Sheet feed device and image recording apparatus having such sheet feed device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9821971-B2
Application number	US-201615215442-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 20, 2016
Priority date	Mar 30, 2005
Publication date	Nov 21, 2017
Grant date	Nov 21, 2017

Abstract

An image recording apparatus including a first tray having a first holding portion for holding sheets, a second tray disposed above the first tray and including a second holding portion for holding sheets, a sheet feeder that selectively feeds a sheet from one of the first tray and the second tray in a sheet feed direction, a recording unit that records an image on the sheet fed by the sheet feeder, and a discharge roller that discharges the sheet on which the image is recorded by the recording unit. The second holding portion of the second tray moves above the first holding portion of the first tray. The second tray further includes a discharged sheet receiving portion for receiving the sheet discharged by the discharge roller. The second tray including the discharged sheet receiving portion pivots relative to the first tray.

First claim

We claim:

1. An image recording apparatus comprising:
a first tray comprising a first holding portion for holding a sheet;
a second tray comprising a second holding portion for holding a sheet and configured to move between a feed position and a non-feed position relative to the first tray, the second holding portion being above the first holding portion and the non-feed position being upstream of the feed position in a sheet feed direction;
a sheet feeder comprising a feed roller configured to feed a sheet in the sheet feed direction selectively from the first tray and the second tray, and a feed arm configured to pivot such that the feed roller moves between a first roller position at which the feed roller is in contact with the first holding portion of the first tray, a second roller position at which the feed roller is in contact with the second holding portion of the second tray at the feed position, and a third roller position separated from the first holding portion and the second holding portion;
a recording head configured to record an image on the sheet fed by the feed roller;
a discharge roller configured to discharge the sheet having the image recorded thereon to a discharge space in a sheet discharge direction; and
a plate disposed above the second holding portion of the second tray at the feed position and defining an accommodating space thereabove, the plate having an opening,
wherein the sheet feeder is configured such that a portion thereof enters the accommodating space through the opening of the plate when the feed roller moves from the first roller position toward the third roller position in response to pivoting of the feed arm, the accommodating space being located upstream of the discharge space in the sheet discharge direction and at least a portion of the accommodating space overlapping the discharge space when viewed in the sheet discharge direction.

2. The image recording apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the sheet feeder is configured such that a portion thereof enters the accommodating space when the feed roller moves from the second roller position toward the third roller position in response to pivoting of the feed arm.

3. The image recording apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the portion of the sheet feeder is a portion of the feed roller.

4. The image recording apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising transport rollers configured to nip, at a nip portion therebetween, the sheet fed by the feed roller and transport the sheet to the recording head, wherein the accommodating space is located below the nip portion.

5. The image recording apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a sheet receiver configured to move along the sheet feed direction and receive the sheet discharged by the discharge roller, the sheet receiver defining the discharge space thereabove.

6. The image recording apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the sheet receiver is integral with the second holding portion of the second tray.

7. The image recording apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the feed arm is configured to pivot in response to the second tray moving between the feed position and the non-feed position.

8. The image recording apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the sheet discharge direction is opposite to the sheet feed direction.

9. The image recording apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the feed arm is configured to pivot about a first end thereof and supports the feed roller at a second end thereof, the second end being located downstream of the first end in the sheet feed direction.

10. An image recording apparatus comprising:
a first tray comprising a first holding portion for holding a sheet;
a second tray comprising a second holding portion for holding a sheet and configured to move between a feed position and a non-feed position relative to the first tray, the second holding portion being above the first holding portion and the non-feed position being upstream of the feed position in a sheet feed direction;
a sheet feeder comprising a feed roller configured to feed a sheet in the sheet feed direction selectively from the first tray and the second tray, and a feed arm configured to pivot such that the feed roller moves between a first roller position at which the feed roller is in contact with the first holding portion of the first tray, a second roller position at which the feed roller is in contact with the second holding portion of the second tray at the feed position, and a third roller position separated from the first holding portion and the second holding portion;
a recording head configured to record an image on the sheet fed by the feed roller;
a discharge roller configured to discharge the sheet having the image recorded thereon to a discharge space in a sheet discharge direction; and
a plate disposed above the second holding portion of the second tray at the feed position and defining an accommodating space thereabove, the plate having an opening,
wherein the sheet feeder is configured such that a portion of the feed roller, when at the third roller position, is accommodated in the accommodating space, the accommodating space being located upstream of the discharge space in the sheet discharge direction and at least a portion of the accommodating space overlapping the discharge space when viewed in the sheet discharge direction.

11. The image recording apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the sheet feeder is configured such that the portion of the feed roller enters the accommodating space through the opening when the feed roller moves from the first roller position toward the third roller position.

12. The image recording apparatus according to claim 10 , further comprising transport rollers configured to nip, at a nip portion therebetween, the sheet fed by the feed roller and transport the sheet to the recording head, wherein the accommodating space is located below the nip portion.

13. The image recording apparatus according to claim 10 , further comprising a sheet receiver configured to move along the sheet feed direction and receive the sheet discharged by the discharge roller, the sheet receiver defining the discharge space thereabove.

14. The image recording apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein the sheet receiver is integral with the second holding portion of the second tray.

15. The image recording apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the feed arm is configured to pivot in response to the second tray moving between the feed position and the non-feed position.

16. The image recording apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the sheet discharge direction is opposite to the sheet feed direction.

17. The image recording apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the feed arm is configured to pivot about a first end thereof and supports the feed roller at a second end thereof, the second end being located downstream of the first end in the sheet feed direction.

Assignees

• Brother Ind Ltd

Inventors

• Shiohara Yukio
• Asada Tetsuo
• Koga Yuji

Classifications

• G06K15/102

  using ink jet print heads · CPC title

• B65H2301/422548

  filling or loading process · CPC title

• B65H2601/322

  Replenishing · CPC title

• H04N1/0057

  Conveying sheets before or after scanning (arrangements for conveying sheets as part of the scanning operation H04N1/04 and subgroups) · CPC title

• H04N1/00623

  Selectively inputting media from one of a plurality of input sources, e.g. input trays · CPC title