Paper feed device, image formation system, and control program for paper feed device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12391501-B2
Application number	US-202217829201-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 31, 2022
Priority date	Jun 7, 2021
Publication date	Aug 19, 2025
Grant date	Aug 19, 2025

Abstract

A paper feed device having regulation plates that are movable on a paper feed tray for loading paper and regulate edges of the paper, includes: a driver that moves the regulation plates; and a hardware processor that acquires paper information corresponding to a characteristic of the loaded paper, and causes the driver to move the regulation plates according to the acquired paper information.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A paper feed device having regulation plates that are movable on a paper feed tray for loading paper and regulate edges of the paper, the paper feed device comprising:
a driver that moves the regulation plates to be in contact with edge surfaces of a loaded paper; and
a hardware processor that acquires paper information corresponding to a characteristic of the loaded paper detected by a paper information detector, and causes the driver to move the regulation plates to positions in contact with the edge surfaces of the loaded paper based on the acquired paper information detected by the paper information detector so as to align edges of the loaded paper in an appropriate position,
wherein the paper information includes moisture content, and

the hardware processor sets an interval between the regulation plates of a case where the moisture content is equal to or more than a predetermined value wider than an interval between the regulation plates of a case where the moisture content is less than the predetermined value.

2. The paper feed device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the hardware processor includes the paper information detector that detects, from the paper, at least one more characteristic selected from among groups of paper type of the paper, basis weight of the paper, charging rate of the paper, and smoothness of the paper, as the paper information.

3. The paper feed device according to claim 2 ,
wherein the paper information detector is disposed on a conveyance path for the paper.

4. The paper feed device according to claim 2 ,
wherein the paper information detector is disposed at a position where the paper is loaded.

5. The paper feed device according to claim 2 ,
wherein the hardware processor causes the regulation plates to move to positions based on at least either the paper information obtained from an input type of the paper or the paper information detected by the paper information detector.

6. The paper feed device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the hardware processor includes a paper type inputter that receives, from a user, input of information of a type of the paper.

7. The paper feed device according to claim 1 , the paper feed device further comprising a storage that stores a paper profile including the paper information and position information of the regulation plates, the position information corresponding to the paper profile,
wherein the hardware processor includes a paper profile inputter that receives input of the paper profile from a user, and
the hardware processor acquires positions of the regulation plates from the storage, the positions corresponding to the input paper profile, and causes the regulation plates to move.

8. The paper feed device according to claim 7 ,
wherein the paper profile includes at least one piece of information selected from among groups of paper type of the paper, basis weight of the paper, and image formation condition for the paper, as the paper information.

9. The paper feed device according to claim 1 ,
wherein, after the paper is loaded in the paper feed tray, the hardware processor causes the regulation plates to move until force of a predetermined amount or more is applied to the regulation plates, and further causes the regulation plates to move to positions based on the paper information.

10. The paper feed device according to claim 1 , the paper feed device further comprising an environment detector that detects at least either temperature or humidity inside and/or outside the paper feed device as environment information,
wherein the hardware processor causes the regulation plates to move to positions based on the environment information and the paper information.

11. The paper feed device according to claim 1 , the paper feed device further comprising an event information storage that stores, in association with one another, positions of the regulation plates at a time of paper feeding, the paper information, and conveyance stop occurrence information of a case where conveyance of the paper is stopped after the paper is fed and conveyed,
wherein the hardware processor causes the regulation plates to move to positions based on information stored in the event information storage.

12. The paper feed device according to claim 11 ,
the paper feed device further comprising an environment detector that detects at least either temperature or humidity inside and/or outside the paper feed device as environment information,
wherein the hardware processor causes the regulation plates to move to positions based on the environment information and the paper information, and
wherein the event information storage further stores the environment information in association with the positions of the regulation plates, the paper information, and the conveyance stop occurrence information.

13. The paper feed device according to claim 11 ,
wherein the conveyance stop occurrence information is paper feed jam occurrence information.

14. The paper feed device according to claim 13 ,
wherein the paper feed jam occurrence information is first jam information, the first jam being caused by an interval between the regulation plates being narrower than a predetermined interval, and is second jam information, the second jam being caused by an interval between the regulation plates being wider than a predetermined interval.

15. The paper feed device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the paper information includes a charging rate, and
the hardware processor sets an interval between the regulation plates of a case where the charging rate is equal to or more than a predetermined value wider than an interval between the regulation plates of a case where the charging rate is less than the predetermined value.

16. The paper feed device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the hardware processor notifies a user of information, and
the hardware processor provides notification of reset of the paper in a case where the regulation plates fail to complete movement to positions based on the paper information within a preset time period.

17. An image formation system comprising:
the paper feed device according to claim 1 ; and
an image formation device that forms an image on paper fed from the paper feed device.

18. A paper feed device having regulation plates that are movable on a paper feed tray for loading paper and regulate edges of the paper, the paper feed device comprising:
a driver that moves the regulation plates to be in contact with edge surfaces of a loaded paper; and
a hardware processor that acquires paper information corresponding to a characteristic of the loaded paper detected by a paper information detector, and causes the driver to move the regulation plates to positions in contact with the edge surfaces of the loaded paper based on the acquired paper information detected by the paper information detector so as to align edges of the loaded paper in an appropriate position,
wherein the paper information includes smoothness of edge surfaces the paper, and
the hardware processor sets an interval between the regulation plates of a case where the smoothness is less than a predetermined value wider than an interval between the regulation plates of a case where the smoothness is equal to or more than the predetermined value.

19. A non-transitory recording medium storing a computer readable control program for a paper feed device having regulation plates that are movable on a paper feed tray for loading paper and regulate edges of the pape

Assignees

• Konica Minolta Inc

Inventors

• Konishi Hiroyuki

Classifications

• B65H2515/10

  Mass, e.g. mass flow rate; Weight; Inertia · CPC title

• B65H2511/135

  Surface texture; e.g. roughness · CPC title

• B65H2511/416

  of material · CPC title

• B65H2801/06

  Office-type machines, e.g. photocopiers · CPC title

• B65H9/06

  Movable stops or gauges, e.g. rising and falling front stops {(B65H11/007 takes precedence)} · CPC title