JPS6216896B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to an automatic elevating mechanism for a paper feed tray in a multi-stage paper feed device, collation device, etc. that includes a plurality of paper feed trays in the system.

[Prior Art] In the above-mentioned conventional apparatus, the raising and lowering of the paper feed tray for setting the paper stack is generally performed by individual operations each time at the start of work, when replenishing the paper stack, and at the end of the work. , which was sometimes inconvenient. That is, for example, when replenishing a stack of paper, the user approaches the stopped device, lowers the paper feed tray, and
Next, the paper stack must be brought to the apparatus, set on the paper feed tray, the paper feed tray must be raised, and then restarted. However, such troublesome operations are not desirable in modern times where speed and simplicity of work are required, and improvements are needed.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] The present invention has been made based on this viewpoint, and in order to improve the workability of the multistage paper feeding device, collation device, etc., The purpose of the present invention is to provide an automatic lifting/lowering mechanism for a paper feed tray with a simple structure.

[Means for Solving the Problems] The mechanism of the present invention that achieves this is provided with a plurality of paper feed rings, each paper feed ring so as to be movable up and down about an axis, and a spring restoring mechanism. The present invention is provided in an apparatus including a plurality of paper feed trays that force the upper surface of a stack of paper sheets placed thereon to come into contact with each paper feed ring in a biased state.

A shaft is provided on a side of each of the paper feed trays so as to be positioned at least closer to the free end than the elevating axis. On the other hand, a single elevating plate extending vertically is disposed adjacent to the end of each shaft. Receiving portions are formed in portions of the elevating plate corresponding to the end positions of the respective shafts, and the ends of the respective shafts are engaged with the receiving portions.

Furthermore, when the elevating plate is in the lowered position, each receiving portion forcibly presses down the end of each shaft using a braking element at its upper end, thereby restraining each paper feed tray in the lower position. At the same time, when the elevating plate is in the raised position, each receiving portion releases the end of each shaft within the receiving portion, so that each of the paper feed trays is placed under the control of the restoring force of the spring.

Further, each of the paper feed trays is provided with a member that detects the end of the paper on the tray, and the elevating plate is lowered by a signal generated by the detection member when the paper on any of the paper feed trays is finished. , so that it rises in response to a start signal.

[Function] In the automatic elevating mechanism of the paper feed tray according to the present invention having the above configuration, when the paper on any one of the paper feed trays on which the paper is placed is finished due to the progress of paper feeding, When the elevating plate descends, the paper feed trays all move down to the lower position at the same time. When a start signal is issued, the elevating plate rises and the paper feed trays all move up and down at the same time. be under the control of its resilience.

[Embodiment] FIGS. 1 and 2 are perspective views showing one paper feed tray of an embodiment of the mechanism of the present invention in a collating device equipped with a plurality of paper feed trays in a paper feeding state and a non-paper feeding state, respectively. It is a diagram. In the figure, 10 is a paper feed ring, 12 is a paper feed stand, and 20
is an elevating plate. The paper feed ring 10 is supported by a shaft 11 and rotated intermittently by an appropriate method (not shown). The paper feed tray 12 is a fixed auxiliary paper feed tray 13
It is supported on a shaft 14 so as to be able to swing up and down about the shaft 14, that is, to be able to move up and down. A small hole is bored in the vicinity of the position of the paper feed table 12 facing the paper feed ring 10, and from this hole a detection member 15 attached to the back side is inserted to detect the presence or absence of paper on the table 12 and the end of the paper. Actuator 16 protrudes.
Further, on the back side of the paper feed table 12, at a position closer to the free end 12f than the elevating axis 14, there is a groove extending parallel to the axis 14 and outward from the side of the table 12. A shaft 17 is fixedly provided. A housing (not shown) is provided at one end 17e of the shaft 17.
An upwardly extending spring 18 connected to is latched;
The restoring force of the spring 18 applies an upward force to the paper feed table 12 toward the paper feed ring 10 .

