Patent Publication Number: US-11390475-B2

Title: Sheet separation device and image forming apparatus incorporating same

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This patent application is based on and claims priority pursuant to 35 U.S.C. § 119(a) to Japanese Patent Application No. 2019-052593, filed on Mar. 20, 2019, in the Japan Patent Office, the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Technical Field 
     Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a sheet separating device and an image forming apparatus incorporating the sheet separating device. 
     Related Art 
     Various types of electrophotographic image forming apparatuses are known, including copiers, printers, facsimile machines, and multifunction machines having two or more of copying, printing, scanning, facsimile, plotter, and other capabilities. Such image forming apparatuses usually form an image on a recording medium according to image data. Specifically, in such image forming apparatuses, for example, a charger uniformly charges a surface of a photoconductor as an image bearer. An optical writer irradiates the surface of the photoconductor thus charged with a light beam to form an electrostatic latent image on the surface of the photoconductor according to the image data. A developing device supplies toner to the electrostatic latent image thus formed to render the electrostatic latent image visible as a toner image. The toner image is then transferred onto a recording medium either directly, or indirectly via an intermediate transfer belt. Finally, a fixing device applies heat and pressure to the recording medium bearing the toner image to fix the toner image onto the recording medium. Thus, an image is formed on the recording medium. 
     Such image forming apparatuses often include a sheet separating device for feeding a plurality of sheets, as recording media, one by one from a receptacle. The sheet separating device typically includes the receptacle on which the plurality of sheets is stackable and a pickup rotator that feeds the plurality of sheets from the receptacle. 
     SUMMARY 
     In one embodiment of the present disclosure, a novel sheet separating device includes a receptacle, a pickup rotator, an air supplier, and a sheet floating restraint. The receptacle is configured to hold a plurality of sheets. The pickup rotator is configured to feed the plurality of sheets one by one from the receptacle. The air supplier includes an air outlet disposed ahead of the receptacle in a sheet feeding direction in which the plurality of sheets is fed. The air supplier is configured to blow air out from the air outlet toward a leading end of the plurality of sheets, held on the receptacle, in the sheet feeding direction. The sheet floating restraint is configured to restrain floating of a part of the plurality of sheets separated from each other by the air blown out from the air outlet. 
     Also described is a novel image forming apparatus incorporating the sheet separating device. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       A more complete appreciation of the embodiments and many of the attendant advantages and features thereof can be readily obtained and understood from the following detailed description with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a sheet separating device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 2  is an enlarged perspective view of a pickup roller and surrounding components in the sheet separating device of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a plan view of the sheet separating device of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic view of the sheet separating device of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a partial enlarged view of the sheet separating device of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 6  is another partial enlarged view of the sheet separating device of  FIG. 1 , in a state in which air is blown; and 
         FIG. 7  is a schematic view of an image forming apparatus to which the sheet separating device of  FIG. 1  is applied. 
     
    
    
     The accompanying drawings are intended to depict embodiments of the present disclosure and should not be interpreted to limit the scope thereof. Also, identical or similar reference numerals designate identical or similar components throughout the several views. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     In describing embodiments illustrated in the drawings, specific terminology is employed for the sake of clarity. However, the disclosure of the present specification is not intended to be limited to the specific terminology so selected and it is to be understood that each specific element includes all technical equivalents that have a similar function, operate in a similar manner, and achieve a similar result. 
     Although the embodiments are described with technical limitations with reference to the attached drawings, such description is not intended to limit the scope of the disclosure and not all of the components or elements described in the embodiments of the present disclosure are indispensable to the present disclosure. 
     In a later-described comparative example, embodiment, and exemplary variation, for the sake of simplicity, like reference numerals are given to identical or corresponding constituent elements such as parts and materials having the same functions, and redundant descriptions thereof are omitted unless otherwise required. 
     As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. 
     Referring to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals designate identical or corresponding parts throughout the several views, embodiments of the present disclosure are described below. 
     Specifically, a description is now given of a sheet separating device (or a sheet feeding device) according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, suitable for handling a recording medium used as a sheet material particularly in an image forming apparatus. The recording medium is herein after referred to as a recording sheet or simply as a sheet. 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a sheet separating device  100  according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. 
