US20070075476A1 - Sheet feeder including a plurality of paper cassettes - Google Patents
Sheet feeder including a plurality of paper cassettes Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- US20070075476A1 US20070075476A1 US11/536,824 US53682406A US2007075476A1 US 20070075476 A1 US20070075476 A1 US 20070075476A1 US 53682406 A US53682406 A US 53682406A US 2007075476 A1 US2007075476 A1 US 2007075476A1
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- United States
- Prior art keywords
- sheet
- cassette
- recording medium
- feeding cassette
- accommodating section
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Abandoned
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Classifications
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
- B65H1/00—Supports or magazines for piles from which articles are to be separated
- B65H1/28—Supports or magazines for piles from which articles are to be separated compartmented to receive piles side-by-side
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
- B65H2405/00—Parts for holding the handled material
- B65H2405/30—Other features of supports for sheets
- B65H2405/33—Compartmented support
- B65H2405/332—Superposed compartments
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
- B65H2601/00—Problem to be solved or advantage achieved
- B65H2601/30—Facilitating or easing
- B65H2601/32—Facilitating or easing entities relating to handling machine
- B65H2601/322—Replenishing
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- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
- Sheets, Magazines, And Separation Thereof (AREA)
Abstract
A sheet feeder includes a first sheet-feeding cassette capable of accommodating a stack of recording medium and a second sheet-feeding cassette capable of accommodating a stack of recording medium smaller than the recording medium accommodated in the first sheet-feeding cassette. The second sheet-feeding cassette is disposed on the first sheet-feeding cassette so as to be movable with respect to the first sheet-feeding cassette. The second sheet-feeding cassette includes a first accommodating section and a second accommodating section. The second accommodating section is displaceable relative to the first accommodating section between a closed position and an open position. The second accommodating section exposes an accommodating section of the first sheet-feeding cassette wider in the open position than in the closed position.
Description
- This application claims priority from Japanese Patent Application No. 2005-286389 filed Sep. 30, 2005. The entire content of the priority application is incorporated herein by reference.
- The disclosure relates to a sheet feeder capable of feeding recording medium one sheet at a time selectively from a first sheet-feeding cassette and a second sheet-feeding cassette disposed on the first sheet-feeding cassette to be capable of advancing and retracting while the second sheet-feeding cassette accommodating the recording medium. The disclosure also relates to an image-forming device including such a sheet feeder.
- Conventional image-forming devices, such as various printers and facsimile machines, generally include a sheet-feeding cassette accommodating a stack of sheets of paper or other recording medium, and the paper is fed to a recording unit one sheet at a time to be formed with images thereon. In order to form images on different types of sheets, a plurality of sheet-feeding cassettes for respective types of sheets may be attached to a main body of the image-forming device.
- For example, in Japanese Patent-Application Publication No. HEI-11-599925, a flat plate-shaped second sheet-feeding cassette can be detachably disposed on a substantially box-shaped first sheet-feeding cassette so as to accommodate smaller sheets than those in the first sheet-feeding cassette therein. In this configuration, larger sheets can be accommodated in the first sheet-feeding cassette, and smaller sheets can be accommodated in the second sheet-feeding cassette. Only the first sheet-feeding cassette is attached to a main body of the image-forming device when the sheets in the first sheet-feeding cassette are to be used, and the first sheet-feeding cassette is attached to the main body of the image-forming device while the second sheet-feeding cassette is mounted on a sheet mounting surface of the first sheet-feeding cassette when the sheets in the second sheet-feeding cassette are to be used.
- However, in this configuration, since the second sheet-feeding cassette is mounted on the sheet mounting surface of the first sheet-feeding cassette, the second sheet-feeding cassette must be detached each time the first sheet-feeding cassette is used after the second sheet-feeding cassette was used, and the second sheet-feeding cassette must be mounted each time the second sheet-feeding cassette is used after the first sheet-feeding cassette was used. In other words, the sheets in the first sheet-feeding cassette cannot be fed in the state where the second sheet-feeding cassette is mounted on the first sheet-feeding cassette. For example, a user may wish to perform trial print for confirming the position of an image and the state of color by forming the image on ordinary paper stored in the first sheet-feeding cassette prior to formally forming the image on a postcard accommodated in the second sheet-feeding cassette. In this case, the user needs to detach the second sheet-feeding cassette from the first sheet-feeding cassette for the trial print. Thus, although the two sheet-feeding cassettes can be attached to the main body of the image-forming device, the sheet (sheet-feeding cassette) to be used needs to be replaced each time. The procedure to form images therefore becomes complicated.
- Also, it is necessary to detach the second sheet-feeding cassette and to place the same at a separate position if only the first sheet-feeding cassette is used for a long time. Thus, a storage place is needed for the second sheet-feeding cassette, and there is a danger that the detached second sheet-feeding cassette is lost. Furthermore, since the second sheet-feeding cassette is detachably mounted on the first sheet-feeding cassette, an operation of correctly positioning the second sheet-feeding cassette on the first sheet-feeding cassette is complicated.
- A first sheet-feeding cassette and a second sheet-feeding cassette disclosed in Japanese Patent-Application Publication No. HEI-11-314773 are stacked one on the other with a partition wall interposed therebetween, and are attached to a main body of an image-forming device. The first and second sheet-feeding cassettes are both shaped like a box and have the same configuration. Only sheets in an upper one of the first and second sheet-feeding cassettes contact a sheet feeding roller. In this configuration, the first and second sheet-feeding cassettes are attached to the main body such that the first sheet-feeding cassette is disposed on top of the second sheet-feeding cassette when sheets in the first sheet-feeding cassette are used, and the second sheet-feeding cassette is disposed on top of the first sheet-feeding cassette when sheets in the second sheet-feeding cassette are used. These stacked sheet-feeding cassettes are coupled to each other with a hinge having a center shaft on one side of a stack surface. By pivoting the first or second sheet-feeding cassette about the hinge to open to the outside, sheets can be supplied to the sheet supply cassette.
- With this configuration, since the first and second sheet-feeding cassettes are coupled to each other with the hinge, it is unnecessary to position the two sheet-feeding cassettes with respect to each other, and there is no danger that the sheet-feeding cassettes are lost. However, in this configuration, in order to change the sheets to be used, a user needs to first detach the two sheet-feeding cassettes stacked one on the other from the main body of the image-forming device, turn the sheet-feeding cassettes upside down to interchange the vertical positions of the sheet-feeding cassettes, and then reattach the same to the main body. That is, as in Japanese Patent-Application Publication No. HEI-11-599925 described above, the sheet-feeding cassettes need to be detached each time the sheets to be used are changed, complicating operations for forming images.
- In view of the foregoing, it is an object of the invention to overcome the problems and also to provide a sheet feeder and an image-forming device including the sheet feeder having a simple configuration and capable of storing and feeding recording medium of different sizes and improving convenience in switching of the recording medium to be fed and in supplying of recording medium to a sheet-feeding cassette without impairing accuracy of feeding the recording medium.
