moving device to retain the second suction unit to be movable in parallel with a conveyance direction of the conveyed medium.

12. The feeding device according to claim 11 , further comprising:
a size detector to detect size information of the conveyed medium,
wherein the controller controls operation of the moving device until the second suction unit takes a predetermined position based on the size information of the conveyed medium.

13. The feeding device according to claim 12 , further comprising:
a shift amount control unit to arbitrarily set a shift amount of the moving device,
wherein the controller controls operation of the moving device until the moving device moves by the shift amount set in the shift amount control unit.

14. The feeding device according to claim 10 , wherein the first suction unit further includes:
a suction duct via which the suction fan draws air by air aspiration from the suction chamber; and
a shutter device to control flow of the air drawn through the suction duct to the suction fan.

15. An image forming system comprising:
an image forming section; and
the feeding device according to claim 10 , to feed the conveyed medium to the image forming section.

16. A conveyed medium inspection system comprising:
an inspection device to inspect the conveyed medium; and
the feeding device according to claim 10 , to feed the conveyed medium to the inspection device.

17. A feeding device to feed a conveyed medium stacked on a stacker and to be conveyed in a conveyance directi

Assignees

• Ricoh Co Ltd

Inventors

• Nakada Kyosuke
• Hata Kiyoshi
• Yorimoto Mamoru
• Maeyama Yuichiro
• Matsushima Isao
• Watanabe Takeshi
• Nakamura Kahei

Classifications

• G03G2215/004

  Separation device · CPC title

• G03G2215/00396

  Pick-up device · CPC title

• G03G15/6511

  Feeding devices for picking up or separation of copy sheets · CPC title

• B65H2511/22

  Distance · CPC title

• B65H2511/11

  Length · CPC title