Recording medium feed device

Abstract

A recording medium feed device includes: a recording medium feed tray installable to and removable from a main body of the recording medium feed device; a send-out member to send out a recording medium loaded in the recording medium feed tray, the send-out member being in contact with a top face of the recording medium while applying pressure thereto at a time of installing the recording medium feed tray; and a withdrawing mechanism to withdraw the send-out member from the top face of the recording medium in the recording medium feed tray at a time of removing the recording medium feed tray.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to a recording medium feed device which is installed in an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a printer or a printing press, a paper post-processing apparatus, and the like. [0003] 2. Description of the Related Art [0004] As a recording medium feed device used in an image forming apparatus or the like, a device as shown in FIG. 7 has been known (for example, see JP-Tokukaihei-7-144771A). [0005] In FIG. 7, reference numeral 101 denotes a recording medium feed roller, reference numeral 102 denotes a separating roller to be in contact with the recording medium feed roller 101 and connected to a torque limiter (not shown), and reference numeral 103 denotes a send-out roller swingably supported on the rotary shaft of the recording medium feed roller 101. [0006] Reference numeral 104 denotes a pick-up cam which brings the send-out roller 103 into contact with paper. P loaded t...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0014] The present invention is made in view of the above problems, and an object thereof is to provide a recording medium feed device which includes an installable and removable recording medium feed tray, has a simple structure that suppresses a cost increase, and prevents “no feed.”

[0015] As described above, the inventors of the present invention have found out during their study on a recording medium feed device that, in a structure where the send-out roller is always in contact with the recording media, “no feed” can be prevented even when a wavy recording medium such as backside paper is used, since the send-out roller is always in contact with the recording media and thus no gap is formed between the recording media. However, in a structure where the recording medium feed tray and the recording medium feed unit are integral with each other, cost is increased even though it is easy to allow the send-out roller to be always in contact with the paper.

[0016] The present invention has been achieved on the idea that cost can be suppressed and “no feed” can be prevented by separating the recording medium feed tray and the recording medium feed unit, and bringing the send-out roller into contact with the top face of the recording media at the time of installing the recording medium feed tray, while withdrawing the send-out roller from the top face of the recording media at the time of removing the recording medium feed tray in order not to displace the recording media loaded in the recording medium feed tray.

[0020] Moreover, by withdrawing the send-out member from the top face of the recording medium in the recording medium feed tray at the time of removing the recording medium feed tray, it is possible to prevent the recording medium from being displaced. Thus, the recording medium can be prevented from being torn or defectively conveyed.

[0023] Moreover, by withdrawing the send-out roller from the top face of the recording medium in the recording medium feed tray at the time of removing the recording medium feed tray, it is possible to prevent the recording medium from being displaced. Thus, the recording medium can be prevented from being torn or defectively conveyed.

[0025] By providing the recording medium holding member to be in contact with the top face of the recording medium in the recording medium feed tray only at a time of removing the recording medium feed tray, the recording medium holding member being formed integrally with the send-out roller, the send-out roller is prevented from contacting with the recording medium. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent the recording medium loaded in the recording medium feed tray from being displaced.

Problems solved by technology

However, in a structure where the recording medium feed tray and the recording medium feed unit are integral with each other, cost is increased even though it is easy to allow the send-out roller to be always in contact with the paper.

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