     The sheet separating device  100  includes a tray  110  and a pickup roller  120 . The tray  110  is a receptacle that holds a plurality of sheets S serving as recording media. In other words, a plurality of sheets S is stackable on the tray  110 . The pickup roller  120  is a pickup rotator that feeds the plurality of sheets S one by one. The sheet separating device  100  feeds the plurality of sheets S from the tray  110  one by one. 
     An end fence  111  and a side fence pair  112  are disposed on the tray  110 . The end fence  111  regulates a trailing end of the sheet S in a direction in which the sheet S is fed or conveyed. Note that the direction in which the sheet S is fed or conveyed is hereinafter referred to as a sheet feeding direction or a sheet conveying direction. The side fence pair  112  regulates opposed widthwise ends of the sheet S. Note that a width direction of the sheet S corresponds to a direction perpendicular to the sheet feeding direction. The side fence pair  112  is provided with a side sheet floating restraint pair  112 A. Specifically, the side sheet floating restraint pair  112 A is disposed on opposed widthwise end portions of the sheet separating device  100  perpendicular to the sheet feeding direction to restrain floating of a part of the plurality of sheets S separated from each other. The side sheet floating restraint pair  112 A is disposed between the end fence  111  and a front sheet floating restraint  130  as illustrated in  FIG. 3 . Each of the side sheet floating restraint pair  112 A extends from an upper portion of each of the side fence pair  112  toward a widthwise center of the sheet separating device  100  by a given length. 
     In the present embodiment, the side fence pair  112  is thus provided with the side sheet floating restraint pair  112 A. Alternatively, however, either one of the side fence pair  112  is provided with a side sheet floating restraint  112 A. In a case in which a single side sheet floating restraint  112 A is disposed on either one of the side fence pair  112 , the side sheet floating restraint  112 A preferably has a length equal to or greater than one tenth of a length between the side fence pair  112 . 
       FIG. 2  is an enlarged perspective view of the pickup roller  120  and surrounding components in the sheet separating device  100 . 
     The pickup roller  120 , a feed roller  121 , and a reverse roller  122  construct a separating and feeding unit employing a so-called feed and reverse roller (FRR) sheet feeding method. The feed roller  121  conveys further a sheet S reaching the feed roller  121 . The reverse roller  122  contacts the feed roller  121  from below. A driver drives and rotates the reverse roller  122  via a torque limiter in a direction to return the sheet S toward the pickup roller  120 . The pickup roller  120  is supported by a swing arm  120 A. 
     A front wall plate  123  is a part of a front wall against which a leading end of the sheet S in the sheet feeding direction on the tray  110  abuts. The front wall plate  123  is disposed opposite the pickup roller  120  and the like in the width direction of the sheet separating device  100 . The front wall plate  123  is bent at two bent portions  123 A from a vertically extending portion and extends downstream in the sheet feeding direction. The front wall plate  123  includes a lower guide plate  123 B as a portion thus extending downstream in the sheet feeding direction. An upper portion of the reverse roller  122  projects from an opening  123 C formed in the lower guide plate  123 B. A portion between the two bent portions  123 A is inclined so as to become higher downstream in the sheet feeding direction. 
     On each widthwise side of the front wall plate  123  is a front wall face  124  extending vertically like the front wall plate  123 . An upper portion of the front wall face  124  includes a bent portion  124 A. An inclined upper face  124 B is a portion of the front wall face  124  above the bent portion  124 A. The inclined upper face  124 B has an inclination identical to an inclination of the portion between the two bent portions  123 A in an upper portion of the front wall plate  123 . An air outlet  124 C is opened on the inclined upper face  124 B. Air from an air duct  125  is blown out through the air outlet  124 C. The front sheet floating restraint  130  is disposed on each outer side of the pickup roller  120  in the width direction of the sheet separating device  100 . The front sheet floating restraint  130  includes a first inclined portion  130 A, a second inclined portion  130 B, and a rising portion  130 C in this order from a downstream side in the sheet feeding direction. The front sheet floating restraint  130  extends from an upper guide plate  131  upstream in the sheet feeding direction. Specifically, the front sheet floating restraint  130  continues to each of upper guide plate parts  131 A of the upper guide plate  131 . The upper guide plate parts  131 A deviate from and are located respectively on both sides of a portion of the upper guide plate  131  opposite the rollers such as the pickup roller  120  in a width direction of the rollers. That is, the front sheet floating restraint  130  extends from the upper guide plate part  131 A upstream in the sheet feeding direction. 
       FIG. 3  is a plan view of the sheet separating device  100 . 