- In order to attain the above and other objects, the invention provides a sheet feeder including: a first cassette having an accommodating section that is capable of accommodating a stack of first recording medium; a feed roller that feeds the first recording medium one sheet at a time in a feeding direction; and a second cassette disposed on the first cassette above the accommodating section so as to be movable with respect to the first cassette between a first position and a second position downstream of the first position with respect to the feeding direction. The second cassette has a mounting section capable of holding a stack of second recording medium having a size different from a size of the first recording medium. The feed roller contacts the second recording medium held by the second cassette when the second cassette is located at the second position. The mounting section of the second cassette has a first portion and a second portion. The second portion is displaceable relative to the first portion between a closed position and an open position, wherein the second portion exposes the accommodating section wider in the open position than in the closed position. The first portion is capable of engaging with and disengaging from the first cassette.
- There is also provided an image-forming device including: a casing; a recording unit disposed within the casing for forming an image on a recording medium; a cassette detachably attachable to the casing below the recording unit; and a feed roller. The cassette includes a first cassette having an accommodating section that is capable of accommodating a stack of first recording medium, and a second cassette disposed on the first cassette above the accommodating section so as to be movable with respect to the first cassette between a first position and a second position downstream of the first position with respect to a feeding direction. The second cassette has a mounting section capable of holding a stack of second recording medium having a size different from a size of the first recording medium. The feed roller feeds the first recording medium and the second recording medium in the feeding direction toward the recording unit. The feed roller contacts the first recording medium held by the first cassette when the second cassette is located at the first position, and the feed roller contacts the second recording medium held by the second cassette when the second cassette is located at the second position. The mounting section of the second cassette has a first portion and a second portion. The second portion is displaceable relative to the first portion between a closed position and an open position, wherein the second portion exposes the accommodating section wider in the open position than in the closed position. The first portion is capable of engaging with and disengaging from the first cassette.
- Illustrative aspects in accordance with the invention will be described in detail with reference to the following figures wherein:
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FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an image-forming device according to first illustrative aspects of the invention; -
FIG. 2 is a side cross-sectional view of the image-forming device inFIG. 1 ; -
FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the internal structure of the image-forming device inFIG. 1 ; -
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a paper supply mechanism of the image-forming device inFIG. 1 ; -
FIG. 5 (a) is a cross-sectional view of the paper supply mechanism inFIG. 4 with a second sheet-feeding cassette being positioned at a sheet feeding position; -
FIG. 5 (b) is a side cross-sectional view of the paper supply mechanism inFIG. 4 with the second sheet-feeding cassette being positioned at a sheet non-feeding position; -
FIG. 6 is an enlarged side cross-sectional view showing a locked state of the second sheet-feeding cassette with a first sheet-feeding cassette; -
FIG. 7 (a) is a perspective view of the first sheet-feeding cassette and the second sheet-feeding cassette at the sheet feeding position; -
FIG. 7 (b) is a perspective view of the first sheet-feeding cassette and the second sheet-feeding cassette at the sheet non-feeding position; -
FIG. 8 (a) is a perspective view of the first sheet-feeding cassette and the second sheet-feeding cassette at the sheet feeding position with a first accommodating section at an open position; -
FIG. 8 (b) is a perspective view of the first sheet-feeding cassette and the second sheet-feeding cassette at the sheet non-feeding position with the first accommodating section at the open position; -
FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a first sheet-feeding cassette and a second sheet-feeding cassette at a sheet feeding position according to second illustrative aspects of the invention; -
FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the first sheet-feeding cassette and the second sheet-feeding cassette at the sheet feeding position with a first accommodating section at an open position, according to the second illustrative aspects of the invention; -
FIG. 11 (a) is a plan view of the first sheet-feeding cassette and the second sheet-feeding cassette at the sheet feeding position with the first accommodating section at the open position, according to the second illustrative aspects of the invention; and -
FIG. 11 (b) is a side cross-sectional view of the first sheet-feeding cassette and the second sheet-feeding cassette taken along a line XIIb-XIIb inFIG. 11 (a). - Image-forming devices according to some aspects of the invention will be described while referring to the accompanying drawings wherein like parts and components are designated by the same reference numerals to avoid duplicating description.
- First, an image-forming
device 1 according to first illustrative aspects of the invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 8. - The image-forming
device 1, to which the invention is applied, is a multifunction device (MFD) having a printing function, a copying function, a scanning function, and a facsimile function. As shown inFIGS. 1 and 2 , the image-formingdevice 1 includes ahousing 2 made from a synthetic resin injection-molded piece. A first sheet-feedingcassette 3 that accommodates a stack of sheets of paper P is disposed in the bottom section of thehousing 2. The first sheet-feedingcassette 3 can be pulled out of thehousing 2 through adischarge opening 2 a formed in a side of thehousing 2. Note that in the following description, a side on which the discharge opening 2 a is provided is referred to as a front side of the image-formingdevice 1, and a side furthest from the discharge opening 2 a is referred to as a rear side of the image-formingdevice 1. - A second sheet-feeding
cassette 30 is disposed on the top of the first sheet-feedingcassette 3 so as to be capable of advancing and retracting in a front-to-rear direction X. - An
image reader 12 for reading images on an original in copying and facsimile functions is disposed on top of thehousing 2. Theimage reader 12 is pivotable upward and downward about a shaft (not shown) disposed at a widthwise end of thehousing 2. The top surface of theimage reader 12 is covered by adocument cover 13. A rear edge of thedocument cover 13 is attached to the rear edge of theimage reader 12 byhinges 12 a (FIG. 2 ) so that thedocument cover 13 can pivot upward and downward about thehinges 12 a. - An
operation panel 14 is disposed on the top of thehousing 2 frontward of theimage reader 12. Theoperation panel 14 includes various operation buttons, a liquid crystal display, and the like. As shown inFIG. 2 , aglass plate 16 is disposed on the top surface of theimage reader 12. An original can be mounted on theglass plate 16 by pivoting thedocument cover 13 upward. A contact image sensor (CIS) 17 is disposed beneath theglass plate 16 for reading images on originals so as to be reciprocatingly movable along aguide shaft 17 a extending in a widthwise direction Y (FIG. 1 ) perpendicular to the sheet surface ofFIG. 2 . - The image-forming
