Sheet member supply device and image forming apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9764911-B2
Application number	US-201615176180-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 8, 2016
Priority date	Jun 16, 2015
Publication date	Sep 19, 2017
Grant date	Sep 19, 2017

Abstract

A sheet member supply device ( 40 ) of an image forming apparatus ( 1 ) includes a sheet member stacking plate ( 43 ) in which sheet members (S) are stacked on the upper surface, a pickup roller ( 51 ) which makes contact with, from above, the uppermost layer of the sheet members (S) stacked on the sheet member stacking plate ( 43 ), a stacking plate displacement mechanism ( 44 ) which displaces the sheet member stacking plate ( 43 ) upward, a motive power transmission mechanism ( 60 ) which transmits motive power obtained from a drive source ( 45 ) to the stacking plate displacement mechanism ( 44 ) and a paradox planetary gear mechanism ( 65 ) which is provided in the motive power transmission mechanism ( 60 ). In this way, with a simple configuration, it is possible to reduce the unintentional downward displacement of the stacking plate.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A sheet member supply device comprising:
a sheet member stacking plate in which sheet members are stacked on an upper surface;
a pickup roller which makes contact with, from above, an uppermost layer of the sheet members stacked on the sheet member stacking plate;
a stacking plate displacement mechanism which displaces the sheet member stacking plate upward;
a motive power transmission mechanism which transmits motive power obtained from a drive source to the stacking plate displacement mechanism; and
a paradox planetary gear mechanism which is provided in the motive power transmission mechanism, the paradox planetary gear mechanism including a fixed internal gear and a movable internal gear.

2. The sheet member supply device according to claim 1 ,
wherein a motive power transmission switching mechanism which turns on and off the transmission of the motive power from the drive source to the paradox planetary gear mechanism is provided.

3. The sheet member supply device according to claim 2 ,
wherein the stacking plate displacement mechanism includes a rotation shaft for moving the sheet member stacking plate upward, and a shaft line of a rotation shaft of the paradox planetary gear mechanism coincides with a shaft line of the rotation shaft included in the stacking plate displacement mechanism.

4. The sheet member supply device according to claim 1 further comprising:
a support member which supports a rotation shaft of the paradox planetary gear mechanism,
wherein the fixed internal gear of the paradox planetary gear mechanism is fixed to the support member.

5. The sheet member supply device according to claim 4 ,
wherein the fixed internal gear of the paradox planetary gear mechanism is formed integrally in the support member.

6. The sheet member supply device according to claim 4 ,
wherein the motive power transmission switching mechanism includes a planetary gear mechanism.

7. The sheet member supply device according to claim 4 ,
wherein between the motive power transmission switching mechanism and the paradox planetary gear mechanism, a motive power transmission regulation portion for transmitting the motive power only in one direction is provided.

8. The sheet member supply device according to claim 4 ,
wherein the motive power transmission switching mechanism includes a sheet member position detection mechanism for turning on the transmission of the motive power when a predetermined number of the sheet members stacked on the sheet member stacking plate are supplied.

9. An image forming apparatus comprising:
the sheet member supply device according to claim 1 ; and
the drive source which applies the motive power to the motive power transmission mechanism.

10. The image forming apparatus according to claim 9 ,
wherein the drive source applies the motive power to the pickup roller.

11. The sheet member supply device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the paradox planetary gear mechanism includes an input gear and a planetary gear which revolves around the input gear, and the planetary gear couples to the fixed internal gear and the movable internal gear.

Assignees

• Konica Minolta Inc

Inventors

• Toso Yoshiyuki
• Yoshikawa Shoichi
• Shimoyama Atsuhiko
• Suzuki Yasuhiro
• Yamaguchi Masahiro

Classifications

• B65H2405/1117

  pivotable, e.g. around an axis perpendicular to transport direction, e.g. arranged at rear side of sheet support · CPC title

• B65H2403/481

  Planetary · CPC title

• B65H3/0669

  Driving devices therefor · CPC title

• B65H1/14 Primary

  comprising positively-acting mechanical devices {(B65H1/025 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• B65H1/18

  controlled by height of pile · CPC title