Abstract:
A conveying apparatus has a conveying apparatus main body; and a feeding device including a placement portion that a conveyed material is placed on and a feeding portion that feeds the conveyed material into the conveying apparatus main body, the feeding device being movable between a feedable position and a stored position; and the placement portion and the feeding portion moving relatively to each other between the feedable position and the stored position.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application is based on and claims priority under 35 USC 119 from Japanese Patent Application No. 2006-219786 filed on Aug. 11, 2006. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    1. Technical Field 
         [0003]    The present invention relates to a conveying apparatus having an conveying apparatus main body and a feeding device, and an image forming apparatus which includes the conveying apparatus. 
         [0004]    2. Related Art 
         [0005]    Conventionally, there is known a manual sheet feeding device which includes a tray in which recording media are placed and a conveying portion for feeding recording media placed in the tray piece by piece into an image forming main body. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0006]    According to an aspect of the invention, there is provided a conveying apparatus having a conveying apparatus main body; and a feeding device including a placement portion that a conveyed material is placed on and a feeding portion that feeds the conveyed material into the conveying apparatus main body, the feeding device being movable between a feedable position and a stored position; and the placement portion and the feeding portion moving relatively to each other between the feedable position and the stored position. 
     
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]    Exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail based on the following figures, wherein: 
           [0008]      FIG. 1  depicts a diagram showing an example of an image forming apparatus to which a feeding device of a conveying mechanism of an exemplary embodiment of the invention is applied; 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  is a front view showing a state in which the feeding device according to the first exemplary embodiment is installed in the image forming apparatus shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view showing the feeding device according to the first exemplary embodiment; 
           [0011]      FIG. 4  is a side view showing the feeding device according to the first exemplary embodiment; 
           [0012]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view showing a feeding device according to a second exemplary embodiment; 
           [0013]      FIG. 6  is a side view showing a feeding device according to a third exemplary embodiment, 
       
    
    
       [0014]    wherein A denotes an image forming apparatus;  100  denotes an image forming apparatus main body;  200 ,  300  and  400  denote a feeding device;  210  denotes a placement portion;  220  denotes a feeding portion;  212  denotes a first fulcrum;  222  denotes a second fulcrum;  214  and  218  denote a slide pin;  224  denotes a guide groove;  216  and  226  denote a side guide mechanism;  218   a  denotes a slide pin main body;  218   b  denotes a gear;  224   b  denotes a rack; W denotes a electric wire; TL denotes torque limiter; and P denotes a sheet. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0015]    Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the invention will be described by reference to the accompanying drawings. 
       First Exemplary Embodiment 
       [0016]      FIGS. 1 to 4  are diagrams showing a first exemplary embodiment of a feeding device of a conveying apparatus according to the invention. 
         [0017]      FIG. 1  is a diagram showing an example of an image forming apparatus to which the feeding device of the conveying apparatus of the exemplary embodiment is applied. The image forming apparatus A is made up of an image forming apparatus main body  100  and a recording medium manual feeding device  200 . The image forming apparatus main body  100  has an image input unit  1  for optically reading image information of a document  11  placed on a platen  10  and converting the image information so read into electrical image data by a CCD sensor  12  and an image output unit  2  for forming an image on a sheet P based on the image data transferred from the image input unit  1 , and furthermore, a automatic document feeder  13  for automatically feeding a document  11  on to the platen  10  can be mounted on the image input unit  1 . 
         [0018]    The image output unit  2  forms a recorded image on a sheet P by forming a toner image on a light-sensitive material drum  20  based on the image data transferred from the image input unit  1 , thereafter primarily transferring the toner image on to an endless transfer belt  3  and furthermore secondarily transferring the toner image on the transfer belt  3  on to the sheet P, and the sheet P on to which the toner image has secondarily been transferred is designed to be discharged on to a discharge tray  50  via a fixing unit  4 . 
         [0019]    In addition, the light-sensitive material drum  20  rotates at a predetermined processing speed in a direction indicated by an arrowed line, and arranged on the periphery of the light-sensitive material drum  20  are a charging corotron  21  for uniformly charging a surface of the light-sensitive material drum  20  up to a predetermined background potential, a laser beam scanner  22  for exposing the light-sensitive material drum  20  with a laser beam which is modulated based on the image data so as to form an electrostatic latent image on the light-sensitive material drum  20 , a developing unit  23  for developing the electrostatic latent image on the light-sensitive material drum  20 , a pre-transfer processing corotron  24  for removing the potential on the light-sensitive material drum  20  prior to the primary transfer of the toner image on to the transfer belt  3 , and a cleaner  25  for removing residual toner on the light-sensitive material drum  20  after the completion of the primary transfer to the toner image. 