The elevating plate 20 is located at the end 17e of the shaft 17.
The end portion 17e of the shaft 17 engages with the spring 18 after passing through the receiving portion 21, ie, the hole, of the elevating plate 20. As shown in detail in FIG. 4, the receiving portion 21 has a guide hole 22 located above it.
The braking element 24 is formed as a long hole continuous with the assembly hole 23 , and a braking element 24 is mounted above the portion 21 , that is, within the guide hole 22 so as to be slidable along the hole 22 .
The braking element 24 is pressed down by a spring 25 connected and fixed to a protrusion 26 at the upper end of the assembly hole 23, and is seated on a boundary step 27 at the lower end of the guide hole 23.

As shown in FIG. 4, the lower end of the lifting plate 20 has a shaft 3
A lever 30 slidably supported by the lever 1 is connected to the lever 30 . The free end of the lever 30 is equipped with a roller 32 which abuts an adjacent eccentric cam 33. The eccentric cam 33 is a known spring clutch 3.
4 to a reduction pulley 36 and a drive pulley 37, and switching between them is performed by turning on and off a solenoid 38 (see FIG. 5). That is, the solenoid 38 is energized and the built-in spring (not shown)
The plunger 39 protrudes outward due to the action of
When the clutch lever 40 is pulled into the solenoid 38, the clutch lever 40 pivots counterclockwise in FIG. 5 about the shaft 41, disengaging the clutch 34 from the stopper 35. As a result, the clutch 34 is connected to the deceleration pulley 3.
6 and an eccentric cam 33 are coaxially fixed together, the power of the drive pulley 37 is transmitted to the eccentric cam 33 via the reduction pulley 36 and the clutch 34, and the cam 33 is
Rotate. However, the energization of the solenoid 38 is set to be cut off instantaneously, so that the cam 3
3, the plunger 39 immediately projects from the inside of the solenoid 38 and brings the tip of the clutch lever 40 into contact with the clutch 34 again. clutch 34
There are two stoppers 35 attached at 180° symmetrical positions, so that the clutch lever 40 that abuts the clutch 34 engages with the other stopper 35 after the eccentric cam 33 has made a half rotation. As a result, the clutch 34 is connected to the reduction pulley 36 and the eccentric cam 33.
The eccentric cam 33 is stopped. That is, by energizing the solenoid 38, the eccentric cam 33 rotates half a turn from the solid line position to the broken line position in FIG. Ru. In addition, 42 in FIG. 4 is a correction spring that supports the weight of the elevating plate 20, and the elevating plate 20 is always connected to the eccentric cam 3.
3, and 43 in the figure is a detection member for confirming the vertical position of the elevating plate 20.

The operation of the automatic elevating mechanism for the paper feed tray having the above configuration will be described below.

First, set the paper stack on the paper feed table and press the start button. When a start signal is generated by this operation, the detection member 43 detects the vertical position of the elevating plate 20, that is, the paper feed tray 1.
2, and only when it is confirmed that it is down, the solenoid 38 is energized.
Therefore, the eccentric cam 32 is displaced from the solid line position in FIG. 4 by half a rotation to the dashed line position in the manner described above, and the spring 4
2, the lifting plate 20 is raised. Therefore, the receiving part 21 of the lifting plate 20 is connected to the braking element 2 at the upper end thereof.
End 1 of the shaft 17 that was forcibly pressed down in step 4
7e into the receptacle 21 to place the paper feed platform 12 under the restoring force of the spring 18. Therefore, paper feed tray 1
2 moves upward by a necessary amount due to the restoring force of the spring, brings the upper surface of the stack of sheets placed thereon into contact with the paper feed ring 10 in a biased state, and starts feeding the paper. In addition, if the collating device is equipped with a plurality of paper feed trays, the paper feed tray 12 on which no paper bundle is set will also move upward and come into contact with the paper feed ring 10, as shown in FIG. In this case, the detection member 15 detects that there is no paper from the beginning of the raising of the paper feed table 12 and does not rotate the paper feed ring 10.

