PAPER TRANSPORT SYSTEM

Abstract: A paper transport system for supplying paper such as manuscripts separately one by one along a paper trans­ port passage through a gap between a paper feed roller (10) and a separation rubber plate (17) pressed by a leaf spring (20) against the paper feed roller. The system is characterized in that, when no papers are set, the leaf spring (20) contacts with the paper feed roller (10) at a line (4) upstream of the contact line (X) between the separation rubber plate (17) and the paper feed roller.

Description: The present invention relates to a paper transport system for a facsimile device, a copying machine, an optical character reading equipment, etc. for use in supplying papers with information thereon or documents for reproducing separately one by one to a reading reproducing block. A conventional paper transport system of the type indicated in the precharacterizing part of claim 1 is disclosed in EP-A-195 348. This system comprises a paper feed roller and a separating roller resiliently biased against the paper feed roller by first spring means. An additional paper feed roller and a paper feed spring biased against said additional paper feed roller are provided in a position upstream of the first-mentioned paper feed roller and the separation roller. Thus, the paper transport system is complicate in construction and not compact in size. The object of the present invention is to provide a paper transport system in which the paper feed spring and the spring means for biasing the separation member are so arranged that a size and cost reduction is attained. This object is achieved with the features indicated in claim 1. In the paper transport system of the present invention, papers such as manuscripts are forwarded one by one from a stack of papers set on the hopper by a rotating paper feed roller which provides the forwarding force as the stack of papers is pressed by a paper feed spring against the paper feed roller. Then, a separation rubber plate pressed against the paper feed roller by a separation springs permits the paper sheets to be separated from one another and be supplied one by one onto a paper transport passage comprising paper guide plates. Each paper thus supplied is transferred to an optical reading device and then discharged. As understood from the above, since the paper transport system of the present invention does not involve another paper feed roller and a separate leaf spring for pressing papers thereagainst, it is possible to attain a compact, lower cost paper transport system. The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description given hereinbelow and the accompanying drawings which are given by way of illustration only, and thus are not limitative of the present invention and wherein: Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view of an embodiment of the paper transport system of the present invention; and Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the essential part of the paper transport system of the present invention. Referring to Fig. 1, a paper transport passage 7 along which to guide papers such as manuscripts comprises a lower paper guide plate 4 and an upper paper guide plate 5. Along the paper travelling direction of the paper transport passage 7 are arranged a paper feed roller 10, paper feed springs 19A which press papers 6 against the paper feed roller 10, a first transport roller 11, a first pinch roller 12 held in pressure contact with the first transport roller 11 by the force of a leaf spring (not shown), a second transport roller 13, and a second pinch roller 14 held in pressure contact with the second transport roller 13 by the force of a leaf spring (not shown). Between the first and second transport rollers 11 and 13 are positioned a contact type image sensor 15 for reading information on each paper 6 and a pressure roller 16 for pressing the paper 6 against the image sensor 15. A separation rubber plate 17 of a high wear resistance is mounted above the paper feed roller 10 with one end fixed on the upper paper guide plate 5 and with the other end kept in contact with the paper feed roller 10, allowing papers 6 to be separated from one another and be forwarded one by one. A leaf spring 20 is overlaid on the upper side of the separation rubber plate 17. The leaf spring 20 has slits to form a separation spring 18 in the center and a pair of the paper feed springs 19A each on both sides of the separation spring 18 as shown in Fig. 2. The separation spring 18 is bent to provide a specified spring pressure under which the separation rubber plate 17 is pressed against the paper feed roller 10. The paper feed springs 19A are bent to provide such a spring pressure as to allow papers 6 to be transmitted smoothly by the paper feed roller 10. The paper feed springs 19A are positoned in the paper flow path in such a manner that they are kept in contact with the paper feed roller 10 at a line Y upstream of the contact line X between the separation rubber plate 17 and the paper feed roller 10 when there is no stack of papers set on the system. Since the paper feed springs 19A press papers 6 against the paper feed roller 10, causing the paper feed roller 10 to provide the forwarding force, it is not necessary to mount an extra forwarding roller and a leaf spring for pressing the papers against the forwarding roller. Therefore, it is possible to make the paper transport system compact and low in production cost. As described above, the paper transport system, which forwards papers such as manuscripts separately one by one along a paper transport passage through the gap between a paper feed roller and a separation rubber plate, is pressed by a leaf spring against the paper feed roller. When no papers are set, the contact line between the leaf springs and the paper feed roller is positoned in the paper transport passage upstream of the contact line between the separation rubber plate and the paper feed roller. Since the forwarding force is provided by the paper feed roller as the stack of papers is pressed by the paper feed springs against the paper feed roller, the paper transport system of the present invention does not require a forwarding roller and a leaf spring for pressing papers against the forwarding roller, resulting in a more compact and lower cost system. While only certain embodiments of the present invention have been described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the scope of the present invention as claimed.

Claims: A paper transport system, comprising: a paper feed roller (10) provided at a paper transport passage (7), a separation member (17) resiliently pressed against the paper feed roller (10) to engage the same at a contact line (X) and paper feed spring means (19A) located in a position in the paper transport passage (7) upstream of said separation member (17), characterized by leaf spring means (20) comprising a central portion (18) for pressing a separation rubber plate (17) forming said separation member against the paper feed roller (10) and lateral portions (19A) which form said paper feed spring means and are so shaped and positioned that, when no stack of papers (6) is set, they are held in contact with said paper feed roller (10) at a line (Y) upstream of said contact line (X) between the separation rubber plate (17) and the paper feed roller. A paper transport system according to claim 1, wherein said leaf spring means (20) is formed by a one-piece leaf spring provided with slits extending in the paper transport direction for separating said central portion (18) from said lateral portions (19A). A paper transport system according to claim 1 or 2, which is applied to a facsimile device. A paper transport system according to claim 1 or 2, which is applied to a copying machine.

Inventors: SHIRAKOSHI, HIROSHI, TANAKA, HIRONORI
Applicants: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Application year: 1988
Main classification: B65H3
IPC codes: B65H3, G03B27