Sheet suction device, conveyor, printer, and suction region changing device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11673755-B2
Application number	US-202117148053-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 13, 2021
Priority date	Jan 27, 2020
Publication date	Jun 13, 2023
Grant date	Jun 13, 2023

Abstract

A sheet suction device includes a bearing member configured to bear a sheet on a circumferential surface of the bearing member and rotate in a first direction, a plurality of suction holes in a bearing region in the circumferential surface of the bearing member, a suction device connected to the plurality of suction holes, the suction device configured to suck the sheet through the plurality of suction holes, and a first member between the plurality of suction holes and the suction device, the first member rotatable in a second direction different from the first direction to change a suction region of the suction device connected to the plurality of suction holes. A rotation of the first member in the second direction expands the suction region of the suction device in the bearing region of the bearing member.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A sheet suction device comprising:
a drum configured to bear a sheet on a circumferential surface of the drum and rotate in a first direction;
a plurality of suction holes in a bearing region in the circumferential surface of the drum;
a suction device connected to the plurality of suction holes, the suction device configured to suck the sheet through the plurality of suction holes;
a first member between the plurality of suction holes and the suction device, the first member rotatable in a second direction different from the first direction to change a suction region of the suction device connected to the plurality of suction holes, and
a detector to detect a rotation angle of the first member,
wherein a rotation of the first member in the second direction expands the suction region of the suction device in the bearing region of the drum.

2. The sheet suction device according to claim 1 , wherein:
the drum is to rotate in the first direction to convey the sheet, and the second direction is opposite to the first direction.

3. The sheet suction device according to claim 1 , wherein the rotation of the first member in the second direction increases a number of the plurality of suction holes connected to the suction device.

4. The sheet suction device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the drum is bearable a plurality of sheets on the circumferential surface in a circumferential direction of the drum.

5. The sheet suction device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a second member including a plurality of holes on a side surface in a circumferential direction of the second member; and
a plurality of suction channels respectively connects the plurality of holes of the second member and the plurality of suction holes,
wherein the first member includes grooves connected to the suction device, the grooves on a side surface of the first member in a circumferential direction of the first member,
the rotation of the first member relative to the second member changes a number of the plurality of holes of the second member connected to the grooves of the first member and changes a number of the plurality of suction holes connected to the suction device, and
the plurality of suction channels does not intersect with each other.

6. The sheet suction device according to claim 5 ,
wherein the first member and the second member rotate together with the drum.

7. The sheet suction device according to claim 6 ,
wherein the second member rotates together with the drum.

8. The sheet suction device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the first member is manually rotatable.

9. The sheet suction device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the drum includes a plurality of suction ports on the bearing region in a circumferential direction of the drum, and
the rotation of the first member changes a number of the plurality of suction ports connected to the suction device in the circumferential direction of the drum.

10. The sheet suction device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the drum includes a plurality of suction ports on the bearing region in an axial direction of the drum, and
the rotation of the first member changes a number of the plurality of suction ports connected to the suction device in the axial direction of the drum.

11. The sheet suction device according to claim 1 , further comprising a conveyer,
wherein the drum is configured to rotate and convey the sheet in the first direction.

12. The sheet suction device according to claim 11 , further comprising:
a printer comprising:
a liquid discharge device configured to discharge a liquid onto the sheet.

13. A suction region changing device between a plurality of suction holes and a suction device, the suction region changing device comprising:
a first member between the plurality of suction holes and the suction device, the first member configured to rotate and change a suction region of the suction device connected to the plurality of suction holes to suck a sheet;
a second member including a plurality of holes on a side surface in a circumferential direction of the second member; and
a detector to detect a rotation angle of the first member,
wherein the first member includes grooves connected to the suction device, the grooves on a side surface in a circumferential direction of the first member, and
a rotation of the first member in one direction relative to the second member increases a number of the plurality of holes of the second member connected to the grooves of the first member and increases a number of the plurality of suction holes connected to the suction device.

14. The sheet suction device according to claim 1 , further comprising a scale formed on a circumferential surface of the first member that indicates a rotation position of the first member.

Assignees

• Ricoh Co Ltd

Inventors

• Miyagawa Hiroaki

Classifications

• B65H2511/10

  Size; Dimensions · CPC title

• B65H5/226 Primary

  by suction rollers · CPC title

• B65H5/222

  by suction devices · CPC title

• B65H2511/12

  Width · CPC title

• B65H2406/3612

  involving a shoe in sliding contact with flanges of a rotating element · CPC title