Separation conveyance device, image forming apparatus, method for controlling separation conveyance device, and computer-readable recording medium

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9517905-B2
Application number	US-201514733629-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 8, 2015
Priority date	Jun 13, 2014
Publication date	Dec 13, 2016
Grant date	Dec 13, 2016

Abstract

A separation conveyance device comprises: a separation unit that includes a first roller feeding a conveyance object, and a load unit applying a load to the fed conveyance object, and separates one conveyance object from conveyance objects; a second roller that conveys the fed conveyance object; a driving unit that causes a motor to rotate the first roller at a first linear speed and the second roller at a second linear speed higher than the first linear speed; a connection unit that cuts off the motor's power from the first roller when first load torque toward a rotation direction of the first roller is equal to or larger than a certain value; a detection unit that detects second load torque in the direction opposite to a rotation direction of the motor; and a determination unit that determines a separation state of the conveyance object based on the second load torque.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A separation conveyance device, comprising:
a separating device including,
a first roller configured to feed a conveyance object, and
a load unit configured to apply a load to the conveyance object fed by the first roller, and to separate the conveyance object from a plurality of conveyance objects using the load;

a second roller configured to convey the conveyance object fed from the first roller;
a motor configured to generate power;
a transmission system configured to,
rotate the first roller at a first linear speed and the second roller at a second linear speed higher than the first linear speed based on the power of the motor, and
cut off the power of the motor from the first roller when the second roller conveys the conveyance object; and

a controller configured to determine a separation state of the conveyance object by the separating device based on load torque applied from the transmission system to a motor shaft of the motor in a direction opposite to a rotation direction of the motor shaft.

2. The separation conveyance device according to claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to determine the separation state based on a peak of the load torque detected in a time period during which the load torque exceeds a threshold.

3. The separation conveyance device according to claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to,
measure a time period during which the load torque is smaller than a threshold,
compare the measured time period with a reference time period, and
determine the separation state based on the comparison result.

4. The separation conveyance device according to claim 3 , wherein the controller is configured to determine that the separation state of the conveyance object is in a tendency of overlapped feeding when the measured time period is shorter than the reference time period.

5. The separation conveyance device according to claim 4 , wherein the transmission system is configured to drive the motor such that a rotation speed of the motor is lower than the rotation speed of the motor in a case where the conveyance object is conveyed normally, if the controller determines that the separation state of the conveyance object is in the tendency of overlapped feeding.

6. The separation conveyance device according to claim 3 , wherein the controller is configured to determine that the separation state of the conveyance object is in a tendency of non-feeding when the measured time period is longer than the reference time period.

7. The separation conveyance device according to claim 6 , wherein the transmission system is configured to drive the motor such that a rotation speed of the motor is higher than the rotation speed of the motor in a case where the conveyance object is conveyed normally, if controller determines that the separation state of the conveyance object is in the tendency of non-feeding.

8. An image forming apparatus, comprising:
the separation conveyance device according to claim 1 ; and
an image reading device configured to read an image of the conveyance object separated by the separation conveyance device and conveyed to the image reading device.

9. The separation conveyance device according to claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to control a rotation speed of the motor via feedback-control.

10. A method for controlling a separation conveyance device, the conveyance device including a separation device having a first roller and a load unit, a second roller, a motor configured to generate power, a transmission system and a controller, the method comprising:
feeding, via the first roller, a conveyance object; and
applying, via the load unit, a load to the conveyance object fed by the first roller to separate the conveyance object from a plurality of conveyance objects using the load;
conveying, via the second roller, the conveyance object fed from the first roller;
rotating, via the transmission system, the first roller at a first linear speed and the second roller at a second linear speed higher than the first linear speed;
cutting off, via the transmission system, the power of the motor from the first roller when the second roller conveys the conveyance object; and
determining, via the controller, a separation state of the conveyance object by the separating device based on load torque applied from the transmission system to a motor shaft of the motor in a direction opposite to a rotation direction of the motor shaft.

11. The method for controlling a separation conveyance device according to claim 10 , further comprising:
controlling, via the controler, a rotation speed of the motor via feedback-control.

12. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium that contains a control program that causes a controller included in a separation conveyance device having a separation device including a first roller and a load unit, a second roller, a motor configured to generate power, and a transmission system, to execute:
feeding, via the first roller, a conveyance object, and
applying, via the load unit, a load to the conveyance object fed by the first roller to separate the conveyance object from a plurality of conveyance objects using the load,
conveying, via the second roller, the conveyance object fed from the first roller,
rotating, via the transmission system, the first roller at a first linear speed and the second roller at a second linear speed higher than the first linear speed,
cutting off, via the transmission system, the power of the motor from the first roller when the second roller conveys the conveyance object, and
determining, via the controller, a separation state of the conveyance object by the separating device based on load torque applied from the transmission system to a motor shaft of the motor in a direction opposite to a rotation direction of the motor shaft.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable recording medium according to claim 12 , wherein the control program, when executed, further causes the controller to control a rotation speed of the motor via feedback-control.

Assignees

• Yoshimizu Eiki
• Ricoh Co Ltd

Inventors

• Yoshimizu Eiki

Classifications

• B65H2513/53

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic

• B65H2220/01

  indicating an entity as a function of which control, adjustment or change is performed, i.e. input · CPC title

• B65H5/068 Primary

  between one or more rollers or balls and stationary pressing, supporting or guiding elements · CPC title

• B65H3/523

  the retainers positioned over articles separated from the bottom of the pile · CPC title

• B65H2403/21

  Timing belts · CPC title