Image forming apparatus and feed tray

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12145356-B2
Application number	US-202117563622-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 28, 2021
Priority date	Dec 29, 2020
Publication date	Nov 19, 2024
Grant date	Nov 19, 2024

Abstract

An image forming apparatus includes: a feed tray accommodating a roll body, a first sheet-shaped medium being rolled in a roll shape as the roll body; and a feed roller configured to apply a conveying force to the first sheet-shaped medium unrolled from the roll body and to feed the first sheet-shaped medium from the feed tray. The feed tray includes: a first accommodation portion accommodating the roll body; a second accommodation portion accommodating a plurality of second sheet-shaped media stacked in a first direction; and a path member located between the first accommodation portion and the feed roller. The path member includes a partition member partitioning the second sheet-shaped medium accommodated in the second accommodation portion and the first sheet-shaped medium unrolled from the roll body in the first direction.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An image forming apparatus comprising:
a feed tray configured to accommodate a roll body, a first sheet-shaped medium being rolled in a roll shape as the roll body; and
a feed roller configured to apply a conveying force to the first sheet-shaped medium unrolled from the roll body and to feed the first sheet-shaped medium from the feed tray,
wherein the feed tray comprises:
a first accommodation portion configured to accommodate the roll body;
a second accommodation portion configured to accommodate a plurality of second sheet-shaped media stacked in a first direction; and
a path member located at least between the first accommodation portion and the feed roller, the path member defining an introduction path for guiding the first sheet-shaped medium unrolled from the roll body,

wherein the first sheet-shaped medium unrolled from the roll body passes through a region overlapping with the second accommodation portion when viewed from the first direction,
wherein the path member comprises a partition member configured to partition the second sheet-shaped media accommodated in the second accommodation portion and the first sheet-shaped medium unrolled from the roll body in the first direction,
wherein the second sheet-shaped media accommodated in the second accommodation portion is stacked on the partition member in the first direction,
wherein the partition member is rotatable in the first direction around a rotation shaft, the rotation shaft extending along a direction parallel to a rotation shaft of the feed roller, and
wherein the feed roller is capable of feeding the plurality of second sheet-shaped media.

2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first accommodation portion and the second accommodation portion are disposed side by side along a conveyance direction of the first sheet-shaped medium by the feed roller.

3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the second accommodation portion is located on a downstream side of the first accommodation portion in the conveyance direction.

4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein a downstream end of the introduction path extends at least up to a conveying position where the feed roller applies the conveying force to the first sheet-shaped medium, with respect to a conveyance direction of the first sheet-shaped medium by the feed roller.

5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first sheet-shaped medium unrolled from the roll body passes below the second accommodation portion.

6. The image forming apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the rotation shaft of the partition member extends in a second direction that is perpendicular to a conveyance direction of the first sheet-shaped medium by the feed roller and the first direction.

7. The image forming apparatus according to claim 5 , further comprising:
a support member configured to support the partition member, the support member having an elliptical shape elongated in the first direction and having a fitting portion, the rotation shaft of the partition member being fitted into the fitting portion,
wherein the rotation shaft of the partition member is located at an end portion on an upstream side of the partition member.

8. The image forming apparatus according to claim 5 , further comprising:
a regulating portion configured to regulate downward rotation of the partition member.

9. The image forming apparatus according to claim 5 ,
wherein the first accommodation portion comprises a support base configured to support the roll body, and
wherein the rotation shaft of the partition member is located on a downstream side of the support base in a conveyance direction.

10. The image forming apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the first sheet-shaped medium pulled out from the roll body passes below the support base.

11. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the feed tray is configured to be pulled out from a rear of the image forming apparatus to a front of the image forming apparatus, and
wherein the first accommodation portion is located in front of the second accommodation portion in a front and rear direction of the image forming apparatus.

12. A feed tray configured to be pulled out from an image forming apparatus, the image forming apparatus comprising a feed roller configured to apply a conveying force to a first sheet-shaped medium and to feed the first sheet-shaped medium, the first sheet-shaped medium being rolled in a roll shape as a roll body and unrollable from the roll body, the feed tray comprising:
a first accommodation portion configured to accommodate the roll body;
a second accommodation portion configured to accommodate a plurality of second sheet-shaped media stacked in a first direction; and
a path member located at least between the first accommodation portion and a portion contactable by the feed roller, the path member defining an introduction path for guiding the first sheet-shaped medium,
wherein the path member comprises a partition member configured to partition the second sheet-shaped media accommodated in the second accommodation portion and the first sheet-shaped medium in the first direction, the partition member being configured to guide the first sheet-shaped medium conveyed in a conveyance direction to pass through a region overlapping with the second accommodation portion when viewed from the first direction,
wherein the second sheet-shaped media accommodated in the second accommodation portion is stacked on the partition member in the first direction,
wherein the partition member is rotatable in the first direction around a rotation shaft, the rotation shaft extending along a direction parallel to a rotation axis of the roll body, and
wherein the feed roller is capable of feeding the plurality of second sheet-shaped media.

13. The feed tray according to claim 12 , wherein the first accommodation portion and the second accommodation portion are disposed side by side along the conveyance direction.

14. The feed tray according to claim 13 , wherein the second accommodation portion is located on a downstream side of the first accommodation portion in the conveyance direction.

15. The feed tray according to claim 12 , wherein the rotation shaft of the partition member extends in a second direction that is perpendicular to the conveyance direction and the first direction.

16. The feed tray according to claim 12 , further comprising:
a support member configured to support the partition member, the support member having an elliptical shape elongated in the first direction and having a fitting portion, the rotation shaft of the partition member being fitted into the fitting portion,
wherein the rotation shaft of the partition member is located at an end portion on an upstream side of the partition member.

17. The feed tray according to claim 12 , further comprising:
a regulating portion configured to regulate downward rotation of the partition member.

18. The feed tray according to claim 12 ,
wherein the first accommodation portion comprises a support base configured to support the roll body, and
wherein the rotation shaft of the partition member is located on a downstream side of the support base in the conveyance direction.

Assignees

• Brother Ind Ltd

Inventors

• Noda Kengo
• Kanazawa Gakuro
• Miyase Satoshi

Classifications

• B41J13/103

  for the sheet feeding section · CPC title

• B41J13/0018

  in the sheet input section of automatic paper handling systems · CPC title

• B41J15/044

  Cassettes or cartridges containing continuous copy material, tape, for setting into printing devices · CPC title

• B41J11/54

  in which one paper or set is fed towards printing position from the front of the apparatus · CPC title

• B41J11/0045

  Guides for printing material (curl smoothing B41J11/0005; platens B41J11/02, B41J11/06; guiding webs B41J15/046) · CPC title