device 1 further includes arecoding unit 7 and adischarge tray 10 shown inFIG. 2 and anink storage section 15 shown inFIG. 3 which is disposed on one side of thedischarge tray 10. Therecoding unit 7, thedischarge tray 10, and theink storage section 15 are disposed within an area projected by theimage reader 12 and theoperation panel 14 in a plan view. - As shown in
FIG. 2 , the sheet of paper P are conveyed one sheet at a time within thehousing 2 along a paper conveying direction A. More specifically, the sheet of paper P is first conveyed within thehousing 2 from the front toward the rear, reversed by aU-turn path 9 located at a rear end of thehousing 2 to be conveyed frontward, and then discharged through the discharge opening 2 a. - A
main frame 21 in an open-top box-shape is disposed within thehousing 2. Plate-shaped first andsecond guide members FIG. 3 are supported on a pair of left and right plates (not shown) of themain frame 21 so as to extend in the widthwise direction Y. Thesecond guide member 23 is disposed on the downstream side of thefirst guide member 22 in the paper conveying direction A. - The
recoding unit 7 includes a recording head 4 (FIG. 2 ) and acarriage 5. Therecording head 4 is an inkjet-type recording head and is mounted on thecarriage 5. Although not shown in the drawings, therecording head 4 has a nozzle surface facing downward. The nozzle surface is formed with nozzles through which ink droplets are ejected. Thecarriage 5 mounting therecording head 4 is slideably supported on the first andsecond guide plates - A
timing belt 24 for reciprocatingly moving thecarriage 5 is disposed on the top surface of thesecond guide member 23 so as to extend in the main scanning direction Y, and is wound around a pulley 24 a. Acarriage motor 25 is fixed on the bottom surface of thesecond guide member 23 for driving thetiming belt 24. According to the first illustrative aspects, a DC motor is used as thecarriage motor 25, but a stepping motor or other types of motors may be used instead. An endless encoder strip (not shown) is disposed on thesecond guide member 23 for detecting a position of thecarriage 5 in the main scanning direction Y. The encoder strip extends in the main scanning direction Y and has a vertically-extending detection surface in which slits are formed at fixed intervals in the main scanning direction Y. - As shown in
FIG. 2 , aplaten 26 is fixed at a position above abottom plate 21 b of themain frame 21 and between the first andsecond guide members FIG. 3 . Theplaten 26 has a flat shape extending in the main scanning direction Y and opposes the nozzle surface of therecording head 4. - As shown in
FIGS. 2 and 3 , apartitioning plate 29 made of compound resin is integrally formed with thehousing 2. Thepartitioning plate 29 is positioned above thedischarge tray 10 and extends from the bottom surface of thesecond guide member 23 to the discharge opening 2 a at the front side of thehousing 2. Thepartitioning plate 29 has substantially the same height as thebottom plate 21 b of themain frame 21. - As shown in
FIG. 3 , theink storage section 15 accommodates ink cartridges 19 (19 a through 19 d) for color printing in an alignment in the front-to-rear direction X. Theink storage section 15 is open on the top so that the ink cartridges 19 can be mounted on and dismounted from theink storage section 15 from the open top side. Each ink cartridge 19 stores ink of one of four colors black (Bk), cyan (C), magenta (M) and yellow (Y). Each of the ink cartridges 19 has a substantially rectangular box-shape with a small cross-sectional area in a plan view and a high height. - The ink stored in the ink cartridges 19 is supplied to the
recording head 4 via foursupply tubes 20. It should be noted that if ink of more than four colors (e.g., six, seven, or eight colors) is used for the color printing, then the numbers of the ink cartridges 19 and theink supply tubes 20 may be increased in proportion to the number of ink colors. - As shown in
FIG. 3 , theink supply tubes 20 are bundled near an end of theink storage section 15 and extend along the surface of thepartitioning plate 29 in the widthwise direction Y from the left side to the right side thereof. The bundled sections of theink supply tubes 20 are aligned in a horizontal direction along the horizontal flat top surface of thepartitioning plate 29. At least a portion (middle section, for example) of theink supply tubes 20 is supported on the upper surface of thepartitioning plate 29. - Although not shown in the drawings, the
recoding unit 7 includes an ink receiving portion and a maintenance unit disposed one on either side of the paper conveying path, that is, outside the width of the sheet of paper P to be conveyed. During printing operation, therecording head 4 regularly performs a flushing operation for ejecting ink in order to prevent the nozzles from being clogged, at a flushing position opposing the ink receiving portion. Ink ejected through the flushing operation is received at the ink receiving portion. The maintenance unit selectively draws ink of each color while a cap is covering over the nozzle surface of therecording head 4 from below when thecarriage 5 is at a standby position. The maintenance unit also performs a recovering operation for removing air bubbles contained in a buffer tank (not shown) of therecording head 4. Further, a cleaning operation is performed for wiping the nozzle surface of therecording head 4 by a cleaner (wiper blade) as thecarriage 5 moves in the widthwise direction Y toward the maintenance unit. - As shown in
FIG. 3 , a flexibleflat cable 40 connects a controller (not shown) disposed on thehousing 2 to therecording head 4 for transmitting various instruction signals from the controller to therecording head 4. In response to the instruction signals, ink droplets are selectively ejected from therecording head 4 through the nozzles. The flexibleflat cable 40 is disposed in an area where unbundled and unrestrained sections of theink supply tubes 20 move in accordance with the reciprocal movement of thecarriage 5 in the main scanning direction Y, and extends substantially in parallel with theink supply tubes 20. - A protruding direction of intermediate curved portion of the
ink supply tubes 20 is set to be opposite to a protruding direction of an intermediate curved portion of the flexibleflat cable 40 with respect to a reciprocating direction of thecarriage 5. With this configuration, theink supply tubes 20 and the flexibleflat cable 40 can be arranged at the substantially same height in the vertical direction (on the substantially same horizontal plane), thereby making the entire image-formingdevice 1 thinner. - As shown in
FIG. 2 , a pair ofregistration rollers 27 is disposed on the upstream side of theplaten 26 in the paper conveying direction A for conveying the sheet of paper P to a position below therecording head 4. Adischarge roller 28 is disposed on the downstream side of theplaten 26 in the paper conveying direction A for discharging the sheet of paper P onto thedischarge tray 10 after images have been formed on the paper P. - The image-forming
device 1 further includes a paper supplying mechanism for supplying sheets of paper P. The paper supplying mechanism includes asheet supply unit 6, the first sheet-feedingcassette 3, and the second sheet-feedingcassette 30. - As shown in
FIGS. 4 and 5 (a), thesheet supply unit 6 includes asheet supply arm 6 a, asheet supply roller 6 b, agear mechanism 6 c, adrive shaft 6 d, and acam follower member 43. Thesheet supply arm 6 a is pivotable upward and downward about the front end thereof. Thesheet supply roller 6 b is rotatably supported at the rear end of thesheet supply arm 6 a. Although not shown in the drawings, thedrive shaft 6 d is rotatably supported on the side plates of themain frame 21 and a pair of shaft support plates by being inserted into bearings formed therein. Tip ends of thedrive shaft 6 d are inserted through the front section of thesheet supply arm 6 a so as to protrude from thesheet supply arm 6 a in the widthwise direction Y. Thegear mechanism 6 c is disposed inside thesheet supply arm 6 a. Driving force generated by rotation of thedrive shaft 6 d is transmitted to thesheet supply roller 6 b via thegear mechanism 6 c, thereby rotating thesheet supply roller 6 b in one direction, which is a counterclockwise direction inFIG. 2 and a clockwise direction inFIG. 4 . An urging member (not shown), such as a torsion spring, constantly biases the rear end of thesheet supply arm 6 a downward. - The first sheet-feeding
