Recording apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10457510-B2
Application number	US-201815987988-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 24, 2018
Priority date	May 30, 2017
Publication date	Oct 29, 2019
Grant date	Oct 29, 2019

Abstract

A recording apparatus includes a return member switchable between a first orientation in which a portion of the return member overlaps a feed roller in a side view of a medium feeding path and a second orientation in which the return member is turned toward a downstream side in a medium feeding direction and does not overlap the feed roller. The return member changes an orientation thereof from the second orientation to the first orientation, thereby returning a medium to an upstream side in the medium feeding direction. When a transport roller disposed downstream of the feed roller is driven in reverse to return the medium to the upstream side and position the medium at a recording start position, the return member takes a third orientation in which the return member is raised toward the upstream side further than in the first orientation.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A recording apparatus comprising:
a medium support unit that supports a medium to be fed;
a cylindrical feed roller that feeds the medium supported by the medium support unit;
a motive power transmitting unit that transmits a driving force from a driving source of the feed roller to the feed roller;
a separation roller that separates the medium by nipping the medium between the separation roller and the feed roller;
a return member that is switchable between a first orientation and a second orientation, the first orientation being an orientation in which a portion of the return member overlaps the feed roller in a side view of a medium feeding path, the second orientation being an orientation in which the return member is turned toward a downstream side in a medium feeding direction and does not overlap the feed roller in the side view, the return member changing an orientation thereof from the second orientation to the first orientation and thereby returning a leading end of the medium to an upstream side of a nip position between the feed roller and the separation roller;
a transport roller that is disposed on the downstream side of the feed roller in the medium feeding direction, the transport roller being rotatable in a normal direction and in a reverse direction; and
a control unit that controls the transport roller,
wherein the motive power transmitting unit is capable of entering a rotation allowing state by cutting torque transmission from the driving source to the feed roller, the rotation allowing state being a state in which free rotation of the feed roller is allowed,
wherein the return member is switchable to a third orientation, the third orientation being an orientation in which the return member is raised toward the upstream side further than in the first orientation, and
wherein the control unit drives the transport roller in reverse when the return member is in the third orientation during positioning control that is a control in which the transport roller is driven in reverse to return the medium to the upstream side and position the medium at a recording start position.

2. The recording apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein, in the side view of the medium feeding path, the return member in the third orientation does not overlap the feed roller.

3. The recording apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein, in the side view of the medium feeding path, the return member in the third orientation is moved, when the positioning control is performed, to a position at which the return member does not obstruct a path used for returning the medium to the upstream side.

4. The recording apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein, in a state in which a stacking height of media set on the medium support unit has reached a maximum stacking height and in which the return member is in the first orientation, an uppermost medium of the media set on the medium support unit is allowed to come into contact with the feed roller.

5. The recording apparatus according to claim 4 , further comprising:
an edge guide that restricts a position of an edge of the medium that is supported by the medium support unit,
wherein the edge guide includes a protruding portion that restricts the maximum stacking height of the media set on the medium support unit.

6. The recording apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the medium support unit includes a first support portion having a first support surface that supports the medium in an inclined orientation and a second support portion having a second support surface that supports the medium in cooperation with the first support surface, the second support portion being positioned on the upstream side of the first support surface in the medium feeding direction, and
wherein an inclination angle of the second support surface extending from a lower end portion to an upper end portion thereof is larger than an inclination angle of the first support surface, the second support surface being disposed at a position set back from the first support surface.

7. The recording apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein when the medium is back-fed, a relative-movement direction of the medium relative to an outer circumferential surface of the feed roller and a direction in which the outer circumferential surface of the feed roller is ground coincide with each other.

Assignees

• Seiko Epson Corp

Inventors

• Kanemaru Shinji
• Nakamura Kazuhisa
• Shirane Tatsuya

Classifications

• B65H2402/31

  Pivoting support means · CPC title

• B65H5/062

  between rollers or balls · CPC title

• B65H3/0669

  Driving devices therefor · CPC title

• B65H2403/512

  involving radial plate cam · CPC title

• B65H3/0661

  for separating inclined-stacked articles with separator rollers above the stack · CPC title