Power transmission apparatus, medium transport apparatus, recording apparatus, control method of power transmission apparatus, and control method of medium transport apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12545534-B2
Application number	US-202318161408-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 30, 2023
Priority date	Jan 31, 2022
Publication date	Feb 10, 2026
Grant date	Feb 10, 2026

Abstract

A power transmission apparatus includes a drive source, a power transmission switching section configured to switch between a transmission state in which power of the drive source is transmitted to a driven section and a non-transmission state in which power of the drive source is not transmitted to the driven section, a load switching section configured to switch between a first load state, which is a load while the driven section is driven, and a second load state, which is a load smaller than the load of the first load state, and a control section, wherein the control section switches the power transmission switching section from the non-transmission state to the transmission state while the load is in the second load state, and then uses the load switching section to switch the load from the second load state to the first load state.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A power transmission apparatus comprising:
a drive source; a power transmission switching section configured to switch between a transmission state in which power of the drive source is transmitted to a driven section and a non-transmission state in which power of the drive source is not transmitted to the driven section; a load switching section configured to switch between a first load state, which is a load while the driven section is driven, and a second load state, which is a load smaller than the load of the first load state; and a control section configured to control the drive source, the power transmission switching section, and the load switching section, wherein the control section switches the power transmission switching section from the non-transmission state to the transmission state while the load is in the second load state, and then uses the load switching section to switch the load from the second load state to the first load state, the driven section is a drive roller configured to apply feeding force to a transported medium, a driven roller is configured to advance and retreat with respect to the drive roller, and the load switching section forms the first load state by bringing the driven roller into contact with the drive roller, and forms the second load state by separating the driven roller from the drive roller.

2 . The power transmission apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the load switching section is constituted by a solenoid.

3 . The power transmission apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the power transmission switching section is constituted by an electromagnetic clutch.

4 . A medium transport apparatus comprising:
the power transmission apparatus according to claim 1 , and a medium transport path configured to transport the medium, wherein the drive roller applies the feeding force to the medium in the medium transport path.

5 . The medium transport apparatus according to claim 4 , further comprising:
a medium support section configured to support the medium before feeding, wherein the drive roller is a pickup roller configured to advance and retreat with respect to the medium supported by the medium support section and the load switching section forms the first load state by bringing the pickup roller into contact with the medium, and forms the second load state by separating the pickup roller from the medium.

6 . A recording apparatus comprising:
the medium transport apparatus according to claim 4 and a recording section configured to perform recording on a medium being transported.

7 . The medium transport apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein when a plurality of media are consecutively transported, the control section executes the following processes:
switching the power transmission switching section from the non-transmission state to the transmission state while the load is in the second load state, and then using the load switching section to switch the load from the second load state to the first load state to transport a first medium among the plurality of media, when the first medium is transported by a predetermined amount, switching the power transmission switching section from the transmission state to the non-transmission state, and for a second and subsequent media among the plurality of media, maintaining the load in the first load state and, each time a medium is transported, switching the power transmission switching section from the non-transmission state to the transmission state and from the transmission state to the non-transmission state.

8 . The medium transport apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein
the drive source is a motor, when the first medium is to be transported and the power transmission switching section switches from the non-transmission state to the transmission state while the load is in the second load state, the control section sets the speed of the motor to a first speed, and, after using the load switching section to switch the load from the second load state to the first load state, sets the speed of the motor to a second speed higher than the first speed, and transports the medium at the second speed.

9 . The medium transport apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
when a plurality of media are consecutively transported, the control section executes the following processes each time a single sheet of medium is transported: a first control of switching the power transmission switching section from the non-transmission state to the transmission state while the load is in the second load state, and then using the load switching section to switch the load from the second load state to the first load state, a second control of, when the medium is transported by a predetermined amount, switching the power transmission switching section from the transmission state to the non-transmission state, and a third control of using the load switching section to switch the load from the first load state to the second load state.

10 . The medium transport apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein when a plurality of media are consecutively transported, the control section executes the following processes:
switching the power transmission switching section from the non-transmission state to the transmission state while the load is in the second load state, and then using the load switching section to switch the load from the second load state to the first load state to transport a first medium among the plurality of media, when the first medium is transported by a predetermined amount, using the load switching section to switch the load from the first load state to the second load state, and for a second and subsequent media among the plurality of media, maintaining the power transmission switching section in the transmission state and, each time a medium is transported, using the load switching section to switch from the second load state to the first load state and to switch from the first load state to the second load state.

11 . The power transmission apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein one or more gears are disposed between the power transmission switching section and the load switching section.

12 . A control method for a power transmission apparatus, the power transmission apparatus including:
a drive source; a power transmission switching section configured to switch between a transmission state in which power of the drive source is transmitted to a driven section and a non-transmission state in which power of the drive source is not transmitted to the driven section; and a load switching section configured to switch between a first load state, which is a load while the driven section is driven, and a second load state, which is a load smaller than the load of the first load state, the control method comprising: a control section switching the power transmission switching section from the non-transmission state to the transmission state while the load is in the second load state, and then using the load switching section to switch the load from the second load state to the first load state, wherein the control section, the load switching section, and the power transmission switching section are separate from each other, the control section independently controls the load switching section and the power transmission switching section, the driven section is a drive roller that applies feeding force to a medium, a driven roller is configured to advance and retreat with respect to the drive roller, and the load switching section forms the first load state by bringing the driven roller into contact wi

Assignees

• Seiko Epson Corp

Inventors

• Oizumi Takao

Classifications

• B65H2403/724

  electromagnetic clutches · 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

• B65H2513/40

  Movement · CPC title

• B65H2513/512

  Starting; Stopping · CPC title

• B65H2513/50

  Timing · CPC title