cassette 3 and the second sheet-feedingcassette 30 can be inserted or removed through the discharge opening 2 a of thehousing 2 as a unit. As shown inFIG. 5 (a), the first sheet-feedingcassette 3 has anaccommodating section 3 b capable of accommodating a stack of a large number of sheets of paper P. The second sheet-feedingcassette 30 is disposed on theaccommodating section 3 b of the first sheet-feedingcassette 3 so as to be capable of advancing and retracting with respect to the first sheet-feedingcassette 3 between a sheet feeding position shown inFIG. 5 (a) and a sheet non-feeding position shown inFIG. 5 (b). The second sheet-feedingcassette 30 serves to accommodate a stack of sheets of paper P1 (FIG. 6 ) which are smaller than the sheets of paper P in the first sheet-feedingcassette 3. - The
accommodating section 3 b of the first sheet-feedingcassette 3 accommodates a stack of sheets of paper P of a large size, such as A4 size, letter size, or legal size, such that short sides of the paper P extend in the main scanning direction Y. A maximum number of the sheets of paper P that can be accommodated in theaccommodating section 3 b is about 100 with approximately 10 mm in height in the case of standard paper. As shown inFIG. 5 (a), adepressed portion 3 d is formed in theaccommodating section 3 b at the front section thereof. Anauxiliary support member 3 a shown inFIG. 1 is provided so as to be movable in the front-to-rear direction (sub-scanning direction) X. Theauxiliary support member 3 a is for supporting a trailing portion of long sheets of paper P of legal size or the like. Theauxiliary support member 3 a can be pulled out to the front of thehousing 2 as shown inFIG. 1 . By moving theauxiliary support member 3 a toward the rear, theauxiliary support member 3 a is accommodated in thedepressed portion 3 d. - When the auxiliary supporting
member 3 a is accommodated in thedepressed portion 3 d, the length of the first sheet-feedingcassette 3 in the front-to-rear direction X is almost the same as the sum of the lengths of theimage reader 12 and theoperation panel 14 in the front-to-rear direction X. Thus, since the image-formingdevice 1 is a rectangular parallelepiped having a substantially square plane in a plan view, packing is facilitated at the time of shipping, and a box for packing can be made compact. - As shown in
FIG. 7 (a), ahandle 3 f is formed at a front end of the auxiliary supportingmember 3 a so that an operator is easy to put his/her fingers thereon when inserting or removing the first and second sheet-feedingcassettes housing 2. - A pair of left and right
side guide members accommodating section 3 b for guiding side edges of the paper P parallel to the paper conveying direction A and for positioning the paper P. Theside guide members side guide members cassette 3, such that a center line of the first sheet-feedingcassette 3 in the main scanning direction Y is aligned with a center line of the paper P in the width direction Y. - As shown in
FIG. 2 , a main inclined separatingplate 8 is detachably provided at a rear end of the first sheet-feedingcassette 3. A serratedelastic separating pad 8 a formed of a metal leaf spring is provided at the center in the width direction Y of an inner side surface of the main inclined separatingplate 8. Thesheet supply roller 6 b of thesheet supply unit 6 and theelastic separating pad 8 a together separate and convey the paper P or P1 on the first or second sheet-feedingcassette recording unit 7 provided above the sheet-feedingcassettes U-turn path 9. Then, the paper P, P1 formed with images at therecording unit 7 is discharged to thedischarge tray 10 connected to the discharge opening 2 a with a recorded surface facing upward. - As shown in
FIG. 7 (b), the inner side surface of the main inclined separatingplate 8 is a convex surface that warps rearward toward both ends from a central part in the width direction Y such that the central part locates at the foremost position. Thus, the leading end of the fed paper P or P1 comes into sliding contact with theelastic separating pad 8 a at a central section in the width direction Y before sections at both ends come into contact with the surface of the main inclined separatingplate 8. Accordingly, the sheets of paper P, P1 can be certainly separated one at a time. Although not shown in the drawings, freely-rotatable columns are disposed on right and left sides of theelastic separating pad 8 a and in the vicinity of an upper end of the main inclined separatingplate 8 for smoothly guiding the paper P, P1 toward theU-turn path 9. - The second sheet-feeding
cassette 30 has aaccommodating section 30 a and left andright side plates 30 c. Theaccommodating section 30 a is for accommodating the sheets of paper P1. Theside plates 30 c extend in the paper conveying direction A. - The
accommodating section 30 a is capable of accommodating a stack of sheets of paper P1 (FIG. 6 ) smaller than the paper P accommodated in the first sheet-feedingcassette 3. The paper P may be postcards, L-sized photo paper, or the like. The paper P1 differs from the paper P in size, but may also differ in type. For example, the paper P1 may be inkjet-printer-ready paper, gloss photo paper, or the like. - The
accommodating section 30 a is formed narrower than the first sheet-feedingcassette 3 in the width direction Y and disposed at the center of the first sheet-feedingcassette 3 in the width direction Y. Thus, upper surfaces of theside guide members first feeding cassette 3 are exposed without completely being covered with the second sheet-feedingcassette 30. Accordingly, the operator can easily reach theside guide members cassette 3 without removing the second sheet-feedingcassette 30, so that the paper P in the first sheet-feedingcassette 3 can be positioned easily. - The
accommodating section 30 a has a firstaccommodating section 50 which is not displaced when paper P is supplied to the first sheet-feedingcassette 3 and a secondaccommodating section 51 which is displaced relative to the firstaccommodating section 50 when the paper P are supplied to the first sheet-feedingcassette 3. The firstaccommodating section 50 is disposed at a downstream section of theaccommodating section 30 a in the paper conveying direction A and formed integrally with the left andright side plates 30 c.Hinges 52 having respective shafts (not shown) extending in the width direction Y are disposed at the upstream ends of theside plates 30 c in the paper conveying direction A, such that thehinges 52 are located upstream of the firstaccommodating section 50 with respect to the paper conveying direction A. The secondaccommodating section 51 is pivotably attached to the firstaccommodating section 50 via the hinges 52. - Specifically, the second
accommodating section 51 is displaceable about thehinges 52 between a closed position (FIG. 7 (a),FIG. 7 (b)) to cover theaccommodating section 3 b of the first sheet-feedingcassette 3 from above and an open position (FIG. 8 (a),FIG. 8 (b)) to open at least a part of theaccommodating section 3 b. In other words, the secondaccommodating section 51 exposes theaccommodating section 3 b wider when in the open position than in the closed position. - In order to supply paper P to the first sheet-feeding