     The front sheet floating restraint  130  extends, on each outer sides of the pickup roller  120  in the width direction of the sheet separating device  100 , toward a vicinity of an inner wall surface of the corresponding one of a housing side plate pair  100 A of the sheet separating device  100 . The pickup roller  120  is interposed between the two pairs of air outlets  124 C in the width direction of the sheet separating device  100 . In other words, the four air outlets  124 C are disposed as illustrated in  FIG. 3 . The front sheet floating restraints  130  are located above the air outlets  124 C. 
     Each of the front sheet floating restraints  130  has an outer end portion in the width direction of the sheet separating device  100  secured to the corresponding one of the housing side plate pair  100 A. For example, a screw  130 D is driven through a vertically long slot  100 B of each of the housing side plate pair  100 A to secure the front sheet floating restraint  130  to each of the housing side plate pair  100 A. By changing the position of fastening the screw  130 D in a longitudinal direction in the long slot  100 B, an inclination angle of the front sheet floating restraint  130  is adjustable. In other words, the front sheet floating restraint  130  is inclined at a changeable angle. In a case in which the front sheet floating restraint  130  is formed as a part of the upper guide plate  131 , the posture of the upper guide plate  131  changes as the inclination angle of the front sheet floating restraint  130  changes. To prevent such a situation, the connecting portion between the front sheet floating restraint  130  and the upper guide plate  131  may be configured such that the angle between the front sheet floating restraint  130  and the upper guide plate  131  is changeable. Alternatively, the front sheet floating restraint  130  and the upper guide plate  131  may be secured as components dependent from each other. 
       FIG. 4  is a schematic view of main components of the sheet separating device  100  for separating and feeding a sheet S. 
     As the tray  110  rotates around a rotation fulcrum  110 A or horizontally rises, a sheet S or an uppermost sheet S of a plurality of sheets S comes into contact with the pickup roller  120  and enters a feedable state. A fan  125 A, serving as an air supply, supplies air to the air duct  125 , which is an air chamber. The air duct  125  is disposed to blow the air above the plurality of sheets S stacked, through the air outlets  124 C above the air duct  125 . The fan  125 A, the air duct  125 , the air outlets  124 C, and the like construct an air supplier  126 . Specifically, the air outlets  124 C are disposed ahead of the tray  110  in the sheet feeding direction in which the plurality of sheets S is fed. The air supplier  126  blows air out from the air outlets  124 C toward a leading end of the plurality of sheets S in the sheet feeding direction. The air from the air outlets  124 C may lift a part of the plurality of sheets S. In order to prevent the part of the plurality of sheets S from being blown off, the present embodiment provides the front sheet floating restraint  130 , in addition to the side sheet floating restraint pair  112 A, to restrict floating of the plurality of sheets S. Specifically, the front sheet floating restraint  130  restraints floating of the part of the plurality of sheets S separated from each other by the air blown out from the air outlets  124 C. 
       FIG. 5  is an enlarged view of the vicinity of the front sheet floating restraint  130  of  FIG. 4 . 
     The side sheet floating restraint pair  112 A and the front sheet floating restraint  130  restrict a floating sheet S from being blown off. The side sheet floating restraint pair  112 A and the front sheet floating restraint  130  are different from each other in whether the side sheet floating restraint pair  112 A and the front sheet floating restraint  130  are parallel to a surface of a sheet S or have an angle α with respect to the surface of the sheet S. Specifically, the side sheet floating restraint pair  112 A is parallel to the sheet S; whereas the front sheet floating restraint  130  forms the angle α with respect to an upper surface of the sheet S resting on the tray  110 , but not lifted by air. More specifically, a lower surface of the second inclined portion  130 B forms the angle α. The second inclined portion  130 B contacts an upper surface of a floating sheet S and restricts further floating of the sheet S. As illustrated in  FIG. 5 , the front sheet floating restraint  130  is inclined at the angle α with respect to the upper surface of the sheets S such that a distance between the front sheet floating restraint  130  and the upper surface of the sheets S increases downstream from an air outlet  124 C side in an air blowing direction A. In other words, the angle α of the front sheet floating restraint  130  inclines the front sheet floating restraint  130  in a direction in which the distance between the front sheet floating restraint  130  and the upper surface of the sheets S increases from the air outlet  124 C side. Preferably, the angle α is an acute angle. 
       FIG. 6  is another enlarged view of the vicinity of the front sheet floating restraint  130 , in a state in which air is blown. 