         [0020]    On the other hand, the transfer belt  3  is wound round a plurality of rollers and rotates in a direction indicated by an arrowed line, and a toner image formed on the light-sensitive material drum  20  is designed to be transferred to the transfer belt  3  to thereafter be transferred secondarily on to a recording sheet P from the transfer belt  3 . A primary transfer roller  30  for forming a transfer electric field between the light-sensitive material drum  20  and itself is provided in a position which faces the light-sensitive material drum  20  across the transfer belt  3 , while a secondary transfer roller  31  and an opposite electrode roller  32  are provided in a toner image secondary transfer position across the transfer belt  3 , and a sheet P is passed through between the secondary transfer roller  31  and the transfer belt  3  so as to receive the transfer of a toner image. In addition, along a rotational path of the transfer belt  3 , a belt cleaner  33  is provided between the secondary transfer position and the primary transfer position for removing paper dust and/or residual toner from the surface of the transfer belt  3  which has completed the secondary transfer. 
         [0021]    In addition, a sheet feeding unit for feeding a sheet P on to the image output unit  2  is provided below the image output unit  2 , and four sheet feeding trays  5   a  to  5   d,  which store sheets P in different sizes and which are arranged vertically one on another, are equipped in the sheet feeding unit. Then, a sheet P of a size selected in image forming work is designed to be conveyed from any of the sheet feeding trays  5   a  to  5   d  to the image output unit  2  by virtue of rotation of a pick-up roller  51 . A plurality of sheet conveying rollers  52  are provided along a sheet P conveying path which extends between the respective sheet feeding trays  5   a  to  5   d  and the toner image secondary transfer position, and registration rollers  53  are provided immediately before the secondary transfer position, whereby the registration rollers  53  convey sheets P conveyed thereto from the sheet feeding trays  5   a  to  5   d  to the secondary transfer position at a predetermined timing which is in synchronism with a writing timing of an electrostatic latent image on to the light-sensitive material drum  20 . 
         [0022]    The feeding device  200  is provided at one side end portion of the image forming apparatus main body  100  for feeding a sheet P, which is a conveyed material, from an exterior portion of the image forming apparatus main body  100  into the image forming apparatus main body  100 . In addition, a conveying passage  250  is provided in one side portion of the image forming apparatus main body  100  for conveying a sheet P from the feeding device  200  into the image forming apparatus main body  100 . 
         [0023]    In addition, in  FIG. 1 , reference numeral  26  denotes an image processing unit for processing the image data transferred from the image input unit  1  to the image output unit  2  according to the contents of image forming work and thereafter supplying the image data so processed to the laser beam scanner  22 , reference numeral  55  denotes a sheet transfer belt for feeding a recording sheet P on to which a toner image has secondarily been transferred to the fixing unit  4 , and reference numeral  56  denotes an inverter passage for, when a double-side copying is performed on a sheet P, reversing the sheet P to feed it from the fixing unit  4  to the secondary transfer position. In this exemplary embodiment, while a conveyed material transfer mechanism resides in an interior of the image forming apparatus main body  100  and is made up of the conveying passage  250 , and the secondary transfer roller  31  and the sheet conveying belt  55  which follow the conveying passage  250 , the configuration of the conveying mechanism is not limited thereto, and hence, any type of conveying mechanism may be adopted, provided that a resulting mechanism is such as to convey a conveyed material fed by the feeding device. 
         [0024]    In the image forming apparatus A of the exemplary embodiment which is configured as has been described above, the laser beam scanner  22  exposes the light-sensitive material drum  20  based on image information of a document that has been captured by the image input unit  1 , and an electrostatic latent image which corresponds to the image information is written on to the light-sensitive material drum  20 . The development of this electrostatic latent image by the developing unit  23  is slightly delayed from the writing timing. Then, a toner image formed in this way is primarily transferred on to the transfer belt  3  by the primary transfer roller  30 , and the transfer belt  3  rotates while carrying the toner image thereon. The toner image which has primarily been transferred on to the transfer belt  3  is secondarily transferred on to a sheet P conveyed from the registration rollers  53  at a predetermined timing, and the sheet P on to which the toner image, which has not yet been fixed, is transferred is discharged on to the discharge tray  50  via the fixing unit  4 . 