cassette 3, the first sheet-feedingcassette 3 together with the second sheet-feedingcassette 30 are removed from thehousing 2. At this time, the second sheet-feedingcassette 30 is located at either the sheet feeding position (FIG. 7 (a)) or the sheet non-feeding position (FIG. 7 (b)). In either case, the secondaccommodating section 51 can pivot such that an upstream end of the secondaccommodating section 51 in the paper conveying direction A moves upward (FIG. 8 (a) andFIG. 8 (b)). Theaccommodating section 3 b of the first sheet-feedingcassette 3 is opened widely on the top by pivoting the secondaccommodating section 51 in this manner, facilitating the supplying of paper P to the first sheet-feedingcassette 3. Especially, since the secondaccommodating section 51 pivots such that the upper surface of theaccommodating section 3 b is opened wider at the upstream side than at the downstream side in the paper conveying direction A, the operation of inserting the paper P from the upstream side in the paper conveying direction A is extremely easy. - Furthermore, the
hinges 52 are provided in the middle of theaccommodating section 30 a in the paper conveying direction A, and the length of the secondaccommodating section 51 in the paper conveying direction A is set shorter than the length of the entireaccommodating section 30 a. Thus, in comparison with the case where the entireaccommodating section 30 a is formed as a first accommodating section (where thehinges 52 are disposed at the downstream end of theaccommodating section 30 a in the paper conveying direction A), when the secondaccommodating section 51 is pivoted upward, a pivotal angle is larger, and thus theaccommodating section 3 b is opened wider. This further facilitates the operation of supplying paper P to theaccommodating section 3 b. - Note that the paper P1 is supported on the first
accommodating section 50 and the secondaccommodating section 51 of theaccommodating section 30 a when the secondaccommodating section 51 is at the closed position shown inFIG. 7 (a). However, when the secondaccommodating section 51 is moved to the open position shown inFIG. 8 (a), the paper P is supported and lifted upward by the secondaccommodating section 51 and thus separated from the firstaccommodating section 50. - As shown in
FIG. 7 (a), left andright guide plates member 53 are disposed to the secondaccommodating section 51 for guiding the sheets of paper P2 mounted on theaccommodating section 30 a so that the paper P2 are aligned parallel to the paper conveying direction A. - The
side plates 30 c are integrally formed withrespective wings 57, each protruding toward theside plate 3 c of the first sheet-feeding cassetdote 3. Thewings 57 are formed so as to slide alongrails 35 provided at theside plates 3 c. With this configuration, while being guided by therails 35, the entire second sheet-feedingcassette 30 is capable of advancing or retracting with respect to the first sheet-feedingcassette 3 between the sheet feeding position shown inFIG. 7 (a) and the sheet non-feeding position shown inFIG. 7 (b) as described above. When the second sheet-feedingcassette 30 is located at the sheet feeding position, the paper P1 in the second sheet-feedingcassette 30 is used for printing, and when the second sheet-feedingcassette 30 is located at the sheet non-feeding position, the paper P in the first sheet-feedingcassette 3 is used for printing. - Although not shown in the drawings, the
wings 57 are provided with retaining members that prevents thewings 57 from slipping out of therails 35. In this manner, the second sheet-feedingcassette 30 is prevented from slipping out of the first sheet-feedingcassette 3. - A discharged-
sheet receiving section 30 b having the same width as that of the first sheet-feedingcassette 30 is integrally formed with the secondaccommodating section 51 so as to be continuous with the upstream end of the secondaccommodating section 51 in the paper conveying direction A. When images are formed on large-sized paper P supplied from the first sheet-feedingcassette 3 while the second sheet-feedingcassette 30 is at the sheet non-feeding position, the discharged-sheet receiving section 30 b reliably receives the paper P discharged out of thehousing 2 without the paper P running off the edge. This eliminates the need to separately provide a discharged-paper receiving member, thereby making overall configuration of the image-forming device simple and compact. - A
handle 30 d is provided at an end of the discharged-sheet receiving section 30 b so that the operator is easy to grasp the discharged-sheet receiving section 30 b. Grabbing thehandle 30 d, the operator can slide the second sheet-feedingcassette 30 between the sheet feeding position and the sheet non-feeding position. Astopper 37 is formed at an upstream end of one of therails 35 in the paper conveying direction A to be higher than therails 35 for preventing the second sheet-feedingcassette 30 from retracting further from the sheet non-feeding position to get out of the first sheet-feedingcassette 3 and for notifying the operator that the second sheet-feedingcassette 30 has reached the sheet non-feeding position. Thus, the second sheet-feedingcassette 30 is prevented from slipping out of the first sheet-feedingcassette 3. - As described above, the second sheet-feeding
cassette 30 is configured to slidingly advance or retract with respect to the first sheet-feedingcassette 3, but is not removed from the first sheet-feedingcassette 3. Thus, the second sheet-feedingcassette 30 can be easily positioned at a proper position relative to the first sheet-feedingcassette 3. Furthermore, since the second sheet-feedingcassette 30 is constantly attached to the first sheet-feedingcassette 3, a separate storage place for the unused second sheet-feedingcassette 30 is unnecessary, and there is no danger of losing the second sheet-feedingcassette 30. - As shown in
FIG. 4 , a pair of lockingpieces 31 shaped like a hook facing upward is provided at the rear end of the firstaccommodating section 50 so as to protrude rearward. The lockingpieces 31 are provided on both sides of theelastic separating pad 8 a at an appropriate interval in the width direction Y. As shown inFIG. 6 , a recessedpart 31 a is formed in a lower surface of each lockingpiece 31. When the second sheet-feedingcassette 30 is inserted as far as the sheet feeding position, the lockingpieces 31 fit intopositioning holes 8 b formed through the main inclined separatingplate 8, and the recessedparts 31 a of the lockingpieces 31 are locked at lower edges of the positioning holes 8 b. In this manner, the second sheet-feedingcassette 30 is held at the sheet feeding position without any rattle. That is, the second sheet-feedingcassette 30 is prevented from displacing in the vertical and width directions and also from slanting, stabilizing the positioning of the second sheet-feedingcassette 30. The engagement between the lockingpieces 31 and the positioning holes 8 b (between the second sheet-feedingcassette 30 and the main inclined separating plate 8) is rapidly released when the second sheet-feedingcassette 30 is retracted to the sheet non-feeding position. - Since the
accommodating section 30 a of the second sheet-feedingcassette 30 is located to confront theelastic separating pad 8 a of the main inclined separatingplate 8 in the paper conveying direction A, thesheet supply roller 6 b and the main inclined separatingplate 8 can commonly be used for separating and feeding both the paper P and P1 accommodated on the first and second sheet-feedingcassette - In association with the advancing and retracting of the first sheet-feeding
cassette 3 and the second sheet-feedingcassette 30, thesheet supply roller 6 b moves upward and downward as follows. - As shown in
FIG. 4 , thecam follower member 43 is formed integrally with thesheet supply arm 6 a and protrudes from thesheet supply arm 6 a in parallel with thedrive shaft 6 d. As shown inFIG. 7 (a), anauxiliary cam portion 44 having sections with different heights is formed on an upper surface of one of theguide members 51 a of the second sheet-feedingcassette 30. Amain cam portion 55 having sections with different heights is formed on an upper surface of one of theside plates 3 c of the first sheet-feedingcassette 3. As shown inFIG. 4 , thecam follower member 43 extends over theauxiliary cam portion 44, and anend 43 a of thecam follower member 43 contacts themain cam portion 55. - When the first sheet-feeding
