Thick document conveying device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11952230-B2
Application number	US-202217567156-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 3, 2022
Priority date	Aug 25, 2021
Publication date	Apr 9, 2024
Grant date	Apr 9, 2024

Abstract

A thick document conveying device includes a paper pickup mechanism. The paper pickup mechanism has a pick roller base, a pick roller axle, a pick roller, a switching assembly, a first universal coupling, a driving mechanism, a second universal coupling, a bearing and a gear. The pick roller axle and the pick roller are located in the pick roller base. The switching assembly is located under the pick roller base. The first universal coupling is connected to the pick roller axle. The driving mechanism is sleeved on the first universal coupling. The second universal coupling is connected to the driving mechanism. The bearing is connected to the driving mechanism. The gear is connected to the bearing. As described above, both a thick document and a thin document can be adapted.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A thick document conveying device, comprising:
a paper pickup mechanism having
a pick roller base,
a pick roller axle being located in the pick roller base,
a pick roller being located in the pick roller base and being sleeved on the pick roller axle,
a switching assembly being located under the pick roller base,
one end of a first universal coupling being connected to the pick roller axle,
a driving mechanism having a first driving mechanism and a second driving mechanism, one end of the first driving mechanism being sleeved on the other end of the first universal coupling,
one end of a second universal coupling being connected to the other end of the first driving mechanism, one end of the second driving mechanism being sleeved on the other end of the second universal coupling,
a bearing being connected to the other end of the second driving mechanism; and
a gear being connected to the bearing,
wherein, in moved up status or moved down status, the pick roller base is drove by the switching assembly to move in a vertical direction.

2. The thick document conveying device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the switching assembly has a first spring and a switch, the switch is located below the pick roller base, a protrusion is extended from a bottom surface of the pick roller base, a wedge shape surface is formed on the protrusion, the switch has an engaged protrusion, an engaged recess and a slope between the engaged protrusion and the engaged recess, the engaged protrusion is connected to a higher end of the slope, the engaged recess is connected to a lower end of the slope, so that the switch is step shape, and the switch has an open extended from the engaged protrusion, extended through the slope and extended to the engaged recess, one end of the first spring is connected to a bottom surface of the protrusion, the other end of the first spring is passed through the open and connected to the switch, the wedge shape surface is fitted with the slope, so that the pick roller base is moved toward the engaged protrusion or moved toward the engaged recess.

3. The thick document conveying device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the switching assembly has a first spring, a switch and a switch driving component, the switch has an engaged protrusion, an engaged recess and a slope between the engaged protrusion and the engaged recess, a gear rack is extended on a lateral surface of the engaged protrusion, the gear rack is extended on a long lateral surface of the switch, the switch driving component has a driving motor and a driving gear connected to the driving motor, and the driving gear is meshed with the gear rack.

4. The thick document conveying device as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the switching assembly has a switch driving component, a gear rack is extended on a lateral surface of the engaged protrusion, the gear rack is extended on a long lateral surface of the switch, the switch driving component has a driving motor and a driving gear connected to the driving motor, and the driving gear is meshed with the gear rack.

5. The thick document conveying device as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the switch driving component has a worm gear and a worm meshed with the worm gear, one end of the worm gear is meshed with the gear rack, and the other end of the worm gear is meshed with the worm, the driving motor is connected to the worm.

6. The thick document conveying device as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the switch driving component has a worm gear and a worm meshed with the worm gear, one end of the worm gear is meshed with the gear rack, and the other end of the worm gear is meshed with the worm, the driving motor is connected to the worm.

7. The thick document conveying device as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the switch driving component has a straight electric cylinder and a sliding block, two sides of the sliding block are respectively connected to the straight electric cylinder and a bottom surface of the switch, and the straight electric cylinder drives the sliding block to move the switch with the sliding block along the long lateral surface of the switch.

8. The thick document conveying device as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the switch driving component has a straight electric cylinder and a sliding block, two sides of the sliding block are respectively connected to the straight electric cylinder and a bottom surface of the switch, and the straight electric cylinder drives the sliding block to move the switch with the sliding block along the long lateral surface of the switch.

9. The thick document conveying device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the switching assembly has a button, a cam surface and at least two restoring springs, one end of each of the restoring springs is fixed on a bottom surface of the pick roller base, the other end of each of the restoring springs is connected to a bracket of an image forming apparatus, the button is pivotally located on the bottom surface of the pick roller base, the cam surface is formed on the button, and the cam surface is extended from the button in a radial direction, the cam surface is mated with the bottom surface of the pick roller base.

10. The thick document conveying device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the switching assembly has a swing mechanism, the swing mechanism has a link rod, an upper end of the link rod is hinged on a bottom surface of the pick roller base through a hinge axle, the link rod is rotated around the hinge axle to 90 degree, and a connecting rod is hinged on a lower end of the link rod.

11. The thick document conveying device as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising a feed roller mechanism which cooperates with the paper pickup mechanism, the feed roller mechanism has a pick roller axle and an idle pick roller, the idle pick roller is sleeved on the pick roller axle, the pick roller axle is connected to a bracket of an image forming apparatus by at least two second springs for ensuring that the idle pick roller is pushed by a thick document to move upward when the thick document is conveyed into a document channel of the thick document conveying device.

12. The thick document conveying device as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising a discharge roller mechanism, the discharge roller mechanism has an discharge roller base and an idle discharge roller, the idle discharge roller is sleeved on a discharge roller axle, and the idle discharge roller is located under the discharge roller base, at least two third springs are mounted on an upper surface of the discharge roller base, the discharge roller base is connected to a cover of an image forming apparatus by the third springs for ensuring that the discharge roller base is pushed by the thick document to move upward when the thick document is discharged from the document channel of the thick document conveying device.

Assignees

• Foxlink Image Tech Co Ltd

Inventors

• Lin Wei Fong
• Lin yuan yi
• Yang Chih Yuan

Classifications

• B65H3/0615 Primary

  reciprocating and rotatable in one direction only · CPC title

• B65H3/063

  separating from the bottom of pile (B65H3/0615, B65H3/0623 take precedence) · CPC title

• B65H3/0669

  Driving devices therefor · CPC title

• B65H3/0684

  on moving support, e.g. pivoting, for bringing the roller or like rotary separator into contact with the pile · CPC title

• B65H29/20

  by contact with rotating friction members, e.g. rollers, brushes, or cylinders {(with suction rollers B65H29/243)} · CPC title