         [0025]      FIGS. 2 to 4  are diagrams showing the feeding device  200  of the exemplary embodiment.  FIG. 2  is a front view which shows a state in which the feeding device  200  is installed on the image forming apparatus A.  FIG. 3  is a perspective view which shows the feeding device  200 .  FIG. 4  is a side view which shows the feeding device  200 . 
         [0026]    The feeding device  200  is made up of a placement portion  210  on which sheets P are placed and a feeding portion  220  for feeding sheets P placed on the placement portion  210  into the image forming apparatus main body  100  piece by piece. 
         [0027]    The placement portion  210  is supported on the image forming apparatus main body  100  in such a manner as to move rotationally round a first fulcrum  212  between a first position (a position when the feeding is enabled) where the placement portion  210  projects from the image forming apparatus main body  100  and a second position (a position when stored) where the placement portion  210  is stored in the image forming apparatus main body  100 . 
         [0028]    The feeding portion  220  is supported on the image forming apparatus main body  100  in such a manner as to move rotationally round a second fulcrum  222  which is spaced apart from the first fulcrum  212  by a predetermined horizontal distance H in a horizontal direction which extends from the side end portion of the image forming apparatus main body  100  to an interior thereof and by a predetermined vertical distance V in a vertically upward direction between a third position (a position when the feeding is enabled) where the feeding portion  220  projects from the image forming apparatus main body  100  for feeding sheets P placed on the placement portion  210  into the image forming apparatus main body  100  piece by piece and a fourth position (a position when stored) where the feeding portion  220  is stored in the image forming apparatus main body  100 . 
         [0029]    In addition, a pick-up roller  220   a  is provided in the feeding portion  220  for feeding a topmost sheet P of sheets placed on the placement portion  210  towards the image forming apparatus main body  100 , and a feed roller  220   b  and a retarder roller  220   c  are also provided in the feeding portion  220  downstream of the pick-up roller  220   a  in the sheet P feeding direction as a so-called double-sheet detector for preventing a plurality of sheets P from being fed into the image forming apparatus main body  100  by the pick-up roller  220   a  in a superposed state. 
         [0030]    The placement portion  210  and the feeding portion  220  are connected to each other through a sliding construction in such a manner as to move relatively to each other between the first position and the second position and the third position and the forth position, respectively, so as to move simultaneously. 
         [0031]    The sliding construction is made up of a guide groove  224  which is formed in the feeding portion  220  and a slide pin  214  which is provided on the placement portion  210  in such a manner as to be slidably fitted in the guide groove  224  in the feeding portion  220 . 
         [0032]    The guide groove  224  is such that edges  224   a,    224   a  which form a longitudinal direction of the guide groove  224  are each formed by two or more straight lines or a combination of a straight line and a curve so that a vertical section in a sheet P feeding direction T takes a concave shape. 
         [0033]    The second fulcrum  222  round which the feeding portion  220  is supported in such a manner as to move rotationally relative to the image forming apparatus main body  100  is provided at one end portion of the feeding portion  220  which lies on a rear side of the image forming apparatus A. 
         [0034]    An electric wire W, which connects a driving source (not shown) of the feeding portion  220  with the image forming apparatus main body  100  so as to drive the feeding portion  220 , is laid out in such a manner as to extend along the second fulcrum  222  round which the feeding portion  220  is supported on the image forming apparatus main body  100  in such a manner as to rotate relative thereto. 
         [0035]    In addition, a side guide mechanism  226  is provided on the feeding portion  220  for controlling a sheet P in a width direction thereof. 
         [0036]    Additionally, a torque limiter TL is provided on the first fulcrum  212  round which the placement portion  210  is supported in such a manner as to move rotationally relative to the image forming apparatus main body  100  and/or the second fulcrum  222  round which the feeding portion  220  is supported in such a manner as to move rotationally relative to the image forming apparatus main body  100  so that a predetermined braking torque is generated when the placement portion  210  and the feeding portion  220  rotate. 