cassette 3 is inserted into thehousing 2 integrally with the second sheet-feedingcassette 30, theend 43 a of thecam follower member 43 gets onto themain cam portion 55 from the front edge of the one of theside plates 3 c of the first sheet-feedingcassette 3 and is guided on themain cam portion 55 regardless of whether the second sheet-feedingcassette 30 is located at the sheet feeding position or the sheet non-feeding position. - By being guided by the
main cam portion 55, thesheet supply arm 6 a pivots upward to be nearly horizontal so that thesheet supply roller 6 b gets over the main inclined separatingplate 8, and subsequently thesheet supply arm 6 a pivots downward so that thesheet supply roller 6 b comes into contact with the uppermost one of the sheets of paper P1 or P stacked on either the second sheet-feedingcassette 30 or the first sheet-feedingcassette 3. - When the second sheet-feeding
cassette 30 is moved from the sheet non-feeding position to the sheet feeding position while the first sheet-feedingcassette 3 is being at a predetermined position (sheet feeding position) within thehousing 2, thecam follower member 43 contacts and slidingly moves along theauxiliary cam portion 44 of the second sheet-feedingcassette 30, and thesheet supply arm 6 a pivots upward and then downward. As a result, thesheet supply roller 6 b comes into contact with the uppermost sheet of paper P1 in the second sheet-feedingcassette 30. On the contrary, when the second sheet-feedingcassette 30 is moved from the sheet feeding position to the sheet non-feeding position while the first sheet-feedingcassette 3 is being at the predetermined position within thehousing 2, thecam follower member 43 contacts and slidingly moves along theauxiliary cam portion 44, and thesheet supply arm 6 a pivots upward and then downward. Thus, thesheet supply roller 6 b comes into contact with the uppermost sheet of paper P in the first sheet-feedingcassette 3 without knocking down the stack of sheets of paper P1 on the second sheet-feedingcassette 30. - As described above, the
sheet supply roller 6 b contacts the paper P in the first sheet-feedingcassette 3 when the second sheet-feedingcassette 30 is located at the sheet non-feeding position, and thesheet supply roller 6 b contacts the paper P1 in the second sheet-feedingcassette 30 when the second sheet-feedingcassette 30 is located at the sheet feeding position. Note that paper P and P1 is not shown in FIGS. 5(a) and 5(b). - With the above configuration, it is possible to attach the sheet-feeding
cassettes housing 2 while a large number of sheets of paper P are stacked in theaccommodating section 3 b of the first sheet-feedingcassette 3 and a large number of sheets of paper P1 are stacked on theaccommodating section 30 a of the second sheet-feedingcassette 30. If the second sheet-feedingcassette 30 is pushed to the sheet feeding position close to the end of the first sheet-feedingcassette 3 while both the sheet-feedingcassettes housing 2, thesheet supply roller 6 b comes into pressed contact with the uppermost sheet of paper P1 in the second sheet-feedingcassette 30 and becomes capable to feeding the uppermost paper P1. This enables the printing on the paper P1. On the other hand, if the second sheet-feedingcassette 30 is returned to the sheet non-feeding position, then thesheet supply roller 6 b comes into pressed contact with the uppermost sheet of paper P in the first sheet-feedingcassette 3 and becomes capable of feeding the uppermost paper P. This enables the printing on the paper P. That is, the sheet to be formed with images can be changed without performing such complicated operations as removing the sheet-feedingcassettes housing 2 and detaching the sheet-feedingcassette 30 from the sheet-feedingcassette 3. - A pressing force from the
sheet supply roller 6 b is applied to the firstaccommodating section 50 when thesheet supply roller 6 b presses against the paper P1 in the second sheet-feedingcassette 30. Since the firstaccommodating section 50 does not displace, the firstaccommodating section 50 can be formed to have sufficient rigidity so as not to be deformed due to the pressing force from thesheet supply roller 6 b, maintaining the sheet supply performance. Thus, since there is no danger that the firstaccommodating section 50 is deformed due to the pressing force and theaccommodating section 30 a becomes unstable, the paper P1 can be fed with high accuracy without impairing sheet feeding performance. Furthermore, since the lockingpieces 31 are provided at the firstaccommodating section 50 having high rigidity, stability in the engagement between the lockingpieces 31 and the main inclined separatingplate 8 can be improved. However, since the secondaccommodating section 51 merely pivots while supporting the paper P1 and does not require high rigidity as the firstaccommodating section 50 does, the firstaccommodating section 50 can be formed to be light in consideration of displacability thereof. - With the above configuration, the
sheet supply unit 6 is partially accommodated in an internal space of themain frame 21 through anopening 21 c formed in thebottom plate 21 b when thesheet supply unit 6 is pivoted upward as shown inFIG. 2 , and thecam follower member 43 is in contact with or close to a lower surface of thebottom plate 21 b. This configuration allows thesheet supply unit 6 to pivot upward and downward without increasing the distance in the vertical direction between thebottom plate 21 b of themain frame 21 and the second sheet-feedingcassette 30. In other words, the distance in the vertical direction between thebottom plate 21 b and the first sheet-feedingcassette 3 can be short, thereby providing the compact image-formingdevice 1 having a small height. - Next, an image-forming device according to second illustrative aspects of the invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 9 to 11(b). The following description focuses on points of the construction according to the second illustrative aspects that differ from the construction according to the above first illustrative aspects.
- In the second illustrative aspects, as shown in
FIG. 9 andFIG. 11 (a), a secondaccommodating section 151 is configured to be pivotable about thehinges 52 disposed at the downstream end of the second sheet-feedingcassette 30 in the paper conveying direction A. Since the firstaccommodating section 50 is disposed at the downstream side of theaccommodating section 30 a in the paper conveying direction A, anopening 54 through which the firstaccommodating section 50 is exposed to thesheet supply roller 6 b side is formed in the secondaccommodating section 151. Thus, the pressing force from thesheet supply roller 6 b is reliably received at the firstaccommodating section 50 via theopening 54. - With this configuration, as shown in
FIG. 10 andFIG. 11 (b), when the secondaccommodating section 151 pivots to the open position, the paper P1 entirely is supported by the secondaccommodating section 151 and raised to be inclined in a substantial straight direction from the front end to the rear end of the paper P1. For this reason, even when the secondaccommodating section 151 pivots to the open position, there is no danger that the paper P1 is bent or slips out of the secondaccommodating section 151. Thus, the paper P1 is stably supported. - As shown in
FIG. 10 , abase pad 58 is disposed on the firstaccommodating section 50 at a position corresponding to a position at which thesheet supply roller 6 b contacts the paper P1. Thebase pad 58 is formed of such a material as a cork or the like having larger frictional resistance than that of the other areas of the firstaccommodating section 50. Thus, rotation of thesheet supply roller 6 b is reliably transmitted to even a last sheet of the paper P1 in the second sheet-feedingcassette 30. - While the invention has been described in detail with reference to the above aspects thereof, it would be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention.