When all the sheets on the paper feed tray 12 are fed out, the actuator 16 of the detection member 15 becomes free and protrudes, and the detection member 15 detects the end of the sheets on the tray 12. Therefore, the paper feed ring 10 stops rotating, and the paper end signal generated by the detection member 15 at this time is transmitted to the solenoid 38 as a lowering signal for the paper feed table 12. Similarly, another stop signal of the apparatus is also transmitted to the solenoid 38 as a lowering signal for the paper feed table 12. When the solenoid 38 is energized by these lowering signals, the eccentric cam 32 makes a half turn from the broken line position in FIG. 4 to the solid line position in the manner described above, and lowers the elevating plate 20. Therefore, the receiving part 21 of the elevating plate 20 is controlled by the braking element 24 at the upper end of the receiving part 21 of the shaft 17.
is forcibly pressed down to move the paper feed tray 12 down and restrain it at the lowest position, that is, the lower position. At this time, if the paper feed table 12 does not descend for some reason, the braking element 24 slides along the guide hole 22 while compressing the spring 25 at the upper part due to the stress received from the shaft end 17e, and prevent excessive load from being applied to the

In the above embodiment, the vertical position of the lifting plate 20 is detected by the detection member 43, and the solenoid 38 is energized only when the lifting plate 20 is lowered at the time of starting, etc., thereby preventing malfunction. However, if driving sources for vertical movement of the elevating plate 20 are provided separately for the upper and lower sides, the detection member 43 becomes unnecessary. There are various types of means for vertically driving the elevating plate 20, and for example, the design can be changed as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7. In the example shown in FIG. 6, the elevating plate 20
is pulled downward by a spring 42a, and is driven up and down via a lever 30a by the operation of an eccentric cam 33a connected to a drive source in the same manner as in the above embodiment. In addition, in the example shown in FIG.
0 is pulled downward by a spring 42a as in the example shown in FIG. 6, and is driven up and down by the operation of a solenoid 44. In this example, the elevator plate 2
0 is driven by energization and de-energization of the solenoid 44, so the detection member 43 for preventing malfunction is no longer necessary.

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, according to the automatic elevating mechanism of the paper feed tray of the present invention, the operation of each paper feed tray is automatically linked to the operation and the detection signal, so that the paper feed device, The operability and operability of collating devices and the like can be significantly improved. Furthermore, according to the automatic lifting mechanism of the paper feed tray of the present invention, in addition to improved operability and operability, the structure is simple and multiple lifting plates are provided with respective receiving portions and extend vertically. It is possible to provide this type of mechanism suitable for a multi-stage collation device equipped with a paper feed tray.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing a part of the mechanism of the present invention in a paper feeding state, Fig. 2 is an oblique view showing a part of the mechanism in a non-paper feeding state, and Fig. 3 is an oblique view showing the back side of the paper feeding tray. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing details of the elevating plate, FIG. 5 is a diagram showing details of the driving unit of the elevating plate, and FIGS. 6 and 7 are views showing modified examples of the driving means of the elevating plate. . 10...Paper feed ring, 12...Paper feed stand, 15...
...Detection member, 17...Shaft, 18...Spring,
20... Lifting plate, 21... Receiving portion, 24... Braking element, 25... Spring, 30... Lever, 33...
Eccentric cam, 34...Clutch, 36...Deceleration pulley, 37...Drive pulley, 38...Solenoid,
40...Clutch lever, 43...Detection member.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A plurality of paper feed rings 10, each of which is provided so as to be movable up and down about a shaft 14,
In an apparatus including a plurality of paper feed trays 12 in which the upper surface of the stack of sheets placed thereon is urged into contact with each paper feed ring by the restoring force of a spring 18, a side portion of each of the paper feed trays is provided. , while the shaft 17 is extended so as to be located at least on the free end side of the elevating axis, a single elevating plate 20 is provided adjacent to the end of each shaft and extending vertically, A receiving portion 21 is formed in a portion of this elevating plate corresponding to the end position of each shaft, and the end portion of each shaft is engaged with the receiving portion 21. In this case, each receiving portion forcibly presses down the end of each shaft by the braking element 24 at its upper end to restrain the paper feed table in the lower position, and when the elevating plate is in the raised position, each receiving portion releases the end of each shaft therein so that each of the paper feed trays is subject to the restoring force of the spring, and further applies a signal to each of the paper feed trays to detect the end of the paper on the tray. A member 15 is provided, and the elevating plate is lowered in response to a signal generated by the detection member when paper on any of the paper feed trays is finished, and raised in response to a start signal. Automatic lifting mechanism for paper table.