Paper feeding apparatus, image forming apparatus, image forming system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9796552-B2
Application number	US-201615364765-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 30, 2016
Priority date	Nov 4, 2014
Publication date	Oct 24, 2017
Grant date	Oct 24, 2017

Abstract

A paper feeding apparatus includes: a sheet loading unit for loading a bundle of sheets; a separation unit that separates a topmost sheet of the bundle of sheets loaded on the sheet loading unit, from the bundle of sheets; a conveyance unit that conveys the separated topmost sheet; an end fence that is movable in a sheet conveyance direction, abuts trailing ends in the sheet conveyance direction, and positions the bundle of sheets in the sheet conveyance direction; and a pressing unit that is provided in such a manner as to protrude from the end fence, and is able to press the trailing ends in the sheet conveyance direction of at least an upper part of the bundle of sheets, wherein the pressing unit has different pressing forces at an upper and a lower portion thereof, and has the lower pressing force stronger than the upper pressing force.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A paper feeding apparatus comprising:
a sheet loading unit on which a bundle of sheets is loadable;
a conveyance unit to convey a topmost sheet of the bundle of sheets from the sheet loading unit;
an end fence, movable in a sheet conveyance direction, to abut trailing ends in a sheet conveyance direction of the bundle of sheets; and
a pressing unit, provided to protrude from the end fence, and configured to press the trailing ends in the sheet conveyance direction of at least an upper part of the bundle of sheets, wherein
the pressing unit includes a contact member configured to come into contact with the sheets and a plurality of elastic portions placed between the contact member and the end fence, the plurality of elastic portions each including a different elastic force.

2. The paper feeding apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a separation unit to separate the topmost sheet of the bundle of sheets from the sheet loading unit.

3. The paper feeding apparatus of claim 2 , wherein
a pressing force of the pressing unit, including an elastic portion among the plurality of elastic portions, arranged below at least a place corresponding to a separable area where the topmost sheet of the bundle of sheets is separated by the separation unit, includes an elastic force relatively larger than elastic forces of other of the plurality of elastic portions.

4. An image forming apparatus comprising:
an image forming unit to form an image on a sheet; and
the paper feeding apparatus of claim 3 , to feed sheets to the image forming unit.

5. The paper feeding apparatus of claim 2 , wherein
the separation unit includes an air issuing unit, to blows air to a leading end side in the sheet conveyance direction of at least the topmost sheet of the bundle of sheets, and to cause at least a leading end to rise from the bundle of sheets, and wherein
the conveyance unit includes
an adsorption member to adsorb the rising leading end of the topmost sheet, and
a suction unit to suction the topmost sheet to the adsorption member.

6. An image forming apparatus comprising:
an image forming unit to form an image on a sheet; and
the paper feeding apparatus of claim 5 , to feed sheets to the image forming unit.

7. An image forming apparatus comprising:
an image forming unit to form an image on a sheet; and
the paper feeding apparatus of claim 2 , to feed sheets to the image forming unit.

8. The paper feeding apparatus of claim 1 , wherein
a pressing force of the pressing unit, including an elastic portion among the plurality of elastic portions, arranged below at least a place corresponding to a separatable area where the topmost sheet of the bundle of sheets is separated by the separation unit, includes an elastic force relatively larger than elastic forces of other of the plurality of elastic portions.

9. An image forming apparatus comprising:
an image forming unit to form an image on a sheet; and
the paper feeding apparatus of claim 8 , to feed sheets to the image forming unit.

10. An image forming apparatus comprising:
an image forming unit to form an image on a sheet; and
the paper feeding apparatus of claim 1 , to feed sheets to the image forming unit.

11. The paper feeding apparatus of claim 1 , wherein
the contact member is a plate member.

12. The paper feeding apparatus of claim 11 , wherein
at least a relatively lower end of the contact member is embedded in the end fence.

13. An image forming apparatus comprising:
an image forming unit to form an image on a sheet; and
the paper feeding apparatus of claim 12 , to feed sheets to the image forming unit.

14. An image forming apparatus comprising:
an image forming unit to form an image on a sheet; and
the paper feeding apparatus of claim 11 , to feed sheets to the image forming unit.

15. The paper feeding apparatus of claim 1 , wherein
the contact member includes an inclined surface, inclined with respect to the end fence, and a surface paralleled to the end fence.

16. An image forming apparatus comprising:
an image forming unit to form an image on a sheet; and
the paper feeding apparatus of claim 15 , to feed sheets to the image forming unit.

Assignees

• Fukumoto Takashi
• Niikura Yasuo
• Kojima Hidetoshi
• Hideaki Takahashi
• Fuda Munehisa
• Sugawara Hisayoshi
• Nakamura Kiyotake
• Konno Kazunori
• Sugawara Tatsuya
• Okutsu Toshihiro
• Haga Kohjiroh
• Ricoh Co Ltd

Inventors

• Fukumoto Takashi
• Niikura Yasuo
• Kojima Hidetoshi
• Takahashi Hideaki
• Fuda Munehisa
• Sugawara Hisayoshi
• Nakamura Kiyotake
• Konno Kazunori
• Sugawara Tatsuya
• Okutsu Toshihiro
• Haga Kohjiroh

Classifications

• B65H1/12

  comprising spring {(B65H1/022 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• B65H3/565

  for reintroducing partially separated articles in the stack · CPC title

• B65H2511/20

  Location in space · CPC title

• B65H3/46

  Supplementary devices or measures to assist separation or prevent double feed (control means comprising detectors responsive to double feed B65H7/12) · CPC title

• B65H1/22

  moving in direction of plane of articles, e.g. for bodily advancement of fanned-out piles · CPC title