- For example the
base pad 58 may be provided at the firstaccommodating section 50 of the image-formingdevice 1 according to the first illustrative aspects. - In the above illustrative aspects, the pressing force of the
sheet supply roller 6 b is received at the firstaccommodating section 50. However, the pressing force of thesheet supply roller 6 b may be received at the secondaccommodating section 50, 150 instead.
Claims (15)
1. A sheet feeder comprising:
a first cassette having an accommodating section that is capable of accommodating a stack of first recording medium;
a feed roller that feeds the first recording medium one sheet at a time in a feeding direction; and
a second cassette disposed on the first cassette above the accommodating section so as to be movable with respect to the first cassette between a first position and a second position downstream of the first position with respect to the feeding direction, the second cassette having a mounting section capable of holding a stack of second recording medium having a size different from a size of the first recording medium, wherein
the feed roller contacts the second recording medium held by the second cassette when the second cassette is located at the second position;
the mounting section of the second cassette has a first portion and a second portion, the second portion being displaceable relative to the first portion between a closed position and an open position, wherein the second portion exposes the accommodating section wider in the open position than in the closed position; and
the first portion is capable of engaging with and disengaging from the first cassette.
2. The sheet feeder according to claim 1 , wherein the first portion is disposed at a downstream side of the mounting section in the feeding direction, and the second portion is pivotable about a hinge having a shaft extending in a direction perpendicular to the feeding direction such that a top side of the accommodating section is opened wider on an upstream side than a downstream side with respect to the feeding direction.
3. The sheet feeder according to claim 2 , wherein the hinge is disposed upstream of the first portion in the feeding direction, and the second portion is connected to the first portion via the hinge and is disposed adjacent to an upstream end of the first portion in the feeding direction.
4. The sheet feeder according to claim 2 , wherein the hinge is disposed at a downstream end of the second cassette in the feeding direction, and the second portion is disposed near the feed roller than the first portion and is formed with an opening that allows the first portion to be exposed to a feed roller side.
5. The sheet feeder according to claim 1 , wherein the second cassette has a receiving unit that is integrally formed with the second portion so as to be continuous with an upstream end of the second portion in the feeding direction.
6. The sheet feeder according to claim 1 , wherein the second cassette is attached to the first cassette so as to be slidingly movable in the feeding direction with respect to the first cassette but undetachable from the first cassette.
7. The sheet feeder according to claim 1 , wherein a high-resistance member is disposed on the mounting section at a position corresponding to a contact position with the feed roller, the high-resistance member having a larger frictional resistance than a frictional resistance of other areas of the mounting section.
8. The sheet feeder according to claim 1 , further comprising a mechanism that prevents the second cassette from slidingly moving further upstream than the first position in the feeding direction with respect to the first cassette.
9. The sheet feeder according to claim 1 , further comprising a moving mechanism that moves the feed roller upward and downward in association with the movement of the second cassette in the feeding direction.
10. The sheet feeder according to claim 1 , further comprising a separation pad disposed on the first cassette, the separation pad being capable of contacting the first recording medium and the second recording medium.
11. The sheet feeder according to claim 1 , wherein the first recording medium is larger in size than the second recording medium.
12. The sheet feeder according to claim 1 , wherein the first portion receives a pressing force of the feed roller when the feed roller contacts the second recording medium.
13. An image-forming device comprising:
a casing;
a recording unit disposed within the casing, the recording unit forming an image on a recording medium;
a cassette detachably attachable to the casing below the recording unit, the cassette including:
a first cassette having an accommodating section that is capable of accommodating a stack of first recording medium; and
a second cassette disposed on the first cassette above the accommodating section so as to be movable with respect to the first cassette between a first position and a second position downstream of the first position with respect to a feeding direction, the second cassette having a mounting section capable of holding a stack of second recording medium having a size different from a size of the first recording medium; and
a feed roller that feeds the first recording medium and the second recording medium in the feeding direction toward the recording unit, wherein
the feed roller contacts the first recording medium held by the first cassette when the second cassette is located at the first position;
the feed roller contacts the second recording medium held by the second cassette when the second cassette is located at the second position;
the mounting section of the second cassette has a first portion and a second portion, the second portion being displaceable relative to the first portion between a closed position and an open position, wherein the second portion exposes the accommodating section wider in the open position than in the closed position; and
the first portion is capable of engaging with and disengaging from the first cassette.
14. The image-forming device according to claim 13 , further comprising a moving mechanism that moves the feed roller upward and downward in association with the attachment and detachment of the cassette.
15. The image-forming device according to claim 13 , wherein the first portion receives a pressing force of the feed roller when the feed roller contacts the second recording medium.
