Sheet supplying device, sheet storing device, sheet using apparatus, and liquid discharging apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9889999-B2
Application number	US-201615296399-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 18, 2016
Priority date	Nov 16, 2015
Publication date	Feb 13, 2018
Grant date	Feb 13, 2018

Abstract

A sheet supplying device is provided. The sheet supplying device includes a separator to separate sheets one by one. The separator includes a separation pad, a spring, and a separation pressure adjuster. The separation pad contacts each of the sheets. The spring applies a separation pressure to the separation pad. The separation pressure adjuster adjusts the separation pressure to one of separation pressure values variable in multiple steps.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A sheet supplying device comprising:
a separator to separate sheets one by one, including:
a separation pad to contact each of the sheets;
a spring to apply a separation pressure to the separation pad; and
a separation pressure adjuster to adjust the separation pressure to one of separation pressure values variable in multiple steps,

wherein the separation pressure adjuster includes a pivoting member to pivot controllably about a shaft part and thereby place the separation pressure adjuster in any of multiples positions to vary the separation pressure to the respective separation pressure values.

2. The sheet supplying device of claim 1 , wherein the separation pressure adjuster includes a spring holder to hold the spring,
wherein a mounting posture of the spring holder is switchable among multiple mounting postures to vary the separation pressure.

3. The sheet supplying device of claim 2 , wherein the spring holder includes a posture regulator to regulate an initial mounting posture of the spring holder,
wherein the posture regulator is removable to change the mounting posture of the spring holder.

4. The sheet supplying device of claim 1 , wherein the separation pressure adjuster includes:
a spring holder to hold the spring; and
a holder receiver having holding parts to hold the spring holder at positions different in height.

5. The sheet supplying device of claim 4 , wherein the separation pressure adjuster further includes:
a fall preventer to prevent the spring holder from falling from the holder receiver.

6. A sheet storing device comprising:
a container to contain sheets; and
a separator to separate the sheets contained in the container one by one, including:
a separation pad to contact each of the sheets;
a spring to apply a separation pressure to the separation pad; and
a separation pressure adjuster to adjust the separation pressure to one of separation pressure values variable in multiple steps,

wherein the separation pressure adjuster includes a pivoting member to pivot controllably about a shaft part and thereby place the separation pressure adjuster in any of multiples positions to vary the separation pressure to the respective separation pressure values.

7. The sheet storing device of claim 6 , wherein the separation pressure adjuster includes a spring holder to hold the spring,
wherein a mounting posture of the spring holder is switchable among multiple mounting postures to vary the separation pressure.

8. The sheet storing device of claim 6 , wherein the separation pressure adjuster includes a releaser to release the separation pressure,
wherein the container is detachable from the sheet storing device, and the releaser releases the separation pressure when the container is detached from the sheet storing device.

9. The sheet storing device of claim 6 , wherein the separation pressure adjuster includes:
a spring holder being rotatable in a storing direction of the sheets, to hold the spring, the spring holder having a lever part to be pressed by the container being detachable from the sheet storing device; and
an adjuster being rotatable in a direction perpendicular to the storing direction, attached to the lever part, to vary a distance between the container and the lever part.

10. A sheet using apparatus comprising:
the sheet storing device of claim 6 ; and
a liquid discharger to discharge a liquid on the sheet to form an image.

11. A liquid discharging apparatus comprising:
the sheet storing device of claim 6 ; and
a liquid discharger to discharge a liquid on the sheet to form an image.

Assignees

• Ueno Satoshi
• Ricoh Co Ltd

Inventors

• Ueno Satoshi

Classifications

• B65H2511/20

  Location in space · CPC title

• B65H2515/34

  Pressure, e.g. fluid pressure · CPC title

• B41J11/007

  Conveyor belts or like feeding devices · CPC title

• B65H7/00

  Controlling article feeding, separating, pile-advancing, or associated apparatus, to take account of incorrect feeding, absence of articles, or presence of faulty articles · CPC title

• B65H3/02 Primary

  using friction forces between articles and separator · CPC title