         [0037]    The torque limiter TL is preferably such that the predetermined braking torque is generated when the placement portion  210  and the feeding portion  220  rotate from the second position and the forth position to the first position and the third position, respectively, whereas when the placement portion  210  and the feeding portion  220  rotate from the first position and the third position to the second position and the fourth position, respectively, the predetermined braking torque is not generated. 
         [0038]    Thus, according to this exemplary embodiment, when the feeding device  200  of the image forming apparatus A is stored, the feeding device  200  of the image forming apparatus A can be stored in the image forming apparatus main body  100  without the feeding portion  220  on the feeding device  200  of the image forming apparatus A being brought into interference with the conveying passage  250  which conveys a sheet P from the feeding device  200  of the image forming apparatus A to the image output unit  2  in the image forming apparatus main body  100 , thereby making it possible to realize a reduction in size of the image forming apparatus A. 
         [0039]    In addition, the sliding construction is made up of the guide groove  224  which is formed in the feeding portion  220  and the slide pin  214  which is provided on the placement portion  210  in such a manner as to be slidably fitted in the guide groove  224  in the feeding portion  220 , and the guide groove  24  is such that the edges  224   a,    224   a  which form the longitudinal direction of the guide groove  24  are each formed by two or more straight lines or a combination of a straight line and a curve so that the vertical section in the sheet P feeding direction T takes the concave shape. Therefore, the relative displacement in the rotational direction of the placement portion  210  and the feeding portion  220  is decreased, thereby making it possible to decrease a space necessary for the placement portion  210  and the feeding portion  220  to move rotationally between the first position and the third position and the second position and the fourth position, respectively. 
         [0040]    In addition, since the second fulcrum  222  round which the feeding portion  220  is supported in such a manner as to move rotationally relative to the image forming apparatus main body  100  is provided at one end portion of the feeding portion  220  which lies on the rear side of the image forming apparatus A, the conveying passage  250  in the image forming apparatus main body  100  and part of the whole of the image output unit  2  can be pulled out to a front side of the image forming apparatus A without interfering with the second fulcrum  222  of the feeding portion  220 . 
         [0041]    Since the electric wire W, which connects the driving source (not shown) of the feeding portion  220  with the image forming apparatus main body  100  so as to drive the feeding portion  220 , is laid out in such a manner as to extend along the second fulcrum  222  round which the feeding portion  220  is supported on the image forming apparatus main body  100  in such a manner as to rotate relative thereto, in the event that the placement portion  210  and the feeding portion  220  are rotated repeatedly between the first position and the third position and the second position and the fourth position, respectively, the electric wire W which connects the drive source of the feeding portion  220  with the image forming apparatus main body  100  can be prevented from being given excessive stress. 
         [0042]    In addition, since the side guide mechanism  226  is provided on the feeding portion  220  for regulating the sheet P in the width direction thereof, the positioning of the sheet P relative to the feeding portion  220  becomes accurate, thereby making it possible to enhance the image position accuracy. 
         [0043]    Additionally, since the torque limiter TL is provided on the first fulcrum  212  round which the placement portion  210  is supported in such a manner as to move rotationally relative to the image forming apparatus main body  100  and/or the second fulcrum  222  round which the feeding portion  220  is supported in such a manner as to move rotationally relative to the image forming apparatus main body  100  so that the predetermined braking torque is generated when the placement portion  210  and the feeding portion  220  rotate, a drastic fall of the placement portion  210  and the feeding portion  220  can be prevented when the placement portion  210  and the feeding portion  220  rotate from the second position and the fourth position to the first position and the third position, respectively. 
         [0044]    In the event that the torque limiter TL is made such that the predetermined braking torque is generated when the placement portion  210  and the feeding portion  220  rotate from the second position and the fourth position to the first position and the third position, respectively, whereas when the placement portion  210  and the feeding portion  220  rotate from the first position and the third position to the second position and the fourth position, respectively, the predetermined braking torque is not generated, not only can the drastic fall of the placement portion  210  and the feeding portion  220  be prevented when the placement portion  210  and the feeding portion  220  rotate from the second position and the fourth position to the first position and the third position, respectively, but also the placement portion  210  and the feeding portion  220  can be rotated from the first position and the third position to the second position and the fourth position, respectively. 
         [0045]    Note that the invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiment that has been described heretofore but can be modified variously without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. 