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
JP2005286389A JP4277223B2 (en) | 2005-09-30 | 2005-09-30 | Paper feeding device and image recording apparatus having the same |
JP2005286389 | 2005-09-30 |
Publications (1)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
US20070075476A1 true US20070075476A1 (en) | 2007-04-05 |
Family
ID=37564282
Family Applications (2)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
US11/536,634 Active 2027-01-19 US7694951B2 (en) | 2005-09-30 | 2006-09-28 | Sheet feeder including a plurality of paper cassettes |
US11/536,824 Abandoned US20070075476A1 (en) | 2005-09-30 | 2006-09-29 | Sheet feeder including a plurality of paper cassettes |
Family Applications Before (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
US11/536,634 Active 2027-01-19 US7694951B2 (en) | 2005-09-30 | 2006-09-28 | Sheet feeder including a plurality of paper cassettes |
Country Status (4)
Country | Link |
---|---|
US (2) | US7694951B2 (en) |
EP (1) | EP1770034B1 (en) |
JP (1) | JP4277223B2 (en) |
CN (1) | CN1939820B (en) |
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US20060163796A1 (en) * | 2004-03-24 | 2006-07-27 | Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha | Sheet Feed Device and Image Recording Apparatus Having Such Sheet Feed Device |
US20080150217A1 (en) * | 2006-12-26 | 2008-06-26 | Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha | Image recording apparatus |
US20080237977A1 (en) * | 2007-02-28 | 2008-10-02 | Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha | Image Recording Apparatus |
US20110241288A1 (en) * | 2010-03-30 | 2011-10-06 | Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha | Image recording device |
US8439344B2 (en) | 2010-09-30 | 2013-05-14 | Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha | Image recording device |
US20130222504A1 (en) * | 2012-02-28 | 2013-08-29 | Seiko Epson Corporation | Recording apparatus |
US8955960B2 (en) | 2010-09-30 | 2015-02-17 | Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha | Tray unit and image recording device |
US9156637B2 (en) | 2010-09-30 | 2015-10-13 | Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha | Tray unit and image recording device |
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JP4265612B2 (en) | 2006-02-23 | 2009-05-20 | ブラザー工業株式会社 | Image recording device |
JP4285490B2 (en) * | 2006-02-27 | 2009-06-24 | ブラザー工業株式会社 | Image recording device |
JP4386202B2 (en) * | 2007-06-26 | 2009-12-16 | ブラザー工業株式会社 | Paper feeding device and image recording device |
JP4868164B2 (en) * | 2007-09-28 | 2012-02-01 | ブラザー工業株式会社 | Paper feed tray, paper feed device, and image recording apparatus having the same |
JP4816965B2 (en) * | 2007-11-30 | 2011-11-16 | ブラザー工業株式会社 | Paper feeding device and image recording apparatus having the same |
JP5171462B2 (en) * | 2008-07-31 | 2013-03-27 | キヤノン株式会社 | Sheet feeding apparatus and image forming apparatus |
JP4935831B2 (en) * | 2009-01-09 | 2012-05-23 | ブラザー工業株式会社 | Paper cassette |
JP5103492B2 (en) * | 2010-02-24 | 2012-12-19 | 京セラドキュメントソリューションズ株式会社 | Image forming apparatus |
JP5736781B2 (en) | 2011-01-11 | 2015-06-17 | セイコーエプソン株式会社 | Recording device |
JP5696839B2 (en) * | 2011-02-01 | 2015-04-08 | セイコーエプソン株式会社 | Recording device |
JP2013095028A (en) * | 2011-10-31 | 2013-05-20 | Fujitsu Ltd | Printer and program for controlling printing thereof |
JP5835000B2 (en) | 2012-02-27 | 2015-12-24 | セイコーエプソン株式会社 | Recording medium feeding apparatus and recording apparatus |
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JP5924160B2 (en) * | 2012-06-29 | 2016-05-25 | ブラザー工業株式会社 | Feeding device and image recording device |
JP6176440B2 (en) | 2013-03-27 | 2017-08-09 | セイコーエプソン株式会社 | Recording device, medium feeding device |
JP6119399B2 (en) | 2013-04-24 | 2017-04-26 | セイコーエプソン株式会社 | Recording device |
JP6142640B2 (en) | 2013-04-24 | 2017-06-07 | セイコーエプソン株式会社 | Medium storage cassette and recording device |
JP6123456B2 (en) | 2013-04-24 | 2017-05-10 | セイコーエプソン株式会社 | Recording device |
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US4449705A (en) * | 1980-02-18 | 1984-05-22 | Tokyo Shibaura Denki Kabushiki Kaisha | Paper feed device |
US4540297A (en) * | 1983-02-01 | 1985-09-10 | Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha | Paper holding, feeding and inserting apparatus for a printer using different kinds of sheets |
US5120040A (en) * | 1989-11-09 | 1992-06-09 | Dataproducts | Sheet media tray and mechanism for feeding media of two different sizes |
US5346197A (en) * | 1991-07-05 | 1994-09-13 | Asahi Kogaku Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha | Manual recording paper insertion mechanism |
US5737682A (en) * | 1995-10-03 | 1998-04-07 | Ricoh Company, Ltd. | Duplex sheet feeding device for an image forming apparatus |
US6659444B2 (en) * | 2001-02-23 | 2003-12-09 | Canon Kabushiki Kaisha | Sheet feed apparatus, and recording apparatus having sheet feed apparatus |
US6776405B2 (en) * | 2002-05-15 | 2004-08-17 | Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. | Imaging apparatus and methods |
US20040130089A1 (en) * | 2002-12-24 | 2004-07-08 | Canon Kabushiki Kaisha | Sheet feeding apparatus and image reading and recording apparatus provided with the same |
US7290762B2 (en) * | 2004-03-01 | 2007-11-06 | Lexmark International, Inc. | Print media source for an imaging apparatus |
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US20060163796A1 (en) * | 2004-03-24 | 2006-07-27 | Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha | Sheet Feed Device and Image Recording Apparatus Having Such Sheet Feed Device |
US7628392B2 (en) * | 2005-03-30 | 2009-12-08 | Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha | Sheet feed device and image recording apparatus having such sheet feed device |
US20080150217A1 (en) * | 2006-12-26 | 2008-06-26 | Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha | Image recording apparatus |
US7618035B2 (en) * | 2006-12-26 | 2009-11-17 | Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha | Image recording apparatus |
US20130017008A1 (en) * | 2007-02-28 | 2013-01-17 | Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha | Image recording apparatus |
US8020849B2 (en) * | 2007-02-28 | 2011-09-20 | Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha | Image recording apparatus |
US8322702B2 (en) * | 2007-02-28 | 2012-12-04 | Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha | Image recording apparatus |
US20080237977A1 (en) * | 2007-02-28 | 2008-10-02 | Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha | Image Recording Apparatus |
US8474809B2 (en) * | 2007-02-28 | 2013-07-02 | Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha | Image recording apparatus |
US20110241288A1 (en) * | 2010-03-30 | 2011-10-06 | Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha | Image recording device |
US8398068B2 (en) * | 2010-03-30 | 2013-03-19 | Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha | Image recording device |
US8807553B2 (en) | 2010-03-30 | 2014-08-19 | Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha | Image recording device |
US8439344B2 (en) | 2010-09-30 | 2013-05-14 | Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha | Image recording device |
US8955960B2 (en) | 2010-09-30 | 2015-02-17 | Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha | Tray unit and image recording device |
US9156637B2 (en) | 2010-09-30 | 2015-10-13 | Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha | Tray unit and image recording device |
US20130222504A1 (en) * | 2012-02-28 | 2013-08-29 | Seiko Epson Corporation | Recording apparatus |
US9278553B2 (en) * | 2012-02-28 | 2016-03-08 | Seiko Epson Corporation | Recording apparatus with medium receiving tray having recess for storing feeding unit |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
EP1770034A1 (en) | 2007-04-04 |
EP1770034B1 (en) | 2012-03-07 |
JP2007091445A (en) | 2007-04-12 |
US7694951B2 (en) | 2010-04-13 |
US20070075477A1 (en) | 2007-04-05 |
JP4277223B2 (en) | 2009-06-10 |
CN1939820A (en) | 2007-04-04 |
CN1939820B (en) | 2010-06-23 |
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Legal Events
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