Paper feeding device, image forming device, and electrode feeding device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11124375-B2
Application number	US-201916554689-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 29, 2019
Priority date	Mar 18, 2019
Publication date	Sep 21, 2021
Grant date	Sep 21, 2021

Abstract

A paper feeding device has a paper feed tray, a device body, a fan, a rectifying member, and a retreat mechanism. A paper bundle in which a plurality of sheets of paper are stacked can be placed on the paper feed tray. The rectifying member is positioned above the paper bundle placed on the paper feed tray in a state in which the paper feed tray is accommodated in an accommodating part of the device body. The rectifying member generates a negative pressure between the rectifying member and an uppermost sheet of paper of the paper bundle using airflow from the fan in a state in which the paper feed tray is accommodated in the accommodating part. The retreat mechanism displaces the rectifying member in conjunction with the paper feed tray so that the rectifying member retreats from the paper feed tray in at least one of a pull-out operation and a push-in operation of the paper feed tray.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A paper feeding device comprising:
a paper feed tray on which a paper bundle in which a plurality of sheets of paper are stacked is able to be placed;
a device body including an accommodating part which is able to accommodate the paper feed tray;
a fan which is able to generate airflow;
a rectifying member positioned above the paper bundle placed on the paper feed tray and generates a negative pressure between the rectifying member and an uppermost sheet of paper of the paper bundle using the airflow from the fan in a state in which the paper feed tray is accommodated in the accommodating part; and
a retreat mechanism which displaces the rectifying member in conjunction with the paper feed tray so that the rectifying member retreats from the paper feed tray in at least one of a pull-out operation and a push-in operation of the paper feed tray, wherein
the retreat mechanism includes:
a first support part which supports a downstream end portion in a tray pull-out direction of the rectifying member to be rotatable around a first axis;
a link member having an elongated hole which supports an upstream end portion in the tray pull-out direction of the rectifying member and a second axis to be displaceable;
a second support part which supports an upstream end portion in the tray pull-out direction of the link member to be rotatable around a third axis; and
an abutment member fixed to the paper feed tray and configured to come into contact with the link member and rotate the link member around the third axis to displace the second axis upward so that the rectifying member is rotated around the first axis to cause the rectifying member to retreat from the paper feed tray at the time of the pull-out operation of the paper feed tray.

2. The paper feeding device according to claim 1 , wherein the retreat mechanism
displaces the rectifying member to an internal space of the paper feed tray in a state in which the paper feed tray is accommodated in the accommodating part, and
displaces the rectifying member to an external space of the paper feed tray in a state in which the paper feed tray is taken out of the accommodating part.

3. The paper feeding device according to claim 2 , wherein the retreat mechanism includes:
the first support part which supports the upstream end portion in a tray push-in direction of the rectifying member to be rotatable around the first axis;
the link member having the elongated hole which supports the downstream end portion in the tray push-in direction of the rectifying member and the second axis to be displaceable;
the second support part which supports a downstream end portion in the tray push-in direction of the link member to be rotatable around the third axis; and
the abutment member fixed to the paper feed tray and comes into contact with the rectifying member and rotate the rectifying member around the first axis to displace the second axis upward so that the link member is rotated around the third axis at the time of the push-in operation of the paper feed tray.

4. The paper feeding device according to claim 1 , wherein
the link member has a triangular shape which is convex downward,
the link member includes:
a first corner portion having the elongated hole;
a second corner portion supported to be rotatable around the third axis; and
a third corner portion which is convex downward, and
the abutment member comes into contact with the third corner portion of the link member at the time of the pull-out operation of the paper feed tray.

5. The paper feeding device according to claim 4 , wherein the abutment member includes a recess that is recessed toward an upstream side from a downstream end of the abutment member in the tray pull-out direction so that the third corner portion of the link member is entered therein in a state in which the paper feed tray is accommodated in the accommodating part.

6. The paper feeding device according to claim 1 , wherein
the plurality of rectifying members are provided,
the plurality of rectifying members include;
a first rectifying member; and
a second rectifying member disposed on a downstream side in the tray pull-out direction of the first rectifying member,
the retreat mechanism further includes:
a third support part which supports an upstream end portion in the tray pull-out direction of the second rectifying member to be rotatable around a fourth axis;
a second link member having a second elongated hole which supports the downstream end portion in the tray pull-out direction of the rectifying member and a fifth axis to be displaceable; and
a fourth support part which supports a downstream end portion in the tray pull-out direction of the second link member to be rotatable around a sixth axis, and
the abutment member comes into contact with the second rectifying member and rotates the second rectifying member around the fourth axis to displace the fifth axis upward so that the second link member is rotated around the sixth axis at the time of the tray pull-out operation of the paper feed tray.

7. The paper feeding device according to claim 1 , wherein
the plurality of rectifying members are provided,
the plurality of rectifying members include:
the first rectifying member; and
the second rectifying member disposed on an upstream side in the tray push-in direction of the first rectifying member,
the retreat mechanism further includes:
the third support part which supports a downstream end portion in the tray push-in direction of the second rectifying member to be rotatable around the fourth axis;
the second link member having the second elongated hole which supports the upstream end portion in the tray push-in direction of the rectifying member and the fifth axis to be displaceable; and
the fourth support part which supports an upstream end portion in the tray push-in direction of the second link member to be rotatable around the sixth axis, and
the abutment member comes into contact with the second link member and rotates the second link member around the sixth axis to displace the fifth axis upward so that the second rectifying member is rotated around the fourth axis to cause the second rectifying member to retreat from the paper feed tray at the time of the tray push-in operation of the paper feed tray.

8. The paper feeding device according to claim 6 , wherein
the second link member has a V shape,
the second link member includes;
a first extending portion having the second elongated hole; and
a second extending portion connected to the first extending portion and directed downward, and
the abutment member comes into contact with the second extending portion of the second link member at the time of the tray push-in operation of the paper feed tray.

9. The paper feeding device according to claim 2 , wherein the retreat mechanism includes:
a pin member which supports the rectifying member to be displaceable in a vertical direction; and
an abutment part provided at the paper feed tray and comes into contact with the rectifying member and displace the rectifying member upward in conjunction with the movement of the paper feed tray so that the rectifying member retreats from the paper feed tray in at least one of the pull-out operation and the push-in operation of the paper feed tray.

10. The paper feeding device according to claim 9 , wherein
a plurality of pin members are provided, and
the plurality of pin members include:
a first pin member which supports an upstream portion in the tray pull-out direction of the rectifying member to be displaceable in the vertical direction; and
a second pin member which supports a downstream portion in the tray pull-out dire

Assignees

• Toshiba Kk

Inventors

• Matsuoka Kei
• Nara Kohei
• Kokubo Takahiro
• Sunaoshi Takamitsu
• Hattori Shunsuke

Classifications

• B65H2405/313

  with integrated handling means, e.g. separating means · CPC title

• B65H3/48

  Air blast acting on edges of, or under, articles · CPC title

• B65H2405/15

  Large capacity supports arrangements · CPC title

• B65H2405/324

  between operative position and non operative position · CPC title

• B65H1/266 Primary

  Support fully or partially removable from the handling machine, e.g. cassette, drawer (B65H1/027 takes precedence) · CPC title