         [0046]    For example, while in the exemplary embodiment, the placement portion  210  is supported in such a manner as to move rotationally round the first fulcrum  212  relative to the image forming apparatus main body  100 , the placement portion  210  may be supported in such a manner as to move rotationally in that way using a plurality of links. It is also possible to configure the placement portion  210  in such a manner as to slide along a guide groove without using such links. 
         [0047]    While in the exemplary embodiment, the feeding portion  220  is similarly supported in such a manner as to move rotationally round the second fulcrum relative to the image forming apparatus main body  100 , as with the placement portion  210 , the feeding portion  220  may be supported in such a manner as to move rotationally using a plurality of links. It is also possible to configure the feeding portion  220  in such a manner as to slide along a guide groove without using such links. In addition, it is not that the feeding portion  220  is made to move rotationally right round the second fulcrum  222  but that a link which moves rotationally round the second fulcrum  222  is provided separately from the feeding portion  220 , so that the link may be connected to the feeding portion  220  in such a manner as to move rotationally. As this occurs, the first fulcrum  212  and the second fulcrum  222  do not have to be space apart from each other in the horizontal direction as in the exemplary embodiment, and the fulcrums may only have to be spaced apart from each other in the vertical direction. 
         [0048]    While in the exemplary embodiment, the placement portion  210  and the feeding portion  220  are made to be connected to each other through the sliding mechanism, the connection of these portions is not limited to that form, and hence, for example, a link mechanism may be adopted, provided that the placement portion  210  and the feeding portion  220  are connected to move relatively to each other and move simultaneously. 
       Second Exemplary Embodiment 
       [0049]    Next, a second exemplary embodiment of a feeding device for a conveying apparatus according to the invention will be described. Note that like reference numerals will be given to like configurations to those described in the first exemplary embodiment, so as to omit the description thereof. 
         [0050]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view showing a feeding device  300  according to this exemplary embodiment. While in the feeding device  200  in the first exemplary embodiment, the side guide mechanism  226  for regulating the width direction of the sheet P is provided in the feeding portion  220 , the feeding device  300  is such that a side guide mechanism  216  for regulating the width direction of a recording sheet P is provided on a placement portion  210 . 
         [0051]    According to this exemplary embodiment, since the length of guides for regulating the width direction of the sheet P can be extended longer, the guiding performance of the guide mechanism can be enhanced. 
       Third Exemplary Embodiment 
       [0052]    Next, a third exemplary embodiment of a feeding device of a conveying apparatus according to the invention will be described. Note that like reference numerals will be given to like configurations to those described in the first exemplary embodiment, so as to omit the description thereof. 
         [0053]      FIG. 6  is a side view showing a feeding device  400  according to this exemplary embodiment. While in the feeding device  200  in the first exemplary embodiment, the torque limiter TL is provided on the first fulcrum  212  round which the placement portion  210  is supported in such a manner as to move rotationally relative to the image forming apparatus main body  100  and/or the second fulcrum  222  round which the feeding portion  220  is supported in such a manner as to move rotationally relative to the image forming apparatus main body  100  so that the predetermined braking torque is generated when the placement portion  210  and the feeding portion  220  rotate, in the feeding device  400 , a slide construction is provided which has a guide groove  224  formed in a feeding portion  220  and a slide pin  218  provided on a placement portion  210  in such a manner as to be fitted slidably in the guide groove  224  in the feeding portion  220 , wherein a rack  224   b  is formed on an edge which makes up a longitudinal direction of the guide groove  224  formed in the feeding portion  220 , and the slide pin  218  is made up of a slide pin main body  218   a  and a gear  218   b  provided on the slide pin main body  218   a  via a torque limiter TL in such a manner as to be brought into mesh engagement with the rack  224   b  formed in the guide groove  224 . 
         [0054]    According to this exemplary embodiment, as with the first exemplary embodiment, a drastic fall of the placement portion  210  and feeding portion  220  can be prevented that would otherwise occur when the placement portion  210  and the feeding portion  220  rotates from a second position and a fourth position to a first position and a third position, respectively. 
         [0055]    Note that while in the exemplary embodiments, the invention has been described as being applied to the image forming apparatus, the invention is not such as to be applied to only the image forming apparatus but can be applied to a card reader, a banknote counter and the like.