     As described above, the front sheet floating restraint  130  restrains floating of sheets S. In addition, the front sheet floating restraint  130  receives air blown out from the air outlets  124 C and changes the air blowing direction A. Specifically, the front sheet floating restraint  130  sends the air substantially parallel to the sheets S. In other words, the front sheet floating restraint  130  corrects the air blowing direction A to a direction in which the sheets S are reliably separated from each other. That is, the air flow parallel to the sheets S effectively separates the sheets S from each other. 
     The angle α depends on a channel shape of the air duct  125 , size and relative positions of the air outlets  124 C, and the like. However, the angle α is desirably an acute angle. An obtuse angle is inefficacious in restraining floating of the sheets S and correcting the air blowing direction A out from the air outlets  124 C. 
     In order to receive the air and change the air blowing direction A, the front sheet floating restraint  130  is made of a material capable of guiding air. Specifically, the material and the structure of the front sheet floating restraint  130  do not allow the air to pass through the front sheet floating restraint  130  in a thickness direction of the front sheet floating restraint  130 . In a case in which the front sheet floating restraint  130  simply restrains floating of sheets S, rather than changes the air blowing direction A, such material and structure may not be adopted. In such a case, a sheet S restrained from floating may serve as an air guide that guides air entering between the sheet S and another sheet S below the sheet S. Even when the sheet S thus serves as an air guide, the inclination of the front sheet floating restraint  130  at the angle α is efficacious in regulating the posture of the sheets S. Therefore, in a case in which the sheet S sufficiently serves as an air guide or such an air guiding function is not expected in the first place, the material and the structure of the front sheet floating restraint  130  may allow the air to pass through the front sheet floating restraint  130  in the thickness direction of the front sheet floating restraint  130 . 
     According to the embodiment described above, the air outlets  124 C are disposed so as to blow the air out toward the leading end of the sheets S in the sheet feeding direction. Alternatively, the air outlets  124 C may be disposed so as to blow the air toward the trailing end or a side of the sheets S in the sheet feeding direction. That is, in the sheet separating device  100  that includes the air outlets  124 C near the tray  110  (more specifically, the sheets S held on the tray  110 ) to blow air toward an end surface of the sheets S, the front sheet floating restraint  130  inclined at the angle α with respect to the surface of the sheets S as in the sheet separating device  100  described above reliably restricts the floating of the sheets S. In the sheet separating device  100  that includes the air outlets  124 C near the tray  110  (e.g., on a side of the sheets S) to blow air toward the end surface of the sheets S, the front sheet floating restraint  130  is inclined at the angle α with respect to the upper surface of the sheets S such that the distance between the front sheet floating restraint  130  and the upper surface of the sheets S increases downstream from the air outlet  124 C side in the air blowing direction A. In other words, the angle α of the front sheet floating restraint  130  inclines the front sheet floating restraint  130  in the direction in which the distance between the front sheet floating restraint  130  and the upper surface of the sheets S increases from the air outlet  124 C side. The angle α is desirably an acute angle. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 7 , a description is given of an image forming apparatus  1  to which the sheet separating device  100  of the present embodiment is applied. 
       FIG. 7  is a schematic view of the image forming apparatus  1 . 
     A document D, conveyed or fed by a document feeder  10  in a direction indicated by arrow in  FIG. 7 , passes over a document reader  2 . The document reader  2  optically reads image data of the document D. An exposure device  3 , serving as a writer, irradiates a drum-shaped photoconductor  5  of an image forming device  4  with exposure light L, such as a laser beam, according to the image data thus read. The image forming device  4  performs a given series of image forming processes, such as a charging process, an exposing process, and a developing process, to form a toner image corresponding to the image data on the photoconductor  5 . A transfer device  7  transfers the toner image from the photoconductor  5  onto a sheet S conveyed from a selected one of a plurality of feeding devices  12  and  13 . A fixing device  20  fixes the toner image onto the sheet S after the transfer process. The sheet S bearing the fixed toner image is discharged onto an output tray  31 . 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 7 , the plurality of feeding devices  12  and  13  are disposed in a housing of the image forming apparatus  1 . The plurality of feeding devices  12  and  13  has substantially the same configuration. For example, the feeding device  13  includes a receptacle  43  (e.g., elevation plate) and a feeding assembly  52 . A plurality of sheets S lies stacked on the receptacle  43 . The feeding assembly  52  serves as a feeder that feeds the plurality of sheets S one by one from the receptacle  43 . The sheet separating device  100  of the present embodiment can be used as each of the plurality of feeding devices  12  and  13 . 
     Note that a sheet feeding device incorporating an air blower, like the sheet separating device  100  according to the present embodiment, has the following advantages. Generally, a sheet feeding device incorporated in an image forming apparatus includes a sheet loader such as a bottom plate. The sheet feeding device separates and feeds sheets serving as recording media stacked on the bottom plate one by one toward an image forming device. Examples of such sheets include coated paper and art paper. The sheets of coated paper or art paper have hygroscopicity, good surface smoothness, and low air permeability. Therefore, in a high humidity environment, the adhesion between the sheets tends to increase. That is, the sheets of coated paper or art paper have difficulties in separation, compared to the sheets of plain paper, resulting in frequent multiple feeding or continuous feeding. 
     To reduce the adhesion between the sheets, air is blown toward an end portion of the sheets. Specifically, air is blown to an end surface of the sheets under pressure that does not attract the sheets to each other, thereby separating the sheets from each other. 
     The sheet feeding device is also configured to restrain excessive floating of a part of the sheets separated from each other by air blown out from an air outlet. With this configuration, the floating sheets are not turned up or blown off. Since the air is blown in a direction perpendicular to the end surface of the sheets to efficiently separate the sheets, a sheet floating restraint is disposed in parallel with the sheets or the bottom plate to increase the separating efficiency and ensure the separation of the sheets. 
     However, typical sheet feeding devices have some difficulties in maximizing the sheet separating effectiveness unless the air is blown perpendicularly to the sheets, because the sheet floating restraint is disposed in parallel with the sheets or the bottom plate. To address such a situation, the angle α is formed in the sheet separating device  100  of the present embodiment. 
     The sheet separating device  100  of the present embodiment has some other advantages as below. A typical sheet floating restraint is generally disposed in parallel with a bottom plate or sheets to effectively restrain floating of the sheets. In addition, the air flow parallel to the sheets S effectively separates the sheets S from each other. The sheet floating restraint disposed in parallel with the sheets contacts a floating sheet, allowing the air to be blown at right angles to an end surface of the sheets. 
     Occasionally, however, an air blower may not be installed horizontally to the end portion of the sheets to blow air. The air blower disposed at a horizontal position to the end portion of the sheets may enlarges the overall configuration of a sheet feeding device, affecting downsizing of the sheet feeding device. To address such a situation, the air blower may be disposed below the end portion of the sheets (that is, in a direction of blowing up an upper part of the stacked sheets). However, the air blower thus disposed does not blow air horizontally to the end portion of the sheets, reducing the sheet separating effectiveness. Rather, in such a configuration, the air blower may lift the upper part of the stacked sheets as a bundle of sheets, possibly raising the risk of multiple feeding. 
     By contrast, the sheet separating device  100  of the present embodiment increases the sheet separating effectiveness even in a case in which the air outlet  124 C is disposed below the end portion of the sheets (that is, in the direction of blowing up the upper part of the stacked sheets). That is, in the sheet separating device  100  of the present embodiment, the angle α of the front sheet floating restraint  130  allows the air to be blown to the end portion of the sheets at an appropriate angle. 
     Accordingly, the sheet separating device  100  more stably separates and feeds a plurality of sheets one by one than typical sheet separating devices. 
     Although the present disclosure makes reference to specific embodiments, it is to be noted that the present disclosure is not limited to the details of the embodiments described above. Thus, various modifications and enhancements are possible in light of the above teachings, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. It is therefore to be understood that the present disclosure may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described herein. For example, elements and/or features of different embodiments may be combined with each other and/or substituted for each other within the scope of the present disclosure. The number of constituent elements and their locations, shapes, and so forth are not limited to any of the structure for performing the methodology illustrated in the drawings. 
     For example, the image forming apparatus incorporating the sheet separating device according to an embodiment described above is not limited to a monochrome image forming apparatus that forms monochrome toner images on recording media as illustrated in  FIG. 7 . Alternatively, the image forming apparatus may be a color image forming apparatus that forms color toner images on recording media. In addition, the image forming apparatus to which the embodiments of the present disclosure are applied includes but is not limited to a printer, a copier, a facsimile machine, or a multifunction peripheral having at least two capabilities of these devices.